Split (1)

train · 27.1k rows

prompt stringlengths 451 16.4k	completion stringlengths 47 11.1k
<\|description\|>Jennifer Lóng Biographical Information Nickname(s): Jen, Jin, Jenni. Date of Birth: February 9, 1973 Aquarius Skills/Abilities: Reptile & Sword-Handling Expert; Master of Kendo, Iaido, Kenjutsu, Kung-Fu, Chi-Gong & Tessenjutsu; Stealth, Self-Hibernation, Decelerated Aging, Scale Generation, Aiming Proficiency & Enhanced Durability/Lungs/Smell. Weapon(s) of Choice: Single Katana and Tessen. Occupation(s): Zoo Keeper (formerly); Vigilante. Physical Description Specie(s): Human (formerly); Reptilian-Hybrid. Gender: Female. Height: 5' 7". Hair Color: Dark Brown-Black. Eye Color: Brown. Overview (Brief Summary): Originated from Beijing, Jennifer was adopted and raised in the traditions of a Japanese family in America. Spending most of her life traveling, whilst having to develop a warm heart for animals, she eventually settled down in New York, where she became a keeper and specialist of the Reptile House at the Central Park Zoo...before one night changed her life forever. At closing time, she came into contact with a mysterious substance that somehow fused her DNA with one of the lizards at the zoo. Personality: Strong-Willed, Brave/Courageous, Wise, Astute, Sisterly, Patient, Calm, Mature, Independent, Inspiring, Caring/Selfless, Intelligent, Resourceful, Creative, Protective, Confident, Fair/Honorable, Tenacious, Modest, Thoughtful, Reliable. Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Zhang Ziyi</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Punches and kicks to the air seem to be the right way of releasing the anger he was harboring. Splinter's very absence was taking its toll, and the longer they sit around, the bigger the chances were that their master may be gone permanently. Doesn't Leo understand this? They can't stay stationary. Giving grunts and groans of frustration, Raphael sighed, shortly before he heard the voice of Charlotte, a short ways behind him. What was she doing here? Looking over the side of the building, and over at the streets below, he didn't answer her, but rather, gave a sniff; whether out of sadness or anger, the rebel shook his head, trying to force these troubled feelings to just disappear. Her words were launching towards him, and he didn't look at her. "He's out there; I know it", he said, seemingly ignoring what she was telling him.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "So do I, but I don't think he'd want his family to fall into discord." She said, carefully walking up to him. She still wanted to give him space should he decide to throw more punches and kicks. Charlie hesitated before gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "I know it might take you a while to calm down, but you have to try to make up with Leo. You can't leave things the way they were." She advised with a little hopeful smile. Unbeknownst to them they were being watched by multiple eyes. One pair was from a not too far away building where a man sat, not believing what he was seeing even with the binoculars. It was the weird punk he met a few nights ago. What was he doing up there? And why was there a girl with him? The other eyes belonged to a group of Foot ninjas who were creeping up on the duo before Charlie sensed something was wrong. She turned around, eyes widening as she saw they were surrounded. "Raph!" She exclaimed, but her warning came too late as one of the ninjas jumped onto his back.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Her persistence was fierce, that's for sure. Raphael didn't think that, besides Splinter, the girl could try to reason with him with wisdom. It hasn't been an easy thing to swallow, if such things came from his brothers but, perhaps out of anyone he encountered, that wasn't his father, Charlotte was able to give him a message that showed genuine care behind her reasoning. He took a few deep breaths through his nose, shortly before he felt her hand on his shoulder. It was obvious that she was being careful yet gentle in her approach, and that was what caused Raphael to reluctantly relent, and slowly loosen his fists. "Charlie, I...", he began to say, still looking down, whilst appearing to calm down, before being able to lift his head, and take another deep breath. "...thanks." He too was unaware of themselves being watched, even when the group of men in black jumpsuits started to approach to duo with complete silence. He heard Charlotte shout his name; the next thing he knew, they were getting thrown around, in an ambush. It was only a matter of time, before he could get back to his feet. "'Lee, get out of here!", he told her, as he started putting a number on the impeding group of ninjas. As long as their attention was on the rebellious turtle, Charlie would have a bigger chance of getting away, and telling the others. Meanwhile, April was showing her new friends the antique show below the apartment, which only seemed to induce wonder and curiosity in the turtle brothers, while Jennifer thought about the prolonged absence of their brother and Charlie. But, at the same time, the back of her mind says, that there was some sort of spark going on between her "sister" and the red-bandannaed turtle. Not that she was worried about it, but it became quite...endearing. Her thoughts were cut off, once Mikey decided to play a prank on Leo, having to startle him with some cymbals he found laying around. Luckily, Jen and April were able to cover their ears, in time. The ninjas were pouring in, and Raphael was starting to find himself overwhelmed. He was able to fend off a good few, but it was starting to become very hard. However, his tenacity didn't fade, despite his impeding exhaustion. "You must be studying the abridged book of ninja fighting. I mean, come on, how do you guys expect to beat me?", more and more started pouring in, making Raphael realize that numbers were on their side. "Good answer. Good answer". "Haven't they been gone a long time?", April asked, as they were going back up to the apartment, after giving them a brief tour of some of her most-prized possessions. "Raph does this, all the time; he likes it", Donnie reassured, as if it was no big deal. Jennifer frowned, sensing something wrong, shortly before she felt something sharp get thrown at her, grazing her cheek. "Are you sure?" Seeing a throwing ninja knife piercing the wall, Jennifer caught a glimpse of a bald Japanese man in a robe, in one of the mirrors. "We're being watched...", she realized, whispering to herself, before wiping the cut on her face. "...he'll probably be back any minute", before anybody could react, a shatter from above caught everyone off guard, as the body of Raphael came crashing through. "Raph!"</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie heard his words but didn't want to leave him alone, especially being clearly outnumbered. She hesitated for a moment before sneaking away, quickly heading downstairs to tell the others. She just hoped by the time she told them it wouldn't be too late. Tears started to sting her eyes at the thought of the brothers losing another family member, especially after the fight he had with Leo. She pushed the thoughts away as she spotted the others, running over towards them before quickly recoiling as she saw something fly quickly through the air. She was too late to warn them; the Foot were already here. She watched in shock as Raph crashed through the sunroof, glass and wood surrounding him. He wasn't moving. "Raph!" She exclaimed, running over with April and Donnie. Tears stung her eyes once again as she silently begged him to still be alive. "He's alive. Barely." Donnie assured them before looking at the few ninjas that had jumped in after their brother. Relief washed over Charlie before anger took over. These ninjas had the nerve to attack April, cause Splinter's disappearance, and now hurt her friend and threaten his brothers. She stood up, getting into a defensive stance.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng The crash was something that Jennifer did not want to see, especially since Charlie just walked into the room to witness it. She was immediately by April's side, checking to see that Raphael's vitals were still active. In addition to Donatello's claim, she was able to find a pulse, but it was faint. Very faint. Along with being thrown through the sunroof, he must nearly have been beaten to death before then. The attackers were piling in through the windows, door, and the roof. It was clearly an ambush, set to overthrow them with numbers rather than strength alone. But how did they find them? Nobody knew where they were. If so, who? Putting herself in the defensive, Jennifer stayed close to April, who looked over an unconscious Raphael, the moment they found themselves surrounded. "And I thought insurance salesmen were pushy", Mikey said, amusingly, shortly before one of them started swinging their single nun-chuck. "Oh, a fellow chucker, eh?", and the contest began. It was an exchange of skill to decipher who was better. Jennifer watched, silently, looking back and forth between the competitors. 'That's really impressive', she thought, having to give a small smile. It was becoming a close call, until Mikey sealed the deal by spinning his weapon on one finger. "Keep practicing", he said. 'It's over for you', she thought amusingly, the second Donnie jumped over him, and began the assault against their brothers' aggressors. There wasn't much room for them to defend themselves, but then, it was the perfect time to improvise. Giving a sucker punch, Mikey tossed one of them to Jennifer, who swiped her leg underneath to trip him into a cabinet, shortly before grab another, and launching a knee into his stomach. "Charlie, brace!", she said, before crouching down, and giving her sister a boost, by lifting Charlotte, and launching her towards another. "One of these guys knows where they're holding Splinter, so don't knock them all out", Leo told them, before knocking out the one he put into a choke hold. "I don't think that will be a problem, Leo", they just kept coming, one by one, and it only got worse, by the time, Donnie noticed more on the roof. "Hey guys, I'm not so sure if this is, structurally speaking, such a good time for your buddies to drop in", having to be surrounded once again, they weren't aware that the extra weight caused the floor to give out, due to them having to gall to use hatchets in the assault.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie watched as the Foot surrounded them before chuckling softly at the chucker tried intimidating them but easily lost to Mikey who did have impressive skills. Once Donnie attacked, it was on as punches and kicks were thrown. Charlie nodded in reply to Jennifer, getting launched at a ninja which she kicked down. She managed to jump away just as a hatchet came close to getting her. She realized Donnie's point too late as more ninjas came from the roof, causing the ruined floor to collapse. Charlie screamed as she fell with the others, a little bruised, but otherwise alright. She gasped softly upon seeing a bald Japanese man with more ninjas before them. Was he the leader? The answer was delayed as the door opened up to show a muscled man in a hockey mask carrying a hockey stick. "You guys mind telling me what you're doing to my little green pal over there, hm?" He asked, lifting up his mask to show he was around April's age. "Oh, who is the babe?" He added upon seeing her next to Raph. "Who the heck is that?" Leo asked, just as confused as everyone else there. "Wayne Gretzky on steroids?" Mikey guessed jokingly.</s>	<\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Knocking away one of their hatchets with her blade, she felt the deflation beneath her feet, giving Jennifer a pretty good idea, as to where this would be going. The destroyed floor couldn't hold all of them, and so, it collapsed right underneath them. Making a yell, she descended with everybody else, nearly hitting her head on a table, just narrowly missing it. Groaning, although she had bruises, scratches, and cuts in some places, she carefully yet slowly got to her feet, helping Charlie get up. "Are you okay?", she asked, worried for her. "Is everybody okay?", groans and aches were heard from them. "...wipe out", Mikey piped up. Just before she could get an answer from the others, Jen caught sight of the same Japanese man she saw in the mirror; the same one who threw the knife at her, along with more of those men, standing behind him. Her question was the same as Charlie's. 'Is this guy the one pulling the strings?', she defensively put her sword in front of her; this time, standing a few inches, in front of her sister. If he could throw blades at Jen, and graze her, she didn't want to think about someone with this kind of skill to be placed in front of a beginner, like Charlie. She was lucky to have moved from the weapon's path, and avoid certain death. Just then, before anything could happen, the door to the store opened, only to reveal a very fit man, donning a hockey mask, and armed with a hockey stick. Panting, Jen blinked at the newcomer, he had to, at least, be around 25 to 30 years old - around April's age. 'Just who is this guy?', she thought; her question nearly the same as Leonardo's. Mikey's comment seemed to break some of the tension, but it didn't stop the bald man from sending his men upon them. At this rate, it was utter chaos in the shop, shortly until it started to catch fire. They were drastically overwhelmed, both because the growing flames and their assailants. It was like a nightmare. "Come on, we got to get out of here!", retreat seemed to be the only real option right now, and Leo was right. They had to leave, and find some other place to lay low. While the others played defense, April strove to find a way out. "Help me. There used to be a trapdoor here to the basement", she said, moving some things out of the way. The brothers, Jennifer, and the mystery man were pushing the men back, so to give April more time. It was strange, really. Who, in the human world, would come to their aid? No one, other than April, knew about their existence, unless...he bumped into one of the turtles, not too long ago? Did Raphael know him? "Get away, I'll take care of these guys", the man said, by the time April was able to reveal their way out, and crawl through, before she and the mutants were able to get Raph's body through. "You coming?", Leo asked the newcomer, once the girls were able to go through their only means of escape. "I'll cover you!", the turtle nodded, before going through himself. It was only about some time that the man followed after him, after taking time to hold them off. "Bye, guys, got to run!", and the trap door was shut, leaving the bald man no choice but to pull back, by the time sirens were heard. "Ninja, vanish!"</s>
<\|description\|>Jennifer Lóng Biographical Information Nickname(s): Jen, Jin, Jenni. Date of Birth: February 9, 1973 Aquarius Skills/Abilities: Reptile & Sword-Handling Expert; Master of Kendo, Iaido, Kenjutsu, Kung-Fu, Chi-Gong & Tessenjutsu; Stealth, Self-Hibernation, Decelerated Aging, Scale Generation, Aiming Proficiency & Enhanced Durability/Lungs/Smell. Weapon(s) of Choice: Single Katana and Tessen. Occupation(s): Zoo Keeper (formerly); Vigilante. Physical Description Specie(s): Human (formerly); Reptilian-Hybrid. Gender: Female. Height: 5' 7". Hair Color: Dark Brown-Black. Eye Color: Brown. Overview (Brief Summary): Originated from Beijing, Jennifer was adopted and raised in the traditions of a Japanese family in America. Spending most of her life traveling, whilst having to develop a warm heart for animals, she eventually settled down in New York, where she became a keeper and specialist of the Reptile House at the Central Park Zoo...before one night changed her life forever. At closing time, she came into contact with a mysterious substance that somehow fused her DNA with one of the lizards at the zoo. Personality: Strong-Willed, Brave/Courageous, Wise, Astute, Sisterly, Patient, Calm, Mature, Independent, Inspiring, Caring/Selfless, Intelligent, Resourceful, Creative, Protective, Confident, Fair/Honorable, Tenacious, Modest, Thoughtful, Reliable. Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Zhang Ziyi</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie did her best to protect Raph and April as the latter tried opening a trapdoor for them to escape. It was the best course of action as they were easily overwhelmed by the numbers against them. Once it was opened, she helped Donnie get Raph through before climbing in after them. She turned to look back at Jen as they made their escape, worried about Raph and where they'd go now but also curious as to how they were found out by the enemy. The small group piled into April's van, Charlie carefully helping them bring in Raph before gently laying his head in her lap. She just hoped he'd wake up soon. She sighed softly before looking at everyone else as the hockey man took control of driving the car as April glanced back at her home burning. "Sorry about your place, April." She said softly, breaking the tense silence among them.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Just like April had said, there was indeed another room behind the door, and by the time they were able to reach the other side, they retreated into the human woman's van. Carefully, and swiftly, the brothers helped Charlotte carry Raphael into the van, just as Jennifer looked around to make sure they weren't being pursued from behind. The place was going up in flames, and the cloud of smoke engulfed the air. They were lucky to have gotten out in time, and it was all because of this mysterious human man, who willingly jumped into the fray, as backup. Apparently, at this rate, extra hands were what they really needed to get out of this situation. When everybody managed to get into the vehicle, Jennifer jumped in after them, and closed the doors with a grunt. As quick as they had piled in, the hockey man drove the van out from the side of the building, and into the streets. Luckily, the windows were tinted, so nobody would be able to take a peak on the inside. They have no choice but to find another hideout to, at least, recuperate from this near-death experience. With Raphael's head laying in her sister's lap, clearly out cold, Jennifer turned around to look out the back window, along with April to gaze at her burning apartment. The human woman didn't say anything, only looking upon her burning home with a sunken heart - her dad's antique store was gone, and probably beyond replenishing. Just as she was about to let tears fall, the Asian teen quickly engulfed her in a hug to console her. It wasn't fair. Who would rat them out like this? They were on the road now, homeless; all of them, now emotionally and mentally-affected. These people - the Foot - wanted them dead. They had to go off the grid; they weren't safe anymore in the city...until April pointed out a place that they could all try to rest, and heal. It took them all night to get there but there was, at least, some isolation. It was an old farm that April used to spend her summer days at; not entirely up to date, but it will do for now. Judging by how Raphael wasn't waking up, it was sadly ruled out that he was in a coma - nobody knew when he will ever wake up. That very same day, April and this man, whose name was "Casey Jones", had their argumentative moments, and it didn't really spread light on their situation. Jennifer and Charlie had to share a room, with April having to find them some new clothes, that were close in size, somewhere in the house. It occurred to Jen that her sister spent most of her time in the presence of Raphael, who laid in the bathtub. Even though she said that Leonardo took charge of watching over his brother, mainly out of guilt, Charlie insisted on being there. Meanwhile, April wrote down every account of their experiences in a journal, having to make a few sketches on the side. 'It's strange being back on the old farm. Even after all these years, it still feels like home. My amazing new friends have suffered their first real defeat. That's bad enough, but the turtles also lost the opportunity to find out about their mentor, and I'm sure that hurts them more than anything else. Jennifer and Charlie continued to cling onto hope that they fulfill their promise on helping them get through the very battle of conquering their greatest fears. Each of them deals with this confusion in their own way: Donatello has found someone to latch onto; Leonardo, meanwhile, has kept a constant vigil with Raphael, along with Charlotte, who seemed to continue on holding onto any hope of his recovery, with Jennifer and Michelangelo attempting to pent themselves via distraction. And then there's Casey Jones, a nine-year-old trapped in a man's body. He might almost be cute if it wasn't for that pigheadedness'.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie stayed close to Raph even after Leo insisted on keeping watch. She tried explaining they could take shifts so the other could get some rest, but the idea seemed to fall on deaf ears. She could tell Leo felt guilty for his brother being unconscious. If they hadn't fought, Raph wouldn't be in this predicament and would have had a better chance fighting off the Foot. She was currently in the kitchen making some sandwiches for everyone when she looked up to see Jennifer. "Hey." She said, realizing just how tired her voice sounded. It had been a few days since she had gotten proper sleep having only around three to four hours of rest if that. There were clear circles under her eyes from the sleeplessness. "Wanna help with these? I'm making them for everyone. Well, except for..." She said before trailing off.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng As much as she wanted to get Charlie to do something else, her sister stayed by Raph's side in the bathroom. At the same time, Leonardo insisted on telling her that he should be the one watching his brother; really to punish himself for the harsh words he given the rebellious turtle, before he was beaten, nearly to death. Jennifer could tell that her sister was barely sleeping, judging by the dark circles under her eyes, while at the same time, the teenage girl barely came back to their shared bedroom to lay down. Even when found Charlie in the kitchen, one day, making what seemed to be sandwiches, the Asian girl could tell that the other was lacking proper sleep again. By the time she trailed off on her words, Jen held her hands, really to stop her from what she was doing, before bringing her into a hug. "It's okay", she said softly, after kissing her forehead, and letting her lean against her, until they heard a shout from upstairs. "Hey! Hey, he's awake! He wants some food! Bring some food!" It was very unexpected, and yet, at that very moment, there came hope. Was Raphael truly awake? "Come on", Jen told Charlie, leading the way upstairs. By the time, they got there, the red-bandanna turtle was standing up, and awake, just like how Leo said, making Jennifer release a breath of relief, and smiled. The elder brother was helping the other turtle get to his feet, and helping him retain his balance. With nearly blurry vision, Raph gazed at the newcomers. "Hey guys", he said, wearily.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie allowed her adopted sister to comfort her as she trembled a little, trying to hold back tears. She was worried about Raph, especially since it affected the brothers. Leo moreso than the others. She had finally calmed down when she heard Leo's voice. She looked at Jen in surprise, hopeful as well as she headed upstairs quickly. She stopped upon seeing Raph awake and standing with a bit of help from Leo who seemed to have mended things between them. "You're okay!" She exclaimed, running over to hug the turtle in relief as happy tears fell. She pulled away, sniffing softly before smirking. "Bet you woke up because I was making sandwiches." She teased.</s>	<\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Making sure that Charlotte smiled, was something that Jennifer wanted to happen, the moment she met her; she was always better with one. From all of the challenges the two girls were forced to face in the outside world, all Jennifer did, was ensure that her sister was safe and happy. After meeting these four mutated turtles, there was a moment of realization for them to not only rely on each other, but rather those who were also like them. It was another part of "kin" they have yet to cross paths with, and were eventually adopted into. Beside from having each other, solace and acceptance were all that they really needed - and they may have found it. Living on the farm was not only a time to heal, but to also self-reflect, that they were in this together; that they had to stick together, for their own survival. They weren't only their friends, but also, come by it, family. It was an up-and-coming realization, once Raphael finally woke up from his nerve-wrecking slumber. He was able to stand, by the time, he noticed Charlie approaching him with a range of emotions in her eyes. He wasn't good with feelings, but he could tell that she was truly relieved, like everyone else. It felt fulfilling; he mended his relationship with his brother, and was able to see that 'Lee and the others were okay. All of this returned as a relief to him. Raph was rather surprised by the close contact that the girl gave him, but he soon relented, and willingly appreciated her attempt to show him her happiness. Strangely enough, at the very same time, something rose within him, having to possibly be generated after learning that she got away, when he told her to. "It's a Kodak moment", Donatello pointed out from the doorway, as their hug seemed to get longer than it should. When the girl pulled away, and teased him, the rebellious teen looked down at the ground, once more - a childhood habit when attempting to hide his emotions - causing a strange uproar in his chest. It was tingly; something he had never quite felt before, aside from familial love. "Bet you'll need this tub more than me", he said, in an attempt to tease her back. Jennifer looked between them, thinking about that "spark" again. Or, was it? She could be assuming, but it was clear that Raphael's reaction said otherwise. At this rate, she knew that Charlie was in good hands, and the realization made the Asian teen smile. In the meantime, they could all celebrate with some sandwiches. 'The Turtles are four, once again, and yet, still not whole. A lingering doubt remains; an unknown which they can't bear to face their greatest fear' More days went by, and everybody took that time to repair the broken and develop bonds. The only thing missing, was the parental figure that the brothers greatly missed. They seemed more lost, the longer they were away from the city, and Jennifer, as observant and perspective as she was, could sense their frustration - like small children trying to find the path that would lead them back home. In spite of this, they always attempted to distract themselves, by searching openings to rebuild their fighting spirits. At the same time, as Charlie seemed to be catching up on sleep, Jen proceeded to continue training her. After she managed to nail down the basics, Jennifer eventually moved her down the road in getting more physical. Of course, they got help from the brothers, who willingly gave them tips - mainly Raphael, who seemed to be finding opportunities in training Charlie further, whenever Jennifer couldn't...perhaps more often than not. Not that the Asian girl minded, since she herself took time of learning the bond between the mind and body from Leonardo. When Charlie was able to nail down the kicks and punches, full-body maneuvers came next. It wasn't necessarily advanced, nor was it for beginners, but more like in-between. Of course, as it was normal for something so complicated, mistakes were made, but it all came down with practice, and all six teens took it with stride, while April and Casey watched from the sidelines. Aside from training alone, Jennifer also noticed that Charlie hasn't left Raph's side once, and/or perhaps vice-versa. It could just be Jen's protective instincts alone, but then, she knew better than to observe, since the turtle always seemed to be around her sister.</s>
<\|description\|>Jennifer Lóng Biographical Information Nickname(s): Jen, Jin, Jenni. Date of Birth: February 9, 1973 Aquarius Skills/Abilities: Reptile & Sword-Handling Expert; Master of Kendo, Iaido, Kenjutsu, Kung-Fu, Chi-Gong & Tessenjutsu; Stealth, Self-Hibernation, Decelerated Aging, Scale Generation, Aiming Proficiency & Enhanced Durability/Lungs/Smell. Weapon(s) of Choice: Single Katana and Tessen. Occupation(s): Zoo Keeper (formerly); Vigilante. Physical Description Specie(s): Human (formerly); Reptilian-Hybrid. Gender: Female. Height: 5' 7". Hair Color: Dark Brown-Black. Eye Color: Brown. Overview (Brief Summary): Originated from Beijing, Jennifer was adopted and raised in the traditions of a Japanese family in America. Spending most of her life traveling, whilst having to develop a warm heart for animals, she eventually settled down in New York, where she became a keeper and specialist of the Reptile House at the Central Park Zoo...before one night changed her life forever. At closing time, she came into contact with a mysterious substance that somehow fused her DNA with one of the lizards at the zoo. Personality: Strong-Willed, Brave/Courageous, Wise, Astute, Sisterly, Patient, Calm, Mature, Independent, Inspiring, Caring/Selfless, Intelligent, Resourceful, Creative, Protective, Confident, Fair/Honorable, Tenacious, Modest, Thoughtful, Reliable. Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Zhang Ziyi</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie chuckled as he teased her back, just glad he was awake and alright if a little weak. She couldn't ignore the strange feeling growing inside her, making her feel warm, bubbly, happy. She only felt it around Raph. Was it because of their strange connection to each other? Possibly. As the days passed, the bonds between everyone seemed to grow, even the discord between April and Casey seemed to somewhat disappear but there were a few spats. Especially when he called her Toots one day which soon ended up with April leaving in a huff after telling him what she thought about him. But there was an unspoken emptiness everyone felt. Splinter was still missing. However, the brothers tried keeping their spirits up by perfecting their skills and helping Charlie with hers. Raphael seemed to be more interested in teaching her, giving her lessons whenever Jennifer couldn't or just because. There was no rhyme or reason why, but Charlie was thankful nonetheless. She was now moving onto more intermidenent moves. While nowhere near the brothers or Jen, she could at least put up a good fight. She was currently out with Raph training again when she managed to flip him over her shoulder. She smiled widely at the downed turtle. "I did it!" She exclaimed.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng "Yeah, yeah, 'Lee. Take five", the turtle groaned, as he managed to get on one knee. Taking a moment to crack his neck, and rolling his shoulder, Raphael sat down in the grass. Even though Charlie was nowhere near as muscular as him, it was all thanks to her newfound workout routine with Jennifer that she was able to gain some upper body strength. As humble as Jennifer was, her sister was making an improvement, beneficial to Charlie's ever-growing athleticism. These routines took hours, from an early morning, all the way to an early evening, along with a few breaks in between. Although it seemed easy, but it was a rather rough journey, but the girls were able to pull it off together, along with a bit of help. Weapons were a whole 'nother matter. While Charlie was prepared for hand-to-hand situations, learning how to defend yourself from a certain weapons were something that didn't quite fit in with the styles that they were currently teaching her...at least, not yet. As a result, Raphael didn't, at all, use his sais in any of his sessions with her. Learning how to defend yourself from such a weapon wasn't easy to come by, it was just as hard as wielding them; anything in the Kobudo category wasn't for beginners, unlike other martial art styles. Charlie was a fast-learner. He and the others figured that out, a long time ago. While not exactly experienced, she clearly had great tenacity, as she wanted to take in as much as she could from her sister and the brothers. So far, she proved to be a very capable student. These thoughts circled in the red turtle's mind, putting them to high regard.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie sighed softly as she sat beside him, glancing up at the sky and watching the clouds pass by. It was so peaceful. Calming. She wondered if he felt it too, even with his temper. Surprisingly it hadn't shown up as much, probably since he and Leo made up. Or maybe it was because she calmed him. He always seemed to change around her. She looked over at him, contemplating her words before speaking. "Raph? Do...Do you ever think about going back? Ya know, to the city? Find out where Splinter is?" She asked, hoping she wouldn't anger him or cause a silent treatment from him.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Raphael took the next few seconds of rolling his shoulder from his workout hours from this morning, as well as his training workout with Charlie. The girl was making great progress for the past week and, to the best of their ability, her mentors made sure that they made it easy for her to adapt in such situations. In the real world, nothing about it, is simple. They knew that they can't stay on the farm for long, especially since they should be out looking for Splinter and, hopefully, find him alive. They had to leave soon, so, about two days ago, they took their sessions up to an eleven, simply by putting Charlie in situations that would act as practice test runs, so they could see how much knowledge she had managed to gain from them. Sometimes, there would be a surprise strike, even if they seemed to be minding their own business. They weren't harsh, but the strikes were light enough to ensure that they don't accidentally knock her unconscious, or outright hurt her. Even if they weren't successful, Jen reminded her, from time-to-time, that such maneuvers will come unexpected, and that she had to be on alert. Well, maybe not too alert. Being prepared was necessary, at this very time. He had to admit that the current feeling was very peaceful, especially since he and his brothers were drastically missing the presence of a certain father-figure. Somehow, for the past few days, Raphael found nature to be quite calming. For having to live in a city, he hasn't really stepped forth in its very boundaries. But, for someone as hotheaded and impulsive, it has really given him some sense of serenity. Lightly running his hand in the grass, he picked at a strand, either finding a way to distract himself, while being alone with 'Lee. Ever since Raph developed that strange feeling for the past two weeks, it initially confused him, but then, there was lingering fondness that he had never felt before. She was always so nice, and so caring, always asking if he was okay, while recovering from his coma. He may not have realized it, but he was staring at her. What snapped him out of it, was when 'Lee turned to look at him. Blinking at her, the rebel looked away quickly. Surprisingly, when she asked him that question, instead of staying quiet, he answered her, after taking a deep breath, and giving himself a moment of thought. "I always have. If they have Splinter, I would want to go back. Aside from having brothers, he is home. I'd feel a lot better if we found him...alive", he said, a bit of sadness lingering in his voice on that last word. Raphael was putting hope on the fact that his father was alive; that he was stronger than even them. He looked at the ground, holding in that emotion. "You promised, didn't you, 'Lee? That you would help us?", he asked.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie listened to him, understanding wanting to go back. It wasn't just their home but Splinter they were missing greatly. No one could blame them for that. Charlie herself missed her own father especially after just leaving him a few days after the mutation. She just wished she could have explained to him. She was brought out of her thoughts upon hearing him question about her promise. "Of course I did. I never go back on a promise." She replied before gently placing a hand on top of his. "I can't explain it, but I feel like he's still alive. He's out there, probably with the Foot. All we have to do is get one of those goons to tell us where he's located." She gave him a little smile. "The last thing we all need to lose is hope. Without it, what else is going to bring us back to the city?"</s>	<\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Raph's thoughts were flying about, like leaves in the wind, just circling around. Could he truly be alive? How could they be certain that their father even survived? He shouldn't be thinking of such things, especially since they have gotten so close into believing that Splinter was out there, waiting for them. The longer they sit here, the longer he could continue to suffer. Alone. Closing his eyes, he had to hold onto the hope that his mentor was a trained martial artist, in the way of the ninja. He's alive...he had to be alive. The turtle's troublesome thoughts immediately dissipated, the moment he felt her hand make physical contact with his own. Encounters like this were new, and it gave Raphael some sort of reluctance to lean into it. He didn't know what to do, although his instincts told him that this was Charlie's way of showing him that she was sticking to her oath. However, there was a hunch when he looked down at their hands. Carefully, and slowly, he turned his three-fingered appendage over, so her hand would be sitting on his palm. It was awkward, shortly before he felt his heart strangely skip a beat, after just performing this one move. What is this? What is going on here? Could he...like her? Listening to her, Raphael almost pulled his hand away, but allowed it to remain there, intertwined, once he felt the calmness and comfort resonating from her touch. It was the same sensation that washed over him, when they were on that rooftop. Charlie was adding another layer to that peacefulness, that the nature around them brought. "'Lee, I...thanks", it was the same response he gave her back at the city, but..."Aside from April and Jen, thanks for looking out for us. Me, especially", he added, taking the risk to glance at her. Then, there was a shout behind them, back in the house, ruining the heartfelt moment. "Hey! Splinter's alive! He's alive!", Leo's voice was full of happiness and alarm. Jen was running towards her sister and the rebellious turtle, who seemed to be growing closer to Charlie, making the Asian teen internally smile. "Okay, before you say anything, something happened. During our meditation session, we had a vision...more like, Leo had a vision. He's certain that he saw Splinter; weak but alive, locked up, somewhere in the city. This evening, he wants all of us to meet", she notified, having to tell them that there was reason behind this. --- If what Leo said, was true, then they could know about Splinter's whereabouts together, and that was happening tonight. By the time the sun went down, and after April and Casey went to bed, the six teens gathered around a fire, somewhere in the forest. Leo and Raph took up one side; Don and Mikey taking another, and the girls took up the third. "Leo, if you dragged us out here for nothing...", Raph said, having to somewhat skepticism, but at least held onto hope that what his brother saw, was real. "Don't worry, guys. I came prepared", Mikey said, offering marshmallows to anyone who might want one. Jennifer chuckled, and raised her hand, willingly accepting one, before taking another to give to Charlie. The Asian girl's acceptance seemed to bring color to the youngest's turtle's face, which didn't go unnoticed by the female teen, in question. "Put those away", the seriousness was back, and the youngest reluctantly followed through with his order. "Everyone, close your eyes, and concentrate. Concentrate hard", and then, Leo put himself in a meditative state, with his brothers following suite. Jen wondered, if this was a particular technique used among the ninja. By the look of it, there was nothing 'typical' about it. Holding her sister's hand, the seventeen year-old too closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. It was a strange feeling, combined with calmness, peace, and nearly trance-like, and the next thing she knew, the face of their mentor appeared in her mind. "I am proud of you all. My sons, tonight, you have learned the final, and greatest truth of the ninja. The allies of whom you endorse with that of your strength, completes the ultimate mastery of not only the body, but of the mind. Together, there is nothing you cannot accomplish. Tread carefully, and share your energy with those you've brought in, with trust, as a bond is your sword, and your shield. Help each other; draw upon one another, and always remember the true force that binds you; the same as that which brought me here tonight that which I gladly return with my final words. I love you all, my children". ...and he was gone. Opening her eyes with a gasp, Jen felt the breath leave her chest, by the time she came to. It left nothing, but sweeping emotion, touching their hearts in the most unexpected way. Splinter accepted the newcomers; entrusted them to aid his disciples, in the battles that come. Mikey was shedding tears from the experience, and Jen stood up to place a hand on his shoulder, with the youngest returning the gesture by placing his hand on top of her own, accepting her comfort. Everyone was affected by this, and the words of the master gave way to a wave of determination.</s>
<\|description\|>Jennifer Lóng Biographical Information Nickname(s): Jen, Jin, Jenni. Date of Birth: February 9, 1973 Aquarius Skills/Abilities: Reptile & Sword-Handling Expert; Master of Kendo, Iaido, Kenjutsu, Kung-Fu, Chi-Gong & Tessenjutsu; Stealth, Self-Hibernation, Decelerated Aging, Scale Generation, Aiming Proficiency & Enhanced Durability/Lungs/Smell. Weapon(s) of Choice: Single Katana and Tessen. Occupation(s): Zoo Keeper (formerly); Vigilante. Physical Description Specie(s): Human (formerly); Reptilian-Hybrid. Gender: Female. Height: 5' 7". Hair Color: Dark Brown-Black. Eye Color: Brown. Overview (Brief Summary): Originated from Beijing, Jennifer was adopted and raised in the traditions of a Japanese family in America. Spending most of her life traveling, whilst having to develop a warm heart for animals, she eventually settled down in New York, where she became a keeper and specialist of the Reptile House at the Central Park Zoo...before one night changed her life forever. At closing time, she came into contact with a mysterious substance that somehow fused her DNA with one of the lizards at the zoo. Personality: Strong-Willed, Brave/Courageous, Wise, Astute, Sisterly, Patient, Calm, Mature, Independent, Inspiring, Caring/Selfless, Intelligent, Resourceful, Creative, Protective, Confident, Fair/Honorable, Tenacious, Modest, Thoughtful, Reliable. Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Zhang Ziyi</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Raph's thoughts were flying about, like leaves in the wind, just circling around. Could he truly be alive? How could they be certain that their father even survived? He shouldn't be thinking of such things, especially since they have gotten so close into believing that Splinter was out there, waiting for them. The longer they sit here, the longer he could continue to suffer. Alone. Closing his eyes, he had to hold onto the hope that his mentor was a trained martial artist, in the way of the ninja. He's alive...he had to be alive. The turtle's troublesome thoughts immediately dissipated, the moment he felt her hand make physical contact with his own. Encounters like this were new, and it gave Raphael some sort of reluctance to lean into it. He didn't know what to do, although his instincts told him that this was Charlie's way of showing him that she was sticking to her oath. However, there was a hunch when he looked down at their hands. Carefully, and slowly, he turned his three-fingered appendage over, so her hand would be sitting on his palm. It was awkward, shortly before he felt his heart strangely skip a beat, after just performing this one move. What is this? What is going on here? Could he...like her? Listening to her, Raphael almost pulled his hand away, but allowed it to remain there, intertwined, once he felt the calmness and comfort resonating from her touch. It was the same sensation that washed over him, when they were on that rooftop. Charlie was adding another layer to that peacefulness, that the nature around them brought. "'Lee, I...thanks", it was the same response he gave her back at the city, but..."Aside from April and Jen, thanks for looking out for us. Me, especially", he added, taking the risk to glance at her. Then, there was a shout behind them, back in the house, ruining the heartfelt moment. "Hey! Splinter's alive! He's alive!", Leo's voice was full of happiness and alarm. Jen was running towards her sister and the rebellious turtle, who seemed to be growing closer to Charlie, making the Asian teen internally smile. "Okay, before you say anything, something happened. During our meditation session, we had a vision...more like, Leo had a vision. He's certain that he saw Splinter; weak but alive, locked up, somewhere in the city. This evening, he wants all of us to meet", she notified, having to tell them that there was reason behind this. --- If what Leo said, was true, then they could know about Splinter's whereabouts together, and that was happening tonight. By the time the sun went down, and after April and Casey went to bed, the six teens gathered around a fire, somewhere in the forest. Leo and Raph took up one side; Don and Mikey taking another, and the girls took up the third. "Leo, if you dragged us out here for nothing...", Raph said, having to somewhat skepticism, but at least held onto hope that what his brother saw, was real. "Don't worry, guys. I came prepared", Mikey said, offering marshmallows to anyone who might want one. Jennifer chuckled, and raised her hand, willingly accepting one, before taking another to give to Charlie. The Asian girl's acceptance seemed to bring color to the youngest's turtle's face, which didn't go unnoticed by the female teen, in question. "Put those away", the seriousness was back, and the youngest reluctantly followed through with his order. "Everyone, close your eyes, and concentrate. Concentrate hard", and then, Leo put himself in a meditative state, with his brothers following suite. Jen wondered, if this was a particular technique used among the ninja. By the look of it, there was nothing 'typical' about it. Holding her sister's hand, the seventeen year-old too closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. It was a strange feeling, combined with calmness, peace, and nearly trance-like, and the next thing she knew, the face of their mentor appeared in her mind. "I am proud of you all. My sons, tonight, you have learned the final, and greatest truth of the ninja. The allies of whom you endorse with that of your strength, completes the ultimate mastery of not only the body, but of the mind. Together, there is nothing you cannot accomplish. Tread carefully, and share your energy with those you've brought in, with trust, as a bond is your sword, and your shield. Help each other; draw upon one another, and always remember the true force that binds you; the same as that which brought me here tonight that which I gladly return with my final words. I love you all, my children". ...and he was gone. Opening her eyes with a gasp, Jen felt the breath leave her chest, by the time she came to. It left nothing, but sweeping emotion, touching their hearts in the most unexpected way. Splinter accepted the newcomers; entrusted them to aid his disciples, in the battles that come. Mikey was shedding tears from the experience, and Jen stood up to place a hand on his shoulder, with the youngest returning the gesture by placing his hand on top of her own, accepting her comfort. Everyone was affected by this, and the words of the master gave way to a wave of determination.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers A faint blush appeared on Charlie's cheeks upon feeling his hand move to where he was holding hers. A small gesture for sure, but one that brought emotions to the surface. Did he...like her? More importantly did she like him? All of these questions disappeared as he thanked her, causing her to give him a little smile. "No problem." She said before jumping a little upon hearing Leo's shout. She looked at Raph, her brown eyes wide. It couldn't be, could it? She listened to Jen as she explained what happened, hope rising inside her. Splinter was alive. Sitting beside Raph beside the fire, she was a little nervous. What if they didn't share the same vision? Would the boys tell her and Jen what happened? Too many what if questions buzzed about her mind before she was brought back, seeing Jen offering her a marshmallow. She smiled in thanks before taking it. She listened to Leo before doing what he said, holding Jen's hand in one while the other gently sat beside Raph's. She did notice how calm he seemed whenever she touched him so she hoped it would help with concentrating. Charlie gasped softly as the vision ended, tears blurring everything around her. Splinter was alive and had considered both Jen and her as family. She sniffed softly, drying her eyes before looking over at Raph, knowing how this news would affect him. He was right all this time. The next morning Leo had told April and Casey what happened, telling them they had to go back. They arrived in the city just as it was getting dark, just enough cover to hide them as they snuck back into the sewers and towards what was once their home. The place was still a mess but could be cleaned up for sleeping spots. Charlie noticed something a little off, there were pizza boxes here that she didn't remember where there the last time she and Jen had seen them. Her attention was drawn away as a noise came from a closet, all turtles alert and heading towards it before quickly opening the door. A boy around their age coward, holding up his hands. "Don't shoot!" He exclaimed in fear. Wait, she knew this boy, he was the son of April's boss.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng All from that very night, everybody was overwhelmed by the realization that Master Splinter was alive. Even when morning came, they immediately packed up early, eager to get back and reunite with him. It was a rather abrupt and hasty departure from the farmhouse, but they couldn't sit around any longer. They were going to get him back. Whatever it takes. That very same evening gave them the best luck; the night covered them, like the favored ally, it always was. Casey didn't favor their hideout, but did they really have anywhere else in the city to lay low? Jennifer was about to suggest their apartment, but she didn't want the place to suffer the same fate as to what happened to April's own. The Foot could set the place ablaze again, and put everybody else inside the building at risk. They had to be away from prying human eyes. So, here they were, below the streets, with Casey preferring to spend the night in the truck above. However, some things in their former home seemed out of place: Pizza boxes were all over the floor. They certainly weren't there the last time Jen and Charlie visited. Someone's been creeping around in here, the Asian teen thought aloud. "I still don't see why we don't get started right away", Raphael pointed out, hoping they could make a strike early, and take them out by surprise. "It's been a long drive, Raph, and before we go out advertising to The Foot that we're back, we could all use a few hours' sleep", his older brother reasoned, just as Jen looked around a bit more, before a noise had them all drawing their weapons. Raphael instinctively stood in front of Charlie, single sai in-hand, as he and the brothers approached the closet, opening it to see the same teenage boy that was at April's apartment, during her boss' unexpected visit. "I don't think it's loaded, kid", Raph grumbled, a little annoyed by such unseasonable logic, just as they pulled back. "Where'd he come from?" "Beats me". "Danny, what are you doing here?", April was in alarm, by the time he managed to get out of the closet. "I ran away from home". "Your father's going to have kittens. Does this thing work?", she reached for a phone, until he stopped her, pleading. "Please don't call". Just as Jen was putting her sword away, something occurred to her. He wasn't afraid of them; at least, in the physical sense. 'Wait a minute', she thought, 'if only my hunch was right'. She would have to keep an eye on him. It was strange to see him here of all places.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie sighed softly as the tension died down, the brothers lowering their guard at the nonthreatening kid. He was adamant about not contacting his father, telling Charlie there had to be a rift between the two. She sighed softly as she remembered how an unintentional rift came between her and her own father. She was brought out of her thoughts as Danny mentioned pizza but much to the disappointment of the brothers turned out to be moldy. She chuckled a little as Donnie and Mikey hummed TAPS as they paid respects to their beloved pizza. She glanced at Raph,making sure he was alright and not too agitated. "You alright?" She asked him.</s>	<\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng None of them stepped out of the lair, that night. At least, not yet. Some time to lay low was needed, so they can prepare themselves for a possible frontal assault. It took a bit of convincing, but April allowed Danny to spend the night with them in the ransacked lair. As much as she wanted to waver it off, Jennifer felt an aura coming from him, like there was something he wasn't telling them. It created all sorts of unease for the Asian teen, as she had to rely on her ability to observe, in order to pinpoint what it was, exactly. So far, he behaved like any other teenage kid; something she and Charlie could relate to. But then, there was also slight paranoia. What was he afraid of? Was he hiding from something, or someone? There were hints of rockiness between Danny and his father, but was the relationship that bad, that it made him go into hiding? It was a small feeling, but then, the paranoia and confusion in his eyes, said that it was something else entirely. After chuckling at the shenanigan over a Penicillin-filled pizza, Jennifer took the time of discussing with Leonardo to come up with a game-plan. After gaining notice of her mature intelligence, the swordsman got the courage to approach, and ask for her opinion. It surprised Jen, but then, she wondered. Maybe the eldest brother felt that her wisdom as an "older sister-figure" would reassure him that he wasn't failing as a leader. After his tussle to Raph, that day, Jennifer's words made him realize that he made a mistake; one that nearly costed his rebellious brother's life. Including those times of training together, Leo's interactions with the Asian girl were comforting yet tender. Nobody else gave him such powerful wisdom, aside from his father. He couldn't believe he became so fond of her, in such moderate time. Meanwhile, hoping to distance himself from the growing aggression in his chest, Raphael was gazing at some of the weapons that were hanging on the wall nearby. He didn't know why he was, but the thought of Charlie, was invading his mind and, after he instinctively stepped in front of her, at the first sound of danger, it occurred to him that he was also becoming protective. Of course, when you have family, you always want them to be safe, but then, that very incident mentally told him that he should shield her from all kinds of bad news. It confused him but, the brunette girl brought him a sense of serenity and....it felt good. On that thought, his heart skipped a beat again! It was all starting to become overwhelming. He nearly jumped out of his skin, by the time he heard her voice. "Y-Yeah! I'm fine", he answered, a little too quickly, and shaking his head.</s>
<\|description\|>Charlotte Summers Biographical Information Nickname(s): Charlie (preferred) Lotte Date of Birth: March 7th, 1975 Pisces Skills/Abilities: see, hear, breathe underwater, self defense, street smart, enchanting singing voice (mer form only) Weapon(s) of Choice: mostly physical like fists or feet Occupation(s): student and part time marine biologist Physical Description Specie(s): mutated human/mermaid Gender: female Height: 5'6 Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: dark brown Overview (Brief Summary): Charlie grew up exploring the waters with her father and shows no fear of it. She's even helped educate others about marine life and helped her father at his rehabilitation center. Months before her fifteenth birthday, she was finishing up tending to some fish when she slipped on a mysterious green substance, falling into the tank. The event changed her DNA to where she becomes a mermaid whenever the bracelet she was wearing that night is removed from her wrist. Personality: + Compassionate, artistic, gentle, wise, likes music, romance, being alone and swimming. -Fearful, overly trusting, being criticized, past coming back to haunt her Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Rachel Leigh Cook</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "She's talking about the Foot Clan again." Charlie said as her roommate walked in, eyes glued to the rabbit eared TV the two had. "Looks like they've struck again with stealing packages from cars, pickpockets, the usual street thieves stuff." She added before glancing at Jen. It was hard to believe their lives had changed so much after coming into contact with whatever made them into what they were now. "Thankfully nothing's come up about anyone seeing me swimming a few nights ago. I thought it was going to be the end for us; testing and everything." She said as she walked over to the kitchen to grab a couple of plates for them. "I know I have to be more careful, but it's New York! It's impossible for me to go swimming without being seen."</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng The Asian teen walked towards the entrance of the apartment building, and pressed the buzzer, hoping that Stacy would be able to know of her return. Since her tremendous transformation, and crossing paths with the younger brunette, the two girls decided to stick together, especially at night, when crime was at its worst. It was an instinct that she had - to protect, causing her to quit her current job, and find a smaller one, where it wouldn't make her seem suspicious; all for the sake of her shrouding their secret, and prevent further harm. It was really a few months, after they met, that they have been sticking to each other by-the-hip, like two friends adopting each other, like sisters. It was a small family, she and Charlotte; one that was formed, out of their own shared differences and similar interests. Even if she had to take Charlotte for a midnight swim, Jennifer was always there. Making her way up to the room that she and the other teen shared, only about a good few floors above ground level, she opened the door with her key. Jennifer smiled to herself the second she heard the sound of her brunette roommate. Things have been rather grim when she was on her own, before she met Charlotte. Of course, after having to find some common ground, there wasn't much for the Asian teen to rely on, other than the girl that she now shares an apartment with. Placing her key into the bowl that was next to the door, Jennifer spun the box on her finger and giggled. However, she immediately got serious once she mentioned about the state of things outside. "I haven't been jumped yet. But everything seems to have quieted down. At least, for now", Jenni said, having to hear the sound of April continue ringing through the room, as she helped prepare their plates. "...crimes without criminals? An invisible gang at work? Who are we going to call? Unfortunately, the police are the only ones available to combat what some are dubbing 'the silent crime wave'. But perhaps the most disturbing silence...is that coming from City Hall. April O'Neil, Channel Three Eyewitness News..."</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Yeah...for now." Charlie echoed before opening the box and grabbing a couple of slices. She wished she was more combative like her roommate but she was just a little too passive to be violent. That wasn't to say she wouldn't fight back if cornered or provoked. She just didn't want to hurt anyone. She sighed softly before sitting back down on the couch. It was clear something was pestering her mind. "Jen? Do you think there's others out there, ya know, like us?" She asked her Asian roommate. It was definitely a question that buzzed around her lately and a good one at that. She wasn't sure what to think.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng With that report finished, Jennifer took the remote, and changed the channel, hoping to find something to brighten the gloomy feeling. "I can't be sure, Lottie. It can only be a coincidence that we have already been exposed to the ooze. For others, they could be on the other side of the city, if we know it. Or, living underneath it", she sighed, while continuing to flip through the channels. Letting her long dark hair down, Jenni took a bite of the pizza that was in the box. "You going swimming again?"</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Yeah. And don't call me Lotte. You sound like my aunt." Charlie replied, wrinkling her nose in disgust. She hated the nickname but she was stuck with it thanks to her name. "Don't wait up for me." She said before leaving. She manoeuvred her way through the streets of New York towards the water, being careful that she wouldn't be seen. Once on a bridge that wasn't too occupied, she looked for the right point to jump into the water below. Upon finding it, she carefully climbed onto the railing, balancing herself as she looked down. To any passerby who noticed it looked like she was going to jump to end her life.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Jennifer chuckled at Charlotte's reply, shortly before she noticed her leave. Shaking her head, she took the plates, and washed them in the sink. Looking out the window, she noticed the reflection of her katana hanging on the wall. Meanwhile, a tall individual in a trench coat walked across the bridge before having to notice the girl standing on the very edge. He was silent upon his approach and, by the time he walked passed her, he pulled her by the back of her shirt, and back on solid ground, at a safe distance near the railing.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Ack!" Charlie yelped as she was pulled back, landing a little roughly on her butt. She looked around for who grabbed her before seeing someone in a trenchcoat walking off. "Hey, what gives, jerk?!" She shouted at him, not fully thinking of the consequences of her reaction. She was just upset some bozo stopped her from her swim. She growled softly before climbing back up onto the edge, not caring if he'd try to stop her again. She was jumping off this bridge for her swim, damnit!</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng The individual in the trench coat turned around, once he heard the faint clink of the railing, and found standing on it again. Was she out of her mind? It was a long way down, and he didn't know whether or not the water was shallow. It made the person groan. What was up with these humans?</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie heard the person groan but she didn't care as she edged forward on the edge, getting ready to take her bracelet off once she jumped. But something nagged at her as she felt the eyes staring at her. "What's your deal?!" She finally snapped at the guy, turning to face him. She didn't move from her spot on the ledge. "This isn't what it looks like, so just go away!"</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng The individual in the trench coat just stood there, continuing to look at her in silence. A car drove by, and the light managed to briefly put a shine on the stranger. It only made a shadow, like a silhouette in front of car headlights. There was even a brief instance where his eyes appeared. Even when she was yelling at him, he didn't move, only shaking his head in silence, and turning away.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Weirdo." She muttered before turning back to look at the waters below. She had done this before and knew it was just the right spot to jump. Not too shallow but deep enough for a dive. She leaped off, taking her bracelet off at the same time. Unfortunately, she let go of her bracelet as she launched herself, causing it to softly clatter on the sidewalk of the bridge. Soon as the jewelry was off, her legs fused together into an orange fish tail that faded into sunset colors. She landed with a slash, quickly swimming off a ways should someone see her. She smiled, finally feeling free as she swam around.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng By the time he saw her lean forward, his instinct told him to grab her again; to catch her. However, the look in her eyes told him to stay out of it. Aside from his brother to tell him what to do, something inside him told him to comply with what she said. Seeing her fall, and hearing the splash, he immediately ran to the railing, nearly stepping on the bracelet on the ground. Picking up the trinket, he didn't know what to make of it. Should he wait? Instead, he listened to his head, and silently placed her bracelet at the side of the river, where the path was, if she ever wanted to get out. Walking away, he left, disappearing in the shadows. He wasn't aware of her change.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie swam around, laughing at her freedom as she chased after some fish. Even in the dark she could see clearly as if it was day. She slightly wished she could share it with someone like her. She shook the thought away before jumping out of the water akin to a dolphin, letting out a happy yell. It was close to midnight when she hauled herself onto land, blinking in surprise upon finding her bracelet there. She then realized she had left it behind when she jumped, but wondered who left it for her. She shrugged before putting it back on, changing back into a human before heading home.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng By the time Charlotte managed to make it back home, Jenni was sitting upon the fire escape, right outside the window, trying to think. Although she could have also been meditating. The Asian teen smelled the air, and listened to the noise. Her katana sat nearby her figure. She heard the apartment door open, and turned to see her roommate walking through the door.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "You will not believe the night I've had." Charlie said before telling her about Trenchcoat Guy and how he stopped her from jumping the first time. "No one's stopped me before, so what gives?" She asked before heading to her room to change into dry clothes.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Jennifer listened to Charlie's story about the stranger that tried to break her fall. Weirdly enough, this individual saw her take the jump. The teen wondered if she should have went with her. But then, she wondered if she had to, especially every time they go out. This person could have seen Charlotte transform. Whilst it was quiet for some time, a great yell sounded. "DAMN!"</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie flinched at the yell, brown eyes widened in fright. "What the hell was that?" She asked before looking outside the window in some hope she'd see who had shouted. She drew back in, shrugging in confusion. "Nothing." She stated as she looked at Jen.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng There was a certainty that at least half of the city heard of the very angry yell that sounded. Someone would have quickly assumed that it was someone on a drunken rage. But then, it was New York, where something new and odd would come up every day and night. The next day, Jennifer crashed on the couch, after a long night, causing her to drastically over sleep that morning. However, she managed to be up to see the television on, with the interview of April O'Neil interviewing the chief of police. Would she be able to get it through his thick skull that something was wrong with the economy?</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "He's sooo not happy with her. You can see it in his eyes. Body language too." Charlie said as she ate her breakfast. She had gotten up early despite her midnight swim which was oddly normal for her. Well, since her change that is. "Honestly, I'd vote for her a mayor or something like that." She said before eating a spoonful of cereal. "She'd clean up this town." She added.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng "...what that means, Miss O'Neil, is everything is well in hand" "What do you know about an organization, known as The Foot Clan?" "There is no evidence to link such a name to these incidents" Jennifer closed her eyes and shook her head, growing annoyed at the interview, as well as the stubbornness of the police chief. Giving a yawn, the Asian girl walked to the fridge to grab a jug of orange juice, and poured herself a glass. "Are you denying an organization, known as 'The Foot' exists?" "I'm not denying anything. You're putting words into my mouth..." "How do you feel about going out for a walk?", she asked Charlotte. "Find any trace of this organization, and take it to the police? Maybe then, he'll feel more convinced and pressured to actually do something, instead of sitting down".</s>	<\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Sounds good to me. These guys aren't going to help, we might as well." Charlie replied as she got up to take care of her dishes. She then got to thinking about the guy who stopped her last night and if he was part of it. No, he couldn't be. He wouldn't have left her bracelet behind if he was with them. She sighed softly before glancing at her roommate. "Do you think we'll ever have a normal life being what we are?" She asked</s>
<\|description\|>Charlotte Summers Biographical Information Nickname(s): Charlie (preferred) Lotte Date of Birth: March 7th, 1975 Pisces Skills/Abilities: see, hear, breathe underwater, self defense, street smart, enchanting singing voice (mer form only) Weapon(s) of Choice: mostly physical like fists or feet Occupation(s): student and part time marine biologist Physical Description Specie(s): mutated human/mermaid Gender: female Height: 5'6 Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: dark brown Overview (Brief Summary): Charlie grew up exploring the waters with her father and shows no fear of it. She's even helped educate others about marine life and helped her father at his rehabilitation center. Months before her fifteenth birthday, she was finishing up tending to some fish when she slipped on a mysterious green substance, falling into the tank. The event changed her DNA to where she becomes a mermaid whenever the bracelet she was wearing that night is removed from her wrist. Personality: + Compassionate, artistic, gentle, wise, likes music, romance, being alone and swimming. -Fearful, overly trusting, being criticized, past coming back to haunt her Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Rachel Leigh Cook</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Fair point." Charlie sighed softly before looking at her. "Well, I'm ready to go if you are." She said before heading towards door. Once outside she stayed close to Jen, not wanting to get lost nor have her bracelet accidentally taken off when walking past people. "You'd think they'd be more alert when walking around with a threat on the streets."</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng After taking the time to change into fresh clothes, Jennifer took lead out into the streets. All the time, she felt herself being the bodyguard in these situations, especially since the circumstances of Charlotte's mutation was more delicate than her own. Her comment made her look around at the people walking passed and around them. "It's like the security of this place just decreases more after each passing day", she agreed, shortly before catching sight of April O'Neil walking out of City Hall. "It's April. Come on", the Asian said, having to follow the woman, hoping to catch her in the train station that she was just entering. At the same time, they were unaware of being followed themselves.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie nodded in agreement as she followed her friend, her instincts on high alert. She couldn't figure out why, perhaps because of her mutation that wasn't as easy to conceal as Jen's. She looked up upon hearing Jen spot April, running after her. She just hoped they could get her before she got onto a train herself. "It's too quiet." She noticed as they descended the stairs into the underground world below. She didn't like it at all, her fight or flight response kicking into high gear.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng April was able to get down the stairs, but by the time she was able to enter the station, the train had already left. "Oh, great! Just great", she groaned. Can the day get any worse from there? First, she can't seem to convince anybody about what's really happening around the city; the next, she misses her train home. Jennifer ran down the stairs as fast as she could, hoping to God that Miss O'Neil didn't disappear. Thankfully, she didn't, since she seemed to be the only one in the station, by the time she and Charlie descended the stairs. "April! Miss O'Neil?", Jennifer called to her, panting by the time they were able to reach the woman. "Hi? Can I help you?", she asked the girls. "We've seen your news report. All of them, in fact, and we believe you. There's something wrong in this city, and we figured we could help you convince the chief", the Asian teen explained, by the time, she composed herself. "We can get proof, that this Foot Clan exists". "How can you do that?", April asked, crossing her arms, although on the inside, she was curious. "Research, videos, photographs. Anything to show that there is a criminal organization in the works; that there is something shady residing here", Jennifer continued, giving the best she could offer. The woman seemed to be deep in thought. Here were two teenaged strangers, miraculously showing up out of the blue, saying that they believe her. How can she be sure that they don't work for the enemy? Then, there was a sudden presence nearby -- a group of individuals in black jumpsuits. "We've been waiting for you, Miss O'Neil", the leader said. "Your mouth may yet bring you much trouble yet I deliver a message", he slapped the woman's face, who let out a pained grunt. "Shut it", Jennifer sheathed her blade, and stood in between the men and April.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Hey! Uncalled for!" Charlie exclaimed, getting between them and April as she raised her fists. A snarl appeared on her lips as she glared at the men. The odds were against them as they were greatly outnumbered. She glanced at April as she pulled out a sai. "Know how to use that thing?" She asked.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng With the strange object she had managed to pick up last night, April hoped that using such a thing would be able to give her some leverage in situations like this. But, before she could do anything, it was kicked out of her hand, and clattered to the ground nearby. Jennifer took a deep breath, and sheathed her sword back into her waist, until she launched a high kick, which apparently caught them off guard, as one of their own fell onto the asphalt. "Make your move. I dare you", the Asian teen warned, as the men looked at each other, with April herself looking surprised. As if on cue, another group appeared behind the three females. April gasped at the extra numbers of these strange individuals, shortly she was hit, knocked unconscious. Jennifer didn't know what to expect now, as they were drastically outnumbered by at least ten or fifteen of these individuals. She dealt with lesser groups; no more than five. It was now a stand off for the two teens, until a yell from the far side of the station sounded. Wherever it came from, the source was fast, launching into the fray. Jennifer didn't know how to react -- it was an individual in a trench coat -- a green individual, wielding two sais, and wearing a mask - a red one. He knocked at least three members at once, before three more. The Asian teen didn't question it; he seemed to be defending, and that meant he was at least on their side. Wasting no time, she took hold of the nearest to her, and flipped them over. It was chaotic; movements going so fast, a non-practitioner wouldn't noticed who was performing them.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "April!" Charlie exclaimed as she was knocked out before punching the one who harmed April. She quickly punched and kicked at the enemies, blinking in surprise at the trench coated person who appeared; the same one from last night. What were they doing here? It didn't matter, they were at least helping. "Ahh!" She exclaimed as one of the ninjas grabbed her arm and flipped her, her bracelet coming off in the process. She landed on the ground with a plop, her tail smacking the floor loudly. She was defenseless. "Jen!"</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Managing to strike a punch to one of her assailants, Jennifer kicked the bracelet that was on the ground, towards Charlotte, hoping that by the time she transforms, she could get Miss O'Neil out of this mess. By the time the stranger managed to knock down the last one (unaware of Charlie's transformation yet again), he quickly put his sais away, and lifted the unconscious April, bridal-style, by the time a train passed through. "This way!", he told them, having to jump into the tunnel, and walk quickly besides the train tracks. Taking Charlie's hand, Jennifer wasted no time in following the stranger. If he knew a place where they would be safe from whoever attacked them, and possibly found out their intentions of exposing them, then the girls had to lay low. They weren't safe anymore.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie quickly put her bracelet on, getting up as her legs returned. She hoped that he didn't see anything, but when he walked off with April it was clear he didn't. That or he didn't care. She looked at Jen as they followed him down the tunnel, a little unsure about all of this. Maybe she was just paranoid. She blinked in surprise as he lead them to an open area that appeared to be his home under the city. Pizza boxes laid in a few places, a pinball machine, a couch with pillows, what looked like a dinning room not too far off. It was modest but homey. "Hey, Leo! Raph's back!" A male voice called out, causing Charlie to flinch.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Did they really have a choice in sticking around? Could they even trust this individual with an unconscious April O'Neil? They had to at least make sure that she was going to be alright, since, one: They defended her, and two: Why put her life at risk, and leave her to her fate, if they didn't know who, or what, saved them? Charlotte wasn't the only one in complete surprise that there was a shelter down here; a rather roomy one, at that. Did he live here? Was anyone else here? The call that echoed from the very sanctuary confirmed that he wasn't alone. Going a little further in, albeit cautiously, they came to see three other individuals, who fell under the same classification as the one who rescued them. The one called "Raph" laid April down on the couch, before removing his trench coat, and hanging up his hat. The other three approached out of caution yet curiosity. At the same time, they looked at the two females, who followed behind their brother. "Who are they?", another male voice said. It came from the one wearing a purple mask. "That's the news lady!", he said, pointing out of surprise towards the unconscious woman. "They got jumped in the subway. I had to bring them here", Raph explained.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "They're turtles." Charlie realized upon watching them, she turned to the one called Raph and blinked a few times. "You're the one who stopped me from jumping off the bridge, aren't you?" She asked before the turtle in blue looked at them then to his brother. "Splinter isn't going to like this. We're supposed to be a secret, remember? Never seen?" He pointed out.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Jennifer stared in surprise at what she was seeing. They were turtles? Well, of course, they were; it only took her a few seconds of blinking to realize it. She even looked at Raph and blinked, as well. This was the same individual she saw that night? Was he following them? Watching? "I thought she was gonna hurt herself", he said to the blue one; his Brooklyn accent thick in his voice. "It's not like I'd put myself in high-exposure. I was just trying to...", he stopped talking, having to feel somewhat embarrassed, and sighed in frustration. "What is going on in here?", a hushed yet soft voice said, and Jennifer looked over to see a brown rat. "I had no choice, Master. They got jumped by those guys, and I had to", he tried to explain himself in the presence of his father. 'Master?', Jennifer thought, before coming further into the room, and sitting down on the ground, watching these individuals. "Bring water, cold washcloth, pillow", he instructed to them, resulting them to not be hesitate on doing what he said. Just who were these people?</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "I wasn't going to hurt myself. I was just..." Charlie said before trailing off with a sigh. She looked at Jen before figuring it would be alright to show them. Who were they going to tell anyway? Being humanoid turtles they couldn't really go outside without a disguise. She took a deep breath before sitting down then removing her bracelet, her legs turning back into a tail. "I was going for a swim." She said softly.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Jennifer was unsure, at first, when her friend decided to reveal her mutation. But, at the same time, she was impressed by how brave she was, in showing such a thing. Normally, they would keep their differences to themselves, and show such a thing to a person, no matter who they were. But then, instead of expressing shock and disgust, the four turtles and the bipedal rat were silent, and remained remarkably calm, as if it wasn't new to them, although Raph did seem rather entranced by the colors. "Hmm", the rodent hummed. "Take heart, child", he said softly. "You will not find judgement here". The Asian was surprised by how wise and kind this individual was. It was like a father reassuring his child, reminding her too much of her own family. Taking a deep breath, Jennifer spoke again. "They called you 'Master'. What does that mean?", she asked. "It means, that I am the light in shadow; a guide to the lost; a forgiver, and an opener to all things -- Splinter", he responded, as patient as he said this, Jennifer somehow felt herself at ease. Turning to look at the unconscious woman, 'Splinter' placed a gentle hand on her face, which caused April to stir. However, instead of remaining calm, like her rescuers, she completely wigged out. "Oh my god! I'm dreaming; I must be dreaming! Okay, okay, those guys in the black pajamas, they jumped me. Two girls were with me, and that rat...I saw you in the parking lot; that explains you! And you guys, um, I have no idea where you came from!", clearly, she was hysterical. "If you will please just sit down and calm yourself, I will tell you where we came from, Miss O'Neil", it was just occurred to Jennifer that she wanted to know how they came to be.</s>	<\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie blinked in surprise as they didn't freak out nor call her any names. It was a first for her, especially having to keep it a secret for so long. She gave Splinter a little smile before deciding it would be polite to introduce herself and Jen. "I'm Charlie, this is my friend, Jennifer." She said before looking over as April awoke. Upon hearing her scream, she quickly put her bracelet back on, not wanting to startle her anymore than she already was. She hid a snicker as April asked herself why she never dreamed of Harrison Ford.</s>
<\|description\|>Charlotte Summers Biographical Information Nickname(s): Charlie (preferred) Lotte Date of Birth: March 7th, 1975 Pisces Skills/Abilities: see, hear, breathe underwater, self defense, street smart, enchanting singing voice (mer form only) Weapon(s) of Choice: mostly physical like fists or feet Occupation(s): student and part time marine biologist Physical Description Specie(s): mutated human/mermaid Gender: female Height: 5'6 Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: dark brown Overview (Brief Summary): Charlie grew up exploring the waters with her father and shows no fear of it. She's even helped educate others about marine life and helped her father at his rehabilitation center. Months before her fifteenth birthday, she was finishing up tending to some fish when she slipped on a mysterious green substance, falling into the tank. The event changed her DNA to where she becomes a mermaid whenever the bracelet she was wearing that night is removed from her wrist. Personality: + Compassionate, artistic, gentle, wise, likes music, romance, being alone and swimming. -Fearful, overly trusting, being criticized, past coming back to haunt her Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Rachel Leigh Cook</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "We came across the same ooze as well. We're different like you." She said, a little smile on her face. "We thought we were the only ones. This changes everything." She glanced over at Raphael, nervously scratching the back of her neck. "I uh...I'm sorry I called you a jerk. I was just upset and surprised someone was stopping me from jumping. It never happened before."</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng "Wait, if you are half-fish, then what are you?", the purple one called 'Donatello' pointed at Jennifer. The Asian sat up, from where she was, next to Charlie. "Perhaps it's best to show you", she said, with a smile, shortly before she took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. Her face started to change, scales appearing around her eyes, which changed into a yellow reptilian color. "Whoa!", the orange one called Michelangelo exclaimed. "I got it! You're half-reptile", Donatello finalized, the second Jen's eyes went back to normal, who smiled with a nod. Raphael was picking his teeth with one of his said, leaning back on the couch, before he heard the voice of the girl nearby. "Yeah, that's alright. I've been called worse", he shrugged.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Hang on, if you guys are ninjas, what about the guys who jumped April? The black pajama ones as she called them." Charlie asked. "Obviously, they're bad guys, but they have to have a leader, right? Someone pulling the strings. A puppeteer."</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng "Every clan has a master. For that, they have to have a leader", Jennifer thought aloud, shortly before she looked at April, then back at Charlie, realizing something. "You know what I think? I think that the guys, who attacked us, were 'the Foot'", the others looked at her. "Think about it: April makes continuous reports about their work, they come out of hiding, and they attempted to shut her up", the Asian explained. "Don't forget that we were there, Charlie. They probably heard us negotiating with Miss O'Neil, attempting to expose them. We are very much a threat to them now". "You can totally lay out here with us. No one knows where we live", Michelangelo suggested with a giggle. "I think you're cool".</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "He's right. If we stay down here, they can't find us. If we go back home we could be tracked down and interrogated. Maybe even asked to tell where April is." Charlie said. She blushed a little as Mikey admitted he thought they were cool. "You're pretty cool too, dude." She smiled. She glanced around the place, thinking of how it could be home. It definitely needed a woman's touch here and there. She was even sure that she'd be able to get to the river to swim.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng "These guys just got their butts kicked. By us. A normal clan would act on the orders of their leader. I believe that order was to silent Miss O'Neil. We just got in the way of their plan. They won't follow, unless there were orders for them to do so", Jennifer continued her train of thought. "Do you think they'll try again?", the one called Leonardo asked, making the Asian turn back to him. "Possibly. They're more likely to act, after they get permission from the one in charge. They don't know what they're dealing with, so they'll be sitting on it for a while, until they attack again". Donatello scratched his head, thinking through the ramble of words that Jen just said. "So, that means, as of right now, we're safe, but not for long?", Jennifer nodded. "Exactly", she answered, before looking at April, and asking. "Want us to help you get home?", April looked at them, all around her. "I'm not dreaming, am I?", she asked, slowly. "No, I'm afraid not", Splinter confirmed.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "This is reality, especially for us." Charlie replied, looking away sadly. "It's not easy for me to hide if I don't have my bracelet. I'm basically useless without it." She said softly. She did feel useless; she couldn't really fight much having no training like them or Jennifer.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng "No prob!", Mikey piped up, having to stand up from where he sat. "You won't be useless, when you have us", he said, with that childlike smile. "We can teach you...the basics", Leonardo proposed, having to be sitting near them with his legs crossed. Hearing this, Jennifer realized that she had left Charlie behind her the whole time, with no method of defending herself. It made her sadly look down.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "You mean it?!" Charlie exclaimed, beaming widely. Upon seeing her friend's expression droop, she placed a hand on hers. "Hey, what's wrong?" She asked her, a little worried. She'd never seen her like this before.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng "If this clan plans to strike, I believe some learning from my sons will better prepare you, mentally and physically", Splinter added, having to keep his usually patient self, as he has already warm and sympathizing with the newcomers. Jennifer felt the hand of her dearest friend, who was like a sister, and glanced up at the other female. "It just occurred to me, Charlie, that I've been keeping you behind me, ever since we've met. If only I had begun to teach you, all those months, you wouldn't have to feel this way", she confessed, feeling quite guilty.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Jen..." Charlie said softly before hugging her. "It's not your fault. With everything going on, how could you find time to teach me? We've been through a lot, so don't blame yourself. I know I don't." She said with a smile.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Jennifer looked at her, having to smile sadly, shortly before reciprocating the hug that Charlie was willing to give her. The Asian teen didn't have any siblings growing up, having to be an only child, adopted into a household that practiced different traditions from her birth kin; a Chinese child, taken in and educated by a Japanese family. Really to keep them protected, Jennifer isolated herself from them; to prevent panic and concern for their daughter. At this point, they probably think she was dead. Raphael silently watched the interaction between the two teenaged girls. Jennifer's hug was firm; one that told Charlie that she was in safe hands. "With them, I'll teach you, if you let me".</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Of course, Jen. You'll be the best teacher with 'em." Charlie said with a giant grin. She looked over at Raph once letting go of the hug. "When can we start?" She asked</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Sometime later, the three females were being led throughout the underground by the four brothers, who had to rely on smell and memory to figure out where April's apartment would be, at the surface. "Are you guys sure you know where you're going?", April asked them, as she and the two girls followed them across sewage water. "11th and Bleecker? Nope. This is only 9th street. Get it?", Michelangelo piped, after smelling the air. "Yuck", April flinched, making Jennifer shake her head with a chuckle. "To save your conscience, Miss O'Neil, you don't want to know", she said, before giving Charlie a hand to cross a river of water.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie chuckled softly at Mikey's comment before taking Jen's hand to cross. She followed them through the sewers before they arrived at the right place, helping April up before sending Jen and Charlie up after her. "Thanks, you guys. I'd offer you to come inside, but all I got is frozen pizza." April said. Mikey sprung up out of the manhole like a jack in the box. "Let's go for it!" He exclaimed. "You guys eat pizza?" April asked in disbelief. "Doesn't everybody?" Mikey and Donnie replied in unison. "Did she say pizza?!" Leo asked, his voice echoing in the sewer. "Yep!" Donnie confirmed.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Right after helping April up through the manhole, Jennifer let Charlie exit next, before she followed, with the help of their new "gifted" allies. "Apparently, when you said that magical word, every New Yorker would react", Jennifer pointed out to April, with a smile, just as the guys reacted positively at the woman's offer. "So, you live in an antique store?", Mikey asked, just as his brothers were still climbing out from under the road. "Above actually", she affirmed. Jennifer looked at the building, having to find some things inside that would entice wonder and curiosity. "You work here too?", she asked, while looking through the window. "In my free time, yes", Miss O'Neil led them to the entrance of the store, gesturing to take careful and quiet steps into the building. "So, what do you guys like on your pizza?", she asked. "Just the regular stuff. Flies, stink bugs...it was a joke", Mikey chuckled sheepishly, after the human woman gave him a face.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "I bet there's a lot of cool things in there." Charlie said as they headed over before hearing what Mikey liked on their pizza. "Gross!" She exclaimed with a laugh, knowing he was joking. After a while, they were all laughing as Mikey did his voice impersonations. Charlie had to admit he was pretty good at them. "Uh, maybe I'll fight Apollo, maybe I won't. ADRIAN!" Mikey said, impersonating Sylvester Stallone.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng They were all indeed laughing at the efforts of Michalangelo's ability to bring comedy into the evening. Jennifer remembered the 'Rocky' movies all too well, and the humor that Mikey brought onto Sylvester Stallone's line added character behind the impression. Here she was, laughing with Charlie, April, and the four brothers. It was as if the family was getting bigger, after only a few hours of chatter. "Hey, I got another one! This is totally cool!" Raphael wasn't paying a lot of attention to the gathering, as he was gazing into the fish tank nearby, gliding his fingers along the watery surface. "Oh, no, not Cagney", he muttered, before shaking his head, and finally stepping away from the tank. "You dirty rat. You killed my brother. You dirty rat. Woo-hoo!", Mikey laughed. "That must be Splinter's favorite", April laughed, only having to receive a look from the four turtles. Jennifer cleared her throat, and April dropped her grin. "It was a joke", she quickly added, correcting herself. Thankfully, instead of contempt, they only laughed.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie laughed with the others, impressed with Mikey's impressions. He was pretty good at them and clearly the goofball of the brothers. She smiled, finally feeling like part of a family again. She blinked as April spoke, a little surprised and confused by it. It wasn't until she said it was a joke that she laughed again with the brothers. She noticed Raph was standing off a little ways before walking over to him. "Hey."</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Jennifer continued to laugh at the fun that these four individuals were able to bring into her and Charlie's seemingly-boring yet private lives. It was like coming home to family, after all this time. They finally found solace just from this one encounter, and the Asian never felt so open about her insecurities, regarding her mutation. It made her realize that they were a "special" yet "gifted" bunch. Raphael was standing by one of the big windows, looking out over the city lights, before hearing a female voice. "Huh?", he said, out of surprise but relaxed, seeing it was only Charlie. "Oh, hey".</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Beautiful view, huh? You probably don't get to see it much in daylight." Charlie said with a little grin. "Maybe you'd be able to if you had a disguise or something like that. The sunrise and sunsets are beautiful."</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Raphael crossed his arms, as he listened to Charlie point out the beauty of the city. If he only could walk out more during the day, he could get by unseen. But you know, it seemed that only nighttime was his only ally to bring him cover for his disguise. He didn't say anything, but rather gave a grunt, as he nodded in agreement to her statement. "I would, but, you know, the humans seem smarter during the day. The light doesn't exactly work in our favor for cover", he said, having to continue looking at the cars going by, and the people walking. Taking a sai from his waist, he tapped the metal with his finger, before skillfully twirling it in his hand, carefully evading his fingers on handling such a weapon.</s>	<\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "I know what you mean. I had to start swimming at night because someone saw me in daylight. Thankfully it was written off as a hoax and they never found me." She said before sighing softly. "Humans are so quick to turn on what they don't understand." She looked over at Raph as he started twirling his sai, watching his movements that must have taken years to perfect.</s>
<\|description\|>Charlotte Summers Biographical Information Nickname(s): Charlie (preferred) Lotte Date of Birth: March 7th, 1975 Pisces Skills/Abilities: see, hear, breathe underwater, self defense, street smart, enchanting singing voice (mer form only) Weapon(s) of Choice: mostly physical like fists or feet Occupation(s): student and part time marine biologist Physical Description Specie(s): mutated human/mermaid Gender: female Height: 5'6 Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: dark brown Overview (Brief Summary): Charlie grew up exploring the waters with her father and shows no fear of it. She's even helped educate others about marine life and helped her father at his rehabilitation center. Months before her fifteenth birthday, she was finishing up tending to some fish when she slipped on a mysterious green substance, falling into the tank. The event changed her DNA to where she becomes a mermaid whenever the bracelet she was wearing that night is removed from her wrist. Personality: + Compassionate, artistic, gentle, wise, likes music, romance, being alone and swimming. -Fearful, overly trusting, being criticized, past coming back to haunt her Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Rachel Leigh Cook</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "I know what you mean. I had to start swimming at night because someone saw me in daylight. Thankfully it was written off as a hoax and they never found me." She said before sighing softly. "Humans are so quick to turn on what they don't understand." She looked over at Raph as he started twirling his sai, watching his movements that must have taken years to perfect.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng It was an awkward silence between the two of them, even as he was twirling the sai in his hand. Raphael was looking between the weapon, and back to the window. It took him a few seconds, before he started to speak again. "So, what's the deal with the...fish thing?", he asked, not exactly looking at her, but rather at the corner of his eye.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie jumped a little as he spoke, the words breaking the silence between them. She sighed softly before fiddling with her bracelet but didn't take it off. "I helped my dad out with marine animals, he's a marine biologist who works not too far from here near the water. I was closing up the place by myself when I slipped, falling into this strange glowing green ooze." "My lower half was covered in it, along with my right hand and bracelet. When I tried getting up, I slipped again, falling into the tank with some fish. My bracelet must have caught on something because I didn't have it on after I fell. I...I don't know how to describe what happened next. I don't fully recall myself. All I remember is I had a fish tail. It only appears when I take off my bracelet."</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Raphael stopped twirling his weapon of choice, and grunted, shaking his head. Not really in response to what Charlie, but it was a confirmation to his own thoughts. There were individuals besides them that were different -- unique and gifted -- after all. There were outcasts, like them, living out in the city, this whole time. It felt strangely comforting, like a bunch of bricks have been lifted from his troubled shoulders. "Do you mind if me and Charlie stayed the night, in case those guys come looking for you?", Jennifer asked April, who gave the question some thought, before giving the Asian teen a tender smile. "'Course you can. It would be safer for the both of you". "And, speaking of which, we better get going", Raphael heard his older brother say, before he could say anything to the girl. It was kind of disappointing, really. They just managed to find others that were like them. A part of him didn't want to leave, but Splinter would be wondering what was taking them. "Will we ever see you guys again?", Jennifer asked. "That depends on how fast April stocks her pizza", the answer made her chuckle. Raphael departed last, albeit reluctantly, having to give a small wave back to the females, before making their disappearance.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie glanced at him, taking in his silent brooding composure. So he was the silent type, not so much a guy of words but rather actions. Something she admired about him. Sure, the others were interesting too, but something about him drew her to him. Perhaps...Perhaps because they both didn't fit into the world. No one understood them really. She looked over as Jennifer asked if they could stay the night before the brothers took their leave. She chuckled at their response of seeing them again, smiling at Raph before he left, waving back. She let out a little sigh, feeling sad they had to go.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Jennifer sighed, once April closed the door to her apartment. What a day. First, they get jumped by a strange group of men; the next, they meet others that were kind of like them; others that actually shared similar feelings with them. It was a shame they had to leave now, since they were just getting to know them. It was a shame, really. The woman went back to go get blankets and pillows from the other room, shortly before walking back to the sofa to pull out the futon. Jennifer took some time to help put the blankets in place, before putting the pillows down. It wasn't long until there was a knock on the door again. Confused, April walked back to the door, and found the turtles back again, but this time, seemingly distraught. "What's wrong?" "Splinter..."</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie helped Jennifer set up the futon before making herself a place to sleep before hearing the door. She froze, unsure of who was behind it. Friend or foe? Upon seeing the turtles, she thought it was fast they returned before hearing something that made her heart sink. She could see the sorrow in their eyes, the hint of anger within Raph's. She carefully walked over to him. "Hey...if you want to talk or need a shoulder to cry on...I'm here. Okay?" She said softly, not wanting to push him especially during this tough time.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Jennifer didn't expect them to come back, even when they just left. What they said too made her heart sink. Was Splinter dead? Missing? From their reactions, it was that of lost children separated from their parent. She couldn't exactly relate, but she knew the feeling of losing someone dear. The instinct to comfort was strong. "I'll get some more pillows and blankets. Where do you keep them, Miss O'Neil?", she asked, with April pointing her to where they were. Raphael shook his head, having to try on keeping his own anger under wraps, even when he heard Charlie's offer. Giving a frustrated sigh, he relented and looked at her, albeit hesitantly. "Thanks guys", Mikey yawned, before the brothers allowed themselves to settle in on the floor, since the girls were able to take the futon.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "We'll find him. He has to be out there somewhere." Charlie assured him even though she wasn't sure if Splinter was still alive. They had to have hope he was. It was obvious how close he was to the turtles, especially being their father figure. She gave him a little encouraging smile before getting ready for bed. Around the middle of the night, she got up, being careful not to step on the turtles as she headed towards the bathroom. Just because she couldn't leave because of the Foot didn't mean she couldn't at least have a dip in the tub. She filled it up before getting in, thankful her clothes could go in the dryer in the morning as she took off her bracelet. She let out a little sigh, gently flicking her tail.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Around time that Charlie woke up, Raphael was still awake, having to listen to her footsteps go all the way into the bathroom. Having to hear running water, he wondered whether if she was taking a shower, or simply taking a moment. It was none of his business, but then, she was in there longer than she should, and so, the red-bandanaed turtle silently got up from his sleeping spot, and approached the door. As trained as he was, Raphael made his pursuit, unannounced. He didn't open the door, but rather knocked on it with the handle of his sai.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie jumped up hearing the knock, her tail flicking water everywhere in her fright. "Crap." She muttered as she sat up before looking over at the door. She was completely defenseless if it was the Foot or someone else. Her bracelet was too far for her to reach at the moment. "Who is it?" She asked, worried who it could be.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Grunting softly, Raphael wasn't sure if he should answer back. But, he figured that she needed to know who was at the door, really to find out if it was friend or foe. So, if it made her feel better, he finally spoke. "It's me", he was quiet, but it was loud enough for Charlie to hear.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie sighed softly in relief upon hearing Raph's voice. "Scared me half to death. Did you need something?" She asked him as she shifted in the tub, water sloshing a little. If he needed the bathroom, she didn't mind grabbing her bracelet and drying off.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Raphael was leaning against the wall, near the bathroom, looking down at the floor, as he listened to the girl's words from inside. He didn't mean to scare her, since it was indeed late in the night, and that they had to be cautious. Whoever took Splinter may as well be looking for them too. "No. No, I didn't", he said softly, shaking his head. "I just...wanted to...make sure you were okay".</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers A faint blush appeared on her cheeks, a little surprised he was concerned about her. They'd only met hours ago after all. "I'm okay. Just...using the bathtub as a pool. I didn't want to risk being seen and bring those guys back here, ya know?" She replied, tail flicking lazily. "Are you okay? I understand if you don't want to talk about it." She said softly.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Raphael didn't say anything, even after he heard her speak, but rather continued looking at the floor, and twirled the sai in his hand, once more; a compulsive childhood habit, whenever his thoughts decided to race. Why was he feeling this way? What was this instinct? It was similar to how he would be protective over his family, but this...this was new. Hearing her question, the rebel didn't answer right away. Taking a deep breath, he answered back, just as soft. "It's fine. It's just...I'm not used to talking to those outside my own, ya know?"</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Yeah. I know how that is. After my incident, it was Jen and I for the longest time until we found you guys. Even before that I was all alone. I didn't have anyone to relate to who knew how I felt. Then I met Jen and after a while we both found out about our differences. Then we met you guys. For you, all you had to talk to is your brothers and..." She said before trailing off, remembering Splinter was missing. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring him up. I know it's still a sensitive topic for you." She said.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng He listened intently, when Charlie started explaining her side of the story, having to slowly raise his head on the spot. It was a similar one that Raphael could say as well, since he too felt alone in the world with his family, until they finally met someone that was experiencing the same things. It didn't even phase Raphael when she started to go down the line of sensitive information. "No, that's...", he trailed off, giving a sigh, as it was indeed hard to take in.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "You guys must really miss him." Charlie said softly. "I know I miss my dad. It was hard for me to leave him so he wouldn't find out." She sighed softly, letting silence hang between them for a while. "He's out there somewhere, Raph. We'll find him."</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng By this point, Raphael stood silent in front of the bathroom door, just listening to Charlie's voice from the other side. Her soft, reassuring words were that of a small bell; it sounded that of a promise. That they will be able to find him, and the rebellious turtle can only hope. "...thanks...", he finally said. "...Charlie", he added.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers A small smile appeared on her lips upon hearing him thank her, knowing her words of hope were probably all he had now. "You're welcome." She said before sighing softly. "I might as well get out before April wakes up and finds me here."</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Giving a sigh, Raphael gave a grunt, as a way to agree with her. The anti-social type he was, the rebellious turtle didn't give much of an acknowledgment with words. So, the best way, nowadays for him, was to display his feelings and emotions with action -- and he did this by walking away from the door. If she noticed him missing, then he left her a sign by putting a slight creak into the floor upon his every footstep, so she could detect his departure, as he reluctantly went back to his sleeping spot. Unknown to him, Jennifer was awake, having to overhear their conversation, which made the Asian teen smile to herself. The next morning, it was another day of caution, and judging by how April found the four turles nearly taking up the entire front room on the floor, it wasn't going to be easy getting visitors, especially since the four brothers stayed the night, looking for solace and comfort. She couldn't blame them; they had nowhere else to go. Their light snores were enough to wake Jennifer up, by she noticed April walk into the room, giving the woman a shrug, and an apologetic smile. However, before their host could say anything, there was a knock on the door, awakening her guests. "Who is it?" "It's me, Charles", Jennifer silently cussed, before softly shaking Charlotte awake, who laid next to her on the futon.</s>	<\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie replaced her bracelet, stepping out of the tub and letting the water drain as she changed into dry pajamas. She had heard Raph leave when she got out, figuring he went back to bed. Again, she figured he wasn't much of a talker. Once dried off and in dry clothes, she went back to the futon and fell asleep. She moaned as she felt someone shaking her to wake her up. "What?" She mumbled, still wanting to sleep. She was always like this due to her late night swims.</s>
<\|description\|>Charlotte Summers Biographical Information Nickname(s): Charlie (preferred) Lotte Date of Birth: March 7th, 1975 Pisces Skills/Abilities: see, hear, breathe underwater, self defense, street smart, enchanting singing voice (mer form only) Weapon(s) of Choice: mostly physical like fists or feet Occupation(s): student and part time marine biologist Physical Description Specie(s): mutated human/mermaid Gender: female Height: 5'6 Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: dark brown Overview (Brief Summary): Charlie grew up exploring the waters with her father and shows no fear of it. She's even helped educate others about marine life and helped her father at his rehabilitation center. Months before her fifteenth birthday, she was finishing up tending to some fish when she slipped on a mysterious green substance, falling into the tank. The event changed her DNA to where she becomes a mermaid whenever the bracelet she was wearing that night is removed from her wrist. Personality: + Compassionate, artistic, gentle, wise, likes music, romance, being alone and swimming. -Fearful, overly trusting, being criticized, past coming back to haunt her Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Rachel Leigh Cook</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "What?!" She exclaimed, not loud enough for whoever it was to hear. She sat up, looking over at the brothers in worry. They had to hide, but where? She blinked before realizing they were gone, vanished like smoke. Ninja skills. She reminded herself as she made herself decent before April opened the door. She listened to what he said rolling her eyes as he told her to let someone else take the job. "Is he kidding? She's onto this case more than the cops are." She whispered to Jen.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Jennifer silently groaned in annoyance, shaking her head, in confirmation to Charlie's statement. Why would they want her off the case? Because she's too pushy for the business? Or, because she knew too much that it causes pressure for the police? These thoughts were circling around in her head, as she listened in on the conversation, though at the same time, she pretended to mind her own business. April herself didn't seem all to pleased on what was being requested of her. "Charles, what are you talking about? It's my story; no way". "Look at you; you're exhausted!", the man insisted, following April into the bathroom, which caused Jennifer to frown, telling Charlie to stay put, before tailing the two adults from behind, just by a few feet. "Let somebody else help you cover City Hall". The teenage boy in the room seemed to be looking around, before catching sight of what seemed to be Mikey hiding under the table, in the reflection of one of the mirrors. Turning around, hoping to figure out whether it was a trick of the eye or not, the turtle disappeared on the spot, as if he had never been there. "What's with you today?", April asked her boss, wondering why he would tell her to lay back, while proceeding to wash her face. "Nothing's with me today. I just thought you might like a little help", Jennifer continued to listen in, still trying to decipher what was really going on behind this incessant yet unexpected meeting, shortly before peeking from behind the doorway. "Well, I don't. Hand me a towel, will you?", she gasped, having to see Donatello hiding behind the shower curtain, with Jennifer catching a glimpse of him in the mirror. Her heart sunk, as Charles approached that very spot! "Charles, no!", April rushed to stop him, but right as he moved the curtain, there was no Donatello. "What's wrong?" "I just don't want you to see my unsightly bathtub ring. Okay, just out, out, out, out, out", and just like that, she was pushing him out of her bathroom; Jennifer, making a quiet snicker, when she found the turtle clinging to the ceiling of the shower. "I have to get ready for work. Danny, would you tell your father to relax?" "I wish", so that was his name. Danny. "Just don't push any buttons today, okay?", and he was gone, along with "Danny".</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie nodded in reply, glancing over at the boy who came with April's boss. Obviously his son, but something was off about him. She couldn't figure out what exactly, but she kept glancing at him now and then to make sure he wasn't any trouble. Seeing him quickly turn around, her heart sank. Did he see one? "Something wrong?" She asked him to which she got a glare in response. She rolled her eyes at him before hearing April shriek out at her boss. She had to have been stopping him from attacking one of the turtles. She sighed softly in relief upon hearing about the bathtub ring and telling him to get out. Once they were gone, she looked around for the brothers. "Guys?" She asked.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng "That was close!" As if on cue, Mikey appeared right next to April, who jumped on the spot for his sudden appearance. Jennifer wondered whether if it was the art of misdirection, or just the mastery of stealth that made him unnoticeable to them. "Time to switch to decaf, April", he chirped, just as the others were coming out of hiding. "That was really impressive", Jennifer praised their ability to camouflage with their surroundings, which apparently caused Mikey to fluster and giggle at the compliment.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie yelped in surprise as Raph came out from under the futon, never having seen nor felt him underneath. She hoped she didn't accidentally squish him while he was hiding under there. Had she known she would have gotten up. "It really was. You guys have to teach us how to do that. If you don't mind that is." She said, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng "I can do it too. I just haven't used it yet", Jennifer shrugged with a sheepish smile. "Cool! Next time, I want to see you blend in, like us", Mikey excitedly suggested, almost sounding like it was a dare. "I could give it a go", the Asian smiled, making the younger turtle blush a little, with another giggle. It was rather amusing to her, making the others groan. "I should get ready for work. Will you guys be hanging out here when I get back?", April asked, almost concerned on leaving them alone. "We'll be okay. Just as long as you come back, safely", Jennifer said, reassuring the woman that they won't be going anyway. Not that they had to, right?</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "We can handle ourselves, April. We'll be okay." Charlie assured her with a smile. Of course they'd still be here, they had nowhere to go really, especially if the Foot was looking for them. She gave her a wave as she left before grabbing her things and heading to the bathroom to change. She sighed softly as she processed everything that happened within the last day. They had met four teenage brothers who were different like her and Jen, befriended them, they lost their mentor and father, and were now camping out here as a safe haven. She sighed softly, realizing how much had happened in so little time.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng April was almost reluctant to leave her new friends alone in the apartment, although she reassured herself that they won't be going anywhere to find trouble, especially since whoever kidnapped Splinter, may as well as be looking for them. So, everything should be fine, for the time being. She found herself rather thankful and lucky to have met these individuals, considering that the least Miss O'Neil could do, was give them a place to lay low. When Charlie left the bathroom, Raphael silently watched her, not saying anything, but let the wheels in his head turn, at their current situation. A few hours after the human woman left, the girls and the brothers hung out in the living room; the television going on in the background, as they tried to find ways to pass the time. Jennifer decided that this would be the perfect time to teach Charlie some basic physical combat. Revolving around that of self-defense, instead of straight-up educating her on something more complex, topics for beginners were the best place to start. After a meditation session with the eldest turtle, Charlotte can practice on her punches and kicks with Jennifer, causing Raphael to get distracted every once in a while. "This is beginning to sound less and less like your common, garden-variety subway mugging..." The brothers crowded around the television, with the exception of Raphael, who sat on the couch. "She's a good reporter", Leonardo pointed out. "She's a babe!", Mikey corrected him, causing Jennifer to chuckle nearby. "...known as the Foot" "I'm sorry, the 'Foot'?" "Yeah, I know it sounds like a funky club for podiatrists, but I've been speaking with a lot of Japanese-Americans for the past few days, who say that our recent crime wave is reminiscent of a secret band of ninja thieves, who once operated in Japan." Taking a break with Charlie, Jennifer went to get some water for herself and her "adopted sister", while listening. "Are the police looking into this?" "I've included everything in my statement, but I doubt very much that Chief Sterns is taking this possible connection seriously." Giving Charlotte her bit of refreshment, Jennifer stood on the spot, watching the television, after taking a gulp. "You still haven't told us how you got away from your attacker" "It's really quite incredible. Some citizens of New York actually came to my rescue. Who says everyone in the Big Apple looks the other way? Seriously, June, I would like to take this opportunity to thank them: Jennifer, Charlie....and if he's watching, thanks, Raphael".</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie practiced with Jennifer on some self defense which she was thankful for, even with Leo and Donnie giving her some pointers and helping with her stances. She proved to be a good learner although not a one hundred percent great fighter. She was still learning after all. Her attention turned to the TV as April started speaking snorting at Mikey's comment about April. Boys. She gave Jen a little nod of thanks for the water before looking back as April mentioned being rescued, blinking a few times upon hearing her thank not only Jen and Raph but Charlie herself as well. Her attention was broken as Mikey pointed at Raph. "Look! I think he's blushing! I think he's actually turning red."</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Jennifer and the brothers were patient with Charlie, as she was just learning the ways of combat. Mistakes and mishaps were common, as the turtles themselves weren't masters as of yet, in spite of one claiming otherwise; they were still students under the guidance of a mentor. All it took, was a bit of practice. Although in Jen's case, she was self-taught, rather than one taking instruction from a teacher. However, she was modest, and took this particular experiences as a way of taking pointers, in order to correct the things she initially thought were perfect. Everyone was learns something new, everyday. That last comment apparently pushed it for the red-bandannaed alpha-like turtle, as he threw his sai into the floor, near one of his brothers' legs, causing Jennifer to flinch. "...maybe not", Donatello took it back quick, until Raphael reached over to take his weapon back. "So what do we do now?!", he demanded, frustrated. "What do you mean, 'what do we do now?", Leo questioned, wondering what was getting his rebel of a brother so worked up. "Splinter's out there somewhere!", he was clearly upset, causing Jennifer to close her eyes, once that very topic was brought up. "I know Splinter's out there", the leader was being remarkably calm, in contrast to Raphael's aggression. Unfortunately, they don't seem to be rubbing off each other nicely, as soon as Donnie and Mikey decided to retreat into the kitchen. "What are we gonna do about it?!" "What can we do about it? April's our only link to these guys. We have to wait until she comes up with something". "Oh, so that's the plan from our 'great leader', huh?" "Guys...", Jennifer voiced from where she was, hoping that her words would calm them down, but it didn't seem to work. "...just sit here on our butts!" "I never said I was a great leader". "You sure act like it, sometimes!" "Yeah? Well, you act like a jerk, sometimes, you know that! And this attitude of yours isn't helping anything". "...guys!", she tried again. Emotions were being thrown around, and it was painful to watch, especially at a dangerous time. like this. The last thing they needed right now was for them to split up. Her words seemed to make them stop, but it didn't seem to stop Raphael. "Yeah, well, maybe I'll just take my attitude and leave!" "Why don't you?" "I will!" "Good!" "Great!" "Go ahead! We don't need you!" And the rebel turtle was out the door, causing Jennifer to sigh in sadness and disappointment.</s>	<\|message\|>Charlotte Summers A little squeak escaped Charlie as the sai hit the floor, startled by the sudden movement. She noted that Raph apparently didn't like being teased, especially if he was in a bad mood. Speaking of, he was clearly upset when asking about the next course of action. Upon hearing Raph speak of Splinter, her heart sank a little. He still had hope in finding his father figure. She glanced at Leo, wondering how he could be so calm about all this. Surely he was just upset about Splinter's disappearance as Raph. "Fight?" "Fight." "Kitchen?" "Kitchen." Mikey and Donnie exchanged before leaving to get out of the verbal gunfire about to ensue. Charlie watched the two older brothers as she realized the younger two were right. Clearly Leo's calm demeanor wasn't going over well with Raph. "Leo!" She exclaimed as he called Raph on his attitude and a jerk. From her point of view, it was uncalled for. They were fighting, tearing a rift between their brotherly bond that wasn't repairing any time soon. She watched as Raph stormed off, Leo yelling they didn't need him. Something within her snapped as she glared daggers at Leo. "How could you say that to your own brother?! He's your family! The last thing you all need is losing him too!" She yelled at him. "You're supposed to be the leader...but all you're doing is pushing him away. Way to go, Leo." She said before leaving as well, trying to find Raph in hopes of helping him calm down and keep him safe.</s>
<\|description\|>Charlotte Summers Biographical Information Nickname(s): Charlie (preferred) Lotte Date of Birth: March 7th, 1975 Pisces Skills/Abilities: see, hear, breathe underwater, self defense, street smart, enchanting singing voice (mer form only) Weapon(s) of Choice: mostly physical like fists or feet Occupation(s): student and part time marine biologist Physical Description Specie(s): mutated human/mermaid Gender: female Height: 5'6 Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: dark brown Overview (Brief Summary): Charlie grew up exploring the waters with her father and shows no fear of it. She's even helped educate others about marine life and helped her father at his rehabilitation center. Months before her fifteenth birthday, she was finishing up tending to some fish when she slipped on a mysterious green substance, falling into the tank. The event changed her DNA to where she becomes a mermaid whenever the bracelet she was wearing that night is removed from her wrist. Personality: + Compassionate, artistic, gentle, wise, likes music, romance, being alone and swimming. -Fearful, overly trusting, being criticized, past coming back to haunt her Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Rachel Leigh Cook</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers A little squeak escaped Charlie as the sai hit the floor, startled by the sudden movement. She noted that Raph apparently didn't like being teased, especially if he was in a bad mood. Speaking of, he was clearly upset when asking about the next course of action. Upon hearing Raph speak of Splinter, her heart sank a little. He still had hope in finding his father figure. She glanced at Leo, wondering how he could be so calm about all this. Surely he was just upset about Splinter's disappearance as Raph. "Fight?" "Fight." "Kitchen?" "Kitchen." Mikey and Donnie exchanged before leaving to get out of the verbal gunfire about to ensue. Charlie watched the two older brothers as she realized the younger two were right. Clearly Leo's calm demeanor wasn't going over well with Raph. "Leo!" She exclaimed as he called Raph on his attitude and a jerk. From her point of view, it was uncalled for. They were fighting, tearing a rift between their brotherly bond that wasn't repairing any time soon. She watched as Raph stormed off, Leo yelling they didn't need him. Something within her snapped as she glared daggers at Leo. "How could you say that to your own brother?! He's your family! The last thing you all need is losing him too!" She yelled at him. "You're supposed to be the leader...but all you're doing is pushing him away. Way to go, Leo." She said before leaving as well, trying to find Raph in hopes of helping him calm down and keep him safe.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng By the time Charlotte slammed the door, everyone was silent - Mikey and Donatello were left speechless, as they sat quietly in the kitchen. "Pork rind?" "Pork rind." Jennifer sighed sadly, before turning to the eldest turtle in the room. "Words can pierce your opponents like bullets; it can graze them yet harm them. Raphael is hurting, Leonardo; not to mention, heartbroken. I'm not saying you don't seem the same, but both of you are dealing with it differently. I can see that you are a calm, clear-headed individual, but that doesn't mean you can shut Raphael out, by not acknowledging for how he is feeling, and because of that, he feels that no one understands. Why do you think Charlie left?" The blue swordsman looked at her, having to be surprised to be given a wise lecture from one of their new friends. There was something about Jennifer that left quite an impression on the three brothers; an older sister, someone who can give the best advice possible. Her words circled around in his head, shortly before he looked at the floor, almost ashamed. The Asian girl walked towards him, and gently grasped his hand. They didn't say anything, but let her touch alone comfort him. Meanwhile, on the roof, Raphael was doing everything he can to let his anger go. He wasn't aware of being pursued by Charlie, who followed him.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie had heard the door to the roof close after she started to head downstairs, changing her direction to find the red bandanaed turtle in hopes of at least talking to him or finding another way to calm him down. She arrived in time to see him angrily punching and kicking the air. She figured he was letting off steam imagining he was fighting the Foot, or worse, Leo. "Raph? You okay?" She asked, letting him know she was there. She didn't want to anger him further if he eventually saw her, figuring letting him know would avert an accidental attack. "What Leo said back there...I'm sure he didn't mean it. Both of you are upset about this and said things you didn't mean to." She said.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Punches and kicks to the air seem to be the right way of releasing the anger he was harboring. Splinter's very absence was taking its toll, and the longer they sit around, the bigger the chances were that their master may be gone permanently. Doesn't Leo understand this? They can't stay stationary. Giving grunts and groans of frustration, Raphael sighed, shortly before he heard the voice of Charlotte, a short ways behind him. What was she doing here? Looking over the side of the building, and over at the streets below, he didn't answer her, but rather, gave a sniff; whether out of sadness or anger, the rebel shook his head, trying to force these troubled feelings to just disappear. Her words were launching towards him, and he didn't look at her. "He's out there; I know it", he said, seemingly ignoring what she was telling him.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "So do I, but I don't think he'd want his family to fall into discord." She said, carefully walking up to him. She still wanted to give him space should he decide to throw more punches and kicks. Charlie hesitated before gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "I know it might take you a while to calm down, but you have to try to make up with Leo. You can't leave things the way they were." She advised with a little hopeful smile. Unbeknownst to them they were being watched by multiple eyes. One pair was from a not too far away building where a man sat, not believing what he was seeing even with the binoculars. It was the weird punk he met a few nights ago. What was he doing up there? And why was there a girl with him? The other eyes belonged to a group of Foot ninjas who were creeping up on the duo before Charlie sensed something was wrong. She turned around, eyes widening as she saw they were surrounded. "Raph!" She exclaimed, but her warning came too late as one of the ninjas jumped onto his back.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Her persistence was fierce, that's for sure. Raphael didn't think that, besides Splinter, the girl could try to reason with him with wisdom. It hasn't been an easy thing to swallow, if such things came from his brothers but, perhaps out of anyone he encountered, that wasn't his father, Charlotte was able to give him a message that showed genuine care behind her reasoning. He took a few deep breaths through his nose, shortly before he felt her hand on his shoulder. It was obvious that she was being careful yet gentle in her approach, and that was what caused Raphael to reluctantly relent, and slowly loosen his fists. "Charlie, I...", he began to say, still looking down, whilst appearing to calm down, before being able to lift his head, and take another deep breath. "...thanks." He too was unaware of themselves being watched, even when the group of men in black jumpsuits started to approach to duo with complete silence. He heard Charlotte shout his name; the next thing he knew, they were getting thrown around, in an ambush. It was only a matter of time, before he could get back to his feet. "'Lee, get out of here!", he told her, as he started putting a number on the impeding group of ninjas. As long as their attention was on the rebellious turtle, Charlie would have a bigger chance of getting away, and telling the others. Meanwhile, April was showing her new friends the antique show below the apartment, which only seemed to induce wonder and curiosity in the turtle brothers, while Jennifer thought about the prolonged absence of their brother and Charlie. But, at the same time, the back of her mind says, that there was some sort of spark going on between her "sister" and the red-bandannaed turtle. Not that she was worried about it, but it became quite...endearing. Her thoughts were cut off, once Mikey decided to play a prank on Leo, having to startle him with some cymbals he found laying around. Luckily, Jen and April were able to cover their ears, in time. The ninjas were pouring in, and Raphael was starting to find himself overwhelmed. He was able to fend off a good few, but it was starting to become very hard. However, his tenacity didn't fade, despite his impeding exhaustion. "You must be studying the abridged book of ninja fighting. I mean, come on, how do you guys expect to beat me?", more and more started pouring in, making Raphael realize that numbers were on their side. "Good answer. Good answer". "Haven't they been gone a long time?", April asked, as they were going back up to the apartment, after giving them a brief tour of some of her most-prized possessions. "Raph does this, all the time; he likes it", Donnie reassured, as if it was no big deal. Jennifer frowned, sensing something wrong, shortly before she felt something sharp get thrown at her, grazing her cheek. "Are you sure?" Seeing a throwing ninja knife piercing the wall, Jennifer caught a glimpse of a bald Japanese man in a robe, in one of the mirrors. "We're being watched...", she realized, whispering to herself, before wiping the cut on her face. "...he'll probably be back any minute", before anybody could react, a shatter from above caught everyone off guard, as the body of Raphael came crashing through. "Raph!"</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie heard his words but didn't want to leave him alone, especially being clearly outnumbered. She hesitated for a moment before sneaking away, quickly heading downstairs to tell the others. She just hoped by the time she told them it wouldn't be too late. Tears started to sting her eyes at the thought of the brothers losing another family member, especially after the fight he had with Leo. She pushed the thoughts away as she spotted the others, running over towards them before quickly recoiling as she saw something fly quickly through the air. She was too late to warn them; the Foot were already here. She watched in shock as Raph crashed through the sunroof, glass and wood surrounding him. He wasn't moving. "Raph!" She exclaimed, running over with April and Donnie. Tears stung her eyes once again as she silently begged him to still be alive. "He's alive. Barely." Donnie assured them before looking at the few ninjas that had jumped in after their brother. Relief washed over Charlie before anger took over. These ninjas had the nerve to attack April, cause Splinter's disappearance, and now hurt her friend and threaten his brothers. She stood up, getting into a defensive stance.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng The crash was something that Jennifer did not want to see, especially since Charlie just walked into the room to witness it. She was immediately by April's side, checking to see that Raphael's vitals were still active. In addition to Donatello's claim, she was able to find a pulse, but it was faint. Very faint. Along with being thrown through the sunroof, he must nearly have been beaten to death before then. The attackers were piling in through the windows, door, and the roof. It was clearly an ambush, set to overthrow them with numbers rather than strength alone. But how did they find them? Nobody knew where they were. If so, who? Putting herself in the defensive, Jennifer stayed close to April, who looked over an unconscious Raphael, the moment they found themselves surrounded. "And I thought insurance salesmen were pushy", Mikey said, amusingly, shortly before one of them started swinging their single nun-chuck. "Oh, a fellow chucker, eh?", and the contest began. It was an exchange of skill to decipher who was better. Jennifer watched, silently, looking back and forth between the competitors. 'That's really impressive', she thought, having to give a small smile. It was becoming a close call, until Mikey sealed the deal by spinning his weapon on one finger. "Keep practicing", he said. 'It's over for you', she thought amusingly, the second Donnie jumped over him, and began the assault against their brothers' aggressors. There wasn't much room for them to defend themselves, but then, it was the perfect time to improvise. Giving a sucker punch, Mikey tossed one of them to Jennifer, who swiped her leg underneath to trip him into a cabinet, shortly before grab another, and launching a knee into his stomach. "Charlie, brace!", she said, before crouching down, and giving her sister a boost, by lifting Charlotte, and launching her towards another. "One of these guys knows where they're holding Splinter, so don't knock them all out", Leo told them, before knocking out the one he put into a choke hold. "I don't think that will be a problem, Leo", they just kept coming, one by one, and it only got worse, by the time, Donnie noticed more on the roof. "Hey guys, I'm not so sure if this is, structurally speaking, such a good time for your buddies to drop in", having to be surrounded once again, they weren't aware that the extra weight caused the floor to give out, due to them having to gall to use hatchets in the assault.</s>	<\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie watched as the Foot surrounded them before chuckling softly at the chucker tried intimidating them but easily lost to Mikey who did have impressive skills. Once Donnie attacked, it was on as punches and kicks were thrown. Charlie nodded in reply to Jennifer, getting launched at a ninja which she kicked down. She managed to jump away just as a hatchet came close to getting her. She realized Donnie's point too late as more ninjas came from the roof, causing the ruined floor to collapse. Charlie screamed as she fell with the others, a little bruised, but otherwise alright. She gasped softly upon seeing a bald Japanese man with more ninjas before them. Was he the leader? The answer was delayed as the door opened up to show a muscled man in a hockey mask carrying a hockey stick. "You guys mind telling me what you're doing to my little green pal over there, hm?" He asked, lifting up his mask to show he was around April's age. "Oh, who is the babe?" He added upon seeing her next to Raph. "Who the heck is that?" Leo asked, just as confused as everyone else there. "Wayne Gretzky on steroids?" Mikey guessed jokingly.</s>
<\|description\|>Charlotte Summers Biographical Information Nickname(s): Charlie (preferred) Lotte Date of Birth: March 7th, 1975 Pisces Skills/Abilities: see, hear, breathe underwater, self defense, street smart, enchanting singing voice (mer form only) Weapon(s) of Choice: mostly physical like fists or feet Occupation(s): student and part time marine biologist Physical Description Specie(s): mutated human/mermaid Gender: female Height: 5'6 Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: dark brown Overview (Brief Summary): Charlie grew up exploring the waters with her father and shows no fear of it. She's even helped educate others about marine life and helped her father at his rehabilitation center. Months before her fifteenth birthday, she was finishing up tending to some fish when she slipped on a mysterious green substance, falling into the tank. The event changed her DNA to where she becomes a mermaid whenever the bracelet she was wearing that night is removed from her wrist. Personality: + Compassionate, artistic, gentle, wise, likes music, romance, being alone and swimming. -Fearful, overly trusting, being criticized, past coming back to haunt her Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Rachel Leigh Cook</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie did her best to protect Raph and April as the latter tried opening a trapdoor for them to escape. It was the best course of action as they were easily overwhelmed by the numbers against them. Once it was opened, she helped Donnie get Raph through before climbing in after them. She turned to look back at Jen as they made their escape, worried about Raph and where they'd go now but also curious as to how they were found out by the enemy. The small group piled into April's van, Charlie carefully helping them bring in Raph before gently laying his head in her lap. She just hoped he'd wake up soon. She sighed softly before looking at everyone else as the hockey man took control of driving the car as April glanced back at her home burning. "Sorry about your place, April." She said softly, breaking the tense silence among them.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Just like April had said, there was indeed another room behind the door, and by the time they were able to reach the other side, they retreated into the human woman's van. Carefully, and swiftly, the brothers helped Charlotte carry Raphael into the van, just as Jennifer looked around to make sure they weren't being pursued from behind. The place was going up in flames, and the cloud of smoke engulfed the air. They were lucky to have gotten out in time, and it was all because of this mysterious human man, who willingly jumped into the fray, as backup. Apparently, at this rate, extra hands were what they really needed to get out of this situation. When everybody managed to get into the vehicle, Jennifer jumped in after them, and closed the doors with a grunt. As quick as they had piled in, the hockey man drove the van out from the side of the building, and into the streets. Luckily, the windows were tinted, so nobody would be able to take a peak on the inside. They have no choice but to find another hideout to, at least, recuperate from this near-death experience. With Raphael's head laying in her sister's lap, clearly out cold, Jennifer turned around to look out the back window, along with April to gaze at her burning apartment. The human woman didn't say anything, only looking upon her burning home with a sunken heart - her dad's antique store was gone, and probably beyond replenishing. Just as she was about to let tears fall, the Asian teen quickly engulfed her in a hug to console her. It wasn't fair. Who would rat them out like this? They were on the road now, homeless; all of them, now emotionally and mentally-affected. These people - the Foot - wanted them dead. They had to go off the grid; they weren't safe anymore in the city...until April pointed out a place that they could all try to rest, and heal. It took them all night to get there but there was, at least, some isolation. It was an old farm that April used to spend her summer days at; not entirely up to date, but it will do for now. Judging by how Raphael wasn't waking up, it was sadly ruled out that he was in a coma - nobody knew when he will ever wake up. That very same day, April and this man, whose name was "Casey Jones", had their argumentative moments, and it didn't really spread light on their situation. Jennifer and Charlie had to share a room, with April having to find them some new clothes, that were close in size, somewhere in the house. It occurred to Jen that her sister spent most of her time in the presence of Raphael, who laid in the bathtub. Even though she said that Leonardo took charge of watching over his brother, mainly out of guilt, Charlie insisted on being there. Meanwhile, April wrote down every account of their experiences in a journal, having to make a few sketches on the side. 'It's strange being back on the old farm. Even after all these years, it still feels like home. My amazing new friends have suffered their first real defeat. That's bad enough, but the turtles also lost the opportunity to find out about their mentor, and I'm sure that hurts them more than anything else. Jennifer and Charlie continued to cling onto hope that they fulfill their promise on helping them get through the very battle of conquering their greatest fears. Each of them deals with this confusion in their own way: Donatello has found someone to latch onto; Leonardo, meanwhile, has kept a constant vigil with Raphael, along with Charlotte, who seemed to continue on holding onto any hope of his recovery, with Jennifer and Michelangelo attempting to pent themselves via distraction. And then there's Casey Jones, a nine-year-old trapped in a man's body. He might almost be cute if it wasn't for that pigheadedness'.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie stayed close to Raph even after Leo insisted on keeping watch. She tried explaining they could take shifts so the other could get some rest, but the idea seemed to fall on deaf ears. She could tell Leo felt guilty for his brother being unconscious. If they hadn't fought, Raph wouldn't be in this predicament and would have had a better chance fighting off the Foot. She was currently in the kitchen making some sandwiches for everyone when she looked up to see Jennifer. "Hey." She said, realizing just how tired her voice sounded. It had been a few days since she had gotten proper sleep having only around three to four hours of rest if that. There were clear circles under her eyes from the sleeplessness. "Wanna help with these? I'm making them for everyone. Well, except for..." She said before trailing off.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng As much as she wanted to get Charlie to do something else, her sister stayed by Raph's side in the bathroom. At the same time, Leonardo insisted on telling her that he should be the one watching his brother; really to punish himself for the harsh words he given the rebellious turtle, before he was beaten, nearly to death. Jennifer could tell that her sister was barely sleeping, judging by the dark circles under her eyes, while at the same time, the teenage girl barely came back to their shared bedroom to lay down. Even when found Charlie in the kitchen, one day, making what seemed to be sandwiches, the Asian girl could tell that the other was lacking proper sleep again. By the time she trailed off on her words, Jen held her hands, really to stop her from what she was doing, before bringing her into a hug. "It's okay", she said softly, after kissing her forehead, and letting her lean against her, until they heard a shout from upstairs. "Hey! Hey, he's awake! He wants some food! Bring some food!" It was very unexpected, and yet, at that very moment, there came hope. Was Raphael truly awake? "Come on", Jen told Charlie, leading the way upstairs. By the time, they got there, the red-bandanna turtle was standing up, and awake, just like how Leo said, making Jennifer release a breath of relief, and smiled. The elder brother was helping the other turtle get to his feet, and helping him retain his balance. With nearly blurry vision, Raph gazed at the newcomers. "Hey guys", he said, wearily.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie allowed her adopted sister to comfort her as she trembled a little, trying to hold back tears. She was worried about Raph, especially since it affected the brothers. Leo moreso than the others. She had finally calmed down when she heard Leo's voice. She looked at Jen in surprise, hopeful as well as she headed upstairs quickly. She stopped upon seeing Raph awake and standing with a bit of help from Leo who seemed to have mended things between them. "You're okay!" She exclaimed, running over to hug the turtle in relief as happy tears fell. She pulled away, sniffing softly before smirking. "Bet you woke up because I was making sandwiches." She teased.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Making sure that Charlotte smiled, was something that Jennifer wanted to happen, the moment she met her; she was always better with one. From all of the challenges the two girls were forced to face in the outside world, all Jennifer did, was ensure that her sister was safe and happy. After meeting these four mutated turtles, there was a moment of realization for them to not only rely on each other, but rather those who were also like them. It was another part of "kin" they have yet to cross paths with, and were eventually adopted into. Beside from having each other, solace and acceptance were all that they really needed - and they may have found it. Living on the farm was not only a time to heal, but to also self-reflect, that they were in this together; that they had to stick together, for their own survival. They weren't only their friends, but also, come by it, family. It was an up-and-coming realization, once Raphael finally woke up from his nerve-wrecking slumber. He was able to stand, by the time, he noticed Charlie approaching him with a range of emotions in her eyes. He wasn't good with feelings, but he could tell that she was truly relieved, like everyone else. It felt fulfilling; he mended his relationship with his brother, and was able to see that 'Lee and the others were okay. All of this returned as a relief to him. Raph was rather surprised by the close contact that the girl gave him, but he soon relented, and willingly appreciated her attempt to show him her happiness. Strangely enough, at the very same time, something rose within him, having to possibly be generated after learning that she got away, when he told her to. "It's a Kodak moment", Donatello pointed out from the doorway, as their hug seemed to get longer than it should. When the girl pulled away, and teased him, the rebellious teen looked down at the ground, once more - a childhood habit when attempting to hide his emotions - causing a strange uproar in his chest. It was tingly; something he had never quite felt before, aside from familial love. "Bet you'll need this tub more than me", he said, in an attempt to tease her back. Jennifer looked between them, thinking about that "spark" again. Or, was it? She could be assuming, but it was clear that Raphael's reaction said otherwise. At this rate, she knew that Charlie was in good hands, and the realization made the Asian teen smile. In the meantime, they could all celebrate with some sandwiches. 'The Turtles are four, once again, and yet, still not whole. A lingering doubt remains; an unknown which they can't bear to face their greatest fear' More days went by, and everybody took that time to repair the broken and develop bonds. The only thing missing, was the parental figure that the brothers greatly missed. They seemed more lost, the longer they were away from the city, and Jennifer, as observant and perspective as she was, could sense their frustration - like small children trying to find the path that would lead them back home. In spite of this, they always attempted to distract themselves, by searching openings to rebuild their fighting spirits. At the same time, as Charlie seemed to be catching up on sleep, Jen proceeded to continue training her. After she managed to nail down the basics, Jennifer eventually moved her down the road in getting more physical. Of course, they got help from the brothers, who willingly gave them tips - mainly Raphael, who seemed to be finding opportunities in training Charlie further, whenever Jennifer couldn't...perhaps more often than not. Not that the Asian girl minded, since she herself took time of learning the bond between the mind and body from Leonardo. When Charlie was able to nail down the kicks and punches, full-body maneuvers came next. It wasn't necessarily advanced, nor was it for beginners, but more like in-between. Of course, as it was normal for something so complicated, mistakes were made, but it all came down with practice, and all six teens took it with stride, while April and Casey watched from the sidelines. Aside from training alone, Jennifer also noticed that Charlie hasn't left Raph's side once, and/or perhaps vice-versa. It could just be Jen's protective instincts alone, but then, she knew better than to observe, since the turtle always seemed to be around her sister.</s>	<\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie chuckled as he teased her back, just glad he was awake and alright if a little weak. She couldn't ignore the strange feeling growing inside her, making her feel warm, bubbly, happy. She only felt it around Raph. Was it because of their strange connection to each other? Possibly. As the days passed, the bonds between everyone seemed to grow, even the discord between April and Casey seemed to somewhat disappear but there were a few spats. Especially when he called her Toots one day which soon ended up with April leaving in a huff after telling him what she thought about him. But there was an unspoken emptiness everyone felt. Splinter was still missing. However, the brothers tried keeping their spirits up by perfecting their skills and helping Charlie with hers. Raphael seemed to be more interested in teaching her, giving her lessons whenever Jennifer couldn't or just because. There was no rhyme or reason why, but Charlie was thankful nonetheless. She was now moving onto more intermidenent moves. While nowhere near the brothers or Jen, she could at least put up a good fight. She was currently out with Raph training again when she managed to flip him over her shoulder. She smiled widely at the downed turtle. "I did it!" She exclaimed.</s>
<\|description\|>Charlotte Summers Biographical Information Nickname(s): Charlie (preferred) Lotte Date of Birth: March 7th, 1975 Pisces Skills/Abilities: see, hear, breathe underwater, self defense, street smart, enchanting singing voice (mer form only) Weapon(s) of Choice: mostly physical like fists or feet Occupation(s): student and part time marine biologist Physical Description Specie(s): mutated human/mermaid Gender: female Height: 5'6 Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: dark brown Overview (Brief Summary): Charlie grew up exploring the waters with her father and shows no fear of it. She's even helped educate others about marine life and helped her father at his rehabilitation center. Months before her fifteenth birthday, she was finishing up tending to some fish when she slipped on a mysterious green substance, falling into the tank. The event changed her DNA to where she becomes a mermaid whenever the bracelet she was wearing that night is removed from her wrist. Personality: + Compassionate, artistic, gentle, wise, likes music, romance, being alone and swimming. -Fearful, overly trusting, being criticized, past coming back to haunt her Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Rachel Leigh Cook</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng "Yeah, yeah, 'Lee. Take five", the turtle groaned, as he managed to get on one knee. Taking a moment to crack his neck, and rolling his shoulder, Raphael sat down in the grass. Even though Charlie was nowhere near as muscular as him, it was all thanks to her newfound workout routine with Jennifer that she was able to gain some upper body strength. As humble as Jennifer was, her sister was making an improvement, beneficial to Charlie's ever-growing athleticism. These routines took hours, from an early morning, all the way to an early evening, along with a few breaks in between. Although it seemed easy, but it was a rather rough journey, but the girls were able to pull it off together, along with a bit of help. Weapons were a whole 'nother matter. While Charlie was prepared for hand-to-hand situations, learning how to defend yourself from a certain weapons were something that didn't quite fit in with the styles that they were currently teaching her...at least, not yet. As a result, Raphael didn't, at all, use his sais in any of his sessions with her. Learning how to defend yourself from such a weapon wasn't easy to come by, it was just as hard as wielding them; anything in the Kobudo category wasn't for beginners, unlike other martial art styles. Charlie was a fast-learner. He and the others figured that out, a long time ago. While not exactly experienced, she clearly had great tenacity, as she wanted to take in as much as she could from her sister and the brothers. So far, she proved to be a very capable student. These thoughts circled in the red turtle's mind, putting them to high regard.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie sighed softly as she sat beside him, glancing up at the sky and watching the clouds pass by. It was so peaceful. Calming. She wondered if he felt it too, even with his temper. Surprisingly it hadn't shown up as much, probably since he and Leo made up. Or maybe it was because she calmed him. He always seemed to change around her. She looked over at him, contemplating her words before speaking. "Raph? Do...Do you ever think about going back? Ya know, to the city? Find out where Splinter is?" She asked, hoping she wouldn't anger him or cause a silent treatment from him.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Raphael took the next few seconds of rolling his shoulder from his workout hours from this morning, as well as his training workout with Charlie. The girl was making great progress for the past week and, to the best of their ability, her mentors made sure that they made it easy for her to adapt in such situations. In the real world, nothing about it, is simple. They knew that they can't stay on the farm for long, especially since they should be out looking for Splinter and, hopefully, find him alive. They had to leave soon, so, about two days ago, they took their sessions up to an eleven, simply by putting Charlie in situations that would act as practice test runs, so they could see how much knowledge she had managed to gain from them. Sometimes, there would be a surprise strike, even if they seemed to be minding their own business. They weren't harsh, but the strikes were light enough to ensure that they don't accidentally knock her unconscious, or outright hurt her. Even if they weren't successful, Jen reminded her, from time-to-time, that such maneuvers will come unexpected, and that she had to be on alert. Well, maybe not too alert. Being prepared was necessary, at this very time. He had to admit that the current feeling was very peaceful, especially since he and his brothers were drastically missing the presence of a certain father-figure. Somehow, for the past few days, Raphael found nature to be quite calming. For having to live in a city, he hasn't really stepped forth in its very boundaries. But, for someone as hotheaded and impulsive, it has really given him some sense of serenity. Lightly running his hand in the grass, he picked at a strand, either finding a way to distract himself, while being alone with 'Lee. Ever since Raph developed that strange feeling for the past two weeks, it initially confused him, but then, there was lingering fondness that he had never felt before. She was always so nice, and so caring, always asking if he was okay, while recovering from his coma. He may not have realized it, but he was staring at her. What snapped him out of it, was when 'Lee turned to look at him. Blinking at her, the rebel looked away quickly. Surprisingly, when she asked him that question, instead of staying quiet, he answered her, after taking a deep breath, and giving himself a moment of thought. "I always have. If they have Splinter, I would want to go back. Aside from having brothers, he is home. I'd feel a lot better if we found him...alive", he said, a bit of sadness lingering in his voice on that last word. Raphael was putting hope on the fact that his father was alive; that he was stronger than even them. He looked at the ground, holding in that emotion. "You promised, didn't you, 'Lee? That you would help us?", he asked.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie listened to him, understanding wanting to go back. It wasn't just their home but Splinter they were missing greatly. No one could blame them for that. Charlie herself missed her own father especially after just leaving him a few days after the mutation. She just wished she could have explained to him. She was brought out of her thoughts upon hearing him question about her promise. "Of course I did. I never go back on a promise." She replied before gently placing a hand on top of his. "I can't explain it, but I feel like he's still alive. He's out there, probably with the Foot. All we have to do is get one of those goons to tell us where he's located." She gave him a little smile. "The last thing we all need to lose is hope. Without it, what else is going to bring us back to the city?"</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Raph's thoughts were flying about, like leaves in the wind, just circling around. Could he truly be alive? How could they be certain that their father even survived? He shouldn't be thinking of such things, especially since they have gotten so close into believing that Splinter was out there, waiting for them. The longer they sit here, the longer he could continue to suffer. Alone. Closing his eyes, he had to hold onto the hope that his mentor was a trained martial artist, in the way of the ninja. He's alive...he had to be alive. The turtle's troublesome thoughts immediately dissipated, the moment he felt her hand make physical contact with his own. Encounters like this were new, and it gave Raphael some sort of reluctance to lean into it. He didn't know what to do, although his instincts told him that this was Charlie's way of showing him that she was sticking to her oath. However, there was a hunch when he looked down at their hands. Carefully, and slowly, he turned his three-fingered appendage over, so her hand would be sitting on his palm. It was awkward, shortly before he felt his heart strangely skip a beat, after just performing this one move. What is this? What is going on here? Could he...like her? Listening to her, Raphael almost pulled his hand away, but allowed it to remain there, intertwined, once he felt the calmness and comfort resonating from her touch. It was the same sensation that washed over him, when they were on that rooftop. Charlie was adding another layer to that peacefulness, that the nature around them brought. "'Lee, I...thanks", it was the same response he gave her back at the city, but..."Aside from April and Jen, thanks for looking out for us. Me, especially", he added, taking the risk to glance at her. Then, there was a shout behind them, back in the house, ruining the heartfelt moment. "Hey! Splinter's alive! He's alive!", Leo's voice was full of happiness and alarm. Jen was running towards her sister and the rebellious turtle, who seemed to be growing closer to Charlie, making the Asian teen internally smile. "Okay, before you say anything, something happened. During our meditation session, we had a vision...more like, Leo had a vision. He's certain that he saw Splinter; weak but alive, locked up, somewhere in the city. This evening, he wants all of us to meet", she notified, having to tell them that there was reason behind this. --- If what Leo said, was true, then they could know about Splinter's whereabouts together, and that was happening tonight. By the time the sun went down, and after April and Casey went to bed, the six teens gathered around a fire, somewhere in the forest. Leo and Raph took up one side; Don and Mikey taking another, and the girls took up the third. "Leo, if you dragged us out here for nothing...", Raph said, having to somewhat skepticism, but at least held onto hope that what his brother saw, was real. "Don't worry, guys. I came prepared", Mikey said, offering marshmallows to anyone who might want one. Jennifer chuckled, and raised her hand, willingly accepting one, before taking another to give to Charlie. The Asian girl's acceptance seemed to bring color to the youngest's turtle's face, which didn't go unnoticed by the female teen, in question. "Put those away", the seriousness was back, and the youngest reluctantly followed through with his order. "Everyone, close your eyes, and concentrate. Concentrate hard", and then, Leo put himself in a meditative state, with his brothers following suite. Jen wondered, if this was a particular technique used among the ninja. By the look of it, there was nothing 'typical' about it. Holding her sister's hand, the seventeen year-old too closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. It was a strange feeling, combined with calmness, peace, and nearly trance-like, and the next thing she knew, the face of their mentor appeared in her mind. "I am proud of you all. My sons, tonight, you have learned the final, and greatest truth of the ninja. The allies of whom you endorse with that of your strength, completes the ultimate mastery of not only the body, but of the mind. Together, there is nothing you cannot accomplish. Tread carefully, and share your energy with those you've brought in, with trust, as a bond is your sword, and your shield. Help each other; draw upon one another, and always remember the true force that binds you; the same as that which brought me here tonight that which I gladly return with my final words. I love you all, my children". ...and he was gone. Opening her eyes with a gasp, Jen felt the breath leave her chest, by the time she came to. It left nothing, but sweeping emotion, touching their hearts in the most unexpected way. Splinter accepted the newcomers; entrusted them to aid his disciples, in the battles that come. Mikey was shedding tears from the experience, and Jen stood up to place a hand on his shoulder, with the youngest returning the gesture by placing his hand on top of her own, accepting her comfort. Everyone was affected by this, and the words of the master gave way to a wave of determination.</s>	<\|message\|>Charlotte Summers A faint blush appeared on Charlie's cheeks upon feeling his hand move to where he was holding hers. A small gesture for sure, but one that brought emotions to the surface. Did he...like her? More importantly did she like him? All of these questions disappeared as he thanked her, causing her to give him a little smile. "No problem." She said before jumping a little upon hearing Leo's shout. She looked at Raph, her brown eyes wide. It couldn't be, could it? She listened to Jen as she explained what happened, hope rising inside her. Splinter was alive. Sitting beside Raph beside the fire, she was a little nervous. What if they didn't share the same vision? Would the boys tell her and Jen what happened? Too many what if questions buzzed about her mind before she was brought back, seeing Jen offering her a marshmallow. She smiled in thanks before taking it. She listened to Leo before doing what he said, holding Jen's hand in one while the other gently sat beside Raph's. She did notice how calm he seemed whenever she touched him so she hoped it would help with concentrating. Charlie gasped softly as the vision ended, tears blurring everything around her. Splinter was alive and had considered both Jen and her as family. She sniffed softly, drying her eyes before looking over at Raph, knowing how this news would affect him. He was right all this time. The next morning Leo had told April and Casey what happened, telling them they had to go back. They arrived in the city just as it was getting dark, just enough cover to hide them as they snuck back into the sewers and towards what was once their home. The place was still a mess but could be cleaned up for sleeping spots. Charlie noticed something a little off, there were pizza boxes here that she didn't remember where there the last time she and Jen had seen them. Her attention was drawn away as a noise came from a closet, all turtles alert and heading towards it before quickly opening the door. A boy around their age coward, holding up his hands. "Don't shoot!" He exclaimed in fear. Wait, she knew this boy, he was the son of April's boss.</s>
<\|description\|>Charlotte Summers Biographical Information Nickname(s): Charlie (preferred) Lotte Date of Birth: March 7th, 1975 Pisces Skills/Abilities: see, hear, breathe underwater, self defense, street smart, enchanting singing voice (mer form only) Weapon(s) of Choice: mostly physical like fists or feet Occupation(s): student and part time marine biologist Physical Description Specie(s): mutated human/mermaid Gender: female Height: 5'6 Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: dark brown Overview (Brief Summary): Charlie grew up exploring the waters with her father and shows no fear of it. She's even helped educate others about marine life and helped her father at his rehabilitation center. Months before her fifteenth birthday, she was finishing up tending to some fish when she slipped on a mysterious green substance, falling into the tank. The event changed her DNA to where she becomes a mermaid whenever the bracelet she was wearing that night is removed from her wrist. Personality: + Compassionate, artistic, gentle, wise, likes music, romance, being alone and swimming. -Fearful, overly trusting, being criticized, past coming back to haunt her Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Rachel Leigh Cook</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Raphael took the next few seconds of rolling his shoulder from his workout hours from this morning, as well as his training workout with Charlie. The girl was making great progress for the past week and, to the best of their ability, her mentors made sure that they made it easy for her to adapt in such situations. In the real world, nothing about it, is simple. They knew that they can't stay on the farm for long, especially since they should be out looking for Splinter and, hopefully, find him alive. They had to leave soon, so, about two days ago, they took their sessions up to an eleven, simply by putting Charlie in situations that would act as practice test runs, so they could see how much knowledge she had managed to gain from them. Sometimes, there would be a surprise strike, even if they seemed to be minding their own business. They weren't harsh, but the strikes were light enough to ensure that they don't accidentally knock her unconscious, or outright hurt her. Even if they weren't successful, Jen reminded her, from time-to-time, that such maneuvers will come unexpected, and that she had to be on alert. Well, maybe not too alert. Being prepared was necessary, at this very time. He had to admit that the current feeling was very peaceful, especially since he and his brothers were drastically missing the presence of a certain father-figure. Somehow, for the past few days, Raphael found nature to be quite calming. For having to live in a city, he hasn't really stepped forth in its very boundaries. But, for someone as hotheaded and impulsive, it has really given him some sense of serenity. Lightly running his hand in the grass, he picked at a strand, either finding a way to distract himself, while being alone with 'Lee. Ever since Raph developed that strange feeling for the past two weeks, it initially confused him, but then, there was lingering fondness that he had never felt before. She was always so nice, and so caring, always asking if he was okay, while recovering from his coma. He may not have realized it, but he was staring at her. What snapped him out of it, was when 'Lee turned to look at him. Blinking at her, the rebel looked away quickly. Surprisingly, when she asked him that question, instead of staying quiet, he answered her, after taking a deep breath, and giving himself a moment of thought. "I always have. If they have Splinter, I would want to go back. Aside from having brothers, he is home. I'd feel a lot better if we found him...alive", he said, a bit of sadness lingering in his voice on that last word. Raphael was putting hope on the fact that his father was alive; that he was stronger than even them. He looked at the ground, holding in that emotion. "You promised, didn't you, 'Lee? That you would help us?", he asked.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie listened to him, understanding wanting to go back. It wasn't just their home but Splinter they were missing greatly. No one could blame them for that. Charlie herself missed her own father especially after just leaving him a few days after the mutation. She just wished she could have explained to him. She was brought out of her thoughts upon hearing him question about her promise. "Of course I did. I never go back on a promise." She replied before gently placing a hand on top of his. "I can't explain it, but I feel like he's still alive. He's out there, probably with the Foot. All we have to do is get one of those goons to tell us where he's located." She gave him a little smile. "The last thing we all need to lose is hope. Without it, what else is going to bring us back to the city?"</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Raph's thoughts were flying about, like leaves in the wind, just circling around. Could he truly be alive? How could they be certain that their father even survived? He shouldn't be thinking of such things, especially since they have gotten so close into believing that Splinter was out there, waiting for them. The longer they sit here, the longer he could continue to suffer. Alone. Closing his eyes, he had to hold onto the hope that his mentor was a trained martial artist, in the way of the ninja. He's alive...he had to be alive. The turtle's troublesome thoughts immediately dissipated, the moment he felt her hand make physical contact with his own. Encounters like this were new, and it gave Raphael some sort of reluctance to lean into it. He didn't know what to do, although his instincts told him that this was Charlie's way of showing him that she was sticking to her oath. However, there was a hunch when he looked down at their hands. Carefully, and slowly, he turned his three-fingered appendage over, so her hand would be sitting on his palm. It was awkward, shortly before he felt his heart strangely skip a beat, after just performing this one move. What is this? What is going on here? Could he...like her? Listening to her, Raphael almost pulled his hand away, but allowed it to remain there, intertwined, once he felt the calmness and comfort resonating from her touch. It was the same sensation that washed over him, when they were on that rooftop. Charlie was adding another layer to that peacefulness, that the nature around them brought. "'Lee, I...thanks", it was the same response he gave her back at the city, but..."Aside from April and Jen, thanks for looking out for us. Me, especially", he added, taking the risk to glance at her. Then, there was a shout behind them, back in the house, ruining the heartfelt moment. "Hey! Splinter's alive! He's alive!", Leo's voice was full of happiness and alarm. Jen was running towards her sister and the rebellious turtle, who seemed to be growing closer to Charlie, making the Asian teen internally smile. "Okay, before you say anything, something happened. During our meditation session, we had a vision...more like, Leo had a vision. He's certain that he saw Splinter; weak but alive, locked up, somewhere in the city. This evening, he wants all of us to meet", she notified, having to tell them that there was reason behind this. --- If what Leo said, was true, then they could know about Splinter's whereabouts together, and that was happening tonight. By the time the sun went down, and after April and Casey went to bed, the six teens gathered around a fire, somewhere in the forest. Leo and Raph took up one side; Don and Mikey taking another, and the girls took up the third. "Leo, if you dragged us out here for nothing...", Raph said, having to somewhat skepticism, but at least held onto hope that what his brother saw, was real. "Don't worry, guys. I came prepared", Mikey said, offering marshmallows to anyone who might want one. Jennifer chuckled, and raised her hand, willingly accepting one, before taking another to give to Charlie. The Asian girl's acceptance seemed to bring color to the youngest's turtle's face, which didn't go unnoticed by the female teen, in question. "Put those away", the seriousness was back, and the youngest reluctantly followed through with his order. "Everyone, close your eyes, and concentrate. Concentrate hard", and then, Leo put himself in a meditative state, with his brothers following suite. Jen wondered, if this was a particular technique used among the ninja. By the look of it, there was nothing 'typical' about it. Holding her sister's hand, the seventeen year-old too closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. It was a strange feeling, combined with calmness, peace, and nearly trance-like, and the next thing she knew, the face of their mentor appeared in her mind. "I am proud of you all. My sons, tonight, you have learned the final, and greatest truth of the ninja. The allies of whom you endorse with that of your strength, completes the ultimate mastery of not only the body, but of the mind. Together, there is nothing you cannot accomplish. Tread carefully, and share your energy with those you've brought in, with trust, as a bond is your sword, and your shield. Help each other; draw upon one another, and always remember the true force that binds you; the same as that which brought me here tonight that which I gladly return with my final words. I love you all, my children". ...and he was gone. Opening her eyes with a gasp, Jen felt the breath leave her chest, by the time she came to. It left nothing, but sweeping emotion, touching their hearts in the most unexpected way. Splinter accepted the newcomers; entrusted them to aid his disciples, in the battles that come. Mikey was shedding tears from the experience, and Jen stood up to place a hand on his shoulder, with the youngest returning the gesture by placing his hand on top of her own, accepting her comfort. Everyone was affected by this, and the words of the master gave way to a wave of determination.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers A faint blush appeared on Charlie's cheeks upon feeling his hand move to where he was holding hers. A small gesture for sure, but one that brought emotions to the surface. Did he...like her? More importantly did she like him? All of these questions disappeared as he thanked her, causing her to give him a little smile. "No problem." She said before jumping a little upon hearing Leo's shout. She looked at Raph, her brown eyes wide. It couldn't be, could it? She listened to Jen as she explained what happened, hope rising inside her. Splinter was alive. Sitting beside Raph beside the fire, she was a little nervous. What if they didn't share the same vision? Would the boys tell her and Jen what happened? Too many what if questions buzzed about her mind before she was brought back, seeing Jen offering her a marshmallow. She smiled in thanks before taking it. She listened to Leo before doing what he said, holding Jen's hand in one while the other gently sat beside Raph's. She did notice how calm he seemed whenever she touched him so she hoped it would help with concentrating. Charlie gasped softly as the vision ended, tears blurring everything around her. Splinter was alive and had considered both Jen and her as family. She sniffed softly, drying her eyes before looking over at Raph, knowing how this news would affect him. He was right all this time. The next morning Leo had told April and Casey what happened, telling them they had to go back. They arrived in the city just as it was getting dark, just enough cover to hide them as they snuck back into the sewers and towards what was once their home. The place was still a mess but could be cleaned up for sleeping spots. Charlie noticed something a little off, there were pizza boxes here that she didn't remember where there the last time she and Jen had seen them. Her attention was drawn away as a noise came from a closet, all turtles alert and heading towards it before quickly opening the door. A boy around their age coward, holding up his hands. "Don't shoot!" He exclaimed in fear. Wait, she knew this boy, he was the son of April's boss.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng All from that very night, everybody was overwhelmed by the realization that Master Splinter was alive. Even when morning came, they immediately packed up early, eager to get back and reunite with him. It was a rather abrupt and hasty departure from the farmhouse, but they couldn't sit around any longer. They were going to get him back. Whatever it takes. That very same evening gave them the best luck; the night covered them, like the favored ally, it always was. Casey didn't favor their hideout, but did they really have anywhere else in the city to lay low? Jennifer was about to suggest their apartment, but she didn't want the place to suffer the same fate as to what happened to April's own. The Foot could set the place ablaze again, and put everybody else inside the building at risk. They had to be away from prying human eyes. So, here they were, below the streets, with Casey preferring to spend the night in the truck above. However, some things in their former home seemed out of place: Pizza boxes were all over the floor. They certainly weren't there the last time Jen and Charlie visited. Someone's been creeping around in here, the Asian teen thought aloud. "I still don't see why we don't get started right away", Raphael pointed out, hoping they could make a strike early, and take them out by surprise. "It's been a long drive, Raph, and before we go out advertising to The Foot that we're back, we could all use a few hours' sleep", his older brother reasoned, just as Jen looked around a bit more, before a noise had them all drawing their weapons. Raphael instinctively stood in front of Charlie, single sai in-hand, as he and the brothers approached the closet, opening it to see the same teenage boy that was at April's apartment, during her boss' unexpected visit. "I don't think it's loaded, kid", Raph grumbled, a little annoyed by such unseasonable logic, just as they pulled back. "Where'd he come from?" "Beats me". "Danny, what are you doing here?", April was in alarm, by the time he managed to get out of the closet. "I ran away from home". "Your father's going to have kittens. Does this thing work?", she reached for a phone, until he stopped her, pleading. "Please don't call". Just as Jen was putting her sword away, something occurred to her. He wasn't afraid of them; at least, in the physical sense. 'Wait a minute', she thought, 'if only my hunch was right'. She would have to keep an eye on him. It was strange to see him here of all places.</s>	<\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie sighed softly as the tension died down, the brothers lowering their guard at the nonthreatening kid. He was adamant about not contacting his father, telling Charlie there had to be a rift between the two. She sighed softly as she remembered how an unintentional rift came between her and her own father. She was brought out of her thoughts as Danny mentioned pizza but much to the disappointment of the brothers turned out to be moldy. She chuckled a little as Donnie and Mikey hummed TAPS as they paid respects to their beloved pizza. She glanced at Raph,making sure he was alright and not too agitated. "You alright?" She asked him.</s>
<\|description\|>Hulius Race : Human Age : 56 Physical characteristics : Weight : 200 lbs Height : 5'11 Body Type : On the heavier side / older and hunched Eye color : Blue Hair color : Darker aged brown, with a lot of gray. Faceclaim (if any is found - can be done at a later date) : Skills (Up to six skills are allowed.) : Shepherding, cooking, money handling, secret, secret, secret Job/Previous profession: Shepard Magic (if any and how it was earned) : Unknown Character's history (villages/tribes/people is up to you on their names/traditions but this is a western fantasy) : Hulius, an older adult from the western highlands, nearest to the mountains. He grew up the family of herdsmen and Shepards; trading was much of his family's ways as they traveled along the lowest mountains and the highest hills. He grew up quickly and was not able to have a wife due to his brother taking one of the few women in the area. In his middle ages, he still did not marry, but he did have the possibility of siring children with women of pleasure through his travels to some small cities and towns and spending most of his time traveling with his flock. Getting what he needed, and returning his friends and family with resources that herders normally couldn't get. When the time came, and the word of the Exodus had come to the western highlands, his people wished to leave in search of a new world and elected him the navigator across the lands. Even though he had never left his homeland.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius Chapter 1 - On the way to Exodus On the edge of the western highlands and the mountains in the north, a group gathered, it was mainly folk who lived off the lands or traded, but they had heard from several travelers that there was a way to see a better world. A better world was what most of the poor, desperate, or weak could hear, a life away from a monotonous lifestyle of repeating the same actions every day to live. These people did not work that much, the foraged and lead their herds of various animals through the land protecting them. Simple lives on the outskirts of a civilized world. This society wanted more; they had come back from the mountains to their ancestral homelands when the river returned life and streams to the region. Their leader Hulius was asked to read a map to the exodus and to lead them there. And so he had set off weeks before, leaving the cliffs of the coastline, and heading inland. Ninety-seven people in total, most of them younger folk, the oldest being the elderly Hulius in his late fifties. There were only humans in this close society. Several days into their journey, they had left their ancestral homeland and entered a territory unknown to most of them. Here, raiders had come to their camp, they took several people, and some were killed when resisting. Their flock of animals had been cut into almost half as well. Hulius had to lead them to a small trading town in which he had used many times before and bought back the people who were taken. Those that were lost to the sword, not much could be done at that time. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Hulius sat on a blanket next to the footpath towards the city, just off the side with his people, they had collected some new members to join them, but he was looking for warriors or just people to help protect the group. The men could always use their slings, as he had done previously, but it was not much help against numbers, or when an opponent came close. To which, not a lot of them knew how to fight in a melee. Several had offered for coin, but he was unable to give that, he only had his people, and the way to get across the continent. But he would sit, and continue to rest himself there, he had several baskets with him, along with a sling with a pouch of rocks, a skin full of water, and a crooked staff to help him guide the flock of sheep that was spread across the hill which his followers rested upon. Near him, a fire was started as the night was slowly coming over the rolling hills, a beautiful orange sky spread out above them.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Sorry typo</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone walked cautiously through the raiders land she had her swords in their sheath. She spotted people nearby, cautiously walking over she was strained from her backpack and held her hands on her sword handle. Getting closer she deemed the people to be not to malicious and removed her hand from the sword handle. Finally confronting the people she smiled. She politely bowed and looked at the leader. "Exsuse me,do you have any will or milk perchance?" she asked.</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Traveling from the distance of the footpath, a taller looking man could be spotted from the distance. His figure looking like one of someone who had an aura that felt strong, yet warm. Upon closer inspection as the man got closer, would seem to give off a more magical presence naturally, as the man would finally arrive toward the small encampment placed by Hulius and his people. When Anseyla would arrive to fully take in the sight of what was happening, Anseyla began speaking with people to find out what this was, and of whom was in leadership of this traveling band. Upon finding out the information he needed, Anseyla would eventually arrive in front of Hulius, as he'd wait from acknowledgement from the leader, showing a respect of his authority among these people. Being so close to the man, immediately a sense of ease could be felt in the air, as the man that stood before Hulius exerted such an energy seemingly instinctively. The man would stand with his hands folded in front of him, standing tall and having a small and charming smile coming across his face. Perhaps he put this on to make a good impression, perhaps this was his natural mood. Nonetheless, the man would stand in front of Hulius with his hair gently flowing in the breeze, hoping that Hulius would be interested in speaking with him. During his wait however, he'd also notice the elf standing next to him, as he'd smile and give her a polite nod as they both stood and she asked her question.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone noticed a male next to her and finished her question, she the waves to the male. Smiling softly and turned towards the leader and inspected the others trying to understand their situation. Then she placed her back pack on the ground tired from carrying it. Pulling out a bag of silver she handed it to the leader of the group. Finally she turned to the other male and looked him over before extending her hand out. "Hello I'm kotone." she replied smiling.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius The older man looked up towards the younger elf, "We have milk... but at the moment, not a lot of will to continue." he said as he looked at her, pressing his lips together, "do you have anything to trade for?" he asked, "or instead join an escort until we get out of the highlands?" "If not, you might be able to find something in the trading town half a quarter of a league down the path on the other side of that hill, and might be able to do more with that coin there... a silver coin from the south could buy most of what everyone here has," he said as he sat there, smiling before looking at the other man who had walked up. His eyes slowly moved as did his torso, his head turning slowly as the smile widened. "And what can I do for you traveler?" he asked as his eyes landed upon the taller man, "because if you are looking to leave this land, then we will be heading out soon possibly..."</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone nodded and pondered the though of leaving but couldn't bare them being defenseless. And she wanted a fair and even bargain for her service, she looked towards the older leader and smiled. Pulling out a few miscellaneous daggers and handing them to the leader and smiled politely. She stepped back and looked intensely at the leader. "I will accept to protect you in addition teach some people to fight in return whatever food or fabric you receive must be split evenly deal?" She asked lightening up and smiling .</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Anseyla looked between Kotone and the older leader, as he after allowing Kotone to respond, would reply to the leader's previous question, ''I just was happening to travel by when I saw your encampment, and my curiosity got the better of me, and I was simply curious as to what this exactly was, and what was going on here.'' Anseyla looked around the camp, as he would see how the people were surviving and living, ''Perhaps maybe I'd like to join your group of travelers, as I might be able to add some assistance to your people's cause.'' Anseyla after that gave the leader another smile, as he kept his hands folded as he continued to glance around the camp.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius Hulius smiled softly looking between the two, and at the daggers that were given to him, "I thank you for the knives, why you have so many, I don't exactly know… but I thank you nonetheless… and of course, but you will have to put in work for food as well, and learn… fabrics, well it will take time for the wool to grow on the sheep." he would then turn towards the taller man, once more, "I thank you, once again, but we are just Shepards from near the mountain territory along the coast, we mainly travel to the mountain to trade, but I come down to the south badlands to do so… and it is a safer route geographically for my people."</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Anseyla listened to the older man intently, as after hearing him out replied, ''I understand, and I hope that by joining you perhaps I can find more of my own reasoning in my travels. I'd be more than happy to tag along with you all, and I appreciate your gracious acceptance of me into your people.'' Anseyla gave a respectful bow of his head, as he'd move his hair slightly out of the way of his face after doing his respectful nod. After a moment Anseyla would also add, ''I just recalled, pardon my manners.. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Anseyla.'' He would give a small smile between the both of them.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone nodded and smiled placing her hand to her side as she tried to understand what was said. Walking to the people of the group she handed everyone some of her left over food. Handing the lettuce to the sheep's to eat as she petted them. Walking back to the leader she put her backpack back on and looked forward seeing some of the nearby town. The sun was almost about to set in a few hours or so. "We should keep moving if you want to get any closer and out of this waste land, and keep the silver you may need for those who can barely move I'll try to carry." she advised. She worriedly looked forward at the time and her ears perked up she covered the tips with her hands and turned slight red in the face. Before she turned towards the other male trying to get a read on him, he was obviously a warrior and maybe a half breed. But there was something else that she couldn't quite pin on him, just a feeling of pure strength. Looking forward she stated at the sun and it's lowering before it started to blind her making her look away from it.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius Hulius looked at the girl, "we have food, and know-how to live from the land dear." he said as he laid down, "But the night is about to come... it is better to get rest then it is to move when we cannot see. We are also safe near the town, the warlord does not let anything happen to visitors of his home. "We just seek protection from the world which preys on the weak..." He shifted several things on his blanket, "but if you wish to hunt for meat, you may, we do not slaughter an animal unless if it is needed or celebration... We have around ninety people, and several hundred animals, most of the men forage and hunt, picking up the trail we leave behind, they go in small groups or by themselves, so they are harder to track and hunt down. For when they are gone, that is when we need protection the most." "It is good to have people who wish to join us, Anselya and Kotone.. shall our journies together be fair."</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Anseyla gave the man a smile, as he would notice the elf looking him over out of the corner of his eye, but would not acknowledge it. Instead, Anseyla would ask the leader, ''I believe our journey together will be more than fair. However I must ask of you, is there any place in the camp I could stay that would be a bit out of the way? As a newcomer, I wouldn't want to pose any issue to any of your people with my presence.'' Anseyla looked around the forest and camp for a moment, and even looked up at the sky, before finally returning his gaze back to Hulius, as he'd hold his smile from earlier. Anseyla would during his question unfold his hands and allow his arms to rest gently upon his sides, as he'd lean his head a bit closer toward Hulius to better hear his response when he responded.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone nodded in disappointment and smiled bowing before looking away from anseyla. She sat her backpack down and pulled out a blanket and wrapping it over her body and taking a water cantine out . Observing the nearby hill she found a clean patched area, She turned her attention towards the leader gazing at him fiercely but not maliciously. Her head tilted slightly before she in-sheath her sword placing it straight flat against her leg. "Ok, I'll take first watch probably all night if anyone needs me I'll be in a tree." She replied. "And also I don't hurt animals or kill them." She climbed up the nearby hill, covers herself in a blanket and held her sword firmly. Looking at the terrain from above it had a slight angelic feeling as the sun set and the colors became vibrant. Leaning her head against the soft grass she closed her eyes and felt the light breeze touch her face. She eventually opened her eyes to observe around her again.</s>	<\|message\|>Hulius Hulius looked at the girl and smiled softly, "go to sleep dear... we are close enough to the town to be safe." he said looking at her, "and we should all be rested for when we set off tomorrow.." he watched as she went up the hill, before he looked back to the man, "there are several newcomers... I am sure you can find a place on your own." He turned himself towards the fire, "just find a place to relax and enjoy your time here... tomorrow we will continue, and maybe find travelers along our path. But, I feel as if I must sleep soon... my old body can only handle so much sitting in a day."</s>
<\|description\|>Hulius Race : Human Age : 56 Physical characteristics : Weight : 200 lbs Height : 5'11 Body Type : On the heavier side / older and hunched Eye color : Blue Hair color : Darker aged brown, with a lot of gray. Faceclaim (if any is found - can be done at a later date) : Skills (Up to six skills are allowed.) : Shepherding, cooking, money handling, secret, secret, secret Job/Previous profession: Shepard Magic (if any and how it was earned) : Unknown Character's history (villages/tribes/people is up to you on their names/traditions but this is a western fantasy) : Hulius, an older adult from the western highlands, nearest to the mountains. He grew up the family of herdsmen and Shepards; trading was much of his family's ways as they traveled along the lowest mountains and the highest hills. He grew up quickly and was not able to have a wife due to his brother taking one of the few women in the area. In his middle ages, he still did not marry, but he did have the possibility of siring children with women of pleasure through his travels to some small cities and towns and spending most of his time traveling with his flock. Getting what he needed, and returning his friends and family with resources that herders normally couldn't get. When the time came, and the word of the Exodus had come to the western highlands, his people wished to leave in search of a new world and elected him the navigator across the lands. Even though he had never left his homeland.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone stood up flustered at the moment for wanting to dance, she quietly took her flute out her backpack. She started to soft elven traditional song, the voters touched the air as she looked up towards the twinkling stars. The wind picked up and drifted it the notes into the air, she caught her breath before picking the song back up. She watched the nearby people slowly fall asleep and the campfire flicker in the distance. Softly she ended the song and played back down in the grass, as she closed her eyes enjoying the breeze. Her flute tightly in one hands grasp and her sword in the other. She covered her lower half in a blanket since her clothes we a little short and it made her slightly uncomfortable.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius Hulius soon heard a flute, and closed his eyes listening to it as he was kept away by it, and he slowly shifted as he waited for her to be finished. He moved a bit closer to the campfire before he relaxed some and his eyes fell short and his body moved up and down as he breathed. The rest of the camp would slowly fall asleep around them, moving closer to fires, the animals would continue to graze or camp around in large groups, or near their respective caretakers. The night fell over quickly, and the moons shined bright up in the sky with the stars. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ In the morning, and I mean dawn as the sun rises, most of the camp was up and packing up. Hulius was already up with his pack, he looked around enjoying the sunrise and he turned his head towards where the others were hoping that they would be up or that the rabble that was growing around them would help in their ability to rise. He stared at where the elf and the other headed off towards, hoping that they were both awake by now, knowing that they might not be as they are definitely not farmers or herders. He stretched some as he looked about, the animals are grazing and enjoying themselves as their owners allowed them to. Most of the fires were smoldering out or put out by the people around them. "Get ready, we will be moving out soon!" he yelled out as loud as he could.</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Anseyla would seemingly be an earlier riser, as he'd be sitting up a little bit higher up on a hill above the entire camp, with his eyes closed and enjoying the sunrise as the sun gently greeted him with it's warm and blissful touch. Anseyla would be lost in the sounds of the animals graze, the crackling of the smoldering fires, and the gently smoke of disintegrated firewood. Anseyla enjoyed all of the smaller moments as best as he could, his philosophy knowing that the major events of life could easily cast over the beautiful and more minuscule memories. Anseyla would gently perk a sharper, more eleven ear when he heard the call of Hulius, alerting them that they would be moving out soon. Anseyla with this knowledge, slowly stood himself up and carefully made his way back down the hill, as he seemed to be a more cautious individual by character. Upon reaching the bottom, Anseyla would walk more into the more general congregation of people, as he'd await for the entire traveling band to begin moving out toward a hopefully brighter future. Anseyla as he stood around however would take time to fix his hair, ensuring that his more eleven features were not shown, as it seemed to be a noticeable quirk that he was hiding something when it came to his heritage. Anseyla would find a place in the crowd of people to close his eyes and enjoy the sun's presence once more, keeping his senses alert as to when they would finally be on the move.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone had awoken not soon after the sun began to shine she desperately wanted to get to the city and fast. She had unfinished business within the nearby town she headed down towards camp. Her face lifted seeing the campers and their leader she enjoyed watching people communicate and love their life. Walking towards the leader she put her hair into a messy bun. "Hello good morning, are you guys up and ready?" she asked happily smiling.She She stared into Hulius's eyes and smiled awaiting an answer as she bowed to Anseyla in acknowledgement. She looked towards him in a greeting manner and smiled politely, using her hair to cover her ears. "I hope you slept well." she said towards Anseyla then turned back to the leader awaiting an answer.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius He smiled seeing Anseyla in a crowd of folk near to where he slept, hopefully, he was making friends within the crowd. Then he turned to the other companion they had picked up the day prior. "Of course I did dear girl, I slept as any man should, beneath the stars on a beautiful day." he smiled, "since it seems everyone is up... we have about a two-hour walk to the road, and from there, we can see how far we can go again." He looked back down the footpath towards the town, "I am sure we have everything we need, the foragers can find it..." he said before he started to move down the footpath on the hill they were on. The wide-open hills surrounding them as they moved into the depression between the hills, the sounds of sheep and other animals rising as they were being pushed in a direction, "and once we get to the road, we will let them graze for sometime before continuing, as well as letting the foragers catch up, and for the second party to go out."</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Anseyla after sensing the rumble of a voice speaking to him, looked over to Kotone as she spoke to him, and returned her nod of acknowledgement with an elegant motion. Anseyla's movements would be very fluid, almost being completely subconscious to the taller gentleman. Anseyla after showing the young elf respect and acknowledgement, would respond to her question with a very deep and soft tone, ''I slept wonderfully under the stars, sleeping out in nature's sweet embrace is very humbling.'' Anseyla's pitch and tone being very reminding of someone of whom was older, and more matured. Anseyla after responding to Kotone gave her a warm and gentle smile, being very comforting and quiet. Anseyla seemed to be a very reserved individual, not someone of whom was the type to open up initially to anyone that he didn't perceive as someone trustworthy, always having some type of guard up within his personality to prevent true discovery of himself. However these traits were something that would need to be spotted by the average person, as Anseyla's blend and mixture of his expressions, his body language, and his overall demeanor were quite well-crafted. Anseyla after allowing some of the people and their animals to take the initial lead, began following them with the intent of keeping guard. Though he had lived off of the land before in his younger years, he felt that the farmers and foragers would most likely be quite capable, and allowed them to do as their titled deemed them able. Anseyla followed along with decent distance, not wanting to get in anyone's way, nor wanting to pose any presence that could be seen as rude or out of place.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone shifted nervously and nodded trying to stand in place but couldn't she stated off towards the nearby town and smiled. She wanted to get there fast she had a long time friend she wanted to chat and barter with maybe having the opportunity to get some horses. Which would make travel faster and easier, hopefully she'd get fabric too. Then her gaze advertised back to Anseyla his eyes and hairs kind of captivated her gaze but she said nothing. "That sounds wonderful, I'm glad you had a nice test you two." she replied in a soft happily tone. Her eyes landed in the leader his demeanor was different and both the men standing before her had immense power. She started walking towards the people checking to see if they needed any help with packing or walking. After that she walked back towards the two respectively.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius Hulius was enjoying his walk, those who were straggling behind enjoyed the help as they started to move out down the footpath. The mass began, their footsteps rose as their march began once again. He stood after a bit and he watched a group pass by and continue down the path. He looked at the girl who was behind them checking the last of the people behind the front, "we should stay near the middle of the group, the footpath will guide us some, but once it no longer can I will head to the front again." His head-turning some as he was just listening to the sound as the group slowly dispersed. Leaving mainly women, children, and a few men around them, and a lot of animals. "Hopefully we should all be safe for some time, there is not through here until we get to the stream after that is where the horsemen show once again, so it should be a lot tougher to move without being unseen with all of these animals."</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Listening to Hulius as he spoke, Anseyla would do as he was instructed and stay near the middle of the group, keeping his eyes out for anything out of place during their journey. Trying to remain vigilant and prepared for anything that might happen, he'd find himself using his height to his advantage, trying to use it in order to keep good track of everyone and everything around them. Anseyla would listen to the footsteps and grow accustomed to the sound, listening carefully for anything out of place. However Anseyla was indeed a bit of a scenic individual, and would enjoy any of the sights that would look aesthetically pleasing or overall pretty. Trying to walk with not as much of a heavy step, he'd do his best to try and keep the close surroundings of himself quiet, keeping his ears and eyes on their highest alert. He wanted to be prepared for anything, as he felt it was his priority to try and keep this people safe. Every now and then if an animal however began to slightly fall behind or straggle, he'd go off and herd them up if needed. Anseyla wasn't the greatest at herding, however he'd do his best to make sure everything stayed in his line of sight. Anseyla would also eye some of the people traveling in their band, along with the two people that stuck out to him most. He'd observe Kotone, of whom he noticed taking glances at him here and there, and would sometimes return them with a small smile to avoid anything being awkward. However, Anseyla would also make his own observations about Hulius, an admitted curiosity about the man wandered Anseyla's mind.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone smiled and spoke kindly to some of the children picking up their likes and dislikes on good before returning to the two. She smiled and took a deep breath enjoying the air and how they were getting closer to the town. Only in hopes of trade and checking on her friends. When she noticed Anseyla waving she turned her head blushing in embarrassment. She drew her eyes toward and around making sure everyone was ok especially the women and children. "How much longer before we reach the town?" She asked the leader.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius He would watch as people walked past him, he would catch up to them, but he enjoyed just watching them. He slowly just fell in line with the others as most of them were shepherds as well, and lead the flock through the rolling hills and depressions with relative ease. The ground slowly turned into more stone and dirt, dried grass was matted deep in the depressions. The peaks of the hills were all almost complete stone as previous rains had washed away the topsoil that had nothing to hold it down. "We aren't heading to a town." Hulius said as his head turned towards her smiling, "Well not yet, we might go near one in a few days if you need to stop for something, but we will not be staying long. At the moment, we are just trying to find the river in it's shallowest point. "</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. While listening in on the conversation happening between Hulius and Kotone, he'd look between the both of them with a small smile and a gentle gaze. He didn't really seem interesting in interfering or pitching in to the conversation, as he didn't really care which way or where they went too. Anseyla seemed to only be interested in following this path, as he would however enjoy the nice sounds of conversation between the two characters. Anseyla would be paying attention to the atmosphere and environment in great detail, as he liked the different tone and aesthetic of it all. He was someone of whom enjoyed the nature, despite how it appeared possibly saddening or dreary to others.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone masked her disappointment and smiled politely nodding as she tried her best to pay attention. Her attention averted to Anseyla and how much he seemed to enjoy the nature she stated slightly intrigued but glanced away. Walking over to the children and playing with them getting them to have happiness. She couldn't help but want to protect everyone here after a while she twirled and happily skipped to her new teammates. Happily she gave them a wide genuine smile and looked forward paying close attention.</s>	<\|message\|>Hulius The group moved and flowed like water through the depressions of the hills, the children either stayed in large packs to play and kick a ball made of and animals blatter around. One of the groups had a few children in it about four in total, three girls and one boy. The boy looked a bit older than the three girls but he walked with them. One of the girls, one about the age of six held out a small flower to the elf and smiled, "I'm Bem, and who are you?" she asked as she smiled up at her, "Because I think you look cute with your long ears." the girl said smiling up at her. Hulius just continued to move through the center as he looked up and saw the bright sun above them rising quickly, it was tinted orange and white streaks came from it. He looked back at the man who had stuck somewhat near him, "where do you come from? I assume from somewhere to the south since that is the road I met you on."</s>
<\|description\|>Anseyla Toros. Race: A Half Human, Half Elf mix. (Beast) Age: 78 in his actual age, but looks in his mid 30s in appearance. Physical characteristics (weight, height, body type, eye color, hair color, etc): Height: 6'2". (187 CM.) Weight: 162 Ibs. (73 KG.) Body Type: Muscular on initial glance, though the build would be considered more lean and defined. Eye Color: A purple and pink mixture. The dominant color being purple, with small spots of pink here and there. Hair Color: A strong blonde for his hair, and a darker brown for his facial hair, with some small details of gray added into the mix. Faceclaim (if any is found - can be done at a later date): Skills (Up to six skills are allowed.) (Examples of skills would be things such as cooking, fighting with swords/weapon of choice, alchemy, magic(learned magic takes up two slots), etc ): Alchemy, Cooking, Hunting, Foraging, Learned Magic. Job/Previous profession: Scholar of Magical Arts. Magic (if any and how it was earned): Divinity(Connection with the Ancient Ones.) Character History: Born to unknown origins, and growing up in a small village off in the Western Highlands, Anseyla was taken in after being discovered in a tree limb left all by himself. An elderly man and woman would end up being the adoptive parents of young Anseyla, and taking care of him until his early teenage years. Upon reaching the age of fourteen, both of his parents would pass away due to natural causes, leaving Anseyla to fend in the world once again entirely alone. Feeling and urge and a calling for adventure, Anseyla set out to try and find his own path in life. Upon reaching the age of seventeen, Anseyla would discover the Magical Arts, and be taken in by magicians of whom would begin teaching him alchemy. With the guidance of a very intelligent headmaster, Anseyla's adaptive and quick-learning capabilities saw him fly in power and understanding, as by the time he would reach thirty years of age, would be considered one of the most powerful people trained by The University of Magical Arts. After living out a few more years of his life simply being a teacher of the very things he had learned to up-comers, Anseyla eventually retired in search for something far greater to him. He wished to know where he had come from, of whom had made him, and what his destiny of adventure held for the now nearly middle-aged man.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Sorry typo</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone walked cautiously through the raiders land she had her swords in their sheath. She spotted people nearby, cautiously walking over she was strained from her backpack and held her hands on her sword handle. Getting closer she deemed the people to be not to malicious and removed her hand from the sword handle. Finally confronting the people she smiled. She politely bowed and looked at the leader. "Exsuse me,do you have any will or milk perchance?" she asked.</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Traveling from the distance of the footpath, a taller looking man could be spotted from the distance. His figure looking like one of someone who had an aura that felt strong, yet warm. Upon closer inspection as the man got closer, would seem to give off a more magical presence naturally, as the man would finally arrive toward the small encampment placed by Hulius and his people. When Anseyla would arrive to fully take in the sight of what was happening, Anseyla began speaking with people to find out what this was, and of whom was in leadership of this traveling band. Upon finding out the information he needed, Anseyla would eventually arrive in front of Hulius, as he'd wait from acknowledgement from the leader, showing a respect of his authority among these people. Being so close to the man, immediately a sense of ease could be felt in the air, as the man that stood before Hulius exerted such an energy seemingly instinctively. The man would stand with his hands folded in front of him, standing tall and having a small and charming smile coming across his face. Perhaps he put this on to make a good impression, perhaps this was his natural mood. Nonetheless, the man would stand in front of Hulius with his hair gently flowing in the breeze, hoping that Hulius would be interested in speaking with him. During his wait however, he'd also notice the elf standing next to him, as he'd smile and give her a polite nod as they both stood and she asked her question.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone noticed a male next to her and finished her question, she the waves to the male. Smiling softly and turned towards the leader and inspected the others trying to understand their situation. Then she placed her back pack on the ground tired from carrying it. Pulling out a bag of silver she handed it to the leader of the group. Finally she turned to the other male and looked him over before extending her hand out. "Hello I'm kotone." she replied smiling.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius The older man looked up towards the younger elf, "We have milk... but at the moment, not a lot of will to continue." he said as he looked at her, pressing his lips together, "do you have anything to trade for?" he asked, "or instead join an escort until we get out of the highlands?" "If not, you might be able to find something in the trading town half a quarter of a league down the path on the other side of that hill, and might be able to do more with that coin there... a silver coin from the south could buy most of what everyone here has," he said as he sat there, smiling before looking at the other man who had walked up. His eyes slowly moved as did his torso, his head turning slowly as the smile widened. "And what can I do for you traveler?" he asked as his eyes landed upon the taller man, "because if you are looking to leave this land, then we will be heading out soon possibly..."</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone nodded and pondered the though of leaving but couldn't bare them being defenseless. And she wanted a fair and even bargain for her service, she looked towards the older leader and smiled. Pulling out a few miscellaneous daggers and handing them to the leader and smiled politely. She stepped back and looked intensely at the leader. "I will accept to protect you in addition teach some people to fight in return whatever food or fabric you receive must be split evenly deal?" She asked lightening up and smiling .</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Anseyla looked between Kotone and the older leader, as he after allowing Kotone to respond, would reply to the leader's previous question, ''I just was happening to travel by when I saw your encampment, and my curiosity got the better of me, and I was simply curious as to what this exactly was, and what was going on here.'' Anseyla looked around the camp, as he would see how the people were surviving and living, ''Perhaps maybe I'd like to join your group of travelers, as I might be able to add some assistance to your people's cause.'' Anseyla after that gave the leader another smile, as he kept his hands folded as he continued to glance around the camp.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius Hulius smiled softly looking between the two, and at the daggers that were given to him, "I thank you for the knives, why you have so many, I don't exactly know… but I thank you nonetheless… and of course, but you will have to put in work for food as well, and learn… fabrics, well it will take time for the wool to grow on the sheep." he would then turn towards the taller man, once more, "I thank you, once again, but we are just Shepards from near the mountain territory along the coast, we mainly travel to the mountain to trade, but I come down to the south badlands to do so… and it is a safer route geographically for my people."</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Anseyla listened to the older man intently, as after hearing him out replied, ''I understand, and I hope that by joining you perhaps I can find more of my own reasoning in my travels. I'd be more than happy to tag along with you all, and I appreciate your gracious acceptance of me into your people.'' Anseyla gave a respectful bow of his head, as he'd move his hair slightly out of the way of his face after doing his respectful nod. After a moment Anseyla would also add, ''I just recalled, pardon my manners.. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Anseyla.'' He would give a small smile between the both of them.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone nodded and smiled placing her hand to her side as she tried to understand what was said. Walking to the people of the group she handed everyone some of her left over food. Handing the lettuce to the sheep's to eat as she petted them. Walking back to the leader she put her backpack back on and looked forward seeing some of the nearby town. The sun was almost about to set in a few hours or so. "We should keep moving if you want to get any closer and out of this waste land, and keep the silver you may need for those who can barely move I'll try to carry." she advised. She worriedly looked forward at the time and her ears perked up she covered the tips with her hands and turned slight red in the face. Before she turned towards the other male trying to get a read on him, he was obviously a warrior and maybe a half breed. But there was something else that she couldn't quite pin on him, just a feeling of pure strength. Looking forward she stated at the sun and it's lowering before it started to blind her making her look away from it.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius Hulius looked at the girl, "we have food, and know-how to live from the land dear." he said as he laid down, "But the night is about to come... it is better to get rest then it is to move when we cannot see. We are also safe near the town, the warlord does not let anything happen to visitors of his home. "We just seek protection from the world which preys on the weak..." He shifted several things on his blanket, "but if you wish to hunt for meat, you may, we do not slaughter an animal unless if it is needed or celebration... We have around ninety people, and several hundred animals, most of the men forage and hunt, picking up the trail we leave behind, they go in small groups or by themselves, so they are harder to track and hunt down. For when they are gone, that is when we need protection the most." "It is good to have people who wish to join us, Anselya and Kotone.. shall our journies together be fair."</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Anseyla gave the man a smile, as he would notice the elf looking him over out of the corner of his eye, but would not acknowledge it. Instead, Anseyla would ask the leader, ''I believe our journey together will be more than fair. However I must ask of you, is there any place in the camp I could stay that would be a bit out of the way? As a newcomer, I wouldn't want to pose any issue to any of your people with my presence.'' Anseyla looked around the forest and camp for a moment, and even looked up at the sky, before finally returning his gaze back to Hulius, as he'd hold his smile from earlier. Anseyla would during his question unfold his hands and allow his arms to rest gently upon his sides, as he'd lean his head a bit closer toward Hulius to better hear his response when he responded.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone nodded in disappointment and smiled bowing before looking away from anseyla. She sat her backpack down and pulled out a blanket and wrapping it over her body and taking a water cantine out . Observing the nearby hill she found a clean patched area, She turned her attention towards the leader gazing at him fiercely but not maliciously. Her head tilted slightly before she in-sheath her sword placing it straight flat against her leg. "Ok, I'll take first watch probably all night if anyone needs me I'll be in a tree." She replied. "And also I don't hurt animals or kill them." She climbed up the nearby hill, covers herself in a blanket and held her sword firmly. Looking at the terrain from above it had a slight angelic feeling as the sun set and the colors became vibrant. Leaning her head against the soft grass she closed her eyes and felt the light breeze touch her face. She eventually opened her eyes to observe around her again.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius Hulius looked at the girl and smiled softly, "go to sleep dear... we are close enough to the town to be safe." he said looking at her, "and we should all be rested for when we set off tomorrow.." he watched as she went up the hill, before he looked back to the man, "there are several newcomers... I am sure you can find a place on your own." He turned himself towards the fire, "just find a place to relax and enjoy your time here... tomorrow we will continue, and maybe find travelers along our path. But, I feel as if I must sleep soon... my old body can only handle so much sitting in a day."</s>	<\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Anseyla smiled and replied to Hulius, ''It shall be done.'' With that, Anseyla would walk off a little bit of ways off from the camp, and find a nice flat terrain to rest on. Anseyla would find some nice and decent flatland, and lie himself down where he could get a nice view of the stars. Anseyla would still be visible in the sight of the camp, and those watching over it, but he would have himself at a side angle of their vision. Anseyla would be using his hair as a pillow, and would have one leg entirely lying against the ground, and the other one propped up as he had both of his hands resting upon his stomach. Anseyla enjoyed staring up at the stars, as it found it very relaxing, and very thought-provoking to wonder what was beyond the small lights in the sky.</s>
<\|description\|>Agent Nathan Bates Male // 30 // Firefly --- BRIEF SYNOPSISNathan Bates (Call sign: Firefly) grew up in sunny South New Jersey in the heart of Camden with a crowded family. Forth child and third son of the family. Bates joined the military once he graduated from high school and spent two tours in the Middle East. Because of his leadership capabilities and checking all boxes within the set of criteria for Directive 51, the sergeant was trained at an undisclosed location and then allowed to live a normal life. That was until the signal was activated. Without any reason, Bates gathered his things and left his loved ones without reason (as instructed), heading out as an agent of The Division. Command appointed Nathan as leader of Wolverines, one of the dozens of squads being used for Operation Osiris. BRIEF PSYCHEFirefly had a reputation for playing loose with accepted strategy for military command. In several simulations, he gave up valuable fortifications and strategic locations to enemy forces. And when they were tried and weakened, Firefly attacked and won with few casualties than predicated. Cost him several promotions as a result before enrolling in Directive 51. That reputation meant that he had a problem with his emotions. Note that Firefly might disregard suggestions or advice for ISAC along with orders from Command. Yet, Firefly is determined to the objective and willing to sacrifice everything to complete it. He's somewhat optimistic, even during these tough times. --- INVENTORYSCAR-L - Suppressor - Extended magazinePF45 Contact Lenses Smart Watch SHD Issued Equipment - Body Armor - Masks - Gloves - Backpacks - Knee Pads - HolstersSHD Tech - Blinder Firefly - Remote Pulse - Airburst Seeker Mine ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- the division: phoenix - playlist ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- "When society falls, we rise." --- LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDSWhen it was announced that New York City was going to be under lockdown, thousands of people packed their belongings and tried to flee via the bridges and tunnels. One of the busiest tunnels was the Lincoln Tunnel, and it got bad enough that people ditched their cars to walk. The problem was that the tunnel was the primary supply line for food, medicines, and supplies from the outside world. So when the military had to turn away desperate people, a massive riot engulfed and overwhelmed the forces. It was one of the first cases where military personnel opened fire upon people, killing six. Then, it became a frequent target for raids to obtain any remaining supplies. And once trade ceased for good, the Joint Task Force abandoned the checkpoint and retreated further into the city. Now, it was a reminder of their failure and of the past. A lone soul exited out of the dark tunnel and quickly embraced the clear skies with a long breath. He was dressed like a soldier ready for a fight, carrying around his SCAR-L. But, he wasn't a soldier. Instead, Nathan Bates was an agent of the newly formed Strategic Homeland Division (SHD), and he came to the Big Apple with orders: scout out the Lincoln Tunnel checkpoint and retake it. It was significant from the SHD to maintain it if the city was to survive another day. Unsurprisingly, there was no resistance or signs of anyone recently living in the area. Agent Bates felt relieved and disappointed that no one was in the area; but, the nearby building had one of its garage doors lifted slightly. He pulled out his pistol and a flashlight before carefully entering inside. There still was nothing to indicate trouble. And when he got in the empty office space, Bates put away the pistol and began his hunt for clues as to the whereabouts of the JTF. So far, it was picked clean; yet, there was a security camera above. It meant that ECHO could be able to provide valuable intel. Agent Bates activated the system, and it started to download the cloud data and then surveillance data before analyzing it. Reconstruction was done in a matter of seconds. Bates was still impressed with how much-advanced tech the SHD had in their arsenal. From the seekers to ECHO and ISAC, they were prepared for every single scenario imaginable. But, there wasn't time to wonder. Bates had to complete his objective, and he only needed to sit back and watch the holograms in action: There were two JTF soldiers in the office space. One of them was sitting in front of a computer while the other was on their phone. They were keeping to themselves until an alarm went off, causing them to stop in place. Then, a JTF officer ran in and yelled out. "Gather your things, we are leaving!" "Leaving?!" one of the soldiers stood up from the chair and looked at the officer. "Where in the world are we going?" "Regrouping with the remaining JTF forces at the James A. Farley Building." the officer answered while gathering some papers on a desk. "Destroy anything crucial to the JFT if it can't be taken. Another squad will come to help us with the generator in fifteen. Once the officer left the room, both soldiers stopped what they were doing and made their way towards the barracks. But, one of the soldiers stopped in place, looked at the computer, and ran back towards it. The other soldier looked in disbelief and bluntly asked. "What the hell are you doing?!" The soldier quickly typed something, sent it, and turned off the computer. "Saying goodbye." Bates finished writing down the name of the building onto a torn piece of paper and shoved it into his pocket. It was good to know that JTF was still fighting tooth and nail for this city. Hopefully, they were still around at the postal service building. He stood up and looked around for any other clues, but anything useful was either taken or destroyed. Like what the officer wanted. So with nothing else, it was time for Bates to get in contact with Overlord about his findings. "Overload, this is Firefly. Standby for report. Over." Bates grabbed ahold of the radio from his holster. There was a moment of silence before Overload responded. "Firefly, send your traffic. Over." "JTF forces regrouped at the James A. Farley Building. Lincoln checkpoint was left abandoned with no signs of life. Do you copy?" "Solid copy, Firefly." Overload answered before going silent for a moment. "Firefly, standby at current location. Badger is making their way towards you. Over." "Copy, Overload. Standing by for Bader. Over." Bates responded and shoved the radio back into its holster. He took a seat on a nearby desk, facing towards the entrance. Now, he needed to only wait. ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes --- HUDSON YARDS Click. Click. Click. Click. Don knew for a fact he wasn't crazy. Having served he knew many a former brother in arms that lost it after a tour of duty and blew their brains out... or somebody else's if that was their fancy. But he knew he wasn't one of them. The former serviceman felt completely lucid, the flicking of his rifle's select-fire the only real oddity about him. This wasn't some sort of manic episode, this was the call of duty. He didn't remember getting those orders jammed into his head but that didn't matter. Everything around him and the more recent communication with command was a-posteriori proof that he was doing the right thing. It was easy for him really, just dig up the guns and then connect all his armour and gadgets to his carrier rig and backpack. It must have been quite different for more grounded people with families. Yeah, all the people selected for the Division would have had their loved ones know who they were with and would by now be used to them going off to fight. But this wasn't the ordinary serviceman experience. This was a threat at home, rather than overseas. Depending on how long all this shit went on, Don reckoned that this would sooner or later become a liability. Even the most devout of servicemen would have trouble fighting in these stone jungles with little to show for it when their very own families would almost certainly be under some sort of danger. For now there were far more pressing issues though. For now Donald kept himself in civilian clothing, for now quite sure this was the right idea. Yes, it meant that hypothetical comrades might mistake him for a looter and marauder. But it also meant that he was beneath notice for many people. He had his M4 of course, but the plate carrier and all else was hidden beneath his clothes to make sure he wouldn't be a juicy target for the vast majority of this new world's ne'erdowells. Besides, his M4 was furnished to look like a rather simple civilian AR rather than the high end piece of military equipment that it was. If all the sent orders were right, they'd know it was him coming rather than some random scavenger and wouldn't blow his brains out. Approaching the building Badger put away his rifle and drew his pistol for the tight indoor confines. That said he kept the safety on for now, more or less confident that his fellow Agent would have cleared any threats that the building might have housed, it was simply that a bit of caution never hurt; better safe than sorry, the saying goes. As Donald cleared the rooms and walkways of the building he felt somewhat sickened. The place was ransacked, every single thing that was A) not too heavy to carry away and B) possible to pawn off for a few bucks was gone. As a sort of experiment he opened a cupboard, and he growled faintly as it seemed someone had even taken the stationery. He knew now wasn't the time to dwell on hatred for the scum of the world like some discount vigilante, he had a job to do. Sighing he made his way over to Firefly, nodding respectfully to his counterpart. Don went through the same routine his counterpart had, introducing himself meanwhile. "Its good to see you Agent. I'm Badger. Ready to move?"</s>	<\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDSBates took a moment to scan Badger as a way to make sure that he was the one command sent. The smartwatch was a safe bet that he was indeed a Division agent. While the civilian clothing was a questionable choice, there weren't many options that SHD had given the world is still on fire. Bates got up from the desk and responded, "Nice to see you, Badger. I am Firefly." After the introductions, Bates got into contact with command to confirm the meetup and started heading outside. There were a few seconds of silence before Overload told both him and Badger their new objective. "Head for the Post Office and search for any remaining JTF survivors. If there are none, attempt to find out what happened. Over." "Over." Bates answered before asking a question. "What about the checkpoint? Over." "Another team is on route to get it back online. Focus on the new objectives. Over." Overload went dark shortly after giving the answer, leaving the pair on their own. Once outside, Bates pulled up the map to check out their current position. It was going to take them fifteen minutes of walking to get there, but there weren't any other alternatives. He noticed that the nearby bus terminal was safe to enter, while several adjacent buildings were marked as contamination zones (meaning they were infected with Green Flu). Bates took a moment to calibrate a route in his head and turned towards Badger. "The best option is if we went on Forty Street and walked straight down Eighth Avenue to the post office. If we need to rest, the ideal places are either the bus terminal nearby or one of the buildings along the avenue. Just tell me whenever and we can visit there." Bates said to his new partner while the map disappeared and then started walking towards their destination. But, they were in for a wakeup call once they finally exited out of Interstate 495. Hundreds of vehicles were left abandoned by their owners as several dozen nearby buildings, including a church, were marked as contaminated with Dollar Flu. However, the Port Authority Bus Terminal became one of many quarantine zones. Even then, it seemed like the truth was hidden from everyone, including the Division agents. Bates was horrified to see the city that he often visited in such disrepair. It was difficult to react to his first time seeing New York City in person other than video. He was about to say something when gunshots rang out and forced Bates to find cover behind a taxi. Several citizens were fleeing from the terminal as the gunshots kept ongoing for ten seconds. Two more (both men) ran out of the building, but they were gunned down. One of them was dying on top of a car hood while the other tried to crawl towards him. But, two NYPD officers came outside and approached him. The man on the hood attempted to get up but was swiftly executed by one of the officers. The other cried out and desperately tried to escape for them; however, the officer placed his foot on his back. "We are going to ask the last time. Where are your friends hiding?" "I won't want to upset Officer Mckinney, dude." the other officer said while searching the citizen's body for something. "She's a bitch if you go against her." "Go.. to hell." the civilian mumbled and then spat on the officer. He received the boot to the face, breaking some of his teeth and nose. "Well, it seems like you earned a spot in my to-kill list." Bates was still surprised to see the brutality of those officers. Even if they were in the right (which appeared to not be the case), they were breaking the oath made to protect and serve the city. He wasn't going to stand around and let them kill an incident. So, he came out of hiding and called out the NYPD officers. Both of them were quick to aim their pistols towards him. "Freeze!" Bates paused and slowly put his hands up as a sign of trust. "Listen, I am Agent Nathan Bates of the Strategic Homeland Division. I want to talk to you, but you have to leave the citizen alone." The officers looked at each other and then started laughing. Mckinney avoided the offer and started arresting the citizen. She took a quick glance at Bates and said in a dismissive tone, "Pal, I have heard dozens of people calming to be in the military. You aren't the first. Now, leave us be, or you'll regret it." </s>
<\|description\|>Agent Nathan Bates Male // 30 // Firefly --- BRIEF SYNOPSISNathan Bates (Call sign: Firefly) grew up in sunny South New Jersey in the heart of Camden with a crowded family. Forth child and third son of the family. Bates joined the military once he graduated from high school and spent two tours in the Middle East. Because of his leadership capabilities and checking all boxes within the set of criteria for Directive 51, the sergeant was trained at an undisclosed location and then allowed to live a normal life. That was until the signal was activated. Without any reason, Bates gathered his things and left his loved ones without reason (as instructed), heading out as an agent of The Division. Command appointed Nathan as leader of Wolverines, one of the dozens of squads being used for Operation Osiris. BRIEF PSYCHEFirefly had a reputation for playing loose with accepted strategy for military command. In several simulations, he gave up valuable fortifications and strategic locations to enemy forces. And when they were tried and weakened, Firefly attacked and won with few casualties than predicated. Cost him several promotions as a result before enrolling in Directive 51. That reputation meant that he had a problem with his emotions. Note that Firefly might disregard suggestions or advice for ISAC along with orders from Command. Yet, Firefly is determined to the objective and willing to sacrifice everything to complete it. He's somewhat optimistic, even during these tough times. --- INVENTORYSCAR-L - Suppressor - Extended magazinePF45 Contact Lenses Smart Watch SHD Issued Equipment - Body Armor - Masks - Gloves - Backpacks - Knee Pads - HolstersSHD Tech - Blinder Firefly - Remote Pulse - Airburst Seeker Mine ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes --- LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDS Badger didn't waste any time following Firefly outside. He winced a few tears from his eyes as the sun momentarily blinded him, but just as quickly as he adjusted to the darker interior he adjusted to the outdoor lighting. Listening to the orders from command Don nodded, taking out his M4 now that they were outside and flicking it to single fire. The announcement that another team being sent to take care of the checkpoint mollified the only concern that Don had, and so he nodded with renewed dedication to this new objective. With the map Bates pulled out Don knew that the man had a head start on figuring out a path and so he didn't really bother trying to do likewise, instead kneeling down and taking a look at the scene through the optics of his rifle. He hadn't seen anybody on the way here, but he never heard of anybody dying of caution. Dying to people you didn't know were there because you forgot to do a second sweep of a place happened very often, on the other hand. When his counterpart came up with a route Hayes simply nodded and stood up. "I'm easy, and I already had a long rest before I made my way here I'm good to go. Lead the way." he said, gesturing with his left hand. Donald kept quiet on the way through the highway, and although he wasn't quite expecting what he came upon with his comrade it wasn't particularly surprising either. This line of thought was very quickly interrupted when the distinct report of firearms was heard, and much like his partner the warrior went for cover. Experience from SWAT told the man that most civilian cars were unreliable cover with most rifle and even a good chunk of pistol bullets easily going through their doors and trunks, and so instead a heavier truck was sought out. Peeking out revealed that these men were just police officers with service pistols however, which cars would more or less stop, not to mention the plate carriers of the duo. The rifles of the agents however would more than readily go through any civilian cars, which in addition to the other advantages of the agents made any sort of confrontation a done deal more or less. These were cops though, and they weren't even SWAT officers. Blasting random people wasn't their duty, however this wasn't the time and the place to be confronting them, and Don started to say "wait" but he was too late. "Fuck." was all he could say, rubbing his forehead wearily. "Fuck, fuck, fuck." he muttered again, the expletives somehow calming. It was rather suspicious that a man in actual military gear was not believed when he said he was military, though. Something was really fishy here and quite frankly Don was suspecting these people were only impersonating law enforcement officers — the only evidence to the contrary was that they used the term "officer" between each other before they knew the SHD Agents were present. "Hold on, I'll flank them, I'll let you know when I'm in position. Tell me if you think it's going to shit, over." Don communicated, before crouching down and doing the closest thing he could to a run whilst keeping his head below the level of the cars. Ideally he wanted to make it behind the two NYPD Officers but even being at the side to insure he had the drop on them with his rifle would really be enough given it seemed these were the only two present. He just hoped Firefly would be able to diffuse the situation, or at least keep the cops talking long enough for him to be in position to take them out with two quick taps on the trigger. He'd probably aim for their thighs or stomach depending the urgency of the situation, neither shot instantly lethal allowing for a quick questioning of the men but the latter being eventually mortal as blood loss, shock, and other complications soon got to you. Well, at least this was a heroic story he'd be able to tell the grandkids, of how he saved some poor citizen from being executed by rogue police officers in this trying time. With the way things were going Badger reckoned there'd be quite a lot more before things got better though, and he really didn't believe this little act of heroism would pay off when there was a more urgent objective. He'd have to raise his concerns with Bates when they were out of a volatile scenario later.</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDSBates was thankful that his partner remained undetected, giving him a much-needed advantage over the officers. He had to come up with something to distract them on the spot. But, one of the officers grew impatience and fired three shots towards the car near him. "Those were the only warning shots you get." she said before turning her pistol towards him. The other officer got ready for a firefight and couldn't resist smiling at the thought. So, he opened fire and caused Bates to dive towards a nearby car for protection. Bates understood that talking with them was out of the question and had to defend himself. Hopefully, Badger was able to get into position. With no warnings given, Bates took a moment to breathe, raised his rifle, and opened fire at the officers. The excited officer didn't have time to respond before being struck by several bullets, falling to the ground. Mckinney was horrified to see her friend getting shot and responded by firing back at the stranger. She went back to cover and tried to care for her dying friend. And in the last moments, the officer was trying to say something. Instead, he started coughing blood and then stopped breathing altogether. Enraged by her colleague's death, Mckinney rose from cover and started firing at the car where Bates hid behind. She didn't care about the criminal nor the reason for being here. All she cared about now was getting revenge. And because of that, Mckinney wasn't paying attention to her surroundings. Click, a single trigger pull towards the woman's belly came from Badger, the stationary target leaving herself open to being little more than practice. After the bullet hit Don stood up, making sure the officer was out of action and wouldn't be able to shoot back. He started making his way over to her, while calling out to Firefly. "You alright?" he probably was, but it never hurt to check. "Yeah..." Bates responded while getting out of hiding and making his way towards Badger. He turned to the woman, who was leaning against the pickup truck and looking at her dead friend. There was regret that things ended badly, but he understood that he had no choice. Life or death. Mckinney looked up and gave a weak smile at Bates. "You weren't lying..." Bates caught her before she collapsed and carefully placed her against the truck. He took a brief moment to look at her uniform and saw her badge. A little dirty, but it contained her last name along with the shield number. It confirmed the ugly truth: she was an NYPD officer that killed innocents. That was when he realized that the situation here was worse than ever expected. There was a sense that something was wrong upon exiting the tunnel. But he never imagined police officers breaking their oath to the city. Then, he realized that her friend was most likely also an officer, but Bates wanted to be sure. So, he ordered Badger to check the badge. There were many questions, but Mckinney was losing blood. So, he started with a simple question. "Why did you kill that innocent civilian?" "Innocent?" Mckinney tried to laugh, but it was too painful. "He was a criminal with blood on his hands." Bates looked at the body and turned towards her. "Explain." "He and the degenerates murdered this great city-our home-with their poison! Of course, they weren't content with the city. Oh no, they went after the real innocents!" Mckinney looked down, and tears started to flow down her cheeks. "My own family... taken because of the filth! Now, it's our job to cleanse the scum from our city. To do that, we need to be severe." "Good lord..." Bates was speechless. ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes --- LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDS Again there were gunshots, but from the taunt of the woman Badger could readily surmise they hadn't hit his comrade and so he continued moving to his position. However by the sounds of movement it seemed that the following shots were aimed to kill Bates, and he could just about make out the sound of subsonic munitions leaving a suppressed firearm. Well, they were only handguns, but Don still couldn't allow his comrade to come under threat. Badger nodded at Bates's response, looking about the scene. Only one of the four firearms active just now were silenced and the noise of guns echoed across the area. This in turn presented a danger, several dangers in fact. The buddies of these cops could easily be around some corner and they would not be happy to see two armed men over the corpses of their fellow officers. But even if that wasn't the case, there could be lots of other vultures attracted to the sound. All hell was breaking loose and marauders of all sorts would flock here in hopes of finding some dead to pick apart for valuables. Having finally made it to the shot policemen Badger first removed the magazine from his M4 and replaced the spent round. Then he would squat down and take their pistols along with their munitions, belts, and vests into his backpack. Even if he didn't need them it was better they came with him rather than end up in the hands of some scavenger. If he couldn't eventually find someone worthwhile to hand over the equipment to then he would just throw them into some sewer or stash them with some trash where they wouldn't be found. It might of course seem somewhat ghoulish to already start looting the woman when she was still alive, but Badger didn't particularly care. The country was fucking collapsing, there were more important things to be thinking about than some sensibilities right now. The shot woman was clearly a real cop according to a cursory examination... well, a badge and other ID could be faked and while it was unlikely the consideration should still be on the table, and examining the friend of Officer McKinney would likely reveal more or less the same as with her, although two badges would certainly be harder to fake than one. The short interrogation that happened did confuse the Agent somewhat. While the woman's idea of cleansing the city eerily mirrored his own, he wasn't sure if he could really consider himself akin to the officer. The Agent couldn't really believe what he was hearing, and he wasn't even sure he wanted to. With the bloodloss she'd be undergoing there were only moments left, and Badger shook her a little to keep her from slipping into unconsciousness. "What do you mean? Did these people spread the disease intentionally?" he demanded, the thought that they might have very well made it not even crossing his mind; he made sure he kept his voice down in case somebody was already closing in on the position of the duo. Regardless of exactly what her explanation was, Badger would look quizzically to Firefly, the fact he wasn't sure the woman's story should be believed all over the face. Then it hit him. "Firefly. The civilian. Where is he?" He stood up, flicking his assault rifle to fully automatic. If the woman was in fact telling the truth then they had to know where the arrested citizen was and apprehend him as fast as possible. If they didn't, then the duo would be responsible for a very, very dangerous man escaping justice. Though he made sure not to show it, a soft panic started to set into the Agent.</s>	<\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDSBates sighed and then turned towards Badger. He was disappointed that his partner actually thought those people spread the virus. "She meant it figuratively. And as for the lost civilian, leave them be. They have already suffered enough." "Our politicians failed us when we needed them the most. Now, it's up to us to fix their mistake." Mckinney tried to crack a smile but lost consciousness. At first, Bates thought that she had lost too much blood for the wounds; however, after examining her, she was barely alive. So, he grabbed a nearby stick and shoved it into her wound, causing her to awake with a bloodcurdling scream. Quite frankly, she deserved worse but he needed to know about the NYPD's fate. There was no way that the entire department became corrupt. Bates stood over her. "What happened to the rest of the force?" Mckinney looked up at the agent and tried once more to laugh. "My brothers in blue are working to restore what was taken for us. You will see them soon enough." Firefly had enough of the disgraced officer and crouched down. "By going back against what your brothers stand for, you have failed this city and your badge. No amount of loss can justify killing innocents becaus-" "Failed?!" Tears were rolling down Mckinney's face as she looked up at the agent. "I was on duty when the city was falling apart! When the degenerates were bitching about every little thing we did! When... my family died from the virus. I have been loyal to this badge and my friends! Everyone that betrayed us warrants a painful death. Just like the ones you and your friend will get." Suddenly, police sirens were heard near as several gunshots rang out in quick succession. The missing citizen fell to the ground on the intersection, bleeding to death. Mckinney tried to say something else, but she collapsed for the blood loss. Bates got his weapon ready for a possible fight, but he preferred to not kill any more police officers. He scanned the area for an escape route and found one. It was an alleyway filled with trash bags and other garbage, but it was an ideal hiding spot. He ran towards it to make sure the path was clear and then called out his partner. "Over here before they spot you!" </s>
<\|description\|>Agent Nathan Bates Male // 30 // Firefly --- BRIEF SYNOPSISNathan Bates (Call sign: Firefly) grew up in sunny South New Jersey in the heart of Camden with a crowded family. Forth child and third son of the family. Bates joined the military once he graduated from high school and spent two tours in the Middle East. Because of his leadership capabilities and checking all boxes within the set of criteria for Directive 51, the sergeant was trained at an undisclosed location and then allowed to live a normal life. That was until the signal was activated. Without any reason, Bates gathered his things and left his loved ones without reason (as instructed), heading out as an agent of The Division. Command appointed Nathan as leader of Wolverines, one of the dozens of squads being used for Operation Osiris. BRIEF PSYCHEFirefly had a reputation for playing loose with accepted strategy for military command. In several simulations, he gave up valuable fortifications and strategic locations to enemy forces. And when they were tried and weakened, Firefly attacked and won with few casualties than predicated. Cost him several promotions as a result before enrolling in Directive 51. That reputation meant that he had a problem with his emotions. Note that Firefly might disregard suggestions or advice for ISAC along with orders from Command. Yet, Firefly is determined to the objective and willing to sacrifice everything to complete it. He's somewhat optimistic, even during these tough times. --- INVENTORYSCAR-L - Suppressor - Extended magazinePF45 Contact Lenses Smart Watch SHD Issued Equipment - Body Armor - Masks - Gloves - Backpacks - Knee Pads - HolstersSHD Tech - Blinder Firefly - Remote Pulse - Airburst Seeker Mine ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes --- LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDS Figuratively. Fucking figuratively. This is what Marines meant when they said Army eats crayons. He had fallen into the stereotype of a grunt that had shooting as his only ability and fell for such nonsense. The Agent was angry as all hell, though his face didn't twitch the slightest amount to reflect this. The man raised his rifle, thoughtfully deciding that this creature wasn't worth a bullet and that all the suffering of her last moments would be more than deserved. Once more the woman's speech seemed to be ever so similar to Don's own beliefs regarding criminality, but deep down he also knew that there was a fine line between himself and the officer. Namely, there was the fact of those he likewise considered "degenerates" would be rather few that the woman and her comrades did. Still, this moment was sobering. Badger made sure he'd keep this event at the back of his mind so that he wouldn't stoop to the levels of Ms. McKinney. What the woman said was not very informative to be frank, at most it revealed there was a good deal more rogue policemen about the city which was a natural following from the fact that already two were corrupt enough to shoot innocents. Just as these thoughts ran through the head of the soldier there was soon the sound of more police coming to the scene, clearly ready to kill after having been attracted to the scene by the sound of gunfire. The encounter with the officer still kept a seething hatred in the heart of Badger, and he wanted to fight these bastards; after all, they were just coppers with soft armour and pistols. But he knew he couldn't. There was no time to waste, and if he did stand and fight then he'd be a hyppocrite given how recently he considered chastising his partner for even bothering with this fiasco when there was a more urgent task at hand. Thus the man nodded in concurrence, giving the wounded police officer a harsh kick on the head to make sure she wouldn't be able to recount to her comrades where the two agents had gone. With that done he ran over to Bates with rifle in hand. Well, now was a better time than any he supposed. "We shouldn't have done that, playing hero. There's a job we had to do, saving a single person - especially when they just get shot right afterwards - isn't worth it when completing our current objective might save a lot more." The whispered words were extremely utilitarian, but Badger meant them wholeheartedly and (although admittedly he had never run into such a situation) he would not let personal feelings get in the way of his duty; even if that civilian was from his family he would have known that the right thing to do was think of the greater good. ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDSBates paused for a moment to reflect what Badger said and sighed. There was a point to be made given the current situation. With everything that happened only a few minutes ago, he had nearly forgotten about the post office. But, the sight of police officers gunning down citizens was wrong, and he had to do something. He turned towards his partner and whispered back, "I know what has to be done. I... wasn't exactly expecting rogue police officers right away." "Whatever. Shit happens. Let's just keep our eyes on the job from now on." and - as far as Agent Hayes was concerned - that was that. Both of them made their way farther away from the scene, hoping that nobody spotted them fleeing. The trash and waste helped somewhat disguised their presence. And once they were in the clear, Bates pulled out the map to see their current location. The attack on 40th Street brought a lot of attention, meaning they had to find another way to the post office. After a minute of figuring out a way, Bates had a plan to avoid getting noticed. "Okay, we are going to keep taking the alleyways until 38th Street. That's when we follow it until we get near the luxury apartments and then taking every possible shortcut. And once we get to 34th, we should be in the clear to the objective. Understand?" "Right." Badger replied once Bates announced his plan, again flicking the select-fire of his rifle. "I'd just be on the lookout for more little friends along the way. I doubt those boys in blue were the only local outfits looking for trouble; got to be ready to change course right away." "Sounds good." Firefly nodded. Then, both agents began moving to the objective location, hoping for no more trouble. For now. --- "Stat rosa pristina nomine, nomina nuda tenemos." — Umberto Eco, The Name of the Rose. --- PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICEEver since leaving the tunnel, Bates was immediately uneased with the quiet streets and empty sidewalks. New York City was supposed to be the city that never sleeps, but it seemed that it finally took an eternal slumber. Yet, there were hints of life struggling to survive. A young couple was playing some cards on the balcony of the luxury apartments. One of them watched Bates and his partner passing below before telling the other to rush inside. It was brief, but the sight of citizens gave him hope for the first time in a while. Of course, that moment was shortlived by sudden loud bursts of gunshots. Firefly got the rifle ready for a fight and started moving faster. Then, he heard police sirens and instantly hid behind a delivery truck. He questioned if it was the officers from earlier, hoping it wasn't them. Instead, he watched as three police cars and an armored vehicle drove past them, heading in the direction of the post office. It was when Firefly had an idea of what was happening. And it was terrible. "We need to move now." Firefly turned his partner and started sprinting towards the objective. While making his way, he managed to patch into the local JTF radio channels. And when he was in view, he saw NYPD officers setting siege to the post office while its occupants fought back defensively. With the arrival of additional officers, the JTF soldiers were outnumbered and surrounded. Even with the odds against them, they kept on fighting for as long as possible. "Additional officers have arrived along with... an ESU team!? Shit!" "We have to retreat! Get any citizens to safety while we hold the ground inside. Hopefully, we can at least take a f-argh fuck!" "Romero has been hit!" "I-I am fine! Get inside and prepare to fight!" Nearly the entire JTF force retreated inside while a few stayed behind to stall the threat. Firefly, without hesitation, opened fire upon the officers and dropped a seeker mine. The mine detected a nearby squad of hostiles that spotted the agent and rolled towards them. When it was close enough, the mine detonated and released chaff into the air. Before the officers had time to respond, the chaffs caught on fire and began burning them alive. Firefly rushed towards one of the police cars and used it as cover. He hoped that stunt provided relief to the JTF soldiers and attracted attention. But to make sure, he pressed his earpiece to get in contact with Badger. "We have to make sure that the officers don't have a chance of entering the post office. Do whatever to get their attention!" ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE In the tunnel Badger was fairly relaxed, for with a flashlight on him the threat of ambushes was minimal and it was simply a relaxing walk. But the moment the light of day struck the man he became tense, alert. This was the modern day Vietnam or Afghanistan; you were surrounded by civilians but just because they didn't wear uniforms that didn't mean they were non-combatants. To make it worse, the power tripping fucks of the police were now just another gang. Except this gang had experience shooting, and they carried high end weapons rather than zip-guns of all sorts. The people enjoying some fresh air entertainment? Those could easily have been snipers ready to end either agent's life from afar. The caution about his surroundings seemed to prove itself to be well founded only moments later when the sounds of gunfire broke out. From the sheer amount of it, he decided it was wise to flick the select-fire of his rifle to full auto. The enemy came into view quickly and by God there were a lot of them. They had helmets, vests and automatic carbines. But they had the misfortune in context of being law enforcement, which would mean that while their helmets and vests would be rated for pistols, they weren't rated for rifle rounds and thus both 5,56 and 5,7 would easily chew through the false sense of security their soldier-boy outfits might give them. Running for cover Badger didn't make a noise. But Firefly said that they had to get their attention, which made the man groan faintly. He would have preferred to use the fact they were in a good position to crossfire to wipe out these traitors in one go, but he supposed this time a more humanitarian approach was technically more important. Thus, he stood up with his ballistic shield and assault rifle, spraying his entire magazine towards the cops to suppress them and catch their attention. With that he dropped the weapon, getting his entire body behind the shield. He knew some less experienced or simply more gung-ho agents tried to shoot with a pistol while holding one but Badger considered them stupid. What was the point of a shield if you were going to nevertheless expose a chunk of yourself so visibly to overwhelming firepower? Thus instead he approached the foe calmly, making sure his entire body was always behind the shield, ready to throw a sticky bomb come the moment he was close enough to do so accurately. The enemy was of course moving in to outflank him, they weren't stupid enough to just waste ammo trying to break the shield with volume of fire. But the Agent hoped his action would be enough to catch the attention of the renegades just long enough for Firefly and the other JTF warriors to either reposition and mount a counterattack or to at the very least evacuate.</s>	<\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICEOnce the police officers realized there was someone else, it was already too late to react. Overwhelmed and surrounded, there was no other option than to retreat. A few officers sacrificed themselves to ensure that everyone else was able to escape without harm. And after killing the last remaining officer, Firefly understood that it would be a waste of them chasing after them and decided to let them run away. Now, his attention was on the base and the soldiers outside. He tried to make his way up to the stairs, but guns were immediately drawn upon him and his partner. One of them, a young woman, slowly got out of her cover and cautiously looked around her surroundings. "While we are grateful for your assistance, it doesn't mean you're allowed to approach us. Who are you?" Firefly lowered his rifle and slowly held his hands up. "I am Division Agent Bates, empowered and authorized by Executive Order and DHS Directive 51. We are here to help." There was some mumbling between the JTF soldiers while the woman examined the agents. Of course, she didn't believe it. Given the current state of the city, Bates was understandable of the distrust and was prepared to earn their trust. He was about to respond until the solider was alerted by her comms. She signaled one of the other soldiers to keep an eye on the strangers and head inside the base. An awkward silence followed for seconds. Then, the doors opened wide, and the soldier told them to follow her. Firefly nodded and made his way inside, but nothing could have prepared him for what he saw. A dozen casualties filled the entrance while the few doctors and nurses were doing their best. He did his best to avoid the dire situation and kept on following the soldier. Eventually, they arrived at the makeshift command center, where another doctor was treating a soldier's gunshot wound. No doubt it was Romero. She noticed the strangers and turned towards the doctor. "We can continue this later, doc." "But, I wasn't done-" "We can continue it later." The last word came out sharper than intended, but it got the point across. The doctor said nothing but it was clear that she was unpleased with the demand. And when it only the three of them, Romero took a moment to examine the strangers before introduction herself. "I was told that a pair of well-equipped men saved our asses from death. Now, I don't know if you are a blessing or a curse in disguise. I guess we will find out eventually. Introduce yourselves." "I am Division Agent Bates, empowered and authorized by Executive Order and DHS Directive 51." Firefly extended his hand out to her, but it became immediately apparent that Romero didn't trust them. He put his hand down, and awkwardly continued talking. "And this is-" Romero put her hand up to interrupt him. "Can't he talk?" "Well, yes-" "Then, let him speak." Romero turned her attention towards Badger, waiting for a response. </s>
<\|description\|>Agent Nathan Bates Male // 30 // Firefly --- BRIEF SYNOPSISNathan Bates (Call sign: Firefly) grew up in sunny South New Jersey in the heart of Camden with a crowded family. Forth child and third son of the family. Bates joined the military once he graduated from high school and spent two tours in the Middle East. Because of his leadership capabilities and checking all boxes within the set of criteria for Directive 51, the sergeant was trained at an undisclosed location and then allowed to live a normal life. That was until the signal was activated. Without any reason, Bates gathered his things and left his loved ones without reason (as instructed), heading out as an agent of The Division. Command appointed Nathan as leader of Wolverines, one of the dozens of squads being used for Operation Osiris. BRIEF PSYCHEFirefly had a reputation for playing loose with accepted strategy for military command. In several simulations, he gave up valuable fortifications and strategic locations to enemy forces. And when they were tried and weakened, Firefly attacked and won with few casualties than predicated. Cost him several promotions as a result before enrolling in Directive 51. That reputation meant that he had a problem with his emotions. Note that Firefly might disregard suggestions or advice for ISAC along with orders from Command. Yet, Firefly is determined to the objective and willing to sacrifice everything to complete it. He's somewhat optimistic, even during these tough times. --- INVENTORYSCAR-L - Suppressor - Extended magazinePF45 Contact Lenses Smart Watch SHD Issued Equipment - Body Armor - Masks - Gloves - Backpacks - Knee Pads - HolstersSHD Tech - Blinder Firefly - Remote Pulse - Airburst Seeker Mine ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE Between the crossfire, the explosives lobbed at them, and the disadvantage of the attacker the rogue police were overwhelmed and forced to retreat. In a way it was humourous how some gave themselves up such that their comrades would be able to escape. They had enough of a sense of heroism to sacrifice themselves for their friends, but not enough to actually continue to protect and to serve. Though Badger didn't give chase to the fleeing renegades he made sure to keep on firing at them as they pulled out in an effort to make sure as few of them as possible got away, their cowardice and treachery not left unpunished... of course there was also the pragmatic side of the matter, wherein by eliminating these men he would make the efforts of bringing peace and order back into the city much easier. Having made sure the foe was fully routed, Badger reloaded all his weapons and flicked them to safety before putting them away. Approaching the defenders with his counterpart, Badger examined the scene while the others spoke. Following Bates into the depths of the building the picture painted was not a very pretty one. If this was what remained of people loyal to the government then hope - valuable as it could be - was forlorn. When Romero told the Doctor to leave rather than finish tending to her Badger raised an eyebrow, though he didn't say anything. In his opinion it was a shitty little display of one's ego's hopes at making an image of a badass that had a good chance of repercussions be it an infection or undue bloodloss. Not being a man of very many words Don didn't mind having Firefly introduce Badger for himself but he supposed the woman had to hear it from himself to help make sure she could trust the duo before herself. "Agent Donald Hayes, ma'am." He said, saluting with the aim of a little sycophantry so they could get the introductions over with faster.</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE"Nice to meet you, Hayes." Romero looked at the agent a bit longer than expected before making her way to the soldier. Bates knew that she was planning something. "Gather a squad and advance towards the Garden. Wait until the agents arrive." With the new orders, the young soldier dismissed herself, leaving the three of them alone. Even with the introductions, there was some tension left in the room. Bates understood that Romero was still suspicious of their presence. And she wanted to make sure that he and Hayes weren't liars. So, the agent turned towards the captain and tried to move the convention along. "What's the Garden?" Romero chuckled at the question. "You know, the massive arena next door. You most likely call it the Madison Square Garden. When the hospitals began filling up with infected, temporary hospitals were set up by the city to ease up pressure. The Garden was one of the largest in the city. That was until City Hall happened." Bates noticed that the captain said the last sentence with a hint of sadness in her voice. It was something worthwhile to note for later. "We remained in operations since then. But that was until the power went out about a day or two ago. And with everything around me falling apart, I had no choice but to abandon the hospital." Romero was silent for a moment before looking at her wound. It wasn't getting any better. "That's why I need you two to collect any remaining fuel given it hasn't been taken already. We planned on gathering as much as possible, but then... well, you saw what happened." Bates still wasn't unable to believe that the situation got worse than expected. It was clear that he had to help out. Even if the hospital's already picked clean. "Don't worry. We will come back with plenty of fuel." "Thanks-" Suddenly, Romero cried out in pain and saw that her wound had reopened. The doctor from earlier busted in and attended to her patient. She seemed to whisper something, but the captain wasn't able to talk. Bates knew that it was time to depart for the Garden. Then, his smartwatch lit up as ISAC alerted him of an urgent call for headquarters. Overload asked if their objective was fruitful, expecting to be disappointed. "We found JTF forces along with its leader, Romero. But I regret to report that several NYPD officers were setting siege to their base upon our arrival. We had to take them out. Earlier, we were also under attack by two police officers after they opened fire on unarmed civilians. Over." Bates answered. Overload was about to respond until someone interrupted him. He spoke with a hint of curiosity in his voice. "Understood... You will have to explain it to the commander once she arrives. Over." "Wait, what for?!" Bates tried to ask the reason for her presence, but Overload ended comms before he could've said a word. Did it have something to do with him killing the police? It wasn't like they were given any choice besides getting killed. Or maybe it was something else entirely unrelated? The thoughts were driving him paranoid. For now, though, he had to focus on retrieving the fuel from the arena. But he had to utter a curse word under his breath before heading outside. ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE --- "Likewise, Ma'am." Badger replied, lowering his saluting hand. He wasn't a particularly big sports fan, unless one considered chess as such which his past comrades didn't. This meant he had not in the past had much time spent around the Madison Square Garden, so he had little idea what he might be getting into there (especially with recent changes). Still, duty was duty and if he'd be sent into the depths of hell he'd only ask for a spare magazine. Nodding as the assignment was made clear to them, Badger raised an eyebrow as the woman expressed her suffering. He very, very much wanted to make a snarky comment about pretending to be hot shit when you have a wound but he restrained himself. Saluting again to the woman he stepped out, letting Firefly get through the bullshit of talking to brass. Leaning on a wall he filed his nails as he waited for his comrade to come out, believing the world having fallen to anarchy was not an excuse for being poorly groomed. Putting away his little vanity objects he once more unslung his rifle and spoke while moving to save time. "I say we get up on the rooftops in the area first. See what we're getting into. Scavengers might have already picked everything clean, and if not there's a good chance we won't be the only ones looking for the fuel. Could easily be a rat's nest of some sort, ambushes and traps at every corner." The fuel was needed urgently otherwise they wouldn't ask of it. But if they barged in trying to get it as fast as possible they'd die and not get the fuel anyway so as far as Don saw there really wasn't a reason to rush things, one of the stories of Aesop coming to mind now. The only difference was that the hare would step on a landmine or get its throat cut by someone in an alley whereas the tortoise would make it to the end of the race on a pile of ne'erdowells' corpses. Badger of course saw himself as the tortoise, not fancying bullets in himself. "Of course, once we get an idea of what we're up against we should act as fast as possible, high speed and low drag, in and out, push any bastards we come up against as hard as possible and force them off of what's ours." ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICEBates agreed with Badger's plan and tried to walk towards the backside of the building. Until the soldier from earlier stopped them in their tracks. "Don't bother trying to look for another way in. We made sure to destroy access to the roof from outside. To prevent any intruders from breaking in. Follow me." It was a smart plan, Bates noted to himself until the power went out. He kept on walking until he was at the entrance to the arena. There were three more soldiers, making sure that nobody entered and exited the building. Bates had wondered about the layout and asked the soldier about it. "Just follow the signs, and go up the escalators. You should be able to enter the security room and then the field hospital itself." "Alright." Bates nodded and thanked the soldier. "We will go in and gather whatever fuel remains." Upon entering the square, he saw and heard nothing. It was dead quiet besides the sound of the wind. Bates looked around to make sure that nobody was waiting to abuse them or hiding for them. He then walked up the escalator, and nothing was suspicious. But then, he saw a bloody handprint on the door to the security room. It was still fresh. The agent turned to his partner and signaled him to get his weapon ready. Bates raised his rifle and rushed in the room, seeing two dead police officers on the ground. One of them bled out while the other was shot in the head, killing him instantly. He noticed that the security cameras were still working despite the building having no power. That was when he saw a doctor on one of the feeds, talking to himself while writing notes. The audio wasn't working, so Bates wasn't able to listen in. That was when he realized that the doctor wasn't at the field hospital, but another room. Was Bates kept in the dark? The agent looked at his partner once more and asked, "What the hell do you think is going on? Two dead officers and a doctor, but nobody else. Do you think we should investigate further?" ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE --- Walking along Badger nodded to the soldier who approached them. "Thanks for the heads up." He said, even if he wasn't particularly thankful. "Gotcha." Following Bates close behind, Badger kept low in a semi-crouch. They were still close to what one could consider safety, but considering that every step brought the team further and further away from it he felt that a little bit of caution now would be justified, especially if later it would pave the ground for some aggression. Though he hadn't been here before, Don knew this place was supposed to be loud. There was supposed to be the cheering of crowds and the snickering of bookies, there were supposed to be announcements and vendors making their rounds. But this ghost-town? Well... Though not exactly afraid, the Agent certainly was unnerved. As there was blood on the door to the security room it seemed that the Agent's suspicions of this place being a rat's nest were getting more and more proofs. Nodding as Firefly prepared to breach the room Badger likewise pushed the imaginary foe within, but it turned out the place was uninhabited. "I don't know." Agent Hayes replied to his partner's question, deciding to search the bodies of the police officers for anything of interest. "But I don't want to stick around for too long to end up just like these two pricks. Let's just make a quick note of this and move on. Time is short, and we need that fuel now." ---</s>	<\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE"Right." Bates agreed and made his way out of the security room. He entered the ramp and kept on following the signs pointing in the direction of the field hospital. There were a few more dead police officers with bullet wounds similar to those in the security room. Then, he made his way to the entrance and read the sign above the door: Field Hospital Critical Treatment Bates had to take a moment to mentally prepare himself for what he was about to see. It wasn't going to be pretty, but it was definitely going to be worst. He turned to his partner and advised, "No matter what we see, we keep moving. Even if there are people... still here. There's nothing we can't do for them for now." "...Let's go." Bates moved forward and entered the arena, which was filled with rows of hospital beds. There were only a few mobile rooms built due to the size. And of course, there were still patients too injured and left for dead. He looked away for the bodies and kept on moving. It seemed like an eternity, but he made through the hospital. And a working elevator was waiting for them. Bates entered it and waited for his partner before pressing the button. Once the door closed and it started moving, Bates closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "What a fucking mess. I thought things were bad, but this... this is something else entirely—rogue police officers, a declining safe haven, and a makeshift hospital that's now just an abandoned morgue. Either command didn't know the full extent of the situation or... we were lied to and sent on this suicide mission." </s>
<\|description\|>Agent Nathan Bates Male // 30 // Firefly --- BRIEF SYNOPSISNathan Bates (Call sign: Firefly) grew up in sunny South New Jersey in the heart of Camden with a crowded family. Forth child and third son of the family. Bates joined the military once he graduated from high school and spent two tours in the Middle East. Because of his leadership capabilities and checking all boxes within the set of criteria for Directive 51, the sergeant was trained at an undisclosed location and then allowed to live a normal life. That was until the signal was activated. Without any reason, Bates gathered his things and left his loved ones without reason (as instructed), heading out as an agent of The Division. Command appointed Nathan as leader of Wolverines, one of the dozens of squads being used for Operation Osiris. BRIEF PSYCHEFirefly had a reputation for playing loose with accepted strategy for military command. In several simulations, he gave up valuable fortifications and strategic locations to enemy forces. And when they were tried and weakened, Firefly attacked and won with few casualties than predicated. Cost him several promotions as a result before enrolling in Directive 51. That reputation meant that he had a problem with his emotions. Note that Firefly might disregard suggestions or advice for ISAC along with orders from Command. Yet, Firefly is determined to the objective and willing to sacrifice everything to complete it. He's somewhat optimistic, even during these tough times. --- INVENTORYSCAR-L - Suppressor - Extended magazinePF45 Contact Lenses Smart Watch SHD Issued Equipment - Body Armor - Masks - Gloves - Backpacks - Knee Pads - HolstersSHD Tech - Blinder Firefly - Remote Pulse - Airburst Seeker Mine ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE --- "Likewise, Ma'am." Badger replied, lowering his saluting hand. He wasn't a particularly big sports fan, unless one considered chess as such which his past comrades didn't. This meant he had not in the past had much time spent around the Madison Square Garden, so he had little idea what he might be getting into there (especially with recent changes). Still, duty was duty and if he'd be sent into the depths of hell he'd only ask for a spare magazine. Nodding as the assignment was made clear to them, Badger raised an eyebrow as the woman expressed her suffering. He very, very much wanted to make a snarky comment about pretending to be hot shit when you have a wound but he restrained himself. Saluting again to the woman he stepped out, letting Firefly get through the bullshit of talking to brass. Leaning on a wall he filed his nails as he waited for his comrade to come out, believing the world having fallen to anarchy was not an excuse for being poorly groomed. Putting away his little vanity objects he once more unslung his rifle and spoke while moving to save time. "I say we get up on the rooftops in the area first. See what we're getting into. Scavengers might have already picked everything clean, and if not there's a good chance we won't be the only ones looking for the fuel. Could easily be a rat's nest of some sort, ambushes and traps at every corner." The fuel was needed urgently otherwise they wouldn't ask of it. But if they barged in trying to get it as fast as possible they'd die and not get the fuel anyway so as far as Don saw there really wasn't a reason to rush things, one of the stories of Aesop coming to mind now. The only difference was that the hare would step on a landmine or get its throat cut by someone in an alley whereas the tortoise would make it to the end of the race on a pile of ne'erdowells' corpses. Badger of course saw himself as the tortoise, not fancying bullets in himself. "Of course, once we get an idea of what we're up against we should act as fast as possible, high speed and low drag, in and out, push any bastards we come up against as hard as possible and force them off of what's ours." ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICEBates agreed with Badger's plan and tried to walk towards the backside of the building. Until the soldier from earlier stopped them in their tracks. "Don't bother trying to look for another way in. We made sure to destroy access to the roof from outside. To prevent any intruders from breaking in. Follow me." It was a smart plan, Bates noted to himself until the power went out. He kept on walking until he was at the entrance to the arena. There were three more soldiers, making sure that nobody entered and exited the building. Bates had wondered about the layout and asked the soldier about it. "Just follow the signs, and go up the escalators. You should be able to enter the security room and then the field hospital itself." "Alright." Bates nodded and thanked the soldier. "We will go in and gather whatever fuel remains." Upon entering the square, he saw and heard nothing. It was dead quiet besides the sound of the wind. Bates looked around to make sure that nobody was waiting to abuse them or hiding for them. He then walked up the escalator, and nothing was suspicious. But then, he saw a bloody handprint on the door to the security room. It was still fresh. The agent turned to his partner and signaled him to get his weapon ready. Bates raised his rifle and rushed in the room, seeing two dead police officers on the ground. One of them bled out while the other was shot in the head, killing him instantly. He noticed that the security cameras were still working despite the building having no power. That was when he saw a doctor on one of the feeds, talking to himself while writing notes. The audio wasn't working, so Bates wasn't able to listen in. That was when he realized that the doctor wasn't at the field hospital, but another room. Was Bates kept in the dark? The agent looked at his partner once more and asked, "What the hell do you think is going on? Two dead officers and a doctor, but nobody else. Do you think we should investigate further?" ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE --- Walking along Badger nodded to the soldier who approached them. "Thanks for the heads up." He said, even if he wasn't particularly thankful. "Gotcha." Following Bates close behind, Badger kept low in a semi-crouch. They were still close to what one could consider safety, but considering that every step brought the team further and further away from it he felt that a little bit of caution now would be justified, especially if later it would pave the ground for some aggression. Though he hadn't been here before, Don knew this place was supposed to be loud. There was supposed to be the cheering of crowds and the snickering of bookies, there were supposed to be announcements and vendors making their rounds. But this ghost-town? Well... Though not exactly afraid, the Agent certainly was unnerved. As there was blood on the door to the security room it seemed that the Agent's suspicions of this place being a rat's nest were getting more and more proofs. Nodding as Firefly prepared to breach the room Badger likewise pushed the imaginary foe within, but it turned out the place was uninhabited. "I don't know." Agent Hayes replied to his partner's question, deciding to search the bodies of the police officers for anything of interest. "But I don't want to stick around for too long to end up just like these two pricks. Let's just make a quick note of this and move on. Time is short, and we need that fuel now." ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE"Right." Bates agreed and made his way out of the security room. He entered the ramp and kept on following the signs pointing in the direction of the field hospital. There were a few more dead police officers with bullet wounds similar to those in the security room. Then, he made his way to the entrance and read the sign above the door: Field Hospital Critical Treatment Bates had to take a moment to mentally prepare himself for what he was about to see. It wasn't going to be pretty, but it was definitely going to be worst. He turned to his partner and advised, "No matter what we see, we keep moving. Even if there are people... still here. There's nothing we can't do for them for now." "...Let's go." Bates moved forward and entered the arena, which was filled with rows of hospital beds. There were only a few mobile rooms built due to the size. And of course, there were still patients too injured and left for dead. He looked away for the bodies and kept on moving. It seemed like an eternity, but he made through the hospital. And a working elevator was waiting for them. Bates entered it and waited for his partner before pressing the button. Once the door closed and it started moving, Bates closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "What a fucking mess. I thought things were bad, but this... this is something else entirely—rogue police officers, a declining safe haven, and a makeshift hospital that's now just an abandoned morgue. Either command didn't know the full extent of the situation or... we were lied to and sent on this suicide mission." ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE --- As they went further through the building the fact the people who had shot the police officers found it necessary to go for the head like the first ones the Agents had seen, Badger at least felt a little more confident for it might suggest they lacked long-rifles to penetrate the body armour of the Agents. Of course that was probably wishful thinking and whoever had done this massacre was probably just either A) saving bullets or B) making absolute sure that their opponents were dead. The former of the two options meant that the stinginess of the opponent could be levered against them, whilst the latter would insure that if one of the Agents got taken out of action then they wouldn't recover, for this foe would make sure to execute them as they had the now dead men at their feet. --- Badger stood impassively as Firefly spoke, nodding to his counterpart as he finished. To him it seemed that the man was speaking this warning as much for himself as for Don who knew he didn't really need it. He was well aware he was a cold utilitarian bastard; the only thing he would consider offering the souls that would be there might be a bullet of mercy, but even that was likely out of the question given that with all the factories closed down the ammunition the agents had was to be rationed. They went through the scene, and though it was a harsh sight the Agent calmly did his duty looking side to side making sure no threats were hidden between the pictures of misery. Eventually they made it to the elevator, Don frankly quite surprised it was still operational given the state of disrepair of everything else. In fact, he was rather suspicious. "Weird that the elevator's working, when everything else is so fucked." Of course given the security room was still functional it wasn't that much a surprise, but still something to think about. When the topic of the men being sent here was broached, something like a smile finally went on Badger's lips. "From how it sounded I was certain the answer is 'C: All of the above.' even as they were briefing us. They simply couldn't know exactly what is going on here, but they likely guessed its a rat-trap with ninety-nine percent efficiency, money back guaranteed. Chances one of us are going to be part of a mortality statistic are pretty high I think, but I don't think that's the fault of the pricks that sent us here. Look around, there's no more coffee runs to be done, everything is a suicide mission, and amongst them this isn't that bad. I think a bullet to the brains is nicer than having some dipshit use a baseball bat to turn my ribs into aspic." ---</s>	<\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // MADISON SQUARE FIELD HOSPITALThe elevator came to a stop and the door opened, but Bates sighed and thanked his partner. "Thanks for that... Now, let's find out what the hell is going on here." Upon reaching the partially opened door, Bates pulled out his pistol and slowly pushed it. But, he felt something blocking it and began pushing it with all of his strength. He made his into the room and saw the firefight that recently took place. Seven more NYPD officers laid dead on the floor with bullet holes throughout the body. The blood suggested that the killings took place recently. Then, Bates saw the scientist from the feed still working on something despite his dying state. It was oblivious that something was wrong with him. Before Bates was able to say something, the scientist picked up the pistol and blindly fired in their direction. Instead of returning fire, Bates made sure to hide behind cover and tried to reason with him. "Hold on, we aren't here to kill you! Captain Romero sent us here to get some fuel. Do you know her?" The scientist put his pistol back on the tablet and began to violently cough up blood. "Yeah... she was the one that abandoned them." "Who?" "The people that sought our help and we just gave up without putting up a fight." the scientist turned around and approached the window that divided the rooms. "My name is Doctor Elliot Horton. I used to work at the Bellevue Hospital before I was transferred to this field hospital, assigned to research the virus and find possible treatments. I...I think that I am the only one left for the team." "Were they killed by the officers?" "Oh, no. My associates either ran away or died from the virus itself. I was in the lab when the officers were trying to get access to the supplies. I knew they were looking for blood, so I acted first." Elliot once again coughed violently that he nearly lost his balance. Bates asked if he was alright, but there was no response. He asked again, but still no response. Before he asked for the third time, the scientist sighed after wiping the blood from his mouth. "I... I'm infected and its slowly killing me." </s>
<\|description\|>Agent Donald Hayes Male // 37 // Badger --- BRIEF SYNOPSISBadger AKA Donald Hayes was born to a fairly affluent family in South Carolina. After finishing university education the man spent a year working in his father's law firm, until deciding to join the Army Airborne troops. After a tour of duty he returned home, but he felt a civilian life wasn't for him and joined a Special Weapons and Tactics Unit in New York. A spotless record along with a purple heart for bravery insured insured he was hand picked to become and Agent of the Strategic Homeland Division. When the money virus spread it was no coincidence Don heeded the call to arms immediately joining with other operators of the Division to due his duty to the nation. BRIEF PSYCHEBadger is noted for being a particularly calm and collected operator. In his professional life the individual is noted for being of very words all of which are softly spoken. Often this has lead to the man being mistaken for being indecisive, subservient, and non-confrontational. Only the latter can arguably be considered true in practice, his operating seemingly very aggressive but strictly by the books. Though only an average commander he is noted for excellent speech, his collectedness noted in many scenarios like hostage negotiations or politics with other state servants when matters like jurisdiction come in. The warrior is notable for at times being far too violent with those he considers evildoers, many investigations launched into criminals of all sorts being found hurt at times fatally under dubious circumstances. --- INVENTORYM4A1 - Grip - 3.4x opticsFN Five-seven Contact Lenses Smart Watch SHD Issued Equipment - Body Armor - Masks - Gloves - Backpacks w/ go-bag - Knee Pads - HolstersSHD Tech - Ballistic Shield - Sticky Bomb - Medkits ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes --- HUDSON YARDS Click. Click. Click. Click. Don knew for a fact he wasn't crazy. Having served he knew many a former brother in arms that lost it after a tour of duty and blew their brains out... or somebody else's if that was their fancy. But he knew he wasn't one of them. The former serviceman felt completely lucid, the flicking of his rifle's select-fire the only real oddity about him. This wasn't some sort of manic episode, this was the call of duty. He didn't remember getting those orders jammed into his head but that didn't matter. Everything around him and the more recent communication with command was a-posteriori proof that he was doing the right thing. It was easy for him really, just dig up the guns and then connect all his armour and gadgets to his carrier rig and backpack. It must have been quite different for more grounded people with families. Yeah, all the people selected for the Division would have had their loved ones know who they were with and would by now be used to them going off to fight. But this wasn't the ordinary serviceman experience. This was a threat at home, rather than overseas. Depending on how long all this shit went on, Don reckoned that this would sooner or later become a liability. Even the most devout of servicemen would have trouble fighting in these stone jungles with little to show for it when their very own families would almost certainly be under some sort of danger. For now there were far more pressing issues though. For now Donald kept himself in civilian clothing, for now quite sure this was the right idea. Yes, it meant that hypothetical comrades might mistake him for a looter and marauder. But it also meant that he was beneath notice for many people. He had his M4 of course, but the plate carrier and all else was hidden beneath his clothes to make sure he wouldn't be a juicy target for the vast majority of this new world's ne'erdowells. Besides, his M4 was furnished to look like a rather simple civilian AR rather than the high end piece of military equipment that it was. If all the sent orders were right, they'd know it was him coming rather than some random scavenger and wouldn't blow his brains out. Approaching the building Badger put away his rifle and drew his pistol for the tight indoor confines. That said he kept the safety on for now, more or less confident that his fellow Agent would have cleared any threats that the building might have housed, it was simply that a bit of caution never hurt; better safe than sorry, the saying goes. As Donald cleared the rooms and walkways of the building he felt somewhat sickened. The place was ransacked, every single thing that was A) not too heavy to carry away and B) possible to pawn off for a few bucks was gone. As a sort of experiment he opened a cupboard, and he growled faintly as it seemed someone had even taken the stationery. He knew now wasn't the time to dwell on hatred for the scum of the world like some discount vigilante, he had a job to do. Sighing he made his way over to Firefly, nodding respectfully to his counterpart. Don went through the same routine his counterpart had, introducing himself meanwhile. "Its good to see you Agent. I'm Badger. Ready to move?"</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDSBates took a moment to scan Badger as a way to make sure that he was the one command sent. The smartwatch was a safe bet that he was indeed a Division agent. While the civilian clothing was a questionable choice, there weren't many options that SHD had given the world is still on fire. Bates got up from the desk and responded, "Nice to see you, Badger. I am Firefly." After the introductions, Bates got into contact with command to confirm the meetup and started heading outside. There were a few seconds of silence before Overload told both him and Badger their new objective. "Head for the Post Office and search for any remaining JTF survivors. If there are none, attempt to find out what happened. Over." "Over." Bates answered before asking a question. "What about the checkpoint? Over." "Another team is on route to get it back online. Focus on the new objectives. Over." Overload went dark shortly after giving the answer, leaving the pair on their own. Once outside, Bates pulled up the map to check out their current position. It was going to take them fifteen minutes of walking to get there, but there weren't any other alternatives. He noticed that the nearby bus terminal was safe to enter, while several adjacent buildings were marked as contamination zones (meaning they were infected with Green Flu). Bates took a moment to calibrate a route in his head and turned towards Badger. "The best option is if we went on Forty Street and walked straight down Eighth Avenue to the post office. If we need to rest, the ideal places are either the bus terminal nearby or one of the buildings along the avenue. Just tell me whenever and we can visit there." Bates said to his new partner while the map disappeared and then started walking towards their destination. But, they were in for a wakeup call once they finally exited out of Interstate 495. Hundreds of vehicles were left abandoned by their owners as several dozen nearby buildings, including a church, were marked as contaminated with Dollar Flu. However, the Port Authority Bus Terminal became one of many quarantine zones. Even then, it seemed like the truth was hidden from everyone, including the Division agents. Bates was horrified to see the city that he often visited in such disrepair. It was difficult to react to his first time seeing New York City in person other than video. He was about to say something when gunshots rang out and forced Bates to find cover behind a taxi. Several citizens were fleeing from the terminal as the gunshots kept ongoing for ten seconds. Two more (both men) ran out of the building, but they were gunned down. One of them was dying on top of a car hood while the other tried to crawl towards him. But, two NYPD officers came outside and approached him. The man on the hood attempted to get up but was swiftly executed by one of the officers. The other cried out and desperately tried to escape for them; however, the officer placed his foot on his back. "We are going to ask the last time. Where are your friends hiding?" "I won't want to upset Officer Mckinney, dude." the other officer said while searching the citizen's body for something. "She's a bitch if you go against her." "Go.. to hell." the civilian mumbled and then spat on the officer. He received the boot to the face, breaking some of his teeth and nose. "Well, it seems like you earned a spot in my to-kill list." Bates was still surprised to see the brutality of those officers. Even if they were in the right (which appeared to not be the case), they were breaking the oath made to protect and serve the city. He wasn't going to stand around and let them kill an incident. So, he came out of hiding and called out the NYPD officers. Both of them were quick to aim their pistols towards him. "Freeze!" Bates paused and slowly put his hands up as a sign of trust. "Listen, I am Agent Nathan Bates of the Strategic Homeland Division. I want to talk to you, but you have to leave the citizen alone." The officers looked at each other and then started laughing. Mckinney avoided the offer and started arresting the citizen. She took a quick glance at Bates and said in a dismissive tone, "Pal, I have heard dozens of people calming to be in the military. You aren't the first. Now, leave us be, or you'll regret it." ---</s>	<\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDS Badger didn't waste any time following Firefly outside. He winced a few tears from his eyes as the sun momentarily blinded him, but just as quickly as he adjusted to the darker interior he adjusted to the outdoor lighting. Listening to the orders from command Don nodded, taking out his M4 now that they were outside and flicking it to single fire. The announcement that another team being sent to take care of the checkpoint mollified the only concern that Don had, and so he nodded with renewed dedication to this new objective. With the map Bates pulled out Don knew that the man had a head start on figuring out a path and so he didn't really bother trying to do likewise, instead kneeling down and taking a look at the scene through the optics of his rifle. He hadn't seen anybody on the way here, but he never heard of anybody dying of caution. Dying to people you didn't know were there because you forgot to do a second sweep of a place happened very often, on the other hand. When his counterpart came up with a route Hayes simply nodded and stood up. "I'm easy, and I already had a long rest before I made my way here I'm good to go. Lead the way." he said, gesturing with his left hand. Donald kept quiet on the way through the highway, and although he wasn't quite expecting what he came upon with his comrade it wasn't particularly surprising either. This line of thought was very quickly interrupted when the distinct report of firearms was heard, and much like his partner the warrior went for cover. Experience from SWAT told the man that most civilian cars were unreliable cover with most rifle and even a good chunk of pistol bullets easily going through their doors and trunks, and so instead a heavier truck was sought out. Peeking out revealed that these men were just police officers with service pistols however, which cars would more or less stop, not to mention the plate carriers of the duo. The rifles of the agents however would more than readily go through any civilian cars, which in addition to the other advantages of the agents made any sort of confrontation a done deal more or less. These were cops though, and they weren't even SWAT officers. Blasting random people wasn't their duty, however this wasn't the time and the place to be confronting them, and Don started to say "wait" but he was too late. "Fuck." was all he could say, rubbing his forehead wearily. "Fuck, fuck, fuck." he muttered again, the expletives somehow calming. It was rather suspicious that a man in actual military gear was not believed when he said he was military, though. Something was really fishy here and quite frankly Don was suspecting these people were only impersonating law enforcement officers — the only evidence to the contrary was that they used the term "officer" between each other before they knew the SHD Agents were present. "Hold on, I'll flank them, I'll let you know when I'm in position. Tell me if you think it's going to shit, over." Don communicated, before crouching down and doing the closest thing he could to a run whilst keeping his head below the level of the cars. Ideally he wanted to make it behind the two NYPD Officers but even being at the side to insure he had the drop on them with his rifle would really be enough given it seemed these were the only two present. He just hoped Firefly would be able to diffuse the situation, or at least keep the cops talking long enough for him to be in position to take them out with two quick taps on the trigger. He'd probably aim for their thighs or stomach depending the urgency of the situation, neither shot instantly lethal allowing for a quick questioning of the men but the latter being eventually mortal as blood loss, shock, and other complications soon got to you. Well, at least this was a heroic story he'd be able to tell the grandkids, of how he saved some poor citizen from being executed by rogue police officers in this trying time. With the way things were going Badger reckoned there'd be quite a lot more before things got better though, and he really didn't believe this little act of heroism would pay off when there was a more urgent objective. He'd have to raise his concerns with Bates when they were out of a volatile scenario later.</s>
<\|description\|>Agent Donald Hayes Male // 37 // Badger --- BRIEF SYNOPSISBadger AKA Donald Hayes was born to a fairly affluent family in South Carolina. After finishing university education the man spent a year working in his father's law firm, until deciding to join the Army Airborne troops. After a tour of duty he returned home, but he felt a civilian life wasn't for him and joined a Special Weapons and Tactics Unit in New York. A spotless record along with a purple heart for bravery insured insured he was hand picked to become and Agent of the Strategic Homeland Division. When the money virus spread it was no coincidence Don heeded the call to arms immediately joining with other operators of the Division to due his duty to the nation. BRIEF PSYCHEBadger is noted for being a particularly calm and collected operator. In his professional life the individual is noted for being of very words all of which are softly spoken. Often this has lead to the man being mistaken for being indecisive, subservient, and non-confrontational. Only the latter can arguably be considered true in practice, his operating seemingly very aggressive but strictly by the books. Though only an average commander he is noted for excellent speech, his collectedness noted in many scenarios like hostage negotiations or politics with other state servants when matters like jurisdiction come in. The warrior is notable for at times being far too violent with those he considers evildoers, many investigations launched into criminals of all sorts being found hurt at times fatally under dubious circumstances. --- INVENTORYM4A1 - Grip - 3.4x opticsFN Five-seven Contact Lenses Smart Watch SHD Issued Equipment - Body Armor - Masks - Gloves - Backpacks w/ go-bag - Knee Pads - HolstersSHD Tech - Ballistic Shield - Sticky Bomb - Medkits ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDSBates was thankful that his partner remained undetected, giving him a much-needed advantage over the officers. He had to come up with something to distract them on the spot. But, one of the officers grew impatience and fired three shots towards the car near him. "Those were the only warning shots you get." she said before turning her pistol towards him. The other officer got ready for a firefight and couldn't resist smiling at the thought. So, he opened fire and caused Bates to dive towards a nearby car for protection. Bates understood that talking with them was out of the question and had to defend himself. Hopefully, Badger was able to get into position. With no warnings given, Bates took a moment to breathe, raised his rifle, and opened fire at the officers. The excited officer didn't have time to respond before being struck by several bullets, falling to the ground. Mckinney was horrified to see her friend getting shot and responded by firing back at the stranger. She went back to cover and tried to care for her dying friend. And in the last moments, the officer was trying to say something. Instead, he started coughing blood and then stopped breathing altogether. Enraged by her colleague's death, Mckinney rose from cover and started firing at the car where Bates hid behind. She didn't care about the criminal nor the reason for being here. All she cared about now was getting revenge. And because of that, Mckinney wasn't paying attention to her surroundings. Click, a single trigger pull towards the woman's belly came from Badger, the stationary target leaving herself open to being little more than practice. After the bullet hit Don stood up, making sure the officer was out of action and wouldn't be able to shoot back. He started making his way over to her, while calling out to Firefly. "You alright?" he probably was, but it never hurt to check. "Yeah..." Bates responded while getting out of hiding and making his way towards Badger. He turned to the woman, who was leaning against the pickup truck and looking at her dead friend. There was regret that things ended badly, but he understood that he had no choice. Life or death. Mckinney looked up and gave a weak smile at Bates. "You weren't lying..." Bates caught her before she collapsed and carefully placed her against the truck. He took a brief moment to look at her uniform and saw her badge. A little dirty, but it contained her last name along with the shield number. It confirmed the ugly truth: she was an NYPD officer that killed innocents. That was when he realized that the situation here was worse than ever expected. There was a sense that something was wrong upon exiting the tunnel. But he never imagined police officers breaking their oath to the city. Then, he realized that her friend was most likely also an officer, but Bates wanted to be sure. So, he ordered Badger to check the badge. There were many questions, but Mckinney was losing blood. So, he started with a simple question. "Why did you kill that innocent civilian?" "Innocent?" Mckinney tried to laugh, but it was too painful. "He was a criminal with blood on his hands." Bates looked at the body and turned towards her. "Explain." "He and the degenerates murdered this great city-our home-with their poison! Of course, they weren't content with the city. Oh no, they went after the real innocents!" Mckinney looked down, and tears started to flow down her cheeks. "My own family... taken because of the filth! Now, it's our job to cleanse the scum from our city. To do that, we need to be severe." "Good lord..." Bates was speechless. ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes --- LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDS Again there were gunshots, but from the taunt of the woman Badger could readily surmise they hadn't hit his comrade and so he continued moving to his position. However by the sounds of movement it seemed that the following shots were aimed to kill Bates, and he could just about make out the sound of subsonic munitions leaving a suppressed firearm. Well, they were only handguns, but Don still couldn't allow his comrade to come under threat. Badger nodded at Bates's response, looking about the scene. Only one of the four firearms active just now were silenced and the noise of guns echoed across the area. This in turn presented a danger, several dangers in fact. The buddies of these cops could easily be around some corner and they would not be happy to see two armed men over the corpses of their fellow officers. But even if that wasn't the case, there could be lots of other vultures attracted to the sound. All hell was breaking loose and marauders of all sorts would flock here in hopes of finding some dead to pick apart for valuables. Having finally made it to the shot policemen Badger first removed the magazine from his M4 and replaced the spent round. Then he would squat down and take their pistols along with their munitions, belts, and vests into his backpack. Even if he didn't need them it was better they came with him rather than end up in the hands of some scavenger. If he couldn't eventually find someone worthwhile to hand over the equipment to then he would just throw them into some sewer or stash them with some trash where they wouldn't be found. It might of course seem somewhat ghoulish to already start looting the woman when she was still alive, but Badger didn't particularly care. The country was fucking collapsing, there were more important things to be thinking about than some sensibilities right now. The shot woman was clearly a real cop according to a cursory examination... well, a badge and other ID could be faked and while it was unlikely the consideration should still be on the table, and examining the friend of Officer McKinney would likely reveal more or less the same as with her, although two badges would certainly be harder to fake than one. The short interrogation that happened did confuse the Agent somewhat. While the woman's idea of cleansing the city eerily mirrored his own, he wasn't sure if he could really consider himself akin to the officer. The Agent couldn't really believe what he was hearing, and he wasn't even sure he wanted to. With the bloodloss she'd be undergoing there were only moments left, and Badger shook her a little to keep her from slipping into unconsciousness. "What do you mean? Did these people spread the disease intentionally?" he demanded, the thought that they might have very well made it not even crossing his mind; he made sure he kept his voice down in case somebody was already closing in on the position of the duo. Regardless of exactly what her explanation was, Badger would look quizzically to Firefly, the fact he wasn't sure the woman's story should be believed all over the face. Then it hit him. "Firefly. The civilian. Where is he?" He stood up, flicking his assault rifle to fully automatic. If the woman was in fact telling the truth then they had to know where the arrested citizen was and apprehend him as fast as possible. If they didn't, then the duo would be responsible for a very, very dangerous man escaping justice. Though he made sure not to show it, a soft panic started to set into the Agent.</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDSBates sighed and then turned towards Badger. He was disappointed that his partner actually thought those people spread the virus. "She meant it figuratively. And as for the lost civilian, leave them be. They have already suffered enough." "Our politicians failed us when we needed them the most. Now, it's up to us to fix their mistake." Mckinney tried to crack a smile but lost consciousness. At first, Bates thought that she had lost too much blood for the wounds; however, after examining her, she was barely alive. So, he grabbed a nearby stick and shoved it into her wound, causing her to awake with a bloodcurdling scream. Quite frankly, she deserved worse but he needed to know about the NYPD's fate. There was no way that the entire department became corrupt. Bates stood over her. "What happened to the rest of the force?" Mckinney looked up at the agent and tried once more to laugh. "My brothers in blue are working to restore what was taken for us. You will see them soon enough." Firefly had enough of the disgraced officer and crouched down. "By going back against what your brothers stand for, you have failed this city and your badge. No amount of loss can justify killing innocents becaus-" "Failed?!" Tears were rolling down Mckinney's face as she looked up at the agent. "I was on duty when the city was falling apart! When the degenerates were bitching about every little thing we did! When... my family died from the virus. I have been loyal to this badge and my friends! Everyone that betrayed us warrants a painful death. Just like the ones you and your friend will get." Suddenly, police sirens were heard near as several gunshots rang out in quick succession. The missing citizen fell to the ground on the intersection, bleeding to death. Mckinney tried to say something else, but she collapsed for the blood loss. Bates got his weapon ready for a possible fight, but he preferred to not kill any more police officers. He scanned the area for an escape route and found one. It was an alleyway filled with trash bags and other garbage, but it was an ideal hiding spot. He ran towards it to make sure the path was clear and then called out his partner. "Over here before they spot you!" ---</s>	<\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDS Figuratively. Fucking figuratively. This is what Marines meant when they said Army eats crayons. He had fallen into the stereotype of a grunt that had shooting as his only ability and fell for such nonsense. The Agent was angry as all hell, though his face didn't twitch the slightest amount to reflect this. The man raised his rifle, thoughtfully deciding that this creature wasn't worth a bullet and that all the suffering of her last moments would be more than deserved. Once more the woman's speech seemed to be ever so similar to Don's own beliefs regarding criminality, but deep down he also knew that there was a fine line between himself and the officer. Namely, there was the fact of those he likewise considered "degenerates" would be rather few that the woman and her comrades did. Still, this moment was sobering. Badger made sure he'd keep this event at the back of his mind so that he wouldn't stoop to the levels of Ms. McKinney. What the woman said was not very informative to be frank, at most it revealed there was a good deal more rogue policemen about the city which was a natural following from the fact that already two were corrupt enough to shoot innocents. Just as these thoughts ran through the head of the soldier there was soon the sound of more police coming to the scene, clearly ready to kill after having been attracted to the scene by the sound of gunfire. The encounter with the officer still kept a seething hatred in the heart of Badger, and he wanted to fight these bastards; after all, they were just coppers with soft armour and pistols. But he knew he couldn't. There was no time to waste, and if he did stand and fight then he'd be a hyppocrite given how recently he considered chastising his partner for even bothering with this fiasco when there was a more urgent task at hand. Thus the man nodded in concurrence, giving the wounded police officer a harsh kick on the head to make sure she wouldn't be able to recount to her comrades where the two agents had gone. With that done he ran over to Bates with rifle in hand. Well, now was a better time than any he supposed. "We shouldn't have done that, playing hero. There's a job we had to do, saving a single person - especially when they just get shot right afterwards - isn't worth it when completing our current objective might save a lot more." The whispered words were extremely utilitarian, but Badger meant them wholeheartedly and (although admittedly he had never run into such a situation) he would not let personal feelings get in the way of his duty; even if that civilian was from his family he would have known that the right thing to do was think of the greater good. </s>
<\|description\|>Agent Donald Hayes Male // 37 // Badger --- BRIEF SYNOPSISBadger AKA Donald Hayes was born to a fairly affluent family in South Carolina. After finishing university education the man spent a year working in his father's law firm, until deciding to join the Army Airborne troops. After a tour of duty he returned home, but he felt a civilian life wasn't for him and joined a Special Weapons and Tactics Unit in New York. A spotless record along with a purple heart for bravery insured insured he was hand picked to become and Agent of the Strategic Homeland Division. When the money virus spread it was no coincidence Don heeded the call to arms immediately joining with other operators of the Division to due his duty to the nation. BRIEF PSYCHEBadger is noted for being a particularly calm and collected operator. In his professional life the individual is noted for being of very words all of which are softly spoken. Often this has lead to the man being mistaken for being indecisive, subservient, and non-confrontational. Only the latter can arguably be considered true in practice, his operating seemingly very aggressive but strictly by the books. Though only an average commander he is noted for excellent speech, his collectedness noted in many scenarios like hostage negotiations or politics with other state servants when matters like jurisdiction come in. The warrior is notable for at times being far too violent with those he considers evildoers, many investigations launched into criminals of all sorts being found hurt at times fatally under dubious circumstances. --- INVENTORYM4A1 - Grip - 3.4x opticsFN Five-seven Contact Lenses Smart Watch SHD Issued Equipment - Body Armor - Masks - Gloves - Backpacks w/ go-bag - Knee Pads - HolstersSHD Tech - Ballistic Shield - Sticky Bomb - Medkits ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE In the tunnel Badger was fairly relaxed, for with a flashlight on him the threat of ambushes was minimal and it was simply a relaxing walk. But the moment the light of day struck the man he became tense, alert. This was the modern day Vietnam or Afghanistan; you were surrounded by civilians but just because they didn't wear uniforms that didn't mean they were non-combatants. To make it worse, the power tripping fucks of the police were now just another gang. Except this gang had experience shooting, and they carried high end weapons rather than zip-guns of all sorts. The people enjoying some fresh air entertainment? Those could easily have been snipers ready to end either agent's life from afar. The caution about his surroundings seemed to prove itself to be well founded only moments later when the sounds of gunfire broke out. From the sheer amount of it, he decided it was wise to flick the select-fire of his rifle to full auto. The enemy came into view quickly and by God there were a lot of them. They had helmets, vests and automatic carbines. But they had the misfortune in context of being law enforcement, which would mean that while their helmets and vests would be rated for pistols, they weren't rated for rifle rounds and thus both 5,56 and 5,7 would easily chew through the false sense of security their soldier-boy outfits might give them. Running for cover Badger didn't make a noise. But Firefly said that they had to get their attention, which made the man groan faintly. He would have preferred to use the fact they were in a good position to crossfire to wipe out these traitors in one go, but he supposed this time a more humanitarian approach was technically more important. Thus, he stood up with his ballistic shield and assault rifle, spraying his entire magazine towards the cops to suppress them and catch their attention. With that he dropped the weapon, getting his entire body behind the shield. He knew some less experienced or simply more gung-ho agents tried to shoot with a pistol while holding one but Badger considered them stupid. What was the point of a shield if you were going to nevertheless expose a chunk of yourself so visibly to overwhelming firepower? Thus instead he approached the foe calmly, making sure his entire body was always behind the shield, ready to throw a sticky bomb come the moment he was close enough to do so accurately. The enemy was of course moving in to outflank him, they weren't stupid enough to just waste ammo trying to break the shield with volume of fire. But the Agent hoped his action would be enough to catch the attention of the renegades just long enough for Firefly and the other JTF warriors to either reposition and mount a counterattack or to at the very least evacuate.</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICEOnce the police officers realized there was someone else, it was already too late to react. Overwhelmed and surrounded, there was no other option than to retreat. A few officers sacrificed themselves to ensure that everyone else was able to escape without harm. And after killing the last remaining officer, Firefly understood that it would be a waste of them chasing after them and decided to let them run away. Now, his attention was on the base and the soldiers outside. He tried to make his way up to the stairs, but guns were immediately drawn upon him and his partner. One of them, a young woman, slowly got out of her cover and cautiously looked around her surroundings. "While we are grateful for your assistance, it doesn't mean you're allowed to approach us. Who are you?" Firefly lowered his rifle and slowly held his hands up. "I am Division Agent Bates, empowered and authorized by Executive Order and DHS Directive 51. We are here to help." There was some mumbling between the JTF soldiers while the woman examined the agents. Of course, she didn't believe it. Given the current state of the city, Bates was understandable of the distrust and was prepared to earn their trust. He was about to respond until the solider was alerted by her comms. She signaled one of the other soldiers to keep an eye on the strangers and head inside the base. An awkward silence followed for seconds. Then, the doors opened wide, and the soldier told them to follow her. Firefly nodded and made his way inside, but nothing could have prepared him for what he saw. A dozen casualties filled the entrance while the few doctors and nurses were doing their best. He did his best to avoid the dire situation and kept on following the soldier. Eventually, they arrived at the makeshift command center, where another doctor was treating a soldier's gunshot wound. No doubt it was Romero. She noticed the strangers and turned towards the doctor. "We can continue this later, doc." "But, I wasn't done-" "We can continue it later." The last word came out sharper than intended, but it got the point across. The doctor said nothing but it was clear that she was unpleased with the demand. And when it only the three of them, Romero took a moment to examine the strangers before introduction herself. "I was told that a pair of well-equipped men saved our asses from death. Now, I don't know if you are a blessing or a curse in disguise. I guess we will find out eventually. Introduce yourselves." "I am Division Agent Bates, empowered and authorized by Executive Order and DHS Directive 51." Firefly extended his hand out to her, but it became immediately apparent that Romero didn't trust them. He put his hand down, and awkwardly continued talking. "And this is-" Romero put her hand up to interrupt him. "Can't he talk?" "Well, yes-" "Then, let him speak." Romero turned her attention towards Badger, waiting for a response. ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE Between the crossfire, the explosives lobbed at them, and the disadvantage of the attacker the rogue police were overwhelmed and forced to retreat. In a way it was humourous how some gave themselves up such that their comrades would be able to escape. They had enough of a sense of heroism to sacrifice themselves for their friends, but not enough to actually continue to protect and to serve. Though Badger didn't give chase to the fleeing renegades he made sure to keep on firing at them as they pulled out in an effort to make sure as few of them as possible got away, their cowardice and treachery not left unpunished... of course there was also the pragmatic side of the matter, wherein by eliminating these men he would make the efforts of bringing peace and order back into the city much easier. Having made sure the foe was fully routed, Badger reloaded all his weapons and flicked them to safety before putting them away. Approaching the defenders with his counterpart, Badger examined the scene while the others spoke. Following Bates into the depths of the building the picture painted was not a very pretty one. If this was what remained of people loyal to the government then hope - valuable as it could be - was forlorn. When Romero told the Doctor to leave rather than finish tending to her Badger raised an eyebrow, though he didn't say anything. In his opinion it was a shitty little display of one's ego's hopes at making an image of a badass that had a good chance of repercussions be it an infection or undue bloodloss. Not being a man of very many words Don didn't mind having Firefly introduce Badger for himself but he supposed the woman had to hear it from himself to help make sure she could trust the duo before herself. "Agent Donald Hayes, ma'am." He said, saluting with the aim of a little sycophantry so they could get the introductions over with faster.</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE"Nice to meet you, Hayes." Romero looked at the agent a bit longer than expected before making her way to the soldier. Bates knew that she was planning something. "Gather a squad and advance towards the Garden. Wait until the agents arrive." With the new orders, the young soldier dismissed herself, leaving the three of them alone. Even with the introductions, there was some tension left in the room. Bates understood that Romero was still suspicious of their presence. And she wanted to make sure that he and Hayes weren't liars. So, the agent turned towards the captain and tried to move the convention along. "What's the Garden?" Romero chuckled at the question. "You know, the massive arena next door. You most likely call it the Madison Square Garden. When the hospitals began filling up with infected, temporary hospitals were set up by the city to ease up pressure. The Garden was one of the largest in the city. That was until City Hall happened." Bates noticed that the captain said the last sentence with a hint of sadness in her voice. It was something worthwhile to note for later. "We remained in operations since then. But that was until the power went out about a day or two ago. And with everything around me falling apart, I had no choice but to abandon the hospital." Romero was silent for a moment before looking at her wound. It wasn't getting any better. "That's why I need you two to collect any remaining fuel given it hasn't been taken already. We planned on gathering as much as possible, but then... well, you saw what happened." Bates still wasn't unable to believe that the situation got worse than expected. It was clear that he had to help out. Even if the hospital's already picked clean. "Don't worry. We will come back with plenty of fuel." "Thanks-" Suddenly, Romero cried out in pain and saw that her wound had reopened. The doctor from earlier busted in and attended to her patient. She seemed to whisper something, but the captain wasn't able to talk. Bates knew that it was time to depart for the Garden. Then, his smartwatch lit up as ISAC alerted him of an urgent call for headquarters. Overload asked if their objective was fruitful, expecting to be disappointed. "We found JTF forces along with its leader, Romero. But I regret to report that several NYPD officers were setting siege to their base upon our arrival. We had to take them out. Earlier, we were also under attack by two police officers after they opened fire on unarmed civilians. Over." Bates answered. Overload was about to respond until someone interrupted him. He spoke with a hint of curiosity in his voice. "Understood... You will have to explain it to the commander once she arrives. Over." "Wait, what for?!" Bates tried to ask the reason for her presence, but Overload ended comms before he could've said a word. Did it have something to do with him killing the police? It wasn't like they were given any choice besides getting killed. Or maybe it was something else entirely unrelated? The thoughts were driving him paranoid. For now, though, he had to focus on retrieving the fuel from the arena. But he had to utter a curse word under his breath before heading outside. ---</s>	<\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE --- "Likewise, Ma'am." Badger replied, lowering his saluting hand. He wasn't a particularly big sports fan, unless one considered chess as such which his past comrades didn't. This meant he had not in the past had much time spent around the Madison Square Garden, so he had little idea what he might be getting into there (especially with recent changes). Still, duty was duty and if he'd be sent into the depths of hell he'd only ask for a spare magazine. Nodding as the assignment was made clear to them, Badger raised an eyebrow as the woman expressed her suffering. He very, very much wanted to make a snarky comment about pretending to be hot shit when you have a wound but he restrained himself. Saluting again to the woman he stepped out, letting Firefly get through the bullshit of talking to brass. Leaning on a wall he filed his nails as he waited for his comrade to come out, believing the world having fallen to anarchy was not an excuse for being poorly groomed. Putting away his little vanity objects he once more unslung his rifle and spoke while moving to save time. "I say we get up on the rooftops in the area first. See what we're getting into. Scavengers might have already picked everything clean, and if not there's a good chance we won't be the only ones looking for the fuel. Could easily be a rat's nest of some sort, ambushes and traps at every corner." The fuel was needed urgently otherwise they wouldn't ask of it. But if they barged in trying to get it as fast as possible they'd die and not get the fuel anyway so as far as Don saw there really wasn't a reason to rush things, one of the stories of Aesop coming to mind now. The only difference was that the hare would step on a landmine or get its throat cut by someone in an alley whereas the tortoise would make it to the end of the race on a pile of ne'erdowells' corpses. Badger of course saw himself as the tortoise, not fancying bullets in himself. "Of course, once we get an idea of what we're up against we should act as fast as possible, high speed and low drag, in and out, push any bastards we come up against as hard as possible and force them off of what's ours." </s>
<\|description\|>Cole Smith -Work in progress- Nicknames: The Sword Hero Age: 21 Gender: Male Level: 1 Class: Legendary Sword Hero Hero Class: Sword Specializations: N/A Magic Affinity: Wind, and Lightning Appearance: (brownish eyes replaced with blue) Biography: Born in rural Maine young Cole was born to a group of successful fisherman, and belongs to a long line of such people dating all the way back to the inception of America. Cole's parents were often too busy to raise him so Cole was actually sent to Connecticut to live with his uncle Phil who was taking care of the grand parents. Phil was more of a laid back sort of of parental figure, and much more geeky than Cole's actual parents. Phil was a teacher in Hartford, and used his money to help bring Cole up to be a rather nice, if not quiet young man. Cole tried his best at sports as a young man often taken to local games by his grandfather on the weekends when he was feeling well enough. However they weren't especially his forte, and he ended up simply stopping sports all together in order to hang out with his Uncle, and his friends around a DnD table. Eventually Cole moved back to Maine where he finished school, and helped his parents out for a time. He helped with a lot of his parents' warehouse work while they managed the financial, and business aspects. However one aspect seemed to remain a near constant in his life after his teenage years. He was constantly teased, and picked on by a jock by the name of Chad Buckley the head of a football team when he was still in Hartford. Growing up Chad seemed to never actually give Cole a break, and though he never got too physical it was unrelenting. Thankfully Chad was dumber than a sack of bricks when he was younger, and Cole managed to prank him in return multiple times in retaliation. Chad would reappear in Cole's life later as he moved to California for an college course in business to further consolidate his life. However by pure coincidence Chad's scholarship also landed him in the same school, and Chad, while mellowed out somewhat, still was a bit of a prick. Cole's hope of life changed as he grabbed a strange book, and was quickly transported to a new world... --- Preferred Weapon(s): Legendary Hero Sword Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Legendary… --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Abilities of Skill: Downsides of Skill: ---- Inventory:</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer followed the thrown stone's trajectory and heard the very audible smack. However, it seemed his arm was not as accurate as it had been. The man was not knocked out or incapacitated but at the very least he had managed to stir the hornet's nest. He cursed under his breath really wishing that he could have his old bow. It would have been possible to have his arrows hit a few necks by the time the bandits knew what was happening. Still, as it was it seemed he would be able to at least pull some attention. He picked up another rock in his hands and was ready to fling it again when he heard and saw his holy friend answer the challenge. His under handed ways were lost to Auriel. He sighed, the girl was much too honorable for her own good. Still, there was something exhilarating about hearing her firm voice and her resolve. She was used to leading men and facing down devils. Unfortunately, men such as these had no soul and their minds were so corrupted that they were little better than animals. Just like animals, the best thing to do was to beat them into submission. Even a modern fighter such a Fer who was used to the sound of gun fire and bringing death from afar, could appreciate the beauty and grimness that close quarter fighting was. Auriel's movements were sharp and efficient. The bandit was obviously experienced but was no match for a true master of the art like Auriel. It was not until she knocked out the other man and heard her yell that he cursed himself for not taking advantage of the distraction. Once the men started to rush her he threw his next stone. There was not much aim needed as he threw it towards the crowding men. He went for strength this time and put his back in to the throw hoping it would be much more painful when it hit. He moved to the opposite side of the barn. His plan was to eventually be found out and be chased. He would then use the opening to one of the animal holing pens which he had rigged. He hope to incapacitate at least another one with his trap and to pull some numbers from Auriel. This plan would also pull the men away from where Cole would eventually emerge leaving their backs to him. Also, the bandits did not know that they were fighting the Cardinal Heroes which would be extra shock and prove useful as they would not be as wary. Instead, Fer would continue to fling his stones, an angry bandit is a distracted bandit.</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher (Mood Music) Justice Auriel had assumed that the heroes were ready to strike when she called out to them, but the timing was off and their element of surprise went with it. So be it. Auriel held her spear at the ready as she looked to the group of bandits. Still outnumbered until the others could join the fight, she would have to hold her own. Luckily for her, the man in charge decided to preach and justify himself to her instead of taking the opportunity to use their numbers against her. She studied his rusty sword. A slash from it would certainly cause illness, but the rust also meant that the weapon would be brittle and easily broken. She would have to use that to her advantage should their weapons cross with one another. "Don't you know the world is going to end soon!? Its kinda sad you're not running away instead of taking care of some bandits in the ass end of the city limits..." the bandit said. Auriel narrowed her eyes at him, "It's bandits like you who would see the end come sooner, and weaken us as a whole when the waves come. You are a part of the greater problem. And it is my solemn duty to solve that problem. No more talk, criminal! Face your death in battle so that you can be buried with at least an inkling of dignity." Auriel once again seized the initiative, making a move to lunge her spear forward at him.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Little shit get back her-" one of the bandits shouted as they narrowly dodged Fer's attempt to throw a rock at him. "You're a fucking idiot don't charge into a trap! They're trying to split us up focus on the bitch! Stay together that's an order!" the bandit leader growled as he turned to Auriel and pulled out his rather rough looking sword and pointed it towards Auriel as she charged in to attack him the other bandits weren't quick enough to block her. But the leader on the other hand surprisingly stated, "Quick Blade: Riptose!" he called out as he deftly managed to get his blade into a position and smacked Auriel's spear to the side moving into stab her following that he was suddenly stopped by what could've only been Cole as a slash of magical energy cut into the man's armor, and made him bleed along his lower chest. The man coughed up blood and backed up quickly as the other bandits rushed towards Auriel to cover their boss with clubs, and knives. "I'll focus on the big guy! Try, and deal with the guards!" called out as he charged in with his golden blade at the injured man. He managed to get his blade up and blocks Cole's strike but barely stepping back and only managing to stay on the defense due to his serious wound on his stomach. "You think you can beat the sword hero!?" Cole called out trying to sound tougher than he felt as the man kept managing to use quick steps to dodge, and try to move out of Cole's way. "The Sword Hero!? What the hell!? Fine I'll deal with you like any other dreg!"</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer threw and missed. He had almost accomplished his goal as he saw a few of them beginning to detach. He seemed like an easy target. A fool throwing rocks where any other man would at least have a club or some sort of wooden spear. Indeed, he was sorely missing his bow or at least his hunting knife. The bandits however, seemed to at least have an experienced leader. He called the rest of the rabble back. Fer grit his teeth into a sardonic smile. The rabid dogs may be dumb but the handler was not. He cursed under his breath. Just as they had seen him an easy prey, weaponless and harmless. They now used that same assumption as a way to identify the real threat. Auriel would be the focus of their attention. Eliminate the danger and deal with the weakling lather huh? Fer thought with bitterness. I'll show you harmless. He carefully jumped the tripping rope that would set off the trap. He headed towards the gathering bodies that would soon engulf his winged companion. How dared they? The feeling of anger was not just at the fact that they would most definitely tear Auriel limb from limb but that they had discounted him as notihg more than an annoying gnat. Fer's anger welling up inside him. The shield at his forearm began to heat up. The green gem started to flicker, a reddish tint starting to form. His mind started to go black. Only one thought seemed fixed in his thoughts. Kill them Kill them His eyes flared as he saw the leader about to strike the holy warrior. He all but growled. Anybody seeing him approaching would have most certainly feel the murdeours aura but more probably they could see his eyes taking on the same reddish tint as his shield. His shield slowly mutated into a round shape that morphed into a V but before more of the shield could be transformed any further a slash or a something hit the attacking bandit. That was enough to snap Fer out of his trance. He shook his head to clear it and then hearing Cole's order he rushed into the nearest bandits. He shield already in the morph setting he shouted. "Morph Shied: Small Kite!" A quickl flash of green light and his shield was now in the shape of a small kite shield which point extended about half a foot from his knuckles. He would swing high with flat of the shield aiming at the head of one of the closest bandits approaching from on of the flanks to Auriel's left. Keeping the same momentum and direction, he would kneel while spinning and with the pointed edge he would aim for a lower part of the leg of the bandit next to his first target hoping to hit a knee or enough of the leg to try knock the other person to the ground. Regardless of how effective his blows were, the moves would land him with him raising his shield to protect any downward blow. He would also be a lower smaller target. He may not be half as lethal as he would be if he had actual weapons but he would be dammed if he would not leave these bandits with something to remember him by.</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher Rust (Mood Music) Auriel clenched her jaw when the bandit leader kept them organized. Their simple plan of dividing and conquer didn't work, and now Auriel was outnumbered. If the man in charge of this group was so keen, it made Auriel wonder about the true leader's cunning. Was Rayla Winters perhaps too big to chew for the budding heroes? Auriel smacked one of the bandits away, a simple strike to divert his momentum while she focused on the real threat. The group leader. She went for a strike but was surprised to see the tip of her spear get deflected to the side. She gasped when he went for the riposte. She was wide open. Auriel heard a clang, and saw Cole's blade intercept the leader's. She breathed easy for a moment, and felt a rush of adrenaline surge through her body. Of course, Auriel hadn't been in a proper fight since the battle against the horde. She had gotten rusty, and allowed for her confidence to overwhelm the reality that her keen edge wasn't as sharp as before. Auriel glanced left and saw that other bandit she had tripped up making another move on her. She brought her spear to face him. Then Fer appeared and struck him with the pointed end of his shield. She looked him over, and saw something different about him. Was it anger? There wasn't any time to think on it, she nodded her appreciation for the assist and turned to face an as of yet unchallenged bandit. She could see both of the heroes out of her peripherals on either side of her. Something welled up inside of her, a feeling of belonging. This was where warriors bonded, on the field of battle. There was a connection to be made when lives were at stake. Auriel felt it. "Let's finish this quickly." Auriel said to the heroes. Auriel clutched her spear tight, and felt ready to reclaim her talent with the spear.</s>	<\|message\|>Cole Smith The blow to the side of the head sent one of the bandit falling to the ground a bit dazed unexpecting the swift retaliation from the shield hero expecting him to play defense rather than offense. It was doubtful he was down for the count but he was out of it for a few moments. The next bandit was smacked rather hard by Ferr's attack making him shout but he quickly managed to get back up unlike the previous bandit. "The boss hits us harder!" the bandit shouted as he moved forward to swing his axe at Ferr's head. The other bandits seemingly diverted their attention from Auriel to try and pick off the weaker shield hero as they from Ferr's right came charging at him with their weapons raised high. When Auriel intercepted one of them they got in her face while their shortsword held firmly in their hand as the slashed at her violently. "Dead men tell no tales but tell me angel!? Do the gods do the same!?" Cole for his part had managed to rather deftly deal with the bandit leader his blade crossing the enemy's but neither gaining a true upper hand. As their blades met, and parried, and overall tried to gain the upper hand Cole began to get more confident. However as Cole saw an opening his mind flared "NOW!" Cole stabbed forward and..."Quick Blade: Riposte!" the bandit leader called out as he used the same skill as before to parry Cole aside sending him on his backfoot he desperately began to block. Losing some of that just newly found confidence Cole held his blade close like Marcino instructed blocking practically and not fancily. "I'm not going to let you win!" Cole shouted wondering why his blade hadn't quite allowed him to overwhelm this guy!? He was wielding a legendary artifact wasn't he!?</s>
<\|description\|>Cole Smith -Work in progress- Nicknames: The Sword Hero Age: 21 Gender: Male Level: 1 Class: Legendary Sword Hero Hero Class: Sword Specializations: N/A Magic Affinity: Wind, and Lightning Appearance: (brownish eyes replaced with blue) Biography: Born in rural Maine young Cole was born to a group of successful fisherman, and belongs to a long line of such people dating all the way back to the inception of America. Cole's parents were often too busy to raise him so Cole was actually sent to Connecticut to live with his uncle Phil who was taking care of the grand parents. Phil was more of a laid back sort of of parental figure, and much more geeky than Cole's actual parents. Phil was a teacher in Hartford, and used his money to help bring Cole up to be a rather nice, if not quiet young man. Cole tried his best at sports as a young man often taken to local games by his grandfather on the weekends when he was feeling well enough. However they weren't especially his forte, and he ended up simply stopping sports all together in order to hang out with his Uncle, and his friends around a DnD table. Eventually Cole moved back to Maine where he finished school, and helped his parents out for a time. He helped with a lot of his parents' warehouse work while they managed the financial, and business aspects. However one aspect seemed to remain a near constant in his life after his teenage years. He was constantly teased, and picked on by a jock by the name of Chad Buckley the head of a football team when he was still in Hartford. Growing up Chad seemed to never actually give Cole a break, and though he never got too physical it was unrelenting. Thankfully Chad was dumber than a sack of bricks when he was younger, and Cole managed to prank him in return multiple times in retaliation. Chad would reappear in Cole's life later as he moved to California for an college course in business to further consolidate his life. However by pure coincidence Chad's scholarship also landed him in the same school, and Chad, while mellowed out somewhat, still was a bit of a prick. Cole's hope of life changed as he grabbed a strange book, and was quickly transported to a new world... --- Preferred Weapon(s): Legendary Hero Sword Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Legendary… --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Abilities of Skill: Downsides of Skill: ---- Inventory:</s> <\|message\|>Rivia Silvermane Rivia Silvermane Oblivious to Fers dilemma, it was only Cole grabbing her attention that saved him from an awkward explanation. She wasn't sure who she wanted to dance with first, so she tucked the thought away for now at least as her attention was moved from the sword hero to the dancers around them. Flashy, colourful dresses. Constant swaying and spinning. It was certainly a lot of motion, though she wasn't sure why they were spinning so much. Wouldn't you get dizzy and fall over? She felt dizzy just from trying to track them, so just shook her head as she looked away. The main thing she had gotten was that they were moving to the beat of the slow music filling the air. She didn't have much of a clue what he meant by 'lead' till she looked back, cocking her head to the side as she now noticed the first one to move was indeed the ladies, with the gentlemen following suit and the motion flowing on from there. Tapping her chin thoughtfully, she supposed a dance always sparked off from one individual and then the rest flowed on from there. But they were so close, it would be hard to do as Cole said to do; avoid stepping on one another, no? Suppose that once again came down to the rhythm, the motion of the dancers. Moving like flowing water across the dancefloor. The explanation of it being romantic or not was lost on Rivia for the most part though. Whether they even had the same standards and values for such a thing remained to be seen. "Rivia wouldn't mind dancing first. Rivia wants to try." Such nimble movements, coordination, the deft, subtle changes to suit both the partner and the pace of the song. There was no doubt about it. It would make a fine training exercise as well if she can get the hang of it! And this seemed like as good a time to learn it. Plus there was always food later. Unlike how worn her current attire was, she wasn't exactly struggling to get by on food. She was a good hunter and excellent forager after all. If anything, the current swirling and mixing of scents and aromas was a bit off-putting when it came to the food. Less because most were a mystery, but mostly because it just seemed...strong. There was nothing wrong with a lightly seasoned meal... "Umm...suppose Rivia will dance with Fer first? Then Fer can go and eat while Rivia and Cole dance. Moving on a full stomach is bad. Causes great pain after all." Nodding her head and crossing her arms over her chest, she seemed quite proud of herself for knowing what was a common fact for them in their worlds; stitches existing. Not that such a world existed among her tribe. Especially if Fer ate as Cole said he did; then he could become immobilised almost entirely!</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher Late to the Party (Mood Music) Auriel left the powder room with a frustrated sigh. The blood had taken so long to come off, and it hadn't even entirely come out! Thankfully, the blood stain would be noticeable on her white dress if somebody was really looking for it. And with all of the motion causing her dress to sway, it'd at least be hard to pick out. Auriel had one other advantage to keeping the bloodstain hidden, and that was because she was so late. The party had gone on long before she would arrive. People would likely have had more than one drink, and surely the frivolities of the upper class will have dulled the senses of all of the party-goers too much to notice a small thing like the blood spatter of a broken nose. Auriel stood in front of the great doors leading to the throne room. She reached for one of the door handles and looked around over her shoulder again, double checking to make sure she wasn't about to get another rude interruption. Seeing that she was clear, Auriel took the handle in her hand, and pulled the door open. She stepped through the doors to see the center of the room was host to a large swirl of dancing couples. Dancing was never her thing, not because she didn't like it, but because her wings were rather clumsy and required too much room to allow others enjoy a shared floor. That often meant that when Auriel was on the floor, she and her dance partner were the only ones of the floor, and such things usually led to Auriel being very self conscious and nervous. She would avoid the dancing. Auriel was very quickly intercepted by a well dress man, a butler and one of the hosts of the party. He bowed and held out a large platter with glasses of wine neatly placed on it. Auriel smiled and took a glass of wine before the man stood straight, turned his full body to face the ballroom, and cleared his throat. Auriel was in the middle of sip when she realized what he was about to do. She quickly swallowed her sip of wine, "Mm- No-" "Introducing Lady Auriel! Holy Warrior of the Church of the Four! The Guardian Angel and Companion of both the Sword and the Shield heroes!" he said, his nasally voice was clear and loud enough to echo across the hall. Auriel had her face planted firmly in her palm when all eyes turned on her. She never got used to being announced. Even after all of these years, it always made her feel like she had to give some speech or perform some sort of trick to keep up with the magnificence of being announced. Auriel took a breath and lowered her hand from her face before smiling to the party-goers. "Erm... Greetings, my lords and ladies. Apologies for my tardiness. Heh... Eh..." Gods this was awkward! "Please! Don't stop the fun on my account! I am glad I can finally partake!" There were some chuckles here and there and it seemed the energy was returning back to normal. Auriel let out a long sigh of relief and sipped her wine. She glanced sidelong as the butler who had announced her, "Thank you, sir. Er... Perhaps next time we can make my arrival a little less... Significant?" The butler laughed and nodded, "Of course, milady. Please, enjoy the gala- but first, could I interest you in another glass? T'would seem in your attempt to catch up with the rest of the guests, your glass in nearly empty already." Auriel blinked and looked back at wine glass. Did she really drink that much already? Oh heavens... Auriel's mind snapped back to when she had gone to the tavern with Cole and Fer before they left to help the farmer with their bandit problem. She was such a lightweight, and she could already feel the wine. Auriel cleared her throat awkwardly and blushed, a sign of embarrassment that was always easy to spot on her fair cheeks. "N- no, thank you. One glass is more than enough for me to catch up, it seems." "Very well, milady. I believe I have accosted you enough for tonight. I will leave you be. If you change your mind for another drink later on though, you'll find I answer to summons quite quickly." he said jovially. Auriel nodded slowly at that, "Ah, yes. Well that makes one of us." How late had Auriel been? Two hours? Three? With her mother's remorseless training, Calder's romantic pursuits, the gate guard's unshakable sense of duty, and Bander's childish rivalry and ensuing staining of her favorite dress with his blood, Auriel's luck couldn't have been much worse for finding interruptions. Not that all of it had been bad. Auriel straightened her white dress a bit and scanned the crowd with her golden hues. It didn't take long to spot Fer standing on his own. She followed his gaze and found Cole among the crowd of dancers with... A demi-human? Who was that? She had never seen her in the palace before, and she had spent a lot of time in the palace growing up. Was he some demi-human nobleman's daughter from Shieldfreeden? Not likely with Zeltoble's general air of distaste for demi-humans. A slave then? More likely, but why would someone's slave be dancing with the country's nobility? She was a guest then. Not a slave. But also not a noble from Shieldfreeden... She had to be a guest's 'plus one' then, or perhaps part of an entourage. Or perhaps... No? Yes? Did they have a new member in their party that Auriel wasn't around to greet?! Auriel made her way into the crowd, smiling, greeting, and being trapped in small bouts of gossip. As she maneuvered through the social minefield, she finally made her way to Fer's side. With the host announcing her arrival, she didn't need to tell Fer that she was finally at the party. She cleared her throat and let out another long breath, "You look charming." she said to Fer, noting the attire that the king's staff had no doubt put him in. He actually looked like he belonged to this world, even though Auriel knew he was entirely foreign. "Truly a member of Zeltoble's highest aristocracy." Auriel brought her spear behind her and nestled it horizontally against the small of her back. She held it with both hands and did a curtsy in her white dress. It was difficult to tell if she was being ironic or genuine with the noble mannerisms, especially to a man who was very much against high born tyrants from his own world. When she straightened out, Auriel rested the butt end of the spear on the marble flooring and held it straight up. She brushed some of her golden bangs from her face and pouted a bit, "I'm sorry I'm so late. What was supposed to be one thing turned into several... several things, all in quick succession of one another. Did I miss anything important? Notably an introduction to her?" she cast a sidelong glance at the demi-human girl with a slight nudge of her head in Rivia's and Cole's direction.</s>	<\|message\|>Cole Smith Cole snickered as he looked over to Rivia, and nodded his head. "By all means take your time, and enjoy yourself after all this whole party is being thrown in the honor of us. Being a new member to the party is good to foster good relations within the party. Even if Fer seems to be more popular with the ladies than I am." Cole said with a good hearted smile as he looked over to Auriel and had to blink a few times before he noticed the wings. "So you don't just wear battle armor all day, and work at the church? And here I thought you'd have given up, and decided we were better off getting drunk by ourselves." Cole says to Auriel as he looks over her taking in the change of clothes. He had only really seen her in her battle gear, and casual outfit, and the look change at least made it clear she wasn't all business. "I'm not sure if Rivia would rather introduce herself but...she's the newest addition to our little party. The king seemed to have found another young adventurer not take up by Matsunaga, or The Spear Hero. It looks like we'll be travelling together soon...then again I remember that dude from the bounty office, and how he vanished and got lost in the woods so...who knows." Cole said shrugging as he tried to remember what exactly happened to that person. He just kind of...wandered off? Who knew? More important now would be a better time to focus on the matters at hand. "It looks like Ferr, and Rivia will be having a brief dance. I hope that doesn't matter to the shield hero's one and only true party member." Cole says to her as he wonders if that would make Auriel think a little bit more of the scenario at hand in the matter. He wasn't exactly sure if Rivia even cared, or knew what was going on but he may as well air out things before something happened.</s>
<\|description\|>Cole Smith -Work in progress- Nicknames: The Sword Hero Age: 21 Gender: Male Level: 1 Class: Legendary Sword Hero Hero Class: Sword Specializations: N/A Magic Affinity: Wind, and Lightning Appearance: (brownish eyes replaced with blue) Biography: Born in rural Maine young Cole was born to a group of successful fisherman, and belongs to a long line of such people dating all the way back to the inception of America. Cole's parents were often too busy to raise him so Cole was actually sent to Connecticut to live with his uncle Phil who was taking care of the grand parents. Phil was more of a laid back sort of of parental figure, and much more geeky than Cole's actual parents. Phil was a teacher in Hartford, and used his money to help bring Cole up to be a rather nice, if not quiet young man. Cole tried his best at sports as a young man often taken to local games by his grandfather on the weekends when he was feeling well enough. However they weren't especially his forte, and he ended up simply stopping sports all together in order to hang out with his Uncle, and his friends around a DnD table. Eventually Cole moved back to Maine where he finished school, and helped his parents out for a time. He helped with a lot of his parents' warehouse work while they managed the financial, and business aspects. However one aspect seemed to remain a near constant in his life after his teenage years. He was constantly teased, and picked on by a jock by the name of Chad Buckley the head of a football team when he was still in Hartford. Growing up Chad seemed to never actually give Cole a break, and though he never got too physical it was unrelenting. Thankfully Chad was dumber than a sack of bricks when he was younger, and Cole managed to prank him in return multiple times in retaliation. Chad would reappear in Cole's life later as he moved to California for an college course in business to further consolidate his life. However by pure coincidence Chad's scholarship also landed him in the same school, and Chad, while mellowed out somewhat, still was a bit of a prick. Cole's hope of life changed as he grabbed a strange book, and was quickly transported to a new world... --- Preferred Weapon(s): Legendary Hero Sword Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Legendary… --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Abilities of Skill: Downsides of Skill: ---- Inventory:</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Shieldy seems like one moopy guy. Should I go punch him in his shield until he cheers up? Or is he the type to need to go brood?" grumbles Edusa as she folds her arms looking at Cole. Cole's face was one of confusion had they not just gained a new ally despite all of this mess? As he watched Fer leave he wondered if his own silence had caused this he had not been the best leader but he had been doing his best to be a good neutral party in all things so far. Perhaps he should be more confident, or at least fake it. Because he didn't feel confident he was a nerd less than a week ago. People walked by him and expected him to be at a grocery counter, or fishing up in Maine. Here? He didn't quite know what he was besides an apparent legendary hero. "Its up to him to figure out what he wants. I'm not sure what's going on anymore. But if Fer needs time then so be it. I'll let him have his time." Cole stated as he turned to Rivia, and bow his head. "I'm sorry that you've been thrown into this mess. It must be so confusing but...in reality I'm not much different Rivia. I'm not going to tell you to go after Fer, or stay here with me. Because that's something up to you to decide. Or you could go to a tavern, or meet the bow hero, or a number of things. I just want you to choose what you're most comfortable doing." comments Cole as Edusa groans audibly. She walks over to Rivia and smiles at her, "Rivia was it? Name's Edusa Melromarc nice to meet you, your cheek's cut want Shay's help?" comments Edusa as she looks over to the small green haired girl who had helped Cole who keeps her distance as to not impose. "Wait shieldy? You really just called the legendary shield hero, Shieldy?" comments Cole with a smirk on his mouth as the royal shrugs, "Man I was never the religious type. And living people ain't gods to me they're just people. The old shield hero? Maybe? Who knows. If shieldy wants me respect he'll get it when he wants it." Edusa says back at Cole waving a hand as to brush away the comment. "Hmmm now that I take a look at your fur...you're really cute you know." Edusa says meaning it more as a compliment then a flirt.</s> <\|message\|>Rivia Silvermane Rivia Silvermane Brushing off the Princess's concerns, seeming to have no clue who she was and she was far too occupied with going after Ferr, it didn't take long for the wolf demi human to catch up to him in the halls of the castle. Not that the bleeding from her cut had stopped, but it didn't seem to be a concern for Rivia. Was she even aware of it? Well, that remained to be seen. When Ferr turned around, he would find Rivia looking at him with that same tilted head and possibly even more confused face that she had shown during their earlier conversation. Seeing as he was continuing walking, Rivia moved to walk beside him and listened as their steps seemed to echo throughout the empty hallway. In a way, this was partly distracting for Rivia. She didn't like how she could hear their own footsteps, but listening to Ferr was a main priority right now. "But why are the heroes fighting?" She nodded her head as he spoke, seeming to follow along for the most part though she still seemed confused by the bow hero's antics it seemed. "Rivia understands training and growing stronger. But Rivia also knows a King is the alpha, the chief. So if the King says to do something, don't the heroes have to listen?" She seemed almost in pain as she tried thinking over this in her head. Yeah, nope she couldn't understand this bow 'hero' at all. She really didn't like her, or that fellow with made her ears hurt with that music and magic. Though at the mention of sparring, her mood immediately lifted. If the way she perked up her head wasn't enough of a clue, then the way her tail began wagging like a dog about to go on a walk did. He had barely even finished answering the question and she was already immediately nodding her head frantically in agreement. "Mhmm! Rivia would love to spar!" She didn't even seem to mind if the bow hero or her lackeys decided to join. Not that the thought came to her mind, but if they did then that was even better. More foes, the better. And she could pay back that annoying bard as well, it would all be wins in her book. So she happily followed him to wherever he wanted to lead her. That might be a slight concern seeing how easily it was to lead her along, but maybe it was just the faith and trust she placed in a hero.</s>	<\|message\|>Cole Smith "Well I guess the tales of the kin having no manners is true." grumbles Edusa as she turns to her new boss and cracks her knuckles. "What's up first boss? I'll just need to-" Edusa said as Cole shook his head. "Go and get yourself ready I'm going to go and talk with Rin, the Bow Hero, and then we'll consider what we're doing tomorrow. I want to see what the citizens need me to do. If those two are off to train I want to make sure that the people know despite this little outburst I'm still a hero they can look up to." Cole says as he unbuttons his shirt breathing in deeply. "Right gotcha boss don't worry I'll find where you are tomorrow I got a knack for knowing where people are around this city." Edusa says giving her farewells as Cole prepares to meet with Rin and her crew, alone as it seems, as Shay's playful tone sounded off next to him he figured maybe he wouldn't be alone. Cole strolled off confidently and he had a guard show him the way to the Heroes' Tower. ==== Some Days Later - A week has passed since initial summoning by Hans, and King Vincent. Cole had spent the majority of his time the past week, instead of training, mingling, and assisting the various peoples around Melromarc, the city itself has been on edge and Cole presence along with a member of the Cadet Branch of the Kingdom of Melromarc, as well as a friend in her Shay'Min has done wonders for morale. The church, the kingdom, and the Legendary Sword Hero working in tandem with the guards to deal with criminals, and inspire the troops to work hard to keep order so that the people won't be afraid when the waves inevitably hit. The apocalypse was preventable, and it was the duty of every citizen to not bring panic, but a sense of stability to their every day activities. To not harm their neighbors, and to overall be the best human being they could be. Working was not all helping in soup kitchens, or visiting hospitals, or talking in the town square. He had also done his best to stop criminals, and had spent a few of the the nights training with Marcino alongside Rin improving his ability but not quite as much as he'd like. He had been working too hard to keep everyone in a good spirit which left him little time to improve his own techniques. As of the moment Cole stood in the middle of the Square his 'new' teammate Edusa dressed in a steel chest plate, spiked knuckle gloves covering her hands, and a headband protecting her forehead. The Spear Hero had returned recently. His exploits had apparently been in tracking down a group of rogue mages trying to cause a shift in control of Melromarc. The mages he had found were weak according to the report given to him by a member of King Vincent's own. They were grunts but had leaked out the important fact that something was happening. And it would happen soon. It was odd to try and attack a city when all the guards were on high alert but...he supposed terrorists would be terrorists. Rin had positioned herself in the southern half of the town along the battlements for the day. The Spear would be meeting up with him and those with Cole soon enough. "Hey boss you know I get we got here a bit early but...couldn't we have stopped to eat lunch on the way here?" Edusa grumbled as she scratches her head. Cole shrugged, "I can't help it if the Spear take his time but if you wanna go get us something to eat I wouldn't mind Edusa." Cole states as the tomboyish girl grumbles in boredom. "Shay's helping at the hospital today so I guess all I got to hope for now is that the spear is fun I guess. Can't wait for next training though. I had fun trying to hit Marcino. Wasn't expecting that old fuck to be so quick." comments Edusa as Cole nods impressed with how she had handled herself the very close range combatant was brutal. Her strikes hit hard, and she didn't compromise footwork with her strikes. By all accounts Cole felt glad to have her by his side. It meant enemies would need to worry about two close range threats with Auriel at middle range...though he had seen little of her the past few days. "UGH! I just hope the almighty spear gets here soon." Edusa says probably in all likelihood faux admiration.</s>
<\|description\|>Cole Smith -Work in progress- Nicknames: The Sword Hero Age: 21 Gender: Male Level: 1 Class: Legendary Sword Hero Hero Class: Sword Specializations: N/A Magic Affinity: Wind, and Lightning Appearance: (brownish eyes replaced with blue) Biography: Born in rural Maine young Cole was born to a group of successful fisherman, and belongs to a long line of such people dating all the way back to the inception of America. Cole's parents were often too busy to raise him so Cole was actually sent to Connecticut to live with his uncle Phil who was taking care of the grand parents. Phil was more of a laid back sort of of parental figure, and much more geeky than Cole's actual parents. Phil was a teacher in Hartford, and used his money to help bring Cole up to be a rather nice, if not quiet young man. Cole tried his best at sports as a young man often taken to local games by his grandfather on the weekends when he was feeling well enough. However they weren't especially his forte, and he ended up simply stopping sports all together in order to hang out with his Uncle, and his friends around a DnD table. Eventually Cole moved back to Maine where he finished school, and helped his parents out for a time. He helped with a lot of his parents' warehouse work while they managed the financial, and business aspects. However one aspect seemed to remain a near constant in his life after his teenage years. He was constantly teased, and picked on by a jock by the name of Chad Buckley the head of a football team when he was still in Hartford. Growing up Chad seemed to never actually give Cole a break, and though he never got too physical it was unrelenting. Thankfully Chad was dumber than a sack of bricks when he was younger, and Cole managed to prank him in return multiple times in retaliation. Chad would reappear in Cole's life later as he moved to California for an college course in business to further consolidate his life. However by pure coincidence Chad's scholarship also landed him in the same school, and Chad, while mellowed out somewhat, still was a bit of a prick. Cole's hope of life changed as he grabbed a strange book, and was quickly transported to a new world... --- Preferred Weapon(s): Legendary Hero Sword Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Legendary… --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Abilities of Skill: Downsides of Skill: ---- Inventory:</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez TIME SKIP --- Fer had spent his week in training body and mind. With the pending onslaught of the Waves that would descend upon them, there was little time to worry about the political repercussions of his actions and words. There might not be a Melromarc kingdom to hold him in contempt if he did not become strong enough to be of use. Thanks to his magically enhanced endurance, he was able to train hard and stay up long hours. Though every now and then while reading a book of spells or magic application, he did doze off. His once decent armor and clothes showed sign of wear. The same wear that was seen in Fer's eyes. He was driven by a lone thought, survival. Every now and then he would meet Cole either on the castle passageways or out in town as his companion and his new entourage made their rounds. He would greet his friend and even speak to him a little. The Shield Hero held nothing against his blonde friend and instead was glad to see the good he was doing. To Fer's eyes, the Sword Hero brought peace and hope to them. Even these encounters were brief. The eyes of the onlookers always turned a darker shade when the Shield Hero was around. So Fer would move on, trying not to be a shadow that hid Cole's light. Speaking of light, he had not seen much of Auriel. She was probably doing some secret training in the Monastery. After all, as the emissary and representative of the Church, it would not do to have her lacking during the waves. Rivia was a welcome addition but he still missed their winged warrior. Perhaps he had relied too much on Auriel to bring him inner peace. Unlike the masses that looked to Cole for such a feeling, Fer felt he could not put that burden on anybody so he carried it himself. The wolf girl was a huge help in training. Her skill kept him on his toes. Unlike the first time they sparred, each consecutive one after that seemed to grow harder to land a blow. Close quarter combat was her specialty. More often than not, she killed him a dozen times with claw, or dagger. It was scary how she went from killing machine to cute puppy girl. Reading had been enlightening but it left him with a problem of trying to find somebody to teach him a practical application. Thankfully, one day when he was mumbling a simple spell, an old demi human lady, she seemed to be a racoon of sorts, had approached him. After a bit of elderly contempt, she had agreed to help him get a grasp on magic. Fer would provide her with small "gifts" like fruit or sweets of what have you. Grumpy as the racoon lady who just asked him to call her Nan, though the shield hero knew that was not her name, she was a good teacher. She seemed to have a good grasp on the mechanics of magic. Lesson after lesson, the young hero felt mentally and physically exhausted. Every now and then he would see the Bow Hero from a distance. Their eyes meeting more than once. His cold towards her and hers insulting. There would be no love lost between the two. Rin was powerful and at the very least, Fer had to acknowledge that. So, though it took him all the moral strength he could muster, Fer would incline his head ever so slightly and move on. The Bow hero was bound to fight the waves, the least he could do was not wish her ill. Fer had been walking on his way to another study session in the library when he learned that the Spear Hero had returned. Perhaps the Waves were like magnets, bring all parties involved like a nexus. Tales of his deeds were easy to collect as the populace needed something to distract themselves before the inevitable fight that was approaching. "At least he has not been hiding under a rock. I wonder if he will get the same earful that Rin gave us?" the young hero wondered sarcastically. A messenger from the castle found him at the library with a summons to gather. Fer nodded to the man. His annoyance was palpable but he knew it was not the messenger's fault. "Here we go again. Last time I was summoned to a gathering it did not end well. Let alone a gathering of Heroes." He pushed himself up and made his way back to the castle. Only time would tell what he was to encounter there.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith Cole stood in the center mulling over his thoughts more as he considered what to do next. As he sat on the fountain in the center of the town square, he looked around, and his face curled up in disappointment hoping to see Fer here it appeared he wouldn't show like Rin. Edusa sat next to him kicking her legs back and forth whistling casually...a very unique sight seeing a royal family member sitting next to the Sword Hero in the middle of town, without much need for them to be there. The passerby people mumbled words of admiration that did not reach his ears. Probably also rumors of the two dating. Who knew? Commoners would be commoners. Even a week into this he knew that the people loved a celebrity and for lack of anything else happening that was immediately pressing them; Cole supposed this idle motion of the two would be on the people's minds. Some more time passed as Edusa stood up and grumbled loudly before turning to Cole, "Hey! Boss Man! The shield some no show loser? I thought the rumors about him weren't true." Edusa growled in annoyance as she pounds her fist into her other one after taking off her gauntlets. "And here I thought he was this decent guy turns out he's going to waste our time." Edusa grumbled as Cole wanted to admonish her but felt it would be both disruptive to him, and his reputation if he openly had an argument with regarding an unpopular hero in his favor especially when he was late. "We have our own reasons for being here anyway. I'll let you punch him as hard as you want later if it makes you feel better." Cole commented plainly as he stood up as he looked over he saw a man approaching. He had light cyan colored hair, it was slightly spiky, and blew in the wind. A spear he recognized as the legendary spear hero's hung from his back. His armor plating covered most of his body was steely silver, and gold. Probably a gift from the king. His face was covered by a white mask that hide his face, and only let through his steely grey eyes. As he approached he pulled out his spear, and twirled it around him before holding it out in front of Cole who stood there watching him a bit confused. "I see only one hero here has seen fit to answer me. Mighty Sword Hero I thank you for considering my worthy of your time. The Shield must be scared of his duty, and the Bow is an arrogant bitch. I am the Spear Hero. The Man of Prophecy, and Lev Egorov is my name! Let us save this city together." he says with excessive confidence from his voice. His followers were not there with him but he heard that the Spear did have a few. Edusa leaned into whisper into Cole's Ear. "Lord Spear is faking I can tell...this is a show." Edusa says in his ear as if to inform him that whatever his initial opinion of the spear hero may be, the way he acted may be a show. "I am the Bandit Hunter, The Sword Hero of Legend, Cole Smith at your service!" he states as he pulled out legendary golden sword from its sheath at his side, and taps it against the Spear Hero's spear. The Spear Hero pulls back and throws his arms into the air his cape flowing behind him. "Then it is time! You and I shall join forces, and the waves shall be no more! Together then!" He states confidently as Cole nods and lifts his sword into the air. Hoping to play along with the Spear's little game here. At least he imagined it was a game. Cole wondered for a brief moment...was this guy actually playing around here for the crowd? Or was Edusa mistaken and this was how he was?</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez The gathering crowds were getting thicker as Fer neared the center of town. At first he thought nothing of it. After all, the capital city was a big and with the nearing of the Wave, the citizens were sure to seek refuge inside it's walls. However, the current multitude did not seem to be your run of the mill market going fest. Something was drawing them to the center of the Square. Sudden realization made Fer utter an "AH…". It was not something but SOMEONE. Or maybe even a couple of someones. After all, from what the messenger had said, this was a gathering of Heroes. Fer had assumed it to mean he and Cole but perhaps that bitch of a Bow and maybe even the Spear would be present. Already, the Shield hero was growing tired of this gathering. The young hero managed to push past the outer rings of the crowd who were trying to get a good glimpse at the celebrity status heroes. The closer he got the tighter packed the crowd. Soon enough he had to force himself through uttering his apologies. Once, a big man looked at him and it seemed as if he was going to cause trouble but then man seemed to recognize Fer and stepped aside grudgingly. Soon enough he heard a few mutters of disgust and contempt as people began to realize who it was that was pushing through them. He could see the top of the fountain now, the water creating tiny rainbows. Cole's head also came into view and the Shield Hero knew he was almost there. A sudden excited murmur went through the crow moments before he heard a voice as loud as a herald. "I see only one hero here has seen fit to answer me. Mighty Sword Hero I thank you for considering my worthy of your time. The Shield must be scared of his duty, and the Bow is an arrogant bitch. I am the Spear Hero. The Man of Prophecy, and Lev Egorov is my name! Let us save this city together." Fer did not know whether he should feel amused, annoyed or angry. He had known the Spear very briefly before the other man declared he would pursue his own fortune. The young Hispanic would hav hoped that this hero was not as infuriating as the Bow. He hoped that despite the flamboyant and over the top introduction, the Spear might still be better to deal with than Rin. The Shield pushed his way past a few more spectators and stepped into the ring that was left around the other two Heroes. Following in their footsteps and in a way making fun Fer raised his own voice. "And here I am, the completely useless, villainous and waste of a summon, Fernando Gutierrez, the Shield Hero." He bowed. Compared to Cole and Lev, his own way of dressing was much subdued. The green cloak that had been so shiny and new when he bought it a week ago, was startint to frey on the edges and sported some holes. His armor cuirass, greaves and vembrances were dinted and not polished. His face sported a few days of stubble and his hair looked like in need of a hair cut. "So other than a gathering to announce our titles, what exactly are we doing here?" Fer asked, a bit serious now.</s>	<\|message\|>Cole Smith "Don't fret my surely shielded friend! You'll be the protection that shrouds this city in your warm protective veil! Haha!" Lev states as he claps his hands together walking over to Fer he claps him on his back, and brings him over to the group. "They see you as a useless weapon? Then you must prove them wrong friend! Glory, valor, strength, and ability are all earned through hard work, and training. No matter how useless your weapon is to these people that surround us I see you as valued in your own!" comments the Spear as he looked to Cole who nods in affirmation of the Spear Hero's words. Cole figured that all of this had to be for some reason. Surely? He wasn't this care free could he? Lev didn't seem the type to be too carefree as he was still wearing armor. However as Cole prepared to speak the masked Spear Hero leaned forward, "The walls have ears, and they hold evils far worse than your bandit girl." he mumbled with a deadly serious tone into Fer's ear as he pushed him to the side and strolled forward his hands up raised to the sky. Cole speak up next while Edusa stayed quiet. "I'd like to know why we're here too. Surely if this was big Rin would be here as well." Cole asks the Spear Hero who twirls his "Worry not! Today we shall purge, ripple, and destroy! But first...this is our first meeting is it not!? The waves cometh but we shall not meet them quite yet! For now we must become friends so that chaos shall tremble!" Lev declared as he pounded his chest very firmly loud enough for Cole, who was standing near him, to hear it clearly despite the mumbles.</s>
<\|description\|>Flin Meeru Nicknames: Flint, the Sun Lance, Spear Hero, Solar Knight Age: 23 Gender: Male Level: 1 Class: Legendary Spear Hero Hero Class: Spear Specializations: N/A Magic Affinity: Fire, and Light. Appearance: (Red jacket instead of green, red pants instead of green) Biography: Flin was born to a family of decent standing. His father was a hard-working man, always doing his best to provide for his family. He worked in construction, which got him a good bit of money. His mother, however, was rather fragile in mind and body, making it difficult to keep up with any kind of job. As a result, her husband was required to bear the load, to earn money for the family. He did so with pride, however. They weren't exactly poor, but they certainly didn't have much money left at the end of the month. It was enough to survive. They'd always been kind to Flin, despite everything. And Flin was more than happy to help around the house. Flin was quite the bratty individual at his high school in America, and was one of the coolest kids. Or at least, that's what he told himself. He wasn't always this way, though. When he was younger, he was more of a geek and hung out with the more anti-social, but nicer kids. But he was always picked upon by those who came from wealthy families, those who acted like they were better than him. His friends cared for him, but they never helped him when he needed it the most. The bullying lasted for several years. It was rough, but it taught Flin one important lesson. The only one who could truly help him, was himself. After that, Flin began to change. He would start lashing out at bullies more violently, and be by himself. He was still trying to be the best person he could be, only fighting back out of self-defence. In essence, he was a kind person, but rough around the edges. After one of many fights, he was told to write 40 pages of "Treat others with respect." He chose to do to in the school's library, where it was nice and quiet. After a while, he decided that it was time for a break, and began to search through bookcases for interesting books. Eventually, he grabbed a strange book, and then it happened... --- Preferred Weapon(s): Legendary Hero Spear Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Legendary… --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Abilities of Skill: Downsides of Skill: ---- Inventory: Some spare change</s> <\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin glanced at the people in the room, somewhat disoriented as he tried to make sense of what was going on. One moment, he was alone in the library. Then, he was met with a bright flashing light. Now he was here, surrounded by people that he'd never seen before in medieval suits. He certainly did not recognise anyone from school. "Uh...what?" He mumbled, as a man stepped forward and began to mention stuff about four Heroes and them being called here. Flin's face turned from disbelief into irritation. It seemed clear to him that this was some type of elaborate prank, one that was executed very well at that. "Listen...I don't know how you jokers pulled this off, but I have a lot of work to do. I don't have time for..." He spoke, but then glanced at his right hand. He was holding a spear, it's tip razor-sharp and it's colour as red as flame. When did he even end up grabbing it? The discovery only added to Flin's confusion. He tried to release it, but his hand refused to do so. He glanced over towards the other sharp object in his immediate vicinity, the golden sword that the Sword Hero was holding. He backed up a bit. Despite still believing that it was some kind of joke, that sword and his spear sure seemed to be made out of real steel. Regardless of what was going on, he certainly didn't want to get stabbed. He didn't believe what Hans Copper had told them for even a second, despite listening to every word.</s> <\|message\|>Cleomine In the great hall, one of the adventurers is a bard who would normally be performing at the tavern right about now. With her long, brown haired wig on and styled to cover her ears effectively, she waited with the other adventurers for the shield heroes. She did feel somewhat anxious being in the castle, but this was a chance for her to offer her aid to the Shield Hero, despite the risk that she could be discovered as a demi-human. Cleomine mostly kept to herself, but if someone approached her to talk, then she would engage in friendly conversation with them. She wouldn't be surprised if a couple of adventurers here recognized her as the bard in the tavern. She eagerly awaited the heroes, while keeping a discerning eye out on the people around her for any sign of trouble.</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher Excitement and Worry (Mood Music) Auriel stood on one of the many balconies overlooking Melromarc from the throne room. She looked out to the summoning temple where the ritual to bring the Cardinal Heroes to this world was taking place. She was disappointed that she was denied access to the ritual. Her whole life had led to this moment, to stand beside the heroes. It would come to pass, but for Auriel, having to wait the extra hour or two felt like an eternity. Her golden eyes practically burned a hole into the stonework of the distant temple. They were there now, she could feel it. It was a sensation that ran up her spine and gave her chills. It was as if the world in its entirety responded to the summoning of the heroes. Winds blew from the temple's direction, catching the feathers of her wings as they remained tucked to her back. Her blonde hair whipped back from a particularly powerful gust. Auriel heard the chirps and calls of a flock of birds as they fought against the wind to reach the temple. She looked over to them and watched with envy as they flew so freely in the air. The sun gleamed off of their white feathers, allowing for the birds to stick out from the blue and gray backdrop of the partially cloudy sky. Auriel took a deep breath of the summer air and let it out slowly. Her wings stretched out a bit, catching more wind. The feeling of the air moving through her feathers felt nice, but it wasn't enough for Auriel. Things hadn't been the same for her since she fell on the battlefield. A sharp stab of pain from her right wing made her wince and tuck her wings back in. She gripped the hand rail of the balcony with white knuckles as the pain ran its course. Her mind shot back to the moment it all happened, when weighted chains were tossed over her and took her to the ground. When her struggles twisted the chains through her feathers and snapped fragile bones. She felt fear that day. It was the first time she had ever came so close to losing everything. For all her divine gifts and healing magic, her wings were the one thing that wouldn't heal. It had been months since that day, but she was still no closer to taking the skies back as her domain. Auriel snapped out of her reverie when she heard the great bells of the temple, cathedral, and palace ring in unison. The summoning was complete. She felt that familiar chill run up her spine again. The excitement of meeting her promised companions quickly washed over the anxiety of her injuries. But it didn't take long for a new anxiety to settle in. What if the heroes were nothing like she expected? What if they had no need for a warrior who trained her whole life to aid them? What if they wouldn't accept her because she wasn't completely healed yet? Auriel's mind started zipping through dozens of different 'what if?' scenarios, and it made her bite her lip as she tried sorting out the plausible from the implausible. Another gust of wind caught in her wings, and she refocused. No. That wouldn't happen. The Cardinal Heroes might be the ones destined to save their world, but without people like Auriel and the other adventurers gathered in the throne room, the heroes would be lost and confused in this strange place. Her rationale steeled her for the moment she'd meet her heroes, at least until she realized she hadn't even thought about what to say when they were finally face to face. Auriel blushed. "Oh heavens, Auriel you fool..." she said quietly to herself as she planted her face firmly in her palm. She took another deep breath and started rehearsing to herself, "Greetings, heroes! ... No that's too excited... Welcome, my lords- are they my lords? What if one of them is a lady? My lords and lady? Ohhh I should've thought about this sooner! Uuugh!" Auriel let out an exasperated sigh as she gripped some of her golden locks. "Ohhh what do I say?!" she said a bit louder, forgetting that there might be others able to hear her in the throne room.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Varo The book was gone. A cold breeze whistled through the chamber and rustled Marco's bathrobe, sending vibrant chills throughout his body. Being thrust from the warm comfort of his home threw his senses for a spin. It was like being forcefully tossed downstream, only to end up stranded upon an unfamiliar shore. Marcus reached for his head, but scraped the edge of his cheek with something hard and pointed. "What." His voice was gentle and came out as a whisper. The morning light glinted off some mysterious instrument that clung to his arm like some kind of bracer. It was too fast. Lightheaded and nauseous, Marcus stumbled backwards as the people around him started to speak. His left leg gave way, leaving him on one knee behind the line of summoned heroes, looking far less heroic than the priest made them out to be. From his crouched position, the mysterious atmosphere floated above him like eerie fog. Marcus struggled to catch his bearings, but couldn't rise to his feet. To his left, a silver haired boy immediately took to the offer that Marcus could barely comprehend. The blonde boy on his right didn't seem as ready to accept Hans' preposterous announcement, but didn't look staggered by the transport at all. This was a little too much to take it all at once. Too much for thirty-something politician who just wanted to read a book.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "I'm sorry to say this is no joke Mister Spear Hero. This is very much the real thing and if you doubt it please try poking yourself in a non-vital area with your spear. I am very sure it is quite the real thing. I personally am capable of healing magic but don't go overboard." Hans explained quickly as he turned to the Bow Hero and his face became a bit more serious as she stood there glaring darts at the young priest. "Is something Miss?" "What a load of fucking horse shit. Fucking nerds think you can just rip people from their worlds?! What a load of bullshit! I wouldn't believe it if not for the fact that this dumb bow here won't leave my hands. Whatever I don't know how to use this stupid thing but I don't got many options in the matter but don't expect me to just help you because I'm some destined 'hero'. I expect to be rewarded for my work! You got me? Rin Matsunaga DOESN'T do charity work!" growled the bow hero as she slammed the her foot very loudly on the floor. She was clearly stronger than she looked. Hans stepped back slightly and smiled apologetically, "I am in no place to barter. I am not a member of the royal house. The King will see too you if you would follow the guards to your destination." Hans stated as he gestured with his left arm to the door. Cole sighed, and looked over to the spear hero, he wondered just exactly what life would be like from now on...if what they said was true they had no choice but to fight this war for these people. "Guys if what he is saying is true we have no reason to badger him much more. It would be for the best that we just simply meet with the 'King' of the land. We may as well be blowing smoke if we keep going forward. I'm in the same boat as you guys but whatever this place is, its not fake. I've never seen this guy in my life. That means this isn't some weird shared dream, nor am I having one." Cole recommended as he chose to lead the way taking the first steps out towards the door to the hall. The soldiers nodded and moved to escort the Sword Hero. The bow Hero spit on the floor and glared at the two still near her, "Come on you dumb virgins you better not waste my time by arguing. Don't know you pricks but I don't see any options other than meeting this king so come on." Rin Matsunaga growled as she moved forward quickly in a very brisk walk. ---- Bow Hero:</s>	<\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin rose an eyebrow as Hans insisted that this was real. Initially, he expected the man to burst into laughter, and tell everyone to stop whatever prank they were doing. But the man seemed sincere and calm. None of this made any sense. He looked at the somewhat older looking guy with the shield who was kneeling on the ground. Did he stumble on the ground after the teleport? "Hey, uh, shouldn't anyone help this guy?" He spoke, recognising the same kind of orb inside the shield like he and the other two heroes had. "He's a Hero too, isn't he?" Despite his statement, he wasn't about to help him up himself. He felt bad for the Shield Hero, but not enough for Flin to put in any effort. He turned towards the commotion that the bow hero was making, listening to all the insults that she was tossing at everyone. His head tilted slightly to the side, somewhat surprised by the sudden outburst. He certainly didn't look happy. "Wow, talk about anger issues. Take a chill pill, yea?" He spat at the Bow Hero, not very pleased by all of her trash talking. As the Sword and Bow heroes made the agreement to go see the king, Flin simply shrugged. Honestly, he didn't know what to do at this point anyway. He figured that he might as well play along, and meeting the king was a good first goal. "Fine, whatever." He eventually spoke, and followed after the Sword and Bow heroes.</s>
<\|description\|>Flin Meeru Nicknames: Flint, the Sun Lance, Spear Hero, Solar Knight Age: 23 Gender: Male Level: 1 Class: Legendary Spear Hero Hero Class: Spear Specializations: N/A Magic Affinity: Fire, and Light. Appearance: (Red jacket instead of green, red pants instead of green) Biography: Flin was born to a family of decent standing. His father was a hard-working man, always doing his best to provide for his family. He worked in construction, which got him a good bit of money. His mother, however, was rather fragile in mind and body, making it difficult to keep up with any kind of job. As a result, her husband was required to bear the load, to earn money for the family. He did so with pride, however. They weren't exactly poor, but they certainly didn't have much money left at the end of the month. It was enough to survive. They'd always been kind to Flin, despite everything. And Flin was more than happy to help around the house. Flin was quite the bratty individual at his high school in America, and was one of the coolest kids. Or at least, that's what he told himself. He wasn't always this way, though. When he was younger, he was more of a geek and hung out with the more anti-social, but nicer kids. But he was always picked upon by those who came from wealthy families, those who acted like they were better than him. His friends cared for him, but they never helped him when he needed it the most. The bullying lasted for several years. It was rough, but it taught Flin one important lesson. The only one who could truly help him, was himself. After that, Flin began to change. He would start lashing out at bullies more violently, and be by himself. He was still trying to be the best person he could be, only fighting back out of self-defence. In essence, he was a kind person, but rough around the edges. After one of many fights, he was told to write 40 pages of "Treat others with respect." He chose to do to in the school's library, where it was nice and quiet. After a while, he decided that it was time for a break, and began to search through bookcases for interesting books. Eventually, he grabbed a strange book, and then it happened... --- Preferred Weapon(s): Legendary Hero Spear Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Legendary… --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Abilities of Skill: Downsides of Skill: ---- Inventory: Some spare change</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher Rehearsals (Silly Mood Music) "Greetings!- too excited... Greetings?- do I even know what I'm doing here? Okay... Greetings.- AHH am I emotional dead inside?!" Auriel took a deep breath and tried to level herself out to try again. "Maybe I should say it with a smile. Okay here goes... Greetings... Ehe!" she groaned and shook her head. That was terrible. Auriel heard some clattering and footsteps behind her, which made her think that in her little world of rehearsing that the heroes were already there! Auriel quickly twirled on a heel to try and make up for lost time. She had a big smile on her face, an attempt at covering up her little show, "GREETINGS!" The excitement and surprise made her say it a little louder than what was acceptable in a throne room. Her face flushed to a much redder tone when she saw it wasn't the heroes a tall, but rather a man who looked like he had been rooting through the woods in search of fresh herbs or something. "Preparing yourself, I see?" the man said to her before continuing, "Put some more grand confidence into your tone." Auriel felt that she just put a bit too much grand confidence in her tone with that one. Ugh... this is terrible. She'd much rather death than to look like such a socially clumsy, bird brained holy warrior. "Ah- eh... Yeah..." she finally answers with a deflated tone, even her wings drooped in defeat when she answered. Auriel looked back at him, almost with desperation in her eyes. "I need help! I've waited my whole life for this moment, and I never once thought about first impressions!" The guardian angel was known to be impressively calm in the field of battle, but she clearly didn't benefit from that same quality in other environments.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith Once the knights saw the shield hero was struggling they grumbled, and helped him to his feet and down the hall if need be. As the new group of heroes were led through the castle it quickly became clear whatever their own world was like this was nothing like this one. The narrow corridors, and the large open areas that peaked up into a smog free sky with fresh air that reminded even Cole of the wilder parts of his home. It really did seem like technology here was far behind all things considered...in exchange they had magic...weird. However as the group came into the main section of the castle they were brought into a large opulent throne room facing two large chairs. One of them was empty but a young man with short cut, and well trimmed blonde hair sat on a large red, and gold throne. He had a crown on his head signifying his place as king more than likely. What was more than odd about this particular young king...was well his age. He looked younger than all of the heroes assembled in his mid teens about sixteen years old it would seem. "Greetings I assume you're the Four Cardinal Heroes? I am King Sanson Vincent Melromarc First of My Name. I am Lord of this country, and am one of the last surviving members of my blood line. Welcome I greet you in the name of this whole continent." King Sanson said as he spoke with a clear, and fearless tone as he looked over the group. Cole looked up towards the king from his spot in the main hall. Rin looked at him with disinterest, and boredom clearly not happy with what this was likely going to entail. More than likely she hated politicians, or their craft, or even both. "Would you mind Introducing yourselves to me brave heroes?" he asked with a smile as Cole introduced himself quickly placing his sword on the floor point to the ground, and hands on the pommel like he saw some of his uncle's old friends do in their DnD games. "Cole Smith, I'm from the Country of the United States of America. Age twenty one, and I am a college student studying business, or I was at least." Cole stated professionally as he awaited the next one up. Rin spoke with a brash pride, and a self important stance as she slammed her foot firmly on the ground once more, "Stand in awe of me! I am Captain of the Rough Riders of Kansai! Rin Matsunaga! I'm 20 years old, and the baddest bitch you'll ever know! No gang in my part of Japan even has the sack to even try and fight me! Consider your pissy little demons, or whatever the hell we're fighting dead on arrival!" Rin proclaimed loudly as the king gripped his chair a little tightly as Rin gave her proclamation of ability. Either it was fear, or he was internally cringing at the Bow Hero's self importance. As the other two heroes gave their introduction the King nodded and once again said it was a pleasure to see them. "Now then for why you are here. You see there is an ancient prophecy that was given to us long ago that an apocalyptic event would strike this continent of ours long ago. This prophecy speaks of a series of incursions by monsters from a different world, or land that would seek to destroy everything about this world. It will bring upon us unending fear, and destruction. We have come to call them 'The Waves' in the past similar events have happened that would require the need to summon heroes the same ones who would wield weapons like yours, or possibly even the ones that you're wielding right now. Every country in our world has something called a Dragon Hourglass. These creations of ours can predict the exact, or near exact time of the arrival of the waves. The first wave shall be upon us in two weeks. We have taken it upon ourselves to summon you four. We didn't want to risk summoning you too sooner, or later for it may be disastrous either way. The sands in these hourglasses will triple with each wave, and arguably the danger level of these waves as well. The first is likely to be the easiest but we don't know what to expect. Some said we could get by without summoning you four heroes. However both my wife, and I disagreed and so did Guild Leader of The Colosseum of Zeltoble, Argyle Sundermark, recommended we call you. And he was a man who was said to have been able to take on twenty men at once during his prime so I trust his word." exposited the King as he looked down upon the heroes from his throne. A man in well made finery stepped forward. "Of course you will not be expected to do this without pay. Melromarc itself intends to reward you handsomely between waves to keep you going, and to give you better lives. If this is an agreeable arrangement I would ask that you all check your statuses." The man said as he told them to take a look at the lower right corner of their vision which if they hadn't noticed before would be a button of a sort that would bring up a menu of their current health, and party options as well as gear, and other assorted things. "That is your status magic, and is exclusive to you all. You may thank your predecessors for allowing us the knowledge of this." the king told the group quickly. "The first order of business is to set out to upgrade those weapons of yours. The Spear Hero's predecessor left behind the knowledge that you may only use the weapons your given. I feel that should be helpful information." "Lastly if you will please line up in a horizontal line in front of the throne, and please space yourselves." The King said as he gestured to the guards at the door once the heroes did so. A man with silver armor, and a large black bow trapped to his back stepped in front of the heroes. He had graying brown hair, and an eye patch over his left eye. A bunch of wicked claw marks, and scars were shown on his well tanned, almost leathery, skin. His hair was gelled back, and tied into a pony tail. The armor was only a chest piece with a leather protector underneath it, and his legs were similarly garbed. His arms were left open showing off his well toned body, and muscular features. He looked at them with his eye and laughed. "Now listen here heroes, I am Quentin Marcino. Also known as The Tiger's Claw. I am a Sniper, an advanced class. I'll be your pseudo mentor. I'll help you learn what you need to but don't expect me to baby sit you. This is all for my old rival Argyle's sake he would prefer you don't die in the back alley the first day here. You don't want my help then do it yourself, in full honesty I don't care. I'll tell you everything you need to know, and somethings maybe you shouldn't. You need to know what to ask I ain't tellin' you without you first having some sorta clue unless its important. But don't worry you ain't in this alone." commented Quentin as the door opened, and a large group of adventurers walked in. They had been ushered in by the soldiers outside in the halls while the King had explained the heroes' their duties, and the worlds happenings. The guards called down the hall, and some less armored soldiers informed that the group in the hall should come in. "Brave Heroes these a volunteers from the land who wished to join you on your journey, they are free to join you as you please. Be it they choose your party by choice, or they're convinced into yours you may do as you please. Fear not if you do not receive any additional fellows you will instead receive additional payments from the kingdom to make up for it. And Quentin of course is here to help you. Volunteers you may choose your heroes now."" King Sanson stated as he held his hand up into the air. shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Zeltoble</s>	<\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin took in his surroundings carefully as he moved. This was a whole new world for him to explore, and it all looked strange. This took away any final doubts within his mind, that people were messing with him. There was no way that this was some sort of setup. It was far too real, far too unique. Flin's first impression of the king wasn't much at all. It just looked like some child who'd crawled on the throne for some reason. Part of him wanted to try to shoo him away, but that's when the boy spoke with pride and power in his tone. It made Shane keep his manners, at least to a degree. He slowly took in all of the king's words, and only now noticed the button that he was informed of. He'd been too busy analysing everything else. He tapped the button, and saw his health bar and other stats. "What the hell..." He mumbled. "This is..." With that, he tapped the button again to make the stats vanish again. The stats before him seemed like something out of a game. And they would be getting money for killing monsters. The payment for risking their lives to protect this world. Then, a large muscular individual stepped up and started saying stuff about being their mentor. Flin never asked for this! And now some guy was going to be his mentor? He wasn't sure wether to agree to that, or not. Since people expected him to fight, perhaps having Quentin teach him some stuff wasn't the worst idea. Flin was no stranger when it came to fighting, but he wasn't exactly a master at spear-fighting. Or with any weapon at all, really. When the volunteers came in, he wasn't exactly sure what to say. He was still trying to come to terms with things, to piece everything together. And now there were even more strangers coming in, apparently here to join the heroes. Flin placed his spear on the ground beside him, it's tip facing the ceiling. He gave the visitors a calm, but serious look. He wasn't about to give some fancy speech to recruit people, but he wasn't about to back away either. His stance was as strong and resolute as he could muster, and he waited for someone to approach him. If anyone even bothered to do so, at least.</s>
<\|description\|>Flin Meeru Nicknames: Flint, the Sun Lance, Spear Hero, Solar Knight Age: 23 Gender: Male Level: 1 Class: Legendary Spear Hero Hero Class: Spear Specializations: N/A Magic Affinity: Fire, and Light. Appearance: (Red jacket instead of green, red pants instead of green) Biography: Flin was born to a family of decent standing. His father was a hard-working man, always doing his best to provide for his family. He worked in construction, which got him a good bit of money. His mother, however, was rather fragile in mind and body, making it difficult to keep up with any kind of job. As a result, her husband was required to bear the load, to earn money for the family. He did so with pride, however. They weren't exactly poor, but they certainly didn't have much money left at the end of the month. It was enough to survive. They'd always been kind to Flin, despite everything. And Flin was more than happy to help around the house. Flin was quite the bratty individual at his high school in America, and was one of the coolest kids. Or at least, that's what he told himself. He wasn't always this way, though. When he was younger, he was more of a geek and hung out with the more anti-social, but nicer kids. But he was always picked upon by those who came from wealthy families, those who acted like they were better than him. His friends cared for him, but they never helped him when he needed it the most. The bullying lasted for several years. It was rough, but it taught Flin one important lesson. The only one who could truly help him, was himself. After that, Flin began to change. He would start lashing out at bullies more violently, and be by himself. He was still trying to be the best person he could be, only fighting back out of self-defence. In essence, he was a kind person, but rough around the edges. After one of many fights, he was told to write 40 pages of "Treat others with respect." He chose to do to in the school's library, where it was nice and quiet. After a while, he decided that it was time for a break, and began to search through bookcases for interesting books. Eventually, he grabbed a strange book, and then it happened... --- Preferred Weapon(s): Legendary Hero Spear Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Legendary… --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Abilities of Skill: Downsides of Skill: ---- Inventory: Some spare change</s> <\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin glanced over at the new people, and saw that Marcus immediately got his first follower. That was quick. When the Shield Hero spoke agressively to the King, Flin began to respect him a little. He couldn't resist smirking ever so slightly. At least this man had a mind of his own, and wasn't eager to follow the commands of another. He wasn't exactly happy to do as was told, either. Honestly, all Marcus did was state a fact. They were now in this place, putting up some act for people to like them. He glanced over at Auriel, as she made her way towards him. She stood out more than the others, with big white wings. They had real angels in this world? It was unexpected, but not incredibly strange. There was a great deal that Flin was unaware of within this world, after all. So there was a good possibility that they existed. Heck, anything could exist. None the less, it peaked his curiosity. The feeling rose above the confusion and irritation that he'd been feeling, allowing him to think more clearly. It was the first feeling that wasn't negative, since he'd been abducted from the library in his world. As Auriel spoke to him, He remained as calm as he could be. He took note of the spear within her possession, which only fueled his curiosity. Perhaps she could teach him how to properly wield the spear that had been forced upon him. The girl was kind to him, and he was going to return the favor. It just made common sense to him. He wasn't exactly the best at being polite, but he would give it his best. "I..I see. I accept you within my party, Auriel. I am happy to have you." He said, with a gentle smile. "I do hope that you can teach me more about this world, as I am very unfamiliar with...anything, really." He spoke.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith The Shield Hero suddenly turned around a deep frown on his face, "I will not play backseat to some child! I will make my own way in this world! Forget this I don't need anything from you, and I will find a way home on my own! I'm tired of being a slave!" the man shouted as he walked out the door as the guards let him through the King frowned in disgust. "A fool...hey girl don't follow him. I understand it is your choice to follow one of those heroes but I have a feeling that one may not be the one you seek. You're from the church no? For now I suggest following the spear, bow, or sword hero." King Vincent commanded as he slammed his fist onto his throne. "I declare that the shield hero will not receive help from the crown until he apologizes for his impudence." King Vincent declared as Marcino nodded, "Right gotcha king...besides there was something about him that seemed off." the man known as Marcino called out as Cole stood there still he gripped his sword tightly as he looked to the king. "That isn't very fair my lord." Cole said as the boy shrugged, "I warned him once already." Vincent said as he looked to the sword hero. Rin simply grunted she didn't care one way or another.</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher Relief (Mood Music) "I..I see. I accept you within my party, Auriel. I am happy to have you. I do hope that you can teach me more about this world, as I am very unfamiliar with...anything, really." said the Spear Hero. Auriel was both relieved and thrilled. She raised her eyes to meet his for the first time, and they were positively alight with joy. The even seemed to be have watered just a slight bit as well. Auriel smiled bright to him and nodded, "Thank you! There is much I can teach you about our world, Spear Hero. And it would be my pleasure to share it with you." The angel brushed some golden hair back over her shoulder and looked over to the rest of the heroes, "That goes for all of your great heroes. I am here to see you all to success. All you have is but to ask, and I will answer to the best of my ability." Auriel looked back to the Spear Hero, realizing she hadn't yet gotten his name. "Is there something else I can call you? Aside from Spear Hero, that is."</s> <\|message\|>An Shalaa-Doo An did nothing but chuckled at the fiery, aggressive spirit of the one with the Bow. Such a spirit from such a young person. It was good to know that the summoned ones were of fighting spirit. Stroking his facial hair slowly, An waited for Rin to finish speaking. Once she had finally stopped speaking, he prepared to retort. "From the back alley, you say? But I have seen more than just the back alley of a sitting settlement. You tell me, young life, have you roamed the forests? Have you seen the mutters of Mother's wrath roam her bones?" The shaman raised his staff dramatically. "Tell me, one with the Bow, what Odyssey have you put yourself in?"</s> <\|message\|>Cleomine At first, Cleo was glad to see that the Shield Hero had a mind of his own, and a spine to use when standing up to the boy king. But alas! Fortune seemed to have frowned upon her as the Shield Hero stormed out of the room. While she can understand the feeling of not wanting to be a slave, she couldn't help but feel...a little frustrated. Of course, she may look like a child, but did he not know that appearances can be deceiving? After watching the shield hero leave, she turned her attention back to the King. When he asked if she was from the church, she simply nodded. She didn't like the idea of a Church that neglected any one of the heroes. It reeked of foul play to her. She certainly wasn't from the church, but she wasn't going to cause any more fuss than what was already caused today. After he made his suggestion, she found that it was best to follow that suggestion. She curtsied in response and politely answered, "Yes, Your Grace," She then walked over to Cole and she speaks to him, "I would like to offer my assistance to you, Sword Hero. At least until the Shield Hero comes to his senses, or a new one is summoned,"</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Right let's hope its sooner than later Miss." Cole said to the former volunteer to the shield hero, "Name's Cole by the way." he told her as he turned his attention back to the teen king as his assistant cleared his voice to ask for silence once more. "Very well it looks like the adventurers have chosen their new commanders. Heroes from another world you will now each receive six hundred silver. Spend it wisely. You will be in charge of keeping your parties well fed, and in shape. You are the leaders of the movement against the waves. You are not alone. Procure all necessary equipment, and set forth on your new journey. You are dismissed." King Sanson said quickly as he quickly waved his hand and the door re-opened to allow all the heroes to leave. The Bow Hero Rin Matsunaga smiled at the golden haired boy whom had lined up behind her, and told him both to move their ass to the nearest inn. She moved so fast she more or less left the shaman man behind without a second thought. Gotta find somewhere to eat first off, and then whatever else. Cole looked at the sword in his hand once more, and then at the two behind him. He hadn't said anything to the fox boy, a strange thing in this land no doubt but he'd ask questions later, and the mage girl. He looked at the clothes on his back, and sighed. "First off...we should look for somewhere to rest, maybe get some armor." Cole suggested to everyone. "Outside of that we may need to work on learning how to use our weapons properly. I've never wielded a sword in my life." before anyone could really respond Marcino whistled shrilly across the court annoying the young king greatly. "Alright you vagabonds I'll be at the Dragon Traveler's Inn on the south end of town. If you need me you can find me there, if there are any pressing matters ask'em right now to me." Marcino said as Cole quickly took him up on his offer, "Do you have any suggestions on where to find armor, and medical supplies sir?" Cole requested as Marcino scratched his head, and thought it over briefly. "The Armored Way, and the Grand Duchess Apothecary seem like the places to look kid." Marcino responded deftly as he sat down on the floor next to a pillar on the far corner of the room. Cole nodded, and then turned towards his team. "You ready?"</s>	<\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin frowned as the Shield Hero stormed out. He was the only one who seemed particularly interesting and wise to him. But him leaving like this, told him otherwise. It was foolish to anger the king, and his statement about cutting off the Shield Hero's fundings made it all the more apparent. Flin certainly did not want to get on the king's bad side. He'd keep this moment as a strong reminder, in the back of his mind. He looked into Auriel's eyes as she spoke, easily seeing her brim with happyness. Apparently he'd left a good impression on her. He didn't expect it, but he was glad that he did. It made him feel less nervous. "You can just call me Flin. My full name is Flin Meeru." He said with a smile. As the king opened the doors and soldiers walked over to hand each of them a bag of gold, he snatched it out of one of the soldier's hands and sighed in relief. Finally, he was free to do as he pleased. At least for the time being. "We should look for a place to stay, first." He spoke to Auriel. He listened to Cole's words, and what he said made sense. But he wasn't about to let this guy guide his hand. Who the hell did he think he was? "Right. Duly noted." He said to Cole, with some spite in his voice. He listened to the locations that Marcino mentioned. "Alright. Let's go, Auriel!" He said, in a kinder tone. He left the building in a hasty pace, but made sure that Auriel was able to keep up. He did not feel comfortable being around so many people. "Do you know of a good place where we could stay?" He asked Auriel, as he examined his spear more closely in his hand.</s>
<\|description\|>Flin Meeru Nicknames: Flint, the Sun Lance, Spear Hero, Solar Knight Age: 23 Gender: Male Level: 1 Class: Legendary Spear Hero Hero Class: Spear Specializations: N/A Magic Affinity: Fire, and Light. Appearance: (Red jacket instead of green, red pants instead of green) Biography: Flin was born to a family of decent standing. His father was a hard-working man, always doing his best to provide for his family. He worked in construction, which got him a good bit of money. His mother, however, was rather fragile in mind and body, making it difficult to keep up with any kind of job. As a result, her husband was required to bear the load, to earn money for the family. He did so with pride, however. They weren't exactly poor, but they certainly didn't have much money left at the end of the month. It was enough to survive. They'd always been kind to Flin, despite everything. And Flin was more than happy to help around the house. Flin was quite the bratty individual at his high school in America, and was one of the coolest kids. Or at least, that's what he told himself. He wasn't always this way, though. When he was younger, he was more of a geek and hung out with the more anti-social, but nicer kids. But he was always picked upon by those who came from wealthy families, those who acted like they were better than him. His friends cared for him, but they never helped him when he needed it the most. The bullying lasted for several years. It was rough, but it taught Flin one important lesson. The only one who could truly help him, was himself. After that, Flin began to change. He would start lashing out at bullies more violently, and be by himself. He was still trying to be the best person he could be, only fighting back out of self-defence. In essence, he was a kind person, but rough around the edges. After one of many fights, he was told to write 40 pages of "Treat others with respect." He chose to do to in the school's library, where it was nice and quiet. After a while, he decided that it was time for a break, and began to search through bookcases for interesting books. Eventually, he grabbed a strange book, and then it happened... --- Preferred Weapon(s): Legendary Hero Spear Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Legendary… --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Abilities of Skill: Downsides of Skill: ---- Inventory: Some spare change</s> <\|message\|>An Shalaa-Doo An went after the Bow Hero in hopes of tiring her out. He chased her tail as much as he could, but at last, he was lost in the crowd of people. There was no sign of the fiery hero, and the shaman soon gave up. He had to admit, that one had some good stealth skills. That he could approve. And she was fast for her size too. Alone, the man turned around and backtracked the way he came from. Soon enough, he saw familiar faces walking down the streets. The winged one who had a confidence problem before, and the other hero with a different weapon as well. It was better together than alone, wasn't it? He approached the group through the crowd(which seemed very enthusiastic about making way for him). When he was close enough, he spread his arms wide and made his presence known to the hero and his follower. The bear skull clattered. "Greetings, fellow adventurers! I seek to join you in your grand quest!" Then he scratched his cheek. "...actually I lost myself chasing the one with the Bow." @Jensoman</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith ----Time Skip Next Day roughly 2:00---- The next day was a quick one as the groups were banding together to try, and form a solid cohesive unit for the troubles to come Rin Matsunaga the Bow Hero has vanished. The Tiger's eye had confirmed that she had left the city to go hunt monsters after buying armor and supplies. After learning she could get stronger by killing beasts in the wild he had figured she wanted to go get as much experience as possible. She had been followed by the bard. However something much more dire was announced by King Sanson himself as he gathered the remains in the hallway. "I should've known better than to leave the summoning in the hands of a novice. And now I waste even more time having to bring you all back into my halls when you could be out bettering yourselves. Forgive me Spear, and Sword. I am only doing what I can with what is alloted to me. A scout found the Shield, pitiful as he was, had gotten into an altercation with a group of thugs in the back alley. His legs failed him, and not even the infamously one note shield was enough to save him...is what I would say if it turns out that shield wasn't his. The shield on his arm was more of a shadow according to my own scouts. A fake. Imperfect from its summoning. I guess I should've known why else would the shield support a man who can't even walk on his own?" grumbled the King as he tapped his chair repeatedly and clutched his head. "So I had the group re-do the summoning ritual...and they produced a result...I hope he's better than the fake." King Sanson said as he had the guards bring in the shield hero. Sword the church girl where is she? "The church called her back to protect the chapel in case of a monster attack. She won't be able to join our cause." commented Cole as the King sighed, and gripped his chair. "Nothing is ever simple is it? Fine then I will give you, and the shield additional gold." commented Sanson as he waved his Hand of the King to do his job and procure the funds. As Cole turned around to see the Shield Hero Enter he waved him over, "Hey buddy you alright?" Cole questioned to the new arrival. Cole had now been decked out in some simple iron armor with some leg braces, and a other protective gear. He had thankfully been able to procure his own supplies when he, and the girl did their rounds around the city last night before he went to bed, and she left. He never got her name. "Don't worry I already gave him all the information I gave you he should be up to par with all of you."</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer was suddenly enveloped in a bright flash. He closed his eyes against the blinding light on instinct and covered them with his left hand. There was a burning sensation on the same site that had been wounded by a knife not seven days before. He gritted teeth but there was no pain. The warmth had been more startling than anything. Slowly he felt the warmth decrease. He opened one eye experimentally and noticed that though he could still see spots, his eyes were regaining their vision. He opened the other eye and his vision soon recognized he was in a dimly lit room with what looked like stone walls. A slight glow at his feet caught his attention and he managed to catch the receded light of some sort of intricately carved circle. Though his eyes had returned to normal, there was still a warm feeling in his left forearm. Instinctively he retracted it to his chest and placed his right hand upon it. Instead of skin, the right palm felt metal. He raised his forearm to his face in alarm, almost slamming into his nose. His eyes hurriedly inspected the scene before him. There was something that appeared to be some sort of ornate jewelry but he would later come to know it was a bracer that extended from behind his wrist bone to 4 inches before the bend of the elbow. There seemed to also be a sort of jewel but the color seemed to change and swirled as if there was some sort of smoke inside it. "Welcome Shield Hero" a voice spoke and brought Fer out of his musings and inspections. People seemed to materialize from the shadows robed in white. He introduced himself as Master Eric. Fer cautiously took in he was surrounded but felt no ill will towards him. Still he remained on the alert, every now and then taken glances behind and to his sides making sure nobody was advancing for a surprise attack. "Where am I?" He had spoken in Spanish but unbeknownst to him, his Shield was translating. "I am sure you have many questions. Please come with me and I will explain it all" Fer cautiously followed the man and noticed the other monks(?) filed behind them at a respectful distance. As he was led past an open courtyard, he noticed that it was dark but the hue in the sky resembled the early pre-dawn hours he had spent on lookout. Fer followed the robed man only because he wanted to collect more intel on where he was and how he came to be here. The buildings and people seemed nothing like the humble huts near the train station or the tan leathery inhabitants of the mountains. Even the lofty homes of the rich in his country could not compare to the architecture he saw as he traversed a walled compound. His mind fought with the idea that this could be a castle from one of the stories his little brother was so found of. But he decided to concentrate on the here and now and leave the wondering for later. Finally they arrived at a wooden door which opened into a decent sized room with a bed and room enough for a table and two chairs. There were no windows and judging from the distance traveled, they must be near the center of the complex. Fer continued to look around unsure of what to make of his situation. The monk sighed in understanding and he motioned for the young man to sit on one of the chairs. "Please sit Shield Hero. I know this is too much to take in but I shall attempt to explain as much as I can." Fer made his way to the chair but did not relax his guard in the least. The monk offered him a smile and launched into his tale to a captivated Fer. When he was done he waited for the young man to ask any questions but Fer had too much to mull over without adding to the mix. The monk excused himself and left the young man still sitting on the chair. His mind racing and trying to grasp what he had just been told. He could not be dreaming as his mind was not capable of coming up with the setting and premise which had been presented to him. His little brother would have been the one who had read extensively. He could not be dead for even though he had not been religious, the few times they had gone to mass portrayed a heaven and hell much different than the modestly fancy room he now sat in. Having no other explanation for his current situation, he had to work on the premise that what he had been told was true. That on his forearm now rested some sort of magical shield and he was one of four people who had to somehow help the people of this place against monsters, based on the descriptions. He was still deep in thought caressing the bracer in his left arm when he heard a few knocks at the door. He blinked his eyes and wondered how much time had already passed. He made his way to the door and opened it. An armored clad soldier with an open face helmet stood respectfully a few paces away. "My apologies Shield Hero, but you are summoned by the King." The young man followed the soldier through the halls. Once they came to the courtyard again he noticed it must be early morning based on the shadows. He was silent, only nodding as a few people greeted him in a deferring tone he was not used to. Soon they arrived at the tall doors that led into the throne room. The doors parted and Fer saw before him a throne where a young looking man sat and two equally looking men stood near it looking in his direction as he entered. This made him feel a little self conscious due to how appropriate the others seemed to dress and his own clothes made him stand out. He was wearing a white T-shirt that boasted a young Michael Jackson but that Fer had no idea who it was. His jeans were also worn and faded. One of the young men at the front motioned for him and asked him "Hey buddy you alright?" Fer nodded his head. Even if he was not, how could he possibly communicate that everything around him was not ok. So he kept his mouth shut and moved forward. He was unsure what to do since he had never been before a King so he awkwardly did a hand motion and bowed as he had seen someone do in a movie before. His voice was tight and unsure as he spoke "Good morning, Mr. King. I am Fernando Gutierrez….uh…I was told I'm here to help….after..can I go home?" His eyes tried not to meet the King's it was not that he was afraid but he had always been taken advantage of and everyone in leadership had left a distrust in his heart. However, he knew the fastest way home had to be to finish whatever duty he had here and perhaps they would send him home.</s>	<\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin shrugged as the shaman came after them. He didn't exactly like being followed simply because someone else wasn't available, but he wasn't about to order him to leave. As long as he didn't do anything that annoyed him, anyway. "Whatever, just stick with us then." Flin simply replied, advancing further to the cathedral as he was guided by the angel before him. He still had plenty of questions for Auriel, but this whole experience had tired him out somewhat. He'd been treated kindly by Auriel's mother and Auriel, and given an excellent meal. The delicious food replenished his strength somewhat. Thanks to them, he'd felt more at home within this new world. He was given a room to stay in, and fell asleep peacefully. ------------------------- Flin hopped out of his bed the next day, eager to get started. He was given another great meal, and finished his plate. He walked through the cathedral afterwards, looking for Auriel. They'd bought some basic armour for himself yesterday after Auriel showed him around the cathedral, but never got around to actual training. But before he could do as he intended, soldiers asked him to head for the castle. Now he was within the throne room again, to meet the new Shield Hero. He didn't seem to want to be here, much as Flin felt when he first came here. Flin felt the same, but he didn't feel as frightened and confused as he was at first. "Hey, I'm Flin Meeru. The Spear hero." He calmly said to Fernando.</s>
<\|description\|>Cleomine Nicknames: Cleo Age: 18 Gender: Female Level: 1 Class: Bard Specializations: Performance, Disguise/Deception, Stealth, Talking out of trouble before a fight starts, Swimming. Magic Affinity: Water and Light On land, her tail is replaced with legs, but the tail will come back when submerged in water. Her ears will remain fin like on land and in the sea. Her human disguise: Cleomine, unfortunately, was born in slavery. Her family was part of a coastal town in Siltvelt which was attacked and raided by the soldiers of Melromarc. The people, including her parents, were taken and sold into slavery. When Cleo was born, she was taken away from her mother and sold to the highest bidder, which happened to be a noble. This noble kept Cleomine in a fish tank for the longest time and often had her sing to entertain him during the day. Whenever she tried to remain silent, the noble often threatened to do harm to her. The noble had believed that Cleo wouldn't be able to walk or live on land at all, so he often threatened to cut off her tail and just let her die out of the water. It's also because of this belief that he never bothered to put a slave crest on Cleo. One night, Cleo inadvertently learned that wasn't the case. One night, she had accidentally fallen out of the tank, and found that her tail had changed into human legs. She was able to move as she pleased and the noble would be none the wiser! She wanted to run and flee! But she knew that it would be folly to just leave right away. She may be sheltered, but she had heard of monsters and other dangers outside of the noble's home and the fish tank. So, she bided her time. She often remained in the tank during the day, and explored the noble's manor during the night when he was asleep. She honed her stealth during this time as she had to avoid the guards spotting her. During these explorations, she got a lay of the land, gathered some gold that the noble won't miss, and learned of the other slaves that were held here and what was done to them. One night, she was caught stealing a rapier from the noble. He woke up and in her fright, she stabbed the noble before running away. She wasn't sure if she dealt a deadly blow to him, but she wasn't about to stay and find out when she could be captured. She ran to the nearby river as fast as she could, and dove. From there, she swam as far form the manor as possible. It turned out she was a faster swimmer than she was a runner. She reached the capitol city of Melromarc by morning, and was able to take shelter in a kind seamstress's home. If the noble was looking for her, it wasn't apparent during her time in the Capitol City. Thanks to the Seamstress, she learned how to make various disguises so that Cleo would appear human to the citizens. She spent 8 quiet years in the Capitol City with the Seamstress. During her time there, the seamstress introduced her to the violin, and of course, Cleo took to it like a fish to water. With her singing and violin playing skills, she was able to earn some extra gold by performing in the tavern. During her time in the tavern, she heard rumors that the four cardinal heroes were summoned to fight off the Waves. Cleo resolved to fight alongside the Shield Hero if given the chance after hearing that. --- Preferred Weapon(s): Rapier Abilities of Weapon: None --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Lesser Inspiration Abilities of Skill: By giving a slight performance (examples: Words of encouragement, a simple joke, or a small ditty), Cleo can give an ally a slight boost in their attack, in a skill, or in their ability to avoid harm. Downsides of Skill: None Name of Skill: Healing Word Abilities of Skill: By infusing a word with magic, Cleo can slightly heal an ally or herself in battle. Downsides of Skill: None ---- -Violin -Rapier (usually sheathed) -Backpack Rations Tinder *10 Gold pieces</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith It happened in an instant a flash from a book, and the world changing around four individual normal folks from different worlds. As if they were fish pulled from different environments and being thrust into an completely different ocean. The Four heroes now sit in the middle of a magical ritual circle surrounded by a large group of men. Some of them in priest outfits, other ones in suits of armor carrying weapons from times past of their world. Of course none of the new heroes knew exactly what had just happened but for the individuals in the room they were met by a cheer of happiness from the clerics in the room who excitedly congratulated each other. In particular a young man wearing priest robes, and a small pair of round glasses. In the hands of the heroes were weapons they hadn't used before. Strange objects: A sword, a spear, a bow, and a shield. Too the more nerdy among the group it was clear that they were now in some sort of isekai scenario, kind of like some of the MMO's they had played before except this time it was clearly real enough as the weapons attached to them felt alien in their hands. And their sight was obscured by a menu of sorts if they focused hard enough on one person. The cheers died down and the boy walked forward and cleared his voice before talking to them all cheerfully. "I'm so glad it worked! Thank Grand Master Eric for his instruction! Inform the king, and queen immediately that the heroes are here!" a young man in brown robes stated quickly as a soldier nodded, and ran off quickly. The young man spread his arms wide in welcome, and quickly pressed his glasses up his nose. He had messy brown hair, and wasn't particularly handsome. He seemed genuinely happy to see all of them here. "Welcome brave heroes! Welcome to our world! I'm sorry if you did not wish this, but we have called you here for good reason I promise you. My name is Hans Copper, and I request that you assist us in saving the world!" The boy named Hans stated as he quickly spoke up again before questions arose, "You are the successors of the former Four Great Cardinal Heroes! Heirs to a legacy of great men, and women!" --- Cole looked around his blade clung to his hand insistently he couldn't seem to let go of his weapon. Not that he'd want to but the initial shock of the area almost made him lose his focus. Heroes? Were the people gathered around him apart of this new group? The last thing he remember...he remembered grabbing a book off a shelf in the library of his college. His eccentric librarian had recommended he look there for something he needed for class. He looked at the golden blade in his hand as the man in front of him talked, and he admired it it was well made, and seemed to fit perfectly in his hand. It was nothing like he felt before but it felt right in his hands as if it was made for him. And judging by the speech it was meant to be his. "I see? I can't say I'm any sort of great hero...nor do I know how I even got chosen out of all the people out there but...I don't see any other way forward. I'll help you if I can." Cole said calmly but somewhat shaken as he still was adjusting to everything here. 'This seems a lot like those dumb cheesy animes Mike from science class watched just after class...he'd love it if he were here. Whatever gotta play it cool...if this is really real than I can't loose face.' Cole stated as he waited to hear what the others around him had to say. === Meanwhile in the hall of the castle the adventurers called together to aid the heroes rested, and chatted with each other. The large hall of the castle's interior was spacious, and extremely well furnished. The guards, and knights chatted about the possible arrival of heroes, and the fact that all the nations came together to make it happen...it was quite the spectacular event. Even if it failed it meant good things for the new young King of Melromarc.</s> <\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin glanced at the people in the room, somewhat disoriented as he tried to make sense of what was going on. One moment, he was alone in the library. Then, he was met with a bright flashing light. Now he was here, surrounded by people that he'd never seen before in medieval suits. He certainly did not recognise anyone from school. "Uh...what?" He mumbled, as a man stepped forward and began to mention stuff about four Heroes and them being called here. Flin's face turned from disbelief into irritation. It seemed clear to him that this was some type of elaborate prank, one that was executed very well at that. "Listen...I don't know how you jokers pulled this off, but I have a lot of work to do. I don't have time for..." He spoke, but then glanced at his right hand. He was holding a spear, it's tip razor-sharp and it's colour as red as flame. When did he even end up grabbing it? The discovery only added to Flin's confusion. He tried to release it, but his hand refused to do so. He glanced over towards the other sharp object in his immediate vicinity, the golden sword that the Sword Hero was holding. He backed up a bit. Despite still believing that it was some kind of joke, that sword and his spear sure seemed to be made out of real steel. Regardless of what was going on, he certainly didn't want to get stabbed. He didn't believe what Hans Copper had told them for even a second, despite listening to every word.</s>	<\|message\|>Cleomine In the great hall, one of the adventurers is a bard who would normally be performing at the tavern right about now. With her long, brown haired wig on and styled to cover her ears effectively, she waited with the other adventurers for the shield heroes. She did feel somewhat anxious being in the castle, but this was a chance for her to offer her aid to the Shield Hero, despite the risk that she could be discovered as a demi-human. Cleomine mostly kept to herself, but if someone approached her to talk, then she would engage in friendly conversation with them. She wouldn't be surprised if a couple of adventurers here recognized her as the bard in the tavern. She eagerly awaited the heroes, while keeping a discerning eye out on the people around her for any sign of trouble.</s>
<\|description\|>Cleomine Nicknames: Cleo Age: 18 Gender: Female Level: 1 Class: Bard Specializations: Performance, Disguise/Deception, Stealth, Talking out of trouble before a fight starts, Swimming. Magic Affinity: Water and Light On land, her tail is replaced with legs, but the tail will come back when submerged in water. Her ears will remain fin like on land and in the sea. Her human disguise: Cleomine, unfortunately, was born in slavery. Her family was part of a coastal town in Siltvelt which was attacked and raided by the soldiers of Melromarc. The people, including her parents, were taken and sold into slavery. When Cleo was born, she was taken away from her mother and sold to the highest bidder, which happened to be a noble. This noble kept Cleomine in a fish tank for the longest time and often had her sing to entertain him during the day. Whenever she tried to remain silent, the noble often threatened to do harm to her. The noble had believed that Cleo wouldn't be able to walk or live on land at all, so he often threatened to cut off her tail and just let her die out of the water. It's also because of this belief that he never bothered to put a slave crest on Cleo. One night, Cleo inadvertently learned that wasn't the case. One night, she had accidentally fallen out of the tank, and found that her tail had changed into human legs. She was able to move as she pleased and the noble would be none the wiser! She wanted to run and flee! But she knew that it would be folly to just leave right away. She may be sheltered, but she had heard of monsters and other dangers outside of the noble's home and the fish tank. So, she bided her time. She often remained in the tank during the day, and explored the noble's manor during the night when he was asleep. She honed her stealth during this time as she had to avoid the guards spotting her. During these explorations, she got a lay of the land, gathered some gold that the noble won't miss, and learned of the other slaves that were held here and what was done to them. One night, she was caught stealing a rapier from the noble. He woke up and in her fright, she stabbed the noble before running away. She wasn't sure if she dealt a deadly blow to him, but she wasn't about to stay and find out when she could be captured. She ran to the nearby river as fast as she could, and dove. From there, she swam as far form the manor as possible. It turned out she was a faster swimmer than she was a runner. She reached the capitol city of Melromarc by morning, and was able to take shelter in a kind seamstress's home. If the noble was looking for her, it wasn't apparent during her time in the Capitol City. Thanks to the Seamstress, she learned how to make various disguises so that Cleo would appear human to the citizens. She spent 8 quiet years in the Capitol City with the Seamstress. During her time there, the seamstress introduced her to the violin, and of course, Cleo took to it like a fish to water. With her singing and violin playing skills, she was able to earn some extra gold by performing in the tavern. During her time in the tavern, she heard rumors that the four cardinal heroes were summoned to fight off the Waves. Cleo resolved to fight alongside the Shield Hero if given the chance after hearing that. --- Preferred Weapon(s): Rapier Abilities of Weapon: None --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Lesser Inspiration Abilities of Skill: By giving a slight performance (examples: Words of encouragement, a simple joke, or a small ditty), Cleo can give an ally a slight boost in their attack, in a skill, or in their ability to avoid harm. Downsides of Skill: None Name of Skill: Healing Word Abilities of Skill: By infusing a word with magic, Cleo can slightly heal an ally or herself in battle. Downsides of Skill: None ---- -Violin -Rapier (usually sheathed) -Backpack Rations Tinder *10 Gold pieces</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith Once the knights saw the shield hero was struggling they grumbled, and helped him to his feet and down the hall if need be. As the new group of heroes were led through the castle it quickly became clear whatever their own world was like this was nothing like this one. The narrow corridors, and the large open areas that peaked up into a smog free sky with fresh air that reminded even Cole of the wilder parts of his home. It really did seem like technology here was far behind all things considered...in exchange they had magic...weird. However as the group came into the main section of the castle they were brought into a large opulent throne room facing two large chairs. One of them was empty but a young man with short cut, and well trimmed blonde hair sat on a large red, and gold throne. He had a crown on his head signifying his place as king more than likely. What was more than odd about this particular young king...was well his age. He looked younger than all of the heroes assembled in his mid teens about sixteen years old it would seem. "Greetings I assume you're the Four Cardinal Heroes? I am King Sanson Vincent Melromarc First of My Name. I am Lord of this country, and am one of the last surviving members of my blood line. Welcome I greet you in the name of this whole continent." King Sanson said as he spoke with a clear, and fearless tone as he looked over the group. Cole looked up towards the king from his spot in the main hall. Rin looked at him with disinterest, and boredom clearly not happy with what this was likely going to entail. More than likely she hated politicians, or their craft, or even both. "Would you mind Introducing yourselves to me brave heroes?" he asked with a smile as Cole introduced himself quickly placing his sword on the floor point to the ground, and hands on the pommel like he saw some of his uncle's old friends do in their DnD games. "Cole Smith, I'm from the Country of the United States of America. Age twenty one, and I am a college student studying business, or I was at least." Cole stated professionally as he awaited the next one up. Rin spoke with a brash pride, and a self important stance as she slammed her foot firmly on the ground once more, "Stand in awe of me! I am Captain of the Rough Riders of Kansai! Rin Matsunaga! I'm 20 years old, and the baddest bitch you'll ever know! No gang in my part of Japan even has the sack to even try and fight me! Consider your pissy little demons, or whatever the hell we're fighting dead on arrival!" Rin proclaimed loudly as the king gripped his chair a little tightly as Rin gave her proclamation of ability. Either it was fear, or he was internally cringing at the Bow Hero's self importance. As the other two heroes gave their introduction the King nodded and once again said it was a pleasure to see them. "Now then for why you are here. You see there is an ancient prophecy that was given to us long ago that an apocalyptic event would strike this continent of ours long ago. This prophecy speaks of a series of incursions by monsters from a different world, or land that would seek to destroy everything about this world. It will bring upon us unending fear, and destruction. We have come to call them 'The Waves' in the past similar events have happened that would require the need to summon heroes the same ones who would wield weapons like yours, or possibly even the ones that you're wielding right now. Every country in our world has something called a Dragon Hourglass. These creations of ours can predict the exact, or near exact time of the arrival of the waves. The first wave shall be upon us in two weeks. We have taken it upon ourselves to summon you four. We didn't want to risk summoning you too sooner, or later for it may be disastrous either way. The sands in these hourglasses will triple with each wave, and arguably the danger level of these waves as well. The first is likely to be the easiest but we don't know what to expect. Some said we could get by without summoning you four heroes. However both my wife, and I disagreed and so did Guild Leader of The Colosseum of Zeltoble, Argyle Sundermark, recommended we call you. And he was a man who was said to have been able to take on twenty men at once during his prime so I trust his word." exposited the King as he looked down upon the heroes from his throne. A man in well made finery stepped forward. "Of course you will not be expected to do this without pay. Melromarc itself intends to reward you handsomely between waves to keep you going, and to give you better lives. If this is an agreeable arrangement I would ask that you all check your statuses." The man said as he told them to take a look at the lower right corner of their vision which if they hadn't noticed before would be a button of a sort that would bring up a menu of their current health, and party options as well as gear, and other assorted things. "That is your status magic, and is exclusive to you all. You may thank your predecessors for allowing us the knowledge of this." the king told the group quickly. "The first order of business is to set out to upgrade those weapons of yours. The Spear Hero's predecessor left behind the knowledge that you may only use the weapons your given. I feel that should be helpful information." "Lastly if you will please line up in a horizontal line in front of the throne, and please space yourselves." The King said as he gestured to the guards at the door once the heroes did so. A man with silver armor, and a large black bow trapped to his back stepped in front of the heroes. He had graying brown hair, and an eye patch over his left eye. A bunch of wicked claw marks, and scars were shown on his well tanned, almost leathery, skin. His hair was gelled back, and tied into a pony tail. The armor was only a chest piece with a leather protector underneath it, and his legs were similarly garbed. His arms were left open showing off his well toned body, and muscular features. He looked at them with his eye and laughed. "Now listen here heroes, I am Quentin Marcino. Also known as The Tiger's Claw. I am a Sniper, an advanced class. I'll be your pseudo mentor. I'll help you learn what you need to but don't expect me to baby sit you. This is all for my old rival Argyle's sake he would prefer you don't die in the back alley the first day here. You don't want my help then do it yourself, in full honesty I don't care. I'll tell you everything you need to know, and somethings maybe you shouldn't. You need to know what to ask I ain't tellin' you without you first having some sorta clue unless its important. But don't worry you ain't in this alone." commented Quentin as the door opened, and a large group of adventurers walked in. They had been ushered in by the soldiers outside in the halls while the King had explained the heroes' their duties, and the worlds happenings. The guards called down the hall, and some less armored soldiers informed that the group in the hall should come in. "Brave Heroes these a volunteers from the land who wished to join you on your journey, they are free to join you as you please. Be it they choose your party by choice, or they're convinced into yours you may do as you please. Fear not if you do not receive any additional fellows you will instead receive additional payments from the kingdom to make up for it. And Quentin of course is here to help you. Volunteers you may choose your heroes now."" King Sanson stated as he held his hand up into the air. shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Zeltoble</s> <\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin took in his surroundings carefully as he moved. This was a whole new world for him to explore, and it all looked strange. This took away any final doubts within his mind, that people were messing with him. There was no way that this was some sort of setup. It was far too real, far too unique. Flin's first impression of the king wasn't much at all. It just looked like some child who'd crawled on the throne for some reason. Part of him wanted to try to shoo him away, but that's when the boy spoke with pride and power in his tone. It made Shane keep his manners, at least to a degree. He slowly took in all of the king's words, and only now noticed the button that he was informed of. He'd been too busy analysing everything else. He tapped the button, and saw his health bar and other stats. "What the hell..." He mumbled. "This is..." With that, he tapped the button again to make the stats vanish again. The stats before him seemed like something out of a game. And they would be getting money for killing monsters. The payment for risking their lives to protect this world. Then, a large muscular individual stepped up and started saying stuff about being their mentor. Flin never asked for this! And now some guy was going to be his mentor? He wasn't sure wether to agree to that, or not. Since people expected him to fight, perhaps having Quentin teach him some stuff wasn't the worst idea. Flin was no stranger when it came to fighting, but he wasn't exactly a master at spear-fighting. Or with any weapon at all, really. When the volunteers came in, he wasn't exactly sure what to say. He was still trying to come to terms with things, to piece everything together. And now there were even more strangers coming in, apparently here to join the heroes. Flin placed his spear on the ground beside him, it's tip facing the ceiling. He gave the visitors a calm, but serious look. He wasn't about to give some fancy speech to recruit people, but he wasn't about to back away either. His stance was as strong and resolute as he could muster, and he waited for someone to approach him. If anyone even bothered to do so, at least.</s>	<\|message\|>Cleomine Cleomine noticed that one of the heroes in the hall, the one with wings, seemed to be nervous. For a moment, Cleo wondered why the knights weren't charging at the winged woman and trying to arrest her for being a demi-human. But she didn't speak up about it. She didn't want to bring attention to herself. She was about to go and encourage the guardian angel, but she didn't move. The shaman had already approached her and was speaking with her. He gave the winged woman the same exact advice she would have given her. So...everything was under control there. Cleomine smiled at the thought. Soon it was time to go and see the heroes. When the knights called to them and told them to enter, she did so. After she entered, she studied each of the four figures, looking for one specific hero: The Shield. Out of all the heroes, she didn't like the looks of the bow hero. She seemed too aggressive for Cleo's taste. When she laid eyes on the Shield Hero, she noticed that he seemed to be older than the other heroes and that there seemed to be weakness in his legs. She felt sympathy for the Shield Hero, and it became more of a reason to join his party. Without hesitation, Cleo moved to face the Shield Hero, and she politely spoke to him with a quiet confidence, "Shield Hero, I would be honored to offer my sword and voice to your party, if you will have me,"</s>
<\|description\|>Cleomine Nicknames: Cleo Age: 18 Gender: Female Level: 1 Class: Bard Specializations: Performance, Disguise/Deception, Stealth, Talking out of trouble before a fight starts, Swimming. Magic Affinity: Water and Light On land, her tail is replaced with legs, but the tail will come back when submerged in water. Her ears will remain fin like on land and in the sea. Her human disguise: Cleomine, unfortunately, was born in slavery. Her family was part of a coastal town in Siltvelt which was attacked and raided by the soldiers of Melromarc. The people, including her parents, were taken and sold into slavery. When Cleo was born, she was taken away from her mother and sold to the highest bidder, which happened to be a noble. This noble kept Cleomine in a fish tank for the longest time and often had her sing to entertain him during the day. Whenever she tried to remain silent, the noble often threatened to do harm to her. The noble had believed that Cleo wouldn't be able to walk or live on land at all, so he often threatened to cut off her tail and just let her die out of the water. It's also because of this belief that he never bothered to put a slave crest on Cleo. One night, Cleo inadvertently learned that wasn't the case. One night, she had accidentally fallen out of the tank, and found that her tail had changed into human legs. She was able to move as she pleased and the noble would be none the wiser! She wanted to run and flee! But she knew that it would be folly to just leave right away. She may be sheltered, but she had heard of monsters and other dangers outside of the noble's home and the fish tank. So, she bided her time. She often remained in the tank during the day, and explored the noble's manor during the night when he was asleep. She honed her stealth during this time as she had to avoid the guards spotting her. During these explorations, she got a lay of the land, gathered some gold that the noble won't miss, and learned of the other slaves that were held here and what was done to them. One night, she was caught stealing a rapier from the noble. He woke up and in her fright, she stabbed the noble before running away. She wasn't sure if she dealt a deadly blow to him, but she wasn't about to stay and find out when she could be captured. She ran to the nearby river as fast as she could, and dove. From there, she swam as far form the manor as possible. It turned out she was a faster swimmer than she was a runner. She reached the capitol city of Melromarc by morning, and was able to take shelter in a kind seamstress's home. If the noble was looking for her, it wasn't apparent during her time in the Capitol City. Thanks to the Seamstress, she learned how to make various disguises so that Cleo would appear human to the citizens. She spent 8 quiet years in the Capitol City with the Seamstress. During her time there, the seamstress introduced her to the violin, and of course, Cleo took to it like a fish to water. With her singing and violin playing skills, she was able to earn some extra gold by performing in the tavern. During her time in the tavern, she heard rumors that the four cardinal heroes were summoned to fight off the Waves. Cleo resolved to fight alongside the Shield Hero if given the chance after hearing that. --- Preferred Weapon(s): Rapier Abilities of Weapon: None --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Lesser Inspiration Abilities of Skill: By giving a slight performance (examples: Words of encouragement, a simple joke, or a small ditty), Cleo can give an ally a slight boost in their attack, in a skill, or in their ability to avoid harm. Downsides of Skill: None Name of Skill: Healing Word Abilities of Skill: By infusing a word with magic, Cleo can slightly heal an ally or herself in battle. Downsides of Skill: None ---- -Violin -Rapier (usually sheathed) -Backpack Rations Tinder *10 Gold pieces</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Do you have the balls to be a part of my squad punk!? You look like you just crawled your way out of the back alley! What do you got to offer huh!?" Rin Matsunaga questioned the strange man who had decided to fall in line with her team as Cole sighed, and looked over to the Shaman. "Not to pry but if you don't want to get insulted on a daily basis I'd probably pick a better squad." Cole suggested to him as Rin glared daggers at him. "Oh look at you, you fucking Gajin punk ass! Didn't expect you to try, and poach someone from me!" Rin said as a blonde haired bard who had been with the travelers walked over to Rin, and bowed. "I like this one's fiery spirit! Of course I'll be glad to join the bow hero!" The blonde haired handsome bard smiled as he watch Rin look down at him with disgust. "Calm yourself now Bow Hero. You can reject someone if you wish but you don't need to insult them."</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher Destiny (Mood Music) Auriel listened to the shaman's words. He had a point, this was a momentous occasion for everybody, not just her. It made sense that she wasn't the only nervous one there. When he patted a wing, Auriel couldn't help but wince a bit from a mild pain. But she did well to not show the weakness any more than a slight twitch that could be taken as a surprise sensation. Auriel let out a long, slow breath, and smiled to the shaman. "Seize the moment... Okay. I think I can do that." When they were called into the throne room, Auriel felt a sudden surge of adrenaline. This was it. This was now. She could feel butterflies in her stomach as she stepped toward the grand doors leading into the the throne room. She looked up at the large wooden doors as if they were the gates to heaven. It seemed like an eternity for them to swing open far enough to fit the group through. Auriel was the last into the room, most likely because her nerve had slowed her down some. She first spotted the dominant piece in the room, the throne occupied by the young king. Then, standing before the king, were the four heroes. She could feel her cheeks flush a bit, though she wasn't sure why. Was she embarrassed to be standing in the presence of such legendary heroes? Her eyes moved between the four of them, taking in their appearances. They seemed so... Exotic. So otherworldly. She knew that they were of course, but actually seeing them compared to how she envisioned them, it was a completely different feeling. Auriel followed Cleo and the Shaman closer to the group, and heard the king tell them to accompany a hero. She wanted to be with them all, to aid them toward a common goal they all shared. But it seemed that wasn't the case. They'd all need a personal companion. Somebody they could trust and consider as a friend in this alien world she was sure they viewed it as. Auriel watched Cleo go to the Shield Hero, an older looking man who appeared to be in complete shock about everything. Then she saw the Shaman move toward the female hero, the Bow Hero. She seemed to have a chip on her shoulder, which intimidated her slightly when paired with the immense power she now wielded. Her golden eyes turned to the two remaining heroes, the Sword and Spear heroes. Auriel's eyes rested on Flin, the Spear Hero. She fought with a spear as well, perhaps she could train Flin in its use and expedite his improvement. Auriel stepped toward him and bowed. Her wings unfurled a bit, curling forward with her. Suddenly, she felt all of the anxiety of greeting the heroes wash away. She was where she wanted to be, and now that it was happening, everything just fell into place. "Spear Hero. Greetings and thank you for answering the summons... I am Auriel, and it is my sacred duty to assist you and the other heroes against the upcoming trials our world faces. Please accept my vow of servitude." Auriel kept her head down while she waited for an answer from the Spear Hero. Her heart was practically beating out of her chest. @Jensoman</s> <\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin glanced over at the new people, and saw that Marcus immediately got his first follower. That was quick. When the Shield Hero spoke agressively to the King, Flin began to respect him a little. He couldn't resist smirking ever so slightly. At least this man had a mind of his own, and wasn't eager to follow the commands of another. He wasn't exactly happy to do as was told, either. Honestly, all Marcus did was state a fact. They were now in this place, putting up some act for people to like them. He glanced over at Auriel, as she made her way towards him. She stood out more than the others, with big white wings. They had real angels in this world? It was unexpected, but not incredibly strange. There was a great deal that Flin was unaware of within this world, after all. So there was a good possibility that they existed. Heck, anything could exist. None the less, it peaked his curiosity. The feeling rose above the confusion and irritation that he'd been feeling, allowing him to think more clearly. It was the first feeling that wasn't negative, since he'd been abducted from the library in his world. As Auriel spoke to him, He remained as calm as he could be. He took note of the spear within her possession, which only fueled his curiosity. Perhaps she could teach him how to properly wield the spear that had been forced upon him. The girl was kind to him, and he was going to return the favor. It just made common sense to him. He wasn't exactly the best at being polite, but he would give it his best. "I..I see. I accept you within my party, Auriel. I am happy to have you." He said, with a gentle smile. "I do hope that you can teach me more about this world, as I am very unfamiliar with...anything, really." He spoke.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith The Shield Hero suddenly turned around a deep frown on his face, "I will not play backseat to some child! I will make my own way in this world! Forget this I don't need anything from you, and I will find a way home on my own! I'm tired of being a slave!" the man shouted as he walked out the door as the guards let him through the King frowned in disgust. "A fool...hey girl don't follow him. I understand it is your choice to follow one of those heroes but I have a feeling that one may not be the one you seek. You're from the church no? For now I suggest following the spear, bow, or sword hero." King Vincent commanded as he slammed his fist onto his throne. "I declare that the shield hero will not receive help from the crown until he apologizes for his impudence." King Vincent declared as Marcino nodded, "Right gotcha king...besides there was something about him that seemed off." the man known as Marcino called out as Cole stood there still he gripped his sword tightly as he looked to the king. "That isn't very fair my lord." Cole said as the boy shrugged, "I warned him once already." Vincent said as he looked to the sword hero. Rin simply grunted she didn't care one way or another.</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher Relief (Mood Music) "I..I see. I accept you within my party, Auriel. I am happy to have you. I do hope that you can teach me more about this world, as I am very unfamiliar with...anything, really." said the Spear Hero. Auriel was both relieved and thrilled. She raised her eyes to meet his for the first time, and they were positively alight with joy. The even seemed to be have watered just a slight bit as well. Auriel smiled bright to him and nodded, "Thank you! There is much I can teach you about our world, Spear Hero. And it would be my pleasure to share it with you." The angel brushed some golden hair back over her shoulder and looked over to the rest of the heroes, "That goes for all of your great heroes. I am here to see you all to success. All you have is but to ask, and I will answer to the best of my ability." Auriel looked back to the Spear Hero, realizing she hadn't yet gotten his name. "Is there something else I can call you? Aside from Spear Hero, that is."</s> <\|message\|>An Shalaa-Doo An did nothing but chuckled at the fiery, aggressive spirit of the one with the Bow. Such a spirit from such a young person. It was good to know that the summoned ones were of fighting spirit. Stroking his facial hair slowly, An waited for Rin to finish speaking. Once she had finally stopped speaking, he prepared to retort. "From the back alley, you say? But I have seen more than just the back alley of a sitting settlement. You tell me, young life, have you roamed the forests? Have you seen the mutters of Mother's wrath roam her bones?" The shaman raised his staff dramatically. "Tell me, one with the Bow, what Odyssey have you put yourself in?"</s>	<\|message\|>Cleomine At first, Cleo was glad to see that the Shield Hero had a mind of his own, and a spine to use when standing up to the boy king. But alas! Fortune seemed to have frowned upon her as the Shield Hero stormed out of the room. While she can understand the feeling of not wanting to be a slave, she couldn't help but feel...a little frustrated. Of course, she may look like a child, but did he not know that appearances can be deceiving? After watching the shield hero leave, she turned her attention back to the King. When he asked if she was from the church, she simply nodded. She didn't like the idea of a Church that neglected any one of the heroes. It reeked of foul play to her. She certainly wasn't from the church, but she wasn't going to cause any more fuss than what was already caused today. After he made his suggestion, she found that it was best to follow that suggestion. She curtsied in response and politely answered, "Yes, Your Grace," She then walked over to Cole and she speaks to him, "I would like to offer my assistance to you, Sword Hero. At least until the Shield Hero comes to his senses, or a new one is summoned,"</s>
<\|description\|>Auriel Asher Nicknames She doesn't have any nicknames yet. Age 19 Gender Female Level 13 Class Fighter Specializations Fighting Healing Fighting Undead Magic Affinity Light Biography Born within a monastery, Auriel was chosen to be trained as the Holy Warrior, a singular member of a lineage of warriors that have devoted themselves to the Four Legendary Heroes. It was decided at her birth that she would be trained in order to one day assist the cardinal heroes, taking the fact that she was born with angelic wings as a holy omen of the heroes' need to be summoned. For as long as Auriel could remember, her mother had lived in the monastery where Auriel was raised. From what her mother had told her, Auriel's father was once a great hero with a legend that rivalled even that of the cardinal heroes themselves, and that her mother had travelled at his side where she too earned quite a bit of renown as well. However, whenever Auriel asked about her parents' past, she was always met with cryptic answers and promises of being told later. Auriel eventually conceded and simply waited for the day that might never come. When Auriel had been told that she was chosen to inherit the title of the Holy Warrior, she was ecstatic. The church had viewed her wings as a divine gift, and that it was fate that she was to become the Holy Warrior. Ever since she was a small child, Auriel fantasized about what her future might hold in store for her. As she grew up, Auriel endeavored to surpass her instructors so that, should the time ever come, she could be of the most use to the heroes. All throughout her younger years, Auriel was told to never trust the Shield Hero. However, despite the teachings and attempted indoctrination of the church's conviction, Auriel remained true to the journals of her predecessors which told her to remain true to all of the cardinal heroes. Auriel would go through her lessons, saying what her instructors wanted to hear whenever the topic of the Shield Hero came up so she wouldn't have to deal with the chastisement. Well into her teenage years, hordes of demons and evil creatures began to ravage the countryside. The incursions were small at first, enough for the country's army to handle it, but as they grew in size, Auriel couldn't help but get herself involved. It was clear that these incursions from the hordes were a sign of something far worse, that they were the precursors of the next Waves to plague the world. She tried to convince to the kingdoms that the time to summon the heroes was now, but the kings and other leaders of the nations preferred to fend for themselves, saying that the summoning of the heroes would only happen if the waves became too much to handle. Auriel had been training her whole life to battle these foes. Even when the monastery wouldn't let her leave, Auriel would fly from a window and meet the hordes head on. Her training helped immensely, and she quickly became an even more experienced fighter as she did battle. Soon her reputation as the kingdom's guardian angel spread. But her reputation and fighting ability only served to work against her true desire, as the kingdoms believed that with her around, they wouldn't need the heroes. Auriel would once again become very outspoken about summoning the heroes, and that she was only one person and the waves would eventually become strong enough that she wouldn't be strong enough to stop them. She might have been capable, but she was no cardinal hero after all. In one particularly violent battle, the strength and organization of the horde was far greater than Auriel had anticipated. Auriel was one of the first to meet the enemy in the field of battle, and one of the first to fall to the surprise as chains and nets were launched into the air by fel machines to intercept her. It seemed that her reputation hadn't just reached the ears of the people. Soldiers managed to reach her and get her out of the battle, but she was too injured to fight. The holy magic that surrounded her would need time to heal her injuries, and there was no telling when she would be healthy enough to fight again. It had been months since that battle, but Auriel is once again fit to travel the land. Her injuries had left her bedridden, and she is now a shadow of her past self. She would need to raise her strength again for when the first true wave comes. Luckily, her defeat on the field of battle, and destruction that ensued from the last demonic incursion, was enough to galvanize both the people, and the government to finally summon the heroes. Auriel is making sure that she is there to attend the summoning ceremony and finally fulfill her destiny. --- Preferred Weapon Spear Abilities of Weapon The spear is imbued with holy magic, making is more effective against undead and unholy creatures. --- Skills/Abilities Any sort of physical, skin on skin contact provides healing and energizing. Best used outside of combat to nurse injuries and keep people going. Pros Can provide constant healing Can heal any wound, but it cannot regrow limbs Minor wounds can be healed quite quickly Cons Physical contact must be maintained for healing For large and grievous wounds, healing takes too much time to be used in battle A healing spell that can be cast instantly and from a distance. Pros Can be used quickly while in battle Can be used at a distance Can harm undead and unholy enemies Cons Cannot heal major wounds Requires line of sight on the recipient Throw a spear made of holy light, the spear travels incredibly fast and can pierce armor quite easily. Pros Very high damaging spell A fast travelling projectile that is difficult to dodge Armor piercing, can hit multiple enemies in a line Greater effect against undead and unholy enemies Cons Requires a few seconds to conjure the spear, leaving Auriel exposed to danger unless she stops what she is doing Less effective against spread out groups Requires quite a bit on mana, making it a skill to be used sparingly and intelligently Auriel's body will become briefly encased in light as bright as the sun. Pros For most people effected by Auriel's Blinding Light, they will be blinded, stunned, and/or disoriented for a short time. The closer to Auriel they were at the time of the flash, the most severe the effects. Undead and Demons suffer burns from Auriel's Blinding Light. Undead and Demons closer to Auriel will receive more damage. At arm's reach, lesser undead and demons can be entirely disintegrated by the flash. Cons The spell can be directed, as it flashes in three-hundred and sixty degrees. The spell will effect anyone, be they friend or foe. If Auriel wishes to not harm her allies with this spell, she must warn them that she is going to use it, which can potentially tip off the enemy if they are quick enough to realize what is about to happen. Auriel must make physical contact with the item in order to consecrate any item. If an item is consecrated, it glows a faint white, and the item will energize the user if they are holding or wearing it. Consecrated weapons will be extra effective against undead or unholy foes, often burning the area of the strike. For anything else, a consecrated weapon will cause wounds that heal slower than normal. Consecrated armors will neutralize incoming unholy magic attacks, and they will be extra resistant to unholy enchanted weapons. Whether the consecrated item is a weapon or armor, however, it does not last forever. A consecrated piece of gear will remain consecrated for an hour so long as it isn't being used. The more a consecrated weapon strikes a target, the faster the enchantment wears off. The more a consecrated piece of armor protects from a blow, the faster it wears off as well. Pros Can provide a boost in offense or defense respectively The faint glow of a consecrated item could provide a weak light source The user of a consecrated item will feel energized so long as the item is consecrated, which is great for keeping somebody from falling to effects of fatigue Cons Auriel must physically touch a weapon to be able to cast this spell The more extensively used a consecrated item is, the faster the consecration wears off The faint glow could possibly give away the user's position if stealth is a factor Auriel can cast a quick spell to simply nullify a target's physical pain. This helps to get somebody past the pain barriers of an injury or intense muscle fatigue. The spell is brief, lasting only a short two minutes. But if Auriel has time to focus and channel more holy energy, she can extend the effects of this spell upwards to fifteen minutes. The more powerful the casting is, the more mana is consumed. Pros Can help a person to overcome pain barriers in order to the victim to potentially rescue themselves Auriel can cast Null Pain on herself in order to utilize her wings for short bursts of flight, or to sustain a short glide The length of the spell can be adjusted as per needed at a proportionate cost of mana Cons The spell does not heal injuries, and it is possible that an injury could be made worse simply by ignorance after the pain is nullified, thus is it highly encouraged that the target of the spell be mindful of their actions to not make matters worse Non-magical effects can be completely removed from a single target when this spell is cast on them. Traditionally, this means that if cast on an ally, Purify will remove any sort of negative non-magical ailment that is plaguing that individual, whereas if it cast on an enemy, it will generally remove any sort of non-magical enhancement that might be aiding them. Pros Can be used to prevent poisons, diseases/illnesses of the non-magical variety Can be casted quickly and at a short distance Cons The spell is single targeting, meaning that large groups of people, be they friend or foe, can easily overwhelm the usefulness of the spell Cannot purify magical ailments Cannot purify natural ailments that come with age or disabilities An offensive holy spell that fires a fast bolt of light at the target. The relatively low mana cost and ease of use allows this spell to be cast quickly and in succession of other spells. The damage the holy bolt delivers is more effective against unholy enemies. Undead are burned by the bolt. Pros A simple spell that can be used quickly multiple times Extra effectiveness against unholy enemies, additionally burning undead foes Cons Low damage against enemies that aren't unholy Less of a skill, and more of a natural trait. She has angelic wings that allow her to fly. Her recent defeat in battle has left her wings injured and unable to be used for flight. As she recovers, the wings may once again become useful. Pros ... she can fly... Eventually Cons Neither the wings, nor her, are strong enough to carry others Fragile and can be easily injured if she isn't careful After training with her skilled mother for the better part of a day, Auriel has learned the rudimentary techniques required for a swordsman. She has specifically learned techniques related to the saber. Pros She can more effectively use a sword in combat now Cons She isn't as competent with the sword as she is with the spear ---- Inventory Amulet of the Church of the Four Heroes Camping Equipment Travelling Clothes Armor (as seen in her picture) The Lost Journal of Archiel, and his personal account of the Four Heroes Money 19 Gold 73 Silver 50 Copper</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "He's probably at the Inn drinking about this time of day. He said he'd be there if we had any questions after all So miss whe-...well I guess its about time we got batman'd..." Cole commented dully as he looked towards the woman who vanished without a further trace. Cole looked to Fer and took a deep breath. "We should be wary of what the king is doing but I think if we make him our enemy mentally it won't do us any good. Whatever reason the reason I personally seem to think its got something to do with the assassination of his sisters. I've heard a lot of comments in the tavern about how a man could possibly run this country. He could just be worried in this world that people may try to take advantage of us, maybe kill us. We still got a lot to learn Fer." Cole says a bit tiredly as he pulled out his sword and flourishes it a bit clumsily in his hand. "We the heroes meant to save the world but we don't know even where to start...the more I think about it the more I wonder if this was a mistake. But even if it was this was the hand we're dealt and we need to hold onto it. People look to the four heroes to save them and we will. Have my back and I'll cut down the enemies in front of us Fer." Cole says calmly as he puts his blade away and starts to head towards the exit to the alley. "Let's move we can talk on the way there..." Cole comments as he leads them towards the inn they usually stayed at. ...Surely enough by the time they arrived they were quick to look around and notice Marcino over in his usual corner...however he wasn't drinking which Cole found particularly unusual. As Cole approached him he looked fairly serious and his face muddled with a bit of annoyance. "What's up boss?" Cole asked as the man spit on the floor. "The bow hero is a bitch after my own heart but god damn does she piss me off." grumbles the older mercenary as he takes a deep breath. "Why you here?" he asks simply as Cole takes a deep breath and nods, "We need your help in fighting Rayla Winters of your home country." Cole asks him as he raises an eyebrow. "Winters? That two bit washed up gladiator ain't worth looking at let alone fighting. Shouldn't you two be doing your job as 'legendary heroes' instead of asking this old man to go and clean the swamp for ya?"</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith As Auriel arrived in the massive sprawling library in the cathedral many of the clerics, bishops, and other magisters were busy at work studying preparing for the wave coming in less than two weeks time now. Many men, women, and even some children prodigies seemed to be hard at work trying to find ways of helping the nation survive the incoming disaster that would be the waves. A young man clad in his brownish robes approached Auriel who she would likely know as Hans Copper, the mage who helped summon all four heroes in the first place. As Hans approached he gave Auriel a big smile and nodded at her as he adjusted his glasses. "Miss Auriel was it? The one who volunteered to help the heroes? Well met. I hope that everything had gone well since then! Personally speaking I wish you all the best of luck." Hans states with a smile as the mousely looking young man adjusts his glasses.</s>	<\|message\|>Auriel Asher The Library (Mood Music) Auriel stepped into the great library of the cathedral. She had spent many days studying and toiling away at her lessons, and perhaps a few of her own juvenile curiosities, as she grew up. She looked around, appreciating the sight of the tall stacks neatly running the length of the library. The familiar sounds of turning pages and the occasional clearing of a throat or a cough over the silence embedded an innate desire to be silent. It was so peaceful. Who would want to disturb it? When the young man approached Auriel and bowed, she smiled and bowed back to him. "Greetings. Though I wouldn't say I volunteered exactly." she chuckled and gestured to her white wings, "Destiny made manifest, rather." She expressed her appreciation for his support of their efforts with a smile and a kind nod. Her golden eyes turned back to the stacks of books as she slowly stepped beside him. "I am looking for some books, particularly on the exploits of past cardinal heroes and the powers they wielded. Perhaps personal records of past heroes?" She glanced back at Hans, wondering if he would be able to help her find such articles and entries.</s>
<\|description\|>Marcus Varo Age: 32 Gender: Male Level: 1 Class: Legendary Shield Hero Hero Class: Shield Magic Affinity: Dark Appearance: Biography: In his homeland of Spain, Marcus was a foremost politician working against the autocratic government of his nation. With a full team of reliable people backing him, he was mere months away from establishing his group as a party that stood a chance in elections. With the promised day coming up quick, he pushed himself far beyond his limits to make sure that his team was ready for the trials ahead. Unfortunately, as a result of his working habits, Marcus fainted during a rally and hit his head. The shock rendered him unconscious for weeks, leaving him stuck in a coma by the time election season rolled around, which destroyed his party's chance at victory. Marcus awoke four years later to the sound of his wife's voice. The sudden rush of joy sent him tumbling from his hospital bed and onto the ground. At first he thought it was just fatigue, but when the numbness in his legs wouldn't go away, it was clear something was off. The doctors informed him that his accident had left him partially paralyzed from the waist down. The news that he was no longer in any shape to work in the same fashion as before hit him like a brick. Fortunately, he seemed to be in perfectly good health otherwise and was discharged within the week. Marcus adjusted to life in a wheelchair without much issue, and attended therapy weekly for the next year. Even though his nation was still plagued by the same government, and his goals had been quashed in one fell swoop, the chance to spend time relaxing at home with his wife offered him a new perspective on life. He quickly found purpose as a scholar and reconnected with his old team, looking to start rebuilding his campaign from the ground up with a new strategy in mind. After a year in therapy he finally regained the use of his legs to a certain extent. Although his motor skills would suffer without warning, causing him to stumble occasionally or find himself unable to walk for minutes at a time, he kept a positive outlook and kept to his research. But as Marcus continued delving into literature, he would soon find that his most recent choice in reading material was about to send him for a whirl... Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Legendary… --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Abilities of Skill: Downsides of Skill: ---- Inventory: Pendant with a picture of his wedding day.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith It happened in an instant a flash from a book, and the world changing around four individual normal folks from different worlds. As if they were fish pulled from different environments and being thrust into an completely different ocean. The Four heroes now sit in the middle of a magical ritual circle surrounded by a large group of men. Some of them in priest outfits, other ones in suits of armor carrying weapons from times past of their world. Of course none of the new heroes knew exactly what had just happened but for the individuals in the room they were met by a cheer of happiness from the clerics in the room who excitedly congratulated each other. In particular a young man wearing priest robes, and a small pair of round glasses. In the hands of the heroes were weapons they hadn't used before. Strange objects: A sword, a spear, a bow, and a shield. Too the more nerdy among the group it was clear that they were now in some sort of isekai scenario, kind of like some of the MMO's they had played before except this time it was clearly real enough as the weapons attached to them felt alien in their hands. And their sight was obscured by a menu of sorts if they focused hard enough on one person. The cheers died down and the boy walked forward and cleared his voice before talking to them all cheerfully. "I'm so glad it worked! Thank Grand Master Eric for his instruction! Inform the king, and queen immediately that the heroes are here!" a young man in brown robes stated quickly as a soldier nodded, and ran off quickly. The young man spread his arms wide in welcome, and quickly pressed his glasses up his nose. He had messy brown hair, and wasn't particularly handsome. He seemed genuinely happy to see all of them here. "Welcome brave heroes! Welcome to our world! I'm sorry if you did not wish this, but we have called you here for good reason I promise you. My name is Hans Copper, and I request that you assist us in saving the world!" The boy named Hans stated as he quickly spoke up again before questions arose, "You are the successors of the former Four Great Cardinal Heroes! Heirs to a legacy of great men, and women!" --- Cole looked around his blade clung to his hand insistently he couldn't seem to let go of his weapon. Not that he'd want to but the initial shock of the area almost made him lose his focus. Heroes? Were the people gathered around him apart of this new group? The last thing he remember...he remembered grabbing a book off a shelf in the library of his college. His eccentric librarian had recommended he look there for something he needed for class. He looked at the golden blade in his hand as the man in front of him talked, and he admired it it was well made, and seemed to fit perfectly in his hand. It was nothing like he felt before but it felt right in his hands as if it was made for him. And judging by the speech it was meant to be his. "I see? I can't say I'm any sort of great hero...nor do I know how I even got chosen out of all the people out there but...I don't see any other way forward. I'll help you if I can." Cole said calmly but somewhat shaken as he still was adjusting to everything here. 'This seems a lot like those dumb cheesy animes Mike from science class watched just after class...he'd love it if he were here. Whatever gotta play it cool...if this is really real than I can't loose face.' Cole stated as he waited to hear what the others around him had to say. === Meanwhile in the hall of the castle the adventurers called together to aid the heroes rested, and chatted with each other. The large hall of the castle's interior was spacious, and extremely well furnished. The guards, and knights chatted about the possible arrival of heroes, and the fact that all the nations came together to make it happen...it was quite the spectacular event. Even if it failed it meant good things for the new young King of Melromarc.</s> <\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin glanced at the people in the room, somewhat disoriented as he tried to make sense of what was going on. One moment, he was alone in the library. Then, he was met with a bright flashing light. Now he was here, surrounded by people that he'd never seen before in medieval suits. He certainly did not recognise anyone from school. "Uh...what?" He mumbled, as a man stepped forward and began to mention stuff about four Heroes and them being called here. Flin's face turned from disbelief into irritation. It seemed clear to him that this was some type of elaborate prank, one that was executed very well at that. "Listen...I don't know how you jokers pulled this off, but I have a lot of work to do. I don't have time for..." He spoke, but then glanced at his right hand. He was holding a spear, it's tip razor-sharp and it's colour as red as flame. When did he even end up grabbing it? The discovery only added to Flin's confusion. He tried to release it, but his hand refused to do so. He glanced over towards the other sharp object in his immediate vicinity, the golden sword that the Sword Hero was holding. He backed up a bit. Despite still believing that it was some kind of joke, that sword and his spear sure seemed to be made out of real steel. Regardless of what was going on, he certainly didn't want to get stabbed. He didn't believe what Hans Copper had told them for even a second, despite listening to every word.</s> <\|message\|>Cleomine In the great hall, one of the adventurers is a bard who would normally be performing at the tavern right about now. With her long, brown haired wig on and styled to cover her ears effectively, she waited with the other adventurers for the shield heroes. She did feel somewhat anxious being in the castle, but this was a chance for her to offer her aid to the Shield Hero, despite the risk that she could be discovered as a demi-human. Cleomine mostly kept to herself, but if someone approached her to talk, then she would engage in friendly conversation with them. She wouldn't be surprised if a couple of adventurers here recognized her as the bard in the tavern. She eagerly awaited the heroes, while keeping a discerning eye out on the people around her for any sign of trouble.</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher Excitement and Worry (Mood Music) Auriel stood on one of the many balconies overlooking Melromarc from the throne room. She looked out to the summoning temple where the ritual to bring the Cardinal Heroes to this world was taking place. She was disappointed that she was denied access to the ritual. Her whole life had led to this moment, to stand beside the heroes. It would come to pass, but for Auriel, having to wait the extra hour or two felt like an eternity. Her golden eyes practically burned a hole into the stonework of the distant temple. They were there now, she could feel it. It was a sensation that ran up her spine and gave her chills. It was as if the world in its entirety responded to the summoning of the heroes. Winds blew from the temple's direction, catching the feathers of her wings as they remained tucked to her back. Her blonde hair whipped back from a particularly powerful gust. Auriel heard the chirps and calls of a flock of birds as they fought against the wind to reach the temple. She looked over to them and watched with envy as they flew so freely in the air. The sun gleamed off of their white feathers, allowing for the birds to stick out from the blue and gray backdrop of the partially cloudy sky. Auriel took a deep breath of the summer air and let it out slowly. Her wings stretched out a bit, catching more wind. The feeling of the air moving through her feathers felt nice, but it wasn't enough for Auriel. Things hadn't been the same for her since she fell on the battlefield. A sharp stab of pain from her right wing made her wince and tuck her wings back in. She gripped the hand rail of the balcony with white knuckles as the pain ran its course. Her mind shot back to the moment it all happened, when weighted chains were tossed over her and took her to the ground. When her struggles twisted the chains through her feathers and snapped fragile bones. She felt fear that day. It was the first time she had ever came so close to losing everything. For all her divine gifts and healing magic, her wings were the one thing that wouldn't heal. It had been months since that day, but she was still no closer to taking the skies back as her domain. Auriel snapped out of her reverie when she heard the great bells of the temple, cathedral, and palace ring in unison. The summoning was complete. She felt that familiar chill run up her spine again. The excitement of meeting her promised companions quickly washed over the anxiety of her injuries. But it didn't take long for a new anxiety to settle in. What if the heroes were nothing like she expected? What if they had no need for a warrior who trained her whole life to aid them? What if they wouldn't accept her because she wasn't completely healed yet? Auriel's mind started zipping through dozens of different 'what if?' scenarios, and it made her bite her lip as she tried sorting out the plausible from the implausible. Another gust of wind caught in her wings, and she refocused. No. That wouldn't happen. The Cardinal Heroes might be the ones destined to save their world, but without people like Auriel and the other adventurers gathered in the throne room, the heroes would be lost and confused in this strange place. Her rationale steeled her for the moment she'd meet her heroes, at least until she realized she hadn't even thought about what to say when they were finally face to face. Auriel blushed. "Oh heavens, Auriel you fool..." she said quietly to herself as she planted her face firmly in her palm. She took another deep breath and started rehearsing to herself, "Greetings, heroes! ... No that's too excited... Welcome, my lords- are they my lords? What if one of them is a lady? My lords and lady? Ohhh I should've thought about this sooner! Uuugh!" Auriel let out an exasperated sigh as she gripped some of her golden locks. "Ohhh what do I say?!" she said a bit louder, forgetting that there might be others able to hear her in the throne room.</s>	<\|message\|>Marcus Varo The book was gone. A cold breeze whistled through the chamber and rustled Marco's bathrobe, sending vibrant chills throughout his body. Being thrust from the warm comfort of his home threw his senses for a spin. It was like being forcefully tossed downstream, only to end up stranded upon an unfamiliar shore. Marcus reached for his head, but scraped the edge of his cheek with something hard and pointed. "What." His voice was gentle and came out as a whisper. The morning light glinted off some mysterious instrument that clung to his arm like some kind of bracer. It was too fast. Lightheaded and nauseous, Marcus stumbled backwards as the people around him started to speak. His left leg gave way, leaving him on one knee behind the line of summoned heroes, looking far less heroic than the priest made them out to be. From his crouched position, the mysterious atmosphere floated above him like eerie fog. Marcus struggled to catch his bearings, but couldn't rise to his feet. To his left, a silver haired boy immediately took to the offer that Marcus could barely comprehend. The blonde boy on his right didn't seem as ready to accept Hans' preposterous announcement, but didn't look staggered by the transport at all. This was a little too much to take it all at once. Too much for thirty-something politician who just wanted to read a book.</s>
<\|description\|>Marcus Varo Age: 32 Gender: Male Level: 1 Class: Legendary Shield Hero Hero Class: Shield Magic Affinity: Dark Appearance: Biography: In his homeland of Spain, Marcus was a foremost politician working against the autocratic government of his nation. With a full team of reliable people backing him, he was mere months away from establishing his group as a party that stood a chance in elections. With the promised day coming up quick, he pushed himself far beyond his limits to make sure that his team was ready for the trials ahead. Unfortunately, as a result of his working habits, Marcus fainted during a rally and hit his head. The shock rendered him unconscious for weeks, leaving him stuck in a coma by the time election season rolled around, which destroyed his party's chance at victory. Marcus awoke four years later to the sound of his wife's voice. The sudden rush of joy sent him tumbling from his hospital bed and onto the ground. At first he thought it was just fatigue, but when the numbness in his legs wouldn't go away, it was clear something was off. The doctors informed him that his accident had left him partially paralyzed from the waist down. The news that he was no longer in any shape to work in the same fashion as before hit him like a brick. Fortunately, he seemed to be in perfectly good health otherwise and was discharged within the week. Marcus adjusted to life in a wheelchair without much issue, and attended therapy weekly for the next year. Even though his nation was still plagued by the same government, and his goals had been quashed in one fell swoop, the chance to spend time relaxing at home with his wife offered him a new perspective on life. He quickly found purpose as a scholar and reconnected with his old team, looking to start rebuilding his campaign from the ground up with a new strategy in mind. After a year in therapy he finally regained the use of his legs to a certain extent. Although his motor skills would suffer without warning, causing him to stumble occasionally or find himself unable to walk for minutes at a time, he kept a positive outlook and kept to his research. But as Marcus continued delving into literature, he would soon find that his most recent choice in reading material was about to send him for a whirl... Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Legendary… --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Abilities of Skill: Downsides of Skill: ---- Inventory: Pendant with a picture of his wedding day.</s> <\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin took in his surroundings carefully as he moved. This was a whole new world for him to explore, and it all looked strange. This took away any final doubts within his mind, that people were messing with him. There was no way that this was some sort of setup. It was far too real, far too unique. Flin's first impression of the king wasn't much at all. It just looked like some child who'd crawled on the throne for some reason. Part of him wanted to try to shoo him away, but that's when the boy spoke with pride and power in his tone. It made Shane keep his manners, at least to a degree. He slowly took in all of the king's words, and only now noticed the button that he was informed of. He'd been too busy analysing everything else. He tapped the button, and saw his health bar and other stats. "What the hell..." He mumbled. "This is..." With that, he tapped the button again to make the stats vanish again. The stats before him seemed like something out of a game. And they would be getting money for killing monsters. The payment for risking their lives to protect this world. Then, a large muscular individual stepped up and started saying stuff about being their mentor. Flin never asked for this! And now some guy was going to be his mentor? He wasn't sure wether to agree to that, or not. Since people expected him to fight, perhaps having Quentin teach him some stuff wasn't the worst idea. Flin was no stranger when it came to fighting, but he wasn't exactly a master at spear-fighting. Or with any weapon at all, really. When the volunteers came in, he wasn't exactly sure what to say. He was still trying to come to terms with things, to piece everything together. And now there were even more strangers coming in, apparently here to join the heroes. Flin placed his spear on the ground beside him, it's tip facing the ceiling. He gave the visitors a calm, but serious look. He wasn't about to give some fancy speech to recruit people, but he wasn't about to back away either. His stance was as strong and resolute as he could muster, and he waited for someone to approach him. If anyone even bothered to do so, at least.</s> <\|message\|>Cleomine Cleomine noticed that one of the heroes in the hall, the one with wings, seemed to be nervous. For a moment, Cleo wondered why the knights weren't charging at the winged woman and trying to arrest her for being a demi-human. But she didn't speak up about it. She didn't want to bring attention to herself. She was about to go and encourage the guardian angel, but she didn't move. The shaman had already approached her and was speaking with her. He gave the winged woman the same exact advice she would have given her. So...everything was under control there. Cleomine smiled at the thought. Soon it was time to go and see the heroes. When the knights called to them and told them to enter, she did so. After she entered, she studied each of the four figures, looking for one specific hero: The Shield. Out of all the heroes, she didn't like the looks of the bow hero. She seemed too aggressive for Cleo's taste. When she laid eyes on the Shield Hero, she noticed that he seemed to be older than the other heroes and that there seemed to be weakness in his legs. She felt sympathy for the Shield Hero, and it became more of a reason to join his party. Without hesitation, Cleo moved to face the Shield Hero, and she politely spoke to him with a quiet confidence, "Shield Hero, I would be honored to offer my sword and voice to your party, if you will have me,"</s>	<\|message\|>Marcus Varo Marcus tried to take the information being slung at him in stride, but it was too much. His mind went blank as the priest went on, until they were finally escorted single-file out of the dank little room that they were... "Summoned" to. Magic, heroes, weapons, danger, prophecies, and to top it all off, a child king. It was like trying to dance along a thin rope while having knives flung at you one after the other. There were many points where Marcus was keen to object. Points where he had the urge to shout his confusion at the top of his lungs and demand the attention of everyone in the room, but his energy was sapped. Cruel memories of his collapse several years ago made him impish, too insecure to speak his mind, even now, in this insane world of nonsense. He didn't nod. He didn't acknowledge anything being said. Marcus kept his eyes glued to the ground, almost unconscious on his feet as he stumbled into the lineup. He'd glance over at the other heroes briefly whenever they spoke with disdain. Two of them were readily accepting of this new world, like they had nothing back home to return to. Maybe this was a paradise for them. Maybe being torn away from a life that had yet to even begin was like a blessing. Marcus didn't feel the same way though. He was torn away from his home. Ripped from rebuilding his legacy. Perhaps worst of all, he was being escorted around the cold halls of a castle in nothing but his bathrobe. What a hellish outcome. When the king spoke of statuses, Marcus rose his head. His right eye caught something peculiar near the corner of his vision. It seemed tangible, yet, fused with the atmosphere like some ethereal mechanism. A menu? Like, the kind of menus you'd find in those old role playing games from the 90's? It's been so long since he'd had time for video games, but as soon as he reached for the little node, memories came flooding back, and the windows the popped up flooded him with nostalgia. Marcus shut the window, only to be greeted by a hulking loudmouth with a straightforward proposition. It sounded more like an order though, something they were forced into whether they liked it or not, much like this whole 'hero for hire' garbage. The hierarchy was starting to become clearer, but as far as he knew, the heroes was more indispensable than anyone in here. Maybe with that leverage, he could find a way out of this terrifying dream state, and back into the real world. Just after catching his bearings once again, he was approached by one of the vassals presented to them, a small girl with long brown hair. The girl's voice was soft, almost that of a child's, but she spoke with the poise of a lady. Normally he would have the wherewithal to return her request professionally, with due elegance, but the situation still had him staggered. With fog still rolling through his head, he looked the girl over and opened his mouth to speak, but tripped over his words. "You- Um- It's quite-" He stammered, "Sorry. Forgive me. This still doesn't quite feel like reality to me. To be told so many things and expected..." He paused and looked to the king. Marcus cleared his throat and strengthened his posture. With one hand, he tightened the fuzzy belt around his robe, and rose his voice so that he would be heard clearly by all. "Expected to fulfill a role that I never agreed to, after being stolen from my world without warning. You can imagine my alarm." Marcus looked to lock eyes with the king as he spoke. His composure returned to him in moments, as if the haze had suddenly been blown away by a tempest of anger. It felt right to finally speak up, but in doing so, an immediate pang of regret clutched his Adams apple. Perhaps he'd stepped out of line. If he'd been a slave, talking back to his slaver would have earned him lashes, and nothing more.</s>
<\|description\|>An Shalaa-Doo Nicknames: Age: 34 Gender: male Level: 5 Class: Shaman(something of a druid-cleric hybrid) Specializations: rituals, axe swinging, intense shouting also a little bit of medicine Magic Affinity: nature Appearance: Biography: An is the last one of a nomadic tribe that roamed around the monster filled woods. They were ravaged by a stampede of monsters, falling powerless against a horde of vicious creatures. An was left by himself and without a clear goal. He roamed the wilderness by himself for some time, only running into wildlife and seldom adventurers. He slayed the monsters and aided the people, only to continue on his travel when he saw that his job was done. After spending years in the woods, An ventured into the nation of Melromarc, wondering how the kingdom would look. After venturing around shortly, he joined the Adventurers' Guild as he found that it'd be of aid to his wandering. After venturing and bickering with other adventurers a bit, An came across the words of the four heroes that would save the world from demonic threats. Ad decided to go find whoever they were, with an objective to join them on their grand journey. --- Preferred Weapon(s): axe, ritual staff Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: Ritual Staff: A wooden staff imbued with mysterious power. It allows An to boost his shaman magic. It can be used without the staff, but has greatly decreased effects. A new one can be created with a ritual when broken, but there can be only one at a time. --- Skills/Abilities: Hunter's Dance By shaking his staff vigorously with a chant, An can buff the physical capabilities of nearby allies and himself for three minutes. Abilities: physical stats buff Downside: limited range(a radius of 15 meters) Mana Song An strikes his staff to the ground with a fearsome scream, boosting the magic of nearby allies for two minutes. Abilities: slight magic boost(stronger spells, regenerate mana slowly for duration Downside: limited range(a radius of 10 meters) Shaman Blade By running his hand across the target weapon, An can enchant it with an eerie green aura that gives it additional holy damage for the next nine strikes. Downside: can only be used once per day. An can 'bless' a fire(minimum size of a small campfire) to repel weaker monsters. This fire can be used for performing rituals. With a combination of medicinal herbs, An can craft a mush that can be applied on wounds. Or optionally consumed. Various ingredients can be added to make mush of different effects. A good length of wooden stick and a Motherly Fire is required. An imbues the stick of mysterious power, taking 20 minutes. It creates a new Ritual Staff. Cannot be done when there is already one intact. A Motherly Fire and a (literal) handful of things harvested from plants. Includes things such as berries or herb leaves. (harvested goods must be a practical one, not some random twig or leaf picked from a random tree) An performs a ritual with the gatherings, offering it to the nature as a wish for good harvest. For the next 10 hours, he and his allies(who were at the fire) have additional chance to find rare plants for gathering. Medical items of plant origin(plant brew, mush, etc.) also have stronger effects for the duration. ---- Inventory: -A knife(for non combat uses) -food supplies, leather sack for storing food -whetstone for sharpening axe -kit for making plant based medicine, medical supplies -various bones of animals and monsters - 12 copper(found in a small sack on the ground)</s> <\|message\|>An Shalaa-Doo The shaman flinched as the winged lady greeted him with some grand confidence. In the moment of awkwardness, he did nothing but pat the bear skull gently. She could do some impressive work with enough practice, that was for sure. "Well, it looks like you already have the powerful voice." An scratched his head. At that point all she needed was a good sprinkle of pride. Or at least that's how he did it. "Don't feel so down now. Only a few are natural born speakers. Even those people would be nervous in this situation." He gave one of her wings a gentle pat and stretched his other arm to the sky. The bear skull on his staff clattered slightly. "Let nothing hold you back, seize the moment! You've got the voice, so it won't be much of a problem." --- Soon enough, the gathered adventurers were ushered to another room. Following the group and the guiding soldiers, An noticed a squad of strangely dressed(even compared to himself) people talking to who seemed to be the king of Melromarc. The king announced that the volunteers choose their hero. With that the shaman scanned each of the four standing before him. So he had to choose among the four. The shaman casually approached the Bow Hero. "Greetings!" He said with another rattle of his staff. "I offer to stand as your companion, one with the Bow!"</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Do you have the balls to be a part of my squad punk!? You look like you just crawled your way out of the back alley! What do you got to offer huh!?" Rin Matsunaga questioned the strange man who had decided to fall in line with her team as Cole sighed, and looked over to the Shaman. "Not to pry but if you don't want to get insulted on a daily basis I'd probably pick a better squad." Cole suggested to him as Rin glared daggers at him. "Oh look at you, you fucking Gajin punk ass! Didn't expect you to try, and poach someone from me!" Rin said as a blonde haired bard who had been with the travelers walked over to Rin, and bowed. "I like this one's fiery spirit! Of course I'll be glad to join the bow hero!" The blonde haired handsome bard smiled as he watch Rin look down at him with disgust. "Calm yourself now Bow Hero. You can reject someone if you wish but you don't need to insult them."</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher Destiny (Mood Music) Auriel listened to the shaman's words. He had a point, this was a momentous occasion for everybody, not just her. It made sense that she wasn't the only nervous one there. When he patted a wing, Auriel couldn't help but wince a bit from a mild pain. But she did well to not show the weakness any more than a slight twitch that could be taken as a surprise sensation. Auriel let out a long, slow breath, and smiled to the shaman. "Seize the moment... Okay. I think I can do that." When they were called into the throne room, Auriel felt a sudden surge of adrenaline. This was it. This was now. She could feel butterflies in her stomach as she stepped toward the grand doors leading into the the throne room. She looked up at the large wooden doors as if they were the gates to heaven. It seemed like an eternity for them to swing open far enough to fit the group through. Auriel was the last into the room, most likely because her nerve had slowed her down some. She first spotted the dominant piece in the room, the throne occupied by the young king. Then, standing before the king, were the four heroes. She could feel her cheeks flush a bit, though she wasn't sure why. Was she embarrassed to be standing in the presence of such legendary heroes? Her eyes moved between the four of them, taking in their appearances. They seemed so... Exotic. So otherworldly. She knew that they were of course, but actually seeing them compared to how she envisioned them, it was a completely different feeling. Auriel followed Cleo and the Shaman closer to the group, and heard the king tell them to accompany a hero. She wanted to be with them all, to aid them toward a common goal they all shared. But it seemed that wasn't the case. They'd all need a personal companion. Somebody they could trust and consider as a friend in this alien world she was sure they viewed it as. Auriel watched Cleo go to the Shield Hero, an older looking man who appeared to be in complete shock about everything. Then she saw the Shaman move toward the female hero, the Bow Hero. She seemed to have a chip on her shoulder, which intimidated her slightly when paired with the immense power she now wielded. Her golden eyes turned to the two remaining heroes, the Sword and Spear heroes. Auriel's eyes rested on Flin, the Spear Hero. She fought with a spear as well, perhaps she could train Flin in its use and expedite his improvement. Auriel stepped toward him and bowed. Her wings unfurled a bit, curling forward with her. Suddenly, she felt all of the anxiety of greeting the heroes wash away. She was where she wanted to be, and now that it was happening, everything just fell into place. "Spear Hero. Greetings and thank you for answering the summons... I am Auriel, and it is my sacred duty to assist you and the other heroes against the upcoming trials our world faces. Please accept my vow of servitude." Auriel kept her head down while she waited for an answer from the Spear Hero. Her heart was practically beating out of her chest. @Jensoman</s> <\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin glanced over at the new people, and saw that Marcus immediately got his first follower. That was quick. When the Shield Hero spoke agressively to the King, Flin began to respect him a little. He couldn't resist smirking ever so slightly. At least this man had a mind of his own, and wasn't eager to follow the commands of another. He wasn't exactly happy to do as was told, either. Honestly, all Marcus did was state a fact. They were now in this place, putting up some act for people to like them. He glanced over at Auriel, as she made her way towards him. She stood out more than the others, with big white wings. They had real angels in this world? It was unexpected, but not incredibly strange. There was a great deal that Flin was unaware of within this world, after all. So there was a good possibility that they existed. Heck, anything could exist. None the less, it peaked his curiosity. The feeling rose above the confusion and irritation that he'd been feeling, allowing him to think more clearly. It was the first feeling that wasn't negative, since he'd been abducted from the library in his world. As Auriel spoke to him, He remained as calm as he could be. He took note of the spear within her possession, which only fueled his curiosity. Perhaps she could teach him how to properly wield the spear that had been forced upon him. The girl was kind to him, and he was going to return the favor. It just made common sense to him. He wasn't exactly the best at being polite, but he would give it his best. "I..I see. I accept you within my party, Auriel. I am happy to have you." He said, with a gentle smile. "I do hope that you can teach me more about this world, as I am very unfamiliar with...anything, really." He spoke.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith The Shield Hero suddenly turned around a deep frown on his face, "I will not play backseat to some child! I will make my own way in this world! Forget this I don't need anything from you, and I will find a way home on my own! I'm tired of being a slave!" the man shouted as he walked out the door as the guards let him through the King frowned in disgust. "A fool...hey girl don't follow him. I understand it is your choice to follow one of those heroes but I have a feeling that one may not be the one you seek. You're from the church no? For now I suggest following the spear, bow, or sword hero." King Vincent commanded as he slammed his fist onto his throne. "I declare that the shield hero will not receive help from the crown until he apologizes for his impudence." King Vincent declared as Marcino nodded, "Right gotcha king...besides there was something about him that seemed off." the man known as Marcino called out as Cole stood there still he gripped his sword tightly as he looked to the king. "That isn't very fair my lord." Cole said as the boy shrugged, "I warned him once already." Vincent said as he looked to the sword hero. Rin simply grunted she didn't care one way or another.</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher Relief (Mood Music) "I..I see. I accept you within my party, Auriel. I am happy to have you. I do hope that you can teach me more about this world, as I am very unfamiliar with...anything, really." said the Spear Hero. Auriel was both relieved and thrilled. She raised her eyes to meet his for the first time, and they were positively alight with joy. The even seemed to be have watered just a slight bit as well. Auriel smiled bright to him and nodded, "Thank you! There is much I can teach you about our world, Spear Hero. And it would be my pleasure to share it with you." The angel brushed some golden hair back over her shoulder and looked over to the rest of the heroes, "That goes for all of your great heroes. I am here to see you all to success. All you have is but to ask, and I will answer to the best of my ability." Auriel looked back to the Spear Hero, realizing she hadn't yet gotten his name. "Is there something else I can call you? Aside from Spear Hero, that is."</s>	<\|message\|>An Shalaa-Doo An did nothing but chuckled at the fiery, aggressive spirit of the one with the Bow. Such a spirit from such a young person. It was good to know that the summoned ones were of fighting spirit. Stroking his facial hair slowly, An waited for Rin to finish speaking. Once she had finally stopped speaking, he prepared to retort. "From the back alley, you say? But I have seen more than just the back alley of a sitting settlement. You tell me, young life, have you roamed the forests? Have you seen the mutters of Mother's wrath roam her bones?" The shaman raised his staff dramatically. "Tell me, one with the Bow, what Odyssey have you put yourself in?"</s>
<\|description\|>Fernando Gutierrez Nicknames:Fer Age:21 Gender:Male Level: 1 Class: Shield Hero Hero Class: Shield Specializations: Survival Training, Languages, Tactical Training, Magic Affinity: Wind Appearance: Tan skinned with Knife cut hair down to his shoulders. He has brown eyes and a curved hawk like nose. He stands 5'7" and weighs about 180 lbs. He has many scars on his body and his clothes are ragged and worn. He has a quiet attitude and talks very little. But when he talks he has a sort of tenor voice that is a bit raspy from lack of use. He unknowingly has a protective spirit and has on many occasions helped a person but he tries very hard to seem indifferent. He has no qualms about getting his hands dirty but only resorts to violence when necessary. Biography: Fer is from a war torn country in the South American Continent in the early 1980s. Living in the harsh rural mountains, made him a hardy young lad. When the guerrillas started abducting children he was unfortunate to have been trapping when his younger brother was taken, his father and mother butchered and his younger sister abducted probably to be sold as a slave. Fer tracked down and joined one of the guerillas. His aim was to find his siblings and exact revenge, on whoever he could, from within. He endured harsh and violent conditions. He learned to use conventional and fabricated weapons. His trapping skills eventually earned him a place as a tracker and forager. All the while his goal was to find his siblings. By luck or providence, he was able to discover that his poor brother had not survived the harsh living conditions of jungle and a boy soldier. It had been many years and he felt that he had failed his siblings, his parents and justice. He was contemplating ending it all when on his way back to camp he heard a cry of despair and pain. He followed the sound and happened upon a very common scene of four or five guys surrounding the poor body of girl from where the sound had emerged. He was about to turn away when one of the young men parted and he saw the dirty and tear streaked face of his sister. Rage and pain clouded his emotions as he deftly loaded his old pump action riffle. Despite the emotional storm going on in his soul, Fer managed to quickly and accurately send two bullets bursting into his intended targets. He did not even stop to assess the damage when a quick reaction from one of the remaining three young men reached for the riffle. Far let the riffle be torn from his grasp but his hand immediately pulled the hunting knife he wore on his waist and plunged it deep under the ribs of the attacker who slumped to the ground after a gasp of surprise. The one that had been assaulting the young girl had succeeded in punting on his pants and stood up just as the other lad managed to close in combat with Fer and knock him to the ground trying to pry the knife from his grasp. Fer reached up with his other hand pulled the lad's hair towards his face and bit hard into his neck until he felt the metal taste of blood. A yell of pain from the wounded neck which was spurting in a rhythmic fashion. Before he could get to his feet he felt a sharp pain on the left side of his head. He fell to the side trying to fight off confusion and a nausea. Before he could recover he felt the weight of a sweaty body on his and rancid breath near his nose as the last attacker fell onto him striking with his hands. Adrenalin and desperation made both defender and attacker inaccurate in their scuffle. Somehow, the attacker's hand happened upon the hunter knife that had been dropped. He raised the knife and brought it down upon the raised arm of Fer who had appempted to protect himself. The blade plunged deep into the left forearm and scrapped bone protruding from the other side. The lad used his weight and pushed down forcing the blade slowly down. It was a life and death struggle. The blade was dangerously close to Fer's neck when a shot rang out. While the weight remained on him, it was dead limp weight. Blood started to drip from a hole on the side of the face of the attacker and Fer pushed the dead body off him, the effort causing him to almost pass out from the pain in his left forearm. A crying girl rushed to his side. "FER!" the girl said between sobs. Fer propped himself on his knees, the Adrenalin slowly leaving his body and giving way to pain and nausea. He still managed to hug the young girl and say her name through bloodied and busted lips. "Rosa, please forgive me!" He added his sobs to hers as they held each other surrounded by a grim collection of bodies darkening the earth and pooling blood. Five days later found Fer and Rosa in a rural train station headed towards town. They wanted to leave so much grief and pain behind. Perhaps even one day make it to America. They had somehow made it down the mountain to a village where they had found good people who patched up Fer and helped them find a ride to the rural town. They bought passage with the selling of the equipment and cash found on the dead bodies of the assailants. It seemed like their bloody past was behind them. There had been no signs of pursuit and nobody would even know who was missing or who had attacked with so many rival guerrillas in the area. While they waited, Fer's gaze fell on the odd and eclectic offerings of a merchant. It was a worn book. Fer smiled, his younger brother had loved books. He had been the smart one in the family. Fer knew how to read of course but had not envisioned a life outside farming the land like his father. He knelled and for 5 pesos bought the book. He was on his way back to Rosa and the approaching train. In an instant, there was a bright flash of light which all but blinded the young man. When his vision returned and the spots dissipated, he was standing in a stone walled room. --- Preferred Weapon(s): Shield, (proficient in fire arms , bows and knives) Appearance of Weapon: Dependent on the ability being used but at rest it looks more like a solid metal bracer with a jewel on the center of it. Abilities of Weapon: (if applicable) Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: morphs shield into any of the shields shown above. The shields have no particular ability they are just metal shields in that shape. Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: equip bonus: defense 2 Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: Air Burst- Able to create a strong burst of air that impacts the target in a 12 inch ball. Diameter of ball increases with the user level. Burst Shield- forms a air generated shield (similar to the one in the manga) and helps minimize damage from attacks. The number of layers or shields are depended on user level.</s> <\|message\|>Dúlamán(Doh-lah-mahn) Cain Hearing Cole responds to his introduction, the dark-skinned demi grinned just a bit wider. He wasn't sure if he had layed it on a bit too thick. After all, even outside the arena, he wasn't known for his sparkling personality. Though he couldn't help but be on guard with the "subtle" shifting of the shield hero. Cain couldn't be sure without asking but, he was fairly sure his wings were at least partially to blame for Fernando's unease. Shaking the man's hand he couldn't resist the urge to bare his fangs in a mischievously toothy grin. Though if some of the gasps from a few nosey onlookers were to be trusted it could easily be mistaken for a soundless snarl. "I am sure your abilities are worth far more than you claim, though I must say. Humility is a rarity in this city aside from the clergy." the winged man said easily as he released Fer's hand and leaned back slightly. It was almost immediately after that he remembered his polar opposite reached out to grab her hand. However, instead of shaking the proffered appendage, he attempted to turn it so that her knuckles were exposed before lowering his head to place a gentle kiss. "Pleasure, m' lady." He breathed with a wink before turning toward the conversation with the receptionist. While he held little sympathy for Rayla and her ilk, he wasn't comfortable with her death being so easily discussed. There were few who understood what time in the arena could do to one's mind and those who did had more than there share of scars. Both physical and mental. Despite these thoughts, he was also fully aware that not everyone could be redeemed. "While I much prefer to ensnare my prey, these aren't just for show. I can hold my own." He declared while motioning to the two whips stored on the outer side of his legs.</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer had to turn his head in a different direction when the winged newcomer planted a kiss on Auriel's hand. He felt his blood rise but was not sure if it was due to his embarrassment at feeling so possessive of his holy partner or if it was out of anger at the beast man for taking such liberties with a total stranger. Perhaps he was old school and even in his world, men showed their respect to ladies in such a manner. However, this was also a way to flirt and court that was socially acceptable. Perhaps the young hero's anger was at the audacity that Dulaman would reduce his trusted companion to prey to be hunted and conquered over. Whatever the case, it was wrong of Fer too. He had no claim over the holy protector and he most definitely would not make her out to be a defenseless little bird. He took a calming long breath and instead focused on his surroundings. The location was filled with experience and new adventurers. He could tell the difference some in their way that they carried themselves. Veteran adventurers had a sureness in their step. They moved with purpose and their laughs were full and hearty. They probably had seen many partners die and knew that life was too short to worry about the mundane. In the opposite, newcomers walked around unsure, their smiles awkward and masked. He turned to look at his own team. Despite the awesome weapons they wore, there was no guarantee of success. He was the second hero to be summoned in a very short time. This bandit had a reputation that exaggerated or not, meant that they could handle themselves. This very real possibility of death made him feel even more ashamed of his earlier reaction. Dulaman might be a new member to their team but Fer needed to treat and defend him as he would Cole or Auriel. He cleared his throat and addressed the leathery winged man. "Once we are clear of any eager ears I would appreciate any information you have on Rayla and any plan suggestion for bringing about her end."</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "We can bring her dead, or alive regardless I have an idea of what to do with her other than force a slave collar on her. I just need to make sure she's alive for it. Its just a guess but if this is similar to the magic I'm use to in my world I can probably find someone to deal with her as I see fit. For now does anyone need to pack any gear? Food, or supplies for the trip? We may be out there anywhere between a few hours to a few days. It would be best to make sure you're prepared i imagine." Cole says calmly as he surveys his own thoughts he wonders just how exactly they intended to bring in a skilled warrior alive. Her death would be considerably easy to manage and this guy seemed fond of the capture method. They could talk it over when the time came but for now he supposed it would be best to find some sort of general idea of what to do and that was for the farm that's likely to be raided. "We're going to go to the farm house after we meet up at the Black Swallow's Blacksmith just on the edges of the city. We're not going to buy anything there its just a convenient spot. Does anyone have any objections? I think that's as basic as it gets." Cole said aloud as he looked around he didn't see to many of the adventurers eyeing them up it was likely they didn't care much that even the legendary heroes were looking for work to help around town until the waves hit. Chances are the veterans expected they may show up.</s>	<\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer cocked his head to one side with a slight look of confusion as Cole detailed his plan. He wondered if Cole's earth was different than his own. Other than by force or coercion, there was no magic that Fer knew that could make people do what they wanted. Of course, there was the old wives tales of curses or possessions but Fer did not think that Cole was versed in the dark arcane arts of mountain witches. Regardless, the young shield hero nodded. "Yes Cole I think your suggestion of getting supplies is a good one." He turned to Auriel "Any company would be appreciated." He said with a slight smile. Almost reluctantly but with a conviction that made it seem he was trying to move past his own barriers, he turned to the beast man. "The invitation is extended to you of course" His tone was as friendly as it could be but with a slight tone of reluctance. He then turned to Cole. "I definitely think we should split up; multiple targets are harder to track and keep an eye out for. When I was a tracker, we had to pick a target and stick with it. Sometimes it was the wrong one and you had wasted days of monitoring." He gave nod to the three of them and headed for the door. If anybody followed him they would visit various stands. He first made his way to the stalls selling dried meat. Just because they knew the location of the bandit leader there was no guarantee she would be there. It might be days before they spotted her. He used the gold the King had given him which he felt belonged to the people anyways. He bought what he felt was good enough for about seven or so days. He also stopped by and bought some wine skins. After he was done with getting dried fruit, cheeses and even some camping equipment he looked like a he was planning a trip or was some sort of tinker sales man. He figured the later would be a perfect disguise and was thankful for the Shield's ability to increase his endurance and strength. Eventually he made his way to the prescribed meting place. He was a bit sad he was not able to use any of the bows or knives displayed on the walls. He gave an acknowledging nod to the young assistant that had outfitted him in his first day on this world. He waited until everybody was there. "I took the liberty of selecting our food stuff among other thing. I mean, as the shield I should make myself useful right?" He said in a clearly sarcastic voice. "Ok Dulaman, I think we should learn as much as you know about Rayla. Cole can also explain his plan." He nodded to his two male companions. "Finally, Auriel can help us see the error of our ways as she is the one that may have more experience with this world."</s>
<\|description\|>Fernando Gutierrez Nicknames:Fer Age:21 Gender:Male Level: 1 Class: Shield Hero Hero Class: Shield Specializations: Survival Training, Languages, Tactical Training, Magic Affinity: Wind Appearance: Tan skinned with Knife cut hair down to his shoulders. He has brown eyes and a curved hawk like nose. He stands 5'7" and weighs about 180 lbs. He has many scars on his body and his clothes are ragged and worn. He has a quiet attitude and talks very little. But when he talks he has a sort of tenor voice that is a bit raspy from lack of use. He unknowingly has a protective spirit and has on many occasions helped a person but he tries very hard to seem indifferent. He has no qualms about getting his hands dirty but only resorts to violence when necessary. Biography: Fer is from a war torn country in the South American Continent in the early 1980s. Living in the harsh rural mountains, made him a hardy young lad. When the guerrillas started abducting children he was unfortunate to have been trapping when his younger brother was taken, his father and mother butchered and his younger sister abducted probably to be sold as a slave. Fer tracked down and joined one of the guerillas. His aim was to find his siblings and exact revenge, on whoever he could, from within. He endured harsh and violent conditions. He learned to use conventional and fabricated weapons. His trapping skills eventually earned him a place as a tracker and forager. All the while his goal was to find his siblings. By luck or providence, he was able to discover that his poor brother had not survived the harsh living conditions of jungle and a boy soldier. It had been many years and he felt that he had failed his siblings, his parents and justice. He was contemplating ending it all when on his way back to camp he heard a cry of despair and pain. He followed the sound and happened upon a very common scene of four or five guys surrounding the poor body of girl from where the sound had emerged. He was about to turn away when one of the young men parted and he saw the dirty and tear streaked face of his sister. Rage and pain clouded his emotions as he deftly loaded his old pump action riffle. Despite the emotional storm going on in his soul, Fer managed to quickly and accurately send two bullets bursting into his intended targets. He did not even stop to assess the damage when a quick reaction from one of the remaining three young men reached for the riffle. Far let the riffle be torn from his grasp but his hand immediately pulled the hunting knife he wore on his waist and plunged it deep under the ribs of the attacker who slumped to the ground after a gasp of surprise. The one that had been assaulting the young girl had succeeded in punting on his pants and stood up just as the other lad managed to close in combat with Fer and knock him to the ground trying to pry the knife from his grasp. Fer reached up with his other hand pulled the lad's hair towards his face and bit hard into his neck until he felt the metal taste of blood. A yell of pain from the wounded neck which was spurting in a rhythmic fashion. Before he could get to his feet he felt a sharp pain on the left side of his head. He fell to the side trying to fight off confusion and a nausea. Before he could recover he felt the weight of a sweaty body on his and rancid breath near his nose as the last attacker fell onto him striking with his hands. Adrenalin and desperation made both defender and attacker inaccurate in their scuffle. Somehow, the attacker's hand happened upon the hunter knife that had been dropped. He raised the knife and brought it down upon the raised arm of Fer who had appempted to protect himself. The blade plunged deep into the left forearm and scrapped bone protruding from the other side. The lad used his weight and pushed down forcing the blade slowly down. It was a life and death struggle. The blade was dangerously close to Fer's neck when a shot rang out. While the weight remained on him, it was dead limp weight. Blood started to drip from a hole on the side of the face of the attacker and Fer pushed the dead body off him, the effort causing him to almost pass out from the pain in his left forearm. A crying girl rushed to his side. "FER!" the girl said between sobs. Fer propped himself on his knees, the Adrenalin slowly leaving his body and giving way to pain and nausea. He still managed to hug the young girl and say her name through bloodied and busted lips. "Rosa, please forgive me!" He added his sobs to hers as they held each other surrounded by a grim collection of bodies darkening the earth and pooling blood. Five days later found Fer and Rosa in a rural train station headed towards town. They wanted to leave so much grief and pain behind. Perhaps even one day make it to America. They had somehow made it down the mountain to a village where they had found good people who patched up Fer and helped them find a ride to the rural town. They bought passage with the selling of the equipment and cash found on the dead bodies of the assailants. It seemed like their bloody past was behind them. There had been no signs of pursuit and nobody would even know who was missing or who had attacked with so many rival guerrillas in the area. While they waited, Fer's gaze fell on the odd and eclectic offerings of a merchant. It was a worn book. Fer smiled, his younger brother had loved books. He had been the smart one in the family. Fer knew how to read of course but had not envisioned a life outside farming the land like his father. He knelled and for 5 pesos bought the book. He was on his way back to Rosa and the approaching train. In an instant, there was a bright flash of light which all but blinded the young man. When his vision returned and the spots dissipated, he was standing in a stone walled room. --- Preferred Weapon(s): Shield, (proficient in fire arms , bows and knives) Appearance of Weapon: Dependent on the ability being used but at rest it looks more like a solid metal bracer with a jewel on the center of it. Abilities of Weapon: (if applicable) Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: morphs shield into any of the shields shown above. The shields have no particular ability they are just metal shields in that shape. Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: equip bonus: defense 2 Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: Air Burst- Able to create a strong burst of air that impacts the target in a 12 inch ball. Diameter of ball increases with the user level. Burst Shield- forms a air generated shield (similar to the one in the manga) and helps minimize damage from attacks. The number of layers or shields are depended on user level.</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer followed the thrown stone's trajectory and heard the very audible smack. However, it seemed his arm was not as accurate as it had been. The man was not knocked out or incapacitated but at the very least he had managed to stir the hornet's nest. He cursed under his breath really wishing that he could have his old bow. It would have been possible to have his arrows hit a few necks by the time the bandits knew what was happening. Still, as it was it seemed he would be able to at least pull some attention. He picked up another rock in his hands and was ready to fling it again when he heard and saw his holy friend answer the challenge. His under handed ways were lost to Auriel. He sighed, the girl was much too honorable for her own good. Still, there was something exhilarating about hearing her firm voice and her resolve. She was used to leading men and facing down devils. Unfortunately, men such as these had no soul and their minds were so corrupted that they were little better than animals. Just like animals, the best thing to do was to beat them into submission. Even a modern fighter such a Fer who was used to the sound of gun fire and bringing death from afar, could appreciate the beauty and grimness that close quarter fighting was. Auriel's movements were sharp and efficient. The bandit was obviously experienced but was no match for a true master of the art like Auriel. It was not until she knocked out the other man and heard her yell that he cursed himself for not taking advantage of the distraction. Once the men started to rush her he threw his next stone. There was not much aim needed as he threw it towards the crowding men. He went for strength this time and put his back in to the throw hoping it would be much more painful when it hit. He moved to the opposite side of the barn. His plan was to eventually be found out and be chased. He would then use the opening to one of the animal holing pens which he had rigged. He hope to incapacitate at least another one with his trap and to pull some numbers from Auriel. This plan would also pull the men away from where Cole would eventually emerge leaving their backs to him. Also, the bandits did not know that they were fighting the Cardinal Heroes which would be extra shock and prove useful as they would not be as wary. Instead, Fer would continue to fling his stones, an angry bandit is a distracted bandit.</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher (Mood Music) Justice Auriel had assumed that the heroes were ready to strike when she called out to them, but the timing was off and their element of surprise went with it. So be it. Auriel held her spear at the ready as she looked to the group of bandits. Still outnumbered until the others could join the fight, she would have to hold her own. Luckily for her, the man in charge decided to preach and justify himself to her instead of taking the opportunity to use their numbers against her. She studied his rusty sword. A slash from it would certainly cause illness, but the rust also meant that the weapon would be brittle and easily broken. She would have to use that to her advantage should their weapons cross with one another. "Don't you know the world is going to end soon!? Its kinda sad you're not running away instead of taking care of some bandits in the ass end of the city limits..." the bandit said. Auriel narrowed her eyes at him, "It's bandits like you who would see the end come sooner, and weaken us as a whole when the waves come. You are a part of the greater problem. And it is my solemn duty to solve that problem. No more talk, criminal! Face your death in battle so that you can be buried with at least an inkling of dignity." Auriel once again seized the initiative, making a move to lunge her spear forward at him.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Little shit get back her-" one of the bandits shouted as they narrowly dodged Fer's attempt to throw a rock at him. "You're a fucking idiot don't charge into a trap! They're trying to split us up focus on the bitch! Stay together that's an order!" the bandit leader growled as he turned to Auriel and pulled out his rather rough looking sword and pointed it towards Auriel as she charged in to attack him the other bandits weren't quick enough to block her. But the leader on the other hand surprisingly stated, "Quick Blade: Riptose!" he called out as he deftly managed to get his blade into a position and smacked Auriel's spear to the side moving into stab her following that he was suddenly stopped by what could've only been Cole as a slash of magical energy cut into the man's armor, and made him bleed along his lower chest. The man coughed up blood and backed up quickly as the other bandits rushed towards Auriel to cover their boss with clubs, and knives. "I'll focus on the big guy! Try, and deal with the guards!" called out as he charged in with his golden blade at the injured man. He managed to get his blade up and blocks Cole's strike but barely stepping back and only managing to stay on the defense due to his serious wound on his stomach. "You think you can beat the sword hero!?" Cole called out trying to sound tougher than he felt as the man kept managing to use quick steps to dodge, and try to move out of Cole's way. "The Sword Hero!? What the hell!? Fine I'll deal with you like any other dreg!"</s>	<\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer threw and missed. He had almost accomplished his goal as he saw a few of them beginning to detach. He seemed like an easy target. A fool throwing rocks where any other man would at least have a club or some sort of wooden spear. Indeed, he was sorely missing his bow or at least his hunting knife. The bandits however, seemed to at least have an experienced leader. He called the rest of the rabble back. Fer grit his teeth into a sardonic smile. The rabid dogs may be dumb but the handler was not. He cursed under his breath. Just as they had seen him an easy prey, weaponless and harmless. They now used that same assumption as a way to identify the real threat. Auriel would be the focus of their attention. Eliminate the danger and deal with the weakling lather huh? Fer thought with bitterness. I'll show you harmless. He carefully jumped the tripping rope that would set off the trap. He headed towards the gathering bodies that would soon engulf his winged companion. How dared they? The feeling of anger was not just at the fact that they would most definitely tear Auriel limb from limb but that they had discounted him as notihg more than an annoying gnat. Fer's anger welling up inside him. The shield at his forearm began to heat up. The green gem started to flicker, a reddish tint starting to form. His mind started to go black. Only one thought seemed fixed in his thoughts. Kill them Kill them His eyes flared as he saw the leader about to strike the holy warrior. He all but growled. Anybody seeing him approaching would have most certainly feel the murdeours aura but more probably they could see his eyes taking on the same reddish tint as his shield. His shield slowly mutated into a round shape that morphed into a V but before more of the shield could be transformed any further a slash or a something hit the attacking bandit. That was enough to snap Fer out of his trance. He shook his head to clear it and then hearing Cole's order he rushed into the nearest bandits. He shield already in the morph setting he shouted. "Morph Shied: Small Kite!" A quickl flash of green light and his shield was now in the shape of a small kite shield which point extended about half a foot from his knuckles. He would swing high with flat of the shield aiming at the head of one of the closest bandits approaching from on of the flanks to Auriel's left. Keeping the same momentum and direction, he would kneel while spinning and with the pointed edge he would aim for a lower part of the leg of the bandit next to his first target hoping to hit a knee or enough of the leg to try knock the other person to the ground. Regardless of how effective his blows were, the moves would land him with him raising his shield to protect any downward blow. He would also be a lower smaller target. He may not be half as lethal as he would be if he had actual weapons but he would be dammed if he would not leave these bandits with something to remember him by.</s>
<\|description\|>Fernando Gutierrez Nicknames:Fer Age:21 Gender:Male Level: 1 Class: Shield Hero Hero Class: Shield Specializations: Survival Training, Languages, Tactical Training, Magic Affinity: Wind Appearance: Tan skinned with Knife cut hair down to his shoulders. He has brown eyes and a curved hawk like nose. He stands 5'7" and weighs about 180 lbs. He has many scars on his body and his clothes are ragged and worn. He has a quiet attitude and talks very little. But when he talks he has a sort of tenor voice that is a bit raspy from lack of use. He unknowingly has a protective spirit and has on many occasions helped a person but he tries very hard to seem indifferent. He has no qualms about getting his hands dirty but only resorts to violence when necessary. Biography: Fer is from a war torn country in the South American Continent in the early 1980s. Living in the harsh rural mountains, made him a hardy young lad. When the guerrillas started abducting children he was unfortunate to have been trapping when his younger brother was taken, his father and mother butchered and his younger sister abducted probably to be sold as a slave. Fer tracked down and joined one of the guerillas. His aim was to find his siblings and exact revenge, on whoever he could, from within. He endured harsh and violent conditions. He learned to use conventional and fabricated weapons. His trapping skills eventually earned him a place as a tracker and forager. All the while his goal was to find his siblings. By luck or providence, he was able to discover that his poor brother had not survived the harsh living conditions of jungle and a boy soldier. It had been many years and he felt that he had failed his siblings, his parents and justice. He was contemplating ending it all when on his way back to camp he heard a cry of despair and pain. He followed the sound and happened upon a very common scene of four or five guys surrounding the poor body of girl from where the sound had emerged. He was about to turn away when one of the young men parted and he saw the dirty and tear streaked face of his sister. Rage and pain clouded his emotions as he deftly loaded his old pump action riffle. Despite the emotional storm going on in his soul, Fer managed to quickly and accurately send two bullets bursting into his intended targets. He did not even stop to assess the damage when a quick reaction from one of the remaining three young men reached for the riffle. Far let the riffle be torn from his grasp but his hand immediately pulled the hunting knife he wore on his waist and plunged it deep under the ribs of the attacker who slumped to the ground after a gasp of surprise. The one that had been assaulting the young girl had succeeded in punting on his pants and stood up just as the other lad managed to close in combat with Fer and knock him to the ground trying to pry the knife from his grasp. Fer reached up with his other hand pulled the lad's hair towards his face and bit hard into his neck until he felt the metal taste of blood. A yell of pain from the wounded neck which was spurting in a rhythmic fashion. Before he could get to his feet he felt a sharp pain on the left side of his head. He fell to the side trying to fight off confusion and a nausea. Before he could recover he felt the weight of a sweaty body on his and rancid breath near his nose as the last attacker fell onto him striking with his hands. Adrenalin and desperation made both defender and attacker inaccurate in their scuffle. Somehow, the attacker's hand happened upon the hunter knife that had been dropped. He raised the knife and brought it down upon the raised arm of Fer who had appempted to protect himself. The blade plunged deep into the left forearm and scrapped bone protruding from the other side. The lad used his weight and pushed down forcing the blade slowly down. It was a life and death struggle. The blade was dangerously close to Fer's neck when a shot rang out. While the weight remained on him, it was dead limp weight. Blood started to drip from a hole on the side of the face of the attacker and Fer pushed the dead body off him, the effort causing him to almost pass out from the pain in his left forearm. A crying girl rushed to his side. "FER!" the girl said between sobs. Fer propped himself on his knees, the Adrenalin slowly leaving his body and giving way to pain and nausea. He still managed to hug the young girl and say her name through bloodied and busted lips. "Rosa, please forgive me!" He added his sobs to hers as they held each other surrounded by a grim collection of bodies darkening the earth and pooling blood. Five days later found Fer and Rosa in a rural train station headed towards town. They wanted to leave so much grief and pain behind. Perhaps even one day make it to America. They had somehow made it down the mountain to a village where they had found good people who patched up Fer and helped them find a ride to the rural town. They bought passage with the selling of the equipment and cash found on the dead bodies of the assailants. It seemed like their bloody past was behind them. There had been no signs of pursuit and nobody would even know who was missing or who had attacked with so many rival guerrillas in the area. While they waited, Fer's gaze fell on the odd and eclectic offerings of a merchant. It was a worn book. Fer smiled, his younger brother had loved books. He had been the smart one in the family. Fer knew how to read of course but had not envisioned a life outside farming the land like his father. He knelled and for 5 pesos bought the book. He was on his way back to Rosa and the approaching train. In an instant, there was a bright flash of light which all but blinded the young man. When his vision returned and the spots dissipated, he was standing in a stone walled room. --- Preferred Weapon(s): Shield, (proficient in fire arms , bows and knives) Appearance of Weapon: Dependent on the ability being used but at rest it looks more like a solid metal bracer with a jewel on the center of it. Abilities of Weapon: (if applicable) Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: morphs shield into any of the shields shown above. The shields have no particular ability they are just metal shields in that shape. Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: equip bonus: defense 2 Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: Air Burst- Able to create a strong burst of air that impacts the target in a 12 inch ball. Diameter of ball increases with the user level. Burst Shield- forms a air generated shield (similar to the one in the manga) and helps minimize damage from attacks. The number of layers or shields are depended on user level.</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer threw and missed. He had almost accomplished his goal as he saw a few of them beginning to detach. He seemed like an easy target. A fool throwing rocks where any other man would at least have a club or some sort of wooden spear. Indeed, he was sorely missing his bow or at least his hunting knife. The bandits however, seemed to at least have an experienced leader. He called the rest of the rabble back. Fer grit his teeth into a sardonic smile. The rabid dogs may be dumb but the handler was not. He cursed under his breath. Just as they had seen him an easy prey, weaponless and harmless. They now used that same assumption as a way to identify the real threat. Auriel would be the focus of their attention. Eliminate the danger and deal with the weakling lather huh? Fer thought with bitterness. I'll show you harmless. He carefully jumped the tripping rope that would set off the trap. He headed towards the gathering bodies that would soon engulf his winged companion. How dared they? The feeling of anger was not just at the fact that they would most definitely tear Auriel limb from limb but that they had discounted him as notihg more than an annoying gnat. Fer's anger welling up inside him. The shield at his forearm began to heat up. The green gem started to flicker, a reddish tint starting to form. His mind started to go black. Only one thought seemed fixed in his thoughts. Kill them Kill them His eyes flared as he saw the leader about to strike the holy warrior. He all but growled. Anybody seeing him approaching would have most certainly feel the murdeours aura but more probably they could see his eyes taking on the same reddish tint as his shield. His shield slowly mutated into a round shape that morphed into a V but before more of the shield could be transformed any further a slash or a something hit the attacking bandit. That was enough to snap Fer out of his trance. He shook his head to clear it and then hearing Cole's order he rushed into the nearest bandits. He shield already in the morph setting he shouted. "Morph Shied: Small Kite!" A quickl flash of green light and his shield was now in the shape of a small kite shield which point extended about half a foot from his knuckles. He would swing high with flat of the shield aiming at the head of one of the closest bandits approaching from on of the flanks to Auriel's left. Keeping the same momentum and direction, he would kneel while spinning and with the pointed edge he would aim for a lower part of the leg of the bandit next to his first target hoping to hit a knee or enough of the leg to try knock the other person to the ground. Regardless of how effective his blows were, the moves would land him with him raising his shield to protect any downward blow. He would also be a lower smaller target. He may not be half as lethal as he would be if he had actual weapons but he would be dammed if he would not leave these bandits with something to remember him by.</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher Rust (Mood Music) Auriel clenched her jaw when the bandit leader kept them organized. Their simple plan of dividing and conquer didn't work, and now Auriel was outnumbered. If the man in charge of this group was so keen, it made Auriel wonder about the true leader's cunning. Was Rayla Winters perhaps too big to chew for the budding heroes? Auriel smacked one of the bandits away, a simple strike to divert his momentum while she focused on the real threat. The group leader. She went for a strike but was surprised to see the tip of her spear get deflected to the side. She gasped when he went for the riposte. She was wide open. Auriel heard a clang, and saw Cole's blade intercept the leader's. She breathed easy for a moment, and felt a rush of adrenaline surge through her body. Of course, Auriel hadn't been in a proper fight since the battle against the horde. She had gotten rusty, and allowed for her confidence to overwhelm the reality that her keen edge wasn't as sharp as before. Auriel glanced left and saw that other bandit she had tripped up making another move on her. She brought her spear to face him. Then Fer appeared and struck him with the pointed end of his shield. She looked him over, and saw something different about him. Was it anger? There wasn't any time to think on it, she nodded her appreciation for the assist and turned to face an as of yet unchallenged bandit. She could see both of the heroes out of her peripherals on either side of her. Something welled up inside of her, a feeling of belonging. This was where warriors bonded, on the field of battle. There was a connection to be made when lives were at stake. Auriel felt it. "Let's finish this quickly." Auriel said to the heroes. Auriel clutched her spear tight, and felt ready to reclaim her talent with the spear.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith The blow to the side of the head sent one of the bandit falling to the ground a bit dazed unexpecting the swift retaliation from the shield hero expecting him to play defense rather than offense. It was doubtful he was down for the count but he was out of it for a few moments. The next bandit was smacked rather hard by Ferr's attack making him shout but he quickly managed to get back up unlike the previous bandit. "The boss hits us harder!" the bandit shouted as he moved forward to swing his axe at Ferr's head. The other bandits seemingly diverted their attention from Auriel to try and pick off the weaker shield hero as they from Ferr's right came charging at him with their weapons raised high. When Auriel intercepted one of them they got in her face while their shortsword held firmly in their hand as the slashed at her violently. "Dead men tell no tales but tell me angel!? Do the gods do the same!?" Cole for his part had managed to rather deftly deal with the bandit leader his blade crossing the enemy's but neither gaining a true upper hand. As their blades met, and parried, and overall tried to gain the upper hand Cole began to get more confident. However as Cole saw an opening his mind flared "NOW!" Cole stabbed forward and..."Quick Blade: Riposte!" the bandit leader called out as he used the same skill as before to parry Cole aside sending him on his backfoot he desperately began to block. Losing some of that just newly found confidence Cole held his blade close like Marcino instructed blocking practically and not fancily. "I'm not going to let you win!" Cole shouted wondering why his blade hadn't quite allowed him to overwhelm this guy!? He was wielding a legendary artifact wasn't he!?</s>	<\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer saved his breath instead of trying to answer the obvious taunt sent by the guy who had managed to be lucky enough to just miss his knee being cracked by the point of the small kite shield. Expecting a downward strike Fer presented the shield to the attacking axe. He reached up to grab the man by the fore arm and planting his feet, he rose forcefully using his right shoulder as a pivot point, he used his enhanced strength to throw the man to the ground. The motion of the man's body sailing through the air would break up the small crowd that was gathering around Auriel and him. If he was successful, Fer would follow up with a downward blow with the edge of his shield against the man's wind pipe. If his throw as not successful, he would attempt to at least unbalance the man and with a side ways kick disrupt him further hopefully knowing the bandit to the ground. He would then move to Auriel's back and block any sort of attack that would come from that side. He would call back to her without loosing sight of the attacking me. "Lady, may I have this dance? I block you strike?" the plan again was simple, he had performed the same technique with Cole. He would bock the attack and spin to let the winged warrior's spear take advantage of the opening and strike. The constant motion would glint off any strikes and would prevent the attacking group from overwhelming them. The young Shield Hero felt a surge of energy and a feeling that could only be describe as happy. He had fought many battles before and while he had care for the lives of the people with him, he had never felt any closeness to them. Yet here, today, he wanted nothing more than to protect Auriel and Cole and at the same time be of use to them to achieve victory. He held his shield ready and as if to embody what he was feeling, the green gem flashed warningly towards any would be attackers. He half smiled/half snarled at the bandits. "Step right up gentlemen, I think my friend here has something for you." Then in a joking manner that seemed to be an outlet for how dire the situation was yelled out. "Cole, when you are done playing we could use your help in taking out your share of the trash"</s>
<\|description\|>Fernando Gutierrez Nicknames:Fer Age:21 Gender:Male Level: 1 Class: Shield Hero Hero Class: Shield Specializations: Survival Training, Languages, Tactical Training, Magic Affinity: Wind Appearance: Tan skinned with Knife cut hair down to his shoulders. He has brown eyes and a curved hawk like nose. He stands 5'7" and weighs about 180 lbs. He has many scars on his body and his clothes are ragged and worn. He has a quiet attitude and talks very little. But when he talks he has a sort of tenor voice that is a bit raspy from lack of use. He unknowingly has a protective spirit and has on many occasions helped a person but he tries very hard to seem indifferent. He has no qualms about getting his hands dirty but only resorts to violence when necessary. Biography: Fer is from a war torn country in the South American Continent in the early 1980s. Living in the harsh rural mountains, made him a hardy young lad. When the guerrillas started abducting children he was unfortunate to have been trapping when his younger brother was taken, his father and mother butchered and his younger sister abducted probably to be sold as a slave. Fer tracked down and joined one of the guerillas. His aim was to find his siblings and exact revenge, on whoever he could, from within. He endured harsh and violent conditions. He learned to use conventional and fabricated weapons. His trapping skills eventually earned him a place as a tracker and forager. All the while his goal was to find his siblings. By luck or providence, he was able to discover that his poor brother had not survived the harsh living conditions of jungle and a boy soldier. It had been many years and he felt that he had failed his siblings, his parents and justice. He was contemplating ending it all when on his way back to camp he heard a cry of despair and pain. He followed the sound and happened upon a very common scene of four or five guys surrounding the poor body of girl from where the sound had emerged. He was about to turn away when one of the young men parted and he saw the dirty and tear streaked face of his sister. Rage and pain clouded his emotions as he deftly loaded his old pump action riffle. Despite the emotional storm going on in his soul, Fer managed to quickly and accurately send two bullets bursting into his intended targets. He did not even stop to assess the damage when a quick reaction from one of the remaining three young men reached for the riffle. Far let the riffle be torn from his grasp but his hand immediately pulled the hunting knife he wore on his waist and plunged it deep under the ribs of the attacker who slumped to the ground after a gasp of surprise. The one that had been assaulting the young girl had succeeded in punting on his pants and stood up just as the other lad managed to close in combat with Fer and knock him to the ground trying to pry the knife from his grasp. Fer reached up with his other hand pulled the lad's hair towards his face and bit hard into his neck until he felt the metal taste of blood. A yell of pain from the wounded neck which was spurting in a rhythmic fashion. Before he could get to his feet he felt a sharp pain on the left side of his head. He fell to the side trying to fight off confusion and a nausea. Before he could recover he felt the weight of a sweaty body on his and rancid breath near his nose as the last attacker fell onto him striking with his hands. Adrenalin and desperation made both defender and attacker inaccurate in their scuffle. Somehow, the attacker's hand happened upon the hunter knife that had been dropped. He raised the knife and brought it down upon the raised arm of Fer who had appempted to protect himself. The blade plunged deep into the left forearm and scrapped bone protruding from the other side. The lad used his weight and pushed down forcing the blade slowly down. It was a life and death struggle. The blade was dangerously close to Fer's neck when a shot rang out. While the weight remained on him, it was dead limp weight. Blood started to drip from a hole on the side of the face of the attacker and Fer pushed the dead body off him, the effort causing him to almost pass out from the pain in his left forearm. A crying girl rushed to his side. "FER!" the girl said between sobs. Fer propped himself on his knees, the Adrenalin slowly leaving his body and giving way to pain and nausea. He still managed to hug the young girl and say her name through bloodied and busted lips. "Rosa, please forgive me!" He added his sobs to hers as they held each other surrounded by a grim collection of bodies darkening the earth and pooling blood. Five days later found Fer and Rosa in a rural train station headed towards town. They wanted to leave so much grief and pain behind. Perhaps even one day make it to America. They had somehow made it down the mountain to a village where they had found good people who patched up Fer and helped them find a ride to the rural town. They bought passage with the selling of the equipment and cash found on the dead bodies of the assailants. It seemed like their bloody past was behind them. There had been no signs of pursuit and nobody would even know who was missing or who had attacked with so many rival guerrillas in the area. While they waited, Fer's gaze fell on the odd and eclectic offerings of a merchant. It was a worn book. Fer smiled, his younger brother had loved books. He had been the smart one in the family. Fer knew how to read of course but had not envisioned a life outside farming the land like his father. He knelled and for 5 pesos bought the book. He was on his way back to Rosa and the approaching train. In an instant, there was a bright flash of light which all but blinded the young man. When his vision returned and the spots dissipated, he was standing in a stone walled room. --- Preferred Weapon(s): Shield, (proficient in fire arms , bows and knives) Appearance of Weapon: Dependent on the ability being used but at rest it looks more like a solid metal bracer with a jewel on the center of it. Abilities of Weapon: (if applicable) Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: morphs shield into any of the shields shown above. The shields have no particular ability they are just metal shields in that shape. Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: equip bonus: defense 2 Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: Air Burst- Able to create a strong burst of air that impacts the target in a 12 inch ball. Diameter of ball increases with the user level. Burst Shield- forms a air generated shield (similar to the one in the manga) and helps minimize damage from attacks. The number of layers or shields are depended on user level.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "He's probably at the Inn drinking about this time of day. He said he'd be there if we had any questions after all So miss whe-...well I guess its about time we got batman'd..." Cole commented dully as he looked towards the woman who vanished without a further trace. Cole looked to Fer and took a deep breath. "We should be wary of what the king is doing but I think if we make him our enemy mentally it won't do us any good. Whatever reason the reason I personally seem to think its got something to do with the assassination of his sisters. I've heard a lot of comments in the tavern about how a man could possibly run this country. He could just be worried in this world that people may try to take advantage of us, maybe kill us. We still got a lot to learn Fer." Cole says a bit tiredly as he pulled out his sword and flourishes it a bit clumsily in his hand. "We the heroes meant to save the world but we don't know even where to start...the more I think about it the more I wonder if this was a mistake. But even if it was this was the hand we're dealt and we need to hold onto it. People look to the four heroes to save them and we will. Have my back and I'll cut down the enemies in front of us Fer." Cole says calmly as he puts his blade away and starts to head towards the exit to the alley. "Let's move we can talk on the way there..." Cole comments as he leads them towards the inn they usually stayed at. ...Surely enough by the time they arrived they were quick to look around and notice Marcino over in his usual corner...however he wasn't drinking which Cole found particularly unusual. As Cole approached him he looked fairly serious and his face muddled with a bit of annoyance. "What's up boss?" Cole asked as the man spit on the floor. "The bow hero is a bitch after my own heart but god damn does she piss me off." grumbles the older mercenary as he takes a deep breath. "Why you here?" he asks simply as Cole takes a deep breath and nods, "We need your help in fighting Rayla Winters of your home country." Cole asks him as he raises an eyebrow. "Winters? That two bit washed up gladiator ain't worth looking at let alone fighting. Shouldn't you two be doing your job as 'legendary heroes' instead of asking this old man to go and clean the swamp for ya?"</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith As Auriel arrived in the massive sprawling library in the cathedral many of the clerics, bishops, and other magisters were busy at work studying preparing for the wave coming in less than two weeks time now. Many men, women, and even some children prodigies seemed to be hard at work trying to find ways of helping the nation survive the incoming disaster that would be the waves. A young man clad in his brownish robes approached Auriel who she would likely know as Hans Copper, the mage who helped summon all four heroes in the first place. As Hans approached he gave Auriel a big smile and nodded at her as he adjusted his glasses. "Miss Auriel was it? The one who volunteered to help the heroes? Well met. I hope that everything had gone well since then! Personally speaking I wish you all the best of luck." Hans states with a smile as the mousely looking young man adjusts his glasses.</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher The Library (Mood Music) Auriel stepped into the great library of the cathedral. She had spent many days studying and toiling away at her lessons, and perhaps a few of her own juvenile curiosities, as she grew up. She looked around, appreciating the sight of the tall stacks neatly running the length of the library. The familiar sounds of turning pages and the occasional clearing of a throat or a cough over the silence embedded an innate desire to be silent. It was so peaceful. Who would want to disturb it? When the young man approached Auriel and bowed, she smiled and bowed back to him. "Greetings. Though I wouldn't say I volunteered exactly." she chuckled and gestured to her white wings, "Destiny made manifest, rather." She expressed her appreciation for his support of their efforts with a smile and a kind nod. Her golden eyes turned back to the stacks of books as she slowly stepped beside him. "I am looking for some books, particularly on the exploits of past cardinal heroes and the powers they wielded. Perhaps personal records of past heroes?" She glanced back at Hans, wondering if he would be able to help her find such articles and entries.</s>	<\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer agreed with Cole. The veteran adventurer seemed to spend all his ti me at the Inn. One might even say that there was more beer flowing through his veins than blood. This could be due to him loosing so much in his fights on the Arena as a gladiator. Some could also say that having seen so much death, much of which was caused by his own hands, could lead a man to drink. Being disconnected from the world could be a coping mechanism. The young hero had seen much of that in the camps in his own world. Too many men would seek the solace of alcohol to escape the horrors of war. Fer himself had contemplated it but his goal of rescuing his brother and sister, Maria gave meaning to his killing. Now, he was thrown into a world that required him to kill. Ironically, it had also given him a tool that was almost incapable of doing so. Perhaps it was for the best. He unconsciously rubbed his bracer. The stone felt warm to the touch as if it fed off his emotions. A smirk appeared on his face. He looked up suddenly noticing Cole's surprise in his voice. He looked around to verify that the masked woman had indeed vanished. The shield Hero's eyes narrowed. These…shadows seemed to be anywhere and keeping an eye on them. A dark thought crossed his mind. Had they been watching when the trio took on the bandits? If so, would they have come to their aid should the heroes needed them to? Or would they just make sure to retrieve the holy weapons and summon some others? Fer had known that he was not the first user of the Shield. He wondered if the report he had received regarding the man who had gone on his own and gotten killed was true or if it had been fabricated. It was true that the King was in perilous position. Auriel had explained how Malromarc was a Matriarchy. The fact that a man now held the throne probably has the king in a very perilous position. The young hero was no stranger to the politics of power. He had seen many shake with one hand while holding a knife with the other. He had been a fool to think that this world was any different. This was not a story like the ones his younger brother used to read with knights and dragons. There was no black and white. There was no clear heroes or villans. Cole was right, there was much for them to know. What they did not know COULD hurt them. The pair walked together. He noticed many give Cole warm smiles and then either ignore him completely or give him a suspicious and cautious nod. Fer wondered why there was such animosity towards the shield. What would have happened in the past? He needed to not only trust in Auriel to give him data. He would have to dig for it himself. He turned to Cole. "I have said this, and I will say it again. As long as I draw breath. I shall be your shield. I will follow you. We are a team but judging on the looks and what the two emissaries have said, you being the face of the team is probably for the best." When they finally arrived at Marcino's usual haunt the pair entered. The place was a loud and chaotic as normal. Apparently in this world it was not unusual to be drinking even so early in the day. Marcino greeted them with his usual rough manner. Apparently the bow had some interaction with him. Was this directed by the throne or was the bow hero trying to recruit him too? Either case did not bode well for the small trio. Fer pursed his lips when Marcino all but refused their request. He could understand why the older man did not want to go with them. Many had hinted that the prey was nowhere near Marcino's level. The only way to tempt such a man was by offering money. However, that could backfire if the mercenary raised the price so high that they could not pay him. Fer should have waited for Cole to finish but he could not help it. He raised his voice in a calm and assertive tone. "You are right. This job was given to us. Yet, there is more than one way to skin a cat. We are not asking you to skin it for us. We just need a safety net. No true warrior goes into battle without a back up plan. Only a fool confuses bravery with recklessness. I am sure we have much to learn from you. So we ask only that you assist us." He looked sideways at Cole to see if he would object then continued. "Of course, you would be compensated. What would be your price?"</s>
<\|description\|>Fernando Gutierrez Nicknames:Fer Age:21 Gender:Male Level: 1 Class: Shield Hero Hero Class: Shield Specializations: Survival Training, Languages, Tactical Training, Magic Affinity: Wind Appearance: Tan skinned with Knife cut hair down to his shoulders. He has brown eyes and a curved hawk like nose. He stands 5'7" and weighs about 180 lbs. He has many scars on his body and his clothes are ragged and worn. He has a quiet attitude and talks very little. But when he talks he has a sort of tenor voice that is a bit raspy from lack of use. He unknowingly has a protective spirit and has on many occasions helped a person but he tries very hard to seem indifferent. He has no qualms about getting his hands dirty but only resorts to violence when necessary. Biography: Fer is from a war torn country in the South American Continent in the early 1980s. Living in the harsh rural mountains, made him a hardy young lad. When the guerrillas started abducting children he was unfortunate to have been trapping when his younger brother was taken, his father and mother butchered and his younger sister abducted probably to be sold as a slave. Fer tracked down and joined one of the guerillas. His aim was to find his siblings and exact revenge, on whoever he could, from within. He endured harsh and violent conditions. He learned to use conventional and fabricated weapons. His trapping skills eventually earned him a place as a tracker and forager. All the while his goal was to find his siblings. By luck or providence, he was able to discover that his poor brother had not survived the harsh living conditions of jungle and a boy soldier. It had been many years and he felt that he had failed his siblings, his parents and justice. He was contemplating ending it all when on his way back to camp he heard a cry of despair and pain. He followed the sound and happened upon a very common scene of four or five guys surrounding the poor body of girl from where the sound had emerged. He was about to turn away when one of the young men parted and he saw the dirty and tear streaked face of his sister. Rage and pain clouded his emotions as he deftly loaded his old pump action riffle. Despite the emotional storm going on in his soul, Fer managed to quickly and accurately send two bullets bursting into his intended targets. He did not even stop to assess the damage when a quick reaction from one of the remaining three young men reached for the riffle. Far let the riffle be torn from his grasp but his hand immediately pulled the hunting knife he wore on his waist and plunged it deep under the ribs of the attacker who slumped to the ground after a gasp of surprise. The one that had been assaulting the young girl had succeeded in punting on his pants and stood up just as the other lad managed to close in combat with Fer and knock him to the ground trying to pry the knife from his grasp. Fer reached up with his other hand pulled the lad's hair towards his face and bit hard into his neck until he felt the metal taste of blood. A yell of pain from the wounded neck which was spurting in a rhythmic fashion. Before he could get to his feet he felt a sharp pain on the left side of his head. He fell to the side trying to fight off confusion and a nausea. Before he could recover he felt the weight of a sweaty body on his and rancid breath near his nose as the last attacker fell onto him striking with his hands. Adrenalin and desperation made both defender and attacker inaccurate in their scuffle. Somehow, the attacker's hand happened upon the hunter knife that had been dropped. He raised the knife and brought it down upon the raised arm of Fer who had appempted to protect himself. The blade plunged deep into the left forearm and scrapped bone protruding from the other side. The lad used his weight and pushed down forcing the blade slowly down. It was a life and death struggle. The blade was dangerously close to Fer's neck when a shot rang out. While the weight remained on him, it was dead limp weight. Blood started to drip from a hole on the side of the face of the attacker and Fer pushed the dead body off him, the effort causing him to almost pass out from the pain in his left forearm. A crying girl rushed to his side. "FER!" the girl said between sobs. Fer propped himself on his knees, the Adrenalin slowly leaving his body and giving way to pain and nausea. He still managed to hug the young girl and say her name through bloodied and busted lips. "Rosa, please forgive me!" He added his sobs to hers as they held each other surrounded by a grim collection of bodies darkening the earth and pooling blood. Five days later found Fer and Rosa in a rural train station headed towards town. They wanted to leave so much grief and pain behind. Perhaps even one day make it to America. They had somehow made it down the mountain to a village where they had found good people who patched up Fer and helped them find a ride to the rural town. They bought passage with the selling of the equipment and cash found on the dead bodies of the assailants. It seemed like their bloody past was behind them. There had been no signs of pursuit and nobody would even know who was missing or who had attacked with so many rival guerrillas in the area. While they waited, Fer's gaze fell on the odd and eclectic offerings of a merchant. It was a worn book. Fer smiled, his younger brother had loved books. He had been the smart one in the family. Fer knew how to read of course but had not envisioned a life outside farming the land like his father. He knelled and for 5 pesos bought the book. He was on his way back to Rosa and the approaching train. In an instant, there was a bright flash of light which all but blinded the young man. When his vision returned and the spots dissipated, he was standing in a stone walled room. --- Preferred Weapon(s): Shield, (proficient in fire arms , bows and knives) Appearance of Weapon: Dependent on the ability being used but at rest it looks more like a solid metal bracer with a jewel on the center of it. Abilities of Weapon: (if applicable) Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: morphs shield into any of the shields shown above. The shields have no particular ability they are just metal shields in that shape. Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: equip bonus: defense 2 Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: Air Burst- Able to create a strong burst of air that impacts the target in a 12 inch ball. Diameter of ball increases with the user level. Burst Shield- forms a air generated shield (similar to the one in the manga) and helps minimize damage from attacks. The number of layers or shields are depended on user level.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Ah yes Records of Past Heroes? The former shields, swords, bows, and spears? Well I must say we don't have a VAST amount on them as King's great great great Grandmother did have the records classified for the sake of making sure they were safe but we have some stuff. The names of those who travelled with the heroes, the people who they defeated, and the records of their specific calamities though I must warn you even I, the summoner, of our new friends am currently not so sure how much is accurate." commented Hans as he looks around and then leans into whisper. "I feel that some here of specific...political, and factional disputes may have embellished some of it personally. I only say this to you for the simple fact you're with the heroes. Are you sure you wish to proceed knowing that?" comments Hans quickly as he pulls back looking around to hope no one saw him. He adjusts his glasses, and robes looking nervous as he looks at Auriel sweating slightly. "Aside from the obvious we all know the legends we were raised, and born on. The Spear Hero Shani who slew a kraken to save a port town, The Sword Hero who put down a war using only the power of her voice to calm the generals during a meeting, and the Bow Hero who split an entire mountain using one almighty shot down from the top of it. But who knows if those are true, and if they are I have high hopes for them." === "You're not my lackey Fer, you're my teammate. I'm not looking for followers more so people who will help me. And I think you know that too but its worth saying regardless." Cole returns to Fer as he looks directly at him his eyes firm, and unyielding as he nods then turns to Marcino who rubs his chin while he thinks about his reply. The grizzled veteran considers all of the things that could go wrong, and may very well go wrong, and eventually he takes a short breath as he looks at Fer intently. "Escort job huh? And I guess I suppose I should thank one of those sneaky bitches that's been keeping an eye on us when I took you out to the field for target practice. King's little entourage does a lot for him you know. Not like back in Zeltoble. The Phoenix Born Hero doesn't let his crew go around doing whatever without his knowing. Then again...maybe that's for the best since the kid's got a lot on his plate. Don't envy the man that's for sure." comments Marcino as he takes a long swig of his beer. "Phoenix Born Hero?" Cole asks as the man shook his head and looks at him. "No, he's not one of you. He may as well be though...he's well...I suppose I shouldn't tell ya. Would be rude to not let that old shit not surprise ya." Marcino says crudely as he gives them a wide smile. "Anyway as long as the king foots the bill for me helping you stay alive I'll take the job. I'll even do it at a discount this once because I know its probably about Winters right? Heard a guard complaining about her a week ago before you both arrived. Consider it on the house for having one of my 'own' causing troubles. So you know when you're heading out?" Marcino asks as Cole stopped to wonder if there was more to this then Marcino let on. "I'm ready to head out at any time really but Auriel went off to somewhere...I don't remember I was hardly paying attention to her given the circumstances...and how did you know abo-" Cole started before Marcino shook his head. "No this ain't the place to be talking more than necessary about those people you get me?"</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer's eyes narrowed. Apparently the emissaries were keeping eyes on more than just the heroes. He wondered what sort of play was going behind closed doors. He already felt uncomfortable knowing that he may be indirectly be used as a tool to further someone's cause. Often, if the tools is kept in the dark then the person using the tool was not of honorable persuasion. The mention of the Zeltoblian hero spiked his interest. If there was a personage important or powerful enough to be placed in the same category as them, he felt he should know more about them. He filed the reference to ask Auriel. He figured he could ask Marcino but the man had quickly changed the subject. This spiked the young hero's interest even more. Was there a man that the gruff veteran actually looked up to? Fer nodded as Marcino surprised them by taking the job free of charge. The hero had resigned himself to pay what was necessary. After all, amasing fortune would be useless if his ultimate goal was to return to his own world at the end of the waves or his time here. When Cole mentioned he did not know where their angel winged companion had gone Fer offered as a way of explanation. "She went to the Cathedral and library to check on the Dragon Glass and try to find some information about the old powers or skills of the old heroes." The young man shrugged. "I had asked her to see if she could dig up some information. I want to be of better use. However, so far, I have only been able to morph my shield and gained a small orange one from feeding my gem those balloon monsters we fought the other day." He seconded Cole's mention of being ready. "If we can pick up Auriel on the way, I am ready to go too."</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Well before we do...I have a question for you Fer. Do you think the other two heroes will be a problem for us? Not on this misison I mean in the future. The Spear Hero is a big unknown, and The Bow Hero is a loud mouth vulgar biker chick. I don't think we'll have much luck when it comes to teamwork BUT we need them. That's the big problem we need to form a cohesive team because otherwise we'll be split, and easily picked off once the waves come. We had some trouble with the bandits but given two weeks of prep we can easily manage to overwhelm the basic bad enemies that we'll fight. But the big ones? I don't think I can stop those alone." Cole states as he looks across to Fer his eyes fixed firmly on him as he grips the table a bit tightly. Cole wasn't sure what his comrade thought on the matter. Given the chance Cole would prefer the heroes joined together to save the world but...would that even be a possibility or were they called her to be doomed?</s>	<\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer considered the question posed to him. He had very little interaction with the spear who had left almost as quickly as he himself had appeared in this world. There seemed to be no animosity or bad blood in the departure. Indeed, the Spear had seemed level headed and even was able to pull an entourage with him which meant that at least some people of this world found him trustworthy. He knew even less of the bow hero beside the comments of both Cole and Marcino. What he heard however, did not leave a good impression. As far as warriors went, apparently, she was very good. It was in the interaction between people that she seemed to be lacking. Fer was never one for sensibilities despite his usually calm and helpful attitude. His friend was right, teamwork for the sake of survival, not just their own but of the world, would be critical. In truth, Fer had forgotten at times that two other heroes existed except for the time that Auriel or Cole mentioned them. He had enjoyed their small group's dynamic. But his childish desires were trumped by cold hard real-world needs. He sighed as he prepared to respond to Cole. His voice had a resigned tone that told of the unwillingness to do what his words said but his conviction to do it for the greater good. "IF there is a way to speak to them and IF we manage to get them to work with us in a sort of loose alliance. Our survival chances will increase. We do need more fire power Cole and just you and Auriel in the vanguard may not be enough." He paused for a second collecting his thoughts. If the bow was indeed such a jerk then her addition to the party might do more harm than good. But from what he had heard, the waves were named thus because they came in predictable and timed patterns. Perhaps there was a way to work with them during the waves and allow for the freedom of everyone following their own paths while in the lull between the waves. "It would be great to have us work together in perfect synchrony but I don think that is possible. So, if we can at least fight in a loosely based plan with certain teams doing certain tasks then we should be able to fight effectively. It would take too much cooperation to fight efficiently but we can at least cover each other's backs. I hope we can at least trust them enough for that." He looked at his fellow hero. "Do you think that you are charming enough to win them over to our side?" His tone was playful. "Or do you know them enough to perhaps offer some sort of deal or incentive?" Fer shrugged. "The least we can do is try and talk to them. If nothing comes of it, then we go back to being separate cells and hope that we survive."</s>
<\|description\|>Fernando Gutierrez Nicknames:Fer Age:21 Gender:Male Level: 1 Class: Shield Hero Hero Class: Shield Specializations: Survival Training, Languages, Tactical Training, Magic Affinity: Wind Appearance: Tan skinned with Knife cut hair down to his shoulders. He has brown eyes and a curved hawk like nose. He stands 5'7" and weighs about 180 lbs. He has many scars on his body and his clothes are ragged and worn. He has a quiet attitude and talks very little. But when he talks he has a sort of tenor voice that is a bit raspy from lack of use. He unknowingly has a protective spirit and has on many occasions helped a person but he tries very hard to seem indifferent. He has no qualms about getting his hands dirty but only resorts to violence when necessary. Biography: Fer is from a war torn country in the South American Continent in the early 1980s. Living in the harsh rural mountains, made him a hardy young lad. When the guerrillas started abducting children he was unfortunate to have been trapping when his younger brother was taken, his father and mother butchered and his younger sister abducted probably to be sold as a slave. Fer tracked down and joined one of the guerillas. His aim was to find his siblings and exact revenge, on whoever he could, from within. He endured harsh and violent conditions. He learned to use conventional and fabricated weapons. His trapping skills eventually earned him a place as a tracker and forager. All the while his goal was to find his siblings. By luck or providence, he was able to discover that his poor brother had not survived the harsh living conditions of jungle and a boy soldier. It had been many years and he felt that he had failed his siblings, his parents and justice. He was contemplating ending it all when on his way back to camp he heard a cry of despair and pain. He followed the sound and happened upon a very common scene of four or five guys surrounding the poor body of girl from where the sound had emerged. He was about to turn away when one of the young men parted and he saw the dirty and tear streaked face of his sister. Rage and pain clouded his emotions as he deftly loaded his old pump action riffle. Despite the emotional storm going on in his soul, Fer managed to quickly and accurately send two bullets bursting into his intended targets. He did not even stop to assess the damage when a quick reaction from one of the remaining three young men reached for the riffle. Far let the riffle be torn from his grasp but his hand immediately pulled the hunting knife he wore on his waist and plunged it deep under the ribs of the attacker who slumped to the ground after a gasp of surprise. The one that had been assaulting the young girl had succeeded in punting on his pants and stood up just as the other lad managed to close in combat with Fer and knock him to the ground trying to pry the knife from his grasp. Fer reached up with his other hand pulled the lad's hair towards his face and bit hard into his neck until he felt the metal taste of blood. A yell of pain from the wounded neck which was spurting in a rhythmic fashion. Before he could get to his feet he felt a sharp pain on the left side of his head. He fell to the side trying to fight off confusion and a nausea. Before he could recover he felt the weight of a sweaty body on his and rancid breath near his nose as the last attacker fell onto him striking with his hands. Adrenalin and desperation made both defender and attacker inaccurate in their scuffle. Somehow, the attacker's hand happened upon the hunter knife that had been dropped. He raised the knife and brought it down upon the raised arm of Fer who had appempted to protect himself. The blade plunged deep into the left forearm and scrapped bone protruding from the other side. The lad used his weight and pushed down forcing the blade slowly down. It was a life and death struggle. The blade was dangerously close to Fer's neck when a shot rang out. While the weight remained on him, it was dead limp weight. Blood started to drip from a hole on the side of the face of the attacker and Fer pushed the dead body off him, the effort causing him to almost pass out from the pain in his left forearm. A crying girl rushed to his side. "FER!" the girl said between sobs. Fer propped himself on his knees, the Adrenalin slowly leaving his body and giving way to pain and nausea. He still managed to hug the young girl and say her name through bloodied and busted lips. "Rosa, please forgive me!" He added his sobs to hers as they held each other surrounded by a grim collection of bodies darkening the earth and pooling blood. Five days later found Fer and Rosa in a rural train station headed towards town. They wanted to leave so much grief and pain behind. Perhaps even one day make it to America. They had somehow made it down the mountain to a village where they had found good people who patched up Fer and helped them find a ride to the rural town. They bought passage with the selling of the equipment and cash found on the dead bodies of the assailants. It seemed like their bloody past was behind them. There had been no signs of pursuit and nobody would even know who was missing or who had attacked with so many rival guerrillas in the area. While they waited, Fer's gaze fell on the odd and eclectic offerings of a merchant. It was a worn book. Fer smiled, his younger brother had loved books. He had been the smart one in the family. Fer knew how to read of course but had not envisioned a life outside farming the land like his father. He knelled and for 5 pesos bought the book. He was on his way back to Rosa and the approaching train. In an instant, there was a bright flash of light which all but blinded the young man. When his vision returned and the spots dissipated, he was standing in a stone walled room. --- Preferred Weapon(s): Shield, (proficient in fire arms , bows and knives) Appearance of Weapon: Dependent on the ability being used but at rest it looks more like a solid metal bracer with a jewel on the center of it. Abilities of Weapon: (if applicable) Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: morphs shield into any of the shields shown above. The shields have no particular ability they are just metal shields in that shape. Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: equip bonus: defense 2 Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: Air Burst- Able to create a strong burst of air that impacts the target in a 12 inch ball. Diameter of ball increases with the user level. Burst Shield- forms a air generated shield (similar to the one in the manga) and helps minimize damage from attacks. The number of layers or shields are depended on user level.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Charming? What do I look like some sort of prince? I'm just a guy with a legendary sword on his hip. I'm only as special as this world allows me to be really. If possible...I'd like to be the one who follows rather than leads but if destiny thrusts that upon me then so be it. I will be the legendary sword that cleaved the waves apart." Cole admits to Fer, and by extension Marcino, as he takes a deep breath he looks to Fer directly. "But...I will not just survive. I want to win. I want to save these people, and the people of the other nations. I will do my best for them because that is what fate has put upon me. I sound really dramatic I know but...this is life, and death, and the fate of nations I can't afford to just be common anymore can I?" states Cole calmly as he turns to Marcino. "I'm ready to go are you?" Cole asks him as he shakes his head. "I need to go lock my valuables away, and get my equipment. You two should eat, or go find that buddy of yours and see that she's ready to go." Marcino states as Cole nods, and grabs adjusts his armor a bit. "Understood I'll see if we can get her quick. Let's go Fer if you're ready." Cole stated as he stands up quickly. As Hans stood there looking about as the young lady Auriel looked at her book he gave some directions to a young scholar who was looking to see if there were any potions of healing books he could find. It was only a moment before he managed to point him in the right direction did she speak up to him again. Hans looked a bit uneasy for a moment but took a deep breath. "I can't say I have the authority to let you take that book. But if you clear your name proper with the secretary you should be able to sign it out as a member of the Hero's Party. The Shield is your actual patron isn't it? Then you should make sure to put his name with yours as well for the sake of making sure all the books are accounted for. With the waves coming you don't know what books could be vital so preparations are needed you understand." Hans stated as he uneasily prepared for more questions of 'why can't I just take it' like the usual warriors did when they didn't understand proper library matters. "Is that really the only thing you wanted? The Spear isn't your saint after all." commented Hans confused.</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer chuckled at the aggrieved reaction of Cole. He smiled even wider when to show humbleness his friend put forth the example that he was one of the select four heroes. The young shield shook his head at how ironic the comment sounded. In his world, in his time, it would be like saying. I am only a rich person who was given a lot of money and am able to spend it however I want. Despite the silliness of the current train of thought, Fer had to agree with his friend. They seemed to have not been selected due to some special skills they had or because they were the best suited. Indeed, the young hero had wondered why they seemed to have been chosen. Their lack of knowledge about the most basic things in the world and their lack of knowledge about the weapons they now carried made them more of a liability than an asset. If they were truly all that stood between the waves and destruction, then this world was putting way too much faith on them. Fer stopped smiling as his thoughts turned to that particular topic. Both he and Cole had been trying their best. He could not say anything about the other two heroes but he would not doubt them if they looked out only for themselves. Cole had bravely and selflessly proclaimed that though he owed no allegiance to king, country or world, that he would protect them. Having fought in many harrowing battles in his previous world and just recently at the farm, the young shield knew that the price of freedom and peace was high. He gave Cole a pat on the shoulder. "Sometimes my friend, surviving is winning." His tone was friendly and resolute. "But as we have already promised to each other. We shall bear each other's burdens and fight along each other as the pair that our weapons are. I do not follow you out of obligation. I walk with you and beside you." He patted him again. "You can lean on me for support and I know you will do the same with me." Fer nodded to his friend. "I am ready, lets go pick up our winged friend." He smirked again and whispered playfully. "I need a pretty face to look at after setting eyes on…" the young hero motioned with his head towards the veteran gladiator and smiled again.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Alright well we need to go, and find Auriel or else we'll be better off spending the rest of the day in town. And with this week about half way done we need to make sure we get as much experience fighting as possible. The waves won't be letting us have an off day." Cole states to Marcino who grunts, and leaves the table leaving the two heroes alone. As they pick up their weapons to leave the patrons at the bar wish them good luck on their quest. Hailing the sword hero as the hero who will save them from the waves. Cole couldn't help but wonder what exactly the Spear Hero was up to. Matsunaga had come back to town...so then where was the spear? He hoped that he had found something important to look up, or else things would get dirty when the day of judgment came for them. === As Hans nodded he looked around, and saw a few mages waving him over he looked to Auriel and bowed his head. "It looks like I'm needed now. Please enjoy the library to the fullest but remember some books may be in use due to the circumstances at hand. Not everything is currently at the library that we usually have on hand. Long live the heroes, and long live the people." Hans states as hurries away from Auriel. She was left to her own devices doing as she will. However after not too long a knight in a bit worn out steel armor comes up to her, and tells her that her allies the Sword, and Shield will be waiting for her at the front door of the church. Escorting her out, as was his job even if Auriel insisted otherwise. As she exited Cole waved her over, and said aloud "Hey Auriel we got Marcino aboard we're meeting back at the tavern, and then we're going to go after the bounty." Cole told her. The knight wished her good luck in her attempt at assisting the heroes before vanishing back inside. "We're going soon you ready? Need anything like anti-poison potions, or healing potions?" Cole asked having packed some before leaving the tavern and fighting the bandits.</s>	<\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez The young shield hero could do little else than nod at being reminded that even though they faced political and social pressures and dangers, the main reason for their existence and summoning to this world still lay in the near future. The small band had fought low level monsters and bandits but the wearer of the shield knew that facing off against waves classified as calamities would be a completely different situation. Cole was right in that in the short time they were afforded they needed to get more training. Fer hoped that their feathered companion had managed to dig up some helpful information. He followed his sword bearing companion as they made their way back through the city. Some people called out to them, some avoided them. Mainly, the city went about their business either blissfully ignorant or naively confident that the heroes would protect them. Fer pursed his lips at this second theory. How could the four of them defend a whole world? Hell, it was not even four of them. It was more like four groups of distant and not organized heroes. If the other were having as hard a time grasping the basics of their weapons as Fer then the faith that people placed on their skills was not going to produce the return people expected. His mood darkened. Thankfully, the view of the cathedral came into view. Fer marveled at the sheer size and elaborate decorations. He had only heard of the cathedrals in Europe and the modest church in his hometown back on earth was a drop in a lake compared to the one before him. The young hero could not help but whistle his admiration. Fer's smile only grew wider as he saw the approach of their winged companion. He raised his hand in welcome as Cole quickly went to the point. "Boss says that its time to make the bad lady pay. No rest for the weary I guess." He chuckled and pushed Cole slightly with his elbow in a playful manner. "Lets stock up with what ever you need to keep us alive Auriel. I can carry whatever you come up with. I sure hope that you found some good information. My brother would have loved to help you in there I am sure." He was surprised at the wave of sadness and melancholy that suddenly assailed him.</s>
<\|description\|>Fernando Gutierrez Nicknames:Fer Age:21 Gender:Male Level: 1 Class: Shield Hero Hero Class: Shield Specializations: Survival Training, Languages, Tactical Training, Magic Affinity: Wind Appearance: Tan skinned with Knife cut hair down to his shoulders. He has brown eyes and a curved hawk like nose. He stands 5'7" and weighs about 180 lbs. He has many scars on his body and his clothes are ragged and worn. He has a quiet attitude and talks very little. But when he talks he has a sort of tenor voice that is a bit raspy from lack of use. He unknowingly has a protective spirit and has on many occasions helped a person but he tries very hard to seem indifferent. He has no qualms about getting his hands dirty but only resorts to violence when necessary. Biography: Fer is from a war torn country in the South American Continent in the early 1980s. Living in the harsh rural mountains, made him a hardy young lad. When the guerrillas started abducting children he was unfortunate to have been trapping when his younger brother was taken, his father and mother butchered and his younger sister abducted probably to be sold as a slave. Fer tracked down and joined one of the guerillas. His aim was to find his siblings and exact revenge, on whoever he could, from within. He endured harsh and violent conditions. He learned to use conventional and fabricated weapons. His trapping skills eventually earned him a place as a tracker and forager. All the while his goal was to find his siblings. By luck or providence, he was able to discover that his poor brother had not survived the harsh living conditions of jungle and a boy soldier. It had been many years and he felt that he had failed his siblings, his parents and justice. He was contemplating ending it all when on his way back to camp he heard a cry of despair and pain. He followed the sound and happened upon a very common scene of four or five guys surrounding the poor body of girl from where the sound had emerged. He was about to turn away when one of the young men parted and he saw the dirty and tear streaked face of his sister. Rage and pain clouded his emotions as he deftly loaded his old pump action riffle. Despite the emotional storm going on in his soul, Fer managed to quickly and accurately send two bullets bursting into his intended targets. He did not even stop to assess the damage when a quick reaction from one of the remaining three young men reached for the riffle. Far let the riffle be torn from his grasp but his hand immediately pulled the hunting knife he wore on his waist and plunged it deep under the ribs of the attacker who slumped to the ground after a gasp of surprise. The one that had been assaulting the young girl had succeeded in punting on his pants and stood up just as the other lad managed to close in combat with Fer and knock him to the ground trying to pry the knife from his grasp. Fer reached up with his other hand pulled the lad's hair towards his face and bit hard into his neck until he felt the metal taste of blood. A yell of pain from the wounded neck which was spurting in a rhythmic fashion. Before he could get to his feet he felt a sharp pain on the left side of his head. He fell to the side trying to fight off confusion and a nausea. Before he could recover he felt the weight of a sweaty body on his and rancid breath near his nose as the last attacker fell onto him striking with his hands. Adrenalin and desperation made both defender and attacker inaccurate in their scuffle. Somehow, the attacker's hand happened upon the hunter knife that had been dropped. He raised the knife and brought it down upon the raised arm of Fer who had appempted to protect himself. The blade plunged deep into the left forearm and scrapped bone protruding from the other side. The lad used his weight and pushed down forcing the blade slowly down. It was a life and death struggle. The blade was dangerously close to Fer's neck when a shot rang out. While the weight remained on him, it was dead limp weight. Blood started to drip from a hole on the side of the face of the attacker and Fer pushed the dead body off him, the effort causing him to almost pass out from the pain in his left forearm. A crying girl rushed to his side. "FER!" the girl said between sobs. Fer propped himself on his knees, the Adrenalin slowly leaving his body and giving way to pain and nausea. He still managed to hug the young girl and say her name through bloodied and busted lips. "Rosa, please forgive me!" He added his sobs to hers as they held each other surrounded by a grim collection of bodies darkening the earth and pooling blood. Five days later found Fer and Rosa in a rural train station headed towards town. They wanted to leave so much grief and pain behind. Perhaps even one day make it to America. They had somehow made it down the mountain to a village where they had found good people who patched up Fer and helped them find a ride to the rural town. They bought passage with the selling of the equipment and cash found on the dead bodies of the assailants. It seemed like their bloody past was behind them. There had been no signs of pursuit and nobody would even know who was missing or who had attacked with so many rival guerrillas in the area. While they waited, Fer's gaze fell on the odd and eclectic offerings of a merchant. It was a worn book. Fer smiled, his younger brother had loved books. He had been the smart one in the family. Fer knew how to read of course but had not envisioned a life outside farming the land like his father. He knelled and for 5 pesos bought the book. He was on his way back to Rosa and the approaching train. In an instant, there was a bright flash of light which all but blinded the young man. When his vision returned and the spots dissipated, he was standing in a stone walled room. --- Preferred Weapon(s): Shield, (proficient in fire arms , bows and knives) Appearance of Weapon: Dependent on the ability being used but at rest it looks more like a solid metal bracer with a jewel on the center of it. Abilities of Weapon: (if applicable) Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: morphs shield into any of the shields shown above. The shields have no particular ability they are just metal shields in that shape. Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: equip bonus: defense 2 Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: Air Burst- Able to create a strong burst of air that impacts the target in a 12 inch ball. Diameter of ball increases with the user level. Burst Shield- forms a air generated shield (similar to the one in the manga) and helps minimize damage from attacks. The number of layers or shields are depended on user level.</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer had never been to a theatrical play. Once, a travelling circus had come to town and the mannerisms and overly flamboyant way the Spear hero was talking reminded him of the Circus Master who had exaggerated the actual abilities and show that the people were to experience. The young hero had to admit though that the show as appealing to the current audience. A look around showed him that the town's people were gleamy eyed. The Shield Hero clasped the Spear Hero's hand firmly. Despite the extravagant nature of the man's speech, what he was saying was truth. So Fer had no reason to show any type of resentment towards the man. Actually, the young hero would rather a snowperson than a rude jerk like Ren Matsunaga. Fer's face sobered a little as Lev leaned in. So this person was not as foolish as he appeared. In fact, the Spear showed he was smarter than he appeared. To be able to discern that even Heroes such as they were still mistrusted or at the least kept tabs on. He remembered the shadowy messengers that had delivered the quest to hunt down the Bandit Queen. He followed the lead and walked next to the new hero. This new Edusa lady seemed to at least understand that they should be doing more than just lavish introductions. Fer shot her a glance. Why was she so willing to be following Cole? Surely, it had to be more than a national pride. With royals, everything was politics. Hearing, Lev's proclamation the Shield hero almost rolled his eyes. "Friends huh." At the least they had to work together. Though, friendship seemed something too far off. "We can certainly at least be civil. After all, I assume we heroes are not from this world." The young voice of the wolf girl soon reached his ears. A smile appeared on Fer's face as he turned to look at her. "Speaking of friends and allies. Here comes Rivia" He told the group. As she offered him the sweets he smile and took one. "Thank you Rivia, I have had dango once or twice." He took what was offered and put one in his mouth. The sweet dougy morsel making him smile again. "It appears you have found the hidden treasures of living in a city." He took another dango off the skewer. "We are only missing Auriel….oh and Rin Matsunaga" The Shield Hero said, a tone of distaste in his voice. "I must say, meeting the Spear hero was much more pleasant than when the Bow Hero appeared so already Lev, you are in high standing in my book." Leaning a little closer he added. "Now what is the plan? I am sure you want to talk to us about something"</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "If you hear my words than you should know dear Shield friend! The worth of one is not just by their actions but their history! One can comment on the brazen Bow Hero's actions, and their words but do you really know the cause of that fire? That hellish damnable spirit to be the best? I have no clue either. But until that day Rin chooses to give me her true feelings. I will only judge her as need be. Blunt, and brutal she may be but to save the world? It takes many indeed." The spear hero says twirling his spear around in his hand dexterously. He moves it around his back, and around him as he stretches out his arm to allow him to pass it to his other hand and back around his back where he places it on his shoulder. "Definitely I would consider my words, or should these people take you for just a big walking target that follows the Sword around?" Lev comments further as he points a finger at the shield hero. His smile still plastered on his face ignoring Fer's comments towards the Fox girl approaching the shield. Cole chooses not to intervene in the talks between the spear, and the shield it would be best that these two work out their "Oh hey there been a bit Rivia. I hope you're well, and sure I'll take a dango...whatever that is." Cole said as he gratefully took it and took a bite of it. Surprisingly it was pretty good! He didn't think a treat like this would be this tasty he half expected too much candy flavor. Instead the strawberry flavoe was pretty nice on his. "Bitching! I guess this will make up for going after shieldy so quick the other day. Alright then! I'm pumped up and ready when you all are to do whatever it is we're doing!" Edusa said as she took her own and ate it so quick she started to choke a bit before she took a flask from her hip and chugged down the contents. "Chill a bit I don't need royalty keeling over on me." Cole says dryly and sarcastically towards his follower who sticks out her tongue at him. "Look just find me something to punch boss I'm getting antsy!" comments The fiery royal as they bounce around and throw mock punches at surprising speed. Cole felt impressed as he watched her pull off a full combo like a boxer who was professionally trained. "Of course we may head out at anytime assuming there is no questions for the legendary Lev of the Spear?" comments Lev with pride as he scratches his own chest none to modest about his own skill.</s>	<\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer took a deep breath as he listened to what sounded very much like admonition. He patiently waited for Lev to finish and then just nodded at the Spear Hero not wanting to get into a debate about the fact that Rin was the one who had judged them first. Despite any challenges in her past life or even current questing, nothing gave her the right to come barging in and start using Cole as a punching bag. Still, he could agree with the Spear that a united front would be much more successful against the waves than broken bands of Heroes. If it meant extinction or working with that hyped up bitch, the Shield Hero was able to swallow any resentment if it meant that their victory would not only mean survival for this world, but that he could be returned to his. At Lev's mention of being mindful of what he said Fer merely shrugged. "I stand by what I said. And I don't mind people thinking me as one who just follows the Sword around." He turned to Cole as he said this. "I would gladly follow Cole around and protect him." He kept in pace with Lev as they walked. Like a true charismatic person, the blonde Sword Hero was amiable towards the wolf girl. The smile disappeared at Edusa's comment. It was a gentle sort of back hand implying that Rivia had been in the wrong to follow him and spend time with him. He narrowed his eyes at the girl. Of course a Royal would think that the other person is at fault and overlook their own complicity. Still, he was glad that Rivia could at the very least not have to worry about animosity on that flank. Fer tried to ignore the playful banter between the royal and Cole. After all, it was in the Sword's nature to be friendly. He would not begrudge him that. Nor would he begrudge him the fact that he had chosen to stay with the new pair instead of seeking him out to train. The other hero did not have any contract or any other such reason to be bound to Fer. Still, there was a slight burning sensation in the Shield's chest. The Shield Hero looked towards Lev at the question. "I don't really have any questions. I am sure you are quite capable with that spear. I am just glad you are willing to work together. As far as I am concerned, we can head out any time. However, I will not begrudge you any information you wish to share. Especially if it will somehow help us during the upcoming battel against the waves."</s>
<\|description\|>Dúlamán(Doh-lah-mahn) Cain Nicknames:Beast, Lamán, Cain Age:24 Gender:Male Level:9 Class:Fighter Specializations:Restraining/trapping, Distraction, Cooking, Entertaining(singing) Magic Affinity:Dark and Wind Biography:Abandoned at a very young age, Dúlamán had been a slave for as long as he could remember. Being a Komori, commonly called a vampire, there were many who sought to buy him if only for his species rarity. Taught to sing and perform, to be the well-behaved slave, quiet until ordered to speak. He was constantly on display and forced to play nice with the humans that treated him as nothing but an object to be shown off. Lamán's resentment grew greater with each passing day until he simply couldn't take it anymore and did the unspeakable. He attacked one of his Master's guests. It was only because his master's "kind nature" that he was given a choice; enter the gladiator pits or be killed. He chose the pits. There he was forced to fight for his life, day after day, just barely surviving most days due to his naturally enhanced agility and flexibility. At least until the quartermaster offered him a deal: If Dúlamán could survive the going in and out of the arena until he reached the age of 24, then he would be granted his crime would be forgiven and he would be allowed to live as a free man. With the prospect of being free, the vampire trained constantly. Fully aware that he would never be the strongest physically, he focused on furthering his agility and stamina in order to outpace even the oldest of veterans. By the gods he had managed to last and has only recently been given his freedom, though, without the food and shelter the pits provided, he is finding much harder to live freely than he had ever imagined. --- Preferred Weapon(s):Whips and Daggers Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon:Has a chance of inflicting a mild paralytic poison, more effective of humanoids and nonpoisonous beasts. --- Skills/Abilities:Name of Skill:Bat Wing Abilities of Skill:Born with vestigial Bat Wings, Lamán cannot fly. However, these wings can be used to increase jump height, speed (momentarily), to glide short distances, or as a catalyst for their inherent wind magic. Downsides of Skill:Can not be used to fly, easily injured, and difficult to maneuver in tight spaces. Name of Skill:Bloodsucker Abilities of Skill:By biting and ingesting the blood of someone/something, Lamán the ability to temporarily increase their stats and abilities, invigorating them. Downsides of Skill:The more blood ingested within a set amount of time, the more likely Lamán is to go into a blood frenzy and attack anything around them. During a blood frenzy, Lamán loses all sense of friend and foe until the blood as passed through their system. Drinking the blood of non-humanoids increases the risk of falling into a blood frenzy. Name of Skill:Wailing Cry Abilities of Skill:Lamán can release a sonic attack from their mouths than causes disorientation and pain. Downsides of Skill:Lamán is also susceptible to this skill and prolonged use will affect the user as well as the victims. Name of Skill:Wind Slicer Abilities of Skill:Lamán uses with wings as a catalyst to send sharp gusts of wind at the enemy. It can slice through most nonmagical materials weaker than stone. Downsides of Skill:It takes far too much mana for consistent use, only travels in a straight line and it's power also directly correlates to how hard he flaps his wings in the given direction. ---- Inventory: * Bedroll * Rain tarp * Entertainer's clothes * 20 Copper</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Um really you didn't have video games? Strange. Well basically they're like stories that you could get to play through using a fake person. Not all of them were based on people some were just simple things like building blocks. But to do it you needed to use a computer, or a tv. Basically screens of glass that project images onto itself explaining that part for Auriel's sake. Very complicated stuff when it comes down to it. Not sure I can do it justice I'm just the son of a fisherman." Cole said to Fer as he addressed his question regarding video games. The group got up, and left the tavern and went to go to the adventurer's guild along the way Cole was harassed by the menagerie of people. Young girls want to hand him food, some merchants wanting to sell him supplies, or give him a gift for good luck, some adventurers posing challenges he ignored. Fer was also harassed by some of them but considerably less so. They also heard rumors that Rin Matsunaga had apparently killed a large wolf pack over the course of the past few days, and the spear hero had gone to a town over and helped them with their farming troubles. "The other two aren't slacking we can't let up." Cole said as they walked he couldn't help but feel that he wasn't doing all he could. All the same though he was doing the best he could, and pushing himself even with the waves coming in just over a week meant that he needed to focus. The better he got with this legendary sword the more effective he can be. For all intents and purposes he may very well become the face of the four heroes. Rin was too blunt, and the spear was an anomaly. Having apparently been re-summoned as well liked the shield. Its a shame he liked that other guy. As they arrived in the guild for once they didn't get much of a warm reception even the newbies here were far to busy preparing for the waves, and getting contracts to bother with the new looking heroes entering. As Cole, and company walked up to the receptionist Cole asked about any information he could obtain on Rayla Winters. "Oh hello Sword hero! Rayla Winters lets see here...." The receptionist goes through his files, and brings out a large dossier. "Rayla Winters is wanted on charges of: Forging documents, murder, battery, kidnapping, arson, thievery, attempting to assassinate a leading merchant in Zeltoble, and many other smaller crimes..." the receptionist tells them as they pull out a illustrated photo of a girl with short cut hair, a large two handed sword on her back, and a scar going from her armored breast plate to her neck. "The last known sighting of her was at the Hillberry farm where they burnt it down. Rumors suggest that they're going to be assaulting another farmstead sometime today. Guards have been dispatched but you're free to go and help." commented the man as Cole looked at the receptionist, "You know where they're attacking next?" Cole questioned as the man nodded, "A rogue from our guild went and scouted some of the shady parts of town but it is unknown if they'll be brazen enough to attack the guards there."</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez It was thanks to his experience playing the earth sport of soccer that Fer had managed to see the way that Auriel treated the young kids. He recalled that she worked at the church but was not aware that the church also ran an orphanage. Regardless, he smiled at the soft side of the holy warrior. He by no means doubted that she was an avid and deadly warrior when the time came but the true measure of a warrior was how they behaved when the blade was not drawn. He knew many a scout who were nothing more than death incarnate but were not able to turn it off. This lead to many situations that cause the rebellion to loose favor with the local farmers and villages. The only thing that kept him sane was his one tracked mission in finding his family. He knew that the young kids now drawn to the holy warrior as bees to honey were her anchor. He turned his attention back to Cole as the Sword explained the answer to his question. He tried to imagine what was said. He knew about television due to certain locations having some black and white ones. Color televisions were very hard to come by in the mountains. Add that to the remote locations and he knew for a fact he had never experience what Cole was saying. It seemed very interesting to him. He filed it away in the back of his mind. If he ever returned to his world and his time then he would want to find out more. The group walked together through the streets. Fer felt strange being the center of attention as people started to gather around them. He could travel faster alone as he had purchased a cloak with hood that hid him most of the time. However, when in the company of Auriel and her very obvious wings, it was easier for the populace to notice them. He smiled awkwardly and shook his head as people offered him stuff. He swallowed a bit hard as some of the good looking girls pressed in too much to him. He felt like a school boy despite his age. For so long he had dealt with only death and dirt that he forgot the simple pleasures in life that is a boy being captivated by a girl. Cole seemed to be taking this celebrity status with better calm and composure. The young shield nodded as his companion mentioned the other two. He had almost forgotten that there were two other heroes. He wondered why the other believed that working alone was the better policy but he shrugged that train of thought. He hoped they would be ok, their strength would definitely be needed in the future. Doors parted and the trio stood in what looked like organized chaos. He noticed armed people of various styles and looks. Some had the firm hard looks of experienced fighters who had seen more than their share of blood and who had ended many a life. Other had bright and hopeful looks who could be none other than new adventurers that still have the mentality of glory and treasure. The varying races also surprised Fer. The majority of the people were human but he also saw some of the beast men who looked like nothing more than animals with human features and the second kind who seemed to just sport ears or tails. His eyes fell on a fellow who sported wings on his back. He did not mean to stare but the man was a contrast to the soft white angel wings of Auriel. This person's wings were leathery and black with a slight sheen as the lights of lanterns fell on them. He was brought out of his musings by the reading of the list of evils that the bandit leader was wanted for. Fer almost whistled as the list was read and he looked at the picture that was presented. Of course the picture was nothing more than a glorified drawing and he wondered how much the artist had embellished. This was better than an actual photograph however because this rendering probably reflected the true nature of Rayla that a non-sentient photo might capture. The young shield hero almost lost his composure as man behind the desk disclosed that they even knew the next time the person would attack. He wondered if the leader was so confident that they could leak their targets. This could either be a distraction or perhaps a challenge to see if anybody brave enough to stop them. The information however was to the party's benefit. If the bandits are distracted doing their plundering, it might be easier to kill Rayla. He turned to Cole. "A woman with so many bounties is probably a big target. In my world, bounty hunters would often fight with each other to collect it. If we could have them work together it would be better but I know that may take a lot of persuading. If we want to do this on our own, we should be aware that somebody might try to block us for the same reason." He shrugged. "Either way from what I hear, her life has to end to complete our mission. I guess it does not matter if we do it or somebody else does it. But I think it is right to assume that the king wants us to somehow be involved for notoriety sake."</s>	<\|message\|>Dúlamán(Doh-lah-mahn) Cain When Dúlamán entered the main hall, he was hit with a small sense of disappointment at the lack of other demi-humans. He knew the number of free demis in the country was few and far between but he expected more than what he could see. Despite that, he went about looking if there was a notice board with any decent rewards. He spared a momentary glance at the door shortly after, noticing the arrival of two men and what he could only assume was an avian demi-human. "Probably their slave." He thought derisively. Taking a second look, notice that she was well cared for at least. And that darker-skinned man seemed to focus on him for a moment longer than necessary. The ravenette had to bite back the comment on the tip of his tongue, tucking in his wings tighter at the scrutinizing gaze. He tried to continue, his rather fruitless search of a task that would be in his wheelhouse when a particular name reached his sensitive ears. Rayla Winters, well known in the pits and arena. A fearsome woman, though the vampire was fortunate to say he had never met her. And the crimes she has been said to commit would leave quite the bounty on her head. "Even split multiple ways, I could make a decent profit from this!" He thought to himself before making a split decision. Without bothering to really take in the appearances of the three-person group by the desk, Dúlamán sauntered over to them with a welcoming smile. Not the slightest bit disturbed by the idea of interrupting their conversation. "Good day to you fine gentleman and lovely lady. I couldn't help but overhear that you were planning to take on Rayla Winters. She's a tough one, I'll tell you that. Never seen or heard of any opponent of hers getting at least twice of what they gave. If they managed to give any that is." He started gesturing nonchalantly with his hands. "She isn't someone who would go down easy. You'd have a better chance if you had an idea of how she thinks or at least fights." He bluffed with an easy smirk. "I am Dúlamán Cain, a pleasure to meet you." He added quickly, offering his hand to the one who seemed to be in charge. It was then that he began to drink in the sight of them all. A young man with armour and a distinctly ornate sword. Another, the darker man from earlier with a shield that almost all Demi-humans could probably draw from the memory of the stories alone. And a fierce young woman, obviously worn by battle with angelic white wings. A counter-point to his almost demonic in their shape and darkness.</s>
<\|description\|>Dúlamán(Doh-lah-mahn) Cain Nicknames:Beast, Lamán, Cain Age:24 Gender:Male Level:9 Class:Fighter Specializations:Restraining/trapping, Distraction, Cooking, Entertaining(singing) Magic Affinity:Dark and Wind Biography:Abandoned at a very young age, Dúlamán had been a slave for as long as he could remember. Being a Komori, commonly called a vampire, there were many who sought to buy him if only for his species rarity. Taught to sing and perform, to be the well-behaved slave, quiet until ordered to speak. He was constantly on display and forced to play nice with the humans that treated him as nothing but an object to be shown off. Lamán's resentment grew greater with each passing day until he simply couldn't take it anymore and did the unspeakable. He attacked one of his Master's guests. It was only because his master's "kind nature" that he was given a choice; enter the gladiator pits or be killed. He chose the pits. There he was forced to fight for his life, day after day, just barely surviving most days due to his naturally enhanced agility and flexibility. At least until the quartermaster offered him a deal: If Dúlamán could survive the going in and out of the arena until he reached the age of 24, then he would be granted his crime would be forgiven and he would be allowed to live as a free man. With the prospect of being free, the vampire trained constantly. Fully aware that he would never be the strongest physically, he focused on furthering his agility and stamina in order to outpace even the oldest of veterans. By the gods he had managed to last and has only recently been given his freedom, though, without the food and shelter the pits provided, he is finding much harder to live freely than he had ever imagined. --- Preferred Weapon(s):Whips and Daggers Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon:Has a chance of inflicting a mild paralytic poison, more effective of humanoids and nonpoisonous beasts. --- Skills/Abilities:Name of Skill:Bat Wing Abilities of Skill:Born with vestigial Bat Wings, Lamán cannot fly. However, these wings can be used to increase jump height, speed (momentarily), to glide short distances, or as a catalyst for their inherent wind magic. Downsides of Skill:Can not be used to fly, easily injured, and difficult to maneuver in tight spaces. Name of Skill:Bloodsucker Abilities of Skill:By biting and ingesting the blood of someone/something, Lamán the ability to temporarily increase their stats and abilities, invigorating them. Downsides of Skill:The more blood ingested within a set amount of time, the more likely Lamán is to go into a blood frenzy and attack anything around them. During a blood frenzy, Lamán loses all sense of friend and foe until the blood as passed through their system. Drinking the blood of non-humanoids increases the risk of falling into a blood frenzy. Name of Skill:Wailing Cry Abilities of Skill:Lamán can release a sonic attack from their mouths than causes disorientation and pain. Downsides of Skill:Lamán is also susceptible to this skill and prolonged use will affect the user as well as the victims. Name of Skill:Wind Slicer Abilities of Skill:Lamán uses with wings as a catalyst to send sharp gusts of wind at the enemy. It can slice through most nonmagical materials weaker than stone. Downsides of Skill:It takes far too much mana for consistent use, only travels in a straight line and it's power also directly correlates to how hard he flaps his wings in the given direction. ---- Inventory: * Bedroll * Rain tarp * Entertainer's clothes * 20 Copper</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Legendary Hero of the Sword, Cole is my name at your service Mister Cain." Cole tells the new comer as he considers the context of the situation at hand despite the issues that will be brought to bare it will be a difficult fight. Zeltoble didn't raise cowards, and he knew going in that the situation would be difficult but he wondered just how much...its not like they could rewind time if they failed. Cole figured it was going to be dangerous...but he had to be strong for his team. "Our patron is giving us his blessing for this meaning I doubt we'll find that much trouble. Besides the bounty is hardly the prize. Its the recognition we want." Cole says as he turns to Cain. "You want to join with us? I can't promise that we can keep you safe if you do join we're going to be fighting as a unit. And the Shield Hero, and I have precious little experience in real combat. We were just summoned a few days ago if that." Cole says to Cain as he turns to Ferr. He sighs, "That being said you know I'll do my best to carve our way to victory." "With all due respect sir Shield. Your bounty you are inquiring about is a dead or alive bounty. And is claimable in either state. She is wanted for high treason in Zeltoble but being who you are. I'm sure the law may be willing to bend slightly as long as you can provide proof if you kill her with something like fire." claims the Guild's Desk Manager.</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer turned to the voice, a sort of sweet but not soft like Auriels but more like molasses, sticky. His eyes fell once again on the leathery wings. He instinctively moved towards the front between his companions and the newcomer. The movement was no more than a few inches but the motion was evident and he immediately regretted it. He had nothing against the young man but something in his being in his raising had attributed a bad impression of those wings. His religious mother had often mentioned stories from the bible. This could also be a reason why he was so naturally drawn to Auriel. The man seemed confident but there was something in the way he said things that still made Fer narrow his eyes as if he could somehow discern that one thing he could not place. Whatever the case, the man seemed to be no threat and his smile would have been almost charming. The young hero cleared his throat awkwardly and was glad Cole spoke first as the words seemed to catch in his. He nodded at Cole when his companion expressed his solemn vow to succeed. Fer was counting on him, as a person only capable of defense, he needed the sharp sword and true spear of his companions to help him defeat the enemies. Teamwork was the only way to ensure his return to his world. He then turned to the young beast man and extended his arm as his voice said firmly but calmly and as friendly as he could muster. "I am Fernando, The Shield Hero. You may call me Fer if you like." He even mustered a slight smile. "What Cole says its true. We are new to this world and to fighting. Especially new to our weapons. Legendary Heroes we may be called but I am afraid our skills are not at that level." He shrugged as he continued "However, if you don't mind that then I for one welcome any help we may have. From what I have heard from the Guild Receptionist and from you, we are in for quite a fight as we face this Ryla Winters." As if on cue, the Receptionist stated that they needed proof of the bandit leader's death if there were to collect the bounty. Fer grimaced at the very real possibility that they would have to provide some sort of body part. However, this world was abundant in magic and other such things, so he turned to the Receptionist and asked honestly. "What ways could we utilize to prove we have completed the task? What will you require? A body part, some other item?" His voice had an obvious distaste as he mentioned the question.</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher (Mood Music) Angels and Demons The trio entered into the Guild Hall. It didn't take long for them to be greeted by the many adventurers looking to make a name for themselves. The three of them had a reputation, so it wasn't long before the three were separated by crowds of people wanting to talk to them. Auriel had the smallest crowd in the hall around her, compared to heroes of legend, the Holy Warrior was small fry. Thankfully for her, it allowed her to have an easier time getting out of the crowds. With the party regrouped, Auriel moved further into the hall with them. That's when they spotted the other demi-beast. It felt strange, he was almost like a polar opposite to her. Seeing his wings actually made her own twitch. The parallel was almost unsettling. She had heard of vampires, but never had she seen one before. Thus, she didn't recognize the significance of his extra features. Still, the look of the man was sinister in nature. Auriel felt uneasy just looking at him, but she didn't want to pass judgement on him so soon. He seemed amicable with the heroes, and he shared a common interest in Rayla Winters. Perhaps it'd be beneficial for him to come along. As introductions were passed around, Auriel waited until the heroes were finished. Once her turn came, Auriel extended a hand for a shake, "Auriel Asher, Holy Warrior of the Four." she bows her head, "I welcome you to the team." Auriel overheard guild receptionist say that they required proof of Rayla's end. Auriel stepped forward and spoke, "What about some of Rayla's hair? Or her ear piercings?" The angel was already settled on the decision that Rayla needed to die, but she wasn't about to parade a corpse or body parts around to do it. She would make it quick and clean for the bandit leader, then provide a proper burial afterward. Auriel thought back to the hordes, and how they would display their macabre to her and the men that fought with her. She would not become like them.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Her sword is said to be very well engraved, and a keep sake from her parents. They can be used to identify them. Or their head. Anything else may be questionable but maybe a finger will do. Or else the body in general." The receptionist says as he looks over them. "Hunting down these people is dirty work I'm sorry to inconvenience the Sword, and shield." says the receptionist as Leon sighs. He wonders if he will actually be able to get away with getting this woman back here alive. He still wanted to see if he could make use of her in some fashion. "To answer your previous question however Mister Shield....hmmm if what I've got on hand is right she seems to have been a very successful gladiator. You may want to consider bringing along a very experienced adventurer with you. No offense but I heard you were all just summoned the other day was that not right?" the receptionist says respectfully as Cole nods, "Yes but we're hoping to make a clear cut act to show everyone we mean business and we're not going to lay down and let evil have its way." Cole says firmly clutching his sword's hilt. "I wish you, and the shield the best of luck. And to you lady of the church may the four heroes bless you."</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer was glad to see that he was not the only one who found it distasteful to piece out a person. It was not that he had any qualm about performing the actual function. He had often butchered the pigs and goats for their dinner. As a hunter, he had been soaked in blood countless times. It also was not the idea of killing someone. During his time as a rebel in the mountains of his homeland, he had ended the life of many people. Many of them had been from a distance but he had his share of watching the life in their eyes fade away. He nodded in support towards Auriel. He knew her to be fair and gentle and found it surprising that her good will extended even to hardened criminals. The young hero turned to the receptionist his eyes narrowed. He tried to detect if there had been a hint of derision or sarcasm in the person's voice when they mentioned the inconvenience of providing proof. Finding no obvious proof in the man's face he softened his gaze and responded. "It is completely understandable that to collect the bounty and to be assured of a criminal's death the physical body would be required. I merely hated the idea of desecrating a dead body. However, if nothing else is possible, I will shoulder that burden when the time comes." He put up his right hand trying to keep the receptionist from continuing his apology. "No need to apologize. I actually appreciate your recommendation and agree with the fact that we are not truly battle tested. One thing I can assure you is that we will not be underestimated. However, it is better if we are. In my country we have a saying, the quiet snake strikes when you least expect it." His smile was unlike his usual warm and friendly one. It reverted back to the days when he was hard as stone and thought of nothing else but avenging his parents and brother. It was akin to a snarl but with a confidence that to any onlooker would communicate he was very capable of killing. He turned to Dulaman. "I hope that you are as good as you said. Otherwise, we will only add more bodies to the grave." He gave a shrug as if to say he was not holding the beat man to the fire either way. He turned to Cole and in joking voice said "What are the marching orders boss?"</s>	<\|message\|>Dúlamán(Doh-lah-mahn) Cain Hearing Cole responds to his introduction, the dark-skinned demi grinned just a bit wider. He wasn't sure if he had layed it on a bit too thick. After all, even outside the arena, he wasn't known for his sparkling personality. Though he couldn't help but be on guard with the "subtle" shifting of the shield hero. Cain couldn't be sure without asking but, he was fairly sure his wings were at least partially to blame for Fernando's unease. Shaking the man's hand he couldn't resist the urge to bare his fangs in a mischievously toothy grin. Though if some of the gasps from a few nosey onlookers were to be trusted it could easily be mistaken for a soundless snarl. "I am sure your abilities are worth far more than you claim, though I must say. Humility is a rarity in this city aside from the clergy." the winged man said easily as he released Fer's hand and leaned back slightly. It was almost immediately after that he remembered his polar opposite reached out to grab her hand. However, instead of shaking the proffered appendage, he attempted to turn it so that her knuckles were exposed before lowering his head to place a gentle kiss. "Pleasure, m' lady." He breathed with a wink before turning toward the conversation with the receptionist. While he held little sympathy for Rayla and her ilk, he wasn't comfortable with her death being so easily discussed. There were few who understood what time in the arena could do to one's mind and those who did had more than there share of scars. Both physical and mental. Despite these thoughts, he was also fully aware that not everyone could be redeemed. "While I much prefer to ensnare my prey, these aren't just for show. I can hold my own." He declared while motioning to the two whips stored on the outer side of his legs.</s>
<\|description\|>Marcus Holland Gender: Male Species: Human: Appearance: Age: 31 Backstory: Before the alien invasion, Marcus worked as a member of the British Armed Forces. As a front-line infantry unit, he has experience in both engaging in battlefields to basic leadership. His peers admired his courage and bravery in the face of overwhelming odds, and his capability to take over command when necessary. After the alien invasion, he joined the Rise Resistance against the Alien Overlords as a Commander of a Recon team named The Rise 35th Battalion, named after his prior group that went down to save his life against the Aliens. His unit's task as their Commander was routine recon missions around Rise Outposts searching for survivors and refugees, and any civilians / members of surviving military's under attack by the Aliens.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "Knowing them, who knows? Best we keep on our toes in case we need to get back out there." Marcus exclaimed to Max as he lit up a Cigar to pass the time. He always enjoyed one of those every so often, of course he rationed the ones he had due to limited supply income due to the Aliens practically owning everything. He willingly took the recruits Max and Eli in knowing full well of their attitudes and personalities. He figured his team needed some diversity to make light of the situation. When Eli pitched in his comments, Marcus retorted. "If only we had someone who could translate... So far, no one seems to have a clue. We can't go back to where we originally came from however, they'll surely be looking for us." That was when he turned to Max with a smile on his face. "You're an excellent shooter, Max. But don't let your fear of the aliens affect ya. You know as well as I do that fearing them is worse than facing them. As for you, Eli. Keep working on it, will ya? The sooner we crack that call, the sooner we'll figure out what they're after."</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. Eli only nodded to Marcus as he spoke, moving to put the other earbud in his ear as he focused. He turned the volume up and played with some of the pitch and bass sliders. His expression didn't change from seeming disgruntled, he leaned back and closed his eyes. Max watched his friend as he seemed to relax, how could he do that? They were about to go into a- Marcus' compliment caught him off guard, his face deepened in red colouration. "O..Oh!" He started with a small smile, "T...Thank you sir, that means a great amount coming from you!" His smile grew a little bit. "What... DO you think will be there?" He asked, thinking to himself. "The others suspect some sort of artifact? Or even some hidden... breeding ground." Max shuddered as he glanced to Eli, who seemed to make a disgusted face as if he could hear what Max was saying before his expression twisted to mild confusion, his hand moving to turn the recording back a few seconds, pausing it before he started to shift the pitch and sound. "Whispering." Eli only said, his eyes still closed. He fell silent again after that as he moved to rewind the entire recording to listen to it again, as he had seemed to figure out the pitch to get a better sound. Max looked to Eli as he mentioned whispering, he shivered a bit more before he looked back to Marcus. "What... What do we do if we find... Humans used as..." He trailed off, he couldn't think of a way to describe what the Aliens did to the humans they captured and figured out how to 'use' them in peculiar ways; unluckily for the Rise, no human had ever made it back to the base to get tested on. The terrain suddenly became bumpy as the Vehicle got closer to its' destination, the drivers voice came through the radio above them. "Nearing the spot now boss, will stop a few miles away as to not cause any attention. Keep communications open in case we find trouble and need back up."</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "Personally? I'm expecting all sorts of twisted things. Torture and interrogation chambers, breeding grounds, all sorts. They sure as hell didn't hesitate to kill us on sight when they showed up. Kinda tosses out the "visitors will be friendly" theory right out the window. But if we're lucky, maybe some new tech couldn't hurt, give us an edge." Marcus stated as he continued smoking his cigar and looking at some files. Seemed to be that Eli was hard at work deciphering the alien call while Max was being frightful, again. He didn't seem to catch a break, even after the compliments, and continued horrifying himself. "Whatever we'll find, I'll protect you. I won't let them aliens take my squad." That was when the terrain got bumpy, the vehicle must be getting closer to the destination. When the message came through on the radio mentioning that they're close, Marcus grabbed his radio. "Understood. Keep us as far but as close as you can, and maintain radio silence until you need us. Marcus out."</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. Max shivered at Marcus' words, He looked down at his guncase on the ground with a furrowed brow. "Theres' no possibility of Mutation to us, is there?" He asked, looking up after a while, "The Water supply is still medicated right? There hasn't been any shortage of the medical supplies? I heard something about being low on bandages and needing to head to the next city for more-" Eli lifted his hand over Max's mouth, causing the shorter man to squeak in fear. "We'll be fine." Eli said as he looked over with one eye, before closing it and lowering his hand again with a mumble under his breathe. The vehicle started to slow, the tires making a small screech as they finally hit a stop. The doors unlocked themselves as a small 'ding' came through the speakers. Eli paused his recording and grabbed his bag as he pulled his headphones from his ears. "Aight." He grumbled, moving to open the door, "After you boss." The vehicle has stopped in what seemed to be a dusty desert area, dunes could be seen in the background, but just north of them was a large, fallen alien drop ship. It's hull had crumbled from presumably an explosion, the metal twisted beyond repair. There were no signs of life straight away, but these Aliens were sneaky- you could never take them so lightly. The wind picked up, bringing the smell of decay and death towards the Vehicle. A small trail of fog seemed to pour from part of the ship, although it was long since abandoned. The smoke however, was blue, from an Officer of the Rise, although it was unknown if they were alive still.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "If there was, they'd of probably just done that instead. But if they wanted us dead, they wouldn't go through the effort to convert us. Now let's stop thinking about that, and focus on our task." Marcus iterated as when Eli covered Max's mouth, he smiled a little. Seemed that he wanted the same thing. Talking about the horrors of the aliens wasn't exactly the best motivator to fight them. When the vehicle stopped and Eli motioned for him to move first, Marcus jumped out the vehicle with his weapon ready on his back. Marcus's weapon of choice was the SA80 Infantry Rifle, a British-produced rifle with a rate of fire of 610-775 RPM as a thirty-round magazine. On the stock was an engraving of "M A R C U S" on top of a faintly printed United Kingdom flag. It was his personal weapon and he wouldn't replace it. He also carried with him a Royal Navy Bayonet which could be attached to his rifle should he need it. "Hmm... Wasn't expecting a downed ship. Maybe we managed to actually punch through a couple of them. Wait..." Marcus raised his arm upwards with a clenched fist while grabbing his rifle with the other, now holding it as he spotted blue smoke coming from the ship. He recognised it as an Officer of The Rise, maybe a survivor? Clenching his weapon, he slowly walked forward. "On me, and stay close. Check your corners, and keep your hands on your weapons. We move in slowly but expecting trouble." Continuing to walk slowly forward, he went to investigate the source of the smoke.</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. Maxs' eyes widened at the mention of the aliens just ending up killing them instead of attempting mutation. When Marcus hopped out, he and Eli followed suit. Max moved and grabbed his sniper from his case, moving to clip it onto his back as he looked to Eli. Eli quickly loaded his double glocks before he looked to Marcus. Eli nodded at the orders, following behind Marcus with Max tailing behind as he kept an eye out. As they moved, a few alien bugs scuttled across in front of the Humans. They were harmless, tiny crawler bugs; often used by the aliens as spies for their small size, but without someone controlling them, they were just mindlessly wandering around. The ship loomed over them, the air around it was thick. The ship gave a slow groan when the three men entered; their feet clanging against the metal flooring, the clangs echoed through the entire ship. An echoing sound of clattering and tapping footsteps echoed from the way where the smoke was coming from. Max hesitated, unclipping his gun as he held it in his hands and looked into the darkness of the shadows. Another echoing chatter came from deeper in the ship, bouncing around the walls. Eli lifted his guns up as he narrowed his eyes. He didn't like this place, it felt off, it felt wrong. He felt like he was walking right into a trap of some sort.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "Got to hand it to the aliens, they sure do make intimidating looking ships. Alright everyone, move in slowly and carefully. Guards up at all times, got it? Max, stay behind me and Eli." Marcus ordered as he proceeded to continue slowly further into the alien craft. He heard the chatter in the walls, and the echoing of footsteps; both their own and whatever was in there. Keeping his weapon loaded, he took a few seconds to attach his knife to the barrel of the rifle, allowing him to perform better in close-quarters situations. Normally in a recon situation, he would call out for anyone around to show themselves, but given that their target is within an alien ship, that'd only draw them to their position in droves.</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. Max nodded and stayed behind them both. His fear was bubbling over, but somehow he managed to keep himself quiet; feeling his will to help whoever they were here for. He looked towards Eli, who had glanced towards him before they all moved along. The sound of scratching echoed through the area for a moment before it suddenly stopped as the men moved. More sounds of scuttling echoed from deeper in the ship. Eli lifted up his guns and narrowed his eyes, "Right." He agreed before he kept his attention up. Deeper in the ship, a few of the alien drones clambered around almost awkwardly; they both looked at each other and gave a small trill of clicks and whistles before looking towards the figure against the wall. They were breathing at least, much to the drones relief. "Should we bring her to the queen yet?" The smaller one started, the taller one shook its' head. "If she sees we bring what she would think to be human she would kill her and us." It responded, "We need to wait." "How long would it take?" The smaller one started as they stepped towards the figure again, moving a spindly arm to lift the young womans' head up. The other one stayed silent, their three pairs of eyes focused on the darkness of the hallway. "Humans." The smaller Drone let the womans' head drop down softly before they moved to grab their own guns that were leanign against the walls as they seemed to have been relaxed.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland Moving through the ship, Marcus kept his rifle clutched tightly. Ensuring that Eli and Max were behind him, he continued further onward. This didn't seem right. Sure, it was a crashed alien ship, but surely there'd be people in here, why else would that smoke flare be used? Unless of course it was a trap. That much was very considered as a possibility. Wondering further in, he could hear the very faint sound of clicking. "Stay quiet. I think we have company." Holding his arm up, he moved slowly forward and knocked on the side of a wall, hoping to garner the alien's attention. "Ready your weapons, boys. This is tight quarters, so be careful with that Sniper."</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. The tho drones looked at each other, both of them nudging the other forward to attempt to coax the other into going out. Max nodded at Marcus' words, lifting his sniper as he moved into a safe position to shoot over or under his two team mates as Eli moved to press up against the wall and readied himself, both younger boys narrowing their eyes in the darkness. The shorter Alien finally lost the battle for going first, and he slowly stepped out with a low hiss. He kept to the shadows, knowing that light would dance across his shiny carapaces. "Can we hellllp you humanz?" He spoke in broken English, his mandibles clicking together angrily. "You are intrudingz on our landz." His tiny wings buzzed, his eyes focused in on Marcus with another click of his mandibles. Eli moved to point both of his guns towards the Alien, staring him down angrily as a red dot appeared on the Aliens' chest from Max's gun. The Alien didn't try to make any sharp movements, attempting to do what he wasn't very good at. Talking. The Taller alien scuttled along to close the space between him and the woman they held captive. He moved to wrap both of his arms around her as his wings buzzed as well. The humans were blocking the only safe exit, and despite the drones having wings, they were virtually useless.</s>	<\|message\|>Marcus Holland "Well you aren't exactly being nice intruding on our planet. You know anything about that little blue smoke you set off here?" Marcus stated before peering behind the alien and noticing a fraction of another human, as well as another alien among them. Looks like that smoke wasn't exactly a trap, but it wasn't without aliens. Readying his weapon, he signalled Max and Eli. "Hey, is that another human over there? Hand her over, and we might consider sparing you."</s>
<\|description\|>Marcus Holland Gender: Male Species: Human: Appearance: Age: 31 Backstory: Before the alien invasion, Marcus worked as a member of the British Armed Forces. As a front-line infantry unit, he has experience in both engaging in battlefields to basic leadership. His peers admired his courage and bravery in the face of overwhelming odds, and his capability to take over command when necessary. After the alien invasion, he joined the Rise Resistance against the Alien Overlords as a Commander of a Recon team named The Rise 35th Battalion, named after his prior group that went down to save his life against the Aliens. His unit's task as their Commander was routine recon missions around Rise Outposts searching for survivors and refugees, and any civilians / members of surviving military's under attack by the Aliens.</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. The tho drones looked at each other, both of them nudging the other forward to attempt to coax the other into going out. Max nodded at Marcus' words, lifting his sniper as he moved into a safe position to shoot over or under his two team mates as Eli moved to press up against the wall and readied himself, both younger boys narrowing their eyes in the darkness. The shorter Alien finally lost the battle for going first, and he slowly stepped out with a low hiss. He kept to the shadows, knowing that light would dance across his shiny carapaces. "Can we hellllp you humanz?" He spoke in broken English, his mandibles clicking together angrily. "You are intrudingz on our landz." His tiny wings buzzed, his eyes focused in on Marcus with another click of his mandibles. Eli moved to point both of his guns towards the Alien, staring him down angrily as a red dot appeared on the Aliens' chest from Max's gun. The Alien didn't try to make any sharp movements, attempting to do what he wasn't very good at. Talking. The Taller alien scuttled along to close the space between him and the woman they held captive. He moved to wrap both of his arms around her as his wings buzzed as well. The humans were blocking the only safe exit, and despite the drones having wings, they were virtually useless.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "Well you aren't exactly being nice intruding on our planet. You know anything about that little blue smoke you set off here?" Marcus stated before peering behind the alien and noticing a fraction of another human, as well as another alien among them. Looks like that smoke wasn't exactly a trap, but it wasn't without aliens. Readying his weapon, he signalled Max and Eli. "Hey, is that another human over there? Hand her over, and we might consider sparing you."</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. The smaller drone watched the humans carefully as he watched them, especially as Max and Eli honed in more on him. "Why should we give youz the human? We are under direkt orderz from the queen to take her to the hivez." He said as he moved to try and cover his other companion. The Taller alien gave a long chain of angry clicks and whistles, stomping his feet in a sign of anger. He tried to moved out of sight, but there was nowhere to really head to. "Thiz human belong to uz! We found her!" The taller one spoke angrily, feeling the woman start to move in his arms. "Juzt let uz go. We need to get bak to the hivez!" Eli lifted his gun slightly, "That human belongs to no one." He said angrily, clicking his gun before narrowing his eyes. Max kept his sight on the front Alien, ready to fire if needed. His red-dot staying almost fully still over the chest of the Alien, he waited for a sign from Marcus or any aggressive movement from the Aliens to shoot.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "A queen, huh? And a hive?" Marcus asked rhetorically as he pondered his thoughts for a moment. That human that was behind them was to be taken to a hive to have all sorts done to her. That did not float Marcus's boat, not one bit. "Yeah, I'm going to have to say no. The human's coming with us. Blast them!" Marcus ordered as he loaded his rifle and proceeded to unleash a magazine on the two aliens, ensuring his shots wouldn't hit the human behind them.</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. Eli and Max both nodded, quickly starting to shoot both of the aliens. Both of them moved to shoot back, but they were easily over powered. The shorter one dropped to the ground with a hiss as the final breathe left its body, the taller one collapsed onto its' knees, hanging on for a bit longer to utter something in its' native language before it collapsed down. Max lifted his gun before he started his way to the woman. "Is she okay?" He asked more to himself, glancing back to Marcus and Eli. "She looks okay, no visible wounds or anything. She's breathing," He moved to lift her up into his arms. "Do we think there are others?"</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "Considering they only mentioned one, and they were here before us? Safe to say she's the only one." Marcus stated as he approached Eli and the woman, planting a hand onto her head to check her temperature. "She seems to be alright. No unusual temperature or anything wrong with her at first glance. Alright, back to the vehicles. We're taking her home. Maybe when she wakes up, she can tell us why she was here, and why the aliens want her in the first place."</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. Max and Eli both nodded at Marcus' words before they started to head out of the ship. Eli taking it slowly as he carried the woman along. Max hesitated as he past the now dead Aliens, moving down to grab the small translator box from around its' neck. "This should be useful." He said as he looked to his squad mate and leader, smiling as he held it up. Eli nodded once as he started to walk out again. "It might help find out what they were talking about?" Max asked as he moved to pocket it.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "Good thinking, Max. Just be careful it doesn't have a way for them to track us." Marcus stated as he spotted Max find a translator of some sorts. Hopefully it'll better decipher what Eli was working on. He continued moving alongside Eli with his rifle cocked and ready, ensuring both he and the woman was protected from ambush. Once they got out of the ship and onto the trucks, he signalled the drivers. "Alright lads, back to base. We've got what we came for, let's roll before the aliens realize they're missing some peons."</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. Max nodded as he tinkered with it as they waited for the trucks to start up. Eli on the other hand focused his energy on strapping the woman in carefully and taking a better look at her body for injuries or signs of infection. "She'll have to get a bioscan won't she?" Eli asked as he glanced to Marcus, putting his guns back in his case as he started to sit back down beside Max. Max handed Eli the translator before he also looked towards Marcus, waiting for the mans response. The woman seemed to move her head slightly, coming to consciousness very slowly before dipping back into unconsciousness.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "Most likely. Wouldn't hurt to give the lady a look-over properly." Marcus responded to Eli's question as the vehicles continued moving back to base. When the woman moved her head then dipped back into unconsciousness, Marcus looked down a little. "Poor thing. No one has to go through this. Unfortunate lady fate hasn't been playing her cards in our favor lately. Eli, Max, good shooting today. We were lucky to find her when we did, and there could of been more of them. Thankfully we only came across some lower ranked but still, good job today. I'll be sure to treat ya when we get back home."</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. Eli nodded at Marcus' words before he moved to grab the translator from Max and hooked it up to his tapes and tried to reconfig everything. He continued to fiddle with it the entire way back to base without another word. Max looked to the woman as Marcus spoke. "Why... would they take her to the hive?" He asked after a bit of silence, "I know they'd use her as a breeding candidate but would there be any... other reason?" He asked, he didn't seem to be stressing himself with his words this time around, moreso just mulling over things to himself. "And it was odd to see drones out alone without a commander alien." He continued with a furrowed brow, thinking about what he had read on the aliens.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "Maybe she knows somethin' that they don't want us to know." Marcus suggested, taking the bayonet off his weapon and putting it back against his leg. Perhaps whoever this woman is has seen what the aliens don't want The Rise to see? It was a pretty rough guess. "It is odd to see Drones without their commanders, so perhaps picking up a random human wasn't something they needed to dedicate so much for. Then again, they seemed to prefer to talk instead of kill, so perhaps they were just dumb. Either way, if she wakes up, we'll gently ask her some questions."</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. Max frowned as Marcus brainstormed with him. He looked towards the woman again, sighing softly before he looked back to Marcus. "I hope she's okay... Mentally." He said, he had heard stories of humans who got took by the aliens who turned onto their side due to some sort of mental manipulation. The drive back was okay, mostly silence between the men, Eli continued to tinker with the audio with an angry look on his face. When they got back, there were a few medical soldiers waiting outside. One of them had a stretcher beside them as their attention was drawn towards the truck as it started to slow down.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "I hope so too." As the trucks continued onward, the journey to the base was straight forward, no trouble or disturbances. When the trucks slowed down, Marcus spotted two medical soldiers waiting with a stretcher. Moving over to the woman they found, he picked her up gently and stepped out the truck towards the two soldiers. "Take good care of her. She seems to pop in and out of consciousness but at least she doesn't seem to have any physical injuries. Let me know when she fully wakes up."</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. One of the soldiers moved over with the stretcher and took her from Marcus, placing her onto the stretcher and headed inside without a word. The other one watched him leave before he looked back to Marcus with his chin up. "Thank you." He started, "The boss wants to see you, it's apparently important so you better not wait around too long." He bowed his head as he turned away, "He should be in his quarters." He walked off slowly towards where the other soldier had left to. Max followed Marcus rather quickly out of the truck, glancing back to Eli as he stayed there, head back and eyes closed as if he didn't realize they had gotten home- er well. Back to base. Max sighed, he guessed this was his home now, he was one of the newest members- Apart from his younger sister who he was found with after aliens came into his home and... He shuddered and moved his arm to wipe away a tear as he straightened out his back with narrowed eyes. The woman rolled on the stretcher, letting out small grumbles and pants as if she was injured or exhausted. She seemed to be mumbling things under her breath, and she seemed to be furrowing her brow.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "The boss wants to see me? This'll be fun..." Marcus stated sarcastically as he witnessed the two soldiers pull the girl away. When Max shuddered a tear from his eyes, Marcus looked toward him. "Hey, everything's gonna be alright. We've all been through some hell. But that's why we're such a good family. Everyone's been through tough times, and it's things like that that'll make us tougher. Trust me, I would know, I lost my entire squad when the aliens first arrived. My only memories of my team are our group name and dog-tags in my quarters. Anyway, the boss wants to see me." Marcus then sighed and walked off towards the direction of the boss's quarters. Once he arrived, he knocked on the door. "Boss, you wanted to see me? It's Marcus."</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. Max looked up to Marcus as he spoke about his old team, he hesitated as he almost wanted to speak before he responded with a single nod and glanced back to Eli, moving to gently nudge him to get him to follow him inside. The door opened slowly, the hinges creaking as it did so. "Come in." A stern, older male voice echoed from inside the room. The room inside was a dark oaky wood colouration, the lamps on the walls casing the soft yellow light through the area as a grey haired man sat behind an oak desk with his elbows against the desk and his middle finger, index finger curved over his cheeks while his thumbs were under his chin. His emerald green eyes stared towards Marcus as entered, he seemed... annoyed.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland Stepping in after ordered to, Marcus did admire the oaky theme that he had going for his quarters. Similar to Marcus's but a bit more darker coloured which, everybody had their tastes. Stepping further in, he saluted before speaking. "You look annoyed, sir. Is somethin wrong?"</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. The boss didn't speak for a moment before he straightened himself out. "I was just thinking." He stated slowly, his eyes moved to look at Marcus and narrowed slightly. "How did the mission go? I presume since you brought home someone it went without any negativities?" He tilted his head slightly. The medical staff looked the woman over, doing as many checks as they could as they got her ready for when she finally came around to consciousness. They did blood tests and DNA swipes, moving to look for anything out of the ordinary. The woman moved slightly, tossing her head to the side and knocked out the breathing tube, letting in a large gust of air into her lungs as her eyes clenched before opening suddenly. She heaved when the air entered her lungs, moving to sit up before a few of the medics pushed her back down.</s>	<\|message\|>Marcus Holland "The mission went relatively well. We only brought back one person, although that person was already found by the Aliens. Only two of them though, and they went down real easy. Spoke about orders to take her back to their hive or something like that, so safe to say I think we spared her whatever horrors they planned." Marcus stated honestly, lighting a Cigar from his supply in his pocket. "The medical team's taken her in, hopefully they can help her out before we ask any questions."</s>
<\|description\|>Jane Franzese AGE: 26 GENDER: Female SEXUALITY: Heterosexual PERSONALITY: Sarcastic and short-tempered with a low tolerance for the simple-minded, to put it kindly. Most often than not, Jane is rather vocal whenever she feels the need to get the message across. Friendships come and go, and therefore Jane does not mind the least bit to use people if it is beneficial for her in any regard. She finds humor where others will not, but she knows when not to alienate herself as to not end up at a disadvantage from being outnumbered. Maybe she'll let her personality shine through to those around her, or maybe she'll play the part of an angel and make just about anyone believe the facade. Her backpack. In it, one can find the Glock she pried out of her dead father's hand. She also has a flashlight and a pack of batteries, a switchblade, a first-aid kit, numerous food items such as canned goods and granola bars, and water. Items sometimes get traded, but the one thing that remains constant is the gun. [-3] Jane's tattoos multiply and come to life whenever she experiences increased levels of stress. They take on a physical form, establishing a protective barrier around her. Her tattoos consist of roses, thorns, and other plants. The flowers, which harden dramatically upon release, are there to shield her, while the thorns lash out in offensive strikes to main or kill an opponent. Jane has some control over her tattoos, although they develop a mind of their own if Jane isn't doing too good of a job protecting herself. If a plant is damaged, then it simply ceases to exist and it will slowly reappear on her skin to allow some time to regenerate. With a rather rough upbringing, Jane wasn't the pretty little princess other young girls were made up to be. She was only 8 when one of her father's rivals kidnapped and assaulted her. She wasn't the same after that, and the family knew it, especially her father, Don. He was a very successful underboss up to that point, but ultimately, it was his own careless that led to his demise. Soon after the incident, Jane was placed into therapy with some of New York's finest psychologists. Numerous sessions, however, did not stop the nightmares from popping up as they pleased. Jane would wake up screaming in the middle of the night covered in sweat with her hair a matted mess, and she could not stop crying after each occurrence. Such late-night horrors caused her life to derail. Her grades slipped well below the average for somebody with her level of intelligence, and she avoided both friends and acquaintances alike at school or out on the streets. Her teachers had countless meetings with her parents, but they would discuss the fact that she was already in therapy and not much else could be done. As the years went by, Jane started acting up in an aggressive manner. What started off as frequent shoving incidents suddenly led to fights, eventually leading to the young girl's suspension after many repetitive episodes. Only a teenager at that point, Jane got bored of being at home and snuck out whenever she felt like it. She started hanging out with the wrong crowd and soon started drinking, smoking weed, and being involved in petty crimes. She was arrested twice during such period, but after some time she decided she didn't want to be in the spotlight anymore. She'd realized she wanted to find the man who had turned her world upside down, and she wouldn't stop. Hate was the key factor that drove her, and her thirst for vengeance consumed her to the point that it nearly drove her mad.</s> <\|message\|>Cara Bryant Cara Bryant Cara needed somewhere to rest. True rest was a distant memory, with danger around every corner, and remnants of society to help hold together. Still, people had their limits. Especially when they'd failed to save someone. Cara gritted her teeth at the scene from a few hours ago replaying through her mind. The collapsed figure. The stab wound. The blood, so much blood, more than she could keep from seeping away, through magical or mundane means. She glanced down at her clothes, at the deep red stains that the rain couldn't wash away. He'd been past saving even before she'd arrived, but the knowledge didn't help. It didn't this time, and it hadn't all those other times. The only semblance of relief was a silhouette through the downpour. A building. Knowing better than to hurry to it, Cara hid in the overgrowth, wary eyes flicking this way at that. She'd given a slight boost to her eyesight earlier, a boost that was starting to fade, but made the view clear enough for her to know the coast also was. Shivering, she pushed aside foliage and crept into the hotel. Her footsteps splashed across the flooded floor, then stopped. She wasn't alone. Across the lobby, a woman made her way up the staircase. Cara tensed, her guard up, but slowly approached anyway at the sight of something. A raw, ragged neck wound. This girl needed medical attention, something Cara wasn't going to deny anyone. "Do you need help?" she called, in as calm and gentle a tone as she could. "It's ok, I'm not going to hurt you." Unless she gives me no choice, Cara thought, heavy-hearted. She doubted the tattooed woman would find a stranger covered in blood reassuring, especially in a world like this, so she held out her hands and let a soft glow dance across her veins. Showing that she was of the light would hopefully put the girl at ease.</s> <\|message\|>Jane Franzese She wasn't alone. Jane hadn't heard the woman approach due to the heavy rain, and it made her stop on one of the steps on the way to the second floor. She looked down at the stranger, and she immediately noticed the fact that she had a substantial amount of blood on her person. That should have been reason enough for Jane to turn her away, but despite the fact, Jane didn't do that. Instead, she went down a few steps, her hand resting on the railing for support. "If you're going to help me, then why are you covered in blood? Because from the looks of it, either you are not very talented or you're doing the opposite of helping..." There was a brief silence. Maybe Jane had gone a little overboard, but it was easier to ask questions now and not the other way around. Her skin tingled, but she maintained her composure. At a first glance, the woman didn't seem all that threatening to her. She didn't rule out the possibility that she was hostile, of course, but to jump to conclusions could possibly end up setting her up for failure. She was at a disadvantage due to her wounds, and she didn't want to chance it. Jane would rather play along for the moment being and adjust later if needed be. "...I have to admit though, I'd be foolish to turn away any help at this point." Jane went on, noticing the woman was glowing. She would have attacked Jane by now if that was her intention, and the thought put her at ease. She didn't let her guard down completely, but she wasn't on edge. "Come on, I was just going up to find a room," Jane motioned, the dull ache on her shoulder intensifying as a result and Jane was once again reminded that any small gesture or movement would be painful. Hopefully the woman would put an end to that and then leave her be so she could rest. The fight had drained her quite a bit and she'd be insane to go outside again without fully recovering.</s> <\|message\|>Cara Bryant Cara Bryant Cara pressed her lips together, but showed no other sign that the comment had gotten to her. She'd heard worse from some people she'd helped, and the attacks weren't always merely verbal. Even so, a duty was a duty. "I'm a paramedic," she said, to explain both the blood and her offer to treat the woman's injury, as she took her first aid kit from her backpack. "Or at least, I was until all this happened." She approached the girl, setting down the first aid kit on a higher step, donning thin translucent gloves and examining the wound. It wasn't deep enough to need stitches, but bore the distinctive jagged edges of a bite, heightening the risk of infection. She set to work cleaning and dressing it, the glow returning to her hands as she did so. Her fingertips tingled, neither her gloves nor the bandages stopping the energy from flowing through. "This will speed up the healing process a little," she explained. The girl would feel the effect right away - reduced pain, and no blood seeping through the bandage - but would still have to be careful not to aggravate the injury. Once done, Cara put away the medical supplies. "How's that?" If the woman wanted to rest, hopefully she'd have an easier time of it now, in so far as rest could be easy in recent years. Of course, there was always the chance the girl would use the slight recovery as an opportunity to attack. Cara could feel the strain setting in, partly from earlier, but couldn't let her guard down just yet.</s> <\|message\|>Jane Franzese "Thanks doc, you have magic hands" she remarked with a smirk, "You did a great job as far as I can tell," she went on, looking down to check out her shoulder. Jane was truly impressed. Whatever the woman did, it had helped her heal to the point where she wasn't worried about bleeding out, and the kind gesture wasn't lost on Jane. She did however notice that the woman was just the slightest bit apprehensive in her presence. Nothing visibly alarming, but Jane was skilled at reading people, and most of the time she could tell when something seemed off. It's gotta be the tattoos... "Well, I don't know how else to thank you other than with words. If I may, I don't think we'll run into trouble here so please, don't be afraid to stay and take advantage of any of the available rooms. I'm doing just that for the evening to rest up and hopefully continue on the move tomorrow. I should be good by then if all goes well." Jane was appreciative of the services rendered, and in all honesty she didn't mind the woman staying in one of the rooms. If nothing else, she would be able to take a look at the wound the following morning before Jane took off. Usually, she wouldn't have extended the invitation, but she thought it was a good idea to have a healer around, especially when you already had an existing injury.</s> <\|message\|>Cara Bryant Cara Bryant A slight smile softened Cara's formerly stoic expression. "It's no trouble," she replied. "That injury should be healed in a matter of days, but you'll still want to be careful with it in the meantime." The change in the woman's attitude brought relief. Not only because it was now clear she wasn't hostile, but it seemed she'd be ok in a world where so many people weren't. Visibly relaxing, Cara nodded in response to the offer. "Good idea for people to stick together when possible anyway," she replied. She probably sounded paranoid, and hoped she wasn't setting the girl's nerves on edge, but the intention was to reassure her there was safety in numbers. Relative safety, in any case. "If you want, I can check on the wound in the morning," she offered. The girl would likely want the effect renewed by then, especially if she was planning on setting out. Cara hauled her backpack onto her shoulders and started her way up the stairs, her ascent slow as she held onto the rail, careful not to slip in the water trickles. With any luck, the upper floors wouldn't be too bad, although of course that depended just how leaky the roof was.</s>	<\|message\|>Jane Franzese The fact that the woman was offering to check on her the following day meant that Jane didn't have to go fetching for her in the morning. Good, less need to have to ask for a favor and in return, have to be in her debt. Jane never liked being in debt. She always did what she had to do to even out the help, otherwise, she could very well be taken advantage of. It had happened once in the past, and she did not respond kindly. In order to avoid a similar incident from occurring again, she rarely asked for assistance. Jane turned around with a smile, climbing up the stairs. The woman looked like the textbook definition of a goody two-shoes, but she obviously didn't mind. After all, Jane now had an additional body who not only was a medical professional, but could also help her out if they had an encounter with someone or something trying to cause mayhem. "Yes, that'd be great, thank you." A few moments later both women were on the top floor. Jane looked down over the lot, the downpour making it nearly impossible to see anything clearly past the hotel grounds. The raindrops were landing heavily on the railing, some of it splashing Jane. She didn't mind though. She enjoyed the rain, except if she was getting soaked like she did earlier. But otherwise it was fine. Jane noticed the doors to the rooms on the right. She tensed a little, wondering for a moment what, if anything, was on the other side of the door closest to her. She motioned for her companion to stay put as she walked up to the door. It wasn't locked, but it was mostly closed; enough to prevent them from seeing inside. Jane drew her firearm, placing the palm of her free hand on the door just about eye level before she swiftly pushed it open. Quickly walking inside, her eyes took some time to adjust to the darkness. However, as far as she could tell, the room was clear from any threats. Two beds on one side, a drawer with a TV on it opposite the beds, a table and a chair, and finally, two nightstands all made from the same material. The beds were stripped of any linen, and there was only one bare pillow on one of the beds. Jane was a bit surprised that the furniture was mostly intact, and she most definitely wasn't complaining. "Alright, I guess this is home for the night," she called out to the woman, suddenly realizing she didn't know her name. "I'm Jane, by the way, and I suggest we both stay here together. No sense in splitting up and giving whatever freaks are out there the upper hand. What do you say, roomies for the night? We could even have a pillow fight but one of us would be shit out of luck."</s>
<\|description\|>Cara Bryant Age: 35 Gender: Female Sexuality: Straight (but not looking, nobody can replace her husband and she's more focused on helping fellow survivors than romance) Personality: Solemn yet kind is the best way to describe Cara. She doesn't talk much, meaning that when she does, her words carry impact. Even rarer is her tendency to smile. This, combined with her cynicism towards the hypocrisy she saw in the medical profession and towards the state of the world now, can make her seem cold. However, beneath that jaded exterior is someone who's held on to her principles even throughout the crisis. It's when she's helping others that her compassion shines through. Appearance: Despite her soft features, her height of 5'9" and her usually stoic expression make her appear imposing to some. She has a decent level of physical fitness, which was needed for her former career, and still is for her travels as well as to defend herself or others when necessary. One sign of such struggle is a burn scar on her right forearm from wrist to elbow, inflicted by a survivor who lashed out in anger. Equipment and other items the character carries; ie. food, tools, weapons etc: Basic first aid supplies, gloves, water flask, non-perishable foods she salvages where she can Alignment: +2, putting her on the side of light. While she's no saint, and has had to make plenty of tough decisions, she's always had a strong sense of duty. This alignment grants her the ability to slightly boost people's physical skills and functions with a touch. She mostly uses this to accelerate the healing process of the injured, although increasing strength and endurance also come in useful for survival situations. Of course, she has to be careful not to overdo it, as this will exhaust her. The affinity doesn't affect her appearance except for when she uses her powers; her veins light up with a faint white glow. Backstory: Before the crisis, life was pretty good for Cara. Raised to be practical, she learned first aid skills from a young age, which she refined through studies and put into practice by taking a career as a paramedic. As stressful a job as rescuing and treating people was, between her work and her marriage, she'd gotten to where she wanted. The storm turned all this upside down. After her husband died in the cataclysm, few would have blamed Cara if she'd given up there and then. Instead, she turned her skills towards saving those who still could be saved. It was near impossible at first, as given the sheer number of casualties, she and other rescuers had to decide who lived and who died on a daily basis. This kind of stress and desire to do more, though, was what awakened something within her. While treating a child who seemed close to death from his injuries, her veins began to glow. The patient's wounds lessened right away, and slowly but surely his physical state kept improving. Many others manifested superhuman abilities just as she had, but some turned out more harmful than helpful. One survivor, beside himself with anger and paranoia, unleashed energy bursts on some of Cara's fellow rescue workers. She intervened, getting injured herself in the process. This was just the beginning of the darkness she witnessed spreading through the world. Since then, she's had to treat many people caught up in attacks by the darkmen on the gatherings of light, and watched several of them die. Although it takes its toll on her, she still staunchly believes in holding on to kindness and ethics, the things that make the world worth rebuilding.</s> <\|message\|>Cara Bryant Cara Bryant Cara needed somewhere to rest. True rest was a distant memory, with danger around every corner, and remnants of society to help hold together. Still, people had their limits. Especially when they'd failed to save someone. Cara gritted her teeth at the scene from a few hours ago replaying through her mind. The collapsed figure. The stab wound. The blood, so much blood, more than she could keep from seeping away, through magical or mundane means. She glanced down at her clothes, at the deep red stains that the rain couldn't wash away. He'd been past saving even before she'd arrived, but the knowledge didn't help. It didn't this time, and it hadn't all those other times. The only semblance of relief was a silhouette through the downpour. A building. Knowing better than to hurry to it, Cara hid in the overgrowth, wary eyes flicking this way at that. She'd given a slight boost to her eyesight earlier, a boost that was starting to fade, but made the view clear enough for her to know the coast also was. Shivering, she pushed aside foliage and crept into the hotel. Her footsteps splashed across the flooded floor, then stopped. She wasn't alone. Across the lobby, a woman made her way up the staircase. Cara tensed, her guard up, but slowly approached anyway at the sight of something. A raw, ragged neck wound. This girl needed medical attention, something Cara wasn't going to deny anyone. "Do you need help?" she called, in as calm and gentle a tone as she could. "It's ok, I'm not going to hurt you." Unless she gives me no choice, Cara thought, heavy-hearted. She doubted the tattooed woman would find a stranger covered in blood reassuring, especially in a world like this, so she held out her hands and let a soft glow dance across her veins. Showing that she was of the light would hopefully put the girl at ease.</s> <\|message\|>Jane Franzese She wasn't alone. Jane hadn't heard the woman approach due to the heavy rain, and it made her stop on one of the steps on the way to the second floor. She looked down at the stranger, and she immediately noticed the fact that she had a substantial amount of blood on her person. That should have been reason enough for Jane to turn her away, but despite the fact, Jane didn't do that. Instead, she went down a few steps, her hand resting on the railing for support. "If you're going to help me, then why are you covered in blood? Because from the looks of it, either you are not very talented or you're doing the opposite of helping..." There was a brief silence. Maybe Jane had gone a little overboard, but it was easier to ask questions now and not the other way around. Her skin tingled, but she maintained her composure. At a first glance, the woman didn't seem all that threatening to her. She didn't rule out the possibility that she was hostile, of course, but to jump to conclusions could possibly end up setting her up for failure. She was at a disadvantage due to her wounds, and she didn't want to chance it. Jane would rather play along for the moment being and adjust later if needed be. "...I have to admit though, I'd be foolish to turn away any help at this point." Jane went on, noticing the woman was glowing. She would have attacked Jane by now if that was her intention, and the thought put her at ease. She didn't let her guard down completely, but she wasn't on edge. "Come on, I was just going up to find a room," Jane motioned, the dull ache on her shoulder intensifying as a result and Jane was once again reminded that any small gesture or movement would be painful. Hopefully the woman would put an end to that and then leave her be so she could rest. The fight had drained her quite a bit and she'd be insane to go outside again without fully recovering.</s> <\|message\|>Cara Bryant Cara Bryant Cara pressed her lips together, but showed no other sign that the comment had gotten to her. She'd heard worse from some people she'd helped, and the attacks weren't always merely verbal. Even so, a duty was a duty. "I'm a paramedic," she said, to explain both the blood and her offer to treat the woman's injury, as she took her first aid kit from her backpack. "Or at least, I was until all this happened." She approached the girl, setting down the first aid kit on a higher step, donning thin translucent gloves and examining the wound. It wasn't deep enough to need stitches, but bore the distinctive jagged edges of a bite, heightening the risk of infection. She set to work cleaning and dressing it, the glow returning to her hands as she did so. Her fingertips tingled, neither her gloves nor the bandages stopping the energy from flowing through. "This will speed up the healing process a little," she explained. The girl would feel the effect right away - reduced pain, and no blood seeping through the bandage - but would still have to be careful not to aggravate the injury. Once done, Cara put away the medical supplies. "How's that?" If the woman wanted to rest, hopefully she'd have an easier time of it now, in so far as rest could be easy in recent years. Of course, there was always the chance the girl would use the slight recovery as an opportunity to attack. Cara could feel the strain setting in, partly from earlier, but couldn't let her guard down just yet.</s> <\|message\|>Jane Franzese "Thanks doc, you have magic hands" she remarked with a smirk, "You did a great job as far as I can tell," she went on, looking down to check out her shoulder. Jane was truly impressed. Whatever the woman did, it had helped her heal to the point where she wasn't worried about bleeding out, and the kind gesture wasn't lost on Jane. She did however notice that the woman was just the slightest bit apprehensive in her presence. Nothing visibly alarming, but Jane was skilled at reading people, and most of the time she could tell when something seemed off. It's gotta be the tattoos... "Well, I don't know how else to thank you other than with words. If I may, I don't think we'll run into trouble here so please, don't be afraid to stay and take advantage of any of the available rooms. I'm doing just that for the evening to rest up and hopefully continue on the move tomorrow. I should be good by then if all goes well." Jane was appreciative of the services rendered, and in all honesty she didn't mind the woman staying in one of the rooms. If nothing else, she would be able to take a look at the wound the following morning before Jane took off. Usually, she wouldn't have extended the invitation, but she thought it was a good idea to have a healer around, especially when you already had an existing injury.</s> <\|message\|>Cara Bryant Cara Bryant A slight smile softened Cara's formerly stoic expression. "It's no trouble," she replied. "That injury should be healed in a matter of days, but you'll still want to be careful with it in the meantime." The change in the woman's attitude brought relief. Not only because it was now clear she wasn't hostile, but it seemed she'd be ok in a world where so many people weren't. Visibly relaxing, Cara nodded in response to the offer. "Good idea for people to stick together when possible anyway," she replied. She probably sounded paranoid, and hoped she wasn't setting the girl's nerves on edge, but the intention was to reassure her there was safety in numbers. Relative safety, in any case. "If you want, I can check on the wound in the morning," she offered. The girl would likely want the effect renewed by then, especially if she was planning on setting out. Cara hauled her backpack onto her shoulders and started her way up the stairs, her ascent slow as she held onto the rail, careful not to slip in the water trickles. With any luck, the upper floors wouldn't be too bad, although of course that depended just how leaky the roof was.</s> <\|message\|>Jane Franzese The fact that the woman was offering to check on her the following day meant that Jane didn't have to go fetching for her in the morning. Good, less need to have to ask for a favor and in return, have to be in her debt. Jane never liked being in debt. She always did what she had to do to even out the help, otherwise, she could very well be taken advantage of. It had happened once in the past, and she did not respond kindly. In order to avoid a similar incident from occurring again, she rarely asked for assistance. Jane turned around with a smile, climbing up the stairs. The woman looked like the textbook definition of a goody two-shoes, but she obviously didn't mind. After all, Jane now had an additional body who not only was a medical professional, but could also help her out if they had an encounter with someone or something trying to cause mayhem. "Yes, that'd be great, thank you." A few moments later both women were on the top floor. Jane looked down over the lot, the downpour making it nearly impossible to see anything clearly past the hotel grounds. The raindrops were landing heavily on the railing, some of it splashing Jane. She didn't mind though. She enjoyed the rain, except if she was getting soaked like she did earlier. But otherwise it was fine. Jane noticed the doors to the rooms on the right. She tensed a little, wondering for a moment what, if anything, was on the other side of the door closest to her. She motioned for her companion to stay put as she walked up to the door. It wasn't locked, but it was mostly closed; enough to prevent them from seeing inside. Jane drew her firearm, placing the palm of her free hand on the door just about eye level before she swiftly pushed it open. Quickly walking inside, her eyes took some time to adjust to the darkness. However, as far as she could tell, the room was clear from any threats. Two beds on one side, a drawer with a TV on it opposite the beds, a table and a chair, and finally, two nightstands all made from the same material. The beds were stripped of any linen, and there was only one bare pillow on one of the beds. Jane was a bit surprised that the furniture was mostly intact, and she most definitely wasn't complaining. "Alright, I guess this is home for the night," she called out to the woman, suddenly realizing she didn't know her name. "I'm Jane, by the way, and I suggest we both stay here together. No sense in splitting up and giving whatever freaks are out there the upper hand. What do you say, roomies for the night? We could even have a pillow fight but one of us would be shit out of luck."</s>	<\|message\|>Cara Bryant The two had made the right choice by going to the top floor, or at least Cara could hope. The stench of mold still hung around, and rain leaked through the ceiling in steady trickles, but most of the water ran down the stairs. This was the closest to a comfortable shelter they'd find. Now to check that it was also a safe one. Slowly, she approached the nearest door. She reached for her medical kit, in case the sharp tools were needed for defense. The opposite of their usual purpose, but there was no telling who, or what, the two may run into in the room. The younger woman, however, motioned to her to stay back. Before Cara could offer to go first, the girl took the plunge and marched inside, gun in hand as she peered through the darkness. Cara followed, exhaling in relief as she scanned the surroundings. The earlier eyesight boost hadn't completely faded, and it quickly became clear this room held no threats. Just basic, bare furniture, which thankfully hadn't rotted away or fallen apart. She headed to the beds, checking them over and pressing down on them to test their sturdiness. Damp and worn as they were, they'd be usable, and a bed of any kind was a luxury. Looking over her shoulder as the other woman - Jane - spoke, Cara nodded. Her lips even twitched at the joke. "Sounds good," she replied, sitting down on the bed without the pillow. "You take the pillow - for sleeping, that is, not for fighting. And I'm Cara." She kept her voice low. They were the only occupants of the room, but not necessarily of the hotel.</s>
<\|description\|>Talent and Skill List * Bestiary</s> <\|message\|>Cull --- Hunger gnawed at the root of Cull's mind as he stalked through the underbrush. He had set out alone, only a thick branch with a poorly sharpened tip to keep him company. Slowly, carefully, and deliberately he crept, his head on a swivel; searching for potential prey. Somehow, part of him knew what he was doing-- but the thoughts were fuzzy, and out of focus. Was it instinct, perhaps? Or something else entirely? His grip shifted on his rudimentary spear. It felt familiar, like a weapon that belonged in his hands, a weapon he knew. But wasn't this his first time holding such a thing? A pounding headache dissuaded the youngling from trying to rationalize the strange sense of Deja Vous, food came first. Before long he came upon a clearing, where two animals were already fighting, the smaller of the two seemingly winning the struggle. Cull's breathing quieted as he narrowed his eyes at his prey, clearly the smaller brown animal was both faster, and stronger. Watching, waiting, moving ever so slowly-- the goblin stealthily positioned himself to come from behind the victor, intending to wait for their battle to be in its final moments before he would creep up, and thrust his spear into whatever animal had the upper hand. It was simply a test of patience.</s> <\|message\|>Aya Aya was taken aback by her sister's response. Why was she stammering? And what did she mean by 'low-level job'? The entire plan hinged off it... And go together?! Why would Ragi want to work so closely with Aya, wouldn't that reduce efficiency and hinder Ragi's plans? Aya's mind raced as she tried to figure out her sister's intentions. Understanding people was hard, damn it! Wait. What if this was a test? If Ragi was truly planning on establishing herself as ruler of the goblins, then it only made sense that she would want to test her subjects and with Bug lying exhausted in a hole and Twig nowhere to be seen that only left Aya for her to test. Yeah, now that Aya thought about it her sister presenting a third option had clearly been a calculated suggestion on her part. Not only would it allow her to see how Aya adapted to unforeseen circumstances, but it would put Ragi in a position to closely observe Aya and get a feel for her skills and capabilities. Now beginning to see a clearer picture as to the extent of her sister's brilliance, Aya felt her grin grow somehow wider still, as her panic kicked up by an order of magnitude and she wondered just how many steps ahead of her Ragi truly was. "Ahh... good suggestion sister...", Aya began. Shit, there was no way she was going to prove her worth to Ragi sounding so unconfident. Why did communicating have to be so hard? "I think we should bring the mushroom sloth thingy with us for now, I'm not sure how difficult it would be to try and explain agriculture to the others...", Aya suggested, hoping to show that she was thinking things through, "And I'll also collect any good sticks we see on the way as well...". Had she forgotten about anything? Sure felt like it, but Aya couldn't think of anything at that moment and waiting around would bring its own set of problems, so Aya instead considered which direction they should search in. Anything of interest in the direction Ragi had gone would have already been spotted by her sister, Aya didn't trust Twig not to have scared off any potential prey near him and she hadn't seen anything while walking from the cave, which only left one direction for the duo to explore. With that in mind, Aya wordlessly set out. She'd intended to seem confident in her silence but immediately regretted the decision, realising that it probably just made her look bad at communicating instead, not that that was an unfair assessment...</s>	<\|message\|>Talent and Skill List EMRI & HOI It took a while for the goblins to notice, but the moment their hunger vanished, the clearer their minds became. Everything around them gradually became vibrant and filled with life, as it should have been. The pain, fatigue, and discomfort they previously felt had disappeared, as if it was never there. This was certainly more than simple recovery. In their efforts to look for water, both Emri and Hoi started to appreciate their surroundings better. Birds were chirping, leaves wildly rustled, and the growls and sounds of the various creatures that called the forest their home were never ending. However, these things weren't their priority at the moment; what they wanted to quench was their thirst. Hoi focused on listening, hoping to hear something that would point them to water, but the lively forest made it difficult. Emri on the other hand relied on his keen observation. He was right, healthy plants could only mean a good source of water nearby. Unfortunately, their time and efforts were not being put to good use, as they only managed to find moist mounds of earth. They were always beneath the trees and around the long and large gnarled roots that had surfaced to the ground. Taking a moment to rest and rethink their plans, a few feet away from them, a nest of Horned Rabbits had gathered, and apparently, they were gnawing and licking the roots of the trees around them. The moment Emri saw them, he immediately knew what they were called and of their timid nature. No luck in finding rivers and streams, but there's a lot of wet soil lying around. Anyway, when I say nest, that's probably around six rabbits. Just in case you were wondering. Just tell me if you wanna continue to search or do something to the rabbits. --- SAITO It seemed that when Saito wanted to win, Saito was going to win; he was willing to do whatever it took. Onlookers would've seen him as a naked goblin, wailing as he repeatedly slammed his only piece of clothing against a tree. He was the goblin your mother told you to avoid. But little did they know, behind all his green glory, was someone who was about to get his first meal. From the confines of his loincloth, the high-pitched shrieking of the Scaled Shrew came to a halt. Saito's judgement had told him that it was time to stop. Laying out the shrew on the ground, it was no longer rolled up, was motionless, eyes were pitch white, and its tongue was lax, dangling from the side of its mouth. Chewy and gamey, but with a hint of tartness. It was strange meat, hence little choose to hunt it. The scaled hide remained intact though. Not a dent. Anyway, Saito's first hunt is done. Time to rest and recollect. Then do whatevers again. Progression & Spoils Crafted makeshift weapon (+1 Level) Formulated a plan (+2 Levels) Successful hunt (+8 Levels) Killing Blow (+4 Levels) Gained Skill* Lunging Strike: In a burst of speed, the user is able to quickly clear a large distance (two strides worth) before delivering an attack. The higher the rank, the faster and greater the distace. (E-Rank) Report Card Goblin Saito (Level 1) ---> Goblin Saito (Level 16) Spoils Gained Scaled Hide x 1 Gained Scaled Tail x 1 * [???] - Defensive Skill (Active) * [???] - Defensive Skill (Active) * [???] - Defensive Skill (Passive) --- AYA, RAGI, BUG, & TWIG Aya and Ragi's discussion lead them away from their clearing and back into the forest, with the Harvest Sloth following them from behind. It kept its distance from Aya, and closely stayed just behind Ragi. With weapons in hand, they continued to search for creatures that they could lead back to their trap. It might have been a coincidence, but the two goblins managed to return to the area where the Ragi found the sloth. There were still no creatures around, but what they could help but notice was the number of motionless insects within the area. This was the only instance where the Harvest Sloth decided to move in front of them. It apparently was hungry, as it made its way to the helpless insects. As it devoured the bugs, faint traces of orange spores flew off from it back, slowly filling the air. Both goblins noticed this, but due to the sloth's proximity to Ragi, only Aya managed to distance herself. Ragi suddenly fell to the ground, motionless from the neck down. The Harvest Sloth remained clueless as it continued its meal. .... Back at the hole, Twig had finally returned along with the massive rock he had been pushing around. His head shook from side to side, seeing as no one was around. However, before the panic could set in, Twig heard the iconic snore of his brother. He was lead to the hole Bug had made and found him there, covered in dirt and sound asleep. Throwing a few sticks at his brother's face, Twig screamed to wake him up. "Brother! I have big rock! Can you lift?!" Both their eyes widened in excitement. I guess you now know why they call it the Harvest Sloth? Since they were left behind, the wacky adventures of Bug and Twig continue. --- RESHY 💀 Choosing to ignore his hunger, the young goblin continued to wander before deciding to climb up a tree. He was probably the last of the goblins to have looked for food. It wasn't wrong to assume that there might have been little left around the cave. Hoping to find something atop the tall trees, Reshy proceeded to claw and scrape on the bark. So his climb started. .... Then his climb ended. It took precisely four attempts. Without the right tools or capabilities, and sufficient strength, it was difficult to achieve what Reshy wanted. The highest that he had reached before falling to the ground was around a two feet high. So there Reshy was. Bathing in the suns warmth, laying on the ground, with crippling hunger and a weakened body. What made things more strange was the sweet aroma that had filled the air and the sticky cold that began to envelope his legs. A Yellow Slime had appeared and assumed that Reshy was weak enough to devour. Yellow Slimes are around the size of a goblin's head. They aren't transparent like its Green and Blue counterparts, and appear more putty like. It emits a sweet floral aroma. Reshy can still resist, as some sort of fight or flight, but if he messes up, we can get our second goblin death. So a single skull puts you in a situation where you can die. --- KRISHNA, RENA, & TIK With the lifeless Gor laying in a growing pool of blood, the Horned Rabbit's body shivered in excitement before letting out a low-pitched snarl. Its eyes were now set on the other goblin and as it kicked off the ground, lunging at its next target. Stricken with fear and panic, Krishna's instincts told him what he had to do. This situation did not call for a warrior's pride or a goblin's recklessness. He just had to survive for now, and survive he did. Darting off at impressive speed, Krishna zigged and zagged his way to safety rather easily. There was a thing about Horned Rabbits. They weren't considered predatory and mostly fed on plant life. Despite their amazing lunging capabilities and sharp horns, their attacks were quite simple; they could only charge towards one direction. Pivoting, swerving, or curving were actions they found difficult. Trees now protected Krishna, leaving the rabbit alone, kicking up dust in frustration. However, this didn't last long as rocks and branches suddenly flew towards it. ... Tik and Rena were quite similar, but not in appearance or personality. I suppose it was more on how the decisions they had made. Despite plagued by hunger, the two spent ample time in crafting make shift weapons; whether their trusty tools made up for their growling stomachs and weary bodies, it was too soon to tell. Kinda. Both decided to help their troubled brethren, even if it was against a large and scarred foe that had already slain one of their own. Their approach of attack shared similar characteristics as well. Even with their child-like physiques and waning strength, they made their presences known with ranged attacks. Tik's spears soared gracefully towards the Horned Rabbit, at least as graceful as it could, but it lacked something. It was either accuracy, power, or a little bit of both. I mean, he was a starving newborn, it wasn't that surprising. Rena's rock also shared the same fate; it whiffed. However, even with their questionable choices, failed attacks, and weakened bodies, they stayed true to their rough and rowdy goblin instincts as they charged towards the lunging Horned Rabbit. Similar to Gor, Tik rushed towards the Horned Rabbit, meeting it head on. Before it could get near enough though, the young goblin swung his makeshift weapon, aiming for the creature's head. The rabbit was unyielding, and continued its charge regardless of the incoming attack. With its horn, it had managed to parry the strike, and successful tackled the greenskin, launching him backwards. With the Horned Rabbit's attention focused on Tik, Rena was given the opportunity land a decisive blow. Coming from its periphery and catching it off guard, a wooden club had came rushing in, crashing into the rabbit's chest. The sounds of cracking bone echoed through the forest before the rabbit was sent tumbling to the sides. The Horned Rabbit immediately recovered, landing on all fours, its head lowered and ready to lunge. Its eyes were locked unto both goblins as it let out a blood curdling snarl. Despite frothing at the mouth, it seemed to be more cautious as it waited for its foes to make a move. Krishna's safe and soudn; he's pretty much free to do whatever he wants. The rabbit kinda forgot he was there. As far as it knows, Krishna's long gone. Since the rabbit used its horn to parry Tik's attack, it couldn't use it to impale him. So he just got taclked backwards. Tik's weapon was knocked away from her too. Aside from the air being knocked out of him, he's basically okay. Rena was clean this round. I guess something she could get out of this was how heavy the rabbit was. --- CULL Cull remained patient and waited for the clash between the two creatures to come to a close. If he played his cards right, he'd be able to treat himself himself to two meals. The Brown Stoat's fangs, although not that long, were still plunged into the Horned Rabbit's neck. Despite its efforts to squirm and shake its attacker off, the stoat remained relentless, with its hold on becoming tighter and tighter. Soon enough, the rabbit's movements turned sluggish, before dropping to the ground. At that moment, Cull sprung forth form the bushes, thrusting his spear unto the stoat's body. Its quick reflexes were a second too late as the goblin managed to its body down to the ground. Enraged and anxious, the stoat thrashed and wriggled its body as a last ditch effort to escape. The rabbit's not dead, but is motionless, with its breaths being deep and slowed. Unless Cull has a good plan, the stoat has a pretty good chance of escaping if unpinned. The point ends of the branch weren't sharp enough to dig deep into the stoat. At best, it just caused a flesh wound.</s>
<\|description\|>Aya Age: Day 3 Gender: Female Race: Goblin Level: 18 Appearance: Aya is a rather scrawny goblin, with large droopy ears, dull green skin and messy black hair. Where many goblins might fall towards the hideous or even monstrous ends of the appearance spectrum, Aya instead falls on the cuter side of things, though in the monstrous sort of way that ends up being creepy to most other races rather than endearing, like a demented interpretation of one of their children. When around others Aya is most often be found with a massive grin plastered upon her face, a trait that between her maw of pointed teeth and overly large, ever staring eyes, only serving to further sell the image of a demented child. Personality: Aya is a bit of an oddball, the kind of person who struggles knowing how she should interact with people she doesn't know and copes by presenting herself as a weirdo with far more energy than she actually has. When she's alone or otherwise around people she knows Aya's personality is far more bearable, becoming calmer and more thoughtful, outside of such circumstances however she can be pretty hard to deal with. Aya is also the sort to think things through to a fault, going past anything helpful and instead crippling herself with indecision and doubt over simple tasks, leaving things to the very last minute out of fear of missing something important, and agonising over how she could have done things differently after even the smallest of mistakes. Past Life: Aya was a student in her past life, nearing the end of her school years when she died. Her life had been relatively uneventful up until that point. Even with her colourful personality people just learned to filter out her oddities and ignore her, leaving her to a quiet school life with little of interest ever happening. The most noteworthy part of her life, if any at all, was the discontent she'd felt towards the end. She wasn't stupid or anything like that, quite the opposite actually, but the quirks of her personality made it hard for her to get much done and lead her to dwell on and amplify her failings in her mind, while a lack of any real social bonds had made it difficult for her to vent her dissatisfaction. Even her death, in the end, was uneventful, she just went to sleep one day and never woke up. Talent(s): * Dirty Tactics: Increases the efficiency of underhanded actions. * Strategy: Improves the ability to pick up and understand plans and strategies. * Leadership: The user's words carry more weight and are better at influencing others. Skill(s): * Absorption: [Remaining Uses: 5/8] (Active) Unique Rank; A monster specific skill. This skill allows monsters to gain the skill(s) of the creatures they devour. The amount of skills gained in this process is limited to an 8-time usage. Choose your stolen abilities wisely. Uses will reset to 8 upon evolving regardless of the amount you have used. * Dark Eye: (Passive) E-Rank; Allows one to see more effectively in the darkness. * Paralysis Resistance: (Passive) E-Rank; Users have an increased chance of resisting effects of paralytic agents; when paralyzed, the duration of its effect will be decreased. * Paralytic Spores: (Active) E-Rank; Users are able to release orange spores from their bodies (mainly their trunk) that induce paralysis once inhaled. When users are clothed, spores will not spread into the air that well. Range and potency of this skill will improve with rank. * Sisterly Bond (Ragi): (Passive) E-Rank; Aya will be aware of Ragi's state of mind, whether overjoyed and calm or panicked and distressed. When separated, her instincts will redirect her to where Ragi is. * Tree Climbing: (Passive) E-Rank; Users are able to scale trees without difficulty and will only be limited by their own strength and stamina. Inventory: * Battle Rock: (Held) A rock with about as much heft to it as it could have while still allowing Aya to swing it one-handed. * Goblin Garb: (Worn) A simple one-piece dress sized for a young goblin, it's made with only the most abysmal of craftsmanship and crappiest of cloth.</s> <\|message\|>Ragi Ragi featuring Aya @TheMushroomLord \|\| Bug and Twig Ragi tilted her head sideways in both confusion and amazement as she listened to Aya's Genius Talk TM . Not only did she find a perfect reason for Bug and Twig not to eat the cute saucer-eyed furry creature, she had even talked about long term plan on how they could utilise our new furry friend in long term. Something about revolution and food and poison, and how they could possibly end world hunger once and for all. You know, the Genius Stuff TM . In any case, she was happy that her contribution, though menial, had brought joy to her sister. "Nonono, this is all you sister. I am only doing what you told me to do," she said as she scratched her head in embarrassment. She was not used to getting praised, especially when her dear sister seemed to praise her to heaven and back. She could feel her grin going wider and wider, quite possibly almost as wide as Aya's (though there's no way Ragi's smile would be as cute as her sister's). But as they always say, all good things must come to an end eventually. "Ummm.. Sister," Aya said all of a sudden, her face - while still smiling - were unnaturally tense. "I was going to get started on trying to disguise this trap and maybe go check on Twig, but we still need to find something to catch, so which job do you want? Or do you want me to do both?" Oh crappppppp! Shit shit shit shit shit shitttttt..! Ragi's mind entered the panic mode. Aya was kind enough to mask it as a praise and offer herself to do Ragi's job in her stead, but it was pretty obvious that her revered sister had reprimanded her for not doing her job properly. She literally had one job, and she had failed it. Now, precious time was wasted and they still had nothing to eat. Nothing! And it was all Ragi's fault. She really wished she would be swallowed by a sink hole right now. "N-n-n-n-no! I wouldn't want to bother you with such low level job, ahaha.. Ahahaha.. Haha," she said in a panic, like a child who was caught stealing some sweets when she was specifically told not to. "Oh, I know! Why don't we go together? That way we could cover more ground and defend each other in case things go south, yeah?" The least she could do, was to control the damage. With some luck maybe Ragi could show her cool side on a hunt while Aya watches, and win back some points she had lost due to her stupid, stupid blunder. She really. Really. Don't want to be cast away.</s> <\|message\|>Krishna Krishna Location: In the Woods Mentioning:@demonspade64@RC3@Haeo --- Awaken by the grumpiness of his tumtum, Krishna was not a very happy gob in this particular morning. He was thirsty, which only add more irritation to this beautiful day. And the pile of bodies that reside in the same place meaning he is now drenched of others piss and drool. "Grrrr...." He snarled against one of his siblings, who was, in his sleep, trying to steal Krishna's blanket. And if it wasn't because the sleeping goblin was double of his size, Krishna would have bitten his ears off. Still, awakening to a piss-full blanket-stealing noisy tumtum morning, Krishna was not a very good roommate. He kicked those weaker who are still in their sleep on his way of exiting the grave. He shouted and he snarled against the strong. He made as much noise as a 3 days old goblin could before running outside the grave, followed by a herd of also hungry gobs who are very much unpleased of his improper and unhospitable act. But, if the chase was any longer than five minutes, it would have been a real threat. Eventually, most just break out into other smaller hunting parties, scavenging the nearby plants and hideout for early meals. Even Krishna did the same, teaming up with one of his siblings. They both have only a few rocks in hand but it was enough for them. And, simple enough, they found their first prey. A rabbit. It has the same color as the dirt after the rain. Smelled like it too. Its eyes' color was as dark as the old goblin's armpit. It was even hurt at the mouth and legs. Of course, Krishna and Gor had chosen to look over the fact that it has an obnoxiously large horn for a small rabbit. To be honest, it doesn't take long for Krishna to eat his word as the rabbit leap into Gor's chest and buried its horn through his chest. There was also this sickening sound as Gor's body fall flat onto the ground, his mouth gaping for air while the rabbit sits idly on his crumbling chest, feeling the fall and rises of the predator. And while Krishna should have thrown his rock at the rabbit while it is still in one place, his instinct urged him to run. And so he did. He ran around and around an old large tree. He tried to juke the rabbit lunges by sudden changes in direction. And honestly, he didn't know what to hope but to continue this run as long as possible</s> <\|message\|>Cull --- Hunger gnawed at the root of Cull's mind as he stalked through the underbrush. He had set out alone, only a thick branch with a poorly sharpened tip to keep him company. Slowly, carefully, and deliberately he crept, his head on a swivel; searching for potential prey. Somehow, part of him knew what he was doing-- but the thoughts were fuzzy, and out of focus. Was it instinct, perhaps? Or something else entirely? His grip shifted on his rudimentary spear. It felt familiar, like a weapon that belonged in his hands, a weapon he knew. But wasn't this his first time holding such a thing? A pounding headache dissuaded the youngling from trying to rationalize the strange sense of Deja Vous, food came first. Before long he came upon a clearing, where two animals were already fighting, the smaller of the two seemingly winning the struggle. Cull's breathing quieted as he narrowed his eyes at his prey, clearly the smaller brown animal was both faster, and stronger. Watching, waiting, moving ever so slowly-- the goblin stealthily positioned himself to come from behind the victor, intending to wait for their battle to be in its final moments before he would creep up, and thrust his spear into whatever animal had the upper hand. It was simply a test of patience.</s>	<\|message\|>Aya Aya was taken aback by her sister's response. Why was she stammering? And what did she mean by 'low-level job'? The entire plan hinged off it... And go together?! Why would Ragi want to work so closely with Aya, wouldn't that reduce efficiency and hinder Ragi's plans? Aya's mind raced as she tried to figure out her sister's intentions. Understanding people was hard, damn it! Wait. What if this was a test? If Ragi was truly planning on establishing herself as ruler of the goblins, then it only made sense that she would want to test her subjects and with Bug lying exhausted in a hole and Twig nowhere to be seen that only left Aya for her to test. Yeah, now that Aya thought about it her sister presenting a third option had clearly been a calculated suggestion on her part. Not only would it allow her to see how Aya adapted to unforeseen circumstances, but it would put Ragi in a position to closely observe Aya and get a feel for her skills and capabilities. Now beginning to see a clearer picture as to the extent of her sister's brilliance, Aya felt her grin grow somehow wider still, as her panic kicked up by an order of magnitude and she wondered just how many steps ahead of her Ragi truly was. "Ahh... good suggestion sister...", Aya began. Shit, there was no way she was going to prove her worth to Ragi sounding so unconfident. Why did communicating have to be so hard? "I think we should bring the mushroom sloth thingy with us for now, I'm not sure how difficult it would be to try and explain agriculture to the others...", Aya suggested, hoping to show that she was thinking things through, "And I'll also collect any good sticks we see on the way as well...". Had she forgotten about anything? Sure felt like it, but Aya couldn't think of anything at that moment and waiting around would bring its own set of problems, so Aya instead considered which direction they should search in. Anything of interest in the direction Ragi had gone would have already been spotted by her sister, Aya didn't trust Twig not to have scared off any potential prey near him and she hadn't seen anything while walking from the cave, which only left one direction for the duo to explore. With that in mind, Aya wordlessly set out. She'd intended to seem confident in her silence but immediately regretted the decision, realising that it probably just made her look bad at communicating instead, not that that was an unfair assessment...</s>
<\|description\|>Hoi Age: Day 3 Gender: Male Race: Goblin Level: 33 Appearance: The widest of the litter, if not the tallest, Hoi is rotund, with a bulging belly and chubby cheeks. His neck has a strange crook to it that makes it almost painful for him to stand straight, and his arms are of an uncommon length as well. There is a distinct baseness to him, his yellow eyes lacking the same glint that his brethren do, and his facial features have a squashed-flat look: his nose is fatter but shorter than others, and his lips are fatter too. Of course, unlike his brothers and sisters, he's actually bald. Not a spot of hair pokes out from his motley-green crown, not even a bit of fuzz. He doesn't mind though. Seeing how everyone else gets sticks and shit stuck in their hair, it's basically an advantage. Personality: Hoi gets the job done and takes every scrap of enjoyment he can afterwards. He doesn't shirk from hard or dirty work, and he appears both tactless and insensitive. If he works, he expects recompense. If others shirk work, he expects them to starve. Work comes easily to him, but so does violence. Claws to scratch, feet to stomp, teeth to gnash, and a mind crueller than his responsible, hard-working attitude would suggest. They are goblins, after all. If the weak can't make themselves useful, then they're just another burden. And Hoi's tired of burdens.There's too many mouths to feed and not enough hours in the day. Honest work could sustain himself, of course, if he were careful with how often he purchased meat. Rice did the job, even though it long became tasteless to him. For the others though, he had to do more. So he did. Went out into the backcountry occasionally on hikes. Picked things up that other people misplaced. Talked with the big man. Received his dues. No questions, no answers. He got his money, he bought his food, he paid the bills, and he was out. Fucking leeches. He died alone between the borders. They were the state's problem now. Talents Out Like A Light Restful sleep comes easily regardless of comfort, and no imagined terrors disturbs one's rest. Allows for greater rejuvenation when resting, as well as immediate awareness once awoken. Burden Bearer Heavy weights are familiar, and the body adjusts naturally to encumberance. Increases endurance and carrying capacity, though does not increase base physical strength. Leadership The user's words carry more weight and are better at influencing others. Heavy Legs The muscles of the user's legs are hefty, yet strong. This makes all attacks that make use of the lower extremities deal more damage. Skills Dark Eye [E-Rank] Passive Allows one to see more effectively in the darkness. Absorption [???-Rank] Active (Remaining Uses: 6) Gain skill(s) from creatures one devours. The amount of skills gained from this process is 8. This amount resets upon evolution. Regeneration [E-Rank] Passive With enough time, rest, and nutrition, the user is able to heal from most wounds and blood loss. This does not apply to massive or severe injuries. Escape [E-Rank] Passive The ability to flee and get to a safe location much more efficiently. Regardless of the situation, the user gets a bonus when attempting to get away. Inventory: Rabbit Horn x2</s> <\|message\|>Aya Aya was interrupted from her attempts to shake the pain out of her thumb by the sound of a voice. Her name? She remembered an older looking goblin calling her Aya just after she'd first woken up, but there was a name before that, right? Was it something important? She tried to remember as worry began to permeate the edges of her consciousness but the memories were fuzzy at best... a growl from her stomach reminded her that there were more pressing issues to worry about for the time being. "I'm Aya?", she said a little unsure of herself, then feeling self-conscious she nodded, as if to confirm her own words, and let her smile widen into a wide-eyed grin that probably would have been horrifying to anyone but another goblin. The other goblin, a female with longish ears and short black hair, had expressed interest in Aya's plans. That made her happy, even if it meant that she probably wouldn't be able to procrastinate for much longer. Not exactly used to social interaction, Aya forgot to ask the other goblin's name, instead, launching straight into explaining her ideas. "I was thinking that given we don't exactly seem to be the strongest creatures around and I doubt we have the skills to identify plants safe for eating, we'd be best off setting some kind of trap... we don't have tools either but I think we could dig a hole or set a tripwire.", the goblin rambled, taking a deep breath before continuing, "Maybe not the latter, I'm not sure I know can make a strong enough rope for that. Then we could chase or get chased by something towards our trap and beat it to death with rocks and sticks once it goes down!". Taking another deep breath the young goblin tried and failed to gauge her sister's reaction. That plan had been terrible, hadn't it? Who the hell would want to go along with a plan that might see them getting chased through unfamiliar terrain just for a meal?</s> <\|message\|>Talent and Skill List Emri \| Hoi @Versa@ERode What was supposed to be an act of kindness, turned into a failed attempt, but from it, words of motivation and encouragement arose, leading to what looked to be a possible bond for the ages. But honestly, it was too early to tell. The dynamic duo, who couldn't be more different from one another, had made their way to the bustling forest in search for a meal that could satisfy their growing hunger. While Hoi was rather straight forward in his approach, Emri flexed his wit and know-how. It was as if he was solving a puzzle without knowing what a puzzle was. Regardless, it was but a means to an end, and the end he had gotten was a tool he could be proud of, I think. Emri and Hoi took a more simple approach in looking for food, and simply wandered around the forest within close proximity to their cave. Underneath a large tree, they found two Blue Slimes and a Green Slime, who appeared to be feasting on what looked to be the corpse of a small creature split into two. It was certainly hard to tell with most of its flesh and muscles sloughed off. Potential breakfast, I suppose? The slimes have no discerning characteristics or features aside from their colors. They're just blobs of firm yet taut goo, around the size of a goblin's head. They're to preoccupied ingesting their meal. It's just the slimes lying on top of a corpse; the Green Slime has the larger half. --- Reshy@Dark Light Whether or not Reshy's antics were appreciated - but we're pretty sure they weren't - it no longer mattered as the young goblin dashed deeper within the cavern. With rock in hand and beetle in mouth, his feet continued moving, leading him through a narrow pathway that grew dimmer and dimmer with each step he took. Fortunately, his eyes easily adapted to the darkness, but his run came to a crashing halt as he rammed into something, knocking the air out of him and unto the ground. Although a bit dazed from the fall, Reshy's vision gradually went back to normal. There he saw the back of the elder goblin, covered in tattered robes and lying on his sides, and apparently fast asleep. His snoring easily masked the noise that came from Reshy's stomach. Aside from the elder goblin, first thing that'll strike Reshy is the stench that's lingering in the air; it's pungent and offensive. Then if he takes the time, Reshy will notice that the elder goblin is almost twice his size, so around 5 feet tall and a bit burly, but not in shape. The area he's in is relatively smaller than where the young goblins were, being able to fit only 10 young goblins at most. From Reshy's point of view, the only things around him are broken pieces of small bones and peels of various fruit littered around the room. --- Saito@Zeroth There was no denying the fact that Saito was indeed an old-soul. He might have undergone rebirth, but the habits he had developed in his previous life were hard to shake off. The patient and cautious greenskin took his time to prepare for the first hunt of his new life. In exchange for the fatigue and hunger the continued to pile up, he now had a weapon (kinda) and the upper hand against whatever creature he would come across (hopefully). Silently shuffling forward, his eyes had managed to come across neither tracks or dropping, but instead, what looked to be a trail of berries. Whether or not he'd shove these in his mouth was his decision. Anyway, since this was exactly what he was looking for (I suppose), following the trail would lead him to a bushy overgrowth. A few feet away from him would be a small clearing where his potential meal was. Nibbling away on some berries, without a care in the world, was a Scaled Shrew. Given the preparation Saito took, fatigue will set in sooner, and his hunger is worsening; no notable effects though as of now. Anyway, for the size of the shrew, if a goblin child is around 3 feet tall, then the shrew would be approximately be a foot in height. It hasn't noticed Saito yet. --- Aya \| Ragi @TheMushroomLord@Celsius Hunger and boredom had troubled the young goblin girl as rocks failed to satisfy either of her present problems. Aya was left no choice but to wander to the outside, or so she thought as she. As soon as she was about to leave the confines of their cavern, thoughts began to plague her mind once again. Returning back to her rock-banging group, she called their attention before relaying to them the plan she had devised. She was quite the strategist. Unfortunately, the rest of her siblings did not share the same talent. However, what they lacked in talent, they made up in enthusiasm and honesty. Ragi, along with two other male goblin admitted their inability to comprehend Aya's instruction, but they were more than willing to help. "I iss Bug." said one of the goblins in a high-pitched voice and a smile. "Me Twig!" the other one spoke right after before giggling, his voice was just as high. "We help, sisters. We is hungry." they said in unison before their stomachs began to growl. Aside from Ragi, Aya has gotten the attention of two other goblins. They were both bald, with moldy green skin, and completely white eyes; they gave off an aura of being dim-witted and happy-go-lucky. Bug's distinguishing characteristics is that compared to the other goblins, he had more definition on his muscles, mainly in his arms, shoulders, and back. Twig on the other hand has a lanky frame, making his longer and thin extremities more noticeable.</s>	<\|message\|>Hoi Hoi watched the smaller goblin break off a branch of something. Good. It was good to be good with one's hands. Good to be willing to work. The rotund goblin nodded one, stopping to let Emri catch up. "Hoi." Mimicking his companion's action, he pointed to himself with his right index finger, before continuing on once more. His stomach didn't ache so much now; physical activity took his mind off it. One step, two step, weaving a serpentine path around the cave. Occasionally, Hoi nudged a big rock away with his feet and snapped down, plucking a worm or two out from the moist dirt. He took them for himself, only showing Emri the way. They didn't fill his stomach, only took the keenness off the emptiness of himself. Bigger prey was past them, in the clearing. Three strange, gelantinous creatures, crowding over a split creature. Two shared, one had a bigger half to itself. Most of the meat was gone, but there was still bone underneath. Hoi knew what this was. Leader and follower. Unequal work for unequal feed. He bared his teeth. He did not growl. Pulling off his loincloth, the only bit of rudimentary defense he had, the now-naked goblin wrapped the faded, dirtied cloth around his right foot. "Destroy the green one. Together. Hit the center, scare the blues. If they scatter, we eat. If they fight, we run." Meat was meat, but bones were more. Another tool, or a bigger meal. And if they could break apart the green thing, if they could eat that too... "You go when I go. Now." Breaking out from behind the large tree that they spied the slimes from, Hoi ran full-tilt, practically on all fours, before his clothed foot reared back and swung out to kick the jelly thing, digging into the dirt while it did. If he was lucky, the food would be kicked out and the slime would be broken into two. If not, he wasn't going to stop until he was.</s>
<\|description\|>Cull Age: Day 3 Gender: Male Race: Goblin Appearance: Standing only a bit taller than most other goblins, Cull's most striking feature is his slit red eyes. His short, spiky hair is dark, with the slightest tint of blue; like the depths of a lake. Level: 22 Personality: Despite the relaxed and carefree personality that lies on the surface, Cull is a goblin that follows rules; both written and unwritten, to an extent that can only be explained as superstition. The only time Cull will knowingly violate such rules, is in the event that it comes into direct conflict with any vows he has taken. His greatest joy is that of battle against mighty foes; as at the core of his body beats the heart of a young glory-seeking warrior. Bound with a rather potent sense of honor and justice, Cull is incredibly protective of his kin; especially those he sees as weaker than him. However, should another of his kin bully one of their weaker brethren, or perform an act he finds especially underhanded, he will not hesitate to voice his stern opposition-- or in more extreme cases, get violent. Past Life: Blood filled Cullen Donahue's eyes as he struggled to maintain his failing grip. Broken bones, torn muscles, and barely clotted wounds screamed with agony as he fought to hold fast. Cullen had never been the type to fear death, rather-- he was the kind of maniac that always wanted to spar without any protective equipment with his HEMA mates; not that anyone ever indulged the crazy bastard. Normally, Cullen would've been ecstatic about a life or death struggle like this. In today's day and age there wasn't much of a future for the lad anyway; he'd have been right at home on some ancient battlefield, but cities, offices, paperwork, and machines weren't the thing for him. But he wasn't fighting for himself right now, he was fighting to keep a promise he'd made. He'd already gone against the town's rules, and broken the first promise he made to his dying mother. If he failed now he'd have broken both promises, and all of this-- would've been for nothing. His lungs burned as he roared. A dull thud struck his temple. Falling. A splash. Sinking deeper, and deeper. Nothingness. Talent(s):* Spearmanship * Recovery Skill(s):* Dark Eye (Passive) E-Rank * Absorption (Remaining Uses: 6) * Swift (Passive) E-Rank * Writhe (Active) E-Rank Inventory: * Stoat Pelt x 1 * Rabbit Pelt x 1 * Rabbit Horn Spear x 1</s> <\|message\|>Saito S A I T O Forest The First Hunt, Part Two --- "--yaAAAAAH!" Crack! Saito's staff snapped in half upon striking the beasts's armored plate--it had curled up, and only reflex had saved the goblin's foot from being trapped in there with it. As the "young" greenskin stumbled back, the Scaled Shrew wobbled back and forth with nary a squeak. He blinked as he watched his prey--he had honestly not expected that. Although his memories were locked away, even if he had them he would have been genuinely confused--in the old world he had never actually seen something like an armadillo. The creature's shell had no holes like a turtle's--Does this place have turtles?--and it seemed perfectly content to stay tightly sealed until, presumably, whatever predator chose to leave it alone. His staff was no proper weapon, but it had been green wood, not dry or brittle, and still it had snapped. So obviously this armor couldn't be broken by simple means. Saito glanced down at his broken staff's pieces. They had splintery ends, but he doubted they would be sharp or sturdy enough to pierce the armor. What if I drive them with the rock? The wood is probably too soft, the tips will blunt. He tossed his broken weapon aside, and noted the Shrew's still exposed tail... No, wait. I wondered if the creature could use it as a weapon...and to leave it exposed to attack like this is odd. He removed the berries and rock from his loincloth and placed them on the ground. Those spines might stick me when I grab it. Are they barbed or poisonous? He wasn't sure if such thoughts came from the cautious instinct of a Goblin, a creature so naturally weak and feeble and stupid, or if they came from the hazy dreams he could not recall. With a tug at the knot on his hip, his loincloth came undone. Though now exposed in all his green glory to the elements, Saito did not care much for modesty at the moment. He wrapped the filthy undergarments--were these made of cloth, or pelts of creatures hunted by other goblins?--around the rolled-up Scaled Shrew, tying a plain knot and pulling it as tight as he could. Now the creature's defense had become its cage. It might be strong enough to break the loincloth, but Saito doubted it would do so without a struggle. In the meantime, he grabbed the spare ends of the clothing and, with a grunt, lifted his prey. Feet wobbling, muscles taut with effort, he started to spin. He whirled the makeshift net around his head, building up momentum with his whole body until he had its weight suspended. He kept the Shrew going with just his arms now, and though his run meandered like that of a drunkard, he set course for the largest tree he could see. With all the strength and speed he could muster, as well as the built up centrifugal force--not that his goblin mind really understood such a thing right now--Saito dashed towards the sturdy wood and swung the Scaled Shrew with all his might. "DORYAAAAAAH!" He tried to slam the beast against the trunk. If he couldn't pierce the armor, then perhaps he could crush the foe's soft body inside it, like bouncing someone's brain inside their skull pan with a hard punch to cause a concussion. He wouldn't stop at just one attempt either--until he was certain the other monster was dead, the goblin would continue to heave and heft and spin, beating the spherical animal trapped inside his underwear against the trees. Some part of him marveled at this odd turn of events. The other part really wanted to eat that Shrew.</s> <\|message\|>Ragi Ragi featuring Aya @TheMushroomLord \|\| Bug and Twig Ragi tilted her head sideways in both confusion and amazement as she listened to Aya's Genius Talk TM . Not only did she find a perfect reason for Bug and Twig not to eat the cute saucer-eyed furry creature, she had even talked about long term plan on how they could utilise our new furry friend in long term. Something about revolution and food and poison, and how they could possibly end world hunger once and for all. You know, the Genius Stuff TM . In any case, she was happy that her contribution, though menial, had brought joy to her sister. "Nonono, this is all you sister. I am only doing what you told me to do," she said as she scratched her head in embarrassment. She was not used to getting praised, especially when her dear sister seemed to praise her to heaven and back. She could feel her grin going wider and wider, quite possibly almost as wide as Aya's (though there's no way Ragi's smile would be as cute as her sister's). But as they always say, all good things must come to an end eventually. "Ummm.. Sister," Aya said all of a sudden, her face - while still smiling - were unnaturally tense. "I was going to get started on trying to disguise this trap and maybe go check on Twig, but we still need to find something to catch, so which job do you want? Or do you want me to do both?" Oh crappppppp! Shit shit shit shit shit shitttttt..! Ragi's mind entered the panic mode. Aya was kind enough to mask it as a praise and offer herself to do Ragi's job in her stead, but it was pretty obvious that her revered sister had reprimanded her for not doing her job properly. She literally had one job, and she had failed it. Now, precious time was wasted and they still had nothing to eat. Nothing! And it was all Ragi's fault. She really wished she would be swallowed by a sink hole right now. "N-n-n-n-no! I wouldn't want to bother you with such low level job, ahaha.. Ahahaha.. Haha," she said in a panic, like a child who was caught stealing some sweets when she was specifically told not to. "Oh, I know! Why don't we go together? That way we could cover more ground and defend each other in case things go south, yeah?" The least she could do, was to control the damage. With some luck maybe Ragi could show her cool side on a hunt while Aya watches, and win back some points she had lost due to her stupid, stupid blunder. She really. Really. Don't want to be cast away.</s> <\|message\|>Krishna Krishna Location: In the Woods Mentioning:@demonspade64@RC3@Haeo --- Awaken by the grumpiness of his tumtum, Krishna was not a very happy gob in this particular morning. He was thirsty, which only add more irritation to this beautiful day. And the pile of bodies that reside in the same place meaning he is now drenched of others piss and drool. "Grrrr...." He snarled against one of his siblings, who was, in his sleep, trying to steal Krishna's blanket. And if it wasn't because the sleeping goblin was double of his size, Krishna would have bitten his ears off. Still, awakening to a piss-full blanket-stealing noisy tumtum morning, Krishna was not a very good roommate. He kicked those weaker who are still in their sleep on his way of exiting the grave. He shouted and he snarled against the strong. He made as much noise as a 3 days old goblin could before running outside the grave, followed by a herd of also hungry gobs who are very much unpleased of his improper and unhospitable act. But, if the chase was any longer than five minutes, it would have been a real threat. Eventually, most just break out into other smaller hunting parties, scavenging the nearby plants and hideout for early meals. Even Krishna did the same, teaming up with one of his siblings. They both have only a few rocks in hand but it was enough for them. And, simple enough, they found their first prey. A rabbit. It has the same color as the dirt after the rain. Smelled like it too. Its eyes' color was as dark as the old goblin's armpit. It was even hurt at the mouth and legs. Of course, Krishna and Gor had chosen to look over the fact that it has an obnoxiously large horn for a small rabbit. To be honest, it doesn't take long for Krishna to eat his word as the rabbit leap into Gor's chest and buried its horn through his chest. There was also this sickening sound as Gor's body fall flat onto the ground, his mouth gaping for air while the rabbit sits idly on his crumbling chest, feeling the fall and rises of the predator. And while Krishna should have thrown his rock at the rabbit while it is still in one place, his instinct urged him to run. And so he did. He ran around and around an old large tree. He tried to juke the rabbit lunges by sudden changes in direction. And honestly, he didn't know what to hope but to continue this run as long as possible</s>	<\|message\|>Cull Hunger gnawed at the root of Cull's mind as he stalked through the underbrush. He had set out alone, only a thick branch with a poorly sharpened tip to keep him company. Slowly, carefully, and deliberately he crept, his head on a swivel; searching for potential prey. Somehow, part of him knew what he was doing-- but the thoughts were fuzzy, and out of focus. Was it instinct, perhaps? Or something else entirely? His grip shifted on his rudimentary spear. It felt familiar, like a weapon that belonged in his hands, a weapon he knew. But wasn't this his first time holding such a thing? A pounding headache dissuaded the youngling from trying to rationalize the strange sense of Deja Vous, food came first. Before long he came upon a clearing, where two animals were already fighting, the smaller of the two seemingly winning the struggle. Cull's breathing quieted as he narrowed his eyes at his prey, clearly the smaller brown animal was both faster, and stronger. Watching, waiting, moving ever so slowly-- the goblin stealthily positioned himself to come from behind the victor, intending to wait for their battle to be in its final moments before he would creep up, and thrust his spear into whatever animal had the upper hand. It was simply a test of patience.</s>
<\|description\|>Teva Age: Day 3 Gender: Female Race: Goblin Appearance: Teva has the typical goblin physique one would expect from her race. Short and skinny yet quick on her feet, with a relatively large head to body ratio and over-exaggerated facial proportions. She has no hair on herself except her scalp, and she usually wears whatever rags she can salvage that can cover and protect her from the cold. Level: 1 Personality: Teva has a carefree attitude, always trying to just get along with others. She will help whenever and wherever she is needed, even for the little things, cause you know what they say: "It's the little things that matter." She is quite single-minded when it comes to her desires, and you bet once she sets a goal she will not stop until she has achieved it, no matter how long it takes. This, unfortunately, means that she can be prone to making bad or rushed decisions sometimes and can find herself in tricky situations. Nevertheless, even though she might not be one to overly think things before acting, the sheer energy she brings to the table cannot be underestimated one bit. Past Life: Teva was born to swim. Her parents, her peers and everyone on her immediate circle of contacts gave this answer whenever asked what was the best thing about her. Born in a small village off the coast of Sicily to two loving parents, she immediately found her calling in the form of swimming when she first laid her eyes upon the ocean. Whenever the weather was clear enough, one was bound to find Teva somewhere in the beach swimming. Thus, it is needless to say that when she grew up she pursued a career out of her love. She quickly became a rising star, and by age 15 she was a regional middle-school champion in three different categories, and 3 years later she conquered the national stage as a senior in high-school. After graduating, she studied sports science while also juggling with being an active member of Italy's Olympic swimming team. She was on track to obtain multiple gold medals, but the stars aligned to bring misfortune to her and her family. At age 25 she was the victim of a great white shark attack off the coast of California while on a visit to the US for a swimming exhibition. She survived, but her lower extremities did not. When she woke up, she found herself in the hospital bed, her legs amputated. Suddenly having lost her ability to walk, much less to swim, reduced her to a shell of her former self. She would not talk to her family nor her friends, and would barely touch her meals. She spent most of the time looking at the view of the ocean from the window to her hospital room, lamenting her fate. 15 days were all she could take before she dragged her body off the hospital bed and onto a wheelchair, unbeknownst to the nurses, and wheeled herself to the window from where she climbed and jumped. One of her last thoughts was how the weightlessness of falling reminded her so much of swimming, the thought of which brought a smile to her face. Talent(s):* Flexibility * Water Magic (Affinity) Skill(s): * Dark Eye (Passive) E-Rank * Absorption (Remaining Uses: 8) Inventory: --</s> <\|message\|>Ragi Ragi featuring Aya @TheMushroomLord \|\| Harvest Sloth Time passed by pretty slowly when there's nothing going on, you cannot move your body from neck down, and your nose and mouth literally squashed by the weight of your own head. That's what Ragi was feeling when she waited for the paralysis to wear off.. Which didn't really happen, like, at all. What was she thinking, laying there near the yellow fart substance that she knew was causing her inability to move. This, my friend, is a real life example of how pride would eventually kill someone. Such is the case, that made Ragi really happy when the sloth was finally done snacking on the bugs and sauntered to her side. It was still pretty friendly then, and even helped flipped Ragi so that her face was no longer half-buried in the damp forest floors. A friendly lick to the cheeks was a pretty nice gesture too. A ticklish one, but it was nice. Like if a puppy licked your face kind of nice. The next thing that happened, however, was the exact opposite of nice. Instead of, like, stopped farting paralytic substance into the air, the sloth actually bit Ragi on her shoulder. It was not bone-crushingly painful per se, but still, quite the dick move to assault a helpless lady! Really, sloth? This is how you treat your friend? Ragi promised to herself to teach the small runt some manners once she regain control of her body. However, to her surprise, her Goblin instinct had overridden her camaraderie with the sloth. As if it was the most natural thing to do, Ragi moved her neck and positioned her head right over the sloth's neck before biting down as hard as she could. She was surprised, bewildered even. Was this how every single living being in this world act? Abandon friendship for a taste of food? In any case, now that the bridge was unexpectedly burned, Ragi decided not to relax her bite - unless the sloth let go first.</s> <\|message\|>Aya Aya had calmed down over her time spent waiting in the bushes, to what she would consider an almost normal level of panic, still freaking out by anyone else's standards, but not to so such a degree that it was debilitating for the goblin. Hell, compared to how she sometimes got and her current situation Aya's state of mind could probably be considered tranquil at that point, all things considered. She fully trusted in her sister's plan, something she'd grown progressively more convinced of each of the many times she'd gone over it in her head over the past few minutes. Sure there were some parts of the plan Aya didn't get and some issues it didn't seem to address, but given it was Ragi's plan they were implementing this time rather than Aya's, it seemed obvious that these were all either parts of the test or otherwise variables accounted for in ways Aya simply wasn't smart enough to comprehend. Of course, Aya's state of tranquillity didn't last long, shattering in an instant when the sloth went from making a show of affection to Ragi one moment to chomping into her shoulder the next. Aya's seemed to lock up as she witnessed this, even as her mind went into overdrive. What should she do? Should she run in and try to attack the sloth? Would that even be safe? For all she knew the spores could be contact-based rather than needing to be inhaled... Chomp! The realisation hit Aya as she watched her sister suddenly use what few of her muscles she still had control over to reposition herself and bite into the sloth's neck even as it was biting into her. How many times would Aya make this same mistake before she'd learn? This was Ragi she was talking about, there was no way she hadn't at least considered the harvest sloths betrayal a possibility, if not outright predicted it. When she'd said she was using herself as bait for this trap of hers, Aya had assumed that she was intending to lure in some other roaming predator, but now that Aya thought about it it was very well possible that she'd instead been referring to this. A trap within a trap. Still, even for all of Ragi's prodigious skill and ability, the situation didn't look to be in her favour and as likely as it was that Ragi still had cards up her sleeves, Aya wasn't particularly keen on taking that risk given the stakes. Which meant Aya would need to act quickly, something easier said than done with how panicked she was in that moment. Doubts clawed at Aya's mind, leaving her almost as immobile as her sister, even more so in some ways. What if she screwed something up? Would she be able to live with herself after that? And no matter what plan she thought of there were too many ways things could go wrong, unknown variables that she had no way to predict or account for. Still, her sister needed her now and if there was one thing that could kick Aya into gear it was an imminent and unavoidable deadline. Gripping her rock tightly in one hand and her makeshift filter in the other, Aya repositioned herself so she could come at the harvest sloth from behind, taking and holding a deep breath for good measure before charging towards the sloth. Aya brought the stone down onto the back of the monster's head with all of her goblin might, not pausing even to see what damage she'd managed to inflict before letting her goblin rock bashing instincts take over and bringing the stone down onto the sloth again and again.</s>	<\|message\|>Teva The group originally consisted of all sorts of goblins, big and small alike, but after setting out into the forest, more and more goblins split out into smaller hunting parties, drifting apart and looking for their own little opportunities. Not that Teva disagreed with that kind of approach, mind you, more food for her on the long run, but she appreciated the safety that numbers gave to the relatively individually weak goblins. She'd tried to make small talk with the ones that stuck with her as they walked among the thick underbrush of the forest. The big and quiet one, Son as he'd come to introduce himself, lead the way in front, with Teva and another female goblin trailing behind him. Unfortunately, it seemed that Son had either lucked out in the brains department despite his physical prowess, or he'd decided that talking was a waste of his breath, instead focusing on the task at hand; brushing aside branches and vines and opening a path for the rest of them to walk on. While he was doing that, Teva conversed with Gee. The female gob was unlike Teva, shy and skittish, she didn't seem ready for something as difficult as hunting, and in her mind Teva had already relegated her to gathering and herb picking roles. She'd managed to find a relatively straight piece of wood almost twice her height in length, cradling it in her arms while nervously scanning her surroundings for any sort of enemy that might ambush them. Teva doubted she could even use the stick as a weapon, herself very much preferring rocks as her weapon of choice. While they walked, she'd pick up and store any middle-sized rock that looked relatively sharp. A makeshift bag of sorts was tied around her waist, made from a piece of cloth she'd torn off the rag she wore as clothes. Teva would test the rocks' weight so that they weren't too heavy for her to carry but good enough to cause some damage were she to throw them at a fleshly target. She was squatting down to pick up another rock when she noticed Son suddenly stopping in his tracks, the ever present scowl on his face deepening. He'd heard something shuffling among the trees. Just as the big goblin raised the short, club-like piece of wood he carried around in front of him, ready to pounce at a potential enemy, a familiar green head donning a black tuft of hair popped from behind a tree, causing the three goblins to visibly relax. Son let out a heavy gruff, lowered his weapon and walked over to a fallen tree trunk to sit and rest while Kol, the fourth and last member of their group skipped over to Teva and Gee. Kol was… let's just say that even Teva didn't know where Kol got all his energy from. The greenskin was supposed to be starving and yet, he dashed around the forest like he owned the place. At least he brought them information on potential enemies that might be in the vicinity every time he returned, or else Teva might've put an end to his little expeditions even before they'd started. It also didn't help that he carried that toothy grin on his face wherever he went, except this time. Kol's face was flushed, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. He took some time to regain his breath before laying out the news to them: he'd found something dangerous ahead. "It's big and pink!" Kol said between huffs. "And it walks on two legs," he added, making stomping sounds with his feet as if to emphasize its weight. "Really?" Teva questioned curiously. "How big are we talking about?" "Twice your height, easily taller than Son!" Kol answered wide-eyed. Son visibly tensed in his seat, clutching his club tightly upon hearing the news. "Sounds scary, let's igno-" Gee tried to chime in but was interrupted by the big gob's heavy voice. "No. I'm hungry. I want meat. We fight." With a few short sentences, Son made his wishes known to the party, and Teva somehow agreed with him. "Yes, we could go forage fruit and berries, but we need something more substantial if we're to survive. I just don't know if we can get out of this unscathed…" "It seemed hurt!" Kol interjected. "Couldn't put much weight on one leg," he continued, pointing at his right leg. Although the three smaller goblins gravitated around Son due to his impressive, to them at least, physique, Teva had emerged as the undisputed leader, her force of personality that had inspired such a large group of goblins to go out and hunt having gained their respect. "Hmm, alright, let's do it this way then…" --- Teva watched as everyone got into position before signaling Kol to reveal himself. The short goblin suddenly jumped from behind the nearby shrubbery with a nervous smile on his face. "Hey, you big, dumb, floppy eared creature, bow down before me, Kol the Fabulous!" he shouted at the orc to get its attention. Immediately the orc swiveled around with a snarl, but was greeted with a faceful of dirt, blinding it momentarily. Kol used this chance to run around the orc and tackle it on the back of its weaker knee, hoping to cause it to stumble and fall. Teva would then quickly climb up a nearby tree, giving her a vantage point from where she could throw rocks at the orc from above, while Son would charge in yelling a battle-cry, club tightly clutched in both hands in an overhead swing that would come down with force on top of the orc's head. Despite his apparent strength, Teva wasn't sure one solid swing would be enough to incapacitate the pink beast, but she hoped Son and Kol would be able to distract the orc long enough for her to get a few good hits in. She aimed at its face, more importantly its eyes. The dirt was a temporary measure used to catch the orc off-guard, but If she could permanently blind the beast their chances of killing it would immediately increase by a lot. From where she was perched, Teva would also be able to spot Gee, hidden under a brush near where the fight was taking place. She would be tasked with keeping an eye at the orc's legs for when it stood up again. Using the long stick she carried around, she would extend it from under the brush towards the orc's feet in an attempt to make it trip once more and create an opening for the other goblins to pummel it to the ground again. Teva was sure that even a timid goblin like her would find this task simple enough to do, and even if Gee failed to trip the orc, Teva had told Kol and Son to lead the orc near the tree she would be on so that see would have the chance to jump from above, using her flexibility to lock her arms around the orc's neck to choke it out.</s>
<\|description\|>Teva Age: Day 3 Gender: Female Race: Goblin Appearance: Teva has the typical goblin physique one would expect from her race. Short and skinny yet quick on her feet, with a relatively large head to body ratio and over-exaggerated facial proportions. She has no hair on herself except her scalp, and she usually wears whatever rags she can salvage that can cover and protect her from the cold. Level: 1 Personality: Teva has a carefree attitude, always trying to just get along with others. She will help whenever and wherever she is needed, even for the little things, cause you know what they say: "It's the little things that matter." She is quite single-minded when it comes to her desires, and you bet once she sets a goal she will not stop until she has achieved it, no matter how long it takes. This, unfortunately, means that she can be prone to making bad or rushed decisions sometimes and can find herself in tricky situations. Nevertheless, even though she might not be one to overly think things before acting, the sheer energy she brings to the table cannot be underestimated one bit. Past Life: Teva was born to swim. Her parents, her peers and everyone on her immediate circle of contacts gave this answer whenever asked what was the best thing about her. Born in a small village off the coast of Sicily to two loving parents, she immediately found her calling in the form of swimming when she first laid her eyes upon the ocean. Whenever the weather was clear enough, one was bound to find Teva somewhere in the beach swimming. Thus, it is needless to say that when she grew up she pursued a career out of her love. She quickly became a rising star, and by age 15 she was a regional middle-school champion in three different categories, and 3 years later she conquered the national stage as a senior in high-school. After graduating, she studied sports science while also juggling with being an active member of Italy's Olympic swimming team. She was on track to obtain multiple gold medals, but the stars aligned to bring misfortune to her and her family. At age 25 she was the victim of a great white shark attack off the coast of California while on a visit to the US for a swimming exhibition. She survived, but her lower extremities did not. When she woke up, she found herself in the hospital bed, her legs amputated. Suddenly having lost her ability to walk, much less to swim, reduced her to a shell of her former self. She would not talk to her family nor her friends, and would barely touch her meals. She spent most of the time looking at the view of the ocean from the window to her hospital room, lamenting her fate. 15 days were all she could take before she dragged her body off the hospital bed and onto a wheelchair, unbeknownst to the nurses, and wheeled herself to the window from where she climbed and jumped. One of her last thoughts was how the weightlessness of falling reminded her so much of swimming, the thought of which brought a smile to her face. Talent(s):* Flexibility * Water Magic (Affinity) Skill(s): * Dark Eye (Passive) E-Rank * Absorption (Remaining Uses: 8) Inventory: --</s> <\|message\|>Cull --- As the Stoat went into its final throes, Cull's mouth watered in anticipation-- the ravenous call of hunger waiting to be answered. Falling to his knees, Cull threw his spear aside as he buried his mouth into the open wound of his felled quarry. The sensation of blood and meat sliding down his starving gullet was nothing short of pure euphoria. As his bloodthirst abated, the light of reason found purchase once more in Cull's little green noggin. The the difference was practically night from day; as if an impenetrable blanket of thick fog had suddenly been lifted. Cull pulled back from the mess of guts he'd been munching on and carefully examined his weapon. "Well dat isn gonna last much longah..." he muttered to himself as he tapped the half-blunted tip of his spear with a finger. A slight twitching caught his attention, drawing his eyes to the still half-dead rabbit, and more specifically; it's rather sturdy looking horn. "I guess dat 'orn rabby might 'ave sumthin." Taking up his spear once more, Cull intended to put the rabbit out of its misery with as clean, and precise a blow as possible. Fixing his grip on his spear, and firmly planting his feet-- Cull launched forward with a powerful thrust; his full weight and strength behind the strike, aimed at the rabbit's throat! The deed done, Cull began on his next project: a better weapon. As he ate his fill of his two kills, the young goblin began working on his new weapon. Using a rock, he broke the rabbit's horn from it's skull, then, using vines from the surrounding trees, he secured the new tip to his weapon (the former tip now having been turned completely flat). It wasn't perfect, but it was functional; and could still be improved upon once he was back at the cave and had more time. Tying the rabbit and stoat together with more vines, Cull began to haul his new loot home.....</s> <\|message\|>Rena Rena As soon as the battle was over Rena stayed on her feet to catch her breath, oh though her Current body demands that she at least sit down for a minute to catch her breath, Rena wanted to give off the impression that she was better than the other 2 goblins. So she stood up and allow her body to replace the oxygen in her lung before hunching over the body of the rabbit. "Good work." She told them sounding a bit hoarse."I'm calling the due." Rena claims proudly. She then grabbed the rabbit by the head and begin tearing a hole in the fur around the rabbit neck, and struggled to do so. Hopefully, the average looking goblin would take the rabbit horn off and help her cut the fur off-off it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After claiming her parts off killed Rena then sat down and wolf down on her meal as carefully as she could, sadly her meal wasn't much to brag about, with her food being hard to chew and break apart while also tasted like a salty metal, still she tried to eat as much of it as she can so she could get her strength back and hope she doesn't get sick from the food. After eating the two other of the goblin then decided they were going to go back to the cave however before they left she told them this. @Shovel "I'm Rena, I'm going to keep hunting to become stronger. if you guys change your mind I'll be out there a bit longer." She told them with a smile. Sadly the bold female didn't seem interested(and was also a bit off) so she let her leave, she didn't seem that reliable anyway. The other one well she liked him cause he was bold to try to wrestle the rabbit without his weapon, he seems useful, so she hopes he would change his mind. Now that they were done talking and eating Rena decide it was time to make good use of that fur, So put two holes in her fur, found a flexible tree branch, and bent it to look like a "C" before sticking one of the ends of the branch through one the holes in the fur before moving it to the other so that the fur would now be hanging off the stick. She then put the stick on her shoulder to make a makeshift cloak, Now she could wear her kill proudly. Now she was off to find her next kill in order to "level up" again.</s> <\|message\|>Krishna Krishna Location: In the Woods Mentioning:@Vec@RC3 --- It doesn't take too long for Krishna to realize that there was something wrong on his way past home. It was too silent. Of course, the forest had its moment of tranquility and peacefulness, where everything is encapsulated in a picture. But even then, the forest lives through other means. Of dry leaves crackling, of the leaves sway to the midday breezes. The roaring of unknown beasts. And there was nothing happening right now. That is until he heard the roar of something coming from another direction. It was not far from where he was standing, but certainly in the opposite direction of the goblin's cave. With curiosity and an appetite for more, Krishna picked up one of the larger rocks on the floor, the size of his fist, before heading to Teva's group. It was a massacre. He saw one goblin lying on the floor while another was held in the creature's hand. He need not to be smart to know that the lying goblin was dead or close to dead. The other? Not far from death. Still, there were three of them, assuming the one still pelting the creature was one of the goblins. But the creature was double of his size, and only someone like Gor would approach the creature for close-quarter combat. Krishna, instead, prides on his intellect, decided to be a smart goblin as he is not too long ago. Using the bushes and their foliage as his cover, Krishna attempted to close his distance between him and the creature for a sure shot. He hoped the rain of pebbles and sometimes rocks would draw the creature attention from its back. He could hear the sound of the small goblin choking under the massive arm. His death only gave him more patience. The numbers are still on his side, he thinks as the distance between him and the creature was close enough for an aim in the head. Krishna pushed his luck and proceeded forward. He had changed his nose breathing to breathing through his mouth, believing that would reduce the noise he made. In compensation, Krishna held a rock doubled the size of the one he previously picked up, something he found while making his way toward the creature's back. And if it weren't because he had eaten something not too long ago, his muscles would have already given up. The green goblin approached the orc, a distance of fourteen to fifteen feet between them, and aimed at its exposing back. If asked whether or not he would want to do that again, to approach the creature closer, Krishna would gladly say no. His arms were at its peak, and he felt that he was pushing his luck too much. So he gave all of his strength into the underhand swing, launching the rock into the air, and ran. He heard a thump. He heard the creature stop talking. And yet, he keeps on running. But unlike the previous time where he ran like a headless bug, Krishna ran downward, the opposite direction of where the orc was previously facing. * Absorption (Remaining Uses: 7) * Escape: The ability to flee and get to a safe location much more efficiently. Regardless of the situation, the user gets a bonus when attempting to getaway. (Passive) E-Rank * Thick Skin - The user has much thicker skin than the average person. This reduces damage from all sources, but in particular, reduces damage from physical attacks. (Passive) E-Rank</s>	<\|message\|>Teva At first the plan seemed to be working just fine. Kol was successful in blinding the pink beast with the sand in his hands, buying him enough time to attempt to strike at the back of its knee. The monster fell down on one knee, creating an opening for Son to charge in and deliver a strike. Unfortunately for Teva's group, and more importantly Son, luck was not on their side. Even blinded as it was, the creature's flailing arm managed to catch Son in the head, and the scrunching sound of the greenskins neck bones getting crushed reverberated across the forest. Teva, with horror in her eyes, saw the goblin fall to the ground like a ragdoll, his deformed neck and head clearly supported by only his skin and muscles. The rocks she threw had zero impact on the outcome of the battle, and Teva lamented her choice of weapon; what could mere small rocks do to a creature double her size? Nothing would be the answer to that question. When the fat beast finally brushed off the dirt from its eyes, it slowly stood up and, despite its overabundant physique, deftly caught Kol from the throat. The helpless, now, goblin was lifted off the ground easily by the strength of the pink creature which had, by now, regained its senses somewhat. Teva saw part of the shrubbery near the orc shuffle, and a piece of wood poked outwards that was soon withdrawn back into the bush, causing Teva to sigh. It seemed her hunch about Gee was right, the goblin was not one to hunt. Berry picking and herb gathering suited her better, and her personality and mannerisms clearly showed that. Teva bit her lower lip while wracking her tiny brain, trying to find a way to save the two orcs from certain doom, but could not find one. Gee, hidden as she was, seemed to have escaped the beast's detection, but Kol's neck was ready to snap in the fatty's ever tightening grip. Teva clutched two sharp sticks in her hands and moved as gracefully as she could on top of the branch she used as a vantage point. The situation had changed from a hunt to an escape, and just as she was moving to execute her backup plan in case Gee failed to trip the beast, a large rock flew from a random bush towards her enemy's direction. The pink creature snarled, momentarily distracted by the rock throw, and Teva seized the chance. She jumped from the branch above, diving straight down and onto the fatty's exposed shoulders. Were she to successfully land on the orc's shoulders, Teva would then immediately stab with her sharp sticks towards the beast's eyes, aiming to blind it permanently. She would then jump off its back and, hoping it had released him from its grip due to her attack, would check on Kol to see if he was still alive. If he wasn't, she would duck low and dash towards the direction of the cave, picking up the box and bag the orc had thrown on the ground, a consolation prize if you will. If he was alive, she'd try to rouse him up before escaping herself.</s>
<\|description\|>Teva Age: Day 3 Gender: Female Race: Goblin Appearance: Teva has the typical goblin physique one would expect from her race. Short and skinny yet quick on her feet, with a relatively large head to body ratio and over-exaggerated facial proportions. She has no hair on herself except her scalp, and she usually wears whatever rags she can salvage that can cover and protect her from the cold. Level: 1 Personality: Teva has a carefree attitude, always trying to just get along with others. She will help whenever and wherever she is needed, even for the little things, cause you know what they say: "It's the little things that matter." She is quite single-minded when it comes to her desires, and you bet once she sets a goal she will not stop until she has achieved it, no matter how long it takes. This, unfortunately, means that she can be prone to making bad or rushed decisions sometimes and can find herself in tricky situations. Nevertheless, even though she might not be one to overly think things before acting, the sheer energy she brings to the table cannot be underestimated one bit. Past Life: Teva was born to swim. Her parents, her peers and everyone on her immediate circle of contacts gave this answer whenever asked what was the best thing about her. Born in a small village off the coast of Sicily to two loving parents, she immediately found her calling in the form of swimming when she first laid her eyes upon the ocean. Whenever the weather was clear enough, one was bound to find Teva somewhere in the beach swimming. Thus, it is needless to say that when she grew up she pursued a career out of her love. She quickly became a rising star, and by age 15 she was a regional middle-school champion in three different categories, and 3 years later she conquered the national stage as a senior in high-school. After graduating, she studied sports science while also juggling with being an active member of Italy's Olympic swimming team. She was on track to obtain multiple gold medals, but the stars aligned to bring misfortune to her and her family. At age 25 she was the victim of a great white shark attack off the coast of California while on a visit to the US for a swimming exhibition. She survived, but her lower extremities did not. When she woke up, she found herself in the hospital bed, her legs amputated. Suddenly having lost her ability to walk, much less to swim, reduced her to a shell of her former self. She would not talk to her family nor her friends, and would barely touch her meals. She spent most of the time looking at the view of the ocean from the window to her hospital room, lamenting her fate. 15 days were all she could take before she dragged her body off the hospital bed and onto a wheelchair, unbeknownst to the nurses, and wheeled herself to the window from where she climbed and jumped. One of her last thoughts was how the weightlessness of falling reminded her so much of swimming, the thought of which brought a smile to her face. Talent(s):* Flexibility * Water Magic (Affinity) Skill(s): * Dark Eye (Passive) E-Rank * Absorption (Remaining Uses: 8) Inventory: --</s> <\|message\|>Aya Though both goblins lay prone by the body of the now-dead harvest sloth, they'd done it. Even so, between her sister getting hurt and the fear that lingered even after the fight, Aya couldn't feel good about their victory. What was more, the sisters were both paralysed, leaving them in a bad position to defend themselves against any further attacks. As her mind began trying to think up solutions to the current predicament Aya was distracted by something else, a feeling of sorrow that placed itself into Aya's mind, even through all of Aya's own panicked thoughts. Maybe it was better to describe it an awareness of a feeling, rather than a feeling in its own, there was a sort of disconnect as though Aya were only a spectator to the feeling. It wasn't until she heard Ragi start sobbing and crying apologies that Aya realised what it was she was sensing wasn't a part of her own mind, but her sisters. Aya had wanted to say something to help ease her sister's pain, but whenever she tried to say something the words failed to come out, blocked by her doubts that she could do anything to help and a fear that whatever she said would only serve to make things worse. It wasn't until Ragi's sobbing stopped and Aya felt her mind calm down a little several minutes later, that Aya was able to revise her mental image of her sister. Ragi was a genius no doubt, but she was still only a goblin, a brilliant and kind one, but a goblin nonetheless, yet somehow this revelation only caused her opinion of her sister to grow. Yes, Ragi could make mistakes and would do so as long as she continued to strive for the best possible outcomes, but if anyone could achieve those outcomes it was Ragi. The flaws Aya had noticed in Ragi's plan finally fell into place, the plan hadn't been flawless, but rather it had been the best possible plan they could hope for given the information Ragi had and the outcome she'd been trying to achieve. What kind of pressure that kind of responsibility must have put on her sister Aya couldn't begin to imagine. Aya's thoughts were once again cut short by another feeling, this time coming from insider herself. Hunger. It was far worse now after the battle, having gone from little more than an ever-present annoyance to something actively painful, an issue only made worse by her noticing the problem. Feeling the harvest sloth beneath her body Aya vaguely recalled her worries about it potentially being poisonous, but between her hunger and the goblin instincts screaming at her to eat, Aya had hardly even begun that chain of thought before her teeth had sunk into the harvest sloths flesh. It took all of what little restraint she had left to leave her sister half of the sloth alone, and there certainly wouldn't be enough left to feed Bug and Twig as well. Strangely enough, Aya had quickly begun to feel better after eating, the paralysation working its way out of her like a bad case of pins and needles at a noticeable rate. Was that an effect of eating the sloth? The moment she was well enough to stand she did so, grabbing her rock as she struggled to her feet and positioning herself to overlook her sleeping sister as she dropped back into thought. If she wanted to help her sister she'd need to have a plan. After a while, Aya's attention was drawn to a rattling sound, though even so it took her a moment to spot the source, the snakes flower-like body haveing made it hard to spot in the grass and allowing it to have slithered a little to close for comfort. Aya gripped her rock, though thinking about it she doubted she could hit the snake. For whatever reason Aya found herself more confident in her tree-climbing ability than she had been at the start of the day, so maybe there was a plan there? No, Aya wasn't strong enough to carry Ragi and that would mean abandoning their prey. There wasn't time to devise a trap and beyond probably being hard to hit Aya didn't really have a clue what to expect from the creature. The combination of camouflage and a deterrent might suggest that the snake wouldn't attack prey that it couldn't ambush, but Aya wasn't prepared to take that gamble, especially not after the sloth. The snake rattled again, threatening the goblins, and Aya on instinct responded in kind, bearing her teeth at it and letting out a soft hissing sound as if to warn the creature not to approach. A sudden awareness of Ragi's panic and fear suggested to Aya her sister had woken up, confirmed moments later by the sounds of her sister crawling backwards and calling for her. At least the paralysis had worn off. "It's okay, I'm over here sister. Maybe you should eat something? Um... just be careful there's another monster here...", Aya informed her sister, kicking herself as she realised that that last part probably wasn't the best thing to say to calm Ragi. It was a bad position, Ragi was afraid, Aya was afraid, there was an immediate threat of unknown capabilities and Aya had no time to think things through. The goblin began to giggle slightly as she grinned wide, her outwards demeanour in stark contrast to how badly she was freaking out inside. * Noticed the effects of Sisterly Bond. * Gave in to hunger and ate half the sloth. * Stood up and grabbed her rock once paralysation had worn off then waited around in thought for a bit. * Noticed the snake, threatened it shortly after. * Tried to calm Ragi, but didn't take her attention off the snake. Battle Rock: (Held) A rock with about as much heft to it as it could have while still allowing Aya to swing it one-handed. Goblin Garb: (Worn) A simple one-piece dress sized for a young goblin, it's made with only the most abysmal of craftsmanship and crappiest of cloth.</s> <\|message\|>Tik Tik @RC3 --- Tik managed to catch up to Rena after a fairly hasty and crude effort at tracking her by finding partial tracks and freshly broken twigs. He had some hope that he would be able to simply greet her and continue hunting, this time with a better spear. But, that hopping... long-toothed... shiny-skinned... Tik saw Rena successfully duck the attack from the frog. By the time the frog hit the ground, Tik had already started running. By the time Rena swung her club, Tik was only a couple strides from her back with his spear held in both hands. He kept Rena between him and the frog until the last moment to make sure that the frog would have trouble seeing him. He could also tell whether the frog dodged to the side or not. He was moving on reflex, too fast to think or plan. The frog would either dodge or die. If it dodged, then Tik would lunge around Rena and stab the frog as swiftly as his body would allow. The only sound he uttered was a throaty hiss as he made his move. --- - Tried to stay in the Fanged Tree Frog's blind spot while closing the distance. - Lunge with Horn Spear, adjusting for any evasive actions by the frog -Loin cloth -Small Rabbit Ear Pouch -Horn Tipped Spear ----- In Pouch----- -2 Battle-Scarred Horned Rabbit Collarbones</s>	<\|message\|>Teva The beast's cries of frustration entered entered Teva's ears as she ran away. She glanced back to see it having fallen down on the ground, flailing its arms about in rage. Tave cringed a little when she saw its arm almost hitting the unresponsive Kor that was lying on the ground a few steps away. She'd tried to wake him up after jumping off the beasts back, but Kor wouldn't budge at all. Teva then made the decision to run away, grabbing the beast's box and bag it'd thrown down the ground at the start of the fight. After some time her goblin body refused to take one more step. She'd slowed down considerably, but she'd also created a lot of distance between her and the orc. Teva scanned her surroundings with tired eyes, eventually spotting a hollow between some giant tree roots she could curl herself in. She crawled between the roots and immediately fell asleep. A very uncomfortable sleep, however, embraced her. The rush of adrenaline from the fight had washed away from her system, making her skinny limbs ache from the overexertion. Her body protested at the lack of food, her stomach letting out angry growls even in her sleep. After thirty minutes of questionable rest, the goblin woke up with a head full of muddled thoughts. She was thirsty, she was hungry, she was tired. She had to find something... Then a curious thought emerged in her mind, and Teva turned to look at the two things she had salvaged from the fight. Teva's dry mouth salivated at the thought of the orc and all that potential meat she'd run away from, but it had been impossible for four goblins to kill it, much less herself alone, even after having crippled its eyes. Teva removed those thoughts from her mind and returned to the box and pouch laying a next to her. She first picked up the box, shaking it a few times to test if she could hear anything from inside. She then tried to open it by biting and hitting it against the strong roots, but it wouldn't open. Mildly frustrated, she placed it aside and grabbed the small bag instead. This time a small, rope knot stood in her way that she easily unwound before peering inside curiously. Three small, opaque stones lay inside the bag, one of them giving off a faint, blue light. Teva pinched it between two fingers and pulled it out of the bag, bringing it closer. The moment she brought it out, the dark hollow she'd made her temporary shelter was illuminated by the light the stone emitted, but Teva didn't care about using it as a light source. On the contrary, something inside of her mind whispered to her to consume the weird stone, and her starving stomach agreed. Thus, without thinking about it too much, she popped the stone into her mouth and bit into it. What could possibly go wrong anyway? * Ran away from the battle * Found a empty hollow between tree roots and curled in * Slept for thirty minutes but woke up due to hunger * Tried to open the orc's box and failed * Opened the orc's bag and found some strange stones * One of them gave out blue light, and Teva being the genius she is, ate it * Torn crude blanket/clothes * Strange box * Strange pouch with two remaining opaque rocks</s>
<\|description\|>Dentrisica Era Banecroft Nicknamed Mitra by her father, she chooses to go by it in his honor. Race Human Age 19-20 Class Dragoon Place of Origin Labrethian Empire Personality Tsundere Backstory At the height of the Labrethian Empire, House Banecroft has stood as its stalwart protectors. In antiquity they rode atop dragons as they flung javelins down upon their enemies. For some it's a story, an old fairytale meant to inspire the next generation of heroes; for others it is historical fact and something that should be remembered by all men on Atles. For Dentrisica Era Banecroft it has always been both. The glory and honor of being a member of House Banecroft has always inspired the Laberthian noble since she was a child, especially so as it appeared that much like the dragons much of the prestige of the Banecroft's had faded. The Labrethian Empire was glorious and true, but many of the legendary houses had fallen into the annals of history or subjugated to lesser roles once their dynasty stopped producing heroes worthy of the empire. In the skies above of the Imperial City, the heroes of the Banecroft Dynasty would one day fly again; or at least, that was the great hope. Dentrisica's childhood was full of prestige, wealth, and privilege. She received the finest books, the greatest of teachers, and the frilliest of pillows. Despite this, Mitra was an unruly child, often getting into trouble where she could get it. Unlike other imperial children it wasn't something she did out of a lack of attention, but rather a unfulfilling sense of adventure and boredom.</s> <\|message\|>Artemisia Artemisia "Don't tell me. I betcha lost track of time?" With a chuckle, Artemisia winked. "Bingo." A broad smile spread across the face of the man sitting at her table, growing almost as wide as his bushy black mustache. He seemed thoroughly engaged with her story, and as ever the girl's way of telling stories tended to get everyone into it. "Before you know it, the whistles sound from the tradeyards signaling lunch break for the miners, and I just about leap out of my seat. I sprint out of there, hurling the record toward the front desk as I go by and nearly clobbering the poor woman working there...you should have seen her face!" She put on a scared expression, arms held up in terror. That earned her a laugh from her audience, including a few weary hunters the next table over. "But I sprint out of there, and hightail it down the street, dodging left and right past burly shoulders and the pickaxe hazards atop them!" Artemisia jerked in her seat side to side, miming the act of evading workers. Her companion glanced downward, which did not escape the mage's notice, but she could hardly blame him. She was, after all putting on a show. "I just about trip over this wagon, but by the grace of Garuda I stay on my feet. In my head I'm thinking, my train's leaving in like, five minutes. I have to do this smart. So what do I do?" This time her question was rhetorical, and she cut off the hunters thinking they'd been given another chance to respond. "I grab a shortcut, of course. With the miners getting off work, the nearest Commission lot is wide open, so I say goodbye to crowded streets and hello to the fast lane. I get through in a jiffy, but there's just one problem..." Clamping her hands on her pink-blonde hair, Artemisia adopted an face of anguish. "The Coffer." Her audience's collective silence and unknowing stare broke her flow, and she looked around as though they were doofuses. "Uh, Golem's Coffer? The number-one attraction in Hardside, its life's blood? Well, it's this gigantic pit in the ground. All day every day miners from the Excavation Commission descend into its depths, with drills, pickaxes, and heavy equipment, using ropes and cranes and ladders, to bring up all the riches of the earth. It's a gigantic operation, super impressive. But just then it stood between me and the train station, hundreds of meters of open air above a bottomless pit. Impossible, right?" Crossing her arms beneath her chest, Artemisia smirked. "Well, not for me!" She waved her hand, spinning up an air current that lifted her empty tea mug into the air. All eyes lay on the magical display as she held it aloft. "The wind, you see, is at my back. I swooshed across the whole Coffer..." "You can fly with wind magic?!" the mustached hunter exclaimed, incredulous. Artemisia grinned and released the mug, which hit the table and fell sideways. "Well, not fly so much as boost up and then slowfall, but sure, basically! About halfway across I was getting a little low, so I landed in this cable car full of busted gear being moved across the Coffer for repair. Flew up again, then made it the rest of the way. I went right over the head of this old dude eating a sandwich. Fell right out of his mouth!" When she laughed, her audience laughed with her. "Made it to the train just before the doors shut. Relief at last." She leaned back in her chair. "'Course, I ended up getting thrown off that train, but that's a story for another time." After a brief exchange most of the hunters went about their business. Not an exciting story to people who tangled with death in the wilds, necessarily, but she knew how to tell it, and lots of people were happy for a little wholehearted socialization. She joined the table of the mustached man in the first place because he looked lonely, and like a man with a story to tell. He ended up being a far better listener than talker, but both enjoyed the encounter. In fact, he seemed to enjoy it so much that he didn't want to let her go just yet. "Man, first I say I'm not much of a talker and then you go spinnin' a yarn like that? You tryin' to show me up or somethin'?" Artemisia shrugged, more in a 'maybe' sort of way than uncaring way. Body language told half the story, after all. Her friend continued. "Well, that was mighty fine. I ain't one to just take hospitality and give nothin' back, so what do you say to lunch? There's this joint on the river with the most amazin' fish, smoked and perfectly seasoned..." Despite herself Artemisia felt her stomach rumble. Flat broke since lunchtime yesterday, she really did feel hungry. Looking at her would-be companion, she figured she could do a lot worse for a date and a free meal, but swapping tales with a stranger was a far cry from going somewhere with one. Besides, she had other business to attend to. Artemisia groaned, and replied, "I'd love to, you know, but I've got this certification deal any minute now. Apparently these dopes don't know a Black Mage when they see one and need a little demonstration of my windpower." The hunter nodded sagaciously. "Makes sense. With fatality rates so high anyway, the Guild don't want anyone who can't put up a real fight." Artemisia leaned forward. "Any tips? You oughta know a thing or two about what it takes to become a hunter." Another nod. "Yes, ma'am. The secret's composition. Find the toughest sonuva bitch in the group and put 'em between yourself and the monster. If ya get hit, tell the healer to fix ya up. That stuff's their job, after all. The others do their thing so we big hitters can shine!" Artemisia shot a glance at his pike, leaning against the windowsill. He, meanwhile turned around in his seat and looked toward the waiting room. "Heard it'd be a large group today, so ya oughta have a good choice." "Thaaanks," the sorceress said, rising from her seat to head toward the designated room. On the way she gave the fellow a pat on the shoulder. "You're a real gem." "Not half as pretty as you," the man said. "Name's Oliver Soreldart, by the by. And you're...?" "Why, I'm Artemisia." She looked back, her smile only slightly strained. "If and when we meet again, I'll by expecting a real story, 'kay?" Oliver nodded emphatically. The man sure liked doing that. He might have been about to say something else, but Artemisia moved on, mimicking his voice. "See ya 'round!" A few moments later she arrived in the waiting room, and barely had she come than she plopped down in another chair. Her hair spread out behind her, and she crossed her legs. Composition, huh? That blonde looked like another dragoon, so Arty doubted she could rely on her.</s> <\|message\|>Ianthe Ianthe Ianthe listened while the room began to fill, and pursed her lips. She knew it was best that they get started soon—after all, the sooner they did the job, the sooner they got paid—but part of her wouldn't have mourned another hour or so to sit there with her eyes shut, legs propped up on the junker of a shield she'd brought, trying to eek out a few minutes of true rest. Gods knew she hadn't gotten any the night before. The city was a lot of things. It smelled like industry, which was to say it smelled like the shit of an iron horse, but it was also burdensomely crowded and unrelentingly loud at every hour. She'd only just managed to find a room last night, with a hard bed and a window that wouldn't shut, which let the sounds of city nightlife flood in until sunrise. Argo didn't have a lot of things, but it did have silence, and she'd taken that for granted hard. The Guild Hall had a homey quality to it at least. It looked handmade, sturdy. Ianthe recognized the heads of a few of the fiends she'd met at the border, and was pleased that the sights of the unfamiliar ones didn't daunt her. There was, of course, a difference between bravery and stupidity, and it was a line drawn in the ever-important sand of self-confidence and self-assessment. Did she wish she'd come to this better equipped? Sure. The shield was, as she'd noted, a hunk of junk, a poorly-cut slab of metal with leather straps and shoddily-soldered grips. The sword wasn't much better, but it was sharp and she kept it well cared-for. It would have been stupid to go into something like this, as she was, alone, and while she'd done her fair share of stupidly bold things as a youth, age and injury had tempered her well. Well enough to be thankful that there'd be a group of them going out. Cracking an eye, she spotted a few noteworthy fellows. Big spears and frilly clothes were quick to catch the eye, but Ianthe knew the value of a humble appearance. It was easy to discount someone just because they looked like they didn't belong. Ianthe wasn't about to make that mistake.</s> <\|message\|>Avaddon A v a d d o n "Is there a reason no one is speaking?" The first to break the enforced silence was a rather massive man who stood before the others, hand held up to support the dainty, and likely somewhat embarrassed, maiden who had been hoisted on his shoulder since he'd entered the guildhall. A good Samaritan deed of his own design to help a fellow recruit get to the Hunter's Guild in time to make it for the trial. However, if said trial was just going to be them standing around in silence for minutes, Avaddon wasn't quite sure he was in the right place. "Not to be rude, Mr. Proctor, but you've been staring at us for the past few minutes and I'm not much for waiting around when there is work to be done." Turning around with a smile to the other applicants, the large man beat a hand against his chest with a raised voice. "If we are to take this test together, I will say the first thing we should do is introduce ourselves, no? My name is Avaddon, of the Red Storm tribe. I hope that we all make it through together and prove to make good allies in the test to come." His piece said Avaddon cracked his neck a bit as he turned dot look at the Proctor once more, hoping his little display would be enough to get something out of the man. If not, then Avaddon felt he might need to look elsewhere for assistance in matters of his quest. Perhaps the Hunter's guild he'd heard so much about was full of nothing but hot air. A disappointing fate if true, but not one the large Fabul man had been unprepared for.</s>	<\|message\|>Dentrisica Era Banecroft Holy City of Alexandria \| Alexandria Hunters Guild Headquarters --- "Mitra." The dragoon uttered, as friendly as she could muster. Her eyes looked to the one face she recognized, but she decided to not say anything. If he decided to call her by her true name she was going to clock him in the balls with the fastest knee he had ever seen. Admittedly, though her disdain for them at the moment was complicated and Mitra knew she had be as amicable as possible when it came to the group of guild hopefuls around her. How much gil did she even have left? Could she afford to eat for longer than a few weeks? She had to turn her luck around and become a success. Confronting the man who knew her when she was small and bright-eyed would have to come later. "I'm pleased to meet your acquaintance, Avaddon. I hope we'll be fast friends on this venture." She eyed the girl hoisted over his shoulders, was she a slave? She did hear in her classes at the imperial academy how the tribesmen of the Red Storm Tribe kept slaves. Perhaps she was a concubine of his? Mitra couldn't help but be curious about that fact. "Who's your… friend?"</s>
<\|description\|>Dentrisica Era Banecroft Nicknamed Mitra by her father, she chooses to go by it in his honor. Race Human Age 19-20 Class Dragoon Place of Origin Labrethian Empire Personality Tsundere Backstory At the height of the Labrethian Empire, House Banecroft has stood as its stalwart protectors. In antiquity they rode atop dragons as they flung javelins down upon their enemies. For some it's a story, an old fairytale meant to inspire the next generation of heroes; for others it is historical fact and something that should be remembered by all men on Atles. For Dentrisica Era Banecroft it has always been both. The glory and honor of being a member of House Banecroft has always inspired the Laberthian noble since she was a child, especially so as it appeared that much like the dragons much of the prestige of the Banecroft's had faded. The Labrethian Empire was glorious and true, but many of the legendary houses had fallen into the annals of history or subjugated to lesser roles once their dynasty stopped producing heroes worthy of the empire. In the skies above of the Imperial City, the heroes of the Banecroft Dynasty would one day fly again; or at least, that was the great hope. Dentrisica's childhood was full of prestige, wealth, and privilege. She received the finest books, the greatest of teachers, and the frilliest of pillows. Despite this, Mitra was an unruly child, often getting into trouble where she could get it. Unlike other imperial children it wasn't something she did out of a lack of attention, but rather a unfulfilling sense of adventure and boredom.</s> <\|message\|>Avaddon A v a d d o n Avaddon gave a grin, glad to see people getting more lively now. At Mitra's misunderstanding, however, he shook his head with a chuckle. "As much as I hope to get to know all of you in the time to come, me and Luna here are strangers. She merely asked for directions to the Hunter's Guild and I, being on my way here already, decided that it would be faster for both of us if I carried her there." Stomping over to Blaike after his introduction, he gave the man a rough pat on the back with his giant mit of a hand, letting out a slow whistle. "A researcher of the Royal scientist, huh? Sounds like we have quite the important fellow in our midst. . . though I must wonder, why leave your work to join the Hunter's Guild? Surely someone skilled enough to receive the funding of the nation's royalty would be better off staying at their side, both financially and socially?" Avaddon scratched at his chin as he stared down the smaller man, his skin around his neck and shoulders seeming to almost . . . ripple in undulating patterns as the scales that covered him in patches rose and fell. Before long, however, he seemed to come to an answer that suited him as he snapped his fingers, nodding in agreement with a voice only he could hear as he placed a weighty hand on Blaike's shoulder. "Clearly, you and I are kindred spirits. More adapted to the way of wandering the earth than to stay in one place forever. Danger, Peril, the possibility of death, it only serves to enhance the feeling that comes from being alive, no? The rush of adrenaline and the warmth in your heart knowing that through your efforts, others may not have to suffer in fear of monsters and savages." Tightening his grip in a sign of camaraderie, the giant desert-dweller lifted it up to beat a closed fist against his chest, eyes positively glowing as he seemed lost in thought. "I salute men like you, who leave the comfort of assured luxury for the life along the road less traveled."</s> <\|message\|>Artemisia Artemisia Today was the day for becoming a hunter, it seemed. In no time at all the designated waiting room filled with all manner of prospective guild members, each far more memorable than the average Joe or Joan. Nobody seemed too eager to get familiar, which suited Artemisia just fine now that she'd spent her social energy, so she got down to overanalyzing them, trying to pick up story threads. Now that she got a good look at Spear Blondie, Artemisia wondered why she seemed so uncomfortable. She sported a real mercenary look, all that leather and those scarves giving her a potent frontier flavor, a visage that would've been right at home in the saloon of some dusty Bellas village. Like a soldier put somewhere she didn't belong, she carried herself in a way trying to be both casual and cool at the same time, as if she couldn't really relax. Could she have recently parted ways with some mercenary band following a job gone wrong? Maybe a fallout with a fellow fighter, or the cohort's leader? A betrayal, perhaps. A lost love? A pretty face like that paired with a rough getup seemed just the sort for a tragic end to some battlefield romance. Or...maybe she just didn't know what to expect from this test, and didn't like strangers. Honestly, Artemisia could relate. The lady in metal looked far more at ease. Composed, relaxed, no fish out of water there. Thinking back to what Oliver said, Artemisia realized that this woman ought to be able to fulfill the role of protector. She cut a gallant figure in that armor, to be sure, and her weaponry bore unmistakably quality. This must, Artemisia conjectured, be a lady knight. No doubt a veteran of long service to a lord, or the captain of a guard. With unerring loyalty and strength she must have inspired all who looked upon her. Her look and bearing suggested abject seriousness, probably not a lot of fun at parties, maybe even a steadfast practitioner of chivalry. Such an attitude no doubt broke many a heart. Maybe hers was a story of mellowing out, of learning to love life and enjoy time with others. Well, if she defended Artemisia valiantly and helped her play her starring role, she figured they could get along. More obviously less self-assured was the young man with goggles. On the shorter side, standing just a little lower than Artemisia herself if she had to guess, he did not cut an imposing or even battle-ready figure. Wondering if the guy knew what he was getting himself into and why, she couldn't help but picture the studious son of a well-to-do merchant or noble, perhaps. Hardworking and obliging, he pursued scholarly interests to win the approval of his father...and to escape the shadow of his more talented older brother, yeah! But even as he cultivated clerical skills and honed his mind, the young man yearned for something more. There was more to life than meeting others' expectations and trying to show up loved ones. So on the eve of his graduation, he slipped away, giddy with excitement, to enlist in the Hunter's Guild for a life of whirlwind adventure and heart-pounding danger! Perfect! Artemisia felt like she could write out the whole book in one afternoon. And whoo boy, that was one big dude, not leaving a lot to her imagination. Still, to Artemisia's credit she set it working anyway. What could his deal be, other than being extremely well built and exotically dressed? And who was that rather similarly underdressed woman on his shoulder, with long ears and an intriguing physique? The black mage couldn't exactly boast a sweeping knowledge of...well, anyone north of the Underoad. Hell, even her knowledge of Bellas itself wrung out pretty thin. 'Insular' described her upbringing pretty well, though she still got a lot more exposure to the outside than most of the other kids. Still, a lack of knowledge never stopped her making stuff up before. This burly fellow surely hailed... ...Oh. He was the super extroverted type. That pretty much killed Artemisia's thunder; anyone who couldn't appreciate a nice silence tended to get on her nerves. I talk when I feel like it, she thought without actually responding, since she didn't feel like it. Still, he wore a nice smile -among other things- so she couldn't get that put out. He went ahead and tried to get everyone talking by introducing himself and proclaiming best wishes for everyone, and to Artemisia's chagrin it seemed to work. First Mitra, then Luna. For some reason Luna's very appearance suddenly struck a nerve with the black mage. She looked too perfect. Too exquisite, too sweet and pure. Like someone out of a fairy tail. And what was with that getup? Artemisia knew she wasn't one to harp on about practicality when it came to dress, but this girl looked one stiff wind away from a serious wardrobe malfunction. And Garuda forbid it rained. After the other ladies introduced themselves and Artemisia consciously abstained, content to relax on her chair in a corner well out of the limelight, Luna took the brunt of one of the other applicant's attention. The philanderer -or Blaike, as he came to be known- wasted no time in buttering her up, without so much as acknowledging her or the lady knight's existence. He did seem to know Mitra, which fit the narrative. Artemisia rolled her eyes, leaning on her chair's back with her jaw resting on her propped-up hand. Well, not my fault I was raised on a mountain and not in a beauty parlor. Better off without such attention anyway. For all his angling, however, Blaike, received the attention of someone he didn't likely intend. Avaddon started talking and just didn't stop, first explaining that he'd literally just picked Luna up before coming here and then doing some analysis himself. Hey, that's my thing! Well, I didn't get to him anyway, so whatever. He seemed pretty enthusiastic about his deductions concerning Blaike's character, but something about his speech made Artemisia wonder if he going a really roundabout way to slight him. Artemisia caught herself staring at what she now felt pretty sure were real scales on Avaddon's body. Ooh...an alter? She regarded him with new interest, but remained quiet, and resumed entertaining herself with the possibilities.</s>	<\|message\|>Dentrisica Era Banecroft Holy City of Alexandria \| Alexandria Hunters Guild Headquarters --- "Riiight." Mitra cleared her throat, looking over to those who had not introduced themselves. "I guess we should get to business, huh? We were introducing ourselves, right?" While she presented herself as civilly and friendly as possible, Mitra couldn't help but try to divert the conversation. Despite being a noble of the Labrethian Empire she hated bombast and showboating. The Red Mage whom she was shocked was even breathing let alone had been elevated to some important role in Alexandria made the blonde-haired dragoon conflicted to say the least. The long, flowery speech of the tribal person almost annoyed her internally just as much as Blaike's grandstanding and boasting. Her father had always taught her that those who have a speech ready were always the types who basked in their own prestige, towering above all others like they were more important than the people they were sworn to protect. It was a noble explanation, but even when she was young she didn't care too much about her father's explanation because she had her own: people who liked to talk were the type to be privy to smelling their own farts. Her eyes caught that of a younger man's, it appeared he wanted to speak next. She just hoped he didn't have the same self-importance stench as the tribal savage and the noble who should have been dead.</s>
<\|description\|>Artemisia Race: Human Age: 22 Class: Black Mage Place of Origin: Mount Osraphel, Bellas Personality: Quiet and dignified on the outside, even lazy at times, Artemisia isn't exactly outgoing, but in truth she's more than a little spirited. Her passions include knowledge -trivia in particular-, stories both personal and grandiose, and drama, and it's no surprise that those plus her good memory and quick wit incline her towards large words, formal speech, occasional babbling, theatrical behavior, and interesting people Thoughtful, considerate, curious, and even spunky, she's cordial enough that one might never guess there's yet another side to her. With her dander up Artemisia becomes far more impulsive, temperamental and inclined to violence. She's a believer in karmic justice, including paying violence against violence, but more than that she's a believer in Garudism, the beliefs practiced by Skybound that denounce humanity in favor of a pristine, natural world where the fittest survive. Her cult taught that any action in service to the cause is justified, and that outsiders would never understand. Weirder still, Artemisia has a thing for monster people, specifically people turned into monsters and the act of turning them. In these ways, her upbringing tinges her fundamental empathy with distinctly out-of-whack morals. Backstory: Tucked away in one corner of the vast and disparate lands that house the Free Cities of Ballas is a mountain like no other. Towering above its range, it reaches up, up, up into the clouds, and no other place in Atles boasts such a profundity of wind. It dances through the trees and across the jagged cliffs, singing and howling, and veins of air aldite course through the earth as its very lifeblood. From a colossal thermal vent in the mountain's heart an endless stream of warm wind pushes skyward, and pieces of the mountain float upon it. Upon this remote peak lie the sprawling village of the Skybound, a clandestine society dedicated to the worship of the primal being of air, Garuda. It was here that Artemisia was born. From her early years, in the manner of all children whose gifts in sorcery were identified by the village elders, she was trained in black magic. Like the others, her parents raised her as a wholehearted follower of Garudism, beloved guardian of ancient skies who ruled over all creation. The cult eschewed humanity, blaming them for the fall from the paradise that existed under the crystals and swearing revenge. They lived in isolation and fanaticism. Yet, she received something the other children didn't thanks to her father, an outsider captured by the Skybound but deemed unfit for Ascension. Rather than be subjected to other, less glamorous rituals, Solom found salvation at the hands of the woman who'd go on to become Artemisia's mother Essentia, who'd fallen for his wittiness, charm, and good looks. A deliveryman from a nearby kingdom, Solomon could visit the village and his daughter every so often, bringing goods to trade to endear himself to the locals while keeping up the guise of being a devoted Garudist. He helped reel her back from sinking too deep into the cult, and once in a while managed to sneak her away from the mountain atop his delivery roc to visit civilization. Her love for knowledge and drama bloomed during this time, and she longed to learn more of the outside world. But forces pulled her homeward, too. As she came of age she became involved in the Climb, the cult's longstanding practice of abduction and experimentation in order to bring about a successor to Garuda. After capturing outsiders, the cult's Skybound Seekers brought them before the elders, who would determine whether they would were fit for Ascension. The many who did not would be subjected to horrifying aldite experimentation, used as testbeds for the improvement of treatments designed to transform people into monstrous airborne fiends. The lucky few would undergo Ascension, mutated by the latest and greatest aldite treatments into the likeness of Garuda herself. Then the Skybound forced them to go up, to the peak of the mountain and beyond, higher than even the clouds, to the lofty island well beyond the reach of the mountain's thermals where legends tell the Crystal of Air once rested. None completed the ascent, but the Skybound labored on. It was only a matter of time until their formulas led them to a successor, Garuda reborn, fit to lead them in glorious revolution. Artemisia worked as an assistant to the mages who experimented on the unfit and eventually joined their ranks, inundating captives with aldite until they became Alters, then fiends. It made her skin crawl, but somehow it fascinated her all the more. Despite -or perhaps because of- the wrongness of it all, she'd discovered a deep-seeded passion for corrupting people into monsters, but that obsession led to her trying different amounts of different aldite to see what traits would arise. Her misuse of resources eventually led to her reassignment as a Seeker. Leaving the mountain behind, she set out into the world at last, her mission to keep an eye out for candidates she could collect return to the Skybound. Her journey took her across the land of Bellas and its Free Cities, visiting each in turn and bearing witness to their muriad wonders. Away from the cult and the intoxicating fumes of the labs and the mountain itself, Artemisia changed. Her fervor for Garuda and the rites of Ascension waned, replaced by her resurgent fascination with the cultures and creations of other societies. She could never deny the shadow of Garuda that hung over her, but Artemisia reasoned that the guardian -having already slept a millennia- could surely wait a little longer. She soon found herself traveling all over in search of interesting people, beasts, places, and the stories that surrounded them all. While Bellas contained enough points of interest for a lifetime, that troublesome necessity of money kept her working odd jobs, and one stuck her with a caravan that took her all the way north to Alexandria. As luck would have it, borders closed soon after she arrived. Trapped in an unknown city, she enlisted in the Hunters' Guild despite the risks for the good pay and ability to travel freely. (As a black mage she has a 'rod', which she uses in ways many might deep unconventional for a magician)</s> <\|message\|>Dentrisica Era Banecroft Holy City of Alexandria \| Alexandria Hunters Guild Headquarters --- "Maybe we can just send you into the nest first since you know so much about it!" Mitra smiled back at the red mage in a rather polite tone, "Apparently, you've already got a plan. I'm impressed!" The blonde-haired dragoon sighed after signing off on the contract before moving behind Edgar and Blaike, deceptively keeping her faux-bubbly tone and expressions intact as she thought about Blaike's claims and the mission's modus operandi. Miniboros. Researcher. Guild Ranks. Stars. Mitra wasn't sure what to think about what the proctor or the red mage suggested about a Malboro. Years ago in her training as a dragoon she had heard stories from her instructors about the creature. Things were admittedly fuzzy, but she was a good enough student to remember the vagueness of such a creature's baseline flaws and habits. If they were to run into a malboro proper it surely meant certain death. If the guild suspected there might be a malboro they surely understood that they were preying on people who had no other choice. She supposed the Hunter's Guild wasn't as noble as the people in Alexandria thought they were. Despite her concerns of a malboro, she knew she had to win even if it was a no-win scenario. "Whatever is in store for us, I'll be sure to have everyone's back!"</s> <\|message\|>Avaddon A v a d d o n Avaddon nodded at Blaike's words, finding the reason behind his adventuring suitable if not as noble as he'd have liked. As Balder spoke up about the actual content of their mission, the giant man scratched at his chin in consideration. Malboro, even if they were only small ones, were not a creature to be underestimated. The variant he'd encountered in the desert had a breath that could blind those who did not take proper precautions, so if these miniboro were anything like that then he did not want to be near them if he could help it. "Weeds indeed. . ." He muttered as he knelt to the ground, finally letting Luna dismount. Once that was done, he signed the needed forms, still uncharacteristically silent as he considered what would be the best way to handle this. If he was back in the desert and facing such an issue, he'd liked to use some sort of bait in order to draw them out and then. . . oh, and they just so happened to have two engineers with them. By the time he had formed the plan, Blaike had already walked towards the exit so he simply placed a hand on Edgar's shoulder, turning the boy around as he knelt down to their level. While he'd been boisterous and extremely animated before now, his tone now was much calmer and controlled. "Tell me, Edgar, how versed are you in the creation of explosives? Particularly small ones. . . "</s>	<\|message\|>Artemisia Much sooner than she would have liked, Artemisia found herself diverted from her ongoing attempts to make up interesting backstories for these people, and by that spear-wielding Mitra girl nonetheless. She looked pointedly at the black mage while suggesting the general conversation get back to introductions. Nice try, Midriff. You don't have the room with you, so I'm not taking the hint. If she didn't want to put up with the self-aggrandization of Avaddon and Blaike, she could either space out like Artemisia or learn to love it. Luckily for Mitra -and everyone, really- the center of attention shifted away from the one-upping between Blaike and Avaddon as Edgar gave his name, profession, and shortly thereafter a declaration of earnestness. The spotlight then fixated solely on the proctor, one Balder Grescott, who took control of the situation in order to brief the group of would-be hunters on exactly what their assignment entailed. From the sound of it, they would be wiping out a cluster of ravenous juvenile plant-monsters called Miniboros, which sounded like a real problem in a swarm, with the added bonus of a potential mommy or daddy 'boro nearby. The man sauntered about the room, scanning each of them with his eyes as if he could figure them out by their looks alone. Artemisia smiled sweetly at Balder when he looked her way, though the smile didn't reach her eyes. If nothing else she appreciated him condoning a hasty retreat if things got out of hand, which had been a card already stashed up her sleeve anyway. She took her form and began to write. Everyone mulled over the new information, but it was Edgar who spoke up first. He'd already done well enough to establish himself as the eager, probably naive young go-getter, but what came out of his mouth next provoked a giggle despite Artemisia's best attempts to mask it. "Pffff...!" Well, maybe not her best, to be honest. But how could she keep herself together after that? The line was so adorably goofy. The black mage hoped Edgar lived to come up with a better one for next time. Artemisia penned her signature at the bottom of her form: The Skybound Sorceress, as Witty as She is Pretty: Artemisia. By the time she handed it back, Blaike had managed to pump out a few sentences' worth of attempting to convince the others that slaying the senior Malboro would be the altruistic thing to do. Artemisia agreed; that did not mean that she would do it. Heroic ideas about doing what's right got people killed, or as a totally random and non-specific example, turned into hideous fiends while trying to spare loved ones the same fate. Blaike seemed pretty damn pleased with himself about his wordplay, but as a follow-up to the spontaneous charm of Edgar's attempt it just came off as trying too hard. As the group got up in preparation for departure, a few strings of conversation endured. Mitra pledged her support for everyone, which earned her an appreciative look from Artemisia. Her impressions of the unexpectedly chipper dragoon might be off, she realized. I'll hold you to that! After another moment or two the black mage rose from her seat and followed the other hunters out the door, happy to lag behind at the group's rear. She thought about the mission ahead. Was she worried? Not really. Should she be? Maybe. Six souls would be standing between her and the monsters they needed to slaughter, but in the woods just about anything could happen. Yet she felt pretty confident that her story would not end today, not in such an inglorious fashion. A book of many pages did not end in chapter one.</s>
<\|description\|>Artemisia Race: Human Age: 22 Class: Black Mage Place of Origin: Mount Osraphel, Bellas Personality: Quiet and dignified on the outside, even lazy at times, Artemisia isn't exactly outgoing, but in truth she's more than a little spirited. Her passions include knowledge -trivia in particular-, stories both personal and grandiose, and drama, and it's no surprise that those plus her good memory and quick wit incline her towards large words, formal speech, occasional babbling, theatrical behavior, and interesting people Thoughtful, considerate, curious, and even spunky, she's cordial enough that one might never guess there's yet another side to her. With her dander up Artemisia becomes far more impulsive, temperamental and inclined to violence. She's a believer in karmic justice, including paying violence against violence, but more than that she's a believer in Garudism, the beliefs practiced by Skybound that denounce humanity in favor of a pristine, natural world where the fittest survive. Her cult taught that any action in service to the cause is justified, and that outsiders would never understand. Weirder still, Artemisia has a thing for monster people, specifically people turned into monsters and the act of turning them. In these ways, her upbringing tinges her fundamental empathy with distinctly out-of-whack morals. Backstory: Tucked away in one corner of the vast and disparate lands that house the Free Cities of Ballas is a mountain like no other. Towering above its range, it reaches up, up, up into the clouds, and no other place in Atles boasts such a profundity of wind. It dances through the trees and across the jagged cliffs, singing and howling, and veins of air aldite course through the earth as its very lifeblood. From a colossal thermal vent in the mountain's heart an endless stream of warm wind pushes skyward, and pieces of the mountain float upon it. Upon this remote peak lie the sprawling village of the Skybound, a clandestine society dedicated to the worship of the primal being of air, Garuda. It was here that Artemisia was born. From her early years, in the manner of all children whose gifts in sorcery were identified by the village elders, she was trained in black magic. Like the others, her parents raised her as a wholehearted follower of Garudism, beloved guardian of ancient skies who ruled over all creation. The cult eschewed humanity, blaming them for the fall from the paradise that existed under the crystals and swearing revenge. They lived in isolation and fanaticism. Yet, she received something the other children didn't thanks to her father, an outsider captured by the Skybound but deemed unfit for Ascension. Rather than be subjected to other, less glamorous rituals, Solom found salvation at the hands of the woman who'd go on to become Artemisia's mother Essentia, who'd fallen for his wittiness, charm, and good looks. A deliveryman from a nearby kingdom, Solomon could visit the village and his daughter every so often, bringing goods to trade to endear himself to the locals while keeping up the guise of being a devoted Garudist. He helped reel her back from sinking too deep into the cult, and once in a while managed to sneak her away from the mountain atop his delivery roc to visit civilization. Her love for knowledge and drama bloomed during this time, and she longed to learn more of the outside world. But forces pulled her homeward, too. As she came of age she became involved in the Climb, the cult's longstanding practice of abduction and experimentation in order to bring about a successor to Garuda. After capturing outsiders, the cult's Skybound Seekers brought them before the elders, who would determine whether they would were fit for Ascension. The many who did not would be subjected to horrifying aldite experimentation, used as testbeds for the improvement of treatments designed to transform people into monstrous airborne fiends. The lucky few would undergo Ascension, mutated by the latest and greatest aldite treatments into the likeness of Garuda herself. Then the Skybound forced them to go up, to the peak of the mountain and beyond, higher than even the clouds, to the lofty island well beyond the reach of the mountain's thermals where legends tell the Crystal of Air once rested. None completed the ascent, but the Skybound labored on. It was only a matter of time until their formulas led them to a successor, Garuda reborn, fit to lead them in glorious revolution. Artemisia worked as an assistant to the mages who experimented on the unfit and eventually joined their ranks, inundating captives with aldite until they became Alters, then fiends. It made her skin crawl, but somehow it fascinated her all the more. Despite -or perhaps because of- the wrongness of it all, she'd discovered a deep-seeded passion for corrupting people into monsters, but that obsession led to her trying different amounts of different aldite to see what traits would arise. Her misuse of resources eventually led to her reassignment as a Seeker. Leaving the mountain behind, she set out into the world at last, her mission to keep an eye out for candidates she could collect return to the Skybound. Her journey took her across the land of Bellas and its Free Cities, visiting each in turn and bearing witness to their muriad wonders. Away from the cult and the intoxicating fumes of the labs and the mountain itself, Artemisia changed. Her fervor for Garuda and the rites of Ascension waned, replaced by her resurgent fascination with the cultures and creations of other societies. She could never deny the shadow of Garuda that hung over her, but Artemisia reasoned that the guardian -having already slept a millennia- could surely wait a little longer. She soon found herself traveling all over in search of interesting people, beasts, places, and the stories that surrounded them all. While Bellas contained enough points of interest for a lifetime, that troublesome necessity of money kept her working odd jobs, and one stuck her with a caravan that took her all the way north to Alexandria. As luck would have it, borders closed soon after she arrived. Trapped in an unknown city, she enlisted in the Hunters' Guild despite the risks for the good pay and ability to travel freely. (As a black mage she has a 'rod', which she uses in ways many might deep unconventional for a magician)</s> <\|message\|>Ianthe Ianthe Forests, were unfamiliar territory for Ianthe. Aside from the crops, Argo had been a fairly desolate place insofar as flora were concerned. And fauna. And people. Desolate of just about everything but bandits and fiends, really. But the unfamiliar beasts hanging in the guild hall hadn't dissuaded her, and a few trees certainly weren't going to, either. She hadn't fussed over the supplies too much. Potions and the like were standard, as Balder had mentioned, and while the aldite was a slight divergence from that, the stones were—practically speaking—entirely useless to her. Ianthe had seen magic only a few times, and most often it was wielded by whatever eleventh-rate mage the bandits could get their hands on, or by a traveling magician visiting the market towns. Neither had particularly impressed her, but then, being inept with the arcane herself, she wasn't exactly a good litmus for what was and was not "good" magic. Regardless of all that, the closest thing she had to slots in her arms and armor were the countless chips and dents riddling them. So the tiny gemstones stayed in their bag. Maybe they'd fetch a few extra coin when this was all over. She kept her sword sheathed as they walked, though her hand rested upon the hilt, and the shield strapped to her offhand was more important if they were going to be ambushed. There was something wrong to her about traveling with a naked blade, something almost feral, like an invitation to violence. Weapons put people on edge, that was half their job, in her mind, and it seemed like most of their group was wound up tightly enough as it was. She'd watched the tinker boy cobble together a few grenades, and that was entertaining, if completely beyond her. The spear-wielding girl joined her and Avaddon at the front with Balder, and that was pleasant. She was confident, like the rest, but less…abrasively. And that weapon, Ianthe guessed, had seen its share of uses. Behind them, among the parts of the party she and the others at Balder's side were meant to protect, Ianthe couldn't help but notice Luna looked…off. Nervous was the word, like the boy Edgar had seemed back at the hall. Now that they'd left the warmth of the city though, and the tinker no longer seemed as worked up, Luna was still the same, if not worse. Ianthe had made a point not to judge those who looked out of place, but it would have been beyond bad form to leave that sort of nervousness unaddressed. It was too bad she had absolutely no idea how to go about addressing it. Confident that the trio of Balder, Avaddon and Mitra could handle the front for the moment, Ianthe dropped back a few paces, beside Luna. She gave the girl a gentle nudge with her elbow, hoping not to spook her, and offered a reassuring thumbs-up. Or maybe it was more of an inquisitive thumbs-up. Or maybe it just seemed patronizing, and made her look like an asshole. Maybe it was an asshole thumbs-up. Words, Ianthe. You're a big girl. Use your words. "Hey," she offered. "Uhm…cool bow." Cool bow. Cool Bow. Cool Bow. Cool Bow. Cool Bow. Cool Bow. Cool Bow.</s> <\|message\|>Avaddon A v a d d o n "Same here for me, though given the nature of our target. . . it'll likely blend in with all of this greenery." Avaddon walked with Balder towards the head of the pack, finishing up the last few details of his own weapon maintenance. Rather than the battle gloves or tiger claws that many of his profession tended to go with, the Fabulian Monk wore only a set of hand-wraps. Tough ivory colored fabric clashed with the orange-red of his skin as it coiled around his hands and forearms, ending with a corded threat that hung down for his elbows. At the end of this cord sat the Aldite which he'd been given, casting a dull red glow as if it were a dying ember. Tightening his wraps with a single tug each, the large man gave a contented nod. As the group came to a halt, Avaddon took a relaxed stance, arms raised high and fingers curved inward in a clawed fashion. The first few strikes struck at naught but air, distorting it as it passed through due to the heat being generated by the Aldite placed in their sockets. Mostly satisfied at seeing that his wraps were functioning properly, the Monk would strike once more. This time, with a target in mind. The poor tree had no chance to defend itself as Avaddon's fingers tore into its bark, the acrid smell of burning wood flowing into the air as he left the strike to sit for a moment, then tearing the chunk of charred bark he'd created out, smiling in anticipation. Tossing the charred would back and forth in between his hands, he turned his attention out to the forest proper. With an almost nonchalant air, he tossed the charred lump out into the side forest, falling into a stance in tune to the soft rattle of his scales clattering against each other. This is what he loved more than anything else. . . the quiet before the storm, where everyone was on a razor's edge. He had nothing to say, nothing to proclaim, only a desire that was barely held back by his years of experience in the Fabul deserts. In situations like these, the one who acted first was the one who exposed the biggest opening.</s>	<\|message\|>Artemisia Though maybe mundane for the others, the journey to the woods kept Artemisia's wandering mind occupied. Unlike Alexandria natives or traveled mercenaries, after all, she was seeing this land for the first time. Something as simple as how commonfolk -both in the city and beyond- conducted their lives, or the pastoral scenes of this region's flora, interested her. One footstep at a time, she could fill in bits of the grand map of the world that floated about in her head. If she learned anything during her tour of the Free Cities and Bellas as a whole, it was that reality contained so much more than she could possibly imagine. To truly live, she felt sure, meant to experience that abundance. So she did not grow distant or bored, but she did grow something else, and it quickly became a problem. About halfway through, her breathing started to get heavier, and by three quarters she started wheezing. By the time the group came to a stop at the border of the uncommonly grim and foreboding forest, Artemisia was wheezing and sweating. "Guh!" she sputtered. "You all...certainly keep...a brisk pace." Straightening up, she took a few deep breaths. "Aah....ahh...ohh. Goodness." While pretty defenseless as she tried to recover, she figured one of the fighter-types was looking out for her. Otherwise, what were they good for? Only after composing herself did the mood of the place really settle in on her. Just peering between those murky trees tickled her fight-or-flight response, telling her survival instincts that perhaps some coins could be better earned elsewhere. She glanced at Balder for reassurance only to find a pall of apprehension floating over the team's veteran hunter like a dark cloud, which helped to tank her confidence. Things were not as they should be. Everyone could tell that, let alone feel it, but it seemed as though they would be advancing anyway. Small wonder about that meager life expectancy. It would be foolish not to expect a fight. As the others formed up, with the melee fighters constructing a reasonably sturdy front line and Avaddon in particular bullying a tree to show off, Artemisia hurried after them. Once close enough for comfort she rummaged around in her supply sack for the fragment of wind aldite, which she weighed in her hand and gave an expert's appraisal. A sigh and a shrug made clear her opinion on its quality, but nevertheless she pulled up her sleeve to pop the relatively worthless decorative quartz out of her bangle so she could insert the aldite instead. "Such an unwelcoming gloom typically portends the congregation of fiends," she advised. The others no doubt expected an attack to be a possibility, but Artemisia supposed she might as well confirm it just in case. While unhappy that further exertion seemed unavoidable, Artemisia kept a cool head. If forced to fight, her enemies would not find her wanting. The same couldn't be said for Luna, however, who wanted for more than a little calmness right now. Ianthe noticed it too, even going so far as to leave point duty to her fellows and fall back to give the archer some comfort. Artemisia couldn't help but wonder how comforting Luna found Ianthe's compliment, though. The farther in the group got, the less at ease the black mage became, little by little. "Whereee are youuuu....?" she whispered, scanning between the trees.</s>
<\|description\|>Artemisia Race: Human Age: 22 Class: Black Mage Place of Origin: Mount Osraphel, Bellas Personality: Quiet and dignified on the outside, even lazy at times, Artemisia isn't exactly outgoing, but in truth she's more than a little spirited. Her passions include knowledge -trivia in particular-, stories both personal and grandiose, and drama, and it's no surprise that those plus her good memory and quick wit incline her towards large words, formal speech, occasional babbling, theatrical behavior, and interesting people Thoughtful, considerate, curious, and even spunky, she's cordial enough that one might never guess there's yet another side to her. With her dander up Artemisia becomes far more impulsive, temperamental and inclined to violence. She's a believer in karmic justice, including paying violence against violence, but more than that she's a believer in Garudism, the beliefs practiced by Skybound that denounce humanity in favor of a pristine, natural world where the fittest survive. Her cult taught that any action in service to the cause is justified, and that outsiders would never understand. Weirder still, Artemisia has a thing for monster people, specifically people turned into monsters and the act of turning them. In these ways, her upbringing tinges her fundamental empathy with distinctly out-of-whack morals. Backstory: Tucked away in one corner of the vast and disparate lands that house the Free Cities of Ballas is a mountain like no other. Towering above its range, it reaches up, up, up into the clouds, and no other place in Atles boasts such a profundity of wind. It dances through the trees and across the jagged cliffs, singing and howling, and veins of air aldite course through the earth as its very lifeblood. From a colossal thermal vent in the mountain's heart an endless stream of warm wind pushes skyward, and pieces of the mountain float upon it. Upon this remote peak lie the sprawling village of the Skybound, a clandestine society dedicated to the worship of the primal being of air, Garuda. It was here that Artemisia was born. From her early years, in the manner of all children whose gifts in sorcery were identified by the village elders, she was trained in black magic. Like the others, her parents raised her as a wholehearted follower of Garudism, beloved guardian of ancient skies who ruled over all creation. The cult eschewed humanity, blaming them for the fall from the paradise that existed under the crystals and swearing revenge. They lived in isolation and fanaticism. Yet, she received something the other children didn't thanks to her father, an outsider captured by the Skybound but deemed unfit for Ascension. Rather than be subjected to other, less glamorous rituals, Solom found salvation at the hands of the woman who'd go on to become Artemisia's mother Essentia, who'd fallen for his wittiness, charm, and good looks. A deliveryman from a nearby kingdom, Solomon could visit the village and his daughter every so often, bringing goods to trade to endear himself to the locals while keeping up the guise of being a devoted Garudist. He helped reel her back from sinking too deep into the cult, and once in a while managed to sneak her away from the mountain atop his delivery roc to visit civilization. Her love for knowledge and drama bloomed during this time, and she longed to learn more of the outside world. But forces pulled her homeward, too. As she came of age she became involved in the Climb, the cult's longstanding practice of abduction and experimentation in order to bring about a successor to Garuda. After capturing outsiders, the cult's Skybound Seekers brought them before the elders, who would determine whether they would were fit for Ascension. The many who did not would be subjected to horrifying aldite experimentation, used as testbeds for the improvement of treatments designed to transform people into monstrous airborne fiends. The lucky few would undergo Ascension, mutated by the latest and greatest aldite treatments into the likeness of Garuda herself. Then the Skybound forced them to go up, to the peak of the mountain and beyond, higher than even the clouds, to the lofty island well beyond the reach of the mountain's thermals where legends tell the Crystal of Air once rested. None completed the ascent, but the Skybound labored on. It was only a matter of time until their formulas led them to a successor, Garuda reborn, fit to lead them in glorious revolution. Artemisia worked as an assistant to the mages who experimented on the unfit and eventually joined their ranks, inundating captives with aldite until they became Alters, then fiends. It made her skin crawl, but somehow it fascinated her all the more. Despite -or perhaps because of- the wrongness of it all, she'd discovered a deep-seeded passion for corrupting people into monsters, but that obsession led to her trying different amounts of different aldite to see what traits would arise. Her misuse of resources eventually led to her reassignment as a Seeker. Leaving the mountain behind, she set out into the world at last, her mission to keep an eye out for candidates she could collect return to the Skybound. Her journey took her across the land of Bellas and its Free Cities, visiting each in turn and bearing witness to their muriad wonders. Away from the cult and the intoxicating fumes of the labs and the mountain itself, Artemisia changed. Her fervor for Garuda and the rites of Ascension waned, replaced by her resurgent fascination with the cultures and creations of other societies. She could never deny the shadow of Garuda that hung over her, but Artemisia reasoned that the guardian -having already slept a millennia- could surely wait a little longer. She soon found herself traveling all over in search of interesting people, beasts, places, and the stories that surrounded them all. While Bellas contained enough points of interest for a lifetime, that troublesome necessity of money kept her working odd jobs, and one stuck her with a caravan that took her all the way north to Alexandria. As luck would have it, borders closed soon after she arrived. Trapped in an unknown city, she enlisted in the Hunters' Guild despite the risks for the good pay and ability to travel freely. (As a black mage she has a 'rod', which she uses in ways many might deep unconventional for a magician)</s> <\|message\|>Dentrisica Era Banecroft Ferris Wood \| Winding Paths --- "Mhm." While the blonde's response was cheerful and polite, Mitra felt it a certain yet different way. She had known the Red Mage once in her life and seeing him in the guild hall had caused a certain feeling rise up in her gut. It was one of the reasons she rushed to introduce herself as Mitra and not her trueborn name. She didn't like people knowing things she didn't want them to know. There were other reasons that she chose to keep her responses to Blaike minimal and playfully antagonistic throughout the journey from the guild hall to the Ferris Woods. History. Feelings left unresolved. If she was somewhere private she might've screamed into the void, her frustration about the situation incomparable to anything else. But just as the Red Mage knew Mitra's true name she also knew his and it certainly wasn't Fremont. He had been born with a much more flowery and pretentious name. Full of titles and everything. She couldn't believe he was standing there. He hadn't explained anything. He was too busy grandstanding like he did when they were kids to care. It was whatever. What was the likelihood she'd have to pal around with him as the token Red Mage forever? "Just looking for miniboros, like I said."</s> <\|message\|>Luna Cadewyn --- --- Rioting cabbages, how humorous! Luna was greatly amused by the little joke, unable to contain a giggle as she pictured the monsters as vegetables. On hearing the name, Luna's eyes widened, an odd shine to them as the knight introduced herself. Before she could respond, however, the dragoon--Mitra?--asked if she had any experience with her weapon. Luna deflated slightly, her jaw working as she wondered if she should admit her experience, or lack thereof. But what if she was asked to stay behind? Hiding it didn't seem right, either. What a conundrum. Fortunately, the red mage--Blaike, yes she was sure of that one--spoke, taking the attention away from her. Luna returned his smile, looking back at Ianthe as he focused on Mitra. She put on a grin, absolutely ecstatic as she practically hopped along. "Your name is like the flower! How pretty!" Luna exclaimed without really thinking, immediately launching into an explanation. "Well, the word itself translates into 'a flower of purple color' and there are a few species of violet colored flowers that fall under that category, but it's better known as a species of butterfly: the Pseudoneptis bugandensis ianthe. Except, I never quite understood it because the butterfly seemed to be more a shade of indigo than a violet color? At least from the pictures I've seen in the library, but if I ever run into one while we are out here, I'd love nothing more than to properly discern its color." At the very end, she fell silent as she looked around. She didn't think that they would see any while here if she was honest. Animals had a tendency to avoid the miasma, although whether it was instinct or the up-rise in fiends was up to debate. Poor creatures, having their home invaded. She gasped as she realized she forgot to respond to the other half of Ianthe's statement, waving the bow around a touch. "Songs are my forte, believe it or not! I've played the harp since I could reach and pluck the strings. Mother said it was a dignified talent to learn," Luna swelled with pride as she spoke. "My tutors spent plenty of time teaching me archery as well, and I greatly enjoyed shooting while on horseback!" Luna paused for a moment, deflating again as she looked downwards. "...although, I admit this would be the first time I've used both skills in conjunction..." She admitted sheepishly. "B-But I won't be a burden! I swear!" ---</s>	<\|message\|>Artemisia As the group of hunters advanced, the atmosphere of the forest surrounding them continued to be more than a little impressive, but it didn't exactly get any worse, at least not at any noticeable speed. Nothing jumped out at them just yet, so Artemisia's rising apprehension started to even out. Still, she couldn't exactly start her mind wandering at a time like this, so she contented herself with listening to the dialogue between dainty Luna and her new lady knight friend. Despite the circumstances, the mention of Luna's bow seemed to lift her spirits, her manner quite casual all of a sudden. The knightess replied in kind, also pretty lighthearted if a little forced. Is she trying to break the tension? Because it's working. She even went as far as to introduce herself, offering a rare and nice-sounding name that made Artemisia think. Toward the other side of the party, the spearmaiden and swordsman exchanged a few curt phrases, their 'conversation' as succinct as it was unsatisfying. As such Artemisia turned her attention back to the others, just in time for Luna's bright, excited voice to ring out through the woodlands in a far-too-cheerful examination of the name, revealing it to be both a name for a butterfly and a flower. The black mage didn't mind, though, since random facts like that never failed to capture her attention. "Hm, is that a fact?" In addition, the thought of such a formidable and stolid-looking lady knight having such a cute and girly name made Artemisia giggle. Almost like an expression of inner beauty and whimsy, buried deep down under all that discipline and muscle. If she's got a reputation to uphold, she might keep that name hidden away beneath that armor too, sharing it with only those she trusts to see her true self. Wait, no, she just told it to a bunch of strangers. Almost getting so sidetracked that she stopped paying attention, Artemisia tuned back in just in time to realize that whether she meant it or not Luna was saying something else, aside from that she knew a lot about organisms. Whoa, she grew up with access to a library? She might have lived in a big city like Civitas Miribilia. But who's a tutor? Some kind of teacher? Not wanting to come off like the uneducated mountain yokel she technically was, though, the black mage kept quiet. Instead, since there seemed to be no monsters around at the moment and nobody said to be quiet, she decided to repay Luna's trivia with some of her own. That meant trampling right over the girl's rather childish lack of self-assurance, of course, but that was hardly her fault. We're not a support group, after all. "If you know that, you probably know about the plant I'm named after too. Well, less plant and more family of plants. Worts, sagebrushes, sage, wormwood, even tarragon. Not exactly flowers, I'll give you that, but still plenty good. Strong odor, strong flavor, strong all around. We don't die easy." She crossed her arms, looking proud herself. "Plus, you get absinthe and vermouth from the stuff. Pretty cool, right?" The whole time she neglected to mention her name, but if Luna knew her stuff she might even be able to guess it. Artemisia, however, gave her only a few moments before fixing her with an innocently inquisitive look. If Luna wanted to chat, she ought to experience an expert, and though no doubt a woman of many talents Ianthe wasn't cutting it. "Almost as cool as someone with libraries, and tutors, and fortes who goes shooting for enjoyment becoming a monster hunter, huh? You must be a real natural talent. What's your story?" Sure, she was putting Luna on the spot, but Artemisia's voice held no hostility. As a connoisseur of stories, she wanted to learn what made the girl tick.</s>
<\|description\|>Artemisia Race: Human Age: 22 Class: Black Mage Place of Origin: Mount Osraphel, Bellas Personality: Quiet and dignified on the outside, even lazy at times, Artemisia isn't exactly outgoing, but in truth she's more than a little spirited. Her passions include knowledge -trivia in particular-, stories both personal and grandiose, and drama, and it's no surprise that those plus her good memory and quick wit incline her towards large words, formal speech, occasional babbling, theatrical behavior, and interesting people Thoughtful, considerate, curious, and even spunky, she's cordial enough that one might never guess there's yet another side to her. With her dander up Artemisia becomes far more impulsive, temperamental and inclined to violence. She's a believer in karmic justice, including paying violence against violence, but more than that she's a believer in Garudism, the beliefs practiced by Skybound that denounce humanity in favor of a pristine, natural world where the fittest survive. Her cult taught that any action in service to the cause is justified, and that outsiders would never understand. Weirder still, Artemisia has a thing for monster people, specifically people turned into monsters and the act of turning them. In these ways, her upbringing tinges her fundamental empathy with distinctly out-of-whack morals. Backstory: Tucked away in one corner of the vast and disparate lands that house the Free Cities of Ballas is a mountain like no other. Towering above its range, it reaches up, up, up into the clouds, and no other place in Atles boasts such a profundity of wind. It dances through the trees and across the jagged cliffs, singing and howling, and veins of air aldite course through the earth as its very lifeblood. From a colossal thermal vent in the mountain's heart an endless stream of warm wind pushes skyward, and pieces of the mountain float upon it. Upon this remote peak lie the sprawling village of the Skybound, a clandestine society dedicated to the worship of the primal being of air, Garuda. It was here that Artemisia was born. From her early years, in the manner of all children whose gifts in sorcery were identified by the village elders, she was trained in black magic. Like the others, her parents raised her as a wholehearted follower of Garudism, beloved guardian of ancient skies who ruled over all creation. The cult eschewed humanity, blaming them for the fall from the paradise that existed under the crystals and swearing revenge. They lived in isolation and fanaticism. Yet, she received something the other children didn't thanks to her father, an outsider captured by the Skybound but deemed unfit for Ascension. Rather than be subjected to other, less glamorous rituals, Solom found salvation at the hands of the woman who'd go on to become Artemisia's mother Essentia, who'd fallen for his wittiness, charm, and good looks. A deliveryman from a nearby kingdom, Solomon could visit the village and his daughter every so often, bringing goods to trade to endear himself to the locals while keeping up the guise of being a devoted Garudist. He helped reel her back from sinking too deep into the cult, and once in a while managed to sneak her away from the mountain atop his delivery roc to visit civilization. Her love for knowledge and drama bloomed during this time, and she longed to learn more of the outside world. But forces pulled her homeward, too. As she came of age she became involved in the Climb, the cult's longstanding practice of abduction and experimentation in order to bring about a successor to Garuda. After capturing outsiders, the cult's Skybound Seekers brought them before the elders, who would determine whether they would were fit for Ascension. The many who did not would be subjected to horrifying aldite experimentation, used as testbeds for the improvement of treatments designed to transform people into monstrous airborne fiends. The lucky few would undergo Ascension, mutated by the latest and greatest aldite treatments into the likeness of Garuda herself. Then the Skybound forced them to go up, to the peak of the mountain and beyond, higher than even the clouds, to the lofty island well beyond the reach of the mountain's thermals where legends tell the Crystal of Air once rested. None completed the ascent, but the Skybound labored on. It was only a matter of time until their formulas led them to a successor, Garuda reborn, fit to lead them in glorious revolution. Artemisia worked as an assistant to the mages who experimented on the unfit and eventually joined their ranks, inundating captives with aldite until they became Alters, then fiends. It made her skin crawl, but somehow it fascinated her all the more. Despite -or perhaps because of- the wrongness of it all, she'd discovered a deep-seeded passion for corrupting people into monsters, but that obsession led to her trying different amounts of different aldite to see what traits would arise. Her misuse of resources eventually led to her reassignment as a Seeker. Leaving the mountain behind, she set out into the world at last, her mission to keep an eye out for candidates she could collect return to the Skybound. Her journey took her across the land of Bellas and its Free Cities, visiting each in turn and bearing witness to their muriad wonders. Away from the cult and the intoxicating fumes of the labs and the mountain itself, Artemisia changed. Her fervor for Garuda and the rites of Ascension waned, replaced by her resurgent fascination with the cultures and creations of other societies. She could never deny the shadow of Garuda that hung over her, but Artemisia reasoned that the guardian -having already slept a millennia- could surely wait a little longer. She soon found herself traveling all over in search of interesting people, beasts, places, and the stories that surrounded them all. While Bellas contained enough points of interest for a lifetime, that troublesome necessity of money kept her working odd jobs, and one stuck her with a caravan that took her all the way north to Alexandria. As luck would have it, borders closed soon after she arrived. Trapped in an unknown city, she enlisted in the Hunters' Guild despite the risks for the good pay and ability to travel freely. (As a black mage she has a 'rod', which she uses in ways many might deep unconventional for a magician)</s> <\|message\|>Dentrisica Era Banecroft Ferris Wood \| Winding Paths --- "Wait." Mitra uttered, as she peered through her side of the woods. "Rushing ahead isn't smart. The proctor is right. It's better to get ambushed as a group than be down two people." As observant as Blaike seemed to be, there were things that he didn't pick up on. Mitra knew this about him due to her prior history with the Red Mage, a history that he kept trying to subtly remind her of with his inane comments and ridiculous grandstanding before the mist had set in between their feet. Her hands gripped her weapon tighter, her curiosity with the creatures compounded with her own nerves. Miniboros were supposed to be impulsive as the proctor said. She had never read or heard of a situation where they fled from any party of adventurers. The proctor was dumbfounded, inevitably more experienced than she was; if he had been taken off guard by this action then something was up and no amount of Blaike's arrogance was going to help the situation any. She wanted to more boldly reprimand him, but she kept her words brief and under the pretense of friendliness. "This isn't a research lab or classroom, Mr. Red Mage. Don't do something dumb!"</s> <\|message\|>Luna Cadewyn --- --- Luna frowned at Mitra's comment, although she had to admit it did embarrass her a little. She was right, this wasn't supposed to be a day trip, even if she found herself greatly enjoying the group's company. Still, she didn't mean to be a distraction. When she decided to apologize, however, the appearance of the miniboro caused her to jump. That was what they were hunting? It was so cute! Now she saw why Ianthe had referred to it as a cabbage, she definitely saw the resemblance, and the sight made her giggle again. Rioting cabbage, indeed! Once it fled the scene, however, it seemed to confuse Balder. Its behavior was erratic, and Luna found herself starting to worry again. An attack from any direction? That couldn't be good, could it? She didn't have much time to think on that, audibly wincing as she felt something sharp behind her. Her hand flew to the back of her head as she titled her head downwards and squeezed her eyes shut, as if trying to get away from the sensation, but the pain felt like something was trying to drive something in. Opening her eyes, she gasped as she saw the mist pooling at their feet. "That's--" Luna looked up with wide, panicked eyes. "W-We need to leave--the miasma--" She winced again, grabbing her head with both hands. "We must leave the forest at once--we are in grave danger!" ---</s> <\|message\|>Ianthe Ianthe Well, that couldn't be good. In her admittedly numbered years, Ianthe had seen men turn tail and flee when faced with greater numbers or a lost cause. Wild animals, too, shared a similar instinct for self-preservation. Fiends, however…fiends didn't care if they died, they hardly cared that they were alive in the first place. Fiends didn't run. Luna hissed beside her, flinching as if she'd been struck. Ianthe whirled, shield raised, putting Luna between herself and the other front-liners. Artemisia, while some steps away, was at least still standing and apparently unharmed. Ianthe kept her in her peripherals as she scanned the backend for whatever might have struck their nervous archer. Her hand, gripping the hilt of the blade at her side, still hesitated to draw it. Not yet, she thought. Split hands, split mind. Wait. Wait 'til it's needed. But nothing came. The fog grew heavier, sinking to the earth and pooling at their feet, but there was no sign of their assailant. She made a quick, sharp hiss to Artemisia, nodding for her to come closer to the group. Something told her the mysterious woman had more than a few tricks of up those viridian sleeves, and they'd need the arms still attached to make use of them. Blaike, who she saw with the steadiest flick of her eyes was within comfortable reach of Mitra, put forth the idea that they split up, and Ianthe nearly broke form to gawk at him. She supposed under normal circumstances, that might have carried some merit. Splitting up against human foes was, well, suicidal at best—and, really, at worst—but fiends had no mind for strategy, or lack thereof, and could perhaps have been…surprised? But these were clearly not normal fiends, which only made the need for closeness even more pressing. Whatever science he had studied in Alexandria, it had not been the science of war. Luna winced again, and Ianthe adjusted, cursing herself for missing yet another strike. Only, no, there had been no attack. Luna wasn't injured, she was…oh, dear. "Easy, easy," Ianthe offered, quiet and gentle-like, as she'd spoken to a few of Argo's more nervous defenders in the past. "We've got you. String up that harp."</s>	<\|message\|>Artemisia Well, that turned out to be pretty easy. Artemisia couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. This Luna really knew her stuff; the black mage liked her random facts, but she wasn't a walking encyclopedia like this girl seemed to be. Then again, Arty reasoned, such talents wouldn't serve her well in a fight, and all that precious knowledge would go to waste if Luna became mulch for the local megaflora. Before she did, though, Artemisia wanted to hear about her past. On this count too, however, Luna disappointed her. She kept things vague -purposefully vague- and only admitted she came from a life of luxury, which at this point served to do nothing but confirm the obvious. After a quick and slightly worrisome turn in the direction of angst Luna ended up deflecting, trying to turn the question back on her fellow hunters-to-be. Artemisia's mind was elsewhere. "Goodness, how many well-to-do scions leaving behind a life of security and privilege to go on a grand adventure does this group have?" Blaike already fit the bill, but she looked around at the others in turn expectantly for the sake of her joke, never suspecting a thing. Few others seemed inclined to answer Luna's question either. Mitra spoke up somewhat quickly, reminding Luna that the party was indeed on a dangerous mission. The half-elezen might have forgotten, but despite her own participation Artemisia had been keeping it in mind. Her general unease kept her muscles tensed, ready to fire off a spell at the first sign of danger. After Mitra's suggestion the group fell quiet, keeping a silent vigil until its leader murmured that he might have made a mistake. No, really? she thought, tuning out Blaike's attempt to get in on the conversation. We find an unusually dark and ominous forest where things aren't as they should be, waltz in anyway, and suddenly we're having second thoughts. You're a fool, and we're fools for following you. This is how horror stories start. And now we're in the rising action. A moment later a monster emerged from the brush, with neither pomp nor ceremony, and Artemisia's dark expression turned to one of surprise. "Aha!" She would have busted out a blast of magic if Balder, Avaddon, and Ianthe weren't standing directly in her way. Before she could re-position, the miniboro beat it, leaving as fast as it came, and leaving Artemisia to stare at the bushes curiously. "Odd..." Balder did well enough to explain the strangeness of the situation, stacking another layer on the already-teetering tower of reasons why the group shouldn't be here. Blaike went ahead and got the inevitable suggestion of splitting up out of the way, which was another horror story classic. Luckily cooler heads prevailed; there would be no getting picked off one or two at a time today. Ianthe urged Artemisia to get closer, and she complied without complaint. It didn't take long for Artemisia to notice a change in the air. Mist began to pool across the ground, and before long it blanketed the forest floor, hiding the already-dubious path from sight. Well, that's bad. As long as the team had the path, they could at least retrace their steps backward to get out, but that window was closing quickly. They could all be trapped in here forest, doomed to wander the dark forest as forgotten spirits forevermore. Well, all of them save Artemisia, who could airboost above the canopy and 'fly' to safety. Just as the black mage thought about doing that, Luna clutched her head in pain. Like Ianthe the black mage assumed she'd been hit by something, but a quick look at her head turned up no wound, not so much as a blotch of discoloration on that lustrous, silky hair. She's going batty, Artemisia hypothesized while Luna warned that everyone was in great danger. "Well, obviously. But it's a bit late for that," Arty said, her voice dry. "Can't see the path anymore."</s>
<\|description\|>Artemisia Race: Human Age: 22 Class: Black Mage Place of Origin: Mount Osraphel, Bellas Personality: Quiet and dignified on the outside, even lazy at times, Artemisia isn't exactly outgoing, but in truth she's more than a little spirited. Her passions include knowledge -trivia in particular-, stories both personal and grandiose, and drama, and it's no surprise that those plus her good memory and quick wit incline her towards large words, formal speech, occasional babbling, theatrical behavior, and interesting people Thoughtful, considerate, curious, and even spunky, she's cordial enough that one might never guess there's yet another side to her. With her dander up Artemisia becomes far more impulsive, temperamental and inclined to violence. She's a believer in karmic justice, including paying violence against violence, but more than that she's a believer in Garudism, the beliefs practiced by Skybound that denounce humanity in favor of a pristine, natural world where the fittest survive. Her cult taught that any action in service to the cause is justified, and that outsiders would never understand. Weirder still, Artemisia has a thing for monster people, specifically people turned into monsters and the act of turning them. In these ways, her upbringing tinges her fundamental empathy with distinctly out-of-whack morals. Backstory: Tucked away in one corner of the vast and disparate lands that house the Free Cities of Ballas is a mountain like no other. Towering above its range, it reaches up, up, up into the clouds, and no other place in Atles boasts such a profundity of wind. It dances through the trees and across the jagged cliffs, singing and howling, and veins of air aldite course through the earth as its very lifeblood. From a colossal thermal vent in the mountain's heart an endless stream of warm wind pushes skyward, and pieces of the mountain float upon it. Upon this remote peak lie the sprawling village of the Skybound, a clandestine society dedicated to the worship of the primal being of air, Garuda. It was here that Artemisia was born. From her early years, in the manner of all children whose gifts in sorcery were identified by the village elders, she was trained in black magic. Like the others, her parents raised her as a wholehearted follower of Garudism, beloved guardian of ancient skies who ruled over all creation. The cult eschewed humanity, blaming them for the fall from the paradise that existed under the crystals and swearing revenge. They lived in isolation and fanaticism. Yet, she received something the other children didn't thanks to her father, an outsider captured by the Skybound but deemed unfit for Ascension. Rather than be subjected to other, less glamorous rituals, Solom found salvation at the hands of the woman who'd go on to become Artemisia's mother Essentia, who'd fallen for his wittiness, charm, and good looks. A deliveryman from a nearby kingdom, Solomon could visit the village and his daughter every so often, bringing goods to trade to endear himself to the locals while keeping up the guise of being a devoted Garudist. He helped reel her back from sinking too deep into the cult, and once in a while managed to sneak her away from the mountain atop his delivery roc to visit civilization. Her love for knowledge and drama bloomed during this time, and she longed to learn more of the outside world. But forces pulled her homeward, too. As she came of age she became involved in the Climb, the cult's longstanding practice of abduction and experimentation in order to bring about a successor to Garuda. After capturing outsiders, the cult's Skybound Seekers brought them before the elders, who would determine whether they would were fit for Ascension. The many who did not would be subjected to horrifying aldite experimentation, used as testbeds for the improvement of treatments designed to transform people into monstrous airborne fiends. The lucky few would undergo Ascension, mutated by the latest and greatest aldite treatments into the likeness of Garuda herself. Then the Skybound forced them to go up, to the peak of the mountain and beyond, higher than even the clouds, to the lofty island well beyond the reach of the mountain's thermals where legends tell the Crystal of Air once rested. None completed the ascent, but the Skybound labored on. It was only a matter of time until their formulas led them to a successor, Garuda reborn, fit to lead them in glorious revolution. Artemisia worked as an assistant to the mages who experimented on the unfit and eventually joined their ranks, inundating captives with aldite until they became Alters, then fiends. It made her skin crawl, but somehow it fascinated her all the more. Despite -or perhaps because of- the wrongness of it all, she'd discovered a deep-seeded passion for corrupting people into monsters, but that obsession led to her trying different amounts of different aldite to see what traits would arise. Her misuse of resources eventually led to her reassignment as a Seeker. Leaving the mountain behind, she set out into the world at last, her mission to keep an eye out for candidates she could collect return to the Skybound. Her journey took her across the land of Bellas and its Free Cities, visiting each in turn and bearing witness to their muriad wonders. Away from the cult and the intoxicating fumes of the labs and the mountain itself, Artemisia changed. Her fervor for Garuda and the rites of Ascension waned, replaced by her resurgent fascination with the cultures and creations of other societies. She could never deny the shadow of Garuda that hung over her, but Artemisia reasoned that the guardian -having already slept a millennia- could surely wait a little longer. She soon found herself traveling all over in search of interesting people, beasts, places, and the stories that surrounded them all. While Bellas contained enough points of interest for a lifetime, that troublesome necessity of money kept her working odd jobs, and one stuck her with a caravan that took her all the way north to Alexandria. As luck would have it, borders closed soon after she arrived. Trapped in an unknown city, she enlisted in the Hunters' Guild despite the risks for the good pay and ability to travel freely. (As a black mage she has a 'rod', which she uses in ways many might deep unconventional for a magician)</s> <\|message\|>Nyan [ Streets of Alexandria ] [ Nyan's Theme ] --- The streets were said to be unforgiving. The streets were the repository for the trash that was cast out by society, become the last refuge of the downtrodden and the damned. Oddly enough, the young kit had always found that the people living on the streets were often far more welcoming than those who held themselves as society's betters. Those were unmistakable fixtures in any city anywhere. People passing by, wearing clothes that cost more than any one of these beggars might see in a year, or even a lifetime, with noses upturned and their gazes diverted. What an eye sore, that people might have such poor taste as to be poor in their presence. To be completely honest, the young Miqo'te wasn't even certain from just what city he'd even arrived. He'd hopped from one merchant caravan to another on the road, passing through what had seemed like more of a trading post than an actual town, and then arrived at the gates only to discover that this was the storied Kingdom of Alexandria. The white haired kit was resplendent in the finest cloak no money could buy -- stitched together from stained and discarded sackcloth. It was not much to look at. Neither, for that matter, was he. But it suited him well enough. Seated an upended, broken pull-cart, the boy's tunic was similarly the mark of a pauper, being a patch-work garment. The black tips of his ears were not the only dark marks, as soot and dirt clearly betrayed the fact that the youth had been traveling for a bit and not seen a bath in as many days. If not weeks. As it had happened, the kit had stumbled upon a boy perhaps two summers younger than he, who had belonged to a family that was turned out on the street. While they hadn't had enough porridge for themselves, let alone to share, but they had broken bread with him. It was stale, with mold that had to be scraped off, but they'd shown him a baker in town who could be relied on to make available what he didn't sell. The kit had an eye on several carts that seemed to be getting loaded. There were likely to be one or more caravans that would be departing for destinations unknown. The boy didn't know that he planned to stay in Alexandria long enough to appreciate the baker's stale gift to the city's poor, but it was still nice to know where there existed the option of a free meal. Even if one had to scrape the mold off it beforehand. That was certainly preferable to rummaging a meal from out of the rubbish piles, which the destitute were apt to due when all pride had left and there remained no alternative. But, life was all about capitalizing on the alternatives. And with a city this size, there were apt to be merchants of all manner. Who likely had things of value, which could get misplaced or otherwise become both lost and found. Yes, maybe before he had to leave the city, he'd have the opportunity to make a slight withdrawal. After all, where he was going, it never hurt to have some capital. ...even if he had no idea just where he might be going. Details. He'd figure it out when he got there. Wherever. Maybe even home to Bellas, though that seemed a more fleeting possibility the more he hopped from caravan to caravan.</s> <\|message\|>Luna Cadewyn --- --- The streets of Alexandria were a lot different than Luna had imagined, albeit she blamed her uneasiness on the day's events. It didn't seem like her attempt at her spell had caused much of a commotion, fortunately, so that was one less thing to worry about. Still, there was an uneasiness that gripped her, like a cold chill had draped itself around her. She supposed it didn't help that she felt like she was being buried in her thoughts, a multitude of possibilities running through her mind. The rise in monsters, the black crystals--this one was so close to Alexandria that it worried her, but what could she do? Letting out a sigh, it took Luna a moment to realize she had completely bypassed the shops. Oh, how careless of her, she really needed to pay better attention. As she looked around to see where she had ended up, she noticed the crowd had gathered by the fountain. Strange, she didn't think there would be any proclamations today. But the sound of bells and coins clinking together made her think they were watching something interesting, and she ended up quietly making her way around to get a better look. A blond miqo'te stood out among the citizens, striking out among his surroundings in a blaze of blue--though she couldn't help but think he would have stood out even if he wasn't the one everyone was watching--dancing with such fluid movement that it reminded her of fabric fluttering in the breeze. A lame comparison, sure, but in the moment she really couldn't think of anything better. The way he moved was mesmerizing, the way he manipulated the fans adding a sort of zest that captured the attention of the people watching. Luna blinked slowly, admittedly drawn in by the style--that was nothing like anything she had ever seen before. That said, she was so drawn in that only when the crowd erupted into applause did she realize she was still staring at the miqo'te, jumping slightly but hastily clapping along as well. What a show! ---</s>	<\|message\|>Artemisia With a contented sigh, Artemisia sank back in her chair. This was no high-brow establishment, the food wasn't anything special, and the furniture was leaning toward shoddy, but right now it felt like heaven. She couldn't remember the last time she felt full. The budget of a traveling sightseer seldom impressed, and fewer people bought her food than one might think, so despite the appearance she groomed of a sophisticated mage, she missed meals with regularity. Looking at her situation realistically, one could be forgiven for labeling the woman a hobo. Now, however, she felt like a queen. And with all the money she raked in from monster hunting, she didn't just need to get by, no; she could afford to spoil herself. In no kind of rush, Artemisia took her time raking up every last crumb of her meal before draining her cup and heading for the door. Nobody seemed to pay her much mind aside from the usual looks and such, which sat just right with her. If she didn't need anything, the particular attention of strangers spelled nothing but trouble. As she rejoined the bustling throng of folk making their way through the streets, she became aware of some sort of commotion a ways off. A crowd gathered, but there didn't seem to be any sign of violence. Curious, the black mage made sure her coinpurse was well covered before setting a course for the assembly. Well before she saw the source of the intrigue, Artemisia could hear his sounds and feel the energy. Some manner of wizardry? she wondered, her interest piqued all the more. Bit by bit she worked her way into the crowd, and before long she spotted the source. A whirligig of silks and coins, frolicking upon the precipice of the square's fountain, lighter than air—a dancer was hard at work making grace look easy. A male dancer. Most of the dancers she spotted in the Free Cities had been winsome females, prying coins from the hands of men with lecherous eyes. Now, however, Artemisia found herself hard-pressed to look away. Unlike the hapless commonfolk clustered here, she could sense the magic in the air to an extent and knew there was a little more going on than met the eye. A long as she didn't start feeling inclined to start spilling the contents of her purse over the cobblestones, though, she figured there wasn't much harm. Besides, I came to this city to see the sights. It would be wasteful if I failed to check out all of him—them, rather. She crossed her arms and watched on, clapping when necessary, unaware of Luna's presence.</s>
<\|description\|>Ianthe Race Human Age 22 Class Fighter Place of Origin Alexandria Personality -More like PaciFIST -Honor or gtfo -Talk is cheap, but medicants are expensive -Respect and provide for your peasantry so I know it's real -I want to like you, but I don't have to like you to tank for you -Sword and Bored -If I hear the words "proper lineage" or "unfit for knighthood" one more time I am going to snap -The strong who don't protect the weak are weak themselves -Motivate don't dictate -Just a small town girl -Don't have to worry about having big shoes to fill if your family can't afford shoes Backstory Growing up along Alexandria's border, Ianthe learned early what it was like being invisible. Argo was a small village of only a dozen or so families, most of which were farmers. Ianthe's parents maintained meager if consistent crops, and made their living at the markets of bigger towns. The Alexandrian regency only ever remembered them when the levies were due, and the soldiers came knocking, equal parts expectant and disdainful of the place and its people. They didn't care whether the harvests were barren or bounteous, they didn't care if the bandits had come through and left them empty, the payment could be coin, it could be property, it could be conscription, so long as the crown received its due. The bandits who trolled the edge of the Free Cities, fearing no retaliation, had fallen into a routine with Argo. They came, they took, and if they felt generous, they left enough for the levies. The fiends had no mind for negotiation, and though they came more rarely, their attacks never went without casualty. When it became clear that no help was coming, no matter how desperate Argo's pleas, most of the families resigned themselves to their fate. Not Ianthe. They didn't have weapons, really. Farm tools and slabs of wood bound with rope were just about all she had to work with, at first. She was tough, weathered even as a girl, and put up enough of a fight against the smaller bands to drive them off. She gathered scraps of armor and shoddy old swords this way, which came in handy, because meeting fiends with nothing but an old scythe and hammer wasn't going to cut it. Hell, the bandits' rusty swords and roughshod armor only just had her scraping by. Iron and steel sated the taxmen just fine, and the viscera of fiends pulled interest at the markets, which meant that Argo was, for the first time, making a profit. As Ianthe grew older, the bandits grew indignant and sparse, the fiends only grew fiercer, and the international relations grew tense, but by gods were the levies as steady as the day she was born. People had begun noticing Argo's greater contributions to the markets, and eventually word began to spread of Ianthe and the few villagers who had taken up Argo's defense alongside her, too stubborn to just roll over and let fate befall them. Merchants tried to hire her on for protection, mercenary bands offered her more money than Argo had paid since she was a child, even the regency came asking after her enlistment, citing her duty to the crown, and to the people of Alexandria. It was the Hunters Guild that intrigued her. Ianthe, admittedly, was not very adventurous. She had a small life in a small home, and had spent most of her years focused on protecting it. The Hunters Guild, however, was genuine in a way that she admired: it wasn't about debt, or civic duty, it was just about keeping people safe. She understood that, she respected that, but she couldn't reconcile leaving home for it. Not until the borders shut, suddenly and almost inexplicably, and the levies increased. It seemed as though Alexandria had entered into some sort of national emergency, perhaps even all of Atles. It was then she realized that Argo had overestimated its profits. With the borders shut, that meant the Free City markets and bandits were gone, which left only the distant Alexandrian markets, whose competition had only grown fiercer. They could bring crops, but they couldn't match prices. Soon they would be back where they started, penniless and at the mercy of the regency. So, Ianthe made a difficult choice. She left Argo in the care of the men and women who had protected it with her, and set off for the Hunters Guild. She hopes the steady work, and maybe a bit of luck, will be enough to keep her home above water until Atles settles down. If it settles down.</s> <\|message\|>Avaddon A v a d d o n "Same here for me, though given the nature of our target. . . it'll likely blend in with all of this greenery." Avaddon walked with Balder towards the head of the pack, finishing up the last few details of his own weapon maintenance. Rather than the battle gloves or tiger claws that many of his profession tended to go with, the Fabulian Monk wore only a set of hand-wraps. Tough ivory colored fabric clashed with the orange-red of his skin as it coiled around his hands and forearms, ending with a corded threat that hung down for his elbows. At the end of this cord sat the Aldite which he'd been given, casting a dull red glow as if it were a dying ember. Tightening his wraps with a single tug each, the large man gave a contented nod. As the group came to a halt, Avaddon took a relaxed stance, arms raised high and fingers curved inward in a clawed fashion. The first few strikes struck at naught but air, distorting it as it passed through due to the heat being generated by the Aldite placed in their sockets. Mostly satisfied at seeing that his wraps were functioning properly, the Monk would strike once more. This time, with a target in mind. The poor tree had no chance to defend itself as Avaddon's fingers tore into its bark, the acrid smell of burning wood flowing into the air as he left the strike to sit for a moment, then tearing the chunk of charred bark he'd created out, smiling in anticipation. Tossing the charred would back and forth in between his hands, he turned his attention out to the forest proper. With an almost nonchalant air, he tossed the charred lump out into the side forest, falling into a stance in tune to the soft rattle of his scales clattering against each other. This is what he loved more than anything else. . . the quiet before the storm, where everyone was on a razor's edge. He had nothing to say, nothing to proclaim, only a desire that was barely held back by his years of experience in the Fabul deserts. In situations like these, the one who acted first was the one who exposed the biggest opening.</s> <\|message\|>Artemisia Artemisia Though maybe mundane for the others, the journey to the woods kept Artemisia's wandering mind occupied. Unlike Alexandria natives or traveled mercenaries, after all, she was seeing this land for the first time. Something as simple as how commonfolk -both in the city and beyond- conducted their lives, or the pastoral scenes of this region's flora, interested her. One footstep at a time, she could fill in bits of the grand map of the world that floated about in her head. If she learned anything during her tour of the Free Cities and Bellas as a whole, it was that reality contained so much more than she could possibly imagine. To truly live, she felt sure, meant to experience that abundance. So she did not grow distant or bored, but she did grow something else, and it quickly became a problem. About halfway through, her breathing started to get heavier, and by three quarters she started wheezing. By the time the group came to a stop at the border of the uncommonly grim and foreboding forest, Artemisia was wheezing and sweating. "Guh!" she sputtered. "You all...certainly keep...a brisk pace." Straightening up, she took a few deep breaths. "Aah....ahh...ohh. Goodness." While pretty defenseless as she tried to recover, she figured one of the fighter-types was looking out for her. Otherwise, what were they good for? Only after composing herself did the mood of the place really settle in on her. Just peering between those murky trees tickled her fight-or-flight response, telling her survival instincts that perhaps some coins could be better earned elsewhere. She glanced at Balder for reassurance only to find a pall of apprehension floating over the team's veteran hunter like a dark cloud, which helped to tank her confidence. Things were not as they should be. Everyone could tell that, let alone feel it, but it seemed as though they would be advancing anyway. Small wonder about that meager life expectancy. It would be foolish not to expect a fight. As the others formed up, with the melee fighters constructing a reasonably sturdy front line and Avaddon in particular bullying a tree to show off, Artemisia hurried after them. Once close enough for comfort she rummaged around in her supply sack for the fragment of wind aldite, which she weighed in her hand and gave an expert's appraisal. A sigh and a shrug made clear her opinion on its quality, but nevertheless she pulled up her sleeve to pop the relatively worthless decorative quartz out of her bangle so she could insert the aldite instead. "Such an unwelcoming gloom typically portends the congregation of fiends," she advised. The others no doubt expected an attack to be a possibility, but Artemisia supposed she might as well confirm it just in case. While unhappy that further exertion seemed unavoidable, Artemisia kept a cool head. If forced to fight, her enemies would not find her wanting. The same couldn't be said for Luna, however, who wanted for more than a little calmness right now. Ianthe noticed it too, even going so far as to leave point duty to her fellows and fall back to give the archer some comfort. Artemisia couldn't help but wonder how comforting Luna found Ianthe's compliment, though. The farther in the group got, the less at ease the black mage became, little by little. "Whereee are youuuu....?" she whispered, scanning between the trees.</s> <\|message\|>Luna Cadewyn --- --- A thumbs up? Luna wasn't entirely sure what the knight meant by that. Oh, she must have noticed how frazzled Luna was. How careless, striking disconcert among the group was nothing short of detrimental. She was surrounded by more experienced people--hopefully--so she must have looked as shaken as a leaf in the fall season. Still, as embarrassing as it was, the young knight's gesture came a long way, with Luna offering a small smile in return. At the question, Luna looked down at the bow. "Oh, this?" She placed the arrow back in its quiver and then plucked one of the strings on the 'harp' part of the bow. "It's lovely, isn't it? I hadn't the faintest thought that my harp skills could translate into battle!" She admitted, her fingertips running over the strings. Then again, she was shocked that such a thing was apparently common. And to think her mother used to laud her for her skills. Oh well, at the very least she hoped she would be of some use. And this tiny harp was easier to carry around than the full-sized version. That said, she couldn't help her curiosity when she asked, "I don't believe I heard you introduce yourself. What can I call you?" ---</s>	<\|message\|>Ianthe It really was a harp, wasn't it? Ianthe hadn't been sure whether the extra strings served any practical function or if they were purely decoration. Instead, it seemed to be a combination of the two. She still wasn't sure why the bow had a harp fashioned into it, but she also would have been lying if she said it wasn't damn pretty. Perhaps it was a magical thing, the girl had slotted aldite into it, after all. That was good. Old-fashioned archery would likely match the miniboros just fine, but if the mission grew a little more severe…well, the more Ianthe considered that possibility, the more grateful she was to have prospective mages on her side, like Luna, and the foppish Blaike, and…the other one. The winded one with the good sense of danger. "Guess you'll be writing all the ballads, then, about our mighty triumphs over the…ah…rioting cabbages," She said, and offered Luna a smile in return. "Ianthe. Uh—I mean—my name is Ianthe."</s>
<\|description\|>Luna Cadewyn May you ever walk in the light of the crystal. a.k.a. Lunaria Estacise Alexandros VII Race: 'Elezen' Age: 21 Class: Bard Place of Origin: Alexandria Personality: Determined Courageous Gentle Standoffish Neurotic Backstory: The moment that a widowed King Aconitum Napellus XV decided to take an elezen bride named Belladonna, it was safe to say that the decision had made quite a buzz. The fact that she was affiliated with the Holy Alexander Church did soften the blow somewhat, as did his apparent desire to give young Prince Asterius a mother. The controversy flared when their union resulted in a child--there were those that believed it was nothing short of an omen. He bequeathed the name of the kingdom's founder to her, claiming that the princess' birth was a symbol of unity and peace. Despite being second in line for the throne, Luna has lived a majority of her life away from the public eye. She was cited as having poor health and painted as a delicate girl, her appearances few and far in-between. A majority of her time was spent studying aldite for purposes unknown, although it took years for her to realize how odd her life was. Aside from having little royal responsibility, her father often pushed her towards research and generally discouraged interacting with anyone he didn't approve of. He stressed that there were too many people in the world that wanted nothing more than to use her for their own purposes. Two months ago, Luna discovered a journal that ended up completely changing her viewpoint. She began questioning many things in her life, and after a confrontation with her father, she decided she needed to strike out on her own. Once the borders were closed, she quietly made preparations to escape the castle. With a harp bow and an array of Songs in hand, Luna specializes in providing support from a distance. Her melodies have an assortment of effects on both friend and foe, ranging from healing and buffing to distractions and debuffing.</s> <\|message\|>Ianthe Ianthe Ianthe listened while the room began to fill, and pursed her lips. She knew it was best that they get started soon—after all, the sooner they did the job, the sooner they got paid—but part of her wouldn't have mourned another hour or so to sit there with her eyes shut, legs propped up on the junker of a shield she'd brought, trying to eek out a few minutes of true rest. Gods knew she hadn't gotten any the night before. The city was a lot of things. It smelled like industry, which was to say it smelled like the shit of an iron horse, but it was also burdensomely crowded and unrelentingly loud at every hour. She'd only just managed to find a room last night, with a hard bed and a window that wouldn't shut, which let the sounds of city nightlife flood in until sunrise. Argo didn't have a lot of things, but it did have silence, and she'd taken that for granted hard. The Guild Hall had a homey quality to it at least. It looked handmade, sturdy. Ianthe recognized the heads of a few of the fiends she'd met at the border, and was pleased that the sights of the unfamiliar ones didn't daunt her. There was, of course, a difference between bravery and stupidity, and it was a line drawn in the ever-important sand of self-confidence and self-assessment. Did she wish she'd come to this better equipped? Sure. The shield was, as she'd noted, a hunk of junk, a poorly-cut slab of metal with leather straps and shoddily-soldered grips. The sword wasn't much better, but it was sharp and she kept it well cared-for. It would have been stupid to go into something like this, as she was, alone, and while she'd done her fair share of stupidly bold things as a youth, age and injury had tempered her well. Well enough to be thankful that there'd be a group of them going out. Cracking an eye, she spotted a few noteworthy fellows. Big spears and frilly clothes were quick to catch the eye, but Ianthe knew the value of a humble appearance. It was easy to discount someone just because they looked like they didn't belong. Ianthe wasn't about to make that mistake.</s> <\|message\|>Avaddon A v a d d o n "Is there a reason no one is speaking?" The first to break the enforced silence was a rather massive man who stood before the others, hand held up to support the dainty, and likely somewhat embarrassed, maiden who had been hoisted on his shoulder since he'd entered the guildhall. A good Samaritan deed of his own design to help a fellow recruit get to the Hunter's Guild in time to make it for the trial. However, if said trial was just going to be them standing around in silence for minutes, Avaddon wasn't quite sure he was in the right place. "Not to be rude, Mr. Proctor, but you've been staring at us for the past few minutes and I'm not much for waiting around when there is work to be done." Turning around with a smile to the other applicants, the large man beat a hand against his chest with a raised voice. "If we are to take this test together, I will say the first thing we should do is introduce ourselves, no? My name is Avaddon, of the Red Storm tribe. I hope that we all make it through together and prove to make good allies in the test to come." His piece said Avaddon cracked his neck a bit as he turned dot look at the Proctor once more, hoping his little display would be enough to get something out of the man. If not, then Avaddon felt he might need to look elsewhere for assistance in matters of his quest. Perhaps the Hunter's guild he'd heard so much about was full of nothing but hot air. A disappointing fate if true, but not one the large Fabul man had been unprepared for.</s> <\|message\|>Dentrisica Era Banecroft Holy City of Alexandria \| Alexandria Hunters Guild Headquarters --- "Mitra." The dragoon uttered, as friendly as she could muster. Her eyes looked to the one face she recognized, but she decided to not say anything. If he decided to call her by her true name she was going to clock him in the balls with the fastest knee he had ever seen. Admittedly, though her disdain for them at the moment was complicated and Mitra knew she had be as amicable as possible when it came to the group of guild hopefuls around her. How much gil did she even have left? Could she afford to eat for longer than a few weeks? She had to turn her luck around and become a success. Confronting the man who knew her when she was small and bright-eyed would have to come later. "I'm pleased to meet your acquaintance, Avaddon. I hope we'll be fast friends on this venture." She eyed the girl hoisted over his shoulders, was she a slave? She did hear in her classes at the imperial academy how the tribesmen of the Red Storm Tribe kept slaves. Perhaps she was a concubine of his? Mitra couldn't help but be curious about that fact. "Who's your… friend?"</s>	<\|message\|>Luna Cadewyn How in the world did she get herself into this situation? The Hunter's Guild was her destination, so coming across an oddity or two was to be expected. That being said, when she had nervously approached a seemingly friendly face, she had hoped for some directions and nothing more. She did not consider the possibility that not only was the man also heading to the Hunter's Guild, but he had insisted on taking her there himself. He was charming, definitely, but as kind as the offer was, she preferred to go alone. And then he continued to insist while saying something about being a gentleman--she honestly couldn't remember, she was too busy getting swept off her feet and carried over like he was her personal chariot. Not that she didn't appreciate his kindness, but when was he planning on putting her down?! The woman could have died of embarrassment right then and there, staying quiet as the group gathered. Once the man broke the silence and introduced himself, it seemed to break the tension in the room. Why someone of the Red Storm tribe would come all the way to Alexandria was beyond her, but she supposed everyone had their own reasons; a brief look around let her know that not everyone was a native. Perhaps they shared her goal in crossing the border. Considering Avaddon had no problem keeping her on his shoulder, she naturally assumed that she was going to stay this way for a while. With a small sigh, she figured she should introduce herself next. "...I'm Luna..." She replied meekly, hanging her head in shame. </s>
<\|description\|>Luna Cadewyn May you ever walk in the light of the crystal. a.k.a. Lunaria Estacise Alexandros VII Race: 'Elezen' Age: 21 Class: Bard Place of Origin: Alexandria Personality: Determined Courageous Gentle Standoffish Neurotic Backstory: The moment that a widowed King Aconitum Napellus XV decided to take an elezen bride named Belladonna, it was safe to say that the decision had made quite a buzz. The fact that she was affiliated with the Holy Alexander Church did soften the blow somewhat, as did his apparent desire to give young Prince Asterius a mother. The controversy flared when their union resulted in a child--there were those that believed it was nothing short of an omen. He bequeathed the name of the kingdom's founder to her, claiming that the princess' birth was a symbol of unity and peace. Despite being second in line for the throne, Luna has lived a majority of her life away from the public eye. She was cited as having poor health and painted as a delicate girl, her appearances few and far in-between. A majority of her time was spent studying aldite for purposes unknown, although it took years for her to realize how odd her life was. Aside from having little royal responsibility, her father often pushed her towards research and generally discouraged interacting with anyone he didn't approve of. He stressed that there were too many people in the world that wanted nothing more than to use her for their own purposes. Two months ago, Luna discovered a journal that ended up completely changing her viewpoint. She began questioning many things in her life, and after a confrontation with her father, she decided she needed to strike out on her own. Once the borders were closed, she quietly made preparations to escape the castle. With a harp bow and an array of Songs in hand, Luna specializes in providing support from a distance. Her melodies have an assortment of effects on both friend and foe, ranging from healing and buffing to distractions and debuffing.</s> <\|message\|>Dentrisica Era Banecroft Ferris Wood \| Winding Paths --- "Whatever you think is best. I got your back." Mitra pipped cheerfully as she kept her eyes peeled, looking in the shadows of the forest. If there were miniboros lurking in the brush, Mitra needed to be on her best guard. As one of the frontline fighters alongside the "armored" knight-girl, it was her task to protect the casters and technicians of the group. For the time being she stuck to the side of the flank that Edgar was on, keeping her ears open as she gripped her staff in a defensive position. While on route to the forest she had tightened the pack the proctor had given her, sliding two of the minor aldite gems into her weapon's available slots. It had been some time since she tinkered with aldite in her spear, but she knew the best combination for the time being would be fire and lightning. They weren't particularly powerful stones, but for a group of miniboros maybe they were enough? She figured the elemental chemistry would be enough to make the right strike into the creatures make an explosive reaction. That was how fire and lightning worked together. She had seen the result happen before when she was hunting an infestation of dire rats in the imperial capital's sewers when she was younger. "You see anything, big guy?" She commented in reference to the larger Fabul man, despite her feeling admittedly nervous around him. She didn't want to be his next concubine, after all. "I got nothing on my flank... so far."</s> <\|message\|>Luna Cadewyn --- --- For a majority of the trip, Luna seemed fascinated with the aldite given to them. She continued to study it, noting its shape and color. She gave it a critical eye as she glanced back at the unoccupied slots on her bow. Now would be a good time to see what aldite could do, so she supposed it was certainly an opportunity. At the very least, she could discern that one piece was supposed to represent wind. It was quaint, if a little unsatisfactory. But this must be what hunters use, otherwise why else would it be given to them? With that in mind, she slipped the aldite into the slot without hesitation, plucking the string to test it. It seemed very weak to her, but perhaps that was the standard. Once they reached the forest, Luna frowned as she looked around, a cold chill running up her spine. She rubbed her arms as she squinted at the trees, seemingly disturbed. Why was the miasma so thick here? She could feel it on her skin despite knowing they weren't necessarily close to the source, the feeling giving her a great amount of discomfort. Biting down on her index finger, she wondered if she should strike out on her own to find what was causing it. She snapped out of her thoughts as Balder spoke. Oh, right, the miniboros. Slinging her bow off her shoulder, she reached into the quiver and pulled out an arrow. As much as she wanted to believe that her tutor's lectures would come in handy, she couldn't bring herself to admit just how nervous the whole situation made her. Was now a bad time to mention she had never actually seen a fiend before? Even if it wasn't that, however, the constant chill she got was probably the biggest distraction. She was a touch frantic as she looked around, clutching her bow with a death grip. ---</s> <\|message\|>Ianthe Ianthe Forests, were unfamiliar territory for Ianthe. Aside from the crops, Argo had been a fairly desolate place insofar as flora were concerned. And fauna. And people. Desolate of just about everything but bandits and fiends, really. But the unfamiliar beasts hanging in the guild hall hadn't dissuaded her, and a few trees certainly weren't going to, either. She hadn't fussed over the supplies too much. Potions and the like were standard, as Balder had mentioned, and while the aldite was a slight divergence from that, the stones were—practically speaking—entirely useless to her. Ianthe had seen magic only a few times, and most often it was wielded by whatever eleventh-rate mage the bandits could get their hands on, or by a traveling magician visiting the market towns. Neither had particularly impressed her, but then, being inept with the arcane herself, she wasn't exactly a good litmus for what was and was not "good" magic. Regardless of all that, the closest thing she had to slots in her arms and armor were the countless chips and dents riddling them. So the tiny gemstones stayed in their bag. Maybe they'd fetch a few extra coin when this was all over. She kept her sword sheathed as they walked, though her hand rested upon the hilt, and the shield strapped to her offhand was more important if they were going to be ambushed. There was something wrong to her about traveling with a naked blade, something almost feral, like an invitation to violence. Weapons put people on edge, that was half their job, in her mind, and it seemed like most of their group was wound up tightly enough as it was. She'd watched the tinker boy cobble together a few grenades, and that was entertaining, if completely beyond her. The spear-wielding girl joined her and Avaddon at the front with Balder, and that was pleasant. She was confident, like the rest, but less…abrasively. And that weapon, Ianthe guessed, had seen its share of uses. Behind them, among the parts of the party she and the others at Balder's side were meant to protect, Ianthe couldn't help but notice Luna looked…off. Nervous was the word, like the boy Edgar had seemed back at the hall. Now that they'd left the warmth of the city though, and the tinker no longer seemed as worked up, Luna was still the same, if not worse. Ianthe had made a point not to judge those who looked out of place, but it would have been beyond bad form to leave that sort of nervousness unaddressed. It was too bad she had absolutely no idea how to go about addressing it. Confident that the trio of Balder, Avaddon and Mitra could handle the front for the moment, Ianthe dropped back a few paces, beside Luna. She gave the girl a gentle nudge with her elbow, hoping not to spook her, and offered a reassuring thumbs-up. Or maybe it was more of an inquisitive thumbs-up. Or maybe it just seemed patronizing, and made her look like an asshole. Maybe it was an asshole thumbs-up. Words, Ianthe. You're a big girl. Use your words. "Hey," she offered. "Uhm…cool bow." Cool bow. Cool Bow. Cool Bow. Cool Bow. Cool Bow. Cool Bow. Cool Bow.</s> <\|message\|>Avaddon A v a d d o n "Same here for me, though given the nature of our target. . . it'll likely blend in with all of this greenery." Avaddon walked with Balder towards the head of the pack, finishing up the last few details of his own weapon maintenance. Rather than the battle gloves or tiger claws that many of his profession tended to go with, the Fabulian Monk wore only a set of hand-wraps. Tough ivory colored fabric clashed with the orange-red of his skin as it coiled around his hands and forearms, ending with a corded threat that hung down for his elbows. At the end of this cord sat the Aldite which he'd been given, casting a dull red glow as if it were a dying ember. Tightening his wraps with a single tug each, the large man gave a contented nod. As the group came to a halt, Avaddon took a relaxed stance, arms raised high and fingers curved inward in a clawed fashion. The first few strikes struck at naught but air, distorting it as it passed through due to the heat being generated by the Aldite placed in their sockets. Mostly satisfied at seeing that his wraps were functioning properly, the Monk would strike once more. This time, with a target in mind. The poor tree had no chance to defend itself as Avaddon's fingers tore into its bark, the acrid smell of burning wood flowing into the air as he left the strike to sit for a moment, then tearing the chunk of charred bark he'd created out, smiling in anticipation. Tossing the charred would back and forth in between his hands, he turned his attention out to the forest proper. With an almost nonchalant air, he tossed the charred lump out into the side forest, falling into a stance in tune to the soft rattle of his scales clattering against each other. This is what he loved more than anything else. . . the quiet before the storm, where everyone was on a razor's edge. He had nothing to say, nothing to proclaim, only a desire that was barely held back by his years of experience in the Fabul deserts. In situations like these, the one who acted first was the one who exposed the biggest opening.</s> <\|message\|>Artemisia Artemisia Though maybe mundane for the others, the journey to the woods kept Artemisia's wandering mind occupied. Unlike Alexandria natives or traveled mercenaries, after all, she was seeing this land for the first time. Something as simple as how commonfolk -both in the city and beyond- conducted their lives, or the pastoral scenes of this region's flora, interested her. One footstep at a time, she could fill in bits of the grand map of the world that floated about in her head. If she learned anything during her tour of the Free Cities and Bellas as a whole, it was that reality contained so much more than she could possibly imagine. To truly live, she felt sure, meant to experience that abundance. So she did not grow distant or bored, but she did grow something else, and it quickly became a problem. About halfway through, her breathing started to get heavier, and by three quarters she started wheezing. By the time the group came to a stop at the border of the uncommonly grim and foreboding forest, Artemisia was wheezing and sweating. "Guh!" she sputtered. "You all...certainly keep...a brisk pace." Straightening up, she took a few deep breaths. "Aah....ahh...ohh. Goodness." While pretty defenseless as she tried to recover, she figured one of the fighter-types was looking out for her. Otherwise, what were they good for? Only after composing herself did the mood of the place really settle in on her. Just peering between those murky trees tickled her fight-or-flight response, telling her survival instincts that perhaps some coins could be better earned elsewhere. She glanced at Balder for reassurance only to find a pall of apprehension floating over the team's veteran hunter like a dark cloud, which helped to tank her confidence. Things were not as they should be. Everyone could tell that, let alone feel it, but it seemed as though they would be advancing anyway. Small wonder about that meager life expectancy. It would be foolish not to expect a fight. As the others formed up, with the melee fighters constructing a reasonably sturdy front line and Avaddon in particular bullying a tree to show off, Artemisia hurried after them. Once close enough for comfort she rummaged around in her supply sack for the fragment of wind aldite, which she weighed in her hand and gave an expert's appraisal. A sigh and a shrug made clear her opinion on its quality, but nevertheless she pulled up her sleeve to pop the relatively worthless decorative quartz out of her bangle so she could insert the aldite instead. "Such an unwelcoming gloom typically portends the congregation of fiends," she advised. The others no doubt expected an attack to be a possibility, but Artemisia supposed she might as well confirm it just in case. While unhappy that further exertion seemed unavoidable, Artemisia kept a cool head. If forced to fight, her enemies would not find her wanting. The same couldn't be said for Luna, however, who wanted for more than a little calmness right now. Ianthe noticed it too, even going so far as to leave point duty to her fellows and fall back to give the archer some comfort. Artemisia couldn't help but wonder how comforting Luna found Ianthe's compliment, though. The farther in the group got, the less at ease the black mage became, little by little. "Whereee are youuuu....?" she whispered, scanning between the trees.</s>	<\|message\|>Luna Cadewyn A thumbs up? Luna wasn't entirely sure what the knight meant by that. Oh, she must have noticed how frazzled Luna was. How careless, striking disconcert among the group was nothing short of detrimental. She was surrounded by more experienced people--hopefully--so she must have looked as shaken as a leaf in the fall season. Still, as embarrassing as it was, the young knight's gesture came a long way, with Luna offering a small smile in return. At the question, Luna looked down at the bow. "Oh, this?" She placed the arrow back in its quiver and then plucked one of the strings on the 'harp' part of the bow. "It's lovely, isn't it? I hadn't the faintest thought that my harp skills could translate into battle!" She admitted, her fingertips running over the strings. Then again, she was shocked that such a thing was apparently common. And to think her mother used to laud her for her skills. Oh well, at the very least she hoped she would be of some use. And this tiny harp was easier to carry around than the full-sized version. That said, she couldn't help her curiosity when she asked, "I don't believe I heard you introduce yourself. What can I call you?" </s>
<\|description\|>KIERAN Nickname(s) "Key," mostly, in work. Sometimes "K." In the eyes of Apex Authority, he is known as "Transportation Technician #3B149," which is the closest thing he has had to a legal name. He is mononymous. Age 25 (Estimated) Appearance Physically athletic and fairly intimidating at six foot-two, Kieran is a little on the leaner side. Both his hair and his beard have a tendency to go on the fritz, as work overtakes time for him to take shears to them. He has several scars on both legs and arms from moving in and out of tight, sometimes sharp spots throughout Apex. He's often dressed in a very simple, muted color palette, and almost always has a satchel with him—containing various documents and necessary paperwork. Job Duty Kieran works as a Runner. Technically a "transportation technician," Runners work with the approval of Apex Authority to facilitate a wide variety of essential tasks. While Apex Authority often uses the service themselves, the service is primarily utilized by the middle and lower classes of Apex. Runners facilitate transit for letters, legal documents, cargo, and even people. Off-the-record, runners are also notoriously paid to pass verbal messages between factions, or from Apex Authority to others within Apex. Runners enjoy a few benefits of working for Apex Authority, such as their Runner's Stamp for official messages (which operates as a sort of notary service), and general protection. That is, Apex Enforcement members ("AEs") will investigate the disappearance/murder of a Runner. It is more than AEs offer to regular citizens, but more often than not, Runners that disappear are never recovered. Faction Information Runners often keep a distance from each other—working in agreed-upon sectors to keep competition light—so Kieran is more often than not, alone. He lives in District 3, subsection B, and associates most often with Port Apex. While officially, grains, produce, and other materials are brought in from nearby fields via these vessels, unofficially, a host of contraband makes its way to the shores of Apex. This contraband, ordered by the higher and lower classes alike, constitutes most of Kieran's work. History Kieran was found aboard one of the many farming ships that travel to Port Apex as an infant. As an unclaimed child, it was suspected that his parents were farmers who either could not afford to keep him or did not want to. Otherwise, he was passed from port worker to port worker until he finally earned his stamp at around age 15, and has been living on his own and working as a runner ever since. His age is self-given, and an estimate.</s> <\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran continued to be accosted as he was held at gunpoint and continued to be pushed further and further from the town square. As she pushed him, Kieran made a note of every building, every street, and every inch of the area—until of course, she tossed a sweater over her head. "Fucking really," Kieran muttered, unsure and uncaring if she had heard the comment. Luckily, the smell wasn't so bad, if it weren't for the sweat that had already been dripping down his face. He continued to trudge forward through the humid, muddy night. He tried to keep some sense of his bearings and figured they had gone maybe a ten or so blocks before he heard her bang thrice on a door. He listened intently to the conversation Aura shared with a third voice. This one gruff, uncaring but…rather familiar. He figured this could be a close friend, or possibly a relative. He was unsure and would be sure to figure that one out later. As for now he ran through the facts. This was Aura; likely associated with the same group the others were. She was armed. He had heard gunshots. Likely this all would have been enough to get her arrested (assuming he survived the night) but that wasn't his mission, was it? He hated himself in some small way for thinking this way. He wasn't a spy, for fuck's sake—he was a runner, and his business was passing along shit and keeping a low profile. Nothing about all of this seemed right. Apex Authority were no heroes. These so-called freedom fighters broke a strange peace and got others killed in their wake. The more he thought, the less he felt like picking any side in this horrid mess. He expected blinding light when she removed the sweater from his head, but the dimness of the room was a simple sight to be acclimated to. He locked eyes with her—looking down, of course, as she was several inches to a foot shorter—and could immediately spot something he was familiar with. Fear. He didn't see a fearless terrorist. He saw someone terrified out of their fucking mind about what was going on. Which immediately lowered his guard and put him at ease. If he played his cards right, he might not be the real hostage here. As she tossed clothes in his hands, she took his bag and was sure to kick it hard away from them—which immediately put him at ease. He had been particularly careful to burn all evidence of the current mission and keep the Black Seal on his person rather than in an easily-stolen bag. In there wasn't much other than the usual ID papers and runner's stamp. He gave he a cold look; wondering if she was going to watch him change. He watched her eyes dart to the floor, before removing his clothes. He was glad to be out of them, really. What a sweaty mess he was at this point. He made a point to turn his back to her and straighten out his underwear—ensuring Aura's eyes stayed away—and slipped the Black Seal from his trousers to his underwear. Uncomfortable indeed. He figured he would bet on her holding back on asking him to be completely naked. If she didn't he figured he'd have to find a good way to lie. He placed the rest of the clothes on him and was tied promptly to a pole. He looked away as Aura changed, and watched her dig through his things. "So," she sighed, crouching down in front of him. "A runner, huh? Why are you in F? What's your name?" He figured he'd tackle her questions one at a time. He made sure to make clear eye contact through the sweat dripping down his face. Fuck, it was hot in here. "Yeah, a runner," he said simply. "3B149, feel free to verify that on the sheet." He straightened up against the pole; trying to ward off a pain growing his back. "I have a couple of clients take me this far and was back in town to collect. Sure, I'm not supposed to be in F, but hey; what were you up to after curfew?" He always laughed the last half of his sentence; breaking into a smile. His captor was looking increasingly shaky and tense; not great when she was two guns on her. He figured he could lean into his recent deal with Teegan and Cale and could get them to verify his story to Aura if need be. "I'm Kieran," he smiled. "And I'm very much not looking to die tonight, so if we could work something out, I'm all ears." While he was miles from trusting Aura, particularly now, he was certainly hoping to make an ally of her, after all. He wasn't exactly sure of the benefits of the alternative, but it certainly wouldn't be good for him, would it?</s> <\|message\|>AURA "Kieran," she mumbled in response. His demeanor was the most unnerving thing about him. He was calm and smiling, while Aura did everything she could to choke down the nausea bubbling in her stomach. She had taken a runner hostage. A runner. The weight of her actions began to sink deep in her stomach, the heat of the garage beginning to suffocate the oxygen from the room. Aura dashed to the window, threw it open, and allowed herself a deep gulp of breath from the cooler air that poured in. Could she somehow get a message to Gregor? Explain she had fucked up and that she needed help? The thought of his temper made Aura shut down the thought instantly. No, she'd have to figure a way out of this herself. She couldn't lose her spot in the cause. They were her last chance of getting out of F for good. The only place she fit in. But if the man got free, he would shoot her. If he didn't shoot her, he'd run until he could report her. She was dead in the water in every outcome imaginable. Aura turned from the window and moved to stand in front of him, hiding her trembling hands in the pockets of Ion's pants. "I won't -" Due to nerves, her voice left her body as a whisper. Get it together. "I won't kill you," she responded, now reflecting a more confident tone. "I just…" How could she get him on her side, at least long enough for her to figure out a plan? "You, the mystery man, catch me in the middle of a firefight with an AR in my hands." She chuckled, wiping her forehead to rid it of sweat. "That would normally sound like a really fun night for me. But you're," Aura finally gained courage to look up at him, "you're a runner. You may as well be an enforcer." Aura grabbed an empty pail from the corner and opened the garage door. "I'll be right back." She soon returned, the pail now full of water. Before dealing with it, she plopped down and began to work her fingers at the laces of her sopping boots, groaning when each foot finally broke free. "Thirsty?" Without waiting for an answer, Aura grabbed the pail and approached him, lifting it to Kieran's lips. Once done, she took a few gulps of it herself before making herself comfortable on the floor across from him. "You want to leave here alive. As do I. And if I'm reported, you may as well kill me now." Aura scanned his face hoping for any hint of weakness, but the man was made of stone. Asshole. "So Kieran, what would you do if you were in my position?"</s>	<\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran's eyes locked onto Aura's dark eyes, watching as she slowly unraveled. He felt sorry for her, really. And it wasn't pitying he felt; in some way, it was similar to how he had been before he was a runner. Scavenging with the other port boys. Looked at as less of a human and more of a pest to be chased off when AA came around. Now, he was the one empowered. And thinking of going back scared the shit out of him. He loosened, somewhat, as he watched Aura run for air. He felt bad, in a strange way, for being so cold—for intimidating him. Which was particularly strange, as he found himself the captor in this situation. It was either empathy or a survival instinct that softened him somewhat, but regardless, he tried to relax. Well, as best he could. "I won't kill you," she said between breaths. He made a sort of scoffing noise without thinking, more so out of incredulousness. It really was that tense of a situation, wasn't it? He eyed her quizzically, as she explained that this might have been a fun evening under different circumstances. For all of his experience and quick analyzing, he wasn't able to get much of a read on her here. As she continued, he found himself grimacing at her conflation between running and being an enforcer. It was true, in a way—and similarly, it disgusted him. The longer this went on, the worse he felt. His survival instincts were wearing off and he realized he had walked into a skirmish far more complex than he was giving it credit for. He had assumed a monolith of the rebels; and now he could see that really wasn't the case. If it was, he'd already be dead by now. The necessary killing of law enforcement to further the cause. But here she was—lifting a pail to him. He drank deeply, as long as she allowed, and thanked her. She sat across from him, and the momentary silence between them was deafening. She explained her position and asked him for advice, and he froze for a moment; considering all of his options. The more he thought, the less he liked how he had started his meeting. Or this evening, for that matter. With Aura—fuck it—he needed at least one person truly in his corner if he was to infiltrate this group. Might as well be as honest as he could be. "If I were you, which I'm not," Kieran started, thinking aloud, "and I were working with a sort of rebellion, which I'm not even sure if you are or not…and I captured me? Someone with authority in Apex? Shit…" He didn't finish the thought. He figured she could read his morose expression. "I won't report you," Kieran admitted. Truthful. "I mean—you don't know me, and I could be lying through my teeth, but for what it's worth, I won't. And I get the sense that you haven't killed anyone before…" his voice wavered. A flood of memories hit him and he physically shook his head to try not to go down that path. "And believe me as much as you can, you don't want to do that." Kieran sighed and paused—giving him one last out to avoid being honest. But that moment wasn't very long. He would give her some very good reasons not to trust him. "I'll come right out with it. I'm here to scout. To find people likely similar to those who had you in the streets tonight. I don't know much. Some locations. Some names. Del. Gregor. Those sorts of things. I don't know how well you know these people or how involved you are, but if I can convince AA I helped root out a rebellion, well…" He paused. "Well I'd be out of the docks, that's for sure." He thought for a moment, then continued. "So, maybe we can build some trust. You know this area; you know the problem people. I figure the fewer instigators there are, the more likely they'll leave Atlantic well enough alone and life in all of F will be better for everyone. There are more enforcers here than I've seen anywhere else in Apex and I think maybe fewer enforcer shootings would help reduce that number." He couldn't read her face, but something told him suggesting taking down the rebellion she was clearly sympathetic towards wasn't coming across well. Hopefully being honest didn't fuck him over this time... "Aura..." he continued. "I'm not pro or anti either side here. My loyalty to Apex only extends to my ability to survive. I'd like to see fewer killings and convince AA I helped do their dirty work, so I'm all ears on any suggestions that'll lead me to that end. Because if I don't do this for them...well you may as well shoot me now."</s>
<\|description\|>KIERAN Nickname(s) "Key," mostly, in work. Sometimes "K." In the eyes of Apex Authority, he is known as "Transportation Technician #3B149," which is the closest thing he has had to a legal name. He is mononymous. Age 25 (Estimated) Appearance Physically athletic and fairly intimidating at six foot-two, Kieran is a little on the leaner side. Both his hair and his beard have a tendency to go on the fritz, as work overtakes time for him to take shears to them. He has several scars on both legs and arms from moving in and out of tight, sometimes sharp spots throughout Apex. He's often dressed in a very simple, muted color palette, and almost always has a satchel with him—containing various documents and necessary paperwork. Job Duty Kieran works as a Runner. Technically a "transportation technician," Runners work with the approval of Apex Authority to facilitate a wide variety of essential tasks. While Apex Authority often uses the service themselves, the service is primarily utilized by the middle and lower classes of Apex. Runners facilitate transit for letters, legal documents, cargo, and even people. Off-the-record, runners are also notoriously paid to pass verbal messages between factions, or from Apex Authority to others within Apex. Runners enjoy a few benefits of working for Apex Authority, such as their Runner's Stamp for official messages (which operates as a sort of notary service), and general protection. That is, Apex Enforcement members ("AEs") will investigate the disappearance/murder of a Runner. It is more than AEs offer to regular citizens, but more often than not, Runners that disappear are never recovered. Faction Information Runners often keep a distance from each other—working in agreed-upon sectors to keep competition light—so Kieran is more often than not, alone. He lives in District 3, subsection B, and associates most often with Port Apex. While officially, grains, produce, and other materials are brought in from nearby fields via these vessels, unofficially, a host of contraband makes its way to the shores of Apex. This contraband, ordered by the higher and lower classes alike, constitutes most of Kieran's work. History Kieran was found aboard one of the many farming ships that travel to Port Apex as an infant. As an unclaimed child, it was suspected that his parents were farmers who either could not afford to keep him or did not want to. Otherwise, he was passed from port worker to port worker until he finally earned his stamp at around age 15, and has been living on his own and working as a runner ever since. His age is self-given, and an estimate.</s> <\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran's eyes locked onto Aura's dark eyes, watching as she slowly unraveled. He felt sorry for her, really. And it wasn't pitying he felt; in some way, it was similar to how he had been before he was a runner. Scavenging with the other port boys. Looked at as less of a human and more of a pest to be chased off when AA came around. Now, he was the one empowered. And thinking of going back scared the shit out of him. He loosened, somewhat, as he watched Aura run for air. He felt bad, in a strange way, for being so cold—for intimidating him. Which was particularly strange, as he found himself the captor in this situation. It was either empathy or a survival instinct that softened him somewhat, but regardless, he tried to relax. Well, as best he could. "I won't kill you," she said between breaths. He made a sort of scoffing noise without thinking, more so out of incredulousness. It really was that tense of a situation, wasn't it? He eyed her quizzically, as she explained that this might have been a fun evening under different circumstances. For all of his experience and quick analyzing, he wasn't able to get much of a read on her here. As she continued, he found himself grimacing at her conflation between running and being an enforcer. It was true, in a way—and similarly, it disgusted him. The longer this went on, the worse he felt. His survival instincts were wearing off and he realized he had walked into a skirmish far more complex than he was giving it credit for. He had assumed a monolith of the rebels; and now he could see that really wasn't the case. If it was, he'd already be dead by now. The necessary killing of law enforcement to further the cause. But here she was—lifting a pail to him. He drank deeply, as long as she allowed, and thanked her. She sat across from him, and the momentary silence between them was deafening. She explained her position and asked him for advice, and he froze for a moment; considering all of his options. The more he thought, the less he liked how he had started his meeting. Or this evening, for that matter. With Aura—fuck it—he needed at least one person truly in his corner if he was to infiltrate this group. Might as well be as honest as he could be. "If I were you, which I'm not," Kieran started, thinking aloud, "and I were working with a sort of rebellion, which I'm not even sure if you are or not…and I captured me? Someone with authority in Apex? Shit…" He didn't finish the thought. He figured she could read his morose expression. "I won't report you," Kieran admitted. Truthful. "I mean—you don't know me, and I could be lying through my teeth, but for what it's worth, I won't. And I get the sense that you haven't killed anyone before…" his voice wavered. A flood of memories hit him and he physically shook his head to try not to go down that path. "And believe me as much as you can, you don't want to do that." Kieran sighed and paused—giving him one last out to avoid being honest. But that moment wasn't very long. He would give her some very good reasons not to trust him. "I'll come right out with it. I'm here to scout. To find people likely similar to those who had you in the streets tonight. I don't know much. Some locations. Some names. Del. Gregor. Those sorts of things. I don't know how well you know these people or how involved you are, but if I can convince AA I helped root out a rebellion, well…" He paused. "Well I'd be out of the docks, that's for sure." He thought for a moment, then continued. "So, maybe we can build some trust. You know this area; you know the problem people. I figure the fewer instigators there are, the more likely they'll leave Atlantic well enough alone and life in all of F will be better for everyone. There are more enforcers here than I've seen anywhere else in Apex and I think maybe fewer enforcer shootings would help reduce that number." He couldn't read her face, but something told him suggesting taking down the rebellion she was clearly sympathetic towards wasn't coming across well. Hopefully being honest didn't fuck him over this time... "Aura..." he continued. "I'm not pro or anti either side here. My loyalty to Apex only extends to my ability to survive. I'd like to see fewer killings and convince AA I helped do their dirty work, so I'm all ears on any suggestions that'll lead me to that end. Because if I don't do this for them...well you may as well shoot me now."</s> <\|message\|>AURA "Del's not fucking -" Aura's knee-jerk reaction further proved why she often wasn't trusted by the cause with situations like this. It took just a moment though to gain back what little composure she had previously. "You must have some bad information. Del's not involved in any of this." Guilt began to creep up her spine. Taking advantage of his niceness to cover her ass had obviously landed him on one of the AA's list, and although Aura always knew it was a possibility, hearing it made it real. Kieran presented her with an out, one that made the impossibly difficult situation she put herself even worse. While the cause was all she had left, she couldn't leave if she wanted to. The only way out of the group was to die honorably, or die a traitor. Gregor and others high in the rankings did not have one ounce of trust between them all, and it only made sense to them that if anyone no longer wanted anything to do with the cause, they had to have an ulterior motive. Death was the only way to cover their own asses. And while they've taken great care of Aura, she had been on their bad side before. She was unsure if she'd rather be punished again by them or by an officer, but she at least knew the cause wouldn't harm her family. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for the AE. This was the only choice. Most days, Aura just wished she could leave. To pack what little belongings she had and to head for the mountains in the middle of the night. Of course, she had heard rumors that it was only more grim out of Apex's limits, that there is nothing out there for those that try to leave. But other rumors, those that there are groups of people living freely past the mountains. No authority, no enforcers...that was the fantasy that Aura desperately clung to when things got too heated in Unity. "So, you want me to rat," Aura sighed, pushing back stringy strands of black hair from her vision. "You know what they do to rats here, right?" Remaining seated on the floor, she swiveled around and lifted her shirt to reveal pink scars that resembled lightning strikes down her back. "One of the times that Soren took one of our guys in, he made it sound like I had given them info. The officers like to stir shit up to try and dismantle us…" Upon realizing that she was saying too much already, Aura's face landed in her palms and a groan escaped her. "Guess you got me. But, I need some guarantees." She straightened up her posture and met his eyes. "If you name me in anything, they won't hesitate to deliver my head to you in a package. If I help you, it has to be from an unidentified source." It sounded ridiculous to be demanding anything knowing that Kieran could throw her to the wolves at any time. "Second, if I'm figured out, I have to get out of F. I don't know how much power you have and I don't care. I'll need new papers and a new subsection. And lastly," she took a moment to catch her breath; the heat was growing unbearable whether from her nerves or the rain. Her voice trembled with emotion no matter how much she tried to control it. "I can't be seen with you, now that I know who you are. Figure out where or how we can meet, and I'll do it. I'm probably not welcomed back after this, so it can't be here." A familiar feeling of penitence sat like a rock in her stomach, but this was her only option. Or at least, she couldn't think of a better one. "I'll bring you to the west border of F in the morning. Do we have a deal?"</s>	<\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran studied Aura closely as she talked; looking for any signs that wasn't speaking honestly to him. But, if her erratic response to this Del character was to be believed, she wasn't necessarily great at obfuscation. He had to remind himself that not everyone was like him. Not everyone was looking to lie and cheat every chance they had. "Rat is a strong term…" Kieran started, then stopped. He thought for a moment. "But yes. I'd like for you to rat." He next listened to her demands. The first was a simple request; anonymity. An easy sell to AA. Results mattered far more than loyalty to an organization that inherently bred distrust. He needed to deliver a less dangerous Atlantic and they wouldn't care much about the details. Or, who had to die to ensure that eventuality for them. Kieran knew he wouldn't throw Aura to the wolves. Or at least, not unless it really came down to it. The second request was an escape plan. Again. Another non-issue for him. A quick flash of the seal and he could get her past just about anyone. Hell, he could get her on the next boat headed north and off to whatever it was that existed beyond Apex--should anything of value exist out there at all. It was hard to know and even harder on the mind to wonder. The third and final request was another easy sell. The two couldn't be seen with each other so long as they collaborated. Kieran doubted this would be the last time he would be in Atlantic--far from it--but he knew that it was paramount he and her never interacted. "I think we have a deal, then," Kieran smiled. He loosened a bit, now more comfortable that he wasn't going to die that night. He thought for a moment. "I know where we'll meet," he said. "There's a series of old retrograde tunnels on the southeast corner of Atlantic. I'm sure you've seen them." He had initially thought of asking her to meet him at his place, but had discarded that plan as quick as he had formed it. The idea of Aura being able to so easily rat him out to her compatriots wasn't appealing, so he needed somewhere he knew somewhat well and remained neutral to both of them. The tunnels had formerly housed settlements avoiding exposure to the blight, and before that, they had held massive roadways for the city--funneling in people from god knows where else in the world. Whatever was beyond the waters. Kieran thought of what it must have been like to ride one of these passive concrete passages. But the bridges that had crossed the waters east of Apex had long since collapsed, leaving only the tunnels. These days, the tunnels were mostly utilized for AA transport and other matters. But they had a reputation of being a place where Runners, AE members, and citizens could make deals and trades that Apex Authority probably wouldn't condone. In many ways, they steered clear of the tunnels as a show of permissible understanding. Kieran wondered how much of this was known to Aura. Regardless, he continued: "The tunnels are guarded by AE members and lead to subsection J. However, they're easily bribed and I'll make sure they are for us. We'll meet there." Kieran took a second to think. Then: "If you tell me the name of your supervisor, I can work some things out about discreetly getting you away in the middle of the day. Otherwise, I'll be sure to be there after dark and before curfew each night. Make your way to tunnel three and I'll find you." "I'll work on your papers, too," he said. "It might take a few days, but it can be done. I know a guy in City Center who can help me out. I'll see him tomorrow." "And speaking of," he said, settling onto his pole, "it might be worth it to get some sleep."</s>
<\|description\|>KIERAN Nickname(s) "Key," mostly, in work. Sometimes "K." In the eyes of Apex Authority, he is known as "Transportation Technician #3B149," which is the closest thing he has had to a legal name. He is mononymous. Age 25 (Estimated) Appearance Physically athletic and fairly intimidating at six foot-two, Kieran is a little on the leaner side. Both his hair and his beard have a tendency to go on the fritz, as work overtakes time for him to take shears to them. He has several scars on both legs and arms from moving in and out of tight, sometimes sharp spots throughout Apex. He's often dressed in a very simple, muted color palette, and almost always has a satchel with him—containing various documents and necessary paperwork. Job Duty Kieran works as a Runner. Technically a "transportation technician," Runners work with the approval of Apex Authority to facilitate a wide variety of essential tasks. While Apex Authority often uses the service themselves, the service is primarily utilized by the middle and lower classes of Apex. Runners facilitate transit for letters, legal documents, cargo, and even people. Off-the-record, runners are also notoriously paid to pass verbal messages between factions, or from Apex Authority to others within Apex. Runners enjoy a few benefits of working for Apex Authority, such as their Runner's Stamp for official messages (which operates as a sort of notary service), and general protection. That is, Apex Enforcement members ("AEs") will investigate the disappearance/murder of a Runner. It is more than AEs offer to regular citizens, but more often than not, Runners that disappear are never recovered. Faction Information Runners often keep a distance from each other—working in agreed-upon sectors to keep competition light—so Kieran is more often than not, alone. He lives in District 3, subsection B, and associates most often with Port Apex. While officially, grains, produce, and other materials are brought in from nearby fields via these vessels, unofficially, a host of contraband makes its way to the shores of Apex. This contraband, ordered by the higher and lower classes alike, constitutes most of Kieran's work. History Kieran was found aboard one of the many farming ships that travel to Port Apex as an infant. As an unclaimed child, it was suspected that his parents were farmers who either could not afford to keep him or did not want to. Otherwise, he was passed from port worker to port worker until he finally earned his stamp at around age 15, and has been living on his own and working as a runner ever since. His age is self-given, and an estimate.</s> <\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran watched as Aura ravaged her way through the food. In a strange sort of shame he felt for even watching, he turned away. His eyes wandered downward at this own stomach. He liked to think of food as a luxury, but the truth of the matter was that he was fed--well fed, in fact--and did not hunger much. Particularly these days. What had once been tight, weak abs had fleshed out significantly. Over the past two years, he noticed that he had put on a small amount of muscle--filling out his more lean build. He was not large by any means (at least horizontally), but he wasn't the rail he once was. Kieran thought to all of the meat he had been eating recently. He was sure it had contributed. But as his eyes drifted back up to Aura, he could easily see the malnourishment. My god, they didn't have much in Atlantic, did they? She slowly finished up and began to talk. "I'd like to ask for your escort." "Of course, of course," came his hasty reply. Guilt seemed to drip from him more and more as he interacted with her. It was a strange mix of pity and respect he felt. As if he had lived his whole life a victim only to realize he had been the privileged the entire time. Oh what it must have been to be in subsection A. "I'm not sure where to start," he admitted. He forced his thoughts down. It was time for business, after all, and he definitely needed something from her. His eyes wandered to her lips, where they lingered for a moment. The sight of not-so-fresh blood made him grimace. What price was she already paying for sparing him? For coming here. "I was given a dossier of names and locations. I'd show you but I burned it. It was too valuable to be left anywhere." Kieran moved to sit across from her--his elbows resting on his knees as he learned it to speak. He went for a drumstick and chewed lightly on it. He swallowed, then spoke again: "I guess the best thing would be for you to tell me the basics. What the organization is. What they do. Who leads them." He thought for a moment. "But maybe we can do this another way." He grabbed a stein of ale and sat back down. Perhaps this could feel less like an interrogation, and more like a conversation. "I figure we have a little bit of acquainting to do, after last night. So I'll make a statement. If it's true about you, you drink. If it's not, I drink. And if we want to elaborate a little more on the subject, then we can go from there." Kieran took a swig in a small effort to catch up to Aura. Then: "Alright, I'll start. You took me to a family member's house last night." He wondered if that was a good place to start, but it was late, and he didn't want to waste too much time. It was time to skip the pleasentries.</s> <\|message\|>AURA Was he trying to be...nice? No, he's here for information. You're here for freedom. Aura adjusted in her chair until finding a comfortable position, somewhere between criss-cross and fetal, cradling the bottle in her hand. Maybe this wasn't so bad of a set up. She spills a little information, and a full meal and bottle was the payout. It was probably the best deal she'd made thus far. Fuck Gregor, fuck the cause. They just stole and stole from her, telling her she was doing the most trustworthy thing, until she became the shell of a person that was sitting in front of Kieran. "You took me to a family member's house last night." The reality of what the cause was, how it could drag the most innocent of people down with you, felt like a blow to the ches. Her eyes mimicked that feeling, windening into orbs as she completely tensed in the chair, unsure of her next move. Could she lie? Of course she could. Aura could dance her way through a fabricated story without a second thought. But, paranoia crept in. He wouldn't have asked if he didn't already know, right? And lying to the man who caught her in an apparent act of treason against the AA would be a strike one. She was in way too deep, and everything leading up to this point felt like a cinder block tied to her ankles. She was fucked. Lifting the ale to her mouth with a shaky hand, Aura took a swig of the ale. It wasn't two seconds before she slammed her feet on the ground, elbows on her knees. "Look. They have nothing to do with it. Del either. They just deal with it. The cause." Aura launched from the chair and began pacing, the bottle clutched in her left arm. It took a few strides around the small apartment, but she gained the courage to look Kieran in the eyes again, her own spitting fire. "I work alone. No one I love is involved. And I only do this so I can leave this shit hole one day." The ale she'd finished was tossed across the room, not quite hitting the wall and shattering like she'd hoped, but instead rolling across the carpet. In embarrassment, she crumbled in the same seat she began in, clawing at her arm through the hoodie she wore. "If you're gonna have me here, move faster. Don't bullshit."</s>	<\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran couldn't help but flinch--just a little bit--as Aura snapped back in defense at his question. Perhaps he shouldn't have been too surprised--it was, in fact, a pretty direct and rude question. Still, he composed himself and adjusted to match her in kind. Fine, he thought to himself. Let's do it this way. He watched as her ale toss went awry, offering no pity on his face as she crumbled. "Okay," he said, setting his ale down on the table between them. "No bullshit." He recited, in austere detail, the top-level of what he knew. "Apex Enforcement knows of a terrorist apparatus rather simply as The Cause, gestating some time and becoming more and more violent to petty officers and under suspicion of conspiracy against the government. Known associates of The Cause are mononymic in nature. I have a few names. Gregor. Mae. Miranda. This Del you seem quite fond of. Locations too. But I'm going to tell you now no matter what agreement we come to everyone I listed will be investigated and very likely worse if we don't come to an agreement about who is involved, and how." "So," he continued, straightening his back somewhat, "If Del isn't involved, I need to know why and how he became associated with The Cause so I can clear his name. And if you have any arrangements with The Cause--any information concerning their next moves--I need that too. We can build trust with AA by telling them in advance. If need be, they'll let The Cause continue with their plans while learning more about them. They're not looking to thwart one operation. They want the whole thing decimated, and they're willing to wait to ensure that happens."</s>
<\|description\|>KIERAN Nickname(s) "Key," mostly, in work. Sometimes "K." In the eyes of Apex Authority, he is known as "Transportation Technician #3B149," which is the closest thing he has had to a legal name. He is mononymous. Age 25 (Estimated) Appearance Physically athletic and fairly intimidating at six foot-two, Kieran is a little on the leaner side. Both his hair and his beard have a tendency to go on the fritz, as work overtakes time for him to take shears to them. He has several scars on both legs and arms from moving in and out of tight, sometimes sharp spots throughout Apex. He's often dressed in a very simple, muted color palette, and almost always has a satchel with him—containing various documents and necessary paperwork. Job Duty Kieran works as a Runner. Technically a "transportation technician," Runners work with the approval of Apex Authority to facilitate a wide variety of essential tasks. While Apex Authority often uses the service themselves, the service is primarily utilized by the middle and lower classes of Apex. Runners facilitate transit for letters, legal documents, cargo, and even people. Off-the-record, runners are also notoriously paid to pass verbal messages between factions, or from Apex Authority to others within Apex. Runners enjoy a few benefits of working for Apex Authority, such as their Runner's Stamp for official messages (which operates as a sort of notary service), and general protection. That is, Apex Enforcement members ("AEs") will investigate the disappearance/murder of a Runner. It is more than AEs offer to regular citizens, but more often than not, Runners that disappear are never recovered. Faction Information Runners often keep a distance from each other—working in agreed-upon sectors to keep competition light—so Kieran is more often than not, alone. He lives in District 3, subsection B, and associates most often with Port Apex. While officially, grains, produce, and other materials are brought in from nearby fields via these vessels, unofficially, a host of contraband makes its way to the shores of Apex. This contraband, ordered by the higher and lower classes alike, constitutes most of Kieran's work. History Kieran was found aboard one of the many farming ships that travel to Port Apex as an infant. As an unclaimed child, it was suspected that his parents were farmers who either could not afford to keep him or did not want to. Otherwise, he was passed from port worker to port worker until he finally earned his stamp at around age 15, and has been living on his own and working as a runner ever since. His age is self-given, and an estimate.</s> <\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran eyed Aura and listened intently as she began to get into the gritty details of why they were there. He was looking for a tell--a glance to the side, a pause that lingers too long--anything that could give away any evidence that she was lying. He also thought back to his briefing, and the information he received. But as she spoke, she gave no signs of deception--if anything, she seemed more despondent than ever. When she spoke of this Del character specifically, she seemed nearly desperate. Kieran made a mental note to clear this person from any AA scrutiny as a show of good faith as they continued to work together. Santo, Kieran thought to himself as she said the name. It triggered something in him. He had once heard of a Santo causing a serious amount of damage to subsection A back in the day--which was particularly impressive, as most people even involved in Apex weren't allowed there. He wasn't sure if he was getting Santo mixed up with some other freedom fighter, but if he recalled correctly, whoever it was that caused the massive explosion in subsection A was hanged and left to rot for months on the highest crane in Port Apex. He was surprised to next hear Aura describe heading to sub A herself. "You're going to a party at Gerald Loor's house?" Kieran asked, nearly cutting her off. Loor was a big, big fucking deal to Kieran and just about anyone else within AA or AE. He had a reputation for cruelty--often enacted with very little regard for collateral and with a smirk that never left his face. He wasn't machiavellian or anything like that--he was also known for his politician's demeanor--but he was certainly one of the people that probably knew about Kieran and what he was up to regarding the Cause. His mind raced as Aura continued to explain the point of the mission in place for the next day. "That's dangerous," Kieran said. Then--thinking--continued on. "I mean--you know that, I know--but fuck, Aura. Gerald Loor's laptop is going to be pretty fucking locked down. And it's probably encrypted." He paused a moment, trying to read Aura's face. He figured, since she hadn't known the term for 'laptop', perhaps he should explain. "That folding computer--the laptop--it's gonna be very hard to get the information off of it unless you know someone that's good with computers, and I mean really good. I can't do any of that shit myself." He thought for another moment. He needed to get in contact with Apex Authority directly--especially if the Cause was going to be stealing from Loor. They would want to know why Kieran did nothing to stop it. He made a mental note to travel directly to downtown the next day and talk to someone. Maybe even Loor himself. He also thought it if was worth telling AA to wipe the computer, but that would immediately put Aura at risk. However, even if he asked AA not to, there was no telling what they would do outside of his wishes. He had to play his cards carefully--ensuring the Cause doesn't suspect Aura, AA doesn't prematurely ruin his plans, and Aura wasn't in danger. He found himself immediately surprised by that last thought. Being mindful of those involved collaterally was typically not his style. But as he saw Aura in front of him now, watching him--despondent about tomorrow's events--he truly felt as if he owed her for all of the help she's been to him so far. "I can learn more soon about the Cause, but maybe it's better if I learn directly," he thought aloud. "I can get to Loor's house easily. I mean, fuck--I probably work for him and don't even know it--but I can make sure you don't..." He trailed off. He didn't even want to mention it. "...I can make sure you get out of there with the laptop unscathed. But these must be some pretty rough restrictions if Gregor is willing to take this risk." He opted not to mention the idea of meeting up with AA directly--at least, not yet. This was a lot of information in a very short amount of time. Besides, he didn't know what AA was planning for this party. Or what they had in store for Atlantic.</s> <\|message\|>AURA "You'll...you'll go?" Aura took a deep breath. The news wasn't much relief, especially if anyone saw him assisting her, she'd be beaten to death before the sun rose. However, the glimmer of hope that Kieran's offer gave her was enough to calm her nerves temporarily. "Anything you could do to make sure I get out of there, I'd be thankful." Allowing her muscles to relax, she leaned forward with her hands folded, meeting his eyes. "I don't know what time I'm going, or when the party even starts. Pogo usually has his girls arrive on a carriage. Should be ten to fifteen of us." Picking at her nails, Aura tried to think of anything else to let Kieran know of. Unfortunately, she wasn't given much information himself. "They sewed a dress for me, one that I can put the laptop in when I leave. I know the girls aren't allowed to bring bags or any other belongings." Knowing Gregor, he probably didn't bank too much on her making it out. If anything, she'd be caught and either meet the AA executioner in the morning or be thrown in a cell. But while he hated her actions, Aura was never a rat, and in his mind, could never be one. If only he could fucking see her now. Countless nights given to The Cause. Countless beatings by the AE and her own people. Grueling "exercises" to prove her worth, her undying loyalty. The constant reminder that she was fighting for a better tomorrow for F, when she and the rest went days without a full meal. And although the doubt in her mind had been growing like an invasive weed for months, Kieran was the sign she was hoping for from the gods. Her golden ticket. The only way out. There had been rumors of witness protection within the subsections, but then, there were also the rumors of life outside of Apex - the more dangerous option. "I have a question for you, Kieran." Aura groaned as she leaned back in her chair. "Don't you get tired of it? All the bureaucratic bullshit?" She paused and giggled quietly. "I learned that word from a book. But really. Everything we all do - all of us - is always for 'the greater good of Apex,' no matter what side you're on. The farmers feed Apex. Sanitation keeps the roads safe for Apex. You run information for Apex. It's all for Apex, for Apex, fo fucking Apex. You know, my dad told me that people used to have jobs that weren't for the fucking city? They made music. They made art. They made games for the rest of us to enjoy." Aura paused for a moment, eyes scanning the man's face before her. He was just as stone cold as always. She imagined her words bouncing off of him and falling to the ground. "Do you ever wonder what life would be like if Apex wasn't the center of the universe?"</s>	<\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran's chest panged at Aura's response to his offer. Sure--he had felt a hair too protective in offering to be with her, but what else could he do? It was true that his protection had to come with several caveats. For one, being seen with her at this party would likely be a death sentence for her and would completely give up the ghost of the operation. Two, there wasn't much in the way he could do to protect her from the clear and present danger Gregor had placed her in through her alibi. He would have to improvise his way through bailing her out of that situation, and he had never been good at improvisation. "I'll learn what I can tomorrow about Pogo's operation," Kieran replied. "Loor's people can probably get me that information and I'll generate some excuse to be able to come out there." He watched empathetically as Aura pivoted to the bigger, laudier questions about life in Apex. His first instinct, as it had always had been, was to be dismissive. He prepared often-repeated answers to her questions. How Apex wasn't an evil place--not at its core. That this was simply the system in which they had been given and it was one in which any complaints, disillusions, or rebellions were, in essence, fruitless. You can't swim against a waterfall. But the more she spoke, the more he felt that tinge of idealism that he had felt before. His mind raced back as she spoke: Kieran was little more than a baby when he was found on a cargo boat docked in Port Apex. The Port Boys that took him in and showed him their ways had always assumed he hadn't a clue what happened before that. To his parents. But that wasn't the case. Kieran had memories--scant and fading, but there all the same--of the last moments he shared with his parents. They had a farm further north and west than even Apex. Near where the sea would extend beyond oblivion. The rains here were strong--making the ground fertile enough for simple crops to grow. But generations upon generations had tilled this land down to it's last gasp. Kieran pictured what he could of his parents--his father's strong arm wrapped around him. The touch of his mother's dress as he pulled at it for attention. They explained what was happening to a boy who could do little more than say a few choice words. He couldn't picture their faces. No, not anymore. But here now, he could feel their pain as they told him to sit in a cargo box in the middle of the night. They gave him a doll made from discarded hay and rags sewn together by his mother. And he never saw them again. Kieran's mind flashed back to Aura, and to her final question: "Do you ever wonder what life would be like if Apex wasn't the center of the universe?" In truth, sometimes he did. And one time, he had acted. When he was old enough to convince the sailors to let him aboard, Kieran had ridden one of the ships back to the land his parents had tilled. He had his doll about him--wrapped in the blanket that had been with him the right he had left them. He stood on the sandy beaches of his childhood, directed to the farm by some of the other local farmers. He could see in their eyes that some of them recognized him still. They bore morose expressions at the sight of him. They would say little about his parents. He stood in the blighted ashes of what had once been his home soon after. He dug through the rubble that had been a farmhouse. He found little more than sticks, pots, pans, and dirt. How the home was destroyed, the other farmers wouldn't say. But the story went that one morning, the farmers saw his parents headed west, into the mountains. They would not be seen again. Kieran had returned to Port Apex, and remained ever since. These memories had passed him in an instant as Aura asked her question. "I don't know what's out there, Aura," he admitted. "I don't know if anyone here knows. Anyone who's left hasn't come back, that's for sure." He thought for a moment, then shifted gears. "Apex is all we have. It's cruel, but it can be exploited. I don't know what's out past those mountains, but I do know that here we have a chance to live a better life if we play our cards right. It's all I've ever done. If there was a way to change AA, to make things better, sure I'd try for it but... " He looked down, then back up. "I just want to survive. Maybe once that's done we can see about creating something better."</s>
<\|description\|>KIERAN Nickname(s) "Key," mostly, in work. Sometimes "K." In the eyes of Apex Authority, he is known as "Transportation Technician #3B149," which is the closest thing he has had to a legal name. He is mononymous. Age 25 (Estimated) Appearance Physically athletic and fairly intimidating at six foot-two, Kieran is a little on the leaner side. Both his hair and his beard have a tendency to go on the fritz, as work overtakes time for him to take shears to them. He has several scars on both legs and arms from moving in and out of tight, sometimes sharp spots throughout Apex. He's often dressed in a very simple, muted color palette, and almost always has a satchel with him—containing various documents and necessary paperwork. Job Duty Kieran works as a Runner. Technically a "transportation technician," Runners work with the approval of Apex Authority to facilitate a wide variety of essential tasks. While Apex Authority often uses the service themselves, the service is primarily utilized by the middle and lower classes of Apex. Runners facilitate transit for letters, legal documents, cargo, and even people. Off-the-record, runners are also notoriously paid to pass verbal messages between factions, or from Apex Authority to others within Apex. Runners enjoy a few benefits of working for Apex Authority, such as their Runner's Stamp for official messages (which operates as a sort of notary service), and general protection. That is, Apex Enforcement members ("AEs") will investigate the disappearance/murder of a Runner. It is more than AEs offer to regular citizens, but more often than not, Runners that disappear are never recovered. Faction Information Runners often keep a distance from each other—working in agreed-upon sectors to keep competition light—so Kieran is more often than not, alone. He lives in District 3, subsection B, and associates most often with Port Apex. While officially, grains, produce, and other materials are brought in from nearby fields via these vessels, unofficially, a host of contraband makes its way to the shores of Apex. This contraband, ordered by the higher and lower classes alike, constitutes most of Kieran's work. History Kieran was found aboard one of the many farming ships that travel to Port Apex as an infant. As an unclaimed child, it was suspected that his parents were farmers who either could not afford to keep him or did not want to. Otherwise, he was passed from port worker to port worker until he finally earned his stamp at around age 15, and has been living on his own and working as a runner ever since. His age is self-given, and an estimate.</s> <\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran's eyes blurred in brilliant displays of light and darkness. He stormed through the tunnels beneath the hills of subsection A--Aura keeping pace as they sprinted. Their gait was hurried and pained--their breaths ripping, gasping in the air and sending hollow echoes throughout as they ran. The boat. Kieran thought, over and over again. We have to get to the boat. "I can't go back to Unity!" Aura explained. Loor was dead. The words crushed into Kieran though he had known their truth for the past several minutes. This plan had gone all sorts of sideways. The laptop--should Aura even have it, as the past few minutes had been a blur--was their only salvation. How was he to explain to AA what had happened? If Aura couldn't go back to Unity, what could he even accomplish to get them both in better standing in AA? Right now, the time for rumination was far from where they were--running like animals from what would likely be a mob of police and resistance. Kieran pushed past the hatch and dumped them on the beach. Suddenly, all of the noise and the chaos of the party bled away into the night. Here the salt air sliced through the silence like a tempest calm. And suddenly, all was still. Kieran huffed and puffed--trying to catch his breath. Beside and behind him, Aura seemed similarly lost in thought. A momentary glance to her concerned him, given the emotion on her face, but he gave it no mind. They both were murderers, this night. There was little to be done about that. He could ask her later how a shoreline could be so moving. He led them forward--slower now, gently--across the retrograde boardwalk. Towards the ragged boats around and beneath. Out here the full moon shone upon the shores of this vast sea so much that the distant, cragged peaks of distant mountains shone themselves even now. All he wanted in this moment was to leave. To take Aura far, far away from whatever fetid mess they had created tonight and to start something new. But he knew things may be more complex than that. They always were. "That's where we're going," he responded in kind to her question. He figured she wouldn't be so impressed, but what else was there to do in light of what had happened? Escape via the streets was one thing, but after Loor's death? These consequences would be felt for long after they had escaped. Or been killed. Looking for construction and engineering he could recognize, Kieran spotted a larger boat with twin hulls. A catamaran, to be exact. This sort of boat had what he wanted--a sturdier engine he could possibly start with siphoned fuel, and a lower storage and cabin area to hide in should AA come around. "Here," Kieran said, helping Aura down to the top of the boat. He took a few takes around the area before letting his guard down--wasting no time and moving to the stern and opening the engine compartment. "These retrograde engines have held up better than you'd have expected," he explained to her as he took a look at the block. He felt alongside the walls of the inner compartment, leaning into it and feeling for bumps. "The batteries die, of course, but a lot of the time the people who owned these had these jumpers that held up hundreds of years. They thought it would have them if they were abandoned at sea, but for us," he continued, "it works out long after they're gone." As he talked and explained, he couldn't help but think of the last time he had been on a boat like this. In Port Apex, with the port boys and him looking around abandoned retrograde models for booze or something better. He spent much of his adolescence like that--drinking with the others, messing with engine parts, without a care in the world so long as they were back before the morning... He shook the thought from his head and kept making adjustments to the engine block. "I know you probably had the best reason in the world to kill Loor. In fact, I'm pretty fucking sure of it." He found a bolt holding the ignition assembly and began to loosen it. "Though honestly, I'm not sure where we go from here because of it." He looked to Aura--unsure of her eyes but knowing his shone little more than the truth. He could get the boat moving, sure, but then what? "I'm not sure what we do from here."</s> <\|message\|>AURA "I'm not sure what we do from here." Getting lost in thought looking around the boat, Aura was snapped back to reality with his statement. "Bring me to your place. I'll, uh, I'll get a runner to bring the laptop to Gregor. Last thing I need is the AA and the cause looking for me." She began to pace around the boat, every now and then stumbling from the small waves beneath them lapping against the dock. "All they knew at the party was that I was a girl named Sada with long, black hair. I'll...I'll cut it. Bleach it with some cleaner and..." Aura looked to Kieran, obviously desperate and reeling from the events that had just taken place. "Please, if you could just hide me for a bit, we could figure it out from there. I'll lay low. No one will ever know I'm there, just...please." Her voice shook which pissed her off more than anything. She was stronger than this. Smarter than this. She should have just let Loor do what he wanted and told Gregor that she couldn't get the lap top. Now, she was at the mercy of Kieran, who could easily turn her in to the AA without a second thought. Aura plopped down on a cushion and let her foot rest above her, already able to see the black bruise and blood pooling on the top of it. Tears came again, but she held her head down and quickly wiped them with her hands, but it only mixed with Loor's blood dried on her hands. "Fuck," she mumbled before throwing herself to the side of the boat and puked. Once done, Aura caught a reflection of herself in the metallic trim, and in its warped picture, she could see Loor's blood was now smeared across her cheeks. "No, no," she whispered sharply, running to the other side of the boat, leaning over its edge until it was only her legs inside, and dunked her head into the icy water, scrubbing her face and arms vigorously until she was sure no blood was lingering. With a gasp, she brought herself back over the edge and into the boat, and searched the cabinets until she found a scratchy blanket to wrap around herself. Once situated back onto the cushion, Aura brought a finger to her face again, relieved to only see the running black coal that she'd lined her eyes with. "So, what do you say? It'd only be for a few days."</s>	<\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran tried his best to keep his eyes from bulging out of his head once he realized what Aura was trying to suggest. 'You've got to be fucking kidding me,' he thought to himself. His mind raced to think of how he could best sneak her into Port Apex, and the very thought gave him sharp pangs of anxiety. He'd had to get past the Port Boys, which was going to be an issue all on its own with how shitty the men of the port could be, but even beyond that, beyond paying off anyone who saw them, he couldn't help but feel embarrassed. His home was terrible. An amalgamation of whatever he could find within a few containers. Nothing even close to creature comforts. But...he knew they had to do it. After the party, "Sada" was going to be public enemy number #1. And he knew that he would need to contact AA before they tracked him down themselves, endangering them both. Tonight and tomorrow he would spend the time sorting out a cover story and next steps. But for now, there was a more pressing problem. He needed to get them out of here, and quickly. He watched as Aura turned to hurl over the boat and wrap herself up. He tried not to watch too closely. It was uncomfortable, watching someone unravel. But he knew he would have done the same had he been in her position. She was now a fugitive, and he needed to do what he could to protect her. So, instead of watching, he occupied himself with the engine block. Taking the jumpers and making a few adjustments, he pulled hard on the pull cord, once, then twice, then-- WHIRRRRRRRRRR The engine roared fiercely into the night, before settling to idle at a lower speed. He could feel the boast jostle beneath them--a good sign--and knew that the engine was moving the propeller. They were mobile. "So, what do you say? It'd only be for a few days." He turned away from the engine block and back to her. "Until we know what the fallout is from this, I agree. You need to lay low. Let's get moving." -- Kieran occupied himself with the rudder as the boat buoyed and bounced its way through the choppy waters of the sound. Above them, moonlight reflected several-fold. As Kieran took a wide berth away from the shores of Apex, the light meant that the two could see all of Apex in this one, simple light. The city looked more dead than alive out here. The towering retrograde buildings in the heart of downtown had half-fallen--leaving jagged peaks and imposing pikes to rise from the earth. Even still, behind the city, he could see the distant peaks of a more natural kind. The mountains that surrounded and seemed to consume Apex. Cutting it off from...whatever it may be beyond. "My Dad told me once that our family had come from the other side of those mountains," he thought aloud. "I wonder what's there now..." He glanced to Aura before quickly realizing those thoughts had been said aloud and turned away to avoid discussing it further. Luckily, the port was quickly approaching, and it was time to get ashore. Once a few hundred feet from shore, Kieran killed the engine and let the ship slowly float towards one of the many deserted docks on the north end of Port Apex. He knew that in the shadows, many of the Port Boys and others would likely be watching. Tomorrow, he'd have to venture out to see who knew what, who and told whom. Once the ship docked, he helped Aura off of the boat and onto the rocky shoreline. As he did, he could see her injured foot--and it wasn't looking great. "Here," he said, moving to her opposite side, "don't put much weight on it." He slipped an arm around her and helped her cross the short walk to his home a few hundred feet down the shore. He opened the door to reveal the same home he had known for years--spacious enough, given it was four shipping containers connected together, yet still small enough to where the entire space could fit in a single field of vision. He helped Aura to the bed--a rather large tarp over makeshift betting and some blankets pawned off from a client--and moved to the furnace. "Sorry for the mess," he said quietly, Why did he feel so embarrassed? He quickly started a fire and warmed up the cold space, before moving to his water tank and pulling together two pints of water. He brought one over to Aura. "It's not much of a place, but I made it myself," he continued. "It may not be all that grand, but it's home." He sat down on the floor a few feet away--a comfortable conversing distance, plus, he had no real seating in here other than the bed--and finally, took a deep breath. They were safe, for now. "We should get something for that foot," he noted. Kieran was quickly beginning to realize he had a good deal of anxiety brewing in his chest. Strangers came and went--and he was very comfortable conversing with a whole host of them throughout a day. But Aura was much more than that at this point. And he hadn't spoken with anyone he actually cared about in years, and now, suddenly, he and Aura were bound together. It had happened so quickly he hadn't realized how quickly he had come to trust her. He suddenly felt aware of the fact and tried not to think on it too much. "And I'll see what clean clothes I have that'll fit." He felt another pang of anxiety. Perhaps if he could focus on fixing whatever issue was in front of them, it would go away. Still, it was a nice feeling, in a way. Maybe these next few days wouldn't be so bad after all.</s>
<\|description\|>AURA Nickname(s) None, other than being called by her last name, Holland, which her family called a "name of the old world." Age 24 Appearance She stands at average height - around 5'5" - with straight, black hair that hangs down to her waist which she ties up in a knot or braid most days. She's thin like most in Subsection F, as having extra weight is a luxury that they can't afford, but working has given her some muscle she'd never had previously. If not in her work suit, she normally dresses in black to not draw attention to herself, especially with what's happening in the District. Among random scars, she has a few tattoos in hidden places as well as her ears stretched, a trend that had resurfaced in the subsection when she was a teenager. Job Duty Aura, as of three months ago, was demoted to Sanitation and Maintenance as a form of punishment. Originally, like her mother, she was in Service and Housekeeping, often traveling to the wealthier districts to serve as a maid. A family down by the beach had chosen her mother as their permanent maid two years ago, and Aura hasn't seen her since. Faction Information Although its officially named subsection F, many of its inhabitants refer to it as its previous name, Unity, chosen many years ago during the first rebellion, but the AA refuses to acknowledge it as such. It's the heart of the district, its epicenter, with its downtown area called Atlantic. Most of the job opportunities in the subsection are to be of service to other subsections - some among them being Service and Housekeeping, Sanitation and Maintenance, and a new opportunity, Apex Enforcement. It was the first time in years that the AA ever thought to recruit anyone from subsection F, but with how desperate some of its citizens are getting, its sold as a fantastic chance of leaving poverty. Most of Unity's inhabitants, though, frown upon anyone joining the AE. Rumors of rebellion rumble through the underground, but the AA hasn't had any solid proof...yet. History Aura grew up with her mother, father, and little brother Ion in a small home on the outskirts of the district, and though it was humble, it was full of love. Her brother and father still occupied the home, now growing crops for the entire District. She still visits often, especially when she needs a home-cooked meal, and her dad always insists on giving her an extra serving even though there isn't much to spare. Her father, though rebellious in his youth, was now a reformed man, insisting that things were the way they needed to be. This continually caused a riff between them, until Aura realized that he wasn't going to change. Talks of the second rebellion were no longer had at the dinner table. While Aura was never a well-behaved child, her actions were to help her family. Since caught stealing bread at the age of 13, she had been under the eye of the AE, and has had numerous run-ins with them since.</s> <\|message\|>AURA The trek to her father's house was a blur, adrenaline and uncertainty pumping through Aura with each beat of her heart clapping in her ears. To keep her hostage from returning to her family home, she tossed her sweater over his head and guided him by looping one arm through his, while the other kept the gun pointed towards him. The rain had picked up, and the dirt floor of the crop fields had turned into a thick stretch of mud, causing her boots to stick with each step. Bam. Bam. Bam. The heavy wooden door only creaked open a couple of an inches with an eye peeking out. "It's me." Her father sighed, not opening the door any further. "What have you done?" "I need the garage tonight. And two changes of clothes." Moments passed, with only silence and the patter of the rain to fill the void. "Please… I'm sorry." "Be out by dawn," he huffed, followed by snapping the door shut. The man returned moments later with a sack that he tossed to her, giving no time for another word between them before shutting the door once again. Once entering the garage, Aura forced the man into a seated position on the floor and removed her sweater from his head. The garage, detached by a few hundred feet from the home, held a tractor and other machinery, along with an array of tools that lined the back wall, a fold out cot, and a wooden desk. She hastily lit a couple of candles until the garage was illuminated with a dim, yellow light, then she grabbed a retrieved from the wall and threw it over her shoulder. "You're changing first," she instructed, shoving a plain, large t-shirt and cotton pants into the man's hands, taking his bag in response and kicking it across the floor towards the cot. Her hand that held the gun trembled, unsure if it was from the frigid rain or her nerves, but her eyes shot to the ground in an attempt to give the man some privacy. Once finished, she tied his arms behind him around a support beam that sat in the center of the garage, then grabbed her own change of clothes. These must have been Ion's, her younger brother, who towered over her much like the mystery man. She put the large t-shirt on, then slipped the wet clothes beneath off of her, then slid on the pants, then took their wet clothes and draped them over a chair to dry. What would her endgame be here? If she let him go, he could kill her - or worse, notify the AA of her treason. He knew her name already… that she had family. She should have just shot him in the street when she had the chance. Aura felt around in his bag and removed the gun, placing it gently on the ground next to hers. Next his paperwork, which for now, she just glanced over before setting placing them on the cot. So," she sighed, crouching down in front of him. "A runner, huh?" Her eyes scanned him in curiosity. "Why are you in F?" Before continuing, Aura realized that she still hadn't had her one question answered since she had seen the man in front of Mae's tavern. "What's your name?"</s> <\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran continued to be accosted as he was held at gunpoint and continued to be pushed further and further from the town square. As she pushed him, Kieran made a note of every building, every street, and every inch of the area—until of course, she tossed a sweater over her head. "Fucking really," Kieran muttered, unsure and uncaring if she had heard the comment. Luckily, the smell wasn't so bad, if it weren't for the sweat that had already been dripping down his face. He continued to trudge forward through the humid, muddy night. He tried to keep some sense of his bearings and figured they had gone maybe a ten or so blocks before he heard her bang thrice on a door. He listened intently to the conversation Aura shared with a third voice. This one gruff, uncaring but…rather familiar. He figured this could be a close friend, or possibly a relative. He was unsure and would be sure to figure that one out later. As for now he ran through the facts. This was Aura; likely associated with the same group the others were. She was armed. He had heard gunshots. Likely this all would have been enough to get her arrested (assuming he survived the night) but that wasn't his mission, was it? He hated himself in some small way for thinking this way. He wasn't a spy, for fuck's sake—he was a runner, and his business was passing along shit and keeping a low profile. Nothing about all of this seemed right. Apex Authority were no heroes. These so-called freedom fighters broke a strange peace and got others killed in their wake. The more he thought, the less he felt like picking any side in this horrid mess. He expected blinding light when she removed the sweater from his head, but the dimness of the room was a simple sight to be acclimated to. He locked eyes with her—looking down, of course, as she was several inches to a foot shorter—and could immediately spot something he was familiar with. Fear. He didn't see a fearless terrorist. He saw someone terrified out of their fucking mind about what was going on. Which immediately lowered his guard and put him at ease. If he played his cards right, he might not be the real hostage here. As she tossed clothes in his hands, she took his bag and was sure to kick it hard away from them—which immediately put him at ease. He had been particularly careful to burn all evidence of the current mission and keep the Black Seal on his person rather than in an easily-stolen bag. In there wasn't much other than the usual ID papers and runner's stamp. He gave he a cold look; wondering if she was going to watch him change. He watched her eyes dart to the floor, before removing his clothes. He was glad to be out of them, really. What a sweaty mess he was at this point. He made a point to turn his back to her and straighten out his underwear—ensuring Aura's eyes stayed away—and slipped the Black Seal from his trousers to his underwear. Uncomfortable indeed. He figured he would bet on her holding back on asking him to be completely naked. If she didn't he figured he'd have to find a good way to lie. He placed the rest of the clothes on him and was tied promptly to a pole. He looked away as Aura changed, and watched her dig through his things. "So," she sighed, crouching down in front of him. "A runner, huh? Why are you in F? What's your name?" He figured he'd tackle her questions one at a time. He made sure to make clear eye contact through the sweat dripping down his face. Fuck, it was hot in here. "Yeah, a runner," he said simply. "3B149, feel free to verify that on the sheet." He straightened up against the pole; trying to ward off a pain growing his back. "I have a couple of clients take me this far and was back in town to collect. Sure, I'm not supposed to be in F, but hey; what were you up to after curfew?" He always laughed the last half of his sentence; breaking into a smile. His captor was looking increasingly shaky and tense; not great when she was two guns on her. He figured he could lean into his recent deal with Teegan and Cale and could get them to verify his story to Aura if need be. "I'm Kieran," he smiled. "And I'm very much not looking to die tonight, so if we could work something out, I'm all ears." While he was miles from trusting Aura, particularly now, he was certainly hoping to make an ally of her, after all. He wasn't exactly sure of the benefits of the alternative, but it certainly wouldn't be good for him, would it?</s>	<\|message\|>AURA "Kieran," she mumbled in response. His demeanor was the most unnerving thing about him. He was calm and smiling, while Aura did everything she could to choke down the nausea bubbling in her stomach. She had taken a runner hostage. A runner. The weight of her actions began to sink deep in her stomach, the heat of the garage beginning to suffocate the oxygen from the room. Aura dashed to the window, threw it open, and allowed herself a deep gulp of breath from the cooler air that poured in. Could she somehow get a message to Gregor? Explain she had fucked up and that she needed help? The thought of his temper made Aura shut down the thought instantly. No, she'd have to figure a way out of this herself. She couldn't lose her spot in the cause. They were her last chance of getting out of F for good. The only place she fit in. But if the man got free, he would shoot her. If he didn't shoot her, he'd run until he could report her. She was dead in the water in every outcome imaginable. Aura turned from the window and moved to stand in front of him, hiding her trembling hands in the pockets of Ion's pants. "I won't -" Due to nerves, her voice left her body as a whisper. Get it together. "I won't kill you," she responded, now reflecting a more confident tone. "I just…" How could she get him on her side, at least long enough for her to figure out a plan? "You, the mystery man, catch me in the middle of a firefight with an AR in my hands." She chuckled, wiping her forehead to rid it of sweat. "That would normally sound like a really fun night for me. But you're," Aura finally gained courage to look up at him, "you're a runner. You may as well be an enforcer." Aura grabbed an empty pail from the corner and opened the garage door. "I'll be right back." She soon returned, the pail now full of water. Before dealing with it, she plopped down and began to work her fingers at the laces of her sopping boots, groaning when each foot finally broke free. "Thirsty?" Without waiting for an answer, Aura grabbed the pail and approached him, lifting it to Kieran's lips. Once done, she took a few gulps of it herself before making herself comfortable on the floor across from him. "You want to leave here alive. As do I. And if I'm reported, you may as well kill me now." Aura scanned his face hoping for any hint of weakness, but the man was made of stone. Asshole. "So Kieran, what would you do if you were in my position?"</s>
<\|description\|>AURA Nickname(s) None, other than being called by her last name, Holland, which her family called a "name of the old world." Age 24 Appearance She stands at average height - around 5'5" - with straight, black hair that hangs down to her waist which she ties up in a knot or braid most days. She's thin like most in Subsection F, as having extra weight is a luxury that they can't afford, but working has given her some muscle she'd never had previously. If not in her work suit, she normally dresses in black to not draw attention to herself, especially with what's happening in the District. Among random scars, she has a few tattoos in hidden places as well as her ears stretched, a trend that had resurfaced in the subsection when she was a teenager. Job Duty Aura, as of three months ago, was demoted to Sanitation and Maintenance as a form of punishment. Originally, like her mother, she was in Service and Housekeeping, often traveling to the wealthier districts to serve as a maid. A family down by the beach had chosen her mother as their permanent maid two years ago, and Aura hasn't seen her since. Faction Information Although its officially named subsection F, many of its inhabitants refer to it as its previous name, Unity, chosen many years ago during the first rebellion, but the AA refuses to acknowledge it as such. It's the heart of the district, its epicenter, with its downtown area called Atlantic. Most of the job opportunities in the subsection are to be of service to other subsections - some among them being Service and Housekeeping, Sanitation and Maintenance, and a new opportunity, Apex Enforcement. It was the first time in years that the AA ever thought to recruit anyone from subsection F, but with how desperate some of its citizens are getting, its sold as a fantastic chance of leaving poverty. Most of Unity's inhabitants, though, frown upon anyone joining the AE. Rumors of rebellion rumble through the underground, but the AA hasn't had any solid proof...yet. History Aura grew up with her mother, father, and little brother Ion in a small home on the outskirts of the district, and though it was humble, it was full of love. Her brother and father still occupied the home, now growing crops for the entire District. She still visits often, especially when she needs a home-cooked meal, and her dad always insists on giving her an extra serving even though there isn't much to spare. Her father, though rebellious in his youth, was now a reformed man, insisting that things were the way they needed to be. This continually caused a riff between them, until Aura realized that he wasn't going to change. Talks of the second rebellion were no longer had at the dinner table. While Aura was never a well-behaved child, her actions were to help her family. Since caught stealing bread at the age of 13, she had been under the eye of the AE, and has had numerous run-ins with them since.</s> <\|message\|>AURA "Del's not fucking -" Aura's knee-jerk reaction further proved why she often wasn't trusted by the cause with situations like this. It took just a moment though to gain back what little composure she had previously. "You must have some bad information. Del's not involved in any of this." Guilt began to creep up her spine. Taking advantage of his niceness to cover her ass had obviously landed him on one of the AA's list, and although Aura always knew it was a possibility, hearing it made it real. Kieran presented her with an out, one that made the impossibly difficult situation she put herself even worse. While the cause was all she had left, she couldn't leave if she wanted to. The only way out of the group was to die honorably, or die a traitor. Gregor and others high in the rankings did not have one ounce of trust between them all, and it only made sense to them that if anyone no longer wanted anything to do with the cause, they had to have an ulterior motive. Death was the only way to cover their own asses. And while they've taken great care of Aura, she had been on their bad side before. She was unsure if she'd rather be punished again by them or by an officer, but she at least knew the cause wouldn't harm her family. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for the AE. This was the only choice. Most days, Aura just wished she could leave. To pack what little belongings she had and to head for the mountains in the middle of the night. Of course, she had heard rumors that it was only more grim out of Apex's limits, that there is nothing out there for those that try to leave. But other rumors, those that there are groups of people living freely past the mountains. No authority, no enforcers...that was the fantasy that Aura desperately clung to when things got too heated in Unity. "So, you want me to rat," Aura sighed, pushing back stringy strands of black hair from her vision. "You know what they do to rats here, right?" Remaining seated on the floor, she swiveled around and lifted her shirt to reveal pink scars that resembled lightning strikes down her back. "One of the times that Soren took one of our guys in, he made it sound like I had given them info. The officers like to stir shit up to try and dismantle us…" Upon realizing that she was saying too much already, Aura's face landed in her palms and a groan escaped her. "Guess you got me. But, I need some guarantees." She straightened up her posture and met his eyes. "If you name me in anything, they won't hesitate to deliver my head to you in a package. If I help you, it has to be from an unidentified source." It sounded ridiculous to be demanding anything knowing that Kieran could throw her to the wolves at any time. "Second, if I'm figured out, I have to get out of F. I don't know how much power you have and I don't care. I'll need new papers and a new subsection. And lastly," she took a moment to catch her breath; the heat was growing unbearable whether from her nerves or the rain. Her voice trembled with emotion no matter how much she tried to control it. "I can't be seen with you, now that I know who you are. Figure out where or how we can meet, and I'll do it. I'm probably not welcomed back after this, so it can't be here." A familiar feeling of penitence sat like a rock in her stomach, but this was her only option. Or at least, she couldn't think of a better one. "I'll bring you to the west border of F in the morning. Do we have a deal?"</s> <\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran studied Aura closely as she talked; looking for any signs that wasn't speaking honestly to him. But, if her erratic response to this Del character was to be believed, she wasn't necessarily great at obfuscation. He had to remind himself that not everyone was like him. Not everyone was looking to lie and cheat every chance they had. "Rat is a strong term…" Kieran started, then stopped. He thought for a moment. "But yes. I'd like for you to rat." He next listened to her demands. The first was a simple request; anonymity. An easy sell to AA. Results mattered far more than loyalty to an organization that inherently bred distrust. He needed to deliver a less dangerous Atlantic and they wouldn't care much about the details. Or, who had to die to ensure that eventuality for them. Kieran knew he wouldn't throw Aura to the wolves. Or at least, not unless it really came down to it. The second request was an escape plan. Again. Another non-issue for him. A quick flash of the seal and he could get her past just about anyone. Hell, he could get her on the next boat headed north and off to whatever it was that existed beyond Apex--should anything of value exist out there at all. It was hard to know and even harder on the mind to wonder. The third and final request was another easy sell. The two couldn't be seen with each other so long as they collaborated. Kieran doubted this would be the last time he would be in Atlantic--far from it--but he knew that it was paramount he and her never interacted. "I think we have a deal, then," Kieran smiled. He loosened a bit, now more comfortable that he wasn't going to die that night. He thought for a moment. "I know where we'll meet," he said. "There's a series of old retrograde tunnels on the southeast corner of Atlantic. I'm sure you've seen them." He had initially thought of asking her to meet him at his place, but had discarded that plan as quick as he had formed it. The idea of Aura being able to so easily rat him out to her compatriots wasn't appealing, so he needed somewhere he knew somewhat well and remained neutral to both of them. The tunnels had formerly housed settlements avoiding exposure to the blight, and before that, they had held massive roadways for the city--funneling in people from god knows where else in the world. Whatever was beyond the waters. Kieran thought of what it must have been like to ride one of these passive concrete passages. But the bridges that had crossed the waters east of Apex had long since collapsed, leaving only the tunnels. These days, the tunnels were mostly utilized for AA transport and other matters. But they had a reputation of being a place where Runners, AE members, and citizens could make deals and trades that Apex Authority probably wouldn't condone. In many ways, they steered clear of the tunnels as a show of permissible understanding. Kieran wondered how much of this was known to Aura. Regardless, he continued: "The tunnels are guarded by AE members and lead to subsection J. However, they're easily bribed and I'll make sure they are for us. We'll meet there." Kieran took a second to think. Then: "If you tell me the name of your supervisor, I can work some things out about discreetly getting you away in the middle of the day. Otherwise, I'll be sure to be there after dark and before curfew each night. Make your way to tunnel three and I'll find you." "I'll work on your papers, too," he said. "It might take a few days, but it can be done. I know a guy in City Center who can help me out. I'll see him tomorrow." "And speaking of," he said, settling onto his pole, "it might be worth it to get some sleep."</s>	<\|message\|>AURA As Kieran listed off his orders, Aura struggled to make mental notes of it all, her eyes lazily studying his face, shoulders, and arms as exhaustion had overcome her long before they ever crossed paths. Now, in a matter of an hour, he held her life in his large, rugged hands- Snapping back into reality as his last statement was made, her eyes widened and she nodded rapidly. "Sleep, yeah." She stood back up with a groan and dusted her black pants off vigorously to rid them of the dirt that settled long ago on the garage floor. "Don't try anything," she grumbled as she squatted behind him and began to work at the knot holding his wrists behind his back. Once loose, she gently tugged his arms until they were free of the rope. "You run," she sighed as she headed towards the cot in the corner and unfolded it from the wall until it cracked into place, "and I'll have a hit out on you by dawn. Plus, I'm a light sleeper." While Aura made plenty of idiotic decisions in the past few hours, this may have been the dumbest, but in good conscious, she couldn't let the man sleep in the position she had him. Hopefully her threat would be enough to keep him in place for the night. As if a dog curling up on his blanket, she took her time wiggling about until she found a comfortable position to sleep in while being able to keep an eye on him. Once satisfied, she groaned and let her eyes start to flutter. "Good night, Kieran." *** Aura awoke completely startled and almost launched herself off the cot. Father's garage? Oh yeah. Clothes drying on the chair? Yes, it was raining. Man asleep on the floor? She wished she could forget. While he remained asleep, she quickly changed into the close from the previous nights and laced her boots quietly, using them to nudge him gently as she towered over him. "Let's go." The walk though the fields was silent, more awkward than any morning she'd had before with a man, and her body remained on full alert the entire time. She had seen herself in the reflection of a glass just before leaving, and she had inconspicuously worked on removing the round smudges of coal that had blurred around her eyes as they stomped along. The sunrise began to peak behind them, and it drenched their surroundings in pink and orange. Aura couldn't help but peer over her shoulder a few times. The guard tower was finally visible in the distance. "I have to stop here," she panted, planting her feet apart and crossing her arms. Attempting to seem intimidating felt stupid in front of the skyscraper in front of her, but Gregor always said, "Pretend to be the warrior you want to be." The thousands of thoughts racing through Aura's mind made it hard for her to keep a steady breath and remain present in the moment, but she had fucked up enough to know that she couldn't - at least in this moment - take back anything that transpired. "I can meet you in the tunnels tonight," she offered with a blank expression. "9:00 PM." In defeat, her eyes shot down to the ground between them. "Bring food. Meat if you can get any. Ale works too." Without another word, Aura extended a hand to Kieran. A silent agreement that they both were bonded together by a mutual need. Once they broke off, she shoved his bag in his hand, complete with his gun and paperwork. "Please don't fuck me over, Kieran."</s>
<\|description\|>AURA Nickname(s) None, other than being called by her last name, Holland, which her family called a "name of the old world." Age 24 Appearance She stands at average height - around 5'5" - with straight, black hair that hangs down to her waist which she ties up in a knot or braid most days. She's thin like most in Subsection F, as having extra weight is a luxury that they can't afford, but working has given her some muscle she'd never had previously. If not in her work suit, she normally dresses in black to not draw attention to herself, especially with what's happening in the District. Among random scars, she has a few tattoos in hidden places as well as her ears stretched, a trend that had resurfaced in the subsection when she was a teenager. Job Duty Aura, as of three months ago, was demoted to Sanitation and Maintenance as a form of punishment. Originally, like her mother, she was in Service and Housekeeping, often traveling to the wealthier districts to serve as a maid. A family down by the beach had chosen her mother as their permanent maid two years ago, and Aura hasn't seen her since. Faction Information Although its officially named subsection F, many of its inhabitants refer to it as its previous name, Unity, chosen many years ago during the first rebellion, but the AA refuses to acknowledge it as such. It's the heart of the district, its epicenter, with its downtown area called Atlantic. Most of the job opportunities in the subsection are to be of service to other subsections - some among them being Service and Housekeeping, Sanitation and Maintenance, and a new opportunity, Apex Enforcement. It was the first time in years that the AA ever thought to recruit anyone from subsection F, but with how desperate some of its citizens are getting, its sold as a fantastic chance of leaving poverty. Most of Unity's inhabitants, though, frown upon anyone joining the AE. Rumors of rebellion rumble through the underground, but the AA hasn't had any solid proof...yet. History Aura grew up with her mother, father, and little brother Ion in a small home on the outskirts of the district, and though it was humble, it was full of love. Her brother and father still occupied the home, now growing crops for the entire District. She still visits often, especially when she needs a home-cooked meal, and her dad always insists on giving her an extra serving even though there isn't much to spare. Her father, though rebellious in his youth, was now a reformed man, insisting that things were the way they needed to be. This continually caused a riff between them, until Aura realized that he wasn't going to change. Talks of the second rebellion were no longer had at the dinner table. While Aura was never a well-behaved child, her actions were to help her family. Since caught stealing bread at the age of 13, she had been under the eye of the AE, and has had numerous run-ins with them since.</s> <\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran couldn't help but flinch--just a little bit--as Aura snapped back in defense at his question. Perhaps he shouldn't have been too surprised--it was, in fact, a pretty direct and rude question. Still, he composed himself and adjusted to match her in kind. Fine, he thought to himself. Let's do it this way. He watched as her ale toss went awry, offering no pity on his face as she crumbled. "Okay," he said, setting his ale down on the table between them. "No bullshit." He recited, in austere detail, the top-level of what he knew. "Apex Enforcement knows of a terrorist apparatus rather simply as The Cause, gestating some time and becoming more and more violent to petty officers and under suspicion of conspiracy against the government. Known associates of The Cause are mononymic in nature. I have a few names. Gregor. Mae. Miranda. This Del you seem quite fond of. Locations too. But I'm going to tell you now no matter what agreement we come to everyone I listed will be investigated and very likely worse if we don't come to an agreement about who is involved, and how." "So," he continued, straightening his back somewhat, "If Del isn't involved, I need to know why and how he became associated with The Cause so I can clear his name. And if you have any arrangements with The Cause--any information concerning their next moves--I need that too. We can build trust with AA by telling them in advance. If need be, they'll let The Cause continue with their plans while learning more about them. They're not looking to thwart one operation. They want the whole thing decimated, and they're willing to wait to ensure that happens."</s> <\|message\|>AURA "Del is…" It felt so wrong. The memory of him pleading to her not to get him involved replayed in her mind more vivid than any movie they'd shown in the town square. "They'll take me in for interrogation. Take my family in. They can't handle that. They're quiet, Aura. They're dishwashers. They can't take that shit." At this point though, it was only to clear his name. There was no other option. "He's my next door neighbor. My friend. My only friend." Aura sighed and leaned forward, rubbing her temples. "He just covers for me. He doesn't know what we do, what I do. The runners we work with only tell him what he needs to know. The cause doesn't even know." Shooting up from her chair, she darted for the refrigerator and grabbed another one of the bottles Kieran brought and plopped back down. While Aura had been involved in enough nefarious shit, being a rat felt the worst on her conscious so far. Whether it was the impending feeling of punishment from the cause for what she was doing or the fact she was turning her back on all she knew, it felt like shit. At least she had enough ale to stave off the feeling until the next morning. "Gregor…" a deep breath and a sip was needed before continuing, "he's been our shot caller since Santo died a couple years back. He's organized every major event since." Subconsciously, a hand lifted to her face to press on the scab on her bottom lip, wincing as the scab separated under pressure. "There's a… party or something in Sub A. Loor's house." Another deep breath was taken, this time shaky in its exhale. "I'm going undercover with a group of prostitutes. I have to take a folding computer, I forget the name." Aura took a few gulps from the brown bottle, and this time, politely set it down on the table next to her. "If I fail to grab it and get out, and if his drink doesn't knock him out in time, I'll have to fuck him, then leave in the morning with the rest of the girls. Gregor wants the information on it. Something about more restrictions in F." For the first time in a few minutes, Aura lifted her head and looked at Kieran. "I don't wanna do it. But this is my punishment from running away from the fight. This is his retribution. He coulda easily paid one of the other girls to do it." A hand ran through her hair as she took a moment to let the wave of anger run through her, then she returned her attention to Kieran. "What else?"</s> <\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran eyed Aura and listened intently as she began to get into the gritty details of why they were there. He was looking for a tell--a glance to the side, a pause that lingers too long--anything that could give away any evidence that she was lying. He also thought back to his briefing, and the information he received. But as she spoke, she gave no signs of deception--if anything, she seemed more despondent than ever. When she spoke of this Del character specifically, she seemed nearly desperate. Kieran made a mental note to clear this person from any AA scrutiny as a show of good faith as they continued to work together. Santo, Kieran thought to himself as she said the name. It triggered something in him. He had once heard of a Santo causing a serious amount of damage to subsection A back in the day--which was particularly impressive, as most people even involved in Apex weren't allowed there. He wasn't sure if he was getting Santo mixed up with some other freedom fighter, but if he recalled correctly, whoever it was that caused the massive explosion in subsection A was hanged and left to rot for months on the highest crane in Port Apex. He was surprised to next hear Aura describe heading to sub A herself. "You're going to a party at Gerald Loor's house?" Kieran asked, nearly cutting her off. Loor was a big, big fucking deal to Kieran and just about anyone else within AA or AE. He had a reputation for cruelty--often enacted with very little regard for collateral and with a smirk that never left his face. He wasn't machiavellian or anything like that--he was also known for his politician's demeanor--but he was certainly one of the people that probably knew about Kieran and what he was up to regarding the Cause. His mind raced as Aura continued to explain the point of the mission in place for the next day. "That's dangerous," Kieran said. Then--thinking--continued on. "I mean--you know that, I know--but fuck, Aura. Gerald Loor's laptop is going to be pretty fucking locked down. And it's probably encrypted." He paused a moment, trying to read Aura's face. He figured, since she hadn't known the term for 'laptop', perhaps he should explain. "That folding computer--the laptop--it's gonna be very hard to get the information off of it unless you know someone that's good with computers, and I mean really good. I can't do any of that shit myself." He thought for another moment. He needed to get in contact with Apex Authority directly--especially if the Cause was going to be stealing from Loor. They would want to know why Kieran did nothing to stop it. He made a mental note to travel directly to downtown the next day and talk to someone. Maybe even Loor himself. He also thought it if was worth telling AA to wipe the computer, but that would immediately put Aura at risk. However, even if he asked AA not to, there was no telling what they would do outside of his wishes. He had to play his cards carefully--ensuring the Cause doesn't suspect Aura, AA doesn't prematurely ruin his plans, and Aura wasn't in danger. He found himself immediately surprised by that last thought. Being mindful of those involved collaterally was typically not his style. But as he saw Aura in front of him now, watching him--despondent about tomorrow's events--he truly felt as if he owed her for all of the help she's been to him so far. "I can learn more soon about the Cause, but maybe it's better if I learn directly," he thought aloud. "I can get to Loor's house easily. I mean, fuck--I probably work for him and don't even know it--but I can make sure you don't..." He trailed off. He didn't even want to mention it. "...I can make sure you get out of there with the laptop unscathed. But these must be some pretty rough restrictions if Gregor is willing to take this risk." He opted not to mention the idea of meeting up with AA directly--at least, not yet. This was a lot of information in a very short amount of time. Besides, he didn't know what AA was planning for this party. Or what they had in store for Atlantic.</s>	<\|message\|>AURA "You'll...you'll go?" Aura took a deep breath. The news wasn't much relief, especially if anyone saw him assisting her, she'd be beaten to death before the sun rose. However, the glimmer of hope that Kieran's offer gave her was enough to calm her nerves temporarily. "Anything you could do to make sure I get out of there, I'd be thankful." Allowing her muscles to relax, she leaned forward with her hands folded, meeting his eyes. "I don't know what time I'm going, or when the party even starts. Pogo usually has his girls arrive on a carriage. Should be ten to fifteen of us." Picking at her nails, Aura tried to think of anything else to let Kieran know of. Unfortunately, she wasn't given much information himself. "They sewed a dress for me, one that I can put the laptop in when I leave. I know the girls aren't allowed to bring bags or any other belongings." Knowing Gregor, he probably didn't bank too much on her making it out. If anything, she'd be caught and either meet the AA executioner in the morning or be thrown in a cell. But while he hated her actions, Aura was never a rat, and in his mind, could never be one. If only he could fucking see her now. Countless nights given to The Cause. Countless beatings by the AE and her own people. Grueling "exercises" to prove her worth, her undying loyalty. The constant reminder that she was fighting for a better tomorrow for F, when she and the rest went days without a full meal. And although the doubt in her mind had been growing like an invasive weed for months, Kieran was the sign she was hoping for from the gods. Her golden ticket. The only way out. There had been rumors of witness protection within the subsections, but then, there were also the rumors of life outside of Apex - the more dangerous option. "I have a question for you, Kieran." Aura groaned as she leaned back in her chair. "Don't you get tired of it? All the bureaucratic bullshit?" She paused and giggled quietly. "I learned that word from a book. But really. Everything we all do - all of us - is always for 'the greater good of Apex,' no matter what side you're on. The farmers feed Apex. Sanitation keeps the roads safe for Apex. You run information for Apex. It's all for Apex, for Apex, fo fucking Apex. You know, my dad told me that people used to have jobs that weren't for the fucking city? They made music. They made art. They made games for the rest of us to enjoy." Aura paused for a moment, eyes scanning the man's face before her. He was just as stone cold as always. She imagined her words bouncing off of him and falling to the ground. "Do you ever wonder what life would be like if Apex wasn't the center of the universe?"</s>
<\|description\|>AURA Nickname(s) None, other than being called by her last name, Holland, which her family called a "name of the old world." Age 24 Appearance She stands at average height - around 5'5" - with straight, black hair that hangs down to her waist which she ties up in a knot or braid most days. She's thin like most in Subsection F, as having extra weight is a luxury that they can't afford, but working has given her some muscle she'd never had previously. If not in her work suit, she normally dresses in black to not draw attention to herself, especially with what's happening in the District. Among random scars, she has a few tattoos in hidden places as well as her ears stretched, a trend that had resurfaced in the subsection when she was a teenager. Job Duty Aura, as of three months ago, was demoted to Sanitation and Maintenance as a form of punishment. Originally, like her mother, she was in Service and Housekeeping, often traveling to the wealthier districts to serve as a maid. A family down by the beach had chosen her mother as their permanent maid two years ago, and Aura hasn't seen her since. Faction Information Although its officially named subsection F, many of its inhabitants refer to it as its previous name, Unity, chosen many years ago during the first rebellion, but the AA refuses to acknowledge it as such. It's the heart of the district, its epicenter, with its downtown area called Atlantic. Most of the job opportunities in the subsection are to be of service to other subsections - some among them being Service and Housekeeping, Sanitation and Maintenance, and a new opportunity, Apex Enforcement. It was the first time in years that the AA ever thought to recruit anyone from subsection F, but with how desperate some of its citizens are getting, its sold as a fantastic chance of leaving poverty. Most of Unity's inhabitants, though, frown upon anyone joining the AE. Rumors of rebellion rumble through the underground, but the AA hasn't had any solid proof...yet. History Aura grew up with her mother, father, and little brother Ion in a small home on the outskirts of the district, and though it was humble, it was full of love. Her brother and father still occupied the home, now growing crops for the entire District. She still visits often, especially when she needs a home-cooked meal, and her dad always insists on giving her an extra serving even though there isn't much to spare. Her father, though rebellious in his youth, was now a reformed man, insisting that things were the way they needed to be. This continually caused a riff between them, until Aura realized that he wasn't going to change. Talks of the second rebellion were no longer had at the dinner table. While Aura was never a well-behaved child, her actions were to help her family. Since caught stealing bread at the age of 13, she had been under the eye of the AE, and has had numerous run-ins with them since.</s> <\|message\|>AURA What happened next felt both like a whirlwind and a blur, and Aura focused all of her energy on taking Kieran's lead… well that, and trying not to puke. Though it wasn't the first time she killed someone, it had never been so close, and especially by hand. When the cause shot their guns from strategic positions on rooftops, Aura convinced herself it was a game. That none of it was real. The shock from this time, however, left her skin tingling, her eyes teary, and her stomach twisting. Once in the basement, the warm, moist air allowed a moment of relief although short-lived. Feeling useless, all Aura could do was watch as the man, seemingly a guard, and Kieran tussled, eventually leading to the guard's skull to split. Better his than Kieran's. Without a word, she followed him down a corridor and through another door, every so often checking behind her to make sure no one else had followed them. The foot the globe fell on began to throb with every step, but there was no time to complain. "In here." With a deep breath and a nod, Aura followed him into what appeared to be a network of tunnels under Loor's house illuminated by dim lights dotted along the ceiling. At this point, she ditched the heels one of Pogo's girls had lent her and held them tightly, picking up speed behind Kieran who seemed to already know the tunnel system like the back of his hand. "How?" Once it felt safe, Aura - through ragged breath - began to explain. "I killed him," she whispered. "Loor." Another few breaths. "He was gonna kill me...I-I panicked." More breathing. "I can't go back to Unity. The AA will execute me. I -" They approached a door at the end of the tunnel, one with a circular handle and a small, round window that protruded outward like a fish eye. A hatch. Her faith in Kieran and getting her to safety was growing by the second. Once opening it, they were out on the beach. The wet sand sunk between her toes, and the wind whipped her hair and dress around, and for a second, memories of the beach with her mother flashed through her. "Aura, watch out for the rocks!" her mother called from up on the sand. "I only half a ten minute break, and I can't bring you back to Mrs. Ruther's all bloody." An eleven year old Aura waded through the water, the pants that were a few sizes too large bunched up in her hands. The sun shined brightly, and the warm feeling made her wonder if that's what the bread felt like in the community kitchen as it baked over the fire. "Let's go, Aura!' "Aw, five more minutes?" Aura pleaded, swiveling around abruptly to give her mother a pathetic expression. Chuckling, she nodded. "Five more minutes." The memory made tears begin to trickle down Aura's cheeks, which she quickly swept away while Kieran was looking the other direction. It had been years since she saw the ocean, but she never imagined it would happen like this. Not a minute later, they were traveling down a dilapidated boardwalk, testing each step with their toes before trusting the wooden planks beneath them. Aura looked back to see small figures in black swarming around Loor's house, scanning the backyard before they presumably searched the shore. "They're looking, Kieran," she whispered, moving as quickly she could. "Where are we going?" That's when she saw the boats through a large hole in the boardwalk that had collapsed with age. "That's where we're going?"</s> <\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran's eyes blurred in brilliant displays of light and darkness. He stormed through the tunnels beneath the hills of subsection A--Aura keeping pace as they sprinted. Their gait was hurried and pained--their breaths ripping, gasping in the air and sending hollow echoes throughout as they ran. The boat. Kieran thought, over and over again. We have to get to the boat. "I can't go back to Unity!" Aura explained. Loor was dead. The words crushed into Kieran though he had known their truth for the past several minutes. This plan had gone all sorts of sideways. The laptop--should Aura even have it, as the past few minutes had been a blur--was their only salvation. How was he to explain to AA what had happened? If Aura couldn't go back to Unity, what could he even accomplish to get them both in better standing in AA? Right now, the time for rumination was far from where they were--running like animals from what would likely be a mob of police and resistance. Kieran pushed past the hatch and dumped them on the beach. Suddenly, all of the noise and the chaos of the party bled away into the night. Here the salt air sliced through the silence like a tempest calm. And suddenly, all was still. Kieran huffed and puffed--trying to catch his breath. Beside and behind him, Aura seemed similarly lost in thought. A momentary glance to her concerned him, given the emotion on her face, but he gave it no mind. They both were murderers, this night. There was little to be done about that. He could ask her later how a shoreline could be so moving. He led them forward--slower now, gently--across the retrograde boardwalk. Towards the ragged boats around and beneath. Out here the full moon shone upon the shores of this vast sea so much that the distant, cragged peaks of distant mountains shone themselves even now. All he wanted in this moment was to leave. To take Aura far, far away from whatever fetid mess they had created tonight and to start something new. But he knew things may be more complex than that. They always were. "That's where we're going," he responded in kind to her question. He figured she wouldn't be so impressed, but what else was there to do in light of what had happened? Escape via the streets was one thing, but after Loor's death? These consequences would be felt for long after they had escaped. Or been killed. Looking for construction and engineering he could recognize, Kieran spotted a larger boat with twin hulls. A catamaran, to be exact. This sort of boat had what he wanted--a sturdier engine he could possibly start with siphoned fuel, and a lower storage and cabin area to hide in should AA come around. "Here," Kieran said, helping Aura down to the top of the boat. He took a few takes around the area before letting his guard down--wasting no time and moving to the stern and opening the engine compartment. "These retrograde engines have held up better than you'd have expected," he explained to her as he took a look at the block. He felt alongside the walls of the inner compartment, leaning into it and feeling for bumps. "The batteries die, of course, but a lot of the time the people who owned these had these jumpers that held up hundreds of years. They thought it would have them if they were abandoned at sea, but for us," he continued, "it works out long after they're gone." As he talked and explained, he couldn't help but think of the last time he had been on a boat like this. In Port Apex, with the port boys and him looking around abandoned retrograde models for booze or something better. He spent much of his adolescence like that--drinking with the others, messing with engine parts, without a care in the world so long as they were back before the morning... He shook the thought from his head and kept making adjustments to the engine block. "I know you probably had the best reason in the world to kill Loor. In fact, I'm pretty fucking sure of it." He found a bolt holding the ignition assembly and began to loosen it. "Though honestly, I'm not sure where we go from here because of it." He looked to Aura--unsure of her eyes but knowing his shone little more than the truth. He could get the boat moving, sure, but then what? "I'm not sure what we do from here."</s>	<\|message\|>AURA "I'm not sure what we do from here." Getting lost in thought looking around the boat, Aura was snapped back to reality with his statement. "Bring me to your place. I'll, uh, I'll get a runner to bring the laptop to Gregor. Last thing I need is the AA and the cause looking for me." She began to pace around the boat, every now and then stumbling from the small waves beneath them lapping against the dock. "All they knew at the party was that I was a girl named Sada with long, black hair. I'll...I'll cut it. Bleach it with some cleaner and..." Aura looked to Kieran, obviously desperate and reeling from the events that had just taken place. "Please, if you could just hide me for a bit, we could figure it out from there. I'll lay low. No one will ever know I'm there, just...please." Her voice shook which pissed her off more than anything. She was stronger than this. Smarter than this. She should have just let Loor do what he wanted and told Gregor that she couldn't get the lap top. Now, she was at the mercy of Kieran, who could easily turn her in to the AA without a second thought. Aura plopped down on a cushion and let her foot rest above her, already able to see the black bruise and blood pooling on the top of it. Tears came again, but she held her head down and quickly wiped them with her hands, but it only mixed with Loor's blood dried on her hands. "Fuck," she mumbled before throwing herself to the side of the boat and puked. Once done, Aura caught a reflection of herself in the metallic trim, and in its warped picture, she could see Loor's blood was now smeared across her cheeks. "No, no," she whispered sharply, running to the other side of the boat, leaning over its edge until it was only her legs inside, and dunked her head into the icy water, scrubbing her face and arms vigorously until she was sure no blood was lingering. With a gasp, she brought herself back over the edge and into the boat, and searched the cabinets until she found a scratchy blanket to wrap around herself. Once situated back onto the cushion, Aura brought a finger to her face again, relieved to only see the running black coal that she'd lined her eyes with. "So, what do you say? It'd only be for a few days."</s>
<\|description\|>AURA Nickname(s) None, other than being called by her last name, Holland, which her family called a "name of the old world." Age 24 Appearance She stands at average height - around 5'5" - with straight, black hair that hangs down to her waist which she ties up in a knot or braid most days. She's thin like most in Subsection F, as having extra weight is a luxury that they can't afford, but working has given her some muscle she'd never had previously. If not in her work suit, she normally dresses in black to not draw attention to herself, especially with what's happening in the District. Among random scars, she has a few tattoos in hidden places as well as her ears stretched, a trend that had resurfaced in the subsection when she was a teenager. Job Duty Aura, as of three months ago, was demoted to Sanitation and Maintenance as a form of punishment. Originally, like her mother, she was in Service and Housekeeping, often traveling to the wealthier districts to serve as a maid. A family down by the beach had chosen her mother as their permanent maid two years ago, and Aura hasn't seen her since. Faction Information Although its officially named subsection F, many of its inhabitants refer to it as its previous name, Unity, chosen many years ago during the first rebellion, but the AA refuses to acknowledge it as such. It's the heart of the district, its epicenter, with its downtown area called Atlantic. Most of the job opportunities in the subsection are to be of service to other subsections - some among them being Service and Housekeeping, Sanitation and Maintenance, and a new opportunity, Apex Enforcement. It was the first time in years that the AA ever thought to recruit anyone from subsection F, but with how desperate some of its citizens are getting, its sold as a fantastic chance of leaving poverty. Most of Unity's inhabitants, though, frown upon anyone joining the AE. Rumors of rebellion rumble through the underground, but the AA hasn't had any solid proof...yet. History Aura grew up with her mother, father, and little brother Ion in a small home on the outskirts of the district, and though it was humble, it was full of love. Her brother and father still occupied the home, now growing crops for the entire District. She still visits often, especially when she needs a home-cooked meal, and her dad always insists on giving her an extra serving even though there isn't much to spare. Her father, though rebellious in his youth, was now a reformed man, insisting that things were the way they needed to be. This continually caused a riff between them, until Aura realized that he wasn't going to change. Talks of the second rebellion were no longer had at the dinner table. While Aura was never a well-behaved child, her actions were to help her family. Since caught stealing bread at the age of 13, she had been under the eye of the AE, and has had numerous run-ins with them since.</s> <\|message\|>AURA After offering a nod of gratitude at Kieran for accepting her plea, their impromptu boat ride began and remained in silence for its duration. Kieran, as he should, kept his focus on operating the vessel, allowing Aura a few glances at him in between taking in the scenery - a vast, black sky, peppered generously with twinkling stars and a crescent moon matching the contrast in the white ridges of cresting waves - and pausing to close her eyes and lick the salt spray from her lips. And what she saw in Kieran both made her feel safe...and terrified. Since they had met, from Aura kidnapping him to him rescuing her from Loor's party not a half an hour before, Kieran always remained unreadable. Calm. His confidence in each situation gave off the notion that he was already two steps ahead in his mind, even if his words said otherwise. She could see it in his eyes each time she looked at him. And Aura's freedom, her life, was now in his hands. "My Dad told me once that our family had come from the other side of those mountains." Aura's head snapped to his direction once she'd registered Kieran's admission, jaw probably hanging. So he's heard stories of the outside too. "I wonder what's there now." For the first time in quite a while, a spark of hope arose from deep inside of her, warm in her stomach, and a faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips. It was decided then that, before their agreement came to an end, that she would try to convince him to leave Apex. But, that definitely wasn't a discussion for an eventful evening like this. *** Seeing Kieran play caretaker and host kept a playful smile plastered on her face as she looked around his home, her fingers dancing along the walls as she limped around the place. Before getting too far, he helped her to his bed, and Aura watched in amusement as he bustled around the house to start the fire and bring her water. As he settled on the floor across from her, Aura worked under her dress until the laptop slid out, and she quickly set it on a table out of her line of vision. She didn't even want to look at the damn thing. "A change of clothes sounds lovely," Aura nodded, her throat hoarse from the evening. "The whole place is, really. I live in F, remember? Relax." Her eyes found the courage to meet his, but as hot tears began to well back up, she shot her head down to stare into the cup of water instead. "Thank you...for everything." A shaky breath caused her to pause for just a moment. "He woke up. Saw everything. It was me or him. I didn't -" Aura shuddered as the scene replayed in her head. "Maybe it's best if I don't talk about it tonight, then." Removing a strand of hair from her face, she looked up again to Kieran, this time with a weak smile. "I'm gonna need to find a way to get one of the paid runners to meet me somewhere out here to get this laptop. A-and, I'll handle my hair tomorrow so I can slip under the radar until we figure out what to do from here. And if I can get Del to get me some of my stuff before they clear out my room." Getting an idea, Aura popped up from slouching and shot a devious look to Kieran. "I am still obligated to hold up my end of the deal. If you have any ale, I'd gladly spill whatever you want to know about the cause. I'm as good as dead to them for now anyway." She downed the rest of her water and waved her empty cup above her head. "What do ya say, mystery man? I don't think I'll be falling asleep anytime soon."</s> <\|message\|>KIERAN Aura's bemusement shone clear on her face as he got up to find ice and clean clothes. It was an almost surreal feeling—being more comfortable and at home at Loor's party, with enemies left and right than here, in his home, with Aura. "A change of clothes sounds lovely." He tried to swallow his anxiety as he found some thick cloth and luckily had a few bits of ice still in his freezer, which he wrapped up. He also found some clean clothes and placed both beside Aura before sitting back down. As she tried to recount her experience with Loor, Kieran quickly quelled his immediate feelings of rage. How terrible that must have been. What he must have said or done to have placed her in such a position. But this was no time to mention his own thoughts. Instead, he waited—listened—and nodded his agreement when she suggested they don't discuss it. "What matters is he's dead," he said briefly, nearly to himself. A complication, sure, but of what use was hindsight now? "This is my jurisdiction," Kieran said briefly as Aura made mention of a paid runner. "They'll be hesitant to come directly here. I have a bit of a reputation for protecting it." Kieran thought briefly to a time a subsection B runner came to the docks to try to make a deal with some of the Port Boys. Of course, they told him, and Kieran met up with the runner in a bar about a week later. The poor runner couldn't see his sucker punch coming from a mile away. Kieran must have knocked out four teeth that night when he was only going for a broken nose. 'His fault,' he thought to himself. 'Should have seen it coming.' "I'll need to hash out my cover story with AA," Kieran mentioned after Aura spoke of getting some stuff from Del. "After that, I might be able to sort something out with Del and your things." Kieran's somewhat austere face softened somewhat as Aura mentioned their deal. He had almost forgotten about it, given tonight, but the mere mention of alcohol gave him an excuse to calm his nerves a bit. Even if it meant being more honest than he wanted to be. Although, what was the goal now? With Loor dead and the laptop stolen, and with Aura separated from the rebellion, he had few opportunities to get connected enough to take them down from the inside. Whatever Aura shared now, even if it did take out the rebellion, did he really want to live in subsection A? What was the point of that lifestyle? Kieran briefly thought of the others living in town. The whispers he had heard about going against the grain when it came to Apex Authority. He had often wondered—when the last leader fell, and the flags came down—who would run Apex then? He knew that the retrograde name of the city had been something with an "S." Seaborn? Settler? Perhaps that town would rise again. Or, perhaps the entire city crumbled. And Kieran would need to go wherever his parents did. South, north, or over the mountains to the east. To whatever was beyond Apex. But all of that could wait. All of that lay outside the walls of his home. In here, was Aura. And his things. And a lot of ale. "Well, if you're as good as dead to them," he said, rising from the floor and taking her empty cup, "I suppose it's time to talk." He pulled a second cup from a shelf and filled them both to the brim with a barrel of ale that had been fermenting so long it may have been whisky. The stuff tasted foul, but it did its job nicely. It should serve them well tonight. He returned and handed her the cup back. He sat, thinking back to the first time they attempted to chat over drinks. If he remembered correctly, Aura had little interest in playing drinking games then. How much had changed in a few short days. He drank from his cup—several large glugs of the stuff, enough to burn in his nostrils and bring wetness to his eyes—before lowering it once more. "Let's not waste any time then," he said through a choked throat, of his drink and the conversation alike. He cleared his throat, then continued. "Whatever gets us out of here." He thought for a moment after his statement. Did he mean to get them out of the situation with the rebellion? Or Apex itself? Not even he knew the answer to that one. But he leaned forward and listened anyway.</s>	<\|message\|>AURA Aura choked on her first gulp from the cup, the liquid burning her throat, but once getting it down she giggled. "Fuck, that's bad," she said before taking another swig and placing it down on the floor next to her feet. Next, she tugged on the long sleeve thermal shirt that Kieran had placed folded on the bed and let the dress shimmy down to her waste. Then, the pants, which she slid underneath the bottom of the dress until she could take off the dress entirely. Now that she was comfortable, Aura grabbed her cup and curled herself up into a comfortable position, stretching out and analyzing Kieran's words: "Whatever gets us out of here." The phrase threw her off entirely, and she shifted again on the mattress as she contemplated how to begin. "Well," she sighed, rubbing a hand over her face. "As you probably know, Unity was a clan that emerged from…the pathogen." The stories she'd heard from the old days, before places like Apex existed, scarred her early in her childhood. Everyone growing ill and dying. Bodies piling along streets. The stench of death that spread over miles. Aura shook herself out of the momentary funk and looked up to Kierans with a nod. "Unity had 3 founders: John Morgan, Amari Jefferson, and Leonard Hutchins. It's said they traveled hundred of miles with one hundred and fifty others until settling into what's now known as Apex. More specifically, what Subsection F is now." Aura took another sip of the cup, the alcohol beginning to creep over her slowly, warming her stomach. "For a while they thrived off the land and kept to themselves, but more and more stragglers began to join the settlement. Supposedly, the land around here used to be lush. It had a way of making you forget all that you'd gone through, you know? Then, the invasion happened. A group of two or three hundred arrived, and it was only weeks later until the fences went up. Next, they began to divide up the land into our subsections. Unity was shoved furthest away from the coast with promise that the crops would be theirs to tend and feed the lot of them." Another sip. Another deep breath. "The original three didn't like that. They knew what exactly was happening. They watched A and B get more food, more resources. D and F slowly began to fall behind. Blah blah blah, and now we're here." In a drunken manner, Aura rose from the bed and pointed a finger to Kieran. "The cause was born to fight the caste system. To crumble the borders and let people come and go as they plead. They were told that this was happening everywhere and that they'd need to get used to it. Radio signals stopped working outside of the fences that were littered with the new guard, the AE. But the cause said no. Unity would rise again and escape the grasp of the AA." Aura tilted back into the mattress, deflated. "Over the past hundred years, the cause has turned into a sham. Gregor is bloodthirsty and only wants revenge. I brought up leaving Apex once, and he spit in my face. The original three would be ashamed of what we've become." After finishing the last of her drink, Aura scurried tipsily to grab the bottle, topping off Kieran before filling her cup halfway. "I think if we get into the computer, figure out what Gregor really needed, we can stop whatever attack they're planning next. I need to send it off before he thinks I've failed or have been arrested. The guys inside will have the news that I'm not in prison in about two days. Your hilarious and insanely attractive confidential informant and you can take credit for the bust, and we could have tickets to wherever we wanna go." If she got on the good side of the AA and didn't remain anonymous, it'd make her escape that much easier. She didn't bother mentioning that part to Kieran. Not yet. "Well then. How about you?" Aura grinned, a spark of excitement flickering in her eyes. "I know you're Mystery Man and all, but we're partners in this now whether we like it or not. Why don't you tell me literally anything about yourself. Your childhood, your parents...anything."</s>
<\|description\|>CHARLIE KAYDEN A space-born wayward mercenary who's been on more ships than she can recall. Charlie has lived most of her life working job after job in immediate succession, getting caught up in the occasional criminal activity, and getting kicked out of her fair share of bars and clubs. When the call of the Hollow Moon came about, Charlie hitched a ride aboard the Thermopylae as soon as she could. To her, the alien structure is one big meal ticket, and she's hellbent on working up enough credits in order to make her lifelong dream purchase - a Tyzen CRD Series 19 'Roaming Star' model exo-mech.</s> <\|message\|>CHARLIE KAYDEN CHARLIE KAYDEN --- Alert. Mixer storm manifesting in - twenty, minutes. Exit Hollow Moon or seek shelter soon. "God damn it!" That was all Charlie had to say in response to the alert coming on over the public service comms. She had other, more pressing matters that she was currently preoccupied with - for instance, the hulking, pissed off, gorilla-like alien creature chasing her through the jungle. Four yellow eyes, crimson skin, a rocky hide, and a pair of short, well-worn horns. Research teams had a scientific name for them that Charlie could not for the life of her remember, but in place of any dumb nerd shit, the local mercs called them 'thrashers'. Because they liked to thrash things. And it would be unwise to expect any better naming conventions from a community of violent, gun toting meatheads. Charlie led the thrasher past the winding trees, over the rocks and short drops. If there weren't so many obstructions in the way, the beast might very well have caught up to her by now. Smaller creatures were running scared from the chase as the thrasher shoved tree after tree aside, grunting and roaring in anger with every obstacle it forced its way through. Charlie's helmet pinged the location of a nearby prefab shelter. Number twelve, out of the many dotted around the Hollow Moon. That was her destination. Shelters had automated turrets posted around them - most did, at least. They'd take care of the thrasher. She jumped down another short cliff, scrambling back on her feet as the thrasher leapt downward after her. The trees became fewer and thinner as they neared the clearing that shelter twelve lied in. Charlie could see the blocky, grey, modular exterior of the building, the big 12 emblazoned on the side, and the turrets surrounding it, scanning the area, ready to shoot anything that wasn't the least bit human. As Charlie broke out into the clearing, the thrasher wasn't far behind, barreling towards her as she made a mad dash towards the shelter. She sprinted past the detection line, and as the thrasher did the same, two of the turrets turned and locked onto the beast. Its pursuit was immediately halted by a hail of concussive gunfire, not designed to kill, but merely chase off with excessive force. The rounds careened off of the thrasher's rock hide, chipping it some, but the ones hitting its face and belly caused it to rear back and fall over, onto its side. Charlie watched, and smiled, and in that moment, seized the opportunity. She took her rifle - a jury-rigged mess of a thing - and aimed at the thrasher's head. One well placed slug, and the thrasher's left horn came off near its base. It tumbled back, standing itself back up and away from the turrets, which stopped firing once it left the detection range. It stood up on its legs to gain height, looked at Charlie, and roared ferociously. All the merc could do in response was smile and flip the beast her middle finger. The roar was, however, interrupted by an even louder noise. A cacophonous boom, sounding from up above them. The thrasher didn't think twice - it gave up its bravado and turned away, retreating into the jungle to find somewhere safe to hide. Charlie went and grabbed the horn she'd shot off, then looked up at the core of the Hollow Moon. It was covered in swelling blue clouds, flashes of light dancing inside, ready to burst in- Alert. Mixer storm manifesting in - fifteen, minutes. Exit Hollow Moon or seek shelter immediately. That long. Charlie put away the thrasher's horn in her pack, then brought up her ship's location on her helmet's HUD. Just a little under six miles away, parked near another shelter altogether. "Shit…" She'd gotten pretty sidetracked. Charlie wasn't about to make a mad jog back to her ship and risk cutting it so close with the storm, and the autonav module wasn't exactly in working order either. So she elected to hunker down for a spell, and turned and entered through the shelter's automatic door. "Entry logged at shelter - twelve." She looked around the gray, blank interior with random couches, seats, and tables strewn about. No one else was present. Seemed to be she was the first one in. Normally she saw at least a handful of folks in most of these shelters, sitting around, drinking, playing cards, swapping stories. Not this time, oddly. "Oh, well." There were about fourteen minutes left before the storm hit. Charlie stepped towards one of the couches and placed her pack on top of it, set her rifle aside, and removed her helmet. She shook her head and brushed her hair to the side with her hand, dropping her helmet onto the couch. She gave a look over to a music player on a table near the other side of the shelter, went over to it, and turned it on to a blasting wave of heavy metal. She jumped a bit before putting her finger on the volume and bringing it down to a level that wouldn't give her tinnitus. "Fuckin' A…" She went back over to where all her stuff was and plopped down for a seat, relaxing with the music - odd combination though it may be - and looked out the window. The shutters would go down before the storm hit, and the whole thing would close up tight. So she'd wait and see if anyone else came about little ol' shelter twelve before then. Just a little under thirteen minutes left.</s> <\|message\|>Cheyenne "Shy" Jung shy jung --- Technology in the hollow moon was surprisingly… hard to access. Sure, there were strange geological structure with ionic bonds and carbon chains that might have been interesting for a naturalist to study, but some people like engineers were met with the infuriating task of deciphering lines of alien code – assuming they were ever able to reach them. The Custodians were functionally no different from Shy's own drones, and surely there must have been a sort of network available for them to communicate and navigate through Hollow Moon. Only problem with that is how Shy could not fucking find any of it. Must have it been deeper in the moon? Even when she could not find a tangible piece of tech and she tried to pick up the signal and tap into the network, all she got was a bunch of alien jargon. It sure was not the sequence of ones and zeroes she was used to, and she probably should not have expected the Latin alphabet or Arabic numerals within the core of an alien world. Ugh, she'd probably have to find some kind of expert on xenolinguistics to help her crack it – but oh wait, there weren't any experts on xenolinguistics, because this was the first sign of alien life that's been discovered! Damn piece of sh— "Alert. Mixer storm manifesting in - twenty, minutes. Exit Hollow Moon or seek shelter soon." Oh, isn't that great? Hollow Moon might have been more of a pain in the ass than it was worth, but Shy supposed that was the cost of being the first. She glanced around her surroundings, hearing the growl of a distant storm – or was it a beast in the jungles? It was hard to tell at times, but she was afforded the comfort of not being totally aware of her surroundings by the three spherical drones hovering in the air with the assistance of maglift technology. If they detected anything within range, they would alert her and stun whatever alien beastie that came running with an electrical arc or low-powered optic laser. Shy, bored as ever, worked the tech-pad computer on her wrist. The nearest safehouse would be… shelter twelve. The distant sound of crashing trees seemed to signal its location as Shy double-checked the navigation assistant to make sure that this was not the case. 'These things are never easy on Hollow Moon.' The sound of a barrage of suppressing gunfire followed suit. 'Fortunately, humanity made sure that wouldn't be a problem.' Booming roars the bright blue thunderheads rolling in threatened more than just Shy's safety. She was no naturalist, but she knew that the wildlife will be looking for shelter just like she was. No morsel could possibly be worth getting caught out in a mixer storm, and surely the many generations of learned fear taught them it was better to be hungry for a short while. Anything not smart enough to take cover probably didn't last very long in this world. It was just as well then that Shy soon came upon the shelter with five minutes left to spare. The very static in the air was beginning to make the hair on her neck stand on end, and make her right arm and right eye feel irritated and numb. Even her tech-pad was experiencing interference. Whatever caused these storms, there was definitely some kind of combination of ionization and electromagnetism in the air. Whatever. "Entry logged at shelter - twelve." There was only one other person inside the shelter, another woman. Looked like the mercenary type too, probably has a big gun. Shy inputted an order for the drone to deactivate until the storm passed, and the three spherical robots slowly drifted over toward a recharging station for different technologies. She played with one of them a while back, it was pretty basic stuff; they relied on electrostatic generators to create a field to be siphoned by electronics equipped with a receiving antenna connected to heavy-load capacitors. The people of the twenty-first century could only dream of this household utility. As they entered their dormant state Shy yawned deeply and stretched her arms above her head, pacing her way toward the couches. Maybe she'd strike up conversation with this stranger. "Moon's not as exciting as I thought it'd be." Shy commented dryly, breaking the silence as she fell carelessly onto the cushions. "What do you think?"</s>	<\|message\|>CHARLIE KAYDEN "Moon's not as exciting as I thought it'd be. What do you think?" "Eh. I still think it's kinda cool." Charlie said to the new arrival, "Everyone gets a little bored of anything after a couple months of it though - except for all the nerds still studying everything here. They're having a blast." Charlie tapped the surface of her helmet as she scanned over the woman's appearance for a moment. Her armor was much sleeker than the old, scratched-to-hell pieces Charlie was wearing. But all she had for weapons was a pistol strapped to her side, so she had the stranger beat there. And her accompanying equipment - three spherical drones that floated on over to the available gear-charging stations. Like little versions of the Custodians, just nowhere near as deadly. Most likely. Charlie didn't know for sure. "Those are neat." She said, pointing to the drones before turning her attention back to the woman. "You buy 'em or make 'em?" Scary</s>
<\|description\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Appearance: Race: Caucasian Age: 31 Bio: Annabeth is a California native. Her father was a crazy religious leader and her mother was a desperate junkie. When she was still a child, her father got in over his head and ended up getting taken out by the NCR. Annabeth was then taken into the NCR's foster system and eventually joined the military. Distinguishing herself in training, she signed up for Rangers, passed, and served for roughly twelve years. However during the battle of Hoover Dam, Annabeth's hand were pierced by a Legionaries spear, and the ensuring explosion at Boulder City took out her right eye, crippling her. While she ultimately recovered after a year, her performance wasn't the same, causing her to get discharged from the Rangers. However she still had plenty of contacts and friends in the NCR so she stuck around doing Bounty Hunting for the NCR, earning the name "Black Gold" for her dark attire and blond hair. Eventually she started her own Bounty Hunting Firm to make a more steady profit without risking her neck as much. Skills: Guns - As a ranger Annabeth has always been a good shot, and even after her hands were mangled up she can still shoot straight. While she's slower on the trigger than before, she hasn't lost her deadeye accuracy. Melee - Unlike most NCR rangers, Annabeth actually likes getting into melee and is quite handy with a hammer. Speech - Annabeth can fight with words as well as she can with weapons, and despite being discharged her charm has allowed her to remain in the NCR's good graces despite how she often acts outside of their jurisdiction. Talents: Strength, Endurance Flaws: Perception, Luck Signature Weapon: Ranger Sequoia Gear: Super Sledge, Business Attire, Eyepatch, .45-70 Ammo (Hollow Point), Sunset Sarsaparilla Appearance: Name: Bete "Blast" Race: Ghoul Age: 244 Bio: A ghoul from the old world, the sole survivor of her family and somehow managed to stay alive after the calamity that destroyed the world. Spent most of her time learning how to repair and fix up machines, as well as rig up explosives for personal protection. Has taken a shine to Annabeth after she helped Bete out with some outlaws. Bete handles repairs and maintenance for the Bounty Hunters of the Black Gold Guns, at a fair price of course. Skills: Science - Bete always had an interest in technology back when she was human, and when the bombs dropped and she became a ghoul, she had all the time in the world to learn about the various technology left behind. Repair - Though the world became ruins, there are still somethings that can be put back together, and Bete has taken a vested interest in trying to fix it. She can repair pretty much anything as long as she has the parts on hand and time to tinker. Explosives - Guns were always in high demand, and Bete isn't dumb enough to try and get into a close-range fight with most creatures, so she learned how to create improvised explosives, and eventually went from improvised to far more legitimate. Give her a few minutes and she can cobble together some sort of explosive from anything within arms reach. Talents: Intelligence, Perception Flaws: Strength, Charisma Signature Weapon: Grenade Rifle Gear: Combat Knife, Leather Backpack, Sturdy Workers Outfit, Gasmask, 40mm Explosives (Regular, Incendiary, Pulse)</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" "I only have one question - are you willing to kill people for money? Yes or no?" In the Mojave, killers, criminals, and psychopaths are as common as flies on a corpse. Even as the combined forces of the NCR and the Legion pushing into the desert wasteland to claim it as their own, all this seems to have accomplished is creating a chaotic environment where such reprobates can thrive instead of die out. Many of the NCR's efforts end up creating resentment and criminals from anyone to legitimate bandits seeking to sack NCR caravans for their supplies, to relatively peaceful wastelanders who simply refuse to accept the NCR's unconditional control over their lives. Combined with corruption and incompetence putting the lives of their own troopers at risks, some criminals are former NCR themselves, either deserters or those who were deemed such for infractions gone way out of control. Even the Legion, with all of their claims of might and control through brutality, is not as efficient as they claim to be when it comes to controlling their warriors, or the criminal elements within. Indeed, the brutality and cruelty that the Legion uses as a weapon of fear has become a beacon for the various wasteland gangs and factions to make an unlikely partnership, with Legion sponsored rape, murder, and raiding. Of course it doesn't take a genius to realize that these same gangs would soon turn on the Legion should an opportunity present itself, just as the Legion would not bat an eye to executing every degenerate they had paid off. Indeed, the forces that come to claim to bring peace and stability have done an excellent job at waging war and sowing chaos in the lands. You are employed by the Black Gold Guns, a fairly new face to the Mojave. Bounty Hunting Firms differ from your standard gun-for-hire mercenary group in that they often work alone or in small groups, not offering services to act as guards or sheriffs, but still taking down criminals and evildoers nonetheless. They take contracts from all over, whether it be the desk jockeys back at Shady Sands, Frumentarii tying up loose ends, or locals in dire need of assistance. The Black Gold Guns is ran by a woman named Annabeth, a former NCR ranger with an eye patch and a big iron on her hip. She handles your contracts and payment. In the same building is a ghoul named Bete, a friend of Annabeth who can assist you with repairing and upgrading your weapons, so long as she has the materials you have the caps. The office itself is located at a spot formerly known as the Lone Wolf Radio, which Bete has already cannibalized into a singular functional radio and computer which she uses for her work. Aside from the business officr and Bete's workstation, upstairs is a small rest area where you can sleep, eat, and relax until your next job. It's not particularly fancy, but it's better than sleeping outside. "Alright kid, now that you're part of the company, allow me to explain how things are done as simply as I can. I'll assign you a contract to go after a bounty, someone who is verifiable armed, dangerous, and likely running with a crew of their own. The minimum pay for a successful bounty is 250 caps, however more dangerous bounties can often go even higher than that. Naturally, you're allowed to keep whatever you happen to find off your mark or anyone else who gets in your way. In order to verify the mark is dead we need their trigger fingers." Annabeth sits across from you on her desk, writing something up on her type writer. On her desk is a few empty bottles of sarsaparilla and an ashtray with a half-smoked cigar. Soon she hands you a single sheet of paper, with the basic details of your next mark. "Your first mark is a Convict named Erik Steele, or Thrasher as he tries to call himself. When the Powder Gangers took over the NCR correctional facility up north, Thrasher took a few cons with him into Primm, having taken over the Bison Steve Hotel and forcing most of the towns people to hole up in the casino. While he and his gang are all wanted dead, Thrasher's the only one with the balls to boss the gang around. Once he's out of the picture the rest of the gang will scatter, though no one is going to complain if they're all wiped out." The bounty you received would have Erik's mugshot, as well as a list of crimes below his image. He's wanted for corporate theft, selling of stolen goods, assault, and falsifying business data. It also mentions that he used to work for the a company called Talos Armors, which apparently produced armor for the NCR. The bounty on him is 250 Caps. "Any questions?"</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Kid? She was pretty sure she was a grown up. "Powder gangers huh." Lizzie replied with a light laugh. "Y'know, I can't hate anyone who uses explosives like they do." Just 250 though? She could make more in an hour by robbing a caravan or something. Ugh, this was going to be annoying, wasn't it? Well, she couldn't complain too much. It was either that or start doing some raiding herself again, and she had decided to leave that. "Buuut if I'll get paid I'll take 'em out." Maybe she could finally get her mitts on some incendiaries. "None for now, boss lady." Lizzie got up from her chair. "Gonna see if Bete has any extra stuff I can borrow. Sounds easier than some of the...well, y'know." She grinned, not wanting to bring up her rather less than reputable past if she could. "Anything else I need to know?"</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" "Pay is proportional to threat. Powder Gangs play tough, but any semi-competent militia can deal with the likes of them, dynamite or not. The only reason the Powder Gangers manage to hold Primm is because they jumped the sheriff and the deputy, leaving Primm without any leadership to coordinate a counter attack. Hell, I had half a mind to go down there myself since we get supplies from Primm, but I figured this would be a good first job for you." Annabeth pops open a bottle of sarsaparilla and takes a swig from it. She takes out another and offers it to you. "As for any other info, watch out for Thrasher. His cronies are a bunch of chumps but there's a reason the bounty is for him specifically. We've also reports that he and his band robbed a caravan running guns, so chances are each of those gangers are packing. Aside from that, you ought to be able to take care of yourself. And if you can't well... We'll see soon enough."</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current "Pfft, ahahah," Lizzie laughed, flashing a grin to Annabeth. "Me? Get taken out by a buncha splodey dumbos? Noooot a chance." Well, obviously they were armed and dangerous. Even more so if they were freshly resupplied by ransacking some caravan. Hm. Hmhm. Well, she could handle herself. No sense in thinking about this too hard. "They'll be dead before ya know it, boss lady." She headed out of the building, a friendly wave to Annabeth. She slung her brush gun over her shoulder, Lizzie went to find the friendly little ghoul by the name of Bete. She probably didn't have anything she could use yet - not to mention not having any materials herself, but hey, no hurt in asking. As small as the Lone Wolf radio station was, it didn't take her too terribly long to find the kid ghoul. "Hey, Bete!" Lizzie walked up wearing her usual smile. "Wanted to see if ya had anything useful layin' around before I left on a bounty."</s>	<\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Bete was at her workstation with various computer parts scattered on her desk. From the looks of it Bete had somehow found a pipboy and was in the process of cannibalizing it's parts for something. When you arrived she looked up at you. "Ah Lizzie, about to go on a job huh?" Despite being a ghoul, Bete's voice sounded relatively normal, young even, except for one thing: A notable robot autotune. It's something of an open secret that Bete's voice is augmented by her mask, filtering her real voice to something less gravely. She doesn't like to talk about it. "Well, I've been busing with some personal projects, but I think I might have something around here. Let's see... Ah, I do have these." Bete dug around behind her desk and pulled up a small crate of bottles. They looked like Sunset Sarsaparilla bottles, however instead of a normal bottle cap they had a thick fiber cork. "I figured since Anna doesn't bother to clean up her drinks, I'd recycle the bottles into something useful. Simple firebombs, glass bottles filled with some fuel and a little special something to make sure it can make a decent splash. Just light the cap on fire and throw it at something really hard, and you got yourself a little homemade incendiary bomb. Bete takes two bottles out and slides them to you. "Since you're new, you can have these two on the house. The rest however I'm stockpiling in case I need to clear out some geckos. Buuuuuut I'm willing to trade you some extra ones for say, fifty caps a pop?"</s>
<\|description\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Appearance: Race: Caucasian Age: 31 Bio: Annabeth is a California native. Her father was a crazy religious leader and her mother was a desperate junkie. When she was still a child, her father got in over his head and ended up getting taken out by the NCR. Annabeth was then taken into the NCR's foster system and eventually joined the military. Distinguishing herself in training, she signed up for Rangers, passed, and served for roughly twelve years. However during the battle of Hoover Dam, Annabeth's hand were pierced by a Legionaries spear, and the ensuring explosion at Boulder City took out her right eye, crippling her. While she ultimately recovered after a year, her performance wasn't the same, causing her to get discharged from the Rangers. However she still had plenty of contacts and friends in the NCR so she stuck around doing Bounty Hunting for the NCR, earning the name "Black Gold" for her dark attire and blond hair. Eventually she started her own Bounty Hunting Firm to make a more steady profit without risking her neck as much. Skills: Guns - As a ranger Annabeth has always been a good shot, and even after her hands were mangled up she can still shoot straight. While she's slower on the trigger than before, she hasn't lost her deadeye accuracy. Melee - Unlike most NCR rangers, Annabeth actually likes getting into melee and is quite handy with a hammer. Speech - Annabeth can fight with words as well as she can with weapons, and despite being discharged her charm has allowed her to remain in the NCR's good graces despite how she often acts outside of their jurisdiction. Talents: Strength, Endurance Flaws: Perception, Luck Signature Weapon: Ranger Sequoia Gear: Super Sledge, Business Attire, Eyepatch, .45-70 Ammo (Hollow Point), Sunset Sarsaparilla Appearance: Name: Bete "Blast" Race: Ghoul Age: 244 Bio: A ghoul from the old world, the sole survivor of her family and somehow managed to stay alive after the calamity that destroyed the world. Spent most of her time learning how to repair and fix up machines, as well as rig up explosives for personal protection. Has taken a shine to Annabeth after she helped Bete out with some outlaws. Bete handles repairs and maintenance for the Bounty Hunters of the Black Gold Guns, at a fair price of course. Skills: Science - Bete always had an interest in technology back when she was human, and when the bombs dropped and she became a ghoul, she had all the time in the world to learn about the various technology left behind. Repair - Though the world became ruins, there are still somethings that can be put back together, and Bete has taken a vested interest in trying to fix it. She can repair pretty much anything as long as she has the parts on hand and time to tinker. Explosives - Guns were always in high demand, and Bete isn't dumb enough to try and get into a close-range fight with most creatures, so she learned how to create improvised explosives, and eventually went from improvised to far more legitimate. Give her a few minutes and she can cobble together some sort of explosive from anything within arms reach. Talents: Intelligence, Perception Flaws: Strength, Charisma Signature Weapon: Grenade Rifle Gear: Combat Knife, Leather Backpack, Sturdy Workers Outfit, Gasmask, 40mm Explosives (Regular, Incendiary, Pulse)</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" From the clifftop, you could see Primm in the distance. While no desert jewel, the sight of the ruined city was a welcome reprieve for travelers thanks to being one of the few major settlements in the Mojave Wasteland. It was one of the few places with a working water reservoir, giving it immense value to traders and travelers. The town itself also had various tradesmen and crafters, mostly in electronics and even robotics. The Vikki and Vance Casino itself was it's main attraction; while it's payout is worse than Vegas and doesn't really have as much class, it still offered a fun experience if you want to waste away your caps, and the food served there is better than eating geckos and bloat flies. Of course, that was Primm before. Ever since the NCR moved in, things started to get shaky for Primm. It's no secret that while Primm wasn't a bad town, it's vices and services were popular among unsavory folk who would stalk the hills and hit caravans trying to make it to town. Primm had it's own law to keep the peace but that was only good to stop the violence in the town, not outside of it. And when the NCR moved in, those customers stopped showing up. And since they stopped showing up, caps started to run a bit dry even as people got comfortable with the peace. Too comfortable. And thus, their current situation: lawless and taken over by common criminals, even with the NCR just a stone throw away, they too are too limited in number to commit to a operation to clear the town, who never had a good relationship with Primm either way. Then again the NCR hasn't done a very great job at being friendly with most of the Mojave's native inhabitants in the first place. It would take about thirty minutes or so to trek down the mountain. No clear path had been beaten down yet for you to get to the town very quickly unless you want to start jumping off cliffs and hope you survive the landing. And as Bete mentioned, there are a few geckos running around hunting and being a general nusience. While smart enough to stay away from the office, the vermin showed little fear in attacking anyone on the mountain path no matter how big they are. The radiation may have made them bigger and stronger, but it also killed their sense of self-preservation. Thus it wasn't long before you ran into small pack of gecko hunters. They seemed to be prowling for prey, and if they spotted you, you could be certain that their little brains will consider you food and try and chase you down. Fortunately you were on a ridge above them and they haven't noticed you yet, but they are searching and staying alert.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current She had been to Primm before, a few times. One of the few places where ne'er-do-well's and general less savory sorts like she had used to be could have some relatively good, clean fun. So long as she kept her nose clean in the city. Mostly though, she had simply used it to get chems and restock on provisions. Seeing it in the distance reminded her briefly of her distaste for the NCR. If they actually did their damn jobs then things wouldn't have gotten like they were. "Oh, lunch." Immediately upon seeing the five Gecko's, though, her thought process entirely. She should probably pay far more attention to the Mojave. She'd get killed if she didn't. She immediately dropped to a knee, pulling her Brush gun from around her shoulder. They hadn't noticed her yet, she could avoid them, but she had plenty of ammo, and gecko meat was delicious. She took aim towards the gecko's on the ground below, starting with the one closest to her, aiming a shot right towards its cranium.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" For geckos, a 5.56 round was more than enough to put down a gecko, especially with a bullet to the head. But with a .45-70, the gecko's cranium was more than shot, it was splattered, sending blood and gore to the other geckos nearby. The loud noise shocked them, leaving them stunned for just a moment. They looked around quickly and spotted you. Despite the sudden and violent death of it's fellow gecko, the other four thought of nothing but to hunt the prey before them. They quickly began to scramble up the cliff in your direction; a feat that normally would take a person a good set of climbing gear and a prayer to do, but these gecko hunter's webbed appendages and relative light weight allowed for this sort of three-dimensional maneuvering. But this greater mobility also came with an obvious weakness: these geckos wouldn't be able to dodge bullets as they climbed towards you.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Lizzie unconsciously licked her lips as the Gecko head splattered into giblets. There was something fun about just watching something explode like that. Quickly, as they scrambled up the wall she positioned her gun downwards, over the edge of the cliff. Swiftly, two more shots were unloaded at two different geckos in an effort to thin their numbers before they got to her. As soon as the second shot left the chamber, she backed away from the cliff edge, ready to put more rounds into the Gecko the moment they climbed over.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Sure enough both geckos fell off the walls as giblets. It was a bloody mess and frankly one of them wouldn't have much meat left on him to eat unless you was to scrap up his remains into kebabs. Despite this overwhelming firepower the last two geckos continued to climb up until they were finally on the ridge with you. It was a narrow ridge, so it was close-quarters combat. And it wouldn't take long for them to charge at you trying to bite your legs. Their teeth were like forty switch blades being popped out all at once, ready for stabbing into some meat.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Maybe she shouldn't be quite so eager to blast them, a bunch of meat was goin' to waste. Eh, oh well. Realizing she didn't have quite as much room as she thought, Liz opted for some close quarters combat. She grabbed the barrel of her gun, swinging the butt of her rifle into the mouth of one of the lizards, using the weapon more like a glorified baseball bat than its intended purpose. She didn't take time to holster the rifle, instead simply letting the weapon fall to the ground and attempting to dodge the second gecko and using the time to pull her hatchet from her belt.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Your improvised use of your gun was mostly effective, good enough to knock one of the geckos out from the air however it didn't kill the beast. It did make him stunned if only for a moment. The second gecko however was able to get a scratch on you, biting into your leg. While you can certainly feel it, your pants and duster were doing a decent enough job to prevent the gecko's teeth from finding any skin. If it were a bigger one, you'd likely be losing some flesh and maybe even bone. Still you'd ought to act fast. The nasty critter was gnawing, tearing through your duster's leather.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current "Ngh!" Lizzie winced, feeling the gecko's teeth clamp down on her leg. On the bright side, it was right in striking distance. The bounty hunter grabbed her hatched, wrapping both hands around its grip and swung the blade right into the side of the lizard's skull.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" You'd feel a slight sting as the gecko's teeth cut into flesh, but as soon as the blade of your axe left the gecko's skull, the beast fell to the ground twitching. It would spasm there for the rest of it's very short life, dying in about twelve or so seconds. That left the last lizard, the one you had stunned with your rifle, who continued to run and lunge right at you. Despite being so small and physically puny, these creatures were physically capable of rather impressive levels of athleticism, not just their climbing ability but also leaping. This is most important because the last gecko jumped high enough that it was going to try and bite your face.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Ow. Note to self: Gecko Teeth hurt. Still fourth one down, one to - "Gweh?!" Damn, she really needed to remember how fast these little snacks were. The redhead, barely had seconds to react as she brought up her hatchet, holding it between her face and the creatures teeth hoping to catch the creature mid jump on it. She'd try to shove it off of her - in times like this having something like a pistol she could just pull out would be fuckin' amazing. Assuming it was successful, she'd make an attempt to drive the blade of the weapon into this ones head.</s>	<\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Not a moment too soon before you manage to catch the gecko as it bites down onto the handle of your hatchet. It holds fast despite not catching any meat, allowing you to swing it into the nearby wall just long enough to stun it once more, and finish it off with another axe to the head. This once was a cleaner cut and nearly decapitated the gecko, finally leaving you with nothing but a few dead lizards. It wouldn't take too long if you felt like skinning and butchering these geckos; hides were always in some demand from traders who knew people who could turn them into clothing and textiles, and the meat was... Palpable enough. Obviously don't eat it raw; gecko meat is highly radioactive and it's a good way to get cancer. But once you grill them on an open flame, they're a decent enough snack and unlike most wasteland critters, the radiation actually helps make sure the meat doesn't catch diseases. You'd be able to obtain at least four usable gecko hides, though one was notably missing it's entire head. As for meat, taking the best cuts you find about seven pounds of the stuff all together. There were more bits of the gecko you could eat, but that meat is tough and unpalatable no matter what you do with it. Better off leaving it to the flies. And finally, seemed like one of the geckos was pregnant, because you found one gecko egg. Gecko eggs are hard to cook though due to their high acidic, making terrible omelettes. You've heard of some crazy wastelanders making cocktails with them, but those usually ended with said wastelander dying of some sort of alcohol based poisoning, which may or may not have been made worse by the gecko eggs. Once you'd finish figuring out what to do with these gecko bits, it was more or less a straight shot to Primm. The town seems almost peaceful from a distance, but you know that it's going to get loud once you make your presence known there. You can see the big old bison from your position too. The fact it wasn't on fire at the moment might be considered a good thing for Primm's state of welfare.</s>
<\|description\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Appearance: Race: Caucasian Age: 31 Bio: Annabeth is a California native. Her father was a crazy religious leader and her mother was a desperate junkie. When she was still a child, her father got in over his head and ended up getting taken out by the NCR. Annabeth was then taken into the NCR's foster system and eventually joined the military. Distinguishing herself in training, she signed up for Rangers, passed, and served for roughly twelve years. However during the battle of Hoover Dam, Annabeth's hand were pierced by a Legionaries spear, and the ensuring explosion at Boulder City took out her right eye, crippling her. While she ultimately recovered after a year, her performance wasn't the same, causing her to get discharged from the Rangers. However she still had plenty of contacts and friends in the NCR so she stuck around doing Bounty Hunting for the NCR, earning the name "Black Gold" for her dark attire and blond hair. Eventually she started her own Bounty Hunting Firm to make a more steady profit without risking her neck as much. Skills: Guns - As a ranger Annabeth has always been a good shot, and even after her hands were mangled up she can still shoot straight. While she's slower on the trigger than before, she hasn't lost her deadeye accuracy. Melee - Unlike most NCR rangers, Annabeth actually likes getting into melee and is quite handy with a hammer. Speech - Annabeth can fight with words as well as she can with weapons, and despite being discharged her charm has allowed her to remain in the NCR's good graces despite how she often acts outside of their jurisdiction. Talents: Strength, Endurance Flaws: Perception, Luck Signature Weapon: Ranger Sequoia Gear: Super Sledge, Business Attire, Eyepatch, .45-70 Ammo (Hollow Point), Sunset Sarsaparilla Appearance: Name: Bete "Blast" Race: Ghoul Age: 244 Bio: A ghoul from the old world, the sole survivor of her family and somehow managed to stay alive after the calamity that destroyed the world. Spent most of her time learning how to repair and fix up machines, as well as rig up explosives for personal protection. Has taken a shine to Annabeth after she helped Bete out with some outlaws. Bete handles repairs and maintenance for the Bounty Hunters of the Black Gold Guns, at a fair price of course. Skills: Science - Bete always had an interest in technology back when she was human, and when the bombs dropped and she became a ghoul, she had all the time in the world to learn about the various technology left behind. Repair - Though the world became ruins, there are still somethings that can be put back together, and Bete has taken a vested interest in trying to fix it. She can repair pretty much anything as long as she has the parts on hand and time to tinker. Explosives - Guns were always in high demand, and Bete isn't dumb enough to try and get into a close-range fight with most creatures, so she learned how to create improvised explosives, and eventually went from improvised to far more legitimate. Give her a few minutes and she can cobble together some sort of explosive from anything within arms reach. Talents: Intelligence, Perception Flaws: Strength, Charisma Signature Weapon: Grenade Rifle Gear: Combat Knife, Leather Backpack, Sturdy Workers Outfit, Gasmask, 40mm Explosives (Regular, Incendiary, Pulse)</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Your improvised use of your gun was mostly effective, good enough to knock one of the geckos out from the air however it didn't kill the beast. It did make him stunned if only for a moment. The second gecko however was able to get a scratch on you, biting into your leg. While you can certainly feel it, your pants and duster were doing a decent enough job to prevent the gecko's teeth from finding any skin. If it were a bigger one, you'd likely be losing some flesh and maybe even bone. Still you'd ought to act fast. The nasty critter was gnawing, tearing through your duster's leather.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current "Ngh!" Lizzie winced, feeling the gecko's teeth clamp down on her leg. On the bright side, it was right in striking distance. The bounty hunter grabbed her hatched, wrapping both hands around its grip and swung the blade right into the side of the lizard's skull.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" You'd feel a slight sting as the gecko's teeth cut into flesh, but as soon as the blade of your axe left the gecko's skull, the beast fell to the ground twitching. It would spasm there for the rest of it's very short life, dying in about twelve or so seconds. That left the last lizard, the one you had stunned with your rifle, who continued to run and lunge right at you. Despite being so small and physically puny, these creatures were physically capable of rather impressive levels of athleticism, not just their climbing ability but also leaping. This is most important because the last gecko jumped high enough that it was going to try and bite your face.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Ow. Note to self: Gecko Teeth hurt. Still fourth one down, one to - "Gweh?!" Damn, she really needed to remember how fast these little snacks were. The redhead, barely had seconds to react as she brought up her hatchet, holding it between her face and the creatures teeth hoping to catch the creature mid jump on it. She'd try to shove it off of her - in times like this having something like a pistol she could just pull out would be fuckin' amazing. Assuming it was successful, she'd make an attempt to drive the blade of the weapon into this ones head.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Not a moment too soon before you manage to catch the gecko as it bites down onto the handle of your hatchet. It holds fast despite not catching any meat, allowing you to swing it into the nearby wall just long enough to stun it once more, and finish it off with another axe to the head. This once was a cleaner cut and nearly decapitated the gecko, finally leaving you with nothing but a few dead lizards. It wouldn't take too long if you felt like skinning and butchering these geckos; hides were always in some demand from traders who knew people who could turn them into clothing and textiles, and the meat was... Palpable enough. Obviously don't eat it raw; gecko meat is highly radioactive and it's a good way to get cancer. But once you grill them on an open flame, they're a decent enough snack and unlike most wasteland critters, the radiation actually helps make sure the meat doesn't catch diseases. You'd be able to obtain at least four usable gecko hides, though one was notably missing it's entire head. As for meat, taking the best cuts you find about seven pounds of the stuff all together. There were more bits of the gecko you could eat, but that meat is tough and unpalatable no matter what you do with it. Better off leaving it to the flies. And finally, seemed like one of the geckos was pregnant, because you found one gecko egg. Gecko eggs are hard to cook though due to their high acidic, making terrible omelettes. You've heard of some crazy wastelanders making cocktails with them, but those usually ended with said wastelander dying of some sort of alcohol based poisoning, which may or may not have been made worse by the gecko eggs. Once you'd finish figuring out what to do with these gecko bits, it was more or less a straight shot to Primm. The town seems almost peaceful from a distance, but you know that it's going to get loud once you make your presence known there. You can see the big old bison from your position too. The fact it wasn't on fire at the moment might be considered a good thing for Primm's state of welfare.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current .45-70 Gov't Ammunition Hatchet Modified Bounty Hunter Duster Jet x1 Weapon Repair kit x1 Firebomb x2 Gecko hides x4 Gecko meat 7lbs Gecko Egg "Whew..." Lizzie grunted, taking a moment to collect her rifle from where she had discarded it. "Looks like meat's on the menu for dinner tonight, haha!" She laughed, setting about the rather bloody work of skinning and gutting the gecko's. Always a good idea to try and get skins. Traders would always pay for 'em, and if not, she could probably find some more use for them herself. More importantly was the meat. Call her crazy, but she had a particular love for Gecko meat. Might even be able to use the Egg as an impromptu throwing weapon. Finally done with the work, Lizzie made sure any injury she had wasn't too terrible before setting off. Primm. She had been there a few times before. She wouldn't be surprised if someone recognized her from her old gang. Well, maybe she could get in without getting into too much trouble or recognition. In and out. "...maybe an explosion or two." Lizzie giggled, making her way towards the city. It definitely wasn't going to remain peaceful once she found her bounty.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" The rest of your travel to Primm was fair peaceful aside from the occasional gecko, bro g being alone they simply ran away from you. As you'd approach the first thing you would notice would not be Primm itself, but the NCR. Seems like they had a little base set up across the bridge from Primm, their flag flying high. However there was only a single soldier at the gate who would stop you as you approach. "Whoa where the hell do you think you're going? Havent you heard? Primm's under lock down right now. Whole gang has taken over the town."</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current .45-70 Gov't Ammunition Hatchet Modified Bounty Hunter Duster Jet x1 Weapon Repair kit x1 Firebomb x2 Gecko hides x4 Gecko meat 7lbs Gecko Egg --- Oh. The NCR. Great. Lizzie's soft smile didn't betray the fact her mood had been thoroughly soured at the sight of them. She almost wanted to just ignore them. Not like their rule was respected out here anyways, and she wasn't particularly fond of getting held up by them either. "Heh, yep, I've heard." Lizzie replied in a fairly non-hostile tone despite the sass of the words. "Looks like you guys could do a better job." Her smile widened, glancing in the direction of the Bison Steve. "So I'm gonna do it for ya. Leader of that gang? I got a firebomb with his name on it." She only stopped long enough to reply before heading across the bridge.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" The soldier looked at you strangely, but didn't stop you. "Fine, but don't say we didn't warn you. Just mind yourself on the bridge, we've set up landmines to keep the gangs away from our side." Sure enough, going across the bridge was slightly perilous. There were a few fragmentation mines scattered on the bridge. They didn't enough enough power behind them to blow up the bridge they they went off, but they'd certainly be able to kill anyone who made the mistake of being within the vicinity when they went off. As for Primm itself, it was a pretty large town. It was a straight shot to the Bison Steve, but you could already hear the hollering of the gangsters throughout the city, doing god knows what.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current "Wow sounds like a party." Lizzie mused, stepping across the bridge, wary of the mines. Really, she could respect a good explosion or two but blocking off an entire bridge just seemed excessive. That was bad for everyone! Just keep a fresh supply of grenades or set up some sort of sentry or something if they wanted to make a choke point. Not that it'd mattered. If the Gangers wanted to attack them, they could just try from a different position. Now, did she want to take care of everyone else or simply go after the big bad guy? Wasn't like she'd get paid for taking out the rest of them. Her bounty was just for Thrasher, no one else. Eh, couldn't hurt to take out a few of them. A bit more info and maybe a few supplies, but nothing more than a few. Wasn't there a mail station or something in Primm? Lizzie made her way towards the station slowly, rifle at the ready and sticking to the shadows in an effort to get the drop on anyone that might be in her way.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" You walk through the streets of Primm with a finger on your trigger. Finding the mail place was easy enough; it was the Mojave Express. They even had a sign, or what was left of one. However as you approached you could hear voices in the distance. Those voices began shouting, and shouting turned into gunshots. As you'd get closer you'd be just in time to see a three men armed with some pistols surrounding a fresh dead corpse. They wore matching blue uniforms with cheap armored vests, some of them wearing trooper helmets. Looked like some unfortunate courier had just been gunned down in cold blood, and right in front of the Mojave Express as well. The three men, Powder Gangers, were chuckling to themselves as they looked through the dead body for valuables. They wouldn't notice you at all.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current .45-70 Gov't Ammunition Hatchet Modified Bounty Hunter Duster Jet x1 Weapon Repair kit x1 Firebomb x2 Gecko hides x4 Gecko meat 7lbs Gecko Egg --- Three people that didn't know they were dead yet, huh? Should be easy enough to handle them. Hopefully it wouldn't kill all of them, she at least wanted to ask one where exactly Thrasher was holed up in Bison Steve. Approaching slowly, Lizzie pulled a firebomb from her belt. Quickly, she ignited the fuse and held it for just a few seconds before tossing it in between the three of them. Immediately after, she pulled her rifle, taking shots at two of the gangers head, with the third getting some in his kneecaps.</s>	<\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" The three men were too busy looting the body to realize they were in danger. Only one even saw the fire bomb coming, and by the time he did it was already too late for him to escape. The firebomb exploded and engulfed the three men in fire, soaking their clothing in flaming oil. Unfamiliar with proper procedures to put in flames, the men started to panic, trying to put out the flames by feebly striking and striking off their clothes. Their fear and panic made it easy for you to line up shots to kill and incapacitate. Two fell as your bullet ripped through their heads, causing one of their heads to Simply explode due to the caliber of your bullet. The on you shot in the knee wasn't doing any better: what you had hoped to be a crippling shot actually ended up tearing his leg off below the knee, making him fall to the ground and screech in agony. He was likely going to die very quickly without any aid.</s>
<\|description\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Chelsea Sparks - Old name Race: Caucasian Age: 25 Bio: Lizzie's had a pretty rough life, a native to the Mojave she's been through the wringer since she was born. Parents were killed when she was a kid by some raiders after getting false promises from the NCR about safety. Afterwards, she took to raiding herself, gaining somewhat of a dislike for the Republic. Eventually she joined up with others, and while they weren't quite big shot bandits like the Vipers, Fiends and such, they did well for themselves as one might expect raiders to do. Even earned themselves a bit of a notoriety, enough to gain a sizable bounty on all their heads. At least, until, there was a bit of a falling out over something. She doesn't exactly talk about it, but it ended with them dead with her alive. In an effort to both clear her name and set herself straight, she started bounty hunting, taking a new name in the process. To legitimize herself and cover her tracks, she deemed bringing their severed heads to the person in charge as a must. Despite everything, she maintains a somewhat cheerful attitude, and perhaps, takes a bit too much enjoyment in her new profession. Skills: Science - Lizzie's interest in science purely used to be chem based. After getting clean (mostly, still can't quite shake the jet), she put it to more survival focused things, and putting old world tech to use. She may not be the best, but she can get around most places. Guns - Learning to defend yourself and kill before your killed is a good idea. Lizzie's a notoriously good shot. Typically, she prefers long to mid range weapons, but can handle close range combat well enough as long as it doesn't take too long. Explosives -Explosives are a pretty quick answer to any problem. Watching the ensuing 'boom' is always fun, too. A bit of a pyromaniac in that regard. Sneak - Sometimes, a good sneak attack is needed. Sometimes, getting away from trouble and staying out is the best idea. Liz is pretty good at telling which is needed for each job. Talents: Perception Agility Flaws: Charisma Endurance Signature Weapon: Brush Gun Gear: .45-70 Gov't Ammunition, Hatchet, Modified Bounty Hunter Duster, Jet, Weapon Repair kit</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Kid? She was pretty sure she was a grown up. "Powder gangers huh." Lizzie replied with a light laugh. "Y'know, I can't hate anyone who uses explosives like they do." Just 250 though? She could make more in an hour by robbing a caravan or something. Ugh, this was going to be annoying, wasn't it? Well, she couldn't complain too much. It was either that or start doing some raiding herself again, and she had decided to leave that. "Buuut if I'll get paid I'll take 'em out." Maybe she could finally get her mitts on some incendiaries. "None for now, boss lady." Lizzie got up from her chair. "Gonna see if Bete has any extra stuff I can borrow. Sounds easier than some of the...well, y'know." She grinned, not wanting to bring up her rather less than reputable past if she could. "Anything else I need to know?"</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" "Pay is proportional to threat. Powder Gangs play tough, but any semi-competent militia can deal with the likes of them, dynamite or not. The only reason the Powder Gangers manage to hold Primm is because they jumped the sheriff and the deputy, leaving Primm without any leadership to coordinate a counter attack. Hell, I had half a mind to go down there myself since we get supplies from Primm, but I figured this would be a good first job for you." Annabeth pops open a bottle of sarsaparilla and takes a swig from it. She takes out another and offers it to you. "As for any other info, watch out for Thrasher. His cronies are a bunch of chumps but there's a reason the bounty is for him specifically. We've also reports that he and his band robbed a caravan running guns, so chances are each of those gangers are packing. Aside from that, you ought to be able to take care of yourself. And if you can't well... We'll see soon enough."</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current "Pfft, ahahah," Lizzie laughed, flashing a grin to Annabeth. "Me? Get taken out by a buncha splodey dumbos? Noooot a chance." Well, obviously they were armed and dangerous. Even more so if they were freshly resupplied by ransacking some caravan. Hm. Hmhm. Well, she could handle herself. No sense in thinking about this too hard. "They'll be dead before ya know it, boss lady." She headed out of the building, a friendly wave to Annabeth. She slung her brush gun over her shoulder, Lizzie went to find the friendly little ghoul by the name of Bete. She probably didn't have anything she could use yet - not to mention not having any materials herself, but hey, no hurt in asking. As small as the Lone Wolf radio station was, it didn't take her too terribly long to find the kid ghoul. "Hey, Bete!" Lizzie walked up wearing her usual smile. "Wanted to see if ya had anything useful layin' around before I left on a bounty."</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Bete was at her workstation with various computer parts scattered on her desk. From the looks of it Bete had somehow found a pipboy and was in the process of cannibalizing it's parts for something. When you arrived she looked up at you. "Ah Lizzie, about to go on a job huh?" Despite being a ghoul, Bete's voice sounded relatively normal, young even, except for one thing: A notable robot autotune. It's something of an open secret that Bete's voice is augmented by her mask, filtering her real voice to something less gravely. She doesn't like to talk about it. "Well, I've been busing with some personal projects, but I think I might have something around here. Let's see... Ah, I do have these." Bete dug around behind her desk and pulled up a small crate of bottles. They looked like Sunset Sarsaparilla bottles, however instead of a normal bottle cap they had a thick fiber cork. "I figured since Anna doesn't bother to clean up her drinks, I'd recycle the bottles into something useful. Simple firebombs, glass bottles filled with some fuel and a little special something to make sure it can make a decent splash. Just light the cap on fire and throw it at something really hard, and you got yourself a little homemade incendiary bomb. Bete takes two bottles out and slides them to you. "Since you're new, you can have these two on the house. The rest however I'm stockpiling in case I need to clear out some geckos. Buuuuuut I'm willing to trade you some extra ones for say, fifty caps a pop?"</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current "Ooh, fire." Lizzie's smile widened considerably. She was probably biased since she was a bit of a pyromaniac, but fire always made everything ten times cooler. Lizzie picked up one of the bottles, swishing the bottle around in her hand. She tied both to her belt, right next to the hatchet hanging from her waist. "I'll take ya up on that offer once I get some more caps on me." She gave the ghoul a friendly bap on the head. More firepower was always a good idea. Maybe she could just...burn the entire Bison Steve down. No one would miss it, would they? Naaah. "I'll try not to burn anything down with 'em." She laughed, turning away from the Ghoul. "Laters, I gotta date with a Bison named Steve." Lizzie stepped out of the bounty office, the hot Mojave sun harshly greeting her. Nothing new, there. Just another new day in the desert. Wouldn't be the Mojave without sand, heat, and she was probably going to be adding a few bullets soon enough. Assuming Annabeth or Bete didn't try stopping her before she left, her boots turned towards Primm.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" From the clifftop, you could see Primm in the distance. While no desert jewel, the sight of the ruined city was a welcome reprieve for travelers thanks to being one of the few major settlements in the Mojave Wasteland. It was one of the few places with a working water reservoir, giving it immense value to traders and travelers. The town itself also had various tradesmen and crafters, mostly in electronics and even robotics. The Vikki and Vance Casino itself was it's main attraction; while it's payout is worse than Vegas and doesn't really have as much class, it still offered a fun experience if you want to waste away your caps, and the food served there is better than eating geckos and bloat flies. Of course, that was Primm before. Ever since the NCR moved in, things started to get shaky for Primm. It's no secret that while Primm wasn't a bad town, it's vices and services were popular among unsavory folk who would stalk the hills and hit caravans trying to make it to town. Primm had it's own law to keep the peace but that was only good to stop the violence in the town, not outside of it. And when the NCR moved in, those customers stopped showing up. And since they stopped showing up, caps started to run a bit dry even as people got comfortable with the peace. Too comfortable. And thus, their current situation: lawless and taken over by common criminals, even with the NCR just a stone throw away, they too are too limited in number to commit to a operation to clear the town, who never had a good relationship with Primm either way. Then again the NCR hasn't done a very great job at being friendly with most of the Mojave's native inhabitants in the first place. It would take about thirty minutes or so to trek down the mountain. No clear path had been beaten down yet for you to get to the town very quickly unless you want to start jumping off cliffs and hope you survive the landing. And as Bete mentioned, there are a few geckos running around hunting and being a general nusience. While smart enough to stay away from the office, the vermin showed little fear in attacking anyone on the mountain path no matter how big they are. The radiation may have made them bigger and stronger, but it also killed their sense of self-preservation. Thus it wasn't long before you ran into small pack of gecko hunters. They seemed to be prowling for prey, and if they spotted you, you could be certain that their little brains will consider you food and try and chase you down. Fortunately you were on a ridge above them and they haven't noticed you yet, but they are searching and staying alert.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current She had been to Primm before, a few times. One of the few places where ne'er-do-well's and general less savory sorts like she had used to be could have some relatively good, clean fun. So long as she kept her nose clean in the city. Mostly though, she had simply used it to get chems and restock on provisions. Seeing it in the distance reminded her briefly of her distaste for the NCR. If they actually did their damn jobs then things wouldn't have gotten like they were. "Oh, lunch." Immediately upon seeing the five Gecko's, though, her thought process entirely. She should probably pay far more attention to the Mojave. She'd get killed if she didn't. She immediately dropped to a knee, pulling her Brush gun from around her shoulder. They hadn't noticed her yet, she could avoid them, but she had plenty of ammo, and gecko meat was delicious. She took aim towards the gecko's on the ground below, starting with the one closest to her, aiming a shot right towards its cranium.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" For geckos, a 5.56 round was more than enough to put down a gecko, especially with a bullet to the head. But with a .45-70, the gecko's cranium was more than shot, it was splattered, sending blood and gore to the other geckos nearby. The loud noise shocked them, leaving them stunned for just a moment. They looked around quickly and spotted you. Despite the sudden and violent death of it's fellow gecko, the other four thought of nothing but to hunt the prey before them. They quickly began to scramble up the cliff in your direction; a feat that normally would take a person a good set of climbing gear and a prayer to do, but these gecko hunter's webbed appendages and relative light weight allowed for this sort of three-dimensional maneuvering. But this greater mobility also came with an obvious weakness: these geckos wouldn't be able to dodge bullets as they climbed towards you.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Lizzie unconsciously licked her lips as the Gecko head splattered into giblets. There was something fun about just watching something explode like that. Quickly, as they scrambled up the wall she positioned her gun downwards, over the edge of the cliff. Swiftly, two more shots were unloaded at two different geckos in an effort to thin their numbers before they got to her. As soon as the second shot left the chamber, she backed away from the cliff edge, ready to put more rounds into the Gecko the moment they climbed over.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Sure enough both geckos fell off the walls as giblets. It was a bloody mess and frankly one of them wouldn't have much meat left on him to eat unless you was to scrap up his remains into kebabs. Despite this overwhelming firepower the last two geckos continued to climb up until they were finally on the ridge with you. It was a narrow ridge, so it was close-quarters combat. And it wouldn't take long for them to charge at you trying to bite your legs. Their teeth were like forty switch blades being popped out all at once, ready for stabbing into some meat.</s>	<\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Maybe she shouldn't be quite so eager to blast them, a bunch of meat was goin' to waste. Eh, oh well. Realizing she didn't have quite as much room as she thought, Liz opted for some close quarters combat. She grabbed the barrel of her gun, swinging the butt of her rifle into the mouth of one of the lizards, using the weapon more like a glorified baseball bat than its intended purpose. She didn't take time to holster the rifle, instead simply letting the weapon fall to the ground and attempting to dodge the second gecko and using the time to pull her hatchet from her belt.</s>
<\|description\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Chelsea Sparks - Old name Race: Caucasian Age: 25 Bio: Lizzie's had a pretty rough life, a native to the Mojave she's been through the wringer since she was born. Parents were killed when she was a kid by some raiders after getting false promises from the NCR about safety. Afterwards, she took to raiding herself, gaining somewhat of a dislike for the Republic. Eventually she joined up with others, and while they weren't quite big shot bandits like the Vipers, Fiends and such, they did well for themselves as one might expect raiders to do. Even earned themselves a bit of a notoriety, enough to gain a sizable bounty on all their heads. At least, until, there was a bit of a falling out over something. She doesn't exactly talk about it, but it ended with them dead with her alive. In an effort to both clear her name and set herself straight, she started bounty hunting, taking a new name in the process. To legitimize herself and cover her tracks, she deemed bringing their severed heads to the person in charge as a must. Despite everything, she maintains a somewhat cheerful attitude, and perhaps, takes a bit too much enjoyment in her new profession. Skills: Science - Lizzie's interest in science purely used to be chem based. After getting clean (mostly, still can't quite shake the jet), she put it to more survival focused things, and putting old world tech to use. She may not be the best, but she can get around most places. Guns - Learning to defend yourself and kill before your killed is a good idea. Lizzie's a notoriously good shot. Typically, she prefers long to mid range weapons, but can handle close range combat well enough as long as it doesn't take too long. Explosives -Explosives are a pretty quick answer to any problem. Watching the ensuing 'boom' is always fun, too. A bit of a pyromaniac in that regard. Sneak - Sometimes, a good sneak attack is needed. Sometimes, getting away from trouble and staying out is the best idea. Liz is pretty good at telling which is needed for each job. Talents: Perception Agility Flaws: Charisma Endurance Signature Weapon: Brush Gun Gear: .45-70 Gov't Ammunition, Hatchet, Modified Bounty Hunter Duster, Jet, Weapon Repair kit</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Lizzie unconsciously licked her lips as the Gecko head splattered into giblets. There was something fun about just watching something explode like that. Quickly, as they scrambled up the wall she positioned her gun downwards, over the edge of the cliff. Swiftly, two more shots were unloaded at two different geckos in an effort to thin their numbers before they got to her. As soon as the second shot left the chamber, she backed away from the cliff edge, ready to put more rounds into the Gecko the moment they climbed over.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Sure enough both geckos fell off the walls as giblets. It was a bloody mess and frankly one of them wouldn't have much meat left on him to eat unless you was to scrap up his remains into kebabs. Despite this overwhelming firepower the last two geckos continued to climb up until they were finally on the ridge with you. It was a narrow ridge, so it was close-quarters combat. And it wouldn't take long for them to charge at you trying to bite your legs. Their teeth were like forty switch blades being popped out all at once, ready for stabbing into some meat.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Maybe she shouldn't be quite so eager to blast them, a bunch of meat was goin' to waste. Eh, oh well. Realizing she didn't have quite as much room as she thought, Liz opted for some close quarters combat. She grabbed the barrel of her gun, swinging the butt of her rifle into the mouth of one of the lizards, using the weapon more like a glorified baseball bat than its intended purpose. She didn't take time to holster the rifle, instead simply letting the weapon fall to the ground and attempting to dodge the second gecko and using the time to pull her hatchet from her belt.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Your improvised use of your gun was mostly effective, good enough to knock one of the geckos out from the air however it didn't kill the beast. It did make him stunned if only for a moment. The second gecko however was able to get a scratch on you, biting into your leg. While you can certainly feel it, your pants and duster were doing a decent enough job to prevent the gecko's teeth from finding any skin. If it were a bigger one, you'd likely be losing some flesh and maybe even bone. Still you'd ought to act fast. The nasty critter was gnawing, tearing through your duster's leather.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current "Ngh!" Lizzie winced, feeling the gecko's teeth clamp down on her leg. On the bright side, it was right in striking distance. The bounty hunter grabbed her hatched, wrapping both hands around its grip and swung the blade right into the side of the lizard's skull.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" You'd feel a slight sting as the gecko's teeth cut into flesh, but as soon as the blade of your axe left the gecko's skull, the beast fell to the ground twitching. It would spasm there for the rest of it's very short life, dying in about twelve or so seconds. That left the last lizard, the one you had stunned with your rifle, who continued to run and lunge right at you. Despite being so small and physically puny, these creatures were physically capable of rather impressive levels of athleticism, not just their climbing ability but also leaping. This is most important because the last gecko jumped high enough that it was going to try and bite your face.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Ow. Note to self: Gecko Teeth hurt. Still fourth one down, one to - "Gweh?!" Damn, she really needed to remember how fast these little snacks were. The redhead, barely had seconds to react as she brought up her hatchet, holding it between her face and the creatures teeth hoping to catch the creature mid jump on it. She'd try to shove it off of her - in times like this having something like a pistol she could just pull out would be fuckin' amazing. Assuming it was successful, she'd make an attempt to drive the blade of the weapon into this ones head.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Not a moment too soon before you manage to catch the gecko as it bites down onto the handle of your hatchet. It holds fast despite not catching any meat, allowing you to swing it into the nearby wall just long enough to stun it once more, and finish it off with another axe to the head. This once was a cleaner cut and nearly decapitated the gecko, finally leaving you with nothing but a few dead lizards. It wouldn't take too long if you felt like skinning and butchering these geckos; hides were always in some demand from traders who knew people who could turn them into clothing and textiles, and the meat was... Palpable enough. Obviously don't eat it raw; gecko meat is highly radioactive and it's a good way to get cancer. But once you grill them on an open flame, they're a decent enough snack and unlike most wasteland critters, the radiation actually helps make sure the meat doesn't catch diseases. You'd be able to obtain at least four usable gecko hides, though one was notably missing it's entire head. As for meat, taking the best cuts you find about seven pounds of the stuff all together. There were more bits of the gecko you could eat, but that meat is tough and unpalatable no matter what you do with it. Better off leaving it to the flies. And finally, seemed like one of the geckos was pregnant, because you found one gecko egg. Gecko eggs are hard to cook though due to their high acidic, making terrible omelettes. You've heard of some crazy wastelanders making cocktails with them, but those usually ended with said wastelander dying of some sort of alcohol based poisoning, which may or may not have been made worse by the gecko eggs. Once you'd finish figuring out what to do with these gecko bits, it was more or less a straight shot to Primm. The town seems almost peaceful from a distance, but you know that it's going to get loud once you make your presence known there. You can see the big old bison from your position too. The fact it wasn't on fire at the moment might be considered a good thing for Primm's state of welfare.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current .45-70 Gov't Ammunition Hatchet Modified Bounty Hunter Duster Jet x1 Weapon Repair kit x1 Firebomb x2 Gecko hides x4 Gecko meat 7lbs Gecko Egg "Whew..." Lizzie grunted, taking a moment to collect her rifle from where she had discarded it. "Looks like meat's on the menu for dinner tonight, haha!" She laughed, setting about the rather bloody work of skinning and gutting the gecko's. Always a good idea to try and get skins. Traders would always pay for 'em, and if not, she could probably find some more use for them herself. More importantly was the meat. Call her crazy, but she had a particular love for Gecko meat. Might even be able to use the Egg as an impromptu throwing weapon. Finally done with the work, Lizzie made sure any injury she had wasn't too terrible before setting off. Primm. She had been there a few times before. She wouldn't be surprised if someone recognized her from her old gang. Well, maybe she could get in without getting into too much trouble or recognition. In and out. "...maybe an explosion or two." Lizzie giggled, making her way towards the city. It definitely wasn't going to remain peaceful once she found her bounty.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" The rest of your travel to Primm was fair peaceful aside from the occasional gecko, bro g being alone they simply ran away from you. As you'd approach the first thing you would notice would not be Primm itself, but the NCR. Seems like they had a little base set up across the bridge from Primm, their flag flying high. However there was only a single soldier at the gate who would stop you as you approach. "Whoa where the hell do you think you're going? Havent you heard? Primm's under lock down right now. Whole gang has taken over the town."</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current .45-70 Gov't Ammunition Hatchet Modified Bounty Hunter Duster Jet x1 Weapon Repair kit x1 Firebomb x2 Gecko hides x4 Gecko meat 7lbs Gecko Egg --- Oh. The NCR. Great. Lizzie's soft smile didn't betray the fact her mood had been thoroughly soured at the sight of them. She almost wanted to just ignore them. Not like their rule was respected out here anyways, and she wasn't particularly fond of getting held up by them either. "Heh, yep, I've heard." Lizzie replied in a fairly non-hostile tone despite the sass of the words. "Looks like you guys could do a better job." Her smile widened, glancing in the direction of the Bison Steve. "So I'm gonna do it for ya. Leader of that gang? I got a firebomb with his name on it." She only stopped long enough to reply before heading across the bridge.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" The soldier looked at you strangely, but didn't stop you. "Fine, but don't say we didn't warn you. Just mind yourself on the bridge, we've set up landmines to keep the gangs away from our side." Sure enough, going across the bridge was slightly perilous. There were a few fragmentation mines scattered on the bridge. They didn't enough enough power behind them to blow up the bridge they they went off, but they'd certainly be able to kill anyone who made the mistake of being within the vicinity when they went off. As for Primm itself, it was a pretty large town. It was a straight shot to the Bison Steve, but you could already hear the hollering of the gangsters throughout the city, doing god knows what.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current "Wow sounds like a party." Lizzie mused, stepping across the bridge, wary of the mines. Really, she could respect a good explosion or two but blocking off an entire bridge just seemed excessive. That was bad for everyone! Just keep a fresh supply of grenades or set up some sort of sentry or something if they wanted to make a choke point. Not that it'd mattered. If the Gangers wanted to attack them, they could just try from a different position. Now, did she want to take care of everyone else or simply go after the big bad guy? Wasn't like she'd get paid for taking out the rest of them. Her bounty was just for Thrasher, no one else. Eh, couldn't hurt to take out a few of them. A bit more info and maybe a few supplies, but nothing more than a few. Wasn't there a mail station or something in Primm? Lizzie made her way towards the station slowly, rifle at the ready and sticking to the shadows in an effort to get the drop on anyone that might be in her way.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" You walk through the streets of Primm with a finger on your trigger. Finding the mail place was easy enough; it was the Mojave Express. They even had a sign, or what was left of one. However as you approached you could hear voices in the distance. Those voices began shouting, and shouting turned into gunshots. As you'd get closer you'd be just in time to see a three men armed with some pistols surrounding a fresh dead corpse. They wore matching blue uniforms with cheap armored vests, some of them wearing trooper helmets. Looked like some unfortunate courier had just been gunned down in cold blood, and right in front of the Mojave Express as well. The three men, Powder Gangers, were chuckling to themselves as they looked through the dead body for valuables. They wouldn't notice you at all.</s>	<\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current .45-70 Gov't Ammunition Hatchet Modified Bounty Hunter Duster Jet x1 Weapon Repair kit x1 Firebomb x2 Gecko hides x4 Gecko meat 7lbs Gecko Egg --- Three people that didn't know they were dead yet, huh? Should be easy enough to handle them. Hopefully it wouldn't kill all of them, she at least wanted to ask one where exactly Thrasher was holed up in Bison Steve. Approaching slowly, Lizzie pulled a firebomb from her belt. Quickly, she ignited the fuse and held it for just a few seconds before tossing it in between the three of them. Immediately after, she pulled her rifle, taking shots at two of the gangers head, with the third getting some in his kneecaps.</s>
<\|description\|>Arnora Skadidottir Arnora Skadidottir Character Quote: "I'm totally not an Elsa." --- --- Character Summary Aliases: Arnie Age: 34 Birthday: December 23rd, somewhere in the 8th century. Death Date: Sometime in the 8th century Ethnicity: Caucasian Birth Place: Aalborg, Denmark Godly Parent: Skadi How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: Since the 8th Century. Gender: Female Languages: Old Norse, Norwegian, English --- --- Appearance Height: 5'11 Weight: 134lbs Body Type: Muscular Eye Color: Grey Hair Color: Blonde Skin Tone: Light Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Various scars across her arms and legs as well as her back, from various fights, to fighting against a few wild animals. She also has a Yggdrasil tattoo on her lower right arm. Personal Style: When you first meet Arnora she usually is seen wearing animal furs of some kind, or usually seen wearing some kind of leather armor under that for protection. She tends to take very good care at least as best she can to tend to them. If she is somewhere that is a lot warmer then Arnora will usually be seen wearing lighter clothing. Or at least some kind of armor somewhere on her body as well and will always be seen wearing boots no matter the season. Her hair is usually seen in various braids in size and length, one side of her head however is shaved preferring that look over anything else. Arnora doesn't really own any jewelry except for a necklace that was given to her by her mother and will never leave without it. --- --- Psychology Freethinking * Compulsive * Fun-loving * Greedy * Courageous * Undisciplined Sexuality: Bisexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Whenever you first meet Arnora she is usually seen as a free spirited person, she likes to have fun no matter what she does. Or whether people like it or not, she wouldn't really care what others think of her. She is very compulsive and will usually do something without to much thought into it really. Arnora doesn't really care all that much for authority unless it was from someone that she personally knows and respects. Arnora is sometimes very greedy when it comes to making money and will usually end up trading something at a higher price and able to get what she wants. Arnora doesn't really care if she steals from someone either and usually gets a kick out of stealing it. Arnora is also a very undisciplined person, and doesn't really take things to seriously, but she is very courageous and wont really back out from a fight and will do her best to protect her friends or those that she cares for. Fatal Flaw: inability to resist a challenge Habits: Whenever Arnora is bored she is usually seen messing around with one of her hair braids, if she is annoyed she will give just about anyone a death stare, and if she is bored Arnora will be seen picking out the dirt from her nails. Hobbies: Hunting, drinking Fears: * Heights * Drowning * Snakes Likes: * Snow * Winter * Hunting * Trading * Drinking * Having fun Dislikes: * Warm weather * Thunderstorms * Losing a fight * Rich or entitled people * Cowards * Smart people --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: * Cryokinesis * Enhanced Tracking General Skills: * Boating * Skiing * Rune Magic * Norse Mythology * Skinning * Leather working Combat Skills: * Axe Fighting * Hand to Hand Combat * Hunting * Shields Magic Item: * Leviathan Axe: A bone steel axe, which when it makes contact with someone immediately turns them into ice. The sword will always return to her hand even when she drops it or gets disarmed or thrown. * What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - Fur cloak, leather armor, simple tshirt underneath. * Purse/Wallet - N/A * Bone steel shield * Fur cloak * leather armor * necklace * Isens sverd * Sword Sheath Possessions In Hotel Room: * Spare bone steel sword * Spare bone steel shield * Various kinds of animal furs, that she hunted when she was alive. * Her family's shield * Modern day books * TV --- --- History Biography: Arnora was originally born in what is now modern day Aalborg, Denmark, which was originally a small trading post at the time. Her father was just a simple trades men at the time selling all of his wares to anyone who would pass through the town. Arnora growing up she had always enjoyed going out and joining the hunting parties when she was old enough to go and hunt with them. Though she always grew up for adventure and would eventually leave her home village and join the raiding parties and would always enjoy the thrill of it all. She enjoyed it all and would go on long boating expeditions as well leaving her home far behind as well, and would eventually be one of the few to find North America, making a small hunting post there. But she would eventually go back to Europe for the long traveling and visited her father as well. And also fight rivaling clans to that tried to invade her home. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: While out on a raiding party however with a rival clan, she was challenged by another warrior there. And she couldn't turn down a challenge either and accepted, Arnora would fight the person before dying, but not without taking out her challenger either in the fight as well, earning her a spot in Odin's army in Valhalla. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Frozen Throne - Kalidia - The Frozen Throne Extra Information: I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay.</s> <\|message\|>Arnora Skadidottir --- --- Arnora Skadidottir Location: Hotel Valhalla: Reception Skills: N/A --- --- Arnora watched Asha as she shifted into a raven Odin's sacred animal and watched her flying over to the reception desk making a rather nice shitting bomb run right on Helgi's nameplate. She couldn't help but start to laugh seeing that happen as well Arnora smirked a little bit as Asha flew back and landed on Klara's shoulder. "Be careful she might still have some excess crap or something." Arnora said teasingly as Hunding groaned a little bit seeing the crap, which would eventually slide down onto the desk as well. Arnora thought for a moment as she pulled out her trusted axe in her hand, runes glowing slightly on the axe head itself. "Well, I could throw my axe around at him and miss on purpose to scare the shit out of him. Hunding could mess with the lights on the floor, to flicker or something like that." Arnora suggested shrugging slightly looking over towards the others see what they thought.</s> <\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake --- --- Klara Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: Lounge Skills: N/A --- --- She couldn't help but giggle somewhat at what Asha had done on the desk, though she knew perfectly well that it was a little bit disgusting and a little bit childish with it. However, that did not make what the daughter of Odin had done any less entertaining. The bird flew over and she found that apparently Asha had decided that her shoulder was a good place to perch herself still as a bird. Klara rolled her eyes somewhat at Arnora's words regarding the bird that was now there, but she was fine with it. "Honestly Asha that was brilliant. As for other pranks I feel like we could get even more creative then that Arnora, despite how much fun scaring Helgi would be. You have to remember, we're all dead here and coming back constantly, meaning just a few light dimming and nearly hitting him won't do much. Nope, what I say is we need to actually find a way to humiliate Helgi in some way in front of everyone else. I mean there is nothing as classic as coming up with ingenious ways to trip someone so that they land on their face and drop whatever the hell they are holding, but it gets even better if you get them to accidentally make the thing they are carrying go flying and maybe even hit someone."</s> <\|message\|>Asha Makenna Jabari --- --- 🐺 Asha Jabari 🐺 --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - Reception Skills: N/A --- --- Somehow, Asha managed to roll her eyes still as a bird. "The only one with excess crap is Helgi - he's grody to the max," she complained. While she could have easily shifted back into her human form, she was enjoying being a raven perched on Klara's shoulder. The entire world looked different whenever she would shift forms. Of course, she loved being able to fly as well. Had she not died a brutal death at a young age, she would've liked to join the Valkyrie - just to be able to soar through the skies without shifting form. She thought for a moment, before an evil plot hatched in her mind. "What if something happened at tonight's feast? What if... Odin, the All-Father, showed up and ordered Helgi to clean his boots with his tongue?" Asha proposed. If a raven could smirk, she would have. She had this image of herself shifting to resemble the All-Father and going into the Feast Room of the Slain that evening, all with the sole purpose of getting Helgi to do some incredibly shameful activities. "Besides, he needs to return the runes to the All-Father anyways."</s> <\|message\|>Arnora Skadidottir --- --- Arnora Skadidottir Location: Hotel Valhalla: Reception Skills: N/A --- --- Arnora shrugged slightly she didn't mind having to kill Helgi a few times with her axe and scare the shit out of him multiple times as well, looking at Asha's and smirks towards her and nodded liking the idea pretty well. Arnora watched as a few einherjar were coming out of the elevator and making their way over towards the feast hall for lunch, and then looking at her two friends and seeing Asha rolling her crow eyes. "I like it, but we should totally kill him in like a humiliating way still, and maybe ask some of the valkeries to not bring him back just yet until the feast tonight and we could maybe hang him by his underwear or whatever. Then we do the Odin boot licking thing?" Arnora suggested looking at the two of them and smiled while Hunding was nodding at the idea, he certainly wouldn't mind having to humiliate his boss in front of everyone in Valhalla during the nightly feast for many years to come as well.</s> <\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake --- --- Klara Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: Lounge Skills: N/A --- --- "I mean... Who says that we can't do both? I mean it would be obvious and have him be expecting one of those options, either way, so if we do both of them then whose to say they would be expecting it. Plus Asha would be able to shapeshift into the All-Father if she wants to, and Arnora would be able to kill someone. Everyone wins and we get to still play a massive prank on Helgi, I'm with Arnora on that one, so how about we get going already and start causing more problems for him?" Klara spoke up, giggling slightly at how both of them wanted to prank Helgi in different ways. They could do both after all. "As for how we kill him, well you can't do the simple things like just stabbing the guy or beheading him, that's way too obvious... No... Needs to be a bit more clever..." she mused, thinking for a moment, before an idea came to her mind and she broke out into a grin. "You know... Being killed by an animal stampeded would definitely be a humiliating way to go... So why not send a stampede of goats out after him? I mean, they aren't typically seen as very scary or fearsome, so it would be kind of entertaining if you ask me."</s> <\|message\|>Asha Makenna Jabari --- --- 🐺 Asha Jabari 🐺 --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - Reception Skills: Shapeshifting --- --- There was only one slight problem with killing Helgi - he ran the hotel and Asha didn't want to have him as an outright enemy. They could have been degraded to the status of Hunding - well, probably not her, her father was the All-Father after all but Klara and Arnora didn't have that perk. "If you're going to kill him, it should be a crowded area at least - so he can't tell who did it," Asha reasoned. "Otherwise, all three of us will be stuck scrubbing toilets until Ragnarok comes and I do not need to see what the bowel movements of every einherji looks like. That'd be grody to the max." Asha then leapt forward off of Klara's shoulder, transforming until she resembled an older white man with only one eye. She looked like the spitting image of Odin, the All-Father. While most people likely wouldn't dare to pretend to be Odin, Asha didn't really care. If it bothered her father, well, he could come and say that to her face - and even then she probably wouldn't stop. "Do I look convincing - like I could mansplain battlefield strategy to you all night while promoting my latest self help book on heroism?"</s>	<\|message\|>Arnora Skadidottir Location: Hotel Valhalla: Reception Skills: N/A --- --- "Sounds like a perfect plan to me then." Arnora said with a laugh as Hunding nodded in approval as well, looking over at both Klara and Asha as she turned into the All-Father himself which made her ask. "Sooo, whenever you turn into a guy or something do you have dangly bits to? And yes you look like the spitting image of your father as well." Arnora said jokingly before making her way towards the elevator and thought for a moment there was a little problem though they needed to find a lot of goats. "So, any ideas on where to get an army of goats anyway?" Arnora asked, as she waited for the others to get into the elevator and pressed the button, waving goodbye to Hunding as the door closed behind them. She pressed the button to the floor that Helgi had gone to as well. "And that would be really annoying to having to listen to all of those speeches and all that to."</s>
<\|description\|>Asha Makenna Jabari Asha Jabari Character Quote: "Hurry up! Ragnarok won't stop itself." --- --- Character Summary Aliases: Raven, Forge Age: 18 Birthday: October 2nd, 1965 Death Date: July 23rd, 1984 Ethnicity: Swahili Birth Place: Boston, Massachusetts Godly Parent: Odin How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: 31 Gender: Female Languages: English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5'5" Weight: 110 Body Type: Limber Eye Color: Green Hair Color: Brown Skin Tone: Dark Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Triple pierced ears; scar on back Personal Style: (A paragraph, what does he or she like to wear, hair style what they usually wear ect) --- --- Psychology Playful * Blunt * Compassionate * Vengeful * Dedicated * Mysterious Sexuality: Homosexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Asha is a mischievous soul, enjoying poking fun at others - especially her fellow einherjar. The world could use a little more laughter, in order to spare some of the pain associated with the natural occurrences in life: broken hearts, loss, illness, betrayal, and much more... While she may smile at perhaps the wrong time or find a situation to be silly that others find seriousness, do not mistake her as being heartless. Asha has dedicated herself to helping others, choosing to walk her path in her own manner and to protect the Nine Realms. She feels it is her duty to help those in need and to prevent evil from triumphing, no matter what shape or form this may be. She does not always agree with the rule of law. It has its benefits, yet also its limitations. Similarly, however, the world cannot operate on chaos and anarchy - there needs to be a balance between the two. She walks the grey line between them, sometimes a vigilante and at others, a stout upholder of the law. Whatever the situation needs, she will be. Fatal Flaw: Believing She Is Above Destiny and Fate Habits: Rolling her eyes Hobbies: Tinkering with weapons, Soccer Fears: * Failing her father, Odin * Falling into Ginnungagap * Being trapped forever as a different form Likes: * Hairstyling * Animals * Music * Swimming * Inventions * Fire Dislikes: * Rain * Public Transportation * Politics * Orange * Senior Einherjar * Loki --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: * Shapeshifting * Telumkinesis General Skills: * Battle Strategy * Norse Mythology * Perception * Survival * Metalworking * Crafting Combat Skills: * Sword Fighting * Knife Fighting * Brawling * Shield Fighting Magic Item: * Bunnløs - a bag that can hold seemingly an infinite number of things while being relatively weightless * Ravnskriker - a bone steel sword. If Asha loses it, it will reappear in its sheath. What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - Beige and white t-shirt with the Dagaz rune symbol, white necklace, silvery shorts, white sneakers * Purse/Wallet - $100 U.S. * Bunnløs * Ravnskriker * Wooden Shield with the rune of Odin * Lighter * Mini notebook and pen * * * * * Possessions In Hotel Room: * Books on Weapons Forging * Weapons Forge - and its various components, design tables, etc... * Spare Clothing * Photograph of her and her mother * High school diploma * Photograph of her and her senior year soccer team * Photograph of a 10 year old Asha with a wooden sword at a Renaissance Faire * * * * --- --- History Biography: Asha's mother was a professor of history in Boston, focusing on the Viking Age. Her expertise on the subject caught the eye of the Norse god Odin. The two of them had a brief romance, where Odin confirmed the majority of her hypotheses and theories - and in addition, sired a child. She named her daughter Asha in honor of her Swahili heritage (the name means Life) and hoping that Asha would grow up to create peace in the world. Her mother never remarried, but even just on one income they were able to have an expensive home in Brookline. Asha went to a private, charter school up through middle school, before transferring to the private high school her mother's university ran for high school. Asha had two primary hobbies - the first was playing soccer. She was incredibly good at it, seemingly gifted and able to memorize plays nearly instantly. Her coach would praise her, convinced that Asha would be able to get a scholarship for college from her skills. Her second hobby was order. Asha was really into swords. At museums, she always went straight for the swords, daggers if swords weren't present. She was just fascinated by their form. Her mother didn't really encourage this interest, though she didn't discourage it either. Asha would do all of the cute craft kits she could find, usually instructing kids on how to make and decorate wooden swords, but she would always get super serious about it. For her sixteenth birthday, her mother let Asha get a 'real' (display) sword and the demigod just about fainted from excitement. Since dying and becoming a member of her father's army, Asha spends her free time learning about metalworking and crafting. Her dream is to one day craft the finest magical sword the world has ever seen... one capable of changing destiny and fate. For now, her best blade that she's managed to create in the forges is her bone steel sword, Ravnskriker, meaning Raven Scream. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: Asha was at summer camp, her last year of eligibility as in the fall she was due to start college. She had gone to the camp before each summer beginning in the first grade, spending a week away from home in the wilderness. Unfortunately, this summer one of the campers was unstable. They went on a murder spree with a gun in the dead of night. Asha managed to make it to the archery range, where she tried to use a bow and arrow to stop the killer. She managed to fatally wound her opponent, but not before she herself was shot and killed. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Extra Information: I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay.</s> <\|message\|>Arnora Skadidottir --- --- Arnora Skadidottir Location: Hotel Valhalla: Lounge -> Reception Skills: N/A --- --- Arnora looked between Asha and Klara and couldn't help but snicker slightly when Asha called her Klarance which was pretty funny, and looked over at Klara. "At least she didn't call you Klarie." Arnora pointed out, while looking between Hunding and Helgi she did feel bad for Hunding. He was king of the Saxons at one point remembering him really well having been dead since pretty much that time as well and knew a lot of the abuse that Helgi always gave him. "Maybe you should talk to your father about him then." Arnora said to Asha since she was the daughter of Odin himself as well. Arnora looked at Klara before following Asha towards the reception area, so far there hadn't been any new Einherjar today yet anyway there were always a few that would come in through the doors at some point during the day. Helgi stopped for a moment and looked over at Asha as she called him over, and made his way towards her. "What can I do for you Daughter of Odin?" Helgi asked while Hunding looked at Asha and gave her a grateful smile, as Arnora dug into her pocket and pulled out a chocolate bar she had on her and handed it over to the poor doorman. Which made him instantly tear up and mouthed a thank you before scurrying off to do some of his other duties for now while Helgi was distracted.</s> <\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake --- --- Klara Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: Lounge Skills: N/A --- --- "I do have a name you know," Klara responded to Asha with a bit of an eye roll, it was somewhat annoying, but figured that she might as well drop it completely. There was no point arguing since they'd probably be sitting there for hours and that definitely would not be any fun. She wasn't at all too surprised that Asha was talking about Helgi being mean to poor Hunding. "I totally agree with you on that one, honestly it is ridiculous how Hunding is treated, not sure what all we can do regarding that situation though." The words were barely out of her mouth before Asha went over to the pair and started talking, and Klara just shook her head. "Wonder what Asha is going to try and do," she said to Arnora, before she followed along after Arnora who went to follow Asha. Maybe she was wanting to go play babysitter to Asha? This certainly wasn't exactly a good thing, but she was glad that between the two, they had managed to get Hunding away from Helgi. She was also wondering how much longer this charade was going to last, since she wasn't too sure if Asha had any sort of task to actually give Helgi.</s> <\|message\|>Asha Makenna Jabari --- --- 🐺 Asha Jabari 🐺 --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - Reception Skills: N/A --- --- Asha didn't really speak with her father very often - she had only spoken with Odin twice throughout her entire time at Hotel Valhalla. This was fairly typical for the demigod einherjar, as their parents were gods and often just... didn't show up. Because of that, she didn't really feel bad if she threw around her father's name in order to get Hunding a deserved break from Helgi's bullying. It honestly shocked her that no one had really said anything about it to the All-Father. Whenever she saw Odin again - admittedly, which could be thousand of years from then - she figured she'd ask for a favor. If not, she could always lie to Helgi and tell him that Odin decreed he had to be nice to Hunding. Actually, that was an excellent idea. "The All-Father has misplaced his dagaz rune somewhere between floors three hundred and three hundred fifty. He has asked me to inform you, O great Hunding, that you have the honor of retrieving it for him. No magical items can be used, as the rune is potentially unstable, and no one else is authorized to help you in this hunt. The All-Father wishes you well on your quest and asks that you bring the rune and place it on his chair at tonight's feast."</s> <\|message\|>Arnora Skadidottir --- --- Arnora Skadidottir Location: Hotel Valhalla: Reception Skills: N/A --- --- "This should be fun to watch though, though I do wish Hunding would actually kill Helgi or something once in awhile." Anrora said, knowing that the two were just like them einherjar as well. She leaned herself up against the nearby wall as she watched Asha with a little bit of amusement wondering if her little blood relation to the All-Father would actually work. "Think he will fall for it?" Arnora asked looking at Klara, she noticed Hunding wasn't to far from them either hiding behind the reception desk. Which was a little bit more than disappointing to see as well. Helgi turned his attention over towards Asha for a moment eyeing her up and down, wondering if he actually believed her or not, before letting out a slight sigh. "Of course, Odin forgets something somewhere in the hotel." Helgi turned towards Hunding again. "Watch the desk i'll be back when I can." Helgi said before turning and started to make his way over towards the elevator and closed it, leaving the four of them all alone, Hunding coming out from behind the reception desk. "Thank you." Hunding said to Asha giving her a slight smile.</s> <\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake --- --- Klara Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: Lounge Skills: N/A --- --- "Think we'd get in trouble for killing Helgi on his behalf? Or at least help him do it? Since I'd be all for that one if I'm being perfectly honest. Helgi needs to learn a lesson about being rude seriously," she said with a bit of a giggle to Arnora as she more or less was just wanting to see how things turned out with this. The fact that Asha was throwing around who her father was was a bit of a hilarious thing to watch as she tried to see what Helgi would do regarding Hunding, and she was somewhat hoping that Helgi fell for it. She had to fight back a laugh as Helgi spoke to Hunding before taking off into the elevator and leaving them there. As soon as Helgi was gone though, she couldn't help it as she started giggling like crazy. "Wow, I'm sorry, but I can't believe that he fell for that. Asha that was brilliant!" she said, still laughing at the whole thing. She was glad that Asha's plan had seemed to work, freeing Hunding from Helgi for a while at least, it gave the guy a break, no matter how brief.</s>	<\|message\|>Asha Makenna Jabari 🐺 Asha Jabari 🐺 --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - Reception Skills: N/A --- --- Asha had a simple smile on her face, though her eyes shined with glee and delight. While she was a rather proud and mischievous soul, she tended to be a bit muted and restrained as well, an aura of mystery about her. She had a bit of a flair for the dramatics, probably taking after her father in that regard. "You're welcome, Hunding. Since he's grody to you, you can decide if you want to hide a fake rune somewhere or if there shouldn't even be a fake one for him to find." It wouldn't save him from Helgi forever and Asha wouldn't be able to likely distract him again soon for Hunding, but it was at least a partial reprieve. She then looked at her fellow einherjar. Klara seemed pretty enthusiastic about it all and Asha blushed faintly. "Anyways... Do you two have any interesting ideas on what to do today? I'm not really feeling like doing Tennis to the Death. It just gets a bit repetitive, y'know..." In truth, she didn't like any of the activities that ended in death. She would much rather be the one building the weapons and forging them than the one being run through with them.</s>
<\|description\|>Asha Makenna Jabari Asha Jabari Character Quote: "Hurry up! Ragnarok won't stop itself." --- --- Character Summary Aliases: Raven, Forge Age: 18 Birthday: October 2nd, 1965 Death Date: July 23rd, 1984 Ethnicity: Swahili Birth Place: Boston, Massachusetts Godly Parent: Odin How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: 31 Gender: Female Languages: English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5'5" Weight: 110 Body Type: Limber Eye Color: Green Hair Color: Brown Skin Tone: Dark Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Triple pierced ears; scar on back Personal Style: (A paragraph, what does he or she like to wear, hair style what they usually wear ect) --- --- Psychology Playful * Blunt * Compassionate * Vengeful * Dedicated * Mysterious Sexuality: Homosexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Asha is a mischievous soul, enjoying poking fun at others - especially her fellow einherjar. The world could use a little more laughter, in order to spare some of the pain associated with the natural occurrences in life: broken hearts, loss, illness, betrayal, and much more... While she may smile at perhaps the wrong time or find a situation to be silly that others find seriousness, do not mistake her as being heartless. Asha has dedicated herself to helping others, choosing to walk her path in her own manner and to protect the Nine Realms. She feels it is her duty to help those in need and to prevent evil from triumphing, no matter what shape or form this may be. She does not always agree with the rule of law. It has its benefits, yet also its limitations. Similarly, however, the world cannot operate on chaos and anarchy - there needs to be a balance between the two. She walks the grey line between them, sometimes a vigilante and at others, a stout upholder of the law. Whatever the situation needs, she will be. Fatal Flaw: Believing She Is Above Destiny and Fate Habits: Rolling her eyes Hobbies: Tinkering with weapons, Soccer Fears: * Failing her father, Odin * Falling into Ginnungagap * Being trapped forever as a different form Likes: * Hairstyling * Animals * Music * Swimming * Inventions * Fire Dislikes: * Rain * Public Transportation * Politics * Orange * Senior Einherjar * Loki --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: * Shapeshifting * Telumkinesis General Skills: * Battle Strategy * Norse Mythology * Perception * Survival * Metalworking * Crafting Combat Skills: * Sword Fighting * Knife Fighting * Brawling * Shield Fighting Magic Item: * Bunnløs - a bag that can hold seemingly an infinite number of things while being relatively weightless * Ravnskriker - a bone steel sword. If Asha loses it, it will reappear in its sheath. What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - Beige and white t-shirt with the Dagaz rune symbol, white necklace, silvery shorts, white sneakers * Purse/Wallet - $100 U.S. * Bunnløs * Ravnskriker * Wooden Shield with the rune of Odin * Lighter * Mini notebook and pen * * * * * Possessions In Hotel Room: * Books on Weapons Forging * Weapons Forge - and its various components, design tables, etc... * Spare Clothing * Photograph of her and her mother * High school diploma * Photograph of her and her senior year soccer team * Photograph of a 10 year old Asha with a wooden sword at a Renaissance Faire * * * * --- --- History Biography: Asha's mother was a professor of history in Boston, focusing on the Viking Age. Her expertise on the subject caught the eye of the Norse god Odin. The two of them had a brief romance, where Odin confirmed the majority of her hypotheses and theories - and in addition, sired a child. She named her daughter Asha in honor of her Swahili heritage (the name means Life) and hoping that Asha would grow up to create peace in the world. Her mother never remarried, but even just on one income they were able to have an expensive home in Brookline. Asha went to a private, charter school up through middle school, before transferring to the private high school her mother's university ran for high school. Asha had two primary hobbies - the first was playing soccer. She was incredibly good at it, seemingly gifted and able to memorize plays nearly instantly. Her coach would praise her, convinced that Asha would be able to get a scholarship for college from her skills. Her second hobby was order. Asha was really into swords. At museums, she always went straight for the swords, daggers if swords weren't present. She was just fascinated by their form. Her mother didn't really encourage this interest, though she didn't discourage it either. Asha would do all of the cute craft kits she could find, usually instructing kids on how to make and decorate wooden swords, but she would always get super serious about it. For her sixteenth birthday, her mother let Asha get a 'real' (display) sword and the demigod just about fainted from excitement. Since dying and becoming a member of her father's army, Asha spends her free time learning about metalworking and crafting. Her dream is to one day craft the finest magical sword the world has ever seen... one capable of changing destiny and fate. For now, her best blade that she's managed to create in the forges is her bone steel sword, Ravnskriker, meaning Raven Scream. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: Asha was at summer camp, her last year of eligibility as in the fall she was due to start college. She had gone to the camp before each summer beginning in the first grade, spending a week away from home in the wilderness. Unfortunately, this summer one of the campers was unstable. They went on a murder spree with a gun in the dead of night. Asha managed to make it to the archery range, where she tried to use a bow and arrow to stop the killer. She managed to fatally wound her opponent, but not before she herself was shot and killed. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Extra Information: I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay.</s> <\|message\|>Arnora Skadidottir --- --- Arnora Skadidottir Location: Hotel Valhalla: Reception Skills: N/A --- --- "If you three need anything from me i'll be more than willing to do it as a favor, it will probably take him awhile to find out that it was all a lie." Hunding said giving the three women a friendly smile, he was really grateful for their help, before he went back towards the reception desk. Arnora turned towards Klara and smiled a little bit, as she started to get a pretty good idea on what they should actually do and it would be funny, and maybe even help Hunding a little bit more by keeping Helgi away longer. "Well, I think I have an idea on what we could do, maybe prank the hell out of Helgi or something like that?" Arnora suggested looking over at Klara and Asha, to see if the two of them are in for it. Hunding perked up a little bit and turned towards the three of them and smiled a bit. "I could help if needed to." He offered.</s> <\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake --- --- Klara Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: Lounge Skills: N/A --- --- Klara smiled slightly at what was going on around her, giggling at everyone else' words regarding the entire thing. Asha certainly seemed to be enjoying herself when regarding the entire situation. "I honestly have no interesting plans, might see about trying to kill a few people in the training rooms or whatever, but nothing new really. Same old sort of thing, it gets a little boring, but might need to try and find new and creative ways to kill people. What about you Asha?" Klara asked her, before her attention instantly got drawn away by what Arnora said. She got a mischievous look in her eyes as she heard the suggestion about playing a prank on Helgi. It was a well-known fact that Klara was a bit of a trickster by now, playing pranks on people whenever she really got bored. "Okay, you got me hooked once you said the word "prank". Even before you said the intended target of said prank, and I'm all on board! Hell yes to that! Let's do it! So, got anything clever in mind? Or are you just asking for some good ideas for what to do at this point?"</s> <\|message\|>Asha Makenna Jabari --- --- 🐺 Asha Jabari 🐺 --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - Reception Skills: Shapeshifting --- --- Asha thought for a moment when it came to other good pranks to pull on Helgi. She tended to be a bit of a trickster as well, though her methods tended to be more subtle than outright. However, a scheme hatched in her mind that she couldn't quite pass up. As a daughter of Odin, Asha was a skilled shapeshifter and she concentrated, before turning into a dark black raven. She flew up into the air, her entire perspective shifting as suddenly everything around her seemed a lot larger, and she flew over to the reception desk. She aimed for Helgi's name plate, zooming by as she unleashed her payload - a gigantic thing of bird poop. Asha then flew and perched on Klara's shoulder, remaining in her avian form. That was one perk of shapeshifters, at least among norse demigods - they could speak still. "I'm coming up with all the ideas, guys, and while they are rad, I'm expecting you two to come up with something as well," she said. Her voice was normal and everything, it was just coming out of the beak of a raven.</s> <\|message\|>Arnora Skadidottir --- --- Arnora Skadidottir Location: Hotel Valhalla: Reception Skills: N/A --- --- Arnora watched Asha as she shifted into a raven Odin's sacred animal and watched her flying over to the reception desk making a rather nice shitting bomb run right on Helgi's nameplate. She couldn't help but start to laugh seeing that happen as well Arnora smirked a little bit as Asha flew back and landed on Klara's shoulder. "Be careful she might still have some excess crap or something." Arnora said teasingly as Hunding groaned a little bit seeing the crap, which would eventually slide down onto the desk as well. Arnora thought for a moment as she pulled out her trusted axe in her hand, runes glowing slightly on the axe head itself. "Well, I could throw my axe around at him and miss on purpose to scare the shit out of him. Hunding could mess with the lights on the floor, to flicker or something like that." Arnora suggested shrugging slightly looking over towards the others see what they thought.</s> <\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake --- --- Klara Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: Lounge Skills: N/A --- --- She couldn't help but giggle somewhat at what Asha had done on the desk, though she knew perfectly well that it was a little bit disgusting and a little bit childish with it. However, that did not make what the daughter of Odin had done any less entertaining. The bird flew over and she found that apparently Asha had decided that her shoulder was a good place to perch herself still as a bird. Klara rolled her eyes somewhat at Arnora's words regarding the bird that was now there, but she was fine with it. "Honestly Asha that was brilliant. As for other pranks I feel like we could get even more creative then that Arnora, despite how much fun scaring Helgi would be. You have to remember, we're all dead here and coming back constantly, meaning just a few light dimming and nearly hitting him won't do much. Nope, what I say is we need to actually find a way to humiliate Helgi in some way in front of everyone else. I mean there is nothing as classic as coming up with ingenious ways to trip someone so that they land on their face and drop whatever the hell they are holding, but it gets even better if you get them to accidentally make the thing they are carrying go flying and maybe even hit someone."</s>	<\|message\|>Asha Makenna Jabari 🐺 Asha Jabari 🐺 --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - Reception Skills: N/A --- --- Somehow, Asha managed to roll her eyes still as a bird. "The only one with excess crap is Helgi - he's grody to the max," she complained. While she could have easily shifted back into her human form, she was enjoying being a raven perched on Klara's shoulder. The entire world looked different whenever she would shift forms. Of course, she loved being able to fly as well. Had she not died a brutal death at a young age, she would've liked to join the Valkyrie - just to be able to soar through the skies without shifting form. She thought for a moment, before an evil plot hatched in her mind. "What if something happened at tonight's feast? What if... Odin, the All-Father, showed up and ordered Helgi to clean his boots with his tongue?" Asha proposed. If a raven could smirk, she would have. She had this image of herself shifting to resemble the All-Father and going into the Feast Room of the Slain that evening, all with the sole purpose of getting Helgi to do some incredibly shameful activities. "Besides, he needs to return the runes to the All-Father anyways."</s>
<\|description\|>Asha Makenna Jabari Asha Jabari Character Quote: "Hurry up! Ragnarok won't stop itself." --- --- Character Summary Aliases: Raven, Forge Age: 18 Birthday: October 2nd, 1965 Death Date: July 23rd, 1984 Ethnicity: Swahili Birth Place: Boston, Massachusetts Godly Parent: Odin How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: 31 Gender: Female Languages: English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5'5" Weight: 110 Body Type: Limber Eye Color: Green Hair Color: Brown Skin Tone: Dark Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Triple pierced ears; scar on back Personal Style: (A paragraph, what does he or she like to wear, hair style what they usually wear ect) --- --- Psychology Playful * Blunt * Compassionate * Vengeful * Dedicated * Mysterious Sexuality: Homosexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Asha is a mischievous soul, enjoying poking fun at others - especially her fellow einherjar. The world could use a little more laughter, in order to spare some of the pain associated with the natural occurrences in life: broken hearts, loss, illness, betrayal, and much more... While she may smile at perhaps the wrong time or find a situation to be silly that others find seriousness, do not mistake her as being heartless. Asha has dedicated herself to helping others, choosing to walk her path in her own manner and to protect the Nine Realms. She feels it is her duty to help those in need and to prevent evil from triumphing, no matter what shape or form this may be. She does not always agree with the rule of law. It has its benefits, yet also its limitations. Similarly, however, the world cannot operate on chaos and anarchy - there needs to be a balance between the two. She walks the grey line between them, sometimes a vigilante and at others, a stout upholder of the law. Whatever the situation needs, she will be. Fatal Flaw: Believing She Is Above Destiny and Fate Habits: Rolling her eyes Hobbies: Tinkering with weapons, Soccer Fears: * Failing her father, Odin * Falling into Ginnungagap * Being trapped forever as a different form Likes: * Hairstyling * Animals * Music * Swimming * Inventions * Fire Dislikes: * Rain * Public Transportation * Politics * Orange * Senior Einherjar * Loki --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: * Shapeshifting * Telumkinesis General Skills: * Battle Strategy * Norse Mythology * Perception * Survival * Metalworking * Crafting Combat Skills: * Sword Fighting * Knife Fighting * Brawling * Shield Fighting Magic Item: * Bunnløs - a bag that can hold seemingly an infinite number of things while being relatively weightless * Ravnskriker - a bone steel sword. If Asha loses it, it will reappear in its sheath. What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - Beige and white t-shirt with the Dagaz rune symbol, white necklace, silvery shorts, white sneakers * Purse/Wallet - $100 U.S. * Bunnløs * Ravnskriker * Wooden Shield with the rune of Odin * Lighter * Mini notebook and pen * * * * * Possessions In Hotel Room: * Books on Weapons Forging * Weapons Forge - and its various components, design tables, etc... * Spare Clothing * Photograph of her and her mother * High school diploma * Photograph of her and her senior year soccer team * Photograph of a 10 year old Asha with a wooden sword at a Renaissance Faire * * * * --- --- History Biography: Asha's mother was a professor of history in Boston, focusing on the Viking Age. Her expertise on the subject caught the eye of the Norse god Odin. The two of them had a brief romance, where Odin confirmed the majority of her hypotheses and theories - and in addition, sired a child. She named her daughter Asha in honor of her Swahili heritage (the name means Life) and hoping that Asha would grow up to create peace in the world. Her mother never remarried, but even just on one income they were able to have an expensive home in Brookline. Asha went to a private, charter school up through middle school, before transferring to the private high school her mother's university ran for high school. Asha had two primary hobbies - the first was playing soccer. She was incredibly good at it, seemingly gifted and able to memorize plays nearly instantly. Her coach would praise her, convinced that Asha would be able to get a scholarship for college from her skills. Her second hobby was order. Asha was really into swords. At museums, she always went straight for the swords, daggers if swords weren't present. She was just fascinated by their form. Her mother didn't really encourage this interest, though she didn't discourage it either. Asha would do all of the cute craft kits she could find, usually instructing kids on how to make and decorate wooden swords, but she would always get super serious about it. For her sixteenth birthday, her mother let Asha get a 'real' (display) sword and the demigod just about fainted from excitement. Since dying and becoming a member of her father's army, Asha spends her free time learning about metalworking and crafting. Her dream is to one day craft the finest magical sword the world has ever seen... one capable of changing destiny and fate. For now, her best blade that she's managed to create in the forges is her bone steel sword, Ravnskriker, meaning Raven Scream. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: Asha was at summer camp, her last year of eligibility as in the fall she was due to start college. She had gone to the camp before each summer beginning in the first grade, spending a week away from home in the wilderness. Unfortunately, this summer one of the campers was unstable. They went on a murder spree with a gun in the dead of night. Asha managed to make it to the archery range, where she tried to use a bow and arrow to stop the killer. She managed to fatally wound her opponent, but not before she herself was shot and killed. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Extra Information: I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay.</s> <\|message\|>Arnora Skadidottir --- --- Arnora Skadidottir Location: Hotel Valhalla: Reception -> Floor 314 Skills: N/A --- --- "Maybe you could control goats, that would be really interesting to see." Arnora said looking at Klara and smiled towards her as she pressed the button as the door closed and the elevator started to go up. She ran a hand through her hair slightly as the elevator music started to play, it didnt take to long until they were now on that floor. As soon as the door opened Arnora could see hundreds of goats all around what looked like a farm of sorts. Arnora watched for a moment as she noticed an Einherjar not to far from them was messing with some of the goats, one of them started to back up slightly before it charged forward knocking the Einherjar flat out on his ass. Arnora couldnt help but start to laugh seeing a few goats starting to headbutt the guy as soon as he tried to get up, and only to be knocked down again.</s> <\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake --- --- Klara Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: Elevator -> Floor 314 Skills: Goat Vision! --- --- "I actually can somewhat control goats thank you very much, depends on how stubborn they want to be about it though since let me tell you, aside from eating just about everything that they see, and despite my love for them, they can sometimes be stubborn little bastards. However I should be able to get them to come with us to cause more then a little mayhem, they hardly ever get to see outside of this floor anyway, so it's going to be fun to get them out of here and running amok throughout the hotel if you ask me," Klara said gleefully as they headed up to the 314th floor where the goats were. She had to stop herself from giggling when she saw someone get knocked over by one of the goats. "Hey you all, mind coming over here please?" she said, using her powers in an attempt to control the goats, however they ignored her and one looked like it was going to charge at her. Klara crossed her arms and let out a huffy breath, "Well isn't that rude! I said come here!" this time she said it with a lot more force, and small herd of goats came over to them now, and Klara started petting a few of them, "Now that is so much better..." she said happily.</s> <\|message\|>Asha Makenna Jabari --- --- 🐺 Asha Jabari 🐺 --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - Floor 314 Skills: N/A --- --- Asha had never seen so many goats before in her lifetime. She knew that this many goats had to exist in the Nine Realms, but having so many in one spot seemed almost recklessly dangerous. If the goats worked together, they could likely overthrow the Aesir and rule Asgard. Klara at the very least could control them and Asha contemplated the limits on her control. Could Klara prevent Ragnarok with a goat army? She filed that away into her mental folder of schemes and plans. As a child of Odin, Asha was always thinking a few steps ahead. "Does this little fellow have a name?" she asked, looking at the goat that had knocked Klara over. "And his lineage?" she asked. Lineage was rather important in Viking society. Asha more of just found it funny to press people to list all of their ancestors, especially as it usually gave her enough time to come up with a way to kill them. Stalling was one of the finest weapons a warrior had after all. So many einherji forgot that battles were as much mental as they were physical.</s> <\|message\|>Arnora Skadidottir --- --- Arnora Skadidottir Location: Hotel Valhalla: Floor 314 Skills: N/A --- --- "So, how many are you able to control at once?" Arnora asked looking over at Klara, as a number of goats started to surround her making goat noises as they all stared up at her. It was a little bit creepy for her to watch as they eventually sat down at Klara's feet like she was their leader of sorts. One of the goats moved over towards Asha and started to sniff her for a moment, before setting it's eyes on Asha's mini notepad and pen and snatched it. The goat happily started to chew away at it, not even caring what it actually was and looked like it was enjoying the meal as well. Arnora started to laugh as the goat had eaten Asha's notepad, as small shreds of paper were falling onto the ground as well, she turned towards Klara. "So, where should we take them all to anyway?" Arnora asked it would be kind of hard to see a large army of goats roaming the halls of Valhalla.</s> <\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake --- --- Klara Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: Elevator -> Floor 314 Skills: Goat Vision! --- --- "His name?" Klara said with a bit of a gleeful glint in her eyes, "His name is Adalsteinn the Bloodthirsty!" she responded, petting the goat on the head as she glanced over at Arnora as she asked how many she could control. "I honestly don't know how many I can control, but I can definitely control enough to create a small herd and wreck havoc with them!" that was the whole point of this little expedition, to get enough goats to cause some mayhem and chaos. "I think we should let them loose down in the lobby, or just let them go off and charging on different levels of the hotel, cause as much mayhem as possible. It would be hilarious to me to just let them go charging off anywhere, it all depends on your preference I suppose. Asha, where do you think we should let these guys loose? Also I wonder how many we can fit in the elevator," she said, adding the last sentence about the elevator as an after thought almost. She really wanted to get going and cause chaos already.</s>	<\|message\|>Asha Makenna Jabari 🐺 Asha Jabari 🐺 --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - Floor 314 Skills: Battle Strategy --- --- Asha chuckled slightly. "Adalsteinn the Bloodthirsty? How very," she mused, staring at the goat. She wondered if the goat was just super into Halloween or vampire stories. Had Klara named him after a Twilight marathon, perhaps? It wasn't the worst movie series she had ever seen, but it was definitely in the bottom five. Klara seemed to really be into love and romance though, so it made sense that she would enjoy something like that. Asha didn't really have time for matters of the heart. She liked women, of course, but she preferred to spend her time crafting new weapons rather than dating. Case in point, she was gifted when it came to strategy. "Well, the lobby would be an ideal place from the amount of traffic it gets. We could also send them to various floors to infiltrate people's rooms. The Feast Hall of the Slain could be useful, but... they may be eaten, which I imagine you wouldn't be a fan of," Asha proposed. "I also like the idea of leaving a bunch of them in the elevator to attack unsuspecting einherji."</s>
<\|description\|>Suigin Ikotsu Suigin Ikotsu Essentials Alias: Ophiuchus Gender: Male Age: 16 Birthday: 8/8 Personal Personality: A simple, boring teenager who unlike his peers, desires the everyday life. Walking to school, having meaningless conversations, and going home to play games and relax. Suigin would be boring had he not desired something like that to an almost insane degree. The everyday life is the craving that makes up his entire personality. He was a normal boy. Likes: * His best friend * The everyday * School Dislikes: * His best friend * Cooking * The abnormal Arcana Representation: Temperance Relationships (Romantically, family, allies, enemies, etc.): Classmates and friends Who did the blood eye terrorist kill? (who did he take that was so special to you?): Childhood friend Backstory (Brief or as long as you're/I'm wanting): Suigin grew up without parents, so he never had a normal family life. He lived in an orphanage with his best friend, Kenji, until they could move out just a year ago. They saved up money to buy an apartment room and they roomed together. The days up until now were the ordinary days that you could see any person in the world have. Waking up and going to school, talking about pointless things, working, and preparing for the next day. He desired that so much because it's something that he earned, which fed into his desire like a perpetual motion machine. He could never grow tired of it. Those days were wonderful, until Kenji decided he had enough of it. The greatest point of contention for the childhood friends were their desires. Suigin desired what was already known - the normal - and Kenji desired the unknown - the abnormal - which caused a huge fight to erupt between the two. Right on the top of the school roof, they beat each other bloody until they both had to be admitted to a hospital. Suigin's everyday was broken right then and there. It was 2 months later that they met up again. Suigin had a small hope that his normal life could finally come back together like a puzzle that was missing the most crucial piece, but even that wasn't given to him when he noticed his best friend bleeding from his eye. He watched his everyday shatter without even the slightest hope of returning. Ever since then, Suigin had to know why that had happened. At least as a way to atone for being the one to break their friendship. Persona Description of persona: The name of the persona is Ouroboros, a representation of the snake eating itself forever. Fitting for a person who desires to gain back their everyday life even at the sake of destroying himself. A balance that has already fallen apart halfway and desperately trying to keep it up just a little while longer. Abilities: * Dia * Frei Strengths: * Strong against Fire Weaknesses: * Weak against Ice Phantom Thieves</s> <\|message\|>Felix Volpe --- Sitting in class with his head on his desk, Felix internally cursed the Blood Eye killer again. Before, he had been content to let things lie so long as they didn't create a big impact on his world, but now that he had started trying to track the guy down, everything became exposed to his range of vision. Currently he was pooling the known information of the Death Husband caee in his mind. The killer either had training or some aid in catching people unaware, as the sites with the finger shows no signs of immediate struggle. Their fixation with the rings is interesting, implying they have some history with them. Either a widower who has gone mad, or a spurned lover who wants to take their spite out on others. Probably an idea to check the teachers personal files and social media at some point to eliminate potential suspects. He doubted it was a fellow student, it was way too clean for a psychopath of his age group to perform. As he thought, he absentmindedly answered the teachers questions with correct answers rather than the wrong ones he normally gave out.</s> <\|message\|>(first) Yu-na (last) Mi ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ Mi Yu-na. Artist, musician, vice president of the Student Council. Rich girl. The lucky one. She had a lot of titles, but she dismissed the ones given to her by the other students. And she probably wasn't being the best role model. One earbud was in, blasting one of her favorites bands: ONE OK ROCK. She was tapping the rhythm out on the desk absentmindedly. Whenever the teacher looked at her hoping she'd answer, she just pretended she wasn't paying attention. Someone else was answering them, which was unusual. But a lot of unusual things were happening lately. Her brain was focused on combating these new killings. It tore off the scab of healing after her mother's death. Was she depressed? No. She was determined to find this blood eye and bring them to justice. Her fingers grabbed up her pen as she started to tap the beat on her notebook. She started writing a rough draft of new policies to keep students safe, as well as her own notes on her personal investigation. Soft whispers of the lyrics of the next song left her as she thought. It had to be an adult. Somebody with experience in wielding sharp objects. That could range from medical officials to chefs...and it had to be someone either connected to the victims or knew someone connected to the victims. Or perhaps there was even an accomplice. There was a lapse in thought as a favorite song of hers came on. 'The Day' by Porno Graffitti. It was a welcome break from her stressed thoughts. And it also brought up some good memories of her brother taking her to their concert in Osaka. They did a tour with Uverworld and Flow. It had gone late, but it was during the summer so it didn't matter. She remembered that her brother had given her an open seat to rest in, which had turned into her falling asleep. Koya had carried her home. She shook herself out of her nostalgia as a new song came on. Her mind drifted back to the cases...mostly female fingers with rings. But what had kept her brain stuck for the past few nights were the male fingers. There had to be a reason there were fingers from men. Some had speculated that it was nothing, but that hadn't sated her. She knew it was an important detail, but she couldn't figure out why. Tap tap. If it was just females, it would be easier. The evidence would have pointed to either spurned love and jealousy, or a grudge against unfaithful girls masquerading as otherwise. Perhaps it was the same but with males? Tap tap tap. Maybe the killer was bi? It wouldn't be too far-fetched. And it seemed too thought out and methodical to be a crime of passion. Those cases were usually easily solved because the killer didn't think it through. No, they were dealing with a cold-blooded killer. Or at least, it was assumed the victims were dead. Maybe that's what they wanted the public to think? Maybe...tap tap. Her mind drifted down a spiral of speculation as she tapped out the beats of her music.</s>	<\|message\|>Suigin Ikotsu Suigin was almost late for class at the sluggish pace he walked. His neutral face belied his true thoughts. He was considering skipping class to go hunt for the killer, but he believed he should at least go to school for one day. Just to remember why he's doing this. In the middle of the class, his thoughts were taken back to a previous exchange he had with his best friend when he was still alive. He recalled it only because of his staunch resolution to find the killer combined with the fact of his death. A time before their conflict was brought to a head. "Hey, what would you do if I ended up dead?" he remembers asking. He can still see the belligerent grin of his blonde friend. "I'd laugh." Kenji delivered that response soon after he closed his eyes in thought. "You?" "I'd laugh." His mind was taken back to the present when the teacher called on him to answer a question. Suigin answered the question as he only half-listened to what the teacher was saying. He was still feeling a bit tired from not getting that much sleep recently. While he started to yawn, his thoughts retreated to the back of his head. He focused on the memory of his dead friend and tried to pull out any clues he could think of from that scene. Bloody eye. Same thing as some other cases he heard about in this city. No possible way it could've been something external. It had to have been something internal for sure. Drugs? Poison? Kenji wasn't the type of person to use drugs. He smoked cigarettes, but he used nothing else. 'Could it have been external if someone ran an icepick through his eye all the way to his brain?' He attempted to guess at the cause, but all it led him to was the surety of it being internal damage. "Almost like a hemorrhage or a hyphema; however, those shouldn't be fatal," he muttered aloud from an enlightenment. His mind went back to the classroom when he received the syllabus, but he didn't let go of that train of thought. He doesn't know what kinds of poisons or drugs could induce a hemorrhage or hyphema. He doesn't even know if that's actually how the victims died, but that's all he has to go on. The cause could be something even more elementary than that. 'So, I have a guess on the cause, but I don't even have any idea on who the culprit could be. Going outside should serve as a nice matrix for balanced schemes.' He just needs to wait until the school day is over. The Death Husband cases? Not once did those banal crimes even enter the very peripheral of his mind. He ascertained his objective and then fully turned his thoughts towards the class. He let out a content sigh and began to enjoy the remaining sense of jubilation, for what it's still worth.</s>
<\|description\|>Dalisy Bautista Dalisy Bautista Character Quote: I see what you did there --- --- Character Summary Aliases: Daisy, B, Watcher Age: 19 (at death) 25 (currently) Birthday: March 21, 1996 Death Date: Dec. 19th, 2015 Ethnicity: Filipino Birth Place: Manila, Philipines Godly Parent: Heimdall How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: 5 Gender: Female Languages: Tagalog, English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5'5" Weight: 140lbs Body Type: Fit Eye Color: Dark Brown Hair Color: Black Skin Tone: Lightly tanned Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Ears are peirced. Personal Style: Maybe it is a bit of the bifrost in Dalisy, but she loves colorful clothing. She tends to stuff more form fitting and on the fancy side. She likes to look a little flashy, and puts more effort into her outfits than strictly necessary. If asked about it she says 'I might be a hot mess on the inside, but I can at least look just hot on the outside'. Often she will wear dresses cause those are easy, and don't require coordination. The plus side of being dead is you never outgrow your clothing anymore. --- --- Psychology Energetic * Manipulative * Creative * Invasive * Logical * Irratable Sexuality: Bixsexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: If Dalisy had been born in the USA she would have fit in with the 'hold my beer' crowd. She often leaps before thinking, it is probably what got her killed in the first place. Dalisy likes getting her way and isn't afraid to use the knowledge she shouldn't have to get it. However, if she thinks things through she tends to be logical and methodical. Those are the times she can be even crueler because it becomes 'numbers'. She is a hot mess, to be as kind as possible. Emotionally, she isn't completely over being dead. Or the things she has seen her alternate selves do. She wants to just get through the afterlife without making things too much worse, but she's too confrontational to not cause some havoc. Fatal Flaw: Impulsiveness Habits: Checking in on her sister Hobbies: Hiking, sparing, playing the Buktot, ax throwing Fears: * Herself * The future * Her sister finding out what happened and never forgiving her Likes: * Exploring * People watching * Swimming * Playing the Buktot * The mountains * Big Dogs (the kind that can kill you with their love) Dislikes: * Secrets * Birds (stupid nest outside her childhood bedroom window woke her up too early) * Being bored * Being bested in a fight * Small dogs (like Chihuahuas) * Being restrained --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: * Super-Sense * Bifrost Control General Skills: * Norse Mytholodgy * Combat first aid * Art (Drawing) * Astrology * Geography * Music (Buktot) * Swimming Combat Skills: * Longbow * Longsword * Ax * Hand-to-hand * Dagger Magic Item: * Bifrost Channel * A Longbow, and quiver with unlimited ammo What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - A summer dress, comfy sneakers * Purse/Wallet - $100 USD, ID, * A multi-tool * The Bifrost Channel * Longsword (disguised) * Bottle of whatever nail polish she is currently wearing so she can fix the paint job if needed * Sketchbook, and pencils. * Touch-up make up. * Magic longbow * * * Possessions In Hotel Room: * A photograph of of her family at the fair, taken about a week before she died. * A globe * Books: Geography, Tagalog (classics and current), Music theory * A copy of the Poetic Edda * Buktot * An arsenal of cute outfits (she has a room dedicated to it) * Her bathroom is decorated in the Spanish Colionial style with pastels and mint green. Her bedroomroom is pastels and white. * Make-up, nail polish * Art table * * --- --- History Biography Dalisy was the oldest child in her sweet family. She was close to her sister, Niah, who was seven years younger than her. The pair were the best of friends. Their father never explained who Dalisy's mother was, which made sense when Dalisy found out she didn't actually have a mother. Her childhood made it clear though that there was something special about her, and her sister. Their younger brother seemed to be completely normal. The child of their stepmother. Since Niah liked their new stepmother Dalisy accepted her into the family. Even though Dalisy was seven years older than Niah they were close like best friends. However, there was always some tension between Dalisy and her father. Even though Niah trusted him, there was something that made Dalisy nervous. It might have been that he had somehow gathered the attention of two gods enough to have children with both, and Dalisy was aware of that since she had less control over her super-sense at the time. The power grew as she did, but so did her control over it. She and Niah bonded over their strange abilities at a young age. Telling each other secrets. As the time approached for Dalisy to consider college she got frustrated. She didn't want to move so far away that Niah felt like she was being abandoned, but Dalisy was ready to set out for her own future. She had applied to dozens of great Geography schools and was accepted into Clark University. It was while on a trip to the school that she was killed. There was some heavy confusion about two nearly identical bodies, but neither were identified and so her family was never notified in the Philipines, which is why to this day Niah still hopes her sister is alive. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: Dalisy died fighting to protect herself, from...herself? As Dalisy tells it someone who looked like an older version of her showed up and asked if she wanted to join forces. She didn't particularly want to leave her sister and told this copy of herself just that. A fight ensued and Dalisy defended herself with an iron pipe she found. It was not enough. Dalisy was able to kill that version of herself, which she figures is what earned her into the Hotel. Dalisy knows Niah believes she disappeared, but the truth would be much harder for her sister to process so she hadn't reached out to her, even though Niah has joined the Roman Camp Jupiter. Dalisy out of curiosity searched for herself across all the universes and was horrified at the carnage. She, while thankful she didn't join the other Dalisy's, is terrified of what that means about her future. Something invisible even to her. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Beware of Darkness - Muthafucka Extra Information: Aesir & FS Older sister of Niah Bautista I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay. --- --- Relations --- Dalisy Bautista "Character Quote" --- --- ⟢ 🎆Respects ⟡ 🌓Neutral ⟡ 👋Acquaintance ⟡ 🙇It's Complicated ⟣ ⟢ 💛Friend ⟡ 💙Good Friends ⟡ 💜Best Friends ⟡ ❣️Ex-Friends ⟡ 😈Frienemy ⟣ ⟢ 💘Infatuation ⟡ 💓Loves ⟡ 💗Couple ⟡ 💕Basically Family ⟡ 💞Family ⟡ 💔Ex-Lovers ⟣ ⟢ ♨️Tense ⟡ 💀Dislikes ⟡ 😡Hates ⟡ 👿Enemy ⟡ 👹Absolutely Loathes ⟣ --- --- 💀Nadia Petrova, Daughter of Frey💀 "She exits." Dalisy hasn't picked on Nadia much since Nadia tends to fight back. It isn't worth the effort. Now it is just background noise. --- 💛🎆Arnora Skadidottir, Daughter of Skadi 🎆💛 "She's cool." Arnora took Dalisy under her wing sort of when Dalisy first came to the Hotel as such Dalisy likes her more than anyone one else and listens to her. --- 💛Klara Blake, Daughter of Thor 💛 "One of these day's I'm gonna strangle Klara" From the outside these two look like bitter rivals, but at the end of the day they have each other's backs. Dalisy would happily talk makeup or clothing with Klara, but when they disagree it can be a lot. --- 🌓Runa Johansson, Daughter of Balder 🌓 "Isn't that the girl who's friends with Klara and Nadia?" Dalisy hasn't made an effort to get to know the 'new' girl. If she's hanging out with Klara and Runa is there that's fine with her, but she isn't out to make friends so it is what it is. --- 😈Elizabeth Flame 😈 "If she let me I'd do her makeup and coordinate her outfits...She won't though cause she knows better." Dalisy and Elizabeth have a fun relationship with each other. They both like pranking each other, which has led to a rivalry. --- 😡Lara Alderliesten😡 "Yeah she earned her way in here, but does she have to be so uptight?" Dalisy will come up with a million reasons why she doesn't like Lara, but the real reason is Lara reminds Dalisy of Niah and it breaks her heart being around her. ---</s> <\|message\|>Runa Phoebe Johansson --- --- Runa Johansson --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - Floor 472 Skills: N/A --- --- Runa's mental illness manifested itself similar to a hurricane. Her self loathing acted as the warm, moist air from the surface of the sea and outside variables, such as the knowledge of Balder and the end of the world, acted as the cool air that would condense the warm air into water. This water vapor served as the fuel, kicking up a horrific storm - Runa's depression. When it happened, she was always just completely overwhelmed by it, at the mercy of her brain's unique chemistry. She hadn't found very many coping mechanisms and the ones she had, it always felt like clinging to a piece of rope tied to a door, as the hurricane threatened to swallow Runa whole. The hurricane never lasted forever though - it always had to end and sometimes, a sufficient shock was all that was needed. The extreme video game like GoCart track was jarring, especially with the bloody tire that rolled near her. It was the man in the stands who Runa knew had smiled at her that sent a jolt down her spine. She had no idea who he was. Maybe he was the lost God of Love, here to explain that he wasn't actually missing and had just taken a wrong turn while on holiday in Peru? The man started to vanish into the stands and Runa went at a run, staff in hand, after him. He was getting further and further away, Runa falling behind as she tried to weave her way through the crowds and not get killed by angry Vikings. It felt like an impossible task for a moment, until she managed to catch up to him, panting hard. "Who are you?" she whispered.</s> <\|message\|>Elizabeth Nichole Flame --- --- Elizabeth Flame Location: Gift Shop Skills: Rune Magic --- --- As she was chastised and people ran off, she shrugged. Such was the way things were around here, she thought. She didn't care much if people were angry at her, any kid who started crying from something like that needed to change, otherwise they'd be a danger to themselves, and anybody they ever went on a mission with. As it stood, she didn't have a very high opinion of the girl, but she hoped this would start he down a path where Beth might have something resembling that for her. In the mean time, she tried to figure out what she'd be doing. She didn't need much in the way of supplies from the shop, so she strolled out. Reaching into her bag, she sat against the wall and pulled out a pen and journal. Clicking her tongue for a moment, she scribbed down some runes, and just felt her head go a bit fuzzy. "Come now... you can tell me what I want to know, can't you?" She asked under her breath, as she touched up her attempt, and felt a wave of clarity wash over her. That magic always felt good to use, if a bit draining; she knew exactly what her dream was, and it wasn't a product of getting hit too hard on the head. Baldur was in Hel's castle, Eljudnir, and that couldn't be good. The thane's would be wanting to hear this for sure.</s>	<\|message\|>Dalisy Bautista Location: Hotel Valhalla: Floor 12 Skill: --- --- Dalisy had no desire to be going on the rapids again with Lara. Honestly, she had no desire to go anywhere with her. "Uh, no thanks." Dalisy said to Lara. She did her best to keep her disdain out of her voice but doubted she did a very good job of it. She laughed at Arnora's threat. "I'd spar you." She said, following Arnora to the elevator. "I'll ride with you, but drop me off on my floor if you don't mind." Dalisy said. That was the limit of the amount of time Dalisy could keep from saying something unpleasant to Lara. In the elevator, Dalisy pressed the button for her floor, 301. She'd have a chance to change out of wet clothes and shower before dinner this way. Maybe work on something in her room for a bit. She had a few partial projects to work on.</s>
<\|description\|>Dalisy Bautista Dalisy Bautista Character Quote: I see what you did there --- --- Character Summary Aliases: Daisy, B, Watcher Age: 19 (at death) 25 (currently) Birthday: March 21, 1996 Death Date: Dec. 19th, 2015 Ethnicity: Filipino Birth Place: Manila, Philipines Godly Parent: Heimdall How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: 5 Gender: Female Languages: Tagalog, English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5'5" Weight: 140lbs Body Type: Fit Eye Color: Dark Brown Hair Color: Black Skin Tone: Lightly tanned Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Ears are peirced. Personal Style: Maybe it is a bit of the bifrost in Dalisy, but she loves colorful clothing. She tends to stuff more form fitting and on the fancy side. She likes to look a little flashy, and puts more effort into her outfits than strictly necessary. If asked about it she says 'I might be a hot mess on the inside, but I can at least look just hot on the outside'. Often she will wear dresses cause those are easy, and don't require coordination. The plus side of being dead is you never outgrow your clothing anymore. --- --- Psychology Energetic * Manipulative * Creative * Invasive * Logical * Irratable Sexuality: Bixsexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: If Dalisy had been born in the USA she would have fit in with the 'hold my beer' crowd. She often leaps before thinking, it is probably what got her killed in the first place. Dalisy likes getting her way and isn't afraid to use the knowledge she shouldn't have to get it. However, if she thinks things through she tends to be logical and methodical. Those are the times she can be even crueler because it becomes 'numbers'. She is a hot mess, to be as kind as possible. Emotionally, she isn't completely over being dead. Or the things she has seen her alternate selves do. She wants to just get through the afterlife without making things too much worse, but she's too confrontational to not cause some havoc. Fatal Flaw: Impulsiveness Habits: Checking in on her sister Hobbies: Hiking, sparing, playing the Buktot, ax throwing Fears: * Herself * The future * Her sister finding out what happened and never forgiving her Likes: * Exploring * People watching * Swimming * Playing the Buktot * The mountains * Big Dogs (the kind that can kill you with their love) Dislikes: * Secrets * Birds (stupid nest outside her childhood bedroom window woke her up too early) * Being bored * Being bested in a fight * Small dogs (like Chihuahuas) * Being restrained --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: * Super-Sense * Bifrost Control General Skills: * Norse Mytholodgy * Combat first aid * Art (Drawing) * Astrology * Geography * Music (Buktot) * Swimming Combat Skills: * Longbow * Longsword * Ax * Hand-to-hand * Dagger Magic Item: * Bifrost Channel * A Longbow, and quiver with unlimited ammo What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - A summer dress, comfy sneakers * Purse/Wallet - $100 USD, ID, * A multi-tool * The Bifrost Channel * Longsword (disguised) * Bottle of whatever nail polish she is currently wearing so she can fix the paint job if needed * Sketchbook, and pencils. * Touch-up make up. * Magic longbow * * * Possessions In Hotel Room: * A photograph of of her family at the fair, taken about a week before she died. * A globe * Books: Geography, Tagalog (classics and current), Music theory * A copy of the Poetic Edda * Buktot * An arsenal of cute outfits (she has a room dedicated to it) * Her bathroom is decorated in the Spanish Colionial style with pastels and mint green. Her bedroomroom is pastels and white. * Make-up, nail polish * Art table * * --- --- History Biography Dalisy was the oldest child in her sweet family. She was close to her sister, Niah, who was seven years younger than her. The pair were the best of friends. Their father never explained who Dalisy's mother was, which made sense when Dalisy found out she didn't actually have a mother. Her childhood made it clear though that there was something special about her, and her sister. Their younger brother seemed to be completely normal. The child of their stepmother. Since Niah liked their new stepmother Dalisy accepted her into the family. Even though Dalisy was seven years older than Niah they were close like best friends. However, there was always some tension between Dalisy and her father. Even though Niah trusted him, there was something that made Dalisy nervous. It might have been that he had somehow gathered the attention of two gods enough to have children with both, and Dalisy was aware of that since she had less control over her super-sense at the time. The power grew as she did, but so did her control over it. She and Niah bonded over their strange abilities at a young age. Telling each other secrets. As the time approached for Dalisy to consider college she got frustrated. She didn't want to move so far away that Niah felt like she was being abandoned, but Dalisy was ready to set out for her own future. She had applied to dozens of great Geography schools and was accepted into Clark University. It was while on a trip to the school that she was killed. There was some heavy confusion about two nearly identical bodies, but neither were identified and so her family was never notified in the Philipines, which is why to this day Niah still hopes her sister is alive. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: Dalisy died fighting to protect herself, from...herself? As Dalisy tells it someone who looked like an older version of her showed up and asked if she wanted to join forces. She didn't particularly want to leave her sister and told this copy of herself just that. A fight ensued and Dalisy defended herself with an iron pipe she found. It was not enough. Dalisy was able to kill that version of herself, which she figures is what earned her into the Hotel. Dalisy knows Niah believes she disappeared, but the truth would be much harder for her sister to process so she hadn't reached out to her, even though Niah has joined the Roman Camp Jupiter. Dalisy out of curiosity searched for herself across all the universes and was horrified at the carnage. She, while thankful she didn't join the other Dalisy's, is terrified of what that means about her future. Something invisible even to her. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Beware of Darkness - Muthafucka Extra Information: Aesir & FS Older sister of Niah Bautista I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay. --- --- Relations --- Dalisy Bautista "Character Quote" --- --- ⟢ 🎆Respects ⟡ 🌓Neutral ⟡ 👋Acquaintance ⟡ 🙇It's Complicated ⟣ ⟢ 💛Friend ⟡ 💙Good Friends ⟡ 💜Best Friends ⟡ ❣️Ex-Friends ⟡ 😈Frienemy ⟣ ⟢ 💘Infatuation ⟡ 💓Loves ⟡ 💗Couple ⟡ 💕Basically Family ⟡ 💞Family ⟡ 💔Ex-Lovers ⟣ ⟢ ♨️Tense ⟡ 💀Dislikes ⟡ 😡Hates ⟡ 👿Enemy ⟡ 👹Absolutely Loathes ⟣ --- --- 💀Nadia Petrova, Daughter of Frey💀 "She exits." Dalisy hasn't picked on Nadia much since Nadia tends to fight back. It isn't worth the effort. Now it is just background noise. --- 💛🎆Arnora Skadidottir, Daughter of Skadi 🎆💛 "She's cool." Arnora took Dalisy under her wing sort of when Dalisy first came to the Hotel as such Dalisy likes her more than anyone one else and listens to her. --- 💛Klara Blake, Daughter of Thor 💛 "One of these day's I'm gonna strangle Klara" From the outside these two look like bitter rivals, but at the end of the day they have each other's backs. Dalisy would happily talk makeup or clothing with Klara, but when they disagree it can be a lot. --- 🌓Runa Johansson, Daughter of Balder 🌓 "Isn't that the girl who's friends with Klara and Nadia?" Dalisy hasn't made an effort to get to know the 'new' girl. If she's hanging out with Klara and Runa is there that's fine with her, but she isn't out to make friends so it is what it is. --- 😈Elizabeth Flame 😈 "If she let me I'd do her makeup and coordinate her outfits...She won't though cause she knows better." Dalisy and Elizabeth have a fun relationship with each other. They both like pranking each other, which has led to a rivalry. --- 😡Lara Alderliesten😡 "Yeah she earned her way in here, but does she have to be so uptight?" Dalisy will come up with a million reasons why she doesn't like Lara, but the real reason is Lara reminds Dalisy of Niah and it breaks her heart being around her. ---</s> <\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake --- --- --- Location: Feast Hall of the Slain Skills: N/A --- --- Klara was perfectly fine with the idea of working with everyone else, and hopefully Dalisy wouldn't have too many problems with the others, or vice versa. She knew that not all of the other people actually could get a long with her or something, but she hoped that everyone could just tolerate each other's presence for a little while anyway without any fighting. That would be great in her mind as she followed after Arnora to where the others were. She smiled a bit at the group and waved a little bit at all of them. "Hi there," she said somewhat happily, before she heard what it was that everyone was thinking of doing. Trying to investigate the entire situation was probably a good idea, even though she was fairly certain they had kind of been told to not do that and go back to whatever it was that they typically did without actively killing each other (which considering some of the people here was easier said than done) so this situation was intriguing. "Sure, investigating this entire situation sounds like a great idea let's goooooooo."</s> <\|message\|>Astrid Merkel Location: Hotel Valhalla - Feast Hall of the Slain Skills: N/A --- --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - Feast Hall of the Slain Skills: N/A --- --- Lara hadn't meant to accidentally bind Dalisy to her words, but a promise had been made and she had auto reacted to it. She could see everyone looking at her oddly after she had spoken and she blushed a bit. "I'm in as well. I'm a fan of trying to solve a good puzzle or mystery, and this seems to be quite the mystery." She was glad that Nadia had suggested that they investigate what was going on, as that had been something she had been thinking of. It would take her mind off the whole 'being killed would result in no resurrection for now' bit that was going on. "Of course, I will lend my aid when asked for. For now, I will go with the group I said I would help. I will make sure to report if I learn anything, and as well before I go off shift." Astrid was quite happy to know that she was able to help out her friends, and to be able to stick with them. "I have nothing else for the moment. I will see you later. Astrid nodded to her captain before leaving the table and heading over to the small group again and sat down with them. "Helgi's office does seem to be the logical place to start, since it seemed to start with his death first. Though, do we have access to it?" Lara wasn't sure that they could access the office, as they were normally not allowed to go in there, but they did have Valkyrie helping them out, so did that mean they had access? She didn't want to assume anything, but she wondered how they could even start investigating it. She doubted that even the bodies of those that had been found dead were kept somewhere anyone could look them over easily. "I could probably help get us into Helgi's office, but I might have to ask my captain again about that. Do we know about where any of the other killings happened, or were those just on the practice fields before someone realized that no one was coming back?" Astrid knew little of the details of what had happened with any of the other deaths, just that Helgi had been clearly murdered, and now no one was coming back.</s>	<\|message\|>Dalisy Bautista Location: Feast Hall of the Slain Skill: --- --- Dalisy gave a sigh and nodded, finishing her food quickly. She took several long swallows of her drink. She stood up and said. "I'm in. If we can figure out what is happening then maybe it can get fixed faster." She thought about exactly what she had sworn to. It had been that she'd be on her best behavior toward the group, and she hadn't given a time limit. That grated more. She looked at the Valkyrie. She didn't know the girl, but she appeared to be in good with the others, and seemed to qualify as 'part of the group'. So she gave her a nod. "I'm Dalisy." She introduced herself to the Valkyrie. Dalisy didn't have any answers for her though as she had barely even known that Helgi had been killed before coming to breakfast.</s>
<\|description\|>Dalisy Bautista Dalisy Bautista Character Quote: I see what you did there --- --- Character Summary Aliases: Daisy, B, Watcher Age: 19 (at death) 25 (currently) Birthday: March 21, 1996 Death Date: Dec. 19th, 2015 Ethnicity: Filipino Birth Place: Manila, Philipines Godly Parent: Heimdall How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: 5 Gender: Female Languages: Tagalog, English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5'5" Weight: 140lbs Body Type: Fit Eye Color: Dark Brown Hair Color: Black Skin Tone: Lightly tanned Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Ears are peirced. Personal Style: Maybe it is a bit of the bifrost in Dalisy, but she loves colorful clothing. She tends to stuff more form fitting and on the fancy side. She likes to look a little flashy, and puts more effort into her outfits than strictly necessary. If asked about it she says 'I might be a hot mess on the inside, but I can at least look just hot on the outside'. Often she will wear dresses cause those are easy, and don't require coordination. The plus side of being dead is you never outgrow your clothing anymore. --- --- Psychology Energetic * Manipulative * Creative * Invasive * Logical * Irratable Sexuality: Bixsexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: If Dalisy had been born in the USA she would have fit in with the 'hold my beer' crowd. She often leaps before thinking, it is probably what got her killed in the first place. Dalisy likes getting her way and isn't afraid to use the knowledge she shouldn't have to get it. However, if she thinks things through she tends to be logical and methodical. Those are the times she can be even crueler because it becomes 'numbers'. She is a hot mess, to be as kind as possible. Emotionally, she isn't completely over being dead. Or the things she has seen her alternate selves do. She wants to just get through the afterlife without making things too much worse, but she's too confrontational to not cause some havoc. Fatal Flaw: Impulsiveness Habits: Checking in on her sister Hobbies: Hiking, sparing, playing the Buktot, ax throwing Fears: * Herself * The future * Her sister finding out what happened and never forgiving her Likes: * Exploring * People watching * Swimming * Playing the Buktot * The mountains * Big Dogs (the kind that can kill you with their love) Dislikes: * Secrets * Birds (stupid nest outside her childhood bedroom window woke her up too early) * Being bored * Being bested in a fight * Small dogs (like Chihuahuas) * Being restrained --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: * Super-Sense * Bifrost Control General Skills: * Norse Mytholodgy * Combat first aid * Art (Drawing) * Astrology * Geography * Music (Buktot) * Swimming Combat Skills: * Longbow * Longsword * Ax * Hand-to-hand * Dagger Magic Item: * Bifrost Channel * A Longbow, and quiver with unlimited ammo What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - A summer dress, comfy sneakers * Purse/Wallet - $100 USD, ID, * A multi-tool * The Bifrost Channel * Longsword (disguised) * Bottle of whatever nail polish she is currently wearing so she can fix the paint job if needed * Sketchbook, and pencils. * Touch-up make up. * Magic longbow * * * Possessions In Hotel Room: * A photograph of of her family at the fair, taken about a week before she died. * A globe * Books: Geography, Tagalog (classics and current), Music theory * A copy of the Poetic Edda * Buktot * An arsenal of cute outfits (she has a room dedicated to it) * Her bathroom is decorated in the Spanish Colionial style with pastels and mint green. Her bedroomroom is pastels and white. * Make-up, nail polish * Art table * * --- --- History Biography Dalisy was the oldest child in her sweet family. She was close to her sister, Niah, who was seven years younger than her. The pair were the best of friends. Their father never explained who Dalisy's mother was, which made sense when Dalisy found out she didn't actually have a mother. Her childhood made it clear though that there was something special about her, and her sister. Their younger brother seemed to be completely normal. The child of their stepmother. Since Niah liked their new stepmother Dalisy accepted her into the family. Even though Dalisy was seven years older than Niah they were close like best friends. However, there was always some tension between Dalisy and her father. Even though Niah trusted him, there was something that made Dalisy nervous. It might have been that he had somehow gathered the attention of two gods enough to have children with both, and Dalisy was aware of that since she had less control over her super-sense at the time. The power grew as she did, but so did her control over it. She and Niah bonded over their strange abilities at a young age. Telling each other secrets. As the time approached for Dalisy to consider college she got frustrated. She didn't want to move so far away that Niah felt like she was being abandoned, but Dalisy was ready to set out for her own future. She had applied to dozens of great Geography schools and was accepted into Clark University. It was while on a trip to the school that she was killed. There was some heavy confusion about two nearly identical bodies, but neither were identified and so her family was never notified in the Philipines, which is why to this day Niah still hopes her sister is alive. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: Dalisy died fighting to protect herself, from...herself? As Dalisy tells it someone who looked like an older version of her showed up and asked if she wanted to join forces. She didn't particularly want to leave her sister and told this copy of herself just that. A fight ensued and Dalisy defended herself with an iron pipe she found. It was not enough. Dalisy was able to kill that version of herself, which she figures is what earned her into the Hotel. Dalisy knows Niah believes she disappeared, but the truth would be much harder for her sister to process so she hadn't reached out to her, even though Niah has joined the Roman Camp Jupiter. Dalisy out of curiosity searched for herself across all the universes and was horrified at the carnage. She, while thankful she didn't join the other Dalisy's, is terrified of what that means about her future. Something invisible even to her. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Beware of Darkness - Muthafucka Extra Information: Aesir & FS Older sister of Niah Bautista I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay. --- --- Relations --- Dalisy Bautista "Character Quote" --- --- ⟢ 🎆Respects ⟡ 🌓Neutral ⟡ 👋Acquaintance ⟡ 🙇It's Complicated ⟣ ⟢ 💛Friend ⟡ 💙Good Friends ⟡ 💜Best Friends ⟡ ❣️Ex-Friends ⟡ 😈Frienemy ⟣ ⟢ 💘Infatuation ⟡ 💓Loves ⟡ 💗Couple ⟡ 💕Basically Family ⟡ 💞Family ⟡ 💔Ex-Lovers ⟣ ⟢ ♨️Tense ⟡ 💀Dislikes ⟡ 😡Hates ⟡ 👿Enemy ⟡ 👹Absolutely Loathes ⟣ --- --- 💀Nadia Petrova, Daughter of Frey💀 "She exits." Dalisy hasn't picked on Nadia much since Nadia tends to fight back. It isn't worth the effort. Now it is just background noise. --- 💛🎆Arnora Skadidottir, Daughter of Skadi 🎆💛 "She's cool." Arnora took Dalisy under her wing sort of when Dalisy first came to the Hotel as such Dalisy likes her more than anyone one else and listens to her. --- 💛Klara Blake, Daughter of Thor 💛 "One of these day's I'm gonna strangle Klara" From the outside these two look like bitter rivals, but at the end of the day they have each other's backs. Dalisy would happily talk makeup or clothing with Klara, but when they disagree it can be a lot. --- 🌓Runa Johansson, Daughter of Balder 🌓 "Isn't that the girl who's friends with Klara and Nadia?" Dalisy hasn't made an effort to get to know the 'new' girl. If she's hanging out with Klara and Runa is there that's fine with her, but she isn't out to make friends so it is what it is. --- 😈Elizabeth Flame 😈 "If she let me I'd do her makeup and coordinate her outfits...She won't though cause she knows better." Dalisy and Elizabeth have a fun relationship with each other. They both like pranking each other, which has led to a rivalry. --- 😡Lara Alderliesten😡 "Yeah she earned her way in here, but does she have to be so uptight?" Dalisy will come up with a million reasons why she doesn't like Lara, but the real reason is Lara reminds Dalisy of Niah and it breaks her heart being around her. ---</s> <\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake --- --- --- Location: Helgi's Office Skills: N/A --- --- Klara gave Runa a smile as she helped her up off of the ground as she watched the others all scramble a bit towards the elevator trying to catch whoever it was that had attacked them. She was glad to hear that Runa was okay, and she saw the crowd assembling over by the elevator wondering clearly what was going on. Truthfully, Klara wasn't too sure what had happened herself aside from some random person (who they weren't sure who it was) being invisible and more or less attacking them while they were in Helgi's office, which was oddly suspicious. Hearing Runa's question towards her, she glanced over and looked at her again, recalling that she clearly had had some trouble with larger crowds in the past. "I'm not really sure what happened... As far as I can tell though, it was obvious that someone clearly didn't want to get caught. Which means they likely either know something, are involved somehow, or are investigating things like us, but don't want to share what they might know or have found out..." she commented with a bit of a shrug to Runa, unsure what else to really say.</s> <\|message\|>Nadia Carmen Petrova --- --- @BlueSky44@kittyluna45@Kirah --- --- --- --- Nadia Petrova Location: Hotel Valhalla, Outside Lobby Elevator Skills: N/A --- --- "Yeah there really isn't anything to see here." Nadia said looking over towards the crowd who were still there whispering amongst themselves whether or not they should fight them for disobeying Baldur's rules or not. Nadia was getting a little bit nervous looking over towards Astrid, Lara and Dalisy wondering what they should do when she heard someone walking down the hallway and past reception, both Runa and Klara would see Baldur coming over. "Everyone scatter." Baldur said as the group started to disperse, Nadia was about to leave, but he held up his hand looking at the three of them, and then over towards Klara and Runa motioning for the two of them to come forward as well to. "Whats not to see here and what happened?" Baldur asked calmly Nadia looked a bit nervous she wasn't sure what to actually say to the god himself. --- --- Arnora Skadidottir Location: Hotel Valhalla, Outside Reception Elevator Skills: N/A --- --- Arnora rubbed her sore shoulder, she was glad that both Lara and Nadia were able to heal her shoulder, as she looked towards the blood that was on the ground. She noted that there was blood on the elevator button panel, she was about to try and use her ability when she heard Baldur's voice and quickly turned around. Just in time to see the other Einherjar were scattering and leaving now, just leaving her Lara, Dalisy, Nadia and Astrid in the hallway as well to she noticed that Baldur also waved Runa and Klara over as well to. Arnora looked rather nervous, they did manage to lie to one god already and she had a feeling that it wouldn't really be to smart to either really to lie to Baldur himself. "We were just trying to help and find out what's actually happening, and we started with Helgi's office, when I was attacked." Arnora said gesturing towards her shoulder. Baldur closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose slightly looking at all of them. "Why would you all decide to take it upon yourself to investigate this when your lives and Valhalla is at stake?" Baldur asked them.</s>	<\|message\|>Dalisy Bautista Location: Elevator Bank Skill: Super-sense --- --- Dalisy, more full of bravado than good sense at the best of times, smiled brightly at Baldur and said, "If the situation does not get fixed then we cannot return to normal. Would it not be better to die trying to save everyone here, than live in fear?" She didn't add that the faster it was resolved the faster she didn't have to be around Lara. There was a whole lot of information that they had as a group already. She wondered if Baldur knew about Loki's symbol. "We wounded the person who attacked us." She told him plainly. "They went through that elevator, but I wasn't able to catch them." She was pretty irritated about that last bit.</s>
<\|description\|>Dalisy Bautista Dalisy Bautista Character Quote: I see what you did there --- --- Character Summary Aliases: Daisy, B, Watcher Age: 19 (at death) 25 (currently) Birthday: March 21, 1996 Death Date: Dec. 19th, 2015 Ethnicity: Filipino Birth Place: Manila, Philipines Godly Parent: Heimdall How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: 5 Gender: Female Languages: Tagalog, English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5'5" Weight: 140lbs Body Type: Fit Eye Color: Dark Brown Hair Color: Black Skin Tone: Lightly tanned Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Ears are peirced. Personal Style: Maybe it is a bit of the bifrost in Dalisy, but she loves colorful clothing. She tends to stuff more form fitting and on the fancy side. She likes to look a little flashy, and puts more effort into her outfits than strictly necessary. If asked about it she says 'I might be a hot mess on the inside, but I can at least look just hot on the outside'. Often she will wear dresses cause those are easy, and don't require coordination. The plus side of being dead is you never outgrow your clothing anymore. --- --- Psychology Energetic * Manipulative * Creative * Invasive * Logical * Irratable Sexuality: Bixsexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: If Dalisy had been born in the USA she would have fit in with the 'hold my beer' crowd. She often leaps before thinking, it is probably what got her killed in the first place. Dalisy likes getting her way and isn't afraid to use the knowledge she shouldn't have to get it. However, if she thinks things through she tends to be logical and methodical. Those are the times she can be even crueler because it becomes 'numbers'. She is a hot mess, to be as kind as possible. Emotionally, she isn't completely over being dead. Or the things she has seen her alternate selves do. She wants to just get through the afterlife without making things too much worse, but she's too confrontational to not cause some havoc. Fatal Flaw: Impulsiveness Habits: Checking in on her sister Hobbies: Hiking, sparing, playing the Buktot, ax throwing Fears: * Herself * The future * Her sister finding out what happened and never forgiving her Likes: * Exploring * People watching * Swimming * Playing the Buktot * The mountains * Big Dogs (the kind that can kill you with their love) Dislikes: * Secrets * Birds (stupid nest outside her childhood bedroom window woke her up too early) * Being bored * Being bested in a fight * Small dogs (like Chihuahuas) * Being restrained --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: * Super-Sense * Bifrost Control General Skills: * Norse Mytholodgy * Combat first aid * Art (Drawing) * Astrology * Geography * Music (Buktot) * Swimming Combat Skills: * Longbow * Longsword * Ax * Hand-to-hand * Dagger Magic Item: * Bifrost Channel * A Longbow, and quiver with unlimited ammo What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - A summer dress, comfy sneakers * Purse/Wallet - $100 USD, ID, * A multi-tool * The Bifrost Channel * Longsword (disguised) * Bottle of whatever nail polish she is currently wearing so she can fix the paint job if needed * Sketchbook, and pencils. * Touch-up make up. * Magic longbow * * * Possessions In Hotel Room: * A photograph of of her family at the fair, taken about a week before she died. * A globe * Books: Geography, Tagalog (classics and current), Music theory * A copy of the Poetic Edda * Buktot * An arsenal of cute outfits (she has a room dedicated to it) * Her bathroom is decorated in the Spanish Colionial style with pastels and mint green. Her bedroomroom is pastels and white. * Make-up, nail polish * Art table * * --- --- History Biography Dalisy was the oldest child in her sweet family. She was close to her sister, Niah, who was seven years younger than her. The pair were the best of friends. Their father never explained who Dalisy's mother was, which made sense when Dalisy found out she didn't actually have a mother. Her childhood made it clear though that there was something special about her, and her sister. Their younger brother seemed to be completely normal. The child of their stepmother. Since Niah liked their new stepmother Dalisy accepted her into the family. Even though Dalisy was seven years older than Niah they were close like best friends. However, there was always some tension between Dalisy and her father. Even though Niah trusted him, there was something that made Dalisy nervous. It might have been that he had somehow gathered the attention of two gods enough to have children with both, and Dalisy was aware of that since she had less control over her super-sense at the time. The power grew as she did, but so did her control over it. She and Niah bonded over their strange abilities at a young age. Telling each other secrets. As the time approached for Dalisy to consider college she got frustrated. She didn't want to move so far away that Niah felt like she was being abandoned, but Dalisy was ready to set out for her own future. She had applied to dozens of great Geography schools and was accepted into Clark University. It was while on a trip to the school that she was killed. There was some heavy confusion about two nearly identical bodies, but neither were identified and so her family was never notified in the Philipines, which is why to this day Niah still hopes her sister is alive. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: Dalisy died fighting to protect herself, from...herself? As Dalisy tells it someone who looked like an older version of her showed up and asked if she wanted to join forces. She didn't particularly want to leave her sister and told this copy of herself just that. A fight ensued and Dalisy defended herself with an iron pipe she found. It was not enough. Dalisy was able to kill that version of herself, which she figures is what earned her into the Hotel. Dalisy knows Niah believes she disappeared, but the truth would be much harder for her sister to process so she hadn't reached out to her, even though Niah has joined the Roman Camp Jupiter. Dalisy out of curiosity searched for herself across all the universes and was horrified at the carnage. She, while thankful she didn't join the other Dalisy's, is terrified of what that means about her future. Something invisible even to her. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Beware of Darkness - Muthafucka Extra Information: Aesir & FS Older sister of Niah Bautista I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay. --- --- Relations --- Dalisy Bautista "Character Quote" --- --- ⟢ 🎆Respects ⟡ 🌓Neutral ⟡ 👋Acquaintance ⟡ 🙇It's Complicated ⟣ ⟢ 💛Friend ⟡ 💙Good Friends ⟡ 💜Best Friends ⟡ ❣️Ex-Friends ⟡ 😈Frienemy ⟣ ⟢ 💘Infatuation ⟡ 💓Loves ⟡ 💗Couple ⟡ 💕Basically Family ⟡ 💞Family ⟡ 💔Ex-Lovers ⟣ ⟢ ♨️Tense ⟡ 💀Dislikes ⟡ 😡Hates ⟡ 👿Enemy ⟡ 👹Absolutely Loathes ⟣ --- --- 💀Nadia Petrova, Daughter of Frey💀 "She exits." Dalisy hasn't picked on Nadia much since Nadia tends to fight back. It isn't worth the effort. Now it is just background noise. --- 💛🎆Arnora Skadidottir, Daughter of Skadi 🎆💛 "She's cool." Arnora took Dalisy under her wing sort of when Dalisy first came to the Hotel as such Dalisy likes her more than anyone one else and listens to her. --- 💛Klara Blake, Daughter of Thor 💛 "One of these day's I'm gonna strangle Klara" From the outside these two look like bitter rivals, but at the end of the day they have each other's backs. Dalisy would happily talk makeup or clothing with Klara, but when they disagree it can be a lot. --- 🌓Runa Johansson, Daughter of Balder 🌓 "Isn't that the girl who's friends with Klara and Nadia?" Dalisy hasn't made an effort to get to know the 'new' girl. If she's hanging out with Klara and Runa is there that's fine with her, but she isn't out to make friends so it is what it is. --- 😈Elizabeth Flame 😈 "If she let me I'd do her makeup and coordinate her outfits...She won't though cause she knows better." Dalisy and Elizabeth have a fun relationship with each other. They both like pranking each other, which has led to a rivalry. --- 😡Lara Alderliesten😡 "Yeah she earned her way in here, but does she have to be so uptight?" Dalisy will come up with a million reasons why she doesn't like Lara, but the real reason is Lara reminds Dalisy of Niah and it breaks her heart being around her. ---</s> <\|message\|>Runa Phoebe Johansson --- --- Runa Johansson --- Location: Loki's Cavern Skills: Photokinesis --- --- It all happened too quickly - Runa had been doing her part against Loki and the next thing she knew, her staff was gone and he had her by the neck. She was gasping for air, unable to breathe. She felt entirely powerless and helpless. And her friends, she didn't deserve them - they were ready to stand down and unleash Loki and his friend into the world just to save her life. "Don't... do it," Runa choked out. She didn't want to be the reason that Loki was freed. She was scared, but not afraid. She had already died once - she was already dead. She was willing to die if it meant Loki couldn't escape. But she also wasn't ready to give up and let him kill her. She had already spent so much time in Valhalla scared and timid, uncertain and looking towards others for what to do. She was done with that. She wanted to take control of her life - or really, her afterlife. And maybe, just maybe, it would work - maybe she'd free herself and they'd all go home. But there was no way she was going to let Loki escape. She tried to blast him in the eyes with light, her first two tries didn't work, but on the third try she was able to blind him. The blinding light caused him to release her and Runa gasped for breath, running back over towards the others, safe again. She felt good. She had saved herself.</s> <\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake --- --- --- Location: Outside of Loki's Cavern Skills: Super Strength, Sword Fighting --- --- Well, the situation had sort of gone from bad to worse it seemed like, then again, they sort of were dealing with the gods, so of course all hell was going to break loose at some point. This time it just so happened to be Runa getting caught by Loki when she tried to hit him with her staff. The others of course were lowering their guard, since they didn't want her to potentially get hurt, but truthfully in Klara's opinion, Runa was a lot more capable from what she had seen before then the others likely thought. Klara didn't fully lower her guard, prepared to strike instantly if she was given the chance. Thankfully, the opportunity arose as Runa managed to break free from Loki's grasp by blinding him it looked like. She couldn't help but smile, as she held her sword and charged straight at Loki, swinging her sword. Unfortunately, her aim wasn't the best for her first few swings as she did so. However, she did manage to land a fairly solid hit with her third swing, as her sword connected with Loki and she managed to get him to more or less start bleeding a lot. Well, this guy hopefully wasn't going to go anywhere or whatever soon. Maybe if they were lucky anyway.</s>	<\|message\|>Dalisy Bautista Location: Outside of Loki's Cavern Skill: Longsword --- --- Anger boiled in Dalisy's heart as she heard Lara talk. It was stupid. Runa was a fine enough person, but to make an exchange such as that was idiotic. Not to mention what really made Dalisy mad. The real reason Dalisy hated Lara so much. The oath. The binding. Niah. Her dear sister who lived and had no idea how much Dalisy missed her. Dalisy funneled that anger into trying to free herself. She'd drive this sword into Loki if it was the last thing she would do. She knew that his chaos would bring danger to the world, and therefore her sister. Lara's part in all of this was just to be that constant reminder of the one person she loved in the world. As she tried to get out, she didn't seem to be having any luck though. And that just angered her even more. If she were free she'd be driving her sword into Loki. She tried again. This time she was able to get free. She showed her teeth. It looked nothing like a grin. Runa had freed herself, Loki was blind. She swung her sword. Slicing Loki's arm.</s>
<\|description\|>Klara Natalia Blake Klara Blake "I lived in a time when innocents were prosecuted on baseless accusations, do you really want to question how I find justice?" --- --- Character Summary Aliases: None Age: 18 Birthday: February 14, 1674 Death Date: March 12, 1692 Ethnicity: Caucasian Birth Place: Salem, Massachusetts Godly Parent: Thor How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: Since her death in 1692 Gender: Female Languages: English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5 feet 6 inches Weight: 121 pounds Build: Athletic Eyes: Hazel Hair: Dark Brown Skin Tone: Lightly Tanned Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Ears pierced Personal Style: Klara was from a very different time and place then most. However, since being in Hotel Valhalla she has traded out her typical dresses that she used to wear more of for armor or something a bit more practical, typically armor of some kind that she has gotten since being in the hotel. It works better for fighting and allows her to move more easily, however she won't say no to dressing up in typical dresses or something like that, she always did love fashion, even way back in the 17th century. --- --- Psychology Adventurous * Trickster * Brave * Hot Headed * Kind * Stubborn Sexuality: Bisexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Klara is not exactly a very calm individual, depending on what sort of mood she's in when you meet her. She has a fiery temper that she'll easily let loose on anyone who gets on her bad side. This combined with her stubbornness leads to a bad combination that results in her constantly getting on people's bad sides, however, that tends to not exactly be the worst things. Since she does have a few tricks up her sleeve so to speak, and will easily play tricks on others, sometimes making people think that there was a mistake and she was actually the daughter of Loki. However she does have a few traits that are redeeming, namely the fact that usually she is a very kind and caring person who will fight for those who are close to her. Her adventurous spirit allows for her to go off on a whim, and her bravery allows her to stand up to just about anyone. No matter what the costs are, if she considers you to be a friend, you can almost guarantee that she'd die for you. Fatal Flaw: Pride Habits: Twisting her hair, biting her lip Hobbies: Swimming, reading Fears: * Snakes * Heights * Fire Likes: * Fashion (she even sometimes tries to keep up with what's trendy in the land of the living!) * Playing tricks on people * Fighting * Animals! (except for snakes, they are horrid) * Swimming * Books Dislikes: * Spiders * Snakes (the bane of her existence) * Fire * Skeptics (people who don't believe or understand magic) * Liars * People she thinks are idiots --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: (It must fit with what your god or goddess parent is.) * Super Strength * Goat Vision! General Skills: * Cooking * Persuasion * Perception * Lock Picking * Drawing * Knowledge of Animals * Tracking Combat Skills: * Sword Fighting * Hand to Hand Combat * Knife Combat * Knife Throwing * Shields Magic Item: * Sylvi - Magical sword that returns to her hand no matter what, it also tends to burst into flames in combat, but will sometimes burst into flames if she gets angry. * Brynja - Turns Klara's cat when activated into a large wild cat, complete with a saddle for Klara and others to potentially ride the cat, as well as to act as actual armor for Betty. What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - Armor and cloak with boots to match them. The armor was given to her after she joined the ranks of the dead as it was much more practical of combat wear then what she had been wearing when she died. * Purse/Wallet - She carries around a satchel more then an actual purse, it has a few pieces of paper and writing materials, as well as a few throwing knives. * A knife strapped to her right boot within easy reach. * Her sword Sylvi in it's sheath on her left side * Another knife in a small sheath on her right side * Necklace that is the last thing she got from her mother. It's a bit dulled now from the years Possessions In Hotel Room: * More throwing knives gallore! * Targets that allow her to practice her fighting skills * Her artwork on display * Drawing supplies * A drawing she had made sitting in a picture frame of her, her mother, and her older sister before the witch trials began, in the background was a ghostly almost figure that represented the father who raised her. * Elizabeth her Norwegian Forest Cat named after her sister. Tends to follow her around at times. --- --- History Biography Klara grew up in her home in Salem, the younger daughter of Sarah and Aaron Blake, or at least that's who she thought was her biological father. Her older sister Elizabeth was a fun older sister, and she got along well with her, especially since she was only two years older. She loved her family so much, everything seemed perfect for her. Growing up in a loving family, with parents who loved her and an older sister that she looked up to. Then everything changed, when her father grew sick. Very very sick. They weren't sure what illness it was, and the physician in the small village did what he could for the man, but unfortunately, there wasn't much else that could be done for him. She had been very close with her father, and she completely shut everyone out when he died when she was 8 years old. He had always told her to stay strong no matter what happened, and she tried to live up to that. She always tried to do the right thing, to help others even if it might end up hurting her. There wasn't much she could do though, she was just a young girl whose father was dead. It made her and her sister both anomalies in the town, weirdos, but that didn't matter, she was going to stay by her sister and her mother, no matter what. Then of course, everything changed the month that she turned 18, namely, the start of the Salem Witch Trials. Klara wasn't even sure if these sort of things were even possible, or that those accused even were guilty of witchcraft or something like that. However, things got a bit more messy, when it came to her mother. Her mother, her poor mother, was accused of witchcraft. The "evidence" was something about her mother committing adultery at one point, before Klara had been born. Other bits were just heresay from others, girls claiming that she had bewitched them. She had been hopeless in preventing her mother's execution, and that was what broke her, what caused her to decide to act upon everything, despite what her sister Elizabeth was telling her. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: She died trying to free those imprisoned who were falsely accused during the trials. Klara had snuck into the jail one night, and was slowly but surely starting to unlock the jail cells using a knife that she had brought along with her as she started to free people. That's when she was surprised by a jail guard who instantly tried to stop her, and Klara instantly started to fight back. She ended up stabbing the guard by accident as he tried to arrest her, and she kicked him backwards, before she dropped the knife and instantly started moving the innocents away, having already given them instructions on how to get out of the village. What she hadn't expected was that the guard had picked her knife up and stabbed her with it in the back, whirling around she threw her fist into the man's face. She yelled at the others to run as she started to fight back with the guard, not even caring that she was bleeding out in the process. Her only concern was to protect the innocents who she had freed, and the result ended up with her getting the guard to stop moving, before she completely collapsed to the ground, and bled out. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Nickelback - Gotta Be Somebody Extra Information: Posty post Aesir I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay. --- --- Relations --- Klara Blake "Don't mess with me, believe it or not I know what I'm doing." --- --- ⟢ 🎆Respects ⟡ 🌓Neutral ⟡ 👋Acquaintance ⟡ 🙇It's Complicated ⟣ ⟢ 💛Friend ⟡ 💙Good Friends ⟡ 💜Best Friends ⟡ ❣️Ex-Friends ⟡ 😈Frienemy ⟣ ⟢ 💘Infatuation ⟡ 💓Loves ⟡ 💗Couple ⟡ 💕Basically Family ⟡ 💞Family ⟡ 💔Ex-Lovers ⟣ ⟢ ♨️Tense ⟡ 💀Dislikes ⟡ 😡Hates ⟡ 👿Enemy ⟡ 👹Absolutely Loathes ⟣ --- --- 💛 Arnora Skadidottir, Daughter of Skadi 💛 "She's pretty cool, and has been here longer then I have." Klara considers Arnora to be her friend, namely since she's one of the few people who are older then her that actually really talked to her when she first arrived in Valhalla. She went on a quest of sorts with her at one point too, but they already got along before then. --- 💜 Nadia Petrova, Daughter of Frey 💜 "One of the younger dead people here! We get on each others nerves, but at the end of the day we're best friends and will have each others backs." Klara and Nadia's friendship might seem like a bit of a weird one considering the fact that they died in completely different time eras. They butt heads a lot, but overall they are an interesting pair. They both also enjoy playing pranks on people, so that's led to a few interesting altercations. --- 💛 Dalisy Bautista, Daughter of Heimdall 💛 "She's alright, gets on my nerves on occasion though." The thing that is probably preventing her and Dalisy from being better friends might have to do with both of their temperaments and the fact that Dalisy doesn't like Nadia who is Klara's best friend. They argue and seem like they hate each other, but Klara and Dalisy have interesting conversations even if it sometimes seems like they'll strangle each other constantly. --- Symbol Runa Johansson, Daughter of Balder Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details --- Symbol Characters Name Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details ---</s> <\|message\|>Dalisy Bautista --- --- Location: Hotel Valhalla: Floor 21 -> GTFO Skill: --- --- "Fun fact I can control the Bifrost and could just do that. But it's cool I don't want to be involved in this." Dalisy was irritated. She hated Lara and Nadia, and it felt like Arnora was forgetting what skills Dalisy could offer. There was zero motivation for her to be on this quest. Sure, she wanted to help save the world cause her sister lived in it. But she didn't want to be on a quest those two. She'd be near fighting them the whole time. Besides she had a grudge match in the morning if she went on the quest she wouldn't be able to beat the guy up. "Good luck Runa. Hope you save your dad and all." Dalisy turned around and left the room.</s> <\|message\|>Runa Phoebe Johansson --- --- Runa Johansson --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - Floor 21 Skills: N/A --- --- Runa frowned ever so slightly as the daughter of Heimdall explained that Hel had amassed an army - that was extremely worrying and didn't do anything to help her nerves. But she was also stressed and upset since the woman didn't tell her where Balder was anyways. She knew the answer though - he was in that cold nightmare she had seen earlier, right? She wished that she didn't have to go there, to be surrounded by other lost souls of the dead. Elizabeth, one of her least favorite people, confirmed that location - they had to go to Hel's throne room. She felt like they had a better chance of winning the lottery ten times in a row and marrying super models. "Uh, giant squirrels? I... I don't think I understand you. I'm sorry. English isn't my first language..." Runa apologized, looking at Arnora with confusion. She was pretty sure that she couldn't have heard her right. Maybe she meant dogs or foxes or tigers? Runa went through a bunch of different animals she could imagine being a logical choice there, but then again, maybe it wasn't an animal at all. English was such a weird language and she hadn't learned it willingly. It had been required in school.</s>	<\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: Floor 21 Skills: N/A --- --- "Elizabeth you were just rude earlier with everything, and no one exactly asked for your opinions on things," Klara said instantly, shooting a bit of a glare towards Elizabeth. However she didn't say anything else about it, since she did offer at least some information that could potentially prove to be useful to them. She didn't like the fact that Elizabeth was the one coming up with a plan of sorts, but she didn't say anything about it since Nadia seemed to agree with it. Everything was still Runa's decision ultimately, so it would all depend on what she wanted. Of course, when Runa spoke she didn't say much and seemed to focus more on the idea of the giant squirrels then anything else, since she didn't say anything about the idea. "I mean yeah, there is a giant squirrel thing on the tree, I mean think about it. Squirrels live in trees, we are in the World Tree, so of course there would be a squirrel living in it," she said towards Runa giving her a smile. It did make it a little easier to understand when thought about that way. "Sure, let's go to Hel's throne room and deal with her, that sounds like fun."</s>
<\|description\|>Klara Natalia Blake Klara Blake "I lived in a time when innocents were prosecuted on baseless accusations, do you really want to question how I find justice?" --- --- Character Summary Aliases: None Age: 18 Birthday: February 14, 1674 Death Date: March 12, 1692 Ethnicity: Caucasian Birth Place: Salem, Massachusetts Godly Parent: Thor How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: Since her death in 1692 Gender: Female Languages: English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5 feet 6 inches Weight: 121 pounds Build: Athletic Eyes: Hazel Hair: Dark Brown Skin Tone: Lightly Tanned Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Ears pierced Personal Style: Klara was from a very different time and place then most. However, since being in Hotel Valhalla she has traded out her typical dresses that she used to wear more of for armor or something a bit more practical, typically armor of some kind that she has gotten since being in the hotel. It works better for fighting and allows her to move more easily, however she won't say no to dressing up in typical dresses or something like that, she always did love fashion, even way back in the 17th century. --- --- Psychology Adventurous * Trickster * Brave * Hot Headed * Kind * Stubborn Sexuality: Bisexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Klara is not exactly a very calm individual, depending on what sort of mood she's in when you meet her. She has a fiery temper that she'll easily let loose on anyone who gets on her bad side. This combined with her stubbornness leads to a bad combination that results in her constantly getting on people's bad sides, however, that tends to not exactly be the worst things. Since she does have a few tricks up her sleeve so to speak, and will easily play tricks on others, sometimes making people think that there was a mistake and she was actually the daughter of Loki. However she does have a few traits that are redeeming, namely the fact that usually she is a very kind and caring person who will fight for those who are close to her. Her adventurous spirit allows for her to go off on a whim, and her bravery allows her to stand up to just about anyone. No matter what the costs are, if she considers you to be a friend, you can almost guarantee that she'd die for you. Fatal Flaw: Pride Habits: Twisting her hair, biting her lip Hobbies: Swimming, reading Fears: * Snakes * Heights * Fire Likes: * Fashion (she even sometimes tries to keep up with what's trendy in the land of the living!) * Playing tricks on people * Fighting * Animals! (except for snakes, they are horrid) * Swimming * Books Dislikes: * Spiders * Snakes (the bane of her existence) * Fire * Skeptics (people who don't believe or understand magic) * Liars * People she thinks are idiots --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: (It must fit with what your god or goddess parent is.) * Super Strength * Goat Vision! General Skills: * Cooking * Persuasion * Perception * Lock Picking * Drawing * Knowledge of Animals * Tracking Combat Skills: * Sword Fighting * Hand to Hand Combat * Knife Combat * Knife Throwing * Shields Magic Item: * Sylvi - Magical sword that returns to her hand no matter what, it also tends to burst into flames in combat, but will sometimes burst into flames if she gets angry. * Brynja - Turns Klara's cat when activated into a large wild cat, complete with a saddle for Klara and others to potentially ride the cat, as well as to act as actual armor for Betty. What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - Armor and cloak with boots to match them. The armor was given to her after she joined the ranks of the dead as it was much more practical of combat wear then what she had been wearing when she died. * Purse/Wallet - She carries around a satchel more then an actual purse, it has a few pieces of paper and writing materials, as well as a few throwing knives. * A knife strapped to her right boot within easy reach. * Her sword Sylvi in it's sheath on her left side * Another knife in a small sheath on her right side * Necklace that is the last thing she got from her mother. It's a bit dulled now from the years Possessions In Hotel Room: * More throwing knives gallore! * Targets that allow her to practice her fighting skills * Her artwork on display * Drawing supplies * A drawing she had made sitting in a picture frame of her, her mother, and her older sister before the witch trials began, in the background was a ghostly almost figure that represented the father who raised her. * Elizabeth her Norwegian Forest Cat named after her sister. Tends to follow her around at times. --- --- History Biography Klara grew up in her home in Salem, the younger daughter of Sarah and Aaron Blake, or at least that's who she thought was her biological father. Her older sister Elizabeth was a fun older sister, and she got along well with her, especially since she was only two years older. She loved her family so much, everything seemed perfect for her. Growing up in a loving family, with parents who loved her and an older sister that she looked up to. Then everything changed, when her father grew sick. Very very sick. They weren't sure what illness it was, and the physician in the small village did what he could for the man, but unfortunately, there wasn't much else that could be done for him. She had been very close with her father, and she completely shut everyone out when he died when she was 8 years old. He had always told her to stay strong no matter what happened, and she tried to live up to that. She always tried to do the right thing, to help others even if it might end up hurting her. There wasn't much she could do though, she was just a young girl whose father was dead. It made her and her sister both anomalies in the town, weirdos, but that didn't matter, she was going to stay by her sister and her mother, no matter what. Then of course, everything changed the month that she turned 18, namely, the start of the Salem Witch Trials. Klara wasn't even sure if these sort of things were even possible, or that those accused even were guilty of witchcraft or something like that. However, things got a bit more messy, when it came to her mother. Her mother, her poor mother, was accused of witchcraft. The "evidence" was something about her mother committing adultery at one point, before Klara had been born. Other bits were just heresay from others, girls claiming that she had bewitched them. She had been hopeless in preventing her mother's execution, and that was what broke her, what caused her to decide to act upon everything, despite what her sister Elizabeth was telling her. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: She died trying to free those imprisoned who were falsely accused during the trials. Klara had snuck into the jail one night, and was slowly but surely starting to unlock the jail cells using a knife that she had brought along with her as she started to free people. That's when she was surprised by a jail guard who instantly tried to stop her, and Klara instantly started to fight back. She ended up stabbing the guard by accident as he tried to arrest her, and she kicked him backwards, before she dropped the knife and instantly started moving the innocents away, having already given them instructions on how to get out of the village. What she hadn't expected was that the guard had picked her knife up and stabbed her with it in the back, whirling around she threw her fist into the man's face. She yelled at the others to run as she started to fight back with the guard, not even caring that she was bleeding out in the process. Her only concern was to protect the innocents who she had freed, and the result ended up with her getting the guard to stop moving, before she completely collapsed to the ground, and bled out. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Nickelback - Gotta Be Somebody Extra Information: Posty post Aesir I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay. --- --- Relations --- Klara Blake "Don't mess with me, believe it or not I know what I'm doing." --- --- ⟢ 🎆Respects ⟡ 🌓Neutral ⟡ 👋Acquaintance ⟡ 🙇It's Complicated ⟣ ⟢ 💛Friend ⟡ 💙Good Friends ⟡ 💜Best Friends ⟡ ❣️Ex-Friends ⟡ 😈Frienemy ⟣ ⟢ 💘Infatuation ⟡ 💓Loves ⟡ 💗Couple ⟡ 💕Basically Family ⟡ 💞Family ⟡ 💔Ex-Lovers ⟣ ⟢ ♨️Tense ⟡ 💀Dislikes ⟡ 😡Hates ⟡ 👿Enemy ⟡ 👹Absolutely Loathes ⟣ --- --- 💛 Arnora Skadidottir, Daughter of Skadi 💛 "She's pretty cool, and has been here longer then I have." Klara considers Arnora to be her friend, namely since she's one of the few people who are older then her that actually really talked to her when she first arrived in Valhalla. She went on a quest of sorts with her at one point too, but they already got along before then. --- 💜 Nadia Petrova, Daughter of Frey 💜 "One of the younger dead people here! We get on each others nerves, but at the end of the day we're best friends and will have each others backs." Klara and Nadia's friendship might seem like a bit of a weird one considering the fact that they died in completely different time eras. They butt heads a lot, but overall they are an interesting pair. They both also enjoy playing pranks on people, so that's led to a few interesting altercations. --- 💛 Dalisy Bautista, Daughter of Heimdall 💛 "She's alright, gets on my nerves on occasion though." The thing that is probably preventing her and Dalisy from being better friends might have to do with both of their temperaments and the fact that Dalisy doesn't like Nadia who is Klara's best friend. They argue and seem like they hate each other, but Klara and Dalisy have interesting conversations even if it sometimes seems like they'll strangle each other constantly. --- Symbol Runa Johansson, Daughter of Balder Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details --- Symbol Characters Name Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details ---</s> <\|message\|>Lara Alderliesten --- --- Location: World Tree Skills: Climbing --- --- Lara looked over at Arnora as she let her figure out the way that they would be heading back down to their destination when she heard the barking. She blinked at that as she heard that bark resonated in her soul. She loved dogs but... Ratatoskr was no dog, and he was no normal squirrel. This was bad for them to be discovered on the World Tree so soon after they undertook their mission. "Well then... I guess we need to climb faster." Lara muttered this to Arnora as she started to climb a bit faster at that point as she headed down the tree. Dear gods she did not want to fall down and die here. If she died here, she would die for real and that would not be a good thing for any of them. She focused on each step down, further and further down the tree as she followed Arnora's instructions as to where they were heading.</s> <\|message\|>Runa Phoebe Johansson --- --- Runa Johansson --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - the World Tree Skills: Stamina, Agility --- --- Elizabeth left a sour taste in Runa's mouth, but at least she had been willing to give her an answer. If she fell, she would be devoured by a monstrous snake. And given her deathly fear of snakes, Runa had to coax her limbs slowly to continue to go through the motions and get ready for the climb. She wished that there was some sort of magic adhesive to let her stick to the tree like Spider-Man. Or a pill she could swallow in the event that she did fall so she could guarantee dying before hitting the bottom. But could they die twice? She wasn't sure. She paled at the idea that falling would always end up in survival and being conscious as a snake ate her, slowly being digested inside of the beast, aware the entire time... She didn't know what Elizabeth's problem with her was and frankly, Runa didn't need to find a reason for it. She was used to people hating her and picking on her just because she existed. There had been tons of bullies in her school and even though Elizabeth was blind, it didn't mean she couldn't be cruel. Runa gave Nadia a slight nod, although she didn't say anything. She just made sure not to get too close to Elizabeth as she started to climb the tree, just so Elizabeth wouldn't have a chance to kick her off or anything. The squirrel was definitely freaky too. It was massive, easily the size of a house. Runa climbed a little faster.</s>	<\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: The World Tree Skills: N/A --- --- If Elizabeth wasn't already dead, Klara definitely would have killed her. Considering the fact that telling someone something that likely would be considered terrifying to just about everyone right before they were supposed to do some athletic activity was about the last thing you'd want to do. It was going to make them more likely to lose their grip or footing, causing them more likely to fall! She had been going to tell Runa later after the climbing activity, so that she didn't worry about it and then be better off that way. Elizabeth needed to learn to take a damn hint and not just say whatever the hell she wanted to. "You'll do fine Runa, just think, we're getting out of Valhalla and back to Earth, not here, just back home to where we all used to live at one point. We've got this, we're going to be alright," she said to her with a smile. At the least she was trying to give some encouragement to Runa, "At least you don't have a cat who now has armor on your shoulders!" she added before she started the climb down as well. Before she started, she of course made sure that Betty was holding onto her shoulders tightly. It was probably a good thing that she had super strength, since it helped to make the rather large cat feel like she weighed practically nothing to her.</s>
<\|description\|>Klara Natalia Blake Klara Blake "I lived in a time when innocents were prosecuted on baseless accusations, do you really want to question how I find justice?" --- --- Character Summary Aliases: None Age: 18 Birthday: February 14, 1674 Death Date: March 12, 1692 Ethnicity: Caucasian Birth Place: Salem, Massachusetts Godly Parent: Thor How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: Since her death in 1692 Gender: Female Languages: English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5 feet 6 inches Weight: 121 pounds Build: Athletic Eyes: Hazel Hair: Dark Brown Skin Tone: Lightly Tanned Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Ears pierced Personal Style: Klara was from a very different time and place then most. However, since being in Hotel Valhalla she has traded out her typical dresses that she used to wear more of for armor or something a bit more practical, typically armor of some kind that she has gotten since being in the hotel. It works better for fighting and allows her to move more easily, however she won't say no to dressing up in typical dresses or something like that, she always did love fashion, even way back in the 17th century. --- --- Psychology Adventurous * Trickster * Brave * Hot Headed * Kind * Stubborn Sexuality: Bisexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Klara is not exactly a very calm individual, depending on what sort of mood she's in when you meet her. She has a fiery temper that she'll easily let loose on anyone who gets on her bad side. This combined with her stubbornness leads to a bad combination that results in her constantly getting on people's bad sides, however, that tends to not exactly be the worst things. Since she does have a few tricks up her sleeve so to speak, and will easily play tricks on others, sometimes making people think that there was a mistake and she was actually the daughter of Loki. However she does have a few traits that are redeeming, namely the fact that usually she is a very kind and caring person who will fight for those who are close to her. Her adventurous spirit allows for her to go off on a whim, and her bravery allows her to stand up to just about anyone. No matter what the costs are, if she considers you to be a friend, you can almost guarantee that she'd die for you. Fatal Flaw: Pride Habits: Twisting her hair, biting her lip Hobbies: Swimming, reading Fears: * Snakes * Heights * Fire Likes: * Fashion (she even sometimes tries to keep up with what's trendy in the land of the living!) * Playing tricks on people * Fighting * Animals! (except for snakes, they are horrid) * Swimming * Books Dislikes: * Spiders * Snakes (the bane of her existence) * Fire * Skeptics (people who don't believe or understand magic) * Liars * People she thinks are idiots --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: (It must fit with what your god or goddess parent is.) * Super Strength * Goat Vision! General Skills: * Cooking * Persuasion * Perception * Lock Picking * Drawing * Knowledge of Animals * Tracking Combat Skills: * Sword Fighting * Hand to Hand Combat * Knife Combat * Knife Throwing * Shields Magic Item: * Sylvi - Magical sword that returns to her hand no matter what, it also tends to burst into flames in combat, but will sometimes burst into flames if she gets angry. * Brynja - Turns Klara's cat when activated into a large wild cat, complete with a saddle for Klara and others to potentially ride the cat, as well as to act as actual armor for Betty. What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - Armor and cloak with boots to match them. The armor was given to her after she joined the ranks of the dead as it was much more practical of combat wear then what she had been wearing when she died. * Purse/Wallet - She carries around a satchel more then an actual purse, it has a few pieces of paper and writing materials, as well as a few throwing knives. * A knife strapped to her right boot within easy reach. * Her sword Sylvi in it's sheath on her left side * Another knife in a small sheath on her right side * Necklace that is the last thing she got from her mother. It's a bit dulled now from the years Possessions In Hotel Room: * More throwing knives gallore! * Targets that allow her to practice her fighting skills * Her artwork on display * Drawing supplies * A drawing she had made sitting in a picture frame of her, her mother, and her older sister before the witch trials began, in the background was a ghostly almost figure that represented the father who raised her. * Elizabeth her Norwegian Forest Cat named after her sister. Tends to follow her around at times. --- --- History Biography Klara grew up in her home in Salem, the younger daughter of Sarah and Aaron Blake, or at least that's who she thought was her biological father. Her older sister Elizabeth was a fun older sister, and she got along well with her, especially since she was only two years older. She loved her family so much, everything seemed perfect for her. Growing up in a loving family, with parents who loved her and an older sister that she looked up to. Then everything changed, when her father grew sick. Very very sick. They weren't sure what illness it was, and the physician in the small village did what he could for the man, but unfortunately, there wasn't much else that could be done for him. She had been very close with her father, and she completely shut everyone out when he died when she was 8 years old. He had always told her to stay strong no matter what happened, and she tried to live up to that. She always tried to do the right thing, to help others even if it might end up hurting her. There wasn't much she could do though, she was just a young girl whose father was dead. It made her and her sister both anomalies in the town, weirdos, but that didn't matter, she was going to stay by her sister and her mother, no matter what. Then of course, everything changed the month that she turned 18, namely, the start of the Salem Witch Trials. Klara wasn't even sure if these sort of things were even possible, or that those accused even were guilty of witchcraft or something like that. However, things got a bit more messy, when it came to her mother. Her mother, her poor mother, was accused of witchcraft. The "evidence" was something about her mother committing adultery at one point, before Klara had been born. Other bits were just heresay from others, girls claiming that she had bewitched them. She had been hopeless in preventing her mother's execution, and that was what broke her, what caused her to decide to act upon everything, despite what her sister Elizabeth was telling her. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: She died trying to free those imprisoned who were falsely accused during the trials. Klara had snuck into the jail one night, and was slowly but surely starting to unlock the jail cells using a knife that she had brought along with her as she started to free people. That's when she was surprised by a jail guard who instantly tried to stop her, and Klara instantly started to fight back. She ended up stabbing the guard by accident as he tried to arrest her, and she kicked him backwards, before she dropped the knife and instantly started moving the innocents away, having already given them instructions on how to get out of the village. What she hadn't expected was that the guard had picked her knife up and stabbed her with it in the back, whirling around she threw her fist into the man's face. She yelled at the others to run as she started to fight back with the guard, not even caring that she was bleeding out in the process. Her only concern was to protect the innocents who she had freed, and the result ended up with her getting the guard to stop moving, before she completely collapsed to the ground, and bled out. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Nickelback - Gotta Be Somebody Extra Information: Posty post Aesir I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay. --- --- Relations --- Klara Blake "Don't mess with me, believe it or not I know what I'm doing." --- --- ⟢ 🎆Respects ⟡ 🌓Neutral ⟡ 👋Acquaintance ⟡ 🙇It's Complicated ⟣ ⟢ 💛Friend ⟡ 💙Good Friends ⟡ 💜Best Friends ⟡ ❣️Ex-Friends ⟡ 😈Frienemy ⟣ ⟢ 💘Infatuation ⟡ 💓Loves ⟡ 💗Couple ⟡ 💕Basically Family ⟡ 💞Family ⟡ 💔Ex-Lovers ⟣ ⟢ ♨️Tense ⟡ 💀Dislikes ⟡ 😡Hates ⟡ 👿Enemy ⟡ 👹Absolutely Loathes ⟣ --- --- 💛 Arnora Skadidottir, Daughter of Skadi 💛 "She's pretty cool, and has been here longer then I have." Klara considers Arnora to be her friend, namely since she's one of the few people who are older then her that actually really talked to her when she first arrived in Valhalla. She went on a quest of sorts with her at one point too, but they already got along before then. --- 💜 Nadia Petrova, Daughter of Frey 💜 "One of the younger dead people here! We get on each others nerves, but at the end of the day we're best friends and will have each others backs." Klara and Nadia's friendship might seem like a bit of a weird one considering the fact that they died in completely different time eras. They butt heads a lot, but overall they are an interesting pair. They both also enjoy playing pranks on people, so that's led to a few interesting altercations. --- 💛 Dalisy Bautista, Daughter of Heimdall 💛 "She's alright, gets on my nerves on occasion though." The thing that is probably preventing her and Dalisy from being better friends might have to do with both of their temperaments and the fact that Dalisy doesn't like Nadia who is Klara's best friend. They argue and seem like they hate each other, but Klara and Dalisy have interesting conversations even if it sometimes seems like they'll strangle each other constantly. --- Symbol Runa Johansson, Daughter of Balder Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details --- Symbol Characters Name Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details ---</s> <\|message\|>Lara Alderliesten --- --- Location: World Tree Skills: Climbing --- --- "Elizabeth!" Lara couldn't help herself from crying out as she saw the other woman get knocked out of the branches at that point by Ratatoskr. Honestly, the words he was saying were ringing a bit true. She was worthless, wasn't she? She had failed to find Levi... she didn't know if she had rescued him. However, she looked at the group around her and knew that letting herself drown in those deep waters of regrets were not going to help them. "Ratatoskr, we have been tasked by the Allfather on this quest, to find the lost god. Go back and carry out your mission and leave us to ours!" Pitiful words, at best, from Lara, even as she climbed down the branches. She was trying to focus now on the fact that she had done good. She was not worthless, she was one of the chosen! One of those that got to eat at the feast for the fallen. She had done good in her life. "Follow my voice Elizabeth, and I'll help you get down the tree."</s> <\|message\|>Runa Phoebe Johansson --- --- Runa Johansson --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - the World Tree Skills: Stamina, Agility, Norwegian --- --- Runa nodded meekly at Klara's words of encouragement. She reminded her a bit of the guidance counselors at school - idealistic and chatty. She was waiting for Klara to start talking to her about transcripts and personal essays and what universities she was interested in applying to and what she was intending to study. Runa never really was interested in higher education - she wanted to just do her own thing off by herself. Maybe she would have opened up a metaphysical shop on Etsy, as she wouldn't need to see anyone ever and she could just spend her time off in the woods. That wasn't really in the cards anymore as she was dead and on a hopeless quest to save some supposedly dead god that she had never met before. As she continued to climb, she braced herself as the squirrel barked at her - apparently bark was another English word for insult, she noted. She blinked and then smiled slightly. "Det er det? Det har ikke vært en dag jeg ikke har ønsket å drepe meg selv i årevis. Jeg hater hver centimeter av meg selv. Jeg føler meg som et spøkelse som har et lik. Du kan ikke få meg til å hate meg selv mer enn jeg allerede gjør," she whispered to the squirrel.</s>	<\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: The World Tree Skills: N/A --- --- "Ugh, he just needs to learn how to shut up!" Klara snapped with a bit of an eye roll to go along with it. The squirrel really needed to learn how to just shut up and not talk to anyone. But clearly he didn't have better things to do, but who really knew what squirrels did in their free time. It wasn't typically a question that she had ever thought to ask herself until that moment right there. There was no point in trying to respond to the squirrel, they were better off just ignoring him all together, but that was just her opinion. Of course, Elizabeth (seeing as she almost fell off) decided to talk to the squirrel and more or less threaten it. Yeah, like that was going to end well. Then again, no one said anything about Elizabeth ever being considered smart. Actually she was pretty sure the girl was almost completely useless because of her attitude alone, Klara at the least didn't want anything to do with her and she wondered if anyone actually would want to work with her. Oh well, at least she was on a different assigned team to go off on this thing, so Klara could happily ignore her entirely, and at least she had no problems staying on the tree and she easily climbed to the next branch.</s>
<\|description\|>Klara Natalia Blake Klara Blake "I lived in a time when innocents were prosecuted on baseless accusations, do you really want to question how I find justice?" --- --- Character Summary Aliases: None Age: 18 Birthday: February 14, 1674 Death Date: March 12, 1692 Ethnicity: Caucasian Birth Place: Salem, Massachusetts Godly Parent: Thor How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: Since her death in 1692 Gender: Female Languages: English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5 feet 6 inches Weight: 121 pounds Build: Athletic Eyes: Hazel Hair: Dark Brown Skin Tone: Lightly Tanned Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Ears pierced Personal Style: Klara was from a very different time and place then most. However, since being in Hotel Valhalla she has traded out her typical dresses that she used to wear more of for armor or something a bit more practical, typically armor of some kind that she has gotten since being in the hotel. It works better for fighting and allows her to move more easily, however she won't say no to dressing up in typical dresses or something like that, she always did love fashion, even way back in the 17th century. --- --- Psychology Adventurous * Trickster * Brave * Hot Headed * Kind * Stubborn Sexuality: Bisexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Klara is not exactly a very calm individual, depending on what sort of mood she's in when you meet her. She has a fiery temper that she'll easily let loose on anyone who gets on her bad side. This combined with her stubbornness leads to a bad combination that results in her constantly getting on people's bad sides, however, that tends to not exactly be the worst things. Since she does have a few tricks up her sleeve so to speak, and will easily play tricks on others, sometimes making people think that there was a mistake and she was actually the daughter of Loki. However she does have a few traits that are redeeming, namely the fact that usually she is a very kind and caring person who will fight for those who are close to her. Her adventurous spirit allows for her to go off on a whim, and her bravery allows her to stand up to just about anyone. No matter what the costs are, if she considers you to be a friend, you can almost guarantee that she'd die for you. Fatal Flaw: Pride Habits: Twisting her hair, biting her lip Hobbies: Swimming, reading Fears: * Snakes * Heights * Fire Likes: * Fashion (she even sometimes tries to keep up with what's trendy in the land of the living!) * Playing tricks on people * Fighting * Animals! (except for snakes, they are horrid) * Swimming * Books Dislikes: * Spiders * Snakes (the bane of her existence) * Fire * Skeptics (people who don't believe or understand magic) * Liars * People she thinks are idiots --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: (It must fit with what your god or goddess parent is.) * Super Strength * Goat Vision! General Skills: * Cooking * Persuasion * Perception * Lock Picking * Drawing * Knowledge of Animals * Tracking Combat Skills: * Sword Fighting * Hand to Hand Combat * Knife Combat * Knife Throwing * Shields Magic Item: * Sylvi - Magical sword that returns to her hand no matter what, it also tends to burst into flames in combat, but will sometimes burst into flames if she gets angry. * Brynja - Turns Klara's cat when activated into a large wild cat, complete with a saddle for Klara and others to potentially ride the cat, as well as to act as actual armor for Betty. What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - Armor and cloak with boots to match them. The armor was given to her after she joined the ranks of the dead as it was much more practical of combat wear then what she had been wearing when she died. * Purse/Wallet - She carries around a satchel more then an actual purse, it has a few pieces of paper and writing materials, as well as a few throwing knives. * A knife strapped to her right boot within easy reach. * Her sword Sylvi in it's sheath on her left side * Another knife in a small sheath on her right side * Necklace that is the last thing she got from her mother. It's a bit dulled now from the years Possessions In Hotel Room: * More throwing knives gallore! * Targets that allow her to practice her fighting skills * Her artwork on display * Drawing supplies * A drawing she had made sitting in a picture frame of her, her mother, and her older sister before the witch trials began, in the background was a ghostly almost figure that represented the father who raised her. * Elizabeth her Norwegian Forest Cat named after her sister. Tends to follow her around at times. --- --- History Biography Klara grew up in her home in Salem, the younger daughter of Sarah and Aaron Blake, or at least that's who she thought was her biological father. Her older sister Elizabeth was a fun older sister, and she got along well with her, especially since she was only two years older. She loved her family so much, everything seemed perfect for her. Growing up in a loving family, with parents who loved her and an older sister that she looked up to. Then everything changed, when her father grew sick. Very very sick. They weren't sure what illness it was, and the physician in the small village did what he could for the man, but unfortunately, there wasn't much else that could be done for him. She had been very close with her father, and she completely shut everyone out when he died when she was 8 years old. He had always told her to stay strong no matter what happened, and she tried to live up to that. She always tried to do the right thing, to help others even if it might end up hurting her. There wasn't much she could do though, she was just a young girl whose father was dead. It made her and her sister both anomalies in the town, weirdos, but that didn't matter, she was going to stay by her sister and her mother, no matter what. Then of course, everything changed the month that she turned 18, namely, the start of the Salem Witch Trials. Klara wasn't even sure if these sort of things were even possible, or that those accused even were guilty of witchcraft or something like that. However, things got a bit more messy, when it came to her mother. Her mother, her poor mother, was accused of witchcraft. The "evidence" was something about her mother committing adultery at one point, before Klara had been born. Other bits were just heresay from others, girls claiming that she had bewitched them. She had been hopeless in preventing her mother's execution, and that was what broke her, what caused her to decide to act upon everything, despite what her sister Elizabeth was telling her. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: She died trying to free those imprisoned who were falsely accused during the trials. Klara had snuck into the jail one night, and was slowly but surely starting to unlock the jail cells using a knife that she had brought along with her as she started to free people. That's when she was surprised by a jail guard who instantly tried to stop her, and Klara instantly started to fight back. She ended up stabbing the guard by accident as he tried to arrest her, and she kicked him backwards, before she dropped the knife and instantly started moving the innocents away, having already given them instructions on how to get out of the village. What she hadn't expected was that the guard had picked her knife up and stabbed her with it in the back, whirling around she threw her fist into the man's face. She yelled at the others to run as she started to fight back with the guard, not even caring that she was bleeding out in the process. Her only concern was to protect the innocents who she had freed, and the result ended up with her getting the guard to stop moving, before she completely collapsed to the ground, and bled out. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Nickelback - Gotta Be Somebody Extra Information: Posty post Aesir I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay. --- --- Relations --- Klara Blake "Don't mess with me, believe it or not I know what I'm doing." --- --- ⟢ 🎆Respects ⟡ 🌓Neutral ⟡ 👋Acquaintance ⟡ 🙇It's Complicated ⟣ ⟢ 💛Friend ⟡ 💙Good Friends ⟡ 💜Best Friends ⟡ ❣️Ex-Friends ⟡ 😈Frienemy ⟣ ⟢ 💘Infatuation ⟡ 💓Loves ⟡ 💗Couple ⟡ 💕Basically Family ⟡ 💞Family ⟡ 💔Ex-Lovers ⟣ ⟢ ♨️Tense ⟡ 💀Dislikes ⟡ 😡Hates ⟡ 👿Enemy ⟡ 👹Absolutely Loathes ⟣ --- --- 💛 Arnora Skadidottir, Daughter of Skadi 💛 "She's pretty cool, and has been here longer then I have." Klara considers Arnora to be her friend, namely since she's one of the few people who are older then her that actually really talked to her when she first arrived in Valhalla. She went on a quest of sorts with her at one point too, but they already got along before then. --- 💜 Nadia Petrova, Daughter of Frey 💜 "One of the younger dead people here! We get on each others nerves, but at the end of the day we're best friends and will have each others backs." Klara and Nadia's friendship might seem like a bit of a weird one considering the fact that they died in completely different time eras. They butt heads a lot, but overall they are an interesting pair. They both also enjoy playing pranks on people, so that's led to a few interesting altercations. --- 💛 Dalisy Bautista, Daughter of Heimdall 💛 "She's alright, gets on my nerves on occasion though." The thing that is probably preventing her and Dalisy from being better friends might have to do with both of their temperaments and the fact that Dalisy doesn't like Nadia who is Klara's best friend. They argue and seem like they hate each other, but Klara and Dalisy have interesting conversations even if it sometimes seems like they'll strangle each other constantly. --- Symbol Runa Johansson, Daughter of Balder Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details --- Symbol Characters Name Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details ---</s> <\|message\|>Lara Alderliesten --- --- Location: Boston Skills: N/A --- --- Lara stood herself up at that point and offered her help to others up and then looked around at that point. Boston... Midgard. She had been here before, and thankfully the city didn't seem to be that much different from the last time she had been here. She liked Boston for that reason. Of course, it was the same as her hometown of Amsterdam. She missed it so much... but she knew that she couldn't go back anytime soon. "So to the harbor then? I'm guessing we'll be looking for a boat to take us to where we need to go?" Lara made sure that she didn't leave Elizabeth behind as she caught up to Arnora. She knew that mortals would be staring at them but then they'd look away and forget that the girls had been there. Thankfully that was how things worked with mortals, with them trying to ignore the obvious that was right in front of them.</s> <\|message\|>Runa Phoebe Johansson --- --- Runa Johansson --- Location: Boston, MA Skills: N/A --- --- Runa slowly regained awareness of her surroundings, but the crushing black cloud of depression and anxiety did not lift. The storm continued in her mind, leaving Runa's spirit scrambling for shelter against the elements. She felt ashamed to be breaking down like this in front of Klara and the others. It probably made them hate her, wishing that they had someone who didn't cry so much with them on this. They'd probably be better off if they left her behind and just did this quest themselves. The universe would be better off. Everything she touched was just going to rot, it was probably a mistake and her parent was actually the god of decay or something, not Baldur. She flinched at Arnora's embrace. Runa was very much a person who needed personal space. She didn't like people going up to her and just hugging her, but she understood that Arnora was just trying to be kind and helpful. It only made Runa feel more ashamed that she'd react like that to someone's kindness. Yeah, the others definitely didn't want her around, she was sure of that. "I'm okay," Runa said weakly. She knew that it didn't sound convincing, but usually people just accepted it when she said stuff like that. They were usually just relieved they didn't have to have someone sad and depressing around anymore.</s>	<\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: Boston Skills: N/A --- --- Personally Klara had no intentions of telling Elizabeth where the hell they had ended up. She was still annoyed with everything that she had done not all too long ago, so she still didn't want to talk to her. Right now though, she was more concerned with how Runa was doing as she had seemingly had a mental breakdown of some sort. Klara was relatively glad when Runa ended up speaking up and saying something, even if it was more or less just her trying to reassure them that she was alright. She was glad to hear the words out of her mouth, so at least Runa seemed to be calming down slightly. "It'll be alright Runa... Do you want to take another minute to catch your breath before we go after the others? Or do you want to head after them right now?" she asked her softly, giving her a smile. If Runa wanted to wait a little while first, that was totally understandable. They had a little bit of time before they really needed to get moving, so she gave Runa the option to head off or to wait another moment. Rushing someone who clearly was still having a hard time processing everything, at least in her mind, was a majorly bad idea.</s>
<\|description\|>Klara Natalia Blake Klara Blake "I lived in a time when innocents were prosecuted on baseless accusations, do you really want to question how I find justice?" --- --- Character Summary Aliases: None Age: 18 Birthday: February 14, 1674 Death Date: March 12, 1692 Ethnicity: Caucasian Birth Place: Salem, Massachusetts Godly Parent: Thor How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: Since her death in 1692 Gender: Female Languages: English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5 feet 6 inches Weight: 121 pounds Build: Athletic Eyes: Hazel Hair: Dark Brown Skin Tone: Lightly Tanned Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Ears pierced Personal Style: Klara was from a very different time and place then most. However, since being in Hotel Valhalla she has traded out her typical dresses that she used to wear more of for armor or something a bit more practical, typically armor of some kind that she has gotten since being in the hotel. It works better for fighting and allows her to move more easily, however she won't say no to dressing up in typical dresses or something like that, she always did love fashion, even way back in the 17th century. --- --- Psychology Adventurous * Trickster * Brave * Hot Headed * Kind * Stubborn Sexuality: Bisexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Klara is not exactly a very calm individual, depending on what sort of mood she's in when you meet her. She has a fiery temper that she'll easily let loose on anyone who gets on her bad side. This combined with her stubbornness leads to a bad combination that results in her constantly getting on people's bad sides, however, that tends to not exactly be the worst things. Since she does have a few tricks up her sleeve so to speak, and will easily play tricks on others, sometimes making people think that there was a mistake and she was actually the daughter of Loki. However she does have a few traits that are redeeming, namely the fact that usually she is a very kind and caring person who will fight for those who are close to her. Her adventurous spirit allows for her to go off on a whim, and her bravery allows her to stand up to just about anyone. No matter what the costs are, if she considers you to be a friend, you can almost guarantee that she'd die for you. Fatal Flaw: Pride Habits: Twisting her hair, biting her lip Hobbies: Swimming, reading Fears: * Snakes * Heights * Fire Likes: * Fashion (she even sometimes tries to keep up with what's trendy in the land of the living!) * Playing tricks on people * Fighting * Animals! (except for snakes, they are horrid) * Swimming * Books Dislikes: * Spiders * Snakes (the bane of her existence) * Fire * Skeptics (people who don't believe or understand magic) * Liars * People she thinks are idiots --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: (It must fit with what your god or goddess parent is.) * Super Strength * Goat Vision! General Skills: * Cooking * Persuasion * Perception * Lock Picking * Drawing * Knowledge of Animals * Tracking Combat Skills: * Sword Fighting * Hand to Hand Combat * Knife Combat * Knife Throwing * Shields Magic Item: * Sylvi - Magical sword that returns to her hand no matter what, it also tends to burst into flames in combat, but will sometimes burst into flames if she gets angry. * Brynja - Turns Klara's cat when activated into a large wild cat, complete with a saddle for Klara and others to potentially ride the cat, as well as to act as actual armor for Betty. What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - Armor and cloak with boots to match them. The armor was given to her after she joined the ranks of the dead as it was much more practical of combat wear then what she had been wearing when she died. * Purse/Wallet - She carries around a satchel more then an actual purse, it has a few pieces of paper and writing materials, as well as a few throwing knives. * A knife strapped to her right boot within easy reach. * Her sword Sylvi in it's sheath on her left side * Another knife in a small sheath on her right side * Necklace that is the last thing she got from her mother. It's a bit dulled now from the years Possessions In Hotel Room: * More throwing knives gallore! * Targets that allow her to practice her fighting skills * Her artwork on display * Drawing supplies * A drawing she had made sitting in a picture frame of her, her mother, and her older sister before the witch trials began, in the background was a ghostly almost figure that represented the father who raised her. * Elizabeth her Norwegian Forest Cat named after her sister. Tends to follow her around at times. --- --- History Biography Klara grew up in her home in Salem, the younger daughter of Sarah and Aaron Blake, or at least that's who she thought was her biological father. Her older sister Elizabeth was a fun older sister, and she got along well with her, especially since she was only two years older. She loved her family so much, everything seemed perfect for her. Growing up in a loving family, with parents who loved her and an older sister that she looked up to. Then everything changed, when her father grew sick. Very very sick. They weren't sure what illness it was, and the physician in the small village did what he could for the man, but unfortunately, there wasn't much else that could be done for him. She had been very close with her father, and she completely shut everyone out when he died when she was 8 years old. He had always told her to stay strong no matter what happened, and she tried to live up to that. She always tried to do the right thing, to help others even if it might end up hurting her. There wasn't much she could do though, she was just a young girl whose father was dead. It made her and her sister both anomalies in the town, weirdos, but that didn't matter, she was going to stay by her sister and her mother, no matter what. Then of course, everything changed the month that she turned 18, namely, the start of the Salem Witch Trials. Klara wasn't even sure if these sort of things were even possible, or that those accused even were guilty of witchcraft or something like that. However, things got a bit more messy, when it came to her mother. Her mother, her poor mother, was accused of witchcraft. The "evidence" was something about her mother committing adultery at one point, before Klara had been born. Other bits were just heresay from others, girls claiming that she had bewitched them. She had been hopeless in preventing her mother's execution, and that was what broke her, what caused her to decide to act upon everything, despite what her sister Elizabeth was telling her. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: She died trying to free those imprisoned who were falsely accused during the trials. Klara had snuck into the jail one night, and was slowly but surely starting to unlock the jail cells using a knife that she had brought along with her as she started to free people. That's when she was surprised by a jail guard who instantly tried to stop her, and Klara instantly started to fight back. She ended up stabbing the guard by accident as he tried to arrest her, and she kicked him backwards, before she dropped the knife and instantly started moving the innocents away, having already given them instructions on how to get out of the village. What she hadn't expected was that the guard had picked her knife up and stabbed her with it in the back, whirling around she threw her fist into the man's face. She yelled at the others to run as she started to fight back with the guard, not even caring that she was bleeding out in the process. Her only concern was to protect the innocents who she had freed, and the result ended up with her getting the guard to stop moving, before she completely collapsed to the ground, and bled out. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Nickelback - Gotta Be Somebody Extra Information: Posty post Aesir I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay. --- --- Relations --- Klara Blake "Don't mess with me, believe it or not I know what I'm doing." --- --- ⟢ 🎆Respects ⟡ 🌓Neutral ⟡ 👋Acquaintance ⟡ 🙇It's Complicated ⟣ ⟢ 💛Friend ⟡ 💙Good Friends ⟡ 💜Best Friends ⟡ ❣️Ex-Friends ⟡ 😈Frienemy ⟣ ⟢ 💘Infatuation ⟡ 💓Loves ⟡ 💗Couple ⟡ 💕Basically Family ⟡ 💞Family ⟡ 💔Ex-Lovers ⟣ ⟢ ♨️Tense ⟡ 💀Dislikes ⟡ 😡Hates ⟡ 👿Enemy ⟡ 👹Absolutely Loathes ⟣ --- --- 💛 Arnora Skadidottir, Daughter of Skadi 💛 "She's pretty cool, and has been here longer then I have." Klara considers Arnora to be her friend, namely since she's one of the few people who are older then her that actually really talked to her when she first arrived in Valhalla. She went on a quest of sorts with her at one point too, but they already got along before then. --- 💜 Nadia Petrova, Daughter of Frey 💜 "One of the younger dead people here! We get on each others nerves, but at the end of the day we're best friends and will have each others backs." Klara and Nadia's friendship might seem like a bit of a weird one considering the fact that they died in completely different time eras. They butt heads a lot, but overall they are an interesting pair. They both also enjoy playing pranks on people, so that's led to a few interesting altercations. --- 💛 Dalisy Bautista, Daughter of Heimdall 💛 "She's alright, gets on my nerves on occasion though." The thing that is probably preventing her and Dalisy from being better friends might have to do with both of their temperaments and the fact that Dalisy doesn't like Nadia who is Klara's best friend. They argue and seem like they hate each other, but Klara and Dalisy have interesting conversations even if it sometimes seems like they'll strangle each other constantly. --- Symbol Runa Johansson, Daughter of Balder Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details --- Symbol Characters Name Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details ---</s> <\|message\|>Elizabeth Nichole Flame --- --- Elizabeth Flame Location: Boat - Shore Skills: Pyromancy --- --- As they escaped from the snake, and the ice encased it, Elizabeth relaxed for a moment. Travel would give them a moment to breath, which she especially needed after tapping into her rune magic like that. She had to be careful, since the real adventure hadn't even started yet. It was dangerous, she thought, for them to exhaust themselves by this point. If they wanted to free Baldur and stop Hel, they needed to be in their best condition possible, and it seemed like the universe was conspiring to set them up to fail. No matter what though, they had to continue. Failure wasn't an option. As they approached the shore, she nodded and said, "I'll rest eventually, I'll be fine for now." They needed to set up camp, and be ready for the oncoming assault they were planning, and that meant warmth. That was, thankfully, something she could deal with. As they docked, Elizabeth got right to searching around for wood, collecting bits and pieces, before setting them on the gerund in front of her. Even though she couldn't see, she knew what a good fire was structured like, and as she set the final piece, a get of flame shot rom her arm, and into the wood, igniting it.</s> <\|message\|>Runa Phoebe Johansson --- --- Runa Johansson --- Location: Nidavellir Skills: N/A --- --- Even though she knew the plan, Runa couldn't help but be nervous. If Nadia lost the game, then she'd lose her sword. She really hoped that Nadia had a fair amount of luck, since Klara was right, strategy only went so far in games like these. Still though, they did need to get these tools - they had to complete this fetch quest so they could get the information they needed to save the world. She bit her lip slightly, wishing she had the power to turn herself invisible or something like that. She usually was pretty naturally invisible at school and all, but here in a room of dwarves, she stuck out like a sore thumb. Runa quietly moved towards the corner of the room with the tools, hoping that she wouldn't attract attention. Her eyes widened slightly as she saw someone notice her, and Runa panicked for a brief second, before she got an idea and decided to hope for the best. She leaned up against the tool table and pushed up slightly, so that way she was sitting on the table, and she leaned forward, looking at the game. The dwarf who noticed her apparently bought that she had just been looking for a seat all along and Runa felt their eyes leave her, and she relaxed slightly.</s>	<\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake Location: Nidavellir Skills: N/A --- --- "Yeah, they tend to be a bit particular about their stuff," Klara added in agreement with Nadia's comment. She reached her hand up and scratched her cat behind the ear as the kitty rubbed up against her head. There wasn't much that they could do aside from either try and win the tools back fairly in a game of pure luck essentially, or by just sneaking around with a bit of a distraction and just trying to steal the tools that way. Well, who knows how things are going to go for them at this point. Gotta love the weird side quests like this right? Her eyes glanced slightly to see what it was that Runa was doing, and the dwarf that seemed to have noticed her. She was glad that Runa managed to make it seem like she was just looking for a spot to watch the card game. Of course, she immediately turned her eyes to the game on the table, petting her cat as she watched the dwarf deal out the card for the game. If need be she'd see about getting her cat to bite someone or claw someone if they needed a quick diversion for a getaway with the tools. That might be helpful in the long run, who knew how things were going to go with this game though.</s>
<\|description\|>Klara Natalia Blake Klara Blake "I lived in a time when innocents were prosecuted on baseless accusations, do you really want to question how I find justice?" --- --- Character Summary Aliases: None Age: 18 Birthday: February 14, 1674 Death Date: March 12, 1692 Ethnicity: Caucasian Birth Place: Salem, Massachusetts Godly Parent: Thor How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: Since her death in 1692 Gender: Female Languages: English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5 feet 6 inches Weight: 121 pounds Build: Athletic Eyes: Hazel Hair: Dark Brown Skin Tone: Lightly Tanned Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Ears pierced Personal Style: Klara was from a very different time and place then most. However, since being in Hotel Valhalla she has traded out her typical dresses that she used to wear more of for armor or something a bit more practical, typically armor of some kind that she has gotten since being in the hotel. It works better for fighting and allows her to move more easily, however she won't say no to dressing up in typical dresses or something like that, she always did love fashion, even way back in the 17th century. --- --- Psychology Adventurous * Trickster * Brave * Hot Headed * Kind * Stubborn Sexuality: Bisexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Klara is not exactly a very calm individual, depending on what sort of mood she's in when you meet her. She has a fiery temper that she'll easily let loose on anyone who gets on her bad side. This combined with her stubbornness leads to a bad combination that results in her constantly getting on people's bad sides, however, that tends to not exactly be the worst things. Since she does have a few tricks up her sleeve so to speak, and will easily play tricks on others, sometimes making people think that there was a mistake and she was actually the daughter of Loki. However she does have a few traits that are redeeming, namely the fact that usually she is a very kind and caring person who will fight for those who are close to her. Her adventurous spirit allows for her to go off on a whim, and her bravery allows her to stand up to just about anyone. No matter what the costs are, if she considers you to be a friend, you can almost guarantee that she'd die for you. Fatal Flaw: Pride Habits: Twisting her hair, biting her lip Hobbies: Swimming, reading Fears: * Snakes * Heights * Fire Likes: * Fashion (she even sometimes tries to keep up with what's trendy in the land of the living!) * Playing tricks on people * Fighting * Animals! (except for snakes, they are horrid) * Swimming * Books Dislikes: * Spiders * Snakes (the bane of her existence) * Fire * Skeptics (people who don't believe or understand magic) * Liars * People she thinks are idiots --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: (It must fit with what your god or goddess parent is.) * Super Strength * Goat Vision! General Skills: * Cooking * Persuasion * Perception * Lock Picking * Drawing * Knowledge of Animals * Tracking Combat Skills: * Sword Fighting * Hand to Hand Combat * Knife Combat * Knife Throwing * Shields Magic Item: * Sylvi - Magical sword that returns to her hand no matter what, it also tends to burst into flames in combat, but will sometimes burst into flames if she gets angry. * Brynja - Turns Klara's cat when activated into a large wild cat, complete with a saddle for Klara and others to potentially ride the cat, as well as to act as actual armor for Betty. What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - Armor and cloak with boots to match them. The armor was given to her after she joined the ranks of the dead as it was much more practical of combat wear then what she had been wearing when she died. * Purse/Wallet - She carries around a satchel more then an actual purse, it has a few pieces of paper and writing materials, as well as a few throwing knives. * A knife strapped to her right boot within easy reach. * Her sword Sylvi in it's sheath on her left side * Another knife in a small sheath on her right side * Necklace that is the last thing she got from her mother. It's a bit dulled now from the years Possessions In Hotel Room: * More throwing knives gallore! * Targets that allow her to practice her fighting skills * Her artwork on display * Drawing supplies * A drawing she had made sitting in a picture frame of her, her mother, and her older sister before the witch trials began, in the background was a ghostly almost figure that represented the father who raised her. * Elizabeth her Norwegian Forest Cat named after her sister. Tends to follow her around at times. --- --- History Biography Klara grew up in her home in Salem, the younger daughter of Sarah and Aaron Blake, or at least that's who she thought was her biological father. Her older sister Elizabeth was a fun older sister, and she got along well with her, especially since she was only two years older. She loved her family so much, everything seemed perfect for her. Growing up in a loving family, with parents who loved her and an older sister that she looked up to. Then everything changed, when her father grew sick. Very very sick. They weren't sure what illness it was, and the physician in the small village did what he could for the man, but unfortunately, there wasn't much else that could be done for him. She had been very close with her father, and she completely shut everyone out when he died when she was 8 years old. He had always told her to stay strong no matter what happened, and she tried to live up to that. She always tried to do the right thing, to help others even if it might end up hurting her. There wasn't much she could do though, she was just a young girl whose father was dead. It made her and her sister both anomalies in the town, weirdos, but that didn't matter, she was going to stay by her sister and her mother, no matter what. Then of course, everything changed the month that she turned 18, namely, the start of the Salem Witch Trials. Klara wasn't even sure if these sort of things were even possible, or that those accused even were guilty of witchcraft or something like that. However, things got a bit more messy, when it came to her mother. Her mother, her poor mother, was accused of witchcraft. The "evidence" was something about her mother committing adultery at one point, before Klara had been born. Other bits were just heresay from others, girls claiming that she had bewitched them. She had been hopeless in preventing her mother's execution, and that was what broke her, what caused her to decide to act upon everything, despite what her sister Elizabeth was telling her. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: She died trying to free those imprisoned who were falsely accused during the trials. Klara had snuck into the jail one night, and was slowly but surely starting to unlock the jail cells using a knife that she had brought along with her as she started to free people. That's when she was surprised by a jail guard who instantly tried to stop her, and Klara instantly started to fight back. She ended up stabbing the guard by accident as he tried to arrest her, and she kicked him backwards, before she dropped the knife and instantly started moving the innocents away, having already given them instructions on how to get out of the village. What she hadn't expected was that the guard had picked her knife up and stabbed her with it in the back, whirling around she threw her fist into the man's face. She yelled at the others to run as she started to fight back with the guard, not even caring that she was bleeding out in the process. Her only concern was to protect the innocents who she had freed, and the result ended up with her getting the guard to stop moving, before she completely collapsed to the ground, and bled out. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Nickelback - Gotta Be Somebody Extra Information: Posty post Aesir I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay. --- --- Relations --- Klara Blake "Don't mess with me, believe it or not I know what I'm doing." --- --- ⟢ 🎆Respects ⟡ 🌓Neutral ⟡ 👋Acquaintance ⟡ 🙇It's Complicated ⟣ ⟢ 💛Friend ⟡ 💙Good Friends ⟡ 💜Best Friends ⟡ ❣️Ex-Friends ⟡ 😈Frienemy ⟣ ⟢ 💘Infatuation ⟡ 💓Loves ⟡ 💗Couple ⟡ 💕Basically Family ⟡ 💞Family ⟡ 💔Ex-Lovers ⟣ ⟢ ♨️Tense ⟡ 💀Dislikes ⟡ 😡Hates ⟡ 👿Enemy ⟡ 👹Absolutely Loathes ⟣ --- --- 💛 Arnora Skadidottir, Daughter of Skadi 💛 "She's pretty cool, and has been here longer then I have." Klara considers Arnora to be her friend, namely since she's one of the few people who are older then her that actually really talked to her when she first arrived in Valhalla. She went on a quest of sorts with her at one point too, but they already got along before then. --- 💜 Nadia Petrova, Daughter of Frey 💜 "One of the younger dead people here! We get on each others nerves, but at the end of the day we're best friends and will have each others backs." Klara and Nadia's friendship might seem like a bit of a weird one considering the fact that they died in completely different time eras. They butt heads a lot, but overall they are an interesting pair. They both also enjoy playing pranks on people, so that's led to a few interesting altercations. --- 💛 Dalisy Bautista, Daughter of Heimdall 💛 "She's alright, gets on my nerves on occasion though." The thing that is probably preventing her and Dalisy from being better friends might have to do with both of their temperaments and the fact that Dalisy doesn't like Nadia who is Klara's best friend. They argue and seem like they hate each other, but Klara and Dalisy have interesting conversations even if it sometimes seems like they'll strangle each other constantly. --- Symbol Runa Johansson, Daughter of Balder Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details --- Symbol Characters Name Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details ---</s> <\|message\|>Lara Alderliesten --- --- Location: Niflheim Skills: Combat; Spear and Shield --- --- "I do agree, running seems like a good idea." Lara could see they were getting outnumbered as more dragur appeared at that point, and there were more coming out of the woods. She did take another stab at the drauger in front of her and it crumpled to the ground, having been taken out by her attacks. Thankfully that did mean there was some space between them and the dragurs that were working their ways out of the woods. She ran after Arnora and then smiled a bit as she saw the ice wall go up and was about to thank Arnora when Elizabeth got hit in the leg. Lara dashed after them, going to grab Elizabeth's other side to help support her as they ran off. "So where are we going to go... should we try to get back in the boat or just roll the dice and pray luck is on our side?"</s> <\|message\|>Runa Phoebe Johansson --- --- Runa Johansson --- Location: Nidavellir Skills: N/A --- --- Runa gaped with astonishment as Klara's kitten transformed into a giant beast, easily the size of a tiger. She was still having some trouble wrapping her head around everything that she was seeing and experiencing since dying. In some moments, she wanted to run from the information - but she knew that really her only path forward was just to accept the chaos swirling around her. Like for instance, she still didn't know why they couldn't ask someone else for directions, but apparently that wasn't an option - that or Klara and Nadia just hadn't heard her suggest it. She bit her lip slightly as the bully offered to give them the tools, in exchange for an IOU more or less. Nadia didn't think it was a good idea, and Runa trusted her when she said that. She didn't know what sort of favors the bully may ask for, but if Nadia thought it was a dangerous deal, then there was no way Runa was going to support taking it. "No thank you," Runa told the giant, speaking softly but still loudly enough that he would be able to hear her.</s>	<\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake Location: Nidavellir Skills: N/A --- --- "No way would we want to be in your debt for anything, that is beyond stupid," she instantly said to the giant, before looking up at the tools that were in the air again. Hang on a second. That sort of thing probably required quite a bit of concentration to maintain, most sorts of magic did. So what would happen if she found a way to break that concentration? Easiest way would be to just beat up the guy a few times to hope he gets knocked out that way. But, thinking about it, she had a bit more of a creative way to potentially break that concentration without even having to lift a finger. A mischievous grin appeared on her face as she looked down at her rather large cat. "Alright Betty, sick him," she said simply, pointing at the giant, before she watched as the cat started doing a butt wiggle, clearly about to pounce, before the cat did just that. Betty tackled the giant and pinned him to the ground, and that resulted in him losing his concentration with keeping the tools aloft in the air. They dropped to the ground, and Klara just nonchalantly walked over to the tools and picked them up off of the ground. "You said if we could get them down we could take them, pleasure doing business with you, good girl Betty," she commented before looking at the others. "Job done, let's go."</s>

Subsets and Splits

No community queries yet

The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.

prompt stringlengths 451 16.4k	completion stringlengths 47 11.1k
<\|description\|>Jennifer Lóng Biographical Information Nickname(s): Jen, Jin, Jenni. Date of Birth: February 9, 1973 Aquarius Skills/Abilities: Reptile & Sword-Handling Expert; Master of Kendo, Iaido, Kenjutsu, Kung-Fu, Chi-Gong & Tessenjutsu; Stealth, Self-Hibernation, Decelerated Aging, Scale Generation, Aiming Proficiency & Enhanced Durability/Lungs/Smell. Weapon(s) of Choice: Single Katana and Tessen. Occupation(s): Zoo Keeper (formerly); Vigilante. Physical Description Specie(s): Human (formerly); Reptilian-Hybrid. Gender: Female. Height: 5' 7". Hair Color: Dark Brown-Black. Eye Color: Brown. Overview (Brief Summary): Originated from Beijing, Jennifer was adopted and raised in the traditions of a Japanese family in America. Spending most of her life traveling, whilst having to develop a warm heart for animals, she eventually settled down in New York, where she became a keeper and specialist of the Reptile House at the Central Park Zoo...before one night changed her life forever. At closing time, she came into contact with a mysterious substance that somehow fused her DNA with one of the lizards at the zoo. Personality: Strong-Willed, Brave/Courageous, Wise, Astute, Sisterly, Patient, Calm, Mature, Independent, Inspiring, Caring/Selfless, Intelligent, Resourceful, Creative, Protective, Confident, Fair/Honorable, Tenacious, Modest, Thoughtful, Reliable. Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Zhang Ziyi</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Punches and kicks to the air seem to be the right way of releasing the anger he was harboring. Splinter's very absence was taking its toll, and the longer they sit around, the bigger the chances were that their master may be gone permanently. Doesn't Leo understand this? They can't stay stationary. Giving grunts and groans of frustration, Raphael sighed, shortly before he heard the voice of Charlotte, a short ways behind him. What was she doing here? Looking over the side of the building, and over at the streets below, he didn't answer her, but rather, gave a sniff; whether out of sadness or anger, the rebel shook his head, trying to force these troubled feelings to just disappear. Her words were launching towards him, and he didn't look at her. "He's out there; I know it", he said, seemingly ignoring what she was telling him.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "So do I, but I don't think he'd want his family to fall into discord." She said, carefully walking up to him. She still wanted to give him space should he decide to throw more punches and kicks. Charlie hesitated before gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "I know it might take you a while to calm down, but you have to try to make up with Leo. You can't leave things the way they were." She advised with a little hopeful smile. Unbeknownst to them they were being watched by multiple eyes. One pair was from a not too far away building where a man sat, not believing what he was seeing even with the binoculars. It was the weird punk he met a few nights ago. What was he doing up there? And why was there a girl with him? The other eyes belonged to a group of Foot ninjas who were creeping up on the duo before Charlie sensed something was wrong. She turned around, eyes widening as she saw they were surrounded. "Raph!" She exclaimed, but her warning came too late as one of the ninjas jumped onto his back.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Her persistence was fierce, that's for sure. Raphael didn't think that, besides Splinter, the girl could try to reason with him with wisdom. It hasn't been an easy thing to swallow, if such things came from his brothers but, perhaps out of anyone he encountered, that wasn't his father, Charlotte was able to give him a message that showed genuine care behind her reasoning. He took a few deep breaths through his nose, shortly before he felt her hand on his shoulder. It was obvious that she was being careful yet gentle in her approach, and that was what caused Raphael to reluctantly relent, and slowly loosen his fists. "Charlie, I...", he began to say, still looking down, whilst appearing to calm down, before being able to lift his head, and take another deep breath. "...thanks." He too was unaware of themselves being watched, even when the group of men in black jumpsuits started to approach to duo with complete silence. He heard Charlotte shout his name; the next thing he knew, they were getting thrown around, in an ambush. It was only a matter of time, before he could get back to his feet. "'Lee, get out of here!", he told her, as he started putting a number on the impeding group of ninjas. As long as their attention was on the rebellious turtle, Charlie would have a bigger chance of getting away, and telling the others. Meanwhile, April was showing her new friends the antique show below the apartment, which only seemed to induce wonder and curiosity in the turtle brothers, while Jennifer thought about the prolonged absence of their brother and Charlie. But, at the same time, the back of her mind says, that there was some sort of spark going on between her "sister" and the red-bandannaed turtle. Not that she was worried about it, but it became quite...endearing. Her thoughts were cut off, once Mikey decided to play a prank on Leo, having to startle him with some cymbals he found laying around. Luckily, Jen and April were able to cover their ears, in time. The ninjas were pouring in, and Raphael was starting to find himself overwhelmed. He was able to fend off a good few, but it was starting to become very hard. However, his tenacity didn't fade, despite his impeding exhaustion. "You must be studying the abridged book of ninja fighting. I mean, come on, how do you guys expect to beat me?", more and more started pouring in, making Raphael realize that numbers were on their side. "Good answer. Good answer". "Haven't they been gone a long time?", April asked, as they were going back up to the apartment, after giving them a brief tour of some of her most-prized possessions. "Raph does this, all the time; he likes it", Donnie reassured, as if it was no big deal. Jennifer frowned, sensing something wrong, shortly before she felt something sharp get thrown at her, grazing her cheek. "Are you sure?" Seeing a throwing ninja knife piercing the wall, Jennifer caught a glimpse of a bald Japanese man in a robe, in one of the mirrors. "We're being watched...", she realized, whispering to herself, before wiping the cut on her face. "...he'll probably be back any minute", before anybody could react, a shatter from above caught everyone off guard, as the body of Raphael came crashing through. "Raph!"</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie heard his words but didn't want to leave him alone, especially being clearly outnumbered. She hesitated for a moment before sneaking away, quickly heading downstairs to tell the others. She just hoped by the time she told them it wouldn't be too late. Tears started to sting her eyes at the thought of the brothers losing another family member, especially after the fight he had with Leo. She pushed the thoughts away as she spotted the others, running over towards them before quickly recoiling as she saw something fly quickly through the air. She was too late to warn them; the Foot were already here. She watched in shock as Raph crashed through the sunroof, glass and wood surrounding him. He wasn't moving. "Raph!" She exclaimed, running over with April and Donnie. Tears stung her eyes once again as she silently begged him to still be alive. "He's alive. Barely." Donnie assured them before looking at the few ninjas that had jumped in after their brother. Relief washed over Charlie before anger took over. These ninjas had the nerve to attack April, cause Splinter's disappearance, and now hurt her friend and threaten his brothers. She stood up, getting into a defensive stance.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng The crash was something that Jennifer did not want to see, especially since Charlie just walked into the room to witness it. She was immediately by April's side, checking to see that Raphael's vitals were still active. In addition to Donatello's claim, she was able to find a pulse, but it was faint. Very faint. Along with being thrown through the sunroof, he must nearly have been beaten to death before then. The attackers were piling in through the windows, door, and the roof. It was clearly an ambush, set to overthrow them with numbers rather than strength alone. But how did they find them? Nobody knew where they were. If so, who? Putting herself in the defensive, Jennifer stayed close to April, who looked over an unconscious Raphael, the moment they found themselves surrounded. "And I thought insurance salesmen were pushy", Mikey said, amusingly, shortly before one of them started swinging their single nun-chuck. "Oh, a fellow chucker, eh?", and the contest began. It was an exchange of skill to decipher who was better. Jennifer watched, silently, looking back and forth between the competitors. 'That's really impressive', she thought, having to give a small smile. It was becoming a close call, until Mikey sealed the deal by spinning his weapon on one finger. "Keep practicing", he said. 'It's over for you', she thought amusingly, the second Donnie jumped over him, and began the assault against their brothers' aggressors. There wasn't much room for them to defend themselves, but then, it was the perfect time to improvise. Giving a sucker punch, Mikey tossed one of them to Jennifer, who swiped her leg underneath to trip him into a cabinet, shortly before grab another, and launching a knee into his stomach. "Charlie, brace!", she said, before crouching down, and giving her sister a boost, by lifting Charlotte, and launching her towards another. "One of these guys knows where they're holding Splinter, so don't knock them all out", Leo told them, before knocking out the one he put into a choke hold. "I don't think that will be a problem, Leo", they just kept coming, one by one, and it only got worse, by the time, Donnie noticed more on the roof. "Hey guys, I'm not so sure if this is, structurally speaking, such a good time for your buddies to drop in", having to be surrounded once again, they weren't aware that the extra weight caused the floor to give out, due to them having to gall to use hatchets in the assault.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie watched as the Foot surrounded them before chuckling softly at the chucker tried intimidating them but easily lost to Mikey who did have impressive skills. Once Donnie attacked, it was on as punches and kicks were thrown. Charlie nodded in reply to Jennifer, getting launched at a ninja which she kicked down. She managed to jump away just as a hatchet came close to getting her. She realized Donnie's point too late as more ninjas came from the roof, causing the ruined floor to collapse. Charlie screamed as she fell with the others, a little bruised, but otherwise alright. She gasped softly upon seeing a bald Japanese man with more ninjas before them. Was he the leader? The answer was delayed as the door opened up to show a muscled man in a hockey mask carrying a hockey stick. "You guys mind telling me what you're doing to my little green pal over there, hm?" He asked, lifting up his mask to show he was around April's age. "Oh, who is the babe?" He added upon seeing her next to Raph. "Who the heck is that?" Leo asked, just as confused as everyone else there. "Wayne Gretzky on steroids?" Mikey guessed jokingly.</s>	<\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Knocking away one of their hatchets with her blade, she felt the deflation beneath her feet, giving Jennifer a pretty good idea, as to where this would be going. The destroyed floor couldn't hold all of them, and so, it collapsed right underneath them. Making a yell, she descended with everybody else, nearly hitting her head on a table, just narrowly missing it. Groaning, although she had bruises, scratches, and cuts in some places, she carefully yet slowly got to her feet, helping Charlie get up. "Are you okay?", she asked, worried for her. "Is everybody okay?", groans and aches were heard from them. "...wipe out", Mikey piped up. Just before she could get an answer from the others, Jen caught sight of the same Japanese man she saw in the mirror; the same one who threw the knife at her, along with more of those men, standing behind him. Her question was the same as Charlie's. 'Is this guy the one pulling the strings?', she defensively put her sword in front of her; this time, standing a few inches, in front of her sister. If he could throw blades at Jen, and graze her, she didn't want to think about someone with this kind of skill to be placed in front of a beginner, like Charlie. She was lucky to have moved from the weapon's path, and avoid certain death. Just then, before anything could happen, the door to the store opened, only to reveal a very fit man, donning a hockey mask, and armed with a hockey stick. Panting, Jen blinked at the newcomer, he had to, at least, be around 25 to 30 years old - around April's age. 'Just who is this guy?', she thought; her question nearly the same as Leonardo's. Mikey's comment seemed to break some of the tension, but it didn't stop the bald man from sending his men upon them. At this rate, it was utter chaos in the shop, shortly until it started to catch fire. They were drastically overwhelmed, both because the growing flames and their assailants. It was like a nightmare. "Come on, we got to get out of here!", retreat seemed to be the only real option right now, and Leo was right. They had to leave, and find some other place to lay low. While the others played defense, April strove to find a way out. "Help me. There used to be a trapdoor here to the basement", she said, moving some things out of the way. The brothers, Jennifer, and the mystery man were pushing the men back, so to give April more time. It was strange, really. Who, in the human world, would come to their aid? No one, other than April, knew about their existence, unless...he bumped into one of the turtles, not too long ago? Did Raphael know him? "Get away, I'll take care of these guys", the man said, by the time April was able to reveal their way out, and crawl through, before she and the mutants were able to get Raph's body through. "You coming?", Leo asked the newcomer, once the girls were able to go through their only means of escape. "I'll cover you!", the turtle nodded, before going through himself. It was only about some time that the man followed after him, after taking time to hold them off. "Bye, guys, got to run!", and the trap door was shut, leaving the bald man no choice but to pull back, by the time sirens were heard. "Ninja, vanish!"</s>
<\|description\|>Jennifer Lóng Biographical Information Nickname(s): Jen, Jin, Jenni. Date of Birth: February 9, 1973 Aquarius Skills/Abilities: Reptile & Sword-Handling Expert; Master of Kendo, Iaido, Kenjutsu, Kung-Fu, Chi-Gong & Tessenjutsu; Stealth, Self-Hibernation, Decelerated Aging, Scale Generation, Aiming Proficiency & Enhanced Durability/Lungs/Smell. Weapon(s) of Choice: Single Katana and Tessen. Occupation(s): Zoo Keeper (formerly); Vigilante. Physical Description Specie(s): Human (formerly); Reptilian-Hybrid. Gender: Female. Height: 5' 7". Hair Color: Dark Brown-Black. Eye Color: Brown. Overview (Brief Summary): Originated from Beijing, Jennifer was adopted and raised in the traditions of a Japanese family in America. Spending most of her life traveling, whilst having to develop a warm heart for animals, she eventually settled down in New York, where she became a keeper and specialist of the Reptile House at the Central Park Zoo...before one night changed her life forever. At closing time, she came into contact with a mysterious substance that somehow fused her DNA with one of the lizards at the zoo. Personality: Strong-Willed, Brave/Courageous, Wise, Astute, Sisterly, Patient, Calm, Mature, Independent, Inspiring, Caring/Selfless, Intelligent, Resourceful, Creative, Protective, Confident, Fair/Honorable, Tenacious, Modest, Thoughtful, Reliable. Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Zhang Ziyi</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie did her best to protect Raph and April as the latter tried opening a trapdoor for them to escape. It was the best course of action as they were easily overwhelmed by the numbers against them. Once it was opened, she helped Donnie get Raph through before climbing in after them. She turned to look back at Jen as they made their escape, worried about Raph and where they'd go now but also curious as to how they were found out by the enemy. The small group piled into April's van, Charlie carefully helping them bring in Raph before gently laying his head in her lap. She just hoped he'd wake up soon. She sighed softly before looking at everyone else as the hockey man took control of driving the car as April glanced back at her home burning. "Sorry about your place, April." She said softly, breaking the tense silence among them.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Just like April had said, there was indeed another room behind the door, and by the time they were able to reach the other side, they retreated into the human woman's van. Carefully, and swiftly, the brothers helped Charlotte carry Raphael into the van, just as Jennifer looked around to make sure they weren't being pursued from behind. The place was going up in flames, and the cloud of smoke engulfed the air. They were lucky to have gotten out in time, and it was all because of this mysterious human man, who willingly jumped into the fray, as backup. Apparently, at this rate, extra hands were what they really needed to get out of this situation. When everybody managed to get into the vehicle, Jennifer jumped in after them, and closed the doors with a grunt. As quick as they had piled in, the hockey man drove the van out from the side of the building, and into the streets. Luckily, the windows were tinted, so nobody would be able to take a peak on the inside. They have no choice but to find another hideout to, at least, recuperate from this near-death experience. With Raphael's head laying in her sister's lap, clearly out cold, Jennifer turned around to look out the back window, along with April to gaze at her burning apartment. The human woman didn't say anything, only looking upon her burning home with a sunken heart - her dad's antique store was gone, and probably beyond replenishing. Just as she was about to let tears fall, the Asian teen quickly engulfed her in a hug to console her. It wasn't fair. Who would rat them out like this? They were on the road now, homeless; all of them, now emotionally and mentally-affected. These people - the Foot - wanted them dead. They had to go off the grid; they weren't safe anymore in the city...until April pointed out a place that they could all try to rest, and heal. It took them all night to get there but there was, at least, some isolation. It was an old farm that April used to spend her summer days at; not entirely up to date, but it will do for now. Judging by how Raphael wasn't waking up, it was sadly ruled out that he was in a coma - nobody knew when he will ever wake up. That very same day, April and this man, whose name was "Casey Jones", had their argumentative moments, and it didn't really spread light on their situation. Jennifer and Charlie had to share a room, with April having to find them some new clothes, that were close in size, somewhere in the house. It occurred to Jen that her sister spent most of her time in the presence of Raphael, who laid in the bathtub. Even though she said that Leonardo took charge of watching over his brother, mainly out of guilt, Charlie insisted on being there. Meanwhile, April wrote down every account of their experiences in a journal, having to make a few sketches on the side. 'It's strange being back on the old farm. Even after all these years, it still feels like home. My amazing new friends have suffered their first real defeat. That's bad enough, but the turtles also lost the opportunity to find out about their mentor, and I'm sure that hurts them more than anything else. Jennifer and Charlie continued to cling onto hope that they fulfill their promise on helping them get through the very battle of conquering their greatest fears. Each of them deals with this confusion in their own way: Donatello has found someone to latch onto; Leonardo, meanwhile, has kept a constant vigil with Raphael, along with Charlotte, who seemed to continue on holding onto any hope of his recovery, with Jennifer and Michelangelo attempting to pent themselves via distraction. And then there's Casey Jones, a nine-year-old trapped in a man's body. He might almost be cute if it wasn't for that pigheadedness'.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie stayed close to Raph even after Leo insisted on keeping watch. She tried explaining they could take shifts so the other could get some rest, but the idea seemed to fall on deaf ears. She could tell Leo felt guilty for his brother being unconscious. If they hadn't fought, Raph wouldn't be in this predicament and would have had a better chance fighting off the Foot. She was currently in the kitchen making some sandwiches for everyone when she looked up to see Jennifer. "Hey." She said, realizing just how tired her voice sounded. It had been a few days since she had gotten proper sleep having only around three to four hours of rest if that. There were clear circles under her eyes from the sleeplessness. "Wanna help with these? I'm making them for everyone. Well, except for..." She said before trailing off.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng As much as she wanted to get Charlie to do something else, her sister stayed by Raph's side in the bathroom. At the same time, Leonardo insisted on telling her that he should be the one watching his brother; really to punish himself for the harsh words he given the rebellious turtle, before he was beaten, nearly to death. Jennifer could tell that her sister was barely sleeping, judging by the dark circles under her eyes, while at the same time, the teenage girl barely came back to their shared bedroom to lay down. Even when found Charlie in the kitchen, one day, making what seemed to be sandwiches, the Asian girl could tell that the other was lacking proper sleep again. By the time she trailed off on her words, Jen held her hands, really to stop her from what she was doing, before bringing her into a hug. "It's okay", she said softly, after kissing her forehead, and letting her lean against her, until they heard a shout from upstairs. "Hey! Hey, he's awake! He wants some food! Bring some food!" It was very unexpected, and yet, at that very moment, there came hope. Was Raphael truly awake? "Come on", Jen told Charlie, leading the way upstairs. By the time, they got there, the red-bandanna turtle was standing up, and awake, just like how Leo said, making Jennifer release a breath of relief, and smiled. The elder brother was helping the other turtle get to his feet, and helping him retain his balance. With nearly blurry vision, Raph gazed at the newcomers. "Hey guys", he said, wearily.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie allowed her adopted sister to comfort her as she trembled a little, trying to hold back tears. She was worried about Raph, especially since it affected the brothers. Leo moreso than the others. She had finally calmed down when she heard Leo's voice. She looked at Jen in surprise, hopeful as well as she headed upstairs quickly. She stopped upon seeing Raph awake and standing with a bit of help from Leo who seemed to have mended things between them. "You're okay!" She exclaimed, running over to hug the turtle in relief as happy tears fell. She pulled away, sniffing softly before smirking. "Bet you woke up because I was making sandwiches." She teased.</s>	<\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Making sure that Charlotte smiled, was something that Jennifer wanted to happen, the moment she met her; she was always better with one. From all of the challenges the two girls were forced to face in the outside world, all Jennifer did, was ensure that her sister was safe and happy. After meeting these four mutated turtles, there was a moment of realization for them to not only rely on each other, but rather those who were also like them. It was another part of "kin" they have yet to cross paths with, and were eventually adopted into. Beside from having each other, solace and acceptance were all that they really needed - and they may have found it. Living on the farm was not only a time to heal, but to also self-reflect, that they were in this together; that they had to stick together, for their own survival. They weren't only their friends, but also, come by it, family. It was an up-and-coming realization, once Raphael finally woke up from his nerve-wrecking slumber. He was able to stand, by the time, he noticed Charlie approaching him with a range of emotions in her eyes. He wasn't good with feelings, but he could tell that she was truly relieved, like everyone else. It felt fulfilling; he mended his relationship with his brother, and was able to see that 'Lee and the others were okay. All of this returned as a relief to him. Raph was rather surprised by the close contact that the girl gave him, but he soon relented, and willingly appreciated her attempt to show him her happiness. Strangely enough, at the very same time, something rose within him, having to possibly be generated after learning that she got away, when he told her to. "It's a Kodak moment", Donatello pointed out from the doorway, as their hug seemed to get longer than it should. When the girl pulled away, and teased him, the rebellious teen looked down at the ground, once more - a childhood habit when attempting to hide his emotions - causing a strange uproar in his chest. It was tingly; something he had never quite felt before, aside from familial love. "Bet you'll need this tub more than me", he said, in an attempt to tease her back. Jennifer looked between them, thinking about that "spark" again. Or, was it? She could be assuming, but it was clear that Raphael's reaction said otherwise. At this rate, she knew that Charlie was in good hands, and the realization made the Asian teen smile. In the meantime, they could all celebrate with some sandwiches. 'The Turtles are four, once again, and yet, still not whole. A lingering doubt remains; an unknown which they can't bear to face their greatest fear' More days went by, and everybody took that time to repair the broken and develop bonds. The only thing missing, was the parental figure that the brothers greatly missed. They seemed more lost, the longer they were away from the city, and Jennifer, as observant and perspective as she was, could sense their frustration - like small children trying to find the path that would lead them back home. In spite of this, they always attempted to distract themselves, by searching openings to rebuild their fighting spirits. At the same time, as Charlie seemed to be catching up on sleep, Jen proceeded to continue training her. After she managed to nail down the basics, Jennifer eventually moved her down the road in getting more physical. Of course, they got help from the brothers, who willingly gave them tips - mainly Raphael, who seemed to be finding opportunities in training Charlie further, whenever Jennifer couldn't...perhaps more often than not. Not that the Asian girl minded, since she herself took time of learning the bond between the mind and body from Leonardo. When Charlie was able to nail down the kicks and punches, full-body maneuvers came next. It wasn't necessarily advanced, nor was it for beginners, but more like in-between. Of course, as it was normal for something so complicated, mistakes were made, but it all came down with practice, and all six teens took it with stride, while April and Casey watched from the sidelines. Aside from training alone, Jennifer also noticed that Charlie hasn't left Raph's side once, and/or perhaps vice-versa. It could just be Jen's protective instincts alone, but then, she knew better than to observe, since the turtle always seemed to be around her sister.</s>
<\|description\|>Jennifer Lóng Biographical Information Nickname(s): Jen, Jin, Jenni. Date of Birth: February 9, 1973 Aquarius Skills/Abilities: Reptile & Sword-Handling Expert; Master of Kendo, Iaido, Kenjutsu, Kung-Fu, Chi-Gong & Tessenjutsu; Stealth, Self-Hibernation, Decelerated Aging, Scale Generation, Aiming Proficiency & Enhanced Durability/Lungs/Smell. Weapon(s) of Choice: Single Katana and Tessen. Occupation(s): Zoo Keeper (formerly); Vigilante. Physical Description Specie(s): Human (formerly); Reptilian-Hybrid. Gender: Female. Height: 5' 7". Hair Color: Dark Brown-Black. Eye Color: Brown. Overview (Brief Summary): Originated from Beijing, Jennifer was adopted and raised in the traditions of a Japanese family in America. Spending most of her life traveling, whilst having to develop a warm heart for animals, she eventually settled down in New York, where she became a keeper and specialist of the Reptile House at the Central Park Zoo...before one night changed her life forever. At closing time, she came into contact with a mysterious substance that somehow fused her DNA with one of the lizards at the zoo. Personality: Strong-Willed, Brave/Courageous, Wise, Astute, Sisterly, Patient, Calm, Mature, Independent, Inspiring, Caring/Selfless, Intelligent, Resourceful, Creative, Protective, Confident, Fair/Honorable, Tenacious, Modest, Thoughtful, Reliable. Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Zhang Ziyi</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie chuckled as he teased her back, just glad he was awake and alright if a little weak. She couldn't ignore the strange feeling growing inside her, making her feel warm, bubbly, happy. She only felt it around Raph. Was it because of their strange connection to each other? Possibly. As the days passed, the bonds between everyone seemed to grow, even the discord between April and Casey seemed to somewhat disappear but there were a few spats. Especially when he called her Toots one day which soon ended up with April leaving in a huff after telling him what she thought about him. But there was an unspoken emptiness everyone felt. Splinter was still missing. However, the brothers tried keeping their spirits up by perfecting their skills and helping Charlie with hers. Raphael seemed to be more interested in teaching her, giving her lessons whenever Jennifer couldn't or just because. There was no rhyme or reason why, but Charlie was thankful nonetheless. She was now moving onto more intermidenent moves. While nowhere near the brothers or Jen, she could at least put up a good fight. She was currently out with Raph training again when she managed to flip him over her shoulder. She smiled widely at the downed turtle. "I did it!" She exclaimed.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng "Yeah, yeah, 'Lee. Take five", the turtle groaned, as he managed to get on one knee. Taking a moment to crack his neck, and rolling his shoulder, Raphael sat down in the grass. Even though Charlie was nowhere near as muscular as him, it was all thanks to her newfound workout routine with Jennifer that she was able to gain some upper body strength. As humble as Jennifer was, her sister was making an improvement, beneficial to Charlie's ever-growing athleticism. These routines took hours, from an early morning, all the way to an early evening, along with a few breaks in between. Although it seemed easy, but it was a rather rough journey, but the girls were able to pull it off together, along with a bit of help. Weapons were a whole 'nother matter. While Charlie was prepared for hand-to-hand situations, learning how to defend yourself from a certain weapons were something that didn't quite fit in with the styles that they were currently teaching her...at least, not yet. As a result, Raphael didn't, at all, use his sais in any of his sessions with her. Learning how to defend yourself from such a weapon wasn't easy to come by, it was just as hard as wielding them; anything in the Kobudo category wasn't for beginners, unlike other martial art styles. Charlie was a fast-learner. He and the others figured that out, a long time ago. While not exactly experienced, she clearly had great tenacity, as she wanted to take in as much as she could from her sister and the brothers. So far, she proved to be a very capable student. These thoughts circled in the red turtle's mind, putting them to high regard.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie sighed softly as she sat beside him, glancing up at the sky and watching the clouds pass by. It was so peaceful. Calming. She wondered if he felt it too, even with his temper. Surprisingly it hadn't shown up as much, probably since he and Leo made up. Or maybe it was because she calmed him. He always seemed to change around her. She looked over at him, contemplating her words before speaking. "Raph? Do...Do you ever think about going back? Ya know, to the city? Find out where Splinter is?" She asked, hoping she wouldn't anger him or cause a silent treatment from him.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Raphael took the next few seconds of rolling his shoulder from his workout hours from this morning, as well as his training workout with Charlie. The girl was making great progress for the past week and, to the best of their ability, her mentors made sure that they made it easy for her to adapt in such situations. In the real world, nothing about it, is simple. They knew that they can't stay on the farm for long, especially since they should be out looking for Splinter and, hopefully, find him alive. They had to leave soon, so, about two days ago, they took their sessions up to an eleven, simply by putting Charlie in situations that would act as practice test runs, so they could see how much knowledge she had managed to gain from them. Sometimes, there would be a surprise strike, even if they seemed to be minding their own business. They weren't harsh, but the strikes were light enough to ensure that they don't accidentally knock her unconscious, or outright hurt her. Even if they weren't successful, Jen reminded her, from time-to-time, that such maneuvers will come unexpected, and that she had to be on alert. Well, maybe not too alert. Being prepared was necessary, at this very time. He had to admit that the current feeling was very peaceful, especially since he and his brothers were drastically missing the presence of a certain father-figure. Somehow, for the past few days, Raphael found nature to be quite calming. For having to live in a city, he hasn't really stepped forth in its very boundaries. But, for someone as hotheaded and impulsive, it has really given him some sense of serenity. Lightly running his hand in the grass, he picked at a strand, either finding a way to distract himself, while being alone with 'Lee. Ever since Raph developed that strange feeling for the past two weeks, it initially confused him, but then, there was lingering fondness that he had never felt before. She was always so nice, and so caring, always asking if he was okay, while recovering from his coma. He may not have realized it, but he was staring at her. What snapped him out of it, was when 'Lee turned to look at him. Blinking at her, the rebel looked away quickly. Surprisingly, when she asked him that question, instead of staying quiet, he answered her, after taking a deep breath, and giving himself a moment of thought. "I always have. If they have Splinter, I would want to go back. Aside from having brothers, he is home. I'd feel a lot better if we found him...alive", he said, a bit of sadness lingering in his voice on that last word. Raphael was putting hope on the fact that his father was alive; that he was stronger than even them. He looked at the ground, holding in that emotion. "You promised, didn't you, 'Lee? That you would help us?", he asked.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie listened to him, understanding wanting to go back. It wasn't just their home but Splinter they were missing greatly. No one could blame them for that. Charlie herself missed her own father especially after just leaving him a few days after the mutation. She just wished she could have explained to him. She was brought out of her thoughts upon hearing him question about her promise. "Of course I did. I never go back on a promise." She replied before gently placing a hand on top of his. "I can't explain it, but I feel like he's still alive. He's out there, probably with the Foot. All we have to do is get one of those goons to tell us where he's located." She gave him a little smile. "The last thing we all need to lose is hope. Without it, what else is going to bring us back to the city?"</s>	<\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Raph's thoughts were flying about, like leaves in the wind, just circling around. Could he truly be alive? How could they be certain that their father even survived? He shouldn't be thinking of such things, especially since they have gotten so close into believing that Splinter was out there, waiting for them. The longer they sit here, the longer he could continue to suffer. Alone. Closing his eyes, he had to hold onto the hope that his mentor was a trained martial artist, in the way of the ninja. He's alive...he had to be alive. The turtle's troublesome thoughts immediately dissipated, the moment he felt her hand make physical contact with his own. Encounters like this were new, and it gave Raphael some sort of reluctance to lean into it. He didn't know what to do, although his instincts told him that this was Charlie's way of showing him that she was sticking to her oath. However, there was a hunch when he looked down at their hands. Carefully, and slowly, he turned his three-fingered appendage over, so her hand would be sitting on his palm. It was awkward, shortly before he felt his heart strangely skip a beat, after just performing this one move. What is this? What is going on here? Could he...like her? Listening to her, Raphael almost pulled his hand away, but allowed it to remain there, intertwined, once he felt the calmness and comfort resonating from her touch. It was the same sensation that washed over him, when they were on that rooftop. Charlie was adding another layer to that peacefulness, that the nature around them brought. "'Lee, I...thanks", it was the same response he gave her back at the city, but..."Aside from April and Jen, thanks for looking out for us. Me, especially", he added, taking the risk to glance at her. Then, there was a shout behind them, back in the house, ruining the heartfelt moment. "Hey! Splinter's alive! He's alive!", Leo's voice was full of happiness and alarm. Jen was running towards her sister and the rebellious turtle, who seemed to be growing closer to Charlie, making the Asian teen internally smile. "Okay, before you say anything, something happened. During our meditation session, we had a vision...more like, Leo had a vision. He's certain that he saw Splinter; weak but alive, locked up, somewhere in the city. This evening, he wants all of us to meet", she notified, having to tell them that there was reason behind this. --- If what Leo said, was true, then they could know about Splinter's whereabouts together, and that was happening tonight. By the time the sun went down, and after April and Casey went to bed, the six teens gathered around a fire, somewhere in the forest. Leo and Raph took up one side; Don and Mikey taking another, and the girls took up the third. "Leo, if you dragged us out here for nothing...", Raph said, having to somewhat skepticism, but at least held onto hope that what his brother saw, was real. "Don't worry, guys. I came prepared", Mikey said, offering marshmallows to anyone who might want one. Jennifer chuckled, and raised her hand, willingly accepting one, before taking another to give to Charlie. The Asian girl's acceptance seemed to bring color to the youngest's turtle's face, which didn't go unnoticed by the female teen, in question. "Put those away", the seriousness was back, and the youngest reluctantly followed through with his order. "Everyone, close your eyes, and concentrate. Concentrate hard", and then, Leo put himself in a meditative state, with his brothers following suite. Jen wondered, if this was a particular technique used among the ninja. By the look of it, there was nothing 'typical' about it. Holding her sister's hand, the seventeen year-old too closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. It was a strange feeling, combined with calmness, peace, and nearly trance-like, and the next thing she knew, the face of their mentor appeared in her mind. "I am proud of you all. My sons, tonight, you have learned the final, and greatest truth of the ninja. The allies of whom you endorse with that of your strength, completes the ultimate mastery of not only the body, but of the mind. Together, there is nothing you cannot accomplish. Tread carefully, and share your energy with those you've brought in, with trust, as a bond is your sword, and your shield. Help each other; draw upon one another, and always remember the true force that binds you; the same as that which brought me here tonight that which I gladly return with my final words. I love you all, my children". ...and he was gone. Opening her eyes with a gasp, Jen felt the breath leave her chest, by the time she came to. It left nothing, but sweeping emotion, touching their hearts in the most unexpected way. Splinter accepted the newcomers; entrusted them to aid his disciples, in the battles that come. Mikey was shedding tears from the experience, and Jen stood up to place a hand on his shoulder, with the youngest returning the gesture by placing his hand on top of her own, accepting her comfort. Everyone was affected by this, and the words of the master gave way to a wave of determination.</s>
<\|description\|>Jennifer Lóng Biographical Information Nickname(s): Jen, Jin, Jenni. Date of Birth: February 9, 1973 Aquarius Skills/Abilities: Reptile & Sword-Handling Expert; Master of Kendo, Iaido, Kenjutsu, Kung-Fu, Chi-Gong & Tessenjutsu; Stealth, Self-Hibernation, Decelerated Aging, Scale Generation, Aiming Proficiency & Enhanced Durability/Lungs/Smell. Weapon(s) of Choice: Single Katana and Tessen. Occupation(s): Zoo Keeper (formerly); Vigilante. Physical Description Specie(s): Human (formerly); Reptilian-Hybrid. Gender: Female. Height: 5' 7". Hair Color: Dark Brown-Black. Eye Color: Brown. Overview (Brief Summary): Originated from Beijing, Jennifer was adopted and raised in the traditions of a Japanese family in America. Spending most of her life traveling, whilst having to develop a warm heart for animals, she eventually settled down in New York, where she became a keeper and specialist of the Reptile House at the Central Park Zoo...before one night changed her life forever. At closing time, she came into contact with a mysterious substance that somehow fused her DNA with one of the lizards at the zoo. Personality: Strong-Willed, Brave/Courageous, Wise, Astute, Sisterly, Patient, Calm, Mature, Independent, Inspiring, Caring/Selfless, Intelligent, Resourceful, Creative, Protective, Confident, Fair/Honorable, Tenacious, Modest, Thoughtful, Reliable. Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Zhang Ziyi</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Raph's thoughts were flying about, like leaves in the wind, just circling around. Could he truly be alive? How could they be certain that their father even survived? He shouldn't be thinking of such things, especially since they have gotten so close into believing that Splinter was out there, waiting for them. The longer they sit here, the longer he could continue to suffer. Alone. Closing his eyes, he had to hold onto the hope that his mentor was a trained martial artist, in the way of the ninja. He's alive...he had to be alive. The turtle's troublesome thoughts immediately dissipated, the moment he felt her hand make physical contact with his own. Encounters like this were new, and it gave Raphael some sort of reluctance to lean into it. He didn't know what to do, although his instincts told him that this was Charlie's way of showing him that she was sticking to her oath. However, there was a hunch when he looked down at their hands. Carefully, and slowly, he turned his three-fingered appendage over, so her hand would be sitting on his palm. It was awkward, shortly before he felt his heart strangely skip a beat, after just performing this one move. What is this? What is going on here? Could he...like her? Listening to her, Raphael almost pulled his hand away, but allowed it to remain there, intertwined, once he felt the calmness and comfort resonating from her touch. It was the same sensation that washed over him, when they were on that rooftop. Charlie was adding another layer to that peacefulness, that the nature around them brought. "'Lee, I...thanks", it was the same response he gave her back at the city, but..."Aside from April and Jen, thanks for looking out for us. Me, especially", he added, taking the risk to glance at her. Then, there was a shout behind them, back in the house, ruining the heartfelt moment. "Hey! Splinter's alive! He's alive!", Leo's voice was full of happiness and alarm. Jen was running towards her sister and the rebellious turtle, who seemed to be growing closer to Charlie, making the Asian teen internally smile. "Okay, before you say anything, something happened. During our meditation session, we had a vision...more like, Leo had a vision. He's certain that he saw Splinter; weak but alive, locked up, somewhere in the city. This evening, he wants all of us to meet", she notified, having to tell them that there was reason behind this. --- If what Leo said, was true, then they could know about Splinter's whereabouts together, and that was happening tonight. By the time the sun went down, and after April and Casey went to bed, the six teens gathered around a fire, somewhere in the forest. Leo and Raph took up one side; Don and Mikey taking another, and the girls took up the third. "Leo, if you dragged us out here for nothing...", Raph said, having to somewhat skepticism, but at least held onto hope that what his brother saw, was real. "Don't worry, guys. I came prepared", Mikey said, offering marshmallows to anyone who might want one. Jennifer chuckled, and raised her hand, willingly accepting one, before taking another to give to Charlie. The Asian girl's acceptance seemed to bring color to the youngest's turtle's face, which didn't go unnoticed by the female teen, in question. "Put those away", the seriousness was back, and the youngest reluctantly followed through with his order. "Everyone, close your eyes, and concentrate. Concentrate hard", and then, Leo put himself in a meditative state, with his brothers following suite. Jen wondered, if this was a particular technique used among the ninja. By the look of it, there was nothing 'typical' about it. Holding her sister's hand, the seventeen year-old too closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. It was a strange feeling, combined with calmness, peace, and nearly trance-like, and the next thing she knew, the face of their mentor appeared in her mind. "I am proud of you all. My sons, tonight, you have learned the final, and greatest truth of the ninja. The allies of whom you endorse with that of your strength, completes the ultimate mastery of not only the body, but of the mind. Together, there is nothing you cannot accomplish. Tread carefully, and share your energy with those you've brought in, with trust, as a bond is your sword, and your shield. Help each other; draw upon one another, and always remember the true force that binds you; the same as that which brought me here tonight that which I gladly return with my final words. I love you all, my children". ...and he was gone. Opening her eyes with a gasp, Jen felt the breath leave her chest, by the time she came to. It left nothing, but sweeping emotion, touching their hearts in the most unexpected way. Splinter accepted the newcomers; entrusted them to aid his disciples, in the battles that come. Mikey was shedding tears from the experience, and Jen stood up to place a hand on his shoulder, with the youngest returning the gesture by placing his hand on top of her own, accepting her comfort. Everyone was affected by this, and the words of the master gave way to a wave of determination.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers A faint blush appeared on Charlie's cheeks upon feeling his hand move to where he was holding hers. A small gesture for sure, but one that brought emotions to the surface. Did he...like her? More importantly did she like him? All of these questions disappeared as he thanked her, causing her to give him a little smile. "No problem." She said before jumping a little upon hearing Leo's shout. She looked at Raph, her brown eyes wide. It couldn't be, could it? She listened to Jen as she explained what happened, hope rising inside her. Splinter was alive. Sitting beside Raph beside the fire, she was a little nervous. What if they didn't share the same vision? Would the boys tell her and Jen what happened? Too many what if questions buzzed about her mind before she was brought back, seeing Jen offering her a marshmallow. She smiled in thanks before taking it. She listened to Leo before doing what he said, holding Jen's hand in one while the other gently sat beside Raph's. She did notice how calm he seemed whenever she touched him so she hoped it would help with concentrating. Charlie gasped softly as the vision ended, tears blurring everything around her. Splinter was alive and had considered both Jen and her as family. She sniffed softly, drying her eyes before looking over at Raph, knowing how this news would affect him. He was right all this time. The next morning Leo had told April and Casey what happened, telling them they had to go back. They arrived in the city just as it was getting dark, just enough cover to hide them as they snuck back into the sewers and towards what was once their home. The place was still a mess but could be cleaned up for sleeping spots. Charlie noticed something a little off, there were pizza boxes here that she didn't remember where there the last time she and Jen had seen them. Her attention was drawn away as a noise came from a closet, all turtles alert and heading towards it before quickly opening the door. A boy around their age coward, holding up his hands. "Don't shoot!" He exclaimed in fear. Wait, she knew this boy, he was the son of April's boss.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng All from that very night, everybody was overwhelmed by the realization that Master Splinter was alive. Even when morning came, they immediately packed up early, eager to get back and reunite with him. It was a rather abrupt and hasty departure from the farmhouse, but they couldn't sit around any longer. They were going to get him back. Whatever it takes. That very same evening gave them the best luck; the night covered them, like the favored ally, it always was. Casey didn't favor their hideout, but did they really have anywhere else in the city to lay low? Jennifer was about to suggest their apartment, but she didn't want the place to suffer the same fate as to what happened to April's own. The Foot could set the place ablaze again, and put everybody else inside the building at risk. They had to be away from prying human eyes. So, here they were, below the streets, with Casey preferring to spend the night in the truck above. However, some things in their former home seemed out of place: Pizza boxes were all over the floor. They certainly weren't there the last time Jen and Charlie visited. Someone's been creeping around in here, the Asian teen thought aloud. "I still don't see why we don't get started right away", Raphael pointed out, hoping they could make a strike early, and take them out by surprise. "It's been a long drive, Raph, and before we go out advertising to The Foot that we're back, we could all use a few hours' sleep", his older brother reasoned, just as Jen looked around a bit more, before a noise had them all drawing their weapons. Raphael instinctively stood in front of Charlie, single sai in-hand, as he and the brothers approached the closet, opening it to see the same teenage boy that was at April's apartment, during her boss' unexpected visit. "I don't think it's loaded, kid", Raph grumbled, a little annoyed by such unseasonable logic, just as they pulled back. "Where'd he come from?" "Beats me". "Danny, what are you doing here?", April was in alarm, by the time he managed to get out of the closet. "I ran away from home". "Your father's going to have kittens. Does this thing work?", she reached for a phone, until he stopped her, pleading. "Please don't call". Just as Jen was putting her sword away, something occurred to her. He wasn't afraid of them; at least, in the physical sense. 'Wait a minute', she thought, 'if only my hunch was right'. She would have to keep an eye on him. It was strange to see him here of all places.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie sighed softly as the tension died down, the brothers lowering their guard at the nonthreatening kid. He was adamant about not contacting his father, telling Charlie there had to be a rift between the two. She sighed softly as she remembered how an unintentional rift came between her and her own father. She was brought out of her thoughts as Danny mentioned pizza but much to the disappointment of the brothers turned out to be moldy. She chuckled a little as Donnie and Mikey hummed TAPS as they paid respects to their beloved pizza. She glanced at Raph,making sure he was alright and not too agitated. "You alright?" She asked him.</s>	<\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng None of them stepped out of the lair, that night. At least, not yet. Some time to lay low was needed, so they can prepare themselves for a possible frontal assault. It took a bit of convincing, but April allowed Danny to spend the night with them in the ransacked lair. As much as she wanted to waver it off, Jennifer felt an aura coming from him, like there was something he wasn't telling them. It created all sorts of unease for the Asian teen, as she had to rely on her ability to observe, in order to pinpoint what it was, exactly. So far, he behaved like any other teenage kid; something she and Charlie could relate to. But then, there was also slight paranoia. What was he afraid of? Was he hiding from something, or someone? There were hints of rockiness between Danny and his father, but was the relationship that bad, that it made him go into hiding? It was a small feeling, but then, the paranoia and confusion in his eyes, said that it was something else entirely. After chuckling at the shenanigan over a Penicillin-filled pizza, Jennifer took the time of discussing with Leonardo to come up with a game-plan. After gaining notice of her mature intelligence, the swordsman got the courage to approach, and ask for her opinion. It surprised Jen, but then, she wondered. Maybe the eldest brother felt that her wisdom as an "older sister-figure" would reassure him that he wasn't failing as a leader. After his tussle to Raph, that day, Jennifer's words made him realize that he made a mistake; one that nearly costed his rebellious brother's life. Including those times of training together, Leo's interactions with the Asian girl were comforting yet tender. Nobody else gave him such powerful wisdom, aside from his father. He couldn't believe he became so fond of her, in such moderate time. Meanwhile, hoping to distance himself from the growing aggression in his chest, Raphael was gazing at some of the weapons that were hanging on the wall nearby. He didn't know why he was, but the thought of Charlie, was invading his mind and, after he instinctively stepped in front of her, at the first sound of danger, it occurred to him that he was also becoming protective. Of course, when you have family, you always want them to be safe, but then, that very incident mentally told him that he should shield her from all kinds of bad news. It confused him but, the brunette girl brought him a sense of serenity and....it felt good. On that thought, his heart skipped a beat again! It was all starting to become overwhelming. He nearly jumped out of his skin, by the time he heard her voice. "Y-Yeah! I'm fine", he answered, a little too quickly, and shaking his head.</s>
<\|description\|>Charlotte Summers Biographical Information Nickname(s): Charlie (preferred) Lotte Date of Birth: March 7th, 1975 Pisces Skills/Abilities: see, hear, breathe underwater, self defense, street smart, enchanting singing voice (mer form only) Weapon(s) of Choice: mostly physical like fists or feet Occupation(s): student and part time marine biologist Physical Description Specie(s): mutated human/mermaid Gender: female Height: 5'6 Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: dark brown Overview (Brief Summary): Charlie grew up exploring the waters with her father and shows no fear of it. She's even helped educate others about marine life and helped her father at his rehabilitation center. Months before her fifteenth birthday, she was finishing up tending to some fish when she slipped on a mysterious green substance, falling into the tank. The event changed her DNA to where she becomes a mermaid whenever the bracelet she was wearing that night is removed from her wrist. Personality: + Compassionate, artistic, gentle, wise, likes music, romance, being alone and swimming. -Fearful, overly trusting, being criticized, past coming back to haunt her Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Rachel Leigh Cook</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "She's talking about the Foot Clan again." Charlie said as her roommate walked in, eyes glued to the rabbit eared TV the two had. "Looks like they've struck again with stealing packages from cars, pickpockets, the usual street thieves stuff." She added before glancing at Jen. It was hard to believe their lives had changed so much after coming into contact with whatever made them into what they were now. "Thankfully nothing's come up about anyone seeing me swimming a few nights ago. I thought it was going to be the end for us; testing and everything." She said as she walked over to the kitchen to grab a couple of plates for them. "I know I have to be more careful, but it's New York! It's impossible for me to go swimming without being seen."</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng The Asian teen walked towards the entrance of the apartment building, and pressed the buzzer, hoping that Stacy would be able to know of her return. Since her tremendous transformation, and crossing paths with the younger brunette, the two girls decided to stick together, especially at night, when crime was at its worst. It was an instinct that she had - to protect, causing her to quit her current job, and find a smaller one, where it wouldn't make her seem suspicious; all for the sake of her shrouding their secret, and prevent further harm. It was really a few months, after they met, that they have been sticking to each other by-the-hip, like two friends adopting each other, like sisters. It was a small family, she and Charlotte; one that was formed, out of their own shared differences and similar interests. Even if she had to take Charlotte for a midnight swim, Jennifer was always there. Making her way up to the room that she and the other teen shared, only about a good few floors above ground level, she opened the door with her key. Jennifer smiled to herself the second she heard the sound of her brunette roommate. Things have been rather grim when she was on her own, before she met Charlotte. Of course, after having to find some common ground, there wasn't much for the Asian teen to rely on, other than the girl that she now shares an apartment with. Placing her key into the bowl that was next to the door, Jennifer spun the box on her finger and giggled. However, she immediately got serious once she mentioned about the state of things outside. "I haven't been jumped yet. But everything seems to have quieted down. At least, for now", Jenni said, having to hear the sound of April continue ringing through the room, as she helped prepare their plates. "...crimes without criminals? An invisible gang at work? Who are we going to call? Unfortunately, the police are the only ones available to combat what some are dubbing 'the silent crime wave'. But perhaps the most disturbing silence...is that coming from City Hall. April O'Neil, Channel Three Eyewitness News..."</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Yeah...for now." Charlie echoed before opening the box and grabbing a couple of slices. She wished she was more combative like her roommate but she was just a little too passive to be violent. That wasn't to say she wouldn't fight back if cornered or provoked. She just didn't want to hurt anyone. She sighed softly before sitting back down on the couch. It was clear something was pestering her mind. "Jen? Do you think there's others out there, ya know, like us?" She asked her Asian roommate. It was definitely a question that buzzed around her lately and a good one at that. She wasn't sure what to think.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng With that report finished, Jennifer took the remote, and changed the channel, hoping to find something to brighten the gloomy feeling. "I can't be sure, Lottie. It can only be a coincidence that we have already been exposed to the ooze. For others, they could be on the other side of the city, if we know it. Or, living underneath it", she sighed, while continuing to flip through the channels. Letting her long dark hair down, Jenni took a bite of the pizza that was in the box. "You going swimming again?"</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Yeah. And don't call me Lotte. You sound like my aunt." Charlie replied, wrinkling her nose in disgust. She hated the nickname but she was stuck with it thanks to her name. "Don't wait up for me." She said before leaving. She manoeuvred her way through the streets of New York towards the water, being careful that she wouldn't be seen. Once on a bridge that wasn't too occupied, she looked for the right point to jump into the water below. Upon finding it, she carefully climbed onto the railing, balancing herself as she looked down. To any passerby who noticed it looked like she was going to jump to end her life.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Jennifer chuckled at Charlotte's reply, shortly before she noticed her leave. Shaking her head, she took the plates, and washed them in the sink. Looking out the window, she noticed the reflection of her katana hanging on the wall. Meanwhile, a tall individual in a trench coat walked across the bridge before having to notice the girl standing on the very edge. He was silent upon his approach and, by the time he walked passed her, he pulled her by the back of her shirt, and back on solid ground, at a safe distance near the railing.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Ack!" Charlie yelped as she was pulled back, landing a little roughly on her butt. She looked around for who grabbed her before seeing someone in a trenchcoat walking off. "Hey, what gives, jerk?!" She shouted at him, not fully thinking of the consequences of her reaction. She was just upset some bozo stopped her from her swim. She growled softly before climbing back up onto the edge, not caring if he'd try to stop her again. She was jumping off this bridge for her swim, damnit!</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng The individual in the trench coat turned around, once he heard the faint clink of the railing, and found standing on it again. Was she out of her mind? It was a long way down, and he didn't know whether or not the water was shallow. It made the person groan. What was up with these humans?</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie heard the person groan but she didn't care as she edged forward on the edge, getting ready to take her bracelet off once she jumped. But something nagged at her as she felt the eyes staring at her. "What's your deal?!" She finally snapped at the guy, turning to face him. She didn't move from her spot on the ledge. "This isn't what it looks like, so just go away!"</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng The individual in the trench coat just stood there, continuing to look at her in silence. A car drove by, and the light managed to briefly put a shine on the stranger. It only made a shadow, like a silhouette in front of car headlights. There was even a brief instance where his eyes appeared. Even when she was yelling at him, he didn't move, only shaking his head in silence, and turning away.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Weirdo." She muttered before turning back to look at the waters below. She had done this before and knew it was just the right spot to jump. Not too shallow but deep enough for a dive. She leaped off, taking her bracelet off at the same time. Unfortunately, she let go of her bracelet as she launched herself, causing it to softly clatter on the sidewalk of the bridge. Soon as the jewelry was off, her legs fused together into an orange fish tail that faded into sunset colors. She landed with a slash, quickly swimming off a ways should someone see her. She smiled, finally feeling free as she swam around.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng By the time he saw her lean forward, his instinct told him to grab her again; to catch her. However, the look in her eyes told him to stay out of it. Aside from his brother to tell him what to do, something inside him told him to comply with what she said. Seeing her fall, and hearing the splash, he immediately ran to the railing, nearly stepping on the bracelet on the ground. Picking up the trinket, he didn't know what to make of it. Should he wait? Instead, he listened to his head, and silently placed her bracelet at the side of the river, where the path was, if she ever wanted to get out. Walking away, he left, disappearing in the shadows. He wasn't aware of her change.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie swam around, laughing at her freedom as she chased after some fish. Even in the dark she could see clearly as if it was day. She slightly wished she could share it with someone like her. She shook the thought away before jumping out of the water akin to a dolphin, letting out a happy yell. It was close to midnight when she hauled herself onto land, blinking in surprise upon finding her bracelet there. She then realized she had left it behind when she jumped, but wondered who left it for her. She shrugged before putting it back on, changing back into a human before heading home.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng By the time Charlotte managed to make it back home, Jenni was sitting upon the fire escape, right outside the window, trying to think. Although she could have also been meditating. The Asian teen smelled the air, and listened to the noise. Her katana sat nearby her figure. She heard the apartment door open, and turned to see her roommate walking through the door.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "You will not believe the night I've had." Charlie said before telling her about Trenchcoat Guy and how he stopped her from jumping the first time. "No one's stopped me before, so what gives?" She asked before heading to her room to change into dry clothes.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Jennifer listened to Charlie's story about the stranger that tried to break her fall. Weirdly enough, this individual saw her take the jump. The teen wondered if she should have went with her. But then, she wondered if she had to, especially every time they go out. This person could have seen Charlotte transform. Whilst it was quiet for some time, a great yell sounded. "DAMN!"</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie flinched at the yell, brown eyes widened in fright. "What the hell was that?" She asked before looking outside the window in some hope she'd see who had shouted. She drew back in, shrugging in confusion. "Nothing." She stated as she looked at Jen.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng There was a certainty that at least half of the city heard of the very angry yell that sounded. Someone would have quickly assumed that it was someone on a drunken rage. But then, it was New York, where something new and odd would come up every day and night. The next day, Jennifer crashed on the couch, after a long night, causing her to drastically over sleep that morning. However, she managed to be up to see the television on, with the interview of April O'Neil interviewing the chief of police. Would she be able to get it through his thick skull that something was wrong with the economy?</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "He's sooo not happy with her. You can see it in his eyes. Body language too." Charlie said as she ate her breakfast. She had gotten up early despite her midnight swim which was oddly normal for her. Well, since her change that is. "Honestly, I'd vote for her a mayor or something like that." She said before eating a spoonful of cereal. "She'd clean up this town." She added.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng "...what that means, Miss O'Neil, is everything is well in hand" "What do you know about an organization, known as The Foot Clan?" "There is no evidence to link such a name to these incidents" Jennifer closed her eyes and shook her head, growing annoyed at the interview, as well as the stubbornness of the police chief. Giving a yawn, the Asian girl walked to the fridge to grab a jug of orange juice, and poured herself a glass. "Are you denying an organization, known as 'The Foot' exists?" "I'm not denying anything. You're putting words into my mouth..." "How do you feel about going out for a walk?", she asked Charlotte. "Find any trace of this organization, and take it to the police? Maybe then, he'll feel more convinced and pressured to actually do something, instead of sitting down".</s>	<\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Sounds good to me. These guys aren't going to help, we might as well." Charlie replied as she got up to take care of her dishes. She then got to thinking about the guy who stopped her last night and if he was part of it. No, he couldn't be. He wouldn't have left her bracelet behind if he was with them. She sighed softly before glancing at her roommate. "Do you think we'll ever have a normal life being what we are?" She asked</s>
<\|description\|>Charlotte Summers Biographical Information Nickname(s): Charlie (preferred) Lotte Date of Birth: March 7th, 1975 Pisces Skills/Abilities: see, hear, breathe underwater, self defense, street smart, enchanting singing voice (mer form only) Weapon(s) of Choice: mostly physical like fists or feet Occupation(s): student and part time marine biologist Physical Description Specie(s): mutated human/mermaid Gender: female Height: 5'6 Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: dark brown Overview (Brief Summary): Charlie grew up exploring the waters with her father and shows no fear of it. She's even helped educate others about marine life and helped her father at his rehabilitation center. Months before her fifteenth birthday, she was finishing up tending to some fish when she slipped on a mysterious green substance, falling into the tank. The event changed her DNA to where she becomes a mermaid whenever the bracelet she was wearing that night is removed from her wrist. Personality: + Compassionate, artistic, gentle, wise, likes music, romance, being alone and swimming. -Fearful, overly trusting, being criticized, past coming back to haunt her Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Rachel Leigh Cook</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Fair point." Charlie sighed softly before looking at her. "Well, I'm ready to go if you are." She said before heading towards door. Once outside she stayed close to Jen, not wanting to get lost nor have her bracelet accidentally taken off when walking past people. "You'd think they'd be more alert when walking around with a threat on the streets."</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng After taking the time to change into fresh clothes, Jennifer took lead out into the streets. All the time, she felt herself being the bodyguard in these situations, especially since the circumstances of Charlotte's mutation was more delicate than her own. Her comment made her look around at the people walking passed and around them. "It's like the security of this place just decreases more after each passing day", she agreed, shortly before catching sight of April O'Neil walking out of City Hall. "It's April. Come on", the Asian said, having to follow the woman, hoping to catch her in the train station that she was just entering. At the same time, they were unaware of being followed themselves.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie nodded in agreement as she followed her friend, her instincts on high alert. She couldn't figure out why, perhaps because of her mutation that wasn't as easy to conceal as Jen's. She looked up upon hearing Jen spot April, running after her. She just hoped they could get her before she got onto a train herself. "It's too quiet." She noticed as they descended the stairs into the underground world below. She didn't like it at all, her fight or flight response kicking into high gear.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng April was able to get down the stairs, but by the time she was able to enter the station, the train had already left. "Oh, great! Just great", she groaned. Can the day get any worse from there? First, she can't seem to convince anybody about what's really happening around the city; the next, she misses her train home. Jennifer ran down the stairs as fast as she could, hoping to God that Miss O'Neil didn't disappear. Thankfully, she didn't, since she seemed to be the only one in the station, by the time she and Charlie descended the stairs. "April! Miss O'Neil?", Jennifer called to her, panting by the time they were able to reach the woman. "Hi? Can I help you?", she asked the girls. "We've seen your news report. All of them, in fact, and we believe you. There's something wrong in this city, and we figured we could help you convince the chief", the Asian teen explained, by the time, she composed herself. "We can get proof, that this Foot Clan exists". "How can you do that?", April asked, crossing her arms, although on the inside, she was curious. "Research, videos, photographs. Anything to show that there is a criminal organization in the works; that there is something shady residing here", Jennifer continued, giving the best she could offer. The woman seemed to be deep in thought. Here were two teenaged strangers, miraculously showing up out of the blue, saying that they believe her. How can she be sure that they don't work for the enemy? Then, there was a sudden presence nearby -- a group of individuals in black jumpsuits. "We've been waiting for you, Miss O'Neil", the leader said. "Your mouth may yet bring you much trouble yet I deliver a message", he slapped the woman's face, who let out a pained grunt. "Shut it", Jennifer sheathed her blade, and stood in between the men and April.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Hey! Uncalled for!" Charlie exclaimed, getting between them and April as she raised her fists. A snarl appeared on her lips as she glared at the men. The odds were against them as they were greatly outnumbered. She glanced at April as she pulled out a sai. "Know how to use that thing?" She asked.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng With the strange object she had managed to pick up last night, April hoped that using such a thing would be able to give her some leverage in situations like this. But, before she could do anything, it was kicked out of her hand, and clattered to the ground nearby. Jennifer took a deep breath, and sheathed her sword back into her waist, until she launched a high kick, which apparently caught them off guard, as one of their own fell onto the asphalt. "Make your move. I dare you", the Asian teen warned, as the men looked at each other, with April herself looking surprised. As if on cue, another group appeared behind the three females. April gasped at the extra numbers of these strange individuals, shortly she was hit, knocked unconscious. Jennifer didn't know what to expect now, as they were drastically outnumbered by at least ten or fifteen of these individuals. She dealt with lesser groups; no more than five. It was now a stand off for the two teens, until a yell from the far side of the station sounded. Wherever it came from, the source was fast, launching into the fray. Jennifer didn't know how to react -- it was an individual in a trench coat -- a green individual, wielding two sais, and wearing a mask - a red one. He knocked at least three members at once, before three more. The Asian teen didn't question it; he seemed to be defending, and that meant he was at least on their side. Wasting no time, she took hold of the nearest to her, and flipped them over. It was chaotic; movements going so fast, a non-practitioner wouldn't noticed who was performing them.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "April!" Charlie exclaimed as she was knocked out before punching the one who harmed April. She quickly punched and kicked at the enemies, blinking in surprise at the trench coated person who appeared; the same one from last night. What were they doing here? It didn't matter, they were at least helping. "Ahh!" She exclaimed as one of the ninjas grabbed her arm and flipped her, her bracelet coming off in the process. She landed on the ground with a plop, her tail smacking the floor loudly. She was defenseless. "Jen!"</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Managing to strike a punch to one of her assailants, Jennifer kicked the bracelet that was on the ground, towards Charlotte, hoping that by the time she transforms, she could get Miss O'Neil out of this mess. By the time the stranger managed to knock down the last one (unaware of Charlie's transformation yet again), he quickly put his sais away, and lifted the unconscious April, bridal-style, by the time a train passed through. "This way!", he told them, having to jump into the tunnel, and walk quickly besides the train tracks. Taking Charlie's hand, Jennifer wasted no time in following the stranger. If he knew a place where they would be safe from whoever attacked them, and possibly found out their intentions of exposing them, then the girls had to lay low. They weren't safe anymore.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie quickly put her bracelet on, getting up as her legs returned. She hoped that he didn't see anything, but when he walked off with April it was clear he didn't. That or he didn't care. She looked at Jen as they followed him down the tunnel, a little unsure about all of this. Maybe she was just paranoid. She blinked in surprise as he lead them to an open area that appeared to be his home under the city. Pizza boxes laid in a few places, a pinball machine, a couch with pillows, what looked like a dinning room not too far off. It was modest but homey. "Hey, Leo! Raph's back!" A male voice called out, causing Charlie to flinch.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Did they really have a choice in sticking around? Could they even trust this individual with an unconscious April O'Neil? They had to at least make sure that she was going to be alright, since, one: They defended her, and two: Why put her life at risk, and leave her to her fate, if they didn't know who, or what, saved them? Charlotte wasn't the only one in complete surprise that there was a shelter down here; a rather roomy one, at that. Did he live here? Was anyone else here? The call that echoed from the very sanctuary confirmed that he wasn't alone. Going a little further in, albeit cautiously, they came to see three other individuals, who fell under the same classification as the one who rescued them. The one called "Raph" laid April down on the couch, before removing his trench coat, and hanging up his hat. The other three approached out of caution yet curiosity. At the same time, they looked at the two females, who followed behind their brother. "Who are they?", another male voice said. It came from the one wearing a purple mask. "That's the news lady!", he said, pointing out of surprise towards the unconscious woman. "They got jumped in the subway. I had to bring them here", Raph explained.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "They're turtles." Charlie realized upon watching them, she turned to the one called Raph and blinked a few times. "You're the one who stopped me from jumping off the bridge, aren't you?" She asked before the turtle in blue looked at them then to his brother. "Splinter isn't going to like this. We're supposed to be a secret, remember? Never seen?" He pointed out.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Jennifer stared in surprise at what she was seeing. They were turtles? Well, of course, they were; it only took her a few seconds of blinking to realize it. She even looked at Raph and blinked, as well. This was the same individual she saw that night? Was he following them? Watching? "I thought she was gonna hurt herself", he said to the blue one; his Brooklyn accent thick in his voice. "It's not like I'd put myself in high-exposure. I was just trying to...", he stopped talking, having to feel somewhat embarrassed, and sighed in frustration. "What is going on in here?", a hushed yet soft voice said, and Jennifer looked over to see a brown rat. "I had no choice, Master. They got jumped by those guys, and I had to", he tried to explain himself in the presence of his father. 'Master?', Jennifer thought, before coming further into the room, and sitting down on the ground, watching these individuals. "Bring water, cold washcloth, pillow", he instructed to them, resulting them to not be hesitate on doing what he said. Just who were these people?</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "I wasn't going to hurt myself. I was just..." Charlie said before trailing off with a sigh. She looked at Jen before figuring it would be alright to show them. Who were they going to tell anyway? Being humanoid turtles they couldn't really go outside without a disguise. She took a deep breath before sitting down then removing her bracelet, her legs turning back into a tail. "I was going for a swim." She said softly.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Jennifer was unsure, at first, when her friend decided to reveal her mutation. But, at the same time, she was impressed by how brave she was, in showing such a thing. Normally, they would keep their differences to themselves, and show such a thing to a person, no matter who they were. But then, instead of expressing shock and disgust, the four turtles and the bipedal rat were silent, and remained remarkably calm, as if it wasn't new to them, although Raph did seem rather entranced by the colors. "Hmm", the rodent hummed. "Take heart, child", he said softly. "You will not find judgement here". The Asian was surprised by how wise and kind this individual was. It was like a father reassuring his child, reminding her too much of her own family. Taking a deep breath, Jennifer spoke again. "They called you 'Master'. What does that mean?", she asked. "It means, that I am the light in shadow; a guide to the lost; a forgiver, and an opener to all things -- Splinter", he responded, as patient as he said this, Jennifer somehow felt herself at ease. Turning to look at the unconscious woman, 'Splinter' placed a gentle hand on her face, which caused April to stir. However, instead of remaining calm, like her rescuers, she completely wigged out. "Oh my god! I'm dreaming; I must be dreaming! Okay, okay, those guys in the black pajamas, they jumped me. Two girls were with me, and that rat...I saw you in the parking lot; that explains you! And you guys, um, I have no idea where you came from!", clearly, she was hysterical. "If you will please just sit down and calm yourself, I will tell you where we came from, Miss O'Neil", it was just occurred to Jennifer that she wanted to know how they came to be.</s>	<\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie blinked in surprise as they didn't freak out nor call her any names. It was a first for her, especially having to keep it a secret for so long. She gave Splinter a little smile before deciding it would be polite to introduce herself and Jen. "I'm Charlie, this is my friend, Jennifer." She said before looking over as April awoke. Upon hearing her scream, she quickly put her bracelet back on, not wanting to startle her anymore than she already was. She hid a snicker as April asked herself why she never dreamed of Harrison Ford.</s>
<\|description\|>Charlotte Summers Biographical Information Nickname(s): Charlie (preferred) Lotte Date of Birth: March 7th, 1975 Pisces Skills/Abilities: see, hear, breathe underwater, self defense, street smart, enchanting singing voice (mer form only) Weapon(s) of Choice: mostly physical like fists or feet Occupation(s): student and part time marine biologist Physical Description Specie(s): mutated human/mermaid Gender: female Height: 5'6 Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: dark brown Overview (Brief Summary): Charlie grew up exploring the waters with her father and shows no fear of it. She's even helped educate others about marine life and helped her father at his rehabilitation center. Months before her fifteenth birthday, she was finishing up tending to some fish when she slipped on a mysterious green substance, falling into the tank. The event changed her DNA to where she becomes a mermaid whenever the bracelet she was wearing that night is removed from her wrist. Personality: + Compassionate, artistic, gentle, wise, likes music, romance, being alone and swimming. -Fearful, overly trusting, being criticized, past coming back to haunt her Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Rachel Leigh Cook</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "We came across the same ooze as well. We're different like you." She said, a little smile on her face. "We thought we were the only ones. This changes everything." She glanced over at Raphael, nervously scratching the back of her neck. "I uh...I'm sorry I called you a jerk. I was just upset and surprised someone was stopping me from jumping. It never happened before."</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng "Wait, if you are half-fish, then what are you?", the purple one called 'Donatello' pointed at Jennifer. The Asian sat up, from where she was, next to Charlie. "Perhaps it's best to show you", she said, with a smile, shortly before she took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. Her face started to change, scales appearing around her eyes, which changed into a yellow reptilian color. "Whoa!", the orange one called Michelangelo exclaimed. "I got it! You're half-reptile", Donatello finalized, the second Jen's eyes went back to normal, who smiled with a nod. Raphael was picking his teeth with one of his said, leaning back on the couch, before he heard the voice of the girl nearby. "Yeah, that's alright. I've been called worse", he shrugged.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Hang on, if you guys are ninjas, what about the guys who jumped April? The black pajama ones as she called them." Charlie asked. "Obviously, they're bad guys, but they have to have a leader, right? Someone pulling the strings. A puppeteer."</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng "Every clan has a master. For that, they have to have a leader", Jennifer thought aloud, shortly before she looked at April, then back at Charlie, realizing something. "You know what I think? I think that the guys, who attacked us, were 'the Foot'", the others looked at her. "Think about it: April makes continuous reports about their work, they come out of hiding, and they attempted to shut her up", the Asian explained. "Don't forget that we were there, Charlie. They probably heard us negotiating with Miss O'Neil, attempting to expose them. We are very much a threat to them now". "You can totally lay out here with us. No one knows where we live", Michelangelo suggested with a giggle. "I think you're cool".</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "He's right. If we stay down here, they can't find us. If we go back home we could be tracked down and interrogated. Maybe even asked to tell where April is." Charlie said. She blushed a little as Mikey admitted he thought they were cool. "You're pretty cool too, dude." She smiled. She glanced around the place, thinking of how it could be home. It definitely needed a woman's touch here and there. She was even sure that she'd be able to get to the river to swim.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng "These guys just got their butts kicked. By us. A normal clan would act on the orders of their leader. I believe that order was to silent Miss O'Neil. We just got in the way of their plan. They won't follow, unless there were orders for them to do so", Jennifer continued her train of thought. "Do you think they'll try again?", the one called Leonardo asked, making the Asian turn back to him. "Possibly. They're more likely to act, after they get permission from the one in charge. They don't know what they're dealing with, so they'll be sitting on it for a while, until they attack again". Donatello scratched his head, thinking through the ramble of words that Jen just said. "So, that means, as of right now, we're safe, but not for long?", Jennifer nodded. "Exactly", she answered, before looking at April, and asking. "Want us to help you get home?", April looked at them, all around her. "I'm not dreaming, am I?", she asked, slowly. "No, I'm afraid not", Splinter confirmed.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "This is reality, especially for us." Charlie replied, looking away sadly. "It's not easy for me to hide if I don't have my bracelet. I'm basically useless without it." She said softly. She did feel useless; she couldn't really fight much having no training like them or Jennifer.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng "No prob!", Mikey piped up, having to stand up from where he sat. "You won't be useless, when you have us", he said, with that childlike smile. "We can teach you...the basics", Leonardo proposed, having to be sitting near them with his legs crossed. Hearing this, Jennifer realized that she had left Charlie behind her the whole time, with no method of defending herself. It made her sadly look down.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "You mean it?!" Charlie exclaimed, beaming widely. Upon seeing her friend's expression droop, she placed a hand on hers. "Hey, what's wrong?" She asked her, a little worried. She'd never seen her like this before.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng "If this clan plans to strike, I believe some learning from my sons will better prepare you, mentally and physically", Splinter added, having to keep his usually patient self, as he has already warm and sympathizing with the newcomers. Jennifer felt the hand of her dearest friend, who was like a sister, and glanced up at the other female. "It just occurred to me, Charlie, that I've been keeping you behind me, ever since we've met. If only I had begun to teach you, all those months, you wouldn't have to feel this way", she confessed, feeling quite guilty.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Jen..." Charlie said softly before hugging her. "It's not your fault. With everything going on, how could you find time to teach me? We've been through a lot, so don't blame yourself. I know I don't." She said with a smile.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Jennifer looked at her, having to smile sadly, shortly before reciprocating the hug that Charlie was willing to give her. The Asian teen didn't have any siblings growing up, having to be an only child, adopted into a household that practiced different traditions from her birth kin; a Chinese child, taken in and educated by a Japanese family. Really to keep them protected, Jennifer isolated herself from them; to prevent panic and concern for their daughter. At this point, they probably think she was dead. Raphael silently watched the interaction between the two teenaged girls. Jennifer's hug was firm; one that told Charlie that she was in safe hands. "With them, I'll teach you, if you let me".</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Of course, Jen. You'll be the best teacher with 'em." Charlie said with a giant grin. She looked over at Raph once letting go of the hug. "When can we start?" She asked</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Sometime later, the three females were being led throughout the underground by the four brothers, who had to rely on smell and memory to figure out where April's apartment would be, at the surface. "Are you guys sure you know where you're going?", April asked them, as she and the two girls followed them across sewage water. "11th and Bleecker? Nope. This is only 9th street. Get it?", Michelangelo piped, after smelling the air. "Yuck", April flinched, making Jennifer shake her head with a chuckle. "To save your conscience, Miss O'Neil, you don't want to know", she said, before giving Charlie a hand to cross a river of water.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie chuckled softly at Mikey's comment before taking Jen's hand to cross. She followed them through the sewers before they arrived at the right place, helping April up before sending Jen and Charlie up after her. "Thanks, you guys. I'd offer you to come inside, but all I got is frozen pizza." April said. Mikey sprung up out of the manhole like a jack in the box. "Let's go for it!" He exclaimed. "You guys eat pizza?" April asked in disbelief. "Doesn't everybody?" Mikey and Donnie replied in unison. "Did she say pizza?!" Leo asked, his voice echoing in the sewer. "Yep!" Donnie confirmed.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Right after helping April up through the manhole, Jennifer let Charlie exit next, before she followed, with the help of their new "gifted" allies. "Apparently, when you said that magical word, every New Yorker would react", Jennifer pointed out to April, with a smile, just as the guys reacted positively at the woman's offer. "So, you live in an antique store?", Mikey asked, just as his brothers were still climbing out from under the road. "Above actually", she affirmed. Jennifer looked at the building, having to find some things inside that would entice wonder and curiosity. "You work here too?", she asked, while looking through the window. "In my free time, yes", Miss O'Neil led them to the entrance of the store, gesturing to take careful and quiet steps into the building. "So, what do you guys like on your pizza?", she asked. "Just the regular stuff. Flies, stink bugs...it was a joke", Mikey chuckled sheepishly, after the human woman gave him a face.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "I bet there's a lot of cool things in there." Charlie said as they headed over before hearing what Mikey liked on their pizza. "Gross!" She exclaimed with a laugh, knowing he was joking. After a while, they were all laughing as Mikey did his voice impersonations. Charlie had to admit he was pretty good at them. "Uh, maybe I'll fight Apollo, maybe I won't. ADRIAN!" Mikey said, impersonating Sylvester Stallone.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng They were all indeed laughing at the efforts of Michalangelo's ability to bring comedy into the evening. Jennifer remembered the 'Rocky' movies all too well, and the humor that Mikey brought onto Sylvester Stallone's line added character behind the impression. Here she was, laughing with Charlie, April, and the four brothers. It was as if the family was getting bigger, after only a few hours of chatter. "Hey, I got another one! This is totally cool!" Raphael wasn't paying a lot of attention to the gathering, as he was gazing into the fish tank nearby, gliding his fingers along the watery surface. "Oh, no, not Cagney", he muttered, before shaking his head, and finally stepping away from the tank. "You dirty rat. You killed my brother. You dirty rat. Woo-hoo!", Mikey laughed. "That must be Splinter's favorite", April laughed, only having to receive a look from the four turtles. Jennifer cleared her throat, and April dropped her grin. "It was a joke", she quickly added, correcting herself. Thankfully, instead of contempt, they only laughed.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie laughed with the others, impressed with Mikey's impressions. He was pretty good at them and clearly the goofball of the brothers. She smiled, finally feeling like part of a family again. She blinked as April spoke, a little surprised and confused by it. It wasn't until she said it was a joke that she laughed again with the brothers. She noticed Raph was standing off a little ways before walking over to him. "Hey."</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Jennifer continued to laugh at the fun that these four individuals were able to bring into her and Charlie's seemingly-boring yet private lives. It was like coming home to family, after all this time. They finally found solace just from this one encounter, and the Asian never felt so open about her insecurities, regarding her mutation. It made her realize that they were a "special" yet "gifted" bunch. Raphael was standing by one of the big windows, looking out over the city lights, before hearing a female voice. "Huh?", he said, out of surprise but relaxed, seeing it was only Charlie. "Oh, hey".</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Beautiful view, huh? You probably don't get to see it much in daylight." Charlie said with a little grin. "Maybe you'd be able to if you had a disguise or something like that. The sunrise and sunsets are beautiful."</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Raphael crossed his arms, as he listened to Charlie point out the beauty of the city. If he only could walk out more during the day, he could get by unseen. But you know, it seemed that only nighttime was his only ally to bring him cover for his disguise. He didn't say anything, but rather gave a grunt, as he nodded in agreement to her statement. "I would, but, you know, the humans seem smarter during the day. The light doesn't exactly work in our favor for cover", he said, having to continue looking at the cars going by, and the people walking. Taking a sai from his waist, he tapped the metal with his finger, before skillfully twirling it in his hand, carefully evading his fingers on handling such a weapon.</s>	<\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "I know what you mean. I had to start swimming at night because someone saw me in daylight. Thankfully it was written off as a hoax and they never found me." She said before sighing softly. "Humans are so quick to turn on what they don't understand." She looked over at Raph as he started twirling his sai, watching his movements that must have taken years to perfect.</s>
<\|description\|>Charlotte Summers Biographical Information Nickname(s): Charlie (preferred) Lotte Date of Birth: March 7th, 1975 Pisces Skills/Abilities: see, hear, breathe underwater, self defense, street smart, enchanting singing voice (mer form only) Weapon(s) of Choice: mostly physical like fists or feet Occupation(s): student and part time marine biologist Physical Description Specie(s): mutated human/mermaid Gender: female Height: 5'6 Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: dark brown Overview (Brief Summary): Charlie grew up exploring the waters with her father and shows no fear of it. She's even helped educate others about marine life and helped her father at his rehabilitation center. Months before her fifteenth birthday, she was finishing up tending to some fish when she slipped on a mysterious green substance, falling into the tank. The event changed her DNA to where she becomes a mermaid whenever the bracelet she was wearing that night is removed from her wrist. Personality: + Compassionate, artistic, gentle, wise, likes music, romance, being alone and swimming. -Fearful, overly trusting, being criticized, past coming back to haunt her Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Rachel Leigh Cook</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "I know what you mean. I had to start swimming at night because someone saw me in daylight. Thankfully it was written off as a hoax and they never found me." She said before sighing softly. "Humans are so quick to turn on what they don't understand." She looked over at Raph as he started twirling his sai, watching his movements that must have taken years to perfect.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng It was an awkward silence between the two of them, even as he was twirling the sai in his hand. Raphael was looking between the weapon, and back to the window. It took him a few seconds, before he started to speak again. "So, what's the deal with the...fish thing?", he asked, not exactly looking at her, but rather at the corner of his eye.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie jumped a little as he spoke, the words breaking the silence between them. She sighed softly before fiddling with her bracelet but didn't take it off. "I helped my dad out with marine animals, he's a marine biologist who works not too far from here near the water. I was closing up the place by myself when I slipped, falling into this strange glowing green ooze." "My lower half was covered in it, along with my right hand and bracelet. When I tried getting up, I slipped again, falling into the tank with some fish. My bracelet must have caught on something because I didn't have it on after I fell. I...I don't know how to describe what happened next. I don't fully recall myself. All I remember is I had a fish tail. It only appears when I take off my bracelet."</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Raphael stopped twirling his weapon of choice, and grunted, shaking his head. Not really in response to what Charlie, but it was a confirmation to his own thoughts. There were individuals besides them that were different -- unique and gifted -- after all. There were outcasts, like them, living out in the city, this whole time. It felt strangely comforting, like a bunch of bricks have been lifted from his troubled shoulders. "Do you mind if me and Charlie stayed the night, in case those guys come looking for you?", Jennifer asked April, who gave the question some thought, before giving the Asian teen a tender smile. "'Course you can. It would be safer for the both of you". "And, speaking of which, we better get going", Raphael heard his older brother say, before he could say anything to the girl. It was kind of disappointing, really. They just managed to find others that were like them. A part of him didn't want to leave, but Splinter would be wondering what was taking them. "Will we ever see you guys again?", Jennifer asked. "That depends on how fast April stocks her pizza", the answer made her chuckle. Raphael departed last, albeit reluctantly, having to give a small wave back to the females, before making their disappearance.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie glanced at him, taking in his silent brooding composure. So he was the silent type, not so much a guy of words but rather actions. Something she admired about him. Sure, the others were interesting too, but something about him drew her to him. Perhaps...Perhaps because they both didn't fit into the world. No one understood them really. She looked over as Jennifer asked if they could stay the night before the brothers took their leave. She chuckled at their response of seeing them again, smiling at Raph before he left, waving back. She let out a little sigh, feeling sad they had to go.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Jennifer sighed, once April closed the door to her apartment. What a day. First, they get jumped by a strange group of men; the next, they meet others that were kind of like them; others that actually shared similar feelings with them. It was a shame they had to leave now, since they were just getting to know them. It was a shame, really. The woman went back to go get blankets and pillows from the other room, shortly before walking back to the sofa to pull out the futon. Jennifer took some time to help put the blankets in place, before putting the pillows down. It wasn't long until there was a knock on the door again. Confused, April walked back to the door, and found the turtles back again, but this time, seemingly distraught. "What's wrong?" "Splinter..."</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie helped Jennifer set up the futon before making herself a place to sleep before hearing the door. She froze, unsure of who was behind it. Friend or foe? Upon seeing the turtles, she thought it was fast they returned before hearing something that made her heart sink. She could see the sorrow in their eyes, the hint of anger within Raph's. She carefully walked over to him. "Hey...if you want to talk or need a shoulder to cry on...I'm here. Okay?" She said softly, not wanting to push him especially during this tough time.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Jennifer didn't expect them to come back, even when they just left. What they said too made her heart sink. Was Splinter dead? Missing? From their reactions, it was that of lost children separated from their parent. She couldn't exactly relate, but she knew the feeling of losing someone dear. The instinct to comfort was strong. "I'll get some more pillows and blankets. Where do you keep them, Miss O'Neil?", she asked, with April pointing her to where they were. Raphael shook his head, having to try on keeping his own anger under wraps, even when he heard Charlie's offer. Giving a frustrated sigh, he relented and looked at her, albeit hesitantly. "Thanks guys", Mikey yawned, before the brothers allowed themselves to settle in on the floor, since the girls were able to take the futon.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "We'll find him. He has to be out there somewhere." Charlie assured him even though she wasn't sure if Splinter was still alive. They had to have hope he was. It was obvious how close he was to the turtles, especially being their father figure. She gave him a little encouraging smile before getting ready for bed. Around the middle of the night, she got up, being careful not to step on the turtles as she headed towards the bathroom. Just because she couldn't leave because of the Foot didn't mean she couldn't at least have a dip in the tub. She filled it up before getting in, thankful her clothes could go in the dryer in the morning as she took off her bracelet. She let out a little sigh, gently flicking her tail.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Around time that Charlie woke up, Raphael was still awake, having to listen to her footsteps go all the way into the bathroom. Having to hear running water, he wondered whether if she was taking a shower, or simply taking a moment. It was none of his business, but then, she was in there longer than she should, and so, the red-bandanaed turtle silently got up from his sleeping spot, and approached the door. As trained as he was, Raphael made his pursuit, unannounced. He didn't open the door, but rather knocked on it with the handle of his sai.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie jumped up hearing the knock, her tail flicking water everywhere in her fright. "Crap." She muttered as she sat up before looking over at the door. She was completely defenseless if it was the Foot or someone else. Her bracelet was too far for her to reach at the moment. "Who is it?" She asked, worried who it could be.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Grunting softly, Raphael wasn't sure if he should answer back. But, he figured that she needed to know who was at the door, really to find out if it was friend or foe. So, if it made her feel better, he finally spoke. "It's me", he was quiet, but it was loud enough for Charlie to hear.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie sighed softly in relief upon hearing Raph's voice. "Scared me half to death. Did you need something?" She asked him as she shifted in the tub, water sloshing a little. If he needed the bathroom, she didn't mind grabbing her bracelet and drying off.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Raphael was leaning against the wall, near the bathroom, looking down at the floor, as he listened to the girl's words from inside. He didn't mean to scare her, since it was indeed late in the night, and that they had to be cautious. Whoever took Splinter may as well be looking for them too. "No. No, I didn't", he said softly, shaking his head. "I just...wanted to...make sure you were okay".</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers A faint blush appeared on her cheeks, a little surprised he was concerned about her. They'd only met hours ago after all. "I'm okay. Just...using the bathtub as a pool. I didn't want to risk being seen and bring those guys back here, ya know?" She replied, tail flicking lazily. "Are you okay? I understand if you don't want to talk about it." She said softly.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Raphael didn't say anything, even after he heard her speak, but rather continued looking at the floor, and twirled the sai in his hand, once more; a compulsive childhood habit, whenever his thoughts decided to race. Why was he feeling this way? What was this instinct? It was similar to how he would be protective over his family, but this...this was new. Hearing her question, the rebel didn't answer right away. Taking a deep breath, he answered back, just as soft. "It's fine. It's just...I'm not used to talking to those outside my own, ya know?"</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "Yeah. I know how that is. After my incident, it was Jen and I for the longest time until we found you guys. Even before that I was all alone. I didn't have anyone to relate to who knew how I felt. Then I met Jen and after a while we both found out about our differences. Then we met you guys. For you, all you had to talk to is your brothers and..." She said before trailing off, remembering Splinter was missing. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring him up. I know it's still a sensitive topic for you." She said.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng He listened intently, when Charlie started explaining her side of the story, having to slowly raise his head on the spot. It was a similar one that Raphael could say as well, since he too felt alone in the world with his family, until they finally met someone that was experiencing the same things. It didn't even phase Raphael when she started to go down the line of sensitive information. "No, that's...", he trailed off, giving a sigh, as it was indeed hard to take in.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "You guys must really miss him." Charlie said softly. "I know I miss my dad. It was hard for me to leave him so he wouldn't find out." She sighed softly, letting silence hang between them for a while. "He's out there somewhere, Raph. We'll find him."</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng By this point, Raphael stood silent in front of the bathroom door, just listening to Charlie's voice from the other side. Her soft, reassuring words were that of a small bell; it sounded that of a promise. That they will be able to find him, and the rebellious turtle can only hope. "...thanks...", he finally said. "...Charlie", he added.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers A small smile appeared on her lips upon hearing him thank her, knowing her words of hope were probably all he had now. "You're welcome." She said before sighing softly. "I might as well get out before April wakes up and finds me here."</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Giving a sigh, Raphael gave a grunt, as a way to agree with her. The anti-social type he was, the rebellious turtle didn't give much of an acknowledgment with words. So, the best way, nowadays for him, was to display his feelings and emotions with action -- and he did this by walking away from the door. If she noticed him missing, then he left her a sign by putting a slight creak into the floor upon his every footstep, so she could detect his departure, as he reluctantly went back to his sleeping spot. Unknown to him, Jennifer was awake, having to overhear their conversation, which made the Asian teen smile to herself. The next morning, it was another day of caution, and judging by how April found the four turles nearly taking up the entire front room on the floor, it wasn't going to be easy getting visitors, especially since the four brothers stayed the night, looking for solace and comfort. She couldn't blame them; they had nowhere else to go. Their light snores were enough to wake Jennifer up, by she noticed April walk into the room, giving the woman a shrug, and an apologetic smile. However, before their host could say anything, there was a knock on the door, awakening her guests. "Who is it?" "It's me, Charles", Jennifer silently cussed, before softly shaking Charlotte awake, who laid next to her on the futon.</s>	<\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie replaced her bracelet, stepping out of the tub and letting the water drain as she changed into dry pajamas. She had heard Raph leave when she got out, figuring he went back to bed. Again, she figured he wasn't much of a talker. Once dried off and in dry clothes, she went back to the futon and fell asleep. She moaned as she felt someone shaking her to wake her up. "What?" She mumbled, still wanting to sleep. She was always like this due to her late night swims.</s>
<\|description\|>Charlotte Summers Biographical Information Nickname(s): Charlie (preferred) Lotte Date of Birth: March 7th, 1975 Pisces Skills/Abilities: see, hear, breathe underwater, self defense, street smart, enchanting singing voice (mer form only) Weapon(s) of Choice: mostly physical like fists or feet Occupation(s): student and part time marine biologist Physical Description Specie(s): mutated human/mermaid Gender: female Height: 5'6 Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: dark brown Overview (Brief Summary): Charlie grew up exploring the waters with her father and shows no fear of it. She's even helped educate others about marine life and helped her father at his rehabilitation center. Months before her fifteenth birthday, she was finishing up tending to some fish when she slipped on a mysterious green substance, falling into the tank. The event changed her DNA to where she becomes a mermaid whenever the bracelet she was wearing that night is removed from her wrist. Personality: + Compassionate, artistic, gentle, wise, likes music, romance, being alone and swimming. -Fearful, overly trusting, being criticized, past coming back to haunt her Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Rachel Leigh Cook</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "What?!" She exclaimed, not loud enough for whoever it was to hear. She sat up, looking over at the brothers in worry. They had to hide, but where? She blinked before realizing they were gone, vanished like smoke. Ninja skills. She reminded herself as she made herself decent before April opened the door. She listened to what he said rolling her eyes as he told her to let someone else take the job. "Is he kidding? She's onto this case more than the cops are." She whispered to Jen.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Jennifer silently groaned in annoyance, shaking her head, in confirmation to Charlie's statement. Why would they want her off the case? Because she's too pushy for the business? Or, because she knew too much that it causes pressure for the police? These thoughts were circling around in her head, as she listened in on the conversation, though at the same time, she pretended to mind her own business. April herself didn't seem all to pleased on what was being requested of her. "Charles, what are you talking about? It's my story; no way". "Look at you; you're exhausted!", the man insisted, following April into the bathroom, which caused Jennifer to frown, telling Charlie to stay put, before tailing the two adults from behind, just by a few feet. "Let somebody else help you cover City Hall". The teenage boy in the room seemed to be looking around, before catching sight of what seemed to be Mikey hiding under the table, in the reflection of one of the mirrors. Turning around, hoping to figure out whether it was a trick of the eye or not, the turtle disappeared on the spot, as if he had never been there. "What's with you today?", April asked her boss, wondering why he would tell her to lay back, while proceeding to wash her face. "Nothing's with me today. I just thought you might like a little help", Jennifer continued to listen in, still trying to decipher what was really going on behind this incessant yet unexpected meeting, shortly before peeking from behind the doorway. "Well, I don't. Hand me a towel, will you?", she gasped, having to see Donatello hiding behind the shower curtain, with Jennifer catching a glimpse of him in the mirror. Her heart sunk, as Charles approached that very spot! "Charles, no!", April rushed to stop him, but right as he moved the curtain, there was no Donatello. "What's wrong?" "I just don't want you to see my unsightly bathtub ring. Okay, just out, out, out, out, out", and just like that, she was pushing him out of her bathroom; Jennifer, making a quiet snicker, when she found the turtle clinging to the ceiling of the shower. "I have to get ready for work. Danny, would you tell your father to relax?" "I wish", so that was his name. Danny. "Just don't push any buttons today, okay?", and he was gone, along with "Danny".</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie nodded in reply, glancing over at the boy who came with April's boss. Obviously his son, but something was off about him. She couldn't figure out what exactly, but she kept glancing at him now and then to make sure he wasn't any trouble. Seeing him quickly turn around, her heart sank. Did he see one? "Something wrong?" She asked him to which she got a glare in response. She rolled her eyes at him before hearing April shriek out at her boss. She had to have been stopping him from attacking one of the turtles. She sighed softly in relief upon hearing about the bathtub ring and telling him to get out. Once they were gone, she looked around for the brothers. "Guys?" She asked.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng "That was close!" As if on cue, Mikey appeared right next to April, who jumped on the spot for his sudden appearance. Jennifer wondered whether if it was the art of misdirection, or just the mastery of stealth that made him unnoticeable to them. "Time to switch to decaf, April", he chirped, just as the others were coming out of hiding. "That was really impressive", Jennifer praised their ability to camouflage with their surroundings, which apparently caused Mikey to fluster and giggle at the compliment.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie yelped in surprise as Raph came out from under the futon, never having seen nor felt him underneath. She hoped she didn't accidentally squish him while he was hiding under there. Had she known she would have gotten up. "It really was. You guys have to teach us how to do that. If you don't mind that is." She said, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng "I can do it too. I just haven't used it yet", Jennifer shrugged with a sheepish smile. "Cool! Next time, I want to see you blend in, like us", Mikey excitedly suggested, almost sounding like it was a dare. "I could give it a go", the Asian smiled, making the younger turtle blush a little, with another giggle. It was rather amusing to her, making the others groan. "I should get ready for work. Will you guys be hanging out here when I get back?", April asked, almost concerned on leaving them alone. "We'll be okay. Just as long as you come back, safely", Jennifer said, reassuring the woman that they won't be going anyway. Not that they had to, right?</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "We can handle ourselves, April. We'll be okay." Charlie assured her with a smile. Of course they'd still be here, they had nowhere to go really, especially if the Foot was looking for them. She gave her a wave as she left before grabbing her things and heading to the bathroom to change. She sighed softly as she processed everything that happened within the last day. They had met four teenage brothers who were different like her and Jen, befriended them, they lost their mentor and father, and were now camping out here as a safe haven. She sighed softly, realizing how much had happened in so little time.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng April was almost reluctant to leave her new friends alone in the apartment, although she reassured herself that they won't be going anywhere to find trouble, especially since whoever kidnapped Splinter, may as well as be looking for them. So, everything should be fine, for the time being. She found herself rather thankful and lucky to have met these individuals, considering that the least Miss O'Neil could do, was give them a place to lay low. When Charlie left the bathroom, Raphael silently watched her, not saying anything, but let the wheels in his head turn, at their current situation. A few hours after the human woman left, the girls and the brothers hung out in the living room; the television going on in the background, as they tried to find ways to pass the time. Jennifer decided that this would be the perfect time to teach Charlie some basic physical combat. Revolving around that of self-defense, instead of straight-up educating her on something more complex, topics for beginners were the best place to start. After a meditation session with the eldest turtle, Charlotte can practice on her punches and kicks with Jennifer, causing Raphael to get distracted every once in a while. "This is beginning to sound less and less like your common, garden-variety subway mugging..." The brothers crowded around the television, with the exception of Raphael, who sat on the couch. "She's a good reporter", Leonardo pointed out. "She's a babe!", Mikey corrected him, causing Jennifer to chuckle nearby. "...known as the Foot" "I'm sorry, the 'Foot'?" "Yeah, I know it sounds like a funky club for podiatrists, but I've been speaking with a lot of Japanese-Americans for the past few days, who say that our recent crime wave is reminiscent of a secret band of ninja thieves, who once operated in Japan." Taking a break with Charlie, Jennifer went to get some water for herself and her "adopted sister", while listening. "Are the police looking into this?" "I've included everything in my statement, but I doubt very much that Chief Sterns is taking this possible connection seriously." Giving Charlotte her bit of refreshment, Jennifer stood on the spot, watching the television, after taking a gulp. "You still haven't told us how you got away from your attacker" "It's really quite incredible. Some citizens of New York actually came to my rescue. Who says everyone in the Big Apple looks the other way? Seriously, June, I would like to take this opportunity to thank them: Jennifer, Charlie....and if he's watching, thanks, Raphael".</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie practiced with Jennifer on some self defense which she was thankful for, even with Leo and Donnie giving her some pointers and helping with her stances. She proved to be a good learner although not a one hundred percent great fighter. She was still learning after all. Her attention turned to the TV as April started speaking snorting at Mikey's comment about April. Boys. She gave Jen a little nod of thanks for the water before looking back as April mentioned being rescued, blinking a few times upon hearing her thank not only Jen and Raph but Charlie herself as well. Her attention was broken as Mikey pointed at Raph. "Look! I think he's blushing! I think he's actually turning red."</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Jennifer and the brothers were patient with Charlie, as she was just learning the ways of combat. Mistakes and mishaps were common, as the turtles themselves weren't masters as of yet, in spite of one claiming otherwise; they were still students under the guidance of a mentor. All it took, was a bit of practice. Although in Jen's case, she was self-taught, rather than one taking instruction from a teacher. However, she was modest, and took this particular experiences as a way of taking pointers, in order to correct the things she initially thought were perfect. Everyone was learns something new, everyday. That last comment apparently pushed it for the red-bandannaed alpha-like turtle, as he threw his sai into the floor, near one of his brothers' legs, causing Jennifer to flinch. "...maybe not", Donatello took it back quick, until Raphael reached over to take his weapon back. "So what do we do now?!", he demanded, frustrated. "What do you mean, 'what do we do now?", Leo questioned, wondering what was getting his rebel of a brother so worked up. "Splinter's out there somewhere!", he was clearly upset, causing Jennifer to close her eyes, once that very topic was brought up. "I know Splinter's out there", the leader was being remarkably calm, in contrast to Raphael's aggression. Unfortunately, they don't seem to be rubbing off each other nicely, as soon as Donnie and Mikey decided to retreat into the kitchen. "What are we gonna do about it?!" "What can we do about it? April's our only link to these guys. We have to wait until she comes up with something". "Oh, so that's the plan from our 'great leader', huh?" "Guys...", Jennifer voiced from where she was, hoping that her words would calm them down, but it didn't seem to work. "...just sit here on our butts!" "I never said I was a great leader". "You sure act like it, sometimes!" "Yeah? Well, you act like a jerk, sometimes, you know that! And this attitude of yours isn't helping anything". "...guys!", she tried again. Emotions were being thrown around, and it was painful to watch, especially at a dangerous time. like this. The last thing they needed right now was for them to split up. Her words seemed to make them stop, but it didn't seem to stop Raphael. "Yeah, well, maybe I'll just take my attitude and leave!" "Why don't you?" "I will!" "Good!" "Great!" "Go ahead! We don't need you!" And the rebel turtle was out the door, causing Jennifer to sigh in sadness and disappointment.</s>	<\|message\|>Charlotte Summers A little squeak escaped Charlie as the sai hit the floor, startled by the sudden movement. She noted that Raph apparently didn't like being teased, especially if he was in a bad mood. Speaking of, he was clearly upset when asking about the next course of action. Upon hearing Raph speak of Splinter, her heart sank a little. He still had hope in finding his father figure. She glanced at Leo, wondering how he could be so calm about all this. Surely he was just upset about Splinter's disappearance as Raph. "Fight?" "Fight." "Kitchen?" "Kitchen." Mikey and Donnie exchanged before leaving to get out of the verbal gunfire about to ensue. Charlie watched the two older brothers as she realized the younger two were right. Clearly Leo's calm demeanor wasn't going over well with Raph. "Leo!" She exclaimed as he called Raph on his attitude and a jerk. From her point of view, it was uncalled for. They were fighting, tearing a rift between their brotherly bond that wasn't repairing any time soon. She watched as Raph stormed off, Leo yelling they didn't need him. Something within her snapped as she glared daggers at Leo. "How could you say that to your own brother?! He's your family! The last thing you all need is losing him too!" She yelled at him. "You're supposed to be the leader...but all you're doing is pushing him away. Way to go, Leo." She said before leaving as well, trying to find Raph in hopes of helping him calm down and keep him safe.</s>
<\|description\|>Charlotte Summers Biographical Information Nickname(s): Charlie (preferred) Lotte Date of Birth: March 7th, 1975 Pisces Skills/Abilities: see, hear, breathe underwater, self defense, street smart, enchanting singing voice (mer form only) Weapon(s) of Choice: mostly physical like fists or feet Occupation(s): student and part time marine biologist Physical Description Specie(s): mutated human/mermaid Gender: female Height: 5'6 Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: dark brown Overview (Brief Summary): Charlie grew up exploring the waters with her father and shows no fear of it. She's even helped educate others about marine life and helped her father at his rehabilitation center. Months before her fifteenth birthday, she was finishing up tending to some fish when she slipped on a mysterious green substance, falling into the tank. The event changed her DNA to where she becomes a mermaid whenever the bracelet she was wearing that night is removed from her wrist. Personality: + Compassionate, artistic, gentle, wise, likes music, romance, being alone and swimming. -Fearful, overly trusting, being criticized, past coming back to haunt her Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Rachel Leigh Cook</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers A little squeak escaped Charlie as the sai hit the floor, startled by the sudden movement. She noted that Raph apparently didn't like being teased, especially if he was in a bad mood. Speaking of, he was clearly upset when asking about the next course of action. Upon hearing Raph speak of Splinter, her heart sank a little. He still had hope in finding his father figure. She glanced at Leo, wondering how he could be so calm about all this. Surely he was just upset about Splinter's disappearance as Raph. "Fight?" "Fight." "Kitchen?" "Kitchen." Mikey and Donnie exchanged before leaving to get out of the verbal gunfire about to ensue. Charlie watched the two older brothers as she realized the younger two were right. Clearly Leo's calm demeanor wasn't going over well with Raph. "Leo!" She exclaimed as he called Raph on his attitude and a jerk. From her point of view, it was uncalled for. They were fighting, tearing a rift between their brotherly bond that wasn't repairing any time soon. She watched as Raph stormed off, Leo yelling they didn't need him. Something within her snapped as she glared daggers at Leo. "How could you say that to your own brother?! He's your family! The last thing you all need is losing him too!" She yelled at him. "You're supposed to be the leader...but all you're doing is pushing him away. Way to go, Leo." She said before leaving as well, trying to find Raph in hopes of helping him calm down and keep him safe.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng By the time Charlotte slammed the door, everyone was silent - Mikey and Donatello were left speechless, as they sat quietly in the kitchen. "Pork rind?" "Pork rind." Jennifer sighed sadly, before turning to the eldest turtle in the room. "Words can pierce your opponents like bullets; it can graze them yet harm them. Raphael is hurting, Leonardo; not to mention, heartbroken. I'm not saying you don't seem the same, but both of you are dealing with it differently. I can see that you are a calm, clear-headed individual, but that doesn't mean you can shut Raphael out, by not acknowledging for how he is feeling, and because of that, he feels that no one understands. Why do you think Charlie left?" The blue swordsman looked at her, having to be surprised to be given a wise lecture from one of their new friends. There was something about Jennifer that left quite an impression on the three brothers; an older sister, someone who can give the best advice possible. Her words circled around in his head, shortly before he looked at the floor, almost ashamed. The Asian girl walked towards him, and gently grasped his hand. They didn't say anything, but let her touch alone comfort him. Meanwhile, on the roof, Raphael was doing everything he can to let his anger go. He wasn't aware of being pursued by Charlie, who followed him.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie had heard the door to the roof close after she started to head downstairs, changing her direction to find the red bandanaed turtle in hopes of at least talking to him or finding another way to calm him down. She arrived in time to see him angrily punching and kicking the air. She figured he was letting off steam imagining he was fighting the Foot, or worse, Leo. "Raph? You okay?" She asked, letting him know she was there. She didn't want to anger him further if he eventually saw her, figuring letting him know would avert an accidental attack. "What Leo said back there...I'm sure he didn't mean it. Both of you are upset about this and said things you didn't mean to." She said.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Punches and kicks to the air seem to be the right way of releasing the anger he was harboring. Splinter's very absence was taking its toll, and the longer they sit around, the bigger the chances were that their master may be gone permanently. Doesn't Leo understand this? They can't stay stationary. Giving grunts and groans of frustration, Raphael sighed, shortly before he heard the voice of Charlotte, a short ways behind him. What was she doing here? Looking over the side of the building, and over at the streets below, he didn't answer her, but rather, gave a sniff; whether out of sadness or anger, the rebel shook his head, trying to force these troubled feelings to just disappear. Her words were launching towards him, and he didn't look at her. "He's out there; I know it", he said, seemingly ignoring what she was telling him.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers "So do I, but I don't think he'd want his family to fall into discord." She said, carefully walking up to him. She still wanted to give him space should he decide to throw more punches and kicks. Charlie hesitated before gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "I know it might take you a while to calm down, but you have to try to make up with Leo. You can't leave things the way they were." She advised with a little hopeful smile. Unbeknownst to them they were being watched by multiple eyes. One pair was from a not too far away building where a man sat, not believing what he was seeing even with the binoculars. It was the weird punk he met a few nights ago. What was he doing up there? And why was there a girl with him? The other eyes belonged to a group of Foot ninjas who were creeping up on the duo before Charlie sensed something was wrong. She turned around, eyes widening as she saw they were surrounded. "Raph!" She exclaimed, but her warning came too late as one of the ninjas jumped onto his back.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Her persistence was fierce, that's for sure. Raphael didn't think that, besides Splinter, the girl could try to reason with him with wisdom. It hasn't been an easy thing to swallow, if such things came from his brothers but, perhaps out of anyone he encountered, that wasn't his father, Charlotte was able to give him a message that showed genuine care behind her reasoning. He took a few deep breaths through his nose, shortly before he felt her hand on his shoulder. It was obvious that she was being careful yet gentle in her approach, and that was what caused Raphael to reluctantly relent, and slowly loosen his fists. "Charlie, I...", he began to say, still looking down, whilst appearing to calm down, before being able to lift his head, and take another deep breath. "...thanks." He too was unaware of themselves being watched, even when the group of men in black jumpsuits started to approach to duo with complete silence. He heard Charlotte shout his name; the next thing he knew, they were getting thrown around, in an ambush. It was only a matter of time, before he could get back to his feet. "'Lee, get out of here!", he told her, as he started putting a number on the impeding group of ninjas. As long as their attention was on the rebellious turtle, Charlie would have a bigger chance of getting away, and telling the others. Meanwhile, April was showing her new friends the antique show below the apartment, which only seemed to induce wonder and curiosity in the turtle brothers, while Jennifer thought about the prolonged absence of their brother and Charlie. But, at the same time, the back of her mind says, that there was some sort of spark going on between her "sister" and the red-bandannaed turtle. Not that she was worried about it, but it became quite...endearing. Her thoughts were cut off, once Mikey decided to play a prank on Leo, having to startle him with some cymbals he found laying around. Luckily, Jen and April were able to cover their ears, in time. The ninjas were pouring in, and Raphael was starting to find himself overwhelmed. He was able to fend off a good few, but it was starting to become very hard. However, his tenacity didn't fade, despite his impeding exhaustion. "You must be studying the abridged book of ninja fighting. I mean, come on, how do you guys expect to beat me?", more and more started pouring in, making Raphael realize that numbers were on their side. "Good answer. Good answer". "Haven't they been gone a long time?", April asked, as they were going back up to the apartment, after giving them a brief tour of some of her most-prized possessions. "Raph does this, all the time; he likes it", Donnie reassured, as if it was no big deal. Jennifer frowned, sensing something wrong, shortly before she felt something sharp get thrown at her, grazing her cheek. "Are you sure?" Seeing a throwing ninja knife piercing the wall, Jennifer caught a glimpse of a bald Japanese man in a robe, in one of the mirrors. "We're being watched...", she realized, whispering to herself, before wiping the cut on her face. "...he'll probably be back any minute", before anybody could react, a shatter from above caught everyone off guard, as the body of Raphael came crashing through. "Raph!"</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie heard his words but didn't want to leave him alone, especially being clearly outnumbered. She hesitated for a moment before sneaking away, quickly heading downstairs to tell the others. She just hoped by the time she told them it wouldn't be too late. Tears started to sting her eyes at the thought of the brothers losing another family member, especially after the fight he had with Leo. She pushed the thoughts away as she spotted the others, running over towards them before quickly recoiling as she saw something fly quickly through the air. She was too late to warn them; the Foot were already here. She watched in shock as Raph crashed through the sunroof, glass and wood surrounding him. He wasn't moving. "Raph!" She exclaimed, running over with April and Donnie. Tears stung her eyes once again as she silently begged him to still be alive. "He's alive. Barely." Donnie assured them before looking at the few ninjas that had jumped in after their brother. Relief washed over Charlie before anger took over. These ninjas had the nerve to attack April, cause Splinter's disappearance, and now hurt her friend and threaten his brothers. She stood up, getting into a defensive stance.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng The crash was something that Jennifer did not want to see, especially since Charlie just walked into the room to witness it. She was immediately by April's side, checking to see that Raphael's vitals were still active. In addition to Donatello's claim, she was able to find a pulse, but it was faint. Very faint. Along with being thrown through the sunroof, he must nearly have been beaten to death before then. The attackers were piling in through the windows, door, and the roof. It was clearly an ambush, set to overthrow them with numbers rather than strength alone. But how did they find them? Nobody knew where they were. If so, who? Putting herself in the defensive, Jennifer stayed close to April, who looked over an unconscious Raphael, the moment they found themselves surrounded. "And I thought insurance salesmen were pushy", Mikey said, amusingly, shortly before one of them started swinging their single nun-chuck. "Oh, a fellow chucker, eh?", and the contest began. It was an exchange of skill to decipher who was better. Jennifer watched, silently, looking back and forth between the competitors. 'That's really impressive', she thought, having to give a small smile. It was becoming a close call, until Mikey sealed the deal by spinning his weapon on one finger. "Keep practicing", he said. 'It's over for you', she thought amusingly, the second Donnie jumped over him, and began the assault against their brothers' aggressors. There wasn't much room for them to defend themselves, but then, it was the perfect time to improvise. Giving a sucker punch, Mikey tossed one of them to Jennifer, who swiped her leg underneath to trip him into a cabinet, shortly before grab another, and launching a knee into his stomach. "Charlie, brace!", she said, before crouching down, and giving her sister a boost, by lifting Charlotte, and launching her towards another. "One of these guys knows where they're holding Splinter, so don't knock them all out", Leo told them, before knocking out the one he put into a choke hold. "I don't think that will be a problem, Leo", they just kept coming, one by one, and it only got worse, by the time, Donnie noticed more on the roof. "Hey guys, I'm not so sure if this is, structurally speaking, such a good time for your buddies to drop in", having to be surrounded once again, they weren't aware that the extra weight caused the floor to give out, due to them having to gall to use hatchets in the assault.</s>	<\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie watched as the Foot surrounded them before chuckling softly at the chucker tried intimidating them but easily lost to Mikey who did have impressive skills. Once Donnie attacked, it was on as punches and kicks were thrown. Charlie nodded in reply to Jennifer, getting launched at a ninja which she kicked down. She managed to jump away just as a hatchet came close to getting her. She realized Donnie's point too late as more ninjas came from the roof, causing the ruined floor to collapse. Charlie screamed as she fell with the others, a little bruised, but otherwise alright. She gasped softly upon seeing a bald Japanese man with more ninjas before them. Was he the leader? The answer was delayed as the door opened up to show a muscled man in a hockey mask carrying a hockey stick. "You guys mind telling me what you're doing to my little green pal over there, hm?" He asked, lifting up his mask to show he was around April's age. "Oh, who is the babe?" He added upon seeing her next to Raph. "Who the heck is that?" Leo asked, just as confused as everyone else there. "Wayne Gretzky on steroids?" Mikey guessed jokingly.</s>
<\|description\|>Charlotte Summers Biographical Information Nickname(s): Charlie (preferred) Lotte Date of Birth: March 7th, 1975 Pisces Skills/Abilities: see, hear, breathe underwater, self defense, street smart, enchanting singing voice (mer form only) Weapon(s) of Choice: mostly physical like fists or feet Occupation(s): student and part time marine biologist Physical Description Specie(s): mutated human/mermaid Gender: female Height: 5'6 Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: dark brown Overview (Brief Summary): Charlie grew up exploring the waters with her father and shows no fear of it. She's even helped educate others about marine life and helped her father at his rehabilitation center. Months before her fifteenth birthday, she was finishing up tending to some fish when she slipped on a mysterious green substance, falling into the tank. The event changed her DNA to where she becomes a mermaid whenever the bracelet she was wearing that night is removed from her wrist. Personality: + Compassionate, artistic, gentle, wise, likes music, romance, being alone and swimming. -Fearful, overly trusting, being criticized, past coming back to haunt her Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Rachel Leigh Cook</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie did her best to protect Raph and April as the latter tried opening a trapdoor for them to escape. It was the best course of action as they were easily overwhelmed by the numbers against them. Once it was opened, she helped Donnie get Raph through before climbing in after them. She turned to look back at Jen as they made their escape, worried about Raph and where they'd go now but also curious as to how they were found out by the enemy. The small group piled into April's van, Charlie carefully helping them bring in Raph before gently laying his head in her lap. She just hoped he'd wake up soon. She sighed softly before looking at everyone else as the hockey man took control of driving the car as April glanced back at her home burning. "Sorry about your place, April." She said softly, breaking the tense silence among them.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Just like April had said, there was indeed another room behind the door, and by the time they were able to reach the other side, they retreated into the human woman's van. Carefully, and swiftly, the brothers helped Charlotte carry Raphael into the van, just as Jennifer looked around to make sure they weren't being pursued from behind. The place was going up in flames, and the cloud of smoke engulfed the air. They were lucky to have gotten out in time, and it was all because of this mysterious human man, who willingly jumped into the fray, as backup. Apparently, at this rate, extra hands were what they really needed to get out of this situation. When everybody managed to get into the vehicle, Jennifer jumped in after them, and closed the doors with a grunt. As quick as they had piled in, the hockey man drove the van out from the side of the building, and into the streets. Luckily, the windows were tinted, so nobody would be able to take a peak on the inside. They have no choice but to find another hideout to, at least, recuperate from this near-death experience. With Raphael's head laying in her sister's lap, clearly out cold, Jennifer turned around to look out the back window, along with April to gaze at her burning apartment. The human woman didn't say anything, only looking upon her burning home with a sunken heart - her dad's antique store was gone, and probably beyond replenishing. Just as she was about to let tears fall, the Asian teen quickly engulfed her in a hug to console her. It wasn't fair. Who would rat them out like this? They were on the road now, homeless; all of them, now emotionally and mentally-affected. These people - the Foot - wanted them dead. They had to go off the grid; they weren't safe anymore in the city...until April pointed out a place that they could all try to rest, and heal. It took them all night to get there but there was, at least, some isolation. It was an old farm that April used to spend her summer days at; not entirely up to date, but it will do for now. Judging by how Raphael wasn't waking up, it was sadly ruled out that he was in a coma - nobody knew when he will ever wake up. That very same day, April and this man, whose name was "Casey Jones", had their argumentative moments, and it didn't really spread light on their situation. Jennifer and Charlie had to share a room, with April having to find them some new clothes, that were close in size, somewhere in the house. It occurred to Jen that her sister spent most of her time in the presence of Raphael, who laid in the bathtub. Even though she said that Leonardo took charge of watching over his brother, mainly out of guilt, Charlie insisted on being there. Meanwhile, April wrote down every account of their experiences in a journal, having to make a few sketches on the side. 'It's strange being back on the old farm. Even after all these years, it still feels like home. My amazing new friends have suffered their first real defeat. That's bad enough, but the turtles also lost the opportunity to find out about their mentor, and I'm sure that hurts them more than anything else. Jennifer and Charlie continued to cling onto hope that they fulfill their promise on helping them get through the very battle of conquering their greatest fears. Each of them deals with this confusion in their own way: Donatello has found someone to latch onto; Leonardo, meanwhile, has kept a constant vigil with Raphael, along with Charlotte, who seemed to continue on holding onto any hope of his recovery, with Jennifer and Michelangelo attempting to pent themselves via distraction. And then there's Casey Jones, a nine-year-old trapped in a man's body. He might almost be cute if it wasn't for that pigheadedness'.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie stayed close to Raph even after Leo insisted on keeping watch. She tried explaining they could take shifts so the other could get some rest, but the idea seemed to fall on deaf ears. She could tell Leo felt guilty for his brother being unconscious. If they hadn't fought, Raph wouldn't be in this predicament and would have had a better chance fighting off the Foot. She was currently in the kitchen making some sandwiches for everyone when she looked up to see Jennifer. "Hey." She said, realizing just how tired her voice sounded. It had been a few days since she had gotten proper sleep having only around three to four hours of rest if that. There were clear circles under her eyes from the sleeplessness. "Wanna help with these? I'm making them for everyone. Well, except for..." She said before trailing off.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng As much as she wanted to get Charlie to do something else, her sister stayed by Raph's side in the bathroom. At the same time, Leonardo insisted on telling her that he should be the one watching his brother; really to punish himself for the harsh words he given the rebellious turtle, before he was beaten, nearly to death. Jennifer could tell that her sister was barely sleeping, judging by the dark circles under her eyes, while at the same time, the teenage girl barely came back to their shared bedroom to lay down. Even when found Charlie in the kitchen, one day, making what seemed to be sandwiches, the Asian girl could tell that the other was lacking proper sleep again. By the time she trailed off on her words, Jen held her hands, really to stop her from what she was doing, before bringing her into a hug. "It's okay", she said softly, after kissing her forehead, and letting her lean against her, until they heard a shout from upstairs. "Hey! Hey, he's awake! He wants some food! Bring some food!" It was very unexpected, and yet, at that very moment, there came hope. Was Raphael truly awake? "Come on", Jen told Charlie, leading the way upstairs. By the time, they got there, the red-bandanna turtle was standing up, and awake, just like how Leo said, making Jennifer release a breath of relief, and smiled. The elder brother was helping the other turtle get to his feet, and helping him retain his balance. With nearly blurry vision, Raph gazed at the newcomers. "Hey guys", he said, wearily.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie allowed her adopted sister to comfort her as she trembled a little, trying to hold back tears. She was worried about Raph, especially since it affected the brothers. Leo moreso than the others. She had finally calmed down when she heard Leo's voice. She looked at Jen in surprise, hopeful as well as she headed upstairs quickly. She stopped upon seeing Raph awake and standing with a bit of help from Leo who seemed to have mended things between them. "You're okay!" She exclaimed, running over to hug the turtle in relief as happy tears fell. She pulled away, sniffing softly before smirking. "Bet you woke up because I was making sandwiches." She teased.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Making sure that Charlotte smiled, was something that Jennifer wanted to happen, the moment she met her; she was always better with one. From all of the challenges the two girls were forced to face in the outside world, all Jennifer did, was ensure that her sister was safe and happy. After meeting these four mutated turtles, there was a moment of realization for them to not only rely on each other, but rather those who were also like them. It was another part of "kin" they have yet to cross paths with, and were eventually adopted into. Beside from having each other, solace and acceptance were all that they really needed - and they may have found it. Living on the farm was not only a time to heal, but to also self-reflect, that they were in this together; that they had to stick together, for their own survival. They weren't only their friends, but also, come by it, family. It was an up-and-coming realization, once Raphael finally woke up from his nerve-wrecking slumber. He was able to stand, by the time, he noticed Charlie approaching him with a range of emotions in her eyes. He wasn't good with feelings, but he could tell that she was truly relieved, like everyone else. It felt fulfilling; he mended his relationship with his brother, and was able to see that 'Lee and the others were okay. All of this returned as a relief to him. Raph was rather surprised by the close contact that the girl gave him, but he soon relented, and willingly appreciated her attempt to show him her happiness. Strangely enough, at the very same time, something rose within him, having to possibly be generated after learning that she got away, when he told her to. "It's a Kodak moment", Donatello pointed out from the doorway, as their hug seemed to get longer than it should. When the girl pulled away, and teased him, the rebellious teen looked down at the ground, once more - a childhood habit when attempting to hide his emotions - causing a strange uproar in his chest. It was tingly; something he had never quite felt before, aside from familial love. "Bet you'll need this tub more than me", he said, in an attempt to tease her back. Jennifer looked between them, thinking about that "spark" again. Or, was it? She could be assuming, but it was clear that Raphael's reaction said otherwise. At this rate, she knew that Charlie was in good hands, and the realization made the Asian teen smile. In the meantime, they could all celebrate with some sandwiches. 'The Turtles are four, once again, and yet, still not whole. A lingering doubt remains; an unknown which they can't bear to face their greatest fear' More days went by, and everybody took that time to repair the broken and develop bonds. The only thing missing, was the parental figure that the brothers greatly missed. They seemed more lost, the longer they were away from the city, and Jennifer, as observant and perspective as she was, could sense their frustration - like small children trying to find the path that would lead them back home. In spite of this, they always attempted to distract themselves, by searching openings to rebuild their fighting spirits. At the same time, as Charlie seemed to be catching up on sleep, Jen proceeded to continue training her. After she managed to nail down the basics, Jennifer eventually moved her down the road in getting more physical. Of course, they got help from the brothers, who willingly gave them tips - mainly Raphael, who seemed to be finding opportunities in training Charlie further, whenever Jennifer couldn't...perhaps more often than not. Not that the Asian girl minded, since she herself took time of learning the bond between the mind and body from Leonardo. When Charlie was able to nail down the kicks and punches, full-body maneuvers came next. It wasn't necessarily advanced, nor was it for beginners, but more like in-between. Of course, as it was normal for something so complicated, mistakes were made, but it all came down with practice, and all six teens took it with stride, while April and Casey watched from the sidelines. Aside from training alone, Jennifer also noticed that Charlie hasn't left Raph's side once, and/or perhaps vice-versa. It could just be Jen's protective instincts alone, but then, she knew better than to observe, since the turtle always seemed to be around her sister.</s>	<\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie chuckled as he teased her back, just glad he was awake and alright if a little weak. She couldn't ignore the strange feeling growing inside her, making her feel warm, bubbly, happy. She only felt it around Raph. Was it because of their strange connection to each other? Possibly. As the days passed, the bonds between everyone seemed to grow, even the discord between April and Casey seemed to somewhat disappear but there were a few spats. Especially when he called her Toots one day which soon ended up with April leaving in a huff after telling him what she thought about him. But there was an unspoken emptiness everyone felt. Splinter was still missing. However, the brothers tried keeping their spirits up by perfecting their skills and helping Charlie with hers. Raphael seemed to be more interested in teaching her, giving her lessons whenever Jennifer couldn't or just because. There was no rhyme or reason why, but Charlie was thankful nonetheless. She was now moving onto more intermidenent moves. While nowhere near the brothers or Jen, she could at least put up a good fight. She was currently out with Raph training again when she managed to flip him over her shoulder. She smiled widely at the downed turtle. "I did it!" She exclaimed.</s>
<\|description\|>Charlotte Summers Biographical Information Nickname(s): Charlie (preferred) Lotte Date of Birth: March 7th, 1975 Pisces Skills/Abilities: see, hear, breathe underwater, self defense, street smart, enchanting singing voice (mer form only) Weapon(s) of Choice: mostly physical like fists or feet Occupation(s): student and part time marine biologist Physical Description Specie(s): mutated human/mermaid Gender: female Height: 5'6 Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: dark brown Overview (Brief Summary): Charlie grew up exploring the waters with her father and shows no fear of it. She's even helped educate others about marine life and helped her father at his rehabilitation center. Months before her fifteenth birthday, she was finishing up tending to some fish when she slipped on a mysterious green substance, falling into the tank. The event changed her DNA to where she becomes a mermaid whenever the bracelet she was wearing that night is removed from her wrist. Personality: + Compassionate, artistic, gentle, wise, likes music, romance, being alone and swimming. -Fearful, overly trusting, being criticized, past coming back to haunt her Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Rachel Leigh Cook</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng "Yeah, yeah, 'Lee. Take five", the turtle groaned, as he managed to get on one knee. Taking a moment to crack his neck, and rolling his shoulder, Raphael sat down in the grass. Even though Charlie was nowhere near as muscular as him, it was all thanks to her newfound workout routine with Jennifer that she was able to gain some upper body strength. As humble as Jennifer was, her sister was making an improvement, beneficial to Charlie's ever-growing athleticism. These routines took hours, from an early morning, all the way to an early evening, along with a few breaks in between. Although it seemed easy, but it was a rather rough journey, but the girls were able to pull it off together, along with a bit of help. Weapons were a whole 'nother matter. While Charlie was prepared for hand-to-hand situations, learning how to defend yourself from a certain weapons were something that didn't quite fit in with the styles that they were currently teaching her...at least, not yet. As a result, Raphael didn't, at all, use his sais in any of his sessions with her. Learning how to defend yourself from such a weapon wasn't easy to come by, it was just as hard as wielding them; anything in the Kobudo category wasn't for beginners, unlike other martial art styles. Charlie was a fast-learner. He and the others figured that out, a long time ago. While not exactly experienced, she clearly had great tenacity, as she wanted to take in as much as she could from her sister and the brothers. So far, she proved to be a very capable student. These thoughts circled in the red turtle's mind, putting them to high regard.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie sighed softly as she sat beside him, glancing up at the sky and watching the clouds pass by. It was so peaceful. Calming. She wondered if he felt it too, even with his temper. Surprisingly it hadn't shown up as much, probably since he and Leo made up. Or maybe it was because she calmed him. He always seemed to change around her. She looked over at him, contemplating her words before speaking. "Raph? Do...Do you ever think about going back? Ya know, to the city? Find out where Splinter is?" She asked, hoping she wouldn't anger him or cause a silent treatment from him.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Raphael took the next few seconds of rolling his shoulder from his workout hours from this morning, as well as his training workout with Charlie. The girl was making great progress for the past week and, to the best of their ability, her mentors made sure that they made it easy for her to adapt in such situations. In the real world, nothing about it, is simple. They knew that they can't stay on the farm for long, especially since they should be out looking for Splinter and, hopefully, find him alive. They had to leave soon, so, about two days ago, they took their sessions up to an eleven, simply by putting Charlie in situations that would act as practice test runs, so they could see how much knowledge she had managed to gain from them. Sometimes, there would be a surprise strike, even if they seemed to be minding their own business. They weren't harsh, but the strikes were light enough to ensure that they don't accidentally knock her unconscious, or outright hurt her. Even if they weren't successful, Jen reminded her, from time-to-time, that such maneuvers will come unexpected, and that she had to be on alert. Well, maybe not too alert. Being prepared was necessary, at this very time. He had to admit that the current feeling was very peaceful, especially since he and his brothers were drastically missing the presence of a certain father-figure. Somehow, for the past few days, Raphael found nature to be quite calming. For having to live in a city, he hasn't really stepped forth in its very boundaries. But, for someone as hotheaded and impulsive, it has really given him some sense of serenity. Lightly running his hand in the grass, he picked at a strand, either finding a way to distract himself, while being alone with 'Lee. Ever since Raph developed that strange feeling for the past two weeks, it initially confused him, but then, there was lingering fondness that he had never felt before. She was always so nice, and so caring, always asking if he was okay, while recovering from his coma. He may not have realized it, but he was staring at her. What snapped him out of it, was when 'Lee turned to look at him. Blinking at her, the rebel looked away quickly. Surprisingly, when she asked him that question, instead of staying quiet, he answered her, after taking a deep breath, and giving himself a moment of thought. "I always have. If they have Splinter, I would want to go back. Aside from having brothers, he is home. I'd feel a lot better if we found him...alive", he said, a bit of sadness lingering in his voice on that last word. Raphael was putting hope on the fact that his father was alive; that he was stronger than even them. He looked at the ground, holding in that emotion. "You promised, didn't you, 'Lee? That you would help us?", he asked.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie listened to him, understanding wanting to go back. It wasn't just their home but Splinter they were missing greatly. No one could blame them for that. Charlie herself missed her own father especially after just leaving him a few days after the mutation. She just wished she could have explained to him. She was brought out of her thoughts upon hearing him question about her promise. "Of course I did. I never go back on a promise." She replied before gently placing a hand on top of his. "I can't explain it, but I feel like he's still alive. He's out there, probably with the Foot. All we have to do is get one of those goons to tell us where he's located." She gave him a little smile. "The last thing we all need to lose is hope. Without it, what else is going to bring us back to the city?"</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Raph's thoughts were flying about, like leaves in the wind, just circling around. Could he truly be alive? How could they be certain that their father even survived? He shouldn't be thinking of such things, especially since they have gotten so close into believing that Splinter was out there, waiting for them. The longer they sit here, the longer he could continue to suffer. Alone. Closing his eyes, he had to hold onto the hope that his mentor was a trained martial artist, in the way of the ninja. He's alive...he had to be alive. The turtle's troublesome thoughts immediately dissipated, the moment he felt her hand make physical contact with his own. Encounters like this were new, and it gave Raphael some sort of reluctance to lean into it. He didn't know what to do, although his instincts told him that this was Charlie's way of showing him that she was sticking to her oath. However, there was a hunch when he looked down at their hands. Carefully, and slowly, he turned his three-fingered appendage over, so her hand would be sitting on his palm. It was awkward, shortly before he felt his heart strangely skip a beat, after just performing this one move. What is this? What is going on here? Could he...like her? Listening to her, Raphael almost pulled his hand away, but allowed it to remain there, intertwined, once he felt the calmness and comfort resonating from her touch. It was the same sensation that washed over him, when they were on that rooftop. Charlie was adding another layer to that peacefulness, that the nature around them brought. "'Lee, I...thanks", it was the same response he gave her back at the city, but..."Aside from April and Jen, thanks for looking out for us. Me, especially", he added, taking the risk to glance at her. Then, there was a shout behind them, back in the house, ruining the heartfelt moment. "Hey! Splinter's alive! He's alive!", Leo's voice was full of happiness and alarm. Jen was running towards her sister and the rebellious turtle, who seemed to be growing closer to Charlie, making the Asian teen internally smile. "Okay, before you say anything, something happened. During our meditation session, we had a vision...more like, Leo had a vision. He's certain that he saw Splinter; weak but alive, locked up, somewhere in the city. This evening, he wants all of us to meet", she notified, having to tell them that there was reason behind this. --- If what Leo said, was true, then they could know about Splinter's whereabouts together, and that was happening tonight. By the time the sun went down, and after April and Casey went to bed, the six teens gathered around a fire, somewhere in the forest. Leo and Raph took up one side; Don and Mikey taking another, and the girls took up the third. "Leo, if you dragged us out here for nothing...", Raph said, having to somewhat skepticism, but at least held onto hope that what his brother saw, was real. "Don't worry, guys. I came prepared", Mikey said, offering marshmallows to anyone who might want one. Jennifer chuckled, and raised her hand, willingly accepting one, before taking another to give to Charlie. The Asian girl's acceptance seemed to bring color to the youngest's turtle's face, which didn't go unnoticed by the female teen, in question. "Put those away", the seriousness was back, and the youngest reluctantly followed through with his order. "Everyone, close your eyes, and concentrate. Concentrate hard", and then, Leo put himself in a meditative state, with his brothers following suite. Jen wondered, if this was a particular technique used among the ninja. By the look of it, there was nothing 'typical' about it. Holding her sister's hand, the seventeen year-old too closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. It was a strange feeling, combined with calmness, peace, and nearly trance-like, and the next thing she knew, the face of their mentor appeared in her mind. "I am proud of you all. My sons, tonight, you have learned the final, and greatest truth of the ninja. The allies of whom you endorse with that of your strength, completes the ultimate mastery of not only the body, but of the mind. Together, there is nothing you cannot accomplish. Tread carefully, and share your energy with those you've brought in, with trust, as a bond is your sword, and your shield. Help each other; draw upon one another, and always remember the true force that binds you; the same as that which brought me here tonight that which I gladly return with my final words. I love you all, my children". ...and he was gone. Opening her eyes with a gasp, Jen felt the breath leave her chest, by the time she came to. It left nothing, but sweeping emotion, touching their hearts in the most unexpected way. Splinter accepted the newcomers; entrusted them to aid his disciples, in the battles that come. Mikey was shedding tears from the experience, and Jen stood up to place a hand on his shoulder, with the youngest returning the gesture by placing his hand on top of her own, accepting her comfort. Everyone was affected by this, and the words of the master gave way to a wave of determination.</s>	<\|message\|>Charlotte Summers A faint blush appeared on Charlie's cheeks upon feeling his hand move to where he was holding hers. A small gesture for sure, but one that brought emotions to the surface. Did he...like her? More importantly did she like him? All of these questions disappeared as he thanked her, causing her to give him a little smile. "No problem." She said before jumping a little upon hearing Leo's shout. She looked at Raph, her brown eyes wide. It couldn't be, could it? She listened to Jen as she explained what happened, hope rising inside her. Splinter was alive. Sitting beside Raph beside the fire, she was a little nervous. What if they didn't share the same vision? Would the boys tell her and Jen what happened? Too many what if questions buzzed about her mind before she was brought back, seeing Jen offering her a marshmallow. She smiled in thanks before taking it. She listened to Leo before doing what he said, holding Jen's hand in one while the other gently sat beside Raph's. She did notice how calm he seemed whenever she touched him so she hoped it would help with concentrating. Charlie gasped softly as the vision ended, tears blurring everything around her. Splinter was alive and had considered both Jen and her as family. She sniffed softly, drying her eyes before looking over at Raph, knowing how this news would affect him. He was right all this time. The next morning Leo had told April and Casey what happened, telling them they had to go back. They arrived in the city just as it was getting dark, just enough cover to hide them as they snuck back into the sewers and towards what was once their home. The place was still a mess but could be cleaned up for sleeping spots. Charlie noticed something a little off, there were pizza boxes here that she didn't remember where there the last time she and Jen had seen them. Her attention was drawn away as a noise came from a closet, all turtles alert and heading towards it before quickly opening the door. A boy around their age coward, holding up his hands. "Don't shoot!" He exclaimed in fear. Wait, she knew this boy, he was the son of April's boss.</s>
<\|description\|>Charlotte Summers Biographical Information Nickname(s): Charlie (preferred) Lotte Date of Birth: March 7th, 1975 Pisces Skills/Abilities: see, hear, breathe underwater, self defense, street smart, enchanting singing voice (mer form only) Weapon(s) of Choice: mostly physical like fists or feet Occupation(s): student and part time marine biologist Physical Description Specie(s): mutated human/mermaid Gender: female Height: 5'6 Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: dark brown Overview (Brief Summary): Charlie grew up exploring the waters with her father and shows no fear of it. She's even helped educate others about marine life and helped her father at his rehabilitation center. Months before her fifteenth birthday, she was finishing up tending to some fish when she slipped on a mysterious green substance, falling into the tank. The event changed her DNA to where she becomes a mermaid whenever the bracelet she was wearing that night is removed from her wrist. Personality: + Compassionate, artistic, gentle, wise, likes music, romance, being alone and swimming. -Fearful, overly trusting, being criticized, past coming back to haunt her Out-Of-Universe Information Face Claim: Rachel Leigh Cook</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Raphael took the next few seconds of rolling his shoulder from his workout hours from this morning, as well as his training workout with Charlie. The girl was making great progress for the past week and, to the best of their ability, her mentors made sure that they made it easy for her to adapt in such situations. In the real world, nothing about it, is simple. They knew that they can't stay on the farm for long, especially since they should be out looking for Splinter and, hopefully, find him alive. They had to leave soon, so, about two days ago, they took their sessions up to an eleven, simply by putting Charlie in situations that would act as practice test runs, so they could see how much knowledge she had managed to gain from them. Sometimes, there would be a surprise strike, even if they seemed to be minding their own business. They weren't harsh, but the strikes were light enough to ensure that they don't accidentally knock her unconscious, or outright hurt her. Even if they weren't successful, Jen reminded her, from time-to-time, that such maneuvers will come unexpected, and that she had to be on alert. Well, maybe not too alert. Being prepared was necessary, at this very time. He had to admit that the current feeling was very peaceful, especially since he and his brothers were drastically missing the presence of a certain father-figure. Somehow, for the past few days, Raphael found nature to be quite calming. For having to live in a city, he hasn't really stepped forth in its very boundaries. But, for someone as hotheaded and impulsive, it has really given him some sense of serenity. Lightly running his hand in the grass, he picked at a strand, either finding a way to distract himself, while being alone with 'Lee. Ever since Raph developed that strange feeling for the past two weeks, it initially confused him, but then, there was lingering fondness that he had never felt before. She was always so nice, and so caring, always asking if he was okay, while recovering from his coma. He may not have realized it, but he was staring at her. What snapped him out of it, was when 'Lee turned to look at him. Blinking at her, the rebel looked away quickly. Surprisingly, when she asked him that question, instead of staying quiet, he answered her, after taking a deep breath, and giving himself a moment of thought. "I always have. If they have Splinter, I would want to go back. Aside from having brothers, he is home. I'd feel a lot better if we found him...alive", he said, a bit of sadness lingering in his voice on that last word. Raphael was putting hope on the fact that his father was alive; that he was stronger than even them. He looked at the ground, holding in that emotion. "You promised, didn't you, 'Lee? That you would help us?", he asked.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie listened to him, understanding wanting to go back. It wasn't just their home but Splinter they were missing greatly. No one could blame them for that. Charlie herself missed her own father especially after just leaving him a few days after the mutation. She just wished she could have explained to him. She was brought out of her thoughts upon hearing him question about her promise. "Of course I did. I never go back on a promise." She replied before gently placing a hand on top of his. "I can't explain it, but I feel like he's still alive. He's out there, probably with the Foot. All we have to do is get one of those goons to tell us where he's located." She gave him a little smile. "The last thing we all need to lose is hope. Without it, what else is going to bring us back to the city?"</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng Raph's thoughts were flying about, like leaves in the wind, just circling around. Could he truly be alive? How could they be certain that their father even survived? He shouldn't be thinking of such things, especially since they have gotten so close into believing that Splinter was out there, waiting for them. The longer they sit here, the longer he could continue to suffer. Alone. Closing his eyes, he had to hold onto the hope that his mentor was a trained martial artist, in the way of the ninja. He's alive...he had to be alive. The turtle's troublesome thoughts immediately dissipated, the moment he felt her hand make physical contact with his own. Encounters like this were new, and it gave Raphael some sort of reluctance to lean into it. He didn't know what to do, although his instincts told him that this was Charlie's way of showing him that she was sticking to her oath. However, there was a hunch when he looked down at their hands. Carefully, and slowly, he turned his three-fingered appendage over, so her hand would be sitting on his palm. It was awkward, shortly before he felt his heart strangely skip a beat, after just performing this one move. What is this? What is going on here? Could he...like her? Listening to her, Raphael almost pulled his hand away, but allowed it to remain there, intertwined, once he felt the calmness and comfort resonating from her touch. It was the same sensation that washed over him, when they were on that rooftop. Charlie was adding another layer to that peacefulness, that the nature around them brought. "'Lee, I...thanks", it was the same response he gave her back at the city, but..."Aside from April and Jen, thanks for looking out for us. Me, especially", he added, taking the risk to glance at her. Then, there was a shout behind them, back in the house, ruining the heartfelt moment. "Hey! Splinter's alive! He's alive!", Leo's voice was full of happiness and alarm. Jen was running towards her sister and the rebellious turtle, who seemed to be growing closer to Charlie, making the Asian teen internally smile. "Okay, before you say anything, something happened. During our meditation session, we had a vision...more like, Leo had a vision. He's certain that he saw Splinter; weak but alive, locked up, somewhere in the city. This evening, he wants all of us to meet", she notified, having to tell them that there was reason behind this. --- If what Leo said, was true, then they could know about Splinter's whereabouts together, and that was happening tonight. By the time the sun went down, and after April and Casey went to bed, the six teens gathered around a fire, somewhere in the forest. Leo and Raph took up one side; Don and Mikey taking another, and the girls took up the third. "Leo, if you dragged us out here for nothing...", Raph said, having to somewhat skepticism, but at least held onto hope that what his brother saw, was real. "Don't worry, guys. I came prepared", Mikey said, offering marshmallows to anyone who might want one. Jennifer chuckled, and raised her hand, willingly accepting one, before taking another to give to Charlie. The Asian girl's acceptance seemed to bring color to the youngest's turtle's face, which didn't go unnoticed by the female teen, in question. "Put those away", the seriousness was back, and the youngest reluctantly followed through with his order. "Everyone, close your eyes, and concentrate. Concentrate hard", and then, Leo put himself in a meditative state, with his brothers following suite. Jen wondered, if this was a particular technique used among the ninja. By the look of it, there was nothing 'typical' about it. Holding her sister's hand, the seventeen year-old too closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. It was a strange feeling, combined with calmness, peace, and nearly trance-like, and the next thing she knew, the face of their mentor appeared in her mind. "I am proud of you all. My sons, tonight, you have learned the final, and greatest truth of the ninja. The allies of whom you endorse with that of your strength, completes the ultimate mastery of not only the body, but of the mind. Together, there is nothing you cannot accomplish. Tread carefully, and share your energy with those you've brought in, with trust, as a bond is your sword, and your shield. Help each other; draw upon one another, and always remember the true force that binds you; the same as that which brought me here tonight that which I gladly return with my final words. I love you all, my children". ...and he was gone. Opening her eyes with a gasp, Jen felt the breath leave her chest, by the time she came to. It left nothing, but sweeping emotion, touching their hearts in the most unexpected way. Splinter accepted the newcomers; entrusted them to aid his disciples, in the battles that come. Mikey was shedding tears from the experience, and Jen stood up to place a hand on his shoulder, with the youngest returning the gesture by placing his hand on top of her own, accepting her comfort. Everyone was affected by this, and the words of the master gave way to a wave of determination.</s> <\|message\|>Charlotte Summers A faint blush appeared on Charlie's cheeks upon feeling his hand move to where he was holding hers. A small gesture for sure, but one that brought emotions to the surface. Did he...like her? More importantly did she like him? All of these questions disappeared as he thanked her, causing her to give him a little smile. "No problem." She said before jumping a little upon hearing Leo's shout. She looked at Raph, her brown eyes wide. It couldn't be, could it? She listened to Jen as she explained what happened, hope rising inside her. Splinter was alive. Sitting beside Raph beside the fire, she was a little nervous. What if they didn't share the same vision? Would the boys tell her and Jen what happened? Too many what if questions buzzed about her mind before she was brought back, seeing Jen offering her a marshmallow. She smiled in thanks before taking it. She listened to Leo before doing what he said, holding Jen's hand in one while the other gently sat beside Raph's. She did notice how calm he seemed whenever she touched him so she hoped it would help with concentrating. Charlie gasped softly as the vision ended, tears blurring everything around her. Splinter was alive and had considered both Jen and her as family. She sniffed softly, drying her eyes before looking over at Raph, knowing how this news would affect him. He was right all this time. The next morning Leo had told April and Casey what happened, telling them they had to go back. They arrived in the city just as it was getting dark, just enough cover to hide them as they snuck back into the sewers and towards what was once their home. The place was still a mess but could be cleaned up for sleeping spots. Charlie noticed something a little off, there were pizza boxes here that she didn't remember where there the last time she and Jen had seen them. Her attention was drawn away as a noise came from a closet, all turtles alert and heading towards it before quickly opening the door. A boy around their age coward, holding up his hands. "Don't shoot!" He exclaimed in fear. Wait, she knew this boy, he was the son of April's boss.</s> <\|message\|>Jennifer Lóng All from that very night, everybody was overwhelmed by the realization that Master Splinter was alive. Even when morning came, they immediately packed up early, eager to get back and reunite with him. It was a rather abrupt and hasty departure from the farmhouse, but they couldn't sit around any longer. They were going to get him back. Whatever it takes. That very same evening gave them the best luck; the night covered them, like the favored ally, it always was. Casey didn't favor their hideout, but did they really have anywhere else in the city to lay low? Jennifer was about to suggest their apartment, but she didn't want the place to suffer the same fate as to what happened to April's own. The Foot could set the place ablaze again, and put everybody else inside the building at risk. They had to be away from prying human eyes. So, here they were, below the streets, with Casey preferring to spend the night in the truck above. However, some things in their former home seemed out of place: Pizza boxes were all over the floor. They certainly weren't there the last time Jen and Charlie visited. Someone's been creeping around in here, the Asian teen thought aloud. "I still don't see why we don't get started right away", Raphael pointed out, hoping they could make a strike early, and take them out by surprise. "It's been a long drive, Raph, and before we go out advertising to The Foot that we're back, we could all use a few hours' sleep", his older brother reasoned, just as Jen looked around a bit more, before a noise had them all drawing their weapons. Raphael instinctively stood in front of Charlie, single sai in-hand, as he and the brothers approached the closet, opening it to see the same teenage boy that was at April's apartment, during her boss' unexpected visit. "I don't think it's loaded, kid", Raph grumbled, a little annoyed by such unseasonable logic, just as they pulled back. "Where'd he come from?" "Beats me". "Danny, what are you doing here?", April was in alarm, by the time he managed to get out of the closet. "I ran away from home". "Your father's going to have kittens. Does this thing work?", she reached for a phone, until he stopped her, pleading. "Please don't call". Just as Jen was putting her sword away, something occurred to her. He wasn't afraid of them; at least, in the physical sense. 'Wait a minute', she thought, 'if only my hunch was right'. She would have to keep an eye on him. It was strange to see him here of all places.</s>	<\|message\|>Charlotte Summers Charlie sighed softly as the tension died down, the brothers lowering their guard at the nonthreatening kid. He was adamant about not contacting his father, telling Charlie there had to be a rift between the two. She sighed softly as she remembered how an unintentional rift came between her and her own father. She was brought out of her thoughts as Danny mentioned pizza but much to the disappointment of the brothers turned out to be moldy. She chuckled a little as Donnie and Mikey hummed TAPS as they paid respects to their beloved pizza. She glanced at Raph,making sure he was alright and not too agitated. "You alright?" She asked him.</s>
<\|description\|>Hulius Race : Human Age : 56 Physical characteristics : Weight : 200 lbs Height : 5'11 Body Type : On the heavier side / older and hunched Eye color : Blue Hair color : Darker aged brown, with a lot of gray. Faceclaim (if any is found - can be done at a later date) : Skills (Up to six skills are allowed.) : Shepherding, cooking, money handling, secret, secret, secret Job/Previous profession: Shepard Magic (if any and how it was earned) : Unknown Character's history (villages/tribes/people is up to you on their names/traditions but this is a western fantasy) : Hulius, an older adult from the western highlands, nearest to the mountains. He grew up the family of herdsmen and Shepards; trading was much of his family's ways as they traveled along the lowest mountains and the highest hills. He grew up quickly and was not able to have a wife due to his brother taking one of the few women in the area. In his middle ages, he still did not marry, but he did have the possibility of siring children with women of pleasure through his travels to some small cities and towns and spending most of his time traveling with his flock. Getting what he needed, and returning his friends and family with resources that herders normally couldn't get. When the time came, and the word of the Exodus had come to the western highlands, his people wished to leave in search of a new world and elected him the navigator across the lands. Even though he had never left his homeland.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius Chapter 1 - On the way to Exodus On the edge of the western highlands and the mountains in the north, a group gathered, it was mainly folk who lived off the lands or traded, but they had heard from several travelers that there was a way to see a better world. A better world was what most of the poor, desperate, or weak could hear, a life away from a monotonous lifestyle of repeating the same actions every day to live. These people did not work that much, the foraged and lead their herds of various animals through the land protecting them. Simple lives on the outskirts of a civilized world. This society wanted more; they had come back from the mountains to their ancestral homelands when the river returned life and streams to the region. Their leader Hulius was asked to read a map to the exodus and to lead them there. And so he had set off weeks before, leaving the cliffs of the coastline, and heading inland. Ninety-seven people in total, most of them younger folk, the oldest being the elderly Hulius in his late fifties. There were only humans in this close society. Several days into their journey, they had left their ancestral homeland and entered a territory unknown to most of them. Here, raiders had come to their camp, they took several people, and some were killed when resisting. Their flock of animals had been cut into almost half as well. Hulius had to lead them to a small trading town in which he had used many times before and bought back the people who were taken. Those that were lost to the sword, not much could be done at that time. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Hulius sat on a blanket next to the footpath towards the city, just off the side with his people, they had collected some new members to join them, but he was looking for warriors or just people to help protect the group. The men could always use their slings, as he had done previously, but it was not much help against numbers, or when an opponent came close. To which, not a lot of them knew how to fight in a melee. Several had offered for coin, but he was unable to give that, he only had his people, and the way to get across the continent. But he would sit, and continue to rest himself there, he had several baskets with him, along with a sling with a pouch of rocks, a skin full of water, and a crooked staff to help him guide the flock of sheep that was spread across the hill which his followers rested upon. Near him, a fire was started as the night was slowly coming over the rolling hills, a beautiful orange sky spread out above them.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Sorry typo</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone walked cautiously through the raiders land she had her swords in their sheath. She spotted people nearby, cautiously walking over she was strained from her backpack and held her hands on her sword handle. Getting closer she deemed the people to be not to malicious and removed her hand from the sword handle. Finally confronting the people she smiled. She politely bowed and looked at the leader. "Exsuse me,do you have any will or milk perchance?" she asked.</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Traveling from the distance of the footpath, a taller looking man could be spotted from the distance. His figure looking like one of someone who had an aura that felt strong, yet warm. Upon closer inspection as the man got closer, would seem to give off a more magical presence naturally, as the man would finally arrive toward the small encampment placed by Hulius and his people. When Anseyla would arrive to fully take in the sight of what was happening, Anseyla began speaking with people to find out what this was, and of whom was in leadership of this traveling band. Upon finding out the information he needed, Anseyla would eventually arrive in front of Hulius, as he'd wait from acknowledgement from the leader, showing a respect of his authority among these people. Being so close to the man, immediately a sense of ease could be felt in the air, as the man that stood before Hulius exerted such an energy seemingly instinctively. The man would stand with his hands folded in front of him, standing tall and having a small and charming smile coming across his face. Perhaps he put this on to make a good impression, perhaps this was his natural mood. Nonetheless, the man would stand in front of Hulius with his hair gently flowing in the breeze, hoping that Hulius would be interested in speaking with him. During his wait however, he'd also notice the elf standing next to him, as he'd smile and give her a polite nod as they both stood and she asked her question.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone noticed a male next to her and finished her question, she the waves to the male. Smiling softly and turned towards the leader and inspected the others trying to understand their situation. Then she placed her back pack on the ground tired from carrying it. Pulling out a bag of silver she handed it to the leader of the group. Finally she turned to the other male and looked him over before extending her hand out. "Hello I'm kotone." she replied smiling.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius The older man looked up towards the younger elf, "We have milk... but at the moment, not a lot of will to continue." he said as he looked at her, pressing his lips together, "do you have anything to trade for?" he asked, "or instead join an escort until we get out of the highlands?" "If not, you might be able to find something in the trading town half a quarter of a league down the path on the other side of that hill, and might be able to do more with that coin there... a silver coin from the south could buy most of what everyone here has," he said as he sat there, smiling before looking at the other man who had walked up. His eyes slowly moved as did his torso, his head turning slowly as the smile widened. "And what can I do for you traveler?" he asked as his eyes landed upon the taller man, "because if you are looking to leave this land, then we will be heading out soon possibly..."</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone nodded and pondered the though of leaving but couldn't bare them being defenseless. And she wanted a fair and even bargain for her service, she looked towards the older leader and smiled. Pulling out a few miscellaneous daggers and handing them to the leader and smiled politely. She stepped back and looked intensely at the leader. "I will accept to protect you in addition teach some people to fight in return whatever food or fabric you receive must be split evenly deal?" She asked lightening up and smiling .</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Anseyla looked between Kotone and the older leader, as he after allowing Kotone to respond, would reply to the leader's previous question, ''I just was happening to travel by when I saw your encampment, and my curiosity got the better of me, and I was simply curious as to what this exactly was, and what was going on here.'' Anseyla looked around the camp, as he would see how the people were surviving and living, ''Perhaps maybe I'd like to join your group of travelers, as I might be able to add some assistance to your people's cause.'' Anseyla after that gave the leader another smile, as he kept his hands folded as he continued to glance around the camp.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius Hulius smiled softly looking between the two, and at the daggers that were given to him, "I thank you for the knives, why you have so many, I don't exactly know… but I thank you nonetheless… and of course, but you will have to put in work for food as well, and learn… fabrics, well it will take time for the wool to grow on the sheep." he would then turn towards the taller man, once more, "I thank you, once again, but we are just Shepards from near the mountain territory along the coast, we mainly travel to the mountain to trade, but I come down to the south badlands to do so… and it is a safer route geographically for my people."</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Anseyla listened to the older man intently, as after hearing him out replied, ''I understand, and I hope that by joining you perhaps I can find more of my own reasoning in my travels. I'd be more than happy to tag along with you all, and I appreciate your gracious acceptance of me into your people.'' Anseyla gave a respectful bow of his head, as he'd move his hair slightly out of the way of his face after doing his respectful nod. After a moment Anseyla would also add, ''I just recalled, pardon my manners.. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Anseyla.'' He would give a small smile between the both of them.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone nodded and smiled placing her hand to her side as she tried to understand what was said. Walking to the people of the group she handed everyone some of her left over food. Handing the lettuce to the sheep's to eat as she petted them. Walking back to the leader she put her backpack back on and looked forward seeing some of the nearby town. The sun was almost about to set in a few hours or so. "We should keep moving if you want to get any closer and out of this waste land, and keep the silver you may need for those who can barely move I'll try to carry." she advised. She worriedly looked forward at the time and her ears perked up she covered the tips with her hands and turned slight red in the face. Before she turned towards the other male trying to get a read on him, he was obviously a warrior and maybe a half breed. But there was something else that she couldn't quite pin on him, just a feeling of pure strength. Looking forward she stated at the sun and it's lowering before it started to blind her making her look away from it.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius Hulius looked at the girl, "we have food, and know-how to live from the land dear." he said as he laid down, "But the night is about to come... it is better to get rest then it is to move when we cannot see. We are also safe near the town, the warlord does not let anything happen to visitors of his home. "We just seek protection from the world which preys on the weak..." He shifted several things on his blanket, "but if you wish to hunt for meat, you may, we do not slaughter an animal unless if it is needed or celebration... We have around ninety people, and several hundred animals, most of the men forage and hunt, picking up the trail we leave behind, they go in small groups or by themselves, so they are harder to track and hunt down. For when they are gone, that is when we need protection the most." "It is good to have people who wish to join us, Anselya and Kotone.. shall our journies together be fair."</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Anseyla gave the man a smile, as he would notice the elf looking him over out of the corner of his eye, but would not acknowledge it. Instead, Anseyla would ask the leader, ''I believe our journey together will be more than fair. However I must ask of you, is there any place in the camp I could stay that would be a bit out of the way? As a newcomer, I wouldn't want to pose any issue to any of your people with my presence.'' Anseyla looked around the forest and camp for a moment, and even looked up at the sky, before finally returning his gaze back to Hulius, as he'd hold his smile from earlier. Anseyla would during his question unfold his hands and allow his arms to rest gently upon his sides, as he'd lean his head a bit closer toward Hulius to better hear his response when he responded.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone nodded in disappointment and smiled bowing before looking away from anseyla. She sat her backpack down and pulled out a blanket and wrapping it over her body and taking a water cantine out . Observing the nearby hill she found a clean patched area, She turned her attention towards the leader gazing at him fiercely but not maliciously. Her head tilted slightly before she in-sheath her sword placing it straight flat against her leg. "Ok, I'll take first watch probably all night if anyone needs me I'll be in a tree." She replied. "And also I don't hurt animals or kill them." She climbed up the nearby hill, covers herself in a blanket and held her sword firmly. Looking at the terrain from above it had a slight angelic feeling as the sun set and the colors became vibrant. Leaning her head against the soft grass she closed her eyes and felt the light breeze touch her face. She eventually opened her eyes to observe around her again.</s>	<\|message\|>Hulius Hulius looked at the girl and smiled softly, "go to sleep dear... we are close enough to the town to be safe." he said looking at her, "and we should all be rested for when we set off tomorrow.." he watched as she went up the hill, before he looked back to the man, "there are several newcomers... I am sure you can find a place on your own." He turned himself towards the fire, "just find a place to relax and enjoy your time here... tomorrow we will continue, and maybe find travelers along our path. But, I feel as if I must sleep soon... my old body can only handle so much sitting in a day."</s>
<\|description\|>Hulius Race : Human Age : 56 Physical characteristics : Weight : 200 lbs Height : 5'11 Body Type : On the heavier side / older and hunched Eye color : Blue Hair color : Darker aged brown, with a lot of gray. Faceclaim (if any is found - can be done at a later date) : Skills (Up to six skills are allowed.) : Shepherding, cooking, money handling, secret, secret, secret Job/Previous profession: Shepard Magic (if any and how it was earned) : Unknown Character's history (villages/tribes/people is up to you on their names/traditions but this is a western fantasy) : Hulius, an older adult from the western highlands, nearest to the mountains. He grew up the family of herdsmen and Shepards; trading was much of his family's ways as they traveled along the lowest mountains and the highest hills. He grew up quickly and was not able to have a wife due to his brother taking one of the few women in the area. In his middle ages, he still did not marry, but he did have the possibility of siring children with women of pleasure through his travels to some small cities and towns and spending most of his time traveling with his flock. Getting what he needed, and returning his friends and family with resources that herders normally couldn't get. When the time came, and the word of the Exodus had come to the western highlands, his people wished to leave in search of a new world and elected him the navigator across the lands. Even though he had never left his homeland.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone stood up flustered at the moment for wanting to dance, she quietly took her flute out her backpack. She started to soft elven traditional song, the voters touched the air as she looked up towards the twinkling stars. The wind picked up and drifted it the notes into the air, she caught her breath before picking the song back up. She watched the nearby people slowly fall asleep and the campfire flicker in the distance. Softly she ended the song and played back down in the grass, as she closed her eyes enjoying the breeze. Her flute tightly in one hands grasp and her sword in the other. She covered her lower half in a blanket since her clothes we a little short and it made her slightly uncomfortable.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius Hulius soon heard a flute, and closed his eyes listening to it as he was kept away by it, and he slowly shifted as he waited for her to be finished. He moved a bit closer to the campfire before he relaxed some and his eyes fell short and his body moved up and down as he breathed. The rest of the camp would slowly fall asleep around them, moving closer to fires, the animals would continue to graze or camp around in large groups, or near their respective caretakers. The night fell over quickly, and the moons shined bright up in the sky with the stars. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ In the morning, and I mean dawn as the sun rises, most of the camp was up and packing up. Hulius was already up with his pack, he looked around enjoying the sunrise and he turned his head towards where the others were hoping that they would be up or that the rabble that was growing around them would help in their ability to rise. He stared at where the elf and the other headed off towards, hoping that they were both awake by now, knowing that they might not be as they are definitely not farmers or herders. He stretched some as he looked about, the animals are grazing and enjoying themselves as their owners allowed them to. Most of the fires were smoldering out or put out by the people around them. "Get ready, we will be moving out soon!" he yelled out as loud as he could.</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Anseyla would seemingly be an earlier riser, as he'd be sitting up a little bit higher up on a hill above the entire camp, with his eyes closed and enjoying the sunrise as the sun gently greeted him with it's warm and blissful touch. Anseyla would be lost in the sounds of the animals graze, the crackling of the smoldering fires, and the gently smoke of disintegrated firewood. Anseyla enjoyed all of the smaller moments as best as he could, his philosophy knowing that the major events of life could easily cast over the beautiful and more minuscule memories. Anseyla would gently perk a sharper, more eleven ear when he heard the call of Hulius, alerting them that they would be moving out soon. Anseyla with this knowledge, slowly stood himself up and carefully made his way back down the hill, as he seemed to be a more cautious individual by character. Upon reaching the bottom, Anseyla would walk more into the more general congregation of people, as he'd await for the entire traveling band to begin moving out toward a hopefully brighter future. Anseyla as he stood around however would take time to fix his hair, ensuring that his more eleven features were not shown, as it seemed to be a noticeable quirk that he was hiding something when it came to his heritage. Anseyla would find a place in the crowd of people to close his eyes and enjoy the sun's presence once more, keeping his senses alert as to when they would finally be on the move.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone had awoken not soon after the sun began to shine she desperately wanted to get to the city and fast. She had unfinished business within the nearby town she headed down towards camp. Her face lifted seeing the campers and their leader she enjoyed watching people communicate and love their life. Walking towards the leader she put her hair into a messy bun. "Hello good morning, are you guys up and ready?" she asked happily smiling.She She stared into Hulius's eyes and smiled awaiting an answer as she bowed to Anseyla in acknowledgement. She looked towards him in a greeting manner and smiled politely, using her hair to cover her ears. "I hope you slept well." she said towards Anseyla then turned back to the leader awaiting an answer.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius He smiled seeing Anseyla in a crowd of folk near to where he slept, hopefully, he was making friends within the crowd. Then he turned to the other companion they had picked up the day prior. "Of course I did dear girl, I slept as any man should, beneath the stars on a beautiful day." he smiled, "since it seems everyone is up... we have about a two-hour walk to the road, and from there, we can see how far we can go again." He looked back down the footpath towards the town, "I am sure we have everything we need, the foragers can find it..." he said before he started to move down the footpath on the hill they were on. The wide-open hills surrounding them as they moved into the depression between the hills, the sounds of sheep and other animals rising as they were being pushed in a direction, "and once we get to the road, we will let them graze for sometime before continuing, as well as letting the foragers catch up, and for the second party to go out."</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Anseyla after sensing the rumble of a voice speaking to him, looked over to Kotone as she spoke to him, and returned her nod of acknowledgement with an elegant motion. Anseyla's movements would be very fluid, almost being completely subconscious to the taller gentleman. Anseyla after showing the young elf respect and acknowledgement, would respond to her question with a very deep and soft tone, ''I slept wonderfully under the stars, sleeping out in nature's sweet embrace is very humbling.'' Anseyla's pitch and tone being very reminding of someone of whom was older, and more matured. Anseyla after responding to Kotone gave her a warm and gentle smile, being very comforting and quiet. Anseyla seemed to be a very reserved individual, not someone of whom was the type to open up initially to anyone that he didn't perceive as someone trustworthy, always having some type of guard up within his personality to prevent true discovery of himself. However these traits were something that would need to be spotted by the average person, as Anseyla's blend and mixture of his expressions, his body language, and his overall demeanor were quite well-crafted. Anseyla after allowing some of the people and their animals to take the initial lead, began following them with the intent of keeping guard. Though he had lived off of the land before in his younger years, he felt that the farmers and foragers would most likely be quite capable, and allowed them to do as their titled deemed them able. Anseyla followed along with decent distance, not wanting to get in anyone's way, nor wanting to pose any presence that could be seen as rude or out of place.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone shifted nervously and nodded trying to stand in place but couldn't she stated off towards the nearby town and smiled. She wanted to get there fast she had a long time friend she wanted to chat and barter with maybe having the opportunity to get some horses. Which would make travel faster and easier, hopefully she'd get fabric too. Then her gaze advertised back to Anseyla his eyes and hairs kind of captivated her gaze but she said nothing. "That sounds wonderful, I'm glad you had a nice test you two." she replied in a soft happily tone. Her eyes landed in the leader his demeanor was different and both the men standing before her had immense power. She started walking towards the people checking to see if they needed any help with packing or walking. After that she walked back towards the two respectively.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius Hulius was enjoying his walk, those who were straggling behind enjoyed the help as they started to move out down the footpath. The mass began, their footsteps rose as their march began once again. He stood after a bit and he watched a group pass by and continue down the path. He looked at the girl who was behind them checking the last of the people behind the front, "we should stay near the middle of the group, the footpath will guide us some, but once it no longer can I will head to the front again." His head-turning some as he was just listening to the sound as the group slowly dispersed. Leaving mainly women, children, and a few men around them, and a lot of animals. "Hopefully we should all be safe for some time, there is not through here until we get to the stream after that is where the horsemen show once again, so it should be a lot tougher to move without being unseen with all of these animals."</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Listening to Hulius as he spoke, Anseyla would do as he was instructed and stay near the middle of the group, keeping his eyes out for anything out of place during their journey. Trying to remain vigilant and prepared for anything that might happen, he'd find himself using his height to his advantage, trying to use it in order to keep good track of everyone and everything around them. Anseyla would listen to the footsteps and grow accustomed to the sound, listening carefully for anything out of place. However Anseyla was indeed a bit of a scenic individual, and would enjoy any of the sights that would look aesthetically pleasing or overall pretty. Trying to walk with not as much of a heavy step, he'd do his best to try and keep the close surroundings of himself quiet, keeping his ears and eyes on their highest alert. He wanted to be prepared for anything, as he felt it was his priority to try and keep this people safe. Every now and then if an animal however began to slightly fall behind or straggle, he'd go off and herd them up if needed. Anseyla wasn't the greatest at herding, however he'd do his best to make sure everything stayed in his line of sight. Anseyla would also eye some of the people traveling in their band, along with the two people that stuck out to him most. He'd observe Kotone, of whom he noticed taking glances at him here and there, and would sometimes return them with a small smile to avoid anything being awkward. However, Anseyla would also make his own observations about Hulius, an admitted curiosity about the man wandered Anseyla's mind.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone smiled and spoke kindly to some of the children picking up their likes and dislikes on good before returning to the two. She smiled and took a deep breath enjoying the air and how they were getting closer to the town. Only in hopes of trade and checking on her friends. When she noticed Anseyla waving she turned her head blushing in embarrassment. She drew her eyes toward and around making sure everyone was ok especially the women and children. "How much longer before we reach the town?" She asked the leader.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius He would watch as people walked past him, he would catch up to them, but he enjoyed just watching them. He slowly just fell in line with the others as most of them were shepherds as well, and lead the flock through the rolling hills and depressions with relative ease. The ground slowly turned into more stone and dirt, dried grass was matted deep in the depressions. The peaks of the hills were all almost complete stone as previous rains had washed away the topsoil that had nothing to hold it down. "We aren't heading to a town." Hulius said as his head turned towards her smiling, "Well not yet, we might go near one in a few days if you need to stop for something, but we will not be staying long. At the moment, we are just trying to find the river in it's shallowest point. "</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. While listening in on the conversation happening between Hulius and Kotone, he'd look between the both of them with a small smile and a gentle gaze. He didn't really seem interesting in interfering or pitching in to the conversation, as he didn't really care which way or where they went too. Anseyla seemed to only be interested in following this path, as he would however enjoy the nice sounds of conversation between the two characters. Anseyla would be paying attention to the atmosphere and environment in great detail, as he liked the different tone and aesthetic of it all. He was someone of whom enjoyed the nature, despite how it appeared possibly saddening or dreary to others.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone masked her disappointment and smiled politely nodding as she tried her best to pay attention. Her attention averted to Anseyla and how much he seemed to enjoy the nature she stated slightly intrigued but glanced away. Walking over to the children and playing with them getting them to have happiness. She couldn't help but want to protect everyone here after a while she twirled and happily skipped to her new teammates. Happily she gave them a wide genuine smile and looked forward paying close attention.</s>	<\|message\|>Hulius The group moved and flowed like water through the depressions of the hills, the children either stayed in large packs to play and kick a ball made of and animals blatter around. One of the groups had a few children in it about four in total, three girls and one boy. The boy looked a bit older than the three girls but he walked with them. One of the girls, one about the age of six held out a small flower to the elf and smiled, "I'm Bem, and who are you?" she asked as she smiled up at her, "Because I think you look cute with your long ears." the girl said smiling up at her. Hulius just continued to move through the center as he looked up and saw the bright sun above them rising quickly, it was tinted orange and white streaks came from it. He looked back at the man who had stuck somewhat near him, "where do you come from? I assume from somewhere to the south since that is the road I met you on."</s>
<\|description\|>Anseyla Toros. Race: A Half Human, Half Elf mix. (Beast) Age: 78 in his actual age, but looks in his mid 30s in appearance. Physical characteristics (weight, height, body type, eye color, hair color, etc): Height: 6'2". (187 CM.) Weight: 162 Ibs. (73 KG.) Body Type: Muscular on initial glance, though the build would be considered more lean and defined. Eye Color: A purple and pink mixture. The dominant color being purple, with small spots of pink here and there. Hair Color: A strong blonde for his hair, and a darker brown for his facial hair, with some small details of gray added into the mix. Faceclaim (if any is found - can be done at a later date): Skills (Up to six skills are allowed.) (Examples of skills would be things such as cooking, fighting with swords/weapon of choice, alchemy, magic(learned magic takes up two slots), etc ): Alchemy, Cooking, Hunting, Foraging, Learned Magic. Job/Previous profession: Scholar of Magical Arts. Magic (if any and how it was earned): Divinity(Connection with the Ancient Ones.) Character History: Born to unknown origins, and growing up in a small village off in the Western Highlands, Anseyla was taken in after being discovered in a tree limb left all by himself. An elderly man and woman would end up being the adoptive parents of young Anseyla, and taking care of him until his early teenage years. Upon reaching the age of fourteen, both of his parents would pass away due to natural causes, leaving Anseyla to fend in the world once again entirely alone. Feeling and urge and a calling for adventure, Anseyla set out to try and find his own path in life. Upon reaching the age of seventeen, Anseyla would discover the Magical Arts, and be taken in by magicians of whom would begin teaching him alchemy. With the guidance of a very intelligent headmaster, Anseyla's adaptive and quick-learning capabilities saw him fly in power and understanding, as by the time he would reach thirty years of age, would be considered one of the most powerful people trained by The University of Magical Arts. After living out a few more years of his life simply being a teacher of the very things he had learned to up-comers, Anseyla eventually retired in search for something far greater to him. He wished to know where he had come from, of whom had made him, and what his destiny of adventure held for the now nearly middle-aged man.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Sorry typo</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone walked cautiously through the raiders land she had her swords in their sheath. She spotted people nearby, cautiously walking over she was strained from her backpack and held her hands on her sword handle. Getting closer she deemed the people to be not to malicious and removed her hand from the sword handle. Finally confronting the people she smiled. She politely bowed and looked at the leader. "Exsuse me,do you have any will or milk perchance?" she asked.</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Traveling from the distance of the footpath, a taller looking man could be spotted from the distance. His figure looking like one of someone who had an aura that felt strong, yet warm. Upon closer inspection as the man got closer, would seem to give off a more magical presence naturally, as the man would finally arrive toward the small encampment placed by Hulius and his people. When Anseyla would arrive to fully take in the sight of what was happening, Anseyla began speaking with people to find out what this was, and of whom was in leadership of this traveling band. Upon finding out the information he needed, Anseyla would eventually arrive in front of Hulius, as he'd wait from acknowledgement from the leader, showing a respect of his authority among these people. Being so close to the man, immediately a sense of ease could be felt in the air, as the man that stood before Hulius exerted such an energy seemingly instinctively. The man would stand with his hands folded in front of him, standing tall and having a small and charming smile coming across his face. Perhaps he put this on to make a good impression, perhaps this was his natural mood. Nonetheless, the man would stand in front of Hulius with his hair gently flowing in the breeze, hoping that Hulius would be interested in speaking with him. During his wait however, he'd also notice the elf standing next to him, as he'd smile and give her a polite nod as they both stood and she asked her question.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone noticed a male next to her and finished her question, she the waves to the male. Smiling softly and turned towards the leader and inspected the others trying to understand their situation. Then she placed her back pack on the ground tired from carrying it. Pulling out a bag of silver she handed it to the leader of the group. Finally she turned to the other male and looked him over before extending her hand out. "Hello I'm kotone." she replied smiling.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius The older man looked up towards the younger elf, "We have milk... but at the moment, not a lot of will to continue." he said as he looked at her, pressing his lips together, "do you have anything to trade for?" he asked, "or instead join an escort until we get out of the highlands?" "If not, you might be able to find something in the trading town half a quarter of a league down the path on the other side of that hill, and might be able to do more with that coin there... a silver coin from the south could buy most of what everyone here has," he said as he sat there, smiling before looking at the other man who had walked up. His eyes slowly moved as did his torso, his head turning slowly as the smile widened. "And what can I do for you traveler?" he asked as his eyes landed upon the taller man, "because if you are looking to leave this land, then we will be heading out soon possibly..."</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone nodded and pondered the though of leaving but couldn't bare them being defenseless. And she wanted a fair and even bargain for her service, she looked towards the older leader and smiled. Pulling out a few miscellaneous daggers and handing them to the leader and smiled politely. She stepped back and looked intensely at the leader. "I will accept to protect you in addition teach some people to fight in return whatever food or fabric you receive must be split evenly deal?" She asked lightening up and smiling .</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Anseyla looked between Kotone and the older leader, as he after allowing Kotone to respond, would reply to the leader's previous question, ''I just was happening to travel by when I saw your encampment, and my curiosity got the better of me, and I was simply curious as to what this exactly was, and what was going on here.'' Anseyla looked around the camp, as he would see how the people were surviving and living, ''Perhaps maybe I'd like to join your group of travelers, as I might be able to add some assistance to your people's cause.'' Anseyla after that gave the leader another smile, as he kept his hands folded as he continued to glance around the camp.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius Hulius smiled softly looking between the two, and at the daggers that were given to him, "I thank you for the knives, why you have so many, I don't exactly know… but I thank you nonetheless… and of course, but you will have to put in work for food as well, and learn… fabrics, well it will take time for the wool to grow on the sheep." he would then turn towards the taller man, once more, "I thank you, once again, but we are just Shepards from near the mountain territory along the coast, we mainly travel to the mountain to trade, but I come down to the south badlands to do so… and it is a safer route geographically for my people."</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Anseyla listened to the older man intently, as after hearing him out replied, ''I understand, and I hope that by joining you perhaps I can find more of my own reasoning in my travels. I'd be more than happy to tag along with you all, and I appreciate your gracious acceptance of me into your people.'' Anseyla gave a respectful bow of his head, as he'd move his hair slightly out of the way of his face after doing his respectful nod. After a moment Anseyla would also add, ''I just recalled, pardon my manners.. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Anseyla.'' He would give a small smile between the both of them.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone nodded and smiled placing her hand to her side as she tried to understand what was said. Walking to the people of the group she handed everyone some of her left over food. Handing the lettuce to the sheep's to eat as she petted them. Walking back to the leader she put her backpack back on and looked forward seeing some of the nearby town. The sun was almost about to set in a few hours or so. "We should keep moving if you want to get any closer and out of this waste land, and keep the silver you may need for those who can barely move I'll try to carry." she advised. She worriedly looked forward at the time and her ears perked up she covered the tips with her hands and turned slight red in the face. Before she turned towards the other male trying to get a read on him, he was obviously a warrior and maybe a half breed. But there was something else that she couldn't quite pin on him, just a feeling of pure strength. Looking forward she stated at the sun and it's lowering before it started to blind her making her look away from it.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius Hulius looked at the girl, "we have food, and know-how to live from the land dear." he said as he laid down, "But the night is about to come... it is better to get rest then it is to move when we cannot see. We are also safe near the town, the warlord does not let anything happen to visitors of his home. "We just seek protection from the world which preys on the weak..." He shifted several things on his blanket, "but if you wish to hunt for meat, you may, we do not slaughter an animal unless if it is needed or celebration... We have around ninety people, and several hundred animals, most of the men forage and hunt, picking up the trail we leave behind, they go in small groups or by themselves, so they are harder to track and hunt down. For when they are gone, that is when we need protection the most." "It is good to have people who wish to join us, Anselya and Kotone.. shall our journies together be fair."</s> <\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Anseyla gave the man a smile, as he would notice the elf looking him over out of the corner of his eye, but would not acknowledge it. Instead, Anseyla would ask the leader, ''I believe our journey together will be more than fair. However I must ask of you, is there any place in the camp I could stay that would be a bit out of the way? As a newcomer, I wouldn't want to pose any issue to any of your people with my presence.'' Anseyla looked around the forest and camp for a moment, and even looked up at the sky, before finally returning his gaze back to Hulius, as he'd hold his smile from earlier. Anseyla would during his question unfold his hands and allow his arms to rest gently upon his sides, as he'd lean his head a bit closer toward Hulius to better hear his response when he responded.</s> <\|message\|>kotone evergreen Kotone nodded in disappointment and smiled bowing before looking away from anseyla. She sat her backpack down and pulled out a blanket and wrapping it over her body and taking a water cantine out . Observing the nearby hill she found a clean patched area, She turned her attention towards the leader gazing at him fiercely but not maliciously. Her head tilted slightly before she in-sheath her sword placing it straight flat against her leg. "Ok, I'll take first watch probably all night if anyone needs me I'll be in a tree." She replied. "And also I don't hurt animals or kill them." She climbed up the nearby hill, covers herself in a blanket and held her sword firmly. Looking at the terrain from above it had a slight angelic feeling as the sun set and the colors became vibrant. Leaning her head against the soft grass she closed her eyes and felt the light breeze touch her face. She eventually opened her eyes to observe around her again.</s> <\|message\|>Hulius Hulius looked at the girl and smiled softly, "go to sleep dear... we are close enough to the town to be safe." he said looking at her, "and we should all be rested for when we set off tomorrow.." he watched as she went up the hill, before he looked back to the man, "there are several newcomers... I am sure you can find a place on your own." He turned himself towards the fire, "just find a place to relax and enjoy your time here... tomorrow we will continue, and maybe find travelers along our path. But, I feel as if I must sleep soon... my old body can only handle so much sitting in a day."</s>	<\|message\|>Anseyla Toros. Anseyla smiled and replied to Hulius, ''It shall be done.'' With that, Anseyla would walk off a little bit of ways off from the camp, and find a nice flat terrain to rest on. Anseyla would find some nice and decent flatland, and lie himself down where he could get a nice view of the stars. Anseyla would still be visible in the sight of the camp, and those watching over it, but he would have himself at a side angle of their vision. Anseyla would be using his hair as a pillow, and would have one leg entirely lying against the ground, and the other one propped up as he had both of his hands resting upon his stomach. Anseyla enjoyed staring up at the stars, as it found it very relaxing, and very thought-provoking to wonder what was beyond the small lights in the sky.</s>
<\|description\|>Agent Nathan Bates Male // 30 // Firefly --- BRIEF SYNOPSISNathan Bates (Call sign: Firefly) grew up in sunny South New Jersey in the heart of Camden with a crowded family. Forth child and third son of the family. Bates joined the military once he graduated from high school and spent two tours in the Middle East. Because of his leadership capabilities and checking all boxes within the set of criteria for Directive 51, the sergeant was trained at an undisclosed location and then allowed to live a normal life. That was until the signal was activated. Without any reason, Bates gathered his things and left his loved ones without reason (as instructed), heading out as an agent of The Division. Command appointed Nathan as leader of Wolverines, one of the dozens of squads being used for Operation Osiris. BRIEF PSYCHEFirefly had a reputation for playing loose with accepted strategy for military command. In several simulations, he gave up valuable fortifications and strategic locations to enemy forces. And when they were tried and weakened, Firefly attacked and won with few casualties than predicated. Cost him several promotions as a result before enrolling in Directive 51. That reputation meant that he had a problem with his emotions. Note that Firefly might disregard suggestions or advice for ISAC along with orders from Command. Yet, Firefly is determined to the objective and willing to sacrifice everything to complete it. He's somewhat optimistic, even during these tough times. --- INVENTORYSCAR-L - Suppressor - Extended magazinePF45 Contact Lenses Smart Watch SHD Issued Equipment - Body Armor - Masks - Gloves - Backpacks - Knee Pads - HolstersSHD Tech - Blinder Firefly - Remote Pulse - Airburst Seeker Mine ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- the division: phoenix - playlist ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- "When society falls, we rise." --- LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDSWhen it was announced that New York City was going to be under lockdown, thousands of people packed their belongings and tried to flee via the bridges and tunnels. One of the busiest tunnels was the Lincoln Tunnel, and it got bad enough that people ditched their cars to walk. The problem was that the tunnel was the primary supply line for food, medicines, and supplies from the outside world. So when the military had to turn away desperate people, a massive riot engulfed and overwhelmed the forces. It was one of the first cases where military personnel opened fire upon people, killing six. Then, it became a frequent target for raids to obtain any remaining supplies. And once trade ceased for good, the Joint Task Force abandoned the checkpoint and retreated further into the city. Now, it was a reminder of their failure and of the past. A lone soul exited out of the dark tunnel and quickly embraced the clear skies with a long breath. He was dressed like a soldier ready for a fight, carrying around his SCAR-L. But, he wasn't a soldier. Instead, Nathan Bates was an agent of the newly formed Strategic Homeland Division (SHD), and he came to the Big Apple with orders: scout out the Lincoln Tunnel checkpoint and retake it. It was significant from the SHD to maintain it if the city was to survive another day. Unsurprisingly, there was no resistance or signs of anyone recently living in the area. Agent Bates felt relieved and disappointed that no one was in the area; but, the nearby building had one of its garage doors lifted slightly. He pulled out his pistol and a flashlight before carefully entering inside. There still was nothing to indicate trouble. And when he got in the empty office space, Bates put away the pistol and began his hunt for clues as to the whereabouts of the JTF. So far, it was picked clean; yet, there was a security camera above. It meant that ECHO could be able to provide valuable intel. Agent Bates activated the system, and it started to download the cloud data and then surveillance data before analyzing it. Reconstruction was done in a matter of seconds. Bates was still impressed with how much-advanced tech the SHD had in their arsenal. From the seekers to ECHO and ISAC, they were prepared for every single scenario imaginable. But, there wasn't time to wonder. Bates had to complete his objective, and he only needed to sit back and watch the holograms in action: There were two JTF soldiers in the office space. One of them was sitting in front of a computer while the other was on their phone. They were keeping to themselves until an alarm went off, causing them to stop in place. Then, a JTF officer ran in and yelled out. "Gather your things, we are leaving!" "Leaving?!" one of the soldiers stood up from the chair and looked at the officer. "Where in the world are we going?" "Regrouping with the remaining JTF forces at the James A. Farley Building." the officer answered while gathering some papers on a desk. "Destroy anything crucial to the JFT if it can't be taken. Another squad will come to help us with the generator in fifteen. Once the officer left the room, both soldiers stopped what they were doing and made their way towards the barracks. But, one of the soldiers stopped in place, looked at the computer, and ran back towards it. The other soldier looked in disbelief and bluntly asked. "What the hell are you doing?!" The soldier quickly typed something, sent it, and turned off the computer. "Saying goodbye." Bates finished writing down the name of the building onto a torn piece of paper and shoved it into his pocket. It was good to know that JTF was still fighting tooth and nail for this city. Hopefully, they were still around at the postal service building. He stood up and looked around for any other clues, but anything useful was either taken or destroyed. Like what the officer wanted. So with nothing else, it was time for Bates to get in contact with Overlord about his findings. "Overload, this is Firefly. Standby for report. Over." Bates grabbed ahold of the radio from his holster. There was a moment of silence before Overload responded. "Firefly, send your traffic. Over." "JTF forces regrouped at the James A. Farley Building. Lincoln checkpoint was left abandoned with no signs of life. Do you copy?" "Solid copy, Firefly." Overload answered before going silent for a moment. "Firefly, standby at current location. Badger is making their way towards you. Over." "Copy, Overload. Standing by for Bader. Over." Bates responded and shoved the radio back into its holster. He took a seat on a nearby desk, facing towards the entrance. Now, he needed to only wait. ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes --- HUDSON YARDS Click. Click. Click. Click. Don knew for a fact he wasn't crazy. Having served he knew many a former brother in arms that lost it after a tour of duty and blew their brains out... or somebody else's if that was their fancy. But he knew he wasn't one of them. The former serviceman felt completely lucid, the flicking of his rifle's select-fire the only real oddity about him. This wasn't some sort of manic episode, this was the call of duty. He didn't remember getting those orders jammed into his head but that didn't matter. Everything around him and the more recent communication with command was a-posteriori proof that he was doing the right thing. It was easy for him really, just dig up the guns and then connect all his armour and gadgets to his carrier rig and backpack. It must have been quite different for more grounded people with families. Yeah, all the people selected for the Division would have had their loved ones know who they were with and would by now be used to them going off to fight. But this wasn't the ordinary serviceman experience. This was a threat at home, rather than overseas. Depending on how long all this shit went on, Don reckoned that this would sooner or later become a liability. Even the most devout of servicemen would have trouble fighting in these stone jungles with little to show for it when their very own families would almost certainly be under some sort of danger. For now there were far more pressing issues though. For now Donald kept himself in civilian clothing, for now quite sure this was the right idea. Yes, it meant that hypothetical comrades might mistake him for a looter and marauder. But it also meant that he was beneath notice for many people. He had his M4 of course, but the plate carrier and all else was hidden beneath his clothes to make sure he wouldn't be a juicy target for the vast majority of this new world's ne'erdowells. Besides, his M4 was furnished to look like a rather simple civilian AR rather than the high end piece of military equipment that it was. If all the sent orders were right, they'd know it was him coming rather than some random scavenger and wouldn't blow his brains out. Approaching the building Badger put away his rifle and drew his pistol for the tight indoor confines. That said he kept the safety on for now, more or less confident that his fellow Agent would have cleared any threats that the building might have housed, it was simply that a bit of caution never hurt; better safe than sorry, the saying goes. As Donald cleared the rooms and walkways of the building he felt somewhat sickened. The place was ransacked, every single thing that was A) not too heavy to carry away and B) possible to pawn off for a few bucks was gone. As a sort of experiment he opened a cupboard, and he growled faintly as it seemed someone had even taken the stationery. He knew now wasn't the time to dwell on hatred for the scum of the world like some discount vigilante, he had a job to do. Sighing he made his way over to Firefly, nodding respectfully to his counterpart. Don went through the same routine his counterpart had, introducing himself meanwhile. "Its good to see you Agent. I'm Badger. Ready to move?"</s>	<\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDSBates took a moment to scan Badger as a way to make sure that he was the one command sent. The smartwatch was a safe bet that he was indeed a Division agent. While the civilian clothing was a questionable choice, there weren't many options that SHD had given the world is still on fire. Bates got up from the desk and responded, "Nice to see you, Badger. I am Firefly." After the introductions, Bates got into contact with command to confirm the meetup and started heading outside. There were a few seconds of silence before Overload told both him and Badger their new objective. "Head for the Post Office and search for any remaining JTF survivors. If there are none, attempt to find out what happened. Over." "Over." Bates answered before asking a question. "What about the checkpoint? Over." "Another team is on route to get it back online. Focus on the new objectives. Over." Overload went dark shortly after giving the answer, leaving the pair on their own. Once outside, Bates pulled up the map to check out their current position. It was going to take them fifteen minutes of walking to get there, but there weren't any other alternatives. He noticed that the nearby bus terminal was safe to enter, while several adjacent buildings were marked as contamination zones (meaning they were infected with Green Flu). Bates took a moment to calibrate a route in his head and turned towards Badger. "The best option is if we went on Forty Street and walked straight down Eighth Avenue to the post office. If we need to rest, the ideal places are either the bus terminal nearby or one of the buildings along the avenue. Just tell me whenever and we can visit there." Bates said to his new partner while the map disappeared and then started walking towards their destination. But, they were in for a wakeup call once they finally exited out of Interstate 495. Hundreds of vehicles were left abandoned by their owners as several dozen nearby buildings, including a church, were marked as contaminated with Dollar Flu. However, the Port Authority Bus Terminal became one of many quarantine zones. Even then, it seemed like the truth was hidden from everyone, including the Division agents. Bates was horrified to see the city that he often visited in such disrepair. It was difficult to react to his first time seeing New York City in person other than video. He was about to say something when gunshots rang out and forced Bates to find cover behind a taxi. Several citizens were fleeing from the terminal as the gunshots kept ongoing for ten seconds. Two more (both men) ran out of the building, but they were gunned down. One of them was dying on top of a car hood while the other tried to crawl towards him. But, two NYPD officers came outside and approached him. The man on the hood attempted to get up but was swiftly executed by one of the officers. The other cried out and desperately tried to escape for them; however, the officer placed his foot on his back. "We are going to ask the last time. Where are your friends hiding?" "I won't want to upset Officer Mckinney, dude." the other officer said while searching the citizen's body for something. "She's a bitch if you go against her." "Go.. to hell." the civilian mumbled and then spat on the officer. He received the boot to the face, breaking some of his teeth and nose. "Well, it seems like you earned a spot in my to-kill list." Bates was still surprised to see the brutality of those officers. Even if they were in the right (which appeared to not be the case), they were breaking the oath made to protect and serve the city. He wasn't going to stand around and let them kill an incident. So, he came out of hiding and called out the NYPD officers. Both of them were quick to aim their pistols towards him. "Freeze!" Bates paused and slowly put his hands up as a sign of trust. "Listen, I am Agent Nathan Bates of the Strategic Homeland Division. I want to talk to you, but you have to leave the citizen alone." The officers looked at each other and then started laughing. Mckinney avoided the offer and started arresting the citizen. She took a quick glance at Bates and said in a dismissive tone, "Pal, I have heard dozens of people calming to be in the military. You aren't the first. Now, leave us be, or you'll regret it." </s>
<\|description\|>Agent Nathan Bates Male // 30 // Firefly --- BRIEF SYNOPSISNathan Bates (Call sign: Firefly) grew up in sunny South New Jersey in the heart of Camden with a crowded family. Forth child and third son of the family. Bates joined the military once he graduated from high school and spent two tours in the Middle East. Because of his leadership capabilities and checking all boxes within the set of criteria for Directive 51, the sergeant was trained at an undisclosed location and then allowed to live a normal life. That was until the signal was activated. Without any reason, Bates gathered his things and left his loved ones without reason (as instructed), heading out as an agent of The Division. Command appointed Nathan as leader of Wolverines, one of the dozens of squads being used for Operation Osiris. BRIEF PSYCHEFirefly had a reputation for playing loose with accepted strategy for military command. In several simulations, he gave up valuable fortifications and strategic locations to enemy forces. And when they were tried and weakened, Firefly attacked and won with few casualties than predicated. Cost him several promotions as a result before enrolling in Directive 51. That reputation meant that he had a problem with his emotions. Note that Firefly might disregard suggestions or advice for ISAC along with orders from Command. Yet, Firefly is determined to the objective and willing to sacrifice everything to complete it. He's somewhat optimistic, even during these tough times. --- INVENTORYSCAR-L - Suppressor - Extended magazinePF45 Contact Lenses Smart Watch SHD Issued Equipment - Body Armor - Masks - Gloves - Backpacks - Knee Pads - HolstersSHD Tech - Blinder Firefly - Remote Pulse - Airburst Seeker Mine ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes --- LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDS Badger didn't waste any time following Firefly outside. He winced a few tears from his eyes as the sun momentarily blinded him, but just as quickly as he adjusted to the darker interior he adjusted to the outdoor lighting. Listening to the orders from command Don nodded, taking out his M4 now that they were outside and flicking it to single fire. The announcement that another team being sent to take care of the checkpoint mollified the only concern that Don had, and so he nodded with renewed dedication to this new objective. With the map Bates pulled out Don knew that the man had a head start on figuring out a path and so he didn't really bother trying to do likewise, instead kneeling down and taking a look at the scene through the optics of his rifle. He hadn't seen anybody on the way here, but he never heard of anybody dying of caution. Dying to people you didn't know were there because you forgot to do a second sweep of a place happened very often, on the other hand. When his counterpart came up with a route Hayes simply nodded and stood up. "I'm easy, and I already had a long rest before I made my way here I'm good to go. Lead the way." he said, gesturing with his left hand. Donald kept quiet on the way through the highway, and although he wasn't quite expecting what he came upon with his comrade it wasn't particularly surprising either. This line of thought was very quickly interrupted when the distinct report of firearms was heard, and much like his partner the warrior went for cover. Experience from SWAT told the man that most civilian cars were unreliable cover with most rifle and even a good chunk of pistol bullets easily going through their doors and trunks, and so instead a heavier truck was sought out. Peeking out revealed that these men were just police officers with service pistols however, which cars would more or less stop, not to mention the plate carriers of the duo. The rifles of the agents however would more than readily go through any civilian cars, which in addition to the other advantages of the agents made any sort of confrontation a done deal more or less. These were cops though, and they weren't even SWAT officers. Blasting random people wasn't their duty, however this wasn't the time and the place to be confronting them, and Don started to say "wait" but he was too late. "Fuck." was all he could say, rubbing his forehead wearily. "Fuck, fuck, fuck." he muttered again, the expletives somehow calming. It was rather suspicious that a man in actual military gear was not believed when he said he was military, though. Something was really fishy here and quite frankly Don was suspecting these people were only impersonating law enforcement officers — the only evidence to the contrary was that they used the term "officer" between each other before they knew the SHD Agents were present. "Hold on, I'll flank them, I'll let you know when I'm in position. Tell me if you think it's going to shit, over." Don communicated, before crouching down and doing the closest thing he could to a run whilst keeping his head below the level of the cars. Ideally he wanted to make it behind the two NYPD Officers but even being at the side to insure he had the drop on them with his rifle would really be enough given it seemed these were the only two present. He just hoped Firefly would be able to diffuse the situation, or at least keep the cops talking long enough for him to be in position to take them out with two quick taps on the trigger. He'd probably aim for their thighs or stomach depending the urgency of the situation, neither shot instantly lethal allowing for a quick questioning of the men but the latter being eventually mortal as blood loss, shock, and other complications soon got to you. Well, at least this was a heroic story he'd be able to tell the grandkids, of how he saved some poor citizen from being executed by rogue police officers in this trying time. With the way things were going Badger reckoned there'd be quite a lot more before things got better though, and he really didn't believe this little act of heroism would pay off when there was a more urgent objective. He'd have to raise his concerns with Bates when they were out of a volatile scenario later.</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDSBates was thankful that his partner remained undetected, giving him a much-needed advantage over the officers. He had to come up with something to distract them on the spot. But, one of the officers grew impatience and fired three shots towards the car near him. "Those were the only warning shots you get." she said before turning her pistol towards him. The other officer got ready for a firefight and couldn't resist smiling at the thought. So, he opened fire and caused Bates to dive towards a nearby car for protection. Bates understood that talking with them was out of the question and had to defend himself. Hopefully, Badger was able to get into position. With no warnings given, Bates took a moment to breathe, raised his rifle, and opened fire at the officers. The excited officer didn't have time to respond before being struck by several bullets, falling to the ground. Mckinney was horrified to see her friend getting shot and responded by firing back at the stranger. She went back to cover and tried to care for her dying friend. And in the last moments, the officer was trying to say something. Instead, he started coughing blood and then stopped breathing altogether. Enraged by her colleague's death, Mckinney rose from cover and started firing at the car where Bates hid behind. She didn't care about the criminal nor the reason for being here. All she cared about now was getting revenge. And because of that, Mckinney wasn't paying attention to her surroundings. Click, a single trigger pull towards the woman's belly came from Badger, the stationary target leaving herself open to being little more than practice. After the bullet hit Don stood up, making sure the officer was out of action and wouldn't be able to shoot back. He started making his way over to her, while calling out to Firefly. "You alright?" he probably was, but it never hurt to check. "Yeah..." Bates responded while getting out of hiding and making his way towards Badger. He turned to the woman, who was leaning against the pickup truck and looking at her dead friend. There was regret that things ended badly, but he understood that he had no choice. Life or death. Mckinney looked up and gave a weak smile at Bates. "You weren't lying..." Bates caught her before she collapsed and carefully placed her against the truck. He took a brief moment to look at her uniform and saw her badge. A little dirty, but it contained her last name along with the shield number. It confirmed the ugly truth: she was an NYPD officer that killed innocents. That was when he realized that the situation here was worse than ever expected. There was a sense that something was wrong upon exiting the tunnel. But he never imagined police officers breaking their oath to the city. Then, he realized that her friend was most likely also an officer, but Bates wanted to be sure. So, he ordered Badger to check the badge. There were many questions, but Mckinney was losing blood. So, he started with a simple question. "Why did you kill that innocent civilian?" "Innocent?" Mckinney tried to laugh, but it was too painful. "He was a criminal with blood on his hands." Bates looked at the body and turned towards her. "Explain." "He and the degenerates murdered this great city-our home-with their poison! Of course, they weren't content with the city. Oh no, they went after the real innocents!" Mckinney looked down, and tears started to flow down her cheeks. "My own family... taken because of the filth! Now, it's our job to cleanse the scum from our city. To do that, we need to be severe." "Good lord..." Bates was speechless. ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes --- LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDS Again there were gunshots, but from the taunt of the woman Badger could readily surmise they hadn't hit his comrade and so he continued moving to his position. However by the sounds of movement it seemed that the following shots were aimed to kill Bates, and he could just about make out the sound of subsonic munitions leaving a suppressed firearm. Well, they were only handguns, but Don still couldn't allow his comrade to come under threat. Badger nodded at Bates's response, looking about the scene. Only one of the four firearms active just now were silenced and the noise of guns echoed across the area. This in turn presented a danger, several dangers in fact. The buddies of these cops could easily be around some corner and they would not be happy to see two armed men over the corpses of their fellow officers. But even if that wasn't the case, there could be lots of other vultures attracted to the sound. All hell was breaking loose and marauders of all sorts would flock here in hopes of finding some dead to pick apart for valuables. Having finally made it to the shot policemen Badger first removed the magazine from his M4 and replaced the spent round. Then he would squat down and take their pistols along with their munitions, belts, and vests into his backpack. Even if he didn't need them it was better they came with him rather than end up in the hands of some scavenger. If he couldn't eventually find someone worthwhile to hand over the equipment to then he would just throw them into some sewer or stash them with some trash where they wouldn't be found. It might of course seem somewhat ghoulish to already start looting the woman when she was still alive, but Badger didn't particularly care. The country was fucking collapsing, there were more important things to be thinking about than some sensibilities right now. The shot woman was clearly a real cop according to a cursory examination... well, a badge and other ID could be faked and while it was unlikely the consideration should still be on the table, and examining the friend of Officer McKinney would likely reveal more or less the same as with her, although two badges would certainly be harder to fake than one. The short interrogation that happened did confuse the Agent somewhat. While the woman's idea of cleansing the city eerily mirrored his own, he wasn't sure if he could really consider himself akin to the officer. The Agent couldn't really believe what he was hearing, and he wasn't even sure he wanted to. With the bloodloss she'd be undergoing there were only moments left, and Badger shook her a little to keep her from slipping into unconsciousness. "What do you mean? Did these people spread the disease intentionally?" he demanded, the thought that they might have very well made it not even crossing his mind; he made sure he kept his voice down in case somebody was already closing in on the position of the duo. Regardless of exactly what her explanation was, Badger would look quizzically to Firefly, the fact he wasn't sure the woman's story should be believed all over the face. Then it hit him. "Firefly. The civilian. Where is he?" He stood up, flicking his assault rifle to fully automatic. If the woman was in fact telling the truth then they had to know where the arrested citizen was and apprehend him as fast as possible. If they didn't, then the duo would be responsible for a very, very dangerous man escaping justice. Though he made sure not to show it, a soft panic started to set into the Agent.</s>	<\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDSBates sighed and then turned towards Badger. He was disappointed that his partner actually thought those people spread the virus. "She meant it figuratively. And as for the lost civilian, leave them be. They have already suffered enough." "Our politicians failed us when we needed them the most. Now, it's up to us to fix their mistake." Mckinney tried to crack a smile but lost consciousness. At first, Bates thought that she had lost too much blood for the wounds; however, after examining her, she was barely alive. So, he grabbed a nearby stick and shoved it into her wound, causing her to awake with a bloodcurdling scream. Quite frankly, she deserved worse but he needed to know about the NYPD's fate. There was no way that the entire department became corrupt. Bates stood over her. "What happened to the rest of the force?" Mckinney looked up at the agent and tried once more to laugh. "My brothers in blue are working to restore what was taken for us. You will see them soon enough." Firefly had enough of the disgraced officer and crouched down. "By going back against what your brothers stand for, you have failed this city and your badge. No amount of loss can justify killing innocents becaus-" "Failed?!" Tears were rolling down Mckinney's face as she looked up at the agent. "I was on duty when the city was falling apart! When the degenerates were bitching about every little thing we did! When... my family died from the virus. I have been loyal to this badge and my friends! Everyone that betrayed us warrants a painful death. Just like the ones you and your friend will get." Suddenly, police sirens were heard near as several gunshots rang out in quick succession. The missing citizen fell to the ground on the intersection, bleeding to death. Mckinney tried to say something else, but she collapsed for the blood loss. Bates got his weapon ready for a possible fight, but he preferred to not kill any more police officers. He scanned the area for an escape route and found one. It was an alleyway filled with trash bags and other garbage, but it was an ideal hiding spot. He ran towards it to make sure the path was clear and then called out his partner. "Over here before they spot you!" </s>
<\|description\|>Agent Nathan Bates Male // 30 // Firefly --- BRIEF SYNOPSISNathan Bates (Call sign: Firefly) grew up in sunny South New Jersey in the heart of Camden with a crowded family. Forth child and third son of the family. Bates joined the military once he graduated from high school and spent two tours in the Middle East. Because of his leadership capabilities and checking all boxes within the set of criteria for Directive 51, the sergeant was trained at an undisclosed location and then allowed to live a normal life. That was until the signal was activated. Without any reason, Bates gathered his things and left his loved ones without reason (as instructed), heading out as an agent of The Division. Command appointed Nathan as leader of Wolverines, one of the dozens of squads being used for Operation Osiris. BRIEF PSYCHEFirefly had a reputation for playing loose with accepted strategy for military command. In several simulations, he gave up valuable fortifications and strategic locations to enemy forces. And when they were tried and weakened, Firefly attacked and won with few casualties than predicated. Cost him several promotions as a result before enrolling in Directive 51. That reputation meant that he had a problem with his emotions. Note that Firefly might disregard suggestions or advice for ISAC along with orders from Command. Yet, Firefly is determined to the objective and willing to sacrifice everything to complete it. He's somewhat optimistic, even during these tough times. --- INVENTORYSCAR-L - Suppressor - Extended magazinePF45 Contact Lenses Smart Watch SHD Issued Equipment - Body Armor - Masks - Gloves - Backpacks - Knee Pads - HolstersSHD Tech - Blinder Firefly - Remote Pulse - Airburst Seeker Mine ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes --- LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDS Figuratively. Fucking figuratively. This is what Marines meant when they said Army eats crayons. He had fallen into the stereotype of a grunt that had shooting as his only ability and fell for such nonsense. The Agent was angry as all hell, though his face didn't twitch the slightest amount to reflect this. The man raised his rifle, thoughtfully deciding that this creature wasn't worth a bullet and that all the suffering of her last moments would be more than deserved. Once more the woman's speech seemed to be ever so similar to Don's own beliefs regarding criminality, but deep down he also knew that there was a fine line between himself and the officer. Namely, there was the fact of those he likewise considered "degenerates" would be rather few that the woman and her comrades did. Still, this moment was sobering. Badger made sure he'd keep this event at the back of his mind so that he wouldn't stoop to the levels of Ms. McKinney. What the woman said was not very informative to be frank, at most it revealed there was a good deal more rogue policemen about the city which was a natural following from the fact that already two were corrupt enough to shoot innocents. Just as these thoughts ran through the head of the soldier there was soon the sound of more police coming to the scene, clearly ready to kill after having been attracted to the scene by the sound of gunfire. The encounter with the officer still kept a seething hatred in the heart of Badger, and he wanted to fight these bastards; after all, they were just coppers with soft armour and pistols. But he knew he couldn't. There was no time to waste, and if he did stand and fight then he'd be a hyppocrite given how recently he considered chastising his partner for even bothering with this fiasco when there was a more urgent task at hand. Thus the man nodded in concurrence, giving the wounded police officer a harsh kick on the head to make sure she wouldn't be able to recount to her comrades where the two agents had gone. With that done he ran over to Bates with rifle in hand. Well, now was a better time than any he supposed. "We shouldn't have done that, playing hero. There's a job we had to do, saving a single person - especially when they just get shot right afterwards - isn't worth it when completing our current objective might save a lot more." The whispered words were extremely utilitarian, but Badger meant them wholeheartedly and (although admittedly he had never run into such a situation) he would not let personal feelings get in the way of his duty; even if that civilian was from his family he would have known that the right thing to do was think of the greater good. ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDSBates paused for a moment to reflect what Badger said and sighed. There was a point to be made given the current situation. With everything that happened only a few minutes ago, he had nearly forgotten about the post office. But, the sight of police officers gunning down citizens was wrong, and he had to do something. He turned towards his partner and whispered back, "I know what has to be done. I... wasn't exactly expecting rogue police officers right away." "Whatever. Shit happens. Let's just keep our eyes on the job from now on." and - as far as Agent Hayes was concerned - that was that. Both of them made their way farther away from the scene, hoping that nobody spotted them fleeing. The trash and waste helped somewhat disguised their presence. And once they were in the clear, Bates pulled out the map to see their current location. The attack on 40th Street brought a lot of attention, meaning they had to find another way to the post office. After a minute of figuring out a way, Bates had a plan to avoid getting noticed. "Okay, we are going to keep taking the alleyways until 38th Street. That's when we follow it until we get near the luxury apartments and then taking every possible shortcut. And once we get to 34th, we should be in the clear to the objective. Understand?" "Right." Badger replied once Bates announced his plan, again flicking the select-fire of his rifle. "I'd just be on the lookout for more little friends along the way. I doubt those boys in blue were the only local outfits looking for trouble; got to be ready to change course right away." "Sounds good." Firefly nodded. Then, both agents began moving to the objective location, hoping for no more trouble. For now. --- "Stat rosa pristina nomine, nomina nuda tenemos." — Umberto Eco, The Name of the Rose. --- PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICEEver since leaving the tunnel, Bates was immediately uneased with the quiet streets and empty sidewalks. New York City was supposed to be the city that never sleeps, but it seemed that it finally took an eternal slumber. Yet, there were hints of life struggling to survive. A young couple was playing some cards on the balcony of the luxury apartments. One of them watched Bates and his partner passing below before telling the other to rush inside. It was brief, but the sight of citizens gave him hope for the first time in a while. Of course, that moment was shortlived by sudden loud bursts of gunshots. Firefly got the rifle ready for a fight and started moving faster. Then, he heard police sirens and instantly hid behind a delivery truck. He questioned if it was the officers from earlier, hoping it wasn't them. Instead, he watched as three police cars and an armored vehicle drove past them, heading in the direction of the post office. It was when Firefly had an idea of what was happening. And it was terrible. "We need to move now." Firefly turned his partner and started sprinting towards the objective. While making his way, he managed to patch into the local JTF radio channels. And when he was in view, he saw NYPD officers setting siege to the post office while its occupants fought back defensively. With the arrival of additional officers, the JTF soldiers were outnumbered and surrounded. Even with the odds against them, they kept on fighting for as long as possible. "Additional officers have arrived along with... an ESU team!? Shit!" "We have to retreat! Get any citizens to safety while we hold the ground inside. Hopefully, we can at least take a f-argh fuck!" "Romero has been hit!" "I-I am fine! Get inside and prepare to fight!" Nearly the entire JTF force retreated inside while a few stayed behind to stall the threat. Firefly, without hesitation, opened fire upon the officers and dropped a seeker mine. The mine detected a nearby squad of hostiles that spotted the agent and rolled towards them. When it was close enough, the mine detonated and released chaff into the air. Before the officers had time to respond, the chaffs caught on fire and began burning them alive. Firefly rushed towards one of the police cars and used it as cover. He hoped that stunt provided relief to the JTF soldiers and attracted attention. But to make sure, he pressed his earpiece to get in contact with Badger. "We have to make sure that the officers don't have a chance of entering the post office. Do whatever to get their attention!" ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE In the tunnel Badger was fairly relaxed, for with a flashlight on him the threat of ambushes was minimal and it was simply a relaxing walk. But the moment the light of day struck the man he became tense, alert. This was the modern day Vietnam or Afghanistan; you were surrounded by civilians but just because they didn't wear uniforms that didn't mean they were non-combatants. To make it worse, the power tripping fucks of the police were now just another gang. Except this gang had experience shooting, and they carried high end weapons rather than zip-guns of all sorts. The people enjoying some fresh air entertainment? Those could easily have been snipers ready to end either agent's life from afar. The caution about his surroundings seemed to prove itself to be well founded only moments later when the sounds of gunfire broke out. From the sheer amount of it, he decided it was wise to flick the select-fire of his rifle to full auto. The enemy came into view quickly and by God there were a lot of them. They had helmets, vests and automatic carbines. But they had the misfortune in context of being law enforcement, which would mean that while their helmets and vests would be rated for pistols, they weren't rated for rifle rounds and thus both 5,56 and 5,7 would easily chew through the false sense of security their soldier-boy outfits might give them. Running for cover Badger didn't make a noise. But Firefly said that they had to get their attention, which made the man groan faintly. He would have preferred to use the fact they were in a good position to crossfire to wipe out these traitors in one go, but he supposed this time a more humanitarian approach was technically more important. Thus, he stood up with his ballistic shield and assault rifle, spraying his entire magazine towards the cops to suppress them and catch their attention. With that he dropped the weapon, getting his entire body behind the shield. He knew some less experienced or simply more gung-ho agents tried to shoot with a pistol while holding one but Badger considered them stupid. What was the point of a shield if you were going to nevertheless expose a chunk of yourself so visibly to overwhelming firepower? Thus instead he approached the foe calmly, making sure his entire body was always behind the shield, ready to throw a sticky bomb come the moment he was close enough to do so accurately. The enemy was of course moving in to outflank him, they weren't stupid enough to just waste ammo trying to break the shield with volume of fire. But the Agent hoped his action would be enough to catch the attention of the renegades just long enough for Firefly and the other JTF warriors to either reposition and mount a counterattack or to at the very least evacuate.</s>	<\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICEOnce the police officers realized there was someone else, it was already too late to react. Overwhelmed and surrounded, there was no other option than to retreat. A few officers sacrificed themselves to ensure that everyone else was able to escape without harm. And after killing the last remaining officer, Firefly understood that it would be a waste of them chasing after them and decided to let them run away. Now, his attention was on the base and the soldiers outside. He tried to make his way up to the stairs, but guns were immediately drawn upon him and his partner. One of them, a young woman, slowly got out of her cover and cautiously looked around her surroundings. "While we are grateful for your assistance, it doesn't mean you're allowed to approach us. Who are you?" Firefly lowered his rifle and slowly held his hands up. "I am Division Agent Bates, empowered and authorized by Executive Order and DHS Directive 51. We are here to help." There was some mumbling between the JTF soldiers while the woman examined the agents. Of course, she didn't believe it. Given the current state of the city, Bates was understandable of the distrust and was prepared to earn their trust. He was about to respond until the solider was alerted by her comms. She signaled one of the other soldiers to keep an eye on the strangers and head inside the base. An awkward silence followed for seconds. Then, the doors opened wide, and the soldier told them to follow her. Firefly nodded and made his way inside, but nothing could have prepared him for what he saw. A dozen casualties filled the entrance while the few doctors and nurses were doing their best. He did his best to avoid the dire situation and kept on following the soldier. Eventually, they arrived at the makeshift command center, where another doctor was treating a soldier's gunshot wound. No doubt it was Romero. She noticed the strangers and turned towards the doctor. "We can continue this later, doc." "But, I wasn't done-" "We can continue it later." The last word came out sharper than intended, but it got the point across. The doctor said nothing but it was clear that she was unpleased with the demand. And when it only the three of them, Romero took a moment to examine the strangers before introduction herself. "I was told that a pair of well-equipped men saved our asses from death. Now, I don't know if you are a blessing or a curse in disguise. I guess we will find out eventually. Introduce yourselves." "I am Division Agent Bates, empowered and authorized by Executive Order and DHS Directive 51." Firefly extended his hand out to her, but it became immediately apparent that Romero didn't trust them. He put his hand down, and awkwardly continued talking. "And this is-" Romero put her hand up to interrupt him. "Can't he talk?" "Well, yes-" "Then, let him speak." Romero turned her attention towards Badger, waiting for a response. </s>
<\|description\|>Agent Nathan Bates Male // 30 // Firefly --- BRIEF SYNOPSISNathan Bates (Call sign: Firefly) grew up in sunny South New Jersey in the heart of Camden with a crowded family. Forth child and third son of the family. Bates joined the military once he graduated from high school and spent two tours in the Middle East. Because of his leadership capabilities and checking all boxes within the set of criteria for Directive 51, the sergeant was trained at an undisclosed location and then allowed to live a normal life. That was until the signal was activated. Without any reason, Bates gathered his things and left his loved ones without reason (as instructed), heading out as an agent of The Division. Command appointed Nathan as leader of Wolverines, one of the dozens of squads being used for Operation Osiris. BRIEF PSYCHEFirefly had a reputation for playing loose with accepted strategy for military command. In several simulations, he gave up valuable fortifications and strategic locations to enemy forces. And when they were tried and weakened, Firefly attacked and won with few casualties than predicated. Cost him several promotions as a result before enrolling in Directive 51. That reputation meant that he had a problem with his emotions. Note that Firefly might disregard suggestions or advice for ISAC along with orders from Command. Yet, Firefly is determined to the objective and willing to sacrifice everything to complete it. He's somewhat optimistic, even during these tough times. --- INVENTORYSCAR-L - Suppressor - Extended magazinePF45 Contact Lenses Smart Watch SHD Issued Equipment - Body Armor - Masks - Gloves - Backpacks - Knee Pads - HolstersSHD Tech - Blinder Firefly - Remote Pulse - Airburst Seeker Mine ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE Between the crossfire, the explosives lobbed at them, and the disadvantage of the attacker the rogue police were overwhelmed and forced to retreat. In a way it was humourous how some gave themselves up such that their comrades would be able to escape. They had enough of a sense of heroism to sacrifice themselves for their friends, but not enough to actually continue to protect and to serve. Though Badger didn't give chase to the fleeing renegades he made sure to keep on firing at them as they pulled out in an effort to make sure as few of them as possible got away, their cowardice and treachery not left unpunished... of course there was also the pragmatic side of the matter, wherein by eliminating these men he would make the efforts of bringing peace and order back into the city much easier. Having made sure the foe was fully routed, Badger reloaded all his weapons and flicked them to safety before putting them away. Approaching the defenders with his counterpart, Badger examined the scene while the others spoke. Following Bates into the depths of the building the picture painted was not a very pretty one. If this was what remained of people loyal to the government then hope - valuable as it could be - was forlorn. When Romero told the Doctor to leave rather than finish tending to her Badger raised an eyebrow, though he didn't say anything. In his opinion it was a shitty little display of one's ego's hopes at making an image of a badass that had a good chance of repercussions be it an infection or undue bloodloss. Not being a man of very many words Don didn't mind having Firefly introduce Badger for himself but he supposed the woman had to hear it from himself to help make sure she could trust the duo before herself. "Agent Donald Hayes, ma'am." He said, saluting with the aim of a little sycophantry so they could get the introductions over with faster.</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE"Nice to meet you, Hayes." Romero looked at the agent a bit longer than expected before making her way to the soldier. Bates knew that she was planning something. "Gather a squad and advance towards the Garden. Wait until the agents arrive." With the new orders, the young soldier dismissed herself, leaving the three of them alone. Even with the introductions, there was some tension left in the room. Bates understood that Romero was still suspicious of their presence. And she wanted to make sure that he and Hayes weren't liars. So, the agent turned towards the captain and tried to move the convention along. "What's the Garden?" Romero chuckled at the question. "You know, the massive arena next door. You most likely call it the Madison Square Garden. When the hospitals began filling up with infected, temporary hospitals were set up by the city to ease up pressure. The Garden was one of the largest in the city. That was until City Hall happened." Bates noticed that the captain said the last sentence with a hint of sadness in her voice. It was something worthwhile to note for later. "We remained in operations since then. But that was until the power went out about a day or two ago. And with everything around me falling apart, I had no choice but to abandon the hospital." Romero was silent for a moment before looking at her wound. It wasn't getting any better. "That's why I need you two to collect any remaining fuel given it hasn't been taken already. We planned on gathering as much as possible, but then... well, you saw what happened." Bates still wasn't unable to believe that the situation got worse than expected. It was clear that he had to help out. Even if the hospital's already picked clean. "Don't worry. We will come back with plenty of fuel." "Thanks-" Suddenly, Romero cried out in pain and saw that her wound had reopened. The doctor from earlier busted in and attended to her patient. She seemed to whisper something, but the captain wasn't able to talk. Bates knew that it was time to depart for the Garden. Then, his smartwatch lit up as ISAC alerted him of an urgent call for headquarters. Overload asked if their objective was fruitful, expecting to be disappointed. "We found JTF forces along with its leader, Romero. But I regret to report that several NYPD officers were setting siege to their base upon our arrival. We had to take them out. Earlier, we were also under attack by two police officers after they opened fire on unarmed civilians. Over." Bates answered. Overload was about to respond until someone interrupted him. He spoke with a hint of curiosity in his voice. "Understood... You will have to explain it to the commander once she arrives. Over." "Wait, what for?!" Bates tried to ask the reason for her presence, but Overload ended comms before he could've said a word. Did it have something to do with him killing the police? It wasn't like they were given any choice besides getting killed. Or maybe it was something else entirely unrelated? The thoughts were driving him paranoid. For now, though, he had to focus on retrieving the fuel from the arena. But he had to utter a curse word under his breath before heading outside. ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE --- "Likewise, Ma'am." Badger replied, lowering his saluting hand. He wasn't a particularly big sports fan, unless one considered chess as such which his past comrades didn't. This meant he had not in the past had much time spent around the Madison Square Garden, so he had little idea what he might be getting into there (especially with recent changes). Still, duty was duty and if he'd be sent into the depths of hell he'd only ask for a spare magazine. Nodding as the assignment was made clear to them, Badger raised an eyebrow as the woman expressed her suffering. He very, very much wanted to make a snarky comment about pretending to be hot shit when you have a wound but he restrained himself. Saluting again to the woman he stepped out, letting Firefly get through the bullshit of talking to brass. Leaning on a wall he filed his nails as he waited for his comrade to come out, believing the world having fallen to anarchy was not an excuse for being poorly groomed. Putting away his little vanity objects he once more unslung his rifle and spoke while moving to save time. "I say we get up on the rooftops in the area first. See what we're getting into. Scavengers might have already picked everything clean, and if not there's a good chance we won't be the only ones looking for the fuel. Could easily be a rat's nest of some sort, ambushes and traps at every corner." The fuel was needed urgently otherwise they wouldn't ask of it. But if they barged in trying to get it as fast as possible they'd die and not get the fuel anyway so as far as Don saw there really wasn't a reason to rush things, one of the stories of Aesop coming to mind now. The only difference was that the hare would step on a landmine or get its throat cut by someone in an alley whereas the tortoise would make it to the end of the race on a pile of ne'erdowells' corpses. Badger of course saw himself as the tortoise, not fancying bullets in himself. "Of course, once we get an idea of what we're up against we should act as fast as possible, high speed and low drag, in and out, push any bastards we come up against as hard as possible and force them off of what's ours." ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICEBates agreed with Badger's plan and tried to walk towards the backside of the building. Until the soldier from earlier stopped them in their tracks. "Don't bother trying to look for another way in. We made sure to destroy access to the roof from outside. To prevent any intruders from breaking in. Follow me." It was a smart plan, Bates noted to himself until the power went out. He kept on walking until he was at the entrance to the arena. There were three more soldiers, making sure that nobody entered and exited the building. Bates had wondered about the layout and asked the soldier about it. "Just follow the signs, and go up the escalators. You should be able to enter the security room and then the field hospital itself." "Alright." Bates nodded and thanked the soldier. "We will go in and gather whatever fuel remains." Upon entering the square, he saw and heard nothing. It was dead quiet besides the sound of the wind. Bates looked around to make sure that nobody was waiting to abuse them or hiding for them. He then walked up the escalator, and nothing was suspicious. But then, he saw a bloody handprint on the door to the security room. It was still fresh. The agent turned to his partner and signaled him to get his weapon ready. Bates raised his rifle and rushed in the room, seeing two dead police officers on the ground. One of them bled out while the other was shot in the head, killing him instantly. He noticed that the security cameras were still working despite the building having no power. That was when he saw a doctor on one of the feeds, talking to himself while writing notes. The audio wasn't working, so Bates wasn't able to listen in. That was when he realized that the doctor wasn't at the field hospital, but another room. Was Bates kept in the dark? The agent looked at his partner once more and asked, "What the hell do you think is going on? Two dead officers and a doctor, but nobody else. Do you think we should investigate further?" ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE --- Walking along Badger nodded to the soldier who approached them. "Thanks for the heads up." He said, even if he wasn't particularly thankful. "Gotcha." Following Bates close behind, Badger kept low in a semi-crouch. They were still close to what one could consider safety, but considering that every step brought the team further and further away from it he felt that a little bit of caution now would be justified, especially if later it would pave the ground for some aggression. Though he hadn't been here before, Don knew this place was supposed to be loud. There was supposed to be the cheering of crowds and the snickering of bookies, there were supposed to be announcements and vendors making their rounds. But this ghost-town? Well... Though not exactly afraid, the Agent certainly was unnerved. As there was blood on the door to the security room it seemed that the Agent's suspicions of this place being a rat's nest were getting more and more proofs. Nodding as Firefly prepared to breach the room Badger likewise pushed the imaginary foe within, but it turned out the place was uninhabited. "I don't know." Agent Hayes replied to his partner's question, deciding to search the bodies of the police officers for anything of interest. "But I don't want to stick around for too long to end up just like these two pricks. Let's just make a quick note of this and move on. Time is short, and we need that fuel now." ---</s>	<\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE"Right." Bates agreed and made his way out of the security room. He entered the ramp and kept on following the signs pointing in the direction of the field hospital. There were a few more dead police officers with bullet wounds similar to those in the security room. Then, he made his way to the entrance and read the sign above the door: Field Hospital Critical Treatment Bates had to take a moment to mentally prepare himself for what he was about to see. It wasn't going to be pretty, but it was definitely going to be worst. He turned to his partner and advised, "No matter what we see, we keep moving. Even if there are people... still here. There's nothing we can't do for them for now." "...Let's go." Bates moved forward and entered the arena, which was filled with rows of hospital beds. There were only a few mobile rooms built due to the size. And of course, there were still patients too injured and left for dead. He looked away for the bodies and kept on moving. It seemed like an eternity, but he made through the hospital. And a working elevator was waiting for them. Bates entered it and waited for his partner before pressing the button. Once the door closed and it started moving, Bates closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "What a fucking mess. I thought things were bad, but this... this is something else entirely—rogue police officers, a declining safe haven, and a makeshift hospital that's now just an abandoned morgue. Either command didn't know the full extent of the situation or... we were lied to and sent on this suicide mission." </s>
<\|description\|>Agent Nathan Bates Male // 30 // Firefly --- BRIEF SYNOPSISNathan Bates (Call sign: Firefly) grew up in sunny South New Jersey in the heart of Camden with a crowded family. Forth child and third son of the family. Bates joined the military once he graduated from high school and spent two tours in the Middle East. Because of his leadership capabilities and checking all boxes within the set of criteria for Directive 51, the sergeant was trained at an undisclosed location and then allowed to live a normal life. That was until the signal was activated. Without any reason, Bates gathered his things and left his loved ones without reason (as instructed), heading out as an agent of The Division. Command appointed Nathan as leader of Wolverines, one of the dozens of squads being used for Operation Osiris. BRIEF PSYCHEFirefly had a reputation for playing loose with accepted strategy for military command. In several simulations, he gave up valuable fortifications and strategic locations to enemy forces. And when they were tried and weakened, Firefly attacked and won with few casualties than predicated. Cost him several promotions as a result before enrolling in Directive 51. That reputation meant that he had a problem with his emotions. Note that Firefly might disregard suggestions or advice for ISAC along with orders from Command. Yet, Firefly is determined to the objective and willing to sacrifice everything to complete it. He's somewhat optimistic, even during these tough times. --- INVENTORYSCAR-L - Suppressor - Extended magazinePF45 Contact Lenses Smart Watch SHD Issued Equipment - Body Armor - Masks - Gloves - Backpacks - Knee Pads - HolstersSHD Tech - Blinder Firefly - Remote Pulse - Airburst Seeker Mine ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE --- "Likewise, Ma'am." Badger replied, lowering his saluting hand. He wasn't a particularly big sports fan, unless one considered chess as such which his past comrades didn't. This meant he had not in the past had much time spent around the Madison Square Garden, so he had little idea what he might be getting into there (especially with recent changes). Still, duty was duty and if he'd be sent into the depths of hell he'd only ask for a spare magazine. Nodding as the assignment was made clear to them, Badger raised an eyebrow as the woman expressed her suffering. He very, very much wanted to make a snarky comment about pretending to be hot shit when you have a wound but he restrained himself. Saluting again to the woman he stepped out, letting Firefly get through the bullshit of talking to brass. Leaning on a wall he filed his nails as he waited for his comrade to come out, believing the world having fallen to anarchy was not an excuse for being poorly groomed. Putting away his little vanity objects he once more unslung his rifle and spoke while moving to save time. "I say we get up on the rooftops in the area first. See what we're getting into. Scavengers might have already picked everything clean, and if not there's a good chance we won't be the only ones looking for the fuel. Could easily be a rat's nest of some sort, ambushes and traps at every corner." The fuel was needed urgently otherwise they wouldn't ask of it. But if they barged in trying to get it as fast as possible they'd die and not get the fuel anyway so as far as Don saw there really wasn't a reason to rush things, one of the stories of Aesop coming to mind now. The only difference was that the hare would step on a landmine or get its throat cut by someone in an alley whereas the tortoise would make it to the end of the race on a pile of ne'erdowells' corpses. Badger of course saw himself as the tortoise, not fancying bullets in himself. "Of course, once we get an idea of what we're up against we should act as fast as possible, high speed and low drag, in and out, push any bastards we come up against as hard as possible and force them off of what's ours." ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICEBates agreed with Badger's plan and tried to walk towards the backside of the building. Until the soldier from earlier stopped them in their tracks. "Don't bother trying to look for another way in. We made sure to destroy access to the roof from outside. To prevent any intruders from breaking in. Follow me." It was a smart plan, Bates noted to himself until the power went out. He kept on walking until he was at the entrance to the arena. There were three more soldiers, making sure that nobody entered and exited the building. Bates had wondered about the layout and asked the soldier about it. "Just follow the signs, and go up the escalators. You should be able to enter the security room and then the field hospital itself." "Alright." Bates nodded and thanked the soldier. "We will go in and gather whatever fuel remains." Upon entering the square, he saw and heard nothing. It was dead quiet besides the sound of the wind. Bates looked around to make sure that nobody was waiting to abuse them or hiding for them. He then walked up the escalator, and nothing was suspicious. But then, he saw a bloody handprint on the door to the security room. It was still fresh. The agent turned to his partner and signaled him to get his weapon ready. Bates raised his rifle and rushed in the room, seeing two dead police officers on the ground. One of them bled out while the other was shot in the head, killing him instantly. He noticed that the security cameras were still working despite the building having no power. That was when he saw a doctor on one of the feeds, talking to himself while writing notes. The audio wasn't working, so Bates wasn't able to listen in. That was when he realized that the doctor wasn't at the field hospital, but another room. Was Bates kept in the dark? The agent looked at his partner once more and asked, "What the hell do you think is going on? Two dead officers and a doctor, but nobody else. Do you think we should investigate further?" ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE --- Walking along Badger nodded to the soldier who approached them. "Thanks for the heads up." He said, even if he wasn't particularly thankful. "Gotcha." Following Bates close behind, Badger kept low in a semi-crouch. They were still close to what one could consider safety, but considering that every step brought the team further and further away from it he felt that a little bit of caution now would be justified, especially if later it would pave the ground for some aggression. Though he hadn't been here before, Don knew this place was supposed to be loud. There was supposed to be the cheering of crowds and the snickering of bookies, there were supposed to be announcements and vendors making their rounds. But this ghost-town? Well... Though not exactly afraid, the Agent certainly was unnerved. As there was blood on the door to the security room it seemed that the Agent's suspicions of this place being a rat's nest were getting more and more proofs. Nodding as Firefly prepared to breach the room Badger likewise pushed the imaginary foe within, but it turned out the place was uninhabited. "I don't know." Agent Hayes replied to his partner's question, deciding to search the bodies of the police officers for anything of interest. "But I don't want to stick around for too long to end up just like these two pricks. Let's just make a quick note of this and move on. Time is short, and we need that fuel now." ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE"Right." Bates agreed and made his way out of the security room. He entered the ramp and kept on following the signs pointing in the direction of the field hospital. There were a few more dead police officers with bullet wounds similar to those in the security room. Then, he made his way to the entrance and read the sign above the door: Field Hospital Critical Treatment Bates had to take a moment to mentally prepare himself for what he was about to see. It wasn't going to be pretty, but it was definitely going to be worst. He turned to his partner and advised, "No matter what we see, we keep moving. Even if there are people... still here. There's nothing we can't do for them for now." "...Let's go." Bates moved forward and entered the arena, which was filled with rows of hospital beds. There were only a few mobile rooms built due to the size. And of course, there were still patients too injured and left for dead. He looked away for the bodies and kept on moving. It seemed like an eternity, but he made through the hospital. And a working elevator was waiting for them. Bates entered it and waited for his partner before pressing the button. Once the door closed and it started moving, Bates closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "What a fucking mess. I thought things were bad, but this... this is something else entirely—rogue police officers, a declining safe haven, and a makeshift hospital that's now just an abandoned morgue. Either command didn't know the full extent of the situation or... we were lied to and sent on this suicide mission." ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE --- As they went further through the building the fact the people who had shot the police officers found it necessary to go for the head like the first ones the Agents had seen, Badger at least felt a little more confident for it might suggest they lacked long-rifles to penetrate the body armour of the Agents. Of course that was probably wishful thinking and whoever had done this massacre was probably just either A) saving bullets or B) making absolute sure that their opponents were dead. The former of the two options meant that the stinginess of the opponent could be levered against them, whilst the latter would insure that if one of the Agents got taken out of action then they wouldn't recover, for this foe would make sure to execute them as they had the now dead men at their feet. --- Badger stood impassively as Firefly spoke, nodding to his counterpart as he finished. To him it seemed that the man was speaking this warning as much for himself as for Don who knew he didn't really need it. He was well aware he was a cold utilitarian bastard; the only thing he would consider offering the souls that would be there might be a bullet of mercy, but even that was likely out of the question given that with all the factories closed down the ammunition the agents had was to be rationed. They went through the scene, and though it was a harsh sight the Agent calmly did his duty looking side to side making sure no threats were hidden between the pictures of misery. Eventually they made it to the elevator, Don frankly quite surprised it was still operational given the state of disrepair of everything else. In fact, he was rather suspicious. "Weird that the elevator's working, when everything else is so fucked." Of course given the security room was still functional it wasn't that much a surprise, but still something to think about. When the topic of the men being sent here was broached, something like a smile finally went on Badger's lips. "From how it sounded I was certain the answer is 'C: All of the above.' even as they were briefing us. They simply couldn't know exactly what is going on here, but they likely guessed its a rat-trap with ninety-nine percent efficiency, money back guaranteed. Chances one of us are going to be part of a mortality statistic are pretty high I think, but I don't think that's the fault of the pricks that sent us here. Look around, there's no more coffee runs to be done, everything is a suicide mission, and amongst them this isn't that bad. I think a bullet to the brains is nicer than having some dipshit use a baseball bat to turn my ribs into aspic." ---</s>	<\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // MADISON SQUARE FIELD HOSPITALThe elevator came to a stop and the door opened, but Bates sighed and thanked his partner. "Thanks for that... Now, let's find out what the hell is going on here." Upon reaching the partially opened door, Bates pulled out his pistol and slowly pushed it. But, he felt something blocking it and began pushing it with all of his strength. He made his into the room and saw the firefight that recently took place. Seven more NYPD officers laid dead on the floor with bullet holes throughout the body. The blood suggested that the killings took place recently. Then, Bates saw the scientist from the feed still working on something despite his dying state. It was oblivious that something was wrong with him. Before Bates was able to say something, the scientist picked up the pistol and blindly fired in their direction. Instead of returning fire, Bates made sure to hide behind cover and tried to reason with him. "Hold on, we aren't here to kill you! Captain Romero sent us here to get some fuel. Do you know her?" The scientist put his pistol back on the tablet and began to violently cough up blood. "Yeah... she was the one that abandoned them." "Who?" "The people that sought our help and we just gave up without putting up a fight." the scientist turned around and approached the window that divided the rooms. "My name is Doctor Elliot Horton. I used to work at the Bellevue Hospital before I was transferred to this field hospital, assigned to research the virus and find possible treatments. I...I think that I am the only one left for the team." "Were they killed by the officers?" "Oh, no. My associates either ran away or died from the virus itself. I was in the lab when the officers were trying to get access to the supplies. I knew they were looking for blood, so I acted first." Elliot once again coughed violently that he nearly lost his balance. Bates asked if he was alright, but there was no response. He asked again, but still no response. Before he asked for the third time, the scientist sighed after wiping the blood from his mouth. "I... I'm infected and its slowly killing me." </s>
<\|description\|>Agent Donald Hayes Male // 37 // Badger --- BRIEF SYNOPSISBadger AKA Donald Hayes was born to a fairly affluent family in South Carolina. After finishing university education the man spent a year working in his father's law firm, until deciding to join the Army Airborne troops. After a tour of duty he returned home, but he felt a civilian life wasn't for him and joined a Special Weapons and Tactics Unit in New York. A spotless record along with a purple heart for bravery insured insured he was hand picked to become and Agent of the Strategic Homeland Division. When the money virus spread it was no coincidence Don heeded the call to arms immediately joining with other operators of the Division to due his duty to the nation. BRIEF PSYCHEBadger is noted for being a particularly calm and collected operator. In his professional life the individual is noted for being of very words all of which are softly spoken. Often this has lead to the man being mistaken for being indecisive, subservient, and non-confrontational. Only the latter can arguably be considered true in practice, his operating seemingly very aggressive but strictly by the books. Though only an average commander he is noted for excellent speech, his collectedness noted in many scenarios like hostage negotiations or politics with other state servants when matters like jurisdiction come in. The warrior is notable for at times being far too violent with those he considers evildoers, many investigations launched into criminals of all sorts being found hurt at times fatally under dubious circumstances. --- INVENTORYM4A1 - Grip - 3.4x opticsFN Five-seven Contact Lenses Smart Watch SHD Issued Equipment - Body Armor - Masks - Gloves - Backpacks w/ go-bag - Knee Pads - HolstersSHD Tech - Ballistic Shield - Sticky Bomb - Medkits ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes --- HUDSON YARDS Click. Click. Click. Click. Don knew for a fact he wasn't crazy. Having served he knew many a former brother in arms that lost it after a tour of duty and blew their brains out... or somebody else's if that was their fancy. But he knew he wasn't one of them. The former serviceman felt completely lucid, the flicking of his rifle's select-fire the only real oddity about him. This wasn't some sort of manic episode, this was the call of duty. He didn't remember getting those orders jammed into his head but that didn't matter. Everything around him and the more recent communication with command was a-posteriori proof that he was doing the right thing. It was easy for him really, just dig up the guns and then connect all his armour and gadgets to his carrier rig and backpack. It must have been quite different for more grounded people with families. Yeah, all the people selected for the Division would have had their loved ones know who they were with and would by now be used to them going off to fight. But this wasn't the ordinary serviceman experience. This was a threat at home, rather than overseas. Depending on how long all this shit went on, Don reckoned that this would sooner or later become a liability. Even the most devout of servicemen would have trouble fighting in these stone jungles with little to show for it when their very own families would almost certainly be under some sort of danger. For now there were far more pressing issues though. For now Donald kept himself in civilian clothing, for now quite sure this was the right idea. Yes, it meant that hypothetical comrades might mistake him for a looter and marauder. But it also meant that he was beneath notice for many people. He had his M4 of course, but the plate carrier and all else was hidden beneath his clothes to make sure he wouldn't be a juicy target for the vast majority of this new world's ne'erdowells. Besides, his M4 was furnished to look like a rather simple civilian AR rather than the high end piece of military equipment that it was. If all the sent orders were right, they'd know it was him coming rather than some random scavenger and wouldn't blow his brains out. Approaching the building Badger put away his rifle and drew his pistol for the tight indoor confines. That said he kept the safety on for now, more or less confident that his fellow Agent would have cleared any threats that the building might have housed, it was simply that a bit of caution never hurt; better safe than sorry, the saying goes. As Donald cleared the rooms and walkways of the building he felt somewhat sickened. The place was ransacked, every single thing that was A) not too heavy to carry away and B) possible to pawn off for a few bucks was gone. As a sort of experiment he opened a cupboard, and he growled faintly as it seemed someone had even taken the stationery. He knew now wasn't the time to dwell on hatred for the scum of the world like some discount vigilante, he had a job to do. Sighing he made his way over to Firefly, nodding respectfully to his counterpart. Don went through the same routine his counterpart had, introducing himself meanwhile. "Its good to see you Agent. I'm Badger. Ready to move?"</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDSBates took a moment to scan Badger as a way to make sure that he was the one command sent. The smartwatch was a safe bet that he was indeed a Division agent. While the civilian clothing was a questionable choice, there weren't many options that SHD had given the world is still on fire. Bates got up from the desk and responded, "Nice to see you, Badger. I am Firefly." After the introductions, Bates got into contact with command to confirm the meetup and started heading outside. There were a few seconds of silence before Overload told both him and Badger their new objective. "Head for the Post Office and search for any remaining JTF survivors. If there are none, attempt to find out what happened. Over." "Over." Bates answered before asking a question. "What about the checkpoint? Over." "Another team is on route to get it back online. Focus on the new objectives. Over." Overload went dark shortly after giving the answer, leaving the pair on their own. Once outside, Bates pulled up the map to check out their current position. It was going to take them fifteen minutes of walking to get there, but there weren't any other alternatives. He noticed that the nearby bus terminal was safe to enter, while several adjacent buildings were marked as contamination zones (meaning they were infected with Green Flu). Bates took a moment to calibrate a route in his head and turned towards Badger. "The best option is if we went on Forty Street and walked straight down Eighth Avenue to the post office. If we need to rest, the ideal places are either the bus terminal nearby or one of the buildings along the avenue. Just tell me whenever and we can visit there." Bates said to his new partner while the map disappeared and then started walking towards their destination. But, they were in for a wakeup call once they finally exited out of Interstate 495. Hundreds of vehicles were left abandoned by their owners as several dozen nearby buildings, including a church, were marked as contaminated with Dollar Flu. However, the Port Authority Bus Terminal became one of many quarantine zones. Even then, it seemed like the truth was hidden from everyone, including the Division agents. Bates was horrified to see the city that he often visited in such disrepair. It was difficult to react to his first time seeing New York City in person other than video. He was about to say something when gunshots rang out and forced Bates to find cover behind a taxi. Several citizens were fleeing from the terminal as the gunshots kept ongoing for ten seconds. Two more (both men) ran out of the building, but they were gunned down. One of them was dying on top of a car hood while the other tried to crawl towards him. But, two NYPD officers came outside and approached him. The man on the hood attempted to get up but was swiftly executed by one of the officers. The other cried out and desperately tried to escape for them; however, the officer placed his foot on his back. "We are going to ask the last time. Where are your friends hiding?" "I won't want to upset Officer Mckinney, dude." the other officer said while searching the citizen's body for something. "She's a bitch if you go against her." "Go.. to hell." the civilian mumbled and then spat on the officer. He received the boot to the face, breaking some of his teeth and nose. "Well, it seems like you earned a spot in my to-kill list." Bates was still surprised to see the brutality of those officers. Even if they were in the right (which appeared to not be the case), they were breaking the oath made to protect and serve the city. He wasn't going to stand around and let them kill an incident. So, he came out of hiding and called out the NYPD officers. Both of them were quick to aim their pistols towards him. "Freeze!" Bates paused and slowly put his hands up as a sign of trust. "Listen, I am Agent Nathan Bates of the Strategic Homeland Division. I want to talk to you, but you have to leave the citizen alone." The officers looked at each other and then started laughing. Mckinney avoided the offer and started arresting the citizen. She took a quick glance at Bates and said in a dismissive tone, "Pal, I have heard dozens of people calming to be in the military. You aren't the first. Now, leave us be, or you'll regret it." ---</s>	<\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDS Badger didn't waste any time following Firefly outside. He winced a few tears from his eyes as the sun momentarily blinded him, but just as quickly as he adjusted to the darker interior he adjusted to the outdoor lighting. Listening to the orders from command Don nodded, taking out his M4 now that they were outside and flicking it to single fire. The announcement that another team being sent to take care of the checkpoint mollified the only concern that Don had, and so he nodded with renewed dedication to this new objective. With the map Bates pulled out Don knew that the man had a head start on figuring out a path and so he didn't really bother trying to do likewise, instead kneeling down and taking a look at the scene through the optics of his rifle. He hadn't seen anybody on the way here, but he never heard of anybody dying of caution. Dying to people you didn't know were there because you forgot to do a second sweep of a place happened very often, on the other hand. When his counterpart came up with a route Hayes simply nodded and stood up. "I'm easy, and I already had a long rest before I made my way here I'm good to go. Lead the way." he said, gesturing with his left hand. Donald kept quiet on the way through the highway, and although he wasn't quite expecting what he came upon with his comrade it wasn't particularly surprising either. This line of thought was very quickly interrupted when the distinct report of firearms was heard, and much like his partner the warrior went for cover. Experience from SWAT told the man that most civilian cars were unreliable cover with most rifle and even a good chunk of pistol bullets easily going through their doors and trunks, and so instead a heavier truck was sought out. Peeking out revealed that these men were just police officers with service pistols however, which cars would more or less stop, not to mention the plate carriers of the duo. The rifles of the agents however would more than readily go through any civilian cars, which in addition to the other advantages of the agents made any sort of confrontation a done deal more or less. These were cops though, and they weren't even SWAT officers. Blasting random people wasn't their duty, however this wasn't the time and the place to be confronting them, and Don started to say "wait" but he was too late. "Fuck." was all he could say, rubbing his forehead wearily. "Fuck, fuck, fuck." he muttered again, the expletives somehow calming. It was rather suspicious that a man in actual military gear was not believed when he said he was military, though. Something was really fishy here and quite frankly Don was suspecting these people were only impersonating law enforcement officers — the only evidence to the contrary was that they used the term "officer" between each other before they knew the SHD Agents were present. "Hold on, I'll flank them, I'll let you know when I'm in position. Tell me if you think it's going to shit, over." Don communicated, before crouching down and doing the closest thing he could to a run whilst keeping his head below the level of the cars. Ideally he wanted to make it behind the two NYPD Officers but even being at the side to insure he had the drop on them with his rifle would really be enough given it seemed these were the only two present. He just hoped Firefly would be able to diffuse the situation, or at least keep the cops talking long enough for him to be in position to take them out with two quick taps on the trigger. He'd probably aim for their thighs or stomach depending the urgency of the situation, neither shot instantly lethal allowing for a quick questioning of the men but the latter being eventually mortal as blood loss, shock, and other complications soon got to you. Well, at least this was a heroic story he'd be able to tell the grandkids, of how he saved some poor citizen from being executed by rogue police officers in this trying time. With the way things were going Badger reckoned there'd be quite a lot more before things got better though, and he really didn't believe this little act of heroism would pay off when there was a more urgent objective. He'd have to raise his concerns with Bates when they were out of a volatile scenario later.</s>
<\|description\|>Agent Donald Hayes Male // 37 // Badger --- BRIEF SYNOPSISBadger AKA Donald Hayes was born to a fairly affluent family in South Carolina. After finishing university education the man spent a year working in his father's law firm, until deciding to join the Army Airborne troops. After a tour of duty he returned home, but he felt a civilian life wasn't for him and joined a Special Weapons and Tactics Unit in New York. A spotless record along with a purple heart for bravery insured insured he was hand picked to become and Agent of the Strategic Homeland Division. When the money virus spread it was no coincidence Don heeded the call to arms immediately joining with other operators of the Division to due his duty to the nation. BRIEF PSYCHEBadger is noted for being a particularly calm and collected operator. In his professional life the individual is noted for being of very words all of which are softly spoken. Often this has lead to the man being mistaken for being indecisive, subservient, and non-confrontational. Only the latter can arguably be considered true in practice, his operating seemingly very aggressive but strictly by the books. Though only an average commander he is noted for excellent speech, his collectedness noted in many scenarios like hostage negotiations or politics with other state servants when matters like jurisdiction come in. The warrior is notable for at times being far too violent with those he considers evildoers, many investigations launched into criminals of all sorts being found hurt at times fatally under dubious circumstances. --- INVENTORYM4A1 - Grip - 3.4x opticsFN Five-seven Contact Lenses Smart Watch SHD Issued Equipment - Body Armor - Masks - Gloves - Backpacks w/ go-bag - Knee Pads - HolstersSHD Tech - Ballistic Shield - Sticky Bomb - Medkits ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDSBates was thankful that his partner remained undetected, giving him a much-needed advantage over the officers. He had to come up with something to distract them on the spot. But, one of the officers grew impatience and fired three shots towards the car near him. "Those were the only warning shots you get." she said before turning her pistol towards him. The other officer got ready for a firefight and couldn't resist smiling at the thought. So, he opened fire and caused Bates to dive towards a nearby car for protection. Bates understood that talking with them was out of the question and had to defend himself. Hopefully, Badger was able to get into position. With no warnings given, Bates took a moment to breathe, raised his rifle, and opened fire at the officers. The excited officer didn't have time to respond before being struck by several bullets, falling to the ground. Mckinney was horrified to see her friend getting shot and responded by firing back at the stranger. She went back to cover and tried to care for her dying friend. And in the last moments, the officer was trying to say something. Instead, he started coughing blood and then stopped breathing altogether. Enraged by her colleague's death, Mckinney rose from cover and started firing at the car where Bates hid behind. She didn't care about the criminal nor the reason for being here. All she cared about now was getting revenge. And because of that, Mckinney wasn't paying attention to her surroundings. Click, a single trigger pull towards the woman's belly came from Badger, the stationary target leaving herself open to being little more than practice. After the bullet hit Don stood up, making sure the officer was out of action and wouldn't be able to shoot back. He started making his way over to her, while calling out to Firefly. "You alright?" he probably was, but it never hurt to check. "Yeah..." Bates responded while getting out of hiding and making his way towards Badger. He turned to the woman, who was leaning against the pickup truck and looking at her dead friend. There was regret that things ended badly, but he understood that he had no choice. Life or death. Mckinney looked up and gave a weak smile at Bates. "You weren't lying..." Bates caught her before she collapsed and carefully placed her against the truck. He took a brief moment to look at her uniform and saw her badge. A little dirty, but it contained her last name along with the shield number. It confirmed the ugly truth: she was an NYPD officer that killed innocents. That was when he realized that the situation here was worse than ever expected. There was a sense that something was wrong upon exiting the tunnel. But he never imagined police officers breaking their oath to the city. Then, he realized that her friend was most likely also an officer, but Bates wanted to be sure. So, he ordered Badger to check the badge. There were many questions, but Mckinney was losing blood. So, he started with a simple question. "Why did you kill that innocent civilian?" "Innocent?" Mckinney tried to laugh, but it was too painful. "He was a criminal with blood on his hands." Bates looked at the body and turned towards her. "Explain." "He and the degenerates murdered this great city-our home-with their poison! Of course, they weren't content with the city. Oh no, they went after the real innocents!" Mckinney looked down, and tears started to flow down her cheeks. "My own family... taken because of the filth! Now, it's our job to cleanse the scum from our city. To do that, we need to be severe." "Good lord..." Bates was speechless. ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes --- LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDS Again there were gunshots, but from the taunt of the woman Badger could readily surmise they hadn't hit his comrade and so he continued moving to his position. However by the sounds of movement it seemed that the following shots were aimed to kill Bates, and he could just about make out the sound of subsonic munitions leaving a suppressed firearm. Well, they were only handguns, but Don still couldn't allow his comrade to come under threat. Badger nodded at Bates's response, looking about the scene. Only one of the four firearms active just now were silenced and the noise of guns echoed across the area. This in turn presented a danger, several dangers in fact. The buddies of these cops could easily be around some corner and they would not be happy to see two armed men over the corpses of their fellow officers. But even if that wasn't the case, there could be lots of other vultures attracted to the sound. All hell was breaking loose and marauders of all sorts would flock here in hopes of finding some dead to pick apart for valuables. Having finally made it to the shot policemen Badger first removed the magazine from his M4 and replaced the spent round. Then he would squat down and take their pistols along with their munitions, belts, and vests into his backpack. Even if he didn't need them it was better they came with him rather than end up in the hands of some scavenger. If he couldn't eventually find someone worthwhile to hand over the equipment to then he would just throw them into some sewer or stash them with some trash where they wouldn't be found. It might of course seem somewhat ghoulish to already start looting the woman when she was still alive, but Badger didn't particularly care. The country was fucking collapsing, there were more important things to be thinking about than some sensibilities right now. The shot woman was clearly a real cop according to a cursory examination... well, a badge and other ID could be faked and while it was unlikely the consideration should still be on the table, and examining the friend of Officer McKinney would likely reveal more or less the same as with her, although two badges would certainly be harder to fake than one. The short interrogation that happened did confuse the Agent somewhat. While the woman's idea of cleansing the city eerily mirrored his own, he wasn't sure if he could really consider himself akin to the officer. The Agent couldn't really believe what he was hearing, and he wasn't even sure he wanted to. With the bloodloss she'd be undergoing there were only moments left, and Badger shook her a little to keep her from slipping into unconsciousness. "What do you mean? Did these people spread the disease intentionally?" he demanded, the thought that they might have very well made it not even crossing his mind; he made sure he kept his voice down in case somebody was already closing in on the position of the duo. Regardless of exactly what her explanation was, Badger would look quizzically to Firefly, the fact he wasn't sure the woman's story should be believed all over the face. Then it hit him. "Firefly. The civilian. Where is he?" He stood up, flicking his assault rifle to fully automatic. If the woman was in fact telling the truth then they had to know where the arrested citizen was and apprehend him as fast as possible. If they didn't, then the duo would be responsible for a very, very dangerous man escaping justice. Though he made sure not to show it, a soft panic started to set into the Agent.</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDSBates sighed and then turned towards Badger. He was disappointed that his partner actually thought those people spread the virus. "She meant it figuratively. And as for the lost civilian, leave them be. They have already suffered enough." "Our politicians failed us when we needed them the most. Now, it's up to us to fix their mistake." Mckinney tried to crack a smile but lost consciousness. At first, Bates thought that she had lost too much blood for the wounds; however, after examining her, she was barely alive. So, he grabbed a nearby stick and shoved it into her wound, causing her to awake with a bloodcurdling scream. Quite frankly, she deserved worse but he needed to know about the NYPD's fate. There was no way that the entire department became corrupt. Bates stood over her. "What happened to the rest of the force?" Mckinney looked up at the agent and tried once more to laugh. "My brothers in blue are working to restore what was taken for us. You will see them soon enough." Firefly had enough of the disgraced officer and crouched down. "By going back against what your brothers stand for, you have failed this city and your badge. No amount of loss can justify killing innocents becaus-" "Failed?!" Tears were rolling down Mckinney's face as she looked up at the agent. "I was on duty when the city was falling apart! When the degenerates were bitching about every little thing we did! When... my family died from the virus. I have been loyal to this badge and my friends! Everyone that betrayed us warrants a painful death. Just like the ones you and your friend will get." Suddenly, police sirens were heard near as several gunshots rang out in quick succession. The missing citizen fell to the ground on the intersection, bleeding to death. Mckinney tried to say something else, but she collapsed for the blood loss. Bates got his weapon ready for a possible fight, but he preferred to not kill any more police officers. He scanned the area for an escape route and found one. It was an alleyway filled with trash bags and other garbage, but it was an ideal hiding spot. He ran towards it to make sure the path was clear and then called out his partner. "Over here before they spot you!" ---</s>	<\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes LINCOLN TUNNEL // HUDSON YARDS Figuratively. Fucking figuratively. This is what Marines meant when they said Army eats crayons. He had fallen into the stereotype of a grunt that had shooting as his only ability and fell for such nonsense. The Agent was angry as all hell, though his face didn't twitch the slightest amount to reflect this. The man raised his rifle, thoughtfully deciding that this creature wasn't worth a bullet and that all the suffering of her last moments would be more than deserved. Once more the woman's speech seemed to be ever so similar to Don's own beliefs regarding criminality, but deep down he also knew that there was a fine line between himself and the officer. Namely, there was the fact of those he likewise considered "degenerates" would be rather few that the woman and her comrades did. Still, this moment was sobering. Badger made sure he'd keep this event at the back of his mind so that he wouldn't stoop to the levels of Ms. McKinney. What the woman said was not very informative to be frank, at most it revealed there was a good deal more rogue policemen about the city which was a natural following from the fact that already two were corrupt enough to shoot innocents. Just as these thoughts ran through the head of the soldier there was soon the sound of more police coming to the scene, clearly ready to kill after having been attracted to the scene by the sound of gunfire. The encounter with the officer still kept a seething hatred in the heart of Badger, and he wanted to fight these bastards; after all, they were just coppers with soft armour and pistols. But he knew he couldn't. There was no time to waste, and if he did stand and fight then he'd be a hyppocrite given how recently he considered chastising his partner for even bothering with this fiasco when there was a more urgent task at hand. Thus the man nodded in concurrence, giving the wounded police officer a harsh kick on the head to make sure she wouldn't be able to recount to her comrades where the two agents had gone. With that done he ran over to Bates with rifle in hand. Well, now was a better time than any he supposed. "We shouldn't have done that, playing hero. There's a job we had to do, saving a single person - especially when they just get shot right afterwards - isn't worth it when completing our current objective might save a lot more." The whispered words were extremely utilitarian, but Badger meant them wholeheartedly and (although admittedly he had never run into such a situation) he would not let personal feelings get in the way of his duty; even if that civilian was from his family he would have known that the right thing to do was think of the greater good. </s>
<\|description\|>Agent Donald Hayes Male // 37 // Badger --- BRIEF SYNOPSISBadger AKA Donald Hayes was born to a fairly affluent family in South Carolina. After finishing university education the man spent a year working in his father's law firm, until deciding to join the Army Airborne troops. After a tour of duty he returned home, but he felt a civilian life wasn't for him and joined a Special Weapons and Tactics Unit in New York. A spotless record along with a purple heart for bravery insured insured he was hand picked to become and Agent of the Strategic Homeland Division. When the money virus spread it was no coincidence Don heeded the call to arms immediately joining with other operators of the Division to due his duty to the nation. BRIEF PSYCHEBadger is noted for being a particularly calm and collected operator. In his professional life the individual is noted for being of very words all of which are softly spoken. Often this has lead to the man being mistaken for being indecisive, subservient, and non-confrontational. Only the latter can arguably be considered true in practice, his operating seemingly very aggressive but strictly by the books. Though only an average commander he is noted for excellent speech, his collectedness noted in many scenarios like hostage negotiations or politics with other state servants when matters like jurisdiction come in. The warrior is notable for at times being far too violent with those he considers evildoers, many investigations launched into criminals of all sorts being found hurt at times fatally under dubious circumstances. --- INVENTORYM4A1 - Grip - 3.4x opticsFN Five-seven Contact Lenses Smart Watch SHD Issued Equipment - Body Armor - Masks - Gloves - Backpacks w/ go-bag - Knee Pads - HolstersSHD Tech - Ballistic Shield - Sticky Bomb - Medkits ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE In the tunnel Badger was fairly relaxed, for with a flashlight on him the threat of ambushes was minimal and it was simply a relaxing walk. But the moment the light of day struck the man he became tense, alert. This was the modern day Vietnam or Afghanistan; you were surrounded by civilians but just because they didn't wear uniforms that didn't mean they were non-combatants. To make it worse, the power tripping fucks of the police were now just another gang. Except this gang had experience shooting, and they carried high end weapons rather than zip-guns of all sorts. The people enjoying some fresh air entertainment? Those could easily have been snipers ready to end either agent's life from afar. The caution about his surroundings seemed to prove itself to be well founded only moments later when the sounds of gunfire broke out. From the sheer amount of it, he decided it was wise to flick the select-fire of his rifle to full auto. The enemy came into view quickly and by God there were a lot of them. They had helmets, vests and automatic carbines. But they had the misfortune in context of being law enforcement, which would mean that while their helmets and vests would be rated for pistols, they weren't rated for rifle rounds and thus both 5,56 and 5,7 would easily chew through the false sense of security their soldier-boy outfits might give them. Running for cover Badger didn't make a noise. But Firefly said that they had to get their attention, which made the man groan faintly. He would have preferred to use the fact they were in a good position to crossfire to wipe out these traitors in one go, but he supposed this time a more humanitarian approach was technically more important. Thus, he stood up with his ballistic shield and assault rifle, spraying his entire magazine towards the cops to suppress them and catch their attention. With that he dropped the weapon, getting his entire body behind the shield. He knew some less experienced or simply more gung-ho agents tried to shoot with a pistol while holding one but Badger considered them stupid. What was the point of a shield if you were going to nevertheless expose a chunk of yourself so visibly to overwhelming firepower? Thus instead he approached the foe calmly, making sure his entire body was always behind the shield, ready to throw a sticky bomb come the moment he was close enough to do so accurately. The enemy was of course moving in to outflank him, they weren't stupid enough to just waste ammo trying to break the shield with volume of fire. But the Agent hoped his action would be enough to catch the attention of the renegades just long enough for Firefly and the other JTF warriors to either reposition and mount a counterattack or to at the very least evacuate.</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICEOnce the police officers realized there was someone else, it was already too late to react. Overwhelmed and surrounded, there was no other option than to retreat. A few officers sacrificed themselves to ensure that everyone else was able to escape without harm. And after killing the last remaining officer, Firefly understood that it would be a waste of them chasing after them and decided to let them run away. Now, his attention was on the base and the soldiers outside. He tried to make his way up to the stairs, but guns were immediately drawn upon him and his partner. One of them, a young woman, slowly got out of her cover and cautiously looked around her surroundings. "While we are grateful for your assistance, it doesn't mean you're allowed to approach us. Who are you?" Firefly lowered his rifle and slowly held his hands up. "I am Division Agent Bates, empowered and authorized by Executive Order and DHS Directive 51. We are here to help." There was some mumbling between the JTF soldiers while the woman examined the agents. Of course, she didn't believe it. Given the current state of the city, Bates was understandable of the distrust and was prepared to earn their trust. He was about to respond until the solider was alerted by her comms. She signaled one of the other soldiers to keep an eye on the strangers and head inside the base. An awkward silence followed for seconds. Then, the doors opened wide, and the soldier told them to follow her. Firefly nodded and made his way inside, but nothing could have prepared him for what he saw. A dozen casualties filled the entrance while the few doctors and nurses were doing their best. He did his best to avoid the dire situation and kept on following the soldier. Eventually, they arrived at the makeshift command center, where another doctor was treating a soldier's gunshot wound. No doubt it was Romero. She noticed the strangers and turned towards the doctor. "We can continue this later, doc." "But, I wasn't done-" "We can continue it later." The last word came out sharper than intended, but it got the point across. The doctor said nothing but it was clear that she was unpleased with the demand. And when it only the three of them, Romero took a moment to examine the strangers before introduction herself. "I was told that a pair of well-equipped men saved our asses from death. Now, I don't know if you are a blessing or a curse in disguise. I guess we will find out eventually. Introduce yourselves." "I am Division Agent Bates, empowered and authorized by Executive Order and DHS Directive 51." Firefly extended his hand out to her, but it became immediately apparent that Romero didn't trust them. He put his hand down, and awkwardly continued talking. "And this is-" Romero put her hand up to interrupt him. "Can't he talk?" "Well, yes-" "Then, let him speak." Romero turned her attention towards Badger, waiting for a response. ---</s> <\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE Between the crossfire, the explosives lobbed at them, and the disadvantage of the attacker the rogue police were overwhelmed and forced to retreat. In a way it was humourous how some gave themselves up such that their comrades would be able to escape. They had enough of a sense of heroism to sacrifice themselves for their friends, but not enough to actually continue to protect and to serve. Though Badger didn't give chase to the fleeing renegades he made sure to keep on firing at them as they pulled out in an effort to make sure as few of them as possible got away, their cowardice and treachery not left unpunished... of course there was also the pragmatic side of the matter, wherein by eliminating these men he would make the efforts of bringing peace and order back into the city much easier. Having made sure the foe was fully routed, Badger reloaded all his weapons and flicked them to safety before putting them away. Approaching the defenders with his counterpart, Badger examined the scene while the others spoke. Following Bates into the depths of the building the picture painted was not a very pretty one. If this was what remained of people loyal to the government then hope - valuable as it could be - was forlorn. When Romero told the Doctor to leave rather than finish tending to her Badger raised an eyebrow, though he didn't say anything. In his opinion it was a shitty little display of one's ego's hopes at making an image of a badass that had a good chance of repercussions be it an infection or undue bloodloss. Not being a man of very many words Don didn't mind having Firefly introduce Badger for himself but he supposed the woman had to hear it from himself to help make sure she could trust the duo before herself. "Agent Donald Hayes, ma'am." He said, saluting with the aim of a little sycophantry so they could get the introductions over with faster.</s> <\|message\|>Agent Nathan Bates --- PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE"Nice to meet you, Hayes." Romero looked at the agent a bit longer than expected before making her way to the soldier. Bates knew that she was planning something. "Gather a squad and advance towards the Garden. Wait until the agents arrive." With the new orders, the young soldier dismissed herself, leaving the three of them alone. Even with the introductions, there was some tension left in the room. Bates understood that Romero was still suspicious of their presence. And she wanted to make sure that he and Hayes weren't liars. So, the agent turned towards the captain and tried to move the convention along. "What's the Garden?" Romero chuckled at the question. "You know, the massive arena next door. You most likely call it the Madison Square Garden. When the hospitals began filling up with infected, temporary hospitals were set up by the city to ease up pressure. The Garden was one of the largest in the city. That was until City Hall happened." Bates noticed that the captain said the last sentence with a hint of sadness in her voice. It was something worthwhile to note for later. "We remained in operations since then. But that was until the power went out about a day or two ago. And with everything around me falling apart, I had no choice but to abandon the hospital." Romero was silent for a moment before looking at her wound. It wasn't getting any better. "That's why I need you two to collect any remaining fuel given it hasn't been taken already. We planned on gathering as much as possible, but then... well, you saw what happened." Bates still wasn't unable to believe that the situation got worse than expected. It was clear that he had to help out. Even if the hospital's already picked clean. "Don't worry. We will come back with plenty of fuel." "Thanks-" Suddenly, Romero cried out in pain and saw that her wound had reopened. The doctor from earlier busted in and attended to her patient. She seemed to whisper something, but the captain wasn't able to talk. Bates knew that it was time to depart for the Garden. Then, his smartwatch lit up as ISAC alerted him of an urgent call for headquarters. Overload asked if their objective was fruitful, expecting to be disappointed. "We found JTF forces along with its leader, Romero. But I regret to report that several NYPD officers were setting siege to their base upon our arrival. We had to take them out. Earlier, we were also under attack by two police officers after they opened fire on unarmed civilians. Over." Bates answered. Overload was about to respond until someone interrupted him. He spoke with a hint of curiosity in his voice. "Understood... You will have to explain it to the commander once she arrives. Over." "Wait, what for?!" Bates tried to ask the reason for her presence, but Overload ended comms before he could've said a word. Did it have something to do with him killing the police? It wasn't like they were given any choice besides getting killed. Or maybe it was something else entirely unrelated? The thoughts were driving him paranoid. For now, though, he had to focus on retrieving the fuel from the arena. But he had to utter a curse word under his breath before heading outside. ---</s>	<\|message\|>Agent Donald Hayes PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA // JAMES FARLEY POST OFFICE --- "Likewise, Ma'am." Badger replied, lowering his saluting hand. He wasn't a particularly big sports fan, unless one considered chess as such which his past comrades didn't. This meant he had not in the past had much time spent around the Madison Square Garden, so he had little idea what he might be getting into there (especially with recent changes). Still, duty was duty and if he'd be sent into the depths of hell he'd only ask for a spare magazine. Nodding as the assignment was made clear to them, Badger raised an eyebrow as the woman expressed her suffering. He very, very much wanted to make a snarky comment about pretending to be hot shit when you have a wound but he restrained himself. Saluting again to the woman he stepped out, letting Firefly get through the bullshit of talking to brass. Leaning on a wall he filed his nails as he waited for his comrade to come out, believing the world having fallen to anarchy was not an excuse for being poorly groomed. Putting away his little vanity objects he once more unslung his rifle and spoke while moving to save time. "I say we get up on the rooftops in the area first. See what we're getting into. Scavengers might have already picked everything clean, and if not there's a good chance we won't be the only ones looking for the fuel. Could easily be a rat's nest of some sort, ambushes and traps at every corner." The fuel was needed urgently otherwise they wouldn't ask of it. But if they barged in trying to get it as fast as possible they'd die and not get the fuel anyway so as far as Don saw there really wasn't a reason to rush things, one of the stories of Aesop coming to mind now. The only difference was that the hare would step on a landmine or get its throat cut by someone in an alley whereas the tortoise would make it to the end of the race on a pile of ne'erdowells' corpses. Badger of course saw himself as the tortoise, not fancying bullets in himself. "Of course, once we get an idea of what we're up against we should act as fast as possible, high speed and low drag, in and out, push any bastards we come up against as hard as possible and force them off of what's ours." </s>
<\|description\|>Cole Smith -Work in progress- Nicknames: The Sword Hero Age: 21 Gender: Male Level: 1 Class: Legendary Sword Hero Hero Class: Sword Specializations: N/A Magic Affinity: Wind, and Lightning Appearance: (brownish eyes replaced with blue) Biography: Born in rural Maine young Cole was born to a group of successful fisherman, and belongs to a long line of such people dating all the way back to the inception of America. Cole's parents were often too busy to raise him so Cole was actually sent to Connecticut to live with his uncle Phil who was taking care of the grand parents. Phil was more of a laid back sort of of parental figure, and much more geeky than Cole's actual parents. Phil was a teacher in Hartford, and used his money to help bring Cole up to be a rather nice, if not quiet young man. Cole tried his best at sports as a young man often taken to local games by his grandfather on the weekends when he was feeling well enough. However they weren't especially his forte, and he ended up simply stopping sports all together in order to hang out with his Uncle, and his friends around a DnD table. Eventually Cole moved back to Maine where he finished school, and helped his parents out for a time. He helped with a lot of his parents' warehouse work while they managed the financial, and business aspects. However one aspect seemed to remain a near constant in his life after his teenage years. He was constantly teased, and picked on by a jock by the name of Chad Buckley the head of a football team when he was still in Hartford. Growing up Chad seemed to never actually give Cole a break, and though he never got too physical it was unrelenting. Thankfully Chad was dumber than a sack of bricks when he was younger, and Cole managed to prank him in return multiple times in retaliation. Chad would reappear in Cole's life later as he moved to California for an college course in business to further consolidate his life. However by pure coincidence Chad's scholarship also landed him in the same school, and Chad, while mellowed out somewhat, still was a bit of a prick. Cole's hope of life changed as he grabbed a strange book, and was quickly transported to a new world... --- Preferred Weapon(s): Legendary Hero Sword Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Legendary… --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Abilities of Skill: Downsides of Skill: ---- Inventory:</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer followed the thrown stone's trajectory and heard the very audible smack. However, it seemed his arm was not as accurate as it had been. The man was not knocked out or incapacitated but at the very least he had managed to stir the hornet's nest. He cursed under his breath really wishing that he could have his old bow. It would have been possible to have his arrows hit a few necks by the time the bandits knew what was happening. Still, as it was it seemed he would be able to at least pull some attention. He picked up another rock in his hands and was ready to fling it again when he heard and saw his holy friend answer the challenge. His under handed ways were lost to Auriel. He sighed, the girl was much too honorable for her own good. Still, there was something exhilarating about hearing her firm voice and her resolve. She was used to leading men and facing down devils. Unfortunately, men such as these had no soul and their minds were so corrupted that they were little better than animals. Just like animals, the best thing to do was to beat them into submission. Even a modern fighter such a Fer who was used to the sound of gun fire and bringing death from afar, could appreciate the beauty and grimness that close quarter fighting was. Auriel's movements were sharp and efficient. The bandit was obviously experienced but was no match for a true master of the art like Auriel. It was not until she knocked out the other man and heard her yell that he cursed himself for not taking advantage of the distraction. Once the men started to rush her he threw his next stone. There was not much aim needed as he threw it towards the crowding men. He went for strength this time and put his back in to the throw hoping it would be much more painful when it hit. He moved to the opposite side of the barn. His plan was to eventually be found out and be chased. He would then use the opening to one of the animal holing pens which he had rigged. He hope to incapacitate at least another one with his trap and to pull some numbers from Auriel. This plan would also pull the men away from where Cole would eventually emerge leaving their backs to him. Also, the bandits did not know that they were fighting the Cardinal Heroes which would be extra shock and prove useful as they would not be as wary. Instead, Fer would continue to fling his stones, an angry bandit is a distracted bandit.</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher (Mood Music) Justice Auriel had assumed that the heroes were ready to strike when she called out to them, but the timing was off and their element of surprise went with it. So be it. Auriel held her spear at the ready as she looked to the group of bandits. Still outnumbered until the others could join the fight, she would have to hold her own. Luckily for her, the man in charge decided to preach and justify himself to her instead of taking the opportunity to use their numbers against her. She studied his rusty sword. A slash from it would certainly cause illness, but the rust also meant that the weapon would be brittle and easily broken. She would have to use that to her advantage should their weapons cross with one another. "Don't you know the world is going to end soon!? Its kinda sad you're not running away instead of taking care of some bandits in the ass end of the city limits..." the bandit said. Auriel narrowed her eyes at him, "It's bandits like you who would see the end come sooner, and weaken us as a whole when the waves come. You are a part of the greater problem. And it is my solemn duty to solve that problem. No more talk, criminal! Face your death in battle so that you can be buried with at least an inkling of dignity." Auriel once again seized the initiative, making a move to lunge her spear forward at him.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Little shit get back her-" one of the bandits shouted as they narrowly dodged Fer's attempt to throw a rock at him. "You're a fucking idiot don't charge into a trap! They're trying to split us up focus on the bitch! Stay together that's an order!" the bandit leader growled as he turned to Auriel and pulled out his rather rough looking sword and pointed it towards Auriel as she charged in to attack him the other bandits weren't quick enough to block her. But the leader on the other hand surprisingly stated, "Quick Blade: Riptose!" he called out as he deftly managed to get his blade into a position and smacked Auriel's spear to the side moving into stab her following that he was suddenly stopped by what could've only been Cole as a slash of magical energy cut into the man's armor, and made him bleed along his lower chest. The man coughed up blood and backed up quickly as the other bandits rushed towards Auriel to cover their boss with clubs, and knives. "I'll focus on the big guy! Try, and deal with the guards!" called out as he charged in with his golden blade at the injured man. He managed to get his blade up and blocks Cole's strike but barely stepping back and only managing to stay on the defense due to his serious wound on his stomach. "You think you can beat the sword hero!?" Cole called out trying to sound tougher than he felt as the man kept managing to use quick steps to dodge, and try to move out of Cole's way. "The Sword Hero!? What the hell!? Fine I'll deal with you like any other dreg!"</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer threw and missed. He had almost accomplished his goal as he saw a few of them beginning to detach. He seemed like an easy target. A fool throwing rocks where any other man would at least have a club or some sort of wooden spear. Indeed, he was sorely missing his bow or at least his hunting knife. The bandits however, seemed to at least have an experienced leader. He called the rest of the rabble back. Fer grit his teeth into a sardonic smile. The rabid dogs may be dumb but the handler was not. He cursed under his breath. Just as they had seen him an easy prey, weaponless and harmless. They now used that same assumption as a way to identify the real threat. Auriel would be the focus of their attention. Eliminate the danger and deal with the weakling lather huh? Fer thought with bitterness. I'll show you harmless. He carefully jumped the tripping rope that would set off the trap. He headed towards the gathering bodies that would soon engulf his winged companion. How dared they? The feeling of anger was not just at the fact that they would most definitely tear Auriel limb from limb but that they had discounted him as notihg more than an annoying gnat. Fer's anger welling up inside him. The shield at his forearm began to heat up. The green gem started to flicker, a reddish tint starting to form. His mind started to go black. Only one thought seemed fixed in his thoughts. Kill them Kill them His eyes flared as he saw the leader about to strike the holy warrior. He all but growled. Anybody seeing him approaching would have most certainly feel the murdeours aura but more probably they could see his eyes taking on the same reddish tint as his shield. His shield slowly mutated into a round shape that morphed into a V but before more of the shield could be transformed any further a slash or a something hit the attacking bandit. That was enough to snap Fer out of his trance. He shook his head to clear it and then hearing Cole's order he rushed into the nearest bandits. He shield already in the morph setting he shouted. "Morph Shied: Small Kite!" A quickl flash of green light and his shield was now in the shape of a small kite shield which point extended about half a foot from his knuckles. He would swing high with flat of the shield aiming at the head of one of the closest bandits approaching from on of the flanks to Auriel's left. Keeping the same momentum and direction, he would kneel while spinning and with the pointed edge he would aim for a lower part of the leg of the bandit next to his first target hoping to hit a knee or enough of the leg to try knock the other person to the ground. Regardless of how effective his blows were, the moves would land him with him raising his shield to protect any downward blow. He would also be a lower smaller target. He may not be half as lethal as he would be if he had actual weapons but he would be dammed if he would not leave these bandits with something to remember him by.</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher Rust (Mood Music) Auriel clenched her jaw when the bandit leader kept them organized. Their simple plan of dividing and conquer didn't work, and now Auriel was outnumbered. If the man in charge of this group was so keen, it made Auriel wonder about the true leader's cunning. Was Rayla Winters perhaps too big to chew for the budding heroes? Auriel smacked one of the bandits away, a simple strike to divert his momentum while she focused on the real threat. The group leader. She went for a strike but was surprised to see the tip of her spear get deflected to the side. She gasped when he went for the riposte. She was wide open. Auriel heard a clang, and saw Cole's blade intercept the leader's. She breathed easy for a moment, and felt a rush of adrenaline surge through her body. Of course, Auriel hadn't been in a proper fight since the battle against the horde. She had gotten rusty, and allowed for her confidence to overwhelm the reality that her keen edge wasn't as sharp as before. Auriel glanced left and saw that other bandit she had tripped up making another move on her. She brought her spear to face him. Then Fer appeared and struck him with the pointed end of his shield. She looked him over, and saw something different about him. Was it anger? There wasn't any time to think on it, she nodded her appreciation for the assist and turned to face an as of yet unchallenged bandit. She could see both of the heroes out of her peripherals on either side of her. Something welled up inside of her, a feeling of belonging. This was where warriors bonded, on the field of battle. There was a connection to be made when lives were at stake. Auriel felt it. "Let's finish this quickly." Auriel said to the heroes. Auriel clutched her spear tight, and felt ready to reclaim her talent with the spear.</s>	<\|message\|>Cole Smith The blow to the side of the head sent one of the bandit falling to the ground a bit dazed unexpecting the swift retaliation from the shield hero expecting him to play defense rather than offense. It was doubtful he was down for the count but he was out of it for a few moments. The next bandit was smacked rather hard by Ferr's attack making him shout but he quickly managed to get back up unlike the previous bandit. "The boss hits us harder!" the bandit shouted as he moved forward to swing his axe at Ferr's head. The other bandits seemingly diverted their attention from Auriel to try and pick off the weaker shield hero as they from Ferr's right came charging at him with their weapons raised high. When Auriel intercepted one of them they got in her face while their shortsword held firmly in their hand as the slashed at her violently. "Dead men tell no tales but tell me angel!? Do the gods do the same!?" Cole for his part had managed to rather deftly deal with the bandit leader his blade crossing the enemy's but neither gaining a true upper hand. As their blades met, and parried, and overall tried to gain the upper hand Cole began to get more confident. However as Cole saw an opening his mind flared "NOW!" Cole stabbed forward and..."Quick Blade: Riposte!" the bandit leader called out as he used the same skill as before to parry Cole aside sending him on his backfoot he desperately began to block. Losing some of that just newly found confidence Cole held his blade close like Marcino instructed blocking practically and not fancily. "I'm not going to let you win!" Cole shouted wondering why his blade hadn't quite allowed him to overwhelm this guy!? He was wielding a legendary artifact wasn't he!?</s>
<\|description\|>Cole Smith -Work in progress- Nicknames: The Sword Hero Age: 21 Gender: Male Level: 1 Class: Legendary Sword Hero Hero Class: Sword Specializations: N/A Magic Affinity: Wind, and Lightning Appearance: (brownish eyes replaced with blue) Biography: Born in rural Maine young Cole was born to a group of successful fisherman, and belongs to a long line of such people dating all the way back to the inception of America. Cole's parents were often too busy to raise him so Cole was actually sent to Connecticut to live with his uncle Phil who was taking care of the grand parents. Phil was more of a laid back sort of of parental figure, and much more geeky than Cole's actual parents. Phil was a teacher in Hartford, and used his money to help bring Cole up to be a rather nice, if not quiet young man. Cole tried his best at sports as a young man often taken to local games by his grandfather on the weekends when he was feeling well enough. However they weren't especially his forte, and he ended up simply stopping sports all together in order to hang out with his Uncle, and his friends around a DnD table. Eventually Cole moved back to Maine where he finished school, and helped his parents out for a time. He helped with a lot of his parents' warehouse work while they managed the financial, and business aspects. However one aspect seemed to remain a near constant in his life after his teenage years. He was constantly teased, and picked on by a jock by the name of Chad Buckley the head of a football team when he was still in Hartford. Growing up Chad seemed to never actually give Cole a break, and though he never got too physical it was unrelenting. Thankfully Chad was dumber than a sack of bricks when he was younger, and Cole managed to prank him in return multiple times in retaliation. Chad would reappear in Cole's life later as he moved to California for an college course in business to further consolidate his life. However by pure coincidence Chad's scholarship also landed him in the same school, and Chad, while mellowed out somewhat, still was a bit of a prick. Cole's hope of life changed as he grabbed a strange book, and was quickly transported to a new world... --- Preferred Weapon(s): Legendary Hero Sword Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Legendary… --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Abilities of Skill: Downsides of Skill: ---- Inventory:</s> <\|message\|>Rivia Silvermane Rivia Silvermane Oblivious to Fers dilemma, it was only Cole grabbing her attention that saved him from an awkward explanation. She wasn't sure who she wanted to dance with first, so she tucked the thought away for now at least as her attention was moved from the sword hero to the dancers around them. Flashy, colourful dresses. Constant swaying and spinning. It was certainly a lot of motion, though she wasn't sure why they were spinning so much. Wouldn't you get dizzy and fall over? She felt dizzy just from trying to track them, so just shook her head as she looked away. The main thing she had gotten was that they were moving to the beat of the slow music filling the air. She didn't have much of a clue what he meant by 'lead' till she looked back, cocking her head to the side as she now noticed the first one to move was indeed the ladies, with the gentlemen following suit and the motion flowing on from there. Tapping her chin thoughtfully, she supposed a dance always sparked off from one individual and then the rest flowed on from there. But they were so close, it would be hard to do as Cole said to do; avoid stepping on one another, no? Suppose that once again came down to the rhythm, the motion of the dancers. Moving like flowing water across the dancefloor. The explanation of it being romantic or not was lost on Rivia for the most part though. Whether they even had the same standards and values for such a thing remained to be seen. "Rivia wouldn't mind dancing first. Rivia wants to try." Such nimble movements, coordination, the deft, subtle changes to suit both the partner and the pace of the song. There was no doubt about it. It would make a fine training exercise as well if she can get the hang of it! And this seemed like as good a time to learn it. Plus there was always food later. Unlike how worn her current attire was, she wasn't exactly struggling to get by on food. She was a good hunter and excellent forager after all. If anything, the current swirling and mixing of scents and aromas was a bit off-putting when it came to the food. Less because most were a mystery, but mostly because it just seemed...strong. There was nothing wrong with a lightly seasoned meal... "Umm...suppose Rivia will dance with Fer first? Then Fer can go and eat while Rivia and Cole dance. Moving on a full stomach is bad. Causes great pain after all." Nodding her head and crossing her arms over her chest, she seemed quite proud of herself for knowing what was a common fact for them in their worlds; stitches existing. Not that such a world existed among her tribe. Especially if Fer ate as Cole said he did; then he could become immobilised almost entirely!</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher Late to the Party (Mood Music) Auriel left the powder room with a frustrated sigh. The blood had taken so long to come off, and it hadn't even entirely come out! Thankfully, the blood stain would be noticeable on her white dress if somebody was really looking for it. And with all of the motion causing her dress to sway, it'd at least be hard to pick out. Auriel had one other advantage to keeping the bloodstain hidden, and that was because she was so late. The party had gone on long before she would arrive. People would likely have had more than one drink, and surely the frivolities of the upper class will have dulled the senses of all of the party-goers too much to notice a small thing like the blood spatter of a broken nose. Auriel stood in front of the great doors leading to the throne room. She reached for one of the door handles and looked around over her shoulder again, double checking to make sure she wasn't about to get another rude interruption. Seeing that she was clear, Auriel took the handle in her hand, and pulled the door open. She stepped through the doors to see the center of the room was host to a large swirl of dancing couples. Dancing was never her thing, not because she didn't like it, but because her wings were rather clumsy and required too much room to allow others enjoy a shared floor. That often meant that when Auriel was on the floor, she and her dance partner were the only ones of the floor, and such things usually led to Auriel being very self conscious and nervous. She would avoid the dancing. Auriel was very quickly intercepted by a well dress man, a butler and one of the hosts of the party. He bowed and held out a large platter with glasses of wine neatly placed on it. Auriel smiled and took a glass of wine before the man stood straight, turned his full body to face the ballroom, and cleared his throat. Auriel was in the middle of sip when she realized what he was about to do. She quickly swallowed her sip of wine, "Mm- No-" "Introducing Lady Auriel! Holy Warrior of the Church of the Four! The Guardian Angel and Companion of both the Sword and the Shield heroes!" he said, his nasally voice was clear and loud enough to echo across the hall. Auriel had her face planted firmly in her palm when all eyes turned on her. She never got used to being announced. Even after all of these years, it always made her feel like she had to give some speech or perform some sort of trick to keep up with the magnificence of being announced. Auriel took a breath and lowered her hand from her face before smiling to the party-goers. "Erm... Greetings, my lords and ladies. Apologies for my tardiness. Heh... Eh..." Gods this was awkward! "Please! Don't stop the fun on my account! I am glad I can finally partake!" There were some chuckles here and there and it seemed the energy was returning back to normal. Auriel let out a long sigh of relief and sipped her wine. She glanced sidelong as the butler who had announced her, "Thank you, sir. Er... Perhaps next time we can make my arrival a little less... Significant?" The butler laughed and nodded, "Of course, milady. Please, enjoy the gala- but first, could I interest you in another glass? T'would seem in your attempt to catch up with the rest of the guests, your glass in nearly empty already." Auriel blinked and looked back at wine glass. Did she really drink that much already? Oh heavens... Auriel's mind snapped back to when she had gone to the tavern with Cole and Fer before they left to help the farmer with their bandit problem. She was such a lightweight, and she could already feel the wine. Auriel cleared her throat awkwardly and blushed, a sign of embarrassment that was always easy to spot on her fair cheeks. "N- no, thank you. One glass is more than enough for me to catch up, it seems." "Very well, milady. I believe I have accosted you enough for tonight. I will leave you be. If you change your mind for another drink later on though, you'll find I answer to summons quite quickly." he said jovially. Auriel nodded slowly at that, "Ah, yes. Well that makes one of us." How late had Auriel been? Two hours? Three? With her mother's remorseless training, Calder's romantic pursuits, the gate guard's unshakable sense of duty, and Bander's childish rivalry and ensuing staining of her favorite dress with his blood, Auriel's luck couldn't have been much worse for finding interruptions. Not that all of it had been bad. Auriel straightened her white dress a bit and scanned the crowd with her golden hues. It didn't take long to spot Fer standing on his own. She followed his gaze and found Cole among the crowd of dancers with... A demi-human? Who was that? She had never seen her in the palace before, and she had spent a lot of time in the palace growing up. Was he some demi-human nobleman's daughter from Shieldfreeden? Not likely with Zeltoble's general air of distaste for demi-humans. A slave then? More likely, but why would someone's slave be dancing with the country's nobility? She was a guest then. Not a slave. But also not a noble from Shieldfreeden... She had to be a guest's 'plus one' then, or perhaps part of an entourage. Or perhaps... No? Yes? Did they have a new member in their party that Auriel wasn't around to greet?! Auriel made her way into the crowd, smiling, greeting, and being trapped in small bouts of gossip. As she maneuvered through the social minefield, she finally made her way to Fer's side. With the host announcing her arrival, she didn't need to tell Fer that she was finally at the party. She cleared her throat and let out another long breath, "You look charming." she said to Fer, noting the attire that the king's staff had no doubt put him in. He actually looked like he belonged to this world, even though Auriel knew he was entirely foreign. "Truly a member of Zeltoble's highest aristocracy." Auriel brought her spear behind her and nestled it horizontally against the small of her back. She held it with both hands and did a curtsy in her white dress. It was difficult to tell if she was being ironic or genuine with the noble mannerisms, especially to a man who was very much against high born tyrants from his own world. When she straightened out, Auriel rested the butt end of the spear on the marble flooring and held it straight up. She brushed some of her golden bangs from her face and pouted a bit, "I'm sorry I'm so late. What was supposed to be one thing turned into several... several things, all in quick succession of one another. Did I miss anything important? Notably an introduction to her?" she cast a sidelong glance at the demi-human girl with a slight nudge of her head in Rivia's and Cole's direction.</s>	<\|message\|>Cole Smith Cole snickered as he looked over to Rivia, and nodded his head. "By all means take your time, and enjoy yourself after all this whole party is being thrown in the honor of us. Being a new member to the party is good to foster good relations within the party. Even if Fer seems to be more popular with the ladies than I am." Cole said with a good hearted smile as he looked over to Auriel and had to blink a few times before he noticed the wings. "So you don't just wear battle armor all day, and work at the church? And here I thought you'd have given up, and decided we were better off getting drunk by ourselves." Cole says to Auriel as he looks over her taking in the change of clothes. He had only really seen her in her battle gear, and casual outfit, and the look change at least made it clear she wasn't all business. "I'm not sure if Rivia would rather introduce herself but...she's the newest addition to our little party. The king seemed to have found another young adventurer not take up by Matsunaga, or The Spear Hero. It looks like we'll be travelling together soon...then again I remember that dude from the bounty office, and how he vanished and got lost in the woods so...who knows." Cole said shrugging as he tried to remember what exactly happened to that person. He just kind of...wandered off? Who knew? More important now would be a better time to focus on the matters at hand. "It looks like Ferr, and Rivia will be having a brief dance. I hope that doesn't matter to the shield hero's one and only true party member." Cole says to her as he wonders if that would make Auriel think a little bit more of the scenario at hand in the matter. He wasn't exactly sure if Rivia even cared, or knew what was going on but he may as well air out things before something happened.</s>
<\|description\|>Cole Smith -Work in progress- Nicknames: The Sword Hero Age: 21 Gender: Male Level: 1 Class: Legendary Sword Hero Hero Class: Sword Specializations: N/A Magic Affinity: Wind, and Lightning Appearance: (brownish eyes replaced with blue) Biography: Born in rural Maine young Cole was born to a group of successful fisherman, and belongs to a long line of such people dating all the way back to the inception of America. Cole's parents were often too busy to raise him so Cole was actually sent to Connecticut to live with his uncle Phil who was taking care of the grand parents. Phil was more of a laid back sort of of parental figure, and much more geeky than Cole's actual parents. Phil was a teacher in Hartford, and used his money to help bring Cole up to be a rather nice, if not quiet young man. Cole tried his best at sports as a young man often taken to local games by his grandfather on the weekends when he was feeling well enough. However they weren't especially his forte, and he ended up simply stopping sports all together in order to hang out with his Uncle, and his friends around a DnD table. Eventually Cole moved back to Maine where he finished school, and helped his parents out for a time. He helped with a lot of his parents' warehouse work while they managed the financial, and business aspects. However one aspect seemed to remain a near constant in his life after his teenage years. He was constantly teased, and picked on by a jock by the name of Chad Buckley the head of a football team when he was still in Hartford. Growing up Chad seemed to never actually give Cole a break, and though he never got too physical it was unrelenting. Thankfully Chad was dumber than a sack of bricks when he was younger, and Cole managed to prank him in return multiple times in retaliation. Chad would reappear in Cole's life later as he moved to California for an college course in business to further consolidate his life. However by pure coincidence Chad's scholarship also landed him in the same school, and Chad, while mellowed out somewhat, still was a bit of a prick. Cole's hope of life changed as he grabbed a strange book, and was quickly transported to a new world... --- Preferred Weapon(s): Legendary Hero Sword Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Legendary… --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Abilities of Skill: Downsides of Skill: ---- Inventory:</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Shieldy seems like one moopy guy. Should I go punch him in his shield until he cheers up? Or is he the type to need to go brood?" grumbles Edusa as she folds her arms looking at Cole. Cole's face was one of confusion had they not just gained a new ally despite all of this mess? As he watched Fer leave he wondered if his own silence had caused this he had not been the best leader but he had been doing his best to be a good neutral party in all things so far. Perhaps he should be more confident, or at least fake it. Because he didn't feel confident he was a nerd less than a week ago. People walked by him and expected him to be at a grocery counter, or fishing up in Maine. Here? He didn't quite know what he was besides an apparent legendary hero. "Its up to him to figure out what he wants. I'm not sure what's going on anymore. But if Fer needs time then so be it. I'll let him have his time." Cole stated as he turned to Rivia, and bow his head. "I'm sorry that you've been thrown into this mess. It must be so confusing but...in reality I'm not much different Rivia. I'm not going to tell you to go after Fer, or stay here with me. Because that's something up to you to decide. Or you could go to a tavern, or meet the bow hero, or a number of things. I just want you to choose what you're most comfortable doing." comments Cole as Edusa groans audibly. She walks over to Rivia and smiles at her, "Rivia was it? Name's Edusa Melromarc nice to meet you, your cheek's cut want Shay's help?" comments Edusa as she looks over to the small green haired girl who had helped Cole who keeps her distance as to not impose. "Wait shieldy? You really just called the legendary shield hero, Shieldy?" comments Cole with a smirk on his mouth as the royal shrugs, "Man I was never the religious type. And living people ain't gods to me they're just people. The old shield hero? Maybe? Who knows. If shieldy wants me respect he'll get it when he wants it." Edusa says back at Cole waving a hand as to brush away the comment. "Hmmm now that I take a look at your fur...you're really cute you know." Edusa says meaning it more as a compliment then a flirt.</s> <\|message\|>Rivia Silvermane Rivia Silvermane Brushing off the Princess's concerns, seeming to have no clue who she was and she was far too occupied with going after Ferr, it didn't take long for the wolf demi human to catch up to him in the halls of the castle. Not that the bleeding from her cut had stopped, but it didn't seem to be a concern for Rivia. Was she even aware of it? Well, that remained to be seen. When Ferr turned around, he would find Rivia looking at him with that same tilted head and possibly even more confused face that she had shown during their earlier conversation. Seeing as he was continuing walking, Rivia moved to walk beside him and listened as their steps seemed to echo throughout the empty hallway. In a way, this was partly distracting for Rivia. She didn't like how she could hear their own footsteps, but listening to Ferr was a main priority right now. "But why are the heroes fighting?" She nodded her head as he spoke, seeming to follow along for the most part though she still seemed confused by the bow hero's antics it seemed. "Rivia understands training and growing stronger. But Rivia also knows a King is the alpha, the chief. So if the King says to do something, don't the heroes have to listen?" She seemed almost in pain as she tried thinking over this in her head. Yeah, nope she couldn't understand this bow 'hero' at all. She really didn't like her, or that fellow with made her ears hurt with that music and magic. Though at the mention of sparring, her mood immediately lifted. If the way she perked up her head wasn't enough of a clue, then the way her tail began wagging like a dog about to go on a walk did. He had barely even finished answering the question and she was already immediately nodding her head frantically in agreement. "Mhmm! Rivia would love to spar!" She didn't even seem to mind if the bow hero or her lackeys decided to join. Not that the thought came to her mind, but if they did then that was even better. More foes, the better. And she could pay back that annoying bard as well, it would all be wins in her book. So she happily followed him to wherever he wanted to lead her. That might be a slight concern seeing how easily it was to lead her along, but maybe it was just the faith and trust she placed in a hero.</s>	<\|message\|>Cole Smith "Well I guess the tales of the kin having no manners is true." grumbles Edusa as she turns to her new boss and cracks her knuckles. "What's up first boss? I'll just need to-" Edusa said as Cole shook his head. "Go and get yourself ready I'm going to go and talk with Rin, the Bow Hero, and then we'll consider what we're doing tomorrow. I want to see what the citizens need me to do. If those two are off to train I want to make sure that the people know despite this little outburst I'm still a hero they can look up to." Cole says as he unbuttons his shirt breathing in deeply. "Right gotcha boss don't worry I'll find where you are tomorrow I got a knack for knowing where people are around this city." Edusa says giving her farewells as Cole prepares to meet with Rin and her crew, alone as it seems, as Shay's playful tone sounded off next to him he figured maybe he wouldn't be alone. Cole strolled off confidently and he had a guard show him the way to the Heroes' Tower. ==== Some Days Later - A week has passed since initial summoning by Hans, and King Vincent. Cole had spent the majority of his time the past week, instead of training, mingling, and assisting the various peoples around Melromarc, the city itself has been on edge and Cole presence along with a member of the Cadet Branch of the Kingdom of Melromarc, as well as a friend in her Shay'Min has done wonders for morale. The church, the kingdom, and the Legendary Sword Hero working in tandem with the guards to deal with criminals, and inspire the troops to work hard to keep order so that the people won't be afraid when the waves inevitably hit. The apocalypse was preventable, and it was the duty of every citizen to not bring panic, but a sense of stability to their every day activities. To not harm their neighbors, and to overall be the best human being they could be. Working was not all helping in soup kitchens, or visiting hospitals, or talking in the town square. He had also done his best to stop criminals, and had spent a few of the the nights training with Marcino alongside Rin improving his ability but not quite as much as he'd like. He had been working too hard to keep everyone in a good spirit which left him little time to improve his own techniques. As of the moment Cole stood in the middle of the Square his 'new' teammate Edusa dressed in a steel chest plate, spiked knuckle gloves covering her hands, and a headband protecting her forehead. The Spear Hero had returned recently. His exploits had apparently been in tracking down a group of rogue mages trying to cause a shift in control of Melromarc. The mages he had found were weak according to the report given to him by a member of King Vincent's own. They were grunts but had leaked out the important fact that something was happening. And it would happen soon. It was odd to try and attack a city when all the guards were on high alert but...he supposed terrorists would be terrorists. Rin had positioned herself in the southern half of the town along the battlements for the day. The Spear would be meeting up with him and those with Cole soon enough. "Hey boss you know I get we got here a bit early but...couldn't we have stopped to eat lunch on the way here?" Edusa grumbled as she scratches her head. Cole shrugged, "I can't help it if the Spear take his time but if you wanna go get us something to eat I wouldn't mind Edusa." Cole states as the tomboyish girl grumbles in boredom. "Shay's helping at the hospital today so I guess all I got to hope for now is that the spear is fun I guess. Can't wait for next training though. I had fun trying to hit Marcino. Wasn't expecting that old fuck to be so quick." comments Edusa as Cole nods impressed with how she had handled herself the very close range combatant was brutal. Her strikes hit hard, and she didn't compromise footwork with her strikes. By all accounts Cole felt glad to have her by his side. It meant enemies would need to worry about two close range threats with Auriel at middle range...though he had seen little of her the past few days. "UGH! I just hope the almighty spear gets here soon." Edusa says probably in all likelihood faux admiration.</s>
<\|description\|>Cole Smith -Work in progress- Nicknames: The Sword Hero Age: 21 Gender: Male Level: 1 Class: Legendary Sword Hero Hero Class: Sword Specializations: N/A Magic Affinity: Wind, and Lightning Appearance: (brownish eyes replaced with blue) Biography: Born in rural Maine young Cole was born to a group of successful fisherman, and belongs to a long line of such people dating all the way back to the inception of America. Cole's parents were often too busy to raise him so Cole was actually sent to Connecticut to live with his uncle Phil who was taking care of the grand parents. Phil was more of a laid back sort of of parental figure, and much more geeky than Cole's actual parents. Phil was a teacher in Hartford, and used his money to help bring Cole up to be a rather nice, if not quiet young man. Cole tried his best at sports as a young man often taken to local games by his grandfather on the weekends when he was feeling well enough. However they weren't especially his forte, and he ended up simply stopping sports all together in order to hang out with his Uncle, and his friends around a DnD table. Eventually Cole moved back to Maine where he finished school, and helped his parents out for a time. He helped with a lot of his parents' warehouse work while they managed the financial, and business aspects. However one aspect seemed to remain a near constant in his life after his teenage years. He was constantly teased, and picked on by a jock by the name of Chad Buckley the head of a football team when he was still in Hartford. Growing up Chad seemed to never actually give Cole a break, and though he never got too physical it was unrelenting. Thankfully Chad was dumber than a sack of bricks when he was younger, and Cole managed to prank him in return multiple times in retaliation. Chad would reappear in Cole's life later as he moved to California for an college course in business to further consolidate his life. However by pure coincidence Chad's scholarship also landed him in the same school, and Chad, while mellowed out somewhat, still was a bit of a prick. Cole's hope of life changed as he grabbed a strange book, and was quickly transported to a new world... --- Preferred Weapon(s): Legendary Hero Sword Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Legendary… --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Abilities of Skill: Downsides of Skill: ---- Inventory:</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez TIME SKIP --- Fer had spent his week in training body and mind. With the pending onslaught of the Waves that would descend upon them, there was little time to worry about the political repercussions of his actions and words. There might not be a Melromarc kingdom to hold him in contempt if he did not become strong enough to be of use. Thanks to his magically enhanced endurance, he was able to train hard and stay up long hours. Though every now and then while reading a book of spells or magic application, he did doze off. His once decent armor and clothes showed sign of wear. The same wear that was seen in Fer's eyes. He was driven by a lone thought, survival. Every now and then he would meet Cole either on the castle passageways or out in town as his companion and his new entourage made their rounds. He would greet his friend and even speak to him a little. The Shield Hero held nothing against his blonde friend and instead was glad to see the good he was doing. To Fer's eyes, the Sword Hero brought peace and hope to them. Even these encounters were brief. The eyes of the onlookers always turned a darker shade when the Shield Hero was around. So Fer would move on, trying not to be a shadow that hid Cole's light. Speaking of light, he had not seen much of Auriel. She was probably doing some secret training in the Monastery. After all, as the emissary and representative of the Church, it would not do to have her lacking during the waves. Rivia was a welcome addition but he still missed their winged warrior. Perhaps he had relied too much on Auriel to bring him inner peace. Unlike the masses that looked to Cole for such a feeling, Fer felt he could not put that burden on anybody so he carried it himself. The wolf girl was a huge help in training. Her skill kept him on his toes. Unlike the first time they sparred, each consecutive one after that seemed to grow harder to land a blow. Close quarter combat was her specialty. More often than not, she killed him a dozen times with claw, or dagger. It was scary how she went from killing machine to cute puppy girl. Reading had been enlightening but it left him with a problem of trying to find somebody to teach him a practical application. Thankfully, one day when he was mumbling a simple spell, an old demi human lady, she seemed to be a racoon of sorts, had approached him. After a bit of elderly contempt, she had agreed to help him get a grasp on magic. Fer would provide her with small "gifts" like fruit or sweets of what have you. Grumpy as the racoon lady who just asked him to call her Nan, though the shield hero knew that was not her name, she was a good teacher. She seemed to have a good grasp on the mechanics of magic. Lesson after lesson, the young hero felt mentally and physically exhausted. Every now and then he would see the Bow Hero from a distance. Their eyes meeting more than once. His cold towards her and hers insulting. There would be no love lost between the two. Rin was powerful and at the very least, Fer had to acknowledge that. So, though it took him all the moral strength he could muster, Fer would incline his head ever so slightly and move on. The Bow hero was bound to fight the waves, the least he could do was not wish her ill. Fer had been walking on his way to another study session in the library when he learned that the Spear Hero had returned. Perhaps the Waves were like magnets, bring all parties involved like a nexus. Tales of his deeds were easy to collect as the populace needed something to distract themselves before the inevitable fight that was approaching. "At least he has not been hiding under a rock. I wonder if he will get the same earful that Rin gave us?" the young hero wondered sarcastically. A messenger from the castle found him at the library with a summons to gather. Fer nodded to the man. His annoyance was palpable but he knew it was not the messenger's fault. "Here we go again. Last time I was summoned to a gathering it did not end well. Let alone a gathering of Heroes." He pushed himself up and made his way back to the castle. Only time would tell what he was to encounter there.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith Cole stood in the center mulling over his thoughts more as he considered what to do next. As he sat on the fountain in the center of the town square, he looked around, and his face curled up in disappointment hoping to see Fer here it appeared he wouldn't show like Rin. Edusa sat next to him kicking her legs back and forth whistling casually...a very unique sight seeing a royal family member sitting next to the Sword Hero in the middle of town, without much need for them to be there. The passerby people mumbled words of admiration that did not reach his ears. Probably also rumors of the two dating. Who knew? Commoners would be commoners. Even a week into this he knew that the people loved a celebrity and for lack of anything else happening that was immediately pressing them; Cole supposed this idle motion of the two would be on the people's minds. Some more time passed as Edusa stood up and grumbled loudly before turning to Cole, "Hey! Boss Man! The shield some no show loser? I thought the rumors about him weren't true." Edusa growled in annoyance as she pounds her fist into her other one after taking off her gauntlets. "And here I thought he was this decent guy turns out he's going to waste our time." Edusa grumbled as Cole wanted to admonish her but felt it would be both disruptive to him, and his reputation if he openly had an argument with regarding an unpopular hero in his favor especially when he was late. "We have our own reasons for being here anyway. I'll let you punch him as hard as you want later if it makes you feel better." Cole commented plainly as he stood up as he looked over he saw a man approaching. He had light cyan colored hair, it was slightly spiky, and blew in the wind. A spear he recognized as the legendary spear hero's hung from his back. His armor plating covered most of his body was steely silver, and gold. Probably a gift from the king. His face was covered by a white mask that hide his face, and only let through his steely grey eyes. As he approached he pulled out his spear, and twirled it around him before holding it out in front of Cole who stood there watching him a bit confused. "I see only one hero here has seen fit to answer me. Mighty Sword Hero I thank you for considering my worthy of your time. The Shield must be scared of his duty, and the Bow is an arrogant bitch. I am the Spear Hero. The Man of Prophecy, and Lev Egorov is my name! Let us save this city together." he says with excessive confidence from his voice. His followers were not there with him but he heard that the Spear did have a few. Edusa leaned into whisper into Cole's Ear. "Lord Spear is faking I can tell...this is a show." Edusa says in his ear as if to inform him that whatever his initial opinion of the spear hero may be, the way he acted may be a show. "I am the Bandit Hunter, The Sword Hero of Legend, Cole Smith at your service!" he states as he pulled out legendary golden sword from its sheath at his side, and taps it against the Spear Hero's spear. The Spear Hero pulls back and throws his arms into the air his cape flowing behind him. "Then it is time! You and I shall join forces, and the waves shall be no more! Together then!" He states confidently as Cole nods and lifts his sword into the air. Hoping to play along with the Spear's little game here. At least he imagined it was a game. Cole wondered for a brief moment...was this guy actually playing around here for the crowd? Or was Edusa mistaken and this was how he was?</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez The gathering crowds were getting thicker as Fer neared the center of town. At first he thought nothing of it. After all, the capital city was a big and with the nearing of the Wave, the citizens were sure to seek refuge inside it's walls. However, the current multitude did not seem to be your run of the mill market going fest. Something was drawing them to the center of the Square. Sudden realization made Fer utter an "AH…". It was not something but SOMEONE. Or maybe even a couple of someones. After all, from what the messenger had said, this was a gathering of Heroes. Fer had assumed it to mean he and Cole but perhaps that bitch of a Bow and maybe even the Spear would be present. Already, the Shield hero was growing tired of this gathering. The young hero managed to push past the outer rings of the crowd who were trying to get a good glimpse at the celebrity status heroes. The closer he got the tighter packed the crowd. Soon enough he had to force himself through uttering his apologies. Once, a big man looked at him and it seemed as if he was going to cause trouble but then man seemed to recognize Fer and stepped aside grudgingly. Soon enough he heard a few mutters of disgust and contempt as people began to realize who it was that was pushing through them. He could see the top of the fountain now, the water creating tiny rainbows. Cole's head also came into view and the Shield Hero knew he was almost there. A sudden excited murmur went through the crow moments before he heard a voice as loud as a herald. "I see only one hero here has seen fit to answer me. Mighty Sword Hero I thank you for considering my worthy of your time. The Shield must be scared of his duty, and the Bow is an arrogant bitch. I am the Spear Hero. The Man of Prophecy, and Lev Egorov is my name! Let us save this city together." Fer did not know whether he should feel amused, annoyed or angry. He had known the Spear very briefly before the other man declared he would pursue his own fortune. The young Hispanic would hav hoped that this hero was not as infuriating as the Bow. He hoped that despite the flamboyant and over the top introduction, the Spear might still be better to deal with than Rin. The Shield pushed his way past a few more spectators and stepped into the ring that was left around the other two Heroes. Following in their footsteps and in a way making fun Fer raised his own voice. "And here I am, the completely useless, villainous and waste of a summon, Fernando Gutierrez, the Shield Hero." He bowed. Compared to Cole and Lev, his own way of dressing was much subdued. The green cloak that had been so shiny and new when he bought it a week ago, was startint to frey on the edges and sported some holes. His armor cuirass, greaves and vembrances were dinted and not polished. His face sported a few days of stubble and his hair looked like in need of a hair cut. "So other than a gathering to announce our titles, what exactly are we doing here?" Fer asked, a bit serious now.</s>	<\|message\|>Cole Smith "Don't fret my surely shielded friend! You'll be the protection that shrouds this city in your warm protective veil! Haha!" Lev states as he claps his hands together walking over to Fer he claps him on his back, and brings him over to the group. "They see you as a useless weapon? Then you must prove them wrong friend! Glory, valor, strength, and ability are all earned through hard work, and training. No matter how useless your weapon is to these people that surround us I see you as valued in your own!" comments the Spear as he looked to Cole who nods in affirmation of the Spear Hero's words. Cole figured that all of this had to be for some reason. Surely? He wasn't this care free could he? Lev didn't seem the type to be too carefree as he was still wearing armor. However as Cole prepared to speak the masked Spear Hero leaned forward, "The walls have ears, and they hold evils far worse than your bandit girl." he mumbled with a deadly serious tone into Fer's ear as he pushed him to the side and strolled forward his hands up raised to the sky. Cole speak up next while Edusa stayed quiet. "I'd like to know why we're here too. Surely if this was big Rin would be here as well." Cole asks the Spear Hero who twirls his "Worry not! Today we shall purge, ripple, and destroy! But first...this is our first meeting is it not!? The waves cometh but we shall not meet them quite yet! For now we must become friends so that chaos shall tremble!" Lev declared as he pounded his chest very firmly loud enough for Cole, who was standing near him, to hear it clearly despite the mumbles.</s>
<\|description\|>Flin Meeru Nicknames: Flint, the Sun Lance, Spear Hero, Solar Knight Age: 23 Gender: Male Level: 1 Class: Legendary Spear Hero Hero Class: Spear Specializations: N/A Magic Affinity: Fire, and Light. Appearance: (Red jacket instead of green, red pants instead of green) Biography: Flin was born to a family of decent standing. His father was a hard-working man, always doing his best to provide for his family. He worked in construction, which got him a good bit of money. His mother, however, was rather fragile in mind and body, making it difficult to keep up with any kind of job. As a result, her husband was required to bear the load, to earn money for the family. He did so with pride, however. They weren't exactly poor, but they certainly didn't have much money left at the end of the month. It was enough to survive. They'd always been kind to Flin, despite everything. And Flin was more than happy to help around the house. Flin was quite the bratty individual at his high school in America, and was one of the coolest kids. Or at least, that's what he told himself. He wasn't always this way, though. When he was younger, he was more of a geek and hung out with the more anti-social, but nicer kids. But he was always picked upon by those who came from wealthy families, those who acted like they were better than him. His friends cared for him, but they never helped him when he needed it the most. The bullying lasted for several years. It was rough, but it taught Flin one important lesson. The only one who could truly help him, was himself. After that, Flin began to change. He would start lashing out at bullies more violently, and be by himself. He was still trying to be the best person he could be, only fighting back out of self-defence. In essence, he was a kind person, but rough around the edges. After one of many fights, he was told to write 40 pages of "Treat others with respect." He chose to do to in the school's library, where it was nice and quiet. After a while, he decided that it was time for a break, and began to search through bookcases for interesting books. Eventually, he grabbed a strange book, and then it happened... --- Preferred Weapon(s): Legendary Hero Spear Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Legendary… --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Abilities of Skill: Downsides of Skill: ---- Inventory: Some spare change</s> <\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin glanced at the people in the room, somewhat disoriented as he tried to make sense of what was going on. One moment, he was alone in the library. Then, he was met with a bright flashing light. Now he was here, surrounded by people that he'd never seen before in medieval suits. He certainly did not recognise anyone from school. "Uh...what?" He mumbled, as a man stepped forward and began to mention stuff about four Heroes and them being called here. Flin's face turned from disbelief into irritation. It seemed clear to him that this was some type of elaborate prank, one that was executed very well at that. "Listen...I don't know how you jokers pulled this off, but I have a lot of work to do. I don't have time for..." He spoke, but then glanced at his right hand. He was holding a spear, it's tip razor-sharp and it's colour as red as flame. When did he even end up grabbing it? The discovery only added to Flin's confusion. He tried to release it, but his hand refused to do so. He glanced over towards the other sharp object in his immediate vicinity, the golden sword that the Sword Hero was holding. He backed up a bit. Despite still believing that it was some kind of joke, that sword and his spear sure seemed to be made out of real steel. Regardless of what was going on, he certainly didn't want to get stabbed. He didn't believe what Hans Copper had told them for even a second, despite listening to every word.</s> <\|message\|>Cleomine In the great hall, one of the adventurers is a bard who would normally be performing at the tavern right about now. With her long, brown haired wig on and styled to cover her ears effectively, she waited with the other adventurers for the shield heroes. She did feel somewhat anxious being in the castle, but this was a chance for her to offer her aid to the Shield Hero, despite the risk that she could be discovered as a demi-human. Cleomine mostly kept to herself, but if someone approached her to talk, then she would engage in friendly conversation with them. She wouldn't be surprised if a couple of adventurers here recognized her as the bard in the tavern. She eagerly awaited the heroes, while keeping a discerning eye out on the people around her for any sign of trouble.</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher Excitement and Worry (Mood Music) Auriel stood on one of the many balconies overlooking Melromarc from the throne room. She looked out to the summoning temple where the ritual to bring the Cardinal Heroes to this world was taking place. She was disappointed that she was denied access to the ritual. Her whole life had led to this moment, to stand beside the heroes. It would come to pass, but for Auriel, having to wait the extra hour or two felt like an eternity. Her golden eyes practically burned a hole into the stonework of the distant temple. They were there now, she could feel it. It was a sensation that ran up her spine and gave her chills. It was as if the world in its entirety responded to the summoning of the heroes. Winds blew from the temple's direction, catching the feathers of her wings as they remained tucked to her back. Her blonde hair whipped back from a particularly powerful gust. Auriel heard the chirps and calls of a flock of birds as they fought against the wind to reach the temple. She looked over to them and watched with envy as they flew so freely in the air. The sun gleamed off of their white feathers, allowing for the birds to stick out from the blue and gray backdrop of the partially cloudy sky. Auriel took a deep breath of the summer air and let it out slowly. Her wings stretched out a bit, catching more wind. The feeling of the air moving through her feathers felt nice, but it wasn't enough for Auriel. Things hadn't been the same for her since she fell on the battlefield. A sharp stab of pain from her right wing made her wince and tuck her wings back in. She gripped the hand rail of the balcony with white knuckles as the pain ran its course. Her mind shot back to the moment it all happened, when weighted chains were tossed over her and took her to the ground. When her struggles twisted the chains through her feathers and snapped fragile bones. She felt fear that day. It was the first time she had ever came so close to losing everything. For all her divine gifts and healing magic, her wings were the one thing that wouldn't heal. It had been months since that day, but she was still no closer to taking the skies back as her domain. Auriel snapped out of her reverie when she heard the great bells of the temple, cathedral, and palace ring in unison. The summoning was complete. She felt that familiar chill run up her spine again. The excitement of meeting her promised companions quickly washed over the anxiety of her injuries. But it didn't take long for a new anxiety to settle in. What if the heroes were nothing like she expected? What if they had no need for a warrior who trained her whole life to aid them? What if they wouldn't accept her because she wasn't completely healed yet? Auriel's mind started zipping through dozens of different 'what if?' scenarios, and it made her bite her lip as she tried sorting out the plausible from the implausible. Another gust of wind caught in her wings, and she refocused. No. That wouldn't happen. The Cardinal Heroes might be the ones destined to save their world, but without people like Auriel and the other adventurers gathered in the throne room, the heroes would be lost and confused in this strange place. Her rationale steeled her for the moment she'd meet her heroes, at least until she realized she hadn't even thought about what to say when they were finally face to face. Auriel blushed. "Oh heavens, Auriel you fool..." she said quietly to herself as she planted her face firmly in her palm. She took another deep breath and started rehearsing to herself, "Greetings, heroes! ... No that's too excited... Welcome, my lords- are they my lords? What if one of them is a lady? My lords and lady? Ohhh I should've thought about this sooner! Uuugh!" Auriel let out an exasperated sigh as she gripped some of her golden locks. "Ohhh what do I say?!" she said a bit louder, forgetting that there might be others able to hear her in the throne room.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Varo The book was gone. A cold breeze whistled through the chamber and rustled Marco's bathrobe, sending vibrant chills throughout his body. Being thrust from the warm comfort of his home threw his senses for a spin. It was like being forcefully tossed downstream, only to end up stranded upon an unfamiliar shore. Marcus reached for his head, but scraped the edge of his cheek with something hard and pointed. "What." His voice was gentle and came out as a whisper. The morning light glinted off some mysterious instrument that clung to his arm like some kind of bracer. It was too fast. Lightheaded and nauseous, Marcus stumbled backwards as the people around him started to speak. His left leg gave way, leaving him on one knee behind the line of summoned heroes, looking far less heroic than the priest made them out to be. From his crouched position, the mysterious atmosphere floated above him like eerie fog. Marcus struggled to catch his bearings, but couldn't rise to his feet. To his left, a silver haired boy immediately took to the offer that Marcus could barely comprehend. The blonde boy on his right didn't seem as ready to accept Hans' preposterous announcement, but didn't look staggered by the transport at all. This was a little too much to take it all at once. Too much for thirty-something politician who just wanted to read a book.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "I'm sorry to say this is no joke Mister Spear Hero. This is very much the real thing and if you doubt it please try poking yourself in a non-vital area with your spear. I am very sure it is quite the real thing. I personally am capable of healing magic but don't go overboard." Hans explained quickly as he turned to the Bow Hero and his face became a bit more serious as she stood there glaring darts at the young priest. "Is something Miss?" "What a load of fucking horse shit. Fucking nerds think you can just rip people from their worlds?! What a load of bullshit! I wouldn't believe it if not for the fact that this dumb bow here won't leave my hands. Whatever I don't know how to use this stupid thing but I don't got many options in the matter but don't expect me to just help you because I'm some destined 'hero'. I expect to be rewarded for my work! You got me? Rin Matsunaga DOESN'T do charity work!" growled the bow hero as she slammed the her foot very loudly on the floor. She was clearly stronger than she looked. Hans stepped back slightly and smiled apologetically, "I am in no place to barter. I am not a member of the royal house. The King will see too you if you would follow the guards to your destination." Hans stated as he gestured with his left arm to the door. Cole sighed, and looked over to the spear hero, he wondered just exactly what life would be like from now on...if what they said was true they had no choice but to fight this war for these people. "Guys if what he is saying is true we have no reason to badger him much more. It would be for the best that we just simply meet with the 'King' of the land. We may as well be blowing smoke if we keep going forward. I'm in the same boat as you guys but whatever this place is, its not fake. I've never seen this guy in my life. That means this isn't some weird shared dream, nor am I having one." Cole recommended as he chose to lead the way taking the first steps out towards the door to the hall. The soldiers nodded and moved to escort the Sword Hero. The bow Hero spit on the floor and glared at the two still near her, "Come on you dumb virgins you better not waste my time by arguing. Don't know you pricks but I don't see any options other than meeting this king so come on." Rin Matsunaga growled as she moved forward quickly in a very brisk walk. ---- Bow Hero:</s>	<\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin rose an eyebrow as Hans insisted that this was real. Initially, he expected the man to burst into laughter, and tell everyone to stop whatever prank they were doing. But the man seemed sincere and calm. None of this made any sense. He looked at the somewhat older looking guy with the shield who was kneeling on the ground. Did he stumble on the ground after the teleport? "Hey, uh, shouldn't anyone help this guy?" He spoke, recognising the same kind of orb inside the shield like he and the other two heroes had. "He's a Hero too, isn't he?" Despite his statement, he wasn't about to help him up himself. He felt bad for the Shield Hero, but not enough for Flin to put in any effort. He turned towards the commotion that the bow hero was making, listening to all the insults that she was tossing at everyone. His head tilted slightly to the side, somewhat surprised by the sudden outburst. He certainly didn't look happy. "Wow, talk about anger issues. Take a chill pill, yea?" He spat at the Bow Hero, not very pleased by all of her trash talking. As the Sword and Bow heroes made the agreement to go see the king, Flin simply shrugged. Honestly, he didn't know what to do at this point anyway. He figured that he might as well play along, and meeting the king was a good first goal. "Fine, whatever." He eventually spoke, and followed after the Sword and Bow heroes.</s>
<\|description\|>Flin Meeru Nicknames: Flint, the Sun Lance, Spear Hero, Solar Knight Age: 23 Gender: Male Level: 1 Class: Legendary Spear Hero Hero Class: Spear Specializations: N/A Magic Affinity: Fire, and Light. Appearance: (Red jacket instead of green, red pants instead of green) Biography: Flin was born to a family of decent standing. His father was a hard-working man, always doing his best to provide for his family. He worked in construction, which got him a good bit of money. His mother, however, was rather fragile in mind and body, making it difficult to keep up with any kind of job. As a result, her husband was required to bear the load, to earn money for the family. He did so with pride, however. They weren't exactly poor, but they certainly didn't have much money left at the end of the month. It was enough to survive. They'd always been kind to Flin, despite everything. And Flin was more than happy to help around the house. Flin was quite the bratty individual at his high school in America, and was one of the coolest kids. Or at least, that's what he told himself. He wasn't always this way, though. When he was younger, he was more of a geek and hung out with the more anti-social, but nicer kids. But he was always picked upon by those who came from wealthy families, those who acted like they were better than him. His friends cared for him, but they never helped him when he needed it the most. The bullying lasted for several years. It was rough, but it taught Flin one important lesson. The only one who could truly help him, was himself. After that, Flin began to change. He would start lashing out at bullies more violently, and be by himself. He was still trying to be the best person he could be, only fighting back out of self-defence. In essence, he was a kind person, but rough around the edges. After one of many fights, he was told to write 40 pages of "Treat others with respect." He chose to do to in the school's library, where it was nice and quiet. After a while, he decided that it was time for a break, and began to search through bookcases for interesting books. Eventually, he grabbed a strange book, and then it happened... --- Preferred Weapon(s): Legendary Hero Spear Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Legendary… --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Abilities of Skill: Downsides of Skill: ---- Inventory: Some spare change</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher Rehearsals (Silly Mood Music) "Greetings!- too excited... Greetings?- do I even know what I'm doing here? Okay... Greetings.- AHH am I emotional dead inside?!" Auriel took a deep breath and tried to level herself out to try again. "Maybe I should say it with a smile. Okay here goes... Greetings... Ehe!" she groaned and shook her head. That was terrible. Auriel heard some clattering and footsteps behind her, which made her think that in her little world of rehearsing that the heroes were already there! Auriel quickly twirled on a heel to try and make up for lost time. She had a big smile on her face, an attempt at covering up her little show, "GREETINGS!" The excitement and surprise made her say it a little louder than what was acceptable in a throne room. Her face flushed to a much redder tone when she saw it wasn't the heroes a tall, but rather a man who looked like he had been rooting through the woods in search of fresh herbs or something. "Preparing yourself, I see?" the man said to her before continuing, "Put some more grand confidence into your tone." Auriel felt that she just put a bit too much grand confidence in her tone with that one. Ugh... this is terrible. She'd much rather death than to look like such a socially clumsy, bird brained holy warrior. "Ah- eh... Yeah..." she finally answers with a deflated tone, even her wings drooped in defeat when she answered. Auriel looked back at him, almost with desperation in her eyes. "I need help! I've waited my whole life for this moment, and I never once thought about first impressions!" The guardian angel was known to be impressively calm in the field of battle, but she clearly didn't benefit from that same quality in other environments.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith Once the knights saw the shield hero was struggling they grumbled, and helped him to his feet and down the hall if need be. As the new group of heroes were led through the castle it quickly became clear whatever their own world was like this was nothing like this one. The narrow corridors, and the large open areas that peaked up into a smog free sky with fresh air that reminded even Cole of the wilder parts of his home. It really did seem like technology here was far behind all things considered...in exchange they had magic...weird. However as the group came into the main section of the castle they were brought into a large opulent throne room facing two large chairs. One of them was empty but a young man with short cut, and well trimmed blonde hair sat on a large red, and gold throne. He had a crown on his head signifying his place as king more than likely. What was more than odd about this particular young king...was well his age. He looked younger than all of the heroes assembled in his mid teens about sixteen years old it would seem. "Greetings I assume you're the Four Cardinal Heroes? I am King Sanson Vincent Melromarc First of My Name. I am Lord of this country, and am one of the last surviving members of my blood line. Welcome I greet you in the name of this whole continent." King Sanson said as he spoke with a clear, and fearless tone as he looked over the group. Cole looked up towards the king from his spot in the main hall. Rin looked at him with disinterest, and boredom clearly not happy with what this was likely going to entail. More than likely she hated politicians, or their craft, or even both. "Would you mind Introducing yourselves to me brave heroes?" he asked with a smile as Cole introduced himself quickly placing his sword on the floor point to the ground, and hands on the pommel like he saw some of his uncle's old friends do in their DnD games. "Cole Smith, I'm from the Country of the United States of America. Age twenty one, and I am a college student studying business, or I was at least." Cole stated professionally as he awaited the next one up. Rin spoke with a brash pride, and a self important stance as she slammed her foot firmly on the ground once more, "Stand in awe of me! I am Captain of the Rough Riders of Kansai! Rin Matsunaga! I'm 20 years old, and the baddest bitch you'll ever know! No gang in my part of Japan even has the sack to even try and fight me! Consider your pissy little demons, or whatever the hell we're fighting dead on arrival!" Rin proclaimed loudly as the king gripped his chair a little tightly as Rin gave her proclamation of ability. Either it was fear, or he was internally cringing at the Bow Hero's self importance. As the other two heroes gave their introduction the King nodded and once again said it was a pleasure to see them. "Now then for why you are here. You see there is an ancient prophecy that was given to us long ago that an apocalyptic event would strike this continent of ours long ago. This prophecy speaks of a series of incursions by monsters from a different world, or land that would seek to destroy everything about this world. It will bring upon us unending fear, and destruction. We have come to call them 'The Waves' in the past similar events have happened that would require the need to summon heroes the same ones who would wield weapons like yours, or possibly even the ones that you're wielding right now. Every country in our world has something called a Dragon Hourglass. These creations of ours can predict the exact, or near exact time of the arrival of the waves. The first wave shall be upon us in two weeks. We have taken it upon ourselves to summon you four. We didn't want to risk summoning you too sooner, or later for it may be disastrous either way. The sands in these hourglasses will triple with each wave, and arguably the danger level of these waves as well. The first is likely to be the easiest but we don't know what to expect. Some said we could get by without summoning you four heroes. However both my wife, and I disagreed and so did Guild Leader of The Colosseum of Zeltoble, Argyle Sundermark, recommended we call you. And he was a man who was said to have been able to take on twenty men at once during his prime so I trust his word." exposited the King as he looked down upon the heroes from his throne. A man in well made finery stepped forward. "Of course you will not be expected to do this without pay. Melromarc itself intends to reward you handsomely between waves to keep you going, and to give you better lives. If this is an agreeable arrangement I would ask that you all check your statuses." The man said as he told them to take a look at the lower right corner of their vision which if they hadn't noticed before would be a button of a sort that would bring up a menu of their current health, and party options as well as gear, and other assorted things. "That is your status magic, and is exclusive to you all. You may thank your predecessors for allowing us the knowledge of this." the king told the group quickly. "The first order of business is to set out to upgrade those weapons of yours. The Spear Hero's predecessor left behind the knowledge that you may only use the weapons your given. I feel that should be helpful information." "Lastly if you will please line up in a horizontal line in front of the throne, and please space yourselves." The King said as he gestured to the guards at the door once the heroes did so. A man with silver armor, and a large black bow trapped to his back stepped in front of the heroes. He had graying brown hair, and an eye patch over his left eye. A bunch of wicked claw marks, and scars were shown on his well tanned, almost leathery, skin. His hair was gelled back, and tied into a pony tail. The armor was only a chest piece with a leather protector underneath it, and his legs were similarly garbed. His arms were left open showing off his well toned body, and muscular features. He looked at them with his eye and laughed. "Now listen here heroes, I am Quentin Marcino. Also known as The Tiger's Claw. I am a Sniper, an advanced class. I'll be your pseudo mentor. I'll help you learn what you need to but don't expect me to baby sit you. This is all for my old rival Argyle's sake he would prefer you don't die in the back alley the first day here. You don't want my help then do it yourself, in full honesty I don't care. I'll tell you everything you need to know, and somethings maybe you shouldn't. You need to know what to ask I ain't tellin' you without you first having some sorta clue unless its important. But don't worry you ain't in this alone." commented Quentin as the door opened, and a large group of adventurers walked in. They had been ushered in by the soldiers outside in the halls while the King had explained the heroes' their duties, and the worlds happenings. The guards called down the hall, and some less armored soldiers informed that the group in the hall should come in. "Brave Heroes these a volunteers from the land who wished to join you on your journey, they are free to join you as you please. Be it they choose your party by choice, or they're convinced into yours you may do as you please. Fear not if you do not receive any additional fellows you will instead receive additional payments from the kingdom to make up for it. And Quentin of course is here to help you. Volunteers you may choose your heroes now."" King Sanson stated as he held his hand up into the air. shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Zeltoble</s>	<\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin took in his surroundings carefully as he moved. This was a whole new world for him to explore, and it all looked strange. This took away any final doubts within his mind, that people were messing with him. There was no way that this was some sort of setup. It was far too real, far too unique. Flin's first impression of the king wasn't much at all. It just looked like some child who'd crawled on the throne for some reason. Part of him wanted to try to shoo him away, but that's when the boy spoke with pride and power in his tone. It made Shane keep his manners, at least to a degree. He slowly took in all of the king's words, and only now noticed the button that he was informed of. He'd been too busy analysing everything else. He tapped the button, and saw his health bar and other stats. "What the hell..." He mumbled. "This is..." With that, he tapped the button again to make the stats vanish again. The stats before him seemed like something out of a game. And they would be getting money for killing monsters. The payment for risking their lives to protect this world. Then, a large muscular individual stepped up and started saying stuff about being their mentor. Flin never asked for this! And now some guy was going to be his mentor? He wasn't sure wether to agree to that, or not. Since people expected him to fight, perhaps having Quentin teach him some stuff wasn't the worst idea. Flin was no stranger when it came to fighting, but he wasn't exactly a master at spear-fighting. Or with any weapon at all, really. When the volunteers came in, he wasn't exactly sure what to say. He was still trying to come to terms with things, to piece everything together. And now there were even more strangers coming in, apparently here to join the heroes. Flin placed his spear on the ground beside him, it's tip facing the ceiling. He gave the visitors a calm, but serious look. He wasn't about to give some fancy speech to recruit people, but he wasn't about to back away either. His stance was as strong and resolute as he could muster, and he waited for someone to approach him. If anyone even bothered to do so, at least.</s>
<\|description\|>Flin Meeru Nicknames: Flint, the Sun Lance, Spear Hero, Solar Knight Age: 23 Gender: Male Level: 1 Class: Legendary Spear Hero Hero Class: Spear Specializations: N/A Magic Affinity: Fire, and Light. Appearance: (Red jacket instead of green, red pants instead of green) Biography: Flin was born to a family of decent standing. His father was a hard-working man, always doing his best to provide for his family. He worked in construction, which got him a good bit of money. His mother, however, was rather fragile in mind and body, making it difficult to keep up with any kind of job. As a result, her husband was required to bear the load, to earn money for the family. He did so with pride, however. They weren't exactly poor, but they certainly didn't have much money left at the end of the month. It was enough to survive. They'd always been kind to Flin, despite everything. And Flin was more than happy to help around the house. Flin was quite the bratty individual at his high school in America, and was one of the coolest kids. Or at least, that's what he told himself. He wasn't always this way, though. When he was younger, he was more of a geek and hung out with the more anti-social, but nicer kids. But he was always picked upon by those who came from wealthy families, those who acted like they were better than him. His friends cared for him, but they never helped him when he needed it the most. The bullying lasted for several years. It was rough, but it taught Flin one important lesson. The only one who could truly help him, was himself. After that, Flin began to change. He would start lashing out at bullies more violently, and be by himself. He was still trying to be the best person he could be, only fighting back out of self-defence. In essence, he was a kind person, but rough around the edges. After one of many fights, he was told to write 40 pages of "Treat others with respect." He chose to do to in the school's library, where it was nice and quiet. After a while, he decided that it was time for a break, and began to search through bookcases for interesting books. Eventually, he grabbed a strange book, and then it happened... --- Preferred Weapon(s): Legendary Hero Spear Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Legendary… --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Abilities of Skill: Downsides of Skill: ---- Inventory: Some spare change</s> <\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin glanced over at the new people, and saw that Marcus immediately got his first follower. That was quick. When the Shield Hero spoke agressively to the King, Flin began to respect him a little. He couldn't resist smirking ever so slightly. At least this man had a mind of his own, and wasn't eager to follow the commands of another. He wasn't exactly happy to do as was told, either. Honestly, all Marcus did was state a fact. They were now in this place, putting up some act for people to like them. He glanced over at Auriel, as she made her way towards him. She stood out more than the others, with big white wings. They had real angels in this world? It was unexpected, but not incredibly strange. There was a great deal that Flin was unaware of within this world, after all. So there was a good possibility that they existed. Heck, anything could exist. None the less, it peaked his curiosity. The feeling rose above the confusion and irritation that he'd been feeling, allowing him to think more clearly. It was the first feeling that wasn't negative, since he'd been abducted from the library in his world. As Auriel spoke to him, He remained as calm as he could be. He took note of the spear within her possession, which only fueled his curiosity. Perhaps she could teach him how to properly wield the spear that had been forced upon him. The girl was kind to him, and he was going to return the favor. It just made common sense to him. He wasn't exactly the best at being polite, but he would give it his best. "I..I see. I accept you within my party, Auriel. I am happy to have you." He said, with a gentle smile. "I do hope that you can teach me more about this world, as I am very unfamiliar with...anything, really." He spoke.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith The Shield Hero suddenly turned around a deep frown on his face, "I will not play backseat to some child! I will make my own way in this world! Forget this I don't need anything from you, and I will find a way home on my own! I'm tired of being a slave!" the man shouted as he walked out the door as the guards let him through the King frowned in disgust. "A fool...hey girl don't follow him. I understand it is your choice to follow one of those heroes but I have a feeling that one may not be the one you seek. You're from the church no? For now I suggest following the spear, bow, or sword hero." King Vincent commanded as he slammed his fist onto his throne. "I declare that the shield hero will not receive help from the crown until he apologizes for his impudence." King Vincent declared as Marcino nodded, "Right gotcha king...besides there was something about him that seemed off." the man known as Marcino called out as Cole stood there still he gripped his sword tightly as he looked to the king. "That isn't very fair my lord." Cole said as the boy shrugged, "I warned him once already." Vincent said as he looked to the sword hero. Rin simply grunted she didn't care one way or another.</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher Relief (Mood Music) "I..I see. I accept you within my party, Auriel. I am happy to have you. I do hope that you can teach me more about this world, as I am very unfamiliar with...anything, really." said the Spear Hero. Auriel was both relieved and thrilled. She raised her eyes to meet his for the first time, and they were positively alight with joy. The even seemed to be have watered just a slight bit as well. Auriel smiled bright to him and nodded, "Thank you! There is much I can teach you about our world, Spear Hero. And it would be my pleasure to share it with you." The angel brushed some golden hair back over her shoulder and looked over to the rest of the heroes, "That goes for all of your great heroes. I am here to see you all to success. All you have is but to ask, and I will answer to the best of my ability." Auriel looked back to the Spear Hero, realizing she hadn't yet gotten his name. "Is there something else I can call you? Aside from Spear Hero, that is."</s> <\|message\|>An Shalaa-Doo An did nothing but chuckled at the fiery, aggressive spirit of the one with the Bow. Such a spirit from such a young person. It was good to know that the summoned ones were of fighting spirit. Stroking his facial hair slowly, An waited for Rin to finish speaking. Once she had finally stopped speaking, he prepared to retort. "From the back alley, you say? But I have seen more than just the back alley of a sitting settlement. You tell me, young life, have you roamed the forests? Have you seen the mutters of Mother's wrath roam her bones?" The shaman raised his staff dramatically. "Tell me, one with the Bow, what Odyssey have you put yourself in?"</s> <\|message\|>Cleomine At first, Cleo was glad to see that the Shield Hero had a mind of his own, and a spine to use when standing up to the boy king. But alas! Fortune seemed to have frowned upon her as the Shield Hero stormed out of the room. While she can understand the feeling of not wanting to be a slave, she couldn't help but feel...a little frustrated. Of course, she may look like a child, but did he not know that appearances can be deceiving? After watching the shield hero leave, she turned her attention back to the King. When he asked if she was from the church, she simply nodded. She didn't like the idea of a Church that neglected any one of the heroes. It reeked of foul play to her. She certainly wasn't from the church, but she wasn't going to cause any more fuss than what was already caused today. After he made his suggestion, she found that it was best to follow that suggestion. She curtsied in response and politely answered, "Yes, Your Grace," She then walked over to Cole and she speaks to him, "I would like to offer my assistance to you, Sword Hero. At least until the Shield Hero comes to his senses, or a new one is summoned,"</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Right let's hope its sooner than later Miss." Cole said to the former volunteer to the shield hero, "Name's Cole by the way." he told her as he turned his attention back to the teen king as his assistant cleared his voice to ask for silence once more. "Very well it looks like the adventurers have chosen their new commanders. Heroes from another world you will now each receive six hundred silver. Spend it wisely. You will be in charge of keeping your parties well fed, and in shape. You are the leaders of the movement against the waves. You are not alone. Procure all necessary equipment, and set forth on your new journey. You are dismissed." King Sanson said quickly as he quickly waved his hand and the door re-opened to allow all the heroes to leave. The Bow Hero Rin Matsunaga smiled at the golden haired boy whom had lined up behind her, and told him both to move their ass to the nearest inn. She moved so fast she more or less left the shaman man behind without a second thought. Gotta find somewhere to eat first off, and then whatever else. Cole looked at the sword in his hand once more, and then at the two behind him. He hadn't said anything to the fox boy, a strange thing in this land no doubt but he'd ask questions later, and the mage girl. He looked at the clothes on his back, and sighed. "First off...we should look for somewhere to rest, maybe get some armor." Cole suggested to everyone. "Outside of that we may need to work on learning how to use our weapons properly. I've never wielded a sword in my life." before anyone could really respond Marcino whistled shrilly across the court annoying the young king greatly. "Alright you vagabonds I'll be at the Dragon Traveler's Inn on the south end of town. If you need me you can find me there, if there are any pressing matters ask'em right now to me." Marcino said as Cole quickly took him up on his offer, "Do you have any suggestions on where to find armor, and medical supplies sir?" Cole requested as Marcino scratched his head, and thought it over briefly. "The Armored Way, and the Grand Duchess Apothecary seem like the places to look kid." Marcino responded deftly as he sat down on the floor next to a pillar on the far corner of the room. Cole nodded, and then turned towards his team. "You ready?"</s>	<\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin frowned as the Shield Hero stormed out. He was the only one who seemed particularly interesting and wise to him. But him leaving like this, told him otherwise. It was foolish to anger the king, and his statement about cutting off the Shield Hero's fundings made it all the more apparent. Flin certainly did not want to get on the king's bad side. He'd keep this moment as a strong reminder, in the back of his mind. He looked into Auriel's eyes as she spoke, easily seeing her brim with happyness. Apparently he'd left a good impression on her. He didn't expect it, but he was glad that he did. It made him feel less nervous. "You can just call me Flin. My full name is Flin Meeru." He said with a smile. As the king opened the doors and soldiers walked over to hand each of them a bag of gold, he snatched it out of one of the soldier's hands and sighed in relief. Finally, he was free to do as he pleased. At least for the time being. "We should look for a place to stay, first." He spoke to Auriel. He listened to Cole's words, and what he said made sense. But he wasn't about to let this guy guide his hand. Who the hell did he think he was? "Right. Duly noted." He said to Cole, with some spite in his voice. He listened to the locations that Marcino mentioned. "Alright. Let's go, Auriel!" He said, in a kinder tone. He left the building in a hasty pace, but made sure that Auriel was able to keep up. He did not feel comfortable being around so many people. "Do you know of a good place where we could stay?" He asked Auriel, as he examined his spear more closely in his hand.</s>
<\|description\|>Flin Meeru Nicknames: Flint, the Sun Lance, Spear Hero, Solar Knight Age: 23 Gender: Male Level: 1 Class: Legendary Spear Hero Hero Class: Spear Specializations: N/A Magic Affinity: Fire, and Light. Appearance: (Red jacket instead of green, red pants instead of green) Biography: Flin was born to a family of decent standing. His father was a hard-working man, always doing his best to provide for his family. He worked in construction, which got him a good bit of money. His mother, however, was rather fragile in mind and body, making it difficult to keep up with any kind of job. As a result, her husband was required to bear the load, to earn money for the family. He did so with pride, however. They weren't exactly poor, but they certainly didn't have much money left at the end of the month. It was enough to survive. They'd always been kind to Flin, despite everything. And Flin was more than happy to help around the house. Flin was quite the bratty individual at his high school in America, and was one of the coolest kids. Or at least, that's what he told himself. He wasn't always this way, though. When he was younger, he was more of a geek and hung out with the more anti-social, but nicer kids. But he was always picked upon by those who came from wealthy families, those who acted like they were better than him. His friends cared for him, but they never helped him when he needed it the most. The bullying lasted for several years. It was rough, but it taught Flin one important lesson. The only one who could truly help him, was himself. After that, Flin began to change. He would start lashing out at bullies more violently, and be by himself. He was still trying to be the best person he could be, only fighting back out of self-defence. In essence, he was a kind person, but rough around the edges. After one of many fights, he was told to write 40 pages of "Treat others with respect." He chose to do to in the school's library, where it was nice and quiet. After a while, he decided that it was time for a break, and began to search through bookcases for interesting books. Eventually, he grabbed a strange book, and then it happened... --- Preferred Weapon(s): Legendary Hero Spear Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Legendary… --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Abilities of Skill: Downsides of Skill: ---- Inventory: Some spare change</s> <\|message\|>An Shalaa-Doo An went after the Bow Hero in hopes of tiring her out. He chased her tail as much as he could, but at last, he was lost in the crowd of people. There was no sign of the fiery hero, and the shaman soon gave up. He had to admit, that one had some good stealth skills. That he could approve. And she was fast for her size too. Alone, the man turned around and backtracked the way he came from. Soon enough, he saw familiar faces walking down the streets. The winged one who had a confidence problem before, and the other hero with a different weapon as well. It was better together than alone, wasn't it? He approached the group through the crowd(which seemed very enthusiastic about making way for him). When he was close enough, he spread his arms wide and made his presence known to the hero and his follower. The bear skull clattered. "Greetings, fellow adventurers! I seek to join you in your grand quest!" Then he scratched his cheek. "...actually I lost myself chasing the one with the Bow." @Jensoman</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith ----Time Skip Next Day roughly 2:00---- The next day was a quick one as the groups were banding together to try, and form a solid cohesive unit for the troubles to come Rin Matsunaga the Bow Hero has vanished. The Tiger's eye had confirmed that she had left the city to go hunt monsters after buying armor and supplies. After learning she could get stronger by killing beasts in the wild he had figured she wanted to go get as much experience as possible. She had been followed by the bard. However something much more dire was announced by King Sanson himself as he gathered the remains in the hallway. "I should've known better than to leave the summoning in the hands of a novice. And now I waste even more time having to bring you all back into my halls when you could be out bettering yourselves. Forgive me Spear, and Sword. I am only doing what I can with what is alloted to me. A scout found the Shield, pitiful as he was, had gotten into an altercation with a group of thugs in the back alley. His legs failed him, and not even the infamously one note shield was enough to save him...is what I would say if it turns out that shield wasn't his. The shield on his arm was more of a shadow according to my own scouts. A fake. Imperfect from its summoning. I guess I should've known why else would the shield support a man who can't even walk on his own?" grumbled the King as he tapped his chair repeatedly and clutched his head. "So I had the group re-do the summoning ritual...and they produced a result...I hope he's better than the fake." King Sanson said as he had the guards bring in the shield hero. Sword the church girl where is she? "The church called her back to protect the chapel in case of a monster attack. She won't be able to join our cause." commented Cole as the King sighed, and gripped his chair. "Nothing is ever simple is it? Fine then I will give you, and the shield additional gold." commented Sanson as he waved his Hand of the King to do his job and procure the funds. As Cole turned around to see the Shield Hero Enter he waved him over, "Hey buddy you alright?" Cole questioned to the new arrival. Cole had now been decked out in some simple iron armor with some leg braces, and a other protective gear. He had thankfully been able to procure his own supplies when he, and the girl did their rounds around the city last night before he went to bed, and she left. He never got her name. "Don't worry I already gave him all the information I gave you he should be up to par with all of you."</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer was suddenly enveloped in a bright flash. He closed his eyes against the blinding light on instinct and covered them with his left hand. There was a burning sensation on the same site that had been wounded by a knife not seven days before. He gritted teeth but there was no pain. The warmth had been more startling than anything. Slowly he felt the warmth decrease. He opened one eye experimentally and noticed that though he could still see spots, his eyes were regaining their vision. He opened the other eye and his vision soon recognized he was in a dimly lit room with what looked like stone walls. A slight glow at his feet caught his attention and he managed to catch the receded light of some sort of intricately carved circle. Though his eyes had returned to normal, there was still a warm feeling in his left forearm. Instinctively he retracted it to his chest and placed his right hand upon it. Instead of skin, the right palm felt metal. He raised his forearm to his face in alarm, almost slamming into his nose. His eyes hurriedly inspected the scene before him. There was something that appeared to be some sort of ornate jewelry but he would later come to know it was a bracer that extended from behind his wrist bone to 4 inches before the bend of the elbow. There seemed to also be a sort of jewel but the color seemed to change and swirled as if there was some sort of smoke inside it. "Welcome Shield Hero" a voice spoke and brought Fer out of his musings and inspections. People seemed to materialize from the shadows robed in white. He introduced himself as Master Eric. Fer cautiously took in he was surrounded but felt no ill will towards him. Still he remained on the alert, every now and then taken glances behind and to his sides making sure nobody was advancing for a surprise attack. "Where am I?" He had spoken in Spanish but unbeknownst to him, his Shield was translating. "I am sure you have many questions. Please come with me and I will explain it all" Fer cautiously followed the man and noticed the other monks(?) filed behind them at a respectful distance. As he was led past an open courtyard, he noticed that it was dark but the hue in the sky resembled the early pre-dawn hours he had spent on lookout. Fer followed the robed man only because he wanted to collect more intel on where he was and how he came to be here. The buildings and people seemed nothing like the humble huts near the train station or the tan leathery inhabitants of the mountains. Even the lofty homes of the rich in his country could not compare to the architecture he saw as he traversed a walled compound. His mind fought with the idea that this could be a castle from one of the stories his little brother was so found of. But he decided to concentrate on the here and now and leave the wondering for later. Finally they arrived at a wooden door which opened into a decent sized room with a bed and room enough for a table and two chairs. There were no windows and judging from the distance traveled, they must be near the center of the complex. Fer continued to look around unsure of what to make of his situation. The monk sighed in understanding and he motioned for the young man to sit on one of the chairs. "Please sit Shield Hero. I know this is too much to take in but I shall attempt to explain as much as I can." Fer made his way to the chair but did not relax his guard in the least. The monk offered him a smile and launched into his tale to a captivated Fer. When he was done he waited for the young man to ask any questions but Fer had too much to mull over without adding to the mix. The monk excused himself and left the young man still sitting on the chair. His mind racing and trying to grasp what he had just been told. He could not be dreaming as his mind was not capable of coming up with the setting and premise which had been presented to him. His little brother would have been the one who had read extensively. He could not be dead for even though he had not been religious, the few times they had gone to mass portrayed a heaven and hell much different than the modestly fancy room he now sat in. Having no other explanation for his current situation, he had to work on the premise that what he had been told was true. That on his forearm now rested some sort of magical shield and he was one of four people who had to somehow help the people of this place against monsters, based on the descriptions. He was still deep in thought caressing the bracer in his left arm when he heard a few knocks at the door. He blinked his eyes and wondered how much time had already passed. He made his way to the door and opened it. An armored clad soldier with an open face helmet stood respectfully a few paces away. "My apologies Shield Hero, but you are summoned by the King." The young man followed the soldier through the halls. Once they came to the courtyard again he noticed it must be early morning based on the shadows. He was silent, only nodding as a few people greeted him in a deferring tone he was not used to. Soon they arrived at the tall doors that led into the throne room. The doors parted and Fer saw before him a throne where a young looking man sat and two equally looking men stood near it looking in his direction as he entered. This made him feel a little self conscious due to how appropriate the others seemed to dress and his own clothes made him stand out. He was wearing a white T-shirt that boasted a young Michael Jackson but that Fer had no idea who it was. His jeans were also worn and faded. One of the young men at the front motioned for him and asked him "Hey buddy you alright?" Fer nodded his head. Even if he was not, how could he possibly communicate that everything around him was not ok. So he kept his mouth shut and moved forward. He was unsure what to do since he had never been before a King so he awkwardly did a hand motion and bowed as he had seen someone do in a movie before. His voice was tight and unsure as he spoke "Good morning, Mr. King. I am Fernando Gutierrez….uh…I was told I'm here to help….after..can I go home?" His eyes tried not to meet the King's it was not that he was afraid but he had always been taken advantage of and everyone in leadership had left a distrust in his heart. However, he knew the fastest way home had to be to finish whatever duty he had here and perhaps they would send him home.</s>	<\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin shrugged as the shaman came after them. He didn't exactly like being followed simply because someone else wasn't available, but he wasn't about to order him to leave. As long as he didn't do anything that annoyed him, anyway. "Whatever, just stick with us then." Flin simply replied, advancing further to the cathedral as he was guided by the angel before him. He still had plenty of questions for Auriel, but this whole experience had tired him out somewhat. He'd been treated kindly by Auriel's mother and Auriel, and given an excellent meal. The delicious food replenished his strength somewhat. Thanks to them, he'd felt more at home within this new world. He was given a room to stay in, and fell asleep peacefully. ------------------------- Flin hopped out of his bed the next day, eager to get started. He was given another great meal, and finished his plate. He walked through the cathedral afterwards, looking for Auriel. They'd bought some basic armour for himself yesterday after Auriel showed him around the cathedral, but never got around to actual training. But before he could do as he intended, soldiers asked him to head for the castle. Now he was within the throne room again, to meet the new Shield Hero. He didn't seem to want to be here, much as Flin felt when he first came here. Flin felt the same, but he didn't feel as frightened and confused as he was at first. "Hey, I'm Flin Meeru. The Spear hero." He calmly said to Fernando.</s>
<\|description\|>Cleomine Nicknames: Cleo Age: 18 Gender: Female Level: 1 Class: Bard Specializations: Performance, Disguise/Deception, Stealth, Talking out of trouble before a fight starts, Swimming. Magic Affinity: Water and Light On land, her tail is replaced with legs, but the tail will come back when submerged in water. Her ears will remain fin like on land and in the sea. Her human disguise: Cleomine, unfortunately, was born in slavery. Her family was part of a coastal town in Siltvelt which was attacked and raided by the soldiers of Melromarc. The people, including her parents, were taken and sold into slavery. When Cleo was born, she was taken away from her mother and sold to the highest bidder, which happened to be a noble. This noble kept Cleomine in a fish tank for the longest time and often had her sing to entertain him during the day. Whenever she tried to remain silent, the noble often threatened to do harm to her. The noble had believed that Cleo wouldn't be able to walk or live on land at all, so he often threatened to cut off her tail and just let her die out of the water. It's also because of this belief that he never bothered to put a slave crest on Cleo. One night, Cleo inadvertently learned that wasn't the case. One night, she had accidentally fallen out of the tank, and found that her tail had changed into human legs. She was able to move as she pleased and the noble would be none the wiser! She wanted to run and flee! But she knew that it would be folly to just leave right away. She may be sheltered, but she had heard of monsters and other dangers outside of the noble's home and the fish tank. So, she bided her time. She often remained in the tank during the day, and explored the noble's manor during the night when he was asleep. She honed her stealth during this time as she had to avoid the guards spotting her. During these explorations, she got a lay of the land, gathered some gold that the noble won't miss, and learned of the other slaves that were held here and what was done to them. One night, she was caught stealing a rapier from the noble. He woke up and in her fright, she stabbed the noble before running away. She wasn't sure if she dealt a deadly blow to him, but she wasn't about to stay and find out when she could be captured. She ran to the nearby river as fast as she could, and dove. From there, she swam as far form the manor as possible. It turned out she was a faster swimmer than she was a runner. She reached the capitol city of Melromarc by morning, and was able to take shelter in a kind seamstress's home. If the noble was looking for her, it wasn't apparent during her time in the Capitol City. Thanks to the Seamstress, she learned how to make various disguises so that Cleo would appear human to the citizens. She spent 8 quiet years in the Capitol City with the Seamstress. During her time there, the seamstress introduced her to the violin, and of course, Cleo took to it like a fish to water. With her singing and violin playing skills, she was able to earn some extra gold by performing in the tavern. During her time in the tavern, she heard rumors that the four cardinal heroes were summoned to fight off the Waves. Cleo resolved to fight alongside the Shield Hero if given the chance after hearing that. --- Preferred Weapon(s): Rapier Abilities of Weapon: None --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Lesser Inspiration Abilities of Skill: By giving a slight performance (examples: Words of encouragement, a simple joke, or a small ditty), Cleo can give an ally a slight boost in their attack, in a skill, or in their ability to avoid harm. Downsides of Skill: None Name of Skill: Healing Word Abilities of Skill: By infusing a word with magic, Cleo can slightly heal an ally or herself in battle. Downsides of Skill: None ---- -Violin -Rapier (usually sheathed) -Backpack Rations Tinder *10 Gold pieces</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith It happened in an instant a flash from a book, and the world changing around four individual normal folks from different worlds. As if they were fish pulled from different environments and being thrust into an completely different ocean. The Four heroes now sit in the middle of a magical ritual circle surrounded by a large group of men. Some of them in priest outfits, other ones in suits of armor carrying weapons from times past of their world. Of course none of the new heroes knew exactly what had just happened but for the individuals in the room they were met by a cheer of happiness from the clerics in the room who excitedly congratulated each other. In particular a young man wearing priest robes, and a small pair of round glasses. In the hands of the heroes were weapons they hadn't used before. Strange objects: A sword, a spear, a bow, and a shield. Too the more nerdy among the group it was clear that they were now in some sort of isekai scenario, kind of like some of the MMO's they had played before except this time it was clearly real enough as the weapons attached to them felt alien in their hands. And their sight was obscured by a menu of sorts if they focused hard enough on one person. The cheers died down and the boy walked forward and cleared his voice before talking to them all cheerfully. "I'm so glad it worked! Thank Grand Master Eric for his instruction! Inform the king, and queen immediately that the heroes are here!" a young man in brown robes stated quickly as a soldier nodded, and ran off quickly. The young man spread his arms wide in welcome, and quickly pressed his glasses up his nose. He had messy brown hair, and wasn't particularly handsome. He seemed genuinely happy to see all of them here. "Welcome brave heroes! Welcome to our world! I'm sorry if you did not wish this, but we have called you here for good reason I promise you. My name is Hans Copper, and I request that you assist us in saving the world!" The boy named Hans stated as he quickly spoke up again before questions arose, "You are the successors of the former Four Great Cardinal Heroes! Heirs to a legacy of great men, and women!" --- Cole looked around his blade clung to his hand insistently he couldn't seem to let go of his weapon. Not that he'd want to but the initial shock of the area almost made him lose his focus. Heroes? Were the people gathered around him apart of this new group? The last thing he remember...he remembered grabbing a book off a shelf in the library of his college. His eccentric librarian had recommended he look there for something he needed for class. He looked at the golden blade in his hand as the man in front of him talked, and he admired it it was well made, and seemed to fit perfectly in his hand. It was nothing like he felt before but it felt right in his hands as if it was made for him. And judging by the speech it was meant to be his. "I see? I can't say I'm any sort of great hero...nor do I know how I even got chosen out of all the people out there but...I don't see any other way forward. I'll help you if I can." Cole said calmly but somewhat shaken as he still was adjusting to everything here. 'This seems a lot like those dumb cheesy animes Mike from science class watched just after class...he'd love it if he were here. Whatever gotta play it cool...if this is really real than I can't loose face.' Cole stated as he waited to hear what the others around him had to say. === Meanwhile in the hall of the castle the adventurers called together to aid the heroes rested, and chatted with each other. The large hall of the castle's interior was spacious, and extremely well furnished. The guards, and knights chatted about the possible arrival of heroes, and the fact that all the nations came together to make it happen...it was quite the spectacular event. Even if it failed it meant good things for the new young King of Melromarc.</s> <\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin glanced at the people in the room, somewhat disoriented as he tried to make sense of what was going on. One moment, he was alone in the library. Then, he was met with a bright flashing light. Now he was here, surrounded by people that he'd never seen before in medieval suits. He certainly did not recognise anyone from school. "Uh...what?" He mumbled, as a man stepped forward and began to mention stuff about four Heroes and them being called here. Flin's face turned from disbelief into irritation. It seemed clear to him that this was some type of elaborate prank, one that was executed very well at that. "Listen...I don't know how you jokers pulled this off, but I have a lot of work to do. I don't have time for..." He spoke, but then glanced at his right hand. He was holding a spear, it's tip razor-sharp and it's colour as red as flame. When did he even end up grabbing it? The discovery only added to Flin's confusion. He tried to release it, but his hand refused to do so. He glanced over towards the other sharp object in his immediate vicinity, the golden sword that the Sword Hero was holding. He backed up a bit. Despite still believing that it was some kind of joke, that sword and his spear sure seemed to be made out of real steel. Regardless of what was going on, he certainly didn't want to get stabbed. He didn't believe what Hans Copper had told them for even a second, despite listening to every word.</s>	<\|message\|>Cleomine In the great hall, one of the adventurers is a bard who would normally be performing at the tavern right about now. With her long, brown haired wig on and styled to cover her ears effectively, she waited with the other adventurers for the shield heroes. She did feel somewhat anxious being in the castle, but this was a chance for her to offer her aid to the Shield Hero, despite the risk that she could be discovered as a demi-human. Cleomine mostly kept to herself, but if someone approached her to talk, then she would engage in friendly conversation with them. She wouldn't be surprised if a couple of adventurers here recognized her as the bard in the tavern. She eagerly awaited the heroes, while keeping a discerning eye out on the people around her for any sign of trouble.</s>
<\|description\|>Cleomine Nicknames: Cleo Age: 18 Gender: Female Level: 1 Class: Bard Specializations: Performance, Disguise/Deception, Stealth, Talking out of trouble before a fight starts, Swimming. Magic Affinity: Water and Light On land, her tail is replaced with legs, but the tail will come back when submerged in water. Her ears will remain fin like on land and in the sea. Her human disguise: Cleomine, unfortunately, was born in slavery. Her family was part of a coastal town in Siltvelt which was attacked and raided by the soldiers of Melromarc. The people, including her parents, were taken and sold into slavery. When Cleo was born, she was taken away from her mother and sold to the highest bidder, which happened to be a noble. This noble kept Cleomine in a fish tank for the longest time and often had her sing to entertain him during the day. Whenever she tried to remain silent, the noble often threatened to do harm to her. The noble had believed that Cleo wouldn't be able to walk or live on land at all, so he often threatened to cut off her tail and just let her die out of the water. It's also because of this belief that he never bothered to put a slave crest on Cleo. One night, Cleo inadvertently learned that wasn't the case. One night, she had accidentally fallen out of the tank, and found that her tail had changed into human legs. She was able to move as she pleased and the noble would be none the wiser! She wanted to run and flee! But she knew that it would be folly to just leave right away. She may be sheltered, but she had heard of monsters and other dangers outside of the noble's home and the fish tank. So, she bided her time. She often remained in the tank during the day, and explored the noble's manor during the night when he was asleep. She honed her stealth during this time as she had to avoid the guards spotting her. During these explorations, she got a lay of the land, gathered some gold that the noble won't miss, and learned of the other slaves that were held here and what was done to them. One night, she was caught stealing a rapier from the noble. He woke up and in her fright, she stabbed the noble before running away. She wasn't sure if she dealt a deadly blow to him, but she wasn't about to stay and find out when she could be captured. She ran to the nearby river as fast as she could, and dove. From there, she swam as far form the manor as possible. It turned out she was a faster swimmer than she was a runner. She reached the capitol city of Melromarc by morning, and was able to take shelter in a kind seamstress's home. If the noble was looking for her, it wasn't apparent during her time in the Capitol City. Thanks to the Seamstress, she learned how to make various disguises so that Cleo would appear human to the citizens. She spent 8 quiet years in the Capitol City with the Seamstress. During her time there, the seamstress introduced her to the violin, and of course, Cleo took to it like a fish to water. With her singing and violin playing skills, she was able to earn some extra gold by performing in the tavern. During her time in the tavern, she heard rumors that the four cardinal heroes were summoned to fight off the Waves. Cleo resolved to fight alongside the Shield Hero if given the chance after hearing that. --- Preferred Weapon(s): Rapier Abilities of Weapon: None --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Lesser Inspiration Abilities of Skill: By giving a slight performance (examples: Words of encouragement, a simple joke, or a small ditty), Cleo can give an ally a slight boost in their attack, in a skill, or in their ability to avoid harm. Downsides of Skill: None Name of Skill: Healing Word Abilities of Skill: By infusing a word with magic, Cleo can slightly heal an ally or herself in battle. Downsides of Skill: None ---- -Violin -Rapier (usually sheathed) -Backpack Rations Tinder *10 Gold pieces</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith Once the knights saw the shield hero was struggling they grumbled, and helped him to his feet and down the hall if need be. As the new group of heroes were led through the castle it quickly became clear whatever their own world was like this was nothing like this one. The narrow corridors, and the large open areas that peaked up into a smog free sky with fresh air that reminded even Cole of the wilder parts of his home. It really did seem like technology here was far behind all things considered...in exchange they had magic...weird. However as the group came into the main section of the castle they were brought into a large opulent throne room facing two large chairs. One of them was empty but a young man with short cut, and well trimmed blonde hair sat on a large red, and gold throne. He had a crown on his head signifying his place as king more than likely. What was more than odd about this particular young king...was well his age. He looked younger than all of the heroes assembled in his mid teens about sixteen years old it would seem. "Greetings I assume you're the Four Cardinal Heroes? I am King Sanson Vincent Melromarc First of My Name. I am Lord of this country, and am one of the last surviving members of my blood line. Welcome I greet you in the name of this whole continent." King Sanson said as he spoke with a clear, and fearless tone as he looked over the group. Cole looked up towards the king from his spot in the main hall. Rin looked at him with disinterest, and boredom clearly not happy with what this was likely going to entail. More than likely she hated politicians, or their craft, or even both. "Would you mind Introducing yourselves to me brave heroes?" he asked with a smile as Cole introduced himself quickly placing his sword on the floor point to the ground, and hands on the pommel like he saw some of his uncle's old friends do in their DnD games. "Cole Smith, I'm from the Country of the United States of America. Age twenty one, and I am a college student studying business, or I was at least." Cole stated professionally as he awaited the next one up. Rin spoke with a brash pride, and a self important stance as she slammed her foot firmly on the ground once more, "Stand in awe of me! I am Captain of the Rough Riders of Kansai! Rin Matsunaga! I'm 20 years old, and the baddest bitch you'll ever know! No gang in my part of Japan even has the sack to even try and fight me! Consider your pissy little demons, or whatever the hell we're fighting dead on arrival!" Rin proclaimed loudly as the king gripped his chair a little tightly as Rin gave her proclamation of ability. Either it was fear, or he was internally cringing at the Bow Hero's self importance. As the other two heroes gave their introduction the King nodded and once again said it was a pleasure to see them. "Now then for why you are here. You see there is an ancient prophecy that was given to us long ago that an apocalyptic event would strike this continent of ours long ago. This prophecy speaks of a series of incursions by monsters from a different world, or land that would seek to destroy everything about this world. It will bring upon us unending fear, and destruction. We have come to call them 'The Waves' in the past similar events have happened that would require the need to summon heroes the same ones who would wield weapons like yours, or possibly even the ones that you're wielding right now. Every country in our world has something called a Dragon Hourglass. These creations of ours can predict the exact, or near exact time of the arrival of the waves. The first wave shall be upon us in two weeks. We have taken it upon ourselves to summon you four. We didn't want to risk summoning you too sooner, or later for it may be disastrous either way. The sands in these hourglasses will triple with each wave, and arguably the danger level of these waves as well. The first is likely to be the easiest but we don't know what to expect. Some said we could get by without summoning you four heroes. However both my wife, and I disagreed and so did Guild Leader of The Colosseum of Zeltoble, Argyle Sundermark, recommended we call you. And he was a man who was said to have been able to take on twenty men at once during his prime so I trust his word." exposited the King as he looked down upon the heroes from his throne. A man in well made finery stepped forward. "Of course you will not be expected to do this without pay. Melromarc itself intends to reward you handsomely between waves to keep you going, and to give you better lives. If this is an agreeable arrangement I would ask that you all check your statuses." The man said as he told them to take a look at the lower right corner of their vision which if they hadn't noticed before would be a button of a sort that would bring up a menu of their current health, and party options as well as gear, and other assorted things. "That is your status magic, and is exclusive to you all. You may thank your predecessors for allowing us the knowledge of this." the king told the group quickly. "The first order of business is to set out to upgrade those weapons of yours. The Spear Hero's predecessor left behind the knowledge that you may only use the weapons your given. I feel that should be helpful information." "Lastly if you will please line up in a horizontal line in front of the throne, and please space yourselves." The King said as he gestured to the guards at the door once the heroes did so. A man with silver armor, and a large black bow trapped to his back stepped in front of the heroes. He had graying brown hair, and an eye patch over his left eye. A bunch of wicked claw marks, and scars were shown on his well tanned, almost leathery, skin. His hair was gelled back, and tied into a pony tail. The armor was only a chest piece with a leather protector underneath it, and his legs were similarly garbed. His arms were left open showing off his well toned body, and muscular features. He looked at them with his eye and laughed. "Now listen here heroes, I am Quentin Marcino. Also known as The Tiger's Claw. I am a Sniper, an advanced class. I'll be your pseudo mentor. I'll help you learn what you need to but don't expect me to baby sit you. This is all for my old rival Argyle's sake he would prefer you don't die in the back alley the first day here. You don't want my help then do it yourself, in full honesty I don't care. I'll tell you everything you need to know, and somethings maybe you shouldn't. You need to know what to ask I ain't tellin' you without you first having some sorta clue unless its important. But don't worry you ain't in this alone." commented Quentin as the door opened, and a large group of adventurers walked in. They had been ushered in by the soldiers outside in the halls while the King had explained the heroes' their duties, and the worlds happenings. The guards called down the hall, and some less armored soldiers informed that the group in the hall should come in. "Brave Heroes these a volunteers from the land who wished to join you on your journey, they are free to join you as you please. Be it they choose your party by choice, or they're convinced into yours you may do as you please. Fear not if you do not receive any additional fellows you will instead receive additional payments from the kingdom to make up for it. And Quentin of course is here to help you. Volunteers you may choose your heroes now."" King Sanson stated as he held his hand up into the air. shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Zeltoble</s> <\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin took in his surroundings carefully as he moved. This was a whole new world for him to explore, and it all looked strange. This took away any final doubts within his mind, that people were messing with him. There was no way that this was some sort of setup. It was far too real, far too unique. Flin's first impression of the king wasn't much at all. It just looked like some child who'd crawled on the throne for some reason. Part of him wanted to try to shoo him away, but that's when the boy spoke with pride and power in his tone. It made Shane keep his manners, at least to a degree. He slowly took in all of the king's words, and only now noticed the button that he was informed of. He'd been too busy analysing everything else. He tapped the button, and saw his health bar and other stats. "What the hell..." He mumbled. "This is..." With that, he tapped the button again to make the stats vanish again. The stats before him seemed like something out of a game. And they would be getting money for killing monsters. The payment for risking their lives to protect this world. Then, a large muscular individual stepped up and started saying stuff about being their mentor. Flin never asked for this! And now some guy was going to be his mentor? He wasn't sure wether to agree to that, or not. Since people expected him to fight, perhaps having Quentin teach him some stuff wasn't the worst idea. Flin was no stranger when it came to fighting, but he wasn't exactly a master at spear-fighting. Or with any weapon at all, really. When the volunteers came in, he wasn't exactly sure what to say. He was still trying to come to terms with things, to piece everything together. And now there were even more strangers coming in, apparently here to join the heroes. Flin placed his spear on the ground beside him, it's tip facing the ceiling. He gave the visitors a calm, but serious look. He wasn't about to give some fancy speech to recruit people, but he wasn't about to back away either. His stance was as strong and resolute as he could muster, and he waited for someone to approach him. If anyone even bothered to do so, at least.</s>	<\|message\|>Cleomine Cleomine noticed that one of the heroes in the hall, the one with wings, seemed to be nervous. For a moment, Cleo wondered why the knights weren't charging at the winged woman and trying to arrest her for being a demi-human. But she didn't speak up about it. She didn't want to bring attention to herself. She was about to go and encourage the guardian angel, but she didn't move. The shaman had already approached her and was speaking with her. He gave the winged woman the same exact advice she would have given her. So...everything was under control there. Cleomine smiled at the thought. Soon it was time to go and see the heroes. When the knights called to them and told them to enter, she did so. After she entered, she studied each of the four figures, looking for one specific hero: The Shield. Out of all the heroes, she didn't like the looks of the bow hero. She seemed too aggressive for Cleo's taste. When she laid eyes on the Shield Hero, she noticed that he seemed to be older than the other heroes and that there seemed to be weakness in his legs. She felt sympathy for the Shield Hero, and it became more of a reason to join his party. Without hesitation, Cleo moved to face the Shield Hero, and she politely spoke to him with a quiet confidence, "Shield Hero, I would be honored to offer my sword and voice to your party, if you will have me,"</s>
<\|description\|>Cleomine Nicknames: Cleo Age: 18 Gender: Female Level: 1 Class: Bard Specializations: Performance, Disguise/Deception, Stealth, Talking out of trouble before a fight starts, Swimming. Magic Affinity: Water and Light On land, her tail is replaced with legs, but the tail will come back when submerged in water. Her ears will remain fin like on land and in the sea. Her human disguise: Cleomine, unfortunately, was born in slavery. Her family was part of a coastal town in Siltvelt which was attacked and raided by the soldiers of Melromarc. The people, including her parents, were taken and sold into slavery. When Cleo was born, she was taken away from her mother and sold to the highest bidder, which happened to be a noble. This noble kept Cleomine in a fish tank for the longest time and often had her sing to entertain him during the day. Whenever she tried to remain silent, the noble often threatened to do harm to her. The noble had believed that Cleo wouldn't be able to walk or live on land at all, so he often threatened to cut off her tail and just let her die out of the water. It's also because of this belief that he never bothered to put a slave crest on Cleo. One night, Cleo inadvertently learned that wasn't the case. One night, she had accidentally fallen out of the tank, and found that her tail had changed into human legs. She was able to move as she pleased and the noble would be none the wiser! She wanted to run and flee! But she knew that it would be folly to just leave right away. She may be sheltered, but she had heard of monsters and other dangers outside of the noble's home and the fish tank. So, she bided her time. She often remained in the tank during the day, and explored the noble's manor during the night when he was asleep. She honed her stealth during this time as she had to avoid the guards spotting her. During these explorations, she got a lay of the land, gathered some gold that the noble won't miss, and learned of the other slaves that were held here and what was done to them. One night, she was caught stealing a rapier from the noble. He woke up and in her fright, she stabbed the noble before running away. She wasn't sure if she dealt a deadly blow to him, but she wasn't about to stay and find out when she could be captured. She ran to the nearby river as fast as she could, and dove. From there, she swam as far form the manor as possible. It turned out she was a faster swimmer than she was a runner. She reached the capitol city of Melromarc by morning, and was able to take shelter in a kind seamstress's home. If the noble was looking for her, it wasn't apparent during her time in the Capitol City. Thanks to the Seamstress, she learned how to make various disguises so that Cleo would appear human to the citizens. She spent 8 quiet years in the Capitol City with the Seamstress. During her time there, the seamstress introduced her to the violin, and of course, Cleo took to it like a fish to water. With her singing and violin playing skills, she was able to earn some extra gold by performing in the tavern. During her time in the tavern, she heard rumors that the four cardinal heroes were summoned to fight off the Waves. Cleo resolved to fight alongside the Shield Hero if given the chance after hearing that. --- Preferred Weapon(s): Rapier Abilities of Weapon: None --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Lesser Inspiration Abilities of Skill: By giving a slight performance (examples: Words of encouragement, a simple joke, or a small ditty), Cleo can give an ally a slight boost in their attack, in a skill, or in their ability to avoid harm. Downsides of Skill: None Name of Skill: Healing Word Abilities of Skill: By infusing a word with magic, Cleo can slightly heal an ally or herself in battle. Downsides of Skill: None ---- -Violin -Rapier (usually sheathed) -Backpack Rations Tinder *10 Gold pieces</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Do you have the balls to be a part of my squad punk!? You look like you just crawled your way out of the back alley! What do you got to offer huh!?" Rin Matsunaga questioned the strange man who had decided to fall in line with her team as Cole sighed, and looked over to the Shaman. "Not to pry but if you don't want to get insulted on a daily basis I'd probably pick a better squad." Cole suggested to him as Rin glared daggers at him. "Oh look at you, you fucking Gajin punk ass! Didn't expect you to try, and poach someone from me!" Rin said as a blonde haired bard who had been with the travelers walked over to Rin, and bowed. "I like this one's fiery spirit! Of course I'll be glad to join the bow hero!" The blonde haired handsome bard smiled as he watch Rin look down at him with disgust. "Calm yourself now Bow Hero. You can reject someone if you wish but you don't need to insult them."</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher Destiny (Mood Music) Auriel listened to the shaman's words. He had a point, this was a momentous occasion for everybody, not just her. It made sense that she wasn't the only nervous one there. When he patted a wing, Auriel couldn't help but wince a bit from a mild pain. But she did well to not show the weakness any more than a slight twitch that could be taken as a surprise sensation. Auriel let out a long, slow breath, and smiled to the shaman. "Seize the moment... Okay. I think I can do that." When they were called into the throne room, Auriel felt a sudden surge of adrenaline. This was it. This was now. She could feel butterflies in her stomach as she stepped toward the grand doors leading into the the throne room. She looked up at the large wooden doors as if they were the gates to heaven. It seemed like an eternity for them to swing open far enough to fit the group through. Auriel was the last into the room, most likely because her nerve had slowed her down some. She first spotted the dominant piece in the room, the throne occupied by the young king. Then, standing before the king, were the four heroes. She could feel her cheeks flush a bit, though she wasn't sure why. Was she embarrassed to be standing in the presence of such legendary heroes? Her eyes moved between the four of them, taking in their appearances. They seemed so... Exotic. So otherworldly. She knew that they were of course, but actually seeing them compared to how she envisioned them, it was a completely different feeling. Auriel followed Cleo and the Shaman closer to the group, and heard the king tell them to accompany a hero. She wanted to be with them all, to aid them toward a common goal they all shared. But it seemed that wasn't the case. They'd all need a personal companion. Somebody they could trust and consider as a friend in this alien world she was sure they viewed it as. Auriel watched Cleo go to the Shield Hero, an older looking man who appeared to be in complete shock about everything. Then she saw the Shaman move toward the female hero, the Bow Hero. She seemed to have a chip on her shoulder, which intimidated her slightly when paired with the immense power she now wielded. Her golden eyes turned to the two remaining heroes, the Sword and Spear heroes. Auriel's eyes rested on Flin, the Spear Hero. She fought with a spear as well, perhaps she could train Flin in its use and expedite his improvement. Auriel stepped toward him and bowed. Her wings unfurled a bit, curling forward with her. Suddenly, she felt all of the anxiety of greeting the heroes wash away. She was where she wanted to be, and now that it was happening, everything just fell into place. "Spear Hero. Greetings and thank you for answering the summons... I am Auriel, and it is my sacred duty to assist you and the other heroes against the upcoming trials our world faces. Please accept my vow of servitude." Auriel kept her head down while she waited for an answer from the Spear Hero. Her heart was practically beating out of her chest. @Jensoman</s> <\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin glanced over at the new people, and saw that Marcus immediately got his first follower. That was quick. When the Shield Hero spoke agressively to the King, Flin began to respect him a little. He couldn't resist smirking ever so slightly. At least this man had a mind of his own, and wasn't eager to follow the commands of another. He wasn't exactly happy to do as was told, either. Honestly, all Marcus did was state a fact. They were now in this place, putting up some act for people to like them. He glanced over at Auriel, as she made her way towards him. She stood out more than the others, with big white wings. They had real angels in this world? It was unexpected, but not incredibly strange. There was a great deal that Flin was unaware of within this world, after all. So there was a good possibility that they existed. Heck, anything could exist. None the less, it peaked his curiosity. The feeling rose above the confusion and irritation that he'd been feeling, allowing him to think more clearly. It was the first feeling that wasn't negative, since he'd been abducted from the library in his world. As Auriel spoke to him, He remained as calm as he could be. He took note of the spear within her possession, which only fueled his curiosity. Perhaps she could teach him how to properly wield the spear that had been forced upon him. The girl was kind to him, and he was going to return the favor. It just made common sense to him. He wasn't exactly the best at being polite, but he would give it his best. "I..I see. I accept you within my party, Auriel. I am happy to have you." He said, with a gentle smile. "I do hope that you can teach me more about this world, as I am very unfamiliar with...anything, really." He spoke.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith The Shield Hero suddenly turned around a deep frown on his face, "I will not play backseat to some child! I will make my own way in this world! Forget this I don't need anything from you, and I will find a way home on my own! I'm tired of being a slave!" the man shouted as he walked out the door as the guards let him through the King frowned in disgust. "A fool...hey girl don't follow him. I understand it is your choice to follow one of those heroes but I have a feeling that one may not be the one you seek. You're from the church no? For now I suggest following the spear, bow, or sword hero." King Vincent commanded as he slammed his fist onto his throne. "I declare that the shield hero will not receive help from the crown until he apologizes for his impudence." King Vincent declared as Marcino nodded, "Right gotcha king...besides there was something about him that seemed off." the man known as Marcino called out as Cole stood there still he gripped his sword tightly as he looked to the king. "That isn't very fair my lord." Cole said as the boy shrugged, "I warned him once already." Vincent said as he looked to the sword hero. Rin simply grunted she didn't care one way or another.</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher Relief (Mood Music) "I..I see. I accept you within my party, Auriel. I am happy to have you. I do hope that you can teach me more about this world, as I am very unfamiliar with...anything, really." said the Spear Hero. Auriel was both relieved and thrilled. She raised her eyes to meet his for the first time, and they were positively alight with joy. The even seemed to be have watered just a slight bit as well. Auriel smiled bright to him and nodded, "Thank you! There is much I can teach you about our world, Spear Hero. And it would be my pleasure to share it with you." The angel brushed some golden hair back over her shoulder and looked over to the rest of the heroes, "That goes for all of your great heroes. I am here to see you all to success. All you have is but to ask, and I will answer to the best of my ability." Auriel looked back to the Spear Hero, realizing she hadn't yet gotten his name. "Is there something else I can call you? Aside from Spear Hero, that is."</s> <\|message\|>An Shalaa-Doo An did nothing but chuckled at the fiery, aggressive spirit of the one with the Bow. Such a spirit from such a young person. It was good to know that the summoned ones were of fighting spirit. Stroking his facial hair slowly, An waited for Rin to finish speaking. Once she had finally stopped speaking, he prepared to retort. "From the back alley, you say? But I have seen more than just the back alley of a sitting settlement. You tell me, young life, have you roamed the forests? Have you seen the mutters of Mother's wrath roam her bones?" The shaman raised his staff dramatically. "Tell me, one with the Bow, what Odyssey have you put yourself in?"</s>	<\|message\|>Cleomine At first, Cleo was glad to see that the Shield Hero had a mind of his own, and a spine to use when standing up to the boy king. But alas! Fortune seemed to have frowned upon her as the Shield Hero stormed out of the room. While she can understand the feeling of not wanting to be a slave, she couldn't help but feel...a little frustrated. Of course, she may look like a child, but did he not know that appearances can be deceiving? After watching the shield hero leave, she turned her attention back to the King. When he asked if she was from the church, she simply nodded. She didn't like the idea of a Church that neglected any one of the heroes. It reeked of foul play to her. She certainly wasn't from the church, but she wasn't going to cause any more fuss than what was already caused today. After he made his suggestion, she found that it was best to follow that suggestion. She curtsied in response and politely answered, "Yes, Your Grace," She then walked over to Cole and she speaks to him, "I would like to offer my assistance to you, Sword Hero. At least until the Shield Hero comes to his senses, or a new one is summoned,"</s>
<\|description\|>Auriel Asher Nicknames She doesn't have any nicknames yet. Age 19 Gender Female Level 13 Class Fighter Specializations Fighting Healing Fighting Undead Magic Affinity Light Biography Born within a monastery, Auriel was chosen to be trained as the Holy Warrior, a singular member of a lineage of warriors that have devoted themselves to the Four Legendary Heroes. It was decided at her birth that she would be trained in order to one day assist the cardinal heroes, taking the fact that she was born with angelic wings as a holy omen of the heroes' need to be summoned. For as long as Auriel could remember, her mother had lived in the monastery where Auriel was raised. From what her mother had told her, Auriel's father was once a great hero with a legend that rivalled even that of the cardinal heroes themselves, and that her mother had travelled at his side where she too earned quite a bit of renown as well. However, whenever Auriel asked about her parents' past, she was always met with cryptic answers and promises of being told later. Auriel eventually conceded and simply waited for the day that might never come. When Auriel had been told that she was chosen to inherit the title of the Holy Warrior, she was ecstatic. The church had viewed her wings as a divine gift, and that it was fate that she was to become the Holy Warrior. Ever since she was a small child, Auriel fantasized about what her future might hold in store for her. As she grew up, Auriel endeavored to surpass her instructors so that, should the time ever come, she could be of the most use to the heroes. All throughout her younger years, Auriel was told to never trust the Shield Hero. However, despite the teachings and attempted indoctrination of the church's conviction, Auriel remained true to the journals of her predecessors which told her to remain true to all of the cardinal heroes. Auriel would go through her lessons, saying what her instructors wanted to hear whenever the topic of the Shield Hero came up so she wouldn't have to deal with the chastisement. Well into her teenage years, hordes of demons and evil creatures began to ravage the countryside. The incursions were small at first, enough for the country's army to handle it, but as they grew in size, Auriel couldn't help but get herself involved. It was clear that these incursions from the hordes were a sign of something far worse, that they were the precursors of the next Waves to plague the world. She tried to convince to the kingdoms that the time to summon the heroes was now, but the kings and other leaders of the nations preferred to fend for themselves, saying that the summoning of the heroes would only happen if the waves became too much to handle. Auriel had been training her whole life to battle these foes. Even when the monastery wouldn't let her leave, Auriel would fly from a window and meet the hordes head on. Her training helped immensely, and she quickly became an even more experienced fighter as she did battle. Soon her reputation as the kingdom's guardian angel spread. But her reputation and fighting ability only served to work against her true desire, as the kingdoms believed that with her around, they wouldn't need the heroes. Auriel would once again become very outspoken about summoning the heroes, and that she was only one person and the waves would eventually become strong enough that she wouldn't be strong enough to stop them. She might have been capable, but she was no cardinal hero after all. In one particularly violent battle, the strength and organization of the horde was far greater than Auriel had anticipated. Auriel was one of the first to meet the enemy in the field of battle, and one of the first to fall to the surprise as chains and nets were launched into the air by fel machines to intercept her. It seemed that her reputation hadn't just reached the ears of the people. Soldiers managed to reach her and get her out of the battle, but she was too injured to fight. The holy magic that surrounded her would need time to heal her injuries, and there was no telling when she would be healthy enough to fight again. It had been months since that battle, but Auriel is once again fit to travel the land. Her injuries had left her bedridden, and she is now a shadow of her past self. She would need to raise her strength again for when the first true wave comes. Luckily, her defeat on the field of battle, and destruction that ensued from the last demonic incursion, was enough to galvanize both the people, and the government to finally summon the heroes. Auriel is making sure that she is there to attend the summoning ceremony and finally fulfill her destiny. --- Preferred Weapon Spear Abilities of Weapon The spear is imbued with holy magic, making is more effective against undead and unholy creatures. --- Skills/Abilities Any sort of physical, skin on skin contact provides healing and energizing. Best used outside of combat to nurse injuries and keep people going. Pros Can provide constant healing Can heal any wound, but it cannot regrow limbs Minor wounds can be healed quite quickly Cons Physical contact must be maintained for healing For large and grievous wounds, healing takes too much time to be used in battle A healing spell that can be cast instantly and from a distance. Pros Can be used quickly while in battle Can be used at a distance Can harm undead and unholy enemies Cons Cannot heal major wounds Requires line of sight on the recipient Throw a spear made of holy light, the spear travels incredibly fast and can pierce armor quite easily. Pros Very high damaging spell A fast travelling projectile that is difficult to dodge Armor piercing, can hit multiple enemies in a line Greater effect against undead and unholy enemies Cons Requires a few seconds to conjure the spear, leaving Auriel exposed to danger unless she stops what she is doing Less effective against spread out groups Requires quite a bit on mana, making it a skill to be used sparingly and intelligently Auriel's body will become briefly encased in light as bright as the sun. Pros For most people effected by Auriel's Blinding Light, they will be blinded, stunned, and/or disoriented for a short time. The closer to Auriel they were at the time of the flash, the most severe the effects. Undead and Demons suffer burns from Auriel's Blinding Light. Undead and Demons closer to Auriel will receive more damage. At arm's reach, lesser undead and demons can be entirely disintegrated by the flash. Cons The spell can be directed, as it flashes in three-hundred and sixty degrees. The spell will effect anyone, be they friend or foe. If Auriel wishes to not harm her allies with this spell, she must warn them that she is going to use it, which can potentially tip off the enemy if they are quick enough to realize what is about to happen. Auriel must make physical contact with the item in order to consecrate any item. If an item is consecrated, it glows a faint white, and the item will energize the user if they are holding or wearing it. Consecrated weapons will be extra effective against undead or unholy foes, often burning the area of the strike. For anything else, a consecrated weapon will cause wounds that heal slower than normal. Consecrated armors will neutralize incoming unholy magic attacks, and they will be extra resistant to unholy enchanted weapons. Whether the consecrated item is a weapon or armor, however, it does not last forever. A consecrated piece of gear will remain consecrated for an hour so long as it isn't being used. The more a consecrated weapon strikes a target, the faster the enchantment wears off. The more a consecrated piece of armor protects from a blow, the faster it wears off as well. Pros Can provide a boost in offense or defense respectively The faint glow of a consecrated item could provide a weak light source The user of a consecrated item will feel energized so long as the item is consecrated, which is great for keeping somebody from falling to effects of fatigue Cons Auriel must physically touch a weapon to be able to cast this spell The more extensively used a consecrated item is, the faster the consecration wears off The faint glow could possibly give away the user's position if stealth is a factor Auriel can cast a quick spell to simply nullify a target's physical pain. This helps to get somebody past the pain barriers of an injury or intense muscle fatigue. The spell is brief, lasting only a short two minutes. But if Auriel has time to focus and channel more holy energy, she can extend the effects of this spell upwards to fifteen minutes. The more powerful the casting is, the more mana is consumed. Pros Can help a person to overcome pain barriers in order to the victim to potentially rescue themselves Auriel can cast Null Pain on herself in order to utilize her wings for short bursts of flight, or to sustain a short glide The length of the spell can be adjusted as per needed at a proportionate cost of mana Cons The spell does not heal injuries, and it is possible that an injury could be made worse simply by ignorance after the pain is nullified, thus is it highly encouraged that the target of the spell be mindful of their actions to not make matters worse Non-magical effects can be completely removed from a single target when this spell is cast on them. Traditionally, this means that if cast on an ally, Purify will remove any sort of negative non-magical ailment that is plaguing that individual, whereas if it cast on an enemy, it will generally remove any sort of non-magical enhancement that might be aiding them. Pros Can be used to prevent poisons, diseases/illnesses of the non-magical variety Can be casted quickly and at a short distance Cons The spell is single targeting, meaning that large groups of people, be they friend or foe, can easily overwhelm the usefulness of the spell Cannot purify magical ailments Cannot purify natural ailments that come with age or disabilities An offensive holy spell that fires a fast bolt of light at the target. The relatively low mana cost and ease of use allows this spell to be cast quickly and in succession of other spells. The damage the holy bolt delivers is more effective against unholy enemies. Undead are burned by the bolt. Pros A simple spell that can be used quickly multiple times Extra effectiveness against unholy enemies, additionally burning undead foes Cons Low damage against enemies that aren't unholy Less of a skill, and more of a natural trait. She has angelic wings that allow her to fly. Her recent defeat in battle has left her wings injured and unable to be used for flight. As she recovers, the wings may once again become useful. Pros ... she can fly... Eventually Cons Neither the wings, nor her, are strong enough to carry others Fragile and can be easily injured if she isn't careful After training with her skilled mother for the better part of a day, Auriel has learned the rudimentary techniques required for a swordsman. She has specifically learned techniques related to the saber. Pros She can more effectively use a sword in combat now Cons She isn't as competent with the sword as she is with the spear ---- Inventory Amulet of the Church of the Four Heroes Camping Equipment Travelling Clothes Armor (as seen in her picture) The Lost Journal of Archiel, and his personal account of the Four Heroes Money 19 Gold 73 Silver 50 Copper</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "He's probably at the Inn drinking about this time of day. He said he'd be there if we had any questions after all So miss whe-...well I guess its about time we got batman'd..." Cole commented dully as he looked towards the woman who vanished without a further trace. Cole looked to Fer and took a deep breath. "We should be wary of what the king is doing but I think if we make him our enemy mentally it won't do us any good. Whatever reason the reason I personally seem to think its got something to do with the assassination of his sisters. I've heard a lot of comments in the tavern about how a man could possibly run this country. He could just be worried in this world that people may try to take advantage of us, maybe kill us. We still got a lot to learn Fer." Cole says a bit tiredly as he pulled out his sword and flourishes it a bit clumsily in his hand. "We the heroes meant to save the world but we don't know even where to start...the more I think about it the more I wonder if this was a mistake. But even if it was this was the hand we're dealt and we need to hold onto it. People look to the four heroes to save them and we will. Have my back and I'll cut down the enemies in front of us Fer." Cole says calmly as he puts his blade away and starts to head towards the exit to the alley. "Let's move we can talk on the way there..." Cole comments as he leads them towards the inn they usually stayed at. ...Surely enough by the time they arrived they were quick to look around and notice Marcino over in his usual corner...however he wasn't drinking which Cole found particularly unusual. As Cole approached him he looked fairly serious and his face muddled with a bit of annoyance. "What's up boss?" Cole asked as the man spit on the floor. "The bow hero is a bitch after my own heart but god damn does she piss me off." grumbles the older mercenary as he takes a deep breath. "Why you here?" he asks simply as Cole takes a deep breath and nods, "We need your help in fighting Rayla Winters of your home country." Cole asks him as he raises an eyebrow. "Winters? That two bit washed up gladiator ain't worth looking at let alone fighting. Shouldn't you two be doing your job as 'legendary heroes' instead of asking this old man to go and clean the swamp for ya?"</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith As Auriel arrived in the massive sprawling library in the cathedral many of the clerics, bishops, and other magisters were busy at work studying preparing for the wave coming in less than two weeks time now. Many men, women, and even some children prodigies seemed to be hard at work trying to find ways of helping the nation survive the incoming disaster that would be the waves. A young man clad in his brownish robes approached Auriel who she would likely know as Hans Copper, the mage who helped summon all four heroes in the first place. As Hans approached he gave Auriel a big smile and nodded at her as he adjusted his glasses. "Miss Auriel was it? The one who volunteered to help the heroes? Well met. I hope that everything had gone well since then! Personally speaking I wish you all the best of luck." Hans states with a smile as the mousely looking young man adjusts his glasses.</s>	<\|message\|>Auriel Asher The Library (Mood Music) Auriel stepped into the great library of the cathedral. She had spent many days studying and toiling away at her lessons, and perhaps a few of her own juvenile curiosities, as she grew up. She looked around, appreciating the sight of the tall stacks neatly running the length of the library. The familiar sounds of turning pages and the occasional clearing of a throat or a cough over the silence embedded an innate desire to be silent. It was so peaceful. Who would want to disturb it? When the young man approached Auriel and bowed, she smiled and bowed back to him. "Greetings. Though I wouldn't say I volunteered exactly." she chuckled and gestured to her white wings, "Destiny made manifest, rather." She expressed her appreciation for his support of their efforts with a smile and a kind nod. Her golden eyes turned back to the stacks of books as she slowly stepped beside him. "I am looking for some books, particularly on the exploits of past cardinal heroes and the powers they wielded. Perhaps personal records of past heroes?" She glanced back at Hans, wondering if he would be able to help her find such articles and entries.</s>
<\|description\|>Marcus Varo Age: 32 Gender: Male Level: 1 Class: Legendary Shield Hero Hero Class: Shield Magic Affinity: Dark Appearance: Biography: In his homeland of Spain, Marcus was a foremost politician working against the autocratic government of his nation. With a full team of reliable people backing him, he was mere months away from establishing his group as a party that stood a chance in elections. With the promised day coming up quick, he pushed himself far beyond his limits to make sure that his team was ready for the trials ahead. Unfortunately, as a result of his working habits, Marcus fainted during a rally and hit his head. The shock rendered him unconscious for weeks, leaving him stuck in a coma by the time election season rolled around, which destroyed his party's chance at victory. Marcus awoke four years later to the sound of his wife's voice. The sudden rush of joy sent him tumbling from his hospital bed and onto the ground. At first he thought it was just fatigue, but when the numbness in his legs wouldn't go away, it was clear something was off. The doctors informed him that his accident had left him partially paralyzed from the waist down. The news that he was no longer in any shape to work in the same fashion as before hit him like a brick. Fortunately, he seemed to be in perfectly good health otherwise and was discharged within the week. Marcus adjusted to life in a wheelchair without much issue, and attended therapy weekly for the next year. Even though his nation was still plagued by the same government, and his goals had been quashed in one fell swoop, the chance to spend time relaxing at home with his wife offered him a new perspective on life. He quickly found purpose as a scholar and reconnected with his old team, looking to start rebuilding his campaign from the ground up with a new strategy in mind. After a year in therapy he finally regained the use of his legs to a certain extent. Although his motor skills would suffer without warning, causing him to stumble occasionally or find himself unable to walk for minutes at a time, he kept a positive outlook and kept to his research. But as Marcus continued delving into literature, he would soon find that his most recent choice in reading material was about to send him for a whirl... Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Legendary… --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Abilities of Skill: Downsides of Skill: ---- Inventory: Pendant with a picture of his wedding day.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith It happened in an instant a flash from a book, and the world changing around four individual normal folks from different worlds. As if they were fish pulled from different environments and being thrust into an completely different ocean. The Four heroes now sit in the middle of a magical ritual circle surrounded by a large group of men. Some of them in priest outfits, other ones in suits of armor carrying weapons from times past of their world. Of course none of the new heroes knew exactly what had just happened but for the individuals in the room they were met by a cheer of happiness from the clerics in the room who excitedly congratulated each other. In particular a young man wearing priest robes, and a small pair of round glasses. In the hands of the heroes were weapons they hadn't used before. Strange objects: A sword, a spear, a bow, and a shield. Too the more nerdy among the group it was clear that they were now in some sort of isekai scenario, kind of like some of the MMO's they had played before except this time it was clearly real enough as the weapons attached to them felt alien in their hands. And their sight was obscured by a menu of sorts if they focused hard enough on one person. The cheers died down and the boy walked forward and cleared his voice before talking to them all cheerfully. "I'm so glad it worked! Thank Grand Master Eric for his instruction! Inform the king, and queen immediately that the heroes are here!" a young man in brown robes stated quickly as a soldier nodded, and ran off quickly. The young man spread his arms wide in welcome, and quickly pressed his glasses up his nose. He had messy brown hair, and wasn't particularly handsome. He seemed genuinely happy to see all of them here. "Welcome brave heroes! Welcome to our world! I'm sorry if you did not wish this, but we have called you here for good reason I promise you. My name is Hans Copper, and I request that you assist us in saving the world!" The boy named Hans stated as he quickly spoke up again before questions arose, "You are the successors of the former Four Great Cardinal Heroes! Heirs to a legacy of great men, and women!" --- Cole looked around his blade clung to his hand insistently he couldn't seem to let go of his weapon. Not that he'd want to but the initial shock of the area almost made him lose his focus. Heroes? Were the people gathered around him apart of this new group? The last thing he remember...he remembered grabbing a book off a shelf in the library of his college. His eccentric librarian had recommended he look there for something he needed for class. He looked at the golden blade in his hand as the man in front of him talked, and he admired it it was well made, and seemed to fit perfectly in his hand. It was nothing like he felt before but it felt right in his hands as if it was made for him. And judging by the speech it was meant to be his. "I see? I can't say I'm any sort of great hero...nor do I know how I even got chosen out of all the people out there but...I don't see any other way forward. I'll help you if I can." Cole said calmly but somewhat shaken as he still was adjusting to everything here. 'This seems a lot like those dumb cheesy animes Mike from science class watched just after class...he'd love it if he were here. Whatever gotta play it cool...if this is really real than I can't loose face.' Cole stated as he waited to hear what the others around him had to say. === Meanwhile in the hall of the castle the adventurers called together to aid the heroes rested, and chatted with each other. The large hall of the castle's interior was spacious, and extremely well furnished. The guards, and knights chatted about the possible arrival of heroes, and the fact that all the nations came together to make it happen...it was quite the spectacular event. Even if it failed it meant good things for the new young King of Melromarc.</s> <\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin glanced at the people in the room, somewhat disoriented as he tried to make sense of what was going on. One moment, he was alone in the library. Then, he was met with a bright flashing light. Now he was here, surrounded by people that he'd never seen before in medieval suits. He certainly did not recognise anyone from school. "Uh...what?" He mumbled, as a man stepped forward and began to mention stuff about four Heroes and them being called here. Flin's face turned from disbelief into irritation. It seemed clear to him that this was some type of elaborate prank, one that was executed very well at that. "Listen...I don't know how you jokers pulled this off, but I have a lot of work to do. I don't have time for..." He spoke, but then glanced at his right hand. He was holding a spear, it's tip razor-sharp and it's colour as red as flame. When did he even end up grabbing it? The discovery only added to Flin's confusion. He tried to release it, but his hand refused to do so. He glanced over towards the other sharp object in his immediate vicinity, the golden sword that the Sword Hero was holding. He backed up a bit. Despite still believing that it was some kind of joke, that sword and his spear sure seemed to be made out of real steel. Regardless of what was going on, he certainly didn't want to get stabbed. He didn't believe what Hans Copper had told them for even a second, despite listening to every word.</s> <\|message\|>Cleomine In the great hall, one of the adventurers is a bard who would normally be performing at the tavern right about now. With her long, brown haired wig on and styled to cover her ears effectively, she waited with the other adventurers for the shield heroes. She did feel somewhat anxious being in the castle, but this was a chance for her to offer her aid to the Shield Hero, despite the risk that she could be discovered as a demi-human. Cleomine mostly kept to herself, but if someone approached her to talk, then she would engage in friendly conversation with them. She wouldn't be surprised if a couple of adventurers here recognized her as the bard in the tavern. She eagerly awaited the heroes, while keeping a discerning eye out on the people around her for any sign of trouble.</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher Excitement and Worry (Mood Music) Auriel stood on one of the many balconies overlooking Melromarc from the throne room. She looked out to the summoning temple where the ritual to bring the Cardinal Heroes to this world was taking place. She was disappointed that she was denied access to the ritual. Her whole life had led to this moment, to stand beside the heroes. It would come to pass, but for Auriel, having to wait the extra hour or two felt like an eternity. Her golden eyes practically burned a hole into the stonework of the distant temple. They were there now, she could feel it. It was a sensation that ran up her spine and gave her chills. It was as if the world in its entirety responded to the summoning of the heroes. Winds blew from the temple's direction, catching the feathers of her wings as they remained tucked to her back. Her blonde hair whipped back from a particularly powerful gust. Auriel heard the chirps and calls of a flock of birds as they fought against the wind to reach the temple. She looked over to them and watched with envy as they flew so freely in the air. The sun gleamed off of their white feathers, allowing for the birds to stick out from the blue and gray backdrop of the partially cloudy sky. Auriel took a deep breath of the summer air and let it out slowly. Her wings stretched out a bit, catching more wind. The feeling of the air moving through her feathers felt nice, but it wasn't enough for Auriel. Things hadn't been the same for her since she fell on the battlefield. A sharp stab of pain from her right wing made her wince and tuck her wings back in. She gripped the hand rail of the balcony with white knuckles as the pain ran its course. Her mind shot back to the moment it all happened, when weighted chains were tossed over her and took her to the ground. When her struggles twisted the chains through her feathers and snapped fragile bones. She felt fear that day. It was the first time she had ever came so close to losing everything. For all her divine gifts and healing magic, her wings were the one thing that wouldn't heal. It had been months since that day, but she was still no closer to taking the skies back as her domain. Auriel snapped out of her reverie when she heard the great bells of the temple, cathedral, and palace ring in unison. The summoning was complete. She felt that familiar chill run up her spine again. The excitement of meeting her promised companions quickly washed over the anxiety of her injuries. But it didn't take long for a new anxiety to settle in. What if the heroes were nothing like she expected? What if they had no need for a warrior who trained her whole life to aid them? What if they wouldn't accept her because she wasn't completely healed yet? Auriel's mind started zipping through dozens of different 'what if?' scenarios, and it made her bite her lip as she tried sorting out the plausible from the implausible. Another gust of wind caught in her wings, and she refocused. No. That wouldn't happen. The Cardinal Heroes might be the ones destined to save their world, but without people like Auriel and the other adventurers gathered in the throne room, the heroes would be lost and confused in this strange place. Her rationale steeled her for the moment she'd meet her heroes, at least until she realized she hadn't even thought about what to say when they were finally face to face. Auriel blushed. "Oh heavens, Auriel you fool..." she said quietly to herself as she planted her face firmly in her palm. She took another deep breath and started rehearsing to herself, "Greetings, heroes! ... No that's too excited... Welcome, my lords- are they my lords? What if one of them is a lady? My lords and lady? Ohhh I should've thought about this sooner! Uuugh!" Auriel let out an exasperated sigh as she gripped some of her golden locks. "Ohhh what do I say?!" she said a bit louder, forgetting that there might be others able to hear her in the throne room.</s>	<\|message\|>Marcus Varo The book was gone. A cold breeze whistled through the chamber and rustled Marco's bathrobe, sending vibrant chills throughout his body. Being thrust from the warm comfort of his home threw his senses for a spin. It was like being forcefully tossed downstream, only to end up stranded upon an unfamiliar shore. Marcus reached for his head, but scraped the edge of his cheek with something hard and pointed. "What." His voice was gentle and came out as a whisper. The morning light glinted off some mysterious instrument that clung to his arm like some kind of bracer. It was too fast. Lightheaded and nauseous, Marcus stumbled backwards as the people around him started to speak. His left leg gave way, leaving him on one knee behind the line of summoned heroes, looking far less heroic than the priest made them out to be. From his crouched position, the mysterious atmosphere floated above him like eerie fog. Marcus struggled to catch his bearings, but couldn't rise to his feet. To his left, a silver haired boy immediately took to the offer that Marcus could barely comprehend. The blonde boy on his right didn't seem as ready to accept Hans' preposterous announcement, but didn't look staggered by the transport at all. This was a little too much to take it all at once. Too much for thirty-something politician who just wanted to read a book.</s>
<\|description\|>Marcus Varo Age: 32 Gender: Male Level: 1 Class: Legendary Shield Hero Hero Class: Shield Magic Affinity: Dark Appearance: Biography: In his homeland of Spain, Marcus was a foremost politician working against the autocratic government of his nation. With a full team of reliable people backing him, he was mere months away from establishing his group as a party that stood a chance in elections. With the promised day coming up quick, he pushed himself far beyond his limits to make sure that his team was ready for the trials ahead. Unfortunately, as a result of his working habits, Marcus fainted during a rally and hit his head. The shock rendered him unconscious for weeks, leaving him stuck in a coma by the time election season rolled around, which destroyed his party's chance at victory. Marcus awoke four years later to the sound of his wife's voice. The sudden rush of joy sent him tumbling from his hospital bed and onto the ground. At first he thought it was just fatigue, but when the numbness in his legs wouldn't go away, it was clear something was off. The doctors informed him that his accident had left him partially paralyzed from the waist down. The news that he was no longer in any shape to work in the same fashion as before hit him like a brick. Fortunately, he seemed to be in perfectly good health otherwise and was discharged within the week. Marcus adjusted to life in a wheelchair without much issue, and attended therapy weekly for the next year. Even though his nation was still plagued by the same government, and his goals had been quashed in one fell swoop, the chance to spend time relaxing at home with his wife offered him a new perspective on life. He quickly found purpose as a scholar and reconnected with his old team, looking to start rebuilding his campaign from the ground up with a new strategy in mind. After a year in therapy he finally regained the use of his legs to a certain extent. Although his motor skills would suffer without warning, causing him to stumble occasionally or find himself unable to walk for minutes at a time, he kept a positive outlook and kept to his research. But as Marcus continued delving into literature, he would soon find that his most recent choice in reading material was about to send him for a whirl... Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: shield-hero.fandom.com/wiki/Legendary… --- Skills/Abilities: Name of Skill: Abilities of Skill: Downsides of Skill: ---- Inventory: Pendant with a picture of his wedding day.</s> <\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin took in his surroundings carefully as he moved. This was a whole new world for him to explore, and it all looked strange. This took away any final doubts within his mind, that people were messing with him. There was no way that this was some sort of setup. It was far too real, far too unique. Flin's first impression of the king wasn't much at all. It just looked like some child who'd crawled on the throne for some reason. Part of him wanted to try to shoo him away, but that's when the boy spoke with pride and power in his tone. It made Shane keep his manners, at least to a degree. He slowly took in all of the king's words, and only now noticed the button that he was informed of. He'd been too busy analysing everything else. He tapped the button, and saw his health bar and other stats. "What the hell..." He mumbled. "This is..." With that, he tapped the button again to make the stats vanish again. The stats before him seemed like something out of a game. And they would be getting money for killing monsters. The payment for risking their lives to protect this world. Then, a large muscular individual stepped up and started saying stuff about being their mentor. Flin never asked for this! And now some guy was going to be his mentor? He wasn't sure wether to agree to that, or not. Since people expected him to fight, perhaps having Quentin teach him some stuff wasn't the worst idea. Flin was no stranger when it came to fighting, but he wasn't exactly a master at spear-fighting. Or with any weapon at all, really. When the volunteers came in, he wasn't exactly sure what to say. He was still trying to come to terms with things, to piece everything together. And now there were even more strangers coming in, apparently here to join the heroes. Flin placed his spear on the ground beside him, it's tip facing the ceiling. He gave the visitors a calm, but serious look. He wasn't about to give some fancy speech to recruit people, but he wasn't about to back away either. His stance was as strong and resolute as he could muster, and he waited for someone to approach him. If anyone even bothered to do so, at least.</s> <\|message\|>Cleomine Cleomine noticed that one of the heroes in the hall, the one with wings, seemed to be nervous. For a moment, Cleo wondered why the knights weren't charging at the winged woman and trying to arrest her for being a demi-human. But she didn't speak up about it. She didn't want to bring attention to herself. She was about to go and encourage the guardian angel, but she didn't move. The shaman had already approached her and was speaking with her. He gave the winged woman the same exact advice she would have given her. So...everything was under control there. Cleomine smiled at the thought. Soon it was time to go and see the heroes. When the knights called to them and told them to enter, she did so. After she entered, she studied each of the four figures, looking for one specific hero: The Shield. Out of all the heroes, she didn't like the looks of the bow hero. She seemed too aggressive for Cleo's taste. When she laid eyes on the Shield Hero, she noticed that he seemed to be older than the other heroes and that there seemed to be weakness in his legs. She felt sympathy for the Shield Hero, and it became more of a reason to join his party. Without hesitation, Cleo moved to face the Shield Hero, and she politely spoke to him with a quiet confidence, "Shield Hero, I would be honored to offer my sword and voice to your party, if you will have me,"</s>	<\|message\|>Marcus Varo Marcus tried to take the information being slung at him in stride, but it was too much. His mind went blank as the priest went on, until they were finally escorted single-file out of the dank little room that they were... "Summoned" to. Magic, heroes, weapons, danger, prophecies, and to top it all off, a child king. It was like trying to dance along a thin rope while having knives flung at you one after the other. There were many points where Marcus was keen to object. Points where he had the urge to shout his confusion at the top of his lungs and demand the attention of everyone in the room, but his energy was sapped. Cruel memories of his collapse several years ago made him impish, too insecure to speak his mind, even now, in this insane world of nonsense. He didn't nod. He didn't acknowledge anything being said. Marcus kept his eyes glued to the ground, almost unconscious on his feet as he stumbled into the lineup. He'd glance over at the other heroes briefly whenever they spoke with disdain. Two of them were readily accepting of this new world, like they had nothing back home to return to. Maybe this was a paradise for them. Maybe being torn away from a life that had yet to even begin was like a blessing. Marcus didn't feel the same way though. He was torn away from his home. Ripped from rebuilding his legacy. Perhaps worst of all, he was being escorted around the cold halls of a castle in nothing but his bathrobe. What a hellish outcome. When the king spoke of statuses, Marcus rose his head. His right eye caught something peculiar near the corner of his vision. It seemed tangible, yet, fused with the atmosphere like some ethereal mechanism. A menu? Like, the kind of menus you'd find in those old role playing games from the 90's? It's been so long since he'd had time for video games, but as soon as he reached for the little node, memories came flooding back, and the windows the popped up flooded him with nostalgia. Marcus shut the window, only to be greeted by a hulking loudmouth with a straightforward proposition. It sounded more like an order though, something they were forced into whether they liked it or not, much like this whole 'hero for hire' garbage. The hierarchy was starting to become clearer, but as far as he knew, the heroes was more indispensable than anyone in here. Maybe with that leverage, he could find a way out of this terrifying dream state, and back into the real world. Just after catching his bearings once again, he was approached by one of the vassals presented to them, a small girl with long brown hair. The girl's voice was soft, almost that of a child's, but she spoke with the poise of a lady. Normally he would have the wherewithal to return her request professionally, with due elegance, but the situation still had him staggered. With fog still rolling through his head, he looked the girl over and opened his mouth to speak, but tripped over his words. "You- Um- It's quite-" He stammered, "Sorry. Forgive me. This still doesn't quite feel like reality to me. To be told so many things and expected..." He paused and looked to the king. Marcus cleared his throat and strengthened his posture. With one hand, he tightened the fuzzy belt around his robe, and rose his voice so that he would be heard clearly by all. "Expected to fulfill a role that I never agreed to, after being stolen from my world without warning. You can imagine my alarm." Marcus looked to lock eyes with the king as he spoke. His composure returned to him in moments, as if the haze had suddenly been blown away by a tempest of anger. It felt right to finally speak up, but in doing so, an immediate pang of regret clutched his Adams apple. Perhaps he'd stepped out of line. If he'd been a slave, talking back to his slaver would have earned him lashes, and nothing more.</s>
<\|description\|>An Shalaa-Doo Nicknames: Age: 34 Gender: male Level: 5 Class: Shaman(something of a druid-cleric hybrid) Specializations: rituals, axe swinging, intense shouting also a little bit of medicine Magic Affinity: nature Appearance: Biography: An is the last one of a nomadic tribe that roamed around the monster filled woods. They were ravaged by a stampede of monsters, falling powerless against a horde of vicious creatures. An was left by himself and without a clear goal. He roamed the wilderness by himself for some time, only running into wildlife and seldom adventurers. He slayed the monsters and aided the people, only to continue on his travel when he saw that his job was done. After spending years in the woods, An ventured into the nation of Melromarc, wondering how the kingdom would look. After venturing around shortly, he joined the Adventurers' Guild as he found that it'd be of aid to his wandering. After venturing and bickering with other adventurers a bit, An came across the words of the four heroes that would save the world from demonic threats. Ad decided to go find whoever they were, with an objective to join them on their grand journey. --- Preferred Weapon(s): axe, ritual staff Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: Ritual Staff: A wooden staff imbued with mysterious power. It allows An to boost his shaman magic. It can be used without the staff, but has greatly decreased effects. A new one can be created with a ritual when broken, but there can be only one at a time. --- Skills/Abilities: Hunter's Dance By shaking his staff vigorously with a chant, An can buff the physical capabilities of nearby allies and himself for three minutes. Abilities: physical stats buff Downside: limited range(a radius of 15 meters) Mana Song An strikes his staff to the ground with a fearsome scream, boosting the magic of nearby allies for two minutes. Abilities: slight magic boost(stronger spells, regenerate mana slowly for duration Downside: limited range(a radius of 10 meters) Shaman Blade By running his hand across the target weapon, An can enchant it with an eerie green aura that gives it additional holy damage for the next nine strikes. Downside: can only be used once per day. An can 'bless' a fire(minimum size of a small campfire) to repel weaker monsters. This fire can be used for performing rituals. With a combination of medicinal herbs, An can craft a mush that can be applied on wounds. Or optionally consumed. Various ingredients can be added to make mush of different effects. A good length of wooden stick and a Motherly Fire is required. An imbues the stick of mysterious power, taking 20 minutes. It creates a new Ritual Staff. Cannot be done when there is already one intact. A Motherly Fire and a (literal) handful of things harvested from plants. Includes things such as berries or herb leaves. (harvested goods must be a practical one, not some random twig or leaf picked from a random tree) An performs a ritual with the gatherings, offering it to the nature as a wish for good harvest. For the next 10 hours, he and his allies(who were at the fire) have additional chance to find rare plants for gathering. Medical items of plant origin(plant brew, mush, etc.) also have stronger effects for the duration. ---- Inventory: -A knife(for non combat uses) -food supplies, leather sack for storing food -whetstone for sharpening axe -kit for making plant based medicine, medical supplies -various bones of animals and monsters - 12 copper(found in a small sack on the ground)</s> <\|message\|>An Shalaa-Doo The shaman flinched as the winged lady greeted him with some grand confidence. In the moment of awkwardness, he did nothing but pat the bear skull gently. She could do some impressive work with enough practice, that was for sure. "Well, it looks like you already have the powerful voice." An scratched his head. At that point all she needed was a good sprinkle of pride. Or at least that's how he did it. "Don't feel so down now. Only a few are natural born speakers. Even those people would be nervous in this situation." He gave one of her wings a gentle pat and stretched his other arm to the sky. The bear skull on his staff clattered slightly. "Let nothing hold you back, seize the moment! You've got the voice, so it won't be much of a problem." --- Soon enough, the gathered adventurers were ushered to another room. Following the group and the guiding soldiers, An noticed a squad of strangely dressed(even compared to himself) people talking to who seemed to be the king of Melromarc. The king announced that the volunteers choose their hero. With that the shaman scanned each of the four standing before him. So he had to choose among the four. The shaman casually approached the Bow Hero. "Greetings!" He said with another rattle of his staff. "I offer to stand as your companion, one with the Bow!"</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Do you have the balls to be a part of my squad punk!? You look like you just crawled your way out of the back alley! What do you got to offer huh!?" Rin Matsunaga questioned the strange man who had decided to fall in line with her team as Cole sighed, and looked over to the Shaman. "Not to pry but if you don't want to get insulted on a daily basis I'd probably pick a better squad." Cole suggested to him as Rin glared daggers at him. "Oh look at you, you fucking Gajin punk ass! Didn't expect you to try, and poach someone from me!" Rin said as a blonde haired bard who had been with the travelers walked over to Rin, and bowed. "I like this one's fiery spirit! Of course I'll be glad to join the bow hero!" The blonde haired handsome bard smiled as he watch Rin look down at him with disgust. "Calm yourself now Bow Hero. You can reject someone if you wish but you don't need to insult them."</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher Destiny (Mood Music) Auriel listened to the shaman's words. He had a point, this was a momentous occasion for everybody, not just her. It made sense that she wasn't the only nervous one there. When he patted a wing, Auriel couldn't help but wince a bit from a mild pain. But she did well to not show the weakness any more than a slight twitch that could be taken as a surprise sensation. Auriel let out a long, slow breath, and smiled to the shaman. "Seize the moment... Okay. I think I can do that." When they were called into the throne room, Auriel felt a sudden surge of adrenaline. This was it. This was now. She could feel butterflies in her stomach as she stepped toward the grand doors leading into the the throne room. She looked up at the large wooden doors as if they were the gates to heaven. It seemed like an eternity for them to swing open far enough to fit the group through. Auriel was the last into the room, most likely because her nerve had slowed her down some. She first spotted the dominant piece in the room, the throne occupied by the young king. Then, standing before the king, were the four heroes. She could feel her cheeks flush a bit, though she wasn't sure why. Was she embarrassed to be standing in the presence of such legendary heroes? Her eyes moved between the four of them, taking in their appearances. They seemed so... Exotic. So otherworldly. She knew that they were of course, but actually seeing them compared to how she envisioned them, it was a completely different feeling. Auriel followed Cleo and the Shaman closer to the group, and heard the king tell them to accompany a hero. She wanted to be with them all, to aid them toward a common goal they all shared. But it seemed that wasn't the case. They'd all need a personal companion. Somebody they could trust and consider as a friend in this alien world she was sure they viewed it as. Auriel watched Cleo go to the Shield Hero, an older looking man who appeared to be in complete shock about everything. Then she saw the Shaman move toward the female hero, the Bow Hero. She seemed to have a chip on her shoulder, which intimidated her slightly when paired with the immense power she now wielded. Her golden eyes turned to the two remaining heroes, the Sword and Spear heroes. Auriel's eyes rested on Flin, the Spear Hero. She fought with a spear as well, perhaps she could train Flin in its use and expedite his improvement. Auriel stepped toward him and bowed. Her wings unfurled a bit, curling forward with her. Suddenly, she felt all of the anxiety of greeting the heroes wash away. She was where she wanted to be, and now that it was happening, everything just fell into place. "Spear Hero. Greetings and thank you for answering the summons... I am Auriel, and it is my sacred duty to assist you and the other heroes against the upcoming trials our world faces. Please accept my vow of servitude." Auriel kept her head down while she waited for an answer from the Spear Hero. Her heart was practically beating out of her chest. @Jensoman</s> <\|message\|>Flin Meeru Flin glanced over at the new people, and saw that Marcus immediately got his first follower. That was quick. When the Shield Hero spoke agressively to the King, Flin began to respect him a little. He couldn't resist smirking ever so slightly. At least this man had a mind of his own, and wasn't eager to follow the commands of another. He wasn't exactly happy to do as was told, either. Honestly, all Marcus did was state a fact. They were now in this place, putting up some act for people to like them. He glanced over at Auriel, as she made her way towards him. She stood out more than the others, with big white wings. They had real angels in this world? It was unexpected, but not incredibly strange. There was a great deal that Flin was unaware of within this world, after all. So there was a good possibility that they existed. Heck, anything could exist. None the less, it peaked his curiosity. The feeling rose above the confusion and irritation that he'd been feeling, allowing him to think more clearly. It was the first feeling that wasn't negative, since he'd been abducted from the library in his world. As Auriel spoke to him, He remained as calm as he could be. He took note of the spear within her possession, which only fueled his curiosity. Perhaps she could teach him how to properly wield the spear that had been forced upon him. The girl was kind to him, and he was going to return the favor. It just made common sense to him. He wasn't exactly the best at being polite, but he would give it his best. "I..I see. I accept you within my party, Auriel. I am happy to have you." He said, with a gentle smile. "I do hope that you can teach me more about this world, as I am very unfamiliar with...anything, really." He spoke.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith The Shield Hero suddenly turned around a deep frown on his face, "I will not play backseat to some child! I will make my own way in this world! Forget this I don't need anything from you, and I will find a way home on my own! I'm tired of being a slave!" the man shouted as he walked out the door as the guards let him through the King frowned in disgust. "A fool...hey girl don't follow him. I understand it is your choice to follow one of those heroes but I have a feeling that one may not be the one you seek. You're from the church no? For now I suggest following the spear, bow, or sword hero." King Vincent commanded as he slammed his fist onto his throne. "I declare that the shield hero will not receive help from the crown until he apologizes for his impudence." King Vincent declared as Marcino nodded, "Right gotcha king...besides there was something about him that seemed off." the man known as Marcino called out as Cole stood there still he gripped his sword tightly as he looked to the king. "That isn't very fair my lord." Cole said as the boy shrugged, "I warned him once already." Vincent said as he looked to the sword hero. Rin simply grunted she didn't care one way or another.</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher Relief (Mood Music) "I..I see. I accept you within my party, Auriel. I am happy to have you. I do hope that you can teach me more about this world, as I am very unfamiliar with...anything, really." said the Spear Hero. Auriel was both relieved and thrilled. She raised her eyes to meet his for the first time, and they were positively alight with joy. The even seemed to be have watered just a slight bit as well. Auriel smiled bright to him and nodded, "Thank you! There is much I can teach you about our world, Spear Hero. And it would be my pleasure to share it with you." The angel brushed some golden hair back over her shoulder and looked over to the rest of the heroes, "That goes for all of your great heroes. I am here to see you all to success. All you have is but to ask, and I will answer to the best of my ability." Auriel looked back to the Spear Hero, realizing she hadn't yet gotten his name. "Is there something else I can call you? Aside from Spear Hero, that is."</s>	<\|message\|>An Shalaa-Doo An did nothing but chuckled at the fiery, aggressive spirit of the one with the Bow. Such a spirit from such a young person. It was good to know that the summoned ones were of fighting spirit. Stroking his facial hair slowly, An waited for Rin to finish speaking. Once she had finally stopped speaking, he prepared to retort. "From the back alley, you say? But I have seen more than just the back alley of a sitting settlement. You tell me, young life, have you roamed the forests? Have you seen the mutters of Mother's wrath roam her bones?" The shaman raised his staff dramatically. "Tell me, one with the Bow, what Odyssey have you put yourself in?"</s>
<\|description\|>Fernando Gutierrez Nicknames:Fer Age:21 Gender:Male Level: 1 Class: Shield Hero Hero Class: Shield Specializations: Survival Training, Languages, Tactical Training, Magic Affinity: Wind Appearance: Tan skinned with Knife cut hair down to his shoulders. He has brown eyes and a curved hawk like nose. He stands 5'7" and weighs about 180 lbs. He has many scars on his body and his clothes are ragged and worn. He has a quiet attitude and talks very little. But when he talks he has a sort of tenor voice that is a bit raspy from lack of use. He unknowingly has a protective spirit and has on many occasions helped a person but he tries very hard to seem indifferent. He has no qualms about getting his hands dirty but only resorts to violence when necessary. Biography: Fer is from a war torn country in the South American Continent in the early 1980s. Living in the harsh rural mountains, made him a hardy young lad. When the guerrillas started abducting children he was unfortunate to have been trapping when his younger brother was taken, his father and mother butchered and his younger sister abducted probably to be sold as a slave. Fer tracked down and joined one of the guerillas. His aim was to find his siblings and exact revenge, on whoever he could, from within. He endured harsh and violent conditions. He learned to use conventional and fabricated weapons. His trapping skills eventually earned him a place as a tracker and forager. All the while his goal was to find his siblings. By luck or providence, he was able to discover that his poor brother had not survived the harsh living conditions of jungle and a boy soldier. It had been many years and he felt that he had failed his siblings, his parents and justice. He was contemplating ending it all when on his way back to camp he heard a cry of despair and pain. He followed the sound and happened upon a very common scene of four or five guys surrounding the poor body of girl from where the sound had emerged. He was about to turn away when one of the young men parted and he saw the dirty and tear streaked face of his sister. Rage and pain clouded his emotions as he deftly loaded his old pump action riffle. Despite the emotional storm going on in his soul, Fer managed to quickly and accurately send two bullets bursting into his intended targets. He did not even stop to assess the damage when a quick reaction from one of the remaining three young men reached for the riffle. Far let the riffle be torn from his grasp but his hand immediately pulled the hunting knife he wore on his waist and plunged it deep under the ribs of the attacker who slumped to the ground after a gasp of surprise. The one that had been assaulting the young girl had succeeded in punting on his pants and stood up just as the other lad managed to close in combat with Fer and knock him to the ground trying to pry the knife from his grasp. Fer reached up with his other hand pulled the lad's hair towards his face and bit hard into his neck until he felt the metal taste of blood. A yell of pain from the wounded neck which was spurting in a rhythmic fashion. Before he could get to his feet he felt a sharp pain on the left side of his head. He fell to the side trying to fight off confusion and a nausea. Before he could recover he felt the weight of a sweaty body on his and rancid breath near his nose as the last attacker fell onto him striking with his hands. Adrenalin and desperation made both defender and attacker inaccurate in their scuffle. Somehow, the attacker's hand happened upon the hunter knife that had been dropped. He raised the knife and brought it down upon the raised arm of Fer who had appempted to protect himself. The blade plunged deep into the left forearm and scrapped bone protruding from the other side. The lad used his weight and pushed down forcing the blade slowly down. It was a life and death struggle. The blade was dangerously close to Fer's neck when a shot rang out. While the weight remained on him, it was dead limp weight. Blood started to drip from a hole on the side of the face of the attacker and Fer pushed the dead body off him, the effort causing him to almost pass out from the pain in his left forearm. A crying girl rushed to his side. "FER!" the girl said between sobs. Fer propped himself on his knees, the Adrenalin slowly leaving his body and giving way to pain and nausea. He still managed to hug the young girl and say her name through bloodied and busted lips. "Rosa, please forgive me!" He added his sobs to hers as they held each other surrounded by a grim collection of bodies darkening the earth and pooling blood. Five days later found Fer and Rosa in a rural train station headed towards town. They wanted to leave so much grief and pain behind. Perhaps even one day make it to America. They had somehow made it down the mountain to a village where they had found good people who patched up Fer and helped them find a ride to the rural town. They bought passage with the selling of the equipment and cash found on the dead bodies of the assailants. It seemed like their bloody past was behind them. There had been no signs of pursuit and nobody would even know who was missing or who had attacked with so many rival guerrillas in the area. While they waited, Fer's gaze fell on the odd and eclectic offerings of a merchant. It was a worn book. Fer smiled, his younger brother had loved books. He had been the smart one in the family. Fer knew how to read of course but had not envisioned a life outside farming the land like his father. He knelled and for 5 pesos bought the book. He was on his way back to Rosa and the approaching train. In an instant, there was a bright flash of light which all but blinded the young man. When his vision returned and the spots dissipated, he was standing in a stone walled room. --- Preferred Weapon(s): Shield, (proficient in fire arms , bows and knives) Appearance of Weapon: Dependent on the ability being used but at rest it looks more like a solid metal bracer with a jewel on the center of it. Abilities of Weapon: (if applicable) Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: morphs shield into any of the shields shown above. The shields have no particular ability they are just metal shields in that shape. Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: equip bonus: defense 2 Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: Air Burst- Able to create a strong burst of air that impacts the target in a 12 inch ball. Diameter of ball increases with the user level. Burst Shield- forms a air generated shield (similar to the one in the manga) and helps minimize damage from attacks. The number of layers or shields are depended on user level.</s> <\|message\|>Dúlamán(Doh-lah-mahn) Cain Hearing Cole responds to his introduction, the dark-skinned demi grinned just a bit wider. He wasn't sure if he had layed it on a bit too thick. After all, even outside the arena, he wasn't known for his sparkling personality. Though he couldn't help but be on guard with the "subtle" shifting of the shield hero. Cain couldn't be sure without asking but, he was fairly sure his wings were at least partially to blame for Fernando's unease. Shaking the man's hand he couldn't resist the urge to bare his fangs in a mischievously toothy grin. Though if some of the gasps from a few nosey onlookers were to be trusted it could easily be mistaken for a soundless snarl. "I am sure your abilities are worth far more than you claim, though I must say. Humility is a rarity in this city aside from the clergy." the winged man said easily as he released Fer's hand and leaned back slightly. It was almost immediately after that he remembered his polar opposite reached out to grab her hand. However, instead of shaking the proffered appendage, he attempted to turn it so that her knuckles were exposed before lowering his head to place a gentle kiss. "Pleasure, m' lady." He breathed with a wink before turning toward the conversation with the receptionist. While he held little sympathy for Rayla and her ilk, he wasn't comfortable with her death being so easily discussed. There were few who understood what time in the arena could do to one's mind and those who did had more than there share of scars. Both physical and mental. Despite these thoughts, he was also fully aware that not everyone could be redeemed. "While I much prefer to ensnare my prey, these aren't just for show. I can hold my own." He declared while motioning to the two whips stored on the outer side of his legs.</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer had to turn his head in a different direction when the winged newcomer planted a kiss on Auriel's hand. He felt his blood rise but was not sure if it was due to his embarrassment at feeling so possessive of his holy partner or if it was out of anger at the beast man for taking such liberties with a total stranger. Perhaps he was old school and even in his world, men showed their respect to ladies in such a manner. However, this was also a way to flirt and court that was socially acceptable. Perhaps the young hero's anger was at the audacity that Dulaman would reduce his trusted companion to prey to be hunted and conquered over. Whatever the case, it was wrong of Fer too. He had no claim over the holy protector and he most definitely would not make her out to be a defenseless little bird. He took a calming long breath and instead focused on his surroundings. The location was filled with experience and new adventurers. He could tell the difference some in their way that they carried themselves. Veteran adventurers had a sureness in their step. They moved with purpose and their laughs were full and hearty. They probably had seen many partners die and knew that life was too short to worry about the mundane. In the opposite, newcomers walked around unsure, their smiles awkward and masked. He turned to look at his own team. Despite the awesome weapons they wore, there was no guarantee of success. He was the second hero to be summoned in a very short time. This bandit had a reputation that exaggerated or not, meant that they could handle themselves. This very real possibility of death made him feel even more ashamed of his earlier reaction. Dulaman might be a new member to their team but Fer needed to treat and defend him as he would Cole or Auriel. He cleared his throat and addressed the leathery winged man. "Once we are clear of any eager ears I would appreciate any information you have on Rayla and any plan suggestion for bringing about her end."</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "We can bring her dead, or alive regardless I have an idea of what to do with her other than force a slave collar on her. I just need to make sure she's alive for it. Its just a guess but if this is similar to the magic I'm use to in my world I can probably find someone to deal with her as I see fit. For now does anyone need to pack any gear? Food, or supplies for the trip? We may be out there anywhere between a few hours to a few days. It would be best to make sure you're prepared i imagine." Cole says calmly as he surveys his own thoughts he wonders just how exactly they intended to bring in a skilled warrior alive. Her death would be considerably easy to manage and this guy seemed fond of the capture method. They could talk it over when the time came but for now he supposed it would be best to find some sort of general idea of what to do and that was for the farm that's likely to be raided. "We're going to go to the farm house after we meet up at the Black Swallow's Blacksmith just on the edges of the city. We're not going to buy anything there its just a convenient spot. Does anyone have any objections? I think that's as basic as it gets." Cole said aloud as he looked around he didn't see to many of the adventurers eyeing them up it was likely they didn't care much that even the legendary heroes were looking for work to help around town until the waves hit. Chances are the veterans expected they may show up.</s>	<\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer cocked his head to one side with a slight look of confusion as Cole detailed his plan. He wondered if Cole's earth was different than his own. Other than by force or coercion, there was no magic that Fer knew that could make people do what they wanted. Of course, there was the old wives tales of curses or possessions but Fer did not think that Cole was versed in the dark arcane arts of mountain witches. Regardless, the young shield hero nodded. "Yes Cole I think your suggestion of getting supplies is a good one." He turned to Auriel "Any company would be appreciated." He said with a slight smile. Almost reluctantly but with a conviction that made it seem he was trying to move past his own barriers, he turned to the beast man. "The invitation is extended to you of course" His tone was as friendly as it could be but with a slight tone of reluctance. He then turned to Cole. "I definitely think we should split up; multiple targets are harder to track and keep an eye out for. When I was a tracker, we had to pick a target and stick with it. Sometimes it was the wrong one and you had wasted days of monitoring." He gave nod to the three of them and headed for the door. If anybody followed him they would visit various stands. He first made his way to the stalls selling dried meat. Just because they knew the location of the bandit leader there was no guarantee she would be there. It might be days before they spotted her. He used the gold the King had given him which he felt belonged to the people anyways. He bought what he felt was good enough for about seven or so days. He also stopped by and bought some wine skins. After he was done with getting dried fruit, cheeses and even some camping equipment he looked like a he was planning a trip or was some sort of tinker sales man. He figured the later would be a perfect disguise and was thankful for the Shield's ability to increase his endurance and strength. Eventually he made his way to the prescribed meting place. He was a bit sad he was not able to use any of the bows or knives displayed on the walls. He gave an acknowledging nod to the young assistant that had outfitted him in his first day on this world. He waited until everybody was there. "I took the liberty of selecting our food stuff among other thing. I mean, as the shield I should make myself useful right?" He said in a clearly sarcastic voice. "Ok Dulaman, I think we should learn as much as you know about Rayla. Cole can also explain his plan." He nodded to his two male companions. "Finally, Auriel can help us see the error of our ways as she is the one that may have more experience with this world."</s>
<\|description\|>Fernando Gutierrez Nicknames:Fer Age:21 Gender:Male Level: 1 Class: Shield Hero Hero Class: Shield Specializations: Survival Training, Languages, Tactical Training, Magic Affinity: Wind Appearance: Tan skinned with Knife cut hair down to his shoulders. He has brown eyes and a curved hawk like nose. He stands 5'7" and weighs about 180 lbs. He has many scars on his body and his clothes are ragged and worn. He has a quiet attitude and talks very little. But when he talks he has a sort of tenor voice that is a bit raspy from lack of use. He unknowingly has a protective spirit and has on many occasions helped a person but he tries very hard to seem indifferent. He has no qualms about getting his hands dirty but only resorts to violence when necessary. Biography: Fer is from a war torn country in the South American Continent in the early 1980s. Living in the harsh rural mountains, made him a hardy young lad. When the guerrillas started abducting children he was unfortunate to have been trapping when his younger brother was taken, his father and mother butchered and his younger sister abducted probably to be sold as a slave. Fer tracked down and joined one of the guerillas. His aim was to find his siblings and exact revenge, on whoever he could, from within. He endured harsh and violent conditions. He learned to use conventional and fabricated weapons. His trapping skills eventually earned him a place as a tracker and forager. All the while his goal was to find his siblings. By luck or providence, he was able to discover that his poor brother had not survived the harsh living conditions of jungle and a boy soldier. It had been many years and he felt that he had failed his siblings, his parents and justice. He was contemplating ending it all when on his way back to camp he heard a cry of despair and pain. He followed the sound and happened upon a very common scene of four or five guys surrounding the poor body of girl from where the sound had emerged. He was about to turn away when one of the young men parted and he saw the dirty and tear streaked face of his sister. Rage and pain clouded his emotions as he deftly loaded his old pump action riffle. Despite the emotional storm going on in his soul, Fer managed to quickly and accurately send two bullets bursting into his intended targets. He did not even stop to assess the damage when a quick reaction from one of the remaining three young men reached for the riffle. Far let the riffle be torn from his grasp but his hand immediately pulled the hunting knife he wore on his waist and plunged it deep under the ribs of the attacker who slumped to the ground after a gasp of surprise. The one that had been assaulting the young girl had succeeded in punting on his pants and stood up just as the other lad managed to close in combat with Fer and knock him to the ground trying to pry the knife from his grasp. Fer reached up with his other hand pulled the lad's hair towards his face and bit hard into his neck until he felt the metal taste of blood. A yell of pain from the wounded neck which was spurting in a rhythmic fashion. Before he could get to his feet he felt a sharp pain on the left side of his head. He fell to the side trying to fight off confusion and a nausea. Before he could recover he felt the weight of a sweaty body on his and rancid breath near his nose as the last attacker fell onto him striking with his hands. Adrenalin and desperation made both defender and attacker inaccurate in their scuffle. Somehow, the attacker's hand happened upon the hunter knife that had been dropped. He raised the knife and brought it down upon the raised arm of Fer who had appempted to protect himself. The blade plunged deep into the left forearm and scrapped bone protruding from the other side. The lad used his weight and pushed down forcing the blade slowly down. It was a life and death struggle. The blade was dangerously close to Fer's neck when a shot rang out. While the weight remained on him, it was dead limp weight. Blood started to drip from a hole on the side of the face of the attacker and Fer pushed the dead body off him, the effort causing him to almost pass out from the pain in his left forearm. A crying girl rushed to his side. "FER!" the girl said between sobs. Fer propped himself on his knees, the Adrenalin slowly leaving his body and giving way to pain and nausea. He still managed to hug the young girl and say her name through bloodied and busted lips. "Rosa, please forgive me!" He added his sobs to hers as they held each other surrounded by a grim collection of bodies darkening the earth and pooling blood. Five days later found Fer and Rosa in a rural train station headed towards town. They wanted to leave so much grief and pain behind. Perhaps even one day make it to America. They had somehow made it down the mountain to a village where they had found good people who patched up Fer and helped them find a ride to the rural town. They bought passage with the selling of the equipment and cash found on the dead bodies of the assailants. It seemed like their bloody past was behind them. There had been no signs of pursuit and nobody would even know who was missing or who had attacked with so many rival guerrillas in the area. While they waited, Fer's gaze fell on the odd and eclectic offerings of a merchant. It was a worn book. Fer smiled, his younger brother had loved books. He had been the smart one in the family. Fer knew how to read of course but had not envisioned a life outside farming the land like his father. He knelled and for 5 pesos bought the book. He was on his way back to Rosa and the approaching train. In an instant, there was a bright flash of light which all but blinded the young man. When his vision returned and the spots dissipated, he was standing in a stone walled room. --- Preferred Weapon(s): Shield, (proficient in fire arms , bows and knives) Appearance of Weapon: Dependent on the ability being used but at rest it looks more like a solid metal bracer with a jewel on the center of it. Abilities of Weapon: (if applicable) Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: morphs shield into any of the shields shown above. The shields have no particular ability they are just metal shields in that shape. Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: equip bonus: defense 2 Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: Air Burst- Able to create a strong burst of air that impacts the target in a 12 inch ball. Diameter of ball increases with the user level. Burst Shield- forms a air generated shield (similar to the one in the manga) and helps minimize damage from attacks. The number of layers or shields are depended on user level.</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer followed the thrown stone's trajectory and heard the very audible smack. However, it seemed his arm was not as accurate as it had been. The man was not knocked out or incapacitated but at the very least he had managed to stir the hornet's nest. He cursed under his breath really wishing that he could have his old bow. It would have been possible to have his arrows hit a few necks by the time the bandits knew what was happening. Still, as it was it seemed he would be able to at least pull some attention. He picked up another rock in his hands and was ready to fling it again when he heard and saw his holy friend answer the challenge. His under handed ways were lost to Auriel. He sighed, the girl was much too honorable for her own good. Still, there was something exhilarating about hearing her firm voice and her resolve. She was used to leading men and facing down devils. Unfortunately, men such as these had no soul and their minds were so corrupted that they were little better than animals. Just like animals, the best thing to do was to beat them into submission. Even a modern fighter such a Fer who was used to the sound of gun fire and bringing death from afar, could appreciate the beauty and grimness that close quarter fighting was. Auriel's movements were sharp and efficient. The bandit was obviously experienced but was no match for a true master of the art like Auriel. It was not until she knocked out the other man and heard her yell that he cursed himself for not taking advantage of the distraction. Once the men started to rush her he threw his next stone. There was not much aim needed as he threw it towards the crowding men. He went for strength this time and put his back in to the throw hoping it would be much more painful when it hit. He moved to the opposite side of the barn. His plan was to eventually be found out and be chased. He would then use the opening to one of the animal holing pens which he had rigged. He hope to incapacitate at least another one with his trap and to pull some numbers from Auriel. This plan would also pull the men away from where Cole would eventually emerge leaving their backs to him. Also, the bandits did not know that they were fighting the Cardinal Heroes which would be extra shock and prove useful as they would not be as wary. Instead, Fer would continue to fling his stones, an angry bandit is a distracted bandit.</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher (Mood Music) Justice Auriel had assumed that the heroes were ready to strike when she called out to them, but the timing was off and their element of surprise went with it. So be it. Auriel held her spear at the ready as she looked to the group of bandits. Still outnumbered until the others could join the fight, she would have to hold her own. Luckily for her, the man in charge decided to preach and justify himself to her instead of taking the opportunity to use their numbers against her. She studied his rusty sword. A slash from it would certainly cause illness, but the rust also meant that the weapon would be brittle and easily broken. She would have to use that to her advantage should their weapons cross with one another. "Don't you know the world is going to end soon!? Its kinda sad you're not running away instead of taking care of some bandits in the ass end of the city limits..." the bandit said. Auriel narrowed her eyes at him, "It's bandits like you who would see the end come sooner, and weaken us as a whole when the waves come. You are a part of the greater problem. And it is my solemn duty to solve that problem. No more talk, criminal! Face your death in battle so that you can be buried with at least an inkling of dignity." Auriel once again seized the initiative, making a move to lunge her spear forward at him.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Little shit get back her-" one of the bandits shouted as they narrowly dodged Fer's attempt to throw a rock at him. "You're a fucking idiot don't charge into a trap! They're trying to split us up focus on the bitch! Stay together that's an order!" the bandit leader growled as he turned to Auriel and pulled out his rather rough looking sword and pointed it towards Auriel as she charged in to attack him the other bandits weren't quick enough to block her. But the leader on the other hand surprisingly stated, "Quick Blade: Riptose!" he called out as he deftly managed to get his blade into a position and smacked Auriel's spear to the side moving into stab her following that he was suddenly stopped by what could've only been Cole as a slash of magical energy cut into the man's armor, and made him bleed along his lower chest. The man coughed up blood and backed up quickly as the other bandits rushed towards Auriel to cover their boss with clubs, and knives. "I'll focus on the big guy! Try, and deal with the guards!" called out as he charged in with his golden blade at the injured man. He managed to get his blade up and blocks Cole's strike but barely stepping back and only managing to stay on the defense due to his serious wound on his stomach. "You think you can beat the sword hero!?" Cole called out trying to sound tougher than he felt as the man kept managing to use quick steps to dodge, and try to move out of Cole's way. "The Sword Hero!? What the hell!? Fine I'll deal with you like any other dreg!"</s>	<\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer threw and missed. He had almost accomplished his goal as he saw a few of them beginning to detach. He seemed like an easy target. A fool throwing rocks where any other man would at least have a club or some sort of wooden spear. Indeed, he was sorely missing his bow or at least his hunting knife. The bandits however, seemed to at least have an experienced leader. He called the rest of the rabble back. Fer grit his teeth into a sardonic smile. The rabid dogs may be dumb but the handler was not. He cursed under his breath. Just as they had seen him an easy prey, weaponless and harmless. They now used that same assumption as a way to identify the real threat. Auriel would be the focus of their attention. Eliminate the danger and deal with the weakling lather huh? Fer thought with bitterness. I'll show you harmless. He carefully jumped the tripping rope that would set off the trap. He headed towards the gathering bodies that would soon engulf his winged companion. How dared they? The feeling of anger was not just at the fact that they would most definitely tear Auriel limb from limb but that they had discounted him as notihg more than an annoying gnat. Fer's anger welling up inside him. The shield at his forearm began to heat up. The green gem started to flicker, a reddish tint starting to form. His mind started to go black. Only one thought seemed fixed in his thoughts. Kill them Kill them His eyes flared as he saw the leader about to strike the holy warrior. He all but growled. Anybody seeing him approaching would have most certainly feel the murdeours aura but more probably they could see his eyes taking on the same reddish tint as his shield. His shield slowly mutated into a round shape that morphed into a V but before more of the shield could be transformed any further a slash or a something hit the attacking bandit. That was enough to snap Fer out of his trance. He shook his head to clear it and then hearing Cole's order he rushed into the nearest bandits. He shield already in the morph setting he shouted. "Morph Shied: Small Kite!" A quickl flash of green light and his shield was now in the shape of a small kite shield which point extended about half a foot from his knuckles. He would swing high with flat of the shield aiming at the head of one of the closest bandits approaching from on of the flanks to Auriel's left. Keeping the same momentum and direction, he would kneel while spinning and with the pointed edge he would aim for a lower part of the leg of the bandit next to his first target hoping to hit a knee or enough of the leg to try knock the other person to the ground. Regardless of how effective his blows were, the moves would land him with him raising his shield to protect any downward blow. He would also be a lower smaller target. He may not be half as lethal as he would be if he had actual weapons but he would be dammed if he would not leave these bandits with something to remember him by.</s>
<\|description\|>Fernando Gutierrez Nicknames:Fer Age:21 Gender:Male Level: 1 Class: Shield Hero Hero Class: Shield Specializations: Survival Training, Languages, Tactical Training, Magic Affinity: Wind Appearance: Tan skinned with Knife cut hair down to his shoulders. He has brown eyes and a curved hawk like nose. He stands 5'7" and weighs about 180 lbs. He has many scars on his body and his clothes are ragged and worn. He has a quiet attitude and talks very little. But when he talks he has a sort of tenor voice that is a bit raspy from lack of use. He unknowingly has a protective spirit and has on many occasions helped a person but he tries very hard to seem indifferent. He has no qualms about getting his hands dirty but only resorts to violence when necessary. Biography: Fer is from a war torn country in the South American Continent in the early 1980s. Living in the harsh rural mountains, made him a hardy young lad. When the guerrillas started abducting children he was unfortunate to have been trapping when his younger brother was taken, his father and mother butchered and his younger sister abducted probably to be sold as a slave. Fer tracked down and joined one of the guerillas. His aim was to find his siblings and exact revenge, on whoever he could, from within. He endured harsh and violent conditions. He learned to use conventional and fabricated weapons. His trapping skills eventually earned him a place as a tracker and forager. All the while his goal was to find his siblings. By luck or providence, he was able to discover that his poor brother had not survived the harsh living conditions of jungle and a boy soldier. It had been many years and he felt that he had failed his siblings, his parents and justice. He was contemplating ending it all when on his way back to camp he heard a cry of despair and pain. He followed the sound and happened upon a very common scene of four or five guys surrounding the poor body of girl from where the sound had emerged. He was about to turn away when one of the young men parted and he saw the dirty and tear streaked face of his sister. Rage and pain clouded his emotions as he deftly loaded his old pump action riffle. Despite the emotional storm going on in his soul, Fer managed to quickly and accurately send two bullets bursting into his intended targets. He did not even stop to assess the damage when a quick reaction from one of the remaining three young men reached for the riffle. Far let the riffle be torn from his grasp but his hand immediately pulled the hunting knife he wore on his waist and plunged it deep under the ribs of the attacker who slumped to the ground after a gasp of surprise. The one that had been assaulting the young girl had succeeded in punting on his pants and stood up just as the other lad managed to close in combat with Fer and knock him to the ground trying to pry the knife from his grasp. Fer reached up with his other hand pulled the lad's hair towards his face and bit hard into his neck until he felt the metal taste of blood. A yell of pain from the wounded neck which was spurting in a rhythmic fashion. Before he could get to his feet he felt a sharp pain on the left side of his head. He fell to the side trying to fight off confusion and a nausea. Before he could recover he felt the weight of a sweaty body on his and rancid breath near his nose as the last attacker fell onto him striking with his hands. Adrenalin and desperation made both defender and attacker inaccurate in their scuffle. Somehow, the attacker's hand happened upon the hunter knife that had been dropped. He raised the knife and brought it down upon the raised arm of Fer who had appempted to protect himself. The blade plunged deep into the left forearm and scrapped bone protruding from the other side. The lad used his weight and pushed down forcing the blade slowly down. It was a life and death struggle. The blade was dangerously close to Fer's neck when a shot rang out. While the weight remained on him, it was dead limp weight. Blood started to drip from a hole on the side of the face of the attacker and Fer pushed the dead body off him, the effort causing him to almost pass out from the pain in his left forearm. A crying girl rushed to his side. "FER!" the girl said between sobs. Fer propped himself on his knees, the Adrenalin slowly leaving his body and giving way to pain and nausea. He still managed to hug the young girl and say her name through bloodied and busted lips. "Rosa, please forgive me!" He added his sobs to hers as they held each other surrounded by a grim collection of bodies darkening the earth and pooling blood. Five days later found Fer and Rosa in a rural train station headed towards town. They wanted to leave so much grief and pain behind. Perhaps even one day make it to America. They had somehow made it down the mountain to a village where they had found good people who patched up Fer and helped them find a ride to the rural town. They bought passage with the selling of the equipment and cash found on the dead bodies of the assailants. It seemed like their bloody past was behind them. There had been no signs of pursuit and nobody would even know who was missing or who had attacked with so many rival guerrillas in the area. While they waited, Fer's gaze fell on the odd and eclectic offerings of a merchant. It was a worn book. Fer smiled, his younger brother had loved books. He had been the smart one in the family. Fer knew how to read of course but had not envisioned a life outside farming the land like his father. He knelled and for 5 pesos bought the book. He was on his way back to Rosa and the approaching train. In an instant, there was a bright flash of light which all but blinded the young man. When his vision returned and the spots dissipated, he was standing in a stone walled room. --- Preferred Weapon(s): Shield, (proficient in fire arms , bows and knives) Appearance of Weapon: Dependent on the ability being used but at rest it looks more like a solid metal bracer with a jewel on the center of it. Abilities of Weapon: (if applicable) Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: morphs shield into any of the shields shown above. The shields have no particular ability they are just metal shields in that shape. Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: equip bonus: defense 2 Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: Air Burst- Able to create a strong burst of air that impacts the target in a 12 inch ball. Diameter of ball increases with the user level. Burst Shield- forms a air generated shield (similar to the one in the manga) and helps minimize damage from attacks. The number of layers or shields are depended on user level.</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer threw and missed. He had almost accomplished his goal as he saw a few of them beginning to detach. He seemed like an easy target. A fool throwing rocks where any other man would at least have a club or some sort of wooden spear. Indeed, he was sorely missing his bow or at least his hunting knife. The bandits however, seemed to at least have an experienced leader. He called the rest of the rabble back. Fer grit his teeth into a sardonic smile. The rabid dogs may be dumb but the handler was not. He cursed under his breath. Just as they had seen him an easy prey, weaponless and harmless. They now used that same assumption as a way to identify the real threat. Auriel would be the focus of their attention. Eliminate the danger and deal with the weakling lather huh? Fer thought with bitterness. I'll show you harmless. He carefully jumped the tripping rope that would set off the trap. He headed towards the gathering bodies that would soon engulf his winged companion. How dared they? The feeling of anger was not just at the fact that they would most definitely tear Auriel limb from limb but that they had discounted him as notihg more than an annoying gnat. Fer's anger welling up inside him. The shield at his forearm began to heat up. The green gem started to flicker, a reddish tint starting to form. His mind started to go black. Only one thought seemed fixed in his thoughts. Kill them Kill them His eyes flared as he saw the leader about to strike the holy warrior. He all but growled. Anybody seeing him approaching would have most certainly feel the murdeours aura but more probably they could see his eyes taking on the same reddish tint as his shield. His shield slowly mutated into a round shape that morphed into a V but before more of the shield could be transformed any further a slash or a something hit the attacking bandit. That was enough to snap Fer out of his trance. He shook his head to clear it and then hearing Cole's order he rushed into the nearest bandits. He shield already in the morph setting he shouted. "Morph Shied: Small Kite!" A quickl flash of green light and his shield was now in the shape of a small kite shield which point extended about half a foot from his knuckles. He would swing high with flat of the shield aiming at the head of one of the closest bandits approaching from on of the flanks to Auriel's left. Keeping the same momentum and direction, he would kneel while spinning and with the pointed edge he would aim for a lower part of the leg of the bandit next to his first target hoping to hit a knee or enough of the leg to try knock the other person to the ground. Regardless of how effective his blows were, the moves would land him with him raising his shield to protect any downward blow. He would also be a lower smaller target. He may not be half as lethal as he would be if he had actual weapons but he would be dammed if he would not leave these bandits with something to remember him by.</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher Rust (Mood Music) Auriel clenched her jaw when the bandit leader kept them organized. Their simple plan of dividing and conquer didn't work, and now Auriel was outnumbered. If the man in charge of this group was so keen, it made Auriel wonder about the true leader's cunning. Was Rayla Winters perhaps too big to chew for the budding heroes? Auriel smacked one of the bandits away, a simple strike to divert his momentum while she focused on the real threat. The group leader. She went for a strike but was surprised to see the tip of her spear get deflected to the side. She gasped when he went for the riposte. She was wide open. Auriel heard a clang, and saw Cole's blade intercept the leader's. She breathed easy for a moment, and felt a rush of adrenaline surge through her body. Of course, Auriel hadn't been in a proper fight since the battle against the horde. She had gotten rusty, and allowed for her confidence to overwhelm the reality that her keen edge wasn't as sharp as before. Auriel glanced left and saw that other bandit she had tripped up making another move on her. She brought her spear to face him. Then Fer appeared and struck him with the pointed end of his shield. She looked him over, and saw something different about him. Was it anger? There wasn't any time to think on it, she nodded her appreciation for the assist and turned to face an as of yet unchallenged bandit. She could see both of the heroes out of her peripherals on either side of her. Something welled up inside of her, a feeling of belonging. This was where warriors bonded, on the field of battle. There was a connection to be made when lives were at stake. Auriel felt it. "Let's finish this quickly." Auriel said to the heroes. Auriel clutched her spear tight, and felt ready to reclaim her talent with the spear.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith The blow to the side of the head sent one of the bandit falling to the ground a bit dazed unexpecting the swift retaliation from the shield hero expecting him to play defense rather than offense. It was doubtful he was down for the count but he was out of it for a few moments. The next bandit was smacked rather hard by Ferr's attack making him shout but he quickly managed to get back up unlike the previous bandit. "The boss hits us harder!" the bandit shouted as he moved forward to swing his axe at Ferr's head. The other bandits seemingly diverted their attention from Auriel to try and pick off the weaker shield hero as they from Ferr's right came charging at him with their weapons raised high. When Auriel intercepted one of them they got in her face while their shortsword held firmly in their hand as the slashed at her violently. "Dead men tell no tales but tell me angel!? Do the gods do the same!?" Cole for his part had managed to rather deftly deal with the bandit leader his blade crossing the enemy's but neither gaining a true upper hand. As their blades met, and parried, and overall tried to gain the upper hand Cole began to get more confident. However as Cole saw an opening his mind flared "NOW!" Cole stabbed forward and..."Quick Blade: Riposte!" the bandit leader called out as he used the same skill as before to parry Cole aside sending him on his backfoot he desperately began to block. Losing some of that just newly found confidence Cole held his blade close like Marcino instructed blocking practically and not fancily. "I'm not going to let you win!" Cole shouted wondering why his blade hadn't quite allowed him to overwhelm this guy!? He was wielding a legendary artifact wasn't he!?</s>	<\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer saved his breath instead of trying to answer the obvious taunt sent by the guy who had managed to be lucky enough to just miss his knee being cracked by the point of the small kite shield. Expecting a downward strike Fer presented the shield to the attacking axe. He reached up to grab the man by the fore arm and planting his feet, he rose forcefully using his right shoulder as a pivot point, he used his enhanced strength to throw the man to the ground. The motion of the man's body sailing through the air would break up the small crowd that was gathering around Auriel and him. If he was successful, Fer would follow up with a downward blow with the edge of his shield against the man's wind pipe. If his throw as not successful, he would attempt to at least unbalance the man and with a side ways kick disrupt him further hopefully knowing the bandit to the ground. He would then move to Auriel's back and block any sort of attack that would come from that side. He would call back to her without loosing sight of the attacking me. "Lady, may I have this dance? I block you strike?" the plan again was simple, he had performed the same technique with Cole. He would bock the attack and spin to let the winged warrior's spear take advantage of the opening and strike. The constant motion would glint off any strikes and would prevent the attacking group from overwhelming them. The young Shield Hero felt a surge of energy and a feeling that could only be describe as happy. He had fought many battles before and while he had care for the lives of the people with him, he had never felt any closeness to them. Yet here, today, he wanted nothing more than to protect Auriel and Cole and at the same time be of use to them to achieve victory. He held his shield ready and as if to embody what he was feeling, the green gem flashed warningly towards any would be attackers. He half smiled/half snarled at the bandits. "Step right up gentlemen, I think my friend here has something for you." Then in a joking manner that seemed to be an outlet for how dire the situation was yelled out. "Cole, when you are done playing we could use your help in taking out your share of the trash"</s>
<\|description\|>Fernando Gutierrez Nicknames:Fer Age:21 Gender:Male Level: 1 Class: Shield Hero Hero Class: Shield Specializations: Survival Training, Languages, Tactical Training, Magic Affinity: Wind Appearance: Tan skinned with Knife cut hair down to his shoulders. He has brown eyes and a curved hawk like nose. He stands 5'7" and weighs about 180 lbs. He has many scars on his body and his clothes are ragged and worn. He has a quiet attitude and talks very little. But when he talks he has a sort of tenor voice that is a bit raspy from lack of use. He unknowingly has a protective spirit and has on many occasions helped a person but he tries very hard to seem indifferent. He has no qualms about getting his hands dirty but only resorts to violence when necessary. Biography: Fer is from a war torn country in the South American Continent in the early 1980s. Living in the harsh rural mountains, made him a hardy young lad. When the guerrillas started abducting children he was unfortunate to have been trapping when his younger brother was taken, his father and mother butchered and his younger sister abducted probably to be sold as a slave. Fer tracked down and joined one of the guerillas. His aim was to find his siblings and exact revenge, on whoever he could, from within. He endured harsh and violent conditions. He learned to use conventional and fabricated weapons. His trapping skills eventually earned him a place as a tracker and forager. All the while his goal was to find his siblings. By luck or providence, he was able to discover that his poor brother had not survived the harsh living conditions of jungle and a boy soldier. It had been many years and he felt that he had failed his siblings, his parents and justice. He was contemplating ending it all when on his way back to camp he heard a cry of despair and pain. He followed the sound and happened upon a very common scene of four or five guys surrounding the poor body of girl from where the sound had emerged. He was about to turn away when one of the young men parted and he saw the dirty and tear streaked face of his sister. Rage and pain clouded his emotions as he deftly loaded his old pump action riffle. Despite the emotional storm going on in his soul, Fer managed to quickly and accurately send two bullets bursting into his intended targets. He did not even stop to assess the damage when a quick reaction from one of the remaining three young men reached for the riffle. Far let the riffle be torn from his grasp but his hand immediately pulled the hunting knife he wore on his waist and plunged it deep under the ribs of the attacker who slumped to the ground after a gasp of surprise. The one that had been assaulting the young girl had succeeded in punting on his pants and stood up just as the other lad managed to close in combat with Fer and knock him to the ground trying to pry the knife from his grasp. Fer reached up with his other hand pulled the lad's hair towards his face and bit hard into his neck until he felt the metal taste of blood. A yell of pain from the wounded neck which was spurting in a rhythmic fashion. Before he could get to his feet he felt a sharp pain on the left side of his head. He fell to the side trying to fight off confusion and a nausea. Before he could recover he felt the weight of a sweaty body on his and rancid breath near his nose as the last attacker fell onto him striking with his hands. Adrenalin and desperation made both defender and attacker inaccurate in their scuffle. Somehow, the attacker's hand happened upon the hunter knife that had been dropped. He raised the knife and brought it down upon the raised arm of Fer who had appempted to protect himself. The blade plunged deep into the left forearm and scrapped bone protruding from the other side. The lad used his weight and pushed down forcing the blade slowly down. It was a life and death struggle. The blade was dangerously close to Fer's neck when a shot rang out. While the weight remained on him, it was dead limp weight. Blood started to drip from a hole on the side of the face of the attacker and Fer pushed the dead body off him, the effort causing him to almost pass out from the pain in his left forearm. A crying girl rushed to his side. "FER!" the girl said between sobs. Fer propped himself on his knees, the Adrenalin slowly leaving his body and giving way to pain and nausea. He still managed to hug the young girl and say her name through bloodied and busted lips. "Rosa, please forgive me!" He added his sobs to hers as they held each other surrounded by a grim collection of bodies darkening the earth and pooling blood. Five days later found Fer and Rosa in a rural train station headed towards town. They wanted to leave so much grief and pain behind. Perhaps even one day make it to America. They had somehow made it down the mountain to a village where they had found good people who patched up Fer and helped them find a ride to the rural town. They bought passage with the selling of the equipment and cash found on the dead bodies of the assailants. It seemed like their bloody past was behind them. There had been no signs of pursuit and nobody would even know who was missing or who had attacked with so many rival guerrillas in the area. While they waited, Fer's gaze fell on the odd and eclectic offerings of a merchant. It was a worn book. Fer smiled, his younger brother had loved books. He had been the smart one in the family. Fer knew how to read of course but had not envisioned a life outside farming the land like his father. He knelled and for 5 pesos bought the book. He was on his way back to Rosa and the approaching train. In an instant, there was a bright flash of light which all but blinded the young man. When his vision returned and the spots dissipated, he was standing in a stone walled room. --- Preferred Weapon(s): Shield, (proficient in fire arms , bows and knives) Appearance of Weapon: Dependent on the ability being used but at rest it looks more like a solid metal bracer with a jewel on the center of it. Abilities of Weapon: (if applicable) Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: morphs shield into any of the shields shown above. The shields have no particular ability they are just metal shields in that shape. Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: equip bonus: defense 2 Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: Air Burst- Able to create a strong burst of air that impacts the target in a 12 inch ball. Diameter of ball increases with the user level. Burst Shield- forms a air generated shield (similar to the one in the manga) and helps minimize damage from attacks. The number of layers or shields are depended on user level.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "He's probably at the Inn drinking about this time of day. He said he'd be there if we had any questions after all So miss whe-...well I guess its about time we got batman'd..." Cole commented dully as he looked towards the woman who vanished without a further trace. Cole looked to Fer and took a deep breath. "We should be wary of what the king is doing but I think if we make him our enemy mentally it won't do us any good. Whatever reason the reason I personally seem to think its got something to do with the assassination of his sisters. I've heard a lot of comments in the tavern about how a man could possibly run this country. He could just be worried in this world that people may try to take advantage of us, maybe kill us. We still got a lot to learn Fer." Cole says a bit tiredly as he pulled out his sword and flourishes it a bit clumsily in his hand. "We the heroes meant to save the world but we don't know even where to start...the more I think about it the more I wonder if this was a mistake. But even if it was this was the hand we're dealt and we need to hold onto it. People look to the four heroes to save them and we will. Have my back and I'll cut down the enemies in front of us Fer." Cole says calmly as he puts his blade away and starts to head towards the exit to the alley. "Let's move we can talk on the way there..." Cole comments as he leads them towards the inn they usually stayed at. ...Surely enough by the time they arrived they were quick to look around and notice Marcino over in his usual corner...however he wasn't drinking which Cole found particularly unusual. As Cole approached him he looked fairly serious and his face muddled with a bit of annoyance. "What's up boss?" Cole asked as the man spit on the floor. "The bow hero is a bitch after my own heart but god damn does she piss me off." grumbles the older mercenary as he takes a deep breath. "Why you here?" he asks simply as Cole takes a deep breath and nods, "We need your help in fighting Rayla Winters of your home country." Cole asks him as he raises an eyebrow. "Winters? That two bit washed up gladiator ain't worth looking at let alone fighting. Shouldn't you two be doing your job as 'legendary heroes' instead of asking this old man to go and clean the swamp for ya?"</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith As Auriel arrived in the massive sprawling library in the cathedral many of the clerics, bishops, and other magisters were busy at work studying preparing for the wave coming in less than two weeks time now. Many men, women, and even some children prodigies seemed to be hard at work trying to find ways of helping the nation survive the incoming disaster that would be the waves. A young man clad in his brownish robes approached Auriel who she would likely know as Hans Copper, the mage who helped summon all four heroes in the first place. As Hans approached he gave Auriel a big smile and nodded at her as he adjusted his glasses. "Miss Auriel was it? The one who volunteered to help the heroes? Well met. I hope that everything had gone well since then! Personally speaking I wish you all the best of luck." Hans states with a smile as the mousely looking young man adjusts his glasses.</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher The Library (Mood Music) Auriel stepped into the great library of the cathedral. She had spent many days studying and toiling away at her lessons, and perhaps a few of her own juvenile curiosities, as she grew up. She looked around, appreciating the sight of the tall stacks neatly running the length of the library. The familiar sounds of turning pages and the occasional clearing of a throat or a cough over the silence embedded an innate desire to be silent. It was so peaceful. Who would want to disturb it? When the young man approached Auriel and bowed, she smiled and bowed back to him. "Greetings. Though I wouldn't say I volunteered exactly." she chuckled and gestured to her white wings, "Destiny made manifest, rather." She expressed her appreciation for his support of their efforts with a smile and a kind nod. Her golden eyes turned back to the stacks of books as she slowly stepped beside him. "I am looking for some books, particularly on the exploits of past cardinal heroes and the powers they wielded. Perhaps personal records of past heroes?" She glanced back at Hans, wondering if he would be able to help her find such articles and entries.</s>	<\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer agreed with Cole. The veteran adventurer seemed to spend all his ti me at the Inn. One might even say that there was more beer flowing through his veins than blood. This could be due to him loosing so much in his fights on the Arena as a gladiator. Some could also say that having seen so much death, much of which was caused by his own hands, could lead a man to drink. Being disconnected from the world could be a coping mechanism. The young hero had seen much of that in the camps in his own world. Too many men would seek the solace of alcohol to escape the horrors of war. Fer himself had contemplated it but his goal of rescuing his brother and sister, Maria gave meaning to his killing. Now, he was thrown into a world that required him to kill. Ironically, it had also given him a tool that was almost incapable of doing so. Perhaps it was for the best. He unconsciously rubbed his bracer. The stone felt warm to the touch as if it fed off his emotions. A smirk appeared on his face. He looked up suddenly noticing Cole's surprise in his voice. He looked around to verify that the masked woman had indeed vanished. The shield Hero's eyes narrowed. These…shadows seemed to be anywhere and keeping an eye on them. A dark thought crossed his mind. Had they been watching when the trio took on the bandits? If so, would they have come to their aid should the heroes needed them to? Or would they just make sure to retrieve the holy weapons and summon some others? Fer had known that he was not the first user of the Shield. He wondered if the report he had received regarding the man who had gone on his own and gotten killed was true or if it had been fabricated. It was true that the King was in perilous position. Auriel had explained how Malromarc was a Matriarchy. The fact that a man now held the throne probably has the king in a very perilous position. The young hero was no stranger to the politics of power. He had seen many shake with one hand while holding a knife with the other. He had been a fool to think that this world was any different. This was not a story like the ones his younger brother used to read with knights and dragons. There was no black and white. There was no clear heroes or villans. Cole was right, there was much for them to know. What they did not know COULD hurt them. The pair walked together. He noticed many give Cole warm smiles and then either ignore him completely or give him a suspicious and cautious nod. Fer wondered why there was such animosity towards the shield. What would have happened in the past? He needed to not only trust in Auriel to give him data. He would have to dig for it himself. He turned to Cole. "I have said this, and I will say it again. As long as I draw breath. I shall be your shield. I will follow you. We are a team but judging on the looks and what the two emissaries have said, you being the face of the team is probably for the best." When they finally arrived at Marcino's usual haunt the pair entered. The place was a loud and chaotic as normal. Apparently in this world it was not unusual to be drinking even so early in the day. Marcino greeted them with his usual rough manner. Apparently the bow had some interaction with him. Was this directed by the throne or was the bow hero trying to recruit him too? Either case did not bode well for the small trio. Fer pursed his lips when Marcino all but refused their request. He could understand why the older man did not want to go with them. Many had hinted that the prey was nowhere near Marcino's level. The only way to tempt such a man was by offering money. However, that could backfire if the mercenary raised the price so high that they could not pay him. Fer should have waited for Cole to finish but he could not help it. He raised his voice in a calm and assertive tone. "You are right. This job was given to us. Yet, there is more than one way to skin a cat. We are not asking you to skin it for us. We just need a safety net. No true warrior goes into battle without a back up plan. Only a fool confuses bravery with recklessness. I am sure we have much to learn from you. So we ask only that you assist us." He looked sideways at Cole to see if he would object then continued. "Of course, you would be compensated. What would be your price?"</s>
<\|description\|>Fernando Gutierrez Nicknames:Fer Age:21 Gender:Male Level: 1 Class: Shield Hero Hero Class: Shield Specializations: Survival Training, Languages, Tactical Training, Magic Affinity: Wind Appearance: Tan skinned with Knife cut hair down to his shoulders. He has brown eyes and a curved hawk like nose. He stands 5'7" and weighs about 180 lbs. He has many scars on his body and his clothes are ragged and worn. He has a quiet attitude and talks very little. But when he talks he has a sort of tenor voice that is a bit raspy from lack of use. He unknowingly has a protective spirit and has on many occasions helped a person but he tries very hard to seem indifferent. He has no qualms about getting his hands dirty but only resorts to violence when necessary. Biography: Fer is from a war torn country in the South American Continent in the early 1980s. Living in the harsh rural mountains, made him a hardy young lad. When the guerrillas started abducting children he was unfortunate to have been trapping when his younger brother was taken, his father and mother butchered and his younger sister abducted probably to be sold as a slave. Fer tracked down and joined one of the guerillas. His aim was to find his siblings and exact revenge, on whoever he could, from within. He endured harsh and violent conditions. He learned to use conventional and fabricated weapons. His trapping skills eventually earned him a place as a tracker and forager. All the while his goal was to find his siblings. By luck or providence, he was able to discover that his poor brother had not survived the harsh living conditions of jungle and a boy soldier. It had been many years and he felt that he had failed his siblings, his parents and justice. He was contemplating ending it all when on his way back to camp he heard a cry of despair and pain. He followed the sound and happened upon a very common scene of four or five guys surrounding the poor body of girl from where the sound had emerged. He was about to turn away when one of the young men parted and he saw the dirty and tear streaked face of his sister. Rage and pain clouded his emotions as he deftly loaded his old pump action riffle. Despite the emotional storm going on in his soul, Fer managed to quickly and accurately send two bullets bursting into his intended targets. He did not even stop to assess the damage when a quick reaction from one of the remaining three young men reached for the riffle. Far let the riffle be torn from his grasp but his hand immediately pulled the hunting knife he wore on his waist and plunged it deep under the ribs of the attacker who slumped to the ground after a gasp of surprise. The one that had been assaulting the young girl had succeeded in punting on his pants and stood up just as the other lad managed to close in combat with Fer and knock him to the ground trying to pry the knife from his grasp. Fer reached up with his other hand pulled the lad's hair towards his face and bit hard into his neck until he felt the metal taste of blood. A yell of pain from the wounded neck which was spurting in a rhythmic fashion. Before he could get to his feet he felt a sharp pain on the left side of his head. He fell to the side trying to fight off confusion and a nausea. Before he could recover he felt the weight of a sweaty body on his and rancid breath near his nose as the last attacker fell onto him striking with his hands. Adrenalin and desperation made both defender and attacker inaccurate in their scuffle. Somehow, the attacker's hand happened upon the hunter knife that had been dropped. He raised the knife and brought it down upon the raised arm of Fer who had appempted to protect himself. The blade plunged deep into the left forearm and scrapped bone protruding from the other side. The lad used his weight and pushed down forcing the blade slowly down. It was a life and death struggle. The blade was dangerously close to Fer's neck when a shot rang out. While the weight remained on him, it was dead limp weight. Blood started to drip from a hole on the side of the face of the attacker and Fer pushed the dead body off him, the effort causing him to almost pass out from the pain in his left forearm. A crying girl rushed to his side. "FER!" the girl said between sobs. Fer propped himself on his knees, the Adrenalin slowly leaving his body and giving way to pain and nausea. He still managed to hug the young girl and say her name through bloodied and busted lips. "Rosa, please forgive me!" He added his sobs to hers as they held each other surrounded by a grim collection of bodies darkening the earth and pooling blood. Five days later found Fer and Rosa in a rural train station headed towards town. They wanted to leave so much grief and pain behind. Perhaps even one day make it to America. They had somehow made it down the mountain to a village where they had found good people who patched up Fer and helped them find a ride to the rural town. They bought passage with the selling of the equipment and cash found on the dead bodies of the assailants. It seemed like their bloody past was behind them. There had been no signs of pursuit and nobody would even know who was missing or who had attacked with so many rival guerrillas in the area. While they waited, Fer's gaze fell on the odd and eclectic offerings of a merchant. It was a worn book. Fer smiled, his younger brother had loved books. He had been the smart one in the family. Fer knew how to read of course but had not envisioned a life outside farming the land like his father. He knelled and for 5 pesos bought the book. He was on his way back to Rosa and the approaching train. In an instant, there was a bright flash of light which all but blinded the young man. When his vision returned and the spots dissipated, he was standing in a stone walled room. --- Preferred Weapon(s): Shield, (proficient in fire arms , bows and knives) Appearance of Weapon: Dependent on the ability being used but at rest it looks more like a solid metal bracer with a jewel on the center of it. Abilities of Weapon: (if applicable) Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: morphs shield into any of the shields shown above. The shields have no particular ability they are just metal shields in that shape. Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: equip bonus: defense 2 Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: Air Burst- Able to create a strong burst of air that impacts the target in a 12 inch ball. Diameter of ball increases with the user level. Burst Shield- forms a air generated shield (similar to the one in the manga) and helps minimize damage from attacks. The number of layers or shields are depended on user level.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Ah yes Records of Past Heroes? The former shields, swords, bows, and spears? Well I must say we don't have a VAST amount on them as King's great great great Grandmother did have the records classified for the sake of making sure they were safe but we have some stuff. The names of those who travelled with the heroes, the people who they defeated, and the records of their specific calamities though I must warn you even I, the summoner, of our new friends am currently not so sure how much is accurate." commented Hans as he looks around and then leans into whisper. "I feel that some here of specific...political, and factional disputes may have embellished some of it personally. I only say this to you for the simple fact you're with the heroes. Are you sure you wish to proceed knowing that?" comments Hans quickly as he pulls back looking around to hope no one saw him. He adjusts his glasses, and robes looking nervous as he looks at Auriel sweating slightly. "Aside from the obvious we all know the legends we were raised, and born on. The Spear Hero Shani who slew a kraken to save a port town, The Sword Hero who put down a war using only the power of her voice to calm the generals during a meeting, and the Bow Hero who split an entire mountain using one almighty shot down from the top of it. But who knows if those are true, and if they are I have high hopes for them." === "You're not my lackey Fer, you're my teammate. I'm not looking for followers more so people who will help me. And I think you know that too but its worth saying regardless." Cole returns to Fer as he looks directly at him his eyes firm, and unyielding as he nods then turns to Marcino who rubs his chin while he thinks about his reply. The grizzled veteran considers all of the things that could go wrong, and may very well go wrong, and eventually he takes a short breath as he looks at Fer intently. "Escort job huh? And I guess I suppose I should thank one of those sneaky bitches that's been keeping an eye on us when I took you out to the field for target practice. King's little entourage does a lot for him you know. Not like back in Zeltoble. The Phoenix Born Hero doesn't let his crew go around doing whatever without his knowing. Then again...maybe that's for the best since the kid's got a lot on his plate. Don't envy the man that's for sure." comments Marcino as he takes a long swig of his beer. "Phoenix Born Hero?" Cole asks as the man shook his head and looks at him. "No, he's not one of you. He may as well be though...he's well...I suppose I shouldn't tell ya. Would be rude to not let that old shit not surprise ya." Marcino says crudely as he gives them a wide smile. "Anyway as long as the king foots the bill for me helping you stay alive I'll take the job. I'll even do it at a discount this once because I know its probably about Winters right? Heard a guard complaining about her a week ago before you both arrived. Consider it on the house for having one of my 'own' causing troubles. So you know when you're heading out?" Marcino asks as Cole stopped to wonder if there was more to this then Marcino let on. "I'm ready to head out at any time really but Auriel went off to somewhere...I don't remember I was hardly paying attention to her given the circumstances...and how did you know abo-" Cole started before Marcino shook his head. "No this ain't the place to be talking more than necessary about those people you get me?"</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer's eyes narrowed. Apparently the emissaries were keeping eyes on more than just the heroes. He wondered what sort of play was going behind closed doors. He already felt uncomfortable knowing that he may be indirectly be used as a tool to further someone's cause. Often, if the tools is kept in the dark then the person using the tool was not of honorable persuasion. The mention of the Zeltoblian hero spiked his interest. If there was a personage important or powerful enough to be placed in the same category as them, he felt he should know more about them. He filed the reference to ask Auriel. He figured he could ask Marcino but the man had quickly changed the subject. This spiked the young hero's interest even more. Was there a man that the gruff veteran actually looked up to? Fer nodded as Marcino surprised them by taking the job free of charge. The hero had resigned himself to pay what was necessary. After all, amasing fortune would be useless if his ultimate goal was to return to his own world at the end of the waves or his time here. When Cole mentioned he did not know where their angel winged companion had gone Fer offered as a way of explanation. "She went to the Cathedral and library to check on the Dragon Glass and try to find some information about the old powers or skills of the old heroes." The young man shrugged. "I had asked her to see if she could dig up some information. I want to be of better use. However, so far, I have only been able to morph my shield and gained a small orange one from feeding my gem those balloon monsters we fought the other day." He seconded Cole's mention of being ready. "If we can pick up Auriel on the way, I am ready to go too."</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Well before we do...I have a question for you Fer. Do you think the other two heroes will be a problem for us? Not on this misison I mean in the future. The Spear Hero is a big unknown, and The Bow Hero is a loud mouth vulgar biker chick. I don't think we'll have much luck when it comes to teamwork BUT we need them. That's the big problem we need to form a cohesive team because otherwise we'll be split, and easily picked off once the waves come. We had some trouble with the bandits but given two weeks of prep we can easily manage to overwhelm the basic bad enemies that we'll fight. But the big ones? I don't think I can stop those alone." Cole states as he looks across to Fer his eyes fixed firmly on him as he grips the table a bit tightly. Cole wasn't sure what his comrade thought on the matter. Given the chance Cole would prefer the heroes joined together to save the world but...would that even be a possibility or were they called her to be doomed?</s>	<\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer considered the question posed to him. He had very little interaction with the spear who had left almost as quickly as he himself had appeared in this world. There seemed to be no animosity or bad blood in the departure. Indeed, the Spear had seemed level headed and even was able to pull an entourage with him which meant that at least some people of this world found him trustworthy. He knew even less of the bow hero beside the comments of both Cole and Marcino. What he heard however, did not leave a good impression. As far as warriors went, apparently, she was very good. It was in the interaction between people that she seemed to be lacking. Fer was never one for sensibilities despite his usually calm and helpful attitude. His friend was right, teamwork for the sake of survival, not just their own but of the world, would be critical. In truth, Fer had forgotten at times that two other heroes existed except for the time that Auriel or Cole mentioned them. He had enjoyed their small group's dynamic. But his childish desires were trumped by cold hard real-world needs. He sighed as he prepared to respond to Cole. His voice had a resigned tone that told of the unwillingness to do what his words said but his conviction to do it for the greater good. "IF there is a way to speak to them and IF we manage to get them to work with us in a sort of loose alliance. Our survival chances will increase. We do need more fire power Cole and just you and Auriel in the vanguard may not be enough." He paused for a second collecting his thoughts. If the bow was indeed such a jerk then her addition to the party might do more harm than good. But from what he had heard, the waves were named thus because they came in predictable and timed patterns. Perhaps there was a way to work with them during the waves and allow for the freedom of everyone following their own paths while in the lull between the waves. "It would be great to have us work together in perfect synchrony but I don think that is possible. So, if we can at least fight in a loosely based plan with certain teams doing certain tasks then we should be able to fight effectively. It would take too much cooperation to fight efficiently but we can at least cover each other's backs. I hope we can at least trust them enough for that." He looked at his fellow hero. "Do you think that you are charming enough to win them over to our side?" His tone was playful. "Or do you know them enough to perhaps offer some sort of deal or incentive?" Fer shrugged. "The least we can do is try and talk to them. If nothing comes of it, then we go back to being separate cells and hope that we survive."</s>
<\|description\|>Fernando Gutierrez Nicknames:Fer Age:21 Gender:Male Level: 1 Class: Shield Hero Hero Class: Shield Specializations: Survival Training, Languages, Tactical Training, Magic Affinity: Wind Appearance: Tan skinned with Knife cut hair down to his shoulders. He has brown eyes and a curved hawk like nose. He stands 5'7" and weighs about 180 lbs. He has many scars on his body and his clothes are ragged and worn. He has a quiet attitude and talks very little. But when he talks he has a sort of tenor voice that is a bit raspy from lack of use. He unknowingly has a protective spirit and has on many occasions helped a person but he tries very hard to seem indifferent. He has no qualms about getting his hands dirty but only resorts to violence when necessary. Biography: Fer is from a war torn country in the South American Continent in the early 1980s. Living in the harsh rural mountains, made him a hardy young lad. When the guerrillas started abducting children he was unfortunate to have been trapping when his younger brother was taken, his father and mother butchered and his younger sister abducted probably to be sold as a slave. Fer tracked down and joined one of the guerillas. His aim was to find his siblings and exact revenge, on whoever he could, from within. He endured harsh and violent conditions. He learned to use conventional and fabricated weapons. His trapping skills eventually earned him a place as a tracker and forager. All the while his goal was to find his siblings. By luck or providence, he was able to discover that his poor brother had not survived the harsh living conditions of jungle and a boy soldier. It had been many years and he felt that he had failed his siblings, his parents and justice. He was contemplating ending it all when on his way back to camp he heard a cry of despair and pain. He followed the sound and happened upon a very common scene of four or five guys surrounding the poor body of girl from where the sound had emerged. He was about to turn away when one of the young men parted and he saw the dirty and tear streaked face of his sister. Rage and pain clouded his emotions as he deftly loaded his old pump action riffle. Despite the emotional storm going on in his soul, Fer managed to quickly and accurately send two bullets bursting into his intended targets. He did not even stop to assess the damage when a quick reaction from one of the remaining three young men reached for the riffle. Far let the riffle be torn from his grasp but his hand immediately pulled the hunting knife he wore on his waist and plunged it deep under the ribs of the attacker who slumped to the ground after a gasp of surprise. The one that had been assaulting the young girl had succeeded in punting on his pants and stood up just as the other lad managed to close in combat with Fer and knock him to the ground trying to pry the knife from his grasp. Fer reached up with his other hand pulled the lad's hair towards his face and bit hard into his neck until he felt the metal taste of blood. A yell of pain from the wounded neck which was spurting in a rhythmic fashion. Before he could get to his feet he felt a sharp pain on the left side of his head. He fell to the side trying to fight off confusion and a nausea. Before he could recover he felt the weight of a sweaty body on his and rancid breath near his nose as the last attacker fell onto him striking with his hands. Adrenalin and desperation made both defender and attacker inaccurate in their scuffle. Somehow, the attacker's hand happened upon the hunter knife that had been dropped. He raised the knife and brought it down upon the raised arm of Fer who had appempted to protect himself. The blade plunged deep into the left forearm and scrapped bone protruding from the other side. The lad used his weight and pushed down forcing the blade slowly down. It was a life and death struggle. The blade was dangerously close to Fer's neck when a shot rang out. While the weight remained on him, it was dead limp weight. Blood started to drip from a hole on the side of the face of the attacker and Fer pushed the dead body off him, the effort causing him to almost pass out from the pain in his left forearm. A crying girl rushed to his side. "FER!" the girl said between sobs. Fer propped himself on his knees, the Adrenalin slowly leaving his body and giving way to pain and nausea. He still managed to hug the young girl and say her name through bloodied and busted lips. "Rosa, please forgive me!" He added his sobs to hers as they held each other surrounded by a grim collection of bodies darkening the earth and pooling blood. Five days later found Fer and Rosa in a rural train station headed towards town. They wanted to leave so much grief and pain behind. Perhaps even one day make it to America. They had somehow made it down the mountain to a village where they had found good people who patched up Fer and helped them find a ride to the rural town. They bought passage with the selling of the equipment and cash found on the dead bodies of the assailants. It seemed like their bloody past was behind them. There had been no signs of pursuit and nobody would even know who was missing or who had attacked with so many rival guerrillas in the area. While they waited, Fer's gaze fell on the odd and eclectic offerings of a merchant. It was a worn book. Fer smiled, his younger brother had loved books. He had been the smart one in the family. Fer knew how to read of course but had not envisioned a life outside farming the land like his father. He knelled and for 5 pesos bought the book. He was on his way back to Rosa and the approaching train. In an instant, there was a bright flash of light which all but blinded the young man. When his vision returned and the spots dissipated, he was standing in a stone walled room. --- Preferred Weapon(s): Shield, (proficient in fire arms , bows and knives) Appearance of Weapon: Dependent on the ability being used but at rest it looks more like a solid metal bracer with a jewel on the center of it. Abilities of Weapon: (if applicable) Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: morphs shield into any of the shields shown above. The shields have no particular ability they are just metal shields in that shape. Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: equip bonus: defense 2 Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: Air Burst- Able to create a strong burst of air that impacts the target in a 12 inch ball. Diameter of ball increases with the user level. Burst Shield- forms a air generated shield (similar to the one in the manga) and helps minimize damage from attacks. The number of layers or shields are depended on user level.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Charming? What do I look like some sort of prince? I'm just a guy with a legendary sword on his hip. I'm only as special as this world allows me to be really. If possible...I'd like to be the one who follows rather than leads but if destiny thrusts that upon me then so be it. I will be the legendary sword that cleaved the waves apart." Cole admits to Fer, and by extension Marcino, as he takes a deep breath he looks to Fer directly. "But...I will not just survive. I want to win. I want to save these people, and the people of the other nations. I will do my best for them because that is what fate has put upon me. I sound really dramatic I know but...this is life, and death, and the fate of nations I can't afford to just be common anymore can I?" states Cole calmly as he turns to Marcino. "I'm ready to go are you?" Cole asks him as he shakes his head. "I need to go lock my valuables away, and get my equipment. You two should eat, or go find that buddy of yours and see that she's ready to go." Marcino states as Cole nods, and grabs adjusts his armor a bit. "Understood I'll see if we can get her quick. Let's go Fer if you're ready." Cole stated as he stands up quickly. As Hans stood there looking about as the young lady Auriel looked at her book he gave some directions to a young scholar who was looking to see if there were any potions of healing books he could find. It was only a moment before he managed to point him in the right direction did she speak up to him again. Hans looked a bit uneasy for a moment but took a deep breath. "I can't say I have the authority to let you take that book. But if you clear your name proper with the secretary you should be able to sign it out as a member of the Hero's Party. The Shield is your actual patron isn't it? Then you should make sure to put his name with yours as well for the sake of making sure all the books are accounted for. With the waves coming you don't know what books could be vital so preparations are needed you understand." Hans stated as he uneasily prepared for more questions of 'why can't I just take it' like the usual warriors did when they didn't understand proper library matters. "Is that really the only thing you wanted? The Spear isn't your saint after all." commented Hans confused.</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer chuckled at the aggrieved reaction of Cole. He smiled even wider when to show humbleness his friend put forth the example that he was one of the select four heroes. The young shield shook his head at how ironic the comment sounded. In his world, in his time, it would be like saying. I am only a rich person who was given a lot of money and am able to spend it however I want. Despite the silliness of the current train of thought, Fer had to agree with his friend. They seemed to have not been selected due to some special skills they had or because they were the best suited. Indeed, the young hero had wondered why they seemed to have been chosen. Their lack of knowledge about the most basic things in the world and their lack of knowledge about the weapons they now carried made them more of a liability than an asset. If they were truly all that stood between the waves and destruction, then this world was putting way too much faith on them. Fer stopped smiling as his thoughts turned to that particular topic. Both he and Cole had been trying their best. He could not say anything about the other two heroes but he would not doubt them if they looked out only for themselves. Cole had bravely and selflessly proclaimed that though he owed no allegiance to king, country or world, that he would protect them. Having fought in many harrowing battles in his previous world and just recently at the farm, the young shield knew that the price of freedom and peace was high. He gave Cole a pat on the shoulder. "Sometimes my friend, surviving is winning." His tone was friendly and resolute. "But as we have already promised to each other. We shall bear each other's burdens and fight along each other as the pair that our weapons are. I do not follow you out of obligation. I walk with you and beside you." He patted him again. "You can lean on me for support and I know you will do the same with me." Fer nodded to his friend. "I am ready, lets go pick up our winged friend." He smirked again and whispered playfully. "I need a pretty face to look at after setting eyes on…" the young hero motioned with his head towards the veteran gladiator and smiled again.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Alright well we need to go, and find Auriel or else we'll be better off spending the rest of the day in town. And with this week about half way done we need to make sure we get as much experience fighting as possible. The waves won't be letting us have an off day." Cole states to Marcino who grunts, and leaves the table leaving the two heroes alone. As they pick up their weapons to leave the patrons at the bar wish them good luck on their quest. Hailing the sword hero as the hero who will save them from the waves. Cole couldn't help but wonder what exactly the Spear Hero was up to. Matsunaga had come back to town...so then where was the spear? He hoped that he had found something important to look up, or else things would get dirty when the day of judgment came for them. === As Hans nodded he looked around, and saw a few mages waving him over he looked to Auriel and bowed his head. "It looks like I'm needed now. Please enjoy the library to the fullest but remember some books may be in use due to the circumstances at hand. Not everything is currently at the library that we usually have on hand. Long live the heroes, and long live the people." Hans states as hurries away from Auriel. She was left to her own devices doing as she will. However after not too long a knight in a bit worn out steel armor comes up to her, and tells her that her allies the Sword, and Shield will be waiting for her at the front door of the church. Escorting her out, as was his job even if Auriel insisted otherwise. As she exited Cole waved her over, and said aloud "Hey Auriel we got Marcino aboard we're meeting back at the tavern, and then we're going to go after the bounty." Cole told her. The knight wished her good luck in her attempt at assisting the heroes before vanishing back inside. "We're going soon you ready? Need anything like anti-poison potions, or healing potions?" Cole asked having packed some before leaving the tavern and fighting the bandits.</s>	<\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez The young shield hero could do little else than nod at being reminded that even though they faced political and social pressures and dangers, the main reason for their existence and summoning to this world still lay in the near future. The small band had fought low level monsters and bandits but the wearer of the shield knew that facing off against waves classified as calamities would be a completely different situation. Cole was right in that in the short time they were afforded they needed to get more training. Fer hoped that their feathered companion had managed to dig up some helpful information. He followed his sword bearing companion as they made their way back through the city. Some people called out to them, some avoided them. Mainly, the city went about their business either blissfully ignorant or naively confident that the heroes would protect them. Fer pursed his lips at this second theory. How could the four of them defend a whole world? Hell, it was not even four of them. It was more like four groups of distant and not organized heroes. If the other were having as hard a time grasping the basics of their weapons as Fer then the faith that people placed on their skills was not going to produce the return people expected. His mood darkened. Thankfully, the view of the cathedral came into view. Fer marveled at the sheer size and elaborate decorations. He had only heard of the cathedrals in Europe and the modest church in his hometown back on earth was a drop in a lake compared to the one before him. The young hero could not help but whistle his admiration. Fer's smile only grew wider as he saw the approach of their winged companion. He raised his hand in welcome as Cole quickly went to the point. "Boss says that its time to make the bad lady pay. No rest for the weary I guess." He chuckled and pushed Cole slightly with his elbow in a playful manner. "Lets stock up with what ever you need to keep us alive Auriel. I can carry whatever you come up with. I sure hope that you found some good information. My brother would have loved to help you in there I am sure." He was surprised at the wave of sadness and melancholy that suddenly assailed him.</s>
<\|description\|>Fernando Gutierrez Nicknames:Fer Age:21 Gender:Male Level: 1 Class: Shield Hero Hero Class: Shield Specializations: Survival Training, Languages, Tactical Training, Magic Affinity: Wind Appearance: Tan skinned with Knife cut hair down to his shoulders. He has brown eyes and a curved hawk like nose. He stands 5'7" and weighs about 180 lbs. He has many scars on his body and his clothes are ragged and worn. He has a quiet attitude and talks very little. But when he talks he has a sort of tenor voice that is a bit raspy from lack of use. He unknowingly has a protective spirit and has on many occasions helped a person but he tries very hard to seem indifferent. He has no qualms about getting his hands dirty but only resorts to violence when necessary. Biography: Fer is from a war torn country in the South American Continent in the early 1980s. Living in the harsh rural mountains, made him a hardy young lad. When the guerrillas started abducting children he was unfortunate to have been trapping when his younger brother was taken, his father and mother butchered and his younger sister abducted probably to be sold as a slave. Fer tracked down and joined one of the guerillas. His aim was to find his siblings and exact revenge, on whoever he could, from within. He endured harsh and violent conditions. He learned to use conventional and fabricated weapons. His trapping skills eventually earned him a place as a tracker and forager. All the while his goal was to find his siblings. By luck or providence, he was able to discover that his poor brother had not survived the harsh living conditions of jungle and a boy soldier. It had been many years and he felt that he had failed his siblings, his parents and justice. He was contemplating ending it all when on his way back to camp he heard a cry of despair and pain. He followed the sound and happened upon a very common scene of four or five guys surrounding the poor body of girl from where the sound had emerged. He was about to turn away when one of the young men parted and he saw the dirty and tear streaked face of his sister. Rage and pain clouded his emotions as he deftly loaded his old pump action riffle. Despite the emotional storm going on in his soul, Fer managed to quickly and accurately send two bullets bursting into his intended targets. He did not even stop to assess the damage when a quick reaction from one of the remaining three young men reached for the riffle. Far let the riffle be torn from his grasp but his hand immediately pulled the hunting knife he wore on his waist and plunged it deep under the ribs of the attacker who slumped to the ground after a gasp of surprise. The one that had been assaulting the young girl had succeeded in punting on his pants and stood up just as the other lad managed to close in combat with Fer and knock him to the ground trying to pry the knife from his grasp. Fer reached up with his other hand pulled the lad's hair towards his face and bit hard into his neck until he felt the metal taste of blood. A yell of pain from the wounded neck which was spurting in a rhythmic fashion. Before he could get to his feet he felt a sharp pain on the left side of his head. He fell to the side trying to fight off confusion and a nausea. Before he could recover he felt the weight of a sweaty body on his and rancid breath near his nose as the last attacker fell onto him striking with his hands. Adrenalin and desperation made both defender and attacker inaccurate in their scuffle. Somehow, the attacker's hand happened upon the hunter knife that had been dropped. He raised the knife and brought it down upon the raised arm of Fer who had appempted to protect himself. The blade plunged deep into the left forearm and scrapped bone protruding from the other side. The lad used his weight and pushed down forcing the blade slowly down. It was a life and death struggle. The blade was dangerously close to Fer's neck when a shot rang out. While the weight remained on him, it was dead limp weight. Blood started to drip from a hole on the side of the face of the attacker and Fer pushed the dead body off him, the effort causing him to almost pass out from the pain in his left forearm. A crying girl rushed to his side. "FER!" the girl said between sobs. Fer propped himself on his knees, the Adrenalin slowly leaving his body and giving way to pain and nausea. He still managed to hug the young girl and say her name through bloodied and busted lips. "Rosa, please forgive me!" He added his sobs to hers as they held each other surrounded by a grim collection of bodies darkening the earth and pooling blood. Five days later found Fer and Rosa in a rural train station headed towards town. They wanted to leave so much grief and pain behind. Perhaps even one day make it to America. They had somehow made it down the mountain to a village where they had found good people who patched up Fer and helped them find a ride to the rural town. They bought passage with the selling of the equipment and cash found on the dead bodies of the assailants. It seemed like their bloody past was behind them. There had been no signs of pursuit and nobody would even know who was missing or who had attacked with so many rival guerrillas in the area. While they waited, Fer's gaze fell on the odd and eclectic offerings of a merchant. It was a worn book. Fer smiled, his younger brother had loved books. He had been the smart one in the family. Fer knew how to read of course but had not envisioned a life outside farming the land like his father. He knelled and for 5 pesos bought the book. He was on his way back to Rosa and the approaching train. In an instant, there was a bright flash of light which all but blinded the young man. When his vision returned and the spots dissipated, he was standing in a stone walled room. --- Preferred Weapon(s): Shield, (proficient in fire arms , bows and knives) Appearance of Weapon: Dependent on the ability being used but at rest it looks more like a solid metal bracer with a jewel on the center of it. Abilities of Weapon: (if applicable) Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon: morphs shield into any of the shields shown above. The shields have no particular ability they are just metal shields in that shape. Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: equip bonus: defense 2 Appearance of Weapon: : Abilities of Weapon: Air Burst- Able to create a strong burst of air that impacts the target in a 12 inch ball. Diameter of ball increases with the user level. Burst Shield- forms a air generated shield (similar to the one in the manga) and helps minimize damage from attacks. The number of layers or shields are depended on user level.</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer had never been to a theatrical play. Once, a travelling circus had come to town and the mannerisms and overly flamboyant way the Spear hero was talking reminded him of the Circus Master who had exaggerated the actual abilities and show that the people were to experience. The young hero had to admit though that the show as appealing to the current audience. A look around showed him that the town's people were gleamy eyed. The Shield Hero clasped the Spear Hero's hand firmly. Despite the extravagant nature of the man's speech, what he was saying was truth. So Fer had no reason to show any type of resentment towards the man. Actually, the young hero would rather a snowperson than a rude jerk like Ren Matsunaga. Fer's face sobered a little as Lev leaned in. So this person was not as foolish as he appeared. In fact, the Spear showed he was smarter than he appeared. To be able to discern that even Heroes such as they were still mistrusted or at the least kept tabs on. He remembered the shadowy messengers that had delivered the quest to hunt down the Bandit Queen. He followed the lead and walked next to the new hero. This new Edusa lady seemed to at least understand that they should be doing more than just lavish introductions. Fer shot her a glance. Why was she so willing to be following Cole? Surely, it had to be more than a national pride. With royals, everything was politics. Hearing, Lev's proclamation the Shield hero almost rolled his eyes. "Friends huh." At the least they had to work together. Though, friendship seemed something too far off. "We can certainly at least be civil. After all, I assume we heroes are not from this world." The young voice of the wolf girl soon reached his ears. A smile appeared on Fer's face as he turned to look at her. "Speaking of friends and allies. Here comes Rivia" He told the group. As she offered him the sweets he smile and took one. "Thank you Rivia, I have had dango once or twice." He took what was offered and put one in his mouth. The sweet dougy morsel making him smile again. "It appears you have found the hidden treasures of living in a city." He took another dango off the skewer. "We are only missing Auriel….oh and Rin Matsunaga" The Shield Hero said, a tone of distaste in his voice. "I must say, meeting the Spear hero was much more pleasant than when the Bow Hero appeared so already Lev, you are in high standing in my book." Leaning a little closer he added. "Now what is the plan? I am sure you want to talk to us about something"</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "If you hear my words than you should know dear Shield friend! The worth of one is not just by their actions but their history! One can comment on the brazen Bow Hero's actions, and their words but do you really know the cause of that fire? That hellish damnable spirit to be the best? I have no clue either. But until that day Rin chooses to give me her true feelings. I will only judge her as need be. Blunt, and brutal she may be but to save the world? It takes many indeed." The spear hero says twirling his spear around in his hand dexterously. He moves it around his back, and around him as he stretches out his arm to allow him to pass it to his other hand and back around his back where he places it on his shoulder. "Definitely I would consider my words, or should these people take you for just a big walking target that follows the Sword around?" Lev comments further as he points a finger at the shield hero. His smile still plastered on his face ignoring Fer's comments towards the Fox girl approaching the shield. Cole chooses not to intervene in the talks between the spear, and the shield it would be best that these two work out their "Oh hey there been a bit Rivia. I hope you're well, and sure I'll take a dango...whatever that is." Cole said as he gratefully took it and took a bite of it. Surprisingly it was pretty good! He didn't think a treat like this would be this tasty he half expected too much candy flavor. Instead the strawberry flavoe was pretty nice on his. "Bitching! I guess this will make up for going after shieldy so quick the other day. Alright then! I'm pumped up and ready when you all are to do whatever it is we're doing!" Edusa said as she took her own and ate it so quick she started to choke a bit before she took a flask from her hip and chugged down the contents. "Chill a bit I don't need royalty keeling over on me." Cole says dryly and sarcastically towards his follower who sticks out her tongue at him. "Look just find me something to punch boss I'm getting antsy!" comments The fiery royal as they bounce around and throw mock punches at surprising speed. Cole felt impressed as he watched her pull off a full combo like a boxer who was professionally trained. "Of course we may head out at anytime assuming there is no questions for the legendary Lev of the Spear?" comments Lev with pride as he scratches his own chest none to modest about his own skill.</s>	<\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer took a deep breath as he listened to what sounded very much like admonition. He patiently waited for Lev to finish and then just nodded at the Spear Hero not wanting to get into a debate about the fact that Rin was the one who had judged them first. Despite any challenges in her past life or even current questing, nothing gave her the right to come barging in and start using Cole as a punching bag. Still, he could agree with the Spear that a united front would be much more successful against the waves than broken bands of Heroes. If it meant extinction or working with that hyped up bitch, the Shield Hero was able to swallow any resentment if it meant that their victory would not only mean survival for this world, but that he could be returned to his. At Lev's mention of being mindful of what he said Fer merely shrugged. "I stand by what I said. And I don't mind people thinking me as one who just follows the Sword around." He turned to Cole as he said this. "I would gladly follow Cole around and protect him." He kept in pace with Lev as they walked. Like a true charismatic person, the blonde Sword Hero was amiable towards the wolf girl. The smile disappeared at Edusa's comment. It was a gentle sort of back hand implying that Rivia had been in the wrong to follow him and spend time with him. He narrowed his eyes at the girl. Of course a Royal would think that the other person is at fault and overlook their own complicity. Still, he was glad that Rivia could at the very least not have to worry about animosity on that flank. Fer tried to ignore the playful banter between the royal and Cole. After all, it was in the Sword's nature to be friendly. He would not begrudge him that. Nor would he begrudge him the fact that he had chosen to stay with the new pair instead of seeking him out to train. The other hero did not have any contract or any other such reason to be bound to Fer. Still, there was a slight burning sensation in the Shield's chest. The Shield Hero looked towards Lev at the question. "I don't really have any questions. I am sure you are quite capable with that spear. I am just glad you are willing to work together. As far as I am concerned, we can head out any time. However, I will not begrudge you any information you wish to share. Especially if it will somehow help us during the upcoming battel against the waves."</s>
<\|description\|>Dúlamán(Doh-lah-mahn) Cain Nicknames:Beast, Lamán, Cain Age:24 Gender:Male Level:9 Class:Fighter Specializations:Restraining/trapping, Distraction, Cooking, Entertaining(singing) Magic Affinity:Dark and Wind Biography:Abandoned at a very young age, Dúlamán had been a slave for as long as he could remember. Being a Komori, commonly called a vampire, there were many who sought to buy him if only for his species rarity. Taught to sing and perform, to be the well-behaved slave, quiet until ordered to speak. He was constantly on display and forced to play nice with the humans that treated him as nothing but an object to be shown off. Lamán's resentment grew greater with each passing day until he simply couldn't take it anymore and did the unspeakable. He attacked one of his Master's guests. It was only because his master's "kind nature" that he was given a choice; enter the gladiator pits or be killed. He chose the pits. There he was forced to fight for his life, day after day, just barely surviving most days due to his naturally enhanced agility and flexibility. At least until the quartermaster offered him a deal: If Dúlamán could survive the going in and out of the arena until he reached the age of 24, then he would be granted his crime would be forgiven and he would be allowed to live as a free man. With the prospect of being free, the vampire trained constantly. Fully aware that he would never be the strongest physically, he focused on furthering his agility and stamina in order to outpace even the oldest of veterans. By the gods he had managed to last and has only recently been given his freedom, though, without the food and shelter the pits provided, he is finding much harder to live freely than he had ever imagined. --- Preferred Weapon(s):Whips and Daggers Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon:Has a chance of inflicting a mild paralytic poison, more effective of humanoids and nonpoisonous beasts. --- Skills/Abilities:Name of Skill:Bat Wing Abilities of Skill:Born with vestigial Bat Wings, Lamán cannot fly. However, these wings can be used to increase jump height, speed (momentarily), to glide short distances, or as a catalyst for their inherent wind magic. Downsides of Skill:Can not be used to fly, easily injured, and difficult to maneuver in tight spaces. Name of Skill:Bloodsucker Abilities of Skill:By biting and ingesting the blood of someone/something, Lamán the ability to temporarily increase their stats and abilities, invigorating them. Downsides of Skill:The more blood ingested within a set amount of time, the more likely Lamán is to go into a blood frenzy and attack anything around them. During a blood frenzy, Lamán loses all sense of friend and foe until the blood as passed through their system. Drinking the blood of non-humanoids increases the risk of falling into a blood frenzy. Name of Skill:Wailing Cry Abilities of Skill:Lamán can release a sonic attack from their mouths than causes disorientation and pain. Downsides of Skill:Lamán is also susceptible to this skill and prolonged use will affect the user as well as the victims. Name of Skill:Wind Slicer Abilities of Skill:Lamán uses with wings as a catalyst to send sharp gusts of wind at the enemy. It can slice through most nonmagical materials weaker than stone. Downsides of Skill:It takes far too much mana for consistent use, only travels in a straight line and it's power also directly correlates to how hard he flaps his wings in the given direction. ---- Inventory: * Bedroll * Rain tarp * Entertainer's clothes * 20 Copper</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Um really you didn't have video games? Strange. Well basically they're like stories that you could get to play through using a fake person. Not all of them were based on people some were just simple things like building blocks. But to do it you needed to use a computer, or a tv. Basically screens of glass that project images onto itself explaining that part for Auriel's sake. Very complicated stuff when it comes down to it. Not sure I can do it justice I'm just the son of a fisherman." Cole said to Fer as he addressed his question regarding video games. The group got up, and left the tavern and went to go to the adventurer's guild along the way Cole was harassed by the menagerie of people. Young girls want to hand him food, some merchants wanting to sell him supplies, or give him a gift for good luck, some adventurers posing challenges he ignored. Fer was also harassed by some of them but considerably less so. They also heard rumors that Rin Matsunaga had apparently killed a large wolf pack over the course of the past few days, and the spear hero had gone to a town over and helped them with their farming troubles. "The other two aren't slacking we can't let up." Cole said as they walked he couldn't help but feel that he wasn't doing all he could. All the same though he was doing the best he could, and pushing himself even with the waves coming in just over a week meant that he needed to focus. The better he got with this legendary sword the more effective he can be. For all intents and purposes he may very well become the face of the four heroes. Rin was too blunt, and the spear was an anomaly. Having apparently been re-summoned as well liked the shield. Its a shame he liked that other guy. As they arrived in the guild for once they didn't get much of a warm reception even the newbies here were far to busy preparing for the waves, and getting contracts to bother with the new looking heroes entering. As Cole, and company walked up to the receptionist Cole asked about any information he could obtain on Rayla Winters. "Oh hello Sword hero! Rayla Winters lets see here...." The receptionist goes through his files, and brings out a large dossier. "Rayla Winters is wanted on charges of: Forging documents, murder, battery, kidnapping, arson, thievery, attempting to assassinate a leading merchant in Zeltoble, and many other smaller crimes..." the receptionist tells them as they pull out a illustrated photo of a girl with short cut hair, a large two handed sword on her back, and a scar going from her armored breast plate to her neck. "The last known sighting of her was at the Hillberry farm where they burnt it down. Rumors suggest that they're going to be assaulting another farmstead sometime today. Guards have been dispatched but you're free to go and help." commented the man as Cole looked at the receptionist, "You know where they're attacking next?" Cole questioned as the man nodded, "A rogue from our guild went and scouted some of the shady parts of town but it is unknown if they'll be brazen enough to attack the guards there."</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez It was thanks to his experience playing the earth sport of soccer that Fer had managed to see the way that Auriel treated the young kids. He recalled that she worked at the church but was not aware that the church also ran an orphanage. Regardless, he smiled at the soft side of the holy warrior. He by no means doubted that she was an avid and deadly warrior when the time came but the true measure of a warrior was how they behaved when the blade was not drawn. He knew many a scout who were nothing more than death incarnate but were not able to turn it off. This lead to many situations that cause the rebellion to loose favor with the local farmers and villages. The only thing that kept him sane was his one tracked mission in finding his family. He knew that the young kids now drawn to the holy warrior as bees to honey were her anchor. He turned his attention back to Cole as the Sword explained the answer to his question. He tried to imagine what was said. He knew about television due to certain locations having some black and white ones. Color televisions were very hard to come by in the mountains. Add that to the remote locations and he knew for a fact he had never experience what Cole was saying. It seemed very interesting to him. He filed it away in the back of his mind. If he ever returned to his world and his time then he would want to find out more. The group walked together through the streets. Fer felt strange being the center of attention as people started to gather around them. He could travel faster alone as he had purchased a cloak with hood that hid him most of the time. However, when in the company of Auriel and her very obvious wings, it was easier for the populace to notice them. He smiled awkwardly and shook his head as people offered him stuff. He swallowed a bit hard as some of the good looking girls pressed in too much to him. He felt like a school boy despite his age. For so long he had dealt with only death and dirt that he forgot the simple pleasures in life that is a boy being captivated by a girl. Cole seemed to be taking this celebrity status with better calm and composure. The young shield nodded as his companion mentioned the other two. He had almost forgotten that there were two other heroes. He wondered why the other believed that working alone was the better policy but he shrugged that train of thought. He hoped they would be ok, their strength would definitely be needed in the future. Doors parted and the trio stood in what looked like organized chaos. He noticed armed people of various styles and looks. Some had the firm hard looks of experienced fighters who had seen more than their share of blood and who had ended many a life. Other had bright and hopeful looks who could be none other than new adventurers that still have the mentality of glory and treasure. The varying races also surprised Fer. The majority of the people were human but he also saw some of the beast men who looked like nothing more than animals with human features and the second kind who seemed to just sport ears or tails. His eyes fell on a fellow who sported wings on his back. He did not mean to stare but the man was a contrast to the soft white angel wings of Auriel. This person's wings were leathery and black with a slight sheen as the lights of lanterns fell on them. He was brought out of his musings by the reading of the list of evils that the bandit leader was wanted for. Fer almost whistled as the list was read and he looked at the picture that was presented. Of course the picture was nothing more than a glorified drawing and he wondered how much the artist had embellished. This was better than an actual photograph however because this rendering probably reflected the true nature of Rayla that a non-sentient photo might capture. The young shield hero almost lost his composure as man behind the desk disclosed that they even knew the next time the person would attack. He wondered if the leader was so confident that they could leak their targets. This could either be a distraction or perhaps a challenge to see if anybody brave enough to stop them. The information however was to the party's benefit. If the bandits are distracted doing their plundering, it might be easier to kill Rayla. He turned to Cole. "A woman with so many bounties is probably a big target. In my world, bounty hunters would often fight with each other to collect it. If we could have them work together it would be better but I know that may take a lot of persuading. If we want to do this on our own, we should be aware that somebody might try to block us for the same reason." He shrugged. "Either way from what I hear, her life has to end to complete our mission. I guess it does not matter if we do it or somebody else does it. But I think it is right to assume that the king wants us to somehow be involved for notoriety sake."</s>	<\|message\|>Dúlamán(Doh-lah-mahn) Cain When Dúlamán entered the main hall, he was hit with a small sense of disappointment at the lack of other demi-humans. He knew the number of free demis in the country was few and far between but he expected more than what he could see. Despite that, he went about looking if there was a notice board with any decent rewards. He spared a momentary glance at the door shortly after, noticing the arrival of two men and what he could only assume was an avian demi-human. "Probably their slave." He thought derisively. Taking a second look, notice that she was well cared for at least. And that darker-skinned man seemed to focus on him for a moment longer than necessary. The ravenette had to bite back the comment on the tip of his tongue, tucking in his wings tighter at the scrutinizing gaze. He tried to continue, his rather fruitless search of a task that would be in his wheelhouse when a particular name reached his sensitive ears. Rayla Winters, well known in the pits and arena. A fearsome woman, though the vampire was fortunate to say he had never met her. And the crimes she has been said to commit would leave quite the bounty on her head. "Even split multiple ways, I could make a decent profit from this!" He thought to himself before making a split decision. Without bothering to really take in the appearances of the three-person group by the desk, Dúlamán sauntered over to them with a welcoming smile. Not the slightest bit disturbed by the idea of interrupting their conversation. "Good day to you fine gentleman and lovely lady. I couldn't help but overhear that you were planning to take on Rayla Winters. She's a tough one, I'll tell you that. Never seen or heard of any opponent of hers getting at least twice of what they gave. If they managed to give any that is." He started gesturing nonchalantly with his hands. "She isn't someone who would go down easy. You'd have a better chance if you had an idea of how she thinks or at least fights." He bluffed with an easy smirk. "I am Dúlamán Cain, a pleasure to meet you." He added quickly, offering his hand to the one who seemed to be in charge. It was then that he began to drink in the sight of them all. A young man with armour and a distinctly ornate sword. Another, the darker man from earlier with a shield that almost all Demi-humans could probably draw from the memory of the stories alone. And a fierce young woman, obviously worn by battle with angelic white wings. A counter-point to his almost demonic in their shape and darkness.</s>
<\|description\|>Dúlamán(Doh-lah-mahn) Cain Nicknames:Beast, Lamán, Cain Age:24 Gender:Male Level:9 Class:Fighter Specializations:Restraining/trapping, Distraction, Cooking, Entertaining(singing) Magic Affinity:Dark and Wind Biography:Abandoned at a very young age, Dúlamán had been a slave for as long as he could remember. Being a Komori, commonly called a vampire, there were many who sought to buy him if only for his species rarity. Taught to sing and perform, to be the well-behaved slave, quiet until ordered to speak. He was constantly on display and forced to play nice with the humans that treated him as nothing but an object to be shown off. Lamán's resentment grew greater with each passing day until he simply couldn't take it anymore and did the unspeakable. He attacked one of his Master's guests. It was only because his master's "kind nature" that he was given a choice; enter the gladiator pits or be killed. He chose the pits. There he was forced to fight for his life, day after day, just barely surviving most days due to his naturally enhanced agility and flexibility. At least until the quartermaster offered him a deal: If Dúlamán could survive the going in and out of the arena until he reached the age of 24, then he would be granted his crime would be forgiven and he would be allowed to live as a free man. With the prospect of being free, the vampire trained constantly. Fully aware that he would never be the strongest physically, he focused on furthering his agility and stamina in order to outpace even the oldest of veterans. By the gods he had managed to last and has only recently been given his freedom, though, without the food and shelter the pits provided, he is finding much harder to live freely than he had ever imagined. --- Preferred Weapon(s):Whips and Daggers Appearance of Weapon: Abilities of Weapon:Has a chance of inflicting a mild paralytic poison, more effective of humanoids and nonpoisonous beasts. --- Skills/Abilities:Name of Skill:Bat Wing Abilities of Skill:Born with vestigial Bat Wings, Lamán cannot fly. However, these wings can be used to increase jump height, speed (momentarily), to glide short distances, or as a catalyst for their inherent wind magic. Downsides of Skill:Can not be used to fly, easily injured, and difficult to maneuver in tight spaces. Name of Skill:Bloodsucker Abilities of Skill:By biting and ingesting the blood of someone/something, Lamán the ability to temporarily increase their stats and abilities, invigorating them. Downsides of Skill:The more blood ingested within a set amount of time, the more likely Lamán is to go into a blood frenzy and attack anything around them. During a blood frenzy, Lamán loses all sense of friend and foe until the blood as passed through their system. Drinking the blood of non-humanoids increases the risk of falling into a blood frenzy. Name of Skill:Wailing Cry Abilities of Skill:Lamán can release a sonic attack from their mouths than causes disorientation and pain. Downsides of Skill:Lamán is also susceptible to this skill and prolonged use will affect the user as well as the victims. Name of Skill:Wind Slicer Abilities of Skill:Lamán uses with wings as a catalyst to send sharp gusts of wind at the enemy. It can slice through most nonmagical materials weaker than stone. Downsides of Skill:It takes far too much mana for consistent use, only travels in a straight line and it's power also directly correlates to how hard he flaps his wings in the given direction. ---- Inventory: * Bedroll * Rain tarp * Entertainer's clothes * 20 Copper</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Legendary Hero of the Sword, Cole is my name at your service Mister Cain." Cole tells the new comer as he considers the context of the situation at hand despite the issues that will be brought to bare it will be a difficult fight. Zeltoble didn't raise cowards, and he knew going in that the situation would be difficult but he wondered just how much...its not like they could rewind time if they failed. Cole figured it was going to be dangerous...but he had to be strong for his team. "Our patron is giving us his blessing for this meaning I doubt we'll find that much trouble. Besides the bounty is hardly the prize. Its the recognition we want." Cole says as he turns to Cain. "You want to join with us? I can't promise that we can keep you safe if you do join we're going to be fighting as a unit. And the Shield Hero, and I have precious little experience in real combat. We were just summoned a few days ago if that." Cole says to Cain as he turns to Ferr. He sighs, "That being said you know I'll do my best to carve our way to victory." "With all due respect sir Shield. Your bounty you are inquiring about is a dead or alive bounty. And is claimable in either state. She is wanted for high treason in Zeltoble but being who you are. I'm sure the law may be willing to bend slightly as long as you can provide proof if you kill her with something like fire." claims the Guild's Desk Manager.</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer turned to the voice, a sort of sweet but not soft like Auriels but more like molasses, sticky. His eyes fell once again on the leathery wings. He instinctively moved towards the front between his companions and the newcomer. The movement was no more than a few inches but the motion was evident and he immediately regretted it. He had nothing against the young man but something in his being in his raising had attributed a bad impression of those wings. His religious mother had often mentioned stories from the bible. This could also be a reason why he was so naturally drawn to Auriel. The man seemed confident but there was something in the way he said things that still made Fer narrow his eyes as if he could somehow discern that one thing he could not place. Whatever the case, the man seemed to be no threat and his smile would have been almost charming. The young hero cleared his throat awkwardly and was glad Cole spoke first as the words seemed to catch in his. He nodded at Cole when his companion expressed his solemn vow to succeed. Fer was counting on him, as a person only capable of defense, he needed the sharp sword and true spear of his companions to help him defeat the enemies. Teamwork was the only way to ensure his return to his world. He then turned to the young beast man and extended his arm as his voice said firmly but calmly and as friendly as he could muster. "I am Fernando, The Shield Hero. You may call me Fer if you like." He even mustered a slight smile. "What Cole says its true. We are new to this world and to fighting. Especially new to our weapons. Legendary Heroes we may be called but I am afraid our skills are not at that level." He shrugged as he continued "However, if you don't mind that then I for one welcome any help we may have. From what I have heard from the Guild Receptionist and from you, we are in for quite a fight as we face this Ryla Winters." As if on cue, the Receptionist stated that they needed proof of the bandit leader's death if there were to collect the bounty. Fer grimaced at the very real possibility that they would have to provide some sort of body part. However, this world was abundant in magic and other such things, so he turned to the Receptionist and asked honestly. "What ways could we utilize to prove we have completed the task? What will you require? A body part, some other item?" His voice had an obvious distaste as he mentioned the question.</s> <\|message\|>Auriel Asher (Mood Music) Angels and Demons The trio entered into the Guild Hall. It didn't take long for them to be greeted by the many adventurers looking to make a name for themselves. The three of them had a reputation, so it wasn't long before the three were separated by crowds of people wanting to talk to them. Auriel had the smallest crowd in the hall around her, compared to heroes of legend, the Holy Warrior was small fry. Thankfully for her, it allowed her to have an easier time getting out of the crowds. With the party regrouped, Auriel moved further into the hall with them. That's when they spotted the other demi-beast. It felt strange, he was almost like a polar opposite to her. Seeing his wings actually made her own twitch. The parallel was almost unsettling. She had heard of vampires, but never had she seen one before. Thus, she didn't recognize the significance of his extra features. Still, the look of the man was sinister in nature. Auriel felt uneasy just looking at him, but she didn't want to pass judgement on him so soon. He seemed amicable with the heroes, and he shared a common interest in Rayla Winters. Perhaps it'd be beneficial for him to come along. As introductions were passed around, Auriel waited until the heroes were finished. Once her turn came, Auriel extended a hand for a shake, "Auriel Asher, Holy Warrior of the Four." she bows her head, "I welcome you to the team." Auriel overheard guild receptionist say that they required proof of Rayla's end. Auriel stepped forward and spoke, "What about some of Rayla's hair? Or her ear piercings?" The angel was already settled on the decision that Rayla needed to die, but she wasn't about to parade a corpse or body parts around to do it. She would make it quick and clean for the bandit leader, then provide a proper burial afterward. Auriel thought back to the hordes, and how they would display their macabre to her and the men that fought with her. She would not become like them.</s> <\|message\|>Cole Smith "Her sword is said to be very well engraved, and a keep sake from her parents. They can be used to identify them. Or their head. Anything else may be questionable but maybe a finger will do. Or else the body in general." The receptionist says as he looks over them. "Hunting down these people is dirty work I'm sorry to inconvenience the Sword, and shield." says the receptionist as Leon sighs. He wonders if he will actually be able to get away with getting this woman back here alive. He still wanted to see if he could make use of her in some fashion. "To answer your previous question however Mister Shield....hmmm if what I've got on hand is right she seems to have been a very successful gladiator. You may want to consider bringing along a very experienced adventurer with you. No offense but I heard you were all just summoned the other day was that not right?" the receptionist says respectfully as Cole nods, "Yes but we're hoping to make a clear cut act to show everyone we mean business and we're not going to lay down and let evil have its way." Cole says firmly clutching his sword's hilt. "I wish you, and the shield the best of luck. And to you lady of the church may the four heroes bless you."</s> <\|message\|>Fernando Gutierrez Fer was glad to see that he was not the only one who found it distasteful to piece out a person. It was not that he had any qualm about performing the actual function. He had often butchered the pigs and goats for their dinner. As a hunter, he had been soaked in blood countless times. It also was not the idea of killing someone. During his time as a rebel in the mountains of his homeland, he had ended the life of many people. Many of them had been from a distance but he had his share of watching the life in their eyes fade away. He nodded in support towards Auriel. He knew her to be fair and gentle and found it surprising that her good will extended even to hardened criminals. The young hero turned to the receptionist his eyes narrowed. He tried to detect if there had been a hint of derision or sarcasm in the person's voice when they mentioned the inconvenience of providing proof. Finding no obvious proof in the man's face he softened his gaze and responded. "It is completely understandable that to collect the bounty and to be assured of a criminal's death the physical body would be required. I merely hated the idea of desecrating a dead body. However, if nothing else is possible, I will shoulder that burden when the time comes." He put up his right hand trying to keep the receptionist from continuing his apology. "No need to apologize. I actually appreciate your recommendation and agree with the fact that we are not truly battle tested. One thing I can assure you is that we will not be underestimated. However, it is better if we are. In my country we have a saying, the quiet snake strikes when you least expect it." His smile was unlike his usual warm and friendly one. It reverted back to the days when he was hard as stone and thought of nothing else but avenging his parents and brother. It was akin to a snarl but with a confidence that to any onlooker would communicate he was very capable of killing. He turned to Dulaman. "I hope that you are as good as you said. Otherwise, we will only add more bodies to the grave." He gave a shrug as if to say he was not holding the beat man to the fire either way. He turned to Cole and in joking voice said "What are the marching orders boss?"</s>	<\|message\|>Dúlamán(Doh-lah-mahn) Cain Hearing Cole responds to his introduction, the dark-skinned demi grinned just a bit wider. He wasn't sure if he had layed it on a bit too thick. After all, even outside the arena, he wasn't known for his sparkling personality. Though he couldn't help but be on guard with the "subtle" shifting of the shield hero. Cain couldn't be sure without asking but, he was fairly sure his wings were at least partially to blame for Fernando's unease. Shaking the man's hand he couldn't resist the urge to bare his fangs in a mischievously toothy grin. Though if some of the gasps from a few nosey onlookers were to be trusted it could easily be mistaken for a soundless snarl. "I am sure your abilities are worth far more than you claim, though I must say. Humility is a rarity in this city aside from the clergy." the winged man said easily as he released Fer's hand and leaned back slightly. It was almost immediately after that he remembered his polar opposite reached out to grab her hand. However, instead of shaking the proffered appendage, he attempted to turn it so that her knuckles were exposed before lowering his head to place a gentle kiss. "Pleasure, m' lady." He breathed with a wink before turning toward the conversation with the receptionist. While he held little sympathy for Rayla and her ilk, he wasn't comfortable with her death being so easily discussed. There were few who understood what time in the arena could do to one's mind and those who did had more than there share of scars. Both physical and mental. Despite these thoughts, he was also fully aware that not everyone could be redeemed. "While I much prefer to ensnare my prey, these aren't just for show. I can hold my own." He declared while motioning to the two whips stored on the outer side of his legs.</s>
<\|description\|>Marcus Holland Gender: Male Species: Human: Appearance: Age: 31 Backstory: Before the alien invasion, Marcus worked as a member of the British Armed Forces. As a front-line infantry unit, he has experience in both engaging in battlefields to basic leadership. His peers admired his courage and bravery in the face of overwhelming odds, and his capability to take over command when necessary. After the alien invasion, he joined the Rise Resistance against the Alien Overlords as a Commander of a Recon team named The Rise 35th Battalion, named after his prior group that went down to save his life against the Aliens. His unit's task as their Commander was routine recon missions around Rise Outposts searching for survivors and refugees, and any civilians / members of surviving military's under attack by the Aliens.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "Knowing them, who knows? Best we keep on our toes in case we need to get back out there." Marcus exclaimed to Max as he lit up a Cigar to pass the time. He always enjoyed one of those every so often, of course he rationed the ones he had due to limited supply income due to the Aliens practically owning everything. He willingly took the recruits Max and Eli in knowing full well of their attitudes and personalities. He figured his team needed some diversity to make light of the situation. When Eli pitched in his comments, Marcus retorted. "If only we had someone who could translate... So far, no one seems to have a clue. We can't go back to where we originally came from however, they'll surely be looking for us." That was when he turned to Max with a smile on his face. "You're an excellent shooter, Max. But don't let your fear of the aliens affect ya. You know as well as I do that fearing them is worse than facing them. As for you, Eli. Keep working on it, will ya? The sooner we crack that call, the sooner we'll figure out what they're after."</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. Eli only nodded to Marcus as he spoke, moving to put the other earbud in his ear as he focused. He turned the volume up and played with some of the pitch and bass sliders. His expression didn't change from seeming disgruntled, he leaned back and closed his eyes. Max watched his friend as he seemed to relax, how could he do that? They were about to go into a- Marcus' compliment caught him off guard, his face deepened in red colouration. "O..Oh!" He started with a small smile, "T...Thank you sir, that means a great amount coming from you!" His smile grew a little bit. "What... DO you think will be there?" He asked, thinking to himself. "The others suspect some sort of artifact? Or even some hidden... breeding ground." Max shuddered as he glanced to Eli, who seemed to make a disgusted face as if he could hear what Max was saying before his expression twisted to mild confusion, his hand moving to turn the recording back a few seconds, pausing it before he started to shift the pitch and sound. "Whispering." Eli only said, his eyes still closed. He fell silent again after that as he moved to rewind the entire recording to listen to it again, as he had seemed to figure out the pitch to get a better sound. Max looked to Eli as he mentioned whispering, he shivered a bit more before he looked back to Marcus. "What... What do we do if we find... Humans used as..." He trailed off, he couldn't think of a way to describe what the Aliens did to the humans they captured and figured out how to 'use' them in peculiar ways; unluckily for the Rise, no human had ever made it back to the base to get tested on. The terrain suddenly became bumpy as the Vehicle got closer to its' destination, the drivers voice came through the radio above them. "Nearing the spot now boss, will stop a few miles away as to not cause any attention. Keep communications open in case we find trouble and need back up."</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "Personally? I'm expecting all sorts of twisted things. Torture and interrogation chambers, breeding grounds, all sorts. They sure as hell didn't hesitate to kill us on sight when they showed up. Kinda tosses out the "visitors will be friendly" theory right out the window. But if we're lucky, maybe some new tech couldn't hurt, give us an edge." Marcus stated as he continued smoking his cigar and looking at some files. Seemed to be that Eli was hard at work deciphering the alien call while Max was being frightful, again. He didn't seem to catch a break, even after the compliments, and continued horrifying himself. "Whatever we'll find, I'll protect you. I won't let them aliens take my squad." That was when the terrain got bumpy, the vehicle must be getting closer to the destination. When the message came through on the radio mentioning that they're close, Marcus grabbed his radio. "Understood. Keep us as far but as close as you can, and maintain radio silence until you need us. Marcus out."</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. Max shivered at Marcus' words, He looked down at his guncase on the ground with a furrowed brow. "Theres' no possibility of Mutation to us, is there?" He asked, looking up after a while, "The Water supply is still medicated right? There hasn't been any shortage of the medical supplies? I heard something about being low on bandages and needing to head to the next city for more-" Eli lifted his hand over Max's mouth, causing the shorter man to squeak in fear. "We'll be fine." Eli said as he looked over with one eye, before closing it and lowering his hand again with a mumble under his breathe. The vehicle started to slow, the tires making a small screech as they finally hit a stop. The doors unlocked themselves as a small 'ding' came through the speakers. Eli paused his recording and grabbed his bag as he pulled his headphones from his ears. "Aight." He grumbled, moving to open the door, "After you boss." The vehicle has stopped in what seemed to be a dusty desert area, dunes could be seen in the background, but just north of them was a large, fallen alien drop ship. It's hull had crumbled from presumably an explosion, the metal twisted beyond repair. There were no signs of life straight away, but these Aliens were sneaky- you could never take them so lightly. The wind picked up, bringing the smell of decay and death towards the Vehicle. A small trail of fog seemed to pour from part of the ship, although it was long since abandoned. The smoke however, was blue, from an Officer of the Rise, although it was unknown if they were alive still.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "If there was, they'd of probably just done that instead. But if they wanted us dead, they wouldn't go through the effort to convert us. Now let's stop thinking about that, and focus on our task." Marcus iterated as when Eli covered Max's mouth, he smiled a little. Seemed that he wanted the same thing. Talking about the horrors of the aliens wasn't exactly the best motivator to fight them. When the vehicle stopped and Eli motioned for him to move first, Marcus jumped out the vehicle with his weapon ready on his back. Marcus's weapon of choice was the SA80 Infantry Rifle, a British-produced rifle with a rate of fire of 610-775 RPM as a thirty-round magazine. On the stock was an engraving of "M A R C U S" on top of a faintly printed United Kingdom flag. It was his personal weapon and he wouldn't replace it. He also carried with him a Royal Navy Bayonet which could be attached to his rifle should he need it. "Hmm... Wasn't expecting a downed ship. Maybe we managed to actually punch through a couple of them. Wait..." Marcus raised his arm upwards with a clenched fist while grabbing his rifle with the other, now holding it as he spotted blue smoke coming from the ship. He recognised it as an Officer of The Rise, maybe a survivor? Clenching his weapon, he slowly walked forward. "On me, and stay close. Check your corners, and keep your hands on your weapons. We move in slowly but expecting trouble." Continuing to walk slowly forward, he went to investigate the source of the smoke.</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. Maxs' eyes widened at the mention of the aliens just ending up killing them instead of attempting mutation. When Marcus hopped out, he and Eli followed suit. Max moved and grabbed his sniper from his case, moving to clip it onto his back as he looked to Eli. Eli quickly loaded his double glocks before he looked to Marcus. Eli nodded at the orders, following behind Marcus with Max tailing behind as he kept an eye out. As they moved, a few alien bugs scuttled across in front of the Humans. They were harmless, tiny crawler bugs; often used by the aliens as spies for their small size, but without someone controlling them, they were just mindlessly wandering around. The ship loomed over them, the air around it was thick. The ship gave a slow groan when the three men entered; their feet clanging against the metal flooring, the clangs echoed through the entire ship. An echoing sound of clattering and tapping footsteps echoed from the way where the smoke was coming from. Max hesitated, unclipping his gun as he held it in his hands and looked into the darkness of the shadows. Another echoing chatter came from deeper in the ship, bouncing around the walls. Eli lifted his guns up as he narrowed his eyes. He didn't like this place, it felt off, it felt wrong. He felt like he was walking right into a trap of some sort.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "Got to hand it to the aliens, they sure do make intimidating looking ships. Alright everyone, move in slowly and carefully. Guards up at all times, got it? Max, stay behind me and Eli." Marcus ordered as he proceeded to continue slowly further into the alien craft. He heard the chatter in the walls, and the echoing of footsteps; both their own and whatever was in there. Keeping his weapon loaded, he took a few seconds to attach his knife to the barrel of the rifle, allowing him to perform better in close-quarters situations. Normally in a recon situation, he would call out for anyone around to show themselves, but given that their target is within an alien ship, that'd only draw them to their position in droves.</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. Max nodded and stayed behind them both. His fear was bubbling over, but somehow he managed to keep himself quiet; feeling his will to help whoever they were here for. He looked towards Eli, who had glanced towards him before they all moved along. The sound of scratching echoed through the area for a moment before it suddenly stopped as the men moved. More sounds of scuttling echoed from deeper in the ship. Eli lifted up his guns and narrowed his eyes, "Right." He agreed before he kept his attention up. Deeper in the ship, a few of the alien drones clambered around almost awkwardly; they both looked at each other and gave a small trill of clicks and whistles before looking towards the figure against the wall. They were breathing at least, much to the drones relief. "Should we bring her to the queen yet?" The smaller one started, the taller one shook its' head. "If she sees we bring what she would think to be human she would kill her and us." It responded, "We need to wait." "How long would it take?" The smaller one started as they stepped towards the figure again, moving a spindly arm to lift the young womans' head up. The other one stayed silent, their three pairs of eyes focused on the darkness of the hallway. "Humans." The smaller Drone let the womans' head drop down softly before they moved to grab their own guns that were leanign against the walls as they seemed to have been relaxed.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland Moving through the ship, Marcus kept his rifle clutched tightly. Ensuring that Eli and Max were behind him, he continued further onward. This didn't seem right. Sure, it was a crashed alien ship, but surely there'd be people in here, why else would that smoke flare be used? Unless of course it was a trap. That much was very considered as a possibility. Wondering further in, he could hear the very faint sound of clicking. "Stay quiet. I think we have company." Holding his arm up, he moved slowly forward and knocked on the side of a wall, hoping to garner the alien's attention. "Ready your weapons, boys. This is tight quarters, so be careful with that Sniper."</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. The tho drones looked at each other, both of them nudging the other forward to attempt to coax the other into going out. Max nodded at Marcus' words, lifting his sniper as he moved into a safe position to shoot over or under his two team mates as Eli moved to press up against the wall and readied himself, both younger boys narrowing their eyes in the darkness. The shorter Alien finally lost the battle for going first, and he slowly stepped out with a low hiss. He kept to the shadows, knowing that light would dance across his shiny carapaces. "Can we hellllp you humanz?" He spoke in broken English, his mandibles clicking together angrily. "You are intrudingz on our landz." His tiny wings buzzed, his eyes focused in on Marcus with another click of his mandibles. Eli moved to point both of his guns towards the Alien, staring him down angrily as a red dot appeared on the Aliens' chest from Max's gun. The Alien didn't try to make any sharp movements, attempting to do what he wasn't very good at. Talking. The Taller alien scuttled along to close the space between him and the woman they held captive. He moved to wrap both of his arms around her as his wings buzzed as well. The humans were blocking the only safe exit, and despite the drones having wings, they were virtually useless.</s>	<\|message\|>Marcus Holland "Well you aren't exactly being nice intruding on our planet. You know anything about that little blue smoke you set off here?" Marcus stated before peering behind the alien and noticing a fraction of another human, as well as another alien among them. Looks like that smoke wasn't exactly a trap, but it wasn't without aliens. Readying his weapon, he signalled Max and Eli. "Hey, is that another human over there? Hand her over, and we might consider sparing you."</s>
<\|description\|>Marcus Holland Gender: Male Species: Human: Appearance: Age: 31 Backstory: Before the alien invasion, Marcus worked as a member of the British Armed Forces. As a front-line infantry unit, he has experience in both engaging in battlefields to basic leadership. His peers admired his courage and bravery in the face of overwhelming odds, and his capability to take over command when necessary. After the alien invasion, he joined the Rise Resistance against the Alien Overlords as a Commander of a Recon team named The Rise 35th Battalion, named after his prior group that went down to save his life against the Aliens. His unit's task as their Commander was routine recon missions around Rise Outposts searching for survivors and refugees, and any civilians / members of surviving military's under attack by the Aliens.</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. The tho drones looked at each other, both of them nudging the other forward to attempt to coax the other into going out. Max nodded at Marcus' words, lifting his sniper as he moved into a safe position to shoot over or under his two team mates as Eli moved to press up against the wall and readied himself, both younger boys narrowing their eyes in the darkness. The shorter Alien finally lost the battle for going first, and he slowly stepped out with a low hiss. He kept to the shadows, knowing that light would dance across his shiny carapaces. "Can we hellllp you humanz?" He spoke in broken English, his mandibles clicking together angrily. "You are intrudingz on our landz." His tiny wings buzzed, his eyes focused in on Marcus with another click of his mandibles. Eli moved to point both of his guns towards the Alien, staring him down angrily as a red dot appeared on the Aliens' chest from Max's gun. The Alien didn't try to make any sharp movements, attempting to do what he wasn't very good at. Talking. The Taller alien scuttled along to close the space between him and the woman they held captive. He moved to wrap both of his arms around her as his wings buzzed as well. The humans were blocking the only safe exit, and despite the drones having wings, they were virtually useless.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "Well you aren't exactly being nice intruding on our planet. You know anything about that little blue smoke you set off here?" Marcus stated before peering behind the alien and noticing a fraction of another human, as well as another alien among them. Looks like that smoke wasn't exactly a trap, but it wasn't without aliens. Readying his weapon, he signalled Max and Eli. "Hey, is that another human over there? Hand her over, and we might consider sparing you."</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. The smaller drone watched the humans carefully as he watched them, especially as Max and Eli honed in more on him. "Why should we give youz the human? We are under direkt orderz from the queen to take her to the hivez." He said as he moved to try and cover his other companion. The Taller alien gave a long chain of angry clicks and whistles, stomping his feet in a sign of anger. He tried to moved out of sight, but there was nowhere to really head to. "Thiz human belong to uz! We found her!" The taller one spoke angrily, feeling the woman start to move in his arms. "Juzt let uz go. We need to get bak to the hivez!" Eli lifted his gun slightly, "That human belongs to no one." He said angrily, clicking his gun before narrowing his eyes. Max kept his sight on the front Alien, ready to fire if needed. His red-dot staying almost fully still over the chest of the Alien, he waited for a sign from Marcus or any aggressive movement from the Aliens to shoot.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "A queen, huh? And a hive?" Marcus asked rhetorically as he pondered his thoughts for a moment. That human that was behind them was to be taken to a hive to have all sorts done to her. That did not float Marcus's boat, not one bit. "Yeah, I'm going to have to say no. The human's coming with us. Blast them!" Marcus ordered as he loaded his rifle and proceeded to unleash a magazine on the two aliens, ensuring his shots wouldn't hit the human behind them.</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. Eli and Max both nodded, quickly starting to shoot both of the aliens. Both of them moved to shoot back, but they were easily over powered. The shorter one dropped to the ground with a hiss as the final breathe left its body, the taller one collapsed onto its' knees, hanging on for a bit longer to utter something in its' native language before it collapsed down. Max lifted his gun before he started his way to the woman. "Is she okay?" He asked more to himself, glancing back to Marcus and Eli. "She looks okay, no visible wounds or anything. She's breathing," He moved to lift her up into his arms. "Do we think there are others?"</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "Considering they only mentioned one, and they were here before us? Safe to say she's the only one." Marcus stated as he approached Eli and the woman, planting a hand onto her head to check her temperature. "She seems to be alright. No unusual temperature or anything wrong with her at first glance. Alright, back to the vehicles. We're taking her home. Maybe when she wakes up, she can tell us why she was here, and why the aliens want her in the first place."</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. Max and Eli both nodded at Marcus' words before they started to head out of the ship. Eli taking it slowly as he carried the woman along. Max hesitated as he past the now dead Aliens, moving down to grab the small translator box from around its' neck. "This should be useful." He said as he looked to his squad mate and leader, smiling as he held it up. Eli nodded once as he started to walk out again. "It might help find out what they were talking about?" Max asked as he moved to pocket it.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "Good thinking, Max. Just be careful it doesn't have a way for them to track us." Marcus stated as he spotted Max find a translator of some sorts. Hopefully it'll better decipher what Eli was working on. He continued moving alongside Eli with his rifle cocked and ready, ensuring both he and the woman was protected from ambush. Once they got out of the ship and onto the trucks, he signalled the drivers. "Alright lads, back to base. We've got what we came for, let's roll before the aliens realize they're missing some peons."</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. Max nodded as he tinkered with it as they waited for the trucks to start up. Eli on the other hand focused his energy on strapping the woman in carefully and taking a better look at her body for injuries or signs of infection. "She'll have to get a bioscan won't she?" Eli asked as he glanced to Marcus, putting his guns back in his case as he started to sit back down beside Max. Max handed Eli the translator before he also looked towards Marcus, waiting for the mans response. The woman seemed to move her head slightly, coming to consciousness very slowly before dipping back into unconsciousness.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "Most likely. Wouldn't hurt to give the lady a look-over properly." Marcus responded to Eli's question as the vehicles continued moving back to base. When the woman moved her head then dipped back into unconsciousness, Marcus looked down a little. "Poor thing. No one has to go through this. Unfortunate lady fate hasn't been playing her cards in our favor lately. Eli, Max, good shooting today. We were lucky to find her when we did, and there could of been more of them. Thankfully we only came across some lower ranked but still, good job today. I'll be sure to treat ya when we get back home."</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. Eli nodded at Marcus' words before he moved to grab the translator from Max and hooked it up to his tapes and tried to reconfig everything. He continued to fiddle with it the entire way back to base without another word. Max looked to the woman as Marcus spoke. "Why... would they take her to the hive?" He asked after a bit of silence, "I know they'd use her as a breeding candidate but would there be any... other reason?" He asked, he didn't seem to be stressing himself with his words this time around, moreso just mulling over things to himself. "And it was odd to see drones out alone without a commander alien." He continued with a furrowed brow, thinking about what he had read on the aliens.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "Maybe she knows somethin' that they don't want us to know." Marcus suggested, taking the bayonet off his weapon and putting it back against his leg. Perhaps whoever this woman is has seen what the aliens don't want The Rise to see? It was a pretty rough guess. "It is odd to see Drones without their commanders, so perhaps picking up a random human wasn't something they needed to dedicate so much for. Then again, they seemed to prefer to talk instead of kill, so perhaps they were just dumb. Either way, if she wakes up, we'll gently ask her some questions."</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. Max frowned as Marcus brainstormed with him. He looked towards the woman again, sighing softly before he looked back to Marcus. "I hope she's okay... Mentally." He said, he had heard stories of humans who got took by the aliens who turned onto their side due to some sort of mental manipulation. The drive back was okay, mostly silence between the men, Eli continued to tinker with the audio with an angry look on his face. When they got back, there were a few medical soldiers waiting outside. One of them had a stretcher beside them as their attention was drawn towards the truck as it started to slow down.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "I hope so too." As the trucks continued onward, the journey to the base was straight forward, no trouble or disturbances. When the trucks slowed down, Marcus spotted two medical soldiers waiting with a stretcher. Moving over to the woman they found, he picked her up gently and stepped out the truck towards the two soldiers. "Take good care of her. She seems to pop in and out of consciousness but at least she doesn't seem to have any physical injuries. Let me know when she fully wakes up."</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. One of the soldiers moved over with the stretcher and took her from Marcus, placing her onto the stretcher and headed inside without a word. The other one watched him leave before he looked back to Marcus with his chin up. "Thank you." He started, "The boss wants to see you, it's apparently important so you better not wait around too long." He bowed his head as he turned away, "He should be in his quarters." He walked off slowly towards where the other soldier had left to. Max followed Marcus rather quickly out of the truck, glancing back to Eli as he stayed there, head back and eyes closed as if he didn't realize they had gotten home- er well. Back to base. Max sighed, he guessed this was his home now, he was one of the newest members- Apart from his younger sister who he was found with after aliens came into his home and... He shuddered and moved his arm to wipe away a tear as he straightened out his back with narrowed eyes. The woman rolled on the stretcher, letting out small grumbles and pants as if she was injured or exhausted. She seemed to be mumbling things under her breath, and she seemed to be furrowing her brow.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland "The boss wants to see me? This'll be fun..." Marcus stated sarcastically as he witnessed the two soldiers pull the girl away. When Max shuddered a tear from his eyes, Marcus looked toward him. "Hey, everything's gonna be alright. We've all been through some hell. But that's why we're such a good family. Everyone's been through tough times, and it's things like that that'll make us tougher. Trust me, I would know, I lost my entire squad when the aliens first arrived. My only memories of my team are our group name and dog-tags in my quarters. Anyway, the boss wants to see me." Marcus then sighed and walked off towards the direction of the boss's quarters. Once he arrived, he knocked on the door. "Boss, you wanted to see me? It's Marcus."</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. Max looked up to Marcus as he spoke about his old team, he hesitated as he almost wanted to speak before he responded with a single nod and glanced back to Eli, moving to gently nudge him to get him to follow him inside. The door opened slowly, the hinges creaking as it did so. "Come in." A stern, older male voice echoed from inside the room. The room inside was a dark oaky wood colouration, the lamps on the walls casing the soft yellow light through the area as a grey haired man sat behind an oak desk with his elbows against the desk and his middle finger, index finger curved over his cheeks while his thumbs were under his chin. His emerald green eyes stared towards Marcus as entered, he seemed... annoyed.</s> <\|message\|>Marcus Holland Stepping in after ordered to, Marcus did admire the oaky theme that he had going for his quarters. Similar to Marcus's but a bit more darker coloured which, everybody had their tastes. Stepping further in, he saluted before speaking. "You look annoyed, sir. Is somethin wrong?"</s> <\|message\|>Rosellia Tora. The boss didn't speak for a moment before he straightened himself out. "I was just thinking." He stated slowly, his eyes moved to look at Marcus and narrowed slightly. "How did the mission go? I presume since you brought home someone it went without any negativities?" He tilted his head slightly. The medical staff looked the woman over, doing as many checks as they could as they got her ready for when she finally came around to consciousness. They did blood tests and DNA swipes, moving to look for anything out of the ordinary. The woman moved slightly, tossing her head to the side and knocked out the breathing tube, letting in a large gust of air into her lungs as her eyes clenched before opening suddenly. She heaved when the air entered her lungs, moving to sit up before a few of the medics pushed her back down.</s>	<\|message\|>Marcus Holland "The mission went relatively well. We only brought back one person, although that person was already found by the Aliens. Only two of them though, and they went down real easy. Spoke about orders to take her back to their hive or something like that, so safe to say I think we spared her whatever horrors they planned." Marcus stated honestly, lighting a Cigar from his supply in his pocket. "The medical team's taken her in, hopefully they can help her out before we ask any questions."</s>
<\|description\|>Jane Franzese AGE: 26 GENDER: Female SEXUALITY: Heterosexual PERSONALITY: Sarcastic and short-tempered with a low tolerance for the simple-minded, to put it kindly. Most often than not, Jane is rather vocal whenever she feels the need to get the message across. Friendships come and go, and therefore Jane does not mind the least bit to use people if it is beneficial for her in any regard. She finds humor where others will not, but she knows when not to alienate herself as to not end up at a disadvantage from being outnumbered. Maybe she'll let her personality shine through to those around her, or maybe she'll play the part of an angel and make just about anyone believe the facade. Her backpack. In it, one can find the Glock she pried out of her dead father's hand. She also has a flashlight and a pack of batteries, a switchblade, a first-aid kit, numerous food items such as canned goods and granola bars, and water. Items sometimes get traded, but the one thing that remains constant is the gun. [-3] Jane's tattoos multiply and come to life whenever she experiences increased levels of stress. They take on a physical form, establishing a protective barrier around her. Her tattoos consist of roses, thorns, and other plants. The flowers, which harden dramatically upon release, are there to shield her, while the thorns lash out in offensive strikes to main or kill an opponent. Jane has some control over her tattoos, although they develop a mind of their own if Jane isn't doing too good of a job protecting herself. If a plant is damaged, then it simply ceases to exist and it will slowly reappear on her skin to allow some time to regenerate. With a rather rough upbringing, Jane wasn't the pretty little princess other young girls were made up to be. She was only 8 when one of her father's rivals kidnapped and assaulted her. She wasn't the same after that, and the family knew it, especially her father, Don. He was a very successful underboss up to that point, but ultimately, it was his own careless that led to his demise. Soon after the incident, Jane was placed into therapy with some of New York's finest psychologists. Numerous sessions, however, did not stop the nightmares from popping up as they pleased. Jane would wake up screaming in the middle of the night covered in sweat with her hair a matted mess, and she could not stop crying after each occurrence. Such late-night horrors caused her life to derail. Her grades slipped well below the average for somebody with her level of intelligence, and she avoided both friends and acquaintances alike at school or out on the streets. Her teachers had countless meetings with her parents, but they would discuss the fact that she was already in therapy and not much else could be done. As the years went by, Jane started acting up in an aggressive manner. What started off as frequent shoving incidents suddenly led to fights, eventually leading to the young girl's suspension after many repetitive episodes. Only a teenager at that point, Jane got bored of being at home and snuck out whenever she felt like it. She started hanging out with the wrong crowd and soon started drinking, smoking weed, and being involved in petty crimes. She was arrested twice during such period, but after some time she decided she didn't want to be in the spotlight anymore. She'd realized she wanted to find the man who had turned her world upside down, and she wouldn't stop. Hate was the key factor that drove her, and her thirst for vengeance consumed her to the point that it nearly drove her mad.</s> <\|message\|>Cara Bryant Cara Bryant Cara needed somewhere to rest. True rest was a distant memory, with danger around every corner, and remnants of society to help hold together. Still, people had their limits. Especially when they'd failed to save someone. Cara gritted her teeth at the scene from a few hours ago replaying through her mind. The collapsed figure. The stab wound. The blood, so much blood, more than she could keep from seeping away, through magical or mundane means. She glanced down at her clothes, at the deep red stains that the rain couldn't wash away. He'd been past saving even before she'd arrived, but the knowledge didn't help. It didn't this time, and it hadn't all those other times. The only semblance of relief was a silhouette through the downpour. A building. Knowing better than to hurry to it, Cara hid in the overgrowth, wary eyes flicking this way at that. She'd given a slight boost to her eyesight earlier, a boost that was starting to fade, but made the view clear enough for her to know the coast also was. Shivering, she pushed aside foliage and crept into the hotel. Her footsteps splashed across the flooded floor, then stopped. She wasn't alone. Across the lobby, a woman made her way up the staircase. Cara tensed, her guard up, but slowly approached anyway at the sight of something. A raw, ragged neck wound. This girl needed medical attention, something Cara wasn't going to deny anyone. "Do you need help?" she called, in as calm and gentle a tone as she could. "It's ok, I'm not going to hurt you." Unless she gives me no choice, Cara thought, heavy-hearted. She doubted the tattooed woman would find a stranger covered in blood reassuring, especially in a world like this, so she held out her hands and let a soft glow dance across her veins. Showing that she was of the light would hopefully put the girl at ease.</s> <\|message\|>Jane Franzese She wasn't alone. Jane hadn't heard the woman approach due to the heavy rain, and it made her stop on one of the steps on the way to the second floor. She looked down at the stranger, and she immediately noticed the fact that she had a substantial amount of blood on her person. That should have been reason enough for Jane to turn her away, but despite the fact, Jane didn't do that. Instead, she went down a few steps, her hand resting on the railing for support. "If you're going to help me, then why are you covered in blood? Because from the looks of it, either you are not very talented or you're doing the opposite of helping..." There was a brief silence. Maybe Jane had gone a little overboard, but it was easier to ask questions now and not the other way around. Her skin tingled, but she maintained her composure. At a first glance, the woman didn't seem all that threatening to her. She didn't rule out the possibility that she was hostile, of course, but to jump to conclusions could possibly end up setting her up for failure. She was at a disadvantage due to her wounds, and she didn't want to chance it. Jane would rather play along for the moment being and adjust later if needed be. "...I have to admit though, I'd be foolish to turn away any help at this point." Jane went on, noticing the woman was glowing. She would have attacked Jane by now if that was her intention, and the thought put her at ease. She didn't let her guard down completely, but she wasn't on edge. "Come on, I was just going up to find a room," Jane motioned, the dull ache on her shoulder intensifying as a result and Jane was once again reminded that any small gesture or movement would be painful. Hopefully the woman would put an end to that and then leave her be so she could rest. The fight had drained her quite a bit and she'd be insane to go outside again without fully recovering.</s> <\|message\|>Cara Bryant Cara Bryant Cara pressed her lips together, but showed no other sign that the comment had gotten to her. She'd heard worse from some people she'd helped, and the attacks weren't always merely verbal. Even so, a duty was a duty. "I'm a paramedic," she said, to explain both the blood and her offer to treat the woman's injury, as she took her first aid kit from her backpack. "Or at least, I was until all this happened." She approached the girl, setting down the first aid kit on a higher step, donning thin translucent gloves and examining the wound. It wasn't deep enough to need stitches, but bore the distinctive jagged edges of a bite, heightening the risk of infection. She set to work cleaning and dressing it, the glow returning to her hands as she did so. Her fingertips tingled, neither her gloves nor the bandages stopping the energy from flowing through. "This will speed up the healing process a little," she explained. The girl would feel the effect right away - reduced pain, and no blood seeping through the bandage - but would still have to be careful not to aggravate the injury. Once done, Cara put away the medical supplies. "How's that?" If the woman wanted to rest, hopefully she'd have an easier time of it now, in so far as rest could be easy in recent years. Of course, there was always the chance the girl would use the slight recovery as an opportunity to attack. Cara could feel the strain setting in, partly from earlier, but couldn't let her guard down just yet.</s> <\|message\|>Jane Franzese "Thanks doc, you have magic hands" she remarked with a smirk, "You did a great job as far as I can tell," she went on, looking down to check out her shoulder. Jane was truly impressed. Whatever the woman did, it had helped her heal to the point where she wasn't worried about bleeding out, and the kind gesture wasn't lost on Jane. She did however notice that the woman was just the slightest bit apprehensive in her presence. Nothing visibly alarming, but Jane was skilled at reading people, and most of the time she could tell when something seemed off. It's gotta be the tattoos... "Well, I don't know how else to thank you other than with words. If I may, I don't think we'll run into trouble here so please, don't be afraid to stay and take advantage of any of the available rooms. I'm doing just that for the evening to rest up and hopefully continue on the move tomorrow. I should be good by then if all goes well." Jane was appreciative of the services rendered, and in all honesty she didn't mind the woman staying in one of the rooms. If nothing else, she would be able to take a look at the wound the following morning before Jane took off. Usually, she wouldn't have extended the invitation, but she thought it was a good idea to have a healer around, especially when you already had an existing injury.</s> <\|message\|>Cara Bryant Cara Bryant A slight smile softened Cara's formerly stoic expression. "It's no trouble," she replied. "That injury should be healed in a matter of days, but you'll still want to be careful with it in the meantime." The change in the woman's attitude brought relief. Not only because it was now clear she wasn't hostile, but it seemed she'd be ok in a world where so many people weren't. Visibly relaxing, Cara nodded in response to the offer. "Good idea for people to stick together when possible anyway," she replied. She probably sounded paranoid, and hoped she wasn't setting the girl's nerves on edge, but the intention was to reassure her there was safety in numbers. Relative safety, in any case. "If you want, I can check on the wound in the morning," she offered. The girl would likely want the effect renewed by then, especially if she was planning on setting out. Cara hauled her backpack onto her shoulders and started her way up the stairs, her ascent slow as she held onto the rail, careful not to slip in the water trickles. With any luck, the upper floors wouldn't be too bad, although of course that depended just how leaky the roof was.</s>	<\|message\|>Jane Franzese The fact that the woman was offering to check on her the following day meant that Jane didn't have to go fetching for her in the morning. Good, less need to have to ask for a favor and in return, have to be in her debt. Jane never liked being in debt. She always did what she had to do to even out the help, otherwise, she could very well be taken advantage of. It had happened once in the past, and she did not respond kindly. In order to avoid a similar incident from occurring again, she rarely asked for assistance. Jane turned around with a smile, climbing up the stairs. The woman looked like the textbook definition of a goody two-shoes, but she obviously didn't mind. After all, Jane now had an additional body who not only was a medical professional, but could also help her out if they had an encounter with someone or something trying to cause mayhem. "Yes, that'd be great, thank you." A few moments later both women were on the top floor. Jane looked down over the lot, the downpour making it nearly impossible to see anything clearly past the hotel grounds. The raindrops were landing heavily on the railing, some of it splashing Jane. She didn't mind though. She enjoyed the rain, except if she was getting soaked like she did earlier. But otherwise it was fine. Jane noticed the doors to the rooms on the right. She tensed a little, wondering for a moment what, if anything, was on the other side of the door closest to her. She motioned for her companion to stay put as she walked up to the door. It wasn't locked, but it was mostly closed; enough to prevent them from seeing inside. Jane drew her firearm, placing the palm of her free hand on the door just about eye level before she swiftly pushed it open. Quickly walking inside, her eyes took some time to adjust to the darkness. However, as far as she could tell, the room was clear from any threats. Two beds on one side, a drawer with a TV on it opposite the beds, a table and a chair, and finally, two nightstands all made from the same material. The beds were stripped of any linen, and there was only one bare pillow on one of the beds. Jane was a bit surprised that the furniture was mostly intact, and she most definitely wasn't complaining. "Alright, I guess this is home for the night," she called out to the woman, suddenly realizing she didn't know her name. "I'm Jane, by the way, and I suggest we both stay here together. No sense in splitting up and giving whatever freaks are out there the upper hand. What do you say, roomies for the night? We could even have a pillow fight but one of us would be shit out of luck."</s>
<\|description\|>Cara Bryant Age: 35 Gender: Female Sexuality: Straight (but not looking, nobody can replace her husband and she's more focused on helping fellow survivors than romance) Personality: Solemn yet kind is the best way to describe Cara. She doesn't talk much, meaning that when she does, her words carry impact. Even rarer is her tendency to smile. This, combined with her cynicism towards the hypocrisy she saw in the medical profession and towards the state of the world now, can make her seem cold. However, beneath that jaded exterior is someone who's held on to her principles even throughout the crisis. It's when she's helping others that her compassion shines through. Appearance: Despite her soft features, her height of 5'9" and her usually stoic expression make her appear imposing to some. She has a decent level of physical fitness, which was needed for her former career, and still is for her travels as well as to defend herself or others when necessary. One sign of such struggle is a burn scar on her right forearm from wrist to elbow, inflicted by a survivor who lashed out in anger. Equipment and other items the character carries; ie. food, tools, weapons etc: Basic first aid supplies, gloves, water flask, non-perishable foods she salvages where she can Alignment: +2, putting her on the side of light. While she's no saint, and has had to make plenty of tough decisions, she's always had a strong sense of duty. This alignment grants her the ability to slightly boost people's physical skills and functions with a touch. She mostly uses this to accelerate the healing process of the injured, although increasing strength and endurance also come in useful for survival situations. Of course, she has to be careful not to overdo it, as this will exhaust her. The affinity doesn't affect her appearance except for when she uses her powers; her veins light up with a faint white glow. Backstory: Before the crisis, life was pretty good for Cara. Raised to be practical, she learned first aid skills from a young age, which she refined through studies and put into practice by taking a career as a paramedic. As stressful a job as rescuing and treating people was, between her work and her marriage, she'd gotten to where she wanted. The storm turned all this upside down. After her husband died in the cataclysm, few would have blamed Cara if she'd given up there and then. Instead, she turned her skills towards saving those who still could be saved. It was near impossible at first, as given the sheer number of casualties, she and other rescuers had to decide who lived and who died on a daily basis. This kind of stress and desire to do more, though, was what awakened something within her. While treating a child who seemed close to death from his injuries, her veins began to glow. The patient's wounds lessened right away, and slowly but surely his physical state kept improving. Many others manifested superhuman abilities just as she had, but some turned out more harmful than helpful. One survivor, beside himself with anger and paranoia, unleashed energy bursts on some of Cara's fellow rescue workers. She intervened, getting injured herself in the process. This was just the beginning of the darkness she witnessed spreading through the world. Since then, she's had to treat many people caught up in attacks by the darkmen on the gatherings of light, and watched several of them die. Although it takes its toll on her, she still staunchly believes in holding on to kindness and ethics, the things that make the world worth rebuilding.</s> <\|message\|>Cara Bryant Cara Bryant Cara needed somewhere to rest. True rest was a distant memory, with danger around every corner, and remnants of society to help hold together. Still, people had their limits. Especially when they'd failed to save someone. Cara gritted her teeth at the scene from a few hours ago replaying through her mind. The collapsed figure. The stab wound. The blood, so much blood, more than she could keep from seeping away, through magical or mundane means. She glanced down at her clothes, at the deep red stains that the rain couldn't wash away. He'd been past saving even before she'd arrived, but the knowledge didn't help. It didn't this time, and it hadn't all those other times. The only semblance of relief was a silhouette through the downpour. A building. Knowing better than to hurry to it, Cara hid in the overgrowth, wary eyes flicking this way at that. She'd given a slight boost to her eyesight earlier, a boost that was starting to fade, but made the view clear enough for her to know the coast also was. Shivering, she pushed aside foliage and crept into the hotel. Her footsteps splashed across the flooded floor, then stopped. She wasn't alone. Across the lobby, a woman made her way up the staircase. Cara tensed, her guard up, but slowly approached anyway at the sight of something. A raw, ragged neck wound. This girl needed medical attention, something Cara wasn't going to deny anyone. "Do you need help?" she called, in as calm and gentle a tone as she could. "It's ok, I'm not going to hurt you." Unless she gives me no choice, Cara thought, heavy-hearted. She doubted the tattooed woman would find a stranger covered in blood reassuring, especially in a world like this, so she held out her hands and let a soft glow dance across her veins. Showing that she was of the light would hopefully put the girl at ease.</s> <\|message\|>Jane Franzese She wasn't alone. Jane hadn't heard the woman approach due to the heavy rain, and it made her stop on one of the steps on the way to the second floor. She looked down at the stranger, and she immediately noticed the fact that she had a substantial amount of blood on her person. That should have been reason enough for Jane to turn her away, but despite the fact, Jane didn't do that. Instead, she went down a few steps, her hand resting on the railing for support. "If you're going to help me, then why are you covered in blood? Because from the looks of it, either you are not very talented or you're doing the opposite of helping..." There was a brief silence. Maybe Jane had gone a little overboard, but it was easier to ask questions now and not the other way around. Her skin tingled, but she maintained her composure. At a first glance, the woman didn't seem all that threatening to her. She didn't rule out the possibility that she was hostile, of course, but to jump to conclusions could possibly end up setting her up for failure. She was at a disadvantage due to her wounds, and she didn't want to chance it. Jane would rather play along for the moment being and adjust later if needed be. "...I have to admit though, I'd be foolish to turn away any help at this point." Jane went on, noticing the woman was glowing. She would have attacked Jane by now if that was her intention, and the thought put her at ease. She didn't let her guard down completely, but she wasn't on edge. "Come on, I was just going up to find a room," Jane motioned, the dull ache on her shoulder intensifying as a result and Jane was once again reminded that any small gesture or movement would be painful. Hopefully the woman would put an end to that and then leave her be so she could rest. The fight had drained her quite a bit and she'd be insane to go outside again without fully recovering.</s> <\|message\|>Cara Bryant Cara Bryant Cara pressed her lips together, but showed no other sign that the comment had gotten to her. She'd heard worse from some people she'd helped, and the attacks weren't always merely verbal. Even so, a duty was a duty. "I'm a paramedic," she said, to explain both the blood and her offer to treat the woman's injury, as she took her first aid kit from her backpack. "Or at least, I was until all this happened." She approached the girl, setting down the first aid kit on a higher step, donning thin translucent gloves and examining the wound. It wasn't deep enough to need stitches, but bore the distinctive jagged edges of a bite, heightening the risk of infection. She set to work cleaning and dressing it, the glow returning to her hands as she did so. Her fingertips tingled, neither her gloves nor the bandages stopping the energy from flowing through. "This will speed up the healing process a little," she explained. The girl would feel the effect right away - reduced pain, and no blood seeping through the bandage - but would still have to be careful not to aggravate the injury. Once done, Cara put away the medical supplies. "How's that?" If the woman wanted to rest, hopefully she'd have an easier time of it now, in so far as rest could be easy in recent years. Of course, there was always the chance the girl would use the slight recovery as an opportunity to attack. Cara could feel the strain setting in, partly from earlier, but couldn't let her guard down just yet.</s> <\|message\|>Jane Franzese "Thanks doc, you have magic hands" she remarked with a smirk, "You did a great job as far as I can tell," she went on, looking down to check out her shoulder. Jane was truly impressed. Whatever the woman did, it had helped her heal to the point where she wasn't worried about bleeding out, and the kind gesture wasn't lost on Jane. She did however notice that the woman was just the slightest bit apprehensive in her presence. Nothing visibly alarming, but Jane was skilled at reading people, and most of the time she could tell when something seemed off. It's gotta be the tattoos... "Well, I don't know how else to thank you other than with words. If I may, I don't think we'll run into trouble here so please, don't be afraid to stay and take advantage of any of the available rooms. I'm doing just that for the evening to rest up and hopefully continue on the move tomorrow. I should be good by then if all goes well." Jane was appreciative of the services rendered, and in all honesty she didn't mind the woman staying in one of the rooms. If nothing else, she would be able to take a look at the wound the following morning before Jane took off. Usually, she wouldn't have extended the invitation, but she thought it was a good idea to have a healer around, especially when you already had an existing injury.</s> <\|message\|>Cara Bryant Cara Bryant A slight smile softened Cara's formerly stoic expression. "It's no trouble," she replied. "That injury should be healed in a matter of days, but you'll still want to be careful with it in the meantime." The change in the woman's attitude brought relief. Not only because it was now clear she wasn't hostile, but it seemed she'd be ok in a world where so many people weren't. Visibly relaxing, Cara nodded in response to the offer. "Good idea for people to stick together when possible anyway," she replied. She probably sounded paranoid, and hoped she wasn't setting the girl's nerves on edge, but the intention was to reassure her there was safety in numbers. Relative safety, in any case. "If you want, I can check on the wound in the morning," she offered. The girl would likely want the effect renewed by then, especially if she was planning on setting out. Cara hauled her backpack onto her shoulders and started her way up the stairs, her ascent slow as she held onto the rail, careful not to slip in the water trickles. With any luck, the upper floors wouldn't be too bad, although of course that depended just how leaky the roof was.</s> <\|message\|>Jane Franzese The fact that the woman was offering to check on her the following day meant that Jane didn't have to go fetching for her in the morning. Good, less need to have to ask for a favor and in return, have to be in her debt. Jane never liked being in debt. She always did what she had to do to even out the help, otherwise, she could very well be taken advantage of. It had happened once in the past, and she did not respond kindly. In order to avoid a similar incident from occurring again, she rarely asked for assistance. Jane turned around with a smile, climbing up the stairs. The woman looked like the textbook definition of a goody two-shoes, but she obviously didn't mind. After all, Jane now had an additional body who not only was a medical professional, but could also help her out if they had an encounter with someone or something trying to cause mayhem. "Yes, that'd be great, thank you." A few moments later both women were on the top floor. Jane looked down over the lot, the downpour making it nearly impossible to see anything clearly past the hotel grounds. The raindrops were landing heavily on the railing, some of it splashing Jane. She didn't mind though. She enjoyed the rain, except if she was getting soaked like she did earlier. But otherwise it was fine. Jane noticed the doors to the rooms on the right. She tensed a little, wondering for a moment what, if anything, was on the other side of the door closest to her. She motioned for her companion to stay put as she walked up to the door. It wasn't locked, but it was mostly closed; enough to prevent them from seeing inside. Jane drew her firearm, placing the palm of her free hand on the door just about eye level before she swiftly pushed it open. Quickly walking inside, her eyes took some time to adjust to the darkness. However, as far as she could tell, the room was clear from any threats. Two beds on one side, a drawer with a TV on it opposite the beds, a table and a chair, and finally, two nightstands all made from the same material. The beds were stripped of any linen, and there was only one bare pillow on one of the beds. Jane was a bit surprised that the furniture was mostly intact, and she most definitely wasn't complaining. "Alright, I guess this is home for the night," she called out to the woman, suddenly realizing she didn't know her name. "I'm Jane, by the way, and I suggest we both stay here together. No sense in splitting up and giving whatever freaks are out there the upper hand. What do you say, roomies for the night? We could even have a pillow fight but one of us would be shit out of luck."</s>	<\|message\|>Cara Bryant The two had made the right choice by going to the top floor, or at least Cara could hope. The stench of mold still hung around, and rain leaked through the ceiling in steady trickles, but most of the water ran down the stairs. This was the closest to a comfortable shelter they'd find. Now to check that it was also a safe one. Slowly, she approached the nearest door. She reached for her medical kit, in case the sharp tools were needed for defense. The opposite of their usual purpose, but there was no telling who, or what, the two may run into in the room. The younger woman, however, motioned to her to stay back. Before Cara could offer to go first, the girl took the plunge and marched inside, gun in hand as she peered through the darkness. Cara followed, exhaling in relief as she scanned the surroundings. The earlier eyesight boost hadn't completely faded, and it quickly became clear this room held no threats. Just basic, bare furniture, which thankfully hadn't rotted away or fallen apart. She headed to the beds, checking them over and pressing down on them to test their sturdiness. Damp and worn as they were, they'd be usable, and a bed of any kind was a luxury. Looking over her shoulder as the other woman - Jane - spoke, Cara nodded. Her lips even twitched at the joke. "Sounds good," she replied, sitting down on the bed without the pillow. "You take the pillow - for sleeping, that is, not for fighting. And I'm Cara." She kept her voice low. They were the only occupants of the room, but not necessarily of the hotel.</s>
<\|description\|>Talent and Skill List * Bestiary</s> <\|message\|>Cull --- Hunger gnawed at the root of Cull's mind as he stalked through the underbrush. He had set out alone, only a thick branch with a poorly sharpened tip to keep him company. Slowly, carefully, and deliberately he crept, his head on a swivel; searching for potential prey. Somehow, part of him knew what he was doing-- but the thoughts were fuzzy, and out of focus. Was it instinct, perhaps? Or something else entirely? His grip shifted on his rudimentary spear. It felt familiar, like a weapon that belonged in his hands, a weapon he knew. But wasn't this his first time holding such a thing? A pounding headache dissuaded the youngling from trying to rationalize the strange sense of Deja Vous, food came first. Before long he came upon a clearing, where two animals were already fighting, the smaller of the two seemingly winning the struggle. Cull's breathing quieted as he narrowed his eyes at his prey, clearly the smaller brown animal was both faster, and stronger. Watching, waiting, moving ever so slowly-- the goblin stealthily positioned himself to come from behind the victor, intending to wait for their battle to be in its final moments before he would creep up, and thrust his spear into whatever animal had the upper hand. It was simply a test of patience.</s> <\|message\|>Aya Aya was taken aback by her sister's response. Why was she stammering? And what did she mean by 'low-level job'? The entire plan hinged off it... And go together?! Why would Ragi want to work so closely with Aya, wouldn't that reduce efficiency and hinder Ragi's plans? Aya's mind raced as she tried to figure out her sister's intentions. Understanding people was hard, damn it! Wait. What if this was a test? If Ragi was truly planning on establishing herself as ruler of the goblins, then it only made sense that she would want to test her subjects and with Bug lying exhausted in a hole and Twig nowhere to be seen that only left Aya for her to test. Yeah, now that Aya thought about it her sister presenting a third option had clearly been a calculated suggestion on her part. Not only would it allow her to see how Aya adapted to unforeseen circumstances, but it would put Ragi in a position to closely observe Aya and get a feel for her skills and capabilities. Now beginning to see a clearer picture as to the extent of her sister's brilliance, Aya felt her grin grow somehow wider still, as her panic kicked up by an order of magnitude and she wondered just how many steps ahead of her Ragi truly was. "Ahh... good suggestion sister...", Aya began. Shit, there was no way she was going to prove her worth to Ragi sounding so unconfident. Why did communicating have to be so hard? "I think we should bring the mushroom sloth thingy with us for now, I'm not sure how difficult it would be to try and explain agriculture to the others...", Aya suggested, hoping to show that she was thinking things through, "And I'll also collect any good sticks we see on the way as well...". Had she forgotten about anything? Sure felt like it, but Aya couldn't think of anything at that moment and waiting around would bring its own set of problems, so Aya instead considered which direction they should search in. Anything of interest in the direction Ragi had gone would have already been spotted by her sister, Aya didn't trust Twig not to have scared off any potential prey near him and she hadn't seen anything while walking from the cave, which only left one direction for the duo to explore. With that in mind, Aya wordlessly set out. She'd intended to seem confident in her silence but immediately regretted the decision, realising that it probably just made her look bad at communicating instead, not that that was an unfair assessment...</s>	<\|message\|>Talent and Skill List EMRI & HOI It took a while for the goblins to notice, but the moment their hunger vanished, the clearer their minds became. Everything around them gradually became vibrant and filled with life, as it should have been. The pain, fatigue, and discomfort they previously felt had disappeared, as if it was never there. This was certainly more than simple recovery. In their efforts to look for water, both Emri and Hoi started to appreciate their surroundings better. Birds were chirping, leaves wildly rustled, and the growls and sounds of the various creatures that called the forest their home were never ending. However, these things weren't their priority at the moment; what they wanted to quench was their thirst. Hoi focused on listening, hoping to hear something that would point them to water, but the lively forest made it difficult. Emri on the other hand relied on his keen observation. He was right, healthy plants could only mean a good source of water nearby. Unfortunately, their time and efforts were not being put to good use, as they only managed to find moist mounds of earth. They were always beneath the trees and around the long and large gnarled roots that had surfaced to the ground. Taking a moment to rest and rethink their plans, a few feet away from them, a nest of Horned Rabbits had gathered, and apparently, they were gnawing and licking the roots of the trees around them. The moment Emri saw them, he immediately knew what they were called and of their timid nature. No luck in finding rivers and streams, but there's a lot of wet soil lying around. Anyway, when I say nest, that's probably around six rabbits. Just in case you were wondering. Just tell me if you wanna continue to search or do something to the rabbits. --- SAITO It seemed that when Saito wanted to win, Saito was going to win; he was willing to do whatever it took. Onlookers would've seen him as a naked goblin, wailing as he repeatedly slammed his only piece of clothing against a tree. He was the goblin your mother told you to avoid. But little did they know, behind all his green glory, was someone who was about to get his first meal. From the confines of his loincloth, the high-pitched shrieking of the Scaled Shrew came to a halt. Saito's judgement had told him that it was time to stop. Laying out the shrew on the ground, it was no longer rolled up, was motionless, eyes were pitch white, and its tongue was lax, dangling from the side of its mouth. Chewy and gamey, but with a hint of tartness. It was strange meat, hence little choose to hunt it. The scaled hide remained intact though. Not a dent. Anyway, Saito's first hunt is done. Time to rest and recollect. Then do whatevers again. Progression & Spoils Crafted makeshift weapon (+1 Level) Formulated a plan (+2 Levels) Successful hunt (+8 Levels) Killing Blow (+4 Levels) Gained Skill* Lunging Strike: In a burst of speed, the user is able to quickly clear a large distance (two strides worth) before delivering an attack. The higher the rank, the faster and greater the distace. (E-Rank) Report Card Goblin Saito (Level 1) ---> Goblin Saito (Level 16) Spoils Gained Scaled Hide x 1 Gained Scaled Tail x 1 * [???] - Defensive Skill (Active) * [???] - Defensive Skill (Active) * [???] - Defensive Skill (Passive) --- AYA, RAGI, BUG, & TWIG Aya and Ragi's discussion lead them away from their clearing and back into the forest, with the Harvest Sloth following them from behind. It kept its distance from Aya, and closely stayed just behind Ragi. With weapons in hand, they continued to search for creatures that they could lead back to their trap. It might have been a coincidence, but the two goblins managed to return to the area where the Ragi found the sloth. There were still no creatures around, but what they could help but notice was the number of motionless insects within the area. This was the only instance where the Harvest Sloth decided to move in front of them. It apparently was hungry, as it made its way to the helpless insects. As it devoured the bugs, faint traces of orange spores flew off from it back, slowly filling the air. Both goblins noticed this, but due to the sloth's proximity to Ragi, only Aya managed to distance herself. Ragi suddenly fell to the ground, motionless from the neck down. The Harvest Sloth remained clueless as it continued its meal. .... Back at the hole, Twig had finally returned along with the massive rock he had been pushing around. His head shook from side to side, seeing as no one was around. However, before the panic could set in, Twig heard the iconic snore of his brother. He was lead to the hole Bug had made and found him there, covered in dirt and sound asleep. Throwing a few sticks at his brother's face, Twig screamed to wake him up. "Brother! I have big rock! Can you lift?!" Both their eyes widened in excitement. I guess you now know why they call it the Harvest Sloth? Since they were left behind, the wacky adventures of Bug and Twig continue. --- RESHY 💀 Choosing to ignore his hunger, the young goblin continued to wander before deciding to climb up a tree. He was probably the last of the goblins to have looked for food. It wasn't wrong to assume that there might have been little left around the cave. Hoping to find something atop the tall trees, Reshy proceeded to claw and scrape on the bark. So his climb started. .... Then his climb ended. It took precisely four attempts. Without the right tools or capabilities, and sufficient strength, it was difficult to achieve what Reshy wanted. The highest that he had reached before falling to the ground was around a two feet high. So there Reshy was. Bathing in the suns warmth, laying on the ground, with crippling hunger and a weakened body. What made things more strange was the sweet aroma that had filled the air and the sticky cold that began to envelope his legs. A Yellow Slime had appeared and assumed that Reshy was weak enough to devour. Yellow Slimes are around the size of a goblin's head. They aren't transparent like its Green and Blue counterparts, and appear more putty like. It emits a sweet floral aroma. Reshy can still resist, as some sort of fight or flight, but if he messes up, we can get our second goblin death. So a single skull puts you in a situation where you can die. --- KRISHNA, RENA, & TIK With the lifeless Gor laying in a growing pool of blood, the Horned Rabbit's body shivered in excitement before letting out a low-pitched snarl. Its eyes were now set on the other goblin and as it kicked off the ground, lunging at its next target. Stricken with fear and panic, Krishna's instincts told him what he had to do. This situation did not call for a warrior's pride or a goblin's recklessness. He just had to survive for now, and survive he did. Darting off at impressive speed, Krishna zigged and zagged his way to safety rather easily. There was a thing about Horned Rabbits. They weren't considered predatory and mostly fed on plant life. Despite their amazing lunging capabilities and sharp horns, their attacks were quite simple; they could only charge towards one direction. Pivoting, swerving, or curving were actions they found difficult. Trees now protected Krishna, leaving the rabbit alone, kicking up dust in frustration. However, this didn't last long as rocks and branches suddenly flew towards it. ... Tik and Rena were quite similar, but not in appearance or personality. I suppose it was more on how the decisions they had made. Despite plagued by hunger, the two spent ample time in crafting make shift weapons; whether their trusty tools made up for their growling stomachs and weary bodies, it was too soon to tell. Kinda. Both decided to help their troubled brethren, even if it was against a large and scarred foe that had already slain one of their own. Their approach of attack shared similar characteristics as well. Even with their child-like physiques and waning strength, they made their presences known with ranged attacks. Tik's spears soared gracefully towards the Horned Rabbit, at least as graceful as it could, but it lacked something. It was either accuracy, power, or a little bit of both. I mean, he was a starving newborn, it wasn't that surprising. Rena's rock also shared the same fate; it whiffed. However, even with their questionable choices, failed attacks, and weakened bodies, they stayed true to their rough and rowdy goblin instincts as they charged towards the lunging Horned Rabbit. Similar to Gor, Tik rushed towards the Horned Rabbit, meeting it head on. Before it could get near enough though, the young goblin swung his makeshift weapon, aiming for the creature's head. The rabbit was unyielding, and continued its charge regardless of the incoming attack. With its horn, it had managed to parry the strike, and successful tackled the greenskin, launching him backwards. With the Horned Rabbit's attention focused on Tik, Rena was given the opportunity land a decisive blow. Coming from its periphery and catching it off guard, a wooden club had came rushing in, crashing into the rabbit's chest. The sounds of cracking bone echoed through the forest before the rabbit was sent tumbling to the sides. The Horned Rabbit immediately recovered, landing on all fours, its head lowered and ready to lunge. Its eyes were locked unto both goblins as it let out a blood curdling snarl. Despite frothing at the mouth, it seemed to be more cautious as it waited for its foes to make a move. Krishna's safe and soudn; he's pretty much free to do whatever he wants. The rabbit kinda forgot he was there. As far as it knows, Krishna's long gone. Since the rabbit used its horn to parry Tik's attack, it couldn't use it to impale him. So he just got taclked backwards. Tik's weapon was knocked away from her too. Aside from the air being knocked out of him, he's basically okay. Rena was clean this round. I guess something she could get out of this was how heavy the rabbit was. --- CULL Cull remained patient and waited for the clash between the two creatures to come to a close. If he played his cards right, he'd be able to treat himself himself to two meals. The Brown Stoat's fangs, although not that long, were still plunged into the Horned Rabbit's neck. Despite its efforts to squirm and shake its attacker off, the stoat remained relentless, with its hold on becoming tighter and tighter. Soon enough, the rabbit's movements turned sluggish, before dropping to the ground. At that moment, Cull sprung forth form the bushes, thrusting his spear unto the stoat's body. Its quick reflexes were a second too late as the goblin managed to its body down to the ground. Enraged and anxious, the stoat thrashed and wriggled its body as a last ditch effort to escape. The rabbit's not dead, but is motionless, with its breaths being deep and slowed. Unless Cull has a good plan, the stoat has a pretty good chance of escaping if unpinned. The point ends of the branch weren't sharp enough to dig deep into the stoat. At best, it just caused a flesh wound.</s>
<\|description\|>Aya Age: Day 3 Gender: Female Race: Goblin Level: 18 Appearance: Aya is a rather scrawny goblin, with large droopy ears, dull green skin and messy black hair. Where many goblins might fall towards the hideous or even monstrous ends of the appearance spectrum, Aya instead falls on the cuter side of things, though in the monstrous sort of way that ends up being creepy to most other races rather than endearing, like a demented interpretation of one of their children. When around others Aya is most often be found with a massive grin plastered upon her face, a trait that between her maw of pointed teeth and overly large, ever staring eyes, only serving to further sell the image of a demented child. Personality: Aya is a bit of an oddball, the kind of person who struggles knowing how she should interact with people she doesn't know and copes by presenting herself as a weirdo with far more energy than she actually has. When she's alone or otherwise around people she knows Aya's personality is far more bearable, becoming calmer and more thoughtful, outside of such circumstances however she can be pretty hard to deal with. Aya is also the sort to think things through to a fault, going past anything helpful and instead crippling herself with indecision and doubt over simple tasks, leaving things to the very last minute out of fear of missing something important, and agonising over how she could have done things differently after even the smallest of mistakes. Past Life: Aya was a student in her past life, nearing the end of her school years when she died. Her life had been relatively uneventful up until that point. Even with her colourful personality people just learned to filter out her oddities and ignore her, leaving her to a quiet school life with little of interest ever happening. The most noteworthy part of her life, if any at all, was the discontent she'd felt towards the end. She wasn't stupid or anything like that, quite the opposite actually, but the quirks of her personality made it hard for her to get much done and lead her to dwell on and amplify her failings in her mind, while a lack of any real social bonds had made it difficult for her to vent her dissatisfaction. Even her death, in the end, was uneventful, she just went to sleep one day and never woke up. Talent(s): * Dirty Tactics: Increases the efficiency of underhanded actions. * Strategy: Improves the ability to pick up and understand plans and strategies. * Leadership: The user's words carry more weight and are better at influencing others. Skill(s): * Absorption: [Remaining Uses: 5/8] (Active) Unique Rank; A monster specific skill. This skill allows monsters to gain the skill(s) of the creatures they devour. The amount of skills gained in this process is limited to an 8-time usage. Choose your stolen abilities wisely. Uses will reset to 8 upon evolving regardless of the amount you have used. * Dark Eye: (Passive) E-Rank; Allows one to see more effectively in the darkness. * Paralysis Resistance: (Passive) E-Rank; Users have an increased chance of resisting effects of paralytic agents; when paralyzed, the duration of its effect will be decreased. * Paralytic Spores: (Active) E-Rank; Users are able to release orange spores from their bodies (mainly their trunk) that induce paralysis once inhaled. When users are clothed, spores will not spread into the air that well. Range and potency of this skill will improve with rank. * Sisterly Bond (Ragi): (Passive) E-Rank; Aya will be aware of Ragi's state of mind, whether overjoyed and calm or panicked and distressed. When separated, her instincts will redirect her to where Ragi is. * Tree Climbing: (Passive) E-Rank; Users are able to scale trees without difficulty and will only be limited by their own strength and stamina. Inventory: * Battle Rock: (Held) A rock with about as much heft to it as it could have while still allowing Aya to swing it one-handed. * Goblin Garb: (Worn) A simple one-piece dress sized for a young goblin, it's made with only the most abysmal of craftsmanship and crappiest of cloth.</s> <\|message\|>Ragi Ragi featuring Aya @TheMushroomLord \|\| Bug and Twig Ragi tilted her head sideways in both confusion and amazement as she listened to Aya's Genius Talk TM . Not only did she find a perfect reason for Bug and Twig not to eat the cute saucer-eyed furry creature, she had even talked about long term plan on how they could utilise our new furry friend in long term. Something about revolution and food and poison, and how they could possibly end world hunger once and for all. You know, the Genius Stuff TM . In any case, she was happy that her contribution, though menial, had brought joy to her sister. "Nonono, this is all you sister. I am only doing what you told me to do," she said as she scratched her head in embarrassment. She was not used to getting praised, especially when her dear sister seemed to praise her to heaven and back. She could feel her grin going wider and wider, quite possibly almost as wide as Aya's (though there's no way Ragi's smile would be as cute as her sister's). But as they always say, all good things must come to an end eventually. "Ummm.. Sister," Aya said all of a sudden, her face - while still smiling - were unnaturally tense. "I was going to get started on trying to disguise this trap and maybe go check on Twig, but we still need to find something to catch, so which job do you want? Or do you want me to do both?" Oh crappppppp! Shit shit shit shit shit shitttttt..! Ragi's mind entered the panic mode. Aya was kind enough to mask it as a praise and offer herself to do Ragi's job in her stead, but it was pretty obvious that her revered sister had reprimanded her for not doing her job properly. She literally had one job, and she had failed it. Now, precious time was wasted and they still had nothing to eat. Nothing! And it was all Ragi's fault. She really wished she would be swallowed by a sink hole right now. "N-n-n-n-no! I wouldn't want to bother you with such low level job, ahaha.. Ahahaha.. Haha," she said in a panic, like a child who was caught stealing some sweets when she was specifically told not to. "Oh, I know! Why don't we go together? That way we could cover more ground and defend each other in case things go south, yeah?" The least she could do, was to control the damage. With some luck maybe Ragi could show her cool side on a hunt while Aya watches, and win back some points she had lost due to her stupid, stupid blunder. She really. Really. Don't want to be cast away.</s> <\|message\|>Krishna Krishna Location: In the Woods Mentioning:@demonspade64@RC3@Haeo --- Awaken by the grumpiness of his tumtum, Krishna was not a very happy gob in this particular morning. He was thirsty, which only add more irritation to this beautiful day. And the pile of bodies that reside in the same place meaning he is now drenched of others piss and drool. "Grrrr...." He snarled against one of his siblings, who was, in his sleep, trying to steal Krishna's blanket. And if it wasn't because the sleeping goblin was double of his size, Krishna would have bitten his ears off. Still, awakening to a piss-full blanket-stealing noisy tumtum morning, Krishna was not a very good roommate. He kicked those weaker who are still in their sleep on his way of exiting the grave. He shouted and he snarled against the strong. He made as much noise as a 3 days old goblin could before running outside the grave, followed by a herd of also hungry gobs who are very much unpleased of his improper and unhospitable act. But, if the chase was any longer than five minutes, it would have been a real threat. Eventually, most just break out into other smaller hunting parties, scavenging the nearby plants and hideout for early meals. Even Krishna did the same, teaming up with one of his siblings. They both have only a few rocks in hand but it was enough for them. And, simple enough, they found their first prey. A rabbit. It has the same color as the dirt after the rain. Smelled like it too. Its eyes' color was as dark as the old goblin's armpit. It was even hurt at the mouth and legs. Of course, Krishna and Gor had chosen to look over the fact that it has an obnoxiously large horn for a small rabbit. To be honest, it doesn't take long for Krishna to eat his word as the rabbit leap into Gor's chest and buried its horn through his chest. There was also this sickening sound as Gor's body fall flat onto the ground, his mouth gaping for air while the rabbit sits idly on his crumbling chest, feeling the fall and rises of the predator. And while Krishna should have thrown his rock at the rabbit while it is still in one place, his instinct urged him to run. And so he did. He ran around and around an old large tree. He tried to juke the rabbit lunges by sudden changes in direction. And honestly, he didn't know what to hope but to continue this run as long as possible</s> <\|message\|>Cull --- Hunger gnawed at the root of Cull's mind as he stalked through the underbrush. He had set out alone, only a thick branch with a poorly sharpened tip to keep him company. Slowly, carefully, and deliberately he crept, his head on a swivel; searching for potential prey. Somehow, part of him knew what he was doing-- but the thoughts were fuzzy, and out of focus. Was it instinct, perhaps? Or something else entirely? His grip shifted on his rudimentary spear. It felt familiar, like a weapon that belonged in his hands, a weapon he knew. But wasn't this his first time holding such a thing? A pounding headache dissuaded the youngling from trying to rationalize the strange sense of Deja Vous, food came first. Before long he came upon a clearing, where two animals were already fighting, the smaller of the two seemingly winning the struggle. Cull's breathing quieted as he narrowed his eyes at his prey, clearly the smaller brown animal was both faster, and stronger. Watching, waiting, moving ever so slowly-- the goblin stealthily positioned himself to come from behind the victor, intending to wait for their battle to be in its final moments before he would creep up, and thrust his spear into whatever animal had the upper hand. It was simply a test of patience.</s>	<\|message\|>Aya Aya was taken aback by her sister's response. Why was she stammering? And what did she mean by 'low-level job'? The entire plan hinged off it... And go together?! Why would Ragi want to work so closely with Aya, wouldn't that reduce efficiency and hinder Ragi's plans? Aya's mind raced as she tried to figure out her sister's intentions. Understanding people was hard, damn it! Wait. What if this was a test? If Ragi was truly planning on establishing herself as ruler of the goblins, then it only made sense that she would want to test her subjects and with Bug lying exhausted in a hole and Twig nowhere to be seen that only left Aya for her to test. Yeah, now that Aya thought about it her sister presenting a third option had clearly been a calculated suggestion on her part. Not only would it allow her to see how Aya adapted to unforeseen circumstances, but it would put Ragi in a position to closely observe Aya and get a feel for her skills and capabilities. Now beginning to see a clearer picture as to the extent of her sister's brilliance, Aya felt her grin grow somehow wider still, as her panic kicked up by an order of magnitude and she wondered just how many steps ahead of her Ragi truly was. "Ahh... good suggestion sister...", Aya began. Shit, there was no way she was going to prove her worth to Ragi sounding so unconfident. Why did communicating have to be so hard? "I think we should bring the mushroom sloth thingy with us for now, I'm not sure how difficult it would be to try and explain agriculture to the others...", Aya suggested, hoping to show that she was thinking things through, "And I'll also collect any good sticks we see on the way as well...". Had she forgotten about anything? Sure felt like it, but Aya couldn't think of anything at that moment and waiting around would bring its own set of problems, so Aya instead considered which direction they should search in. Anything of interest in the direction Ragi had gone would have already been spotted by her sister, Aya didn't trust Twig not to have scared off any potential prey near him and she hadn't seen anything while walking from the cave, which only left one direction for the duo to explore. With that in mind, Aya wordlessly set out. She'd intended to seem confident in her silence but immediately regretted the decision, realising that it probably just made her look bad at communicating instead, not that that was an unfair assessment...</s>
<\|description\|>Hoi Age: Day 3 Gender: Male Race: Goblin Level: 33 Appearance: The widest of the litter, if not the tallest, Hoi is rotund, with a bulging belly and chubby cheeks. His neck has a strange crook to it that makes it almost painful for him to stand straight, and his arms are of an uncommon length as well. There is a distinct baseness to him, his yellow eyes lacking the same glint that his brethren do, and his facial features have a squashed-flat look: his nose is fatter but shorter than others, and his lips are fatter too. Of course, unlike his brothers and sisters, he's actually bald. Not a spot of hair pokes out from his motley-green crown, not even a bit of fuzz. He doesn't mind though. Seeing how everyone else gets sticks and shit stuck in their hair, it's basically an advantage. Personality: Hoi gets the job done and takes every scrap of enjoyment he can afterwards. He doesn't shirk from hard or dirty work, and he appears both tactless and insensitive. If he works, he expects recompense. If others shirk work, he expects them to starve. Work comes easily to him, but so does violence. Claws to scratch, feet to stomp, teeth to gnash, and a mind crueller than his responsible, hard-working attitude would suggest. They are goblins, after all. If the weak can't make themselves useful, then they're just another burden. And Hoi's tired of burdens.There's too many mouths to feed and not enough hours in the day. Honest work could sustain himself, of course, if he were careful with how often he purchased meat. Rice did the job, even though it long became tasteless to him. For the others though, he had to do more. So he did. Went out into the backcountry occasionally on hikes. Picked things up that other people misplaced. Talked with the big man. Received his dues. No questions, no answers. He got his money, he bought his food, he paid the bills, and he was out. Fucking leeches. He died alone between the borders. They were the state's problem now. Talents Out Like A Light Restful sleep comes easily regardless of comfort, and no imagined terrors disturbs one's rest. Allows for greater rejuvenation when resting, as well as immediate awareness once awoken. Burden Bearer Heavy weights are familiar, and the body adjusts naturally to encumberance. Increases endurance and carrying capacity, though does not increase base physical strength. Leadership The user's words carry more weight and are better at influencing others. Heavy Legs The muscles of the user's legs are hefty, yet strong. This makes all attacks that make use of the lower extremities deal more damage. Skills Dark Eye [E-Rank] Passive Allows one to see more effectively in the darkness. Absorption [???-Rank] Active (Remaining Uses: 6) Gain skill(s) from creatures one devours. The amount of skills gained from this process is 8. This amount resets upon evolution. Regeneration [E-Rank] Passive With enough time, rest, and nutrition, the user is able to heal from most wounds and blood loss. This does not apply to massive or severe injuries. Escape [E-Rank] Passive The ability to flee and get to a safe location much more efficiently. Regardless of the situation, the user gets a bonus when attempting to get away. Inventory: Rabbit Horn x2</s> <\|message\|>Aya Aya was interrupted from her attempts to shake the pain out of her thumb by the sound of a voice. Her name? She remembered an older looking goblin calling her Aya just after she'd first woken up, but there was a name before that, right? Was it something important? She tried to remember as worry began to permeate the edges of her consciousness but the memories were fuzzy at best... a growl from her stomach reminded her that there were more pressing issues to worry about for the time being. "I'm Aya?", she said a little unsure of herself, then feeling self-conscious she nodded, as if to confirm her own words, and let her smile widen into a wide-eyed grin that probably would have been horrifying to anyone but another goblin. The other goblin, a female with longish ears and short black hair, had expressed interest in Aya's plans. That made her happy, even if it meant that she probably wouldn't be able to procrastinate for much longer. Not exactly used to social interaction, Aya forgot to ask the other goblin's name, instead, launching straight into explaining her ideas. "I was thinking that given we don't exactly seem to be the strongest creatures around and I doubt we have the skills to identify plants safe for eating, we'd be best off setting some kind of trap... we don't have tools either but I think we could dig a hole or set a tripwire.", the goblin rambled, taking a deep breath before continuing, "Maybe not the latter, I'm not sure I know can make a strong enough rope for that. Then we could chase or get chased by something towards our trap and beat it to death with rocks and sticks once it goes down!". Taking another deep breath the young goblin tried and failed to gauge her sister's reaction. That plan had been terrible, hadn't it? Who the hell would want to go along with a plan that might see them getting chased through unfamiliar terrain just for a meal?</s> <\|message\|>Talent and Skill List Emri \| Hoi @Versa@ERode What was supposed to be an act of kindness, turned into a failed attempt, but from it, words of motivation and encouragement arose, leading to what looked to be a possible bond for the ages. But honestly, it was too early to tell. The dynamic duo, who couldn't be more different from one another, had made their way to the bustling forest in search for a meal that could satisfy their growing hunger. While Hoi was rather straight forward in his approach, Emri flexed his wit and know-how. It was as if he was solving a puzzle without knowing what a puzzle was. Regardless, it was but a means to an end, and the end he had gotten was a tool he could be proud of, I think. Emri and Hoi took a more simple approach in looking for food, and simply wandered around the forest within close proximity to their cave. Underneath a large tree, they found two Blue Slimes and a Green Slime, who appeared to be feasting on what looked to be the corpse of a small creature split into two. It was certainly hard to tell with most of its flesh and muscles sloughed off. Potential breakfast, I suppose? The slimes have no discerning characteristics or features aside from their colors. They're just blobs of firm yet taut goo, around the size of a goblin's head. They're to preoccupied ingesting their meal. It's just the slimes lying on top of a corpse; the Green Slime has the larger half. --- Reshy@Dark Light Whether or not Reshy's antics were appreciated - but we're pretty sure they weren't - it no longer mattered as the young goblin dashed deeper within the cavern. With rock in hand and beetle in mouth, his feet continued moving, leading him through a narrow pathway that grew dimmer and dimmer with each step he took. Fortunately, his eyes easily adapted to the darkness, but his run came to a crashing halt as he rammed into something, knocking the air out of him and unto the ground. Although a bit dazed from the fall, Reshy's vision gradually went back to normal. There he saw the back of the elder goblin, covered in tattered robes and lying on his sides, and apparently fast asleep. His snoring easily masked the noise that came from Reshy's stomach. Aside from the elder goblin, first thing that'll strike Reshy is the stench that's lingering in the air; it's pungent and offensive. Then if he takes the time, Reshy will notice that the elder goblin is almost twice his size, so around 5 feet tall and a bit burly, but not in shape. The area he's in is relatively smaller than where the young goblins were, being able to fit only 10 young goblins at most. From Reshy's point of view, the only things around him are broken pieces of small bones and peels of various fruit littered around the room. --- Saito@Zeroth There was no denying the fact that Saito was indeed an old-soul. He might have undergone rebirth, but the habits he had developed in his previous life were hard to shake off. The patient and cautious greenskin took his time to prepare for the first hunt of his new life. In exchange for the fatigue and hunger the continued to pile up, he now had a weapon (kinda) and the upper hand against whatever creature he would come across (hopefully). Silently shuffling forward, his eyes had managed to come across neither tracks or dropping, but instead, what looked to be a trail of berries. Whether or not he'd shove these in his mouth was his decision. Anyway, since this was exactly what he was looking for (I suppose), following the trail would lead him to a bushy overgrowth. A few feet away from him would be a small clearing where his potential meal was. Nibbling away on some berries, without a care in the world, was a Scaled Shrew. Given the preparation Saito took, fatigue will set in sooner, and his hunger is worsening; no notable effects though as of now. Anyway, for the size of the shrew, if a goblin child is around 3 feet tall, then the shrew would be approximately be a foot in height. It hasn't noticed Saito yet. --- Aya \| Ragi @TheMushroomLord@Celsius Hunger and boredom had troubled the young goblin girl as rocks failed to satisfy either of her present problems. Aya was left no choice but to wander to the outside, or so she thought as she. As soon as she was about to leave the confines of their cavern, thoughts began to plague her mind once again. Returning back to her rock-banging group, she called their attention before relaying to them the plan she had devised. She was quite the strategist. Unfortunately, the rest of her siblings did not share the same talent. However, what they lacked in talent, they made up in enthusiasm and honesty. Ragi, along with two other male goblin admitted their inability to comprehend Aya's instruction, but they were more than willing to help. "I iss Bug." said one of the goblins in a high-pitched voice and a smile. "Me Twig!" the other one spoke right after before giggling, his voice was just as high. "We help, sisters. We is hungry." they said in unison before their stomachs began to growl. Aside from Ragi, Aya has gotten the attention of two other goblins. They were both bald, with moldy green skin, and completely white eyes; they gave off an aura of being dim-witted and happy-go-lucky. Bug's distinguishing characteristics is that compared to the other goblins, he had more definition on his muscles, mainly in his arms, shoulders, and back. Twig on the other hand has a lanky frame, making his longer and thin extremities more noticeable.</s>	<\|message\|>Hoi Hoi watched the smaller goblin break off a branch of something. Good. It was good to be good with one's hands. Good to be willing to work. The rotund goblin nodded one, stopping to let Emri catch up. "Hoi." Mimicking his companion's action, he pointed to himself with his right index finger, before continuing on once more. His stomach didn't ache so much now; physical activity took his mind off it. One step, two step, weaving a serpentine path around the cave. Occasionally, Hoi nudged a big rock away with his feet and snapped down, plucking a worm or two out from the moist dirt. He took them for himself, only showing Emri the way. They didn't fill his stomach, only took the keenness off the emptiness of himself. Bigger prey was past them, in the clearing. Three strange, gelantinous creatures, crowding over a split creature. Two shared, one had a bigger half to itself. Most of the meat was gone, but there was still bone underneath. Hoi knew what this was. Leader and follower. Unequal work for unequal feed. He bared his teeth. He did not growl. Pulling off his loincloth, the only bit of rudimentary defense he had, the now-naked goblin wrapped the faded, dirtied cloth around his right foot. "Destroy the green one. Together. Hit the center, scare the blues. If they scatter, we eat. If they fight, we run." Meat was meat, but bones were more. Another tool, or a bigger meal. And if they could break apart the green thing, if they could eat that too... "You go when I go. Now." Breaking out from behind the large tree that they spied the slimes from, Hoi ran full-tilt, practically on all fours, before his clothed foot reared back and swung out to kick the jelly thing, digging into the dirt while it did. If he was lucky, the food would be kicked out and the slime would be broken into two. If not, he wasn't going to stop until he was.</s>
<\|description\|>Cull Age: Day 3 Gender: Male Race: Goblin Appearance: Standing only a bit taller than most other goblins, Cull's most striking feature is his slit red eyes. His short, spiky hair is dark, with the slightest tint of blue; like the depths of a lake. Level: 22 Personality: Despite the relaxed and carefree personality that lies on the surface, Cull is a goblin that follows rules; both written and unwritten, to an extent that can only be explained as superstition. The only time Cull will knowingly violate such rules, is in the event that it comes into direct conflict with any vows he has taken. His greatest joy is that of battle against mighty foes; as at the core of his body beats the heart of a young glory-seeking warrior. Bound with a rather potent sense of honor and justice, Cull is incredibly protective of his kin; especially those he sees as weaker than him. However, should another of his kin bully one of their weaker brethren, or perform an act he finds especially underhanded, he will not hesitate to voice his stern opposition-- or in more extreme cases, get violent. Past Life: Blood filled Cullen Donahue's eyes as he struggled to maintain his failing grip. Broken bones, torn muscles, and barely clotted wounds screamed with agony as he fought to hold fast. Cullen had never been the type to fear death, rather-- he was the kind of maniac that always wanted to spar without any protective equipment with his HEMA mates; not that anyone ever indulged the crazy bastard. Normally, Cullen would've been ecstatic about a life or death struggle like this. In today's day and age there wasn't much of a future for the lad anyway; he'd have been right at home on some ancient battlefield, but cities, offices, paperwork, and machines weren't the thing for him. But he wasn't fighting for himself right now, he was fighting to keep a promise he'd made. He'd already gone against the town's rules, and broken the first promise he made to his dying mother. If he failed now he'd have broken both promises, and all of this-- would've been for nothing. His lungs burned as he roared. A dull thud struck his temple. Falling. A splash. Sinking deeper, and deeper. Nothingness. Talent(s):* Spearmanship * Recovery Skill(s):* Dark Eye (Passive) E-Rank * Absorption (Remaining Uses: 6) * Swift (Passive) E-Rank * Writhe (Active) E-Rank Inventory: * Stoat Pelt x 1 * Rabbit Pelt x 1 * Rabbit Horn Spear x 1</s> <\|message\|>Saito S A I T O Forest The First Hunt, Part Two --- "--yaAAAAAH!" Crack! Saito's staff snapped in half upon striking the beasts's armored plate--it had curled up, and only reflex had saved the goblin's foot from being trapped in there with it. As the "young" greenskin stumbled back, the Scaled Shrew wobbled back and forth with nary a squeak. He blinked as he watched his prey--he had honestly not expected that. Although his memories were locked away, even if he had them he would have been genuinely confused--in the old world he had never actually seen something like an armadillo. The creature's shell had no holes like a turtle's--Does this place have turtles?--and it seemed perfectly content to stay tightly sealed until, presumably, whatever predator chose to leave it alone. His staff was no proper weapon, but it had been green wood, not dry or brittle, and still it had snapped. So obviously this armor couldn't be broken by simple means. Saito glanced down at his broken staff's pieces. They had splintery ends, but he doubted they would be sharp or sturdy enough to pierce the armor. What if I drive them with the rock? The wood is probably too soft, the tips will blunt. He tossed his broken weapon aside, and noted the Shrew's still exposed tail... No, wait. I wondered if the creature could use it as a weapon...and to leave it exposed to attack like this is odd. He removed the berries and rock from his loincloth and placed them on the ground. Those spines might stick me when I grab it. Are they barbed or poisonous? He wasn't sure if such thoughts came from the cautious instinct of a Goblin, a creature so naturally weak and feeble and stupid, or if they came from the hazy dreams he could not recall. With a tug at the knot on his hip, his loincloth came undone. Though now exposed in all his green glory to the elements, Saito did not care much for modesty at the moment. He wrapped the filthy undergarments--were these made of cloth, or pelts of creatures hunted by other goblins?--around the rolled-up Scaled Shrew, tying a plain knot and pulling it as tight as he could. Now the creature's defense had become its cage. It might be strong enough to break the loincloth, but Saito doubted it would do so without a struggle. In the meantime, he grabbed the spare ends of the clothing and, with a grunt, lifted his prey. Feet wobbling, muscles taut with effort, he started to spin. He whirled the makeshift net around his head, building up momentum with his whole body until he had its weight suspended. He kept the Shrew going with just his arms now, and though his run meandered like that of a drunkard, he set course for the largest tree he could see. With all the strength and speed he could muster, as well as the built up centrifugal force--not that his goblin mind really understood such a thing right now--Saito dashed towards the sturdy wood and swung the Scaled Shrew with all his might. "DORYAAAAAAH!" He tried to slam the beast against the trunk. If he couldn't pierce the armor, then perhaps he could crush the foe's soft body inside it, like bouncing someone's brain inside their skull pan with a hard punch to cause a concussion. He wouldn't stop at just one attempt either--until he was certain the other monster was dead, the goblin would continue to heave and heft and spin, beating the spherical animal trapped inside his underwear against the trees. Some part of him marveled at this odd turn of events. The other part really wanted to eat that Shrew.</s> <\|message\|>Ragi Ragi featuring Aya @TheMushroomLord \|\| Bug and Twig Ragi tilted her head sideways in both confusion and amazement as she listened to Aya's Genius Talk TM . Not only did she find a perfect reason for Bug and Twig not to eat the cute saucer-eyed furry creature, she had even talked about long term plan on how they could utilise our new furry friend in long term. Something about revolution and food and poison, and how they could possibly end world hunger once and for all. You know, the Genius Stuff TM . In any case, she was happy that her contribution, though menial, had brought joy to her sister. "Nonono, this is all you sister. I am only doing what you told me to do," she said as she scratched her head in embarrassment. She was not used to getting praised, especially when her dear sister seemed to praise her to heaven and back. She could feel her grin going wider and wider, quite possibly almost as wide as Aya's (though there's no way Ragi's smile would be as cute as her sister's). But as they always say, all good things must come to an end eventually. "Ummm.. Sister," Aya said all of a sudden, her face - while still smiling - were unnaturally tense. "I was going to get started on trying to disguise this trap and maybe go check on Twig, but we still need to find something to catch, so which job do you want? Or do you want me to do both?" Oh crappppppp! Shit shit shit shit shit shitttttt..! Ragi's mind entered the panic mode. Aya was kind enough to mask it as a praise and offer herself to do Ragi's job in her stead, but it was pretty obvious that her revered sister had reprimanded her for not doing her job properly. She literally had one job, and she had failed it. Now, precious time was wasted and they still had nothing to eat. Nothing! And it was all Ragi's fault. She really wished she would be swallowed by a sink hole right now. "N-n-n-n-no! I wouldn't want to bother you with such low level job, ahaha.. Ahahaha.. Haha," she said in a panic, like a child who was caught stealing some sweets when she was specifically told not to. "Oh, I know! Why don't we go together? That way we could cover more ground and defend each other in case things go south, yeah?" The least she could do, was to control the damage. With some luck maybe Ragi could show her cool side on a hunt while Aya watches, and win back some points she had lost due to her stupid, stupid blunder. She really. Really. Don't want to be cast away.</s> <\|message\|>Krishna Krishna Location: In the Woods Mentioning:@demonspade64@RC3@Haeo --- Awaken by the grumpiness of his tumtum, Krishna was not a very happy gob in this particular morning. He was thirsty, which only add more irritation to this beautiful day. And the pile of bodies that reside in the same place meaning he is now drenched of others piss and drool. "Grrrr...." He snarled against one of his siblings, who was, in his sleep, trying to steal Krishna's blanket. And if it wasn't because the sleeping goblin was double of his size, Krishna would have bitten his ears off. Still, awakening to a piss-full blanket-stealing noisy tumtum morning, Krishna was not a very good roommate. He kicked those weaker who are still in their sleep on his way of exiting the grave. He shouted and he snarled against the strong. He made as much noise as a 3 days old goblin could before running outside the grave, followed by a herd of also hungry gobs who are very much unpleased of his improper and unhospitable act. But, if the chase was any longer than five minutes, it would have been a real threat. Eventually, most just break out into other smaller hunting parties, scavenging the nearby plants and hideout for early meals. Even Krishna did the same, teaming up with one of his siblings. They both have only a few rocks in hand but it was enough for them. And, simple enough, they found their first prey. A rabbit. It has the same color as the dirt after the rain. Smelled like it too. Its eyes' color was as dark as the old goblin's armpit. It was even hurt at the mouth and legs. Of course, Krishna and Gor had chosen to look over the fact that it has an obnoxiously large horn for a small rabbit. To be honest, it doesn't take long for Krishna to eat his word as the rabbit leap into Gor's chest and buried its horn through his chest. There was also this sickening sound as Gor's body fall flat onto the ground, his mouth gaping for air while the rabbit sits idly on his crumbling chest, feeling the fall and rises of the predator. And while Krishna should have thrown his rock at the rabbit while it is still in one place, his instinct urged him to run. And so he did. He ran around and around an old large tree. He tried to juke the rabbit lunges by sudden changes in direction. And honestly, he didn't know what to hope but to continue this run as long as possible</s>	<\|message\|>Cull Hunger gnawed at the root of Cull's mind as he stalked through the underbrush. He had set out alone, only a thick branch with a poorly sharpened tip to keep him company. Slowly, carefully, and deliberately he crept, his head on a swivel; searching for potential prey. Somehow, part of him knew what he was doing-- but the thoughts were fuzzy, and out of focus. Was it instinct, perhaps? Or something else entirely? His grip shifted on his rudimentary spear. It felt familiar, like a weapon that belonged in his hands, a weapon he knew. But wasn't this his first time holding such a thing? A pounding headache dissuaded the youngling from trying to rationalize the strange sense of Deja Vous, food came first. Before long he came upon a clearing, where two animals were already fighting, the smaller of the two seemingly winning the struggle. Cull's breathing quieted as he narrowed his eyes at his prey, clearly the smaller brown animal was both faster, and stronger. Watching, waiting, moving ever so slowly-- the goblin stealthily positioned himself to come from behind the victor, intending to wait for their battle to be in its final moments before he would creep up, and thrust his spear into whatever animal had the upper hand. It was simply a test of patience.</s>
<\|description\|>Teva Age: Day 3 Gender: Female Race: Goblin Appearance: Teva has the typical goblin physique one would expect from her race. Short and skinny yet quick on her feet, with a relatively large head to body ratio and over-exaggerated facial proportions. She has no hair on herself except her scalp, and she usually wears whatever rags she can salvage that can cover and protect her from the cold. Level: 1 Personality: Teva has a carefree attitude, always trying to just get along with others. She will help whenever and wherever she is needed, even for the little things, cause you know what they say: "It's the little things that matter." She is quite single-minded when it comes to her desires, and you bet once she sets a goal she will not stop until she has achieved it, no matter how long it takes. This, unfortunately, means that she can be prone to making bad or rushed decisions sometimes and can find herself in tricky situations. Nevertheless, even though she might not be one to overly think things before acting, the sheer energy she brings to the table cannot be underestimated one bit. Past Life: Teva was born to swim. Her parents, her peers and everyone on her immediate circle of contacts gave this answer whenever asked what was the best thing about her. Born in a small village off the coast of Sicily to two loving parents, she immediately found her calling in the form of swimming when she first laid her eyes upon the ocean. Whenever the weather was clear enough, one was bound to find Teva somewhere in the beach swimming. Thus, it is needless to say that when she grew up she pursued a career out of her love. She quickly became a rising star, and by age 15 she was a regional middle-school champion in three different categories, and 3 years later she conquered the national stage as a senior in high-school. After graduating, she studied sports science while also juggling with being an active member of Italy's Olympic swimming team. She was on track to obtain multiple gold medals, but the stars aligned to bring misfortune to her and her family. At age 25 she was the victim of a great white shark attack off the coast of California while on a visit to the US for a swimming exhibition. She survived, but her lower extremities did not. When she woke up, she found herself in the hospital bed, her legs amputated. Suddenly having lost her ability to walk, much less to swim, reduced her to a shell of her former self. She would not talk to her family nor her friends, and would barely touch her meals. She spent most of the time looking at the view of the ocean from the window to her hospital room, lamenting her fate. 15 days were all she could take before she dragged her body off the hospital bed and onto a wheelchair, unbeknownst to the nurses, and wheeled herself to the window from where she climbed and jumped. One of her last thoughts was how the weightlessness of falling reminded her so much of swimming, the thought of which brought a smile to her face. Talent(s):* Flexibility * Water Magic (Affinity) Skill(s): * Dark Eye (Passive) E-Rank * Absorption (Remaining Uses: 8) Inventory: --</s> <\|message\|>Ragi Ragi featuring Aya @TheMushroomLord \|\| Harvest Sloth Time passed by pretty slowly when there's nothing going on, you cannot move your body from neck down, and your nose and mouth literally squashed by the weight of your own head. That's what Ragi was feeling when she waited for the paralysis to wear off.. Which didn't really happen, like, at all. What was she thinking, laying there near the yellow fart substance that she knew was causing her inability to move. This, my friend, is a real life example of how pride would eventually kill someone. Such is the case, that made Ragi really happy when the sloth was finally done snacking on the bugs and sauntered to her side. It was still pretty friendly then, and even helped flipped Ragi so that her face was no longer half-buried in the damp forest floors. A friendly lick to the cheeks was a pretty nice gesture too. A ticklish one, but it was nice. Like if a puppy licked your face kind of nice. The next thing that happened, however, was the exact opposite of nice. Instead of, like, stopped farting paralytic substance into the air, the sloth actually bit Ragi on her shoulder. It was not bone-crushingly painful per se, but still, quite the dick move to assault a helpless lady! Really, sloth? This is how you treat your friend? Ragi promised to herself to teach the small runt some manners once she regain control of her body. However, to her surprise, her Goblin instinct had overridden her camaraderie with the sloth. As if it was the most natural thing to do, Ragi moved her neck and positioned her head right over the sloth's neck before biting down as hard as she could. She was surprised, bewildered even. Was this how every single living being in this world act? Abandon friendship for a taste of food? In any case, now that the bridge was unexpectedly burned, Ragi decided not to relax her bite - unless the sloth let go first.</s> <\|message\|>Aya Aya had calmed down over her time spent waiting in the bushes, to what she would consider an almost normal level of panic, still freaking out by anyone else's standards, but not to so such a degree that it was debilitating for the goblin. Hell, compared to how she sometimes got and her current situation Aya's state of mind could probably be considered tranquil at that point, all things considered. She fully trusted in her sister's plan, something she'd grown progressively more convinced of each of the many times she'd gone over it in her head over the past few minutes. Sure there were some parts of the plan Aya didn't get and some issues it didn't seem to address, but given it was Ragi's plan they were implementing this time rather than Aya's, it seemed obvious that these were all either parts of the test or otherwise variables accounted for in ways Aya simply wasn't smart enough to comprehend. Of course, Aya's state of tranquillity didn't last long, shattering in an instant when the sloth went from making a show of affection to Ragi one moment to chomping into her shoulder the next. Aya's seemed to lock up as she witnessed this, even as her mind went into overdrive. What should she do? Should she run in and try to attack the sloth? Would that even be safe? For all she knew the spores could be contact-based rather than needing to be inhaled... Chomp! The realisation hit Aya as she watched her sister suddenly use what few of her muscles she still had control over to reposition herself and bite into the sloth's neck even as it was biting into her. How many times would Aya make this same mistake before she'd learn? This was Ragi she was talking about, there was no way she hadn't at least considered the harvest sloths betrayal a possibility, if not outright predicted it. When she'd said she was using herself as bait for this trap of hers, Aya had assumed that she was intending to lure in some other roaming predator, but now that Aya thought about it it was very well possible that she'd instead been referring to this. A trap within a trap. Still, even for all of Ragi's prodigious skill and ability, the situation didn't look to be in her favour and as likely as it was that Ragi still had cards up her sleeves, Aya wasn't particularly keen on taking that risk given the stakes. Which meant Aya would need to act quickly, something easier said than done with how panicked she was in that moment. Doubts clawed at Aya's mind, leaving her almost as immobile as her sister, even more so in some ways. What if she screwed something up? Would she be able to live with herself after that? And no matter what plan she thought of there were too many ways things could go wrong, unknown variables that she had no way to predict or account for. Still, her sister needed her now and if there was one thing that could kick Aya into gear it was an imminent and unavoidable deadline. Gripping her rock tightly in one hand and her makeshift filter in the other, Aya repositioned herself so she could come at the harvest sloth from behind, taking and holding a deep breath for good measure before charging towards the sloth. Aya brought the stone down onto the back of the monster's head with all of her goblin might, not pausing even to see what damage she'd managed to inflict before letting her goblin rock bashing instincts take over and bringing the stone down onto the sloth again and again.</s>	<\|message\|>Teva The group originally consisted of all sorts of goblins, big and small alike, but after setting out into the forest, more and more goblins split out into smaller hunting parties, drifting apart and looking for their own little opportunities. Not that Teva disagreed with that kind of approach, mind you, more food for her on the long run, but she appreciated the safety that numbers gave to the relatively individually weak goblins. She'd tried to make small talk with the ones that stuck with her as they walked among the thick underbrush of the forest. The big and quiet one, Son as he'd come to introduce himself, lead the way in front, with Teva and another female goblin trailing behind him. Unfortunately, it seemed that Son had either lucked out in the brains department despite his physical prowess, or he'd decided that talking was a waste of his breath, instead focusing on the task at hand; brushing aside branches and vines and opening a path for the rest of them to walk on. While he was doing that, Teva conversed with Gee. The female gob was unlike Teva, shy and skittish, she didn't seem ready for something as difficult as hunting, and in her mind Teva had already relegated her to gathering and herb picking roles. She'd managed to find a relatively straight piece of wood almost twice her height in length, cradling it in her arms while nervously scanning her surroundings for any sort of enemy that might ambush them. Teva doubted she could even use the stick as a weapon, herself very much preferring rocks as her weapon of choice. While they walked, she'd pick up and store any middle-sized rock that looked relatively sharp. A makeshift bag of sorts was tied around her waist, made from a piece of cloth she'd torn off the rag she wore as clothes. Teva would test the rocks' weight so that they weren't too heavy for her to carry but good enough to cause some damage were she to throw them at a fleshly target. She was squatting down to pick up another rock when she noticed Son suddenly stopping in his tracks, the ever present scowl on his face deepening. He'd heard something shuffling among the trees. Just as the big goblin raised the short, club-like piece of wood he carried around in front of him, ready to pounce at a potential enemy, a familiar green head donning a black tuft of hair popped from behind a tree, causing the three goblins to visibly relax. Son let out a heavy gruff, lowered his weapon and walked over to a fallen tree trunk to sit and rest while Kol, the fourth and last member of their group skipped over to Teva and Gee. Kol was… let's just say that even Teva didn't know where Kol got all his energy from. The greenskin was supposed to be starving and yet, he dashed around the forest like he owned the place. At least he brought them information on potential enemies that might be in the vicinity every time he returned, or else Teva might've put an end to his little expeditions even before they'd started. It also didn't help that he carried that toothy grin on his face wherever he went, except this time. Kol's face was flushed, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. He took some time to regain his breath before laying out the news to them: he'd found something dangerous ahead. "It's big and pink!" Kol said between huffs. "And it walks on two legs," he added, making stomping sounds with his feet as if to emphasize its weight. "Really?" Teva questioned curiously. "How big are we talking about?" "Twice your height, easily taller than Son!" Kol answered wide-eyed. Son visibly tensed in his seat, clutching his club tightly upon hearing the news. "Sounds scary, let's igno-" Gee tried to chime in but was interrupted by the big gob's heavy voice. "No. I'm hungry. I want meat. We fight." With a few short sentences, Son made his wishes known to the party, and Teva somehow agreed with him. "Yes, we could go forage fruit and berries, but we need something more substantial if we're to survive. I just don't know if we can get out of this unscathed…" "It seemed hurt!" Kol interjected. "Couldn't put much weight on one leg," he continued, pointing at his right leg. Although the three smaller goblins gravitated around Son due to his impressive, to them at least, physique, Teva had emerged as the undisputed leader, her force of personality that had inspired such a large group of goblins to go out and hunt having gained their respect. "Hmm, alright, let's do it this way then…" --- Teva watched as everyone got into position before signaling Kol to reveal himself. The short goblin suddenly jumped from behind the nearby shrubbery with a nervous smile on his face. "Hey, you big, dumb, floppy eared creature, bow down before me, Kol the Fabulous!" he shouted at the orc to get its attention. Immediately the orc swiveled around with a snarl, but was greeted with a faceful of dirt, blinding it momentarily. Kol used this chance to run around the orc and tackle it on the back of its weaker knee, hoping to cause it to stumble and fall. Teva would then quickly climb up a nearby tree, giving her a vantage point from where she could throw rocks at the orc from above, while Son would charge in yelling a battle-cry, club tightly clutched in both hands in an overhead swing that would come down with force on top of the orc's head. Despite his apparent strength, Teva wasn't sure one solid swing would be enough to incapacitate the pink beast, but she hoped Son and Kol would be able to distract the orc long enough for her to get a few good hits in. She aimed at its face, more importantly its eyes. The dirt was a temporary measure used to catch the orc off-guard, but If she could permanently blind the beast their chances of killing it would immediately increase by a lot. From where she was perched, Teva would also be able to spot Gee, hidden under a brush near where the fight was taking place. She would be tasked with keeping an eye at the orc's legs for when it stood up again. Using the long stick she carried around, she would extend it from under the brush towards the orc's feet in an attempt to make it trip once more and create an opening for the other goblins to pummel it to the ground again. Teva was sure that even a timid goblin like her would find this task simple enough to do, and even if Gee failed to trip the orc, Teva had told Kol and Son to lead the orc near the tree she would be on so that see would have the chance to jump from above, using her flexibility to lock her arms around the orc's neck to choke it out.</s>
<\|description\|>Teva Age: Day 3 Gender: Female Race: Goblin Appearance: Teva has the typical goblin physique one would expect from her race. Short and skinny yet quick on her feet, with a relatively large head to body ratio and over-exaggerated facial proportions. She has no hair on herself except her scalp, and she usually wears whatever rags she can salvage that can cover and protect her from the cold. Level: 1 Personality: Teva has a carefree attitude, always trying to just get along with others. She will help whenever and wherever she is needed, even for the little things, cause you know what they say: "It's the little things that matter." She is quite single-minded when it comes to her desires, and you bet once she sets a goal she will not stop until she has achieved it, no matter how long it takes. This, unfortunately, means that she can be prone to making bad or rushed decisions sometimes and can find herself in tricky situations. Nevertheless, even though she might not be one to overly think things before acting, the sheer energy she brings to the table cannot be underestimated one bit. Past Life: Teva was born to swim. Her parents, her peers and everyone on her immediate circle of contacts gave this answer whenever asked what was the best thing about her. Born in a small village off the coast of Sicily to two loving parents, she immediately found her calling in the form of swimming when she first laid her eyes upon the ocean. Whenever the weather was clear enough, one was bound to find Teva somewhere in the beach swimming. Thus, it is needless to say that when she grew up she pursued a career out of her love. She quickly became a rising star, and by age 15 she was a regional middle-school champion in three different categories, and 3 years later she conquered the national stage as a senior in high-school. After graduating, she studied sports science while also juggling with being an active member of Italy's Olympic swimming team. She was on track to obtain multiple gold medals, but the stars aligned to bring misfortune to her and her family. At age 25 she was the victim of a great white shark attack off the coast of California while on a visit to the US for a swimming exhibition. She survived, but her lower extremities did not. When she woke up, she found herself in the hospital bed, her legs amputated. Suddenly having lost her ability to walk, much less to swim, reduced her to a shell of her former self. She would not talk to her family nor her friends, and would barely touch her meals. She spent most of the time looking at the view of the ocean from the window to her hospital room, lamenting her fate. 15 days were all she could take before she dragged her body off the hospital bed and onto a wheelchair, unbeknownst to the nurses, and wheeled herself to the window from where she climbed and jumped. One of her last thoughts was how the weightlessness of falling reminded her so much of swimming, the thought of which brought a smile to her face. Talent(s):* Flexibility * Water Magic (Affinity) Skill(s): * Dark Eye (Passive) E-Rank * Absorption (Remaining Uses: 8) Inventory: --</s> <\|message\|>Cull --- As the Stoat went into its final throes, Cull's mouth watered in anticipation-- the ravenous call of hunger waiting to be answered. Falling to his knees, Cull threw his spear aside as he buried his mouth into the open wound of his felled quarry. The sensation of blood and meat sliding down his starving gullet was nothing short of pure euphoria. As his bloodthirst abated, the light of reason found purchase once more in Cull's little green noggin. The the difference was practically night from day; as if an impenetrable blanket of thick fog had suddenly been lifted. Cull pulled back from the mess of guts he'd been munching on and carefully examined his weapon. "Well dat isn gonna last much longah..." he muttered to himself as he tapped the half-blunted tip of his spear with a finger. A slight twitching caught his attention, drawing his eyes to the still half-dead rabbit, and more specifically; it's rather sturdy looking horn. "I guess dat 'orn rabby might 'ave sumthin." Taking up his spear once more, Cull intended to put the rabbit out of its misery with as clean, and precise a blow as possible. Fixing his grip on his spear, and firmly planting his feet-- Cull launched forward with a powerful thrust; his full weight and strength behind the strike, aimed at the rabbit's throat! The deed done, Cull began on his next project: a better weapon. As he ate his fill of his two kills, the young goblin began working on his new weapon. Using a rock, he broke the rabbit's horn from it's skull, then, using vines from the surrounding trees, he secured the new tip to his weapon (the former tip now having been turned completely flat). It wasn't perfect, but it was functional; and could still be improved upon once he was back at the cave and had more time. Tying the rabbit and stoat together with more vines, Cull began to haul his new loot home.....</s> <\|message\|>Rena Rena As soon as the battle was over Rena stayed on her feet to catch her breath, oh though her Current body demands that she at least sit down for a minute to catch her breath, Rena wanted to give off the impression that she was better than the other 2 goblins. So she stood up and allow her body to replace the oxygen in her lung before hunching over the body of the rabbit. "Good work." She told them sounding a bit hoarse."I'm calling the due." Rena claims proudly. She then grabbed the rabbit by the head and begin tearing a hole in the fur around the rabbit neck, and struggled to do so. Hopefully, the average looking goblin would take the rabbit horn off and help her cut the fur off-off it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After claiming her parts off killed Rena then sat down and wolf down on her meal as carefully as she could, sadly her meal wasn't much to brag about, with her food being hard to chew and break apart while also tasted like a salty metal, still she tried to eat as much of it as she can so she could get her strength back and hope she doesn't get sick from the food. After eating the two other of the goblin then decided they were going to go back to the cave however before they left she told them this. @Shovel "I'm Rena, I'm going to keep hunting to become stronger. if you guys change your mind I'll be out there a bit longer." She told them with a smile. Sadly the bold female didn't seem interested(and was also a bit off) so she let her leave, she didn't seem that reliable anyway. The other one well she liked him cause he was bold to try to wrestle the rabbit without his weapon, he seems useful, so she hopes he would change his mind. Now that they were done talking and eating Rena decide it was time to make good use of that fur, So put two holes in her fur, found a flexible tree branch, and bent it to look like a "C" before sticking one of the ends of the branch through one the holes in the fur before moving it to the other so that the fur would now be hanging off the stick. She then put the stick on her shoulder to make a makeshift cloak, Now she could wear her kill proudly. Now she was off to find her next kill in order to "level up" again.</s> <\|message\|>Krishna Krishna Location: In the Woods Mentioning:@Vec@RC3 --- It doesn't take too long for Krishna to realize that there was something wrong on his way past home. It was too silent. Of course, the forest had its moment of tranquility and peacefulness, where everything is encapsulated in a picture. But even then, the forest lives through other means. Of dry leaves crackling, of the leaves sway to the midday breezes. The roaring of unknown beasts. And there was nothing happening right now. That is until he heard the roar of something coming from another direction. It was not far from where he was standing, but certainly in the opposite direction of the goblin's cave. With curiosity and an appetite for more, Krishna picked up one of the larger rocks on the floor, the size of his fist, before heading to Teva's group. It was a massacre. He saw one goblin lying on the floor while another was held in the creature's hand. He need not to be smart to know that the lying goblin was dead or close to dead. The other? Not far from death. Still, there were three of them, assuming the one still pelting the creature was one of the goblins. But the creature was double of his size, and only someone like Gor would approach the creature for close-quarter combat. Krishna, instead, prides on his intellect, decided to be a smart goblin as he is not too long ago. Using the bushes and their foliage as his cover, Krishna attempted to close his distance between him and the creature for a sure shot. He hoped the rain of pebbles and sometimes rocks would draw the creature attention from its back. He could hear the sound of the small goblin choking under the massive arm. His death only gave him more patience. The numbers are still on his side, he thinks as the distance between him and the creature was close enough for an aim in the head. Krishna pushed his luck and proceeded forward. He had changed his nose breathing to breathing through his mouth, believing that would reduce the noise he made. In compensation, Krishna held a rock doubled the size of the one he previously picked up, something he found while making his way toward the creature's back. And if it weren't because he had eaten something not too long ago, his muscles would have already given up. The green goblin approached the orc, a distance of fourteen to fifteen feet between them, and aimed at its exposing back. If asked whether or not he would want to do that again, to approach the creature closer, Krishna would gladly say no. His arms were at its peak, and he felt that he was pushing his luck too much. So he gave all of his strength into the underhand swing, launching the rock into the air, and ran. He heard a thump. He heard the creature stop talking. And yet, he keeps on running. But unlike the previous time where he ran like a headless bug, Krishna ran downward, the opposite direction of where the orc was previously facing. * Absorption (Remaining Uses: 7) * Escape: The ability to flee and get to a safe location much more efficiently. Regardless of the situation, the user gets a bonus when attempting to getaway. (Passive) E-Rank * Thick Skin - The user has much thicker skin than the average person. This reduces damage from all sources, but in particular, reduces damage from physical attacks. (Passive) E-Rank</s>	<\|message\|>Teva At first the plan seemed to be working just fine. Kol was successful in blinding the pink beast with the sand in his hands, buying him enough time to attempt to strike at the back of its knee. The monster fell down on one knee, creating an opening for Son to charge in and deliver a strike. Unfortunately for Teva's group, and more importantly Son, luck was not on their side. Even blinded as it was, the creature's flailing arm managed to catch Son in the head, and the scrunching sound of the greenskins neck bones getting crushed reverberated across the forest. Teva, with horror in her eyes, saw the goblin fall to the ground like a ragdoll, his deformed neck and head clearly supported by only his skin and muscles. The rocks she threw had zero impact on the outcome of the battle, and Teva lamented her choice of weapon; what could mere small rocks do to a creature double her size? Nothing would be the answer to that question. When the fat beast finally brushed off the dirt from its eyes, it slowly stood up and, despite its overabundant physique, deftly caught Kol from the throat. The helpless, now, goblin was lifted off the ground easily by the strength of the pink creature which had, by now, regained its senses somewhat. Teva saw part of the shrubbery near the orc shuffle, and a piece of wood poked outwards that was soon withdrawn back into the bush, causing Teva to sigh. It seemed her hunch about Gee was right, the goblin was not one to hunt. Berry picking and herb gathering suited her better, and her personality and mannerisms clearly showed that. Teva bit her lower lip while wracking her tiny brain, trying to find a way to save the two orcs from certain doom, but could not find one. Gee, hidden as she was, seemed to have escaped the beast's detection, but Kol's neck was ready to snap in the fatty's ever tightening grip. Teva clutched two sharp sticks in her hands and moved as gracefully as she could on top of the branch she used as a vantage point. The situation had changed from a hunt to an escape, and just as she was moving to execute her backup plan in case Gee failed to trip the beast, a large rock flew from a random bush towards her enemy's direction. The pink creature snarled, momentarily distracted by the rock throw, and Teva seized the chance. She jumped from the branch above, diving straight down and onto the fatty's exposed shoulders. Were she to successfully land on the orc's shoulders, Teva would then immediately stab with her sharp sticks towards the beast's eyes, aiming to blind it permanently. She would then jump off its back and, hoping it had released him from its grip due to her attack, would check on Kol to see if he was still alive. If he wasn't, she would duck low and dash towards the direction of the cave, picking up the box and bag the orc had thrown on the ground, a consolation prize if you will. If he was alive, she'd try to rouse him up before escaping herself.</s>
<\|description\|>Teva Age: Day 3 Gender: Female Race: Goblin Appearance: Teva has the typical goblin physique one would expect from her race. Short and skinny yet quick on her feet, with a relatively large head to body ratio and over-exaggerated facial proportions. She has no hair on herself except her scalp, and she usually wears whatever rags she can salvage that can cover and protect her from the cold. Level: 1 Personality: Teva has a carefree attitude, always trying to just get along with others. She will help whenever and wherever she is needed, even for the little things, cause you know what they say: "It's the little things that matter." She is quite single-minded when it comes to her desires, and you bet once she sets a goal she will not stop until she has achieved it, no matter how long it takes. This, unfortunately, means that she can be prone to making bad or rushed decisions sometimes and can find herself in tricky situations. Nevertheless, even though she might not be one to overly think things before acting, the sheer energy she brings to the table cannot be underestimated one bit. Past Life: Teva was born to swim. Her parents, her peers and everyone on her immediate circle of contacts gave this answer whenever asked what was the best thing about her. Born in a small village off the coast of Sicily to two loving parents, she immediately found her calling in the form of swimming when she first laid her eyes upon the ocean. Whenever the weather was clear enough, one was bound to find Teva somewhere in the beach swimming. Thus, it is needless to say that when she grew up she pursued a career out of her love. She quickly became a rising star, and by age 15 she was a regional middle-school champion in three different categories, and 3 years later she conquered the national stage as a senior in high-school. After graduating, she studied sports science while also juggling with being an active member of Italy's Olympic swimming team. She was on track to obtain multiple gold medals, but the stars aligned to bring misfortune to her and her family. At age 25 she was the victim of a great white shark attack off the coast of California while on a visit to the US for a swimming exhibition. She survived, but her lower extremities did not. When she woke up, she found herself in the hospital bed, her legs amputated. Suddenly having lost her ability to walk, much less to swim, reduced her to a shell of her former self. She would not talk to her family nor her friends, and would barely touch her meals. She spent most of the time looking at the view of the ocean from the window to her hospital room, lamenting her fate. 15 days were all she could take before she dragged her body off the hospital bed and onto a wheelchair, unbeknownst to the nurses, and wheeled herself to the window from where she climbed and jumped. One of her last thoughts was how the weightlessness of falling reminded her so much of swimming, the thought of which brought a smile to her face. Talent(s):* Flexibility * Water Magic (Affinity) Skill(s): * Dark Eye (Passive) E-Rank * Absorption (Remaining Uses: 8) Inventory: --</s> <\|message\|>Aya Though both goblins lay prone by the body of the now-dead harvest sloth, they'd done it. Even so, between her sister getting hurt and the fear that lingered even after the fight, Aya couldn't feel good about their victory. What was more, the sisters were both paralysed, leaving them in a bad position to defend themselves against any further attacks. As her mind began trying to think up solutions to the current predicament Aya was distracted by something else, a feeling of sorrow that placed itself into Aya's mind, even through all of Aya's own panicked thoughts. Maybe it was better to describe it an awareness of a feeling, rather than a feeling in its own, there was a sort of disconnect as though Aya were only a spectator to the feeling. It wasn't until she heard Ragi start sobbing and crying apologies that Aya realised what it was she was sensing wasn't a part of her own mind, but her sisters. Aya had wanted to say something to help ease her sister's pain, but whenever she tried to say something the words failed to come out, blocked by her doubts that she could do anything to help and a fear that whatever she said would only serve to make things worse. It wasn't until Ragi's sobbing stopped and Aya felt her mind calm down a little several minutes later, that Aya was able to revise her mental image of her sister. Ragi was a genius no doubt, but she was still only a goblin, a brilliant and kind one, but a goblin nonetheless, yet somehow this revelation only caused her opinion of her sister to grow. Yes, Ragi could make mistakes and would do so as long as she continued to strive for the best possible outcomes, but if anyone could achieve those outcomes it was Ragi. The flaws Aya had noticed in Ragi's plan finally fell into place, the plan hadn't been flawless, but rather it had been the best possible plan they could hope for given the information Ragi had and the outcome she'd been trying to achieve. What kind of pressure that kind of responsibility must have put on her sister Aya couldn't begin to imagine. Aya's thoughts were once again cut short by another feeling, this time coming from insider herself. Hunger. It was far worse now after the battle, having gone from little more than an ever-present annoyance to something actively painful, an issue only made worse by her noticing the problem. Feeling the harvest sloth beneath her body Aya vaguely recalled her worries about it potentially being poisonous, but between her hunger and the goblin instincts screaming at her to eat, Aya had hardly even begun that chain of thought before her teeth had sunk into the harvest sloths flesh. It took all of what little restraint she had left to leave her sister half of the sloth alone, and there certainly wouldn't be enough left to feed Bug and Twig as well. Strangely enough, Aya had quickly begun to feel better after eating, the paralysation working its way out of her like a bad case of pins and needles at a noticeable rate. Was that an effect of eating the sloth? The moment she was well enough to stand she did so, grabbing her rock as she struggled to her feet and positioning herself to overlook her sleeping sister as she dropped back into thought. If she wanted to help her sister she'd need to have a plan. After a while, Aya's attention was drawn to a rattling sound, though even so it took her a moment to spot the source, the snakes flower-like body haveing made it hard to spot in the grass and allowing it to have slithered a little to close for comfort. Aya gripped her rock, though thinking about it she doubted she could hit the snake. For whatever reason Aya found herself more confident in her tree-climbing ability than she had been at the start of the day, so maybe there was a plan there? No, Aya wasn't strong enough to carry Ragi and that would mean abandoning their prey. There wasn't time to devise a trap and beyond probably being hard to hit Aya didn't really have a clue what to expect from the creature. The combination of camouflage and a deterrent might suggest that the snake wouldn't attack prey that it couldn't ambush, but Aya wasn't prepared to take that gamble, especially not after the sloth. The snake rattled again, threatening the goblins, and Aya on instinct responded in kind, bearing her teeth at it and letting out a soft hissing sound as if to warn the creature not to approach. A sudden awareness of Ragi's panic and fear suggested to Aya her sister had woken up, confirmed moments later by the sounds of her sister crawling backwards and calling for her. At least the paralysis had worn off. "It's okay, I'm over here sister. Maybe you should eat something? Um... just be careful there's another monster here...", Aya informed her sister, kicking herself as she realised that that last part probably wasn't the best thing to say to calm Ragi. It was a bad position, Ragi was afraid, Aya was afraid, there was an immediate threat of unknown capabilities and Aya had no time to think things through. The goblin began to giggle slightly as she grinned wide, her outwards demeanour in stark contrast to how badly she was freaking out inside. * Noticed the effects of Sisterly Bond. * Gave in to hunger and ate half the sloth. * Stood up and grabbed her rock once paralysation had worn off then waited around in thought for a bit. * Noticed the snake, threatened it shortly after. * Tried to calm Ragi, but didn't take her attention off the snake. Battle Rock: (Held) A rock with about as much heft to it as it could have while still allowing Aya to swing it one-handed. Goblin Garb: (Worn) A simple one-piece dress sized for a young goblin, it's made with only the most abysmal of craftsmanship and crappiest of cloth.</s> <\|message\|>Tik Tik @RC3 --- Tik managed to catch up to Rena after a fairly hasty and crude effort at tracking her by finding partial tracks and freshly broken twigs. He had some hope that he would be able to simply greet her and continue hunting, this time with a better spear. But, that hopping... long-toothed... shiny-skinned... Tik saw Rena successfully duck the attack from the frog. By the time the frog hit the ground, Tik had already started running. By the time Rena swung her club, Tik was only a couple strides from her back with his spear held in both hands. He kept Rena between him and the frog until the last moment to make sure that the frog would have trouble seeing him. He could also tell whether the frog dodged to the side or not. He was moving on reflex, too fast to think or plan. The frog would either dodge or die. If it dodged, then Tik would lunge around Rena and stab the frog as swiftly as his body would allow. The only sound he uttered was a throaty hiss as he made his move. --- - Tried to stay in the Fanged Tree Frog's blind spot while closing the distance. - Lunge with Horn Spear, adjusting for any evasive actions by the frog -Loin cloth -Small Rabbit Ear Pouch -Horn Tipped Spear ----- In Pouch----- -2 Battle-Scarred Horned Rabbit Collarbones</s>	<\|message\|>Teva The beast's cries of frustration entered entered Teva's ears as she ran away. She glanced back to see it having fallen down on the ground, flailing its arms about in rage. Tave cringed a little when she saw its arm almost hitting the unresponsive Kor that was lying on the ground a few steps away. She'd tried to wake him up after jumping off the beasts back, but Kor wouldn't budge at all. Teva then made the decision to run away, grabbing the beast's box and bag it'd thrown down the ground at the start of the fight. After some time her goblin body refused to take one more step. She'd slowed down considerably, but she'd also created a lot of distance between her and the orc. Teva scanned her surroundings with tired eyes, eventually spotting a hollow between some giant tree roots she could curl herself in. She crawled between the roots and immediately fell asleep. A very uncomfortable sleep, however, embraced her. The rush of adrenaline from the fight had washed away from her system, making her skinny limbs ache from the overexertion. Her body protested at the lack of food, her stomach letting out angry growls even in her sleep. After thirty minutes of questionable rest, the goblin woke up with a head full of muddled thoughts. She was thirsty, she was hungry, she was tired. She had to find something... Then a curious thought emerged in her mind, and Teva turned to look at the two things she had salvaged from the fight. Teva's dry mouth salivated at the thought of the orc and all that potential meat she'd run away from, but it had been impossible for four goblins to kill it, much less herself alone, even after having crippled its eyes. Teva removed those thoughts from her mind and returned to the box and pouch laying a next to her. She first picked up the box, shaking it a few times to test if she could hear anything from inside. She then tried to open it by biting and hitting it against the strong roots, but it wouldn't open. Mildly frustrated, she placed it aside and grabbed the small bag instead. This time a small, rope knot stood in her way that she easily unwound before peering inside curiously. Three small, opaque stones lay inside the bag, one of them giving off a faint, blue light. Teva pinched it between two fingers and pulled it out of the bag, bringing it closer. The moment she brought it out, the dark hollow she'd made her temporary shelter was illuminated by the light the stone emitted, but Teva didn't care about using it as a light source. On the contrary, something inside of her mind whispered to her to consume the weird stone, and her starving stomach agreed. Thus, without thinking about it too much, she popped the stone into her mouth and bit into it. What could possibly go wrong anyway? * Ran away from the battle * Found a empty hollow between tree roots and curled in * Slept for thirty minutes but woke up due to hunger * Tried to open the orc's box and failed * Opened the orc's bag and found some strange stones * One of them gave out blue light, and Teva being the genius she is, ate it * Torn crude blanket/clothes * Strange box * Strange pouch with two remaining opaque rocks</s>
<\|description\|>Dentrisica Era Banecroft Nicknamed Mitra by her father, she chooses to go by it in his honor. Race Human Age 19-20 Class Dragoon Place of Origin Labrethian Empire Personality Tsundere Backstory At the height of the Labrethian Empire, House Banecroft has stood as its stalwart protectors. In antiquity they rode atop dragons as they flung javelins down upon their enemies. For some it's a story, an old fairytale meant to inspire the next generation of heroes; for others it is historical fact and something that should be remembered by all men on Atles. For Dentrisica Era Banecroft it has always been both. The glory and honor of being a member of House Banecroft has always inspired the Laberthian noble since she was a child, especially so as it appeared that much like the dragons much of the prestige of the Banecroft's had faded. The Labrethian Empire was glorious and true, but many of the legendary houses had fallen into the annals of history or subjugated to lesser roles once their dynasty stopped producing heroes worthy of the empire. In the skies above of the Imperial City, the heroes of the Banecroft Dynasty would one day fly again; or at least, that was the great hope. Dentrisica's childhood was full of prestige, wealth, and privilege. She received the finest books, the greatest of teachers, and the frilliest of pillows. Despite this, Mitra was an unruly child, often getting into trouble where she could get it. Unlike other imperial children it wasn't something she did out of a lack of attention, but rather a unfulfilling sense of adventure and boredom.</s> <\|message\|>Artemisia Artemisia "Don't tell me. I betcha lost track of time?" With a chuckle, Artemisia winked. "Bingo." A broad smile spread across the face of the man sitting at her table, growing almost as wide as his bushy black mustache. He seemed thoroughly engaged with her story, and as ever the girl's way of telling stories tended to get everyone into it. "Before you know it, the whistles sound from the tradeyards signaling lunch break for the miners, and I just about leap out of my seat. I sprint out of there, hurling the record toward the front desk as I go by and nearly clobbering the poor woman working there...you should have seen her face!" She put on a scared expression, arms held up in terror. That earned her a laugh from her audience, including a few weary hunters the next table over. "But I sprint out of there, and hightail it down the street, dodging left and right past burly shoulders and the pickaxe hazards atop them!" Artemisia jerked in her seat side to side, miming the act of evading workers. Her companion glanced downward, which did not escape the mage's notice, but she could hardly blame him. She was, after all putting on a show. "I just about trip over this wagon, but by the grace of Garuda I stay on my feet. In my head I'm thinking, my train's leaving in like, five minutes. I have to do this smart. So what do I do?" This time her question was rhetorical, and she cut off the hunters thinking they'd been given another chance to respond. "I grab a shortcut, of course. With the miners getting off work, the nearest Commission lot is wide open, so I say goodbye to crowded streets and hello to the fast lane. I get through in a jiffy, but there's just one problem..." Clamping her hands on her pink-blonde hair, Artemisia adopted an face of anguish. "The Coffer." Her audience's collective silence and unknowing stare broke her flow, and she looked around as though they were doofuses. "Uh, Golem's Coffer? The number-one attraction in Hardside, its life's blood? Well, it's this gigantic pit in the ground. All day every day miners from the Excavation Commission descend into its depths, with drills, pickaxes, and heavy equipment, using ropes and cranes and ladders, to bring up all the riches of the earth. It's a gigantic operation, super impressive. But just then it stood between me and the train station, hundreds of meters of open air above a bottomless pit. Impossible, right?" Crossing her arms beneath her chest, Artemisia smirked. "Well, not for me!" She waved her hand, spinning up an air current that lifted her empty tea mug into the air. All eyes lay on the magical display as she held it aloft. "The wind, you see, is at my back. I swooshed across the whole Coffer..." "You can fly with wind magic?!" the mustached hunter exclaimed, incredulous. Artemisia grinned and released the mug, which hit the table and fell sideways. "Well, not fly so much as boost up and then slowfall, but sure, basically! About halfway across I was getting a little low, so I landed in this cable car full of busted gear being moved across the Coffer for repair. Flew up again, then made it the rest of the way. I went right over the head of this old dude eating a sandwich. Fell right out of his mouth!" When she laughed, her audience laughed with her. "Made it to the train just before the doors shut. Relief at last." She leaned back in her chair. "'Course, I ended up getting thrown off that train, but that's a story for another time." After a brief exchange most of the hunters went about their business. Not an exciting story to people who tangled with death in the wilds, necessarily, but she knew how to tell it, and lots of people were happy for a little wholehearted socialization. She joined the table of the mustached man in the first place because he looked lonely, and like a man with a story to tell. He ended up being a far better listener than talker, but both enjoyed the encounter. In fact, he seemed to enjoy it so much that he didn't want to let her go just yet. "Man, first I say I'm not much of a talker and then you go spinnin' a yarn like that? You tryin' to show me up or somethin'?" Artemisia shrugged, more in a 'maybe' sort of way than uncaring way. Body language told half the story, after all. Her friend continued. "Well, that was mighty fine. I ain't one to just take hospitality and give nothin' back, so what do you say to lunch? There's this joint on the river with the most amazin' fish, smoked and perfectly seasoned..." Despite herself Artemisia felt her stomach rumble. Flat broke since lunchtime yesterday, she really did feel hungry. Looking at her would-be companion, she figured she could do a lot worse for a date and a free meal, but swapping tales with a stranger was a far cry from going somewhere with one. Besides, she had other business to attend to. Artemisia groaned, and replied, "I'd love to, you know, but I've got this certification deal any minute now. Apparently these dopes don't know a Black Mage when they see one and need a little demonstration of my windpower." The hunter nodded sagaciously. "Makes sense. With fatality rates so high anyway, the Guild don't want anyone who can't put up a real fight." Artemisia leaned forward. "Any tips? You oughta know a thing or two about what it takes to become a hunter." Another nod. "Yes, ma'am. The secret's composition. Find the toughest sonuva bitch in the group and put 'em between yourself and the monster. If ya get hit, tell the healer to fix ya up. That stuff's their job, after all. The others do their thing so we big hitters can shine!" Artemisia shot a glance at his pike, leaning against the windowsill. He, meanwhile turned around in his seat and looked toward the waiting room. "Heard it'd be a large group today, so ya oughta have a good choice." "Thaaanks," the sorceress said, rising from her seat to head toward the designated room. On the way she gave the fellow a pat on the shoulder. "You're a real gem." "Not half as pretty as you," the man said. "Name's Oliver Soreldart, by the by. And you're...?" "Why, I'm Artemisia." She looked back, her smile only slightly strained. "If and when we meet again, I'll by expecting a real story, 'kay?" Oliver nodded emphatically. The man sure liked doing that. He might have been about to say something else, but Artemisia moved on, mimicking his voice. "See ya 'round!" A few moments later she arrived in the waiting room, and barely had she come than she plopped down in another chair. Her hair spread out behind her, and she crossed her legs. Composition, huh? That blonde looked like another dragoon, so Arty doubted she could rely on her.</s> <\|message\|>Ianthe Ianthe Ianthe listened while the room began to fill, and pursed her lips. She knew it was best that they get started soon—after all, the sooner they did the job, the sooner they got paid—but part of her wouldn't have mourned another hour or so to sit there with her eyes shut, legs propped up on the junker of a shield she'd brought, trying to eek out a few minutes of true rest. Gods knew she hadn't gotten any the night before. The city was a lot of things. It smelled like industry, which was to say it smelled like the shit of an iron horse, but it was also burdensomely crowded and unrelentingly loud at every hour. She'd only just managed to find a room last night, with a hard bed and a window that wouldn't shut, which let the sounds of city nightlife flood in until sunrise. Argo didn't have a lot of things, but it did have silence, and she'd taken that for granted hard. The Guild Hall had a homey quality to it at least. It looked handmade, sturdy. Ianthe recognized the heads of a few of the fiends she'd met at the border, and was pleased that the sights of the unfamiliar ones didn't daunt her. There was, of course, a difference between bravery and stupidity, and it was a line drawn in the ever-important sand of self-confidence and self-assessment. Did she wish she'd come to this better equipped? Sure. The shield was, as she'd noted, a hunk of junk, a poorly-cut slab of metal with leather straps and shoddily-soldered grips. The sword wasn't much better, but it was sharp and she kept it well cared-for. It would have been stupid to go into something like this, as she was, alone, and while she'd done her fair share of stupidly bold things as a youth, age and injury had tempered her well. Well enough to be thankful that there'd be a group of them going out. Cracking an eye, she spotted a few noteworthy fellows. Big spears and frilly clothes were quick to catch the eye, but Ianthe knew the value of a humble appearance. It was easy to discount someone just because they looked like they didn't belong. Ianthe wasn't about to make that mistake.</s> <\|message\|>Avaddon A v a d d o n "Is there a reason no one is speaking?" The first to break the enforced silence was a rather massive man who stood before the others, hand held up to support the dainty, and likely somewhat embarrassed, maiden who had been hoisted on his shoulder since he'd entered the guildhall. A good Samaritan deed of his own design to help a fellow recruit get to the Hunter's Guild in time to make it for the trial. However, if said trial was just going to be them standing around in silence for minutes, Avaddon wasn't quite sure he was in the right place. "Not to be rude, Mr. Proctor, but you've been staring at us for the past few minutes and I'm not much for waiting around when there is work to be done." Turning around with a smile to the other applicants, the large man beat a hand against his chest with a raised voice. "If we are to take this test together, I will say the first thing we should do is introduce ourselves, no? My name is Avaddon, of the Red Storm tribe. I hope that we all make it through together and prove to make good allies in the test to come." His piece said Avaddon cracked his neck a bit as he turned dot look at the Proctor once more, hoping his little display would be enough to get something out of the man. If not, then Avaddon felt he might need to look elsewhere for assistance in matters of his quest. Perhaps the Hunter's guild he'd heard so much about was full of nothing but hot air. A disappointing fate if true, but not one the large Fabul man had been unprepared for.</s>	<\|message\|>Dentrisica Era Banecroft Holy City of Alexandria \| Alexandria Hunters Guild Headquarters --- "Mitra." The dragoon uttered, as friendly as she could muster. Her eyes looked to the one face she recognized, but she decided to not say anything. If he decided to call her by her true name she was going to clock him in the balls with the fastest knee he had ever seen. Admittedly, though her disdain for them at the moment was complicated and Mitra knew she had be as amicable as possible when it came to the group of guild hopefuls around her. How much gil did she even have left? Could she afford to eat for longer than a few weeks? She had to turn her luck around and become a success. Confronting the man who knew her when she was small and bright-eyed would have to come later. "I'm pleased to meet your acquaintance, Avaddon. I hope we'll be fast friends on this venture." She eyed the girl hoisted over his shoulders, was she a slave? She did hear in her classes at the imperial academy how the tribesmen of the Red Storm Tribe kept slaves. Perhaps she was a concubine of his? Mitra couldn't help but be curious about that fact. "Who's your… friend?"</s>
<\|description\|>Dentrisica Era Banecroft Nicknamed Mitra by her father, she chooses to go by it in his honor. Race Human Age 19-20 Class Dragoon Place of Origin Labrethian Empire Personality Tsundere Backstory At the height of the Labrethian Empire, House Banecroft has stood as its stalwart protectors. In antiquity they rode atop dragons as they flung javelins down upon their enemies. For some it's a story, an old fairytale meant to inspire the next generation of heroes; for others it is historical fact and something that should be remembered by all men on Atles. For Dentrisica Era Banecroft it has always been both. The glory and honor of being a member of House Banecroft has always inspired the Laberthian noble since she was a child, especially so as it appeared that much like the dragons much of the prestige of the Banecroft's had faded. The Labrethian Empire was glorious and true, but many of the legendary houses had fallen into the annals of history or subjugated to lesser roles once their dynasty stopped producing heroes worthy of the empire. In the skies above of the Imperial City, the heroes of the Banecroft Dynasty would one day fly again; or at least, that was the great hope. Dentrisica's childhood was full of prestige, wealth, and privilege. She received the finest books, the greatest of teachers, and the frilliest of pillows. Despite this, Mitra was an unruly child, often getting into trouble where she could get it. Unlike other imperial children it wasn't something she did out of a lack of attention, but rather a unfulfilling sense of adventure and boredom.</s> <\|message\|>Avaddon A v a d d o n Avaddon gave a grin, glad to see people getting more lively now. At Mitra's misunderstanding, however, he shook his head with a chuckle. "As much as I hope to get to know all of you in the time to come, me and Luna here are strangers. She merely asked for directions to the Hunter's Guild and I, being on my way here already, decided that it would be faster for both of us if I carried her there." Stomping over to Blaike after his introduction, he gave the man a rough pat on the back with his giant mit of a hand, letting out a slow whistle. "A researcher of the Royal scientist, huh? Sounds like we have quite the important fellow in our midst. . . though I must wonder, why leave your work to join the Hunter's Guild? Surely someone skilled enough to receive the funding of the nation's royalty would be better off staying at their side, both financially and socially?" Avaddon scratched at his chin as he stared down the smaller man, his skin around his neck and shoulders seeming to almost . . . ripple in undulating patterns as the scales that covered him in patches rose and fell. Before long, however, he seemed to come to an answer that suited him as he snapped his fingers, nodding in agreement with a voice only he could hear as he placed a weighty hand on Blaike's shoulder. "Clearly, you and I are kindred spirits. More adapted to the way of wandering the earth than to stay in one place forever. Danger, Peril, the possibility of death, it only serves to enhance the feeling that comes from being alive, no? The rush of adrenaline and the warmth in your heart knowing that through your efforts, others may not have to suffer in fear of monsters and savages." Tightening his grip in a sign of camaraderie, the giant desert-dweller lifted it up to beat a closed fist against his chest, eyes positively glowing as he seemed lost in thought. "I salute men like you, who leave the comfort of assured luxury for the life along the road less traveled."</s> <\|message\|>Artemisia Artemisia Today was the day for becoming a hunter, it seemed. In no time at all the designated waiting room filled with all manner of prospective guild members, each far more memorable than the average Joe or Joan. Nobody seemed too eager to get familiar, which suited Artemisia just fine now that she'd spent her social energy, so she got down to overanalyzing them, trying to pick up story threads. Now that she got a good look at Spear Blondie, Artemisia wondered why she seemed so uncomfortable. She sported a real mercenary look, all that leather and those scarves giving her a potent frontier flavor, a visage that would've been right at home in the saloon of some dusty Bellas village. Like a soldier put somewhere she didn't belong, she carried herself in a way trying to be both casual and cool at the same time, as if she couldn't really relax. Could she have recently parted ways with some mercenary band following a job gone wrong? Maybe a fallout with a fellow fighter, or the cohort's leader? A betrayal, perhaps. A lost love? A pretty face like that paired with a rough getup seemed just the sort for a tragic end to some battlefield romance. Or...maybe she just didn't know what to expect from this test, and didn't like strangers. Honestly, Artemisia could relate. The lady in metal looked far more at ease. Composed, relaxed, no fish out of water there. Thinking back to what Oliver said, Artemisia realized that this woman ought to be able to fulfill the role of protector. She cut a gallant figure in that armor, to be sure, and her weaponry bore unmistakably quality. This must, Artemisia conjectured, be a lady knight. No doubt a veteran of long service to a lord, or the captain of a guard. With unerring loyalty and strength she must have inspired all who looked upon her. Her look and bearing suggested abject seriousness, probably not a lot of fun at parties, maybe even a steadfast practitioner of chivalry. Such an attitude no doubt broke many a heart. Maybe hers was a story of mellowing out, of learning to love life and enjoy time with others. Well, if she defended Artemisia valiantly and helped her play her starring role, she figured they could get along. More obviously less self-assured was the young man with goggles. On the shorter side, standing just a little lower than Artemisia herself if she had to guess, he did not cut an imposing or even battle-ready figure. Wondering if the guy knew what he was getting himself into and why, she couldn't help but picture the studious son of a well-to-do merchant or noble, perhaps. Hardworking and obliging, he pursued scholarly interests to win the approval of his father...and to escape the shadow of his more talented older brother, yeah! But even as he cultivated clerical skills and honed his mind, the young man yearned for something more. There was more to life than meeting others' expectations and trying to show up loved ones. So on the eve of his graduation, he slipped away, giddy with excitement, to enlist in the Hunter's Guild for a life of whirlwind adventure and heart-pounding danger! Perfect! Artemisia felt like she could write out the whole book in one afternoon. And whoo boy, that was one big dude, not leaving a lot to her imagination. Still, to Artemisia's credit she set it working anyway. What could his deal be, other than being extremely well built and exotically dressed? And who was that rather similarly underdressed woman on his shoulder, with long ears and an intriguing physique? The black mage couldn't exactly boast a sweeping knowledge of...well, anyone north of the Underoad. Hell, even her knowledge of Bellas itself wrung out pretty thin. 'Insular' described her upbringing pretty well, though she still got a lot more exposure to the outside than most of the other kids. Still, a lack of knowledge never stopped her making stuff up before. This burly fellow surely hailed... ...Oh. He was the super extroverted type. That pretty much killed Artemisia's thunder; anyone who couldn't appreciate a nice silence tended to get on her nerves. I talk when I feel like it, she thought without actually responding, since she didn't feel like it. Still, he wore a nice smile -among other things- so she couldn't get that put out. He went ahead and tried to get everyone talking by introducing himself and proclaiming best wishes for everyone, and to Artemisia's chagrin it seemed to work. First Mitra, then Luna. For some reason Luna's very appearance suddenly struck a nerve with the black mage. She looked too perfect. Too exquisite, too sweet and pure. Like someone out of a fairy tail. And what was with that getup? Artemisia knew she wasn't one to harp on about practicality when it came to dress, but this girl looked one stiff wind away from a serious wardrobe malfunction. And Garuda forbid it rained. After the other ladies introduced themselves and Artemisia consciously abstained, content to relax on her chair in a corner well out of the limelight, Luna took the brunt of one of the other applicant's attention. The philanderer -or Blaike, as he came to be known- wasted no time in buttering her up, without so much as acknowledging her or the lady knight's existence. He did seem to know Mitra, which fit the narrative. Artemisia rolled her eyes, leaning on her chair's back with her jaw resting on her propped-up hand. Well, not my fault I was raised on a mountain and not in a beauty parlor. Better off without such attention anyway. For all his angling, however, Blaike, received the attention of someone he didn't likely intend. Avaddon started talking and just didn't stop, first explaining that he'd literally just picked Luna up before coming here and then doing some analysis himself. Hey, that's my thing! Well, I didn't get to him anyway, so whatever. He seemed pretty enthusiastic about his deductions concerning Blaike's character, but something about his speech made Artemisia wonder if he going a really roundabout way to slight him. Artemisia caught herself staring at what she now felt pretty sure were real scales on Avaddon's body. Ooh...an alter? She regarded him with new interest, but remained quiet, and resumed entertaining herself with the possibilities.</s>	<\|message\|>Dentrisica Era Banecroft Holy City of Alexandria \| Alexandria Hunters Guild Headquarters --- "Riiight." Mitra cleared her throat, looking over to those who had not introduced themselves. "I guess we should get to business, huh? We were introducing ourselves, right?" While she presented herself as civilly and friendly as possible, Mitra couldn't help but try to divert the conversation. Despite being a noble of the Labrethian Empire she hated bombast and showboating. The Red Mage whom she was shocked was even breathing let alone had been elevated to some important role in Alexandria made the blonde-haired dragoon conflicted to say the least. The long, flowery speech of the tribal person almost annoyed her internally just as much as Blaike's grandstanding and boasting. Her father had always taught her that those who have a speech ready were always the types who basked in their own prestige, towering above all others like they were more important than the people they were sworn to protect. It was a noble explanation, but even when she was young she didn't care too much about her father's explanation because she had her own: people who liked to talk were the type to be privy to smelling their own farts. Her eyes caught that of a younger man's, it appeared he wanted to speak next. She just hoped he didn't have the same self-importance stench as the tribal savage and the noble who should have been dead.</s>
<\|description\|>Artemisia Race: Human Age: 22 Class: Black Mage Place of Origin: Mount Osraphel, Bellas Personality: Quiet and dignified on the outside, even lazy at times, Artemisia isn't exactly outgoing, but in truth she's more than a little spirited. Her passions include knowledge -trivia in particular-, stories both personal and grandiose, and drama, and it's no surprise that those plus her good memory and quick wit incline her towards large words, formal speech, occasional babbling, theatrical behavior, and interesting people Thoughtful, considerate, curious, and even spunky, she's cordial enough that one might never guess there's yet another side to her. With her dander up Artemisia becomes far more impulsive, temperamental and inclined to violence. She's a believer in karmic justice, including paying violence against violence, but more than that she's a believer in Garudism, the beliefs practiced by Skybound that denounce humanity in favor of a pristine, natural world where the fittest survive. Her cult taught that any action in service to the cause is justified, and that outsiders would never understand. Weirder still, Artemisia has a thing for monster people, specifically people turned into monsters and the act of turning them. In these ways, her upbringing tinges her fundamental empathy with distinctly out-of-whack morals. Backstory: Tucked away in one corner of the vast and disparate lands that house the Free Cities of Ballas is a mountain like no other. Towering above its range, it reaches up, up, up into the clouds, and no other place in Atles boasts such a profundity of wind. It dances through the trees and across the jagged cliffs, singing and howling, and veins of air aldite course through the earth as its very lifeblood. From a colossal thermal vent in the mountain's heart an endless stream of warm wind pushes skyward, and pieces of the mountain float upon it. Upon this remote peak lie the sprawling village of the Skybound, a clandestine society dedicated to the worship of the primal being of air, Garuda. It was here that Artemisia was born. From her early years, in the manner of all children whose gifts in sorcery were identified by the village elders, she was trained in black magic. Like the others, her parents raised her as a wholehearted follower of Garudism, beloved guardian of ancient skies who ruled over all creation. The cult eschewed humanity, blaming them for the fall from the paradise that existed under the crystals and swearing revenge. They lived in isolation and fanaticism. Yet, she received something the other children didn't thanks to her father, an outsider captured by the Skybound but deemed unfit for Ascension. Rather than be subjected to other, less glamorous rituals, Solom found salvation at the hands of the woman who'd go on to become Artemisia's mother Essentia, who'd fallen for his wittiness, charm, and good looks. A deliveryman from a nearby kingdom, Solomon could visit the village and his daughter every so often, bringing goods to trade to endear himself to the locals while keeping up the guise of being a devoted Garudist. He helped reel her back from sinking too deep into the cult, and once in a while managed to sneak her away from the mountain atop his delivery roc to visit civilization. Her love for knowledge and drama bloomed during this time, and she longed to learn more of the outside world. But forces pulled her homeward, too. As she came of age she became involved in the Climb, the cult's longstanding practice of abduction and experimentation in order to bring about a successor to Garuda. After capturing outsiders, the cult's Skybound Seekers brought them before the elders, who would determine whether they would were fit for Ascension. The many who did not would be subjected to horrifying aldite experimentation, used as testbeds for the improvement of treatments designed to transform people into monstrous airborne fiends. The lucky few would undergo Ascension, mutated by the latest and greatest aldite treatments into the likeness of Garuda herself. Then the Skybound forced them to go up, to the peak of the mountain and beyond, higher than even the clouds, to the lofty island well beyond the reach of the mountain's thermals where legends tell the Crystal of Air once rested. None completed the ascent, but the Skybound labored on. It was only a matter of time until their formulas led them to a successor, Garuda reborn, fit to lead them in glorious revolution. Artemisia worked as an assistant to the mages who experimented on the unfit and eventually joined their ranks, inundating captives with aldite until they became Alters, then fiends. It made her skin crawl, but somehow it fascinated her all the more. Despite -or perhaps because of- the wrongness of it all, she'd discovered a deep-seeded passion for corrupting people into monsters, but that obsession led to her trying different amounts of different aldite to see what traits would arise. Her misuse of resources eventually led to her reassignment as a Seeker. Leaving the mountain behind, she set out into the world at last, her mission to keep an eye out for candidates she could collect return to the Skybound. Her journey took her across the land of Bellas and its Free Cities, visiting each in turn and bearing witness to their muriad wonders. Away from the cult and the intoxicating fumes of the labs and the mountain itself, Artemisia changed. Her fervor for Garuda and the rites of Ascension waned, replaced by her resurgent fascination with the cultures and creations of other societies. She could never deny the shadow of Garuda that hung over her, but Artemisia reasoned that the guardian -having already slept a millennia- could surely wait a little longer. She soon found herself traveling all over in search of interesting people, beasts, places, and the stories that surrounded them all. While Bellas contained enough points of interest for a lifetime, that troublesome necessity of money kept her working odd jobs, and one stuck her with a caravan that took her all the way north to Alexandria. As luck would have it, borders closed soon after she arrived. Trapped in an unknown city, she enlisted in the Hunters' Guild despite the risks for the good pay and ability to travel freely. (As a black mage she has a 'rod', which she uses in ways many might deep unconventional for a magician)</s> <\|message\|>Dentrisica Era Banecroft Holy City of Alexandria \| Alexandria Hunters Guild Headquarters --- "Maybe we can just send you into the nest first since you know so much about it!" Mitra smiled back at the red mage in a rather polite tone, "Apparently, you've already got a plan. I'm impressed!" The blonde-haired dragoon sighed after signing off on the contract before moving behind Edgar and Blaike, deceptively keeping her faux-bubbly tone and expressions intact as she thought about Blaike's claims and the mission's modus operandi. Miniboros. Researcher. Guild Ranks. Stars. Mitra wasn't sure what to think about what the proctor or the red mage suggested about a Malboro. Years ago in her training as a dragoon she had heard stories from her instructors about the creature. Things were admittedly fuzzy, but she was a good enough student to remember the vagueness of such a creature's baseline flaws and habits. If they were to run into a malboro proper it surely meant certain death. If the guild suspected there might be a malboro they surely understood that they were preying on people who had no other choice. She supposed the Hunter's Guild wasn't as noble as the people in Alexandria thought they were. Despite her concerns of a malboro, she knew she had to win even if it was a no-win scenario. "Whatever is in store for us, I'll be sure to have everyone's back!"</s> <\|message\|>Avaddon A v a d d o n Avaddon nodded at Blaike's words, finding the reason behind his adventuring suitable if not as noble as he'd have liked. As Balder spoke up about the actual content of their mission, the giant man scratched at his chin in consideration. Malboro, even if they were only small ones, were not a creature to be underestimated. The variant he'd encountered in the desert had a breath that could blind those who did not take proper precautions, so if these miniboro were anything like that then he did not want to be near them if he could help it. "Weeds indeed. . ." He muttered as he knelt to the ground, finally letting Luna dismount. Once that was done, he signed the needed forms, still uncharacteristically silent as he considered what would be the best way to handle this. If he was back in the desert and facing such an issue, he'd liked to use some sort of bait in order to draw them out and then. . . oh, and they just so happened to have two engineers with them. By the time he had formed the plan, Blaike had already walked towards the exit so he simply placed a hand on Edgar's shoulder, turning the boy around as he knelt down to their level. While he'd been boisterous and extremely animated before now, his tone now was much calmer and controlled. "Tell me, Edgar, how versed are you in the creation of explosives? Particularly small ones. . . "</s>	<\|message\|>Artemisia Much sooner than she would have liked, Artemisia found herself diverted from her ongoing attempts to make up interesting backstories for these people, and by that spear-wielding Mitra girl nonetheless. She looked pointedly at the black mage while suggesting the general conversation get back to introductions. Nice try, Midriff. You don't have the room with you, so I'm not taking the hint. If she didn't want to put up with the self-aggrandization of Avaddon and Blaike, she could either space out like Artemisia or learn to love it. Luckily for Mitra -and everyone, really- the center of attention shifted away from the one-upping between Blaike and Avaddon as Edgar gave his name, profession, and shortly thereafter a declaration of earnestness. The spotlight then fixated solely on the proctor, one Balder Grescott, who took control of the situation in order to brief the group of would-be hunters on exactly what their assignment entailed. From the sound of it, they would be wiping out a cluster of ravenous juvenile plant-monsters called Miniboros, which sounded like a real problem in a swarm, with the added bonus of a potential mommy or daddy 'boro nearby. The man sauntered about the room, scanning each of them with his eyes as if he could figure them out by their looks alone. Artemisia smiled sweetly at Balder when he looked her way, though the smile didn't reach her eyes. If nothing else she appreciated him condoning a hasty retreat if things got out of hand, which had been a card already stashed up her sleeve anyway. She took her form and began to write. Everyone mulled over the new information, but it was Edgar who spoke up first. He'd already done well enough to establish himself as the eager, probably naive young go-getter, but what came out of his mouth next provoked a giggle despite Artemisia's best attempts to mask it. "Pffff...!" Well, maybe not her best, to be honest. But how could she keep herself together after that? The line was so adorably goofy. The black mage hoped Edgar lived to come up with a better one for next time. Artemisia penned her signature at the bottom of her form: The Skybound Sorceress, as Witty as She is Pretty: Artemisia. By the time she handed it back, Blaike had managed to pump out a few sentences' worth of attempting to convince the others that slaying the senior Malboro would be the altruistic thing to do. Artemisia agreed; that did not mean that she would do it. Heroic ideas about doing what's right got people killed, or as a totally random and non-specific example, turned into hideous fiends while trying to spare loved ones the same fate. Blaike seemed pretty damn pleased with himself about his wordplay, but as a follow-up to the spontaneous charm of Edgar's attempt it just came off as trying too hard. As the group got up in preparation for departure, a few strings of conversation endured. Mitra pledged her support for everyone, which earned her an appreciative look from Artemisia. Her impressions of the unexpectedly chipper dragoon might be off, she realized. I'll hold you to that! After another moment or two the black mage rose from her seat and followed the other hunters out the door, happy to lag behind at the group's rear. She thought about the mission ahead. Was she worried? Not really. Should she be? Maybe. Six souls would be standing between her and the monsters they needed to slaughter, but in the woods just about anything could happen. Yet she felt pretty confident that her story would not end today, not in such an inglorious fashion. A book of many pages did not end in chapter one.</s>
<\|description\|>Artemisia Race: Human Age: 22 Class: Black Mage Place of Origin: Mount Osraphel, Bellas Personality: Quiet and dignified on the outside, even lazy at times, Artemisia isn't exactly outgoing, but in truth she's more than a little spirited. Her passions include knowledge -trivia in particular-, stories both personal and grandiose, and drama, and it's no surprise that those plus her good memory and quick wit incline her towards large words, formal speech, occasional babbling, theatrical behavior, and interesting people Thoughtful, considerate, curious, and even spunky, she's cordial enough that one might never guess there's yet another side to her. With her dander up Artemisia becomes far more impulsive, temperamental and inclined to violence. She's a believer in karmic justice, including paying violence against violence, but more than that she's a believer in Garudism, the beliefs practiced by Skybound that denounce humanity in favor of a pristine, natural world where the fittest survive. Her cult taught that any action in service to the cause is justified, and that outsiders would never understand. Weirder still, Artemisia has a thing for monster people, specifically people turned into monsters and the act of turning them. In these ways, her upbringing tinges her fundamental empathy with distinctly out-of-whack morals. Backstory: Tucked away in one corner of the vast and disparate lands that house the Free Cities of Ballas is a mountain like no other. Towering above its range, it reaches up, up, up into the clouds, and no other place in Atles boasts such a profundity of wind. It dances through the trees and across the jagged cliffs, singing and howling, and veins of air aldite course through the earth as its very lifeblood. From a colossal thermal vent in the mountain's heart an endless stream of warm wind pushes skyward, and pieces of the mountain float upon it. Upon this remote peak lie the sprawling village of the Skybound, a clandestine society dedicated to the worship of the primal being of air, Garuda. It was here that Artemisia was born. From her early years, in the manner of all children whose gifts in sorcery were identified by the village elders, she was trained in black magic. Like the others, her parents raised her as a wholehearted follower of Garudism, beloved guardian of ancient skies who ruled over all creation. The cult eschewed humanity, blaming them for the fall from the paradise that existed under the crystals and swearing revenge. They lived in isolation and fanaticism. Yet, she received something the other children didn't thanks to her father, an outsider captured by the Skybound but deemed unfit for Ascension. Rather than be subjected to other, less glamorous rituals, Solom found salvation at the hands of the woman who'd go on to become Artemisia's mother Essentia, who'd fallen for his wittiness, charm, and good looks. A deliveryman from a nearby kingdom, Solomon could visit the village and his daughter every so often, bringing goods to trade to endear himself to the locals while keeping up the guise of being a devoted Garudist. He helped reel her back from sinking too deep into the cult, and once in a while managed to sneak her away from the mountain atop his delivery roc to visit civilization. Her love for knowledge and drama bloomed during this time, and she longed to learn more of the outside world. But forces pulled her homeward, too. As she came of age she became involved in the Climb, the cult's longstanding practice of abduction and experimentation in order to bring about a successor to Garuda. After capturing outsiders, the cult's Skybound Seekers brought them before the elders, who would determine whether they would were fit for Ascension. The many who did not would be subjected to horrifying aldite experimentation, used as testbeds for the improvement of treatments designed to transform people into monstrous airborne fiends. The lucky few would undergo Ascension, mutated by the latest and greatest aldite treatments into the likeness of Garuda herself. Then the Skybound forced them to go up, to the peak of the mountain and beyond, higher than even the clouds, to the lofty island well beyond the reach of the mountain's thermals where legends tell the Crystal of Air once rested. None completed the ascent, but the Skybound labored on. It was only a matter of time until their formulas led them to a successor, Garuda reborn, fit to lead them in glorious revolution. Artemisia worked as an assistant to the mages who experimented on the unfit and eventually joined their ranks, inundating captives with aldite until they became Alters, then fiends. It made her skin crawl, but somehow it fascinated her all the more. Despite -or perhaps because of- the wrongness of it all, she'd discovered a deep-seeded passion for corrupting people into monsters, but that obsession led to her trying different amounts of different aldite to see what traits would arise. Her misuse of resources eventually led to her reassignment as a Seeker. Leaving the mountain behind, she set out into the world at last, her mission to keep an eye out for candidates she could collect return to the Skybound. Her journey took her across the land of Bellas and its Free Cities, visiting each in turn and bearing witness to their muriad wonders. Away from the cult and the intoxicating fumes of the labs and the mountain itself, Artemisia changed. Her fervor for Garuda and the rites of Ascension waned, replaced by her resurgent fascination with the cultures and creations of other societies. She could never deny the shadow of Garuda that hung over her, but Artemisia reasoned that the guardian -having already slept a millennia- could surely wait a little longer. She soon found herself traveling all over in search of interesting people, beasts, places, and the stories that surrounded them all. While Bellas contained enough points of interest for a lifetime, that troublesome necessity of money kept her working odd jobs, and one stuck her with a caravan that took her all the way north to Alexandria. As luck would have it, borders closed soon after she arrived. Trapped in an unknown city, she enlisted in the Hunters' Guild despite the risks for the good pay and ability to travel freely. (As a black mage she has a 'rod', which she uses in ways many might deep unconventional for a magician)</s> <\|message\|>Ianthe Ianthe Forests, were unfamiliar territory for Ianthe. Aside from the crops, Argo had been a fairly desolate place insofar as flora were concerned. And fauna. And people. Desolate of just about everything but bandits and fiends, really. But the unfamiliar beasts hanging in the guild hall hadn't dissuaded her, and a few trees certainly weren't going to, either. She hadn't fussed over the supplies too much. Potions and the like were standard, as Balder had mentioned, and while the aldite was a slight divergence from that, the stones were—practically speaking—entirely useless to her. Ianthe had seen magic only a few times, and most often it was wielded by whatever eleventh-rate mage the bandits could get their hands on, or by a traveling magician visiting the market towns. Neither had particularly impressed her, but then, being inept with the arcane herself, she wasn't exactly a good litmus for what was and was not "good" magic. Regardless of all that, the closest thing she had to slots in her arms and armor were the countless chips and dents riddling them. So the tiny gemstones stayed in their bag. Maybe they'd fetch a few extra coin when this was all over. She kept her sword sheathed as they walked, though her hand rested upon the hilt, and the shield strapped to her offhand was more important if they were going to be ambushed. There was something wrong to her about traveling with a naked blade, something almost feral, like an invitation to violence. Weapons put people on edge, that was half their job, in her mind, and it seemed like most of their group was wound up tightly enough as it was. She'd watched the tinker boy cobble together a few grenades, and that was entertaining, if completely beyond her. The spear-wielding girl joined her and Avaddon at the front with Balder, and that was pleasant. She was confident, like the rest, but less…abrasively. And that weapon, Ianthe guessed, had seen its share of uses. Behind them, among the parts of the party she and the others at Balder's side were meant to protect, Ianthe couldn't help but notice Luna looked…off. Nervous was the word, like the boy Edgar had seemed back at the hall. Now that they'd left the warmth of the city though, and the tinker no longer seemed as worked up, Luna was still the same, if not worse. Ianthe had made a point not to judge those who looked out of place, but it would have been beyond bad form to leave that sort of nervousness unaddressed. It was too bad she had absolutely no idea how to go about addressing it. Confident that the trio of Balder, Avaddon and Mitra could handle the front for the moment, Ianthe dropped back a few paces, beside Luna. She gave the girl a gentle nudge with her elbow, hoping not to spook her, and offered a reassuring thumbs-up. Or maybe it was more of an inquisitive thumbs-up. Or maybe it just seemed patronizing, and made her look like an asshole. Maybe it was an asshole thumbs-up. Words, Ianthe. You're a big girl. Use your words. "Hey," she offered. "Uhm…cool bow." Cool bow. Cool Bow. Cool Bow. Cool Bow. Cool Bow. Cool Bow. Cool Bow.</s> <\|message\|>Avaddon A v a d d o n "Same here for me, though given the nature of our target. . . it'll likely blend in with all of this greenery." Avaddon walked with Balder towards the head of the pack, finishing up the last few details of his own weapon maintenance. Rather than the battle gloves or tiger claws that many of his profession tended to go with, the Fabulian Monk wore only a set of hand-wraps. Tough ivory colored fabric clashed with the orange-red of his skin as it coiled around his hands and forearms, ending with a corded threat that hung down for his elbows. At the end of this cord sat the Aldite which he'd been given, casting a dull red glow as if it were a dying ember. Tightening his wraps with a single tug each, the large man gave a contented nod. As the group came to a halt, Avaddon took a relaxed stance, arms raised high and fingers curved inward in a clawed fashion. The first few strikes struck at naught but air, distorting it as it passed through due to the heat being generated by the Aldite placed in their sockets. Mostly satisfied at seeing that his wraps were functioning properly, the Monk would strike once more. This time, with a target in mind. The poor tree had no chance to defend itself as Avaddon's fingers tore into its bark, the acrid smell of burning wood flowing into the air as he left the strike to sit for a moment, then tearing the chunk of charred bark he'd created out, smiling in anticipation. Tossing the charred would back and forth in between his hands, he turned his attention out to the forest proper. With an almost nonchalant air, he tossed the charred lump out into the side forest, falling into a stance in tune to the soft rattle of his scales clattering against each other. This is what he loved more than anything else. . . the quiet before the storm, where everyone was on a razor's edge. He had nothing to say, nothing to proclaim, only a desire that was barely held back by his years of experience in the Fabul deserts. In situations like these, the one who acted first was the one who exposed the biggest opening.</s>	<\|message\|>Artemisia Though maybe mundane for the others, the journey to the woods kept Artemisia's wandering mind occupied. Unlike Alexandria natives or traveled mercenaries, after all, she was seeing this land for the first time. Something as simple as how commonfolk -both in the city and beyond- conducted their lives, or the pastoral scenes of this region's flora, interested her. One footstep at a time, she could fill in bits of the grand map of the world that floated about in her head. If she learned anything during her tour of the Free Cities and Bellas as a whole, it was that reality contained so much more than she could possibly imagine. To truly live, she felt sure, meant to experience that abundance. So she did not grow distant or bored, but she did grow something else, and it quickly became a problem. About halfway through, her breathing started to get heavier, and by three quarters she started wheezing. By the time the group came to a stop at the border of the uncommonly grim and foreboding forest, Artemisia was wheezing and sweating. "Guh!" she sputtered. "You all...certainly keep...a brisk pace." Straightening up, she took a few deep breaths. "Aah....ahh...ohh. Goodness." While pretty defenseless as she tried to recover, she figured one of the fighter-types was looking out for her. Otherwise, what were they good for? Only after composing herself did the mood of the place really settle in on her. Just peering between those murky trees tickled her fight-or-flight response, telling her survival instincts that perhaps some coins could be better earned elsewhere. She glanced at Balder for reassurance only to find a pall of apprehension floating over the team's veteran hunter like a dark cloud, which helped to tank her confidence. Things were not as they should be. Everyone could tell that, let alone feel it, but it seemed as though they would be advancing anyway. Small wonder about that meager life expectancy. It would be foolish not to expect a fight. As the others formed up, with the melee fighters constructing a reasonably sturdy front line and Avaddon in particular bullying a tree to show off, Artemisia hurried after them. Once close enough for comfort she rummaged around in her supply sack for the fragment of wind aldite, which she weighed in her hand and gave an expert's appraisal. A sigh and a shrug made clear her opinion on its quality, but nevertheless she pulled up her sleeve to pop the relatively worthless decorative quartz out of her bangle so she could insert the aldite instead. "Such an unwelcoming gloom typically portends the congregation of fiends," she advised. The others no doubt expected an attack to be a possibility, but Artemisia supposed she might as well confirm it just in case. While unhappy that further exertion seemed unavoidable, Artemisia kept a cool head. If forced to fight, her enemies would not find her wanting. The same couldn't be said for Luna, however, who wanted for more than a little calmness right now. Ianthe noticed it too, even going so far as to leave point duty to her fellows and fall back to give the archer some comfort. Artemisia couldn't help but wonder how comforting Luna found Ianthe's compliment, though. The farther in the group got, the less at ease the black mage became, little by little. "Whereee are youuuu....?" she whispered, scanning between the trees.</s>
<\|description\|>Artemisia Race: Human Age: 22 Class: Black Mage Place of Origin: Mount Osraphel, Bellas Personality: Quiet and dignified on the outside, even lazy at times, Artemisia isn't exactly outgoing, but in truth she's more than a little spirited. Her passions include knowledge -trivia in particular-, stories both personal and grandiose, and drama, and it's no surprise that those plus her good memory and quick wit incline her towards large words, formal speech, occasional babbling, theatrical behavior, and interesting people Thoughtful, considerate, curious, and even spunky, she's cordial enough that one might never guess there's yet another side to her. With her dander up Artemisia becomes far more impulsive, temperamental and inclined to violence. She's a believer in karmic justice, including paying violence against violence, but more than that she's a believer in Garudism, the beliefs practiced by Skybound that denounce humanity in favor of a pristine, natural world where the fittest survive. Her cult taught that any action in service to the cause is justified, and that outsiders would never understand. Weirder still, Artemisia has a thing for monster people, specifically people turned into monsters and the act of turning them. In these ways, her upbringing tinges her fundamental empathy with distinctly out-of-whack morals. Backstory: Tucked away in one corner of the vast and disparate lands that house the Free Cities of Ballas is a mountain like no other. Towering above its range, it reaches up, up, up into the clouds, and no other place in Atles boasts such a profundity of wind. It dances through the trees and across the jagged cliffs, singing and howling, and veins of air aldite course through the earth as its very lifeblood. From a colossal thermal vent in the mountain's heart an endless stream of warm wind pushes skyward, and pieces of the mountain float upon it. Upon this remote peak lie the sprawling village of the Skybound, a clandestine society dedicated to the worship of the primal being of air, Garuda. It was here that Artemisia was born. From her early years, in the manner of all children whose gifts in sorcery were identified by the village elders, she was trained in black magic. Like the others, her parents raised her as a wholehearted follower of Garudism, beloved guardian of ancient skies who ruled over all creation. The cult eschewed humanity, blaming them for the fall from the paradise that existed under the crystals and swearing revenge. They lived in isolation and fanaticism. Yet, she received something the other children didn't thanks to her father, an outsider captured by the Skybound but deemed unfit for Ascension. Rather than be subjected to other, less glamorous rituals, Solom found salvation at the hands of the woman who'd go on to become Artemisia's mother Essentia, who'd fallen for his wittiness, charm, and good looks. A deliveryman from a nearby kingdom, Solomon could visit the village and his daughter every so often, bringing goods to trade to endear himself to the locals while keeping up the guise of being a devoted Garudist. He helped reel her back from sinking too deep into the cult, and once in a while managed to sneak her away from the mountain atop his delivery roc to visit civilization. Her love for knowledge and drama bloomed during this time, and she longed to learn more of the outside world. But forces pulled her homeward, too. As she came of age she became involved in the Climb, the cult's longstanding practice of abduction and experimentation in order to bring about a successor to Garuda. After capturing outsiders, the cult's Skybound Seekers brought them before the elders, who would determine whether they would were fit for Ascension. The many who did not would be subjected to horrifying aldite experimentation, used as testbeds for the improvement of treatments designed to transform people into monstrous airborne fiends. The lucky few would undergo Ascension, mutated by the latest and greatest aldite treatments into the likeness of Garuda herself. Then the Skybound forced them to go up, to the peak of the mountain and beyond, higher than even the clouds, to the lofty island well beyond the reach of the mountain's thermals where legends tell the Crystal of Air once rested. None completed the ascent, but the Skybound labored on. It was only a matter of time until their formulas led them to a successor, Garuda reborn, fit to lead them in glorious revolution. Artemisia worked as an assistant to the mages who experimented on the unfit and eventually joined their ranks, inundating captives with aldite until they became Alters, then fiends. It made her skin crawl, but somehow it fascinated her all the more. Despite -or perhaps because of- the wrongness of it all, she'd discovered a deep-seeded passion for corrupting people into monsters, but that obsession led to her trying different amounts of different aldite to see what traits would arise. Her misuse of resources eventually led to her reassignment as a Seeker. Leaving the mountain behind, she set out into the world at last, her mission to keep an eye out for candidates she could collect return to the Skybound. Her journey took her across the land of Bellas and its Free Cities, visiting each in turn and bearing witness to their muriad wonders. Away from the cult and the intoxicating fumes of the labs and the mountain itself, Artemisia changed. Her fervor for Garuda and the rites of Ascension waned, replaced by her resurgent fascination with the cultures and creations of other societies. She could never deny the shadow of Garuda that hung over her, but Artemisia reasoned that the guardian -having already slept a millennia- could surely wait a little longer. She soon found herself traveling all over in search of interesting people, beasts, places, and the stories that surrounded them all. While Bellas contained enough points of interest for a lifetime, that troublesome necessity of money kept her working odd jobs, and one stuck her with a caravan that took her all the way north to Alexandria. As luck would have it, borders closed soon after she arrived. Trapped in an unknown city, she enlisted in the Hunters' Guild despite the risks for the good pay and ability to travel freely. (As a black mage she has a 'rod', which she uses in ways many might deep unconventional for a magician)</s> <\|message\|>Dentrisica Era Banecroft Ferris Wood \| Winding Paths --- "Mhm." While the blonde's response was cheerful and polite, Mitra felt it a certain yet different way. She had known the Red Mage once in her life and seeing him in the guild hall had caused a certain feeling rise up in her gut. It was one of the reasons she rushed to introduce herself as Mitra and not her trueborn name. She didn't like people knowing things she didn't want them to know. There were other reasons that she chose to keep her responses to Blaike minimal and playfully antagonistic throughout the journey from the guild hall to the Ferris Woods. History. Feelings left unresolved. If she was somewhere private she might've screamed into the void, her frustration about the situation incomparable to anything else. But just as the Red Mage knew Mitra's true name she also knew his and it certainly wasn't Fremont. He had been born with a much more flowery and pretentious name. Full of titles and everything. She couldn't believe he was standing there. He hadn't explained anything. He was too busy grandstanding like he did when they were kids to care. It was whatever. What was the likelihood she'd have to pal around with him as the token Red Mage forever? "Just looking for miniboros, like I said."</s> <\|message\|>Luna Cadewyn --- --- Rioting cabbages, how humorous! Luna was greatly amused by the little joke, unable to contain a giggle as she pictured the monsters as vegetables. On hearing the name, Luna's eyes widened, an odd shine to them as the knight introduced herself. Before she could respond, however, the dragoon--Mitra?--asked if she had any experience with her weapon. Luna deflated slightly, her jaw working as she wondered if she should admit her experience, or lack thereof. But what if she was asked to stay behind? Hiding it didn't seem right, either. What a conundrum. Fortunately, the red mage--Blaike, yes she was sure of that one--spoke, taking the attention away from her. Luna returned his smile, looking back at Ianthe as he focused on Mitra. She put on a grin, absolutely ecstatic as she practically hopped along. "Your name is like the flower! How pretty!" Luna exclaimed without really thinking, immediately launching into an explanation. "Well, the word itself translates into 'a flower of purple color' and there are a few species of violet colored flowers that fall under that category, but it's better known as a species of butterfly: the Pseudoneptis bugandensis ianthe. Except, I never quite understood it because the butterfly seemed to be more a shade of indigo than a violet color? At least from the pictures I've seen in the library, but if I ever run into one while we are out here, I'd love nothing more than to properly discern its color." At the very end, she fell silent as she looked around. She didn't think that they would see any while here if she was honest. Animals had a tendency to avoid the miasma, although whether it was instinct or the up-rise in fiends was up to debate. Poor creatures, having their home invaded. She gasped as she realized she forgot to respond to the other half of Ianthe's statement, waving the bow around a touch. "Songs are my forte, believe it or not! I've played the harp since I could reach and pluck the strings. Mother said it was a dignified talent to learn," Luna swelled with pride as she spoke. "My tutors spent plenty of time teaching me archery as well, and I greatly enjoyed shooting while on horseback!" Luna paused for a moment, deflating again as she looked downwards. "...although, I admit this would be the first time I've used both skills in conjunction..." She admitted sheepishly. "B-But I won't be a burden! I swear!" ---</s>	<\|message\|>Artemisia As the group of hunters advanced, the atmosphere of the forest surrounding them continued to be more than a little impressive, but it didn't exactly get any worse, at least not at any noticeable speed. Nothing jumped out at them just yet, so Artemisia's rising apprehension started to even out. Still, she couldn't exactly start her mind wandering at a time like this, so she contented herself with listening to the dialogue between dainty Luna and her new lady knight friend. Despite the circumstances, the mention of Luna's bow seemed to lift her spirits, her manner quite casual all of a sudden. The knightess replied in kind, also pretty lighthearted if a little forced. Is she trying to break the tension? Because it's working. She even went as far as to introduce herself, offering a rare and nice-sounding name that made Artemisia think. Toward the other side of the party, the spearmaiden and swordsman exchanged a few curt phrases, their 'conversation' as succinct as it was unsatisfying. As such Artemisia turned her attention back to the others, just in time for Luna's bright, excited voice to ring out through the woodlands in a far-too-cheerful examination of the name, revealing it to be both a name for a butterfly and a flower. The black mage didn't mind, though, since random facts like that never failed to capture her attention. "Hm, is that a fact?" In addition, the thought of such a formidable and stolid-looking lady knight having such a cute and girly name made Artemisia giggle. Almost like an expression of inner beauty and whimsy, buried deep down under all that discipline and muscle. If she's got a reputation to uphold, she might keep that name hidden away beneath that armor too, sharing it with only those she trusts to see her true self. Wait, no, she just told it to a bunch of strangers. Almost getting so sidetracked that she stopped paying attention, Artemisia tuned back in just in time to realize that whether she meant it or not Luna was saying something else, aside from that she knew a lot about organisms. Whoa, she grew up with access to a library? She might have lived in a big city like Civitas Miribilia. But who's a tutor? Some kind of teacher? Not wanting to come off like the uneducated mountain yokel she technically was, though, the black mage kept quiet. Instead, since there seemed to be no monsters around at the moment and nobody said to be quiet, she decided to repay Luna's trivia with some of her own. That meant trampling right over the girl's rather childish lack of self-assurance, of course, but that was hardly her fault. We're not a support group, after all. "If you know that, you probably know about the plant I'm named after too. Well, less plant and more family of plants. Worts, sagebrushes, sage, wormwood, even tarragon. Not exactly flowers, I'll give you that, but still plenty good. Strong odor, strong flavor, strong all around. We don't die easy." She crossed her arms, looking proud herself. "Plus, you get absinthe and vermouth from the stuff. Pretty cool, right?" The whole time she neglected to mention her name, but if Luna knew her stuff she might even be able to guess it. Artemisia, however, gave her only a few moments before fixing her with an innocently inquisitive look. If Luna wanted to chat, she ought to experience an expert, and though no doubt a woman of many talents Ianthe wasn't cutting it. "Almost as cool as someone with libraries, and tutors, and fortes who goes shooting for enjoyment becoming a monster hunter, huh? You must be a real natural talent. What's your story?" Sure, she was putting Luna on the spot, but Artemisia's voice held no hostility. As a connoisseur of stories, she wanted to learn what made the girl tick.</s>
<\|description\|>Artemisia Race: Human Age: 22 Class: Black Mage Place of Origin: Mount Osraphel, Bellas Personality: Quiet and dignified on the outside, even lazy at times, Artemisia isn't exactly outgoing, but in truth she's more than a little spirited. Her passions include knowledge -trivia in particular-, stories both personal and grandiose, and drama, and it's no surprise that those plus her good memory and quick wit incline her towards large words, formal speech, occasional babbling, theatrical behavior, and interesting people Thoughtful, considerate, curious, and even spunky, she's cordial enough that one might never guess there's yet another side to her. With her dander up Artemisia becomes far more impulsive, temperamental and inclined to violence. She's a believer in karmic justice, including paying violence against violence, but more than that she's a believer in Garudism, the beliefs practiced by Skybound that denounce humanity in favor of a pristine, natural world where the fittest survive. Her cult taught that any action in service to the cause is justified, and that outsiders would never understand. Weirder still, Artemisia has a thing for monster people, specifically people turned into monsters and the act of turning them. In these ways, her upbringing tinges her fundamental empathy with distinctly out-of-whack morals. Backstory: Tucked away in one corner of the vast and disparate lands that house the Free Cities of Ballas is a mountain like no other. Towering above its range, it reaches up, up, up into the clouds, and no other place in Atles boasts such a profundity of wind. It dances through the trees and across the jagged cliffs, singing and howling, and veins of air aldite course through the earth as its very lifeblood. From a colossal thermal vent in the mountain's heart an endless stream of warm wind pushes skyward, and pieces of the mountain float upon it. Upon this remote peak lie the sprawling village of the Skybound, a clandestine society dedicated to the worship of the primal being of air, Garuda. It was here that Artemisia was born. From her early years, in the manner of all children whose gifts in sorcery were identified by the village elders, she was trained in black magic. Like the others, her parents raised her as a wholehearted follower of Garudism, beloved guardian of ancient skies who ruled over all creation. The cult eschewed humanity, blaming them for the fall from the paradise that existed under the crystals and swearing revenge. They lived in isolation and fanaticism. Yet, she received something the other children didn't thanks to her father, an outsider captured by the Skybound but deemed unfit for Ascension. Rather than be subjected to other, less glamorous rituals, Solom found salvation at the hands of the woman who'd go on to become Artemisia's mother Essentia, who'd fallen for his wittiness, charm, and good looks. A deliveryman from a nearby kingdom, Solomon could visit the village and his daughter every so often, bringing goods to trade to endear himself to the locals while keeping up the guise of being a devoted Garudist. He helped reel her back from sinking too deep into the cult, and once in a while managed to sneak her away from the mountain atop his delivery roc to visit civilization. Her love for knowledge and drama bloomed during this time, and she longed to learn more of the outside world. But forces pulled her homeward, too. As she came of age she became involved in the Climb, the cult's longstanding practice of abduction and experimentation in order to bring about a successor to Garuda. After capturing outsiders, the cult's Skybound Seekers brought them before the elders, who would determine whether they would were fit for Ascension. The many who did not would be subjected to horrifying aldite experimentation, used as testbeds for the improvement of treatments designed to transform people into monstrous airborne fiends. The lucky few would undergo Ascension, mutated by the latest and greatest aldite treatments into the likeness of Garuda herself. Then the Skybound forced them to go up, to the peak of the mountain and beyond, higher than even the clouds, to the lofty island well beyond the reach of the mountain's thermals where legends tell the Crystal of Air once rested. None completed the ascent, but the Skybound labored on. It was only a matter of time until their formulas led them to a successor, Garuda reborn, fit to lead them in glorious revolution. Artemisia worked as an assistant to the mages who experimented on the unfit and eventually joined their ranks, inundating captives with aldite until they became Alters, then fiends. It made her skin crawl, but somehow it fascinated her all the more. Despite -or perhaps because of- the wrongness of it all, she'd discovered a deep-seeded passion for corrupting people into monsters, but that obsession led to her trying different amounts of different aldite to see what traits would arise. Her misuse of resources eventually led to her reassignment as a Seeker. Leaving the mountain behind, she set out into the world at last, her mission to keep an eye out for candidates she could collect return to the Skybound. Her journey took her across the land of Bellas and its Free Cities, visiting each in turn and bearing witness to their muriad wonders. Away from the cult and the intoxicating fumes of the labs and the mountain itself, Artemisia changed. Her fervor for Garuda and the rites of Ascension waned, replaced by her resurgent fascination with the cultures and creations of other societies. She could never deny the shadow of Garuda that hung over her, but Artemisia reasoned that the guardian -having already slept a millennia- could surely wait a little longer. She soon found herself traveling all over in search of interesting people, beasts, places, and the stories that surrounded them all. While Bellas contained enough points of interest for a lifetime, that troublesome necessity of money kept her working odd jobs, and one stuck her with a caravan that took her all the way north to Alexandria. As luck would have it, borders closed soon after she arrived. Trapped in an unknown city, she enlisted in the Hunters' Guild despite the risks for the good pay and ability to travel freely. (As a black mage she has a 'rod', which she uses in ways many might deep unconventional for a magician)</s> <\|message\|>Dentrisica Era Banecroft Ferris Wood \| Winding Paths --- "Wait." Mitra uttered, as she peered through her side of the woods. "Rushing ahead isn't smart. The proctor is right. It's better to get ambushed as a group than be down two people." As observant as Blaike seemed to be, there were things that he didn't pick up on. Mitra knew this about him due to her prior history with the Red Mage, a history that he kept trying to subtly remind her of with his inane comments and ridiculous grandstanding before the mist had set in between their feet. Her hands gripped her weapon tighter, her curiosity with the creatures compounded with her own nerves. Miniboros were supposed to be impulsive as the proctor said. She had never read or heard of a situation where they fled from any party of adventurers. The proctor was dumbfounded, inevitably more experienced than she was; if he had been taken off guard by this action then something was up and no amount of Blaike's arrogance was going to help the situation any. She wanted to more boldly reprimand him, but she kept her words brief and under the pretense of friendliness. "This isn't a research lab or classroom, Mr. Red Mage. Don't do something dumb!"</s> <\|message\|>Luna Cadewyn --- --- Luna frowned at Mitra's comment, although she had to admit it did embarrass her a little. She was right, this wasn't supposed to be a day trip, even if she found herself greatly enjoying the group's company. Still, she didn't mean to be a distraction. When she decided to apologize, however, the appearance of the miniboro caused her to jump. That was what they were hunting? It was so cute! Now she saw why Ianthe had referred to it as a cabbage, she definitely saw the resemblance, and the sight made her giggle again. Rioting cabbage, indeed! Once it fled the scene, however, it seemed to confuse Balder. Its behavior was erratic, and Luna found herself starting to worry again. An attack from any direction? That couldn't be good, could it? She didn't have much time to think on that, audibly wincing as she felt something sharp behind her. Her hand flew to the back of her head as she titled her head downwards and squeezed her eyes shut, as if trying to get away from the sensation, but the pain felt like something was trying to drive something in. Opening her eyes, she gasped as she saw the mist pooling at their feet. "That's--" Luna looked up with wide, panicked eyes. "W-We need to leave--the miasma--" She winced again, grabbing her head with both hands. "We must leave the forest at once--we are in grave danger!" ---</s> <\|message\|>Ianthe Ianthe Well, that couldn't be good. In her admittedly numbered years, Ianthe had seen men turn tail and flee when faced with greater numbers or a lost cause. Wild animals, too, shared a similar instinct for self-preservation. Fiends, however…fiends didn't care if they died, they hardly cared that they were alive in the first place. Fiends didn't run. Luna hissed beside her, flinching as if she'd been struck. Ianthe whirled, shield raised, putting Luna between herself and the other front-liners. Artemisia, while some steps away, was at least still standing and apparently unharmed. Ianthe kept her in her peripherals as she scanned the backend for whatever might have struck their nervous archer. Her hand, gripping the hilt of the blade at her side, still hesitated to draw it. Not yet, she thought. Split hands, split mind. Wait. Wait 'til it's needed. But nothing came. The fog grew heavier, sinking to the earth and pooling at their feet, but there was no sign of their assailant. She made a quick, sharp hiss to Artemisia, nodding for her to come closer to the group. Something told her the mysterious woman had more than a few tricks of up those viridian sleeves, and they'd need the arms still attached to make use of them. Blaike, who she saw with the steadiest flick of her eyes was within comfortable reach of Mitra, put forth the idea that they split up, and Ianthe nearly broke form to gawk at him. She supposed under normal circumstances, that might have carried some merit. Splitting up against human foes was, well, suicidal at best—and, really, at worst—but fiends had no mind for strategy, or lack thereof, and could perhaps have been…surprised? But these were clearly not normal fiends, which only made the need for closeness even more pressing. Whatever science he had studied in Alexandria, it had not been the science of war. Luna winced again, and Ianthe adjusted, cursing herself for missing yet another strike. Only, no, there had been no attack. Luna wasn't injured, she was…oh, dear. "Easy, easy," Ianthe offered, quiet and gentle-like, as she'd spoken to a few of Argo's more nervous defenders in the past. "We've got you. String up that harp."</s>	<\|message\|>Artemisia Well, that turned out to be pretty easy. Artemisia couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. This Luna really knew her stuff; the black mage liked her random facts, but she wasn't a walking encyclopedia like this girl seemed to be. Then again, Arty reasoned, such talents wouldn't serve her well in a fight, and all that precious knowledge would go to waste if Luna became mulch for the local megaflora. Before she did, though, Artemisia wanted to hear about her past. On this count too, however, Luna disappointed her. She kept things vague -purposefully vague- and only admitted she came from a life of luxury, which at this point served to do nothing but confirm the obvious. After a quick and slightly worrisome turn in the direction of angst Luna ended up deflecting, trying to turn the question back on her fellow hunters-to-be. Artemisia's mind was elsewhere. "Goodness, how many well-to-do scions leaving behind a life of security and privilege to go on a grand adventure does this group have?" Blaike already fit the bill, but she looked around at the others in turn expectantly for the sake of her joke, never suspecting a thing. Few others seemed inclined to answer Luna's question either. Mitra spoke up somewhat quickly, reminding Luna that the party was indeed on a dangerous mission. The half-elezen might have forgotten, but despite her own participation Artemisia had been keeping it in mind. Her general unease kept her muscles tensed, ready to fire off a spell at the first sign of danger. After Mitra's suggestion the group fell quiet, keeping a silent vigil until its leader murmured that he might have made a mistake. No, really? she thought, tuning out Blaike's attempt to get in on the conversation. We find an unusually dark and ominous forest where things aren't as they should be, waltz in anyway, and suddenly we're having second thoughts. You're a fool, and we're fools for following you. This is how horror stories start. And now we're in the rising action. A moment later a monster emerged from the brush, with neither pomp nor ceremony, and Artemisia's dark expression turned to one of surprise. "Aha!" She would have busted out a blast of magic if Balder, Avaddon, and Ianthe weren't standing directly in her way. Before she could re-position, the miniboro beat it, leaving as fast as it came, and leaving Artemisia to stare at the bushes curiously. "Odd..." Balder did well enough to explain the strangeness of the situation, stacking another layer on the already-teetering tower of reasons why the group shouldn't be here. Blaike went ahead and got the inevitable suggestion of splitting up out of the way, which was another horror story classic. Luckily cooler heads prevailed; there would be no getting picked off one or two at a time today. Ianthe urged Artemisia to get closer, and she complied without complaint. It didn't take long for Artemisia to notice a change in the air. Mist began to pool across the ground, and before long it blanketed the forest floor, hiding the already-dubious path from sight. Well, that's bad. As long as the team had the path, they could at least retrace their steps backward to get out, but that window was closing quickly. They could all be trapped in here forest, doomed to wander the dark forest as forgotten spirits forevermore. Well, all of them save Artemisia, who could airboost above the canopy and 'fly' to safety. Just as the black mage thought about doing that, Luna clutched her head in pain. Like Ianthe the black mage assumed she'd been hit by something, but a quick look at her head turned up no wound, not so much as a blotch of discoloration on that lustrous, silky hair. She's going batty, Artemisia hypothesized while Luna warned that everyone was in great danger. "Well, obviously. But it's a bit late for that," Arty said, her voice dry. "Can't see the path anymore."</s>
<\|description\|>Artemisia Race: Human Age: 22 Class: Black Mage Place of Origin: Mount Osraphel, Bellas Personality: Quiet and dignified on the outside, even lazy at times, Artemisia isn't exactly outgoing, but in truth she's more than a little spirited. Her passions include knowledge -trivia in particular-, stories both personal and grandiose, and drama, and it's no surprise that those plus her good memory and quick wit incline her towards large words, formal speech, occasional babbling, theatrical behavior, and interesting people Thoughtful, considerate, curious, and even spunky, she's cordial enough that one might never guess there's yet another side to her. With her dander up Artemisia becomes far more impulsive, temperamental and inclined to violence. She's a believer in karmic justice, including paying violence against violence, but more than that she's a believer in Garudism, the beliefs practiced by Skybound that denounce humanity in favor of a pristine, natural world where the fittest survive. Her cult taught that any action in service to the cause is justified, and that outsiders would never understand. Weirder still, Artemisia has a thing for monster people, specifically people turned into monsters and the act of turning them. In these ways, her upbringing tinges her fundamental empathy with distinctly out-of-whack morals. Backstory: Tucked away in one corner of the vast and disparate lands that house the Free Cities of Ballas is a mountain like no other. Towering above its range, it reaches up, up, up into the clouds, and no other place in Atles boasts such a profundity of wind. It dances through the trees and across the jagged cliffs, singing and howling, and veins of air aldite course through the earth as its very lifeblood. From a colossal thermal vent in the mountain's heart an endless stream of warm wind pushes skyward, and pieces of the mountain float upon it. Upon this remote peak lie the sprawling village of the Skybound, a clandestine society dedicated to the worship of the primal being of air, Garuda. It was here that Artemisia was born. From her early years, in the manner of all children whose gifts in sorcery were identified by the village elders, she was trained in black magic. Like the others, her parents raised her as a wholehearted follower of Garudism, beloved guardian of ancient skies who ruled over all creation. The cult eschewed humanity, blaming them for the fall from the paradise that existed under the crystals and swearing revenge. They lived in isolation and fanaticism. Yet, she received something the other children didn't thanks to her father, an outsider captured by the Skybound but deemed unfit for Ascension. Rather than be subjected to other, less glamorous rituals, Solom found salvation at the hands of the woman who'd go on to become Artemisia's mother Essentia, who'd fallen for his wittiness, charm, and good looks. A deliveryman from a nearby kingdom, Solomon could visit the village and his daughter every so often, bringing goods to trade to endear himself to the locals while keeping up the guise of being a devoted Garudist. He helped reel her back from sinking too deep into the cult, and once in a while managed to sneak her away from the mountain atop his delivery roc to visit civilization. Her love for knowledge and drama bloomed during this time, and she longed to learn more of the outside world. But forces pulled her homeward, too. As she came of age she became involved in the Climb, the cult's longstanding practice of abduction and experimentation in order to bring about a successor to Garuda. After capturing outsiders, the cult's Skybound Seekers brought them before the elders, who would determine whether they would were fit for Ascension. The many who did not would be subjected to horrifying aldite experimentation, used as testbeds for the improvement of treatments designed to transform people into monstrous airborne fiends. The lucky few would undergo Ascension, mutated by the latest and greatest aldite treatments into the likeness of Garuda herself. Then the Skybound forced them to go up, to the peak of the mountain and beyond, higher than even the clouds, to the lofty island well beyond the reach of the mountain's thermals where legends tell the Crystal of Air once rested. None completed the ascent, but the Skybound labored on. It was only a matter of time until their formulas led them to a successor, Garuda reborn, fit to lead them in glorious revolution. Artemisia worked as an assistant to the mages who experimented on the unfit and eventually joined their ranks, inundating captives with aldite until they became Alters, then fiends. It made her skin crawl, but somehow it fascinated her all the more. Despite -or perhaps because of- the wrongness of it all, she'd discovered a deep-seeded passion for corrupting people into monsters, but that obsession led to her trying different amounts of different aldite to see what traits would arise. Her misuse of resources eventually led to her reassignment as a Seeker. Leaving the mountain behind, she set out into the world at last, her mission to keep an eye out for candidates she could collect return to the Skybound. Her journey took her across the land of Bellas and its Free Cities, visiting each in turn and bearing witness to their muriad wonders. Away from the cult and the intoxicating fumes of the labs and the mountain itself, Artemisia changed. Her fervor for Garuda and the rites of Ascension waned, replaced by her resurgent fascination with the cultures and creations of other societies. She could never deny the shadow of Garuda that hung over her, but Artemisia reasoned that the guardian -having already slept a millennia- could surely wait a little longer. She soon found herself traveling all over in search of interesting people, beasts, places, and the stories that surrounded them all. While Bellas contained enough points of interest for a lifetime, that troublesome necessity of money kept her working odd jobs, and one stuck her with a caravan that took her all the way north to Alexandria. As luck would have it, borders closed soon after she arrived. Trapped in an unknown city, she enlisted in the Hunters' Guild despite the risks for the good pay and ability to travel freely. (As a black mage she has a 'rod', which she uses in ways many might deep unconventional for a magician)</s> <\|message\|>Nyan [ Streets of Alexandria ] [ Nyan's Theme ] --- The streets were said to be unforgiving. The streets were the repository for the trash that was cast out by society, become the last refuge of the downtrodden and the damned. Oddly enough, the young kit had always found that the people living on the streets were often far more welcoming than those who held themselves as society's betters. Those were unmistakable fixtures in any city anywhere. People passing by, wearing clothes that cost more than any one of these beggars might see in a year, or even a lifetime, with noses upturned and their gazes diverted. What an eye sore, that people might have such poor taste as to be poor in their presence. To be completely honest, the young Miqo'te wasn't even certain from just what city he'd even arrived. He'd hopped from one merchant caravan to another on the road, passing through what had seemed like more of a trading post than an actual town, and then arrived at the gates only to discover that this was the storied Kingdom of Alexandria. The white haired kit was resplendent in the finest cloak no money could buy -- stitched together from stained and discarded sackcloth. It was not much to look at. Neither, for that matter, was he. But it suited him well enough. Seated an upended, broken pull-cart, the boy's tunic was similarly the mark of a pauper, being a patch-work garment. The black tips of his ears were not the only dark marks, as soot and dirt clearly betrayed the fact that the youth had been traveling for a bit and not seen a bath in as many days. If not weeks. As it had happened, the kit had stumbled upon a boy perhaps two summers younger than he, who had belonged to a family that was turned out on the street. While they hadn't had enough porridge for themselves, let alone to share, but they had broken bread with him. It was stale, with mold that had to be scraped off, but they'd shown him a baker in town who could be relied on to make available what he didn't sell. The kit had an eye on several carts that seemed to be getting loaded. There were likely to be one or more caravans that would be departing for destinations unknown. The boy didn't know that he planned to stay in Alexandria long enough to appreciate the baker's stale gift to the city's poor, but it was still nice to know where there existed the option of a free meal. Even if one had to scrape the mold off it beforehand. That was certainly preferable to rummaging a meal from out of the rubbish piles, which the destitute were apt to due when all pride had left and there remained no alternative. But, life was all about capitalizing on the alternatives. And with a city this size, there were apt to be merchants of all manner. Who likely had things of value, which could get misplaced or otherwise become both lost and found. Yes, maybe before he had to leave the city, he'd have the opportunity to make a slight withdrawal. After all, where he was going, it never hurt to have some capital. ...even if he had no idea just where he might be going. Details. He'd figure it out when he got there. Wherever. Maybe even home to Bellas, though that seemed a more fleeting possibility the more he hopped from caravan to caravan.</s> <\|message\|>Luna Cadewyn --- --- The streets of Alexandria were a lot different than Luna had imagined, albeit she blamed her uneasiness on the day's events. It didn't seem like her attempt at her spell had caused much of a commotion, fortunately, so that was one less thing to worry about. Still, there was an uneasiness that gripped her, like a cold chill had draped itself around her. She supposed it didn't help that she felt like she was being buried in her thoughts, a multitude of possibilities running through her mind. The rise in monsters, the black crystals--this one was so close to Alexandria that it worried her, but what could she do? Letting out a sigh, it took Luna a moment to realize she had completely bypassed the shops. Oh, how careless of her, she really needed to pay better attention. As she looked around to see where she had ended up, she noticed the crowd had gathered by the fountain. Strange, she didn't think there would be any proclamations today. But the sound of bells and coins clinking together made her think they were watching something interesting, and she ended up quietly making her way around to get a better look. A blond miqo'te stood out among the citizens, striking out among his surroundings in a blaze of blue--though she couldn't help but think he would have stood out even if he wasn't the one everyone was watching--dancing with such fluid movement that it reminded her of fabric fluttering in the breeze. A lame comparison, sure, but in the moment she really couldn't think of anything better. The way he moved was mesmerizing, the way he manipulated the fans adding a sort of zest that captured the attention of the people watching. Luna blinked slowly, admittedly drawn in by the style--that was nothing like anything she had ever seen before. That said, she was so drawn in that only when the crowd erupted into applause did she realize she was still staring at the miqo'te, jumping slightly but hastily clapping along as well. What a show! ---</s>	<\|message\|>Artemisia With a contented sigh, Artemisia sank back in her chair. This was no high-brow establishment, the food wasn't anything special, and the furniture was leaning toward shoddy, but right now it felt like heaven. She couldn't remember the last time she felt full. The budget of a traveling sightseer seldom impressed, and fewer people bought her food than one might think, so despite the appearance she groomed of a sophisticated mage, she missed meals with regularity. Looking at her situation realistically, one could be forgiven for labeling the woman a hobo. Now, however, she felt like a queen. And with all the money she raked in from monster hunting, she didn't just need to get by, no; she could afford to spoil herself. In no kind of rush, Artemisia took her time raking up every last crumb of her meal before draining her cup and heading for the door. Nobody seemed to pay her much mind aside from the usual looks and such, which sat just right with her. If she didn't need anything, the particular attention of strangers spelled nothing but trouble. As she rejoined the bustling throng of folk making their way through the streets, she became aware of some sort of commotion a ways off. A crowd gathered, but there didn't seem to be any sign of violence. Curious, the black mage made sure her coinpurse was well covered before setting a course for the assembly. Well before she saw the source of the intrigue, Artemisia could hear his sounds and feel the energy. Some manner of wizardry? she wondered, her interest piqued all the more. Bit by bit she worked her way into the crowd, and before long she spotted the source. A whirligig of silks and coins, frolicking upon the precipice of the square's fountain, lighter than air—a dancer was hard at work making grace look easy. A male dancer. Most of the dancers she spotted in the Free Cities had been winsome females, prying coins from the hands of men with lecherous eyes. Now, however, Artemisia found herself hard-pressed to look away. Unlike the hapless commonfolk clustered here, she could sense the magic in the air to an extent and knew there was a little more going on than met the eye. A long as she didn't start feeling inclined to start spilling the contents of her purse over the cobblestones, though, she figured there wasn't much harm. Besides, I came to this city to see the sights. It would be wasteful if I failed to check out all of him—them, rather. She crossed her arms and watched on, clapping when necessary, unaware of Luna's presence.</s>
<\|description\|>Ianthe Race Human Age 22 Class Fighter Place of Origin Alexandria Personality -More like PaciFIST -Honor or gtfo -Talk is cheap, but medicants are expensive -Respect and provide for your peasantry so I know it's real -I want to like you, but I don't have to like you to tank for you -Sword and Bored -If I hear the words "proper lineage" or "unfit for knighthood" one more time I am going to snap -The strong who don't protect the weak are weak themselves -Motivate don't dictate -Just a small town girl -Don't have to worry about having big shoes to fill if your family can't afford shoes Backstory Growing up along Alexandria's border, Ianthe learned early what it was like being invisible. Argo was a small village of only a dozen or so families, most of which were farmers. Ianthe's parents maintained meager if consistent crops, and made their living at the markets of bigger towns. The Alexandrian regency only ever remembered them when the levies were due, and the soldiers came knocking, equal parts expectant and disdainful of the place and its people. They didn't care whether the harvests were barren or bounteous, they didn't care if the bandits had come through and left them empty, the payment could be coin, it could be property, it could be conscription, so long as the crown received its due. The bandits who trolled the edge of the Free Cities, fearing no retaliation, had fallen into a routine with Argo. They came, they took, and if they felt generous, they left enough for the levies. The fiends had no mind for negotiation, and though they came more rarely, their attacks never went without casualty. When it became clear that no help was coming, no matter how desperate Argo's pleas, most of the families resigned themselves to their fate. Not Ianthe. They didn't have weapons, really. Farm tools and slabs of wood bound with rope were just about all she had to work with, at first. She was tough, weathered even as a girl, and put up enough of a fight against the smaller bands to drive them off. She gathered scraps of armor and shoddy old swords this way, which came in handy, because meeting fiends with nothing but an old scythe and hammer wasn't going to cut it. Hell, the bandits' rusty swords and roughshod armor only just had her scraping by. Iron and steel sated the taxmen just fine, and the viscera of fiends pulled interest at the markets, which meant that Argo was, for the first time, making a profit. As Ianthe grew older, the bandits grew indignant and sparse, the fiends only grew fiercer, and the international relations grew tense, but by gods were the levies as steady as the day she was born. People had begun noticing Argo's greater contributions to the markets, and eventually word began to spread of Ianthe and the few villagers who had taken up Argo's defense alongside her, too stubborn to just roll over and let fate befall them. Merchants tried to hire her on for protection, mercenary bands offered her more money than Argo had paid since she was a child, even the regency came asking after her enlistment, citing her duty to the crown, and to the people of Alexandria. It was the Hunters Guild that intrigued her. Ianthe, admittedly, was not very adventurous. She had a small life in a small home, and had spent most of her years focused on protecting it. The Hunters Guild, however, was genuine in a way that she admired: it wasn't about debt, or civic duty, it was just about keeping people safe. She understood that, she respected that, but she couldn't reconcile leaving home for it. Not until the borders shut, suddenly and almost inexplicably, and the levies increased. It seemed as though Alexandria had entered into some sort of national emergency, perhaps even all of Atles. It was then she realized that Argo had overestimated its profits. With the borders shut, that meant the Free City markets and bandits were gone, which left only the distant Alexandrian markets, whose competition had only grown fiercer. They could bring crops, but they couldn't match prices. Soon they would be back where they started, penniless and at the mercy of the regency. So, Ianthe made a difficult choice. She left Argo in the care of the men and women who had protected it with her, and set off for the Hunters Guild. She hopes the steady work, and maybe a bit of luck, will be enough to keep her home above water until Atles settles down. If it settles down.</s> <\|message\|>Avaddon A v a d d o n "Same here for me, though given the nature of our target. . . it'll likely blend in with all of this greenery." Avaddon walked with Balder towards the head of the pack, finishing up the last few details of his own weapon maintenance. Rather than the battle gloves or tiger claws that many of his profession tended to go with, the Fabulian Monk wore only a set of hand-wraps. Tough ivory colored fabric clashed with the orange-red of his skin as it coiled around his hands and forearms, ending with a corded threat that hung down for his elbows. At the end of this cord sat the Aldite which he'd been given, casting a dull red glow as if it were a dying ember. Tightening his wraps with a single tug each, the large man gave a contented nod. As the group came to a halt, Avaddon took a relaxed stance, arms raised high and fingers curved inward in a clawed fashion. The first few strikes struck at naught but air, distorting it as it passed through due to the heat being generated by the Aldite placed in their sockets. Mostly satisfied at seeing that his wraps were functioning properly, the Monk would strike once more. This time, with a target in mind. The poor tree had no chance to defend itself as Avaddon's fingers tore into its bark, the acrid smell of burning wood flowing into the air as he left the strike to sit for a moment, then tearing the chunk of charred bark he'd created out, smiling in anticipation. Tossing the charred would back and forth in between his hands, he turned his attention out to the forest proper. With an almost nonchalant air, he tossed the charred lump out into the side forest, falling into a stance in tune to the soft rattle of his scales clattering against each other. This is what he loved more than anything else. . . the quiet before the storm, where everyone was on a razor's edge. He had nothing to say, nothing to proclaim, only a desire that was barely held back by his years of experience in the Fabul deserts. In situations like these, the one who acted first was the one who exposed the biggest opening.</s> <\|message\|>Artemisia Artemisia Though maybe mundane for the others, the journey to the woods kept Artemisia's wandering mind occupied. Unlike Alexandria natives or traveled mercenaries, after all, she was seeing this land for the first time. Something as simple as how commonfolk -both in the city and beyond- conducted their lives, or the pastoral scenes of this region's flora, interested her. One footstep at a time, she could fill in bits of the grand map of the world that floated about in her head. If she learned anything during her tour of the Free Cities and Bellas as a whole, it was that reality contained so much more than she could possibly imagine. To truly live, she felt sure, meant to experience that abundance. So she did not grow distant or bored, but she did grow something else, and it quickly became a problem. About halfway through, her breathing started to get heavier, and by three quarters she started wheezing. By the time the group came to a stop at the border of the uncommonly grim and foreboding forest, Artemisia was wheezing and sweating. "Guh!" she sputtered. "You all...certainly keep...a brisk pace." Straightening up, she took a few deep breaths. "Aah....ahh...ohh. Goodness." While pretty defenseless as she tried to recover, she figured one of the fighter-types was looking out for her. Otherwise, what were they good for? Only after composing herself did the mood of the place really settle in on her. Just peering between those murky trees tickled her fight-or-flight response, telling her survival instincts that perhaps some coins could be better earned elsewhere. She glanced at Balder for reassurance only to find a pall of apprehension floating over the team's veteran hunter like a dark cloud, which helped to tank her confidence. Things were not as they should be. Everyone could tell that, let alone feel it, but it seemed as though they would be advancing anyway. Small wonder about that meager life expectancy. It would be foolish not to expect a fight. As the others formed up, with the melee fighters constructing a reasonably sturdy front line and Avaddon in particular bullying a tree to show off, Artemisia hurried after them. Once close enough for comfort she rummaged around in her supply sack for the fragment of wind aldite, which she weighed in her hand and gave an expert's appraisal. A sigh and a shrug made clear her opinion on its quality, but nevertheless she pulled up her sleeve to pop the relatively worthless decorative quartz out of her bangle so she could insert the aldite instead. "Such an unwelcoming gloom typically portends the congregation of fiends," she advised. The others no doubt expected an attack to be a possibility, but Artemisia supposed she might as well confirm it just in case. While unhappy that further exertion seemed unavoidable, Artemisia kept a cool head. If forced to fight, her enemies would not find her wanting. The same couldn't be said for Luna, however, who wanted for more than a little calmness right now. Ianthe noticed it too, even going so far as to leave point duty to her fellows and fall back to give the archer some comfort. Artemisia couldn't help but wonder how comforting Luna found Ianthe's compliment, though. The farther in the group got, the less at ease the black mage became, little by little. "Whereee are youuuu....?" she whispered, scanning between the trees.</s> <\|message\|>Luna Cadewyn --- --- A thumbs up? Luna wasn't entirely sure what the knight meant by that. Oh, she must have noticed how frazzled Luna was. How careless, striking disconcert among the group was nothing short of detrimental. She was surrounded by more experienced people--hopefully--so she must have looked as shaken as a leaf in the fall season. Still, as embarrassing as it was, the young knight's gesture came a long way, with Luna offering a small smile in return. At the question, Luna looked down at the bow. "Oh, this?" She placed the arrow back in its quiver and then plucked one of the strings on the 'harp' part of the bow. "It's lovely, isn't it? I hadn't the faintest thought that my harp skills could translate into battle!" She admitted, her fingertips running over the strings. Then again, she was shocked that such a thing was apparently common. And to think her mother used to laud her for her skills. Oh well, at the very least she hoped she would be of some use. And this tiny harp was easier to carry around than the full-sized version. That said, she couldn't help her curiosity when she asked, "I don't believe I heard you introduce yourself. What can I call you?" ---</s>	<\|message\|>Ianthe It really was a harp, wasn't it? Ianthe hadn't been sure whether the extra strings served any practical function or if they were purely decoration. Instead, it seemed to be a combination of the two. She still wasn't sure why the bow had a harp fashioned into it, but she also would have been lying if she said it wasn't damn pretty. Perhaps it was a magical thing, the girl had slotted aldite into it, after all. That was good. Old-fashioned archery would likely match the miniboros just fine, but if the mission grew a little more severe…well, the more Ianthe considered that possibility, the more grateful she was to have prospective mages on her side, like Luna, and the foppish Blaike, and…the other one. The winded one with the good sense of danger. "Guess you'll be writing all the ballads, then, about our mighty triumphs over the…ah…rioting cabbages," She said, and offered Luna a smile in return. "Ianthe. Uh—I mean—my name is Ianthe."</s>
<\|description\|>Luna Cadewyn May you ever walk in the light of the crystal. a.k.a. Lunaria Estacise Alexandros VII Race: 'Elezen' Age: 21 Class: Bard Place of Origin: Alexandria Personality: Determined Courageous Gentle Standoffish Neurotic Backstory: The moment that a widowed King Aconitum Napellus XV decided to take an elezen bride named Belladonna, it was safe to say that the decision had made quite a buzz. The fact that she was affiliated with the Holy Alexander Church did soften the blow somewhat, as did his apparent desire to give young Prince Asterius a mother. The controversy flared when their union resulted in a child--there were those that believed it was nothing short of an omen. He bequeathed the name of the kingdom's founder to her, claiming that the princess' birth was a symbol of unity and peace. Despite being second in line for the throne, Luna has lived a majority of her life away from the public eye. She was cited as having poor health and painted as a delicate girl, her appearances few and far in-between. A majority of her time was spent studying aldite for purposes unknown, although it took years for her to realize how odd her life was. Aside from having little royal responsibility, her father often pushed her towards research and generally discouraged interacting with anyone he didn't approve of. He stressed that there were too many people in the world that wanted nothing more than to use her for their own purposes. Two months ago, Luna discovered a journal that ended up completely changing her viewpoint. She began questioning many things in her life, and after a confrontation with her father, she decided she needed to strike out on her own. Once the borders were closed, she quietly made preparations to escape the castle. With a harp bow and an array of Songs in hand, Luna specializes in providing support from a distance. Her melodies have an assortment of effects on both friend and foe, ranging from healing and buffing to distractions and debuffing.</s> <\|message\|>Ianthe Ianthe Ianthe listened while the room began to fill, and pursed her lips. She knew it was best that they get started soon—after all, the sooner they did the job, the sooner they got paid—but part of her wouldn't have mourned another hour or so to sit there with her eyes shut, legs propped up on the junker of a shield she'd brought, trying to eek out a few minutes of true rest. Gods knew she hadn't gotten any the night before. The city was a lot of things. It smelled like industry, which was to say it smelled like the shit of an iron horse, but it was also burdensomely crowded and unrelentingly loud at every hour. She'd only just managed to find a room last night, with a hard bed and a window that wouldn't shut, which let the sounds of city nightlife flood in until sunrise. Argo didn't have a lot of things, but it did have silence, and she'd taken that for granted hard. The Guild Hall had a homey quality to it at least. It looked handmade, sturdy. Ianthe recognized the heads of a few of the fiends she'd met at the border, and was pleased that the sights of the unfamiliar ones didn't daunt her. There was, of course, a difference between bravery and stupidity, and it was a line drawn in the ever-important sand of self-confidence and self-assessment. Did she wish she'd come to this better equipped? Sure. The shield was, as she'd noted, a hunk of junk, a poorly-cut slab of metal with leather straps and shoddily-soldered grips. The sword wasn't much better, but it was sharp and she kept it well cared-for. It would have been stupid to go into something like this, as she was, alone, and while she'd done her fair share of stupidly bold things as a youth, age and injury had tempered her well. Well enough to be thankful that there'd be a group of them going out. Cracking an eye, she spotted a few noteworthy fellows. Big spears and frilly clothes were quick to catch the eye, but Ianthe knew the value of a humble appearance. It was easy to discount someone just because they looked like they didn't belong. Ianthe wasn't about to make that mistake.</s> <\|message\|>Avaddon A v a d d o n "Is there a reason no one is speaking?" The first to break the enforced silence was a rather massive man who stood before the others, hand held up to support the dainty, and likely somewhat embarrassed, maiden who had been hoisted on his shoulder since he'd entered the guildhall. A good Samaritan deed of his own design to help a fellow recruit get to the Hunter's Guild in time to make it for the trial. However, if said trial was just going to be them standing around in silence for minutes, Avaddon wasn't quite sure he was in the right place. "Not to be rude, Mr. Proctor, but you've been staring at us for the past few minutes and I'm not much for waiting around when there is work to be done." Turning around with a smile to the other applicants, the large man beat a hand against his chest with a raised voice. "If we are to take this test together, I will say the first thing we should do is introduce ourselves, no? My name is Avaddon, of the Red Storm tribe. I hope that we all make it through together and prove to make good allies in the test to come." His piece said Avaddon cracked his neck a bit as he turned dot look at the Proctor once more, hoping his little display would be enough to get something out of the man. If not, then Avaddon felt he might need to look elsewhere for assistance in matters of his quest. Perhaps the Hunter's guild he'd heard so much about was full of nothing but hot air. A disappointing fate if true, but not one the large Fabul man had been unprepared for.</s> <\|message\|>Dentrisica Era Banecroft Holy City of Alexandria \| Alexandria Hunters Guild Headquarters --- "Mitra." The dragoon uttered, as friendly as she could muster. Her eyes looked to the one face she recognized, but she decided to not say anything. If he decided to call her by her true name she was going to clock him in the balls with the fastest knee he had ever seen. Admittedly, though her disdain for them at the moment was complicated and Mitra knew she had be as amicable as possible when it came to the group of guild hopefuls around her. How much gil did she even have left? Could she afford to eat for longer than a few weeks? She had to turn her luck around and become a success. Confronting the man who knew her when she was small and bright-eyed would have to come later. "I'm pleased to meet your acquaintance, Avaddon. I hope we'll be fast friends on this venture." She eyed the girl hoisted over his shoulders, was she a slave? She did hear in her classes at the imperial academy how the tribesmen of the Red Storm Tribe kept slaves. Perhaps she was a concubine of his? Mitra couldn't help but be curious about that fact. "Who's your… friend?"</s>	<\|message\|>Luna Cadewyn How in the world did she get herself into this situation? The Hunter's Guild was her destination, so coming across an oddity or two was to be expected. That being said, when she had nervously approached a seemingly friendly face, she had hoped for some directions and nothing more. She did not consider the possibility that not only was the man also heading to the Hunter's Guild, but he had insisted on taking her there himself. He was charming, definitely, but as kind as the offer was, she preferred to go alone. And then he continued to insist while saying something about being a gentleman--she honestly couldn't remember, she was too busy getting swept off her feet and carried over like he was her personal chariot. Not that she didn't appreciate his kindness, but when was he planning on putting her down?! The woman could have died of embarrassment right then and there, staying quiet as the group gathered. Once the man broke the silence and introduced himself, it seemed to break the tension in the room. Why someone of the Red Storm tribe would come all the way to Alexandria was beyond her, but she supposed everyone had their own reasons; a brief look around let her know that not everyone was a native. Perhaps they shared her goal in crossing the border. Considering Avaddon had no problem keeping her on his shoulder, she naturally assumed that she was going to stay this way for a while. With a small sigh, she figured she should introduce herself next. "...I'm Luna..." She replied meekly, hanging her head in shame. </s>
<\|description\|>Luna Cadewyn May you ever walk in the light of the crystal. a.k.a. Lunaria Estacise Alexandros VII Race: 'Elezen' Age: 21 Class: Bard Place of Origin: Alexandria Personality: Determined Courageous Gentle Standoffish Neurotic Backstory: The moment that a widowed King Aconitum Napellus XV decided to take an elezen bride named Belladonna, it was safe to say that the decision had made quite a buzz. The fact that she was affiliated with the Holy Alexander Church did soften the blow somewhat, as did his apparent desire to give young Prince Asterius a mother. The controversy flared when their union resulted in a child--there were those that believed it was nothing short of an omen. He bequeathed the name of the kingdom's founder to her, claiming that the princess' birth was a symbol of unity and peace. Despite being second in line for the throne, Luna has lived a majority of her life away from the public eye. She was cited as having poor health and painted as a delicate girl, her appearances few and far in-between. A majority of her time was spent studying aldite for purposes unknown, although it took years for her to realize how odd her life was. Aside from having little royal responsibility, her father often pushed her towards research and generally discouraged interacting with anyone he didn't approve of. He stressed that there were too many people in the world that wanted nothing more than to use her for their own purposes. Two months ago, Luna discovered a journal that ended up completely changing her viewpoint. She began questioning many things in her life, and after a confrontation with her father, she decided she needed to strike out on her own. Once the borders were closed, she quietly made preparations to escape the castle. With a harp bow and an array of Songs in hand, Luna specializes in providing support from a distance. Her melodies have an assortment of effects on both friend and foe, ranging from healing and buffing to distractions and debuffing.</s> <\|message\|>Dentrisica Era Banecroft Ferris Wood \| Winding Paths --- "Whatever you think is best. I got your back." Mitra pipped cheerfully as she kept her eyes peeled, looking in the shadows of the forest. If there were miniboros lurking in the brush, Mitra needed to be on her best guard. As one of the frontline fighters alongside the "armored" knight-girl, it was her task to protect the casters and technicians of the group. For the time being she stuck to the side of the flank that Edgar was on, keeping her ears open as she gripped her staff in a defensive position. While on route to the forest she had tightened the pack the proctor had given her, sliding two of the minor aldite gems into her weapon's available slots. It had been some time since she tinkered with aldite in her spear, but she knew the best combination for the time being would be fire and lightning. They weren't particularly powerful stones, but for a group of miniboros maybe they were enough? She figured the elemental chemistry would be enough to make the right strike into the creatures make an explosive reaction. That was how fire and lightning worked together. She had seen the result happen before when she was hunting an infestation of dire rats in the imperial capital's sewers when she was younger. "You see anything, big guy?" She commented in reference to the larger Fabul man, despite her feeling admittedly nervous around him. She didn't want to be his next concubine, after all. "I got nothing on my flank... so far."</s> <\|message\|>Luna Cadewyn --- --- For a majority of the trip, Luna seemed fascinated with the aldite given to them. She continued to study it, noting its shape and color. She gave it a critical eye as she glanced back at the unoccupied slots on her bow. Now would be a good time to see what aldite could do, so she supposed it was certainly an opportunity. At the very least, she could discern that one piece was supposed to represent wind. It was quaint, if a little unsatisfactory. But this must be what hunters use, otherwise why else would it be given to them? With that in mind, she slipped the aldite into the slot without hesitation, plucking the string to test it. It seemed very weak to her, but perhaps that was the standard. Once they reached the forest, Luna frowned as she looked around, a cold chill running up her spine. She rubbed her arms as she squinted at the trees, seemingly disturbed. Why was the miasma so thick here? She could feel it on her skin despite knowing they weren't necessarily close to the source, the feeling giving her a great amount of discomfort. Biting down on her index finger, she wondered if she should strike out on her own to find what was causing it. She snapped out of her thoughts as Balder spoke. Oh, right, the miniboros. Slinging her bow off her shoulder, she reached into the quiver and pulled out an arrow. As much as she wanted to believe that her tutor's lectures would come in handy, she couldn't bring herself to admit just how nervous the whole situation made her. Was now a bad time to mention she had never actually seen a fiend before? Even if it wasn't that, however, the constant chill she got was probably the biggest distraction. She was a touch frantic as she looked around, clutching her bow with a death grip. ---</s> <\|message\|>Ianthe Ianthe Forests, were unfamiliar territory for Ianthe. Aside from the crops, Argo had been a fairly desolate place insofar as flora were concerned. And fauna. And people. Desolate of just about everything but bandits and fiends, really. But the unfamiliar beasts hanging in the guild hall hadn't dissuaded her, and a few trees certainly weren't going to, either. She hadn't fussed over the supplies too much. Potions and the like were standard, as Balder had mentioned, and while the aldite was a slight divergence from that, the stones were—practically speaking—entirely useless to her. Ianthe had seen magic only a few times, and most often it was wielded by whatever eleventh-rate mage the bandits could get their hands on, or by a traveling magician visiting the market towns. Neither had particularly impressed her, but then, being inept with the arcane herself, she wasn't exactly a good litmus for what was and was not "good" magic. Regardless of all that, the closest thing she had to slots in her arms and armor were the countless chips and dents riddling them. So the tiny gemstones stayed in their bag. Maybe they'd fetch a few extra coin when this was all over. She kept her sword sheathed as they walked, though her hand rested upon the hilt, and the shield strapped to her offhand was more important if they were going to be ambushed. There was something wrong to her about traveling with a naked blade, something almost feral, like an invitation to violence. Weapons put people on edge, that was half their job, in her mind, and it seemed like most of their group was wound up tightly enough as it was. She'd watched the tinker boy cobble together a few grenades, and that was entertaining, if completely beyond her. The spear-wielding girl joined her and Avaddon at the front with Balder, and that was pleasant. She was confident, like the rest, but less…abrasively. And that weapon, Ianthe guessed, had seen its share of uses. Behind them, among the parts of the party she and the others at Balder's side were meant to protect, Ianthe couldn't help but notice Luna looked…off. Nervous was the word, like the boy Edgar had seemed back at the hall. Now that they'd left the warmth of the city though, and the tinker no longer seemed as worked up, Luna was still the same, if not worse. Ianthe had made a point not to judge those who looked out of place, but it would have been beyond bad form to leave that sort of nervousness unaddressed. It was too bad she had absolutely no idea how to go about addressing it. Confident that the trio of Balder, Avaddon and Mitra could handle the front for the moment, Ianthe dropped back a few paces, beside Luna. She gave the girl a gentle nudge with her elbow, hoping not to spook her, and offered a reassuring thumbs-up. Or maybe it was more of an inquisitive thumbs-up. Or maybe it just seemed patronizing, and made her look like an asshole. Maybe it was an asshole thumbs-up. Words, Ianthe. You're a big girl. Use your words. "Hey," she offered. "Uhm…cool bow." Cool bow. Cool Bow. Cool Bow. Cool Bow. Cool Bow. Cool Bow. Cool Bow.</s> <\|message\|>Avaddon A v a d d o n "Same here for me, though given the nature of our target. . . it'll likely blend in with all of this greenery." Avaddon walked with Balder towards the head of the pack, finishing up the last few details of his own weapon maintenance. Rather than the battle gloves or tiger claws that many of his profession tended to go with, the Fabulian Monk wore only a set of hand-wraps. Tough ivory colored fabric clashed with the orange-red of his skin as it coiled around his hands and forearms, ending with a corded threat that hung down for his elbows. At the end of this cord sat the Aldite which he'd been given, casting a dull red glow as if it were a dying ember. Tightening his wraps with a single tug each, the large man gave a contented nod. As the group came to a halt, Avaddon took a relaxed stance, arms raised high and fingers curved inward in a clawed fashion. The first few strikes struck at naught but air, distorting it as it passed through due to the heat being generated by the Aldite placed in their sockets. Mostly satisfied at seeing that his wraps were functioning properly, the Monk would strike once more. This time, with a target in mind. The poor tree had no chance to defend itself as Avaddon's fingers tore into its bark, the acrid smell of burning wood flowing into the air as he left the strike to sit for a moment, then tearing the chunk of charred bark he'd created out, smiling in anticipation. Tossing the charred would back and forth in between his hands, he turned his attention out to the forest proper. With an almost nonchalant air, he tossed the charred lump out into the side forest, falling into a stance in tune to the soft rattle of his scales clattering against each other. This is what he loved more than anything else. . . the quiet before the storm, where everyone was on a razor's edge. He had nothing to say, nothing to proclaim, only a desire that was barely held back by his years of experience in the Fabul deserts. In situations like these, the one who acted first was the one who exposed the biggest opening.</s> <\|message\|>Artemisia Artemisia Though maybe mundane for the others, the journey to the woods kept Artemisia's wandering mind occupied. Unlike Alexandria natives or traveled mercenaries, after all, she was seeing this land for the first time. Something as simple as how commonfolk -both in the city and beyond- conducted their lives, or the pastoral scenes of this region's flora, interested her. One footstep at a time, she could fill in bits of the grand map of the world that floated about in her head. If she learned anything during her tour of the Free Cities and Bellas as a whole, it was that reality contained so much more than she could possibly imagine. To truly live, she felt sure, meant to experience that abundance. So she did not grow distant or bored, but she did grow something else, and it quickly became a problem. About halfway through, her breathing started to get heavier, and by three quarters she started wheezing. By the time the group came to a stop at the border of the uncommonly grim and foreboding forest, Artemisia was wheezing and sweating. "Guh!" she sputtered. "You all...certainly keep...a brisk pace." Straightening up, she took a few deep breaths. "Aah....ahh...ohh. Goodness." While pretty defenseless as she tried to recover, she figured one of the fighter-types was looking out for her. Otherwise, what were they good for? Only after composing herself did the mood of the place really settle in on her. Just peering between those murky trees tickled her fight-or-flight response, telling her survival instincts that perhaps some coins could be better earned elsewhere. She glanced at Balder for reassurance only to find a pall of apprehension floating over the team's veteran hunter like a dark cloud, which helped to tank her confidence. Things were not as they should be. Everyone could tell that, let alone feel it, but it seemed as though they would be advancing anyway. Small wonder about that meager life expectancy. It would be foolish not to expect a fight. As the others formed up, with the melee fighters constructing a reasonably sturdy front line and Avaddon in particular bullying a tree to show off, Artemisia hurried after them. Once close enough for comfort she rummaged around in her supply sack for the fragment of wind aldite, which she weighed in her hand and gave an expert's appraisal. A sigh and a shrug made clear her opinion on its quality, but nevertheless she pulled up her sleeve to pop the relatively worthless decorative quartz out of her bangle so she could insert the aldite instead. "Such an unwelcoming gloom typically portends the congregation of fiends," she advised. The others no doubt expected an attack to be a possibility, but Artemisia supposed she might as well confirm it just in case. While unhappy that further exertion seemed unavoidable, Artemisia kept a cool head. If forced to fight, her enemies would not find her wanting. The same couldn't be said for Luna, however, who wanted for more than a little calmness right now. Ianthe noticed it too, even going so far as to leave point duty to her fellows and fall back to give the archer some comfort. Artemisia couldn't help but wonder how comforting Luna found Ianthe's compliment, though. The farther in the group got, the less at ease the black mage became, little by little. "Whereee are youuuu....?" she whispered, scanning between the trees.</s>	<\|message\|>Luna Cadewyn A thumbs up? Luna wasn't entirely sure what the knight meant by that. Oh, she must have noticed how frazzled Luna was. How careless, striking disconcert among the group was nothing short of detrimental. She was surrounded by more experienced people--hopefully--so she must have looked as shaken as a leaf in the fall season. Still, as embarrassing as it was, the young knight's gesture came a long way, with Luna offering a small smile in return. At the question, Luna looked down at the bow. "Oh, this?" She placed the arrow back in its quiver and then plucked one of the strings on the 'harp' part of the bow. "It's lovely, isn't it? I hadn't the faintest thought that my harp skills could translate into battle!" She admitted, her fingertips running over the strings. Then again, she was shocked that such a thing was apparently common. And to think her mother used to laud her for her skills. Oh well, at the very least she hoped she would be of some use. And this tiny harp was easier to carry around than the full-sized version. That said, she couldn't help her curiosity when she asked, "I don't believe I heard you introduce yourself. What can I call you?" </s>
<\|description\|>KIERAN Nickname(s) "Key," mostly, in work. Sometimes "K." In the eyes of Apex Authority, he is known as "Transportation Technician #3B149," which is the closest thing he has had to a legal name. He is mononymous. Age 25 (Estimated) Appearance Physically athletic and fairly intimidating at six foot-two, Kieran is a little on the leaner side. Both his hair and his beard have a tendency to go on the fritz, as work overtakes time for him to take shears to them. He has several scars on both legs and arms from moving in and out of tight, sometimes sharp spots throughout Apex. He's often dressed in a very simple, muted color palette, and almost always has a satchel with him—containing various documents and necessary paperwork. Job Duty Kieran works as a Runner. Technically a "transportation technician," Runners work with the approval of Apex Authority to facilitate a wide variety of essential tasks. While Apex Authority often uses the service themselves, the service is primarily utilized by the middle and lower classes of Apex. Runners facilitate transit for letters, legal documents, cargo, and even people. Off-the-record, runners are also notoriously paid to pass verbal messages between factions, or from Apex Authority to others within Apex. Runners enjoy a few benefits of working for Apex Authority, such as their Runner's Stamp for official messages (which operates as a sort of notary service), and general protection. That is, Apex Enforcement members ("AEs") will investigate the disappearance/murder of a Runner. It is more than AEs offer to regular citizens, but more often than not, Runners that disappear are never recovered. Faction Information Runners often keep a distance from each other—working in agreed-upon sectors to keep competition light—so Kieran is more often than not, alone. He lives in District 3, subsection B, and associates most often with Port Apex. While officially, grains, produce, and other materials are brought in from nearby fields via these vessels, unofficially, a host of contraband makes its way to the shores of Apex. This contraband, ordered by the higher and lower classes alike, constitutes most of Kieran's work. History Kieran was found aboard one of the many farming ships that travel to Port Apex as an infant. As an unclaimed child, it was suspected that his parents were farmers who either could not afford to keep him or did not want to. Otherwise, he was passed from port worker to port worker until he finally earned his stamp at around age 15, and has been living on his own and working as a runner ever since. His age is self-given, and an estimate.</s> <\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran continued to be accosted as he was held at gunpoint and continued to be pushed further and further from the town square. As she pushed him, Kieran made a note of every building, every street, and every inch of the area—until of course, she tossed a sweater over her head. "Fucking really," Kieran muttered, unsure and uncaring if she had heard the comment. Luckily, the smell wasn't so bad, if it weren't for the sweat that had already been dripping down his face. He continued to trudge forward through the humid, muddy night. He tried to keep some sense of his bearings and figured they had gone maybe a ten or so blocks before he heard her bang thrice on a door. He listened intently to the conversation Aura shared with a third voice. This one gruff, uncaring but…rather familiar. He figured this could be a close friend, or possibly a relative. He was unsure and would be sure to figure that one out later. As for now he ran through the facts. This was Aura; likely associated with the same group the others were. She was armed. He had heard gunshots. Likely this all would have been enough to get her arrested (assuming he survived the night) but that wasn't his mission, was it? He hated himself in some small way for thinking this way. He wasn't a spy, for fuck's sake—he was a runner, and his business was passing along shit and keeping a low profile. Nothing about all of this seemed right. Apex Authority were no heroes. These so-called freedom fighters broke a strange peace and got others killed in their wake. The more he thought, the less he felt like picking any side in this horrid mess. He expected blinding light when she removed the sweater from his head, but the dimness of the room was a simple sight to be acclimated to. He locked eyes with her—looking down, of course, as she was several inches to a foot shorter—and could immediately spot something he was familiar with. Fear. He didn't see a fearless terrorist. He saw someone terrified out of their fucking mind about what was going on. Which immediately lowered his guard and put him at ease. If he played his cards right, he might not be the real hostage here. As she tossed clothes in his hands, she took his bag and was sure to kick it hard away from them—which immediately put him at ease. He had been particularly careful to burn all evidence of the current mission and keep the Black Seal on his person rather than in an easily-stolen bag. In there wasn't much other than the usual ID papers and runner's stamp. He gave he a cold look; wondering if she was going to watch him change. He watched her eyes dart to the floor, before removing his clothes. He was glad to be out of them, really. What a sweaty mess he was at this point. He made a point to turn his back to her and straighten out his underwear—ensuring Aura's eyes stayed away—and slipped the Black Seal from his trousers to his underwear. Uncomfortable indeed. He figured he would bet on her holding back on asking him to be completely naked. If she didn't he figured he'd have to find a good way to lie. He placed the rest of the clothes on him and was tied promptly to a pole. He looked away as Aura changed, and watched her dig through his things. "So," she sighed, crouching down in front of him. "A runner, huh? Why are you in F? What's your name?" He figured he'd tackle her questions one at a time. He made sure to make clear eye contact through the sweat dripping down his face. Fuck, it was hot in here. "Yeah, a runner," he said simply. "3B149, feel free to verify that on the sheet." He straightened up against the pole; trying to ward off a pain growing his back. "I have a couple of clients take me this far and was back in town to collect. Sure, I'm not supposed to be in F, but hey; what were you up to after curfew?" He always laughed the last half of his sentence; breaking into a smile. His captor was looking increasingly shaky and tense; not great when she was two guns on her. He figured he could lean into his recent deal with Teegan and Cale and could get them to verify his story to Aura if need be. "I'm Kieran," he smiled. "And I'm very much not looking to die tonight, so if we could work something out, I'm all ears." While he was miles from trusting Aura, particularly now, he was certainly hoping to make an ally of her, after all. He wasn't exactly sure of the benefits of the alternative, but it certainly wouldn't be good for him, would it?</s> <\|message\|>AURA "Kieran," she mumbled in response. His demeanor was the most unnerving thing about him. He was calm and smiling, while Aura did everything she could to choke down the nausea bubbling in her stomach. She had taken a runner hostage. A runner. The weight of her actions began to sink deep in her stomach, the heat of the garage beginning to suffocate the oxygen from the room. Aura dashed to the window, threw it open, and allowed herself a deep gulp of breath from the cooler air that poured in. Could she somehow get a message to Gregor? Explain she had fucked up and that she needed help? The thought of his temper made Aura shut down the thought instantly. No, she'd have to figure a way out of this herself. She couldn't lose her spot in the cause. They were her last chance of getting out of F for good. The only place she fit in. But if the man got free, he would shoot her. If he didn't shoot her, he'd run until he could report her. She was dead in the water in every outcome imaginable. Aura turned from the window and moved to stand in front of him, hiding her trembling hands in the pockets of Ion's pants. "I won't -" Due to nerves, her voice left her body as a whisper. Get it together. "I won't kill you," she responded, now reflecting a more confident tone. "I just…" How could she get him on her side, at least long enough for her to figure out a plan? "You, the mystery man, catch me in the middle of a firefight with an AR in my hands." She chuckled, wiping her forehead to rid it of sweat. "That would normally sound like a really fun night for me. But you're," Aura finally gained courage to look up at him, "you're a runner. You may as well be an enforcer." Aura grabbed an empty pail from the corner and opened the garage door. "I'll be right back." She soon returned, the pail now full of water. Before dealing with it, she plopped down and began to work her fingers at the laces of her sopping boots, groaning when each foot finally broke free. "Thirsty?" Without waiting for an answer, Aura grabbed the pail and approached him, lifting it to Kieran's lips. Once done, she took a few gulps of it herself before making herself comfortable on the floor across from him. "You want to leave here alive. As do I. And if I'm reported, you may as well kill me now." Aura scanned his face hoping for any hint of weakness, but the man was made of stone. Asshole. "So Kieran, what would you do if you were in my position?"</s>	<\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran's eyes locked onto Aura's dark eyes, watching as she slowly unraveled. He felt sorry for her, really. And it wasn't pitying he felt; in some way, it was similar to how he had been before he was a runner. Scavenging with the other port boys. Looked at as less of a human and more of a pest to be chased off when AA came around. Now, he was the one empowered. And thinking of going back scared the shit out of him. He loosened, somewhat, as he watched Aura run for air. He felt bad, in a strange way, for being so cold—for intimidating him. Which was particularly strange, as he found himself the captor in this situation. It was either empathy or a survival instinct that softened him somewhat, but regardless, he tried to relax. Well, as best he could. "I won't kill you," she said between breaths. He made a sort of scoffing noise without thinking, more so out of incredulousness. It really was that tense of a situation, wasn't it? He eyed her quizzically, as she explained that this might have been a fun evening under different circumstances. For all of his experience and quick analyzing, he wasn't able to get much of a read on her here. As she continued, he found himself grimacing at her conflation between running and being an enforcer. It was true, in a way—and similarly, it disgusted him. The longer this went on, the worse he felt. His survival instincts were wearing off and he realized he had walked into a skirmish far more complex than he was giving it credit for. He had assumed a monolith of the rebels; and now he could see that really wasn't the case. If it was, he'd already be dead by now. The necessary killing of law enforcement to further the cause. But here she was—lifting a pail to him. He drank deeply, as long as she allowed, and thanked her. She sat across from him, and the momentary silence between them was deafening. She explained her position and asked him for advice, and he froze for a moment; considering all of his options. The more he thought, the less he liked how he had started his meeting. Or this evening, for that matter. With Aura—fuck it—he needed at least one person truly in his corner if he was to infiltrate this group. Might as well be as honest as he could be. "If I were you, which I'm not," Kieran started, thinking aloud, "and I were working with a sort of rebellion, which I'm not even sure if you are or not…and I captured me? Someone with authority in Apex? Shit…" He didn't finish the thought. He figured she could read his morose expression. "I won't report you," Kieran admitted. Truthful. "I mean—you don't know me, and I could be lying through my teeth, but for what it's worth, I won't. And I get the sense that you haven't killed anyone before…" his voice wavered. A flood of memories hit him and he physically shook his head to try not to go down that path. "And believe me as much as you can, you don't want to do that." Kieran sighed and paused—giving him one last out to avoid being honest. But that moment wasn't very long. He would give her some very good reasons not to trust him. "I'll come right out with it. I'm here to scout. To find people likely similar to those who had you in the streets tonight. I don't know much. Some locations. Some names. Del. Gregor. Those sorts of things. I don't know how well you know these people or how involved you are, but if I can convince AA I helped root out a rebellion, well…" He paused. "Well I'd be out of the docks, that's for sure." He thought for a moment, then continued. "So, maybe we can build some trust. You know this area; you know the problem people. I figure the fewer instigators there are, the more likely they'll leave Atlantic well enough alone and life in all of F will be better for everyone. There are more enforcers here than I've seen anywhere else in Apex and I think maybe fewer enforcer shootings would help reduce that number." He couldn't read her face, but something told him suggesting taking down the rebellion she was clearly sympathetic towards wasn't coming across well. Hopefully being honest didn't fuck him over this time... "Aura..." he continued. "I'm not pro or anti either side here. My loyalty to Apex only extends to my ability to survive. I'd like to see fewer killings and convince AA I helped do their dirty work, so I'm all ears on any suggestions that'll lead me to that end. Because if I don't do this for them...well you may as well shoot me now."</s>
<\|description\|>KIERAN Nickname(s) "Key," mostly, in work. Sometimes "K." In the eyes of Apex Authority, he is known as "Transportation Technician #3B149," which is the closest thing he has had to a legal name. He is mononymous. Age 25 (Estimated) Appearance Physically athletic and fairly intimidating at six foot-two, Kieran is a little on the leaner side. Both his hair and his beard have a tendency to go on the fritz, as work overtakes time for him to take shears to them. He has several scars on both legs and arms from moving in and out of tight, sometimes sharp spots throughout Apex. He's often dressed in a very simple, muted color palette, and almost always has a satchel with him—containing various documents and necessary paperwork. Job Duty Kieran works as a Runner. Technically a "transportation technician," Runners work with the approval of Apex Authority to facilitate a wide variety of essential tasks. While Apex Authority often uses the service themselves, the service is primarily utilized by the middle and lower classes of Apex. Runners facilitate transit for letters, legal documents, cargo, and even people. Off-the-record, runners are also notoriously paid to pass verbal messages between factions, or from Apex Authority to others within Apex. Runners enjoy a few benefits of working for Apex Authority, such as their Runner's Stamp for official messages (which operates as a sort of notary service), and general protection. That is, Apex Enforcement members ("AEs") will investigate the disappearance/murder of a Runner. It is more than AEs offer to regular citizens, but more often than not, Runners that disappear are never recovered. Faction Information Runners often keep a distance from each other—working in agreed-upon sectors to keep competition light—so Kieran is more often than not, alone. He lives in District 3, subsection B, and associates most often with Port Apex. While officially, grains, produce, and other materials are brought in from nearby fields via these vessels, unofficially, a host of contraband makes its way to the shores of Apex. This contraband, ordered by the higher and lower classes alike, constitutes most of Kieran's work. History Kieran was found aboard one of the many farming ships that travel to Port Apex as an infant. As an unclaimed child, it was suspected that his parents were farmers who either could not afford to keep him or did not want to. Otherwise, he was passed from port worker to port worker until he finally earned his stamp at around age 15, and has been living on his own and working as a runner ever since. His age is self-given, and an estimate.</s> <\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran's eyes locked onto Aura's dark eyes, watching as she slowly unraveled. He felt sorry for her, really. And it wasn't pitying he felt; in some way, it was similar to how he had been before he was a runner. Scavenging with the other port boys. Looked at as less of a human and more of a pest to be chased off when AA came around. Now, he was the one empowered. And thinking of going back scared the shit out of him. He loosened, somewhat, as he watched Aura run for air. He felt bad, in a strange way, for being so cold—for intimidating him. Which was particularly strange, as he found himself the captor in this situation. It was either empathy or a survival instinct that softened him somewhat, but regardless, he tried to relax. Well, as best he could. "I won't kill you," she said between breaths. He made a sort of scoffing noise without thinking, more so out of incredulousness. It really was that tense of a situation, wasn't it? He eyed her quizzically, as she explained that this might have been a fun evening under different circumstances. For all of his experience and quick analyzing, he wasn't able to get much of a read on her here. As she continued, he found himself grimacing at her conflation between running and being an enforcer. It was true, in a way—and similarly, it disgusted him. The longer this went on, the worse he felt. His survival instincts were wearing off and he realized he had walked into a skirmish far more complex than he was giving it credit for. He had assumed a monolith of the rebels; and now he could see that really wasn't the case. If it was, he'd already be dead by now. The necessary killing of law enforcement to further the cause. But here she was—lifting a pail to him. He drank deeply, as long as she allowed, and thanked her. She sat across from him, and the momentary silence between them was deafening. She explained her position and asked him for advice, and he froze for a moment; considering all of his options. The more he thought, the less he liked how he had started his meeting. Or this evening, for that matter. With Aura—fuck it—he needed at least one person truly in his corner if he was to infiltrate this group. Might as well be as honest as he could be. "If I were you, which I'm not," Kieran started, thinking aloud, "and I were working with a sort of rebellion, which I'm not even sure if you are or not…and I captured me? Someone with authority in Apex? Shit…" He didn't finish the thought. He figured she could read his morose expression. "I won't report you," Kieran admitted. Truthful. "I mean—you don't know me, and I could be lying through my teeth, but for what it's worth, I won't. And I get the sense that you haven't killed anyone before…" his voice wavered. A flood of memories hit him and he physically shook his head to try not to go down that path. "And believe me as much as you can, you don't want to do that." Kieran sighed and paused—giving him one last out to avoid being honest. But that moment wasn't very long. He would give her some very good reasons not to trust him. "I'll come right out with it. I'm here to scout. To find people likely similar to those who had you in the streets tonight. I don't know much. Some locations. Some names. Del. Gregor. Those sorts of things. I don't know how well you know these people or how involved you are, but if I can convince AA I helped root out a rebellion, well…" He paused. "Well I'd be out of the docks, that's for sure." He thought for a moment, then continued. "So, maybe we can build some trust. You know this area; you know the problem people. I figure the fewer instigators there are, the more likely they'll leave Atlantic well enough alone and life in all of F will be better for everyone. There are more enforcers here than I've seen anywhere else in Apex and I think maybe fewer enforcer shootings would help reduce that number." He couldn't read her face, but something told him suggesting taking down the rebellion she was clearly sympathetic towards wasn't coming across well. Hopefully being honest didn't fuck him over this time... "Aura..." he continued. "I'm not pro or anti either side here. My loyalty to Apex only extends to my ability to survive. I'd like to see fewer killings and convince AA I helped do their dirty work, so I'm all ears on any suggestions that'll lead me to that end. Because if I don't do this for them...well you may as well shoot me now."</s> <\|message\|>AURA "Del's not fucking -" Aura's knee-jerk reaction further proved why she often wasn't trusted by the cause with situations like this. It took just a moment though to gain back what little composure she had previously. "You must have some bad information. Del's not involved in any of this." Guilt began to creep up her spine. Taking advantage of his niceness to cover her ass had obviously landed him on one of the AA's list, and although Aura always knew it was a possibility, hearing it made it real. Kieran presented her with an out, one that made the impossibly difficult situation she put herself even worse. While the cause was all she had left, she couldn't leave if she wanted to. The only way out of the group was to die honorably, or die a traitor. Gregor and others high in the rankings did not have one ounce of trust between them all, and it only made sense to them that if anyone no longer wanted anything to do with the cause, they had to have an ulterior motive. Death was the only way to cover their own asses. And while they've taken great care of Aura, she had been on their bad side before. She was unsure if she'd rather be punished again by them or by an officer, but she at least knew the cause wouldn't harm her family. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for the AE. This was the only choice. Most days, Aura just wished she could leave. To pack what little belongings she had and to head for the mountains in the middle of the night. Of course, she had heard rumors that it was only more grim out of Apex's limits, that there is nothing out there for those that try to leave. But other rumors, those that there are groups of people living freely past the mountains. No authority, no enforcers...that was the fantasy that Aura desperately clung to when things got too heated in Unity. "So, you want me to rat," Aura sighed, pushing back stringy strands of black hair from her vision. "You know what they do to rats here, right?" Remaining seated on the floor, she swiveled around and lifted her shirt to reveal pink scars that resembled lightning strikes down her back. "One of the times that Soren took one of our guys in, he made it sound like I had given them info. The officers like to stir shit up to try and dismantle us…" Upon realizing that she was saying too much already, Aura's face landed in her palms and a groan escaped her. "Guess you got me. But, I need some guarantees." She straightened up her posture and met his eyes. "If you name me in anything, they won't hesitate to deliver my head to you in a package. If I help you, it has to be from an unidentified source." It sounded ridiculous to be demanding anything knowing that Kieran could throw her to the wolves at any time. "Second, if I'm figured out, I have to get out of F. I don't know how much power you have and I don't care. I'll need new papers and a new subsection. And lastly," she took a moment to catch her breath; the heat was growing unbearable whether from her nerves or the rain. Her voice trembled with emotion no matter how much she tried to control it. "I can't be seen with you, now that I know who you are. Figure out where or how we can meet, and I'll do it. I'm probably not welcomed back after this, so it can't be here." A familiar feeling of penitence sat like a rock in her stomach, but this was her only option. Or at least, she couldn't think of a better one. "I'll bring you to the west border of F in the morning. Do we have a deal?"</s>	<\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran studied Aura closely as she talked; looking for any signs that wasn't speaking honestly to him. But, if her erratic response to this Del character was to be believed, she wasn't necessarily great at obfuscation. He had to remind himself that not everyone was like him. Not everyone was looking to lie and cheat every chance they had. "Rat is a strong term…" Kieran started, then stopped. He thought for a moment. "But yes. I'd like for you to rat." He next listened to her demands. The first was a simple request; anonymity. An easy sell to AA. Results mattered far more than loyalty to an organization that inherently bred distrust. He needed to deliver a less dangerous Atlantic and they wouldn't care much about the details. Or, who had to die to ensure that eventuality for them. Kieran knew he wouldn't throw Aura to the wolves. Or at least, not unless it really came down to it. The second request was an escape plan. Again. Another non-issue for him. A quick flash of the seal and he could get her past just about anyone. Hell, he could get her on the next boat headed north and off to whatever it was that existed beyond Apex--should anything of value exist out there at all. It was hard to know and even harder on the mind to wonder. The third and final request was another easy sell. The two couldn't be seen with each other so long as they collaborated. Kieran doubted this would be the last time he would be in Atlantic--far from it--but he knew that it was paramount he and her never interacted. "I think we have a deal, then," Kieran smiled. He loosened a bit, now more comfortable that he wasn't going to die that night. He thought for a moment. "I know where we'll meet," he said. "There's a series of old retrograde tunnels on the southeast corner of Atlantic. I'm sure you've seen them." He had initially thought of asking her to meet him at his place, but had discarded that plan as quick as he had formed it. The idea of Aura being able to so easily rat him out to her compatriots wasn't appealing, so he needed somewhere he knew somewhat well and remained neutral to both of them. The tunnels had formerly housed settlements avoiding exposure to the blight, and before that, they had held massive roadways for the city--funneling in people from god knows where else in the world. Whatever was beyond the waters. Kieran thought of what it must have been like to ride one of these passive concrete passages. But the bridges that had crossed the waters east of Apex had long since collapsed, leaving only the tunnels. These days, the tunnels were mostly utilized for AA transport and other matters. But they had a reputation of being a place where Runners, AE members, and citizens could make deals and trades that Apex Authority probably wouldn't condone. In many ways, they steered clear of the tunnels as a show of permissible understanding. Kieran wondered how much of this was known to Aura. Regardless, he continued: "The tunnels are guarded by AE members and lead to subsection J. However, they're easily bribed and I'll make sure they are for us. We'll meet there." Kieran took a second to think. Then: "If you tell me the name of your supervisor, I can work some things out about discreetly getting you away in the middle of the day. Otherwise, I'll be sure to be there after dark and before curfew each night. Make your way to tunnel three and I'll find you." "I'll work on your papers, too," he said. "It might take a few days, but it can be done. I know a guy in City Center who can help me out. I'll see him tomorrow." "And speaking of," he said, settling onto his pole, "it might be worth it to get some sleep."</s>
<\|description\|>KIERAN Nickname(s) "Key," mostly, in work. Sometimes "K." In the eyes of Apex Authority, he is known as "Transportation Technician #3B149," which is the closest thing he has had to a legal name. He is mononymous. Age 25 (Estimated) Appearance Physically athletic and fairly intimidating at six foot-two, Kieran is a little on the leaner side. Both his hair and his beard have a tendency to go on the fritz, as work overtakes time for him to take shears to them. He has several scars on both legs and arms from moving in and out of tight, sometimes sharp spots throughout Apex. He's often dressed in a very simple, muted color palette, and almost always has a satchel with him—containing various documents and necessary paperwork. Job Duty Kieran works as a Runner. Technically a "transportation technician," Runners work with the approval of Apex Authority to facilitate a wide variety of essential tasks. While Apex Authority often uses the service themselves, the service is primarily utilized by the middle and lower classes of Apex. Runners facilitate transit for letters, legal documents, cargo, and even people. Off-the-record, runners are also notoriously paid to pass verbal messages between factions, or from Apex Authority to others within Apex. Runners enjoy a few benefits of working for Apex Authority, such as their Runner's Stamp for official messages (which operates as a sort of notary service), and general protection. That is, Apex Enforcement members ("AEs") will investigate the disappearance/murder of a Runner. It is more than AEs offer to regular citizens, but more often than not, Runners that disappear are never recovered. Faction Information Runners often keep a distance from each other—working in agreed-upon sectors to keep competition light—so Kieran is more often than not, alone. He lives in District 3, subsection B, and associates most often with Port Apex. While officially, grains, produce, and other materials are brought in from nearby fields via these vessels, unofficially, a host of contraband makes its way to the shores of Apex. This contraband, ordered by the higher and lower classes alike, constitutes most of Kieran's work. History Kieran was found aboard one of the many farming ships that travel to Port Apex as an infant. As an unclaimed child, it was suspected that his parents were farmers who either could not afford to keep him or did not want to. Otherwise, he was passed from port worker to port worker until he finally earned his stamp at around age 15, and has been living on his own and working as a runner ever since. His age is self-given, and an estimate.</s> <\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran watched as Aura ravaged her way through the food. In a strange sort of shame he felt for even watching, he turned away. His eyes wandered downward at this own stomach. He liked to think of food as a luxury, but the truth of the matter was that he was fed--well fed, in fact--and did not hunger much. Particularly these days. What had once been tight, weak abs had fleshed out significantly. Over the past two years, he noticed that he had put on a small amount of muscle--filling out his more lean build. He was not large by any means (at least horizontally), but he wasn't the rail he once was. Kieran thought to all of the meat he had been eating recently. He was sure it had contributed. But as his eyes drifted back up to Aura, he could easily see the malnourishment. My god, they didn't have much in Atlantic, did they? She slowly finished up and began to talk. "I'd like to ask for your escort." "Of course, of course," came his hasty reply. Guilt seemed to drip from him more and more as he interacted with her. It was a strange mix of pity and respect he felt. As if he had lived his whole life a victim only to realize he had been the privileged the entire time. Oh what it must have been to be in subsection A. "I'm not sure where to start," he admitted. He forced his thoughts down. It was time for business, after all, and he definitely needed something from her. His eyes wandered to her lips, where they lingered for a moment. The sight of not-so-fresh blood made him grimace. What price was she already paying for sparing him? For coming here. "I was given a dossier of names and locations. I'd show you but I burned it. It was too valuable to be left anywhere." Kieran moved to sit across from her--his elbows resting on his knees as he learned it to speak. He went for a drumstick and chewed lightly on it. He swallowed, then spoke again: "I guess the best thing would be for you to tell me the basics. What the organization is. What they do. Who leads them." He thought for a moment. "But maybe we can do this another way." He grabbed a stein of ale and sat back down. Perhaps this could feel less like an interrogation, and more like a conversation. "I figure we have a little bit of acquainting to do, after last night. So I'll make a statement. If it's true about you, you drink. If it's not, I drink. And if we want to elaborate a little more on the subject, then we can go from there." Kieran took a swig in a small effort to catch up to Aura. Then: "Alright, I'll start. You took me to a family member's house last night." He wondered if that was a good place to start, but it was late, and he didn't want to waste too much time. It was time to skip the pleasentries.</s> <\|message\|>AURA Was he trying to be...nice? No, he's here for information. You're here for freedom. Aura adjusted in her chair until finding a comfortable position, somewhere between criss-cross and fetal, cradling the bottle in her hand. Maybe this wasn't so bad of a set up. She spills a little information, and a full meal and bottle was the payout. It was probably the best deal she'd made thus far. Fuck Gregor, fuck the cause. They just stole and stole from her, telling her she was doing the most trustworthy thing, until she became the shell of a person that was sitting in front of Kieran. "You took me to a family member's house last night." The reality of what the cause was, how it could drag the most innocent of people down with you, felt like a blow to the ches. Her eyes mimicked that feeling, windening into orbs as she completely tensed in the chair, unsure of her next move. Could she lie? Of course she could. Aura could dance her way through a fabricated story without a second thought. But, paranoia crept in. He wouldn't have asked if he didn't already know, right? And lying to the man who caught her in an apparent act of treason against the AA would be a strike one. She was in way too deep, and everything leading up to this point felt like a cinder block tied to her ankles. She was fucked. Lifting the ale to her mouth with a shaky hand, Aura took a swig of the ale. It wasn't two seconds before she slammed her feet on the ground, elbows on her knees. "Look. They have nothing to do with it. Del either. They just deal with it. The cause." Aura launched from the chair and began pacing, the bottle clutched in her left arm. It took a few strides around the small apartment, but she gained the courage to look Kieran in the eyes again, her own spitting fire. "I work alone. No one I love is involved. And I only do this so I can leave this shit hole one day." The ale she'd finished was tossed across the room, not quite hitting the wall and shattering like she'd hoped, but instead rolling across the carpet. In embarrassment, she crumbled in the same seat she began in, clawing at her arm through the hoodie she wore. "If you're gonna have me here, move faster. Don't bullshit."</s>	<\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran couldn't help but flinch--just a little bit--as Aura snapped back in defense at his question. Perhaps he shouldn't have been too surprised--it was, in fact, a pretty direct and rude question. Still, he composed himself and adjusted to match her in kind. Fine, he thought to himself. Let's do it this way. He watched as her ale toss went awry, offering no pity on his face as she crumbled. "Okay," he said, setting his ale down on the table between them. "No bullshit." He recited, in austere detail, the top-level of what he knew. "Apex Enforcement knows of a terrorist apparatus rather simply as The Cause, gestating some time and becoming more and more violent to petty officers and under suspicion of conspiracy against the government. Known associates of The Cause are mononymic in nature. I have a few names. Gregor. Mae. Miranda. This Del you seem quite fond of. Locations too. But I'm going to tell you now no matter what agreement we come to everyone I listed will be investigated and very likely worse if we don't come to an agreement about who is involved, and how." "So," he continued, straightening his back somewhat, "If Del isn't involved, I need to know why and how he became associated with The Cause so I can clear his name. And if you have any arrangements with The Cause--any information concerning their next moves--I need that too. We can build trust with AA by telling them in advance. If need be, they'll let The Cause continue with their plans while learning more about them. They're not looking to thwart one operation. They want the whole thing decimated, and they're willing to wait to ensure that happens."</s>
<\|description\|>KIERAN Nickname(s) "Key," mostly, in work. Sometimes "K." In the eyes of Apex Authority, he is known as "Transportation Technician #3B149," which is the closest thing he has had to a legal name. He is mononymous. Age 25 (Estimated) Appearance Physically athletic and fairly intimidating at six foot-two, Kieran is a little on the leaner side. Both his hair and his beard have a tendency to go on the fritz, as work overtakes time for him to take shears to them. He has several scars on both legs and arms from moving in and out of tight, sometimes sharp spots throughout Apex. He's often dressed in a very simple, muted color palette, and almost always has a satchel with him—containing various documents and necessary paperwork. Job Duty Kieran works as a Runner. Technically a "transportation technician," Runners work with the approval of Apex Authority to facilitate a wide variety of essential tasks. While Apex Authority often uses the service themselves, the service is primarily utilized by the middle and lower classes of Apex. Runners facilitate transit for letters, legal documents, cargo, and even people. Off-the-record, runners are also notoriously paid to pass verbal messages between factions, or from Apex Authority to others within Apex. Runners enjoy a few benefits of working for Apex Authority, such as their Runner's Stamp for official messages (which operates as a sort of notary service), and general protection. That is, Apex Enforcement members ("AEs") will investigate the disappearance/murder of a Runner. It is more than AEs offer to regular citizens, but more often than not, Runners that disappear are never recovered. Faction Information Runners often keep a distance from each other—working in agreed-upon sectors to keep competition light—so Kieran is more often than not, alone. He lives in District 3, subsection B, and associates most often with Port Apex. While officially, grains, produce, and other materials are brought in from nearby fields via these vessels, unofficially, a host of contraband makes its way to the shores of Apex. This contraband, ordered by the higher and lower classes alike, constitutes most of Kieran's work. History Kieran was found aboard one of the many farming ships that travel to Port Apex as an infant. As an unclaimed child, it was suspected that his parents were farmers who either could not afford to keep him or did not want to. Otherwise, he was passed from port worker to port worker until he finally earned his stamp at around age 15, and has been living on his own and working as a runner ever since. His age is self-given, and an estimate.</s> <\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran eyed Aura and listened intently as she began to get into the gritty details of why they were there. He was looking for a tell--a glance to the side, a pause that lingers too long--anything that could give away any evidence that she was lying. He also thought back to his briefing, and the information he received. But as she spoke, she gave no signs of deception--if anything, she seemed more despondent than ever. When she spoke of this Del character specifically, she seemed nearly desperate. Kieran made a mental note to clear this person from any AA scrutiny as a show of good faith as they continued to work together. Santo, Kieran thought to himself as she said the name. It triggered something in him. He had once heard of a Santo causing a serious amount of damage to subsection A back in the day--which was particularly impressive, as most people even involved in Apex weren't allowed there. He wasn't sure if he was getting Santo mixed up with some other freedom fighter, but if he recalled correctly, whoever it was that caused the massive explosion in subsection A was hanged and left to rot for months on the highest crane in Port Apex. He was surprised to next hear Aura describe heading to sub A herself. "You're going to a party at Gerald Loor's house?" Kieran asked, nearly cutting her off. Loor was a big, big fucking deal to Kieran and just about anyone else within AA or AE. He had a reputation for cruelty--often enacted with very little regard for collateral and with a smirk that never left his face. He wasn't machiavellian or anything like that--he was also known for his politician's demeanor--but he was certainly one of the people that probably knew about Kieran and what he was up to regarding the Cause. His mind raced as Aura continued to explain the point of the mission in place for the next day. "That's dangerous," Kieran said. Then--thinking--continued on. "I mean--you know that, I know--but fuck, Aura. Gerald Loor's laptop is going to be pretty fucking locked down. And it's probably encrypted." He paused a moment, trying to read Aura's face. He figured, since she hadn't known the term for 'laptop', perhaps he should explain. "That folding computer--the laptop--it's gonna be very hard to get the information off of it unless you know someone that's good with computers, and I mean really good. I can't do any of that shit myself." He thought for another moment. He needed to get in contact with Apex Authority directly--especially if the Cause was going to be stealing from Loor. They would want to know why Kieran did nothing to stop it. He made a mental note to travel directly to downtown the next day and talk to someone. Maybe even Loor himself. He also thought it if was worth telling AA to wipe the computer, but that would immediately put Aura at risk. However, even if he asked AA not to, there was no telling what they would do outside of his wishes. He had to play his cards carefully--ensuring the Cause doesn't suspect Aura, AA doesn't prematurely ruin his plans, and Aura wasn't in danger. He found himself immediately surprised by that last thought. Being mindful of those involved collaterally was typically not his style. But as he saw Aura in front of him now, watching him--despondent about tomorrow's events--he truly felt as if he owed her for all of the help she's been to him so far. "I can learn more soon about the Cause, but maybe it's better if I learn directly," he thought aloud. "I can get to Loor's house easily. I mean, fuck--I probably work for him and don't even know it--but I can make sure you don't..." He trailed off. He didn't even want to mention it. "...I can make sure you get out of there with the laptop unscathed. But these must be some pretty rough restrictions if Gregor is willing to take this risk." He opted not to mention the idea of meeting up with AA directly--at least, not yet. This was a lot of information in a very short amount of time. Besides, he didn't know what AA was planning for this party. Or what they had in store for Atlantic.</s> <\|message\|>AURA "You'll...you'll go?" Aura took a deep breath. The news wasn't much relief, especially if anyone saw him assisting her, she'd be beaten to death before the sun rose. However, the glimmer of hope that Kieran's offer gave her was enough to calm her nerves temporarily. "Anything you could do to make sure I get out of there, I'd be thankful." Allowing her muscles to relax, she leaned forward with her hands folded, meeting his eyes. "I don't know what time I'm going, or when the party even starts. Pogo usually has his girls arrive on a carriage. Should be ten to fifteen of us." Picking at her nails, Aura tried to think of anything else to let Kieran know of. Unfortunately, she wasn't given much information himself. "They sewed a dress for me, one that I can put the laptop in when I leave. I know the girls aren't allowed to bring bags or any other belongings." Knowing Gregor, he probably didn't bank too much on her making it out. If anything, she'd be caught and either meet the AA executioner in the morning or be thrown in a cell. But while he hated her actions, Aura was never a rat, and in his mind, could never be one. If only he could fucking see her now. Countless nights given to The Cause. Countless beatings by the AE and her own people. Grueling "exercises" to prove her worth, her undying loyalty. The constant reminder that she was fighting for a better tomorrow for F, when she and the rest went days without a full meal. And although the doubt in her mind had been growing like an invasive weed for months, Kieran was the sign she was hoping for from the gods. Her golden ticket. The only way out. There had been rumors of witness protection within the subsections, but then, there were also the rumors of life outside of Apex - the more dangerous option. "I have a question for you, Kieran." Aura groaned as she leaned back in her chair. "Don't you get tired of it? All the bureaucratic bullshit?" She paused and giggled quietly. "I learned that word from a book. But really. Everything we all do - all of us - is always for 'the greater good of Apex,' no matter what side you're on. The farmers feed Apex. Sanitation keeps the roads safe for Apex. You run information for Apex. It's all for Apex, for Apex, fo fucking Apex. You know, my dad told me that people used to have jobs that weren't for the fucking city? They made music. They made art. They made games for the rest of us to enjoy." Aura paused for a moment, eyes scanning the man's face before her. He was just as stone cold as always. She imagined her words bouncing off of him and falling to the ground. "Do you ever wonder what life would be like if Apex wasn't the center of the universe?"</s>	<\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran's chest panged at Aura's response to his offer. Sure--he had felt a hair too protective in offering to be with her, but what else could he do? It was true that his protection had to come with several caveats. For one, being seen with her at this party would likely be a death sentence for her and would completely give up the ghost of the operation. Two, there wasn't much in the way he could do to protect her from the clear and present danger Gregor had placed her in through her alibi. He would have to improvise his way through bailing her out of that situation, and he had never been good at improvisation. "I'll learn what I can tomorrow about Pogo's operation," Kieran replied. "Loor's people can probably get me that information and I'll generate some excuse to be able to come out there." He watched empathetically as Aura pivoted to the bigger, laudier questions about life in Apex. His first instinct, as it had always had been, was to be dismissive. He prepared often-repeated answers to her questions. How Apex wasn't an evil place--not at its core. That this was simply the system in which they had been given and it was one in which any complaints, disillusions, or rebellions were, in essence, fruitless. You can't swim against a waterfall. But the more she spoke, the more he felt that tinge of idealism that he had felt before. His mind raced back as she spoke: Kieran was little more than a baby when he was found on a cargo boat docked in Port Apex. The Port Boys that took him in and showed him their ways had always assumed he hadn't a clue what happened before that. To his parents. But that wasn't the case. Kieran had memories--scant and fading, but there all the same--of the last moments he shared with his parents. They had a farm further north and west than even Apex. Near where the sea would extend beyond oblivion. The rains here were strong--making the ground fertile enough for simple crops to grow. But generations upon generations had tilled this land down to it's last gasp. Kieran pictured what he could of his parents--his father's strong arm wrapped around him. The touch of his mother's dress as he pulled at it for attention. They explained what was happening to a boy who could do little more than say a few choice words. He couldn't picture their faces. No, not anymore. But here now, he could feel their pain as they told him to sit in a cargo box in the middle of the night. They gave him a doll made from discarded hay and rags sewn together by his mother. And he never saw them again. Kieran's mind flashed back to Aura, and to her final question: "Do you ever wonder what life would be like if Apex wasn't the center of the universe?" In truth, sometimes he did. And one time, he had acted. When he was old enough to convince the sailors to let him aboard, Kieran had ridden one of the ships back to the land his parents had tilled. He had his doll about him--wrapped in the blanket that had been with him the right he had left them. He stood on the sandy beaches of his childhood, directed to the farm by some of the other local farmers. He could see in their eyes that some of them recognized him still. They bore morose expressions at the sight of him. They would say little about his parents. He stood in the blighted ashes of what had once been his home soon after. He dug through the rubble that had been a farmhouse. He found little more than sticks, pots, pans, and dirt. How the home was destroyed, the other farmers wouldn't say. But the story went that one morning, the farmers saw his parents headed west, into the mountains. They would not be seen again. Kieran had returned to Port Apex, and remained ever since. These memories had passed him in an instant as Aura asked her question. "I don't know what's out there, Aura," he admitted. "I don't know if anyone here knows. Anyone who's left hasn't come back, that's for sure." He thought for a moment, then shifted gears. "Apex is all we have. It's cruel, but it can be exploited. I don't know what's out past those mountains, but I do know that here we have a chance to live a better life if we play our cards right. It's all I've ever done. If there was a way to change AA, to make things better, sure I'd try for it but... " He looked down, then back up. "I just want to survive. Maybe once that's done we can see about creating something better."</s>
<\|description\|>KIERAN Nickname(s) "Key," mostly, in work. Sometimes "K." In the eyes of Apex Authority, he is known as "Transportation Technician #3B149," which is the closest thing he has had to a legal name. He is mononymous. Age 25 (Estimated) Appearance Physically athletic and fairly intimidating at six foot-two, Kieran is a little on the leaner side. Both his hair and his beard have a tendency to go on the fritz, as work overtakes time for him to take shears to them. He has several scars on both legs and arms from moving in and out of tight, sometimes sharp spots throughout Apex. He's often dressed in a very simple, muted color palette, and almost always has a satchel with him—containing various documents and necessary paperwork. Job Duty Kieran works as a Runner. Technically a "transportation technician," Runners work with the approval of Apex Authority to facilitate a wide variety of essential tasks. While Apex Authority often uses the service themselves, the service is primarily utilized by the middle and lower classes of Apex. Runners facilitate transit for letters, legal documents, cargo, and even people. Off-the-record, runners are also notoriously paid to pass verbal messages between factions, or from Apex Authority to others within Apex. Runners enjoy a few benefits of working for Apex Authority, such as their Runner's Stamp for official messages (which operates as a sort of notary service), and general protection. That is, Apex Enforcement members ("AEs") will investigate the disappearance/murder of a Runner. It is more than AEs offer to regular citizens, but more often than not, Runners that disappear are never recovered. Faction Information Runners often keep a distance from each other—working in agreed-upon sectors to keep competition light—so Kieran is more often than not, alone. He lives in District 3, subsection B, and associates most often with Port Apex. While officially, grains, produce, and other materials are brought in from nearby fields via these vessels, unofficially, a host of contraband makes its way to the shores of Apex. This contraband, ordered by the higher and lower classes alike, constitutes most of Kieran's work. History Kieran was found aboard one of the many farming ships that travel to Port Apex as an infant. As an unclaimed child, it was suspected that his parents were farmers who either could not afford to keep him or did not want to. Otherwise, he was passed from port worker to port worker until he finally earned his stamp at around age 15, and has been living on his own and working as a runner ever since. His age is self-given, and an estimate.</s> <\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran's eyes blurred in brilliant displays of light and darkness. He stormed through the tunnels beneath the hills of subsection A--Aura keeping pace as they sprinted. Their gait was hurried and pained--their breaths ripping, gasping in the air and sending hollow echoes throughout as they ran. The boat. Kieran thought, over and over again. We have to get to the boat. "I can't go back to Unity!" Aura explained. Loor was dead. The words crushed into Kieran though he had known their truth for the past several minutes. This plan had gone all sorts of sideways. The laptop--should Aura even have it, as the past few minutes had been a blur--was their only salvation. How was he to explain to AA what had happened? If Aura couldn't go back to Unity, what could he even accomplish to get them both in better standing in AA? Right now, the time for rumination was far from where they were--running like animals from what would likely be a mob of police and resistance. Kieran pushed past the hatch and dumped them on the beach. Suddenly, all of the noise and the chaos of the party bled away into the night. Here the salt air sliced through the silence like a tempest calm. And suddenly, all was still. Kieran huffed and puffed--trying to catch his breath. Beside and behind him, Aura seemed similarly lost in thought. A momentary glance to her concerned him, given the emotion on her face, but he gave it no mind. They both were murderers, this night. There was little to be done about that. He could ask her later how a shoreline could be so moving. He led them forward--slower now, gently--across the retrograde boardwalk. Towards the ragged boats around and beneath. Out here the full moon shone upon the shores of this vast sea so much that the distant, cragged peaks of distant mountains shone themselves even now. All he wanted in this moment was to leave. To take Aura far, far away from whatever fetid mess they had created tonight and to start something new. But he knew things may be more complex than that. They always were. "That's where we're going," he responded in kind to her question. He figured she wouldn't be so impressed, but what else was there to do in light of what had happened? Escape via the streets was one thing, but after Loor's death? These consequences would be felt for long after they had escaped. Or been killed. Looking for construction and engineering he could recognize, Kieran spotted a larger boat with twin hulls. A catamaran, to be exact. This sort of boat had what he wanted--a sturdier engine he could possibly start with siphoned fuel, and a lower storage and cabin area to hide in should AA come around. "Here," Kieran said, helping Aura down to the top of the boat. He took a few takes around the area before letting his guard down--wasting no time and moving to the stern and opening the engine compartment. "These retrograde engines have held up better than you'd have expected," he explained to her as he took a look at the block. He felt alongside the walls of the inner compartment, leaning into it and feeling for bumps. "The batteries die, of course, but a lot of the time the people who owned these had these jumpers that held up hundreds of years. They thought it would have them if they were abandoned at sea, but for us," he continued, "it works out long after they're gone." As he talked and explained, he couldn't help but think of the last time he had been on a boat like this. In Port Apex, with the port boys and him looking around abandoned retrograde models for booze or something better. He spent much of his adolescence like that--drinking with the others, messing with engine parts, without a care in the world so long as they were back before the morning... He shook the thought from his head and kept making adjustments to the engine block. "I know you probably had the best reason in the world to kill Loor. In fact, I'm pretty fucking sure of it." He found a bolt holding the ignition assembly and began to loosen it. "Though honestly, I'm not sure where we go from here because of it." He looked to Aura--unsure of her eyes but knowing his shone little more than the truth. He could get the boat moving, sure, but then what? "I'm not sure what we do from here."</s> <\|message\|>AURA "I'm not sure what we do from here." Getting lost in thought looking around the boat, Aura was snapped back to reality with his statement. "Bring me to your place. I'll, uh, I'll get a runner to bring the laptop to Gregor. Last thing I need is the AA and the cause looking for me." She began to pace around the boat, every now and then stumbling from the small waves beneath them lapping against the dock. "All they knew at the party was that I was a girl named Sada with long, black hair. I'll...I'll cut it. Bleach it with some cleaner and..." Aura looked to Kieran, obviously desperate and reeling from the events that had just taken place. "Please, if you could just hide me for a bit, we could figure it out from there. I'll lay low. No one will ever know I'm there, just...please." Her voice shook which pissed her off more than anything. She was stronger than this. Smarter than this. She should have just let Loor do what he wanted and told Gregor that she couldn't get the lap top. Now, she was at the mercy of Kieran, who could easily turn her in to the AA without a second thought. Aura plopped down on a cushion and let her foot rest above her, already able to see the black bruise and blood pooling on the top of it. Tears came again, but she held her head down and quickly wiped them with her hands, but it only mixed with Loor's blood dried on her hands. "Fuck," she mumbled before throwing herself to the side of the boat and puked. Once done, Aura caught a reflection of herself in the metallic trim, and in its warped picture, she could see Loor's blood was now smeared across her cheeks. "No, no," she whispered sharply, running to the other side of the boat, leaning over its edge until it was only her legs inside, and dunked her head into the icy water, scrubbing her face and arms vigorously until she was sure no blood was lingering. With a gasp, she brought herself back over the edge and into the boat, and searched the cabinets until she found a scratchy blanket to wrap around herself. Once situated back onto the cushion, Aura brought a finger to her face again, relieved to only see the running black coal that she'd lined her eyes with. "So, what do you say? It'd only be for a few days."</s>	<\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran tried his best to keep his eyes from bulging out of his head once he realized what Aura was trying to suggest. 'You've got to be fucking kidding me,' he thought to himself. His mind raced to think of how he could best sneak her into Port Apex, and the very thought gave him sharp pangs of anxiety. He'd had to get past the Port Boys, which was going to be an issue all on its own with how shitty the men of the port could be, but even beyond that, beyond paying off anyone who saw them, he couldn't help but feel embarrassed. His home was terrible. An amalgamation of whatever he could find within a few containers. Nothing even close to creature comforts. But...he knew they had to do it. After the party, "Sada" was going to be public enemy number #1. And he knew that he would need to contact AA before they tracked him down themselves, endangering them both. Tonight and tomorrow he would spend the time sorting out a cover story and next steps. But for now, there was a more pressing problem. He needed to get them out of here, and quickly. He watched as Aura turned to hurl over the boat and wrap herself up. He tried not to watch too closely. It was uncomfortable, watching someone unravel. But he knew he would have done the same had he been in her position. She was now a fugitive, and he needed to do what he could to protect her. So, instead of watching, he occupied himself with the engine block. Taking the jumpers and making a few adjustments, he pulled hard on the pull cord, once, then twice, then-- WHIRRRRRRRRRR The engine roared fiercely into the night, before settling to idle at a lower speed. He could feel the boast jostle beneath them--a good sign--and knew that the engine was moving the propeller. They were mobile. "So, what do you say? It'd only be for a few days." He turned away from the engine block and back to her. "Until we know what the fallout is from this, I agree. You need to lay low. Let's get moving." -- Kieran occupied himself with the rudder as the boat buoyed and bounced its way through the choppy waters of the sound. Above them, moonlight reflected several-fold. As Kieran took a wide berth away from the shores of Apex, the light meant that the two could see all of Apex in this one, simple light. The city looked more dead than alive out here. The towering retrograde buildings in the heart of downtown had half-fallen--leaving jagged peaks and imposing pikes to rise from the earth. Even still, behind the city, he could see the distant peaks of a more natural kind. The mountains that surrounded and seemed to consume Apex. Cutting it off from...whatever it may be beyond. "My Dad told me once that our family had come from the other side of those mountains," he thought aloud. "I wonder what's there now..." He glanced to Aura before quickly realizing those thoughts had been said aloud and turned away to avoid discussing it further. Luckily, the port was quickly approaching, and it was time to get ashore. Once a few hundred feet from shore, Kieran killed the engine and let the ship slowly float towards one of the many deserted docks on the north end of Port Apex. He knew that in the shadows, many of the Port Boys and others would likely be watching. Tomorrow, he'd have to venture out to see who knew what, who and told whom. Once the ship docked, he helped Aura off of the boat and onto the rocky shoreline. As he did, he could see her injured foot--and it wasn't looking great. "Here," he said, moving to her opposite side, "don't put much weight on it." He slipped an arm around her and helped her cross the short walk to his home a few hundred feet down the shore. He opened the door to reveal the same home he had known for years--spacious enough, given it was four shipping containers connected together, yet still small enough to where the entire space could fit in a single field of vision. He helped Aura to the bed--a rather large tarp over makeshift betting and some blankets pawned off from a client--and moved to the furnace. "Sorry for the mess," he said quietly, Why did he feel so embarrassed? He quickly started a fire and warmed up the cold space, before moving to his water tank and pulling together two pints of water. He brought one over to Aura. "It's not much of a place, but I made it myself," he continued. "It may not be all that grand, but it's home." He sat down on the floor a few feet away--a comfortable conversing distance, plus, he had no real seating in here other than the bed--and finally, took a deep breath. They were safe, for now. "We should get something for that foot," he noted. Kieran was quickly beginning to realize he had a good deal of anxiety brewing in his chest. Strangers came and went--and he was very comfortable conversing with a whole host of them throughout a day. But Aura was much more than that at this point. And he hadn't spoken with anyone he actually cared about in years, and now, suddenly, he and Aura were bound together. It had happened so quickly he hadn't realized how quickly he had come to trust her. He suddenly felt aware of the fact and tried not to think on it too much. "And I'll see what clean clothes I have that'll fit." He felt another pang of anxiety. Perhaps if he could focus on fixing whatever issue was in front of them, it would go away. Still, it was a nice feeling, in a way. Maybe these next few days wouldn't be so bad after all.</s>
<\|description\|>AURA Nickname(s) None, other than being called by her last name, Holland, which her family called a "name of the old world." Age 24 Appearance She stands at average height - around 5'5" - with straight, black hair that hangs down to her waist which she ties up in a knot or braid most days. She's thin like most in Subsection F, as having extra weight is a luxury that they can't afford, but working has given her some muscle she'd never had previously. If not in her work suit, she normally dresses in black to not draw attention to herself, especially with what's happening in the District. Among random scars, she has a few tattoos in hidden places as well as her ears stretched, a trend that had resurfaced in the subsection when she was a teenager. Job Duty Aura, as of three months ago, was demoted to Sanitation and Maintenance as a form of punishment. Originally, like her mother, she was in Service and Housekeeping, often traveling to the wealthier districts to serve as a maid. A family down by the beach had chosen her mother as their permanent maid two years ago, and Aura hasn't seen her since. Faction Information Although its officially named subsection F, many of its inhabitants refer to it as its previous name, Unity, chosen many years ago during the first rebellion, but the AA refuses to acknowledge it as such. It's the heart of the district, its epicenter, with its downtown area called Atlantic. Most of the job opportunities in the subsection are to be of service to other subsections - some among them being Service and Housekeeping, Sanitation and Maintenance, and a new opportunity, Apex Enforcement. It was the first time in years that the AA ever thought to recruit anyone from subsection F, but with how desperate some of its citizens are getting, its sold as a fantastic chance of leaving poverty. Most of Unity's inhabitants, though, frown upon anyone joining the AE. Rumors of rebellion rumble through the underground, but the AA hasn't had any solid proof...yet. History Aura grew up with her mother, father, and little brother Ion in a small home on the outskirts of the district, and though it was humble, it was full of love. Her brother and father still occupied the home, now growing crops for the entire District. She still visits often, especially when she needs a home-cooked meal, and her dad always insists on giving her an extra serving even though there isn't much to spare. Her father, though rebellious in his youth, was now a reformed man, insisting that things were the way they needed to be. This continually caused a riff between them, until Aura realized that he wasn't going to change. Talks of the second rebellion were no longer had at the dinner table. While Aura was never a well-behaved child, her actions were to help her family. Since caught stealing bread at the age of 13, she had been under the eye of the AE, and has had numerous run-ins with them since.</s> <\|message\|>AURA The trek to her father's house was a blur, adrenaline and uncertainty pumping through Aura with each beat of her heart clapping in her ears. To keep her hostage from returning to her family home, she tossed her sweater over his head and guided him by looping one arm through his, while the other kept the gun pointed towards him. The rain had picked up, and the dirt floor of the crop fields had turned into a thick stretch of mud, causing her boots to stick with each step. Bam. Bam. Bam. The heavy wooden door only creaked open a couple of an inches with an eye peeking out. "It's me." Her father sighed, not opening the door any further. "What have you done?" "I need the garage tonight. And two changes of clothes." Moments passed, with only silence and the patter of the rain to fill the void. "Please… I'm sorry." "Be out by dawn," he huffed, followed by snapping the door shut. The man returned moments later with a sack that he tossed to her, giving no time for another word between them before shutting the door once again. Once entering the garage, Aura forced the man into a seated position on the floor and removed her sweater from his head. The garage, detached by a few hundred feet from the home, held a tractor and other machinery, along with an array of tools that lined the back wall, a fold out cot, and a wooden desk. She hastily lit a couple of candles until the garage was illuminated with a dim, yellow light, then she grabbed a retrieved from the wall and threw it over her shoulder. "You're changing first," she instructed, shoving a plain, large t-shirt and cotton pants into the man's hands, taking his bag in response and kicking it across the floor towards the cot. Her hand that held the gun trembled, unsure if it was from the frigid rain or her nerves, but her eyes shot to the ground in an attempt to give the man some privacy. Once finished, she tied his arms behind him around a support beam that sat in the center of the garage, then grabbed her own change of clothes. These must have been Ion's, her younger brother, who towered over her much like the mystery man. She put the large t-shirt on, then slipped the wet clothes beneath off of her, then slid on the pants, then took their wet clothes and draped them over a chair to dry. What would her endgame be here? If she let him go, he could kill her - or worse, notify the AA of her treason. He knew her name already… that she had family. She should have just shot him in the street when she had the chance. Aura felt around in his bag and removed the gun, placing it gently on the ground next to hers. Next his paperwork, which for now, she just glanced over before setting placing them on the cot. So," she sighed, crouching down in front of him. "A runner, huh?" Her eyes scanned him in curiosity. "Why are you in F?" Before continuing, Aura realized that she still hadn't had her one question answered since she had seen the man in front of Mae's tavern. "What's your name?"</s> <\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran continued to be accosted as he was held at gunpoint and continued to be pushed further and further from the town square. As she pushed him, Kieran made a note of every building, every street, and every inch of the area—until of course, she tossed a sweater over her head. "Fucking really," Kieran muttered, unsure and uncaring if she had heard the comment. Luckily, the smell wasn't so bad, if it weren't for the sweat that had already been dripping down his face. He continued to trudge forward through the humid, muddy night. He tried to keep some sense of his bearings and figured they had gone maybe a ten or so blocks before he heard her bang thrice on a door. He listened intently to the conversation Aura shared with a third voice. This one gruff, uncaring but…rather familiar. He figured this could be a close friend, or possibly a relative. He was unsure and would be sure to figure that one out later. As for now he ran through the facts. This was Aura; likely associated with the same group the others were. She was armed. He had heard gunshots. Likely this all would have been enough to get her arrested (assuming he survived the night) but that wasn't his mission, was it? He hated himself in some small way for thinking this way. He wasn't a spy, for fuck's sake—he was a runner, and his business was passing along shit and keeping a low profile. Nothing about all of this seemed right. Apex Authority were no heroes. These so-called freedom fighters broke a strange peace and got others killed in their wake. The more he thought, the less he felt like picking any side in this horrid mess. He expected blinding light when she removed the sweater from his head, but the dimness of the room was a simple sight to be acclimated to. He locked eyes with her—looking down, of course, as she was several inches to a foot shorter—and could immediately spot something he was familiar with. Fear. He didn't see a fearless terrorist. He saw someone terrified out of their fucking mind about what was going on. Which immediately lowered his guard and put him at ease. If he played his cards right, he might not be the real hostage here. As she tossed clothes in his hands, she took his bag and was sure to kick it hard away from them—which immediately put him at ease. He had been particularly careful to burn all evidence of the current mission and keep the Black Seal on his person rather than in an easily-stolen bag. In there wasn't much other than the usual ID papers and runner's stamp. He gave he a cold look; wondering if she was going to watch him change. He watched her eyes dart to the floor, before removing his clothes. He was glad to be out of them, really. What a sweaty mess he was at this point. He made a point to turn his back to her and straighten out his underwear—ensuring Aura's eyes stayed away—and slipped the Black Seal from his trousers to his underwear. Uncomfortable indeed. He figured he would bet on her holding back on asking him to be completely naked. If she didn't he figured he'd have to find a good way to lie. He placed the rest of the clothes on him and was tied promptly to a pole. He looked away as Aura changed, and watched her dig through his things. "So," she sighed, crouching down in front of him. "A runner, huh? Why are you in F? What's your name?" He figured he'd tackle her questions one at a time. He made sure to make clear eye contact through the sweat dripping down his face. Fuck, it was hot in here. "Yeah, a runner," he said simply. "3B149, feel free to verify that on the sheet." He straightened up against the pole; trying to ward off a pain growing his back. "I have a couple of clients take me this far and was back in town to collect. Sure, I'm not supposed to be in F, but hey; what were you up to after curfew?" He always laughed the last half of his sentence; breaking into a smile. His captor was looking increasingly shaky and tense; not great when she was two guns on her. He figured he could lean into his recent deal with Teegan and Cale and could get them to verify his story to Aura if need be. "I'm Kieran," he smiled. "And I'm very much not looking to die tonight, so if we could work something out, I'm all ears." While he was miles from trusting Aura, particularly now, he was certainly hoping to make an ally of her, after all. He wasn't exactly sure of the benefits of the alternative, but it certainly wouldn't be good for him, would it?</s>	<\|message\|>AURA "Kieran," she mumbled in response. His demeanor was the most unnerving thing about him. He was calm and smiling, while Aura did everything she could to choke down the nausea bubbling in her stomach. She had taken a runner hostage. A runner. The weight of her actions began to sink deep in her stomach, the heat of the garage beginning to suffocate the oxygen from the room. Aura dashed to the window, threw it open, and allowed herself a deep gulp of breath from the cooler air that poured in. Could she somehow get a message to Gregor? Explain she had fucked up and that she needed help? The thought of his temper made Aura shut down the thought instantly. No, she'd have to figure a way out of this herself. She couldn't lose her spot in the cause. They were her last chance of getting out of F for good. The only place she fit in. But if the man got free, he would shoot her. If he didn't shoot her, he'd run until he could report her. She was dead in the water in every outcome imaginable. Aura turned from the window and moved to stand in front of him, hiding her trembling hands in the pockets of Ion's pants. "I won't -" Due to nerves, her voice left her body as a whisper. Get it together. "I won't kill you," she responded, now reflecting a more confident tone. "I just…" How could she get him on her side, at least long enough for her to figure out a plan? "You, the mystery man, catch me in the middle of a firefight with an AR in my hands." She chuckled, wiping her forehead to rid it of sweat. "That would normally sound like a really fun night for me. But you're," Aura finally gained courage to look up at him, "you're a runner. You may as well be an enforcer." Aura grabbed an empty pail from the corner and opened the garage door. "I'll be right back." She soon returned, the pail now full of water. Before dealing with it, she plopped down and began to work her fingers at the laces of her sopping boots, groaning when each foot finally broke free. "Thirsty?" Without waiting for an answer, Aura grabbed the pail and approached him, lifting it to Kieran's lips. Once done, she took a few gulps of it herself before making herself comfortable on the floor across from him. "You want to leave here alive. As do I. And if I'm reported, you may as well kill me now." Aura scanned his face hoping for any hint of weakness, but the man was made of stone. Asshole. "So Kieran, what would you do if you were in my position?"</s>
<\|description\|>AURA Nickname(s) None, other than being called by her last name, Holland, which her family called a "name of the old world." Age 24 Appearance She stands at average height - around 5'5" - with straight, black hair that hangs down to her waist which she ties up in a knot or braid most days. She's thin like most in Subsection F, as having extra weight is a luxury that they can't afford, but working has given her some muscle she'd never had previously. If not in her work suit, she normally dresses in black to not draw attention to herself, especially with what's happening in the District. Among random scars, she has a few tattoos in hidden places as well as her ears stretched, a trend that had resurfaced in the subsection when she was a teenager. Job Duty Aura, as of three months ago, was demoted to Sanitation and Maintenance as a form of punishment. Originally, like her mother, she was in Service and Housekeeping, often traveling to the wealthier districts to serve as a maid. A family down by the beach had chosen her mother as their permanent maid two years ago, and Aura hasn't seen her since. Faction Information Although its officially named subsection F, many of its inhabitants refer to it as its previous name, Unity, chosen many years ago during the first rebellion, but the AA refuses to acknowledge it as such. It's the heart of the district, its epicenter, with its downtown area called Atlantic. Most of the job opportunities in the subsection are to be of service to other subsections - some among them being Service and Housekeeping, Sanitation and Maintenance, and a new opportunity, Apex Enforcement. It was the first time in years that the AA ever thought to recruit anyone from subsection F, but with how desperate some of its citizens are getting, its sold as a fantastic chance of leaving poverty. Most of Unity's inhabitants, though, frown upon anyone joining the AE. Rumors of rebellion rumble through the underground, but the AA hasn't had any solid proof...yet. History Aura grew up with her mother, father, and little brother Ion in a small home on the outskirts of the district, and though it was humble, it was full of love. Her brother and father still occupied the home, now growing crops for the entire District. She still visits often, especially when she needs a home-cooked meal, and her dad always insists on giving her an extra serving even though there isn't much to spare. Her father, though rebellious in his youth, was now a reformed man, insisting that things were the way they needed to be. This continually caused a riff between them, until Aura realized that he wasn't going to change. Talks of the second rebellion were no longer had at the dinner table. While Aura was never a well-behaved child, her actions were to help her family. Since caught stealing bread at the age of 13, she had been under the eye of the AE, and has had numerous run-ins with them since.</s> <\|message\|>AURA "Del's not fucking -" Aura's knee-jerk reaction further proved why she often wasn't trusted by the cause with situations like this. It took just a moment though to gain back what little composure she had previously. "You must have some bad information. Del's not involved in any of this." Guilt began to creep up her spine. Taking advantage of his niceness to cover her ass had obviously landed him on one of the AA's list, and although Aura always knew it was a possibility, hearing it made it real. Kieran presented her with an out, one that made the impossibly difficult situation she put herself even worse. While the cause was all she had left, she couldn't leave if she wanted to. The only way out of the group was to die honorably, or die a traitor. Gregor and others high in the rankings did not have one ounce of trust between them all, and it only made sense to them that if anyone no longer wanted anything to do with the cause, they had to have an ulterior motive. Death was the only way to cover their own asses. And while they've taken great care of Aura, she had been on their bad side before. She was unsure if she'd rather be punished again by them or by an officer, but she at least knew the cause wouldn't harm her family. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for the AE. This was the only choice. Most days, Aura just wished she could leave. To pack what little belongings she had and to head for the mountains in the middle of the night. Of course, she had heard rumors that it was only more grim out of Apex's limits, that there is nothing out there for those that try to leave. But other rumors, those that there are groups of people living freely past the mountains. No authority, no enforcers...that was the fantasy that Aura desperately clung to when things got too heated in Unity. "So, you want me to rat," Aura sighed, pushing back stringy strands of black hair from her vision. "You know what they do to rats here, right?" Remaining seated on the floor, she swiveled around and lifted her shirt to reveal pink scars that resembled lightning strikes down her back. "One of the times that Soren took one of our guys in, he made it sound like I had given them info. The officers like to stir shit up to try and dismantle us…" Upon realizing that she was saying too much already, Aura's face landed in her palms and a groan escaped her. "Guess you got me. But, I need some guarantees." She straightened up her posture and met his eyes. "If you name me in anything, they won't hesitate to deliver my head to you in a package. If I help you, it has to be from an unidentified source." It sounded ridiculous to be demanding anything knowing that Kieran could throw her to the wolves at any time. "Second, if I'm figured out, I have to get out of F. I don't know how much power you have and I don't care. I'll need new papers and a new subsection. And lastly," she took a moment to catch her breath; the heat was growing unbearable whether from her nerves or the rain. Her voice trembled with emotion no matter how much she tried to control it. "I can't be seen with you, now that I know who you are. Figure out where or how we can meet, and I'll do it. I'm probably not welcomed back after this, so it can't be here." A familiar feeling of penitence sat like a rock in her stomach, but this was her only option. Or at least, she couldn't think of a better one. "I'll bring you to the west border of F in the morning. Do we have a deal?"</s> <\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran studied Aura closely as she talked; looking for any signs that wasn't speaking honestly to him. But, if her erratic response to this Del character was to be believed, she wasn't necessarily great at obfuscation. He had to remind himself that not everyone was like him. Not everyone was looking to lie and cheat every chance they had. "Rat is a strong term…" Kieran started, then stopped. He thought for a moment. "But yes. I'd like for you to rat." He next listened to her demands. The first was a simple request; anonymity. An easy sell to AA. Results mattered far more than loyalty to an organization that inherently bred distrust. He needed to deliver a less dangerous Atlantic and they wouldn't care much about the details. Or, who had to die to ensure that eventuality for them. Kieran knew he wouldn't throw Aura to the wolves. Or at least, not unless it really came down to it. The second request was an escape plan. Again. Another non-issue for him. A quick flash of the seal and he could get her past just about anyone. Hell, he could get her on the next boat headed north and off to whatever it was that existed beyond Apex--should anything of value exist out there at all. It was hard to know and even harder on the mind to wonder. The third and final request was another easy sell. The two couldn't be seen with each other so long as they collaborated. Kieran doubted this would be the last time he would be in Atlantic--far from it--but he knew that it was paramount he and her never interacted. "I think we have a deal, then," Kieran smiled. He loosened a bit, now more comfortable that he wasn't going to die that night. He thought for a moment. "I know where we'll meet," he said. "There's a series of old retrograde tunnels on the southeast corner of Atlantic. I'm sure you've seen them." He had initially thought of asking her to meet him at his place, but had discarded that plan as quick as he had formed it. The idea of Aura being able to so easily rat him out to her compatriots wasn't appealing, so he needed somewhere he knew somewhat well and remained neutral to both of them. The tunnels had formerly housed settlements avoiding exposure to the blight, and before that, they had held massive roadways for the city--funneling in people from god knows where else in the world. Whatever was beyond the waters. Kieran thought of what it must have been like to ride one of these passive concrete passages. But the bridges that had crossed the waters east of Apex had long since collapsed, leaving only the tunnels. These days, the tunnels were mostly utilized for AA transport and other matters. But they had a reputation of being a place where Runners, AE members, and citizens could make deals and trades that Apex Authority probably wouldn't condone. In many ways, they steered clear of the tunnels as a show of permissible understanding. Kieran wondered how much of this was known to Aura. Regardless, he continued: "The tunnels are guarded by AE members and lead to subsection J. However, they're easily bribed and I'll make sure they are for us. We'll meet there." Kieran took a second to think. Then: "If you tell me the name of your supervisor, I can work some things out about discreetly getting you away in the middle of the day. Otherwise, I'll be sure to be there after dark and before curfew each night. Make your way to tunnel three and I'll find you." "I'll work on your papers, too," he said. "It might take a few days, but it can be done. I know a guy in City Center who can help me out. I'll see him tomorrow." "And speaking of," he said, settling onto his pole, "it might be worth it to get some sleep."</s>	<\|message\|>AURA As Kieran listed off his orders, Aura struggled to make mental notes of it all, her eyes lazily studying his face, shoulders, and arms as exhaustion had overcome her long before they ever crossed paths. Now, in a matter of an hour, he held her life in his large, rugged hands- Snapping back into reality as his last statement was made, her eyes widened and she nodded rapidly. "Sleep, yeah." She stood back up with a groan and dusted her black pants off vigorously to rid them of the dirt that settled long ago on the garage floor. "Don't try anything," she grumbled as she squatted behind him and began to work at the knot holding his wrists behind his back. Once loose, she gently tugged his arms until they were free of the rope. "You run," she sighed as she headed towards the cot in the corner and unfolded it from the wall until it cracked into place, "and I'll have a hit out on you by dawn. Plus, I'm a light sleeper." While Aura made plenty of idiotic decisions in the past few hours, this may have been the dumbest, but in good conscious, she couldn't let the man sleep in the position she had him. Hopefully her threat would be enough to keep him in place for the night. As if a dog curling up on his blanket, she took her time wiggling about until she found a comfortable position to sleep in while being able to keep an eye on him. Once satisfied, she groaned and let her eyes start to flutter. "Good night, Kieran." *** Aura awoke completely startled and almost launched herself off the cot. Father's garage? Oh yeah. Clothes drying on the chair? Yes, it was raining. Man asleep on the floor? She wished she could forget. While he remained asleep, she quickly changed into the close from the previous nights and laced her boots quietly, using them to nudge him gently as she towered over him. "Let's go." The walk though the fields was silent, more awkward than any morning she'd had before with a man, and her body remained on full alert the entire time. She had seen herself in the reflection of a glass just before leaving, and she had inconspicuously worked on removing the round smudges of coal that had blurred around her eyes as they stomped along. The sunrise began to peak behind them, and it drenched their surroundings in pink and orange. Aura couldn't help but peer over her shoulder a few times. The guard tower was finally visible in the distance. "I have to stop here," she panted, planting her feet apart and crossing her arms. Attempting to seem intimidating felt stupid in front of the skyscraper in front of her, but Gregor always said, "Pretend to be the warrior you want to be." The thousands of thoughts racing through Aura's mind made it hard for her to keep a steady breath and remain present in the moment, but she had fucked up enough to know that she couldn't - at least in this moment - take back anything that transpired. "I can meet you in the tunnels tonight," she offered with a blank expression. "9:00 PM." In defeat, her eyes shot down to the ground between them. "Bring food. Meat if you can get any. Ale works too." Without another word, Aura extended a hand to Kieran. A silent agreement that they both were bonded together by a mutual need. Once they broke off, she shoved his bag in his hand, complete with his gun and paperwork. "Please don't fuck me over, Kieran."</s>
<\|description\|>AURA Nickname(s) None, other than being called by her last name, Holland, which her family called a "name of the old world." Age 24 Appearance She stands at average height - around 5'5" - with straight, black hair that hangs down to her waist which she ties up in a knot or braid most days. She's thin like most in Subsection F, as having extra weight is a luxury that they can't afford, but working has given her some muscle she'd never had previously. If not in her work suit, she normally dresses in black to not draw attention to herself, especially with what's happening in the District. Among random scars, she has a few tattoos in hidden places as well as her ears stretched, a trend that had resurfaced in the subsection when she was a teenager. Job Duty Aura, as of three months ago, was demoted to Sanitation and Maintenance as a form of punishment. Originally, like her mother, she was in Service and Housekeeping, often traveling to the wealthier districts to serve as a maid. A family down by the beach had chosen her mother as their permanent maid two years ago, and Aura hasn't seen her since. Faction Information Although its officially named subsection F, many of its inhabitants refer to it as its previous name, Unity, chosen many years ago during the first rebellion, but the AA refuses to acknowledge it as such. It's the heart of the district, its epicenter, with its downtown area called Atlantic. Most of the job opportunities in the subsection are to be of service to other subsections - some among them being Service and Housekeeping, Sanitation and Maintenance, and a new opportunity, Apex Enforcement. It was the first time in years that the AA ever thought to recruit anyone from subsection F, but with how desperate some of its citizens are getting, its sold as a fantastic chance of leaving poverty. Most of Unity's inhabitants, though, frown upon anyone joining the AE. Rumors of rebellion rumble through the underground, but the AA hasn't had any solid proof...yet. History Aura grew up with her mother, father, and little brother Ion in a small home on the outskirts of the district, and though it was humble, it was full of love. Her brother and father still occupied the home, now growing crops for the entire District. She still visits often, especially when she needs a home-cooked meal, and her dad always insists on giving her an extra serving even though there isn't much to spare. Her father, though rebellious in his youth, was now a reformed man, insisting that things were the way they needed to be. This continually caused a riff between them, until Aura realized that he wasn't going to change. Talks of the second rebellion were no longer had at the dinner table. While Aura was never a well-behaved child, her actions were to help her family. Since caught stealing bread at the age of 13, she had been under the eye of the AE, and has had numerous run-ins with them since.</s> <\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran couldn't help but flinch--just a little bit--as Aura snapped back in defense at his question. Perhaps he shouldn't have been too surprised--it was, in fact, a pretty direct and rude question. Still, he composed himself and adjusted to match her in kind. Fine, he thought to himself. Let's do it this way. He watched as her ale toss went awry, offering no pity on his face as she crumbled. "Okay," he said, setting his ale down on the table between them. "No bullshit." He recited, in austere detail, the top-level of what he knew. "Apex Enforcement knows of a terrorist apparatus rather simply as The Cause, gestating some time and becoming more and more violent to petty officers and under suspicion of conspiracy against the government. Known associates of The Cause are mononymic in nature. I have a few names. Gregor. Mae. Miranda. This Del you seem quite fond of. Locations too. But I'm going to tell you now no matter what agreement we come to everyone I listed will be investigated and very likely worse if we don't come to an agreement about who is involved, and how." "So," he continued, straightening his back somewhat, "If Del isn't involved, I need to know why and how he became associated with The Cause so I can clear his name. And if you have any arrangements with The Cause--any information concerning their next moves--I need that too. We can build trust with AA by telling them in advance. If need be, they'll let The Cause continue with their plans while learning more about them. They're not looking to thwart one operation. They want the whole thing decimated, and they're willing to wait to ensure that happens."</s> <\|message\|>AURA "Del is…" It felt so wrong. The memory of him pleading to her not to get him involved replayed in her mind more vivid than any movie they'd shown in the town square. "They'll take me in for interrogation. Take my family in. They can't handle that. They're quiet, Aura. They're dishwashers. They can't take that shit." At this point though, it was only to clear his name. There was no other option. "He's my next door neighbor. My friend. My only friend." Aura sighed and leaned forward, rubbing her temples. "He just covers for me. He doesn't know what we do, what I do. The runners we work with only tell him what he needs to know. The cause doesn't even know." Shooting up from her chair, she darted for the refrigerator and grabbed another one of the bottles Kieran brought and plopped back down. While Aura had been involved in enough nefarious shit, being a rat felt the worst on her conscious so far. Whether it was the impending feeling of punishment from the cause for what she was doing or the fact she was turning her back on all she knew, it felt like shit. At least she had enough ale to stave off the feeling until the next morning. "Gregor…" a deep breath and a sip was needed before continuing, "he's been our shot caller since Santo died a couple years back. He's organized every major event since." Subconsciously, a hand lifted to her face to press on the scab on her bottom lip, wincing as the scab separated under pressure. "There's a… party or something in Sub A. Loor's house." Another deep breath was taken, this time shaky in its exhale. "I'm going undercover with a group of prostitutes. I have to take a folding computer, I forget the name." Aura took a few gulps from the brown bottle, and this time, politely set it down on the table next to her. "If I fail to grab it and get out, and if his drink doesn't knock him out in time, I'll have to fuck him, then leave in the morning with the rest of the girls. Gregor wants the information on it. Something about more restrictions in F." For the first time in a few minutes, Aura lifted her head and looked at Kieran. "I don't wanna do it. But this is my punishment from running away from the fight. This is his retribution. He coulda easily paid one of the other girls to do it." A hand ran through her hair as she took a moment to let the wave of anger run through her, then she returned her attention to Kieran. "What else?"</s> <\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran eyed Aura and listened intently as she began to get into the gritty details of why they were there. He was looking for a tell--a glance to the side, a pause that lingers too long--anything that could give away any evidence that she was lying. He also thought back to his briefing, and the information he received. But as she spoke, she gave no signs of deception--if anything, she seemed more despondent than ever. When she spoke of this Del character specifically, she seemed nearly desperate. Kieran made a mental note to clear this person from any AA scrutiny as a show of good faith as they continued to work together. Santo, Kieran thought to himself as she said the name. It triggered something in him. He had once heard of a Santo causing a serious amount of damage to subsection A back in the day--which was particularly impressive, as most people even involved in Apex weren't allowed there. He wasn't sure if he was getting Santo mixed up with some other freedom fighter, but if he recalled correctly, whoever it was that caused the massive explosion in subsection A was hanged and left to rot for months on the highest crane in Port Apex. He was surprised to next hear Aura describe heading to sub A herself. "You're going to a party at Gerald Loor's house?" Kieran asked, nearly cutting her off. Loor was a big, big fucking deal to Kieran and just about anyone else within AA or AE. He had a reputation for cruelty--often enacted with very little regard for collateral and with a smirk that never left his face. He wasn't machiavellian or anything like that--he was also known for his politician's demeanor--but he was certainly one of the people that probably knew about Kieran and what he was up to regarding the Cause. His mind raced as Aura continued to explain the point of the mission in place for the next day. "That's dangerous," Kieran said. Then--thinking--continued on. "I mean--you know that, I know--but fuck, Aura. Gerald Loor's laptop is going to be pretty fucking locked down. And it's probably encrypted." He paused a moment, trying to read Aura's face. He figured, since she hadn't known the term for 'laptop', perhaps he should explain. "That folding computer--the laptop--it's gonna be very hard to get the information off of it unless you know someone that's good with computers, and I mean really good. I can't do any of that shit myself." He thought for another moment. He needed to get in contact with Apex Authority directly--especially if the Cause was going to be stealing from Loor. They would want to know why Kieran did nothing to stop it. He made a mental note to travel directly to downtown the next day and talk to someone. Maybe even Loor himself. He also thought it if was worth telling AA to wipe the computer, but that would immediately put Aura at risk. However, even if he asked AA not to, there was no telling what they would do outside of his wishes. He had to play his cards carefully--ensuring the Cause doesn't suspect Aura, AA doesn't prematurely ruin his plans, and Aura wasn't in danger. He found himself immediately surprised by that last thought. Being mindful of those involved collaterally was typically not his style. But as he saw Aura in front of him now, watching him--despondent about tomorrow's events--he truly felt as if he owed her for all of the help she's been to him so far. "I can learn more soon about the Cause, but maybe it's better if I learn directly," he thought aloud. "I can get to Loor's house easily. I mean, fuck--I probably work for him and don't even know it--but I can make sure you don't..." He trailed off. He didn't even want to mention it. "...I can make sure you get out of there with the laptop unscathed. But these must be some pretty rough restrictions if Gregor is willing to take this risk." He opted not to mention the idea of meeting up with AA directly--at least, not yet. This was a lot of information in a very short amount of time. Besides, he didn't know what AA was planning for this party. Or what they had in store for Atlantic.</s>	<\|message\|>AURA "You'll...you'll go?" Aura took a deep breath. The news wasn't much relief, especially if anyone saw him assisting her, she'd be beaten to death before the sun rose. However, the glimmer of hope that Kieran's offer gave her was enough to calm her nerves temporarily. "Anything you could do to make sure I get out of there, I'd be thankful." Allowing her muscles to relax, she leaned forward with her hands folded, meeting his eyes. "I don't know what time I'm going, or when the party even starts. Pogo usually has his girls arrive on a carriage. Should be ten to fifteen of us." Picking at her nails, Aura tried to think of anything else to let Kieran know of. Unfortunately, she wasn't given much information himself. "They sewed a dress for me, one that I can put the laptop in when I leave. I know the girls aren't allowed to bring bags or any other belongings." Knowing Gregor, he probably didn't bank too much on her making it out. If anything, she'd be caught and either meet the AA executioner in the morning or be thrown in a cell. But while he hated her actions, Aura was never a rat, and in his mind, could never be one. If only he could fucking see her now. Countless nights given to The Cause. Countless beatings by the AE and her own people. Grueling "exercises" to prove her worth, her undying loyalty. The constant reminder that she was fighting for a better tomorrow for F, when she and the rest went days without a full meal. And although the doubt in her mind had been growing like an invasive weed for months, Kieran was the sign she was hoping for from the gods. Her golden ticket. The only way out. There had been rumors of witness protection within the subsections, but then, there were also the rumors of life outside of Apex - the more dangerous option. "I have a question for you, Kieran." Aura groaned as she leaned back in her chair. "Don't you get tired of it? All the bureaucratic bullshit?" She paused and giggled quietly. "I learned that word from a book. But really. Everything we all do - all of us - is always for 'the greater good of Apex,' no matter what side you're on. The farmers feed Apex. Sanitation keeps the roads safe for Apex. You run information for Apex. It's all for Apex, for Apex, fo fucking Apex. You know, my dad told me that people used to have jobs that weren't for the fucking city? They made music. They made art. They made games for the rest of us to enjoy." Aura paused for a moment, eyes scanning the man's face before her. He was just as stone cold as always. She imagined her words bouncing off of him and falling to the ground. "Do you ever wonder what life would be like if Apex wasn't the center of the universe?"</s>
<\|description\|>AURA Nickname(s) None, other than being called by her last name, Holland, which her family called a "name of the old world." Age 24 Appearance She stands at average height - around 5'5" - with straight, black hair that hangs down to her waist which she ties up in a knot or braid most days. She's thin like most in Subsection F, as having extra weight is a luxury that they can't afford, but working has given her some muscle she'd never had previously. If not in her work suit, she normally dresses in black to not draw attention to herself, especially with what's happening in the District. Among random scars, she has a few tattoos in hidden places as well as her ears stretched, a trend that had resurfaced in the subsection when she was a teenager. Job Duty Aura, as of three months ago, was demoted to Sanitation and Maintenance as a form of punishment. Originally, like her mother, she was in Service and Housekeeping, often traveling to the wealthier districts to serve as a maid. A family down by the beach had chosen her mother as their permanent maid two years ago, and Aura hasn't seen her since. Faction Information Although its officially named subsection F, many of its inhabitants refer to it as its previous name, Unity, chosen many years ago during the first rebellion, but the AA refuses to acknowledge it as such. It's the heart of the district, its epicenter, with its downtown area called Atlantic. Most of the job opportunities in the subsection are to be of service to other subsections - some among them being Service and Housekeeping, Sanitation and Maintenance, and a new opportunity, Apex Enforcement. It was the first time in years that the AA ever thought to recruit anyone from subsection F, but with how desperate some of its citizens are getting, its sold as a fantastic chance of leaving poverty. Most of Unity's inhabitants, though, frown upon anyone joining the AE. Rumors of rebellion rumble through the underground, but the AA hasn't had any solid proof...yet. History Aura grew up with her mother, father, and little brother Ion in a small home on the outskirts of the district, and though it was humble, it was full of love. Her brother and father still occupied the home, now growing crops for the entire District. She still visits often, especially when she needs a home-cooked meal, and her dad always insists on giving her an extra serving even though there isn't much to spare. Her father, though rebellious in his youth, was now a reformed man, insisting that things were the way they needed to be. This continually caused a riff between them, until Aura realized that he wasn't going to change. Talks of the second rebellion were no longer had at the dinner table. While Aura was never a well-behaved child, her actions were to help her family. Since caught stealing bread at the age of 13, she had been under the eye of the AE, and has had numerous run-ins with them since.</s> <\|message\|>AURA What happened next felt both like a whirlwind and a blur, and Aura focused all of her energy on taking Kieran's lead… well that, and trying not to puke. Though it wasn't the first time she killed someone, it had never been so close, and especially by hand. When the cause shot their guns from strategic positions on rooftops, Aura convinced herself it was a game. That none of it was real. The shock from this time, however, left her skin tingling, her eyes teary, and her stomach twisting. Once in the basement, the warm, moist air allowed a moment of relief although short-lived. Feeling useless, all Aura could do was watch as the man, seemingly a guard, and Kieran tussled, eventually leading to the guard's skull to split. Better his than Kieran's. Without a word, she followed him down a corridor and through another door, every so often checking behind her to make sure no one else had followed them. The foot the globe fell on began to throb with every step, but there was no time to complain. "In here." With a deep breath and a nod, Aura followed him into what appeared to be a network of tunnels under Loor's house illuminated by dim lights dotted along the ceiling. At this point, she ditched the heels one of Pogo's girls had lent her and held them tightly, picking up speed behind Kieran who seemed to already know the tunnel system like the back of his hand. "How?" Once it felt safe, Aura - through ragged breath - began to explain. "I killed him," she whispered. "Loor." Another few breaths. "He was gonna kill me...I-I panicked." More breathing. "I can't go back to Unity. The AA will execute me. I -" They approached a door at the end of the tunnel, one with a circular handle and a small, round window that protruded outward like a fish eye. A hatch. Her faith in Kieran and getting her to safety was growing by the second. Once opening it, they were out on the beach. The wet sand sunk between her toes, and the wind whipped her hair and dress around, and for a second, memories of the beach with her mother flashed through her. "Aura, watch out for the rocks!" her mother called from up on the sand. "I only half a ten minute break, and I can't bring you back to Mrs. Ruther's all bloody." An eleven year old Aura waded through the water, the pants that were a few sizes too large bunched up in her hands. The sun shined brightly, and the warm feeling made her wonder if that's what the bread felt like in the community kitchen as it baked over the fire. "Let's go, Aura!' "Aw, five more minutes?" Aura pleaded, swiveling around abruptly to give her mother a pathetic expression. Chuckling, she nodded. "Five more minutes." The memory made tears begin to trickle down Aura's cheeks, which she quickly swept away while Kieran was looking the other direction. It had been years since she saw the ocean, but she never imagined it would happen like this. Not a minute later, they were traveling down a dilapidated boardwalk, testing each step with their toes before trusting the wooden planks beneath them. Aura looked back to see small figures in black swarming around Loor's house, scanning the backyard before they presumably searched the shore. "They're looking, Kieran," she whispered, moving as quickly she could. "Where are we going?" That's when she saw the boats through a large hole in the boardwalk that had collapsed with age. "That's where we're going?"</s> <\|message\|>KIERAN Kieran's eyes blurred in brilliant displays of light and darkness. He stormed through the tunnels beneath the hills of subsection A--Aura keeping pace as they sprinted. Their gait was hurried and pained--their breaths ripping, gasping in the air and sending hollow echoes throughout as they ran. The boat. Kieran thought, over and over again. We have to get to the boat. "I can't go back to Unity!" Aura explained. Loor was dead. The words crushed into Kieran though he had known their truth for the past several minutes. This plan had gone all sorts of sideways. The laptop--should Aura even have it, as the past few minutes had been a blur--was their only salvation. How was he to explain to AA what had happened? If Aura couldn't go back to Unity, what could he even accomplish to get them both in better standing in AA? Right now, the time for rumination was far from where they were--running like animals from what would likely be a mob of police and resistance. Kieran pushed past the hatch and dumped them on the beach. Suddenly, all of the noise and the chaos of the party bled away into the night. Here the salt air sliced through the silence like a tempest calm. And suddenly, all was still. Kieran huffed and puffed--trying to catch his breath. Beside and behind him, Aura seemed similarly lost in thought. A momentary glance to her concerned him, given the emotion on her face, but he gave it no mind. They both were murderers, this night. There was little to be done about that. He could ask her later how a shoreline could be so moving. He led them forward--slower now, gently--across the retrograde boardwalk. Towards the ragged boats around and beneath. Out here the full moon shone upon the shores of this vast sea so much that the distant, cragged peaks of distant mountains shone themselves even now. All he wanted in this moment was to leave. To take Aura far, far away from whatever fetid mess they had created tonight and to start something new. But he knew things may be more complex than that. They always were. "That's where we're going," he responded in kind to her question. He figured she wouldn't be so impressed, but what else was there to do in light of what had happened? Escape via the streets was one thing, but after Loor's death? These consequences would be felt for long after they had escaped. Or been killed. Looking for construction and engineering he could recognize, Kieran spotted a larger boat with twin hulls. A catamaran, to be exact. This sort of boat had what he wanted--a sturdier engine he could possibly start with siphoned fuel, and a lower storage and cabin area to hide in should AA come around. "Here," Kieran said, helping Aura down to the top of the boat. He took a few takes around the area before letting his guard down--wasting no time and moving to the stern and opening the engine compartment. "These retrograde engines have held up better than you'd have expected," he explained to her as he took a look at the block. He felt alongside the walls of the inner compartment, leaning into it and feeling for bumps. "The batteries die, of course, but a lot of the time the people who owned these had these jumpers that held up hundreds of years. They thought it would have them if they were abandoned at sea, but for us," he continued, "it works out long after they're gone." As he talked and explained, he couldn't help but think of the last time he had been on a boat like this. In Port Apex, with the port boys and him looking around abandoned retrograde models for booze or something better. He spent much of his adolescence like that--drinking with the others, messing with engine parts, without a care in the world so long as they were back before the morning... He shook the thought from his head and kept making adjustments to the engine block. "I know you probably had the best reason in the world to kill Loor. In fact, I'm pretty fucking sure of it." He found a bolt holding the ignition assembly and began to loosen it. "Though honestly, I'm not sure where we go from here because of it." He looked to Aura--unsure of her eyes but knowing his shone little more than the truth. He could get the boat moving, sure, but then what? "I'm not sure what we do from here."</s>	<\|message\|>AURA "I'm not sure what we do from here." Getting lost in thought looking around the boat, Aura was snapped back to reality with his statement. "Bring me to your place. I'll, uh, I'll get a runner to bring the laptop to Gregor. Last thing I need is the AA and the cause looking for me." She began to pace around the boat, every now and then stumbling from the small waves beneath them lapping against the dock. "All they knew at the party was that I was a girl named Sada with long, black hair. I'll...I'll cut it. Bleach it with some cleaner and..." Aura looked to Kieran, obviously desperate and reeling from the events that had just taken place. "Please, if you could just hide me for a bit, we could figure it out from there. I'll lay low. No one will ever know I'm there, just...please." Her voice shook which pissed her off more than anything. She was stronger than this. Smarter than this. She should have just let Loor do what he wanted and told Gregor that she couldn't get the lap top. Now, she was at the mercy of Kieran, who could easily turn her in to the AA without a second thought. Aura plopped down on a cushion and let her foot rest above her, already able to see the black bruise and blood pooling on the top of it. Tears came again, but she held her head down and quickly wiped them with her hands, but it only mixed with Loor's blood dried on her hands. "Fuck," she mumbled before throwing herself to the side of the boat and puked. Once done, Aura caught a reflection of herself in the metallic trim, and in its warped picture, she could see Loor's blood was now smeared across her cheeks. "No, no," she whispered sharply, running to the other side of the boat, leaning over its edge until it was only her legs inside, and dunked her head into the icy water, scrubbing her face and arms vigorously until she was sure no blood was lingering. With a gasp, she brought herself back over the edge and into the boat, and searched the cabinets until she found a scratchy blanket to wrap around herself. Once situated back onto the cushion, Aura brought a finger to her face again, relieved to only see the running black coal that she'd lined her eyes with. "So, what do you say? It'd only be for a few days."</s>
<\|description\|>AURA Nickname(s) None, other than being called by her last name, Holland, which her family called a "name of the old world." Age 24 Appearance She stands at average height - around 5'5" - with straight, black hair that hangs down to her waist which she ties up in a knot or braid most days. She's thin like most in Subsection F, as having extra weight is a luxury that they can't afford, but working has given her some muscle she'd never had previously. If not in her work suit, she normally dresses in black to not draw attention to herself, especially with what's happening in the District. Among random scars, she has a few tattoos in hidden places as well as her ears stretched, a trend that had resurfaced in the subsection when she was a teenager. Job Duty Aura, as of three months ago, was demoted to Sanitation and Maintenance as a form of punishment. Originally, like her mother, she was in Service and Housekeeping, often traveling to the wealthier districts to serve as a maid. A family down by the beach had chosen her mother as their permanent maid two years ago, and Aura hasn't seen her since. Faction Information Although its officially named subsection F, many of its inhabitants refer to it as its previous name, Unity, chosen many years ago during the first rebellion, but the AA refuses to acknowledge it as such. It's the heart of the district, its epicenter, with its downtown area called Atlantic. Most of the job opportunities in the subsection are to be of service to other subsections - some among them being Service and Housekeeping, Sanitation and Maintenance, and a new opportunity, Apex Enforcement. It was the first time in years that the AA ever thought to recruit anyone from subsection F, but with how desperate some of its citizens are getting, its sold as a fantastic chance of leaving poverty. Most of Unity's inhabitants, though, frown upon anyone joining the AE. Rumors of rebellion rumble through the underground, but the AA hasn't had any solid proof...yet. History Aura grew up with her mother, father, and little brother Ion in a small home on the outskirts of the district, and though it was humble, it was full of love. Her brother and father still occupied the home, now growing crops for the entire District. She still visits often, especially when she needs a home-cooked meal, and her dad always insists on giving her an extra serving even though there isn't much to spare. Her father, though rebellious in his youth, was now a reformed man, insisting that things were the way they needed to be. This continually caused a riff between them, until Aura realized that he wasn't going to change. Talks of the second rebellion were no longer had at the dinner table. While Aura was never a well-behaved child, her actions were to help her family. Since caught stealing bread at the age of 13, she had been under the eye of the AE, and has had numerous run-ins with them since.</s> <\|message\|>AURA After offering a nod of gratitude at Kieran for accepting her plea, their impromptu boat ride began and remained in silence for its duration. Kieran, as he should, kept his focus on operating the vessel, allowing Aura a few glances at him in between taking in the scenery - a vast, black sky, peppered generously with twinkling stars and a crescent moon matching the contrast in the white ridges of cresting waves - and pausing to close her eyes and lick the salt spray from her lips. And what she saw in Kieran both made her feel safe...and terrified. Since they had met, from Aura kidnapping him to him rescuing her from Loor's party not a half an hour before, Kieran always remained unreadable. Calm. His confidence in each situation gave off the notion that he was already two steps ahead in his mind, even if his words said otherwise. She could see it in his eyes each time she looked at him. And Aura's freedom, her life, was now in his hands. "My Dad told me once that our family had come from the other side of those mountains." Aura's head snapped to his direction once she'd registered Kieran's admission, jaw probably hanging. So he's heard stories of the outside too. "I wonder what's there now." For the first time in quite a while, a spark of hope arose from deep inside of her, warm in her stomach, and a faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips. It was decided then that, before their agreement came to an end, that she would try to convince him to leave Apex. But, that definitely wasn't a discussion for an eventful evening like this. *** Seeing Kieran play caretaker and host kept a playful smile plastered on her face as she looked around his home, her fingers dancing along the walls as she limped around the place. Before getting too far, he helped her to his bed, and Aura watched in amusement as he bustled around the house to start the fire and bring her water. As he settled on the floor across from her, Aura worked under her dress until the laptop slid out, and she quickly set it on a table out of her line of vision. She didn't even want to look at the damn thing. "A change of clothes sounds lovely," Aura nodded, her throat hoarse from the evening. "The whole place is, really. I live in F, remember? Relax." Her eyes found the courage to meet his, but as hot tears began to well back up, she shot her head down to stare into the cup of water instead. "Thank you...for everything." A shaky breath caused her to pause for just a moment. "He woke up. Saw everything. It was me or him. I didn't -" Aura shuddered as the scene replayed in her head. "Maybe it's best if I don't talk about it tonight, then." Removing a strand of hair from her face, she looked up again to Kieran, this time with a weak smile. "I'm gonna need to find a way to get one of the paid runners to meet me somewhere out here to get this laptop. A-and, I'll handle my hair tomorrow so I can slip under the radar until we figure out what to do from here. And if I can get Del to get me some of my stuff before they clear out my room." Getting an idea, Aura popped up from slouching and shot a devious look to Kieran. "I am still obligated to hold up my end of the deal. If you have any ale, I'd gladly spill whatever you want to know about the cause. I'm as good as dead to them for now anyway." She downed the rest of her water and waved her empty cup above her head. "What do ya say, mystery man? I don't think I'll be falling asleep anytime soon."</s> <\|message\|>KIERAN Aura's bemusement shone clear on her face as he got up to find ice and clean clothes. It was an almost surreal feeling—being more comfortable and at home at Loor's party, with enemies left and right than here, in his home, with Aura. "A change of clothes sounds lovely." He tried to swallow his anxiety as he found some thick cloth and luckily had a few bits of ice still in his freezer, which he wrapped up. He also found some clean clothes and placed both beside Aura before sitting back down. As she tried to recount her experience with Loor, Kieran quickly quelled his immediate feelings of rage. How terrible that must have been. What he must have said or done to have placed her in such a position. But this was no time to mention his own thoughts. Instead, he waited—listened—and nodded his agreement when she suggested they don't discuss it. "What matters is he's dead," he said briefly, nearly to himself. A complication, sure, but of what use was hindsight now? "This is my jurisdiction," Kieran said briefly as Aura made mention of a paid runner. "They'll be hesitant to come directly here. I have a bit of a reputation for protecting it." Kieran thought briefly to a time a subsection B runner came to the docks to try to make a deal with some of the Port Boys. Of course, they told him, and Kieran met up with the runner in a bar about a week later. The poor runner couldn't see his sucker punch coming from a mile away. Kieran must have knocked out four teeth that night when he was only going for a broken nose. 'His fault,' he thought to himself. 'Should have seen it coming.' "I'll need to hash out my cover story with AA," Kieran mentioned after Aura spoke of getting some stuff from Del. "After that, I might be able to sort something out with Del and your things." Kieran's somewhat austere face softened somewhat as Aura mentioned their deal. He had almost forgotten about it, given tonight, but the mere mention of alcohol gave him an excuse to calm his nerves a bit. Even if it meant being more honest than he wanted to be. Although, what was the goal now? With Loor dead and the laptop stolen, and with Aura separated from the rebellion, he had few opportunities to get connected enough to take them down from the inside. Whatever Aura shared now, even if it did take out the rebellion, did he really want to live in subsection A? What was the point of that lifestyle? Kieran briefly thought of the others living in town. The whispers he had heard about going against the grain when it came to Apex Authority. He had often wondered—when the last leader fell, and the flags came down—who would run Apex then? He knew that the retrograde name of the city had been something with an "S." Seaborn? Settler? Perhaps that town would rise again. Or, perhaps the entire city crumbled. And Kieran would need to go wherever his parents did. South, north, or over the mountains to the east. To whatever was beyond Apex. But all of that could wait. All of that lay outside the walls of his home. In here, was Aura. And his things. And a lot of ale. "Well, if you're as good as dead to them," he said, rising from the floor and taking her empty cup, "I suppose it's time to talk." He pulled a second cup from a shelf and filled them both to the brim with a barrel of ale that had been fermenting so long it may have been whisky. The stuff tasted foul, but it did its job nicely. It should serve them well tonight. He returned and handed her the cup back. He sat, thinking back to the first time they attempted to chat over drinks. If he remembered correctly, Aura had little interest in playing drinking games then. How much had changed in a few short days. He drank from his cup—several large glugs of the stuff, enough to burn in his nostrils and bring wetness to his eyes—before lowering it once more. "Let's not waste any time then," he said through a choked throat, of his drink and the conversation alike. He cleared his throat, then continued. "Whatever gets us out of here." He thought for a moment after his statement. Did he mean to get them out of the situation with the rebellion? Or Apex itself? Not even he knew the answer to that one. But he leaned forward and listened anyway.</s>	<\|message\|>AURA Aura choked on her first gulp from the cup, the liquid burning her throat, but once getting it down she giggled. "Fuck, that's bad," she said before taking another swig and placing it down on the floor next to her feet. Next, she tugged on the long sleeve thermal shirt that Kieran had placed folded on the bed and let the dress shimmy down to her waste. Then, the pants, which she slid underneath the bottom of the dress until she could take off the dress entirely. Now that she was comfortable, Aura grabbed her cup and curled herself up into a comfortable position, stretching out and analyzing Kieran's words: "Whatever gets us out of here." The phrase threw her off entirely, and she shifted again on the mattress as she contemplated how to begin. "Well," she sighed, rubbing a hand over her face. "As you probably know, Unity was a clan that emerged from…the pathogen." The stories she'd heard from the old days, before places like Apex existed, scarred her early in her childhood. Everyone growing ill and dying. Bodies piling along streets. The stench of death that spread over miles. Aura shook herself out of the momentary funk and looked up to Kierans with a nod. "Unity had 3 founders: John Morgan, Amari Jefferson, and Leonard Hutchins. It's said they traveled hundred of miles with one hundred and fifty others until settling into what's now known as Apex. More specifically, what Subsection F is now." Aura took another sip of the cup, the alcohol beginning to creep over her slowly, warming her stomach. "For a while they thrived off the land and kept to themselves, but more and more stragglers began to join the settlement. Supposedly, the land around here used to be lush. It had a way of making you forget all that you'd gone through, you know? Then, the invasion happened. A group of two or three hundred arrived, and it was only weeks later until the fences went up. Next, they began to divide up the land into our subsections. Unity was shoved furthest away from the coast with promise that the crops would be theirs to tend and feed the lot of them." Another sip. Another deep breath. "The original three didn't like that. They knew what exactly was happening. They watched A and B get more food, more resources. D and F slowly began to fall behind. Blah blah blah, and now we're here." In a drunken manner, Aura rose from the bed and pointed a finger to Kieran. "The cause was born to fight the caste system. To crumble the borders and let people come and go as they plead. They were told that this was happening everywhere and that they'd need to get used to it. Radio signals stopped working outside of the fences that were littered with the new guard, the AE. But the cause said no. Unity would rise again and escape the grasp of the AA." Aura tilted back into the mattress, deflated. "Over the past hundred years, the cause has turned into a sham. Gregor is bloodthirsty and only wants revenge. I brought up leaving Apex once, and he spit in my face. The original three would be ashamed of what we've become." After finishing the last of her drink, Aura scurried tipsily to grab the bottle, topping off Kieran before filling her cup halfway. "I think if we get into the computer, figure out what Gregor really needed, we can stop whatever attack they're planning next. I need to send it off before he thinks I've failed or have been arrested. The guys inside will have the news that I'm not in prison in about two days. Your hilarious and insanely attractive confidential informant and you can take credit for the bust, and we could have tickets to wherever we wanna go." If she got on the good side of the AA and didn't remain anonymous, it'd make her escape that much easier. She didn't bother mentioning that part to Kieran. Not yet. "Well then. How about you?" Aura grinned, a spark of excitement flickering in her eyes. "I know you're Mystery Man and all, but we're partners in this now whether we like it or not. Why don't you tell me literally anything about yourself. Your childhood, your parents...anything."</s>
<\|description\|>CHARLIE KAYDEN A space-born wayward mercenary who's been on more ships than she can recall. Charlie has lived most of her life working job after job in immediate succession, getting caught up in the occasional criminal activity, and getting kicked out of her fair share of bars and clubs. When the call of the Hollow Moon came about, Charlie hitched a ride aboard the Thermopylae as soon as she could. To her, the alien structure is one big meal ticket, and she's hellbent on working up enough credits in order to make her lifelong dream purchase - a Tyzen CRD Series 19 'Roaming Star' model exo-mech.</s> <\|message\|>CHARLIE KAYDEN CHARLIE KAYDEN --- Alert. Mixer storm manifesting in - twenty, minutes. Exit Hollow Moon or seek shelter soon. "God damn it!" That was all Charlie had to say in response to the alert coming on over the public service comms. She had other, more pressing matters that she was currently preoccupied with - for instance, the hulking, pissed off, gorilla-like alien creature chasing her through the jungle. Four yellow eyes, crimson skin, a rocky hide, and a pair of short, well-worn horns. Research teams had a scientific name for them that Charlie could not for the life of her remember, but in place of any dumb nerd shit, the local mercs called them 'thrashers'. Because they liked to thrash things. And it would be unwise to expect any better naming conventions from a community of violent, gun toting meatheads. Charlie led the thrasher past the winding trees, over the rocks and short drops. If there weren't so many obstructions in the way, the beast might very well have caught up to her by now. Smaller creatures were running scared from the chase as the thrasher shoved tree after tree aside, grunting and roaring in anger with every obstacle it forced its way through. Charlie's helmet pinged the location of a nearby prefab shelter. Number twelve, out of the many dotted around the Hollow Moon. That was her destination. Shelters had automated turrets posted around them - most did, at least. They'd take care of the thrasher. She jumped down another short cliff, scrambling back on her feet as the thrasher leapt downward after her. The trees became fewer and thinner as they neared the clearing that shelter twelve lied in. Charlie could see the blocky, grey, modular exterior of the building, the big 12 emblazoned on the side, and the turrets surrounding it, scanning the area, ready to shoot anything that wasn't the least bit human. As Charlie broke out into the clearing, the thrasher wasn't far behind, barreling towards her as she made a mad dash towards the shelter. She sprinted past the detection line, and as the thrasher did the same, two of the turrets turned and locked onto the beast. Its pursuit was immediately halted by a hail of concussive gunfire, not designed to kill, but merely chase off with excessive force. The rounds careened off of the thrasher's rock hide, chipping it some, but the ones hitting its face and belly caused it to rear back and fall over, onto its side. Charlie watched, and smiled, and in that moment, seized the opportunity. She took her rifle - a jury-rigged mess of a thing - and aimed at the thrasher's head. One well placed slug, and the thrasher's left horn came off near its base. It tumbled back, standing itself back up and away from the turrets, which stopped firing once it left the detection range. It stood up on its legs to gain height, looked at Charlie, and roared ferociously. All the merc could do in response was smile and flip the beast her middle finger. The roar was, however, interrupted by an even louder noise. A cacophonous boom, sounding from up above them. The thrasher didn't think twice - it gave up its bravado and turned away, retreating into the jungle to find somewhere safe to hide. Charlie went and grabbed the horn she'd shot off, then looked up at the core of the Hollow Moon. It was covered in swelling blue clouds, flashes of light dancing inside, ready to burst in- Alert. Mixer storm manifesting in - fifteen, minutes. Exit Hollow Moon or seek shelter immediately. That long. Charlie put away the thrasher's horn in her pack, then brought up her ship's location on her helmet's HUD. Just a little under six miles away, parked near another shelter altogether. "Shit…" She'd gotten pretty sidetracked. Charlie wasn't about to make a mad jog back to her ship and risk cutting it so close with the storm, and the autonav module wasn't exactly in working order either. So she elected to hunker down for a spell, and turned and entered through the shelter's automatic door. "Entry logged at shelter - twelve." She looked around the gray, blank interior with random couches, seats, and tables strewn about. No one else was present. Seemed to be she was the first one in. Normally she saw at least a handful of folks in most of these shelters, sitting around, drinking, playing cards, swapping stories. Not this time, oddly. "Oh, well." There were about fourteen minutes left before the storm hit. Charlie stepped towards one of the couches and placed her pack on top of it, set her rifle aside, and removed her helmet. She shook her head and brushed her hair to the side with her hand, dropping her helmet onto the couch. She gave a look over to a music player on a table near the other side of the shelter, went over to it, and turned it on to a blasting wave of heavy metal. She jumped a bit before putting her finger on the volume and bringing it down to a level that wouldn't give her tinnitus. "Fuckin' A…" She went back over to where all her stuff was and plopped down for a seat, relaxing with the music - odd combination though it may be - and looked out the window. The shutters would go down before the storm hit, and the whole thing would close up tight. So she'd wait and see if anyone else came about little ol' shelter twelve before then. Just a little under thirteen minutes left.</s> <\|message\|>Cheyenne "Shy" Jung shy jung --- Technology in the hollow moon was surprisingly… hard to access. Sure, there were strange geological structure with ionic bonds and carbon chains that might have been interesting for a naturalist to study, but some people like engineers were met with the infuriating task of deciphering lines of alien code – assuming they were ever able to reach them. The Custodians were functionally no different from Shy's own drones, and surely there must have been a sort of network available for them to communicate and navigate through Hollow Moon. Only problem with that is how Shy could not fucking find any of it. Must have it been deeper in the moon? Even when she could not find a tangible piece of tech and she tried to pick up the signal and tap into the network, all she got was a bunch of alien jargon. It sure was not the sequence of ones and zeroes she was used to, and she probably should not have expected the Latin alphabet or Arabic numerals within the core of an alien world. Ugh, she'd probably have to find some kind of expert on xenolinguistics to help her crack it – but oh wait, there weren't any experts on xenolinguistics, because this was the first sign of alien life that's been discovered! Damn piece of sh— "Alert. Mixer storm manifesting in - twenty, minutes. Exit Hollow Moon or seek shelter soon." Oh, isn't that great? Hollow Moon might have been more of a pain in the ass than it was worth, but Shy supposed that was the cost of being the first. She glanced around her surroundings, hearing the growl of a distant storm – or was it a beast in the jungles? It was hard to tell at times, but she was afforded the comfort of not being totally aware of her surroundings by the three spherical drones hovering in the air with the assistance of maglift technology. If they detected anything within range, they would alert her and stun whatever alien beastie that came running with an electrical arc or low-powered optic laser. Shy, bored as ever, worked the tech-pad computer on her wrist. The nearest safehouse would be… shelter twelve. The distant sound of crashing trees seemed to signal its location as Shy double-checked the navigation assistant to make sure that this was not the case. 'These things are never easy on Hollow Moon.' The sound of a barrage of suppressing gunfire followed suit. 'Fortunately, humanity made sure that wouldn't be a problem.' Booming roars the bright blue thunderheads rolling in threatened more than just Shy's safety. She was no naturalist, but she knew that the wildlife will be looking for shelter just like she was. No morsel could possibly be worth getting caught out in a mixer storm, and surely the many generations of learned fear taught them it was better to be hungry for a short while. Anything not smart enough to take cover probably didn't last very long in this world. It was just as well then that Shy soon came upon the shelter with five minutes left to spare. The very static in the air was beginning to make the hair on her neck stand on end, and make her right arm and right eye feel irritated and numb. Even her tech-pad was experiencing interference. Whatever caused these storms, there was definitely some kind of combination of ionization and electromagnetism in the air. Whatever. "Entry logged at shelter - twelve." There was only one other person inside the shelter, another woman. Looked like the mercenary type too, probably has a big gun. Shy inputted an order for the drone to deactivate until the storm passed, and the three spherical robots slowly drifted over toward a recharging station for different technologies. She played with one of them a while back, it was pretty basic stuff; they relied on electrostatic generators to create a field to be siphoned by electronics equipped with a receiving antenna connected to heavy-load capacitors. The people of the twenty-first century could only dream of this household utility. As they entered their dormant state Shy yawned deeply and stretched her arms above her head, pacing her way toward the couches. Maybe she'd strike up conversation with this stranger. "Moon's not as exciting as I thought it'd be." Shy commented dryly, breaking the silence as she fell carelessly onto the cushions. "What do you think?"</s>	<\|message\|>CHARLIE KAYDEN "Moon's not as exciting as I thought it'd be. What do you think?" "Eh. I still think it's kinda cool." Charlie said to the new arrival, "Everyone gets a little bored of anything after a couple months of it though - except for all the nerds still studying everything here. They're having a blast." Charlie tapped the surface of her helmet as she scanned over the woman's appearance for a moment. Her armor was much sleeker than the old, scratched-to-hell pieces Charlie was wearing. But all she had for weapons was a pistol strapped to her side, so she had the stranger beat there. And her accompanying equipment - three spherical drones that floated on over to the available gear-charging stations. Like little versions of the Custodians, just nowhere near as deadly. Most likely. Charlie didn't know for sure. "Those are neat." She said, pointing to the drones before turning her attention back to the woman. "You buy 'em or make 'em?" Scary</s>
<\|description\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Appearance: Race: Caucasian Age: 31 Bio: Annabeth is a California native. Her father was a crazy religious leader and her mother was a desperate junkie. When she was still a child, her father got in over his head and ended up getting taken out by the NCR. Annabeth was then taken into the NCR's foster system and eventually joined the military. Distinguishing herself in training, she signed up for Rangers, passed, and served for roughly twelve years. However during the battle of Hoover Dam, Annabeth's hand were pierced by a Legionaries spear, and the ensuring explosion at Boulder City took out her right eye, crippling her. While she ultimately recovered after a year, her performance wasn't the same, causing her to get discharged from the Rangers. However she still had plenty of contacts and friends in the NCR so she stuck around doing Bounty Hunting for the NCR, earning the name "Black Gold" for her dark attire and blond hair. Eventually she started her own Bounty Hunting Firm to make a more steady profit without risking her neck as much. Skills: Guns - As a ranger Annabeth has always been a good shot, and even after her hands were mangled up she can still shoot straight. While she's slower on the trigger than before, she hasn't lost her deadeye accuracy. Melee - Unlike most NCR rangers, Annabeth actually likes getting into melee and is quite handy with a hammer. Speech - Annabeth can fight with words as well as she can with weapons, and despite being discharged her charm has allowed her to remain in the NCR's good graces despite how she often acts outside of their jurisdiction. Talents: Strength, Endurance Flaws: Perception, Luck Signature Weapon: Ranger Sequoia Gear: Super Sledge, Business Attire, Eyepatch, .45-70 Ammo (Hollow Point), Sunset Sarsaparilla Appearance: Name: Bete "Blast" Race: Ghoul Age: 244 Bio: A ghoul from the old world, the sole survivor of her family and somehow managed to stay alive after the calamity that destroyed the world. Spent most of her time learning how to repair and fix up machines, as well as rig up explosives for personal protection. Has taken a shine to Annabeth after she helped Bete out with some outlaws. Bete handles repairs and maintenance for the Bounty Hunters of the Black Gold Guns, at a fair price of course. Skills: Science - Bete always had an interest in technology back when she was human, and when the bombs dropped and she became a ghoul, she had all the time in the world to learn about the various technology left behind. Repair - Though the world became ruins, there are still somethings that can be put back together, and Bete has taken a vested interest in trying to fix it. She can repair pretty much anything as long as she has the parts on hand and time to tinker. Explosives - Guns were always in high demand, and Bete isn't dumb enough to try and get into a close-range fight with most creatures, so she learned how to create improvised explosives, and eventually went from improvised to far more legitimate. Give her a few minutes and she can cobble together some sort of explosive from anything within arms reach. Talents: Intelligence, Perception Flaws: Strength, Charisma Signature Weapon: Grenade Rifle Gear: Combat Knife, Leather Backpack, Sturdy Workers Outfit, Gasmask, 40mm Explosives (Regular, Incendiary, Pulse)</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" "I only have one question - are you willing to kill people for money? Yes or no?" In the Mojave, killers, criminals, and psychopaths are as common as flies on a corpse. Even as the combined forces of the NCR and the Legion pushing into the desert wasteland to claim it as their own, all this seems to have accomplished is creating a chaotic environment where such reprobates can thrive instead of die out. Many of the NCR's efforts end up creating resentment and criminals from anyone to legitimate bandits seeking to sack NCR caravans for their supplies, to relatively peaceful wastelanders who simply refuse to accept the NCR's unconditional control over their lives. Combined with corruption and incompetence putting the lives of their own troopers at risks, some criminals are former NCR themselves, either deserters or those who were deemed such for infractions gone way out of control. Even the Legion, with all of their claims of might and control through brutality, is not as efficient as they claim to be when it comes to controlling their warriors, or the criminal elements within. Indeed, the brutality and cruelty that the Legion uses as a weapon of fear has become a beacon for the various wasteland gangs and factions to make an unlikely partnership, with Legion sponsored rape, murder, and raiding. Of course it doesn't take a genius to realize that these same gangs would soon turn on the Legion should an opportunity present itself, just as the Legion would not bat an eye to executing every degenerate they had paid off. Indeed, the forces that come to claim to bring peace and stability have done an excellent job at waging war and sowing chaos in the lands. You are employed by the Black Gold Guns, a fairly new face to the Mojave. Bounty Hunting Firms differ from your standard gun-for-hire mercenary group in that they often work alone or in small groups, not offering services to act as guards or sheriffs, but still taking down criminals and evildoers nonetheless. They take contracts from all over, whether it be the desk jockeys back at Shady Sands, Frumentarii tying up loose ends, or locals in dire need of assistance. The Black Gold Guns is ran by a woman named Annabeth, a former NCR ranger with an eye patch and a big iron on her hip. She handles your contracts and payment. In the same building is a ghoul named Bete, a friend of Annabeth who can assist you with repairing and upgrading your weapons, so long as she has the materials you have the caps. The office itself is located at a spot formerly known as the Lone Wolf Radio, which Bete has already cannibalized into a singular functional radio and computer which she uses for her work. Aside from the business officr and Bete's workstation, upstairs is a small rest area where you can sleep, eat, and relax until your next job. It's not particularly fancy, but it's better than sleeping outside. "Alright kid, now that you're part of the company, allow me to explain how things are done as simply as I can. I'll assign you a contract to go after a bounty, someone who is verifiable armed, dangerous, and likely running with a crew of their own. The minimum pay for a successful bounty is 250 caps, however more dangerous bounties can often go even higher than that. Naturally, you're allowed to keep whatever you happen to find off your mark or anyone else who gets in your way. In order to verify the mark is dead we need their trigger fingers." Annabeth sits across from you on her desk, writing something up on her type writer. On her desk is a few empty bottles of sarsaparilla and an ashtray with a half-smoked cigar. Soon she hands you a single sheet of paper, with the basic details of your next mark. "Your first mark is a Convict named Erik Steele, or Thrasher as he tries to call himself. When the Powder Gangers took over the NCR correctional facility up north, Thrasher took a few cons with him into Primm, having taken over the Bison Steve Hotel and forcing most of the towns people to hole up in the casino. While he and his gang are all wanted dead, Thrasher's the only one with the balls to boss the gang around. Once he's out of the picture the rest of the gang will scatter, though no one is going to complain if they're all wiped out." The bounty you received would have Erik's mugshot, as well as a list of crimes below his image. He's wanted for corporate theft, selling of stolen goods, assault, and falsifying business data. It also mentions that he used to work for the a company called Talos Armors, which apparently produced armor for the NCR. The bounty on him is 250 Caps. "Any questions?"</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Kid? She was pretty sure she was a grown up. "Powder gangers huh." Lizzie replied with a light laugh. "Y'know, I can't hate anyone who uses explosives like they do." Just 250 though? She could make more in an hour by robbing a caravan or something. Ugh, this was going to be annoying, wasn't it? Well, she couldn't complain too much. It was either that or start doing some raiding herself again, and she had decided to leave that. "Buuut if I'll get paid I'll take 'em out." Maybe she could finally get her mitts on some incendiaries. "None for now, boss lady." Lizzie got up from her chair. "Gonna see if Bete has any extra stuff I can borrow. Sounds easier than some of the...well, y'know." She grinned, not wanting to bring up her rather less than reputable past if she could. "Anything else I need to know?"</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" "Pay is proportional to threat. Powder Gangs play tough, but any semi-competent militia can deal with the likes of them, dynamite or not. The only reason the Powder Gangers manage to hold Primm is because they jumped the sheriff and the deputy, leaving Primm without any leadership to coordinate a counter attack. Hell, I had half a mind to go down there myself since we get supplies from Primm, but I figured this would be a good first job for you." Annabeth pops open a bottle of sarsaparilla and takes a swig from it. She takes out another and offers it to you. "As for any other info, watch out for Thrasher. His cronies are a bunch of chumps but there's a reason the bounty is for him specifically. We've also reports that he and his band robbed a caravan running guns, so chances are each of those gangers are packing. Aside from that, you ought to be able to take care of yourself. And if you can't well... We'll see soon enough."</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current "Pfft, ahahah," Lizzie laughed, flashing a grin to Annabeth. "Me? Get taken out by a buncha splodey dumbos? Noooot a chance." Well, obviously they were armed and dangerous. Even more so if they were freshly resupplied by ransacking some caravan. Hm. Hmhm. Well, she could handle herself. No sense in thinking about this too hard. "They'll be dead before ya know it, boss lady." She headed out of the building, a friendly wave to Annabeth. She slung her brush gun over her shoulder, Lizzie went to find the friendly little ghoul by the name of Bete. She probably didn't have anything she could use yet - not to mention not having any materials herself, but hey, no hurt in asking. As small as the Lone Wolf radio station was, it didn't take her too terribly long to find the kid ghoul. "Hey, Bete!" Lizzie walked up wearing her usual smile. "Wanted to see if ya had anything useful layin' around before I left on a bounty."</s>	<\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Bete was at her workstation with various computer parts scattered on her desk. From the looks of it Bete had somehow found a pipboy and was in the process of cannibalizing it's parts for something. When you arrived she looked up at you. "Ah Lizzie, about to go on a job huh?" Despite being a ghoul, Bete's voice sounded relatively normal, young even, except for one thing: A notable robot autotune. It's something of an open secret that Bete's voice is augmented by her mask, filtering her real voice to something less gravely. She doesn't like to talk about it. "Well, I've been busing with some personal projects, but I think I might have something around here. Let's see... Ah, I do have these." Bete dug around behind her desk and pulled up a small crate of bottles. They looked like Sunset Sarsaparilla bottles, however instead of a normal bottle cap they had a thick fiber cork. "I figured since Anna doesn't bother to clean up her drinks, I'd recycle the bottles into something useful. Simple firebombs, glass bottles filled with some fuel and a little special something to make sure it can make a decent splash. Just light the cap on fire and throw it at something really hard, and you got yourself a little homemade incendiary bomb. Bete takes two bottles out and slides them to you. "Since you're new, you can have these two on the house. The rest however I'm stockpiling in case I need to clear out some geckos. Buuuuuut I'm willing to trade you some extra ones for say, fifty caps a pop?"</s>
<\|description\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Appearance: Race: Caucasian Age: 31 Bio: Annabeth is a California native. Her father was a crazy religious leader and her mother was a desperate junkie. When she was still a child, her father got in over his head and ended up getting taken out by the NCR. Annabeth was then taken into the NCR's foster system and eventually joined the military. Distinguishing herself in training, she signed up for Rangers, passed, and served for roughly twelve years. However during the battle of Hoover Dam, Annabeth's hand were pierced by a Legionaries spear, and the ensuring explosion at Boulder City took out her right eye, crippling her. While she ultimately recovered after a year, her performance wasn't the same, causing her to get discharged from the Rangers. However she still had plenty of contacts and friends in the NCR so she stuck around doing Bounty Hunting for the NCR, earning the name "Black Gold" for her dark attire and blond hair. Eventually she started her own Bounty Hunting Firm to make a more steady profit without risking her neck as much. Skills: Guns - As a ranger Annabeth has always been a good shot, and even after her hands were mangled up she can still shoot straight. While she's slower on the trigger than before, she hasn't lost her deadeye accuracy. Melee - Unlike most NCR rangers, Annabeth actually likes getting into melee and is quite handy with a hammer. Speech - Annabeth can fight with words as well as she can with weapons, and despite being discharged her charm has allowed her to remain in the NCR's good graces despite how she often acts outside of their jurisdiction. Talents: Strength, Endurance Flaws: Perception, Luck Signature Weapon: Ranger Sequoia Gear: Super Sledge, Business Attire, Eyepatch, .45-70 Ammo (Hollow Point), Sunset Sarsaparilla Appearance: Name: Bete "Blast" Race: Ghoul Age: 244 Bio: A ghoul from the old world, the sole survivor of her family and somehow managed to stay alive after the calamity that destroyed the world. Spent most of her time learning how to repair and fix up machines, as well as rig up explosives for personal protection. Has taken a shine to Annabeth after she helped Bete out with some outlaws. Bete handles repairs and maintenance for the Bounty Hunters of the Black Gold Guns, at a fair price of course. Skills: Science - Bete always had an interest in technology back when she was human, and when the bombs dropped and she became a ghoul, she had all the time in the world to learn about the various technology left behind. Repair - Though the world became ruins, there are still somethings that can be put back together, and Bete has taken a vested interest in trying to fix it. She can repair pretty much anything as long as she has the parts on hand and time to tinker. Explosives - Guns were always in high demand, and Bete isn't dumb enough to try and get into a close-range fight with most creatures, so she learned how to create improvised explosives, and eventually went from improvised to far more legitimate. Give her a few minutes and she can cobble together some sort of explosive from anything within arms reach. Talents: Intelligence, Perception Flaws: Strength, Charisma Signature Weapon: Grenade Rifle Gear: Combat Knife, Leather Backpack, Sturdy Workers Outfit, Gasmask, 40mm Explosives (Regular, Incendiary, Pulse)</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" From the clifftop, you could see Primm in the distance. While no desert jewel, the sight of the ruined city was a welcome reprieve for travelers thanks to being one of the few major settlements in the Mojave Wasteland. It was one of the few places with a working water reservoir, giving it immense value to traders and travelers. The town itself also had various tradesmen and crafters, mostly in electronics and even robotics. The Vikki and Vance Casino itself was it's main attraction; while it's payout is worse than Vegas and doesn't really have as much class, it still offered a fun experience if you want to waste away your caps, and the food served there is better than eating geckos and bloat flies. Of course, that was Primm before. Ever since the NCR moved in, things started to get shaky for Primm. It's no secret that while Primm wasn't a bad town, it's vices and services were popular among unsavory folk who would stalk the hills and hit caravans trying to make it to town. Primm had it's own law to keep the peace but that was only good to stop the violence in the town, not outside of it. And when the NCR moved in, those customers stopped showing up. And since they stopped showing up, caps started to run a bit dry even as people got comfortable with the peace. Too comfortable. And thus, their current situation: lawless and taken over by common criminals, even with the NCR just a stone throw away, they too are too limited in number to commit to a operation to clear the town, who never had a good relationship with Primm either way. Then again the NCR hasn't done a very great job at being friendly with most of the Mojave's native inhabitants in the first place. It would take about thirty minutes or so to trek down the mountain. No clear path had been beaten down yet for you to get to the town very quickly unless you want to start jumping off cliffs and hope you survive the landing. And as Bete mentioned, there are a few geckos running around hunting and being a general nusience. While smart enough to stay away from the office, the vermin showed little fear in attacking anyone on the mountain path no matter how big they are. The radiation may have made them bigger and stronger, but it also killed their sense of self-preservation. Thus it wasn't long before you ran into small pack of gecko hunters. They seemed to be prowling for prey, and if they spotted you, you could be certain that their little brains will consider you food and try and chase you down. Fortunately you were on a ridge above them and they haven't noticed you yet, but they are searching and staying alert.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current She had been to Primm before, a few times. One of the few places where ne'er-do-well's and general less savory sorts like she had used to be could have some relatively good, clean fun. So long as she kept her nose clean in the city. Mostly though, she had simply used it to get chems and restock on provisions. Seeing it in the distance reminded her briefly of her distaste for the NCR. If they actually did their damn jobs then things wouldn't have gotten like they were. "Oh, lunch." Immediately upon seeing the five Gecko's, though, her thought process entirely. She should probably pay far more attention to the Mojave. She'd get killed if she didn't. She immediately dropped to a knee, pulling her Brush gun from around her shoulder. They hadn't noticed her yet, she could avoid them, but she had plenty of ammo, and gecko meat was delicious. She took aim towards the gecko's on the ground below, starting with the one closest to her, aiming a shot right towards its cranium.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" For geckos, a 5.56 round was more than enough to put down a gecko, especially with a bullet to the head. But with a .45-70, the gecko's cranium was more than shot, it was splattered, sending blood and gore to the other geckos nearby. The loud noise shocked them, leaving them stunned for just a moment. They looked around quickly and spotted you. Despite the sudden and violent death of it's fellow gecko, the other four thought of nothing but to hunt the prey before them. They quickly began to scramble up the cliff in your direction; a feat that normally would take a person a good set of climbing gear and a prayer to do, but these gecko hunter's webbed appendages and relative light weight allowed for this sort of three-dimensional maneuvering. But this greater mobility also came with an obvious weakness: these geckos wouldn't be able to dodge bullets as they climbed towards you.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Lizzie unconsciously licked her lips as the Gecko head splattered into giblets. There was something fun about just watching something explode like that. Quickly, as they scrambled up the wall she positioned her gun downwards, over the edge of the cliff. Swiftly, two more shots were unloaded at two different geckos in an effort to thin their numbers before they got to her. As soon as the second shot left the chamber, she backed away from the cliff edge, ready to put more rounds into the Gecko the moment they climbed over.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Sure enough both geckos fell off the walls as giblets. It was a bloody mess and frankly one of them wouldn't have much meat left on him to eat unless you was to scrap up his remains into kebabs. Despite this overwhelming firepower the last two geckos continued to climb up until they were finally on the ridge with you. It was a narrow ridge, so it was close-quarters combat. And it wouldn't take long for them to charge at you trying to bite your legs. Their teeth were like forty switch blades being popped out all at once, ready for stabbing into some meat.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Maybe she shouldn't be quite so eager to blast them, a bunch of meat was goin' to waste. Eh, oh well. Realizing she didn't have quite as much room as she thought, Liz opted for some close quarters combat. She grabbed the barrel of her gun, swinging the butt of her rifle into the mouth of one of the lizards, using the weapon more like a glorified baseball bat than its intended purpose. She didn't take time to holster the rifle, instead simply letting the weapon fall to the ground and attempting to dodge the second gecko and using the time to pull her hatchet from her belt.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Your improvised use of your gun was mostly effective, good enough to knock one of the geckos out from the air however it didn't kill the beast. It did make him stunned if only for a moment. The second gecko however was able to get a scratch on you, biting into your leg. While you can certainly feel it, your pants and duster were doing a decent enough job to prevent the gecko's teeth from finding any skin. If it were a bigger one, you'd likely be losing some flesh and maybe even bone. Still you'd ought to act fast. The nasty critter was gnawing, tearing through your duster's leather.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current "Ngh!" Lizzie winced, feeling the gecko's teeth clamp down on her leg. On the bright side, it was right in striking distance. The bounty hunter grabbed her hatched, wrapping both hands around its grip and swung the blade right into the side of the lizard's skull.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" You'd feel a slight sting as the gecko's teeth cut into flesh, but as soon as the blade of your axe left the gecko's skull, the beast fell to the ground twitching. It would spasm there for the rest of it's very short life, dying in about twelve or so seconds. That left the last lizard, the one you had stunned with your rifle, who continued to run and lunge right at you. Despite being so small and physically puny, these creatures were physically capable of rather impressive levels of athleticism, not just their climbing ability but also leaping. This is most important because the last gecko jumped high enough that it was going to try and bite your face.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Ow. Note to self: Gecko Teeth hurt. Still fourth one down, one to - "Gweh?!" Damn, she really needed to remember how fast these little snacks were. The redhead, barely had seconds to react as she brought up her hatchet, holding it between her face and the creatures teeth hoping to catch the creature mid jump on it. She'd try to shove it off of her - in times like this having something like a pistol she could just pull out would be fuckin' amazing. Assuming it was successful, she'd make an attempt to drive the blade of the weapon into this ones head.</s>	<\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Not a moment too soon before you manage to catch the gecko as it bites down onto the handle of your hatchet. It holds fast despite not catching any meat, allowing you to swing it into the nearby wall just long enough to stun it once more, and finish it off with another axe to the head. This once was a cleaner cut and nearly decapitated the gecko, finally leaving you with nothing but a few dead lizards. It wouldn't take too long if you felt like skinning and butchering these geckos; hides were always in some demand from traders who knew people who could turn them into clothing and textiles, and the meat was... Palpable enough. Obviously don't eat it raw; gecko meat is highly radioactive and it's a good way to get cancer. But once you grill them on an open flame, they're a decent enough snack and unlike most wasteland critters, the radiation actually helps make sure the meat doesn't catch diseases. You'd be able to obtain at least four usable gecko hides, though one was notably missing it's entire head. As for meat, taking the best cuts you find about seven pounds of the stuff all together. There were more bits of the gecko you could eat, but that meat is tough and unpalatable no matter what you do with it. Better off leaving it to the flies. And finally, seemed like one of the geckos was pregnant, because you found one gecko egg. Gecko eggs are hard to cook though due to their high acidic, making terrible omelettes. You've heard of some crazy wastelanders making cocktails with them, but those usually ended with said wastelander dying of some sort of alcohol based poisoning, which may or may not have been made worse by the gecko eggs. Once you'd finish figuring out what to do with these gecko bits, it was more or less a straight shot to Primm. The town seems almost peaceful from a distance, but you know that it's going to get loud once you make your presence known there. You can see the big old bison from your position too. The fact it wasn't on fire at the moment might be considered a good thing for Primm's state of welfare.</s>
<\|description\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Appearance: Race: Caucasian Age: 31 Bio: Annabeth is a California native. Her father was a crazy religious leader and her mother was a desperate junkie. When she was still a child, her father got in over his head and ended up getting taken out by the NCR. Annabeth was then taken into the NCR's foster system and eventually joined the military. Distinguishing herself in training, she signed up for Rangers, passed, and served for roughly twelve years. However during the battle of Hoover Dam, Annabeth's hand were pierced by a Legionaries spear, and the ensuring explosion at Boulder City took out her right eye, crippling her. While she ultimately recovered after a year, her performance wasn't the same, causing her to get discharged from the Rangers. However she still had plenty of contacts and friends in the NCR so she stuck around doing Bounty Hunting for the NCR, earning the name "Black Gold" for her dark attire and blond hair. Eventually she started her own Bounty Hunting Firm to make a more steady profit without risking her neck as much. Skills: Guns - As a ranger Annabeth has always been a good shot, and even after her hands were mangled up she can still shoot straight. While she's slower on the trigger than before, she hasn't lost her deadeye accuracy. Melee - Unlike most NCR rangers, Annabeth actually likes getting into melee and is quite handy with a hammer. Speech - Annabeth can fight with words as well as she can with weapons, and despite being discharged her charm has allowed her to remain in the NCR's good graces despite how she often acts outside of their jurisdiction. Talents: Strength, Endurance Flaws: Perception, Luck Signature Weapon: Ranger Sequoia Gear: Super Sledge, Business Attire, Eyepatch, .45-70 Ammo (Hollow Point), Sunset Sarsaparilla Appearance: Name: Bete "Blast" Race: Ghoul Age: 244 Bio: A ghoul from the old world, the sole survivor of her family and somehow managed to stay alive after the calamity that destroyed the world. Spent most of her time learning how to repair and fix up machines, as well as rig up explosives for personal protection. Has taken a shine to Annabeth after she helped Bete out with some outlaws. Bete handles repairs and maintenance for the Bounty Hunters of the Black Gold Guns, at a fair price of course. Skills: Science - Bete always had an interest in technology back when she was human, and when the bombs dropped and she became a ghoul, she had all the time in the world to learn about the various technology left behind. Repair - Though the world became ruins, there are still somethings that can be put back together, and Bete has taken a vested interest in trying to fix it. She can repair pretty much anything as long as she has the parts on hand and time to tinker. Explosives - Guns were always in high demand, and Bete isn't dumb enough to try and get into a close-range fight with most creatures, so she learned how to create improvised explosives, and eventually went from improvised to far more legitimate. Give her a few minutes and she can cobble together some sort of explosive from anything within arms reach. Talents: Intelligence, Perception Flaws: Strength, Charisma Signature Weapon: Grenade Rifle Gear: Combat Knife, Leather Backpack, Sturdy Workers Outfit, Gasmask, 40mm Explosives (Regular, Incendiary, Pulse)</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Your improvised use of your gun was mostly effective, good enough to knock one of the geckos out from the air however it didn't kill the beast. It did make him stunned if only for a moment. The second gecko however was able to get a scratch on you, biting into your leg. While you can certainly feel it, your pants and duster were doing a decent enough job to prevent the gecko's teeth from finding any skin. If it were a bigger one, you'd likely be losing some flesh and maybe even bone. Still you'd ought to act fast. The nasty critter was gnawing, tearing through your duster's leather.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current "Ngh!" Lizzie winced, feeling the gecko's teeth clamp down on her leg. On the bright side, it was right in striking distance. The bounty hunter grabbed her hatched, wrapping both hands around its grip and swung the blade right into the side of the lizard's skull.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" You'd feel a slight sting as the gecko's teeth cut into flesh, but as soon as the blade of your axe left the gecko's skull, the beast fell to the ground twitching. It would spasm there for the rest of it's very short life, dying in about twelve or so seconds. That left the last lizard, the one you had stunned with your rifle, who continued to run and lunge right at you. Despite being so small and physically puny, these creatures were physically capable of rather impressive levels of athleticism, not just their climbing ability but also leaping. This is most important because the last gecko jumped high enough that it was going to try and bite your face.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Ow. Note to self: Gecko Teeth hurt. Still fourth one down, one to - "Gweh?!" Damn, she really needed to remember how fast these little snacks were. The redhead, barely had seconds to react as she brought up her hatchet, holding it between her face and the creatures teeth hoping to catch the creature mid jump on it. She'd try to shove it off of her - in times like this having something like a pistol she could just pull out would be fuckin' amazing. Assuming it was successful, she'd make an attempt to drive the blade of the weapon into this ones head.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Not a moment too soon before you manage to catch the gecko as it bites down onto the handle of your hatchet. It holds fast despite not catching any meat, allowing you to swing it into the nearby wall just long enough to stun it once more, and finish it off with another axe to the head. This once was a cleaner cut and nearly decapitated the gecko, finally leaving you with nothing but a few dead lizards. It wouldn't take too long if you felt like skinning and butchering these geckos; hides were always in some demand from traders who knew people who could turn them into clothing and textiles, and the meat was... Palpable enough. Obviously don't eat it raw; gecko meat is highly radioactive and it's a good way to get cancer. But once you grill them on an open flame, they're a decent enough snack and unlike most wasteland critters, the radiation actually helps make sure the meat doesn't catch diseases. You'd be able to obtain at least four usable gecko hides, though one was notably missing it's entire head. As for meat, taking the best cuts you find about seven pounds of the stuff all together. There were more bits of the gecko you could eat, but that meat is tough and unpalatable no matter what you do with it. Better off leaving it to the flies. And finally, seemed like one of the geckos was pregnant, because you found one gecko egg. Gecko eggs are hard to cook though due to their high acidic, making terrible omelettes. You've heard of some crazy wastelanders making cocktails with them, but those usually ended with said wastelander dying of some sort of alcohol based poisoning, which may or may not have been made worse by the gecko eggs. Once you'd finish figuring out what to do with these gecko bits, it was more or less a straight shot to Primm. The town seems almost peaceful from a distance, but you know that it's going to get loud once you make your presence known there. You can see the big old bison from your position too. The fact it wasn't on fire at the moment might be considered a good thing for Primm's state of welfare.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current .45-70 Gov't Ammunition Hatchet Modified Bounty Hunter Duster Jet x1 Weapon Repair kit x1 Firebomb x2 Gecko hides x4 Gecko meat 7lbs Gecko Egg "Whew..." Lizzie grunted, taking a moment to collect her rifle from where she had discarded it. "Looks like meat's on the menu for dinner tonight, haha!" She laughed, setting about the rather bloody work of skinning and gutting the gecko's. Always a good idea to try and get skins. Traders would always pay for 'em, and if not, she could probably find some more use for them herself. More importantly was the meat. Call her crazy, but she had a particular love for Gecko meat. Might even be able to use the Egg as an impromptu throwing weapon. Finally done with the work, Lizzie made sure any injury she had wasn't too terrible before setting off. Primm. She had been there a few times before. She wouldn't be surprised if someone recognized her from her old gang. Well, maybe she could get in without getting into too much trouble or recognition. In and out. "...maybe an explosion or two." Lizzie giggled, making her way towards the city. It definitely wasn't going to remain peaceful once she found her bounty.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" The rest of your travel to Primm was fair peaceful aside from the occasional gecko, bro g being alone they simply ran away from you. As you'd approach the first thing you would notice would not be Primm itself, but the NCR. Seems like they had a little base set up across the bridge from Primm, their flag flying high. However there was only a single soldier at the gate who would stop you as you approach. "Whoa where the hell do you think you're going? Havent you heard? Primm's under lock down right now. Whole gang has taken over the town."</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current .45-70 Gov't Ammunition Hatchet Modified Bounty Hunter Duster Jet x1 Weapon Repair kit x1 Firebomb x2 Gecko hides x4 Gecko meat 7lbs Gecko Egg --- Oh. The NCR. Great. Lizzie's soft smile didn't betray the fact her mood had been thoroughly soured at the sight of them. She almost wanted to just ignore them. Not like their rule was respected out here anyways, and she wasn't particularly fond of getting held up by them either. "Heh, yep, I've heard." Lizzie replied in a fairly non-hostile tone despite the sass of the words. "Looks like you guys could do a better job." Her smile widened, glancing in the direction of the Bison Steve. "So I'm gonna do it for ya. Leader of that gang? I got a firebomb with his name on it." She only stopped long enough to reply before heading across the bridge.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" The soldier looked at you strangely, but didn't stop you. "Fine, but don't say we didn't warn you. Just mind yourself on the bridge, we've set up landmines to keep the gangs away from our side." Sure enough, going across the bridge was slightly perilous. There were a few fragmentation mines scattered on the bridge. They didn't enough enough power behind them to blow up the bridge they they went off, but they'd certainly be able to kill anyone who made the mistake of being within the vicinity when they went off. As for Primm itself, it was a pretty large town. It was a straight shot to the Bison Steve, but you could already hear the hollering of the gangsters throughout the city, doing god knows what.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current "Wow sounds like a party." Lizzie mused, stepping across the bridge, wary of the mines. Really, she could respect a good explosion or two but blocking off an entire bridge just seemed excessive. That was bad for everyone! Just keep a fresh supply of grenades or set up some sort of sentry or something if they wanted to make a choke point. Not that it'd mattered. If the Gangers wanted to attack them, they could just try from a different position. Now, did she want to take care of everyone else or simply go after the big bad guy? Wasn't like she'd get paid for taking out the rest of them. Her bounty was just for Thrasher, no one else. Eh, couldn't hurt to take out a few of them. A bit more info and maybe a few supplies, but nothing more than a few. Wasn't there a mail station or something in Primm? Lizzie made her way towards the station slowly, rifle at the ready and sticking to the shadows in an effort to get the drop on anyone that might be in her way.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" You walk through the streets of Primm with a finger on your trigger. Finding the mail place was easy enough; it was the Mojave Express. They even had a sign, or what was left of one. However as you approached you could hear voices in the distance. Those voices began shouting, and shouting turned into gunshots. As you'd get closer you'd be just in time to see a three men armed with some pistols surrounding a fresh dead corpse. They wore matching blue uniforms with cheap armored vests, some of them wearing trooper helmets. Looked like some unfortunate courier had just been gunned down in cold blood, and right in front of the Mojave Express as well. The three men, Powder Gangers, were chuckling to themselves as they looked through the dead body for valuables. They wouldn't notice you at all.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current .45-70 Gov't Ammunition Hatchet Modified Bounty Hunter Duster Jet x1 Weapon Repair kit x1 Firebomb x2 Gecko hides x4 Gecko meat 7lbs Gecko Egg --- Three people that didn't know they were dead yet, huh? Should be easy enough to handle them. Hopefully it wouldn't kill all of them, she at least wanted to ask one where exactly Thrasher was holed up in Bison Steve. Approaching slowly, Lizzie pulled a firebomb from her belt. Quickly, she ignited the fuse and held it for just a few seconds before tossing it in between the three of them. Immediately after, she pulled her rifle, taking shots at two of the gangers head, with the third getting some in his kneecaps.</s>	<\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" The three men were too busy looting the body to realize they were in danger. Only one even saw the fire bomb coming, and by the time he did it was already too late for him to escape. The firebomb exploded and engulfed the three men in fire, soaking their clothing in flaming oil. Unfamiliar with proper procedures to put in flames, the men started to panic, trying to put out the flames by feebly striking and striking off their clothes. Their fear and panic made it easy for you to line up shots to kill and incapacitate. Two fell as your bullet ripped through their heads, causing one of their heads to Simply explode due to the caliber of your bullet. The on you shot in the knee wasn't doing any better: what you had hoped to be a crippling shot actually ended up tearing his leg off below the knee, making him fall to the ground and screech in agony. He was likely going to die very quickly without any aid.</s>
<\|description\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Chelsea Sparks - Old name Race: Caucasian Age: 25 Bio: Lizzie's had a pretty rough life, a native to the Mojave she's been through the wringer since she was born. Parents were killed when she was a kid by some raiders after getting false promises from the NCR about safety. Afterwards, she took to raiding herself, gaining somewhat of a dislike for the Republic. Eventually she joined up with others, and while they weren't quite big shot bandits like the Vipers, Fiends and such, they did well for themselves as one might expect raiders to do. Even earned themselves a bit of a notoriety, enough to gain a sizable bounty on all their heads. At least, until, there was a bit of a falling out over something. She doesn't exactly talk about it, but it ended with them dead with her alive. In an effort to both clear her name and set herself straight, she started bounty hunting, taking a new name in the process. To legitimize herself and cover her tracks, she deemed bringing their severed heads to the person in charge as a must. Despite everything, she maintains a somewhat cheerful attitude, and perhaps, takes a bit too much enjoyment in her new profession. Skills: Science - Lizzie's interest in science purely used to be chem based. After getting clean (mostly, still can't quite shake the jet), she put it to more survival focused things, and putting old world tech to use. She may not be the best, but she can get around most places. Guns - Learning to defend yourself and kill before your killed is a good idea. Lizzie's a notoriously good shot. Typically, she prefers long to mid range weapons, but can handle close range combat well enough as long as it doesn't take too long. Explosives -Explosives are a pretty quick answer to any problem. Watching the ensuing 'boom' is always fun, too. A bit of a pyromaniac in that regard. Sneak - Sometimes, a good sneak attack is needed. Sometimes, getting away from trouble and staying out is the best idea. Liz is pretty good at telling which is needed for each job. Talents: Perception Agility Flaws: Charisma Endurance Signature Weapon: Brush Gun Gear: .45-70 Gov't Ammunition, Hatchet, Modified Bounty Hunter Duster, Jet, Weapon Repair kit</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Kid? She was pretty sure she was a grown up. "Powder gangers huh." Lizzie replied with a light laugh. "Y'know, I can't hate anyone who uses explosives like they do." Just 250 though? She could make more in an hour by robbing a caravan or something. Ugh, this was going to be annoying, wasn't it? Well, she couldn't complain too much. It was either that or start doing some raiding herself again, and she had decided to leave that. "Buuut if I'll get paid I'll take 'em out." Maybe she could finally get her mitts on some incendiaries. "None for now, boss lady." Lizzie got up from her chair. "Gonna see if Bete has any extra stuff I can borrow. Sounds easier than some of the...well, y'know." She grinned, not wanting to bring up her rather less than reputable past if she could. "Anything else I need to know?"</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" "Pay is proportional to threat. Powder Gangs play tough, but any semi-competent militia can deal with the likes of them, dynamite or not. The only reason the Powder Gangers manage to hold Primm is because they jumped the sheriff and the deputy, leaving Primm without any leadership to coordinate a counter attack. Hell, I had half a mind to go down there myself since we get supplies from Primm, but I figured this would be a good first job for you." Annabeth pops open a bottle of sarsaparilla and takes a swig from it. She takes out another and offers it to you. "As for any other info, watch out for Thrasher. His cronies are a bunch of chumps but there's a reason the bounty is for him specifically. We've also reports that he and his band robbed a caravan running guns, so chances are each of those gangers are packing. Aside from that, you ought to be able to take care of yourself. And if you can't well... We'll see soon enough."</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current "Pfft, ahahah," Lizzie laughed, flashing a grin to Annabeth. "Me? Get taken out by a buncha splodey dumbos? Noooot a chance." Well, obviously they were armed and dangerous. Even more so if they were freshly resupplied by ransacking some caravan. Hm. Hmhm. Well, she could handle herself. No sense in thinking about this too hard. "They'll be dead before ya know it, boss lady." She headed out of the building, a friendly wave to Annabeth. She slung her brush gun over her shoulder, Lizzie went to find the friendly little ghoul by the name of Bete. She probably didn't have anything she could use yet - not to mention not having any materials herself, but hey, no hurt in asking. As small as the Lone Wolf radio station was, it didn't take her too terribly long to find the kid ghoul. "Hey, Bete!" Lizzie walked up wearing her usual smile. "Wanted to see if ya had anything useful layin' around before I left on a bounty."</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Bete was at her workstation with various computer parts scattered on her desk. From the looks of it Bete had somehow found a pipboy and was in the process of cannibalizing it's parts for something. When you arrived she looked up at you. "Ah Lizzie, about to go on a job huh?" Despite being a ghoul, Bete's voice sounded relatively normal, young even, except for one thing: A notable robot autotune. It's something of an open secret that Bete's voice is augmented by her mask, filtering her real voice to something less gravely. She doesn't like to talk about it. "Well, I've been busing with some personal projects, but I think I might have something around here. Let's see... Ah, I do have these." Bete dug around behind her desk and pulled up a small crate of bottles. They looked like Sunset Sarsaparilla bottles, however instead of a normal bottle cap they had a thick fiber cork. "I figured since Anna doesn't bother to clean up her drinks, I'd recycle the bottles into something useful. Simple firebombs, glass bottles filled with some fuel and a little special something to make sure it can make a decent splash. Just light the cap on fire and throw it at something really hard, and you got yourself a little homemade incendiary bomb. Bete takes two bottles out and slides them to you. "Since you're new, you can have these two on the house. The rest however I'm stockpiling in case I need to clear out some geckos. Buuuuuut I'm willing to trade you some extra ones for say, fifty caps a pop?"</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current "Ooh, fire." Lizzie's smile widened considerably. She was probably biased since she was a bit of a pyromaniac, but fire always made everything ten times cooler. Lizzie picked up one of the bottles, swishing the bottle around in her hand. She tied both to her belt, right next to the hatchet hanging from her waist. "I'll take ya up on that offer once I get some more caps on me." She gave the ghoul a friendly bap on the head. More firepower was always a good idea. Maybe she could just...burn the entire Bison Steve down. No one would miss it, would they? Naaah. "I'll try not to burn anything down with 'em." She laughed, turning away from the Ghoul. "Laters, I gotta date with a Bison named Steve." Lizzie stepped out of the bounty office, the hot Mojave sun harshly greeting her. Nothing new, there. Just another new day in the desert. Wouldn't be the Mojave without sand, heat, and she was probably going to be adding a few bullets soon enough. Assuming Annabeth or Bete didn't try stopping her before she left, her boots turned towards Primm.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" From the clifftop, you could see Primm in the distance. While no desert jewel, the sight of the ruined city was a welcome reprieve for travelers thanks to being one of the few major settlements in the Mojave Wasteland. It was one of the few places with a working water reservoir, giving it immense value to traders and travelers. The town itself also had various tradesmen and crafters, mostly in electronics and even robotics. The Vikki and Vance Casino itself was it's main attraction; while it's payout is worse than Vegas and doesn't really have as much class, it still offered a fun experience if you want to waste away your caps, and the food served there is better than eating geckos and bloat flies. Of course, that was Primm before. Ever since the NCR moved in, things started to get shaky for Primm. It's no secret that while Primm wasn't a bad town, it's vices and services were popular among unsavory folk who would stalk the hills and hit caravans trying to make it to town. Primm had it's own law to keep the peace but that was only good to stop the violence in the town, not outside of it. And when the NCR moved in, those customers stopped showing up. And since they stopped showing up, caps started to run a bit dry even as people got comfortable with the peace. Too comfortable. And thus, their current situation: lawless and taken over by common criminals, even with the NCR just a stone throw away, they too are too limited in number to commit to a operation to clear the town, who never had a good relationship with Primm either way. Then again the NCR hasn't done a very great job at being friendly with most of the Mojave's native inhabitants in the first place. It would take about thirty minutes or so to trek down the mountain. No clear path had been beaten down yet for you to get to the town very quickly unless you want to start jumping off cliffs and hope you survive the landing. And as Bete mentioned, there are a few geckos running around hunting and being a general nusience. While smart enough to stay away from the office, the vermin showed little fear in attacking anyone on the mountain path no matter how big they are. The radiation may have made them bigger and stronger, but it also killed their sense of self-preservation. Thus it wasn't long before you ran into small pack of gecko hunters. They seemed to be prowling for prey, and if they spotted you, you could be certain that their little brains will consider you food and try and chase you down. Fortunately you were on a ridge above them and they haven't noticed you yet, but they are searching and staying alert.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current She had been to Primm before, a few times. One of the few places where ne'er-do-well's and general less savory sorts like she had used to be could have some relatively good, clean fun. So long as she kept her nose clean in the city. Mostly though, she had simply used it to get chems and restock on provisions. Seeing it in the distance reminded her briefly of her distaste for the NCR. If they actually did their damn jobs then things wouldn't have gotten like they were. "Oh, lunch." Immediately upon seeing the five Gecko's, though, her thought process entirely. She should probably pay far more attention to the Mojave. She'd get killed if she didn't. She immediately dropped to a knee, pulling her Brush gun from around her shoulder. They hadn't noticed her yet, she could avoid them, but she had plenty of ammo, and gecko meat was delicious. She took aim towards the gecko's on the ground below, starting with the one closest to her, aiming a shot right towards its cranium.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" For geckos, a 5.56 round was more than enough to put down a gecko, especially with a bullet to the head. But with a .45-70, the gecko's cranium was more than shot, it was splattered, sending blood and gore to the other geckos nearby. The loud noise shocked them, leaving them stunned for just a moment. They looked around quickly and spotted you. Despite the sudden and violent death of it's fellow gecko, the other four thought of nothing but to hunt the prey before them. They quickly began to scramble up the cliff in your direction; a feat that normally would take a person a good set of climbing gear and a prayer to do, but these gecko hunter's webbed appendages and relative light weight allowed for this sort of three-dimensional maneuvering. But this greater mobility also came with an obvious weakness: these geckos wouldn't be able to dodge bullets as they climbed towards you.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Lizzie unconsciously licked her lips as the Gecko head splattered into giblets. There was something fun about just watching something explode like that. Quickly, as they scrambled up the wall she positioned her gun downwards, over the edge of the cliff. Swiftly, two more shots were unloaded at two different geckos in an effort to thin their numbers before they got to her. As soon as the second shot left the chamber, she backed away from the cliff edge, ready to put more rounds into the Gecko the moment they climbed over.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Sure enough both geckos fell off the walls as giblets. It was a bloody mess and frankly one of them wouldn't have much meat left on him to eat unless you was to scrap up his remains into kebabs. Despite this overwhelming firepower the last two geckos continued to climb up until they were finally on the ridge with you. It was a narrow ridge, so it was close-quarters combat. And it wouldn't take long for them to charge at you trying to bite your legs. Their teeth were like forty switch blades being popped out all at once, ready for stabbing into some meat.</s>	<\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Maybe she shouldn't be quite so eager to blast them, a bunch of meat was goin' to waste. Eh, oh well. Realizing she didn't have quite as much room as she thought, Liz opted for some close quarters combat. She grabbed the barrel of her gun, swinging the butt of her rifle into the mouth of one of the lizards, using the weapon more like a glorified baseball bat than its intended purpose. She didn't take time to holster the rifle, instead simply letting the weapon fall to the ground and attempting to dodge the second gecko and using the time to pull her hatchet from her belt.</s>
<\|description\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Chelsea Sparks - Old name Race: Caucasian Age: 25 Bio: Lizzie's had a pretty rough life, a native to the Mojave she's been through the wringer since she was born. Parents were killed when she was a kid by some raiders after getting false promises from the NCR about safety. Afterwards, she took to raiding herself, gaining somewhat of a dislike for the Republic. Eventually she joined up with others, and while they weren't quite big shot bandits like the Vipers, Fiends and such, they did well for themselves as one might expect raiders to do. Even earned themselves a bit of a notoriety, enough to gain a sizable bounty on all their heads. At least, until, there was a bit of a falling out over something. She doesn't exactly talk about it, but it ended with them dead with her alive. In an effort to both clear her name and set herself straight, she started bounty hunting, taking a new name in the process. To legitimize herself and cover her tracks, she deemed bringing their severed heads to the person in charge as a must. Despite everything, she maintains a somewhat cheerful attitude, and perhaps, takes a bit too much enjoyment in her new profession. Skills: Science - Lizzie's interest in science purely used to be chem based. After getting clean (mostly, still can't quite shake the jet), she put it to more survival focused things, and putting old world tech to use. She may not be the best, but she can get around most places. Guns - Learning to defend yourself and kill before your killed is a good idea. Lizzie's a notoriously good shot. Typically, she prefers long to mid range weapons, but can handle close range combat well enough as long as it doesn't take too long. Explosives -Explosives are a pretty quick answer to any problem. Watching the ensuing 'boom' is always fun, too. A bit of a pyromaniac in that regard. Sneak - Sometimes, a good sneak attack is needed. Sometimes, getting away from trouble and staying out is the best idea. Liz is pretty good at telling which is needed for each job. Talents: Perception Agility Flaws: Charisma Endurance Signature Weapon: Brush Gun Gear: .45-70 Gov't Ammunition, Hatchet, Modified Bounty Hunter Duster, Jet, Weapon Repair kit</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Lizzie unconsciously licked her lips as the Gecko head splattered into giblets. There was something fun about just watching something explode like that. Quickly, as they scrambled up the wall she positioned her gun downwards, over the edge of the cliff. Swiftly, two more shots were unloaded at two different geckos in an effort to thin their numbers before they got to her. As soon as the second shot left the chamber, she backed away from the cliff edge, ready to put more rounds into the Gecko the moment they climbed over.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Sure enough both geckos fell off the walls as giblets. It was a bloody mess and frankly one of them wouldn't have much meat left on him to eat unless you was to scrap up his remains into kebabs. Despite this overwhelming firepower the last two geckos continued to climb up until they were finally on the ridge with you. It was a narrow ridge, so it was close-quarters combat. And it wouldn't take long for them to charge at you trying to bite your legs. Their teeth were like forty switch blades being popped out all at once, ready for stabbing into some meat.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Maybe she shouldn't be quite so eager to blast them, a bunch of meat was goin' to waste. Eh, oh well. Realizing she didn't have quite as much room as she thought, Liz opted for some close quarters combat. She grabbed the barrel of her gun, swinging the butt of her rifle into the mouth of one of the lizards, using the weapon more like a glorified baseball bat than its intended purpose. She didn't take time to holster the rifle, instead simply letting the weapon fall to the ground and attempting to dodge the second gecko and using the time to pull her hatchet from her belt.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Your improvised use of your gun was mostly effective, good enough to knock one of the geckos out from the air however it didn't kill the beast. It did make him stunned if only for a moment. The second gecko however was able to get a scratch on you, biting into your leg. While you can certainly feel it, your pants and duster were doing a decent enough job to prevent the gecko's teeth from finding any skin. If it were a bigger one, you'd likely be losing some flesh and maybe even bone. Still you'd ought to act fast. The nasty critter was gnawing, tearing through your duster's leather.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current "Ngh!" Lizzie winced, feeling the gecko's teeth clamp down on her leg. On the bright side, it was right in striking distance. The bounty hunter grabbed her hatched, wrapping both hands around its grip and swung the blade right into the side of the lizard's skull.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" You'd feel a slight sting as the gecko's teeth cut into flesh, but as soon as the blade of your axe left the gecko's skull, the beast fell to the ground twitching. It would spasm there for the rest of it's very short life, dying in about twelve or so seconds. That left the last lizard, the one you had stunned with your rifle, who continued to run and lunge right at you. Despite being so small and physically puny, these creatures were physically capable of rather impressive levels of athleticism, not just their climbing ability but also leaping. This is most important because the last gecko jumped high enough that it was going to try and bite your face.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current Ow. Note to self: Gecko Teeth hurt. Still fourth one down, one to - "Gweh?!" Damn, she really needed to remember how fast these little snacks were. The redhead, barely had seconds to react as she brought up her hatchet, holding it between her face and the creatures teeth hoping to catch the creature mid jump on it. She'd try to shove it off of her - in times like this having something like a pistol she could just pull out would be fuckin' amazing. Assuming it was successful, she'd make an attempt to drive the blade of the weapon into this ones head.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" Not a moment too soon before you manage to catch the gecko as it bites down onto the handle of your hatchet. It holds fast despite not catching any meat, allowing you to swing it into the nearby wall just long enough to stun it once more, and finish it off with another axe to the head. This once was a cleaner cut and nearly decapitated the gecko, finally leaving you with nothing but a few dead lizards. It wouldn't take too long if you felt like skinning and butchering these geckos; hides were always in some demand from traders who knew people who could turn them into clothing and textiles, and the meat was... Palpable enough. Obviously don't eat it raw; gecko meat is highly radioactive and it's a good way to get cancer. But once you grill them on an open flame, they're a decent enough snack and unlike most wasteland critters, the radiation actually helps make sure the meat doesn't catch diseases. You'd be able to obtain at least four usable gecko hides, though one was notably missing it's entire head. As for meat, taking the best cuts you find about seven pounds of the stuff all together. There were more bits of the gecko you could eat, but that meat is tough and unpalatable no matter what you do with it. Better off leaving it to the flies. And finally, seemed like one of the geckos was pregnant, because you found one gecko egg. Gecko eggs are hard to cook though due to their high acidic, making terrible omelettes. You've heard of some crazy wastelanders making cocktails with them, but those usually ended with said wastelander dying of some sort of alcohol based poisoning, which may or may not have been made worse by the gecko eggs. Once you'd finish figuring out what to do with these gecko bits, it was more or less a straight shot to Primm. The town seems almost peaceful from a distance, but you know that it's going to get loud once you make your presence known there. You can see the big old bison from your position too. The fact it wasn't on fire at the moment might be considered a good thing for Primm's state of welfare.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current .45-70 Gov't Ammunition Hatchet Modified Bounty Hunter Duster Jet x1 Weapon Repair kit x1 Firebomb x2 Gecko hides x4 Gecko meat 7lbs Gecko Egg "Whew..." Lizzie grunted, taking a moment to collect her rifle from where she had discarded it. "Looks like meat's on the menu for dinner tonight, haha!" She laughed, setting about the rather bloody work of skinning and gutting the gecko's. Always a good idea to try and get skins. Traders would always pay for 'em, and if not, she could probably find some more use for them herself. More importantly was the meat. Call her crazy, but she had a particular love for Gecko meat. Might even be able to use the Egg as an impromptu throwing weapon. Finally done with the work, Lizzie made sure any injury she had wasn't too terrible before setting off. Primm. She had been there a few times before. She wouldn't be surprised if someone recognized her from her old gang. Well, maybe she could get in without getting into too much trouble or recognition. In and out. "...maybe an explosion or two." Lizzie giggled, making her way towards the city. It definitely wasn't going to remain peaceful once she found her bounty.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" The rest of your travel to Primm was fair peaceful aside from the occasional gecko, bro g being alone they simply ran away from you. As you'd approach the first thing you would notice would not be Primm itself, but the NCR. Seems like they had a little base set up across the bridge from Primm, their flag flying high. However there was only a single soldier at the gate who would stop you as you approach. "Whoa where the hell do you think you're going? Havent you heard? Primm's under lock down right now. Whole gang has taken over the town."</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current .45-70 Gov't Ammunition Hatchet Modified Bounty Hunter Duster Jet x1 Weapon Repair kit x1 Firebomb x2 Gecko hides x4 Gecko meat 7lbs Gecko Egg --- Oh. The NCR. Great. Lizzie's soft smile didn't betray the fact her mood had been thoroughly soured at the sight of them. She almost wanted to just ignore them. Not like their rule was respected out here anyways, and she wasn't particularly fond of getting held up by them either. "Heh, yep, I've heard." Lizzie replied in a fairly non-hostile tone despite the sass of the words. "Looks like you guys could do a better job." Her smile widened, glancing in the direction of the Bison Steve. "So I'm gonna do it for ya. Leader of that gang? I got a firebomb with his name on it." She only stopped long enough to reply before heading across the bridge.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" The soldier looked at you strangely, but didn't stop you. "Fine, but don't say we didn't warn you. Just mind yourself on the bridge, we've set up landmines to keep the gangs away from our side." Sure enough, going across the bridge was slightly perilous. There were a few fragmentation mines scattered on the bridge. They didn't enough enough power behind them to blow up the bridge they they went off, but they'd certainly be able to kill anyone who made the mistake of being within the vicinity when they went off. As for Primm itself, it was a pretty large town. It was a straight shot to the Bison Steve, but you could already hear the hollering of the gangsters throughout the city, doing god knows what.</s> <\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current "Wow sounds like a party." Lizzie mused, stepping across the bridge, wary of the mines. Really, she could respect a good explosion or two but blocking off an entire bridge just seemed excessive. That was bad for everyone! Just keep a fresh supply of grenades or set up some sort of sentry or something if they wanted to make a choke point. Not that it'd mattered. If the Gangers wanted to attack them, they could just try from a different position. Now, did she want to take care of everyone else or simply go after the big bad guy? Wasn't like she'd get paid for taking out the rest of them. Her bounty was just for Thrasher, no one else. Eh, couldn't hurt to take out a few of them. A bit more info and maybe a few supplies, but nothing more than a few. Wasn't there a mail station or something in Primm? Lizzie made her way towards the station slowly, rifle at the ready and sticking to the shadows in an effort to get the drop on anyone that might be in her way.</s> <\|message\|>Annabeth Elliot "Black Gold" You walk through the streets of Primm with a finger on your trigger. Finding the mail place was easy enough; it was the Mojave Express. They even had a sign, or what was left of one. However as you approached you could hear voices in the distance. Those voices began shouting, and shouting turned into gunshots. As you'd get closer you'd be just in time to see a three men armed with some pistols surrounding a fresh dead corpse. They wore matching blue uniforms with cheap armored vests, some of them wearing trooper helmets. Looked like some unfortunate courier had just been gunned down in cold blood, and right in front of the Mojave Express as well. The three men, Powder Gangers, were chuckling to themselves as they looked through the dead body for valuables. They wouldn't notice you at all.</s>	<\|message\|>Lizzie Wheeler - Current .45-70 Gov't Ammunition Hatchet Modified Bounty Hunter Duster Jet x1 Weapon Repair kit x1 Firebomb x2 Gecko hides x4 Gecko meat 7lbs Gecko Egg --- Three people that didn't know they were dead yet, huh? Should be easy enough to handle them. Hopefully it wouldn't kill all of them, she at least wanted to ask one where exactly Thrasher was holed up in Bison Steve. Approaching slowly, Lizzie pulled a firebomb from her belt. Quickly, she ignited the fuse and held it for just a few seconds before tossing it in between the three of them. Immediately after, she pulled her rifle, taking shots at two of the gangers head, with the third getting some in his kneecaps.</s>
<\|description\|>Arnora Skadidottir Arnora Skadidottir Character Quote: "I'm totally not an Elsa." --- --- Character Summary Aliases: Arnie Age: 34 Birthday: December 23rd, somewhere in the 8th century. Death Date: Sometime in the 8th century Ethnicity: Caucasian Birth Place: Aalborg, Denmark Godly Parent: Skadi How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: Since the 8th Century. Gender: Female Languages: Old Norse, Norwegian, English --- --- Appearance Height: 5'11 Weight: 134lbs Body Type: Muscular Eye Color: Grey Hair Color: Blonde Skin Tone: Light Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Various scars across her arms and legs as well as her back, from various fights, to fighting against a few wild animals. She also has a Yggdrasil tattoo on her lower right arm. Personal Style: When you first meet Arnora she usually is seen wearing animal furs of some kind, or usually seen wearing some kind of leather armor under that for protection. She tends to take very good care at least as best she can to tend to them. If she is somewhere that is a lot warmer then Arnora will usually be seen wearing lighter clothing. Or at least some kind of armor somewhere on her body as well and will always be seen wearing boots no matter the season. Her hair is usually seen in various braids in size and length, one side of her head however is shaved preferring that look over anything else. Arnora doesn't really own any jewelry except for a necklace that was given to her by her mother and will never leave without it. --- --- Psychology Freethinking * Compulsive * Fun-loving * Greedy * Courageous * Undisciplined Sexuality: Bisexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Whenever you first meet Arnora she is usually seen as a free spirited person, she likes to have fun no matter what she does. Or whether people like it or not, she wouldn't really care what others think of her. She is very compulsive and will usually do something without to much thought into it really. Arnora doesn't really care all that much for authority unless it was from someone that she personally knows and respects. Arnora is sometimes very greedy when it comes to making money and will usually end up trading something at a higher price and able to get what she wants. Arnora doesn't really care if she steals from someone either and usually gets a kick out of stealing it. Arnora is also a very undisciplined person, and doesn't really take things to seriously, but she is very courageous and wont really back out from a fight and will do her best to protect her friends or those that she cares for. Fatal Flaw: inability to resist a challenge Habits: Whenever Arnora is bored she is usually seen messing around with one of her hair braids, if she is annoyed she will give just about anyone a death stare, and if she is bored Arnora will be seen picking out the dirt from her nails. Hobbies: Hunting, drinking Fears: * Heights * Drowning * Snakes Likes: * Snow * Winter * Hunting * Trading * Drinking * Having fun Dislikes: * Warm weather * Thunderstorms * Losing a fight * Rich or entitled people * Cowards * Smart people --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: * Cryokinesis * Enhanced Tracking General Skills: * Boating * Skiing * Rune Magic * Norse Mythology * Skinning * Leather working Combat Skills: * Axe Fighting * Hand to Hand Combat * Hunting * Shields Magic Item: * Leviathan Axe: A bone steel axe, which when it makes contact with someone immediately turns them into ice. The sword will always return to her hand even when she drops it or gets disarmed or thrown. * What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - Fur cloak, leather armor, simple tshirt underneath. * Purse/Wallet - N/A * Bone steel shield * Fur cloak * leather armor * necklace * Isens sverd * Sword Sheath Possessions In Hotel Room: * Spare bone steel sword * Spare bone steel shield * Various kinds of animal furs, that she hunted when she was alive. * Her family's shield * Modern day books * TV --- --- History Biography: Arnora was originally born in what is now modern day Aalborg, Denmark, which was originally a small trading post at the time. Her father was just a simple trades men at the time selling all of his wares to anyone who would pass through the town. Arnora growing up she had always enjoyed going out and joining the hunting parties when she was old enough to go and hunt with them. Though she always grew up for adventure and would eventually leave her home village and join the raiding parties and would always enjoy the thrill of it all. She enjoyed it all and would go on long boating expeditions as well leaving her home far behind as well, and would eventually be one of the few to find North America, making a small hunting post there. But she would eventually go back to Europe for the long traveling and visited her father as well. And also fight rivaling clans to that tried to invade her home. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: While out on a raiding party however with a rival clan, she was challenged by another warrior there. And she couldn't turn down a challenge either and accepted, Arnora would fight the person before dying, but not without taking out her challenger either in the fight as well, earning her a spot in Odin's army in Valhalla. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Frozen Throne - Kalidia - The Frozen Throne Extra Information: I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay.</s> <\|message\|>Arnora Skadidottir --- --- Arnora Skadidottir Location: Hotel Valhalla: Reception Skills: N/A --- --- Arnora watched Asha as she shifted into a raven Odin's sacred animal and watched her flying over to the reception desk making a rather nice shitting bomb run right on Helgi's nameplate. She couldn't help but start to laugh seeing that happen as well Arnora smirked a little bit as Asha flew back and landed on Klara's shoulder. "Be careful she might still have some excess crap or something." Arnora said teasingly as Hunding groaned a little bit seeing the crap, which would eventually slide down onto the desk as well. Arnora thought for a moment as she pulled out her trusted axe in her hand, runes glowing slightly on the axe head itself. "Well, I could throw my axe around at him and miss on purpose to scare the shit out of him. Hunding could mess with the lights on the floor, to flicker or something like that." Arnora suggested shrugging slightly looking over towards the others see what they thought.</s> <\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake --- --- Klara Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: Lounge Skills: N/A --- --- She couldn't help but giggle somewhat at what Asha had done on the desk, though she knew perfectly well that it was a little bit disgusting and a little bit childish with it. However, that did not make what the daughter of Odin had done any less entertaining. The bird flew over and she found that apparently Asha had decided that her shoulder was a good place to perch herself still as a bird. Klara rolled her eyes somewhat at Arnora's words regarding the bird that was now there, but she was fine with it. "Honestly Asha that was brilliant. As for other pranks I feel like we could get even more creative then that Arnora, despite how much fun scaring Helgi would be. You have to remember, we're all dead here and coming back constantly, meaning just a few light dimming and nearly hitting him won't do much. Nope, what I say is we need to actually find a way to humiliate Helgi in some way in front of everyone else. I mean there is nothing as classic as coming up with ingenious ways to trip someone so that they land on their face and drop whatever the hell they are holding, but it gets even better if you get them to accidentally make the thing they are carrying go flying and maybe even hit someone."</s> <\|message\|>Asha Makenna Jabari --- --- 🐺 Asha Jabari 🐺 --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - Reception Skills: N/A --- --- Somehow, Asha managed to roll her eyes still as a bird. "The only one with excess crap is Helgi - he's grody to the max," she complained. While she could have easily shifted back into her human form, she was enjoying being a raven perched on Klara's shoulder. The entire world looked different whenever she would shift forms. Of course, she loved being able to fly as well. Had she not died a brutal death at a young age, she would've liked to join the Valkyrie - just to be able to soar through the skies without shifting form. She thought for a moment, before an evil plot hatched in her mind. "What if something happened at tonight's feast? What if... Odin, the All-Father, showed up and ordered Helgi to clean his boots with his tongue?" Asha proposed. If a raven could smirk, she would have. She had this image of herself shifting to resemble the All-Father and going into the Feast Room of the Slain that evening, all with the sole purpose of getting Helgi to do some incredibly shameful activities. "Besides, he needs to return the runes to the All-Father anyways."</s> <\|message\|>Arnora Skadidottir --- --- Arnora Skadidottir Location: Hotel Valhalla: Reception Skills: N/A --- --- Arnora shrugged slightly she didn't mind having to kill Helgi a few times with her axe and scare the shit out of him multiple times as well, looking at Asha's and smirks towards her and nodded liking the idea pretty well. Arnora watched as a few einherjar were coming out of the elevator and making their way over towards the feast hall for lunch, and then looking at her two friends and seeing Asha rolling her crow eyes. "I like it, but we should totally kill him in like a humiliating way still, and maybe ask some of the valkeries to not bring him back just yet until the feast tonight and we could maybe hang him by his underwear or whatever. Then we do the Odin boot licking thing?" Arnora suggested looking at the two of them and smiled while Hunding was nodding at the idea, he certainly wouldn't mind having to humiliate his boss in front of everyone in Valhalla during the nightly feast for many years to come as well.</s> <\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake --- --- Klara Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: Lounge Skills: N/A --- --- "I mean... Who says that we can't do both? I mean it would be obvious and have him be expecting one of those options, either way, so if we do both of them then whose to say they would be expecting it. Plus Asha would be able to shapeshift into the All-Father if she wants to, and Arnora would be able to kill someone. Everyone wins and we get to still play a massive prank on Helgi, I'm with Arnora on that one, so how about we get going already and start causing more problems for him?" Klara spoke up, giggling slightly at how both of them wanted to prank Helgi in different ways. They could do both after all. "As for how we kill him, well you can't do the simple things like just stabbing the guy or beheading him, that's way too obvious... No... Needs to be a bit more clever..." she mused, thinking for a moment, before an idea came to her mind and she broke out into a grin. "You know... Being killed by an animal stampeded would definitely be a humiliating way to go... So why not send a stampede of goats out after him? I mean, they aren't typically seen as very scary or fearsome, so it would be kind of entertaining if you ask me."</s> <\|message\|>Asha Makenna Jabari --- --- 🐺 Asha Jabari 🐺 --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - Reception Skills: Shapeshifting --- --- There was only one slight problem with killing Helgi - he ran the hotel and Asha didn't want to have him as an outright enemy. They could have been degraded to the status of Hunding - well, probably not her, her father was the All-Father after all but Klara and Arnora didn't have that perk. "If you're going to kill him, it should be a crowded area at least - so he can't tell who did it," Asha reasoned. "Otherwise, all three of us will be stuck scrubbing toilets until Ragnarok comes and I do not need to see what the bowel movements of every einherji looks like. That'd be grody to the max." Asha then leapt forward off of Klara's shoulder, transforming until she resembled an older white man with only one eye. She looked like the spitting image of Odin, the All-Father. While most people likely wouldn't dare to pretend to be Odin, Asha didn't really care. If it bothered her father, well, he could come and say that to her face - and even then she probably wouldn't stop. "Do I look convincing - like I could mansplain battlefield strategy to you all night while promoting my latest self help book on heroism?"</s>	<\|message\|>Arnora Skadidottir Location: Hotel Valhalla: Reception Skills: N/A --- --- "Sounds like a perfect plan to me then." Arnora said with a laugh as Hunding nodded in approval as well, looking over at both Klara and Asha as she turned into the All-Father himself which made her ask. "Sooo, whenever you turn into a guy or something do you have dangly bits to? And yes you look like the spitting image of your father as well." Arnora said jokingly before making her way towards the elevator and thought for a moment there was a little problem though they needed to find a lot of goats. "So, any ideas on where to get an army of goats anyway?" Arnora asked, as she waited for the others to get into the elevator and pressed the button, waving goodbye to Hunding as the door closed behind them. She pressed the button to the floor that Helgi had gone to as well. "And that would be really annoying to having to listen to all of those speeches and all that to."</s>
<\|description\|>Asha Makenna Jabari Asha Jabari Character Quote: "Hurry up! Ragnarok won't stop itself." --- --- Character Summary Aliases: Raven, Forge Age: 18 Birthday: October 2nd, 1965 Death Date: July 23rd, 1984 Ethnicity: Swahili Birth Place: Boston, Massachusetts Godly Parent: Odin How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: 31 Gender: Female Languages: English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5'5" Weight: 110 Body Type: Limber Eye Color: Green Hair Color: Brown Skin Tone: Dark Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Triple pierced ears; scar on back Personal Style: (A paragraph, what does he or she like to wear, hair style what they usually wear ect) --- --- Psychology Playful * Blunt * Compassionate * Vengeful * Dedicated * Mysterious Sexuality: Homosexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Asha is a mischievous soul, enjoying poking fun at others - especially her fellow einherjar. The world could use a little more laughter, in order to spare some of the pain associated with the natural occurrences in life: broken hearts, loss, illness, betrayal, and much more... While she may smile at perhaps the wrong time or find a situation to be silly that others find seriousness, do not mistake her as being heartless. Asha has dedicated herself to helping others, choosing to walk her path in her own manner and to protect the Nine Realms. She feels it is her duty to help those in need and to prevent evil from triumphing, no matter what shape or form this may be. She does not always agree with the rule of law. It has its benefits, yet also its limitations. Similarly, however, the world cannot operate on chaos and anarchy - there needs to be a balance between the two. She walks the grey line between them, sometimes a vigilante and at others, a stout upholder of the law. Whatever the situation needs, she will be. Fatal Flaw: Believing She Is Above Destiny and Fate Habits: Rolling her eyes Hobbies: Tinkering with weapons, Soccer Fears: * Failing her father, Odin * Falling into Ginnungagap * Being trapped forever as a different form Likes: * Hairstyling * Animals * Music * Swimming * Inventions * Fire Dislikes: * Rain * Public Transportation * Politics * Orange * Senior Einherjar * Loki --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: * Shapeshifting * Telumkinesis General Skills: * Battle Strategy * Norse Mythology * Perception * Survival * Metalworking * Crafting Combat Skills: * Sword Fighting * Knife Fighting * Brawling * Shield Fighting Magic Item: * Bunnløs - a bag that can hold seemingly an infinite number of things while being relatively weightless * Ravnskriker - a bone steel sword. If Asha loses it, it will reappear in its sheath. What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - Beige and white t-shirt with the Dagaz rune symbol, white necklace, silvery shorts, white sneakers * Purse/Wallet - $100 U.S. * Bunnløs * Ravnskriker * Wooden Shield with the rune of Odin * Lighter * Mini notebook and pen * * * * * Possessions In Hotel Room: * Books on Weapons Forging * Weapons Forge - and its various components, design tables, etc... * Spare Clothing * Photograph of her and her mother * High school diploma * Photograph of her and her senior year soccer team * Photograph of a 10 year old Asha with a wooden sword at a Renaissance Faire * * * * --- --- History Biography: Asha's mother was a professor of history in Boston, focusing on the Viking Age. Her expertise on the subject caught the eye of the Norse god Odin. The two of them had a brief romance, where Odin confirmed the majority of her hypotheses and theories - and in addition, sired a child. She named her daughter Asha in honor of her Swahili heritage (the name means Life) and hoping that Asha would grow up to create peace in the world. Her mother never remarried, but even just on one income they were able to have an expensive home in Brookline. Asha went to a private, charter school up through middle school, before transferring to the private high school her mother's university ran for high school. Asha had two primary hobbies - the first was playing soccer. She was incredibly good at it, seemingly gifted and able to memorize plays nearly instantly. Her coach would praise her, convinced that Asha would be able to get a scholarship for college from her skills. Her second hobby was order. Asha was really into swords. At museums, she always went straight for the swords, daggers if swords weren't present. She was just fascinated by their form. Her mother didn't really encourage this interest, though she didn't discourage it either. Asha would do all of the cute craft kits she could find, usually instructing kids on how to make and decorate wooden swords, but she would always get super serious about it. For her sixteenth birthday, her mother let Asha get a 'real' (display) sword and the demigod just about fainted from excitement. Since dying and becoming a member of her father's army, Asha spends her free time learning about metalworking and crafting. Her dream is to one day craft the finest magical sword the world has ever seen... one capable of changing destiny and fate. For now, her best blade that she's managed to create in the forges is her bone steel sword, Ravnskriker, meaning Raven Scream. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: Asha was at summer camp, her last year of eligibility as in the fall she was due to start college. She had gone to the camp before each summer beginning in the first grade, spending a week away from home in the wilderness. Unfortunately, this summer one of the campers was unstable. They went on a murder spree with a gun in the dead of night. Asha managed to make it to the archery range, where she tried to use a bow and arrow to stop the killer. She managed to fatally wound her opponent, but not before she herself was shot and killed. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Extra Information: I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay.</s> <\|message\|>Arnora Skadidottir --- --- Arnora Skadidottir Location: Hotel Valhalla: Lounge -> Reception Skills: N/A --- --- Arnora looked between Asha and Klara and couldn't help but snicker slightly when Asha called her Klarance which was pretty funny, and looked over at Klara. "At least she didn't call you Klarie." Arnora pointed out, while looking between Hunding and Helgi she did feel bad for Hunding. He was king of the Saxons at one point remembering him really well having been dead since pretty much that time as well and knew a lot of the abuse that Helgi always gave him. "Maybe you should talk to your father about him then." Arnora said to Asha since she was the daughter of Odin himself as well. Arnora looked at Klara before following Asha towards the reception area, so far there hadn't been any new Einherjar today yet anyway there were always a few that would come in through the doors at some point during the day. Helgi stopped for a moment and looked over at Asha as she called him over, and made his way towards her. "What can I do for you Daughter of Odin?" Helgi asked while Hunding looked at Asha and gave her a grateful smile, as Arnora dug into her pocket and pulled out a chocolate bar she had on her and handed it over to the poor doorman. Which made him instantly tear up and mouthed a thank you before scurrying off to do some of his other duties for now while Helgi was distracted.</s> <\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake --- --- Klara Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: Lounge Skills: N/A --- --- "I do have a name you know," Klara responded to Asha with a bit of an eye roll, it was somewhat annoying, but figured that she might as well drop it completely. There was no point arguing since they'd probably be sitting there for hours and that definitely would not be any fun. She wasn't at all too surprised that Asha was talking about Helgi being mean to poor Hunding. "I totally agree with you on that one, honestly it is ridiculous how Hunding is treated, not sure what all we can do regarding that situation though." The words were barely out of her mouth before Asha went over to the pair and started talking, and Klara just shook her head. "Wonder what Asha is going to try and do," she said to Arnora, before she followed along after Arnora who went to follow Asha. Maybe she was wanting to go play babysitter to Asha? This certainly wasn't exactly a good thing, but she was glad that between the two, they had managed to get Hunding away from Helgi. She was also wondering how much longer this charade was going to last, since she wasn't too sure if Asha had any sort of task to actually give Helgi.</s> <\|message\|>Asha Makenna Jabari --- --- 🐺 Asha Jabari 🐺 --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - Reception Skills: N/A --- --- Asha didn't really speak with her father very often - she had only spoken with Odin twice throughout her entire time at Hotel Valhalla. This was fairly typical for the demigod einherjar, as their parents were gods and often just... didn't show up. Because of that, she didn't really feel bad if she threw around her father's name in order to get Hunding a deserved break from Helgi's bullying. It honestly shocked her that no one had really said anything about it to the All-Father. Whenever she saw Odin again - admittedly, which could be thousand of years from then - she figured she'd ask for a favor. If not, she could always lie to Helgi and tell him that Odin decreed he had to be nice to Hunding. Actually, that was an excellent idea. "The All-Father has misplaced his dagaz rune somewhere between floors three hundred and three hundred fifty. He has asked me to inform you, O great Hunding, that you have the honor of retrieving it for him. No magical items can be used, as the rune is potentially unstable, and no one else is authorized to help you in this hunt. The All-Father wishes you well on your quest and asks that you bring the rune and place it on his chair at tonight's feast."</s> <\|message\|>Arnora Skadidottir --- --- Arnora Skadidottir Location: Hotel Valhalla: Reception Skills: N/A --- --- "This should be fun to watch though, though I do wish Hunding would actually kill Helgi or something once in awhile." Anrora said, knowing that the two were just like them einherjar as well. She leaned herself up against the nearby wall as she watched Asha with a little bit of amusement wondering if her little blood relation to the All-Father would actually work. "Think he will fall for it?" Arnora asked looking at Klara, she noticed Hunding wasn't to far from them either hiding behind the reception desk. Which was a little bit more than disappointing to see as well. Helgi turned his attention over towards Asha for a moment eyeing her up and down, wondering if he actually believed her or not, before letting out a slight sigh. "Of course, Odin forgets something somewhere in the hotel." Helgi turned towards Hunding again. "Watch the desk i'll be back when I can." Helgi said before turning and started to make his way over towards the elevator and closed it, leaving the four of them all alone, Hunding coming out from behind the reception desk. "Thank you." Hunding said to Asha giving her a slight smile.</s> <\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake --- --- Klara Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: Lounge Skills: N/A --- --- "Think we'd get in trouble for killing Helgi on his behalf? Or at least help him do it? Since I'd be all for that one if I'm being perfectly honest. Helgi needs to learn a lesson about being rude seriously," she said with a bit of a giggle to Arnora as she more or less was just wanting to see how things turned out with this. The fact that Asha was throwing around who her father was was a bit of a hilarious thing to watch as she tried to see what Helgi would do regarding Hunding, and she was somewhat hoping that Helgi fell for it. She had to fight back a laugh as Helgi spoke to Hunding before taking off into the elevator and leaving them there. As soon as Helgi was gone though, she couldn't help it as she started giggling like crazy. "Wow, I'm sorry, but I can't believe that he fell for that. Asha that was brilliant!" she said, still laughing at the whole thing. She was glad that Asha's plan had seemed to work, freeing Hunding from Helgi for a while at least, it gave the guy a break, no matter how brief.</s>	<\|message\|>Asha Makenna Jabari 🐺 Asha Jabari 🐺 --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - Reception Skills: N/A --- --- Asha had a simple smile on her face, though her eyes shined with glee and delight. While she was a rather proud and mischievous soul, she tended to be a bit muted and restrained as well, an aura of mystery about her. She had a bit of a flair for the dramatics, probably taking after her father in that regard. "You're welcome, Hunding. Since he's grody to you, you can decide if you want to hide a fake rune somewhere or if there shouldn't even be a fake one for him to find." It wouldn't save him from Helgi forever and Asha wouldn't be able to likely distract him again soon for Hunding, but it was at least a partial reprieve. She then looked at her fellow einherjar. Klara seemed pretty enthusiastic about it all and Asha blushed faintly. "Anyways... Do you two have any interesting ideas on what to do today? I'm not really feeling like doing Tennis to the Death. It just gets a bit repetitive, y'know..." In truth, she didn't like any of the activities that ended in death. She would much rather be the one building the weapons and forging them than the one being run through with them.</s>
<\|description\|>Asha Makenna Jabari Asha Jabari Character Quote: "Hurry up! Ragnarok won't stop itself." --- --- Character Summary Aliases: Raven, Forge Age: 18 Birthday: October 2nd, 1965 Death Date: July 23rd, 1984 Ethnicity: Swahili Birth Place: Boston, Massachusetts Godly Parent: Odin How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: 31 Gender: Female Languages: English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5'5" Weight: 110 Body Type: Limber Eye Color: Green Hair Color: Brown Skin Tone: Dark Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Triple pierced ears; scar on back Personal Style: (A paragraph, what does he or she like to wear, hair style what they usually wear ect) --- --- Psychology Playful * Blunt * Compassionate * Vengeful * Dedicated * Mysterious Sexuality: Homosexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Asha is a mischievous soul, enjoying poking fun at others - especially her fellow einherjar. The world could use a little more laughter, in order to spare some of the pain associated with the natural occurrences in life: broken hearts, loss, illness, betrayal, and much more... While she may smile at perhaps the wrong time or find a situation to be silly that others find seriousness, do not mistake her as being heartless. Asha has dedicated herself to helping others, choosing to walk her path in her own manner and to protect the Nine Realms. She feels it is her duty to help those in need and to prevent evil from triumphing, no matter what shape or form this may be. She does not always agree with the rule of law. It has its benefits, yet also its limitations. Similarly, however, the world cannot operate on chaos and anarchy - there needs to be a balance between the two. She walks the grey line between them, sometimes a vigilante and at others, a stout upholder of the law. Whatever the situation needs, she will be. Fatal Flaw: Believing She Is Above Destiny and Fate Habits: Rolling her eyes Hobbies: Tinkering with weapons, Soccer Fears: * Failing her father, Odin * Falling into Ginnungagap * Being trapped forever as a different form Likes: * Hairstyling * Animals * Music * Swimming * Inventions * Fire Dislikes: * Rain * Public Transportation * Politics * Orange * Senior Einherjar * Loki --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: * Shapeshifting * Telumkinesis General Skills: * Battle Strategy * Norse Mythology * Perception * Survival * Metalworking * Crafting Combat Skills: * Sword Fighting * Knife Fighting * Brawling * Shield Fighting Magic Item: * Bunnløs - a bag that can hold seemingly an infinite number of things while being relatively weightless * Ravnskriker - a bone steel sword. If Asha loses it, it will reappear in its sheath. What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - Beige and white t-shirt with the Dagaz rune symbol, white necklace, silvery shorts, white sneakers * Purse/Wallet - $100 U.S. * Bunnløs * Ravnskriker * Wooden Shield with the rune of Odin * Lighter * Mini notebook and pen * * * * * Possessions In Hotel Room: * Books on Weapons Forging * Weapons Forge - and its various components, design tables, etc... * Spare Clothing * Photograph of her and her mother * High school diploma * Photograph of her and her senior year soccer team * Photograph of a 10 year old Asha with a wooden sword at a Renaissance Faire * * * * --- --- History Biography: Asha's mother was a professor of history in Boston, focusing on the Viking Age. Her expertise on the subject caught the eye of the Norse god Odin. The two of them had a brief romance, where Odin confirmed the majority of her hypotheses and theories - and in addition, sired a child. She named her daughter Asha in honor of her Swahili heritage (the name means Life) and hoping that Asha would grow up to create peace in the world. Her mother never remarried, but even just on one income they were able to have an expensive home in Brookline. Asha went to a private, charter school up through middle school, before transferring to the private high school her mother's university ran for high school. Asha had two primary hobbies - the first was playing soccer. She was incredibly good at it, seemingly gifted and able to memorize plays nearly instantly. Her coach would praise her, convinced that Asha would be able to get a scholarship for college from her skills. Her second hobby was order. Asha was really into swords. At museums, she always went straight for the swords, daggers if swords weren't present. She was just fascinated by their form. Her mother didn't really encourage this interest, though she didn't discourage it either. Asha would do all of the cute craft kits she could find, usually instructing kids on how to make and decorate wooden swords, but she would always get super serious about it. For her sixteenth birthday, her mother let Asha get a 'real' (display) sword and the demigod just about fainted from excitement. Since dying and becoming a member of her father's army, Asha spends her free time learning about metalworking and crafting. Her dream is to one day craft the finest magical sword the world has ever seen... one capable of changing destiny and fate. For now, her best blade that she's managed to create in the forges is her bone steel sword, Ravnskriker, meaning Raven Scream. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: Asha was at summer camp, her last year of eligibility as in the fall she was due to start college. She had gone to the camp before each summer beginning in the first grade, spending a week away from home in the wilderness. Unfortunately, this summer one of the campers was unstable. They went on a murder spree with a gun in the dead of night. Asha managed to make it to the archery range, where she tried to use a bow and arrow to stop the killer. She managed to fatally wound her opponent, but not before she herself was shot and killed. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Extra Information: I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay.</s> <\|message\|>Arnora Skadidottir --- --- Arnora Skadidottir Location: Hotel Valhalla: Reception Skills: N/A --- --- "If you three need anything from me i'll be more than willing to do it as a favor, it will probably take him awhile to find out that it was all a lie." Hunding said giving the three women a friendly smile, he was really grateful for their help, before he went back towards the reception desk. Arnora turned towards Klara and smiled a little bit, as she started to get a pretty good idea on what they should actually do and it would be funny, and maybe even help Hunding a little bit more by keeping Helgi away longer. "Well, I think I have an idea on what we could do, maybe prank the hell out of Helgi or something like that?" Arnora suggested looking over at Klara and Asha, to see if the two of them are in for it. Hunding perked up a little bit and turned towards the three of them and smiled a bit. "I could help if needed to." He offered.</s> <\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake --- --- Klara Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: Lounge Skills: N/A --- --- Klara smiled slightly at what was going on around her, giggling at everyone else' words regarding the entire thing. Asha certainly seemed to be enjoying herself when regarding the entire situation. "I honestly have no interesting plans, might see about trying to kill a few people in the training rooms or whatever, but nothing new really. Same old sort of thing, it gets a little boring, but might need to try and find new and creative ways to kill people. What about you Asha?" Klara asked her, before her attention instantly got drawn away by what Arnora said. She got a mischievous look in her eyes as she heard the suggestion about playing a prank on Helgi. It was a well-known fact that Klara was a bit of a trickster by now, playing pranks on people whenever she really got bored. "Okay, you got me hooked once you said the word "prank". Even before you said the intended target of said prank, and I'm all on board! Hell yes to that! Let's do it! So, got anything clever in mind? Or are you just asking for some good ideas for what to do at this point?"</s> <\|message\|>Asha Makenna Jabari --- --- 🐺 Asha Jabari 🐺 --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - Reception Skills: Shapeshifting --- --- Asha thought for a moment when it came to other good pranks to pull on Helgi. She tended to be a bit of a trickster as well, though her methods tended to be more subtle than outright. However, a scheme hatched in her mind that she couldn't quite pass up. As a daughter of Odin, Asha was a skilled shapeshifter and she concentrated, before turning into a dark black raven. She flew up into the air, her entire perspective shifting as suddenly everything around her seemed a lot larger, and she flew over to the reception desk. She aimed for Helgi's name plate, zooming by as she unleashed her payload - a gigantic thing of bird poop. Asha then flew and perched on Klara's shoulder, remaining in her avian form. That was one perk of shapeshifters, at least among norse demigods - they could speak still. "I'm coming up with all the ideas, guys, and while they are rad, I'm expecting you two to come up with something as well," she said. Her voice was normal and everything, it was just coming out of the beak of a raven.</s> <\|message\|>Arnora Skadidottir --- --- Arnora Skadidottir Location: Hotel Valhalla: Reception Skills: N/A --- --- Arnora watched Asha as she shifted into a raven Odin's sacred animal and watched her flying over to the reception desk making a rather nice shitting bomb run right on Helgi's nameplate. She couldn't help but start to laugh seeing that happen as well Arnora smirked a little bit as Asha flew back and landed on Klara's shoulder. "Be careful she might still have some excess crap or something." Arnora said teasingly as Hunding groaned a little bit seeing the crap, which would eventually slide down onto the desk as well. Arnora thought for a moment as she pulled out her trusted axe in her hand, runes glowing slightly on the axe head itself. "Well, I could throw my axe around at him and miss on purpose to scare the shit out of him. Hunding could mess with the lights on the floor, to flicker or something like that." Arnora suggested shrugging slightly looking over towards the others see what they thought.</s> <\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake --- --- Klara Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: Lounge Skills: N/A --- --- She couldn't help but giggle somewhat at what Asha had done on the desk, though she knew perfectly well that it was a little bit disgusting and a little bit childish with it. However, that did not make what the daughter of Odin had done any less entertaining. The bird flew over and she found that apparently Asha had decided that her shoulder was a good place to perch herself still as a bird. Klara rolled her eyes somewhat at Arnora's words regarding the bird that was now there, but she was fine with it. "Honestly Asha that was brilliant. As for other pranks I feel like we could get even more creative then that Arnora, despite how much fun scaring Helgi would be. You have to remember, we're all dead here and coming back constantly, meaning just a few light dimming and nearly hitting him won't do much. Nope, what I say is we need to actually find a way to humiliate Helgi in some way in front of everyone else. I mean there is nothing as classic as coming up with ingenious ways to trip someone so that they land on their face and drop whatever the hell they are holding, but it gets even better if you get them to accidentally make the thing they are carrying go flying and maybe even hit someone."</s>	<\|message\|>Asha Makenna Jabari 🐺 Asha Jabari 🐺 --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - Reception Skills: N/A --- --- Somehow, Asha managed to roll her eyes still as a bird. "The only one with excess crap is Helgi - he's grody to the max," she complained. While she could have easily shifted back into her human form, she was enjoying being a raven perched on Klara's shoulder. The entire world looked different whenever she would shift forms. Of course, she loved being able to fly as well. Had she not died a brutal death at a young age, she would've liked to join the Valkyrie - just to be able to soar through the skies without shifting form. She thought for a moment, before an evil plot hatched in her mind. "What if something happened at tonight's feast? What if... Odin, the All-Father, showed up and ordered Helgi to clean his boots with his tongue?" Asha proposed. If a raven could smirk, she would have. She had this image of herself shifting to resemble the All-Father and going into the Feast Room of the Slain that evening, all with the sole purpose of getting Helgi to do some incredibly shameful activities. "Besides, he needs to return the runes to the All-Father anyways."</s>
<\|description\|>Asha Makenna Jabari Asha Jabari Character Quote: "Hurry up! Ragnarok won't stop itself." --- --- Character Summary Aliases: Raven, Forge Age: 18 Birthday: October 2nd, 1965 Death Date: July 23rd, 1984 Ethnicity: Swahili Birth Place: Boston, Massachusetts Godly Parent: Odin How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: 31 Gender: Female Languages: English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5'5" Weight: 110 Body Type: Limber Eye Color: Green Hair Color: Brown Skin Tone: Dark Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Triple pierced ears; scar on back Personal Style: (A paragraph, what does he or she like to wear, hair style what they usually wear ect) --- --- Psychology Playful * Blunt * Compassionate * Vengeful * Dedicated * Mysterious Sexuality: Homosexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Asha is a mischievous soul, enjoying poking fun at others - especially her fellow einherjar. The world could use a little more laughter, in order to spare some of the pain associated with the natural occurrences in life: broken hearts, loss, illness, betrayal, and much more... While she may smile at perhaps the wrong time or find a situation to be silly that others find seriousness, do not mistake her as being heartless. Asha has dedicated herself to helping others, choosing to walk her path in her own manner and to protect the Nine Realms. She feels it is her duty to help those in need and to prevent evil from triumphing, no matter what shape or form this may be. She does not always agree with the rule of law. It has its benefits, yet also its limitations. Similarly, however, the world cannot operate on chaos and anarchy - there needs to be a balance between the two. She walks the grey line between them, sometimes a vigilante and at others, a stout upholder of the law. Whatever the situation needs, she will be. Fatal Flaw: Believing She Is Above Destiny and Fate Habits: Rolling her eyes Hobbies: Tinkering with weapons, Soccer Fears: * Failing her father, Odin * Falling into Ginnungagap * Being trapped forever as a different form Likes: * Hairstyling * Animals * Music * Swimming * Inventions * Fire Dislikes: * Rain * Public Transportation * Politics * Orange * Senior Einherjar * Loki --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: * Shapeshifting * Telumkinesis General Skills: * Battle Strategy * Norse Mythology * Perception * Survival * Metalworking * Crafting Combat Skills: * Sword Fighting * Knife Fighting * Brawling * Shield Fighting Magic Item: * Bunnløs - a bag that can hold seemingly an infinite number of things while being relatively weightless * Ravnskriker - a bone steel sword. If Asha loses it, it will reappear in its sheath. What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - Beige and white t-shirt with the Dagaz rune symbol, white necklace, silvery shorts, white sneakers * Purse/Wallet - $100 U.S. * Bunnløs * Ravnskriker * Wooden Shield with the rune of Odin * Lighter * Mini notebook and pen * * * * * Possessions In Hotel Room: * Books on Weapons Forging * Weapons Forge - and its various components, design tables, etc... * Spare Clothing * Photograph of her and her mother * High school diploma * Photograph of her and her senior year soccer team * Photograph of a 10 year old Asha with a wooden sword at a Renaissance Faire * * * * --- --- History Biography: Asha's mother was a professor of history in Boston, focusing on the Viking Age. Her expertise on the subject caught the eye of the Norse god Odin. The two of them had a brief romance, where Odin confirmed the majority of her hypotheses and theories - and in addition, sired a child. She named her daughter Asha in honor of her Swahili heritage (the name means Life) and hoping that Asha would grow up to create peace in the world. Her mother never remarried, but even just on one income they were able to have an expensive home in Brookline. Asha went to a private, charter school up through middle school, before transferring to the private high school her mother's university ran for high school. Asha had two primary hobbies - the first was playing soccer. She was incredibly good at it, seemingly gifted and able to memorize plays nearly instantly. Her coach would praise her, convinced that Asha would be able to get a scholarship for college from her skills. Her second hobby was order. Asha was really into swords. At museums, she always went straight for the swords, daggers if swords weren't present. She was just fascinated by their form. Her mother didn't really encourage this interest, though she didn't discourage it either. Asha would do all of the cute craft kits she could find, usually instructing kids on how to make and decorate wooden swords, but she would always get super serious about it. For her sixteenth birthday, her mother let Asha get a 'real' (display) sword and the demigod just about fainted from excitement. Since dying and becoming a member of her father's army, Asha spends her free time learning about metalworking and crafting. Her dream is to one day craft the finest magical sword the world has ever seen... one capable of changing destiny and fate. For now, her best blade that she's managed to create in the forges is her bone steel sword, Ravnskriker, meaning Raven Scream. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: Asha was at summer camp, her last year of eligibility as in the fall she was due to start college. She had gone to the camp before each summer beginning in the first grade, spending a week away from home in the wilderness. Unfortunately, this summer one of the campers was unstable. They went on a murder spree with a gun in the dead of night. Asha managed to make it to the archery range, where she tried to use a bow and arrow to stop the killer. She managed to fatally wound her opponent, but not before she herself was shot and killed. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Extra Information: I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay.</s> <\|message\|>Arnora Skadidottir --- --- Arnora Skadidottir Location: Hotel Valhalla: Reception -> Floor 314 Skills: N/A --- --- "Maybe you could control goats, that would be really interesting to see." Arnora said looking at Klara and smiled towards her as she pressed the button as the door closed and the elevator started to go up. She ran a hand through her hair slightly as the elevator music started to play, it didnt take to long until they were now on that floor. As soon as the door opened Arnora could see hundreds of goats all around what looked like a farm of sorts. Arnora watched for a moment as she noticed an Einherjar not to far from them was messing with some of the goats, one of them started to back up slightly before it charged forward knocking the Einherjar flat out on his ass. Arnora couldnt help but start to laugh seeing a few goats starting to headbutt the guy as soon as he tried to get up, and only to be knocked down again.</s> <\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake --- --- Klara Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: Elevator -> Floor 314 Skills: Goat Vision! --- --- "I actually can somewhat control goats thank you very much, depends on how stubborn they want to be about it though since let me tell you, aside from eating just about everything that they see, and despite my love for them, they can sometimes be stubborn little bastards. However I should be able to get them to come with us to cause more then a little mayhem, they hardly ever get to see outside of this floor anyway, so it's going to be fun to get them out of here and running amok throughout the hotel if you ask me," Klara said gleefully as they headed up to the 314th floor where the goats were. She had to stop herself from giggling when she saw someone get knocked over by one of the goats. "Hey you all, mind coming over here please?" she said, using her powers in an attempt to control the goats, however they ignored her and one looked like it was going to charge at her. Klara crossed her arms and let out a huffy breath, "Well isn't that rude! I said come here!" this time she said it with a lot more force, and small herd of goats came over to them now, and Klara started petting a few of them, "Now that is so much better..." she said happily.</s> <\|message\|>Asha Makenna Jabari --- --- 🐺 Asha Jabari 🐺 --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - Floor 314 Skills: N/A --- --- Asha had never seen so many goats before in her lifetime. She knew that this many goats had to exist in the Nine Realms, but having so many in one spot seemed almost recklessly dangerous. If the goats worked together, they could likely overthrow the Aesir and rule Asgard. Klara at the very least could control them and Asha contemplated the limits on her control. Could Klara prevent Ragnarok with a goat army? She filed that away into her mental folder of schemes and plans. As a child of Odin, Asha was always thinking a few steps ahead. "Does this little fellow have a name?" she asked, looking at the goat that had knocked Klara over. "And his lineage?" she asked. Lineage was rather important in Viking society. Asha more of just found it funny to press people to list all of their ancestors, especially as it usually gave her enough time to come up with a way to kill them. Stalling was one of the finest weapons a warrior had after all. So many einherji forgot that battles were as much mental as they were physical.</s> <\|message\|>Arnora Skadidottir --- --- Arnora Skadidottir Location: Hotel Valhalla: Floor 314 Skills: N/A --- --- "So, how many are you able to control at once?" Arnora asked looking over at Klara, as a number of goats started to surround her making goat noises as they all stared up at her. It was a little bit creepy for her to watch as they eventually sat down at Klara's feet like she was their leader of sorts. One of the goats moved over towards Asha and started to sniff her for a moment, before setting it's eyes on Asha's mini notepad and pen and snatched it. The goat happily started to chew away at it, not even caring what it actually was and looked like it was enjoying the meal as well. Arnora started to laugh as the goat had eaten Asha's notepad, as small shreds of paper were falling onto the ground as well, she turned towards Klara. "So, where should we take them all to anyway?" Arnora asked it would be kind of hard to see a large army of goats roaming the halls of Valhalla.</s> <\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake --- --- Klara Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: Elevator -> Floor 314 Skills: Goat Vision! --- --- "His name?" Klara said with a bit of a gleeful glint in her eyes, "His name is Adalsteinn the Bloodthirsty!" she responded, petting the goat on the head as she glanced over at Arnora as she asked how many she could control. "I honestly don't know how many I can control, but I can definitely control enough to create a small herd and wreck havoc with them!" that was the whole point of this little expedition, to get enough goats to cause some mayhem and chaos. "I think we should let them loose down in the lobby, or just let them go off and charging on different levels of the hotel, cause as much mayhem as possible. It would be hilarious to me to just let them go charging off anywhere, it all depends on your preference I suppose. Asha, where do you think we should let these guys loose? Also I wonder how many we can fit in the elevator," she said, adding the last sentence about the elevator as an after thought almost. She really wanted to get going and cause chaos already.</s>	<\|message\|>Asha Makenna Jabari 🐺 Asha Jabari 🐺 --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - Floor 314 Skills: Battle Strategy --- --- Asha chuckled slightly. "Adalsteinn the Bloodthirsty? How very," she mused, staring at the goat. She wondered if the goat was just super into Halloween or vampire stories. Had Klara named him after a Twilight marathon, perhaps? It wasn't the worst movie series she had ever seen, but it was definitely in the bottom five. Klara seemed to really be into love and romance though, so it made sense that she would enjoy something like that. Asha didn't really have time for matters of the heart. She liked women, of course, but she preferred to spend her time crafting new weapons rather than dating. Case in point, she was gifted when it came to strategy. "Well, the lobby would be an ideal place from the amount of traffic it gets. We could also send them to various floors to infiltrate people's rooms. The Feast Hall of the Slain could be useful, but... they may be eaten, which I imagine you wouldn't be a fan of," Asha proposed. "I also like the idea of leaving a bunch of them in the elevator to attack unsuspecting einherji."</s>
<\|description\|>Suigin Ikotsu Suigin Ikotsu Essentials Alias: Ophiuchus Gender: Male Age: 16 Birthday: 8/8 Personal Personality: A simple, boring teenager who unlike his peers, desires the everyday life. Walking to school, having meaningless conversations, and going home to play games and relax. Suigin would be boring had he not desired something like that to an almost insane degree. The everyday life is the craving that makes up his entire personality. He was a normal boy. Likes: * His best friend * The everyday * School Dislikes: * His best friend * Cooking * The abnormal Arcana Representation: Temperance Relationships (Romantically, family, allies, enemies, etc.): Classmates and friends Who did the blood eye terrorist kill? (who did he take that was so special to you?): Childhood friend Backstory (Brief or as long as you're/I'm wanting): Suigin grew up without parents, so he never had a normal family life. He lived in an orphanage with his best friend, Kenji, until they could move out just a year ago. They saved up money to buy an apartment room and they roomed together. The days up until now were the ordinary days that you could see any person in the world have. Waking up and going to school, talking about pointless things, working, and preparing for the next day. He desired that so much because it's something that he earned, which fed into his desire like a perpetual motion machine. He could never grow tired of it. Those days were wonderful, until Kenji decided he had enough of it. The greatest point of contention for the childhood friends were their desires. Suigin desired what was already known - the normal - and Kenji desired the unknown - the abnormal - which caused a huge fight to erupt between the two. Right on the top of the school roof, they beat each other bloody until they both had to be admitted to a hospital. Suigin's everyday was broken right then and there. It was 2 months later that they met up again. Suigin had a small hope that his normal life could finally come back together like a puzzle that was missing the most crucial piece, but even that wasn't given to him when he noticed his best friend bleeding from his eye. He watched his everyday shatter without even the slightest hope of returning. Ever since then, Suigin had to know why that had happened. At least as a way to atone for being the one to break their friendship. Persona Description of persona: The name of the persona is Ouroboros, a representation of the snake eating itself forever. Fitting for a person who desires to gain back their everyday life even at the sake of destroying himself. A balance that has already fallen apart halfway and desperately trying to keep it up just a little while longer. Abilities: * Dia * Frei Strengths: * Strong against Fire Weaknesses: * Weak against Ice Phantom Thieves</s> <\|message\|>Felix Volpe --- Sitting in class with his head on his desk, Felix internally cursed the Blood Eye killer again. Before, he had been content to let things lie so long as they didn't create a big impact on his world, but now that he had started trying to track the guy down, everything became exposed to his range of vision. Currently he was pooling the known information of the Death Husband caee in his mind. The killer either had training or some aid in catching people unaware, as the sites with the finger shows no signs of immediate struggle. Their fixation with the rings is interesting, implying they have some history with them. Either a widower who has gone mad, or a spurned lover who wants to take their spite out on others. Probably an idea to check the teachers personal files and social media at some point to eliminate potential suspects. He doubted it was a fellow student, it was way too clean for a psychopath of his age group to perform. As he thought, he absentmindedly answered the teachers questions with correct answers rather than the wrong ones he normally gave out.</s> <\|message\|>(first) Yu-na (last) Mi ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ Mi Yu-na. Artist, musician, vice president of the Student Council. Rich girl. The lucky one. She had a lot of titles, but she dismissed the ones given to her by the other students. And she probably wasn't being the best role model. One earbud was in, blasting one of her favorites bands: ONE OK ROCK. She was tapping the rhythm out on the desk absentmindedly. Whenever the teacher looked at her hoping she'd answer, she just pretended she wasn't paying attention. Someone else was answering them, which was unusual. But a lot of unusual things were happening lately. Her brain was focused on combating these new killings. It tore off the scab of healing after her mother's death. Was she depressed? No. She was determined to find this blood eye and bring them to justice. Her fingers grabbed up her pen as she started to tap the beat on her notebook. She started writing a rough draft of new policies to keep students safe, as well as her own notes on her personal investigation. Soft whispers of the lyrics of the next song left her as she thought. It had to be an adult. Somebody with experience in wielding sharp objects. That could range from medical officials to chefs...and it had to be someone either connected to the victims or knew someone connected to the victims. Or perhaps there was even an accomplice. There was a lapse in thought as a favorite song of hers came on. 'The Day' by Porno Graffitti. It was a welcome break from her stressed thoughts. And it also brought up some good memories of her brother taking her to their concert in Osaka. They did a tour with Uverworld and Flow. It had gone late, but it was during the summer so it didn't matter. She remembered that her brother had given her an open seat to rest in, which had turned into her falling asleep. Koya had carried her home. She shook herself out of her nostalgia as a new song came on. Her mind drifted back to the cases...mostly female fingers with rings. But what had kept her brain stuck for the past few nights were the male fingers. There had to be a reason there were fingers from men. Some had speculated that it was nothing, but that hadn't sated her. She knew it was an important detail, but she couldn't figure out why. Tap tap. If it was just females, it would be easier. The evidence would have pointed to either spurned love and jealousy, or a grudge against unfaithful girls masquerading as otherwise. Perhaps it was the same but with males? Tap tap tap. Maybe the killer was bi? It wouldn't be too far-fetched. And it seemed too thought out and methodical to be a crime of passion. Those cases were usually easily solved because the killer didn't think it through. No, they were dealing with a cold-blooded killer. Or at least, it was assumed the victims were dead. Maybe that's what they wanted the public to think? Maybe...tap tap. Her mind drifted down a spiral of speculation as she tapped out the beats of her music.</s>	<\|message\|>Suigin Ikotsu Suigin was almost late for class at the sluggish pace he walked. His neutral face belied his true thoughts. He was considering skipping class to go hunt for the killer, but he believed he should at least go to school for one day. Just to remember why he's doing this. In the middle of the class, his thoughts were taken back to a previous exchange he had with his best friend when he was still alive. He recalled it only because of his staunch resolution to find the killer combined with the fact of his death. A time before their conflict was brought to a head. "Hey, what would you do if I ended up dead?" he remembers asking. He can still see the belligerent grin of his blonde friend. "I'd laugh." Kenji delivered that response soon after he closed his eyes in thought. "You?" "I'd laugh." His mind was taken back to the present when the teacher called on him to answer a question. Suigin answered the question as he only half-listened to what the teacher was saying. He was still feeling a bit tired from not getting that much sleep recently. While he started to yawn, his thoughts retreated to the back of his head. He focused on the memory of his dead friend and tried to pull out any clues he could think of from that scene. Bloody eye. Same thing as some other cases he heard about in this city. No possible way it could've been something external. It had to have been something internal for sure. Drugs? Poison? Kenji wasn't the type of person to use drugs. He smoked cigarettes, but he used nothing else. 'Could it have been external if someone ran an icepick through his eye all the way to his brain?' He attempted to guess at the cause, but all it led him to was the surety of it being internal damage. "Almost like a hemorrhage or a hyphema; however, those shouldn't be fatal," he muttered aloud from an enlightenment. His mind went back to the classroom when he received the syllabus, but he didn't let go of that train of thought. He doesn't know what kinds of poisons or drugs could induce a hemorrhage or hyphema. He doesn't even know if that's actually how the victims died, but that's all he has to go on. The cause could be something even more elementary than that. 'So, I have a guess on the cause, but I don't even have any idea on who the culprit could be. Going outside should serve as a nice matrix for balanced schemes.' He just needs to wait until the school day is over. The Death Husband cases? Not once did those banal crimes even enter the very peripheral of his mind. He ascertained his objective and then fully turned his thoughts towards the class. He let out a content sigh and began to enjoy the remaining sense of jubilation, for what it's still worth.</s>
<\|description\|>Dalisy Bautista Dalisy Bautista Character Quote: I see what you did there --- --- Character Summary Aliases: Daisy, B, Watcher Age: 19 (at death) 25 (currently) Birthday: March 21, 1996 Death Date: Dec. 19th, 2015 Ethnicity: Filipino Birth Place: Manila, Philipines Godly Parent: Heimdall How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: 5 Gender: Female Languages: Tagalog, English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5'5" Weight: 140lbs Body Type: Fit Eye Color: Dark Brown Hair Color: Black Skin Tone: Lightly tanned Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Ears are peirced. Personal Style: Maybe it is a bit of the bifrost in Dalisy, but she loves colorful clothing. She tends to stuff more form fitting and on the fancy side. She likes to look a little flashy, and puts more effort into her outfits than strictly necessary. If asked about it she says 'I might be a hot mess on the inside, but I can at least look just hot on the outside'. Often she will wear dresses cause those are easy, and don't require coordination. The plus side of being dead is you never outgrow your clothing anymore. --- --- Psychology Energetic * Manipulative * Creative * Invasive * Logical * Irratable Sexuality: Bixsexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: If Dalisy had been born in the USA she would have fit in with the 'hold my beer' crowd. She often leaps before thinking, it is probably what got her killed in the first place. Dalisy likes getting her way and isn't afraid to use the knowledge she shouldn't have to get it. However, if she thinks things through she tends to be logical and methodical. Those are the times she can be even crueler because it becomes 'numbers'. She is a hot mess, to be as kind as possible. Emotionally, she isn't completely over being dead. Or the things she has seen her alternate selves do. She wants to just get through the afterlife without making things too much worse, but she's too confrontational to not cause some havoc. Fatal Flaw: Impulsiveness Habits: Checking in on her sister Hobbies: Hiking, sparing, playing the Buktot, ax throwing Fears: * Herself * The future * Her sister finding out what happened and never forgiving her Likes: * Exploring * People watching * Swimming * Playing the Buktot * The mountains * Big Dogs (the kind that can kill you with their love) Dislikes: * Secrets * Birds (stupid nest outside her childhood bedroom window woke her up too early) * Being bored * Being bested in a fight * Small dogs (like Chihuahuas) * Being restrained --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: * Super-Sense * Bifrost Control General Skills: * Norse Mytholodgy * Combat first aid * Art (Drawing) * Astrology * Geography * Music (Buktot) * Swimming Combat Skills: * Longbow * Longsword * Ax * Hand-to-hand * Dagger Magic Item: * Bifrost Channel * A Longbow, and quiver with unlimited ammo What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - A summer dress, comfy sneakers * Purse/Wallet - $100 USD, ID, * A multi-tool * The Bifrost Channel * Longsword (disguised) * Bottle of whatever nail polish she is currently wearing so she can fix the paint job if needed * Sketchbook, and pencils. * Touch-up make up. * Magic longbow * * * Possessions In Hotel Room: * A photograph of of her family at the fair, taken about a week before she died. * A globe * Books: Geography, Tagalog (classics and current), Music theory * A copy of the Poetic Edda * Buktot * An arsenal of cute outfits (she has a room dedicated to it) * Her bathroom is decorated in the Spanish Colionial style with pastels and mint green. Her bedroomroom is pastels and white. * Make-up, nail polish * Art table * * --- --- History Biography Dalisy was the oldest child in her sweet family. She was close to her sister, Niah, who was seven years younger than her. The pair were the best of friends. Their father never explained who Dalisy's mother was, which made sense when Dalisy found out she didn't actually have a mother. Her childhood made it clear though that there was something special about her, and her sister. Their younger brother seemed to be completely normal. The child of their stepmother. Since Niah liked their new stepmother Dalisy accepted her into the family. Even though Dalisy was seven years older than Niah they were close like best friends. However, there was always some tension between Dalisy and her father. Even though Niah trusted him, there was something that made Dalisy nervous. It might have been that he had somehow gathered the attention of two gods enough to have children with both, and Dalisy was aware of that since she had less control over her super-sense at the time. The power grew as she did, but so did her control over it. She and Niah bonded over their strange abilities at a young age. Telling each other secrets. As the time approached for Dalisy to consider college she got frustrated. She didn't want to move so far away that Niah felt like she was being abandoned, but Dalisy was ready to set out for her own future. She had applied to dozens of great Geography schools and was accepted into Clark University. It was while on a trip to the school that she was killed. There was some heavy confusion about two nearly identical bodies, but neither were identified and so her family was never notified in the Philipines, which is why to this day Niah still hopes her sister is alive. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: Dalisy died fighting to protect herself, from...herself? As Dalisy tells it someone who looked like an older version of her showed up and asked if she wanted to join forces. She didn't particularly want to leave her sister and told this copy of herself just that. A fight ensued and Dalisy defended herself with an iron pipe she found. It was not enough. Dalisy was able to kill that version of herself, which she figures is what earned her into the Hotel. Dalisy knows Niah believes she disappeared, but the truth would be much harder for her sister to process so she hadn't reached out to her, even though Niah has joined the Roman Camp Jupiter. Dalisy out of curiosity searched for herself across all the universes and was horrified at the carnage. She, while thankful she didn't join the other Dalisy's, is terrified of what that means about her future. Something invisible even to her. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Beware of Darkness - Muthafucka Extra Information: Aesir & FS Older sister of Niah Bautista I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay. --- --- Relations --- Dalisy Bautista "Character Quote" --- --- ⟢ 🎆Respects ⟡ 🌓Neutral ⟡ 👋Acquaintance ⟡ 🙇It's Complicated ⟣ ⟢ 💛Friend ⟡ 💙Good Friends ⟡ 💜Best Friends ⟡ ❣️Ex-Friends ⟡ 😈Frienemy ⟣ ⟢ 💘Infatuation ⟡ 💓Loves ⟡ 💗Couple ⟡ 💕Basically Family ⟡ 💞Family ⟡ 💔Ex-Lovers ⟣ ⟢ ♨️Tense ⟡ 💀Dislikes ⟡ 😡Hates ⟡ 👿Enemy ⟡ 👹Absolutely Loathes ⟣ --- --- 💀Nadia Petrova, Daughter of Frey💀 "She exits." Dalisy hasn't picked on Nadia much since Nadia tends to fight back. It isn't worth the effort. Now it is just background noise. --- 💛🎆Arnora Skadidottir, Daughter of Skadi 🎆💛 "She's cool." Arnora took Dalisy under her wing sort of when Dalisy first came to the Hotel as such Dalisy likes her more than anyone one else and listens to her. --- 💛Klara Blake, Daughter of Thor 💛 "One of these day's I'm gonna strangle Klara" From the outside these two look like bitter rivals, but at the end of the day they have each other's backs. Dalisy would happily talk makeup or clothing with Klara, but when they disagree it can be a lot. --- 🌓Runa Johansson, Daughter of Balder 🌓 "Isn't that the girl who's friends with Klara and Nadia?" Dalisy hasn't made an effort to get to know the 'new' girl. If she's hanging out with Klara and Runa is there that's fine with her, but she isn't out to make friends so it is what it is. --- 😈Elizabeth Flame 😈 "If she let me I'd do her makeup and coordinate her outfits...She won't though cause she knows better." Dalisy and Elizabeth have a fun relationship with each other. They both like pranking each other, which has led to a rivalry. --- 😡Lara Alderliesten😡 "Yeah she earned her way in here, but does she have to be so uptight?" Dalisy will come up with a million reasons why she doesn't like Lara, but the real reason is Lara reminds Dalisy of Niah and it breaks her heart being around her. ---</s> <\|message\|>Runa Phoebe Johansson --- --- Runa Johansson --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - Floor 472 Skills: N/A --- --- Runa's mental illness manifested itself similar to a hurricane. Her self loathing acted as the warm, moist air from the surface of the sea and outside variables, such as the knowledge of Balder and the end of the world, acted as the cool air that would condense the warm air into water. This water vapor served as the fuel, kicking up a horrific storm - Runa's depression. When it happened, she was always just completely overwhelmed by it, at the mercy of her brain's unique chemistry. She hadn't found very many coping mechanisms and the ones she had, it always felt like clinging to a piece of rope tied to a door, as the hurricane threatened to swallow Runa whole. The hurricane never lasted forever though - it always had to end and sometimes, a sufficient shock was all that was needed. The extreme video game like GoCart track was jarring, especially with the bloody tire that rolled near her. It was the man in the stands who Runa knew had smiled at her that sent a jolt down her spine. She had no idea who he was. Maybe he was the lost God of Love, here to explain that he wasn't actually missing and had just taken a wrong turn while on holiday in Peru? The man started to vanish into the stands and Runa went at a run, staff in hand, after him. He was getting further and further away, Runa falling behind as she tried to weave her way through the crowds and not get killed by angry Vikings. It felt like an impossible task for a moment, until she managed to catch up to him, panting hard. "Who are you?" she whispered.</s> <\|message\|>Elizabeth Nichole Flame --- --- Elizabeth Flame Location: Gift Shop Skills: Rune Magic --- --- As she was chastised and people ran off, she shrugged. Such was the way things were around here, she thought. She didn't care much if people were angry at her, any kid who started crying from something like that needed to change, otherwise they'd be a danger to themselves, and anybody they ever went on a mission with. As it stood, she didn't have a very high opinion of the girl, but she hoped this would start he down a path where Beth might have something resembling that for her. In the mean time, she tried to figure out what she'd be doing. She didn't need much in the way of supplies from the shop, so she strolled out. Reaching into her bag, she sat against the wall and pulled out a pen and journal. Clicking her tongue for a moment, she scribbed down some runes, and just felt her head go a bit fuzzy. "Come now... you can tell me what I want to know, can't you?" She asked under her breath, as she touched up her attempt, and felt a wave of clarity wash over her. That magic always felt good to use, if a bit draining; she knew exactly what her dream was, and it wasn't a product of getting hit too hard on the head. Baldur was in Hel's castle, Eljudnir, and that couldn't be good. The thane's would be wanting to hear this for sure.</s>	<\|message\|>Dalisy Bautista Location: Hotel Valhalla: Floor 12 Skill: --- --- Dalisy had no desire to be going on the rapids again with Lara. Honestly, she had no desire to go anywhere with her. "Uh, no thanks." Dalisy said to Lara. She did her best to keep her disdain out of her voice but doubted she did a very good job of it. She laughed at Arnora's threat. "I'd spar you." She said, following Arnora to the elevator. "I'll ride with you, but drop me off on my floor if you don't mind." Dalisy said. That was the limit of the amount of time Dalisy could keep from saying something unpleasant to Lara. In the elevator, Dalisy pressed the button for her floor, 301. She'd have a chance to change out of wet clothes and shower before dinner this way. Maybe work on something in her room for a bit. She had a few partial projects to work on.</s>
<\|description\|>Dalisy Bautista Dalisy Bautista Character Quote: I see what you did there --- --- Character Summary Aliases: Daisy, B, Watcher Age: 19 (at death) 25 (currently) Birthday: March 21, 1996 Death Date: Dec. 19th, 2015 Ethnicity: Filipino Birth Place: Manila, Philipines Godly Parent: Heimdall How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: 5 Gender: Female Languages: Tagalog, English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5'5" Weight: 140lbs Body Type: Fit Eye Color: Dark Brown Hair Color: Black Skin Tone: Lightly tanned Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Ears are peirced. Personal Style: Maybe it is a bit of the bifrost in Dalisy, but she loves colorful clothing. She tends to stuff more form fitting and on the fancy side. She likes to look a little flashy, and puts more effort into her outfits than strictly necessary. If asked about it she says 'I might be a hot mess on the inside, but I can at least look just hot on the outside'. Often she will wear dresses cause those are easy, and don't require coordination. The plus side of being dead is you never outgrow your clothing anymore. --- --- Psychology Energetic * Manipulative * Creative * Invasive * Logical * Irratable Sexuality: Bixsexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: If Dalisy had been born in the USA she would have fit in with the 'hold my beer' crowd. She often leaps before thinking, it is probably what got her killed in the first place. Dalisy likes getting her way and isn't afraid to use the knowledge she shouldn't have to get it. However, if she thinks things through she tends to be logical and methodical. Those are the times she can be even crueler because it becomes 'numbers'. She is a hot mess, to be as kind as possible. Emotionally, she isn't completely over being dead. Or the things she has seen her alternate selves do. She wants to just get through the afterlife without making things too much worse, but she's too confrontational to not cause some havoc. Fatal Flaw: Impulsiveness Habits: Checking in on her sister Hobbies: Hiking, sparing, playing the Buktot, ax throwing Fears: * Herself * The future * Her sister finding out what happened and never forgiving her Likes: * Exploring * People watching * Swimming * Playing the Buktot * The mountains * Big Dogs (the kind that can kill you with their love) Dislikes: * Secrets * Birds (stupid nest outside her childhood bedroom window woke her up too early) * Being bored * Being bested in a fight * Small dogs (like Chihuahuas) * Being restrained --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: * Super-Sense * Bifrost Control General Skills: * Norse Mytholodgy * Combat first aid * Art (Drawing) * Astrology * Geography * Music (Buktot) * Swimming Combat Skills: * Longbow * Longsword * Ax * Hand-to-hand * Dagger Magic Item: * Bifrost Channel * A Longbow, and quiver with unlimited ammo What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - A summer dress, comfy sneakers * Purse/Wallet - $100 USD, ID, * A multi-tool * The Bifrost Channel * Longsword (disguised) * Bottle of whatever nail polish she is currently wearing so she can fix the paint job if needed * Sketchbook, and pencils. * Touch-up make up. * Magic longbow * * * Possessions In Hotel Room: * A photograph of of her family at the fair, taken about a week before she died. * A globe * Books: Geography, Tagalog (classics and current), Music theory * A copy of the Poetic Edda * Buktot * An arsenal of cute outfits (she has a room dedicated to it) * Her bathroom is decorated in the Spanish Colionial style with pastels and mint green. Her bedroomroom is pastels and white. * Make-up, nail polish * Art table * * --- --- History Biography Dalisy was the oldest child in her sweet family. She was close to her sister, Niah, who was seven years younger than her. The pair were the best of friends. Their father never explained who Dalisy's mother was, which made sense when Dalisy found out she didn't actually have a mother. Her childhood made it clear though that there was something special about her, and her sister. Their younger brother seemed to be completely normal. The child of their stepmother. Since Niah liked their new stepmother Dalisy accepted her into the family. Even though Dalisy was seven years older than Niah they were close like best friends. However, there was always some tension between Dalisy and her father. Even though Niah trusted him, there was something that made Dalisy nervous. It might have been that he had somehow gathered the attention of two gods enough to have children with both, and Dalisy was aware of that since she had less control over her super-sense at the time. The power grew as she did, but so did her control over it. She and Niah bonded over their strange abilities at a young age. Telling each other secrets. As the time approached for Dalisy to consider college she got frustrated. She didn't want to move so far away that Niah felt like she was being abandoned, but Dalisy was ready to set out for her own future. She had applied to dozens of great Geography schools and was accepted into Clark University. It was while on a trip to the school that she was killed. There was some heavy confusion about two nearly identical bodies, but neither were identified and so her family was never notified in the Philipines, which is why to this day Niah still hopes her sister is alive. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: Dalisy died fighting to protect herself, from...herself? As Dalisy tells it someone who looked like an older version of her showed up and asked if she wanted to join forces. She didn't particularly want to leave her sister and told this copy of herself just that. A fight ensued and Dalisy defended herself with an iron pipe she found. It was not enough. Dalisy was able to kill that version of herself, which she figures is what earned her into the Hotel. Dalisy knows Niah believes she disappeared, but the truth would be much harder for her sister to process so she hadn't reached out to her, even though Niah has joined the Roman Camp Jupiter. Dalisy out of curiosity searched for herself across all the universes and was horrified at the carnage. She, while thankful she didn't join the other Dalisy's, is terrified of what that means about her future. Something invisible even to her. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Beware of Darkness - Muthafucka Extra Information: Aesir & FS Older sister of Niah Bautista I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay. --- --- Relations --- Dalisy Bautista "Character Quote" --- --- ⟢ 🎆Respects ⟡ 🌓Neutral ⟡ 👋Acquaintance ⟡ 🙇It's Complicated ⟣ ⟢ 💛Friend ⟡ 💙Good Friends ⟡ 💜Best Friends ⟡ ❣️Ex-Friends ⟡ 😈Frienemy ⟣ ⟢ 💘Infatuation ⟡ 💓Loves ⟡ 💗Couple ⟡ 💕Basically Family ⟡ 💞Family ⟡ 💔Ex-Lovers ⟣ ⟢ ♨️Tense ⟡ 💀Dislikes ⟡ 😡Hates ⟡ 👿Enemy ⟡ 👹Absolutely Loathes ⟣ --- --- 💀Nadia Petrova, Daughter of Frey💀 "She exits." Dalisy hasn't picked on Nadia much since Nadia tends to fight back. It isn't worth the effort. Now it is just background noise. --- 💛🎆Arnora Skadidottir, Daughter of Skadi 🎆💛 "She's cool." Arnora took Dalisy under her wing sort of when Dalisy first came to the Hotel as such Dalisy likes her more than anyone one else and listens to her. --- 💛Klara Blake, Daughter of Thor 💛 "One of these day's I'm gonna strangle Klara" From the outside these two look like bitter rivals, but at the end of the day they have each other's backs. Dalisy would happily talk makeup or clothing with Klara, but when they disagree it can be a lot. --- 🌓Runa Johansson, Daughter of Balder 🌓 "Isn't that the girl who's friends with Klara and Nadia?" Dalisy hasn't made an effort to get to know the 'new' girl. If she's hanging out with Klara and Runa is there that's fine with her, but she isn't out to make friends so it is what it is. --- 😈Elizabeth Flame 😈 "If she let me I'd do her makeup and coordinate her outfits...She won't though cause she knows better." Dalisy and Elizabeth have a fun relationship with each other. They both like pranking each other, which has led to a rivalry. --- 😡Lara Alderliesten😡 "Yeah she earned her way in here, but does she have to be so uptight?" Dalisy will come up with a million reasons why she doesn't like Lara, but the real reason is Lara reminds Dalisy of Niah and it breaks her heart being around her. ---</s> <\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake --- --- --- Location: Feast Hall of the Slain Skills: N/A --- --- Klara was perfectly fine with the idea of working with everyone else, and hopefully Dalisy wouldn't have too many problems with the others, or vice versa. She knew that not all of the other people actually could get a long with her or something, but she hoped that everyone could just tolerate each other's presence for a little while anyway without any fighting. That would be great in her mind as she followed after Arnora to where the others were. She smiled a bit at the group and waved a little bit at all of them. "Hi there," she said somewhat happily, before she heard what it was that everyone was thinking of doing. Trying to investigate the entire situation was probably a good idea, even though she was fairly certain they had kind of been told to not do that and go back to whatever it was that they typically did without actively killing each other (which considering some of the people here was easier said than done) so this situation was intriguing. "Sure, investigating this entire situation sounds like a great idea let's goooooooo."</s> <\|message\|>Astrid Merkel Location: Hotel Valhalla - Feast Hall of the Slain Skills: N/A --- --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - Feast Hall of the Slain Skills: N/A --- --- Lara hadn't meant to accidentally bind Dalisy to her words, but a promise had been made and she had auto reacted to it. She could see everyone looking at her oddly after she had spoken and she blushed a bit. "I'm in as well. I'm a fan of trying to solve a good puzzle or mystery, and this seems to be quite the mystery." She was glad that Nadia had suggested that they investigate what was going on, as that had been something she had been thinking of. It would take her mind off the whole 'being killed would result in no resurrection for now' bit that was going on. "Of course, I will lend my aid when asked for. For now, I will go with the group I said I would help. I will make sure to report if I learn anything, and as well before I go off shift." Astrid was quite happy to know that she was able to help out her friends, and to be able to stick with them. "I have nothing else for the moment. I will see you later. Astrid nodded to her captain before leaving the table and heading over to the small group again and sat down with them. "Helgi's office does seem to be the logical place to start, since it seemed to start with his death first. Though, do we have access to it?" Lara wasn't sure that they could access the office, as they were normally not allowed to go in there, but they did have Valkyrie helping them out, so did that mean they had access? She didn't want to assume anything, but she wondered how they could even start investigating it. She doubted that even the bodies of those that had been found dead were kept somewhere anyone could look them over easily. "I could probably help get us into Helgi's office, but I might have to ask my captain again about that. Do we know about where any of the other killings happened, or were those just on the practice fields before someone realized that no one was coming back?" Astrid knew little of the details of what had happened with any of the other deaths, just that Helgi had been clearly murdered, and now no one was coming back.</s>	<\|message\|>Dalisy Bautista Location: Feast Hall of the Slain Skill: --- --- Dalisy gave a sigh and nodded, finishing her food quickly. She took several long swallows of her drink. She stood up and said. "I'm in. If we can figure out what is happening then maybe it can get fixed faster." She thought about exactly what she had sworn to. It had been that she'd be on her best behavior toward the group, and she hadn't given a time limit. That grated more. She looked at the Valkyrie. She didn't know the girl, but she appeared to be in good with the others, and seemed to qualify as 'part of the group'. So she gave her a nod. "I'm Dalisy." She introduced herself to the Valkyrie. Dalisy didn't have any answers for her though as she had barely even known that Helgi had been killed before coming to breakfast.</s>
<\|description\|>Dalisy Bautista Dalisy Bautista Character Quote: I see what you did there --- --- Character Summary Aliases: Daisy, B, Watcher Age: 19 (at death) 25 (currently) Birthday: March 21, 1996 Death Date: Dec. 19th, 2015 Ethnicity: Filipino Birth Place: Manila, Philipines Godly Parent: Heimdall How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: 5 Gender: Female Languages: Tagalog, English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5'5" Weight: 140lbs Body Type: Fit Eye Color: Dark Brown Hair Color: Black Skin Tone: Lightly tanned Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Ears are peirced. Personal Style: Maybe it is a bit of the bifrost in Dalisy, but she loves colorful clothing. She tends to stuff more form fitting and on the fancy side. She likes to look a little flashy, and puts more effort into her outfits than strictly necessary. If asked about it she says 'I might be a hot mess on the inside, but I can at least look just hot on the outside'. Often she will wear dresses cause those are easy, and don't require coordination. The plus side of being dead is you never outgrow your clothing anymore. --- --- Psychology Energetic * Manipulative * Creative * Invasive * Logical * Irratable Sexuality: Bixsexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: If Dalisy had been born in the USA she would have fit in with the 'hold my beer' crowd. She often leaps before thinking, it is probably what got her killed in the first place. Dalisy likes getting her way and isn't afraid to use the knowledge she shouldn't have to get it. However, if she thinks things through she tends to be logical and methodical. Those are the times she can be even crueler because it becomes 'numbers'. She is a hot mess, to be as kind as possible. Emotionally, she isn't completely over being dead. Or the things she has seen her alternate selves do. She wants to just get through the afterlife without making things too much worse, but she's too confrontational to not cause some havoc. Fatal Flaw: Impulsiveness Habits: Checking in on her sister Hobbies: Hiking, sparing, playing the Buktot, ax throwing Fears: * Herself * The future * Her sister finding out what happened and never forgiving her Likes: * Exploring * People watching * Swimming * Playing the Buktot * The mountains * Big Dogs (the kind that can kill you with their love) Dislikes: * Secrets * Birds (stupid nest outside her childhood bedroom window woke her up too early) * Being bored * Being bested in a fight * Small dogs (like Chihuahuas) * Being restrained --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: * Super-Sense * Bifrost Control General Skills: * Norse Mytholodgy * Combat first aid * Art (Drawing) * Astrology * Geography * Music (Buktot) * Swimming Combat Skills: * Longbow * Longsword * Ax * Hand-to-hand * Dagger Magic Item: * Bifrost Channel * A Longbow, and quiver with unlimited ammo What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - A summer dress, comfy sneakers * Purse/Wallet - $100 USD, ID, * A multi-tool * The Bifrost Channel * Longsword (disguised) * Bottle of whatever nail polish she is currently wearing so she can fix the paint job if needed * Sketchbook, and pencils. * Touch-up make up. * Magic longbow * * * Possessions In Hotel Room: * A photograph of of her family at the fair, taken about a week before she died. * A globe * Books: Geography, Tagalog (classics and current), Music theory * A copy of the Poetic Edda * Buktot * An arsenal of cute outfits (she has a room dedicated to it) * Her bathroom is decorated in the Spanish Colionial style with pastels and mint green. Her bedroomroom is pastels and white. * Make-up, nail polish * Art table * * --- --- History Biography Dalisy was the oldest child in her sweet family. She was close to her sister, Niah, who was seven years younger than her. The pair were the best of friends. Their father never explained who Dalisy's mother was, which made sense when Dalisy found out she didn't actually have a mother. Her childhood made it clear though that there was something special about her, and her sister. Their younger brother seemed to be completely normal. The child of their stepmother. Since Niah liked their new stepmother Dalisy accepted her into the family. Even though Dalisy was seven years older than Niah they were close like best friends. However, there was always some tension between Dalisy and her father. Even though Niah trusted him, there was something that made Dalisy nervous. It might have been that he had somehow gathered the attention of two gods enough to have children with both, and Dalisy was aware of that since she had less control over her super-sense at the time. The power grew as she did, but so did her control over it. She and Niah bonded over their strange abilities at a young age. Telling each other secrets. As the time approached for Dalisy to consider college she got frustrated. She didn't want to move so far away that Niah felt like she was being abandoned, but Dalisy was ready to set out for her own future. She had applied to dozens of great Geography schools and was accepted into Clark University. It was while on a trip to the school that she was killed. There was some heavy confusion about two nearly identical bodies, but neither were identified and so her family was never notified in the Philipines, which is why to this day Niah still hopes her sister is alive. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: Dalisy died fighting to protect herself, from...herself? As Dalisy tells it someone who looked like an older version of her showed up and asked if she wanted to join forces. She didn't particularly want to leave her sister and told this copy of herself just that. A fight ensued and Dalisy defended herself with an iron pipe she found. It was not enough. Dalisy was able to kill that version of herself, which she figures is what earned her into the Hotel. Dalisy knows Niah believes she disappeared, but the truth would be much harder for her sister to process so she hadn't reached out to her, even though Niah has joined the Roman Camp Jupiter. Dalisy out of curiosity searched for herself across all the universes and was horrified at the carnage. She, while thankful she didn't join the other Dalisy's, is terrified of what that means about her future. Something invisible even to her. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Beware of Darkness - Muthafucka Extra Information: Aesir & FS Older sister of Niah Bautista I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay. --- --- Relations --- Dalisy Bautista "Character Quote" --- --- ⟢ 🎆Respects ⟡ 🌓Neutral ⟡ 👋Acquaintance ⟡ 🙇It's Complicated ⟣ ⟢ 💛Friend ⟡ 💙Good Friends ⟡ 💜Best Friends ⟡ ❣️Ex-Friends ⟡ 😈Frienemy ⟣ ⟢ 💘Infatuation ⟡ 💓Loves ⟡ 💗Couple ⟡ 💕Basically Family ⟡ 💞Family ⟡ 💔Ex-Lovers ⟣ ⟢ ♨️Tense ⟡ 💀Dislikes ⟡ 😡Hates ⟡ 👿Enemy ⟡ 👹Absolutely Loathes ⟣ --- --- 💀Nadia Petrova, Daughter of Frey💀 "She exits." Dalisy hasn't picked on Nadia much since Nadia tends to fight back. It isn't worth the effort. Now it is just background noise. --- 💛🎆Arnora Skadidottir, Daughter of Skadi 🎆💛 "She's cool." Arnora took Dalisy under her wing sort of when Dalisy first came to the Hotel as such Dalisy likes her more than anyone one else and listens to her. --- 💛Klara Blake, Daughter of Thor 💛 "One of these day's I'm gonna strangle Klara" From the outside these two look like bitter rivals, but at the end of the day they have each other's backs. Dalisy would happily talk makeup or clothing with Klara, but when they disagree it can be a lot. --- 🌓Runa Johansson, Daughter of Balder 🌓 "Isn't that the girl who's friends with Klara and Nadia?" Dalisy hasn't made an effort to get to know the 'new' girl. If she's hanging out with Klara and Runa is there that's fine with her, but she isn't out to make friends so it is what it is. --- 😈Elizabeth Flame 😈 "If she let me I'd do her makeup and coordinate her outfits...She won't though cause she knows better." Dalisy and Elizabeth have a fun relationship with each other. They both like pranking each other, which has led to a rivalry. --- 😡Lara Alderliesten😡 "Yeah she earned her way in here, but does she have to be so uptight?" Dalisy will come up with a million reasons why she doesn't like Lara, but the real reason is Lara reminds Dalisy of Niah and it breaks her heart being around her. ---</s> <\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake --- --- --- Location: Helgi's Office Skills: N/A --- --- Klara gave Runa a smile as she helped her up off of the ground as she watched the others all scramble a bit towards the elevator trying to catch whoever it was that had attacked them. She was glad to hear that Runa was okay, and she saw the crowd assembling over by the elevator wondering clearly what was going on. Truthfully, Klara wasn't too sure what had happened herself aside from some random person (who they weren't sure who it was) being invisible and more or less attacking them while they were in Helgi's office, which was oddly suspicious. Hearing Runa's question towards her, she glanced over and looked at her again, recalling that she clearly had had some trouble with larger crowds in the past. "I'm not really sure what happened... As far as I can tell though, it was obvious that someone clearly didn't want to get caught. Which means they likely either know something, are involved somehow, or are investigating things like us, but don't want to share what they might know or have found out..." she commented with a bit of a shrug to Runa, unsure what else to really say.</s> <\|message\|>Nadia Carmen Petrova --- --- @BlueSky44@kittyluna45@Kirah --- --- --- --- Nadia Petrova Location: Hotel Valhalla, Outside Lobby Elevator Skills: N/A --- --- "Yeah there really isn't anything to see here." Nadia said looking over towards the crowd who were still there whispering amongst themselves whether or not they should fight them for disobeying Baldur's rules or not. Nadia was getting a little bit nervous looking over towards Astrid, Lara and Dalisy wondering what they should do when she heard someone walking down the hallway and past reception, both Runa and Klara would see Baldur coming over. "Everyone scatter." Baldur said as the group started to disperse, Nadia was about to leave, but he held up his hand looking at the three of them, and then over towards Klara and Runa motioning for the two of them to come forward as well to. "Whats not to see here and what happened?" Baldur asked calmly Nadia looked a bit nervous she wasn't sure what to actually say to the god himself. --- --- Arnora Skadidottir Location: Hotel Valhalla, Outside Reception Elevator Skills: N/A --- --- Arnora rubbed her sore shoulder, she was glad that both Lara and Nadia were able to heal her shoulder, as she looked towards the blood that was on the ground. She noted that there was blood on the elevator button panel, she was about to try and use her ability when she heard Baldur's voice and quickly turned around. Just in time to see the other Einherjar were scattering and leaving now, just leaving her Lara, Dalisy, Nadia and Astrid in the hallway as well to she noticed that Baldur also waved Runa and Klara over as well to. Arnora looked rather nervous, they did manage to lie to one god already and she had a feeling that it wouldn't really be to smart to either really to lie to Baldur himself. "We were just trying to help and find out what's actually happening, and we started with Helgi's office, when I was attacked." Arnora said gesturing towards her shoulder. Baldur closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose slightly looking at all of them. "Why would you all decide to take it upon yourself to investigate this when your lives and Valhalla is at stake?" Baldur asked them.</s>	<\|message\|>Dalisy Bautista Location: Elevator Bank Skill: Super-sense --- --- Dalisy, more full of bravado than good sense at the best of times, smiled brightly at Baldur and said, "If the situation does not get fixed then we cannot return to normal. Would it not be better to die trying to save everyone here, than live in fear?" She didn't add that the faster it was resolved the faster she didn't have to be around Lara. There was a whole lot of information that they had as a group already. She wondered if Baldur knew about Loki's symbol. "We wounded the person who attacked us." She told him plainly. "They went through that elevator, but I wasn't able to catch them." She was pretty irritated about that last bit.</s>
<\|description\|>Dalisy Bautista Dalisy Bautista Character Quote: I see what you did there --- --- Character Summary Aliases: Daisy, B, Watcher Age: 19 (at death) 25 (currently) Birthday: March 21, 1996 Death Date: Dec. 19th, 2015 Ethnicity: Filipino Birth Place: Manila, Philipines Godly Parent: Heimdall How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: 5 Gender: Female Languages: Tagalog, English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5'5" Weight: 140lbs Body Type: Fit Eye Color: Dark Brown Hair Color: Black Skin Tone: Lightly tanned Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Ears are peirced. Personal Style: Maybe it is a bit of the bifrost in Dalisy, but she loves colorful clothing. She tends to stuff more form fitting and on the fancy side. She likes to look a little flashy, and puts more effort into her outfits than strictly necessary. If asked about it she says 'I might be a hot mess on the inside, but I can at least look just hot on the outside'. Often she will wear dresses cause those are easy, and don't require coordination. The plus side of being dead is you never outgrow your clothing anymore. --- --- Psychology Energetic * Manipulative * Creative * Invasive * Logical * Irratable Sexuality: Bixsexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: If Dalisy had been born in the USA she would have fit in with the 'hold my beer' crowd. She often leaps before thinking, it is probably what got her killed in the first place. Dalisy likes getting her way and isn't afraid to use the knowledge she shouldn't have to get it. However, if she thinks things through she tends to be logical and methodical. Those are the times she can be even crueler because it becomes 'numbers'. She is a hot mess, to be as kind as possible. Emotionally, she isn't completely over being dead. Or the things she has seen her alternate selves do. She wants to just get through the afterlife without making things too much worse, but she's too confrontational to not cause some havoc. Fatal Flaw: Impulsiveness Habits: Checking in on her sister Hobbies: Hiking, sparing, playing the Buktot, ax throwing Fears: * Herself * The future * Her sister finding out what happened and never forgiving her Likes: * Exploring * People watching * Swimming * Playing the Buktot * The mountains * Big Dogs (the kind that can kill you with their love) Dislikes: * Secrets * Birds (stupid nest outside her childhood bedroom window woke her up too early) * Being bored * Being bested in a fight * Small dogs (like Chihuahuas) * Being restrained --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: * Super-Sense * Bifrost Control General Skills: * Norse Mytholodgy * Combat first aid * Art (Drawing) * Astrology * Geography * Music (Buktot) * Swimming Combat Skills: * Longbow * Longsword * Ax * Hand-to-hand * Dagger Magic Item: * Bifrost Channel * A Longbow, and quiver with unlimited ammo What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - A summer dress, comfy sneakers * Purse/Wallet - $100 USD, ID, * A multi-tool * The Bifrost Channel * Longsword (disguised) * Bottle of whatever nail polish she is currently wearing so she can fix the paint job if needed * Sketchbook, and pencils. * Touch-up make up. * Magic longbow * * * Possessions In Hotel Room: * A photograph of of her family at the fair, taken about a week before she died. * A globe * Books: Geography, Tagalog (classics and current), Music theory * A copy of the Poetic Edda * Buktot * An arsenal of cute outfits (she has a room dedicated to it) * Her bathroom is decorated in the Spanish Colionial style with pastels and mint green. Her bedroomroom is pastels and white. * Make-up, nail polish * Art table * * --- --- History Biography Dalisy was the oldest child in her sweet family. She was close to her sister, Niah, who was seven years younger than her. The pair were the best of friends. Their father never explained who Dalisy's mother was, which made sense when Dalisy found out she didn't actually have a mother. Her childhood made it clear though that there was something special about her, and her sister. Their younger brother seemed to be completely normal. The child of their stepmother. Since Niah liked their new stepmother Dalisy accepted her into the family. Even though Dalisy was seven years older than Niah they were close like best friends. However, there was always some tension between Dalisy and her father. Even though Niah trusted him, there was something that made Dalisy nervous. It might have been that he had somehow gathered the attention of two gods enough to have children with both, and Dalisy was aware of that since she had less control over her super-sense at the time. The power grew as she did, but so did her control over it. She and Niah bonded over their strange abilities at a young age. Telling each other secrets. As the time approached for Dalisy to consider college she got frustrated. She didn't want to move so far away that Niah felt like she was being abandoned, but Dalisy was ready to set out for her own future. She had applied to dozens of great Geography schools and was accepted into Clark University. It was while on a trip to the school that she was killed. There was some heavy confusion about two nearly identical bodies, but neither were identified and so her family was never notified in the Philipines, which is why to this day Niah still hopes her sister is alive. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: Dalisy died fighting to protect herself, from...herself? As Dalisy tells it someone who looked like an older version of her showed up and asked if she wanted to join forces. She didn't particularly want to leave her sister and told this copy of herself just that. A fight ensued and Dalisy defended herself with an iron pipe she found. It was not enough. Dalisy was able to kill that version of herself, which she figures is what earned her into the Hotel. Dalisy knows Niah believes she disappeared, but the truth would be much harder for her sister to process so she hadn't reached out to her, even though Niah has joined the Roman Camp Jupiter. Dalisy out of curiosity searched for herself across all the universes and was horrified at the carnage. She, while thankful she didn't join the other Dalisy's, is terrified of what that means about her future. Something invisible even to her. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Beware of Darkness - Muthafucka Extra Information: Aesir & FS Older sister of Niah Bautista I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay. --- --- Relations --- Dalisy Bautista "Character Quote" --- --- ⟢ 🎆Respects ⟡ 🌓Neutral ⟡ 👋Acquaintance ⟡ 🙇It's Complicated ⟣ ⟢ 💛Friend ⟡ 💙Good Friends ⟡ 💜Best Friends ⟡ ❣️Ex-Friends ⟡ 😈Frienemy ⟣ ⟢ 💘Infatuation ⟡ 💓Loves ⟡ 💗Couple ⟡ 💕Basically Family ⟡ 💞Family ⟡ 💔Ex-Lovers ⟣ ⟢ ♨️Tense ⟡ 💀Dislikes ⟡ 😡Hates ⟡ 👿Enemy ⟡ 👹Absolutely Loathes ⟣ --- --- 💀Nadia Petrova, Daughter of Frey💀 "She exits." Dalisy hasn't picked on Nadia much since Nadia tends to fight back. It isn't worth the effort. Now it is just background noise. --- 💛🎆Arnora Skadidottir, Daughter of Skadi 🎆💛 "She's cool." Arnora took Dalisy under her wing sort of when Dalisy first came to the Hotel as such Dalisy likes her more than anyone one else and listens to her. --- 💛Klara Blake, Daughter of Thor 💛 "One of these day's I'm gonna strangle Klara" From the outside these two look like bitter rivals, but at the end of the day they have each other's backs. Dalisy would happily talk makeup or clothing with Klara, but when they disagree it can be a lot. --- 🌓Runa Johansson, Daughter of Balder 🌓 "Isn't that the girl who's friends with Klara and Nadia?" Dalisy hasn't made an effort to get to know the 'new' girl. If she's hanging out with Klara and Runa is there that's fine with her, but she isn't out to make friends so it is what it is. --- 😈Elizabeth Flame 😈 "If she let me I'd do her makeup and coordinate her outfits...She won't though cause she knows better." Dalisy and Elizabeth have a fun relationship with each other. They both like pranking each other, which has led to a rivalry. --- 😡Lara Alderliesten😡 "Yeah she earned her way in here, but does she have to be so uptight?" Dalisy will come up with a million reasons why she doesn't like Lara, but the real reason is Lara reminds Dalisy of Niah and it breaks her heart being around her. ---</s> <\|message\|>Runa Phoebe Johansson --- --- Runa Johansson --- Location: Loki's Cavern Skills: Photokinesis --- --- It all happened too quickly - Runa had been doing her part against Loki and the next thing she knew, her staff was gone and he had her by the neck. She was gasping for air, unable to breathe. She felt entirely powerless and helpless. And her friends, she didn't deserve them - they were ready to stand down and unleash Loki and his friend into the world just to save her life. "Don't... do it," Runa choked out. She didn't want to be the reason that Loki was freed. She was scared, but not afraid. She had already died once - she was already dead. She was willing to die if it meant Loki couldn't escape. But she also wasn't ready to give up and let him kill her. She had already spent so much time in Valhalla scared and timid, uncertain and looking towards others for what to do. She was done with that. She wanted to take control of her life - or really, her afterlife. And maybe, just maybe, it would work - maybe she'd free herself and they'd all go home. But there was no way she was going to let Loki escape. She tried to blast him in the eyes with light, her first two tries didn't work, but on the third try she was able to blind him. The blinding light caused him to release her and Runa gasped for breath, running back over towards the others, safe again. She felt good. She had saved herself.</s> <\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake --- --- --- Location: Outside of Loki's Cavern Skills: Super Strength, Sword Fighting --- --- Well, the situation had sort of gone from bad to worse it seemed like, then again, they sort of were dealing with the gods, so of course all hell was going to break loose at some point. This time it just so happened to be Runa getting caught by Loki when she tried to hit him with her staff. The others of course were lowering their guard, since they didn't want her to potentially get hurt, but truthfully in Klara's opinion, Runa was a lot more capable from what she had seen before then the others likely thought. Klara didn't fully lower her guard, prepared to strike instantly if she was given the chance. Thankfully, the opportunity arose as Runa managed to break free from Loki's grasp by blinding him it looked like. She couldn't help but smile, as she held her sword and charged straight at Loki, swinging her sword. Unfortunately, her aim wasn't the best for her first few swings as she did so. However, she did manage to land a fairly solid hit with her third swing, as her sword connected with Loki and she managed to get him to more or less start bleeding a lot. Well, this guy hopefully wasn't going to go anywhere or whatever soon. Maybe if they were lucky anyway.</s>	<\|message\|>Dalisy Bautista Location: Outside of Loki's Cavern Skill: Longsword --- --- Anger boiled in Dalisy's heart as she heard Lara talk. It was stupid. Runa was a fine enough person, but to make an exchange such as that was idiotic. Not to mention what really made Dalisy mad. The real reason Dalisy hated Lara so much. The oath. The binding. Niah. Her dear sister who lived and had no idea how much Dalisy missed her. Dalisy funneled that anger into trying to free herself. She'd drive this sword into Loki if it was the last thing she would do. She knew that his chaos would bring danger to the world, and therefore her sister. Lara's part in all of this was just to be that constant reminder of the one person she loved in the world. As she tried to get out, she didn't seem to be having any luck though. And that just angered her even more. If she were free she'd be driving her sword into Loki. She tried again. This time she was able to get free. She showed her teeth. It looked nothing like a grin. Runa had freed herself, Loki was blind. She swung her sword. Slicing Loki's arm.</s>
<\|description\|>Klara Natalia Blake Klara Blake "I lived in a time when innocents were prosecuted on baseless accusations, do you really want to question how I find justice?" --- --- Character Summary Aliases: None Age: 18 Birthday: February 14, 1674 Death Date: March 12, 1692 Ethnicity: Caucasian Birth Place: Salem, Massachusetts Godly Parent: Thor How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: Since her death in 1692 Gender: Female Languages: English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5 feet 6 inches Weight: 121 pounds Build: Athletic Eyes: Hazel Hair: Dark Brown Skin Tone: Lightly Tanned Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Ears pierced Personal Style: Klara was from a very different time and place then most. However, since being in Hotel Valhalla she has traded out her typical dresses that she used to wear more of for armor or something a bit more practical, typically armor of some kind that she has gotten since being in the hotel. It works better for fighting and allows her to move more easily, however she won't say no to dressing up in typical dresses or something like that, she always did love fashion, even way back in the 17th century. --- --- Psychology Adventurous * Trickster * Brave * Hot Headed * Kind * Stubborn Sexuality: Bisexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Klara is not exactly a very calm individual, depending on what sort of mood she's in when you meet her. She has a fiery temper that she'll easily let loose on anyone who gets on her bad side. This combined with her stubbornness leads to a bad combination that results in her constantly getting on people's bad sides, however, that tends to not exactly be the worst things. Since she does have a few tricks up her sleeve so to speak, and will easily play tricks on others, sometimes making people think that there was a mistake and she was actually the daughter of Loki. However she does have a few traits that are redeeming, namely the fact that usually she is a very kind and caring person who will fight for those who are close to her. Her adventurous spirit allows for her to go off on a whim, and her bravery allows her to stand up to just about anyone. No matter what the costs are, if she considers you to be a friend, you can almost guarantee that she'd die for you. Fatal Flaw: Pride Habits: Twisting her hair, biting her lip Hobbies: Swimming, reading Fears: * Snakes * Heights * Fire Likes: * Fashion (she even sometimes tries to keep up with what's trendy in the land of the living!) * Playing tricks on people * Fighting * Animals! (except for snakes, they are horrid) * Swimming * Books Dislikes: * Spiders * Snakes (the bane of her existence) * Fire * Skeptics (people who don't believe or understand magic) * Liars * People she thinks are idiots --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: (It must fit with what your god or goddess parent is.) * Super Strength * Goat Vision! General Skills: * Cooking * Persuasion * Perception * Lock Picking * Drawing * Knowledge of Animals * Tracking Combat Skills: * Sword Fighting * Hand to Hand Combat * Knife Combat * Knife Throwing * Shields Magic Item: * Sylvi - Magical sword that returns to her hand no matter what, it also tends to burst into flames in combat, but will sometimes burst into flames if she gets angry. * Brynja - Turns Klara's cat when activated into a large wild cat, complete with a saddle for Klara and others to potentially ride the cat, as well as to act as actual armor for Betty. What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - Armor and cloak with boots to match them. The armor was given to her after she joined the ranks of the dead as it was much more practical of combat wear then what she had been wearing when she died. * Purse/Wallet - She carries around a satchel more then an actual purse, it has a few pieces of paper and writing materials, as well as a few throwing knives. * A knife strapped to her right boot within easy reach. * Her sword Sylvi in it's sheath on her left side * Another knife in a small sheath on her right side * Necklace that is the last thing she got from her mother. It's a bit dulled now from the years Possessions In Hotel Room: * More throwing knives gallore! * Targets that allow her to practice her fighting skills * Her artwork on display * Drawing supplies * A drawing she had made sitting in a picture frame of her, her mother, and her older sister before the witch trials began, in the background was a ghostly almost figure that represented the father who raised her. * Elizabeth her Norwegian Forest Cat named after her sister. Tends to follow her around at times. --- --- History Biography Klara grew up in her home in Salem, the younger daughter of Sarah and Aaron Blake, or at least that's who she thought was her biological father. Her older sister Elizabeth was a fun older sister, and she got along well with her, especially since she was only two years older. She loved her family so much, everything seemed perfect for her. Growing up in a loving family, with parents who loved her and an older sister that she looked up to. Then everything changed, when her father grew sick. Very very sick. They weren't sure what illness it was, and the physician in the small village did what he could for the man, but unfortunately, there wasn't much else that could be done for him. She had been very close with her father, and she completely shut everyone out when he died when she was 8 years old. He had always told her to stay strong no matter what happened, and she tried to live up to that. She always tried to do the right thing, to help others even if it might end up hurting her. There wasn't much she could do though, she was just a young girl whose father was dead. It made her and her sister both anomalies in the town, weirdos, but that didn't matter, she was going to stay by her sister and her mother, no matter what. Then of course, everything changed the month that she turned 18, namely, the start of the Salem Witch Trials. Klara wasn't even sure if these sort of things were even possible, or that those accused even were guilty of witchcraft or something like that. However, things got a bit more messy, when it came to her mother. Her mother, her poor mother, was accused of witchcraft. The "evidence" was something about her mother committing adultery at one point, before Klara had been born. Other bits were just heresay from others, girls claiming that she had bewitched them. She had been hopeless in preventing her mother's execution, and that was what broke her, what caused her to decide to act upon everything, despite what her sister Elizabeth was telling her. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: She died trying to free those imprisoned who were falsely accused during the trials. Klara had snuck into the jail one night, and was slowly but surely starting to unlock the jail cells using a knife that she had brought along with her as she started to free people. That's when she was surprised by a jail guard who instantly tried to stop her, and Klara instantly started to fight back. She ended up stabbing the guard by accident as he tried to arrest her, and she kicked him backwards, before she dropped the knife and instantly started moving the innocents away, having already given them instructions on how to get out of the village. What she hadn't expected was that the guard had picked her knife up and stabbed her with it in the back, whirling around she threw her fist into the man's face. She yelled at the others to run as she started to fight back with the guard, not even caring that she was bleeding out in the process. Her only concern was to protect the innocents who she had freed, and the result ended up with her getting the guard to stop moving, before she completely collapsed to the ground, and bled out. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Nickelback - Gotta Be Somebody Extra Information: Posty post Aesir I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay. --- --- Relations --- Klara Blake "Don't mess with me, believe it or not I know what I'm doing." --- --- ⟢ 🎆Respects ⟡ 🌓Neutral ⟡ 👋Acquaintance ⟡ 🙇It's Complicated ⟣ ⟢ 💛Friend ⟡ 💙Good Friends ⟡ 💜Best Friends ⟡ ❣️Ex-Friends ⟡ 😈Frienemy ⟣ ⟢ 💘Infatuation ⟡ 💓Loves ⟡ 💗Couple ⟡ 💕Basically Family ⟡ 💞Family ⟡ 💔Ex-Lovers ⟣ ⟢ ♨️Tense ⟡ 💀Dislikes ⟡ 😡Hates ⟡ 👿Enemy ⟡ 👹Absolutely Loathes ⟣ --- --- 💛 Arnora Skadidottir, Daughter of Skadi 💛 "She's pretty cool, and has been here longer then I have." Klara considers Arnora to be her friend, namely since she's one of the few people who are older then her that actually really talked to her when she first arrived in Valhalla. She went on a quest of sorts with her at one point too, but they already got along before then. --- 💜 Nadia Petrova, Daughter of Frey 💜 "One of the younger dead people here! We get on each others nerves, but at the end of the day we're best friends and will have each others backs." Klara and Nadia's friendship might seem like a bit of a weird one considering the fact that they died in completely different time eras. They butt heads a lot, but overall they are an interesting pair. They both also enjoy playing pranks on people, so that's led to a few interesting altercations. --- 💛 Dalisy Bautista, Daughter of Heimdall 💛 "She's alright, gets on my nerves on occasion though." The thing that is probably preventing her and Dalisy from being better friends might have to do with both of their temperaments and the fact that Dalisy doesn't like Nadia who is Klara's best friend. They argue and seem like they hate each other, but Klara and Dalisy have interesting conversations even if it sometimes seems like they'll strangle each other constantly. --- Symbol Runa Johansson, Daughter of Balder Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details --- Symbol Characters Name Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details ---</s> <\|message\|>Dalisy Bautista --- --- Location: Hotel Valhalla: Floor 21 -> GTFO Skill: --- --- "Fun fact I can control the Bifrost and could just do that. But it's cool I don't want to be involved in this." Dalisy was irritated. She hated Lara and Nadia, and it felt like Arnora was forgetting what skills Dalisy could offer. There was zero motivation for her to be on this quest. Sure, she wanted to help save the world cause her sister lived in it. But she didn't want to be on a quest those two. She'd be near fighting them the whole time. Besides she had a grudge match in the morning if she went on the quest she wouldn't be able to beat the guy up. "Good luck Runa. Hope you save your dad and all." Dalisy turned around and left the room.</s> <\|message\|>Runa Phoebe Johansson --- --- Runa Johansson --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - Floor 21 Skills: N/A --- --- Runa frowned ever so slightly as the daughter of Heimdall explained that Hel had amassed an army - that was extremely worrying and didn't do anything to help her nerves. But she was also stressed and upset since the woman didn't tell her where Balder was anyways. She knew the answer though - he was in that cold nightmare she had seen earlier, right? She wished that she didn't have to go there, to be surrounded by other lost souls of the dead. Elizabeth, one of her least favorite people, confirmed that location - they had to go to Hel's throne room. She felt like they had a better chance of winning the lottery ten times in a row and marrying super models. "Uh, giant squirrels? I... I don't think I understand you. I'm sorry. English isn't my first language..." Runa apologized, looking at Arnora with confusion. She was pretty sure that she couldn't have heard her right. Maybe she meant dogs or foxes or tigers? Runa went through a bunch of different animals she could imagine being a logical choice there, but then again, maybe it wasn't an animal at all. English was such a weird language and she hadn't learned it willingly. It had been required in school.</s>	<\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: Floor 21 Skills: N/A --- --- "Elizabeth you were just rude earlier with everything, and no one exactly asked for your opinions on things," Klara said instantly, shooting a bit of a glare towards Elizabeth. However she didn't say anything else about it, since she did offer at least some information that could potentially prove to be useful to them. She didn't like the fact that Elizabeth was the one coming up with a plan of sorts, but she didn't say anything about it since Nadia seemed to agree with it. Everything was still Runa's decision ultimately, so it would all depend on what she wanted. Of course, when Runa spoke she didn't say much and seemed to focus more on the idea of the giant squirrels then anything else, since she didn't say anything about the idea. "I mean yeah, there is a giant squirrel thing on the tree, I mean think about it. Squirrels live in trees, we are in the World Tree, so of course there would be a squirrel living in it," she said towards Runa giving her a smile. It did make it a little easier to understand when thought about that way. "Sure, let's go to Hel's throne room and deal with her, that sounds like fun."</s>
<\|description\|>Klara Natalia Blake Klara Blake "I lived in a time when innocents were prosecuted on baseless accusations, do you really want to question how I find justice?" --- --- Character Summary Aliases: None Age: 18 Birthday: February 14, 1674 Death Date: March 12, 1692 Ethnicity: Caucasian Birth Place: Salem, Massachusetts Godly Parent: Thor How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: Since her death in 1692 Gender: Female Languages: English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5 feet 6 inches Weight: 121 pounds Build: Athletic Eyes: Hazel Hair: Dark Brown Skin Tone: Lightly Tanned Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Ears pierced Personal Style: Klara was from a very different time and place then most. However, since being in Hotel Valhalla she has traded out her typical dresses that she used to wear more of for armor or something a bit more practical, typically armor of some kind that she has gotten since being in the hotel. It works better for fighting and allows her to move more easily, however she won't say no to dressing up in typical dresses or something like that, she always did love fashion, even way back in the 17th century. --- --- Psychology Adventurous * Trickster * Brave * Hot Headed * Kind * Stubborn Sexuality: Bisexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Klara is not exactly a very calm individual, depending on what sort of mood she's in when you meet her. She has a fiery temper that she'll easily let loose on anyone who gets on her bad side. This combined with her stubbornness leads to a bad combination that results in her constantly getting on people's bad sides, however, that tends to not exactly be the worst things. Since she does have a few tricks up her sleeve so to speak, and will easily play tricks on others, sometimes making people think that there was a mistake and she was actually the daughter of Loki. However she does have a few traits that are redeeming, namely the fact that usually she is a very kind and caring person who will fight for those who are close to her. Her adventurous spirit allows for her to go off on a whim, and her bravery allows her to stand up to just about anyone. No matter what the costs are, if she considers you to be a friend, you can almost guarantee that she'd die for you. Fatal Flaw: Pride Habits: Twisting her hair, biting her lip Hobbies: Swimming, reading Fears: * Snakes * Heights * Fire Likes: * Fashion (she even sometimes tries to keep up with what's trendy in the land of the living!) * Playing tricks on people * Fighting * Animals! (except for snakes, they are horrid) * Swimming * Books Dislikes: * Spiders * Snakes (the bane of her existence) * Fire * Skeptics (people who don't believe or understand magic) * Liars * People she thinks are idiots --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: (It must fit with what your god or goddess parent is.) * Super Strength * Goat Vision! General Skills: * Cooking * Persuasion * Perception * Lock Picking * Drawing * Knowledge of Animals * Tracking Combat Skills: * Sword Fighting * Hand to Hand Combat * Knife Combat * Knife Throwing * Shields Magic Item: * Sylvi - Magical sword that returns to her hand no matter what, it also tends to burst into flames in combat, but will sometimes burst into flames if she gets angry. * Brynja - Turns Klara's cat when activated into a large wild cat, complete with a saddle for Klara and others to potentially ride the cat, as well as to act as actual armor for Betty. What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - Armor and cloak with boots to match them. The armor was given to her after she joined the ranks of the dead as it was much more practical of combat wear then what she had been wearing when she died. * Purse/Wallet - She carries around a satchel more then an actual purse, it has a few pieces of paper and writing materials, as well as a few throwing knives. * A knife strapped to her right boot within easy reach. * Her sword Sylvi in it's sheath on her left side * Another knife in a small sheath on her right side * Necklace that is the last thing she got from her mother. It's a bit dulled now from the years Possessions In Hotel Room: * More throwing knives gallore! * Targets that allow her to practice her fighting skills * Her artwork on display * Drawing supplies * A drawing she had made sitting in a picture frame of her, her mother, and her older sister before the witch trials began, in the background was a ghostly almost figure that represented the father who raised her. * Elizabeth her Norwegian Forest Cat named after her sister. Tends to follow her around at times. --- --- History Biography Klara grew up in her home in Salem, the younger daughter of Sarah and Aaron Blake, or at least that's who she thought was her biological father. Her older sister Elizabeth was a fun older sister, and she got along well with her, especially since she was only two years older. She loved her family so much, everything seemed perfect for her. Growing up in a loving family, with parents who loved her and an older sister that she looked up to. Then everything changed, when her father grew sick. Very very sick. They weren't sure what illness it was, and the physician in the small village did what he could for the man, but unfortunately, there wasn't much else that could be done for him. She had been very close with her father, and she completely shut everyone out when he died when she was 8 years old. He had always told her to stay strong no matter what happened, and she tried to live up to that. She always tried to do the right thing, to help others even if it might end up hurting her. There wasn't much she could do though, she was just a young girl whose father was dead. It made her and her sister both anomalies in the town, weirdos, but that didn't matter, she was going to stay by her sister and her mother, no matter what. Then of course, everything changed the month that she turned 18, namely, the start of the Salem Witch Trials. Klara wasn't even sure if these sort of things were even possible, or that those accused even were guilty of witchcraft or something like that. However, things got a bit more messy, when it came to her mother. Her mother, her poor mother, was accused of witchcraft. The "evidence" was something about her mother committing adultery at one point, before Klara had been born. Other bits were just heresay from others, girls claiming that she had bewitched them. She had been hopeless in preventing her mother's execution, and that was what broke her, what caused her to decide to act upon everything, despite what her sister Elizabeth was telling her. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: She died trying to free those imprisoned who were falsely accused during the trials. Klara had snuck into the jail one night, and was slowly but surely starting to unlock the jail cells using a knife that she had brought along with her as she started to free people. That's when she was surprised by a jail guard who instantly tried to stop her, and Klara instantly started to fight back. She ended up stabbing the guard by accident as he tried to arrest her, and she kicked him backwards, before she dropped the knife and instantly started moving the innocents away, having already given them instructions on how to get out of the village. What she hadn't expected was that the guard had picked her knife up and stabbed her with it in the back, whirling around she threw her fist into the man's face. She yelled at the others to run as she started to fight back with the guard, not even caring that she was bleeding out in the process. Her only concern was to protect the innocents who she had freed, and the result ended up with her getting the guard to stop moving, before she completely collapsed to the ground, and bled out. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Nickelback - Gotta Be Somebody Extra Information: Posty post Aesir I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay. --- --- Relations --- Klara Blake "Don't mess with me, believe it or not I know what I'm doing." --- --- ⟢ 🎆Respects ⟡ 🌓Neutral ⟡ 👋Acquaintance ⟡ 🙇It's Complicated ⟣ ⟢ 💛Friend ⟡ 💙Good Friends ⟡ 💜Best Friends ⟡ ❣️Ex-Friends ⟡ 😈Frienemy ⟣ ⟢ 💘Infatuation ⟡ 💓Loves ⟡ 💗Couple ⟡ 💕Basically Family ⟡ 💞Family ⟡ 💔Ex-Lovers ⟣ ⟢ ♨️Tense ⟡ 💀Dislikes ⟡ 😡Hates ⟡ 👿Enemy ⟡ 👹Absolutely Loathes ⟣ --- --- 💛 Arnora Skadidottir, Daughter of Skadi 💛 "She's pretty cool, and has been here longer then I have." Klara considers Arnora to be her friend, namely since she's one of the few people who are older then her that actually really talked to her when she first arrived in Valhalla. She went on a quest of sorts with her at one point too, but they already got along before then. --- 💜 Nadia Petrova, Daughter of Frey 💜 "One of the younger dead people here! We get on each others nerves, but at the end of the day we're best friends and will have each others backs." Klara and Nadia's friendship might seem like a bit of a weird one considering the fact that they died in completely different time eras. They butt heads a lot, but overall they are an interesting pair. They both also enjoy playing pranks on people, so that's led to a few interesting altercations. --- 💛 Dalisy Bautista, Daughter of Heimdall 💛 "She's alright, gets on my nerves on occasion though." The thing that is probably preventing her and Dalisy from being better friends might have to do with both of their temperaments and the fact that Dalisy doesn't like Nadia who is Klara's best friend. They argue and seem like they hate each other, but Klara and Dalisy have interesting conversations even if it sometimes seems like they'll strangle each other constantly. --- Symbol Runa Johansson, Daughter of Balder Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details --- Symbol Characters Name Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details ---</s> <\|message\|>Lara Alderliesten --- --- Location: World Tree Skills: Climbing --- --- Lara looked over at Arnora as she let her figure out the way that they would be heading back down to their destination when she heard the barking. She blinked at that as she heard that bark resonated in her soul. She loved dogs but... Ratatoskr was no dog, and he was no normal squirrel. This was bad for them to be discovered on the World Tree so soon after they undertook their mission. "Well then... I guess we need to climb faster." Lara muttered this to Arnora as she started to climb a bit faster at that point as she headed down the tree. Dear gods she did not want to fall down and die here. If she died here, she would die for real and that would not be a good thing for any of them. She focused on each step down, further and further down the tree as she followed Arnora's instructions as to where they were heading.</s> <\|message\|>Runa Phoebe Johansson --- --- Runa Johansson --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - the World Tree Skills: Stamina, Agility --- --- Elizabeth left a sour taste in Runa's mouth, but at least she had been willing to give her an answer. If she fell, she would be devoured by a monstrous snake. And given her deathly fear of snakes, Runa had to coax her limbs slowly to continue to go through the motions and get ready for the climb. She wished that there was some sort of magic adhesive to let her stick to the tree like Spider-Man. Or a pill she could swallow in the event that she did fall so she could guarantee dying before hitting the bottom. But could they die twice? She wasn't sure. She paled at the idea that falling would always end up in survival and being conscious as a snake ate her, slowly being digested inside of the beast, aware the entire time... She didn't know what Elizabeth's problem with her was and frankly, Runa didn't need to find a reason for it. She was used to people hating her and picking on her just because she existed. There had been tons of bullies in her school and even though Elizabeth was blind, it didn't mean she couldn't be cruel. Runa gave Nadia a slight nod, although she didn't say anything. She just made sure not to get too close to Elizabeth as she started to climb the tree, just so Elizabeth wouldn't have a chance to kick her off or anything. The squirrel was definitely freaky too. It was massive, easily the size of a house. Runa climbed a little faster.</s>	<\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: The World Tree Skills: N/A --- --- If Elizabeth wasn't already dead, Klara definitely would have killed her. Considering the fact that telling someone something that likely would be considered terrifying to just about everyone right before they were supposed to do some athletic activity was about the last thing you'd want to do. It was going to make them more likely to lose their grip or footing, causing them more likely to fall! She had been going to tell Runa later after the climbing activity, so that she didn't worry about it and then be better off that way. Elizabeth needed to learn to take a damn hint and not just say whatever the hell she wanted to. "You'll do fine Runa, just think, we're getting out of Valhalla and back to Earth, not here, just back home to where we all used to live at one point. We've got this, we're going to be alright," she said to her with a smile. At the least she was trying to give some encouragement to Runa, "At least you don't have a cat who now has armor on your shoulders!" she added before she started the climb down as well. Before she started, she of course made sure that Betty was holding onto her shoulders tightly. It was probably a good thing that she had super strength, since it helped to make the rather large cat feel like she weighed practically nothing to her.</s>
<\|description\|>Klara Natalia Blake Klara Blake "I lived in a time when innocents were prosecuted on baseless accusations, do you really want to question how I find justice?" --- --- Character Summary Aliases: None Age: 18 Birthday: February 14, 1674 Death Date: March 12, 1692 Ethnicity: Caucasian Birth Place: Salem, Massachusetts Godly Parent: Thor How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: Since her death in 1692 Gender: Female Languages: English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5 feet 6 inches Weight: 121 pounds Build: Athletic Eyes: Hazel Hair: Dark Brown Skin Tone: Lightly Tanned Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Ears pierced Personal Style: Klara was from a very different time and place then most. However, since being in Hotel Valhalla she has traded out her typical dresses that she used to wear more of for armor or something a bit more practical, typically armor of some kind that she has gotten since being in the hotel. It works better for fighting and allows her to move more easily, however she won't say no to dressing up in typical dresses or something like that, she always did love fashion, even way back in the 17th century. --- --- Psychology Adventurous * Trickster * Brave * Hot Headed * Kind * Stubborn Sexuality: Bisexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Klara is not exactly a very calm individual, depending on what sort of mood she's in when you meet her. She has a fiery temper that she'll easily let loose on anyone who gets on her bad side. This combined with her stubbornness leads to a bad combination that results in her constantly getting on people's bad sides, however, that tends to not exactly be the worst things. Since she does have a few tricks up her sleeve so to speak, and will easily play tricks on others, sometimes making people think that there was a mistake and she was actually the daughter of Loki. However she does have a few traits that are redeeming, namely the fact that usually she is a very kind and caring person who will fight for those who are close to her. Her adventurous spirit allows for her to go off on a whim, and her bravery allows her to stand up to just about anyone. No matter what the costs are, if she considers you to be a friend, you can almost guarantee that she'd die for you. Fatal Flaw: Pride Habits: Twisting her hair, biting her lip Hobbies: Swimming, reading Fears: * Snakes * Heights * Fire Likes: * Fashion (she even sometimes tries to keep up with what's trendy in the land of the living!) * Playing tricks on people * Fighting * Animals! (except for snakes, they are horrid) * Swimming * Books Dislikes: * Spiders * Snakes (the bane of her existence) * Fire * Skeptics (people who don't believe or understand magic) * Liars * People she thinks are idiots --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: (It must fit with what your god or goddess parent is.) * Super Strength * Goat Vision! General Skills: * Cooking * Persuasion * Perception * Lock Picking * Drawing * Knowledge of Animals * Tracking Combat Skills: * Sword Fighting * Hand to Hand Combat * Knife Combat * Knife Throwing * Shields Magic Item: * Sylvi - Magical sword that returns to her hand no matter what, it also tends to burst into flames in combat, but will sometimes burst into flames if she gets angry. * Brynja - Turns Klara's cat when activated into a large wild cat, complete with a saddle for Klara and others to potentially ride the cat, as well as to act as actual armor for Betty. What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - Armor and cloak with boots to match them. The armor was given to her after she joined the ranks of the dead as it was much more practical of combat wear then what she had been wearing when she died. * Purse/Wallet - She carries around a satchel more then an actual purse, it has a few pieces of paper and writing materials, as well as a few throwing knives. * A knife strapped to her right boot within easy reach. * Her sword Sylvi in it's sheath on her left side * Another knife in a small sheath on her right side * Necklace that is the last thing she got from her mother. It's a bit dulled now from the years Possessions In Hotel Room: * More throwing knives gallore! * Targets that allow her to practice her fighting skills * Her artwork on display * Drawing supplies * A drawing she had made sitting in a picture frame of her, her mother, and her older sister before the witch trials began, in the background was a ghostly almost figure that represented the father who raised her. * Elizabeth her Norwegian Forest Cat named after her sister. Tends to follow her around at times. --- --- History Biography Klara grew up in her home in Salem, the younger daughter of Sarah and Aaron Blake, or at least that's who she thought was her biological father. Her older sister Elizabeth was a fun older sister, and she got along well with her, especially since she was only two years older. She loved her family so much, everything seemed perfect for her. Growing up in a loving family, with parents who loved her and an older sister that she looked up to. Then everything changed, when her father grew sick. Very very sick. They weren't sure what illness it was, and the physician in the small village did what he could for the man, but unfortunately, there wasn't much else that could be done for him. She had been very close with her father, and she completely shut everyone out when he died when she was 8 years old. He had always told her to stay strong no matter what happened, and she tried to live up to that. She always tried to do the right thing, to help others even if it might end up hurting her. There wasn't much she could do though, she was just a young girl whose father was dead. It made her and her sister both anomalies in the town, weirdos, but that didn't matter, she was going to stay by her sister and her mother, no matter what. Then of course, everything changed the month that she turned 18, namely, the start of the Salem Witch Trials. Klara wasn't even sure if these sort of things were even possible, or that those accused even were guilty of witchcraft or something like that. However, things got a bit more messy, when it came to her mother. Her mother, her poor mother, was accused of witchcraft. The "evidence" was something about her mother committing adultery at one point, before Klara had been born. Other bits were just heresay from others, girls claiming that she had bewitched them. She had been hopeless in preventing her mother's execution, and that was what broke her, what caused her to decide to act upon everything, despite what her sister Elizabeth was telling her. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: She died trying to free those imprisoned who were falsely accused during the trials. Klara had snuck into the jail one night, and was slowly but surely starting to unlock the jail cells using a knife that she had brought along with her as she started to free people. That's when she was surprised by a jail guard who instantly tried to stop her, and Klara instantly started to fight back. She ended up stabbing the guard by accident as he tried to arrest her, and she kicked him backwards, before she dropped the knife and instantly started moving the innocents away, having already given them instructions on how to get out of the village. What she hadn't expected was that the guard had picked her knife up and stabbed her with it in the back, whirling around she threw her fist into the man's face. She yelled at the others to run as she started to fight back with the guard, not even caring that she was bleeding out in the process. Her only concern was to protect the innocents who she had freed, and the result ended up with her getting the guard to stop moving, before she completely collapsed to the ground, and bled out. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Nickelback - Gotta Be Somebody Extra Information: Posty post Aesir I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay. --- --- Relations --- Klara Blake "Don't mess with me, believe it or not I know what I'm doing." --- --- ⟢ 🎆Respects ⟡ 🌓Neutral ⟡ 👋Acquaintance ⟡ 🙇It's Complicated ⟣ ⟢ 💛Friend ⟡ 💙Good Friends ⟡ 💜Best Friends ⟡ ❣️Ex-Friends ⟡ 😈Frienemy ⟣ ⟢ 💘Infatuation ⟡ 💓Loves ⟡ 💗Couple ⟡ 💕Basically Family ⟡ 💞Family ⟡ 💔Ex-Lovers ⟣ ⟢ ♨️Tense ⟡ 💀Dislikes ⟡ 😡Hates ⟡ 👿Enemy ⟡ 👹Absolutely Loathes ⟣ --- --- 💛 Arnora Skadidottir, Daughter of Skadi 💛 "She's pretty cool, and has been here longer then I have." Klara considers Arnora to be her friend, namely since she's one of the few people who are older then her that actually really talked to her when she first arrived in Valhalla. She went on a quest of sorts with her at one point too, but they already got along before then. --- 💜 Nadia Petrova, Daughter of Frey 💜 "One of the younger dead people here! We get on each others nerves, but at the end of the day we're best friends and will have each others backs." Klara and Nadia's friendship might seem like a bit of a weird one considering the fact that they died in completely different time eras. They butt heads a lot, but overall they are an interesting pair. They both also enjoy playing pranks on people, so that's led to a few interesting altercations. --- 💛 Dalisy Bautista, Daughter of Heimdall 💛 "She's alright, gets on my nerves on occasion though." The thing that is probably preventing her and Dalisy from being better friends might have to do with both of their temperaments and the fact that Dalisy doesn't like Nadia who is Klara's best friend. They argue and seem like they hate each other, but Klara and Dalisy have interesting conversations even if it sometimes seems like they'll strangle each other constantly. --- Symbol Runa Johansson, Daughter of Balder Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details --- Symbol Characters Name Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details ---</s> <\|message\|>Lara Alderliesten --- --- Location: World Tree Skills: Climbing --- --- "Elizabeth!" Lara couldn't help herself from crying out as she saw the other woman get knocked out of the branches at that point by Ratatoskr. Honestly, the words he was saying were ringing a bit true. She was worthless, wasn't she? She had failed to find Levi... she didn't know if she had rescued him. However, she looked at the group around her and knew that letting herself drown in those deep waters of regrets were not going to help them. "Ratatoskr, we have been tasked by the Allfather on this quest, to find the lost god. Go back and carry out your mission and leave us to ours!" Pitiful words, at best, from Lara, even as she climbed down the branches. She was trying to focus now on the fact that she had done good. She was not worthless, she was one of the chosen! One of those that got to eat at the feast for the fallen. She had done good in her life. "Follow my voice Elizabeth, and I'll help you get down the tree."</s> <\|message\|>Runa Phoebe Johansson --- --- Runa Johansson --- Location: Hotel Valhalla - the World Tree Skills: Stamina, Agility, Norwegian --- --- Runa nodded meekly at Klara's words of encouragement. She reminded her a bit of the guidance counselors at school - idealistic and chatty. She was waiting for Klara to start talking to her about transcripts and personal essays and what universities she was interested in applying to and what she was intending to study. Runa never really was interested in higher education - she wanted to just do her own thing off by herself. Maybe she would have opened up a metaphysical shop on Etsy, as she wouldn't need to see anyone ever and she could just spend her time off in the woods. That wasn't really in the cards anymore as she was dead and on a hopeless quest to save some supposedly dead god that she had never met before. As she continued to climb, she braced herself as the squirrel barked at her - apparently bark was another English word for insult, she noted. She blinked and then smiled slightly. "Det er det? Det har ikke vært en dag jeg ikke har ønsket å drepe meg selv i årevis. Jeg hater hver centimeter av meg selv. Jeg føler meg som et spøkelse som har et lik. Du kan ikke få meg til å hate meg selv mer enn jeg allerede gjør," she whispered to the squirrel.</s>	<\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: The World Tree Skills: N/A --- --- "Ugh, he just needs to learn how to shut up!" Klara snapped with a bit of an eye roll to go along with it. The squirrel really needed to learn how to just shut up and not talk to anyone. But clearly he didn't have better things to do, but who really knew what squirrels did in their free time. It wasn't typically a question that she had ever thought to ask herself until that moment right there. There was no point in trying to respond to the squirrel, they were better off just ignoring him all together, but that was just her opinion. Of course, Elizabeth (seeing as she almost fell off) decided to talk to the squirrel and more or less threaten it. Yeah, like that was going to end well. Then again, no one said anything about Elizabeth ever being considered smart. Actually she was pretty sure the girl was almost completely useless because of her attitude alone, Klara at the least didn't want anything to do with her and she wondered if anyone actually would want to work with her. Oh well, at least she was on a different assigned team to go off on this thing, so Klara could happily ignore her entirely, and at least she had no problems staying on the tree and she easily climbed to the next branch.</s>
<\|description\|>Klara Natalia Blake Klara Blake "I lived in a time when innocents were prosecuted on baseless accusations, do you really want to question how I find justice?" --- --- Character Summary Aliases: None Age: 18 Birthday: February 14, 1674 Death Date: March 12, 1692 Ethnicity: Caucasian Birth Place: Salem, Massachusetts Godly Parent: Thor How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: Since her death in 1692 Gender: Female Languages: English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5 feet 6 inches Weight: 121 pounds Build: Athletic Eyes: Hazel Hair: Dark Brown Skin Tone: Lightly Tanned Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Ears pierced Personal Style: Klara was from a very different time and place then most. However, since being in Hotel Valhalla she has traded out her typical dresses that she used to wear more of for armor or something a bit more practical, typically armor of some kind that she has gotten since being in the hotel. It works better for fighting and allows her to move more easily, however she won't say no to dressing up in typical dresses or something like that, she always did love fashion, even way back in the 17th century. --- --- Psychology Adventurous * Trickster * Brave * Hot Headed * Kind * Stubborn Sexuality: Bisexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Klara is not exactly a very calm individual, depending on what sort of mood she's in when you meet her. She has a fiery temper that she'll easily let loose on anyone who gets on her bad side. This combined with her stubbornness leads to a bad combination that results in her constantly getting on people's bad sides, however, that tends to not exactly be the worst things. Since she does have a few tricks up her sleeve so to speak, and will easily play tricks on others, sometimes making people think that there was a mistake and she was actually the daughter of Loki. However she does have a few traits that are redeeming, namely the fact that usually she is a very kind and caring person who will fight for those who are close to her. Her adventurous spirit allows for her to go off on a whim, and her bravery allows her to stand up to just about anyone. No matter what the costs are, if she considers you to be a friend, you can almost guarantee that she'd die for you. Fatal Flaw: Pride Habits: Twisting her hair, biting her lip Hobbies: Swimming, reading Fears: * Snakes * Heights * Fire Likes: * Fashion (she even sometimes tries to keep up with what's trendy in the land of the living!) * Playing tricks on people * Fighting * Animals! (except for snakes, they are horrid) * Swimming * Books Dislikes: * Spiders * Snakes (the bane of her existence) * Fire * Skeptics (people who don't believe or understand magic) * Liars * People she thinks are idiots --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: (It must fit with what your god or goddess parent is.) * Super Strength * Goat Vision! General Skills: * Cooking * Persuasion * Perception * Lock Picking * Drawing * Knowledge of Animals * Tracking Combat Skills: * Sword Fighting * Hand to Hand Combat * Knife Combat * Knife Throwing * Shields Magic Item: * Sylvi - Magical sword that returns to her hand no matter what, it also tends to burst into flames in combat, but will sometimes burst into flames if she gets angry. * Brynja - Turns Klara's cat when activated into a large wild cat, complete with a saddle for Klara and others to potentially ride the cat, as well as to act as actual armor for Betty. What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - Armor and cloak with boots to match them. The armor was given to her after she joined the ranks of the dead as it was much more practical of combat wear then what she had been wearing when she died. * Purse/Wallet - She carries around a satchel more then an actual purse, it has a few pieces of paper and writing materials, as well as a few throwing knives. * A knife strapped to her right boot within easy reach. * Her sword Sylvi in it's sheath on her left side * Another knife in a small sheath on her right side * Necklace that is the last thing she got from her mother. It's a bit dulled now from the years Possessions In Hotel Room: * More throwing knives gallore! * Targets that allow her to practice her fighting skills * Her artwork on display * Drawing supplies * A drawing she had made sitting in a picture frame of her, her mother, and her older sister before the witch trials began, in the background was a ghostly almost figure that represented the father who raised her. * Elizabeth her Norwegian Forest Cat named after her sister. Tends to follow her around at times. --- --- History Biography Klara grew up in her home in Salem, the younger daughter of Sarah and Aaron Blake, or at least that's who she thought was her biological father. Her older sister Elizabeth was a fun older sister, and she got along well with her, especially since she was only two years older. She loved her family so much, everything seemed perfect for her. Growing up in a loving family, with parents who loved her and an older sister that she looked up to. Then everything changed, when her father grew sick. Very very sick. They weren't sure what illness it was, and the physician in the small village did what he could for the man, but unfortunately, there wasn't much else that could be done for him. She had been very close with her father, and she completely shut everyone out when he died when she was 8 years old. He had always told her to stay strong no matter what happened, and she tried to live up to that. She always tried to do the right thing, to help others even if it might end up hurting her. There wasn't much she could do though, she was just a young girl whose father was dead. It made her and her sister both anomalies in the town, weirdos, but that didn't matter, she was going to stay by her sister and her mother, no matter what. Then of course, everything changed the month that she turned 18, namely, the start of the Salem Witch Trials. Klara wasn't even sure if these sort of things were even possible, or that those accused even were guilty of witchcraft or something like that. However, things got a bit more messy, when it came to her mother. Her mother, her poor mother, was accused of witchcraft. The "evidence" was something about her mother committing adultery at one point, before Klara had been born. Other bits were just heresay from others, girls claiming that she had bewitched them. She had been hopeless in preventing her mother's execution, and that was what broke her, what caused her to decide to act upon everything, despite what her sister Elizabeth was telling her. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: She died trying to free those imprisoned who were falsely accused during the trials. Klara had snuck into the jail one night, and was slowly but surely starting to unlock the jail cells using a knife that she had brought along with her as she started to free people. That's when she was surprised by a jail guard who instantly tried to stop her, and Klara instantly started to fight back. She ended up stabbing the guard by accident as he tried to arrest her, and she kicked him backwards, before she dropped the knife and instantly started moving the innocents away, having already given them instructions on how to get out of the village. What she hadn't expected was that the guard had picked her knife up and stabbed her with it in the back, whirling around she threw her fist into the man's face. She yelled at the others to run as she started to fight back with the guard, not even caring that she was bleeding out in the process. Her only concern was to protect the innocents who she had freed, and the result ended up with her getting the guard to stop moving, before she completely collapsed to the ground, and bled out. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Nickelback - Gotta Be Somebody Extra Information: Posty post Aesir I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay. --- --- Relations --- Klara Blake "Don't mess with me, believe it or not I know what I'm doing." --- --- ⟢ 🎆Respects ⟡ 🌓Neutral ⟡ 👋Acquaintance ⟡ 🙇It's Complicated ⟣ ⟢ 💛Friend ⟡ 💙Good Friends ⟡ 💜Best Friends ⟡ ❣️Ex-Friends ⟡ 😈Frienemy ⟣ ⟢ 💘Infatuation ⟡ 💓Loves ⟡ 💗Couple ⟡ 💕Basically Family ⟡ 💞Family ⟡ 💔Ex-Lovers ⟣ ⟢ ♨️Tense ⟡ 💀Dislikes ⟡ 😡Hates ⟡ 👿Enemy ⟡ 👹Absolutely Loathes ⟣ --- --- 💛 Arnora Skadidottir, Daughter of Skadi 💛 "She's pretty cool, and has been here longer then I have." Klara considers Arnora to be her friend, namely since she's one of the few people who are older then her that actually really talked to her when she first arrived in Valhalla. She went on a quest of sorts with her at one point too, but they already got along before then. --- 💜 Nadia Petrova, Daughter of Frey 💜 "One of the younger dead people here! We get on each others nerves, but at the end of the day we're best friends and will have each others backs." Klara and Nadia's friendship might seem like a bit of a weird one considering the fact that they died in completely different time eras. They butt heads a lot, but overall they are an interesting pair. They both also enjoy playing pranks on people, so that's led to a few interesting altercations. --- 💛 Dalisy Bautista, Daughter of Heimdall 💛 "She's alright, gets on my nerves on occasion though." The thing that is probably preventing her and Dalisy from being better friends might have to do with both of their temperaments and the fact that Dalisy doesn't like Nadia who is Klara's best friend. They argue and seem like they hate each other, but Klara and Dalisy have interesting conversations even if it sometimes seems like they'll strangle each other constantly. --- Symbol Runa Johansson, Daughter of Balder Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details --- Symbol Characters Name Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details ---</s> <\|message\|>Lara Alderliesten --- --- Location: Boston Skills: N/A --- --- Lara stood herself up at that point and offered her help to others up and then looked around at that point. Boston... Midgard. She had been here before, and thankfully the city didn't seem to be that much different from the last time she had been here. She liked Boston for that reason. Of course, it was the same as her hometown of Amsterdam. She missed it so much... but she knew that she couldn't go back anytime soon. "So to the harbor then? I'm guessing we'll be looking for a boat to take us to where we need to go?" Lara made sure that she didn't leave Elizabeth behind as she caught up to Arnora. She knew that mortals would be staring at them but then they'd look away and forget that the girls had been there. Thankfully that was how things worked with mortals, with them trying to ignore the obvious that was right in front of them.</s> <\|message\|>Runa Phoebe Johansson --- --- Runa Johansson --- Location: Boston, MA Skills: N/A --- --- Runa slowly regained awareness of her surroundings, but the crushing black cloud of depression and anxiety did not lift. The storm continued in her mind, leaving Runa's spirit scrambling for shelter against the elements. She felt ashamed to be breaking down like this in front of Klara and the others. It probably made them hate her, wishing that they had someone who didn't cry so much with them on this. They'd probably be better off if they left her behind and just did this quest themselves. The universe would be better off. Everything she touched was just going to rot, it was probably a mistake and her parent was actually the god of decay or something, not Baldur. She flinched at Arnora's embrace. Runa was very much a person who needed personal space. She didn't like people going up to her and just hugging her, but she understood that Arnora was just trying to be kind and helpful. It only made Runa feel more ashamed that she'd react like that to someone's kindness. Yeah, the others definitely didn't want her around, she was sure of that. "I'm okay," Runa said weakly. She knew that it didn't sound convincing, but usually people just accepted it when she said stuff like that. They were usually just relieved they didn't have to have someone sad and depressing around anymore.</s>	<\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake Location: Hotel Valhalla: Boston Skills: N/A --- --- Personally Klara had no intentions of telling Elizabeth where the hell they had ended up. She was still annoyed with everything that she had done not all too long ago, so she still didn't want to talk to her. Right now though, she was more concerned with how Runa was doing as she had seemingly had a mental breakdown of some sort. Klara was relatively glad when Runa ended up speaking up and saying something, even if it was more or less just her trying to reassure them that she was alright. She was glad to hear the words out of her mouth, so at least Runa seemed to be calming down slightly. "It'll be alright Runa... Do you want to take another minute to catch your breath before we go after the others? Or do you want to head after them right now?" she asked her softly, giving her a smile. If Runa wanted to wait a little while first, that was totally understandable. They had a little bit of time before they really needed to get moving, so she gave Runa the option to head off or to wait another moment. Rushing someone who clearly was still having a hard time processing everything, at least in her mind, was a majorly bad idea.</s>
<\|description\|>Klara Natalia Blake Klara Blake "I lived in a time when innocents were prosecuted on baseless accusations, do you really want to question how I find justice?" --- --- Character Summary Aliases: None Age: 18 Birthday: February 14, 1674 Death Date: March 12, 1692 Ethnicity: Caucasian Birth Place: Salem, Massachusetts Godly Parent: Thor How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: Since her death in 1692 Gender: Female Languages: English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5 feet 6 inches Weight: 121 pounds Build: Athletic Eyes: Hazel Hair: Dark Brown Skin Tone: Lightly Tanned Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Ears pierced Personal Style: Klara was from a very different time and place then most. However, since being in Hotel Valhalla she has traded out her typical dresses that she used to wear more of for armor or something a bit more practical, typically armor of some kind that she has gotten since being in the hotel. It works better for fighting and allows her to move more easily, however she won't say no to dressing up in typical dresses or something like that, she always did love fashion, even way back in the 17th century. --- --- Psychology Adventurous * Trickster * Brave * Hot Headed * Kind * Stubborn Sexuality: Bisexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Klara is not exactly a very calm individual, depending on what sort of mood she's in when you meet her. She has a fiery temper that she'll easily let loose on anyone who gets on her bad side. This combined with her stubbornness leads to a bad combination that results in her constantly getting on people's bad sides, however, that tends to not exactly be the worst things. Since she does have a few tricks up her sleeve so to speak, and will easily play tricks on others, sometimes making people think that there was a mistake and she was actually the daughter of Loki. However she does have a few traits that are redeeming, namely the fact that usually she is a very kind and caring person who will fight for those who are close to her. Her adventurous spirit allows for her to go off on a whim, and her bravery allows her to stand up to just about anyone. No matter what the costs are, if she considers you to be a friend, you can almost guarantee that she'd die for you. Fatal Flaw: Pride Habits: Twisting her hair, biting her lip Hobbies: Swimming, reading Fears: * Snakes * Heights * Fire Likes: * Fashion (she even sometimes tries to keep up with what's trendy in the land of the living!) * Playing tricks on people * Fighting * Animals! (except for snakes, they are horrid) * Swimming * Books Dislikes: * Spiders * Snakes (the bane of her existence) * Fire * Skeptics (people who don't believe or understand magic) * Liars * People she thinks are idiots --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: (It must fit with what your god or goddess parent is.) * Super Strength * Goat Vision! General Skills: * Cooking * Persuasion * Perception * Lock Picking * Drawing * Knowledge of Animals * Tracking Combat Skills: * Sword Fighting * Hand to Hand Combat * Knife Combat * Knife Throwing * Shields Magic Item: * Sylvi - Magical sword that returns to her hand no matter what, it also tends to burst into flames in combat, but will sometimes burst into flames if she gets angry. * Brynja - Turns Klara's cat when activated into a large wild cat, complete with a saddle for Klara and others to potentially ride the cat, as well as to act as actual armor for Betty. What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - Armor and cloak with boots to match them. The armor was given to her after she joined the ranks of the dead as it was much more practical of combat wear then what she had been wearing when she died. * Purse/Wallet - She carries around a satchel more then an actual purse, it has a few pieces of paper and writing materials, as well as a few throwing knives. * A knife strapped to her right boot within easy reach. * Her sword Sylvi in it's sheath on her left side * Another knife in a small sheath on her right side * Necklace that is the last thing she got from her mother. It's a bit dulled now from the years Possessions In Hotel Room: * More throwing knives gallore! * Targets that allow her to practice her fighting skills * Her artwork on display * Drawing supplies * A drawing she had made sitting in a picture frame of her, her mother, and her older sister before the witch trials began, in the background was a ghostly almost figure that represented the father who raised her. * Elizabeth her Norwegian Forest Cat named after her sister. Tends to follow her around at times. --- --- History Biography Klara grew up in her home in Salem, the younger daughter of Sarah and Aaron Blake, or at least that's who she thought was her biological father. Her older sister Elizabeth was a fun older sister, and she got along well with her, especially since she was only two years older. She loved her family so much, everything seemed perfect for her. Growing up in a loving family, with parents who loved her and an older sister that she looked up to. Then everything changed, when her father grew sick. Very very sick. They weren't sure what illness it was, and the physician in the small village did what he could for the man, but unfortunately, there wasn't much else that could be done for him. She had been very close with her father, and she completely shut everyone out when he died when she was 8 years old. He had always told her to stay strong no matter what happened, and she tried to live up to that. She always tried to do the right thing, to help others even if it might end up hurting her. There wasn't much she could do though, she was just a young girl whose father was dead. It made her and her sister both anomalies in the town, weirdos, but that didn't matter, she was going to stay by her sister and her mother, no matter what. Then of course, everything changed the month that she turned 18, namely, the start of the Salem Witch Trials. Klara wasn't even sure if these sort of things were even possible, or that those accused even were guilty of witchcraft or something like that. However, things got a bit more messy, when it came to her mother. Her mother, her poor mother, was accused of witchcraft. The "evidence" was something about her mother committing adultery at one point, before Klara had been born. Other bits were just heresay from others, girls claiming that she had bewitched them. She had been hopeless in preventing her mother's execution, and that was what broke her, what caused her to decide to act upon everything, despite what her sister Elizabeth was telling her. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: She died trying to free those imprisoned who were falsely accused during the trials. Klara had snuck into the jail one night, and was slowly but surely starting to unlock the jail cells using a knife that she had brought along with her as she started to free people. That's when she was surprised by a jail guard who instantly tried to stop her, and Klara instantly started to fight back. She ended up stabbing the guard by accident as he tried to arrest her, and she kicked him backwards, before she dropped the knife and instantly started moving the innocents away, having already given them instructions on how to get out of the village. What she hadn't expected was that the guard had picked her knife up and stabbed her with it in the back, whirling around she threw her fist into the man's face. She yelled at the others to run as she started to fight back with the guard, not even caring that she was bleeding out in the process. Her only concern was to protect the innocents who she had freed, and the result ended up with her getting the guard to stop moving, before she completely collapsed to the ground, and bled out. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Nickelback - Gotta Be Somebody Extra Information: Posty post Aesir I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay. --- --- Relations --- Klara Blake "Don't mess with me, believe it or not I know what I'm doing." --- --- ⟢ 🎆Respects ⟡ 🌓Neutral ⟡ 👋Acquaintance ⟡ 🙇It's Complicated ⟣ ⟢ 💛Friend ⟡ 💙Good Friends ⟡ 💜Best Friends ⟡ ❣️Ex-Friends ⟡ 😈Frienemy ⟣ ⟢ 💘Infatuation ⟡ 💓Loves ⟡ 💗Couple ⟡ 💕Basically Family ⟡ 💞Family ⟡ 💔Ex-Lovers ⟣ ⟢ ♨️Tense ⟡ 💀Dislikes ⟡ 😡Hates ⟡ 👿Enemy ⟡ 👹Absolutely Loathes ⟣ --- --- 💛 Arnora Skadidottir, Daughter of Skadi 💛 "She's pretty cool, and has been here longer then I have." Klara considers Arnora to be her friend, namely since she's one of the few people who are older then her that actually really talked to her when she first arrived in Valhalla. She went on a quest of sorts with her at one point too, but they already got along before then. --- 💜 Nadia Petrova, Daughter of Frey 💜 "One of the younger dead people here! We get on each others nerves, but at the end of the day we're best friends and will have each others backs." Klara and Nadia's friendship might seem like a bit of a weird one considering the fact that they died in completely different time eras. They butt heads a lot, but overall they are an interesting pair. They both also enjoy playing pranks on people, so that's led to a few interesting altercations. --- 💛 Dalisy Bautista, Daughter of Heimdall 💛 "She's alright, gets on my nerves on occasion though." The thing that is probably preventing her and Dalisy from being better friends might have to do with both of their temperaments and the fact that Dalisy doesn't like Nadia who is Klara's best friend. They argue and seem like they hate each other, but Klara and Dalisy have interesting conversations even if it sometimes seems like they'll strangle each other constantly. --- Symbol Runa Johansson, Daughter of Balder Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details --- Symbol Characters Name Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details ---</s> <\|message\|>Elizabeth Nichole Flame --- --- Elizabeth Flame Location: Boat - Shore Skills: Pyromancy --- --- As they escaped from the snake, and the ice encased it, Elizabeth relaxed for a moment. Travel would give them a moment to breath, which she especially needed after tapping into her rune magic like that. She had to be careful, since the real adventure hadn't even started yet. It was dangerous, she thought, for them to exhaust themselves by this point. If they wanted to free Baldur and stop Hel, they needed to be in their best condition possible, and it seemed like the universe was conspiring to set them up to fail. No matter what though, they had to continue. Failure wasn't an option. As they approached the shore, she nodded and said, "I'll rest eventually, I'll be fine for now." They needed to set up camp, and be ready for the oncoming assault they were planning, and that meant warmth. That was, thankfully, something she could deal with. As they docked, Elizabeth got right to searching around for wood, collecting bits and pieces, before setting them on the gerund in front of her. Even though she couldn't see, she knew what a good fire was structured like, and as she set the final piece, a get of flame shot rom her arm, and into the wood, igniting it.</s> <\|message\|>Runa Phoebe Johansson --- --- Runa Johansson --- Location: Nidavellir Skills: N/A --- --- Even though she knew the plan, Runa couldn't help but be nervous. If Nadia lost the game, then she'd lose her sword. She really hoped that Nadia had a fair amount of luck, since Klara was right, strategy only went so far in games like these. Still though, they did need to get these tools - they had to complete this fetch quest so they could get the information they needed to save the world. She bit her lip slightly, wishing she had the power to turn herself invisible or something like that. She usually was pretty naturally invisible at school and all, but here in a room of dwarves, she stuck out like a sore thumb. Runa quietly moved towards the corner of the room with the tools, hoping that she wouldn't attract attention. Her eyes widened slightly as she saw someone notice her, and Runa panicked for a brief second, before she got an idea and decided to hope for the best. She leaned up against the tool table and pushed up slightly, so that way she was sitting on the table, and she leaned forward, looking at the game. The dwarf who noticed her apparently bought that she had just been looking for a seat all along and Runa felt their eyes leave her, and she relaxed slightly.</s>	<\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake Location: Nidavellir Skills: N/A --- --- "Yeah, they tend to be a bit particular about their stuff," Klara added in agreement with Nadia's comment. She reached her hand up and scratched her cat behind the ear as the kitty rubbed up against her head. There wasn't much that they could do aside from either try and win the tools back fairly in a game of pure luck essentially, or by just sneaking around with a bit of a distraction and just trying to steal the tools that way. Well, who knows how things are going to go for them at this point. Gotta love the weird side quests like this right? Her eyes glanced slightly to see what it was that Runa was doing, and the dwarf that seemed to have noticed her. She was glad that Runa managed to make it seem like she was just looking for a spot to watch the card game. Of course, she immediately turned her eyes to the game on the table, petting her cat as she watched the dwarf deal out the card for the game. If need be she'd see about getting her cat to bite someone or claw someone if they needed a quick diversion for a getaway with the tools. That might be helpful in the long run, who knew how things were going to go with this game though.</s>
<\|description\|>Klara Natalia Blake Klara Blake "I lived in a time when innocents were prosecuted on baseless accusations, do you really want to question how I find justice?" --- --- Character Summary Aliases: None Age: 18 Birthday: February 14, 1674 Death Date: March 12, 1692 Ethnicity: Caucasian Birth Place: Salem, Massachusetts Godly Parent: Thor How Many Years At Hotel Valhalla: Since her death in 1692 Gender: Female Languages: English, Old Norse --- --- Appearance Height: 5 feet 6 inches Weight: 121 pounds Build: Athletic Eyes: Hazel Hair: Dark Brown Skin Tone: Lightly Tanned Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Ears pierced Personal Style: Klara was from a very different time and place then most. However, since being in Hotel Valhalla she has traded out her typical dresses that she used to wear more of for armor or something a bit more practical, typically armor of some kind that she has gotten since being in the hotel. It works better for fighting and allows her to move more easily, however she won't say no to dressing up in typical dresses or something like that, she always did love fashion, even way back in the 17th century. --- --- Psychology Adventurous * Trickster * Brave * Hot Headed * Kind * Stubborn Sexuality: Bisexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Klara is not exactly a very calm individual, depending on what sort of mood she's in when you meet her. She has a fiery temper that she'll easily let loose on anyone who gets on her bad side. This combined with her stubbornness leads to a bad combination that results in her constantly getting on people's bad sides, however, that tends to not exactly be the worst things. Since she does have a few tricks up her sleeve so to speak, and will easily play tricks on others, sometimes making people think that there was a mistake and she was actually the daughter of Loki. However she does have a few traits that are redeeming, namely the fact that usually she is a very kind and caring person who will fight for those who are close to her. Her adventurous spirit allows for her to go off on a whim, and her bravery allows her to stand up to just about anyone. No matter what the costs are, if she considers you to be a friend, you can almost guarantee that she'd die for you. Fatal Flaw: Pride Habits: Twisting her hair, biting her lip Hobbies: Swimming, reading Fears: * Snakes * Heights * Fire Likes: * Fashion (she even sometimes tries to keep up with what's trendy in the land of the living!) * Playing tricks on people * Fighting * Animals! (except for snakes, they are horrid) * Swimming * Books Dislikes: * Spiders * Snakes (the bane of her existence) * Fire * Skeptics (people who don't believe or understand magic) * Liars * People she thinks are idiots --- --- Skills Demigod Abilities: (It must fit with what your god or goddess parent is.) * Super Strength * Goat Vision! General Skills: * Cooking * Persuasion * Perception * Lock Picking * Drawing * Knowledge of Animals * Tracking Combat Skills: * Sword Fighting * Hand to Hand Combat * Knife Combat * Knife Throwing * Shields Magic Item: * Sylvi - Magical sword that returns to her hand no matter what, it also tends to burst into flames in combat, but will sometimes burst into flames if she gets angry. * Brynja - Turns Klara's cat when activated into a large wild cat, complete with a saddle for Klara and others to potentially ride the cat, as well as to act as actual armor for Betty. What Do They Carry On Them: * Clothing - Armor and cloak with boots to match them. The armor was given to her after she joined the ranks of the dead as it was much more practical of combat wear then what she had been wearing when she died. * Purse/Wallet - She carries around a satchel more then an actual purse, it has a few pieces of paper and writing materials, as well as a few throwing knives. * A knife strapped to her right boot within easy reach. * Her sword Sylvi in it's sheath on her left side * Another knife in a small sheath on her right side * Necklace that is the last thing she got from her mother. It's a bit dulled now from the years Possessions In Hotel Room: * More throwing knives gallore! * Targets that allow her to practice her fighting skills * Her artwork on display * Drawing supplies * A drawing she had made sitting in a picture frame of her, her mother, and her older sister before the witch trials began, in the background was a ghostly almost figure that represented the father who raised her. * Elizabeth her Norwegian Forest Cat named after her sister. Tends to follow her around at times. --- --- History Biography Klara grew up in her home in Salem, the younger daughter of Sarah and Aaron Blake, or at least that's who she thought was her biological father. Her older sister Elizabeth was a fun older sister, and she got along well with her, especially since she was only two years older. She loved her family so much, everything seemed perfect for her. Growing up in a loving family, with parents who loved her and an older sister that she looked up to. Then everything changed, when her father grew sick. Very very sick. They weren't sure what illness it was, and the physician in the small village did what he could for the man, but unfortunately, there wasn't much else that could be done for him. She had been very close with her father, and she completely shut everyone out when he died when she was 8 years old. He had always told her to stay strong no matter what happened, and she tried to live up to that. She always tried to do the right thing, to help others even if it might end up hurting her. There wasn't much she could do though, she was just a young girl whose father was dead. It made her and her sister both anomalies in the town, weirdos, but that didn't matter, she was going to stay by her sister and her mother, no matter what. Then of course, everything changed the month that she turned 18, namely, the start of the Salem Witch Trials. Klara wasn't even sure if these sort of things were even possible, or that those accused even were guilty of witchcraft or something like that. However, things got a bit more messy, when it came to her mother. Her mother, her poor mother, was accused of witchcraft. The "evidence" was something about her mother committing adultery at one point, before Klara had been born. Other bits were just heresay from others, girls claiming that she had bewitched them. She had been hopeless in preventing her mother's execution, and that was what broke her, what caused her to decide to act upon everything, despite what her sister Elizabeth was telling her. How Did You Get To Hotel Valhalla: She died trying to free those imprisoned who were falsely accused during the trials. Klara had snuck into the jail one night, and was slowly but surely starting to unlock the jail cells using a knife that she had brought along with her as she started to free people. That's when she was surprised by a jail guard who instantly tried to stop her, and Klara instantly started to fight back. She ended up stabbing the guard by accident as he tried to arrest her, and she kicked him backwards, before she dropped the knife and instantly started moving the innocents away, having already given them instructions on how to get out of the village. What she hadn't expected was that the guard had picked her knife up and stabbed her with it in the back, whirling around she threw her fist into the man's face. She yelled at the others to run as she started to fight back with the guard, not even caring that she was bleeding out in the process. Her only concern was to protect the innocents who she had freed, and the result ended up with her getting the guard to stop moving, before she completely collapsed to the ground, and bled out. --- --- Additional Information Theme Song: Nickelback - Gotta Be Somebody Extra Information: Posty post Aesir I agree to follow the rules for this RP and understand that if I do not follow the rules, the GM or Co-GM may kick me out of this roleplay. --- --- Relations --- Klara Blake "Don't mess with me, believe it or not I know what I'm doing." --- --- ⟢ 🎆Respects ⟡ 🌓Neutral ⟡ 👋Acquaintance ⟡ 🙇It's Complicated ⟣ ⟢ 💛Friend ⟡ 💙Good Friends ⟡ 💜Best Friends ⟡ ❣️Ex-Friends ⟡ 😈Frienemy ⟣ ⟢ 💘Infatuation ⟡ 💓Loves ⟡ 💗Couple ⟡ 💕Basically Family ⟡ 💞Family ⟡ 💔Ex-Lovers ⟣ ⟢ ♨️Tense ⟡ 💀Dislikes ⟡ 😡Hates ⟡ 👿Enemy ⟡ 👹Absolutely Loathes ⟣ --- --- 💛 Arnora Skadidottir, Daughter of Skadi 💛 "She's pretty cool, and has been here longer then I have." Klara considers Arnora to be her friend, namely since she's one of the few people who are older then her that actually really talked to her when she first arrived in Valhalla. She went on a quest of sorts with her at one point too, but they already got along before then. --- 💜 Nadia Petrova, Daughter of Frey 💜 "One of the younger dead people here! We get on each others nerves, but at the end of the day we're best friends and will have each others backs." Klara and Nadia's friendship might seem like a bit of a weird one considering the fact that they died in completely different time eras. They butt heads a lot, but overall they are an interesting pair. They both also enjoy playing pranks on people, so that's led to a few interesting altercations. --- 💛 Dalisy Bautista, Daughter of Heimdall 💛 "She's alright, gets on my nerves on occasion though." The thing that is probably preventing her and Dalisy from being better friends might have to do with both of their temperaments and the fact that Dalisy doesn't like Nadia who is Klara's best friend. They argue and seem like they hate each other, but Klara and Dalisy have interesting conversations even if it sometimes seems like they'll strangle each other constantly. --- Symbol Runa Johansson, Daughter of Balder Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details --- Symbol Characters Name Symbol "Overall Thoughts On The Character" Relation Details ---</s> <\|message\|>Lara Alderliesten --- --- Location: Niflheim Skills: Combat; Spear and Shield --- --- "I do agree, running seems like a good idea." Lara could see they were getting outnumbered as more dragur appeared at that point, and there were more coming out of the woods. She did take another stab at the drauger in front of her and it crumpled to the ground, having been taken out by her attacks. Thankfully that did mean there was some space between them and the dragurs that were working their ways out of the woods. She ran after Arnora and then smiled a bit as she saw the ice wall go up and was about to thank Arnora when Elizabeth got hit in the leg. Lara dashed after them, going to grab Elizabeth's other side to help support her as they ran off. "So where are we going to go... should we try to get back in the boat or just roll the dice and pray luck is on our side?"</s> <\|message\|>Runa Phoebe Johansson --- --- Runa Johansson --- Location: Nidavellir Skills: N/A --- --- Runa gaped with astonishment as Klara's kitten transformed into a giant beast, easily the size of a tiger. She was still having some trouble wrapping her head around everything that she was seeing and experiencing since dying. In some moments, she wanted to run from the information - but she knew that really her only path forward was just to accept the chaos swirling around her. Like for instance, she still didn't know why they couldn't ask someone else for directions, but apparently that wasn't an option - that or Klara and Nadia just hadn't heard her suggest it. She bit her lip slightly as the bully offered to give them the tools, in exchange for an IOU more or less. Nadia didn't think it was a good idea, and Runa trusted her when she said that. She didn't know what sort of favors the bully may ask for, but if Nadia thought it was a dangerous deal, then there was no way Runa was going to support taking it. "No thank you," Runa told the giant, speaking softly but still loudly enough that he would be able to hear her.</s>	<\|message\|>Klara Natalia Blake Location: Nidavellir Skills: N/A --- --- "No way would we want to be in your debt for anything, that is beyond stupid," she instantly said to the giant, before looking up at the tools that were in the air again. Hang on a second. That sort of thing probably required quite a bit of concentration to maintain, most sorts of magic did. So what would happen if she found a way to break that concentration? Easiest way would be to just beat up the guy a few times to hope he gets knocked out that way. But, thinking about it, she had a bit more of a creative way to potentially break that concentration without even having to lift a finger. A mischievous grin appeared on her face as she looked down at her rather large cat. "Alright Betty, sick him," she said simply, pointing at the giant, before she watched as the cat started doing a butt wiggle, clearly about to pounce, before the cat did just that. Betty tackled the giant and pinned him to the ground, and that resulted in him losing his concentration with keeping the tools aloft in the air. They dropped to the ground, and Klara just nonchalantly walked over to the tools and picked them up off of the ground. "You said if we could get them down we could take them, pleasure doing business with you, good girl Betty," she commented before looking at the others. "Job done, let's go."</s>