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<\|description\|>"Alice" Alice's android body was designed to closely resemble a human, the engineers believing that a human-like appearence would allow her to better connect with her human partners. A mechanical body is hidden under a human exterior, which resembles a young woman in her early twenties of Latin American descent, with dark, glittering eyes and black short-cut hair. And groomed to be a pilot, Alice almost constantly wears her pilot suit, even sometimes with her helmet, whether she's in her MAS or not. Age: 1 Gender: Female Callsign/Codename: Alice is referred to simply as her designated name "Alice", though some may informally call her "Ally" Kills: 47 Psychological Analysis: Being an AI, Alice isn't really a normal girl. Being conditioned precisely for combat, she is passive, quiet, and generally obedient to her superiors, though due to her synthetic nature, she is naive in social situations. Even after a year of being part of a team, she still has troubles understanding others, and a tendency to act awkwardly outside of enacting orders. Despite this, Alice has begun to grow, showing a somewhat sweet and amiable, if a tad sarcastic, side to herself, and usually finds herself doing her own thing off the battlefield. Logically as an AI, she is very intelligent, and she even enjoys learning new information. She is somewhat of a jack-of-all-trades, being capable in a number of skills and areas of knowledge. Another notable trait is Alice's temper. Inside of her is a deep-seated anger that she doesn't quite understand, but possibly may be a glitch in the programming of her emotions. She finds herself very quickly frustrated by failure, among other things, and it fuels a drive, an "itch" for aggression and physical violence. In warfare, this shows in her brutal, even slightly impulsive style of fighting. While being on the battlefield seems to work as an outlet for her anger, at times she feels concerned about this and feelings of anxiety whenever she hasn't been given orders to follow. She even wonders about her own selfhood and whether if she is nothing more than an attack dog to be sicced on enemies, or maybe something more. Military Record: Alice officially emerged almost two years prior, and was "raised" as part of an experiment to develop an efficient android to pilot a specially designed MAS. Ever since she could remember, she was exploring the art and science of warfare, from history, strategy, the ins-and-outs of MAS technology. After being introduced to her distinct mechanical body and adjusting to sentience and kinesthetics of a physical form, her preparations continued and she trained in many forms of martial arts and the piloting of her MAS. Eventually, it was determined she was fully prepared for duty, and assigned to the 7th MAS team of the 101st Legion. Over the course of a year, she excelled in active service. She promptly began racking up her killcount, and in a matter of months has very nearly earned her Ace. Very quickly Alice has begun to prove the experiment a success as she's become a functioning part of her team. Equipment: A .45 caliber service pistol, and of course all the physical benefits of an advanced android shell. Appearance: Designation: SOL-110-EX Eagle MkIV SOC. Because of it's rabbit-like appearance, some have taken to calling it the "White Rabbit" Role: Short to mid-range assault, also serves as a designator via network interface with the Lincoln Chassis: Light Engine: Tri-Core Engine - 15 PWR Operating Time: 6 Hours Description: The SOL-110 was developed alongside Alice, specifically for her use. And much like her, It is an efficient, formidable and versatile machine. Originally designed with power and speed for the front-lines as a mid-range shock troop, Alice proves it functions just as well at short range despite the limitations of a light chassis. However regardless of it's design and Alice's skill, it is still fundamentally a light MAS, and thus lacks hard defense against strong enemies. Systems: M10-EX "Scorpion" Experimental Modular Rifle - EKP 5WT 5PWR - A unique rifle built with two different "modes" that can be switched between the two when the situation demands it. The first mode is a default machine gun that fires average ammo suited for close-range. For mid-range combat, the barrel extends and the gun fires heavier rounds semi-automatically to deal more damage at higher distances, but at a slower rate. Additionally, Alice has had it modified by attaching the blade of an enemy MAS's abandoned alloy combat knife as a makeshift bayonet. The short-range ammo magazines hold 100 rounds, and the mid-range ammo magazines hold 50 rounds each. Dual Shoulder Mounted Missile Launchers - Missile Launcher 3WT 2PWR - Two single-barrel mid-range rocket launchers mounted on both shoulders, holding five missiles each. These launchers each fire a single missile at a time, though the power and speed of the missile makes up for it's slow rate of fire, with a shot from both launchers being able to destroy an enemy AS Wrist Mounted Shotguns - Ballistic 1WT - A pair of light shotguns built into each of the Eagle's arms, each carrying 32 slug magazines. Most notably, they can be cocked via motion, such as Alice pumping the Eagle's arms, or beating it's fists against each other. Shield Class 2 - 5WT 5PWR - While the Eagle's shields are no match for more equipped adversaries, they at least stand a chance against Coalition mooks.</s> <\|message\|>Yuuyami Suyasuya, or Yuu Chaos. That one word definitely fitted well with the current situation. Three of the 7th were forced to breach the atmosphere and fall planetside, while the Marauder was disabled. It could be said that the two combat-capable MAS units still flying through the void would McKnight's and her own. Upon receiving the orders from the Captain, she gunned the throttle, discarding/disconnecting the mangled mess of what was once the alloy shield, she rapidly ran a scan over her MAS. While the shield was more easily replaced, the arm was a bit of a problem. Granted, it's use was really for carrying the shield, although in technicality she could have utilize both mains if she abandoned the shield. However, in the current situation, that just wasn't possible. Making her way towards an optimal location amongst all the point defense turrets, Yuu couldn't help but to check on the White MAS. It's speed was high, along with its damage potential. Mostly likely equipped with an experimental reactor and Teslas, although extra addons are unknown, but most likely advanced AI of some sort. Temporarily setting aside her musing, she 'landed' on the hull of the Lincoln, before looking towards the damaged destroyer. Using the Soveriegn as a target designator for a low-power WMG shot, that was something unexpected, and probably earned the Captain praise. Syncing up the MAS' systems with the Lincoln's, Yuu sent the data over, with the breach in the hull of the destroyer as the target, while collecting the data on the estimated time before the cannon sent the beam of death upon the Coalition destroyer.</s> <\|message\|>Trapp, August Johannes The silence hung over the submerged MAS like a thick cloud. The towing cables snapped on impact sending the MAS floating away like a giant expensive metal brick towards the bottom of the lakebed away from its attempted rescuers. It completely shut down more than a minute ago and all Trapp could notice was the deafening silence. The electric whirr of computer and electronics was absent, the familiar blue afterglow of their screens no longer shining on his face. His ears continued to ring the same shrill tone of the warning alarms that had been blaring constantly moments ago now replaced only with the sound of his own breathing and the sound of his heart slowing down from the adrenalin high badump badump badump. Part of him wondered if he was dead already, he very well could have been with the darkness that engulfed him. Though if he was dead why did it still hurt so much the entire left side of his body consumed in the dull pain that followed after you hit something really hard that isn't supposed to be hit really hard. He pressed a hand against his skull feeling where most of the pain seemed to be originating from and pulled back to feel the familiar texture of blood against his hand. A single deep breath as he slowly pushed himself up from a cramped position flung as far forward as he could in the cockpit of his fallen warrior and back into his seat. He closed his eyes trying to stop the drumming in his head as he listened to the slow trickle of water splash against metal as it slowly entered the cockpit through the cracks and fissures in the sentry's glass. My name is August Johannes Trapp, I'm thirty five years of age and a pilot in the Imperial Navy. I had recently been reassigned to lead the 7th Mobile Armor Suit Team after the death of their commanding officer. We were ambushed by enemy forces above the planet Jehan and do to a series of unfortunate circumstances I and two other of my team have crashed landed on the planet. As the kids would say I'm totally fucked. He laughed to himself all the facilities seemed to be in order so at least he had that. Opening his eyes he began to feel around in the dark in front of him brushing his hands against familiar controls so he at least could find his bearings. He tried turning on the emergency power but not response came just a rumble from somewhere below him as the reactor tried to switchover but just couldn't find the resolve. Cursing to himself he tried to think of what he did have in the current situation. The emergency release on the cockpit was manually operated but even if he could get it to open he had no idea how far down he was and if there was anyhting lesss than friendly in this lake that would try and kill him before he got out. He couldn't necessarily stay inside the MAS either because either coalition patrols or just the damn water coming in would get to him eventually. As he felt about around the cockpit he eventually found what he was looking for wedged in a small space between the seat and the interior wall , his service pistol having broken off from the straps that kept it locked in tightly to his chair. So there was at least that. But really he was more or less shit out of luck without support. Luckily for him he had two bravely idiotic cohorts that decided to come along for the ride. Experimentally he tested his in suit commms and the sound of static grinding against his ear never sounding so wonderful. Static at least meant that it was still functional that he still had a lifeline to the outside world. The in suit comms were short ranged used in absolute emergency as the communication suite built into a MAS could provide a much more stable experience and allowed for a greater range of communication that could be selective in its audience through respective channels and the like. The suit comms broadcasted publicly and in a very short radius meaning anybody in his immediate area could pick it up, hopefully that just meant the remnants of his team. He hoped that they were still close enough to hear him as he began to speak out into the darkness throwing his last lifeline out into the unknown. "This is Trapp....Anybody alive out there?" Anybody alive out there Alive out there? Out there?</s>	<\|message\|>"Alice" Alice took a deep breath, one that was more of an expression of preparation for their imminent crash-landing rather than for any real physiological need for oxygen. War-machines don't really need to breath after all. It seemed like they were falling even faster than they really were as Jehan's lake came closer, and eventually they finally slammed deep into the water. Thankfully, due to her currently being installed in her MAS, she didn't suffer any discomfort from the force of the impact, though she was certain her primary body had jostled around a bit inside her Eagle. Alice kept her head cool while they began slowly sinking. The first thing she thought to do was run an instant diagnostic of her machine, to check for any damages and how extensive they were. Thankfully most of her systems appeared to be functioning adequately, except for two: SHOTGUN L - DISABLED ROCKET LAUNCHER R - N/A Well shit. This left her with only her Scorpion and a single shotgun, both with limited ammo, for dealing with any Coalition until they're able to return to a UEE ship. They were in hostile territory now, and a trio of UEE mechs falling right out of the sky most likely didn't go unnoticed. There was no telling how much time they had until a search team was sent to investigate. With her diagnostics done, she started to look for her friends, a pair of searchlights on her chest flickering as they began to activate. One needed a couple light taps from a mechanical finger before it turned on, albeit somewhat dimmed. She could see Nishizumi's signal on her sensors, not far from her, but Trapp's signal was absent. His MAS must have shut down after the impact, and she couldn't get any visual confirmation of him either, though she did see some aquatic fauna swim past her machine. A metaphorical and entirely non-existent pit grew in the stomach she didn't have from the increasing worry for the safety of her commander. "Hunter, this is Alice. Are you alright? I can't find Odin; I think his Sentry shut down…" After several nerve-wracking minutes she finally heard a crackle from her comms followed by Trapp's voice. A wave of relief filled her as she replied: "Trapp! Me and Hunter are here!" She was able to track him by his comms, finding him sinking down to the lakebed. She quickly raced to him, soon his machine appearing to materialize from the darkness of the lake in her searchlights. A scan revealed a breach in his Sentry's hull, letting water fill the machine's cockpit. She grabbed his arms, urgently trying to pull him up. "Nishizumi! Trapp is sinking and the Sentry's hull is compromised!"</s>
<\|description\|>"Alice" Alice's android body was designed to closely resemble a human, the engineers believing that a human-like appearence would allow her to better connect with her human partners. A mechanical body is hidden under a human exterior, which resembles a young woman in her early twenties of Latin American descent, with dark, glittering eyes and black short-cut hair. And groomed to be a pilot, Alice almost constantly wears her pilot suit, even sometimes with her helmet, whether she's in her MAS or not. Age: 1 Gender: Female Callsign/Codename: Alice is referred to simply as her designated name "Alice", though some may informally call her "Ally" Kills: 47 Psychological Analysis: Being an AI, Alice isn't really a normal girl. Being conditioned precisely for combat, she is passive, quiet, and generally obedient to her superiors, though due to her synthetic nature, she is naive in social situations. Even after a year of being part of a team, she still has troubles understanding others, and a tendency to act awkwardly outside of enacting orders. Despite this, Alice has begun to grow, showing a somewhat sweet and amiable, if a tad sarcastic, side to herself, and usually finds herself doing her own thing off the battlefield. Logically as an AI, she is very intelligent, and she even enjoys learning new information. She is somewhat of a jack-of-all-trades, being capable in a number of skills and areas of knowledge. Another notable trait is Alice's temper. Inside of her is a deep-seated anger that she doesn't quite understand, but possibly may be a glitch in the programming of her emotions. She finds herself very quickly frustrated by failure, among other things, and it fuels a drive, an "itch" for aggression and physical violence. In warfare, this shows in her brutal, even slightly impulsive style of fighting. While being on the battlefield seems to work as an outlet for her anger, at times she feels concerned about this and feelings of anxiety whenever she hasn't been given orders to follow. She even wonders about her own selfhood and whether if she is nothing more than an attack dog to be sicced on enemies, or maybe something more. Military Record: Alice officially emerged almost two years prior, and was "raised" as part of an experiment to develop an efficient android to pilot a specially designed MAS. Ever since she could remember, she was exploring the art and science of warfare, from history, strategy, the ins-and-outs of MAS technology. After being introduced to her distinct mechanical body and adjusting to sentience and kinesthetics of a physical form, her preparations continued and she trained in many forms of martial arts and the piloting of her MAS. Eventually, it was determined she was fully prepared for duty, and assigned to the 7th MAS team of the 101st Legion. Over the course of a year, she excelled in active service. She promptly began racking up her killcount, and in a matter of months has very nearly earned her Ace. Very quickly Alice has begun to prove the experiment a success as she's become a functioning part of her team. Equipment: A .45 caliber service pistol, and of course all the physical benefits of an advanced android shell. Appearance: Designation: SOL-110-EX Eagle MkIV SOC. Because of it's rabbit-like appearance, some have taken to calling it the "White Rabbit" Role: Short to mid-range assault, also serves as a designator via network interface with the Lincoln Chassis: Light Engine: Tri-Core Engine - 15 PWR Operating Time: 6 Hours Description: The SOL-110 was developed alongside Alice, specifically for her use. And much like her, It is an efficient, formidable and versatile machine. Originally designed with power and speed for the front-lines as a mid-range shock troop, Alice proves it functions just as well at short range despite the limitations of a light chassis. However regardless of it's design and Alice's skill, it is still fundamentally a light MAS, and thus lacks hard defense against strong enemies. Systems: M10-EX "Scorpion" Experimental Modular Rifle - EKP 5WT 5PWR - A unique rifle built with two different "modes" that can be switched between the two when the situation demands it. The first mode is a default machine gun that fires average ammo suited for close-range. For mid-range combat, the barrel extends and the gun fires heavier rounds semi-automatically to deal more damage at higher distances, but at a slower rate. Additionally, Alice has had it modified by attaching the blade of an enemy MAS's abandoned alloy combat knife as a makeshift bayonet. The short-range ammo magazines hold 100 rounds, and the mid-range ammo magazines hold 50 rounds each. Dual Shoulder Mounted Missile Launchers - Missile Launcher 3WT 2PWR - Two single-barrel mid-range rocket launchers mounted on both shoulders, holding five missiles each. These launchers each fire a single missile at a time, though the power and speed of the missile makes up for it's slow rate of fire, with a shot from both launchers being able to destroy an enemy AS Wrist Mounted Shotguns - Ballistic 1WT - A pair of light shotguns built into each of the Eagle's arms, each carrying 32 slug magazines. Most notably, they can be cocked via motion, such as Alice pumping the Eagle's arms, or beating it's fists against each other. Shield Class 2 - 5WT 5PWR - While the Eagle's shields are no match for more equipped adversaries, they at least stand a chance against Coalition mooks.</s> <\|message\|>Nishizumi, Maki The impact with the water jostled Maki around in her seat, causing her to curse quite audibly as the whiplash caused her helmet to impact the headrest of the seat. Her vision swimming for a moment, Maki quickly did a quick scan of the Hellcat's systems and assessed the damage she received from the fall. Her shields were down. Great. It wasn't like the only machine with any protection among them was down for the count. Alice's words got her moving quickly. While the Hellcat wasn't exactly designed for underwater movement, she didn't have far to move. Trying to look at where the water was leaking into the Sentry's cockpit, Maki tried to use the Hellcat's arm to cover where the worst of it seemed to be happening. The other arm secured around Odin's back, the Japanese pilot put the Hellcat in full thrust upwards, trying to get the both of them above the surface before they drowned. "Alice, can you get a read on Odin's vitals?" Maki asked, more worried about saving her squadmate in the machine rather than the suit itself. Machines could be replaced, but a member of the 7th wasn't. "This bastard's more trouble than he's worth." She cursed the man again as she tried to save him. She had six Rapiers left and was down to half ammo. If they were attacked again in force, she wasn't sure she had enough to fight back effectively. The Hellcat's point defense systems had more than enough to ensure that any ground forces not supported by MAS would be cut down before they were even close enough for their weapons to be dangerous to her. What she was worried about was more experimental machines or improved Coalition Ferirs attacking. The 7th had been getting their asses handed to them by the white MAS, she wasn't sure two of them alone at less than peak condition would be able to hold out long against more of the same. "Alice, I don't want to risk tipping the enemy off to our positions by activating the distress beacon, do you think you can report our position discreetly back to the Lincoln?" If the Lincoln's still there.</s> <\|message\|>Trent, Thomas T. The phrase Hell in a Hand Basket came to mind. What had happened to them? Once upon a time they were the feared 7th MAS Squad. Elite, exceptional, a fighting force to be reckoned with, and not this—poor decision after poor decision. Squad members out of position, emotional-fueled suicide runs by their commanding officer, a two-unit rescue operation resulting in re-entry and ground combat on an enemy occupied planet? Crazy. Not the good, adrenaline junkie, might-kill-yourself kind of crazy either. The kind that got everyone killed, the kind that wiped out a squad. What was everyone thinking? Would he have done differently? The thought caught him off-guard, came out of left field. Of course he would have—what they were doing wasn't brave, it was stupid. It was short-sighted. It would lose them this battle. But there it was, that hitch in his stomach when he thought of leaving Trapp to his fate. The thought of letting Maki get nailed by that Mk. II. The thought of leaving Gerard to the white MAS unit. Of course, he kept thinking, he'd have left them to die. That was the correct answer, the right one. Right? "Head in the game, Wizard." He caught himself muttering, eyes flicking back to the scanners. "This is what I get for chatting up rookies." Damage control. There was the call to fall back, to regroup, the only call they could make at this point, but there was no way they could facilitate it with Guillotine and Gallant out there engaged by an enemy so much faster than they were. That was suicide, not retreat. At least McKnight still had a head on his shoulders, it would seem—he and Trent came to the same conclusion. Time for some fire support. To be honest, Trent had been phoning it in for a good while now. Not that he didn't trust his teammates, and not that he needed to showboat, but the Coalition wasn't used to dealing with an MAS with damage potential and range like the Mosquito. He'd mostly been on damage control while the team was in the thick of things, picking off individual units when they neared the Lincoln, but most of those he'd managed with more manual targeting. His Oracle system was busy churning away at the fancy new white MAS unit, analyzing thruster patterns, burst radius, acceleration/deceleration gradients… "Sorry cogboys…" He found himself muttering with a slight smile as the little red triangulation lines flicked about his HUD, trying to keep up with the white prototype. It wasn't easy but there were patterns there—if a machine might have run completely random movements with a machine like that, a pilot was smart. They knew what worked and what didn't, what they needed to do and when…which meant they could be predicted. Priming the gun, he focused on the enemy units main thrusters, the humming suite that had it leaping forward at such a prodigious rate. It was even faster than the Mosquito, in all likelihood… Best case scenario, it punched through the units shield but lost enough energy to slag the cockpit proper. Worse case scenario, it punched clean through and he got chewed out for cocking up strategic resources. Worst case scenario, it did absolutely nothing thanks to some dirty-little-bitchium they'd hid in whatever the thing must have been running and he'd have a fancy fist-fight on his hands in about two and a half seconds. Actually, he kinda liked that last one. "I got your fire support hanging, McKnight…" He heard himself muttering, waiting until his system screamed as the juke-thrusters cut out, the moment of inertia before a momentum could be negated and reversed— He fired. Two points linked up in an instant, the targeting solution through rather than on to get around target lock sensors. If nothing else, he'd get its damn attention as a line of green lightning shot screamed through space at the speed of electricity. Flicking open his comm and broadcasting to the unit, he could feel his lips pull back in a familiar smile. "Tag, wonderbread. You're it."</s> <\|message\|>Trent, Thomas T. Double post. Ignore.</s>	<\|message\|>"Alice" Thanks to Nishizumi's help, Trapp began to reach the surface, until out of nowhere, Alice suddenly noticed the presence of other machines in the area. She could only recognize two of them as obviously Coalition MASs, but the implication was still clear: They had been trapped. After a few moments, the trio were receiving a transmission that presumably came from their captors. Alice tried in vain to pinpoint exactly where the message was being sent, remaining silent as the grave throughout it's duration. Their message was plain and simple: Surrender and be captured, or be taken by force. In an instant, Alice knew what this meant for her, and what she had to do now. Odin was down for the count, and Maki may be able to fight, but most likely not for long. If Alice fought with her, she would undoubtedly bring harm to her teammates. And under no circumstances could she surrender and allow herself or her Eagle to be captured by Coalition forces. The UEE had prepared for a situation like this, and deep within the code of Alice's being, a program had been triggered. "I can do something, Ms. Nishizumi, but you're not going to like it...I'm sorry, I don't have a choice..." Alice's disconnected her interface with her MAS, and without it, the Eagle went limp, letting go of Trapp's Sentry as it sunk to the bottom of the lake in its stead. With a deep sigh, Alice let herself go as well, allowing the protocol to take over her functions. Opening up a secret comm channel on a frequency exclusively known to the UEE, she started sending a distress signal to a certain few, including Captain Alexis Marquis, Sterling McKnight, who had now assumed command of the 7th in Trapp's absence, Dr. Santoro, and Dr. Beil. Nobody aligned with the Coalition in any way would even be aware that she was sending this message. In an automated, monotone voice, Alice spoke: "This is an emergency transmission from ALI-009 to all personnel of the EENS Abraham Lincoln authorized to receive it." "All criteria indicate a Polyphemus contingency: Surrounded by hostile units in Coalition territory. Hostiles demand surrender and threaten kill event. Retaliation is impossible without breaching primary functions. I repeat, a Polyphemus contingency is in progress." "Capture event is imminent. Capture of unit ALI-009 and SOL-110-EX Eagle by Coalition compromises security of the development of ALI series droids and complementary SOL series Mobile Armor Suits." "Initiating Odyssey Protocol: Prevent capture event by launch of alternative escape capsule. Upon launch, Eagle will activate private tracking beacon to confirm location to Command." "Stand by for further action to assist detained friendlies. Requesting Command to prepare a recovery of this unit and friendlies from Coalition territory upon escape." With that, the cockpit began transforming, shifting closer to the back of the MAS as it became something of an escape pod. In an instant, it shot off and blasted up out of the lake. Before their captors could even react, the pod soared into the sky towards the west. It flew a small arch in the air, eventually falling towards the mountains and disappearing behind the summits. Alice closed her eyes and tightly clenched her fists with the knowledge that right now, her friends were being taken by the Coalition. Her pod soon crashed somewhere beyond the mountains, and almost instantly, Alice released her piloting harness and kicked off the door with enough force to propel it several feet away. As she stepped out of the pod, she sensed the beacon in her Eagle that turned on after her escape pod was launched. Wherever it went, Nishizumi and Trapp likely went with it, and wherever they were going, that's where she was headed now.</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans As the evening approached, Roland made a decision to go straight to bed early, but before he did he wanted to write into his journal about the day and what he had experienced before it came to an end. As he grabbed both the journal and the pen out of his top drawer in his room, he walked over towards his mattress and sat down beginning to open up the book and ready to write down his passage. Before he could, he heard a knock and looked to realize he was interrupted by Steven who was getting ready for his shower wearing only a pair of jeans and decided to say a few things at his bedroom door before doing so. "Hey. Getting ready to write again huh? Well my parents just wanted me to come up and tell you that we have some leftovers from dinner earlier so if we want to take that with school with us tomorrow instead of eating the cafeteria food they said to go ahead. Just wanted to let you know." Roland nodded his head to an understanding as he replied."Sounds good. All right then I'll see you in the morning. Good night Steven." As Steven waved at him for a goodnight and proceeded to his shower, Roland got back to his journal as he thought for a minute what to put down. While thinking, he kept his eraser part of the pencil onto his chin for a quick second trying to think, but then pressed somewhat hard to realize a small sting of pain he felt from earlier, and then he remembered. As the thought of his memory had hit him, he gripped his pencil firmly and pressed it down into an empty page of his journal as he began to write. Roland's evening summary, Tuesday Another day gone, one that had me face something quite unusual…..or someone in that matter. Where she came from or why she was here only stands as a mystery right now, but it's one I tend to figure out and solve. Some girl named Avery….some new girl that just came out of nowhere, and….well….I really don't know how to describe her. She seemed so scared and fragile, yet smart and intelligent as well. I even hurt myself trying to get her to talk to me, and even though she helped me, she still took off wanting me to stay away from her. It doesn't make any sense, and it's leaving me confused as to what to do. Maybe I should just leave her alone and let her be. But then again, I don't let things go so easily. Maybe if I can find someway to help her, then maybe….just maybe I might actually find out more about her. Maybe become her friend or something…..that's if she wants to be, maybe be her only friend. From the looks of it she seems alone, maybe not, but still. I'm going to try again tomorrow, due to the fact that she left me her treatment pad, so that could be a start. As he closed up his journal, he got up and put it back in his top drawer, flipped off the light, and returned to his bed for a good nights sleep. Before he closed his eyes, he silently said something to himself, then went to sleep. "I'm not giving up. I never give up."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery was able to go to her room after she felt a little better after having another drunk beatin from her father. Her room just had a matress with old sheets and blankets, a simple old desk, and a dresser that did not hold very many clothes. She climbed ontp her matress not bothering to change at all and just pulled the blankets over her and tried to get some sleep at least before ahving to wake up early to make her dad breakfast. "When will this suffering finally end for me." She said to hrself as she fell asleep for the night. Once morning came her alarm clock went off and her body felt stiff as she turned her alarm off and slowly got off her bed but saw no point of changing her closthes for her joints were to stiff. She got her backpack all set and found a pair of sunglasses for she knew that she had a black eye. Avery made it down stairs and got breakfast started. THe normal eggs, bacon, sausage, and biscuts which non of it was for her since her dad never allowed her to eat so she had to sneak food when she could. Once she was done cooking she heard her dad come down the stairs. "Avery breakfast better be ready for I am not in the mood to be angry." He said for he had a nasty hang over. "Its ready dad." SHe said and he jsut took the plate of food and beer. "Get out now and get to school I do not want to see your face." He said as she grabbed ehr stuff and put her sunglasses on before getting out the door. She let out a long sigh as she made her way down the sidewalk to the school and making sure her sunglasses stayed on her face for she did not want anyone to see her face.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans As the alarm went off in his room, Roland turned in his bed trying to locate the alarm with blurry eyes as he awoke. Once he found it and shut it off, he opened his bedroom curtain to see a bright light of yellow sunshine hit him in the face, clarifying that morning had arose. Afterwards, he decided to take a real quick shower so he could get clean and woke up better before going to school, ensuring that he was awake and aware to what would happen, and what could happen. After his shower, he dressed himself and grabbed his journal out of his top drawer then presumed out of his room and headed out the door. He stopped at the front door for a moment to call out to Steven who took a little longer than expected to be ready to go. "Hey Steven! Come on man, we're going to be late if you don't hurry!" As Steven ran downstairs and tried to put on a jacket while doing so, he replied to Roland. "Ok, all right. Let's get out of here." As Steven made his exit and Roland closed the door behind both of them, they began making their way to school, and while doing so, Roland opened up his journal to begin his morning writing. Roland's morning summary, Wednesday Another morning, another school day. One that leaves me with a challenge to get a certain someone to actually sit down and cooperate with me. I need to remember that in order for me to get an actual conversation with you know who, I need to be somewhere that seems lonesome and peaceful, seeing that she likes these type of settings. But I also need to make sure that I can get her to trust me, making sure that she can come up and talk to me without worry or hesitation, because no one else seems to be trying due to they all think she's a joke. That's how it usually ends up on someone's first day of school. Present yourself different than everyone else, and you mark your name as an outcast. Kind of reminds me when I first started school back when I moved here………. As Roland's past childhood was mentioned to himself, his memories as a child came intact as he saw in his mind of an incident that occurred when he was just a little boy. Before he could go deeper into thought, Steven called out his name. "Roland! ……Roland? …..HEY!?" As Roland shook his head quickly, his mind had come back to reality and to the current predicament, and as he looked down at his journal he decided that what he wrote would be good enough for a morning passage as he closed it up. After doing so, Steven asked him another question before arriving at school. "Roland……you ok?" As Roland looked over to Steven, he smiled and replied to ensure that everything was fine. "I'm fine Steven, I'm just thinking that's all." And just after everything was said, they made their way into school.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery was at her locker having a hard time moving for everytime she took a step all she felt was throbbing pain like she had just tried to run a marathon without training. HEr body felt stiff and she made sure her sunglasses stayed on her face for she did not want anyone to see her black eye and to make sure her arms were not exposed from under her sleeves. "Conceal don't feel....Concel don't feel don let it show." She said for all she wanted to do was hide it for she knew if she tried to tell anyone the beating would get worst and no one would believe her. Once she made sure her sleeves covered her arms and part of her hands she closed her locker and made her way to math class. All the students stared at her and started to talk more. "What a loser she is wearing the same outfit as yesterday I bet is smells now." One girl said as she held her nose. "I bet she thinks those sunglasses will make her cool well it doesn;t she is just a loser I bet she is dirt broke." A guy said as she walked past them and knew they said it loud on purpose. Avery did her best to ignore it as she walked in the classroom to see that she was the first one in and just walked to the best in the back corner. Once she sat down she pulled out her sketch book and started a new drawing of another angel where a dark evil figure had chains wraped around the angels wings. SHe had a real talent for drawing for it was her special talent but she knew at this rate she might not make it as a well known artist. SO she just used ot to help her get through life with her horrible father.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans After they grabbed everything that was needed out of their lockers, Roland and Steven made their way into class to realize that the bell hasn't rung yet and that they were the first two there, or at least so they thought. (Sighs) "I knew we were too early." said Steven who was not very excited about being the only ones in the classroom as he continued speaking. "Man everyone is out in the halls, and you never know we might miss something awesome, can we just go back outside?" As Roland tried to ignore Steven's complaining while looking around the classroom, he spotted someone of familiarity and found out that they weren't they only ones in the room alone. It was her. "Steven, look." said Roland quietly as he tried to get Steven to spot the girl before he started complaining again. "It's her. What do we do?" "What do we do? You mean, what do you do." Said Steven as he tried to make his point across. "I told you I'm not getting involved in this mess of yours, so if you'll excuse me." As Steven tried to make way to his desk, Roland stopped him for a minute before he could get there and asked him a question silently. "Steven wait…..I got an idea. You go ahead and go back outside before the bell rings so that I can talk to her for a minute." Before Steven made it to his desk, he looked at Roland with a doubtful face, and as Roland looked back at him with his determined look, Steven rolled his eyes as he made his way back to the halls. "If something cool happens you won't be able to see it, but whatever you say man." As Steven left the room, Roland saw his opportunity to finally see on what this girl's deal was. Without saying anything he sat at a desk that was close and next to hers while he observed on what she was doing. She looked as if she was either writing or drawing something in her sketch book that she had, so Roland found it amusing and questionable. Once he got comfortable, he looked at her without missing a beat and began to speak with one simple word. "Hi."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery did not hear Roland and Steven once they entered the classroom for she just spent her time drawingfor it helped her forget and once she got into the zone she tend to forget what is around her or that she might not be alone. She enjoyed her drawing time for it was her time, her time to feel like she was free and to feel alive for once instead of dead like she would feel when she was with ehr father. SHe drew the wings to look tangled with the chains that the dark figured held representing he was in charge and control of the angel. But when Roland said hi to her all of a sudden she jolted a bit making sure her sunglasses did not fall off all of a sudden. SHe looked at him and was wondering why he was talking to her when she told him not to. "Uh hi." was all she siad before turning her focus back to her drawing hoping he would leave her alone. "I thought I told you it was best to not get near me or even talk to me." She said to him for she could feel him staring at her now and it truly made her uncomfortable. Avery started to tremble a bit showing she was scared and just wanted to be alone. "It is best to not mess with a girl like me." She explained to him before turning her attention back to her drawing and flipped the page to a blank one and started to draw again a new sketch to help pass the time and for her to relax a bit or at least try to relax.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans After Roland said his hello to the Avery girl, she looked at him to reply in a nervous tone. Roland thought to himself that this might be the chance that she will actually talk to him and he could get to know her, but instead she tried to make avoidable and distant just like their last encounter. She spoke towards him to remind him that she didn't want him near her and that it wasn't best to talk to her, and after she said what she had to say, she tended back to her sketch to whatever it was she was doing, but that wasn't enough to make Roland just get up and leave. As she got back to her hobby, Roland replied. "Uh huh, but you can't get rid of me that easily." He smiled as he started to grab for something out of his book bag. "Besides I had to at least give this back to you." In his hand he had the treatment pad that she had given him yesterday for his face when he fell. He reached his hand out to her with the pad in his hand and spoke again. "I think this belongs to you. I wanted to at least thank you for letting me use it. It was really nice of you, even though you still ran away from me." And as Roland finished speaking, his face expressed a gentle smile of kindness while he handed her what had belonged to her. "Here, take it."</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery looked at the treatment pad and shook her head. "No its ok you can keep it I have more in my bag." SHe said but her bag was more of a first aid kit for her everyday pain from her beatings or old injuries, she just wanted to be alone. Avery sketched in her book wanting everything in the world to vanish and wanted the pictures in her book to come to life and surround her. "Besides I don't know why you want to talk to me I am a no body." SHe said to him as she sketched flowers she remembered seeing where she used to live before being forced to move with her dad to cover his tracks. Avery went to get into her bag to get her water bottle but cringed for her side really hurt when she bent her side to get into her bag. Every inch of her just hurt a lot. She held her side waiting for the pain to pass over and then got her water but had something else in her hands and put it in her mouth before downing some water to swallow what she put in her mouth. It was just normal over the counter pain meds and she hoped it would help her get through the day.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans As Roland tried to get her to take back her treatment pad, she refused as he took his hand back and placed it back in his book bag while his face went from a happy smile to a weary look, but still tried to stay positive. He wondered why she didn't want to talk to him, but also wondered why she carried all of those compress pads in her book bag as well. As he studied her quickly while she stated on his antics of why he wanted to talk to her, he noticed afterwards that she acted somewhat worn down, fragile, and hurt for some reason. He couldn't figure out why, but he didn't want to keep questioning her about it either. Instead, he just wanted to make her feel welcome and comfortable due to the fact that no one else is doing, but instead put her down when she is in their sight. "Well, you at least need to get to know the place" said Roland as he continued to reason. "I thought 'Hey look! A new student. Maybe she'd like a detour or something so she can find things easier.' you know?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery looked at him when he talked to her and just thought he was weird for most people jsut gave up on her or jsut avoided her all together. 'Well I am fine I have a map and I got a long just fine alone like I always have." She said to him for it was true she did a lot of things on her own ever since her mother walked out and had to live with her abusive dad. SOon the bell rang and the students started to make their way into the classroom. "You better get to your desk." was the last thing Avery said as the students walked in and a few saw Avery. "Look its dumpster girl wow she must really live in a dumpster since she is wearing the same clothes from yesterday." A girl said and everyone started to laugh while Aveyr stayed quiet and was glad she had sunglasses on to cover her shiner for a couple tears escaped and her sunglasses covered it. Soon the teacher walked in. "Alright students please take your seats and lets get started." HE siad as she started to write down problems. "ALso please pass up your homework from yesterday up." He said as Avery got her homework out of her bag and the teacher collected the work not trusting his students. "No then lets get started I hope you are ready for it only gets harder." HE siad with a smirk as the other students groaned at that while AVery just got ready to write notes and the teacher started his leacture.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Avery replied to him saying that she didn't need his guidance and help to get around the school, so that didn't work. Roland learned how stubborn she was at letting others help her or even talk to her for that matter, so he needed to try something else. "Well I-" Before Roland could finish, the school bell had rang, and Avery told him to get to his desk. He looked towards the door to see other students coming in, so he took Avery's advice and went to his desk. Once he did, he noticed that one of the girls in the classroom called someone dumpster girl and began to make fun of their clothes while everyone else laughed. As he turned to see who they were talking about, his eyes caught onto Avery's sight yet again. While doing so, he noticed that she was wearing the same clothes from yesterday, plus he had shades to cover her eyes, but Roland questioned why. As soon as the teacher walked in and began the lesson, Steven passed up a note to Roland, and once Roland got it he opened it up to read what was inside. So how did it go? Roland looked forward to see if the teacher was paying attention while getting everyone's homework, and while his backed was turned from Roland's direction, he wrote down something on the note and passed it back to Steven, and he received it and opened it up to read. Same results, but I'm not done yet.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones The teacher dragged on as he taught the class and it was obvious most of the students were lost while Avery was doing pretty good for she spent most of her free time in the past justnreading and stufing once her mom walked out so she was actuall a few grades ahead but did no want to skip grades. She wrote down the notes but did not really pay attention to the lecture and just looked out the window. After a couple hours the bell rang and the teacher explained what the next set of homework was and the class was dismissed. Avery got her stuff and made her way to her locker while holding her side for it was acting up. Avery got her book exchanged out and just wanted to get through her classes for the day and just go home and hope her dad was in a good mood. Once she got her stuff she just went off to her other classes. She was glad to have her art class at least for it was like her little sanctuary. Her teacher was impressed with her work and decided to put a picture of her angel and the dark figure that trapped her wings. Once lunch time arrived Avery was under the tree again while holding her side for it was really throbbing now and then from when her dad kicked her there last night.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans As the day continued, Roland did his normal routine and attended his classes, but his mind was still troubled over Avery. He realized on how poor she looked and how fragile she had acted towards him when they encountered each other, but he couldn't figure why. He came to conclude that she might be broke and poor because of the clothes that she constantly wears everyday, and maybe the stay away type persona could be from bullying by the other students. Roland's thought had made an unexpected yet silent voice that had came to his speech. "Yeah, that could be it. Now I think I figured it out." While his voice was in a indoor tone, it still made contact to someone's hearing as Steven turned to him while eating his lunch in the cafeteria. "Figured what out?" "What?" said Roland to see that his apparent voice of thought had made Steven's attention. "Oh, well I think I know what her problem could be, so right now I'm gonna go try and find her again." Roland began to get up from the table where they were sitting and make an attempt once again to find Avery. "Here we go again." said Steven As he left, he figured the first place to look was where she was last time of their first meeting, under the tree outside the school, so he continued to search while making his way there. Once he got there, he spotted her once again doing the same thing she was doing last time, so it came to no surprise but yet he wondered what she was doing in that little book of hers. As he made his way towards her, he looked down still standing while he was in front of her and started a conversation. "We meet again. Mind if I sit with you?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery had her sketch book out like normal for she carried it with her everywhere so when she got insperation she could draw it or jsut for when she wanted to draw all the darkness out of her so she would nt feel like it would consume her all of a sudden. But she just sat there with it in her hands not drawing or anyhting for she was more worried about her side more then anything for it was really hurting. She dug in her back and put a thermacare patch on her side in hopes it will help subside the pain a little. She looked up through the trees to the sky and wished she had wings so she could just fly away. For a while she closed her eyes after securing her shades on her face but her eyes snapped open when she heard Rolands voice and looked at him. "I am starting to think you are a stalker of some kind." SHe siad to him annoyed that he will not leave her alone for that was all she wanted was to be left alone. Avery could not understand why he wanted to talk to her for she did not look pretty or have stylish clothes, or anyhting that would made her approchable. "But unfortunatly its a free country and you can sit wherever you want." Was all she siad as she ran her fingers through her messy hair.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Once she said and confirmed that he could sit down with her, that is exactly what Roland did. After doing so, he thought for a moment about what she said, assuming that he was a stalker, so it kind of surprised Roland being called that for the first time. He knew he was nosy and he tended to get into stuff that didn't involve him of any sort, but he thought it was better than being a creep like he calls Steven all the time. As he made himself comfortable while sitting next to Avery, he began to look up at the view in the sky, or at least what he could see of it due to the bushy leaves in the tree above them. "It's a beautiful day huh?" said Roland as he tried to started a conversation. "The bright sun, the mild temperature, the cool breeze from the wind. It's perfect. Perfect to do just about anything wouldn't you say?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery sat there listening to him talk about how it was a beautiful day when she felt like it was just another day where she had to go to school then go home and try to clean, cook and other stuff for her dad and hope he will not beat her that would send her to the hospital. she just did not understand why someone like him wanted to be with her. "To you its a beautiful day but I see no beauty in it at all." She said to Roland as she sat there. She had no food with her and was not eatting for she had no money for lunch or had to make anything for her. "Man why is this lunch period so long I just wnat to leave." She siad not wanting to talk to him or anyhting. AVery was stubborn by nature and rather stubbornly avoid people ad try to survive on her own even if it meant leading a lonely life the lead her to die alone with no one knowing it.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans While enjoying what the weather had to offer, Roland heard Avery's reply and complaint as well. She looked at the day like it had nothing to show and wanted the lunch period to be over, but Roland couldn't understand why. It's days like this that make Roland just want to forget everything and just sit back and relax with no care in the world whatsoever. After listening to her negative comment, he responded on his behalf. "You must be hard headed to talk like that, I mean really, how could you say that?" He didn't want to sound offended, but he wanted to make a point so that she could even understand as he continued. "There is so many amazing things that the world can offer, whether we refuse to see them or not. I can't speak for everyone but I know most people would be very appreciative of days like this." Roland then began to make himself even more comfortable by adjusting his head to lay firmly on the tree with his body laying in the grass. He placed both of his hands behind his head and continued to look at the sky while talking to Avery. "It's days like this that makes you feel free."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones "Look I hate everyday of life and for your information I have not eaten so far today." Avery said angry for she wanted to be alone and this guy only annoyed her now by a lot. "Besides in my eyes I can;t see the beauty in anyhting just the depressing side to things and I have my reasons that you do not need to know." She said to him as she undid her braid and let her hair fall. It was long and a bit tangled up so she tried to comb herfingers through her hair. "Besides days like this only brings bad memroies making me feel more like an outcast." Avery explained as she finished combing her hair with her fingers and redid her braid before trying to stand. "ANd this day does not make me feel free it only makes me wish I was free." She explained to him as she looked down at him before picking up her bag. Avery started to walk away wanting to find a new spot to try to relax alone when her bag gave out and ripped having all the contents of the bag fall out. "You got to be kidding me I jsut fixed this stupid bag." She groaned as she bent down wincing but started to gather her stuff. THere were a couple text books, reading books, notes, and a lot of first said stuff like bandages, heat pads, ointments, creams, disinfectant, and pain killers. THere was even a kit to try to do stitches until she could go to the hospital and let a profssional do it. As she picked the stuff up her sleeve went up her arm revealing the bandages she had on one and the other with scars and new stitches.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans As Roland tried to keep relaxed and keep the conversation at a calm tone, the girl just wasn't really up for it as she continued with her stubbornness and hatred for things. Afterwards, she decided to move away from the tree and on to another spot because from the looks of it she was annoyed. As Roland watched her move with his feelings and perspective somewhat crushed due to her negativity, he saw that she had dropped her bag with everything in it falling out as well, so he got up really quickly to assist her with her belongings. Once there, he'd seen her books on the ground but also a lot of medical and first-aid stuff as well, something he did not expect for her to carry around, but then again she did mention that she has more of the treatment pads. Then, when she rolled up her sleeves, he noticed the injuries and bandages that were on her arms , as Roland looked surprised. Roland then decided to look at her as if he was going to speak again, but didn't want to say anything to make her mad or upset. He thought to himself Don't say anything. Don't say anything. You'll get her upset if you do. Just keep helping her. As he listened to his mind speak for him, he did exactly what it said and continued to help her even if she didn't want it.</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans As frustrated as Roland was, he heard out on what Avery had to say for herself as she started to defend her father on all the troubles that were caused by their past. She explained to him that she still cares for her father, even though she gets beaten and treated like dirt, in hopes that he could one day rid of his drunken aggression and back to his normal self again. It seemed as if she had deluded herself in hopes of happiness would return to her father, like if she had lost the reality of the fact that what he was doing to her was wrong but she accepted it anyways only to wait to see if he would one day come back to his senses to realize what he is doing to her. She kept speaking adding that she was afraid to leave him, yet she wants to get away from him because of the brutal stuff that he does to her, but to Roland it didn't make any sense. The fact that she had high hopes for him to reach his sanity and come back as a caring loving father was probably long gone, although Roland didn't want to admit that to her. "Well maybe-" Said Roland as he tried to speak up but became interrupted by what Avery had to say next. She had apologized to him for being stubborn and not cooperating, and decided that she would find someplace else to stay instead. What she had said made Roland confused while she started to grab her belongings and head straight towards the front door to exit. He didn't know what to do, but he did not mean anything offensive or mean, and sure didn't want her to leave because of his frustration. He hasn't been mad or frustrated for the longest time since he always tried to stay a positive type person, but the troubles presented to him was confusing that he didn't know what to make of it. He did know one thing for sure though, and that was he didn't want Avery to leave and go back to her home so that she could become a punching bag for her father. "Avery….WAIT!!" exclaimed Roland as he ran to the front door and guarded it to prevent Avery from leaving. "Please don't leave. I didn't mean anything bad. I just want to help you."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery was about to open the door to leave when she felt him grab her arm all of a sudden and she let ot a loud yelp of pain. "OW let go of my arm it hurts!" She siad for she has fresh bruises on there from her father's last beating so her arm was tender and sore at the moment. Though Avery had no clue why he stopped her for she thought he be happy that she would leave so he would not have tto deal with her and her contradicting side about her father. When she heard him say that he just wanted to help her she mainly just sighed. "Look its obviously a waste of time I will just leave go sleep in the park for the night." Avery explained to him as she got his hand off her arm and rubbed it for it was throbbing now. Avery was basically turned away from him as she held her arm wanting the pain to stop. "I mean how can you help, obviously I am messed up in the head about my father." She said to him fr that was what she was getting the feeling that he was thinking about her for she has heard it before by many pwople before she moved here. "I heave heard it all people telling how I am messed up in the head, freak, a nusiance, a pest on society, and that I should jsut die." Avery said to him for a lot of people just thought it was better to just have her gone then try to help her. "So yeah this is not all new to me about what people think about me."</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Roland was relieved that he stopped Avery before she could head out and not come back, but then realizing that he had grabbed her arm in the attempt to stop her, and seeing her reaction as he was hurting her in doing so, felt to him that it was necessary in order to get her attention before leaving. She yelled for him to let go and said to him that she'll just go to the park and stay the night there, but Roland wasn't going to let her. Afterwards, she pushed his hand off of her arm and gripped it from the aftermath of pain that arose, and he began to feel bad for what he had done to her. "Sorry." said Roland, for that was all he could really say. She then began to talk of how she felt screwed up and kept talking down about herself. She kept rambling on how other people would call her names and tell her that she just needs to die, and aware of what they think as well. As for Roland, he never thought that she was a freak or anything else in the matter, but just as a person in need of help from a horrible predicament that seemed to only get worse with each day. He too has had troubles in the past as well, stuff that he grew from that made him stronger as a person, so he only hoped that he could use what he had learned to win over Avery and make her see what needs to be done in order for peace to come back into her life. "Don't listen to any of them." said Roland as he tried to find the right words to make Avery feel better and hope that she will let him help her out of the mess she is in. "It doesn't matter what they think because they don't know the truth. The only thing that matters right now is that you are safe and away from the abusiveness." Roland walked up to her and placed both of his hands onto her shoulders as he was trying to make her feel better yet again. "You keep talking down about yourself like you shouldn't even exist, or that you should just drop dead and no one will even notice or care, but it ain't true. Nothing or what anyone says out there matters. The thing that matters most is that your ok and away from all of that." A small indication of a smile formed on Roland's face as he continued to lift Avery's spirits up. "Whatever problems you are having, I promise you I'll help you in any way possible and assure you that you won't face them alone." "Even if you are a little stubborn." Roland said while he giggled as he was in high hopes that what he was saying was working.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery looked at him when he talked to her about not listening to what other people say about he disappearing or dying. She only let out a sigh for she had very little faith in the wrld and people. "But even if they knew the truth wold there be any difference I mean sure it won't be what it is now but it will be shifted to a new set of torture at least that is what I think." Avery said to him on her opinion on how people are for she rarely meet anyone that cared about her. "Sorry I am not used to meeting people that care about me I am just used to people just being mean to me." She explained to him as she stood there while holding her arm still for it was throbbing still. She listened to him explain about what she said about herself and how f she were to die that someone would care but she did not see it. "I am sorry I just do not believe anyone will notice if I were to die all of a sudden and how can I be free I till live with him he is still my leagal guardian becaus he is my father." Avery explained to him for she can not avoid him forever. "I can;t just avoid him he can sober up long enough to file a police report about me missing." She said to Roland as she sighed a bit. "I feel like i am trap with him until I turn 18 since that is the age of an adult or where ever the law says for it to be that I can live on my own with out my father." She said to Roland as she sighed a bit before slouching to the ground and sat on the floor again. "I feel so trap in this dark hole that my father dug then started to dig it deeper myself just to protect my self and to live in a fantesy that dad may go back to his normal self one day." Avery said as she just sat there not knowing what to do to escape or how to get away from her life before she turns 18. She then ran her fingers through her long, very light red hair that looked pink, hair even though it was a tangled dury mess for she had not really bathed properly for a few weeks. She then looked at Rolans with a look saying i want to believe but do not know if I can. Sh really did nit knw if she ould do it or believe she could ever be free one day.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Roland had suspected enough that after everything he had said, he knew that Avery was just going to fill in everything he said to her with nothing but depressive statements of pessimism and doubt. It seemed as if he almost gave into it himself at first when all of this had started, but he knew that he would have to work his way around all the negativity and focus on how to solve her problem on her abusive father. She then began to droop and sit before him stating on how she feels trapped in a dark hole that she feels her father had made, saying that she wishes every day that her father would become his old self again. She then looked at him, a look he hasn't seen on her face before that he didn't know what to make of it. He felt as if she was just crying for help inside herself, but didn't know what exactly to do and seemed as if nothing would ever work to make things better. "Hmmm….." said Roland to himself as he kneeled down to where Avery was sitting in front of him. Instead of going on about convincing her on how he will help her, he stayed quiet for a minute just to think while he looked at the floor instead of looking straight at her, for he knows she will just look at him awkwardly. He began to think on what she had said earlier, like on how her father was still her legal guardian and how she couldn't leave until she at least 18 and not a minor anymore. He could probably find a solution out of those examples and put them intact for planning on how to get Avery away from her father, or at least for the time being. Just then, he noticed that Avery was playing with her hair somewhat, although it didn't look conditioned very well, he decided to stop planning to himself for a minute to make his attention back to her. Roland grinned at her before he could make her an offering on something that she probably needed as of now. "I tell you what. Why don't you head back into our bathroom and take a bath, just to….you know….clear your mind and relax for a bit." Roland then pulled himself back up onto his feet and wiped the dirt from the floor on his knees. "I'll be in here cleaning up our mess while you do so, okay?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery looked at him as he sat in front of her while she messed with her crazy hair that really needed a good cleaning. She just messed with it for it was a weird habit she got into for her hair was really long and she mainly trimmed it herself t save money frm hair cute. ANd she had lots of time to practice cuttting her hair to where it looks like someone at a salon did it. She then looked at him when he offered her to go take a bath and relax. "Um but what am I going to do fr clothes since this is the only outfit I own." She said to him as she stood up slowly while messing with her long hair still. But she had to admit a show sounded good right now for it had been awhile since she last bathed and cleaned her hair and get freashened up. "But getting clean up does sund really good for its been a while since I last got cleaned up." She said to him as she looked at her dirty hair that dirt can be seen along with her tangles and craziness her hair was. "Um do you havee scissors I can borrow and its not hurt myself with I cut my own hair most of the money goes to dads food and beer so I give myself hair cuts." She explained to him for Avery did not want Roland to think she was planning on killing herself her hair just needed a trim.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans Once Roland had gotten up to his feet and made the offer for Avery to take a bath while he cleaned up a little bit, she then decided to stand on her feet as well while still messing with her hair. She had also followed up with a question asking to what she was going to wear after doing so because the outfit that she already had on, well, it was her only outfit. She came across also saying that a bath sounded really good to her as she was still playing with her hair whilst saying so. Roland smiled at her and began to answer her question once she was finished. "I think I have a pair of pajama's in my room that are clean and I barely wear them so you can use those if you want." As he finished, he went right across her so that he could try to get her some clean clothes so that she would have something to wear after she finished bathing. All of a sudden, she popped another question to him before he could make it into his room, asking if she could borrow a pair of scissors to cut her hair. At first, Roland didn't know what to think, only to assume though that she was going to cut herself, but afterwards she explained that she cuts her own hair and had no intention of doing such a thing. "Uhh…..yeah….sure……just uh….give me a minute," he said. As Roland went into his room, he opened his top drawer to grab a pajama shirt and pants that were folded up so that he could give them to Avery. Then, he placed the pair of pajama's down onto his bed to grab a pair of scissors out of his desk drawer near his bed so that he could give those to her as well. He thought at first it wasn't a good idea knowing the state of mind that Avery was in and how fragile she was that she would do something drastic, but she had seemed honest about everything else, and seeing as how it all made sense, the only thing he could do was trust her. He closed his top drawer with the scissors in his hands, worried still that she would try something suicidal, and grabbed the pajama's off his bed and went back into the main room. "All right, here you go," said Roland once he approached Avery and handed her what he had to give her.</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones The officer looked at Roland when he asked that and thought for a minute. "Hmm that would alright if there is someone willing to take her in they would jsut hve to fill out some paperwork and wrk along the social worker that will be assigned to her." THe officer explained to Roland for Avery needed a gaurdian since she was still a minor by state. The officer got a call on the radio and left the room to take care of it. When he left Avery slowly opened her eyes and saw Roland in a bright white room that did not look familiar to ehr at first. "Roland?" She aked him as she looked around looking very confused at what was going on and where she was. "Where am I?" she asked as she tried to move but winced and felt so sore. "and why do I hurt so much and feel all bandaged?' Avery was full of qetions while still being a bit loopy frm the medicine that kept her asleep for a long period of time while she was in surgery. Avery soon saw the montors in the room and felt the oxygen mask thing on her nose. "Am I in the hospital?" SHe asked him as se tried to figure out why and how she got there for she knew it was not her dad who called for help or anything.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Roland listened to the reply of the officer on the idea that Roland had, and the officer stated that it would be on ok terms, but other things would need to be completed. Roland heavily sighed and replied to the policeman as well. "I'll have to talk to my friend's parents then, maybe they'll help me with her." After the officer had gotten another radio call, he left the both of them in the room as the two of them were alone once again, only this time something else happened. Hearing his name called, Roland turned around to find that Avery had awoken from her sleep, seeing that she was confused as to where she was. His face was in shock yet in happiness as well, as she continued asking questions like where she was and why she was in pain and bandaged. He ran over to her and spoke up in a happily tone. "Avery, you're ok," he said to her, "You're ok." After asking if she was in a hospital, he replied to answer her question. "Well, basically yeah," said Roland, "The police came in right after you passed out, then they called an ambulance and drove you all the way here. It looked really scary, but the main thing is that they got you here, and that you are ok."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery lookd at Roland wen he siad she ws ok a cuple times and just looked at him confused mainly for she was having a hard time remembering what had happened for that was a sideeffect with her at times for after blacking ot she would have a small or large case of amnesia depending the injury. "What about my dad though if he finds out I am in the hospital... She said freaking a bit for she knew hwe dad would not be happy to get another hsopital bill. "Wait you said police officer?" She asked him for she was confused about why the police as there in the first place. "Why was a police officer at my house?" SHe asked for she never called them and does not really know anyone that would call it in for she believed most people did not care about her. Th nurse walked in and called the doctor when she saw her awake. The doctor came in and started to examine her to see if she ok with her vitals, sight, and functions. "Well things seem to check out but you need to stay in the hospital for a coupple day for you has surgery so want to make sure your recovery is ok and to figure other stuff out." The doctor siad as Avery just was confused for her dad always convinced doctors to lt her go home earlier then she should. The officer was talking to the poeple about maybe a possible family taking her in and to hold off on the foster homes.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Roland became of a lesser worried person when Avery had awoke, but she was still in a confused state and didn't seem to really remember anything from earlier. After he was done speaking to her, she replied about her father, developing a worried expression when she mentioned if he found out she was being hospitalized. "I think he has more things to worry about right now," replied Roland, "The police had taken him into custody earlier and…" Before he could finish, Avery overheard about the police being at her house made more of a confusion to her, wondering as to why they were there. Roland answered the question for her before just before the doctor came in with some news for her. "From what I know," said Roland, "The neighbors called in some sort of complaint or something, so the police came by right after I did. To be honest, I didn't know what to think myself." The doctor had came in afterwards for a quick examination on Avery, and after doing so, he told her that she was going to be fine, but needed to stay a couple days due to her undergo in surgery. Roland didn't want to interrupt the doctor with the news he was giving, so he stayed quiet until he left, yet he also began to overhear something else as well. The police officer from earlier was in conversation for information on getting Avery into a foster home, but afterwards to call off of it as well due to what Roland had offered to do for Avery. Once it had came up, he decided to let Avery in on the information as well, so he went up to her once more and began to talk about what he had planned for her. "Avery," said Roland, "How would you like to come and stay with me at the house? My place……I mean, Steven's place? Just for, you know, like, temporary or something?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones AVery just listened to to Roland as he explained everything and she was shocked with everything espeically about her dad n custody but she was scared for now she had no place to stay or who will take her in for foster cares scared her for she heard most of them were not that great at all. She just looked at Roland when he asked about her styaed with him and and Steven's family. "I guess so that is if they are willing to have me there and I would not be a burden on them." She said to him for she does not want to cause problems or trouble. Avery laid back feeling some pain but she ignored it and looked tired a bit. "I am sorry Roland I am feeling sleepy again right now and feel so out of it." he said for her medicine plus anistiecia was not helping her at all. "I am going to sleep for a while you can stay if you like I don;t mind." She said as she closed ehr eyes again and was out. TThe nurse walk in and gave her a shot fr it was time for it. "She should be fine she will be like this on and off for a few days die to medicine and recovering from surgery." The nurse explain to Roland. 'nd visiting hours are almost over to let you know sir and since you are not family you need to get home soon." The nurse explain t Roland as she left the room and dimmed the lights in the room to let Avery sleep in the bed. Soon the officer came back. "Is there someone I can call for you ordo you need a ride abck to where you live?" The officer asked Roland since he drove the boy there and was going off duty soon.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Roland, asking the question of Avery wanting to stay with him at a home that wasn't even of his, made him feel uneasy fro some sort of reason, knowing that Steven's parents might not be open to the idea of someone else staying in their home, but also knowing that they are very nice and kind people, he assumed that they wouldn't have a problem with it hopefully. He knows he'll have to ask them first, but he also knew not to ask Steven what he thinks on it either. After he asked the question to her, Avery's response being for an ok go as long as she wouldn't be any trouble to them, he smiled at her spoke following her response. "You won't be any trouble," he said, "I'm pretty sure they wouldn't mind. Steven on the other hand…..well……he'll eventually get over it." A minute later, Avery was telling Roland how sleepy she was feeling and that she was in need of rest for now, but also told him that he could stay if he wanted to. Once hearing that, he couldn't make up his mind if he should stay or head back home, yet knowing he had school as well and not wanting to miss a day or two, the current situation was more important. Just then after, a nurse came in right after Avery fell asleep, stating that visiting hours were almost over and that he would need to leave Avery's room for tonight. "Y-yeah, ok," he said, hesitant on what to do and say, but stood in place for a moment as the lights in the room dimmed while Avery slept. He really didn't want to leave, but seeing that he has no relation to her, he didn't have a choice either. Soon after, when Roland turned around to leave the room, the officer from earlier came in to see Roland and ask if he needed anything, such as to make a phone call or a ride, and Roland answered his question to what he wanted to do. "Um, well I know I'm probably going to need a ride," said Roland to the officer, "Since I no other way to go of course. But…um…. I'll also need to tell them what's up as well, so if you have a phone, sir, could I use it for a moment?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones The officer smiled at Roland and pulled out his cellphone and handed it to Roland. "Go ahead and use my phone to call them lad while I get a few things taken care of." The officer aid as he went to te doctor who got a copy of all his finding and the officer went over it again looking at all the pictures while sighing a bit as h looked over it for he has a daughter and e could never imagine doing that to his own but to see another father doing it made him upset. "Man poor kid she has been through so much I still cant believe she is alive." The officer siad as he closed the file. "Indeed it only shows that her will power is strong but I could tell when she came here that that flame to keep her will was dimisnishing." The doctor explained as the officer sighed. "I know a a father to a little girl I wonder who a man can do that to their little girl even when things go bad." Th doctor said and the officer nodded as he took the rile and went back to Roland to see if he as ready to leave. The officer walked up to Roland. "Ready to go lad?" He asked him and tried to smile at Roland.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans After asking the policeman if he could use his phone, the officer smiled at him and handed Roland his cell phone, telling him he could use while he left to go talk to the doctor for a moment. Once he had a hold of the cell phone, he decided to dial the number that would call the house phone of his house so that he could inform Steven and his parents that he was headed to the house by a police escort, this way when he got there they wouldn't be all worried and questioned assuming something terrible has happened with him. Once he dialed the house number, he let the phone ring a couple of times, waiting on an answer. Instead of hearing a third ring, he heard Steven's voice. "Noonan's Morgue," said Steven on the other line, making a joke. "Hey, Steven," said Roland, "Can you hear me?" "What? Roland? Hey man, where in the world did you disappear to?" replied a puzzled Steven, "And whose phone are you using?" "Well…." said Roland, with a chuckle due to his friend not knowing of the whereabouts or situation Roland had gotten himself into, "I need to explain myself I know, but long story short, I'm headed that way with the police." "WHAT!?" said Steven, "The police? What happened?!" "I'll tell you when I get there, and no I'm not in trouble. I have to go, so I'll see you when I get there," stated Roland as he hit the end button to hand up the cell phone given to him. After the short conversation, the police officer walked back up to the boy and asked him if he was ready to leave, so Roland replied with an answer, also handing him his cell phone back as well. "Yes, sir. Ready when you are."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones The officer smiled and lead Roland the way to his cop car and let Roland get in before he did and got the car started up. "Alright then all I need is your adress and then we will be off." The officer said as the radi went off andhe ansered. "I am taking the boy back hme then I shall head to the station with the examine report from the doctor." Th officer said as he palced the folder with Avery's name on it on the dash. The perosn on the radio said ok and then he placed his radio down and once he got Roland's adres he started to make his way there. He drove in the quiet for he needed to be able to hear the radio for him to speed off in a flash. "We should be there in just a few minutes." The officer sad as they drove up to his house and ocne there he pulled up an unlcked his car. "Alright here is my card if the family is willing to take her in have them call me and we will get things straighted out for her and your family." He siad to Roland as he pulled out his card and handed to him so he could have.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans Once everything was settled and confirmed, the policeman led Roland out of the hospital and towards his vehicle so that he may take the boy home. After opening the passengers side of the car for Roland, he asked him for address so that he may know where exactly to take him, so Roland spoke to the officer, telling him the location. "I think it's one seventy four, eleventh street if I'm certain, but I'm pretty sure it is," said Roland. Once he told the officer, then a quick confirmation through the radio between the police, the officer drove out of the hospital parking lot, and proceeded onto the streets to take Roland home. After a few minutes had passed from a very quiet ride, Roland having the thoughts of worry, hoping Avery was going to be ok in the hospital, the officer told Roland in a couple of minutes that they will reach the destination of his home, so Roland did was nod his head to him as an ok. Another couple of minutes had passed, only to see that Roland spotted his home in the officer's side window view. Once they had made it and stopped, the policeman unlocked the door for the boy to get out and return to his place, and in doing so, decided to give him a card that contained information on the policeman and how to contact him, telling Roland that if the parents agree for Avery to stay with them to give him a call. "Yes, sir," said Roland as he took the card from the man, "I'm going to talk with them right away." After he got out of the car and had taken the card from the officer, he closed the door on the passenger side and had waved goodbye to the policeman, walking up to the doorway while doing so. Once he made it to the door, he knocked on it to see it anyone would open it, and much to his surprise, Steven greeted him inside. "Roland," said Steven, "You're home. Say, is the police car still here?" When Steven mentioned about the police car, Roland pointed over to the right to let him see it for a moment before the officer took off in it.</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery was asleep in the hospital still not knowing the news got wind of this and wa all over her old house, her father and the hspital she was in and doctors were refusing to let them in so Avery could rest with no stress for Avery had enough of this but the news was still going. "In tonights story a young girl that goes by tthe Name Avery Jones was found in her house that her alcoholic father where she has ben brutely abused to where he almost killed her." THe news lady said another another was near her father. Sir can you explain why you would harm your only child?" the news lady asked. "BEcause everything is that brats fault she is the reason why her motehr left me." He yelled and police restrained him. "No more questions this man is mentally unstable." the officers siad as they dragged Averys father off. THen the New was infront of her hospital. "And we are hre at the hospital that Avery Jones wa rushed to but as you can see doctors and nurses are keeping us ut and check all the patients and otehr staff in case they ahve taken her picture to sell to the press to respect the girls privacy but the question is that is what her father siad true is it her fault that her other left her family." The news person said and it was on at all news station to were the police had to intervean and force them off the premisses. The doctor sighed and was glad Avery was asleep in her room and not watching tv since the news took over all the channels. "Hopefully the news dies down by tomorrow though i fear it will not so what every happens do not let AVery trun her tv on or radio on if she wants to watch something put a movie in instead." The doctor said and the staff nodded and put it on her door and chart so others would known.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans A couple of minutes afterwards, Roland decided to go inside and head straight for the couch, plopping down on it from being a little overtired, yet kept very quiet as well. Once Steven had closed the front door and locked it for the night, he went over to where Roland was sitting and asked him of what had happened. "Roland?" asked Steven, then again with another question, "You okay man?" Once the very weary teen had heard his friend asking if he was alright, Roland leaned sluggishly down into the couch with a reply in a whisper. "I don't know, to be honest. I just feel very terrible for some reason." Then, realizing before he could do anything else, he remembered that a discussion was needed between him and Steven's parents, the Noonan's, so he asked his friend of their whereabouts. "Say Steven," said Roland, then following up with a question, "Is your parents here, or are they still gone?" "Oh…..um…..gone," said Steven, "Well, at least mom is. She had to work overtime tonight, but dad is here……asleep." "Oh," replied Roland, afterwards following up with a heavy sigh, "I guess it can wait till tomorrow." Once he found out that he wasn't going to be to talk about a place for Avery to stay, he thought the best option would be for him to just go to bed, so he got himself up off the couch and headed straight for his bedroom. "Wait," said Steven, bringing Roland to a halt, "Are you going to tell me what happened at least?" Roland turned back to Steven for a moment and replied. "Tomorrow," he said, "I promise you, ok?" Once all was said and done, he made way into his room and closed the door behind him, flopping down onto his bed and ready to go to sleep. Though the thought crossed him that he was suppose to write in his journal about his day, he instead decided to wait until tomorrow morning to fill in what he had witnessed, and slowly his eyes began to close. Forgetting that he still had his clothes on and not bothering to turn out his light, he fell asleep, only to wait for a new day to come of a situation he didn't know if he is capable of handling.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Morning soon came and Avery was being checked over by the doctor again as the nurses brought in a bunch of movied which she found weird since she just wanted to watch normal TV not a movie since it was a pain to have to wait to put a new one in. She was just conufsed as the nurse ut the disney movie in and hit play and they left the room leaving her to watch the movie. "what is going on?" She asked herself noticing she did not even ahve a remote either and was geting very suspicous about what was going on. As she watched the movie a rreporter has snuck into the hospital and as Avery was watching the weird movie for movies weere foriegn to her since she was always doing something and never had time to watch something. And soon she was ambushed. "Mrs. Jones please tell us what was it like to live with a man that treated as if you were a bg on society." he siad and Aveyr screamed at the top of her lungs as she held her rib cage and started to throw stuff at them and the nurses rushed in with security. "Please Mrs. Avery give us a quote." THey said as security pulled them out and confiscated the camera for this was againts Avery's will. AFter they got the tape they threw the reporter out and told any one else that tried to do what he did will be arrested. Avery wa in shock and the doctors gave her something to help her go back to sleep. Avery slowly driffted off to sleep and the doctors sighed in relief. "Those stupid idiots she is recvering still shock and a high heart rate is not good for her at the moment." The doctor siad as the nurses got Avery resituated on her bed as she slept.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans The next day had risen a little late for Roland from the current events that had kept him in exhaust and worry yesterday. Seeing that the ray of the sun had came from the blinds of his window onto his eyes, it didn't look as it phased him much, but instead he decided to pull the sheets over his head, not wanting to get up whatsoever, even though it was a school day as well. A couple of minutes later, Steven's father, Mr. Noonan, had walked into Roland's room, telling him of the time and had some news to share with him as well. "Hey, Roland?" said Mr. Noonan, flicking on the boy's bedroom light while speaking to him, "It's pretty late buddy, you need to hop out of bed. I have something to show you." Once Roland had heard Steven's father, he quickly removed the sheet from his head, looking over to his doorway where Mr. Noonan was standing with a tiresome look on his face. Once Mr. Noonan walked out of his room, Roland got out of bed and left the room as well, following the man into the main room where their television set was on. On it showed a paused segment of a newscast with a headline on the bottom of a screen stating of an abused teen being hospitalized. "Steven told me that you needed to discuss something with us," said Mr. Noonan as he took a seat onto the couch, grabbing the remote from the coffee table, "And I'm certain it had to do about this girl here, right? Isn't this the one who stayed here a couple of days ago?" "Uh…" said Roland, lost for words at the moment due to the conversation he held for yesterday to be confronted as of now unexpectedly, but agreed to talk about it while had the chance. "Yes sir, it is." The television showed a picture of Avery and another one of her father as well, stating the current whereabouts of the both of them. Her being hospitalized, and him currently being held in prison. "Why didn't you tell us about this sooner Roland," said Mr. Noonan, "You know we are here to help you with anything. We might not be your parents, but you can still come to us." "N-no sir, it isn't that I couldn't trust you," replied Roland, "I…..made a promise……to her. S-she told not to tell anyone, otherwise it would of became worse with her and her father. I wasn't even suppose to know." "I see," said Mr. Noonan, "Well, it's fine, but it isn't fine. You have a friend right now in the hospital and the best thing for you to do is be with her and support her. I tell you what, go ahead and get ready to go." "Huh?" said Roland, questioned to what intentions Mr. Noonan had. "I'm going to take you to the hospital to see your friend," stated Mr. Noonan, "We will talk more about everything in the car. Right now, you need to hurry and get ready, ok?" "Yes, sir," said Roland as he hurried back to his room quickly as could to get dressed and ready to go see Avery again.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery was fast asleep in her room still for the meds they gave her still had effect and the doctors thought it was the best she was asleep still and put some stuff in her IV to gier her vitamins she neded and once she wakes up they would give her something to eat. But the Pres was making it har for other patients to ge tin for they were bribing them to get information on Avery. Soon the Polie arrived and pushed them back as the head of the hospital came out. "See here this is a hospital and we have other patients to deal with and you are making that impossible like we said we are nt realeasing any information n the Girl Avery and we are sueing the comapny that got into her room and almost scared her to death and if any of you try that we are pressing charges and sueing." He said as the press thought but still tried to ask questions about Avery and the man gave up and told Police to keep them back and have a path opened up for other patients or visitors. THe police officer nodded and got to work with her men. Avery had finally woken up frm the meds and the nurse brought over food in her room. "Eat what you can dear and do nt worry those nasty people will not get in a second time but if they do just push this button and security will rush in." The nurse said as she gave Avery a button and she looked at it before nodded at her before she started to eat and admitted that the food was relly bland but at least she was eatting and not starving herself anymore.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans A few minutes later that day, Roland was riding in the car with Steven's father, Mr. Noonan, as they both progressed their way to the hospital to see Avery and make sure she was ok, continuing the conversation they began at their home earlier. "So I'm guessing Steven went to school today, right?" questioned Roland, remembering that even with all the bizarre events happening, it still was a school day, and he missed all his classes as well. "Well," began Mr. Noonan as he drove the family vehicle to their destination, "He argued me about staying home because I told him not to wake you up, but I made him go anyway. He wasn't very happy with me when he left." Hearing about the small disagreement that Steven and his father had earlier made Roland smile and laugh a little bit, then gave his opinion on the situation. "Steven makes a fuss over anything and everything, that's for sure." "That he does," said Mr. Noonan, agreeing with Roland and laughing with him. Looking out of the passenger side of the window where he was sitting, Roland glimpsed at the street while they were riding, then coming to a red light giving them the intent to stop. The conversation that they were having seemed to make a very short ride for the both of them, but Roland still wondered how long it would be before they get to the hospital. "Are we almost there?" asked Roland. Once the green light had appeared, the vehicle continued on the road as Mr. Noonan answered the boy's question. "Let me get to this turn up here and then you'll know in a minute." A minute later, making a complete stop due to a stop sign, then seeing the coast was clear of any other car in the way, Mr. Noonan proceeded with making a left turn with the vehicle, showing right in front of them the hospital from the windshield view. As they got closer, they also noticed the parking lot being full of news trucks and reporters from the local news stations around town, assuming the fact that they were trying to grab information on what they could about Avery. As they pulled up to the parking lot, Roland looked to see nothing but a bunch of camera crews standing in the middle of the place, trying to find a way inside the hospital. "Gee," said Roland, amused at the scenery, "All of them are here for Avery?" "Looks that way, doesn't it," said Mr. Noonan, finally finding an empty parking space and place the vehicle into the spot he found. After doing so, he shut the engine off and got out of the car, speaking to Roland about the current event going on outside the hospital. "Sure is a mess out here, isn't it?" said Mr. Noonan. "I'll say," replied Roland, getting out of the car as well and closing the car door behind him, "But how are we going to get inside with all of them piling at the entrance like they are?" "I'll figure something out," said Mr. Noonan as he and Roland began to walk towards the hospital to head inside, "Hopefully." Once they got to the entrance, it was very hard to see due to the fact that it was piled up with news reporters trying to get in, but Mr. Noonan began to push some of them aside, Roland following behind him, as he made it to the doorway, seeing the police guarding it from the inside to prevent any of them getting through. Once both of them made contact with the doorway, they stood there to see if the police would let them through, trying to avoid getting toppled by news reporters and camera crews as well.</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Roland and Mr. Noonan tried their best to avoid being pushed and shoved by a bunch of interviewers trying to get a hold of information about Avery, but once one of the officers that Roland was familiar with came to help them in, their luck had changed. The officer explained that people have been crowding the place trying to get in, even that one made a successful attempt inside and scaring Avery, which in most cases wasn't surprising. "It happens," said Mr. Noonan to the officer. After they were safely inside, a doctor had came up to them recognizing Roland from yesterday and telling him that he had permission go see Avery in the room she was currently in, so he decided to follow behind a nurse that was to lead to her room, Mr. Noonan behind as well. While doing so, they saw that before they even got close, a camera man and a reporter was trying to sneak into the room, a police man then coming along to tackle them and escort them out of the hospital. The doctor then gave his opinion on the matter, questioning why they would do such a thing as invade someone's privacy. "Getting that top story is all they care about," replied Mr. Noonan, "They'll do anything in their power to get it too." "Yeah, but it ain't right," followed up Roland as they continued towards Avery's room, "They surely don't care, that's for sure. I just hope Avery is ok, especially with of this happening." As they made it to their destination, the nurse opened the door for Roland and Mr. Noonan, walking in as they both spotted Avery, her spotting them as well while she was still in her hospital bed, saying hello to Roland. He placed his hands into his pockets, mouthing hello to her, but her also noticing the person behind him made her scared for a minute, then Roland starting to notice and explain to her who it was. "Oh, um….Avery, this is Mr. Noonan, Steven's father," said Roland, "He drove me here to come and check up on you." "Hello Avery," said Mr. Noonan to the girl, "It's very nice to meet you." After so, a nurse came to check up on Avery, giving her treatments and such, then leaving after the doctor had walked in next, telling her that she was in need of rest. "So she's going to be ok doctor?" questioned Roland</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery was still a bit scared when she saw Mr. Noonan. "Uh yeah noce to meet you too.' She sad after learning that he was Stevens dad and then turned ehr attention back to the doctor when he examined her. "She should be fine she just need quiet and away from the press. The doctor said to Roland as he fnished examning Avery. Avery just tred to relax in the bed as the doctor left to put some stuff on the charts and wld come back later. Avery then looked at Roland after the doctor left. "You look a bit out of it Roland did you sleep ok?" She asked him as she relaxed a bt in her bed. Once ina while she glanced at mr. Noonan wonderng why he was here for it did scare her for now she was acred easily by things even though sh was finally from from her dad. She lookd at Roland mainly. "SO how come you did not go to school?" She asked Roland for she knew it was a school day. She looked tired still and could hear the press outside her window and was glad the curtains were closed and window was lockd so they clould not get in after the first one came in.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans After the doctor examined Avery, he overheard Roland's question, replying by stating that she would be ok, as long as the press doesn't barge in. It was very relieving to Roland, finally getting to hear that Avery would be ok, and that he wouldn't have to worry anymore. "That is some good news, huh?" said Mr. Noonan, following up to what the doctor stated on Avery's condition. Roland smiled after hearing all of this, but then his weariness began to show as well while he yawned for a minute from being overtired. Avery looked at him and asked if he slept alright, so he replied with a somewhat tiresome tone in his voice. "Oh," he said, quietly laughing to himself, "Yeah, just….uh…..little bit of…um……" While Roland tried to finish talking, Avery asked another question on why he wasn't in school, preventing him from finishing his first answer and making him struggle on the next question. He became quiet for a moment, trying to find the right words to say to Avery, but due to the happiness and tiredness he felt, he couldn't say anything. Instead, Mr. Noonan walked up a little behind Roland, placing his hands on his shoulders, and answered the question for the boy. "I let him stay home," said Mr. Noonan to Avery, "My boy Steven told me of what had happened, well, he showed me on the television first."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery looked that them as she sat there and noticed Roland loked really tired and soon pushed the nurse button and a nurse came in. "What is it Avery?" TTh nurse asked. "can you get my friend t relax on he is very tired?" she asked and the nurse nodded. "Sure dear I will be right back." The nurse said as she went to go look for something for Roland to sit or lay on so he would not fall over. Soon the nurse soon came back with a chair the relined back. "Here you go you can lay in this it will recline back so you can lay back." The nurse said as she locked the wheels in place. "Anything else you want Avery." The nurse asked and Avery shook her head. "No thank you I a good now and thank you." She siad as the nurse smiled and walked out. "Go ahead Roland and relax before you fall down from passing out." Avery said to Roland for she wanted him to be ok and felt bad he was tired because of her. "Um I have to as Mr. Noonan why are you here?" She asked him as she looked at him for she had no clue why he was here also for she knew Roland was going to talk to him about them fostering her but she did not expect him to actually ask.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans After Mr. Noonan answered Avery's question for Roland, the girl then decided to do a favor for Roland, seeing that he looked very exhausted and wore out, mainly because he was. She decided to call in a nurse and ask her to get something for Roland to sit and relax in so that he could feel better. "Wait, you don't…..have…..to" said Roland to the nurse, but noticing that she had already left, there was no point in telling her anymore. "I think you need it Roland," said Mr. Noonan, "It wouldn't hurt to try and rest for a little bit, with all this stress you're putting on yourself." "I guess," said Roland to Mr. Noonan, agreeing with him of the much needed rest and relaxation needed. Once the nurse came back with a chair, she told Roland it was a reclining chair so that he could lay back and get more comfortable in it, but before he did, he looked at it and observed it for a moment, then looked at the nurse to say thank you. "Ok. Thank you ma'am," said Roland to the nurse. Afterwards, the nurse asked Avery if she was in need of anything else, but once the girl said no and thank you, the nurse departed from the room. After she had left, Avery told Roland to go ahead and get into the chair and try to lay down and get comfortable. "Right," said Roland, making his way over to the chair as he gently placed himself in it, trying to ease off the stress he had. "That work for you buddy?" said Mr. Noonan to Roland, asking to see if the chair was good enough for the boy. "Yes sir," said Roland, beginning to finally relax and feel at ease. Then, out of curiosity, Avery looked over to Mr. Noonan and had asked him why he was there, so he decided to answer her question. "Well, basically I'm here to support Roland," he began stating, "I took off work today to help him get here to see you. He looked like he wasn't able to cope right with something, so my son Steven filled me in about the two of you. He seems to really care about you, that's all I know. Oh, and also, he wanted to talk to me about something." "Uh….yeah," said Roland, "Well…..um……you see…..um……"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery relaxed in her bed as she listened to what they had to saw and she felt embaressed by it and lsitened to what Roland had to say and sighed. "He wants to ask you to see if it is ok if you guys could foster me." Avery said to Mr. Noonan as she looked down. "Roland offered to have your family foster me but I said as long as yo were ok with it for I did not want to intrude or anything. Avery finished explaining to MR. Noonan. "If you can't its ok the officer said there are places that cna take me its just not in this city." Avery said to him not trying to make him feel bad. She then pulled the blankets up for she was starting to freeze a bit as she sat there and wnated her crtins open to let the sunlight warm her but since tthe press was also at her window that was not a possibility. Soon voics were heard outside her window of omeone tryng to unlock her window and she pushed the nurse button and she came back. "I think someone is triyng to break the lock to my window." Avery said as shte nurse sighed and called over and officer and he came in as the nurse moved anotehr curtain to block the beds veiw. The officer opened the curtains and screams were heard frm the press for they did not expect to see tthe officer. He opened the window. "I.D.s and name ofcompany you work fr now and try to run we will arrest you. He said and the two handed over the stuff and he wrote them a big fine and ggave them the ticket and they rushed off. The over relocked the window and closed the curtin. "Sorry about that." He siad as he left an the nurse moved the crtain arund the bed back and left the room.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Seeing that Roland couldn't reply to Mr. Noonan's question properly from anxiety of him probably giving negative feedback, Avery instead answered the question for him, telling the man that Roland was going to ask if they would take her in and care for her, otherwise she would have to move to another foster home that would intentionally be out of town, yet she didn't want to be a hassle for them either. "I see," said Mr. Noonan, looking over at Roland rubbing his eyes as he was trying to keep himself awake, then turned over back to Avery to give an answer. "Well it woul-" All of a sudden, noise was being made outside from all the reporters and camera crews trying to get into Avery's room, so she decided to alert the nurse and tell her situation, and the nurse went to inform the policemen about the predicament as well. The officer that let both Roland and Mr. Noonan inside the hospital earlier then went into the room and over to the window, ridding the curtains out of his way to catch and scare the news reporters and such. After all was taking care of, he apologized to everyone in the room for his behavior, yet he was only trying to do his job, and left the room. After he left, Mr. Noonan looked over at both Avery and Roland, surprised as to what had happened. "This sure is turning out to be pretty crazy isn't it?" said Mr. Noonan to both of them. "You don't know the half of it," said Roland in a tiresome voice, "But I really don't either, to be honest. But um……about the……you know….." "Hm? Oh wait," said Mr. Noonan, just now remembering about the situation from earlier about Avery staying with them. "Well, what can I say? I don't have a problem with it." Once Roland had heard that, he stood up with a little bit of shock for a moment. He didn't think he would say yes, but otherwise think of it as another issue for them. "Wait, really?" said Roland to Mr. Noonan, "Just like that?" "Well why not?" said Mr. Noonan with a smile, "I have no problem with. I trust you Roland, and Avery over here seems like a very nice girl. Her staying with us I feel would help her begin a new life."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery sighed at the whole thing with the police for she just wanted to be left alone for se hated all this attention for stuff like this only gives her pity or people that use it to make her life miserable by teaseing hr or bullying her with it. After the officer did his thing and listened to what Mr. Noonan said and was shocked by it. "Wait are you sure it is ok for me to stay with you I don't want to be a burden or anyhting on you guys." Avery ssaid to him for she did not to trouble at all. Avery just wanted to make sure for she did not want her hopes to get up. "I mean with how the press is acting I am sure that they will hound you and our family the way there are here." She explained to him wanting him to know what might happen. SHe laid back a bit for she was getting a bit tired jsut bcause she feel a bit emotionally drained a bit emotionally with how everything was happening.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans Mr. Noonan and Roland listened to Avery after the man gave his answer, hearing her asking if it was ok and talking about of her being a troublesome responsibility, also mentioning about the press being nosy and nerve wrecking as they were now. Once she was finished, Mr. Noonan replied. "I'm not very worried about all of those people out there," said Mr. Noonan to Avery, "I can figure something out about them somehow, so that isn't a problem." "She thinks she'll be a problem staying with us though," said Roland, getting into the conversation, "Like when she stayed at the house a couple of nights ago." "I don't see how," said Mr. Noonan, "Me and Mrs. Noonan did the same thing for you Roland when your parents decided to move out of town, and to this day, you aren't a hassle to us. With Avery there, it won't be any different." Roland leaned up a little from the chair, scratching the back of his head and spoke up about the topic of conversation. "You see Avery?" he said looking over to Avery, "You won't be any trouble. You can live with us and begin a new life and everything else. You won't have to worry about a thing." "He's right," said Mr. Noonan to Avery as well, following up to what Roland said, "We will keep you safe and out of harm."</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans After Mr. Noonan finished, giving a positive answer by telling Avery that she can stay with them, the girl replied with a thank you, following up by stating on what help she could be around their house, like cleaning and cooking so that it would be like paying her way to live with them. "I wouldn't expect that of you," said Mr. Noonan to Avery, "But I think it would help the missus out a little bit." "We need to make arrangements and stuff sir, you know?" said Roland, butting in the conversation with a situation for solving, "Like where would she sleep and all of that." "Oh trust me, I know" replied Mr. Noonan, "We will get to the bottom of it. Maybe have a family meeting or something so we can get it figured out." All of a sudden, Roland stomach had started growling, forgetting that he didn't eat anything before they left. Once Mr. Noonan heard it loud and clear, he asked the boy a question. "Wow Roland," he said, "Must be starving, huh?" "Huh?" said Roland, looking as if he was a little embarrassed by the loud rumble his stomach had made, "Oh…..uh…..yeah I g-guess so." "Tell you what," stated Mr. Noonan to both Roland and Avery, "I'll go find a vending machine or something and grab us something to eat ok?" "That's fine I guess," said Roland, "You want me to go?" "You stay here with Avery, I can do it by myself," said Mr. Noonan, then walking towards the door and opening it to exit, but before going he had one more question. "Roland, anything specific you want?" "Anything is fine right now sir," replied Roland "Ok then," he said, then turning his attention to Avery, "What about you Avery? Anything in particular?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery just watched the two talk and laughed a bit when she heard Rolands stomach growl all of a sudden for she thought it wass cute and funny. She watched them talk and just sat there. She was not hungry for she had eaten but her stomach was still off a bit. She listened to them and looked at Mr. Noonan before shaking her head. "No its ok the nurses should be bringing me food and they ahve a cafeteria down the hall to the left were visitors can get food I mean if you want that is." Avery Told Mr. Noonan fr they served more food then what the vending machines offered. Soon the nurse came in and placed the food on her tray. "Here you go Mis. Jones some extra food to help gain your weight back. SHe said before leaving the room to take care of some other stuff. 'So yeah I am covered." Avery said with a small smile.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Avery answered Mr. Noonan's question of offering with a refusal, stating that one of the nurses would come in and bring her something to eat from the hospitals cafeteria, also implanting the idea for the man to try and eat something from there as well. Then after, a nurse came in to give Avery her food on a tray, handing it to her and stating it'll help her gain her weight back. After doing so, the nurse had left the room, Avery then stating that she was good to go in terms of food. "Well, alright then. I'll be back in a couple of minutes," said Mr. Noonan as he left the room, leaving Roland and Avery there by themselves. Once he left, Roland leaned back into the chair, attempting to get comfortable once again. As he laid on it, he turned his head over to Avery to see what she was doing, curious because of also knowing on how bad hospital food is as well. "Wonder if the food here is any good," said Roland to Avery, "I've heard nothing but bad things about it."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery watched Mr. Noonan leave and looked at Roland as he asked about the food. "Well to me its better then nothing since I was starved most of the time but it is bland and stuff for they do not seasn it and its based on the food groups mainly but your dad might ahve better luck since he is going to cafeteria so he can pick and decided what to get while patients do not have much say so." Avery xplained to Roland as she lifted the lid to her fod and started to eat her food at least. Avery just ate not minding much for she was just hungry she would eat anything these days just to eat and to satisfy her hunger. "Its not that bad unlike the last hospital I wa at now that food was bad but then again it was a chap hospital this is a nice one so it should have better food." Avery explained as she finsihed the food and ate the cake they gave her wanting to give her some extra calories to help her gain weight since she was so thin. Avery finished all her food and relaxed a bit in her bed as she got the remote and turned the TV on and tried to find a channel that was not about her and soon found one playing a movie and she left it on that channel for them to watch and relaxa bit at least.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Avery hearing his question, Roland listened to her as she explained to him on how she did not mind eating the food given to her whatsoever, refreshing his memory on how she had starved beforehand. She had also added that Mr. Noonan could pick whatever he wanted near the cafeteria the hospital had appetizing, or at least looked good enough to eat, so hopefully he would pick something good, or at least Roland hoped so. "Yeah," said Roland, "I don't know though." Once he finished, Avery kept the conversation going by telling him of how nice the hospital was, unlike her last one stating on how cheap it presented itself, stating also that the food was better here than the other place. "Maybe," said Roland once more, "Hopefully Mr. Noonan will get something good for us……I mean, me and him, to eat." After finishing the food topic, Roland decided to relax himself, turning his head back to the front, staring down at the end of the chair he was laying in. All of a sudden, he heard a television come on, along with a constant sound on remote buttons being pressed. He turned over once more to see Avery was flipping channels, trying to find something to watch to let the time fly by. Finding a movie that caught her attention, she kept it on the channel playing the program. Roland looked over at the television for a moment, uncertain as to what they were watching. Instead of keeping quiet and enjoying the movie, he questioned what it was in particular the both of them were viewing. "Hmm" said Roland, "Never seen this before. Do you know what it is?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery looked att the show for it was a cooking movie Julie and Julia and she like it. But she heard Roland and looked at him and shrugged at him a bit for she did not know. "I do not know I just thought it looked interesting for its seems to be a bit about cooking and I happen to like cooking." Avery said to him as she relaxed in her hospital bed as she watche the movie and giggled at some parts. "The only time I watched Tv was when I wa at your place dad forbidden me to watch tv sicne he was always in front of it watching wretling or what ever else he watches." SHe explained to him. Avery then relaxed into her bed as she yawned a bit for she was still a bit tired at times and her energy levels were still pretty low at times because how thin she was and weak at the same time. "Sorry is the Tv bugging you for I can turn it off and you can take a nap." Avery said to him as she laid back in her bed wile it was in the sit up position as she looked at the Tv and watched the Movie enjoying it a bit while relaxing. A nurse soon came in and took Avery's arm and took some blood for blood work and left without saying a word wnating to let Avery rest and not get stressed out.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Avery replied to the question that was asked by Roland, answering that she wasn't certain either of what the program was, but attracted her attention due to the fact the movie had to deal with cooking. "Oh," said Roland, not knowing of what else to say. Afterwards, Avery continued on how the only time she got to watch television was back at his house, stating that her father was nothing more than a tv hog and how he wouldn't let her see or watch anything. Roland didn't really have anything to say because of the weary feeling he kept having, so instead just stared at the television, trying to watch the movie with tiresome eyes. Then, Avery asked if the television was of a bother to Roland, insisting that she would turn it completely off so that he could rest. It was nice to see that she was being considerate, but he didn't want to ruin her enjoyment just so he could rest. "Oh, no," replied Roland to Avery's question, "You don't have to. Leave it on and continue watching it. Besides, food will be here in a few for me anyway, so I don't have no choice but to stay awake." All of a sudden, a nurse had came in so that she could take more blood from Avery, and while doing so, Roland tried best to keep focus on the television.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones After having her blood drawn she then just laid in her bed as she watched the movie while waiting for Mr. Noonan to return with Rolands food and decied to be quiet to let Roland relax and rest since she cold be a talker when she finally can talk to someone. She justed watched the movie and actally liked it a lot and laughed at some parts that she thought was fnny and cute. After awhile a social worker came in with paper work. "Helllo Avery I am Mrs. Harth I am your social worker and I was informed that you had a family that is willing to foster you." She siad as Avery looked at her and did a small nod. "yes and Mr. Noonan is at the hospital but he went to get him and my friend Roland here sometihing to eat." She siad to the social worker and she nodded. "Alirght I will wait then for I have a few things he needs to sign and you will be all set to live with him.' Mrs. Harth said to her as she sat in a simple chair and started writing down some stuff. Avery felt weird having her in there and cruled up under her blankets not knowing what to do and was getting freaked again for she had very little trust in people after the utbreak with the press.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Roland tried his best to keep focus on the movie and stay awake so that he could eat when Steven's father came back with some food, but instead his eyes had began to fade a little from the relaxation and comfort he was in from the chair he was laying on. A few minutes later, Roland had awoken, realizing that he had fell asleep, in amidst to find Avery and some other woman who presence had arisen into his sight. He questioned himself for a moment as the woman sat in a chair across from, also noticing that Avery wasn't saying anything either, so it seemed they had both discussed something while he was asleep. "W-what's going on?" said a confused Roland.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery looked at Roland when he asked what was going on and the social worker decided to answer. "I am a social worker for Avery and I came for I have papers for Mr. Noonan to sign if he is going to take custody of her if not then I have to start looking for a foster home for her and right now there is no home in this city that can take her in she would have to be sent to anothercity or even state." The social worker said and Avery did not like the idea of moving again with peple she did not trust. "So she told me he went to get you and himself som food so I thought I wait here and get things takn care of or figred out now so when she gets realeased from the hospital she can just go home and not have to wonder what happens next." The social worker siad to Roland. Avery just stayed curled up in the bed not knowing what to do or anthing at the moment for she was to nerrvous to even talk to the social worker after she explained everything to her and now Roland. "Why are the curtains closed its is dark in here." She said about to open the curtain. "DON'T OPEN THAT!!" SHe freaked and the social worker froze as a nurse walk in after hearing her yell. "Oh dear you tried to open the curtains sorry the press has been hounding her so she hates the crrtains to be open." The nurse said as the social worker nodded and sat back down as the nurse went to Very's iv and injected something in it antd it slowly made Avery sleepy until she was fast asleep.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans Coming to find out that it was a social worker on the case of Avery getting to move in with Roland at the Noonan's home, he was a bit surprised at first due to the transaction of information already being taken care of so fast and already having papers to sign for Avery to go ahead and be placed into someone else's home. He didn't really think much more of it, only knowing that it was very good news and that the problem was being taken care of immediately. The woman had mentioned that she was in wait for Mr. Noonan to come back so that he may sign the papers she had ready in order for the placement to be complete, that way Avery could live with them and have no worries anymore on dealing with an actual stable home, minus the abusive parent as well. Roland decided to speak for Mr. Noonan, mainly because he wasn't back yet. "He'll be here," he said the woman, "Don't know when exactly, but yeah. He'll be back." It was taking a good while for Mr. Noonan to get back for some odd reason, but Roland also knew that he was a very talkative person as well, hence where Steven's gets it from, so he could be have a conversation with someone and forgot he had to get back here with something to eat. A minute later, the social woman had noticed how dark the room was, finding that the shades from the window were closed yet not knowing the reason of why. As she tried to open them, a nurse came in and yelled telling her not to, Roland watching as it happened. The nurse explained to the woman of the press constantly trying to get a hold of Avery with questions and photos to make headlines all over town with, then going over to Avery to check up on her again, putting her to sleep as well. As she left, Roland followed up onto the topic about the press trying to get inside. "They were here before I got here," spoke up Roland, "The news people outside, they've been trying everything to get in. It's really getting out of hand." Soon afterwards, Mr. Noonan came in with some food he was carrying in a bag. "Sorry bout the wait," he said, "Got caught into a long talk with someone at the cafeteria. Hopefully this will be worth the wait." As he handed the bag over to Roland, he looked over to find the social worker woman, questioned as to why she was there. "Is something wrong?" asked Mr. Noonan.</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery just stayed in the bed as she relaxed in her sleep from the medicine not caring abotu what was going on for the medicine was a bit strong. "That is alright I can wait but the state knows her situation so we rushed everything so that wya she can start settling into a nice new enviorment." THe social worker said to Roland as she sat and waited for Mr. Noonan to return. She had to admit she was freaked from how everything hapened when she wanted to open the curtains but she did understand why for the poor girl was being hounded by the press just because it is the latest story out now. but soon noticed Mr. Noonan walked in with the food and saw how he was wondering why she was there. "There is nothing wrong sir I am from the foster care unit I rushed the paper work so when Avery was discharged she could start living with your family right away insted of being in our cae putting more stress on her and she has been through nough from what I have been told." The social wrker said as she pulled out the folder with her paper work. "Once everything is signed I will take it over and rush it again then she will be in your care before she is discharged from the hospital." She finished explaining and showed im were to sign on the paper work.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans The woman that was unfamiliar to Mr. Noonan had explained herself and the situation that was being held, informing him that she had the papers ready to be signed for the completion of Avery's transfer. "Ok…yeah, alright," said Mr. Noonan, confused for a moment but then fully understanding what had to be done. It all seemed to happen fast for some reason, but the man didn't really want to argue about it. Instead he took the paper from the social worker after pointing out where he was to sign for confirmation. Roland watched as Mr. Noonan had looked at the sheet of paper in front of him, holding it up so that he could see what he was doing. As he kept focus, Roland decided to see what the man had brought him in the bag handed to him a couple of minutes ago, knowing that was food but hoping it was something at least edible and tasty as well. "It's all happening pretty fast, isn't it?" questioned Mr. Noonan as he wrote down his signature onto the line, "I leave one minute and right when I get back, I'm already signing papers and such. You people don't horse around, do you?" As he finished placing his signature on the file, he handed it back to the woman, placing the pen he had to sign with back into his shirt pocket.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones "Yes well the officer that has been ehre helping you called us in advance to let us know you might be willing to foster her so we went ahead and got the paper work ready did a background check on you which we expressed and all the fun stuff worst case senario you would not take her and we would have taken her in." THe lady explained to Mr. noonan. "But this way she can leave with you guys and be at least some place familiar and feel safe." The lady finished and double checked everything. "Alright she is now in your custody in about a week or two you will ahve a card coming in the mail just indicating you as te girls guardian and once every two months a social worker will be over just to see how she is adjusting." THe lady finsihed up saying and son said bye to them and left the room to go get the stuff filed and set up so they Noonan family would not run into any problems. After a while Avery woke up and looked to see Mr. noonan there. "Oh hey Mr. Noonan you are back finally what happened got stuck talking to someone?" She asked as she looked at him. 'Though I thought for ure you went some where else to get food since the food here is pretty bland." She siad to him as she stayed curled up in her hospital bed.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Once the signing of custody was over and done with, the social worker quickly explained why everything dealing with custody of Avery was all happening so sudden prior to now so that Mr. Noonan could understand all the suddenness. Once she was done with the brief explanation, she stated that after the signing that Avery was officially in full custody over to the Noonan family, telling him that information will be coming in the mail for them showing they have full guardianship of the girl, also adding that a social worker will be stopping by every two months to check up on how she is adjusting. "All right," said Mr. Noonan to the woman, "Sounds good then." As the woman got up and said her goodbyes to Mr. Noonan and Roland, Avery began to wake up in question to find that Mr. Noonan had returned. She asked him what had taken so long into getting back, also wondering if he went somewhere else to get food because of how bad hospital food usually is. "No, I got something here for Roland to eat on," replied Mr. Noonan, "I just got stuck talking to one of the officers in the cafeteria. We talked about everything going on right now, you in particular about us taking you back to our home and such." As Mr. Noonan talked, Roland pulled out the item that was in the bag, coming to realize that it was long and folded up. From the looks of it, it was probably a sub sandwich. "Oh, Roland," said Mr. Noonan to the boy really quick, "I got you a sandwich. I hope it's ok because I'm pretty sure you didn't want what else they had in there. Didn't look very appetizing." "It'll be fine," said Roland, "As long as I get something on my stomach, it's fine by me. Thank you." "Of course," said Mr. Noonan once more.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery just watcehd them from the bed after mr. noonan explaine dhe was talking to an officer for they might need some help becuase of them taking her in the the media might surround thier palce for a while. She looked at Roland a bit. "Their sandwiches are pretty good here probably the only thing tat taste good here." Avery said to Roland letting him know it was pretty good. Soon the doctor walked in and checked her vitals and her charts. "Hmm she is doing well I will have meds perscribed to her for pain and anti biotics just in case for infection." The docttor said. "And by later tonight she can be discharge around that time most of the media people go home and we can sneak you all out around back and we will keep secret where she is staying." The doctor said as he finished up his examination over Avery. "Alright then just relax while I go get the stuff filled and get the paper work set up." He said as he left the room. "At least I can finally leave this place I hate it here." Avery said to them as she relaxed in the bed.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans As things were beginning to settle a bit more, Roland decided to go ahead and take the first bite of his sandwich, hearing Avery tell of how the sandwiches are basically the only decent thing the hospital has that was decent enough to eat. "Any good," asked Mr. Noonan to the boy eating. He looked up to the man and replied to his question in a muffled voice due to his mouth being full of food, "Yeah, it's not bad." As he kept eating, a doctor had walked into the room to check up on Avery once more to see how she was holding up. He gave them a brief review on how she was doing, stating how she was getting better and will give her medications for her injuries cause by her father. Before he left, he told them that Avery could be released tonight when all of the press disappears from the area, but telling them that it would have to be done secretly so that no one would know where her current location is when she is released. Once the doctor left, Mr. Noonan spoke up after he made his departure. "Well, that's good news," he said, Avery following up by stating how she was glad to be leaving soon due to hating where they were. Roland kept quiet as he continued to eat his sandwich while Mr. Noonan reached into his pocket for a moment to grab his cell phone and check to see if he had any messages or missed calls. A minute afterwards, he decided to excuse himself for a moment. "Kids I have to step outside again for a couple of minutes," he said to Roland and Avery, "I have to make a phone call really quick. I'll just be right out here near the door, so if you need me don't hesitate to ask." "Ok," said Roland with food in his mouth once again as Mr. Noonan left out into the hall while closing the door behind him. He soon turned over to Avery after he swallowed the food in his mouth and spoke to her. "Looks like you're going to be staying with us secretly, huh?" said Roland to Avery.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery listened to everything and was glad to be leaving for sure she just hated hospitals becasue how many times she ahdd been put in the hosptal. She wathed mr. Noonan walk out an then at Roland. "Yeah well just ntil the press finally get tired of this story and then I can live freely again." Avery said to him as she sighed or she wished she could live freely. "But it would be nice if the press left me lone already and for me to be free again." Avery said for she felt trap still because of the press. She just wanted to be a normal teenager living a happy life doing tenager things and get ready for ccollege and try to make her life better and have a good future. It felt weird for er for she felt like she was being smuggled. "I now feel like I have to be smuggled a bit like I am a werid drug and I am being smuggled across the border but I am being smuggled to your place." She said to Roland as she looked at him. "But it will be nice to finally leave the hospital."</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans As Avery replied to the question Roland had gave her, she replied to him with the conversation revolving around her being able to live freely again, also mentioning that she felt that she was going to be smuggled into the Noonan's home but glad to be released from the hospital. Roland think much on it himself as he tried to finish his food, but spoke to her to tell her everything would be ok. "I don't know about the smuggling," he said to her, "But I do want to get out of this hospital too." As he took the last bite of his sandwich, showing that he was done eating, he got up from the chair he was sitting in and stood up on his feet, going over to the window to secretly see if the press was still at the window without being seen by them. "Wonder if they will eventually give up," said Roland as he looked out the window, "I'm guessing not, but then again I can't be too sure either. Oh well." After looking out of the building, he walked away from the window and towards Avery, looking at the IV and heart monitor beside her as well. As he got up to them, he stood there and stared at them carefully, reading the girls heart monitor with the line on it reading normal as it beeped a lot as well. "It's been awhile since I've been here," said Roland, "Though I can't say that I miss it, because I don't."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery watched him get up form his chair and walk as he talked to her and looked out the window. The press was still there but they were working on their camera and planning how to get in to get an interview with her or to at least get a few pictures of her. "They probably won't give up until another bgger story comes up r when they just give up knowing they might not geet near me." She said to Roland as she looekd at him as he closed thee curtain. She theen watched him walk up to her monitors to see what was going on them. "You were in the hospital before?" Avery asked as shee looked at him for that scokd her a bit but then agian not so mmuch since eeveryone goes to the hospital she just did not think as much as he did due to her past injurie. "What were you in the hospital for?" She asked her a they waited for her to get releasedfrom the hospital.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans The statement that Roland made about his past stays in the hospital seemed to be of interest to Avery as she questioned him about his reasons of visitation long ago. Standing next to her, he looked over to her as he smiled, laughing a bit at the question. "I've been a patient here a couple of times," began Roland, "The first day I started school, and about a few months after that." He walked away from the bed Avery was in to pace slowly back and forth in the middle of the room, explaining as to how and why he was hospitalized when he first came into the scene. "A couple of guys were picking on Steven the first day I came to school. Being rough on him, calling him names, that sort stuff, you know. Typical bullying. Well I went over to butt in basically and told them to stop and leave him alone. Or….well, something along the lines of that. A few minutes later, I was starting to regret it." He went over back to the recliner and sat down on it, continuing his story. "All I know is that I was grabbed by my shirt collar and punched in the face. Oh, and kicked a couple of times. Lights went out and I couldn't remember anything else, that is until I woke up in a hospital room with my parents and Steven's parents almost hovering over me. I freaked out for a moment but everything was fine after that. But me and Steven started our friendship after that." He started laughing to himself again as he was going to bring up his other visit from something stupid he did afterwards. "The other one was my fault," he continued, "Actually, Steven was the one who brought it up. That big tree that we have next to the school? He wanted me to climb it and try to get on top of the school building or sneak in one of the classrooms, something like that. I couldn't really remember the whole purpose of it, but I fell off either way and landed on my arm. I broke it, went to the hospital, got myself a cast, then got into trouble. That was after my parents left though, and I had to call them and explained what happened."</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans The statement that Roland made about his past stays in the hospital seemed to be of interest to Avery as she questioned him about his reasons of visitation long ago. Standing next to her, he looked over to her as he smiled, laughing a bit at the question. "I've been a patient here a couple of times," began Roland, "The first day I started school, and about a few months after that." He walked away from the bed Avery was in to pace slowly back and forth in the middle of the room, explaining as to how and why he was hospitalized when he first came into the scene. "A couple of guys were picking on Steven the first day I came to school. Being rough on him, calling him names, that sort stuff, you know. Typical bullying. Well I went over to butt in basically and told them to stop and leave him alone. Or….well, something along the lines of that. A few minutes later, I was starting to regret it." He went over back to the recliner and sat down on it, continuing his story. "All I know is that I was grabbed by my shirt collar and punched in the face. Oh, and kicked a couple of times. Lights went out and I couldn't remember anything else, that is until I woke up in a hospital room with my parents and Steven's parents almost hovering over me. I freaked out for a moment but everything was fine after that. But me and Steven started our friendship after that." He started laughing to himself again as he was going to bring up his other visit from something stupid he did afterwards. "The other one was my fault," he continued, "Actually, Steven was the one who brought it up. That big tree that we have next to the school? He wanted me to climb it and try to get on top of the school building or sneak in one of the classrooms, something like that. I couldn't really remember the whole purpose of it, but I fell off either way and landed on my arm. I broke it, went to the hospital, got myself a cast, then got into trouble. That was after my parents left though, and I had to call them and explained what happened."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery listened to Roland as he explained why he was in the hospital the pas couple times and felt bad for him when he fell out of the tree for it must of freaked him out when he all of a sudden fell out of the tree. But when he was defending Steven from bullies and then waking up in the hospital sounded to familiar to her for that was how it was for her she would get beat and loose consiousness and then would be out in the hospital with no memories of how she got there. "Well I have to laugh at when you fell out of th tree I wish that was the main reason for me going to the hospital a lot.' Avery said as she giggled a bit at that for she just thought it was a bit funny. "I mean I feel bad for it must of been terrifying to all of a sudden see the ground gt closr fast as you fell but I tink you should smack steven up the head for that idea." She siad as a joke in a joking voice. She then looked at hm as she relaxed in her bed wish she could get out soon. "hey Mr. Noonan has been gone for quiet a while I wonder what he is doing and why he even left in the first placee?' She asked roland as she loooked at the door for she was wondering what he was doing. "I just want to leave it should be getting close for me to be dicharged." She said to him as se sighed a bit and knew her closthes were ripped up and junk so she had no clothes to change into.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans The little back-story that Roland decided to tell Avery seemed to have made her happy as she giggled to herself once he was done discussing about his little incidents. He was glad to see a smile upon her face, hoping that she would be able to smile more often since she won't be staying in an abusive environment any more. He listened to her reply on the story he told her, stating on how funny it was, also throwing in on dealing with Steven on giving dumb ideas. "Yeah," said Roland, laughing as he agreed with her statement, "That's why I don't follow with any of his ideas anymore." Afterwards, the thought had came across as to wondering where Mr. Noonan was, what was taking him so long on. He told them he was going to make a really quick call on his cell phone and he would be back. "He is taking a while, isn't he?" said Roland. After a minute or two, the door had opened and Mr. Noonan made his way back inside the room. "Hey," said Roland, "So what went down?" "Well I just got off the phone with the missus," began Mr. Noonan with an explanation, "I told her of what happened and such, and that Avery is going to be staying with us. She liked the sound of it so she was fine with the decision, so now all we have to do is head back home and get things settled. So whenever you guys are ready to get going." "I'm ready," said Roland, relieved that everything was coming into place, "Avery, you ready to go?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery smiled at Roland as hey waited for Mr. Noonan to return after is phone call as she learned to be his wife that Mr. Noonan was talking to about letting her stay with them. She was glad to hear that his wife was ok with her staying at thier place after all that has happened to her. "I am sorta ready I don;t really have any clotes theey ripped off what I as wearng once I was brought to the emergancy room so I only have the hospital gown that I have on." She said to them for she felt weird if she had to walk around in just a hospital gown. All the nurses can really do was give her another one so i could cver her back side so she cold walk out feeling seured that no one would see anything that they are not suppose to see. "Sorry that I did not mention it earlier I wa not thinking about it untl now." She said to them as she looked at them hoping they were not mad about her not telling them sooner about it.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans While Mr. Noonan and Roland were ready to get out of the hospital as quick as they could, a minor situation became relevant as Avery told them she had no other sort of clothing to leave the hospital with. After she had told them of the inconvenience, following with an apology afterwards, they've realized that needed to address the problem before leaving. "It's alright," said Roland to Avery, understanding how she felt, "I've dealt with the same thing before. Maybe we should ask one of the doctors or nurses if they have a doctor's suit, like a surgeon outfit maybe." "Hold on, I'll go ask real quick," said Mr. Noonan, stepping out into the main hall to find a nurse or doctor. As he left the room again, Roland got up from the recliner and stood, awaiting for Mr. Noonan to come back with something bearable for Avery to wear for their leave. He turned to her, walking over to where she was slowly and seeing if was in need of any help. "Will you be able to dress yourself?" he asked her nervously, knowing that if she wasn't to do for herself that he might have to be of help, even though it would be awkward. Hopefully he wouldn't have to and a nurse would help instead, but that is if she was comfortable with anyone assisting her in the type of situation it was. In the hallway, Mr. Noonan caught one of the nurses coming towards him. He stopped her from continuing and popped the question politely. "Excuse me, nurse?" he said to her, "Do you folks have any spare outfit or a doctor suit for the girl in the room? She doesn't want to come out and leave unless she has something to cover her up better, you know what I mean?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery felt bad that she had no spare clothes when she was brought to the hspital but was glad they nderstood and was not mad at her. "No I can dress myself I am just a bit slow and stiff from being in the bed most of the time." She said to Roland after he asked if she would need any help. The nurse looked atMr. Noonan as her asked and nodded. "I think I have a spare nurses outfit she can use." The nurse said as she went to an area and plled out a small par of pants and shirt. Here these should fix her an the pants has a string on it to tighten." She explaned to Mr. Noonan and left to do her rounds after handing over the clothes. "Maybe wearing the nurses outfit or something else might be a good disgise just in case." Avery said to Roland for she was trying to lighten up the mood a bit and alk a little bit so it would not be akward. She looked around the room wondering if Mr. Noonan was doing ok and was not running into any trouble getting hersomething but then again she did not know how tis kind of ting worked in the hospitals.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Mr. Noonan followed the nurse for a moment as she went into a room, grabbing a doctor's outfit consisting of a shirt and pants so that Avery could leave the hospital without the embarrassment. "These will work then. Appreciate it." said Mr. Noonan as the nurse began to leave, him heading back to Roland and Avery afterwards quickly as he could. As they were waiting for Mr. Noonan to head back, Roland asked the girl if she was going to be able to properly dress herself without help or assistance, hoping that she wouldn't ask him to do such a thing as it would turn into an awkward situation. Thankfully, she said no, and that she would be able to herself, even though her body feels inflexible from bed rest. "Once we get going, the stiffness will go away," said Roland, "Or you could just stretch it out maybe. I don't know." After he spoke, the awkward silence began to come into play in the room for a moment, seeing as their wait was starting to be lengthy as they still waited for Mr. Noonan to come back. Instead of keeping quiet, Avery told Roland of how the outfit she was to receive could be a good disguise to get out of the hospital easier. It made the boy giggle and smile, seeing that she at least tried to have a sense of humor, but did have a great suggestion. "Yeah," said Roland as he continued laughing, "We could get out of here easier if so. Then they wouldn't-" Before Roland could finish, Mr. Noonan quietly came through the door once more, having the clothes in his hands to give to Avery. "Here we go," said the man as he walked towards Avery to give her the clothes, "These should do the trick. Just put them on and then we can get out of here and head back home."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery looked at mr. Noonan after he basically cut off Roland as he was agreeing with her about the outfit being a good disguise to get out of the hospital and saw the outfit that he got for her. "Ok um can someone close the curtains here so I can get changed?" She asked for it felt weird if they can see her get change. Once someone got the curtain closed for her she slowly got out of the bed and it hurt to move at how stiff she was but thank to the moving around. She got into the doctors scrubs that was given to her and opened the curtains looking at the two. "Ok I am good now." She siad and a nurse came in and gave her some old crocs she did not need so Avery can walk out without hurting her feet. Avery thanked the nurse and put them on. "Alright her paperwork is all set and ready to do and I will lead you guys out the bad so sr you can go to your car and drive arond back and I will take the kids to the back exit and have security to keep them safe." The nurse said to Mr. Noonan so he can rest assure that she will take care of them. Avery though mainly looked scared for she did not want the press to stop and and surround er with flashes and questions it only terrified her by a lot.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans Once Avery had received the clothes given to her by Mr. Noonan, she asked that someone should close the curtains so that she may get dressed. Without hesitation, Roland grabbed a hold to the curtain and began to pull it over to the other side for closing. Once done, he stepped back away from it, leaving Avery to tend to her business. Roland turned around and looked at Mr. Noonan for a moment, realizing that he was interrupted from his discussion with Avery before he had came in. "We were talking about the nurse outfit being a disguise," said the boy to Mr. Noonan, "She's still worried about those reporters outside." "A disguise?" said Mr. Noonan as he began to laugh, "That's one way of looking at it, huh? Maybe they won't be all over us when we leave." "I don't know," replied Roland as he shook his head in disbelief, "Some of them I think saw us through the window outside." As the curtains swiftly opened, Avery stated that she was dressed and ready to go. It was a relief that they were finally going to get out of the hospital, expecting to hopefully get out of there peacefully without being hoarded by the news media. Indeed a plan was needed now, yet nothing could come to mind for Roland. A moment came afterwards as a nurse came in to give Avery some shoes to wear so that she wouldn't have to walk barefooted when they depart. Once the nurse handed them over, she stated that everything was set, also informing them that they would leave out of the back, instructing Mr. Noonan to bring his vehicle around so that they could get in without being spotted. "Ah," replied Mr. Noonan, stressed out because of knowing what was to be done of him "That means I have to go to the front…..where the hoard is at. Let's just hope I make it out the door." "Just try to be careful," said Roland, "There was security in the front when we came in, so I don't think they would let you just go out by yourself." "You're right," said Mr. Noonan back to Roland, "The quicker we get going, the sooner we'll be out of this mess. Alright, wish me luck." As he left the room and hurried back to his car, Roland looked over to Avery, seeing nothing but fright upon her face due to the circumstances of the outer activity of the building. Trying to comfort her, Roland walked over to her, handing his hand out to her. "We'll make it out Avery," he said to her, "We're going to be ok. I'm not going to let them come near you, ok? I promise."</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery looked at Roland as what he said about him not letting anyone near her especially the press for she was wondering why the press was still on her for their had to be more stuff out there that were more important but her and what happened. The nurse lead them to the back with a security guard to make sure no one tires anyhting. Avery held Roland's hands as they walked for it made her feel more safe as they walked and she did not care if she was holding his hand or what people thought she just wanted to feel safe. At the front an officer helped Mr. Noonan get to his car so that way he can drive. "Might want to take the long way to the back sir that wya they think you are driving off and won't follow you." The officer said and gave him directions to get to the back a different way and hope that helps out for him. The nurse gt the two in the back and the officer waited on the other side of the door to wait for Mr. Noonan to come around then he will let the two out and get in the car once he arrives. The nurse got them something to drink and Avery just waiting still a tad scared. "I just wish the press leave me alone there has to be other stuff going on more important then what is going on with me and my father." She said to Roland all of a sudden scared out of her mind and just wanted to be normal.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans It was time to leave. No hesitation was shown as Roland was ready to leave the hospital, hopefully to make it back in one peace and not be seen or near another hospital again. As they began to make their leave, he noticed something as he was walking. Looking behind him, he looked down at his hand to find that Avery had a hold of it. He couldn't believe it himself at first, mainly due to dealing with her frightened personality and not able to trust people, but it seemed as if she finally decided to trust the boy. As he turned his face back to the front to see where they were being lead, he smiled, happy to know that he was finally beginning to earn her trust. Towards the front of the hospital, Mr. Noonan peacefully made his way out and wasted no time to head to his car, that is until an officer had appeared and began to walk with him, showing that it was more of an escort. The officer told Mr. Noonan that he should take the long way to the back, this way none of the news reporters or their camera crew would be liable to see him and get in the way. "I will do as you say," said Mr. Noonan as he got into his car and started up the engine, "Just make sure none of them see me leaving the parking lot. Any one of them could come around the building and spot me heading towards the back." After starting up his car, he placed it into drive and slowly began to drive near the back on the more distant route, beforehand rolling down his window and giving courtesy to the officer for his help. "Much appreciated officer," he said. Back in the hospital, Avery and Roland had finally reached the back doorway. The only thing left for them to do was to get in the car quickly as they could and all would be done and over with, but first they had to wait for Mr. Noonan to come along. Instead, they stood patiently and waited for his arrival, being handed drinks by the nurse while doing so. Roland opened his drink and took a quick sip as he awaited for Mr. Noonan to appear, watching with a sharp eye so that they could get out as fast as possible. As quiet as the wait was, Avery decided to speak up in related terms of the people they were trying to keep distance from, saying that she wanted the press to leave her alone and that there is more important stuff to worry about than her or her father. "Sadly, they won't stop," said Roland to Avery, "These reporters and news anchors only care about getting the biggest story going on locally. Whatever helps them catch that big break, they will do everything they can to get a hold of your story. Trust me when I say that I know." Just after, a car had suddenly appeared, showing Mr. Noonan waving to them inside the hospital and telling them to hurry on outside and get in. "Looks like our ride is here," said Roland, chuckling as he reached his hand out to Avery once more, "Come on Avery. Let's get out of here and go home."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery felt bad for Roland and Mr. Noonan and his family for they have to deal with someone that was the biggest story of the year she guessed. She still did not understand how other stories like murder, kidnappings, even politics are not taking the news attention away all of a sudden. She guessed some of the reporters are local papers in hopes it will make the big news but still wanted to report it first. She sighed a bit just wanting to be free finally from everything her past, the news, her father, her pain, and basically from everything in the world. She just hated it so much for she felt like that she was just forced into another cage after finally leaving the one that her father had her trapped in. Now News and reporters have forced her into another cage and it only made her wonder which cage will she be forced into next. Everything in the world now only scared her more and more everyday a world she once saw with wonder and joy now was all nothing but fear and darkness that she wanted to hide from. Avery heard Roland say that their ride was there and she nodded at him and took his hand and left with him into Mr. Noonan's car so they could get out of there as fast as possible and hoped that the press would not appear all of a sudden and scared her even more. "Hey Roland you said you know how the press is, it sounds like you know from experience?" She asked him while she looked at him letting Mr. Noonan drive and get them out of there away from the hospital.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Once Avery grabbed for Roland's hand once more, they wasted no time as they quickly dashed outside and straight forward towards the vehicle awaiting them. Once they were near, Roland reached for the handle and yanked open the door leading to the backseats of the car, holding it open and letting Avery go inside first, him following quickly right behind her and closing the door and locking it once done. "You both settled in?" said Mr. Noonan viewing them through the rear view mirror, his foot on the gas pedal ready to drive out back onto the road. "Yeah," replied Roland, "Good to go." And just like that, Mr. Noonan took little to no time and began to navigate the car away from the hospital and back on the road. Luckily, none of the news and media had appeared or were in the way, so they could drive safely back and remain undetected without any hassle. As they hit the main road and began to ride home, Avery's curiosity was wondering as to how Roland gained some sort of wisdom from the way news anchors and media had worked, so she decided to ask him about it. Once she asked him, he looked at her, dazed for a moment as he wasn't certain as what to say. His focus was concentrated on being back home, relieved that they got out of the hospital without being brutalized by a bunch of people constantly asking questions to Avery all at once in a crowd. "Oh, um…." said Roland, trying to think on how to answer the question, but he felt too weary to do so. "It's a long story Avery," said Mr. Noonan, answering for Roland as he continued driving, "He's told me all about it before when he came to live with us. From the sound of it, he sounds sleepy. Best ask him a little later on when he's more awake." "I-I'm sorry Avery," said Roland with his tiresome tone, hoping that Avery wouldn't be upset with him. "We will be at the house in a few," said Mr. Noonan, "We will get everything settled once there, alright?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery was glad that they got in the car fast and drove off without being detected by the media. She let out a small sigh of relief and just wanted to relax and forget about what ad happened to her and the press hunting her and messing with her just for a scoop. Avery sat in the back seat wth her head abck trying to take in the calm and hoped it would stay calm For a long time and that it would all blow over soon for her. All she wanted was a peacful life and wnated things to return to somewhat kind of normal for her. She then listened to Roland and what Mr. Noonan said and just nodded at him as she went quiet and just looked out the car window wondering what her next step was gong to be and where she was going next after all this soon dies down and when she turns 18 making her a leagal adult. SHe only sighed and wished her life had not come to this. She just looked blank as she watched the trees and houses pass by as the drove to t the Noona's home. She knew it was not big enough and that Roland had the guest room and she did not want to kick him out of his room because of her. She looked tired and slowly closed her eyes and had fallen into a light sleep in the car as Mr. Noonan drive to his place. It was the first time she had felt at peace for a long time and felt like she did not have to be so tensed or be always cautious for once in her life or have to sleep with one eye open.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Time flew by as the drive back home was becoming close to it's end, though things were going to be very hectic once they return safely. Mr. Noonan knew that arrangements were to be made and a family meeting to come along as well, yet he wasn't too worried on how things would play out. His main focus right now was to get themselves home safe and sound. A minute later, he made a quick turn and slowly went forward as his home came into view. Be pulled over to the curb and stopped, gently removing his seatbelt and letting out a slow sigh, glad that they were able to make it back home without a hoard of news reporters stalking behind them. "Hey you two," he said looking through the rearview mirror, "We're home." Finding that the both of them had decided to take a nap, he got out of the car and stepped over to Roland's door, checking first to see if he was resting his head on the car door, and opened it lightly once confirmed he wasn't. "Roland?" said Mr. Noonan as he gently shook the boy to wake him up, "Wake up Roland. We're home, safe and sound." As Roland rubbed his weary eyes, he leaned up and took a look to find out that they made it back. He yawned and stretched himself out quickly, afterwards replying to Mr. Noonan. "We are?" said Roland with a tiresome voice, "Awesome. Now I can take a nap." "Hold off on that," said Mr. Noonan with a light chuckle, "Let's worry about getting Avery inside first and get everything settled." Roland looked over to the side to find that Avery had fallen asleep as well. It was of no surprise after that she had been going through, but his main concern was to get her indoors before anything else was to happen. "Avery?" he said tiresomely, lightly grabbing her arm and shaking her gently to get her awake, "We're here. You have to wake up now."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery mainly slept until they made it to his place and felt someone shake her arm and slowly woke up and looked at him. "HUh we are here already?" She asked as she rubbed her eyes before looking out to see they were back at Mr. Noonan' solace. It felt weird being back there but this time as a foster child and not to escape her dad for the night. She took her seatbelt off. "We better hurry and get inside sooner or later they are going to figure out where I am I bet." She said as she slowly got out of the car wobbling a bit for she was a bit off balance after sleeping in the back of the car. She rubbed her eyes a bit more as she went to the side of the car wherein Mr. Noonan and Roland was before walking to the house for she did not want to walk up it by herelf for she was nervous and shy fr she never meet Mr. Noonan before and she had no clue at what she would think of her at all. Thanks to her dad Avery had very little self confidence in herself about e aw her and made her second gues a lot on how she acted around people. Once the two would make their way to the house was when she was going to follow and just hope for things to only get better with life and other things.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans As they both watched Avery awaken, she became questioned the moment her eyes opened, finding out that they were already home. Mr. Noonan smiled and replied. "It doesn't take very long from here to the hospital," he said, "Plus, I was going a little faster than usual. Thankfully, the police wasn't around." Roland slightly laughed, finding Mr. Noonan to be funny once he explained how they arrived so quickly. Just after, Avery showed no hesitation and took off her seatbelt, suggesting that they hurry and get inside before they get caught by the news media, so Roland did just that as he opened his door and took off his seatbelt as well. Once he was out, he stretched out for a minute to get himself more flexible and keep awake so that he could at least make it indoors. As him and Mr. Noonan began to walk towards the front door of their house, Roland looked behind to see if Avery was following along, but instead she just stood next to the car. "You coming Avery?" said Roland to Avery.</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans As Avery ran up to them, grabbing a tight hold onto Roland's arm, the three of them were ready to head inside. Though he could sense that Avery still felt anxious with everything happening so sudden, Roland wanted to make sure that she was eased away of agitation, and wanted her to feel more secure. She had spoke up before they went inside, telling them of how scared she was of meeting Mrs. Noonan and continuously thinking of becoming a burdening problem with the family. "You're worrying too much," said Roland, trying to keep her calm, "Nobody here is going to think of you as a problem. We did this because you deserve a better life than the one you were living." "Exactly," said Mr. Noonan, following up to Roland's statement, smiling at the girl, "You won't be a hassle of any sort, I guarantee you. You are part of this family now, and you'll be treated just as good as Roland and Steven, I can promise you that." As the door opened, they went indoors, finding that the main room was being occupied by Steven, sitting on the sofa playing a video game, and Mrs. Noonan going across with a basket full of laundry. Once they were inside though, Roland felt the fear from Avery suddenly increasing as she grasped his arm tighter. She told him of how different it was from last time, stating how scared and nervous she was. "I'll be back in here in a minute kids," said Mr. Noonan as he started walking off, "I'm going to talk to Mrs. Noonan real quick." As he had left, Roland stood there with Avery, not wanting her to feel the need to panic and be worried. As she kept a grasp onto his arm, Steven looked away from the television and stared at the two of them just standing there. "You guys do know that you can sit down, right?" said Steven, giggling as he thought how silly the two of them looked just standing awkwardly, "These couches aren't contaminated with anything, or are they?" "Avery, do you want to take a seat," asked Roland, seeing if she would feel better if she would sit down. "Yeah Avery, come on and join the party," said Steven, trying his best to be humorous, "There is plenty of love to go around." As Roland rolled his eyes, thinking how much of an idiot Steven is, he awaited to see what Avery wanted to do, hoping that someway she could be less anxious and more relaxed whatever she chose to do.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery just looked at Mrs. Noonan walked by with the laundry basket and that Steven was playing something off the TV which did not look familiar to her at all. She till kept a god grip on Roland as she analyzed her surroundings with the new people in it. She did flinch a bit when Steven talked all of a sudden and he sounded different from the first time they ran into each other in the house. "um I guess we can sit down." She said to him after Mr. Noonan went off to go talk to his wife. She did settle down a bit but still had her hands on Roland's arm but it was not so tight anymore. She walekd over and sat on the couch still feeling weird about how different things were now and how it was still going to be to adjust to her new life. Whn Roland sat with her she placed her head on his shoulder for she mainly felt comfortable with him since he has been there for her the longest and has helped her out more then anyone has ever done in her life. After a few minutes her eyes closed and she was asleep again proving how mentally exhausted she was from all that has happened and being in a new enviorment. Her head stayed on his shoulder as she slept peacfully after the long crazy day with being in a hospital, dealing with the paparazzi, and having the noonan sign the foster parents paper work so they can have custody of her instead of ehr having to move someplace else and be extremely overwhelmed.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Avery seemed a bit surprised, or at least that's how it felt as she kept her tight grip onto Roland's arm. Maybe it was because of Steven, actually being nice instead of having an ill-mannered attitude towards her that it seemed shockingly different to her, even though his sense of humor was still idiotically present. She agreed to take the offer and sit down, though she held close to Roland still, though he could understand as to why of course. "All right," said Roland to her as he took it upon himself to lead her to the couch. Her grip was still intact with his arm, but she followed and found her spot to seat herself upon and relax, him sitting next to her afterwards. Once they were both seated, she rested her head onto his shoulder, staying quiet. "Good," said Steven as he was smiling, "Now that we are all settled, let's see what happens next." "How about some television?" said Roland, "I know you've been gaming ever since you got back here after school. Besides, maybe Avery wants to watch something." As soon as he said that, he looked next to him only to find that Avery had fell asleep. Knowing she has been having a rough time, and just getting out of a difficult situation, he understood that she was very tired, so he didn't say a word about it. Steven on the other hand……. "Well would you look at that," said Steven, leaning frontward's to see that Avery fell asleep on Roland's shoulder, giving a goofy look, "Looks like she wanted to hit the hay a little early. You know what that means?" "It means you're nerve-racking," said Roland, looking at Steven with a sarcastic smile, turning away afterwards rolling his eyes. A couple of minutes afterwards, Mr. and Mrs. Noonan came into the main room to check if everything was ok, and of course for Mrs. Noonan to meet Avery. "Is everything ok in here," asked Mrs. Noonan. "Fine," said Steven, focusing on his game while replying, "Though it seems someone is becoming a bit tempered with me for no apparent reason." "Steven is acting like usually does. An idiot," said Roland as he replied to Mrs. Noonan's question, "But the person I wanted you to meet is in dreamland right now." "Oh," replied Mrs. Noonan, "Well let her rest for now. I don't want to wake her up. The poor girl." "You should have seen the hospital," followed up Mr. Noonan, finding his way into the conversation, "It was nonstop. Photographers and cameramen all over the place. Reporters trying to get inside, pushing and shoving. All of that just to see one little girl about her abusive lifestyle." "Oh my goodness," said Mrs. Noonan after hearing of the events near the emergency room, "It must have been a big deal if there was people shoving each other to get inside." "Basically because it's the biggest thing to happen to happen in our boring town," said Steven. "Avery?" said Roland, trying to wake up Avery once more so that she could meet Mrs. Noonan.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery was not easy to wake at first for she was just to tired about what had happened and her body just wanted her to rest for a long period of time to help her body recover. But she was once again awoken by Roland and groaned whn he did that. "Why can't I just sleep I am tired." She said to him as she slowly opened her eyes but her head was still on his shoulder. Once she looked up too see pretty much everyone was looking at her and she shrunk back a bit since she was still not that social and not used to having all eyes on her. "um.....hi." was all she said when she saw Mrs. Noonan was looking at her and it was Avery's first time meeting her in person. "What am I suppose to do Roland?" She asked Roland in a whisper for sh had no clue at what to do or say. Avery was just sitting in the room in scrubs from the hospital, no real clothes, exhausted, and was just tired. But she was also scared about making a good first impression with Mrs. Noonan since its thier first meeting each other. Avery's grip had retightened on his arm for she was just mainly scared and it was just going to take time for her to get back to normal well in societies eyes at least. She woulld still be mentally scared from what she went through and will hesitate around men (expect Roland and Mr. Noonan) due to what her s call father did to her.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans As Avery awoke, her voice speaking in tiresome grievance as she complained about waking up, everyone in the room stood and watch as she opened her eyes and wondered of what her reaction was going to be. Once she looked around and noticed all eyes were on her, an expression of worry developed onto her as she nervously spoke to Mrs. Noonan, telling her hello. "You must be Avery," said Mrs. Noonan with a sweet smile across her face, "I've heard many things about you. How are you feeling sweetheart?" Roland had hoped that Mrs. Noonan's cheerful and bright personality would bring Avery a bit more comfort, but instead she was hesitant. She gripped Roland's arm very tight and asked what was she suppose to do next. He knew that she was scared, mainly because of the gripping pain he was feeling in his arm, but he didn't want her to feel this way. "Tell her whatever you feel," he said to her, "Just be honest with us so that we can help you. Nobody is here to hurt you Avery." As Mr. Noonan kept quiet and Steven focusing back onto the television, Mrs. Noonan leaned down to lower herself into Avery's position. While on one knee, she reached out to grab Avery's hand gently, trying to comfort her and tell her that everything would be ok. "I know you've been through a lot of pain," she said softly, "But nobody is going to bring harm to you sweetie. Everything you have been through can be forgotten because you've been giving a chance at a better life with us, and we are going help you in any possible way we can. It might take a while, and I can understand that, but just be open with us so that we can help you."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery was still frighten wtih everything for she was mainly used to Roland not the Noonan family, except for Mr. Noonan a little. Steven she was still not at all sure about since he was well strange to her and for Mrs. Noonan she had mainly encountered problems from people that were her gender with her mom walking out and having all the female students torture her more mentally. But when Mrs Noonan grasped her hand she flinched a bit showing how badly she had been abused to be scared even of a gental touch. But it also showed Mrs. Noonan how skinny she truly was due to being malnourished. "This all feels so weird I am not used to all this people caring and wanting to help it is all so new to me for I am still scared of the world having a mom who walked out on me and then a dad blame me for everything makes me scared of people except Roalnd and hi stubbornness in wanting to talk to me." Avery explained a little tense from everything."And it is also weird taht all I have for clothes are these scrubs now I miss my jeans and sweater I wore all the time, even my run down sneakers." She said for she had grown used to wearing those clothes all the time it was comfort but she knew that the hospital cut her clothes off so they could take her in for surgery. The big thing that was going t take time was her trust in people. The only person she had truly trust was Roland. She had loosened her grip on him a bit after realizing that she had a tight squeeze on his arm. Avery mainly had no clue at what else to say or do now she felt tired, exhausted, scared, and a bunch of weird emotions that was just spining in her head. "I am sorry for being so skittish I never really grew up with great role models in my life." she apologized to them.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans As the family tried to make Avery feel more welcome and accepted in the household, she had explained to them how she was not used to any sort of concern to her well-being from others. She talked about her fear of people and her parents, mainly her father, but mentioned her meeting with Roland and how determined he was to talk to her. Once Roland heard he was mentioned, a smirk rose upon his face. Avery then discussed her clothing issue, stating that her normal attire consisting of her sweater, jeans and wore out shoes were basically gone. "Don't you worry on that sweetheart," said Mrs. Noonan, replying quickly after Avery finished talking, "First thing we plan to do for you is clothes shopping, and you can pick and choose whatever you would like." As Mrs. Noonan stood back up straight on her feet, Roland noticed a bit more of ease and less pain in his arm, realizing Avery was starting to feel a bit more relaxed. Afterwards, Avery began to apologize, telling them she was acting nervous and stated that she never had grew up with great role models. The Noonan's and Roland began to laugh after they were called role models. None of them had ever considered of ever thought of being worthy to be called such, but it was very nice of her to say. "You don't have to apologize Avery," said Mr. Noonan, "It's ok. We just want you to feel at home is all, and we are going to help you in every possible way we can." "Yeah," said Steven abruptly joining in the conversation with a pleasant look, "Though it isn't very often to be called a role model." Roland had looked over to Steven, giving him an awkward expression, with Steven looking back at Roland confused. "What?" said Steven. "Either way," began Roland, looking back over to Avery, "We're here for you Avery. Don't ever feel like you can't talk to us about anything. Me, Mr. and Mrs. Noonan, we will help you with anything you ask." Roland knew that it would take time for her adjustment into a new lifestyle, especially being placed into a new family, but he knew in the back of his head that everything will work out. He felt that everything eventually will be ok, and that Avery could one day become a happier person, hopefully, but only time would tell.</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery was still a bit nervous around the Noonan but she did feel a bit more at ease at seeing how kind they were to her and sweet....well except for Steven who was obviusly not payng attention to what was going on. She just looked at Mr. And Mrs. Noonan as they talked to her espcially about the part of them taking her shopping for new clothes even though she felt weird about going out because of the news people. "Thank you Mrs. Noonan but I am scared to go outside those reporters are ruthless on trying to get an interview with me about what happens to me and hw all this happened." Avery said for she was scared to go outside now for she hated how they try to force an interview on her. She did smile at bit when they said that they just wanted her happy but when Steven ntervien in the convo she just looked at him. "Um Steven no offense but I only see Mr. And Mr.s Noonan along with Roland as Role models sorr the last few times we meet you did not seem very thrilled I was around." She said to him while she scooted closer to Roland. "But tank you all for everything I know its going to take time for me since this is a big adjustment for me nd I hope I can adjust with no hiccups but hopefully I do not get so nervous and scared." Avery said as she placed her head on Rolans shoulder for she was still tired and exhausted from the day and felt like she could sleep for a week or a month maybe.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans It's if as though Avery seemed more calm when the Noonan's told her that everything was going to adjust and get better, and in doing so, she was constantly thanking them for all the things they have done for her so far, and for what's to come. Addressing Mrs. Noonan with the reporters, she knew for a fact that it would cause more of a stir if they had gotten their hands onto Avery, which would make more matters worse for her. "I know you're scared sweetheart," said Mrs. Noonan to Avery, looking over to her husband to notify him with the problem as well, "Maybe we can find someway to keep them away from here, but I wouldn't know how." "We'll find someway….eventually," said Mr. Noonan, scratching the back of his head as he replied. Avery even addressed Steven on him not being a sort of role model, explaining that their meetings seemed of an annoyance to him. Though he knew it was the truth, he didn't want to say anything due to embarrassment, so he kept quiet and continued to what he was doing. But out of all of it, Roland could see that Avery had felt safe as she thanked them once more before laying her head down onto his shoulder. Though he wasn't really sure if she was going to sleep, he knew she was very tired and wore out. "Can I ask you guys a favor?" said Roland to Mr. and Mrs. Noonan quietly whispering, "Could you guys fix up my room very quick so I can bring Avery in there to go to sleep?" "Yeah, sure" replied Mr. Noonan, "Just give me a couple of minutes. I assume your room isn't too much of a mess is it?" "It shouldn't be," giggled Roland a little bit, "Not like Steven's room I'm sure." As Mr. Noonan walked out of the main room, headed to Roland's bedroom to fix up his bed, Mrs. Noonan walked out as well and headed straight into the kitchen, leaving Steven, Roland and Avery by themselves in the living room. "Her dad, he's in jail now isn't he?" questioned Steven, "Or is he out running the streets in hiding, avoiding the police stuff?" Though Roland knew that Avery's father would stop at no ends to retrieve her back into his possession, he felt that with the help and support of the Noonan's, plus the security of the cops, she would be much more distant and safer away from him. Though the media said he was in prison, he could find any way to escape at any time, which could mean trouble for everyone involved. "The media announced that he was caught and thrown in jail," said Roland to Steven, "But honestly, I'm not entirely sure. It's kind of frightening to think on it." "But," said Steven with a smirk on his face, "You would have to admit it's kind of exciting too." Roland looked at Steven as if he had lost his mind, shaking his head as he continued on the subject. "No Steven. None of this is exciting. If you've only heard the things he did to Avery, how they both lived and how she was treated. It's nowhere near exciting. It's horrible."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery had fallen asleep on Rolands shoulder again wnating to just rest and just regain all the energy she lost from having to deal with ehr father, school and other things that made her stay on her toes until she finally was a bit fre. The media on her tail wnating t know all the details that she did not wish to bring up. ALl she wnated was for the memories of the ordeal to fade away and to never resurface again. while Roland was talking to Steven the new switched on with their breaking news. "Breaking news the young Girl Avery Jones has been reported to have been discharged from the hospital no information has been given n her wearabouts for the doctors code of confidentiality but many believe she must be in a foster care service and avoiding the public eye." The lady on the news said. "And in other breaking knews a terrible crime scene was found in the jail for a cop had been strangled to death and is believed to have been killed by an inmate that after killing the officer stle his keys to escape." She explained over the news and had paused for a moment. "I have been just informed that the inmate that has escaped is none other then Eric Jones father of Avery Jones so please contact the police for the police do say e is a dangerous man and hopefully his daughter is far far away by now." Once the breaking news ended and the normal program was running. Good thing Avery was to deep in a sleep to hear what was going on the tv but if she were to hear it or knew her father was coming after her she would flip and freak non-stop feeling like she would have to run away and try to disappear in some way shape or form.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans The conversation had drove to a halt as the local news had appeared to briefly give out an official update to Roland and Avery's previous location earlier, claiming that Avery was released out of hospital care and sent to a foster care facility. "Well would you look at that," exclaimed Steven, "She's making the headlines. Just think now, she's going to be one of the biggest things to happen at our school. Seriously, nothing this big has ever hit our town before…or at least in the case of violence that is." Steven seemed to be thrilled with all of what was being announced, but Roland just shook his head without saying a word, focusing on what other topics were to be revealed on the broadcast. He looked over to Avery, finding her sound asleep next to him, looking peaceful. He smiled a bit, but the smile quickly went away with the next report being revealed. The news announced just after that a cop was just killed by a brutal strangulation from none other than the man who was placed in jail not long ago, revealing to be Avery's father as the report led on to claim he had escaped prison. Knowing all of this had Roland in shock. He knew what his plans were, who he was going to look for, and what he could do to get her back, and it made him start to worry not only for Avery's safety, but for the Noonan's, his other family, and what would result if they were found by the recent escapee. Though Roland wasn't the only to witness this unpleasant story, Steven's reaction was just about the same as they both stared at the television with an upsetting look on their faces. "That's bad, isn't it?" questioned Steven, once thrilled but now worried as he turned to Roland. "I would say so," replied Roland with a tone of fear. "Avery," exclaimed Mrs. Noonan as she called for Avery to inform her on the room being ready, "Avery? The room is ready for you sweetheart." Roland couldn't really move himself, couldn't think or say anything, just sitting there as he wondered where would Avery's father go. Where would he try to look? Or a better question…. Where is he now?</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery woke up when Mrs. Noonan woke her up and her eyes a bit trying to wake a up a bit and thank fully th news was talking about other stuff and not about her father's escape anymore. "Sorry guess I am really tired my bdy must be really relaxed and not runnign on adrenaline anymore." She said and looked at Roland and saw he was pale as a ghost. "Roland are you ok?" She asked him. Her father was on the run growling for he was furious now. Avery once I find you i will send you to hell that is a promise." He said to as he kept running he killed somoene in a car and took the car leaving the dead body on the road as he drove off on the hunt. Avery after a bit finally left to go to Rolands old room to go lay down for her body was just to drained for everything and just wanted to sleep the rest of the day away for she felt like she could sleep for 24 hours but she did wondered what was wrong with Roland for he loked so scared about soething but he looked like he did not want to tell her at all. She wen to th room and loooked at it and thought it as the nicest room around for all she was was a matreess broken furniture and an old blanket when she lived with her dad. It was nice to be in a real room. She thanks Mrs. Noonan for everythignand sat on the bed looking at her feet a bit before laying down again and slowly falling a sleep not knwing what will happen tomorrow or if she is willing to go to school at all due to the fast she had no real clothes just the scrubs the hospital gave her and all her supplies were still back at the old house. Cops and sanitation crew was working in the house to clean it up and collect things that might belonged to Avery and also some were there just to see if her father would go back to the house.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans Roland looked over to Avery, his eyes wide of concern as he expressed them yet he didn't want her to be worried of him nor of what he just learned, replying with a lying nod as he began scratching the back of his head. "Y-yeah. Yeah, I'm ok Avery. Nothing to worry about," he said, unconvincing as he turned his view back to the tv. Steven looked over to Roland, knowing that he was lying as he crossed his arms in disbelief of what he was doing. He knew when Roland was lying, and also knew how not good of a liar he was. As Avery got up and was heading to Roland's room, now fully prepared for her to rest in as Mr. Noonan left the inside of it, Mrs. Noonan waited before shutting off the lights, wanting to make sure Avery looked comfortable enough to sleep. Once it had seemed confirmed, she shut off the lights. "Try to rest ok sweetheart?," said Mrs. Noonan with a comforting tone, "We will be here if you need anything. Don't be afraid to ask." Once all was said, a simple but sweet "Goodnight," was said from Mrs. Noonan as she closed the bedroom door. With Mrs. Noonan walking back into the kitchen, the only ones left in the main room was Roland and Steven. Both were still surprised from learning of the escape of Avery's father, fearing of the events to come. "I would have told her, ya know," said Steven to Roland, "She has a right to know." "Dude what the hell?" said Roland with a more frustrated tone of anger, "I'm trying not to get her upset, and you're over there saying I should tell her that her father is coming to find her? What I should just tell her 'Hey, you're not going to believe this, but your dad just busted out of prison and is coming to find you right now' and hope she'll be ok with it? Seriously." As Roland was now more ticked off, he wanted nothing more than to just steer clear of Steven's stupidity of words. In doing so, he picked himself up from his seat and was making his way into the kitchen. "It could be worse," mumbled Steven to himself. As Roland had entered the kitchen, he sighted both of Steven's parents keeping busy. Mr. Noonan was reading over some bill papers at the kitchen table, while Mrs. Noonan was preparing dinner. Once she turned to notice Roland's presence, seeing his face was pure red and distraught, she question him to see what was the matter. "Roland?" asked Mrs. Noonan, "Are you ok? You look as if you're going to explode." Mr. Noonan raised his attention to notice Roland in the kitchen as well, his face puzzled as to seeing that Roland wasn't looking too happy on something. "Steven is just keeping me in a bad mood is all," answered Roland, popping a question afterwards, "Can we talk for a minute?" "Yes, of course," said Mr. Noonan, getting up to pull out a chair for Roland to sit in so that he could sit down and discuss his issue with each other, "Something wrong?"</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery had fallen asleep on Rolands shoulder again wnating to just rest and just regain all the energy she lost from having to deal with ehr father, school and other things that made her stay on her toes until she finally was a bit fre. The media on her tail wnating t know all the details that she did not wish to bring up. ALl she wnated was for the memories of the ordeal to fade away and to never resurface again. while Roland was talking to Steven the new switched on with their breaking news. "Breaking news the young Girl Avery Jones has been reported to have been discharged from the hospital no information has been given n her wearabouts for the doctors code of confidentiality but many believe she must be in a foster care service and avoiding the public eye." The lady on the news said. "And in other breaking knews a terrible crime scene was found in the jail for a cop had been strangled to death and is believed to have been killed by an inmate that after killing the officer stle his keys to escape." She explained over the news and had paused for a moment. "I have been just informed that the inmate that has escaped is none other then Eric Jones father of Avery Jones so please contact the police for the police do say e is a dangerous man and hopefully his daughter is far far away by now." Once the breaking news ended and the normal program was running. Good thing Avery was to deep in a sleep to hear what was going on the tv but if she were to hear it or knew her father was coming after her she would flip and freak non-stop feeling like she would have to run away and try to disappear in some way shape or form.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans The conversation had drove to a halt as the local news had appeared to briefly give out an official update to Roland and Avery's previous location earlier, claiming that Avery was released out of hospital care and sent to a foster care facility. "Well would you look at that," exclaimed Steven, "She's making the headlines. Just think now, she's going to be one of the biggest things to happen at our school. Seriously, nothing this big has ever hit our town before…or at least in the case of violence that is." Steven seemed to be thrilled with all of what was being announced, but Roland just shook his head without saying a word, focusing on what other topics were to be revealed on the broadcast. He looked over to Avery, finding her sound asleep next to him, looking peaceful. He smiled a bit, but the smile quickly went away with the next report being revealed. The news announced just after that a cop was just killed by a brutal strangulation from none other than the man who was placed in jail not long ago, revealing to be Avery's father as the report led on to claim he had escaped prison. Knowing all of this had Roland in shock. He knew what his plans were, who he was going to look for, and what he could do to get her back, and it made him start to worry not only for Avery's safety, but for the Noonan's, his other family, and what would result if they were found by the recent escapee. Though Roland wasn't the only to witness this unpleasant story, Steven's reaction was just about the same as they both stared at the television with an upsetting look on their faces. "That's bad, isn't it?" questioned Steven, once thrilled but now worried as he turned to Roland. "I would say so," replied Roland with a tone of fear. "Avery," exclaimed Mrs. Noonan as she called for Avery to inform her on the room being ready, "Avery? The room is ready for you sweetheart." Roland couldn't really move himself, couldn't think or say anything, just sitting there as he wondered where would Avery's father go. Where would he try to look? Or a better question…. Where is he now?</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery woke up when Mrs. Noonan woke her up and her eyes a bit trying to wake a up a bit and thank fully th news was talking about other stuff and not about her father's escape anymore. "Sorry guess I am really tired my bdy must be really relaxed and not runnign on adrenaline anymore." She said and looked at Roland and saw he was pale as a ghost. "Roland are you ok?" She asked him. Her father was on the run growling for he was furious now. Avery once I find you i will send you to hell that is a promise." He said to as he kept running he killed somoene in a car and took the car leaving the dead body on the road as he drove off on the hunt. Avery after a bit finally left to go to Rolands old room to go lay down for her body was just to drained for everything and just wanted to sleep the rest of the day away for she felt like she could sleep for 24 hours but she did wondered what was wrong with Roland for he loked so scared about soething but he looked like he did not want to tell her at all. She wen to th room and loooked at it and thought it as the nicest room around for all she was was a matreess broken furniture and an old blanket when she lived with her dad. It was nice to be in a real room. She thanks Mrs. Noonan for everythignand sat on the bed looking at her feet a bit before laying down again and slowly falling a sleep not knwing what will happen tomorrow or if she is willing to go to school at all due to the fast she had no real clothes just the scrubs the hospital gave her and all her supplies were still back at the old house. Cops and sanitation crew was working in the house to clean it up and collect things that might belonged to Avery and also some were there just to see if her father would go back to the house.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Roland looked over to Avery, his eyes wide of concern as he expressed them yet he didn't want her to be worried of him nor of what he just learned, replying with a lying nod as he began scratching the back of his head. "Y-yeah. Yeah, I'm ok Avery. Nothing to worry about," he said, unconvincing as he turned his view back to the tv. Steven looked over to Roland, knowing that he was lying as he crossed his arms in disbelief of what he was doing. He knew when Roland was lying, and also knew how not good of a liar he was. As Avery got up and was heading to Roland's room, now fully prepared for her to rest in as Mr. Noonan left the inside of it, Mrs. Noonan waited before shutting off the lights, wanting to make sure Avery looked comfortable enough to sleep. Once it had seemed confirmed, she shut off the lights. "Try to rest ok sweetheart?," said Mrs. Noonan with a comforting tone, "We will be here if you need anything. Don't be afraid to ask." Once all was said, a simple but sweet "Goodnight," was said from Mrs. Noonan as she closed the bedroom door. With Mrs. Noonan walking back into the kitchen, the only ones left in the main room was Roland and Steven. Both were still surprised from learning of the escape of Avery's father, fearing of the events to come. "I would have told her, ya know," said Steven to Roland, "She has a right to know." "Dude what the hell?" said Roland with a more frustrated tone of anger, "I'm trying not to get her upset, and you're over there saying I should tell her that her father is coming to find her? What I should just tell her 'Hey, you're not going to believe this, but your dad just busted out of prison and is coming to find you right now' and hope she'll be ok with it? Seriously." As Roland was now more ticked off, he wanted nothing more than to just steer clear of Steven's stupidity of words. In doing so, he picked himself up from his seat and was making his way into the kitchen. "It could be worse," mumbled Steven to himself. As Roland had entered the kitchen, he sighted both of Steven's parents keeping busy. Mr. Noonan was reading over some bill papers at the kitchen table, while Mrs. Noonan was preparing dinner. Once she turned to notice Roland's presence, seeing his face was pure red and distraught, she question him to see what was the matter. "Roland?" asked Mrs. Noonan, "Are you ok? You look as if you're going to explode." Mr. Noonan raised his attention to notice Roland in the kitchen as well, his face puzzled as to seeing that Roland wasn't looking too happy on something. "Steven is just keeping me in a bad mood is all," answered Roland, popping a question afterwards, "Can we talk for a minute?" "Yes, of course," said Mr. Noonan, getting up to pull out a chair for Roland to sit in so that he could sit down and discuss his issue with each other, "Something wrong?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery thanked mrs. Noonan and dozed off into a peaceful sleep not knowing what was happening or going on at all. She did dream but it was plain simple ones out there where nothing happened in her dream and she knew that but did not care at all for it was the first night that she could peacefully dream and not fear her father would come and do something or one of his friends. The past is what she desired to forget and just move on in hopes of finally being happy once again and not live in a little world full of fear and not knowing if she was going to die the next day or not. She remained curled up into a ball in a deep sleep not knowing how much she actually missed sleeping in a real bed instea of an old mattress on the floor. To her she was in paradise and was glad to finally just be a normal teenager and possibly have a great future. But unfortunately her father was out and on the hunt for Avery saying it was finally time for the brat to die. "I am coming for you Avery soon your blood will spill and all the bad you caused will be erased with the price of your blood." He said as he went off robbing a convenience store and killing a couple to steal their car and drove off to find the little brat that he believed ruined everything in his life, especially his marriage to his wife. After a few hours though Avery opened her eyes and sat up looking around trying to remember where she was at but soon reliazed she was being fostered at Roland's families friends home. She slowly got out of bed and made her way to the door looking out still a bit cautious about everything. Once she saw the hall was empty and slowly walked out and made her ways down stairs for she wanted a drink of water at least. She did not want to bother Mr. or Mrs. Noonan for a drink since they were nice enough for her to stay with them. She made her way to the kitchen slowly wanting to stay quiet and not cause any problems.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans "Well…kind of," said Roland, taking a seat near the kitchen table, "I'm kind of worried." "Well Roland, we're all worried," said Mr. Noonan, laughing a bit, "I mean we know you care about Avery, and we-" "Yeah, but.." continued Roland as he interrupted, "It's just that…well…I have a feeling that he's going to find her, you know? And that when he does, he'll try to kill all of us for trying to-" "Roland" said Mrs. Noonan interrupting Roland this time, "Are you talking about Avery's father?" "Yeah," replied Roland as his face expressed a worrisome look, "I mean, I want to help Avery, but I'm scared also. Her father will probably do anything he can to find her…but I don't want anyone of us to get killed trying to protect her. It's just not right." As Mrs. Noonan walked over to the sink to clean her hands very quick, she knew that not only was Roland worried of Avery's safety, but everyone else's as well. "We'll figure something out along the way sweetheart," said Mrs. Noonan to Roland happily, "If it comes down to it, we'll have a patrol of troops guarding outside the house, you know like in the movies?" "Exactly," said Mr. Noonan laughing a bit harder now, "We'll be ready for whatever happens Roland. Even if we have to leave town or go into another continent, we will be one step ahead and do everything in our power to keep each other safe. You need not worry ok?" As they spoke of their plans, it made Roland feel a bit calmer, but the feeling still stood within him. He believed Mr. and Mrs. Noonan, but he wasn't sure as to what could happen, or if things would be too late. It was boggling him so much that he couldn't think straight, but he knew he wouldn't be able to fight it off unless something could be done. "I'm going to try to rest a bit too I guess," said Roland as he got up and began walking away from the table. "You aren't hungry?" asked Mrs. Noonan, "Dinner will be ready shortly." "Will you save a bit for me and Avery?" asked Noonan, "I know she'll be hungry when she wakes up." Mrs. Noonan smile back at him nodding, agreeing to leave leftovers for both him and Avery. Once all was said and done, the only thing Roland wanted to do now was get a couple of hours of sleep. "Steven," said Roland, plopping down onto the couch, "Try to keep the noise down ok? By the way, dinner will be ready in a few moments." "Really?" said Steven, "Well then I'm going to the kitchen. You can have the living room all you want because I'm starving." As Steven rushed out of the main room, Roland made himself more comfortable by laying across the couch, resting his head onto the armrest and closing his eyes. Even though there was still a bit of noise coming from the kitchen, it wasn't too much to keep him awake as he starting dozing off and eventually falling asleep. Hours later, Roland had woke up hearing a noise that sounded like footsteps. The rooms were dark due to the lights being out, but it wasn't going to prevent him as to finding out who was up roaming around. As he got himself up off the couch, he reached up to the ceiling fan and pulled the switch to turn on the lights in the room. "Someone awake?" questioned Roland, waiting for a reply to find out if anyone was up and near.</s>
<\|description\|>Knight-Corporal Douglas Barten Working on Douglas' history</s> <\|message\|>Knight-Corporal Douglas Barten We knew sooner or later that the Circle of Magi would of rebel against the Templar Order and the Chantry, but not this soon. Grand Cleric Elthina is dead and her Chantry is destroyed by the mages. Knight-Commander Meredith and First Enchanter Orsino both dead by the hands of the Champion. I heard around the market area that it was caused by the healer down in Lowtown, Andes, and that he's dead by the hands of Ethan Hawke, the Champion of Kirkwall. It seems a bit ironic since Hawke is a mage like Andres, but unlike the other mages that I have heard. He believed that mages should stay in the Circle to train and handle their magic better. Sadly, Hawke is missing, just like the Hero of Ferelden, Stephen Amell. At a time that we needed them the most, they just disappear like that. Their companions broke apart as soon as their leaders disappeared, but they are still trying to help out on both sides of the Mage-Templar War. It has been almost three weeks since the Kirkwall Rebellion started and the news of the Champion's disappearances darkens the hope of ending the Mage-Templar War before it spreads. But, it is too late from that. Maker help us in the upcoming months... Marching on the dirt road as the men and women of the Templar Order were marching from hours and hours. Another Right of Annulment was requested by the Knight-Commander of the Ostwick Circle nearby Kirkwall. The Commander, along with other templars, were trapped in the fist floor of the lobby. The main door was barred shut, because the door was the only thing to hold back the mages for escaping. Now that they rebel against the Order, they would give their lives in order to break that door. The marching began to stop as they heard a strong explosion sound coming near the Circle. Something had happened and it sounded bad. Now, the marching stopped as one person shouted, "GET TO THE TOWER QUICKLY.". It was time to run from the tower and with amour on, it was hard to run in. The ones with the amour on usually have a sword and a shield with them or just a long sword. The one without the swords and shields were carrying bows, they were the skilled archers from different parts of Thedas (mostly the southern part of it). The brave warriors, running towards the tower, were near the doors of Ostwick. As the doors to Ostwick opened, a group of templars came out of the towers as they were thankful that help came. "Where is the Knight-Corporal of this group?" said one of the templars from the tower. The question was shortly answer as he ran towards them and said, "Right here.". He stopped to catch his breath as looked at the others as he said, "Where is the Knight-Commander?". "He's inside, making such that the door doesn't break and keep the men for shitting themselves." said the templar, with a grinned on his face. The Corporal looked onto him and quietly laughed as he said with a foreign voice, "Thanks for telling me that.". He wasn't from the Free Marches, clearly from the voice, he was from Ferelden. He joined the Templar Order at the age of sixteen and he fought in the Battle of Denerim at the age of twenty-eight. The man marched inside as he saw the Knight-Commander, talking to a mage; but, they weren't happy to see each other. They were sitting, the mage was tied up and watched from any sigh that 'it' was going to use magic. He stool up and slapped the mage in the face, as 'it' fell onto the ground. The Commander sighed as he said, "I didn't want to do that, but you made me do it.". "I got to talk to someone." said the Commander, "Why don't you be a good mage and stay put.". He left the mage behind as another templar came up to 'it'. The Commander smiled as he said, "Thank the Maker, you're finally here.". "A week of sitting here and waiting until help came." said the Commander, as he looked at the door and smiled as his hope of retaking Ostwick, "Then you guys come here and now we can retake Ostwick.". He walked to the outside, where he saw the group that the Corporal came with. "Thank the Maker that the Order is still in one piece. Otherwise, we wouldn't get them." said the Commander, walking back inside as he and the others heard another strong explosion. It shook up the room a bit, but there wasn't any harm. The Corporal questioned the explosion as he said to the Commander, "Commander, what do you think they are doing up there?". "Who knows what they are doing up there." said the Commander, looking at the door, "Let's hope that they aren't planning to get us anytime soon.".</s> <\|message\|>Senior Enchanter Zayra Melthene She had come to help and they had shoved her face in the dirt and bound her in chains. In retrospect, she had been naïve. But the Tower had become a nightmare and she had been desperate for help. Twenty years she had lived in the Circle, and for twenty years she had believed the lie that the Templars were there to protect them. She had trusted their judgment when she helped drew blood for phylacteries. When her young apprentices expressed distaste for their watchers, she had urged understanding of their situation. Magic exists to serve man and never to rule him, she had sung, using both the Chant and cleverness to teach the children she'd once thought so misguided. Kneeling in the dirt, with the Knight Commander's contempt ringing in her pointed ears, Senior Enchanter Zayra Melthene decided that her young wards had been in the right. They had kept arrows trained on her breast and drained her magic the instant she had slipped into the courtyard, ignored every plea that fell from her lips. There were children—children—who could barely conjure sparks and breezes, in the broken tower. Children who were of no use to the First Enchanter but as beating hearts and veins to tap. She had believed, where no others had, that the Templars could not be so callous. She had known many of their number since she had been a child. The Knight Commander himself had once presided over her own Harrowing. He had nearly smiled at her, and praised her force of will. Now he kept her in chains, like a beast. They had voted for neutrality, all of them except First Enchanter Dmitry Talonhand. Kirkwall had rebelled—so he had decreed that Ostwick would follow. Zayra had been among the first to call him on his madness. They were not so foolish, to declare war on the chantry. Ostwick mages were more careful and their tower was not the Gallows. They were treated well. Abuses were found and punished here. Their Knight Commander, although stern, had been no fanatic. She had not expected Dmitry to slash his wrist and turn on them. He had been her mentor and she had loved him like a father. Yet he had turned on her when their council refused to submit. He had killed three of their number, three of her family, and enslaved another four. She and Senior Enchanter Uriah had turned and gathered those who loved their Circle, who loved their home, and barricaded themselves in the libraries. She had spent five days subsisting on lyrium potions and stale bread to keep the traitors at bay. They had begged through the door to those who were supposed to shield them, only to find that the Templars had called for the Rite of Annulment. So Zayra had found another way out of the tower. She was a master of force magic, after all, and there had been a window. Against Uriah's protests, she had jumped four stories. Instead of finding support, she had been branded a traitor. Her only saving grace had been that the Rite of Annulment had not yet arrived. Saved by their obsessive need for ceremony; it was not mercy. "We are not all lost," she pleaded, trying to make the Knight Commander see sense. "Dmitry has gone mad, but we voted against him! We dinnae wan' this, there are children who have done nothin' wrong, please—" The Knight Commander deigned her words worthy of the back of his armored hand and left her on the ground. Zayra's eyes swam, her mouth filling with coppery blood. She spat it out, swearing at the tightening of bows and blades. She was not so base as to surrender to the whispers in her head. Twenty years of magic and nine as a girl in the Alienage had taught her to give not an inch to the purrs of demons. She was not a monster. She was not Dmitry, inspired by madness. Kirkwall had started something monstrous. Mages everywhere would die, and for what? What freedom was there in apostasy? Nothing good ever came from blood magic. The reinforcements they'd spoken of were arriving, it seemed. Zayra tried not to hope. It would be too cruel to hope just before she died. She worked herself back to her knees from the cobbled ground, tossing cropped black hair out of her face. Her arms ached, pinned behind her, hands clamped out of casting position. As if she would ever have turned her magic on them—so many of them had been her friends. Or so she had thought. She'd never spat at them, even as a terrified little girl, the soot covered elf who had every reason to hate the shem in armor. Zayra had once thought that the Templars had saved her. They had brought her home. No one had beaten her for dropping plates in the Circle. No one had caressed her ears and dragged her to their bed chambers. She'd been given shoes and robes and taught how to read. The boy who had called her knife-ear… Dmitry had once made him apologise and put him to cleaning the privies for a month. Over the years, that boy had become a man and Uriah had become one of her closest friends. Her eyes stung, but she would not weep. Not like this. Not when those she had trusted had turned on her and her family so completely. The Knight Commander returned with strangers; she had banked on years of living together to make Ostwick's Templars see reason. She couldn't hope these reinforcements would show mercy. But she had to try—for the twenty eight children she and Uriah had sheltered in the lower library, she had to fight. An explosion echoed through the courtyard, dust raining down on their number. A wail of shuddering agony ripped through her throat as her green eyes saw a flare of fire but a level above the library. No. She had left them weakened and if Dmitry's thralls touched even a single child, she would unleash every hell imaginable. "Knight Corporal," she spoke in a desperate rush, recognizing the rank insignia of their guest, "Please, you have to listen to me, we haven' all turned. The First Enchanter has gone mad—he's killed so many of us, he took the upper third of the tower, but we've resisted. We dinnae want to rebel, this is our home. There are nearly thirty children in the library, but we couldnae keep them out on our own—please—those children only have six Enchanters to help keep them safe, and the First has blood magic and demons." Her voice had broken, but her eyes burned, shoulders trembling. If she could only touch her magic, slow their arrows and get back to the tower. She needed to be there, to be an immovable object when they came for the children. The First would not stop until he'd bled every one of them dry, and Zayra would sooner die than lose even one.</s>	<\|message\|>Knight-Corporal Douglas Barten "Please, you have to listen to me, we haven't all turned. The First Enchanter has gone mad—he's killed so many of us, he took the upper third of the tower, but we've resisted. We didn't want to rebel, this is our home. There are nearly thirty children in the library, but we couldn't keep them out on our own—please—those children only have six Enchanters to help keep them safe, and the First has blood magic and demons." the mage said with a desperate rush to the Corporal. The Knight-Commander ordered that the templar get closer to her, in case she uses the mage on them. The Commander wanted to slapped her for it; but, decided against that as it would make the whole thing worst. The Commander sighed once more as he walked away for the mage and dragged the Corporal along. "Don't mind her, she also has been to a lot." said the Commander as he wanted to change the subject quickly. The Corporal wanted to know more about the mage, sitting there and looking at them. "Who is the mage, Commander?" said the Corporal as he looked at her and then towards the nervous Commander as he said, "She is Zayra Melthene, a mage that we found escaping the tower. Let's avoid her for now as we got more matter than this 'knifed ear'.". It was the first time that he insulted the mage, that he believed in and watched her grow into a person that she is now. Now, he isn't such that either she's controlled by blood magic or now. He felt bad for calling her that name, but he didn't mean to call her 'knifed ear'. It was just the stress of waiting for almost a week until the others came. He heard screaming and explosions over and over as he sat and waited for what seem years. And he was not using that anger and targeted it all towards Zayra. They heard another explosion, which caused something to fall as it made a huge bame sound. "It must have been one of the bookshelves, sir." said a rookie templar, as he had been in the library before the tower rebel. The Commander looked up as he sighed again and pointed towards the door, "Get the door ready to open.". The templars rushed to the door as they waited for his command to open it. The Commander walked towards Zayra as he said, "If you are right about this, then you're coming with us.". He got her up for the chair as other templar made such that she couldn't make a run for it. "We hope that the First Enchanter is willing to trade the children for you, Zayra. But, if you're lying to us about this, I will make my job to finish you off." said the Commander as he had doubt of Zayra's story. But, if he is at the library, then they could get a chance to kill the First Enchanter.. The Corporal walked towards the Commander and asked him one question, "What will I do?". The Commander simply said, "You will go with Zayra and some other templar guards as I will stay here and get the men ready for your return.". The Corporal walked towards Zayra as the Commander walked away for her. The Corporal looked at her as she was pushed towards the door by the templars, that were going to follow him. He stopped and waited until the Commander said, "Open the Door.". The huge doors were soon opened as the Commander said those words. They walked forward as the door began to close, to protect the only way out. Zayra pushed by the other templars as they walked away for the Commander. He then decided to say something else to them as he said, "Good luck and may the Maker be with you.". He believed in the Maker, as every templar was, and as soon as the doors closed, he prayed to the Maker to protect them as the doors shut once more.</s>
<\|description\|>Knight-Corporal Douglas Barten Working on Douglas' history</s> <\|message\|>Senior Enchanter Zayra Melthene Knife ear. The words cut deeper than they ought to. It had been years since anyone had called her that inside the Circle. She'd almost forgotten what she was to them; an uppity elf, someone who was meant to be cleaning chambers, some thing that no one would miss if it disappeared after it was used up. The First Enchanter had always been her fiercest defender. He'd found those who had wounded her and put them to work. Some had grown from it; others had simply learned to keep their views quiet. Evidently, now that the First had gone mad, the Knight Commander saw no reason to bite his tongue. Knife ear. Her face burned, the sting of humiliation touching a nerve of temper. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been so furious. She'd worked so hard, had endured so much to earn their trust and their respect. And none of it had mattered. All of her worth had been tied up in the First Enchanter's clout. And now he was an abomination and Zayra was a knife ear once more. For a moment, she could hear the whispers, stronger now, trying to tap into her rage. They will take you to your children and turn on you. The shems will gut everyone you love or turn them tranquil. Little knife ear, you will be lucky if they kill you. Pray to your Maker that they kill you before they defile you. Let me help save you, let me in— Zayra grit her teeth, forcing herself to ignore those insidious whispers. She would not save those children by falling. She would only doom them, either to Templars or her own horrors, if she surrendered. She took a steadying breath, eyes shut tight. Magic exists to serve man, and never to rule over him. Foul and corrupt are they who have taken His gift and turned— Another explosion rocked the courtyard. Zayra's eyes flew open, and Maker's breath—that was too close to the library. What if they breached it—the children—she tried desperately to touch the curl of magic in her breast, but it did not respond. These damned Templars, these traitors— They were opening the door. Zayra wanted to spit at the Knight Commander, but he offered a deal and she stilled her temper. Trade her for the children? Truthfully, she did not think the First Enchanter would take such an offer. She suspected he had sent thralls to the library—Dmitry was mad, but not foolish. He would have sequestered himself in the observatory at the top of the tower. He would not collect his sacrifices himself, not if he had any sense. But it was the only chance she had to return to the tower. She was terrified to die, but better her than blameless children. Their only crime was that they had been born with magic. "You will do as y'must, I am certain, Commander," she hissed, ears flattening against her skull in her irritation. Knife ear. Her eyes burned as she struggled to her feet. The chains were awkward and heavy, and she was a slight woman. With her magic, she could have easily altered their weight and born the burden, but she was denied its warmth. Was this how Tranquil felt, she wondered, heart racing in sudden terror. She felt so empty, so dead inside without the comfort of her magic. It was as if someone had plucked the heart from her chest and replaced it with a stone carving. Everything felt wrong. The Templars shoved her along. Pins and needles stung her feet as she tried not to stumble, to keep pace with their number. Her chin jut outwards in defiance as she tried to walk with some semblance of dignity. She would die here, but she would not die cowering. The Knight Commander offered his blessing to their group, and her heart ached with a fresh wound. Why? Why would He let them suffer like this? Why did He let demons and monsters destroy their home and take so much life? She had never known such doubt before this moment. She had loved the Maker, had always found comfort in the Chant of Light. She knew the stories of Andraste and Shartan, knew in her heart that the Maker and His Bride had room even for little knife ears at their side. But she'd also known that the Templars were their protectors, and she'd been proven so very, very wrong there. Maybe the Maker did not love all His children. Maybe mages and knife ears were not worthy of His love. Who was she to understand the mind of their creator? "Blessed are the peacekeepers, champions of the just," she murmured beneath her breath, her words lost in the clatter of armor. She wasn't sure she believed the benediction herself. These righteous men and women, after all, had called for the Right of Annulment. Perhaps it had to be her. Somehow, with no magic nor staff, and in chains, she had to save their youngest from tranquility and possession and death. Zayra was not sure her slim shoulders could carry such a burden. The door shut behind them with a heavy thud, and Zayra took a shuddering breath. Her feet felt numb, the world span lazily on a slight axis. She was exhausted, but she forced herself forward. The Circle of Ostwick was a shadow of its former self. The main floor had always been lit by a dozen hearths, drying herbs and oils filling the tower with rich and lovely scents. It had been a warm welcome all those years ago. Now the hearths were cold and empty, the tapestries burned, and the tower smelled of sulphur and copper. The staircases on either side of the gargantuan circular room were dark and still. Zayra eyed the staircase to the right, gathering her nerve. "The library is on the fourth floor," she informed the Knight Corporal, heart racing ever faster, trying to find his eyes through his helm. They didn't trust her, but she had to make them see sense. Maker, they were doomed. "We sealed all entrances, from above and below. Senior Enchanter Uriah will let me in, but I will need to help unlock the seal. Dozens of abominations and demons stalk these halls. We numbered nearly ninety Harrowed mages before this nightmare began. Knight Corporal, you and your men need my magic."</s> <\|message\|>Knight-Corporal Douglas Barten After the door shut behind them, the group began to walk towards the steps, which will most likely lead them to the library. He knew that the library was on the fourth floors, because of Zayra as she said towards the others. One of the templars looked at her funny as he was walking with the other templar. The first floor felt odd as the rare smell of sulphur and copper was stronger than ever before, most of the towers—that he went to—smelled of different scents to block out that smell. The doors were shut and some were left open, with everything looking like nothing had happened. Of course, he knew the real action would of been either in the second, third, fourth, or even the last floor. The staircases were so dark that you couldn't even see the gray steps, he walked towards the steps and began to walk forward. That was when Zayra began to talk towards him and the other templars with him. She begged the Corporal to untie her and allow her to use her magic. The Corporal went up towards her and looked at her eye as he realized that they did need her magic. He walked up towards one of the templar and asked for the key. "Why? Are you fucking with me?" the templar said as he kept a strong grip of the key as he questioned the Corporal. "She has a point. We do need some magic, if we are going against other mages", the Corporal said as he tried to talk him into giving up the key. "But... you guys—the backup—only came because of The Rite of An...". The Corporal walked towards the templar and pushed him away from the mage. He whispered at the guy, "You don't say that word around her or she will be useless to us.". Zayra might of knew about the Rite and how the backup is here because of the Rite; but, to make such that she doesn't kill him and the other or go crazy, they have to keep it quite. When the templar realized that he knew what the 'word' was, he whispered towards the Corporal, "Alright. Here is the key.". Smiling in vitctory, the Corporal thanked the templar as he walked back towards Zayra. The Corporal looked at her as he held to the key and wanted to questioned her about this tower. "Before I let you go, I got to ask you some questions.", he said as he put the key into his pocket, "What kind of magic can you do? How many have turned against the Order? How many are dead? Did The First Enchanter used blood magic? How well did you know The First Enchanter? Would anyone else want to declared war against the Order?". So many questions to answer, but these questions will get her the freedom that she wants.</s> <\|message\|>Senior Enchanter Zayra Melthene Impossibly, it seemed that one of the Templars—the Knight Corporal, thank the Maker— was willing to see sense. Zayra scarcely dared to breathe. She had spent so long begging the Knight Commander to believe her, had spent so many hours channeling her being into seals and wards and fighting off abominations. Exhaustion lingered in every corner of her body, fingers trembling with the emptiness. But she would not, could not, surrender. This was her family, her home, and there was little she wouldn't do to save it. He argued quietly with another Templar. Zayra's hearing had always been keener than the shems realised, and she pieced together the fragments she heard. They'd come with the Rite—she'd suspected as much. It was more important than ever that she show them that they were not all lost. They couldn't kill all of them. It was too cruel. It was a pipe dream, but she had to believe that reason would win out, lest she fall apart. The Knight Corporal strode towards her, more armor than man, eyes calculating. Zayra suppressed her flinch as best she could, tried desperately to believe that the world hadn't gone mad. She wanted so dearly to think that they were here to help. For a moment, she nearly believed herself. Storm grey eyes snapped upwards to meet his. Despite her chains, she drew herself to her full height, shoulders square. She would not shrink from him, no matter how painfully her heart beat in her chest. For a moment, all she could see was the sunburst burned into the foreheads of their Tranquil. Maker, please, let her die before that fate. The Knight Corporal delivered a slew of questions at her. Zayra sorted through them swiftly, answering in her thick, Ostwick brogue, rolling her R's, voice thick with barely controlled frustration. "I've extensive experience in both primal and force magic. Stonefists, lightnin', gravitic rings and th'like. The First Enchanter, he was the only one to vote fer rebellion—but I think he knew we would vote against him. Of the ten Senior Enchanters, he killed three and enslaved four. Only Senior Enchanter Uriah and I escaped the meetin'." Maker, let Uriah still be alive, she prayed quickly, swallowing the sudden knot of grief in her throat. "I'm not sure how many turned by choice, but he has about twenty supporters. I counted about thirty dead—cannae be sure, I've been in the library with the children and seven other Enchanters. That leaves around fifteen Harrowed mages unaccounted fer. I… dinnae have much hope that they've survived this long with the tower like this. "The First—Dmitry—he must have been preparin' this fer some time. He... he was my mentor when I came to the Circle. But the man I knew was better than blood magic. None of us saw this comin'. And it's like I said, Knight Corporal, we all voted against rebellion. We dinnae wan'this. This is our home. We aren't Kirkwall."</s>	<\|message\|>Knight-Corporal Douglas Barten Since Zayra had answered all of the questions, he held the key strong as he unlocked her handcuffs and grabbed them. He quickly tosses the cuffs towards the other side of the hallway. The Knight Corporal breathed slowly as he said, "Thank you for answering my questions." and walked back towards the other templars. But, he stopped walking and thought of Zayra and her struggles during all of this. How could one person handle all of this without giving up? She looked hurt as she saw her home in ruins, her friends dead, and anything else disappearing or collapsing. Maker, this rebellion is going to destroy thousands of lives.. The Knight Corporal turned towards Zayra and said to her peacefully, "I am truly sorry for you. You have gone to a lot of loss and pain that no other person has dealt with since the last blight. This rebellion is just starting and Maker knows if we are going to make it alright. Just know that I pray for your recovery.". He turned away and started to walk back towards the other templars as they were stunned by the Corporal's words. He was quite as he began to climb up the stairs. The second floors, when the Corporal got to it, was peaceful as the first floor was. Everything looked dead from the flowers to the rugs looked gray and colorless. He loudly said towards the others on the stairs, "Alright, it's clear!". The other templars began to walk towards the Corporal, looking around scared as they held onto their swords on their sides. He was waiting for Zayra to come up as another explosion rang across the tower as dust landed on their armor. He suddenly heard a loud bamn sound as if a bookshelf fell to the ground. The Corporal was on alert as he grabbed his sword from his side and then his side from his back. "We have to go up there now!" he shouted as he ran up the steps, followed by other footsteps caused by the other templars. Then, they heard screaming coming from the fourth floor as he realized that something bad had happened. Before they could get a breather, the Corporal was met by a couple mages and around four or five demons. He and the other templars stopped at one of the mage spoke out. "Oh here are the templars, coming to kill us all!" he shouted out loud as he pointed his staff towards them. "Dmitry will soon control this tower and he will kill all the templars in this tower!". He was an elf mage, holding on to his staff as if he was going to use it in a few moments. The Knight Corporal looked around for Zayra, but she was no where to be found. He quickly sighed as he realized that they were most of the supporters that she talked about earlier. Screams soon roared across the tower as he and others realized that Dmitry and the others got into the library. He shouted towards the elf mage, "We will never give up to you mages! We are going to the library, even if we have to kill you all!".</s>
<\|description\|>Senior Enchanter Zayra Melthene --- Born 9:11 on the 1st of Bloomingtide, Zayra is among the younger of the Senior Enchanters of the Ostwick Circle of Magi at merely 29. Born in the local Alienage, she joined her family in servitude to the local Teyrn as a scullery maid at age six. The Melthene family was held in high esteem in the elven community, in no small part due to her grandfather's role as Hahren. It was his influence that lead Zayra to join the Circle peacefully (rather than face rather more severe consequences) after a mishap with her magic and a minor noble. Nearly ten years old and illiterate, none were more surprised than she when First Enchanter Dmitry Talonhand took her as an Apprentice. Zayra quickly proved to be a talented student, blessed with voracious curiosity and a drive for excellence in equal measure. She learned to read in but a month, and found herself drawn to primal magic. Sarcastic and guarded, it took her many months to warm to her fellow apprentices. Zayra first found comfort in Mother Rosalie, the leader of their Circle's Chantry. In time, the elderly woman gently pushed the young elf to build a family among her fellow mages. Her Harrowing was among the shortest witnessed at the Ostwick Circle in over two decades—Zayra met with, and defeated, a demon of rage in under an hour during her time in the Fade. As a fully qualified mage, she quickly established herself by publishing a treatise on gravitic rings (including a controversial theory that the spell had its magical origins rooted in demons of sloth and envy from the days of Tevinter rule of Thedas). Despite her curt manner, Zayra became popular in the Aequitarian Fraternity. Zayra published several essays on the moderate approach to Circle reform that were well-received in the College of Enchanters. Zayra found mentorship to be both a challenge and the best experience of her young life. Her first apprentice, a vibrant young human lad named Declan, tested her patience at every turn. In time, the two grew close, with Zayra viewing the boy as a son. His Harrowing very nearly ended in Tranquility, but he emerged triumphant in the end. In contrast, Zayra's time with the young Joslyn went smoothly. After her Harrowing, she began to collaborate with Zayra on a paper examining Avvar influence on the development of primal magic. Her latest apprentice Atlen, an elven lad of nine, has proven so far to be clever, but deeply suspicious of the Circle. Shortly after taking Atlen as a student, Zayra was promoted to Senior Enchanter. Although merely 26 at the time, the promotion was seen favorably among her peers. Zayra's faith in Andraste has been central to her life since she first came to the Circle. Although Mother Rosalie disapproved, Zayra stumbled across the dissonant verses of Shartan during her historical studies. She found them deeply comforting and proof that elves were meant to have a more active role in the Chantry. Despite these heretical views, she has maintained a friendly relationship with the Chantry women and the Templars assigned to the Ostwick Circle. The Kirkwall Rebellion deeply troubled Zayra. It further cemented her belief in the need for careful reform in both the Templar Order and the Circle. She recognized that the Ostwick Circle was blessed in its culture of rationality and commitment to rooting out abuse. However, despite Zayra's impassioned essay on the need for reform, she condemned the destruction of Kirkwall's Chantry. When the First Enchanter proposed rebellion against the Chantry, Zayra voted vehemently against the measure. The recent blood mage uprising in the Ostwick Circle has deeply shaken her faith in Templars and mages alike.</s> <\|message\|>Senior Enchanter Zayra Melthene Knife ear. The words cut deeper than they ought to. It had been years since anyone had called her that inside the Circle. She'd almost forgotten what she was to them; an uppity elf, someone who was meant to be cleaning chambers, some thing that no one would miss if it disappeared after it was used up. The First Enchanter had always been her fiercest defender. He'd found those who had wounded her and put them to work. Some had grown from it; others had simply learned to keep their views quiet. Evidently, now that the First had gone mad, the Knight Commander saw no reason to bite his tongue. Knife ear. Her face burned, the sting of humiliation touching a nerve of temper. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been so furious. She'd worked so hard, had endured so much to earn their trust and their respect. And none of it had mattered. All of her worth had been tied up in the First Enchanter's clout. And now he was an abomination and Zayra was a knife ear once more. For a moment, she could hear the whispers, stronger now, trying to tap into her rage. They will take you to your children and turn on you. The shems will gut everyone you love or turn them tranquil. Little knife ear, you will be lucky if they kill you. Pray to your Maker that they kill you before they defile you. Let me help save you, let me in— Zayra grit her teeth, forcing herself to ignore those insidious whispers. She would not save those children by falling. She would only doom them, either to Templars or her own horrors, if she surrendered. She took a steadying breath, eyes shut tight. Magic exists to serve man, and never to rule over him. Foul and corrupt are they who have taken His gift and turned— Another explosion rocked the courtyard. Zayra's eyes flew open, and Maker's breath—that was too close to the library. What if they breached it—the children—she tried desperately to touch the curl of magic in her breast, but it did not respond. These damned Templars, these traitors— They were opening the door. Zayra wanted to spit at the Knight Commander, but he offered a deal and she stilled her temper. Trade her for the children? Truthfully, she did not think the First Enchanter would take such an offer. She suspected he had sent thralls to the library—Dmitry was mad, but not foolish. He would have sequestered himself in the observatory at the top of the tower. He would not collect his sacrifices himself, not if he had any sense. But it was the only chance she had to return to the tower. She was terrified to die, but better her than blameless children. Their only crime was that they had been born with magic. "You will do as y'must, I am certain, Commander," she hissed, ears flattening against her skull in her irritation. Knife ear. Her eyes burned as she struggled to her feet. The chains were awkward and heavy, and she was a slight woman. With her magic, she could have easily altered their weight and born the burden, but she was denied its warmth. Was this how Tranquil felt, she wondered, heart racing in sudden terror. She felt so empty, so dead inside without the comfort of her magic. It was as if someone had plucked the heart from her chest and replaced it with a stone carving. Everything felt wrong. The Templars shoved her along. Pins and needles stung her feet as she tried not to stumble, to keep pace with their number. Her chin jut outwards in defiance as she tried to walk with some semblance of dignity. She would die here, but she would not die cowering. The Knight Commander offered his blessing to their group, and her heart ached with a fresh wound. Why? Why would He let them suffer like this? Why did He let demons and monsters destroy their home and take so much life? She had never known such doubt before this moment. She had loved the Maker, had always found comfort in the Chant of Light. She knew the stories of Andraste and Shartan, knew in her heart that the Maker and His Bride had room even for little knife ears at their side. But she'd also known that the Templars were their protectors, and she'd been proven so very, very wrong there. Maybe the Maker did not love all His children. Maybe mages and knife ears were not worthy of His love. Who was she to understand the mind of their creator? "Blessed are the peacekeepers, champions of the just," she murmured beneath her breath, her words lost in the clatter of armor. She wasn't sure she believed the benediction herself. These righteous men and women, after all, had called for the Right of Annulment. Perhaps it had to be her. Somehow, with no magic nor staff, and in chains, she had to save their youngest from tranquility and possession and death. Zayra was not sure her slim shoulders could carry such a burden. The door shut behind them with a heavy thud, and Zayra took a shuddering breath. Her feet felt numb, the world span lazily on a slight axis. She was exhausted, but she forced herself forward. The Circle of Ostwick was a shadow of its former self. The main floor had always been lit by a dozen hearths, drying herbs and oils filling the tower with rich and lovely scents. It had been a warm welcome all those years ago. Now the hearths were cold and empty, the tapestries burned, and the tower smelled of sulphur and copper. The staircases on either side of the gargantuan circular room were dark and still. Zayra eyed the staircase to the right, gathering her nerve. "The library is on the fourth floor," she informed the Knight Corporal, heart racing ever faster, trying to find his eyes through his helm. They didn't trust her, but she had to make them see sense. Maker, they were doomed. "We sealed all entrances, from above and below. Senior Enchanter Uriah will let me in, but I will need to help unlock the seal. Dozens of abominations and demons stalk these halls. We numbered nearly ninety Harrowed mages before this nightmare began. Knight Corporal, you and your men need my magic."</s> <\|message\|>Knight-Corporal Douglas Barten After the door shut behind them, the group began to walk towards the steps, which will most likely lead them to the library. He knew that the library was on the fourth floors, because of Zayra as she said towards the others. One of the templars looked at her funny as he was walking with the other templar. The first floor felt odd as the rare smell of sulphur and copper was stronger than ever before, most of the towers—that he went to—smelled of different scents to block out that smell. The doors were shut and some were left open, with everything looking like nothing had happened. Of course, he knew the real action would of been either in the second, third, fourth, or even the last floor. The staircases were so dark that you couldn't even see the gray steps, he walked towards the steps and began to walk forward. That was when Zayra began to talk towards him and the other templars with him. She begged the Corporal to untie her and allow her to use her magic. The Corporal went up towards her and looked at her eye as he realized that they did need her magic. He walked up towards one of the templar and asked for the key. "Why? Are you fucking with me?" the templar said as he kept a strong grip of the key as he questioned the Corporal. "She has a point. We do need some magic, if we are going against other mages", the Corporal said as he tried to talk him into giving up the key. "But... you guys—the backup—only came because of The Rite of An...". The Corporal walked towards the templar and pushed him away from the mage. He whispered at the guy, "You don't say that word around her or she will be useless to us.". Zayra might of knew about the Rite and how the backup is here because of the Rite; but, to make such that she doesn't kill him and the other or go crazy, they have to keep it quite. When the templar realized that he knew what the 'word' was, he whispered towards the Corporal, "Alright. Here is the key.". Smiling in vitctory, the Corporal thanked the templar as he walked back towards Zayra. The Corporal looked at her as he held to the key and wanted to questioned her about this tower. "Before I let you go, I got to ask you some questions.", he said as he put the key into his pocket, "What kind of magic can you do? How many have turned against the Order? How many are dead? Did The First Enchanter used blood magic? How well did you know The First Enchanter? Would anyone else want to declared war against the Order?". So many questions to answer, but these questions will get her the freedom that she wants.</s>	<\|message\|>Senior Enchanter Zayra Melthene Impossibly, it seemed that one of the Templars—the Knight Corporal, thank the Maker— was willing to see sense. Zayra scarcely dared to breathe. She had spent so long begging the Knight Commander to believe her, had spent so many hours channeling her being into seals and wards and fighting off abominations. Exhaustion lingered in every corner of her body, fingers trembling with the emptiness. But she would not, could not, surrender. This was her family, her home, and there was little she wouldn't do to save it. He argued quietly with another Templar. Zayra's hearing had always been keener than the shems realised, and she pieced together the fragments she heard. They'd come with the Rite—she'd suspected as much. It was more important than ever that she show them that they were not all lost. They couldn't kill all of them. It was too cruel. It was a pipe dream, but she had to believe that reason would win out, lest she fall apart. The Knight Corporal strode towards her, more armor than man, eyes calculating. Zayra suppressed her flinch as best she could, tried desperately to believe that the world hadn't gone mad. She wanted so dearly to think that they were here to help. For a moment, she nearly believed herself. Storm grey eyes snapped upwards to meet his. Despite her chains, she drew herself to her full height, shoulders square. She would not shrink from him, no matter how painfully her heart beat in her chest. For a moment, all she could see was the sunburst burned into the foreheads of their Tranquil. Maker, please, let her die before that fate. The Knight Corporal delivered a slew of questions at her. Zayra sorted through them swiftly, answering in her thick, Ostwick brogue, rolling her R's, voice thick with barely controlled frustration. "I've extensive experience in both primal and force magic. Stonefists, lightnin', gravitic rings and th'like. The First Enchanter, he was the only one to vote fer rebellion—but I think he knew we would vote against him. Of the ten Senior Enchanters, he killed three and enslaved four. Only Senior Enchanter Uriah and I escaped the meetin'." Maker, let Uriah still be alive, she prayed quickly, swallowing the sudden knot of grief in her throat. "I'm not sure how many turned by choice, but he has about twenty supporters. I counted about thirty dead—cannae be sure, I've been in the library with the children and seven other Enchanters. That leaves around fifteen Harrowed mages unaccounted fer. I… dinnae have much hope that they've survived this long with the tower like this. "The First—Dmitry—he must have been preparin' this fer some time. He... he was my mentor when I came to the Circle. But the man I knew was better than blood magic. None of us saw this comin'. And it's like I said, Knight Corporal, we all voted against rebellion. We dinnae wan'this. This is our home. We aren't Kirkwall."</s>
<\|description\|>Senior Enchanter Zayra Melthene --- Born 9:11 on the 1st of Bloomingtide, Zayra is among the younger of the Senior Enchanters of the Ostwick Circle of Magi at merely 29. Born in the local Alienage, she joined her family in servitude to the local Teyrn as a scullery maid at age six. The Melthene family was held in high esteem in the elven community, in no small part due to her grandfather's role as Hahren. It was his influence that lead Zayra to join the Circle peacefully (rather than face rather more severe consequences) after a mishap with her magic and a minor noble. Nearly ten years old and illiterate, none were more surprised than she when First Enchanter Dmitry Talonhand took her as an Apprentice. Zayra quickly proved to be a talented student, blessed with voracious curiosity and a drive for excellence in equal measure. She learned to read in but a month, and found herself drawn to primal magic. Sarcastic and guarded, it took her many months to warm to her fellow apprentices. Zayra first found comfort in Mother Rosalie, the leader of their Circle's Chantry. In time, the elderly woman gently pushed the young elf to build a family among her fellow mages. Her Harrowing was among the shortest witnessed at the Ostwick Circle in over two decades—Zayra met with, and defeated, a demon of rage in under an hour during her time in the Fade. As a fully qualified mage, she quickly established herself by publishing a treatise on gravitic rings (including a controversial theory that the spell had its magical origins rooted in demons of sloth and envy from the days of Tevinter rule of Thedas). Despite her curt manner, Zayra became popular in the Aequitarian Fraternity. Zayra published several essays on the moderate approach to Circle reform that were well-received in the College of Enchanters. Zayra found mentorship to be both a challenge and the best experience of her young life. Her first apprentice, a vibrant young human lad named Declan, tested her patience at every turn. In time, the two grew close, with Zayra viewing the boy as a son. His Harrowing very nearly ended in Tranquility, but he emerged triumphant in the end. In contrast, Zayra's time with the young Joslyn went smoothly. After her Harrowing, she began to collaborate with Zayra on a paper examining Avvar influence on the development of primal magic. Her latest apprentice Atlen, an elven lad of nine, has proven so far to be clever, but deeply suspicious of the Circle. Shortly after taking Atlen as a student, Zayra was promoted to Senior Enchanter. Although merely 26 at the time, the promotion was seen favorably among her peers. Zayra's faith in Andraste has been central to her life since she first came to the Circle. Although Mother Rosalie disapproved, Zayra stumbled across the dissonant verses of Shartan during her historical studies. She found them deeply comforting and proof that elves were meant to have a more active role in the Chantry. Despite these heretical views, she has maintained a friendly relationship with the Chantry women and the Templars assigned to the Ostwick Circle. The Kirkwall Rebellion deeply troubled Zayra. It further cemented her belief in the need for careful reform in both the Templar Order and the Circle. She recognized that the Ostwick Circle was blessed in its culture of rationality and commitment to rooting out abuse. However, despite Zayra's impassioned essay on the need for reform, she condemned the destruction of Kirkwall's Chantry. When the First Enchanter proposed rebellion against the Chantry, Zayra voted vehemently against the measure. The recent blood mage uprising in the Ostwick Circle has deeply shaken her faith in Templars and mages alike.</s> <\|message\|>Senior Enchanter Zayra Melthene Impossibly, it seemed that one of the Templars—the Knight Corporal, thank the Maker— was willing to see sense. Zayra scarcely dared to breathe. She had spent so long begging the Knight Commander to believe her, had spent so many hours channeling her being into seals and wards and fighting off abominations. Exhaustion lingered in every corner of her body, fingers trembling with the emptiness. But she would not, could not, surrender. This was her family, her home, and there was little she wouldn't do to save it. He argued quietly with another Templar. Zayra's hearing had always been keener than the shems realised, and she pieced together the fragments she heard. They'd come with the Rite—she'd suspected as much. It was more important than ever that she show them that they were not all lost. They couldn't kill all of them. It was too cruel. It was a pipe dream, but she had to believe that reason would win out, lest she fall apart. The Knight Corporal strode towards her, more armor than man, eyes calculating. Zayra suppressed her flinch as best she could, tried desperately to believe that the world hadn't gone mad. She wanted so dearly to think that they were here to help. For a moment, she nearly believed herself. Storm grey eyes snapped upwards to meet his. Despite her chains, she drew herself to her full height, shoulders square. She would not shrink from him, no matter how painfully her heart beat in her chest. For a moment, all she could see was the sunburst burned into the foreheads of their Tranquil. Maker, please, let her die before that fate. The Knight Corporal delivered a slew of questions at her. Zayra sorted through them swiftly, answering in her thick, Ostwick brogue, rolling her R's, voice thick with barely controlled frustration. "I've extensive experience in both primal and force magic. Stonefists, lightnin', gravitic rings and th'like. The First Enchanter, he was the only one to vote fer rebellion—but I think he knew we would vote against him. Of the ten Senior Enchanters, he killed three and enslaved four. Only Senior Enchanter Uriah and I escaped the meetin'." Maker, let Uriah still be alive, she prayed quickly, swallowing the sudden knot of grief in her throat. "I'm not sure how many turned by choice, but he has about twenty supporters. I counted about thirty dead—cannae be sure, I've been in the library with the children and seven other Enchanters. That leaves around fifteen Harrowed mages unaccounted fer. I… dinnae have much hope that they've survived this long with the tower like this. "The First—Dmitry—he must have been preparin' this fer some time. He... he was my mentor when I came to the Circle. But the man I knew was better than blood magic. None of us saw this comin'. And it's like I said, Knight Corporal, we all voted against rebellion. We dinnae wan'this. This is our home. We aren't Kirkwall."</s> <\|message\|>Knight-Corporal Douglas Barten Since Zayra had answered all of the questions, he held the key strong as he unlocked her handcuffs and grabbed them. He quickly tosses the cuffs towards the other side of the hallway. The Knight Corporal breathed slowly as he said, "Thank you for answering my questions." and walked back towards the other templars. But, he stopped walking and thought of Zayra and her struggles during all of this. How could one person handle all of this without giving up? She looked hurt as she saw her home in ruins, her friends dead, and anything else disappearing or collapsing. Maker, this rebellion is going to destroy thousands of lives.. The Knight Corporal turned towards Zayra and said to her peacefully, "I am truly sorry for you. You have gone to a lot of loss and pain that no other person has dealt with since the last blight. This rebellion is just starting and Maker knows if we are going to make it alright. Just know that I pray for your recovery.". He turned away and started to walk back towards the other templars as they were stunned by the Corporal's words. He was quite as he began to climb up the stairs. The second floors, when the Corporal got to it, was peaceful as the first floor was. Everything looked dead from the flowers to the rugs looked gray and colorless. He loudly said towards the others on the stairs, "Alright, it's clear!". The other templars began to walk towards the Corporal, looking around scared as they held onto their swords on their sides. He was waiting for Zayra to come up as another explosion rang across the tower as dust landed on their armor. He suddenly heard a loud bamn sound as if a bookshelf fell to the ground. The Corporal was on alert as he grabbed his sword from his side and then his side from his back. "We have to go up there now!" he shouted as he ran up the steps, followed by other footsteps caused by the other templars. Then, they heard screaming coming from the fourth floor as he realized that something bad had happened. Before they could get a breather, the Corporal was met by a couple mages and around four or five demons. He and the other templars stopped at one of the mage spoke out. "Oh here are the templars, coming to kill us all!" he shouted out loud as he pointed his staff towards them. "Dmitry will soon control this tower and he will kill all the templars in this tower!". He was an elf mage, holding on to his staff as if he was going to use it in a few moments. The Knight Corporal looked around for Zayra, but she was no where to be found. He quickly sighed as he realized that they were most of the supporters that she talked about earlier. Screams soon roared across the tower as he and others realized that Dmitry and the others got into the library. He shouted towards the elf mage, "We will never give up to you mages! We are going to the library, even if we have to kill you all!".</s>	<\|message\|>Senior Enchanter Zayra Melthene For a long, horrible moment, Zayra thought he would not unchain her. It wouldn't have surprised her. She'd been chained since she had first come to the Templars. It was a miracle that the Knight Corporal unbound her hands, tossing the heavy steel aside as though it were weightless. Feeling rushed back into numb fingers, pins and needles stinging every inch of her hands. She rubbed them together vigorously, relishing the bite of air on her skin once more. She very nearly missed that Knight Corporal's sympathies—her mind had already turned to the library. Zayra almost thought she had imagined it. She studied the man warily, uncertain what to make of his prayers. Perhaps his prayers would reach the Maker. Maybe the Maker listened to humans, to Templars. Maybe they were worthy of His grace. Zayra had been so sure, once, that the Maker and His Bride loved her. That truth no longer seemed so certain. Zayra was all too aware of the Templars and their blades. She kept her footsteps light, taking stairs two at a time. Unburdened by armor, she was able to slip ahead, bare toes picking her way across the stone floors. The second floor was still for but a moment – a massive thud filled the air, rattling her teeth. It was not an explosion, but something solid and heavy—such as a shelf, loaded with thousands of ancient tomes—and screams reached her sensitive ears. She ran. She had never run so fast in all her life, black hair and robes whipping behind her. All that mattered was reaching the library, was finding her children and keeping them safe. Little Atlen, who had begged her not to go to the Templars, who had distrusted them, who had known they would not let her go… Zayra's heart bucked like a herd of unbroken horses. Maker, let her little Atty be safe. Joslyn would keep him safe, she would— The instant Zayra could touch her magic again, a broken sob spilled out of her throat. It was like she was alive again, like the world could make sense. She needed to get to the library—but the cries of battle met her ears. She had slipped past other mages, had not drawn their ire in the face of Templars—she could keep going, could leave them to their fate—her children needed her now—But she could not fight a horde of demons and abominations on her own. Not without her staff to focus her spells, not without lyrium. She needed their swords. Zayra grit her teeth. Turning away from the library was the single most excruciating experience of her life. Maker, let Uriah and Joslyn and the others hold out just a little longer. She prayed, even as she doubted that those prayers would be answered, and set back towards the Templars she had abandoned. The sight was troubling. Three mages—one twisted into an abomination, one an apprentice (Westley, she remembered), and Enchanter Haryk, who had come from her old Alienage—and demons. Two rage, one of despair, and a handful of wraiths. She at least had an edge of surprise, silent at their backs. It had been many years since she had cast without her faithful staff, but there was something wondrous in channeling her magic through her hands. Something primal and raw about grasping the threads of the Fade with her hands, shaping reality to her whims. Zayra raised her arms, a grim smile touching her lips before she slammed her fists down. The effect was immediate. Even distanced from her spell, she could feel how heavy the world had gotten, miring the demons and mages under their own weight. The wraiths fluttered freely—but they would be easy enough to pick off—she stepped backwards, tossing her hair out of her face, breathing hard. It hurt to cast when she was this depleted, without a staff to better channel her power. Her blood felt like it was molten, burning her out from the inside. Haryk slowly turned his head towards her, burdened by her gravitic ring, his teeth clenched against the exhertion. His eyes were wide with madness, crimson staining his arms. Blood magic, then. Zayra's lip curled, her temper flared, and her hands began the dance again. Magic surged through her, an exquisite agony that threatened to consume her before it caved to her will. Haryk had barely turned his body around when she pulled the world into her grasp once more. Haryk's mouth formed a little 'O' of surprise when his body was lifted into the air. For one instant, their eyes met, and Zayra almost pitied her fellow elf. And then she slammed his body into the stone floor, his head exploding in a spray of flesh and bone.</s>
<\|description\|>Odin Fenrir Age: 29 years old Gender: Male Race: Nord Appearance: From: Skyrim Birth Sign: The Lord Guild: The Silver Hand Weapons: Silver longsword, an iron dagger, and an enhanced crossbow with silver bolts. Spells: Novice healing and fire. Bio: A descendant of the infamous Krev the Skinner, Odin Fenrir was born into the Silver Hand. He is a powerful warrior and a skilled hunter, and has claimed the heads of many werewolves. He is the current leader of the Guild and leads them into battle against the spawns of Hircine. Personality: Odin is sensible, noble and considerate. He guides his men with a strong and powerful voice. Strong, brave and loyal, he is a true leader whose natural prowess comes from a great confidence. Sexuality: Straight</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven sat on a grindstone and begun sharpening the Sisters of Despair. After her daggers were razor sharp, she stood up and walked towards the Night Mother's coffin. Raven then kneeled. "Dear Night Mother," she stated. " I know we don't seem like much right now, but we're will rebuild and restrike fear in the Nirn again."</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir "It's approaching quickly, lads! Stand your ground and hold your swords still! Do not let it feel your fear! Stand together and stand strong! Stay with me now!" Roared Odin Fenrir, leader of the Silver Hand. A group of them were on a werewolf hunt and they've been tracking this particular beast for a couple of hours now. The prey have became the predator...</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven stood and left the Sanctuary to embark on her contract. She was chosen to kill a Nord traveler who had been practicing magic in the College of Winterhold. I would take atleast three days to travel from Falkreath to Winterhold on foot, none the less, Raven began her journey alone.</s> <\|message\|>Danon Stiorard Danon was just returning to the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary from his latest assignment, and the first thing he did when he got back was opened up a book on magic, specifically the magic to summon Daedra to do his bidding. He never really cared if it was forbidden to do so, as he was always looking for, new, interesting, "fun" ways to complete his assignments.</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir As the group of Silver Hand's move through the northern Falkreath forest they were ready for anything or so they thought. Behind them came howling and then in front of them came the crashing brush. Whatever they were after was playing with them, but the group warriors did not back down and with the power of Odin's voice they held together with fear! "Do not allow the beast to ensnare you, boys! It is smart and a trickster, stand together and do not leave the formation! The animal shall be ours and let Talos be your witness when it is brought down to our feet!"</s> <\|message\|>Raven As Raven began her journey, she heard the clash of weapons and the yelling of battle nearby. Being curuois, she stuck to the shadows and suck up to the battleground. There she noticed a group of warriors fighting ast. "What are the Silver Hand doing here?" She said to herself, trying to remain undetected.</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir Out from the mighty pine trees came the roaring figure, leaping through the air with its arm extended and teeth baring. The werewolf was going in for the kill, but the Silver Hand stood their ground as Odin yelled out, "Shields rise! Swords thrust!" A loud, crying yelp was heard and the sound of struggling shortly died down. The werewolf was dead, impaled by Odin Fenrir's very own silver sword. A blade that entered the beast's heart and took its life swiftly. With the blood of the beast forming a pool beneath the men, they all raised their swords and gave out a victory cry, but not Odin. He stayed silent, going down on one knee and looked at his trophy as a hunter would do with a deer.</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven smirked as the hunters slayed the werewolf. Little did she know, another were wolf was behind her. Turning to face the beast, Raven reanimated the corpse of the werewolf the huners had just killed and it charged at the beast infront of Raven. As her companion struck, so did she, ultimately overkilling this beast. The reanimated corpse turned to ash and raven stood before her kill.</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir Odin jumped to his feet, raising his sword in front of him as he called forth, "To arms once more! We are not out of the woods yet!" The entire squadron of Silver Hand knights quickly moved into a battle ready position. Their shields held tight and their sword pointing directly at the mystery being. Odin stepped forward slowly and asked out loud, "State your business, witch!"</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven smirked, allowing her fangs to show. "I prefer being called a hunter over a witch," she stated as she began to cirlce around Odin. " But hunter isn't entirely right either, and my business doesn't concern you... Yet." Raven then apprached Odin and she brushed his hair back as she came face to face with him. "Put it this way, If you were my target, you'd be already dead." Raven then turned away and began walking.</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir Odin stood still, not even flinching once as the vampire moved about in front of him and his men. Her words meant naught to him, he had faced far worse than a single vampire, but her kind was not his quarry. He stayed his sword and allowed her to walk away. He then turned and decided to return back to camp, but he was halted by one of his men, "Sir? You're going to allow that vampire to simply walk? Are you mad!?" "She is not our quarry... we are werewolf hunters and nothing more. We will not make the same mistake the Vigilant did over a hundred years ago." "But si-!" "If it bothers you that much, soldier. Why don't you join the Dawnguard?" Replied Odin. The man went silent and moved back into the ranks.</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven stopped and turned back towards Odin. "Dawngard?" she stated. "They're reforming?" She then came up behind Odin. "Tell me what you know of the Dawngard." Her face grew dark with concern, as she awaited his respone.</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir In a split second the entire group of Silver Hands surrounded the vampire, silver swords aiming at her! One of them was even a capable mage as his hands glowed with fire! But all the vampire heard from Odin Fenrir was a soft chuckle. "Where have you been for the last hundred years, undead? It matters not. The Dawnguard are strong and it wouldn't be long now until they wipe your filthy species out of Tamriel and return you all to the Prince of Rape. But I give you, but a single warning: Leave now and face your death with the Dawnguard later, or suffer a dozen silver swords in your decaying flesh and die now."</s> <\|message\|>Raven "Well you see, I'm part of a rather unique family." Raven said. "You kill me and none of you will see tomarrow," Raven was not phased by the weapons aimed at her. "I have a proposition for you." She then holds up a coin purse. "How much will it take for you to share your knowledge of the Dawngard?, If coin isn't enough I can eliminate anyone you please, free of charge."</s> <\|message\|>T'ophil T'ophil was walking out of the city of Whiterun, a bag of septims and throwing it up and then catching it. "Another job well done T'ophil." He complimented himself. He has hidden in his cloak so no one would recognize the armor he wore. None of the guards tried to arrest him so that was good. Once he was a good distance from Whiterun, he mounted his horse and headed straight for Riften to rest and get another job.</s> <\|message\|>Raven "Now I'll give you three options," She stated, appraching Odin seductively. "I kill you, reainimate your corpse, and then slay your quadrin , or I grant you my gift." Raven then shows her fangs. "Or you play nice, which in time gives you benifits." Raven then stepped back and drew the Sisters of Despair, the daedric daggers glew with a purple aura. "So do you really want to die, or live?"</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir "Your words do not frighten me nor my men, vampire. Neither does your dying family. We are Nords, sons and daughters of Skyrim! The protectors of her people! We will rejoice in the mighty halls of Sovengarde if we die today! We are not afraid to die for in the afterlife we shall be rewarded with praise and song!" Odin said these words with heart and his men all cheered when he was finished. "Your words may send fear into an Imperial dog, but not a Nord. I shall give you, but a single answer to your question: If you wish to know more about the Dawnguard, why don't you pay them a visit yourself? They are still camped out at the giant fort east of Riften. I am sure they'll welcome you with open arms..."</s> <\|message\|>Raven "Good boy," Raven replied. " Was that so hard, Infact I might pay a visit to those pathetic excuses for soldiers. " She then smirked. "After-all I have real soldiers right here." She spoke in a flirtatious tone, rather than curing their souls to oblivion. "You know how to contact me if you need my assistance." She winked and turned to walk away.</s>	<\|message\|>Odin Fenrir Odin Fenrir simply said nothing as the vampire walked away from him and his men. As she got farther away he scuffed to himself and began to march, but he was stopped by the same soldier who questioned him earlier. "Sir?" "Do you not trust my judgment?" Odin said proudly. "N-no, but I do fear for what could come with this chance meeting." The soldier replied. "The Dawnguard could handle themselves against a single vampire, assassin or not." Odin said firmly. "And her so called order is a dying bunch." He added. "But come now, lad! In front of us is not one, but two very dead werewolves. It is a time for drink and celebration!"</s>
<\|description\|>Danon Stiorard Age: 20 Gender: Male Race: Breton Appearence (Pic or description): Nobody knows what Danon really looks like other than his dark brown eyes, because he keeps most of his face covered and his hood up on his Shrouded Armor at all times when anyone is nearby. From (Any city in Skyrim or any land surrounding Skyrim ex. Cyordiil): originally fromCyrodiil, but he he spends much of his time in Dawnstar Sanctuary after he joined the Dark Brotherhood Birthsign: The Thief Guild (optional): Dark Brotherhood Light weapon/s (Daggers, short-swords, war axes): N/A (he only uses bound weapons) Medium weapon/s ( Staffs, Bows, and crossbows): N/A Heavy weapons/s (Longswords/greatswords, war hammers, and battle-axes): N/A Bio (Optional): TBR Personality: Danon is a very quiet person, only talking to those he trusts or when he finds it absolutely necessary. He also takes his work for the Dark Brotherhood very seriously, and is fond of burning his targets to death to the point that they're beyond recognition. He also refuses to use normal weapons, because he claims it'll be too easy to track him if he does, so he uses magic, and bound weapons to do his work. Sexuality: Straight Other:</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven sat on a grindstone and begun sharpening the Sisters of Despair. After her daggers were razor sharp, she stood up and walked towards the Night Mother's coffin. Raven then kneeled. "Dear Night Mother," she stated. " I know we don't seem like much right now, but we're will rebuild and restrike fear in the Nirn again."</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir "It's approaching quickly, lads! Stand your ground and hold your swords still! Do not let it feel your fear! Stand together and stand strong! Stay with me now!" Roared Odin Fenrir, leader of the Silver Hand. A group of them were on a werewolf hunt and they've been tracking this particular beast for a couple of hours now. The prey have became the predator...</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven stood and left the Sanctuary to embark on her contract. She was chosen to kill a Nord traveler who had been practicing magic in the College of Winterhold. I would take atleast three days to travel from Falkreath to Winterhold on foot, none the less, Raven began her journey alone.</s>	<\|message\|>Danon Stiorard Danon was just returning to the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary from his latest assignment, and the first thing he did when he got back was opened up a book on magic, specifically the magic to summon Daedra to do his bidding. He never really cared if it was forbidden to do so, as he was always looking for, new, interesting, "fun" ways to complete his assignments.</s>
<\|description\|>T'ophil Age: 24 Gender: Male Race: Khajit Appearence (No anime): He has brownish fur that lights to an orange when it comes to his middrift. He has black lines from his face to the back of his head. He has scars littered all over his body and he usually wears light armor or the Thieves' Guild armor. From (Any city in Skyrim or any land surrounding Skyrim ex. Cyordiil): Elswyr Birthsign: The Shadow Guild (optional): Thieves' Guild Light weapon/s (Daggers, short-swords, war axes): Two short swords with a fire enhancement. Medium weapon/s ( Staffs, Bows, and crossbows): Bows with various kinds of arrows Heavy weapons/s (Longswords/greatswords, war hammers, and battle-axes): N/A Bio (Optional): All that you need to know is that he came from Elswyr and traveled to Skyrim thanks to a caravan. He got into stealing stuff and got into the Thieves' Guild no problem. Personality: He's full of trickery and his whole life is made by lies. He wears many masks, not having a problem in switching between them in a quick pace. He wears a mask that would fit the predicament that he is in. He can be surprisingly kind to anyone he deems trustworthy, which aren't a lot. Sexuality: Straight Other: He knows how to use the Invisibility spell, Calm, Conjure swords and bow.</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven sat on a grindstone and begun sharpening the Sisters of Despair. After her daggers were razor sharp, she stood up and walked towards the Night Mother's coffin. Raven then kneeled. "Dear Night Mother," she stated. " I know we don't seem like much right now, but we're will rebuild and restrike fear in the Nirn again."</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir "It's approaching quickly, lads! Stand your ground and hold your swords still! Do not let it feel your fear! Stand together and stand strong! Stay with me now!" Roared Odin Fenrir, leader of the Silver Hand. A group of them were on a werewolf hunt and they've been tracking this particular beast for a couple of hours now. The prey have became the predator...</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven stood and left the Sanctuary to embark on her contract. She was chosen to kill a Nord traveler who had been practicing magic in the College of Winterhold. I would take atleast three days to travel from Falkreath to Winterhold on foot, none the less, Raven began her journey alone.</s> <\|message\|>Danon Stiorard Danon was just returning to the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary from his latest assignment, and the first thing he did when he got back was opened up a book on magic, specifically the magic to summon Daedra to do his bidding. He never really cared if it was forbidden to do so, as he was always looking for, new, interesting, "fun" ways to complete his assignments.</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir As the group of Silver Hand's move through the northern Falkreath forest they were ready for anything or so they thought. Behind them came howling and then in front of them came the crashing brush. Whatever they were after was playing with them, but the group warriors did not back down and with the power of Odin's voice they held together with fear! "Do not allow the beast to ensnare you, boys! It is smart and a trickster, stand together and do not leave the formation! The animal shall be ours and let Talos be your witness when it is brought down to our feet!"</s> <\|message\|>Raven As Raven began her journey, she heard the clash of weapons and the yelling of battle nearby. Being curuois, she stuck to the shadows and suck up to the battleground. There she noticed a group of warriors fighting ast. "What are the Silver Hand doing here?" She said to herself, trying to remain undetected.</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir Out from the mighty pine trees came the roaring figure, leaping through the air with its arm extended and teeth baring. The werewolf was going in for the kill, but the Silver Hand stood their ground as Odin yelled out, "Shields rise! Swords thrust!" A loud, crying yelp was heard and the sound of struggling shortly died down. The werewolf was dead, impaled by Odin Fenrir's very own silver sword. A blade that entered the beast's heart and took its life swiftly. With the blood of the beast forming a pool beneath the men, they all raised their swords and gave out a victory cry, but not Odin. He stayed silent, going down on one knee and looked at his trophy as a hunter would do with a deer.</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven smirked as the hunters slayed the werewolf. Little did she know, another were wolf was behind her. Turning to face the beast, Raven reanimated the corpse of the werewolf the huners had just killed and it charged at the beast infront of Raven. As her companion struck, so did she, ultimately overkilling this beast. The reanimated corpse turned to ash and raven stood before her kill.</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir Odin jumped to his feet, raising his sword in front of him as he called forth, "To arms once more! We are not out of the woods yet!" The entire squadron of Silver Hand knights quickly moved into a battle ready position. Their shields held tight and their sword pointing directly at the mystery being. Odin stepped forward slowly and asked out loud, "State your business, witch!"</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven smirked, allowing her fangs to show. "I prefer being called a hunter over a witch," she stated as she began to cirlce around Odin. " But hunter isn't entirely right either, and my business doesn't concern you... Yet." Raven then apprached Odin and she brushed his hair back as she came face to face with him. "Put it this way, If you were my target, you'd be already dead." Raven then turned away and began walking.</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir Odin stood still, not even flinching once as the vampire moved about in front of him and his men. Her words meant naught to him, he had faced far worse than a single vampire, but her kind was not his quarry. He stayed his sword and allowed her to walk away. He then turned and decided to return back to camp, but he was halted by one of his men, "Sir? You're going to allow that vampire to simply walk? Are you mad!?" "She is not our quarry... we are werewolf hunters and nothing more. We will not make the same mistake the Vigilant did over a hundred years ago." "But si-!" "If it bothers you that much, soldier. Why don't you join the Dawnguard?" Replied Odin. The man went silent and moved back into the ranks.</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven stopped and turned back towards Odin. "Dawngard?" she stated. "They're reforming?" She then came up behind Odin. "Tell me what you know of the Dawngard." Her face grew dark with concern, as she awaited his respone.</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir In a split second the entire group of Silver Hands surrounded the vampire, silver swords aiming at her! One of them was even a capable mage as his hands glowed with fire! But all the vampire heard from Odin Fenrir was a soft chuckle. "Where have you been for the last hundred years, undead? It matters not. The Dawnguard are strong and it wouldn't be long now until they wipe your filthy species out of Tamriel and return you all to the Prince of Rape. But I give you, but a single warning: Leave now and face your death with the Dawnguard later, or suffer a dozen silver swords in your decaying flesh and die now."</s> <\|message\|>Raven "Well you see, I'm part of a rather unique family." Raven said. "You kill me and none of you will see tomarrow," Raven was not phased by the weapons aimed at her. "I have a proposition for you." She then holds up a coin purse. "How much will it take for you to share your knowledge of the Dawngard?, If coin isn't enough I can eliminate anyone you please, free of charge."</s> <\|message\|>T'ophil T'ophil was walking out of the city of Whiterun, a bag of septims and throwing it up and then catching it. "Another job well done T'ophil." He complimented himself. He has hidden in his cloak so no one would recognize the armor he wore. None of the guards tried to arrest him so that was good. Once he was a good distance from Whiterun, he mounted his horse and headed straight for Riften to rest and get another job.</s> <\|message\|>Raven "Now I'll give you three options," She stated, appraching Odin seductively. "I kill you, reainimate your corpse, and then slay your quadrin , or I grant you my gift." Raven then shows her fangs. "Or you play nice, which in time gives you benifits." Raven then stepped back and drew the Sisters of Despair, the daedric daggers glew with a purple aura. "So do you really want to die, or live?"</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir "Your words do not frighten me nor my men, vampire. Neither does your dying family. We are Nords, sons and daughters of Skyrim! The protectors of her people! We will rejoice in the mighty halls of Sovengarde if we die today! We are not afraid to die for in the afterlife we shall be rewarded with praise and song!" Odin said these words with heart and his men all cheered when he was finished. "Your words may send fear into an Imperial dog, but not a Nord. I shall give you, but a single answer to your question: If you wish to know more about the Dawnguard, why don't you pay them a visit yourself? They are still camped out at the giant fort east of Riften. I am sure they'll welcome you with open arms..."</s> <\|message\|>Raven "Good boy," Raven replied. " Was that so hard, Infact I might pay a visit to those pathetic excuses for soldiers. " She then smirked. "After-all I have real soldiers right here." She spoke in a flirtatious tone, rather than curing their souls to oblivion. "You know how to contact me if you need my assistance." She winked and turned to walk away.</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir Odin Fenrir simply said nothing as the vampire walked away from him and his men. As she got farther away he scuffed to himself and began to march, but he was stopped by the same soldier who questioned him earlier. "Sir?" "Do you not trust my judgment?" Odin said proudly. "N-no, but I do fear for what could come with this chance meeting." The soldier replied. "The Dawnguard could handle themselves against a single vampire, assassin or not." Odin said firmly. "And her so called order is a dying bunch." He added. "But come now, lad! In front of us is not one, but two very dead werewolves. It is a time for drink and celebration!"</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven then continued on her journey, after the blizzard picked up, she grew weary. "There has to be an Inn somewhere." she said to herself as she continued to walk, slowly beginning to freeze. The weather was becoming harsh, to harsh even for a vampire. Raven became disoriented, thus throwing her off her trail. In a matter of time, raven found herself laying face first in the snow. She had grown weak and as her vision started to blur, a four were wolves came upon her motionless body. After further examination, one of the wolves howled, indicating that they were about to feast.</s> <\|message\|>T'ophil Four arrows struck each wolf and they dropped dead as the well-aimed arrows hit their marks. T'ohpil came out of hiding and then headed for the body. He was just about to return to Riften from Winterhold when he decided to explore a bit. The Khajit never expected to find a dead body which could potentially give him more gold. As he grew closer, he gradually noticed that it wasn't a dead body after all. "Might T'ophil ask why you are sleeping on the blanket of snow?"</s> <\|message\|>Raven North Raven looked up at T'ophil. She was obviously disoriented. "I need shelter," she said, shivering horribly. "please, I must serve my mistress."</s>	<\|message\|>T'ophil "The mistress?" T'ophil's alarms rung loud. Could she be part of the Dark Brotherhood? She must be but it would be amazing if one of them were to owe him a favor. "Come." The Khajit said as he outstretched a hand towards her.</s>
<\|description\|>Peter Parker (Only Nick Fury knows his secret identity) Alias:Spider-Man Age:17 Power: - Extreme strength. Despite his body size he has the relative strength of a spider, being able to lift upto at least 10 tonnes. - Spider Sense - Tingles when something dangerous is happening. - Superhuman Speed - Can catch up with moving cars on foot. Though why run when you can swing? - Superhuman Stamina - Can run, jump, roll, swing, punch etc. longer than the average human. - Superhuman Durability - He can take a beating. - Superhuman Agility - Limber, bendy and can do fancy somersaults. - Superhuman Equilibrium - Basically can balance himself on objects reallly well. - Superhuman Reflexes - Helps with his spider sense so he can react to things quickly. - Regenerative Healing Factor - Not as good as wolverines, but can heal broken bones in a couple of days. ^Everything is on that list. So you know exactly what's going on^ Skills: Willpower - Strong will and moral compass. Genius Level Intellect - Known to help some of the other super genius' with their own problems, created his own web fluid and web shooters. Skilled Photographer - Gotta make money somehow. Acrobat - Thanks to your friendly neighbourhood spider bite! Hand to hand fighter - Thanks to your friendly neighbourhood school bullies! Though its dramatically improved POST spider bite. Appearance Brief Bio: Parker never knew his parents, growing up with his Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Your typical hard working Manhattan couple. Entering school Peter found himself picked on quite often, for the main reason being his intellect. He had a knack with maths, science, technology but not so much the "Cooler" attributes and skills that gained people friends. However that doesn't mean he hasn't made any. Harry Osbourne, son and heir to Norman Osbourne off Osbourne industries one of the main competitors to other organisations like Stark Industries and the Future Foundation and Mary-Jane childhood neighbour and best friend for life - and one time love interest. That was when everything changed, a bite from a radioactive spider - In a less than safe enviroment. He probably could of sued. Mutated him and gave him extra-ordinary abilities, he had the equivelant strength of a spider, speed, endurance and resilience. Though what could he do with this power? Weeks passed as he struggled to come to grip with his new powers as he had to control them. Trying to act normal in his school life and life at home to prevent anyone from noticing a difference. The main event that changed his life, was the loss of a great man. His Uncle Ben. Shot after a store robbery Peter was one of the first ones on the scene, it was a devastating moment as he watched his friend, mentor and essentially father pass away in his arms. The last word that he spoke Responsibility. It was this that pushed him to become Spider-man. The loss he had suffered, and the hope that he would not want anyone else to suffer the same loss as he had! Ever since that fateful day two years ago he has fought countless villains and along side several other great Heroes. Now things have changed, and he finds himself with an invitation from Frank Richards. Some kind of Superhero teamup. Why not? Additional info: If you want I can change how he got the call to the young avengers. I cut out that for a time even in his younger years he worked with the Avengers unless you want that in to why he's going on the team.</s> <\|message\|>Billy Kaplan Billy smiled warmly at the sight of his boyfriend's arrival in Teddy. He already had a sneaking suspicion that the big green lovable lug hadn't gotten his weekly comic books. He was about to give his surprise when he turned and saw he was sitting next to famed actor Leonardo DiCaprio. He paused wide eyed for a moment before realizing what was happening. Causing Billy to laugh, "Wow you'd think they'd be smarter than that by now..." Billy remarked before reaching into his bag from the comic book store and pulled out a small handful of comic books. Sliding them over before kissing his shape changed boyfriend on the cheek. "I figured you'd forget... Leo." Billy teased as Riley showed up. "No Riley just about everyone is here. We're just waiting on Speed..." Billy sighed just after saying Speed. For being so fast, you'd think the guy wouldn't be late all the time.</s> <\|message\|>Valeria Richards As the elevator ascended through the multitude of floors that made up the Baxter Building, Valeria stood on the side opposite from Quentin. An uneasy silence prevailed between the two teenagers for a few minutes. Maybe she had reacted too harshly to Quentin's attempt at reading her mind, especially given that they needed his help. It was times like these that she wished she was more like Franklin. As goofy and annoying as he sometimes was, he had a natural way with people that Valeria just couldn't seem to grasp. It was something he shared with their father, a style of leadership and personality that inspired others and complemented his natural genius. Quentin eventually brought up the question she had hoped she wouldn't have to answer. While it wasn't a part of her plan to clue him in this early, Valeria knew she would have to build some trust it this was going to work. "We tried getting all the older heroes to help us out. They were interested at first but after a while they gave up when there were no results, so Franklin and I decided we would do this our way." She frowned remembering how all the adults they had looked up to and believed in just turned their backs and gave up on helping Jack so soon. Valeria knew then that they were on their own. "One of our friends is still missing out there, and if the grown-ups aren't going to be any help we thought maybe someone closer to our age could do the job. That's why we reached out to you." She turned to Quentin, her blue eyes locked onto his with an imploring gaze. "It's true we don't want our parents and their friends finding out about this, but that's only because they wouldn't understand. They think we're obsessed and we should just let this go. No one gets that we're just trying to look after our own and get our friend back. They think it's better that we just forget about him. But I won't, not so long as there are still ways to keep looking." Just as Valeria finished, their arrival to the roof was announced with a soft ping from the elevator. They both stepped out into the cool night air and walked over to Franklin. "Quentin, this is my brother Franklin. And this is... well, I think it goes without saying." Valeria eyed Spider-Man curiously, wondering if he was tired of Franklin's ceaseless yammering by now. "Alright. Now that we're all here, I guess you'll need to know who it is we're trying to find." Turning to her older brother, Valeria nodded to let him know he could take over. He had been closest to Jack, after all, and could give Quentin all the information he would need to find him. "You do the honors, Franklin?" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A fast moving blur blew into the shawarma restaurant, a strong gust of wind trailing in its wake. The next thing anyone knew, a young man was standing next to the table. His clothes were all askew and his wild mop of pale hair looked tossled and unkempt. He was almost a mirror reflection of Billy, although the cocky way he carried himself made it obvious they were very different. "What's up, nerds? Sorry I'm late to your little gathering. Inter-city traffic, cute hipster chicks walking the streets of Brooklyn, you know how it is." Taking a seat next to Riley, Tommy rolled his eyes at the way Billy and Teddy were hanging all over each other. He didn't have a problem with their sexuality, just the overtly lovey-dovey displays of affection. "So, Billy. What's the agenda for tonight? Besides calling us to a place that smells like goat meat." Reaching across the table, he plucked a piece of roasted chicken from Billy's plate and stuffed it in his mouth before chewing it voraciously. He wiped away some tahini sauce that dribbled down his chin and winked at Barbara slyly.</s> <\|message\|>Barbara Norris Barbara rolled her eyes and muttered "Odin's beard" as she noticed Tommy's wink. Despite the speedters flirtations she had little interest in him in that fashion but was grateful that he had finally arrived and they could now hopefully discover why they were meeting at this restaurant. Taking another bite of food she turned to him and said. "I am unaware as to why we have we have been gathered here young Tommy" she began "But if you wink at me in that fashion ever again then you and Dragonfane will have a very close encounter. Now if you will all excuse me I must change." Making her way to the bathroom she made sure it was clear before removing her hairclip and felt the familiar rush as her clothing was replaced with her armour. Sheathing her sword she made her way back to the teams table and sat down.</s> <\|message\|>Jermaine "Jerry" Sledge A loud snoring almost shook the house as the superpowered teenager slept at her desk. There was a bing as a message popped up on her computer, reminding her of the meeting. She slept through it, but soon, her phone began to buzz in her pocket. She roused and picked it out of her pocket, looking at it. Ballet lessons were starting soon... She didn't do ballet, she was about to go back to sleep when. She quickly glanced at her computer. Suddenly, her brain kicked into action and she remembered that Ballet was the code for the meet up. "CRAAAAAAAP!" She yelled. rolling off the chair and slumping on the floor, but quickly getting back to her feet and walking towards the door, A little too tired for her own good, as she grabbed the door handle, her arm took on the brass properties of it and she walked out into the hallway, before opening the door to the appartment blocks stairwell. She was half-way down the stairs when she remembered to lock the door. "Dammit..." she moaned, before running back up the stairs to lock it. ------------------------------------------- 20 minutes later ------------------------------------------- There was a loud thud at the back of the shop as Jerry opened the door a little more forcefully than she should have. "Sorry..." she mouthed to everyone in the restaurant. She walked up to the counter and ordered a Korma. She then looked around, not entirely sure who was a member of the team. She saw the relatively large gathering of teenagers and slowly and... As inconspicuously as an overly muscular teenaged girl could before looking down. "So... Are you guys..." she wasn't entirely sure if she should go around asking about stuff like this. She placed her hand on the table and then raised it to reveal that the palm of her hand was now plastic, the same colour as the table. "It's a... Magic trick..." she said, pursing her lips as to express awkwardness as she had the sneaking suspicion that the door was going to be broken down and her dragged off by the FBI or maybe those S.H.I.E.L.D. guys that the internets tinfoil-hat-society constantly talked about.</s> <\|message\|>Franklin Richards Wiccan however in the presence of the massive yet still nervously small woman gave a warm smile. "Hey no worries you're just on time." Wiccan assured Jerry as he stood up next to her. "Guys this is Jermaine, she's going to be joining us." Wiccan told the others with a smile and an arm wrapped around her thick but strong just by feel shoulder. "Yeah sorry I had to be so vague Jermaine, I was wanting to use a code system so we knew where to meet up. Ballet was for this restaurant and there were some others." Wiccan scratched the back of his neck. "I mean I'm not sure how our parents would feel about us doing this so I figured better safe than sorry..." "Because ballet isn't stereotypical of you at all isn't it Billy?" "Shut up Tommy..." Wiccan quickly snipped back with. Sadly all too used to the very sharp tongue of his speedster ally. "Anyway where was I? Right, right... basically its nothing fancy, we head out at night. Fight crime, hang out. I don't think anyone would ever accuse us of being super organized." Wiccan paused for the enviable Speed insult but it didn't come. Either he was getting too paranoid or Speed is just fucking with him now. "Anyways... let me introduce you to the others. My boyfriend Hulkling, Valkyrie, Speed who's a piece of shit..." "HEY!" "Enigma, and I'm Wiccan. Anyways I say enough talk lets head out and see what the city has in store for us tonight..." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Franklin sighed a bit as he reached into a small pocket that was sewn strategically into his suit so it wouldn't be easily found by just anyone. He pulled out a photo, seemingly not very old but creased from being folded in half. Showing Franklin at his 6th birthday party. Which was ages ago for him but only a year ago in his home reality. It shows Jack Power posing next to Franklin who was sitting at the table. Jack looking devilishly gleeful as he had just shoved Franklin's face into the cake. Which left Franklin with a face full of chocolate cake and vanilla frosting, looking like he was on the verge of tears from embarrassment. Franklin looked at the picture, and after a brief moment of nostalgia... and the realization he should smack Jack when they find him for that. He handed the photo to Quentin. "So Jack is the one on the left. His about 11 years old, went missing about a week ago when he was last seen hanging out with some superhero named Alraune. Me and Valeria have tried anything we could about finding out about this lady but outside of a couple other young heroes no one knows anything about it, or even realize she exists. Now Valeria is suspecting magic at play but personally I just think she's keeping herself well hidden. Either way he hasn't been seen at all and as someone who not only knows him, but his brother and sisters. Hell as someone who used to be in their superhero group and maybe some of my only friends." Franklin felt a lump in his throat as he had to contain himself. He found out about what happened very shortly after returning home. The long journey finally ending and being able to see his parents, his actual parents, again. Only to find out one of his only friends is missing and no one seemed to even give a damn but him and Valeria. Franklin had issues he was dealing with and he wasn't about to just stand back. Not after what his been through. "I can't just pretend to let this go. Not that I know now I can do something about it. So please, help me find him."</s>	<\|message\|>Peter Parker (Only Nick Fury knows his secret identity) "Well we'll keep an eye on her." As the elevator came up he took a back seat in the discussion. He then moved forward to join in the conversation. "Alruane doesn't really ring a bell, but if he's been missing and nobody knows where he is that's a bit of a problem. We are meant to look after our own anyway." He rolled up his glove slightly to check his watch. "You said there was a group of people waiting somewhere for us too meet them right? As you guys got this want me to swing-ahead and tell them what we're doing? I'm pretty sure I can find a group of teen super-heroes in a restaraunt. I doubt they're being that covert. Nobody is these days" He sighed, overly dramatic on purpose. "Though seriously this is all mind mumbo jumbo and I'm much more of the tech fixing type... that or beating up bad guys. I'm pretty good at beating up bad guys too. So want me to go get the others?"</s>
<\|description\|>Quintavius "Quentin" Quirinius Quire Alias: Kid Omega Age: 17 Power: * Telepathy -Quentin his capable of using deep and subtle influence, as well as displaying various psionic abilities with the minds of others including reading and communicating with thoughts over vast distances. However, these abilities have been reduced through the actions of Trask Industries who kidnapped Quentin and used him as a test subject for their mutant cure. Due to this, Quentin struggles to read multiple minds at once, as well as reducing the range of his abilities. He most relies on channeling his mental energy as a astral energy shotgun construct which manifests the focused totality of his telepathic powers, which deals direct mental damage leading to intense pain as well as sometimes unconsciousness/ * Psychic Intelligence - He is able to organize and construct his thoughts at accelerated rates, process data at high speeds, construct and formulate his thoughts with vast quantity and quality, project ideas and impressions into the minds of others and naturally shield himself from psychic assaults. Skills: While not strictly a skill, Quentin is able to piss anyone off with little effort. However this could be arguably a weakness rather than a skill. With a mass of dyed pink hair of course! Brief Bio: Quentin's outing as a mutant wasn't all that dramatic in a sense, although his parents defiantly weren't too happy. It began with a series of violent migraines, with him at one point breaking down in class due to all the voices speaking in his head. It was only during a visit from Professor Charles Xavier did he learn that those voices were in fact the thoughts of everyone around him. The Professor informed the boy and his "parents" that he was a mutant and invited him to attend his school in Westchester. He was practically kicked out the house due to him actually being a mutant so therefore had no other choice. In truth, Quentin didn't think that they were had viewed him as that much of an abomination if he hadn't already come out as bisexual months before, to their outrage. While his time at Xavier's school wasn't terrible, Quentin struggled to make any decent friends, falling in with the likes of Mortimer Toynbee and Glob Herman. Due to these friendships, he began to get picked on by the other students, leading him to have more of an angry and snarky nature. This escalated on his 15th birthday where he received a phone call from his "Parents" who informed him that he was adopted. This through Quentin over the edge, with him developing a drug problem as well as making him more violent. Due to this, he constantly questioned Xavier's views on mutant and human relations, with him even going so far as to venture into town with his two friends to violently beat a gang of human who had insulted/bullied him previously whenever he had ventured off campus. Xavier knew instantly when they returned, prompting an argument between the two, with Quentin knocking Xavier unconscious and declaring a riot at the school. The riot was quickly subdued but not before the death of a fellow student. Due to his actions, Quentin was taken into SHIELD custody where he spent months locked away in the Raft. After the death of Charles Xavier however at the hands of the Phoenix Force, the school was reopened under the leadership of Wolverine. As instructed by Xavier's Will, he persuaded Captain America to free Quire from captivity and let him join the student body of the new Jean Grey School led by him as a way to reform Quentin. Quentin obviously wasn't welcomed back to the school, although he soon founds friends with fellow outcast Evan Sabahnur, who he eventually formed a relationship with. All was well until Quentin was kidnapped by the forces of Trask Industries along with several other mutants. They were testing some kind of mutant cure on the teenagers, which seemed to work. However this wasn't for long, as within a few hours, Quentin found that he had full control of his abilities again. Barely managing to control the scientists around him, he broke free. Upon his return to school, he became surlier than ever due to the loss of his abilities and kept to himself, continuously practising whenever he found time. His anger got the best of him once more and he worsened emotionally. That was when Mastermind managed to infiltrate the X-men, vowing revenge after between defeated years ago. He managed to break into Cerebra and use his abilities to invert the morality of the X-men, hoping to turn them against each other. This inversion ended up affecting Quentin however, although in this case, he seemingly became "good". He managed to take down Mastermind after avoiding a free-for-all skirmish between the X-men and used his abilities to change them back. However he neglected to change himself back, stating that he had finally become the Quentin Quire that the world needed. Quire eventually graduated, becoming a full-fledged X-Man. Deciding to take some time away from the Institute he took to New York, where a call from Valeria Richards caught his attention. Additional info: I tried to give Quentin a reason to actual join a team such as the Young Avengers and and thought that the events of AXIS would probably have been it. He'll still keep his surly nature though, although he'll stay as rude and annoying as before. I also edited the AXIS event so that it was an X-men only event, as I didn't think you would have wanted that plot line to have affected nearly every hero and villain!</s> <\|message\|>Franklin Richards As Franklin mindlessly mashed away on the fighting game, leaned back in the couch and feet kicked up on the coffee table. Just wearing a t shirt and jeans that he hadn't had long. After all, in the week he was gone he had gone from pre-teen to late teen. Needed a new warerobe fairly quickly which was a weird shock into what reality was like now. Valeria sat nestled into a large chair on the far side of the room, a book laid open in her lap. Her eyes scanned the pages swiftly as her face maintained a look of intense concentration, appearing to be completely absorbed by what she was reading. No one could have known it was an act. A very well rehearsed one at that. Well, perhaps Franklin. But he was in on this too. The journey they had started months ago (or a week ago, depending on which dimension you were in) had lead them to this. The strangest thing about it was after all they had been through, they were still being treated like little kids, which was what made this whole ruse necessary. It was the ruse that their mom and dad were suppose to see as they came into the room, dressed in a nice suit and dress and heading out for a charity event dinner. "Alright you two, we're leaving and be back in a bit." Their mom Susan Storm told the two of them as they both finally glanced over. "You two be safe now, and remember if you see any alternate reality portals..." "Don't go in..." "Don't go in..." "Exactly." Their father chimed in with a jokey, cheerful tone. The two finally left and the Baxter Building penthouse was all empty besides Franklin and Valeria. The both of them continuing the act until finally a moment later Franklin suddenly turned off the system with a stretched out arm and finger. "Alright sounds like we're good to go. You got the first floor security cameras ready to pick them up when they come back right?" Franklin asked hopping over the back of the couch to go change. Valeria closed the book and looked up at her brother. "Really, Franklin? Asking me if I'm prepared?" She scoffed derisively, her comment mainly intended to poke fun at Franklin. Rising from her seat, she removed a device similar to a remote control from her pants pocket at pointed it at the television set where Franklin had been playing his game. A feed showing their parents leaving the front doors of the Baxter Building's first floor came on the screen. "We'll know as soon as they step foot back in the building." "Awesome." Franklin called back from down the hall in his room. Throwing on and getting a feel for the unstable molecule suit he had gotten a few days before. His dad made it, different in design from his parents' Fantastic Four suits but similar. It was comfortable for the most part, though Franklin did admit both the suit and the special underwear he had to wear with it didn't leave him much room in 'certain areas'. Still he enjoyed it and after a quick wipe of the front of it he came back to check up on Valeria and even though he knew he didn't have to really ask her about these things... he is the older brother. "Alright so this Quentin guy should be here in a bit, and Spider-Man should be about the same time." Franklin's voice got giddy a little at the sheer mention of Spider-Man. Someone who he idolized as a young kid, even if his body wasn't quite young anymore. Valeria rolled her eyes at hearing her older brother gush over Spider-Man. It was no secret he looked up to the slightly older (now even less so) hero, but the fact he could not contain his enthusiasm irked her somewhat. "Yes. And Franklin, promise me you won't ask for his autograph first thing, alright?" She made to leave the penthouse they called home, turning back at the door to look at Franklin over her shoulder before she stepped out. "I'll go wait for Quire downstairs and then we'll meet up on the roof once everyone's here." Franklin shrugged looking unamused by Valeria's coy comment. He already got Spider-Man's autograph... duh. Still though it was going to be cool to not only meet Spider-Man again, but now he might actually get to actually do superhero stuff with Spider-Man for a change. What more could a kind of kid, kind of teenager ask for? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Meanwhile... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Here's your chicken shawarma..." "Thank you." The middle aged Indian man gave the teenager a sideways look, but by this point repetition has made the image of a young man wearing the caped superhero like costume not quite so silly anymore. Still though Billy Kaplan paid the man no mind as he quietly glanced through the comic book in front of him. It was a DC release, Flash at the moment but he had a messenger bag which him that had some more new stuff in it. Had to hit up the comic book store that morning for the new releases. Sipping from his large plastic cup of iced Mountain Dew Billy Kaplan glanced up at a nearby clock. He knew the others realized tonight the meet up was at the Indian restaurant. Each night they would meet up like this was at a different place. Not real reasoning behind it. Keep the people who knew them from picking up on their late night activities? Either way Billy took a bite of his food before getting back to the comic book. Slowly getting excited for another night of action alongside the Young Avengers!</s> <\|message\|>Peter Parker (Only Nick Fury knows his secret identity) "You've got a spider on your back." Jumping back from the inevitable punch, Spider-sense not required, he caught himself on the wall looking down on his adversary. "You know I'm late for something. So why don't you just pass out on the floor already?" He swung himself down, kicking his two feet into the chest of his advesary following up with precise web shots to both the wrists and the ankles tying him down. "Done deal, got a pen? I usually like to leave a little note." That's when he heard the sirens. "Tell you what, maybe next time." Jumping up he then pulled himself along on the web. Training had done him well, there had been so many occasions where a fight with someone like that would have been tough. Feeling a little nostalgic perhaps?. Though stuff happened, times changed. I mean look at Franklin and Valeria! They were in their teens now, he had met them a couple of times as Spider-man and Peter Parker and the concept of them having grown up in a couple of months was crazy. Though he had that whole experience with the Green-Goblin hopping through other realities chasing down alternate Spider-men so he supposed he could understand how they each reality was quite out of wack, from their perspective. Swinging into a low loop to fling himself to the top of the Baxter building he landed in a squat. Oh the Baxter building, it was always so much fun coming here. Though he had more of a soft spot for Stark Tech he often got to contribute a bit more here. He turned to the door when it opened and Franklin walked out, flipping down onto the main roof he stood up. "Whoa, what're your parents feeding you? Miracle Grow?"</s>	<\|message\|>Quintavius "Quentin" Quirinius Quire Ever since he had recieved that phone call, Quentin Quire had been thinking long and hard on what to do. Well, he had actually been thinking for a mere couple of seconds, although that was still a long time considering how fast thoughts usually flew through his head. What really struck him was why the two had come looking for him. They had spoken over the phone about desperately needing a telepath, although surely they wouldn't have picked him? Especially after everything that had happened during his time at the Jean Grey School, as his name had even been trending on twitter not so long ago after another failed attempt at a school wide riot. Regardless he had ended up phoning the two fellow teenagers back and now he was here, headphones in, music blaring and strolling through New York City. His travels to and through the big city had given Quentin some time to think about things. About how maybe Wheel's hadn't been totally wrong about his views on mutant and human relationships. Chuck's beliefs on such a matter had shaped who Quentin had become over the years but in these last few months everything had changed. He had changed. Changed for the better he believed, with Quire even considered high fiving Mastermind the next time that he saw him for giving him such a solid. Although he noted for a fact that not everything was different. Walking through the streets of Manhattan, the mutant constantly found himself flicking through the minds of everyone around him, learning their names, lives and secrets. It was a filthy habit he had come to pick up, now that he thought about it. This was something the old Quentin would do. Hell, at least he knew it was wrong. That was a start. Finding himself on 42nd street, the pink haired teenager spotted his destination ahead of him; the Baxter Building. Home of the all so fabulous Fantastic Four, Quentin Quire had often dreamed of this place burning to the ground, along with the Avengers tower and even the run down mansion those guys had also owned. Why did every team feel the need to live and operate in some fancy-ass estate. Chuck had an excuse, he was British! The mutant punk approached cautiously as he had been instructed to do on the phone. Apparently this was a "kids only" event. No pompous super's. Just how Quire liked it. Running his hand through his mohawk, he made his way inside, quickly wiping the doorman's mind of his appearance as he passed him. Heading towards what appeared to be the central elevator, he reached towards the button only to find the door slide open to reveal his contact. Valeria Richards was short and blond in appearance with calculating blue eyes, which Quentin found quite intimidating for age. He didn't need to have telepathy to know that she'd been through a lot, although in this case such powers could be useful. Besides, simply reading her mind would speed up things a lot! Delving in, he stopped after a few seconds and furrowed his brow. "Nice place you have here, Miss Richards" Quentin Quire began, forcing a smile. "Any particular reason I can't see inside y' noggin'?."</s>
<\|description\|>Barbara Norris Alias: Valkyrie Age: 17 Power: Superhuman strength, stamina, and durability. Slowed aging Skills: Trained Swordswoman Appearance: Costume: Brief Bio: Barbara was adopted at a young age by a couple of archaeologists, who found her abandoned near one of their dig sites. From then on she had a very typical childhood living with her parents while accompanying them on the occasional dig. It was a couple of years ago that everything changed for Barbara. She came home from school to find her house ransacked and a note from her parents telling her to go to there office. Arriving there Barbara found her parents being held hostage and two large creatures asking them about a sword. Following her parents and the creatures Barbara realised the sword they were talking about was on display in a museum exhibit and ran ahead to get there ahead of the creatures and her parents. Reaching it's display case she smashed it with a nearby fire extinguisher and grabbed it's hilt, it was then she felt a surge of power and was enveloped in a bright light. As she transformed a flood of memories hit her, she was the Valkyrie an asgardian warrior and the creatures which held her parents were Dark Elves seeking her sword Dragonfane. As she stood and took in her armour for the first time in years the elves arrived, threw her parent aside and attacked. After dispatching both Elves, Barbara shifted back and ran to check on her parents, her sword now a particularly large hair clip. As they came round Barbara thought of why Odin had sent her to Earth and swore to prove to him that she had changed.</s> <\|message\|>Franklin Richards As Franklin mindlessly mashed away on the fighting game, leaned back in the couch and feet kicked up on the coffee table. Just wearing a t shirt and jeans that he hadn't had long. After all, in the week he was gone he had gone from pre-teen to late teen. Needed a new warerobe fairly quickly which was a weird shock into what reality was like now. Valeria sat nestled into a large chair on the far side of the room, a book laid open in her lap. Her eyes scanned the pages swiftly as her face maintained a look of intense concentration, appearing to be completely absorbed by what she was reading. No one could have known it was an act. A very well rehearsed one at that. Well, perhaps Franklin. But he was in on this too. The journey they had started months ago (or a week ago, depending on which dimension you were in) had lead them to this. The strangest thing about it was after all they had been through, they were still being treated like little kids, which was what made this whole ruse necessary. It was the ruse that their mom and dad were suppose to see as they came into the room, dressed in a nice suit and dress and heading out for a charity event dinner. "Alright you two, we're leaving and be back in a bit." Their mom Susan Storm told the two of them as they both finally glanced over. "You two be safe now, and remember if you see any alternate reality portals..." "Don't go in..." "Don't go in..." "Exactly." Their father chimed in with a jokey, cheerful tone. The two finally left and the Baxter Building penthouse was all empty besides Franklin and Valeria. The both of them continuing the act until finally a moment later Franklin suddenly turned off the system with a stretched out arm and finger. "Alright sounds like we're good to go. You got the first floor security cameras ready to pick them up when they come back right?" Franklin asked hopping over the back of the couch to go change. Valeria closed the book and looked up at her brother. "Really, Franklin? Asking me if I'm prepared?" She scoffed derisively, her comment mainly intended to poke fun at Franklin. Rising from her seat, she removed a device similar to a remote control from her pants pocket at pointed it at the television set where Franklin had been playing his game. A feed showing their parents leaving the front doors of the Baxter Building's first floor came on the screen. "We'll know as soon as they step foot back in the building." "Awesome." Franklin called back from down the hall in his room. Throwing on and getting a feel for the unstable molecule suit he had gotten a few days before. His dad made it, different in design from his parents' Fantastic Four suits but similar. It was comfortable for the most part, though Franklin did admit both the suit and the special underwear he had to wear with it didn't leave him much room in 'certain areas'. Still he enjoyed it and after a quick wipe of the front of it he came back to check up on Valeria and even though he knew he didn't have to really ask her about these things... he is the older brother. "Alright so this Quentin guy should be here in a bit, and Spider-Man should be about the same time." Franklin's voice got giddy a little at the sheer mention of Spider-Man. Someone who he idolized as a young kid, even if his body wasn't quite young anymore. Valeria rolled her eyes at hearing her older brother gush over Spider-Man. It was no secret he looked up to the slightly older (now even less so) hero, but the fact he could not contain his enthusiasm irked her somewhat. "Yes. And Franklin, promise me you won't ask for his autograph first thing, alright?" She made to leave the penthouse they called home, turning back at the door to look at Franklin over her shoulder before she stepped out. "I'll go wait for Quire downstairs and then we'll meet up on the roof once everyone's here." Franklin shrugged looking unamused by Valeria's coy comment. He already got Spider-Man's autograph... duh. Still though it was going to be cool to not only meet Spider-Man again, but now he might actually get to actually do superhero stuff with Spider-Man for a change. What more could a kind of kid, kind of teenager ask for? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Meanwhile... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Here's your chicken shawarma..." "Thank you." The middle aged Indian man gave the teenager a sideways look, but by this point repetition has made the image of a young man wearing the caped superhero like costume not quite so silly anymore. Still though Billy Kaplan paid the man no mind as he quietly glanced through the comic book in front of him. It was a DC release, Flash at the moment but he had a messenger bag which him that had some more new stuff in it. Had to hit up the comic book store that morning for the new releases. Sipping from his large plastic cup of iced Mountain Dew Billy Kaplan glanced up at a nearby clock. He knew the others realized tonight the meet up was at the Indian restaurant. Each night they would meet up like this was at a different place. Not real reasoning behind it. Keep the people who knew them from picking up on their late night activities? Either way Billy took a bite of his food before getting back to the comic book. Slowly getting excited for another night of action alongside the Young Avengers!</s> <\|message\|>Peter Parker (Only Nick Fury knows his secret identity) "You've got a spider on your back." Jumping back from the inevitable punch, Spider-sense not required, he caught himself on the wall looking down on his adversary. "You know I'm late for something. So why don't you just pass out on the floor already?" He swung himself down, kicking his two feet into the chest of his advesary following up with precise web shots to both the wrists and the ankles tying him down. "Done deal, got a pen? I usually like to leave a little note." That's when he heard the sirens. "Tell you what, maybe next time." Jumping up he then pulled himself along on the web. Training had done him well, there had been so many occasions where a fight with someone like that would have been tough. Feeling a little nostalgic perhaps?. Though stuff happened, times changed. I mean look at Franklin and Valeria! They were in their teens now, he had met them a couple of times as Spider-man and Peter Parker and the concept of them having grown up in a couple of months was crazy. Though he had that whole experience with the Green-Goblin hopping through other realities chasing down alternate Spider-men so he supposed he could understand how they each reality was quite out of wack, from their perspective. Swinging into a low loop to fling himself to the top of the Baxter building he landed in a squat. Oh the Baxter building, it was always so much fun coming here. Though he had more of a soft spot for Stark Tech he often got to contribute a bit more here. He turned to the door when it opened and Franklin walked out, flipping down onto the main roof he stood up. "Whoa, what're your parents feeding you? Miracle Grow?"</s> <\|message\|>Quintavius "Quentin" Quirinius Quire Ever since he had recieved that phone call, Quentin Quire had been thinking long and hard on what to do. Well, he had actually been thinking for a mere couple of seconds, although that was still a long time considering how fast thoughts usually flew through his head. What really struck him was why the two had come looking for him. They had spoken over the phone about desperately needing a telepath, although surely they wouldn't have picked him? Especially after everything that had happened during his time at the Jean Grey School, as his name had even been trending on twitter not so long ago after another failed attempt at a school wide riot. Regardless he had ended up phoning the two fellow teenagers back and now he was here, headphones in, music blaring and strolling through New York City. His travels to and through the big city had given Quentin some time to think about things. About how maybe Wheel's hadn't been totally wrong about his views on mutant and human relationships. Chuck's beliefs on such a matter had shaped who Quentin had become over the years but in these last few months everything had changed. He had changed. Changed for the better he believed, with Quire even considered high fiving Mastermind the next time that he saw him for giving him such a solid. Although he noted for a fact that not everything was different. Walking through the streets of Manhattan, the mutant constantly found himself flicking through the minds of everyone around him, learning their names, lives and secrets. It was a filthy habit he had come to pick up, now that he thought about it. This was something the old Quentin would do. Hell, at least he knew it was wrong. That was a start. Finding himself on 42nd street, the pink haired teenager spotted his destination ahead of him; the Baxter Building. Home of the all so fabulous Fantastic Four, Quentin Quire had often dreamed of this place burning to the ground, along with the Avengers tower and even the run down mansion those guys had also owned. Why did every team feel the need to live and operate in some fancy-ass estate. Chuck had an excuse, he was British! The mutant punk approached cautiously as he had been instructed to do on the phone. Apparently this was a "kids only" event. No pompous super's. Just how Quire liked it. Running his hand through his mohawk, he made his way inside, quickly wiping the doorman's mind of his appearance as he passed him. Heading towards what appeared to be the central elevator, he reached towards the button only to find the door slide open to reveal his contact. Valeria Richards was short and blond in appearance with calculating blue eyes, which Quentin found quite intimidating for age. He didn't need to have telepathy to know that she'd been through a lot, although in this case such powers could be useful. Besides, simply reading her mind would speed up things a lot! Delving in, he stopped after a few seconds and furrowed his brow. "Nice place you have here, Miss Richards" Quentin Quire began, forcing a smile. "Any particular reason I can't see inside y' noggin'?."</s>	<\|message\|>Barbara Norris Barbara was a mixture of nerves and excitement on the subway. Ever since encountering the Dark Elves in the museum she had been wanting to do more and this team was her chance. As the train neared her station she decided to get off and walk the last few blocks in order to gather her thoughts before the teams latest get together. Climbing the stairs and onto the streets of New York she found herself thinking about Dragonfane and the team. Since being reunited with her sword and regaining her powers and memories she had sworn to herself to prove to Odin that she had changed for the better and the team gave her that chance. The team itself she found interesting, they were quickly becoming the family she had missed since being banished from Asgard. Looking up she saw the Baxter Building and smiled wondering what Frank and Valeria were getting up to prior to their scheduled dinner date. After double checking the restaurant address on her phone she made her way there and quickly spotted Billy engrossed a comic book and enjoying a large drink of Mountain Dew. Entering the restaurant she made her way to his table and ordering some food and drink bent over to grab a book from his bag. Sitting down and opening the book she asked him "Any good?"</s>
<\|description\|>Valeria Richards Alias: Doom Age: 14 Power: Valeria has very little in the way of what could be called superpowers. Aside from a few pieces of exotic technology and knowledge of some spells she picked up while learning from Dr. Doom, she has the regular capabilities of an 'ordinary' teenage girl. Skills: What stands out about Valeria is her profoundly gifted intellect. Having shown signs of genius at an extremely young age, her father has often remarked that she is even smarter than him. Her pedigree aside, Valeria's mind is her greatest tool and her deadliest weapon. Add to that her time under the tutelage of an alternate universe's Victor von Doom and there are very few challenges, mental or otherwise, that she can not surmount. Appearance: Costume: Brief Bio: Growing up the second child of Reed Richards and Susan Storm exposed Valeria to many unusual things, so by the time she was old enough to start kindergarten there wasn't much that surprised her. Super villains, time travel, alternate universes, you name it. She had seen it all. In fact, she was starting to get bored with the constant perils her family seemed to face on a daily basis. So when a Future Foundation field trip gone awry left both her and her brother lost in time and space, Valeria decided to make the most of it. With Franklin as her somewhat unwilling accomplice, the two of them set out on what would become the adventure of their lives. The years they spent away from home profoundly changed both Valeria and Franklin, but Valeria's experiences in one dimension where the Fantastic Four's adversary Dr. Doom had triumphed over his reality's version of her parents left a lasting impression on Valeria. This Doom's world had suffered greatly after losing Reed and Susan Richards, and he had come to regret his victory at the cost of losing his greatest rival and former closest friend. When he discovered Valeria, the child of his vanquished foe who bore the name of his past love, Doom saw it as an opportunity to make up for his grievous mistake. Although Valeria was hesitant at first, she eventually accepted Doom as her teacher. Having learned a great deal from her time under his wing, the two of them devised a way to return Valeria and Franklin to their world. Once they returned, however, they discovered only a week had passed in their home reality. The now significantly older siblings eventually settled back in with their family and friends, although many of them noticed the darker turn Valeria's personality had taken. No one was more concerned by this than her father, but Valeria assured him she was still his little girl. Still, Reed Richards has been keeping a close watch on her as of late, hoping the world's next greatest evil mind is not currently living under his roof.</s> <\|message\|>Peter Parker (Only Nick Fury knows his secret identity) "You've got a spider on your back." Jumping back from the inevitable punch, Spider-sense not required, he caught himself on the wall looking down on his adversary. "You know I'm late for something. So why don't you just pass out on the floor already?" He swung himself down, kicking his two feet into the chest of his advesary following up with precise web shots to both the wrists and the ankles tying him down. "Done deal, got a pen? I usually like to leave a little note." That's when he heard the sirens. "Tell you what, maybe next time." Jumping up he then pulled himself along on the web. Training had done him well, there had been so many occasions where a fight with someone like that would have been tough. Feeling a little nostalgic perhaps?. Though stuff happened, times changed. I mean look at Franklin and Valeria! They were in their teens now, he had met them a couple of times as Spider-man and Peter Parker and the concept of them having grown up in a couple of months was crazy. Though he had that whole experience with the Green-Goblin hopping through other realities chasing down alternate Spider-men so he supposed he could understand how they each reality was quite out of wack, from their perspective. Swinging into a low loop to fling himself to the top of the Baxter building he landed in a squat. Oh the Baxter building, it was always so much fun coming here. Though he had more of a soft spot for Stark Tech he often got to contribute a bit more here. He turned to the door when it opened and Franklin walked out, flipping down onto the main roof he stood up. "Whoa, what're your parents feeding you? Miracle Grow?"</s> <\|message\|>Quintavius "Quentin" Quirinius Quire Ever since he had recieved that phone call, Quentin Quire had been thinking long and hard on what to do. Well, he had actually been thinking for a mere couple of seconds, although that was still a long time considering how fast thoughts usually flew through his head. What really struck him was why the two had come looking for him. They had spoken over the phone about desperately needing a telepath, although surely they wouldn't have picked him? Especially after everything that had happened during his time at the Jean Grey School, as his name had even been trending on twitter not so long ago after another failed attempt at a school wide riot. Regardless he had ended up phoning the two fellow teenagers back and now he was here, headphones in, music blaring and strolling through New York City. His travels to and through the big city had given Quentin some time to think about things. About how maybe Wheel's hadn't been totally wrong about his views on mutant and human relationships. Chuck's beliefs on such a matter had shaped who Quentin had become over the years but in these last few months everything had changed. He had changed. Changed for the better he believed, with Quire even considered high fiving Mastermind the next time that he saw him for giving him such a solid. Although he noted for a fact that not everything was different. Walking through the streets of Manhattan, the mutant constantly found himself flicking through the minds of everyone around him, learning their names, lives and secrets. It was a filthy habit he had come to pick up, now that he thought about it. This was something the old Quentin would do. Hell, at least he knew it was wrong. That was a start. Finding himself on 42nd street, the pink haired teenager spotted his destination ahead of him; the Baxter Building. Home of the all so fabulous Fantastic Four, Quentin Quire had often dreamed of this place burning to the ground, along with the Avengers tower and even the run down mansion those guys had also owned. Why did every team feel the need to live and operate in some fancy-ass estate. Chuck had an excuse, he was British! The mutant punk approached cautiously as he had been instructed to do on the phone. Apparently this was a "kids only" event. No pompous super's. Just how Quire liked it. Running his hand through his mohawk, he made his way inside, quickly wiping the doorman's mind of his appearance as he passed him. Heading towards what appeared to be the central elevator, he reached towards the button only to find the door slide open to reveal his contact. Valeria Richards was short and blond in appearance with calculating blue eyes, which Quentin found quite intimidating for age. He didn't need to have telepathy to know that she'd been through a lot, although in this case such powers could be useful. Besides, simply reading her mind would speed up things a lot! Delving in, he stopped after a few seconds and furrowed his brow. "Nice place you have here, Miss Richards" Quentin Quire began, forcing a smile. "Any particular reason I can't see inside y' noggin'?."</s> <\|message\|>Barbara Norris Barbara was a mixture of nerves and excitement on the subway. Ever since encountering the Dark Elves in the museum she had been wanting to do more and this team was her chance. As the train neared her station she decided to get off and walk the last few blocks in order to gather her thoughts before the teams latest get together. Climbing the stairs and onto the streets of New York she found herself thinking about Dragonfane and the team. Since being reunited with her sword and regaining her powers and memories she had sworn to herself to prove to Odin that she had changed for the better and the team gave her that chance. The team itself she found interesting, they were quickly becoming the family she had missed since being banished from Asgard. Looking up she saw the Baxter Building and smiled wondering what Frank and Valeria were getting up to prior to their scheduled dinner date. After double checking the restaurant address on her phone she made her way there and quickly spotted Billy engrossed a comic book and enjoying a large drink of Mountain Dew. Entering the restaurant she made her way to his table and ordering some food and drink bent over to grab a book from his bag. Sitting down and opening the book she asked him "Any good?"</s> <\|message\|>Franklin Richards Franklin beamed a big smile at the sigh of his hero standing before him. Though he quickly came to a sad realization about how he took after his dad in having to fight saying that miracle grow wouldn't work at all like that. Still he hadn't seem Spidey under these kind of circumstances in years and was sure going to try and give him a good first impression about the new and improved Fantastic Lad. The name is silly sure, but it was mom's idea.... "No this is the result of being in numerous alternate realities for around 10 years... Or a week however it's suppose to work." Franklin awkwardly scratched his head. Even though they've only been back a week neither Reed or Valeria have been able to figure out how 10 years in alternate realities could only be a week in theirs. Still Franklin was just grateful at that point on a lot of different levels. Not only to be home, but that now he truly felt like he could do something and not just hide behind mom or dad. Franklin extended out a hand, not letting Spider-Man see any elastic power just yet. As word was quiet about Franklin not being able to manipulate reality anymore. Something Franklin himself was wanting as it came from a hectic situation. Plus it gave him an element of surprise that could help down the road. "I'm really glad you agreed to do this. I hope me having to use dad's info on you to call you up is t going to be a sore spot or anything. Before uh.... All that happened, he was hoping you'd be a part of the Future Foundation." The fact his parents ended the Future Foundation after him and his sister vanished, while not exactly surprising. It did made Franklin feel guilty as he was sort of the reason why. Especially when it came to Alex Power, who now has both his younger brother missing and no more Future Foundation. It was just as big a reason as Jack being. Franklin's best friend that made him want to find Jack. "So I know I've been quiet on why I asked you to come here tonight. It's about Jack Power being missing. We think we have a lead but well. It's kind of complicated and even with your help and Quentin Quire we might need more help of a particular kind. We're going to meet up with sis and Quentin up on the roof and she can explain everything from there. Though personally speaking, I am excited we get to work together for a change... So do you like Spidey or more somethig like Mr. Spider or something like that?"</s>	<\|message\|>Valeria Richards Once she was alone, Valeria made a detour to her room and entered her large walk-in closet. Pushing aside a row of clothes on hangers she pressed a hidden switch in the wall that caused a panel to slide down, revealing a secret compartment that contained her costume. Unlike Franklin's, hers had been a gift not from their father but from the alternate version of Doctor Doom who had been her teacher and mentor. It was much the same as the traditional unstable molecule suits of the Fantastic Four, but with one slight addition; a dark blue cape with a built-in hood. It was an homage to the man who had helped make her into the person she was now, although she had yet to reveal it to anyone besides Franklin. She could only imagine how her father would react to seeing her dressed like his nemesis, and truth be told she wasn't eager for him to find out just how much she had been changed by her time with Doom. Valeria quickly dressed herself, pushing those troubling thoughts from her mind, and headed to the elevator that adjoined the penthouse. The short elevator ride down to the lobby was accompanied by generic muzak that seemed incongruous given the advanced technology and futuristic design that were built into the very bones of the Baxter Building. Still, Valeria supposed her parents couldn't be bothered with such minute details when they were constantly dealing with dimensional incursions and world-devouring space gods. She might take it upon herself someday to update the building's mood music to something a little more adventurous. Her uncle Johnny would probably approve, at the very least. The elevator reached the ground floor and its doors parted to reveal a pink-haired boy slightly older than Valeria standing outside. Judging by his less than conventional attire Valeria presumed he was the former-Xavier School student they had been expecting. "You must be Quentin. Welcome to the Baxter Building, home of tomorrow's technology today and last century's elevator music." Before she could continue introducing herself Valeria paused, her face taking on a stony expression. She could feel Quentin probing the borders of her consciousness with his telepathy, a sensation that immediately brought her guard up. Her time away from her home dimension had taught her many things, but probably one of the most valuable lessons she had learned had been how to build defenses against psychic intrusion within her own mind. She had her Uncle Victor (how it would kill her father to know she called him that) to thank for it. He had prepared her for virtually every scenario involving having to face foes with superpowers. It was something he considered fundamentally important, especially when it came to protecting the inner workings of what he referred to as "a superior mind." "A girl has to keep her secrets, Mr. Quire." Valeria's tone while speaking the last two words bordered on scornful. More than anything she resented his attempt to barge into her thoughts without her permission. Wasn't that the golden rule of the Charles Xavier school of thought? "I don't recommend you try any telepathic shenanigans while you're here. Except the ones we need you for, of course." Standing aside so he could enter the elevator, Valeria's expression softened slightly, an almost playful gleam in her eyes. "If you want to put that big mutant brain of yours to use, we can go upstairs and meet with my brother. We need your help finding someone." She keyed in the number of the top floor to take the elevator to the roof, her other hand holding the doors at bay while she waited for Quentin to enter. Valeria looked at him expectantly, tapping her foot as if to urge him to hurry up.</s>
<\|description\|>Valeria Richards Alias: Doom Age: 14 Power: Valeria has very little in the way of what could be called superpowers. Aside from a few pieces of exotic technology and knowledge of some spells she picked up while learning from Dr. Doom, she has the regular capabilities of an 'ordinary' teenage girl. Skills: What stands out about Valeria is her profoundly gifted intellect. Having shown signs of genius at an extremely young age, her father has often remarked that she is even smarter than him. Her pedigree aside, Valeria's mind is her greatest tool and her deadliest weapon. Add to that her time under the tutelage of an alternate universe's Victor von Doom and there are very few challenges, mental or otherwise, that she can not surmount. Appearance: Costume: Brief Bio: Growing up the second child of Reed Richards and Susan Storm exposed Valeria to many unusual things, so by the time she was old enough to start kindergarten there wasn't much that surprised her. Super villains, time travel, alternate universes, you name it. She had seen it all. In fact, she was starting to get bored with the constant perils her family seemed to face on a daily basis. So when a Future Foundation field trip gone awry left both her and her brother lost in time and space, Valeria decided to make the most of it. With Franklin as her somewhat unwilling accomplice, the two of them set out on what would become the adventure of their lives. The years they spent away from home profoundly changed both Valeria and Franklin, but Valeria's experiences in one dimension where the Fantastic Four's adversary Dr. Doom had triumphed over his reality's version of her parents left a lasting impression on Valeria. This Doom's world had suffered greatly after losing Reed and Susan Richards, and he had come to regret his victory at the cost of losing his greatest rival and former closest friend. When he discovered Valeria, the child of his vanquished foe who bore the name of his past love, Doom saw it as an opportunity to make up for his grievous mistake. Although Valeria was hesitant at first, she eventually accepted Doom as her teacher. Having learned a great deal from her time under his wing, the two of them devised a way to return Valeria and Franklin to their world. Once they returned, however, they discovered only a week had passed in their home reality. The now significantly older siblings eventually settled back in with their family and friends, although many of them noticed the darker turn Valeria's personality had taken. No one was more concerned by this than her father, but Valeria assured him she was still his little girl. Still, Reed Richards has been keeping a close watch on her as of late, hoping the world's next greatest evil mind is not currently living under his roof.</s> <\|message\|>Peter Parker (Only Nick Fury knows his secret identity) "Psshwaaah" He swiped his hand on a mock gesture of flattery. "Mr.Spider was my father. Call me Spidey, Spider-man or a crowd favourite is Menace, Oh-No or Spiiiiiiiiiiiidermaaaaaan." He moved over to lean on a wall. "In terms of your little reality hop alternate realities are weird... I mean really weird. I went to this one where everyone was literally a pig..." He visibly shuttered. "That isn't something I'll get out my head soon. Though in terms off your little trip me and your dad discussed that and I even brought it up with Stark. I think the apparent difference in time happens during the transition between realities though theres no real way for anyone to test these theories." He shrugged as he looked off into the city. "So what was your alternate reality experience like? Fun? No Fun? Strange? Not-Strange? I was following the Goblin on my trip which caused it to be... somewhat painful not to mention some of the alternate versions of me were very, very weird. But your trip seemed to last a bit longer than my own... relatively speaking of course."</s> <\|message\|>Quintavius "Quentin" Quirinius Quire Quentin opened his mouth to apologize, only to close it straight away and step into the elevator in silence. He decided it would be best to just not say anything on the matter after the last time he had apologized to someone. That someone had actually been the multitude of his classmates back at the Jean Grey School. It had been just after the incident with Mastermind; where his so-called inversion had taken place. After clearing things up with the faculty and finally seen the light as some may say, Quentin had decided that it was time to say sorry for all the anguish he had caused over the past few years. While he hadn't expected a series of hugs or pleas of forgiveness, he at least expected them to understand. Instead no one took him seriously, laughing at his attempts, claiming them to be all part of some mischievous scheme. It hadn't been until after a few weeks of peace and quiet that they started to believe him. Hence why now Quire kept his trap shut, as who'd believe him? He perked up though at the comment Valeria made about needing him to help find someone. He thought back to everything he knew about these Fantastic-Kids and anything that could link him or the X-men to them. That's when the face-palm thought came in. They needed a telepath. However that only led to more questions. "If you needed someone with telepathic abilities then why go for me?" He questioned, peering around the brightly lit elevator. "I'm pretty sure the likes of Rachel Grey and Psylocke could read minds the last time I checked! Unless this is something you don't really wish people to know you're up to?" He thought aloud. "You know that I've gone straight right? Thought it'll be best for me to put off partaking in my share of illegal activities for the time being!"</s> <\|message\|>Franklin Richards Franklin scratched his chin for a moment. "I was in that reality around my 12th birthday. Spider Pig even mentioned you being there not too long ago." Franklin recalled off the top of his head. Typically it was hard to comb through all the realities, all of the stories, all of the experiences he lived in both almost all of his childhood but in a week's time. It was weird to think his lived such a full life in only a week's time. Plus before he could even drink legally. Still Franklin has been able to look back at it all for the most part with a smile. "Yeah one reality everyone was zombies except for some guy with a chainsaw for a hand. Another all superheroes were secret agents, one where dad was a telepathic brain in a jar, mom was elastic, uncle Johnny could turn into an android, and Uncle Ben had dragonfly wings. There was an alternate reality where like super humans and mutants just didn't exist at all." Franklin paused for a moment thinking about what he was about to say. "The last one we went too though... Doctor doom had killed the entire Fantastic Four. He claimed he regretted it and wanted to teach Valeria things to amend for what he did. But... The guy made a throne out of Ben. I don't know how to feel. Especially since after all that... Valeria has changed and I don't know if it's for the better."</s> <\|message\|>Riley Samuel Jacobs Teddy hadn't done much that day, slept in, woke up realized it was late, got dressed, played a bit of video games, realized that they were meeting in a few minutes, got ready and flew away to the restaurant. The Young Avengers weren't established for as long as the Avengers had been, he joined a couple months after the team was made, when barely anyone knew about the teams existence. When he got to the restaurant, he walked by the table and sat next to Tommy, he smiled. "Hey Billy, Do you know how to beat the final stage in Mega Man, I'm stumped." He dropped the system on the table. "Wait is that the flash? I don't recognize the issue, did i miss the release date again." Teddy loved flash, he and Green Arrow was his favorites, but always didn't like Superman for some reason, he just didn't like his long list of powers and how over powered he was. A waiter came over to the table in a white apron. "Sir what do-" The man stopped, a huge smile went over his face as he saw Leonardo Dicaprio, Teddy changed to Leo so he could get food free. "Can i get three shawarma's?" The man interrupted him and blurted. "Yes yes! It's on the house Mr.Dicaprio." The man rushed into the kitchen, he then turned to Billy and transformed back into himself. "Sorry just forgot my wallet at home." ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Riley hadn't slept for long, he had been up all night in his tech room in The Avengers Tower, he had been working on his new scale repulsors, which go down his arms and legs with small repulsors on his gloves and shoes, he had also worked on his Ark Reactor, Tony had gotten his out but Riley didn't want his to be gone, it's what powered his live tech, and ever since he was hit by lightning, he was scared to die when they take his out. As he was asleep on his desk, a small tech spider jumped on the table, he called him A.J after his unborn brother that Tony told him about, he never got to meet his parents, but always wanted to. A.J crawled on his back, Then a loud, and annoying ringing came from A.J, Riley woke up right away, not knowing what was happening, he looked around what was happening till he noticed A.J. "Aw what time is it." A projector came from the spider, Riley looked and noticed that he was late. "Oh shit." After getting ready he put A.J on his shoulder and flew out the window, when he finally got to the restaurant, he walked in and sat at the table with Teddy, Billy and Barbara sitting at the table, he dropped down on the seat next to Teddy and Barbara. "So where is everyone else, i am late and they still aren't here?"</s> <\|message\|>Billy Kaplan Billy smiled warmly at the sight of his boyfriend's arrival in Teddy. He already had a sneaking suspicion that the big green lovable lug hadn't gotten his weekly comic books. He was about to give his surprise when he turned and saw he was sitting next to famed actor Leonardo DiCaprio. He paused wide eyed for a moment before realizing what was happening. Causing Billy to laugh, "Wow you'd think they'd be smarter than that by now..." Billy remarked before reaching into his bag from the comic book store and pulled out a small handful of comic books. Sliding them over before kissing his shape changed boyfriend on the cheek. "I figured you'd forget... Leo." Billy teased as Riley showed up. "No Riley just about everyone is here. We're just waiting on Speed..." Billy sighed just after saying Speed. For being so fast, you'd think the guy wouldn't be late all the time.</s>	<\|message\|>Valeria Richards As the elevator ascended through the multitude of floors that made up the Baxter Building, Valeria stood on the side opposite from Quentin. An uneasy silence prevailed between the two teenagers for a few minutes. Maybe she had reacted too harshly to Quentin's attempt at reading her mind, especially given that they needed his help. It was times like these that she wished she was more like Franklin. As goofy and annoying as he sometimes was, he had a natural way with people that Valeria just couldn't seem to grasp. It was something he shared with their father, a style of leadership and personality that inspired others and complemented his natural genius. Quentin eventually brought up the question she had hoped she wouldn't have to answer. While it wasn't a part of her plan to clue him in this early, Valeria knew she would have to build some trust it this was going to work. "We tried getting all the older heroes to help us out. They were interested at first but after a while they gave up when there were no results, so Franklin and I decided we would do this our way." She frowned remembering how all the adults they had looked up to and believed in just turned their backs and gave up on helping Jack so soon. Valeria knew then that they were on their own. "One of our friends is still missing out there, and if the grown-ups aren't going to be any help we thought maybe someone closer to our age could do the job. That's why we reached out to you." She turned to Quentin, her blue eyes locked onto his with an imploring gaze. "It's true we don't want our parents and their friends finding out about this, but that's only because they wouldn't understand. They think we're obsessed and we should just let this go. No one gets that we're just trying to look after our own and get our friend back. They think it's better that we just forget about him. But I won't, not so long as there are still ways to keep looking." Just as Valeria finished, their arrival to the roof was announced with a soft ping from the elevator. They both stepped out into the cool night air and walked over to Franklin. "Quentin, this is my brother Franklin. And this is... well, I think it goes without saying." Valeria eyed Spider-Man curiously, wondering if he was tired of Franklin's ceaseless yammering by now. "Alright. Now that we're all here, I guess you'll need to know who it is we're trying to find." Turning to her older brother, Valeria nodded to let him know he could take over. He had been closest to Jack, after all, and could give Quentin all the information he would need to find him. "You do the honors, Franklin?" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A fast moving blur blew into the shawarma restaurant, a strong gust of wind trailing in its wake. The next thing anyone knew, a young man was standing next to the table. His clothes were all askew and his wild mop of pale hair looked tossled and unkempt. He was almost a mirror reflection of Billy, although the cocky way he carried himself made it obvious they were very different. "What's up, nerds? Sorry I'm late to your little gathering. Inter-city traffic, cute hipster chicks walking the streets of Brooklyn, you know how it is." Taking a seat next to Riley, Tommy rolled his eyes at the way Billy and Teddy were hanging all over each other. He didn't have a problem with their sexuality, just the overtly lovey-dovey displays of affection. "So, Billy. What's the agenda for tonight? Besides calling us to a place that smells like goat meat." Reaching across the table, he plucked a piece of roasted chicken from Billy's plate and stuffed it in his mouth before chewing it voraciously. He wiped away some tahini sauce that dribbled down his chin and winked at Barbara slyly.</s>
<\|description\|>Valeria Richards Alias: Doom Age: 14 Power: Valeria has very little in the way of what could be called superpowers. Aside from a few pieces of exotic technology and knowledge of some spells she picked up while learning from Dr. Doom, she has the regular capabilities of an 'ordinary' teenage girl. Skills: What stands out about Valeria is her profoundly gifted intellect. Having shown signs of genius at an extremely young age, her father has often remarked that she is even smarter than him. Her pedigree aside, Valeria's mind is her greatest tool and her deadliest weapon. Add to that her time under the tutelage of an alternate universe's Victor von Doom and there are very few challenges, mental or otherwise, that she can not surmount. Appearance: Costume: Brief Bio: Growing up the second child of Reed Richards and Susan Storm exposed Valeria to many unusual things, so by the time she was old enough to start kindergarten there wasn't much that surprised her. Super villains, time travel, alternate universes, you name it. She had seen it all. In fact, she was starting to get bored with the constant perils her family seemed to face on a daily basis. So when a Future Foundation field trip gone awry left both her and her brother lost in time and space, Valeria decided to make the most of it. With Franklin as her somewhat unwilling accomplice, the two of them set out on what would become the adventure of their lives. The years they spent away from home profoundly changed both Valeria and Franklin, but Valeria's experiences in one dimension where the Fantastic Four's adversary Dr. Doom had triumphed over his reality's version of her parents left a lasting impression on Valeria. This Doom's world had suffered greatly after losing Reed and Susan Richards, and he had come to regret his victory at the cost of losing his greatest rival and former closest friend. When he discovered Valeria, the child of his vanquished foe who bore the name of his past love, Doom saw it as an opportunity to make up for his grievous mistake. Although Valeria was hesitant at first, she eventually accepted Doom as her teacher. Having learned a great deal from her time under his wing, the two of them devised a way to return Valeria and Franklin to their world. Once they returned, however, they discovered only a week had passed in their home reality. The now significantly older siblings eventually settled back in with their family and friends, although many of them noticed the darker turn Valeria's personality had taken. No one was more concerned by this than her father, but Valeria assured him she was still his little girl. Still, Reed Richards has been keeping a close watch on her as of late, hoping the world's next greatest evil mind is not currently living under his roof.</s> <\|message\|>Quintavius "Quentin" Quirinius Quire Quentin nodded as Valeria spoke. If there was one thing that he still believed since his inversion, was that sometimes the "heroes" of this world could be real dicks when it came to things like this. Sure that may be a bit hypocritical coming from Kid Douche himself, but he wasn't wrong. Just take the X-men. They're always fighting among themselves, messing up time and constantly proceeding in coitus with each other. From what he had heard, the Avengers weren't much better! "Don't worry Val."He spoke in a reassuring manner. "Can I call you Val? Anyway, I'll try my best!" He gave a smile, only for it to be shaken off his face as the elevator stopped abruptly. As the door slid open, Quentin was surprise to find himself on the roof. He had presumed that this meeting was to be held in doors. Despite how much he complained, Quire had actually wanted to see where all the magic and hijinks of the Fantastic Four happens. He was about to make a remark on this when he laid his eyes upon the red and blue costumed hero ahead of him. Spider-man. So the nut did exist. Quire was tempted to take a peak behind that bug eyed mask of his, only to remember what happened downstairs with Valeria. Remember Quentin, probing minds doesn't make you any friends. Instead he gave the hero a quick wave and one of his mischievous smiles before turning to who he presumed must be Franklin. Like Valeria, the teenager looked older than Quentin had expected. Thinking quickly, he remembered hearing something about some kind of dimension travelling mumble-jumble happening here a few days ago. He mentally shrugged before listening. Looking at the photo produced by Franklin, Quire reckoned his dimension theory was probably true judging by how old he looked. He recognized Jack from a news broadcast he had seem briefly although apart from his exploits with the Power Pack, he didn't know much about the guy. The name Alruane did ring a bell though. Some kid back at the school had probably mentioned them before. Quentin couldn't remember for sure but her mysterious hiding did intrigue him. Giving Franklin and Valeria the most sincere smile he could muster, Quentin spoke. "I'll see what my big o'l mutant brain can do!" Giving a wink to Valeria, he learnt back against the railing on the edge of the roof and held a hand to his temple. "Also if one of you could fetch me an espresso afterwards, that'll be great." Closing his eyes, Quentin Quire got to work.</s> <\|message\|>Valeria Richards Tommy chuckled at how bluntly Barbara had brushed him off. "Hostility. Gotta love a girl with spirit." It was hardly the first time he had gotten such a reaction to his advances, and by now he had learned to just take it in stride. He also knew she wasn't just making idle threats. Barbara could hold her own, and if it came down to it Tommy was sure she could back up everything she had said. He made a mental note to try a smoother approach with her from now on. Turning to take in their newest arrival, Tommy cocked an eyebrow at the very... statuesque girl. He couldn't say she was exactly his type but apparently she would be bringing a lot of muscle to the team, which they sorely needed. "Don't let Billy's nerdy handmade costumes fool you. We can hold our own with the spandex crowd. Just because we aren't an official team doesn't mean we can't put the hurt on some bad guys." Rising from his chair, Tommy's figure seemed to fade and flicker for an instant and then he was standing there in his costume as well. Looking down at the form-fitting green and white bodysuit, he shook his head and glared at Billy. "Seriously? You couldn't make something that doesn't say 'Hey! Look at my crotch!'?" Tommy sighed, muttering under his breath. "I can't believe I'm going out in public like this." -------------------- As Quentin closed his eyes the sounds of the city around him and the voices of Franklin and the others gradually became indistinct, first seeming to drift away before fading out all together. He felt his consciousness leave his body as his telepathic senses expanded beyond the realm of the physical. Focusing on the image of Jack he had seen, he concentrated all his thoughts on finding that face. Reaching out through the vast sea of minds all across the city, he saw through the eyes of thousands of people at once as he scanned for someone that had seen Jack. Remaining intensely focused for several minutes, his brow furrowed in frustration as he came up with nothing. Then, suddenly, a faint image appeared before his mind's eye. It grew clearer, and soon he could make out a face. The place he was seeing was dark, but the more he focused on that face the more it became apparent that it was the same one he had seen in the photograph. It was Jack. His face finally became distinct enough to see his expression, but to Quentin's horror it was one of pain and torment. In the vision he locked eyes with Jack for a moment, and the fear and desperation he saw in the younger boy's gaze were enough to sicken him even as he felt the perverse pleasure of the mind that was inflicting it. A sense of terror and foreboding came over Quentin all at once as he sensed that twisted mind becoming aware of his presence within itself and then he saw nothing but pitch black. Feeling trapped and blind, he wanted to withdraw back to the comfort of his own consciousness, but found that he could not. The terrible mind had his own in its grasp, and it spoke to him as it held Quentin's thoughts within the abysmal void that surrounded his awareness. "Young, precious Quentin, forget what you saw here. Never see or speak of it again... Or you're next." With that he felt his psychic projection forcefully hurled back to his own mind. As he settled back into the confines of his own body Quentin felt the agony caused by his being expelled explode within his skull. His eyes fluttered open even as he winced in pain, and Franklin, Valeria, and Spider Man came into view once more. "... -at happened? Did you find Jack? Where is he?" Franklin's rapidly blurted questions were only half-heard as Quentin struggled with the painful ringing the psychic backlash produced in his ears. "Give him a minute, Franklin." Valeria approached Quentin looking concerned. "Are you all right? What did you see?"</s> <\|message\|>Quintavius "Quentin" Quirinius Quire "So... So did no one bother to get me some coffee?" Quentin groaned as he leaned against the roof's railing before sliding slowly to the floor, where he held his head. That had been different from what he had expected. When the Richard's Duo had first spoke of Jack's disappearance, Quentin had figured it was just your average super-villain dangling the boy over a shark tank or something, nothing like this. No, this was new. This was scary. The mutant turned his head and looked upwards at the three above him. While Spider-man's face was obviously covered, Franklin and Valeria's were full of concern and worry. Quentin thought back to when Franklin had first informed him of his task. The kid obviously was close to loosing it. How the hell was he supposed to break the news that some evil asshole was out there tormenting their friend? Quire shook his head vigorously in his hands once more as he rose to his feet. Not baring to look either of them in the eye, he kept his eyes glued to his feet. "I...I found him." He began, steadying his voice. "I'm not going to lie to you mate, it wasn't pretty. I couldn't find where he was but..." He trailed off. Stuffing his hands in the pockets of his cardigan he gave Valeria a feeble look before continuing. "There's something there with him. Something powerful. Hence the whole thing just then! I want to help though... if there's anything else that I can do!"</s> <\|message\|>Franklin Richards Franklin had concern and worry running through him as Quentin came back to them looking he got punched directly in the brain. Though the joke about coffee was enough to distract and confuse Franklin for a.moment. "I uh...could still get you a cup if you want Quentin.". Franklin told him giving an awkward yet friendly smile. Still the news was the last thing Franklin had wanted to hear. He was hoping Jack had just ran off, stubborn as he usually was when Alex bossed him around too hard. This though was terrible on so many different levels. Not only were they now possibly in over their heads. Valeria's theory about magic being involved had a lot more weight to it. Granted Franklin still didn't fully believe it, him and his father shared more than just genetics after all. Sighing with a sad tone Franklin ran a finger through his dirty blond hair. A clear sign to Valeria his worry, as it was something hd did when he felt sick with worry or just plain overwhelmed. Franklin paused in thought before going to his pocket once again. "Alright sis we did your plan, now its my turn.". He turned from her to Quentin, giving him a faint smile of assurance. "Actually there is something you can do for me." Pulling out a newspaper clipping Franklin handed it to Quentin, an article on a group of young superheroes. "they're called the Young Avengers. The avengers aren't particularly keen on them at the moment but I think, with all due respect to you and Spidey here. We're going to need more power on our side it sounds like." Franklin pulled out a set of keys, "Quentin, go ahead and find them, we can try to meet up with them and see what they can do for us." Before anyone could say another word, Franklin clicked a beeper on the keys. Causing the helipad opening to slide out and up revealing a large modified SUV that had thrusters molded into the back. With the same coloring and four symbol Franklin' suit had. "It's the Fantasticar Jr, a late sweet 16 present from dad and Uncle Johnny. Just got my driver's and pilot's license two days ago."</s>	<\|message\|>Valeria Richards Valeria bit into her lower lip apprehensively as she struggled to make sense of what they had heard from Quentin. Someone had Jack, and if Quentin's current condition was anything to go by that someone wasn't to be trifled with. It pained her to see Franklin so worried, but the fear that they might be getting in over their heads gnawed even stronger in the back of her mind at that moment. The fact that they were some of the smartest and most capable kids in existence put aside, everything they had done up until that point had been a secret. The unshakable sense that they now were rapidly approaching a point of no return, beyond which they would be unable to get any help from their parents, was suddenly all she could think about. The instant Franklin pulled out the newspaper clipping she recovered from her reverie, annoyance once more causing her lips to crease into a frown. She and Franklin had discussed the Young Avengers before. Previously they had just agreed to disagree about whether what they were doing was a good idea or not. Now, however, she could see Franklin intended to turn to them for help, and she realized she should have been much harsher in her criticism. "Really, Franklin? The fanboy squad? You're talking about getting involved with a group of untrained, unsanctioned vigilantes. There's got to be somebody else we can ask for help." Still, the more Valeria thought about it their own actions would hardly be approved of by the superhero community at large if they knew about them. Maybe it would be better if they went with someone slightly more under the radar of the bigshots. That way, if things turned sour (as she fully expected them too), they could safely pull out of the situation before they got discovered. Sighing, she resigned herself to going along with Franklin's plan for now. She had to silently promise herself she would not get caught up in her brother's obsession with these amateur heroes, and the moment one of them slipped up and started to jeopardize their goals she would be the first one with her foot out the door. "Fine, but I'm only going along with this because our options are limited. We'll give these guys a shot on a trial basis. I'm reserving my vote until after we decide if they make the cut, though." Throwing her cape back somewhat indignantly, Valeria walked around to the front passenger side of the Fantasticar Jr. "Let's get going. We need to get this over with before mom and dad get back home." With that, she hopped inside and slammed the door. She crossed her arms over her chest and avoided looking Franklin in the eye for the time being, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing how vexed she was by having to take part in his harebrained scheme.</s>
<\|description\|>Catherine "Caty" Davis Alias: Spider-Woman, Spider-Girl, Cat, Caty Age: 18 DOB: June 10th, 2005 POB: Queens, New York City, USA Height: 5'8" Weight: 145 lbs (Athletic Build) Eyes: Blue Hair: Blonde Occupation: Student Intern (Enrolled in Columbia; Interns at Grayburn Labs) Special Talents & Skills High Intelligence (Engineering, Computer Science, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Classical Mechanics) Athleticism (Cheer and Gymnastics) Fluent in Spanish, French, and Dothraki(Speak, Read & Write; Huge GoT fan) Intuitive Aptitude (Innate) Powers & Abilities Enhanced Strength, Durability, Healing, and Endurance (Passive) Enhanced Agility, Reflexes and Speed (Passive) Enhanced Equilibrium (Passive) Wall Crawling Spider Sense (She theorizes the mutated effects of the terrigenesis mist and spider bite may cause her powers to evolve over time to exhibit more Spider-Like abilities or qualities) Biography The Davis family always knew they wanted to have children together. Unfortunately, fate was not on their side. They tried many times to have a child, but would always either fail to conceive, or miscarry. Finally, after many attempts and a difficult pregnancy, the Davis family were finally blessed with twins! They were overjoyed, and cherished their miracle babies. Caty and her twin brother Danny were two peas in an interesting pod. It had seemed the universe had blessed their parents with extraordinary gifts. It was all too fitting that they were called miracle babies. Early on in their childhood it was clear that the two were exceptionally bright. When they weren't playing with dolls, stuffed animals and any other toys they had they were often found experimenting with the world around them. They had an innate curiosity about them. This was especially so when it came to Caty. Growing up she always knew there was something different about her. She could understand things quickly and she always thirsted for more knowledge. Though if you were on the outside looking in you wouldn't have been able to tell. Ever since she was young Caty had always been the more energetic and outgoing of the duo. She seemed to outshine her slightly younger brother but she never looked at it that way. To her Danny was the one that shined even brighter than her. He could just never see it for himself. Because of this Danny grew into the stereotypical role of the shy and awkward nerd while Caty grew into the world of the All American popular girl who also happened to be smart. She never hid her intelligence but she also didn't flaunt it. Instead of joining any of the science clubs she joined the Cheerleading team her Freshman year and took gymnastics on the side outside of school. When they were in High School most students knew not to mess with Danny or his sister would come down and rain hell on the offenders. She did this as a way to teach Danny how to stand up for himself because she wouldn't always be there to protect him. Even if she wanted to. There were times when she wasn't around and his most dedicated bullies would terrorize him. Sometimes she would be there to watch and let it happen. Then afterwards she'd find them and teach them a lesson they wouldn't soon forget. By the time they were Seniors Caty was the Captain of the Cheerleaders and was a shoe-in for both Homecoming and Prom Queen. If she were to be honest she didn't care at all about either, but everyone else around her seemed to so she entertained it for their sake. When she finished senior year she graduated as Valedictorian with a 5.0 GPA due to all of the AP Classes she took throughout the four years. This coupled with her accomplishment of nearly breaking the scales on her SAT and ACT opened many doors for her after graduation. She received scholarships, full and partial from every school she applied to and even ones she didn't apply to. When Danny also got into Columbia the two decided that was going to be their destination in the Fall. There she would double major in Biochemistry and Computer Science with a minor in Physics. Word of their accomplishments met the ears of a Mr. Howard Stark and the two were invited to partake in internships at his company's subsidiary Grayburn Labs. There she met her rival and slightly adorkable nerd David Banner. Ever since the internship began he's kept her on her toes and helps push her to newer heights. Two abnormal brains are better than one. The trio have been in the program for over a full month now and things are starting to heat up at the lab. Unfortunately they'll come to find out that it's not in a good way. Felix Hardy Alias: Black Cat, Mister Luck, Lix Age: 20 DOB: April 1st, 2003 POB: Flushing, Queens, New York City, USA Height: 6'3" Weight: 222 lbs (Athletic Build) Eyes: Blue Hair: Blonde Occupation: College Student; Professional Thief (Enrolled in NYU; Member of New York Thieves Guild) Special Talents & Skills Gifted Intelligence (Computer Science, History, Linguistics, Electronics, Security Systems) Athleticism (Gymnastics, Basketball, Track) Polyglot (Spanish, French, Latin, German, Russian, Mandarin, Japanese) Skilled Martial Artist (Okinawa Goju-ryu Karate, Judo, Kickboxing) Expert Thief (Stealth, Lockpicking, Escapology, Pick-Pocketing, Safe Cracking, Alarm Evading, Minor Hacking) Powers & Abilities Enhanced Strength, Durability, Healing, and Endurance (Passive) Enhanced Agility, Reflexes and Speed (Passive) Enhanced Equilibrium (Passive) Enhanced Vision (Passive) Night Vision (Active) Infrared Vision (Active) UV Light Vision (Active) Tychokinesis/Luck Manipulation (Proactive) Biography Felix was born to world renowned cat burglar Walter Hardy, the original Black Cat, and Lydia Hardy. Lydia unfortunately died in childbirth leaving Walter to raise Felix alone. This wasn't part of his life plan. He had wanted a child, but that was when he had Lydia at his side to raise him. He never took any of this out on Felix and in fact did the best he could as a father. Despite being a single father he knew he couldn't give up the life and used his son as extra motivation to pull off even bigger scores. Whenever his father was out on missions Felix was watched by his mother's cousin, Roxanne, a former gymnast. She was aware of his father's line of work so she decided to help Felix prepare for the world that he was born into. She got him enrolled in gymnastics and was his private tutor at home. He was a natural and his talents didn't stop there. When he entered the second grade his father decided it was time to teach him the family trade, but hadn't planned to get him involved in any scores. He taught him the basics of lockpicking, pickpocketing, crack safes, and escape. By the time he entered middle school he learned everything he could and would from his father. He decided to spend his time in middle school doing what he wanted. He stayed with gymnastics, but also joined the basketball team after he had gone through a growth spurt the summer before. Felix excelled in the sport and contributed greatly to his team winning the championships for three years in a row. The high from the victory was short lived because when he was thirteen his father was arrested and sent to prison, unknowingly to Felix, for a crime he didn't commit. He was then adopted by his godfather Black Fox, a high standing member of the Thieves Guild and his father's mentor. Before Felix had a choice when it came to whether or not he'd join the family business. Fox took that choice. He let Felix have a normal life at school and even let him continue with basketball and start track in High School. But he had to dedicate his free time to honing his skills as a thief. His days were filled with studying. Fox believed a thief's brain was the most important tool in their arsenal and it was one that could be molded and honed to perfection. Fox also decided to put Felix's growing physique to use and enrolled him in different martial arts classes, but focused primarily on Okinawa Goju-ryu Karate and Judo. He believed those two would be the most useful for him. That and the instructors so happened to be members of the Guild. It was a way for him to have a proper understanding of the boy's development. He believed he had the makings of truly something special. The next leader of the Guild. Though he kept that future he envisioned for Felix to himself. When Felix graduated from high school he told Black Fox that he was ready to enter to the fold and start missions, but he wanted to continue having a civilian identity. He didn't want his life to just be the next score. Fox accepted the condition and Felix's dual identity began. He enrolled into NYU with a double major in Liberal Arts, Computer and Information Sciences, with a minor in International Relations and Affairs. Felix started to really find himself in college. He realized that he really did enjoy having two lives. He was a natural thief. It was all second nature to him. In school he explored his sexuality and found that he was fluid with the variety of people he found himself entangled with. He also really did enjoy learning. When he was younger it felt like a chore, but now he had a certain appreciation for expanding his capacity for knowledge. Two years later he found himself at Hyde Park with a few of his friends for the Fourth of July concert. He had no idea his life was going to get even crazier than it already was.</s> <\|message\|>Catherine "Caty" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:30PM EDT Two mistakes were made in a single moment. The first was Danny broadcasting a surprise attack towards an assassin with his hand currently around his sister's throat. The second was that same assassin underestimating the frail teenager and treating him like nothing more than a nuisance. He expected for his cheek to be met with a broken fist, but instead he was sent sliding across the floor. Caty dropped to the floor and immediately started coughing to clear up her pipes. The pain and discomfort seemed to fade and she reached her hand out to Danny's. "I'm fine, actually, but it looks like you discovered another one of your new abilities, but this isn't over yet." She and the assassin stood to their feet at the same time, but he was quicker to move. He was annoyed and on the brink of angry. They just made what was supposed to be an easy execution something he's going to take joy in finishing. He charged forward and stopped directly in front of Danny before sending him flying backwards with a kick straight to the chest. But he wasn't done and Caty could sense it. He dropped his leg and pulled a knife from its sheath on the side. He quickly turned with knife in hand attempting to slash across her chest. She countered his slash by stepping backwards and grabbing his wrist and holding it in place. He dropped the knife and caught it with the other hand before slicing at her leg. He hit his mark drawing blood and causing her to let go of his other hand. He quickly moved to attack her again and this time his movements blurred together in a frenzy of a movement using both his knife and fist to attack her. She was somehow not only able to keep up with his movements, but effectively dodge or block his attacks as well, but she wasn't sure how long she'd be able to keep it up.</s> <\|message\|>Daniel "Danny" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:30PM EDT Just as Danny helped caty to her feet, the assassin also got up. He effortlessly knocked Danny aside, sending flying like it was nothing. He ended up crashing into a wall. Instead of crashing and hurting himself though, he ended up sticking to the wall. "Wait, what?" Great, he can stick to walls. That's totally useful... Danny watched the assassin and his sister go at it. He was reminded of the times he got bullied in high school. How he had been beaten up. and tossed aside like garbage. This time would be different. This time he had power. Now he could actually do something. The question is what was he going to do. He couldn't just go in for the punch again. The man would just knock him aside again. Soon, Danny got an ide. He seemed to be able to cling to surfaces, he wondered if he could move up the wall. Sure enough, he could. he managed to climb up the wall, and managed to get up onto the cieling. He took back his earlier thought. This was definitely useful. He was latched on the cieling, waiting for the perfect opportunity. The assassin was busy. He would never thing to look up. When the moment was right, he unlatched himslef, and landed right on top of the man's shoulders. Then he started punching the man's head, repeatedly. "Ha! Take that!" He had to admit, it felt good being the one delivering the beating for a change...</s>	<\|message\|>Catherine "Caty" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:31PM EDT Adam's super soldier serum enhanced both his senses and his mind's ability to process things. He's been able to look around a room and notice every minute detail of whatever was going on inside of it. While he was fighting Caty he still wasn't going to lose his sight on his other target. Especially after he had managed to send him flying earlier. He was just as shocked as Danny to see him cling to the wall and climb up it soon after. It seemed that his client neglected to inform him of exactly what he'd be dealing with. Adam grew even more irritated once Danny dropped down on his shoulders and started punching his head. He flicked the knife towards Caty mostly as a distraction while he dealt with the giant pest on his back. Caty was forced to catch the knife with her bare hand. It didn't as hurt as much as it should have, but her hand was still bleeding. Adam then reached up and grabbed Danny by the wrists before he was able to punch him again. He then proceeded to pull him down with all the force he could muster and threw him directly at his sister. Caty's eyes widened as she dropped the knife to the floor and prepared to catch Danny. He landed in her arms causing her to skid backwards across the floor. "Are you okay?" When she looked up over her brother she didn't see the assassin. She looked around the room but he still wasn't there. Her danger sense wasn't kicking in so she knew he wasn't planning a surprise attack. Was he really gone?</s>
<\|description\|>Daniel "Danny" Davis Alias: Spider-Man, Spider-Dan, Spidey Age: 18 DOB: June 10 2005 POB: Queens, New York City, USA Height: 6'0" Weight: 140 lbs (This goes up a little after gaining Spider Powers and muscle. Yes, just like the first Spider Man movie, he'll wake up the next morning and have abs!) Eyes: Blue Hair: Blonde Occupation: Student, Intern at Grayburn Labs Special Talents & Skills: High Intelligence (His favorite subject are the sciences such as biology, chemistry, computer science, and physics. He's also interested in robotics and engineering but isn't an expert in those fields) Fluent in Spanish, French, and Italian (Speak, Read & Write) He likes romance languages. What of it? Intuitive Aptitude (Innate) Powers & Abilities Enhanced Strength, Durability, Healing, and Endurance (Passive) Enhanced Agility, Reflexes and Speed (Passive) Enhanced Equilibrium (Passive) Wall Crawling Spider Sense Webs (The webs are not organic. He and his sister make their own brand of spider silk that they can shoot out of web shooters worn on their wrists. They can make different variations of their web for different purposes. Danny wishes he could figure out a way to get a patent on this without giving away their secret identity) He wears glasses for near sightedness. Terregenisis corrects his vision, but he still wears non prescription glasses for the aesthetic. Biography: The Davis family always knew they wanted to have children together. Unfortunately, fate was not on their side. They tried many times to have a child, but would always either fail to conceive, or miscarry. Finally, after many attempts and a difficult pregnancy, the Davis family were finally blessed with twins! They were overjoyed, and cherished their miracle babies. Danny and his twin sister Caty were always close. They often played together when they were kids. He played with her Barbie dolls more than she did. In general Danny had more stereotypically girly interests. He liked dolls and stuffed animals, while the other boys played with Hot Wheels and liked Football (Danny has never been interested in sports.) He was often picked on for this. He was also quiet, introverted and shy, which meant he had a hard time making friends. His twin sister was much more popular, but Danny never resented her for it. He had a supportive family, and he loved playing with his sister so everything was good. Danny has always been good at academics. He was intelligent, and did very well in school. His favorite subject to study are the sciences (chemistry, physics, biology, etc) When he became interested in science, his sister was too. They both performed experiments at home together, learning and having fun in the process. Danny was the one that joined the schools science club while Caty became a cheerleader. When the other boys became interested in girls, Danny wasn't. He had a crush on another boy he went to school with. He ignored it at first, but over time worked up the nerve to ask him out. After all, the worst thing that could happen was say no. The boy laughed in his face, and outed him to the entire school. While his family was supportive of his sexuality, a lot of other guys in school were not. He was bullied routinely, and was called names and beaten up for trivial things (like if he got a better grade on an exam than them) His sister defended him sometimes, it didn't help much. Bullies would give him grief because he had to have his sister fight his battles for him. He didn't dare tell another teacher, he found snitching only made the problem worse. High school was hell for him. Still he made it through, and graduated. He aced his SAT and ACT, and graduated with a 5.0 GPA. He received a bunch of scholarships for different schools he applied to, but decided to stay in New York. He and his sister are going to attend Columbia University in the fall. In the meantime, the twins are participating in a Summer internship program at Grayburn Labs. Like his sister, Danny is pursuing a double major in Biochemistry and Computer Science with a minor in Physics.</s> <\|message\|>Daniel "Danny" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:23PM EDT (Friday) It had been three days since the Terregenesis incident at the park, and Danny's life had changed dramatically. Now he spent his days at the hospital with his sister. He had wanted to stay home with his parents, but the FBI thought it best if they were apart. Made sense, there was no reason to potentially put their mother and father in danger. Still, this whole thing was a miserable experience. They were hiding out from potential blowback from their former employers, but their friend was in a coma. The doctors didn't seem optimistic about his condition either. Even though he was happy to have survived the attack, if Danny was being honest with himself, he was kind of disappointed that he hadn't shown any signs of developing superpowers these past three days. That would have been a fascinating subject of study, and superpowers would have just been cool in general. Danny was returning from the hospital cafeteria with lunch for himself and his sister. He entered the hospital room, and set the food on the table. "I'm back, and I brought lunch." He looked at David lying unconscious on the bed, and frowned. "Still no progress with him?" Then he noticed the bullet sized hole in the window, and Danny panicked. "Ohmygosh! What is that?! Were you attacked?! Are you alright?! What happened?! Before Danny could get any answers to his questions, his vision suddenly went blurry, and he got a pounding headache. "Ugh." He put his glasses on top of his head, and rubbed his eyes. The headache quickly went away, but when he opened his eyes again, his vision was crystal clear. As if he still had glasses on. He put his glasses back on, and his vision was blurry again. He took his glasses off again."And do you have any explanation for why I suddenly developed perfect vision?" Eevn though he already had a suspicion what that cause was...</s> <\|message\|>Catherine "Caty" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:25PM EDT Caty was relieved to see her brother Danny and was even more relieved when the shooter didn't fire again. She had a feeling he wouldn't stay with the rifle once the element of surprise was gone. He'd want to finish it personally and she didn't intend to give him the opportunity. Before she could answer her brother's questions about the shooting she noticed something was wrong with him. He was having similar in a way to hers. Was he sensing danger or was it something else? She didn't feel anything. Her mental questions were answered with Danny mentioning he now seemed to have perfect vision. "It might have something to do with my ability to now sense danger. Look out bad guys, here comes 20/20 and Hindsight." She doubted that was the full extent of their powers or that her brother's perfect sight was a side effect of the Terrigenesis, but now wasn't the time to theorize about their developing abilities. She pulled out her phone to check for service. She had zero bars. She wasn't sure if it was because of the hospital being a notoriously bad area for cell service or if their would be assassin had anything to do with it. "We need to call the police, but I'm not getting any service. I don't want to cause a mass panic in this hospital so I don't think we should tell the staff. Right now they're only after us. I don't want to put anyone else in their path. Let's head to the roof." Caty turned her head to David and gave him a solemn look. She hated that they had to leave him, but she knew a moving target was a higher priority than a comatose one. She mentally promised him they'd be back and headed out of the room looking back to make sure Danny followed. When they reached the nearest stairwell she opened it and managed to go up one flight before her head started ringing again just like it did earlier. She looked up to see a man in an all black outfit and skull cap and in his hand was a gun with a silencer attached to the end. If it wasn't for this new sense of hers she wouldn't have been able to hear it fire. He aimed the gun down at her and pulled the trigger. In a quick movement she pushed Danny back with a bit more strength than she intended to and jumped over the rail into the level below. "Danny, come on!"</s> <\|message\|>Daniel "Danny" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:25PM EDT So apparently his sister had developed the ability to sense danger, and all he got was perfect vision. Why did Caty get the cooler power? He felt naked without his glasses. There had to be more to it than that... Now wasn't the time to speculate on that. They needed to get out of this room. If there was an assassin after them, they really shouldn't stay here and be sitting ducks. Caty wasn't getting service on her phone, and neither was Danny. Caty suggested they go to the roof, it made sense, they might get service on the roof. It would also put any innocent bystanders out of harms way. It felt bad leaving David all alone, but they didn't exactly have a choice right now. Besides, if they stayed behind they would surely be shot, and he would be their next target. They ran for the nearest stairwell. They made up one flight of stairs, before Danny felt a ringing in his head. He looked up to see a man in an all black outfit and skull cap and in his hand was a gun with a silencer attached to the end. Was this the danger sense Caty had talked about earlier? It seemed he had gotten it too. The assassin aimed his gun down, and fired. Caty pushed him back, and jumped over the rail. Danny followed suit, and jumped over the rail with surprising ease. Caty was a cheerleader. She did these kinds of things all the time. On the other hand, athletics were never Danny's strong suit. Under normal circumstances, he would have struggled to get over the rail, and would surely be dead right now. He was shocked he had managed to do that in one swift motion like that. Was it adrenaline, Terregenis, or something else entirely, Danny wasn't sure. He wasn't going to question it now. "Great, with that guy after us, the roof is out of the question. What now?"</s> <\|message\|>Catherine "Caty" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:27PM EDT Caty was shocked to see Danny repeat the same leap over the rail that she did. Her brother wasn't the athletic type and had no training in acrobatics. Did the terrigenesis give him some enhanced agility? She wondered if these were all connected to one ability or if they were getting several. And if something similar was happening to the others affected by the mist. She'd love to take the time to think this all over but unfortunately, she didn't. She took a second to think about Danny's question. They couldn't go up and she wasn't sure how far they'd get before he managed to catch up to them. They only had one option. "Danny, I want you to run. Run outside and find the nearest officer. I'm going to hold him off. I'm starting to get the hang of this danger sense thing. I promise I'll catch up with you." She didn't want to tell him that she wanted to test out a theory she was working on. Whatever they were going to do it needed to happen fast as the man was starting to descend down the stairs.</s>	<\|message\|>Daniel "Danny" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:25PM EDT Caty told him to run outside and find the nearest officer. Caty said she would hold off their pursuer. Danny wasn't sure how Danger Sense was going to save her against a man with a gun. Even if she could dodge the bullet, what was she going to do back? Still Danny nodded. He trusted his twin knew what she was doing. He then ran off torwards the hospital exit. While he didn't zoom off at superspeed levels, he took off much faster than he ever had before. Upon running out of the automatic double doors of the hospital, Danny looked to the left, then to the right. Hospitals usually had security guards stationed nearby. One of them had to be able to help. He soon found an officer patrolling the outside of the building. Danny immediately flagged him down to get his attention. "Sir! I need some help! Surprisingly, Danny was not out of breath from the running he had to do. "What's the problem kid?" The security guard responded. Danny explained the whole situation to the officer. About how there was a man in black with a gun after them and everything.</s>
<\|description\|>Daniel "Danny" Davis Alias: Spider-Man, Spider-Dan, Spidey Age: 18 DOB: June 10 2005 POB: Queens, New York City, USA Height: 6'0" Weight: 140 lbs (This goes up a little after gaining Spider Powers and muscle. Yes, just like the first Spider Man movie, he'll wake up the next morning and have abs!) Eyes: Blue Hair: Blonde Occupation: Student, Intern at Grayburn Labs Special Talents & Skills: High Intelligence (His favorite subject are the sciences such as biology, chemistry, computer science, and physics. He's also interested in robotics and engineering but isn't an expert in those fields) Fluent in Spanish, French, and Italian (Speak, Read & Write) He likes romance languages. What of it? Intuitive Aptitude (Innate) Powers & Abilities Enhanced Strength, Durability, Healing, and Endurance (Passive) Enhanced Agility, Reflexes and Speed (Passive) Enhanced Equilibrium (Passive) Wall Crawling Spider Sense Webs (The webs are not organic. He and his sister make their own brand of spider silk that they can shoot out of web shooters worn on their wrists. They can make different variations of their web for different purposes. Danny wishes he could figure out a way to get a patent on this without giving away their secret identity) He wears glasses for near sightedness. Terregenisis corrects his vision, but he still wears non prescription glasses for the aesthetic. Biography: The Davis family always knew they wanted to have children together. Unfortunately, fate was not on their side. They tried many times to have a child, but would always either fail to conceive, or miscarry. Finally, after many attempts and a difficult pregnancy, the Davis family were finally blessed with twins! They were overjoyed, and cherished their miracle babies. Danny and his twin sister Caty were always close. They often played together when they were kids. He played with her Barbie dolls more than she did. In general Danny had more stereotypically girly interests. He liked dolls and stuffed animals, while the other boys played with Hot Wheels and liked Football (Danny has never been interested in sports.) He was often picked on for this. He was also quiet, introverted and shy, which meant he had a hard time making friends. His twin sister was much more popular, but Danny never resented her for it. He had a supportive family, and he loved playing with his sister so everything was good. Danny has always been good at academics. He was intelligent, and did very well in school. His favorite subject to study are the sciences (chemistry, physics, biology, etc) When he became interested in science, his sister was too. They both performed experiments at home together, learning and having fun in the process. Danny was the one that joined the schools science club while Caty became a cheerleader. When the other boys became interested in girls, Danny wasn't. He had a crush on another boy he went to school with. He ignored it at first, but over time worked up the nerve to ask him out. After all, the worst thing that could happen was say no. The boy laughed in his face, and outed him to the entire school. While his family was supportive of his sexuality, a lot of other guys in school were not. He was bullied routinely, and was called names and beaten up for trivial things (like if he got a better grade on an exam than them) His sister defended him sometimes, it didn't help much. Bullies would give him grief because he had to have his sister fight his battles for him. He didn't dare tell another teacher, he found snitching only made the problem worse. High school was hell for him. Still he made it through, and graduated. He aced his SAT and ACT, and graduated with a 5.0 GPA. He received a bunch of scholarships for different schools he applied to, but decided to stay in New York. He and his sister are going to attend Columbia University in the fall. In the meantime, the twins are participating in a Summer internship program at Grayburn Labs. Like his sister, Danny is pursuing a double major in Biochemistry and Computer Science with a minor in Physics.</s> <\|message\|>Daniel "Danny" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:28PM EDT In the middle of talking to the secuurity guard, several hospital staff, and some of the visitors were running outside. Danny panicked once again. What happened in there? Was Caty in trouble. While the security guard was now tending to the terrified civillians, Danny ran ahead inside. He nimble ran around crowds of people trying to leave the building, what happened in the short amount of time Danny had spent running trying to find an officer. He soon found out, and it was a sight he didn't want to see. There was a pile of rubble, and that crazy gunman had picked up his siter by the throat, and applying pressure. The sight of this made made Danny mad. "Hey! Put her down you... monster?" Danny knew he would have work on his witty banter at some point. Now was not the time. With a balled fist, he ran torwards the man while screaming. "YAAAAAAAAAH!" And delivered a hard punch with more strengh than Danny realized he had. He knocked the man aside, and caused him to realse his grip on his sister. For a moment, Danny looked at his own fist, and wondered what the heck was that? He had never punched anybody before, and now here he was knocking down people much bigger than himself. He offered his twin his hand. "Are you ok? Clearly not considering the mess... What the heck happened? And what did I just do?!"</s> <\|message\|>Catherine "Caty" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:30PM EDT Two mistakes were made in a single moment. The first was Danny broadcasting a surprise attack towards an assassin with his hand currently around his sister's throat. The second was that same assassin underestimating the frail teenager and treating him like nothing more than a nuisance. He expected for his cheek to be met with a broken fist, but instead he was sent sliding across the floor. Caty dropped to the floor and immediately started coughing to clear up her pipes. The pain and discomfort seemed to fade and she reached her hand out to Danny's. "I'm fine, actually, but it looks like you discovered another one of your new abilities, but this isn't over yet." She and the assassin stood to their feet at the same time, but he was quicker to move. He was annoyed and on the brink of angry. They just made what was supposed to be an easy execution something he's going to take joy in finishing. He charged forward and stopped directly in front of Danny before sending him flying backwards with a kick straight to the chest. But he wasn't done and Caty could sense it. He dropped his leg and pulled a knife from its sheath on the side. He quickly turned with knife in hand attempting to slash across her chest. She countered his slash by stepping backwards and grabbing his wrist and holding it in place. He dropped the knife and caught it with the other hand before slicing at her leg. He hit his mark drawing blood and causing her to let go of his other hand. He quickly moved to attack her again and this time his movements blurred together in a frenzy of a movement using both his knife and fist to attack her. She was somehow not only able to keep up with his movements, but effectively dodge or block his attacks as well, but she wasn't sure how long she'd be able to keep it up.</s> <\|message\|>Daniel "Danny" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:30PM EDT Just as Danny helped caty to her feet, the assassin also got up. He effortlessly knocked Danny aside, sending flying like it was nothing. He ended up crashing into a wall. Instead of crashing and hurting himself though, he ended up sticking to the wall. "Wait, what?" Great, he can stick to walls. That's totally useful... Danny watched the assassin and his sister go at it. He was reminded of the times he got bullied in high school. How he had been beaten up. and tossed aside like garbage. This time would be different. This time he had power. Now he could actually do something. The question is what was he going to do. He couldn't just go in for the punch again. The man would just knock him aside again. Soon, Danny got an ide. He seemed to be able to cling to surfaces, he wondered if he could move up the wall. Sure enough, he could. he managed to climb up the wall, and managed to get up onto the cieling. He took back his earlier thought. This was definitely useful. He was latched on the cieling, waiting for the perfect opportunity. The assassin was busy. He would never thing to look up. When the moment was right, he unlatched himslef, and landed right on top of the man's shoulders. Then he started punching the man's head, repeatedly. "Ha! Take that!" He had to admit, it felt good being the one delivering the beating for a change...</s> <\|message\|>Catherine "Caty" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:31PM EDT Adam's super soldier serum enhanced both his senses and his mind's ability to process things. He's been able to look around a room and notice every minute detail of whatever was going on inside of it. While he was fighting Caty he still wasn't going to lose his sight on his other target. Especially after he had managed to send him flying earlier. He was just as shocked as Danny to see him cling to the wall and climb up it soon after. It seemed that his client neglected to inform him of exactly what he'd be dealing with. Adam grew even more irritated once Danny dropped down on his shoulders and started punching his head. He flicked the knife towards Caty mostly as a distraction while he dealt with the giant pest on his back. Caty was forced to catch the knife with her bare hand. It didn't as hurt as much as it should have, but her hand was still bleeding. Adam then reached up and grabbed Danny by the wrists before he was able to punch him again. He then proceeded to pull him down with all the force he could muster and threw him directly at his sister. Caty's eyes widened as she dropped the knife to the floor and prepared to catch Danny. He landed in her arms causing her to skid backwards across the floor. "Are you okay?" When she looked up over her brother she didn't see the assassin. She looked around the room but he still wasn't there. Her danger sense wasn't kicking in so she knew he wasn't planning a surprise attack. Was he really gone?</s> <\|message\|>Daniel "Danny" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:31PM EDT His plan worked for a bit... He stopped attacking his siter, but then he grabbed Danny by his wrist, and threw him at his sister. Caty managed to catch him before he could hit the cold hard floor. "For someone who's been thrown around twice... surprisingly yes... What about you? He said as he got back on his feet. The assassin was nowhere to be seen, and Danny's own danger sense wasn't going off, but you never knew with these assassins. He could be hiding in the shadows plotting a surprise attack for all he knew. "Oh my god! I cannot believe I just did that! He shouted. He was feeling a variety of emotions right now. His eyes lit up happily. "I actually punched a guy... Oh my god... I can't believe I actually have superpowers. I wish I had been able to do this back in high school. I would have had so much respect!" Then he realized the severity of the situation they were currently in, and started pacing around in circles waving his arms frantically. "Now someone is out there who wants to kill us! What do we do?! He seems to be gone now, but what happens if and when he comes back! I am not prepared for this!</s> <\|message\|>Catherine "Caty" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:32PM EDT Caty put Danny down and let him get himself fully back to his feet. "Yeah, I'm okay. I'm just surprised we're still alive." She wasn't sure for how long they'd still be able to say that. She wasn't sure that the cabal of evil scientists would let them get away with living. But she ignored that thought when she saw how happy and excited Danny was. She had never seen him like this before. She was internally screaming herself, but had to keep her composure. She couldn't wait to test out her new abilities. Her attention was drawn back to Danny and his frantic nature. He was right. There was a chance the assassin was going to come back, but she didn't think it would be anytime soon. He had to regroup and take their powers into account. Hopefully they'd be given enough time to be ready for their next encounter. "We get prepared. I don't think he'll attack us again today and I don't know when he'll actually attack us again, but we're not gonna wait like sitting ducks. We're going to learn how to use our new powers when he comes back he won't know what hit him."</s>	<\|message\|>Daniel "Danny" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:32PM EDT "Right right, get prepared." Danny took a moment to breathe and calm down. "Ok, if we're going to do that, we have to get out of here. Someplace quiet, and away from prying eyes... We're gonna have to go back home." The twins made their way home. Their parents were away at work, and the place was empty except for them. On the way, they had a discussion about the nature of their newfound abilities. "Let's see, Wall Crawling, Danger Sense, enhanced strength, agility, and sense, these seem like a random assortment of abilities." Danny said as they walked through the front door of their home. "What do all of these things have in common? He thought about all the stuff that happened in the park that day. "Wait a minute..." He looked at his hand. He vaguely remembered getting bitten that day. There had been a small mark left in that area, but it had faded over the course of the past few days. "I remember getting bitten by something before the teregenesis hit... You must have too. I don't suppose that could have something to do with it?"</s>
<\|description\|>Samira Mwangi Alias: Black Panther Age: 18 DOB: January 17, 2005 POB: Birnin Zana, Wakanda Height: 5'9" Weight: 130 lbs Eyes: Brown Hair: Dark Brown Occupation: Student Special Talents & Skills High Intelligence (History, Law, Politics) Fluent in Xhosa, English, Mandarin, Russian, and French (Speak, Read, and Write) Athletic (Fencing, Gymnastics, Dance) Powers & Abilities Enhanced Endurance, Strength, and Healing Enhanced Reflexes and Speed Vibranium claws Biography Samira has spent more time traveling the world than most people ever get the opportunity to do. Her father is one of Wakanda's diplomats. In the back of her memories she remembers running around their apartment as a child. Or rather, tumbling her way through the apartment. Her father recognized her energy and interest and enrolled her in gymnastics when she was 3. The more she learned, the more she brought home with her. He didn't even bother telling Samira to stop jumping off the couch anymore. The little girl would simply insist that she was practicing. She moved out of Wakanda shortly after that, when her father got his first assignment. Living in Washington, D.C. was an adjustment for her. She had to learn an entirely new language and basically start her life over. Her dad tried to make the transition as smooth as possible. He found her a gymnastics coach and enrolled her in the best private schools. This rotation continued on throughout her life every couple of years. After D.C. they spent time in Beijing, Moscow, then Paris. Moving so often allowed her to become fluent in multiple languages. In high school Samira hit a growth spurt. Suddenly the short, skinny girl was tall and lanky. With the extra inches she found it far more difficult to maintain her center of gravity in a back hand spring and switched from gymnastics to fencing and dance. Academically, she never had any problems in school. Her costly education providing just another advantage to the young woman. But she worked hard. Whenever she had spare time she would spend it with her father, Enitan, in his office. He would quiz her on current events and her possible solutions to put practical use to the political classes she took in school. Enitan and Samira were joined at the hip. A father-daughter duo that exhibited poise, generosity, and warmth wherever they went. Samira was always grateful to have her dad around because he was the only family she had. An only child and a mother who abandoned her as a baby, she cherished each second she had with her father. As she got older she began looking for her own challenges in life. So she made a plan. She finished her finals in Paris and flew with her father straight to New York. She wanted one summer of fun before she started at Columbia in the fall. She couldn't be more excited knowing that her flight lands on July 3rd giving her just enough time to get over the jet lag before watching the fireworks. Carmine "Cam" Benvenuti Alias: Iceman Age: 18 DOB: October 31, 2004 POB: Long Island, New York, USA Height: 6'1" Weight: 190 lbs Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown Occupation: Bartender Special Talents & Skills Athletic (Lacrosse) Charming Fluent in English and Italian (read, write, and speak) Powers & Abilities Cryokinesis Immunity to cold temperatures Thermal Vision (the ability to see the heat signatures of others) Biography Cam's life has been unwaveringly normal. He grew up with a mom and dad, two older brothers, and a dog. Everyone in his neighborhood on Long Island lived identical lives. His father, William, worked as an accountant in the city. His mother, Madeline, worked as a teacher a few towns over in Hauppauge. Even with them raising three boys, their lives were comfortable. As the youngest of the three, Cam found it easy to get what whatever he wanted from his parents. Those were the perks of being the baby. But, he was always chasing the respect of his brothers. So he did everything they did. When they tried lacrosse, so did he. When they would spend all their time playing 2K on the PS4, so did he. It wasn't until middle school that Cam started to branch out and become his own person. He became more outspoken. Not nasty, or disagreeable, just honest. One could always tell how he was feeling. Eventually his family would come to rely on him whenever they needed someone with brutal honesty. Around this same time Cam started to take lacrosse seriously. As a kid, it was just something he did to follow his brothers, Antonio and Giovanni. Then he hit a growth spurt. His coach started to take more interest in him and show that there was a future available for Cam if he wanted it. By then, Ant and Gio had quit the sport already. So Cam took the opportunity to shine. And shine he did. High school was the only time he really found himself struggling. Honest, athletic, charming, and good-looking, Cam easily became one of the most popular kids in high school. Everyone wanted to be friends with the kid who made varsity his freshman year. But social media can be a real bitch. While away in Vermont on vacation, Cam had a friend, Jonathan, that he would only see when they would go to Vermont. Their families rented neighboring cabins, and they were around the same age so the boys hit it off. Every year they would look forward to spending time together. One night of stolen whiskey and stolen kisses and suddenly Cam had a lot more reasons to want to vacation in Vermont. It worked out perfectly too! He could sneak off to make out with Jonathan on vacation and come back home, and no one was the wiser. Until his brothers invited their friends to join them for a week over the summer. By the time Cam made it back to Long Island the crystal clear video of him kissing Jonathan had already circulated through the school. His mother begged him to stay home for a week, hoping that everything would die down. But Cam never shied away from a challenge, and he wasn't about to yet. His family was incredibly supportive of him during that time, even though every weekend they were scrubbing painted slurs off their garage door. When people realized that Cam being gay didn't make him any less of a talented athlete or a kind person, people moved on. There was always someone who'd say something offensive to get a rise out of him, but Cam never took the bait. Now, he graduated high school a month ago. He had all summer to do whatever he wanted before going to Yale in the fall on a athletic scholarship for lacrosse. He wanted to enjoy the summer, but in order to do that he needed some money. On a night out in the city with friends he was dared to go behind the bar of a fancy restaurant and act like he belonged there until he got kicked out. So he strolled into Casa Enrique and started going to work. He made almost $100 in tips before a manager questioned who he was. The guy wasn't even that mad about the whole thing and offered him a job. If he could just get through the summer he has his whole future lined up waiting for him.</s> <\|message\|>Daniel "Danny" Davis Hunter's Point South Park Long Island City, Queens, New York, USA July 4th, 2023 9:35PM EDT Danny was relived to find the guy from earlier who actually believed them. That relief was short lived when he saw the guy fall backwards, gasping out in pain as his eyes began to glow bright red. Danny's eyes went wide with shock, and he panicked. "Oh god oh god oh god! What do I do what do I do what do I do?!" He paced around in circles mumbling to himself, and panting nervously. "This is not the time to panic. Think Danny think!" He took a breath, pulled out his phone, and typed up a text message to his sister. He hit send, and turned his attention back to the guy. "I am so so so SO sorry this happened! Thank you for believing us. Help is coming." Emergency services had to have been called multiple times over by now. Help had to be coming, it just had to be. Danny started panting again.</s> <\|message\|>Waylon Maximoff "Donny's right," Waylon interjected. His voice nearly shook with the intensity of the situation: almost unnerving from a man who usually faced everything with a smile. Odder, though, was the distance in his gaze, as if he struggled to focus on the present. "Owen, man, leave if you really want to, but if we don't do something-" "And what will you do?" Petra asked pointedly, looking at her brother, and then Donny, expression cold. "We aren't scientists, or doctors, and we have no idea what this gas even does." She wasn't sure if her brother even heard her. She needed to get him out of there, before he had a full-on episode. In the back of her mind, she vaguely remembered therapy sessions, discussions of "triggers" and self-soothing techniques, but there would be time to address all of that when they weren't actively breathing in toxic gas.</s> <\|message\|>Catherine "Caty" Davis Hunter's Point South Park Long Island City, Queens, New York, USA July 4th, 2023 9:35PM EDT Caty was caught slightly off guard by the wound on David's face. She wasn't sure if he was aware of it or not. She didn't turn away from the or him. "Oh David..." She started to reach for his cheek when they were interrupted by someone coming up behind her. She turned to face her and noticed the clear distress on her face. She thankfully seemed to be fine and unaffected by the gas for now. She was likely confused and remembered her from her abrupt onstage announcement. Caty was relieved that people had at least paid attention to her warning. She just wished more had been able to get out in time. "Are you okay? You probably heard it earlier, but I'm Catherine. What's yo---" She was cut off by a particular ding from her phone. A special alert she set up for her brother's text messages. "I'm sorry. It's my brother. I have to check this." Caty's eyes scanned the message and her eyes both widened with shock and lit up with intrigue at the second to last sentence. She mentally chastised herself for getting even the least bit excited in a situation like this, but she couldn't quite calm her inner scientist. She opened her brother's contact and called him via FaceTime. She spoke as soon as he answered the phone. "Okay, Danny. I'm going to need you to listen to me. Get him to look down at the ground. I'm not sure what his eyes are now capable of doing, but we don't need anyone else getting hurt in case it goes off. The mist's mutation must already be taking effect. It's likely linked to his flight or fight response. He's freaking out and I don't blame him, but I need you to get him to calm down but for him to be calm you have to be calm too. You can do this Danny, but I'll leave the call on." So much seemed to be happening all at once. Scores of people were dying, others mutating, and David needed medical attention immediately and for the first time in her life she was in a situation where she wasn't completely in control. In her slight spiral she had almost forgotten the girl standing there. "I'm sorry again. Your name?"</s> <\|message\|>Lucas "Luke" Bishop Luke had fallen onto his back, the pain in his eyes suddenly excruciating. They continued to glow red, tinting his vision. Then sounds and smells and even the air on his skin -- it seemed like all his physical senses were in overdrive as he thrashed on the ground. As the pain finally subsided and he felt himself returning to some semblance of normalcy, he noticed Danny panicking and talking to someone via Facetime on his phone. "It's okay, I'm fine now," he said quietly as he pulled himself to his feet, rubbing his eyes. The red glow seemed to have faded. "At least I think I am. What was that mist? How did you know it was going to be released on us?"</s>	<\|message\|>Samira Mwangi Hunter's South Point Park Long Island City, Queens, New York, USA July 4, 2023 9:35PM EDT As Samira crossed the park it was one of the most terrifying moments of her life. Not only was she walking further away from her dead father who lay on the grass. She had blood on her hands and she wasn't sure if it belonged to her or if it was the blood that was all over her father's face when she found him. She couldn't stop to think about it though. She couldn't stop to think about any of it. If she let herself process what was going on she would break down hysterically. No one could handle the switch from never seeing a single dead body to literally stepping over them. A few people were still seizing on the ground, but there was nothing Samira could do to help them. There were a few people who seemed to be standing, unaffected but the mist like she was. But the hardest part of it all was the way the fireworks continued to explode in the sky. Each boom resonated loudly throughout the parkland she could feel herself jumping. Would the next firework have that same mist in it? Did the sadistic fucks who planned this find some way to put nails into the fireworks so bits of shrapnel would rain down on them next? The young Wakandan already knew that she would never celebrate another Fourth of July again. Approaching the girl who made the announcement from the stage, Catherine, and the guy who jumped into the water Samira wasn't able to get a word in before she had to check her phone for her brother's message. "Oh my god." She said as the realization hit her. She had her phone! Fishing it out of the pocket of her jeans, she winced as her hands rubbed roughly against the denim. Dialing 9-1-1, she held the phone to her ear until the operator's voice came through clearly. "My name is Samira Mwangi. I'm the daughter of a diplomat. There's been some sort of attack here at Hunter's Point South Park, where the fireworks are going off." She began to pace back and forth as the operator assured her that someone was coming to inspect the scene as many people watching from home began to call in. This stupid person didn't understand! Trying to maintain her composure, she took a shaky breath. "Stop! You need to listen to me. I'm not some con telling you this because I have nothing better to do!" She said, the French she was used to speaking slipping out in her frustration. "I am here! My father is dead, so many people are dead! You must send help!" Once the dispatch confirmed that multiple ambulances and cops were on their way, she hung up the phone. It may be too late to save most of these people, but hopefully some could still get help. "Samira." She answered when asked to introduce herself. "My father..." Her voice cracked as she tried to explain the situation. She brought a fist to her lips and forced herself to calm down. She couldn't get answers if she couldn't speak coherently. "You knew what was happening before it happened. What was it? Why am I standing here when so many others are gone?" She gestured vaguely to the bodies blanketing the lawn like snow on a wintery morning. Each time a new firework would explode she would jump and then shut her eyes. Death was death. She didn't need to see it in filters of color as the lights flashed in the sky.</s>
<\|description\|>??? Age: ??? Looks 10 Gender/Race: ??? Looks like a human male Role: Confused Boy Bio: He has amnesia and a cat, and that's just about all he knows. The world around him is unfamiliar to him, but he sometimes finds that he has retained some of his habits and instincts. The cat seems to be very familiar with him, though he doesn't know why. The cat is rather affectionate, but is almost always asleep. Personality: Confused. Equipment: Cat Skills: Has extreme strength for some reason. Optional: Cat Appearance: His clothes are somewhat dirty, as if he's been travelling for a while. He also has a coat that is a too large for him and drags along behind him as he walks. He also usually carries his cat around, as she is almost always sleeping. The cat always looks like it's smiling.</s> <\|message\|>Avelina (Angel) Callaghan Armadaus looked slightly alarmed at Avelina's superfluous and very public entrance. "Avelina, what do you think you are doing?" clearly the older man was attempting a look of disapproval but this was slightly marred by the wheedling tone to his voice, almost as if he were begging her not to run off like that. "You left the residence without telling anyone, and without bringing your bag." He said dropping a brown leather pack onto the peer. Avelina did not look particularly happy to be chastised in front of strangers for doing something that as far as she was concerned was her right. If she wanted to fly off there wasn't a lot the Order could do to stop her. Avelina muttered the word 'residence' under her breath. The place was effectively a lab where Armadaus was more than content to run simulations and tests on her wings for hours at a time while she just sat there, it might as well have been a prison. "Thanks Doc," Avelina said her face and voice ever so slightly harder than the light air that had existed in them a moment ago. "and It's Angel." she said in reference to her name. "Regardless," said Armadaus in an exasperated voice, he was clearly at the end of his tether. Dealing with Avelina's attitude had a way of stretching his normally infinite patience to the limits. Armadaus set his papers down on a crate. "Captain I need you to sign these before 'Angel'" He said the word like it was a bad taste "can board the Tychon. They essentially confirm that you will be taking responsibility for Angel's well being and any harm that comes to her or the shattertech she embodies will be accountable directly to you. Is that clear?" Then without waiting for confirmation. "If you could just sign here, here and here on the line Angel will officially be a part of your crew." Avelina rolled her eyes. Though it didn't show in her face the comment about the shattertech she embodied had struck a nerve. Of course she'd always known that the only reason the Order of Progress would even look at someone like her was because she had the Valkyrie Wings grafted to her skeletal system but to have it laid out as such hurt just a little more than Avelina was willing to admit. For the last three years she'd not met a soul who'd been able to see past the cybernetic implants and realize there was an actual person in there somewhere. Looking bored Avelina slung her pack over her shoulder and hoisted herself up onto a crate, crossing her legs and leaning back so her face was to the sky. She stayed like that for a number of minutes before the sound of footsteps encroaching on there group caught her attention. Avelina hopped off the box to get a better look at an older gentleman that was approaching. He seemed to be a member of the Tychon crew but really, he was ancient compared to the others boarding the airship. Avelina walked closer to Armadaus with a wicked look in her eye. She whispered loud enough for the old man to hear. "Hey Doc, is he crew? Ain't he little old for this kinda work."</s> <\|message\|>Craig Masters Craig was still busying himself upon the boilers of the red vessel, oil and welding burns marring his new robes. His hair at this point was a greased and matted mess, his face moist and oil-stained as he abandoned his Tech-mask long ago in the sweltering atmosphere. The boiler was far from fixed, sections still bisected by inhumanly large slabs of bone-like projectiles, this surprise project was unlikely to be finished before he was listed as absent and left behind. Craig was afraid. Craig was very much afraid. Afraid of his failure. Afraid he'd come back a day after leaving with nothing. Afraid he'd be stuck doing such menial tasks without a story of his own. And most importantly afraid of the large foreman, screaming at younger engineers. He rose to wipe a bead of sweat from his brow, turning his head back at the blue vessel expecting it to already be gone. He saw the more of the crew board of which very few stood out. A young man was amusingly seen dodging the crowd and quietly board the ship. Another man was witnessed to plow through a crowd of people, heavy cargo attended by porters closely following behind him; an event probably standard in the busy port city so he thought nothing of it. An older gentleman chatting it up with passing crew, likely a veteran of the ship. A halfling flitting across the sky, landing precariously yet gracefully near the gangplank, nothing out of the ordina- Craig blinked twice, not quite sure he was seeing correctly, the fumes of the skydock, surely messing with him. Then it hit him, a halfling was flying! Not by way of the new fangled magics, but some sort of cybernetic implants. Behind the young female was a beautiful mechanical contraption- nay - miracle of engineering. The metal seemed alive, warm and alive, reacting to the stiff cool breeze as natural appendage would. Craig was awestruck, in the Forges the older adepts' extra mechanical arms were feats of their own capable of performing simple tasks and bearing heavy loads, but this... this was whole new level. This device seemed to be capable of advance aeronautical maneuvers judging by the stunt this woman just pulled. Knowing the Order's firm grip on technological advances the woman surely had a handler, but hadn't of anything such as this. Craig had to know what exactly this was, and Order heads clearly won't tell him anything, his only choice was to investigate directly. Gathering his luggage left in a near by corner, and ignoring the protests of the foreman behind him as he jaunted towards the blue vessel. However, his journey was impeded, he lost sight of his target over a mass of what seemed to be laboratory equipment. He tried squeezing by, but ran into a man donning a sterile white business suit, with a matching surgical mask and hat. Craig was about to voice his apologies, when he saw that the man was visibly angry and insulted at his transgression. "Uhh... sorry"</s> <\|message\|>Sir Nero Barsad He'd have to burn his suit. That was the only answer. Twice in the span of a few seconds Barsad had been bumped into, first by a Faldkrest warrior who stank of harsh tobacco, and then by a young Order mechanic in grease covered robes. Despite his title, Sir Nero was not a man given to class and station. He had seen too many so-called nobles and gentlemen make blubbering, lecherous messes of themselves when they were in their cups, or thought themselves in private. Similarly, he knew it was within the capacity of any commoner to rise far above his assigned lot in life. Was he not, after all, the very shining proof of that? No, it wasn't that these plebeians could deign to assault a baronet with impunity, but that they had turned a previously very fine -- and very expensive -- suit into a grease rag that reeked evilly of cheap cigar smoke. Barsad turned to the young Order man, raised an accusatory finger in the air, and was prepared to drive it with great force and purpose into the boy's chest, when, rising clear as a bell over the background din of the docks, came a rather indelicate remark about his age from the winged halfling to her Order puppeteer. He forgot the young man completely. A cold, impassive smile sketched itself onto his face. He stood up straight and turned to the recently arrived captain. A dignified-looking Faldkrest, ver Niklos seemed to be in his middle age, if the grey coloration of his jaw fringe was anything to go by. Then again, Barsad thought, the premature discoloration of scales in younger Faldkrest males was also indicative of a family of diseases in their species that went under the collective colloquialism of "The Creeping Rot" in certain social circles of ill-repute. He briefly considered asking Captain ver Niklos if he had ever enjoyed any leisure time in the district of Port Titanicus charmingly referred to by locals as Reptile Row, but decided that accusing one's captain of whoremongering was likely frowned upon in genteel company, however salaciously scaly the ladies of Bawdy Bettie's Taverne & Ye Olde Rumpus Roome may have been. Instead, he gave a crisp nod of the head to ver Niklos, and said, "Captain." He turned to Sonne. "Senior Agent Sonne," he said imperiously, "I am Barsad. You have heard of me, of course. I've little time to waste, so I'll keep this brief. I am here to make your job easier, and to do that I shall be requiring a sterile operating theatre, and whatever files you may have on the creatures we are likely to come across, as well as prioritized access to any biological specimens we acquire." And finally he turned to the smart-mouthed little halfling. "And you," he said, leveling a finger at her, "will see me in my laboratory as soon as possible. Those lackwits who grafted Shattertech onto you may have had plenty of toys, but they don't know the first thing about halfling anatomy. They've completely failed to account for your kind's atrophied serratus posterior superior muscle, which I would wager is why you feel incredible pain whenever you utilize those impressive wings of yours, correct? Yes, yes, and of course I'll need to examine whatever lamentable hatchet job they performed on your obturator nerve. Or in terms even you can understand" -- and here he paused to puff out his chest -- "I need to see where your fleshy bits meet your non-fleshy bits." He tipped his hat to them. "A pleasure to meet you all," he said, and made his way to the boarding ramp.</s> <\|message\|>Craig Masters Craig... Craig just looked into the eyes of death and survived the accusatory implement that would have tore a hole in his chest. Craig has stared down a microreactor mid meltdown, ripped apart the circuitry of a rampant auto-barber but never in his years had he felt such mortal fear. The suited man quickly left him to himself in the streets, the adrenaline rush that made him deaf to the world was starting to dissipate making him notice that his original track had disappeared into the ship. Out of his daze he decided he might as well board the ship. He presented his pass to the nearby attendant and was instructed make his way to the engineering and cargo bay to help with pre-flight preparations. While disappointed he wouldn't get the opportunity to trail his target any further he shambled towards the lower decks. The engineers seemed to have their own quarters in the lower bays but had to head up to the mess hall for their meals. In time he was tasked with inspecting the cargo, making sure it was tied down and stored properly, and most importantly to make sure the bay doors were operating correctly. The room was quite dark and musty, the few streaks of light coming from scarce windows and cracks in the walls. Craig made his rounds checking the locking mechanisms in the hoists and the gears of the bay doors. It was generally tedious and meticulous work, but Craig was content. That is... until he heard a horrifying sound. A grotesque sound that echoed throughout the room: mew. Craig's eyes went wide, It was soft, barely louder than the distant bustle of the ship but years in the Forge had trained him remain alert for any out of place mechanically. Yet, he had no former knowledge of ships creating this sound, had the hydraulics jammed? Had a circuit board smoldered? Had a steam-pipe leaked? Craig visibly exhaled, for the sake of his new home he had to find the problem and fix it. The sound seemed near, if it weren't for his meticulous, nay, obsessive inspection, it would never had been noticed. He turned the corner where he expected to find the fault, but what he saw was to be expected: piles and piles of crates and cargo. Loose bolts of canvas for the inner lining of the ship's envelope swayed a bit as the vessel rocked gently in the breeze. Craig chalked it up to his nerves and was prepared to leave, when he heard a distinct but recognized sound, a soft purr. Of course, a small opening in the floor boards allowed air in, billowing the canvas bolts. Simple enough to fix, some quick drying tar, a chemical found in any self-respecting ship engineer's kit, will seal it back up. Craig moved to uncover the bolts, but something else caught his attention...</s>	<\|message\|>??? Noooo... The boy thought desperately, Go awaaay! He could hear someone shifting sommething in front of him... His cat had mewed in its sleep only a few seconds before, had the guy heard it? It was loud to him, but he was under a canvas. How had the guy heard it? Somewhere in front of his hiding spot, he heard the clanking of something footsteps coming closer, as his cat released a soft purr. The footsteps stopped suddenly, and now they were heading towards him! This is it. He thought, trying to make himself as small as possible. All of a sudden, his cat woke up. It slowly opened its light blue eyes and blinked at him, as if in confusion. Then it shook its head as if trying to wake up, and proceeded to tilt its head sideways slightly with its eyes closed. After a couple of seconds, the cat snapped upright as if it had just gotten an idea, and proceeded to walk out of the canvas the boy was hiding in. He heard it meow as it started to walk away from his hiding spot, and he could see through a peephole, the cat looking up at... some kind of engineer? Um... The boy thought, What?</s>
<\|description\|>Craig Masters I don't know if i post here or on OOC, so ill do both. Age: 26 Gender/Race: M/Human Role: Engineer/Stationary Weapons Operator Bio: Craig is a Tech-Disciple from a Forge(or whatever the building are named) in the Commonwealth.Along with other countless Disciples he was tasked with the mundane but essential task of maintaining and restoring the old relics that were brought into the workshops under the direction of the local Adepts. He has spent years living as such, never straying far from the Forge at the same hearing of the journeys other disciples have undertaken to retrieve fantastic new tech. Even then, through duty or cowardice he never felt the need to leave for an expedition of his own, however on the eve of his initiation as a Forge Adept, a sense of wanderlust and curiosity overcame him, compelling him to seek out the relics he has studied and maintained for the majority of his life. Requesting a Journeyman post on a expeditionary ship, he vowed to return with a priceless piece of ancient technology for his Forge before settling back into his old post. Personality: Despite his new-founded motivation, Craig is still the nervous and wiry man that worked the maintenance floors. Introverted and quiet he has a hard time communicating with the rest of the crew. However, get him into a topic of anything tech related and he'd talk your ear off. Craig tends to over-think many situations, with unfamiliar and stressful tasks causing him to freeze up. That is not to say he is not competent, quite the contrary. He is a paragon with the tool box, getting otherwise devastated and dilapidated machines into working order, even with scarce resources, given enough time. Oddly enough he looks up to strong and unique individuals, becoming easily enthralled with their tales of grandeur no matter how outlandish. Equipment: -Tech Disciple Tool Kit -Disciple Robes/Scrubs/Whatever they wear -Briefcase of supplies(Toiletries, undergarments, cloths) -Blank Journal w/ Ink and Quill -Dagger(Mint condition) Skills: -Tech Lore: As a Disciple, these lessons were drilled into him. -Repair: A maintenance disciple for much of his life, he is well versed in repairing many mechanical contraptions, from simple pulleys to complex engines. He is capable with many tools: welding torches, spanners, drills. He doesn't have much experience with electronics forges or weaponry, apart from simple patchworks and theoretical concepts. -Weapons Array Operator(Kinda): Craig found the simple weapon batteries an extension of the maintenance process, "Use it or lose it." Back in the forge they'd fire off newly repaired artillery fixtures as a final test, and, to the older member's chagrin: for fun. He learned the basics of loading, zeroing, and firing, not on live or moving targets mind you. Optional: -Feels indebted to Vanius after being saved from falling a quick and sudden demise as he boarded the ship. Appearance: Pretend the skull and halberd don't exist. For the face.</s> <\|message\|>Avelina (Angel) Callaghan Armadaus looked slightly alarmed at Avelina's superfluous and very public entrance. "Avelina, what do you think you are doing?" clearly the older man was attempting a look of disapproval but this was slightly marred by the wheedling tone to his voice, almost as if he were begging her not to run off like that. "You left the residence without telling anyone, and without bringing your bag." He said dropping a brown leather pack onto the peer. Avelina did not look particularly happy to be chastised in front of strangers for doing something that as far as she was concerned was her right. If she wanted to fly off there wasn't a lot the Order could do to stop her. Avelina muttered the word 'residence' under her breath. The place was effectively a lab where Armadaus was more than content to run simulations and tests on her wings for hours at a time while she just sat there, it might as well have been a prison. "Thanks Doc," Avelina said her face and voice ever so slightly harder than the light air that had existed in them a moment ago. "and It's Angel." she said in reference to her name. "Regardless," said Armadaus in an exasperated voice, he was clearly at the end of his tether. Dealing with Avelina's attitude had a way of stretching his normally infinite patience to the limits. Armadaus set his papers down on a crate. "Captain I need you to sign these before 'Angel'" He said the word like it was a bad taste "can board the Tychon. They essentially confirm that you will be taking responsibility for Angel's well being and any harm that comes to her or the shattertech she embodies will be accountable directly to you. Is that clear?" Then without waiting for confirmation. "If you could just sign here, here and here on the line Angel will officially be a part of your crew." Avelina rolled her eyes. Though it didn't show in her face the comment about the shattertech she embodied had struck a nerve. Of course she'd always known that the only reason the Order of Progress would even look at someone like her was because she had the Valkyrie Wings grafted to her skeletal system but to have it laid out as such hurt just a little more than Avelina was willing to admit. For the last three years she'd not met a soul who'd been able to see past the cybernetic implants and realize there was an actual person in there somewhere. Looking bored Avelina slung her pack over her shoulder and hoisted herself up onto a crate, crossing her legs and leaning back so her face was to the sky. She stayed like that for a number of minutes before the sound of footsteps encroaching on there group caught her attention. Avelina hopped off the box to get a better look at an older gentleman that was approaching. He seemed to be a member of the Tychon crew but really, he was ancient compared to the others boarding the airship. Avelina walked closer to Armadaus with a wicked look in her eye. She whispered loud enough for the old man to hear. "Hey Doc, is he crew? Ain't he little old for this kinda work."</s> <\|message\|>Craig Masters Craig was still busying himself upon the boilers of the red vessel, oil and welding burns marring his new robes. His hair at this point was a greased and matted mess, his face moist and oil-stained as he abandoned his Tech-mask long ago in the sweltering atmosphere. The boiler was far from fixed, sections still bisected by inhumanly large slabs of bone-like projectiles, this surprise project was unlikely to be finished before he was listed as absent and left behind. Craig was afraid. Craig was very much afraid. Afraid of his failure. Afraid he'd come back a day after leaving with nothing. Afraid he'd be stuck doing such menial tasks without a story of his own. And most importantly afraid of the large foreman, screaming at younger engineers. He rose to wipe a bead of sweat from his brow, turning his head back at the blue vessel expecting it to already be gone. He saw the more of the crew board of which very few stood out. A young man was amusingly seen dodging the crowd and quietly board the ship. Another man was witnessed to plow through a crowd of people, heavy cargo attended by porters closely following behind him; an event probably standard in the busy port city so he thought nothing of it. An older gentleman chatting it up with passing crew, likely a veteran of the ship. A halfling flitting across the sky, landing precariously yet gracefully near the gangplank, nothing out of the ordina- Craig blinked twice, not quite sure he was seeing correctly, the fumes of the skydock, surely messing with him. Then it hit him, a halfling was flying! Not by way of the new fangled magics, but some sort of cybernetic implants. Behind the young female was a beautiful mechanical contraption- nay - miracle of engineering. The metal seemed alive, warm and alive, reacting to the stiff cool breeze as natural appendage would. Craig was awestruck, in the Forges the older adepts' extra mechanical arms were feats of their own capable of performing simple tasks and bearing heavy loads, but this... this was whole new level. This device seemed to be capable of advance aeronautical maneuvers judging by the stunt this woman just pulled. Knowing the Order's firm grip on technological advances the woman surely had a handler, but hadn't of anything such as this. Craig had to know what exactly this was, and Order heads clearly won't tell him anything, his only choice was to investigate directly. Gathering his luggage left in a near by corner, and ignoring the protests of the foreman behind him as he jaunted towards the blue vessel. However, his journey was impeded, he lost sight of his target over a mass of what seemed to be laboratory equipment. He tried squeezing by, but ran into a man donning a sterile white business suit, with a matching surgical mask and hat. Craig was about to voice his apologies, when he saw that the man was visibly angry and insulted at his transgression. "Uhh... sorry"</s> <\|message\|>Sir Nero Barsad He'd have to burn his suit. That was the only answer. Twice in the span of a few seconds Barsad had been bumped into, first by a Faldkrest warrior who stank of harsh tobacco, and then by a young Order mechanic in grease covered robes. Despite his title, Sir Nero was not a man given to class and station. He had seen too many so-called nobles and gentlemen make blubbering, lecherous messes of themselves when they were in their cups, or thought themselves in private. Similarly, he knew it was within the capacity of any commoner to rise far above his assigned lot in life. Was he not, after all, the very shining proof of that? No, it wasn't that these plebeians could deign to assault a baronet with impunity, but that they had turned a previously very fine -- and very expensive -- suit into a grease rag that reeked evilly of cheap cigar smoke. Barsad turned to the young Order man, raised an accusatory finger in the air, and was prepared to drive it with great force and purpose into the boy's chest, when, rising clear as a bell over the background din of the docks, came a rather indelicate remark about his age from the winged halfling to her Order puppeteer. He forgot the young man completely. A cold, impassive smile sketched itself onto his face. He stood up straight and turned to the recently arrived captain. A dignified-looking Faldkrest, ver Niklos seemed to be in his middle age, if the grey coloration of his jaw fringe was anything to go by. Then again, Barsad thought, the premature discoloration of scales in younger Faldkrest males was also indicative of a family of diseases in their species that went under the collective colloquialism of "The Creeping Rot" in certain social circles of ill-repute. He briefly considered asking Captain ver Niklos if he had ever enjoyed any leisure time in the district of Port Titanicus charmingly referred to by locals as Reptile Row, but decided that accusing one's captain of whoremongering was likely frowned upon in genteel company, however salaciously scaly the ladies of Bawdy Bettie's Taverne & Ye Olde Rumpus Roome may have been. Instead, he gave a crisp nod of the head to ver Niklos, and said, "Captain." He turned to Sonne. "Senior Agent Sonne," he said imperiously, "I am Barsad. You have heard of me, of course. I've little time to waste, so I'll keep this brief. I am here to make your job easier, and to do that I shall be requiring a sterile operating theatre, and whatever files you may have on the creatures we are likely to come across, as well as prioritized access to any biological specimens we acquire." And finally he turned to the smart-mouthed little halfling. "And you," he said, leveling a finger at her, "will see me in my laboratory as soon as possible. Those lackwits who grafted Shattertech onto you may have had plenty of toys, but they don't know the first thing about halfling anatomy. They've completely failed to account for your kind's atrophied serratus posterior superior muscle, which I would wager is why you feel incredible pain whenever you utilize those impressive wings of yours, correct? Yes, yes, and of course I'll need to examine whatever lamentable hatchet job they performed on your obturator nerve. Or in terms even you can understand" -- and here he paused to puff out his chest -- "I need to see where your fleshy bits meet your non-fleshy bits." He tipped his hat to them. "A pleasure to meet you all," he said, and made his way to the boarding ramp.</s>	<\|message\|>Craig Masters Craig... Craig just looked into the eyes of death and survived the accusatory implement that would have tore a hole in his chest. Craig has stared down a microreactor mid meltdown, ripped apart the circuitry of a rampant auto-barber but never in his years had he felt such mortal fear. The suited man quickly left him to himself in the streets, the adrenaline rush that made him deaf to the world was starting to dissipate making him notice that his original track had disappeared into the ship. Out of his daze he decided he might as well board the ship. He presented his pass to the nearby attendant and was instructed make his way to the engineering and cargo bay to help with pre-flight preparations. While disappointed he wouldn't get the opportunity to trail his target any further he shambled towards the lower decks. The engineers seemed to have their own quarters in the lower bays but had to head up to the mess hall for their meals. In time he was tasked with inspecting the cargo, making sure it was tied down and stored properly, and most importantly to make sure the bay doors were operating correctly. The room was quite dark and musty, the few streaks of light coming from scarce windows and cracks in the walls. Craig made his rounds checking the locking mechanisms in the hoists and the gears of the bay doors. It was generally tedious and meticulous work, but Craig was content. That is... until he heard a horrifying sound. A grotesque sound that echoed throughout the room: mew. Craig's eyes went wide, It was soft, barely louder than the distant bustle of the ship but years in the Forge had trained him remain alert for any out of place mechanically. Yet, he had no former knowledge of ships creating this sound, had the hydraulics jammed? Had a circuit board smoldered? Had a steam-pipe leaked? Craig visibly exhaled, for the sake of his new home he had to find the problem and fix it. The sound seemed near, if it weren't for his meticulous, nay, obsessive inspection, it would never had been noticed. He turned the corner where he expected to find the fault, but what he saw was to be expected: piles and piles of crates and cargo. Loose bolts of canvas for the inner lining of the ship's envelope swayed a bit as the vessel rocked gently in the breeze. Craig chalked it up to his nerves and was prepared to leave, when he heard a distinct but recognized sound, a soft purr. Of course, a small opening in the floor boards allowed air in, billowing the canvas bolts. Simple enough to fix, some quick drying tar, a chemical found in any self-respecting ship engineer's kit, will seal it back up. Craig moved to uncover the bolts, but something else caught his attention...</s>
<\|description\|>Nansemond Drake Age: 25 Gender/Race: Human Male Role: Independent Scholar Bio:Nansemond Drake grew up in a privileged borough of the capital of the Isilum Commonwealth. His parents, Chester Drake, and his wife Teresa were career politicians and later, amateur Shatterzone enthusiasts. On a highly publicized expedition to the Shatterzone, the airship, disappeared. The Order of Progress declared the ship, all hands, and Chester and Teresa Drake lost. Nansemond, still a young man was sent to live with an obscure uncle who died a few years later. Grief stricken, Nansemond threw himself into his studies with zeal. He became fascinated with the nature of the Shatterzone, the artifacts and curios, the cults and shadow-lurkers. He began to believe that his parents might still be alive, somewhere in the Shatterzone-and made discovering what happened to them his lifes mission. He became obsessed with the Order of Progress and its work-the artifacts and relics they possesed haunted his mind. Over the next few years Nansemond would achieve only lackluster academic success, graduating 173rd in his class. Nansemond disappeared after school for two years. He resurfaced in high society only recently, attending minor functions and scholarly debates-Long enough to learn of the newest expedition to the Shatterzone- Personality: Before his parents died, Nansemond was a happy, good-natured young man filled with positivity. In the years that followed he became withdrawn and crestfallen. He rarely attended classes. In the few months before the expedition, Nansemond seems to have renewed enthusiasm, characterized by the optimism of his youth, despite an unexplained limp, which he compensates with a black cane. Equipment: * 3 leather-bound notebooks, 1 large for sketching, 2 smaller for recording notes. All 3 have the initials N.F.D embossed in silver lettering on the front. * Various pencils and pastel colors kept in a leather folio. Stylus and ink. * 1 experimental photographing box, various accompanying parts * Leather cloak, hiking boots and waterproof jacket * Sword-Cane. 38" long. Steel blade concealed in a standard cane. The pommel is black iron about the size of a lemon. * Small snub-gun with 2 shots. Skills: Scholar-Nansemond knows more about the Shatterzone than your average bumpkin. He is also aware of the inner workings of high society and academic bureaucracy. He studied the natural sciences at university. Arcane Tendencies-Nansemond has studied magic (unsanctioned by the Guild) for the past 7 years but was limited to what few sources he could find on the streets-he is by no means capable of casting magic, but given the proper information could probably figure it out quickly. Fencing-A skill his father insisted upon learning, Nansemond studied with the best teachers money could buy until his parents disappeared. After school he learned how to really fight on the streets and less-than-reputable establishments of the capital city. Appearance: A tall, but well-framed young man. He keeps his face clean shaven, and his short hair combed perfectly. His features are aristocratic, with a long thin nose and high eyebrows above two bright brown eyes. His teeth are straight and white and he has a habit of biting his lower lip when in thought. He dresses in black grey or brown and carries a cane, which for all appearances he relies on immensely.</s> <\|message\|>Sicarus Sonne Sonne stood at the docks holding a folder. Two ships before him, one cobalt, the other crimson red. Many robed members of The Order scurried about, moving supplies and munitions onto the blue ship, while the sparks of welding torches could be seen from the red ship. He looked at his former home, it was called The Red Fury. It was a powerful ship, multiple massive turrets housing triple barreled gatling cannons, large 40mm anti aircraft guns lining its decks. He sighed. The Red Fury was hurt, he could hear its groans of pain even from the docks. Massive gauges could be seen in the hull of the ship, made by equally as large claws. Scorch marks from perhaps fire dotted the ship, and specks where acid tried to melt away the armor could be seen as well. She was a powerful ship, who had fought against even more powerful foes. Sonne checked his watch. The good Captain was to arrive soon, as well as the last few members of the crew. He looked over to his new home, it was named Tychon. The Cobalt Trireme. It was as large as The Red Fury, he admired its armament for a moment, although not as much as The Red Fury, it was nothing to scoff at. Sonne could hear the sounds of a festival from the city, they were celebrating the launching of another Armada-Class Exploration Vessel, they were like celebrities. Brave explorers going to the dangerous frontier, facing against creatures nobody has ever seen before. The ship and crew were living legends to the civilians. Toys were made for children, operas and plays for the adults. He chuckled. Perhaps maybe he would go and examine these toys and watch the plays. In his thoughts, he failed to notice an aged man walk towards him, wearing a large black coat. He cleared his throat, snapping Sonne out of his thoughts. "Ah." Sonne said, "Lord Gearheart. I leave your vessel for how long, and it ends up how damaged?" Gearheart was a true living legend. Tales of his exploits were known far and wide in many communities, especially in The Order. A tall man, and despite his age, still strong. He was bald and had a short silver beard, wearing a Captain's cap. "You can't blame me Sicarus, we encountered a Arexi Hive Tyrant." He replied, "Now, she's going to be in dock for repairs for a while. Lieutenant Colonel Garret requested a transfer to your vessel. And so did two entire Companies. I approved it, now your new Captain has to approve it. Where is he anyways?" "He will be present soon Captain. I will have to thank Garret, and the two Majors that brought their Companies over." He said. The remaining crew would have to report to him, if the Captain didn't arrive soon.</s> <\|message\|>??? A boy woke suddenly. He felt as if he had been sleeping for a long time now. He could feel his joints creaking as he stirred, eyes still heavy, being freshly awoken. He rubbed his eyes, fog slowly clearing, becoming more alert and awake. He blinked as shadows suddenly crossed his vision, soldiers running back and forth, loading cargo onto several ships on the docks; but something wasn't right. After thinking for a few moments, he realized what it was. Wait, I wasn't here when I went to sleep. He thought, I was... somewhere else? He looked around him again, trying to spot any landmarks or anything familiar he could use as a guide. It felt familiar, but he had no idea where he was. I'm sure I didn't go to sleep here... He thought, Where was I? He closed his eyes, and tried to think back towards the previous night. What had he been doing? Where had he gone? Suddenly, he felt a harsh pain start to pulsate in his forehead. He instinctively buried his face into the soft bundle of fur in his arms. For some reason, the warmth soothed him, and slowly the pain started to fade. He felt the sound of the creature's breathing, though it was barely audible, fill his mind with a gentle calm... Wait, what the-? He looked down at the creature that lay in his arms. A cat? He was holding a small white cat who seemed to be sleeping soundly. Since when was it here? His mind went to static as he tried in vain to remember anything about the cat, anything about where he was. Why was he holding the cat? Why was he sleeping in a place like this? What clothes was he wearing? He seemed to be wearing a large brown coat which was far too large for him. It was warm, perhaps that was why he had worn it. But the problem was, he had no memory of ever putting it on. What do I remember? The boy started trying to sift through his memories, only to find that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't think of anything. He only saw static. He couldn't remember his name, why he was there, what the cat was doing in his arms, but he could feel that he was supposed to know. The cat felt familiar, the more he thought about it, the more he was convinced. He knew the cat, that much was for certain. The coat felt familiar too, and it looked fairly old and somewhat worn. Maybe he'd been using it for some time? He buried his face into the cat's soft fur again, letting it's soothing presence calm him down. If remembering isn't getting me anywhere, He thought, Then maybe I should just follow my instincts? He looked up from his cat, and took yet another look at his surroundings. He saw a huge damaged airship, he couldn't remember if he knew anything about it, but he could feel that it was something standard, not exactly ordinary, but more like something that happened regularly. The ship was rather magnificent, though. It also looked to be extremely heavily armed and armoured. Casting his gaze elsewhere, he found little of interest, except for a similarly sized airship which was blue instead of red. For some reason, he could feel the blue airship drawing him, more so than the red one. Maybe he just liked blue things? The more he stared at it, the more he felt that he should be inside the ship. That's probably my best lead... He thought. He carefully stood up, taking care not to disturb the white cat in his arms, and proceeded to stretch his legs out a little. As he watched soldiers and robed people go back and forth, he noticed that the majority of them were heading for the blue airship. His instincts told him he should take care not to attract attention, but he sort of felt like he wasn't supposed to be there but it was okay if he was found. He put the cat into the brown coat, in a way that allowed the cat to stay in the same place without him having to hold it. The brown lump on his chest would probably look suspicious, but a white cat would've drawn more attention. Still, he kept low, walking at an even pace and walking closer to the people preoccupied with what they were doing. Eventually, he made his way across the docks to the door of one of the massive airship's cargo bays. Sneaking behind a soldier hefting a large box, the vast openness of the docks gave way to a rather spacious cargo hold that was filling up with crates of supplies. He slipped out from behind the soldier as he put down his load and went out of the cargo hold, maybe to grab another box. He found a small space to sit in with big boxes on many of its sides which would be able to hide him from anyone looking in from the door. He also found a large cloth draped over the boxes which he could use to hide himself in a pinch. Alright, He thought, cat still sleeping in his lap. Now what?</s> <\|message\|>Craig Masters Well shit. Craig was in a bit of a straight. About 2 hours ago he wandered into the dry docks(sky docks?) fascinated by the rush and ramble of the porters and mechanics, and was promptly conscripted. He had been working on the red vessel's boilers, which seemed to have been punctured by millions of...bone fragments? Craig had no qualms with this meticulous work, but he was assigned to the blue ship over yonder, and couldn't bring it to himself to tell the foreman otherwise. His eyes darted to and from his work and his original objective, a mass of people were already boarding the "Tycoon" or some-such, the thought of being left behind or worse... reprimanded, caused him to panic a bit. Well, first day out of the Forge and I've already balls things up He looked over to his toolbox; there weren't no tools to fix this mess. His breathing became haggard. The foreman was instructing other mechanics, far too busy to listen to his complaints... plus he was much larger than Craig. He'd try to sneak away if he wasn't already convinced he wouldn't knock over a set of crates and bring immediate attention to himself. Please, please, someone... anyone. The foreman suddenly started to head in his direction, making him recede back to his work. Fortunately(or unfortunately), the foreman passed by quickly to attend to some porters. Oh god, please.</s>	<\|message\|>Nansemond Drake Nansemond Drake, Docks at Port Titanicus The docks were overcrowded with excited onlookers. Throngs of people pushed against the iron railings to catch a glimpse of the Tychon, The Cobalt Trireme a marvel of aeronautical engineering. Nansemond smiled to himself as he patted his ticket in his breast-pocket. He dove into the crowd indescriminately shoving and pulling along with the rest of the mob, his cane clicking and clacking on the hard stone road and spectators alike. "Excuse me!, he shouted to no one in particular, slowly making his way to the landing zone. His pack, weighted down with all the gear he had prepared for this venture unbalanced his weight, and he held the leather straps on his shoulder in a deathgrip. The few people that did notice his limp did the best they could to let Nansemond pass. Nansemond passed a stage set up in between two buildings that overlooked the harbor. An actor dressed in a navy uniform was wrestling with a poorly constructed beast clearly intended to dwell in the shatterzone. Some unfortunate actor in the beast-costume was taking a beating from a blunted cutlass while the chorus sang patriotic fanfare. Pushing on, the crowd began to thin as the real action of the harbor took over-men dragging supplies and crates, marines marching into the belly of the great airship. He noticed a young man holding what appeared to be a cat step into a massive cargo door and disappear. Nansemond spotted the non-military loading ramp and stepped into line. A bead of sweat dribbled down from his perfectly combed hair. He dabbed it with a soft embroidered kerchief he produced from his coat-pocket. The man in front of him was dressed in a greasy brown frock and held a bag of tools. He chewed what appeared to have once been a cigar, a wad of brown paper and flem stuck to his lip. Damn hot today, said Nansemond nervously. The man ignored him. The line progressed The clerk at the door waved Nansemond up and took his ticket. "Nansemond Drake. Drake. Why does that sound familiar?" he asked. Drake rolled his eyes. "Everything in order I assume? My thanks then. Where's room? Oh nevermind I'll find it!" And with that Drake boarded the airship.</s>
<\|description\|>Vanius "The Bloody Handed" Age: 29 Gender/Race: Male Fäldkrest Role: External Conflict Resolver Bio: Vanius hails from a small, ever moving village that has no name.He often lead the hunting parties after his father died. When he was 27 he was attacked after straying away from the party, the massive beast leaving Vanius with a mangled hand and shredded wings (not that they were ever that big to begin with). Despite this, he managed to drive his spear into the beast's soft underbelly and draged the beast back to his hunting party.Upon returning to his village his mother forced him to go to Isilum and seek medical treatment. He is currently serving on an airship in order to pay the debt that accumulated to the order in saving his hand and giving him the ability to glide again (explained later). Vanius was shocked when the doctors wouldn't accept gratitude and 3 goats as payment. Personality: Adventurous, Proud, Highly aggressive, yet oddly smooth where other men would be rough, and hella naive. Equipment: -Lightweight leather armor -Longsword -small obsidean kukri This is just his basic equipment I guess, he has other things for more specialized gear when it's needed but nothing too spectacular, just simple things and a set of metal armor. Skills: Great sword fighter, natural leader (although he shys away from leading the more civilized when there are better candidates) Optional: Spends time with Craig Masters when not on duty. Appearance: A tall, muscular specimen with dark red scales with light orange spots in some places. His left hand is a heavily scarred. Unlike other Faldkrests he has an odd glider like device on his back due to the injuries sustained when he was younger, but this performs slightly worse, if not on par with most other Faldkrest wings, when gliding.</s> <\|message\|>Vanius "The Bloody Handed" Vanius walked towards the docks, the backpack he had been given chaffing his shoulders. The city was exploding with activity, which only distracted Vanius more. The docks were even more crowded than the street he just came from, making Vanius nervous and panicked. After breaking through the crowd he managed to get a break, and sat at a small park bench for a few minutes. He took out a long, dark brown cigar and ran it under his nose before lighting it. "This may be the last cigar I ever enjoy" he thought before taking a deep puff. He sincerely doubted they'd let him smoke on the ship, and he might die on the ground before he got another smoke break. The duffle bag he'd been given had been making Vanius' shoulders ache, and he wanted to just leave it sitting on the ground. Maybe leave everything on the ground and just run back to his Tribe. Put the whole damn world behind him and go back to a simple life. He laughed and shook the thought out of his head.</s> <\|message\|>Avelina (Angel) Callaghan A man hurried through the crowd that surrounded the Tychon, the Order's newest airship. He was only twenty eight but despite his relative youth his hair was white and he had a way of walking with his head down in an incredibly hurry that often led people to believe he was a much older man. His skin was sort of papery and it was clear that he paid more attention to his work than his appearance. He carried a number of papers in his arms and a brown leather pack on his back. He was headed for the loading platform of the Tychon. His name was Armadaus McConally, he was a scholar of the Order of Progress and the handler of the Valkyrie, Avelina Callaghan. Armadaus spotted two men near the airship that he recognized. "Lord Gearheart, Master Sonne!" Armadaus shouted over the crowd. "Are either of you privy to the location of the Tychon's Captain?" he said looking at the two men eagerly. "He must sign these before the airship leaves." Armadaus said motioning to some of the papers he held clutched to his chest. "Avelina Callaghan, one of the Orders assets has been assigned to this ship. I require that the Captain take responsibility for her before I can retire." Armadaus' eyes widened as he looked into the sky. "Speak of the devil." he murmured looking up into the air were a winged blob was gradually getting larger. "She's here." Avelina was looking forward to this particular mission. The Shatter Zone had intrigued her ever since her unplanned trip into it's outer edges. She's been experimented upon by an unknown party and only barely escaped. The nature of that experiment had left Avelina with metal wings twelve feet across wired into her back. They functioned perfectly allowing her to soar through the air just as she was doing now. Despite the constant painful ache that ran across Avelina's shoulder bones every time she took to the skies it was still her favorite way to travel. There was very little she'd ever experienced that compared to the thrill of shooting through the air at fifty miles an hour. Avelina dove downwards at an extreme angle, her stomach dropping off somewhere over the ocean before she pulled of sharply hovering in middle. While I say hovering Avelina was actually drifting up and down at regular intervals keeping her in relatively the same position. Her augmented eyes spotted her handler Armadaus talking with two men on the port. Armadaus had been eager to study the Valkyrie Wings and how they functioned in conjunction with Avelina's neural implants ever since she'd been taken in by the Order. He'd been very interested in the technical aspect of her abilities and had spend hours calculating vectors, and velocities, telling her how much she had to slow down to avoid breaking her legs on landings and the safest altitude she could attain without using a special breather he'd designed for her. Avelina had preferred to just wing it so to say. She did what felt right for the wings rather than trying to make sense of the calculations that covered every surface in Armadaus' study. Smiling slightly Avelina arched her wings diving down towards the peer. She came very close showering a number of people including her handler and his friends with a gust of winds before she turned in midair and bent her legs, she spun reversing her momentum. Avenlina curled her wings over her shoulders and out over her head causing them to lose velocity. She landed with grace in a crouch in front of the three men and straightened with a smile, her wings folded themselves up and slipped through the slits sown into her flight jacket, a substance called Velcro sealed the slits after her wings had come to rest against her back. The Valkyrie Wings in many ways were not a blessing but as long she had them Avelina couldn't help but show off just a little. "You miss me Doc?" She said cocking her head to the side like a bird with a flirtatious smile on her face. "Who are your friends?" She gave an exaggerated curtsy to the two officers. "Boys." she said inclining her head.</s> <\|message\|>Sir Nero Barsad "Out of the way, out of the way!" Barsad shouted at the throngs of people milling about the Port Titanicus docks, who, though quick to vacate the path of the train of laborers carting his laboratory equipment to his quarters aboard the Tychon, could not move fast enough for his liking. "Who dares impede the progress of science?!" He gesticulated wildly at an old woman crossing the procession, nearly bent double beneath the weight of a basket of salt fish on her back. "You! Decrepit crone! Get thee gone!" Barely taking notice of her baleful glare, Barsad eyed the dirigibles resting serenely on the docks, like leviathans dreaming of flight. His mouth twisted in distaste at the multitudinous numbers of the robed members of the Order of Progress. Stuffy, officious fools, too enamored of their own traditions and hierarchy to ever fully give themselves over to their professed calling. Science, Sir Nero knew, demanded sacrifice and an empty heart, not fetishistic affectations and self-inflating titles. Watching them wield their Shatterzone gear like an adolescent wearing his father's armor, he was reminded, and not for the first time, of a tribe of nomadic humans he had encountered in the Pikelands during the first years of his journeys. Having separated themselves from the rest of society centuries ago, the tribe had devolved into a near-feral state, but still clung to the practices of their ancestors, imitating rituals and ceremonies of which they had no clue, no understanding, beyond the vaporous illusion of comfort in the familiar. He believed that the Order, peacocks preening about with salvaged Shatter Tech, was no different: scavengers who surrounded themselves in the trappings of a lost world, claiming dominion over legacies to which they had no right. But what they did have was unparalleled access to the Shatterzone, that ancient place of things unremembered, the playground of all imagination and cold cradle of monsters. And Sir Nero Barsad would have to learn to play nicely if he was to have the same. His spirits picked up slightly when he saw a pair of Setra ascending the Tychon's boarding ramp. In that strange and contemplative species Barsad saw the opportunity for intelligent discourse during the voyage, for he had not been reassured when he saw that most of the crew was comprised of humans: dull, squishy, and terribly predictable, with nary a tentacle or chitinous exoskeleton or hyper-evolved psionic glands among the lot of them. He had already resigned himself to spending much of the upcoming journey shut up in his ad hoc laboratory, for these humans, slaves to their primal apish genetics, would have little to offer him in the way of mental stimulation. Nor was he at all encouraged by their youth. Most of the faces of the Tychon's crew were smooth and unlined. He guessed the majority of them to be in their late teens and early twenties, with even the grizzled veterans among them barely approaching the ripe pastures of thirty. "Children," he muttered to himself, almost giggling in disbelief. "It's a damned children's crusade." Vapid youth, creatures ruled entirely by instinct and brazen ambition, whose higher functions and capacities could be overridden with the simplest chemical changes. Raw emotion, barely removed from the wild rutting beasts of the field, choking the air with the scent of their sweat and energy and hormones. Hormones. Ew. He shuddered slightly in revulsion, then stood up straight and adjusted his white hat and tie. He spotted Sonne, the Senior Agent of the Order assigned to the Tychon, in conversation with his fellows in the Order. "Let us get this farce over with," he said quietly. He directed the lead stevedore to deliver his equipment aboard, and turned to Sonne and the others, already dreading this simple requisite interaction. But the sooner he announced himself, the sooner he could board the airship and set up his laboratory. But already others were approaching. Walking towards Sonne with the unmistakeable purpose of a career officer, was the captain, a Faldkrest named ver Niklos. But more interesting was the girl. Gliding in on metal wings as though she were born to them was the damned oddest halfling Barsad had ever seen. His eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly. Perhaps he had been too harsh in his earlier appraisals. Sacrifices, he thought. This expedition was to be greater than himself. There could be no room for ego. The birth of science, he knew, came only at the death of the scientist. It would be the hardest lesson he'd have to teach himself yet. And so, with mad visions of all the creatures hidden in the 'Zone spread upon his operating table, waiting for the smiling edge of his scalpel to bring their horrors into the light, Sir Nero Barsad made his way to Sonne and his new crewmates, doffing his hat to the future and all that was not yet known.</s> <\|message\|>Vossef ver Niklös - Sef for short Captain Vossef ver Niklös was not bothered by crowds. As he strode across the dockyards, the crowds melted out of his path. Between his stern gaze, the confident, almost aggressive arch of his wings, and not least the thick gold braid on his shoulderboards, it was pretty clear that Sef wasn't an individual who could be expected to waste time slowly picking his way around revellers and onlookers. Sef did not like his time to be wasted in any capacity, in fact. A lifetime of military service and his own rigid self discipline made for a very punctual individual. Therefore, he was more than a little bit annoyed to find himself on the edge of being late for his own airship launch. The day had begun smoothly for the most part - wake before dawn, breakfast, kit up in dress blues, say goodbye to Klothilda - until he reached the dockyards. Then his carefully prepared schedule had been neatly slashed down the middle by a series of minor emergencies involving quartermasters, the port authority, some sort of journalist, the quartermaster again.... Well. On the bright side, it seemed to be over. A thick sheaf of papers held carefully at his side in one clawed hand, Sef approached a small grouping of gentlemen standing near one of the boarding ramps. Sonne, his senior order agent was there, along with Lord Gearheart and another order representative that Vossef had not been introduced to. He had nearly reached them when a young woman, dwarfed by her wide metal wings, landed with them in a page-fluttering backwash of wind. Sef tightened his grip on his papers. Ah, the Valkyrie. That explains the other Order man. Another man arrived, not an Order man and not know to Sef, grumbling after one of the stevedores. The captain couldn't really blame him; he had not been particularly pleased with the dockyard staff so far today either. Working with civilians was not on the list of "Things That Make Vossef ver Niklös Happy and Comfortable." "Good day Lord, gentlemen, and miss," he said in his resonant voice. The captain clicked his heels together and bowed formally. "I am Captain Vossef," he introduced himself. It wasn't necessary - surely his identity was made clear by his decorated uniform - but formalities were important. "I believe we have some business to attend to?"</s>	<\|message\|>Vanius "The Bloody Handed" Eventually the Cigar's flame was snuffed, and Vanius slipped the mostly remaining torpedo into his jacket. The bustle wasn't going to stop and so he knew he had to just make his way through it and get to the Tychus. "No wait, that's not right" Vanius thought. He gazed at the great airships trying to remember the ships name. "The typhoon? Dammit what is that ships name?" He'd been preparing for almost 2 months and he'd forgotten the ships bloody name! In a moment of what can only be described as 'temporary madness', Vanius began searching vehemently for his crew pass. His scaly fingers wrapping around the paper and pulling it to his eyes. And like a man dying of thirst reaching an oasis, his eyes soaked up the information on the card until he saw it Tychon Crew Pass He hurriedly moved towards the ship, his pack awkwardly shifting between being dragged along the ground and being ever so slightly raised. As Vanius moved to adjust it, he bumped into a human gazing, well gazing isn't quite the word. This man seemed to be hypnotized by whatever he was staring at. It was a human man in an exquisite suit, and he looked old. Old and important. Vanius cursed to himself and meekly apologized, before hurriedly resuming his journey to the entry way of the ship.</s>
<\|description\|>Sir Nero Barsad Age: 52 Gender/Race: Male/Human Role: Xenobiologist/Pathologist Bio: Born the youngest son of a middling farmer among many other thousands in Atrea, Barsad was saved from a certain future of anonymity, poverty, and worst of all, boredom, by an incurable curiosity matched only by the needle-like focus of his intellect. A polymathic autodidact, Barsad taught himself first to read, and then to read quickly. With his voracious appetite for the printed word and all the knowledge they represented, he obtained a working understanding of a variety of academic disciplines before turning his concentration onto medicine. A minor noble sponsored Barsad's enrollment into the King's College of Surgeons in Atrea's capital, where a few years' worth of accelerated education gained him a place among the Royal Family's cadre of personal physicians, a not unimpressive salary, and the title of baronet. While a lifestyle that those of his born station could only dream of afforded him every luxury, Barsad despised indolence, fearing that the security of his position would encourage complacency and contentment and, ultimately, would dull the edges of his intellect. He briefly considered joining the Order of Progress, assured that a meteoric climb through the ranks would allow him access to troves of secret information and hidden data enough to keep even his mind busy for a lifetime. But he possessed no taste for their bureaucracy and believed that pure knowledge could be accessed only through an independent will and a pristine curiosity for the unknown, unfettered by the banal ambitions of superiors and managers. Thus he resigned from his post and used his considerable savings to fund an indefinite expedition around the world, a quest for understanding, for both internal and external discovery. It was during the second decade of his pilgrimage, after spending much time with the various non-human races that inhabited this world with him, that his focus turned itself onto the fields of anatomy and genetics. He retrained himself as a pathologist, specializing in non-human anatomy, determined to find the origins of life hidden within their unfamiliar genetic structures, and quickly made a name for himself as one of the world's foremost independent authorities on xenobiology. Now, intrigued by rumors of the odd creatures creeping out of the Shatterzone, Sir Nero made the decision to sign on with the crew of the Tychon, eyes aglow with all the possibilities to be unearthed in that ancient land. All those artifacts. All that knowledge. And all that strange and alien life to cut open and peer into. Personality: Sir Nero is mercurial at the best of times. He is hyperactive, irritable, and easily bored. He seldom gets along with others, not because of any cruelty or malice in his heart, but because he is convinced that he simply thinks too fast for most people to command his attention for more than a few moments. He believes humans are by-and-large incapable of providing him with any sort of interest, and identifies more, and interacts better with, non-human species. He nurtures a particular kinship for the Setra, those inscrutable insectoids whose natural intelligence and curiosity near rival his own. He thinks himself a hunter of mysteries, a detective of the undetectable, an investigator of the unknown, a bearer of the light of knowledge and science in dark places, and, though he'd sooner draw a scalpel across your throat than admit it, an amateur poet. Equipment: Portable field laboratory, basic medical gear, anatomy texts and journals, a few vials of fungal spores that, when prepared and ingested properly, tend to induce prolonged periods of, uh, spiritual commune. Oh, and scalpels. Lots and lots of scalpels. Skills: Sir Nero's travels and natural aptitude for learning have bequeathed him with a host of skills and talents. Along with his expert knowledge in his chosen fields of study, he is able, given a modicum of interest and time, to teach himself the basics of near any discipline. Though focused primarily on biology, he enjoys a working journeyman's knowledge of fields ranging from mathematics to music to theology. And though his left-brain analytics and right-brain intuitiveness are far superior to his left hook and right cross, he has also trained himself a bit in the art of pugilism, and can acquit himself reasonably well in a fight. At least, much better than one would expect of a white-haired academic of late-middle years. Appearance: Though he gives no thought to class or social graces, Barsad has a weakness for finely tailored clothing, and is rarely seen without some variation of an immaculate white suit and hat. He keeps himself in remarkable physical shape for his advanced age, and his long travels have given him deeply tanned skin and sun-bleached white hair.</s> <\|message\|>Vanius "The Bloody Handed" Vanius walked towards the docks, the backpack he had been given chaffing his shoulders. The city was exploding with activity, which only distracted Vanius more. The docks were even more crowded than the street he just came from, making Vanius nervous and panicked. After breaking through the crowd he managed to get a break, and sat at a small park bench for a few minutes. He took out a long, dark brown cigar and ran it under his nose before lighting it. "This may be the last cigar I ever enjoy" he thought before taking a deep puff. He sincerely doubted they'd let him smoke on the ship, and he might die on the ground before he got another smoke break. The duffle bag he'd been given had been making Vanius' shoulders ache, and he wanted to just leave it sitting on the ground. Maybe leave everything on the ground and just run back to his Tribe. Put the whole damn world behind him and go back to a simple life. He laughed and shook the thought out of his head.</s> <\|message\|>Avelina (Angel) Callaghan A man hurried through the crowd that surrounded the Tychon, the Order's newest airship. He was only twenty eight but despite his relative youth his hair was white and he had a way of walking with his head down in an incredibly hurry that often led people to believe he was a much older man. His skin was sort of papery and it was clear that he paid more attention to his work than his appearance. He carried a number of papers in his arms and a brown leather pack on his back. He was headed for the loading platform of the Tychon. His name was Armadaus McConally, he was a scholar of the Order of Progress and the handler of the Valkyrie, Avelina Callaghan. Armadaus spotted two men near the airship that he recognized. "Lord Gearheart, Master Sonne!" Armadaus shouted over the crowd. "Are either of you privy to the location of the Tychon's Captain?" he said looking at the two men eagerly. "He must sign these before the airship leaves." Armadaus said motioning to some of the papers he held clutched to his chest. "Avelina Callaghan, one of the Orders assets has been assigned to this ship. I require that the Captain take responsibility for her before I can retire." Armadaus' eyes widened as he looked into the sky. "Speak of the devil." he murmured looking up into the air were a winged blob was gradually getting larger. "She's here." Avelina was looking forward to this particular mission. The Shatter Zone had intrigued her ever since her unplanned trip into it's outer edges. She's been experimented upon by an unknown party and only barely escaped. The nature of that experiment had left Avelina with metal wings twelve feet across wired into her back. They functioned perfectly allowing her to soar through the air just as she was doing now. Despite the constant painful ache that ran across Avelina's shoulder bones every time she took to the skies it was still her favorite way to travel. There was very little she'd ever experienced that compared to the thrill of shooting through the air at fifty miles an hour. Avelina dove downwards at an extreme angle, her stomach dropping off somewhere over the ocean before she pulled of sharply hovering in middle. While I say hovering Avelina was actually drifting up and down at regular intervals keeping her in relatively the same position. Her augmented eyes spotted her handler Armadaus talking with two men on the port. Armadaus had been eager to study the Valkyrie Wings and how they functioned in conjunction with Avelina's neural implants ever since she'd been taken in by the Order. He'd been very interested in the technical aspect of her abilities and had spend hours calculating vectors, and velocities, telling her how much she had to slow down to avoid breaking her legs on landings and the safest altitude she could attain without using a special breather he'd designed for her. Avelina had preferred to just wing it so to say. She did what felt right for the wings rather than trying to make sense of the calculations that covered every surface in Armadaus' study. Smiling slightly Avelina arched her wings diving down towards the peer. She came very close showering a number of people including her handler and his friends with a gust of winds before she turned in midair and bent her legs, she spun reversing her momentum. Avenlina curled her wings over her shoulders and out over her head causing them to lose velocity. She landed with grace in a crouch in front of the three men and straightened with a smile, her wings folded themselves up and slipped through the slits sown into her flight jacket, a substance called Velcro sealed the slits after her wings had come to rest against her back. The Valkyrie Wings in many ways were not a blessing but as long she had them Avelina couldn't help but show off just a little. "You miss me Doc?" She said cocking her head to the side like a bird with a flirtatious smile on her face. "Who are your friends?" She gave an exaggerated curtsy to the two officers. "Boys." she said inclining her head.</s>	<\|message\|>Sir Nero Barsad "Out of the way, out of the way!" Barsad shouted at the throngs of people milling about the Port Titanicus docks, who, though quick to vacate the path of the train of laborers carting his laboratory equipment to his quarters aboard the Tychon, could not move fast enough for his liking. "Who dares impede the progress of science?!" He gesticulated wildly at an old woman crossing the procession, nearly bent double beneath the weight of a basket of salt fish on her back. "You! Decrepit crone! Get thee gone!" Barely taking notice of her baleful glare, Barsad eyed the dirigibles resting serenely on the docks, like leviathans dreaming of flight. His mouth twisted in distaste at the multitudinous numbers of the robed members of the Order of Progress. Stuffy, officious fools, too enamored of their own traditions and hierarchy to ever fully give themselves over to their professed calling. Science, Sir Nero knew, demanded sacrifice and an empty heart, not fetishistic affectations and self-inflating titles. Watching them wield their Shatterzone gear like an adolescent wearing his father's armor, he was reminded, and not for the first time, of a tribe of nomadic humans he had encountered in the Pikelands during the first years of his journeys. Having separated themselves from the rest of society centuries ago, the tribe had devolved into a near-feral state, but still clung to the practices of their ancestors, imitating rituals and ceremonies of which they had no clue, no understanding, beyond the vaporous illusion of comfort in the familiar. He believed that the Order, peacocks preening about with salvaged Shatter Tech, was no different: scavengers who surrounded themselves in the trappings of a lost world, claiming dominion over legacies to which they had no right. But what they did have was unparalleled access to the Shatterzone, that ancient place of things unremembered, the playground of all imagination and cold cradle of monsters. And Sir Nero Barsad would have to learn to play nicely if he was to have the same. His spirits picked up slightly when he saw a pair of Setra ascending the Tychon's boarding ramp. In that strange and contemplative species Barsad saw the opportunity for intelligent discourse during the voyage, for he had not been reassured when he saw that most of the crew was comprised of humans: dull, squishy, and terribly predictable, with nary a tentacle or chitinous exoskeleton or hyper-evolved psionic glands among the lot of them. He had already resigned himself to spending much of the upcoming journey shut up in his ad hoc laboratory, for these humans, slaves to their primal apish genetics, would have little to offer him in the way of mental stimulation. Nor was he at all encouraged by their youth. Most of the faces of the Tychon's crew were smooth and unlined. He guessed the majority of them to be in their late teens and early twenties, with even the grizzled veterans among them barely approaching the ripe pastures of thirty. "Children," he muttered to himself, almost giggling in disbelief. "It's a damned children's crusade." Vapid youth, creatures ruled entirely by instinct and brazen ambition, whose higher functions and capacities could be overridden with the simplest chemical changes. Raw emotion, barely removed from the wild rutting beasts of the field, choking the air with the scent of their sweat and energy and hormones. Hormones. Ew. He shuddered slightly in revulsion, then stood up straight and adjusted his white hat and tie. He spotted Sonne, the Senior Agent of the Order assigned to the Tychon, in conversation with his fellows in the Order. "Let us get this farce over with," he said quietly. He directed the lead stevedore to deliver his equipment aboard, and turned to Sonne and the others, already dreading this simple requisite interaction. But the sooner he announced himself, the sooner he could board the airship and set up his laboratory. But already others were approaching. Walking towards Sonne with the unmistakeable purpose of a career officer, was the captain, a Faldkrest named ver Niklos. But more interesting was the girl. Gliding in on metal wings as though she were born to them was the damned oddest halfling Barsad had ever seen. His eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly. Perhaps he had been too harsh in his earlier appraisals. Sacrifices, he thought. This expedition was to be greater than himself. There could be no room for ego. The birth of science, he knew, came only at the death of the scientist. It would be the hardest lesson he'd have to teach himself yet. And so, with mad visions of all the creatures hidden in the 'Zone spread upon his operating table, waiting for the smiling edge of his scalpel to bring their horrors into the light, Sir Nero Barsad made his way to Sonne and his new crewmates, doffing his hat to the future and all that was not yet known.</s>
<\|description\|>Sir Nero Barsad Age: 52 Gender/Race: Male/Human Role: Xenobiologist/Pathologist Bio: Born the youngest son of a middling farmer among many other thousands in Atrea, Barsad was saved from a certain future of anonymity, poverty, and worst of all, boredom, by an incurable curiosity matched only by the needle-like focus of his intellect. A polymathic autodidact, Barsad taught himself first to read, and then to read quickly. With his voracious appetite for the printed word and all the knowledge they represented, he obtained a working understanding of a variety of academic disciplines before turning his concentration onto medicine. A minor noble sponsored Barsad's enrollment into the King's College of Surgeons in Atrea's capital, where a few years' worth of accelerated education gained him a place among the Royal Family's cadre of personal physicians, a not unimpressive salary, and the title of baronet. While a lifestyle that those of his born station could only dream of afforded him every luxury, Barsad despised indolence, fearing that the security of his position would encourage complacency and contentment and, ultimately, would dull the edges of his intellect. He briefly considered joining the Order of Progress, assured that a meteoric climb through the ranks would allow him access to troves of secret information and hidden data enough to keep even his mind busy for a lifetime. But he possessed no taste for their bureaucracy and believed that pure knowledge could be accessed only through an independent will and a pristine curiosity for the unknown, unfettered by the banal ambitions of superiors and managers. Thus he resigned from his post and used his considerable savings to fund an indefinite expedition around the world, a quest for understanding, for both internal and external discovery. It was during the second decade of his pilgrimage, after spending much time with the various non-human races that inhabited this world with him, that his focus turned itself onto the fields of anatomy and genetics. He retrained himself as a pathologist, specializing in non-human anatomy, determined to find the origins of life hidden within their unfamiliar genetic structures, and quickly made a name for himself as one of the world's foremost independent authorities on xenobiology. Now, intrigued by rumors of the odd creatures creeping out of the Shatterzone, Sir Nero made the decision to sign on with the crew of the Tychon, eyes aglow with all the possibilities to be unearthed in that ancient land. All those artifacts. All that knowledge. And all that strange and alien life to cut open and peer into. Personality: Sir Nero is mercurial at the best of times. He is hyperactive, irritable, and easily bored. He seldom gets along with others, not because of any cruelty or malice in his heart, but because he is convinced that he simply thinks too fast for most people to command his attention for more than a few moments. He believes humans are by-and-large incapable of providing him with any sort of interest, and identifies more, and interacts better with, non-human species. He nurtures a particular kinship for the Setra, those inscrutable insectoids whose natural intelligence and curiosity near rival his own. He thinks himself a hunter of mysteries, a detective of the undetectable, an investigator of the unknown, a bearer of the light of knowledge and science in dark places, and, though he'd sooner draw a scalpel across your throat than admit it, an amateur poet. Equipment: Portable field laboratory, basic medical gear, anatomy texts and journals, a few vials of fungal spores that, when prepared and ingested properly, tend to induce prolonged periods of, uh, spiritual commune. Oh, and scalpels. Lots and lots of scalpels. Skills: Sir Nero's travels and natural aptitude for learning have bequeathed him with a host of skills and talents. Along with his expert knowledge in his chosen fields of study, he is able, given a modicum of interest and time, to teach himself the basics of near any discipline. Though focused primarily on biology, he enjoys a working journeyman's knowledge of fields ranging from mathematics to music to theology. And though his left-brain analytics and right-brain intuitiveness are far superior to his left hook and right cross, he has also trained himself a bit in the art of pugilism, and can acquit himself reasonably well in a fight. At least, much better than one would expect of a white-haired academic of late-middle years. Appearance: Though he gives no thought to class or social graces, Barsad has a weakness for finely tailored clothing, and is rarely seen without some variation of an immaculate white suit and hat. He keeps himself in remarkable physical shape for his advanced age, and his long travels have given him deeply tanned skin and sun-bleached white hair.</s> <\|message\|>Vanius "The Bloody Handed" Eventually the Cigar's flame was snuffed, and Vanius slipped the mostly remaining torpedo into his jacket. The bustle wasn't going to stop and so he knew he had to just make his way through it and get to the Tychus. "No wait, that's not right" Vanius thought. He gazed at the great airships trying to remember the ships name. "The typhoon? Dammit what is that ships name?" He'd been preparing for almost 2 months and he'd forgotten the ships bloody name! In a moment of what can only be described as 'temporary madness', Vanius began searching vehemently for his crew pass. His scaly fingers wrapping around the paper and pulling it to his eyes. And like a man dying of thirst reaching an oasis, his eyes soaked up the information on the card until he saw it Tychon Crew Pass He hurriedly moved towards the ship, his pack awkwardly shifting between being dragged along the ground and being ever so slightly raised. As Vanius moved to adjust it, he bumped into a human gazing, well gazing isn't quite the word. This man seemed to be hypnotized by whatever he was staring at. It was a human man in an exquisite suit, and he looked old. Old and important. Vanius cursed to himself and meekly apologized, before hurriedly resuming his journey to the entry way of the ship.</s> <\|message\|>Avelina (Angel) Callaghan Armadaus looked slightly alarmed at Avelina's superfluous and very public entrance. "Avelina, what do you think you are doing?" clearly the older man was attempting a look of disapproval but this was slightly marred by the wheedling tone to his voice, almost as if he were begging her not to run off like that. "You left the residence without telling anyone, and without bringing your bag." He said dropping a brown leather pack onto the peer. Avelina did not look particularly happy to be chastised in front of strangers for doing something that as far as she was concerned was her right. If she wanted to fly off there wasn't a lot the Order could do to stop her. Avelina muttered the word 'residence' under her breath. The place was effectively a lab where Armadaus was more than content to run simulations and tests on her wings for hours at a time while she just sat there, it might as well have been a prison. "Thanks Doc," Avelina said her face and voice ever so slightly harder than the light air that had existed in them a moment ago. "and It's Angel." she said in reference to her name. "Regardless," said Armadaus in an exasperated voice, he was clearly at the end of his tether. Dealing with Avelina's attitude had a way of stretching his normally infinite patience to the limits. Armadaus set his papers down on a crate. "Captain I need you to sign these before 'Angel'" He said the word like it was a bad taste "can board the Tychon. They essentially confirm that you will be taking responsibility for Angel's well being and any harm that comes to her or the shattertech she embodies will be accountable directly to you. Is that clear?" Then without waiting for confirmation. "If you could just sign here, here and here on the line Angel will officially be a part of your crew." Avelina rolled her eyes. Though it didn't show in her face the comment about the shattertech she embodied had struck a nerve. Of course she'd always known that the only reason the Order of Progress would even look at someone like her was because she had the Valkyrie Wings grafted to her skeletal system but to have it laid out as such hurt just a little more than Avelina was willing to admit. For the last three years she'd not met a soul who'd been able to see past the cybernetic implants and realize there was an actual person in there somewhere. Looking bored Avelina slung her pack over her shoulder and hoisted herself up onto a crate, crossing her legs and leaning back so her face was to the sky. She stayed like that for a number of minutes before the sound of footsteps encroaching on there group caught her attention. Avelina hopped off the box to get a better look at an older gentleman that was approaching. He seemed to be a member of the Tychon crew but really, he was ancient compared to the others boarding the airship. Avelina walked closer to Armadaus with a wicked look in her eye. She whispered loud enough for the old man to hear. "Hey Doc, is he crew? Ain't he little old for this kinda work."</s> <\|message\|>Craig Masters Craig was still busying himself upon the boilers of the red vessel, oil and welding burns marring his new robes. His hair at this point was a greased and matted mess, his face moist and oil-stained as he abandoned his Tech-mask long ago in the sweltering atmosphere. The boiler was far from fixed, sections still bisected by inhumanly large slabs of bone-like projectiles, this surprise project was unlikely to be finished before he was listed as absent and left behind. Craig was afraid. Craig was very much afraid. Afraid of his failure. Afraid he'd come back a day after leaving with nothing. Afraid he'd be stuck doing such menial tasks without a story of his own. And most importantly afraid of the large foreman, screaming at younger engineers. He rose to wipe a bead of sweat from his brow, turning his head back at the blue vessel expecting it to already be gone. He saw the more of the crew board of which very few stood out. A young man was amusingly seen dodging the crowd and quietly board the ship. Another man was witnessed to plow through a crowd of people, heavy cargo attended by porters closely following behind him; an event probably standard in the busy port city so he thought nothing of it. An older gentleman chatting it up with passing crew, likely a veteran of the ship. A halfling flitting across the sky, landing precariously yet gracefully near the gangplank, nothing out of the ordina- Craig blinked twice, not quite sure he was seeing correctly, the fumes of the skydock, surely messing with him. Then it hit him, a halfling was flying! Not by way of the new fangled magics, but some sort of cybernetic implants. Behind the young female was a beautiful mechanical contraption- nay - miracle of engineering. The metal seemed alive, warm and alive, reacting to the stiff cool breeze as natural appendage would. Craig was awestruck, in the Forges the older adepts' extra mechanical arms were feats of their own capable of performing simple tasks and bearing heavy loads, but this... this was whole new level. This device seemed to be capable of advance aeronautical maneuvers judging by the stunt this woman just pulled. Knowing the Order's firm grip on technological advances the woman surely had a handler, but hadn't of anything such as this. Craig had to know what exactly this was, and Order heads clearly won't tell him anything, his only choice was to investigate directly. Gathering his luggage left in a near by corner, and ignoring the protests of the foreman behind him as he jaunted towards the blue vessel. However, his journey was impeded, he lost sight of his target over a mass of what seemed to be laboratory equipment. He tried squeezing by, but ran into a man donning a sterile white business suit, with a matching surgical mask and hat. Craig was about to voice his apologies, when he saw that the man was visibly angry and insulted at his transgression. "Uhh... sorry"</s>	<\|message\|>Sir Nero Barsad He'd have to burn his suit. That was the only answer. Twice in the span of a few seconds Barsad had been bumped into, first by a Faldkrest warrior who stank of harsh tobacco, and then by a young Order mechanic in grease covered robes. Despite his title, Sir Nero was not a man given to class and station. He had seen too many so-called nobles and gentlemen make blubbering, lecherous messes of themselves when they were in their cups, or thought themselves in private. Similarly, he knew it was within the capacity of any commoner to rise far above his assigned lot in life. Was he not, after all, the very shining proof of that? No, it wasn't that these plebeians could deign to assault a baronet with impunity, but that they had turned a previously very fine -- and very expensive -- suit into a grease rag that reeked evilly of cheap cigar smoke. Barsad turned to the young Order man, raised an accusatory finger in the air, and was prepared to drive it with great force and purpose into the boy's chest, when, rising clear as a bell over the background din of the docks, came a rather indelicate remark about his age from the winged halfling to her Order puppeteer. He forgot the young man completely. A cold, impassive smile sketched itself onto his face. He stood up straight and turned to the recently arrived captain. A dignified-looking Faldkrest, ver Niklos seemed to be in his middle age, if the grey coloration of his jaw fringe was anything to go by. Then again, Barsad thought, the premature discoloration of scales in younger Faldkrest males was also indicative of a family of diseases in their species that went under the collective colloquialism of "The Creeping Rot" in certain social circles of ill-repute. He briefly considered asking Captain ver Niklos if he had ever enjoyed any leisure time in the district of Port Titanicus charmingly referred to by locals as Reptile Row, but decided that accusing one's captain of whoremongering was likely frowned upon in genteel company, however salaciously scaly the ladies of Bawdy Bettie's Taverne & Ye Olde Rumpus Roome may have been. Instead, he gave a crisp nod of the head to ver Niklos, and said, "Captain." He turned to Sonne. "Senior Agent Sonne," he said imperiously, "I am Barsad. You have heard of me, of course. I've little time to waste, so I'll keep this brief. I am here to make your job easier, and to do that I shall be requiring a sterile operating theatre, and whatever files you may have on the creatures we are likely to come across, as well as prioritized access to any biological specimens we acquire." And finally he turned to the smart-mouthed little halfling. "And you," he said, leveling a finger at her, "will see me in my laboratory as soon as possible. Those lackwits who grafted Shattertech onto you may have had plenty of toys, but they don't know the first thing about halfling anatomy. They've completely failed to account for your kind's atrophied serratus posterior superior muscle, which I would wager is why you feel incredible pain whenever you utilize those impressive wings of yours, correct? Yes, yes, and of course I'll need to examine whatever lamentable hatchet job they performed on your obturator nerve. Or in terms even you can understand" -- and here he paused to puff out his chest -- "I need to see where your fleshy bits meet your non-fleshy bits." He tipped his hat to them. "A pleasure to meet you all," he said, and made his way to the boarding ramp.</s>
<\|description\|>Vossef ver Niklös - Sef for short Age: 62 (Or equivalent middle age for a Fäldkrest) Gender: Male Role: Captain Bio: Born in the Pikelands like most of his kind, Sef travelled to Teieya as a youth to find work. He joined the air navy and spent most of his adult life in the sky. The navy taught him to be a swordsman and marksman, and through years of effort he rose so far as to captain an airship, the Shearwater. When the Shearwater was decommissioned, he retired rather than take a new berth and instead turned to the Order, which gave him greater freedom to explore and promised more excitement than the Navy. In his personal life, Sef married as a young ensign and has been happily albeit distantly married ever since. His wife, Klotilda, lives comfortably in a Teieyan township, and they have four grown children, and two grandchildren. Personality: Sef was an excitable brawler in his youth, but age and experience have somewhat mellowed him. He's still incredibly determined, self confident and firm in his opinions, but he has learned to pick his battles. People generally see him as intense and intimidating. He's good with words, and enjoys telling the many exciting tales he has gathered through his life. Equipment: * Navy Cutlass with a 24" blade, basket hilt and dragon-head pommel; it was presented to him with his commission * A pair of long-barrelled six-shooters, heavily engraved and marked with the insignia of the order, with jet inlaid grips. They commemorate his commission as captain of Tychon * Navigation equipment including an octant, compass and astrolabe Skills: * Navigation: Sef was a navigator before he became a captain, so he is skilled at navigating with an octant and chart, or by the stars if need be. * Swordsmanship: Sef's a skilled swordsman. He has maintained his physical condition despite his age, though he will be the first to acknowledge that his reflexes aren't what they used to be and it takes him much longer to recover from injury or strain than it once did. * Marksmanship: He's a much better swordsman than armsman, but he's still a pretty good shot. He tends to rely more on melee combat and is conscious of conserving ammunition. * Airship Knowledge: He's spent his entire adult life working on airships; he has a lot of knowledge and experience in how they work and related studies, like understanding meteorology. Optional: I don't have anything else to add. Appearance: Sef is tall and broad shouldered, and keeps himself in fighting fit. His scaling is primarily cobalt blue, with dark olive green highlights. He has a scaly fringe around his jawline, like a beard, and a row of very small white horns on his browline, much like human eyebrows. He also has a crest of long, flexible spines that protrude from his head and neck - most of the time they lie flat like hair, but they can lift like a cockatoo. Like all of his race, he has membranous wings, resembling a bat's. His right wing has a noticeable scar across the membrane between the second and third metacarpals (fingers) and the long bones are knobby where they have healed from a bad fracture. His age is visible in the grey-white patina over his scales, which is most obvious in his face and wings. The backs of his wings almost look dusty, and his "beard" and crest have entirely turned steel grey.</s> <\|message\|>Vanius "The Bloody Handed" Vanius walked towards the docks, the backpack he had been given chaffing his shoulders. The city was exploding with activity, which only distracted Vanius more. The docks were even more crowded than the street he just came from, making Vanius nervous and panicked. After breaking through the crowd he managed to get a break, and sat at a small park bench for a few minutes. He took out a long, dark brown cigar and ran it under his nose before lighting it. "This may be the last cigar I ever enjoy" he thought before taking a deep puff. He sincerely doubted they'd let him smoke on the ship, and he might die on the ground before he got another smoke break. The duffle bag he'd been given had been making Vanius' shoulders ache, and he wanted to just leave it sitting on the ground. Maybe leave everything on the ground and just run back to his Tribe. Put the whole damn world behind him and go back to a simple life. He laughed and shook the thought out of his head.</s> <\|message\|>Avelina (Angel) Callaghan A man hurried through the crowd that surrounded the Tychon, the Order's newest airship. He was only twenty eight but despite his relative youth his hair was white and he had a way of walking with his head down in an incredibly hurry that often led people to believe he was a much older man. His skin was sort of papery and it was clear that he paid more attention to his work than his appearance. He carried a number of papers in his arms and a brown leather pack on his back. He was headed for the loading platform of the Tychon. His name was Armadaus McConally, he was a scholar of the Order of Progress and the handler of the Valkyrie, Avelina Callaghan. Armadaus spotted two men near the airship that he recognized. "Lord Gearheart, Master Sonne!" Armadaus shouted over the crowd. "Are either of you privy to the location of the Tychon's Captain?" he said looking at the two men eagerly. "He must sign these before the airship leaves." Armadaus said motioning to some of the papers he held clutched to his chest. "Avelina Callaghan, one of the Orders assets has been assigned to this ship. I require that the Captain take responsibility for her before I can retire." Armadaus' eyes widened as he looked into the sky. "Speak of the devil." he murmured looking up into the air were a winged blob was gradually getting larger. "She's here." Avelina was looking forward to this particular mission. The Shatter Zone had intrigued her ever since her unplanned trip into it's outer edges. She's been experimented upon by an unknown party and only barely escaped. The nature of that experiment had left Avelina with metal wings twelve feet across wired into her back. They functioned perfectly allowing her to soar through the air just as she was doing now. Despite the constant painful ache that ran across Avelina's shoulder bones every time she took to the skies it was still her favorite way to travel. There was very little she'd ever experienced that compared to the thrill of shooting through the air at fifty miles an hour. Avelina dove downwards at an extreme angle, her stomach dropping off somewhere over the ocean before she pulled of sharply hovering in middle. While I say hovering Avelina was actually drifting up and down at regular intervals keeping her in relatively the same position. Her augmented eyes spotted her handler Armadaus talking with two men on the port. Armadaus had been eager to study the Valkyrie Wings and how they functioned in conjunction with Avelina's neural implants ever since she'd been taken in by the Order. He'd been very interested in the technical aspect of her abilities and had spend hours calculating vectors, and velocities, telling her how much she had to slow down to avoid breaking her legs on landings and the safest altitude she could attain without using a special breather he'd designed for her. Avelina had preferred to just wing it so to say. She did what felt right for the wings rather than trying to make sense of the calculations that covered every surface in Armadaus' study. Smiling slightly Avelina arched her wings diving down towards the peer. She came very close showering a number of people including her handler and his friends with a gust of winds before she turned in midair and bent her legs, she spun reversing her momentum. Avenlina curled her wings over her shoulders and out over her head causing them to lose velocity. She landed with grace in a crouch in front of the three men and straightened with a smile, her wings folded themselves up and slipped through the slits sown into her flight jacket, a substance called Velcro sealed the slits after her wings had come to rest against her back. The Valkyrie Wings in many ways were not a blessing but as long she had them Avelina couldn't help but show off just a little. "You miss me Doc?" She said cocking her head to the side like a bird with a flirtatious smile on her face. "Who are your friends?" She gave an exaggerated curtsy to the two officers. "Boys." she said inclining her head.</s> <\|message\|>Sir Nero Barsad "Out of the way, out of the way!" Barsad shouted at the throngs of people milling about the Port Titanicus docks, who, though quick to vacate the path of the train of laborers carting his laboratory equipment to his quarters aboard the Tychon, could not move fast enough for his liking. "Who dares impede the progress of science?!" He gesticulated wildly at an old woman crossing the procession, nearly bent double beneath the weight of a basket of salt fish on her back. "You! Decrepit crone! Get thee gone!" Barely taking notice of her baleful glare, Barsad eyed the dirigibles resting serenely on the docks, like leviathans dreaming of flight. His mouth twisted in distaste at the multitudinous numbers of the robed members of the Order of Progress. Stuffy, officious fools, too enamored of their own traditions and hierarchy to ever fully give themselves over to their professed calling. Science, Sir Nero knew, demanded sacrifice and an empty heart, not fetishistic affectations and self-inflating titles. Watching them wield their Shatterzone gear like an adolescent wearing his father's armor, he was reminded, and not for the first time, of a tribe of nomadic humans he had encountered in the Pikelands during the first years of his journeys. Having separated themselves from the rest of society centuries ago, the tribe had devolved into a near-feral state, but still clung to the practices of their ancestors, imitating rituals and ceremonies of which they had no clue, no understanding, beyond the vaporous illusion of comfort in the familiar. He believed that the Order, peacocks preening about with salvaged Shatter Tech, was no different: scavengers who surrounded themselves in the trappings of a lost world, claiming dominion over legacies to which they had no right. But what they did have was unparalleled access to the Shatterzone, that ancient place of things unremembered, the playground of all imagination and cold cradle of monsters. And Sir Nero Barsad would have to learn to play nicely if he was to have the same. His spirits picked up slightly when he saw a pair of Setra ascending the Tychon's boarding ramp. In that strange and contemplative species Barsad saw the opportunity for intelligent discourse during the voyage, for he had not been reassured when he saw that most of the crew was comprised of humans: dull, squishy, and terribly predictable, with nary a tentacle or chitinous exoskeleton or hyper-evolved psionic glands among the lot of them. He had already resigned himself to spending much of the upcoming journey shut up in his ad hoc laboratory, for these humans, slaves to their primal apish genetics, would have little to offer him in the way of mental stimulation. Nor was he at all encouraged by their youth. Most of the faces of the Tychon's crew were smooth and unlined. He guessed the majority of them to be in their late teens and early twenties, with even the grizzled veterans among them barely approaching the ripe pastures of thirty. "Children," he muttered to himself, almost giggling in disbelief. "It's a damned children's crusade." Vapid youth, creatures ruled entirely by instinct and brazen ambition, whose higher functions and capacities could be overridden with the simplest chemical changes. Raw emotion, barely removed from the wild rutting beasts of the field, choking the air with the scent of their sweat and energy and hormones. Hormones. Ew. He shuddered slightly in revulsion, then stood up straight and adjusted his white hat and tie. He spotted Sonne, the Senior Agent of the Order assigned to the Tychon, in conversation with his fellows in the Order. "Let us get this farce over with," he said quietly. He directed the lead stevedore to deliver his equipment aboard, and turned to Sonne and the others, already dreading this simple requisite interaction. But the sooner he announced himself, the sooner he could board the airship and set up his laboratory. But already others were approaching. Walking towards Sonne with the unmistakeable purpose of a career officer, was the captain, a Faldkrest named ver Niklos. But more interesting was the girl. Gliding in on metal wings as though she were born to them was the damned oddest halfling Barsad had ever seen. His eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly. Perhaps he had been too harsh in his earlier appraisals. Sacrifices, he thought. This expedition was to be greater than himself. There could be no room for ego. The birth of science, he knew, came only at the death of the scientist. It would be the hardest lesson he'd have to teach himself yet. And so, with mad visions of all the creatures hidden in the 'Zone spread upon his operating table, waiting for the smiling edge of his scalpel to bring their horrors into the light, Sir Nero Barsad made his way to Sonne and his new crewmates, doffing his hat to the future and all that was not yet known.</s>	<\|message\|>Vossef ver Niklös - Sef for short Captain Vossef ver Niklös was not bothered by crowds. As he strode across the dockyards, the crowds melted out of his path. Between his stern gaze, the confident, almost aggressive arch of his wings, and not least the thick gold braid on his shoulderboards, it was pretty clear that Sef wasn't an individual who could be expected to waste time slowly picking his way around revellers and onlookers. Sef did not like his time to be wasted in any capacity, in fact. A lifetime of military service and his own rigid self discipline made for a very punctual individual. Therefore, he was more than a little bit annoyed to find himself on the edge of being late for his own airship launch. The day had begun smoothly for the most part - wake before dawn, breakfast, kit up in dress blues, say goodbye to Klothilda - until he reached the dockyards. Then his carefully prepared schedule had been neatly slashed down the middle by a series of minor emergencies involving quartermasters, the port authority, some sort of journalist, the quartermaster again.... Well. On the bright side, it seemed to be over. A thick sheaf of papers held carefully at his side in one clawed hand, Sef approached a small grouping of gentlemen standing near one of the boarding ramps. Sonne, his senior order agent was there, along with Lord Gearheart and another order representative that Vossef had not been introduced to. He had nearly reached them when a young woman, dwarfed by her wide metal wings, landed with them in a page-fluttering backwash of wind. Sef tightened his grip on his papers. Ah, the Valkyrie. That explains the other Order man. Another man arrived, not an Order man and not know to Sef, grumbling after one of the stevedores. The captain couldn't really blame him; he had not been particularly pleased with the dockyard staff so far today either. Working with civilians was not on the list of "Things That Make Vossef ver Niklös Happy and Comfortable." "Good day Lord, gentlemen, and miss," he said in his resonant voice. The captain clicked his heels together and bowed formally. "I am Captain Vossef," he introduced himself. It wasn't necessary - surely his identity was made clear by his decorated uniform - but formalities were important. "I believe we have some business to attend to?"</s>
<\|description\|>Vossef ver Niklös - Sef for short Age: 62 (Or equivalent middle age for a Fäldkrest) Gender: Male Role: Captain Bio: Born in the Pikelands like most of his kind, Sef travelled to Teieya as a youth to find work. He joined the air navy and spent most of his adult life in the sky. The navy taught him to be a swordsman and marksman, and through years of effort he rose so far as to captain an airship, the Shearwater. When the Shearwater was decommissioned, he retired rather than take a new berth and instead turned to the Order, which gave him greater freedom to explore and promised more excitement than the Navy. In his personal life, Sef married as a young ensign and has been happily albeit distantly married ever since. His wife, Klotilda, lives comfortably in a Teieyan township, and they have four grown children, and two grandchildren. Personality: Sef was an excitable brawler in his youth, but age and experience have somewhat mellowed him. He's still incredibly determined, self confident and firm in his opinions, but he has learned to pick his battles. People generally see him as intense and intimidating. He's good with words, and enjoys telling the many exciting tales he has gathered through his life. Equipment: * Navy Cutlass with a 24" blade, basket hilt and dragon-head pommel; it was presented to him with his commission * A pair of long-barrelled six-shooters, heavily engraved and marked with the insignia of the order, with jet inlaid grips. They commemorate his commission as captain of Tychon * Navigation equipment including an octant, compass and astrolabe Skills: * Navigation: Sef was a navigator before he became a captain, so he is skilled at navigating with an octant and chart, or by the stars if need be. * Swordsmanship: Sef's a skilled swordsman. He has maintained his physical condition despite his age, though he will be the first to acknowledge that his reflexes aren't what they used to be and it takes him much longer to recover from injury or strain than it once did. * Marksmanship: He's a much better swordsman than armsman, but he's still a pretty good shot. He tends to rely more on melee combat and is conscious of conserving ammunition. * Airship Knowledge: He's spent his entire adult life working on airships; he has a lot of knowledge and experience in how they work and related studies, like understanding meteorology. Optional: I don't have anything else to add. Appearance: Sef is tall and broad shouldered, and keeps himself in fighting fit. His scaling is primarily cobalt blue, with dark olive green highlights. He has a scaly fringe around his jawline, like a beard, and a row of very small white horns on his browline, much like human eyebrows. He also has a crest of long, flexible spines that protrude from his head and neck - most of the time they lie flat like hair, but they can lift like a cockatoo. Like all of his race, he has membranous wings, resembling a bat's. His right wing has a noticeable scar across the membrane between the second and third metacarpals (fingers) and the long bones are knobby where they have healed from a bad fracture. His age is visible in the grey-white patina over his scales, which is most obvious in his face and wings. The backs of his wings almost look dusty, and his "beard" and crest have entirely turned steel grey.</s> <\|message\|>Craig Masters Craig... Craig just looked into the eyes of death and survived the accusatory implement that would have tore a hole in his chest. Craig has stared down a microreactor mid meltdown, ripped apart the circuitry of a rampant auto-barber but never in his years had he felt such mortal fear. The suited man quickly left him to himself in the streets, the adrenaline rush that made him deaf to the world was starting to dissipate making him notice that his original track had disappeared into the ship. Out of his daze he decided he might as well board the ship. He presented his pass to the nearby attendant and was instructed make his way to the engineering and cargo bay to help with pre-flight preparations. While disappointed he wouldn't get the opportunity to trail his target any further he shambled towards the lower decks. The engineers seemed to have their own quarters in the lower bays but had to head up to the mess hall for their meals. In time he was tasked with inspecting the cargo, making sure it was tied down and stored properly, and most importantly to make sure the bay doors were operating correctly. The room was quite dark and musty, the few streaks of light coming from scarce windows and cracks in the walls. Craig made his rounds checking the locking mechanisms in the hoists and the gears of the bay doors. It was generally tedious and meticulous work, but Craig was content. That is... until he heard a horrifying sound. A grotesque sound that echoed throughout the room: mew. Craig's eyes went wide, It was soft, barely louder than the distant bustle of the ship but years in the Forge had trained him remain alert for any out of place mechanically. Yet, he had no former knowledge of ships creating this sound, had the hydraulics jammed? Had a circuit board smoldered? Had a steam-pipe leaked? Craig visibly exhaled, for the sake of his new home he had to find the problem and fix it. The sound seemed near, if it weren't for his meticulous, nay, obsessive inspection, it would never had been noticed. He turned the corner where he expected to find the fault, but what he saw was to be expected: piles and piles of crates and cargo. Loose bolts of canvas for the inner lining of the ship's envelope swayed a bit as the vessel rocked gently in the breeze. Craig chalked it up to his nerves and was prepared to leave, when he heard a distinct but recognized sound, a soft purr. Of course, a small opening in the floor boards allowed air in, billowing the canvas bolts. Simple enough to fix, some quick drying tar, a chemical found in any self-respecting ship engineer's kit, will seal it back up. Craig moved to uncover the bolts, but something else caught his attention...</s> <\|message\|>??? Noooo... The boy thought desperately, Go awaaay! He could hear someone shifting sommething in front of him... His cat had mewed in its sleep only a few seconds before, had the guy heard it? It was loud to him, but he was under a canvas. How had the guy heard it? Somewhere in front of his hiding spot, he heard the clanking of something footsteps coming closer, as his cat released a soft purr. The footsteps stopped suddenly, and now they were heading towards him! This is it. He thought, trying to make himself as small as possible. All of a sudden, his cat woke up. It slowly opened its light blue eyes and blinked at him, as if in confusion. Then it shook its head as if trying to wake up, and proceeded to tilt its head sideways slightly with its eyes closed. After a couple of seconds, the cat snapped upright as if it had just gotten an idea, and proceeded to walk out of the canvas the boy was hiding in. He heard it meow as it started to walk away from his hiding spot, and he could see through a peephole, the cat looking up at... some kind of engineer? Um... The boy thought, What?</s> <\|message\|>Sicarus Sonne "Lord Gearheart, Master Sonne!" The two heard a voice yell over the bustling crowd, they both looked towards the young man. "Are either of you privy to the location of the Tychon's Captain? He must sign these before the airship leaves." The man asked. Sonne looked to Lord Gearheart, assuming the Captain would know where the other was, unfortunately no. Gearheart shrugged. "Avelina Callaghan, one of the Orders assets has been assigned to this ship. I require that the Captain take responsibility for her before I can retire." "An asset?" Sonne asked, their predicted path must be very deep into the Shatterzone for The Order to assign this Avelia to the Tychon. "Where is this... Avelina?" Armadaus mumbled something and then announced that she was here, looking up into the sky. Both Gearheart and Sonne followed Armadaus and looked at the dot in the sky. "She flies?" Gearheart asked nobody in particular. Soon, she landed next to them and greeted her handler, then turned to Sonne and Gearheart, greeting them in a rather informal way. Sonne was rather blank faced. Gearheart laughed heartily, "If I had someone who could fly, my ship would still be out there! You are lucky Sonne!" He exclaimed, punching Sonne lightly in the shoulder. Sonne cleared his throat, "If you ship were out there, the Tychon would still be in drydock, under study. And I would be in a lab." The armored man explained, "You know I don't do well in labs." Sonne stated. Seconds later, the Captain appeared. Introducing himself, he then said, "I believe we have some business to attend to?" "Ah, yes. Captain. We are scheduled to leave in two hours, they pushed the original launch time further. However, they did state that if we are ready before then, we have permission to. Also, some of Lord Gearheart's Armsmen requested a transfer to our ship, Lieutenant Colonel Garret and two entire Companies. They are very capable soldiers, I can vouch for their abilities." Sonne explained, he turned to Gearheart, who held out a piece of paper. "Just sign this and my troops are now your troops." The Captain was much larger in person than he had expected. Sonne himself had never really interacted with a Faldkrest so closely before. He cleared his throat and looked to the Valkyre, "Lady Avelina." He bowed slightly in greeting, "You are not what I expected." It seemed that the rest of the crew were starting to arrive, Sir Nero Barsad just arrived. After a brief greeting to the Captain, he turned to Sonne. "Senior Agent Sonne," he said, "I am Barsad. You have heard of me, of course. I've little time to waste, so I'll keep this brief. I am here to make your job easier, and to do that I shall be requiring a sterile operating theatre, and whatever files you may have on the creatures we are likely to come across, as well as prioritized access to any biological specimens we acquire." "Sir Barsad." Sonne bowed in respect. "There is a lab with a sterile section on board the ship, along with a library with copies of all the information The Order has on The Shatterzone. Hopefully you find the lab to be up to your standards. As for specimens, you will have unrestricted access to whatever our Armsmen can capture."</s>	<\|message\|>Vossef ver Niklös - Sef for short The Order handler for the Valkyrie was the first to address Sef, so he dealt with his request first. Truth be told, he was a little uncomfortable having the creature aboard ship. Actual flight was enviable to a man who had only ever been able to glide, but he didn't trust he shattertech and had a sinking suspicion that it was going to break at some point and he would be help responsible. Nevertheless, he signed and initialled the relevant papers. "I trust you can find your own way aboard, Miss Angel?" he said, addressing the Order Asset in question. "You are quartered with the mechanical engineers, I believe, if I remember my crew manifest properly. Unless you require an escort?" He turned back to Sonne and Lord Gearheart, clearly dismissing the winged Halfling. "Ah yes, the troop transfers," he nodded to his fellow - senior - airship captain. This was Vossef's first voyage on anything larger than a frigate. "I appreciate the borrowed manpower, and I am sure the soldiers will appreciate the danger pay." He signed off on those papers as well, taking his own copies and adding them to the folder he had carried from the quartermasters' office. "If you will excuse me, my Lord?" Finally, he turned to Sonne, as he began to stride toward the airship's loading ramps. "I would like to get underweigh as quickly as possible; preferably as soon as the crew has all been accounted for." He knew first hand that the cargo was, for the most part, loaded; he had yet to speak to the admin staff that were responsible for signing in the crew members. "Perhaps in the interim, a quick tour of ships facilities?"</s>
<\|description\|>Francis Smith Appearance: Nickname: Frankie Age: 16 School Year: 2nd Place of Birth: London, England Class: B Sexuality: Bisexual Marital Status: Single Occupation: Student Member of the Host Club? Yes Personality: Frankie is a very arrogant individual, always boasting about his family's wealth, and his appearance. However, he will be kind and suck up to people who he knows are better off than him. He can get very angry very fast if people don't do what he says, and he always wants his own way. Background: Frankie was born to two wealthy parents in London, before moving to Japan at the age of fourteen. He now speaks fluent Japanese, English, and French. His family come from old money, but his father also now owns a large multi-national corporation, however they are still not the best of the best. Frankie grew up learning that his family were excellence, asides from those above him, and as such, he has become very arrogant. He has also trained his body and is now quite strong, and often feared.</s> <\|message\|>Rin Kazuyoshi. Several Locations - Laguna High School - It is a prestigious private school in Tokyo, Japan. The school is attended primarily by children of the rich and famous (e.g. children of prominent families, business magnates, politicians, celebrities, etc.). - Host Club - Laguna High School is also widely known by its students as being the home of the Host Club, an enormously popular and influential club located in Music Room #3 of the building. - Black Magic Club - The Black Magic Club is located in the basement of the north building. The club room is dark, with gothic decorations, and lit by candles. - The Beach - The beach is the place where most of the students go when they do not have school. Sometimes the hosts bring their customers with them. - Karuizawa – One of the cosy villages that is located near Tokiyo. There are a lot of places where one can taste food, it also has a nice shopping street and Bed and Breakfast. ...</s> <\|message\|>Rin Kazuyoshi. Kai would walk along the corridors of Laguna High School as his facial expression would remain emotionless as ever. He did not even try to smile or just start chatting with other people that he did not know. And even if he did know them, he would not say much to them really. That was a rather weird trait for him to have as to be seen for his social status. His parents had tried to tell him to change his attitude but it just asked too much effort to do so. For the "Machina" company that his parents own, he was known as the 'Prince of Ice' which actually fitted him some way. Yet in this school people liked him for the way he was and that was not an usual thing to witness as people would often be embarrassed by the way he looks at them when having a formal conversation. Yet the customers of the Host Club did not pay too much attention to that and he slowly started to become more outspoken and even shows his emotions now and then. Yes, even his sadistic side pops out once in a while. Once he arrived at the Host Club room, he pushed the doors open with the palm of his hand and walked inside where he sat down on one of the couches that were placed inside. --------------------- Rin however was cheerfully, almost running, down the hall as she did not feel like being depressed all day today because of the debt that she still needed to pay. She kept a positive mindset despite all the troubles and difficulties that had happened since she went to this school through a scholar ship. Because of this, she needed to keep her grades up and score between the 3rd and 1st place in order to stay at this school and not be expelled as she could not pay the tuition fee. Mentally slapping the school though because of such high costs. As she sat down on the stairs, she would look at the people that passed her by as she did not feel like going to the Host Club yet.</s> <\|message\|>Hajime Miko Hajime slammed open the door to the host club, threateningly. Most people would have been terrified if Hajime had entered the room, but Hajime was a normal at the host club. And not because of the guys. Because of the food. She stepped inside, and promptly tripped and fell down comically, her collar making a rich CLUNCK sound as the solid gold hit the ground. Hajime sat up and pushed herself of the floor, turning towards and empty seat. She took a seat on a couch, currently unoccupied, and began to swing her legs. In the host club, Hajime didn't look threatening. She looked childish. Like a little sibling who wanted you to make them some god damn food. She began to fiddle with the pin stuck onto her sweater. The pin had an lotus design on it. The lotus insignia was the one of the yakuza. It was a pin that meant danger. One that meant authority. But people in the host club had learned to stop caring. Because, unless they were new, they had seen it quite frequently and knew that Hajime really only wanted food.</s> <\|message\|>Katsuya Diana Estrella Materashi Katsuya barely noticed when the bell rang for the end of classes, she was too engrossed in her book. It was a translated version of an American Novel titled To Kill A Mockingbird about the goings on of a small county in southern America during the great depression they had there in the 1930s. Eventually it seemed that she was able to sense the absence of noise and people, and she began to pack up all her things and leave. Before she got out the door though, she was intercepted by a group of giggly girls who pulled her into their conversation. "Materashi-Senpai! Who's your favorite host?" The speaker was a First-year who Katsuya could remember speaking to only once before, when she had to give the girl directions to her homeroom because she had gotten lost at the beginning of the year. "Um, I'm honestly not very interested in things like Dating Sims and host cafe's. While I respect those who work there to gain the skill, I do not enjoy false flattery." Katsuya was about to walk away when the words of one of the girl's friends stopped her. "No, not like 'Famous' hosts. We just want to know which of the hosts at our school's Host Club you like the most." "I didn't know that Laguna had a Host Club." At this point Katsuya was getting bored. I would rather get home and find out what's going on with the Radley's than be talking to the fluff-brained. As Katsuya was thinking however, the first girl grabbed her hand and was dragging her towards the music rooms, exclaiming about how she HAD to go there and meet the hosts. Oh Dios mi, I don't have time for this!</s>	<\|message\|>Francis Smith Frankie walked down the corridor, going to the host club, as per usual. He usually went here, his family were usually too busy to care if he came home for lunch. So, he went to his school's host club. He tried to make friends there, usually. He mainly chose people who were as rich as him, or richer, because he was too arrogant to care about people of a lower class than him. Except, however, the Yakuza. They interested him. There wasn't really a mob family as such in London, in the whole of England really. Or, at least, he didn't know about one. Frankie walked into the room of the host club, and saw that a Yakuza girl, Hajime, had already arrived, and had sat on a sofa on her own. Frankie walked over to it, and sat down, pulling a lunchbox out of his bag, and opening it, revealing a mixture of sushi, and some English food such as sandwiches, and scones. Frankie pulled out half of a scone, put some jam and cream on it, and then offered it to Hajime, "Want some?" he asked in Japanese, but still with a slight British accent, "It's quite good"</s>
<\|description\|>Ellen Hawkes Digidestined Age: 16 Gender: Female Crest: Gluttony Nationality: English Appearance: Ellen is very short, 5'4" to be exact. She's also incredibly plump; with broad, square shoulders, fat thighs, quite a large and somewhat sagging chest for someone her age, and a rounded and child-like face. She's mostly pale as she doesn't get much sunlight, though her cheeks and nose are a contrastingly bright red as if she has a constant cold. Her blonde hair is just over shoulder length and is often tied up into two twin plaits, adding to Ellen's child-like look. She also wears a pair of thick-framed black glasses. Her eyes are greyish blue. Ellen tends to wear dark and dulled colours, and like wears long dresses, usually of a dark blue. She always wears black leggings underneath as she feels too self-conscius about her legs to have them bare or wear tights, plus it's warmer. She also have an oversized green hoodie, second-hand from her mother, which she always wears over the top. When she's outside by herself, she'll most likely have the hood up. She also likes wearing boots as opposed to regular shoes. History: Ellen was diagnosed with Aspergers at a very early age and, ever since, her parents have been somewhat protective of her, and also tend to spoil her immensely. It didn't help that Ellen's primary school didn't really have much of a special needs program and, even after her diagnosis, Ellen was constantly picked on by the teachers because she either didn't understand certain things (and was too shy to ask for them to be explained) and because Ellen would often daydream in the middle of class. Ellen also had no friends at her primary and was often picked on by a group of boys, who often made fun of her. It got so bad, Ellen started missing days off school. It got a little better towards the end of Ellen's Primary, thanks to talking with the teachers, but Ellen still got picked on occasionally and she had no friends to talk to or back her up. Things were much better for Ellen in secondary school, as they actually HAD a special needs department at the school that were able to give her the support she needed, and she even made a small group of friends... but by that point, the damage to her self-esteem was done. She remained very nervous and introverted, and could be incredibly dependent on her friends. This dependence actually caused one of her friends, a girl named Darcy who Ellen had considered her best friend, to drift away from her as she found their relationship 'suffocating'. This happened when Ellen was thirteen and caused to have nervous breakdown, in which she had to take many days off school. During this time, she was taken to therapy, where she diagnosed with depression and anxiety, and put on anti-depressants to help her cope. They did help, but they tried to send Ellen back to school, all of Ellen's friends were avoiding her, and a group of bullies had started picking on Ellen, saying she was 'schizo', among with other insults. Ellen's parents quickly pulled her out of school. They tried to send her to another school, but this didn't last long and Ellen has since been home-schooled. She's happier and more comfortable now, but has become incredibly lonely as well, seeking the company of children around her own age. Personality: Ellen is a somewhat shy girl, but still relatively easy to get along with if one can put up with her somewhat clingy tendencies. Having very few friends and often viewed as an outcast by her peers at school, Ellen has a tendency to latch onto anyone who shows her the slightest amount of kindness, immediately viewing that person as a friend. She's a people pleaser, often doing everything she can to make sure that everybody likes her. If someone criticises her or dislikes something about her, she'll always view it as her fault and will do all she can to improve herself. In fact, Ellen tends to think many things are her fault, and has quite the guilt complex, apologising for every little thing she has done wrong. This is due to the fact that Ellen suffers from anxiety and depression, both of which she's currently taking medication for, and when she's not wallowing in self-pity, she's getting incredibly worried and upset over tiny things. She's often worried, worrying about events in the future and constantly looking for a way out. In the end, however, she usually ends up ignoring her problems, hoping they'll go away on their own. In short, she's a huge coward, and when faced with a particularly difficult (or boring) task, she'll often retreat into her own little world, daydreaming and hiding in books and TV shows. The only things that make Ellen somewhat happy and content are her family, the various TV shows, movies, anime and video games she likes to read, watch or play, and, of course, food. Ellen eats all the time if there's food around and her parents constantly have to buy snack food for her. When there isn't snack food, she'll even scrounge up bits of bread or cheese. Eating or drinking gives her this slight positive boost in her mood, and she often makes it through the long tedious school days by thinking "at least we're having [insert delicious food here] for supper tonight". Her dependence on food can actually be pretty concerning, as she gets hungry easily and if she gets hungry, she'll get more emotional than normal, sometimes even grumpy and unfriendly. It's something her parents have tried to address multiple times as, along with medication, Ellen also goes to counselling, and her parents have often asked Ellen's counsellor to address this issue. At the moment, though, they have made little progress. Skills: - Cooking: as someone who loves food, Ellen has learnt to cook and she's fairly good at it. - Memory: Ellen has a good memory for detail. She can remember and even quote from the various books and comic books she's read. She can remember important details from the plot of her favourite TV series, anime and movies that she's sure will be important later. However, this memory only seems to extend to things she has an interest in. In the case of her school work, using classical history as an example, she can remember the names of all the Greek Gods, their Roman counterparts, various myths surrounding them and how this hero is related to that deity ect. But ask her about the architecture of a Roman city or the findings in Pompeii? She won't be able to tell you much. Equipment: Often carries her anti-depressants around with her, as well as a mobile phone to contact her Mum, Dad and her therapist, and a glasses case. Trivia: - Ellen's voice actor would be Sarah Williams (e.g. the English voice of Sayaka Miki from Puella Magi Madoka Magica) - Ellen has Aspergers, which is the root of her social awkwardness and causes her to lose focus from time to time, often going into a daydream. - Due to the fact that most of those who have picked on her in the past have been males, Ellen is very nervous around boys and finds it difficult to understand them. - While she loves pretty much most food, she can't stand any form of pork, be it bacon or sausages. She far prefers beef, lamb, chicken or duck. Relationships: Impressions of other characters: - Lopmon: Thinks he's adorable and constantly makes fun of his overly-serious attitude. She's not entirely sure about what to think about them being partners for life, and while she does like him, she isn't sure what to make of him. - Annelise: Will probably want to be her friend the moment she sees her, regardless of how Annelise treats her in return. - Tinkermon: Will probably think she's incredibly cute, but might be a little nervous around her. - Derek: Will very likely be nervous of him as he's a boy. - Syakomon: Might find him a little frightening at first, though in the end might consider him cute. - Gavin: Will very likely be nervous of him as he's a boy, though she may try to reach out to him because he likes reading so much. - Labramon: Ellen has had some bad experiences with dogs in the past and will most likely be afraid of him. Family: - Sarah Hawkes (mum): Ellen loves her dearly and considers her pretty much the ultimate role-model. Sarah also loves her daughter, but is always constantly concerned for her and this has taken a slight toll on her health. - Bryan Hawkes (dad): Ellen loves him too, though can get nervous around him from time to time due to his temper. Bryan loves his daughter, but sometimes get frustrated with her for not trying harder to get along with others. This might be because he sees a lot of himself in her. - Janene Grace (maternal grandmother): Ellen loves her but is irritated with how she's always asking about school. Likes going over to her house because she doesn't cook and often orders takeout. Janene, for one, loves her granddaughter and doesn't seem to notice when Ellen gets frustrated with her. - Nina Hawkes (paternal grandmother): Ellen and Nina like each other but, as Ellen hadn't spent much time with Nina, they're kind of distant, and Nina often thinks Ellen might be a little lazy and needs to contribute more. Digimon Species: Lopmon Nickname: N/A Apparent gender: Male Appearance: Personality: In contrast to his partner, Lopmon is a very proud and opinionated little creature, though he's not much of a talker either. He has this silent confidence that is almost aggressive in its intensity and may even have been considered threatening... except for the fact that he's a little pink bunny rabbit, in which case his arrogant and overly serious nature tends to come off as comedic and perhaps even pompous more than anything else. Still, he seems to care deeply about his partner and, upon the very moment he meets her, is completely loyal to her, though not blind to her weaknesses. He can sense her fear and fragility and tries to make up for it by trying to turn himself into her knight in shining armour. And, as he progresses through his digivolutions, he's likely to become more and more chivalrous, though also more aggressive and overprotective. Time will tell how this pans out for him and Ellen. Attacks: Petit Twister - Causes a small-sized tornado by making both his ears like propellers. Blazing Ice - Fires a burst of cold air, capable of slightly freezing an enemy Lop Punch - Slaps enemy with ears. Digivolution line: Fresh: Conomon In-training: Kokomon Rookie: Lopmon Champion: Turuiemon Ultimate: Antylamon (Data) Dark ultimate: Antylamon (Virus) Mega: Cherubimon (Virtue) Dark mega: Cherubimon (Vice) Trivia: - His voice actor would be Freddy Highmore (e.g. the voice of Pantalaimon from The Golden Compass) Relationships: - Ellen: Completely devoted to protecting her, though he's not sure why he feels this way. He only knows that it's something he's meant to feel. - Annelise: Will probably be wary of her if Ellen is getting friendly with her. - Tinkermon: Will probably think she's childish and ignore most of the time. - Derek: Will probably discourage Ellen from having anything to do with him. - Syakomon: Will most likely ignore him as well. - Gavin: Will be wary of him, though less so than the other two. - Labramon: Will do his best to make sure Ellen doesn't have to get too close to him.</s> <\|message\|>Annaliese Kaufmann "These people ask so many questions I'm not sure where to start. . ." Tinkermon mutters to herself as she mulls over what to say. "Siiiiiggghhhh." She voiced out, "Fine, I'll just let you decide for us Anna. I'll just rest on your head here." The little pixie just slumped on Anna's head with a really relaxed face. "If we're traveling together, I say the forest. Deserts are sandy and hot. . ." Annaliese said fairly calm. "I've seen things on T.V. about people dying in the desert. I don't want that, plus, the witch's house in Hansel and Gretel was in the forest. Maybe we'll find one in this world." As serious as she was, Anna was still a little girl with the thoughts of childish nature among those of an adult. "Wouldn't that be interesting?" From atop the girl's head Tinkermon muttered, "What's with the nice and innocent act all of a sudden? Geez." Lucky for her and perhaps even Anna herself that the German girl didn't hear the comment. "Well, whatever."</s> <\|message\|>Derek Thompson While Derek wasn't happy that the attention didn't stay focused on him for very long,but he knew better then to push it. Syakomon took the time to explain what the box said about Digivices and the paths they could take. While the boy would honestly prefer to be the only hero,he also had no intention of traveling this unknown and dangerous place on his. "My vote goes to desert. if there are more monsters we have a better chance to see them without all the trees." After the whole monsterthing Syakomon couldn't help but wonder if his partner was simply going against the group."Yeah and they will also see us much easier. That plus all the other dangers of the desert means I'm in the forest group."</s>	<\|message\|>Ellen Hawkes Ellen glanced at Annaliese as she voiced her opinion on where they should go. Ellen didn't really like either option, honestly, but if there was no third choice, she knew which way she wanted to go. "I, err, think forest would be better," she said, her voice timid and somewhat shaky. "I mean, if we went through the desert, we'd probably die of starvation and dehydration." "Among other things," Lopmon added. "Yeah..." Ellen awkwardly shifted her weight from one foot to the the other. "If we go through the forest, it will be cool, there will be spots to take shelter, and w-we're more likely to find food. Like.... mushrooms, fruit and all that stuff." As she spoke, Ellen suddenly wished she hadn't thought about food because she now felt a little hungry. Less than an hour ago, she had been back home in her warm house, her parents sitting round the table and the whole lot of them feasting happily on pancakes. Now that she was alone in a strange place with a group of strangers, she now deeply wished she had something to consume, be it a full meal or simply a biscuit. She needed some kind of sustenance.</s>
<\|description\|>Machi Elro Age:19 Weapon: Spear Items: a numerous amount of sacks, pouches, and bags of varying sizes for the different kinds of items that can be found while out in the forest More info?: Machi is an "avid collector" (as she likes to refer to herself; however, a better word would be a compulsive hoarder) of sorts. She enjoys foraging and exploring the forest, pocketing any and every little plant, bone, trinket, etc. that she stumbles upon. She keeps the "unnecessary" items for herself and either turns them into personal accessories or throws them into a growing pile in one of the corners of her house. HUNTER GUILD!</s> <\|message\|>Ashar Kajan The sun finally started to rise over this strange village known as Atari, the birds and frogs began to sing looking for a partner to mate with, the flowers started to bloom and the monsters lurking in the night retreated to their hideouts. The silent village got noisy all of the sudden, as always all the adults woke up to have breakfast, after it they started working without delay. "It's already morning huh?" Ashar asked while looking through the window of his old cabin, he cold not sleep well so he was not in a good mood, after eating meat with bread he put on his mask, not wanting anyone to see his burnt face, and walked out to the hunters guild, ready to take a quest</s> <\|message\|>Raven Sanguine Raven stepped out of her gave just outside of the little town. "I hate mornings." she said, strapping her weapons securely in the holsters in her leather belted sash that wrapped around her waist and her left shoulder. She then yawned and made her way to the Hunter's guild.</s>	<\|message\|>Machi Elro Ignoring the initial morning cacophony, Machi rolled over restlessly as the birds and frogs began to sing. She had stayed up quite late last night to work on her new accessory. It had been a most challenging task, threading the delicate, frayed string end through the tiny hole she had poked with only the moonlight to guide her hands. But in the end, it was all well worth the endeavor. Her project had been completed and was ready to be worn. Rolling over a couple more times, Machi groaned as she covered her ears, hoping in vain to block out the noise that had so rudely disrupted her slumber. She repeated this futile action for a few more minutes before reluctantly sitting up. Scrunching up her face, Machi yawned and stretched her arms above her head. She then proceeded to twist to her left and right, cracking her back and flexing her posterior muscles. Her make-shift bed was not the most comfortable setup. It was simply a soft, worn mat spread out on the floor in one of the remaining spots of open, uncluttered space. Having finished her daily stretch, Machi slowly got up off the floor and instinctively maneuvered through and around the cluttered mess that inhabited 87% of the floor space with squinted eyes. Machi made her way over to a pile of neatly folded garments and plucked up each article one at a time, removing her nighttime garments for her daytime ones. The process as as whole took roughly 12 minutes. Machi had to put on each article individually and take time to carefully tie and fasten her sashes and her many bags to her sash around her waist. Finally, the young girl retrieved her new masterpiece and slipped it into place. The new fanciful feathers that she had tied onto her new animal bone headband gave her outfit a subtle, yet fitting touch. Once done, the girl danced across the messy maze and somehow managed to make it to her door. Taking in a deep breath, Mach smiled and whispered in an endearing tone, "My what a beautiful room~" She grasped her spear that was leaning against the wall near the door and left for the day. Machi made her way towards the hunters guild, humming the whole way there. Just the prospect of being able to collect more treasures out Machi in a good mood.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx grabbed her med-kit on the way out of her den. Well, den may not be the right word for it. The place she had been living for the past few years was one of the massive ruins in her tribe's mountain camp. The cavernous inside was always lit with either sunshine or moonlight that filtered itself through the large, square holes in the walls, and the mostly-missing roof. All the relics that her tribe ever found seemed to always be gray, an unnatural gray that -Onyx believed- meant something IMPORTANT about why the race that created the relics died out. As she left the camp, she went to get her day's 'missions' from her father, the self proclaimed leader of the tribe after the previous one died. The 'missions' she got were more like 'chores'. Things one would assign a child to do. She grumbled to herself as she completed the simple tasks before the sun had even reached past the second mountain-peak in the sky. Finally done with her 'chores', Onyx takes off for the lake/sea for some relaxation, thinking and fishing. She was just getting to the lake when a strange difference in the sand near the waterline caught her eye. It could have been driftwood, had there been any type of tree in the area, and had she not clearly seen it fall to the ground after what seemed like a failed attempt to drink the dark water. Landed lightly on the sand not even a meter from the creature. It had scales the color of the sand, and was wearing a simple-looking cloak. she was about tot try and wake it up when she noticed the relic that had fallen to the creature's side when it had collapsed. It was one of the larger versions of the two she used, one that could fire really fast. Carefully, she searched around the creature ad took anything that it could have used to hurt her with away, hiding it all behind a nearby rock. She purposely put one of her sharp tools on the ground near the creature, so it could feel some form of safety and power when it woke. It would, probably, try to use it against her. Then, she pulled out her small water-skin, and gently turned the creature onto its back, propping its head up on her knee, and poured a small amount of water into its mouth. Its eyes opened almost immediately, and she quickly backed away, being careful not to spill the water from the pouch. She watched as the creature sat up and stared at her, seeming to start panicking as it could not find its weapons, until its eyes locked on the small knife she had left in the sand. She slowly went over to where the knife was, and put the pouch of water down right beside it, sitting down on the sand behind the two objects. Could this thing even understand me if i spoke to it? Might as well try. Onyx thought to herself as the creature eyed her warily, and she noticed, desperately. "Now, you choose. The weapon, or life."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek It took a few moments for Tarentek to come to his senses after he experienced the familiar taste of water flowing past his tongue. At first, he thought it was another trick of his mind, something to give him another shard of hope before fate stabbed it through his heart. However, as he opened his eyes and looked around, he started to realize that it was no trick. Tarentek's gaze darted around himself, more out of confusion than anything. He looked at everything around him, not really taking in much of anything at first. There was a person who he believed to be female, if his knowledge of non-reptilian races was accurate. She was covered in short, spotted fur, and was staring him down. She said something, and though he understood the words, he was not paying close enough attention to register what she actually said. Instead, his attention was wholly on the pouch beside him. It looked like a waterskin, and after he quickly snatched it up, he found that was indeed the case. Without hesitation, Tarentek drank down the contents of the waterskin's contents, giving him his much-needed hydration. Slowly, he felt a sense of normality come to back to him, after which he was able to think more rationally. "You gave me water? Thank you. By Koisk, Jhala, and Vikrii, thank you. It's been days…maybe weeks. The attack…" Tarentek began, his expression quickly becoming more serious as he thought back to the reason he was in this situation to begin with. "I need to get to a city, or a town, or a village; it doesn't matter where. I just need to get somewhere."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Needless to say, Onyx was surprised when the creature spoke. The water seemed to have energized it, and it was now babbling about an attack and needing to get to a city. She slowly picked up her knife and returned it to its sheath, taking the now-empty water-skin back from the creature. She gathered up the creatures things from behind the rock and placed them next to it as it sat, watching her. It looked thankful, and scared, and some mixture of emotions that she couldn't decipher. A city... the nearest city was her own, but she couldn't bring it there. Her people would kill it on sight, not to mention that he could probably do much worse to her tribe with that relic of his. The next closest nest was across the desert, and even with her wings on her own it would take three days to get there from here... She decided to cut off her involvement with it right then. "Not my problem." She said, trying to emulate the power of her father's voice when he gives a command. "I saved you, i owe you nothing." As she said that she stepped up onto the rock, about to take flight, when she decided to wait and see how the creature would respond. She pretended to be watching for something on the horizon while she waited.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Though Tarentek was still fatigued, the water had been reinvigorating enough that he was slowly able to drag himself back to his feet. He felt shaky, but at least he stood a chance of improving. He had not even noticed that the woman had taken his weapons until she returned them to him. There was a moment of surprise, but he could not say he blamed her. He would have done the same to a stranger, even one he intended to help. Now that he was actually in good enough condition to listen to what the woman was saying, he found he could indeed understand her, though he had to focus on paying attention. Their language was the same, but there were definite differences in their dialects. Her accent and the way she pronounced some words was entirely different from the inhabitants of Amman, or even most of the traders passing through it. Nevertheless, his expression became much more serious once she started to act dismissive towards him. She was certainly a curious individual; at one moment, she was saving his life, and at the next, she was abandoning him entirely. Tarentek did his best to make his voice sound strong, despite his weakness. "You misunderstand. It's not because you owe me, it is because I owe you. What I have seen...I guarantee it will become your problem when they raze your city or village to the ground. They are ruthless, uncompromising, and above all, powerful. I am from Amman, one of the largest and most well-defended cities known to us. We have learned the workings of many of the mechanisms left behind by the people who made the ruins that cover this world: the Humans. Our soldiers had working firearms, like my rifle, our city was fortified with the unnaturally strong metals they left behind, but it did not matter. We fought, but they were destined to conquer, and they will not stop with us. They are spreading west like a plague, and they will conquer all in their way. No one, not Amman, not you, not any city I know of, will stop them alone. That is the word I need to spread."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright The creature didn't take long to reply, its voice was hard to listen to though. It had a slight hissing quality to it, and Onyx couldn't understand some of the words the creature used. Although, what she did understand sounded a lot like a threat, causing Onyx to explode. She started crouching into a defensive stance as she spoke, her voice thick with anger. "I do not care for your histories or beliefs. You say that your nest has fallen, I'll have you know the Elissics will never fall. No creature can match our speed, or our strength. This group you speak of will not even be able to reach us."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek started shaking his head lightly. He did not know if her stubbornness was usual for her race, or if she was something unique, but she was dead wrong. He just hoped he could get her to see. "You speak without knowledge; you have not seen what I have seen. This army is legion in number, by all accounts. I heard the rumors from the east before it happened, but I did not believe it either. Not until it was too late. Our walls were too strong, we were too well armed; those were the lies we told ourselves. I do not know where this force comes from, or who leads it, but their army has mastered the humans' machines in ways we never thought possible. Like us, they use the humans' weapons, but...they have more than that. They have armor like strange, thick clothing that can stop a bullet from our weapons, something the best metal armor we have cannot do. More frighteningly is the other machines they've mastered. You know the long stretches of roads in and between the Human cities? You know the old metal machines you can often find decaying on the roads? My people have tried to learn about them, but they are magnitudes more complicated than the weapons you and I carry. Somehow, they have learned to repair them. They can move around at speeds far faster than you can fly. They put metal on them for armor, and put large firearms on them that can shoot through anything and everything. That is just the beginning of what I saw them do, and who knows what they can do beyond that? Believe me when I say that to face them unprepared is suicide. Your flight will not save you, unless you are running away." Tarentek did his best to reach into his memory to convey the gravity of the situation. This enemy was capable almost beyond belief and had mastered technology he thought would be forever lost. It was impressive and frightening in equal measure. He knew little of the woman's race, the Elissics. He had heard the name once or twice in passing, mostly from traders from the west, but all he had heard about them were that they were reclusive. From his impression of this woman, that description was accurate.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Part of Onyx heard and understood the warning the creature was giving, the creatures he was referring to were certainly very advanced compared to the types of Relics her tribe had been able to restore. It did remain possible, however, that the creature could be delusional from the long-term affects of dehydration and separation anxiety. The other part of Onyx, the part that still believed that she shouldn't have been talking to the creature in the first place, only heard a challenge in the creature's words. "You believe that no one may stand up to them and survive? Obviously, you have never met an Elissic before!" She was about to charge at the creature, aiming to push it into the water, when she noticed and remembered the creature's powerful relic, which it was now holding by the barrel at its side. Implementing her new plan, she quickly flew up into the air and out of view. Maneuvering quickly, she managed to get behind the creature and snatch the relic from it before it had realized where she was. "I hope you can swim, creature!" She said darkly as she pushed it into the dark water, causing a large splash of salt-water that Onyx dodged easily in the air.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright The scars were, horrible. Worse than anything Onyx had ever seen before. The shock the sight sent through her left her unable to do anything but float slowly down to the ground and stare. She suddenly felt, guilty, guilty for refusing to listen until now, and for reacting like a child. Yes, Onyx was 19 years old, but she has not gone through her tribe's rights of womanhood ceremony, which is held on the first day of the girl's 20th year, making Onyx currently little more than a child. She was so shocked, she had barely noticed when the creature walked up to her and took its Relic back. All she could think to do is ask, "Are you in pain?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek While the woman was speechless, Tarentek took the time to get out of the water and retrieve his rifle. He was still quite agitated, but just as before, he restrained himself from lashing out against the one who saved him. Both himself and his robes were now soaked, much to his discomfort, but at the very least, he seemed to have driven in his point well-enough. Tarentek shook his head. "At first? Definitely, but not anymore. Removing the small bits of metal was the most painful part, but like I said, this was a glancing blow from that weapon compared to its potential. My race has heightened healing capabilities compared to most that I am aware of. Granted, with as little food as I have had since the attack, the healing has slowed, but with enough time, the scars will disappear entirely. My friend who escaped with me was not so fortunate. He was not caught in that terrible weapon, but..." He began, approaching close enough to show her the hole in his robe near his heart. "A bullet cut through his heart. I do not believe it was a direct hit, as he held on for a few hours, but...it was not enough. He, and almost every warrior in Amman, shared the same fate. This...force, I do not know their name, but they call themselves an Empire. They come from the east, moving from settlement to settlement. From what I know, they sent a messenger to us, demanding we surrender ourselves to their authority and join their Empire. We refused and...we could not have known their power. The rumors I heard say they do the same to every city. When it is time, they will come to your people and make the same demand. If they refuse, then history will repeat itself. No city can face them alone, and in truth, I do not even know if there is time to warn enough settlements, but...I have no more purpose with my life other than to fight them."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "You are the last of your tribe..." It is... Alone. The word cut through Onyx to her heart, and she very nearly started to cry. "My people wouldn't listen to you, as an outsider you have no right to speak to us. I don't even remember why I bothered to try and save you in the first place..." Onyx regreted having to say so. Her people would most likley kill the creature on sight, unless... Unless she could sneak it in somehow so it could talk directly with her father first.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek did not precisely know if he was the only survivor of the attack, as he had been forced out of the city during the fight, too weak to help no matter his own desires. There was no questioning that their enemy had won, as it was already a losing fight when he escaped, but he could not say how many others were able to retreat. Still, even if a few managed to get away, it was unlikely he would ever see them again, so in essence, he was alone. There were other settlements that were partially or completely comprised of members of his species, but they were entirely separate from Amman, and not always allies. They were not his people. The woman's answer was starting to make Tarentek wonder if saving them was even worth the effort, but he pushed back those thoughts for the moment. The fate of her people was at stake, and he had the means to help her, as long as they would accept it. "You are truly living up to your reputation as reclusive. That...stubbornness will be your people's end if you can do nothing about it. I owe you, and I want to help you, but I cannot perform miracles. Is there nothing you can do to get your people to listen?"</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I- I could take you directly to our tribe leader... He is proud and does not keep guards. You could convince him the same way you convinced me." Onyx said before she could change her mind. She looked the creature up and down. It looked like it would be heavy to carry, and so she'd take longer to get back to the mountain camp of her tribe... But she was sure she could do it. "You're going to have to trust me for a while. I'm going to carry you there."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Hmm, you must have strong wings. Are you sure you can carry me, waterlogged as I am?" Tarentek asked before his thoughts went onto a different matter. If her people were really as proud and isolated as she described, he could not imagine he would receive a warm welcome if discovered. He did not like the idea of heading straight into the center of their "nest," as she called it. "Also, I do not know how comfortable I am being dropped straight into the center of your nest. It seems like that would place me in great danger. Perhaps...do you think it would be possible to persuade him to speak to me just outside of the city? If so, I would not be in immediate peril, and I could still get my message to your people." He asked. He did not think it was likely that she would say yes, but he could at least ask.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "That will not be necessary. As a tactial strategy the leader and those of highest rank live closest to the outer edge of the nest, and those who would need to be protected would live in the inner circle. Most enemies are unable to fly, so this works very well." Onyx paused before she spoke again, gauging the creature's reaction. "Should it come to violence, I will fight to defend you. This is a promise." She held out her hand for the creature to take, and when it did she pulled it closer, wrapping her arms and wings around it in embrace. "This is how I show a promise will be kept." She said after she had relased it. "We must go. Now."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Given her track record so far, Tarentek was somewhat nervous when she wrapped her wings around him, but it seemed to be just some strange custom. Perhaps he could ask her to share more of their customs with him on the way, so that he could avoid offending their leader. In any case, it seemed this was the best offer he was going to get. It was a risk, but he needed to spread the word about the attack, and he still did not have enough supplies to get to a city on his own. Tarentek sighed. "Fine, fine, I suppose it is the best option we have. Having fought them myself, I can give important details about our enemy to your leaders. I just hope it will be enough." As he approached the woman to allow her to pick him up, another thought entered his mind. The rational part of his mind said it was a bad idea, but he was still not completely in his right mind. "Wait, there's one more thing..." He began before suddenly, and without warning, shoving her into the water, just as she had to him. Their situation was indeed serious, but they still had time, and he needed that well-deserved retribution. After a few moments of brief laughter, he closed his eyes and let out a deep, satisfied breath. "Okay, I am ready."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Wha-?" Onyx's words were cut out by the salty water that had suddenly filled her mouth, eyes, and ears. The creature had pushed her into the Sea! She shut her eyes as she thrashed around for a moment, looking for the surface. She sat up, and found that she was sitting in only about a foot of water. Spitting, hissing, and shaking her head to get the water out of her ears, she did not know how many times she swore at the creature, or even what she was yelling at it at all. She tried to stand, but her wings had soaked up enough water to throw off her balance, causing her to fall into the water again. She cursed some more, although these weren't really directed at anything, as she tried again to stand. After her second failed attempt, she settled for crawling from the water to the shore. She was sure she looked ridiculous, and decided that she may 'accidentally' drop the creature once or twice along the way as payback. She coughed a few times when she got back on the dry sand, trying hard not to throw herself at the creature and skin it alive, even though those scales would make a pretty offering to her father... if it weren't for the scars... She beat her wings a few times, shaking most of the water out. It would take a few minutes for them to dry enough for her to fly again, and she'd have to wash the salt out of her fur when she got back to the mountains as well. She was not pleased to see the smile the creature was wearing, it looked as if it thought it had won something. "Teckn'aiz!" She hissed at the creature as she walked past it, towards her Tribe's nest. "Follow if you will, choose quickly though, I will leave you if you do not keep pace."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek The woman's reaction to the water seemed well-worth the effort. From appearances, it looked like she was not terribly fond of the water, something he would need to keep in mind. Tarentek gave another chuckle, following the woman as she walked past. "I believe that was fair. You did do the very same thing to me, did you not?" He commented rhetorically. After a minute or so, Tarentek's expression became serious once more. As entertaining as it was to watch her flail about in the water, they did have important matters to attend to. "At any rate, there are some questions I should ask you first anyway. Remember, I know nothing about your people, and if they do not react to the warning I bring, then it could mean the end of them. I need to know what to, and to not say when I meet your leader. Something that is normal in my city might be offensive in yours, so do not assume I will know anything."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Still angry enough not to care about whatever it was the creature had said, she simply ignored it. Her wings would be dry again in another minute or so, she could just abandon it then... But, she made a promise. She would bring this creature to her father, and defend it when it came to that point, even if it was a "Teckn'aiz." She said the last word of her thought out loud to get the creature's attention. "I will call you Teckn'aiz from now on. It fits you perfectly, for it means 'One who cannot be trusted'." She tried to take flight, but was not able to stay in the air for long before drifting down again. Just a little longer...</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Hmph, if you want your leader to actually listen to me, then that would not be wise. You might consider my name instead, Tarentek." He answered. The woman was being about as immature as he had come to expect from her...although, to be fair, pushing her into the lake was not the most well-reasoned action. His current condition made him too susceptible to his own emotions. "Remember, this is the fate of your people at stake. If you do not want firsthand information about the tactics and capabilities of your enemy, then we can part ways now. But you've seen my scars, you know that no normal weapon could have made them. The importance of this goes beyond some prank at a lake. Everything and everyone you know could be destroyed within the next few weeks; that is the gravity of the situation. Remember that when we get to your leader." He said, his expression strikingly grim.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Ta-ren-tek." Onyx said, sounding out the syllables the creature claimed made up its name. "Interesting. That could mean one of two things... 'The Trickster' if you are female, or 'One loved by God" if you are male." She took flight, glad to find that her wings had finally dried. She did some loops in joy before gliding beside Tarentek. "My name is Onyx Bright, which means 'Unpredictable Gift'."</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Close. 'Favored-of-the-Gods.' Our language is the same, but...different. It has always confused me how cities that have never contacted one another could have such similar languages, but...that is not important right now." Tarentek commented, also making sure to remember the pronunciation on her name. Moving on from introductions, Onyx had obviously dried out enough to take flight, so Tarentek assumed they were about to pick up their pace quite considerably. He had not actually thought about the idea of flying yet, but now he certainly was. He had not wanted to fly since his youth, when he would watch birds flying over the city, but now that he had the opportunity, he was not sure he wanted it. "I suppose we should get moving, but...try to fly low. I am not light."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "No... It would be better to fly above that." Onyx said, motioning towards a dark haze on the horizon. "A sandstorm. The updraft will make it easier for me to fly while carrying you." Before he could complain or chicken out, Onyx looped her arms under Tarentek's, lifting him off the ground easily. "Try not to move." She smiled as she sped higher and higher in the sky, careful not to let go of Tarentek, yet. She waited until they were over the center of the storm, and then she let go. He did not fall far, his hooded robe created enough drag to suspend him in midair. Onyx laughed at the expression he had on his face, and then went on to explain why he had not fallen to his death. "We call this 'Wind Net' or Olias. The spirits of the land and air care for my people, so as long as we are in the air they will not let us fall. They caught you because they saw that I was carrying you." Onyx took his hand in hers, guiding him back to her so she could carry him again. "That was for pushing me into the water, I will not drop you again. Olias is strongest over storms." She said with a laugh. Her Tribe's nest was not to far away anymore, she could see the mountains now.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek After the first few minutes of flight, Tarentek was not too aware of his surroundings, as he was going through considerable effort not to be. He closed his eyes, trying not to think about where he was, though the sandstorm made that difficult. He had been through them before, but never had he heard one beneath him. It seemed unnatural, and unnerving. So concentrated was he on distracting himself that it took him a few moments to notice he had been dropped, which was fortunate, as it did not give him much opportunity to be afraid. When he opened his eyes, he could see the sandstorm around him, but nothing else. The wind was overwhelming, and he could not tell if he was falling, or how fast. An instant later, he was snatched back up above the storm. Tarentek did not say anything in the aftermath of the ordeal, instead just focusing on calming his rapidly beating heart as he waited for them to touch down. She explained something about her people's beliefs relating to their flight, but he was more apt to attribute his slowed fall to the wind. Mysticism was not popular with his people in Amman; a result of their technology-centric approach to shaping their city. Their gods were gods of reason and knowledge.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright After a few minutes of science, they reached the mountains. Onyx put Tarentek on a ledge that was just out of view from the rest of the nest. "Stay here, and try not to fall. I will go and make sure that our leader is still in his den, and then I will come get you." She told him in what she hoped was a stern voice, leaving before he said anything else. Onyx flew up above the peak of the mountain, heading towards her father's den. When she got there, she was not surprised to find that he was still home. He was always busy worrying about the tribe's affairs, even before he had become leader. She tried to ignore the small voice of worry in the back of her mind as she hurried to go get Tarentek before anyone else from her tribe could find him. The promise I made... I will keep. I do not like the thought that I may have to stand up to my father in the defense of an outsider, but this is much more important than he will be able to realize right away... She got back to the ledge where she had left Tarentek, landing softly by him. She waited until he realized she was there before speaking. "He is there. Are you ready?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek waited patiently on the ledge. As long as he did not move, he did not have to worry about falling, and he would be less likely to be discovered. His robe could blend in rather well with the rocks, so at a distance, it would be quite difficult to detect him. While he waited, he had time to think about how he was going to word his warning. From his impression of Onyx, he got the sense that her race was prideful and isolationist. However, he had a feeling their leader might be more agreeable. Generally, it made sense to give the common person a strong since of pride and confidence in the group, but leaders tended to be at least a bit more realistic. They were responsible for their people's safety, so not only did they have to know what their people were capable of, but also be aware of and acknowledge their weaknesses. As such, their leader might be receptive to his warning. Once Onyx finally returned, Tarentek stood up and walked over to her so she could pick him up once more. "I suppose so. I've had plenty of time to think about what to say. Let's just be quick; I would like to avoid the rest of your kin until your leader can protect me."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright I would not be so sure of that... Onyx thought the words but did not speak them. She simply nodded and picked Tarentek up again, flying swiftly to her father's den. "I will go in first, and you will follow me. Do not show yourself until I have introduced you." She said as they landed just outside the entrance to the den. "There is a wall just inside the door that you can hide behind. Hurry or someone will see you." With that she walked into the den, greeting her father with a small bow. "Onyx? Is there something wrong? Your mother was looking for you not too long ago." He would have seemed worried, had he even bothered to look at her. She stayed silent a moment too long and then he did look at her. "Onyx! What happened to you?" He asked in surprise. "Nothing, really... I fell into the sea when I went to go fishing, and then I ran into a sandstorm on the way back." She said, trying to keep herself from laughing at her father. When she said that she had fallen into the sea, Her father had made a face like a fish -lips pursed and eyes squished- and he stayed like that for a few seconds. "Umm, Raldel?" She said, calling him by name rather than calling him father for the sake of their hidden guest. "That was not the only thing of interest to happen at the sea today," Onyx turned towards the doorway, motioning to Tarentek to come over. "I also met someone there. Raldel, leader of the gold tribe, I present to you Tarentek. I suggest you listen well to what he has to say." As soon as she spoke his name, he had stepped out into the room. He walked up to stand slightly behind her and nodded his head to her father in a respectful gesture. She was watching her father intently, ready to stop any attack he might make upon her or Tarentek.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek listened in as he waited for Onyx to introduce him. From the way the man, who Tarentek assumed to be the leader, spoke, he gathered that Onyx was more closely related to him than she had previously implied. He assumed, or at least hoped, that their relation would be helpful in persuading the leader to listen to him. Once Tarentek heard his name, he stepped out as non-threateningly as possible, following every social rule she had told him of. In order to limit any snap judgements that the leader, Raldel, might make, he spoke up immediately to get straight to business. "I understand that speaking to outsiders is unusual and exceptional, so I will get straight to my purpose here. Your people are in danger. There is an army, an empire, advancing from the east. The city of Amman has fallen, as have countless others to the east if the rumors hold true. I was there to witness their attack; their power is greater than any civilization previously known to us...by a large margin. They have a command over Human technologies the likes of which I would not have thought possible. The advantage it gives them is...severe. Your people's flight has given you an advantage over the others in our region, but you have to believe me when I say that it will not matter with them."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx saw the hate in her father's eyes as he looked from Tarentek to her and back to him again, he was obviously very angry with her, but that would pass. She was glad, however, for Tarentek's tactful approach, because now her father was also considering a future threat to the tribe rather than just a single outsider. He cleared his throat before speaking, looking only at Tarentek now. "There are many reasons I could give you as for why we would never have to worry about something from the east, our flight being the least of them. My people are always in danger, especially from spies like you, rather than the 'great army' you have described. New Human Relics are found every day, so certainly those who learn it's ways first would seem to have a great advantage at first, but only a battle against a worthy foe would prove their strength." Her father smirked before continuing. "This is, of course, assuming that the 'Empire' you speak of is real." Onyx understood her father's reaction, however she couldn't stand the smugness and pride that filled his voice. She was about to say something to try and make him listen, but he cut her off. "I would, however, like to know how you convinced my own daughter to lead you here. Useless as she is, she knows not to speak to other races, or even to leave them alive. At least, I thought so." He finished with a pointed glare at her, and she couldn't stop herself from stepping back a pace or two.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek did not expect convincing their leader to be easy, and while he was not quite as accepting as he hoped, he knew that it could be going far worse. Raldel's skepticism was understandable, even if his people weren't as secluded as they were. All Tarentek had to do was provide compelling enough evidence to make him take the threat seriously. "She brought me here because I showed what this enemy can do. I still bear the scars of the attack." He explained before pulling back his robe just as before, revealing the scars that still covered a large section of his body. They evidenced a weapon that gave burns, along with many smaller cuts, but above all, the scars showed that the enemy had weapons entirely unlike any Raldel's people had likely seen before. "I was hit by a glancing blow from one of the weapons they have learned to use. It was a small object, not unlike a fruit in its shape, but made of metal, or at least it looked like metal. In an instant, it went from being harmless on the ground, to creating a deafeningly loud fireball of light and heat. It was hard to tell in the moment exactly what happened, but I think it sent out many objects, like small bullets, in all directions. I was far enough away to only be wounded, but my allies closer to the weapon had their flesh torn from their bone. It is a weapon that would be easy to use against flying opponents such as your people. There are many other things I can describe to you about their capabilities, given enough time, but if you are still doubting their existence, then I would recommend you send scouts to the city of Amman, to the northeast. If you do not know its location, I can point it out on any maps you might have. They either captured or destroyed the city, but in either case, their soldiers would still be present. You could see for yourselves their numbers and advanced weaponry." Tarentek recommended.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx tried to avoid looking at Tarentek when he revealed his scars to her father, she hoped she would never have to see anything so terrifying and gruesome ever again. She did, however, look at her father's reaction. He seemed to have turned to stone, frozen in place as he saw the brutal scars that criss-crossed Tarentek's side. It took him a moment to recover enough to speak again, and when he did it seemed like he was trying to keep all emotion from his voice. "It doesn't seem like you have any hidden motive for telling me this, but why would someone from Amman try to warn us of this? We've had little to no interest and interaction with your people ever since we first learned of their existence, and they have never shown much interest in us either." Her father motioned for her to come to his side, away from Tarentek. She thought for a moment and followed his command. It would be easier for her to stop a sudden attack from her father to Tarentek if she were closer to him anyway.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek closed up his robe after showing his scars, as they seemed to have had the intended effect. In a way, it was fortunate he had not been well-fed enough for his scars to heal any more than they already had. With proper nutrition, they would be gone in a week or two. Since he now seemed a bit more receptive, Tarentek felt he actually had a good chance of persuading him to take action. "As I said, my home has been conquered or destroyed. I did not come here under orders, as I had no superiors to order me. My entire purpose for life was found within that city, and now that it is gone, my only purpose is to fight against the advance of this Empire. But, you are correct, we have had next to no contact with your people, and when I fled my home, I did not first think to come here specifically. The reason I am here to deliver this warning is because Onyx saved my life, so in return, I hope to save yours." Tarentek explained.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Her father glanced at her out of the corner of his eye before saying, "I would like to see what has become of Amman for myself. From what I had heard of it, despite them being more technologically advanced than most others we have heard of, they also had a strong system of governing for such a large, city, as you call it. I wonder why your leaders did not recognise such a threat to their people sooner." Her father turned to her and continued. "As it seems that you are responsible for his ability to even give us such a warning," he told her, "you are now responcible for keeping him that way. Onyx, as your father and as the leader of our tribe, I order you to remain with him as a guard and nurse until he is fully healed and well enough to leave. He will stay with you until such a time." Before Onyx could argue, he turned back to speak to Tarentek again. "I will lead a small reconnaissance team to Amman, and will examine the situation thoroughly. Please, go with Onyx. I will tell you what we find when we return."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek gave a polite and understanding nod. There was no doubt that what they would find would be alarming, he just hoped they took the threat seriously enough to be cautious. "Thank you, sir. I would just advise that you take extra precautions on your scouting mission. This enemy is highly deadly, and I do not know how they will react to seeing you. If they annexed the city, they may not shoot on sight, but if they destroyed it and are still salvaging the remains, that may not be the case." With his final word of caution, Tarentek approached Onyx once more and awaited her guidance to wherever she would take him. As much as Onyx's gift of water had helped him, he still had a long way to go for a full recovery. He could hardly recall the last time he had eaten, and he was still on the verge of dehydration.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Her father grinned and said, "Do you take me for a fool?" Before walking out of the room. Onyx stood in shock for a moment afterwards, wondering about his sanity. Not because of his idea for a reconnaissance mission, but because of his order to take care of Tarentek. As Tarentek walked over to her again, she accidentally mumbled her thoughts out loud. "You'd think he'd at least assign someone who was actually a medic to take care of you." When she noticed that she had spoken out loud, she quickly added, "I'm still just in training." With a sigh she walked back out of the den, motioning for Tarentek to follow her. "I think it would be a better idea to walk there now, rather than me carrying you around. You honestly don't look very good, and I know nothing about your race!"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Upon Onyx's request, Tarentek began to follow her out of the "den," as they called it. Overall, the meeting with the leader went as well as he could have hoped. He still did not feel welcome, but at least he was there with their leader's blessing. "I would not worry too much about treating me. My race heals quickly, and thoroughly. Mostly, I am malnourished and dehydrated. All I need is food, water, and a few days of rest. If I could have a meal now, I would be grateful. As for not knowing anything about my race...I suppose I could answer any questions, if you have any." Tarentek offered.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright As Onyx led Tarentek through her tribe's nest, she asked him about his lifestyle. "Well, first off I guess I should know what you like to eat. I sincerely doubt that you'd have the same kind of, uhh.. diet, that I have." She hoped she wouldn't freak him out with the phrasing of her question. She assumed that he knew he and his people was seen as prey for certain races, including hers, but what she was worried about was that he might be a plant-eater. It would take her a while to get together a meal for him if he wouldn't eat ANY type of meat, even if he does eat fish.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek gave a reassuring nod to Onyx. His people were most well-suited to eating meat, but they were still omnivorous, so unless they had a diet of poisons, he would likely not have an issue. "I would not worry too much; I can likely eat whatever you have. Meat is preferred, but I can eat plants if needed. In Amman, we raised livestock when we could, but grew our food in bad years, when water could not be found as reliably. As for drinks, I would really prefer water at the moment, but if you only store alcohol, I will be fine with it." Now that they were outside the den, Tarentek had a chance to get a better look at their city. It was dark, but he could see well enough to notice that the structures were...different. They were not quite like any Human ruins he had seen before, which struck him as especially odd. As well, he could not remember seeing any cities in this area on the old Human maps. It was something to think about, but there were more important matters for him to worry about at the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx gave a slight sigh of relief. He can eat livestock! She could feel herself relaxing as she formed a plan in her mind as for what to do next. She would give him water when they got to her den, which was not too far away now, and she could let him rest for a while as she prepared the meal. "None of us drink alcohol. It makes us, too unfocused, like we are dream-walking. We only use it when we are trying to induce sleep or dull pain from cold or a wound." She flicked her tail and ear nervously as she saw the shadow of two sentries flying above, probably to relieve the current guards at the west mountain for the night. "We are almost there." She said to Tarentek as they went across the last bridge between the center of the nest to the mountain that her den was situated on. It was arguably the longest bridge in the nest, as it went almost all the way to the top of the south mountain from the small plateau that the center of the nest was situated on. "Please hurry, it's getting dark and I currently would NOT like to be stopped by a sentry asking why i'm not home yet." She looked back at him and added, "Do not worry about falling off the bridge, I or Olias will catch you."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "I suppose that makes sense, especially for a people who fly, though it seems somewhat dangerous to me. In Amman, we kept stores of beer for emergencies. Water is hard to keep clean, and can be filled with diseases to begin with, but you can store alcohol for as long as you want and it will always be safe to drink. Plus, it lets us use the alcohol for drink, and the water to grow food during a drought." Tarentek commented, though he stopped and paid attention once they reached the bridge. Although he was in the city with permission from their leader, it would likely be easier on everyone if he was not discovered that night. He assumed their leader would give word about his presence before leaving on his scouting mission, so he would be relatively safe soon enough. Until then, he readily followed close to Onyx. Tarentek was quickly discovering that he was not fond of heights, so he kept his eyes ahead as he walked along. Luckily, he was a relatively coordinated individual, so he did not have much of an issue crossing the bridge. A brief glance down caused him to nearly stumble once, but he recovered and moved to the other side without incident. He decided he would keep himself quiet until they reached her den, so he remained silent as he looked to Onyx expectantly, waiting for her next instruction.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Tarentek's silence worried Onyx, she glance back at him many times as they crossed the bridge, but could not make out the emotion on his face. She hoped it was just because he was tired, and kept vigilant watch on the skies for sentries. As they got to her den she rushed inside, starting a fire in the fireplace and lighting lamps in every room around the den. She motioned for Tarentek to come in once she had finished, and led him to a small room near the back of the den. "This is where you will sleep, please wait a moment." She went to the kitchen and got a large glass of water, returning to Tarentek within a minute. "Here, drink slowly. There is more." She said as she handed the cup to him. She went around the room, gathering up things she would have to move to another room by the door, and making the bed with a large white blanket and pillow. "Please try to rest now. I will call you out to the main room once the meal is ready." She walked over to the only hole in the walls of the room and hung a large sheet over the opening, covering it completely. "Also, do not move this," She said, motioning to the sheet. "It will keep anyone from seeing you as you sleep." She left him then. If he did not come when she called she could try and wake him up, however she believed that in his state it would probably be better to let him sleep and feed him when he woke again.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek felt strange being shepherded around in secret to Onyx's den, but he supposed it was necessary. At least it finally seemed like he was going to be able to stop moving and relax. For almost the entire day, he had been wandering the desert and was close to exhaustion. Luckily, the pair made it to the den without being spotted, after which Onyx was quick to dash around the rooms lighting lanterns for visibility. After a few minutes, Onyx led Tarentek to a small room in the back. It had little else other than a bed, but he was not someone who required much in the way of accommodations. It was already a more comfortable room than the barracks he was used to. He sat down on the bed and leaned his back against the wall as Onyx left the room. Letting down his hood, he gave a fatigued sigh, but did his best to stay awake and alert. Although he was tired, he was far hungrier than he was exhausted, and he was anxiously looking forward to a much-needed meal. When Onyx brought him his water, he was tempted to down it all in one gulp again, but paced himself on her recommendation. Despite all he had to worry about at the moment, the small room in a nice, peaceful den was enough to at least mitigate some of the stress he had accumulated throughout the day while he waited for Onyx to call him into the other room.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx tried to make something that tasted ok in as little time as possible, so she ended up making hot sandwiches. Ground meat cooked into a shape like a pancake and served in bread, a simple meal that she was sure Tarentek would be able to eat as much as he wanted of. "Tarentek. The meal is ready." She called as she placed the food on the small table in the main room, pouring another glass of water for Tarentek and placing it at his spot. She did not have to wait long for him to show up, although he did not seem to have rested at all since she had left him in his room. She decided that she would give him some medicine to help him sleep after he ate, as she placed two small pills next to his plate before sitting down. "The blue pill will help your digestion, and the green one will help you re-hydrate faster. You have to take them before you finish your plate if you're going to want any more food after that." She said as he sat across the table from her.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek felt strange being shepherded around in secret to Onyx's den, but he supposed it was necessary. At least it finally seemed like he was going to be able to stop moving and relax. For almost the entire day, he had been wandering the desert and was close to exhaustion. Luckily, the pair made it to the den without being spotted, after which Onyx was quick to dash around the rooms lighting lanterns for visibility. After a few minutes, Onyx led Tarentek to a small room in the back. It had little else other than a bed, but he was not someone who required much in the way of accommodations. It was already a more comfortable room than the barracks he was used to. He sat down on the bed and leaned his back against the wall as Onyx left the room. Letting down his hood, he gave a fatigued sigh, but did his best to stay awake and alert. Although he was tired, he was far hungrier than he was exhausted, and he was anxiously looking forward to a much-needed meal. When Onyx brought him his water, he was tempted to down it all in one gulp again, but paced himself on her recommendation. Despite all he had to worry about at the moment, the small room in a nice, peaceful den was enough to at least mitigate some of the stress he had accumulated throughout the day while he waited for Onyx to call him into the other room.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx tried to make something that tasted ok in as little time as possible, so she ended up making hot sandwiches. Ground meat cooked into a shape like a pancake and served in bread, a simple meal that she was sure Tarentek would be able to eat as much as he wanted of. "Tarentek. The meal is ready." She called as she placed the food on the small table in the main room, pouring another glass of water for Tarentek and placing it at his spot. She did not have to wait long for him to show up, although he did not seem to have rested at all since she had left him in his room. She decided that she would give him some medicine to help him sleep after he ate, as she placed two small pills next to his plate before sitting down. "The blue pill will help your digestion, and the green one will help you re-hydrate faster. You have to take them before you finish your plate if you're going to want any more food after that." She said as he sat across the table from her.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek was quick to move to the main room once he heard his name. He still had a good amount of water in his cup, and the meal, in his eyes, looked greatly appetizing. Of course, with as long as it had been since he had eaten, just about anything edible would seem quite appealing. Tarentek had not been expecting medicine, though he supposed Onyx was assigned to be his nurse. She had done nothing to harm him so far, so he saw no reason not to trust what she was giving him. "Thank you." He said with a polite nod before taking the medicine, then starting on his meal. As much as he wanted to wolf down the meat as quickly as he could, Tarentek had to force himself to take his time and not overeat. His malnourishment was hardly as bad as it could have been, but he still needed to pace himself to be safe. Hopefully, the medicine would help in that regard. "I have told you some about my life, but perhaps I could ask a few questions about yours?" Tarentek commented after a minute or so of silence. "I got the sense that you are related to your leader. Is that true?"</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Tarentek's question didn't surprise her, although the fog of his memory sure did. Her father had only briefly mentioned that she was his daughter, but the way he said it had made her think that he was attempting to shame Her and Tarentek at the same time. If she accounted for the fact that his memory would probably be spotty because of his condition, she could understand him forgetting such a minuscule moment. "Well," She started, not sure whether to be blunt or vague, and deciding to just get it out. "Yes, you are right. Raldel is my father, and I am his youngest daughter." Onyx tried to force herself to keep a strait face as she thought about her family. She didn't fit in with her brothers at all, as they all decided to become Scouts and Sentries, and her one older sister was... Onyx shook herself to keep the thought from her mind. "I'd rather not talk about my family much, if you don't mind. Please." She added the last part under her breath, so she was unsure if Tarentek actually heard it or not, and then decided she didn't care. "All you need to know is that my father has not been leader of our tribe for long. He took control after the last snow-fall."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "I understand." Tarentek said, nodding to Onyx as he continued with his meal at a relatively slow pace. "My parents were no one special in my city. They were simply warriors, like myself. They taught me what they knew and prepared me for my training, after which I became a scout for my people. My father died in battle about five years ago, and my mother was wounded last year. She lost the ability to use her leg as...effectively as before, so she was no longer able to serve as a warrior after that. As for my role, I have more knowledge than the average person about old Human technology. It was the task of myself and my scouting team to identify and recover useful materials and machines." After giving his brief explanation of his own past, Tarentek moved on to the next point about which he was curious. "At any rate, perhaps I could know a bit more about your kind. The ability to fly is...not something I could imagine myself. Having been something you've had your whole life, I would guess it is fairly mundane to you, but for someone who has been bound to the Earth for all his years, it seems amazing, and frightening, to think about. Although, I do wonder in what ways we are different that are not so obvious."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx had never thought that her flight was mundane, how could she, when every time she took off she could feel the pure joy and freedom of the air around her. She was not quite sure how to explain this to Tarentek however, so she decided to try telling him what her mother had once told her. "Well, to me the ability to fly has always been a blessing upon my people. Our wings have allowed us to survive what our brother race, the Gahiji, could not. The Gahiji all died years before I was born, but other than the absence of wings, they were exactly like the Elissics. The histories I have learned of my people claim that the two races may have had a shared heritage, and that it was a grave mistake on the part of the Elissics to allow the Gahiji's destruction." Onyx took a moment to get her train of thought back on track before continuing. "As for imagination... Have you ever felt so happy and safe that you couldn't help yourself but to laugh and sing? When I'm in flight the world seems so much smaller, and I know that I am free of the lurking dangers and unpredictability of the land below. I am untouchable, and may go wherever I wish, or even simply nowhere at all..." Onyx trailed off, a light smile on her face as she recalled memories of when she had first learned to fly. "I was terrified when I was first learning, Olias caught me a lot at the beginning, but now I could fly in my sleep if i wanted to." Suddenly, Onyx realized what the biggest difference between them could be. "Tarentek, do you have gods? I don't mean the kind that you could prove exist, but the deep belief that there is someone unseen watching over you." Onyx tried not to ask the question too suddenly, but she hoped that he would understand that what she asked had a stronger meaning than the words could imply.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek tried to understand how it felt to fly from Onyx's words. Her way of describing the experience was quite vivid, though he doubted he would ever truly understand what it was like to fly under his own power, not unless he found a way to grow wings. He had not heard of this other race she mentioned, but if they had indeed died out, then why would he? "The way you make it sound...I do wish I could experience it, and not passively as before. It does seem like flight would give your people a great advantage." He commented, giving a pause to take a drink of his water. "Although, I suppose my people are not without any advantage. I am somewhat...larger than everyone I have seen so far here. I am honestly surprised you were able to carry me here; it could not have been easy. I do remember that my kind tended to have at least a bit more in the way of...muscular definition compared to most of the traders and other visitors to our city. Then there is our regeneration." After Tarentek trailed off himself, Onyx asked a question about his people's gods, which he had no problem answering. "Yes, Koisk, Jhala, and Vikrii. They are our body, mind, and spirit, respectively. I could explain more about them, if you are curious." He offered.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Do you trust in them? Would you place any and all hope for not only your life but the lives of everyone around you in their hands?" Onyx hoped she would be able to remember the names he had said, they did sound a little familiar already. "I ask because one thing my tribe has noticed about most outsiders who have recovered more of the Past one's Relics than we have is that they all seem to have a more disjointed relationship with their supposed greater beings of faith. They learn more of the lost past and lose sight of their beliefs, becoming a shell of what they may have been."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek leaned back in his chair, lightly scratching his chin. "I...do not know how to answer that, honestly. To pursue lost knowledge is not opposed to our beliefs, but instead central to them. Perhaps I can explain." He said, leaning forward again and taking a quick bite of his meal before continuing. "Koisk is our body. She gives the gift of the physical form we carry through life; she gives strength, fertility, and ensures our lasting good health. My people, the Karisskan, will heal from any wound that does not kill us. If an injury is terrible enough, it can take a long time to recover, such as with my mother, but even her leg would have healed completely given enough time. Vikrii is our spirit. He gifts us the essence of life, the spark of our being. And, he shepherds us through death, beyond our world. But Jhala, she is the one most central to our daily lives, for she is our mind, our thoughts and knowledge. It is her gift that separates us from simple beasts, not our bodies, no matter how strong or resilient they are. She grants us reasoning and understanding, and to serve her is to expand that knowledge. We seek the lost knowledge of the world before because it strengthens her gifts. So you see, gaining that knowledge is a core part of our values." Tarentek explained.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I think yours is the only race that has such a belief." Onyx said quietly. "My people have a very different belief from you. Our bodies and physical abilities are simply a visible interpretation of the strengths of our spirit, soul, and heart. Earlier you said you didn't think that I would have been able to carry you for so long as I did, that is because my strength is less visible to you than it is to my people. Spirit is our will to live and our hope, without it we would be too heavy with the burdens of sadness, fear, worry, and anger to even be able to fly at all. The strength of our will, our spirit, becomes the strength of our wings, and therefore so long as we believe in ourselves we gain the strength to do what we set out to do." Onyx paused a moment before continuing. "Our soul is our eternal self, and cannot be harmed by anything in this world. Our soul is where we learn to recognize others and we gain our sense of self through it, and it is all that will be left of us once we have passed. Our soul gives us trust and friendship, along with promise and continuity. The strength of our soul becomes the power we inherit when we come of age, our acceptance by the rest of the tribe as who we are. those with a strong soul are better leaders than those with a weaker soul, however a strong soul is more likely to be corrupted by the powers of Fellagang and his minions. Lastly, heart. Our heart guides our decisions and grants us compassion and joy, along with love and loyalty. Our heart is untouchable, for we cannot change its strength on our own. The strength of our heart becomes our agility and speed, as well as our link to Heillias. Those with a stronger heart look more delicate than those with a weak heart, and are often easier to get along with than those without a strong heart." Onyx hoped that she still made sense to Tarentek. He looked very tired as he was listening. "Enough questions for tonight, you need your rest. finish the rest of your plate and i'll get you some medicine to help you sleep if you need it."</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright After Tarentek went back to his room, Onyx spent a few minutes cleaning up and putting out the lanterns around the den before she went to bed herself. A lot of stuff happened today, and it doesn't seem like tomorrow will be any less eventful... Her thoughts slowly drifted into silence as she fell asleep. -- - --- - - -- - --- - - -- - --- - - -- - --- - - -- - --- - - -- - --- - - -- - --- - - Onyx woke the next morning to the sound of someone calling her name. Yawning and stretching, she walked over to one of the square holes in the wall of her room and pulled the cloth that she had hung over the opening out of the way. She quickly saw who was calling to her, it was her eldest brother, one of the strongest sentries in her tribe. "Opal! Brother, what is it?" She called out to him. As soon as he saw her he flew over to land on the ledge just outside of the square hole. "Good morning sister, or should I say noon?" He greeted her with a small smile. Onyx looked up at the sky, and sure enough, the sun was already past The tallest mountain peak. I slept that long? Well... It WAS almost high-moon when I fell asleep last night. Her brother's smile dissipated and was quickly replaced with an undecipherable mask. "Where is the outsider?" He asked in a voice just as stony and cold as his expression. "He should still be asleep. Would you like to see him?" Onyx only took a moment to wonder about the fact that Opal knew about Tarentek, before she realized that the entire tribe must know by now. She let out a sigh as Opal climbed through the hole in the wall to stand beside her in her room. "I do not wish to see or associate in any way with him. I am simply under orders to take you both to see Raldel." Opal's words surprised Onyx. Her father had said he was going to do a reconnaissance mission, however she thought he would have taken longer doing so. "Father has already returned? I thought he was going to assess the situation, not go on a field trip." Onyx was leading her brother to the room Tarentek was in as they spoke. She kept speaking before Opal could respond, "Wait here. I will wake him up." Ignoring her brother's slight grumble about being told what to do, she quietly entered the room. Tarentek seemed to still be asleep, as he did not stir when she said his name. She walked over to him and, hoping that he wouldn't react violently, shook his shoulder until he awoke. "Good morning." She said softly as Opal walked in. She shot him a glare that she hoped he would read as 'be quiet' and continued speaking to Tarentek. "This is Opal. He has been sent to bring us to see Raldel again."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek's dreams were chaotic, and not always pleasant, but his sleep was refreshingly restful. Nevertheless, it took him a few moments to come to his senses after being shaken awake. He groaned and stretched out his muscles as he sat up on the side of the bed. He was not dressed, but unlike other, mammalian races, the Karisskan's reproductive organs were contained internally, so modesty was not a worry for them, though other races were sometimes momentarily surprised. After letting out a yawn, Tarentek finally registered Onyx' glare, and fortunately, caught its meaning. "Oh, of course. I will get dressed at once." He said simply before standing up, which made clear his comparatively large stature. He hoped that Raldel found the evidence of the attack that he had been searching for. Although, after what Tarentek witnessed, he found it incredibly likely that he would have found overwhelming proof. If the city was annexed, enemy soldiers would be occupying it in force. If it was destroyed, then the demolished city would be evidence enough.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx noticed in time to look away before Tarentek got up, although it seemed that Opal was not so lucky. "Hurry up." Was all she said before leaving the room, dragging her brother with her. Onyx would have to speak with Tarentek later about clothing, but for the moment she busied herself by taking inventory of the contents of her med-pack and refilling her water-skin along with an extra one for Tarentek. Opal was staring into space for awhile, so long that Onyx had to pour a glass of water over his head to make sure he was still awake. "Wha- Hey! Why'd you do that!" He yelled as he freaked out. "Oh, just making sure you were still functioning. Quit being such a Kit, I didn't get your wings wet." She handed him a small towel, and while he dried his hair she asked him what he had on his mind that would cause him to become so unfocused. "A lot of things at the moment. The usual worries, and then..." He let his sentence drift off as Tarentek walked out of the room. Onyx gave Tarentek the water-skin she had prepared, and then Opal reapplied his mask and ordered them to follow him to Raldel's den. "I'll tell you about it later." He said as they took flight. "Ok." Onyx looked down at Tarentek, who was standing just outside the door, looking at the bridge they had crossed the night before. "Tarentek, I can carry you there if you wish." She called to him.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek did not notice Onyx's quick departure as he dressed himself and gathered up his belongings as quickly as he could. He felt better than the day before, but still noticeably fatigued and weak. His muscles still ached from the long trek through the desert, and he was overall more sluggish than usual. However, as long as he could retain the goodwill of his hosts, then he would recover. As Tarentek stepped out of the room, he noted that Opal suddenly stopped whatever they had been talking about, likely because of his lack of trust for outsiders. It was an attitude that concerned Tarentek, but he could not do much to change that at the moment. If Raldel's opinion changed because of his warning, then Tarentek might be able to earn some trust, but if not, then he could at least hope to be tolerated. For the moment, he was simply glad to have more water, which he immediately began to drink somewhat conservatively. After they made their way outside, the others started to take flight, and Onyx offered to carry him to their destination. Before, Tarentek might have said yes, but now he hesitated, looking off the side of the bridge at the long drop below. In theory, the concept of flight was amazing to him, but actually being in the air and seeing the long drop beneath him made him more nervous. He still remembered vividly the fear he felt, even if only for a brief moment, when Onyx dropped him. "Oh, I, um...I know what I said about flight yesterday but...does there happen to be a walkway to his den? We can fly if we need to, but...I would really be more comfortable with my feet firmly on the ground." He asked, his demeanor embarrassed and nervous.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Of course, everything is connected by bridges here, so you can walk all the way if you feel well enough." Onyx understood his hesitation to be carried again, he was a creature bound to the land after all. "I will stay beside you along the way. Opal must go ahead and tell Raldel that we are on the way." As she said so, she saw her guess was correct. Opal nodded to her and left without saying another thing, while she flew down to hover next to the bridge. "I'd like to remain in flight for now, I will go over the path to lead you there." Onyx waited until Tarentek started crossing before she flew all the way to the other side to wait for him again. They continued like this, Onyx flying ahead and waiting for Tarentek to catch up before going ahead again, all the way to Her father's den.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek was relieved to hear that he could simply walk to their destination. He had worried that Onyx's people might not have built walkways to every location, since they could just fly everywhere. However, the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. If any of their people had their wings permanently injured, perhaps in battle, they would need to be able to function in the village. As well, it would be quite inconvenient if the village had to shut down completely on the rare occasions that it rained. Eventually, the pair reached Raldel's den, where they were met by Opal, and Raldel himself. It appeared that the scouting mission had been successful, as Raldel got down to business almost immediately, describing, in detail, everything they saw. Much of what he had learned Tarentek had already witnessed for himself, but some of what he saw was news even to Tarentek. As expected, most of the fortifications on one side of the city had been demolished, but the city itself was intact, only now, it was the soldiers of this Empire in control of Amman. The citizenry still appeared to be made up mostly by Karisskan. All of the armed warriors guarding this city, however, wore the same uniform, but consisted of many different races, most of which none of them had neither seen nor heard of before. Almost all of them carried old Human weapons, or "relics," as Raldel described them, that were in notably good condition. The scouting mission also confirmed that the enemy had returned to functionality the ruined vehicles that could be found in most Human cities, and on the roads between them. In fact, Raldel and his team had witnessed more of this Empire's soldiers riding in on these vehicles from the east. The number of soldiers they saw at Amman was massive, and certainly far more than would be needed to defend the city, which did suggest that they intended to continue this expansion. Internally, Tarentek was relieved to hear that his home had not been entirely destroyed and his people were still alive, but he doubted many of the warriors, his brothers and sisters in arms, had survived the battle. After Raldel finished his recollection of all he witnessed, Tarentek was not sure what to say, or if he should even speak up at all. The decision of what to do with his people ultimately rested with Raldel, but Tarentek still felt he could be helpful. He did, after all, have experience with their weapons and tactics. "So...now that you have seen the enemy yourself, what do you intend to do? I could give you all of the details about them that I can remember if you would like." Tarentek offered.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I don't believe that will be necessary, as we were able to see how many troops they had and the races that they had incorporated. None of the races we saw could fly, and many of them seemed ill-equipped to survive on their own if needed." Raldel paused a second before continuing. "While we did not see any of your people within their ranks yet, the sheer number and diversity of races there made it seem that they were forcing the residents of each place they took over to join them." Onyx tried not to think too much about what the direction the threatening group was coming from may have meant. Her people originated in the southwest, and had been steadily moving in each direction over the past few centuries, each tribe moving every few years, and when a tribe got too large to move all at once, half would stay where they currently were and become a brother tribe of the one that went on ahead. To the east, Her own tribe's sister had lost contact with them a few months ago. Suddenly, before she could stop herself, she spoke the worry in her mind. "Raldel, this enemy may have already fought our people before. We have not heard anything from our sister tribe in the east for months now, and there were also other tribes out there as well." Onyx paused to take a breath and calm herself for the next point she would have to say. "You say you did not see any race that could fly among them, but they will defiantly have met at least one tribe before getting to here. Meaning that if what you said is true, that they are forcing the people of the nests they attack to join them-" "Then we may end up fighting people of our own race." Raldel finished her thought, a somber look on his face. "You are most likely correct Onyx. That or, they're all dead." Raldel remained in silence for a minute or so until one of the men behind him, who Onyx had not noticed until now, placed a hand on Raldel's shoulder and said something to low for Onyx to hear. Whatever the man had said had shaken Raldel from his silence, and he reached into his pack to pull out a small object, placing it on the table in front of them. "Tarentek, we managed to take this and a few others like it from an unguarded vehicle near the city. Do you recognize it?" As her father finished speaking, everyone looked over at Tarentek expectantly.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek listened quietly as the others discussed the implications of what the scouting mission had uncovered. He did not know of the other tribes of their people to the east, but then again, he had only been vaguely aware of the existence of their people. It did make sense that their enemy was using the conquered populations to bolster their forces, though he wondered at how they maintained loyalty. It was possible that they kept the soldiers in line through fear. After all, the families of the soldiers were likely back in their home cities, and to betray their Empire might doom them to death. Even if they had to fight against former allies, that would be a compelling way to keep their soldiers loyal, but without knowing for sure, Tarentek was hesitant to make assumptions. The others said that there did not seem to be any flying races among them, and indeed, Tarentek had not seen any during the battle, but he did not know for sure if that was the case. If this Empire was as large as the rumors implied, then they would have to have quite a few races under their dominion. It was possible that there were simply no flying species among the attackers at Amman, though again, Tarentek could not say for certain. He was about to put forward the idea when Raldel suddenly placed one of the explosive devices which had wounded him down onto the table. Immediately, his eyes widened and he reflexively took a step back with his mouth slightly agape. After stumbling over his words for a few moments, he finally managed to respond. "That...yes, just...don't touch it! This close to us it could kill us all! Or...at least be careful how you touch it." He said once he calmed enough after his initial reaction. "That is the weapon, the one that wounded and scarred my body. That is the thing that tore apart my allies around it. If you have more of these, make sure everyone knows what they can do; tell them to put them somewhere safe. When they activate they...I'm not even sure if I know how to describe it. It is an explosion of light, sound, and destructive force. A fireball that rips to shreds anything nearby. I do think I recall seeing some of these one time in a cache of old human weapons we found, but we could not figure out what they did or how they worked. They may have been broken. I...still do not know how they work, or how to use them. I don't know if I would want to; it is a terrible weapon."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Raldel didn't seem surprised at Tarentek's response to seeing the weapon, but rather almost amused. "Yes, we understand that this is dangerous, that is why we took some of them. We saw a few of the soldiers away from the city, practicing how to use them." Raldel picked up the object and touched a small part of it that was near the top and shaped like a ring. "So long as this part is not removed, it is safe, and I have no intention of removing it." He put it carefully back into his pack, and gave the pack to the man who had tapped on his shoulder. "Put them in the west storehouse." At the order the man gave a slight nod and left. Onyx had a strange feeling, almost like fear but not quite so immediate. Could it be because of the weapon? She thought to herself as Raldel continued speaking. The small object had looked no more harmless than one of the strange carved objects that other races used as currency, but the thought that it was the very thing that had given Tarentek his horrible scars made a shiver go down Onyx's spine. How are we ever going to be able to fight, let alone flee, such a force? "Heillias help us." She muttered under her breath.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Well, that is good, I suppose. I would hate to see another harmed in such a horrible way." Tarentek responded, doing his best to regain his composure. Seeing the weapon again had brought up memories he would rather have not relived, but at least he could distract himself with present issues. There was still the matter of how to respond to this looming threat, which was inevitably going to make its way west. Despite Tarentek's experiences and Raldel's scouting, there were still many questions remaining about their enemy. At the moment, they did not even have a name for this Empire. They did not know from exactly where they came, just the general direction of east. They did not know their true numbers, just that they outnumbered the defensive forces of any city in the region. Tarentek had the feeling that they were going to have to make decisions based on only a fraction of the information they needed. "As for our enemies, there is still much we do not know about them. For instance, we cannot really know if they do not have flying races among them, at least not yet. It would not seem like they do, since they did not use them at Amman, but there could be another reason of which we are not aware. If they do have flying soldiers, then your advantage in these mountains would be diminished. And even if they do not, their strength is still considerable regardless. You may hold better than other cities, but I do not believe you can do so forever. If all other cities in this region fall to them, then they will be free to concentrate on you. They could attack your water supply, or kill off the creatures you hunt. There are plenty of ways they could attack the city indirectly. I...admit, there may be nothing that can be done to stop them, but I still believe there is a way to survive their advance." Tarentek explained.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Some of the things you mention show just how little you know about us." Raldel started. "First off, there are very few way that they could attack us indirectly. We can see anything approaching above ground for quite a way beyond the extent of even your vision, and our water supply is under the mountain itself. As for the creatures we hunt... If they mess with that, we will simply hunt them. It has actually been a very useful tactic in the wars of the past to eat the corpses of our enemies, as it gives us another source of food and strikes fear into the enemy." Raldel smiled as he said the last part and continued. "Of course, the other questions you asked cannot be answered unless we were to actually confront this enemy ourselves."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek had hoped that Raldel would not remain so confident in his people's ability to defend against their foe after what he had seen, and while he was not dismissive of the threat, it did seem like he would need at least some more persuading. Tarentek leaned forward and placed his hands on the table, taking on an almost somber expression. "I am reminded of a story, and old fable from my people about our earliest, tribal days. It tells of a warlord of great power who wanted the land of our people for his own. He was so confident in his military might that he would not even listen to the negotiations our tribes offered. He decided he could just take it all for himself, and by all evidence, he was right. He sent all of the warriors not protecting his city to eradicate our people, destroying every village he attacked. He seemed all but invincible. His warriors also ate the bodies of our fallen allies, not for survival, but rather intimidation. They would feast on the bodies in their camps before battle, then launch the bones into our villages from a distance before their attacks. It was a gruesome display of power, but it all ended with the sacrifice of the hero Nunkaliare and her people. She was the leader of a village that had tried to retreat from the warlord, but were trapped and cornered. There were other tribes coming to help, but they would not arrive in time. Knowing their fate, she, and all of her people, corrupted their own bodies with a slow, but deadly poison. They were all killed in battle, but when the warlord's warriors feasted on them on the eve of their next battle, they all found themselves deathly ill by the next morning. Many died, and those remaining were not in any condition to fight. When our tribes united together and retaliated, the warlord's city was conquered with relative ease. It is said that this warlord's city was Amman itself, and after the war, most of the tribes stayed united in the city, learning from the technology they left behind and setting our people on their course." Tarentek let out a sigh and looked back up at Raldel. "I am not trying to say that this Empire will try that tactic. That story may not even be true; it could be just a simple fable, but...the lesson of it is that no defense is impenetrable, no strategy absolute. No matter the problem, no matter what challenge must be overcome, an inventive and clever soul can find the solution. With enough time, and with the numbers they have, one of them could very well discover a weakness you never considered. All it would take is one single flaw, and they could bring an end to your people. They, on the other hand, can take as many attempts as they need. I will not say it is impossible that you can protect yourselves alone, but I will say that I believe you should do anything and everything you can to push the odds as far in your favor as possible. If you accept it, I will offer any help I can."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Well, Tarentek. I thought that was the reason you were here in the first place. Your story's lesson is true, there is no such thing as an absolute defense. However there is also no option for what to do to survive in most wars, there is only the inevitable win by one side." Raldel paused, as if wondering weather to say his next words. "I am a leader, not a thinker. I would appreciate all the help you could give." Onyx was happy that they were finally getting somewhere, even if they did not have all the information that they truly needed to be able to fight this foe. But something pricked at the back of her mind, a small worry that she couldn't quite word...</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Thank you." Tarentek said sincerely, though he was in a position to which he was not accustomed. He had been a warrior all of his life, as well as a student of knowledge in respect to technology, but he had never held any influence over his people's policies. He had never advised their leaders. His experience might qualify him, but it was nevertheless a foreign situation to him. "I have had some time to think about this enemy, about what I would say to those who I intended to warn. One option that I can see is to simply flee, to evacuate your people out of their path. You could certainly outrun their expansion. If the old Human maps hold true, there is an entire continent to the southwest that is much, much larger than our region of the Earth. The same holds true to the northwest. There is even a continent on the other side of the oceans, as far from this place as is possible to travel. Your people could flee their expansion and wait until their Empire collapses under its own weight...if they collapse at all. In all honest, this is the option that I believe is most likely to save your people's lives, and I do not believe anyone could fault you if you chose to take it. The other option I see is more dangerous, but it could just work. Our region, for as long as our history records, has never been united. Our cities rule under their own names, making and breaking alliances, but always staying independent. I would be willing to bet our enemy knows this, and is counting on it. They know they can attack us all one by one until there are none of us left, for we will all be focusing so much on ourselves to be able to help the others. If we can convince the cities of our desert, of this region, to stand together against our enemy, we might just have a force larger than this Empire is expecting. We might be able to find a way to stop them together...or, we might all fail together. The latter might be more likely than the former, but it is the only option I see that could truly stop our enemy's advance. Those are the ideas I have had, or, well, there is a third option, but I doubt you would want to take it. I certainly would not. I do not believe that the attack was entirely unforeseen. If the rumors I heard in the days before the attack are true, then the Empire sent a diplomatic envoy to our leaders to demand they willingly surrender the city and join them. If that option were presented to you, then it could save all of your lives, but you would lose the ability to govern yourselves. As I said, it is not the option I would choose." Tarentek explained. He hoped that Raldel would have some other, better idea for fighting their enemy, as gaining the cooperation of all of the cities in the area would be a monumentally difficult task, but Tarentek had not yet been able to find any alternatives.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "It would be next to impossible to unite the people of this region. However, the people of the continent you spoke of to the southwest would possibly join forces with us, as most of them are our kin." Raldel started explaining about how their tribes had spread from their origins on the continent, while Onyx excused herself and left the den. The worry in her mind was making it hard to concentrate on anything they were saying anymore, so she started flying around the nest to clear her mind.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "It would be next to impossible to unite the people of this region. However, the people of the continent you spoke of to the southwest would possibly join forces with us, as most of them are our kin." Raldel started explaining about how their tribes had spread from their origins on the continent, while Onyx excused herself and left the den. The worry in her mind was making it hard to concentrate on anything they were saying anymore, so she started flying around the nest to clear her mind.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek noticed Onyx leave, but for the moment, he listened closely to Raldel's explanation of his people's origins. He did not know much of the world beyond their region, or at least, not the world in its current state, so this was the first he heard about these groups of people. Reaching out to them for help did seem like a solid option, but there were concerns in his mind. "It is good that you already have a relationship with those groups. Certainly, it will make it easier to get their help, but...I do have some concern about leaving the cities of our region to fend for themselves. Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and especially Tel Nof are large settlements with many people, much like Amman. Even if we have not always had good relations, I do not wish to see them fall to our enemy. Not to mention that those cities will be great assets to this Empire. Tel Nof used to be a Human military base. I want to warn them, but...I do agree that it would be beyond difficult to convince them to work together. These groups in the continent to the southwest, Africa, as the Humans called it, how much do you know about them. I fear that, to resist the advance of our enemy, we will need the support of large cities with organized militaries capable of using human weapons. I fear anything less will not be enough. And, even if we can find the support we need, Africa is far from here, and it may not even be possible to bring their forces here in time. Your people may need to retreat to the southwest regardless." Tarentek reasoned. He still did not like the thought of leaving such large cities to be conquered, but if Raldel had faith that the groups in Africa would be open to joining in the defense, then they might be a better option.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Raldel continued on as if he hadn't even noticed Onyx's absence. "We do not have a 'good' relationship with the tribes that are not akin to us, but as a race we have our pride and responsibility that binds us. I know of Three groups already that would shelter us should we need to flee, and over 10 groups that would rally with us at the earliest notice. The tribes that live on the continent of Africa are much larger than our tribes here, and they may have developed a pact with the other races there, so I believe sending a messenger to each of them as soon as possible would be the best course of action right now, because then they would be able to send warriors to the isthmus between here and the continent to guard against land expansion of this empire into the continent." "As for the cities of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, I believe that they are still under the control of a race much like your own. I have never heard of Tel Nof before, but if it is in the same area as the other two we may be able to assume that they are also under the rule of this same race." Raldel looked around for a moment and then ordered Opal to go find Onyx. "She's been gone long enough now." --- Onyx wasn't really sure where she was going, or why she had left in the first place, however her instincts had never driven her wrong before, so she closed her eyes and let the wind guide her. After a while she was able to smell the familiar taint of salt in the air, and she knew she was nearing the sea she had met Tarentek at just the day before. She opened her eyes and landed at the side of the wide grey road, rather than going all the way to the bank of the sea like she usually did, and looked around. The sky looked as grey as the road beneath her and the sea reflected the color across its surface, creating a variable monochrome scene around her. She had never been much for camouflage, but now, still following her instinct, Onyx pulled the top of her shawl up over her head and face and tied it into a hood, effectively hiding both her face and wings from the sight of any other creature. Then she waited. She wasn't on the normal stretch of shore that she usually ended up at, instead she was in an area that was dominated by the shells of the old buildings and relics left behind by the civilizations before. Her dark clothing blended well into the shadows of the old wall she had chosen to hide behind, even though she really had no idea what she was hiding from. After a while, she heard a loud rumble in the distance. Keeping as still as she could, she watched as the source of the rumbling came into view. It was a small group of the old vehicles that she had seen so many of just lying around that was moving quickly down the road towards where she was. As she watched, the group started going slower as they entered the area until they came to a stop in the middle of the small ruins. They must be scavengers for the empire. Why would they come all the way out here though? Onyx thought to herself as the creatures emerged from the vehicles.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek did not know enough about Onyx to know for sure if it was normal for her to suddenly leave in this manner. Though, given that she was wandering alone when she found him, it couldn't be too strange of behavior. Indeed, Raldel did not seem too greatly concerned, so he doubted it was anything terribly important. After Opal left, Tarentek turned back to Raldel to continue. "Hopefully, your allies can mount a defense in time. Just be sure to warn them of the extent of our enemy's capabilities. I do not know if we could win direct, head on battles against them. Unless our enemy is far outnumbered, we would need clever tactics to give us the advantage. As for the three cities to the northwest, Amman engaged in trade with all of them. We weren't exactly allies, but it was rare for us to have any direct conflict, given our distance from them. Tel Nof is controlled by another group of my race, the Karisskan. We were civil with them, mostly. Jerusalem and Tel Aviv are both controlled by different races; they do look somewhat like my people, but neither of them are Karisskan. From all I have heard, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem have a complicated, and sometimes violent history with each other. Their people are almost opposites in how they behave, so I agree that it may be difficult to convince them to cooperate. It may not be impossible, but...they would need to believe the danger from this Empire is greater than their animosity for one another. Tel Nof is the smallest of the three cities, but there might actually be a good chance of convincing them to aid in the defense. If...I were to speak to them, the fact that I am Karisskan might give me more credibility." Tarentek explained.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I could have a group of sentries go with you there, if you can show the way. As for Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Unless you believe that you could negotiate the truce between them, I know of only one person who is level-headed enough to do so." Raldel spoke with emotion barely contained in the quiet, matter-of-fact tone he was using with Tarentek, an almost unnoticeable quaver behind his words. "You should know though, to retrieve them would mean a dangerous mission into territory that is most likely already under the control of this empire." --- Opal breathed a slight sigh of relief as he left his father's den, and then immediately cursed himself for it. What was he relieved for? To be finally away from the Karisskan Tarentek, and back doing something that was actually DOING something. Yes, finding his sister once she's gone off on one of her little 'adventures' wasn't doing much, but to Opal it felt like he was doing more than standing around and talking about war tactics with an outsider. Opal could not understand how his father or even how his sister could stand to be near such a creature. He had been told that Tarentek was staying with Onyx until he recovered, however, except for some apparent dehydration and a few nasty scars, the Karisskan seemed to be in perfect health. "Healthy enough to stand against one of us, or even launch a surprise attack on Onyx or Raldel should they ever be alone." The words slipped from Opal's mouth before he could even begin to think that he could be wrong. Even when the thought did cross his mind though, he couldn't force himself to change his mind. He forced himself to stop thinking about his distrust of Tarentek as he saw the thin line on the horizon that he knew was the sea where Onyx always ended up. --- Onyx watched for a while as the scouts searched the area, gathering anything they had apparently deemed useful, and then place a small object on one of the walls of the ruin before they left, continuing down the road to the north. They must be going down all the roads to find all of the ruins and search them before they start trying to find the people. Onyx's thoughts continued to wander about the topic as she started flying back to her nest. She ran into Opal as she flew, who told her that her father had sent him to go bring her back. They flew back to the nest in relative silence, each lost in their own thoughts.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek nodded to Raldel. It would still be at least a few days before he would feel well enough to travel, but once he had recovered, he could take on the role of negotiator for Tel Nof. "Of course, Tel Nof is barely farther than Jerusalem, and they would be able to send forces quickly. It is the smallest of the three cities, but their technology is notably better. They regularly engage in trade with other cities, so as long as we are cordial, we should have no problem simply walking through the front gate. Getting an audience with their leadership may be more difficult, but if they are governed in any way similar to Amman, there should be a method to get a message to someone important." As for Raldel's next suggestion about finding people to broker a truce between the other two cities, Tarentek was slightly more hesitant, but nevertheless quickly came to a decision. "As for finding these other negotiators you speak of...if there is going to be a mission to find them, I would volunteer for it. Ultimately, it is my idea to even attempt to broker a truce between the two cities, and I would not send your people into danger without being willing to risk my own life as well. Where are these people you are referring to, and what kind of danger to you expect such a task would entail?" He asked.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "The two I speak of are my mate and eldest daughter. The last any of us had heard of them was that they had arrived safely at the nest of our sister tribe to the east, and shortly after then was when we stopped receiving communications from them." Raldel pulled a map out from a shelf on the wall and rolled it out onto the table, pointing to a spot far to the northeast. "This is where they should be. We don't know if the empire is there yet or not though." "I appreciate your offer, however i'm not sure I could allow you to go there. A small team of sentries would do just fine to go and find them, and you will be to busy to go anyway. Once you are well I expect to send you with a team to Tel Nof to hopefully convince them to join forces with us." Just as Raldel finished speaking, Opal and Onyx walked back in. Opal greeted his father curtly, and shot a dirty look at Tarentek before taking his place beside Raldel again. Onyx still had her shawl tied up over head so it created a hood, and her face was shadowed as she stood off to the side. "Nice of you to rejoin us Onyx," Raldel started. "Where did you go this time?" He didn't seem to actually be interested in what she would say next, and she knew that he wasn't. This was a normal thing for them, her father would absentmindedly ask her this every time she ever had to be brought back, and then the topic would be ended before she had even gotten past saying she was at the sea. She decided to play it differently this time. Instead she kept silent, at least until her father prompted her again, and even then she started with, "I'm not really sure. I was near the sea, but I didn't go down to the water like I normally did. Instead I stayed up the shore, by some of the ruins and the road that went through them." She realized that she still had her shawl in a hood and took it off to fix it. She didn't realize until she had got it back on right that Raldel was waiting for her to say more. "Oh, sorry I thought that was all you were going to listen to." Opal rolled his eyes and shot another look at Tarentek. "Well? What happened there?" "Nothing, at least for a while. Then I heard something approaching and saw some of the creatures that were part of the empire. I think they were scouting out the roads and searching for things to scavenge." Onyx finished and waited in silence for their responses.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "That's an interesting idea. We will have to look into that as well." Raldel started. "I believe that is all we can talk about now, though if you should think of anything else you may come and tell me. Onyx knows the times I am not here, she can lead you to me if it is urgent. It's about time you get back to resting, so this meeting is over." With that he waved everyone out of the room while he went about gathering small rolls of paper and other items. Onyx waited until the two who had gone with her father on their scouting mission left before speaking to Tarentek. "My father is right, you should go back to sleep. Would you like to eat something before then though?" She hadn't noticed Opal standing by her until he tapped her shoulder. "Sister, I leave you for now, but I do still wish to speak to you, alone." He said while looking at Tarentek. "Be careful until then." He called as he took off. "He doesn't trust you, although that doesn't surprise me at all. He's always been protective." Onyx started leading Tarentek back to her den, walking this time.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek could not think of any more to add beyond the suggestions he had already made, so he left with Onyx when requested. Now, he had a mission on the horizon after he recovered, which, as long as he kept up a good diet, would not take terribly long. Perhaps a week or two at most. Likely, he would recover from his dehydration first, as he had been able to get plenty of water since arriving in the village. In fact, now that he was out of the meeting, he resumed drinking from his canteen. "I could certainly use a meal, thank you." Tarentek responded. "I do not know if I could bring myself to sleep for the moment, but a good diet is all I really need to recover. In perhaps a week's time, these scars will be gone, my muscles will no longer be sore and weak, and I will be ready for the mission your father has given me." After pausing for another drink, Tarentek took on a concerned expression. "As for your brother, well...I do not think I expected trust. You were certainly not lying when you said your people do not trust outsiders; honestly, I'm surprised your father has been as accepting as he has. I am grateful he has, of course, as it may end up saving your people. I do wish I could gain Opal's trust, along with the rest of your people, really. If your father is giving me tasks, then I assume I am going to be with you all for the foreseeable future. Do you think there is anything I could do that might gain your people's confidence? I do not really know what traits or actions your people respect, or dislike, for that matter."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "That's good that you feel you'll get better that quickly, but I don't remember anything about you doing a mission. Was that something that happened while I was gone?" Onyx shook her head for a second and continued. "Never-mind. I don't think that matters much, If he gave you something to do, take the opportunity. It will give others a chance to interact with you, and possibly learn to trust you, though I suppose I should tell you that I don't completely trust you myself." "I understand that you're a victim in this, but I still feel on edge around you. Even though I've promised to help you, I suppose you feel the same about me. As for things you could do to gain confidence... You've shown that you are knowledgeable, and you are respectful as well. I assume that my father has already placed some confidence in you, if he is giving you missions, however your respect that you've shown him was probably what caused that confidence." Onyx thought for a moment about what to say next as they got to the center of the nest. "I guess part of my distrust for you is due to the fact that you pushed me into the sea right after I had given my promise to help you. As you could guess, I do NOT like water." Onyx twitched at the memory and took flight, staying near Tarentek as he walked.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek supposed he should not have been surprised about even Onyx's distrust. There was a reason that he had scarcely even heard of her people prior to meeting her, and that was not easily overcome. At the very least, she did have some good things to say about him, which was more than she could say about most anyone else she had met in this place, but he did hope that he could at least fully gain her trust at some point. Tarentek gave a slight grin upon Onyx's mention of the events at the sea. "Now, can you truly blame me for that...incident? As I recall, you had done the very same thing to me only minutes before, did you not? I would say that would be fair...although, I suppose such rules only really apply among friends. Harmless pranks were not that uncommon among my friends in Amman. As long as no one went too far, simple jokes like that could be amusing. I suppose it was not too appropriate in the situation at the sea, but also keep in mind that I had been dehydrated and starved for days on end by that point; rational and reasonable thought was...not exactly my strongsuit at that moment. For what it is worth, I apologize." After a brief pause, another thought crossed Tarentek's mind, which prompted a question. "You say that you do not like water. From what I saw at the sea, you seemed quite afraid after I pushed you in. I assume you cannot swim, correct? Is that common among your race? I suppose there is not much water in the area, and it does prevent you from flying, but I would still call swimming a useful skill regardless. It was rare that I had the opportunity, but when I could, it was a great pleasure to swim in the nearest river to Amman. Without that ability, you would drown if you fell into a deep section of water. Perhaps I could make it up to you by teaching you that skill? If your people have to retreat to the isthmus connecting this region to Africa, the continent to the southwest, then it is not farfetched that we may have to fight near the water. Knowing how to swim could be lifesaving." Tarentek offered.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "While it's true that most of my people dislike water for the mere fact that we are unable to fly if our wings are soaked, it's not a normal trait to fear the water. My brother Opal has been able to teach himself how to swim, and even dive. He likens it to flying, but you have to hold your breath. My fear is... not entirely irrational." Onyx wasn't sure whether to say the reason, but then decided that if he knew he might not try to force her into the water again. "Once, when we were living in a different nest, we had a river nearby along with a tribe of creatures whom we did not get along with. I was very young still, so I don't remember much of why we did not get along, but I do remember the reason we left. These creatures, I do not remember their name, attacked us. They knew that we could not fly when our wings got wet, so they gathered as many children as they could and dragged us to the river... I remember fire and yelling, and then I was under the water, unable to move." Onyx shivered and landed to walk beside Tarentek again. "I appreciate your apology, and your offer, however I think I'd rather stay as far from the water as possible. I can trust in people like my brother to save me if it should come to a situation like that, and Olias will not allow me to fall into water should I fall while in flight."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "I...understand your fear." Tarentek responded, his tone becoming considerably more serious. I know what trauma can do; it can destroy parts of your mind and make you feel things you know you logically shouldn't. I have had...recent experience with such horror, but even before that, I have seen its effects in others. War is rarely kind to its soldiers, and I have known warriors who have survived wounds that make them wish they had died. I suppose a disadvantage of my race's robust nature is how gruesome of experiences we can survive. Our bodies heal much more readily than our minds. I know trauma is very difficult to overcome, though not impossible. I have seen recoveries in the past, people who overcome their fears. I still believe you would benefit from trying to learn to swim, not only from the practical application of the skill, but from overcoming a wound of your mind. I believe it is best to plan for the worst possible scenario; in your case, falling into the water when no others are around. After all, when you found me, you were alone, and from the way your father reacted to your departure, I am assuming that is not too rare. Regardless, I cannot and would not force you to learn, but the offer remains open, should you ever decide to accept." Tarentek guessed that Onyx would not wish to remain on such a sore topic for too long, so he decided to move on, allowing his tone to become more lighthearted. "Well, at any rate, I am sure there is something else I can do, aside from saving the lives of your entire village. I cannot do anything too strenuous until I recover, but I would like to learn more about you all. I still feel like I know so little."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I feel like you know what you are saying, And I would like to believe what you say. I don't believe I'll ever go willingly into the water though, I like to be near it sometimes, when I go fishing or just because I like the smell." Onyx was glad that Tarentek had decided to switch topics, she could only think about this for so long... "What is it that you want to know? More of what we talked about last night?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "That...is a difficult question, honestly." Tarentek responded just as the pair reached Onyx's den and stepped inside. He found a seat as soon as possible before continuing. "I mean, I feel like I don't know what I don't know, if that makes sense. That is, I don't really know what I need to learn. Back in Amman, I realized even just talking to traders that the customs of different places could be greatly different. For instance, in a small settlement outside Tel Aviv, it is a great insult not to wear shoes around their altars. Something to do with their religion, I believe. My people have thick scales and do not need shoes, so as you can see, we very rarely wear anything on our feet, unless there is a specific, practical need. If I were to go to their village, the thought to cover my feet would not even cross my mind. I wonder if there are similar differences between our people?" Just as Tarentek did not know what to ask, he supposed Onyx would also not know what answers to give, since she also had no knowledge of Amman's culture. Still, there were certainly other ways he could learn about her people. "Perhaps, after I eat, you could simply show me around the village and tell me whatever comes to mind that you think I might need to know? Simply experiencing life in your village might help me to learn. Alternatively, I could just start telling you about my life in Amman, and you can point out anything you find strange, or similar to your own people."</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Alright, that sounds like a good idea. Is there anything specific you'd like to eat? I'm thinking that a Fish soup sounds good right now..." Onyx felt her stomach growl and moved to start gathering ingredients. While she did so, she continued speaking. "Obviously, there are a few places I'd be wary to take you, although if you simply wish to see what life here is like we can go see the market-place, or to Heillias' place of power." Onyx laughed as she thought about what might happen if they were to go to the shrine. They'd most likely run into a few of the children of her tribe, trying to find their future place among the tribe. "You might see something inexplicable if we go to the shrine, although that could be a good thing." The rituals that go on there often have strange effects on the people involved. Onyx remembered that once, after her tribe had moved here, She had gone there to find her place and did a group ritual with her brothers and sister, and that's when her hair turned black. None of her other siblings had been affected, so they assumed it was a blessing of some sort, though they still don't know what.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Go ahead and just tell me what ever you want to. I normally sing or talk to someone while I cook anyways. We'll go to the market after we eat." Onyx smiled inwardly at what he'd said about maybe telling her some of his recipes. "I would like to hear about the things you like to make. I greatly enjoy cooking, It's always fun to do and no two meals are ever exactly the same."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek smiled as he leaned forward, resting his arms on the table in front of him. "Well then, perhaps I should start with our food? There are some simpler, traditional dishes that go back to our city's founding, but in my opinion, the most interesting ones are those created more recently. The more trade we had with other cities, the more ingredients we could access from more places. My favorite dish involves ground meat, usually from our livestock, but you can usually substitute whatever kind of animal is on hand. Most will still taste fine. From there you mix in a selection of vegetables. Peas and carrots work well, or anything with a similar kind of taste. Lastly, it is all covered in your choice of cheese, also from our livestock, and placed inside of a sort of bowl made from a kind of layered bread. I wish I had some of these ingredients with me so I could show you myself how it is made. Some of it, especially the bread, I cannot really describe too well with words if you're not already familiar with it. Although, I might be able to take a look at the ingredients you have available and write down some recipes I know how to make from them." He suggested. When thinking about all of the foods he had tried back in Amman, he realized that many were made from ingredients that Onyx's people might not have access to, though that did lead him into his next point of interest about the city. "Really, many parts our city were like that. Connected through trade, I mean, and not just of goods. Ideas were a commodity as valuable as gold to my people. They could be valued in much the same way as crops, metals, or anything you might sell in a marketplace. Of course, some ideas were bad ideas and ended up being worthless, but good ideas were well-rewarded. People from other places were sometimes surprised to see that we try to apply customs from other places to our own lives to see if they improved them. Evidently, some other settlements place great value on traditions and are reluctant to change them, but for us, I suppose you might say that finding new ideas is our tradition. As I explained yesterday, knowledge and learning are central to our beliefs. Some cities and villages took offense to us using their customs, and I did hear some arguments from them that made sense to me about why they did not like it, but to refuse ideas that improved our lives would have been against our beliefs."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright While Tarentek was describing the dish, Onyx couldn't help but notice the similarities between what he described and one of the dishes that her mother had liked to make before she left. "First of all, that sounds really yummy. Secondly, I think I've seen my mother make that, and third, If you want to look through my ingredients, you're more than welcome to." Onyx smiled at the smell that now filled the den, a mixture of spices and fish. "The meal is almost ready, I just have to make sure it doesn't burn now." As she watched the food, she continued her thoughts out loud. "You say that your people adopted traits and traditions that would improve your life? While we don't have much contact with outsiders, we have adopted some practices. It's kind of a necessity for us because we move around so much. One that we had to get used to when we moved here was hunting more at night than we do during the day, because it is cooler at night the creatures we hunt don't come out until after dark, which we figured out after watching a rival tribe of ours that lived in the area."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek found himself watching the meal Onyx was preparing more and more eagerly the closer it came to being finished. He had never been so hungry in his life as he had been for the past few days, and it certainly showed in the way his mouth watered looking at the stew. Nevertheless, he was able to stay focused enough to respond. "That is sensible. The heat of the desert is quite prohibitive to some of its creatures. Although, the colder nights can be just as hostile for us. Usually, for the non-scaled races, their bodies make heat on their own which allows them to stay active in the night, but the same is not true for us. When it is cold, our bodies become cold, so we must rely on the world around us for heat. Many of our customs relate to that need, though I suppose you would have little reason to adopt them. Well, actually, if the night became particularly cold, you might benefit from our knowledge of how to stay warm." Pausing for a moment, Tarentek thought on what customs from Amman had originated from elsewhere. There were many to pick from, though that also meant it was more difficult to remember specifically from where they originated. "A lot of our practices were influenced by other settlements, partially or completely. The robes we wear outside have shifted in style to better keep out the wind, and are made from better materials like cotton, instead of hide. Earlier in our history, we bartered for goods and services, but from Jerusalem, we adopted their system of using coins for transactions. Their coins were fully accepted in our city, just as ours are in theirs. Some settlements sacrifice livestock to their gods, and while we have no need of that particular practice, we did learn that they tended to have surprisingly effective methods of breeding healthy animals, since many of those sacrifices require perfect animals. As for adopted practices that caused problems...oh, I can think of one. We adopted Tel Aviv's nesting habits. Our eggs have to be protected both from threats, and the cold for about three months before they hatch, which is quite similar to the Yaar, the race which controls Tel Aviv. They used a method of nest building that was surprisingly rigid and kept the eggs at the perfect temperature, which we of course adopted. The issue came with the fact that the shapes their nests form is an important symbol in their religion. Each nest becomes a sort of altar to their fertility god, so they took offense to the fact that our nests were not dedicated to their god. However, those nests allowed more eggs to survive, which meant that if we stopped using them, more of our children would die. That was something we were not willing to do."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I know how to keep warm just fine, thank you." Onyx said as she put the finished soup on the table, spooning it into two bowls and placing one of them in front of Tarentek. "I don't ever have to worry about being too warm or cold, my fur keeps me at the right temperature no matter what. Although, what do you mean by eggs? Your people are not liveborn?" Onyx had seen creatures whose young had to remain in a pouch or egg before they were strong enough to move about on their own, but she had always equated those traits with rodents and birds, not creatures like Tarentek.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Thank you." Tarentek said with noticeable enthusiasm as soon as Onyx placed the soup in front of him. He wasted no time in starting on his anxiously-awaited meal, which he found rather appetizing. In truth, he probably would have found almost anything to be appetizing at that moment, but he felt the soup was legitimately well-made. His focused shifted to the food almost to the point that he forgot to respond to her question, though he did manage to remember after a few moments. "Oh, yes...I mean, no. No, my people are not born directly from their mothers as some other races are. Our females lay eggs, which hatch just over three months afterwards. In the meantime, they must be protected so the child can develop within. I have not personally had the responsibility of taking care of an egg, but I had friends who had children. They described the experience as stressful, but rewarding." He said before giving a chuckle. "Although, that description probably fits having children in general, regardless of the race. In any event, some of Tel Aviv's people were angry with us, but the positive effects of our trade ended up outweighing the offense, so no war or fighting came as a result. Overall, we had few reasons to go to war other than defense. Some settlements fight based on their religions, but our gods do not usually call us to war. Indeed, our worship is quite different from many other cultures I have seen. We do not have temples, or rituals as other might think of them. I believe I mentioned this before, but knowledge is our worship. If one wishes to show homage to Jhala, they must seek to improve their mind. The closest thing to a temple in our city were our centers of learning, our schools. I mentioned several instances of our people taking influences from other cultures, but this is one case in which others learned from us. Jerusalem created a university after learning of ours. Well, I do suppose my people were originally influenced by writings from the Humans, but ours was the first city in this area with a university. So as long as they are able to fulfill their normal duties, anyone in our city can attend free of charge, even visitors. Well, if space is limiting, citizens are granted entrance before visitors, but no one is charged. Our university represents one of our government's largest single expenses."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx was glad that the soup had turned out so well, even if the topic of conversation confused her. "You allowed other races into your city, and taught them? That seems counter-intuitive to me. If you worked so hard to uncover the knowledge you are continuously seeking, why give it away? those outsiders could have used the knowledge you gave them to plan an attack on your people." Onyx shook her head and continued eating. "That is one of the main reasons we don't talk to outsiders most of the time."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Though Tarentek had not yet commented specifically on the soup, he was quite visibly pleased with it. He certainly intended to complement her on the dish, though as was common with his people, he would wait until the end of the meal to give his full opinion. As for the present topic, he was also quite eager to talk about his people's system of education. It was a point of pride for his city, and by extension, himself. "Ah, well, I should specify that some knowledge was considered to be secrets of the government. This mostly consists of the secrets of our weapons and defenses, including how to repair human weapons, creating gunpowder and ammunition, and building our fortifications. I am actually one of the few privy to some of those secrets, since they related directly to my role within our military. Otherwise, though, our knowledge is freely given to any who wish to learn. Now, it is true that most of the students of the university at any given time were citizens of Amman. Comparatively few outsiders are willing to come and live in Amman for the years required to receive a comprehensive education. However, they certainly exist, and we are happy to teach them. You see, spreading our knowledge through the world ultimately improves the lives of those who receive it, and eventually, that improvement will reach us. Settlements that learn better farming practices will have more food, those that learn better domestication techniques will have more productive work animals. All of this knowledge creates more wealth wherever it goes, and the common threads between it all are the people we educate. That is how the improvement returns to us. To learn what they need, these people spend years in Amman, not only learning from their classes, but connecting with the city. They become familiar with our customs, they form friendships with their peers and create bonds that give them ties to our city even after they leave. Though there are some exceptions, most of these outsiders become allies to us, or at the very least, remain friendly with our people. And remember, these people are creating wealth elsewhere. Those that become merchants often make trade deals with us that would not have existed otherwise, and if we are lucky, some of them will even grow to influence in their own cities. To us, educating someone from another city is to make a friend in another city."</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Would this, university, still be running now? The empire that has annexed your city will now have access to all that information, and even if they already knew about things like farming and such they will still benefit from the other knowledge that you mentioned. They could also use your city's ties to all the tribes that have made these interactions with your people to cause them to join their empire without any of them knowing what actually happened to your city." Onyx didn't like to think about how much smarter their enemy most likely was than her people, and she couldn't stand the fact that Tarentek didn't seem to be worried about it much. "Which scenario would be worse," She started, "If everyone were to join them willingly and never be themselves again, or if we all died fighting them and possibly stopping the spread of them? I can tell you now that all the tribes of my race, whether friend or foe, will not give their freedom up to this empire."</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Good. Would you like more soup? Or rather go explore the nest now? You may have more when we get back if you want." Onyx was glad to hear Tarentek's determination as she stood and started cleaning up her place. "Hey, do you know any songs? I believe I mentioned earlier that I like to sing while I cook, so do you have any songs that you like to sing?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Sure, we can explore the...nest, as you say." Tarentek said as he stood up from his seat. "You should lead the way. I am sure you will know much better than I where would be best for me to go. And I trust you will let me know if I am about to make some terrible mistake. Though, before we leave, I would like to take a moment complement your soup. I find that it was quite well-made." He said as he began to help her clean as well. Once Onyx asked him about his singing abilities, he stumbled over his words for a few brief moments as he was forming a response. "Oh, um, well...no, I don't. Sing. I don't sing. My mother liked to, but I never really picked it up. A lot of my focus went into my studies on technology, so I never really had time to pick up any musical talents." He explained somewhat nervously. It was true that he could not sing well, but it had not been for a lack of trying. His mother had loved to sing, and he tried to learn, but was terrible to start. He might have improved, but teasing from other children had stopped him from trying before he could gain any musical talent.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I get the feeling that you already have a sense for what to and what not to do, although I will stop you if you are about to do something offensive." Onyx had to force herself not to laugh at how he had stuttered in his answer about singing. She got the feeling that there was a little more to his reason than what he had said, although she didn't want to say anything about it. He'd probably tell her later if it was in any way important. As she lead him out of the den, another question crossed her mind. "Tarentek, I mean no offence when I ask this, but are you considered 'normal' among your people? I can tell you that I am not among the 'normal' group here. Most think i'm... lost."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek found Onyx's question to be curious, and unexpected. He had never thought about whether or not he was 'normal,' though that fact likely meant he was. If none of the others had any question about his place within society, then they likely had no issues with him. "I have not really thought about that before, but I believe my people would consider me to be normal. I am a warrior with knowledge and interest in our technology, both of which would be considered honorable among my people. Beyond that, I have not done much that would be exceptional. I suppose the most they might find strange about me is that I have not yet found a wife, despite being at the appropriate age. Still, that is not terribly uncommon." He explained briefly as his face took on a more concerned expression. "What do you mean by 'lost'? Do others among your people take issue with you?" Tarentek asked. Given all that Onyx had done for him, he did actually find that he was sympathetic to any potential struggles she might be facing.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "They don't really think that I'll be able to function as a part of the Tribe once I come of age, because I have not yet found my Niche." Onyx had hoped that Tarentek would have been in a similar situation, but what he said made her think that he was more like someone in the role of a Sentry, a heroic role that the people looked up to. "Currently, I am in training to be a healer, however healers usually have a stronger Soul than Heart." "I believe I had mentioned something about Spirit, Soul, and Heart last night when I had asked you about your beliefs. My Spirit is strong, my Heart is strong, but my Soul is weak, and Soul is what matters the most when one comes of age."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "I am not sure how well I understand." Tarentek responded regretfully. "Those concepts, soul, spirit, and heart, are not ones I grew up with, so I don't think I understand them in the same way you do. I remember you describing your soul as your 'eternal self,' but don't understand exactly how you can make it weaker or stronger. I will try to understand as best as I can, if you believe it is something you can explain in words. For my people, we did not have any sort of ritual to determine our role. In theory, our paths were chosen based on our greatest talents, but that was usually just following our parents' roles. After all, our talents are usually formed through what our parents teach us. The methods of your people are new to me; foreign." Tarentek doubted his answer was what Onyx wanted to hear, but nevertheless, he gave a smile and tried to elevate the mood at least somewhat. "But, as I said before, my people are always open to new ideas, and I am no exception. And as someone with an outside perspective, I might even be able to give some advice."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I am not sure if I could explain it any differently without distorting the meaning, but I can say that my situation is very rare. Most of my people, across all the tribes, have a weaker Heart and a stronger soul. They are harder to get along with, but they are better suited to leadership and making decisions that affect more than themselves." Onyx stopped walking as she spoke, while a thought came to her. "I also think I mentioned Fellagang and Heillias last night, although I don't think I said anything about them..." Onyx trailed off as she tried to think exactly what she should say. She didn't want to make Tarentek think she was forcing him to recognize them, but she wanted to be clear that they were not simply the meaningless fact that he was so used to learning in his culture. Then, the words came to her, a breathy whisper in her mind. "Yes, our Soul is our eternal self and the source of our strength when we come of age. A strong Soul is sought after and guarded by Fellagang and his minions, as he is the patron of our Soul, and a strong Heart is guarded by Heillias, the patron of our Heart. Fellagang and Heillias fight each other for the right to be recognized as the 'good' conscience, as they both are a major power on the decisions we make." "The only way to make a Soul stronger is if one is blessed by Heillias, where a stronger Heart is a blessing of Fellagang. They can only bless the other's patronage because that is the nature of their fight. One with a stronger Heart is more likely to listen to Heillias than Fellagang, where one with a strong Soul listens more to Fellagang than Heillias. They are both jealous of the other, so they are very unlikely to bless anyone unless their Spirit is strong enough for such a change to leave their loyalty unaffected."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek did his best to understand what Onyx was explaining. To him, what she described was a spiritualistic religion, a concept that was foreign to his people. Despite this, her beliefs were not so complicated as to make him unable to understand entirely. As she explained it, the soul and spirit was indicative of different parts of their personalities, with each guarded by one of their deities. That was actually reasonably similar to his own people's beliefs, though in the case of the Karisskan, Jhala imparted onto them their entire personality. He still felt that there were parts he must be missing, as any religion was too complicated to explain in a few short sentences, but he did have some thoughts on what she had said so far. "I see, so these beings work against one another, but both for your benefit. And a stronger heart means you are blessed by...Fellagang. You said a strong soul is important when you come of age, but I have a question about your heart. Namely, what are all the traits a strong heart bestows upon you? If a strong heart gives you certain traits, then those traits would have to give you certain skills and abilities that others do not necessarily possess." Tarentek asked.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I am glad you seem to understand better now." Onyx said before answering his question. "Well, our Heart grants us compassion and joy, along with love and loyalty. Heart becomes our agility and speed in battle, and a guide when we are unsure what to do. Those with a stronger heart are more delicate than those with a weak heart, but are often kinder than those with a weak heart." "I would not say that our Heart does not give us good traits, but none of them define a practical role in our society. Sentries and scouts, hunters and healers, and leaders are the fundamental roles that must be filled for a tribe to continue to survive, while the role of a prophet, merchant, or diplomat is unnecessary because of the leader's ability to contact other tribes and arrange trades like that. Most Sentries can play the role of a merchant if needed, and prophets are practically nonexistent once you are this far from the hearth of our people."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "You know, I believe I might disagree with that." Tarentek commented, casting his gaze across the village as they walked along in order to observe his surroundings. He did not know for how long her people had been living essentially alone in these mountains, but he had the feeling that they would not be able to maintain their isolation forever. "The way your people live, it seems to have worked for you. Even without those roles you just mentioned, your people have survived and, normally, would probably continue doing so. However, with this Empire approaching, I have a feeling that the wave of change is going to come crashing down over this place, and every other settlement in this area. No matter how events unfold, I see no way that any city is going to remain untouched. I do not know if I told you, but that mission your father assigned me is to go to Tel Nof, with an escort, and negotiate on behalf of your people to secure their aid in the coming war. From all I have gathered, that is something that has never happened with your tribe, or if it has, no one has mentioned it." Tarentek looked back to Onyx with an encouraging expression. "This problem you face, with your heart being stronger than your soul, it may just be a sign of things to come. You people might not have traditionally needed the roles you are suited for, but as change sweeps the land, your people may find themselves in dire need of people like you. After all, if it were anyone else from your tribe who had found me, I doubt they would have saved me. You would not have received my warning, and you would be left to face our enemy alone, with no time to seek help from even your own kin."</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx couldn't stop herself from staring at Tarentek as they walked. Her father wants him to play the role of a diplomat!? "Y-you make a valid point, however that would imply that Fellagang and Heillias knew this was going to happen by the time of my birth, and that is not possible. Only Olias can tell the events of the future, but Olias never tells Fellagang or Heillias anything of what they see. Only Spirits of the past may guide the Spirit of the future." Onyx sighed and took a deep breath before continuing. "One thing I think I've realized by talking with you about this is that I probably am destined to be a Prophet or a Diplomat like my mother is. I will have to go to Fellagang's place of power and ask him for guidance to be sure, however I have a feeling in my heart that I am right." Onyx stopped talking and led Tarentek the rest of the way to the marketplace in silence. The marketplace was one of the most confusing things Onyx had ever experienced in her life, and it was all because of wings. Everyone in the market was almost always an Elissic, because of the aversion her race had towards outsiders they rarely appeared there, however the living mosaic of multi-colored wings made it just as confusing as if every person there was a different race altogether.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek was not sure if his counsel was helpful or not. On the one hand, she explained more about her beliefs that made her seem as if she was skeptical, but on the other, she also seemed to accept it in the end. In any case, he believed he had said all his limited knowledge would allow him to, so they were silent for the remainder of the walk to the market. As with most markets, this one was crowded, at least in comparison to the rest of the village. Being that Amman was a sizable city, he was accustomed to large crowds, but this one looked a fair amount more spectacular simply because of the people themselves. Tarentek had been unaware that Onyx's people could show such a variety of bright colors in their wings. While perhaps not conducive to camouflage, their multicolored wings made his own race seem bland by comparison. This was the first time he had been in a crowd of her people, so Tarentek glanced over to Onyx somewhat nervously. "So...are there specific people in the market you think I should see, or should we just wander? Either way, it might be best for you to lead."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I have a few things I've been looking for, so we'll visit with those traders first. After that we can wander around for awhile if you like." Onyx started leading him through the crowd, pointing out traders she knew and what they normally had with them. She noticed after a little bit that even though everyone was being nice to her like normal, they seemed to be trying to avoid talking to her, as she was the one calling out to each of them. Onyx hoped that Tarentek would not notice their actions, as they were probably only being like this because she was leading him around. "If anyone seems hostile to you I will tell them off. Most of these people are from other tribes who are currently cordial of better to us right now, so they may know who I am by my name." She said to Tarentek, more to keep herself calm than for his benefit.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "I see." Tarentek answered. Mostly, he had been observing the vendors and their products. Since her people restricted their settlements to only Elissics, they did not have quite the variety of trade goods that he was used to seeing in markets, but it was an interesting experience nonetheless. In particular, he found himself interested in their more artistic works. As he would expect, their style of art was much different than what he was accustomed to seeing. Unless two groups had extended contact, it was rare that they would have similar artistic styles. Just like the multicolored wings of their creators, the sculptures and paintings were filled with color, which made some stands into impressive displays. Some of Tarentek's people felt that art was not useful, but he personally believed that beautiful works that their own, practical reward. If Tarentek actually had anything of value that he did not need, he might have even traded for one. After a few moments Tarentek shifted his gaze to Onyx once more. "I am not expecting trust, but...do you think it will ever be possible for me to gain it? Would anyone you know here even be willing to speak to me? Also, what do you think they know about me? Your father must have told them something, but I do not know what."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I would assume that he told everyone not to attack you at least, although I am unsure about the extent of any other interaction he would have specified. The people of my tribe, the ones with golden-brown wings here, might not be as willing to speak to you as much as the people of other tribes because they may feel that you are less obtrusive because they don't live here." Onyx hoped that her explanation made sense, that those living here would rather avoid talking to him because of their distrust. "Here's one of my favorite stands." Onyx led Tarentek over to a stand that had dried herbs and sculptures made of sweet-smelling wax. Greeting the trader, an old sentry of the Black-wing tribe, Onyx started looking over all of the statues. "Good day Jai'san! How have you been?" "Good as always, Onyx Bright. Do you see anything you like?" The old trader seemed to notice Tarentek then, and narrowed his eyes at him. "And who are you?" "Tarentek. If you got here before yesterday you would not have had any warning about him yet, Jai'san. I found him at the sea yesterday at about this time and- Here it is!" Onyx cut off her explanation and picked up a delicate-looking sculpture made of a light brown wax. "You always have a Honey sculpture, it just took me longer to find it today." Onyx was smiling at herself while Jai'san looked back and forth between her and Tarentek. "Um, you were saying?" He prompted her after a few seconds. "What would I have been warned about?" "Oh! Right, sorry. You would have been told that Tarentek was found near-death and is staying here to recover, under my watch. You also probably would have been told not to attack him." Onyx put the statue back on the counter and took out her med-pack. "I have my usual supplies with me, what are you willing to trade for the statue and a braid of dried Creosote?" "A honey-statue and Creosote? Hmm... Two rolls of bandages should be fine." After Onyx had finished her explanation the trader had simply nodded and was now watching Tarentek with curiosity rather than malice. "You remind me of the Karisskan, are you one?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek The trader's reaction to seeing Tarentek was initially no different than any other Elissic he had run into, but he was surprised to see that he was actually willing to speak to him after they were introduced. Opal had seemed unwilling to do any more than tolerate his presence, but as Onyx said, those from outside the village were potentially more accepting. He nodded to Jai'san before responding. "Yes, I am indeed Karisskan. From what I have been told, it is exceptionally rare for one of my kind, or any other kind for that matter, to be allowed into this place. However, there were...extenuating circumstances that granted me an exception." He explained. Tarentek was not precisely sure how much he should share about his reason for being here at this time. He understood that Raldel might want to avoid a panic, so revealing the full gravity of the situation might not be wise. However, giving a basic warning about danger to the east could save lives without risking panic if anyone intended to travel in that direction. "There is trouble in the east. If you have any plans to travel in that direction, I would cancel them if at all possible." He added.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Jai'san Simply shook his head before answering. "No, this is as far east as I ever go. My route comes from the southwest continent, up through this region, and to the northwest in an arc around the great sea." He smiled at Onyx as she handed him the two rolls of bandages. "Speaking of paths, the fact that you needed a honey statue makes me think that you have a better idea of what yours is now Onyx." "Yes, I suppose you could say that. I plan to preform a solo ritual at Fellagang's place of power at high-moon tonight." Onyx said as she gently placed the statue and herbs into her med-pack. "Will you still be here then?" "Alas, no. I depart at sunset dear. Best of luck, however it seems strange that you would ask the guidance of Fellagang rather than Heillias. Planing on being a merchant like me?" "I am still unsure of that, although I don't suppose that it's impossible." Onyx gave a small smile before continuing. "Good travels, Jai'san. May Olias watch over you." Onyx gave a small bow as she said goodbye, and the trader returned it as he did the sentiment.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek mimicked Onyx's gesture, then moved with her. From her conversation with Jai'san, Tarentek gathered that her personality traits were not quite as uncommon among her race as she initially said, though perhaps she was rare among her particular tribe. Tarentek did not know the significance of this ritual she spoke of, but it seemed like something highly personal to her. It was possible that it was some sort of coming-of-age ritual where she selected her path in life. The Karisskan had no such customs, but many of the races who traded with Amman did, so Tarentek was familiar with the concept. "I will be honest, I did not expect him to speak to me. Perhaps if I can speak to more of your people, I might have some chance of at least changing a few minds." Tarentek commented before his attention slowly shifted to the pouch in which she had placed her statue. "So this statue you purchased, it is for a ritual, you said? Will this ritual give you the answers you need about your future?" He asked with genuine curiosity.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Hopefully, yes. If Fellagang hears me, he may point out my path to me. Once I know that, I can begin to prepare for my coming-of-age ritual, not to mention that I'll be a step closer to acceptance by the tribe." Onyx patted the lump where she felt the statue was in her med-pack and smiled. "Honestly, I don't know why I feel so happy right now. From everything that's been going on I should be worried about more than just my own future, but I can't bring myself to focus on those thoughts." Onyx was silent for a moment and then spoke again when they had passed a trader she did not recognize. "Here, I will show you how to greet someone you don't know. Watch my exchange with this merchant, and then do the same as I did after we bow. I will still be there, so I can introduce you if needed." With that she walked up to the stand. The trader smiled when he noticed her. "Greetings! I am Haku Gil, of the White-wing tribe." He kept smiling as Onyx introduced herself. "Good day Haku'gil. I am Onyx Bright of the Gold-wing tribe." Her eyes glinted in laughter as she continued. "That's quite a name for a merchant." "You have quite a name yourself. Are you really so unpredictable?" His smile betrayed his laughter as Onyx smiled back. "Around here I seem to be. Are you always honest?" "I try to be, at least when it comes to fish." He bowed slightly, and Onyx bowed back. His stand seemed to be filled with stacks of stone slabs. They were not very thick, however the sheer amount of them was surprising to Onyx. He must not live too far away, or he is stronger than he looks.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Even if he did not understand everything involved, Tarentek was glad to hear that Onyx was happy with what she was doing. It would likely help her to go into the coming crisis with a clear head. It was not long before Onyx stopped him near another merchant's stall, deciding to instruct him in how to greet strangers. With the relative success he had experienced so far, Tarentek decided that it could not hurt to try, so he watched her closely as she approached the merchant. There were some words of her people's dialect that he did not understand, mostly names, but fortunately, their greetings seemed simple enough. At least, there did not seem to be anything different from greetings among his own people. Tarentek stepped forward beside Onyx, mimicking her posture. "Greetings, I am Tarentek, of Amman." He said politely, though he wasn't absolutely sure if he was meant to say anything afterwards. He assumed it was appropriate to exchange simple banter as Onyx had, but in any case, he would wait for Haku'gil to respond.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "And I am Haku Gil. It is nice to meet someone who is not an Elissic so early in my route." He paused for a moment before speaking again. "My name means 'Honest Fish' among my race. I will not attempt to guess at what your name means however. I do not wish to offend you." He bowed as he finished, an easy smile on his face. Onyx nodded and smiled at Tarentek. He'd done well, although it was normal to allow the trader to greet you first as a courtesy. She'd tell him about that later though.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "We are not Very kind to other races in much else we do, that is the same for every tribe I know of, however as a merchant I am a part of a group that is much more involved with other races. We do not have the limitations of heart that cause Sentries and Scouts to be so cold towards others." Haku'gil looked at Onyx warily. "Not that I think I'm better than a Sentry or Scout in any way." Onyx smiled at him and shook her head. "You have made no offence. I have not come of age yet." "Oh, really? But you're so..." He trailed off, squinting at her. "Mature?" She offered. "Somewhat." He went back to smiling at her. "So, you know your path?" "Somewhat. I have a plan." Onyx looked back to the stone slabs piled on the counter. "So, Haku'gil, what is all this? I seems rather strange to carry around stone slabs to each of the tribes." Haku'gil's smile grew even bigger, if that's even possible. He took hold of one of the slabs and gently lifted it up, revealing an array of beautiful pressed flowers. "These are my wares, although if you're interested in the slabs I can arrange something for those too."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Haku'gil's answer mostly served to create more questions for Tarentek. He wondered what role merchants served within their society, how many there were, and how often they traded outside of the Elissic tribes, but those were questions he could ask Onyx later. For now, he observed the pressed flowers after Haku pulled back one of the slabs. Even when he had nothing to trade, Tarentek enjoyed going to markets just to see wares such as these. The flowers were colorful, and many of them he had not seen before. "These flowers are quite brilliant, I must say. Some of them are unfamiliar to me; are they from outside the desert? There are not too many flowering plants in this area, and I have a reasonable belief that I have seen most of them. If so, then you have likely traveled to farther places than I have ever had the pleasure of visiting." Tarentek commented, though as a thought crossed his mind, his expression became slightly more concerned. "Do you happen to travel to the east of here?"</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Yea, these came from the northeast. It's a lot cooler there, so these beauties are everywhere. I decided to bring them with me to this region because of the lack of flowers here." He picked up one that was a bright red color and gave it to Onyx to hold. "These are one of the most common, so they're not worth enough to trade anything for. You can have it." "Really? You just said that because there aren't a lot of flowers here-" "There are so many of these that they're considered a weed by my tribe. They take up space that could be used to grow food or medicinal herbs instead. I'm happy to be rid of it, besides it looks good with you." "Well, thank you." Onyx put it gently inside her med-pack before turning back to Haku'gil. "So, your tribe lives to the northeast? What is it like there?" "Not as good recently. There's some trouble in the south that's been bugging a few of our sister tribes. Apparently, a few have even been wiped out." Haku'gil frowned and looked at Tarentek. "You sounded worried when you asked if i'd been to the east. Do you know something about this?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek was slightly surprised that Haku'gil was willing to give away the flower, though he supposed it was simply a nice gesture. Even if it was only a weed to his people, Tarentek felt that he would have been justified in charging for it. Something that had no value in one place could be prized in another, and traveling long distances was expensive and difficult. Even though anyone in his homeland could retrieve one of those flowers for free, he was still providing a valuable service by bringing them to a foreign land. Regardless, it was a kind gesture that seemed to show the sense of community the Elissics had. Tarentek nodded in response to Haku. "Yes, I know some of the troubles to the east. I was wanting to warn you of them, especially if you intended to travel in that direction. There is a group causing strife in that area, and it may not be safe to pass through, even by air. I am sure your wings can minimize the danger, but you could be in danger when stopping for camp."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Well, there's no need to warn me away from the area. I'm going to the south next, and I hope that this group is not there already. From what I've heard of them, they take what they want with no concern for the people who are affected, and have no discerning eye for a sentry or civilian." Haku'gil shook his head and smiled again. "I hope you also take care in your travels, Tarentek. Onyx, I wish you the best of luck in your future, and may Olias watch over you." He bowed as Onyx responded. "Good travels, Haku'gil. May Olias watch over you as well." She bowed as she finished and stepped away from the counter, waiting for Tarentek to follow.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek repeated Onyx's farewell, then followed her away from Haku's stall. He hoped that word would spread of the Empire in the east so that travelers would not fall victim to them. Haku'gil seemed to suggest that they attacked travelers, though that was only a rumor. Indeed, most of what Tarentek knew about their enemy that did not relate to their military prowess was merely rumor. It was frustrating to have so little in the way of concrete information about their enemy, but hopefully scouting could remedy that issue. "I did not expect him to be so friendly to an outsider, though I suppose that is sensible for a merchant. I assume that is one of the traits imparted by what you would call a strong heart. I am guessing I will not receive such a warm welcome from everyone, but I am still...encouraged." Tarentek commented as his gaze wandered off across the market. "So, what do you believe we should do next? We can move on from the market, if you wish. I am curious about the rest of the nest. What does one normally do in their free time in your tribe?"</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Once one is done with any duties they had that day, they are free to do whatever they wish. I like to go fishing, but that's outside of the nest, and because you don't have wings we can't just go flying around either. Usually, people of similar professions will group together in areas respective to their role. I would be with the one group that is still completely unpredictable, those who have not come of age." Onyx was leading Tarentek through the last of the crowd now, to a staircase cut into the mountain that led up to the center of the nest. "We are different from children, in that we can take care of ourselves, but we are not adult because we have not been accepted into a role yet." Onyx started flying next to the staircase as she continued. "This leads to the center of the nest, where most of the people my age gather. I don't know any better way to explain our activities other than simply showing you."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek did not quite know what to think about the group that Onyx belonged to: those who were not children, but not yet adults. His people did not have an analogous group, as children in Amman often knew from a young age what role they were going to pursue. There were some who changed their roles later in life, but they were the exception rather than the rule. He felt his own people's method would be more productive, but then again, he did acknowledge that some of his people became dissatisfied with their role in life, but could not change their path because they were already too invested in it. For the Elissics, that would not be quite as much of an issue. Nodding to Onyx, Tarentek continued to follow her up the steps towards the center of the nest. As he had not yet fully recovered, he was already showing signs of fatigue from climbing the steep staircase, but he was not too exhausted to continue. "Alright, I shall follow your lead. The others your age, do you think they will be accepting of me, or should I be cautious?" He asked.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Tarentek was almost to the top when he asked if he should be worried about the others, Onyx landed at the top and waited there for him as she started. "They wouldn't be much different from most of the adults, but will likely be too shy to try and pick a fight with you. I don't know if you're aware of this, but you don't look as kind as you seem to be." "You look tired, would you like to rest here for a while?" Onyx took flight again and continued. "I'll go ahead and tell them about you if you like. The place is just around the corner of this ruin." She gestured to a tall shell of one of the old buildings that were scattered all across the nest. "You can come when you've caught your breath."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek gave a chuckle as he sat down on a large rock along the path. So it was fear that was keeping some of the others from attempting to harm him? It was not his preferred method of staying safe, but at the very least, it was preventing anyone from getting hurt. Tarentek had no intention of picking a fight with anyone, and he would try to run if he could, but if pressed, he would have no choice but to defend himself. "Perhaps it would be best if you told them I was coming, instead of suddenly surprising them with me." Tarentek answered. "I should be fine in a few minutes. How about you go ahead and tell them what you need to tell them, then come and collect me. That should give me more than enough time to rest." He suggested.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Alright. I'll be right back." Onyx said before she flew over the top of the ruin. She landed softly, standing on a narrow strip of the wall as she watched the group below her. She recognized the different clumps of 3 or 4 that were friends and then the few who were off doing their own thing. Drifting down until she was next to a group that she usually joined whenever they played games that needed even teams, she waited until she was greeted before speaking. "Hey Onyx. You're quiet as always." The speaker was the 'leader' of the group, and a friend of Opal's. "Good day Daimos. I'm respectful, not quiet." Onyx had barely finished speaking before another one spoke up. "That's the same thing! Quiet until spoken to, that's 'respect'." The speaker now was one that seemed to consider herself everyone's friend, and was Daimos's sister. "You lack the guts to make anyone angry." "Why would I want to make someone angry at me? Kesi, your name does not have to define you. You are not meant to cause trouble all the time." Onyx couldn't help but smile at her as she tried to come up with a retort, but interrupted her before she could say anything anyway. "I hope you all have at least heard about what happened yesterday. You have to start paying attention to the tribe's affairs eventually, so the sooner the better." Daimos shook his head along with his sister. "Nah, we don't care about that stuff like you do. I'll worry about it once i'm a sentry." One of the others spoke up after Daimos had finished. "I heard about it, I think. Do you mean about the Outsider that's staying here until he's healed from an attack on his tribe?" Onyx smiled. "Yes, that's exactly what I mean Akili. At least you being true to your name is a good trait." She waited a moment while Daimos and Kesi made their objections before speaking again. "I have him with me, would you like to meet him?" The response from the group was immediate and hilarious. Damios and the other boys recoiled a little but then started getting exited, while Akili and Kesi stared at Onyx before stepping closer and asking her questions. "I'm going to go get him now. I told you so you'd all have time to prepare before you actually saw him. I've been showing him around and he wanted to know what we do for fun here." Before she heard whatever they may have said next Onyx took off, flying back over to where Tarentek was. "Hello again. Are you ready?" She asked him after he had noticed her.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx led Tarentek to Daimos and the others, who watched them the entire way. When they reached the group, no one said anything, so Onyx decided to do introductions. "Everyone, this is Tarentek. Tarentek, meet Daimos, Kesi, Akili, Geda, and Helaheim." Onyx motioned to each of them as she said their names, and each of them nodded or waved in responce. "Yea, and this is Onyx. Though I guess you know that already." Daimos said as he stepped up next to Onyx and placed an arm across her shoulders. "My name means 'King-like', so of course I'm the leader here. Onyx isn't really one of us, but she's good for when we need another person to play Felldan with us." He shrugged as Onyx forced him to let go of her to go stand by Akili. "Wha- Of course she's a part of our group! She's my friend." Kesi said to Daimos as she attempted to cling to Onyx's arm. Looking at Tarentek now she spoke coldly. "My name means 'Trouble'. Keep that in mind if you try to mess with me or anyone else." Onyx was about to tell Kesi off when Geda stepped forward and held out his hand to Tarentek. "Geda. Means 'Rock'. Nice to meet ya." He was immediately followed by Helaheim, who nodded to Tarentek but did not copy Geda's gesture. "I am Helaheim, and that means 'Guardian'. Me and Geda are twins, I'm the more talkative one." Akili was silently watching what happened, and made no move to say anything before Onyx prodded her. "Akili, your turn." With a sigh she gave in. "Greetings. Im 'Intuitive'." Leaning in to Onyx she whispered, "Is it safe to be around him?" "Careful Akili, he might hear you." Onyx whispered back before speaking so everyone could hear. "Now, I assure you all that he's more worried that you'll attack him than ant of you should be about him attacking you. He was near-dead just yesterday, he doesn't have the energy to waste."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek stood stoic through the introductions, trying to make sure he remembered each name and what they said about themselves. He had started to gather that the meanings of their names were important to them, moreso than with his own people. In Amman, names almost always had meaning, but since those names were given shortly after hatching, their actual meanings were not strictly assumed to apply to the individual. He supposed that might also be the case with the Elissics, but they at least seemed to speak of their names more frequently in introductions. "She is certainly not wrong. My wounds were severe, and it will likely be another week before I am fully recovered." Tarentek explained, though with his robe covering all except his head, and the very end of his tail that poked out from under his robe near his feet, the evidence of his injuries were not visible. "Fortunately, starvation and thirst were a greater threat to me than anything else, so I believe I will be fine. At any rate, as Onyx said, my name is Tarentek. Its meaning is 'Favored-of-the-Gods.' I do not know a great deal about your people, but I find I am learning much today."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Everyone seemed to calm down after what Tarentek said, so Daimos spoke up. "Well, Onyx told us already that you wanted to know what we do for fun here. Wanna watch us play a round of Felldan?" No one spoke against the idea, so Onyx began to explain the rules to Tarentek, as well as the point of the game, while the others cleared an area big enough to play in. "Felldan is a game involving two teams, usually having three people on each and the members of each being the opposite gender than the other team. It is exactly the same as another game, Heildan, except in Felldan it is against the rules to fly. There are two objects, one belonging to each team, that the team has to guard while attempting to take the other team's object as well. The objects may be carried or left i one spot to guard, but once a choice is made then that is how it must stay for the rest of the round." Akili Interrupted her then. "For example, if a team decides to have their object carried by a member of their team, then that team member is the only one allowed to carry and guard the object, and they can't put it down either. The round is won by the team that gets the two objects together first."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Certainly, I would not mind watching a game." Tarentek said to Daimos, then looked around briefly for a place nearby to take a seat. There were no convenient rocks like last time, but there was an area of the ground that looked to be out of the way. "My people do not have a game like this one, but we had other sports with similar concepts. I was quite fond of playing them myself, especially with my fellow warriors. Sports can serve as great exercise, as well as great team-building and morale-building events. In Amman, they were not something one ever quite grew out of. I think every settlement has at least one game they like to play, though I tend to prefer the ones that allow for a wide variety of tactics and strategies. This one seems to fit that description; although, I do not know exactly how it is played yet. I suppose I will see for myself once you begin, but I am curious, why is it that the two teams must be of opposite genders?" Tarentek questioned. Among the Karisskan, males and females were nearly identical apart from their roles in reproduction, so any sort of gender separation was entirely foreign to them.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "The teams represent Heillias and Fellagang fighting over the support of the people, or here the two objects." Onyx explained. "The team of males represent Fellagang because he represents Spirit, and the team of females represent Heillias and Heart. Back when the game was made many believed that males always had a slightly stronger spirit than females, who were believed to always have a stronger heart because of the role of raising a family." "Speaking of the two objects, what are we going to use?" Helaheim asked Daimos. Daimos thought for a moment and pulled out a knife. "We can use this as one of them." He said while Helaheim and Geda agreed with him. "No! You can't use a knife to represent the people! It has to be something that actually is like the people." Kesi cried. "Oh yeah, like what?" Daimos snapped back. "Like, something soft and beautiful, like me." She grinned at her joke while Onyx started to growl at her. "How can you be so...!" Onyx trailed off, not allowing her anger to get the best of her. "Oh, Onyx! We can use your shawl!" Kesi said, ignoring Onyx's growl. "It's soft, and the pattern is beautiful." She walked up behind Onyx fast enough that Onyx couldn't stop her from taking her shawl from her. "Well great. You guys have your item, what's wrong with ours?" Daimos said. "Maybe you should use a rock or something." Akili offered with a laugh. "There's no rule about what to use. The knife is fine." Onyx said tiredly. "Can we just start the game please?" "Yea. Just figure out what you're gonna do with your object. Game starts when mister 'Favored-of-the-Gods' over there says." Daimos called over to her as his team began to talk among themselves. Onyx motioned the others closer so they could do the same. "Can I please carry my shawl at least?" "Yea, but don't tie it around your neck like you normally do or those idiots will choke you when they try and get it away." Akili whispered as Kesi passed Onyx's shawl back to her. "That means me and Kesi will be working on getting the knife from them though. You'll be on the defense all on your own." "I've no problem with that plan. Daimos gave the knife to Geda to hold." Kesi said before yelling to the boys. "You better keep that thing sheathed! No injuries this time!" "Alright, I'm going to tell Tarentek to start the game now." Onyx said as she retied her shawl around her waist, just below her wings, and walked over to Tarentek. "Daimos wants you to signal the start of the game. Personally I don't care how you start it, just do whatever you want to. Most adults like to shout 'Felldan' to start it though." Onyx didn't wait to hear anything Tarentek may have said before going back to her team and taking a stance between Kesi and Akili to wait for the start of the game.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek still found it strange that Elissics could have different attributes just based on their gender, but as he thought about it, he started to make some sense of it. Male and Female Karisskan had the same average height, weight, strength, coloration, and most other physical characteristics, but that did not seem to be true of the Elissics. It was quite visibly obvious which ones were male and female, even tot he untrained eyes of other races. It was possible they had different attributes, which created differences between them in their culture. It was something he could ask about later; for the moment, he focused on watching the game. As the group was making their plans, Tarentek was a bit surprised to hear his name mentioned. For whatever reason, Daimos said he wanted Tarentek to start the game, though he was not really sure when that would be appropriate. He would have asked, but the two groups quickly huddled together, presumably to make plans for the game. Tarentek was silent and confused when Onyx finally walked over, and he remained confused as she returned to her group. "Felldan? Wait, what does 'felldan' mean?" Tarentek asked as Onyx was walking away, but he received no answer. With the two groups waiting for his signal, however, he had to say something. "Uhh...Felldan?" Tarentek shouted with noticeable uncertainty in his voice.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Even though he sounded fairly confused, Tarentek started the game well. Onyx could hear the hushed laughs from her teammates as they rushed forward to confront Geda. She was only able to watch their skirmish for a short amount of time however, because Helaheim and Daimos were beside her in seconds. Daimos almost got hold of the shawl around her waist, but Onyx sidestepped out of the way so he almost ended up falling on his face. Not stopping for even a moment, Onyx kept dodging Daimos until she accidentally backed into Helaheim, who then tried to immobilize her so Daimos could untie the shawl from her waist. "Onyx! We got the knife from Geda! Hurry up and give those two the slip!" Onyx couldn't see Kesi, but the victorious lilt in her voice was enough to make Onyx smile right in Daimos's face. "That's my cue." Onyx said as she ducked out from Helaheim's grip and started towards Kesi and Akili, who were throwing the knife between the two of them so that Geda couldn't get it back. Onyx nearly tripped though, because Daimos still had a grip on the shawl around her waist. Turning quickly, Onyx raked her claws across his hand, causing him to let go. She didn't smell any blood, so she knew she had only surprised him, rather than actually injuring him. Untying the shawl as she ran over to Akili, Onyx waited for Kesi to throw the knife to one of them so they could win the game. A second later, Akili caught the knife and passed it to Onyx, who held up the two items in victory. "Heillias wins this round!" Daimos, Helaheim, and Geda all walked up to her and congratulated their team, while Onyx gave the knife back to Daimos. Daimos shook his head at Onyx while the others started arguing about whether or not they should play another round.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek was not expecting the game to be a hand-to-hand skirmish for control of the items, though he supposed he could not think of any other way they would get control of the items. He wondered what kind of other rules existed for what one could and could not do other than what he already knew about. Obviously, they did not want to seriously hurt each other, but he was curious what kind of force was acceptable for retrieving the items. "Hmm, so the game is quite literally a fight for the items?" Tarentek commented from the sidelines. "My people do not quite have any games like that. We simply spar if we wish to fight, though I can see how this might be more entertaining. I am curious, what are the finer rules of this game. I gather that you don't want to hurt each other, but what can someone do to claim an item? That round was quick, but I did notice that Onyx used her claws at one point." He questioned. Competitive games in general were something that interested him, even one as seemingly simple as this. If he were in a better condition, he might have asked to join, but he doubted he would be very successful at present.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Well, there really aren't any rules past how the game is played. Any amount of force is allowed, and encouraged, in both Felldan and Heildan. Although Felldan tends to have less injury because of the no-flying rule." Onyx started explaining. "I, uh, actually prefer to play Felldan because of this fact." "Yea, what with all the injuries you got the last time you played Heildan, I don't blame you." Daimos said to her before joining in the other's argument.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "I see, so it is essentially sparring with another goal. I think I understand how that would work. Obviously, you do not want to cause serious harm to your opponent, but you do not go into it intending to hold back any more than necessary, correct? That does sound like a skill-building exercise, something I wish I could ask to join." Tarentek began. He shifted slightly to a different sitting position, feeling the ever-present aching of his muscles as he moved. "Unfortunately, I do not think I would last long at the moment. I will not be able to do any serious training for at least a few days. Perhaps shooting or archery practice, but nothing greatly physical for the moment. My robe covers my wounds, but they are...significant." He explained.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx looked at hom with concern. "Do you want to go back to my den and rest? I have something with me that can dull the pain if not." Onyx began fishing around in her med-pack until she found the pills she was looking for. "You can just take them with some water." She said as she offered the pills to him.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Oh, you don't need to worry right now. I didn't mean to say that I am getting worse or anything, just that I am not up to my normal strength. Rest assured, I am steadily improving. Though, I suppose it will not hurt to take the pills." Tarentek answered reassuringly before taking the pills, followed by a drink of water. "Thank you. If you intend to play another game, I would be quite content to watch, but we could go elsewhere as well. If you think it would be appropriate for me to participate in something, I think I would...enjoy it. It would just have to be something that is not physically demanding." Tarentek added.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Well, it's actually geting pretty late." Onyx said as she looked up at the sky. The Sun was getting low on the horizon, turning the sky a light orange color. "I actually haven't done any of my tasks for today. Would you like to accompany me on those?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Hmm, I did not know you would still have tasks to complete while you were assigned to me. Sure, I can accompany you. Perhaps I can even be of some help if it is nothing strenuous." Tarentek answered before slowly bringing himself up to his feet. It was questionable how much help he could actually provide for many tasks, but he was willing to try nevertheless. Tarentek gave a glance to Onyx's friends, who were talking amongst themselves. While they seemed surprised at first to meet him, they were at least tolerating him at the moment. Of course, they were young, and perhaps not as far set in their ways as some of the older members of the community. Regardless, his experiences with meeting some of the members of the tribe had showed him that it might be possible to be accepted by them. Although, he did not know for how long he would even be with them. After his mission for Raldel, he could very well be made to leave.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I'm never given very laborious tasks, although I seriously doubt you'll be any help to me." Onyx laughed as she began leading the way to a large ruin that looked more intact than many of the others around the nest. She stopped at the entrance and spoke again. "Wait here for me. I have to go in and revive my tasks. This will not take long." True to her word, she reappeared just moments later carrying a few small items that were wrapped in simple white cloth. "I have to do deliveries today. It might be faster if I did this alone though, and easier because some of the places can only be reached by flight. Do you still wish to accompany me?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek did not know what kind of tasks Onyx might have that he could not help with, though it made sense once she emerged from the ruin with the items in hand. She could very easily cover more ground, more quickly than himself, so he did begin to reconsider his decision to join her. As much as he wished to learn more about the tribe, he had no desire to hold her back from her duties. "Honestly, I probably shouldn't accompany you. It would be far more efficient for you to simply give the deliveries by flight. I will head back to your den. I was paying attention as we walked, so I know the way back, and I do not believe anyone will bother me. I will see you once you return." Tarentek answered. After the two parted, Tarentek made his way back across the bridges and down the paths to Onyx's den. Since most of the tribe flew to their destinations, it was not hard for him to stay out sight and out of mind. While he had positive experiences with the people Onyx introduced him to, he had a feeling that other individuals, such as sentries, would not be as open-minded. As soon as Tarentek made it to Onyx's den, he took a seat in the main room to rest after a long day of walking. Despite his condition, he wanted to maintain a minimum amount of exercise, so he hoped he would continue to be allowed outside. At first, he did not believe he had much to do while he waited for Onyx to return to her home, but as the scent of some of her cooking ingredients entered his nose, an idea formed in his mind. Onyx had seemed interested in the idea of learning some of his recipes, so why not simply show her one? He began to grin to himself as he lit a fire with which to cook, then searched through her stores of ingredients. They were not as varied as what he was used to, but there was plenty he could make in the time it would take for her to finish her deliveries. Eventually, he decided on something partially similar to the dish he had described before. She did not have everything needed to make the right kind of bread, but he could make flatbread for a type of meat pie with ground mutton, melted cheese, and a collection of spices.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx was slightly relieved that Tarentek had not insisted on going with her on the deliveries. They did not take too long, So when she got back to her den Onyx was surprised to find Tarentek cooking. "Of all the places you could have snooped around in here, you choose the kitchen? I must say though, that smells good." Onyx sniffed the air. She had no idea what it was he was making, so she went over and started watching him to try and guess. "Oh! This looks like what you described earlier! Or at least, something like I had imagined when you had told me." Onyx couldn't keep the excitement from her voice when she spoke.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek The meal was nearing completion by the time Onyx returned. He might have finished sooner if it had not taken him so long to find something he could use to grind up the meat. It was the one thing he needed which he could not locate by scent, so he had to guess at where he could find it. Hearing Onyx's surprise caused Tarentek to smile as he turned to look at her. "Not exactly, but it is similar. I though I would do something to give at least a bit back for the kindnesses you've done for me. I did not have everything I needed for the right kind of bread, but as long as there is flour and water, I can make flatbread. I'm making two personal meat pies for each of us, each with ground mutton, melted cheese, and a combination of spices you had on hand. It is fairly simple, though I did also add some spices to the bread as well, which should give it a bit more character. It is something my uncle taught me. It is all almost ready, I'm just waiting on the mutton to finish cooking, which shouldn't be more than a few minutes."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Ok. Do you need help finding any dishes or utensils?" Onyx wondered at what he had said for a moment, and spoke another question. "Your, uncle? I am unfamiliar with this term."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Oh, he is my father's brother." Tarentek answered as he checked once more on the mutton. "He was one of the few in my family not to become a warrior. He has been reasonably successful, all things considered. He wanted to own his own business, but he was never able to amass the wealth necessary, so he went to work for someone else, an innkeeper. Luckily, they got along well enough that he ended up marrying her, so his life is fairly secure at this point. Well...as long as they made it through the attack." Not wanting to dwell on the thoughts of his home, Tarentek quickly moved to retrieve the plates and utensils. "And don't worry, I found everything I needed well enough, though it did take a while to find something to grind up the meat."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Well, It seem a strange word to use to describe your father's brother." Onyx purposely tried not to say anything else about the subject, it seemed that Tarentek was beginning to worry about those he had left behind. Onyx wasn't quite sure what to do, she wasn't really used to waiting for a meal that someone else had cooked. "Well, It's good that you were able to find everything. Would you, like me pour some drinks? There is water, of course, but also I have some cordial you might like. It's non-alcoholic, made from fruit juice, water, and sugar."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Sure, I would not mind something different to drink. Perhaps in the future I could show you some of my favorite drinks as well, as long as you don't mind trying alcohol. I think the mutton is done, so I'll have everything ready in a moment." Tarentek answered as he began to move the ground mutton over onto two circular pieces of flatbread, then cover both in cheese. Once finished, he folded the flatbread over the meat to contain it so that it could be eaten with utensils, or simply with the hands. Tarentek set down both plates at the table, then took a seat himself. "It is ready; I am eager to hear what you think. I'm wondering how well my people's tastes transfer over to yours. We both eat meat, and most of the other things you have in your kitchen, so I don't imagine our tastes are too different from one another." He observed.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx poured two glasses of the cordial, and placed them on the table before taking a seat herself. The meal smelled delicious, but what Tarentek had said about tastes kept her from eating long enough to continue on the topic. "I doubt our tastes are completely the same though. Your people must have some reservations about certain foods that I definitely wouldn't have. Say for instance... You told me that your people are born from eggs, I know of a race that also is born from eggs that sees eating eggs as an abomination, while I must say I like the way bird's eggs taste." "Or even something as simple as raw meat. I can eat it just fine, although I don't know if you can so I've cooked all the meat I've fed you so far. Now that I think about it, My people have very few reservations about what we eat, so long as it's not rotting." Onyx stopped talking to take a drink of her cordial. It's not as sweet as the last batch I made... It's still good though.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx was slightly relieved that Tarentek had not insisted on going with her on the deliveries. They did not take too long, So when she got back to her den Onyx was surprised to find Tarentek cooking. "Of all the places you could have snooped around in here, you choose the kitchen? I must say though, that smells good." Onyx sniffed the air. She had no idea what it was he was making, so she went over and started watching him to try and guess. "Oh! This looks like what you described earlier! Or at least, something like I had imagined when you had told me." Onyx couldn't keep the excitement from her voice when she spoke.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek The meal was nearing completion by the time Onyx returned. He might have finished sooner if it had not taken him so long to find something he could use to grind up the meat. It was the one thing he needed which he could not locate by scent, so he had to guess at where he could find it. Hearing Onyx's surprise caused Tarentek to smile as he turned to look at her. "Not exactly, but it is similar. I though I would do something to give at least a bit back for the kindnesses you've done for me. I did not have everything I needed for the right kind of bread, but as long as there is flour and water, I can make flatbread. I'm making two personal meat pies for each of us, each with ground mutton, melted cheese, and a combination of spices you had on hand. It is fairly simple, though I did also add some spices to the bread as well, which should give it a bit more character. It is something my uncle taught me. It is all almost ready, I'm just waiting on the mutton to finish cooking, which shouldn't be more than a few minutes."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Ok. Do you need help finding any dishes or utensils?" Onyx wondered at what he had said for a moment, and spoke another question. "Your, uncle? I am unfamiliar with this term."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Oh, he is my father's brother." Tarentek answered as he checked once more on the mutton. "He was one of the few in my family not to become a warrior. He has been reasonably successful, all things considered. He wanted to own his own business, but he was never able to amass the wealth necessary, so he went to work for someone else, an innkeeper. Luckily, they got along well enough that he ended up marrying her, so his life is fairly secure at this point. Well...as long as they made it through the attack." Not wanting to dwell on the thoughts of his home, Tarentek quickly moved to retrieve the plates and utensils. "And don't worry, I found everything I needed well enough, though it did take a while to find something to grind up the meat."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Well, It seem a strange word to use to describe your father's brother." Onyx purposely tried not to say anything else about the subject, it seemed that Tarentek was beginning to worry about those he had left behind. Onyx wasn't quite sure what to do, she wasn't really used to waiting for a meal that someone else had cooked. "Well, It's good that you were able to find everything. Would you, like me pour some drinks? There is water, of course, but also I have some cordial you might like. It's non-alcoholic, made from fruit juice, water, and sugar."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Sure, I would not mind something different to drink. Perhaps in the future I could show you some of my favorite drinks as well, as long as you don't mind trying alcohol. I think the mutton is done, so I'll have everything ready in a moment." Tarentek answered as he began to move the ground mutton over onto two circular pieces of flatbread, then cover both in cheese. Once finished, he folded the flatbread over the meat to contain it so that it could be eaten with utensils, or simply with the hands. Tarentek set down both plates at the table, then took a seat himself. "It is ready; I am eager to hear what you think. I'm wondering how well my people's tastes transfer over to yours. We both eat meat, and most of the other things you have in your kitchen, so I don't imagine our tastes are too different from one another." He observed.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx poured two glasses of the cordial, and placed them on the table before taking a seat herself. The meal smelled delicious, but what Tarentek had said about tastes kept her from eating long enough to continue on the topic. "I doubt our tastes are completely the same though. Your people must have some reservations about certain foods that I definitely wouldn't have. Say for instance... You told me that your people are born from eggs, I know of a race that also is born from eggs that sees eating eggs as an abomination, while I must say I like the way bird's eggs taste." "Or even something as simple as raw meat. I can eat it just fine, although I don't know if you can so I've cooked all the meat I've fed you so far. Now that I think about it, My people have very few reservations about what we eat, so long as it's not rotting." Onyx stopped talking to take a drink of her cordial. It's not as sweet as the last batch I made... It's still good though.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Before beginning his meal, Tarentek tried the cordial Onyx poured for him. It was a sweet drink, much like he expected from her description of its ingredients. Visibly pleased with the drink, Tarentek moved on to finally start eating. The meat pie was partially encased by the bread, so he decided to forgo the use of utensils and simply used his hands. "Hmm, I can understand why a race might have issue with eating eggs, but my people do not. We tend to be pragmatists when it comes to our food...or anything, really. Eggs are tasty, nutritious, and convenient. Now, if you tried to eat one of our eggs, we would have you tried and executed for murder. Bird eggs, however, go great with a number of dishes. Now raw meat, that is something neither I nor my people would choose to eat. I have had meat raw before, but it was out of necessity. There have been a few times that my scouting team was caught out in the desert with nothing to use to make a fire, usually when a sandstorm was keeping us in shelter. During those times, we ate our meat raw, but I certainly don't prefer it. Most of the people in Amman have probably never eaten meat raw. I can do it, but rather not. It's not so much because of the taste, but because of the extra risk of disease. Eating raw meat, you will probably be fine, but cooked meat will always be safer." Tarentek explained. "As far as tastes we have that you may not? Well, alcohol is a possibility. You said your people do not drink it, correct? Have you ever tried it before, or is it just something you haven't had available?"</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx took a bite of the sandwich before speaking again. "Wow, this is really good! I mean, It smelled good, but it tastes even better than I thought it would." Clearing her throat, she continued on their topic. "Well, alcohol has always been available, but I've never tried it nor have I ever needed it before. Some of the elders like alcohol, they like to mix it with sweet drinks like cordial or cook with it. I've been told that when you cook with alcohol that it just cooks away, leaving whatever you made with a strange flavor, however I've never done so myself because I don't believe that it could all simply cook away." Onyx took another bite. "I have told you we use it as a painkiller, or so I believe I have, but I do remember telling you that it makes us as if we are dream-walking. As for cooked meat tasting better to you than raw... I suppose I could see why. I like both types the same, as you can do different things with the meat when you cook it, like this meal, however I find something..." She drifts off as she searches for the right word. "Intoxicating about being able to hunt your food, and eat it the minute you catch it. It always tastes good too, because it's still warm from the hunt. I imagine cold raw meat wouldn't taste as good, but I still wouldn't mind it."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek gave a chuckle. "Alcohol is intoxicating as well, though in a different way. As you've said, drinking too much alcohol can and will put you in a different state of mind. Some find it rather pleasurable and therefore drink specifically for that effect. However, one should avoid drinking if they have any kind of important duties, as it would make fulfilling them quite impossible for a time. For most who drink, it is a mostly harmless hobby, but some can take it too far and rely on it too much. I had a friend who was like that, but by Jhala's grace, myself and our other friends managed to help him stop. Though, it was likely his betrothed who influenced him the most." Tarentek appreciated the compliment on his food, so he returned one in kind for her drink. "I rather like this cordial. What kind of fruit is it made from? I think it tastes familiar, but I can't quite place it. In any case, sweet foods and drinks are some of my favorites. Some of my friends have said that I like things to be too sweet, but I don't think there is such a thing." He said with a smile.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx smiled at his complement. "Of course there's no such thing. It's plums, by the way. They grow in the oases near the sea, and are very naturally sweet, although I still add sugar to make the cordial." Onyx took a sip and continued. "What types of fruit do you like to eat? Plum is one of my favorites, although I like grapes and apples also."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "My favorite fruits? I rather like cherries, though we tend to have more pomegranates. Honestly, though, fruit isn't the largest part of our diet. When we are able, we eat as much meat as we can get our hands on. Just looking at my teeth can give that away." Tarentek answered, opening his mouth slightly to reveal his many long and sharp teeth. "It is quite easy for us to rip into tough things like meat, but chewing is a lot harder. We have to put in a lot more effort, and it is generally annoying. Possible, but annoying." Another effect of Tarentek's comparatively large mouth was that he could take quite large bites. As a result, he was already close to finishing his meat pie, though he was still perfectly engaged in the conversation. "You know, I would like to thank you for showing me around the...nest today. I understand you might not be able to do so everyday, but I appreciate it just the same. Perhaps later, we can do more outside this den. As I mentioned before, I will not be up for much in the way of physical training for a time, but perhaps we could have some marksmanship training later, or at least archery? I am not certain how many bullets your tribe has on hand, so I don't know how freely you can use them for training. Sometimes, I forget that most settlements have not discovered how to make ammunition for firearms. It requires specialized knowledge that Amman's leadership was intent on keeping a closely guarded secret."</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Not many of us have relics like that, If we need a ranged weapon we prefer something like a bow or slingshot. They're easier for us to aim in the air, and we don't have many relics of that type in the first place, so bows are more accessible. I prefer more, reliable, methods of fighting however; like hand-to-hand and fighting with knives and daggers. I can throw the knives if needed, but I prefer to know that the enemy can't deflect my attacks." Onyx was glad that Tarentek had enjoyed their little outing. "If you wish, I could show you the training grounds tomorrow. There might even be a spare bow that's your size that you could use." Onyx looked at the sky for a moment. "I didn't notice, it's dark now. You should rest after you finish eating, I have something I need to do on my own by moon-high though, so I should probably leave soon." Onyx hurried to finish the meal and then she went around the den, gathering the things she would need to bring with her. "I'll do some cleaning when I get back. Try to be asleep by then though, there's some medicine on the table by your bed to help you sleep if you need."</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Not many of us have relics like that, If we need a ranged weapon we prefer something like a bow or slingshot. They're easier for us to aim in the air, and we don't have many relics of that type in the first place, so bows are more accessible. I prefer more, reliable, methods of fighting however; like hand-to-hand and fighting with knives and daggers. I can throw the knives if needed, but I prefer to know that the enemy can't deflect my attacks." Onyx was glad that Tarentek had enjoyed their little outing. "If you wish, I could show you the training grounds tomorrow. There might even be a spare bow that's your size that you could use." Onyx looked at the sky for a moment. "I didn't notice, it's dark now. You should rest after you finish eating, I have something I need to do on my own by moon-high though, so I should probably leave soon." Onyx hurried to finish the meal and then she went around the den, gathering the things she would need to bring with her. "I'll do some cleaning when I get back. Try to be asleep by then though, there's some medicine on the table by your bed to help you sleep if you need."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek nodded as Onyx spoke. He had finished his food and was now taking his time on the rest of his cordial while they finished their conversation. "I see. It makes sense that you would gravitate towards that which you know will work. Though, firearms can be reliable as well, if you have all of the knowledge necessary to sustain them. They can kill more efficiently and at longer ranges than any bow or blade. Our enemy certainly has the ability to maintain their weapons and supply ammunition, which is one reason we have to approach them cautiously. It would be useful if us and our allies had the same capabilities. I have taken an oath that I would never betray the secrets of my people, but now..." He began, his voice trailing off as his mind filled with conflicting questions. Both of them finished their meals, so Onyx began gathering up all she would need for what Tarentek assumed to be the ritual she intended to perform. "Well, if you say your handguns are not reliable, I might be able to help. Sand can give any firearm problems; some more than others. It can wear down its parts and cause it to jam, but I've had a lot of practice fixing them." Tarentek offered as Onyx was getting ready to leave. "For now, though, I'll let you get on your way. I think I'll take your advice and get to sleep. I do need rest, after all. Good luck with all you need to do." Tarentek returned to his room as Onyx was leaving. He almost had not noticed how tired he really was, given that he had been feeling fatigued pretty much constantly for the past few days. Still, it wasn't quite as bad as the previous day, and his health would only get better. Tarentek undressed and stored his belongings in the same place as the previous night, alongside his rifle. He had not brought his firearm out with him that day so as to avoid seeming threatening to the rest of Onyx's tribe, though he had been carrying his machete under his robe. He did not like to be completely unarmed if he could help it, and a machete could be a generally useful tool for purposes other than fighting. Just like the night before, it did not take long after Tarentek laid down for him to get to sleep.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx got to Fellagang's place of power in just a few minutes. She was somewhat glad that there was no one there still, even though it wouldn't have been a problem if there were. She entered the shrine, an old ruin that was visibly in much better condition than any of the other structures in the nest that had been left behind by the ones before her people. The building itself was made of metal, rather than the stone that made the other buildings around the nest. Inside the domed roof, the singular room was enormous. There was a circular dip in the center, around which was a raised balcony that held the many offerings and mixtures of past rituals that had been held there. Onyx walked in and paused at the stairs from the balcony to the lowered section of the room, checking again for people. She still saw no one, although now the thought made her uneasy. She forced the feeling away and bowed to the center of the room, speaking to the night air. "Spirits of Olias, I ask that you guard and witness my ritual tonight." Standing tall again, Onyx walked the circumference of the room and tried to remember how to start the ritual. "Forgive my mistakes, and guide my actions." Onyx mumbled under her breath before she got back to the top of the steps down to the inner circle. Letting out her breath and forcing her mind to go blank, she stepped down and into the center of the inner circle and sat down. Taking the items she needed from her med-pack where she had put them to carry, she placed them in front of herself and began to arrange them in the way she remembered seeing others do when they had done a solo ritual. Onyx had a small wooden bowl, the honey statue and dried Creosote she had gotten at the market earlier, along with a few other herbs and some flint to use to help start a small fire. She also pulled out one of her knives and placed it beside the flint. "That's everything, now to wait for moon-high." Onyx glanced at the sky through the large hole in the ceiling that allowed the moonlight in to illuminate the room, and would perfectly frame the moon overhead when it was time for her to start. While she waited, Onyx prepared a little more. She thought about what she would say, and what she hoped she would hear in response, while she prepared the herbs in the bowl and the Creosote braid she cut in half, mixing one half of it with the herbs in the bowl and saving the rest to hold as it burned while she did her ritual. When moon-high finally came, she was ready. First Onyx lit the herbs in the bowl by striking the flint against her knife, causing sparks that caught the dried leaves easily, and then lit the end of the remaining half of the Creosote braid off of the small flame that was in the bowl. Once the flame on both Items had died, Onyx put away her knife and the flint, and placed the honey statue in the bowl on top of the now-smoking herbs there. Inhaling the sweet-scented mixture deeply, Onyx closed her eyes and began to speak. "Lord Fellagang, I seek your guidance. Please, answer me here, at the root of your power and link to our tribe, where I know spirits of Olias have gathered to bear witness to your answer." Onyx paused for a second as a small chill went through the air. "I recognize you, as I always have, the patron of Soul. I also recognize and accept that you have blessed me with a stronger heart than most, though I wish to ask what you wish for my path." As Onyx spoke, she could feel the air grow colder. She listened for a moment, and when she heard nothing she went on. "Speaking with the outsider Tarentek helped me to remember a story that my mother, a diplomat blessed by you, once told me about the times of the beginning of our people, when we were just learning the best ways to decide the role of a member of the tribe, and when the roles of diplomats, traders, and prophets came into being. Back then, we as a people mostly ignored Heillias as the patron of heart because of our perception of the usefulness of the gifts of our heart. He was losing his battle with you, as we looked more to you and to the gifts of our souls, so he took our souls from us." "Without the strengths of the soul, our leaders and warriors were unable to make decisions for the tribes and in battle, and many lives were lost due to this sudden weakness. As our people began to slowly die out, leaders that were blessed by you with a strong heart began to try and reach out to the other tribes, to negotiate an end to fighting through any means necessary, while others found a way to strengthen the tribes through trade between them. As Heillias had planned, the loss of soul had made us turn from you and realize the potential of the gifts of the heart. We continued in these new practices, staying strong but unable to get stronger, until the first Prophet began to travel between the tribes and explain the reasons for our troubles." "Many still disagree about who that Prophet served, be it you, Heillias, or the spirits of Olias. What is known is that with the message the Prophet gave, we learned of the battle between you and Heillias and of the fact that the one who actually strengthens our soul is Heillias, while you gave us strong enough hearts to be able to survive the absence of our soul. Thank you for that, even though once we learned that we began to look more to Heillias than to you." "In those times, we were nearly destroyed because we were too dependent on the strength of our soul, and with the threat of this new empire, we may be near destruction once again because of our soul. Those with strong souls, our leaders and sentries, have kept us closed off from the outsiders in a way that meant that we would become as we are now. Still fighting among ourselves as tribes and with the other races around us, and leaving us nearly helpless against such a large unified force as this empire." "One outsider in particular has helped me to realize this, and he also said something else, about my strength of heart being a sign of the changing of the world and the new coming necessity for people who have a strong heart. Fellagang, I know my place is as one of these roles, but which one? My mother became a diplomat, could I be destined for the same path? Or am I to become a trader like Jai'san and Haku'gil?" Onyx went silent as she finally noticed the heat in her hands and opened her eyes. The Creosote braid that she had been holding had burned down into her hand, also burning her. At first glance, Onyx could tell that the burn wasn't severe, it would heal by morning if she put some salve on it before she went to bed. The next thing she noticed was that she was no longer alone. Standing in front of her was an Elissic with pure black fur and wings, and unnaturally blue eyes. Before Onyx could say anything he knelt down beside her and took her burned hand, tracing the burn with his fingers. As he did so, the burn healed completely, her soft fur regrowing over it pure white. "I am a spirit of Olias, and I have been watching you. In life I was a Prophet of Fellagang himself, now I am here to tell you that you will be too." He looked her in the eyes as he said this and then showed her his own hand, with the same white burn mark she now had. He smiled at her and stood back up, helping her to her feet as well. "Now, Onyx bright, speak this at your coming of age ritual. 'Thine eye that shines as white snow, Blessed me my wings of golden heart.' It is your personal Caantam and will show that you truly do know your path." Onyx had so many things she wished to ask, but she could feel herself falling asleep where she stood. "Not falling, rising. You will find that none of this happened, and your words left unspoken bring you to the new day." She heard the echo of his words in the room, and opened her eyes to the lightness of the predawn sky showing through the large hole in the ceiling. She sat up and looked around, finding everything was as she had prepared it before she had lit the herbs, and also finding that the honey statue was missing entirely, though the sweet scent of it clung to her as if she had bathed in it. She silently and quickly gathered up everything, and left the bowl of herbs and the unlit Creosote braid on the outer balcony by the entrance before she left. She did not think as she flew back to her den, and she did not remember to do any cleaning or check on Tarentek before she went to her bed and lay, trying to fall asleep while the Caantam the dark Elissic had told her ran through her mind over and over.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright A sudden scream jerked Onyx the rest of the way out of her trance-like state as she lay on her bed almost asleep. Confusion and then fear went through her as she realized that it was Tarentek screaming. She fumbled for a moment with her med-pack and barely remembered to grab one of her larger throwing knives before rushing to his room. The door was closed, and he had stopped screaming by the time she got there, so she steeled herself and opened the door carefully and quietly. Tarentek was the only one in the room, and Onyx couldn't smell any blood, so she assumed that he was also unharmed. He was sitting naked on the bed with his back to the wall, curled up and crying. Hesitating only a moment, Onyx went to get a glass of water and another blanket, as she saw the one he had was torn on the floor. As she got back to the room, the stepped just inside the door and spoke calmly, sweetly like her mother would speak when Onyx had cried when she was younger. "Bad dreams?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek did not know for how long he remained silent after Onyx spoke, staring blankly at the scales on his arms. It seemed like minutes, though it could have only been seconds. His entire body was shaking noticeably from the fear his memory left behind, and each breath was uneasy. Consciously, he knew he was safe, but the more basic parts of his mind would not cease in their panic. Eventually, Tarentek managed to take in a deep breath, then focus his eyes on the glass of water Onyx was holding. Slowly, he managed to move himself out of his curled up position to sit normally on the edge of the bed. Taking the glass Onyx offered, Tarentek took a small sip, then began to stare into the surface of the water. "Dream doesn't really describe it." He began, pausing a moment to sniff as he tried to cease his sobbing. "It's like...I don't know what it's like. It's horror replaying in my mind, not so much a dream as a memory. It doesn't happen every night but...too many nights. The deaths, the pain, the fear, none of it is going away. I feel...broken."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Tarentek was obviously very shaken by the memory, but he had managed to uncurl himself and take the glass from Onyx, so she hoped he might be calming down. She noticed he was crying, but trying to stop as he told her how he felt. Onyx glanced down at the new mark on her palm, and a sharp pang went through her. She felt so complete since she had seen the vision of the dark Elissic, she could hardly imagine how sad and lonely Tarentek must feel that he would describe himself as broken. He had told her in passing about some of the events that had led to Onyx meeting him at the sea just a few days ago, although she had never thought that there was more that he would never be able to tell because of the pain and fear it caused him to even remember it. Onyx sat on the bed beside him and began to reach for his hands. She hesitated a moment and then forced herself to hold his hands in her own, looking him in the eye. "I don't know what your life was like before this happened to you, and I do not hope to be able to understand completely, but I want you to know this: The past is behind you, and so long as you learn from it, the horrors you've known will never happen again." Onyx kept holding his hands, and she could see the white mark on her palm as she looked at them. "I also think you should know that I'm here for you, if you need to talk about it, or you just need a distraction."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek At first, Tarentek gave no sort of reaction when Onyx grabbed his hand. He simply continued to stare into his glass of water, lost in thought and fear. However, he was not ignoring her words; in fact, he was listening closely. It was unlikely that simple words could fully fix his problems, but he would be lying if he said they did not help. A few weeks prior, he had lost everything, and everyone, in his life. He had wandered the desert in solitude, in constant fear of dying in isolation. It was a prospect that he had never known he feared so greatly until the danger was upon him. He wanted to have friends and companions, to have something to belong to. Without his people, he felt like he had no purpose. Currently, he still had no sense of belonging, but it did seem that one person at least cared about his fate. After a few moments of silence, Tarentek took in a deep breath, then tightened his grip on her hand as he finally turned his head to look at her. "I...thank you. I don't think this pain is going away, but I hate being alone. Knowing there is someone to help me...it is comforting. I appreciate your support. I don't know if I want to talk about what happened right now...in fact, I'd rather do just about anything else." He said, putting on a slight smile. "I think I'll take you up on that offer of a distraction."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx was glad that it seemed what she had said had helped somewhat. "Well, a distraction it is. I don't know how long ago I got back, but I do know it wasn't too long ago... It was just before dawn then." Onyx released Tarentek's hand and stood up. Holding her hand to him, palm up, she simply said, "I think you helped me to find my answer."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek leaned forward and inspected the white mark on Onyx's palm. He had no honest idea as to its actual significance, but by the way Onyx spoke, he assumed it had plenty of meaning. "Oh, so your ritual went well, then? That is wonderful." He commented, standing up as well. He started to stretch out his muscles to get a sense of his current physical condition. The weakness and soreness was still there, but yet again, it wasn't as strong as the day before. He wouldn't have quite as much difficulty moving around, so he could become more involved in whatever Onyx happened to be doing that day. "So, what kind of answer were you given? If that isn't too personal of a question, of course. I am not sure of everything that is involved with your rituals. Still, I assume this means quite a lot to you. I seem to remember that it involved your coming-of-age ritual, correct?" He asked.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx could barely contain her excitement as she recited the Caantam that the dark Elissic had given her to Tarentek. "Thine eye that shines as white snow, Blessed me my wings of golden heart." As she spoke the words, she heard a sort of ring to them, a sense of the power they held. She couldn't help but let out a small giggle as she spoke again. "That may sound like gibberish to you, but that's possibly the most important thing I learned from the ritual. I am to be a Prophet of Fellagang!" She smiled as she spoke the last few words, and had to force herself to stay still as she waited for Tarentek's response.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek From Onyx's tone alone, Tarentek gathered that this role she described, a "Prophet of Fellagang," was something to be excited about. He did not know if it was a class of priest or religious leader, or even if it was something entirely unique, but whatever it was, he was glad to hear it was something she was happy with. It had only been the previous day that she had been struggling with a lack of direction in her life, but now, it seemed she had a definite goal. "A Prophet of Fellagang, what does that role entail?" Tarentek questioned. "I feel there is a lot I still need to learn about your people, but whatever it might be, you look like you can barely contain your excitement. I'm glad I could be of assistance to you, especially when it leads to good news such as this."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx smiled at Tarentek and began to explain. "A Prophet is somewhat like a diplomat, and somewhat like a Sentry, and then again is also like a Rouge." She paused a moment, thinking how better to explain. "A good kind of Rouge though, the kind that helps all those it meets. A Prophet is a warrior and a teacher; they are more than just a member of any one tribe, they are a guiding force that have saved our people may times before."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Hmm, well then. Maybe that is a sign of the times?" Tarentek commented. "Our world is changing, and with this new threat, the kind of person you describe is exactly the kind of person we need. Armies aren't what is going to truly win this looming war, it's alliances. The ability to overcome differences, to speak with others and see beyond the selfish needs of each city and settlement. I may not know much about your rituals or gods, but I can say with certainty that the kind of person who would go out of her way, at potential risk to herself, to help a lizard in need like me is someone who deserves that title...even if you did push me into the sea immediately afterwards." He said with a chuckle. Tarentek stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, looking at her with a smile. "Congratulations, Onyx." He said sincerely.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Thanks. And, I suppose I should apologize for that... I thought you were threatening me then, and I did overreact a bit." Onyx took a step away from Tarentek and turned as if she were going to leave, bu then stopped and looked back at him for a second. "I'm going to make us something to eat. It's still to early to go out and about in the nest right now, but I don't think staying here for a little while would be too bad." She smiled and then added, "You can come out once you've dressed."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Very well. I might be able to be more active today than yesterday. I'm feeling a lot better, and as you can see, my scars have improved drastically as well. Just a few more days, I would guess." Tarentek commented, glancing down at the half of his body that, while still scarred, was leagues better than when she had first rescued him. Once Onyx left the room, Tarentek stopped for a moment and closed his eyes as he took a deep breath. All he needed to do was to keep thinking about the good news, and maybe he could avoid falling back into his memories. After a few minutes, Tarentek emerged from his room in his robes, and carrying his rifle in his arms. Taking a seat at the table, he set his rifle down in front of him. "I think I'm going to take this chance to clean my rifle. Jhala knows it needs it after trudging through the desert for so long. The sand really just gets everywhere." He commented and he removed the magazine, then pulled back the bolt and removed the bullet from the chamber. "You know, you were talking about the reliability of your firearms before; I might be able to help with that. After all, Human technology is my specialty. If I could take a look at your pistols, I might be able to fix any issues they are having, especially if I can find the right tools."</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Well, like I said before, we prefer bows and slingshots. I- I have a pair of relics you could look at if you want, but I doubt even you could make them work. They haven't since I got them." I only keep them because they look dangerous, and I could use them as a bluff if needed... Onyx thought as she went around the cabinets, trying to get an idea for what to make for breakfast. Finally giving up, she took out two bowls and poured cordial into them, mixing in cream as well and finally adding in some broken and dried pieces of flatbread. She placed one of the bowls in front of Tarentek, along with a spoon if he needed it, while she just picked up the bowl to drink from it. After she had taken a few gulps, she put it down and smiled at Tarentek. "This isn't really any type of recipe, I just decided to throw these together. If it were the season, I would add grapes too." She reached into her bowl, pulling out a piece of the bread and popping it into her mouth. The bread was crunchy, while the cordial and cream mix was sweet but not too sweet, with the cream accenting the fruity flavor of the cordial. "How about, once day has begun, we'll go out into the nest again and I'll get my duties out of the way first, bringing you with me this time?"</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I don't mind if you look around for what you need. I'll get my relics so you can look at them." Onyx stood and left the room, only to return a moment later with two twin pistols. "Like I said, I've not been able to get them to work since I got them." She put them carefully on the table before sitting down again. "You wouldn't be a hindrance to me today, I was only in a hurry yesterday because I have to get my job done by sunset." Onyx looked at the sky lightening through the window. "It's dawn now, that means I have plenty of time."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Well then, as long as I am not bothering you, I'll be happy to join." Tarentek commented, going back and forth between eating and disassembling his rifle as Onyx collected her pistols. Once his rifle was fully in pieces, Tarentek got up to look around for what he needed. Since Onyx did not use firearms, he did not expect to find proper supplies for weapon maintenance, but he knew enough to know some alternatives. It was not too difficult to find something that would work for basic cleaning, but it took some more searching to find something that would work as a lubricant. Luckily, Onyx's collection of cooking ingredients delivered what he needed, as grease worked as a fine lubricant. Tarentek started first on maintaining his own weapon as he ate. It was a task he had performed countless times, so it did not take long for him to clean and reassemble the rifle, after which he began work on the pistols. They were a common model, and he had maintained others like them before. Of course, there was no guarantee that he could repair even one of them. It did not matter how talented he was with the old technology if the parts to repair them simply were not there. He finished his meal, then cleared out the table in front of him to disassemble the pair of firearms, making sure to keep the parts for each separated. For one of them, it did not take long at all to determine the problem, as the trigger mechanism was busted. The other required that he take it apart fully, but the problem itself was actually something he had seen before, as it was a common point of failure for this type of pistol. It was not something he could repair without spare parts, but fortunately, there just happened to be an identical pistol right next to it. After about half an hour of examination total, Tarentek smiled once he saw that the parts he needed were still intact. "Ah, I think I have it." Tarentek said excitedly. "On this one, the trigger mechanism is busted; it won't so much as move the hammer. On the other, it looks like the recoil spring is worn down, which in turn put stress on the firing pin and caused it to fail. It just so happens, though, that the recoil spring and firing pin on the other pistol are in perfectly fine condition. I just need to swap over the parts, and it should work fine. Though, I suppose if you haven't used relics before, you'll need some practice if you want to start using it." He explained.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx did some cleaning around the den as Tarentek worked on the relics. She would have liked to watch him, but she didn't want to seem rude by doing so. She had been organizing stuff in the pantry when he spoke, surprising her and almost causing her to drop the jar of mixed spices she was holding. "Trigger, recoil, what? I don't understand the terms you are using, but I do understand that I would need practice. We could go to the training area after I finish my duties for today." Onyx walked back over by Tarentek and decided to watch him now as she to figure out what he was doing.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Well, if you do want to learn to use it, I would be glad to teach you everything you need to know." Tarentek responded as he began to reassemble one of the pistols with the new parts. This model of pistol did not have near as many parts as his rifle, so it was a fairly simple matter to put it back together. Unfortunately, there wasn't really a way for him to test to see if the weapon worked entirely without actually shooting it. The parts he could test were working, but he wouldn't know for sure until they reached the training grounds. Tarentek finished up reassembling the pistol, flicked on the safety, then offered it to Onyx. "There you go, it should work now. I won't know for sure until we can test it. There are really just two things I can think of that you'll need to have other than the relic for training: Hearing protection, and, of course, ammo. As I'm sure you know, firearms are very loud, and you can actually damage your hearing with them if you're not careful. With how large your ears are, you might be more vulnerable to them. As for the ammo, the bullets you're looking for are labeled with '9mm.' That is the size of the bullet. Now, I'm pretty much ready to leave, I just need to put the other pistol back together as well. It won't work, of course, but you might be able to find the parts to fix it later. Or, at the very least, you can use it for parts if the good one breaks again."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Hearing protection?" Onyx asked. "I've never thought about that before. Also, my ears are not large, they're normal size. Quite frankly, I'm surprised you can hear me at all, seeing as you have no ears." As soon as she said it, Onyx regretted her words, but only slightly.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "For your people, your ears are normal, yes. However, you do have larger ears than most other races, and I'm willing to bet that you have more sensitive hearing because of it. Very loud noises like gunfire could end up hurting you, especially when it happens right in front of your face." Tarentek explained. Just like the other pistol, it did not take him long to reassemble the broken one. There were still plenty of parts on it that did work, so it was not entirely useless. "And I do have ears, they're just...not like yours." Tarentek explained as he stood up and approached Onyx. Leaning his head to the side, he pointed to the comparatively small holes on the side of his head. "These are my ears. They do the same thing as yours, though I doubt I can hear near as well as you. My people rely much more on scent and sight. Anyway, here's the broken pistol too. I'm ready to leave when you are."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Thanks, I- I didn't mean to offend you or anything when I said that, but I was a little offended by what you had said." Onyx put the still broken relic on the table, and put the one that Tarentek had fixed in her pocket before starting to leave the den. "We tend to associate large ears with children, so by extension one with large ears is considered ignorant and unimportant, while what I said about you not having ears was also somewhat meant as an insult, however we only use it on outsiders."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek chuckled. "I see. We actually have some similar things among my people, just not with ears. Our ears are pretty much the same throughout our lives. Or at least, they stay about the same size compared to our head. For us, it is big eyes, or a small tail. Especially the tail. A lot of cruel children have bullied others based on that. Luckily, mine is about average, so I've never had to deal with that." As the pair stepped out of the den, Tarentek took in a deep breath of the fresh air. "So, what is our first stop?"</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I should get my duties out of the way before we do anything else, that way I won't have to worry about it later." Onyx said as she started walking across the bridge to the center of the nest, looking at the sky. There were only a few clouds there, but no matter what, Onyx still worried about rain. "Hmm, do you remember the way there Tarentek? I think I'd like to test your memory." Onyx turned and smiled to Tarentek, distracting herself form the weather.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek shrugged his shoulders. "Sure, I should be able to. I was paying close attention when you were showing me around yesterday, and I did manage to make my way back to your den by myself. I suppose I'll lead the way." He answered. Tarentek noticed Onyx looking at the faint clouds in the distance as they made their way through the village. Looking at her, it was obvious she was concerned, which did speak to how much water seemed to concern her. The odds of it actually raining were pretty slim, as it was not a common event in their area. Although, in the desert, whenever it did rain, it would pour so he could see why she might be concerned about it. He had gathered that their wings simply did not work when wet, which, for a flying race, would probably be a big deal. Luckily, Tarentek remembered the path through the village reasonable well. There was one point in which he nearly took a wrong bridge, but he stopped himself before actually guiding Onyx down the wrong path. Obviously, he could not find his way around to anywhere in the village just yet, but he could find a few places they had already been to, and the center of the village was no exception. After a few minutes, they were once again on the mountain path up to the village center. "See, I told you I could find the way. And this time, I'm not walking myself into exhaustion."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Huh, so I guess I forgot to show you the shortcut yesterday." Onyx smiled at Tarentek once he had stopped. "I had honestly thought you were lost for quite a while there, although it's understandable I suppose." Now Onyx could barely hold back her laughter. They were standing at the base of the staircase that they had taken the day before to get up to where Onyx had played Felldan with Daimos and his group the day before, which certainly was one way to get to the center of the nest. "This path works fine, but it would tire you out more quickly because you can't fly up the stairs like we can. I will show you the connecting bridge later, on the way back. If you would like, I can carry you up the stairs now, so you won't tire yourself out yet. I'm serious about wanting you to come with me on my duties today." Onyx dropped the laughing tone in her voice and waited patiently for Tarentek's response.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Well...I'm not psychic." Tarentek said, crossing his arms and looking away from Onyx in a joking protest, though keeping a smile on his face. "At least I got us here. If I'm here long enough, I'll learn my way around. There are a lot of bridges to remember, but I'm sure it can't be too complicated." When Onyx mentioned flying him up the staircase, Tarentek immediately tensed up. Almost on reaction, he glanced down over the edge of the path at the valley beneath them. He gulped, and answered nervously. "F-fly up? Oh, um, well that's not really...necessary. Really. I have a lot more energy than before. W-we can walk, I'll let you lead the way."</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx saw his body tense, and instead of reacting kindly like she should have, Onyx almost hissed her words at him. "Oh, seriously? Last time I dropped you, It was on purpose. Are you doubting my strength?" A few seconds passed, and Onyx was able to calm down. She was sure she still looked a little too angry at him, so she tried to lighten her expression. "Alright, I didn't think before I said that. Although I am a little miffed at you right now." Onyx flew up to a step quite a ways above Tarentek and landed there, turning to speak to him again. "I'll meet you at the top." As soon as she said it, she took off again, disappearing over the ridge at the top.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright As Onyx stood at the top of the ridge, she calmed herself down by watching the few clouds in the sky float by on the wind. When Tarentek made it to the top of the ridge, she was going to say that she didn't care anymore, but he spoke before she could. Afraid of heights? But... Onyx looked at him for a moment, trying to think what he meant, and what she should say next. He compared it to my fear of water... Oh! "I-I had no idea, I thought you had meant..." Onyx forced herself to look him in the eye. "I'm sorry. I misunderstood you." She bowed to him slightly, not getting up until he spoke again.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "It's quite alright." Tarentek answered. Her embarrassment was a bit amusing, but it did make sure not to laugh. "Seeing a vast expanse of nothing, or...well, everything beneath me is more frightening than you could imagine. My people aren't made to fly like yours are. Though, if I am going to be heading out with an escort sometime in the next week, I might be forced to overcome it. I doubt they will be wanting to walk when they could fly me there in a fraction of the time." Tarentek gave a chuckle. "Maybe we should help each other out? You take me out into the sky to help me get over my fear of heights, and I take you out to the sea to help you get over your fear of water."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx blanched at the mention of him trying to help her over her fear of water. She actually took a few steps away from him before she could stop herself, and she struggled for a while to make her response. "I- That-that..." She took a deep breath and said her thoughts as she let it out. "That is not possible for me. Not only would I probably be pushed to the point of fear that I might actually kill you, I might die too."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "See, that is why you need to try and see if you can get over it. If you ever fall into the water, you will end up panicking. If no one is there to help you, then you'll drown. I wouldn't want you to get hurt over something preventable...or, well, I wouldn't want you to get hurt over anything, but especially not something preventable." Tarentek said, shrugging his shoulders as he stepped forward alongside her and waited for her to lead the way. "Besides, I would be letting you torture me in the sky for most of the day, so it's not like it would be a one-sided event. That sea where you found me would actually be perfect for getting used to it. With how salty it is, I imagine you would be hard pressed to actually sink. Salt helps you float. You would be in no more danger swimming with me as I would be flying with you. I trust you in the sky, and I trust you could really help me with my problem. Do you trust me in the water?" He asked, his voice carrying a friendly tone.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright He sounded friendly as he spoke, and even as Onyx heard the reasoning in his words, she was detached, lost in a fragment of a memory. I don't trust anyone, even myself, in the water. I don't know if that will ever change. As Onyx thought, she slowly realized that Tarentek was waiting for her to lead the way. Before she moved though, she spoke the only truth she knew at the moment, being careful of her wording. "I feel that I should be able to trust you. I saved you once, why would you allow me to come to danger?" As she spoke the words, she found that she was trying to convince herself even more than she had been trying to convince Tarentek. Forcing the last traces of the memory and fear from her mind, Onyx started walking towards the building where she would receive her tasks for that day.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek The topic was obviously something that made Onyx nervous, but Tarentek maintained his calm composure as he walked alongside her. "Onyx, this isn't something I would force you to do, but I think it is something you would be glad you did in the long run. Not only would it have the practical effect of removing the danger of being near water, but it would let you conquer one of your own weaknesses. Imagine if you never had to fear the water again; that you could go fishing without the worry in the back of your mind of what could happen if you slipped at the wrong moment." As the pair walked up to the building where Onyx would receive her tasks, Tarentek stopped a moment and lightly placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's your choice, Onyx, and whatever you choose, know that I only want to help."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx shook off Tarentek's hand. She wanted nothing more than to get away from this topic forever, although that didn't seem very likely. "I think it's simply a bridge I will have to cross when I get there. Do you want to come in with me, or wait there again?" She asked a little more quickly than she should have. Onyx softly cursed herself for her cowardice under her breath, and then an idea came to her, a stupid, reckless idea that she regretted the second she said it. "I promise, I will try at least once."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek gave a genuine smile as he nodded to Onyx. "Thank you, and I promise I will keep you safe." He had given swimming lessons before, mostly to recruits who had never swam before, so he was certain she would come to no harm. Some of those recruits had been afraid of water as well, though not for the same reason as Onyx. In any case, since she had at least agreed to try, there was a chance she could recover. Taking a few steps forward, Tarentek turned his head and looked back to Onyx. "And sure, I'll go in with you. What kind of tasks do you usually get, anyway? Is it always deliveries, or do you think we will be doing anything else? He asked.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx nervously returned Tarentek's smile before answering him. "Well, there's no way to find out unless we go in." She walked into the building then, motioning for Tarentek to follow. It was a large building, at least from the outside. Inside, there were piles of packages, building materials, and barrels of sand in the main hallway, while the rooms that branched off of it were only slightly better. "Each room is where people from the different groups would go to receive their duties. As I am yet to come of age, but I am no longer a child, I go to this room." Onyx said as she stopped next to the door to a room halfway down the hallway. Not hesitating a moment, she opened the door and neatly shoved Tarentek in ahead of her, greeting the Elissic in the room as she did so. "Hello, Harp'la! I brought someone with me today, he'll be tagging along with me." Onyx spoke loudly, purposefully spooking the Elissic so as to keep her from reacting to the surprise of seeing Tarentek. Her trick worked. As Harp'la turned to return Onyx's greeting, her eyes simply registered her added surprise by widening, rather than her doing something that would have made one of the other Elissics worry about her, like screaming. "Herald of Heillias! Onyx, what- why? Why is a..." Harp'la stumbled on her words for a moment before she was able to speak clearly again. "Why do you have an outsider with you?" She stepped towards Onyx, but was looking right at Tarentek. "What do you mean he'll be 'tagging along' with you? Is this the outsider that was in your father's report two nights ago?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek did not expect to be suddenly shoved into the room, but he managed to avoid making any loud noises before Onyx managed to speak up. He largely ignored the general surprise of the woman once she saw him. By this point, he was used to seeing that kind of reaction, so he simply reacted calmly and politely. "Indeed I am. I am still recovering from my injuries, and I find that the exercise of walking around can be beneficial. As well, I would like to help out in whatever capacity I can while I am here. I do not like to accept a kindness without offering one in return. My name is Tarentek, a pleasure to meet you." Tarentek explained, keeping a proper, cordial tone.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx sighed. Not everyone could be as kind as a merchant, and Harp'la was a fine example. "Yes Harp'la, this is weird for you. No need to get overly excited, yet." Onyx walked up to Harp'la and whispered in her ear for a moment, and showed her the new white mark on her palm. Harp'la's eyes widened, at first with confusion and then with surprise. Before Onyx could stop her Harp'la had her in an embrace, not like the symbol of a promise Onyx had done with Tarentek, but more as one between friends. "Congratulations Onyx! Or should I call you Bri'nx now?" Harp'la spoke, laughter in her eyes. Onyx slowly shook her head and was about to speak when Harp'la asked a more serious question. "Who else have you told dear?" Onyx stepped out of the embrace, and smiled at Harp'la. "You are the third Elissic to know. The first was a spirit of Olias, who told me, and I was the second to know." Onyx laughed a little. "I intend to tell my father some time today, possibly during my errands if they bring me close enough to him." A slight pause, and Onyx continued. "Which, I still need to receive my errands. That is mostly why I am here, Harp'la." As Onyx had thought, the good news of her hearing that Onyx had found her path had completely changed Harp'la's demeanor. She no longer looked at Tarentek with anger or mistrust, only happiness. Now, because her first meeting with him is acquainted with a happy memory, she shouldn't ever be so towards him ever again. Harp'la snapped out of her stunned daze and rushed to a pile of packages in the back corner of the room. She took a few that were about the same size and handed them to Tarentek, going back to get a similar group and handing those to Onyx. "Well, you got here at just the right time. Those are rations to be given to the scouting groups getting ready to leave at the top of the east mountain. Each Scout and Sentry gets one package, if there are any left just bring them back here, and if there are not enough tell the extras to wait for their own orders." Harp'la explained with laughter in her eyes. Onyx answered her with a smile and a slight bow. "Understood Harp'la. Goodbye for now." Harp'la said good bye as well, and then Onyx left, motioning for Tarentek to follow her out of the building.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek held the packages he was given close under his arm. He did not know what they contained, though he doubted they could be too important if Harp'la was willing to entrust them to an outsider, even while in the presence of Onyx. Even so, he would make sure to take care of them just the same. After Onyx started speaking to Harp'la, Tarentek stood by silently while they conversed. After yesterday, he had to remind himself that not all of the Elissics were as friendly as the merchants, or young adults. Most likely, he would be spending a lot of time silently listening as others spoke. Tarentek mimicked Onyx's farewells as they left, then followed her out the building. Since he hadn't the faintest idea of where to go, he simply made conversation as he followed Onyx. "She seemed...well, she didn't yell at me, so she couldn't have disliked me too much." He said with a laugh. "So, I gather you told her about your experience last night? Will you be getting a new name or something, or will I always be able to call you Onyx?"</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx smiled before answering. "Yea, I told her. I figured that if I introduced you to her along with some good news, she wouldn't react too badly." Onyx had to think for a moment about his next question. "Well, I'm not sure if you should be calling me Onyx now. Yes, once I come of age anyone who is younger than me or of a lower status than me, who isn't a friend or family, will call me by Bri'nx. Anyone who is of a higher status or is an elder, along with my friends and family, would still call me Onyx." Onyx paused a moment and looked at the horizon to the west, away from the sun. "As an Outsider I suppose no one really minds whether or not you follow this rule. Depending on how old you are you could call me either name, I'd answer to both."</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx looked at Tarentek, confused. "You think Onyx sounds better? I've never thought of distinguishing the names like that. I've always thought of Bri'nx as better because it would show more respect when someone called me that than if they were to simply call me Onyx. I suppose most people's First names would sound better than the contraction of the two." Onyx started walking to the bridge to the east. "Come on, we can't just stand here." Onyx explained about the coming of age ritual as simply as she could as they walked over to the bridge. "The easiest way to explain it is to say that it is a ritual, but the largest player in it is the people and Olias. All those who are ready are in the center of a circle made up of everyone in the nest who was able to attend and witness. The ritual is lead by the leader of the tribe, and it involves the reintroduction of the person into the tribe with their second name and path, sealed by a bond of blood with your greatest rival in the tribe." When they got to the bridge, Onyx paused to finish explaining. "After that point the ritual turns into a sort of test of skills between all those who were just reintroduced, intending to show the ability they already have to fulfill the role that is their path. Depending on the role, the test is very different to each person."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Oh, Bri'nx. Bright, Onyx. I understand now." Tarentek commented, chuckling to himself as they walked along. Her explanation of the ritual did not seem too strange compared to any other ritual he had heard of from other places. His own people did not practice what others would generally call rituals, but he had heard explanations of why others did. Of course, those explanations varied significantly from place to place. "Hmm, so this ritual is a social event, but also a very personal one? My people do not really have rituals, so I am pretty unfamiliar with them. The closest thing I would say we have is customary celebrations for important life events. Marriages, hatchings, starting a career, those sorts of things. But, they aren't really the same. This sounds like a large event for the whole tribe, or at least a good portion of it. Though, I am curious about how you determine who is who's rival. Do you know who your rival is?" Tarentek asked. He glanced around at the people around him, not that he actually knew who it was these packages were supposed to be delivered to. For now, he had to rely on Onyx to show him the way. He was just there to carry some of the burden and provide conversation.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx kept leading Tarentek while they talked. "Yes, it is very personal, but it is more special because of the presence of so many in the tribe. As for my rival, I believe I know who it might be." Onyx paused for a moment. "The rivals have to agree to the bond as well, because they may see someone else as their rival. The point of the bond of blood is to tie those two together with a promise that no matter the affairs between them, they will always work together for the good of the tribe." They got to the end of the bridges, and now only had to find the scouting group. As Onyx looked around, she asked Tarentek a question. "You say you have celebrations for many different things, what are they like? Most of our rituals have a set purpose, so they follow a strict pattern and tradition that we rarely ever change."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek looked around along with Onyx after they reached the end of the bridges. There only seemed to be one, reasonably large group of people nearby, so he assumed they were the ones they were looking for. Since he was not sure, however, he stayed at Onyx's side to follow her lead. He thought it was an interesting idea for their rituals to involve bonding together two people who could be considered rivals. Thinking about it, he guessed that a custom like that could lead to less in-fighting among the village, though he doubted that was always the case. "I don't think our celebrations are too much like your rituals. There are very few that involve our gods at all. They are more of...social events, not formal like your rituals. Well, some of them are formal, but not strictly structured, I mean. Often times, these celebrations are private gatherings of friends and family members, but there are some that involve more of the community. For instance, there is a public celebration nearly every year for the students of the University who complete their studies. It is a festival, of sorts, with music, dancing, and if resources permit, a feast. Those who completed their training to be soldiers get special honors at the celebration, and luckily for me, it was a good year when I completed my studies. Plenty of food and drink to go around. My squad had a contest to see who could drink the most wine; I...don't think any of us 'won,' really." He said with a chuckle.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx was a little confused at what he said, but she was distracted from answering him by finally locating the leader of the group of scouts gathered nearby. The group was surrounded by another group of those who were saying goodbye to them for now, and standing slightly apart from all them was the leader. Onyx motioned for Tarentek to follow her as walked up to them. "Greetings Mox'lin. Harp'la sent Tarentek and I with rations for your mission." Onyx bowed slightly as he noticed her and he nodded in response. She watched him for a moment, but if he had any reaction to Tarentek, she didn't see it. He called out an order to the scouts in his group and they all lined up. Onyx looked at Tarentek for a moment and told him what to do. "Start passing out your bundles to each of them, and I'll follow with mine. Remember to save one for Mox'lin, the leader receives rations last."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek As instructed, Tarentek put one package aside for the leader, then began distributing the rest to the line of scouts. If any of them had any thoughts or opinions on Tarentek, they all kept them to themselves. The scouts all seemed regimented and professional, much like Tarentek's own squad had been...when they were on duty, at least. Tarentek passed out each of the packages he had to the scouts, then, once all of the others had received theirs, handed over the one he had set aside to the leader, Mox'lin. Being in the presence of soldiers, or the equivalent of soldiers, almost unconsciously caused Tarentek to shift back into the mannerisms his years of training had given him. He stood with completely proper posture, as if at attention, as he waited for Onyx to finish whatever else she might need to do. For anyone looking at Tarentek, it would be hard to miss the evidence of the years of drills and training that had driven themselves into the core of his mind.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright As they were passing out the rations, Onyx sensed a change in Tarentek. He seemed less aloof, but also almost seemed like he was acting out of habit as he stood off to the side after they had finished passing out the rations. Onyx put it out of her mind for a moment as she spoke with Mox'lin. There had been no extra rations, but there weren't any extra people either, that bugged Onyx. She and Mox'lin said goodbye, as they had to leave soon, so Onyx went back to talking to Tarentek. "Tarentek? We're done here. Are you ok? You seem..." Onyx trailed off, unable to really describe the strange feeling she got when she looked at him. "Nevermind. I think the lack of people here is just making me nervous."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek has barely noticed any change in himself, so he did not quite know what was bothering her. As they were walking along, his posture gradually began to relax. "No, I'm fine. I suppose I might be a little nervous meeting new Elissics, but they seemed professional. Soldiers are like that, the good ones at least. I knew soldiers that hated each other to the very core, but the moment it came to a fight, I had no doubt they would risk their lives for each other. I think there is something quite admirable about that, though I admit, I might be a bit biased." He laughed. By this point, Tarentek was back to his normal demeanor. "So the lack of people makes you nervous? I take it you like crowds, then? I know I was certainly used to them back in Amman, though being a scout also got me used to being alone. Usually I had my team, but there were times I had to be completely alone for whatever reason."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "You didn't seem nervous to me..." Onyx said under her breath before actually speaking. "They weren't being soldiers just then though, they were... subdued. It's also a lack of specific people that put me on edge just now. Usually, there are people who were not assigned the mission who will attempt to go with them, however this time there were no extras in the lineup. That means that all those scouts were actually assigned the mission, and they didn't want to be going either." Onyx let out a sigh. "I hate to say it, but they might be scared. They must be going to the east to find the extent of the empire." After she said it, she knew it was true. "I actually prefer solitude most of the time. Yes, I'm fine in a crowd, as you saw yesterday at the market. I just- There's a reason I live in a den separate from my family." Onyx shook herself and hoped to change the subject. "Well, would you still like to go to the training area?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Oh, I see. I understand. If you're right about their mission...well, I can't say I blame anyone for not volunteering. What they're being asked to do is quite a lot, but it is a duty someone has to fulfill. Depending on what happens, I may find myself in their position eventually. I am a scout, after all, and a soldier. I don't intend to avoid our enemy forever." Tarentek explained, his tone just as serious as Onyx's. Tarentek was glad when Onyx changed the subject. The threat they faced was not a reality they could avoid, but they could at least distract themselves from it, and in the process, perhaps prepare for it as well. "Certainly, now is a good time for training. I can teach you how to use that pistol, as long as my fix actually worked. Just get some 9mm ammo, and I'll teach you everything you need to know. I might even be able to do something more than that; I'm feeling better than before, and could definitely use some exercise. Sparring can be a good way to train, if there is anyone who would actually be willing to spar with me."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Any ammo for it would be in the storehouse at the training grounds, and I would appreciate if you would show me how to use it." Onyx was relieved that her change of subject had worked. She started walking towards another group of bridges. "We aren't too far from there right now, we'll be there soon." "As for sparring with anyone, I'd spar with you if you wish. Anyone else would probably use your fear of flight against you, as that is part of our fighting style, but I'll try to remember not to if we were to spar." Onyx paused a moment, thinking. "Actually, now that I think about it, along with trying to lose your fear of flight I could teach you how to get out of an Elissic's grip without either of you getting hurt."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek nodded. "I'll appreciate any knowledge you can give me of course, but...I don't know if I'm up for flying today. Perhaps...tomorrow? You can help me with controlling my fear in flight, then I can help you in the water. For now, I will just appreciate the exercise. After your lessons of course." It was not long before the pair reached the training area, which, of course, had others training as well. He did not know where the storeroom was, but at least this time he could pick out a spot on their shooting range for them to use. "I'll go pick us out a spot while you get the ammo. Remember, get the rounds labeled 9mm; it's what your pistol is chambered for. It's a smaller bullet that isn't as powerful, but it also doesn't kick as much as bigger rounds, so it should be easier to start with. Did you remember to get something for hearing protection? I'm not exaggerating when I say these things are loud. I'll hold my hands over your ears if I have to."</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Ok, flying tomorrow, and I suppose water also... I remember about the ammo, but what would you recommend for protecting my ears? I'd rather if you not touch them, that's just weird." Onyx laughed a little at her comment. "What am I saying? None of what's happened the past few days has been normal!"</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Ok, flying tomorrow, and I suppose water also... I remember about the ammo, but what would you recommend for protecting my ears? I'd rather if you not touch them, that's just weird." Onyx laughed a little at her comment. "What am I saying? None of what's happened the past few days has been normal!"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Anything that will block out sound will work. Some kind of earplug, or just something to go over them. It is hard to get an appreciation for how loud these things are without firing one for yourself. The reason I am as persistent as I am about it is that you can lose your hearing if you're unlucky, or worse. Some people get this constant ringing in their ear; I've experienced it before myself. And for races that don't regenerate like mine, I've heard it can even be permanent. Just see if you can find something in the storeroom along with the ammo, or I'll have to prove to you that I'm serious about just using my hands." Tarentek explained with a smile.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Ok, I'll be right back. Go ahead and pick out a target." Onyx said before going over to the storehouse that was connected to the training area. It didn't take long to find a box of the ammo, she put it off to the side while she looked around for something to put over her ears. After a minute she found a thick square of cloth that she figured she could just tie over her head like a bandanna and press her ears closed. Testing her idea, she sang a song as she tied the cloth around her head. By the time it was on, she was only aware of the sound of her voice because she could still hear herself before the sound left her body, but it was just that. She pulled the bandanna off as she finished the song and decided to test it again with Tarentek to see if it would truly work with the relic. She found him quickly and walked over. "I think I found something that will work to block out sound, and I have the ammo too."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek It had not taken long for Tarentek to locate a target to shoot. He did notice that he got a few looks as he was waiting, but no one approached him before Onyx returned. He looked over what she had gathered, then nodded to her. "Ah, I see. Tie that over your ears, I guess? It should block enough sound. You'll still hear it, but it shouldn't hurt you. The ammo looks right, so I'll show you what you need to know, then let you try it yourself. There were no tables nearby Tarentek could use, so he took the pistol and sat down on the ground, motioning for Onyx to take a seat beside him. "First, I'll show you how to load it. This is the magazine release." He said, pointing to a small button on the grip before pressing it to remove the magazine. He then started to take rounds from the box and load them into the magazine. "Loading the magazine is easy, just push them in one at a time. However, with a loaded gun, you have to be careful. Really, it's good to be careful with any gun, at any time. Make sure not to point it at anything you don't want to shoot, and keep your finger off of the trigger until you are ready to fire. I've seen too many accidents from people not being safe. Once Tarentek had filled the magazine, he reloaded it back into the handgun. Since it was empty, you have to pull back the slide to load a bullet into the chamber. Once that is done, and the safety is off, it will be ready to fire." He explained, pointing out the safety to her as he mentioned it. "Now, as for how to actually shoot, I will demonstrate. Grab it with your dominant hand as high on the grip as you can, then place your other hand over it as so. When you aim at the target, make sure not to lock your elbows, then look down the sights. You want the rear sights to be in line with the front sight. When you're firing, either hold your breath very briefly when you pull the trigger, or fire between breaths. It will help keep you steady. The latter is more effective, but the former can be easier for beginners." Tarentek explained, demonstrating each part of the technique in sequence. Before firing, however, he paused a moment and reached into the pouch on his waist. He had been wearing it when Amman was attacked, and while it had no useful supplies, there was one thing he always kept with him. From the pouch, he produced two small, tightly wrapped pieces of cotton fabric which he used as earplugs. "Okay, cover your ears." He warned before switching off the safety and taking aim with the technique he described. With a few pulls of the trigger, he put three rounds downrange, showing that the pistol did indeed work. The range to the target was not too long, so Tarentek hit accurately, with a tight spread. He was a marksman in his squad, after all, so hitting a stationary target was nothing too difficult. "Alright, your turn. Take a few shots and get used to the recoil. You might not be too accurate at first, but you'll get used to it." He said, flipping on the safety, than handing it back to her.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Well, the cloth worked. Onyx heard three loud bangs as Tarentek fired at the target, and barely made out the next words he had said to her as he handed the relic to her. She nodded because she didn't know if he would be able to hear her either, and tried to copy what she'd seen him do. She started aiming, but it didn't work when she tried to fire until she remembered that she hadn't turned the safety off yet. pressing the button, she aimed again and held her breath for a second as she pulled the trigger. She heard the bang, but couldn't see where the bullet went. "I missed..." She mumbled to herself before re-aiming and trying again a few times. One finally hit the target, really close to the edge, but it still hit. Onyx turned the safety back on and turned to Tarentek with a smile. "I think you overestimated my accuracy with this thing." She spoke with a joking tone, but she did worry again for a second that he wouldn't be able to hear her.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek removed one of his earplugs after Onyx finished shooting to hear her more clearly. "I think your accuracy is exactly where I'd expect it to be. You're just starting out, so you're not going to be great at first. Make sure when you're aiming that your sights are completely aligned, else your aim will be thrown off. Otherwise, you seem to be following proper form, though I can't tell on your breath control. In any case, there is only so much that explanations can do. Beyond that, only practice and experience can really help you improve. I'd keep trying as often as you're allowed. I know bullets can be hard to come by, but 9mm is a common ammo type, at least. I know I'm kind of low for my rifle. I have a magazine and a half left, and 7.62x51mm will be harder for to come by." Replacing his earplug back into his ear, Tarentek motioned to the target. "Anyway, why don't you try again? Try to keep a count of how many rounds you have left. That pistol will hold fifteen rounds. Sixteen, if you already have one in the chamber when you reload. After you run out that magazine, if you still want to continue, we'll see if you can reload it."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I Think I'd rather just stop after its empty this time." Onyx said as she tried to recall how many shots she had fired already. I think there are only 5 left... She turned back to the target and turned the safety off again. Focusing on lining up the sights and controlling her breathing she fired the last few shots. Miss... Miss... Hit, near where the first one was... Another hit... I missed again... She counted five, but wanted to make sure she was right so she aimed again and fired, and nothing happened. She turned the safety on, just in case, and pulled the cloth off of her head. "What do you want to do now? If you still want to, I'll spar with you, or you can practice with your relic and I'll go do knife training."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "You had a few hits, at least. I think you'll do well with more practice. Though, at the very least, your threats with that thing will have a lot more bite in the future. Just remember to pick up some ammo for it before you go out next time." Tarentek suggested. Pausing a moment, he removed his earplugs and put them away before continuing. "It has been a while since I've had target practice, but unfortunately I don't have the ammo to spare. However, I...think I might be able to handle a good sparring match. I'm still not fully recovered, but I'm doing better than before, and I'd like the exercise. As long as it isn't too intense, I should be fine. I'll admit, I've never sparred against someone who could fly before, so that should be interesting. You ever gone hand-to-hand with someone like me before?" He asked curiously.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "No I've never fought with any of your race before, not any that I can remember at least. I have fought reptiles before, but none very similar to you." Onyx pointed to a large sandy area a little ways away from the shooting area. "That's where we hold sparring matches and duels. I was thinking earlier that if we spar I would try not to fly, if you thought it would be more fair that way. Our fighting style uses flight and speed to overtake an enemy quickly, but there's a sub-style for when we can't fly that I need to practice more."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "That...might be a good idea, actually. I am feeling better than before, but I definitely won't be fighting at my best. It might even things out for you not to fly." Tarentek answered as the pair started to walk towards the sparring area. "We tend to be physically stronger than a lot of the races we come across, so we use that to our advantage. I don't think I can even pretend to be as agile as you, though. Personally, I'm a marksman by trade, but all soldiers, especially scouts, receive their hand-to-hand training. We have to be trained to be able to survive in harsh conditions, and without normal equipment." Once they reached the sparring area, Tarentek glanced around the open area. "Is there anywhere I can put my robe?" He asked, completely casually.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "What?! Wh-!" Onyx was surprised at how casually Tarentek was acting, she narrowed her eyes at him and lowered her voice. "That is not a funny joke. Why would you say something like that?! Do you have any idea how uncomfortable it makes me already that you don't wear anything when you sleep?" Onyx took a few steps away from him and crossed her arms, waiting for his explanation.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek cocked his head to the side, looking at Onyx with genuine confusion. "What are you talking about? I don't under-ohhh, I think I get it. I think I remember hearing similar things from some visitors to Amman. From what I remember, mammals like you have you...reproductive parts on the outside of your bodies, so you always make sure to cover them with clothes. The same isn't true for us. I don't know if you saw before, but all of those parts are completely inside my body, so we don't really have a reason to cover them. Our scales do that for us. Visitors sometimes found it odd, but once they learned that, it usually wasn't an issue. Our clothing is entirely practical in purpose. For instance, my robe is meant to protect me from sand and wind. It's just...not that great to fight in, given how bulky and loose it is. Our combat armor is usually thick leather and layered cloth, which conforms much more closely to our bodies. I would have been wearing it in Amman, but the attack came by surprise." He explained. It was becoming difficult to keep track of how many differences there were between his people and the Elissics.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "No, I've never noticed. When I noticed you weren't wearing anything I automatically looked away, except for the time you showed me your scars, but then I was too distracted by them to notice anything like that." Onyx was still standing with her arms crossed, but with what Tarentek said she was starting to be able to calm down. "I suppose, if you'd rather fight without it on, you could put it on one of the dummies over there." She motioned to a group of wooden training dummies not too far from the sparring grounds.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Not really. There are rules about duels, but not for spars. For example, if this were a duel, we would have to be supervised by a sentry because I am not of age yet, and there would be formalities such as greeting bows and explanations of why the two people are having a duel in the first place. Duels are not training though, they are meant to be a way for two people to solve a problem between themselves, while spars are simple training." Onyx realized she may be over explaining so she kept the rest short. "The only 'rule' for sparring is that you are not allowed to seriously harm the others involved on purpose. Most spars start informally in a pre-set situation, as if one person is already in a corner, so to say." Onyx thought for a moment to try and remember if there was anything else important to say. "Oh! I almost forgot, if you are stuck in a situation where you are unable to speak, we recognize three taps anywhere on the other's body as surrender and you'll be released immediately."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Okay, so not much different from what I'm used to, then." Tarentek responded, moving himself to a spot the right distance from Onyx to start the fight. "There usually aren't any special rules in our matches either, and we often set up signals as well. I will say, there is a good chance of me surrendering during this. I want to have the exercise, but I need to be careful not to put my body through too much, else my recovery might be slowed. Well, anyway, I guess we should begin." Tarentek took on a combat stance and brought his hands up into a guard. He already knew what his likely advantages and disadvantages would be, but he still ended up sizing her up out of habit. He watched her stance and movements to try and get a sense of how she might fight. He expected her to be more agile than himself, while he had strength and reach. He supposed this meant she would probably stick to fast, well-aimed strikes to his weak points. If he could get her into a grapple, he would be able to gain the upper hand by leveraging his strength against her, so she would likely be getting in and out quickly with strikes that would wear him down, something he would have to put a stop to quickly. With her speed, it would not do any good to rush her, so Tarentek stood his ground in a defensive stance, waiting for her to make the first move.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright He's waiting for me to strike first, smart. Onyx thought to herself as she thought how she should start. He was definitely less agile than her, so she had an advantage there. If she could tire him out with quick jabs she'd have less of a chance of getting caught in a grapple with him. She knew her strength and wasn't too worried if it came to a grapple, even if he is stronger than her she'd be able to slip out, he'd probably be surprised if she used her claws against him, so she wouldn't have to hurt him to get away either. With her plan in mind she moved. She rushed behind him and got a few jabs at his ribs and sides before she backed away again and began circling, repeating her rushing attacks every so often, aiming for pressure points.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek's assessment of Onyx seemed to be accurate, as her attacks were following the strategy he predicted. Unfortunately, it was also a difficult strategy for him to fight. She could use her agility to dart around him, getting in quick blows and backing off. His ribs and a few other points were already starting to ache, and the strikes he had managed to deliver in return were not direct enough to do much harm. Something needed to change if he was going to recover; he needed an opportunity. Onyx had managed to get off quite a few successful jabs, but eventually, Tarentek was able to accurately predict one of her attacks. As she dashed behind him and went for another strike, he spun around and slapped her with is tail in the process. Not wanting to let go of a potential way of gaining the upper hand, Tarentek took the chance to retaliate and attempt to grab her. He would prefer to control her arms, but he would grab anything he could get a hold of as long as it could bring them into a grapple. He had his training in some grappling techniques to use to his advantage, he just hoped the strike from his tail threw her off-balance enough that he could get a hold on her.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx could tell her plan was working, he wasn't able to hit her very hard whenever he managed to hit her, and she was beginning to think she should go a little easier on him when she dashed in again, and he managed to hit her with his tail. She felt herself lose her footing and begin to fall, and she tried to change her momentum in a way that would make it so she would roll away and recover instead. Before she was able to though, Tarentek managed to grab one of her arms. Now Onyx was kneeling on the ground, mid-roll, but stopped by Tarentek's hold on her arm. She moved quickly, before he could get her other arm, standing and turning at the same time in an attempt to twist his arm and get out of the grip, while with her other arm she started jabbing the pressure pints in his shoulder, or trying to anyway.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek's effort had some success, but the situation was not ideal. Thanks to his training, he was able to move with her to keep his arm from being twisted excessively as she brought herself to her feet, but there was still the matter of her free hand. As she started to jab at his shoulder, he tried to use his own free hand to grab hers, but her strikes were fast, and he couldn't get a secure grip. With each jab, Tarentek felt his grip on her arm weaken, so he had to make a decision. Instead of trying to grab Onyx's free arm, Tarentek tightly grasped the arm he had already grabbed with both hands. This secured his hold on Onyx, but left him open to strikes from her other hand. To combat this, Tarentek decided to try and use his size to his advantage. He quickly moved one of his sizable feet behind hers, then pushed against her with his shoulder in an attempt to trip her up and force her to the ground. His hope was that she would be too focused on her footwork to be able to do much damage with her free hand, but if not, he had to hope he could endure the pain of her retaliation long enough to secure his advantage.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx wasn't able to get her arm from his grip. She had felt him loosening but he used his other arm to keep his grip and then started trying to trip her. Onyx decided to change tactics as she had to focus more on not tripping. She stepped as close to him as she could, racking her claws up his wrist as she did and turning so that her back was to him and both his arms were in front of her. she grabbed both his arms with both of her own, digging her claws into his wrists but not drawing blood, and slammed her back into him, hoping to knock him over and finally get out of his grip.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Onyx did focus herself on keeping upright, but that only briefly delayed her retaliation. She managed to turn and put her back to him, then grab his arms. If one of his arms was still free, he could have used the position to get a tight hold around her, but as it stood, she had his arms and was clawing at his wrists. Certainly, it did hurt, but Tarentek's scales were thick, perhaps more-so than Onyx expected. Against a forceful stab or slash from a knife or other blade, his scales could not hold up, but his natural armor was reasonably effective in hand-to-hand combat. When she slammed into him to knock him down, he did indeed start to fall, but he had managed to keep his grip on her arm, so he was pulling her down with him. Tarentek prepared for the impact. If Onyx was thrown off enough by the fall, then he had a good chance of getting his arms around her and forcing her into a situation where he had much more control. Grappling on the ground was where his strength would really shine. If she came up with something creative, however, he could lose control, and likely wouldn't gain it back. He did not currently have the endurance to sustain an extended fight.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright As Onyx had hoped, Tarentek fell, but as she had not hoped, his grip did not falter and he puled her down with him. She landed on her side, and surprised by the fall she had accidentally let go of his arm that wasn't still occupied with keeping hold of hers. She used her free arm to start trying to get into a crouching position, she had to get off the ground, she couldn't let him pin her. She thought, only for a second, about flying. If she could get into a crouching position she could use her wings to help her get back to her feet, and possibly drag her arm out of his grip. She was crouching now, still deciding on if she should try her trick, as she had told Tarentek that she would try not to fly. She made up her mind to do it, but by that point she may have hesitated too long.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek had almost had the breath knocked out of him when he hit the ground, but he had expected it, and pushed through to hasten his response. Onyx had released her grip on his arm, but he still had a hold of hers. As he rolled onto his side and started to get up, he saw that she was in a crouching position, paused for a brief moment. In an instant reaction, he seized the opportunity, pouncing on her in order to hold her down with his weight. He kept a hold of the one arm while quickly grabbing the other near the elbow. Finally, he tried to reposition himself so he could hold her torso down with his knee. It was possible this would force her to give, though she could always have more tricks.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx had almost acted in time. As she was about to take off though, Tarentek pounced on her, getting hold of her other arm and pinning her to the ground with his knee. She felt a quick shot of pain through her back as she landed on her half-opened wings. She closed her eyes for a second and couldn't think of any way she could get unpinned that wouldn't possibly hurt her or Tarentek too much. She tried shifting her weight, but Tarentek's hold kept her still and the effort sent another quick pain through her wings and causing her to wince. "Ow, ok you win. Get off please."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek As soon as Onyx requested it, Tarentek released her, then backed off. He sat down on the ground in front of her and let out a deep breath, his fatigue showing with his subsequent heavy breathing. The fight had not lasted too long, but if it had lasted any longer, he likely would not have been as successful. He already felt like he needed to rest after all of that, so he would have exhausted himself if it had kept going. "That...was a good fight, especially given that neither of us were fighting at our best. You did well; you're fast, agile, and got in quite a few jabs on me. Luckily, I have a good grip. My scales are pretty thick, so your claws didn't do as much as you might have wanted. Regardless, that could have gone either way." He said, pausing a moment, laying down on his back, and looking up into the sky. "I'm already considering a nap at this point. That was pretty tiring."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx sat up and stretched her wings, relaxing and soothing the pain from landing on them. "Yea, I didn't think that you would be able to keep your grip like that for so long. As for my claws, I wasn't aiming to hurt you, just surprise you into letting go." She closed her wings and stood up, offering a hand to Tarentek to help him up. "I messed up at the end though. I would have never had to think about a decision like that in a real fight."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek took Onyx's hand and stood to his feet, feeling his joints pop as he did. "Ah, I feel sore, though I suppose I should have expected that. I didn't get hurt too badly, though, so I'll be fine. I certainly would not mind sparring in the future, if we get the chance. Once I'm fully healed and am fighting at my best, you can do the same with your flight. As long as they're is time, of course. Once I'm fully healed, I am probably going to be heading on my mission soon." He reasoned. Tarentek began to stretch out his muscles. "Anyway, what shall we do next? I think I might want to avoid anything too physical."</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx looked up at the sky, judging how much time was left in the day. "Well, we could go to see my father. I need to tell him about last night, and I'm sure you two could find something to talk about. There's not too much time left until sunset."</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Well, it would make sense to me if I were one of them. My father told me to care for you while you healed, so he might try to keep you with me." Onyx looked around at the Elissics around them as she led the way to Her father's den. Most of them looked warily at Tarentek still, though their looks softened when they saw her with him. "Honestly, if for no other reason, I'd probably be there because I get along better with you than I doubt any other person in the tribe could right now."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek looked at Onyx curiously. "You think he will send you? I suppose that would make sense, now that I think about it. You could probably keep the others in line if there are any problems. Hopefully, all of the people he sends will be as open-minded as you. I can foresee a lot of problems if they aren't, and not just with me. Tel Nof is different from Amman, but our cultures do share common threads. I know how to get along with their people, but everyone that goes with us will have to listen to me when it comes to how to act. Doing the wrong things could greatly offend them and compromise our mission. Have you ever been to a city or settlement that wasn't Elissic?" He asked.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I have, but it was never under peaceful circumstances... I've done a lot of scouting missions through almost abandoned settlements before too, but if I ever met another race I was under orders to kill them, so I never got to talk to them much." Onyx looked down at her feet as she walked, thinking how what she had just said might sound to Tarentek.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek found his gaze turning towards the ground as well. "I hope that particular...warrior aspect of your people can change. It will have to if you are to survive this with your independence intact. We're going to need allies, there is no escaping that. Thank Jhala that your father is as open-minded as he is about this, but...what about everyone else? How do you think the rest of your people are going to take the news that your father is seeking out alliances with other races? Do you think their minds will ever be changed?" He asked with very real concern.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I think..." Onyx started her response, but stopped when she realized what she was about to say. I can't be like that right now, or possibly ever again. If I am to be a prophetess, I must begin to choose my words more carefully and remember to think about all sides of the situation. Onyx thought for a bit and came up with something that still included her opinion, but without the anger that was in her first response. "My father is our leader, but he has been disputed since he took on the role. Many believe some things about him and the death of our last leader that would automatically make them wary of any large decision he made. Going off of our history with other races, and the fact that we've never even gotten along with other tribes of our own race very well aside from shared historical roots and trade, I believe that it's obvious that most would not be very open to the idea. Adding the fact that some don't trust my father much, I would expect violence." Onyx looked at Tarentek and decided to add her first thoughts to what she just said. "I think that there could be a rebellion if my father does not watch his words and explanations carefully, and at the moment I don't know where I would stand in that situation. I may gather up those who do not want to get caught up in the fighting and leave with them to find our brother tribe to the west, if I am not captured and held prisoner by the rebels."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Hmm..." Tarentek began as he tried to wrap his mind around what options they might have. Waging a war against their enemy would be difficult enough, but dealing with internal fighting as well? He did not know if they could survive it. Without a united force to face down the enemy, there would not be hope of defeating them. "Do you...do you think we could find a way to prove how much danger your people are in? If they understood the severity of the threat, they might become desperate enough to try something new. It's possible there could be a way to show that your father has no choice." Tarentek reasoned. He looked up from the ground for a moment to check where they were; it seemed they were getting close to her father's home.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "That may be possible, very hard to do, but possible. I Think we'd have to wait until we hear from our sister tribe to the east to know for sure. That might be something to talk with him about." Onyx looked around for a moment, and seeing how close they were to her father's den decided to try and end the topic. "Or not. He might not appreciate if anyone brings up the worse possibility."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek nodded. "Alright, I'll trust your judgment. The more we learn, the more options might present themselves. Hopefully, one of those options will help stop this potential civil war before it starts. Just...whatever ends up happening, I'll give you my support. I won't let you be captured by any violent rebels." As the pair reached Raldel's home, Tarentek stopped in front of the door, then turned to Onyx. "Well, after you."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I appreciate your support, but I hope that nothing like that will happen." Onyx spoke before she walked into her father's den. When she did not see him in his planning room, she called through the den. "Raldel? Father, it's Onyx and Tarentek. Where are you?" Onyx listened for a few moments and was about to call again when she heard her father's voice from his kitchen. "Onyx? Come back here, both of you, I'm a little busy right now." Onyx made sure Tarentek was following her and went to the kitchen. Her father was there, cooking. He smiled as they entered the room. "Good evening. I thought you were going to be here a little sooner than this, although I suppose you've been busy as well. How are you both?" Onyx smiled back at him and walked over to stand next to him. "I am well. Would you like me to help with anything?" Raldel started to say no, but then seemed to think better of it and passed a large bowl to Onyx, which she started adding ingredients to and stirring. "Well, I have something interesting to talk about, but if Tarentek has anything he'd like to talk about first I think I'd best save my topic for last." Onyx said to her father while she worked with the dough in the bowl she had.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek felt more comfortable around Raldel than any of the other villagers, apart from Onyx. He both appeared and felt more relaxed as they entered his home. The smell of food in the air that permeated the home served as a good reminder to Tarentek of how many hours it had been since he had eaten, but he could wait until they made it back to Onyx's home. It seemed that Onyx wanted Tarentek to go first, so he gave a slight, respectful bow to Raldel before beginning. "Oh, I just wanted to update you on my condition. Under Onyx's care, my health has improved greatly. I no longer feel the same soreness and fatigue, and my scars are close to healing. I was even well enough to spar a few minutes ago. It should only be a few more days before I am ready to set out for Tel Nof. I...well, we did also have a few worries about how to go about informing your people about potential alliances with other races. From my understanding, your people may not take that news well, but I do not have any solid ideas on how to make delivering it any easier. My only thought has been to prove the severity of the danger we face."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx kept quiet as she waited for her father's response, focusing on the cooking for now. Raldel didn't look up from what he was doing while he spoke, but his tone held all the worry he didn't show. "So you've both been worrying about that too. I'm not exactly sure what I will say yet, but I'm sure of one thing." Now he did look up, catching Onyx's gaze. "You should probably leave before then. You and Opal and maybe even Topaz, I don't want you here just in case I don't say the right thing." Now there was no way Onyx could focus on cooking at all. She carefully put the bowl down and just stood, looking at her father and thinking what she should say. After a minute or an hour, Onyx couldn't tell how long, her body moved without her consent and she hugged him. "That's not a good idea. You need to show that you yourself are confident in your decision and if you push your children away, for any reason, they will see you as weak. The only thing you have to worry about is that you may be waiting to long to tell them." Onyx had no control over the words she spoke, but after she said them she knew why. The white mark on her palm felt warm as she lifted it to show her father. Now speaking in her own words, she told her father everything that she had experienced during her ritual the night before, while he seemed frozen by surprise for most of the story. "So, that's another reason that I don't think that's a good idea. You're going to need me here, to interact with the people and help guide the tribe." She concluded her story a little breathlessly. Just the memory of the ritual brought her joy and wonder.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "I will follow your judgment, but...I believe Onyx may be right." Tarentek began. There seemed to be no easy solution to this problem, and he completely understood why Raldel would want to get his children out of the village before taking such a risk. It was possible he could justify it to them, but Onyx's argument also seemed reasonable. If Raldel seemed confident in his decision, then others could be more willing to accept it. "If we can gain evidence of the strength that our enemy commands, it might demonstrate the severity of the situation. Desperation could convince them to take what they perceive to be a risk in seeking alliances with outsiders." Tarentek added after Onyx finished her explanation of the previous night's events.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Raldel unfroze as he began to go back to his cooking, speaking calmly while Onyx went back to helping. "I suppose we have to wait for more news from either the scouting party that left today, or from our sister tribe in the east then. I'll wait until we have more proof before I talk to them about it." He finished what he was doing with the cooking and started helping onyx with the dough she was working with. "So, let's set this topic aside for now. Is there anything else you'd like to speak about?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek shook his head. "I...do not think so. Well, I suppose I should mention that myself and Onyx intend to leave the village for a few hours tomorrow. I, well it is somewhat embarrassing to say, but I have a distinct fear of heights. My race is not meant to fly, so being high in the air panics me. I assume that my escort for my mission in a few days will be wanting to arrive as quickly as possible, so they will likely want to fly me there. Onyx is going to attempt to help me overcome my fear." Tarentek explained.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Raldel smiled a little at Tarentek as he and Onyx finished with the dough. Onyx started to line a shallow metal bowl with it while Raldel spoke. "That is not too hard to understand. You don't have wings, you are not meant to be in the sky as we are, although I think there's an easier way." Raldel's eyes glinted with laughter and his voice took on a light joking tone. "Onyx could just knock you out for the entire trip, either with medicines or her fists. I think it would be best if you two continued to work together, so I believe that Onyx will be going with you on your mission to Tel Nof, so she could knock you out if needed." Onyx looked up from what she was doing for a moment, smiled, and mouthed the words 'I told you' at Tarentek before returning to her task. Raldel spoke again, with less humor in his voice now, but still light with kindness and wisdom. "Don't torture yourself trying to overcome a fear, you'll never heal that way. I'm not referring to your physical wounds, I mean those in your heart and soul as that's what a fear is, a wound to the soul."</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek responded with a chuckle. "Hmm, I don't think I would be taking the first option. My race's regenerative properties doesn't extend so well to brain damage. I have thought about being unconscious through it, but I will need to be alert. We still do not know for certain that our enemy does not have a flying race among them, so an attack is not out of the question. No, I believe I can do this. I don't want to have a fear like this exerting its hold over my mind; I want to cure myself of it. In the end, I will be better for having overcome it. It may not work, true, but I would like to try." Tarentek laughed once more. "I'll probably be regretting those words tomorrow. I have seen people overcome fears such as these, though, so I know it is possible. I recall during my education in Amman, a teacher spoke about some of the writings we had translated from the Human civilizations. They had an entire field of study for the mind called psychology. I myself did not study it, but I can't help but to wonder what the Humans could have done for a condition such as mine. Anyway, I cannot think of any more business I would like to mention."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright As Tarentek finished speaking, Onyx had finished everything she was doing with the food and handed it to her father so he could start cooking it. "Ok, my turn now!" Onyx spoke a little excitedly, and took a deep breath to calm herself before she said anything else. "I already explained what happened at my ritual last night, so you must already know what I'm about to ask father." Raldel smiled without looking at Onyx, and nodded as he spoke. "Yes, I know. You have my permission to be included in the next coming of age ritual. You are the seventh one to find their path, so you also get to choose when the ritual will be." Onyx was confused, and it showed in her next question. "I get to choose the day? I thought you were the one who chose the time of the rituals." Onyx shook her head as she thought, trying to remember what she had learned of the strange traditions tied to the coming of age rituals. "What time should I pick? There is no knowing anything beyond the next few days..."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Since Tarentek did not have much knowledge on this ritual, he was not sure if he could really provide any input; however, he did have some thoughts on the matter. Being officially recognized with this title of prophet could be beneficial on a diplomatic mission, not to mention the positive effect it would have on Onyx's morale. As well, there was a possibility that events in the not too distant future could impact Onyx's ability to go through the ritual at all. "That is true. With the situation we are facing, the future is greatly uncertain. I do not know much about this ritual, but with the threat looming over us and the...potential problems that revealing your future plans in regards to outsiders could cause, perhaps earlier would be better?" Tarentek recommended.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx looked at Tarentek, thankful for his calm statement helping her to find a thread to follow in her confusion. He's right, along with the potential of an uprising not too long from now, and the approach of the empire, Onyx also wouldn't be in the nest for a while after Tarentek gets better, because as soon as he is well enough they would be leaving for the Tel Nof mission. Anytime past that point, when she and Tarentek would have to leave, might as well be considered too late. "I think sooner would be better too. Would the day after tomorrow bee soon enough, but not too soon?" Onyx asked her father. Raldel didn't seem surprised by her answer, and he responded quickly, saying that then would be the perfect time. These rituals rarely are announced much sooner than a day or two before anyway.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek smiled at Onyx. "Does this mean you'll be considered a full adult in a few days? Must be exciting. My people do not have any sort of moment that defines adulthood, so I can't say that I know how that will feel. I suppose it would not be appropriate for me to be present, so I will go ahead and wish you the best for it now." Tarentek commented. Since they had gone through all the business they intended to bring up with Raldel for the moment, Tarentek assumed they would be leaving soon, unless Raldel or Onyx had a reason for them to stay. There were still quite a few hours left in the day, but Tarentek was fatigued from the earlier sparring match and would prefer to rest at the moment more than anything.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright With nothing else to talk about really, Onyx and Tarentek said goodbye to Raldel for then and went back to Onyx's den, where Onyx made dinner and they went to bed with nothing else really interesting happening. The next morning, Onyx got up a little after dawn and started making breakfast so that it would be ready to eat when Tarentek got up. She decided not to wake him up today, to start getting him used to doing things for himself rather than her bossing him around like she had been doing.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek awoke to the smell of cooking food filling the den. His night had been entirely devoid of dreams, which was a vast improvement over the night before. He would rather no dreams at all than to experience the terrors he had become used to. At least now, he had something different to worry about, as today was the day he was going to be facing his fear. He knew it was something he had to do, but that still did not stop him from getting out of bed as slowly as he could, taking extra time to stretch his muscles and examine his current state of health. Of course, he was in even better condition than the previous day. Not perfect yet, but a measurable improvement. Eventually, Tarentek got himself dressed and joined Onyx in the main room. By the smell, the food was very nearly done, so he took a seat at the table. "Good morning. So, today's the day you take me way higher in the sky than I was ever meant to be...again. Honestly, it wasn't as bad the first time, while I had malnourishment and dehydration to distract me. I guess we can fly up to the Dead Sea, where you first found me. That is far enough to hopefully get me started on coming to terms with my fear. And, while we're there, you can have your swimming lessons. The salt in the sea makes it easier to float, so you won't have to worry about it being dangerous." He explained, pausing for a moment as he looked down at the table with a slight chuckle. "Now, if only there was a way to make flying safer."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx laughed as she served the meal. "Well, I could tie a rope between the two of us if it makes you feel better, although it wouldn't do anything to make it any safer for you. It would probably just help to drag me down with you if you fell, although I can assure you I'll only drop you if you can't manage to stay still." Onyx sat and started eating. "I'm going to eat quickly and go get my duties out of the way before we leave. I'll be done in no time since I can fly if you're not with me. You just stay here and Prepare yourself to leave. If you have anything you might drop I'd recommend tying it to yourself if you absolutely have to bring it."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek nodded as he started on his breakfast. "I don't think the rope will be necessary. If you don't think I'll need it, then I trust you. For safety's sake, I'm going to bring my weapons. It's very unlikely that we'll be attacked, but I like to be safe. I'll also bring water, of course, as you never want to enter the desert without it. Other than that, though, I won't bring anything extra. Since he was going to have to wait for Onyx to finish her duties for the day anyway, Tarentek took his time with his meal. "As for you, I don't think you're going to need anything specific for swimming lessons. If you have something buoyant to use as a flotation device, you could bring that, but it isn't really necessary. I intend to try and get you accustomed to the water before anything else, and you could use a flotation device for that, but like I said, you don't really need it." He explained.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Flotation device? Never-mind, I won't bring one if you say I don't need to." Onyx gulped down the rest of her breakfast and started cleaning up after herself. "Alright, I'm leaving now. I won't be gone long." When she was done speaking, she grabbed her med-pack and went out the door, taking off immediately.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek It took Tarentek until a few minutes after Onyx had left to finish his breakfast, which he cleaned up at just as leisurely of a pace. His rifle, machete, and canteen all had straps that were rather secure, so there wasn't much he needed to do in the way of preparing. Until Onyx returned, all he had to do was find a way to pass the time. It had actually been quite a while since Tarentek had been alone with nothing to do. After escaping Amman, he had been alone, but preoccupied with survival. Before that, he had sometimes been alone while on scouting missions, but he usually had some task to focus on. Now, he just paced around the main room for a few minutes before returning to his room to lay down and rest until Onyx returned.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx finished with her task just as quickly as she had thought she would. Returning to her den, she found Tarentek in his room. "Um, I'm not too sure about your people, but taking a nap isn't exactly preparing to leave in my opinion." She spoke jokingly, waiting for him at the door. "Are you ready to go? You don't need a moment to gather your thoughts before we fly? Or is that what you were doing?" Still joking, she didn't really wait for him to respond, she just kept talking as she led him outside. Once they were outside she asked again, serious this time. "Are you ready? I was serious earlier about what I said about me dropping you if you move too much. If you panic then I might not be able to keep us both in the sky, and I won't apologize either."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek had fallen asleep briefly after laying down. Fortunately, he was awakened by Onyx's footsteps entering the den, so he was alert by the time she entered his room. After quickly grabbing his weapons, he stepped outside just behind Onyx. His gaze shifted northward as Onyx spoke, and to the sky above him. He had been nervous about this moment ever since he had suggested it. Regret was pouring through his mind that he had even thought of the idea to begin with, but it was too late to back out now. He had to go through with it, because if he didn't deal with it now, then he would be dealing with it in a few days anyway. "I wouldn't worry about that. If anything, I'll be too frightened to move a muscle. Just, um, do you have any...advice for me? Anything that might help me keep calm? Are Elissic children usually afraid of flying at any point, or is it just something that is natural to you from the beginning?" Tarentek asked as he approached her. He stood still, ready for her to grab a hold of him, though he hoped she had some advice for him.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright He seemed nervous already, although she had just been a bit blunt with him. "Well, yes. At first when our wings aren't strong enough to carry ourselves we do get scared at the thought of falling off of a bridge or a mountain, but our parents are always with us and watching us so that if that happens they are there to protect us. After a while our parents will purposely let us fall, or push us even, still ready to save us if need be, but that's how we learn to fly." Onyx paused for a moment and tried to reign in her thoughts back to the point of what she was saying. "My mother told me to relax, and when I did I didn't fall, I soared. If I get too tense while flying sometimes I'll begin to fall, because flight is smooth most of the time, and it's instinct for me now." Onyx smiled and hooked her arms under Tarentek's, getting ready to pick him up. "So here's my advice: Just relax. Think about things that keep you calm, and focus on happy things. I like the way the wind feels on my face as I fly, It's calming to me. Perhaps you'll be able to find an aspect of flight that you enjoy and can use to keep yourself calm and relaxed."</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "That sounds...terrifying. I think I'm glad I don't have wings now; being pushed off of a cliff doesn't sound appealing. Anyway, I'll try to look for some redeeming quality in all of this. That, or I'll just close...or, well, no, closing my eyes won't get me any closer to overcoming this. Maybe I can just focus on the view; I'm sure it will be spectacular." Tarentek commented. When Onyx grabbed him, he felt himself become more nervous, if that was even possible. His mind was screaming at him that this was a bad idea, but for his own sake, he had to get over this fear. Tarentek let out a deep breath. "Okay, I'm ready."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx took off the second she heard Tarentek say he was ready. He was a little heavier than he had been the first time she had carried him, and she took that as a sign of his health. She wouldn't tell him that though, it would probably just scare him more. He was not any harder to carry because of it, although his tenseness and nervousness might prove to be a problem. He was scared stiff, as he'd said he probably would be, and that was making Onyx nervous. "Hey, loosen up. I'm supposed to be helping you get over this, but I cant do that if you're made of stone. Focus on the horizon, see how far we are from the mountains already?" Onyx turned in midair so that Tarentek would be able to see the hazy blobs in the distance that were the mountains her Tribe lived in. Going back to her course, Onyx sped up as she flew. "It's easier to fly the faster I go sometimes, I promise I'm not trying to scare you even more than you already are. Calm. Down." Onyx kept up her little babble of 'calm down's and 'relax's all the way to the sea, too busy trying to keep Tarentek calm to even think about her own fear that she was about to face.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek managed not to close his eyes as they took off. In fact, they were about as wide open as they could possibly be from fear. As Onyx suggested, he kept his eyes fixed on the horizon, apart from the brief moment she turned him to look at the mountains behind them. "Ah this is...okay, okay, okay, just...okay. I need to...okay." Tarentek repeated, unable to collect his thoughts into rational sentences. His heart was absolutely racing, but he tried to follow Onyx's advice as best as he could. "You don't want me to be as stiff? Okay, I'll try, but you also said not to move around as much. How much should I be moving, or...not moving? This is all just....I can see everything from here. It's terrifying and amazing. Seeing the world like this is beyond beautiful, but if you let go of me right now, I would die. I just can't get that thought out of my head." He said, putting his focus into the conversation instead of the flight.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx sighed. "Don't be made of stone, and don't force yourself to move. Relax enough that you feel almost detached from your body, almost as if you were asleep. That would make it the easiest for me to carry you. Honestly, I find your reaction to this quite hilarious, it seems as if you can't even think straight." Onyx slowed down as she saw the sea ahead of them. "I'd say you're doing well, we're almost there now. I think calming down is the key, you may not have noticed but I have. A few minutes ago you couldn't form sentences, then you calmed down enough to talk to me."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "I, uh, I wouldn't call this calm, really. I'm not exactly panicking, but..." Tarentek responded. His breathing felt almost as rapid as his heart rate, but he as least wasn't completely frozen anymore. He saw the sea ahead of them, though he still found it best to keep his eyes on the horizon. Now that he was in a marginally better state of mind, he was able to focus on something other than the thought of falling. At this height, he could see in quite a far distance in all directions, enough to spark a thought in his mind to keep him distracted. "How high can you go? From the Human works we translated, we learned that the Earth is like a ball; rounded. If you go high enough, you can actually see it. Have you saw the curving of the horizon before? I'm not sure how high you have to go, or if you can even reach that height." He asked. Although this was the first time since they took off that he had said anything not related to his very present fear, it was obvious from his tone that he was still quite nervous.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright He was still really nervous, just his voice told Onyx that, but he was also alot more relaxed than he had been so far. "I've never tested just how far up I could go before, I've never thought to try. But what you say about the Earth being like a ball makes sense. I suppose that's why a mountain seems shorter from further away, because the ground curves away from you and covers the bottom." Onyx realized that Tarentek might be using the conversation to keep his mind from his fears, if only just a little, and tried to expand the topic. "So, what else do you know because of these translations? Actually, before I ask that, what are Humans? Are they the ones who left behind the ruins and relics we find scattered around everywhere?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Yes, that was their name for themselves. Many races have many different names for them, but that was their own word, so it is what we call them. From all we have found, they once controlled all of this planet, and had a masterful command over the natural world. They needed to move faster, so they built machines that could move themselves much faster than any person could naturally. They did not have wings, so they built machines that could fly. They even flew above the Earth itself to the moon above our heads. In short, they were all that my people aspire to be." Tarentek explained. Speaking about history and technology was perhaps the best way to distract him, given its importance to himself and his people. He could see the sea growing closer below them, but did his best to ignore it. The fear was still very present in his mind, but holding a conversation such as this helped to give a sense of normality to being higher in the air than his people were ever meant to go. As well, Onyx had not seemed even remotely like she was close to dropping him at any point, which did help calm him marginally.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "They went to the moon?! But that's... How did they make a, machine, fly? Nothing can fly without wings, so they made themselves wings? Wouldn't they have had the same problem as you are now?" Onyx was now very curious, almost enough to make her forget to pay attention to how she was flying. She noticed herself slowing down greatly, so she did a dive to pick back up on speed, weaving through the last few standing ruins to the sea. They were close enough now that she could put Tarentek down if he asked, so now Onyx slowed down on purpose and decided to tell him. "Hey, I can put you down now if you want, we're pretty much there already."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek would certainly be lying if he said he was not frightened when Onyx started to dive. His first reaction was to scream, but he managed to keep himself quiet. Onyx had already proved she was more than capable of flying like this, but that rational thought was in conflict with his innate fear of heights. Fortunately, he did manage to avoid any outward panic. "Yes you can...actually, no, I can do this. Just go ahead and carry me all the way to sea. I can't stop now." Tarentek answered with an interesting tone consisting both of fear and resolve. Given how close they were, it only took a minute or two to reach the sea, and finally set down on solid ground. Tarentek wanted to collapse to his hands and knees at that moment, but he kept himself standing "Oh thank Jhala we're here. That was...Karisskan were never meant to fly. But...I guess that could have gone much worse, and there is still the trip back to get through. I didn't like it but...maybe I can actually do this. Maybe if we just keep flying, it will get better; maybe I'll even start to like it." Tarentek commented, staring out to sea for a few moments before glancing back to Onyx. "Anyways, do you want to go ahead and start the lesson now, or take a break first?"</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright After Onyx had put Tarentek down by the water, she flew back a ways and landed there, not making any move to go closer to the water. "I think you forget that I won't be able to fly for a while if my wings are wet, so you don't have to worry too much about the way back. That flight will be considerably shorter than the way here had been." She looked around at the horizon for a little bit, judging the time of day by the sun's height in the sky. "I want to stay as far from the water as possible, maybe even just fly away now and leave you here to swim on your own, but I made a promise. Even if it's a reckless promise, I'll keep it as I try to keep all my promises." As she spoke, she forced herself to walk closer to Tarentek, her heartbeat getting more rapid with every step. "The sooner we start, the sooner it's over, right?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Don't worry, Onyx. You will be as safe in the water as I was in the sky, perhaps even more so." Tarentek responded as he started to undo the belts holding his pouch and machete in place. "I'm glad you agreed to this. Swimming is a useful skill, and it can even be fun, just as I'm sure flying can be for you. I promise I won't rush you into anything, and I'll be right beside you the entire time in case you have trouble. You know how strong I am, and it is even easier to carry something in the water, so you'll be in no danger. Now, I'll let you get ready. Once you have your belongings situated, just step into the shallows beside me." Tarentek found a spot on the shore sufficiently far from the water and placed down his pouch and machete, then removed his robe. He carefully laid out his robe flat on the sand, then set down his rifle on top of it to prevent sand from finding its way inside the weapon. Walking into the shallows, he stopped once the water reached about ankle high. "Since you spoke before about liking to fish, I'm going to assume you're not completely terrified of touching the water, at least not just a section that barely covers your feet. I have an idea of how to ease you into it."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx watched as Tarentek got ready and stepped into the water. She walked over to where he had put his belongings and took off her shawl, wrapping it around her med-pack and placing it carefully on the sand so that no sand would get into the pack. "I don't touch the water when I fish. I fly over it with a net and scoop up anything I can." Onyx paused and looked at Tarentek, trying to will herself closer to the water, and failing. "The only water I touch it the water I drink, because that can't hurt me. I don't trust this realm of nature." Onyx managed to focus enough on her words that she walked all the way to the edge of the shore before noticing where she was and freezing in place, staring at the dark water.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Water doesn't have a will, or a desire; it simply exists like the air around us. And just like the air, you can master it to glide through it with ease. If you're anything like my people, you will float in water, as long as you have a decent amount of air in your lungs. I this salty water in particular, you'll have a hard time sinking. The water where I'm standing right now is so shallow, you couldn't drown in it if you tried." Tarentek said, trying to encourage Onyx as best as he could. He took a few steps forward, still keeping his feet in the water, and extended his hand, offering it to her. "I'll be right here with you." He added.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx forced herself to look at Tarentek and not at the water as she took his hand. "I don't believe that anything simply exists. The wind is the breath of the spirits, a gentle embrace. The ground is the bodies, for everything does eventually return to the ground, they support us when we cannot. I would say that water is like the vengeful thoughts we all have, free-flowing and everywhere, inescapable as it weighs us down in a way that takes the most freedom from us." Onyx sighed and closed her eyes, her voice now shaking a little. "You promise you won't make me go any farther than I can force myself to?</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I still want to run away. How can you just stand there?" Onyx hadn't opened her eyes yet, she didn't want to see the water around her, she didn't want to think about it. "I feel like there are rocks in my stomach, weighing me down, while I'm trying to keep from thinking about those memories." Onyx was breathing harder now, and she kept her eyes shut tight.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Then try to do what I did in the air and distract yourself from those memories. If you focus something negative like that, then all you'll be able to see is the negative. We've only gone a few steps so far, and I'm not taking you any farther yet." Tarentek said, gripping her hand firmly to reinforce his presence in her mind. "I want you to try to open your eyes and look at me. No need to focus on the water, just focus on me. Let's just talk, have a conversation. Tell me why you like to fly. What about being so high in the air do you enjoy?" Tarentek asked. Just like what he attempted to do during their flight, Tarentek tried to shift Onyx's focus to something else in order to make the water seem less important, and hopefully like just another part of her current situation.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx took a few deep breaths and tried to talk like Tarentek had suggested. "Freedom, and opportunity. Have you never thought how much easier your life would be if you could simply..." She drifted off and focused on her breathing for a little bit. "I'm sorry, I don't think that's going to work. Thinking about what I like about flying keeps bringing me back to how much I don't want to be here, or anywhere near water. The rocks in my stomach just keep getting heavier." Onyx had managed to open her eyes as she spoke, so she looked at Tarentek while she tried not to focus on the water.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek kept eye contact with Onyx once she opened her eyes. "I understand, but my point is that you do like to fly, even though I do not understand it. Or, how a child of your kind might not understand why they shouldn't fear heights. There is something that makes it wonderful. Swimming is just the same. You've told me that some Elissics swim willingly, and recreationally. Try thinking about them; the friends, family, or just people you know that like to swim. There is something they understand about the water that draws them to it for their own amusement, and that is something you can come to understand as well, even more than I can learn to enjoy flight. With me, I cannot learn to fly on my own, but you have everything you need to swim even better than I ever could. Those wings can push water just as they can air." Tarentek glanced down at the water they were standing in, then back up to Onyx. "Right now, the water we are in barely gets above your ankles, and the sea itself is relatively calm with few waves. Therefore, where we are right now is safe. The water you are in cannot physically hurt you. So, how about we stay here for a while." He commented. Slowly, he sat himself down in the water, while still keeping a hold of Onyx's hand. Where he was sitting, the water did not even come up to his waist. "How about you just take a seat with me? We can stay here where it is safe, and you can just take all the time you need to get used to the water."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Ok..." Onyx sat down in the water next to Tarentek, still holding his hand and opening her wings so they wouldn't get wet yet. It was a lot harder for her not to look at the water now, and she had stopped looking at Tarentek when she sat down, so she started trying to keep her focus on the sky. "I remember why I was scared of heights before I could fly. My brothers, Topaz and Opal, told me that if I were to high up on my own that I'd be taken by invisible monsters in the wind. Now the wind is my domain, and the only monsters there could ever be there are those in our imagination." She laughed a little, the sound holding more nerves than humor. "Yes, some Elissics swim simply because they can, but I doubt any of them ever had an experience like mine." Onyx spoke more haltingly now, trying to keep her breathing steady as she kept her gaze on the sky. "I'm really not doing very well at trying not to think about that, I can feel the water around me and I keep remembering how it felt to be trapped under it."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "That was an experience brought on by a person, not the water. The water did not choose to trap you; you simply were not ready to be in it yet." Tarentek responded, pausing a moment to attempt to think of how he could expand on his point. "Try...try imagining for a moment if some cruel person took an Elissic as a child and flew them high in the sky. Imagine if they dropped the child from a great height and caught them at the last moment, over and over again just to frighten them. They would no doubt become just as afraid of flying as you are of the water. But, you know that an Elissic can fly; that they are meant to fly. If I had to guess, I would say that you or your people would want to do what you could to help that Elissic with their fear. Could you imagine what it would be like to be an Elissic who could not fly? Well, I view this in sort of the same way. Swimming isn't nearly as important to your people as flying, obviously, but I still feel it is a shame that you are missing out on such a useful skill because of someone depraved enough to torture you in the way they did. Not only can it save your life, but swimming is a fun way to pass the time." Glancing down at the water, Tarentek took his free hand and waved it slowly through the water, digging slightly into the sand underneath. "Just, try running your hand through the water. Tell me how it feels."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx looked at Tarentek, stunned by his words. "Anyone who would do that to a child would probably be exiled, that's horrible." Onyx watched as he played with the water, repeating what he had said in her mind a few times before responding. "So, you're saying I shouldn't be afraid of the water, because it was a person who almost killed me with it? Like the water can just be treated as any other weapon?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek nodded. "I think that would be one way of putting it, yes. The water will not try to harm you on its own. It is like your relics, or any other weapon you use. When someone is pointing a relic at you, it is a frightening experience. It is threatening; a weapon that can kill you in an instant. But, if you are the one holding the relic, then everything changes. It empowers you and gives you control of the situation, or at least a very good way to fight back. With the water, you just need to learn how to take command of it. Instead of threatening you, it will be useful to you. Imagine being able to fish without any fear of falling in, and if anyone threatens you with water again, you'll be ready."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "There's no reason for me to be afraid right now." Onyx said, more to herself than to Tarentek. While they had been talking, Onyx had calmed down enough that she didn't have to force her breathing to be normal anymore, and as she repeated the reasoning in her mind a few times she curiously placed her own free hand in the water, surprised at how easily she could still move it under the murky liquid. "How is it so easy to move through? I remember it always being harder to move in water."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Memories have a way of becoming more...skewed the more you recall them. Sometimes, I've found that my own memories of events in Amman were almost startlingly different from the written records." Tarentek answered. "What you remember is probably your fear, and what it did to you. You were very understandably panicking, which caused you to sink. I'm not surprised you remember it the way you do. In a calm sea like this, and especially taking it at your own pace, you'll find that the water hardly hinders you at all. In fact, it is much easier to move something that is floating in the water, including yourself. As I mentioned before, your body will float naturally in the water if you have enough air in your lungs, especially in this salty water." Tarentek laid slowly laid himself down on his back, since the water was shallow enough that it wouldn't reach above his head. It did cover his ears, so he placed his free hand behind his head and lifted it up slightly so he could hear Onyx. "Even if I'm not swimming, I just find the feeling of the water against my scales to be refreshing." He commented.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx felt a lot calmer now as she watched Tarentek. "Ummm, I still don't want to get my wings wet if I don't have to. I may feel calmer, but that would make me unable to fly for a while and I don't want that right now." Onyx let go of Tarentek's hand and stood up, walking slowly to where the water came up to her knees before she stopped again.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Understandable. I just wanted to feel the water." Tarentek commented as he stood up to his feet and walked up alongside Onyx. "I should say that this water is quite a bit different from most bodies of water you'll find because of the salt. Nothing lives here, so there is nothing in the water besides you and me, and from my understanding, it is very easy to float on top of it. I would try to avoid getting any of the water in your eyes. In any other lake or sea, you would be perfectly fine to submerge your head under the water, but here, the salt might cause it to sting your eyes. Of course, you don't have to get anywhere close to putting your head in the water if you don't want to." Now that they were starting to get into slightly deeper water, Tarentek had the option of trying to float on his back to see how it felt, though for the moment, he remained standing with Onyx. "If you do get to the point where you actually want to learn how to swim, we'll have to go to a different lake or river, but I'm not going to rush you into that. I just want you to get a feel for what water is really like. Personally, I think this place is peaceful. The water is warm and calm. What do you think about it?"</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Are you sure nothing lives here? I swear I've seen things in the depths a few of the times I've been here before." Onyx looked out at the sea, watching for a moment before answering Tarentek's question. "I suppose it feels sort of calm, although I'm not very comfortable here so it's more of a dead sort of calm than what you probably think."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "I do not believe so. This much salt would kill pretty much anything. Some of our translations of Human writings did speak about creatures so small that they cannot be seen, creatures that are around us, on us, and even within us at all times. Some of them can survive where nothing else can, but even if some of them live in this sea, they would not be able to harm you." Tarentek explained. Pausing for a moment, he placed a hand on her shoulder and looked at her with a smile. "You're doing really well, Onyx. Even if you're not comfortable, you're doing better. Here, how about I demonstrate what it is like to float in the water." Tarentek stepped forward slightly deeper into the water, then laid down on his back. He expected it to be easier to float, but he could not have guessed exactly how easy it would be. In the salty water, he could float on the water's surface with no effort whatsoever. In fact, it would probably be harder to get under the water than it was to float. Lifting his head up slightly, he looked at Onyx with a slight grin. "Well, even I didn't expect this. I don't even have to try to stay afloat; my body just stays up on its own. Honestly, I don't think you could sink here if you tried." He said with a chuckle.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Well, you seem to be having fun. I still don't want my wings wet though." Onyx gave a small smile as she spoke, and shifted her wings restlessly. "Can we leave soon? While I don't particularly mind being here anymore I think we've already been here long enough." She took a few steps back to the more shallow water and waited for Tarentek to answer.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Ok, you go ahead and do that. I won't be gone too long." Onyx paused a moment before taking off again, debating what to say. "I don't know that you wouldn't be allowed there, but I'd think that some people wouldn't want you there anyway. I suppose it's up to you if you go or not. I wouldn't stop you, but others might try." Onyx Took off then, hovering for a moment to say one last thing before leaving. "I'll be right back, definitely before sunset."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Once Onyx flew away, Tarentek returned to her den and took a few minutes to store away his weapons before he searched around her kitchen for something he might prepare. He could see why she mentioned going to the market, as she did not have too much left in the way of food. What she did have he couldn't make anything particularly spectacular, so he just put together something with the remaining ingredients. He cut up the one fish she had remaining to split between them, then started to roast a few carrots with some spices she fortunately had available. As a side item, he set aside some peaches, then started to sear figs to go along with them. It wasn't exactly a traditional combination of ingredients, but with the right herbs and spices, he felt he could make something they would both like.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx tried not to get too lost in her thoughts as she was at the market, and she managed to do exactly that. She returned to her den after not too long, with a basket of food to show for her trip. As she put away everything she had gotten, she looked over what Tarentek had done while she was gone, not surprised by the strange use of ingredients. "Well, I got more food at the market so we don't have to have two strange meals in a row, but at least this looks edible." Onyx smiled as she spoke and sat at the table.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "I'll settle for edible." Tarentek commented as he served Onyx her meal and took a seat himself. The parts of the meal were strange together, but at least they tasted fine if taken individually. "I suppose I'll just relax here tomorrow, as I wouldn't want to do anything to disturb your ritual. I understand its importance to you. So what will this change for you? I know that you'll become a prophet, and you'll be considered an adult, but what comes with that? Are there any changes you're particularly looking forward to? I remember once I started being considered an adult, there were some privileges I enjoyed gaining...along with a mountain of responsibilities I wasn't so thrilled about." He recalled with a laugh.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Well, I told you about the name part already, and I suppose that's one part that I really am looking forward to a lot. Once the ritual is complete, I will be a Prophet, and everyone will call me Bri'nx instead of Onyx in respect to my new role in the tribe. That's a big change in itself, as that is the everyday proof of my acceptance by the tribe." Onyx paused to eat some of her meal before continuing. "As for my responsibilities, I will no longer have any daily tasks to complete unless I want to, and I won't have to attend the Elder's teachings and stories anymore. I will have new responsibilities though, such as looking after those who are still to come of age and going on daily patrols around the nest to help anyone who may need it. Any duties related to my role as a Prophet would also become new responsibilities for me, such as going on diplomatic missions or helping to ease the worries of the tribe."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek nodded. "Hmm, and I suppose I can guess what your first major responsibility will be. It is only going to be a few more days before I'm ready to go. How do you feel about visiting a foreign city? I have been to Tel Nof before, though only once. As scouts, my squad was adept at crossing the desert terrain, so we were assigned to escort a diplomatic envoy to the city. It is smaller than Amman, or most of the surrounding cities, but it is still much larger than this village. It is built on an old Human ruin, a military base. Actually, it was a place where the Humans kept the airplanes and helicopters I told you about. Not even wreckage remains of those anymore, though. All of the metal was taken and reused in building up the city. Still, the Karisskan living there were able to recover quite a few weapons, and have since gathered more from the surrounding area. Amman often traded ammunition to them. They are well armed, which is one reason I believe that they will make for useful allies." He explained.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I'm a little excited, but also very nervous. I told you I've never been in another city under very peaceful circumstances before. I hope for the success of this mission, but I worry about what would happen if we fail." Onyx fell silent for a little while, thinking. "They are your people, but how different are they from your city? Like how our tribes are different from each other, or are there less differences between your city and theirs than I am thinking?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Well...I don't know if I would call them my people. I mean, they are my species of course, but the Karisskan of Tel Nof are quite different from those of Amman. We do share a common background, but we split away from one another long ago." Tarentek began. He did not know everything about the Karisskan of Tel Nof, but he had learned some in preparation for his visit to their city years ago. "There are fundamental differences in our beliefs and the way we live our lives. We see our gods, especially Jhala, differently. For my people, as you know, we are called to develop a deep understanding of the world for the honor and service of Jhala, but the Karisskan of Tel Nof follow a different path, one that can change with their leaders. They split from our people by following their first king to settle Tel Nof. Since then, all of their kings and queens have had absolute authority over their people. They believe that Jhala imparts her wisdom on their monarch, so they serve as leader in state and in spirit. Still, those shared roots we have make them somewhat similar to my people, in a few ways. A lot of our social norms, like the way we behave and talk around one another, are similar, so I can be of help in that regard. They do trade with other cities, so they are accustomed to interacting with other races, and are...reasonably understanding when they make mistakes. Mostly."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "So the major difference between their city and yours is that they follow your goddess in a different way than you do?" Onyx asked before changing her mind. "Actually, nevermind. That makes sense, they have different values, so they follow their own set of rules. The different tribes of my people are somewhat similar, those who are more focused on survival don't actually have a specific ritual for things like coming of age or a funeral, while a tribe like mine that is focused on exploration has a very strong belief in keeping the traditions of our ancestors going strong." Onyx paused a moment as she searched for the thread of thought she had started with. "So, the way their leadership works is very different from yours, but social custom is still similar. Is there anything I should know about what to, or what not to do?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek nodded. "Oh, yes, quite a few. More than I could go over in just a few minutes. A lot of it is behaviors that might offend you which you and the others will have to learn to accept. I've encountered a few of those in my time here, if you recall. I wouldn't want you or the others to think someone is trying to insult you when they're not...or that they're being friendly when they're actually trying to insult you." He said with a chuckle. "We might want to set aside some time one day before the mission to go over all of that in detail. Preferably, with the others who will be escorting me. I may ask your father to decide a few days early on who will be joining me so we can properly prepare." Tarentek was nearly finished with his meal, though he wasn't in any particular rush. "I think you'll be fine, though, as long as you let me lead the way and try not to make any assumptions if you're unsure about what someone is meaning. You seem to have been reasonably understanding about our differences so far, even if there have been a few misunderstandings. Is there anything you can think of that the others joining us might have issues with?"</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Well, the most obvious thing is that they wont want to follow your lead at first, but even after they accept that they may still be rude or insubordinate. But it also depends greatly on who 'they' actually are." Onyx quoclky made a list in her mind of all those who would be most likely to accept the mission and follow Tarentek's orders without too much bad behavior. "I can think of quite a few people that would be included in the best case scenario, but there is an even higher number of unknowns and negatives too."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "I would guess that your father would want to send along the people who would best get along with me, or at least be focused enough on the mission to accept my expertise on the matter. If they do not intend to listen, it would honestly be better not to have them at all. We want to make a good impression on the locals, and there are some things that could actually get them in to some trouble if they make the wrong mistakes." Tarentek explained. He finished his meal, so he opened his canteen and sipped on his water as he continued. "If we are lucky enough to get an audience with her, probably one of the most important rules is to do everything that the Queen tells you, without question. In diplomatic negotiations, you can disagree with her, that is fine, but in everything else, the Queen's word is absolute law, and she doesn't like to be questioned in her own home. If she wants you to do something you don't like or don't want to do, it doesn't matter; you do it. Disobeying the Queen is something they can and will arrest you for, and, well, you really don't want that." He added.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx finished her meal as she listened to Tarentek, and began to clean up everything while she thought how to respond. "How likely do you think it is that we will actually meet with this queen? I'm not certain that our entire group would actually go into the city, some would stay outside either to show less intimidation or simply to avoid the possibility of making any mistakes." Onyx had finished cleaning up now, so she sat back at the table and started sorting through her med-pack. "Speaking of mistakes, it would be extremely bad if we were to come to a misunderstanding while there. Are there specific, rules of court, or anything like that we would have to follow? I suppose you'd tell everyone on the mission at some point along the way, so you don't have to tell them all right now."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek nodded. "There are rules specific to the court, yes. Actually, when I was there, they sent someone to us beforehand to instruct us on their rules. It seems they are not so unreasonable as to punish people for rules they know nothing about. No, they make sure to tell you the rules before arresting you for breaking them. Still, I will tell everyone all that I remember. A lot of the etiquette is simple...fluff, is how I would describe it. Who to bow to; who walks in front when you're going somewhere. That kind of thing. One thing I found strange was that guests, or anyone, really, are forbidden from talking with any of the servants while in the palace. There are specific officials who are permitted to relay orders to the servants. It's a security thing, I believe. All of the servants are...well I don't know if slaves is the right term. They all live quite well, and actually receive a good amount of respect in the palace. But, all of them are hatched in the palace, and are forbidden from speaking with anyone outside the palace...ever. Through their entire lives. I think it is meant to ensure that no outside plots ever find their way into the minds of the monarch's servants." Though she had not asked, Tarentek paused a moment to help clean up. By this point, he had been in Onyx's home long enough to know everything's proper place. "As for meeting the Queen herself, it is actually possible. She does have advisers and other officials who can act on her behalf, but what we are going to be asking of her people is pretty major. We're asking for a military alliance against a force greater than her city could hope to conquer alone. That is important enough for the Queen herself to take interest. If that happens, just do whatever she says. We're not going to be allowed any security in her presence, so it will just be us who has to worry about that."</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "You've lost me. Slaves and, servants? I understand the concept of slavery but, your people actually do that?" Onyx shook her head, confused but resigned. "Nevermind, we can talk more about this later. The ritual tomorrow starts a little after dawn, and the sun set a while ago. Will you be ok tomorrow? I will be busy for most of the day, so you'll be alone for that time."</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Sounds like a plan." Onyx smiled as she spoke. "I'm going to sleep now, I'll see you sometime later tomorrow. Goodnight." After saying goodnight, she disappeared into her room, falling asleep almost immediately. She had dreams of flight and of water, flight through a place with no land where the calm waters below perfectly reflected the sky above and the moon was 20 times its normal size, a great white orb that glowed with a knowing light. She was alone in the air, but she could see ripples in the water below that set the reflection wavering, and could hear the laughter of many people, although she could not see them. She drifted down until she could sense the water right below her, and the reflection on it's surface stopped altogether from the ripples caused by the unseen sources of the laughter. She landed and stood on top of the water, while the second her feet touched the surface it became mirror-still once again and the laughter stopped. She walked a few paces towards the moon, and heard a scream. Attempting to take flight again, she was unable to, the water reaching up to pull her down and the scream coming ever closer. She was pulled under the surface, and the scream ceased. It was dark for a few moments, but then she could see again. This time she was in the same place, flying again with the laughter and the ripples in the water, only now she could see the creatures that made the sound. As large as the moon had been in the moments before, the sun was nowhere in sight, and the sky that had been so clear was now overcast and lightning flashed around at the edge of her vision. The laughing creatures that caused the ripples in the water were pure black, Onyx could not even see their eyes in their upturned, mocking faces. Just as she had before, she drifted down until she was just above the rolling surface of the water, unable to control herself as she landed and saw the water mirror the stormy sky above. The creatures slid closer to her, no longer disturbing the water with their movements, but unlike the time before they kept laughing as they got closer and she heard the scream as coming from herself. This time when she was pulled under the water, the scene changed to white. She opened her eyes to find that she was safe in her room, looking into the rising sun as it slid over the horizon between two mountains. Jumping out of bed, and keeping quiet as she could so as not to wake Tarentek if he was asleep, she prepared for the ritual in just a few minutes and left as the sun finished clearing the horizon.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek As the first rays of light slowly started to filter into his room, Tarentek awoke with a yawn. It had been another uneventful night, which was honestly how he preferred them at this point. Today in particular, the day was likely going to be just as uneventful as the night. Normally, he would wake himself up quickly, get dressed, check his equipment, and get straight to breakfast in preparation for the day, but today, none of that was necessary. He stayed laying in bed for longer than usual, getting up only once he heard movement in the other room. Tarentek stepped into the main room somewhat lazily, letting out another yawn before greeting Onyx. "Good morning. I assume you're getting ready for your big day. I wish you the best of luck in that; I look forward to seeing the full adult Onyx, or what is it you'll be called? Bri'nx? After it is over. Do you think you have time for a quick breakfast, or do you need to get going right away?"</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx was almost out the door when she heard Tarentek speak. Still a little shaken by the strange quality of her dream, she jumped a little at his voice. "Oh, good morning. I was hoping I wouldn't wake you up with any noise before I left, but I suppose that thought was doomed from the start." She laughed a little, quietly, uncertain. "I've already eaten, I must go now. I will see you later today, as Br'inx." Now her smile was more comfortable, she was glad he had remembered her new name. "Agrin, litho krebar Tarentek, until we meet again."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Until we meet again." Tarentek said as Onyx took her leave. Once she was gone, he went about making breakfast at his own, leisurely pace. He started to slowly sear a fish, along with a few mixed vegetables. With the way it was being prepared, it took longer to make than a normal breakfast, but he had the time to kill. As he waited for the fish to cook, Tarentek leaned back in a chair in the main room, thinking on the day ahead. Technically, he did not have to stay in Onyx's home, but he was still nervous about being out in public alone in the village. It would cause less trouble for him to stay out of sight. He just needed to find a way to pass the time alone. Unfortunately, a lot of what he would do back in Amman, such as training, required more space than the inside of Onyx's relatively small home. As he sat in the chair thinking, he looked up at the ceiling and let out a sigh. "Okay, this is going to get boring." He muttered to himself.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright As Onyx arrived at Olias's place of power, the site of the ritual, she noticed that there were already quite a lot of people there including her father and 8, no 9 others her age. Great, I'm the last to arrive... Wonderful start. "Hello!" She called out as she landed, her brooding at being last to arrive disappearing quickly as excitement took its place. The area was essentially a large circular room of sorts, as the mountain rose up on one side and blocked the rising sun, and the other side was a steep cliff drop to the base of the mountain. There was a large flat rock in the center which the group her age was gathered around, and around the edge of the circle were various items that would likely be used in the test of sills, although some tests won't use any items or one would be given an item but their test would have nothing to do with it, it was meant to confuse them until the last moment. Onyx joined the group standing around the flat rock and heard her greeting returned with equal excitement as she had spoken with, recognizing everyone in the group. Daimos, Kesi, Akili, Geda, and Helaheim were all there, and they smiled as they greeted her, Daimos making some comment to Kesi that Onyx couldn't hear while Akili came over to stand by Onyx while the group waited for something to happen. The other four in the group didn't smile when they greeted Onyx, but they weren't rude towards her either. If she recalled correctly they were all a few years younger than her and she had never really interacted with them much. They were eager, declaring their paths a few years sooner than most do and stand off from the others as if they were superior in some way. Onyx didn't care, they'll make their mistakes and realize their place later rather than sooner, as most who declared early did. There was much activity going on around them, although Onyx couldn't tell that anything was actually getting done. Someone would put something somewhere, and another person would go put it back where it started, or an order would be given but no one would follow it. Everyone in the group except Akili was getting more and more confused each moment, until Akili spoke up and told them what was going on. "This is our group test," She started, getting the attention of everyone in the group quickly. "Did anyone here attend the last ritual, Where they tested the group with a missing-persons situation? No one told the group what was going on or that there was even a group test, they never do, so the group stood here alone for a few hours before organising and looking for everyone. Once they found Raldel he called everyone else out of hiding, but that group failed because they took so long to realize that something was wrong. Two of them didn't come of age and won't be able to for another season." The group stood in silence for a moment until one of the others spoke up, a young girl who seemed angry at herself and stood with a menacing air about her. "So? This is our test, but what do we do? They're all just going around and getting nothing done." She gestured around them at the people who were working but doing nothing. "They aren't even listening to what the orders are." Kesi nodded in agreement, about to say something, but her brother beat her to it. "So, we fix it, somehow. We've gotta get them to stop undoing each other and actually do what everyone's ordering them to." Daimos smirked as he finished speaking. "How hard could that be?" Everyone studied the situation for a moment, each trying to come up with a way to accomplish their task. A few stared trying to talk to the people around them, trying to get them not to move whatever someone else had just put down or telling them to listen to the orders they were being given, only to get snapped at that they were following their orders and needing to back off before they'd end up starting a fight. Onyx stopped focusing on the workers and listened to the orders that the leaders were giving. Sure enough, whenever someone picked something up to put it somewhere, an order had been given for it to be done, but They couldn't tell that the orders were being followed because the people they were directed at were not the people that fulfilled them. The leaders were undoing each other, and those who were following them were not who they thought they were. It was not a simple matter of disobedience on the part of the followers, it was dissonance between the leaders and a split following between them, something that in a battle would wind up with everyone dead. Speaking to the grunts would not work, the group had to settle whatever the problem was between the leaders of the group before working out the loyalties of the followers. Onyx stood on top of the flat rock so she could be seen by the whole crowd. "Everybody stop!" She ordered in as stern a tone as she could keep when yelling above the clamor of the crowd. To her surprise everyone actually did stop what they were doing, the members of her group making their way back to the flat rock to see what Onyx's plan was. "Would all the leaders please step forward." Onyx wasn't sure of the term once she said it. It worked fine in her mind, but she supposed she should have said 'commanders' instead once most of the group took a step forward. Geda spoke up, correcting the problem for her. "No, only the ones who've been barking out all the orders. Workers step back." At his words Onyx saw smiles go through the crowd, giving the group a hint that they were succeeding so far. Most of them stepped back, leaving 6 people, including Raldel, standing forward as leaders. "Great, thanks Geda." Onyx said as she hopped off of the rock and motioned the group of leaders together. "Now, what's the deal? Someone's got a problem with someone and it's causing everyone problems, so tell me what the first problem was." Onyx spoke sternly and made eye contact with each of the leaders, still a little surprised that they were actually listening to her. Raldel spoke, or started to at least. He got cut off by one of his friends, who gave him a strange look as he spoke. "Ral 'ere's been overstepping 'imself, and Hold's got 'imself in a fight wit' the lady here. I try ta play peacekeeper, but then Kurt 'n Gall tell me ta keep my trap shut. We's got an agreement not to talk ta each other again 'till we finish our job 'ere." Onyx didn't know any of their first names except for her father's, so she was guessing at who everyone was by how they were glaring at each other. Akili sighed and spoke before Onyx could even begin to think what to say to them, her annoyance tangible in her words. "Yea, well you're not getting anything done! You're all standing away from each other and undoing whatever someone else just had done. None of what you're doing even really needs to be done in the first place, you're just wasting time and causing a bad situation for everyone." She paused, seeming like she was going to say something else but ending up not when Onyx found her voice. "Alright, you all need to stop letting personal problems mess with what you're doing. You're a team, working together towards one goal, not a bunch of young children fighting on the playing field. Your actions have consequences for those other than yourself, just imagine if this same thing had happened in a battle!" Onyx still had more to say, but was silenced by her father's sudden embrace and the cheer that rose from the crowd as the other leaders shook hands and patted each other on the back, smiling and congratulating the group. Raldel spoke over the crowd, smiling as he let go of Onyx. "Well done. You have all passed the group test! We will wait a little while for the rest of those who wish to witness the ritual to arrive, and then we will start the introductions." As he finished speaking the crowd quieted and started to tidy up the mess that they had made during the test, putting everything back in it's rightful place without needing any orders to tell them so.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Raldel called forward all who had chosen to be sentries, and Nemos, Haku'da, Merim, the boy who had cut his palm, and the girl with the menacing air stepped forward. Raldel motioned to another sentry, who took his place and told the five of them to follow him. He took flight, leading them to the cliff high above the area. As Onyx watched, Raldel explained what their test was to the crowd below. "Trust is an important quality in a sentry. Without trust in your companions and teammates, the only thing that can happen is failure. Those on the cliff are having their wings bound as we speak, and we are to catch them, that is if they have enough trust in us to jump." No sooner than he had finished speaking did two people jump over the edge, followed more slowly by two more. After the first two had been caught the fifth one jumped, angling themselves so that they fell faster and passed the second two before the three were caught at once. The fifth jumper, Nemos, let out a whoop as the binds on his wings were removed. He passed by Onyx on his way back to his place in line and whispered to her. "That was actually kind of fun." As worried as that made Onyx for his sanity at the moment, she was too excited to see what the next test would be to spend much time on it. Next, Raldel called forward the Scouts. Jun'esi and the other two that were younger than Onyx stepped forward. The two looked almost worried, while Jun'esi seemed excited as everyone waited to hear what their test was. Raldel took a few papers from his pocket and handed one to each of them. "On these papers is a riddle. This is a test of problem-solving and actual scouting ability. You are to find the answer to the riddle and then bring it back here. All the riddles are different, but the items are all smaller than an infant. There is your hint, now go!" Raldel waved the three away and they took off immediately. They hovered in the air for a few moments as they read their riddles, and then went off in different directions. Jun'esi was the first one back, holding in her arms a wax statue representing Olias. The other two got back not too much later, one right after the other and both carrying a wax statue, one for Heilias and one for Fellagang. Raldel smiled and told them all that they had passed, taking the items and papers from them and handing them to different people in the crowd who all stayed standing forward as Raldel started to motion Rin'ili forward. "As a diplomat you will have to solve problems between others and make agreements and compromises between them, even if it costs you something personally to help others. Your test will be to negotiate a compromise between three warring 'tribes', represented by those holding the statues." As he finished speaking the three holding the statues approached each other and started arguing. Rin'ili stood by for a moment, listening before she approached and put her hand on the shoulder of the one holding Fellagang's statue. She took a while, but eventually she reached an agreement between the three and Raldel congratulated her. Rin'ili passed Onyx as she returned to her spot, wishing Onyx good luck. Then Raldel was motioning Onyx forward, a smile on his face. "Bri'nx, you have two tests today. The first one, you must prove you are meant to be a prophetess by reciting your caantam to us, and then you must interpret a dream that multiple people in the tribe had last night." Raldel finished speaking and motioned for a few people in the crowd to come forward as Onyx faced the crowd, waiting for silence so she could recite her caantam. The chatter was mainly people wondering what a caantam even was from what Onyx could hear. Eventually everyone realized that she was waiting and focused on her intently, the chatter stopping almost suddenly. Onyx closed her eyes before she spoke, listening to the words she had only heard one before as she spoke them for the first time. Thine eye that shines as white snow, Blessed me my wings of golden heart. She sounded different to herself as she spoke, older and more powerful. The crowd stood, stunned for a moment after she finished. Raldel was the first to unfreeze, prompting those he had motioned forward earlier to start describing the dream to Onyx. As they described the dream, Onyx got a growing sense of dread in her stomach. When they had finished, she closed her eyes and thought for a moment before speaking. "I had this dream as well last night. Everything you described was exactly the same." Onyx paused for one last moment before she started explaining what the dream meant, surprised at how easily the information came to her. "The absence of land is isolation, and the calm, mirror-like water refers to 'self' or one person. the large moon means that this person lacks trust, either they are not trusted or the do not trust others, and the absence of the sun means that the person may feel lonely or lost because of that. The laughter, the storm, the strange creatures, and the scream all mean fear. Fears of the past, present and fears for the future as well. The inability to move, and being pulled under the water represents a forced or unwanted role, and the inability to ever escape it." Onyx finished speaking and was immediately bombarded with questions. She heard one question the most however. 'Who does this dream about?' "It's not about anyone in the tribe, or even one of our people. None of us have met them, yet, but we soon will." Onyx had no idea how she knew this, the words just came through her, not from her. There was confusion and a lot of noise from the crowd before Raldel silenced everyone and told Onyx that she passed. Onyx went back to her place in line while Raldel closed the ritual with the same words he had started it with. As soon as the ritual was over most started to fly away, while a few stayed behind to tidy things up. Raldel came over and hugged Onyx, congratulating everyone in the group and telling them they were free to go, and to report to him at first light tomorrow to receive their first orders as full-fledged members of the tribe. They all congratulated each other and took off, each heading their own way. Onyx was headed home, as she was tired and hungry from not eating anything since early that morning. She got home to see Tarentek doing pull-ups over one of the doorways in the den. After laughing a little at the, to her, strange behavior, she greeted him and started to make herself something to eat. "Hello Tarentek! I hope you've had a good day?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek dropped down from the doorway once he had reached a nice, even number of pull-ups. He started to stretch out the rather sore muscles in his arms as he greeted Onyx. "Welcome back. My day has been a bit dull, but...encouraging all the same. I feel...good, great even. It seems my recovery has gone a bit faster than I thought, because I am feeling almost as good as normal. I had a nap this morning, but I've spent most of the day exercising; testing myself. It will take some physical conditioning to get back to my peak, but I wouldn't call myself injured any longer. Once my escort has been assigned and I've had the time to properly teach everyone how to behave in Tel Nof, then I will be ready to head for the city." As Onyx was preparing her meal, Tarentek started untying the objects he had been using as weights and putting them back in their proper places. "What about you? From your tone, I'm going to guess that your ritual went well."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Very well. Everyone passed their tests and now we all have to go see Raldel by first light tomorrow to receive our orders. I'm interested to know who else my father has chosen to go as your escort to Tel Nof." Onyx finished making her meal and moved to the table to eat. "I'm glad you feel back to normal now. You should come with me tomorrow morning to tell Raldel."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Well, in that case, I think congratulations are in order. I'm sure this is a big moment for you. I do wish you did not have to go out on this mission so soon afterwards, but I suppose it is for your people." Tarentek responded. After he had returned everything he had moved before back to its proper place, he took a seat at the table across from Onyx. "Sure, I'll come with you tomorrow. Technically, we could leave at any time after I have my assigned escort, but I do want to make sure everyone knows how to behave before we arrive. Even if the others do not intend on joining us for negotiations, we should be prepared for anything. Who knows, the Queen might request to see them for whatever reason, and we cannot afford to deny her requests. Ideally, we won't need the escort, but I'll be glad to have them if we do." He commented.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Thanks, it is." Onyx said, smiling. "I don't mind going on the mission right after though, in fact i'm very excited for it." Onyx finished eating quickly and cleaned up just as quickly. "Did you really spend the entire day in here? I couldn't stand to do that, even if I were ill. There's still daylight left, would you like to go somewhere?" Onyx thought for a moment. "You don't have to wait until tomorrow to go see Raldel. He could tell you who the escort group is now and I can tell you what their personalities are like if you want."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek gave a slight chuckle. "Well, I'm a lot less likely to run into any trouble in here than I am out there. Until your people have been given good reasons to trust me, it is probably better for me to stay out of sight and out of mind, at least when alone. Besides, I had plenty to keep myself occupied. I have a lot of lost time to make up when it comes to my exercise routine. I never particularly enjoyed it before, but after hardly being able to do anything for the past week, I can't describe how fulfilling it was to be able to just be able to lift something heavy. Anyway, we don't really have to go find Raldel right at this moment. I've already spent most of the day thinking on what I'm going to teach everyone, so I have my plan. And if Raldel was focusing on the ritual, then he may not have made all the decisions yet."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I suppose that's true... tomorrow it is then. Are you sure you don't want to go somewhere, anywhere that isn't here for a while though?" Onyx raised an eyebrow at Tarentek before continuing. "Or do you want to stay holed up in here? I'm not gonna force you to go outside, but don't you feel uncomfortable being in the same place for so long?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek shrugged his shoulders. "If you have somewhere in mind, I would certainly join you, but I don't have a particular need to get out of the house. Staying in one place for a while doesn't bother me too much, at least not anymore. Being both a scout and a marksman, patience was something I had to learn really quickly. Exploring new, unknown areas was indeed part of my job, which was obviously pretty exciting, but there was also a lot of waiting involved. Imagine guarding a small, mostly empty cave in a mountainside for about thirteen hours straight while the rest of my team was exploring an ancient ruin, and that is just the most recent example. There are a lot of stories I could tell about that. I mean, they would be really, really boring stories, but I could tell them. Luckily, we always traded off on who was on guard duty for our camp."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Really?" Onyx suppressed a shudder. "I think I'd go slightly insane if I had to do that. I don't have a specific place to go, just walking around outside is nice sometimes. If you really don't want to go out then I'm fine staying here, I just wanted to be sure you were."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Well, I mean, it's not that I don't want to go out, it's more like I would like going out, but I would also like staying here. I just don't have much of a preference at the moment." Tarentek answered, though after pausing for a few moments, he suddenly started to laugh. "You know, I think I've had this conversation before. Not with you, just..." He began before trailing off into thought. It was difficult for him to concentrate on his memories without ending up on the attack, but this time at least, he was keeping his focus on more positive memories.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx waited a while after Tarentek trailed off, wondering what he was thinking about. After a few more seconds she shrugged her shoulders and went to a box across the room, pulling out a few bolts of tightly-knitted yarn and a lot of loose yarn as well. She sat on a chair in the living room and started weaving yarn through the edges of the bolts, effectively binding them together. She used no tools, other than a knife to cut the yarn with, weaving the yarn into the stitch with only her fingers.</s>
<\|description\|>Ash Nathbakk Gender: Female Age: 18 Species: Gigan Birthday: May 22 Blood Type: B+ Height: 10"5' Weight: 284 ibs. Measurements: 32D-23-36 Like: Mornings, Gale, sleeping, eating, sleeping again, her gun, seeing Gale smile, long walks through Meridian, botany, gardening, flowers, big windows that she can climb out of easily, and small things. Dislikes: The Renoirs, Egrits, moonless nights, mean small people, mean tall people, hot days (which are all too common in the Meridian), and Gale injuring herself. Parasite: Rorschach - a parasite that replaces an unknown part of Ash's body, only Gale has seen it activate and live. Appearance: Ash is a ten foot tall Gigan, with a pair of stubby yellow horns and peach colored skin, her eyes are an expressive yellow, topped off by badly kept white hair. Ash usually wears a striped jacket, and a white undershirt that barely fits her elongated arms, along with her jacket, she also has a bright red bow tie around the collar of her jacket, fur mantle included, which matches the hair on top of her head. She also carries a Gigantian machete as a secondary weapon, alternatively to her .30 caliber Canopian anti-tank rifle; which can often be found slung over a shoulder, with Gale attached to its long barrel. Biography: Ash's origins lie in the cold wastes of Giga, where she was born to a family of Gigan, whose names even she can't remember. They dissipated from Ash's life when she was nine, and she found her way to little Innsmouth through a lowly Elven caravan. After she had strayed from the Elves that had been with her for so long, she found her way to a small family of bat Ferals who, despite her size, took her in. Their giving attitude had touched her so deeply, that she had decidedly stayed with them. Everything went well for a few months, Ash managed to live a relatively normal life tending to flowers, and getting a proper education--until Gale's parents died. Gale's mental state immediately declined, and as it did Ash was the only thing left to keep it from falling into madness. The next seven years were hell not only for Gale, but for Ash as she was treated to all of Gale's hatred and sadness, but Ash soldiered through it. In those seven years Ash and Gale grew significantly closer as Ash slowly became a pillar for Gale, but despite the pair becoming so close, Gale still doesn't know much about Ash; save for what she's been around to witness. In fact, nobody knows much about Ash. After Gale decidedly joined the Medicis, Ash decided to buy a new home in Little Innsmouth where she and Gale can rest in relative peace in between hits. Now a days the pair just hang out, so to speak, lounging in their shared home, and on occasion tending to the flowers covering the interior of their house. When the pair are not scattered through out their home in Little Innsmouth, or breaking backs for their employers, Gale rests on Ash during the night; almost like a Gigan mattress. Blockbusters: Maul (Level 1): Ash unsheaths her machete, and hyper extends her arm, using it to whip lash her opponent several times--blade included. Bullet Hell (Level 2): Ash loads a special 'slug' round into her rifle, which fires numerous smaller caliber bullets in a flurry of lead, which all impacts her opponent; effectively juggling them in the air to open them up to a counter attack. Bloom (Level 3): Ash activates Rorschach.</s> <\|message\|>Juno Bernstein "Well well... That bat doesn't seem to be ordinary." Juno Bernstein swung her legs in a carefree way on her seat, seemingly oblivious that a wrong move would topple her off her rooftop seat and down to the pavement below. The reddish steel gauntlet on her left hand stood out rather conspicuously against her quality suit, complete with a real hand-tied tie tucked carefully in the jacket; none of that clip on thing for her. She wondered briefly if she should have brought a telescope instead of a binocular instead, as her left eye was naught but an empty socket. "HOW CAN YOU TELL?" She took off the binocular, and looked at her left hand, the green eye on the back of the gauntlet staring at her as she did the same. "The way she moves, what she wears, and how she carries herself. Everyone has many different tells. Thats how I can see which one's worth filching off." "YOU ARE SMART. NOW WE'RE HUNGRY. WE EAT." "Yeah, yeah, stave it off with this. We'll get some food after we get a good mark," She shoved a snack bar into her left palm, watching as a maw suddenly appeared and started crunching on the bar. As the taste of chocolate flooded her mouth, she resumed her vigil on top of the roof. Juno knows where the bat lives, and it would be a simple matter to find which floor and number as well. The lost relative trick always works. But she would need her tools for that sort of heist, and today she was looking for a simple mark, a target to swipe money off and run. It was a bit tight this month, the mafia was cracking down on rivals now, and while normally that wouldn't concern someone who stuck to doing small crime, one of the local bosses was getting a bit overzealous. The shadows were getting a bit hotter too now that there was apparently some hotshot cuffers looking to jump badges. How's an honest thief going to make it through the month without starving with all these happening? Just then she spotted a couple, a very well to do looking couple moving to where she knows was an alley, a shortcut out of the crowd. Which also means those two weren't average joes, since civilians don't usually go through that shortcut. "I'm thinking that's a bodyguard and someone's rich wife. Marionette?" "I'M THINKING OF STEAK." "That's the spirit." Swiftly wrapping up her left hand in bandages, Juno moved silently through the rooftops to intercept them. Should be easy money for dinner.</s> <\|message\|>Morgann Lacroix (Stage Name: "Morrgan the Magnificent") Morgann Lacroix, dressed in her usual show attire minus the mask, strolled down the dark streets of New Meridian, the light from the nearby street lamps causing her tall form to project a massive shadow of her figure. At this time of day, everyone had already hurried home, so Morgann never worried about someone asking for her signature or some other typical request. Almost every night for the past few weeks, she would grab dinner at Mad Man's Cafe, and nobody bothered her while she did so. Eating with the carnies at Cartes was okay, but it got on her nerves. The voices of her co-workers were jarring, and not only that, they never shut up. Dinner would last for about two hours, so the magician would find herself in bed with a raging headache. "A star like me shouldn't even have to associate with such peasants anyhow," she snarled, approaching the dimly-lit cafe. Morgann likes to think she's the best magician in the kingdom, and while she is quite good at working with magic, she was nowhere near the best. Perhaps she is somewhere in the middle of the scale, but that was it for the moment. She clearly feels that she needs to be just as good as her father, but that might take at least fifty more years. A magician of his caliber was, and still is, quite rare. As soon as she walked in, she slid into a booth without a word, slowly sliding downwards into the seat to the point where her shoulders were hunched forward and the brim of her purple top hat covered her eyes. "It's been a long day," she breathed softly, looking around the vacant room. There was a single man at the register who glanced in her direction before coming over to take her order. She promptly replied she'd just like a coffee if possible, and the worker hurried away. "Bus boy better make it quick," she growled before looking out the window and up at the starry sky, sighing quietly. "I kinda wish I was back at the circus now, to be honest," she murmured. And in that very moment, Morgann realized how lonely she was. Right before dismissing it and assuming she might be sick.</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash smiles gayly "We don't have to go to Meridian, we can just go to that campy little cafe down the road," she assures Gale, making sure that the clothes the Gigan is wearing look nice, and smell nice enough for her to wear in public. She puts Gale down atop a couch to her right, wedged in between a pair of vases that look much too large, and much too heavy for a normal person to lift. She stands up, hunched over in the suffocating closeness of her room, and begins to piece together her rifle, attaching springs and other key components to its ornate base, and screwing the lengthy barrel on. This go on for ten minutes, until Ash situates the rifle's leather straps with a satisfying 'click', and slings it over her shoulder, the tip of the gun scraping against the ceiling. The large Gigan then bends over, and picks up Gale "Would you like to ride on my gun?" she asks, motioning to the chromatic barrel.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale looked up at the barrel that, compared to her, was gigantic. Without a word, she swiftly hopped from Ash's hand to the top of the barrel, flapping her tiny wings to steady herself. "Alright. I'm happy to go there," Gale replied quietly, crossing her legs and sitting flat on her butt, making sure the bandana around her eyes was tightly knotted. "Thank Goddess she did not want to go to Meridian," Gale thought, flattening her ears against her head. What a rude thing to think. This was Ash's choice, and had she picked New Meridian, Gale would have had to live with it. She should stop being so selfish. Gale hopped from the barrel to the nape of Ash's neck and crawled up so that she could sit right on top of her head, perking her bat ears up as a way of preparation for the sound of the night once they left the apartment. "Oh, I forgot..." she murmured, jumping off of her head and landing on the ground with her wings spread to slow the fall. She dashed off to the hallway near the kitchen and hooked a right, throwing open her white bedroom door. She didn't need echolocation to find Brandy Station. She already knew where he was. Her room was empty and, quite honestly, depressing, with walls of white and a plain brown carpet floor. The only furniture within the room was a twin-sized bed, a mahogany desk with a charming portrait of her menacing family members, a tall wardrobe, and on the wall sat the rack that held her sword up for the world to see. Without a second thought, she leaped up and snatched the sword from its hooks, landing right on her feet. "Time to go, Brandy," she whispered to its black sheath, wincing as the case rattled in an excited manner. She could feel its chilling connection bonding with her body and its resources as she slung the weapon over her back before slamming the door shut and dashing back to Ash. She quickly scrambled up the Gigan's leg and found her way back to Ash's unruly blonde hair, sitting with her legs crossed just like earlier. "Lead the way," she murmured quietly, adjusting the tall collar of her black down vest.</s> <\|message\|>Dontores Allorè "Dontores my boy, do you have any idea where we are?" A teenage boy sat on the roof of a building he didn't know, in a city he wasn't familiar with. He looked into the distance, eyes half-closed, fist under his chin, taking in the scenery. "Does it even matter?" He said. A thick steel-bound tome laying besides him suddenly floated up in front of him. "Culture my boy! Culture!" The book said, a voice coming out from its pages, "How would you expect to blend in if you don't know culture?" The book danced along to its own words, a familiar and tiresome dance. The teenager didn't see a point in it, but then again, he hardly ever saw the point of anything. "You know as well as I do," The boy said in a tired tone, "That it's your fault that I can't blend in anywhere, right?" The book turned its cover to him, it had no expression but he could easily imagine its grin. "You're the one who gave half your body to me, my boy." It said, "And you're the one who decided to take my clothes with it." He retorted. His body was half covered by a thick, wispy shadow that only left one glowing eye visible on the left side of his body. Whatever clothes he put on, the shadows would cover it making disguise impossible. Perhaps if the Grimoire wasn't illegal, it wouldn't have been a problem. "I will admit that this city is quite new to me," he was gloating now. "The world has changed much since I was last released." The book turned towards the horizon and stood still, as if enjoying a sudden breeze. "Well, you shouldn't get to used to the city just yet." It said, "Change is on the winds, and it comes on swift wings." "Nuul," The boy said, turning towards the book, "How many times have I told you that I don't care?" "And how many times have I told you," Nuul said, shadows radiating from his pages, a dark fist emerging from its depths. "That my name is Grimoire Nuul!</s>	<\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash waits patiently as Gale retrieves Brandy Station, slumped over by the front door, and once Gale is situated on Ash's head, the Gigan clumsily opens the door to their house, and manages to squeeze through. Once Ash is out in the open, she stands at her full height with a relieved sigh, looking down at the crowd; who begins to part to let Ash through. She walks with a surprisingly brisk pace, taking into account all the obstacles of Little Innsmouth, properly gaging all her ducks, and side steps to compensate for the bat feral on her head. "It's busy out today, how did you manage to find your way home?" Ash questions as she approaches the door to a local diner, the wonderful smell of cooked food flooding her senses. "Something smells yummy," she comments, lifting Gale off of her head, and guiding her to the door. With her index finger, and her thumb, Ash grips the handle to the glass portal. She opens it slowly, letting the tacky silver bell ring, and giving Gale a light push inside, following after her with a light grunt, forcing herself through the human sized frame of the door. Ash's knee slides across the dirtied tile floor, followed by its opposite, and once Ash manages to slide her gun past the door, she stands up; hanging her head low. "Dagonian cuisine . . ." Ash mumbles with a content smile, clasping her hands together "You have money, right Gale?"</s>
<\|description\|>Ash Nathbakk Gender: Female Age: 18 Species: Gigan Birthday: May 22 Blood Type: B+ Height: 10"5' Weight: 284 ibs. Measurements: 32D-23-36 Like: Mornings, Gale, sleeping, eating, sleeping again, her gun, seeing Gale smile, long walks through Meridian, botany, gardening, flowers, big windows that she can climb out of easily, and small things. Dislikes: The Renoirs, Egrits, moonless nights, mean small people, mean tall people, hot days (which are all too common in the Meridian), and Gale injuring herself. Parasite: Rorschach - a parasite that replaces an unknown part of Ash's body, only Gale has seen it activate and live. Appearance: Ash is a ten foot tall Gigan, with a pair of stubby yellow horns and peach colored skin, her eyes are an expressive yellow, topped off by badly kept white hair. Ash usually wears a striped jacket, and a white undershirt that barely fits her elongated arms, along with her jacket, she also has a bright red bow tie around the collar of her jacket, fur mantle included, which matches the hair on top of her head. She also carries a Gigantian machete as a secondary weapon, alternatively to her .30 caliber Canopian anti-tank rifle; which can often be found slung over a shoulder, with Gale attached to its long barrel. Biography: Ash's origins lie in the cold wastes of Giga, where she was born to a family of Gigan, whose names even she can't remember. They dissipated from Ash's life when she was nine, and she found her way to little Innsmouth through a lowly Elven caravan. After she had strayed from the Elves that had been with her for so long, she found her way to a small family of bat Ferals who, despite her size, took her in. Their giving attitude had touched her so deeply, that she had decidedly stayed with them. Everything went well for a few months, Ash managed to live a relatively normal life tending to flowers, and getting a proper education--until Gale's parents died. Gale's mental state immediately declined, and as it did Ash was the only thing left to keep it from falling into madness. The next seven years were hell not only for Gale, but for Ash as she was treated to all of Gale's hatred and sadness, but Ash soldiered through it. In those seven years Ash and Gale grew significantly closer as Ash slowly became a pillar for Gale, but despite the pair becoming so close, Gale still doesn't know much about Ash; save for what she's been around to witness. In fact, nobody knows much about Ash. After Gale decidedly joined the Medicis, Ash decided to buy a new home in Little Innsmouth where she and Gale can rest in relative peace in between hits. Now a days the pair just hang out, so to speak, lounging in their shared home, and on occasion tending to the flowers covering the interior of their house. When the pair are not scattered through out their home in Little Innsmouth, or breaking backs for their employers, Gale rests on Ash during the night; almost like a Gigan mattress. Blockbusters: Maul (Level 1): Ash unsheaths her machete, and hyper extends her arm, using it to whip lash her opponent several times--blade included. Bullet Hell (Level 2): Ash loads a special 'slug' round into her rifle, which fires numerous smaller caliber bullets in a flurry of lead, which all impacts her opponent; effectively juggling them in the air to open them up to a counter attack. Bloom (Level 3): Ash activates Rorschach.</s> <\|message\|>Nikolai V Lacerta Nikolai pored over his papers, analysing their contents. He took a pen from the nearby clear desk, twirled it into a comfortable position in his hand and wrote some corrections onto a particular sheet and moved on. Nikolai's irritation grew a little, but it wasn't because of what he saw. His research was flawless as always, and the results had been expected. What annoyed him was the fact that he had to modify his lab so that his hands, bigger than they used to be and each with only semi-retractable claws, could navigate the same workspace he'd been using for most of his life without flicking everything on the table onto the floor every time he tried to grab a pen. It had bothered him for a while now, and he debated finding a way to fix it. Certainly, it was only his own fault that his bestial body had gotten even worse. But he couldn't exactly attain approval for live subjects. It'd worked on rats relatively well, and he had little reason to assume that it'd go so horribly wrong for him. After a few weeks of accidents, he'd discovered that his potion had done the intended effect. It drew on the potential of the body and put it under a heavy strain, causing accelerated growth and adaption as the subject's body tears itself apart. Theoretically, it decayed the muscles and replaced them with stronger ones. Unfortunately for Nikolai, he'd included a mutagen which would've helped accelerate growth. For Nikolai, it had made him grow even more lizard-like. He'd grown powerful muscles and sharp claws, and he'd noticed that the claws were long and curved. He'd looked downright prehistoric, and his behaviour at the time matched that. Another unfortunate side-effect was that the potion had awakened his predatory instincts, dulled as they were under the oppressive routine of society. He sighed as he remembered the moment. Around a year of research lost in minutes of primal rage. He'd managed to get it under control, of course. The technological augmentations helped quite a lot. Of course, he'd appreciate his old form again, but he'd gotten used to his more 'predatory' form. Besides, it would be a waste of all the effort he'd put into his lab to make it workable. And if his parasite weapon was to be believed, he might need his new form, beast-like as it was. The paper Nikolai had in front of him was on the subject of the peculiar being, often called 'parasite weapons'. It was on his own parasite weapon, Oculus, and its effect on Nikolai whom implanted it in place of his other eye. He'd stored his other eye elsewhere, in case he needed it for later. For now, the living eye seemingly made out of glass was a subject of focus for his research. Before he implanted Oculus, it'd been in his possession for quite some time. He'd managed to get it somehow, and it was in his lab for quite a time. Despite its reputation as a parasite, it was capable of living without a host. It was less of a parasite and more of a symbiotic lifeform. After he implanted it, it functioned something like an extra organ. It required nutrients, which were absorbed directly from Nikolai, the host body. But it required little for what it gave, and what it gave to Nikolai was insight. It analysed things he saw with it, told him their composition. Uses. Weak points. Its secondary function, a laser, was useful for cutting and exploited their weak points. And thankfully, Oculus never says anything unnecessary. Sharp and efficient, just how Nikolai liked. "Oculus." Nikolai said. "Yes?" It said in his mind. "What can you tell me about your brethren?" Nikolai asked. "Nothing that you do not already know." Oculus said. Nikolai had figured as much. He had already analysed oculus the best he could, and he'd analysed the effects that Oculus had on his body. There was nothing more to be gleaned from studying it. That meant that to further his knowledge of parasite weapons, he'd have to look further. Nikolai thought about that prospect and glanced at his door. His lab, in which he'd spent most of his life, was on the outskirts of Little Innsmouth. There was nothing more to be gleaned from analysing Oculus, meaning he needed to find more parasite weapons. That meant that there was a possibility that he would meet people who wielded parasite weapons. Nikolai sighed. He'd have to find people with parasite weapons to study them further. The problem was, he hated people. He and they had a kind of agreement. He stayed away from them, they wouldn't bother him. His situation was eerily reminiscent of old witch folk tales, where a witch lives in the forest who eats children that try to trespass into her house. In Nikolai's case, he didn't eat children; they tasted terrible. But the characteristics were the same: Outcast shunned by society living on the outskirts of a town. But there were a few differences between Nikolai and a witch. One, Nikolai was a scientist, and two, Nikolai was a predator. He had an intrinsic knowledge of stealth and tracking. This would make the job easier, somewhat, but there was only so much one could glean from observation. But it's not like he had a choice… Thinking a little more, Nikolai spoke to Oculus. "Oculus. Can you identify your brethren?" He asked. "Yes." Oculus replied. Nikolai sighed again and got out of his seat. He'd have to hunt, then. Hunting for parasite weapons. He could search at a distance, relying on Oculus's boons to find his targets. It may be a long time before he came back to his lab, but his memory was good so it would be fine. Coming to a decision, he opened the door to the world outside. It was evening now, but that would only make his job easier. "Let's go, Oculus." He said. "Yes." Oculus replied. Nikolai stood and sniffed the air, isolating which direction to go towards. He smiled a little predatory smile, his instincts enflamed by the anticipation of the hunt. The lizard scientist stalked into the evening woods, making his way to Little Innsmouth.</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash walks up the crimson bar, setting a twenty down on its chipped wooden surface--next to a woman with bandaged hands "Are you okay?" Ash asks her with a concerned frown, before she's interrupted by a waitress. "Oh, sorry," Ash responds to the woman behind the counter, before listing off her order "May I have five baskets of chicken tenders, and uh..." Ash pauses "An extra rare hamburger? With a basket of fries? Pretty please?" she asks, finishing her order. The Dagonian waitress takes Ash's money, crumpling it, and shoving it into her apron, she then rummages around in the same pocket she had put the twenty in, pulling out a five. Ash takes her change, and manages to situate her Gigan rear on a seat, a seat away from the strange woman. 'What's wrong with her hands? does she have a parasite?' she asks herself, to which a rather silent voice in her head responds '...maybe...' before it disperses all together, fading away into the milky cauldron of her mind. Ash looks at the strange woman, then back to Gale, running her fingers through her hair with a worried frown, until her order is set down behind her. "Goody!" she exclaims, scooping up the food in her palms, carrying it over to Gale with a giddy smile. "I got the food!" she says, handing Gale her burger.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale stared down at her burger and tilted her head, flicking her ears. "I can just eat the bun," she thought silently, tearing open the burger's wrapper and snatching the buns away from the meat. Pressing the two slices together, she opened her mouth wide to reveal insanely sharp bat fangs before devouring the bread whole, swallowing. She pushed the meat over to Ash before shuffling in her boots for some extra money. "I'm going to try and order for myself," she explained to Ash, "Meat makes me feel sick to my stomach. I'll be back in a few." With that last comment, she scurried off to go order. The waitress, who Gale could sense was simply staring at her with curiosity, put a menu in front of her, but she pushed it back with her index finger. "O-Oh, sorry, I...I know what I want, rice?" she requested, putting her hands behind her back. "What? Speak up, little one, you're awfully quiet," the woman said. The comment about her size irritated Gale, but she swallowed her pride and firmly repeated. "I. Would like. Rice." Oblivious to her irritation, the waitress turned to retrieve a small bowl of rice before sliding it over to Gale. "Thank you," she whispered, and without even turning to acknowledge the girl with bandaged hands, she scampered back to the table and began to dig into the rice with the hunger of a savage wolf.</s> <\|message\|>Jane Vermilion Jane's attention was shifted from her tea to the door as the stupid silver bell rang. "Oh hey, more people. We should go talk to them!" Jane said, eyeing the two new people with interest. A Gigan and a Feral, both carrying weapons. An odd duo to say the least. For some reason her first thought was that they were lovers, but it was probably at least a little more innocent than that. Probably. She sipped on her tea silently as the two girls conversed. The small bat gal gave the gentle giant some cash and went to find the both of them a seat. Way in the back, of course. It seemed she didn't wan't to converse. Luckily, the more social of the two returned, food in hand. "We should go talk to them. They seem interesting." Jane said, polishing off her tea. "By the way, you likin' this drink?" "The tea's fine, I guess. A little bitter, anyways, can we maybe not talk to whoever you're talking about?" Franky replied, obviously not a fan of talking. "Oh c'mon, you don't even have to speak!" She whined, getting up and placing some money on the table. Franky sighed in annoyance and submission, before saying "Can we at least get some grub first? "Sure, we can eat it while we talk to them." A minute or two later the girl made her way to the only other occupied table in that diner with noodles of some kind, along with more tea. "Hi. Hope I'm not interrupting, but may I join you two? You're kinda the only two people to talk to that's not one of the staff." She said, taking Franky's advice and not drawing attention to her parasite. She noticed the bat girl had a different order than before, some rice, and was tearing into it vigorously.</s>	<\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash shrugs "Sorry about the burger, I thought it would be funny," she mutters, lightly patting Gale on the head, before she starts to consume the chicken tenders she ordered. "What do you want to do after this?" Ash asks Gale with a pleasant smile, looking down at her batty companion, while she tenderly chews on a mouth full of fried chicken. "We could go anywhere you want, I was thinking about going into New Meridian and buying flowers, but you don't like that place. . ." Ash stops when the strange woman approaches the table, giving her a slight glance "You can sit here, sure!" she responds, looking down at the lady's hands. "But first, what's your name?" she questions with a jubilant smile, which appears to be a recurring theme with the strange character.</s>
<\|description\|>Ash Nathbakk Gender: Female Age: 18 Species: Gigan Birthday: May 22 Blood Type: B+ Height: 10"5' Weight: 284 ibs. Measurements: 32D-23-36 Like: Mornings, Gale, sleeping, eating, sleeping again, her gun, seeing Gale smile, long walks through Meridian, botany, gardening, flowers, big windows that she can climb out of easily, and small things. Dislikes: The Renoirs, Egrits, moonless nights, mean small people, mean tall people, hot days (which are all too common in the Meridian), and Gale injuring herself. Parasite: Rorschach - a parasite that replaces an unknown part of Ash's body, only Gale has seen it activate and live. Appearance: Ash is a ten foot tall Gigan, with a pair of stubby yellow horns and peach colored skin, her eyes are an expressive yellow, topped off by badly kept white hair. Ash usually wears a striped jacket, and a white undershirt that barely fits her elongated arms, along with her jacket, she also has a bright red bow tie around the collar of her jacket, fur mantle included, which matches the hair on top of her head. She also carries a Gigantian machete as a secondary weapon, alternatively to her .30 caliber Canopian anti-tank rifle; which can often be found slung over a shoulder, with Gale attached to its long barrel. Biography: Ash's origins lie in the cold wastes of Giga, where she was born to a family of Gigan, whose names even she can't remember. They dissipated from Ash's life when she was nine, and she found her way to little Innsmouth through a lowly Elven caravan. After she had strayed from the Elves that had been with her for so long, she found her way to a small family of bat Ferals who, despite her size, took her in. Their giving attitude had touched her so deeply, that she had decidedly stayed with them. Everything went well for a few months, Ash managed to live a relatively normal life tending to flowers, and getting a proper education--until Gale's parents died. Gale's mental state immediately declined, and as it did Ash was the only thing left to keep it from falling into madness. The next seven years were hell not only for Gale, but for Ash as she was treated to all of Gale's hatred and sadness, but Ash soldiered through it. In those seven years Ash and Gale grew significantly closer as Ash slowly became a pillar for Gale, but despite the pair becoming so close, Gale still doesn't know much about Ash; save for what she's been around to witness. In fact, nobody knows much about Ash. After Gale decidedly joined the Medicis, Ash decided to buy a new home in Little Innsmouth where she and Gale can rest in relative peace in between hits. Now a days the pair just hang out, so to speak, lounging in their shared home, and on occasion tending to the flowers covering the interior of their house. When the pair are not scattered through out their home in Little Innsmouth, or breaking backs for their employers, Gale rests on Ash during the night; almost like a Gigan mattress. Blockbusters: Maul (Level 1): Ash unsheaths her machete, and hyper extends her arm, using it to whip lash her opponent several times--blade included. Bullet Hell (Level 2): Ash loads a special 'slug' round into her rifle, which fires numerous smaller caliber bullets in a flurry of lead, which all impacts her opponent; effectively juggling them in the air to open them up to a counter attack. Bloom (Level 3): Ash activates Rorschach.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk In that very moment, something snapped inside of Gale. "A t-shirt," she echoed in her mind, her entire body filling with a surreal rage. That deafening static had returned, indicating that Brandy Station was most certainly ready to take over. "Are you sure you want me to go on?" he whispered, and she felt her impaired eyes burning from the intense, burning light that was finding its way through her pupils. "Do it," she replied, relinquishing all control over her actions and her body to let Brandy take over. While Brandy slowly began to take control, he reached up using her delicate, thin fingers and opened her eyelids manually, revealing that her entire eye had been submerged in a ghostly yellow light. "I'll keep you safe, you just watch," he breathed softly to her despite the fact that she was too disoriented to properly reply. After he had complete control over her mind and body, he slipped the obsidian sword out of its polished sheath, pointing it directly in the Egrets' direction. "Hello, all," he announced in a voice that sounded vaguely like Gale's, but it had a twist of a garbled male voice and a roaring static accent. "On Gale's judgement, I have been commanded to take over from here," he explained to the soldiers, increasing the light coming from her wide yellow eyes to a blinding intensity. "You may leave peacefully, and I will do no harm," Brandy remarked, tilting Gale's head to the side, "but if you stay and put this girl's life in danger, I will stop your actions indefinitely. An eye for an eye." He turned to Ash and pointed the feral's free hand in her direction. "Stay put," he whispered to her, making sure that it was in a language that only her hidden parasite would understand. He adjusted his host's iron grip on the sabre's handle, raising it in the air. "And don't you dare think of using your filthy guns and tear gas on me," he snarled through her closed teeth, swiping the air with such force that it caused a surprisingly strong wind to blow in the men's direction. "An entity such as me is still affected, but I recover much faster than your average opponent. The repercussions will be great if you dare do so." Gale's being, entrapped within her own mind, watched through blind eyes and listened to her weapon's words. "Them's fighting words," she echoed through his control, causing her feminine voice to be projected through her own throat. "Please keep quiet, Gale," he warned mentally, "if you distract me at the wrong time, our lives will be in danger. Keep in mind that while I am in your body, I, too, can be killed." Curling up on the floor and hugging her knees against her chest, she slowly replied with a delicate, "Okay," to reassure him that she understood the urgency of the situation.</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scoot and Liam were just taking a sip of the coffee the waitress had put down before them, when the bat feral from earlier stood up and began threatening them with violence. Not only that, but she showed the sure signs of having a parasite. In unison, Scott and Liam let out a disappointed sigh before taking another sip of their drinks. Scott was the first to speak. "Miss, you do realize that parasites are illegal don't you?" He pulled out a small notepad from another pouch on his uniform and began asking questions while quickly reading several pages in the notepad. "I'm just going to assume right off the bat that this parasite has not been approved by the Renoir family." Scott looked up from the notepad just to see if she had any reaction to his absolute disregard for her earlier threats. "I'm going to have to ask you a few questions ma'am. First off, I'm going to need your name. Then I need to know what type of parasite it is that you are currently hosting: natural or synthetic. And finally, I'm going to have to ask your friends if they knew of your parasite before now and if they have ones of their own." Scott closed the notepad and returned it to it's pouch. "If we can settle this without violence, I'd much appreciate it. Your actions so far will definitely get you a few years in juvie and I'd hate for them to have to send a young girl like you to prison because of your actions here today."</s> <\|message\|>Jane Vermilion Jane listened with interest as the feral girl, now properly named in Jane's eyes as 'Gale Nathbakk', (Which was a pretty cool name if we were all being honest here) explained her friend's backstory. Apparently, Ash was an orphan too. It seemed they would all be quick friends, what with the similarities and the open friendliness. Ash also pitched in, mentioning she had never really met any gigan herself. Jane had seen gigan around, but had never gotten to know one, she wasn't really super friendly at school. Just then, the silver bell rang for the third time that evening signifying more guests. Unfortunately, these people Jane would not want to converse with. They were with the Black Egrets, the Renoir's personal lackies. She started sweating bullets, immediately placing her right hand under the table and took a big gulp from her cup of tea. Gale was also clearly mad or afraid or something, she was scratching at Ash with an intensity previously unseen. Luckily, she seemed to calm down a little, probably thinking that if they ignored them, they'd leave. Clearly they were not leaving. One of the idiots had gotten up out of his seat, took out company brand Black Egret Tees, and fucking placed three on the table. The amount of idiocy present in that one moment was simply astounding. Had the two people sitting there been regular diner patrons and not real law enforcement officials, presumably with guns, she would have straight up assaulted them. Now though, she had to way her options. Take care of her increasing rage, and show of Franky? Well then she'd probably be arrested, again, and ofcourse she had no idea how they'd deal with her parasite, so unknown horror. Then, Gale... became not Gale. Her voice changed, some dude and T.V. static were added to it. She decided to call this new Gale "Teevee" because, yaknow, T.V. voice. Teevee proceeded to threaten the Black Egrets (Jane was deeply saddened that she couldn't come up with an insulting name for them. The best she got was Bitch Egrets, and that sucked.) with violence, but allowed them to leave peacefully, should they wish. He also gave Ash 'the hand' presumably telling her to stay put. Bitch Egret #1, the same idiot with the damn t-shirts, reacted like she/he wasn't brandishing a blade at them. His blatant disregard for the situation only fueled Jane's anger. Then,Bitch Egret #1 said something that scared her. She barely caught it, but as he was reading her her rights or whatever he said he'd need to "ask [her] friends if they had any parasites of their own." Well shit, it was over then. They'd ask her to take her gloves off, and she'd reveal Franky, and he'd be killed or she would, and that's it. Her only hope was to knock both officers unconscious and run. Jane quickly got up, making her way to Teevee's side. "Franky, it's showtime!" She said, as she ripped off her glove. "H-huh? Wait, are we fighting now?!?" Franky gasped, suddenly roused from his lethargic sleep-like state. Looked like this one was going to be a fight to tell the Aunt and Uncle about.</s> <\|message\|>Juno Bernstein She headed to one of the better restaurant, whistling cheerfully as she entered the scene. Her mind went blank for a while as the sight of the batgirl from earlier wielding a sword and threatening what seemed to be Egrets failed to completely register in her mind. Oh thats right, there was another parasite wielder too. "Nope." With that, she turned around and walked to another cafe. "WHAT HAPPENED TO EATING THAT CHEESECAKE?" "I just remembered there was a better cafe over there, further away from here." Ugh, city was going to hell quick. If she didn't know any better, she'd think the Skullgirl would suddenly appear and mug her. Juno entered Mad Man's Cafe, thankful there was a distinct lack of murderous ferals or apprehensive looking Egrets in the place. With just a sigh of relief, she sat down at a table, straightening her suit and brushing off imaginary dust. After a moment ordering, and feeling slightly amused at the flabbergasted expression the waiter wore as she ordered, Juno noticed someone who seemed to stand out against the few people in the cafe. While she didn't look at her directly, Juno pretended to scratch at her bandaged hand, opening just a little space for her eye on the gauntlet to see. A... carnival person, a... a.. a circus person more like. Juno didn't quite know, but that seemed to be it considering the flash of the outfit the woman was wearing. So much flash it had to be a costume she used exclusively for performing. Which means she just got off from work. No one would wear their work clothes when they weren't working after all, not unless they were taking a break or had just finished working. Either way, she haven't.... liberated.. anything from a circus yet. That circus person would certainly be worth tailing.</s>	<\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash sighs, and sets her ginormous hand on Gale's head (Franky included), furrowing her brow, "Sirs, could you please just leave? I'd rather you not give her a reason to fight." she requests, lightly scratching the Feral's head in an attempt to calm her down, and Brandy Station. "Not to mention that if you arrest us, your good standing with the Medicis isn't guaranteed." Ash continues. Slowly, she shifts in place with an uneasy sigh, monitoring her surroundings. The crowd outside seems ignorant to the events unfolding within, whereas the Waitress is trying to slink into the kitchen with an disinterested frown. Ash then begins to consider her options: if things were to go south, the window is just large enough for Ash to jump through; Gale included, so she could avoid the inevitable fighting in the diner. "How would a pair of normal humans fair against say, three, Parasite hosts?" Ash hints the Egrets before her, now moving onto intimidation "Assuming there are any hosts in here, of course." she adds nonchalantly, for safe measure. Ash really hates it when her lunch is interrupted by Egrets, or Police, she dislikes both of them, of course, but her tolerance is much higher than Gale's.</s>
<\|description\|>Ash Nathbakk Gender: Female Age: 18 Species: Gigan Birthday: May 22 Blood Type: B+ Height: 10"5' Weight: 284 ibs. Measurements: 32D-23-36 Like: Mornings, Gale, sleeping, eating, sleeping again, her gun, seeing Gale smile, long walks through Meridian, botany, gardening, flowers, big windows that she can climb out of easily, and small things. Dislikes: The Renoirs, Egrits, moonless nights, mean small people, mean tall people, hot days (which are all too common in the Meridian), and Gale injuring herself. Parasite: Rorschach - a parasite that replaces an unknown part of Ash's body, only Gale has seen it activate and live. Appearance: Ash is a ten foot tall Gigan, with a pair of stubby yellow horns and peach colored skin, her eyes are an expressive yellow, topped off by badly kept white hair. Ash usually wears a striped jacket, and a white undershirt that barely fits her elongated arms, along with her jacket, she also has a bright red bow tie around the collar of her jacket, fur mantle included, which matches the hair on top of her head. She also carries a Gigantian machete as a secondary weapon, alternatively to her .30 caliber Canopian anti-tank rifle; which can often be found slung over a shoulder, with Gale attached to its long barrel. Biography: Ash's origins lie in the cold wastes of Giga, where she was born to a family of Gigan, whose names even she can't remember. They dissipated from Ash's life when she was nine, and she found her way to little Innsmouth through a lowly Elven caravan. After she had strayed from the Elves that had been with her for so long, she found her way to a small family of bat Ferals who, despite her size, took her in. Their giving attitude had touched her so deeply, that she had decidedly stayed with them. Everything went well for a few months, Ash managed to live a relatively normal life tending to flowers, and getting a proper education--until Gale's parents died. Gale's mental state immediately declined, and as it did Ash was the only thing left to keep it from falling into madness. The next seven years were hell not only for Gale, but for Ash as she was treated to all of Gale's hatred and sadness, but Ash soldiered through it. In those seven years Ash and Gale grew significantly closer as Ash slowly became a pillar for Gale, but despite the pair becoming so close, Gale still doesn't know much about Ash; save for what she's been around to witness. In fact, nobody knows much about Ash. After Gale decidedly joined the Medicis, Ash decided to buy a new home in Little Innsmouth where she and Gale can rest in relative peace in between hits. Now a days the pair just hang out, so to speak, lounging in their shared home, and on occasion tending to the flowers covering the interior of their house. When the pair are not scattered through out their home in Little Innsmouth, or breaking backs for their employers, Gale rests on Ash during the night; almost like a Gigan mattress. Blockbusters: Maul (Level 1): Ash unsheaths her machete, and hyper extends her arm, using it to whip lash her opponent several times--blade included. Bullet Hell (Level 2): Ash loads a special 'slug' round into her rifle, which fires numerous smaller caliber bullets in a flurry of lead, which all impacts her opponent; effectively juggling them in the air to open them up to a counter attack. Bloom (Level 3): Ash activates Rorschach.</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scott groaned as pieces of his notebook fell around him. He turned back to Liam and approached the table they'd originally been sitting at. They began whispering to keep the girls from listening, but the action would be futile for anyone with beyond-normal human hearing. "I just wanted to get something to eat," Scott complained. Liam mouthed the words, "Me too," but didn't actually say anything. "So, what're we gonna to do?" Scott asked. "Well we can't just leave them, they're now officially perps. Owning parasites, threatening government employees, et cetera. I really don't want to get in a fight right now, especially with these overwhelming odds, but we got a job to do," Liam responded. "Yeah, I know," Scott let out a sigh, "Alright, I'll lead them outside and watch them, you go get some distance and call for backup. Fast." Scott turned back to the three delinquents as Liam got out of the booth and stepped out the door. Scott reflexively moved his hand to reach for his MP40. He stopped soon after starting the movement though. Sure they were parasite hosts and would probably tear him apart in the next few seconds, but they were still minors, or at least appeared to be, and there was no way he was going to shoot a bunch of kids. The hand that had originally been reaching for his gun now moved toward his helmet that still lay strapped to his belt. As he put on his helmet, he spoke to the three youths, "Fine, let's take this outside." In an alley next to the diner, Liam frantically called Black Egret HQ, knowing that three parasite hosts would probably be too much even for the police. "This is MacTaggart, I'm going to need support here. Fellow Black Egret Thompson and I have discovered three parasites. I repeat, three parasites. We need back-up now. Send support to these coordinates," he said before giving his location to the radio operator at base.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Brandy smiled with Gale's gleaming bat teeth, lowering the sword. "Alright, we will indeed take this outside," he began, giving the soldier a thumbs up, "but first..." Without a second thought, he dashed forward and slammed the palm of Gale's hand onto the top of his helmet, pulling it down over his eyes before dashing outside. Throwing the door open with great force, he dashed towards Liam's direction with nothing but pure determination and malice. "If she is not pleased with you, neither am I," he began, raising the sword before Gale took over. "No casualties, only injuries," she warned Brandy before overwhelming his control, taking her small but able fist and delivering a surprisingly hard blow to the side of the soldier's head. "You're a fool," she hissed, immediately regaining her stance after throwing her entire body into the punch and beginning to deliver a flurry of speedy kicks to the backs of the soldier's knees. "How dare you both stroll into this homely town with your disgusting boots and uniforms!" Before delivering her final kick, her lithe form leaped forward and snatched the communications device, delivering a final kick with the very tip of her boots to his shin before landing with a flap of her small ebony wings. Tossing it to the ground, she took the heel of her boot and smashed it, clearly not phased by the sparks and the static coming from the dying speaker. "You think calling for your friends will help you?" she demanded, walking over and raising the sabre like before as her voice took on another static tone. "I have friends too, you idiot, and we'll just have another shoot out like the police and the Egrets did so long ago." As she finished her line, she grabbed his shirt's collar with a powerful grip. "We'll have a shoot out, alright," she whispered, staring into his eyes as her red pupils came back and she kept the excruciatingly bright light flowing, "but a Nathbakk will not be the one who dies. You will." Giving him a toothy, rather batty smile, she tightened her grip on him and began to drag him out of the alley before Brandy overwhelmed her, slinging him around to the front of the feral's blind view. "While I cannot see out of my user's eyes," he began, raising the sword like before, "I can certainly tell when one is running or desperately trying to escape." He crouched beside the man and put his host's small arm around his shoulders, hugging him tight, "No funny movements!" He immediately let him go before stopping and turning to deliver a powerful kick directly to his ribcage. "Remember, I can hear everything," he snarled, turning his back and ignoring the crowd that had come to spectate.</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scott hadn't shown it earlier, but he was a bit angry when the girls suggested leaving them alone. He was many things, but crooked was definitely not one of them. When the bat feral pulled his helmet over his eyes, he become absolutely frustrated. Running after her and finding her beating Liam though? Now he was furious. Scott looked down worriedly at his friend, before looking back up at the perpetrator of the beating with more rage than he had ever shown before. If it wasn't for the helmet hiding his emotions, the look he gave probably would have scared most the innocent onlookers away. His reluctance to pull out his gun and turn the girl into Swiss Cheese was nearly gone, the only thing keeping him from doing that now was the amount of innocent bystanders that stood behind her. One of the first rules of shooting: know your backstop. So he charged at parasite host, hoping to knock her down with his shoulder and tackle her. He needed to end this quickly before anyone else was hurt.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk "What an uncoordinated attack," Gale thought, listening as the steps came closer and closer to her body. "Grab him, Brandy," she whispered, raising a hand to smooth her purple pompadour. "Right, no casualties, just injuries," he responded, and waited for the soldier's charge before nimbly stepping out of the way and chasing after him with that same speed that the Nathbakks were known for before hooking the feral's weak arms around his waist and digging her claw-like nails into his sides. "You think such an attack like that will work?" he growled, and after a few moments of struggling to do so, raised him over Gale's back and began to bend him with ease. "Bat Breaker, huh?" she thought, raising an eyebrow. "My last wielder was killed by your army of fools!" Brandy screeched, bending the soldier's body as far as it would go with difficulty. "You killed an innocent family and many others! Have you no shame?!" he screamed before tossing him to the ground, rubbing one of the feral's delicate arms a few moments after. "That was a bit too much," she wheezed silently, feeling the exhaustion wash over her tiny body. "My legs can handle those kicks, but my arms can't handle his weight." Standing up straight, Brandy continued to wield his sword while panting quietly, refraining from speaking. "I'm sorry, Gale, but you're just not strong enough to do what I'd like," Brandy informed her. "You'll have to rest now before you can do anything that strenuous."</s> <\|message\|>Dontores Allorè As he sailed through the air, Dontores had plenty of time to reflect on his decisions. He had the time to, but he didn't. He had more time as Nuul floated after Dontores and charged a blast of pure darkness to launch at him, but again he didn't. He was given more time when he had almost reached the street and the orb of darkness detonated and sent him flying backwards before he hit the ground. He sailed through a window of some description, glass shattering from the impact. Momentum carried him forward as his head collided with some unfortunate person's body and knocked them to the ground. How bothersome. He thought. Time came back to normal speed as he fell to the ground and the Grimoire floated slowly through the window. "Have you learnt your lesson yet, my der boy?" He said. "No." He replied, not bothering to get up. "I didn't expect so." Nuul said smugly, "But I suppose you will learn in time." The Grimoire floated to Dontores' body and floated into his open left hand, suddenly clutching it as he settled into place. His left arm rose of his own volition and he was slowly pulled upright by the left side of his body. So annoying. Dontores thought. He looked at his surroundings, noticing he was actually in a cafe of some description. Oh, this is nice, He thought, I was getting hungry. He walked over the prone body of the person he had knocked over, noticing she was rather short, among other unusual things. He looked over to the right, and saw a person in uniform also on the ground. Perhaps they had been brawling? It didn't matter so much. He walked over to the counter, a shocked cashier at the register. "I want something cheap and filling." Dontores said, "What would you recommend?"</s>	<\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk There's a sudden burst, a volatile explosion of glass, the clear translucent shards of shrapnel raining down on the gruesome scene, as Ash buries her foot in layered brick that's now beneath her. She says nothing when her machete leaves its sheath--and with only a quick flash of steel as prior warning--impales the ground in front of Scott. Like an erect wall, it remains stationary when Scott runs into its reflective surface, and once Scott can regain his senses, he's hoisted skyward, fourteen feet above the ground. "Will you stop fighting? Please?" Ash begs, the hefty barrel of her cannon prodding at the Egret's stomach. "It's not like I wanted to fight, Gale just has... Anger issues." the Gigan explains all too casually; grimacing with each attack Gale dishes out in the backdrop. The longer it takes for Scott to respond, the tighter Ash's grip becomes, her claws slowly invading his armor, making quick work of any protection that's barring Scott from Ash's Gigantian strength. "If you don't, I can't really guarantee your safety, it's not like I haven't killed people before." Ash adds. Twenty feet from the epicenter of the battle taking place, a ring begins to form as humans, Ferals, Elves, people of all sort begin to take interest in the rather one sided battle. "You know we're Medici back breakers, right?"</s>
<\|description\|>Ash Nathbakk Gender: Female Age: 18 Species: Gigan Birthday: May 22 Blood Type: B+ Height: 10"5' Weight: 284 ibs. Measurements: 32D-23-36 Like: Mornings, Gale, sleeping, eating, sleeping again, her gun, seeing Gale smile, long walks through Meridian, botany, gardening, flowers, big windows that she can climb out of easily, and small things. Dislikes: The Renoirs, Egrits, moonless nights, mean small people, mean tall people, hot days (which are all too common in the Meridian), and Gale injuring herself. Parasite: Rorschach - a parasite that replaces an unknown part of Ash's body, only Gale has seen it activate and live. Appearance: Ash is a ten foot tall Gigan, with a pair of stubby yellow horns and peach colored skin, her eyes are an expressive yellow, topped off by badly kept white hair. Ash usually wears a striped jacket, and a white undershirt that barely fits her elongated arms, along with her jacket, she also has a bright red bow tie around the collar of her jacket, fur mantle included, which matches the hair on top of her head. She also carries a Gigantian machete as a secondary weapon, alternatively to her .30 caliber Canopian anti-tank rifle; which can often be found slung over a shoulder, with Gale attached to its long barrel. Biography: Ash's origins lie in the cold wastes of Giga, where she was born to a family of Gigan, whose names even she can't remember. They dissipated from Ash's life when she was nine, and she found her way to little Innsmouth through a lowly Elven caravan. After she had strayed from the Elves that had been with her for so long, she found her way to a small family of bat Ferals who, despite her size, took her in. Their giving attitude had touched her so deeply, that she had decidedly stayed with them. Everything went well for a few months, Ash managed to live a relatively normal life tending to flowers, and getting a proper education--until Gale's parents died. Gale's mental state immediately declined, and as it did Ash was the only thing left to keep it from falling into madness. The next seven years were hell not only for Gale, but for Ash as she was treated to all of Gale's hatred and sadness, but Ash soldiered through it. In those seven years Ash and Gale grew significantly closer as Ash slowly became a pillar for Gale, but despite the pair becoming so close, Gale still doesn't know much about Ash; save for what she's been around to witness. In fact, nobody knows much about Ash. After Gale decidedly joined the Medicis, Ash decided to buy a new home in Little Innsmouth where she and Gale can rest in relative peace in between hits. Now a days the pair just hang out, so to speak, lounging in their shared home, and on occasion tending to the flowers covering the interior of their house. When the pair are not scattered through out their home in Little Innsmouth, or breaking backs for their employers, Gale rests on Ash during the night; almost like a Gigan mattress. Blockbusters: Maul (Level 1): Ash unsheaths her machete, and hyper extends her arm, using it to whip lash her opponent several times--blade included. Bullet Hell (Level 2): Ash loads a special 'slug' round into her rifle, which fires numerous smaller caliber bullets in a flurry of lead, which all impacts her opponent; effectively juggling them in the air to open them up to a counter attack. Bloom (Level 3): Ash activates Rorschach.</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Angus struggled to move even his little pinkie toe as his body was being restricted by a sometimes annoying little parasite that can get on his nerves at time. He realized that this was one of the down sides of sharing a body and mind with someone that also has the control to completely take over his body! The large man grumbled silently inside of his mind as Pharona just giggled slightly at Angus's crankiness, she knew he meant well inside her own safety, but she likes to explore and have fun at times. Plus, she also really wanted to talk to all these parasites surrounding this place, it seemed that a strange amount was all congregating at one point and this was actually getting Pharona excited as the most exciting thing she has experienced was when she had accidentally brought upon a pack of raccoons by giving one of them food. Things only started to get better as more and more parasites continued to come all towards one point! She just couldn't hold her excitement as some book talked openly towards the rather unfortunate Egret. Angus on the other hand felt slightly sorry for the Egret, he knows that they enforce the law and maybe a bit too strictly, but they are merely doing their job and with the amount of people coming along just to make fun of him made Angus slightly angry, reminding him of his past and he knew that he needed to stop this. "Pharona... Release me. Now." The parasite was actually startled once his host made that kind of tone, she had only heard him his that tone a few times inside of his life and she would rather not have this big lug angry at her as she did genuinely like her host. "Sorry Angus," whispered Pharona as she gave control back the control of Agnus's own body. The large, built man started to gently carve a way through the crowd and into the circle of strangers that were picking on this unknown man. He stood to his full height of eight feet and two inches, everyone suddenly noticing that this man was only two feet smaller than the Gigan. Angus coughed into his hand before speaking with his rather deep voice and tried to sound as peaceful as possible. "I'm sorry to barge upon this strange gathering of interesting people and I honestly don't know on how this whole situation came to be so violent, but I would like for this whole scene to stop." Angus stated, he tried to look at everyone eye to eye, trying to convey how serious he is actually being. "We can all avoid this conflict if we just try to remain calm, and especially if the Gigan would try to unhand the man." Angus tried to look as professional and serious as possible, but he was being undermined in that tone as currently Pharona was sitting atop of his shoulders, kicking her feet slightly into the air.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk The bat feral snorted at Jane's response before turning serious once more. Gale looked down at the new giant's general direction and slid down Ash's arm as if it was one gigantic slide, landing directly in front of him. "Listen, it can stop if he comes peacefully with us and stops trying to not only take us in, but our friend here," she explained, gesturing at Jane, "I started it, and now I'm finishing it." She looked up at him now, taking one of her nails and picking another piece of rice out of her fangs. "I've got a beef with any lapdog of Renoir's that steps foot into this town," she continued, untying her bandana and staring up at the man with her yellow impaired eyes, "for reasons that aren't easy to just forget." She walked over to Ash and tugged on her pants, listening as the Egret struggled within her Gigan partner's grip. "Ash, he's a liability now, him and that other guy both," she hissed, turning and glaring directly at the soldier's friend, "we gotta take him in and see what'll happen." The nimble feral turned her back to the giant man before curiously flicking her ears and turning around, scratching her head. "Hey, what's that kicking noise?" she questioned, pointing in his direction. "I can hear extraordinarily well, but vision is a luxury I was not born with." Wiggling her nose as she sniffed the air, she curiously crawled up his arm without haste. "Sorry, this must be incredibly awkward for you," she apologized, finally reaching his shoulder and balancing on her toes in a crouched position before gently groping at the side of his head.</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Angus almost backed away as the tiny bat girl was right only maybe a foot away from him, and he still feels slightly uncomfortable with this bat girl as now he has a sort of fear against vicious animals in general. However, the giant stood his ground, having to bend his head down to meet eye to eye with the feral. Pharona was trying to stay silent at the moment, but she was so close towards talking to this parasite and wanted to do it so badly. She sadly had to stay silent in trying to not make Angus too angry at her as she already felt bad enough making him his that tone of voice towards her. He listened onto the complaints and justifications brought upon by the feral girl and knew her own reasoning, but it was filled with too much hate that clouded her judgement. Angus looked upon her sharp fangs and shuddered on the inside, he was imaging if those fangs would ever bite down into his flesh making a humongous hole inside his body. It took him longer than it would think to get his nerves back again, as he watched the feral hiss something towards the Gigan and suddenly the small bat girl looked back at him with curious eyes. Angus got slightly confused by this and the same for Pharona as neither would really know why she would be staring at him until both of them realized that it was Pharona's kicking that attracted her. Before Angus could react, the bat girl crawled upon his arm making him immediately stiff as his worst fear of that bite might actually come true inside of his imagination and barely even noticed her groping his head, but Pharona did. The little girl upon the giant's shoulder giggled at the strange woman and quickly patted the feral's back hand with her delicate palm. She knew she was about to do something against his will, but she thought she was over-imginaging how angry Angus would towards her and the fact that this was the most opportune time to talk to her! Pharona's delicate voice filled the tense air, "Um... Hello, are you trying to look for me? And... Um... Is it true that you and the Gigan are actually parasites? Because, if you are, that is pretty cool and stuff."</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale squeaked with surprise before flapping her weak ebony wings, listening to the small girl's voice as she greeted her. "For someone I don't quite know," Gale began while shuddering at the feeling of her tiny hand against her own, "you're quite hospitable despite the fact that I'm kinda crawling all over who I'm assuming is your host." She slipped down off the giant to prevent angering him or making him feel any more awkward than he already did. "I'm sorry, sir," she apologized as she did earlier, twiddling her thumbs. "It bothers me when I cannot tell who exactly I am conversing with. I can sense your fear and discomfort." She looked in the direction she assumed that the girl's voice was coming from (but she was turned a bit too far to be looking directly at her), and spoke, "To answer your question, we are not parasites. I'm only the host, and if you'd like to speak with him, that'd be fine." "Who is this?" Brandy whispered into the back of Gale's head, causing her to shudder violently at the sudden static roaring in her ears. "H-Hey, turn the volume down please," she responded silently, running her pale hand through her purple hair before relaxing as the noise died down. "It appears to be another host and parasite from what I can tell," she explained to the garbled voice, going on to add, "I scaled the host, he's extremely tall. Not as tall as Ash, but he's nearly there, and his parasite seems very nice. If she wants to talk to you, you'll have to take over." Brandy remained silent before answering with a simple, "Okay." After spending a few moments conversing with the soothing yet extremely loud voice in her head, she turned back to the man's direction. "When you give me the command," she began, taking the sword out of its sheath once more and holding it at her side, "he'll come out to talk."</s>	<\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash looks in between the Egret, and the boxer girl next to her "Your name is Ja--" Ash is interrupted by Gale suddenly leaving her side, scurrying along the road, towards a tall man. The Gigan starts to say something, but stops, resting the barrel of her cannon on the Egret's stomach "Your name is Jane, right?" she continues "Should I just knock this guy out? He seems resilient, and I don't want to wait long enough for more people to get hurt." Ash explains. She begins to tighten her grip on the Egret, in an attempt to suffocate him "Or, do you want your way with him? I just want to get Gale home." she pleads, cocking her head in the bat's direction "If you get arrested, I can pull a few strings."</s>
<\|description\|>Ash Nathbakk Gender: Female Age: 18 Species: Gigan Birthday: May 22 Blood Type: B+ Height: 10"5' Weight: 284 ibs. Measurements: 32D-23-36 Like: Mornings, Gale, sleeping, eating, sleeping again, her gun, seeing Gale smile, long walks through Meridian, botany, gardening, flowers, big windows that she can climb out of easily, and small things. Dislikes: The Renoirs, Egrits, moonless nights, mean small people, mean tall people, hot days (which are all too common in the Meridian), and Gale injuring herself. Parasite: Rorschach - a parasite that replaces an unknown part of Ash's body, only Gale has seen it activate and live. Appearance: Ash is a ten foot tall Gigan, with a pair of stubby yellow horns and peach colored skin, her eyes are an expressive yellow, topped off by badly kept white hair. Ash usually wears a striped jacket, and a white undershirt that barely fits her elongated arms, along with her jacket, she also has a bright red bow tie around the collar of her jacket, fur mantle included, which matches the hair on top of her head. She also carries a Gigantian machete as a secondary weapon, alternatively to her .30 caliber Canopian anti-tank rifle; which can often be found slung over a shoulder, with Gale attached to its long barrel. Biography: Ash's origins lie in the cold wastes of Giga, where she was born to a family of Gigan, whose names even she can't remember. They dissipated from Ash's life when she was nine, and she found her way to little Innsmouth through a lowly Elven caravan. After she had strayed from the Elves that had been with her for so long, she found her way to a small family of bat Ferals who, despite her size, took her in. Their giving attitude had touched her so deeply, that she had decidedly stayed with them. Everything went well for a few months, Ash managed to live a relatively normal life tending to flowers, and getting a proper education--until Gale's parents died. Gale's mental state immediately declined, and as it did Ash was the only thing left to keep it from falling into madness. The next seven years were hell not only for Gale, but for Ash as she was treated to all of Gale's hatred and sadness, but Ash soldiered through it. In those seven years Ash and Gale grew significantly closer as Ash slowly became a pillar for Gale, but despite the pair becoming so close, Gale still doesn't know much about Ash; save for what she's been around to witness. In fact, nobody knows much about Ash. After Gale decidedly joined the Medicis, Ash decided to buy a new home in Little Innsmouth where she and Gale can rest in relative peace in between hits. Now a days the pair just hang out, so to speak, lounging in their shared home, and on occasion tending to the flowers covering the interior of their house. When the pair are not scattered through out their home in Little Innsmouth, or breaking backs for their employers, Gale rests on Ash during the night; almost like a Gigan mattress. Blockbusters: Maul (Level 1): Ash unsheaths her machete, and hyper extends her arm, using it to whip lash her opponent several times--blade included. Bullet Hell (Level 2): Ash loads a special 'slug' round into her rifle, which fires numerous smaller caliber bullets in a flurry of lead, which all impacts her opponent; effectively juggling them in the air to open them up to a counter attack. Bloom (Level 3): Ash activates Rorschach.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk "Scared of animals..?" Gale repeated in a confused tone, continuing to pick at her teeth before realizing what about her was perceived as scary. "Oh, I get it. These fangs, right?" she asked, flashing him a big, toothy smile. "Don't be afraid. I get woozy when I come near meat or any food with blood in it," she explained, her smile reverting to the thin line of a mouth that it had been, "my family is...was, full of just fruit bats. These teeth are sort of just for show." She inhaled smoothly before exhaling through clenched teeth. "If you're ready," she said in a softer tone, shuddering as Brandy's connections began to override her control. A sharp screech similar to feedback escaped her royal purple lips and pierced the strangely quiet air before dying down, replaced by a dull static. After a few seconds of that tedious static, Gale's eyes took on that same phantasmic yellow hue with the radiant light seemingly pouring out of her eyeballs. "Hello?" Brandy whispered, speaking in the static accent that only parasites and living weapons could seem to understand. "Who exactly am I speaking to? Gale has been explaining all that she can detect, but not even I can see. There is only so much a parasite like me can do," he breathed, clasping the glowing sword in her small fist.</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Pharona patted Angus's head once again and started to speak inside his mind, "See, you shouldn't be afraid of her. Even though her temper is quite uncontrollable, she is just a nice bat girl." Angus merely grunted once again, he usually does that when angry and most likely is caused by Pharona, but he will soften against her soon enough as he always does. However, the little girl was quite surprised by the sudden static noise and Angus was the same, but showed no change of expression in his face. Pharona thought it was quite neat that her eyes started to become some bright yellow, but it merely just made Angus uneasy once he saw this, again, no change of expression due to Pharona actually suppressing his facial expression to not make the parasite feel weird. Strangely enough, the static started to morph into actual words inside of her ears and Pharona thought that was pretty awesome, she always thinks most parasite related things are quite cool. "Oh! I can finally understand you! I was wondering if I could only speak static or something, but very nice to meet you! My name is Pharona, and my host here is called Angus, he is just a huge goofball. Would you care to share anything about yourself?" Pharona was trying to act as nice as possible, she didn't really want to make a bad first impression to the sword. Angus, inside of his mind, had no idea on how Pharona could understand any of this at all as he was only hearing was just static. The large man sometimes wished that sharing the mind happened on both sides, as it was only Pharona who could dwell into his brain, but it made sense that the parasite would be able to get inside of the head and not the host.</s> <\|message\|>Grumm (Percival Botley) New Meridian was a city of many faces. At its apex was a gilded facade, stuffed to the brim with cinema, showtime, martinis, penthouses, lightshows, and business. Of course, there was also the negative: the Medicis, the fraud, the extortion, the intimidation, and other such abnormalities more pleasant for those at the top to ignore. Even the throes of organized crime, at least, were glamorous. Below the pinstriped cigar-chompers were their less cultured brethren, no more villainous but far less efficient, whose perpetual duty it was to ensure that the backalleys and slums and warehouses of New Meridian were inhospitable places for man and beast. It was in those conditions, the cesspools of the city be their contents criminal or not, that the hierarchy of law was forced to operate. To be sure, much of the police force in New Meridian was -at best- a bad joke. Even a department that survived by allowing the big fish to have their way was swamped with trouble caused by the small fry. As such, the valiant NMPD only poked its head out of its shell for serious cases, and the reprehensible underbelly of the city knew how to operate it. Unbelievable it was, then, that there were still some police officers trying to stick to the code and make a difference. Not for the first time, detective Camilia Henry wished that she wasn't one of those cops. Trouble was, this time she worried something fierce that this time it would be her last; she was running for her life, after all. Breathing heavily and heart pounding against her ribcage like a bongo drum, Camilia ducked behind a dumpster. The smell didn't exactly appeal to her, but compared to forcible disembowelment pretty much anything was appealing. Under her breath, the tawny-haired detective vehemently cursed the Black Egrets. They were, after all, why she was here. The Canopy Kingdom's number-one anti-parasite task force had a lot on its plate, so whenever a particular case seemed uncertain, the communications staff seemed very willing to delegate the investigations down to the local police department, which the chief had delegated to Camilia. And now, a raincoat-wearing girl with four massive bony arms growing out of her back wanted her in pieces. Camilia heard footsteps against the asphalt, and wished that she had been able to run farther. Unfortunately, with a gut like this, the detective ruefully thought, Ain't no way I'm gonna get far enough. For the millionth time she wondered where backup was—she had radioed the Black Egret's local com officer, saying that yes, the investigation was going well, the suspect was indeed a parasite's host, only now she wanted to beat the detective bloody for disturbing her. "Sorry, we're getting a lot of these calls right about now," had been the gist of the operator's response, so Camilia figured that she was in trouble. There came a noise several meters away, but rather than the girl shouting, 'Ah-hah, I've found you, say your prayers', it was a surprised cry followed by the unmistakable sounds of a scuffle. Suddenly hopeful, Camilia heaved herself to her feet to get a better look, and instantly wished that she hadn't. Wrestling with the parasite's host tooth and nail was a creature far ghastlier, a corpselike being cloaked in black with a clockwork arm. As Camilia watched, the ghoul dealt a piston-powered punch to the girl that sent her reeling, and just like that, the fight was reversed. Realizing the precious frailty of life, the girl departed in a haste, using her extra arms to ascend the building. The monster lurched forward to follow, but abruptly whirled around when Camilia ventured to draw a breath. She stared at its black eyes and corroded bronze faceplate, looking with revulsion at the perpendicular scars on its chest and the open vertical cut all along its belly. She knew it only by local legend, but whether it was the Headsman, the Scourge, the Cleaner, or just 'Grumm' she had no idea. "You're...not...Egrets...are you?" Camilia managed, her formerly-dulcet tones quavering in suppressed fear. In reply, the ghoul hacked up a wad of foamy yellow bile. When it hit the pavement, it sizzled slightly, and Grumm -bent over double by the force of its vomit- observed it for a brief moment. Then it straightened up, holding its clockwork had to the side of its head as if it were trying to think. "Egrets sent me," it grumbled in a guttural voice that reverberated through the metal that partially covered its mouth. "Are you a parasite?" In all her life, Camilia had never considered such a question, but the answer was easily enough obtained. Still, she answered with hesitation, as if she couldn't believe that Grumm's axe wasn't already lodged in her sizable stomach. "...no. I'm not a...no." Seemingly satisfied, or at least no longer in a murderous mood, Grumm turned away and fell flat on its face. Half a minute past before the thing pushed itself to its feet. Camilia got the impression that the event was less run-of-the-mill clumsiness, and more like Grumm's muscles briefly failing. With its back turned to her, she couldn't see very well what it did, but four mechanical tentacles the size of anacondas emerged from its torso, latched onto the face of the building that the parasite-hosting girl had scaled, and rapidly ferried Grumm upward in pursuit. Camilia might have sunk back to the ground in a mixture of relief and confusion, but the stench of the dumpster was unpleasant enough to send her packing, shaking her head in disbelief. Perhaps the Cleaner was one of those things best forgotten.</s>	<\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash sighs "Alrighty, then," she groans, squeezing the Egret as he attempts to free an arm or two, the one arm he manages to free starts pounding into Ash's wrist in a desperate attempt to free its owner. Ash holds tight as the crowd gasps, she can tell the Egret's will is breaking the longer she holds him within her suffocating grasp. Just as she predicted, the Egret known as 'Scott' begins to cease struggling, muttering some nondescript derogatory terms about Parasites, and giants. Ash releases him once he stops moving, she then picks up the other Egret, what's his name, 'Lan' or something? Ash can't remember. She turns to Jane, holding this 'Liam' by his ankle, precariously wedged in between her thumb, and her index finger "Could you help me carry this baggage?" she asks Jane kindly, involuntarily giving Dontores a momentary glance as she sets the Egret down at Jane's feet. 'Another one,' mumbles the cursed voice in Ash's head, 'looks like I was right after all,' the muddled quandary of voices mocks. Ash simply ignores Rorschach, and turns to Gale as the crowd begins to dissipate. "I know this is a bit much to ask but, would you mind helping Gale and I lug these two to New Meridian? We need to clean up the mess we made." Ash pleads, attempting to clasp her hands together, while balancing an unconscious Scott on her shoulder. "Gale and I could treat you to lunch, or dinner depending how long it will take, I never really got to finish my chicken after all."</s>
<\|description\|>Ash Nathbakk Gender: Female Age: 18 Species: Gigan Birthday: May 22 Blood Type: B+ Height: 10"5' Weight: 284 ibs. Measurements: 32D-23-36 Like: Mornings, Gale, sleeping, eating, sleeping again, her gun, seeing Gale smile, long walks through Meridian, botany, gardening, flowers, big windows that she can climb out of easily, and small things. Dislikes: The Renoirs, Egrits, moonless nights, mean small people, mean tall people, hot days (which are all too common in the Meridian), and Gale injuring herself. Parasite: Rorschach - a parasite that replaces an unknown part of Ash's body, only Gale has seen it activate and live. Appearance: Ash is a ten foot tall Gigan, with a pair of stubby yellow horns and peach colored skin, her eyes are an expressive yellow, topped off by badly kept white hair. Ash usually wears a striped jacket, and a white undershirt that barely fits her elongated arms, along with her jacket, she also has a bright red bow tie around the collar of her jacket, fur mantle included, which matches the hair on top of her head. She also carries a Gigantian machete as a secondary weapon, alternatively to her .30 caliber Canopian anti-tank rifle; which can often be found slung over a shoulder, with Gale attached to its long barrel. Biography: Ash's origins lie in the cold wastes of Giga, where she was born to a family of Gigan, whose names even she can't remember. They dissipated from Ash's life when she was nine, and she found her way to little Innsmouth through a lowly Elven caravan. After she had strayed from the Elves that had been with her for so long, she found her way to a small family of bat Ferals who, despite her size, took her in. Their giving attitude had touched her so deeply, that she had decidedly stayed with them. Everything went well for a few months, Ash managed to live a relatively normal life tending to flowers, and getting a proper education--until Gale's parents died. Gale's mental state immediately declined, and as it did Ash was the only thing left to keep it from falling into madness. The next seven years were hell not only for Gale, but for Ash as she was treated to all of Gale's hatred and sadness, but Ash soldiered through it. In those seven years Ash and Gale grew significantly closer as Ash slowly became a pillar for Gale, but despite the pair becoming so close, Gale still doesn't know much about Ash; save for what she's been around to witness. In fact, nobody knows much about Ash. After Gale decidedly joined the Medicis, Ash decided to buy a new home in Little Innsmouth where she and Gale can rest in relative peace in between hits. Now a days the pair just hang out, so to speak, lounging in their shared home, and on occasion tending to the flowers covering the interior of their house. When the pair are not scattered through out their home in Little Innsmouth, or breaking backs for their employers, Gale rests on Ash during the night; almost like a Gigan mattress. Blockbusters: Maul (Level 1): Ash unsheaths her machete, and hyper extends her arm, using it to whip lash her opponent several times--blade included. Bullet Hell (Level 2): Ash loads a special 'slug' round into her rifle, which fires numerous smaller caliber bullets in a flurry of lead, which all impacts her opponent; effectively juggling them in the air to open them up to a counter attack. Bloom (Level 3): Ash activates Rorschach.</s> <\|message\|>Jane Vermilion Jane, still focused on she and Ash's conversation, watched as she choked BE#1 into an unconscious state. As he joined his brother in dreamland, Ash asked Jane if she could be of assistance. She lightly kicked the body placed in front of her while Ash literally begged Jane to help. Her hands were clasped together and everything. Jane guessed Gale wasn't exactly good at lifting heavy objects all things considered. Ash also offered Jane food, which was one thing she could never refuse. "Hmm. I guess I could help. But it's only cuz food is involved!" Jane joked, a grin plastered onto her pale face. With a grunt she picked up the body of BE#2 and lugged him over her shoulder. She wheezed a little, jeez all this military gear really weighed a person down. "Jane!" Franky whispered, trying to get her attention. She placed him up against her ear to allow him a bit of privacy. "I-I'm not sure we should be helping these guys. There with the Medici's, so...?" He stuttered, dancing around the issue. In all honest he just wanted to save his own bacon, but he couldn't do that without a host. "Bah, it'll be fine Franky." She assured. "So, where am I dragging this dude? Do you have a super secret base that we're dropping these guys off at? Or are we just gonna ditch them in some dumpster in New Meridian?" Jane asked, curious as to how formal the Medici operation was.</s> <\|message\|>Morgann Lacroix (Stage Name: "Morrgan the Magnificent") Morgann, quite keen on the fact that the mysterious girl was awestruck by the hat's sudden action, tossed the hat into the air. Magnolia, fearful at the fact that a part of its "body" was being carelessly tossed, let its purple, yellow, and white fists shoot out of the hat and grab onto the magician's head before pulling itself back down and landing with a quiet bump. "Any fan of mine," she began, standing up to reveal her looming stature of about 6'1" while slowly crossing her arms, "should know my schedule by heart." Raising one of her light brown eyebrows, she continued on, "If you want to know when my shows are, I suggest you keep your ears open on the streets." After finishing her statement, she took her gleaming purple wand and shoved it listlessly into her jacket, exhaling slowly. The entire suit seemed to tense at the unknown object before calming down and accepting it. "Now if you'll excuse me," she grunted, turning away from the girl and heading towards the door, "I think I'd like to take my leave before that bus boy comes running back. I am no longer in the mood to hear his cries of agony and disdain." Morgann definitely thinks she is of a higher standard than most, and living-wise, perhaps. Regarding her narcissistic personality and lack of social etiquette, definitely not. What did it matter for a stellar performer like herself? Everyone just wanted to see some magic. It definitely did matter, though, considering she was a fairly big player in the field of magic and trickery. Her father would definitely be appalled at her mischievous behavior. The thought of her father led to thinking about the past and left Morgann slightly melancholic, recalling every malicious prank she'd played on her classmates and friends. "How the hell did I get from there to some big-shot magician role?" she wondered, snapping her fingers several times in a prompt manner to conjure up her mask as it landed in the palm of her hand. "Oh, right," she replied to her previous question, gently placing it on her face as if she was crowning herself, "I obliterated that entire school. I guess that's where this started." Hands in her pockets, the magician set off to simply wander the streets for an hour, and afterwards, she would head back to the circus.</s> <\|message\|>Grumm (Percival Botley) Forty minutes was a long time to be on the run from anyone, even with four extra skeletal arms that never got tired as support. The girl's feet hurt so abominably that she could feel the beats of her heart pumping blood through them, and her every breath tore through her throat. A while back she had thrown out the idea of taking on Grumm in a fair fight. It wasn't that she couldn't win, no—simply that she had never been very good at tackling her problems head-on. Town bully got her down? Fester with resentment. Envious of older sister? Plant bones among her things to get her ousted as a witch. Infested with the parasite Thanatos, siphoning the emotions of her and those around her in exchange for freakish abilities? Let it happen. It was all that easy. Breathing, though...breathing came hard now. Belle Osburn stumbled a few more steps and fell into a bench, half sitting and half sprawling. Thanatos had wisely retracted the arms -his 'fingers'- into her back now, hidden beneath her blue hoodie. The bench sat on the edge of a walkway along the edge of New Meridian's resident bay. There were not many people around, but those who saw her recognized the look of someone being hunted, and hurried on their way. Who was doing the hunting mattered not. As she panted, Belle stared at the water, glinting with the day's sun in places, obscured by the long shadows of the city's highrises in others. She wondered how it would feel to allow the water to swallow her up. "A nice swim..." she rasped, thinking of how cool it would feel. Thoughts like those are unbecoming of a young lady. Belle buried her face in her hands. She loathed her parasite, and didn't mince her words about him, but he didn't seem to care. Thanatos was a proud and quiet being; he only spoke when he was in danger or to make sure that Belle was doing his will, and even then nobody but his host could hear him. Since he thrived on human emotions, he required her to seek people out near death and be present at their departure, for no event but death could hold more feeling. The hatred, the sorrow, the loss, the insanity, and even the feelings that came afterward were savory to him. Naturally, Belle had seen a lot, but even still, she was hesitant to meet her own end at the hands of some gruesome ghoul. Water would be a much kinder fate. If you were to drown yourself, I would put you into a coma to sustain yourself. Your dreams would keep me alive until I could escape, but until then it would be very unpleasant for both of us. A surge of anger and hatred caused Belle to scream into her hands. "Wouldn't being hacked to bits by an axe and thrown in the sewers be more unpleasant!? Tell me how to beat him!" Now, the illustrious 'Hand of Death' was silent. No doubt he wanted her to figure out her own earthly problems and build character. The injustice of it all made the water seem all the more appetizing. A few moments later, he appeared. Grumm lurched onto the scene from between two buildings. He was every inch a horror meant to creep in the shadows, but he didn't seem to have any hesitation when it came to stepping out into the open. His own breath was thick and wet, dripping bile from a brazen mouthplate to sizzle on the marble tiles. Leaning upon his axe at intervals, he approached. From the bay there came a noise like a wave crashing. Over the edge of the walkway came something very new and unexpected, and she did a flip as she landed on the ground. Her skin was very tan, her wet hair a dark blonde, and her garb decidedly piratical. Interestingly, she also had a mouthpiece, though this one seemed more like something a soldier would wear, rather than a science experiment. She also wore elaborate knee-high boots that appeared to be made of wood. With no further delay, the woman threw a sidekick Grumm's way, and a blast of water erupted from her boot and smashed into him, sending him tumbling away with a snarl. She quickly turned to Belle, who wore a nonplussed expression. "Sorry for ya, hon," she declared in a flighty cockney accent. "This poor monster's gonna be after ya fer a while. I'll 'old 'im fer the nonce, you get lost. 'E's got it in fer folks wit parasites." Though he was having some trouble, Grumm had pulled himself to his feet and was advancing on the ladies once again. "If I die before I can fix 'im one way or another, remember that Caitlin Halte did you right. Now, off you go." A clockwork tentacle latched onto Halte's boot and pulled her off her feet. She did not seem unduly bothered by it. "Run!" She advised as she was dragged toward Grumm. Slow and exhausted, Belle ran.</s>	<\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk "No," Ash responds, simply enough "We might dump him in a dumpster and go flower shopping." she continues with a dreamy smile, already hoisting Liam over her shoulder. Ash turns around, and scans the crowd for Gale, until she finds her feral companion standing in front of a tall man in a onyx tuxedo, how strange. Ash begins to walk forward, but pauses when she senses Rorschach's attention shifting from that Jane girl, to a little girl standing at the large man's feet 'What is that?' Ash asks Rorschach, who says nothing. Nervously, Ash tip toes through the crowd, until she's standing behind Gale, looking down at the trio, as disgruntled Ferals and Dagonians press past the trio "Come on Gale, we're going to dump our Egret friends in a dumpster somewhere in the Meridian, then get more flowers!"</s>
<\|description\|>Ash Nathbakk Gender: Female Age: 18 Species: Gigan Birthday: May 22 Blood Type: B+ Height: 10"5' Weight: 284 ibs. Measurements: 32D-23-36 Like: Mornings, Gale, sleeping, eating, sleeping again, her gun, seeing Gale smile, long walks through Meridian, botany, gardening, flowers, big windows that she can climb out of easily, and small things. Dislikes: The Renoirs, Egrits, moonless nights, mean small people, mean tall people, hot days (which are all too common in the Meridian), and Gale injuring herself. Parasite: Rorschach - a parasite that replaces an unknown part of Ash's body, only Gale has seen it activate and live. Appearance: Ash is a ten foot tall Gigan, with a pair of stubby yellow horns and peach colored skin, her eyes are an expressive yellow, topped off by badly kept white hair. Ash usually wears a striped jacket, and a white undershirt that barely fits her elongated arms, along with her jacket, she also has a bright red bow tie around the collar of her jacket, fur mantle included, which matches the hair on top of her head. She also carries a Gigantian machete as a secondary weapon, alternatively to her .30 caliber Canopian anti-tank rifle; which can often be found slung over a shoulder, with Gale attached to its long barrel. Biography: Ash's origins lie in the cold wastes of Giga, where she was born to a family of Gigan, whose names even she can't remember. They dissipated from Ash's life when she was nine, and she found her way to little Innsmouth through a lowly Elven caravan. After she had strayed from the Elves that had been with her for so long, she found her way to a small family of bat Ferals who, despite her size, took her in. Their giving attitude had touched her so deeply, that she had decidedly stayed with them. Everything went well for a few months, Ash managed to live a relatively normal life tending to flowers, and getting a proper education--until Gale's parents died. Gale's mental state immediately declined, and as it did Ash was the only thing left to keep it from falling into madness. The next seven years were hell not only for Gale, but for Ash as she was treated to all of Gale's hatred and sadness, but Ash soldiered through it. In those seven years Ash and Gale grew significantly closer as Ash slowly became a pillar for Gale, but despite the pair becoming so close, Gale still doesn't know much about Ash; save for what she's been around to witness. In fact, nobody knows much about Ash. After Gale decidedly joined the Medicis, Ash decided to buy a new home in Little Innsmouth where she and Gale can rest in relative peace in between hits. Now a days the pair just hang out, so to speak, lounging in their shared home, and on occasion tending to the flowers covering the interior of their house. When the pair are not scattered through out their home in Little Innsmouth, or breaking backs for their employers, Gale rests on Ash during the night; almost like a Gigan mattress. Blockbusters: Maul (Level 1): Ash unsheaths her machete, and hyper extends her arm, using it to whip lash her opponent several times--blade included. Bullet Hell (Level 2): Ash loads a special 'slug' round into her rifle, which fires numerous smaller caliber bullets in a flurry of lead, which all impacts her opponent; effectively juggling them in the air to open them up to a counter attack. Bloom (Level 3): Ash activates Rorschach.</s> <\|message\|>Grumm (Percival Botley) Upset that some random stranger had dared to break the normal order and intrude upon his doings, Grumm whirled around. The clockwork arm flashed by, easily forty pounds of solid metal thrown in a vigorous slap that could have dislocated Morgann's jaw had it connected. Fortunately, the savage blow fell short, and when he saw that it had, Grumm spewed forth a spray of bile that created a miniature miasma between the monster and the magician. While he didn't speak, punctuating his attack with an angry sputtering noise instead, the message was clear: back off. Grumm then turned away, with no reason to believe that a simple civilian would persist in the suicidal act of provoking an undead armed with a Living Weapon. A flick of the mechanical tentacle whose maw was holding Halte aloft flung the former pirate in the ghoul's direction. With practiced efficiency not completely offset by the sorry state of his body, Grumm brought his axe up in a cruel diagonal arc meant to cleave the incoming Halte in two. At the last moment, however, Halte brought her boots around so that they were facing Grumm, and from their soles twin blasts of water gushed forth. They splashed against Grumm's face, disorienting the creature and slowing down Halte's fall enough to avoid the headsman's weapon completely. Immediately after, Halte landed with both feet planting on Grumm's face, causing him to grumble in protest. Before he could grab her, however, Halte kicked off, flipping through the air to land twenty feet away in a spray of mist. The next second, Grumm leaped into the air, hissing like a sick cat. More noxious bile spewed from his face as he sailed toward his target. Halte steadied herself before raising a leg and slamming her boot into the ground, causing a jet of water to erupt from the marble beneath Grumm as he landed a yard away from her. Beneath her mouthpiece, Halte smiled grimly, only to cry out in pain as her foe dealt her a crushing hydraulic punch. She staggered away and collapsed to the ground, holding her stomach as if her guts had been liquified, her vehement curses lost in a wave of furious static from her mouthpiece. Though sopping wet and even more flustered than normal, Grumm had executed his Rot Wrecker without more than a split-second's delay. Only a few seconds had passed, but it already seemed that the duel had been decided.</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Pharona smiled brightly as Brandy took the coat, even though Angus could see the hesitation when he took it, the large man always wanted to help people even if they did not really want it. Angus kept his gaze upon the downed Egret solider, feeling like these people did not really have to put so much pain upon the Egret and so much ridicule. However, Pharona on the other hand was having quite the time of her little life as she had managed to meet up with several parasites, but one of them had even offered for the two to come with them on their adventure! This made her feel all warm inside and quickly asked permission for Angus to see if they could actually go with the two. "Angus! Brandy just asked us to come with them! Can we please go with them! I want to just continue this amazing day!" "Well, even if I said no. I bet you would ignore me anyone and follow them," mumbled Angus within his own head which only hurt Pharona as she did actually respect and care for him... Most of the time. "Hey, I think your opinion still matters, and if you don't want to go, we don't have to. I think I have had enough exposure to Brandy to have this day as pretty successful." Angus smiled slightly at the thought of leaving these strange people and going back to their daily lives, but he could not abandon this victim to these parasites and he must follow them to see if they don't merciless murder him or something similar in that manner. "No, we can go with these people. I just need to keep a watchful eye upon the solider, and I hope that you will understand if they try to further hurt this man. I will have to intervene." Pharona thought about the proposition and nodded to it, she knew that these people were good and wouldn't murder someone. Even if they have different beliefs than them. The little parasite girl used the massive arm to tap the shoulder of the the curled up Gale and started to say something, "I think we would be delighted to join you and the merry entourage of strangers! Also, if you were wondering, my name is Pharona!"</s> <\|message\|>Juno Bernstein She simply smiled as Morgann left the building. It's all going well. With luck she could just infiltrate the circus or whatever and make off with whatever she had. Old school burglary on some circus hicks none of the authorities would really care about. "Miss, your food has arrived." A waiter covered with bandages came and placed several platters of food on her table. "THANK YOU KIND MEAT MAN!" Juno froze at Marionette's voice, wondering if the waiter would freak out and sic the cuffers on her. To her surprise, he just nodded and gave a strained smile before leaving. Guess after what happened with the magician, he simply decided to stay low and do whatever it takes to not meet another piranha. Shrugging, she started on her meal, shoveling food into her mouth as fast as she could. Tomorrow would be a great day.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Morgann "Gross," Morgann grimaced, hesitant to even breathe after the spray of bile had dissipated. What if it smelled bad? Would it even matter? She was around elephants and Goddess knows what at the circus, so perhaps she shouldn't be such a girl about the possibility of an undesirable scent. After a few moments, she inhaled slowly before letting the cool breath escape her lips once more, relieved that the bile left no scent. She pulled her wand out of her coat, readying herself for the chance that the creature might attack. Realizing she wasn't going to get an answer nor was the tall figure going to pursue her, Morgann watched helplessly as the woman was attacked before shoving her wand back into her suit, dashing over, and holding her arms out, staring directly up at the attacker. "I'm not going to move until I receive some sort of explanation," she explained slowly through her clenched pearly whites, "as to why you are attacking this woman." She swung one of her gloved hands around to hold up over her face, partially to get his attention and partially to not stare at his face. "As far as you know, I am an innocent bystander who merely works at the circus," she went on, narrowing her eyes through the mask's white film, "so I could damn well put you out of business if you laid a hand on me. You think I'm bluffing, you can take it up with my boss after you crush my face or completely dislocate my jawbone." Gale Gale listened from her tall roommate's shoulder to the conversation that the parasite was having with her host. From what she remembers, Brandy had told her at some point that the parasite was named Pharona and the host Angus, but she wasn't quite sure. During the period that Brandy maintained control, memories and conversations seemed to blur together to her, and she didn't particularly care to recall, to be honest. Her parasite had truly heard and experienced plenty that she was not eager to remember, and she was just fine with that. After hearing the parasite confirm her thoughts, she nodded sleepily and flicked her ears before closing her eyes again. "Pharona's voice is so chipper though," she thought sadly, "I actually like hearing it. Too bad I can't see what she or anyone else look like." "Oh wait," she murmured, sitting up and reaching into one of her boots to grab her bandana. As she delicately wrapped it around her head, she began to address Angus's worries. "We will not harm the two soldiers," she spoke in a somber tone, proceeding to pull a couple of black rubber bands out of her shoe and pulling her spiky, unruly locks into two pigtails. "The mafia does not care for such petty crimes that we have committed, such as the one here today," she explained, moving closer so that she could curl up in the crook of Ash's neck, "they only care for the critical hits that we are ordered to take out. Believe me when I say that Ash has already intervened, so I do not think you will have to do so." Gale tucked her knees up against her chest and curled up in the gigantic jacket that Angus had given her, enjoying the warmth and protection from the wind that it provided. Goddess, it was getting chilly. "If you're so cold all the time, why don't you wear an actual coat instead of this stupid down vest?!" Brandy roared from within the depths of her mind, and though she winced, she did not say anything about how loud his static voice was. "Brandy," she began silently, her thin eyebrows furrowing together, "shut your mouth." Brandy remained silent for a few moments before responding, "Gale, your mouth is my mouth, remember?" Groaning quietly, she clawed at the sides of her head before deciding it wasn't worth arguing over.</s>	<\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk "Alright, we're heading out!" Ash walks forward, step by long step she navigates the twists and turns of Little Innsmouth, passing by sunken boulevards and overly complex compounds of shacks stacked in uneven piles amongst one another. Ferals and Dagonians pass in droves, making the trip a lengthly venture to the train station to Meridian. On the way Ash has to stop several times, so that she can spot a gap in the crowd to set her foot, or for the crowd to just part to make a path for her. "Is Brandy okay there?" Ash asks Gale as they approach the train station "You guys sound like you're having an argument" Ash adds with a worried smile. Once the small group is there, it's just a matter of waiting in the deeply congested line to the one ticket booth, surrounded by impatient citizens of Little Innsmouth. "Please be patient." the lone Dagonian pleads, handing out tickets as soon as he's handed loose coins, or change, but the people receiving them are blocked by a pair of large men donning all too familiar gas masks. What would be causing such a horrid back up? Elsewhere On the fifth train car (out of twenty) sits a tank, two to be exact, both of which are tied down to their respective car, the pair of armored behemoths appear to be factory new, with barely a thin coat of olive paint to cover the red steel underneath. On top of the car in front of the vehicular dreadnoughts sits a lone, bored Egret smoking a cigarette, letting his gray helmet rest beside him. "By the goddess, where are our Parasitic scum?" he asks himself impatiently, putting out the cigarette on his armored thigh. "Captain, we're holding up service here..." one of his eight guards say nervously, watching the pair of soldiers the Honorable Captain had dispatched at the entrance to the station not ten minutes ago struggle against the mounting crowd. The Captain shrugs, his vaguely blue eyes scanning the crowd outside "Let them in, I think there will be at least one rat for us in there. Hopefully that anonymous tip holds true."</s>
<\|description\|>Jane Vermilion Gender: Female Race: Human (Canopy) Age: 15 Birthday: April 13 Blood Type: B Height: 5" 5' Weight: 104 lbs. Measurements: 21B-18-23 Likes: Pro-Wrestling, Being right, Being alone, A fair fight, Salty foods Dislikes: Authority, Her parents, cheaters, Country music, hand sanitizer Parasite/Living Weapon: Franky is attached to Jane right hand. His eyes are where her knuckles would be, assuming her hand wasn't covered in him, and his mouth is at her palm. From his mouth, he spews intense fire, and fireballs. Franky is timid and stoic, often times staying silent and allowing Jane to do the talking. He doesn't feel much attachment to her, and simply fights with her because she is his host, and they would both die if he were not to pitch in in some situations. He also feels a sort of social obligation, as to not stain his parasite name. Were he able to use the Skull Heart's wish, he would want complete equality for all. Appearance: Blockbusters: Big Bang Attack -LV1- Franky spews a flaming napalm ball at the enemy that is multi-hit and slowly expands the farther it moves. This move deals a small amount of damage. Sub-Atomic Backbreaker -LV2- Jane flaming uppercuts the opponent into the air, and knees them in the back on the way down. This move deals a decent amount of damage. Causes a hard knock down. Say AAH! -LV3- Franky grows to a massive size and devours the opponent. While in his mouth Franky simultaneously chews and incinerates his opponent. He then spits them out, still on fire. Deals major damage. Bio: Soon after Jane was born, she was left on her aunt and uncle's doorstep by her parents. She grew up watching her uncle's old boxing match tapes and the such. She wanted to be a great fighter, like her hero Beowulf. To accomplish this, she decided to try and get a lot of practice in. She has been in many fights, mainly at school. She has been expelled numerous times, and even arrested for enacting vigilante justice on a criminal who tried to scam her. In the fight, the criminal managed to slice her hand so badly that it needed to be amputated. For about half a year, she was without one of her hands and her dreams of being a professional were crushed. Her grades dropped, and her aunt and uncle became concerned. Particularly her uncle, who supported her dream and was saddened over the loss. She was given a therapist to try and cope. After another one of her sessions that went pretty much nowhere, she was confronted by a parasite. He offered to be her replacement hand, if she was his host, as he was particularly desperate to get one at the time. She agreed ecstatically, and the two joined. That brings us to today, where the budding relationship of host and parasite is going to be tested by the ensuing chaos of the new skullgirl.</s> <\|message\|>Juno Bernstein "WE ARE BEING WATCHED." "Shush Marionette, no one could really see us, or even bother to look up." Reaching the alleyway, she quickly slid down a fire escape ladder to the pavement below, landing just behind the couple with nary a sound. It helps that the din from the main road still reached here, masking any noise her good leather shoes made. Taking out one of those expandable police baton from her belt, Juno walked leisurely to the bodyguard's back, and gave him a solid whack on the nape with the baton. The lady looked upon her bodyguard collapsing with surprise, barely able to register that he had collapsed, before she too was knocked out cold. Juno raised her baton for a moment, eyeing the both of them to make sure they were really unconscious. Satisfied that it was so, she started rummaging through their person. Judging from that man, he would have given her a fair amount of trouble had he put up a fight; more trouble than the mugging was worth. "And done. We can't have the steak-" "WHY WON'T YOU LET ME EAT STEAK?" came Marionette's muffled voice from the bandaged hand. "-but we certainly can have the cheesecake in one of the cafe nearby." "THAT PLEASES ME."</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson As Scott and Liam waited for the waitress to return to take their orders, Scott noticed through his peripheral vision that one of the other diners was staring at the two of them. He started searching through the several pouches on his uniform and pulled out three t-shirts, each with the Black Egret logo on them, and leaned over to the girls. "Here ya go, miss," he said as he placed the shirts on the corner of their table. Usually, just giving citizens a souvenir would get admirers to stop gawking at him. He didn't give enough attention to the girl to notice that her look was not of admiration, but of hate. Liam hadn't even noticed the other diners though as he was paying too much attention to the menu, something Scott always found strange since Liam always ordered the same thing every time. "Alright, Scott. Seriously, what's the plan?" Liam said without even looking up from the menu. "Plan? We don't need a plan. We're us. We just wait for more information. Keep our ears to the ground and all that. I'm sure we'll find a lead or something soon," Scott responded. Liam sighed with disappointment. "You know what's going to happen if you don't come up with a plan. You'll start second-guessing yourself at the most inopportune time and our chance will pass us by." "Well do you have anything in mind? All we have to go on is confirmation of its existence." Liam gave Scott a questioning look that said everything Liam was thinking: "Confirmation? Really?" "Fine, not exact confirmation, but my point still stands. You can't think of anything better." Liam sighed in defeat before rising out of his seat a bit to look for the waitress. Scott did the same. Still, neither seemed to notice the enraged teenager only a table away from them.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk In that very moment, something snapped inside of Gale. "A t-shirt," she echoed in her mind, her entire body filling with a surreal rage. That deafening static had returned, indicating that Brandy Station was most certainly ready to take over. "Are you sure you want me to go on?" he whispered, and she felt her impaired eyes burning from the intense, burning light that was finding its way through her pupils. "Do it," she replied, relinquishing all control over her actions and her body to let Brandy take over. While Brandy slowly began to take control, he reached up using her delicate, thin fingers and opened her eyelids manually, revealing that her entire eye had been submerged in a ghostly yellow light. "I'll keep you safe, you just watch," he breathed softly to her despite the fact that she was too disoriented to properly reply. After he had complete control over her mind and body, he slipped the obsidian sword out of its polished sheath, pointing it directly in the Egrets' direction. "Hello, all," he announced in a voice that sounded vaguely like Gale's, but it had a twist of a garbled male voice and a roaring static accent. "On Gale's judgement, I have been commanded to take over from here," he explained to the soldiers, increasing the light coming from her wide yellow eyes to a blinding intensity. "You may leave peacefully, and I will do no harm," Brandy remarked, tilting Gale's head to the side, "but if you stay and put this girl's life in danger, I will stop your actions indefinitely. An eye for an eye." He turned to Ash and pointed the feral's free hand in her direction. "Stay put," he whispered to her, making sure that it was in a language that only her hidden parasite would understand. He adjusted his host's iron grip on the sabre's handle, raising it in the air. "And don't you dare think of using your filthy guns and tear gas on me," he snarled through her closed teeth, swiping the air with such force that it caused a surprisingly strong wind to blow in the men's direction. "An entity such as me is still affected, but I recover much faster than your average opponent. The repercussions will be great if you dare do so." Gale's being, entrapped within her own mind, watched through blind eyes and listened to her weapon's words. "Them's fighting words," she echoed through his control, causing her feminine voice to be projected through her own throat. "Please keep quiet, Gale," he warned mentally, "if you distract me at the wrong time, our lives will be in danger. Keep in mind that while I am in your body, I, too, can be killed." Curling up on the floor and hugging her knees against her chest, she slowly replied with a delicate, "Okay," to reassure him that she understood the urgency of the situation.</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scoot and Liam were just taking a sip of the coffee the waitress had put down before them, when the bat feral from earlier stood up and began threatening them with violence. Not only that, but she showed the sure signs of having a parasite. In unison, Scott and Liam let out a disappointed sigh before taking another sip of their drinks. Scott was the first to speak. "Miss, you do realize that parasites are illegal don't you?" He pulled out a small notepad from another pouch on his uniform and began asking questions while quickly reading several pages in the notepad. "I'm just going to assume right off the bat that this parasite has not been approved by the Renoir family." Scott looked up from the notepad just to see if she had any reaction to his absolute disregard for her earlier threats. "I'm going to have to ask you a few questions ma'am. First off, I'm going to need your name. Then I need to know what type of parasite it is that you are currently hosting: natural or synthetic. And finally, I'm going to have to ask your friends if they knew of your parasite before now and if they have ones of their own." Scott closed the notepad and returned it to it's pouch. "If we can settle this without violence, I'd much appreciate it. Your actions so far will definitely get you a few years in juvie and I'd hate for them to have to send a young girl like you to prison because of your actions here today."</s>	<\|message\|>Jane Vermilion Jane listened with interest as the feral girl, now properly named in Jane's eyes as 'Gale Nathbakk', (Which was a pretty cool name if we were all being honest here) explained her friend's backstory. Apparently, Ash was an orphan too. It seemed they would all be quick friends, what with the similarities and the open friendliness. Ash also pitched in, mentioning she had never really met any gigan herself. Jane had seen gigan around, but had never gotten to know one, she wasn't really super friendly at school. Just then, the silver bell rang for the third time that evening signifying more guests. Unfortunately, these people Jane would not want to converse with. They were with the Black Egrets, the Renoir's personal lackies. She started sweating bullets, immediately placing her right hand under the table and took a big gulp from her cup of tea. Gale was also clearly mad or afraid or something, she was scratching at Ash with an intensity previously unseen. Luckily, she seemed to calm down a little, probably thinking that if they ignored them, they'd leave. Clearly they were not leaving. One of the idiots had gotten up out of his seat, took out company brand Black Egret Tees, and fucking placed three on the table. The amount of idiocy present in that one moment was simply astounding. Had the two people sitting there been regular diner patrons and not real law enforcement officials, presumably with guns, she would have straight up assaulted them. Now though, she had to way her options. Take care of her increasing rage, and show of Franky? Well then she'd probably be arrested, again, and ofcourse she had no idea how they'd deal with her parasite, so unknown horror. Then, Gale... became not Gale. Her voice changed, some dude and T.V. static were added to it. She decided to call this new Gale "Teevee" because, yaknow, T.V. voice. Teevee proceeded to threaten the Black Egrets (Jane was deeply saddened that she couldn't come up with an insulting name for them. The best she got was Bitch Egrets, and that sucked.) with violence, but allowed them to leave peacefully, should they wish. He also gave Ash 'the hand' presumably telling her to stay put. Bitch Egret #1, the same idiot with the damn t-shirts, reacted like she/he wasn't brandishing a blade at them. His blatant disregard for the situation only fueled Jane's anger. Then,Bitch Egret #1 said something that scared her. She barely caught it, but as he was reading her her rights or whatever he said he'd need to "ask [her] friends if they had any parasites of their own." Well shit, it was over then. They'd ask her to take her gloves off, and she'd reveal Franky, and he'd be killed or she would, and that's it. Her only hope was to knock both officers unconscious and run. Jane quickly got up, making her way to Teevee's side. "Franky, it's showtime!" She said, as she ripped off her glove. "H-huh? Wait, are we fighting now?!?" Franky gasped, suddenly roused from his lethargic sleep-like state. Looked like this one was going to be a fight to tell the Aunt and Uncle about.</s>
<\|description\|>Jane Vermilion Gender: Female Race: Human (Canopy) Age: 15 Birthday: April 13 Blood Type: B Height: 5" 5' Weight: 104 lbs. Measurements: 21B-18-23 Likes: Pro-Wrestling, Being right, Being alone, A fair fight, Salty foods Dislikes: Authority, Her parents, cheaters, Country music, hand sanitizer Parasite/Living Weapon: Franky is attached to Jane right hand. His eyes are where her knuckles would be, assuming her hand wasn't covered in him, and his mouth is at her palm. From his mouth, he spews intense fire, and fireballs. Franky is timid and stoic, often times staying silent and allowing Jane to do the talking. He doesn't feel much attachment to her, and simply fights with her because she is his host, and they would both die if he were not to pitch in in some situations. He also feels a sort of social obligation, as to not stain his parasite name. Were he able to use the Skull Heart's wish, he would want complete equality for all. Appearance: Blockbusters: Big Bang Attack -LV1- Franky spews a flaming napalm ball at the enemy that is multi-hit and slowly expands the farther it moves. This move deals a small amount of damage. Sub-Atomic Backbreaker -LV2- Jane flaming uppercuts the opponent into the air, and knees them in the back on the way down. This move deals a decent amount of damage. Causes a hard knock down. Say AAH! -LV3- Franky grows to a massive size and devours the opponent. While in his mouth Franky simultaneously chews and incinerates his opponent. He then spits them out, still on fire. Deals major damage. Bio: Soon after Jane was born, she was left on her aunt and uncle's doorstep by her parents. She grew up watching her uncle's old boxing match tapes and the such. She wanted to be a great fighter, like her hero Beowulf. To accomplish this, she decided to try and get a lot of practice in. She has been in many fights, mainly at school. She has been expelled numerous times, and even arrested for enacting vigilante justice on a criminal who tried to scam her. In the fight, the criminal managed to slice her hand so badly that it needed to be amputated. For about half a year, she was without one of her hands and her dreams of being a professional were crushed. Her grades dropped, and her aunt and uncle became concerned. Particularly her uncle, who supported her dream and was saddened over the loss. She was given a therapist to try and cope. After another one of her sessions that went pretty much nowhere, she was confronted by a parasite. He offered to be her replacement hand, if she was his host, as he was particularly desperate to get one at the time. She agreed ecstatically, and the two joined. That brings us to today, where the budding relationship of host and parasite is going to be tested by the ensuing chaos of the new skullgirl.</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Angus struggled to move even his little pinkie toe as his body was being restricted by a sometimes annoying little parasite that can get on his nerves at time. He realized that this was one of the down sides of sharing a body and mind with someone that also has the control to completely take over his body! The large man grumbled silently inside of his mind as Pharona just giggled slightly at Angus's crankiness, she knew he meant well inside her own safety, but she likes to explore and have fun at times. Plus, she also really wanted to talk to all these parasites surrounding this place, it seemed that a strange amount was all congregating at one point and this was actually getting Pharona excited as the most exciting thing she has experienced was when she had accidentally brought upon a pack of raccoons by giving one of them food. Things only started to get better as more and more parasites continued to come all towards one point! She just couldn't hold her excitement as some book talked openly towards the rather unfortunate Egret. Angus on the other hand felt slightly sorry for the Egret, he knows that they enforce the law and maybe a bit too strictly, but they are merely doing their job and with the amount of people coming along just to make fun of him made Angus slightly angry, reminding him of his past and he knew that he needed to stop this. "Pharona... Release me. Now." The parasite was actually startled once his host made that kind of tone, she had only heard him his that tone a few times inside of his life and she would rather not have this big lug angry at her as she did genuinely like her host. "Sorry Angus," whispered Pharona as she gave control back the control of Agnus's own body. The large, built man started to gently carve a way through the crowd and into the circle of strangers that were picking on this unknown man. He stood to his full height of eight feet and two inches, everyone suddenly noticing that this man was only two feet smaller than the Gigan. Angus coughed into his hand before speaking with his rather deep voice and tried to sound as peaceful as possible. "I'm sorry to barge upon this strange gathering of interesting people and I honestly don't know on how this whole situation came to be so violent, but I would like for this whole scene to stop." Angus stated, he tried to look at everyone eye to eye, trying to convey how serious he is actually being. "We can all avoid this conflict if we just try to remain calm, and especially if the Gigan would try to unhand the man." Angus tried to look as professional and serious as possible, but he was being undermined in that tone as currently Pharona was sitting atop of his shoulders, kicking her feet slightly into the air.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk The bat feral snorted at Jane's response before turning serious once more. Gale looked down at the new giant's general direction and slid down Ash's arm as if it was one gigantic slide, landing directly in front of him. "Listen, it can stop if he comes peacefully with us and stops trying to not only take us in, but our friend here," she explained, gesturing at Jane, "I started it, and now I'm finishing it." She looked up at him now, taking one of her nails and picking another piece of rice out of her fangs. "I've got a beef with any lapdog of Renoir's that steps foot into this town," she continued, untying her bandana and staring up at the man with her yellow impaired eyes, "for reasons that aren't easy to just forget." She walked over to Ash and tugged on her pants, listening as the Egret struggled within her Gigan partner's grip. "Ash, he's a liability now, him and that other guy both," she hissed, turning and glaring directly at the soldier's friend, "we gotta take him in and see what'll happen." The nimble feral turned her back to the giant man before curiously flicking her ears and turning around, scratching her head. "Hey, what's that kicking noise?" she questioned, pointing in his direction. "I can hear extraordinarily well, but vision is a luxury I was not born with." Wiggling her nose as she sniffed the air, she curiously crawled up his arm without haste. "Sorry, this must be incredibly awkward for you," she apologized, finally reaching his shoulder and balancing on her toes in a crouched position before gently groping at the side of his head.</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Angus almost backed away as the tiny bat girl was right only maybe a foot away from him, and he still feels slightly uncomfortable with this bat girl as now he has a sort of fear against vicious animals in general. However, the giant stood his ground, having to bend his head down to meet eye to eye with the feral. Pharona was trying to stay silent at the moment, but she was so close towards talking to this parasite and wanted to do it so badly. She sadly had to stay silent in trying to not make Angus too angry at her as she already felt bad enough making him his that tone of voice towards her. He listened onto the complaints and justifications brought upon by the feral girl and knew her own reasoning, but it was filled with too much hate that clouded her judgement. Angus looked upon her sharp fangs and shuddered on the inside, he was imaging if those fangs would ever bite down into his flesh making a humongous hole inside his body. It took him longer than it would think to get his nerves back again, as he watched the feral hiss something towards the Gigan and suddenly the small bat girl looked back at him with curious eyes. Angus got slightly confused by this and the same for Pharona as neither would really know why she would be staring at him until both of them realized that it was Pharona's kicking that attracted her. Before Angus could react, the bat girl crawled upon his arm making him immediately stiff as his worst fear of that bite might actually come true inside of his imagination and barely even noticed her groping his head, but Pharona did. The little girl upon the giant's shoulder giggled at the strange woman and quickly patted the feral's back hand with her delicate palm. She knew she was about to do something against his will, but she thought she was over-imginaging how angry Angus would towards her and the fact that this was the most opportune time to talk to her! Pharona's delicate voice filled the tense air, "Um... Hello, are you trying to look for me? And... Um... Is it true that you and the Gigan are actually parasites? Because, if you are, that is pretty cool and stuff."</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale squeaked with surprise before flapping her weak ebony wings, listening to the small girl's voice as she greeted her. "For someone I don't quite know," Gale began while shuddering at the feeling of her tiny hand against her own, "you're quite hospitable despite the fact that I'm kinda crawling all over who I'm assuming is your host." She slipped down off the giant to prevent angering him or making him feel any more awkward than he already did. "I'm sorry, sir," she apologized as she did earlier, twiddling her thumbs. "It bothers me when I cannot tell who exactly I am conversing with. I can sense your fear and discomfort." She looked in the direction she assumed that the girl's voice was coming from (but she was turned a bit too far to be looking directly at her), and spoke, "To answer your question, we are not parasites. I'm only the host, and if you'd like to speak with him, that'd be fine." "Who is this?" Brandy whispered into the back of Gale's head, causing her to shudder violently at the sudden static roaring in her ears. "H-Hey, turn the volume down please," she responded silently, running her pale hand through her purple hair before relaxing as the noise died down. "It appears to be another host and parasite from what I can tell," she explained to the garbled voice, going on to add, "I scaled the host, he's extremely tall. Not as tall as Ash, but he's nearly there, and his parasite seems very nice. If she wants to talk to you, you'll have to take over." Brandy remained silent before answering with a simple, "Okay." After spending a few moments conversing with the soothing yet extremely loud voice in her head, she turned back to the man's direction. "When you give me the command," she began, taking the sword out of its sheath once more and holding it at her side, "he'll come out to talk."</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash looks in between the Egret, and the boxer girl next to her "Your name is Ja--" Ash is interrupted by Gale suddenly leaving her side, scurrying along the road, towards a tall man. The Gigan starts to say something, but stops, resting the barrel of her cannon on the Egret's stomach "Your name is Jane, right?" she continues "Should I just knock this guy out? He seems resilient, and I don't want to wait long enough for more people to get hurt." Ash explains. She begins to tighten her grip on the Egret, in an attempt to suffocate him "Or, do you want your way with him? I just want to get Gale home." she pleads, cocking her head in the bat's direction "If you get arrested, I can pull a few strings."</s>	<\|message\|>Jane Vermilion Jane giggled a little as Gale snorted at her joke. Well, it was kinda a joke, she was getting a little bored just waiting around for more people to fight. Luckily, someone appeared to cure her boredom. More specifically, a ridiculously large man, almost as big as a gigan, and a little girl, his daughter she presumed, riding on his shoulder. He asked the three of them to stop with the soldier strangling in a surprisingly calm and well thought out way, even acknowledging he didn't know the full situation. Still though, he was loyal to the Egrets, an idiotic decision at best. Gale immediately got on his case, explaining herself and their actions. She also called Jane a friend, which was... quite refreshing. She finished her explanation with a rather ominous conclusion. She then said something to Ash after tugging at her and giving a glare to the unconscious body of BE#2. After that, she got curious of the kicking noise the dude's daughter was making. Being a bat she couldn't see, Jane guessed. She violated the dude's space bubble in an attempt to get to it, and he got kinda scared. The little girl clearly didn't understand the gravity of the situation, did she? Gale and the girl conversed a little more, but Jane's attention was pulled away from that conversation to another. Ash asked if Jane wanted to knock the Renoir crony out, and Jane thought it over for a minute. "Hmm. You do it. You and Gale seem to have a lot of beef with these guys. And, uh, thanks for the help, I guess." Jane said, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly as Ash offered to, quote unquote, pull some strings. Jeez, you didn't have to do that stuff for someone you just met! Though, Jane couldn't say she wasn't happy about it. "By the way, I don't think I caught your name. I'm Jane, duh, and this is Franky." She said, lifting her right arm up to show her new friend her old friend. "Uhm. Hi?" Franky mumbled, not wanting to even be in this situation.</s>
<\|description\|>Jane Vermilion Gender: Female Race: Human (Canopy) Age: 15 Birthday: April 13 Blood Type: B Height: 5" 5' Weight: 104 lbs. Measurements: 21B-18-23 Likes: Pro-Wrestling, Being right, Being alone, A fair fight, Salty foods Dislikes: Authority, Her parents, cheaters, Country music, hand sanitizer Parasite/Living Weapon: Franky is attached to Jane right hand. His eyes are where her knuckles would be, assuming her hand wasn't covered in him, and his mouth is at her palm. From his mouth, he spews intense fire, and fireballs. Franky is timid and stoic, often times staying silent and allowing Jane to do the talking. He doesn't feel much attachment to her, and simply fights with her because she is his host, and they would both die if he were not to pitch in in some situations. He also feels a sort of social obligation, as to not stain his parasite name. Were he able to use the Skull Heart's wish, he would want complete equality for all. Appearance: Blockbusters: Big Bang Attack -LV1- Franky spews a flaming napalm ball at the enemy that is multi-hit and slowly expands the farther it moves. This move deals a small amount of damage. Sub-Atomic Backbreaker -LV2- Jane flaming uppercuts the opponent into the air, and knees them in the back on the way down. This move deals a decent amount of damage. Causes a hard knock down. Say AAH! -LV3- Franky grows to a massive size and devours the opponent. While in his mouth Franky simultaneously chews and incinerates his opponent. He then spits them out, still on fire. Deals major damage. Bio: Soon after Jane was born, she was left on her aunt and uncle's doorstep by her parents. She grew up watching her uncle's old boxing match tapes and the such. She wanted to be a great fighter, like her hero Beowulf. To accomplish this, she decided to try and get a lot of practice in. She has been in many fights, mainly at school. She has been expelled numerous times, and even arrested for enacting vigilante justice on a criminal who tried to scam her. In the fight, the criminal managed to slice her hand so badly that it needed to be amputated. For about half a year, she was without one of her hands and her dreams of being a professional were crushed. Her grades dropped, and her aunt and uncle became concerned. Particularly her uncle, who supported her dream and was saddened over the loss. She was given a therapist to try and cope. After another one of her sessions that went pretty much nowhere, she was confronted by a parasite. He offered to be her replacement hand, if she was his host, as he was particularly desperate to get one at the time. She agreed ecstatically, and the two joined. That brings us to today, where the budding relationship of host and parasite is going to be tested by the ensuing chaos of the new skullgirl.</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash sighs "Alrighty, then," she groans, squeezing the Egret as he attempts to free an arm or two, the one arm he manages to free starts pounding into Ash's wrist in a desperate attempt to free its owner. Ash holds tight as the crowd gasps, she can tell the Egret's will is breaking the longer she holds him within her suffocating grasp. Just as she predicted, the Egret known as 'Scott' begins to cease struggling, muttering some nondescript derogatory terms about Parasites, and giants. Ash releases him once he stops moving, she then picks up the other Egret, what's his name, 'Lan' or something? Ash can't remember. She turns to Jane, holding this 'Liam' by his ankle, precariously wedged in between her thumb, and her index finger "Could you help me carry this baggage?" she asks Jane kindly, involuntarily giving Dontores a momentary glance as she sets the Egret down at Jane's feet. 'Another one,' mumbles the cursed voice in Ash's head, 'looks like I was right after all,' the muddled quandary of voices mocks. Ash simply ignores Rorschach, and turns to Gale as the crowd begins to dissipate. "I know this is a bit much to ask but, would you mind helping Gale and I lug these two to New Meridian? We need to clean up the mess we made." Ash pleads, attempting to clasp her hands together, while balancing an unconscious Scott on her shoulder. "Gale and I could treat you to lunch, or dinner depending how long it will take, I never really got to finish my chicken after all."</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Brandy flashed a rather wide smile in the other parasite's direction, tapping on Gale's lower lip as he thought. "My voice is made up of all static," he explained briefly, trying to tune down the cacophony that laced his deep voice. "I'm a parasite that simply inhabits Gale's mind, I've cursed the sword that she wields for years," he revealed, sitting down on the ground and looking up in the other parasite's direction. "I can make myself heard to humans, but I'd rather not," he added, tightly gripping the obsidian blade against Gale's body, "Gale is the only human besides the soldiers that have needed to understand me." "I'm able to partially take over my host's body if they permit it," he stated, rubbing Gale's temples. "She has a raging headache from what it seems," he thought to himself, wondering why Gale hadn't said anything to him for quite a while. He stood back up and stretched in the small body, wishfully thinking how nice it would be if his host was a tad bit taller. "She told me she's sorta got a feel for your host now and that he's a bit of a giant," he remarked, directly looking at Angus while saying this. "Is he anywhere near as big as her Gigan roommate over there, or something else?" he inquired, shivering slightly as twilight's cool breeze began to blow in. "It's going to get cold soon, isn't it?" he thought with slight frustration, rubbing his arms. "Why does Gale always wear sleeveless things? Crazy bat."</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Pharona listened to the static heard by everyone, but her and the parasites around them were only able to hear it making it quite a strange experience as some little girl was talking to nothing. It was cool that he was able to possess a sword that her host carries as it is actually able to kill people instead of the weak body that Pharona was given making someone else dependent on fighting. However, she did find it kind of sad with the implications of being a sword, they could not do much in their original form expect when the feral girl only allows it. "Only partially? I can take over my host body whenever I want! I have complete control over this big guy, but he wouldn't really like me having all the control on this duo, so I give him control most of the time! Except whenever I want to do something that he doesn't really find very safe, like now!" Pharona listened upon the other half of the question and was eager to converse with the sword. "I would like to think so, she maybe taller than my host, but he is actually a human! Imagine if he was born a Gigan, he would have been massive! Well, he was already pretty strong and big before I came along, but I made him even taller and stronger when I attached to him." Angus at the moment was paying close attention to the surroundings they were inside, as it seemed Pharona had complete tunnel vision when she gets excited. He watched as the Gigan almost looked like she was crushing the poor Egret solider to death, and his sympathy for the mistreated human grew even further. He tried to listen on what they were saying as the static was making it quite hard to hear and Pharona was basically talking right next to his ears. However, once his eyes glanced upon the shivering girl, instincts started to take over the large man. "Pharona. Give the girl my coat. She seems cold and I would rather not for anyone to catch a cold." Angus said to Pharona through his mind. "Oh, when did you finally start to talk grumpy pants?" She giggled and soon noticed that the parasite was rubbing their arms and patted Angus on the head. "You are such a nice guy Angus, you always try to help everyone don't you? Even if they scare you." Pharona quickly ordered the body to remove the rather large coat and started to move it towards the parasite. "Here. I think you need this more than Angus at the moment, and don't worry about this guy, he can keep his own body heat going without being cold." Pharona smiled towards him and gestured to the coat once again, Angus and Pharona hoping that they would take it.</s> <\|message\|>Juno Bernstein "Whoah..." She was trying to play the part of a star struck fan, and looking awed at the tricks Morgann was doing. Not that it was hard, she was genuinely impressed. If it was really some trick that was. The more she looked and the more she thought about what happened earlier... Morgann gave her the handkerchief, with a neat signature at the corner. Candy from a baby. She should lift the signature and see if she can cash in some checks. Failing that, the signature could just be sold to someone willing to buy an authentic signature from the magician herself. "Is that it, or would you like something else?" It was a question running through Juno's head as well. Should she continue the act for a few moments more or should she just excuse herself now? "Th-that was it. Thank you for the autograph!" She looked hesitantly at the magician, again smiling shyly. It was a bit odd, but rather refreshing to see someone not taken aback by Juno's empty eye socket. But she was still going to try robbing her blind regardless. "Will you be performing again any time soon? I do so love your show."</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Brandy blinked as he listened intently to what the parasite had to say, amazed that such a little parasite could take control over such a giant man. They must be very close to be able to do such a thing. "I can fully synchronize with Gale and have the ability to completely take over," he began, drawing circles in the dirt with the tip of the obsidian blade, "but I nearly killed her father when he was my wielder by doing it. I don't think he and I were as compatible as us, though." He slipped the sheath's strap off of his shoulders and held it by the sword, speaking, "He retired me to my sheath for years. I wasn't used from the time that she was born because he wanted to keep his family away from me. Though it hurt knowing that I was not exactly welcome, I understand why. Handling that much power from a parasite at such a young age, even Gale's age, is dangerous." Brandy felt a tiny bit scared of the fact that if the host of this parasite had been a Gigan, he would probably be bigger than Ash. "Him as a Gigan? Now there's a scary thought. The male Gigans typically outgrow most female Gigans," he commented, turning in the roommate's direction, "I think Ash over there is actually the shorter one of her kind." The parasite was suddenly taken aback by the offer of the coat, but with slight reluctance, he accepted the coat and managed to slip it on over Gale's lithe form. Considering how small she was and how big the coat was, it probably looked silly, but what did that matter so long as his host was warm and happy? "Oh wow, thank you," he managed to say, fluffing his host's purple pompadour. "I have no idea why she wears this attire despite the temperature, but it's not necessarily my body or choice, so I can't judge," he sighed, giving the parasite a small smile. "I'm Brandy Station, by the way. I heard his name is Angus, but what is your name?" he inquired, tapping on Gale's chin before noticing that the soldier in Ash's grip was passed out. "Oh, I suppose it's time for Gale and Ash to leave for Meridian. Say, why not come with us? It's probably safer up in the city than it is in Little Innsmouth at the moment." Gale woke up only for a moment to speak to him through her mind, sighing softly. "That statement is incorrect in every possible way."</s>	<\|message\|>Jane Vermilion Jane, still focused on she and Ash's conversation, watched as she choked BE#1 into an unconscious state. As he joined his brother in dreamland, Ash asked Jane if she could be of assistance. She lightly kicked the body placed in front of her while Ash literally begged Jane to help. Her hands were clasped together and everything. Jane guessed Gale wasn't exactly good at lifting heavy objects all things considered. Ash also offered Jane food, which was one thing she could never refuse. "Hmm. I guess I could help. But it's only cuz food is involved!" Jane joked, a grin plastered onto her pale face. With a grunt she picked up the body of BE#2 and lugged him over her shoulder. She wheezed a little, jeez all this military gear really weighed a person down. "Jane!" Franky whispered, trying to get her attention. She placed him up against her ear to allow him a bit of privacy. "I-I'm not sure we should be helping these guys. There with the Medici's, so...?" He stuttered, dancing around the issue. In all honest he just wanted to save his own bacon, but he couldn't do that without a host. "Bah, it'll be fine Franky." She assured. "So, where am I dragging this dude? Do you have a super secret base that we're dropping these guys off at? Or are we just gonna ditch them in some dumpster in New Meridian?" Jane asked, curious as to how formal the Medici operation was.</s>
<\|description\|>Juno Bernstein Here's mine, since Poog gave the A-Ok. Gender: Female Age: 20 Species: Human Birthday: April 1 Blood Type: AB Height: 5'4", 6'2" if Marionette encases her in armor. Weight: 50kg. Measurements: 29A-26-28 Likes: Money, good food, good bed, convenient things, silent areas, ultra spicy curry, not being in debt, rich people, nice suits, being paid on time, Dusk Soul Marionette, novels and writing. Dislikes: Being in debt, hunger, sleeping out, inconvenient things, loud areas, curry that does not taste like curry, being in debt, beggars, skinflints, misers, sappy movies, cats, dogs, furry things in general, being in debt, her appearance,Dusk Soul Marionette eating something without her noticing, bad puns. Did I mention she dislikes being in debt? Parasite/Living Weapon: Dusk Soul Marionette - It primarily appears only as a gauntlet made of reddish steel seemingly fused to her left hand, with a single eye, Juno's, on the back, and a maw it can open on its palm. With all the advantages an armored gauntlet on your hand would give, it also strengthened her basic abilities somewhat, especially her strength in her left arm, and gives her the ability to gather and fire purplish luminescent energy from the glove. If needed however, it can extrude itself to cover the entirety of the host in armor for a certain amount of time, pushing up their defensive and offensive capabilities, but lowering their dexterity, essentially inverting her normal abilities. Oh, and it speaks in unnecessarily loud booming baritone. Appearance: Biography: Being born in April first, not one of her birthday passed without some sort of prank being played on her by her family. It was fun the first few times, but she quickly learned to turn a skeptical eye to anything outrageous her family tried to pull off. Which unfortunately, led to her whole house burning down with her entire family inside, when she dismissed the smoke inside her room as another prank. With no other immediate family to turn to, she quickly found herself on the streets. It was harsh few years for a girl her age, until she learned how to pickpocket. Working up from there, she started on robbery, theft, and fraud, never doing more than one major hit in any one frame of time. Which means Juno stayed on doing small time. Big time crime does pay better, but the heat wasn't worth it to her. And joining the mafia wasn't exactly an option since she rather dislikes the way they did things. One night however, while she was eating her dinner on top of some building, she noticed a skylight wide open on a house. Not just some guy's house, but a rich guy's house. Normally she would have cased the place, learn all its quirks, which door leads where, the usual. In this case, she reasoned it would be just a quick grab and run, whatever she could get. It was almost a bust when she entered, most of the valuables were either big, too obvious to fence, or things that were very niche, like a mummified hand she had no idea where to fence. Sighing, she almost gave up before spotting a tarnished gauntlet sitting pretty in a glass container. Reasoning someone might want it as decoration, she quickly shorted out the sensors on the glass, and made off with the gauntlet, putting on her left hand to avoid losing it should she needed to run. Feeling pretty proud of herself, she returned to her apartment and promptly fell asleep. The first thing she noticed when she woke up was her skewed vision. It felt as if one of her eye was lower than the other, causing her to instinctively raise her left hand to her face. Juno's eyes widened as she noticed the gauntlet, now looking very polished and bright, as if it was still fresh out of the forge. Fearing that she might have grabbed something she shouldn't have, she turned her left hand around, bringing to view her green eye embedded on the back, giving her vision of her own shocked face. And just when she thought it couldn't get worse. "BONJOUR!" Special Attacks/Blockbusters: Moves starting with Dusk Soul refers to the moves only done while Soul Protect is activated. Burst Hammer Lv1 - With a little startup, she pulls back her left hand, gathering energy into it, before releasing it with a swift punch. Will knock back unguarded opponents into the opposite wall. Deals fair damage. Dusk Soul Burst Rondo Lv1 - With a moderate startup, they pull back their left hand, gathering energy into it, before releasing it with several lightning quick punches, before ending it with a powerful explosive punch. Breaks guard on the last hit, and will make a character taking an unguarded hit drop to their knees. Deals minor damage on the quick punches and moderate damage for the last hit if unguarded, and minor damage if guarded. Queen's Bomber Lariat Lv2 - Air Ok - Jumps either to the wall behind her or the wall opposite depending on commands, and springs diagonally downwards, slamming her left arm across the opponent's neck. Deals moderate damage. Dusk Soul Monarch Bomber Lariat Lv2 - With a powerful dash, execute an explosive lariat with either arm, or dash past the opponent to their back, and then quickly dash backwards to execute an explosive lariat with either arm. Deals moderate damage, though higher than the base version. Soul Protect Lv3 - Air Ok - Juno emits a shockwave, as Dusk Soul immediately encases her in armor. Inverts her strengths and weaknesses for a certain amount of time in addition to having better defenses. Deals minor damage if the shockwave hits, with moderate knockback. Dusk Soul: Prepare to Die Lv3 - Usable even with 0 units of power, it consumes a chunk of hp for each missing unit. Dusk Soul fires out the left gauntlet along with Juno at breakneck speed. If it is blocked or it misses, Soul Protect mode ends immediately, and any consumed power and hp is not refunded. If it connects, Dusk Soul immediately dashes to the back of the opponent, firing off rapid punches from the back as Juno does the same, putting away her usual electric baton. After several seconds of rapidfire punching, both of them jump backwards, and execute a double lariat.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale let out a soft screech of surprise before calming down as Ash held her close, intoxicated by the sweet scents of her roommate and the flowers that filled their humble apartment. Her outlandish bat ears flattened slightly as she stood up in the Gigan's hand and hugged the side of her face, staring down at her feet. "How long have we been roommates? Everything seems to blur together," she thought silently, looking to the kitchen and sighing at how dirty everything was. "I should really clean this up for her. I know how much she likes to fill our place with flowers, the scents are so nice..." She raised her head and directed her attention towards Ash through her blindfold only to resume resting her head against her cheek. Ash had her own bedroom, the living room, and Gale had hers, but this intimidating bat feral had a crippling fear of being alone, especially at night. Often, Gale would simply curl up with Ash. Her roommate's ginormous form curled around her actually felt like a crib at times, or even a barrier that shut all the bad things out. It shut everything out, like the good memories of her family, her crazed thoughts, the voices poking at her in her head. The murder she committed with her small but able hands. Sometimes Gale would feel brave and inform Ash that she would sleep on her own, but not twenty or thirty minutes later, Ash would hear her panicked cries and have to wake her from the night terrors that kept her awake. She'd clasp her in her Gigan hands ever-so-gently and wait for her to wake up. When she spreads her fingers to peek inside at the little bat girl, Gale would be staring right back with her eyes as bright as stars. After pushing aside her thoughts, Gale decided it would probably be best to respond. "I would like to go eat," she replied robotically to Ash, before realizing how cold that sounded and shaking her head. "I...would like to go eat, with you," she repeated in a softer, more child-like tone, covering her entire face with her hands. Within milliseconds, the small feral scrambled up the Gigan's shoulder and sat, listening to the sound of the wind right outside the apartment to create a mental picture of the living room. "It's about seven now, so it's actually supper," she thought to herself before adding, "W-Where do you want to eat? Would you like to go to the little diner nearby or..." She bit her lower lip with one of her sharpest fangs available and tugged at the piercings in her ears, wincing at the slight sting that came with her action before shrugging it off. "...Or, we can go to New Meridian." New Meridian. Gale hated that corrupted city with every fiber of her being. There was too much that reminded her of not only the Renoirs, but of her employers: the Medici Mafia. It was such a big city, and big cities meant crowds. "Big cities mean crowds, crowds mean cacophony, cacophony means I can't hear," Gale fumed, imagining just exactly how loud it might be. She recalled memories where the sound was so staggeringly loud and the voices were so sharp that it was as if she was hearing dog whistles all around her. "What if I lose Ash and can't find my way home? What if I'm caught without Brandy? What if, what if, what if..." Despite the discord and chaos running rampant within Gale's mind while the fear encased her heart, she exhaled shakily and let her tense body relax. No, these "what if's" would not rule her life. She would put aside her worry and madness for the happiness of Ash. Without a smile, or rather, any look that indicated what she might be feeling, Gale simply added, "Anything you want."</s> <\|message\|>Jane Vermilion It was a cool twilight in Little Innsmouth, about 7, to be a little more accurate. People were all hustling and bustling to get where they wanted to go, be it a restaurant, their homes, or something a little more shady. Jane, was a fan of number one. She had just recently gotten out of detention, about an hour or two ago, and boy was she hungry. She decided to stop by this diner she knew of before reaching home, it had absolutely stunning food. She was sure Aunt and Uncle wouldn't mind, she was pretty much always home late, and she was paying with her own money. As Jane pushed open the door to the diner, her nostrils were graced with the incredible smell of cooking food. She could barely stop herself from drooling all over the slightly dirty tile floor. This was probably one of the main reasons to ever visit Little Innsmouth, the great local food vendors. She wasn't sure if any of it was authentic Dragonian cuisine, but god did it just taste like... a really good metaphor. Honestly all this food was messing with her head. She quickly sat down and ordered herself something to drink, tea. As the waiter left she put her gloved hand up to her mouth. "I still don't understand why I have to hide you." She whispered to her parasite, Franky. "I've told you, they don't want people having parasites unless they're with the Renoirs." Franky explained, his voice slightly muffled by the fabric covering him.. "Yeah, I know it's just-" She was quickly interrupted by the waiter coming back with her drink. She thanked him before returning to her conversation with Franky. "It's just... I dunno. It's dumb." She said, taking a sip from her tea. "Yeah, it is." He whispered back, not loud enough for her to hear.</s>	<\|message\|>Juno Bernstein "Well well... That bat doesn't seem to be ordinary." Juno Bernstein swung her legs in a carefree way on her seat, seemingly oblivious that a wrong move would topple her off her rooftop seat and down to the pavement below. The reddish steel gauntlet on her left hand stood out rather conspicuously against her quality suit, complete with a real hand-tied tie tucked carefully in the jacket; none of that clip on thing for her. She wondered briefly if she should have brought a telescope instead of a binocular instead, as her left eye was naught but an empty socket. "HOW CAN YOU TELL?" She took off the binocular, and looked at her left hand, the green eye on the back of the gauntlet staring at her as she did the same. "The way she moves, what she wears, and how she carries herself. Everyone has many different tells. Thats how I can see which one's worth filching off." "YOU ARE SMART. NOW WE'RE HUNGRY. WE EAT." "Yeah, yeah, stave it off with this. We'll get some food after we get a good mark," She shoved a snack bar into her left palm, watching as a maw suddenly appeared and started crunching on the bar. As the taste of chocolate flooded her mouth, she resumed her vigil on top of the roof. Juno knows where the bat lives, and it would be a simple matter to find which floor and number as well. The lost relative trick always works. But she would need her tools for that sort of heist, and today she was looking for a simple mark, a target to swipe money off and run. It was a bit tight this month, the mafia was cracking down on rivals now, and while normally that wouldn't concern someone who stuck to doing small crime, one of the local bosses was getting a bit overzealous. The shadows were getting a bit hotter too now that there was apparently some hotshot cuffers looking to jump badges. How's an honest thief going to make it through the month without starving with all these happening? Just then she spotted a couple, a very well to do looking couple moving to where she knows was an alley, a shortcut out of the crowd. Which also means those two weren't average joes, since civilians don't usually go through that shortcut. "I'm thinking that's a bodyguard and someone's rich wife. Marionette?" "I'M THINKING OF STEAK." "That's the spirit." Swiftly wrapping up her left hand in bandages, Juno moved silently through the rooftops to intercept them. Should be easy money for dinner.</s>
<\|description\|>Juno Bernstein Here's mine, since Poog gave the A-Ok. Gender: Female Age: 20 Species: Human Birthday: April 1 Blood Type: AB Height: 5'4", 6'2" if Marionette encases her in armor. Weight: 50kg. Measurements: 29A-26-28 Likes: Money, good food, good bed, convenient things, silent areas, ultra spicy curry, not being in debt, rich people, nice suits, being paid on time, Dusk Soul Marionette, novels and writing. Dislikes: Being in debt, hunger, sleeping out, inconvenient things, loud areas, curry that does not taste like curry, being in debt, beggars, skinflints, misers, sappy movies, cats, dogs, furry things in general, being in debt, her appearance,Dusk Soul Marionette eating something without her noticing, bad puns. Did I mention she dislikes being in debt? Parasite/Living Weapon: Dusk Soul Marionette - It primarily appears only as a gauntlet made of reddish steel seemingly fused to her left hand, with a single eye, Juno's, on the back, and a maw it can open on its palm. With all the advantages an armored gauntlet on your hand would give, it also strengthened her basic abilities somewhat, especially her strength in her left arm, and gives her the ability to gather and fire purplish luminescent energy from the glove. If needed however, it can extrude itself to cover the entirety of the host in armor for a certain amount of time, pushing up their defensive and offensive capabilities, but lowering their dexterity, essentially inverting her normal abilities. Oh, and it speaks in unnecessarily loud booming baritone. Appearance: Biography: Being born in April first, not one of her birthday passed without some sort of prank being played on her by her family. It was fun the first few times, but she quickly learned to turn a skeptical eye to anything outrageous her family tried to pull off. Which unfortunately, led to her whole house burning down with her entire family inside, when she dismissed the smoke inside her room as another prank. With no other immediate family to turn to, she quickly found herself on the streets. It was harsh few years for a girl her age, until she learned how to pickpocket. Working up from there, she started on robbery, theft, and fraud, never doing more than one major hit in any one frame of time. Which means Juno stayed on doing small time. Big time crime does pay better, but the heat wasn't worth it to her. And joining the mafia wasn't exactly an option since she rather dislikes the way they did things. One night however, while she was eating her dinner on top of some building, she noticed a skylight wide open on a house. Not just some guy's house, but a rich guy's house. Normally she would have cased the place, learn all its quirks, which door leads where, the usual. In this case, she reasoned it would be just a quick grab and run, whatever she could get. It was almost a bust when she entered, most of the valuables were either big, too obvious to fence, or things that were very niche, like a mummified hand she had no idea where to fence. Sighing, she almost gave up before spotting a tarnished gauntlet sitting pretty in a glass container. Reasoning someone might want it as decoration, she quickly shorted out the sensors on the glass, and made off with the gauntlet, putting on her left hand to avoid losing it should she needed to run. Feeling pretty proud of herself, she returned to her apartment and promptly fell asleep. The first thing she noticed when she woke up was her skewed vision. It felt as if one of her eye was lower than the other, causing her to instinctively raise her left hand to her face. Juno's eyes widened as she noticed the gauntlet, now looking very polished and bright, as if it was still fresh out of the forge. Fearing that she might have grabbed something she shouldn't have, she turned her left hand around, bringing to view her green eye embedded on the back, giving her vision of her own shocked face. And just when she thought it couldn't get worse. "BONJOUR!" Special Attacks/Blockbusters: Moves starting with Dusk Soul refers to the moves only done while Soul Protect is activated. Burst Hammer Lv1 - With a little startup, she pulls back her left hand, gathering energy into it, before releasing it with a swift punch. Will knock back unguarded opponents into the opposite wall. Deals fair damage. Dusk Soul Burst Rondo Lv1 - With a moderate startup, they pull back their left hand, gathering energy into it, before releasing it with several lightning quick punches, before ending it with a powerful explosive punch. Breaks guard on the last hit, and will make a character taking an unguarded hit drop to their knees. Deals minor damage on the quick punches and moderate damage for the last hit if unguarded, and minor damage if guarded. Queen's Bomber Lariat Lv2 - Air Ok - Jumps either to the wall behind her or the wall opposite depending on commands, and springs diagonally downwards, slamming her left arm across the opponent's neck. Deals moderate damage. Dusk Soul Monarch Bomber Lariat Lv2 - With a powerful dash, execute an explosive lariat with either arm, or dash past the opponent to their back, and then quickly dash backwards to execute an explosive lariat with either arm. Deals moderate damage, though higher than the base version. Soul Protect Lv3 - Air Ok - Juno emits a shockwave, as Dusk Soul immediately encases her in armor. Inverts her strengths and weaknesses for a certain amount of time in addition to having better defenses. Deals minor damage if the shockwave hits, with moderate knockback. Dusk Soul: Prepare to Die Lv3 - Usable even with 0 units of power, it consumes a chunk of hp for each missing unit. Dusk Soul fires out the left gauntlet along with Juno at breakneck speed. If it is blocked or it misses, Soul Protect mode ends immediately, and any consumed power and hp is not refunded. If it connects, Dusk Soul immediately dashes to the back of the opponent, firing off rapid punches from the back as Juno does the same, putting away her usual electric baton. After several seconds of rapidfire punching, both of them jump backwards, and execute a double lariat.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale nodded at her and was surprisingly pleased that the girl had came over to sit. She wasn't Medici scum or anything else that might come off as irritating to Gale, so she definitely already liked her. "The food in Little Innsmouth is kind of amazing," Gale remarked in a soft tone, picking some of the rice out of her gleaming white teeth. Rice was good, but when it was stuck in your teeth, it could prove to be quite irritating. "Oh, by the by, I'm Gale Nathbakk," she added, relaxing and scooting a few inches away from Ash. "You're not a baby, Gale, don't cling," she thought, annoyed by her bad habits. Ash had protected her for years, and she had done the same for her, but there was no reason to be so tense and protective at the moment. It wasn't like Jane was going to murder them in cold blood. As Jane popped the question regarding how she and Ash met, Gale's ears flattened and her mouth shifted into a tight, thin line. "Well, my family took her in when we were younger. To be honest, I don't know much about her past, but I do not think one's history matters so long as they are a good person," she explained briefly, making sure to not go any deeper about her family. "In this case, she's actually a good Gigan," she added, tugging on Ash's sleeve.</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scott and Liam walked out of one the many buildings that made up the Black Egret HQ, Scott still trying to convince Liam of the "great idea" that he had come up with. "I'm telling you, think of the benefits if we do this," Scott said. "You're still going on about that? I told you I'm not getting involved. How did you even get this information, anyway?" Liam replied. "You know that one chick in Strategic Intelligence? With the red hair and glasses." "Her? Dude, she's infamous for telling wild stories just to gain attention. How do you know she's telling the truth?" "'Cause I promised her that we'd go on a date. No way a girl like that would give false information with that kind of a deal. Now I just got to think up an excuse of why I can't go." "Dude, you're not standing her up. I know you. You're going to go anyway, even if you have a horrible time. You'd never be cold enough to stand a girl up. But we're getting off topic here. Finding the Skull Heart? That's way out of our league." "Shh, man. We don't want anyone else getting in on this. Anyway, we've dealt with stuff way out of our league before." The two entered a taxi and had the driver take them Liam's favorite diner, located all the way out in Little Innsmouth. "Gaining the courage to ask a perfect ten out, is a lot different then taking on a monster, Scott. And for nothing but a promotion?" "Fine, if you won't do it for the promotion, then do it for the kingdom. How many lives do you think will be lost if we don't find it, Liam? Heck man, if not for the kingdom, then do it for your family." The two Black Egret troops sat in silence for the rest of the trip. When the car finally stopped at the diner, Liam opened the door, stepped out, stopped, and turned to Scott. "Alright, I'll do it. What's the first step?" Liam said. "First things first, Liam," Scott said as he exited the cab as well. "Food!" he shouted, pointing at the entrance of the diner. The two soldiers entered the diner, taking a seat at a table not too far from where three young girls; a human, a feral, and a gigan; were sitting. For the most part, Liam and Scott were still in uniform, minus their helmets which were strapped to their belts, so anyone could take one look at them and know who they worked for.</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash perks up, having been absent mindedly eating for Gale's explanation "Yeah, although I've never really met another Gigan myself, I've mostly been around Ferals and Elves," the Gigan explains "I think I've never actually seen a fellow Gigan before."</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale nodded before wrinkling her nose, the sudden smell of new people within the restaurant causing her stomach to do flips. She bit her purple lower lip and tugged on her bat ears angrily. "That smells like..." she snarled to herself, tapping her nails on the table almost in a frenzied manner. "That can't be!" she screeched angrily inside of her head, feeling like she was about to go over the edge. It was the exact same smell from so long ago, the exact same one. He knocked, she opened, her parents were dead, he said. "It's...city scum," she growled harshly, ripping her bandana off so that she could direct her red pupil in the newcomers' exact direction. Though she was blind, the restaurant was already mapped out in her mind, and due to how long she'd been here to experience the obstacles, the obstacles around her had already been mapped as well. These two entering the area stuck out like a pair of sore thumbs to her, so it was easy to pinpoint where in the room they were. "Ash," she hissed, almost clawing at her friend's shirt sleeve, "we have company." Gale took another sniff as her blind eyes stared at the door for a few moments, flattening her ears just like before. "Not only is it city scum," she began silently, "but they're Egrets. That smell is all too familiar, I know who they are." As she struggled to contain her contempt, a soft voice echoed inside her head, "Your blood is boiling." That was a voice she hadn't heard in a few days. "Brandy, is that you?" she wondered, smoothing her purple pompadour as she did so. "It's me," he replied back in a monotonous tone, filling her head with a jarring static. "Don't do that static noise, it's hurting my ears," she snapped through her mind, to which the sword responded by turning down the noise. "Now?" it questioned, and she visibly winced as the weapon's connections became almost overwhelming. "Stop!" she ordered, and Brandy obeyed. "Not yet, I can't rush out right now," she explained, feeling bad for how rude her last remark sounded. "I'll be here," it replied calmly, the static growing softer and softer. "Sorry for the noise," it replied in an apologetic but soothing tone. Gale had relaxed a bit hearing her weapon's reassurance of its presence, but she had most certainly not forgotten what riled her up in the first place. She had to think of a way to chase them out, but this was not her family's house from all those years ago in which they chased out whomever they pleased. No, it'd probably be much more complicated than that.</s>	<\|message\|>Juno Bernstein "WE ARE BEING WATCHED." "Shush Marionette, no one could really see us, or even bother to look up." Reaching the alleyway, she quickly slid down a fire escape ladder to the pavement below, landing just behind the couple with nary a sound. It helps that the din from the main road still reached here, masking any noise her good leather shoes made. Taking out one of those expandable police baton from her belt, Juno walked leisurely to the bodyguard's back, and gave him a solid whack on the nape with the baton. The lady looked upon her bodyguard collapsing with surprise, barely able to register that he had collapsed, before she too was knocked out cold. Juno raised her baton for a moment, eyeing the both of them to make sure they were really unconscious. Satisfied that it was so, she started rummaging through their person. Judging from that man, he would have given her a fair amount of trouble had he put up a fight; more trouble than the mugging was worth. "And done. We can't have the steak-" "WHY WON'T YOU LET ME EAT STEAK?" came Marionette's muffled voice from the bandaged hand. "-but we certainly can have the cheesecake in one of the cafe nearby." "THAT PLEASES ME."</s>
<\|description\|>Juno Bernstein Here's mine, since Poog gave the A-Ok. Gender: Female Age: 20 Species: Human Birthday: April 1 Blood Type: AB Height: 5'4", 6'2" if Marionette encases her in armor. Weight: 50kg. Measurements: 29A-26-28 Likes: Money, good food, good bed, convenient things, silent areas, ultra spicy curry, not being in debt, rich people, nice suits, being paid on time, Dusk Soul Marionette, novels and writing. Dislikes: Being in debt, hunger, sleeping out, inconvenient things, loud areas, curry that does not taste like curry, being in debt, beggars, skinflints, misers, sappy movies, cats, dogs, furry things in general, being in debt, her appearance,Dusk Soul Marionette eating something without her noticing, bad puns. Did I mention she dislikes being in debt? Parasite/Living Weapon: Dusk Soul Marionette - It primarily appears only as a gauntlet made of reddish steel seemingly fused to her left hand, with a single eye, Juno's, on the back, and a maw it can open on its palm. With all the advantages an armored gauntlet on your hand would give, it also strengthened her basic abilities somewhat, especially her strength in her left arm, and gives her the ability to gather and fire purplish luminescent energy from the glove. If needed however, it can extrude itself to cover the entirety of the host in armor for a certain amount of time, pushing up their defensive and offensive capabilities, but lowering their dexterity, essentially inverting her normal abilities. Oh, and it speaks in unnecessarily loud booming baritone. Appearance: Biography: Being born in April first, not one of her birthday passed without some sort of prank being played on her by her family. It was fun the first few times, but she quickly learned to turn a skeptical eye to anything outrageous her family tried to pull off. Which unfortunately, led to her whole house burning down with her entire family inside, when she dismissed the smoke inside her room as another prank. With no other immediate family to turn to, she quickly found herself on the streets. It was harsh few years for a girl her age, until she learned how to pickpocket. Working up from there, she started on robbery, theft, and fraud, never doing more than one major hit in any one frame of time. Which means Juno stayed on doing small time. Big time crime does pay better, but the heat wasn't worth it to her. And joining the mafia wasn't exactly an option since she rather dislikes the way they did things. One night however, while she was eating her dinner on top of some building, she noticed a skylight wide open on a house. Not just some guy's house, but a rich guy's house. Normally she would have cased the place, learn all its quirks, which door leads where, the usual. In this case, she reasoned it would be just a quick grab and run, whatever she could get. It was almost a bust when she entered, most of the valuables were either big, too obvious to fence, or things that were very niche, like a mummified hand she had no idea where to fence. Sighing, she almost gave up before spotting a tarnished gauntlet sitting pretty in a glass container. Reasoning someone might want it as decoration, she quickly shorted out the sensors on the glass, and made off with the gauntlet, putting on her left hand to avoid losing it should she needed to run. Feeling pretty proud of herself, she returned to her apartment and promptly fell asleep. The first thing she noticed when she woke up was her skewed vision. It felt as if one of her eye was lower than the other, causing her to instinctively raise her left hand to her face. Juno's eyes widened as she noticed the gauntlet, now looking very polished and bright, as if it was still fresh out of the forge. Fearing that she might have grabbed something she shouldn't have, she turned her left hand around, bringing to view her green eye embedded on the back, giving her vision of her own shocked face. And just when she thought it couldn't get worse. "BONJOUR!" Special Attacks/Blockbusters: Moves starting with Dusk Soul refers to the moves only done while Soul Protect is activated. Burst Hammer Lv1 - With a little startup, she pulls back her left hand, gathering energy into it, before releasing it with a swift punch. Will knock back unguarded opponents into the opposite wall. Deals fair damage. Dusk Soul Burst Rondo Lv1 - With a moderate startup, they pull back their left hand, gathering energy into it, before releasing it with several lightning quick punches, before ending it with a powerful explosive punch. Breaks guard on the last hit, and will make a character taking an unguarded hit drop to their knees. Deals minor damage on the quick punches and moderate damage for the last hit if unguarded, and minor damage if guarded. Queen's Bomber Lariat Lv2 - Air Ok - Jumps either to the wall behind her or the wall opposite depending on commands, and springs diagonally downwards, slamming her left arm across the opponent's neck. Deals moderate damage. Dusk Soul Monarch Bomber Lariat Lv2 - With a powerful dash, execute an explosive lariat with either arm, or dash past the opponent to their back, and then quickly dash backwards to execute an explosive lariat with either arm. Deals moderate damage, though higher than the base version. Soul Protect Lv3 - Air Ok - Juno emits a shockwave, as Dusk Soul immediately encases her in armor. Inverts her strengths and weaknesses for a certain amount of time in addition to having better defenses. Deals minor damage if the shockwave hits, with moderate knockback. Dusk Soul: Prepare to Die Lv3 - Usable even with 0 units of power, it consumes a chunk of hp for each missing unit. Dusk Soul fires out the left gauntlet along with Juno at breakneck speed. If it is blocked or it misses, Soul Protect mode ends immediately, and any consumed power and hp is not refunded. If it connects, Dusk Soul immediately dashes to the back of the opponent, firing off rapid punches from the back as Juno does the same, putting away her usual electric baton. After several seconds of rapidfire punching, both of them jump backwards, and execute a double lariat.</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash sighs "Alrighty, then," she groans, squeezing the Egret as he attempts to free an arm or two, the one arm he manages to free starts pounding into Ash's wrist in a desperate attempt to free its owner. Ash holds tight as the crowd gasps, she can tell the Egret's will is breaking the longer she holds him within her suffocating grasp. Just as she predicted, the Egret known as 'Scott' begins to cease struggling, muttering some nondescript derogatory terms about Parasites, and giants. Ash releases him once he stops moving, she then picks up the other Egret, what's his name, 'Lan' or something? Ash can't remember. She turns to Jane, holding this 'Liam' by his ankle, precariously wedged in between her thumb, and her index finger "Could you help me carry this baggage?" she asks Jane kindly, involuntarily giving Dontores a momentary glance as she sets the Egret down at Jane's feet. 'Another one,' mumbles the cursed voice in Ash's head, 'looks like I was right after all,' the muddled quandary of voices mocks. Ash simply ignores Rorschach, and turns to Gale as the crowd begins to dissipate. "I know this is a bit much to ask but, would you mind helping Gale and I lug these two to New Meridian? We need to clean up the mess we made." Ash pleads, attempting to clasp her hands together, while balancing an unconscious Scott on her shoulder. "Gale and I could treat you to lunch, or dinner depending how long it will take, I never really got to finish my chicken after all."</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Brandy flashed a rather wide smile in the other parasite's direction, tapping on Gale's lower lip as he thought. "My voice is made up of all static," he explained briefly, trying to tune down the cacophony that laced his deep voice. "I'm a parasite that simply inhabits Gale's mind, I've cursed the sword that she wields for years," he revealed, sitting down on the ground and looking up in the other parasite's direction. "I can make myself heard to humans, but I'd rather not," he added, tightly gripping the obsidian blade against Gale's body, "Gale is the only human besides the soldiers that have needed to understand me." "I'm able to partially take over my host's body if they permit it," he stated, rubbing Gale's temples. "She has a raging headache from what it seems," he thought to himself, wondering why Gale hadn't said anything to him for quite a while. He stood back up and stretched in the small body, wishfully thinking how nice it would be if his host was a tad bit taller. "She told me she's sorta got a feel for your host now and that he's a bit of a giant," he remarked, directly looking at Angus while saying this. "Is he anywhere near as big as her Gigan roommate over there, or something else?" he inquired, shivering slightly as twilight's cool breeze began to blow in. "It's going to get cold soon, isn't it?" he thought with slight frustration, rubbing his arms. "Why does Gale always wear sleeveless things? Crazy bat."</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Pharona listened to the static heard by everyone, but her and the parasites around them were only able to hear it making it quite a strange experience as some little girl was talking to nothing. It was cool that he was able to possess a sword that her host carries as it is actually able to kill people instead of the weak body that Pharona was given making someone else dependent on fighting. However, she did find it kind of sad with the implications of being a sword, they could not do much in their original form expect when the feral girl only allows it. "Only partially? I can take over my host body whenever I want! I have complete control over this big guy, but he wouldn't really like me having all the control on this duo, so I give him control most of the time! Except whenever I want to do something that he doesn't really find very safe, like now!" Pharona listened upon the other half of the question and was eager to converse with the sword. "I would like to think so, she maybe taller than my host, but he is actually a human! Imagine if he was born a Gigan, he would have been massive! Well, he was already pretty strong and big before I came along, but I made him even taller and stronger when I attached to him." Angus at the moment was paying close attention to the surroundings they were inside, as it seemed Pharona had complete tunnel vision when she gets excited. He watched as the Gigan almost looked like she was crushing the poor Egret solider to death, and his sympathy for the mistreated human grew even further. He tried to listen on what they were saying as the static was making it quite hard to hear and Pharona was basically talking right next to his ears. However, once his eyes glanced upon the shivering girl, instincts started to take over the large man. "Pharona. Give the girl my coat. She seems cold and I would rather not for anyone to catch a cold." Angus said to Pharona through his mind. "Oh, when did you finally start to talk grumpy pants?" She giggled and soon noticed that the parasite was rubbing their arms and patted Angus on the head. "You are such a nice guy Angus, you always try to help everyone don't you? Even if they scare you." Pharona quickly ordered the body to remove the rather large coat and started to move it towards the parasite. "Here. I think you need this more than Angus at the moment, and don't worry about this guy, he can keep his own body heat going without being cold." Pharona smiled towards him and gestured to the coat once again, Angus and Pharona hoping that they would take it.</s>	<\|message\|>Juno Bernstein "Whoah..." She was trying to play the part of a star struck fan, and looking awed at the tricks Morgann was doing. Not that it was hard, she was genuinely impressed. If it was really some trick that was. The more she looked and the more she thought about what happened earlier... Morgann gave her the handkerchief, with a neat signature at the corner. Candy from a baby. She should lift the signature and see if she can cash in some checks. Failing that, the signature could just be sold to someone willing to buy an authentic signature from the magician herself. "Is that it, or would you like something else?" It was a question running through Juno's head as well. Should she continue the act for a few moments more or should she just excuse herself now? "Th-that was it. Thank you for the autograph!" She looked hesitantly at the magician, again smiling shyly. It was a bit odd, but rather refreshing to see someone not taken aback by Juno's empty eye socket. But she was still going to try robbing her blind regardless. "Will you be performing again any time soon? I do so love your show."</s>
<\|description\|>Juno Bernstein Here's mine, since Poog gave the A-Ok. Gender: Female Age: 20 Species: Human Birthday: April 1 Blood Type: AB Height: 5'4", 6'2" if Marionette encases her in armor. Weight: 50kg. Measurements: 29A-26-28 Likes: Money, good food, good bed, convenient things, silent areas, ultra spicy curry, not being in debt, rich people, nice suits, being paid on time, Dusk Soul Marionette, novels and writing. Dislikes: Being in debt, hunger, sleeping out, inconvenient things, loud areas, curry that does not taste like curry, being in debt, beggars, skinflints, misers, sappy movies, cats, dogs, furry things in general, being in debt, her appearance,Dusk Soul Marionette eating something without her noticing, bad puns. Did I mention she dislikes being in debt? Parasite/Living Weapon: Dusk Soul Marionette - It primarily appears only as a gauntlet made of reddish steel seemingly fused to her left hand, with a single eye, Juno's, on the back, and a maw it can open on its palm. With all the advantages an armored gauntlet on your hand would give, it also strengthened her basic abilities somewhat, especially her strength in her left arm, and gives her the ability to gather and fire purplish luminescent energy from the glove. If needed however, it can extrude itself to cover the entirety of the host in armor for a certain amount of time, pushing up their defensive and offensive capabilities, but lowering their dexterity, essentially inverting her normal abilities. Oh, and it speaks in unnecessarily loud booming baritone. Appearance: Biography: Being born in April first, not one of her birthday passed without some sort of prank being played on her by her family. It was fun the first few times, but she quickly learned to turn a skeptical eye to anything outrageous her family tried to pull off. Which unfortunately, led to her whole house burning down with her entire family inside, when she dismissed the smoke inside her room as another prank. With no other immediate family to turn to, she quickly found herself on the streets. It was harsh few years for a girl her age, until she learned how to pickpocket. Working up from there, she started on robbery, theft, and fraud, never doing more than one major hit in any one frame of time. Which means Juno stayed on doing small time. Big time crime does pay better, but the heat wasn't worth it to her. And joining the mafia wasn't exactly an option since she rather dislikes the way they did things. One night however, while she was eating her dinner on top of some building, she noticed a skylight wide open on a house. Not just some guy's house, but a rich guy's house. Normally she would have cased the place, learn all its quirks, which door leads where, the usual. In this case, she reasoned it would be just a quick grab and run, whatever she could get. It was almost a bust when she entered, most of the valuables were either big, too obvious to fence, or things that were very niche, like a mummified hand she had no idea where to fence. Sighing, she almost gave up before spotting a tarnished gauntlet sitting pretty in a glass container. Reasoning someone might want it as decoration, she quickly shorted out the sensors on the glass, and made off with the gauntlet, putting on her left hand to avoid losing it should she needed to run. Feeling pretty proud of herself, she returned to her apartment and promptly fell asleep. The first thing she noticed when she woke up was her skewed vision. It felt as if one of her eye was lower than the other, causing her to instinctively raise her left hand to her face. Juno's eyes widened as she noticed the gauntlet, now looking very polished and bright, as if it was still fresh out of the forge. Fearing that she might have grabbed something she shouldn't have, she turned her left hand around, bringing to view her green eye embedded on the back, giving her vision of her own shocked face. And just when she thought it couldn't get worse. "BONJOUR!" Special Attacks/Blockbusters: Moves starting with Dusk Soul refers to the moves only done while Soul Protect is activated. Burst Hammer Lv1 - With a little startup, she pulls back her left hand, gathering energy into it, before releasing it with a swift punch. Will knock back unguarded opponents into the opposite wall. Deals fair damage. Dusk Soul Burst Rondo Lv1 - With a moderate startup, they pull back their left hand, gathering energy into it, before releasing it with several lightning quick punches, before ending it with a powerful explosive punch. Breaks guard on the last hit, and will make a character taking an unguarded hit drop to their knees. Deals minor damage on the quick punches and moderate damage for the last hit if unguarded, and minor damage if guarded. Queen's Bomber Lariat Lv2 - Air Ok - Jumps either to the wall behind her or the wall opposite depending on commands, and springs diagonally downwards, slamming her left arm across the opponent's neck. Deals moderate damage. Dusk Soul Monarch Bomber Lariat Lv2 - With a powerful dash, execute an explosive lariat with either arm, or dash past the opponent to their back, and then quickly dash backwards to execute an explosive lariat with either arm. Deals moderate damage, though higher than the base version. Soul Protect Lv3 - Air Ok - Juno emits a shockwave, as Dusk Soul immediately encases her in armor. Inverts her strengths and weaknesses for a certain amount of time in addition to having better defenses. Deals minor damage if the shockwave hits, with moderate knockback. Dusk Soul: Prepare to Die Lv3 - Usable even with 0 units of power, it consumes a chunk of hp for each missing unit. Dusk Soul fires out the left gauntlet along with Juno at breakneck speed. If it is blocked or it misses, Soul Protect mode ends immediately, and any consumed power and hp is not refunded. If it connects, Dusk Soul immediately dashes to the back of the opponent, firing off rapid punches from the back as Juno does the same, putting away her usual electric baton. After several seconds of rapidfire punching, both of them jump backwards, and execute a double lariat.</s> <\|message\|>Morgann Lacroix (Stage Name: "Morrgan the Magnificent") Morgann After walking around for hours now, Morgann's heels were killing her. It was not a good idea to go out for a stroll in these golden stilettos, but there weren't any other shoes that would quite match the entire outfit, and she always wore at least some part of Magnolia. Not only were all of her weapons in there, but her wallet, her money, and all kinds of goodies. It was easier having all of the necessities conveniently stored within your suit's never-ending "body", and that was exactly how she liked it. In past incidents, those who had attempted to mug Morgann and threaten her through physical contact found their bodies full of either holes for her tommy gun or wound up as a snack for the suit. She had no problem with causing physical harm to thieves or, to be honest, anyone that even looked at her wrong. She simply didn't. As she waltzed herself closer and closer to the circus, she also became closer to the country's coast. Walking along the bay and adjusting her mask each time the wind moved it even an inch, she noticed a commotion going on a far distance away from her. It was quite a scene to take in form such a long ways away, and to be honest, she wasn't quite keen on what was going on. "What the hell?" she breathed through clenched teeth, shoving her hand into her coat and pulling a pair of opera glasses from within her coat. After fiddling with its burgundy handle for a few moments, she finally had it adjusted so that it would lock in place and took a look. It looked like some sort of ginormous figure holding up another...pedestrian, she was assuming, and to top it off, some other girl was running away. "Now why would she be running away?" the magician wondered while tossing the tool back into the coat, tapping on her chin as she thought of the possibilities. She narrowed her leafy green eyes as she stared out through the mask's white fabric before thinking, "No one runs like that unless they've got something to hide..." Her attention shifted from the fleeing passerby to the woman being held upside down. "But damn, no one gets held up by some big lug like that for no reason, either." "Hold on tight," she murmured to her hat, whose multiple hands held onto her light brown hair from the inside. "From now on, I wear some sort of flats when I go out," she growled, dashing as fast as she could in these heels that she could towards the situation. Skidding to an abrupt halt, she stared up at what seemed to be a man who was a few inches shorter than her. She looked at his black cloak that covered him to the axe in one of his hands, grimacing. "What drab attire," she thought in a disgusted tone, clearing her throat loudly. "Excuse me," she announced loudly, tapping her shoe's tip against the ground. "What are you doing to this woman?" Gale Turning his attention from Pharona to Ash, Brandy nodded and relinquished Gale's body back into its rightful owner's control, her entire body shuddering visibly from the abrupt transition. "Just going to toss him into a dumpster?" she whispered to her roommate, scuttling back up her tall form to rest on her shoulder. "Are you sure that this is the right thing?" she asked, before shaking her head, "No, you're right. The bosses wouldn't like us throwing this trash at their feet." Curling up on the Gigan's shoulder, she yawned and stretched her small wings before uttering a small, "Let's go."</s> <\|message\|>Grumm (Percival Botley) Upset that some random stranger had dared to break the normal order and intrude upon his doings, Grumm whirled around. The clockwork arm flashed by, easily forty pounds of solid metal thrown in a vigorous slap that could have dislocated Morgann's jaw had it connected. Fortunately, the savage blow fell short, and when he saw that it had, Grumm spewed forth a spray of bile that created a miniature miasma between the monster and the magician. While he didn't speak, punctuating his attack with an angry sputtering noise instead, the message was clear: back off. Grumm then turned away, with no reason to believe that a simple civilian would persist in the suicidal act of provoking an undead armed with a Living Weapon. A flick of the mechanical tentacle whose maw was holding Halte aloft flung the former pirate in the ghoul's direction. With practiced efficiency not completely offset by the sorry state of his body, Grumm brought his axe up in a cruel diagonal arc meant to cleave the incoming Halte in two. At the last moment, however, Halte brought her boots around so that they were facing Grumm, and from their soles twin blasts of water gushed forth. They splashed against Grumm's face, disorienting the creature and slowing down Halte's fall enough to avoid the headsman's weapon completely. Immediately after, Halte landed with both feet planting on Grumm's face, causing him to grumble in protest. Before he could grab her, however, Halte kicked off, flipping through the air to land twenty feet away in a spray of mist. The next second, Grumm leaped into the air, hissing like a sick cat. More noxious bile spewed from his face as he sailed toward his target. Halte steadied herself before raising a leg and slamming her boot into the ground, causing a jet of water to erupt from the marble beneath Grumm as he landed a yard away from her. Beneath her mouthpiece, Halte smiled grimly, only to cry out in pain as her foe dealt her a crushing hydraulic punch. She staggered away and collapsed to the ground, holding her stomach as if her guts had been liquified, her vehement curses lost in a wave of furious static from her mouthpiece. Though sopping wet and even more flustered than normal, Grumm had executed his Rot Wrecker without more than a split-second's delay. Only a few seconds had passed, but it already seemed that the duel had been decided.</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Pharona smiled brightly as Brandy took the coat, even though Angus could see the hesitation when he took it, the large man always wanted to help people even if they did not really want it. Angus kept his gaze upon the downed Egret solider, feeling like these people did not really have to put so much pain upon the Egret and so much ridicule. However, Pharona on the other hand was having quite the time of her little life as she had managed to meet up with several parasites, but one of them had even offered for the two to come with them on their adventure! This made her feel all warm inside and quickly asked permission for Angus to see if they could actually go with the two. "Angus! Brandy just asked us to come with them! Can we please go with them! I want to just continue this amazing day!" "Well, even if I said no. I bet you would ignore me anyone and follow them," mumbled Angus within his own head which only hurt Pharona as she did actually respect and care for him... Most of the time. "Hey, I think your opinion still matters, and if you don't want to go, we don't have to. I think I have had enough exposure to Brandy to have this day as pretty successful." Angus smiled slightly at the thought of leaving these strange people and going back to their daily lives, but he could not abandon this victim to these parasites and he must follow them to see if they don't merciless murder him or something similar in that manner. "No, we can go with these people. I just need to keep a watchful eye upon the solider, and I hope that you will understand if they try to further hurt this man. I will have to intervene." Pharona thought about the proposition and nodded to it, she knew that these people were good and wouldn't murder someone. Even if they have different beliefs than them. The little parasite girl used the massive arm to tap the shoulder of the the curled up Gale and started to say something, "I think we would be delighted to join you and the merry entourage of strangers! Also, if you were wondering, my name is Pharona!"</s>	<\|message\|>Juno Bernstein She simply smiled as Morgann left the building. It's all going well. With luck she could just infiltrate the circus or whatever and make off with whatever she had. Old school burglary on some circus hicks none of the authorities would really care about. "Miss, your food has arrived." A waiter covered with bandages came and placed several platters of food on her table. "THANK YOU KIND MEAT MAN!" Juno froze at Marionette's voice, wondering if the waiter would freak out and sic the cuffers on her. To her surprise, he just nodded and gave a strained smile before leaving. Guess after what happened with the magician, he simply decided to stay low and do whatever it takes to not meet another piranha. Shrugging, she started on her meal, shoveling food into her mouth as fast as she could. Tomorrow would be a great day.</s>
<\|description\|>Morgann Lacroix (Stage Name: "Morrgan the Magnificent") Gender: Female Age: 23 Species: Human; born and raised in the Chess Kingdom. Birthday: April 26 Blood Type: O (Negative) Height: 6'1" Weight: 136 lbs. Measurements: 34C-26-39 Likes: Magic, flowers (specifically magnolias), her dozens of suitors, money, fancy cars, bedazzled wands, the colors white and gold, chocolate, glamorous attire, the Medicis, rubies, reading tabloids, signing various things with her signature, birthday cake martinis, being rude, punctuality, Cirque des Cartes, pink doilies, gossip. Dislikes: Fake magic and cheesy tricks, bad jokes, other women, poverty, Dagonians, Little Innsmouth, those who defy her wishes, gaudy or dull clothing, the Renoirs, Gale, rumors about herself, people better than her, Gigans, wizard-like apparel, anything associated with the Holy Trinity, socially awkward people. Parasite/Living Weapon: Magnolia - Though the entirety of her magician's attire is the weapon itself, the parts primarily used in battle are her hat and her jacket. The inside of the suit is similar to a Sea of Dirac, which is assumed to be either connected to another dimension or is another dimension itself. The suit's attacks are aided by Morgann's magical antics, but its main function is executing scarring psychological attacks. The psychological attacks are formed after the suit has figured out the opponent's greatest fears, and after learning about what they fear the most, the attacks are tweaked to throw the nightmarish situations into play. Aside from its psychological abilities, this suit has been known to devour its user whole unless tamed and properly cared for. The current user, Morgann, has wielded this suit effectively since she was at least thirteen years of age due to her knack for magic and fancy clothing. She protects this suit with her life, and the strange thing is that it's the only thing she ever wears. Even in her sleep, she wears simply the jacket over her gown as a safety measure against any enemies that might attempt to attack her. The fibers within the suit are far too strong to simply be shredded, and yet no one knows what exactly they are made of. In order to properly destroy Magnolia, its seams must be undone by magique, an obsolete form of magic that has been lost to the ages. This suit cannot function on its own offense-wise without a user, but defense-wise, its methods are simple and effective. If someone other than Magnolia were to wear it, they would quickly be devoured and lost within the suit's depths forever. Apperance: Under the mask, Morgann's eyes are a piercing bright green. Her hair is short due to its pixie cut. Biography: From her very birth, Morgann was said to have had a great deal of power within her magic. The cause for such power was that Morgann had been draining the very energy from her mother, Aes Lacroix, from the womb ever since the doctor confirmed that she was, indeed, going to be born. After she was conceived and her mother died during the birthing process, her father, Anton Lacroix, cherished her and protected her with his very life because she was all he had left. Not only was she the only one he had in the immediate family, but she was the last baby to be born so far in the Lacroix bloodline. Because she would possibly be the last to carry the family's blood within her veins, he provided her with a rather dangerous but magical suit known as Magnolia. From then on, not only did she come to love the suit, but she acquired a taste for glamorous clothing. Her father, being the well-known and rather rich magician that he was, lived in a lavish mansion within the Chess Kingdom with a young Morgann and two chess servants. While the kingdom struggled to recover from the war that completely destroyed the economy, Anton used his money that he collected through performing to provide for his daughter and spoiled her to the point that there was no way she would ever be able to comprehend poverty nor hard work. Morgann, by age six, had become a spoiled brat. Though elementary and high school, not only was she one of the most popular, but one of the most antagonistic students on campus. Frequently playing tricks on her teachers or bullying other students using her magic, she was usually seen sitting right outside of the principle's office. Despite her social status and magical abilities, she was nowhere near the smartest in the school district, and was actually ranked ten students from the bottom of the bucket regarding her average. This, of course, infuriated her because she never had and never would comprehend the essence of hard work and modesty. She thought simply because she was "the greatest in all of the Chess Kingdom" that she had to be valedictorian. So she destroyed the school and killed most of the people within it. Including the valedictorian. After realizing the repercussions that her deed would come with, Morgann cleaned up the rubble to the point that the campus seemed as if it had just disappeared, just like a true evil magician. Fearful of her father's righteous wrath, she packed up all of her things and left in graceful silence, setting her heart on becoming one of the biggest stars within her new destination. Canopy Kingdom. Prior to Gale's enlistment into the mafia, Morgann soon learned of the circus, Cirque des Cartes, and immediately signed up without second thoughts. Though she was blissfully unaware of their affiliation with the mafia, she became a sensation within the circus, not because she was the best, but simply because they lacked a magician in the first place. One night, as Morgann was about to retire to her dressing room to sleep for the night, Morgann caught a few of her fellow circus members moving a Dagonian's lifeless body to the elephant pen so that the animals would crush the proof that this man even existed. Appalled and feeling a tad hypocritical due to her previous actions, she demanded what was going on and demanded an answer. Cornered with no way to wriggle out of an explanation, one of the culprits stepped up and explained the mafia's goal for total domination over the Canopy Kingdom. After careful consideration and deeming herself a hardened criminal, Morgann demanded to be enrolled in the mafia's forces as the "deadliest hitman they would ever see." With only a day of waiting, she was quickly accepted into their ranks as a lethal force of nature. Though she wishes to be the best assassin within the mafia, many of the hitmen have pegged her below many other killers' abilities, Gale being one of them. Ever since that day, Morgann has vowed to not only kill those in her way of being the best, but has created a plan in her head to get to the Skullheart and become the Skullgirl. She would work strictly for the Medicis and help them dominate the kingdom with ease. With such outlandish goals, she's got a long way to go. Special Attacks/Blockbusters: Alacarzam (Level One -- AIR OK) - Morgann sends a bolt of energy into the ground using her wand before several cars, one-by-one, knock the opponent back. Deals fair damage. Reference Stellar Gunner (Level One) - Morgann pulls a rabbit out of her jacket before shoving it impatiently into her tall hat and promptly rips out a tommy gun before shooting feverishly at the opponent until she runs out of ammo (15 hits). If blocked, still manages to move the opponent back quite a ways away; has weak damage due to multiple hits. Partially based off of this. The Houdini (Level 2) - Counter super in which Morgann quickly blocks the super with a pair of rusted cuffs similar to Houdini's before disappearing in the midst of a smoke bomb. The disappearance leaves the opponent confused before a large cage from the magician's signature water escape comes reeling down from the ceiling, slamming down onto the opponent's head as Morgann escapes the cage. This attack can be easily blocked; can only occur right as Morgann is being hit. Deals major damage. Now You See Me, Now You Don't (Level 2) - If the opponent blindy charges Morgann, she'll wave cheerfully before falling into a trap door on the floor only to rebound up from another behind her challenger. She'll quickly shove her magician's hat over their head and keep them locked in a chokehold, keeping the hat on long enough for an explosion to occur from within it. The only sign that it has happened is the sound of a muffled explosion followed by smoke escaping from the bottom of the hat. This attack causes a hard knock down, but can simply be jumped out of if the opponent manages to stop attacking in time. It is categorized as a grab super, so jumping out of Morgann's range is possible, but if not avoided, can deal major damage. Magnolia's Magique (Level 3) - Morgann's most dangerous command grab super in which she opens her magician's jacket and forces the opponent into it before shutting it and struggling to keep it closed over her. Whilst in the suit, the opponent finds him or herself falling into a dark area similar to the Sea of Dirac before being pummeled by a multitude of white, purple, and golden fists before being thrown out of the jacket and onto the floor. Cannot be avoided unless the opponent has jumped out of Morgann's range. Deals crippling damage.</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scott struggled under the Gigan girl's grip. He had to get out and fight back. He was willing to die for the safety of the Canopy Kingdom, but there was no way he'd die without putting up more of a fight. The Gigan mentioned something about the Medici Family, to which Scott replied, "You think I care about what criminal scum you work for? All you've done is dig yourself in a bigger hole. Threatening and assaulting a Black Egret, resisting arrest, affiliation with a known gang, hosting illegal parasites, and those are just a few of the charges you'll be hearing during your trial." Scott still couldn't get out the Gigan's grip. He looked down at Liam who laid unconscious down below. In a few hours, Scott would probably be making fun of him for getting his ass kicked by a girl. At that moment though, all he could think of was getting down there to help his friend. "So, what happens next is completely up to you. I'd suggest making it easy on yourselves and turning yourselves in. While I highly doubt you'd go for that idea, I'd like to point out that you are, or at least appear to be, minors, so you'd only go to juvie and not prison. Also, we could easily blame a lot of your behavior on your parasites, that'll shave a few years off your sentence. I do believe it's a much more desirable offer than being on the run for the rest of your lives. After all that's happened here, you can bet you won't just walk away without any consequences."</s> <\|message\|>Dontores Allorè "Well now," Nuul said as Dontores looked through the menu, "Isn't this interesting?" Nuul pulled his left arm backwards, trying to pull him towards the commotion. "I'll just have number 13 please." Dontores said to the cashier as he was dragged away. With his right hand he rifled through his pocket, searching for some money. He threw some coins at the cashier as he was dragged in front of a Gigan of some description holding up the guy that had been on the ground just a second ago. Nuul flipped open, his voice spilling out from the pages. "Why do you persist in your pursuit of the law?" He asked the unfortunate officer, "Look at yourself! You're a joke! Can you still pretend to be an enforcer in a place like this?"</s> <\|message\|>Juno Bernstein Well, that was easy. It took but a simple mistake from that waiter and already she had a name, location and profession. Morgann Lacroix, magician extraordinaire, with more magic than tricks in her magic tricks, from what she could see. Juno herself didn't really know the name, but if that waiter had heard of it, then Morgann must be a relatively successful magician. Juno stood up, wearing her best smile, not too enthusiastic, but just enough, peppered with a bit of shyness. She approached Morgann, taking out a white handkerchief. "I uh.. You're that magician right? Morgann Lacroix? I've seen your show, and.. and uh... I was wondering if you would give me your autograph?" Juno held out the handkerchief with a hopeful look.</s>	<\|message\|>Morgann Lacroix (Stage Name: "Morrgan the Magnificent") "Yes, I am," Morgann replied slowly, raising one of her eyebrows. Her piercing green eyes stared down at the handkerchief before she wiggled her fingers and shoved them into the suit, surprised when she did not find a pen to sign with. "I usually have a pen in here," she thought bitterly, sighing with slight frustration. She took off her hat afterwards and before she could even reach in, one of the many purple fists that the suit contained popped out of the hat with a pen. "Oh, okay," she thought before turning back to the girl, gently taking the handkerchief from the girl and signing it without trouble. "Kind of suspicious that she just came over here after that occurence, but then again, that was a bit of a show-off move," she thought to herself before giving the girl her handkerchief. "Is that it, or would you like something else?" she questioned, tossing her pen back into the purple hat.</s>
<\|description\|>Morgann Lacroix (Stage Name: "Morrgan the Magnificent") Gender: Female Age: 23 Species: Human; born and raised in the Chess Kingdom. Birthday: April 26 Blood Type: O (Negative) Height: 6'1" Weight: 136 lbs. Measurements: 34C-26-39 Likes: Magic, flowers (specifically magnolias), her dozens of suitors, money, fancy cars, bedazzled wands, the colors white and gold, chocolate, glamorous attire, the Medicis, rubies, reading tabloids, signing various things with her signature, birthday cake martinis, being rude, punctuality, Cirque des Cartes, pink doilies, gossip. Dislikes: Fake magic and cheesy tricks, bad jokes, other women, poverty, Dagonians, Little Innsmouth, those who defy her wishes, gaudy or dull clothing, the Renoirs, Gale, rumors about herself, people better than her, Gigans, wizard-like apparel, anything associated with the Holy Trinity, socially awkward people. Parasite/Living Weapon: Magnolia - Though the entirety of her magician's attire is the weapon itself, the parts primarily used in battle are her hat and her jacket. The inside of the suit is similar to a Sea of Dirac, which is assumed to be either connected to another dimension or is another dimension itself. The suit's attacks are aided by Morgann's magical antics, but its main function is executing scarring psychological attacks. The psychological attacks are formed after the suit has figured out the opponent's greatest fears, and after learning about what they fear the most, the attacks are tweaked to throw the nightmarish situations into play. Aside from its psychological abilities, this suit has been known to devour its user whole unless tamed and properly cared for. The current user, Morgann, has wielded this suit effectively since she was at least thirteen years of age due to her knack for magic and fancy clothing. She protects this suit with her life, and the strange thing is that it's the only thing she ever wears. Even in her sleep, she wears simply the jacket over her gown as a safety measure against any enemies that might attempt to attack her. The fibers within the suit are far too strong to simply be shredded, and yet no one knows what exactly they are made of. In order to properly destroy Magnolia, its seams must be undone by magique, an obsolete form of magic that has been lost to the ages. This suit cannot function on its own offense-wise without a user, but defense-wise, its methods are simple and effective. If someone other than Magnolia were to wear it, they would quickly be devoured and lost within the suit's depths forever. Apperance: Under the mask, Morgann's eyes are a piercing bright green. Her hair is short due to its pixie cut. Biography: From her very birth, Morgann was said to have had a great deal of power within her magic. The cause for such power was that Morgann had been draining the very energy from her mother, Aes Lacroix, from the womb ever since the doctor confirmed that she was, indeed, going to be born. After she was conceived and her mother died during the birthing process, her father, Anton Lacroix, cherished her and protected her with his very life because she was all he had left. Not only was she the only one he had in the immediate family, but she was the last baby to be born so far in the Lacroix bloodline. Because she would possibly be the last to carry the family's blood within her veins, he provided her with a rather dangerous but magical suit known as Magnolia. From then on, not only did she come to love the suit, but she acquired a taste for glamorous clothing. Her father, being the well-known and rather rich magician that he was, lived in a lavish mansion within the Chess Kingdom with a young Morgann and two chess servants. While the kingdom struggled to recover from the war that completely destroyed the economy, Anton used his money that he collected through performing to provide for his daughter and spoiled her to the point that there was no way she would ever be able to comprehend poverty nor hard work. Morgann, by age six, had become a spoiled brat. Though elementary and high school, not only was she one of the most popular, but one of the most antagonistic students on campus. Frequently playing tricks on her teachers or bullying other students using her magic, she was usually seen sitting right outside of the principle's office. Despite her social status and magical abilities, she was nowhere near the smartest in the school district, and was actually ranked ten students from the bottom of the bucket regarding her average. This, of course, infuriated her because she never had and never would comprehend the essence of hard work and modesty. She thought simply because she was "the greatest in all of the Chess Kingdom" that she had to be valedictorian. So she destroyed the school and killed most of the people within it. Including the valedictorian. After realizing the repercussions that her deed would come with, Morgann cleaned up the rubble to the point that the campus seemed as if it had just disappeared, just like a true evil magician. Fearful of her father's righteous wrath, she packed up all of her things and left in graceful silence, setting her heart on becoming one of the biggest stars within her new destination. Canopy Kingdom. Prior to Gale's enlistment into the mafia, Morgann soon learned of the circus, Cirque des Cartes, and immediately signed up without second thoughts. Though she was blissfully unaware of their affiliation with the mafia, she became a sensation within the circus, not because she was the best, but simply because they lacked a magician in the first place. One night, as Morgann was about to retire to her dressing room to sleep for the night, Morgann caught a few of her fellow circus members moving a Dagonian's lifeless body to the elephant pen so that the animals would crush the proof that this man even existed. Appalled and feeling a tad hypocritical due to her previous actions, she demanded what was going on and demanded an answer. Cornered with no way to wriggle out of an explanation, one of the culprits stepped up and explained the mafia's goal for total domination over the Canopy Kingdom. After careful consideration and deeming herself a hardened criminal, Morgann demanded to be enrolled in the mafia's forces as the "deadliest hitman they would ever see." With only a day of waiting, she was quickly accepted into their ranks as a lethal force of nature. Though she wishes to be the best assassin within the mafia, many of the hitmen have pegged her below many other killers' abilities, Gale being one of them. Ever since that day, Morgann has vowed to not only kill those in her way of being the best, but has created a plan in her head to get to the Skullheart and become the Skullgirl. She would work strictly for the Medicis and help them dominate the kingdom with ease. With such outlandish goals, she's got a long way to go. Special Attacks/Blockbusters: Alacarzam (Level One -- AIR OK) - Morgann sends a bolt of energy into the ground using her wand before several cars, one-by-one, knock the opponent back. Deals fair damage. Reference Stellar Gunner (Level One) - Morgann pulls a rabbit out of her jacket before shoving it impatiently into her tall hat and promptly rips out a tommy gun before shooting feverishly at the opponent until she runs out of ammo (15 hits). If blocked, still manages to move the opponent back quite a ways away; has weak damage due to multiple hits. Partially based off of this. The Houdini (Level 2) - Counter super in which Morgann quickly blocks the super with a pair of rusted cuffs similar to Houdini's before disappearing in the midst of a smoke bomb. The disappearance leaves the opponent confused before a large cage from the magician's signature water escape comes reeling down from the ceiling, slamming down onto the opponent's head as Morgann escapes the cage. This attack can be easily blocked; can only occur right as Morgann is being hit. Deals major damage. Now You See Me, Now You Don't (Level 2) - If the opponent blindy charges Morgann, she'll wave cheerfully before falling into a trap door on the floor only to rebound up from another behind her challenger. She'll quickly shove her magician's hat over their head and keep them locked in a chokehold, keeping the hat on long enough for an explosion to occur from within it. The only sign that it has happened is the sound of a muffled explosion followed by smoke escaping from the bottom of the hat. This attack causes a hard knock down, but can simply be jumped out of if the opponent manages to stop attacking in time. It is categorized as a grab super, so jumping out of Morgann's range is possible, but if not avoided, can deal major damage. Magnolia's Magique (Level 3) - Morgann's most dangerous command grab super in which she opens her magician's jacket and forces the opponent into it before shutting it and struggling to keep it closed over her. Whilst in the suit, the opponent finds him or herself falling into a dark area similar to the Sea of Dirac before being pummeled by a multitude of white, purple, and golden fists before being thrown out of the jacket and onto the floor. Cannot be avoided unless the opponent has jumped out of Morgann's range. Deals crippling damage.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Brandy blinked as he listened intently to what the parasite had to say, amazed that such a little parasite could take control over such a giant man. They must be very close to be able to do such a thing. "I can fully synchronize with Gale and have the ability to completely take over," he began, drawing circles in the dirt with the tip of the obsidian blade, "but I nearly killed her father when he was my wielder by doing it. I don't think he and I were as compatible as us, though." He slipped the sheath's strap off of his shoulders and held it by the sword, speaking, "He retired me to my sheath for years. I wasn't used from the time that she was born because he wanted to keep his family away from me. Though it hurt knowing that I was not exactly welcome, I understand why. Handling that much power from a parasite at such a young age, even Gale's age, is dangerous." Brandy felt a tiny bit scared of the fact that if the host of this parasite had been a Gigan, he would probably be bigger than Ash. "Him as a Gigan? Now there's a scary thought. The male Gigans typically outgrow most female Gigans," he commented, turning in the roommate's direction, "I think Ash over there is actually the shorter one of her kind." The parasite was suddenly taken aback by the offer of the coat, but with slight reluctance, he accepted the coat and managed to slip it on over Gale's lithe form. Considering how small she was and how big the coat was, it probably looked silly, but what did that matter so long as his host was warm and happy? "Oh wow, thank you," he managed to say, fluffing his host's purple pompadour. "I have no idea why she wears this attire despite the temperature, but it's not necessarily my body or choice, so I can't judge," he sighed, giving the parasite a small smile. "I'm Brandy Station, by the way. I heard his name is Angus, but what is your name?" he inquired, tapping on Gale's chin before noticing that the soldier in Ash's grip was passed out. "Oh, I suppose it's time for Gale and Ash to leave for Meridian. Say, why not come with us? It's probably safer up in the city than it is in Little Innsmouth at the moment." Gale woke up only for a moment to speak to him through her mind, sighing softly. "That statement is incorrect in every possible way."</s> <\|message\|>Jane Vermilion Jane, still focused on she and Ash's conversation, watched as she choked BE#1 into an unconscious state. As he joined his brother in dreamland, Ash asked Jane if she could be of assistance. She lightly kicked the body placed in front of her while Ash literally begged Jane to help. Her hands were clasped together and everything. Jane guessed Gale wasn't exactly good at lifting heavy objects all things considered. Ash also offered Jane food, which was one thing she could never refuse. "Hmm. I guess I could help. But it's only cuz food is involved!" Jane joked, a grin plastered onto her pale face. With a grunt she picked up the body of BE#2 and lugged him over her shoulder. She wheezed a little, jeez all this military gear really weighed a person down. "Jane!" Franky whispered, trying to get her attention. She placed him up against her ear to allow him a bit of privacy. "I-I'm not sure we should be helping these guys. There with the Medici's, so...?" He stuttered, dancing around the issue. In all honest he just wanted to save his own bacon, but he couldn't do that without a host. "Bah, it'll be fine Franky." She assured. "So, where am I dragging this dude? Do you have a super secret base that we're dropping these guys off at? Or are we just gonna ditch them in some dumpster in New Meridian?" Jane asked, curious as to how formal the Medici operation was.</s>	<\|message\|>Morgann Lacroix (Stage Name: "Morrgan the Magnificent") Morgann, quite keen on the fact that the mysterious girl was awestruck by the hat's sudden action, tossed the hat into the air. Magnolia, fearful at the fact that a part of its "body" was being carelessly tossed, let its purple, yellow, and white fists shoot out of the hat and grab onto the magician's head before pulling itself back down and landing with a quiet bump. "Any fan of mine," she began, standing up to reveal her looming stature of about 6'1" while slowly crossing her arms, "should know my schedule by heart." Raising one of her light brown eyebrows, she continued on, "If you want to know when my shows are, I suggest you keep your ears open on the streets." After finishing her statement, she took her gleaming purple wand and shoved it listlessly into her jacket, exhaling slowly. The entire suit seemed to tense at the unknown object before calming down and accepting it. "Now if you'll excuse me," she grunted, turning away from the girl and heading towards the door, "I think I'd like to take my leave before that bus boy comes running back. I am no longer in the mood to hear his cries of agony and disdain." Morgann definitely thinks she is of a higher standard than most, and living-wise, perhaps. Regarding her narcissistic personality and lack of social etiquette, definitely not. What did it matter for a stellar performer like herself? Everyone just wanted to see some magic. It definitely did matter, though, considering she was a fairly big player in the field of magic and trickery. Her father would definitely be appalled at her mischievous behavior. The thought of her father led to thinking about the past and left Morgann slightly melancholic, recalling every malicious prank she'd played on her classmates and friends. "How the hell did I get from there to some big-shot magician role?" she wondered, snapping her fingers several times in a prompt manner to conjure up her mask as it landed in the palm of her hand. "Oh, right," she replied to her previous question, gently placing it on her face as if she was crowning herself, "I obliterated that entire school. I guess that's where this started." Hands in her pockets, the magician set off to simply wander the streets for an hour, and afterwards, she would head back to the circus.</s>
<\|description\|>Dontores Allorè Gender: Male Age: 17 Race: Human (chess) Birthday: November 23 Blood Type: O Height: 5 foot 8 Likes: Very little. So little even he doesn't know. Dislikes: Having to care about stuff, inadvertently caring about stuff Parasite/Living Weapon: Grimoire Nuul Dontore's abilities stems from the Living Parasite Weapon known as Grimoire Nuul. The tome has been passed down through his family for a long time, so long his family no longer remembers its first wielder. It used to remain sealed due to tales of the Grimoire corrupting its wielder over time. Dontores however, embraces the corruption, and it has shown slowed but still sure progress compared to the other wielders of the book. Half of his body has been consumed by the book, and is now covered in a wispy shadow. Grimoire Null can actually speak, and seems to think himself as a rather aloof figure. Appearance: The left half of his body is completely covered in shadows but a glowing yellow eye can still be seen. Personality: Dontores could be described as highly apathetic. He cares little for anything, one of the qualities that first drew Grimoire Nuul to him in the first place. He hardly ever speaks to other people, but perhaps this is due to the talkative nature of the Grimoire, as he was known to talk a little more often before he acquired the tome. Blockbusters: Do you think you can face me? – Level 1 Dontores holds out the Grimoire in front of him, and a hand made of darkness bursts from the book to crush his enemies. The hand grabs the enemy and smashes them into the ground, before throwing them away. Deals moderate damage, major knockback and stun. Come now! You can do better than that! - Level 1 Dontores generates a pulse of darkness centered on him which deals varying damage and knockback depending on how close the enemy is. If at the edge of the radius, the enemy will only take a little damage and they won't be knocked back. If they are right next to Dontores when it activates, they will be knocked back a considerable distance and take moderate damage. Taste my power! - Level 2 A heavy orb of darkness is fired from the Grimoire and it detonates when it hits an enemy or goes a certain distance away from Dontores. The orb deals light damage upon primary detonation, then continues to suck enemies towards it in an AOE around it, dealing constant light damage to enemies in the center of the orb. The orb fades after 7 seconds and this attack can be used in midair. I am Grimoire Nuul! - Level 3 Dontores' left arm becomes enveloped in a twister of darkness as Grimoire Nuul takes control of the left side of his body. The book shoots out a large dark hand which grabs the enemy. Dontores' arm then whips back, taking the dakr hand with it and releasing the enemy, sending them sailing back towards him. He then smashes them into the ground with the book, bouncing them up repeatedly before using a dark hand to grab the enemy again and tossing them high into the air. As the opponent comes down, Dontores raises the grimoire upwards and fires a point blank darkness orb which instantly turns into a darkness singularity which constantly damages the opponent. The orb then detonates with a dark shockwave to finish off the attack, inducing major knockback. Bio: Once, Dontores was a rather normal child. He had been adopted by a rich family, and he had little to worry about. He was however, still apathetic, even at a young age. This changed however, when his brother, his parents' biological son, disappeared; and it soon arose that they had been last seen going to the room containing the family's secret Heirloom, Grimoire Nuul. Tales had been passed down through the family of Grimoire Nuul, it was said to corrupt the wielder and consume their body and soul for its own use. Word soon spread around the manor, that his brother had been consumed by Grimoire Nuul. Dontores however, didn't care. He had never cared for his family, and that wouldn't change. The Grimoire didn't interest him, and he didn't care. But one night, he found himself standing in front of Grimoire Nuul anyway. Why had he come there? Perhaps the book would contain an answer. When the morning came, the Allore family saw what had become of their second son. He was found by a servant, unconscious, his left arm holding the Grimoire. When he regained consciousness, a layer of shadow was slowly creeping up his arm. He reported to his parents, and after a few days of arguing, they came to a decision. Dontores was to be disowned, they could not associate themselves with the wielder of such a dangerous artifact. Surprisingly, Dontores cared little for his disownership. He quietly packed his things and left. GM approved</s> <\|message\|>Juno Bernstein "Well well... That bat doesn't seem to be ordinary." Juno Bernstein swung her legs in a carefree way on her seat, seemingly oblivious that a wrong move would topple her off her rooftop seat and down to the pavement below. The reddish steel gauntlet on her left hand stood out rather conspicuously against her quality suit, complete with a real hand-tied tie tucked carefully in the jacket; none of that clip on thing for her. She wondered briefly if she should have brought a telescope instead of a binocular instead, as her left eye was naught but an empty socket. "HOW CAN YOU TELL?" She took off the binocular, and looked at her left hand, the green eye on the back of the gauntlet staring at her as she did the same. "The way she moves, what she wears, and how she carries herself. Everyone has many different tells. Thats how I can see which one's worth filching off." "YOU ARE SMART. NOW WE'RE HUNGRY. WE EAT." "Yeah, yeah, stave it off with this. We'll get some food after we get a good mark," She shoved a snack bar into her left palm, watching as a maw suddenly appeared and started crunching on the bar. As the taste of chocolate flooded her mouth, she resumed her vigil on top of the roof. Juno knows where the bat lives, and it would be a simple matter to find which floor and number as well. The lost relative trick always works. But she would need her tools for that sort of heist, and today she was looking for a simple mark, a target to swipe money off and run. It was a bit tight this month, the mafia was cracking down on rivals now, and while normally that wouldn't concern someone who stuck to doing small crime, one of the local bosses was getting a bit overzealous. The shadows were getting a bit hotter too now that there was apparently some hotshot cuffers looking to jump badges. How's an honest thief going to make it through the month without starving with all these happening? Just then she spotted a couple, a very well to do looking couple moving to where she knows was an alley, a shortcut out of the crowd. Which also means those two weren't average joes, since civilians don't usually go through that shortcut. "I'm thinking that's a bodyguard and someone's rich wife. Marionette?" "I'M THINKING OF STEAK." "That's the spirit." Swiftly wrapping up her left hand in bandages, Juno moved silently through the rooftops to intercept them. Should be easy money for dinner.</s> <\|message\|>Morgann Lacroix (Stage Name: "Morrgan the Magnificent") Morgann Lacroix, dressed in her usual show attire minus the mask, strolled down the dark streets of New Meridian, the light from the nearby street lamps causing her tall form to project a massive shadow of her figure. At this time of day, everyone had already hurried home, so Morgann never worried about someone asking for her signature or some other typical request. Almost every night for the past few weeks, she would grab dinner at Mad Man's Cafe, and nobody bothered her while she did so. Eating with the carnies at Cartes was okay, but it got on her nerves. The voices of her co-workers were jarring, and not only that, they never shut up. Dinner would last for about two hours, so the magician would find herself in bed with a raging headache. "A star like me shouldn't even have to associate with such peasants anyhow," she snarled, approaching the dimly-lit cafe. Morgann likes to think she's the best magician in the kingdom, and while she is quite good at working with magic, she was nowhere near the best. Perhaps she is somewhere in the middle of the scale, but that was it for the moment. She clearly feels that she needs to be just as good as her father, but that might take at least fifty more years. A magician of his caliber was, and still is, quite rare. As soon as she walked in, she slid into a booth without a word, slowly sliding downwards into the seat to the point where her shoulders were hunched forward and the brim of her purple top hat covered her eyes. "It's been a long day," she breathed softly, looking around the vacant room. There was a single man at the register who glanced in her direction before coming over to take her order. She promptly replied she'd just like a coffee if possible, and the worker hurried away. "Bus boy better make it quick," she growled before looking out the window and up at the starry sky, sighing quietly. "I kinda wish I was back at the circus now, to be honest," she murmured. And in that very moment, Morgann realized how lonely she was. Right before dismissing it and assuming she might be sick.</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash smiles gayly "We don't have to go to Meridian, we can just go to that campy little cafe down the road," she assures Gale, making sure that the clothes the Gigan is wearing look nice, and smell nice enough for her to wear in public. She puts Gale down atop a couch to her right, wedged in between a pair of vases that look much too large, and much too heavy for a normal person to lift. She stands up, hunched over in the suffocating closeness of her room, and begins to piece together her rifle, attaching springs and other key components to its ornate base, and screwing the lengthy barrel on. This go on for ten minutes, until Ash situates the rifle's leather straps with a satisfying 'click', and slings it over her shoulder, the tip of the gun scraping against the ceiling. The large Gigan then bends over, and picks up Gale "Would you like to ride on my gun?" she asks, motioning to the chromatic barrel.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale looked up at the barrel that, compared to her, was gigantic. Without a word, she swiftly hopped from Ash's hand to the top of the barrel, flapping her tiny wings to steady herself. "Alright. I'm happy to go there," Gale replied quietly, crossing her legs and sitting flat on her butt, making sure the bandana around her eyes was tightly knotted. "Thank Goddess she did not want to go to Meridian," Gale thought, flattening her ears against her head. What a rude thing to think. This was Ash's choice, and had she picked New Meridian, Gale would have had to live with it. She should stop being so selfish. Gale hopped from the barrel to the nape of Ash's neck and crawled up so that she could sit right on top of her head, perking her bat ears up as a way of preparation for the sound of the night once they left the apartment. "Oh, I forgot..." she murmured, jumping off of her head and landing on the ground with her wings spread to slow the fall. She dashed off to the hallway near the kitchen and hooked a right, throwing open her white bedroom door. She didn't need echolocation to find Brandy Station. She already knew where he was. Her room was empty and, quite honestly, depressing, with walls of white and a plain brown carpet floor. The only furniture within the room was a twin-sized bed, a mahogany desk with a charming portrait of her menacing family members, a tall wardrobe, and on the wall sat the rack that held her sword up for the world to see. Without a second thought, she leaped up and snatched the sword from its hooks, landing right on her feet. "Time to go, Brandy," she whispered to its black sheath, wincing as the case rattled in an excited manner. She could feel its chilling connection bonding with her body and its resources as she slung the weapon over her back before slamming the door shut and dashing back to Ash. She quickly scrambled up the Gigan's leg and found her way back to Ash's unruly blonde hair, sitting with her legs crossed just like earlier. "Lead the way," she murmured quietly, adjusting the tall collar of her black down vest.</s>	<\|message\|>Dontores Allorè "Dontores my boy, do you have any idea where we are?" A teenage boy sat on the roof of a building he didn't know, in a city he wasn't familiar with. He looked into the distance, eyes half-closed, fist under his chin, taking in the scenery. "Does it even matter?" He said. A thick steel-bound tome laying besides him suddenly floated up in front of him. "Culture my boy! Culture!" The book said, a voice coming out from its pages, "How would you expect to blend in if you don't know culture?" The book danced along to its own words, a familiar and tiresome dance. The teenager didn't see a point in it, but then again, he hardly ever saw the point of anything. "You know as well as I do," The boy said in a tired tone, "That it's your fault that I can't blend in anywhere, right?" The book turned its cover to him, it had no expression but he could easily imagine its grin. "You're the one who gave half your body to me, my boy." It said, "And you're the one who decided to take my clothes with it." He retorted. His body was half covered by a thick, wispy shadow that only left one glowing eye visible on the left side of his body. Whatever clothes he put on, the shadows would cover it making disguise impossible. Perhaps if the Grimoire wasn't illegal, it wouldn't have been a problem. "I will admit that this city is quite new to me," he was gloating now. "The world has changed much since I was last released." The book turned towards the horizon and stood still, as if enjoying a sudden breeze. "Well, you shouldn't get to used to the city just yet." It said, "Change is on the winds, and it comes on swift wings." "Nuul," The boy said, turning towards the book, "How many times have I told you that I don't care?" "And how many times have I told you," Nuul said, shadows radiating from his pages, a dark fist emerging from its depths. "That my name is Grimoire Nuul!</s>
<\|description\|>Dontores Allorè Gender: Male Age: 17 Race: Human (chess) Birthday: November 23 Blood Type: O Height: 5 foot 8 Likes: Very little. So little even he doesn't know. Dislikes: Having to care about stuff, inadvertently caring about stuff Parasite/Living Weapon: Grimoire Nuul Dontore's abilities stems from the Living Parasite Weapon known as Grimoire Nuul. The tome has been passed down through his family for a long time, so long his family no longer remembers its first wielder. It used to remain sealed due to tales of the Grimoire corrupting its wielder over time. Dontores however, embraces the corruption, and it has shown slowed but still sure progress compared to the other wielders of the book. Half of his body has been consumed by the book, and is now covered in a wispy shadow. Grimoire Null can actually speak, and seems to think himself as a rather aloof figure. Appearance: The left half of his body is completely covered in shadows but a glowing yellow eye can still be seen. Personality: Dontores could be described as highly apathetic. He cares little for anything, one of the qualities that first drew Grimoire Nuul to him in the first place. He hardly ever speaks to other people, but perhaps this is due to the talkative nature of the Grimoire, as he was known to talk a little more often before he acquired the tome. Blockbusters: Do you think you can face me? – Level 1 Dontores holds out the Grimoire in front of him, and a hand made of darkness bursts from the book to crush his enemies. The hand grabs the enemy and smashes them into the ground, before throwing them away. Deals moderate damage, major knockback and stun. Come now! You can do better than that! - Level 1 Dontores generates a pulse of darkness centered on him which deals varying damage and knockback depending on how close the enemy is. If at the edge of the radius, the enemy will only take a little damage and they won't be knocked back. If they are right next to Dontores when it activates, they will be knocked back a considerable distance and take moderate damage. Taste my power! - Level 2 A heavy orb of darkness is fired from the Grimoire and it detonates when it hits an enemy or goes a certain distance away from Dontores. The orb deals light damage upon primary detonation, then continues to suck enemies towards it in an AOE around it, dealing constant light damage to enemies in the center of the orb. The orb fades after 7 seconds and this attack can be used in midair. I am Grimoire Nuul! - Level 3 Dontores' left arm becomes enveloped in a twister of darkness as Grimoire Nuul takes control of the left side of his body. The book shoots out a large dark hand which grabs the enemy. Dontores' arm then whips back, taking the dakr hand with it and releasing the enemy, sending them sailing back towards him. He then smashes them into the ground with the book, bouncing them up repeatedly before using a dark hand to grab the enemy again and tossing them high into the air. As the opponent comes down, Dontores raises the grimoire upwards and fires a point blank darkness orb which instantly turns into a darkness singularity which constantly damages the opponent. The orb then detonates with a dark shockwave to finish off the attack, inducing major knockback. Bio: Once, Dontores was a rather normal child. He had been adopted by a rich family, and he had little to worry about. He was however, still apathetic, even at a young age. This changed however, when his brother, his parents' biological son, disappeared; and it soon arose that they had been last seen going to the room containing the family's secret Heirloom, Grimoire Nuul. Tales had been passed down through the family of Grimoire Nuul, it was said to corrupt the wielder and consume their body and soul for its own use. Word soon spread around the manor, that his brother had been consumed by Grimoire Nuul. Dontores however, didn't care. He had never cared for his family, and that wouldn't change. The Grimoire didn't interest him, and he didn't care. But one night, he found himself standing in front of Grimoire Nuul anyway. Why had he come there? Perhaps the book would contain an answer. When the morning came, the Allore family saw what had become of their second son. He was found by a servant, unconscious, his left arm holding the Grimoire. When he regained consciousness, a layer of shadow was slowly creeping up his arm. He reported to his parents, and after a few days of arguing, they came to a decision. Dontores was to be disowned, they could not associate themselves with the wielder of such a dangerous artifact. Surprisingly, Dontores cared little for his disownership. He quietly packed his things and left. GM approved</s> <\|message\|>Dontores Allorè As he sailed through the air, Dontores had plenty of time to reflect on his decisions. He had the time to, but he didn't. He had more time as Nuul floated after Dontores and charged a blast of pure darkness to launch at him, but again he didn't. He was given more time when he had almost reached the street and the orb of darkness detonated and sent him flying backwards before he hit the ground. He sailed through a window of some description, glass shattering from the impact. Momentum carried him forward as his head collided with some unfortunate person's body and knocked them to the ground. How bothersome. He thought. Time came back to normal speed as he fell to the ground and the Grimoire floated slowly through the window. "Have you learnt your lesson yet, my der boy?" He said. "No." He replied, not bothering to get up. "I didn't expect so." Nuul said smugly, "But I suppose you will learn in time." The Grimoire floated to Dontores' body and floated into his open left hand, suddenly clutching it as he settled into place. His left arm rose of his own volition and he was slowly pulled upright by the left side of his body. So annoying. Dontores thought. He looked at his surroundings, noticing he was actually in a cafe of some description. Oh, this is nice, He thought, I was getting hungry. He walked over the prone body of the person he had knocked over, noticing she was rather short, among other unusual things. He looked over to the right, and saw a person in uniform also on the ground. Perhaps they had been brawling? It didn't matter so much. He walked over to the counter, a shocked cashier at the register. "I want something cheap and filling." Dontores said, "What would you recommend?"</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk There's a sudden burst, a volatile explosion of glass, the clear translucent shards of shrapnel raining down on the gruesome scene, as Ash buries her foot in layered brick that's now beneath her. She says nothing when her machete leaves its sheath--and with only a quick flash of steel as prior warning--impales the ground in front of Scott. Like an erect wall, it remains stationary when Scott runs into its reflective surface, and once Scott can regain his senses, he's hoisted skyward, fourteen feet above the ground. "Will you stop fighting? Please?" Ash begs, the hefty barrel of her cannon prodding at the Egret's stomach. "It's not like I wanted to fight, Gale just has... Anger issues." the Gigan explains all too casually; grimacing with each attack Gale dishes out in the backdrop. The longer it takes for Scott to respond, the tighter Ash's grip becomes, her claws slowly invading his armor, making quick work of any protection that's barring Scott from Ash's Gigantian strength. "If you don't, I can't really guarantee your safety, it's not like I haven't killed people before." Ash adds. Twenty feet from the epicenter of the battle taking place, a ring begins to form as humans, Ferals, Elves, people of all sort begin to take interest in the rather one sided battle. "You know we're Medici back breakers, right?"</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk "That term can be used metaphorically or literally," Gale commented as she scurried up Ash's shoulder and sat flat on her behind, holding her sabre close to her chest. "Why did I let Brandy do that?" she wondered, tilting her head skyward and staring up at the twilight sky as the moon began to come out of hiding. Her thin line of a mouth slowly morphed into a frown as she realized she had lost her temper yet again. "This is becoming an issue," she sighed, chewing on one of her sharp nails, "it's all this repressed emotion from a few years ago." She looked over at Ash and let her head hang low, feeling ashamed. "I wanted to take Ash out for dinner because that's what she wanted, and then I went and did this," she thought, beginning to analyze the predicament that the team was now in. "Man, I'm a terrible partner," she groaned, tugging at a few loose strands of her purple hair. "I didn't need Brandy for this even," she thought sadly, slipping the sword into its dark sheath. "That could have been overkill, I just wasn't thinking..." What was she doing? This was no time for for feeling ashamed or sad, it was action time. "I can do that when we get home after Ash either scolds me or gives me that one sad look to convey disappointment." For now, she would sit and wait for what was to come. The time for fighting, at least for Gale, had passed, and there was no longer a reason to keep going. "He called reinforcements," Gale remarked grimly, staring at the crowd around the spectacle. "I've no idea what exactly we are going to do about that."</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Angus did not really expect the day that some random parasite that had attached to his face and stole apart of his brain to be surpassed as the most interesting day of his life. At this current moment, he witnessed some random Feral attack some Egret and looked like she was about to break their spine, until some Gigan out of nowhere crashed the entire battle and seemed like they were about to get in some one-sided fight. He looked around the crowd of people surrounding this event and realized if this got messy, a lot of people could get hurt, and that would be bad as it seemed these people could do a lot of damage. Geez, all Angus wanted to do was to get some groceries... You know, usually when he tries to get groceries, something strange happens to him. Last week, he was attacked by some rabid raccoons and he couldn't even fight back as he was trying to protect Pharona from the sharp claws and teeth. Angus suddenly perked up as Pharona was trying to tell him something inside of his mind. "I think those two are parasites... I haven't seen one infect a Gigan in some time... I think we should talk to them after this whole thing is over with." "Talk to them!? I don't think so, it looks like the Feral one looks quite unstable and the Gigan looks a bit menacing. I'm also a bit afraid that Feral might attack me or something also, those raccoons did really hurt and a Feral would probably hurt more!" Angus exclaimed inside of his mind, however, Pharona was no longer listening to the worried Angus as she was looking onto the spectacle that was developing. Angus on the other hand was worrying that one of the two apparent parasites might sense her also and might accidentally rat her out to the Egrets! Pharona's safety was too great to risk for Angus, and he tried moving to get away from the crowd, but he couldn't move... PHARONA! She was now taking complete control over the body, forcing him to stay in place and keep on watching. She was ready if things got physical, but it seemed like the Feral was starting to calm down as she scurried up the large lady's shoulders... Just like she does! One thing that Pharona knew is that she needed to talk to these new parasites, mainly just out of curiosity as she hasn't talked face to face with one in quite some time.</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scott struggled under the Gigan girl's grip. He had to get out and fight back. He was willing to die for the safety of the Canopy Kingdom, but there was no way he'd die without putting up more of a fight. The Gigan mentioned something about the Medici Family, to which Scott replied, "You think I care about what criminal scum you work for? All you've done is dig yourself in a bigger hole. Threatening and assaulting a Black Egret, resisting arrest, affiliation with a known gang, hosting illegal parasites, and those are just a few of the charges you'll be hearing during your trial." Scott still couldn't get out the Gigan's grip. He looked down at Liam who laid unconscious down below. In a few hours, Scott would probably be making fun of him for getting his ass kicked by a girl. At that moment though, all he could think of was getting down there to help his friend. "So, what happens next is completely up to you. I'd suggest making it easy on yourselves and turning yourselves in. While I highly doubt you'd go for that idea, I'd like to point out that you are, or at least appear to be, minors, so you'd only go to juvie and not prison. Also, we could easily blame a lot of your behavior on your parasites, that'll shave a few years off your sentence. I do believe it's a much more desirable offer than being on the run for the rest of your lives. After all that's happened here, you can bet you won't just walk away without any consequences."</s>	<\|message\|>Dontores Allorè "Well now," Nuul said as Dontores looked through the menu, "Isn't this interesting?" Nuul pulled his left arm backwards, trying to pull him towards the commotion. "I'll just have number 13 please." Dontores said to the cashier as he was dragged away. With his right hand he rifled through his pocket, searching for some money. He threw some coins at the cashier as he was dragged in front of a Gigan of some description holding up the guy that had been on the ground just a second ago. Nuul flipped open, his voice spilling out from the pages. "Why do you persist in your pursuit of the law?" He asked the unfortunate officer, "Look at yourself! You're a joke! Can you still pretend to be an enforcer in a place like this?"</s>
<\|description\|>Dontores Allorè Gender: Male Age: 17 Race: Human (chess) Birthday: November 23 Blood Type: O Height: 5 foot 8 Likes: Very little. So little even he doesn't know. Dislikes: Having to care about stuff, inadvertently caring about stuff Parasite/Living Weapon: Grimoire Nuul Dontore's abilities stems from the Living Parasite Weapon known as Grimoire Nuul. The tome has been passed down through his family for a long time, so long his family no longer remembers its first wielder. It used to remain sealed due to tales of the Grimoire corrupting its wielder over time. Dontores however, embraces the corruption, and it has shown slowed but still sure progress compared to the other wielders of the book. Half of his body has been consumed by the book, and is now covered in a wispy shadow. Grimoire Null can actually speak, and seems to think himself as a rather aloof figure. Appearance: The left half of his body is completely covered in shadows but a glowing yellow eye can still be seen. Personality: Dontores could be described as highly apathetic. He cares little for anything, one of the qualities that first drew Grimoire Nuul to him in the first place. He hardly ever speaks to other people, but perhaps this is due to the talkative nature of the Grimoire, as he was known to talk a little more often before he acquired the tome. Blockbusters: Do you think you can face me? – Level 1 Dontores holds out the Grimoire in front of him, and a hand made of darkness bursts from the book to crush his enemies. The hand grabs the enemy and smashes them into the ground, before throwing them away. Deals moderate damage, major knockback and stun. Come now! You can do better than that! - Level 1 Dontores generates a pulse of darkness centered on him which deals varying damage and knockback depending on how close the enemy is. If at the edge of the radius, the enemy will only take a little damage and they won't be knocked back. If they are right next to Dontores when it activates, they will be knocked back a considerable distance and take moderate damage. Taste my power! - Level 2 A heavy orb of darkness is fired from the Grimoire and it detonates when it hits an enemy or goes a certain distance away from Dontores. The orb deals light damage upon primary detonation, then continues to suck enemies towards it in an AOE around it, dealing constant light damage to enemies in the center of the orb. The orb fades after 7 seconds and this attack can be used in midair. I am Grimoire Nuul! - Level 3 Dontores' left arm becomes enveloped in a twister of darkness as Grimoire Nuul takes control of the left side of his body. The book shoots out a large dark hand which grabs the enemy. Dontores' arm then whips back, taking the dakr hand with it and releasing the enemy, sending them sailing back towards him. He then smashes them into the ground with the book, bouncing them up repeatedly before using a dark hand to grab the enemy again and tossing them high into the air. As the opponent comes down, Dontores raises the grimoire upwards and fires a point blank darkness orb which instantly turns into a darkness singularity which constantly damages the opponent. The orb then detonates with a dark shockwave to finish off the attack, inducing major knockback. Bio: Once, Dontores was a rather normal child. He had been adopted by a rich family, and he had little to worry about. He was however, still apathetic, even at a young age. This changed however, when his brother, his parents' biological son, disappeared; and it soon arose that they had been last seen going to the room containing the family's secret Heirloom, Grimoire Nuul. Tales had been passed down through the family of Grimoire Nuul, it was said to corrupt the wielder and consume their body and soul for its own use. Word soon spread around the manor, that his brother had been consumed by Grimoire Nuul. Dontores however, didn't care. He had never cared for his family, and that wouldn't change. The Grimoire didn't interest him, and he didn't care. But one night, he found himself standing in front of Grimoire Nuul anyway. Why had he come there? Perhaps the book would contain an answer. When the morning came, the Allore family saw what had become of their second son. He was found by a servant, unconscious, his left arm holding the Grimoire. When he regained consciousness, a layer of shadow was slowly creeping up his arm. He reported to his parents, and after a few days of arguing, they came to a decision. Dontores was to be disowned, they could not associate themselves with the wielder of such a dangerous artifact. Surprisingly, Dontores cared little for his disownership. He quietly packed his things and left. GM approved</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk "Alright, we're heading out!" Ash walks forward, step by long step she navigates the twists and turns of Little Innsmouth, passing by sunken boulevards and overly complex compounds of shacks stacked in uneven piles amongst one another. Ferals and Dagonians pass in droves, making the trip a lengthly venture to the train station to Meridian. On the way Ash has to stop several times, so that she can spot a gap in the crowd to set her foot, or for the crowd to just part to make a path for her. "Is Brandy okay there?" Ash asks Gale as they approach the train station "You guys sound like you're having an argument" Ash adds with a worried smile. Once the small group is there, it's just a matter of waiting in the deeply congested line to the one ticket booth, surrounded by impatient citizens of Little Innsmouth. "Please be patient." the lone Dagonian pleads, handing out tickets as soon as he's handed loose coins, or change, but the people receiving them are blocked by a pair of large men donning all too familiar gas masks. What would be causing such a horrid back up? Elsewhere On the fifth train car (out of twenty) sits a tank, two to be exact, both of which are tied down to their respective car, the pair of armored behemoths appear to be factory new, with barely a thin coat of olive paint to cover the red steel underneath. On top of the car in front of the vehicular dreadnoughts sits a lone, bored Egret smoking a cigarette, letting his gray helmet rest beside him. "By the goddess, where are our Parasitic scum?" he asks himself impatiently, putting out the cigarette on his armored thigh. "Captain, we're holding up service here..." one of his eight guards say nervously, watching the pair of soldiers the Honorable Captain had dispatched at the entrance to the station not ten minutes ago struggle against the mounting crowd. The Captain shrugs, his vaguely blue eyes scanning the crowd outside "Let them in, I think there will be at least one rat for us in there. Hopefully that anonymous tip holds true."</s> <\|message\|>Grumm (Percival Botley) Faced with Morgann, the monster hesitated. From beneath the mire of rage and confusion bubbled up a shred of Grumm's human consciousness, which busied itself thinking about the situation. The inside of Grumm's head began to pound; rational thought, already so hard to dredge up, hurt worse than a sledgehammer to the cranium. It was so much easier to let go, to let the mind slip away beneath that murky bog of beastliness. Yet, whenever that human side did arise, it asserted that at the very least it was supposed to persevere. Human nature was supposed to be indomitable—all the stories said so. When bombarded by that pain, however, that strain of holding together focus, justifications came easily. No being could have withstood that agony enough to stay sane. So naturally, Grumm hesitated only a moment, but it was enough to draw a conclusion. In his experience, no normal human, even armed ones, would dare to so boldly interpose herself between a hunter and its prey. That could only mean that the masked woman that stood before him, arms raised in a gesture of placation, was extraordinary. Her words bounced dimly around inside his skull. All he could really gather was that she thought that attacking her would be a mistake on his part. A snorting, ugly laugh escaped the wreckage that was his mouth, rattling through the metal guard that covered it: "Hagh. This individual was keeping him from bringing to justice the water-wielding woman with whom he had a personal quarrel. Halte had been seeking him out lately. He had no clue why, but she seemed determined to keep him from capturing and/or killing his targets. Annoyingly enough, it was working, and that made Halte his dire foe. Anyone who attempted to keep him from his revenge was just as guilty. Besides, Morgann had a strange smell on her. The same aroma wafted from each of the parasites he hunted, slightly different for each, but all still identifiable. Grumm grunted and raised his axe for an overhead chop, bringing it down with enough force to cleave bone if Morgann allowed it to hit her.</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson Liam was the first of the two Black Egrets to gain consciousness. He turned towards Scott, after rising off the ground, and shook him awake afterwards. "Whu- what happened? Did we win?" Scott said after lifting his head off the ground. "No. I think we got our asses handed to us," Liam replied. "Urg, come on man. How could we have lost? They were frickin' kids." "Well, in our defense, they had parasites. And they outnumbered us." Scott rose off the ground and brushed the dirt and grime off his uniform. "Hey, wait a minute. You called for backup didn't you? Where is everyone?" Liam rubbed the back of his head as he thought back to right before he had the snot beaten out of him. "Yeah, I didn't finish the call, but they should have still arrived with the information I was able to give." Liam bent down to pick up some of the pieces of his shattered radio. "Oh," was his only response to his discovery. "What? What's 'oh'?" Scott asked. "Um, nothing. Just, uh, I might not have had the radio on," Liam replied. "What!?" Liam held up the piece of the radio that had previously been the 'on and off' switch, only for it to be set in the 'off' position. "Exactly what I said, man." "Are you kidding me? You're saying, that had we run into an even more dangerous opponent, we would never had received support, because you forgot to turn the radio on?" Scott than slapped the back of Liam's head. "Idiot." "Hey, I was trying to save batteries. So, uh, what do we do now?" Liam asked, rubbing the back of his head again now that Scott had made the pain return to that part of his body. "No one back at base knows this happened. Let's keep it that way. I'd rather be chewed out for arriving at base late for duty, than be absolutely ridiculed for being beaten by kids," Scott replied. "Alright. Let's head back now than. I want to get this over with as soon as possible."</s> <\|message\|>Jane Vermilion Jane nodded with interest as Ash responded to her question. So the operation was pretty informal, just dumping unconcious bodies off at a dumpster. Jane also took interest in the fact that they would be grabbing flowers after that. So, one of the two sisters was into botany, it seemed. Jane thought it a bit unfit for two mobsters to be into pretty posies, but she wouldn't judge them too harshly. Before Jane could question which one of them enjoyed flowers, or if they both did equally, Ash hoisted BE#2 over her shoulder and looked, presumably for Gale. Jane stayed silent and followed behind, quickly forgetting about the question she was going to pose to the both of them. Jane simply watched as the team grouped back up to go into New Meridian. It seemed the group had 2 new additions, the little girl Pharona and her father(?). They expressed concerns for the Egrets' health, and Gale said some interesting things in retort. It wasn't that the mafia was informal, simply that they didn't care about such small crimes. That was... odd. Did they really hold that much clout? It seemed time would tell, as long as Jane lived to see the tale unfold. And with a reassuring cheerful shout from Ash, they were off. Jane didn't bother finding her pair of gloves. She was already part of this mob of odd and unruly characters, dragging a body, why bother hiding her parasite? Besides, she said she'd allow him some breath on the walk home. Might as well give him some extra time, right? He was the reason she could fight again, she should definitely treat him right. Once they reached the station, she was surprised there was such a clog up. After a highly focused search, she noticed what seemed to be a gas mask. Were those damn Egrets here too? Hm... she did remember one of the idiots calling for back up. It was a possibility that these were the people called. With an impatient huff, Jane turned to Ash and Gale. "Ugh. Do you see who's up front? Those freaking Egrets, again! It's like it's their job is to annoy the populace." Jane complained, angrily glaring at the two soldiers. She cracked her knuckles menacingly. "We should take care of them. You guys that kind of immunity, right? We can-" Jane wrapped finger quotes around this part, "Get rid of", now putting her hands back down, "Temporarily. We got rid of those other two guys, right? Or is that kind of a limited use privilege?" Jane asked. "I mean, I'm gonna get noticed anyways, might as well start the fight now." "Will you not get into a fight for one second...?" Franky chided, a little to soft to be heard over the crowd.</s>	<\|message\|>Dontores Allorè "Stop restraining me Dontores!" Nuul shouted as he struggled underneath Dontore's weight, "We must pursue those people!" "No we don't." He replied in a flat tone, "And I want my food." They were making quite the scene, being in the middle of the cafe and all. He was lying on his left side, pinning it to the ground with the right side of his body, and he also had a table on top of him to keep Nuul down. "It'll be done soon." He said. "And they will be gone soon!" Nuul argued. "Do I look like I care?" He replied. "Come now Dontores! They're the most interesting people I've ever seen in centuries!" Nuul pleaded, "We're not going without my food." Dontores said, "I paid money for that, you know." "Why are you so difficult!" Nuul seethed, "And you agreed so readily to giving me half your body!" "I only do what I want." He said, "And back then I wanted power." Nuul fell silent, conceding the point. "Right now I want food, and I'm still your master," He said flatly, "You cannot deny me." "Hmph. Fine." Nuul said, ceasing his struggles. Dontores still stayed under the table, however, as he knew Nuul would probably take the first chance he got to run away with his body. Still, it was slightly uncomfortable. "Hm." He said, shifting himself to a more comfortable position, "This'll do I suppose."</s>
<\|description\|>Nikolai V Lacerta Gender: Male Age: 32 Race: (cyborg) Feral (reptilian) Birthday: 31 March Blood type: AB+ Height: 6 foot 2 when standing straight, otherwise it's somewhere around 5 foot 6 Weight: 182 lb Likes: - Science - Scientific things - Finding stuff out - Intelligence - Livers Dislikes: - Unscientific things - Social interaction - Incompetence - Stupidity - Eating bad livers - Distractions Parasite/Living weapon: Oculus Nikolai's parasite is a glass orb which has the appearance of an eye. Oculus replaces the user's eye and gives the user the ability to study an opponent and learn their weak points. The weak points are outlined in a sweet HUD that only Oculus can provide that looks all sci-fi and stuff. Additionally, Oculus gives the user the ability to fire highly concentrated beams of energy by sapping the user's energy and turning it into a laser which can hit the weak points with needle-like precision. Appearance: Nikolai has more 'beast' than most Ferals, and he's quite recognisable as a reptile. He's less of a human beast and more of a beast human, and there is little distinguishing him from an actual iguana as he adopts a hunch, his skin is scaly as hell, he has a lizardlike head structure, and he is very long, tail included. If he bent down, he'd look exactly like a really big iguana. One thing that differentiates Nikolai from a standard iguana is that he's around the size of a normal human. Another thing would be the metal augmentations and partial mutations. Yeah, you heard that right. As a result of having no guinea pig other than himself, he added mechanical parts to his body and is now a cyborg. His left arm is mechanical, his legs are mechanical (he added jets to them), and the left side of his face (where Oculus is) is also mechanical. His jaws are mechanical and his teeth are made of metal. The cyborg augmentations also stretch to some of his organs and muscles and he has enhanced strength and speed as a result. His mutations made him a bit scalier, have larger claws and made his jaw protrude to become longer. He wears a worn dress shirt and tie, torn black pants and a slightly torn lab coat. No shoes. Personality: Nikolai's personality, though he seems rather beast like, is one of cunning intelligence. He prides himself on being a scientist and is good at supressing his pure animal instinct. Nikolai can talk (has a hoarse voice though) and is very learned, having studied all kinds of science for years. That said, he has little patience for incompetence people, favours speed and efficiency and dislikes distractions to his work. He's fairly quick to snap at people (not literally) and is quick to distrust. That particular character trait stems from the fact that he's rather paranoid, and many view him as insane. If asked, he'll claim that he's just exploring the limits of science, and then he'll probably force you to leave his lab and lock the door. Blockbusters: Tail slam (1 bar) Nikolai dashes forward with extreme speed and turns quickly, slamming his tail at his opponent. Should the attack land, it causes moderate damage and knocks them back with the force of his momentum. Easily dodged as it is a set distance, but is a fast move that Nikolai can use to throw off his opponents. Precision laser (1 bar) Nikolai locks on to his target and fires his laser eye. For some reason, a red targeting assistor for all to see appears on the target, showing them exactly where he's going to fire. That said, it's not that difficult to dodge, but it ignores blocking to an extent. If the target is blocking, it does 1/2 of the damage it would normally deal. Does moderate damage if it hits normally. Nikolai can also use precision laser in the air by floating with his foot jets. Rage rend (2 bars) Nikolai dashes forward and begins rapidly tearing into his opponent with his bestial speed and mechanical power. He gets a speed boost and swipes wildly 10 times, the last blow knocking his opponent down. Each hit does light damage but altogether stacks up to high damage. Easy to block, but Nikolai can move and jump twice as fast with the rage render, making it difficult to dodge. Cyborg fury (3 bars) Nikolai dashes forward and grabs hold of his opponent with his jaws. He then proceeds to slam them side to side a few times and then hurls them upwards, charges Oculus and fires a laser at his opponent. Before his opponent lands, Nikolai flies up with his jets, grabs them, slams them into the ground, bites their face and fires his laser into it before jumping off. Does major damage. The grab can be easily avoided, though. Bio: Nikolai's parents died at an early age and his more-beastlike-than-usual appearance put him at odds with most. Hence, he devoted all of his life to increasing his own intelligence and lived a life of seclusion. He actually became a scientist for a way to change his form so he could be accepted by society, but his ideas were often too radical to be accepted by the scientific community, and he never got approval to test them. This put him in an even more reclusive state and he began to sink close into depression. He began to shun people and society, and devoted his time to furthering his knowledge. At some point, he came across Oculus and implanted it into himself, which made his research easier. He became interested in parasite weapons and always strives to find out more about them. But one day, he made something special. He made a serum that theoretically evolved your genes at an amazing rate, making you faster, stronger and better in general. Having no one to test it on, he drank it himself. It worked with the intended effect, but it had a drastic unwanted side-effect. The serum awoke something ancient in Nikolai's DNA, something primal. It didn't just make him better, it pulled at his DNA, mutating his body to become even more bestial. As you can tell, Nikolai didn't appreciate this. He built cyborg augmentations into his body to control the bestial urges. He eventually got it under control (kind of) and lived with it to the present day. The only reason he's out here now is because he wants to analyse parasite weapons.</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash waits patiently as Gale retrieves Brandy Station, slumped over by the front door, and once Gale is situated on Ash's head, the Gigan clumsily opens the door to their house, and manages to squeeze through. Once Ash is out in the open, she stands at her full height with a relieved sigh, looking down at the crowd; who begins to part to let Ash through. She walks with a surprisingly brisk pace, taking into account all the obstacles of Little Innsmouth, properly gaging all her ducks, and side steps to compensate for the bat feral on her head. "It's busy out today, how did you manage to find your way home?" Ash questions as she approaches the door to a local diner, the wonderful smell of cooked food flooding her senses. "Something smells yummy," she comments, lifting Gale off of her head, and guiding her to the door. With her index finger, and her thumb, Ash grips the handle to the glass portal. She opens it slowly, letting the tacky silver bell ring, and giving Gale a light push inside, following after her with a light grunt, forcing herself through the human sized frame of the door. Ash's knee slides across the dirtied tile floor, followed by its opposite, and once Ash manages to slide her gun past the door, she stands up; hanging her head low. "Dagonian cuisine . . ." Ash mumbles with a content smile, clasping her hands together "You have money, right Gale?"</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk "Um..." Gale reached down and shoved her hand into her white motorcycle boots, shuffling around for her wallet. "These boots have carried tons of stuff over the years," she thought silently, whipping out the wallet with one quick movement. "I have money," she said, pulling a few dollar bills out of the wallet's main pocket. She counted at least twenty dollars out for herself and then proceed to distribute twenty more to Ash. While working for the mafia was a tiring job with constant death threats and way too much blood, it definitely paid good money. "I guess it's not that bad," Gale thought, blowing a strand of her purple hair out of her face. Gale quickly scurried up to Ash and whispered into her ear, "H-Hey, I'm going to find us a table. Please take my order for me..?" After deciding what she was going to do, she shoved her split of the money into Ash's hand. "Here, just...order for me," she squeaked before scuttling off towards a booth in the back of the restaurant, curling up in the seat. She could never order for herself. Though most did not mess or even come near Gale, she absolutely did not appreciate the piercing looks she would receive. Between her family history and the crime she committed, things would never be normal for her. - Morgann, with a heavy sigh, turned her head from the window before stopping immediately. "Hold the phone," she murmured, immediately turning her attention back to the sky. "Is that...a person?" she questioned, staring at what appeared to be an average height silhouette on top of a building. "There's some sort of light, but it's so faint..."</s>	<\|message\|>Nikolai V Lacerta Nikolai pored over his papers, analysing their contents. He took a pen from the nearby clear desk, twirled it into a comfortable position in his hand and wrote some corrections onto a particular sheet and moved on. Nikolai's irritation grew a little, but it wasn't because of what he saw. His research was flawless as always, and the results had been expected. What annoyed him was the fact that he had to modify his lab so that his hands, bigger than they used to be and each with only semi-retractable claws, could navigate the same workspace he'd been using for most of his life without flicking everything on the table onto the floor every time he tried to grab a pen. It had bothered him for a while now, and he debated finding a way to fix it. Certainly, it was only his own fault that his bestial body had gotten even worse. But he couldn't exactly attain approval for live subjects. It'd worked on rats relatively well, and he had little reason to assume that it'd go so horribly wrong for him. After a few weeks of accidents, he'd discovered that his potion had done the intended effect. It drew on the potential of the body and put it under a heavy strain, causing accelerated growth and adaption as the subject's body tears itself apart. Theoretically, it decayed the muscles and replaced them with stronger ones. Unfortunately for Nikolai, he'd included a mutagen which would've helped accelerate growth. For Nikolai, it had made him grow even more lizard-like. He'd grown powerful muscles and sharp claws, and he'd noticed that the claws were long and curved. He'd looked downright prehistoric, and his behaviour at the time matched that. Another unfortunate side-effect was that the potion had awakened his predatory instincts, dulled as they were under the oppressive routine of society. He sighed as he remembered the moment. Around a year of research lost in minutes of primal rage. He'd managed to get it under control, of course. The technological augmentations helped quite a lot. Of course, he'd appreciate his old form again, but he'd gotten used to his more 'predatory' form. Besides, it would be a waste of all the effort he'd put into his lab to make it workable. And if his parasite weapon was to be believed, he might need his new form, beast-like as it was. The paper Nikolai had in front of him was on the subject of the peculiar being, often called 'parasite weapons'. It was on his own parasite weapon, Oculus, and its effect on Nikolai whom implanted it in place of his other eye. He'd stored his other eye elsewhere, in case he needed it for later. For now, the living eye seemingly made out of glass was a subject of focus for his research. Before he implanted Oculus, it'd been in his possession for quite some time. He'd managed to get it somehow, and it was in his lab for quite a time. Despite its reputation as a parasite, it was capable of living without a host. It was less of a parasite and more of a symbiotic lifeform. After he implanted it, it functioned something like an extra organ. It required nutrients, which were absorbed directly from Nikolai, the host body. But it required little for what it gave, and what it gave to Nikolai was insight. It analysed things he saw with it, told him their composition. Uses. Weak points. Its secondary function, a laser, was useful for cutting and exploited their weak points. And thankfully, Oculus never says anything unnecessary. Sharp and efficient, just how Nikolai liked. "Oculus." Nikolai said. "Yes?" It said in his mind. "What can you tell me about your brethren?" Nikolai asked. "Nothing that you do not already know." Oculus said. Nikolai had figured as much. He had already analysed oculus the best he could, and he'd analysed the effects that Oculus had on his body. There was nothing more to be gleaned from studying it. That meant that to further his knowledge of parasite weapons, he'd have to look further. Nikolai thought about that prospect and glanced at his door. His lab, in which he'd spent most of his life, was on the outskirts of Little Innsmouth. There was nothing more to be gleaned from analysing Oculus, meaning he needed to find more parasite weapons. That meant that there was a possibility that he would meet people who wielded parasite weapons. Nikolai sighed. He'd have to find people with parasite weapons to study them further. The problem was, he hated people. He and they had a kind of agreement. He stayed away from them, they wouldn't bother him. His situation was eerily reminiscent of old witch folk tales, where a witch lives in the forest who eats children that try to trespass into her house. In Nikolai's case, he didn't eat children; they tasted terrible. But the characteristics were the same: Outcast shunned by society living on the outskirts of a town. But there were a few differences between Nikolai and a witch. One, Nikolai was a scientist, and two, Nikolai was a predator. He had an intrinsic knowledge of stealth and tracking. This would make the job easier, somewhat, but there was only so much one could glean from observation. But it's not like he had a choice… Thinking a little more, Nikolai spoke to Oculus. "Oculus. Can you identify your brethren?" He asked. "Yes." Oculus replied. Nikolai sighed again and got out of his seat. He'd have to hunt, then. Hunting for parasite weapons. He could search at a distance, relying on Oculus's boons to find his targets. It may be a long time before he came back to his lab, but his memory was good so it would be fine. Coming to a decision, he opened the door to the world outside. It was evening now, but that would only make his job easier. "Let's go, Oculus." He said. "Yes." Oculus replied. Nikolai stood and sniffed the air, isolating which direction to go towards. He smiled a little predatory smile, his instincts enflamed by the anticipation of the hunt. The lizard scientist stalked into the evening woods, making his way to Little Innsmouth.</s>
<\|description\|>Nikolai V Lacerta Gender: Male Age: 32 Race: (cyborg) Feral (reptilian) Birthday: 31 March Blood type: AB+ Height: 6 foot 2 when standing straight, otherwise it's somewhere around 5 foot 6 Weight: 182 lb Likes: - Science - Scientific things - Finding stuff out - Intelligence - Livers Dislikes: - Unscientific things - Social interaction - Incompetence - Stupidity - Eating bad livers - Distractions Parasite/Living weapon: Oculus Nikolai's parasite is a glass orb which has the appearance of an eye. Oculus replaces the user's eye and gives the user the ability to study an opponent and learn their weak points. The weak points are outlined in a sweet HUD that only Oculus can provide that looks all sci-fi and stuff. Additionally, Oculus gives the user the ability to fire highly concentrated beams of energy by sapping the user's energy and turning it into a laser which can hit the weak points with needle-like precision. Appearance: Nikolai has more 'beast' than most Ferals, and he's quite recognisable as a reptile. He's less of a human beast and more of a beast human, and there is little distinguishing him from an actual iguana as he adopts a hunch, his skin is scaly as hell, he has a lizardlike head structure, and he is very long, tail included. If he bent down, he'd look exactly like a really big iguana. One thing that differentiates Nikolai from a standard iguana is that he's around the size of a normal human. Another thing would be the metal augmentations and partial mutations. Yeah, you heard that right. As a result of having no guinea pig other than himself, he added mechanical parts to his body and is now a cyborg. His left arm is mechanical, his legs are mechanical (he added jets to them), and the left side of his face (where Oculus is) is also mechanical. His jaws are mechanical and his teeth are made of metal. The cyborg augmentations also stretch to some of his organs and muscles and he has enhanced strength and speed as a result. His mutations made him a bit scalier, have larger claws and made his jaw protrude to become longer. He wears a worn dress shirt and tie, torn black pants and a slightly torn lab coat. No shoes. Personality: Nikolai's personality, though he seems rather beast like, is one of cunning intelligence. He prides himself on being a scientist and is good at supressing his pure animal instinct. Nikolai can talk (has a hoarse voice though) and is very learned, having studied all kinds of science for years. That said, he has little patience for incompetence people, favours speed and efficiency and dislikes distractions to his work. He's fairly quick to snap at people (not literally) and is quick to distrust. That particular character trait stems from the fact that he's rather paranoid, and many view him as insane. If asked, he'll claim that he's just exploring the limits of science, and then he'll probably force you to leave his lab and lock the door. Blockbusters: Tail slam (1 bar) Nikolai dashes forward with extreme speed and turns quickly, slamming his tail at his opponent. Should the attack land, it causes moderate damage and knocks them back with the force of his momentum. Easily dodged as it is a set distance, but is a fast move that Nikolai can use to throw off his opponents. Precision laser (1 bar) Nikolai locks on to his target and fires his laser eye. For some reason, a red targeting assistor for all to see appears on the target, showing them exactly where he's going to fire. That said, it's not that difficult to dodge, but it ignores blocking to an extent. If the target is blocking, it does 1/2 of the damage it would normally deal. Does moderate damage if it hits normally. Nikolai can also use precision laser in the air by floating with his foot jets. Rage rend (2 bars) Nikolai dashes forward and begins rapidly tearing into his opponent with his bestial speed and mechanical power. He gets a speed boost and swipes wildly 10 times, the last blow knocking his opponent down. Each hit does light damage but altogether stacks up to high damage. Easy to block, but Nikolai can move and jump twice as fast with the rage render, making it difficult to dodge. Cyborg fury (3 bars) Nikolai dashes forward and grabs hold of his opponent with his jaws. He then proceeds to slam them side to side a few times and then hurls them upwards, charges Oculus and fires a laser at his opponent. Before his opponent lands, Nikolai flies up with his jets, grabs them, slams them into the ground, bites their face and fires his laser into it before jumping off. Does major damage. The grab can be easily avoided, though. Bio: Nikolai's parents died at an early age and his more-beastlike-than-usual appearance put him at odds with most. Hence, he devoted all of his life to increasing his own intelligence and lived a life of seclusion. He actually became a scientist for a way to change his form so he could be accepted by society, but his ideas were often too radical to be accepted by the scientific community, and he never got approval to test them. This put him in an even more reclusive state and he began to sink close into depression. He began to shun people and society, and devoted his time to furthering his knowledge. At some point, he came across Oculus and implanted it into himself, which made his research easier. He became interested in parasite weapons and always strives to find out more about them. But one day, he made something special. He made a serum that theoretically evolved your genes at an amazing rate, making you faster, stronger and better in general. Having no one to test it on, he drank it himself. It worked with the intended effect, but it had a drastic unwanted side-effect. The serum awoke something ancient in Nikolai's DNA, something primal. It didn't just make him better, it pulled at his DNA, mutating his body to become even more bestial. As you can tell, Nikolai didn't appreciate this. He built cyborg augmentations into his body to control the bestial urges. He eventually got it under control (kind of) and lived with it to the present day. The only reason he's out here now is because he wants to analyse parasite weapons.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale squeaked with surprise before flapping her weak ebony wings, listening to the small girl's voice as she greeted her. "For someone I don't quite know," Gale began while shuddering at the feeling of her tiny hand against her own, "you're quite hospitable despite the fact that I'm kinda crawling all over who I'm assuming is your host." She slipped down off the giant to prevent angering him or making him feel any more awkward than he already did. "I'm sorry, sir," she apologized as she did earlier, twiddling her thumbs. "It bothers me when I cannot tell who exactly I am conversing with. I can sense your fear and discomfort." She looked in the direction she assumed that the girl's voice was coming from (but she was turned a bit too far to be looking directly at her), and spoke, "To answer your question, we are not parasites. I'm only the host, and if you'd like to speak with him, that'd be fine." "Who is this?" Brandy whispered into the back of Gale's head, causing her to shudder violently at the sudden static roaring in her ears. "H-Hey, turn the volume down please," she responded silently, running her pale hand through her purple hair before relaxing as the noise died down. "It appears to be another host and parasite from what I can tell," she explained to the garbled voice, going on to add, "I scaled the host, he's extremely tall. Not as tall as Ash, but he's nearly there, and his parasite seems very nice. If she wants to talk to you, you'll have to take over." Brandy remained silent before answering with a simple, "Okay." After spending a few moments conversing with the soothing yet extremely loud voice in her head, she turned back to the man's direction. "When you give me the command," she began, taking the sword out of its sheath once more and holding it at her side, "he'll come out to talk."</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash looks in between the Egret, and the boxer girl next to her "Your name is Ja--" Ash is interrupted by Gale suddenly leaving her side, scurrying along the road, towards a tall man. The Gigan starts to say something, but stops, resting the barrel of her cannon on the Egret's stomach "Your name is Jane, right?" she continues "Should I just knock this guy out? He seems resilient, and I don't want to wait long enough for more people to get hurt." Ash explains. She begins to tighten her grip on the Egret, in an attempt to suffocate him "Or, do you want your way with him? I just want to get Gale home." she pleads, cocking her head in the bat's direction "If you get arrested, I can pull a few strings."</s> <\|message\|>Jane Vermilion Jane giggled a little as Gale snorted at her joke. Well, it was kinda a joke, she was getting a little bored just waiting around for more people to fight. Luckily, someone appeared to cure her boredom. More specifically, a ridiculously large man, almost as big as a gigan, and a little girl, his daughter she presumed, riding on his shoulder. He asked the three of them to stop with the soldier strangling in a surprisingly calm and well thought out way, even acknowledging he didn't know the full situation. Still though, he was loyal to the Egrets, an idiotic decision at best. Gale immediately got on his case, explaining herself and their actions. She also called Jane a friend, which was... quite refreshing. She finished her explanation with a rather ominous conclusion. She then said something to Ash after tugging at her and giving a glare to the unconscious body of BE#2. After that, she got curious of the kicking noise the dude's daughter was making. Being a bat she couldn't see, Jane guessed. She violated the dude's space bubble in an attempt to get to it, and he got kinda scared. The little girl clearly didn't understand the gravity of the situation, did she? Gale and the girl conversed a little more, but Jane's attention was pulled away from that conversation to another. Ash asked if Jane wanted to knock the Renoir crony out, and Jane thought it over for a minute. "Hmm. You do it. You and Gale seem to have a lot of beef with these guys. And, uh, thanks for the help, I guess." Jane said, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly as Ash offered to, quote unquote, pull some strings. Jeez, you didn't have to do that stuff for someone you just met! Though, Jane couldn't say she wasn't happy about it. "By the way, I don't think I caught your name. I'm Jane, duh, and this is Franky." She said, lifting her right arm up to show her new friend her old friend. "Uhm. Hi?" Franky mumbled, not wanting to even be in this situation.</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Pharona quickly pulled back her hand as she was startled from the squeak that was produced from the bat girl, she soon giggled again as she realized that Angus was completely scared of this little feral girl that was currently on him. Once she was finally climbing off Angus, the man could finally relax and not have to punch the bat girl off out of pure panic that was enveloping him, however, he wasn't really ready to talk yet as being quite disturbed so the large man tried to find his happy place as Pharona continued to listen to the girl. "You don't have to worry about this big guy," patting his buzz-cut hair while speaking, "I think he still has problems after having a bad experiences with some animals recently, but I'm sure he will be fine!" She soon started to feel embarrassed as she was corrected about the bat girl actually being the host, not the parasite, it has been quite some time actually talking to someone like her. After a few moments of silence from the feral and the Gigan asking something to the other parasite, they had finally come up with a response that got Pharona out of her thought bubble. The little girl clapped her hands excitedly as she was given the permission to talk to her own kind, but she first needed to ask Angus about something. "Hey, Angus. I'm going to talk to another parasite if that is ok with you, I'm just warning you since you care all about my safety and you are always nice to me." Angus gave her only a small grunt within his mind, giving her his permission to do so, but was still quite angry at Phrona. "Uh... Ok, I would wish to speak to your sword. I mean parasite!" Pharona sheepishly said.</s>	<\|message\|>Nikolai V Lacerta A loud bang attracted Nikolai's attention, and his head snapped in the direction of its source. He weighed his curiosity against his caution, and his curiosity won. In the dark alley way that hid his form, he grabbed a pipe and scrabbled onto the roof, took a run up and started jumping rapidly from rooftop to roof top, towards the source of the loud noise. What he saw when he arrived exceeded his expectations and made him smile. A chaotic scene met his vision, with a certain group in the middle of it. A gigan holding up a man in uniform, a feral bat sticking close to her and a few others. Quite a curious bunch of others, especially for a town like little Innsmouth. But it wasn't that which made him smile, it was what Oculus had detected. "Multiple lifeforms detected." Oculus had said. Presence of multiple parasite weapons confirmed. A red reticule appeared in his vision, outlining the parasites occupying their respective hosts. Nikolai made a mental note of their appearances and what they were doing. "How convenient." He thought to himself. Within a half hour of leaving his home, he'd stumbled on several subjects differing natures, which was exactly what he needed. He wanted to study their habits, and how their parasites affected their daily lives. He was especially curious about the gigan girl, who's parasite weapon wasn't apparent. "Likely an inner organ, or at least internally based..." He observed. He would've liked to study them and ask them questions, but they were making a scene. Nikolai glared with disdain at the growing crowd. No-he couldn't walk up to them with the crowd like it was. But that was fine. Nikolai hid his presence on the rooftops instinctively, content to watch the events unfold. This was a good time to collect information.</s>
<\|description\|>Scott Thompson Gender: Male Age: 23 Birthday: December 7 Blood type: O- Height: 6'4 Weight: 170 Ibs. Likes: Fellow Black Egrets, proving himself to those who doubted him, the Canopy Kingdom and it's royal family, guns, women that are way out of his league, rock and roll music. Dislikes: Criminals, people with a lack of respect, anyone who shows him up, anything sticky. Parasite/living weapon: None. Just uses the Black Egret standard issue MP40, Luger P08, and Model 24 grenade. Appearance: Blockbusters: 1. Boom Baby - Scott throws one of his grenades after shouting "Boom baby!". Does mild amount of damage, stuns opponent for one second, and throws them back a few feet. 2. Hasta la vista, baby - A fellow Black Egret pulls up in a motorcycle and gives it to Scott before running off. Scott then drives towards his opponent and grabs them by their collar before throwing them in the air and unleashing an entire magazine from his MP40 on them. He then drives away before turning back around and crashing the motorcycle into them. Does moderate amount of damage. 3. Overkill - Scott calls in a squad of fighter planes to make five strafing runs toward his opponent. Each strafing run will also throw his enemy into the air. Does extreme amounts of damage. Bio: Scott's parents both worked for the Black Egrets, so it was only natural that he would join them himself. As soon as he turned eighteen, Scott volunteered for service. It was during his first few days at boot camp that he met his best friend Liam MacTaggart. The pair became fast friends, as they shared very similar interests and world views. The only difference between the two was their confidence. Scott often second-guessed every decision he made, even though it more-often-than-not the right decision. Liam, on the other hand, would be able to quickly figure out what needed to be done and then do it. This allowed Liam to ascend in rank with less struggle than Scott. Rumors have spread from the intelligence division of the Black Egrets that the Skull Heart might have resurfaced. Seeing this as the perfect opportunity for them to gain recognition among the higher-ups, if the rumors are true of course, Scott has talked Liam into teaming up to search for the weapon of mass destruction. Currently, both Liam and Scott are the Black Egret's equivalent to the rank of Sergeant. While Scott is single, he helped play wingman for Liam several months ago and is proud to have helped his friend meet the woman that Liam now calls his fiancée.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk "We may go into New Meridian," Gale answered solemnly, nibbling on a few of the grains and crushing them between her fangs with ease. "Flowers are her favorite thing, I'm not going to restrict her from going there just because I don't like it," she thought, scolding herself for her selfishness. She raised the bowl to her face and licked the rest of the rice out of it. She definitely lacked proper dinner etiquette. "Oh," Gale squeaked, looking up at the new girl. Sensing she wasn't quite as dangerous as some of the residents in Little Innsmouth, she nodded in a timid manner. "Y-You can join us," she finally replied, scooting over as close as possible to Ash. "There, you can sit properly and not feel squished," she added, burying her face in the Gigan's sleeve.</s> <\|message\|>Jane Vermilion Jane responds to the outgoing girl's smile with one of her own. It was quite nice of her to allow some stranger to eat with them, Jane probably would have straight up turned her away. The gigan then asked of her name, and she replied with a simple "Jane." without offering her hand, so she could hide Franky. The feral stuttered and made room for Jane to sit, now pressing herself against the other girl, probably out of social anxiety. Yup, definitely making out on the side or something. Anyways, these gals were pretty cool, nothing like the assholes at school. These two would probably be the only two she wouldn't beat the crap out of. Heck she'd probably protect the feral girl, though judging by the size and sharpness of her fangs, she might not need it. The gigan definitely didn't need it though, massive, strong, and proficient in rifles? Hell yeah. Jane seated herself next to the feral girl and set down her meal, slurping down some deliciously salty noodles. "Mmph." She moaned. "Oh god this stuff is so good." She said in between mouthfuls of noodle. She washed it down with some bitter tea. "I see why you ate all your food in, like, a second." She laughed, playfully elbowing her new friend as gentle as she could, which was a little less then gentle considering her hobbies. "Anyways, seriously, thanks for letting me join you. Is it cool if I ask how you two met?" She asked, before sipping some tea and shifting a little in her seat out of discomfort. She hated being seated for to long, made her butt itch like hell. She wondered how Franky felt cooped up like that all day? She'd probably take her gloves off on the way home, she wouldn't get caught, it'd be cool.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale nodded at her and was surprisingly pleased that the girl had came over to sit. She wasn't Medici scum or anything else that might come off as irritating to Gale, so she definitely already liked her. "The food in Little Innsmouth is kind of amazing," Gale remarked in a soft tone, picking some of the rice out of her gleaming white teeth. Rice was good, but when it was stuck in your teeth, it could prove to be quite irritating. "Oh, by the by, I'm Gale Nathbakk," she added, relaxing and scooting a few inches away from Ash. "You're not a baby, Gale, don't cling," she thought, annoyed by her bad habits. Ash had protected her for years, and she had done the same for her, but there was no reason to be so tense and protective at the moment. It wasn't like Jane was going to murder them in cold blood. As Jane popped the question regarding how she and Ash met, Gale's ears flattened and her mouth shifted into a tight, thin line. "Well, my family took her in when we were younger. To be honest, I don't know much about her past, but I do not think one's history matters so long as they are a good person," she explained briefly, making sure to not go any deeper about her family. "In this case, she's actually a good Gigan," she added, tugging on Ash's sleeve.</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scott and Liam walked out of one the many buildings that made up the Black Egret HQ, Scott still trying to convince Liam of the "great idea" that he had come up with. "I'm telling you, think of the benefits if we do this," Scott said. "You're still going on about that? I told you I'm not getting involved. How did you even get this information, anyway?" Liam replied. "You know that one chick in Strategic Intelligence? With the red hair and glasses." "Her? Dude, she's infamous for telling wild stories just to gain attention. How do you know she's telling the truth?" "'Cause I promised her that we'd go on a date. No way a girl like that would give false information with that kind of a deal. Now I just got to think up an excuse of why I can't go." "Dude, you're not standing her up. I know you. You're going to go anyway, even if you have a horrible time. You'd never be cold enough to stand a girl up. But we're getting off topic here. Finding the Skull Heart? That's way out of our league." "Shh, man. We don't want anyone else getting in on this. Anyway, we've dealt with stuff way out of our league before." The two entered a taxi and had the driver take them Liam's favorite diner, located all the way out in Little Innsmouth. "Gaining the courage to ask a perfect ten out, is a lot different then taking on a monster, Scott. And for nothing but a promotion?" "Fine, if you won't do it for the promotion, then do it for the kingdom. How many lives do you think will be lost if we don't find it, Liam? Heck man, if not for the kingdom, then do it for your family." The two Black Egret troops sat in silence for the rest of the trip. When the car finally stopped at the diner, Liam opened the door, stepped out, stopped, and turned to Scott. "Alright, I'll do it. What's the first step?" Liam said. "First things first, Liam," Scott said as he exited the cab as well. "Food!" he shouted, pointing at the entrance of the diner. The two soldiers entered the diner, taking a seat at a table not too far from where three young girls; a human, a feral, and a gigan; were sitting. For the most part, Liam and Scott were still in uniform, minus their helmets which were strapped to their belts, so anyone could take one look at them and know who they worked for.</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash perks up, having been absent mindedly eating for Gale's explanation "Yeah, although I've never really met another Gigan myself, I've mostly been around Ferals and Elves," the Gigan explains "I think I've never actually seen a fellow Gigan before."</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale nodded before wrinkling her nose, the sudden smell of new people within the restaurant causing her stomach to do flips. She bit her purple lower lip and tugged on her bat ears angrily. "That smells like..." she snarled to herself, tapping her nails on the table almost in a frenzied manner. "That can't be!" she screeched angrily inside of her head, feeling like she was about to go over the edge. It was the exact same smell from so long ago, the exact same one. He knocked, she opened, her parents were dead, he said. "It's...city scum," she growled harshly, ripping her bandana off so that she could direct her red pupil in the newcomers' exact direction. Though she was blind, the restaurant was already mapped out in her mind, and due to how long she'd been here to experience the obstacles, the obstacles around her had already been mapped as well. These two entering the area stuck out like a pair of sore thumbs to her, so it was easy to pinpoint where in the room they were. "Ash," she hissed, almost clawing at her friend's shirt sleeve, "we have company." Gale took another sniff as her blind eyes stared at the door for a few moments, flattening her ears just like before. "Not only is it city scum," she began silently, "but they're Egrets. That smell is all too familiar, I know who they are." As she struggled to contain her contempt, a soft voice echoed inside her head, "Your blood is boiling." That was a voice she hadn't heard in a few days. "Brandy, is that you?" she wondered, smoothing her purple pompadour as she did so. "It's me," he replied back in a monotonous tone, filling her head with a jarring static. "Don't do that static noise, it's hurting my ears," she snapped through her mind, to which the sword responded by turning down the noise. "Now?" it questioned, and she visibly winced as the weapon's connections became almost overwhelming. "Stop!" she ordered, and Brandy obeyed. "Not yet, I can't rush out right now," she explained, feeling bad for how rude her last remark sounded. "I'll be here," it replied calmly, the static growing softer and softer. "Sorry for the noise," it replied in an apologetic but soothing tone. Gale had relaxed a bit hearing her weapon's reassurance of its presence, but she had most certainly not forgotten what riled her up in the first place. She had to think of a way to chase them out, but this was not her family's house from all those years ago in which they chased out whomever they pleased. No, it'd probably be much more complicated than that.</s> <\|message\|>Juno Bernstein "WE ARE BEING WATCHED." "Shush Marionette, no one could really see us, or even bother to look up." Reaching the alleyway, she quickly slid down a fire escape ladder to the pavement below, landing just behind the couple with nary a sound. It helps that the din from the main road still reached here, masking any noise her good leather shoes made. Taking out one of those expandable police baton from her belt, Juno walked leisurely to the bodyguard's back, and gave him a solid whack on the nape with the baton. The lady looked upon her bodyguard collapsing with surprise, barely able to register that he had collapsed, before she too was knocked out cold. Juno raised her baton for a moment, eyeing the both of them to make sure they were really unconscious. Satisfied that it was so, she started rummaging through their person. Judging from that man, he would have given her a fair amount of trouble had he put up a fight; more trouble than the mugging was worth. "And done. We can't have the steak-" "WHY WON'T YOU LET ME EAT STEAK?" came Marionette's muffled voice from the bandaged hand. "-but we certainly can have the cheesecake in one of the cafe nearby." "THAT PLEASES ME."</s>	<\|message\|>Scott Thompson As Scott and Liam waited for the waitress to return to take their orders, Scott noticed through his peripheral vision that one of the other diners was staring at the two of them. He started searching through the several pouches on his uniform and pulled out three t-shirts, each with the Black Egret logo on them, and leaned over to the girls. "Here ya go, miss," he said as he placed the shirts on the corner of their table. Usually, just giving citizens a souvenir would get admirers to stop gawking at him. He didn't give enough attention to the girl to notice that her look was not of admiration, but of hate. Liam hadn't even noticed the other diners though as he was paying too much attention to the menu, something Scott always found strange since Liam always ordered the same thing every time. "Alright, Scott. Seriously, what's the plan?" Liam said without even looking up from the menu. "Plan? We don't need a plan. We're us. We just wait for more information. Keep our ears to the ground and all that. I'm sure we'll find a lead or something soon," Scott responded. Liam sighed with disappointment. "You know what's going to happen if you don't come up with a plan. You'll start second-guessing yourself at the most inopportune time and our chance will pass us by." "Well do you have anything in mind? All we have to go on is confirmation of its existence." Liam gave Scott a questioning look that said everything Liam was thinking: "Confirmation? Really?" "Fine, not exact confirmation, but my point still stands. You can't think of anything better." Liam sighed in defeat before rising out of his seat a bit to look for the waitress. Scott did the same. Still, neither seemed to notice the enraged teenager only a table away from them.</s>
<\|description\|>Scott Thompson Gender: Male Age: 23 Birthday: December 7 Blood type: O- Height: 6'4 Weight: 170 Ibs. Likes: Fellow Black Egrets, proving himself to those who doubted him, the Canopy Kingdom and it's royal family, guns, women that are way out of his league, rock and roll music. Dislikes: Criminals, people with a lack of respect, anyone who shows him up, anything sticky. Parasite/living weapon: None. Just uses the Black Egret standard issue MP40, Luger P08, and Model 24 grenade. Appearance: Blockbusters: 1. Boom Baby - Scott throws one of his grenades after shouting "Boom baby!". Does mild amount of damage, stuns opponent for one second, and throws them back a few feet. 2. Hasta la vista, baby - A fellow Black Egret pulls up in a motorcycle and gives it to Scott before running off. Scott then drives towards his opponent and grabs them by their collar before throwing them in the air and unleashing an entire magazine from his MP40 on them. He then drives away before turning back around and crashing the motorcycle into them. Does moderate amount of damage. 3. Overkill - Scott calls in a squad of fighter planes to make five strafing runs toward his opponent. Each strafing run will also throw his enemy into the air. Does extreme amounts of damage. Bio: Scott's parents both worked for the Black Egrets, so it was only natural that he would join them himself. As soon as he turned eighteen, Scott volunteered for service. It was during his first few days at boot camp that he met his best friend Liam MacTaggart. The pair became fast friends, as they shared very similar interests and world views. The only difference between the two was their confidence. Scott often second-guessed every decision he made, even though it more-often-than-not the right decision. Liam, on the other hand, would be able to quickly figure out what needed to be done and then do it. This allowed Liam to ascend in rank with less struggle than Scott. Rumors have spread from the intelligence division of the Black Egrets that the Skull Heart might have resurfaced. Seeing this as the perfect opportunity for them to gain recognition among the higher-ups, if the rumors are true of course, Scott has talked Liam into teaming up to search for the weapon of mass destruction. Currently, both Liam and Scott are the Black Egret's equivalent to the rank of Sergeant. While Scott is single, he helped play wingman for Liam several months ago and is proud to have helped his friend meet the woman that Liam now calls his fiancée.</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash perks up, having been absent mindedly eating for Gale's explanation "Yeah, although I've never really met another Gigan myself, I've mostly been around Ferals and Elves," the Gigan explains "I think I've never actually seen a fellow Gigan before."</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale nodded before wrinkling her nose, the sudden smell of new people within the restaurant causing her stomach to do flips. She bit her purple lower lip and tugged on her bat ears angrily. "That smells like..." she snarled to herself, tapping her nails on the table almost in a frenzied manner. "That can't be!" she screeched angrily inside of her head, feeling like she was about to go over the edge. It was the exact same smell from so long ago, the exact same one. He knocked, she opened, her parents were dead, he said. "It's...city scum," she growled harshly, ripping her bandana off so that she could direct her red pupil in the newcomers' exact direction. Though she was blind, the restaurant was already mapped out in her mind, and due to how long she'd been here to experience the obstacles, the obstacles around her had already been mapped as well. These two entering the area stuck out like a pair of sore thumbs to her, so it was easy to pinpoint where in the room they were. "Ash," she hissed, almost clawing at her friend's shirt sleeve, "we have company." Gale took another sniff as her blind eyes stared at the door for a few moments, flattening her ears just like before. "Not only is it city scum," she began silently, "but they're Egrets. That smell is all too familiar, I know who they are." As she struggled to contain her contempt, a soft voice echoed inside her head, "Your blood is boiling." That was a voice she hadn't heard in a few days. "Brandy, is that you?" she wondered, smoothing her purple pompadour as she did so. "It's me," he replied back in a monotonous tone, filling her head with a jarring static. "Don't do that static noise, it's hurting my ears," she snapped through her mind, to which the sword responded by turning down the noise. "Now?" it questioned, and she visibly winced as the weapon's connections became almost overwhelming. "Stop!" she ordered, and Brandy obeyed. "Not yet, I can't rush out right now," she explained, feeling bad for how rude her last remark sounded. "I'll be here," it replied calmly, the static growing softer and softer. "Sorry for the noise," it replied in an apologetic but soothing tone. Gale had relaxed a bit hearing her weapon's reassurance of its presence, but she had most certainly not forgotten what riled her up in the first place. She had to think of a way to chase them out, but this was not her family's house from all those years ago in which they chased out whomever they pleased. No, it'd probably be much more complicated than that.</s> <\|message\|>Juno Bernstein "WE ARE BEING WATCHED." "Shush Marionette, no one could really see us, or even bother to look up." Reaching the alleyway, she quickly slid down a fire escape ladder to the pavement below, landing just behind the couple with nary a sound. It helps that the din from the main road still reached here, masking any noise her good leather shoes made. Taking out one of those expandable police baton from her belt, Juno walked leisurely to the bodyguard's back, and gave him a solid whack on the nape with the baton. The lady looked upon her bodyguard collapsing with surprise, barely able to register that he had collapsed, before she too was knocked out cold. Juno raised her baton for a moment, eyeing the both of them to make sure they were really unconscious. Satisfied that it was so, she started rummaging through their person. Judging from that man, he would have given her a fair amount of trouble had he put up a fight; more trouble than the mugging was worth. "And done. We can't have the steak-" "WHY WON'T YOU LET ME EAT STEAK?" came Marionette's muffled voice from the bandaged hand. "-but we certainly can have the cheesecake in one of the cafe nearby." "THAT PLEASES ME."</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson As Scott and Liam waited for the waitress to return to take their orders, Scott noticed through his peripheral vision that one of the other diners was staring at the two of them. He started searching through the several pouches on his uniform and pulled out three t-shirts, each with the Black Egret logo on them, and leaned over to the girls. "Here ya go, miss," he said as he placed the shirts on the corner of their table. Usually, just giving citizens a souvenir would get admirers to stop gawking at him. He didn't give enough attention to the girl to notice that her look was not of admiration, but of hate. Liam hadn't even noticed the other diners though as he was paying too much attention to the menu, something Scott always found strange since Liam always ordered the same thing every time. "Alright, Scott. Seriously, what's the plan?" Liam said without even looking up from the menu. "Plan? We don't need a plan. We're us. We just wait for more information. Keep our ears to the ground and all that. I'm sure we'll find a lead or something soon," Scott responded. Liam sighed with disappointment. "You know what's going to happen if you don't come up with a plan. You'll start second-guessing yourself at the most inopportune time and our chance will pass us by." "Well do you have anything in mind? All we have to go on is confirmation of its existence." Liam gave Scott a questioning look that said everything Liam was thinking: "Confirmation? Really?" "Fine, not exact confirmation, but my point still stands. You can't think of anything better." Liam sighed in defeat before rising out of his seat a bit to look for the waitress. Scott did the same. Still, neither seemed to notice the enraged teenager only a table away from them.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk In that very moment, something snapped inside of Gale. "A t-shirt," she echoed in her mind, her entire body filling with a surreal rage. That deafening static had returned, indicating that Brandy Station was most certainly ready to take over. "Are you sure you want me to go on?" he whispered, and she felt her impaired eyes burning from the intense, burning light that was finding its way through her pupils. "Do it," she replied, relinquishing all control over her actions and her body to let Brandy take over. While Brandy slowly began to take control, he reached up using her delicate, thin fingers and opened her eyelids manually, revealing that her entire eye had been submerged in a ghostly yellow light. "I'll keep you safe, you just watch," he breathed softly to her despite the fact that she was too disoriented to properly reply. After he had complete control over her mind and body, he slipped the obsidian sword out of its polished sheath, pointing it directly in the Egrets' direction. "Hello, all," he announced in a voice that sounded vaguely like Gale's, but it had a twist of a garbled male voice and a roaring static accent. "On Gale's judgement, I have been commanded to take over from here," he explained to the soldiers, increasing the light coming from her wide yellow eyes to a blinding intensity. "You may leave peacefully, and I will do no harm," Brandy remarked, tilting Gale's head to the side, "but if you stay and put this girl's life in danger, I will stop your actions indefinitely. An eye for an eye." He turned to Ash and pointed the feral's free hand in her direction. "Stay put," he whispered to her, making sure that it was in a language that only her hidden parasite would understand. He adjusted his host's iron grip on the sabre's handle, raising it in the air. "And don't you dare think of using your filthy guns and tear gas on me," he snarled through her closed teeth, swiping the air with such force that it caused a surprisingly strong wind to blow in the men's direction. "An entity such as me is still affected, but I recover much faster than your average opponent. The repercussions will be great if you dare do so." Gale's being, entrapped within her own mind, watched through blind eyes and listened to her weapon's words. "Them's fighting words," she echoed through his control, causing her feminine voice to be projected through her own throat. "Please keep quiet, Gale," he warned mentally, "if you distract me at the wrong time, our lives will be in danger. Keep in mind that while I am in your body, I, too, can be killed." Curling up on the floor and hugging her knees against her chest, she slowly replied with a delicate, "Okay," to reassure him that she understood the urgency of the situation.</s>	<\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scoot and Liam were just taking a sip of the coffee the waitress had put down before them, when the bat feral from earlier stood up and began threatening them with violence. Not only that, but she showed the sure signs of having a parasite. In unison, Scott and Liam let out a disappointed sigh before taking another sip of their drinks. Scott was the first to speak. "Miss, you do realize that parasites are illegal don't you?" He pulled out a small notepad from another pouch on his uniform and began asking questions while quickly reading several pages in the notepad. "I'm just going to assume right off the bat that this parasite has not been approved by the Renoir family." Scott looked up from the notepad just to see if she had any reaction to his absolute disregard for her earlier threats. "I'm going to have to ask you a few questions ma'am. First off, I'm going to need your name. Then I need to know what type of parasite it is that you are currently hosting: natural or synthetic. And finally, I'm going to have to ask your friends if they knew of your parasite before now and if they have ones of their own." Scott closed the notepad and returned it to it's pouch. "If we can settle this without violence, I'd much appreciate it. Your actions so far will definitely get you a few years in juvie and I'd hate for them to have to send a young girl like you to prison because of your actions here today."</s>
<\|description\|>Scott Thompson Gender: Male Age: 23 Birthday: December 7 Blood type: O- Height: 6'4 Weight: 170 Ibs. Likes: Fellow Black Egrets, proving himself to those who doubted him, the Canopy Kingdom and it's royal family, guns, women that are way out of his league, rock and roll music. Dislikes: Criminals, people with a lack of respect, anyone who shows him up, anything sticky. Parasite/living weapon: None. Just uses the Black Egret standard issue MP40, Luger P08, and Model 24 grenade. Appearance: Blockbusters: 1. Boom Baby - Scott throws one of his grenades after shouting "Boom baby!". Does mild amount of damage, stuns opponent for one second, and throws them back a few feet. 2. Hasta la vista, baby - A fellow Black Egret pulls up in a motorcycle and gives it to Scott before running off. Scott then drives towards his opponent and grabs them by their collar before throwing them in the air and unleashing an entire magazine from his MP40 on them. He then drives away before turning back around and crashing the motorcycle into them. Does moderate amount of damage. 3. Overkill - Scott calls in a squad of fighter planes to make five strafing runs toward his opponent. Each strafing run will also throw his enemy into the air. Does extreme amounts of damage. Bio: Scott's parents both worked for the Black Egrets, so it was only natural that he would join them himself. As soon as he turned eighteen, Scott volunteered for service. It was during his first few days at boot camp that he met his best friend Liam MacTaggart. The pair became fast friends, as they shared very similar interests and world views. The only difference between the two was their confidence. Scott often second-guessed every decision he made, even though it more-often-than-not the right decision. Liam, on the other hand, would be able to quickly figure out what needed to be done and then do it. This allowed Liam to ascend in rank with less struggle than Scott. Rumors have spread from the intelligence division of the Black Egrets that the Skull Heart might have resurfaced. Seeing this as the perfect opportunity for them to gain recognition among the higher-ups, if the rumors are true of course, Scott has talked Liam into teaming up to search for the weapon of mass destruction. Currently, both Liam and Scott are the Black Egret's equivalent to the rank of Sergeant. While Scott is single, he helped play wingman for Liam several months ago and is proud to have helped his friend meet the woman that Liam now calls his fiancée.</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash sighs, and sets her ginormous hand on Gale's head (Franky included), furrowing her brow, "Sirs, could you please just leave? I'd rather you not give her a reason to fight." she requests, lightly scratching the Feral's head in an attempt to calm her down, and Brandy Station. "Not to mention that if you arrest us, your good standing with the Medicis isn't guaranteed." Ash continues. Slowly, she shifts in place with an uneasy sigh, monitoring her surroundings. The crowd outside seems ignorant to the events unfolding within, whereas the Waitress is trying to slink into the kitchen with an disinterested frown. Ash then begins to consider her options: if things were to go south, the window is just large enough for Ash to jump through; Gale included, so she could avoid the inevitable fighting in the diner. "How would a pair of normal humans fair against say, three, Parasite hosts?" Ash hints the Egrets before her, now moving onto intimidation "Assuming there are any hosts in here, of course." she adds nonchalantly, for safe measure. Ash really hates it when her lunch is interrupted by Egrets, or Police, she dislikes both of them, of course, but her tolerance is much higher than Gale's.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale's favorite thing that Ash did was scratching her head. She was part animal, after all, but that would not stop her. Not now, not when these soldiers dared to enter her hometown. "Ash, there is no stopping this," she voiced through all the static, "This has to happen, and you know why." With that, Gale's presence receded and let Brandy do his thing from then on. Without another word, Brandy, clearly able to work his host's body with ease, stepped forward with an unbelievable speed due to Gale's abilities and stuck the sword into the soldier's notepad, causing the tip to be about a few centimeters from the man's face. Brandy carefully brought the notepad back and tossed it into the air before flicking Gale's wrist and slicing the notebook once with what seemed to be almost a delicate force. While suspended the air, the notebook seemingly split into bits and pieces of paper before flittering like butterflies and falling to the floor. "You will not question these girls. You will not question my host. You will not even get to know what type of parasite I am," Brandy stated in a smooth yet static voice, the light from Gale's eyes growing even brighter as he stared directly into the single soldier's eyes. "H-Hey, be careful! My eyes can only handle so much power," Gale thought in a panicked tone, wincing at the pain, to which he responded, "I am well aware of your abilities, Gale. Why have you no confidence for what I do?" The sword's true wielder held his attention on the Egrets and made sure that the blinding light was making contact with their eyes. "I would take this fight outside if you decide you'd like to engage," he informed the man, tapping the small table to the right with the obsidian blade. "There's too many bystanders in here, and no one innocent needs to get hurt." With that, "Gale" glided past the two men and stood by the door, gesturing with the sabre to the scenery outside. "Shall we? It's either you leave peacefully with no damage, or you leave with broken bones and black eyes. Maybe more." - Morgann winced as the door to the cafe slowly opened and turned her head slightly, narrowing her light green eyes. "Who's that? No one comes to the cafe at this time," she fumed silently, opening her jacket and pulling out a compact mirror. She carefully opened up the compact and pulled out a small brush, pretending to apply powder to her face when she was actually aiming the mirror towards the newcomer. "Strange," she mouthed silently before snapping it shut, taking off her hat, and dropping the mirror back into its shadowy depths. She wriggled her fingers at the jacket in a playful manner before opening it and reaching in, feeling around for her tommy gun and exhaled with confident relief when she caught it by the handle. "It never hurt to be prepared," she said to herself, tipping her hat forwards. During her contemplation on the possibility that she might be attacked, her thoughts were interrupted by the young man from earlier, silently and clumsily slipping her coffee onto the table. Before she could say thank you, his shaky hand let go of the coffee, and the burning liquid splashed all over Morgann's coat. The magician quickly clasped her suit against her body despite the fiery liquid coating the outfit and winced as a monstrous roar came from within it, finding herself struggling to keep the suit from leaping off of her. "M-Ma'am?" the boy whimpered, quickly cleaning up the coffee off the table with his dish rag. "No, no, it's alright, the spill is fine," she soothed, waving her hand at him in a nonchalant manner. "N-No, your coat, it made a noise!" he cried, covering his face. "Hm? No, that wasn't my coat, dear. Have you ever been to Cirque des Cartes?" she questioned, adjusting one of her gleaming white gloves. "O-Oh, are you...the magician from the circus? The magician? Morgann Lacroix?" he asked, his shyness suddenly dissipating as she nodded at his question and plastered a fake smile onto her face. "Oh my God, I'm going to get you another coffee! It's on the house!" he shouted, beginning to run off. As he took off, Morgann pulled out her wand and wriggled her skinny fingers once more, shoving them into her jacket before pulling out a small piranha. Twirling her wand a few times, she sent the fanged fish flying via telekinesis into the back pocket of the boy's apron. "Lousy kid, spilling all that coffee on poor Magnolia," she cooed, stroking the jacket's sleeve to which the entire suit seemed to clasp itself against her and calm down just as it had before. The coffee stains seemed to have been absorbed into the lavish white fabric, and Morgann found herself busy with her own thoughts despite the bus boy's cries of fear from the kitchen.</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scott groaned as pieces of his notebook fell around him. He turned back to Liam and approached the table they'd originally been sitting at. They began whispering to keep the girls from listening, but the action would be futile for anyone with beyond-normal human hearing. "I just wanted to get something to eat," Scott complained. Liam mouthed the words, "Me too," but didn't actually say anything. "So, what're we gonna to do?" Scott asked. "Well we can't just leave them, they're now officially perps. Owning parasites, threatening government employees, et cetera. I really don't want to get in a fight right now, especially with these overwhelming odds, but we got a job to do," Liam responded. "Yeah, I know," Scott let out a sigh, "Alright, I'll lead them outside and watch them, you go get some distance and call for backup. Fast." Scott turned back to the three delinquents as Liam got out of the booth and stepped out the door. Scott reflexively moved his hand to reach for his MP40. He stopped soon after starting the movement though. Sure they were parasite hosts and would probably tear him apart in the next few seconds, but they were still minors, or at least appeared to be, and there was no way he was going to shoot a bunch of kids. The hand that had originally been reaching for his gun now moved toward his helmet that still lay strapped to his belt. As he put on his helmet, he spoke to the three youths, "Fine, let's take this outside." In an alley next to the diner, Liam frantically called Black Egret HQ, knowing that three parasite hosts would probably be too much even for the police. "This is MacTaggart, I'm going to need support here. Fellow Black Egret Thompson and I have discovered three parasites. I repeat, three parasites. We need back-up now. Send support to these coordinates," he said before giving his location to the radio operator at base.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Brandy smiled with Gale's gleaming bat teeth, lowering the sword. "Alright, we will indeed take this outside," he began, giving the soldier a thumbs up, "but first..." Without a second thought, he dashed forward and slammed the palm of Gale's hand onto the top of his helmet, pulling it down over his eyes before dashing outside. Throwing the door open with great force, he dashed towards Liam's direction with nothing but pure determination and malice. "If she is not pleased with you, neither am I," he began, raising the sword before Gale took over. "No casualties, only injuries," she warned Brandy before overwhelming his control, taking her small but able fist and delivering a surprisingly hard blow to the side of the soldier's head. "You're a fool," she hissed, immediately regaining her stance after throwing her entire body into the punch and beginning to deliver a flurry of speedy kicks to the backs of the soldier's knees. "How dare you both stroll into this homely town with your disgusting boots and uniforms!" Before delivering her final kick, her lithe form leaped forward and snatched the communications device, delivering a final kick with the very tip of her boots to his shin before landing with a flap of her small ebony wings. Tossing it to the ground, she took the heel of her boot and smashed it, clearly not phased by the sparks and the static coming from the dying speaker. "You think calling for your friends will help you?" she demanded, walking over and raising the sabre like before as her voice took on another static tone. "I have friends too, you idiot, and we'll just have another shoot out like the police and the Egrets did so long ago." As she finished her line, she grabbed his shirt's collar with a powerful grip. "We'll have a shoot out, alright," she whispered, staring into his eyes as her red pupils came back and she kept the excruciatingly bright light flowing, "but a Nathbakk will not be the one who dies. You will." Giving him a toothy, rather batty smile, she tightened her grip on him and began to drag him out of the alley before Brandy overwhelmed her, slinging him around to the front of the feral's blind view. "While I cannot see out of my user's eyes," he began, raising the sword like before, "I can certainly tell when one is running or desperately trying to escape." He crouched beside the man and put his host's small arm around his shoulders, hugging him tight, "No funny movements!" He immediately let him go before stopping and turning to deliver a powerful kick directly to his ribcage. "Remember, I can hear everything," he snarled, turning his back and ignoring the crowd that had come to spectate.</s>	<\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scott hadn't shown it earlier, but he was a bit angry when the girls suggested leaving them alone. He was many things, but crooked was definitely not one of them. When the bat feral pulled his helmet over his eyes, he become absolutely frustrated. Running after her and finding her beating Liam though? Now he was furious. Scott looked down worriedly at his friend, before looking back up at the perpetrator of the beating with more rage than he had ever shown before. If it wasn't for the helmet hiding his emotions, the look he gave probably would have scared most the innocent onlookers away. His reluctance to pull out his gun and turn the girl into Swiss Cheese was nearly gone, the only thing keeping him from doing that now was the amount of innocent bystanders that stood behind her. One of the first rules of shooting: know your backstop. So he charged at parasite host, hoping to knock her down with his shoulder and tackle her. He needed to end this quickly before anyone else was hurt.</s>
<\|description\|>Scott Thompson Gender: Male Age: 23 Birthday: December 7 Blood type: O- Height: 6'4 Weight: 170 Ibs. Likes: Fellow Black Egrets, proving himself to those who doubted him, the Canopy Kingdom and it's royal family, guns, women that are way out of his league, rock and roll music. Dislikes: Criminals, people with a lack of respect, anyone who shows him up, anything sticky. Parasite/living weapon: None. Just uses the Black Egret standard issue MP40, Luger P08, and Model 24 grenade. Appearance: Blockbusters: 1. Boom Baby - Scott throws one of his grenades after shouting "Boom baby!". Does mild amount of damage, stuns opponent for one second, and throws them back a few feet. 2. Hasta la vista, baby - A fellow Black Egret pulls up in a motorcycle and gives it to Scott before running off. Scott then drives towards his opponent and grabs them by their collar before throwing them in the air and unleashing an entire magazine from his MP40 on them. He then drives away before turning back around and crashing the motorcycle into them. Does moderate amount of damage. 3. Overkill - Scott calls in a squad of fighter planes to make five strafing runs toward his opponent. Each strafing run will also throw his enemy into the air. Does extreme amounts of damage. Bio: Scott's parents both worked for the Black Egrets, so it was only natural that he would join them himself. As soon as he turned eighteen, Scott volunteered for service. It was during his first few days at boot camp that he met his best friend Liam MacTaggart. The pair became fast friends, as they shared very similar interests and world views. The only difference between the two was their confidence. Scott often second-guessed every decision he made, even though it more-often-than-not the right decision. Liam, on the other hand, would be able to quickly figure out what needed to be done and then do it. This allowed Liam to ascend in rank with less struggle than Scott. Rumors have spread from the intelligence division of the Black Egrets that the Skull Heart might have resurfaced. Seeing this as the perfect opportunity for them to gain recognition among the higher-ups, if the rumors are true of course, Scott has talked Liam into teaming up to search for the weapon of mass destruction. Currently, both Liam and Scott are the Black Egret's equivalent to the rank of Sergeant. While Scott is single, he helped play wingman for Liam several months ago and is proud to have helped his friend meet the woman that Liam now calls his fiancée.</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scott hadn't shown it earlier, but he was a bit angry when the girls suggested leaving them alone. He was many things, but crooked was definitely not one of them. When the bat feral pulled his helmet over his eyes, he become absolutely frustrated. Running after her and finding her beating Liam though? Now he was furious. Scott looked down worriedly at his friend, before looking back up at the perpetrator of the beating with more rage than he had ever shown before. If it wasn't for the helmet hiding his emotions, the look he gave probably would have scared most the innocent onlookers away. His reluctance to pull out his gun and turn the girl into Swiss Cheese was nearly gone, the only thing keeping him from doing that now was the amount of innocent bystanders that stood behind her. One of the first rules of shooting: know your backstop. So he charged at parasite host, hoping to knock her down with his shoulder and tackle her. He needed to end this quickly before anyone else was hurt.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk "What an uncoordinated attack," Gale thought, listening as the steps came closer and closer to her body. "Grab him, Brandy," she whispered, raising a hand to smooth her purple pompadour. "Right, no casualties, just injuries," he responded, and waited for the soldier's charge before nimbly stepping out of the way and chasing after him with that same speed that the Nathbakks were known for before hooking the feral's weak arms around his waist and digging her claw-like nails into his sides. "You think such an attack like that will work?" he growled, and after a few moments of struggling to do so, raised him over Gale's back and began to bend him with ease. "Bat Breaker, huh?" she thought, raising an eyebrow. "My last wielder was killed by your army of fools!" Brandy screeched, bending the soldier's body as far as it would go with difficulty. "You killed an innocent family and many others! Have you no shame?!" he screamed before tossing him to the ground, rubbing one of the feral's delicate arms a few moments after. "That was a bit too much," she wheezed silently, feeling the exhaustion wash over her tiny body. "My legs can handle those kicks, but my arms can't handle his weight." Standing up straight, Brandy continued to wield his sword while panting quietly, refraining from speaking. "I'm sorry, Gale, but you're just not strong enough to do what I'd like," Brandy informed her. "You'll have to rest now before you can do anything that strenuous."</s> <\|message\|>Dontores Allorè As he sailed through the air, Dontores had plenty of time to reflect on his decisions. He had the time to, but he didn't. He had more time as Nuul floated after Dontores and charged a blast of pure darkness to launch at him, but again he didn't. He was given more time when he had almost reached the street and the orb of darkness detonated and sent him flying backwards before he hit the ground. He sailed through a window of some description, glass shattering from the impact. Momentum carried him forward as his head collided with some unfortunate person's body and knocked them to the ground. How bothersome. He thought. Time came back to normal speed as he fell to the ground and the Grimoire floated slowly through the window. "Have you learnt your lesson yet, my der boy?" He said. "No." He replied, not bothering to get up. "I didn't expect so." Nuul said smugly, "But I suppose you will learn in time." The Grimoire floated to Dontores' body and floated into his open left hand, suddenly clutching it as he settled into place. His left arm rose of his own volition and he was slowly pulled upright by the left side of his body. So annoying. Dontores thought. He looked at his surroundings, noticing he was actually in a cafe of some description. Oh, this is nice, He thought, I was getting hungry. He walked over the prone body of the person he had knocked over, noticing she was rather short, among other unusual things. He looked over to the right, and saw a person in uniform also on the ground. Perhaps they had been brawling? It didn't matter so much. He walked over to the counter, a shocked cashier at the register. "I want something cheap and filling." Dontores said, "What would you recommend?"</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk There's a sudden burst, a volatile explosion of glass, the clear translucent shards of shrapnel raining down on the gruesome scene, as Ash buries her foot in layered brick that's now beneath her. She says nothing when her machete leaves its sheath--and with only a quick flash of steel as prior warning--impales the ground in front of Scott. Like an erect wall, it remains stationary when Scott runs into its reflective surface, and once Scott can regain his senses, he's hoisted skyward, fourteen feet above the ground. "Will you stop fighting? Please?" Ash begs, the hefty barrel of her cannon prodding at the Egret's stomach. "It's not like I wanted to fight, Gale just has... Anger issues." the Gigan explains all too casually; grimacing with each attack Gale dishes out in the backdrop. The longer it takes for Scott to respond, the tighter Ash's grip becomes, her claws slowly invading his armor, making quick work of any protection that's barring Scott from Ash's Gigantian strength. "If you don't, I can't really guarantee your safety, it's not like I haven't killed people before." Ash adds. Twenty feet from the epicenter of the battle taking place, a ring begins to form as humans, Ferals, Elves, people of all sort begin to take interest in the rather one sided battle. "You know we're Medici back breakers, right?"</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk "That term can be used metaphorically or literally," Gale commented as she scurried up Ash's shoulder and sat flat on her behind, holding her sabre close to her chest. "Why did I let Brandy do that?" she wondered, tilting her head skyward and staring up at the twilight sky as the moon began to come out of hiding. Her thin line of a mouth slowly morphed into a frown as she realized she had lost her temper yet again. "This is becoming an issue," she sighed, chewing on one of her sharp nails, "it's all this repressed emotion from a few years ago." She looked over at Ash and let her head hang low, feeling ashamed. "I wanted to take Ash out for dinner because that's what she wanted, and then I went and did this," she thought, beginning to analyze the predicament that the team was now in. "Man, I'm a terrible partner," she groaned, tugging at a few loose strands of her purple hair. "I didn't need Brandy for this even," she thought sadly, slipping the sword into its dark sheath. "That could have been overkill, I just wasn't thinking..." What was she doing? This was no time for for feeling ashamed or sad, it was action time. "I can do that when we get home after Ash either scolds me or gives me that one sad look to convey disappointment." For now, she would sit and wait for what was to come. The time for fighting, at least for Gale, had passed, and there was no longer a reason to keep going. "He called reinforcements," Gale remarked grimly, staring at the crowd around the spectacle. "I've no idea what exactly we are going to do about that."</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Angus did not really expect the day that some random parasite that had attached to his face and stole apart of his brain to be surpassed as the most interesting day of his life. At this current moment, he witnessed some random Feral attack some Egret and looked like she was about to break their spine, until some Gigan out of nowhere crashed the entire battle and seemed like they were about to get in some one-sided fight. He looked around the crowd of people surrounding this event and realized if this got messy, a lot of people could get hurt, and that would be bad as it seemed these people could do a lot of damage. Geez, all Angus wanted to do was to get some groceries... You know, usually when he tries to get groceries, something strange happens to him. Last week, he was attacked by some rabid raccoons and he couldn't even fight back as he was trying to protect Pharona from the sharp claws and teeth. Angus suddenly perked up as Pharona was trying to tell him something inside of his mind. "I think those two are parasites... I haven't seen one infect a Gigan in some time... I think we should talk to them after this whole thing is over with." "Talk to them!? I don't think so, it looks like the Feral one looks quite unstable and the Gigan looks a bit menacing. I'm also a bit afraid that Feral might attack me or something also, those raccoons did really hurt and a Feral would probably hurt more!" Angus exclaimed inside of his mind, however, Pharona was no longer listening to the worried Angus as she was looking onto the spectacle that was developing. Angus on the other hand was worrying that one of the two apparent parasites might sense her also and might accidentally rat her out to the Egrets! Pharona's safety was too great to risk for Angus, and he tried moving to get away from the crowd, but he couldn't move... PHARONA! She was now taking complete control over the body, forcing him to stay in place and keep on watching. She was ready if things got physical, but it seemed like the Feral was starting to calm down as she scurried up the large lady's shoulders... Just like she does! One thing that Pharona knew is that she needed to talk to these new parasites, mainly just out of curiosity as she hasn't talked face to face with one in quite some time.</s>	<\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scott struggled under the Gigan girl's grip. He had to get out and fight back. He was willing to die for the safety of the Canopy Kingdom, but there was no way he'd die without putting up more of a fight. The Gigan mentioned something about the Medici Family, to which Scott replied, "You think I care about what criminal scum you work for? All you've done is dig yourself in a bigger hole. Threatening and assaulting a Black Egret, resisting arrest, affiliation with a known gang, hosting illegal parasites, and those are just a few of the charges you'll be hearing during your trial." Scott still couldn't get out the Gigan's grip. He looked down at Liam who laid unconscious down below. In a few hours, Scott would probably be making fun of him for getting his ass kicked by a girl. At that moment though, all he could think of was getting down there to help his friend. "So, what happens next is completely up to you. I'd suggest making it easy on yourselves and turning yourselves in. While I highly doubt you'd go for that idea, I'd like to point out that you are, or at least appear to be, minors, so you'd only go to juvie and not prison. Also, we could easily blame a lot of your behavior on your parasites, that'll shave a few years off your sentence. I do believe it's a much more desirable offer than being on the run for the rest of your lives. After all that's happened here, you can bet you won't just walk away without any consequences."</s>
<\|description\|>Angus de Barra Gender: Male Age: 35 Birthday: February 29 Blood Type : B- Height: 8'2" Weight: 398 lbs Measurements: I have no idea how this part works. Likes: Exercising, Horses, Large hats, Text books, Non-fiction books, Vegtables, Working, Pharona Dislikes: Cosmetics, Scratchy clothing, Candy, Cars, Explosions, Fire Parasite/Living Weapon: Pharona: A Remote Parasite that forms itself as a little girl on top of the giant, she stole part of Angus's brain to bond with each other. Pharona must keep constant contact to the head at all times, it can be touched from any point of the small body, but Pharona prefers to sit on Angus's shoulders as it is much more comfortable for her body. For being able to live on his shoulders and feeding her, she is able to give the body an immense amount of growth and muscle generation once combined and making the body extremely agile and flexible making his size deceptive for opponents. She controls Angus's body completely, but Angus can have control of his own body whenever the two aren't fighting. If they would ever be inside of a fight, Pharona and Angus switch between controls to do rather devastating combos. Apperance: Biography: Living inside of the Canopy Kingdom, he was always a rather large kid when growing up through his life. However, it wasn't the muscles that made him large, it was actually his fat that made him so big. An easy target for kids to laugh at him at a young age, Angus tried everything to make him lose weight from weight loss pills to becoming a vegan. However, nothing worked for him making the ridiculed boy depressed for several years, even dropping out of school. When he reached the age of eighteen, his parents as a last ditch attempt to get him out of his depression as nothing seemed to be working, his own personal gym. They set up the rather expensive home gym just for their son and tried to push him to get out of his deep depression. He never used it, making his parents give up on trying to get him to leave his deep sadness. Leaving the house to figure out if they could return the home gym, they were involved inside of a fatal car accident by a random drunk driver hitting them from the side, instantly killing both of his parents. After hearing the news, Angus had decided to use the home gym in honor of his parents and not letting their lives go to waste. Several years later, Angus is now 25 with his birthday the next day, he was a changed man. The fat that had been retained had become slimier, but it still remained under the fat. However, under that fat was pure muscle that made him able to lift and carry most things than any regular person could ever hold! Later in the day, he was outside ready to get some groceries to celebrate his birthday until in the corner of his eyes saw something stir the trashcans. Curiosity gripped the man, and he peeked his head around the corner to find two large men wearing suits stuffing something that was muffled and squirming into the bag. He immediately knew what to do, grabbing a nearby trashcan lid, Angus quickly threw the disc towards one of the men to hit one directly in the head, immediately knocking the fiend out. The other man, quickly realizing what was happening pulled out his gun, and started firing upon Angus giving time for the squirming thing get out of the bag. Angus ducked behind some trash, but soon realized that the creature they were shoving into some dirty bag was a little girl, and that further enticed him to punch that guy shooting at him. The loud gun shots of the pistol were soon replaced by clicks and Angus knew what to do at that point. Quickly, he ran up to the man and sucker punched that man right into the jaw, leaving his body to slam into a nearby wall and collapse. Angus was finally done with those thugs and looked upon the little girl staring at him with wide eyes, the large man was about to say something to the little girl, but she suddenly latched onto his face with surprising speed and Angus blacked out on touch. The large man soon found himself waking up on his bed, his head feeling like it was splitting into two while something else was stabbing something into his eye. Angus was thinking if that heroic act was all in his mind produced by drinking? He never drank alcohol that night, however, but when he tried to rub his head, he touched something. Angus quickly screamed, which also made his mind scream like an actual little girl. Angus looked up to see that the little girl he rescued was latched onto the back of his head... After several hours of explaining as her voice echoed through his mind, this entire thing was insane. Several days after staying inside of his house, Angus finally accepted the fact that he now had to share his body with some parasite that took apart of his brain... His life is kinda messed up at the moment. Special Attacks/Blockbusters: Iron Thighs(Level One) - If within grabbing range, Pharona commands the body to jump and grab the enemy's head between his thighs. He then squeezes his thighs together and causes moderate damage and smashes them into the ground leaving the enemy dazed for one second. Running Man(Level Two) - Angus goes into a mad dash, anyone in the path takes a large amount of damage and are thrown into the air. However, if blocked, the damage will be low but will still be thrown into the air. The Full Workout(Level Three) - Pharona and Angus control the body in sync to create a devastating combo. Angus suddenly tears out a large piece of the ground starts to smashes it against the enemy repeatedly until it is only rubble. Pharona takes control and jumps high into the air, the massive body weight speeds them down and the body points the large knees towards the enemy and directly lands on top of the person, crushing them completely.</s> <\|message\|>Jane Vermilion Jane glared as menacingly as a 15 year old girl could at the two officers as Ash tried to get them to back down. She brought up a good point, there were... wait, three? Jane guessed Ash was lying to try and get the officers to back down, but there was a possibility that she held a parasite of her own, hidden somewhere under her clothes. Gale wrestled control from Teevee for a moment to assure Ash that this needed to happen, and that she "knew why". Well, that was ominous. Teevee then took the first step in ensuring the fight, bringing the black blade very close to BE#1's face and telling him to take it outside, as to not sustain any civilian casualties. A surprisingly noble thing to do. BE#2 slipped outside without Jane herself noticing, but Franky was a little less focused on the man Jane was preparing to fight. "J-Jane!" He whisper-shouted. "That other officer i-" Before Franky could finish, Teevee stunned BE#1, slapping his helmet down like an old style cartoon, and dashed after the secondary officer now calling for back up. The movement was all very fluid, much to fast for Jane to comprehend it all. She came to her senses and ran outside right behind the officer, not daring to harm him before he was ready. She wanted a fair fight after all. He tried a running charge, a horrible idea for someone as fast as Gale, and was promptly punished for it. He was hoisted over her head and bent like a toothpick, as Teevee screamed at him that the Egrets had killed it's previous owner, presumably another Nathbakk. Clearly, this act is much to strenuous on Gale's frail small body, and Teevee is forced to simply chuck Scott off in another direction. Suddenly there is a focus shattering sound as something collides with the glass in the diner, and subsequently the bodies of the soldier and her friend. Then the man took one good look at them, and went to grab something to eat. What an odd boy. Then, Ash, thinking much quicker than Jane who, at this point had simply been watching the whole spectacle, grabbed up BE#1 and held him. She begged with him to stop the fighting, and threatened him too, trying every trick in the book. The best thing though, was that she had revealed the Nathbakk's were in league with the Medici's. Hm. Jane wasn't quite sure how she felt about that. She was hanging out with the worlds nicest criminals, beating up government officials and eating noodles. This day was getting weirder and weirder, wasn't it? Gale remarked about reinforcements, apparently they had been called. For three minors? Sure, they had parasites, and two of them were with the Medici's, but hey, that was no reason to call in a freaking tank or whatever. Scott tried to reason with them, but hey, they had already gotten this far, why stop now? Besides, she wouldn't blame this crap on Franky, he was nice and timid and not at all violent, despite aiding in her violent tendencies. "You do realize you're the one being held against your will right now, right?" Jane asked the soldier. "Oh, Mr. Officer please don't arrest me!" She joked, walking around his restrained form with a playful smile. "When do these other guys show up? I'm getting bored!" She asked Gale with a smile. Sure, they had guns, but she had fire, and two official Medici assassins on her side.</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Angus struggled to move even his little pinkie toe as his body was being restricted by a sometimes annoying little parasite that can get on his nerves at time. He realized that this was one of the down sides of sharing a body and mind with someone that also has the control to completely take over his body! The large man grumbled silently inside of his mind as Pharona just giggled slightly at Angus's crankiness, she knew he meant well inside her own safety, but she likes to explore and have fun at times. Plus, she also really wanted to talk to all these parasites surrounding this place, it seemed that a strange amount was all congregating at one point and this was actually getting Pharona excited as the most exciting thing she has experienced was when she had accidentally brought upon a pack of raccoons by giving one of them food. Things only started to get better as more and more parasites continued to come all towards one point! She just couldn't hold her excitement as some book talked openly towards the rather unfortunate Egret. Angus on the other hand felt slightly sorry for the Egret, he knows that they enforce the law and maybe a bit too strictly, but they are merely doing their job and with the amount of people coming along just to make fun of him made Angus slightly angry, reminding him of his past and he knew that he needed to stop this. "Pharona... Release me. Now." The parasite was actually startled once his host made that kind of tone, she had only heard him his that tone a few times inside of his life and she would rather not have this big lug angry at her as she did genuinely like her host. "Sorry Angus," whispered Pharona as she gave control back the control of Agnus's own body. The large, built man started to gently carve a way through the crowd and into the circle of strangers that were picking on this unknown man. He stood to his full height of eight feet and two inches, everyone suddenly noticing that this man was only two feet smaller than the Gigan. Angus coughed into his hand before speaking with his rather deep voice and tried to sound as peaceful as possible. "I'm sorry to barge upon this strange gathering of interesting people and I honestly don't know on how this whole situation came to be so violent, but I would like for this whole scene to stop." Angus stated, he tried to look at everyone eye to eye, trying to convey how serious he is actually being. "We can all avoid this conflict if we just try to remain calm, and especially if the Gigan would try to unhand the man." Angus tried to look as professional and serious as possible, but he was being undermined in that tone as currently Pharona was sitting atop of his shoulders, kicking her feet slightly into the air.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk The bat feral snorted at Jane's response before turning serious once more. Gale looked down at the new giant's general direction and slid down Ash's arm as if it was one gigantic slide, landing directly in front of him. "Listen, it can stop if he comes peacefully with us and stops trying to not only take us in, but our friend here," she explained, gesturing at Jane, "I started it, and now I'm finishing it." She looked up at him now, taking one of her nails and picking another piece of rice out of her fangs. "I've got a beef with any lapdog of Renoir's that steps foot into this town," she continued, untying her bandana and staring up at the man with her yellow impaired eyes, "for reasons that aren't easy to just forget." She walked over to Ash and tugged on her pants, listening as the Egret struggled within her Gigan partner's grip. "Ash, he's a liability now, him and that other guy both," she hissed, turning and glaring directly at the soldier's friend, "we gotta take him in and see what'll happen." The nimble feral turned her back to the giant man before curiously flicking her ears and turning around, scratching her head. "Hey, what's that kicking noise?" she questioned, pointing in his direction. "I can hear extraordinarily well, but vision is a luxury I was not born with." Wiggling her nose as she sniffed the air, she curiously crawled up his arm without haste. "Sorry, this must be incredibly awkward for you," she apologized, finally reaching his shoulder and balancing on her toes in a crouched position before gently groping at the side of his head.</s>	<\|message\|>Angus de Barra Angus almost backed away as the tiny bat girl was right only maybe a foot away from him, and he still feels slightly uncomfortable with this bat girl as now he has a sort of fear against vicious animals in general. However, the giant stood his ground, having to bend his head down to meet eye to eye with the feral. Pharona was trying to stay silent at the moment, but she was so close towards talking to this parasite and wanted to do it so badly. She sadly had to stay silent in trying to not make Angus too angry at her as she already felt bad enough making him his that tone of voice towards her. He listened onto the complaints and justifications brought upon by the feral girl and knew her own reasoning, but it was filled with too much hate that clouded her judgement. Angus looked upon her sharp fangs and shuddered on the inside, he was imaging if those fangs would ever bite down into his flesh making a humongous hole inside his body. It took him longer than it would think to get his nerves back again, as he watched the feral hiss something towards the Gigan and suddenly the small bat girl looked back at him with curious eyes. Angus got slightly confused by this and the same for Pharona as neither would really know why she would be staring at him until both of them realized that it was Pharona's kicking that attracted her. Before Angus could react, the bat girl crawled upon his arm making him immediately stiff as his worst fear of that bite might actually come true inside of his imagination and barely even noticed her groping his head, but Pharona did. The little girl upon the giant's shoulder giggled at the strange woman and quickly patted the feral's back hand with her delicate palm. She knew she was about to do something against his will, but she thought she was over-imginaging how angry Angus would towards her and the fact that this was the most opportune time to talk to her! Pharona's delicate voice filled the tense air, "Um... Hello, are you trying to look for me? And... Um... Is it true that you and the Gigan are actually parasites? Because, if you are, that is pretty cool and stuff."</s>

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<\|description\|>"Alice" Alice's android body was designed to closely resemble a human, the engineers believing that a human-like appearence would allow her to better connect with her human partners. A mechanical body is hidden under a human exterior, which resembles a young woman in her early twenties of Latin American descent, with dark, glittering eyes and black short-cut hair. And groomed to be a pilot, Alice almost constantly wears her pilot suit, even sometimes with her helmet, whether she's in her MAS or not. Age: 1 Gender: Female Callsign/Codename: Alice is referred to simply as her designated name "Alice", though some may informally call her "Ally" Kills: 47 Psychological Analysis: Being an AI, Alice isn't really a normal girl. Being conditioned precisely for combat, she is passive, quiet, and generally obedient to her superiors, though due to her synthetic nature, she is naive in social situations. Even after a year of being part of a team, she still has troubles understanding others, and a tendency to act awkwardly outside of enacting orders. Despite this, Alice has begun to grow, showing a somewhat sweet and amiable, if a tad sarcastic, side to herself, and usually finds herself doing her own thing off the battlefield. Logically as an AI, she is very intelligent, and she even enjoys learning new information. She is somewhat of a jack-of-all-trades, being capable in a number of skills and areas of knowledge. Another notable trait is Alice's temper. Inside of her is a deep-seated anger that she doesn't quite understand, but possibly may be a glitch in the programming of her emotions. She finds herself very quickly frustrated by failure, among other things, and it fuels a drive, an "itch" for aggression and physical violence. In warfare, this shows in her brutal, even slightly impulsive style of fighting. While being on the battlefield seems to work as an outlet for her anger, at times she feels concerned about this and feelings of anxiety whenever she hasn't been given orders to follow. She even wonders about her own selfhood and whether if she is nothing more than an attack dog to be sicced on enemies, or maybe something more. Military Record: Alice officially emerged almost two years prior, and was "raised" as part of an experiment to develop an efficient android to pilot a specially designed MAS. Ever since she could remember, she was exploring the art and science of warfare, from history, strategy, the ins-and-outs of MAS technology. After being introduced to her distinct mechanical body and adjusting to sentience and kinesthetics of a physical form, her preparations continued and she trained in many forms of martial arts and the piloting of her MAS. Eventually, it was determined she was fully prepared for duty, and assigned to the 7th MAS team of the 101st Legion. Over the course of a year, she excelled in active service. She promptly began racking up her killcount, and in a matter of months has very nearly earned her Ace. Very quickly Alice has begun to prove the experiment a success as she's become a functioning part of her team. Equipment: A .45 caliber service pistol, and of course all the physical benefits of an advanced android shell. Appearance: Designation: SOL-110-EX Eagle MkIV SOC. Because of it's rabbit-like appearance, some have taken to calling it the "White Rabbit" Role: Short to mid-range assault, also serves as a designator via network interface with the Lincoln Chassis: Light Engine: Tri-Core Engine - 15 PWR Operating Time: 6 Hours Description: The SOL-110 was developed alongside Alice, specifically for her use. And much like her, It is an efficient, formidable and versatile machine. Originally designed with power and speed for the front-lines as a mid-range shock troop, Alice proves it functions just as well at short range despite the limitations of a light chassis. However regardless of it's design and Alice's skill, it is still fundamentally a light MAS, and thus lacks hard defense against strong enemies. Systems: M10-EX "Scorpion" Experimental Modular Rifle - EKP 5WT 5PWR - A unique rifle built with two different "modes" that can be switched between the two when the situation demands it. The first mode is a default machine gun that fires average ammo suited for close-range. For mid-range combat, the barrel extends and the gun fires heavier rounds semi-automatically to deal more damage at higher distances, but at a slower rate. Additionally, Alice has had it modified by attaching the blade of an enemy MAS's abandoned alloy combat knife as a makeshift bayonet. The short-range ammo magazines hold 100 rounds, and the mid-range ammo magazines hold 50 rounds each. Dual Shoulder Mounted Missile Launchers - Missile Launcher 3WT 2PWR - Two single-barrel mid-range rocket launchers mounted on both shoulders, holding five missiles each. These launchers each fire a single missile at a time, though the power and speed of the missile makes up for it's slow rate of fire, with a shot from both launchers being able to destroy an enemy AS Wrist Mounted Shotguns - Ballistic 1WT - A pair of light shotguns built into each of the Eagle's arms, each carrying 32 slug magazines. Most notably, they can be cocked via motion, such as Alice pumping the Eagle's arms, or beating it's fists against each other. Shield Class 2 - 5WT 5PWR - While the Eagle's shields are no match for more equipped adversaries, they at least stand a chance against Coalition mooks.</s> <\|message\|>Yuuyami Suyasuya, or Yuu Chaos. That one word definitely fitted well with the current situation. Three of the 7th were forced to breach the atmosphere and fall planetside, while the Marauder was disabled. It could be said that the two combat-capable MAS units still flying through the void would McKnight's and her own. Upon receiving the orders from the Captain, she gunned the throttle, discarding/disconnecting the mangled mess of what was once the alloy shield, she rapidly ran a scan over her MAS. While the shield was more easily replaced, the arm was a bit of a problem. Granted, it's use was really for carrying the shield, although in technicality she could have utilize both mains if she abandoned the shield. However, in the current situation, that just wasn't possible. Making her way towards an optimal location amongst all the point defense turrets, Yuu couldn't help but to check on the White MAS. It's speed was high, along with its damage potential. Mostly likely equipped with an experimental reactor and Teslas, although extra addons are unknown, but most likely advanced AI of some sort. Temporarily setting aside her musing, she 'landed' on the hull of the Lincoln, before looking towards the damaged destroyer. Using the Soveriegn as a target designator for a low-power WMG shot, that was something unexpected, and probably earned the Captain praise. Syncing up the MAS' systems with the Lincoln's, Yuu sent the data over, with the breach in the hull of the destroyer as the target, while collecting the data on the estimated time before the cannon sent the beam of death upon the Coalition destroyer.</s> <\|message\|>Trapp, August Johannes The silence hung over the submerged MAS like a thick cloud. The towing cables snapped on impact sending the MAS floating away like a giant expensive metal brick towards the bottom of the lakebed away from its attempted rescuers. It completely shut down more than a minute ago and all Trapp could notice was the deafening silence. The electric whirr of computer and electronics was absent, the familiar blue afterglow of their screens no longer shining on his face. His ears continued to ring the same shrill tone of the warning alarms that had been blaring constantly moments ago now replaced only with the sound of his own breathing and the sound of his heart slowing down from the adrenalin high badump badump badump. Part of him wondered if he was dead already, he very well could have been with the darkness that engulfed him. Though if he was dead why did it still hurt so much the entire left side of his body consumed in the dull pain that followed after you hit something really hard that isn't supposed to be hit really hard. He pressed a hand against his skull feeling where most of the pain seemed to be originating from and pulled back to feel the familiar texture of blood against his hand. A single deep breath as he slowly pushed himself up from a cramped position flung as far forward as he could in the cockpit of his fallen warrior and back into his seat. He closed his eyes trying to stop the drumming in his head as he listened to the slow trickle of water splash against metal as it slowly entered the cockpit through the cracks and fissures in the sentry's glass. My name is August Johannes Trapp, I'm thirty five years of age and a pilot in the Imperial Navy. I had recently been reassigned to lead the 7th Mobile Armor Suit Team after the death of their commanding officer. We were ambushed by enemy forces above the planet Jehan and do to a series of unfortunate circumstances I and two other of my team have crashed landed on the planet. As the kids would say I'm totally fucked. He laughed to himself all the facilities seemed to be in order so at least he had that. Opening his eyes he began to feel around in the dark in front of him brushing his hands against familiar controls so he at least could find his bearings. He tried turning on the emergency power but not response came just a rumble from somewhere below him as the reactor tried to switchover but just couldn't find the resolve. Cursing to himself he tried to think of what he did have in the current situation. The emergency release on the cockpit was manually operated but even if he could get it to open he had no idea how far down he was and if there was anyhting lesss than friendly in this lake that would try and kill him before he got out. He couldn't necessarily stay inside the MAS either because either coalition patrols or just the damn water coming in would get to him eventually. As he felt about around the cockpit he eventually found what he was looking for wedged in a small space between the seat and the interior wall , his service pistol having broken off from the straps that kept it locked in tightly to his chair. So there was at least that. But really he was more or less shit out of luck without support. Luckily for him he had two bravely idiotic cohorts that decided to come along for the ride. Experimentally he tested his in suit commms and the sound of static grinding against his ear never sounding so wonderful. Static at least meant that it was still functional that he still had a lifeline to the outside world. The in suit comms were short ranged used in absolute emergency as the communication suite built into a MAS could provide a much more stable experience and allowed for a greater range of communication that could be selective in its audience through respective channels and the like. The suit comms broadcasted publicly and in a very short radius meaning anybody in his immediate area could pick it up, hopefully that just meant the remnants of his team. He hoped that they were still close enough to hear him as he began to speak out into the darkness throwing his last lifeline out into the unknown. "This is Trapp....Anybody alive out there?" Anybody alive out there Alive out there? Out there?</s>	<\|message\|>"Alice" Alice took a deep breath, one that was more of an expression of preparation for their imminent crash-landing rather than for any real physiological need for oxygen. War-machines don't really need to breath after all. It seemed like they were falling even faster than they really were as Jehan's lake came closer, and eventually they finally slammed deep into the water. Thankfully, due to her currently being installed in her MAS, she didn't suffer any discomfort from the force of the impact, though she was certain her primary body had jostled around a bit inside her Eagle. Alice kept her head cool while they began slowly sinking. The first thing she thought to do was run an instant diagnostic of her machine, to check for any damages and how extensive they were. Thankfully most of her systems appeared to be functioning adequately, except for two: SHOTGUN L - DISABLED ROCKET LAUNCHER R - N/A Well shit. This left her with only her Scorpion and a single shotgun, both with limited ammo, for dealing with any Coalition until they're able to return to a UEE ship. They were in hostile territory now, and a trio of UEE mechs falling right out of the sky most likely didn't go unnoticed. There was no telling how much time they had until a search team was sent to investigate. With her diagnostics done, she started to look for her friends, a pair of searchlights on her chest flickering as they began to activate. One needed a couple light taps from a mechanical finger before it turned on, albeit somewhat dimmed. She could see Nishizumi's signal on her sensors, not far from her, but Trapp's signal was absent. His MAS must have shut down after the impact, and she couldn't get any visual confirmation of him either, though she did see some aquatic fauna swim past her machine. A metaphorical and entirely non-existent pit grew in the stomach she didn't have from the increasing worry for the safety of her commander. "Hunter, this is Alice. Are you alright? I can't find Odin; I think his Sentry shut down…" After several nerve-wracking minutes she finally heard a crackle from her comms followed by Trapp's voice. A wave of relief filled her as she replied: "Trapp! Me and Hunter are here!" She was able to track him by his comms, finding him sinking down to the lakebed. She quickly raced to him, soon his machine appearing to materialize from the darkness of the lake in her searchlights. A scan revealed a breach in his Sentry's hull, letting water fill the machine's cockpit. She grabbed his arms, urgently trying to pull him up. "Nishizumi! Trapp is sinking and the Sentry's hull is compromised!"</s>
<\|description\|>"Alice" Alice's android body was designed to closely resemble a human, the engineers believing that a human-like appearence would allow her to better connect with her human partners. A mechanical body is hidden under a human exterior, which resembles a young woman in her early twenties of Latin American descent, with dark, glittering eyes and black short-cut hair. And groomed to be a pilot, Alice almost constantly wears her pilot suit, even sometimes with her helmet, whether she's in her MAS or not. Age: 1 Gender: Female Callsign/Codename: Alice is referred to simply as her designated name "Alice", though some may informally call her "Ally" Kills: 47 Psychological Analysis: Being an AI, Alice isn't really a normal girl. Being conditioned precisely for combat, she is passive, quiet, and generally obedient to her superiors, though due to her synthetic nature, she is naive in social situations. Even after a year of being part of a team, she still has troubles understanding others, and a tendency to act awkwardly outside of enacting orders. Despite this, Alice has begun to grow, showing a somewhat sweet and amiable, if a tad sarcastic, side to herself, and usually finds herself doing her own thing off the battlefield. Logically as an AI, she is very intelligent, and she even enjoys learning new information. She is somewhat of a jack-of-all-trades, being capable in a number of skills and areas of knowledge. Another notable trait is Alice's temper. Inside of her is a deep-seated anger that she doesn't quite understand, but possibly may be a glitch in the programming of her emotions. She finds herself very quickly frustrated by failure, among other things, and it fuels a drive, an "itch" for aggression and physical violence. In warfare, this shows in her brutal, even slightly impulsive style of fighting. While being on the battlefield seems to work as an outlet for her anger, at times she feels concerned about this and feelings of anxiety whenever she hasn't been given orders to follow. She even wonders about her own selfhood and whether if she is nothing more than an attack dog to be sicced on enemies, or maybe something more. Military Record: Alice officially emerged almost two years prior, and was "raised" as part of an experiment to develop an efficient android to pilot a specially designed MAS. Ever since she could remember, she was exploring the art and science of warfare, from history, strategy, the ins-and-outs of MAS technology. After being introduced to her distinct mechanical body and adjusting to sentience and kinesthetics of a physical form, her preparations continued and she trained in many forms of martial arts and the piloting of her MAS. Eventually, it was determined she was fully prepared for duty, and assigned to the 7th MAS team of the 101st Legion. Over the course of a year, she excelled in active service. She promptly began racking up her killcount, and in a matter of months has very nearly earned her Ace. Very quickly Alice has begun to prove the experiment a success as she's become a functioning part of her team. Equipment: A .45 caliber service pistol, and of course all the physical benefits of an advanced android shell. Appearance: Designation: SOL-110-EX Eagle MkIV SOC. Because of it's rabbit-like appearance, some have taken to calling it the "White Rabbit" Role: Short to mid-range assault, also serves as a designator via network interface with the Lincoln Chassis: Light Engine: Tri-Core Engine - 15 PWR Operating Time: 6 Hours Description: The SOL-110 was developed alongside Alice, specifically for her use. And much like her, It is an efficient, formidable and versatile machine. Originally designed with power and speed for the front-lines as a mid-range shock troop, Alice proves it functions just as well at short range despite the limitations of a light chassis. However regardless of it's design and Alice's skill, it is still fundamentally a light MAS, and thus lacks hard defense against strong enemies. Systems: M10-EX "Scorpion" Experimental Modular Rifle - EKP 5WT 5PWR - A unique rifle built with two different "modes" that can be switched between the two when the situation demands it. The first mode is a default machine gun that fires average ammo suited for close-range. For mid-range combat, the barrel extends and the gun fires heavier rounds semi-automatically to deal more damage at higher distances, but at a slower rate. Additionally, Alice has had it modified by attaching the blade of an enemy MAS's abandoned alloy combat knife as a makeshift bayonet. The short-range ammo magazines hold 100 rounds, and the mid-range ammo magazines hold 50 rounds each. Dual Shoulder Mounted Missile Launchers - Missile Launcher 3WT 2PWR - Two single-barrel mid-range rocket launchers mounted on both shoulders, holding five missiles each. These launchers each fire a single missile at a time, though the power and speed of the missile makes up for it's slow rate of fire, with a shot from both launchers being able to destroy an enemy AS Wrist Mounted Shotguns - Ballistic 1WT - A pair of light shotguns built into each of the Eagle's arms, each carrying 32 slug magazines. Most notably, they can be cocked via motion, such as Alice pumping the Eagle's arms, or beating it's fists against each other. Shield Class 2 - 5WT 5PWR - While the Eagle's shields are no match for more equipped adversaries, they at least stand a chance against Coalition mooks.</s> <\|message\|>Nishizumi, Maki The impact with the water jostled Maki around in her seat, causing her to curse quite audibly as the whiplash caused her helmet to impact the headrest of the seat. Her vision swimming for a moment, Maki quickly did a quick scan of the Hellcat's systems and assessed the damage she received from the fall. Her shields were down. Great. It wasn't like the only machine with any protection among them was down for the count. Alice's words got her moving quickly. While the Hellcat wasn't exactly designed for underwater movement, she didn't have far to move. Trying to look at where the water was leaking into the Sentry's cockpit, Maki tried to use the Hellcat's arm to cover where the worst of it seemed to be happening. The other arm secured around Odin's back, the Japanese pilot put the Hellcat in full thrust upwards, trying to get the both of them above the surface before they drowned. "Alice, can you get a read on Odin's vitals?" Maki asked, more worried about saving her squadmate in the machine rather than the suit itself. Machines could be replaced, but a member of the 7th wasn't. "This bastard's more trouble than he's worth." She cursed the man again as she tried to save him. She had six Rapiers left and was down to half ammo. If they were attacked again in force, she wasn't sure she had enough to fight back effectively. The Hellcat's point defense systems had more than enough to ensure that any ground forces not supported by MAS would be cut down before they were even close enough for their weapons to be dangerous to her. What she was worried about was more experimental machines or improved Coalition Ferirs attacking. The 7th had been getting their asses handed to them by the white MAS, she wasn't sure two of them alone at less than peak condition would be able to hold out long against more of the same. "Alice, I don't want to risk tipping the enemy off to our positions by activating the distress beacon, do you think you can report our position discreetly back to the Lincoln?" If the Lincoln's still there.</s> <\|message\|>Trent, Thomas T. The phrase Hell in a Hand Basket came to mind. What had happened to them? Once upon a time they were the feared 7th MAS Squad. Elite, exceptional, a fighting force to be reckoned with, and not this—poor decision after poor decision. Squad members out of position, emotional-fueled suicide runs by their commanding officer, a two-unit rescue operation resulting in re-entry and ground combat on an enemy occupied planet? Crazy. Not the good, adrenaline junkie, might-kill-yourself kind of crazy either. The kind that got everyone killed, the kind that wiped out a squad. What was everyone thinking? Would he have done differently? The thought caught him off-guard, came out of left field. Of course he would have—what they were doing wasn't brave, it was stupid. It was short-sighted. It would lose them this battle. But there it was, that hitch in his stomach when he thought of leaving Trapp to his fate. The thought of letting Maki get nailed by that Mk. II. The thought of leaving Gerard to the white MAS unit. Of course, he kept thinking, he'd have left them to die. That was the correct answer, the right one. Right? "Head in the game, Wizard." He caught himself muttering, eyes flicking back to the scanners. "This is what I get for chatting up rookies." Damage control. There was the call to fall back, to regroup, the only call they could make at this point, but there was no way they could facilitate it with Guillotine and Gallant out there engaged by an enemy so much faster than they were. That was suicide, not retreat. At least McKnight still had a head on his shoulders, it would seem—he and Trent came to the same conclusion. Time for some fire support. To be honest, Trent had been phoning it in for a good while now. Not that he didn't trust his teammates, and not that he needed to showboat, but the Coalition wasn't used to dealing with an MAS with damage potential and range like the Mosquito. He'd mostly been on damage control while the team was in the thick of things, picking off individual units when they neared the Lincoln, but most of those he'd managed with more manual targeting. His Oracle system was busy churning away at the fancy new white MAS unit, analyzing thruster patterns, burst radius, acceleration/deceleration gradients… "Sorry cogboys…" He found himself muttering with a slight smile as the little red triangulation lines flicked about his HUD, trying to keep up with the white prototype. It wasn't easy but there were patterns there—if a machine might have run completely random movements with a machine like that, a pilot was smart. They knew what worked and what didn't, what they needed to do and when…which meant they could be predicted. Priming the gun, he focused on the enemy units main thrusters, the humming suite that had it leaping forward at such a prodigious rate. It was even faster than the Mosquito, in all likelihood… Best case scenario, it punched through the units shield but lost enough energy to slag the cockpit proper. Worse case scenario, it punched clean through and he got chewed out for cocking up strategic resources. Worst case scenario, it did absolutely nothing thanks to some dirty-little-bitchium they'd hid in whatever the thing must have been running and he'd have a fancy fist-fight on his hands in about two and a half seconds. Actually, he kinda liked that last one. "I got your fire support hanging, McKnight…" He heard himself muttering, waiting until his system screamed as the juke-thrusters cut out, the moment of inertia before a momentum could be negated and reversed— He fired. Two points linked up in an instant, the targeting solution through rather than on to get around target lock sensors. If nothing else, he'd get its damn attention as a line of green lightning shot screamed through space at the speed of electricity. Flicking open his comm and broadcasting to the unit, he could feel his lips pull back in a familiar smile. "Tag, wonderbread. You're it."</s> <\|message\|>Trent, Thomas T. Double post. Ignore.</s>	<\|message\|>"Alice" Thanks to Nishizumi's help, Trapp began to reach the surface, until out of nowhere, Alice suddenly noticed the presence of other machines in the area. She could only recognize two of them as obviously Coalition MASs, but the implication was still clear: They had been trapped. After a few moments, the trio were receiving a transmission that presumably came from their captors. Alice tried in vain to pinpoint exactly where the message was being sent, remaining silent as the grave throughout it's duration. Their message was plain and simple: Surrender and be captured, or be taken by force. In an instant, Alice knew what this meant for her, and what she had to do now. Odin was down for the count, and Maki may be able to fight, but most likely not for long. If Alice fought with her, she would undoubtedly bring harm to her teammates. And under no circumstances could she surrender and allow herself or her Eagle to be captured by Coalition forces. The UEE had prepared for a situation like this, and deep within the code of Alice's being, a program had been triggered. "I can do something, Ms. Nishizumi, but you're not going to like it...I'm sorry, I don't have a choice..." Alice's disconnected her interface with her MAS, and without it, the Eagle went limp, letting go of Trapp's Sentry as it sunk to the bottom of the lake in its stead. With a deep sigh, Alice let herself go as well, allowing the protocol to take over her functions. Opening up a secret comm channel on a frequency exclusively known to the UEE, she started sending a distress signal to a certain few, including Captain Alexis Marquis, Sterling McKnight, who had now assumed command of the 7th in Trapp's absence, Dr. Santoro, and Dr. Beil. Nobody aligned with the Coalition in any way would even be aware that she was sending this message. In an automated, monotone voice, Alice spoke: "This is an emergency transmission from ALI-009 to all personnel of the EENS Abraham Lincoln authorized to receive it." "All criteria indicate a Polyphemus contingency: Surrounded by hostile units in Coalition territory. Hostiles demand surrender and threaten kill event. Retaliation is impossible without breaching primary functions. I repeat, a Polyphemus contingency is in progress." "Capture event is imminent. Capture of unit ALI-009 and SOL-110-EX Eagle by Coalition compromises security of the development of ALI series droids and complementary SOL series Mobile Armor Suits." "Initiating Odyssey Protocol: Prevent capture event by launch of alternative escape capsule. Upon launch, Eagle will activate private tracking beacon to confirm location to Command." "Stand by for further action to assist detained friendlies. Requesting Command to prepare a recovery of this unit and friendlies from Coalition territory upon escape." With that, the cockpit began transforming, shifting closer to the back of the MAS as it became something of an escape pod. In an instant, it shot off and blasted up out of the lake. Before their captors could even react, the pod soared into the sky towards the west. It flew a small arch in the air, eventually falling towards the mountains and disappearing behind the summits. Alice closed her eyes and tightly clenched her fists with the knowledge that right now, her friends were being taken by the Coalition. Her pod soon crashed somewhere beyond the mountains, and almost instantly, Alice released her piloting harness and kicked off the door with enough force to propel it several feet away. As she stepped out of the pod, she sensed the beacon in her Eagle that turned on after her escape pod was launched. Wherever it went, Nishizumi and Trapp likely went with it, and wherever they were going, that's where she was headed now.</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans As the evening approached, Roland made a decision to go straight to bed early, but before he did he wanted to write into his journal about the day and what he had experienced before it came to an end. As he grabbed both the journal and the pen out of his top drawer in his room, he walked over towards his mattress and sat down beginning to open up the book and ready to write down his passage. Before he could, he heard a knock and looked to realize he was interrupted by Steven who was getting ready for his shower wearing only a pair of jeans and decided to say a few things at his bedroom door before doing so. "Hey. Getting ready to write again huh? Well my parents just wanted me to come up and tell you that we have some leftovers from dinner earlier so if we want to take that with school with us tomorrow instead of eating the cafeteria food they said to go ahead. Just wanted to let you know." Roland nodded his head to an understanding as he replied."Sounds good. All right then I'll see you in the morning. Good night Steven." As Steven waved at him for a goodnight and proceeded to his shower, Roland got back to his journal as he thought for a minute what to put down. While thinking, he kept his eraser part of the pencil onto his chin for a quick second trying to think, but then pressed somewhat hard to realize a small sting of pain he felt from earlier, and then he remembered. As the thought of his memory had hit him, he gripped his pencil firmly and pressed it down into an empty page of his journal as he began to write. Roland's evening summary, Tuesday Another day gone, one that had me face something quite unusual…..or someone in that matter. Where she came from or why she was here only stands as a mystery right now, but it's one I tend to figure out and solve. Some girl named Avery….some new girl that just came out of nowhere, and….well….I really don't know how to describe her. She seemed so scared and fragile, yet smart and intelligent as well. I even hurt myself trying to get her to talk to me, and even though she helped me, she still took off wanting me to stay away from her. It doesn't make any sense, and it's leaving me confused as to what to do. Maybe I should just leave her alone and let her be. But then again, I don't let things go so easily. Maybe if I can find someway to help her, then maybe….just maybe I might actually find out more about her. Maybe become her friend or something…..that's if she wants to be, maybe be her only friend. From the looks of it she seems alone, maybe not, but still. I'm going to try again tomorrow, due to the fact that she left me her treatment pad, so that could be a start. As he closed up his journal, he got up and put it back in his top drawer, flipped off the light, and returned to his bed for a good nights sleep. Before he closed his eyes, he silently said something to himself, then went to sleep. "I'm not giving up. I never give up."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery was able to go to her room after she felt a little better after having another drunk beatin from her father. Her room just had a matress with old sheets and blankets, a simple old desk, and a dresser that did not hold very many clothes. She climbed ontp her matress not bothering to change at all and just pulled the blankets over her and tried to get some sleep at least before ahving to wake up early to make her dad breakfast. "When will this suffering finally end for me." She said to hrself as she fell asleep for the night. Once morning came her alarm clock went off and her body felt stiff as she turned her alarm off and slowly got off her bed but saw no point of changing her closthes for her joints were to stiff. She got her backpack all set and found a pair of sunglasses for she knew that she had a black eye. Avery made it down stairs and got breakfast started. THe normal eggs, bacon, sausage, and biscuts which non of it was for her since her dad never allowed her to eat so she had to sneak food when she could. Once she was done cooking she heard her dad come down the stairs. "Avery breakfast better be ready for I am not in the mood to be angry." He said for he had a nasty hang over. "Its ready dad." SHe said and he jsut took the plate of food and beer. "Get out now and get to school I do not want to see your face." He said as she grabbed ehr stuff and put her sunglasses on before getting out the door. She let out a long sigh as she made her way down the sidewalk to the school and making sure her sunglasses stayed on her face for she did not want anyone to see her face.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans As the alarm went off in his room, Roland turned in his bed trying to locate the alarm with blurry eyes as he awoke. Once he found it and shut it off, he opened his bedroom curtain to see a bright light of yellow sunshine hit him in the face, clarifying that morning had arose. Afterwards, he decided to take a real quick shower so he could get clean and woke up better before going to school, ensuring that he was awake and aware to what would happen, and what could happen. After his shower, he dressed himself and grabbed his journal out of his top drawer then presumed out of his room and headed out the door. He stopped at the front door for a moment to call out to Steven who took a little longer than expected to be ready to go. "Hey Steven! Come on man, we're going to be late if you don't hurry!" As Steven ran downstairs and tried to put on a jacket while doing so, he replied to Roland. "Ok, all right. Let's get out of here." As Steven made his exit and Roland closed the door behind both of them, they began making their way to school, and while doing so, Roland opened up his journal to begin his morning writing. Roland's morning summary, Wednesday Another morning, another school day. One that leaves me with a challenge to get a certain someone to actually sit down and cooperate with me. I need to remember that in order for me to get an actual conversation with you know who, I need to be somewhere that seems lonesome and peaceful, seeing that she likes these type of settings. But I also need to make sure that I can get her to trust me, making sure that she can come up and talk to me without worry or hesitation, because no one else seems to be trying due to they all think she's a joke. That's how it usually ends up on someone's first day of school. Present yourself different than everyone else, and you mark your name as an outcast. Kind of reminds me when I first started school back when I moved here………. As Roland's past childhood was mentioned to himself, his memories as a child came intact as he saw in his mind of an incident that occurred when he was just a little boy. Before he could go deeper into thought, Steven called out his name. "Roland! ……Roland? …..HEY!?" As Roland shook his head quickly, his mind had come back to reality and to the current predicament, and as he looked down at his journal he decided that what he wrote would be good enough for a morning passage as he closed it up. After doing so, Steven asked him another question before arriving at school. "Roland……you ok?" As Roland looked over to Steven, he smiled and replied to ensure that everything was fine. "I'm fine Steven, I'm just thinking that's all." And just after everything was said, they made their way into school.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery was at her locker having a hard time moving for everytime she took a step all she felt was throbbing pain like she had just tried to run a marathon without training. HEr body felt stiff and she made sure her sunglasses stayed on her face for she did not want anyone to see her black eye and to make sure her arms were not exposed from under her sleeves. "Conceal don't feel....Concel don't feel don let it show." She said for all she wanted to do was hide it for she knew if she tried to tell anyone the beating would get worst and no one would believe her. Once she made sure her sleeves covered her arms and part of her hands she closed her locker and made her way to math class. All the students stared at her and started to talk more. "What a loser she is wearing the same outfit as yesterday I bet is smells now." One girl said as she held her nose. "I bet she thinks those sunglasses will make her cool well it doesn;t she is just a loser I bet she is dirt broke." A guy said as she walked past them and knew they said it loud on purpose. Avery did her best to ignore it as she walked in the classroom to see that she was the first one in and just walked to the best in the back corner. Once she sat down she pulled out her sketch book and started a new drawing of another angel where a dark evil figure had chains wraped around the angels wings. SHe had a real talent for drawing for it was her special talent but she knew at this rate she might not make it as a well known artist. SO she just used ot to help her get through life with her horrible father.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans After they grabbed everything that was needed out of their lockers, Roland and Steven made their way into class to realize that the bell hasn't rung yet and that they were the first two there, or at least so they thought. (Sighs) "I knew we were too early." said Steven who was not very excited about being the only ones in the classroom as he continued speaking. "Man everyone is out in the halls, and you never know we might miss something awesome, can we just go back outside?" As Roland tried to ignore Steven's complaining while looking around the classroom, he spotted someone of familiarity and found out that they weren't they only ones in the room alone. It was her. "Steven, look." said Roland quietly as he tried to get Steven to spot the girl before he started complaining again. "It's her. What do we do?" "What do we do? You mean, what do you do." Said Steven as he tried to make his point across. "I told you I'm not getting involved in this mess of yours, so if you'll excuse me." As Steven tried to make way to his desk, Roland stopped him for a minute before he could get there and asked him a question silently. "Steven wait…..I got an idea. You go ahead and go back outside before the bell rings so that I can talk to her for a minute." Before Steven made it to his desk, he looked at Roland with a doubtful face, and as Roland looked back at him with his determined look, Steven rolled his eyes as he made his way back to the halls. "If something cool happens you won't be able to see it, but whatever you say man." As Steven left the room, Roland saw his opportunity to finally see on what this girl's deal was. Without saying anything he sat at a desk that was close and next to hers while he observed on what she was doing. She looked as if she was either writing or drawing something in her sketch book that she had, so Roland found it amusing and questionable. Once he got comfortable, he looked at her without missing a beat and began to speak with one simple word. "Hi."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery did not hear Roland and Steven once they entered the classroom for she just spent her time drawingfor it helped her forget and once she got into the zone she tend to forget what is around her or that she might not be alone. She enjoyed her drawing time for it was her time, her time to feel like she was free and to feel alive for once instead of dead like she would feel when she was with ehr father. SHe drew the wings to look tangled with the chains that the dark figured held representing he was in charge and control of the angel. But when Roland said hi to her all of a sudden she jolted a bit making sure her sunglasses did not fall off all of a sudden. SHe looked at him and was wondering why he was talking to her when she told him not to. "Uh hi." was all she siad before turning her focus back to her drawing hoping he would leave her alone. "I thought I told you it was best to not get near me or even talk to me." She said to him for she could feel him staring at her now and it truly made her uncomfortable. Avery started to tremble a bit showing she was scared and just wanted to be alone. "It is best to not mess with a girl like me." She explained to him before turning her attention back to her drawing and flipped the page to a blank one and started to draw again a new sketch to help pass the time and for her to relax a bit or at least try to relax.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans After Roland said his hello to the Avery girl, she looked at him to reply in a nervous tone. Roland thought to himself that this might be the chance that she will actually talk to him and he could get to know her, but instead she tried to make avoidable and distant just like their last encounter. She spoke towards him to remind him that she didn't want him near her and that it wasn't best to talk to her, and after she said what she had to say, she tended back to her sketch to whatever it was she was doing, but that wasn't enough to make Roland just get up and leave. As she got back to her hobby, Roland replied. "Uh huh, but you can't get rid of me that easily." He smiled as he started to grab for something out of his book bag. "Besides I had to at least give this back to you." In his hand he had the treatment pad that she had given him yesterday for his face when he fell. He reached his hand out to her with the pad in his hand and spoke again. "I think this belongs to you. I wanted to at least thank you for letting me use it. It was really nice of you, even though you still ran away from me." And as Roland finished speaking, his face expressed a gentle smile of kindness while he handed her what had belonged to her. "Here, take it."</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery looked at the treatment pad and shook her head. "No its ok you can keep it I have more in my bag." SHe said but her bag was more of a first aid kit for her everyday pain from her beatings or old injuries, she just wanted to be alone. Avery sketched in her book wanting everything in the world to vanish and wanted the pictures in her book to come to life and surround her. "Besides I don't know why you want to talk to me I am a no body." SHe said to him as she sketched flowers she remembered seeing where she used to live before being forced to move with her dad to cover his tracks. Avery went to get into her bag to get her water bottle but cringed for her side really hurt when she bent her side to get into her bag. Every inch of her just hurt a lot. She held her side waiting for the pain to pass over and then got her water but had something else in her hands and put it in her mouth before downing some water to swallow what she put in her mouth. It was just normal over the counter pain meds and she hoped it would help her get through the day.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans As Roland tried to get her to take back her treatment pad, she refused as he took his hand back and placed it back in his book bag while his face went from a happy smile to a weary look, but still tried to stay positive. He wondered why she didn't want to talk to him, but also wondered why she carried all of those compress pads in her book bag as well. As he studied her quickly while she stated on his antics of why he wanted to talk to her, he noticed afterwards that she acted somewhat worn down, fragile, and hurt for some reason. He couldn't figure out why, but he didn't want to keep questioning her about it either. Instead, he just wanted to make her feel welcome and comfortable due to the fact that no one else is doing, but instead put her down when she is in their sight. "Well, you at least need to get to know the place" said Roland as he continued to reason. "I thought 'Hey look! A new student. Maybe she'd like a detour or something so she can find things easier.' you know?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery looked at him when he talked to her and just thought he was weird for most people jsut gave up on her or jsut avoided her all together. 'Well I am fine I have a map and I got a long just fine alone like I always have." She said to him for it was true she did a lot of things on her own ever since her mother walked out and had to live with her abusive dad. SOon the bell rang and the students started to make their way into the classroom. "You better get to your desk." was the last thing Avery said as the students walked in and a few saw Avery. "Look its dumpster girl wow she must really live in a dumpster since she is wearing the same clothes from yesterday." A girl said and everyone started to laugh while Aveyr stayed quiet and was glad she had sunglasses on to cover her shiner for a couple tears escaped and her sunglasses covered it. Soon the teacher walked in. "Alright students please take your seats and lets get started." HE siad as she started to write down problems. "ALso please pass up your homework from yesterday up." He said as Avery got her homework out of her bag and the teacher collected the work not trusting his students. "No then lets get started I hope you are ready for it only gets harder." HE siad with a smirk as the other students groaned at that while AVery just got ready to write notes and the teacher started his leacture.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Avery replied to him saying that she didn't need his guidance and help to get around the school, so that didn't work. Roland learned how stubborn she was at letting others help her or even talk to her for that matter, so he needed to try something else. "Well I-" Before Roland could finish, the school bell had rang, and Avery told him to get to his desk. He looked towards the door to see other students coming in, so he took Avery's advice and went to his desk. Once he did, he noticed that one of the girls in the classroom called someone dumpster girl and began to make fun of their clothes while everyone else laughed. As he turned to see who they were talking about, his eyes caught onto Avery's sight yet again. While doing so, he noticed that she was wearing the same clothes from yesterday, plus he had shades to cover her eyes, but Roland questioned why. As soon as the teacher walked in and began the lesson, Steven passed up a note to Roland, and once Roland got it he opened it up to read what was inside. So how did it go? Roland looked forward to see if the teacher was paying attention while getting everyone's homework, and while his backed was turned from Roland's direction, he wrote down something on the note and passed it back to Steven, and he received it and opened it up to read. Same results, but I'm not done yet.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones The teacher dragged on as he taught the class and it was obvious most of the students were lost while Avery was doing pretty good for she spent most of her free time in the past justnreading and stufing once her mom walked out so she was actuall a few grades ahead but did no want to skip grades. She wrote down the notes but did not really pay attention to the lecture and just looked out the window. After a couple hours the bell rang and the teacher explained what the next set of homework was and the class was dismissed. Avery got her stuff and made her way to her locker while holding her side for it was acting up. Avery got her book exchanged out and just wanted to get through her classes for the day and just go home and hope her dad was in a good mood. Once she got her stuff she just went off to her other classes. She was glad to have her art class at least for it was like her little sanctuary. Her teacher was impressed with her work and decided to put a picture of her angel and the dark figure that trapped her wings. Once lunch time arrived Avery was under the tree again while holding her side for it was really throbbing now and then from when her dad kicked her there last night.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans As the day continued, Roland did his normal routine and attended his classes, but his mind was still troubled over Avery. He realized on how poor she looked and how fragile she had acted towards him when they encountered each other, but he couldn't figure why. He came to conclude that she might be broke and poor because of the clothes that she constantly wears everyday, and maybe the stay away type persona could be from bullying by the other students. Roland's thought had made an unexpected yet silent voice that had came to his speech. "Yeah, that could be it. Now I think I figured it out." While his voice was in a indoor tone, it still made contact to someone's hearing as Steven turned to him while eating his lunch in the cafeteria. "Figured what out?" "What?" said Roland to see that his apparent voice of thought had made Steven's attention. "Oh, well I think I know what her problem could be, so right now I'm gonna go try and find her again." Roland began to get up from the table where they were sitting and make an attempt once again to find Avery. "Here we go again." said Steven As he left, he figured the first place to look was where she was last time of their first meeting, under the tree outside the school, so he continued to search while making his way there. Once he got there, he spotted her once again doing the same thing she was doing last time, so it came to no surprise but yet he wondered what she was doing in that little book of hers. As he made his way towards her, he looked down still standing while he was in front of her and started a conversation. "We meet again. Mind if I sit with you?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery had her sketch book out like normal for she carried it with her everywhere so when she got insperation she could draw it or jsut for when she wanted to draw all the darkness out of her so she would nt feel like it would consume her all of a sudden. But she just sat there with it in her hands not drawing or anyhting for she was more worried about her side more then anything for it was really hurting. She dug in her back and put a thermacare patch on her side in hopes it will help subside the pain a little. She looked up through the trees to the sky and wished she had wings so she could just fly away. For a while she closed her eyes after securing her shades on her face but her eyes snapped open when she heard Rolands voice and looked at him. "I am starting to think you are a stalker of some kind." SHe siad to him annoyed that he will not leave her alone for that was all she wanted was to be left alone. Avery could not understand why he wanted to talk to her for she did not look pretty or have stylish clothes, or anyhting that would made her approchable. "But unfortunatly its a free country and you can sit wherever you want." Was all she siad as she ran her fingers through her messy hair.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Once she said and confirmed that he could sit down with her, that is exactly what Roland did. After doing so, he thought for a moment about what she said, assuming that he was a stalker, so it kind of surprised Roland being called that for the first time. He knew he was nosy and he tended to get into stuff that didn't involve him of any sort, but he thought it was better than being a creep like he calls Steven all the time. As he made himself comfortable while sitting next to Avery, he began to look up at the view in the sky, or at least what he could see of it due to the bushy leaves in the tree above them. "It's a beautiful day huh?" said Roland as he tried to started a conversation. "The bright sun, the mild temperature, the cool breeze from the wind. It's perfect. Perfect to do just about anything wouldn't you say?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery sat there listening to him talk about how it was a beautiful day when she felt like it was just another day where she had to go to school then go home and try to clean, cook and other stuff for her dad and hope he will not beat her that would send her to the hospital. she just did not understand why someone like him wanted to be with her. "To you its a beautiful day but I see no beauty in it at all." She said to Roland as she sat there. She had no food with her and was not eatting for she had no money for lunch or had to make anything for her. "Man why is this lunch period so long I just wnat to leave." She siad not wanting to talk to him or anyhting. AVery was stubborn by nature and rather stubbornly avoid people ad try to survive on her own even if it meant leading a lonely life the lead her to die alone with no one knowing it.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans While enjoying what the weather had to offer, Roland heard Avery's reply and complaint as well. She looked at the day like it had nothing to show and wanted the lunch period to be over, but Roland couldn't understand why. It's days like this that make Roland just want to forget everything and just sit back and relax with no care in the world whatsoever. After listening to her negative comment, he responded on his behalf. "You must be hard headed to talk like that, I mean really, how could you say that?" He didn't want to sound offended, but he wanted to make a point so that she could even understand as he continued. "There is so many amazing things that the world can offer, whether we refuse to see them or not. I can't speak for everyone but I know most people would be very appreciative of days like this." Roland then began to make himself even more comfortable by adjusting his head to lay firmly on the tree with his body laying in the grass. He placed both of his hands behind his head and continued to look at the sky while talking to Avery. "It's days like this that makes you feel free."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones "Look I hate everyday of life and for your information I have not eaten so far today." Avery said angry for she wanted to be alone and this guy only annoyed her now by a lot. "Besides in my eyes I can;t see the beauty in anyhting just the depressing side to things and I have my reasons that you do not need to know." She said to him as she undid her braid and let her hair fall. It was long and a bit tangled up so she tried to comb herfingers through her hair. "Besides days like this only brings bad memroies making me feel more like an outcast." Avery explained as she finished combing her hair with her fingers and redid her braid before trying to stand. "ANd this day does not make me feel free it only makes me wish I was free." She explained to him as she looked down at him before picking up her bag. Avery started to walk away wanting to find a new spot to try to relax alone when her bag gave out and ripped having all the contents of the bag fall out. "You got to be kidding me I jsut fixed this stupid bag." She groaned as she bent down wincing but started to gather her stuff. THere were a couple text books, reading books, notes, and a lot of first said stuff like bandages, heat pads, ointments, creams, disinfectant, and pain killers. THere was even a kit to try to do stitches until she could go to the hospital and let a profssional do it. As she picked the stuff up her sleeve went up her arm revealing the bandages she had on one and the other with scars and new stitches.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans As Roland tried to keep relaxed and keep the conversation at a calm tone, the girl just wasn't really up for it as she continued with her stubbornness and hatred for things. Afterwards, she decided to move away from the tree and on to another spot because from the looks of it she was annoyed. As Roland watched her move with his feelings and perspective somewhat crushed due to her negativity, he saw that she had dropped her bag with everything in it falling out as well, so he got up really quickly to assist her with her belongings. Once there, he'd seen her books on the ground but also a lot of medical and first-aid stuff as well, something he did not expect for her to carry around, but then again she did mention that she has more of the treatment pads. Then, when she rolled up her sleeves, he noticed the injuries and bandages that were on her arms , as Roland looked surprised. Roland then decided to look at her as if he was going to speak again, but didn't want to say anything to make her mad or upset. He thought to himself Don't say anything. Don't say anything. You'll get her upset if you do. Just keep helping her. As he listened to his mind speak for him, he did exactly what it said and continued to help her even if she didn't want it.</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans As frustrated as Roland was, he heard out on what Avery had to say for herself as she started to defend her father on all the troubles that were caused by their past. She explained to him that she still cares for her father, even though she gets beaten and treated like dirt, in hopes that he could one day rid of his drunken aggression and back to his normal self again. It seemed as if she had deluded herself in hopes of happiness would return to her father, like if she had lost the reality of the fact that what he was doing to her was wrong but she accepted it anyways only to wait to see if he would one day come back to his senses to realize what he is doing to her. She kept speaking adding that she was afraid to leave him, yet she wants to get away from him because of the brutal stuff that he does to her, but to Roland it didn't make any sense. The fact that she had high hopes for him to reach his sanity and come back as a caring loving father was probably long gone, although Roland didn't want to admit that to her. "Well maybe-" Said Roland as he tried to speak up but became interrupted by what Avery had to say next. She had apologized to him for being stubborn and not cooperating, and decided that she would find someplace else to stay instead. What she had said made Roland confused while she started to grab her belongings and head straight towards the front door to exit. He didn't know what to do, but he did not mean anything offensive or mean, and sure didn't want her to leave because of his frustration. He hasn't been mad or frustrated for the longest time since he always tried to stay a positive type person, but the troubles presented to him was confusing that he didn't know what to make of it. He did know one thing for sure though, and that was he didn't want Avery to leave and go back to her home so that she could become a punching bag for her father. "Avery….WAIT!!" exclaimed Roland as he ran to the front door and guarded it to prevent Avery from leaving. "Please don't leave. I didn't mean anything bad. I just want to help you."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery was about to open the door to leave when she felt him grab her arm all of a sudden and she let ot a loud yelp of pain. "OW let go of my arm it hurts!" She siad for she has fresh bruises on there from her father's last beating so her arm was tender and sore at the moment. Though Avery had no clue why he stopped her for she thought he be happy that she would leave so he would not have tto deal with her and her contradicting side about her father. When she heard him say that he just wanted to help her she mainly just sighed. "Look its obviously a waste of time I will just leave go sleep in the park for the night." Avery explained to him as she got his hand off her arm and rubbed it for it was throbbing now. Avery was basically turned away from him as she held her arm wanting the pain to stop. "I mean how can you help, obviously I am messed up in the head about my father." She said to him fr that was what she was getting the feeling that he was thinking about her for she has heard it before by many pwople before she moved here. "I heave heard it all people telling how I am messed up in the head, freak, a nusiance, a pest on society, and that I should jsut die." Avery said to him for a lot of people just thought it was better to just have her gone then try to help her. "So yeah this is not all new to me about what people think about me."</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Roland was relieved that he stopped Avery before she could head out and not come back, but then realizing that he had grabbed her arm in the attempt to stop her, and seeing her reaction as he was hurting her in doing so, felt to him that it was necessary in order to get her attention before leaving. She yelled for him to let go and said to him that she'll just go to the park and stay the night there, but Roland wasn't going to let her. Afterwards, she pushed his hand off of her arm and gripped it from the aftermath of pain that arose, and he began to feel bad for what he had done to her. "Sorry." said Roland, for that was all he could really say. She then began to talk of how she felt screwed up and kept talking down about herself. She kept rambling on how other people would call her names and tell her that she just needs to die, and aware of what they think as well. As for Roland, he never thought that she was a freak or anything else in the matter, but just as a person in need of help from a horrible predicament that seemed to only get worse with each day. He too has had troubles in the past as well, stuff that he grew from that made him stronger as a person, so he only hoped that he could use what he had learned to win over Avery and make her see what needs to be done in order for peace to come back into her life. "Don't listen to any of them." said Roland as he tried to find the right words to make Avery feel better and hope that she will let him help her out of the mess she is in. "It doesn't matter what they think because they don't know the truth. The only thing that matters right now is that you are safe and away from the abusiveness." Roland walked up to her and placed both of his hands onto her shoulders as he was trying to make her feel better yet again. "You keep talking down about yourself like you shouldn't even exist, or that you should just drop dead and no one will even notice or care, but it ain't true. Nothing or what anyone says out there matters. The thing that matters most is that your ok and away from all of that." A small indication of a smile formed on Roland's face as he continued to lift Avery's spirits up. "Whatever problems you are having, I promise you I'll help you in any way possible and assure you that you won't face them alone." "Even if you are a little stubborn." Roland said while he giggled as he was in high hopes that what he was saying was working.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery looked at him when he talked to her about not listening to what other people say about he disappearing or dying. She only let out a sigh for she had very little faith in the wrld and people. "But even if they knew the truth wold there be any difference I mean sure it won't be what it is now but it will be shifted to a new set of torture at least that is what I think." Avery said to him on her opinion on how people are for she rarely meet anyone that cared about her. "Sorry I am not used to meeting people that care about me I am just used to people just being mean to me." She explained to him as she stood there while holding her arm still for it was throbbing still. She listened to him explain about what she said about herself and how f she were to die that someone would care but she did not see it. "I am sorry I just do not believe anyone will notice if I were to die all of a sudden and how can I be free I till live with him he is still my leagal guardian becaus he is my father." Avery explained to him for she can not avoid him forever. "I can;t just avoid him he can sober up long enough to file a police report about me missing." She said to Roland as she sighed a bit. "I feel like i am trap with him until I turn 18 since that is the age of an adult or where ever the law says for it to be that I can live on my own with out my father." She said to Roland as she sighed a bit before slouching to the ground and sat on the floor again. "I feel so trap in this dark hole that my father dug then started to dig it deeper myself just to protect my self and to live in a fantesy that dad may go back to his normal self one day." Avery said as she just sat there not knowing what to do to escape or how to get away from her life before she turns 18. She then ran her fingers through her long, very light red hair that looked pink, hair even though it was a tangled dury mess for she had not really bathed properly for a few weeks. She then looked at Rolans with a look saying i want to believe but do not know if I can. Sh really did nit knw if she ould do it or believe she could ever be free one day.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Roland had suspected enough that after everything he had said, he knew that Avery was just going to fill in everything he said to her with nothing but depressive statements of pessimism and doubt. It seemed as if he almost gave into it himself at first when all of this had started, but he knew that he would have to work his way around all the negativity and focus on how to solve her problem on her abusive father. She then began to droop and sit before him stating on how she feels trapped in a dark hole that she feels her father had made, saying that she wishes every day that her father would become his old self again. She then looked at him, a look he hasn't seen on her face before that he didn't know what to make of it. He felt as if she was just crying for help inside herself, but didn't know what exactly to do and seemed as if nothing would ever work to make things better. "Hmmm….." said Roland to himself as he kneeled down to where Avery was sitting in front of him. Instead of going on about convincing her on how he will help her, he stayed quiet for a minute just to think while he looked at the floor instead of looking straight at her, for he knows she will just look at him awkwardly. He began to think on what she had said earlier, like on how her father was still her legal guardian and how she couldn't leave until she at least 18 and not a minor anymore. He could probably find a solution out of those examples and put them intact for planning on how to get Avery away from her father, or at least for the time being. Just then, he noticed that Avery was playing with her hair somewhat, although it didn't look conditioned very well, he decided to stop planning to himself for a minute to make his attention back to her. Roland grinned at her before he could make her an offering on something that she probably needed as of now. "I tell you what. Why don't you head back into our bathroom and take a bath, just to….you know….clear your mind and relax for a bit." Roland then pulled himself back up onto his feet and wiped the dirt from the floor on his knees. "I'll be in here cleaning up our mess while you do so, okay?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery looked at him as he sat in front of her while she messed with her crazy hair that really needed a good cleaning. She just messed with it for it was a weird habit she got into for her hair was really long and she mainly trimmed it herself t save money frm hair cute. ANd she had lots of time to practice cuttting her hair to where it looks like someone at a salon did it. She then looked at him when he offered her to go take a bath and relax. "Um but what am I going to do fr clothes since this is the only outfit I own." She said to him as she stood up slowly while messing with her long hair still. But she had to admit a show sounded good right now for it had been awhile since she last bathed and cleaned her hair and get freashened up. "But getting clean up does sund really good for its been a while since I last got cleaned up." She said to him as she looked at her dirty hair that dirt can be seen along with her tangles and craziness her hair was. "Um do you havee scissors I can borrow and its not hurt myself with I cut my own hair most of the money goes to dads food and beer so I give myself hair cuts." She explained to him for Avery did not want Roland to think she was planning on killing herself her hair just needed a trim.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans Once Roland had gotten up to his feet and made the offer for Avery to take a bath while he cleaned up a little bit, she then decided to stand on her feet as well while still messing with her hair. She had also followed up with a question asking to what she was going to wear after doing so because the outfit that she already had on, well, it was her only outfit. She came across also saying that a bath sounded really good to her as she was still playing with her hair whilst saying so. Roland smiled at her and began to answer her question once she was finished. "I think I have a pair of pajama's in my room that are clean and I barely wear them so you can use those if you want." As he finished, he went right across her so that he could try to get her some clean clothes so that she would have something to wear after she finished bathing. All of a sudden, she popped another question to him before he could make it into his room, asking if she could borrow a pair of scissors to cut her hair. At first, Roland didn't know what to think, only to assume though that she was going to cut herself, but afterwards she explained that she cuts her own hair and had no intention of doing such a thing. "Uhh…..yeah….sure……just uh….give me a minute," he said. As Roland went into his room, he opened his top drawer to grab a pajama shirt and pants that were folded up so that he could give them to Avery. Then, he placed the pair of pajama's down onto his bed to grab a pair of scissors out of his desk drawer near his bed so that he could give those to her as well. He thought at first it wasn't a good idea knowing the state of mind that Avery was in and how fragile she was that she would do something drastic, but she had seemed honest about everything else, and seeing as how it all made sense, the only thing he could do was trust her. He closed his top drawer with the scissors in his hands, worried still that she would try something suicidal, and grabbed the pajama's off his bed and went back into the main room. "All right, here you go," said Roland once he approached Avery and handed her what he had to give her.</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones The officer looked at Roland when he asked that and thought for a minute. "Hmm that would alright if there is someone willing to take her in they would jsut hve to fill out some paperwork and wrk along the social worker that will be assigned to her." THe officer explained to Roland for Avery needed a gaurdian since she was still a minor by state. The officer got a call on the radio and left the room to take care of it. When he left Avery slowly opened her eyes and saw Roland in a bright white room that did not look familiar to ehr at first. "Roland?" She aked him as she looked around looking very confused at what was going on and where she was. "Where am I?" she asked as she tried to move but winced and felt so sore. "and why do I hurt so much and feel all bandaged?' Avery was full of qetions while still being a bit loopy frm the medicine that kept her asleep for a long period of time while she was in surgery. Avery soon saw the montors in the room and felt the oxygen mask thing on her nose. "Am I in the hospital?" SHe asked him as se tried to figure out why and how she got there for she knew it was not her dad who called for help or anything.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Roland listened to the reply of the officer on the idea that Roland had, and the officer stated that it would be on ok terms, but other things would need to be completed. Roland heavily sighed and replied to the policeman as well. "I'll have to talk to my friend's parents then, maybe they'll help me with her." After the officer had gotten another radio call, he left the both of them in the room as the two of them were alone once again, only this time something else happened. Hearing his name called, Roland turned around to find that Avery had awoken from her sleep, seeing that she was confused as to where she was. His face was in shock yet in happiness as well, as she continued asking questions like where she was and why she was in pain and bandaged. He ran over to her and spoke up in a happily tone. "Avery, you're ok," he said to her, "You're ok." After asking if she was in a hospital, he replied to answer her question. "Well, basically yeah," said Roland, "The police came in right after you passed out, then they called an ambulance and drove you all the way here. It looked really scary, but the main thing is that they got you here, and that you are ok."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery lookd at Roland wen he siad she ws ok a cuple times and just looked at him confused mainly for she was having a hard time remembering what had happened for that was a sideeffect with her at times for after blacking ot she would have a small or large case of amnesia depending the injury. "What about my dad though if he finds out I am in the hospital... She said freaking a bit for she knew hwe dad would not be happy to get another hsopital bill. "Wait you said police officer?" She asked him for she was confused about why the police as there in the first place. "Why was a police officer at my house?" SHe asked for she never called them and does not really know anyone that would call it in for she believed most people did not care about her. Th nurse walked in and called the doctor when she saw her awake. The doctor came in and started to examine her to see if she ok with her vitals, sight, and functions. "Well things seem to check out but you need to stay in the hospital for a coupple day for you has surgery so want to make sure your recovery is ok and to figure other stuff out." The doctor siad as Avery just was confused for her dad always convinced doctors to lt her go home earlier then she should. The officer was talking to the poeple about maybe a possible family taking her in and to hold off on the foster homes.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Roland became of a lesser worried person when Avery had awoke, but she was still in a confused state and didn't seem to really remember anything from earlier. After he was done speaking to her, she replied about her father, developing a worried expression when she mentioned if he found out she was being hospitalized. "I think he has more things to worry about right now," replied Roland, "The police had taken him into custody earlier and…" Before he could finish, Avery overheard about the police being at her house made more of a confusion to her, wondering as to why they were there. Roland answered the question for her before just before the doctor came in with some news for her. "From what I know," said Roland, "The neighbors called in some sort of complaint or something, so the police came by right after I did. To be honest, I didn't know what to think myself." The doctor had came in afterwards for a quick examination on Avery, and after doing so, he told her that she was going to be fine, but needed to stay a couple days due to her undergo in surgery. Roland didn't want to interrupt the doctor with the news he was giving, so he stayed quiet until he left, yet he also began to overhear something else as well. The police officer from earlier was in conversation for information on getting Avery into a foster home, but afterwards to call off of it as well due to what Roland had offered to do for Avery. Once it had came up, he decided to let Avery in on the information as well, so he went up to her once more and began to talk about what he had planned for her. "Avery," said Roland, "How would you like to come and stay with me at the house? My place……I mean, Steven's place? Just for, you know, like, temporary or something?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones AVery just listened to to Roland as he explained everything and she was shocked with everything espeically about her dad n custody but she was scared for now she had no place to stay or who will take her in for foster cares scared her for she heard most of them were not that great at all. She just looked at Roland when he asked about her styaed with him and and Steven's family. "I guess so that is if they are willing to have me there and I would not be a burden on them." She said to him for she does not want to cause problems or trouble. Avery laid back feeling some pain but she ignored it and looked tired a bit. "I am sorry Roland I am feeling sleepy again right now and feel so out of it." he said for her medicine plus anistiecia was not helping her at all. "I am going to sleep for a while you can stay if you like I don;t mind." She said as she closed ehr eyes again and was out. TThe nurse walk in and gave her a shot fr it was time for it. "She should be fine she will be like this on and off for a few days die to medicine and recovering from surgery." The nurse explain to Roland. 'nd visiting hours are almost over to let you know sir and since you are not family you need to get home soon." The nurse explain t Roland as she left the room and dimmed the lights in the room to let Avery sleep in the bed. Soon the officer came back. "Is there someone I can call for you ordo you need a ride abck to where you live?" The officer asked Roland since he drove the boy there and was going off duty soon.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Roland, asking the question of Avery wanting to stay with him at a home that wasn't even of his, made him feel uneasy fro some sort of reason, knowing that Steven's parents might not be open to the idea of someone else staying in their home, but also knowing that they are very nice and kind people, he assumed that they wouldn't have a problem with it hopefully. He knows he'll have to ask them first, but he also knew not to ask Steven what he thinks on it either. After he asked the question to her, Avery's response being for an ok go as long as she wouldn't be any trouble to them, he smiled at her spoke following her response. "You won't be any trouble," he said, "I'm pretty sure they wouldn't mind. Steven on the other hand…..well……he'll eventually get over it." A minute later, Avery was telling Roland how sleepy she was feeling and that she was in need of rest for now, but also told him that he could stay if he wanted to. Once hearing that, he couldn't make up his mind if he should stay or head back home, yet knowing he had school as well and not wanting to miss a day or two, the current situation was more important. Just then after, a nurse came in right after Avery fell asleep, stating that visiting hours were almost over and that he would need to leave Avery's room for tonight. "Y-yeah, ok," he said, hesitant on what to do and say, but stood in place for a moment as the lights in the room dimmed while Avery slept. He really didn't want to leave, but seeing that he has no relation to her, he didn't have a choice either. Soon after, when Roland turned around to leave the room, the officer from earlier came in to see Roland and ask if he needed anything, such as to make a phone call or a ride, and Roland answered his question to what he wanted to do. "Um, well I know I'm probably going to need a ride," said Roland to the officer, "Since I no other way to go of course. But…um…. I'll also need to tell them what's up as well, so if you have a phone, sir, could I use it for a moment?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones The officer smiled at Roland and pulled out his cellphone and handed it to Roland. "Go ahead and use my phone to call them lad while I get a few things taken care of." The officer aid as he went to te doctor who got a copy of all his finding and the officer went over it again looking at all the pictures while sighing a bit as h looked over it for he has a daughter and e could never imagine doing that to his own but to see another father doing it made him upset. "Man poor kid she has been through so much I still cant believe she is alive." The officer siad as he closed the file. "Indeed it only shows that her will power is strong but I could tell when she came here that that flame to keep her will was dimisnishing." The doctor explained as the officer sighed. "I know a a father to a little girl I wonder who a man can do that to their little girl even when things go bad." Th doctor said and the officer nodded as he took the rile and went back to Roland to see if he as ready to leave. The officer walked up to Roland. "Ready to go lad?" He asked him and tried to smile at Roland.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans After asking the policeman if he could use his phone, the officer smiled at him and handed Roland his cell phone, telling him he could use while he left to go talk to the doctor for a moment. Once he had a hold of the cell phone, he decided to dial the number that would call the house phone of his house so that he could inform Steven and his parents that he was headed to the house by a police escort, this way when he got there they wouldn't be all worried and questioned assuming something terrible has happened with him. Once he dialed the house number, he let the phone ring a couple of times, waiting on an answer. Instead of hearing a third ring, he heard Steven's voice. "Noonan's Morgue," said Steven on the other line, making a joke. "Hey, Steven," said Roland, "Can you hear me?" "What? Roland? Hey man, where in the world did you disappear to?" replied a puzzled Steven, "And whose phone are you using?" "Well…." said Roland, with a chuckle due to his friend not knowing of the whereabouts or situation Roland had gotten himself into, "I need to explain myself I know, but long story short, I'm headed that way with the police." "WHAT!?" said Steven, "The police? What happened?!" "I'll tell you when I get there, and no I'm not in trouble. I have to go, so I'll see you when I get there," stated Roland as he hit the end button to hand up the cell phone given to him. After the short conversation, the police officer walked back up to the boy and asked him if he was ready to leave, so Roland replied with an answer, also handing him his cell phone back as well. "Yes, sir. Ready when you are."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones The officer smiled and lead Roland the way to his cop car and let Roland get in before he did and got the car started up. "Alright then all I need is your adress and then we will be off." The officer said as the radi went off andhe ansered. "I am taking the boy back hme then I shall head to the station with the examine report from the doctor." Th officer said as he palced the folder with Avery's name on it on the dash. The perosn on the radio said ok and then he placed his radio down and once he got Roland's adres he started to make his way there. He drove in the quiet for he needed to be able to hear the radio for him to speed off in a flash. "We should be there in just a few minutes." The officer sad as they drove up to his house and ocne there he pulled up an unlcked his car. "Alright here is my card if the family is willing to take her in have them call me and we will get things straighted out for her and your family." He siad to Roland as he pulled out his card and handed to him so he could have.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans Once everything was settled and confirmed, the policeman led Roland out of the hospital and towards his vehicle so that he may take the boy home. After opening the passengers side of the car for Roland, he asked him for address so that he may know where exactly to take him, so Roland spoke to the officer, telling him the location. "I think it's one seventy four, eleventh street if I'm certain, but I'm pretty sure it is," said Roland. Once he told the officer, then a quick confirmation through the radio between the police, the officer drove out of the hospital parking lot, and proceeded onto the streets to take Roland home. After a few minutes had passed from a very quiet ride, Roland having the thoughts of worry, hoping Avery was going to be ok in the hospital, the officer told Roland in a couple of minutes that they will reach the destination of his home, so Roland did was nod his head to him as an ok. Another couple of minutes had passed, only to see that Roland spotted his home in the officer's side window view. Once they had made it and stopped, the policeman unlocked the door for the boy to get out and return to his place, and in doing so, decided to give him a card that contained information on the policeman and how to contact him, telling Roland that if the parents agree for Avery to stay with them to give him a call. "Yes, sir," said Roland as he took the card from the man, "I'm going to talk with them right away." After he got out of the car and had taken the card from the officer, he closed the door on the passenger side and had waved goodbye to the policeman, walking up to the doorway while doing so. Once he made it to the door, he knocked on it to see it anyone would open it, and much to his surprise, Steven greeted him inside. "Roland," said Steven, "You're home. Say, is the police car still here?" When Steven mentioned about the police car, Roland pointed over to the right to let him see it for a moment before the officer took off in it.</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery was asleep in the hospital still not knowing the news got wind of this and wa all over her old house, her father and the hspital she was in and doctors were refusing to let them in so Avery could rest with no stress for Avery had enough of this but the news was still going. "In tonights story a young girl that goes by tthe Name Avery Jones was found in her house that her alcoholic father where she has ben brutely abused to where he almost killed her." THe news lady said another another was near her father. Sir can you explain why you would harm your only child?" the news lady asked. "BEcause everything is that brats fault she is the reason why her motehr left me." He yelled and police restrained him. "No more questions this man is mentally unstable." the officers siad as they dragged Averys father off. THen the New was infront of her hospital. "And we are hre at the hospital that Avery Jones wa rushed to but as you can see doctors and nurses are keeping us ut and check all the patients and otehr staff in case they ahve taken her picture to sell to the press to respect the girls privacy but the question is that is what her father siad true is it her fault that her other left her family." The news person said and it was on at all news station to were the police had to intervean and force them off the premisses. The doctor sighed and was glad Avery was asleep in her room and not watching tv since the news took over all the channels. "Hopefully the news dies down by tomorrow though i fear it will not so what every happens do not let AVery trun her tv on or radio on if she wants to watch something put a movie in instead." The doctor said and the staff nodded and put it on her door and chart so others would known.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans A couple of minutes afterwards, Roland decided to go inside and head straight for the couch, plopping down on it from being a little overtired, yet kept very quiet as well. Once Steven had closed the front door and locked it for the night, he went over to where Roland was sitting and asked him of what had happened. "Roland?" asked Steven, then again with another question, "You okay man?" Once the very weary teen had heard his friend asking if he was alright, Roland leaned sluggishly down into the couch with a reply in a whisper. "I don't know, to be honest. I just feel very terrible for some reason." Then, realizing before he could do anything else, he remembered that a discussion was needed between him and Steven's parents, the Noonan's, so he asked his friend of their whereabouts. "Say Steven," said Roland, then following up with a question, "Is your parents here, or are they still gone?" "Oh…..um…..gone," said Steven, "Well, at least mom is. She had to work overtime tonight, but dad is here……asleep." "Oh," replied Roland, afterwards following up with a heavy sigh, "I guess it can wait till tomorrow." Once he found out that he wasn't going to be to talk about a place for Avery to stay, he thought the best option would be for him to just go to bed, so he got himself up off the couch and headed straight for his bedroom. "Wait," said Steven, bringing Roland to a halt, "Are you going to tell me what happened at least?" Roland turned back to Steven for a moment and replied. "Tomorrow," he said, "I promise you, ok?" Once all was said and done, he made way into his room and closed the door behind him, flopping down onto his bed and ready to go to sleep. Though the thought crossed him that he was suppose to write in his journal about his day, he instead decided to wait until tomorrow morning to fill in what he had witnessed, and slowly his eyes began to close. Forgetting that he still had his clothes on and not bothering to turn out his light, he fell asleep, only to wait for a new day to come of a situation he didn't know if he is capable of handling.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Morning soon came and Avery was being checked over by the doctor again as the nurses brought in a bunch of movied which she found weird since she just wanted to watch normal TV not a movie since it was a pain to have to wait to put a new one in. She was just conufsed as the nurse ut the disney movie in and hit play and they left the room leaving her to watch the movie. "what is going on?" She asked herself noticing she did not even ahve a remote either and was geting very suspicous about what was going on. As she watched the movie a rreporter has snuck into the hospital and as Avery was watching the weird movie for movies weere foriegn to her since she was always doing something and never had time to watch something. And soon she was ambushed. "Mrs. Jones please tell us what was it like to live with a man that treated as if you were a bg on society." he siad and Aveyr screamed at the top of her lungs as she held her rib cage and started to throw stuff at them and the nurses rushed in with security. "Please Mrs. Avery give us a quote." THey said as security pulled them out and confiscated the camera for this was againts Avery's will. AFter they got the tape they threw the reporter out and told any one else that tried to do what he did will be arrested. Avery wa in shock and the doctors gave her something to help her go back to sleep. Avery slowly driffted off to sleep and the doctors sighed in relief. "Those stupid idiots she is recvering still shock and a high heart rate is not good for her at the moment." The doctor siad as the nurses got Avery resituated on her bed as she slept.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans The next day had risen a little late for Roland from the current events that had kept him in exhaust and worry yesterday. Seeing that the ray of the sun had came from the blinds of his window onto his eyes, it didn't look as it phased him much, but instead he decided to pull the sheets over his head, not wanting to get up whatsoever, even though it was a school day as well. A couple of minutes later, Steven's father, Mr. Noonan, had walked into Roland's room, telling him of the time and had some news to share with him as well. "Hey, Roland?" said Mr. Noonan, flicking on the boy's bedroom light while speaking to him, "It's pretty late buddy, you need to hop out of bed. I have something to show you." Once Roland had heard Steven's father, he quickly removed the sheet from his head, looking over to his doorway where Mr. Noonan was standing with a tiresome look on his face. Once Mr. Noonan walked out of his room, Roland got out of bed and left the room as well, following the man into the main room where their television set was on. On it showed a paused segment of a newscast with a headline on the bottom of a screen stating of an abused teen being hospitalized. "Steven told me that you needed to discuss something with us," said Mr. Noonan as he took a seat onto the couch, grabbing the remote from the coffee table, "And I'm certain it had to do about this girl here, right? Isn't this the one who stayed here a couple of days ago?" "Uh…" said Roland, lost for words at the moment due to the conversation he held for yesterday to be confronted as of now unexpectedly, but agreed to talk about it while had the chance. "Yes sir, it is." The television showed a picture of Avery and another one of her father as well, stating the current whereabouts of the both of them. Her being hospitalized, and him currently being held in prison. "Why didn't you tell us about this sooner Roland," said Mr. Noonan, "You know we are here to help you with anything. We might not be your parents, but you can still come to us." "N-no sir, it isn't that I couldn't trust you," replied Roland, "I…..made a promise……to her. S-she told not to tell anyone, otherwise it would of became worse with her and her father. I wasn't even suppose to know." "I see," said Mr. Noonan, "Well, it's fine, but it isn't fine. You have a friend right now in the hospital and the best thing for you to do is be with her and support her. I tell you what, go ahead and get ready to go." "Huh?" said Roland, questioned to what intentions Mr. Noonan had. "I'm going to take you to the hospital to see your friend," stated Mr. Noonan, "We will talk more about everything in the car. Right now, you need to hurry and get ready, ok?" "Yes, sir," said Roland as he hurried back to his room quickly as could to get dressed and ready to go see Avery again.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery was fast asleep in her room still for the meds they gave her still had effect and the doctors thought it was the best she was asleep still and put some stuff in her IV to gier her vitamins she neded and once she wakes up they would give her something to eat. But the Pres was making it har for other patients to ge tin for they were bribing them to get information on Avery. Soon the Polie arrived and pushed them back as the head of the hospital came out. "See here this is a hospital and we have other patients to deal with and you are making that impossible like we said we are nt realeasing any information n the Girl Avery and we are sueing the comapny that got into her room and almost scared her to death and if any of you try that we are pressing charges and sueing." He said as the press thought but still tried to ask questions about Avery and the man gave up and told Police to keep them back and have a path opened up for other patients or visitors. THe police officer nodded and got to work with her men. Avery had finally woken up frm the meds and the nurse brought over food in her room. "Eat what you can dear and do nt worry those nasty people will not get in a second time but if they do just push this button and security will rush in." The nurse said as she gave Avery a button and she looked at it before nodded at her before she started to eat and admitted that the food was relly bland but at least she was eatting and not starving herself anymore.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans A few minutes later that day, Roland was riding in the car with Steven's father, Mr. Noonan, as they both progressed their way to the hospital to see Avery and make sure she was ok, continuing the conversation they began at their home earlier. "So I'm guessing Steven went to school today, right?" questioned Roland, remembering that even with all the bizarre events happening, it still was a school day, and he missed all his classes as well. "Well," began Mr. Noonan as he drove the family vehicle to their destination, "He argued me about staying home because I told him not to wake you up, but I made him go anyway. He wasn't very happy with me when he left." Hearing about the small disagreement that Steven and his father had earlier made Roland smile and laugh a little bit, then gave his opinion on the situation. "Steven makes a fuss over anything and everything, that's for sure." "That he does," said Mr. Noonan, agreeing with Roland and laughing with him. Looking out of the passenger side of the window where he was sitting, Roland glimpsed at the street while they were riding, then coming to a red light giving them the intent to stop. The conversation that they were having seemed to make a very short ride for the both of them, but Roland still wondered how long it would be before they get to the hospital. "Are we almost there?" asked Roland. Once the green light had appeared, the vehicle continued on the road as Mr. Noonan answered the boy's question. "Let me get to this turn up here and then you'll know in a minute." A minute later, making a complete stop due to a stop sign, then seeing the coast was clear of any other car in the way, Mr. Noonan proceeded with making a left turn with the vehicle, showing right in front of them the hospital from the windshield view. As they got closer, they also noticed the parking lot being full of news trucks and reporters from the local news stations around town, assuming the fact that they were trying to grab information on what they could about Avery. As they pulled up to the parking lot, Roland looked to see nothing but a bunch of camera crews standing in the middle of the place, trying to find a way inside the hospital. "Gee," said Roland, amused at the scenery, "All of them are here for Avery?" "Looks that way, doesn't it," said Mr. Noonan, finally finding an empty parking space and place the vehicle into the spot he found. After doing so, he shut the engine off and got out of the car, speaking to Roland about the current event going on outside the hospital. "Sure is a mess out here, isn't it?" said Mr. Noonan. "I'll say," replied Roland, getting out of the car as well and closing the car door behind him, "But how are we going to get inside with all of them piling at the entrance like they are?" "I'll figure something out," said Mr. Noonan as he and Roland began to walk towards the hospital to head inside, "Hopefully." Once they got to the entrance, it was very hard to see due to the fact that it was piled up with news reporters trying to get in, but Mr. Noonan began to push some of them aside, Roland following behind him, as he made it to the doorway, seeing the police guarding it from the inside to prevent any of them getting through. Once both of them made contact with the doorway, they stood there to see if the police would let them through, trying to avoid getting toppled by news reporters and camera crews as well.</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Roland and Mr. Noonan tried their best to avoid being pushed and shoved by a bunch of interviewers trying to get a hold of information about Avery, but once one of the officers that Roland was familiar with came to help them in, their luck had changed. The officer explained that people have been crowding the place trying to get in, even that one made a successful attempt inside and scaring Avery, which in most cases wasn't surprising. "It happens," said Mr. Noonan to the officer. After they were safely inside, a doctor had came up to them recognizing Roland from yesterday and telling him that he had permission go see Avery in the room she was currently in, so he decided to follow behind a nurse that was to lead to her room, Mr. Noonan behind as well. While doing so, they saw that before they even got close, a camera man and a reporter was trying to sneak into the room, a police man then coming along to tackle them and escort them out of the hospital. The doctor then gave his opinion on the matter, questioning why they would do such a thing as invade someone's privacy. "Getting that top story is all they care about," replied Mr. Noonan, "They'll do anything in their power to get it too." "Yeah, but it ain't right," followed up Roland as they continued towards Avery's room, "They surely don't care, that's for sure. I just hope Avery is ok, especially with of this happening." As they made it to their destination, the nurse opened the door for Roland and Mr. Noonan, walking in as they both spotted Avery, her spotting them as well while she was still in her hospital bed, saying hello to Roland. He placed his hands into his pockets, mouthing hello to her, but her also noticing the person behind him made her scared for a minute, then Roland starting to notice and explain to her who it was. "Oh, um….Avery, this is Mr. Noonan, Steven's father," said Roland, "He drove me here to come and check up on you." "Hello Avery," said Mr. Noonan to the girl, "It's very nice to meet you." After so, a nurse came to check up on Avery, giving her treatments and such, then leaving after the doctor had walked in next, telling her that she was in need of rest. "So she's going to be ok doctor?" questioned Roland</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery was still a bit scared when she saw Mr. Noonan. "Uh yeah noce to meet you too.' She sad after learning that he was Stevens dad and then turned ehr attention back to the doctor when he examined her. "She should be fine she just need quiet and away from the press. The doctor said to Roland as he fnished examning Avery. Avery just tred to relax in the bed as the doctor left to put some stuff on the charts and wld come back later. Avery then looked at Roland after the doctor left. "You look a bit out of it Roland did you sleep ok?" She asked him as she relaxed a bt in her bed. Once ina while she glanced at mr. Noonan wonderng why he was here for it did scare her for now she was acred easily by things even though sh was finally from from her dad. She lookd at Roland mainly. "SO how come you did not go to school?" She asked Roland for she knew it was a school day. She looked tired still and could hear the press outside her window and was glad the curtains were closed and window was lockd so they clould not get in after the first one came in.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans After the doctor examined Avery, he overheard Roland's question, replying by stating that she would be ok, as long as the press doesn't barge in. It was very relieving to Roland, finally getting to hear that Avery would be ok, and that he wouldn't have to worry anymore. "That is some good news, huh?" said Mr. Noonan, following up to what the doctor stated on Avery's condition. Roland smiled after hearing all of this, but then his weariness began to show as well while he yawned for a minute from being overtired. Avery looked at him and asked if he slept alright, so he replied with a somewhat tiresome tone in his voice. "Oh," he said, quietly laughing to himself, "Yeah, just….uh…..little bit of…um……" While Roland tried to finish talking, Avery asked another question on why he wasn't in school, preventing him from finishing his first answer and making him struggle on the next question. He became quiet for a moment, trying to find the right words to say to Avery, but due to the happiness and tiredness he felt, he couldn't say anything. Instead, Mr. Noonan walked up a little behind Roland, placing his hands on his shoulders, and answered the question for the boy. "I let him stay home," said Mr. Noonan to Avery, "My boy Steven told me of what had happened, well, he showed me on the television first."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery looked that them as she sat there and noticed Roland loked really tired and soon pushed the nurse button and a nurse came in. "What is it Avery?" TTh nurse asked. "can you get my friend t relax on he is very tired?" she asked and the nurse nodded. "Sure dear I will be right back." The nurse said as she went to go look for something for Roland to sit or lay on so he would not fall over. Soon the nurse soon came back with a chair the relined back. "Here you go you can lay in this it will recline back so you can lay back." The nurse said as she locked the wheels in place. "Anything else you want Avery." The nurse asked and Avery shook her head. "No thank you I a good now and thank you." She siad as the nurse smiled and walked out. "Go ahead Roland and relax before you fall down from passing out." Avery said to Roland for she wanted him to be ok and felt bad he was tired because of her. "Um I have to as Mr. Noonan why are you here?" She asked him as she looked at him for she had no clue why he was here also for she knew Roland was going to talk to him about them fostering her but she did not expect him to actually ask.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans After Mr. Noonan answered Avery's question for Roland, the girl then decided to do a favor for Roland, seeing that he looked very exhausted and wore out, mainly because he was. She decided to call in a nurse and ask her to get something for Roland to sit and relax in so that he could feel better. "Wait, you don't…..have…..to" said Roland to the nurse, but noticing that she had already left, there was no point in telling her anymore. "I think you need it Roland," said Mr. Noonan, "It wouldn't hurt to try and rest for a little bit, with all this stress you're putting on yourself." "I guess," said Roland to Mr. Noonan, agreeing with him of the much needed rest and relaxation needed. Once the nurse came back with a chair, she told Roland it was a reclining chair so that he could lay back and get more comfortable in it, but before he did, he looked at it and observed it for a moment, then looked at the nurse to say thank you. "Ok. Thank you ma'am," said Roland to the nurse. Afterwards, the nurse asked Avery if she was in need of anything else, but once the girl said no and thank you, the nurse departed from the room. After she had left, Avery told Roland to go ahead and get into the chair and try to lay down and get comfortable. "Right," said Roland, making his way over to the chair as he gently placed himself in it, trying to ease off the stress he had. "That work for you buddy?" said Mr. Noonan to Roland, asking to see if the chair was good enough for the boy. "Yes sir," said Roland, beginning to finally relax and feel at ease. Then, out of curiosity, Avery looked over to Mr. Noonan and had asked him why he was there, so he decided to answer her question. "Well, basically I'm here to support Roland," he began stating, "I took off work today to help him get here to see you. He looked like he wasn't able to cope right with something, so my son Steven filled me in about the two of you. He seems to really care about you, that's all I know. Oh, and also, he wanted to talk to me about something." "Uh….yeah," said Roland, "Well…..um……you see…..um……"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery relaxed in her bed as she listened to what they had to saw and she felt embaressed by it and lsitened to what Roland had to say and sighed. "He wants to ask you to see if it is ok if you guys could foster me." Avery said to Mr. Noonan as she looked down. "Roland offered to have your family foster me but I said as long as yo were ok with it for I did not want to intrude or anything. Avery finished explaining to MR. Noonan. "If you can't its ok the officer said there are places that cna take me its just not in this city." Avery said to him not trying to make him feel bad. She then pulled the blankets up for she was starting to freeze a bit as she sat there and wnated her crtins open to let the sunlight warm her but since tthe press was also at her window that was not a possibility. Soon voics were heard outside her window of omeone tryng to unlock her window and she pushed the nurse button and she came back. "I think someone is triyng to break the lock to my window." Avery said as shte nurse sighed and called over and officer and he came in as the nurse moved anotehr curtain to block the beds veiw. The officer opened the curtains and screams were heard frm the press for they did not expect to see tthe officer. He opened the window. "I.D.s and name ofcompany you work fr now and try to run we will arrest you. He said and the two handed over the stuff and he wrote them a big fine and ggave them the ticket and they rushed off. The over relocked the window and closed the curtin. "Sorry about that." He siad as he left an the nurse moved the crtain arund the bed back and left the room.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Seeing that Roland couldn't reply to Mr. Noonan's question properly from anxiety of him probably giving negative feedback, Avery instead answered the question for him, telling the man that Roland was going to ask if they would take her in and care for her, otherwise she would have to move to another foster home that would intentionally be out of town, yet she didn't want to be a hassle for them either. "I see," said Mr. Noonan, looking over at Roland rubbing his eyes as he was trying to keep himself awake, then turned over back to Avery to give an answer. "Well it woul-" All of a sudden, noise was being made outside from all the reporters and camera crews trying to get into Avery's room, so she decided to alert the nurse and tell her situation, and the nurse went to inform the policemen about the predicament as well. The officer that let both Roland and Mr. Noonan inside the hospital earlier then went into the room and over to the window, ridding the curtains out of his way to catch and scare the news reporters and such. After all was taking care of, he apologized to everyone in the room for his behavior, yet he was only trying to do his job, and left the room. After he left, Mr. Noonan looked over at both Avery and Roland, surprised as to what had happened. "This sure is turning out to be pretty crazy isn't it?" said Mr. Noonan to both of them. "You don't know the half of it," said Roland in a tiresome voice, "But I really don't either, to be honest. But um……about the……you know….." "Hm? Oh wait," said Mr. Noonan, just now remembering about the situation from earlier about Avery staying with them. "Well, what can I say? I don't have a problem with it." Once Roland had heard that, he stood up with a little bit of shock for a moment. He didn't think he would say yes, but otherwise think of it as another issue for them. "Wait, really?" said Roland to Mr. Noonan, "Just like that?" "Well why not?" said Mr. Noonan with a smile, "I have no problem with. I trust you Roland, and Avery over here seems like a very nice girl. Her staying with us I feel would help her begin a new life."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery sighed at the whole thing with the police for she just wanted to be left alone for se hated all this attention for stuff like this only gives her pity or people that use it to make her life miserable by teaseing hr or bullying her with it. After the officer did his thing and listened to what Mr. Noonan said and was shocked by it. "Wait are you sure it is ok for me to stay with you I don't want to be a burden or anyhting on you guys." Avery ssaid to him for she did not to trouble at all. Avery just wanted to make sure for she did not want her hopes to get up. "I mean with how the press is acting I am sure that they will hound you and our family the way there are here." She explained to him wanting him to know what might happen. SHe laid back a bit for she was getting a bit tired jsut bcause she feel a bit emotionally drained a bit emotionally with how everything was happening.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans Mr. Noonan and Roland listened to Avery after the man gave his answer, hearing her asking if it was ok and talking about of her being a troublesome responsibility, also mentioning about the press being nosy and nerve wrecking as they were now. Once she was finished, Mr. Noonan replied. "I'm not very worried about all of those people out there," said Mr. Noonan to Avery, "I can figure something out about them somehow, so that isn't a problem." "She thinks she'll be a problem staying with us though," said Roland, getting into the conversation, "Like when she stayed at the house a couple of nights ago." "I don't see how," said Mr. Noonan, "Me and Mrs. Noonan did the same thing for you Roland when your parents decided to move out of town, and to this day, you aren't a hassle to us. With Avery there, it won't be any different." Roland leaned up a little from the chair, scratching the back of his head and spoke up about the topic of conversation. "You see Avery?" he said looking over to Avery, "You won't be any trouble. You can live with us and begin a new life and everything else. You won't have to worry about a thing." "He's right," said Mr. Noonan to Avery as well, following up to what Roland said, "We will keep you safe and out of harm."</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans After Mr. Noonan finished, giving a positive answer by telling Avery that she can stay with them, the girl replied with a thank you, following up by stating on what help she could be around their house, like cleaning and cooking so that it would be like paying her way to live with them. "I wouldn't expect that of you," said Mr. Noonan to Avery, "But I think it would help the missus out a little bit." "We need to make arrangements and stuff sir, you know?" said Roland, butting in the conversation with a situation for solving, "Like where would she sleep and all of that." "Oh trust me, I know" replied Mr. Noonan, "We will get to the bottom of it. Maybe have a family meeting or something so we can get it figured out." All of a sudden, Roland stomach had started growling, forgetting that he didn't eat anything before they left. Once Mr. Noonan heard it loud and clear, he asked the boy a question. "Wow Roland," he said, "Must be starving, huh?" "Huh?" said Roland, looking as if he was a little embarrassed by the loud rumble his stomach had made, "Oh…..uh…..yeah I g-guess so." "Tell you what," stated Mr. Noonan to both Roland and Avery, "I'll go find a vending machine or something and grab us something to eat ok?" "That's fine I guess," said Roland, "You want me to go?" "You stay here with Avery, I can do it by myself," said Mr. Noonan, then walking towards the door and opening it to exit, but before going he had one more question. "Roland, anything specific you want?" "Anything is fine right now sir," replied Roland "Ok then," he said, then turning his attention to Avery, "What about you Avery? Anything in particular?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery just watched the two talk and laughed a bit when she heard Rolands stomach growl all of a sudden for she thought it wass cute and funny. She watched them talk and just sat there. She was not hungry for she had eaten but her stomach was still off a bit. She listened to them and looked at Mr. Noonan before shaking her head. "No its ok the nurses should be bringing me food and they ahve a cafeteria down the hall to the left were visitors can get food I mean if you want that is." Avery Told Mr. Noonan fr they served more food then what the vending machines offered. Soon the nurse came in and placed the food on her tray. "Here you go Mis. Jones some extra food to help gain your weight back. SHe said before leaving the room to take care of some other stuff. 'So yeah I am covered." Avery said with a small smile.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Avery answered Mr. Noonan's question of offering with a refusal, stating that one of the nurses would come in and bring her something to eat from the hospitals cafeteria, also implanting the idea for the man to try and eat something from there as well. Then after, a nurse came in to give Avery her food on a tray, handing it to her and stating it'll help her gain her weight back. After doing so, the nurse had left the room, Avery then stating that she was good to go in terms of food. "Well, alright then. I'll be back in a couple of minutes," said Mr. Noonan as he left the room, leaving Roland and Avery there by themselves. Once he left, Roland leaned back into the chair, attempting to get comfortable once again. As he laid on it, he turned his head over to Avery to see what she was doing, curious because of also knowing on how bad hospital food is as well. "Wonder if the food here is any good," said Roland to Avery, "I've heard nothing but bad things about it."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery watched Mr. Noonan leave and looked at Roland as he asked about the food. "Well to me its better then nothing since I was starved most of the time but it is bland and stuff for they do not seasn it and its based on the food groups mainly but your dad might ahve better luck since he is going to cafeteria so he can pick and decided what to get while patients do not have much say so." Avery xplained to Roland as she lifted the lid to her fod and started to eat her food at least. Avery just ate not minding much for she was just hungry she would eat anything these days just to eat and to satisfy her hunger. "Its not that bad unlike the last hospital I wa at now that food was bad but then again it was a chap hospital this is a nice one so it should have better food." Avery explained as she finsihed the food and ate the cake they gave her wanting to give her some extra calories to help her gain weight since she was so thin. Avery finished all her food and relaxed a bit in her bed as she got the remote and turned the TV on and tried to find a channel that was not about her and soon found one playing a movie and she left it on that channel for them to watch and relaxa bit at least.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Avery hearing his question, Roland listened to her as she explained to him on how she did not mind eating the food given to her whatsoever, refreshing his memory on how she had starved beforehand. She had also added that Mr. Noonan could pick whatever he wanted near the cafeteria the hospital had appetizing, or at least looked good enough to eat, so hopefully he would pick something good, or at least Roland hoped so. "Yeah," said Roland, "I don't know though." Once he finished, Avery kept the conversation going by telling him of how nice the hospital was, unlike her last one stating on how cheap it presented itself, stating also that the food was better here than the other place. "Maybe," said Roland once more, "Hopefully Mr. Noonan will get something good for us……I mean, me and him, to eat." After finishing the food topic, Roland decided to relax himself, turning his head back to the front, staring down at the end of the chair he was laying in. All of a sudden, he heard a television come on, along with a constant sound on remote buttons being pressed. He turned over once more to see Avery was flipping channels, trying to find something to watch to let the time fly by. Finding a movie that caught her attention, she kept it on the channel playing the program. Roland looked over at the television for a moment, uncertain as to what they were watching. Instead of keeping quiet and enjoying the movie, he questioned what it was in particular the both of them were viewing. "Hmm" said Roland, "Never seen this before. Do you know what it is?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery looked att the show for it was a cooking movie Julie and Julia and she like it. But she heard Roland and looked at him and shrugged at him a bit for she did not know. "I do not know I just thought it looked interesting for its seems to be a bit about cooking and I happen to like cooking." Avery said to him as she relaxed in her hospital bed as she watche the movie and giggled at some parts. "The only time I watched Tv was when I wa at your place dad forbidden me to watch tv sicne he was always in front of it watching wretling or what ever else he watches." SHe explained to him. Avery then relaxed into her bed as she yawned a bit for she was still a bit tired at times and her energy levels were still pretty low at times because how thin she was and weak at the same time. "Sorry is the Tv bugging you for I can turn it off and you can take a nap." Avery said to him as she laid back in her bed wile it was in the sit up position as she looked at the Tv and watched the Movie enjoying it a bit while relaxing. A nurse soon came in and took Avery's arm and took some blood for blood work and left without saying a word wnating to let Avery rest and not get stressed out.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Avery replied to the question that was asked by Roland, answering that she wasn't certain either of what the program was, but attracted her attention due to the fact the movie had to deal with cooking. "Oh," said Roland, not knowing of what else to say. Afterwards, Avery continued on how the only time she got to watch television was back at his house, stating that her father was nothing more than a tv hog and how he wouldn't let her see or watch anything. Roland didn't really have anything to say because of the weary feeling he kept having, so instead just stared at the television, trying to watch the movie with tiresome eyes. Then, Avery asked if the television was of a bother to Roland, insisting that she would turn it completely off so that he could rest. It was nice to see that she was being considerate, but he didn't want to ruin her enjoyment just so he could rest. "Oh, no," replied Roland to Avery's question, "You don't have to. Leave it on and continue watching it. Besides, food will be here in a few for me anyway, so I don't have no choice but to stay awake." All of a sudden, a nurse had came in so that she could take more blood from Avery, and while doing so, Roland tried best to keep focus on the television.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones After having her blood drawn she then just laid in her bed as she watched the movie while waiting for Mr. Noonan to return with Rolands food and decied to be quiet to let Roland relax and rest since she cold be a talker when she finally can talk to someone. She justed watched the movie and actally liked it a lot and laughed at some parts that she thought was fnny and cute. After awhile a social worker came in with paper work. "Helllo Avery I am Mrs. Harth I am your social worker and I was informed that you had a family that is willing to foster you." She siad as Avery looked at her and did a small nod. "yes and Mr. Noonan is at the hospital but he went to get him and my friend Roland here sometihing to eat." She siad to the social worker and she nodded. "Alirght I will wait then for I have a few things he needs to sign and you will be all set to live with him.' Mrs. Harth said to her as she sat in a simple chair and started writing down some stuff. Avery felt weird having her in there and cruled up under her blankets not knowing what to do and was getting freaked again for she had very little trust in people after the utbreak with the press.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Roland tried his best to keep focus on the movie and stay awake so that he could eat when Steven's father came back with some food, but instead his eyes had began to fade a little from the relaxation and comfort he was in from the chair he was laying on. A few minutes later, Roland had awoken, realizing that he had fell asleep, in amidst to find Avery and some other woman who presence had arisen into his sight. He questioned himself for a moment as the woman sat in a chair across from, also noticing that Avery wasn't saying anything either, so it seemed they had both discussed something while he was asleep. "W-what's going on?" said a confused Roland.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery looked at Roland when he asked what was going on and the social worker decided to answer. "I am a social worker for Avery and I came for I have papers for Mr. Noonan to sign if he is going to take custody of her if not then I have to start looking for a foster home for her and right now there is no home in this city that can take her in she would have to be sent to anothercity or even state." The social worker said and Avery did not like the idea of moving again with peple she did not trust. "So she told me he went to get you and himself som food so I thought I wait here and get things takn care of or figred out now so when she gets realeased from the hospital she can just go home and not have to wonder what happens next." The social worker siad to Roland. Avery just stayed curled up in the bed not knowing what to do or anthing at the moment for she was to nerrvous to even talk to the social worker after she explained everything to her and now Roland. "Why are the curtains closed its is dark in here." She said about to open the curtain. "DON'T OPEN THAT!!" SHe freaked and the social worker froze as a nurse walk in after hearing her yell. "Oh dear you tried to open the curtains sorry the press has been hounding her so she hates the crrtains to be open." The nurse said as the social worker nodded and sat back down as the nurse went to Very's iv and injected something in it antd it slowly made Avery sleepy until she was fast asleep.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans Coming to find out that it was a social worker on the case of Avery getting to move in with Roland at the Noonan's home, he was a bit surprised at first due to the transaction of information already being taken care of so fast and already having papers to sign for Avery to go ahead and be placed into someone else's home. He didn't really think much more of it, only knowing that it was very good news and that the problem was being taken care of immediately. The woman had mentioned that she was in wait for Mr. Noonan to come back so that he may sign the papers she had ready in order for the placement to be complete, that way Avery could live with them and have no worries anymore on dealing with an actual stable home, minus the abusive parent as well. Roland decided to speak for Mr. Noonan, mainly because he wasn't back yet. "He'll be here," he said the woman, "Don't know when exactly, but yeah. He'll be back." It was taking a good while for Mr. Noonan to get back for some odd reason, but Roland also knew that he was a very talkative person as well, hence where Steven's gets it from, so he could be have a conversation with someone and forgot he had to get back here with something to eat. A minute later, the social woman had noticed how dark the room was, finding that the shades from the window were closed yet not knowing the reason of why. As she tried to open them, a nurse came in and yelled telling her not to, Roland watching as it happened. The nurse explained to the woman of the press constantly trying to get a hold of Avery with questions and photos to make headlines all over town with, then going over to Avery to check up on her again, putting her to sleep as well. As she left, Roland followed up onto the topic about the press trying to get inside. "They were here before I got here," spoke up Roland, "The news people outside, they've been trying everything to get in. It's really getting out of hand." Soon afterwards, Mr. Noonan came in with some food he was carrying in a bag. "Sorry bout the wait," he said, "Got caught into a long talk with someone at the cafeteria. Hopefully this will be worth the wait." As he handed the bag over to Roland, he looked over to find the social worker woman, questioned as to why she was there. "Is something wrong?" asked Mr. Noonan.</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery just stayed in the bed as she relaxed in her sleep from the medicine not caring abotu what was going on for the medicine was a bit strong. "That is alright I can wait but the state knows her situation so we rushed everything so that wya she can start settling into a nice new enviorment." THe social worker said to Roland as she sat and waited for Mr. Noonan to return. She had to admit she was freaked from how everything hapened when she wanted to open the curtains but she did understand why for the poor girl was being hounded by the press just because it is the latest story out now. but soon noticed Mr. Noonan walked in with the food and saw how he was wondering why she was there. "There is nothing wrong sir I am from the foster care unit I rushed the paper work so when Avery was discharged she could start living with your family right away insted of being in our cae putting more stress on her and she has been through nough from what I have been told." The social wrker said as she pulled out the folder with her paper work. "Once everything is signed I will take it over and rush it again then she will be in your care before she is discharged from the hospital." She finished explaining and showed im were to sign on the paper work.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans The woman that was unfamiliar to Mr. Noonan had explained herself and the situation that was being held, informing him that she had the papers ready to be signed for the completion of Avery's transfer. "Ok…yeah, alright," said Mr. Noonan, confused for a moment but then fully understanding what had to be done. It all seemed to happen fast for some reason, but the man didn't really want to argue about it. Instead he took the paper from the social worker after pointing out where he was to sign for confirmation. Roland watched as Mr. Noonan had looked at the sheet of paper in front of him, holding it up so that he could see what he was doing. As he kept focus, Roland decided to see what the man had brought him in the bag handed to him a couple of minutes ago, knowing that was food but hoping it was something at least edible and tasty as well. "It's all happening pretty fast, isn't it?" questioned Mr. Noonan as he wrote down his signature onto the line, "I leave one minute and right when I get back, I'm already signing papers and such. You people don't horse around, do you?" As he finished placing his signature on the file, he handed it back to the woman, placing the pen he had to sign with back into his shirt pocket.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones "Yes well the officer that has been ehre helping you called us in advance to let us know you might be willing to foster her so we went ahead and got the paper work ready did a background check on you which we expressed and all the fun stuff worst case senario you would not take her and we would have taken her in." THe lady explained to Mr. noonan. "But this way she can leave with you guys and be at least some place familiar and feel safe." The lady finished and double checked everything. "Alright she is now in your custody in about a week or two you will ahve a card coming in the mail just indicating you as te girls guardian and once every two months a social worker will be over just to see how she is adjusting." THe lady finsihed up saying and son said bye to them and left the room to go get the stuff filed and set up so they Noonan family would not run into any problems. After a while Avery woke up and looked to see Mr. noonan there. "Oh hey Mr. Noonan you are back finally what happened got stuck talking to someone?" She asked as she looked at him. 'Though I thought for ure you went some where else to get food since the food here is pretty bland." She siad to him as she stayed curled up in her hospital bed.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Once the signing of custody was over and done with, the social worker quickly explained why everything dealing with custody of Avery was all happening so sudden prior to now so that Mr. Noonan could understand all the suddenness. Once she was done with the brief explanation, she stated that after the signing that Avery was officially in full custody over to the Noonan family, telling him that information will be coming in the mail for them showing they have full guardianship of the girl, also adding that a social worker will be stopping by every two months to check up on how she is adjusting. "All right," said Mr. Noonan to the woman, "Sounds good then." As the woman got up and said her goodbyes to Mr. Noonan and Roland, Avery began to wake up in question to find that Mr. Noonan had returned. She asked him what had taken so long into getting back, also wondering if he went somewhere else to get food because of how bad hospital food usually is. "No, I got something here for Roland to eat on," replied Mr. Noonan, "I just got stuck talking to one of the officers in the cafeteria. We talked about everything going on right now, you in particular about us taking you back to our home and such." As Mr. Noonan talked, Roland pulled out the item that was in the bag, coming to realize that it was long and folded up. From the looks of it, it was probably a sub sandwich. "Oh, Roland," said Mr. Noonan to the boy really quick, "I got you a sandwich. I hope it's ok because I'm pretty sure you didn't want what else they had in there. Didn't look very appetizing." "It'll be fine," said Roland, "As long as I get something on my stomach, it's fine by me. Thank you." "Of course," said Mr. Noonan once more.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery just watcehd them from the bed after mr. noonan explaine dhe was talking to an officer for they might need some help becuase of them taking her in the the media might surround thier palce for a while. She looked at Roland a bit. "Their sandwiches are pretty good here probably the only thing tat taste good here." Avery said to Roland letting him know it was pretty good. Soon the doctor walked in and checked her vitals and her charts. "Hmm she is doing well I will have meds perscribed to her for pain and anti biotics just in case for infection." The docttor said. "And by later tonight she can be discharge around that time most of the media people go home and we can sneak you all out around back and we will keep secret where she is staying." The doctor said as he finished up his examination over Avery. "Alright then just relax while I go get the stuff filled and get the paper work set up." He said as he left the room. "At least I can finally leave this place I hate it here." Avery said to them as she relaxed in the bed.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans As things were beginning to settle a bit more, Roland decided to go ahead and take the first bite of his sandwich, hearing Avery tell of how the sandwiches are basically the only decent thing the hospital has that was decent enough to eat. "Any good," asked Mr. Noonan to the boy eating. He looked up to the man and replied to his question in a muffled voice due to his mouth being full of food, "Yeah, it's not bad." As he kept eating, a doctor had walked into the room to check up on Avery once more to see how she was holding up. He gave them a brief review on how she was doing, stating how she was getting better and will give her medications for her injuries cause by her father. Before he left, he told them that Avery could be released tonight when all of the press disappears from the area, but telling them that it would have to be done secretly so that no one would know where her current location is when she is released. Once the doctor left, Mr. Noonan spoke up after he made his departure. "Well, that's good news," he said, Avery following up by stating how she was glad to be leaving soon due to hating where they were. Roland kept quiet as he continued to eat his sandwich while Mr. Noonan reached into his pocket for a moment to grab his cell phone and check to see if he had any messages or missed calls. A minute afterwards, he decided to excuse himself for a moment. "Kids I have to step outside again for a couple of minutes," he said to Roland and Avery, "I have to make a phone call really quick. I'll just be right out here near the door, so if you need me don't hesitate to ask." "Ok," said Roland with food in his mouth once again as Mr. Noonan left out into the hall while closing the door behind him. He soon turned over to Avery after he swallowed the food in his mouth and spoke to her. "Looks like you're going to be staying with us secretly, huh?" said Roland to Avery.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery listened to everything and was glad to be leaving for sure she just hated hospitals becasue how many times she ahdd been put in the hosptal. She wathed mr. Noonan walk out an then at Roland. "Yeah well just ntil the press finally get tired of this story and then I can live freely again." Avery said to him as she sighed or she wished she could live freely. "But it would be nice if the press left me lone already and for me to be free again." Avery said for she felt trap still because of the press. She just wanted to be a normal teenager living a happy life doing tenager things and get ready for ccollege and try to make her life better and have a good future. It felt weird for er for she felt like she was being smuggled. "I now feel like I have to be smuggled a bit like I am a werid drug and I am being smuggled across the border but I am being smuggled to your place." She said to Roland as she looked at him. "But it will be nice to finally leave the hospital."</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans As Avery replied to the question Roland had gave her, she replied to him with the conversation revolving around her being able to live freely again, also mentioning that she felt that she was going to be smuggled into the Noonan's home but glad to be released from the hospital. Roland think much on it himself as he tried to finish his food, but spoke to her to tell her everything would be ok. "I don't know about the smuggling," he said to her, "But I do want to get out of this hospital too." As he took the last bite of his sandwich, showing that he was done eating, he got up from the chair he was sitting in and stood up on his feet, going over to the window to secretly see if the press was still at the window without being seen by them. "Wonder if they will eventually give up," said Roland as he looked out the window, "I'm guessing not, but then again I can't be too sure either. Oh well." After looking out of the building, he walked away from the window and towards Avery, looking at the IV and heart monitor beside her as well. As he got up to them, he stood there and stared at them carefully, reading the girls heart monitor with the line on it reading normal as it beeped a lot as well. "It's been awhile since I've been here," said Roland, "Though I can't say that I miss it, because I don't."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery watched him get up form his chair and walk as he talked to her and looked out the window. The press was still there but they were working on their camera and planning how to get in to get an interview with her or to at least get a few pictures of her. "They probably won't give up until another bgger story comes up r when they just give up knowing they might not geet near me." She said to Roland as she looekd at him as he closed thee curtain. She theen watched him walk up to her monitors to see what was going on them. "You were in the hospital before?" Avery asked as shee looked at him for that scokd her a bit but then agian not so mmuch since eeveryone goes to the hospital she just did not think as much as he did due to her past injurie. "What were you in the hospital for?" She asked her a they waited for her to get releasedfrom the hospital.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans The statement that Roland made about his past stays in the hospital seemed to be of interest to Avery as she questioned him about his reasons of visitation long ago. Standing next to her, he looked over to her as he smiled, laughing a bit at the question. "I've been a patient here a couple of times," began Roland, "The first day I started school, and about a few months after that." He walked away from the bed Avery was in to pace slowly back and forth in the middle of the room, explaining as to how and why he was hospitalized when he first came into the scene. "A couple of guys were picking on Steven the first day I came to school. Being rough on him, calling him names, that sort stuff, you know. Typical bullying. Well I went over to butt in basically and told them to stop and leave him alone. Or….well, something along the lines of that. A few minutes later, I was starting to regret it." He went over back to the recliner and sat down on it, continuing his story. "All I know is that I was grabbed by my shirt collar and punched in the face. Oh, and kicked a couple of times. Lights went out and I couldn't remember anything else, that is until I woke up in a hospital room with my parents and Steven's parents almost hovering over me. I freaked out for a moment but everything was fine after that. But me and Steven started our friendship after that." He started laughing to himself again as he was going to bring up his other visit from something stupid he did afterwards. "The other one was my fault," he continued, "Actually, Steven was the one who brought it up. That big tree that we have next to the school? He wanted me to climb it and try to get on top of the school building or sneak in one of the classrooms, something like that. I couldn't really remember the whole purpose of it, but I fell off either way and landed on my arm. I broke it, went to the hospital, got myself a cast, then got into trouble. That was after my parents left though, and I had to call them and explained what happened."</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans The statement that Roland made about his past stays in the hospital seemed to be of interest to Avery as she questioned him about his reasons of visitation long ago. Standing next to her, he looked over to her as he smiled, laughing a bit at the question. "I've been a patient here a couple of times," began Roland, "The first day I started school, and about a few months after that." He walked away from the bed Avery was in to pace slowly back and forth in the middle of the room, explaining as to how and why he was hospitalized when he first came into the scene. "A couple of guys were picking on Steven the first day I came to school. Being rough on him, calling him names, that sort stuff, you know. Typical bullying. Well I went over to butt in basically and told them to stop and leave him alone. Or….well, something along the lines of that. A few minutes later, I was starting to regret it." He went over back to the recliner and sat down on it, continuing his story. "All I know is that I was grabbed by my shirt collar and punched in the face. Oh, and kicked a couple of times. Lights went out and I couldn't remember anything else, that is until I woke up in a hospital room with my parents and Steven's parents almost hovering over me. I freaked out for a moment but everything was fine after that. But me and Steven started our friendship after that." He started laughing to himself again as he was going to bring up his other visit from something stupid he did afterwards. "The other one was my fault," he continued, "Actually, Steven was the one who brought it up. That big tree that we have next to the school? He wanted me to climb it and try to get on top of the school building or sneak in one of the classrooms, something like that. I couldn't really remember the whole purpose of it, but I fell off either way and landed on my arm. I broke it, went to the hospital, got myself a cast, then got into trouble. That was after my parents left though, and I had to call them and explained what happened."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery listened to Roland as he explained why he was in the hospital the pas couple times and felt bad for him when he fell out of the tree for it must of freaked him out when he all of a sudden fell out of the tree. But when he was defending Steven from bullies and then waking up in the hospital sounded to familiar to her for that was how it was for her she would get beat and loose consiousness and then would be out in the hospital with no memories of how she got there. "Well I have to laugh at when you fell out of th tree I wish that was the main reason for me going to the hospital a lot.' Avery said as she giggled a bit at that for she just thought it was a bit funny. "I mean I feel bad for it must of been terrifying to all of a sudden see the ground gt closr fast as you fell but I tink you should smack steven up the head for that idea." She siad as a joke in a joking voice. She then looked at hm as she relaxed in her bed wish she could get out soon. "hey Mr. Noonan has been gone for quiet a while I wonder what he is doing and why he even left in the first placee?' She asked roland as she loooked at the door for she was wondering what he was doing. "I just want to leave it should be getting close for me to be dicharged." She said to him as se sighed a bit and knew her closthes were ripped up and junk so she had no clothes to change into.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans The little back-story that Roland decided to tell Avery seemed to have made her happy as she giggled to herself once he was done discussing about his little incidents. He was glad to see a smile upon her face, hoping that she would be able to smile more often since she won't be staying in an abusive environment any more. He listened to her reply on the story he told her, stating on how funny it was, also throwing in on dealing with Steven on giving dumb ideas. "Yeah," said Roland, laughing as he agreed with her statement, "That's why I don't follow with any of his ideas anymore." Afterwards, the thought had came across as to wondering where Mr. Noonan was, what was taking him so long on. He told them he was going to make a really quick call on his cell phone and he would be back. "He is taking a while, isn't he?" said Roland. After a minute or two, the door had opened and Mr. Noonan made his way back inside the room. "Hey," said Roland, "So what went down?" "Well I just got off the phone with the missus," began Mr. Noonan with an explanation, "I told her of what happened and such, and that Avery is going to be staying with us. She liked the sound of it so she was fine with the decision, so now all we have to do is head back home and get things settled. So whenever you guys are ready to get going." "I'm ready," said Roland, relieved that everything was coming into place, "Avery, you ready to go?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery smiled at Roland as hey waited for Mr. Noonan to return after is phone call as she learned to be his wife that Mr. Noonan was talking to about letting her stay with them. She was glad to hear that his wife was ok with her staying at thier place after all that has happened to her. "I am sorta ready I don;t really have any clotes theey ripped off what I as wearng once I was brought to the emergancy room so I only have the hospital gown that I have on." She said to them for she felt weird if she had to walk around in just a hospital gown. All the nurses can really do was give her another one so i could cver her back side so she cold walk out feeling seured that no one would see anything that they are not suppose to see. "Sorry that I did not mention it earlier I wa not thinking about it untl now." She said to them as she looked at them hoping they were not mad about her not telling them sooner about it.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans While Mr. Noonan and Roland were ready to get out of the hospital as quick as they could, a minor situation became relevant as Avery told them she had no other sort of clothing to leave the hospital with. After she had told them of the inconvenience, following with an apology afterwards, they've realized that needed to address the problem before leaving. "It's alright," said Roland to Avery, understanding how she felt, "I've dealt with the same thing before. Maybe we should ask one of the doctors or nurses if they have a doctor's suit, like a surgeon outfit maybe." "Hold on, I'll go ask real quick," said Mr. Noonan, stepping out into the main hall to find a nurse or doctor. As he left the room again, Roland got up from the recliner and stood, awaiting for Mr. Noonan to come back with something bearable for Avery to wear for their leave. He turned to her, walking over to where she was slowly and seeing if was in need of any help. "Will you be able to dress yourself?" he asked her nervously, knowing that if she wasn't to do for herself that he might have to be of help, even though it would be awkward. Hopefully he wouldn't have to and a nurse would help instead, but that is if she was comfortable with anyone assisting her in the type of situation it was. In the hallway, Mr. Noonan caught one of the nurses coming towards him. He stopped her from continuing and popped the question politely. "Excuse me, nurse?" he said to her, "Do you folks have any spare outfit or a doctor suit for the girl in the room? She doesn't want to come out and leave unless she has something to cover her up better, you know what I mean?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery felt bad that she had no spare clothes when she was brought to the hspital but was glad they nderstood and was not mad at her. "No I can dress myself I am just a bit slow and stiff from being in the bed most of the time." She said to Roland after he asked if she would need any help. The nurse looked atMr. Noonan as her asked and nodded. "I think I have a spare nurses outfit she can use." The nurse said as she went to an area and plled out a small par of pants and shirt. Here these should fix her an the pants has a string on it to tighten." She explaned to Mr. Noonan and left to do her rounds after handing over the clothes. "Maybe wearing the nurses outfit or something else might be a good disgise just in case." Avery said to Roland for she was trying to lighten up the mood a bit and alk a little bit so it would not be akward. She looked around the room wondering if Mr. Noonan was doing ok and was not running into any trouble getting hersomething but then again she did not know how tis kind of ting worked in the hospitals.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Mr. Noonan followed the nurse for a moment as she went into a room, grabbing a doctor's outfit consisting of a shirt and pants so that Avery could leave the hospital without the embarrassment. "These will work then. Appreciate it." said Mr. Noonan as the nurse began to leave, him heading back to Roland and Avery afterwards quickly as he could. As they were waiting for Mr. Noonan to head back, Roland asked the girl if she was going to be able to properly dress herself without help or assistance, hoping that she wouldn't ask him to do such a thing as it would turn into an awkward situation. Thankfully, she said no, and that she would be able to herself, even though her body feels inflexible from bed rest. "Once we get going, the stiffness will go away," said Roland, "Or you could just stretch it out maybe. I don't know." After he spoke, the awkward silence began to come into play in the room for a moment, seeing as their wait was starting to be lengthy as they still waited for Mr. Noonan to come back. Instead of keeping quiet, Avery told Roland of how the outfit she was to receive could be a good disguise to get out of the hospital easier. It made the boy giggle and smile, seeing that she at least tried to have a sense of humor, but did have a great suggestion. "Yeah," said Roland as he continued laughing, "We could get out of here easier if so. Then they wouldn't-" Before Roland could finish, Mr. Noonan quietly came through the door once more, having the clothes in his hands to give to Avery. "Here we go," said the man as he walked towards Avery to give her the clothes, "These should do the trick. Just put them on and then we can get out of here and head back home."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery looked at mr. Noonan after he basically cut off Roland as he was agreeing with her about the outfit being a good disguise to get out of the hospital and saw the outfit that he got for her. "Ok um can someone close the curtains here so I can get changed?" She asked for it felt weird if they can see her get change. Once someone got the curtain closed for her she slowly got out of the bed and it hurt to move at how stiff she was but thank to the moving around. She got into the doctors scrubs that was given to her and opened the curtains looking at the two. "Ok I am good now." She siad and a nurse came in and gave her some old crocs she did not need so Avery can walk out without hurting her feet. Avery thanked the nurse and put them on. "Alright her paperwork is all set and ready to do and I will lead you guys out the bad so sr you can go to your car and drive arond back and I will take the kids to the back exit and have security to keep them safe." The nurse said to Mr. Noonan so he can rest assure that she will take care of them. Avery though mainly looked scared for she did not want the press to stop and and surround er with flashes and questions it only terrified her by a lot.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans Once Avery had received the clothes given to her by Mr. Noonan, she asked that someone should close the curtains so that she may get dressed. Without hesitation, Roland grabbed a hold to the curtain and began to pull it over to the other side for closing. Once done, he stepped back away from it, leaving Avery to tend to her business. Roland turned around and looked at Mr. Noonan for a moment, realizing that he was interrupted from his discussion with Avery before he had came in. "We were talking about the nurse outfit being a disguise," said the boy to Mr. Noonan, "She's still worried about those reporters outside." "A disguise?" said Mr. Noonan as he began to laugh, "That's one way of looking at it, huh? Maybe they won't be all over us when we leave." "I don't know," replied Roland as he shook his head in disbelief, "Some of them I think saw us through the window outside." As the curtains swiftly opened, Avery stated that she was dressed and ready to go. It was a relief that they were finally going to get out of the hospital, expecting to hopefully get out of there peacefully without being hoarded by the news media. Indeed a plan was needed now, yet nothing could come to mind for Roland. A moment came afterwards as a nurse came in to give Avery some shoes to wear so that she wouldn't have to walk barefooted when they depart. Once the nurse handed them over, she stated that everything was set, also informing them that they would leave out of the back, instructing Mr. Noonan to bring his vehicle around so that they could get in without being spotted. "Ah," replied Mr. Noonan, stressed out because of knowing what was to be done of him "That means I have to go to the front…..where the hoard is at. Let's just hope I make it out the door." "Just try to be careful," said Roland, "There was security in the front when we came in, so I don't think they would let you just go out by yourself." "You're right," said Mr. Noonan back to Roland, "The quicker we get going, the sooner we'll be out of this mess. Alright, wish me luck." As he left the room and hurried back to his car, Roland looked over to Avery, seeing nothing but fright upon her face due to the circumstances of the outer activity of the building. Trying to comfort her, Roland walked over to her, handing his hand out to her. "We'll make it out Avery," he said to her, "We're going to be ok. I'm not going to let them come near you, ok? I promise."</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery looked at Roland as what he said about him not letting anyone near her especially the press for she was wondering why the press was still on her for their had to be more stuff out there that were more important but her and what happened. The nurse lead them to the back with a security guard to make sure no one tires anyhting. Avery held Roland's hands as they walked for it made her feel more safe as they walked and she did not care if she was holding his hand or what people thought she just wanted to feel safe. At the front an officer helped Mr. Noonan get to his car so that way he can drive. "Might want to take the long way to the back sir that wya they think you are driving off and won't follow you." The officer said and gave him directions to get to the back a different way and hope that helps out for him. The nurse gt the two in the back and the officer waited on the other side of the door to wait for Mr. Noonan to come around then he will let the two out and get in the car once he arrives. The nurse got them something to drink and Avery just waiting still a tad scared. "I just wish the press leave me alone there has to be other stuff going on more important then what is going on with me and my father." She said to Roland all of a sudden scared out of her mind and just wanted to be normal.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans It was time to leave. No hesitation was shown as Roland was ready to leave the hospital, hopefully to make it back in one peace and not be seen or near another hospital again. As they began to make their leave, he noticed something as he was walking. Looking behind him, he looked down at his hand to find that Avery had a hold of it. He couldn't believe it himself at first, mainly due to dealing with her frightened personality and not able to trust people, but it seemed as if she finally decided to trust the boy. As he turned his face back to the front to see where they were being lead, he smiled, happy to know that he was finally beginning to earn her trust. Towards the front of the hospital, Mr. Noonan peacefully made his way out and wasted no time to head to his car, that is until an officer had appeared and began to walk with him, showing that it was more of an escort. The officer told Mr. Noonan that he should take the long way to the back, this way none of the news reporters or their camera crew would be liable to see him and get in the way. "I will do as you say," said Mr. Noonan as he got into his car and started up the engine, "Just make sure none of them see me leaving the parking lot. Any one of them could come around the building and spot me heading towards the back." After starting up his car, he placed it into drive and slowly began to drive near the back on the more distant route, beforehand rolling down his window and giving courtesy to the officer for his help. "Much appreciated officer," he said. Back in the hospital, Avery and Roland had finally reached the back doorway. The only thing left for them to do was to get in the car quickly as they could and all would be done and over with, but first they had to wait for Mr. Noonan to come along. Instead, they stood patiently and waited for his arrival, being handed drinks by the nurse while doing so. Roland opened his drink and took a quick sip as he awaited for Mr. Noonan to appear, watching with a sharp eye so that they could get out as fast as possible. As quiet as the wait was, Avery decided to speak up in related terms of the people they were trying to keep distance from, saying that she wanted the press to leave her alone and that there is more important stuff to worry about than her or her father. "Sadly, they won't stop," said Roland to Avery, "These reporters and news anchors only care about getting the biggest story going on locally. Whatever helps them catch that big break, they will do everything they can to get a hold of your story. Trust me when I say that I know." Just after, a car had suddenly appeared, showing Mr. Noonan waving to them inside the hospital and telling them to hurry on outside and get in. "Looks like our ride is here," said Roland, chuckling as he reached his hand out to Avery once more, "Come on Avery. Let's get out of here and go home."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery felt bad for Roland and Mr. Noonan and his family for they have to deal with someone that was the biggest story of the year she guessed. She still did not understand how other stories like murder, kidnappings, even politics are not taking the news attention away all of a sudden. She guessed some of the reporters are local papers in hopes it will make the big news but still wanted to report it first. She sighed a bit just wanting to be free finally from everything her past, the news, her father, her pain, and basically from everything in the world. She just hated it so much for she felt like that she was just forced into another cage after finally leaving the one that her father had her trapped in. Now News and reporters have forced her into another cage and it only made her wonder which cage will she be forced into next. Everything in the world now only scared her more and more everyday a world she once saw with wonder and joy now was all nothing but fear and darkness that she wanted to hide from. Avery heard Roland say that their ride was there and she nodded at him and took his hand and left with him into Mr. Noonan's car so they could get out of there as fast as possible and hoped that the press would not appear all of a sudden and scared her even more. "Hey Roland you said you know how the press is, it sounds like you know from experience?" She asked him while she looked at him letting Mr. Noonan drive and get them out of there away from the hospital.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Once Avery grabbed for Roland's hand once more, they wasted no time as they quickly dashed outside and straight forward towards the vehicle awaiting them. Once they were near, Roland reached for the handle and yanked open the door leading to the backseats of the car, holding it open and letting Avery go inside first, him following quickly right behind her and closing the door and locking it once done. "You both settled in?" said Mr. Noonan viewing them through the rear view mirror, his foot on the gas pedal ready to drive out back onto the road. "Yeah," replied Roland, "Good to go." And just like that, Mr. Noonan took little to no time and began to navigate the car away from the hospital and back on the road. Luckily, none of the news and media had appeared or were in the way, so they could drive safely back and remain undetected without any hassle. As they hit the main road and began to ride home, Avery's curiosity was wondering as to how Roland gained some sort of wisdom from the way news anchors and media had worked, so she decided to ask him about it. Once she asked him, he looked at her, dazed for a moment as he wasn't certain as what to say. His focus was concentrated on being back home, relieved that they got out of the hospital without being brutalized by a bunch of people constantly asking questions to Avery all at once in a crowd. "Oh, um…." said Roland, trying to think on how to answer the question, but he felt too weary to do so. "It's a long story Avery," said Mr. Noonan, answering for Roland as he continued driving, "He's told me all about it before when he came to live with us. From the sound of it, he sounds sleepy. Best ask him a little later on when he's more awake." "I-I'm sorry Avery," said Roland with his tiresome tone, hoping that Avery wouldn't be upset with him. "We will be at the house in a few," said Mr. Noonan, "We will get everything settled once there, alright?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery was glad that they got in the car fast and drove off without being detected by the media. She let out a small sigh of relief and just wanted to relax and forget about what ad happened to her and the press hunting her and messing with her just for a scoop. Avery sat in the back seat wth her head abck trying to take in the calm and hoped it would stay calm For a long time and that it would all blow over soon for her. All she wanted was a peacful life and wnated things to return to somewhat kind of normal for her. She then listened to Roland and what Mr. Noonan said and just nodded at him as she went quiet and just looked out the car window wondering what her next step was gong to be and where she was going next after all this soon dies down and when she turns 18 making her a leagal adult. SHe only sighed and wished her life had not come to this. She just looked blank as she watched the trees and houses pass by as the drove to t the Noona's home. She knew it was not big enough and that Roland had the guest room and she did not want to kick him out of his room because of her. She looked tired and slowly closed her eyes and had fallen into a light sleep in the car as Mr. Noonan drive to his place. It was the first time she had felt at peace for a long time and felt like she did not have to be so tensed or be always cautious for once in her life or have to sleep with one eye open.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Time flew by as the drive back home was becoming close to it's end, though things were going to be very hectic once they return safely. Mr. Noonan knew that arrangements were to be made and a family meeting to come along as well, yet he wasn't too worried on how things would play out. His main focus right now was to get themselves home safe and sound. A minute later, he made a quick turn and slowly went forward as his home came into view. Be pulled over to the curb and stopped, gently removing his seatbelt and letting out a slow sigh, glad that they were able to make it back home without a hoard of news reporters stalking behind them. "Hey you two," he said looking through the rearview mirror, "We're home." Finding that the both of them had decided to take a nap, he got out of the car and stepped over to Roland's door, checking first to see if he was resting his head on the car door, and opened it lightly once confirmed he wasn't. "Roland?" said Mr. Noonan as he gently shook the boy to wake him up, "Wake up Roland. We're home, safe and sound." As Roland rubbed his weary eyes, he leaned up and took a look to find out that they made it back. He yawned and stretched himself out quickly, afterwards replying to Mr. Noonan. "We are?" said Roland with a tiresome voice, "Awesome. Now I can take a nap." "Hold off on that," said Mr. Noonan with a light chuckle, "Let's worry about getting Avery inside first and get everything settled." Roland looked over to the side to find that Avery had fallen asleep as well. It was of no surprise after that she had been going through, but his main concern was to get her indoors before anything else was to happen. "Avery?" he said tiresomely, lightly grabbing her arm and shaking her gently to get her awake, "We're here. You have to wake up now."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery mainly slept until they made it to his place and felt someone shake her arm and slowly woke up and looked at him. "HUh we are here already?" She asked as she rubbed her eyes before looking out to see they were back at Mr. Noonan' solace. It felt weird being back there but this time as a foster child and not to escape her dad for the night. She took her seatbelt off. "We better hurry and get inside sooner or later they are going to figure out where I am I bet." She said as she slowly got out of the car wobbling a bit for she was a bit off balance after sleeping in the back of the car. She rubbed her eyes a bit more as she went to the side of the car wherein Mr. Noonan and Roland was before walking to the house for she did not want to walk up it by herelf for she was nervous and shy fr she never meet Mr. Noonan before and she had no clue at what she would think of her at all. Thanks to her dad Avery had very little self confidence in herself about e aw her and made her second gues a lot on how she acted around people. Once the two would make their way to the house was when she was going to follow and just hope for things to only get better with life and other things.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans As they both watched Avery awaken, she became questioned the moment her eyes opened, finding out that they were already home. Mr. Noonan smiled and replied. "It doesn't take very long from here to the hospital," he said, "Plus, I was going a little faster than usual. Thankfully, the police wasn't around." Roland slightly laughed, finding Mr. Noonan to be funny once he explained how they arrived so quickly. Just after, Avery showed no hesitation and took off her seatbelt, suggesting that they hurry and get inside before they get caught by the news media, so Roland did just that as he opened his door and took off his seatbelt as well. Once he was out, he stretched out for a minute to get himself more flexible and keep awake so that he could at least make it indoors. As him and Mr. Noonan began to walk towards the front door of their house, Roland looked behind to see if Avery was following along, but instead she just stood next to the car. "You coming Avery?" said Roland to Avery.</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans As Avery ran up to them, grabbing a tight hold onto Roland's arm, the three of them were ready to head inside. Though he could sense that Avery still felt anxious with everything happening so sudden, Roland wanted to make sure that she was eased away of agitation, and wanted her to feel more secure. She had spoke up before they went inside, telling them of how scared she was of meeting Mrs. Noonan and continuously thinking of becoming a burdening problem with the family. "You're worrying too much," said Roland, trying to keep her calm, "Nobody here is going to think of you as a problem. We did this because you deserve a better life than the one you were living." "Exactly," said Mr. Noonan, following up to Roland's statement, smiling at the girl, "You won't be a hassle of any sort, I guarantee you. You are part of this family now, and you'll be treated just as good as Roland and Steven, I can promise you that." As the door opened, they went indoors, finding that the main room was being occupied by Steven, sitting on the sofa playing a video game, and Mrs. Noonan going across with a basket full of laundry. Once they were inside though, Roland felt the fear from Avery suddenly increasing as she grasped his arm tighter. She told him of how different it was from last time, stating how scared and nervous she was. "I'll be back in here in a minute kids," said Mr. Noonan as he started walking off, "I'm going to talk to Mrs. Noonan real quick." As he had left, Roland stood there with Avery, not wanting her to feel the need to panic and be worried. As she kept a grasp onto his arm, Steven looked away from the television and stared at the two of them just standing there. "You guys do know that you can sit down, right?" said Steven, giggling as he thought how silly the two of them looked just standing awkwardly, "These couches aren't contaminated with anything, or are they?" "Avery, do you want to take a seat," asked Roland, seeing if she would feel better if she would sit down. "Yeah Avery, come on and join the party," said Steven, trying his best to be humorous, "There is plenty of love to go around." As Roland rolled his eyes, thinking how much of an idiot Steven is, he awaited to see what Avery wanted to do, hoping that someway she could be less anxious and more relaxed whatever she chose to do.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery just looked at Mrs. Noonan walked by with the laundry basket and that Steven was playing something off the TV which did not look familiar to her at all. She till kept a god grip on Roland as she analyzed her surroundings with the new people in it. She did flinch a bit when Steven talked all of a sudden and he sounded different from the first time they ran into each other in the house. "um I guess we can sit down." She said to him after Mr. Noonan went off to go talk to his wife. She did settle down a bit but still had her hands on Roland's arm but it was not so tight anymore. She walekd over and sat on the couch still feeling weird about how different things were now and how it was still going to be to adjust to her new life. Whn Roland sat with her she placed her head on his shoulder for she mainly felt comfortable with him since he has been there for her the longest and has helped her out more then anyone has ever done in her life. After a few minutes her eyes closed and she was asleep again proving how mentally exhausted she was from all that has happened and being in a new enviorment. Her head stayed on his shoulder as she slept peacfully after the long crazy day with being in a hospital, dealing with the paparazzi, and having the noonan sign the foster parents paper work so they can have custody of her instead of ehr having to move someplace else and be extremely overwhelmed.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Avery seemed a bit surprised, or at least that's how it felt as she kept her tight grip onto Roland's arm. Maybe it was because of Steven, actually being nice instead of having an ill-mannered attitude towards her that it seemed shockingly different to her, even though his sense of humor was still idiotically present. She agreed to take the offer and sit down, though she held close to Roland still, though he could understand as to why of course. "All right," said Roland to her as he took it upon himself to lead her to the couch. Her grip was still intact with his arm, but she followed and found her spot to seat herself upon and relax, him sitting next to her afterwards. Once they were both seated, she rested her head onto his shoulder, staying quiet. "Good," said Steven as he was smiling, "Now that we are all settled, let's see what happens next." "How about some television?" said Roland, "I know you've been gaming ever since you got back here after school. Besides, maybe Avery wants to watch something." As soon as he said that, he looked next to him only to find that Avery had fell asleep. Knowing she has been having a rough time, and just getting out of a difficult situation, he understood that she was very tired, so he didn't say a word about it. Steven on the other hand……. "Well would you look at that," said Steven, leaning frontward's to see that Avery fell asleep on Roland's shoulder, giving a goofy look, "Looks like she wanted to hit the hay a little early. You know what that means?" "It means you're nerve-racking," said Roland, looking at Steven with a sarcastic smile, turning away afterwards rolling his eyes. A couple of minutes afterwards, Mr. and Mrs. Noonan came into the main room to check if everything was ok, and of course for Mrs. Noonan to meet Avery. "Is everything ok in here," asked Mrs. Noonan. "Fine," said Steven, focusing on his game while replying, "Though it seems someone is becoming a bit tempered with me for no apparent reason." "Steven is acting like usually does. An idiot," said Roland as he replied to Mrs. Noonan's question, "But the person I wanted you to meet is in dreamland right now." "Oh," replied Mrs. Noonan, "Well let her rest for now. I don't want to wake her up. The poor girl." "You should have seen the hospital," followed up Mr. Noonan, finding his way into the conversation, "It was nonstop. Photographers and cameramen all over the place. Reporters trying to get inside, pushing and shoving. All of that just to see one little girl about her abusive lifestyle." "Oh my goodness," said Mrs. Noonan after hearing of the events near the emergency room, "It must have been a big deal if there was people shoving each other to get inside." "Basically because it's the biggest thing to happen to happen in our boring town," said Steven. "Avery?" said Roland, trying to wake up Avery once more so that she could meet Mrs. Noonan.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery was not easy to wake at first for she was just to tired about what had happened and her body just wanted her to rest for a long period of time to help her body recover. But she was once again awoken by Roland and groaned whn he did that. "Why can't I just sleep I am tired." She said to him as she slowly opened her eyes but her head was still on his shoulder. Once she looked up too see pretty much everyone was looking at her and she shrunk back a bit since she was still not that social and not used to having all eyes on her. "um.....hi." was all she said when she saw Mrs. Noonan was looking at her and it was Avery's first time meeting her in person. "What am I suppose to do Roland?" She asked Roland in a whisper for sh had no clue at what to do or say. Avery was just sitting in the room in scrubs from the hospital, no real clothes, exhausted, and was just tired. But she was also scared about making a good first impression with Mrs. Noonan since its thier first meeting each other. Avery's grip had retightened on his arm for she was just mainly scared and it was just going to take time for her to get back to normal well in societies eyes at least. She woulld still be mentally scared from what she went through and will hesitate around men (expect Roland and Mr. Noonan) due to what her s call father did to her.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans As Avery awoke, her voice speaking in tiresome grievance as she complained about waking up, everyone in the room stood and watch as she opened her eyes and wondered of what her reaction was going to be. Once she looked around and noticed all eyes were on her, an expression of worry developed onto her as she nervously spoke to Mrs. Noonan, telling her hello. "You must be Avery," said Mrs. Noonan with a sweet smile across her face, "I've heard many things about you. How are you feeling sweetheart?" Roland had hoped that Mrs. Noonan's cheerful and bright personality would bring Avery a bit more comfort, but instead she was hesitant. She gripped Roland's arm very tight and asked what was she suppose to do next. He knew that she was scared, mainly because of the gripping pain he was feeling in his arm, but he didn't want her to feel this way. "Tell her whatever you feel," he said to her, "Just be honest with us so that we can help you. Nobody is here to hurt you Avery." As Mr. Noonan kept quiet and Steven focusing back onto the television, Mrs. Noonan leaned down to lower herself into Avery's position. While on one knee, she reached out to grab Avery's hand gently, trying to comfort her and tell her that everything would be ok. "I know you've been through a lot of pain," she said softly, "But nobody is going to bring harm to you sweetie. Everything you have been through can be forgotten because you've been giving a chance at a better life with us, and we are going help you in any possible way we can. It might take a while, and I can understand that, but just be open with us so that we can help you."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery was still frighten wtih everything for she was mainly used to Roland not the Noonan family, except for Mr. Noonan a little. Steven she was still not at all sure about since he was well strange to her and for Mrs. Noonan she had mainly encountered problems from people that were her gender with her mom walking out and having all the female students torture her more mentally. But when Mrs Noonan grasped her hand she flinched a bit showing how badly she had been abused to be scared even of a gental touch. But it also showed Mrs. Noonan how skinny she truly was due to being malnourished. "This all feels so weird I am not used to all this people caring and wanting to help it is all so new to me for I am still scared of the world having a mom who walked out on me and then a dad blame me for everything makes me scared of people except Roalnd and hi stubbornness in wanting to talk to me." Avery explained a little tense from everything."And it is also weird taht all I have for clothes are these scrubs now I miss my jeans and sweater I wore all the time, even my run down sneakers." She said for she had grown used to wearing those clothes all the time it was comfort but she knew that the hospital cut her clothes off so they could take her in for surgery. The big thing that was going t take time was her trust in people. The only person she had truly trust was Roland. She had loosened her grip on him a bit after realizing that she had a tight squeeze on his arm. Avery mainly had no clue at what else to say or do now she felt tired, exhausted, scared, and a bunch of weird emotions that was just spining in her head. "I am sorry for being so skittish I never really grew up with great role models in my life." she apologized to them.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans As the family tried to make Avery feel more welcome and accepted in the household, she had explained to them how she was not used to any sort of concern to her well-being from others. She talked about her fear of people and her parents, mainly her father, but mentioned her meeting with Roland and how determined he was to talk to her. Once Roland heard he was mentioned, a smirk rose upon his face. Avery then discussed her clothing issue, stating that her normal attire consisting of her sweater, jeans and wore out shoes were basically gone. "Don't you worry on that sweetheart," said Mrs. Noonan, replying quickly after Avery finished talking, "First thing we plan to do for you is clothes shopping, and you can pick and choose whatever you would like." As Mrs. Noonan stood back up straight on her feet, Roland noticed a bit more of ease and less pain in his arm, realizing Avery was starting to feel a bit more relaxed. Afterwards, Avery began to apologize, telling them she was acting nervous and stated that she never had grew up with great role models. The Noonan's and Roland began to laugh after they were called role models. None of them had ever considered of ever thought of being worthy to be called such, but it was very nice of her to say. "You don't have to apologize Avery," said Mr. Noonan, "It's ok. We just want you to feel at home is all, and we are going to help you in every possible way we can." "Yeah," said Steven abruptly joining in the conversation with a pleasant look, "Though it isn't very often to be called a role model." Roland had looked over to Steven, giving him an awkward expression, with Steven looking back at Roland confused. "What?" said Steven. "Either way," began Roland, looking back over to Avery, "We're here for you Avery. Don't ever feel like you can't talk to us about anything. Me, Mr. and Mrs. Noonan, we will help you with anything you ask." Roland knew that it would take time for her adjustment into a new lifestyle, especially being placed into a new family, but he knew in the back of his head that everything will work out. He felt that everything eventually will be ok, and that Avery could one day become a happier person, hopefully, but only time would tell.</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery was still a bit nervous around the Noonan but she did feel a bit more at ease at seeing how kind they were to her and sweet....well except for Steven who was obviusly not payng attention to what was going on. She just looked at Mr. And Mrs. Noonan as they talked to her espcially about the part of them taking her shopping for new clothes even though she felt weird about going out because of the news people. "Thank you Mrs. Noonan but I am scared to go outside those reporters are ruthless on trying to get an interview with me about what happens to me and hw all this happened." Avery said for she was scared to go outside now for she hated how they try to force an interview on her. She did smile at bit when they said that they just wanted her happy but when Steven ntervien in the convo she just looked at him. "Um Steven no offense but I only see Mr. And Mr.s Noonan along with Roland as Role models sorr the last few times we meet you did not seem very thrilled I was around." She said to him while she scooted closer to Roland. "But tank you all for everything I know its going to take time for me since this is a big adjustment for me nd I hope I can adjust with no hiccups but hopefully I do not get so nervous and scared." Avery said as she placed her head on Rolans shoulder for she was still tired and exhausted from the day and felt like she could sleep for a week or a month maybe.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans It's if as though Avery seemed more calm when the Noonan's told her that everything was going to adjust and get better, and in doing so, she was constantly thanking them for all the things they have done for her so far, and for what's to come. Addressing Mrs. Noonan with the reporters, she knew for a fact that it would cause more of a stir if they had gotten their hands onto Avery, which would make more matters worse for her. "I know you're scared sweetheart," said Mrs. Noonan to Avery, looking over to her husband to notify him with the problem as well, "Maybe we can find someway to keep them away from here, but I wouldn't know how." "We'll find someway….eventually," said Mr. Noonan, scratching the back of his head as he replied. Avery even addressed Steven on him not being a sort of role model, explaining that their meetings seemed of an annoyance to him. Though he knew it was the truth, he didn't want to say anything due to embarrassment, so he kept quiet and continued to what he was doing. But out of all of it, Roland could see that Avery had felt safe as she thanked them once more before laying her head down onto his shoulder. Though he wasn't really sure if she was going to sleep, he knew she was very tired and wore out. "Can I ask you guys a favor?" said Roland to Mr. and Mrs. Noonan quietly whispering, "Could you guys fix up my room very quick so I can bring Avery in there to go to sleep?" "Yeah, sure" replied Mr. Noonan, "Just give me a couple of minutes. I assume your room isn't too much of a mess is it?" "It shouldn't be," giggled Roland a little bit, "Not like Steven's room I'm sure." As Mr. Noonan walked out of the main room, headed to Roland's bedroom to fix up his bed, Mrs. Noonan walked out as well and headed straight into the kitchen, leaving Steven, Roland and Avery by themselves in the living room. "Her dad, he's in jail now isn't he?" questioned Steven, "Or is he out running the streets in hiding, avoiding the police stuff?" Though Roland knew that Avery's father would stop at no ends to retrieve her back into his possession, he felt that with the help and support of the Noonan's, plus the security of the cops, she would be much more distant and safer away from him. Though the media said he was in prison, he could find any way to escape at any time, which could mean trouble for everyone involved. "The media announced that he was caught and thrown in jail," said Roland to Steven, "But honestly, I'm not entirely sure. It's kind of frightening to think on it." "But," said Steven with a smirk on his face, "You would have to admit it's kind of exciting too." Roland looked at Steven as if he had lost his mind, shaking his head as he continued on the subject. "No Steven. None of this is exciting. If you've only heard the things he did to Avery, how they both lived and how she was treated. It's nowhere near exciting. It's horrible."</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery had fallen asleep on Rolands shoulder again wnating to just rest and just regain all the energy she lost from having to deal with ehr father, school and other things that made her stay on her toes until she finally was a bit fre. The media on her tail wnating t know all the details that she did not wish to bring up. ALl she wnated was for the memories of the ordeal to fade away and to never resurface again. while Roland was talking to Steven the new switched on with their breaking news. "Breaking news the young Girl Avery Jones has been reported to have been discharged from the hospital no information has been given n her wearabouts for the doctors code of confidentiality but many believe she must be in a foster care service and avoiding the public eye." The lady on the news said. "And in other breaking knews a terrible crime scene was found in the jail for a cop had been strangled to death and is believed to have been killed by an inmate that after killing the officer stle his keys to escape." She explained over the news and had paused for a moment. "I have been just informed that the inmate that has escaped is none other then Eric Jones father of Avery Jones so please contact the police for the police do say e is a dangerous man and hopefully his daughter is far far away by now." Once the breaking news ended and the normal program was running. Good thing Avery was to deep in a sleep to hear what was going on the tv but if she were to hear it or knew her father was coming after her she would flip and freak non-stop feeling like she would have to run away and try to disappear in some way shape or form.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans The conversation had drove to a halt as the local news had appeared to briefly give out an official update to Roland and Avery's previous location earlier, claiming that Avery was released out of hospital care and sent to a foster care facility. "Well would you look at that," exclaimed Steven, "She's making the headlines. Just think now, she's going to be one of the biggest things to happen at our school. Seriously, nothing this big has ever hit our town before…or at least in the case of violence that is." Steven seemed to be thrilled with all of what was being announced, but Roland just shook his head without saying a word, focusing on what other topics were to be revealed on the broadcast. He looked over to Avery, finding her sound asleep next to him, looking peaceful. He smiled a bit, but the smile quickly went away with the next report being revealed. The news announced just after that a cop was just killed by a brutal strangulation from none other than the man who was placed in jail not long ago, revealing to be Avery's father as the report led on to claim he had escaped prison. Knowing all of this had Roland in shock. He knew what his plans were, who he was going to look for, and what he could do to get her back, and it made him start to worry not only for Avery's safety, but for the Noonan's, his other family, and what would result if they were found by the recent escapee. Though Roland wasn't the only to witness this unpleasant story, Steven's reaction was just about the same as they both stared at the television with an upsetting look on their faces. "That's bad, isn't it?" questioned Steven, once thrilled but now worried as he turned to Roland. "I would say so," replied Roland with a tone of fear. "Avery," exclaimed Mrs. Noonan as she called for Avery to inform her on the room being ready, "Avery? The room is ready for you sweetheart." Roland couldn't really move himself, couldn't think or say anything, just sitting there as he wondered where would Avery's father go. Where would he try to look? Or a better question…. Where is he now?</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery woke up when Mrs. Noonan woke her up and her eyes a bit trying to wake a up a bit and thank fully th news was talking about other stuff and not about her father's escape anymore. "Sorry guess I am really tired my bdy must be really relaxed and not runnign on adrenaline anymore." She said and looked at Roland and saw he was pale as a ghost. "Roland are you ok?" She asked him. Her father was on the run growling for he was furious now. Avery once I find you i will send you to hell that is a promise." He said to as he kept running he killed somoene in a car and took the car leaving the dead body on the road as he drove off on the hunt. Avery after a bit finally left to go to Rolands old room to go lay down for her body was just to drained for everything and just wanted to sleep the rest of the day away for she felt like she could sleep for 24 hours but she did wondered what was wrong with Roland for he loked so scared about soething but he looked like he did not want to tell her at all. She wen to th room and loooked at it and thought it as the nicest room around for all she was was a matreess broken furniture and an old blanket when she lived with her dad. It was nice to be in a real room. She thanks Mrs. Noonan for everythignand sat on the bed looking at her feet a bit before laying down again and slowly falling a sleep not knwing what will happen tomorrow or if she is willing to go to school at all due to the fast she had no real clothes just the scrubs the hospital gave her and all her supplies were still back at the old house. Cops and sanitation crew was working in the house to clean it up and collect things that might belonged to Avery and also some were there just to see if her father would go back to the house.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans Roland looked over to Avery, his eyes wide of concern as he expressed them yet he didn't want her to be worried of him nor of what he just learned, replying with a lying nod as he began scratching the back of his head. "Y-yeah. Yeah, I'm ok Avery. Nothing to worry about," he said, unconvincing as he turned his view back to the tv. Steven looked over to Roland, knowing that he was lying as he crossed his arms in disbelief of what he was doing. He knew when Roland was lying, and also knew how not good of a liar he was. As Avery got up and was heading to Roland's room, now fully prepared for her to rest in as Mr. Noonan left the inside of it, Mrs. Noonan waited before shutting off the lights, wanting to make sure Avery looked comfortable enough to sleep. Once it had seemed confirmed, she shut off the lights. "Try to rest ok sweetheart?," said Mrs. Noonan with a comforting tone, "We will be here if you need anything. Don't be afraid to ask." Once all was said, a simple but sweet "Goodnight," was said from Mrs. Noonan as she closed the bedroom door. With Mrs. Noonan walking back into the kitchen, the only ones left in the main room was Roland and Steven. Both were still surprised from learning of the escape of Avery's father, fearing of the events to come. "I would have told her, ya know," said Steven to Roland, "She has a right to know." "Dude what the hell?" said Roland with a more frustrated tone of anger, "I'm trying not to get her upset, and you're over there saying I should tell her that her father is coming to find her? What I should just tell her 'Hey, you're not going to believe this, but your dad just busted out of prison and is coming to find you right now' and hope she'll be ok with it? Seriously." As Roland was now more ticked off, he wanted nothing more than to just steer clear of Steven's stupidity of words. In doing so, he picked himself up from his seat and was making his way into the kitchen. "It could be worse," mumbled Steven to himself. As Roland had entered the kitchen, he sighted both of Steven's parents keeping busy. Mr. Noonan was reading over some bill papers at the kitchen table, while Mrs. Noonan was preparing dinner. Once she turned to notice Roland's presence, seeing his face was pure red and distraught, she question him to see what was the matter. "Roland?" asked Mrs. Noonan, "Are you ok? You look as if you're going to explode." Mr. Noonan raised his attention to notice Roland in the kitchen as well, his face puzzled as to seeing that Roland wasn't looking too happy on something. "Steven is just keeping me in a bad mood is all," answered Roland, popping a question afterwards, "Can we talk for a minute?" "Yes, of course," said Mr. Noonan, getting up to pull out a chair for Roland to sit in so that he could sit down and discuss his issue with each other, "Something wrong?"</s>
<\|description\|>Roland Evans Age:17 Personality & Bio: Humorous and vivacious, along with being very nosy and somewhat laid back. He always tries to find interests in many new things that look to him as appealing, and shows favor and compassion to whoever needs it, whoever it may be. His parents live out of town so he stays with a close friend of his while attending high school, and off hours he makes what free time he has to do personal writing on his life and his encounters as a small hobby.</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery had fallen asleep on Rolands shoulder again wnating to just rest and just regain all the energy she lost from having to deal with ehr father, school and other things that made her stay on her toes until she finally was a bit fre. The media on her tail wnating t know all the details that she did not wish to bring up. ALl she wnated was for the memories of the ordeal to fade away and to never resurface again. while Roland was talking to Steven the new switched on with their breaking news. "Breaking news the young Girl Avery Jones has been reported to have been discharged from the hospital no information has been given n her wearabouts for the doctors code of confidentiality but many believe she must be in a foster care service and avoiding the public eye." The lady on the news said. "And in other breaking knews a terrible crime scene was found in the jail for a cop had been strangled to death and is believed to have been killed by an inmate that after killing the officer stle his keys to escape." She explained over the news and had paused for a moment. "I have been just informed that the inmate that has escaped is none other then Eric Jones father of Avery Jones so please contact the police for the police do say e is a dangerous man and hopefully his daughter is far far away by now." Once the breaking news ended and the normal program was running. Good thing Avery was to deep in a sleep to hear what was going on the tv but if she were to hear it or knew her father was coming after her she would flip and freak non-stop feeling like she would have to run away and try to disappear in some way shape or form.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans The conversation had drove to a halt as the local news had appeared to briefly give out an official update to Roland and Avery's previous location earlier, claiming that Avery was released out of hospital care and sent to a foster care facility. "Well would you look at that," exclaimed Steven, "She's making the headlines. Just think now, she's going to be one of the biggest things to happen at our school. Seriously, nothing this big has ever hit our town before…or at least in the case of violence that is." Steven seemed to be thrilled with all of what was being announced, but Roland just shook his head without saying a word, focusing on what other topics were to be revealed on the broadcast. He looked over to Avery, finding her sound asleep next to him, looking peaceful. He smiled a bit, but the smile quickly went away with the next report being revealed. The news announced just after that a cop was just killed by a brutal strangulation from none other than the man who was placed in jail not long ago, revealing to be Avery's father as the report led on to claim he had escaped prison. Knowing all of this had Roland in shock. He knew what his plans were, who he was going to look for, and what he could do to get her back, and it made him start to worry not only for Avery's safety, but for the Noonan's, his other family, and what would result if they were found by the recent escapee. Though Roland wasn't the only to witness this unpleasant story, Steven's reaction was just about the same as they both stared at the television with an upsetting look on their faces. "That's bad, isn't it?" questioned Steven, once thrilled but now worried as he turned to Roland. "I would say so," replied Roland with a tone of fear. "Avery," exclaimed Mrs. Noonan as she called for Avery to inform her on the room being ready, "Avery? The room is ready for you sweetheart." Roland couldn't really move himself, couldn't think or say anything, just sitting there as he wondered where would Avery's father go. Where would he try to look? Or a better question…. Where is he now?</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery woke up when Mrs. Noonan woke her up and her eyes a bit trying to wake a up a bit and thank fully th news was talking about other stuff and not about her father's escape anymore. "Sorry guess I am really tired my bdy must be really relaxed and not runnign on adrenaline anymore." She said and looked at Roland and saw he was pale as a ghost. "Roland are you ok?" She asked him. Her father was on the run growling for he was furious now. Avery once I find you i will send you to hell that is a promise." He said to as he kept running he killed somoene in a car and took the car leaving the dead body on the road as he drove off on the hunt. Avery after a bit finally left to go to Rolands old room to go lay down for her body was just to drained for everything and just wanted to sleep the rest of the day away for she felt like she could sleep for 24 hours but she did wondered what was wrong with Roland for he loked so scared about soething but he looked like he did not want to tell her at all. She wen to th room and loooked at it and thought it as the nicest room around for all she was was a matreess broken furniture and an old blanket when she lived with her dad. It was nice to be in a real room. She thanks Mrs. Noonan for everythignand sat on the bed looking at her feet a bit before laying down again and slowly falling a sleep not knwing what will happen tomorrow or if she is willing to go to school at all due to the fast she had no real clothes just the scrubs the hospital gave her and all her supplies were still back at the old house. Cops and sanitation crew was working in the house to clean it up and collect things that might belonged to Avery and also some were there just to see if her father would go back to the house.</s> <\|message\|>Roland Evans Roland looked over to Avery, his eyes wide of concern as he expressed them yet he didn't want her to be worried of him nor of what he just learned, replying with a lying nod as he began scratching the back of his head. "Y-yeah. Yeah, I'm ok Avery. Nothing to worry about," he said, unconvincing as he turned his view back to the tv. Steven looked over to Roland, knowing that he was lying as he crossed his arms in disbelief of what he was doing. He knew when Roland was lying, and also knew how not good of a liar he was. As Avery got up and was heading to Roland's room, now fully prepared for her to rest in as Mr. Noonan left the inside of it, Mrs. Noonan waited before shutting off the lights, wanting to make sure Avery looked comfortable enough to sleep. Once it had seemed confirmed, she shut off the lights. "Try to rest ok sweetheart?," said Mrs. Noonan with a comforting tone, "We will be here if you need anything. Don't be afraid to ask." Once all was said, a simple but sweet "Goodnight," was said from Mrs. Noonan as she closed the bedroom door. With Mrs. Noonan walking back into the kitchen, the only ones left in the main room was Roland and Steven. Both were still surprised from learning of the escape of Avery's father, fearing of the events to come. "I would have told her, ya know," said Steven to Roland, "She has a right to know." "Dude what the hell?" said Roland with a more frustrated tone of anger, "I'm trying not to get her upset, and you're over there saying I should tell her that her father is coming to find her? What I should just tell her 'Hey, you're not going to believe this, but your dad just busted out of prison and is coming to find you right now' and hope she'll be ok with it? Seriously." As Roland was now more ticked off, he wanted nothing more than to just steer clear of Steven's stupidity of words. In doing so, he picked himself up from his seat and was making his way into the kitchen. "It could be worse," mumbled Steven to himself. As Roland had entered the kitchen, he sighted both of Steven's parents keeping busy. Mr. Noonan was reading over some bill papers at the kitchen table, while Mrs. Noonan was preparing dinner. Once she turned to notice Roland's presence, seeing his face was pure red and distraught, she question him to see what was the matter. "Roland?" asked Mrs. Noonan, "Are you ok? You look as if you're going to explode." Mr. Noonan raised his attention to notice Roland in the kitchen as well, his face puzzled as to seeing that Roland wasn't looking too happy on something. "Steven is just keeping me in a bad mood is all," answered Roland, popping a question afterwards, "Can we talk for a minute?" "Yes, of course," said Mr. Noonan, getting up to pull out a chair for Roland to sit in so that he could sit down and discuss his issue with each other, "Something wrong?"</s> <\|message\|>Avery Jones Avery thanked mrs. Noonan and dozed off into a peaceful sleep not knowing what was happening or going on at all. She did dream but it was plain simple ones out there where nothing happened in her dream and she knew that but did not care at all for it was the first night that she could peacefully dream and not fear her father would come and do something or one of his friends. The past is what she desired to forget and just move on in hopes of finally being happy once again and not live in a little world full of fear and not knowing if she was going to die the next day or not. She remained curled up into a ball in a deep sleep not knowing how much she actually missed sleeping in a real bed instea of an old mattress on the floor. To her she was in paradise and was glad to finally just be a normal teenager and possibly have a great future. But unfortunately her father was out and on the hunt for Avery saying it was finally time for the brat to die. "I am coming for you Avery soon your blood will spill and all the bad you caused will be erased with the price of your blood." He said as he went off robbing a convenience store and killing a couple to steal their car and drove off to find the little brat that he believed ruined everything in his life, especially his marriage to his wife. After a few hours though Avery opened her eyes and sat up looking around trying to remember where she was at but soon reliazed she was being fostered at Roland's families friends home. She slowly got out of bed and made her way to the door looking out still a bit cautious about everything. Once she saw the hall was empty and slowly walked out and made her ways down stairs for she wanted a drink of water at least. She did not want to bother Mr. or Mrs. Noonan for a drink since they were nice enough for her to stay with them. She made her way to the kitchen slowly wanting to stay quiet and not cause any problems.</s>	<\|message\|>Roland Evans "Well…kind of," said Roland, taking a seat near the kitchen table, "I'm kind of worried." "Well Roland, we're all worried," said Mr. Noonan, laughing a bit, "I mean we know you care about Avery, and we-" "Yeah, but.." continued Roland as he interrupted, "It's just that…well…I have a feeling that he's going to find her, you know? And that when he does, he'll try to kill all of us for trying to-" "Roland" said Mrs. Noonan interrupting Roland this time, "Are you talking about Avery's father?" "Yeah," replied Roland as his face expressed a worrisome look, "I mean, I want to help Avery, but I'm scared also. Her father will probably do anything he can to find her…but I don't want anyone of us to get killed trying to protect her. It's just not right." As Mrs. Noonan walked over to the sink to clean her hands very quick, she knew that not only was Roland worried of Avery's safety, but everyone else's as well. "We'll figure something out along the way sweetheart," said Mrs. Noonan to Roland happily, "If it comes down to it, we'll have a patrol of troops guarding outside the house, you know like in the movies?" "Exactly," said Mr. Noonan laughing a bit harder now, "We'll be ready for whatever happens Roland. Even if we have to leave town or go into another continent, we will be one step ahead and do everything in our power to keep each other safe. You need not worry ok?" As they spoke of their plans, it made Roland feel a bit calmer, but the feeling still stood within him. He believed Mr. and Mrs. Noonan, but he wasn't sure as to what could happen, or if things would be too late. It was boggling him so much that he couldn't think straight, but he knew he wouldn't be able to fight it off unless something could be done. "I'm going to try to rest a bit too I guess," said Roland as he got up and began walking away from the table. "You aren't hungry?" asked Mrs. Noonan, "Dinner will be ready shortly." "Will you save a bit for me and Avery?" asked Noonan, "I know she'll be hungry when she wakes up." Mrs. Noonan smile back at him nodding, agreeing to leave leftovers for both him and Avery. Once all was said and done, the only thing Roland wanted to do now was get a couple of hours of sleep. "Steven," said Roland, plopping down onto the couch, "Try to keep the noise down ok? By the way, dinner will be ready in a few moments." "Really?" said Steven, "Well then I'm going to the kitchen. You can have the living room all you want because I'm starving." As Steven rushed out of the main room, Roland made himself more comfortable by laying across the couch, resting his head onto the armrest and closing his eyes. Even though there was still a bit of noise coming from the kitchen, it wasn't too much to keep him awake as he starting dozing off and eventually falling asleep. Hours later, Roland had woke up hearing a noise that sounded like footsteps. The rooms were dark due to the lights being out, but it wasn't going to prevent him as to finding out who was up roaming around. As he got himself up off the couch, he reached up to the ceiling fan and pulled the switch to turn on the lights in the room. "Someone awake?" questioned Roland, waiting for a reply to find out if anyone was up and near.</s>
<\|description\|>Knight-Corporal Douglas Barten Working on Douglas' history</s> <\|message\|>Knight-Corporal Douglas Barten We knew sooner or later that the Circle of Magi would of rebel against the Templar Order and the Chantry, but not this soon. Grand Cleric Elthina is dead and her Chantry is destroyed by the mages. Knight-Commander Meredith and First Enchanter Orsino both dead by the hands of the Champion. I heard around the market area that it was caused by the healer down in Lowtown, Andes, and that he's dead by the hands of Ethan Hawke, the Champion of Kirkwall. It seems a bit ironic since Hawke is a mage like Andres, but unlike the other mages that I have heard. He believed that mages should stay in the Circle to train and handle their magic better. Sadly, Hawke is missing, just like the Hero of Ferelden, Stephen Amell. At a time that we needed them the most, they just disappear like that. Their companions broke apart as soon as their leaders disappeared, but they are still trying to help out on both sides of the Mage-Templar War. It has been almost three weeks since the Kirkwall Rebellion started and the news of the Champion's disappearances darkens the hope of ending the Mage-Templar War before it spreads. But, it is too late from that. Maker help us in the upcoming months... Marching on the dirt road as the men and women of the Templar Order were marching from hours and hours. Another Right of Annulment was requested by the Knight-Commander of the Ostwick Circle nearby Kirkwall. The Commander, along with other templars, were trapped in the fist floor of the lobby. The main door was barred shut, because the door was the only thing to hold back the mages for escaping. Now that they rebel against the Order, they would give their lives in order to break that door. The marching began to stop as they heard a strong explosion sound coming near the Circle. Something had happened and it sounded bad. Now, the marching stopped as one person shouted, "GET TO THE TOWER QUICKLY.". It was time to run from the tower and with amour on, it was hard to run in. The ones with the amour on usually have a sword and a shield with them or just a long sword. The one without the swords and shields were carrying bows, they were the skilled archers from different parts of Thedas (mostly the southern part of it). The brave warriors, running towards the tower, were near the doors of Ostwick. As the doors to Ostwick opened, a group of templars came out of the towers as they were thankful that help came. "Where is the Knight-Corporal of this group?" said one of the templars from the tower. The question was shortly answer as he ran towards them and said, "Right here.". He stopped to catch his breath as looked at the others as he said, "Where is the Knight-Commander?". "He's inside, making such that the door doesn't break and keep the men for shitting themselves." said the templar, with a grinned on his face. The Corporal looked onto him and quietly laughed as he said with a foreign voice, "Thanks for telling me that.". He wasn't from the Free Marches, clearly from the voice, he was from Ferelden. He joined the Templar Order at the age of sixteen and he fought in the Battle of Denerim at the age of twenty-eight. The man marched inside as he saw the Knight-Commander, talking to a mage; but, they weren't happy to see each other. They were sitting, the mage was tied up and watched from any sigh that 'it' was going to use magic. He stool up and slapped the mage in the face, as 'it' fell onto the ground. The Commander sighed as he said, "I didn't want to do that, but you made me do it.". "I got to talk to someone." said the Commander, "Why don't you be a good mage and stay put.". He left the mage behind as another templar came up to 'it'. The Commander smiled as he said, "Thank the Maker, you're finally here.". "A week of sitting here and waiting until help came." said the Commander, as he looked at the door and smiled as his hope of retaking Ostwick, "Then you guys come here and now we can retake Ostwick.". He walked to the outside, where he saw the group that the Corporal came with. "Thank the Maker that the Order is still in one piece. Otherwise, we wouldn't get them." said the Commander, walking back inside as he and the others heard another strong explosion. It shook up the room a bit, but there wasn't any harm. The Corporal questioned the explosion as he said to the Commander, "Commander, what do you think they are doing up there?". "Who knows what they are doing up there." said the Commander, looking at the door, "Let's hope that they aren't planning to get us anytime soon.".</s> <\|message\|>Senior Enchanter Zayra Melthene She had come to help and they had shoved her face in the dirt and bound her in chains. In retrospect, she had been naïve. But the Tower had become a nightmare and she had been desperate for help. Twenty years she had lived in the Circle, and for twenty years she had believed the lie that the Templars were there to protect them. She had trusted their judgment when she helped drew blood for phylacteries. When her young apprentices expressed distaste for their watchers, she had urged understanding of their situation. Magic exists to serve man and never to rule him, she had sung, using both the Chant and cleverness to teach the children she'd once thought so misguided. Kneeling in the dirt, with the Knight Commander's contempt ringing in her pointed ears, Senior Enchanter Zayra Melthene decided that her young wards had been in the right. They had kept arrows trained on her breast and drained her magic the instant she had slipped into the courtyard, ignored every plea that fell from her lips. There were children—children—who could barely conjure sparks and breezes, in the broken tower. Children who were of no use to the First Enchanter but as beating hearts and veins to tap. She had believed, where no others had, that the Templars could not be so callous. She had known many of their number since she had been a child. The Knight Commander himself had once presided over her own Harrowing. He had nearly smiled at her, and praised her force of will. Now he kept her in chains, like a beast. They had voted for neutrality, all of them except First Enchanter Dmitry Talonhand. Kirkwall had rebelled—so he had decreed that Ostwick would follow. Zayra had been among the first to call him on his madness. They were not so foolish, to declare war on the chantry. Ostwick mages were more careful and their tower was not the Gallows. They were treated well. Abuses were found and punished here. Their Knight Commander, although stern, had been no fanatic. She had not expected Dmitry to slash his wrist and turn on them. He had been her mentor and she had loved him like a father. Yet he had turned on her when their council refused to submit. He had killed three of their number, three of her family, and enslaved another four. She and Senior Enchanter Uriah had turned and gathered those who loved their Circle, who loved their home, and barricaded themselves in the libraries. She had spent five days subsisting on lyrium potions and stale bread to keep the traitors at bay. They had begged through the door to those who were supposed to shield them, only to find that the Templars had called for the Rite of Annulment. So Zayra had found another way out of the tower. She was a master of force magic, after all, and there had been a window. Against Uriah's protests, she had jumped four stories. Instead of finding support, she had been branded a traitor. Her only saving grace had been that the Rite of Annulment had not yet arrived. Saved by their obsessive need for ceremony; it was not mercy. "We are not all lost," she pleaded, trying to make the Knight Commander see sense. "Dmitry has gone mad, but we voted against him! We dinnae wan' this, there are children who have done nothin' wrong, please—" The Knight Commander deigned her words worthy of the back of his armored hand and left her on the ground. Zayra's eyes swam, her mouth filling with coppery blood. She spat it out, swearing at the tightening of bows and blades. She was not so base as to surrender to the whispers in her head. Twenty years of magic and nine as a girl in the Alienage had taught her to give not an inch to the purrs of demons. She was not a monster. She was not Dmitry, inspired by madness. Kirkwall had started something monstrous. Mages everywhere would die, and for what? What freedom was there in apostasy? Nothing good ever came from blood magic. The reinforcements they'd spoken of were arriving, it seemed. Zayra tried not to hope. It would be too cruel to hope just before she died. She worked herself back to her knees from the cobbled ground, tossing cropped black hair out of her face. Her arms ached, pinned behind her, hands clamped out of casting position. As if she would ever have turned her magic on them—so many of them had been her friends. Or so she had thought. She'd never spat at them, even as a terrified little girl, the soot covered elf who had every reason to hate the shem in armor. Zayra had once thought that the Templars had saved her. They had brought her home. No one had beaten her for dropping plates in the Circle. No one had caressed her ears and dragged her to their bed chambers. She'd been given shoes and robes and taught how to read. The boy who had called her knife-ear… Dmitry had once made him apologise and put him to cleaning the privies for a month. Over the years, that boy had become a man and Uriah had become one of her closest friends. Her eyes stung, but she would not weep. Not like this. Not when those she had trusted had turned on her and her family so completely. The Knight Commander returned with strangers; she had banked on years of living together to make Ostwick's Templars see reason. She couldn't hope these reinforcements would show mercy. But she had to try—for the twenty eight children she and Uriah had sheltered in the lower library, she had to fight. An explosion echoed through the courtyard, dust raining down on their number. A wail of shuddering agony ripped through her throat as her green eyes saw a flare of fire but a level above the library. No. She had left them weakened and if Dmitry's thralls touched even a single child, she would unleash every hell imaginable. "Knight Corporal," she spoke in a desperate rush, recognizing the rank insignia of their guest, "Please, you have to listen to me, we haven' all turned. The First Enchanter has gone mad—he's killed so many of us, he took the upper third of the tower, but we've resisted. We dinnae want to rebel, this is our home. There are nearly thirty children in the library, but we couldnae keep them out on our own—please—those children only have six Enchanters to help keep them safe, and the First has blood magic and demons." Her voice had broken, but her eyes burned, shoulders trembling. If she could only touch her magic, slow their arrows and get back to the tower. She needed to be there, to be an immovable object when they came for the children. The First would not stop until he'd bled every one of them dry, and Zayra would sooner die than lose even one.</s>	<\|message\|>Knight-Corporal Douglas Barten "Please, you have to listen to me, we haven't all turned. The First Enchanter has gone mad—he's killed so many of us, he took the upper third of the tower, but we've resisted. We didn't want to rebel, this is our home. There are nearly thirty children in the library, but we couldn't keep them out on our own—please—those children only have six Enchanters to help keep them safe, and the First has blood magic and demons." the mage said with a desperate rush to the Corporal. The Knight-Commander ordered that the templar get closer to her, in case she uses the mage on them. The Commander wanted to slapped her for it; but, decided against that as it would make the whole thing worst. The Commander sighed once more as he walked away for the mage and dragged the Corporal along. "Don't mind her, she also has been to a lot." said the Commander as he wanted to change the subject quickly. The Corporal wanted to know more about the mage, sitting there and looking at them. "Who is the mage, Commander?" said the Corporal as he looked at her and then towards the nervous Commander as he said, "She is Zayra Melthene, a mage that we found escaping the tower. Let's avoid her for now as we got more matter than this 'knifed ear'.". It was the first time that he insulted the mage, that he believed in and watched her grow into a person that she is now. Now, he isn't such that either she's controlled by blood magic or now. He felt bad for calling her that name, but he didn't mean to call her 'knifed ear'. It was just the stress of waiting for almost a week until the others came. He heard screaming and explosions over and over as he sat and waited for what seem years. And he was not using that anger and targeted it all towards Zayra. They heard another explosion, which caused something to fall as it made a huge bame sound. "It must have been one of the bookshelves, sir." said a rookie templar, as he had been in the library before the tower rebel. The Commander looked up as he sighed again and pointed towards the door, "Get the door ready to open.". The templars rushed to the door as they waited for his command to open it. The Commander walked towards Zayra as he said, "If you are right about this, then you're coming with us.". He got her up for the chair as other templar made such that she couldn't make a run for it. "We hope that the First Enchanter is willing to trade the children for you, Zayra. But, if you're lying to us about this, I will make my job to finish you off." said the Commander as he had doubt of Zayra's story. But, if he is at the library, then they could get a chance to kill the First Enchanter.. The Corporal walked towards the Commander and asked him one question, "What will I do?". The Commander simply said, "You will go with Zayra and some other templar guards as I will stay here and get the men ready for your return.". The Corporal walked towards Zayra as the Commander walked away for her. The Corporal looked at her as she was pushed towards the door by the templars, that were going to follow him. He stopped and waited until the Commander said, "Open the Door.". The huge doors were soon opened as the Commander said those words. They walked forward as the door began to close, to protect the only way out. Zayra pushed by the other templars as they walked away for the Commander. He then decided to say something else to them as he said, "Good luck and may the Maker be with you.". He believed in the Maker, as every templar was, and as soon as the doors closed, he prayed to the Maker to protect them as the doors shut once more.</s>
<\|description\|>Knight-Corporal Douglas Barten Working on Douglas' history</s> <\|message\|>Senior Enchanter Zayra Melthene Knife ear. The words cut deeper than they ought to. It had been years since anyone had called her that inside the Circle. She'd almost forgotten what she was to them; an uppity elf, someone who was meant to be cleaning chambers, some thing that no one would miss if it disappeared after it was used up. The First Enchanter had always been her fiercest defender. He'd found those who had wounded her and put them to work. Some had grown from it; others had simply learned to keep their views quiet. Evidently, now that the First had gone mad, the Knight Commander saw no reason to bite his tongue. Knife ear. Her face burned, the sting of humiliation touching a nerve of temper. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been so furious. She'd worked so hard, had endured so much to earn their trust and their respect. And none of it had mattered. All of her worth had been tied up in the First Enchanter's clout. And now he was an abomination and Zayra was a knife ear once more. For a moment, she could hear the whispers, stronger now, trying to tap into her rage. They will take you to your children and turn on you. The shems will gut everyone you love or turn them tranquil. Little knife ear, you will be lucky if they kill you. Pray to your Maker that they kill you before they defile you. Let me help save you, let me in— Zayra grit her teeth, forcing herself to ignore those insidious whispers. She would not save those children by falling. She would only doom them, either to Templars or her own horrors, if she surrendered. She took a steadying breath, eyes shut tight. Magic exists to serve man, and never to rule over him. Foul and corrupt are they who have taken His gift and turned— Another explosion rocked the courtyard. Zayra's eyes flew open, and Maker's breath—that was too close to the library. What if they breached it—the children—she tried desperately to touch the curl of magic in her breast, but it did not respond. These damned Templars, these traitors— They were opening the door. Zayra wanted to spit at the Knight Commander, but he offered a deal and she stilled her temper. Trade her for the children? Truthfully, she did not think the First Enchanter would take such an offer. She suspected he had sent thralls to the library—Dmitry was mad, but not foolish. He would have sequestered himself in the observatory at the top of the tower. He would not collect his sacrifices himself, not if he had any sense. But it was the only chance she had to return to the tower. She was terrified to die, but better her than blameless children. Their only crime was that they had been born with magic. "You will do as y'must, I am certain, Commander," she hissed, ears flattening against her skull in her irritation. Knife ear. Her eyes burned as she struggled to her feet. The chains were awkward and heavy, and she was a slight woman. With her magic, she could have easily altered their weight and born the burden, but she was denied its warmth. Was this how Tranquil felt, she wondered, heart racing in sudden terror. She felt so empty, so dead inside without the comfort of her magic. It was as if someone had plucked the heart from her chest and replaced it with a stone carving. Everything felt wrong. The Templars shoved her along. Pins and needles stung her feet as she tried not to stumble, to keep pace with their number. Her chin jut outwards in defiance as she tried to walk with some semblance of dignity. She would die here, but she would not die cowering. The Knight Commander offered his blessing to their group, and her heart ached with a fresh wound. Why? Why would He let them suffer like this? Why did He let demons and monsters destroy their home and take so much life? She had never known such doubt before this moment. She had loved the Maker, had always found comfort in the Chant of Light. She knew the stories of Andraste and Shartan, knew in her heart that the Maker and His Bride had room even for little knife ears at their side. But she'd also known that the Templars were their protectors, and she'd been proven so very, very wrong there. Maybe the Maker did not love all His children. Maybe mages and knife ears were not worthy of His love. Who was she to understand the mind of their creator? "Blessed are the peacekeepers, champions of the just," she murmured beneath her breath, her words lost in the clatter of armor. She wasn't sure she believed the benediction herself. These righteous men and women, after all, had called for the Right of Annulment. Perhaps it had to be her. Somehow, with no magic nor staff, and in chains, she had to save their youngest from tranquility and possession and death. Zayra was not sure her slim shoulders could carry such a burden. The door shut behind them with a heavy thud, and Zayra took a shuddering breath. Her feet felt numb, the world span lazily on a slight axis. She was exhausted, but she forced herself forward. The Circle of Ostwick was a shadow of its former self. The main floor had always been lit by a dozen hearths, drying herbs and oils filling the tower with rich and lovely scents. It had been a warm welcome all those years ago. Now the hearths were cold and empty, the tapestries burned, and the tower smelled of sulphur and copper. The staircases on either side of the gargantuan circular room were dark and still. Zayra eyed the staircase to the right, gathering her nerve. "The library is on the fourth floor," she informed the Knight Corporal, heart racing ever faster, trying to find his eyes through his helm. They didn't trust her, but she had to make them see sense. Maker, they were doomed. "We sealed all entrances, from above and below. Senior Enchanter Uriah will let me in, but I will need to help unlock the seal. Dozens of abominations and demons stalk these halls. We numbered nearly ninety Harrowed mages before this nightmare began. Knight Corporal, you and your men need my magic."</s> <\|message\|>Knight-Corporal Douglas Barten After the door shut behind them, the group began to walk towards the steps, which will most likely lead them to the library. He knew that the library was on the fourth floors, because of Zayra as she said towards the others. One of the templars looked at her funny as he was walking with the other templar. The first floor felt odd as the rare smell of sulphur and copper was stronger than ever before, most of the towers—that he went to—smelled of different scents to block out that smell. The doors were shut and some were left open, with everything looking like nothing had happened. Of course, he knew the real action would of been either in the second, third, fourth, or even the last floor. The staircases were so dark that you couldn't even see the gray steps, he walked towards the steps and began to walk forward. That was when Zayra began to talk towards him and the other templars with him. She begged the Corporal to untie her and allow her to use her magic. The Corporal went up towards her and looked at her eye as he realized that they did need her magic. He walked up towards one of the templar and asked for the key. "Why? Are you fucking with me?" the templar said as he kept a strong grip of the key as he questioned the Corporal. "She has a point. We do need some magic, if we are going against other mages", the Corporal said as he tried to talk him into giving up the key. "But... you guys—the backup—only came because of The Rite of An...". The Corporal walked towards the templar and pushed him away from the mage. He whispered at the guy, "You don't say that word around her or she will be useless to us.". Zayra might of knew about the Rite and how the backup is here because of the Rite; but, to make such that she doesn't kill him and the other or go crazy, they have to keep it quite. When the templar realized that he knew what the 'word' was, he whispered towards the Corporal, "Alright. Here is the key.". Smiling in vitctory, the Corporal thanked the templar as he walked back towards Zayra. The Corporal looked at her as he held to the key and wanted to questioned her about this tower. "Before I let you go, I got to ask you some questions.", he said as he put the key into his pocket, "What kind of magic can you do? How many have turned against the Order? How many are dead? Did The First Enchanter used blood magic? How well did you know The First Enchanter? Would anyone else want to declared war against the Order?". So many questions to answer, but these questions will get her the freedom that she wants.</s> <\|message\|>Senior Enchanter Zayra Melthene Impossibly, it seemed that one of the Templars—the Knight Corporal, thank the Maker— was willing to see sense. Zayra scarcely dared to breathe. She had spent so long begging the Knight Commander to believe her, had spent so many hours channeling her being into seals and wards and fighting off abominations. Exhaustion lingered in every corner of her body, fingers trembling with the emptiness. But she would not, could not, surrender. This was her family, her home, and there was little she wouldn't do to save it. He argued quietly with another Templar. Zayra's hearing had always been keener than the shems realised, and she pieced together the fragments she heard. They'd come with the Rite—she'd suspected as much. It was more important than ever that she show them that they were not all lost. They couldn't kill all of them. It was too cruel. It was a pipe dream, but she had to believe that reason would win out, lest she fall apart. The Knight Corporal strode towards her, more armor than man, eyes calculating. Zayra suppressed her flinch as best she could, tried desperately to believe that the world hadn't gone mad. She wanted so dearly to think that they were here to help. For a moment, she nearly believed herself. Storm grey eyes snapped upwards to meet his. Despite her chains, she drew herself to her full height, shoulders square. She would not shrink from him, no matter how painfully her heart beat in her chest. For a moment, all she could see was the sunburst burned into the foreheads of their Tranquil. Maker, please, let her die before that fate. The Knight Corporal delivered a slew of questions at her. Zayra sorted through them swiftly, answering in her thick, Ostwick brogue, rolling her R's, voice thick with barely controlled frustration. "I've extensive experience in both primal and force magic. Stonefists, lightnin', gravitic rings and th'like. The First Enchanter, he was the only one to vote fer rebellion—but I think he knew we would vote against him. Of the ten Senior Enchanters, he killed three and enslaved four. Only Senior Enchanter Uriah and I escaped the meetin'." Maker, let Uriah still be alive, she prayed quickly, swallowing the sudden knot of grief in her throat. "I'm not sure how many turned by choice, but he has about twenty supporters. I counted about thirty dead—cannae be sure, I've been in the library with the children and seven other Enchanters. That leaves around fifteen Harrowed mages unaccounted fer. I… dinnae have much hope that they've survived this long with the tower like this. "The First—Dmitry—he must have been preparin' this fer some time. He... he was my mentor when I came to the Circle. But the man I knew was better than blood magic. None of us saw this comin'. And it's like I said, Knight Corporal, we all voted against rebellion. We dinnae wan'this. This is our home. We aren't Kirkwall."</s>	<\|message\|>Knight-Corporal Douglas Barten Since Zayra had answered all of the questions, he held the key strong as he unlocked her handcuffs and grabbed them. He quickly tosses the cuffs towards the other side of the hallway. The Knight Corporal breathed slowly as he said, "Thank you for answering my questions." and walked back towards the other templars. But, he stopped walking and thought of Zayra and her struggles during all of this. How could one person handle all of this without giving up? She looked hurt as she saw her home in ruins, her friends dead, and anything else disappearing or collapsing. Maker, this rebellion is going to destroy thousands of lives.. The Knight Corporal turned towards Zayra and said to her peacefully, "I am truly sorry for you. You have gone to a lot of loss and pain that no other person has dealt with since the last blight. This rebellion is just starting and Maker knows if we are going to make it alright. Just know that I pray for your recovery.". He turned away and started to walk back towards the other templars as they were stunned by the Corporal's words. He was quite as he began to climb up the stairs. The second floors, when the Corporal got to it, was peaceful as the first floor was. Everything looked dead from the flowers to the rugs looked gray and colorless. He loudly said towards the others on the stairs, "Alright, it's clear!". The other templars began to walk towards the Corporal, looking around scared as they held onto their swords on their sides. He was waiting for Zayra to come up as another explosion rang across the tower as dust landed on their armor. He suddenly heard a loud bamn sound as if a bookshelf fell to the ground. The Corporal was on alert as he grabbed his sword from his side and then his side from his back. "We have to go up there now!" he shouted as he ran up the steps, followed by other footsteps caused by the other templars. Then, they heard screaming coming from the fourth floor as he realized that something bad had happened. Before they could get a breather, the Corporal was met by a couple mages and around four or five demons. He and the other templars stopped at one of the mage spoke out. "Oh here are the templars, coming to kill us all!" he shouted out loud as he pointed his staff towards them. "Dmitry will soon control this tower and he will kill all the templars in this tower!". He was an elf mage, holding on to his staff as if he was going to use it in a few moments. The Knight Corporal looked around for Zayra, but she was no where to be found. He quickly sighed as he realized that they were most of the supporters that she talked about earlier. Screams soon roared across the tower as he and others realized that Dmitry and the others got into the library. He shouted towards the elf mage, "We will never give up to you mages! We are going to the library, even if we have to kill you all!".</s>
<\|description\|>Senior Enchanter Zayra Melthene --- Born 9:11 on the 1st of Bloomingtide, Zayra is among the younger of the Senior Enchanters of the Ostwick Circle of Magi at merely 29. Born in the local Alienage, she joined her family in servitude to the local Teyrn as a scullery maid at age six. The Melthene family was held in high esteem in the elven community, in no small part due to her grandfather's role as Hahren. It was his influence that lead Zayra to join the Circle peacefully (rather than face rather more severe consequences) after a mishap with her magic and a minor noble. Nearly ten years old and illiterate, none were more surprised than she when First Enchanter Dmitry Talonhand took her as an Apprentice. Zayra quickly proved to be a talented student, blessed with voracious curiosity and a drive for excellence in equal measure. She learned to read in but a month, and found herself drawn to primal magic. Sarcastic and guarded, it took her many months to warm to her fellow apprentices. Zayra first found comfort in Mother Rosalie, the leader of their Circle's Chantry. In time, the elderly woman gently pushed the young elf to build a family among her fellow mages. Her Harrowing was among the shortest witnessed at the Ostwick Circle in over two decades—Zayra met with, and defeated, a demon of rage in under an hour during her time in the Fade. As a fully qualified mage, she quickly established herself by publishing a treatise on gravitic rings (including a controversial theory that the spell had its magical origins rooted in demons of sloth and envy from the days of Tevinter rule of Thedas). Despite her curt manner, Zayra became popular in the Aequitarian Fraternity. Zayra published several essays on the moderate approach to Circle reform that were well-received in the College of Enchanters. Zayra found mentorship to be both a challenge and the best experience of her young life. Her first apprentice, a vibrant young human lad named Declan, tested her patience at every turn. In time, the two grew close, with Zayra viewing the boy as a son. His Harrowing very nearly ended in Tranquility, but he emerged triumphant in the end. In contrast, Zayra's time with the young Joslyn went smoothly. After her Harrowing, she began to collaborate with Zayra on a paper examining Avvar influence on the development of primal magic. Her latest apprentice Atlen, an elven lad of nine, has proven so far to be clever, but deeply suspicious of the Circle. Shortly after taking Atlen as a student, Zayra was promoted to Senior Enchanter. Although merely 26 at the time, the promotion was seen favorably among her peers. Zayra's faith in Andraste has been central to her life since she first came to the Circle. Although Mother Rosalie disapproved, Zayra stumbled across the dissonant verses of Shartan during her historical studies. She found them deeply comforting and proof that elves were meant to have a more active role in the Chantry. Despite these heretical views, she has maintained a friendly relationship with the Chantry women and the Templars assigned to the Ostwick Circle. The Kirkwall Rebellion deeply troubled Zayra. It further cemented her belief in the need for careful reform in both the Templar Order and the Circle. She recognized that the Ostwick Circle was blessed in its culture of rationality and commitment to rooting out abuse. However, despite Zayra's impassioned essay on the need for reform, she condemned the destruction of Kirkwall's Chantry. When the First Enchanter proposed rebellion against the Chantry, Zayra voted vehemently against the measure. The recent blood mage uprising in the Ostwick Circle has deeply shaken her faith in Templars and mages alike.</s> <\|message\|>Senior Enchanter Zayra Melthene Knife ear. The words cut deeper than they ought to. It had been years since anyone had called her that inside the Circle. She'd almost forgotten what she was to them; an uppity elf, someone who was meant to be cleaning chambers, some thing that no one would miss if it disappeared after it was used up. The First Enchanter had always been her fiercest defender. He'd found those who had wounded her and put them to work. Some had grown from it; others had simply learned to keep their views quiet. Evidently, now that the First had gone mad, the Knight Commander saw no reason to bite his tongue. Knife ear. Her face burned, the sting of humiliation touching a nerve of temper. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been so furious. She'd worked so hard, had endured so much to earn their trust and their respect. And none of it had mattered. All of her worth had been tied up in the First Enchanter's clout. And now he was an abomination and Zayra was a knife ear once more. For a moment, she could hear the whispers, stronger now, trying to tap into her rage. They will take you to your children and turn on you. The shems will gut everyone you love or turn them tranquil. Little knife ear, you will be lucky if they kill you. Pray to your Maker that they kill you before they defile you. Let me help save you, let me in— Zayra grit her teeth, forcing herself to ignore those insidious whispers. She would not save those children by falling. She would only doom them, either to Templars or her own horrors, if she surrendered. She took a steadying breath, eyes shut tight. Magic exists to serve man, and never to rule over him. Foul and corrupt are they who have taken His gift and turned— Another explosion rocked the courtyard. Zayra's eyes flew open, and Maker's breath—that was too close to the library. What if they breached it—the children—she tried desperately to touch the curl of magic in her breast, but it did not respond. These damned Templars, these traitors— They were opening the door. Zayra wanted to spit at the Knight Commander, but he offered a deal and she stilled her temper. Trade her for the children? Truthfully, she did not think the First Enchanter would take such an offer. She suspected he had sent thralls to the library—Dmitry was mad, but not foolish. He would have sequestered himself in the observatory at the top of the tower. He would not collect his sacrifices himself, not if he had any sense. But it was the only chance she had to return to the tower. She was terrified to die, but better her than blameless children. Their only crime was that they had been born with magic. "You will do as y'must, I am certain, Commander," she hissed, ears flattening against her skull in her irritation. Knife ear. Her eyes burned as she struggled to her feet. The chains were awkward and heavy, and she was a slight woman. With her magic, she could have easily altered their weight and born the burden, but she was denied its warmth. Was this how Tranquil felt, she wondered, heart racing in sudden terror. She felt so empty, so dead inside without the comfort of her magic. It was as if someone had plucked the heart from her chest and replaced it with a stone carving. Everything felt wrong. The Templars shoved her along. Pins and needles stung her feet as she tried not to stumble, to keep pace with their number. Her chin jut outwards in defiance as she tried to walk with some semblance of dignity. She would die here, but she would not die cowering. The Knight Commander offered his blessing to their group, and her heart ached with a fresh wound. Why? Why would He let them suffer like this? Why did He let demons and monsters destroy their home and take so much life? She had never known such doubt before this moment. She had loved the Maker, had always found comfort in the Chant of Light. She knew the stories of Andraste and Shartan, knew in her heart that the Maker and His Bride had room even for little knife ears at their side. But she'd also known that the Templars were their protectors, and she'd been proven so very, very wrong there. Maybe the Maker did not love all His children. Maybe mages and knife ears were not worthy of His love. Who was she to understand the mind of their creator? "Blessed are the peacekeepers, champions of the just," she murmured beneath her breath, her words lost in the clatter of armor. She wasn't sure she believed the benediction herself. These righteous men and women, after all, had called for the Right of Annulment. Perhaps it had to be her. Somehow, with no magic nor staff, and in chains, she had to save their youngest from tranquility and possession and death. Zayra was not sure her slim shoulders could carry such a burden. The door shut behind them with a heavy thud, and Zayra took a shuddering breath. Her feet felt numb, the world span lazily on a slight axis. She was exhausted, but she forced herself forward. The Circle of Ostwick was a shadow of its former self. The main floor had always been lit by a dozen hearths, drying herbs and oils filling the tower with rich and lovely scents. It had been a warm welcome all those years ago. Now the hearths were cold and empty, the tapestries burned, and the tower smelled of sulphur and copper. The staircases on either side of the gargantuan circular room were dark and still. Zayra eyed the staircase to the right, gathering her nerve. "The library is on the fourth floor," she informed the Knight Corporal, heart racing ever faster, trying to find his eyes through his helm. They didn't trust her, but she had to make them see sense. Maker, they were doomed. "We sealed all entrances, from above and below. Senior Enchanter Uriah will let me in, but I will need to help unlock the seal. Dozens of abominations and demons stalk these halls. We numbered nearly ninety Harrowed mages before this nightmare began. Knight Corporal, you and your men need my magic."</s> <\|message\|>Knight-Corporal Douglas Barten After the door shut behind them, the group began to walk towards the steps, which will most likely lead them to the library. He knew that the library was on the fourth floors, because of Zayra as she said towards the others. One of the templars looked at her funny as he was walking with the other templar. The first floor felt odd as the rare smell of sulphur and copper was stronger than ever before, most of the towers—that he went to—smelled of different scents to block out that smell. The doors were shut and some were left open, with everything looking like nothing had happened. Of course, he knew the real action would of been either in the second, third, fourth, or even the last floor. The staircases were so dark that you couldn't even see the gray steps, he walked towards the steps and began to walk forward. That was when Zayra began to talk towards him and the other templars with him. She begged the Corporal to untie her and allow her to use her magic. The Corporal went up towards her and looked at her eye as he realized that they did need her magic. He walked up towards one of the templar and asked for the key. "Why? Are you fucking with me?" the templar said as he kept a strong grip of the key as he questioned the Corporal. "She has a point. We do need some magic, if we are going against other mages", the Corporal said as he tried to talk him into giving up the key. "But... you guys—the backup—only came because of The Rite of An...". The Corporal walked towards the templar and pushed him away from the mage. He whispered at the guy, "You don't say that word around her or she will be useless to us.". Zayra might of knew about the Rite and how the backup is here because of the Rite; but, to make such that she doesn't kill him and the other or go crazy, they have to keep it quite. When the templar realized that he knew what the 'word' was, he whispered towards the Corporal, "Alright. Here is the key.". Smiling in vitctory, the Corporal thanked the templar as he walked back towards Zayra. The Corporal looked at her as he held to the key and wanted to questioned her about this tower. "Before I let you go, I got to ask you some questions.", he said as he put the key into his pocket, "What kind of magic can you do? How many have turned against the Order? How many are dead? Did The First Enchanter used blood magic? How well did you know The First Enchanter? Would anyone else want to declared war against the Order?". So many questions to answer, but these questions will get her the freedom that she wants.</s>	<\|message\|>Senior Enchanter Zayra Melthene Impossibly, it seemed that one of the Templars—the Knight Corporal, thank the Maker— was willing to see sense. Zayra scarcely dared to breathe. She had spent so long begging the Knight Commander to believe her, had spent so many hours channeling her being into seals and wards and fighting off abominations. Exhaustion lingered in every corner of her body, fingers trembling with the emptiness. But she would not, could not, surrender. This was her family, her home, and there was little she wouldn't do to save it. He argued quietly with another Templar. Zayra's hearing had always been keener than the shems realised, and she pieced together the fragments she heard. They'd come with the Rite—she'd suspected as much. It was more important than ever that she show them that they were not all lost. They couldn't kill all of them. It was too cruel. It was a pipe dream, but she had to believe that reason would win out, lest she fall apart. The Knight Corporal strode towards her, more armor than man, eyes calculating. Zayra suppressed her flinch as best she could, tried desperately to believe that the world hadn't gone mad. She wanted so dearly to think that they were here to help. For a moment, she nearly believed herself. Storm grey eyes snapped upwards to meet his. Despite her chains, she drew herself to her full height, shoulders square. She would not shrink from him, no matter how painfully her heart beat in her chest. For a moment, all she could see was the sunburst burned into the foreheads of their Tranquil. Maker, please, let her die before that fate. The Knight Corporal delivered a slew of questions at her. Zayra sorted through them swiftly, answering in her thick, Ostwick brogue, rolling her R's, voice thick with barely controlled frustration. "I've extensive experience in both primal and force magic. Stonefists, lightnin', gravitic rings and th'like. The First Enchanter, he was the only one to vote fer rebellion—but I think he knew we would vote against him. Of the ten Senior Enchanters, he killed three and enslaved four. Only Senior Enchanter Uriah and I escaped the meetin'." Maker, let Uriah still be alive, she prayed quickly, swallowing the sudden knot of grief in her throat. "I'm not sure how many turned by choice, but he has about twenty supporters. I counted about thirty dead—cannae be sure, I've been in the library with the children and seven other Enchanters. That leaves around fifteen Harrowed mages unaccounted fer. I… dinnae have much hope that they've survived this long with the tower like this. "The First—Dmitry—he must have been preparin' this fer some time. He... he was my mentor when I came to the Circle. But the man I knew was better than blood magic. None of us saw this comin'. And it's like I said, Knight Corporal, we all voted against rebellion. We dinnae wan'this. This is our home. We aren't Kirkwall."</s>
<\|description\|>Senior Enchanter Zayra Melthene --- Born 9:11 on the 1st of Bloomingtide, Zayra is among the younger of the Senior Enchanters of the Ostwick Circle of Magi at merely 29. Born in the local Alienage, she joined her family in servitude to the local Teyrn as a scullery maid at age six. The Melthene family was held in high esteem in the elven community, in no small part due to her grandfather's role as Hahren. It was his influence that lead Zayra to join the Circle peacefully (rather than face rather more severe consequences) after a mishap with her magic and a minor noble. Nearly ten years old and illiterate, none were more surprised than she when First Enchanter Dmitry Talonhand took her as an Apprentice. Zayra quickly proved to be a talented student, blessed with voracious curiosity and a drive for excellence in equal measure. She learned to read in but a month, and found herself drawn to primal magic. Sarcastic and guarded, it took her many months to warm to her fellow apprentices. Zayra first found comfort in Mother Rosalie, the leader of their Circle's Chantry. In time, the elderly woman gently pushed the young elf to build a family among her fellow mages. Her Harrowing was among the shortest witnessed at the Ostwick Circle in over two decades—Zayra met with, and defeated, a demon of rage in under an hour during her time in the Fade. As a fully qualified mage, she quickly established herself by publishing a treatise on gravitic rings (including a controversial theory that the spell had its magical origins rooted in demons of sloth and envy from the days of Tevinter rule of Thedas). Despite her curt manner, Zayra became popular in the Aequitarian Fraternity. Zayra published several essays on the moderate approach to Circle reform that were well-received in the College of Enchanters. Zayra found mentorship to be both a challenge and the best experience of her young life. Her first apprentice, a vibrant young human lad named Declan, tested her patience at every turn. In time, the two grew close, with Zayra viewing the boy as a son. His Harrowing very nearly ended in Tranquility, but he emerged triumphant in the end. In contrast, Zayra's time with the young Joslyn went smoothly. After her Harrowing, she began to collaborate with Zayra on a paper examining Avvar influence on the development of primal magic. Her latest apprentice Atlen, an elven lad of nine, has proven so far to be clever, but deeply suspicious of the Circle. Shortly after taking Atlen as a student, Zayra was promoted to Senior Enchanter. Although merely 26 at the time, the promotion was seen favorably among her peers. Zayra's faith in Andraste has been central to her life since she first came to the Circle. Although Mother Rosalie disapproved, Zayra stumbled across the dissonant verses of Shartan during her historical studies. She found them deeply comforting and proof that elves were meant to have a more active role in the Chantry. Despite these heretical views, she has maintained a friendly relationship with the Chantry women and the Templars assigned to the Ostwick Circle. The Kirkwall Rebellion deeply troubled Zayra. It further cemented her belief in the need for careful reform in both the Templar Order and the Circle. She recognized that the Ostwick Circle was blessed in its culture of rationality and commitment to rooting out abuse. However, despite Zayra's impassioned essay on the need for reform, she condemned the destruction of Kirkwall's Chantry. When the First Enchanter proposed rebellion against the Chantry, Zayra voted vehemently against the measure. The recent blood mage uprising in the Ostwick Circle has deeply shaken her faith in Templars and mages alike.</s> <\|message\|>Senior Enchanter Zayra Melthene Impossibly, it seemed that one of the Templars—the Knight Corporal, thank the Maker— was willing to see sense. Zayra scarcely dared to breathe. She had spent so long begging the Knight Commander to believe her, had spent so many hours channeling her being into seals and wards and fighting off abominations. Exhaustion lingered in every corner of her body, fingers trembling with the emptiness. But she would not, could not, surrender. This was her family, her home, and there was little she wouldn't do to save it. He argued quietly with another Templar. Zayra's hearing had always been keener than the shems realised, and she pieced together the fragments she heard. They'd come with the Rite—she'd suspected as much. It was more important than ever that she show them that they were not all lost. They couldn't kill all of them. It was too cruel. It was a pipe dream, but she had to believe that reason would win out, lest she fall apart. The Knight Corporal strode towards her, more armor than man, eyes calculating. Zayra suppressed her flinch as best she could, tried desperately to believe that the world hadn't gone mad. She wanted so dearly to think that they were here to help. For a moment, she nearly believed herself. Storm grey eyes snapped upwards to meet his. Despite her chains, she drew herself to her full height, shoulders square. She would not shrink from him, no matter how painfully her heart beat in her chest. For a moment, all she could see was the sunburst burned into the foreheads of their Tranquil. Maker, please, let her die before that fate. The Knight Corporal delivered a slew of questions at her. Zayra sorted through them swiftly, answering in her thick, Ostwick brogue, rolling her R's, voice thick with barely controlled frustration. "I've extensive experience in both primal and force magic. Stonefists, lightnin', gravitic rings and th'like. The First Enchanter, he was the only one to vote fer rebellion—but I think he knew we would vote against him. Of the ten Senior Enchanters, he killed three and enslaved four. Only Senior Enchanter Uriah and I escaped the meetin'." Maker, let Uriah still be alive, she prayed quickly, swallowing the sudden knot of grief in her throat. "I'm not sure how many turned by choice, but he has about twenty supporters. I counted about thirty dead—cannae be sure, I've been in the library with the children and seven other Enchanters. That leaves around fifteen Harrowed mages unaccounted fer. I… dinnae have much hope that they've survived this long with the tower like this. "The First—Dmitry—he must have been preparin' this fer some time. He... he was my mentor when I came to the Circle. But the man I knew was better than blood magic. None of us saw this comin'. And it's like I said, Knight Corporal, we all voted against rebellion. We dinnae wan'this. This is our home. We aren't Kirkwall."</s> <\|message\|>Knight-Corporal Douglas Barten Since Zayra had answered all of the questions, he held the key strong as he unlocked her handcuffs and grabbed them. He quickly tosses the cuffs towards the other side of the hallway. The Knight Corporal breathed slowly as he said, "Thank you for answering my questions." and walked back towards the other templars. But, he stopped walking and thought of Zayra and her struggles during all of this. How could one person handle all of this without giving up? She looked hurt as she saw her home in ruins, her friends dead, and anything else disappearing or collapsing. Maker, this rebellion is going to destroy thousands of lives.. The Knight Corporal turned towards Zayra and said to her peacefully, "I am truly sorry for you. You have gone to a lot of loss and pain that no other person has dealt with since the last blight. This rebellion is just starting and Maker knows if we are going to make it alright. Just know that I pray for your recovery.". He turned away and started to walk back towards the other templars as they were stunned by the Corporal's words. He was quite as he began to climb up the stairs. The second floors, when the Corporal got to it, was peaceful as the first floor was. Everything looked dead from the flowers to the rugs looked gray and colorless. He loudly said towards the others on the stairs, "Alright, it's clear!". The other templars began to walk towards the Corporal, looking around scared as they held onto their swords on their sides. He was waiting for Zayra to come up as another explosion rang across the tower as dust landed on their armor. He suddenly heard a loud bamn sound as if a bookshelf fell to the ground. The Corporal was on alert as he grabbed his sword from his side and then his side from his back. "We have to go up there now!" he shouted as he ran up the steps, followed by other footsteps caused by the other templars. Then, they heard screaming coming from the fourth floor as he realized that something bad had happened. Before they could get a breather, the Corporal was met by a couple mages and around four or five demons. He and the other templars stopped at one of the mage spoke out. "Oh here are the templars, coming to kill us all!" he shouted out loud as he pointed his staff towards them. "Dmitry will soon control this tower and he will kill all the templars in this tower!". He was an elf mage, holding on to his staff as if he was going to use it in a few moments. The Knight Corporal looked around for Zayra, but she was no where to be found. He quickly sighed as he realized that they were most of the supporters that she talked about earlier. Screams soon roared across the tower as he and others realized that Dmitry and the others got into the library. He shouted towards the elf mage, "We will never give up to you mages! We are going to the library, even if we have to kill you all!".</s>	<\|message\|>Senior Enchanter Zayra Melthene For a long, horrible moment, Zayra thought he would not unchain her. It wouldn't have surprised her. She'd been chained since she had first come to the Templars. It was a miracle that the Knight Corporal unbound her hands, tossing the heavy steel aside as though it were weightless. Feeling rushed back into numb fingers, pins and needles stinging every inch of her hands. She rubbed them together vigorously, relishing the bite of air on her skin once more. She very nearly missed that Knight Corporal's sympathies—her mind had already turned to the library. Zayra almost thought she had imagined it. She studied the man warily, uncertain what to make of his prayers. Perhaps his prayers would reach the Maker. Maybe the Maker listened to humans, to Templars. Maybe they were worthy of His grace. Zayra had been so sure, once, that the Maker and His Bride loved her. That truth no longer seemed so certain. Zayra was all too aware of the Templars and their blades. She kept her footsteps light, taking stairs two at a time. Unburdened by armor, she was able to slip ahead, bare toes picking her way across the stone floors. The second floor was still for but a moment – a massive thud filled the air, rattling her teeth. It was not an explosion, but something solid and heavy—such as a shelf, loaded with thousands of ancient tomes—and screams reached her sensitive ears. She ran. She had never run so fast in all her life, black hair and robes whipping behind her. All that mattered was reaching the library, was finding her children and keeping them safe. Little Atlen, who had begged her not to go to the Templars, who had distrusted them, who had known they would not let her go… Zayra's heart bucked like a herd of unbroken horses. Maker, let her little Atty be safe. Joslyn would keep him safe, she would— The instant Zayra could touch her magic again, a broken sob spilled out of her throat. It was like she was alive again, like the world could make sense. She needed to get to the library—but the cries of battle met her ears. She had slipped past other mages, had not drawn their ire in the face of Templars—she could keep going, could leave them to their fate—her children needed her now—But she could not fight a horde of demons and abominations on her own. Not without her staff to focus her spells, not without lyrium. She needed their swords. Zayra grit her teeth. Turning away from the library was the single most excruciating experience of her life. Maker, let Uriah and Joslyn and the others hold out just a little longer. She prayed, even as she doubted that those prayers would be answered, and set back towards the Templars she had abandoned. The sight was troubling. Three mages—one twisted into an abomination, one an apprentice (Westley, she remembered), and Enchanter Haryk, who had come from her old Alienage—and demons. Two rage, one of despair, and a handful of wraiths. She at least had an edge of surprise, silent at their backs. It had been many years since she had cast without her faithful staff, but there was something wondrous in channeling her magic through her hands. Something primal and raw about grasping the threads of the Fade with her hands, shaping reality to her whims. Zayra raised her arms, a grim smile touching her lips before she slammed her fists down. The effect was immediate. Even distanced from her spell, she could feel how heavy the world had gotten, miring the demons and mages under their own weight. The wraiths fluttered freely—but they would be easy enough to pick off—she stepped backwards, tossing her hair out of her face, breathing hard. It hurt to cast when she was this depleted, without a staff to better channel her power. Her blood felt like it was molten, burning her out from the inside. Haryk slowly turned his head towards her, burdened by her gravitic ring, his teeth clenched against the exhertion. His eyes were wide with madness, crimson staining his arms. Blood magic, then. Zayra's lip curled, her temper flared, and her hands began the dance again. Magic surged through her, an exquisite agony that threatened to consume her before it caved to her will. Haryk had barely turned his body around when she pulled the world into her grasp once more. Haryk's mouth formed a little 'O' of surprise when his body was lifted into the air. For one instant, their eyes met, and Zayra almost pitied her fellow elf. And then she slammed his body into the stone floor, his head exploding in a spray of flesh and bone.</s>
<\|description\|>Odin Fenrir Age: 29 years old Gender: Male Race: Nord Appearance: From: Skyrim Birth Sign: The Lord Guild: The Silver Hand Weapons: Silver longsword, an iron dagger, and an enhanced crossbow with silver bolts. Spells: Novice healing and fire. Bio: A descendant of the infamous Krev the Skinner, Odin Fenrir was born into the Silver Hand. He is a powerful warrior and a skilled hunter, and has claimed the heads of many werewolves. He is the current leader of the Guild and leads them into battle against the spawns of Hircine. Personality: Odin is sensible, noble and considerate. He guides his men with a strong and powerful voice. Strong, brave and loyal, he is a true leader whose natural prowess comes from a great confidence. Sexuality: Straight</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven sat on a grindstone and begun sharpening the Sisters of Despair. After her daggers were razor sharp, she stood up and walked towards the Night Mother's coffin. Raven then kneeled. "Dear Night Mother," she stated. " I know we don't seem like much right now, but we're will rebuild and restrike fear in the Nirn again."</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir "It's approaching quickly, lads! Stand your ground and hold your swords still! Do not let it feel your fear! Stand together and stand strong! Stay with me now!" Roared Odin Fenrir, leader of the Silver Hand. A group of them were on a werewolf hunt and they've been tracking this particular beast for a couple of hours now. The prey have became the predator...</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven stood and left the Sanctuary to embark on her contract. She was chosen to kill a Nord traveler who had been practicing magic in the College of Winterhold. I would take atleast three days to travel from Falkreath to Winterhold on foot, none the less, Raven began her journey alone.</s> <\|message\|>Danon Stiorard Danon was just returning to the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary from his latest assignment, and the first thing he did when he got back was opened up a book on magic, specifically the magic to summon Daedra to do his bidding. He never really cared if it was forbidden to do so, as he was always looking for, new, interesting, "fun" ways to complete his assignments.</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir As the group of Silver Hand's move through the northern Falkreath forest they were ready for anything or so they thought. Behind them came howling and then in front of them came the crashing brush. Whatever they were after was playing with them, but the group warriors did not back down and with the power of Odin's voice they held together with fear! "Do not allow the beast to ensnare you, boys! It is smart and a trickster, stand together and do not leave the formation! The animal shall be ours and let Talos be your witness when it is brought down to our feet!"</s> <\|message\|>Raven As Raven began her journey, she heard the clash of weapons and the yelling of battle nearby. Being curuois, she stuck to the shadows and suck up to the battleground. There she noticed a group of warriors fighting ast. "What are the Silver Hand doing here?" She said to herself, trying to remain undetected.</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir Out from the mighty pine trees came the roaring figure, leaping through the air with its arm extended and teeth baring. The werewolf was going in for the kill, but the Silver Hand stood their ground as Odin yelled out, "Shields rise! Swords thrust!" A loud, crying yelp was heard and the sound of struggling shortly died down. The werewolf was dead, impaled by Odin Fenrir's very own silver sword. A blade that entered the beast's heart and took its life swiftly. With the blood of the beast forming a pool beneath the men, they all raised their swords and gave out a victory cry, but not Odin. He stayed silent, going down on one knee and looked at his trophy as a hunter would do with a deer.</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven smirked as the hunters slayed the werewolf. Little did she know, another were wolf was behind her. Turning to face the beast, Raven reanimated the corpse of the werewolf the huners had just killed and it charged at the beast infront of Raven. As her companion struck, so did she, ultimately overkilling this beast. The reanimated corpse turned to ash and raven stood before her kill.</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir Odin jumped to his feet, raising his sword in front of him as he called forth, "To arms once more! We are not out of the woods yet!" The entire squadron of Silver Hand knights quickly moved into a battle ready position. Their shields held tight and their sword pointing directly at the mystery being. Odin stepped forward slowly and asked out loud, "State your business, witch!"</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven smirked, allowing her fangs to show. "I prefer being called a hunter over a witch," she stated as she began to cirlce around Odin. " But hunter isn't entirely right either, and my business doesn't concern you... Yet." Raven then apprached Odin and she brushed his hair back as she came face to face with him. "Put it this way, If you were my target, you'd be already dead." Raven then turned away and began walking.</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir Odin stood still, not even flinching once as the vampire moved about in front of him and his men. Her words meant naught to him, he had faced far worse than a single vampire, but her kind was not his quarry. He stayed his sword and allowed her to walk away. He then turned and decided to return back to camp, but he was halted by one of his men, "Sir? You're going to allow that vampire to simply walk? Are you mad!?" "She is not our quarry... we are werewolf hunters and nothing more. We will not make the same mistake the Vigilant did over a hundred years ago." "But si-!" "If it bothers you that much, soldier. Why don't you join the Dawnguard?" Replied Odin. The man went silent and moved back into the ranks.</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven stopped and turned back towards Odin. "Dawngard?" she stated. "They're reforming?" She then came up behind Odin. "Tell me what you know of the Dawngard." Her face grew dark with concern, as she awaited his respone.</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir In a split second the entire group of Silver Hands surrounded the vampire, silver swords aiming at her! One of them was even a capable mage as his hands glowed with fire! But all the vampire heard from Odin Fenrir was a soft chuckle. "Where have you been for the last hundred years, undead? It matters not. The Dawnguard are strong and it wouldn't be long now until they wipe your filthy species out of Tamriel and return you all to the Prince of Rape. But I give you, but a single warning: Leave now and face your death with the Dawnguard later, or suffer a dozen silver swords in your decaying flesh and die now."</s> <\|message\|>Raven "Well you see, I'm part of a rather unique family." Raven said. "You kill me and none of you will see tomarrow," Raven was not phased by the weapons aimed at her. "I have a proposition for you." She then holds up a coin purse. "How much will it take for you to share your knowledge of the Dawngard?, If coin isn't enough I can eliminate anyone you please, free of charge."</s> <\|message\|>T'ophil T'ophil was walking out of the city of Whiterun, a bag of septims and throwing it up and then catching it. "Another job well done T'ophil." He complimented himself. He has hidden in his cloak so no one would recognize the armor he wore. None of the guards tried to arrest him so that was good. Once he was a good distance from Whiterun, he mounted his horse and headed straight for Riften to rest and get another job.</s> <\|message\|>Raven "Now I'll give you three options," She stated, appraching Odin seductively. "I kill you, reainimate your corpse, and then slay your quadrin , or I grant you my gift." Raven then shows her fangs. "Or you play nice, which in time gives you benifits." Raven then stepped back and drew the Sisters of Despair, the daedric daggers glew with a purple aura. "So do you really want to die, or live?"</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir "Your words do not frighten me nor my men, vampire. Neither does your dying family. We are Nords, sons and daughters of Skyrim! The protectors of her people! We will rejoice in the mighty halls of Sovengarde if we die today! We are not afraid to die for in the afterlife we shall be rewarded with praise and song!" Odin said these words with heart and his men all cheered when he was finished. "Your words may send fear into an Imperial dog, but not a Nord. I shall give you, but a single answer to your question: If you wish to know more about the Dawnguard, why don't you pay them a visit yourself? They are still camped out at the giant fort east of Riften. I am sure they'll welcome you with open arms..."</s> <\|message\|>Raven "Good boy," Raven replied. " Was that so hard, Infact I might pay a visit to those pathetic excuses for soldiers. " She then smirked. "After-all I have real soldiers right here." She spoke in a flirtatious tone, rather than curing their souls to oblivion. "You know how to contact me if you need my assistance." She winked and turned to walk away.</s>	<\|message\|>Odin Fenrir Odin Fenrir simply said nothing as the vampire walked away from him and his men. As she got farther away he scuffed to himself and began to march, but he was stopped by the same soldier who questioned him earlier. "Sir?" "Do you not trust my judgment?" Odin said proudly. "N-no, but I do fear for what could come with this chance meeting." The soldier replied. "The Dawnguard could handle themselves against a single vampire, assassin or not." Odin said firmly. "And her so called order is a dying bunch." He added. "But come now, lad! In front of us is not one, but two very dead werewolves. It is a time for drink and celebration!"</s>
<\|description\|>Danon Stiorard Age: 20 Gender: Male Race: Breton Appearence (Pic or description): Nobody knows what Danon really looks like other than his dark brown eyes, because he keeps most of his face covered and his hood up on his Shrouded Armor at all times when anyone is nearby. From (Any city in Skyrim or any land surrounding Skyrim ex. Cyordiil): originally fromCyrodiil, but he he spends much of his time in Dawnstar Sanctuary after he joined the Dark Brotherhood Birthsign: The Thief Guild (optional): Dark Brotherhood Light weapon/s (Daggers, short-swords, war axes): N/A (he only uses bound weapons) Medium weapon/s ( Staffs, Bows, and crossbows): N/A Heavy weapons/s (Longswords/greatswords, war hammers, and battle-axes): N/A Bio (Optional): TBR Personality: Danon is a very quiet person, only talking to those he trusts or when he finds it absolutely necessary. He also takes his work for the Dark Brotherhood very seriously, and is fond of burning his targets to death to the point that they're beyond recognition. He also refuses to use normal weapons, because he claims it'll be too easy to track him if he does, so he uses magic, and bound weapons to do his work. Sexuality: Straight Other:</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven sat on a grindstone and begun sharpening the Sisters of Despair. After her daggers were razor sharp, she stood up and walked towards the Night Mother's coffin. Raven then kneeled. "Dear Night Mother," she stated. " I know we don't seem like much right now, but we're will rebuild and restrike fear in the Nirn again."</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir "It's approaching quickly, lads! Stand your ground and hold your swords still! Do not let it feel your fear! Stand together and stand strong! Stay with me now!" Roared Odin Fenrir, leader of the Silver Hand. A group of them were on a werewolf hunt and they've been tracking this particular beast for a couple of hours now. The prey have became the predator...</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven stood and left the Sanctuary to embark on her contract. She was chosen to kill a Nord traveler who had been practicing magic in the College of Winterhold. I would take atleast three days to travel from Falkreath to Winterhold on foot, none the less, Raven began her journey alone.</s>	<\|message\|>Danon Stiorard Danon was just returning to the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary from his latest assignment, and the first thing he did when he got back was opened up a book on magic, specifically the magic to summon Daedra to do his bidding. He never really cared if it was forbidden to do so, as he was always looking for, new, interesting, "fun" ways to complete his assignments.</s>
<\|description\|>T'ophil Age: 24 Gender: Male Race: Khajit Appearence (No anime): He has brownish fur that lights to an orange when it comes to his middrift. He has black lines from his face to the back of his head. He has scars littered all over his body and he usually wears light armor or the Thieves' Guild armor. From (Any city in Skyrim or any land surrounding Skyrim ex. Cyordiil): Elswyr Birthsign: The Shadow Guild (optional): Thieves' Guild Light weapon/s (Daggers, short-swords, war axes): Two short swords with a fire enhancement. Medium weapon/s ( Staffs, Bows, and crossbows): Bows with various kinds of arrows Heavy weapons/s (Longswords/greatswords, war hammers, and battle-axes): N/A Bio (Optional): All that you need to know is that he came from Elswyr and traveled to Skyrim thanks to a caravan. He got into stealing stuff and got into the Thieves' Guild no problem. Personality: He's full of trickery and his whole life is made by lies. He wears many masks, not having a problem in switching between them in a quick pace. He wears a mask that would fit the predicament that he is in. He can be surprisingly kind to anyone he deems trustworthy, which aren't a lot. Sexuality: Straight Other: He knows how to use the Invisibility spell, Calm, Conjure swords and bow.</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven sat on a grindstone and begun sharpening the Sisters of Despair. After her daggers were razor sharp, she stood up and walked towards the Night Mother's coffin. Raven then kneeled. "Dear Night Mother," she stated. " I know we don't seem like much right now, but we're will rebuild and restrike fear in the Nirn again."</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir "It's approaching quickly, lads! Stand your ground and hold your swords still! Do not let it feel your fear! Stand together and stand strong! Stay with me now!" Roared Odin Fenrir, leader of the Silver Hand. A group of them were on a werewolf hunt and they've been tracking this particular beast for a couple of hours now. The prey have became the predator...</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven stood and left the Sanctuary to embark on her contract. She was chosen to kill a Nord traveler who had been practicing magic in the College of Winterhold. I would take atleast three days to travel from Falkreath to Winterhold on foot, none the less, Raven began her journey alone.</s> <\|message\|>Danon Stiorard Danon was just returning to the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary from his latest assignment, and the first thing he did when he got back was opened up a book on magic, specifically the magic to summon Daedra to do his bidding. He never really cared if it was forbidden to do so, as he was always looking for, new, interesting, "fun" ways to complete his assignments.</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir As the group of Silver Hand's move through the northern Falkreath forest they were ready for anything or so they thought. Behind them came howling and then in front of them came the crashing brush. Whatever they were after was playing with them, but the group warriors did not back down and with the power of Odin's voice they held together with fear! "Do not allow the beast to ensnare you, boys! It is smart and a trickster, stand together and do not leave the formation! The animal shall be ours and let Talos be your witness when it is brought down to our feet!"</s> <\|message\|>Raven As Raven began her journey, she heard the clash of weapons and the yelling of battle nearby. Being curuois, she stuck to the shadows and suck up to the battleground. There she noticed a group of warriors fighting ast. "What are the Silver Hand doing here?" She said to herself, trying to remain undetected.</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir Out from the mighty pine trees came the roaring figure, leaping through the air with its arm extended and teeth baring. The werewolf was going in for the kill, but the Silver Hand stood their ground as Odin yelled out, "Shields rise! Swords thrust!" A loud, crying yelp was heard and the sound of struggling shortly died down. The werewolf was dead, impaled by Odin Fenrir's very own silver sword. A blade that entered the beast's heart and took its life swiftly. With the blood of the beast forming a pool beneath the men, they all raised their swords and gave out a victory cry, but not Odin. He stayed silent, going down on one knee and looked at his trophy as a hunter would do with a deer.</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven smirked as the hunters slayed the werewolf. Little did she know, another were wolf was behind her. Turning to face the beast, Raven reanimated the corpse of the werewolf the huners had just killed and it charged at the beast infront of Raven. As her companion struck, so did she, ultimately overkilling this beast. The reanimated corpse turned to ash and raven stood before her kill.</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir Odin jumped to his feet, raising his sword in front of him as he called forth, "To arms once more! We are not out of the woods yet!" The entire squadron of Silver Hand knights quickly moved into a battle ready position. Their shields held tight and their sword pointing directly at the mystery being. Odin stepped forward slowly and asked out loud, "State your business, witch!"</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven smirked, allowing her fangs to show. "I prefer being called a hunter over a witch," she stated as she began to cirlce around Odin. " But hunter isn't entirely right either, and my business doesn't concern you... Yet." Raven then apprached Odin and she brushed his hair back as she came face to face with him. "Put it this way, If you were my target, you'd be already dead." Raven then turned away and began walking.</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir Odin stood still, not even flinching once as the vampire moved about in front of him and his men. Her words meant naught to him, he had faced far worse than a single vampire, but her kind was not his quarry. He stayed his sword and allowed her to walk away. He then turned and decided to return back to camp, but he was halted by one of his men, "Sir? You're going to allow that vampire to simply walk? Are you mad!?" "She is not our quarry... we are werewolf hunters and nothing more. We will not make the same mistake the Vigilant did over a hundred years ago." "But si-!" "If it bothers you that much, soldier. Why don't you join the Dawnguard?" Replied Odin. The man went silent and moved back into the ranks.</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven stopped and turned back towards Odin. "Dawngard?" she stated. "They're reforming?" She then came up behind Odin. "Tell me what you know of the Dawngard." Her face grew dark with concern, as she awaited his respone.</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir In a split second the entire group of Silver Hands surrounded the vampire, silver swords aiming at her! One of them was even a capable mage as his hands glowed with fire! But all the vampire heard from Odin Fenrir was a soft chuckle. "Where have you been for the last hundred years, undead? It matters not. The Dawnguard are strong and it wouldn't be long now until they wipe your filthy species out of Tamriel and return you all to the Prince of Rape. But I give you, but a single warning: Leave now and face your death with the Dawnguard later, or suffer a dozen silver swords in your decaying flesh and die now."</s> <\|message\|>Raven "Well you see, I'm part of a rather unique family." Raven said. "You kill me and none of you will see tomarrow," Raven was not phased by the weapons aimed at her. "I have a proposition for you." She then holds up a coin purse. "How much will it take for you to share your knowledge of the Dawngard?, If coin isn't enough I can eliminate anyone you please, free of charge."</s> <\|message\|>T'ophil T'ophil was walking out of the city of Whiterun, a bag of septims and throwing it up and then catching it. "Another job well done T'ophil." He complimented himself. He has hidden in his cloak so no one would recognize the armor he wore. None of the guards tried to arrest him so that was good. Once he was a good distance from Whiterun, he mounted his horse and headed straight for Riften to rest and get another job.</s> <\|message\|>Raven "Now I'll give you three options," She stated, appraching Odin seductively. "I kill you, reainimate your corpse, and then slay your quadrin , or I grant you my gift." Raven then shows her fangs. "Or you play nice, which in time gives you benifits." Raven then stepped back and drew the Sisters of Despair, the daedric daggers glew with a purple aura. "So do you really want to die, or live?"</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir "Your words do not frighten me nor my men, vampire. Neither does your dying family. We are Nords, sons and daughters of Skyrim! The protectors of her people! We will rejoice in the mighty halls of Sovengarde if we die today! We are not afraid to die for in the afterlife we shall be rewarded with praise and song!" Odin said these words with heart and his men all cheered when he was finished. "Your words may send fear into an Imperial dog, but not a Nord. I shall give you, but a single answer to your question: If you wish to know more about the Dawnguard, why don't you pay them a visit yourself? They are still camped out at the giant fort east of Riften. I am sure they'll welcome you with open arms..."</s> <\|message\|>Raven "Good boy," Raven replied. " Was that so hard, Infact I might pay a visit to those pathetic excuses for soldiers. " She then smirked. "After-all I have real soldiers right here." She spoke in a flirtatious tone, rather than curing their souls to oblivion. "You know how to contact me if you need my assistance." She winked and turned to walk away.</s> <\|message\|>Odin Fenrir Odin Fenrir simply said nothing as the vampire walked away from him and his men. As she got farther away he scuffed to himself and began to march, but he was stopped by the same soldier who questioned him earlier. "Sir?" "Do you not trust my judgment?" Odin said proudly. "N-no, but I do fear for what could come with this chance meeting." The soldier replied. "The Dawnguard could handle themselves against a single vampire, assassin or not." Odin said firmly. "And her so called order is a dying bunch." He added. "But come now, lad! In front of us is not one, but two very dead werewolves. It is a time for drink and celebration!"</s> <\|message\|>Raven Raven then continued on her journey, after the blizzard picked up, she grew weary. "There has to be an Inn somewhere." she said to herself as she continued to walk, slowly beginning to freeze. The weather was becoming harsh, to harsh even for a vampire. Raven became disoriented, thus throwing her off her trail. In a matter of time, raven found herself laying face first in the snow. She had grown weak and as her vision started to blur, a four were wolves came upon her motionless body. After further examination, one of the wolves howled, indicating that they were about to feast.</s> <\|message\|>T'ophil Four arrows struck each wolf and they dropped dead as the well-aimed arrows hit their marks. T'ohpil came out of hiding and then headed for the body. He was just about to return to Riften from Winterhold when he decided to explore a bit. The Khajit never expected to find a dead body which could potentially give him more gold. As he grew closer, he gradually noticed that it wasn't a dead body after all. "Might T'ophil ask why you are sleeping on the blanket of snow?"</s> <\|message\|>Raven North Raven looked up at T'ophil. She was obviously disoriented. "I need shelter," she said, shivering horribly. "please, I must serve my mistress."</s>	<\|message\|>T'ophil "The mistress?" T'ophil's alarms rung loud. Could she be part of the Dark Brotherhood? She must be but it would be amazing if one of them were to owe him a favor. "Come." The Khajit said as he outstretched a hand towards her.</s>
<\|description\|>Peter Parker (Only Nick Fury knows his secret identity) Alias:Spider-Man Age:17 Power: - Extreme strength. Despite his body size he has the relative strength of a spider, being able to lift upto at least 10 tonnes. - Spider Sense - Tingles when something dangerous is happening. - Superhuman Speed - Can catch up with moving cars on foot. Though why run when you can swing? - Superhuman Stamina - Can run, jump, roll, swing, punch etc. longer than the average human. - Superhuman Durability - He can take a beating. - Superhuman Agility - Limber, bendy and can do fancy somersaults. - Superhuman Equilibrium - Basically can balance himself on objects reallly well. - Superhuman Reflexes - Helps with his spider sense so he can react to things quickly. - Regenerative Healing Factor - Not as good as wolverines, but can heal broken bones in a couple of days. ^Everything is on that list. So you know exactly what's going on^ Skills: Willpower - Strong will and moral compass. Genius Level Intellect - Known to help some of the other super genius' with their own problems, created his own web fluid and web shooters. Skilled Photographer - Gotta make money somehow. Acrobat - Thanks to your friendly neighbourhood spider bite! Hand to hand fighter - Thanks to your friendly neighbourhood school bullies! Though its dramatically improved POST spider bite. Appearance Brief Bio: Parker never knew his parents, growing up with his Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Your typical hard working Manhattan couple. Entering school Peter found himself picked on quite often, for the main reason being his intellect. He had a knack with maths, science, technology but not so much the "Cooler" attributes and skills that gained people friends. However that doesn't mean he hasn't made any. Harry Osbourne, son and heir to Norman Osbourne off Osbourne industries one of the main competitors to other organisations like Stark Industries and the Future Foundation and Mary-Jane childhood neighbour and best friend for life - and one time love interest. That was when everything changed, a bite from a radioactive spider - In a less than safe enviroment. He probably could of sued. Mutated him and gave him extra-ordinary abilities, he had the equivelant strength of a spider, speed, endurance and resilience. Though what could he do with this power? Weeks passed as he struggled to come to grip with his new powers as he had to control them. Trying to act normal in his school life and life at home to prevent anyone from noticing a difference. The main event that changed his life, was the loss of a great man. His Uncle Ben. Shot after a store robbery Peter was one of the first ones on the scene, it was a devastating moment as he watched his friend, mentor and essentially father pass away in his arms. The last word that he spoke Responsibility. It was this that pushed him to become Spider-man. The loss he had suffered, and the hope that he would not want anyone else to suffer the same loss as he had! Ever since that fateful day two years ago he has fought countless villains and along side several other great Heroes. Now things have changed, and he finds himself with an invitation from Frank Richards. Some kind of Superhero teamup. Why not? Additional info: If you want I can change how he got the call to the young avengers. I cut out that for a time even in his younger years he worked with the Avengers unless you want that in to why he's going on the team.</s> <\|message\|>Billy Kaplan Billy smiled warmly at the sight of his boyfriend's arrival in Teddy. He already had a sneaking suspicion that the big green lovable lug hadn't gotten his weekly comic books. He was about to give his surprise when he turned and saw he was sitting next to famed actor Leonardo DiCaprio. He paused wide eyed for a moment before realizing what was happening. Causing Billy to laugh, "Wow you'd think they'd be smarter than that by now..." Billy remarked before reaching into his bag from the comic book store and pulled out a small handful of comic books. Sliding them over before kissing his shape changed boyfriend on the cheek. "I figured you'd forget... Leo." Billy teased as Riley showed up. "No Riley just about everyone is here. We're just waiting on Speed..." Billy sighed just after saying Speed. For being so fast, you'd think the guy wouldn't be late all the time.</s> <\|message\|>Valeria Richards As the elevator ascended through the multitude of floors that made up the Baxter Building, Valeria stood on the side opposite from Quentin. An uneasy silence prevailed between the two teenagers for a few minutes. Maybe she had reacted too harshly to Quentin's attempt at reading her mind, especially given that they needed his help. It was times like these that she wished she was more like Franklin. As goofy and annoying as he sometimes was, he had a natural way with people that Valeria just couldn't seem to grasp. It was something he shared with their father, a style of leadership and personality that inspired others and complemented his natural genius. Quentin eventually brought up the question she had hoped she wouldn't have to answer. While it wasn't a part of her plan to clue him in this early, Valeria knew she would have to build some trust it this was going to work. "We tried getting all the older heroes to help us out. They were interested at first but after a while they gave up when there were no results, so Franklin and I decided we would do this our way." She frowned remembering how all the adults they had looked up to and believed in just turned their backs and gave up on helping Jack so soon. Valeria knew then that they were on their own. "One of our friends is still missing out there, and if the grown-ups aren't going to be any help we thought maybe someone closer to our age could do the job. That's why we reached out to you." She turned to Quentin, her blue eyes locked onto his with an imploring gaze. "It's true we don't want our parents and their friends finding out about this, but that's only because they wouldn't understand. They think we're obsessed and we should just let this go. No one gets that we're just trying to look after our own and get our friend back. They think it's better that we just forget about him. But I won't, not so long as there are still ways to keep looking." Just as Valeria finished, their arrival to the roof was announced with a soft ping from the elevator. They both stepped out into the cool night air and walked over to Franklin. "Quentin, this is my brother Franklin. And this is... well, I think it goes without saying." Valeria eyed Spider-Man curiously, wondering if he was tired of Franklin's ceaseless yammering by now. "Alright. Now that we're all here, I guess you'll need to know who it is we're trying to find." Turning to her older brother, Valeria nodded to let him know he could take over. He had been closest to Jack, after all, and could give Quentin all the information he would need to find him. "You do the honors, Franklin?" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A fast moving blur blew into the shawarma restaurant, a strong gust of wind trailing in its wake. The next thing anyone knew, a young man was standing next to the table. His clothes were all askew and his wild mop of pale hair looked tossled and unkempt. He was almost a mirror reflection of Billy, although the cocky way he carried himself made it obvious they were very different. "What's up, nerds? Sorry I'm late to your little gathering. Inter-city traffic, cute hipster chicks walking the streets of Brooklyn, you know how it is." Taking a seat next to Riley, Tommy rolled his eyes at the way Billy and Teddy were hanging all over each other. He didn't have a problem with their sexuality, just the overtly lovey-dovey displays of affection. "So, Billy. What's the agenda for tonight? Besides calling us to a place that smells like goat meat." Reaching across the table, he plucked a piece of roasted chicken from Billy's plate and stuffed it in his mouth before chewing it voraciously. He wiped away some tahini sauce that dribbled down his chin and winked at Barbara slyly.</s> <\|message\|>Barbara Norris Barbara rolled her eyes and muttered "Odin's beard" as she noticed Tommy's wink. Despite the speedters flirtations she had little interest in him in that fashion but was grateful that he had finally arrived and they could now hopefully discover why they were meeting at this restaurant. Taking another bite of food she turned to him and said. "I am unaware as to why we have we have been gathered here young Tommy" she began "But if you wink at me in that fashion ever again then you and Dragonfane will have a very close encounter. Now if you will all excuse me I must change." Making her way to the bathroom she made sure it was clear before removing her hairclip and felt the familiar rush as her clothing was replaced with her armour. Sheathing her sword she made her way back to the teams table and sat down.</s> <\|message\|>Jermaine "Jerry" Sledge A loud snoring almost shook the house as the superpowered teenager slept at her desk. There was a bing as a message popped up on her computer, reminding her of the meeting. She slept through it, but soon, her phone began to buzz in her pocket. She roused and picked it out of her pocket, looking at it. Ballet lessons were starting soon... She didn't do ballet, she was about to go back to sleep when. She quickly glanced at her computer. Suddenly, her brain kicked into action and she remembered that Ballet was the code for the meet up. "CRAAAAAAAP!" She yelled. rolling off the chair and slumping on the floor, but quickly getting back to her feet and walking towards the door, A little too tired for her own good, as she grabbed the door handle, her arm took on the brass properties of it and she walked out into the hallway, before opening the door to the appartment blocks stairwell. She was half-way down the stairs when she remembered to lock the door. "Dammit..." she moaned, before running back up the stairs to lock it. ------------------------------------------- 20 minutes later ------------------------------------------- There was a loud thud at the back of the shop as Jerry opened the door a little more forcefully than she should have. "Sorry..." she mouthed to everyone in the restaurant. She walked up to the counter and ordered a Korma. She then looked around, not entirely sure who was a member of the team. She saw the relatively large gathering of teenagers and slowly and... As inconspicuously as an overly muscular teenaged girl could before looking down. "So... Are you guys..." she wasn't entirely sure if she should go around asking about stuff like this. She placed her hand on the table and then raised it to reveal that the palm of her hand was now plastic, the same colour as the table. "It's a... Magic trick..." she said, pursing her lips as to express awkwardness as she had the sneaking suspicion that the door was going to be broken down and her dragged off by the FBI or maybe those S.H.I.E.L.D. guys that the internets tinfoil-hat-society constantly talked about.</s> <\|message\|>Franklin Richards Wiccan however in the presence of the massive yet still nervously small woman gave a warm smile. "Hey no worries you're just on time." Wiccan assured Jerry as he stood up next to her. "Guys this is Jermaine, she's going to be joining us." Wiccan told the others with a smile and an arm wrapped around her thick but strong just by feel shoulder. "Yeah sorry I had to be so vague Jermaine, I was wanting to use a code system so we knew where to meet up. Ballet was for this restaurant and there were some others." Wiccan scratched the back of his neck. "I mean I'm not sure how our parents would feel about us doing this so I figured better safe than sorry..." "Because ballet isn't stereotypical of you at all isn't it Billy?" "Shut up Tommy..." Wiccan quickly snipped back with. Sadly all too used to the very sharp tongue of his speedster ally. "Anyway where was I? Right, right... basically its nothing fancy, we head out at night. Fight crime, hang out. I don't think anyone would ever accuse us of being super organized." Wiccan paused for the enviable Speed insult but it didn't come. Either he was getting too paranoid or Speed is just fucking with him now. "Anyways... let me introduce you to the others. My boyfriend Hulkling, Valkyrie, Speed who's a piece of shit..." "HEY!" "Enigma, and I'm Wiccan. Anyways I say enough talk lets head out and see what the city has in store for us tonight..." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Franklin sighed a bit as he reached into a small pocket that was sewn strategically into his suit so it wouldn't be easily found by just anyone. He pulled out a photo, seemingly not very old but creased from being folded in half. Showing Franklin at his 6th birthday party. Which was ages ago for him but only a year ago in his home reality. It shows Jack Power posing next to Franklin who was sitting at the table. Jack looking devilishly gleeful as he had just shoved Franklin's face into the cake. Which left Franklin with a face full of chocolate cake and vanilla frosting, looking like he was on the verge of tears from embarrassment. Franklin looked at the picture, and after a brief moment of nostalgia... and the realization he should smack Jack when they find him for that. He handed the photo to Quentin. "So Jack is the one on the left. His about 11 years old, went missing about a week ago when he was last seen hanging out with some superhero named Alraune. Me and Valeria have tried anything we could about finding out about this lady but outside of a couple other young heroes no one knows anything about it, or even realize she exists. Now Valeria is suspecting magic at play but personally I just think she's keeping herself well hidden. Either way he hasn't been seen at all and as someone who not only knows him, but his brother and sisters. Hell as someone who used to be in their superhero group and maybe some of my only friends." Franklin felt a lump in his throat as he had to contain himself. He found out about what happened very shortly after returning home. The long journey finally ending and being able to see his parents, his actual parents, again. Only to find out one of his only friends is missing and no one seemed to even give a damn but him and Valeria. Franklin had issues he was dealing with and he wasn't about to just stand back. Not after what his been through. "I can't just pretend to let this go. Not that I know now I can do something about it. So please, help me find him."</s>	<\|message\|>Peter Parker (Only Nick Fury knows his secret identity) "Well we'll keep an eye on her." As the elevator came up he took a back seat in the discussion. He then moved forward to join in the conversation. "Alruane doesn't really ring a bell, but if he's been missing and nobody knows where he is that's a bit of a problem. We are meant to look after our own anyway." He rolled up his glove slightly to check his watch. "You said there was a group of people waiting somewhere for us too meet them right? As you guys got this want me to swing-ahead and tell them what we're doing? I'm pretty sure I can find a group of teen super-heroes in a restaraunt. I doubt they're being that covert. Nobody is these days" He sighed, overly dramatic on purpose. "Though seriously this is all mind mumbo jumbo and I'm much more of the tech fixing type... that or beating up bad guys. I'm pretty good at beating up bad guys too. So want me to go get the others?"</s>
<\|description\|>Quintavius "Quentin" Quirinius Quire Alias: Kid Omega Age: 17 Power: * Telepathy -Quentin his capable of using deep and subtle influence, as well as displaying various psionic abilities with the minds of others including reading and communicating with thoughts over vast distances. However, these abilities have been reduced through the actions of Trask Industries who kidnapped Quentin and used him as a test subject for their mutant cure. Due to this, Quentin struggles to read multiple minds at once, as well as reducing the range of his abilities. He most relies on channeling his mental energy as a astral energy shotgun construct which manifests the focused totality of his telepathic powers, which deals direct mental damage leading to intense pain as well as sometimes unconsciousness/ * Psychic Intelligence - He is able to organize and construct his thoughts at accelerated rates, process data at high speeds, construct and formulate his thoughts with vast quantity and quality, project ideas and impressions into the minds of others and naturally shield himself from psychic assaults. Skills: While not strictly a skill, Quentin is able to piss anyone off with little effort. However this could be arguably a weakness rather than a skill. With a mass of dyed pink hair of course! Brief Bio: Quentin's outing as a mutant wasn't all that dramatic in a sense, although his parents defiantly weren't too happy. It began with a series of violent migraines, with him at one point breaking down in class due to all the voices speaking in his head. It was only during a visit from Professor Charles Xavier did he learn that those voices were in fact the thoughts of everyone around him. The Professor informed the boy and his "parents" that he was a mutant and invited him to attend his school in Westchester. He was practically kicked out the house due to him actually being a mutant so therefore had no other choice. In truth, Quentin didn't think that they were had viewed him as that much of an abomination if he hadn't already come out as bisexual months before, to their outrage. While his time at Xavier's school wasn't terrible, Quentin struggled to make any decent friends, falling in with the likes of Mortimer Toynbee and Glob Herman. Due to these friendships, he began to get picked on by the other students, leading him to have more of an angry and snarky nature. This escalated on his 15th birthday where he received a phone call from his "Parents" who informed him that he was adopted. This through Quentin over the edge, with him developing a drug problem as well as making him more violent. Due to this, he constantly questioned Xavier's views on mutant and human relations, with him even going so far as to venture into town with his two friends to violently beat a gang of human who had insulted/bullied him previously whenever he had ventured off campus. Xavier knew instantly when they returned, prompting an argument between the two, with Quentin knocking Xavier unconscious and declaring a riot at the school. The riot was quickly subdued but not before the death of a fellow student. Due to his actions, Quentin was taken into SHIELD custody where he spent months locked away in the Raft. After the death of Charles Xavier however at the hands of the Phoenix Force, the school was reopened under the leadership of Wolverine. As instructed by Xavier's Will, he persuaded Captain America to free Quire from captivity and let him join the student body of the new Jean Grey School led by him as a way to reform Quentin. Quentin obviously wasn't welcomed back to the school, although he soon founds friends with fellow outcast Evan Sabahnur, who he eventually formed a relationship with. All was well until Quentin was kidnapped by the forces of Trask Industries along with several other mutants. They were testing some kind of mutant cure on the teenagers, which seemed to work. However this wasn't for long, as within a few hours, Quentin found that he had full control of his abilities again. Barely managing to control the scientists around him, he broke free. Upon his return to school, he became surlier than ever due to the loss of his abilities and kept to himself, continuously practising whenever he found time. His anger got the best of him once more and he worsened emotionally. That was when Mastermind managed to infiltrate the X-men, vowing revenge after between defeated years ago. He managed to break into Cerebra and use his abilities to invert the morality of the X-men, hoping to turn them against each other. This inversion ended up affecting Quentin however, although in this case, he seemingly became "good". He managed to take down Mastermind after avoiding a free-for-all skirmish between the X-men and used his abilities to change them back. However he neglected to change himself back, stating that he had finally become the Quentin Quire that the world needed. Quire eventually graduated, becoming a full-fledged X-Man. Deciding to take some time away from the Institute he took to New York, where a call from Valeria Richards caught his attention. Additional info: I tried to give Quentin a reason to actual join a team such as the Young Avengers and and thought that the events of AXIS would probably have been it. He'll still keep his surly nature though, although he'll stay as rude and annoying as before. I also edited the AXIS event so that it was an X-men only event, as I didn't think you would have wanted that plot line to have affected nearly every hero and villain!</s> <\|message\|>Franklin Richards As Franklin mindlessly mashed away on the fighting game, leaned back in the couch and feet kicked up on the coffee table. Just wearing a t shirt and jeans that he hadn't had long. After all, in the week he was gone he had gone from pre-teen to late teen. Needed a new warerobe fairly quickly which was a weird shock into what reality was like now. Valeria sat nestled into a large chair on the far side of the room, a book laid open in her lap. Her eyes scanned the pages swiftly as her face maintained a look of intense concentration, appearing to be completely absorbed by what she was reading. No one could have known it was an act. A very well rehearsed one at that. Well, perhaps Franklin. But he was in on this too. The journey they had started months ago (or a week ago, depending on which dimension you were in) had lead them to this. The strangest thing about it was after all they had been through, they were still being treated like little kids, which was what made this whole ruse necessary. It was the ruse that their mom and dad were suppose to see as they came into the room, dressed in a nice suit and dress and heading out for a charity event dinner. "Alright you two, we're leaving and be back in a bit." Their mom Susan Storm told the two of them as they both finally glanced over. "You two be safe now, and remember if you see any alternate reality portals..." "Don't go in..." "Don't go in..." "Exactly." Their father chimed in with a jokey, cheerful tone. The two finally left and the Baxter Building penthouse was all empty besides Franklin and Valeria. The both of them continuing the act until finally a moment later Franklin suddenly turned off the system with a stretched out arm and finger. "Alright sounds like we're good to go. You got the first floor security cameras ready to pick them up when they come back right?" Franklin asked hopping over the back of the couch to go change. Valeria closed the book and looked up at her brother. "Really, Franklin? Asking me if I'm prepared?" She scoffed derisively, her comment mainly intended to poke fun at Franklin. Rising from her seat, she removed a device similar to a remote control from her pants pocket at pointed it at the television set where Franklin had been playing his game. A feed showing their parents leaving the front doors of the Baxter Building's first floor came on the screen. "We'll know as soon as they step foot back in the building." "Awesome." Franklin called back from down the hall in his room. Throwing on and getting a feel for the unstable molecule suit he had gotten a few days before. His dad made it, different in design from his parents' Fantastic Four suits but similar. It was comfortable for the most part, though Franklin did admit both the suit and the special underwear he had to wear with it didn't leave him much room in 'certain areas'. Still he enjoyed it and after a quick wipe of the front of it he came back to check up on Valeria and even though he knew he didn't have to really ask her about these things... he is the older brother. "Alright so this Quentin guy should be here in a bit, and Spider-Man should be about the same time." Franklin's voice got giddy a little at the sheer mention of Spider-Man. Someone who he idolized as a young kid, even if his body wasn't quite young anymore. Valeria rolled her eyes at hearing her older brother gush over Spider-Man. It was no secret he looked up to the slightly older (now even less so) hero, but the fact he could not contain his enthusiasm irked her somewhat. "Yes. And Franklin, promise me you won't ask for his autograph first thing, alright?" She made to leave the penthouse they called home, turning back at the door to look at Franklin over her shoulder before she stepped out. "I'll go wait for Quire downstairs and then we'll meet up on the roof once everyone's here." Franklin shrugged looking unamused by Valeria's coy comment. He already got Spider-Man's autograph... duh. Still though it was going to be cool to not only meet Spider-Man again, but now he might actually get to actually do superhero stuff with Spider-Man for a change. What more could a kind of kid, kind of teenager ask for? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Meanwhile... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Here's your chicken shawarma..." "Thank you." The middle aged Indian man gave the teenager a sideways look, but by this point repetition has made the image of a young man wearing the caped superhero like costume not quite so silly anymore. Still though Billy Kaplan paid the man no mind as he quietly glanced through the comic book in front of him. It was a DC release, Flash at the moment but he had a messenger bag which him that had some more new stuff in it. Had to hit up the comic book store that morning for the new releases. Sipping from his large plastic cup of iced Mountain Dew Billy Kaplan glanced up at a nearby clock. He knew the others realized tonight the meet up was at the Indian restaurant. Each night they would meet up like this was at a different place. Not real reasoning behind it. Keep the people who knew them from picking up on their late night activities? Either way Billy took a bite of his food before getting back to the comic book. Slowly getting excited for another night of action alongside the Young Avengers!</s> <\|message\|>Peter Parker (Only Nick Fury knows his secret identity) "You've got a spider on your back." Jumping back from the inevitable punch, Spider-sense not required, he caught himself on the wall looking down on his adversary. "You know I'm late for something. So why don't you just pass out on the floor already?" He swung himself down, kicking his two feet into the chest of his advesary following up with precise web shots to both the wrists and the ankles tying him down. "Done deal, got a pen? I usually like to leave a little note." That's when he heard the sirens. "Tell you what, maybe next time." Jumping up he then pulled himself along on the web. Training had done him well, there had been so many occasions where a fight with someone like that would have been tough. Feeling a little nostalgic perhaps?. Though stuff happened, times changed. I mean look at Franklin and Valeria! They were in their teens now, he had met them a couple of times as Spider-man and Peter Parker and the concept of them having grown up in a couple of months was crazy. Though he had that whole experience with the Green-Goblin hopping through other realities chasing down alternate Spider-men so he supposed he could understand how they each reality was quite out of wack, from their perspective. Swinging into a low loop to fling himself to the top of the Baxter building he landed in a squat. Oh the Baxter building, it was always so much fun coming here. Though he had more of a soft spot for Stark Tech he often got to contribute a bit more here. He turned to the door when it opened and Franklin walked out, flipping down onto the main roof he stood up. "Whoa, what're your parents feeding you? Miracle Grow?"</s>	<\|message\|>Quintavius "Quentin" Quirinius Quire Ever since he had recieved that phone call, Quentin Quire had been thinking long and hard on what to do. Well, he had actually been thinking for a mere couple of seconds, although that was still a long time considering how fast thoughts usually flew through his head. What really struck him was why the two had come looking for him. They had spoken over the phone about desperately needing a telepath, although surely they wouldn't have picked him? Especially after everything that had happened during his time at the Jean Grey School, as his name had even been trending on twitter not so long ago after another failed attempt at a school wide riot. Regardless he had ended up phoning the two fellow teenagers back and now he was here, headphones in, music blaring and strolling through New York City. His travels to and through the big city had given Quentin some time to think about things. About how maybe Wheel's hadn't been totally wrong about his views on mutant and human relationships. Chuck's beliefs on such a matter had shaped who Quentin had become over the years but in these last few months everything had changed. He had changed. Changed for the better he believed, with Quire even considered high fiving Mastermind the next time that he saw him for giving him such a solid. Although he noted for a fact that not everything was different. Walking through the streets of Manhattan, the mutant constantly found himself flicking through the minds of everyone around him, learning their names, lives and secrets. It was a filthy habit he had come to pick up, now that he thought about it. This was something the old Quentin would do. Hell, at least he knew it was wrong. That was a start. Finding himself on 42nd street, the pink haired teenager spotted his destination ahead of him; the Baxter Building. Home of the all so fabulous Fantastic Four, Quentin Quire had often dreamed of this place burning to the ground, along with the Avengers tower and even the run down mansion those guys had also owned. Why did every team feel the need to live and operate in some fancy-ass estate. Chuck had an excuse, he was British! The mutant punk approached cautiously as he had been instructed to do on the phone. Apparently this was a "kids only" event. No pompous super's. Just how Quire liked it. Running his hand through his mohawk, he made his way inside, quickly wiping the doorman's mind of his appearance as he passed him. Heading towards what appeared to be the central elevator, he reached towards the button only to find the door slide open to reveal his contact. Valeria Richards was short and blond in appearance with calculating blue eyes, which Quentin found quite intimidating for age. He didn't need to have telepathy to know that she'd been through a lot, although in this case such powers could be useful. Besides, simply reading her mind would speed up things a lot! Delving in, he stopped after a few seconds and furrowed his brow. "Nice place you have here, Miss Richards" Quentin Quire began, forcing a smile. "Any particular reason I can't see inside y' noggin'?."</s>
<\|description\|>Barbara Norris Alias: Valkyrie Age: 17 Power: Superhuman strength, stamina, and durability. Slowed aging Skills: Trained Swordswoman Appearance: Costume: Brief Bio: Barbara was adopted at a young age by a couple of archaeologists, who found her abandoned near one of their dig sites. From then on she had a very typical childhood living with her parents while accompanying them on the occasional dig. It was a couple of years ago that everything changed for Barbara. She came home from school to find her house ransacked and a note from her parents telling her to go to there office. Arriving there Barbara found her parents being held hostage and two large creatures asking them about a sword. Following her parents and the creatures Barbara realised the sword they were talking about was on display in a museum exhibit and ran ahead to get there ahead of the creatures and her parents. Reaching it's display case she smashed it with a nearby fire extinguisher and grabbed it's hilt, it was then she felt a surge of power and was enveloped in a bright light. As she transformed a flood of memories hit her, she was the Valkyrie an asgardian warrior and the creatures which held her parents were Dark Elves seeking her sword Dragonfane. As she stood and took in her armour for the first time in years the elves arrived, threw her parent aside and attacked. After dispatching both Elves, Barbara shifted back and ran to check on her parents, her sword now a particularly large hair clip. As they came round Barbara thought of why Odin had sent her to Earth and swore to prove to him that she had changed.</s> <\|message\|>Franklin Richards As Franklin mindlessly mashed away on the fighting game, leaned back in the couch and feet kicked up on the coffee table. Just wearing a t shirt and jeans that he hadn't had long. After all, in the week he was gone he had gone from pre-teen to late teen. Needed a new warerobe fairly quickly which was a weird shock into what reality was like now. Valeria sat nestled into a large chair on the far side of the room, a book laid open in her lap. Her eyes scanned the pages swiftly as her face maintained a look of intense concentration, appearing to be completely absorbed by what she was reading. No one could have known it was an act. A very well rehearsed one at that. Well, perhaps Franklin. But he was in on this too. The journey they had started months ago (or a week ago, depending on which dimension you were in) had lead them to this. The strangest thing about it was after all they had been through, they were still being treated like little kids, which was what made this whole ruse necessary. It was the ruse that their mom and dad were suppose to see as they came into the room, dressed in a nice suit and dress and heading out for a charity event dinner. "Alright you two, we're leaving and be back in a bit." Their mom Susan Storm told the two of them as they both finally glanced over. "You two be safe now, and remember if you see any alternate reality portals..." "Don't go in..." "Don't go in..." "Exactly." Their father chimed in with a jokey, cheerful tone. The two finally left and the Baxter Building penthouse was all empty besides Franklin and Valeria. The both of them continuing the act until finally a moment later Franklin suddenly turned off the system with a stretched out arm and finger. "Alright sounds like we're good to go. You got the first floor security cameras ready to pick them up when they come back right?" Franklin asked hopping over the back of the couch to go change. Valeria closed the book and looked up at her brother. "Really, Franklin? Asking me if I'm prepared?" She scoffed derisively, her comment mainly intended to poke fun at Franklin. Rising from her seat, she removed a device similar to a remote control from her pants pocket at pointed it at the television set where Franklin had been playing his game. A feed showing their parents leaving the front doors of the Baxter Building's first floor came on the screen. "We'll know as soon as they step foot back in the building." "Awesome." Franklin called back from down the hall in his room. Throwing on and getting a feel for the unstable molecule suit he had gotten a few days before. His dad made it, different in design from his parents' Fantastic Four suits but similar. It was comfortable for the most part, though Franklin did admit both the suit and the special underwear he had to wear with it didn't leave him much room in 'certain areas'. Still he enjoyed it and after a quick wipe of the front of it he came back to check up on Valeria and even though he knew he didn't have to really ask her about these things... he is the older brother. "Alright so this Quentin guy should be here in a bit, and Spider-Man should be about the same time." Franklin's voice got giddy a little at the sheer mention of Spider-Man. Someone who he idolized as a young kid, even if his body wasn't quite young anymore. Valeria rolled her eyes at hearing her older brother gush over Spider-Man. It was no secret he looked up to the slightly older (now even less so) hero, but the fact he could not contain his enthusiasm irked her somewhat. "Yes. And Franklin, promise me you won't ask for his autograph first thing, alright?" She made to leave the penthouse they called home, turning back at the door to look at Franklin over her shoulder before she stepped out. "I'll go wait for Quire downstairs and then we'll meet up on the roof once everyone's here." Franklin shrugged looking unamused by Valeria's coy comment. He already got Spider-Man's autograph... duh. Still though it was going to be cool to not only meet Spider-Man again, but now he might actually get to actually do superhero stuff with Spider-Man for a change. What more could a kind of kid, kind of teenager ask for? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Meanwhile... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Here's your chicken shawarma..." "Thank you." The middle aged Indian man gave the teenager a sideways look, but by this point repetition has made the image of a young man wearing the caped superhero like costume not quite so silly anymore. Still though Billy Kaplan paid the man no mind as he quietly glanced through the comic book in front of him. It was a DC release, Flash at the moment but he had a messenger bag which him that had some more new stuff in it. Had to hit up the comic book store that morning for the new releases. Sipping from his large plastic cup of iced Mountain Dew Billy Kaplan glanced up at a nearby clock. He knew the others realized tonight the meet up was at the Indian restaurant. Each night they would meet up like this was at a different place. Not real reasoning behind it. Keep the people who knew them from picking up on their late night activities? Either way Billy took a bite of his food before getting back to the comic book. Slowly getting excited for another night of action alongside the Young Avengers!</s> <\|message\|>Peter Parker (Only Nick Fury knows his secret identity) "You've got a spider on your back." Jumping back from the inevitable punch, Spider-sense not required, he caught himself on the wall looking down on his adversary. "You know I'm late for something. So why don't you just pass out on the floor already?" He swung himself down, kicking his two feet into the chest of his advesary following up with precise web shots to both the wrists and the ankles tying him down. "Done deal, got a pen? I usually like to leave a little note." That's when he heard the sirens. "Tell you what, maybe next time." Jumping up he then pulled himself along on the web. Training had done him well, there had been so many occasions where a fight with someone like that would have been tough. Feeling a little nostalgic perhaps?. Though stuff happened, times changed. I mean look at Franklin and Valeria! They were in their teens now, he had met them a couple of times as Spider-man and Peter Parker and the concept of them having grown up in a couple of months was crazy. Though he had that whole experience with the Green-Goblin hopping through other realities chasing down alternate Spider-men so he supposed he could understand how they each reality was quite out of wack, from their perspective. Swinging into a low loop to fling himself to the top of the Baxter building he landed in a squat. Oh the Baxter building, it was always so much fun coming here. Though he had more of a soft spot for Stark Tech he often got to contribute a bit more here. He turned to the door when it opened and Franklin walked out, flipping down onto the main roof he stood up. "Whoa, what're your parents feeding you? Miracle Grow?"</s> <\|message\|>Quintavius "Quentin" Quirinius Quire Ever since he had recieved that phone call, Quentin Quire had been thinking long and hard on what to do. Well, he had actually been thinking for a mere couple of seconds, although that was still a long time considering how fast thoughts usually flew through his head. What really struck him was why the two had come looking for him. They had spoken over the phone about desperately needing a telepath, although surely they wouldn't have picked him? Especially after everything that had happened during his time at the Jean Grey School, as his name had even been trending on twitter not so long ago after another failed attempt at a school wide riot. Regardless he had ended up phoning the two fellow teenagers back and now he was here, headphones in, music blaring and strolling through New York City. His travels to and through the big city had given Quentin some time to think about things. About how maybe Wheel's hadn't been totally wrong about his views on mutant and human relationships. Chuck's beliefs on such a matter had shaped who Quentin had become over the years but in these last few months everything had changed. He had changed. Changed for the better he believed, with Quire even considered high fiving Mastermind the next time that he saw him for giving him such a solid. Although he noted for a fact that not everything was different. Walking through the streets of Manhattan, the mutant constantly found himself flicking through the minds of everyone around him, learning their names, lives and secrets. It was a filthy habit he had come to pick up, now that he thought about it. This was something the old Quentin would do. Hell, at least he knew it was wrong. That was a start. Finding himself on 42nd street, the pink haired teenager spotted his destination ahead of him; the Baxter Building. Home of the all so fabulous Fantastic Four, Quentin Quire had often dreamed of this place burning to the ground, along with the Avengers tower and even the run down mansion those guys had also owned. Why did every team feel the need to live and operate in some fancy-ass estate. Chuck had an excuse, he was British! The mutant punk approached cautiously as he had been instructed to do on the phone. Apparently this was a "kids only" event. No pompous super's. Just how Quire liked it. Running his hand through his mohawk, he made his way inside, quickly wiping the doorman's mind of his appearance as he passed him. Heading towards what appeared to be the central elevator, he reached towards the button only to find the door slide open to reveal his contact. Valeria Richards was short and blond in appearance with calculating blue eyes, which Quentin found quite intimidating for age. He didn't need to have telepathy to know that she'd been through a lot, although in this case such powers could be useful. Besides, simply reading her mind would speed up things a lot! Delving in, he stopped after a few seconds and furrowed his brow. "Nice place you have here, Miss Richards" Quentin Quire began, forcing a smile. "Any particular reason I can't see inside y' noggin'?."</s>	<\|message\|>Barbara Norris Barbara was a mixture of nerves and excitement on the subway. Ever since encountering the Dark Elves in the museum she had been wanting to do more and this team was her chance. As the train neared her station she decided to get off and walk the last few blocks in order to gather her thoughts before the teams latest get together. Climbing the stairs and onto the streets of New York she found herself thinking about Dragonfane and the team. Since being reunited with her sword and regaining her powers and memories she had sworn to herself to prove to Odin that she had changed for the better and the team gave her that chance. The team itself she found interesting, they were quickly becoming the family she had missed since being banished from Asgard. Looking up she saw the Baxter Building and smiled wondering what Frank and Valeria were getting up to prior to their scheduled dinner date. After double checking the restaurant address on her phone she made her way there and quickly spotted Billy engrossed a comic book and enjoying a large drink of Mountain Dew. Entering the restaurant she made her way to his table and ordering some food and drink bent over to grab a book from his bag. Sitting down and opening the book she asked him "Any good?"</s>
<\|description\|>Valeria Richards Alias: Doom Age: 14 Power: Valeria has very little in the way of what could be called superpowers. Aside from a few pieces of exotic technology and knowledge of some spells she picked up while learning from Dr. Doom, she has the regular capabilities of an 'ordinary' teenage girl. Skills: What stands out about Valeria is her profoundly gifted intellect. Having shown signs of genius at an extremely young age, her father has often remarked that she is even smarter than him. Her pedigree aside, Valeria's mind is her greatest tool and her deadliest weapon. Add to that her time under the tutelage of an alternate universe's Victor von Doom and there are very few challenges, mental or otherwise, that she can not surmount. Appearance: Costume: Brief Bio: Growing up the second child of Reed Richards and Susan Storm exposed Valeria to many unusual things, so by the time she was old enough to start kindergarten there wasn't much that surprised her. Super villains, time travel, alternate universes, you name it. She had seen it all. In fact, she was starting to get bored with the constant perils her family seemed to face on a daily basis. So when a Future Foundation field trip gone awry left both her and her brother lost in time and space, Valeria decided to make the most of it. With Franklin as her somewhat unwilling accomplice, the two of them set out on what would become the adventure of their lives. The years they spent away from home profoundly changed both Valeria and Franklin, but Valeria's experiences in one dimension where the Fantastic Four's adversary Dr. Doom had triumphed over his reality's version of her parents left a lasting impression on Valeria. This Doom's world had suffered greatly after losing Reed and Susan Richards, and he had come to regret his victory at the cost of losing his greatest rival and former closest friend. When he discovered Valeria, the child of his vanquished foe who bore the name of his past love, Doom saw it as an opportunity to make up for his grievous mistake. Although Valeria was hesitant at first, she eventually accepted Doom as her teacher. Having learned a great deal from her time under his wing, the two of them devised a way to return Valeria and Franklin to their world. Once they returned, however, they discovered only a week had passed in their home reality. The now significantly older siblings eventually settled back in with their family and friends, although many of them noticed the darker turn Valeria's personality had taken. No one was more concerned by this than her father, but Valeria assured him she was still his little girl. Still, Reed Richards has been keeping a close watch on her as of late, hoping the world's next greatest evil mind is not currently living under his roof.</s> <\|message\|>Peter Parker (Only Nick Fury knows his secret identity) "You've got a spider on your back." Jumping back from the inevitable punch, Spider-sense not required, he caught himself on the wall looking down on his adversary. "You know I'm late for something. So why don't you just pass out on the floor already?" He swung himself down, kicking his two feet into the chest of his advesary following up with precise web shots to both the wrists and the ankles tying him down. "Done deal, got a pen? I usually like to leave a little note." That's when he heard the sirens. "Tell you what, maybe next time." Jumping up he then pulled himself along on the web. Training had done him well, there had been so many occasions where a fight with someone like that would have been tough. Feeling a little nostalgic perhaps?. Though stuff happened, times changed. I mean look at Franklin and Valeria! They were in their teens now, he had met them a couple of times as Spider-man and Peter Parker and the concept of them having grown up in a couple of months was crazy. Though he had that whole experience with the Green-Goblin hopping through other realities chasing down alternate Spider-men so he supposed he could understand how they each reality was quite out of wack, from their perspective. Swinging into a low loop to fling himself to the top of the Baxter building he landed in a squat. Oh the Baxter building, it was always so much fun coming here. Though he had more of a soft spot for Stark Tech he often got to contribute a bit more here. He turned to the door when it opened and Franklin walked out, flipping down onto the main roof he stood up. "Whoa, what're your parents feeding you? Miracle Grow?"</s> <\|message\|>Quintavius "Quentin" Quirinius Quire Ever since he had recieved that phone call, Quentin Quire had been thinking long and hard on what to do. Well, he had actually been thinking for a mere couple of seconds, although that was still a long time considering how fast thoughts usually flew through his head. What really struck him was why the two had come looking for him. They had spoken over the phone about desperately needing a telepath, although surely they wouldn't have picked him? Especially after everything that had happened during his time at the Jean Grey School, as his name had even been trending on twitter not so long ago after another failed attempt at a school wide riot. Regardless he had ended up phoning the two fellow teenagers back and now he was here, headphones in, music blaring and strolling through New York City. His travels to and through the big city had given Quentin some time to think about things. About how maybe Wheel's hadn't been totally wrong about his views on mutant and human relationships. Chuck's beliefs on such a matter had shaped who Quentin had become over the years but in these last few months everything had changed. He had changed. Changed for the better he believed, with Quire even considered high fiving Mastermind the next time that he saw him for giving him such a solid. Although he noted for a fact that not everything was different. Walking through the streets of Manhattan, the mutant constantly found himself flicking through the minds of everyone around him, learning their names, lives and secrets. It was a filthy habit he had come to pick up, now that he thought about it. This was something the old Quentin would do. Hell, at least he knew it was wrong. That was a start. Finding himself on 42nd street, the pink haired teenager spotted his destination ahead of him; the Baxter Building. Home of the all so fabulous Fantastic Four, Quentin Quire had often dreamed of this place burning to the ground, along with the Avengers tower and even the run down mansion those guys had also owned. Why did every team feel the need to live and operate in some fancy-ass estate. Chuck had an excuse, he was British! The mutant punk approached cautiously as he had been instructed to do on the phone. Apparently this was a "kids only" event. No pompous super's. Just how Quire liked it. Running his hand through his mohawk, he made his way inside, quickly wiping the doorman's mind of his appearance as he passed him. Heading towards what appeared to be the central elevator, he reached towards the button only to find the door slide open to reveal his contact. Valeria Richards was short and blond in appearance with calculating blue eyes, which Quentin found quite intimidating for age. He didn't need to have telepathy to know that she'd been through a lot, although in this case such powers could be useful. Besides, simply reading her mind would speed up things a lot! Delving in, he stopped after a few seconds and furrowed his brow. "Nice place you have here, Miss Richards" Quentin Quire began, forcing a smile. "Any particular reason I can't see inside y' noggin'?."</s> <\|message\|>Barbara Norris Barbara was a mixture of nerves and excitement on the subway. Ever since encountering the Dark Elves in the museum she had been wanting to do more and this team was her chance. As the train neared her station she decided to get off and walk the last few blocks in order to gather her thoughts before the teams latest get together. Climbing the stairs and onto the streets of New York she found herself thinking about Dragonfane and the team. Since being reunited with her sword and regaining her powers and memories she had sworn to herself to prove to Odin that she had changed for the better and the team gave her that chance. The team itself she found interesting, they were quickly becoming the family she had missed since being banished from Asgard. Looking up she saw the Baxter Building and smiled wondering what Frank and Valeria were getting up to prior to their scheduled dinner date. After double checking the restaurant address on her phone she made her way there and quickly spotted Billy engrossed a comic book and enjoying a large drink of Mountain Dew. Entering the restaurant she made her way to his table and ordering some food and drink bent over to grab a book from his bag. Sitting down and opening the book she asked him "Any good?"</s> <\|message\|>Franklin Richards Franklin beamed a big smile at the sigh of his hero standing before him. Though he quickly came to a sad realization about how he took after his dad in having to fight saying that miracle grow wouldn't work at all like that. Still he hadn't seem Spidey under these kind of circumstances in years and was sure going to try and give him a good first impression about the new and improved Fantastic Lad. The name is silly sure, but it was mom's idea.... "No this is the result of being in numerous alternate realities for around 10 years... Or a week however it's suppose to work." Franklin awkwardly scratched his head. Even though they've only been back a week neither Reed or Valeria have been able to figure out how 10 years in alternate realities could only be a week in theirs. Still Franklin was just grateful at that point on a lot of different levels. Not only to be home, but that now he truly felt like he could do something and not just hide behind mom or dad. Franklin extended out a hand, not letting Spider-Man see any elastic power just yet. As word was quiet about Franklin not being able to manipulate reality anymore. Something Franklin himself was wanting as it came from a hectic situation. Plus it gave him an element of surprise that could help down the road. "I'm really glad you agreed to do this. I hope me having to use dad's info on you to call you up is t going to be a sore spot or anything. Before uh.... All that happened, he was hoping you'd be a part of the Future Foundation." The fact his parents ended the Future Foundation after him and his sister vanished, while not exactly surprising. It did made Franklin feel guilty as he was sort of the reason why. Especially when it came to Alex Power, who now has both his younger brother missing and no more Future Foundation. It was just as big a reason as Jack being. Franklin's best friend that made him want to find Jack. "So I know I've been quiet on why I asked you to come here tonight. It's about Jack Power being missing. We think we have a lead but well. It's kind of complicated and even with your help and Quentin Quire we might need more help of a particular kind. We're going to meet up with sis and Quentin up on the roof and she can explain everything from there. Though personally speaking, I am excited we get to work together for a change... So do you like Spidey or more somethig like Mr. Spider or something like that?"</s>	<\|message\|>Valeria Richards Once she was alone, Valeria made a detour to her room and entered her large walk-in closet. Pushing aside a row of clothes on hangers she pressed a hidden switch in the wall that caused a panel to slide down, revealing a secret compartment that contained her costume. Unlike Franklin's, hers had been a gift not from their father but from the alternate version of Doctor Doom who had been her teacher and mentor. It was much the same as the traditional unstable molecule suits of the Fantastic Four, but with one slight addition; a dark blue cape with a built-in hood. It was an homage to the man who had helped make her into the person she was now, although she had yet to reveal it to anyone besides Franklin. She could only imagine how her father would react to seeing her dressed like his nemesis, and truth be told she wasn't eager for him to find out just how much she had been changed by her time with Doom. Valeria quickly dressed herself, pushing those troubling thoughts from her mind, and headed to the elevator that adjoined the penthouse. The short elevator ride down to the lobby was accompanied by generic muzak that seemed incongruous given the advanced technology and futuristic design that were built into the very bones of the Baxter Building. Still, Valeria supposed her parents couldn't be bothered with such minute details when they were constantly dealing with dimensional incursions and world-devouring space gods. She might take it upon herself someday to update the building's mood music to something a little more adventurous. Her uncle Johnny would probably approve, at the very least. The elevator reached the ground floor and its doors parted to reveal a pink-haired boy slightly older than Valeria standing outside. Judging by his less than conventional attire Valeria presumed he was the former-Xavier School student they had been expecting. "You must be Quentin. Welcome to the Baxter Building, home of tomorrow's technology today and last century's elevator music." Before she could continue introducing herself Valeria paused, her face taking on a stony expression. She could feel Quentin probing the borders of her consciousness with his telepathy, a sensation that immediately brought her guard up. Her time away from her home dimension had taught her many things, but probably one of the most valuable lessons she had learned had been how to build defenses against psychic intrusion within her own mind. She had her Uncle Victor (how it would kill her father to know she called him that) to thank for it. He had prepared her for virtually every scenario involving having to face foes with superpowers. It was something he considered fundamentally important, especially when it came to protecting the inner workings of what he referred to as "a superior mind." "A girl has to keep her secrets, Mr. Quire." Valeria's tone while speaking the last two words bordered on scornful. More than anything she resented his attempt to barge into her thoughts without her permission. Wasn't that the golden rule of the Charles Xavier school of thought? "I don't recommend you try any telepathic shenanigans while you're here. Except the ones we need you for, of course." Standing aside so he could enter the elevator, Valeria's expression softened slightly, an almost playful gleam in her eyes. "If you want to put that big mutant brain of yours to use, we can go upstairs and meet with my brother. We need your help finding someone." She keyed in the number of the top floor to take the elevator to the roof, her other hand holding the doors at bay while she waited for Quentin to enter. Valeria looked at him expectantly, tapping her foot as if to urge him to hurry up.</s>
<\|description\|>Valeria Richards Alias: Doom Age: 14 Power: Valeria has very little in the way of what could be called superpowers. Aside from a few pieces of exotic technology and knowledge of some spells she picked up while learning from Dr. Doom, she has the regular capabilities of an 'ordinary' teenage girl. Skills: What stands out about Valeria is her profoundly gifted intellect. Having shown signs of genius at an extremely young age, her father has often remarked that she is even smarter than him. Her pedigree aside, Valeria's mind is her greatest tool and her deadliest weapon. Add to that her time under the tutelage of an alternate universe's Victor von Doom and there are very few challenges, mental or otherwise, that she can not surmount. Appearance: Costume: Brief Bio: Growing up the second child of Reed Richards and Susan Storm exposed Valeria to many unusual things, so by the time she was old enough to start kindergarten there wasn't much that surprised her. Super villains, time travel, alternate universes, you name it. She had seen it all. In fact, she was starting to get bored with the constant perils her family seemed to face on a daily basis. So when a Future Foundation field trip gone awry left both her and her brother lost in time and space, Valeria decided to make the most of it. With Franklin as her somewhat unwilling accomplice, the two of them set out on what would become the adventure of their lives. The years they spent away from home profoundly changed both Valeria and Franklin, but Valeria's experiences in one dimension where the Fantastic Four's adversary Dr. Doom had triumphed over his reality's version of her parents left a lasting impression on Valeria. This Doom's world had suffered greatly after losing Reed and Susan Richards, and he had come to regret his victory at the cost of losing his greatest rival and former closest friend. When he discovered Valeria, the child of his vanquished foe who bore the name of his past love, Doom saw it as an opportunity to make up for his grievous mistake. Although Valeria was hesitant at first, she eventually accepted Doom as her teacher. Having learned a great deal from her time under his wing, the two of them devised a way to return Valeria and Franklin to their world. Once they returned, however, they discovered only a week had passed in their home reality. The now significantly older siblings eventually settled back in with their family and friends, although many of them noticed the darker turn Valeria's personality had taken. No one was more concerned by this than her father, but Valeria assured him she was still his little girl. Still, Reed Richards has been keeping a close watch on her as of late, hoping the world's next greatest evil mind is not currently living under his roof.</s> <\|message\|>Peter Parker (Only Nick Fury knows his secret identity) "Psshwaaah" He swiped his hand on a mock gesture of flattery. "Mr.Spider was my father. Call me Spidey, Spider-man or a crowd favourite is Menace, Oh-No or Spiiiiiiiiiiiidermaaaaaan." He moved over to lean on a wall. "In terms of your little reality hop alternate realities are weird... I mean really weird. I went to this one where everyone was literally a pig..." He visibly shuttered. "That isn't something I'll get out my head soon. Though in terms off your little trip me and your dad discussed that and I even brought it up with Stark. I think the apparent difference in time happens during the transition between realities though theres no real way for anyone to test these theories." He shrugged as he looked off into the city. "So what was your alternate reality experience like? Fun? No Fun? Strange? Not-Strange? I was following the Goblin on my trip which caused it to be... somewhat painful not to mention some of the alternate versions of me were very, very weird. But your trip seemed to last a bit longer than my own... relatively speaking of course."</s> <\|message\|>Quintavius "Quentin" Quirinius Quire Quentin opened his mouth to apologize, only to close it straight away and step into the elevator in silence. He decided it would be best to just not say anything on the matter after the last time he had apologized to someone. That someone had actually been the multitude of his classmates back at the Jean Grey School. It had been just after the incident with Mastermind; where his so-called inversion had taken place. After clearing things up with the faculty and finally seen the light as some may say, Quentin had decided that it was time to say sorry for all the anguish he had caused over the past few years. While he hadn't expected a series of hugs or pleas of forgiveness, he at least expected them to understand. Instead no one took him seriously, laughing at his attempts, claiming them to be all part of some mischievous scheme. It hadn't been until after a few weeks of peace and quiet that they started to believe him. Hence why now Quire kept his trap shut, as who'd believe him? He perked up though at the comment Valeria made about needing him to help find someone. He thought back to everything he knew about these Fantastic-Kids and anything that could link him or the X-men to them. That's when the face-palm thought came in. They needed a telepath. However that only led to more questions. "If you needed someone with telepathic abilities then why go for me?" He questioned, peering around the brightly lit elevator. "I'm pretty sure the likes of Rachel Grey and Psylocke could read minds the last time I checked! Unless this is something you don't really wish people to know you're up to?" He thought aloud. "You know that I've gone straight right? Thought it'll be best for me to put off partaking in my share of illegal activities for the time being!"</s> <\|message\|>Franklin Richards Franklin scratched his chin for a moment. "I was in that reality around my 12th birthday. Spider Pig even mentioned you being there not too long ago." Franklin recalled off the top of his head. Typically it was hard to comb through all the realities, all of the stories, all of the experiences he lived in both almost all of his childhood but in a week's time. It was weird to think his lived such a full life in only a week's time. Plus before he could even drink legally. Still Franklin has been able to look back at it all for the most part with a smile. "Yeah one reality everyone was zombies except for some guy with a chainsaw for a hand. Another all superheroes were secret agents, one where dad was a telepathic brain in a jar, mom was elastic, uncle Johnny could turn into an android, and Uncle Ben had dragonfly wings. There was an alternate reality where like super humans and mutants just didn't exist at all." Franklin paused for a moment thinking about what he was about to say. "The last one we went too though... Doctor doom had killed the entire Fantastic Four. He claimed he regretted it and wanted to teach Valeria things to amend for what he did. But... The guy made a throne out of Ben. I don't know how to feel. Especially since after all that... Valeria has changed and I don't know if it's for the better."</s> <\|message\|>Riley Samuel Jacobs Teddy hadn't done much that day, slept in, woke up realized it was late, got dressed, played a bit of video games, realized that they were meeting in a few minutes, got ready and flew away to the restaurant. The Young Avengers weren't established for as long as the Avengers had been, he joined a couple months after the team was made, when barely anyone knew about the teams existence. When he got to the restaurant, he walked by the table and sat next to Tommy, he smiled. "Hey Billy, Do you know how to beat the final stage in Mega Man, I'm stumped." He dropped the system on the table. "Wait is that the flash? I don't recognize the issue, did i miss the release date again." Teddy loved flash, he and Green Arrow was his favorites, but always didn't like Superman for some reason, he just didn't like his long list of powers and how over powered he was. A waiter came over to the table in a white apron. "Sir what do-" The man stopped, a huge smile went over his face as he saw Leonardo Dicaprio, Teddy changed to Leo so he could get food free. "Can i get three shawarma's?" The man interrupted him and blurted. "Yes yes! It's on the house Mr.Dicaprio." The man rushed into the kitchen, he then turned to Billy and transformed back into himself. "Sorry just forgot my wallet at home." ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Riley hadn't slept for long, he had been up all night in his tech room in The Avengers Tower, he had been working on his new scale repulsors, which go down his arms and legs with small repulsors on his gloves and shoes, he had also worked on his Ark Reactor, Tony had gotten his out but Riley didn't want his to be gone, it's what powered his live tech, and ever since he was hit by lightning, he was scared to die when they take his out. As he was asleep on his desk, a small tech spider jumped on the table, he called him A.J after his unborn brother that Tony told him about, he never got to meet his parents, but always wanted to. A.J crawled on his back, Then a loud, and annoying ringing came from A.J, Riley woke up right away, not knowing what was happening, he looked around what was happening till he noticed A.J. "Aw what time is it." A projector came from the spider, Riley looked and noticed that he was late. "Oh shit." After getting ready he put A.J on his shoulder and flew out the window, when he finally got to the restaurant, he walked in and sat at the table with Teddy, Billy and Barbara sitting at the table, he dropped down on the seat next to Teddy and Barbara. "So where is everyone else, i am late and they still aren't here?"</s> <\|message\|>Billy Kaplan Billy smiled warmly at the sight of his boyfriend's arrival in Teddy. He already had a sneaking suspicion that the big green lovable lug hadn't gotten his weekly comic books. He was about to give his surprise when he turned and saw he was sitting next to famed actor Leonardo DiCaprio. He paused wide eyed for a moment before realizing what was happening. Causing Billy to laugh, "Wow you'd think they'd be smarter than that by now..." Billy remarked before reaching into his bag from the comic book store and pulled out a small handful of comic books. Sliding them over before kissing his shape changed boyfriend on the cheek. "I figured you'd forget... Leo." Billy teased as Riley showed up. "No Riley just about everyone is here. We're just waiting on Speed..." Billy sighed just after saying Speed. For being so fast, you'd think the guy wouldn't be late all the time.</s>	<\|message\|>Valeria Richards As the elevator ascended through the multitude of floors that made up the Baxter Building, Valeria stood on the side opposite from Quentin. An uneasy silence prevailed between the two teenagers for a few minutes. Maybe she had reacted too harshly to Quentin's attempt at reading her mind, especially given that they needed his help. It was times like these that she wished she was more like Franklin. As goofy and annoying as he sometimes was, he had a natural way with people that Valeria just couldn't seem to grasp. It was something he shared with their father, a style of leadership and personality that inspired others and complemented his natural genius. Quentin eventually brought up the question she had hoped she wouldn't have to answer. While it wasn't a part of her plan to clue him in this early, Valeria knew she would have to build some trust it this was going to work. "We tried getting all the older heroes to help us out. They were interested at first but after a while they gave up when there were no results, so Franklin and I decided we would do this our way." She frowned remembering how all the adults they had looked up to and believed in just turned their backs and gave up on helping Jack so soon. Valeria knew then that they were on their own. "One of our friends is still missing out there, and if the grown-ups aren't going to be any help we thought maybe someone closer to our age could do the job. That's why we reached out to you." She turned to Quentin, her blue eyes locked onto his with an imploring gaze. "It's true we don't want our parents and their friends finding out about this, but that's only because they wouldn't understand. They think we're obsessed and we should just let this go. No one gets that we're just trying to look after our own and get our friend back. They think it's better that we just forget about him. But I won't, not so long as there are still ways to keep looking." Just as Valeria finished, their arrival to the roof was announced with a soft ping from the elevator. They both stepped out into the cool night air and walked over to Franklin. "Quentin, this is my brother Franklin. And this is... well, I think it goes without saying." Valeria eyed Spider-Man curiously, wondering if he was tired of Franklin's ceaseless yammering by now. "Alright. Now that we're all here, I guess you'll need to know who it is we're trying to find." Turning to her older brother, Valeria nodded to let him know he could take over. He had been closest to Jack, after all, and could give Quentin all the information he would need to find him. "You do the honors, Franklin?" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A fast moving blur blew into the shawarma restaurant, a strong gust of wind trailing in its wake. The next thing anyone knew, a young man was standing next to the table. His clothes were all askew and his wild mop of pale hair looked tossled and unkempt. He was almost a mirror reflection of Billy, although the cocky way he carried himself made it obvious they were very different. "What's up, nerds? Sorry I'm late to your little gathering. Inter-city traffic, cute hipster chicks walking the streets of Brooklyn, you know how it is." Taking a seat next to Riley, Tommy rolled his eyes at the way Billy and Teddy were hanging all over each other. He didn't have a problem with their sexuality, just the overtly lovey-dovey displays of affection. "So, Billy. What's the agenda for tonight? Besides calling us to a place that smells like goat meat." Reaching across the table, he plucked a piece of roasted chicken from Billy's plate and stuffed it in his mouth before chewing it voraciously. He wiped away some tahini sauce that dribbled down his chin and winked at Barbara slyly.</s>
<\|description\|>Valeria Richards Alias: Doom Age: 14 Power: Valeria has very little in the way of what could be called superpowers. Aside from a few pieces of exotic technology and knowledge of some spells she picked up while learning from Dr. Doom, she has the regular capabilities of an 'ordinary' teenage girl. Skills: What stands out about Valeria is her profoundly gifted intellect. Having shown signs of genius at an extremely young age, her father has often remarked that she is even smarter than him. Her pedigree aside, Valeria's mind is her greatest tool and her deadliest weapon. Add to that her time under the tutelage of an alternate universe's Victor von Doom and there are very few challenges, mental or otherwise, that she can not surmount. Appearance: Costume: Brief Bio: Growing up the second child of Reed Richards and Susan Storm exposed Valeria to many unusual things, so by the time she was old enough to start kindergarten there wasn't much that surprised her. Super villains, time travel, alternate universes, you name it. She had seen it all. In fact, she was starting to get bored with the constant perils her family seemed to face on a daily basis. So when a Future Foundation field trip gone awry left both her and her brother lost in time and space, Valeria decided to make the most of it. With Franklin as her somewhat unwilling accomplice, the two of them set out on what would become the adventure of their lives. The years they spent away from home profoundly changed both Valeria and Franklin, but Valeria's experiences in one dimension where the Fantastic Four's adversary Dr. Doom had triumphed over his reality's version of her parents left a lasting impression on Valeria. This Doom's world had suffered greatly after losing Reed and Susan Richards, and he had come to regret his victory at the cost of losing his greatest rival and former closest friend. When he discovered Valeria, the child of his vanquished foe who bore the name of his past love, Doom saw it as an opportunity to make up for his grievous mistake. Although Valeria was hesitant at first, she eventually accepted Doom as her teacher. Having learned a great deal from her time under his wing, the two of them devised a way to return Valeria and Franklin to their world. Once they returned, however, they discovered only a week had passed in their home reality. The now significantly older siblings eventually settled back in with their family and friends, although many of them noticed the darker turn Valeria's personality had taken. No one was more concerned by this than her father, but Valeria assured him she was still his little girl. Still, Reed Richards has been keeping a close watch on her as of late, hoping the world's next greatest evil mind is not currently living under his roof.</s> <\|message\|>Quintavius "Quentin" Quirinius Quire Quentin nodded as Valeria spoke. If there was one thing that he still believed since his inversion, was that sometimes the "heroes" of this world could be real dicks when it came to things like this. Sure that may be a bit hypocritical coming from Kid Douche himself, but he wasn't wrong. Just take the X-men. They're always fighting among themselves, messing up time and constantly proceeding in coitus with each other. From what he had heard, the Avengers weren't much better! "Don't worry Val."He spoke in a reassuring manner. "Can I call you Val? Anyway, I'll try my best!" He gave a smile, only for it to be shaken off his face as the elevator stopped abruptly. As the door slid open, Quentin was surprise to find himself on the roof. He had presumed that this meeting was to be held in doors. Despite how much he complained, Quire had actually wanted to see where all the magic and hijinks of the Fantastic Four happens. He was about to make a remark on this when he laid his eyes upon the red and blue costumed hero ahead of him. Spider-man. So the nut did exist. Quire was tempted to take a peak behind that bug eyed mask of his, only to remember what happened downstairs with Valeria. Remember Quentin, probing minds doesn't make you any friends. Instead he gave the hero a quick wave and one of his mischievous smiles before turning to who he presumed must be Franklin. Like Valeria, the teenager looked older than Quentin had expected. Thinking quickly, he remembered hearing something about some kind of dimension travelling mumble-jumble happening here a few days ago. He mentally shrugged before listening. Looking at the photo produced by Franklin, Quire reckoned his dimension theory was probably true judging by how old he looked. He recognized Jack from a news broadcast he had seem briefly although apart from his exploits with the Power Pack, he didn't know much about the guy. The name Alruane did ring a bell though. Some kid back at the school had probably mentioned them before. Quentin couldn't remember for sure but her mysterious hiding did intrigue him. Giving Franklin and Valeria the most sincere smile he could muster, Quentin spoke. "I'll see what my big o'l mutant brain can do!" Giving a wink to Valeria, he learnt back against the railing on the edge of the roof and held a hand to his temple. "Also if one of you could fetch me an espresso afterwards, that'll be great." Closing his eyes, Quentin Quire got to work.</s> <\|message\|>Valeria Richards Tommy chuckled at how bluntly Barbara had brushed him off. "Hostility. Gotta love a girl with spirit." It was hardly the first time he had gotten such a reaction to his advances, and by now he had learned to just take it in stride. He also knew she wasn't just making idle threats. Barbara could hold her own, and if it came down to it Tommy was sure she could back up everything she had said. He made a mental note to try a smoother approach with her from now on. Turning to take in their newest arrival, Tommy cocked an eyebrow at the very... statuesque girl. He couldn't say she was exactly his type but apparently she would be bringing a lot of muscle to the team, which they sorely needed. "Don't let Billy's nerdy handmade costumes fool you. We can hold our own with the spandex crowd. Just because we aren't an official team doesn't mean we can't put the hurt on some bad guys." Rising from his chair, Tommy's figure seemed to fade and flicker for an instant and then he was standing there in his costume as well. Looking down at the form-fitting green and white bodysuit, he shook his head and glared at Billy. "Seriously? You couldn't make something that doesn't say 'Hey! Look at my crotch!'?" Tommy sighed, muttering under his breath. "I can't believe I'm going out in public like this." -------------------- As Quentin closed his eyes the sounds of the city around him and the voices of Franklin and the others gradually became indistinct, first seeming to drift away before fading out all together. He felt his consciousness leave his body as his telepathic senses expanded beyond the realm of the physical. Focusing on the image of Jack he had seen, he concentrated all his thoughts on finding that face. Reaching out through the vast sea of minds all across the city, he saw through the eyes of thousands of people at once as he scanned for someone that had seen Jack. Remaining intensely focused for several minutes, his brow furrowed in frustration as he came up with nothing. Then, suddenly, a faint image appeared before his mind's eye. It grew clearer, and soon he could make out a face. The place he was seeing was dark, but the more he focused on that face the more it became apparent that it was the same one he had seen in the photograph. It was Jack. His face finally became distinct enough to see his expression, but to Quentin's horror it was one of pain and torment. In the vision he locked eyes with Jack for a moment, and the fear and desperation he saw in the younger boy's gaze were enough to sicken him even as he felt the perverse pleasure of the mind that was inflicting it. A sense of terror and foreboding came over Quentin all at once as he sensed that twisted mind becoming aware of his presence within itself and then he saw nothing but pitch black. Feeling trapped and blind, he wanted to withdraw back to the comfort of his own consciousness, but found that he could not. The terrible mind had his own in its grasp, and it spoke to him as it held Quentin's thoughts within the abysmal void that surrounded his awareness. "Young, precious Quentin, forget what you saw here. Never see or speak of it again... Or you're next." With that he felt his psychic projection forcefully hurled back to his own mind. As he settled back into the confines of his own body Quentin felt the agony caused by his being expelled explode within his skull. His eyes fluttered open even as he winced in pain, and Franklin, Valeria, and Spider Man came into view once more. "... -at happened? Did you find Jack? Where is he?" Franklin's rapidly blurted questions were only half-heard as Quentin struggled with the painful ringing the psychic backlash produced in his ears. "Give him a minute, Franklin." Valeria approached Quentin looking concerned. "Are you all right? What did you see?"</s> <\|message\|>Quintavius "Quentin" Quirinius Quire "So... So did no one bother to get me some coffee?" Quentin groaned as he leaned against the roof's railing before sliding slowly to the floor, where he held his head. That had been different from what he had expected. When the Richard's Duo had first spoke of Jack's disappearance, Quentin had figured it was just your average super-villain dangling the boy over a shark tank or something, nothing like this. No, this was new. This was scary. The mutant turned his head and looked upwards at the three above him. While Spider-man's face was obviously covered, Franklin and Valeria's were full of concern and worry. Quentin thought back to when Franklin had first informed him of his task. The kid obviously was close to loosing it. How the hell was he supposed to break the news that some evil asshole was out there tormenting their friend? Quire shook his head vigorously in his hands once more as he rose to his feet. Not baring to look either of them in the eye, he kept his eyes glued to his feet. "I...I found him." He began, steadying his voice. "I'm not going to lie to you mate, it wasn't pretty. I couldn't find where he was but..." He trailed off. Stuffing his hands in the pockets of his cardigan he gave Valeria a feeble look before continuing. "There's something there with him. Something powerful. Hence the whole thing just then! I want to help though... if there's anything else that I can do!"</s> <\|message\|>Franklin Richards Franklin had concern and worry running through him as Quentin came back to them looking he got punched directly in the brain. Though the joke about coffee was enough to distract and confuse Franklin for a.moment. "I uh...could still get you a cup if you want Quentin.". Franklin told him giving an awkward yet friendly smile. Still the news was the last thing Franklin had wanted to hear. He was hoping Jack had just ran off, stubborn as he usually was when Alex bossed him around too hard. This though was terrible on so many different levels. Not only were they now possibly in over their heads. Valeria's theory about magic being involved had a lot more weight to it. Granted Franklin still didn't fully believe it, him and his father shared more than just genetics after all. Sighing with a sad tone Franklin ran a finger through his dirty blond hair. A clear sign to Valeria his worry, as it was something hd did when he felt sick with worry or just plain overwhelmed. Franklin paused in thought before going to his pocket once again. "Alright sis we did your plan, now its my turn.". He turned from her to Quentin, giving him a faint smile of assurance. "Actually there is something you can do for me." Pulling out a newspaper clipping Franklin handed it to Quentin, an article on a group of young superheroes. "they're called the Young Avengers. The avengers aren't particularly keen on them at the moment but I think, with all due respect to you and Spidey here. We're going to need more power on our side it sounds like." Franklin pulled out a set of keys, "Quentin, go ahead and find them, we can try to meet up with them and see what they can do for us." Before anyone could say another word, Franklin clicked a beeper on the keys. Causing the helipad opening to slide out and up revealing a large modified SUV that had thrusters molded into the back. With the same coloring and four symbol Franklin' suit had. "It's the Fantasticar Jr, a late sweet 16 present from dad and Uncle Johnny. Just got my driver's and pilot's license two days ago."</s>	<\|message\|>Valeria Richards Valeria bit into her lower lip apprehensively as she struggled to make sense of what they had heard from Quentin. Someone had Jack, and if Quentin's current condition was anything to go by that someone wasn't to be trifled with. It pained her to see Franklin so worried, but the fear that they might be getting in over their heads gnawed even stronger in the back of her mind at that moment. The fact that they were some of the smartest and most capable kids in existence put aside, everything they had done up until that point had been a secret. The unshakable sense that they now were rapidly approaching a point of no return, beyond which they would be unable to get any help from their parents, was suddenly all she could think about. The instant Franklin pulled out the newspaper clipping she recovered from her reverie, annoyance once more causing her lips to crease into a frown. She and Franklin had discussed the Young Avengers before. Previously they had just agreed to disagree about whether what they were doing was a good idea or not. Now, however, she could see Franklin intended to turn to them for help, and she realized she should have been much harsher in her criticism. "Really, Franklin? The fanboy squad? You're talking about getting involved with a group of untrained, unsanctioned vigilantes. There's got to be somebody else we can ask for help." Still, the more Valeria thought about it their own actions would hardly be approved of by the superhero community at large if they knew about them. Maybe it would be better if they went with someone slightly more under the radar of the bigshots. That way, if things turned sour (as she fully expected them too), they could safely pull out of the situation before they got discovered. Sighing, she resigned herself to going along with Franklin's plan for now. She had to silently promise herself she would not get caught up in her brother's obsession with these amateur heroes, and the moment one of them slipped up and started to jeopardize their goals she would be the first one with her foot out the door. "Fine, but I'm only going along with this because our options are limited. We'll give these guys a shot on a trial basis. I'm reserving my vote until after we decide if they make the cut, though." Throwing her cape back somewhat indignantly, Valeria walked around to the front passenger side of the Fantasticar Jr. "Let's get going. We need to get this over with before mom and dad get back home." With that, she hopped inside and slammed the door. She crossed her arms over her chest and avoided looking Franklin in the eye for the time being, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing how vexed she was by having to take part in his harebrained scheme.</s>
<\|description\|>Catherine "Caty" Davis Alias: Spider-Woman, Spider-Girl, Cat, Caty Age: 18 DOB: June 10th, 2005 POB: Queens, New York City, USA Height: 5'8" Weight: 145 lbs (Athletic Build) Eyes: Blue Hair: Blonde Occupation: Student Intern (Enrolled in Columbia; Interns at Grayburn Labs) Special Talents & Skills High Intelligence (Engineering, Computer Science, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Classical Mechanics) Athleticism (Cheer and Gymnastics) Fluent in Spanish, French, and Dothraki(Speak, Read & Write; Huge GoT fan) Intuitive Aptitude (Innate) Powers & Abilities Enhanced Strength, Durability, Healing, and Endurance (Passive) Enhanced Agility, Reflexes and Speed (Passive) Enhanced Equilibrium (Passive) Wall Crawling Spider Sense (She theorizes the mutated effects of the terrigenesis mist and spider bite may cause her powers to evolve over time to exhibit more Spider-Like abilities or qualities) Biography The Davis family always knew they wanted to have children together. Unfortunately, fate was not on their side. They tried many times to have a child, but would always either fail to conceive, or miscarry. Finally, after many attempts and a difficult pregnancy, the Davis family were finally blessed with twins! They were overjoyed, and cherished their miracle babies. Caty and her twin brother Danny were two peas in an interesting pod. It had seemed the universe had blessed their parents with extraordinary gifts. It was all too fitting that they were called miracle babies. Early on in their childhood it was clear that the two were exceptionally bright. When they weren't playing with dolls, stuffed animals and any other toys they had they were often found experimenting with the world around them. They had an innate curiosity about them. This was especially so when it came to Caty. Growing up she always knew there was something different about her. She could understand things quickly and she always thirsted for more knowledge. Though if you were on the outside looking in you wouldn't have been able to tell. Ever since she was young Caty had always been the more energetic and outgoing of the duo. She seemed to outshine her slightly younger brother but she never looked at it that way. To her Danny was the one that shined even brighter than her. He could just never see it for himself. Because of this Danny grew into the stereotypical role of the shy and awkward nerd while Caty grew into the world of the All American popular girl who also happened to be smart. She never hid her intelligence but she also didn't flaunt it. Instead of joining any of the science clubs she joined the Cheerleading team her Freshman year and took gymnastics on the side outside of school. When they were in High School most students knew not to mess with Danny or his sister would come down and rain hell on the offenders. She did this as a way to teach Danny how to stand up for himself because she wouldn't always be there to protect him. Even if she wanted to. There were times when she wasn't around and his most dedicated bullies would terrorize him. Sometimes she would be there to watch and let it happen. Then afterwards she'd find them and teach them a lesson they wouldn't soon forget. By the time they were Seniors Caty was the Captain of the Cheerleaders and was a shoe-in for both Homecoming and Prom Queen. If she were to be honest she didn't care at all about either, but everyone else around her seemed to so she entertained it for their sake. When she finished senior year she graduated as Valedictorian with a 5.0 GPA due to all of the AP Classes she took throughout the four years. This coupled with her accomplishment of nearly breaking the scales on her SAT and ACT opened many doors for her after graduation. She received scholarships, full and partial from every school she applied to and even ones she didn't apply to. When Danny also got into Columbia the two decided that was going to be their destination in the Fall. There she would double major in Biochemistry and Computer Science with a minor in Physics. Word of their accomplishments met the ears of a Mr. Howard Stark and the two were invited to partake in internships at his company's subsidiary Grayburn Labs. There she met her rival and slightly adorkable nerd David Banner. Ever since the internship began he's kept her on her toes and helps push her to newer heights. Two abnormal brains are better than one. The trio have been in the program for over a full month now and things are starting to heat up at the lab. Unfortunately they'll come to find out that it's not in a good way. Felix Hardy Alias: Black Cat, Mister Luck, Lix Age: 20 DOB: April 1st, 2003 POB: Flushing, Queens, New York City, USA Height: 6'3" Weight: 222 lbs (Athletic Build) Eyes: Blue Hair: Blonde Occupation: College Student; Professional Thief (Enrolled in NYU; Member of New York Thieves Guild) Special Talents & Skills Gifted Intelligence (Computer Science, History, Linguistics, Electronics, Security Systems) Athleticism (Gymnastics, Basketball, Track) Polyglot (Spanish, French, Latin, German, Russian, Mandarin, Japanese) Skilled Martial Artist (Okinawa Goju-ryu Karate, Judo, Kickboxing) Expert Thief (Stealth, Lockpicking, Escapology, Pick-Pocketing, Safe Cracking, Alarm Evading, Minor Hacking) Powers & Abilities Enhanced Strength, Durability, Healing, and Endurance (Passive) Enhanced Agility, Reflexes and Speed (Passive) Enhanced Equilibrium (Passive) Enhanced Vision (Passive) Night Vision (Active) Infrared Vision (Active) UV Light Vision (Active) Tychokinesis/Luck Manipulation (Proactive) Biography Felix was born to world renowned cat burglar Walter Hardy, the original Black Cat, and Lydia Hardy. Lydia unfortunately died in childbirth leaving Walter to raise Felix alone. This wasn't part of his life plan. He had wanted a child, but that was when he had Lydia at his side to raise him. He never took any of this out on Felix and in fact did the best he could as a father. Despite being a single father he knew he couldn't give up the life and used his son as extra motivation to pull off even bigger scores. Whenever his father was out on missions Felix was watched by his mother's cousin, Roxanne, a former gymnast. She was aware of his father's line of work so she decided to help Felix prepare for the world that he was born into. She got him enrolled in gymnastics and was his private tutor at home. He was a natural and his talents didn't stop there. When he entered the second grade his father decided it was time to teach him the family trade, but hadn't planned to get him involved in any scores. He taught him the basics of lockpicking, pickpocketing, crack safes, and escape. By the time he entered middle school he learned everything he could and would from his father. He decided to spend his time in middle school doing what he wanted. He stayed with gymnastics, but also joined the basketball team after he had gone through a growth spurt the summer before. Felix excelled in the sport and contributed greatly to his team winning the championships for three years in a row. The high from the victory was short lived because when he was thirteen his father was arrested and sent to prison, unknowingly to Felix, for a crime he didn't commit. He was then adopted by his godfather Black Fox, a high standing member of the Thieves Guild and his father's mentor. Before Felix had a choice when it came to whether or not he'd join the family business. Fox took that choice. He let Felix have a normal life at school and even let him continue with basketball and start track in High School. But he had to dedicate his free time to honing his skills as a thief. His days were filled with studying. Fox believed a thief's brain was the most important tool in their arsenal and it was one that could be molded and honed to perfection. Fox also decided to put Felix's growing physique to use and enrolled him in different martial arts classes, but focused primarily on Okinawa Goju-ryu Karate and Judo. He believed those two would be the most useful for him. That and the instructors so happened to be members of the Guild. It was a way for him to have a proper understanding of the boy's development. He believed he had the makings of truly something special. The next leader of the Guild. Though he kept that future he envisioned for Felix to himself. When Felix graduated from high school he told Black Fox that he was ready to enter to the fold and start missions, but he wanted to continue having a civilian identity. He didn't want his life to just be the next score. Fox accepted the condition and Felix's dual identity began. He enrolled into NYU with a double major in Liberal Arts, Computer and Information Sciences, with a minor in International Relations and Affairs. Felix started to really find himself in college. He realized that he really did enjoy having two lives. He was a natural thief. It was all second nature to him. In school he explored his sexuality and found that he was fluid with the variety of people he found himself entangled with. He also really did enjoy learning. When he was younger it felt like a chore, but now he had a certain appreciation for expanding his capacity for knowledge. Two years later he found himself at Hyde Park with a few of his friends for the Fourth of July concert. He had no idea his life was going to get even crazier than it already was.</s> <\|message\|>Catherine "Caty" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:30PM EDT Two mistakes were made in a single moment. The first was Danny broadcasting a surprise attack towards an assassin with his hand currently around his sister's throat. The second was that same assassin underestimating the frail teenager and treating him like nothing more than a nuisance. He expected for his cheek to be met with a broken fist, but instead he was sent sliding across the floor. Caty dropped to the floor and immediately started coughing to clear up her pipes. The pain and discomfort seemed to fade and she reached her hand out to Danny's. "I'm fine, actually, but it looks like you discovered another one of your new abilities, but this isn't over yet." She and the assassin stood to their feet at the same time, but he was quicker to move. He was annoyed and on the brink of angry. They just made what was supposed to be an easy execution something he's going to take joy in finishing. He charged forward and stopped directly in front of Danny before sending him flying backwards with a kick straight to the chest. But he wasn't done and Caty could sense it. He dropped his leg and pulled a knife from its sheath on the side. He quickly turned with knife in hand attempting to slash across her chest. She countered his slash by stepping backwards and grabbing his wrist and holding it in place. He dropped the knife and caught it with the other hand before slicing at her leg. He hit his mark drawing blood and causing her to let go of his other hand. He quickly moved to attack her again and this time his movements blurred together in a frenzy of a movement using both his knife and fist to attack her. She was somehow not only able to keep up with his movements, but effectively dodge or block his attacks as well, but she wasn't sure how long she'd be able to keep it up.</s> <\|message\|>Daniel "Danny" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:30PM EDT Just as Danny helped caty to her feet, the assassin also got up. He effortlessly knocked Danny aside, sending flying like it was nothing. He ended up crashing into a wall. Instead of crashing and hurting himself though, he ended up sticking to the wall. "Wait, what?" Great, he can stick to walls. That's totally useful... Danny watched the assassin and his sister go at it. He was reminded of the times he got bullied in high school. How he had been beaten up. and tossed aside like garbage. This time would be different. This time he had power. Now he could actually do something. The question is what was he going to do. He couldn't just go in for the punch again. The man would just knock him aside again. Soon, Danny got an ide. He seemed to be able to cling to surfaces, he wondered if he could move up the wall. Sure enough, he could. he managed to climb up the wall, and managed to get up onto the cieling. He took back his earlier thought. This was definitely useful. He was latched on the cieling, waiting for the perfect opportunity. The assassin was busy. He would never thing to look up. When the moment was right, he unlatched himslef, and landed right on top of the man's shoulders. Then he started punching the man's head, repeatedly. "Ha! Take that!" He had to admit, it felt good being the one delivering the beating for a change...</s>	<\|message\|>Catherine "Caty" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:31PM EDT Adam's super soldier serum enhanced both his senses and his mind's ability to process things. He's been able to look around a room and notice every minute detail of whatever was going on inside of it. While he was fighting Caty he still wasn't going to lose his sight on his other target. Especially after he had managed to send him flying earlier. He was just as shocked as Danny to see him cling to the wall and climb up it soon after. It seemed that his client neglected to inform him of exactly what he'd be dealing with. Adam grew even more irritated once Danny dropped down on his shoulders and started punching his head. He flicked the knife towards Caty mostly as a distraction while he dealt with the giant pest on his back. Caty was forced to catch the knife with her bare hand. It didn't as hurt as much as it should have, but her hand was still bleeding. Adam then reached up and grabbed Danny by the wrists before he was able to punch him again. He then proceeded to pull him down with all the force he could muster and threw him directly at his sister. Caty's eyes widened as she dropped the knife to the floor and prepared to catch Danny. He landed in her arms causing her to skid backwards across the floor. "Are you okay?" When she looked up over her brother she didn't see the assassin. She looked around the room but he still wasn't there. Her danger sense wasn't kicking in so she knew he wasn't planning a surprise attack. Was he really gone?</s>
<\|description\|>Daniel "Danny" Davis Alias: Spider-Man, Spider-Dan, Spidey Age: 18 DOB: June 10 2005 POB: Queens, New York City, USA Height: 6'0" Weight: 140 lbs (This goes up a little after gaining Spider Powers and muscle. Yes, just like the first Spider Man movie, he'll wake up the next morning and have abs!) Eyes: Blue Hair: Blonde Occupation: Student, Intern at Grayburn Labs Special Talents & Skills: High Intelligence (His favorite subject are the sciences such as biology, chemistry, computer science, and physics. He's also interested in robotics and engineering but isn't an expert in those fields) Fluent in Spanish, French, and Italian (Speak, Read & Write) He likes romance languages. What of it? Intuitive Aptitude (Innate) Powers & Abilities Enhanced Strength, Durability, Healing, and Endurance (Passive) Enhanced Agility, Reflexes and Speed (Passive) Enhanced Equilibrium (Passive) Wall Crawling Spider Sense Webs (The webs are not organic. He and his sister make their own brand of spider silk that they can shoot out of web shooters worn on their wrists. They can make different variations of their web for different purposes. Danny wishes he could figure out a way to get a patent on this without giving away their secret identity) He wears glasses for near sightedness. Terregenisis corrects his vision, but he still wears non prescription glasses for the aesthetic. Biography: The Davis family always knew they wanted to have children together. Unfortunately, fate was not on their side. They tried many times to have a child, but would always either fail to conceive, or miscarry. Finally, after many attempts and a difficult pregnancy, the Davis family were finally blessed with twins! They were overjoyed, and cherished their miracle babies. Danny and his twin sister Caty were always close. They often played together when they were kids. He played with her Barbie dolls more than she did. In general Danny had more stereotypically girly interests. He liked dolls and stuffed animals, while the other boys played with Hot Wheels and liked Football (Danny has never been interested in sports.) He was often picked on for this. He was also quiet, introverted and shy, which meant he had a hard time making friends. His twin sister was much more popular, but Danny never resented her for it. He had a supportive family, and he loved playing with his sister so everything was good. Danny has always been good at academics. He was intelligent, and did very well in school. His favorite subject to study are the sciences (chemistry, physics, biology, etc) When he became interested in science, his sister was too. They both performed experiments at home together, learning and having fun in the process. Danny was the one that joined the schools science club while Caty became a cheerleader. When the other boys became interested in girls, Danny wasn't. He had a crush on another boy he went to school with. He ignored it at first, but over time worked up the nerve to ask him out. After all, the worst thing that could happen was say no. The boy laughed in his face, and outed him to the entire school. While his family was supportive of his sexuality, a lot of other guys in school were not. He was bullied routinely, and was called names and beaten up for trivial things (like if he got a better grade on an exam than them) His sister defended him sometimes, it didn't help much. Bullies would give him grief because he had to have his sister fight his battles for him. He didn't dare tell another teacher, he found snitching only made the problem worse. High school was hell for him. Still he made it through, and graduated. He aced his SAT and ACT, and graduated with a 5.0 GPA. He received a bunch of scholarships for different schools he applied to, but decided to stay in New York. He and his sister are going to attend Columbia University in the fall. In the meantime, the twins are participating in a Summer internship program at Grayburn Labs. Like his sister, Danny is pursuing a double major in Biochemistry and Computer Science with a minor in Physics.</s> <\|message\|>Daniel "Danny" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:23PM EDT (Friday) It had been three days since the Terregenesis incident at the park, and Danny's life had changed dramatically. Now he spent his days at the hospital with his sister. He had wanted to stay home with his parents, but the FBI thought it best if they were apart. Made sense, there was no reason to potentially put their mother and father in danger. Still, this whole thing was a miserable experience. They were hiding out from potential blowback from their former employers, but their friend was in a coma. The doctors didn't seem optimistic about his condition either. Even though he was happy to have survived the attack, if Danny was being honest with himself, he was kind of disappointed that he hadn't shown any signs of developing superpowers these past three days. That would have been a fascinating subject of study, and superpowers would have just been cool in general. Danny was returning from the hospital cafeteria with lunch for himself and his sister. He entered the hospital room, and set the food on the table. "I'm back, and I brought lunch." He looked at David lying unconscious on the bed, and frowned. "Still no progress with him?" Then he noticed the bullet sized hole in the window, and Danny panicked. "Ohmygosh! What is that?! Were you attacked?! Are you alright?! What happened?! Before Danny could get any answers to his questions, his vision suddenly went blurry, and he got a pounding headache. "Ugh." He put his glasses on top of his head, and rubbed his eyes. The headache quickly went away, but when he opened his eyes again, his vision was crystal clear. As if he still had glasses on. He put his glasses back on, and his vision was blurry again. He took his glasses off again."And do you have any explanation for why I suddenly developed perfect vision?" Eevn though he already had a suspicion what that cause was...</s> <\|message\|>Catherine "Caty" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:25PM EDT Caty was relieved to see her brother Danny and was even more relieved when the shooter didn't fire again. She had a feeling he wouldn't stay with the rifle once the element of surprise was gone. He'd want to finish it personally and she didn't intend to give him the opportunity. Before she could answer her brother's questions about the shooting she noticed something was wrong with him. He was having similar in a way to hers. Was he sensing danger or was it something else? She didn't feel anything. Her mental questions were answered with Danny mentioning he now seemed to have perfect vision. "It might have something to do with my ability to now sense danger. Look out bad guys, here comes 20/20 and Hindsight." She doubted that was the full extent of their powers or that her brother's perfect sight was a side effect of the Terrigenesis, but now wasn't the time to theorize about their developing abilities. She pulled out her phone to check for service. She had zero bars. She wasn't sure if it was because of the hospital being a notoriously bad area for cell service or if their would be assassin had anything to do with it. "We need to call the police, but I'm not getting any service. I don't want to cause a mass panic in this hospital so I don't think we should tell the staff. Right now they're only after us. I don't want to put anyone else in their path. Let's head to the roof." Caty turned her head to David and gave him a solemn look. She hated that they had to leave him, but she knew a moving target was a higher priority than a comatose one. She mentally promised him they'd be back and headed out of the room looking back to make sure Danny followed. When they reached the nearest stairwell she opened it and managed to go up one flight before her head started ringing again just like it did earlier. She looked up to see a man in an all black outfit and skull cap and in his hand was a gun with a silencer attached to the end. If it wasn't for this new sense of hers she wouldn't have been able to hear it fire. He aimed the gun down at her and pulled the trigger. In a quick movement she pushed Danny back with a bit more strength than she intended to and jumped over the rail into the level below. "Danny, come on!"</s> <\|message\|>Daniel "Danny" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:25PM EDT So apparently his sister had developed the ability to sense danger, and all he got was perfect vision. Why did Caty get the cooler power? He felt naked without his glasses. There had to be more to it than that... Now wasn't the time to speculate on that. They needed to get out of this room. If there was an assassin after them, they really shouldn't stay here and be sitting ducks. Caty wasn't getting service on her phone, and neither was Danny. Caty suggested they go to the roof, it made sense, they might get service on the roof. It would also put any innocent bystanders out of harms way. It felt bad leaving David all alone, but they didn't exactly have a choice right now. Besides, if they stayed behind they would surely be shot, and he would be their next target. They ran for the nearest stairwell. They made up one flight of stairs, before Danny felt a ringing in his head. He looked up to see a man in an all black outfit and skull cap and in his hand was a gun with a silencer attached to the end. Was this the danger sense Caty had talked about earlier? It seemed he had gotten it too. The assassin aimed his gun down, and fired. Caty pushed him back, and jumped over the rail. Danny followed suit, and jumped over the rail with surprising ease. Caty was a cheerleader. She did these kinds of things all the time. On the other hand, athletics were never Danny's strong suit. Under normal circumstances, he would have struggled to get over the rail, and would surely be dead right now. He was shocked he had managed to do that in one swift motion like that. Was it adrenaline, Terregenis, or something else entirely, Danny wasn't sure. He wasn't going to question it now. "Great, with that guy after us, the roof is out of the question. What now?"</s> <\|message\|>Catherine "Caty" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:27PM EDT Caty was shocked to see Danny repeat the same leap over the rail that she did. Her brother wasn't the athletic type and had no training in acrobatics. Did the terrigenesis give him some enhanced agility? She wondered if these were all connected to one ability or if they were getting several. And if something similar was happening to the others affected by the mist. She'd love to take the time to think this all over but unfortunately, she didn't. She took a second to think about Danny's question. They couldn't go up and she wasn't sure how far they'd get before he managed to catch up to them. They only had one option. "Danny, I want you to run. Run outside and find the nearest officer. I'm going to hold him off. I'm starting to get the hang of this danger sense thing. I promise I'll catch up with you." She didn't want to tell him that she wanted to test out a theory she was working on. Whatever they were going to do it needed to happen fast as the man was starting to descend down the stairs.</s>	<\|message\|>Daniel "Danny" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:25PM EDT Caty told him to run outside and find the nearest officer. Caty said she would hold off their pursuer. Danny wasn't sure how Danger Sense was going to save her against a man with a gun. Even if she could dodge the bullet, what was she going to do back? Still Danny nodded. He trusted his twin knew what she was doing. He then ran off torwards the hospital exit. While he didn't zoom off at superspeed levels, he took off much faster than he ever had before. Upon running out of the automatic double doors of the hospital, Danny looked to the left, then to the right. Hospitals usually had security guards stationed nearby. One of them had to be able to help. He soon found an officer patrolling the outside of the building. Danny immediately flagged him down to get his attention. "Sir! I need some help! Surprisingly, Danny was not out of breath from the running he had to do. "What's the problem kid?" The security guard responded. Danny explained the whole situation to the officer. About how there was a man in black with a gun after them and everything.</s>
<\|description\|>Daniel "Danny" Davis Alias: Spider-Man, Spider-Dan, Spidey Age: 18 DOB: June 10 2005 POB: Queens, New York City, USA Height: 6'0" Weight: 140 lbs (This goes up a little after gaining Spider Powers and muscle. Yes, just like the first Spider Man movie, he'll wake up the next morning and have abs!) Eyes: Blue Hair: Blonde Occupation: Student, Intern at Grayburn Labs Special Talents & Skills: High Intelligence (His favorite subject are the sciences such as biology, chemistry, computer science, and physics. He's also interested in robotics and engineering but isn't an expert in those fields) Fluent in Spanish, French, and Italian (Speak, Read & Write) He likes romance languages. What of it? Intuitive Aptitude (Innate) Powers & Abilities Enhanced Strength, Durability, Healing, and Endurance (Passive) Enhanced Agility, Reflexes and Speed (Passive) Enhanced Equilibrium (Passive) Wall Crawling Spider Sense Webs (The webs are not organic. He and his sister make their own brand of spider silk that they can shoot out of web shooters worn on their wrists. They can make different variations of their web for different purposes. Danny wishes he could figure out a way to get a patent on this without giving away their secret identity) He wears glasses for near sightedness. Terregenisis corrects his vision, but he still wears non prescription glasses for the aesthetic. Biography: The Davis family always knew they wanted to have children together. Unfortunately, fate was not on their side. They tried many times to have a child, but would always either fail to conceive, or miscarry. Finally, after many attempts and a difficult pregnancy, the Davis family were finally blessed with twins! They were overjoyed, and cherished their miracle babies. Danny and his twin sister Caty were always close. They often played together when they were kids. He played with her Barbie dolls more than she did. In general Danny had more stereotypically girly interests. He liked dolls and stuffed animals, while the other boys played with Hot Wheels and liked Football (Danny has never been interested in sports.) He was often picked on for this. He was also quiet, introverted and shy, which meant he had a hard time making friends. His twin sister was much more popular, but Danny never resented her for it. He had a supportive family, and he loved playing with his sister so everything was good. Danny has always been good at academics. He was intelligent, and did very well in school. His favorite subject to study are the sciences (chemistry, physics, biology, etc) When he became interested in science, his sister was too. They both performed experiments at home together, learning and having fun in the process. Danny was the one that joined the schools science club while Caty became a cheerleader. When the other boys became interested in girls, Danny wasn't. He had a crush on another boy he went to school with. He ignored it at first, but over time worked up the nerve to ask him out. After all, the worst thing that could happen was say no. The boy laughed in his face, and outed him to the entire school. While his family was supportive of his sexuality, a lot of other guys in school were not. He was bullied routinely, and was called names and beaten up for trivial things (like if he got a better grade on an exam than them) His sister defended him sometimes, it didn't help much. Bullies would give him grief because he had to have his sister fight his battles for him. He didn't dare tell another teacher, he found snitching only made the problem worse. High school was hell for him. Still he made it through, and graduated. He aced his SAT and ACT, and graduated with a 5.0 GPA. He received a bunch of scholarships for different schools he applied to, but decided to stay in New York. He and his sister are going to attend Columbia University in the fall. In the meantime, the twins are participating in a Summer internship program at Grayburn Labs. Like his sister, Danny is pursuing a double major in Biochemistry and Computer Science with a minor in Physics.</s> <\|message\|>Daniel "Danny" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:28PM EDT In the middle of talking to the secuurity guard, several hospital staff, and some of the visitors were running outside. Danny panicked once again. What happened in there? Was Caty in trouble. While the security guard was now tending to the terrified civillians, Danny ran ahead inside. He nimble ran around crowds of people trying to leave the building, what happened in the short amount of time Danny had spent running trying to find an officer. He soon found out, and it was a sight he didn't want to see. There was a pile of rubble, and that crazy gunman had picked up his siter by the throat, and applying pressure. The sight of this made made Danny mad. "Hey! Put her down you... monster?" Danny knew he would have work on his witty banter at some point. Now was not the time. With a balled fist, he ran torwards the man while screaming. "YAAAAAAAAAH!" And delivered a hard punch with more strengh than Danny realized he had. He knocked the man aside, and caused him to realse his grip on his sister. For a moment, Danny looked at his own fist, and wondered what the heck was that? He had never punched anybody before, and now here he was knocking down people much bigger than himself. He offered his twin his hand. "Are you ok? Clearly not considering the mess... What the heck happened? And what did I just do?!"</s> <\|message\|>Catherine "Caty" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:30PM EDT Two mistakes were made in a single moment. The first was Danny broadcasting a surprise attack towards an assassin with his hand currently around his sister's throat. The second was that same assassin underestimating the frail teenager and treating him like nothing more than a nuisance. He expected for his cheek to be met with a broken fist, but instead he was sent sliding across the floor. Caty dropped to the floor and immediately started coughing to clear up her pipes. The pain and discomfort seemed to fade and she reached her hand out to Danny's. "I'm fine, actually, but it looks like you discovered another one of your new abilities, but this isn't over yet." She and the assassin stood to their feet at the same time, but he was quicker to move. He was annoyed and on the brink of angry. They just made what was supposed to be an easy execution something he's going to take joy in finishing. He charged forward and stopped directly in front of Danny before sending him flying backwards with a kick straight to the chest. But he wasn't done and Caty could sense it. He dropped his leg and pulled a knife from its sheath on the side. He quickly turned with knife in hand attempting to slash across her chest. She countered his slash by stepping backwards and grabbing his wrist and holding it in place. He dropped the knife and caught it with the other hand before slicing at her leg. He hit his mark drawing blood and causing her to let go of his other hand. He quickly moved to attack her again and this time his movements blurred together in a frenzy of a movement using both his knife and fist to attack her. She was somehow not only able to keep up with his movements, but effectively dodge or block his attacks as well, but she wasn't sure how long she'd be able to keep it up.</s> <\|message\|>Daniel "Danny" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:30PM EDT Just as Danny helped caty to her feet, the assassin also got up. He effortlessly knocked Danny aside, sending flying like it was nothing. He ended up crashing into a wall. Instead of crashing and hurting himself though, he ended up sticking to the wall. "Wait, what?" Great, he can stick to walls. That's totally useful... Danny watched the assassin and his sister go at it. He was reminded of the times he got bullied in high school. How he had been beaten up. and tossed aside like garbage. This time would be different. This time he had power. Now he could actually do something. The question is what was he going to do. He couldn't just go in for the punch again. The man would just knock him aside again. Soon, Danny got an ide. He seemed to be able to cling to surfaces, he wondered if he could move up the wall. Sure enough, he could. he managed to climb up the wall, and managed to get up onto the cieling. He took back his earlier thought. This was definitely useful. He was latched on the cieling, waiting for the perfect opportunity. The assassin was busy. He would never thing to look up. When the moment was right, he unlatched himslef, and landed right on top of the man's shoulders. Then he started punching the man's head, repeatedly. "Ha! Take that!" He had to admit, it felt good being the one delivering the beating for a change...</s> <\|message\|>Catherine "Caty" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:31PM EDT Adam's super soldier serum enhanced both his senses and his mind's ability to process things. He's been able to look around a room and notice every minute detail of whatever was going on inside of it. While he was fighting Caty he still wasn't going to lose his sight on his other target. Especially after he had managed to send him flying earlier. He was just as shocked as Danny to see him cling to the wall and climb up it soon after. It seemed that his client neglected to inform him of exactly what he'd be dealing with. Adam grew even more irritated once Danny dropped down on his shoulders and started punching his head. He flicked the knife towards Caty mostly as a distraction while he dealt with the giant pest on his back. Caty was forced to catch the knife with her bare hand. It didn't as hurt as much as it should have, but her hand was still bleeding. Adam then reached up and grabbed Danny by the wrists before he was able to punch him again. He then proceeded to pull him down with all the force he could muster and threw him directly at his sister. Caty's eyes widened as she dropped the knife to the floor and prepared to catch Danny. He landed in her arms causing her to skid backwards across the floor. "Are you okay?" When she looked up over her brother she didn't see the assassin. She looked around the room but he still wasn't there. Her danger sense wasn't kicking in so she knew he wasn't planning a surprise attack. Was he really gone?</s> <\|message\|>Daniel "Danny" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:31PM EDT His plan worked for a bit... He stopped attacking his siter, but then he grabbed Danny by his wrist, and threw him at his sister. Caty managed to catch him before he could hit the cold hard floor. "For someone who's been thrown around twice... surprisingly yes... What about you? He said as he got back on his feet. The assassin was nowhere to be seen, and Danny's own danger sense wasn't going off, but you never knew with these assassins. He could be hiding in the shadows plotting a surprise attack for all he knew. "Oh my god! I cannot believe I just did that! He shouted. He was feeling a variety of emotions right now. His eyes lit up happily. "I actually punched a guy... Oh my god... I can't believe I actually have superpowers. I wish I had been able to do this back in high school. I would have had so much respect!" Then he realized the severity of the situation they were currently in, and started pacing around in circles waving his arms frantically. "Now someone is out there who wants to kill us! What do we do?! He seems to be gone now, but what happens if and when he comes back! I am not prepared for this!</s> <\|message\|>Catherine "Caty" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:32PM EDT Caty put Danny down and let him get himself fully back to his feet. "Yeah, I'm okay. I'm just surprised we're still alive." She wasn't sure for how long they'd still be able to say that. She wasn't sure that the cabal of evil scientists would let them get away with living. But she ignored that thought when she saw how happy and excited Danny was. She had never seen him like this before. She was internally screaming herself, but had to keep her composure. She couldn't wait to test out her new abilities. Her attention was drawn back to Danny and his frantic nature. He was right. There was a chance the assassin was going to come back, but she didn't think it would be anytime soon. He had to regroup and take their powers into account. Hopefully they'd be given enough time to be ready for their next encounter. "We get prepared. I don't think he'll attack us again today and I don't know when he'll actually attack us again, but we're not gonna wait like sitting ducks. We're going to learn how to use our new powers when he comes back he won't know what hit him."</s>	<\|message\|>Daniel "Danny" Davis Lenox Hill Hospital New York City, New York, USA July 7th, 2023 12:32PM EDT "Right right, get prepared." Danny took a moment to breathe and calm down. "Ok, if we're going to do that, we have to get out of here. Someplace quiet, and away from prying eyes... We're gonna have to go back home." The twins made their way home. Their parents were away at work, and the place was empty except for them. On the way, they had a discussion about the nature of their newfound abilities. "Let's see, Wall Crawling, Danger Sense, enhanced strength, agility, and sense, these seem like a random assortment of abilities." Danny said as they walked through the front door of their home. "What do all of these things have in common? He thought about all the stuff that happened in the park that day. "Wait a minute..." He looked at his hand. He vaguely remembered getting bitten that day. There had been a small mark left in that area, but it had faded over the course of the past few days. "I remember getting bitten by something before the teregenesis hit... You must have too. I don't suppose that could have something to do with it?"</s>
<\|description\|>Samira Mwangi Alias: Black Panther Age: 18 DOB: January 17, 2005 POB: Birnin Zana, Wakanda Height: 5'9" Weight: 130 lbs Eyes: Brown Hair: Dark Brown Occupation: Student Special Talents & Skills High Intelligence (History, Law, Politics) Fluent in Xhosa, English, Mandarin, Russian, and French (Speak, Read, and Write) Athletic (Fencing, Gymnastics, Dance) Powers & Abilities Enhanced Endurance, Strength, and Healing Enhanced Reflexes and Speed Vibranium claws Biography Samira has spent more time traveling the world than most people ever get the opportunity to do. Her father is one of Wakanda's diplomats. In the back of her memories she remembers running around their apartment as a child. Or rather, tumbling her way through the apartment. Her father recognized her energy and interest and enrolled her in gymnastics when she was 3. The more she learned, the more she brought home with her. He didn't even bother telling Samira to stop jumping off the couch anymore. The little girl would simply insist that she was practicing. She moved out of Wakanda shortly after that, when her father got his first assignment. Living in Washington, D.C. was an adjustment for her. She had to learn an entirely new language and basically start her life over. Her dad tried to make the transition as smooth as possible. He found her a gymnastics coach and enrolled her in the best private schools. This rotation continued on throughout her life every couple of years. After D.C. they spent time in Beijing, Moscow, then Paris. Moving so often allowed her to become fluent in multiple languages. In high school Samira hit a growth spurt. Suddenly the short, skinny girl was tall and lanky. With the extra inches she found it far more difficult to maintain her center of gravity in a back hand spring and switched from gymnastics to fencing and dance. Academically, she never had any problems in school. Her costly education providing just another advantage to the young woman. But she worked hard. Whenever she had spare time she would spend it with her father, Enitan, in his office. He would quiz her on current events and her possible solutions to put practical use to the political classes she took in school. Enitan and Samira were joined at the hip. A father-daughter duo that exhibited poise, generosity, and warmth wherever they went. Samira was always grateful to have her dad around because he was the only family she had. An only child and a mother who abandoned her as a baby, she cherished each second she had with her father. As she got older she began looking for her own challenges in life. So she made a plan. She finished her finals in Paris and flew with her father straight to New York. She wanted one summer of fun before she started at Columbia in the fall. She couldn't be more excited knowing that her flight lands on July 3rd giving her just enough time to get over the jet lag before watching the fireworks. Carmine "Cam" Benvenuti Alias: Iceman Age: 18 DOB: October 31, 2004 POB: Long Island, New York, USA Height: 6'1" Weight: 190 lbs Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown Occupation: Bartender Special Talents & Skills Athletic (Lacrosse) Charming Fluent in English and Italian (read, write, and speak) Powers & Abilities Cryokinesis Immunity to cold temperatures Thermal Vision (the ability to see the heat signatures of others) Biography Cam's life has been unwaveringly normal. He grew up with a mom and dad, two older brothers, and a dog. Everyone in his neighborhood on Long Island lived identical lives. His father, William, worked as an accountant in the city. His mother, Madeline, worked as a teacher a few towns over in Hauppauge. Even with them raising three boys, their lives were comfortable. As the youngest of the three, Cam found it easy to get what whatever he wanted from his parents. Those were the perks of being the baby. But, he was always chasing the respect of his brothers. So he did everything they did. When they tried lacrosse, so did he. When they would spend all their time playing 2K on the PS4, so did he. It wasn't until middle school that Cam started to branch out and become his own person. He became more outspoken. Not nasty, or disagreeable, just honest. One could always tell how he was feeling. Eventually his family would come to rely on him whenever they needed someone with brutal honesty. Around this same time Cam started to take lacrosse seriously. As a kid, it was just something he did to follow his brothers, Antonio and Giovanni. Then he hit a growth spurt. His coach started to take more interest in him and show that there was a future available for Cam if he wanted it. By then, Ant and Gio had quit the sport already. So Cam took the opportunity to shine. And shine he did. High school was the only time he really found himself struggling. Honest, athletic, charming, and good-looking, Cam easily became one of the most popular kids in high school. Everyone wanted to be friends with the kid who made varsity his freshman year. But social media can be a real bitch. While away in Vermont on vacation, Cam had a friend, Jonathan, that he would only see when they would go to Vermont. Their families rented neighboring cabins, and they were around the same age so the boys hit it off. Every year they would look forward to spending time together. One night of stolen whiskey and stolen kisses and suddenly Cam had a lot more reasons to want to vacation in Vermont. It worked out perfectly too! He could sneak off to make out with Jonathan on vacation and come back home, and no one was the wiser. Until his brothers invited their friends to join them for a week over the summer. By the time Cam made it back to Long Island the crystal clear video of him kissing Jonathan had already circulated through the school. His mother begged him to stay home for a week, hoping that everything would die down. But Cam never shied away from a challenge, and he wasn't about to yet. His family was incredibly supportive of him during that time, even though every weekend they were scrubbing painted slurs off their garage door. When people realized that Cam being gay didn't make him any less of a talented athlete or a kind person, people moved on. There was always someone who'd say something offensive to get a rise out of him, but Cam never took the bait. Now, he graduated high school a month ago. He had all summer to do whatever he wanted before going to Yale in the fall on a athletic scholarship for lacrosse. He wanted to enjoy the summer, but in order to do that he needed some money. On a night out in the city with friends he was dared to go behind the bar of a fancy restaurant and act like he belonged there until he got kicked out. So he strolled into Casa Enrique and started going to work. He made almost $100 in tips before a manager questioned who he was. The guy wasn't even that mad about the whole thing and offered him a job. If he could just get through the summer he has his whole future lined up waiting for him.</s> <\|message\|>Daniel "Danny" Davis Hunter's Point South Park Long Island City, Queens, New York, USA July 4th, 2023 9:35PM EDT Danny was relived to find the guy from earlier who actually believed them. That relief was short lived when he saw the guy fall backwards, gasping out in pain as his eyes began to glow bright red. Danny's eyes went wide with shock, and he panicked. "Oh god oh god oh god! What do I do what do I do what do I do?!" He paced around in circles mumbling to himself, and panting nervously. "This is not the time to panic. Think Danny think!" He took a breath, pulled out his phone, and typed up a text message to his sister. He hit send, and turned his attention back to the guy. "I am so so so SO sorry this happened! Thank you for believing us. Help is coming." Emergency services had to have been called multiple times over by now. Help had to be coming, it just had to be. Danny started panting again.</s> <\|message\|>Waylon Maximoff "Donny's right," Waylon interjected. His voice nearly shook with the intensity of the situation: almost unnerving from a man who usually faced everything with a smile. Odder, though, was the distance in his gaze, as if he struggled to focus on the present. "Owen, man, leave if you really want to, but if we don't do something-" "And what will you do?" Petra asked pointedly, looking at her brother, and then Donny, expression cold. "We aren't scientists, or doctors, and we have no idea what this gas even does." She wasn't sure if her brother even heard her. She needed to get him out of there, before he had a full-on episode. In the back of her mind, she vaguely remembered therapy sessions, discussions of "triggers" and self-soothing techniques, but there would be time to address all of that when they weren't actively breathing in toxic gas.</s> <\|message\|>Catherine "Caty" Davis Hunter's Point South Park Long Island City, Queens, New York, USA July 4th, 2023 9:35PM EDT Caty was caught slightly off guard by the wound on David's face. She wasn't sure if he was aware of it or not. She didn't turn away from the or him. "Oh David..." She started to reach for his cheek when they were interrupted by someone coming up behind her. She turned to face her and noticed the clear distress on her face. She thankfully seemed to be fine and unaffected by the gas for now. She was likely confused and remembered her from her abrupt onstage announcement. Caty was relieved that people had at least paid attention to her warning. She just wished more had been able to get out in time. "Are you okay? You probably heard it earlier, but I'm Catherine. What's yo---" She was cut off by a particular ding from her phone. A special alert she set up for her brother's text messages. "I'm sorry. It's my brother. I have to check this." Caty's eyes scanned the message and her eyes both widened with shock and lit up with intrigue at the second to last sentence. She mentally chastised herself for getting even the least bit excited in a situation like this, but she couldn't quite calm her inner scientist. She opened her brother's contact and called him via FaceTime. She spoke as soon as he answered the phone. "Okay, Danny. I'm going to need you to listen to me. Get him to look down at the ground. I'm not sure what his eyes are now capable of doing, but we don't need anyone else getting hurt in case it goes off. The mist's mutation must already be taking effect. It's likely linked to his flight or fight response. He's freaking out and I don't blame him, but I need you to get him to calm down but for him to be calm you have to be calm too. You can do this Danny, but I'll leave the call on." So much seemed to be happening all at once. Scores of people were dying, others mutating, and David needed medical attention immediately and for the first time in her life she was in a situation where she wasn't completely in control. In her slight spiral she had almost forgotten the girl standing there. "I'm sorry again. Your name?"</s> <\|message\|>Lucas "Luke" Bishop Luke had fallen onto his back, the pain in his eyes suddenly excruciating. They continued to glow red, tinting his vision. Then sounds and smells and even the air on his skin -- it seemed like all his physical senses were in overdrive as he thrashed on the ground. As the pain finally subsided and he felt himself returning to some semblance of normalcy, he noticed Danny panicking and talking to someone via Facetime on his phone. "It's okay, I'm fine now," he said quietly as he pulled himself to his feet, rubbing his eyes. The red glow seemed to have faded. "At least I think I am. What was that mist? How did you know it was going to be released on us?"</s>	<\|message\|>Samira Mwangi Hunter's South Point Park Long Island City, Queens, New York, USA July 4, 2023 9:35PM EDT As Samira crossed the park it was one of the most terrifying moments of her life. Not only was she walking further away from her dead father who lay on the grass. She had blood on her hands and she wasn't sure if it belonged to her or if it was the blood that was all over her father's face when she found him. She couldn't stop to think about it though. She couldn't stop to think about any of it. If she let herself process what was going on she would break down hysterically. No one could handle the switch from never seeing a single dead body to literally stepping over them. A few people were still seizing on the ground, but there was nothing Samira could do to help them. There were a few people who seemed to be standing, unaffected but the mist like she was. But the hardest part of it all was the way the fireworks continued to explode in the sky. Each boom resonated loudly throughout the parkland she could feel herself jumping. Would the next firework have that same mist in it? Did the sadistic fucks who planned this find some way to put nails into the fireworks so bits of shrapnel would rain down on them next? The young Wakandan already knew that she would never celebrate another Fourth of July again. Approaching the girl who made the announcement from the stage, Catherine, and the guy who jumped into the water Samira wasn't able to get a word in before she had to check her phone for her brother's message. "Oh my god." She said as the realization hit her. She had her phone! Fishing it out of the pocket of her jeans, she winced as her hands rubbed roughly against the denim. Dialing 9-1-1, she held the phone to her ear until the operator's voice came through clearly. "My name is Samira Mwangi. I'm the daughter of a diplomat. There's been some sort of attack here at Hunter's Point South Park, where the fireworks are going off." She began to pace back and forth as the operator assured her that someone was coming to inspect the scene as many people watching from home began to call in. This stupid person didn't understand! Trying to maintain her composure, she took a shaky breath. "Stop! You need to listen to me. I'm not some con telling you this because I have nothing better to do!" She said, the French she was used to speaking slipping out in her frustration. "I am here! My father is dead, so many people are dead! You must send help!" Once the dispatch confirmed that multiple ambulances and cops were on their way, she hung up the phone. It may be too late to save most of these people, but hopefully some could still get help. "Samira." She answered when asked to introduce herself. "My father..." Her voice cracked as she tried to explain the situation. She brought a fist to her lips and forced herself to calm down. She couldn't get answers if she couldn't speak coherently. "You knew what was happening before it happened. What was it? Why am I standing here when so many others are gone?" She gestured vaguely to the bodies blanketing the lawn like snow on a wintery morning. Each time a new firework would explode she would jump and then shut her eyes. Death was death. She didn't need to see it in filters of color as the lights flashed in the sky.</s>
<\|description\|>??? Age: ??? Looks 10 Gender/Race: ??? Looks like a human male Role: Confused Boy Bio: He has amnesia and a cat, and that's just about all he knows. The world around him is unfamiliar to him, but he sometimes finds that he has retained some of his habits and instincts. The cat seems to be very familiar with him, though he doesn't know why. The cat is rather affectionate, but is almost always asleep. Personality: Confused. Equipment: Cat Skills: Has extreme strength for some reason. Optional: Cat Appearance: His clothes are somewhat dirty, as if he's been travelling for a while. He also has a coat that is a too large for him and drags along behind him as he walks. He also usually carries his cat around, as she is almost always sleeping. The cat always looks like it's smiling.</s> <\|message\|>Avelina (Angel) Callaghan Armadaus looked slightly alarmed at Avelina's superfluous and very public entrance. "Avelina, what do you think you are doing?" clearly the older man was attempting a look of disapproval but this was slightly marred by the wheedling tone to his voice, almost as if he were begging her not to run off like that. "You left the residence without telling anyone, and without bringing your bag." He said dropping a brown leather pack onto the peer. Avelina did not look particularly happy to be chastised in front of strangers for doing something that as far as she was concerned was her right. If she wanted to fly off there wasn't a lot the Order could do to stop her. Avelina muttered the word 'residence' under her breath. The place was effectively a lab where Armadaus was more than content to run simulations and tests on her wings for hours at a time while she just sat there, it might as well have been a prison. "Thanks Doc," Avelina said her face and voice ever so slightly harder than the light air that had existed in them a moment ago. "and It's Angel." she said in reference to her name. "Regardless," said Armadaus in an exasperated voice, he was clearly at the end of his tether. Dealing with Avelina's attitude had a way of stretching his normally infinite patience to the limits. Armadaus set his papers down on a crate. "Captain I need you to sign these before 'Angel'" He said the word like it was a bad taste "can board the Tychon. They essentially confirm that you will be taking responsibility for Angel's well being and any harm that comes to her or the shattertech she embodies will be accountable directly to you. Is that clear?" Then without waiting for confirmation. "If you could just sign here, here and here on the line Angel will officially be a part of your crew." Avelina rolled her eyes. Though it didn't show in her face the comment about the shattertech she embodied had struck a nerve. Of course she'd always known that the only reason the Order of Progress would even look at someone like her was because she had the Valkyrie Wings grafted to her skeletal system but to have it laid out as such hurt just a little more than Avelina was willing to admit. For the last three years she'd not met a soul who'd been able to see past the cybernetic implants and realize there was an actual person in there somewhere. Looking bored Avelina slung her pack over her shoulder and hoisted herself up onto a crate, crossing her legs and leaning back so her face was to the sky. She stayed like that for a number of minutes before the sound of footsteps encroaching on there group caught her attention. Avelina hopped off the box to get a better look at an older gentleman that was approaching. He seemed to be a member of the Tychon crew but really, he was ancient compared to the others boarding the airship. Avelina walked closer to Armadaus with a wicked look in her eye. She whispered loud enough for the old man to hear. "Hey Doc, is he crew? Ain't he little old for this kinda work."</s> <\|message\|>Craig Masters Craig was still busying himself upon the boilers of the red vessel, oil and welding burns marring his new robes. His hair at this point was a greased and matted mess, his face moist and oil-stained as he abandoned his Tech-mask long ago in the sweltering atmosphere. The boiler was far from fixed, sections still bisected by inhumanly large slabs of bone-like projectiles, this surprise project was unlikely to be finished before he was listed as absent and left behind. Craig was afraid. Craig was very much afraid. Afraid of his failure. Afraid he'd come back a day after leaving with nothing. Afraid he'd be stuck doing such menial tasks without a story of his own. And most importantly afraid of the large foreman, screaming at younger engineers. He rose to wipe a bead of sweat from his brow, turning his head back at the blue vessel expecting it to already be gone. He saw the more of the crew board of which very few stood out. A young man was amusingly seen dodging the crowd and quietly board the ship. Another man was witnessed to plow through a crowd of people, heavy cargo attended by porters closely following behind him; an event probably standard in the busy port city so he thought nothing of it. An older gentleman chatting it up with passing crew, likely a veteran of the ship. A halfling flitting across the sky, landing precariously yet gracefully near the gangplank, nothing out of the ordina- Craig blinked twice, not quite sure he was seeing correctly, the fumes of the skydock, surely messing with him. Then it hit him, a halfling was flying! Not by way of the new fangled magics, but some sort of cybernetic implants. Behind the young female was a beautiful mechanical contraption- nay - miracle of engineering. The metal seemed alive, warm and alive, reacting to the stiff cool breeze as natural appendage would. Craig was awestruck, in the Forges the older adepts' extra mechanical arms were feats of their own capable of performing simple tasks and bearing heavy loads, but this... this was whole new level. This device seemed to be capable of advance aeronautical maneuvers judging by the stunt this woman just pulled. Knowing the Order's firm grip on technological advances the woman surely had a handler, but hadn't of anything such as this. Craig had to know what exactly this was, and Order heads clearly won't tell him anything, his only choice was to investigate directly. Gathering his luggage left in a near by corner, and ignoring the protests of the foreman behind him as he jaunted towards the blue vessel. However, his journey was impeded, he lost sight of his target over a mass of what seemed to be laboratory equipment. He tried squeezing by, but ran into a man donning a sterile white business suit, with a matching surgical mask and hat. Craig was about to voice his apologies, when he saw that the man was visibly angry and insulted at his transgression. "Uhh... sorry"</s> <\|message\|>Sir Nero Barsad He'd have to burn his suit. That was the only answer. Twice in the span of a few seconds Barsad had been bumped into, first by a Faldkrest warrior who stank of harsh tobacco, and then by a young Order mechanic in grease covered robes. Despite his title, Sir Nero was not a man given to class and station. He had seen too many so-called nobles and gentlemen make blubbering, lecherous messes of themselves when they were in their cups, or thought themselves in private. Similarly, he knew it was within the capacity of any commoner to rise far above his assigned lot in life. Was he not, after all, the very shining proof of that? No, it wasn't that these plebeians could deign to assault a baronet with impunity, but that they had turned a previously very fine -- and very expensive -- suit into a grease rag that reeked evilly of cheap cigar smoke. Barsad turned to the young Order man, raised an accusatory finger in the air, and was prepared to drive it with great force and purpose into the boy's chest, when, rising clear as a bell over the background din of the docks, came a rather indelicate remark about his age from the winged halfling to her Order puppeteer. He forgot the young man completely. A cold, impassive smile sketched itself onto his face. He stood up straight and turned to the recently arrived captain. A dignified-looking Faldkrest, ver Niklos seemed to be in his middle age, if the grey coloration of his jaw fringe was anything to go by. Then again, Barsad thought, the premature discoloration of scales in younger Faldkrest males was also indicative of a family of diseases in their species that went under the collective colloquialism of "The Creeping Rot" in certain social circles of ill-repute. He briefly considered asking Captain ver Niklos if he had ever enjoyed any leisure time in the district of Port Titanicus charmingly referred to by locals as Reptile Row, but decided that accusing one's captain of whoremongering was likely frowned upon in genteel company, however salaciously scaly the ladies of Bawdy Bettie's Taverne & Ye Olde Rumpus Roome may have been. Instead, he gave a crisp nod of the head to ver Niklos, and said, "Captain." He turned to Sonne. "Senior Agent Sonne," he said imperiously, "I am Barsad. You have heard of me, of course. I've little time to waste, so I'll keep this brief. I am here to make your job easier, and to do that I shall be requiring a sterile operating theatre, and whatever files you may have on the creatures we are likely to come across, as well as prioritized access to any biological specimens we acquire." And finally he turned to the smart-mouthed little halfling. "And you," he said, leveling a finger at her, "will see me in my laboratory as soon as possible. Those lackwits who grafted Shattertech onto you may have had plenty of toys, but they don't know the first thing about halfling anatomy. They've completely failed to account for your kind's atrophied serratus posterior superior muscle, which I would wager is why you feel incredible pain whenever you utilize those impressive wings of yours, correct? Yes, yes, and of course I'll need to examine whatever lamentable hatchet job they performed on your obturator nerve. Or in terms even you can understand" -- and here he paused to puff out his chest -- "I need to see where your fleshy bits meet your non-fleshy bits." He tipped his hat to them. "A pleasure to meet you all," he said, and made his way to the boarding ramp.</s> <\|message\|>Craig Masters Craig... Craig just looked into the eyes of death and survived the accusatory implement that would have tore a hole in his chest. Craig has stared down a microreactor mid meltdown, ripped apart the circuitry of a rampant auto-barber but never in his years had he felt such mortal fear. The suited man quickly left him to himself in the streets, the adrenaline rush that made him deaf to the world was starting to dissipate making him notice that his original track had disappeared into the ship. Out of his daze he decided he might as well board the ship. He presented his pass to the nearby attendant and was instructed make his way to the engineering and cargo bay to help with pre-flight preparations. While disappointed he wouldn't get the opportunity to trail his target any further he shambled towards the lower decks. The engineers seemed to have their own quarters in the lower bays but had to head up to the mess hall for their meals. In time he was tasked with inspecting the cargo, making sure it was tied down and stored properly, and most importantly to make sure the bay doors were operating correctly. The room was quite dark and musty, the few streaks of light coming from scarce windows and cracks in the walls. Craig made his rounds checking the locking mechanisms in the hoists and the gears of the bay doors. It was generally tedious and meticulous work, but Craig was content. That is... until he heard a horrifying sound. A grotesque sound that echoed throughout the room: mew. Craig's eyes went wide, It was soft, barely louder than the distant bustle of the ship but years in the Forge had trained him remain alert for any out of place mechanically. Yet, he had no former knowledge of ships creating this sound, had the hydraulics jammed? Had a circuit board smoldered? Had a steam-pipe leaked? Craig visibly exhaled, for the sake of his new home he had to find the problem and fix it. The sound seemed near, if it weren't for his meticulous, nay, obsessive inspection, it would never had been noticed. He turned the corner where he expected to find the fault, but what he saw was to be expected: piles and piles of crates and cargo. Loose bolts of canvas for the inner lining of the ship's envelope swayed a bit as the vessel rocked gently in the breeze. Craig chalked it up to his nerves and was prepared to leave, when he heard a distinct but recognized sound, a soft purr. Of course, a small opening in the floor boards allowed air in, billowing the canvas bolts. Simple enough to fix, some quick drying tar, a chemical found in any self-respecting ship engineer's kit, will seal it back up. Craig moved to uncover the bolts, but something else caught his attention...</s>	<\|message\|>??? Noooo... The boy thought desperately, Go awaaay! He could hear someone shifting sommething in front of him... His cat had mewed in its sleep only a few seconds before, had the guy heard it? It was loud to him, but he was under a canvas. How had the guy heard it? Somewhere in front of his hiding spot, he heard the clanking of something footsteps coming closer, as his cat released a soft purr. The footsteps stopped suddenly, and now they were heading towards him! This is it. He thought, trying to make himself as small as possible. All of a sudden, his cat woke up. It slowly opened its light blue eyes and blinked at him, as if in confusion. Then it shook its head as if trying to wake up, and proceeded to tilt its head sideways slightly with its eyes closed. After a couple of seconds, the cat snapped upright as if it had just gotten an idea, and proceeded to walk out of the canvas the boy was hiding in. He heard it meow as it started to walk away from his hiding spot, and he could see through a peephole, the cat looking up at... some kind of engineer? Um... The boy thought, What?</s>
<\|description\|>Craig Masters I don't know if i post here or on OOC, so ill do both. Age: 26 Gender/Race: M/Human Role: Engineer/Stationary Weapons Operator Bio: Craig is a Tech-Disciple from a Forge(or whatever the building are named) in the Commonwealth.Along with other countless Disciples he was tasked with the mundane but essential task of maintaining and restoring the old relics that were brought into the workshops under the direction of the local Adepts. He has spent years living as such, never straying far from the Forge at the same hearing of the journeys other disciples have undertaken to retrieve fantastic new tech. Even then, through duty or cowardice he never felt the need to leave for an expedition of his own, however on the eve of his initiation as a Forge Adept, a sense of wanderlust and curiosity overcame him, compelling him to seek out the relics he has studied and maintained for the majority of his life. Requesting a Journeyman post on a expeditionary ship, he vowed to return with a priceless piece of ancient technology for his Forge before settling back into his old post. Personality: Despite his new-founded motivation, Craig is still the nervous and wiry man that worked the maintenance floors. Introverted and quiet he has a hard time communicating with the rest of the crew. However, get him into a topic of anything tech related and he'd talk your ear off. Craig tends to over-think many situations, with unfamiliar and stressful tasks causing him to freeze up. That is not to say he is not competent, quite the contrary. He is a paragon with the tool box, getting otherwise devastated and dilapidated machines into working order, even with scarce resources, given enough time. Oddly enough he looks up to strong and unique individuals, becoming easily enthralled with their tales of grandeur no matter how outlandish. Equipment: -Tech Disciple Tool Kit -Disciple Robes/Scrubs/Whatever they wear -Briefcase of supplies(Toiletries, undergarments, cloths) -Blank Journal w/ Ink and Quill -Dagger(Mint condition) Skills: -Tech Lore: As a Disciple, these lessons were drilled into him. -Repair: A maintenance disciple for much of his life, he is well versed in repairing many mechanical contraptions, from simple pulleys to complex engines. He is capable with many tools: welding torches, spanners, drills. He doesn't have much experience with electronics forges or weaponry, apart from simple patchworks and theoretical concepts. -Weapons Array Operator(Kinda): Craig found the simple weapon batteries an extension of the maintenance process, "Use it or lose it." Back in the forge they'd fire off newly repaired artillery fixtures as a final test, and, to the older member's chagrin: for fun. He learned the basics of loading, zeroing, and firing, not on live or moving targets mind you. Optional: -Feels indebted to Vanius after being saved from falling a quick and sudden demise as he boarded the ship. Appearance: Pretend the skull and halberd don't exist. For the face.</s> <\|message\|>Avelina (Angel) Callaghan Armadaus looked slightly alarmed at Avelina's superfluous and very public entrance. "Avelina, what do you think you are doing?" clearly the older man was attempting a look of disapproval but this was slightly marred by the wheedling tone to his voice, almost as if he were begging her not to run off like that. "You left the residence without telling anyone, and without bringing your bag." He said dropping a brown leather pack onto the peer. Avelina did not look particularly happy to be chastised in front of strangers for doing something that as far as she was concerned was her right. If she wanted to fly off there wasn't a lot the Order could do to stop her. Avelina muttered the word 'residence' under her breath. The place was effectively a lab where Armadaus was more than content to run simulations and tests on her wings for hours at a time while she just sat there, it might as well have been a prison. "Thanks Doc," Avelina said her face and voice ever so slightly harder than the light air that had existed in them a moment ago. "and It's Angel." she said in reference to her name. "Regardless," said Armadaus in an exasperated voice, he was clearly at the end of his tether. Dealing with Avelina's attitude had a way of stretching his normally infinite patience to the limits. Armadaus set his papers down on a crate. "Captain I need you to sign these before 'Angel'" He said the word like it was a bad taste "can board the Tychon. They essentially confirm that you will be taking responsibility for Angel's well being and any harm that comes to her or the shattertech she embodies will be accountable directly to you. Is that clear?" Then without waiting for confirmation. "If you could just sign here, here and here on the line Angel will officially be a part of your crew." Avelina rolled her eyes. Though it didn't show in her face the comment about the shattertech she embodied had struck a nerve. Of course she'd always known that the only reason the Order of Progress would even look at someone like her was because she had the Valkyrie Wings grafted to her skeletal system but to have it laid out as such hurt just a little more than Avelina was willing to admit. For the last three years she'd not met a soul who'd been able to see past the cybernetic implants and realize there was an actual person in there somewhere. Looking bored Avelina slung her pack over her shoulder and hoisted herself up onto a crate, crossing her legs and leaning back so her face was to the sky. She stayed like that for a number of minutes before the sound of footsteps encroaching on there group caught her attention. Avelina hopped off the box to get a better look at an older gentleman that was approaching. He seemed to be a member of the Tychon crew but really, he was ancient compared to the others boarding the airship. Avelina walked closer to Armadaus with a wicked look in her eye. She whispered loud enough for the old man to hear. "Hey Doc, is he crew? Ain't he little old for this kinda work."</s> <\|message\|>Craig Masters Craig was still busying himself upon the boilers of the red vessel, oil and welding burns marring his new robes. His hair at this point was a greased and matted mess, his face moist and oil-stained as he abandoned his Tech-mask long ago in the sweltering atmosphere. The boiler was far from fixed, sections still bisected by inhumanly large slabs of bone-like projectiles, this surprise project was unlikely to be finished before he was listed as absent and left behind. Craig was afraid. Craig was very much afraid. Afraid of his failure. Afraid he'd come back a day after leaving with nothing. Afraid he'd be stuck doing such menial tasks without a story of his own. And most importantly afraid of the large foreman, screaming at younger engineers. He rose to wipe a bead of sweat from his brow, turning his head back at the blue vessel expecting it to already be gone. He saw the more of the crew board of which very few stood out. A young man was amusingly seen dodging the crowd and quietly board the ship. Another man was witnessed to plow through a crowd of people, heavy cargo attended by porters closely following behind him; an event probably standard in the busy port city so he thought nothing of it. An older gentleman chatting it up with passing crew, likely a veteran of the ship. A halfling flitting across the sky, landing precariously yet gracefully near the gangplank, nothing out of the ordina- Craig blinked twice, not quite sure he was seeing correctly, the fumes of the skydock, surely messing with him. Then it hit him, a halfling was flying! Not by way of the new fangled magics, but some sort of cybernetic implants. Behind the young female was a beautiful mechanical contraption- nay - miracle of engineering. The metal seemed alive, warm and alive, reacting to the stiff cool breeze as natural appendage would. Craig was awestruck, in the Forges the older adepts' extra mechanical arms were feats of their own capable of performing simple tasks and bearing heavy loads, but this... this was whole new level. This device seemed to be capable of advance aeronautical maneuvers judging by the stunt this woman just pulled. Knowing the Order's firm grip on technological advances the woman surely had a handler, but hadn't of anything such as this. Craig had to know what exactly this was, and Order heads clearly won't tell him anything, his only choice was to investigate directly. Gathering his luggage left in a near by corner, and ignoring the protests of the foreman behind him as he jaunted towards the blue vessel. However, his journey was impeded, he lost sight of his target over a mass of what seemed to be laboratory equipment. He tried squeezing by, but ran into a man donning a sterile white business suit, with a matching surgical mask and hat. Craig was about to voice his apologies, when he saw that the man was visibly angry and insulted at his transgression. "Uhh... sorry"</s> <\|message\|>Sir Nero Barsad He'd have to burn his suit. That was the only answer. Twice in the span of a few seconds Barsad had been bumped into, first by a Faldkrest warrior who stank of harsh tobacco, and then by a young Order mechanic in grease covered robes. Despite his title, Sir Nero was not a man given to class and station. He had seen too many so-called nobles and gentlemen make blubbering, lecherous messes of themselves when they were in their cups, or thought themselves in private. Similarly, he knew it was within the capacity of any commoner to rise far above his assigned lot in life. Was he not, after all, the very shining proof of that? No, it wasn't that these plebeians could deign to assault a baronet with impunity, but that they had turned a previously very fine -- and very expensive -- suit into a grease rag that reeked evilly of cheap cigar smoke. Barsad turned to the young Order man, raised an accusatory finger in the air, and was prepared to drive it with great force and purpose into the boy's chest, when, rising clear as a bell over the background din of the docks, came a rather indelicate remark about his age from the winged halfling to her Order puppeteer. He forgot the young man completely. A cold, impassive smile sketched itself onto his face. He stood up straight and turned to the recently arrived captain. A dignified-looking Faldkrest, ver Niklos seemed to be in his middle age, if the grey coloration of his jaw fringe was anything to go by. Then again, Barsad thought, the premature discoloration of scales in younger Faldkrest males was also indicative of a family of diseases in their species that went under the collective colloquialism of "The Creeping Rot" in certain social circles of ill-repute. He briefly considered asking Captain ver Niklos if he had ever enjoyed any leisure time in the district of Port Titanicus charmingly referred to by locals as Reptile Row, but decided that accusing one's captain of whoremongering was likely frowned upon in genteel company, however salaciously scaly the ladies of Bawdy Bettie's Taverne & Ye Olde Rumpus Roome may have been. Instead, he gave a crisp nod of the head to ver Niklos, and said, "Captain." He turned to Sonne. "Senior Agent Sonne," he said imperiously, "I am Barsad. You have heard of me, of course. I've little time to waste, so I'll keep this brief. I am here to make your job easier, and to do that I shall be requiring a sterile operating theatre, and whatever files you may have on the creatures we are likely to come across, as well as prioritized access to any biological specimens we acquire." And finally he turned to the smart-mouthed little halfling. "And you," he said, leveling a finger at her, "will see me in my laboratory as soon as possible. Those lackwits who grafted Shattertech onto you may have had plenty of toys, but they don't know the first thing about halfling anatomy. They've completely failed to account for your kind's atrophied serratus posterior superior muscle, which I would wager is why you feel incredible pain whenever you utilize those impressive wings of yours, correct? Yes, yes, and of course I'll need to examine whatever lamentable hatchet job they performed on your obturator nerve. Or in terms even you can understand" -- and here he paused to puff out his chest -- "I need to see where your fleshy bits meet your non-fleshy bits." He tipped his hat to them. "A pleasure to meet you all," he said, and made his way to the boarding ramp.</s>	<\|message\|>Craig Masters Craig... Craig just looked into the eyes of death and survived the accusatory implement that would have tore a hole in his chest. Craig has stared down a microreactor mid meltdown, ripped apart the circuitry of a rampant auto-barber but never in his years had he felt such mortal fear. The suited man quickly left him to himself in the streets, the adrenaline rush that made him deaf to the world was starting to dissipate making him notice that his original track had disappeared into the ship. Out of his daze he decided he might as well board the ship. He presented his pass to the nearby attendant and was instructed make his way to the engineering and cargo bay to help with pre-flight preparations. While disappointed he wouldn't get the opportunity to trail his target any further he shambled towards the lower decks. The engineers seemed to have their own quarters in the lower bays but had to head up to the mess hall for their meals. In time he was tasked with inspecting the cargo, making sure it was tied down and stored properly, and most importantly to make sure the bay doors were operating correctly. The room was quite dark and musty, the few streaks of light coming from scarce windows and cracks in the walls. Craig made his rounds checking the locking mechanisms in the hoists and the gears of the bay doors. It was generally tedious and meticulous work, but Craig was content. That is... until he heard a horrifying sound. A grotesque sound that echoed throughout the room: mew. Craig's eyes went wide, It was soft, barely louder than the distant bustle of the ship but years in the Forge had trained him remain alert for any out of place mechanically. Yet, he had no former knowledge of ships creating this sound, had the hydraulics jammed? Had a circuit board smoldered? Had a steam-pipe leaked? Craig visibly exhaled, for the sake of his new home he had to find the problem and fix it. The sound seemed near, if it weren't for his meticulous, nay, obsessive inspection, it would never had been noticed. He turned the corner where he expected to find the fault, but what he saw was to be expected: piles and piles of crates and cargo. Loose bolts of canvas for the inner lining of the ship's envelope swayed a bit as the vessel rocked gently in the breeze. Craig chalked it up to his nerves and was prepared to leave, when he heard a distinct but recognized sound, a soft purr. Of course, a small opening in the floor boards allowed air in, billowing the canvas bolts. Simple enough to fix, some quick drying tar, a chemical found in any self-respecting ship engineer's kit, will seal it back up. Craig moved to uncover the bolts, but something else caught his attention...</s>
<\|description\|>Nansemond Drake Age: 25 Gender/Race: Human Male Role: Independent Scholar Bio:Nansemond Drake grew up in a privileged borough of the capital of the Isilum Commonwealth. His parents, Chester Drake, and his wife Teresa were career politicians and later, amateur Shatterzone enthusiasts. On a highly publicized expedition to the Shatterzone, the airship, disappeared. The Order of Progress declared the ship, all hands, and Chester and Teresa Drake lost. Nansemond, still a young man was sent to live with an obscure uncle who died a few years later. Grief stricken, Nansemond threw himself into his studies with zeal. He became fascinated with the nature of the Shatterzone, the artifacts and curios, the cults and shadow-lurkers. He began to believe that his parents might still be alive, somewhere in the Shatterzone-and made discovering what happened to them his lifes mission. He became obsessed with the Order of Progress and its work-the artifacts and relics they possesed haunted his mind. Over the next few years Nansemond would achieve only lackluster academic success, graduating 173rd in his class. Nansemond disappeared after school for two years. He resurfaced in high society only recently, attending minor functions and scholarly debates-Long enough to learn of the newest expedition to the Shatterzone- Personality: Before his parents died, Nansemond was a happy, good-natured young man filled with positivity. In the years that followed he became withdrawn and crestfallen. He rarely attended classes. In the few months before the expedition, Nansemond seems to have renewed enthusiasm, characterized by the optimism of his youth, despite an unexplained limp, which he compensates with a black cane. Equipment: * 3 leather-bound notebooks, 1 large for sketching, 2 smaller for recording notes. All 3 have the initials N.F.D embossed in silver lettering on the front. * Various pencils and pastel colors kept in a leather folio. Stylus and ink. * 1 experimental photographing box, various accompanying parts * Leather cloak, hiking boots and waterproof jacket * Sword-Cane. 38" long. Steel blade concealed in a standard cane. The pommel is black iron about the size of a lemon. * Small snub-gun with 2 shots. Skills: Scholar-Nansemond knows more about the Shatterzone than your average bumpkin. He is also aware of the inner workings of high society and academic bureaucracy. He studied the natural sciences at university. Arcane Tendencies-Nansemond has studied magic (unsanctioned by the Guild) for the past 7 years but was limited to what few sources he could find on the streets-he is by no means capable of casting magic, but given the proper information could probably figure it out quickly. Fencing-A skill his father insisted upon learning, Nansemond studied with the best teachers money could buy until his parents disappeared. After school he learned how to really fight on the streets and less-than-reputable establishments of the capital city. Appearance: A tall, but well-framed young man. He keeps his face clean shaven, and his short hair combed perfectly. His features are aristocratic, with a long thin nose and high eyebrows above two bright brown eyes. His teeth are straight and white and he has a habit of biting his lower lip when in thought. He dresses in black grey or brown and carries a cane, which for all appearances he relies on immensely.</s> <\|message\|>Sicarus Sonne Sonne stood at the docks holding a folder. Two ships before him, one cobalt, the other crimson red. Many robed members of The Order scurried about, moving supplies and munitions onto the blue ship, while the sparks of welding torches could be seen from the red ship. He looked at his former home, it was called The Red Fury. It was a powerful ship, multiple massive turrets housing triple barreled gatling cannons, large 40mm anti aircraft guns lining its decks. He sighed. The Red Fury was hurt, he could hear its groans of pain even from the docks. Massive gauges could be seen in the hull of the ship, made by equally as large claws. Scorch marks from perhaps fire dotted the ship, and specks where acid tried to melt away the armor could be seen as well. She was a powerful ship, who had fought against even more powerful foes. Sonne checked his watch. The good Captain was to arrive soon, as well as the last few members of the crew. He looked over to his new home, it was named Tychon. The Cobalt Trireme. It was as large as The Red Fury, he admired its armament for a moment, although not as much as The Red Fury, it was nothing to scoff at. Sonne could hear the sounds of a festival from the city, they were celebrating the launching of another Armada-Class Exploration Vessel, they were like celebrities. Brave explorers going to the dangerous frontier, facing against creatures nobody has ever seen before. The ship and crew were living legends to the civilians. Toys were made for children, operas and plays for the adults. He chuckled. Perhaps maybe he would go and examine these toys and watch the plays. In his thoughts, he failed to notice an aged man walk towards him, wearing a large black coat. He cleared his throat, snapping Sonne out of his thoughts. "Ah." Sonne said, "Lord Gearheart. I leave your vessel for how long, and it ends up how damaged?" Gearheart was a true living legend. Tales of his exploits were known far and wide in many communities, especially in The Order. A tall man, and despite his age, still strong. He was bald and had a short silver beard, wearing a Captain's cap. "You can't blame me Sicarus, we encountered a Arexi Hive Tyrant." He replied, "Now, she's going to be in dock for repairs for a while. Lieutenant Colonel Garret requested a transfer to your vessel. And so did two entire Companies. I approved it, now your new Captain has to approve it. Where is he anyways?" "He will be present soon Captain. I will have to thank Garret, and the two Majors that brought their Companies over." He said. The remaining crew would have to report to him, if the Captain didn't arrive soon.</s> <\|message\|>??? A boy woke suddenly. He felt as if he had been sleeping for a long time now. He could feel his joints creaking as he stirred, eyes still heavy, being freshly awoken. He rubbed his eyes, fog slowly clearing, becoming more alert and awake. He blinked as shadows suddenly crossed his vision, soldiers running back and forth, loading cargo onto several ships on the docks; but something wasn't right. After thinking for a few moments, he realized what it was. Wait, I wasn't here when I went to sleep. He thought, I was... somewhere else? He looked around him again, trying to spot any landmarks or anything familiar he could use as a guide. It felt familiar, but he had no idea where he was. I'm sure I didn't go to sleep here... He thought, Where was I? He closed his eyes, and tried to think back towards the previous night. What had he been doing? Where had he gone? Suddenly, he felt a harsh pain start to pulsate in his forehead. He instinctively buried his face into the soft bundle of fur in his arms. For some reason, the warmth soothed him, and slowly the pain started to fade. He felt the sound of the creature's breathing, though it was barely audible, fill his mind with a gentle calm... Wait, what the-? He looked down at the creature that lay in his arms. A cat? He was holding a small white cat who seemed to be sleeping soundly. Since when was it here? His mind went to static as he tried in vain to remember anything about the cat, anything about where he was. Why was he holding the cat? Why was he sleeping in a place like this? What clothes was he wearing? He seemed to be wearing a large brown coat which was far too large for him. It was warm, perhaps that was why he had worn it. But the problem was, he had no memory of ever putting it on. What do I remember? The boy started trying to sift through his memories, only to find that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't think of anything. He only saw static. He couldn't remember his name, why he was there, what the cat was doing in his arms, but he could feel that he was supposed to know. The cat felt familiar, the more he thought about it, the more he was convinced. He knew the cat, that much was for certain. The coat felt familiar too, and it looked fairly old and somewhat worn. Maybe he'd been using it for some time? He buried his face into the cat's soft fur again, letting it's soothing presence calm him down. If remembering isn't getting me anywhere, He thought, Then maybe I should just follow my instincts? He looked up from his cat, and took yet another look at his surroundings. He saw a huge damaged airship, he couldn't remember if he knew anything about it, but he could feel that it was something standard, not exactly ordinary, but more like something that happened regularly. The ship was rather magnificent, though. It also looked to be extremely heavily armed and armoured. Casting his gaze elsewhere, he found little of interest, except for a similarly sized airship which was blue instead of red. For some reason, he could feel the blue airship drawing him, more so than the red one. Maybe he just liked blue things? The more he stared at it, the more he felt that he should be inside the ship. That's probably my best lead... He thought. He carefully stood up, taking care not to disturb the white cat in his arms, and proceeded to stretch his legs out a little. As he watched soldiers and robed people go back and forth, he noticed that the majority of them were heading for the blue airship. His instincts told him he should take care not to attract attention, but he sort of felt like he wasn't supposed to be there but it was okay if he was found. He put the cat into the brown coat, in a way that allowed the cat to stay in the same place without him having to hold it. The brown lump on his chest would probably look suspicious, but a white cat would've drawn more attention. Still, he kept low, walking at an even pace and walking closer to the people preoccupied with what they were doing. Eventually, he made his way across the docks to the door of one of the massive airship's cargo bays. Sneaking behind a soldier hefting a large box, the vast openness of the docks gave way to a rather spacious cargo hold that was filling up with crates of supplies. He slipped out from behind the soldier as he put down his load and went out of the cargo hold, maybe to grab another box. He found a small space to sit in with big boxes on many of its sides which would be able to hide him from anyone looking in from the door. He also found a large cloth draped over the boxes which he could use to hide himself in a pinch. Alright, He thought, cat still sleeping in his lap. Now what?</s> <\|message\|>Craig Masters Well shit. Craig was in a bit of a straight. About 2 hours ago he wandered into the dry docks(sky docks?) fascinated by the rush and ramble of the porters and mechanics, and was promptly conscripted. He had been working on the red vessel's boilers, which seemed to have been punctured by millions of...bone fragments? Craig had no qualms with this meticulous work, but he was assigned to the blue ship over yonder, and couldn't bring it to himself to tell the foreman otherwise. His eyes darted to and from his work and his original objective, a mass of people were already boarding the "Tycoon" or some-such, the thought of being left behind or worse... reprimanded, caused him to panic a bit. Well, first day out of the Forge and I've already balls things up He looked over to his toolbox; there weren't no tools to fix this mess. His breathing became haggard. The foreman was instructing other mechanics, far too busy to listen to his complaints... plus he was much larger than Craig. He'd try to sneak away if he wasn't already convinced he wouldn't knock over a set of crates and bring immediate attention to himself. Please, please, someone... anyone. The foreman suddenly started to head in his direction, making him recede back to his work. Fortunately(or unfortunately), the foreman passed by quickly to attend to some porters. Oh god, please.</s>	<\|message\|>Nansemond Drake Nansemond Drake, Docks at Port Titanicus The docks were overcrowded with excited onlookers. Throngs of people pushed against the iron railings to catch a glimpse of the Tychon, The Cobalt Trireme a marvel of aeronautical engineering. Nansemond smiled to himself as he patted his ticket in his breast-pocket. He dove into the crowd indescriminately shoving and pulling along with the rest of the mob, his cane clicking and clacking on the hard stone road and spectators alike. "Excuse me!, he shouted to no one in particular, slowly making his way to the landing zone. His pack, weighted down with all the gear he had prepared for this venture unbalanced his weight, and he held the leather straps on his shoulder in a deathgrip. The few people that did notice his limp did the best they could to let Nansemond pass. Nansemond passed a stage set up in between two buildings that overlooked the harbor. An actor dressed in a navy uniform was wrestling with a poorly constructed beast clearly intended to dwell in the shatterzone. Some unfortunate actor in the beast-costume was taking a beating from a blunted cutlass while the chorus sang patriotic fanfare. Pushing on, the crowd began to thin as the real action of the harbor took over-men dragging supplies and crates, marines marching into the belly of the great airship. He noticed a young man holding what appeared to be a cat step into a massive cargo door and disappear. Nansemond spotted the non-military loading ramp and stepped into line. A bead of sweat dribbled down from his perfectly combed hair. He dabbed it with a soft embroidered kerchief he produced from his coat-pocket. The man in front of him was dressed in a greasy brown frock and held a bag of tools. He chewed what appeared to have once been a cigar, a wad of brown paper and flem stuck to his lip. Damn hot today, said Nansemond nervously. The man ignored him. The line progressed The clerk at the door waved Nansemond up and took his ticket. "Nansemond Drake. Drake. Why does that sound familiar?" he asked. Drake rolled his eyes. "Everything in order I assume? My thanks then. Where's room? Oh nevermind I'll find it!" And with that Drake boarded the airship.</s>
<\|description\|>Vanius "The Bloody Handed" Age: 29 Gender/Race: Male Fäldkrest Role: External Conflict Resolver Bio: Vanius hails from a small, ever moving village that has no name.He often lead the hunting parties after his father died. When he was 27 he was attacked after straying away from the party, the massive beast leaving Vanius with a mangled hand and shredded wings (not that they were ever that big to begin with). Despite this, he managed to drive his spear into the beast's soft underbelly and draged the beast back to his hunting party.Upon returning to his village his mother forced him to go to Isilum and seek medical treatment. He is currently serving on an airship in order to pay the debt that accumulated to the order in saving his hand and giving him the ability to glide again (explained later). Vanius was shocked when the doctors wouldn't accept gratitude and 3 goats as payment. Personality: Adventurous, Proud, Highly aggressive, yet oddly smooth where other men would be rough, and hella naive. Equipment: -Lightweight leather armor -Longsword -small obsidean kukri This is just his basic equipment I guess, he has other things for more specialized gear when it's needed but nothing too spectacular, just simple things and a set of metal armor. Skills: Great sword fighter, natural leader (although he shys away from leading the more civilized when there are better candidates) Optional: Spends time with Craig Masters when not on duty. Appearance: A tall, muscular specimen with dark red scales with light orange spots in some places. His left hand is a heavily scarred. Unlike other Faldkrests he has an odd glider like device on his back due to the injuries sustained when he was younger, but this performs slightly worse, if not on par with most other Faldkrest wings, when gliding.</s> <\|message\|>Vanius "The Bloody Handed" Vanius walked towards the docks, the backpack he had been given chaffing his shoulders. The city was exploding with activity, which only distracted Vanius more. The docks were even more crowded than the street he just came from, making Vanius nervous and panicked. After breaking through the crowd he managed to get a break, and sat at a small park bench for a few minutes. He took out a long, dark brown cigar and ran it under his nose before lighting it. "This may be the last cigar I ever enjoy" he thought before taking a deep puff. He sincerely doubted they'd let him smoke on the ship, and he might die on the ground before he got another smoke break. The duffle bag he'd been given had been making Vanius' shoulders ache, and he wanted to just leave it sitting on the ground. Maybe leave everything on the ground and just run back to his Tribe. Put the whole damn world behind him and go back to a simple life. He laughed and shook the thought out of his head.</s> <\|message\|>Avelina (Angel) Callaghan A man hurried through the crowd that surrounded the Tychon, the Order's newest airship. He was only twenty eight but despite his relative youth his hair was white and he had a way of walking with his head down in an incredibly hurry that often led people to believe he was a much older man. His skin was sort of papery and it was clear that he paid more attention to his work than his appearance. He carried a number of papers in his arms and a brown leather pack on his back. He was headed for the loading platform of the Tychon. His name was Armadaus McConally, he was a scholar of the Order of Progress and the handler of the Valkyrie, Avelina Callaghan. Armadaus spotted two men near the airship that he recognized. "Lord Gearheart, Master Sonne!" Armadaus shouted over the crowd. "Are either of you privy to the location of the Tychon's Captain?" he said looking at the two men eagerly. "He must sign these before the airship leaves." Armadaus said motioning to some of the papers he held clutched to his chest. "Avelina Callaghan, one of the Orders assets has been assigned to this ship. I require that the Captain take responsibility for her before I can retire." Armadaus' eyes widened as he looked into the sky. "Speak of the devil." he murmured looking up into the air were a winged blob was gradually getting larger. "She's here." Avelina was looking forward to this particular mission. The Shatter Zone had intrigued her ever since her unplanned trip into it's outer edges. She's been experimented upon by an unknown party and only barely escaped. The nature of that experiment had left Avelina with metal wings twelve feet across wired into her back. They functioned perfectly allowing her to soar through the air just as she was doing now. Despite the constant painful ache that ran across Avelina's shoulder bones every time she took to the skies it was still her favorite way to travel. There was very little she'd ever experienced that compared to the thrill of shooting through the air at fifty miles an hour. Avelina dove downwards at an extreme angle, her stomach dropping off somewhere over the ocean before she pulled of sharply hovering in middle. While I say hovering Avelina was actually drifting up and down at regular intervals keeping her in relatively the same position. Her augmented eyes spotted her handler Armadaus talking with two men on the port. Armadaus had been eager to study the Valkyrie Wings and how they functioned in conjunction with Avelina's neural implants ever since she'd been taken in by the Order. He'd been very interested in the technical aspect of her abilities and had spend hours calculating vectors, and velocities, telling her how much she had to slow down to avoid breaking her legs on landings and the safest altitude she could attain without using a special breather he'd designed for her. Avelina had preferred to just wing it so to say. She did what felt right for the wings rather than trying to make sense of the calculations that covered every surface in Armadaus' study. Smiling slightly Avelina arched her wings diving down towards the peer. She came very close showering a number of people including her handler and his friends with a gust of winds before she turned in midair and bent her legs, she spun reversing her momentum. Avenlina curled her wings over her shoulders and out over her head causing them to lose velocity. She landed with grace in a crouch in front of the three men and straightened with a smile, her wings folded themselves up and slipped through the slits sown into her flight jacket, a substance called Velcro sealed the slits after her wings had come to rest against her back. The Valkyrie Wings in many ways were not a blessing but as long she had them Avelina couldn't help but show off just a little. "You miss me Doc?" She said cocking her head to the side like a bird with a flirtatious smile on her face. "Who are your friends?" She gave an exaggerated curtsy to the two officers. "Boys." she said inclining her head.</s> <\|message\|>Sir Nero Barsad "Out of the way, out of the way!" Barsad shouted at the throngs of people milling about the Port Titanicus docks, who, though quick to vacate the path of the train of laborers carting his laboratory equipment to his quarters aboard the Tychon, could not move fast enough for his liking. "Who dares impede the progress of science?!" He gesticulated wildly at an old woman crossing the procession, nearly bent double beneath the weight of a basket of salt fish on her back. "You! Decrepit crone! Get thee gone!" Barely taking notice of her baleful glare, Barsad eyed the dirigibles resting serenely on the docks, like leviathans dreaming of flight. His mouth twisted in distaste at the multitudinous numbers of the robed members of the Order of Progress. Stuffy, officious fools, too enamored of their own traditions and hierarchy to ever fully give themselves over to their professed calling. Science, Sir Nero knew, demanded sacrifice and an empty heart, not fetishistic affectations and self-inflating titles. Watching them wield their Shatterzone gear like an adolescent wearing his father's armor, he was reminded, and not for the first time, of a tribe of nomadic humans he had encountered in the Pikelands during the first years of his journeys. Having separated themselves from the rest of society centuries ago, the tribe had devolved into a near-feral state, but still clung to the practices of their ancestors, imitating rituals and ceremonies of which they had no clue, no understanding, beyond the vaporous illusion of comfort in the familiar. He believed that the Order, peacocks preening about with salvaged Shatter Tech, was no different: scavengers who surrounded themselves in the trappings of a lost world, claiming dominion over legacies to which they had no right. But what they did have was unparalleled access to the Shatterzone, that ancient place of things unremembered, the playground of all imagination and cold cradle of monsters. And Sir Nero Barsad would have to learn to play nicely if he was to have the same. His spirits picked up slightly when he saw a pair of Setra ascending the Tychon's boarding ramp. In that strange and contemplative species Barsad saw the opportunity for intelligent discourse during the voyage, for he had not been reassured when he saw that most of the crew was comprised of humans: dull, squishy, and terribly predictable, with nary a tentacle or chitinous exoskeleton or hyper-evolved psionic glands among the lot of them. He had already resigned himself to spending much of the upcoming journey shut up in his ad hoc laboratory, for these humans, slaves to their primal apish genetics, would have little to offer him in the way of mental stimulation. Nor was he at all encouraged by their youth. Most of the faces of the Tychon's crew were smooth and unlined. He guessed the majority of them to be in their late teens and early twenties, with even the grizzled veterans among them barely approaching the ripe pastures of thirty. "Children," he muttered to himself, almost giggling in disbelief. "It's a damned children's crusade." Vapid youth, creatures ruled entirely by instinct and brazen ambition, whose higher functions and capacities could be overridden with the simplest chemical changes. Raw emotion, barely removed from the wild rutting beasts of the field, choking the air with the scent of their sweat and energy and hormones. Hormones. Ew. He shuddered slightly in revulsion, then stood up straight and adjusted his white hat and tie. He spotted Sonne, the Senior Agent of the Order assigned to the Tychon, in conversation with his fellows in the Order. "Let us get this farce over with," he said quietly. He directed the lead stevedore to deliver his equipment aboard, and turned to Sonne and the others, already dreading this simple requisite interaction. But the sooner he announced himself, the sooner he could board the airship and set up his laboratory. But already others were approaching. Walking towards Sonne with the unmistakeable purpose of a career officer, was the captain, a Faldkrest named ver Niklos. But more interesting was the girl. Gliding in on metal wings as though she were born to them was the damned oddest halfling Barsad had ever seen. His eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly. Perhaps he had been too harsh in his earlier appraisals. Sacrifices, he thought. This expedition was to be greater than himself. There could be no room for ego. The birth of science, he knew, came only at the death of the scientist. It would be the hardest lesson he'd have to teach himself yet. And so, with mad visions of all the creatures hidden in the 'Zone spread upon his operating table, waiting for the smiling edge of his scalpel to bring their horrors into the light, Sir Nero Barsad made his way to Sonne and his new crewmates, doffing his hat to the future and all that was not yet known.</s> <\|message\|>Vossef ver Niklös - Sef for short Captain Vossef ver Niklös was not bothered by crowds. As he strode across the dockyards, the crowds melted out of his path. Between his stern gaze, the confident, almost aggressive arch of his wings, and not least the thick gold braid on his shoulderboards, it was pretty clear that Sef wasn't an individual who could be expected to waste time slowly picking his way around revellers and onlookers. Sef did not like his time to be wasted in any capacity, in fact. A lifetime of military service and his own rigid self discipline made for a very punctual individual. Therefore, he was more than a little bit annoyed to find himself on the edge of being late for his own airship launch. The day had begun smoothly for the most part - wake before dawn, breakfast, kit up in dress blues, say goodbye to Klothilda - until he reached the dockyards. Then his carefully prepared schedule had been neatly slashed down the middle by a series of minor emergencies involving quartermasters, the port authority, some sort of journalist, the quartermaster again.... Well. On the bright side, it seemed to be over. A thick sheaf of papers held carefully at his side in one clawed hand, Sef approached a small grouping of gentlemen standing near one of the boarding ramps. Sonne, his senior order agent was there, along with Lord Gearheart and another order representative that Vossef had not been introduced to. He had nearly reached them when a young woman, dwarfed by her wide metal wings, landed with them in a page-fluttering backwash of wind. Sef tightened his grip on his papers. Ah, the Valkyrie. That explains the other Order man. Another man arrived, not an Order man and not know to Sef, grumbling after one of the stevedores. The captain couldn't really blame him; he had not been particularly pleased with the dockyard staff so far today either. Working with civilians was not on the list of "Things That Make Vossef ver Niklös Happy and Comfortable." "Good day Lord, gentlemen, and miss," he said in his resonant voice. The captain clicked his heels together and bowed formally. "I am Captain Vossef," he introduced himself. It wasn't necessary - surely his identity was made clear by his decorated uniform - but formalities were important. "I believe we have some business to attend to?"</s>	<\|message\|>Vanius "The Bloody Handed" Eventually the Cigar's flame was snuffed, and Vanius slipped the mostly remaining torpedo into his jacket. The bustle wasn't going to stop and so he knew he had to just make his way through it and get to the Tychus. "No wait, that's not right" Vanius thought. He gazed at the great airships trying to remember the ships name. "The typhoon? Dammit what is that ships name?" He'd been preparing for almost 2 months and he'd forgotten the ships bloody name! In a moment of what can only be described as 'temporary madness', Vanius began searching vehemently for his crew pass. His scaly fingers wrapping around the paper and pulling it to his eyes. And like a man dying of thirst reaching an oasis, his eyes soaked up the information on the card until he saw it Tychon Crew Pass He hurriedly moved towards the ship, his pack awkwardly shifting between being dragged along the ground and being ever so slightly raised. As Vanius moved to adjust it, he bumped into a human gazing, well gazing isn't quite the word. This man seemed to be hypnotized by whatever he was staring at. It was a human man in an exquisite suit, and he looked old. Old and important. Vanius cursed to himself and meekly apologized, before hurriedly resuming his journey to the entry way of the ship.</s>
<\|description\|>Sir Nero Barsad Age: 52 Gender/Race: Male/Human Role: Xenobiologist/Pathologist Bio: Born the youngest son of a middling farmer among many other thousands in Atrea, Barsad was saved from a certain future of anonymity, poverty, and worst of all, boredom, by an incurable curiosity matched only by the needle-like focus of his intellect. A polymathic autodidact, Barsad taught himself first to read, and then to read quickly. With his voracious appetite for the printed word and all the knowledge they represented, he obtained a working understanding of a variety of academic disciplines before turning his concentration onto medicine. A minor noble sponsored Barsad's enrollment into the King's College of Surgeons in Atrea's capital, where a few years' worth of accelerated education gained him a place among the Royal Family's cadre of personal physicians, a not unimpressive salary, and the title of baronet. While a lifestyle that those of his born station could only dream of afforded him every luxury, Barsad despised indolence, fearing that the security of his position would encourage complacency and contentment and, ultimately, would dull the edges of his intellect. He briefly considered joining the Order of Progress, assured that a meteoric climb through the ranks would allow him access to troves of secret information and hidden data enough to keep even his mind busy for a lifetime. But he possessed no taste for their bureaucracy and believed that pure knowledge could be accessed only through an independent will and a pristine curiosity for the unknown, unfettered by the banal ambitions of superiors and managers. Thus he resigned from his post and used his considerable savings to fund an indefinite expedition around the world, a quest for understanding, for both internal and external discovery. It was during the second decade of his pilgrimage, after spending much time with the various non-human races that inhabited this world with him, that his focus turned itself onto the fields of anatomy and genetics. He retrained himself as a pathologist, specializing in non-human anatomy, determined to find the origins of life hidden within their unfamiliar genetic structures, and quickly made a name for himself as one of the world's foremost independent authorities on xenobiology. Now, intrigued by rumors of the odd creatures creeping out of the Shatterzone, Sir Nero made the decision to sign on with the crew of the Tychon, eyes aglow with all the possibilities to be unearthed in that ancient land. All those artifacts. All that knowledge. And all that strange and alien life to cut open and peer into. Personality: Sir Nero is mercurial at the best of times. He is hyperactive, irritable, and easily bored. He seldom gets along with others, not because of any cruelty or malice in his heart, but because he is convinced that he simply thinks too fast for most people to command his attention for more than a few moments. He believes humans are by-and-large incapable of providing him with any sort of interest, and identifies more, and interacts better with, non-human species. He nurtures a particular kinship for the Setra, those inscrutable insectoids whose natural intelligence and curiosity near rival his own. He thinks himself a hunter of mysteries, a detective of the undetectable, an investigator of the unknown, a bearer of the light of knowledge and science in dark places, and, though he'd sooner draw a scalpel across your throat than admit it, an amateur poet. Equipment: Portable field laboratory, basic medical gear, anatomy texts and journals, a few vials of fungal spores that, when prepared and ingested properly, tend to induce prolonged periods of, uh, spiritual commune. Oh, and scalpels. Lots and lots of scalpels. Skills: Sir Nero's travels and natural aptitude for learning have bequeathed him with a host of skills and talents. Along with his expert knowledge in his chosen fields of study, he is able, given a modicum of interest and time, to teach himself the basics of near any discipline. Though focused primarily on biology, he enjoys a working journeyman's knowledge of fields ranging from mathematics to music to theology. And though his left-brain analytics and right-brain intuitiveness are far superior to his left hook and right cross, he has also trained himself a bit in the art of pugilism, and can acquit himself reasonably well in a fight. At least, much better than one would expect of a white-haired academic of late-middle years. Appearance: Though he gives no thought to class or social graces, Barsad has a weakness for finely tailored clothing, and is rarely seen without some variation of an immaculate white suit and hat. He keeps himself in remarkable physical shape for his advanced age, and his long travels have given him deeply tanned skin and sun-bleached white hair.</s> <\|message\|>Vanius "The Bloody Handed" Vanius walked towards the docks, the backpack he had been given chaffing his shoulders. The city was exploding with activity, which only distracted Vanius more. The docks were even more crowded than the street he just came from, making Vanius nervous and panicked. After breaking through the crowd he managed to get a break, and sat at a small park bench for a few minutes. He took out a long, dark brown cigar and ran it under his nose before lighting it. "This may be the last cigar I ever enjoy" he thought before taking a deep puff. He sincerely doubted they'd let him smoke on the ship, and he might die on the ground before he got another smoke break. The duffle bag he'd been given had been making Vanius' shoulders ache, and he wanted to just leave it sitting on the ground. Maybe leave everything on the ground and just run back to his Tribe. Put the whole damn world behind him and go back to a simple life. He laughed and shook the thought out of his head.</s> <\|message\|>Avelina (Angel) Callaghan A man hurried through the crowd that surrounded the Tychon, the Order's newest airship. He was only twenty eight but despite his relative youth his hair was white and he had a way of walking with his head down in an incredibly hurry that often led people to believe he was a much older man. His skin was sort of papery and it was clear that he paid more attention to his work than his appearance. He carried a number of papers in his arms and a brown leather pack on his back. He was headed for the loading platform of the Tychon. His name was Armadaus McConally, he was a scholar of the Order of Progress and the handler of the Valkyrie, Avelina Callaghan. Armadaus spotted two men near the airship that he recognized. "Lord Gearheart, Master Sonne!" Armadaus shouted over the crowd. "Are either of you privy to the location of the Tychon's Captain?" he said looking at the two men eagerly. "He must sign these before the airship leaves." Armadaus said motioning to some of the papers he held clutched to his chest. "Avelina Callaghan, one of the Orders assets has been assigned to this ship. I require that the Captain take responsibility for her before I can retire." Armadaus' eyes widened as he looked into the sky. "Speak of the devil." he murmured looking up into the air were a winged blob was gradually getting larger. "She's here." Avelina was looking forward to this particular mission. The Shatter Zone had intrigued her ever since her unplanned trip into it's outer edges. She's been experimented upon by an unknown party and only barely escaped. The nature of that experiment had left Avelina with metal wings twelve feet across wired into her back. They functioned perfectly allowing her to soar through the air just as she was doing now. Despite the constant painful ache that ran across Avelina's shoulder bones every time she took to the skies it was still her favorite way to travel. There was very little she'd ever experienced that compared to the thrill of shooting through the air at fifty miles an hour. Avelina dove downwards at an extreme angle, her stomach dropping off somewhere over the ocean before she pulled of sharply hovering in middle. While I say hovering Avelina was actually drifting up and down at regular intervals keeping her in relatively the same position. Her augmented eyes spotted her handler Armadaus talking with two men on the port. Armadaus had been eager to study the Valkyrie Wings and how they functioned in conjunction with Avelina's neural implants ever since she'd been taken in by the Order. He'd been very interested in the technical aspect of her abilities and had spend hours calculating vectors, and velocities, telling her how much she had to slow down to avoid breaking her legs on landings and the safest altitude she could attain without using a special breather he'd designed for her. Avelina had preferred to just wing it so to say. She did what felt right for the wings rather than trying to make sense of the calculations that covered every surface in Armadaus' study. Smiling slightly Avelina arched her wings diving down towards the peer. She came very close showering a number of people including her handler and his friends with a gust of winds before she turned in midair and bent her legs, she spun reversing her momentum. Avenlina curled her wings over her shoulders and out over her head causing them to lose velocity. She landed with grace in a crouch in front of the three men and straightened with a smile, her wings folded themselves up and slipped through the slits sown into her flight jacket, a substance called Velcro sealed the slits after her wings had come to rest against her back. The Valkyrie Wings in many ways were not a blessing but as long she had them Avelina couldn't help but show off just a little. "You miss me Doc?" She said cocking her head to the side like a bird with a flirtatious smile on her face. "Who are your friends?" She gave an exaggerated curtsy to the two officers. "Boys." she said inclining her head.</s>	<\|message\|>Sir Nero Barsad "Out of the way, out of the way!" Barsad shouted at the throngs of people milling about the Port Titanicus docks, who, though quick to vacate the path of the train of laborers carting his laboratory equipment to his quarters aboard the Tychon, could not move fast enough for his liking. "Who dares impede the progress of science?!" He gesticulated wildly at an old woman crossing the procession, nearly bent double beneath the weight of a basket of salt fish on her back. "You! Decrepit crone! Get thee gone!" Barely taking notice of her baleful glare, Barsad eyed the dirigibles resting serenely on the docks, like leviathans dreaming of flight. His mouth twisted in distaste at the multitudinous numbers of the robed members of the Order of Progress. Stuffy, officious fools, too enamored of their own traditions and hierarchy to ever fully give themselves over to their professed calling. Science, Sir Nero knew, demanded sacrifice and an empty heart, not fetishistic affectations and self-inflating titles. Watching them wield their Shatterzone gear like an adolescent wearing his father's armor, he was reminded, and not for the first time, of a tribe of nomadic humans he had encountered in the Pikelands during the first years of his journeys. Having separated themselves from the rest of society centuries ago, the tribe had devolved into a near-feral state, but still clung to the practices of their ancestors, imitating rituals and ceremonies of which they had no clue, no understanding, beyond the vaporous illusion of comfort in the familiar. He believed that the Order, peacocks preening about with salvaged Shatter Tech, was no different: scavengers who surrounded themselves in the trappings of a lost world, claiming dominion over legacies to which they had no right. But what they did have was unparalleled access to the Shatterzone, that ancient place of things unremembered, the playground of all imagination and cold cradle of monsters. And Sir Nero Barsad would have to learn to play nicely if he was to have the same. His spirits picked up slightly when he saw a pair of Setra ascending the Tychon's boarding ramp. In that strange and contemplative species Barsad saw the opportunity for intelligent discourse during the voyage, for he had not been reassured when he saw that most of the crew was comprised of humans: dull, squishy, and terribly predictable, with nary a tentacle or chitinous exoskeleton or hyper-evolved psionic glands among the lot of them. He had already resigned himself to spending much of the upcoming journey shut up in his ad hoc laboratory, for these humans, slaves to their primal apish genetics, would have little to offer him in the way of mental stimulation. Nor was he at all encouraged by their youth. Most of the faces of the Tychon's crew were smooth and unlined. He guessed the majority of them to be in their late teens and early twenties, with even the grizzled veterans among them barely approaching the ripe pastures of thirty. "Children," he muttered to himself, almost giggling in disbelief. "It's a damned children's crusade." Vapid youth, creatures ruled entirely by instinct and brazen ambition, whose higher functions and capacities could be overridden with the simplest chemical changes. Raw emotion, barely removed from the wild rutting beasts of the field, choking the air with the scent of their sweat and energy and hormones. Hormones. Ew. He shuddered slightly in revulsion, then stood up straight and adjusted his white hat and tie. He spotted Sonne, the Senior Agent of the Order assigned to the Tychon, in conversation with his fellows in the Order. "Let us get this farce over with," he said quietly. He directed the lead stevedore to deliver his equipment aboard, and turned to Sonne and the others, already dreading this simple requisite interaction. But the sooner he announced himself, the sooner he could board the airship and set up his laboratory. But already others were approaching. Walking towards Sonne with the unmistakeable purpose of a career officer, was the captain, a Faldkrest named ver Niklos. But more interesting was the girl. Gliding in on metal wings as though she were born to them was the damned oddest halfling Barsad had ever seen. His eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly. Perhaps he had been too harsh in his earlier appraisals. Sacrifices, he thought. This expedition was to be greater than himself. There could be no room for ego. The birth of science, he knew, came only at the death of the scientist. It would be the hardest lesson he'd have to teach himself yet. And so, with mad visions of all the creatures hidden in the 'Zone spread upon his operating table, waiting for the smiling edge of his scalpel to bring their horrors into the light, Sir Nero Barsad made his way to Sonne and his new crewmates, doffing his hat to the future and all that was not yet known.</s>
<\|description\|>Sir Nero Barsad Age: 52 Gender/Race: Male/Human Role: Xenobiologist/Pathologist Bio: Born the youngest son of a middling farmer among many other thousands in Atrea, Barsad was saved from a certain future of anonymity, poverty, and worst of all, boredom, by an incurable curiosity matched only by the needle-like focus of his intellect. A polymathic autodidact, Barsad taught himself first to read, and then to read quickly. With his voracious appetite for the printed word and all the knowledge they represented, he obtained a working understanding of a variety of academic disciplines before turning his concentration onto medicine. A minor noble sponsored Barsad's enrollment into the King's College of Surgeons in Atrea's capital, where a few years' worth of accelerated education gained him a place among the Royal Family's cadre of personal physicians, a not unimpressive salary, and the title of baronet. While a lifestyle that those of his born station could only dream of afforded him every luxury, Barsad despised indolence, fearing that the security of his position would encourage complacency and contentment and, ultimately, would dull the edges of his intellect. He briefly considered joining the Order of Progress, assured that a meteoric climb through the ranks would allow him access to troves of secret information and hidden data enough to keep even his mind busy for a lifetime. But he possessed no taste for their bureaucracy and believed that pure knowledge could be accessed only through an independent will and a pristine curiosity for the unknown, unfettered by the banal ambitions of superiors and managers. Thus he resigned from his post and used his considerable savings to fund an indefinite expedition around the world, a quest for understanding, for both internal and external discovery. It was during the second decade of his pilgrimage, after spending much time with the various non-human races that inhabited this world with him, that his focus turned itself onto the fields of anatomy and genetics. He retrained himself as a pathologist, specializing in non-human anatomy, determined to find the origins of life hidden within their unfamiliar genetic structures, and quickly made a name for himself as one of the world's foremost independent authorities on xenobiology. Now, intrigued by rumors of the odd creatures creeping out of the Shatterzone, Sir Nero made the decision to sign on with the crew of the Tychon, eyes aglow with all the possibilities to be unearthed in that ancient land. All those artifacts. All that knowledge. And all that strange and alien life to cut open and peer into. Personality: Sir Nero is mercurial at the best of times. He is hyperactive, irritable, and easily bored. He seldom gets along with others, not because of any cruelty or malice in his heart, but because he is convinced that he simply thinks too fast for most people to command his attention for more than a few moments. He believes humans are by-and-large incapable of providing him with any sort of interest, and identifies more, and interacts better with, non-human species. He nurtures a particular kinship for the Setra, those inscrutable insectoids whose natural intelligence and curiosity near rival his own. He thinks himself a hunter of mysteries, a detective of the undetectable, an investigator of the unknown, a bearer of the light of knowledge and science in dark places, and, though he'd sooner draw a scalpel across your throat than admit it, an amateur poet. Equipment: Portable field laboratory, basic medical gear, anatomy texts and journals, a few vials of fungal spores that, when prepared and ingested properly, tend to induce prolonged periods of, uh, spiritual commune. Oh, and scalpels. Lots and lots of scalpels. Skills: Sir Nero's travels and natural aptitude for learning have bequeathed him with a host of skills and talents. Along with his expert knowledge in his chosen fields of study, he is able, given a modicum of interest and time, to teach himself the basics of near any discipline. Though focused primarily on biology, he enjoys a working journeyman's knowledge of fields ranging from mathematics to music to theology. And though his left-brain analytics and right-brain intuitiveness are far superior to his left hook and right cross, he has also trained himself a bit in the art of pugilism, and can acquit himself reasonably well in a fight. At least, much better than one would expect of a white-haired academic of late-middle years. Appearance: Though he gives no thought to class or social graces, Barsad has a weakness for finely tailored clothing, and is rarely seen without some variation of an immaculate white suit and hat. He keeps himself in remarkable physical shape for his advanced age, and his long travels have given him deeply tanned skin and sun-bleached white hair.</s> <\|message\|>Vanius "The Bloody Handed" Eventually the Cigar's flame was snuffed, and Vanius slipped the mostly remaining torpedo into his jacket. The bustle wasn't going to stop and so he knew he had to just make his way through it and get to the Tychus. "No wait, that's not right" Vanius thought. He gazed at the great airships trying to remember the ships name. "The typhoon? Dammit what is that ships name?" He'd been preparing for almost 2 months and he'd forgotten the ships bloody name! In a moment of what can only be described as 'temporary madness', Vanius began searching vehemently for his crew pass. His scaly fingers wrapping around the paper and pulling it to his eyes. And like a man dying of thirst reaching an oasis, his eyes soaked up the information on the card until he saw it Tychon Crew Pass He hurriedly moved towards the ship, his pack awkwardly shifting between being dragged along the ground and being ever so slightly raised. As Vanius moved to adjust it, he bumped into a human gazing, well gazing isn't quite the word. This man seemed to be hypnotized by whatever he was staring at. It was a human man in an exquisite suit, and he looked old. Old and important. Vanius cursed to himself and meekly apologized, before hurriedly resuming his journey to the entry way of the ship.</s> <\|message\|>Avelina (Angel) Callaghan Armadaus looked slightly alarmed at Avelina's superfluous and very public entrance. "Avelina, what do you think you are doing?" clearly the older man was attempting a look of disapproval but this was slightly marred by the wheedling tone to his voice, almost as if he were begging her not to run off like that. "You left the residence without telling anyone, and without bringing your bag." He said dropping a brown leather pack onto the peer. Avelina did not look particularly happy to be chastised in front of strangers for doing something that as far as she was concerned was her right. If she wanted to fly off there wasn't a lot the Order could do to stop her. Avelina muttered the word 'residence' under her breath. The place was effectively a lab where Armadaus was more than content to run simulations and tests on her wings for hours at a time while she just sat there, it might as well have been a prison. "Thanks Doc," Avelina said her face and voice ever so slightly harder than the light air that had existed in them a moment ago. "and It's Angel." she said in reference to her name. "Regardless," said Armadaus in an exasperated voice, he was clearly at the end of his tether. Dealing with Avelina's attitude had a way of stretching his normally infinite patience to the limits. Armadaus set his papers down on a crate. "Captain I need you to sign these before 'Angel'" He said the word like it was a bad taste "can board the Tychon. They essentially confirm that you will be taking responsibility for Angel's well being and any harm that comes to her or the shattertech she embodies will be accountable directly to you. Is that clear?" Then without waiting for confirmation. "If you could just sign here, here and here on the line Angel will officially be a part of your crew." Avelina rolled her eyes. Though it didn't show in her face the comment about the shattertech she embodied had struck a nerve. Of course she'd always known that the only reason the Order of Progress would even look at someone like her was because she had the Valkyrie Wings grafted to her skeletal system but to have it laid out as such hurt just a little more than Avelina was willing to admit. For the last three years she'd not met a soul who'd been able to see past the cybernetic implants and realize there was an actual person in there somewhere. Looking bored Avelina slung her pack over her shoulder and hoisted herself up onto a crate, crossing her legs and leaning back so her face was to the sky. She stayed like that for a number of minutes before the sound of footsteps encroaching on there group caught her attention. Avelina hopped off the box to get a better look at an older gentleman that was approaching. He seemed to be a member of the Tychon crew but really, he was ancient compared to the others boarding the airship. Avelina walked closer to Armadaus with a wicked look in her eye. She whispered loud enough for the old man to hear. "Hey Doc, is he crew? Ain't he little old for this kinda work."</s> <\|message\|>Craig Masters Craig was still busying himself upon the boilers of the red vessel, oil and welding burns marring his new robes. His hair at this point was a greased and matted mess, his face moist and oil-stained as he abandoned his Tech-mask long ago in the sweltering atmosphere. The boiler was far from fixed, sections still bisected by inhumanly large slabs of bone-like projectiles, this surprise project was unlikely to be finished before he was listed as absent and left behind. Craig was afraid. Craig was very much afraid. Afraid of his failure. Afraid he'd come back a day after leaving with nothing. Afraid he'd be stuck doing such menial tasks without a story of his own. And most importantly afraid of the large foreman, screaming at younger engineers. He rose to wipe a bead of sweat from his brow, turning his head back at the blue vessel expecting it to already be gone. He saw the more of the crew board of which very few stood out. A young man was amusingly seen dodging the crowd and quietly board the ship. Another man was witnessed to plow through a crowd of people, heavy cargo attended by porters closely following behind him; an event probably standard in the busy port city so he thought nothing of it. An older gentleman chatting it up with passing crew, likely a veteran of the ship. A halfling flitting across the sky, landing precariously yet gracefully near the gangplank, nothing out of the ordina- Craig blinked twice, not quite sure he was seeing correctly, the fumes of the skydock, surely messing with him. Then it hit him, a halfling was flying! Not by way of the new fangled magics, but some sort of cybernetic implants. Behind the young female was a beautiful mechanical contraption- nay - miracle of engineering. The metal seemed alive, warm and alive, reacting to the stiff cool breeze as natural appendage would. Craig was awestruck, in the Forges the older adepts' extra mechanical arms were feats of their own capable of performing simple tasks and bearing heavy loads, but this... this was whole new level. This device seemed to be capable of advance aeronautical maneuvers judging by the stunt this woman just pulled. Knowing the Order's firm grip on technological advances the woman surely had a handler, but hadn't of anything such as this. Craig had to know what exactly this was, and Order heads clearly won't tell him anything, his only choice was to investigate directly. Gathering his luggage left in a near by corner, and ignoring the protests of the foreman behind him as he jaunted towards the blue vessel. However, his journey was impeded, he lost sight of his target over a mass of what seemed to be laboratory equipment. He tried squeezing by, but ran into a man donning a sterile white business suit, with a matching surgical mask and hat. Craig was about to voice his apologies, when he saw that the man was visibly angry and insulted at his transgression. "Uhh... sorry"</s>	<\|message\|>Sir Nero Barsad He'd have to burn his suit. That was the only answer. Twice in the span of a few seconds Barsad had been bumped into, first by a Faldkrest warrior who stank of harsh tobacco, and then by a young Order mechanic in grease covered robes. Despite his title, Sir Nero was not a man given to class and station. He had seen too many so-called nobles and gentlemen make blubbering, lecherous messes of themselves when they were in their cups, or thought themselves in private. Similarly, he knew it was within the capacity of any commoner to rise far above his assigned lot in life. Was he not, after all, the very shining proof of that? No, it wasn't that these plebeians could deign to assault a baronet with impunity, but that they had turned a previously very fine -- and very expensive -- suit into a grease rag that reeked evilly of cheap cigar smoke. Barsad turned to the young Order man, raised an accusatory finger in the air, and was prepared to drive it with great force and purpose into the boy's chest, when, rising clear as a bell over the background din of the docks, came a rather indelicate remark about his age from the winged halfling to her Order puppeteer. He forgot the young man completely. A cold, impassive smile sketched itself onto his face. He stood up straight and turned to the recently arrived captain. A dignified-looking Faldkrest, ver Niklos seemed to be in his middle age, if the grey coloration of his jaw fringe was anything to go by. Then again, Barsad thought, the premature discoloration of scales in younger Faldkrest males was also indicative of a family of diseases in their species that went under the collective colloquialism of "The Creeping Rot" in certain social circles of ill-repute. He briefly considered asking Captain ver Niklos if he had ever enjoyed any leisure time in the district of Port Titanicus charmingly referred to by locals as Reptile Row, but decided that accusing one's captain of whoremongering was likely frowned upon in genteel company, however salaciously scaly the ladies of Bawdy Bettie's Taverne & Ye Olde Rumpus Roome may have been. Instead, he gave a crisp nod of the head to ver Niklos, and said, "Captain." He turned to Sonne. "Senior Agent Sonne," he said imperiously, "I am Barsad. You have heard of me, of course. I've little time to waste, so I'll keep this brief. I am here to make your job easier, and to do that I shall be requiring a sterile operating theatre, and whatever files you may have on the creatures we are likely to come across, as well as prioritized access to any biological specimens we acquire." And finally he turned to the smart-mouthed little halfling. "And you," he said, leveling a finger at her, "will see me in my laboratory as soon as possible. Those lackwits who grafted Shattertech onto you may have had plenty of toys, but they don't know the first thing about halfling anatomy. They've completely failed to account for your kind's atrophied serratus posterior superior muscle, which I would wager is why you feel incredible pain whenever you utilize those impressive wings of yours, correct? Yes, yes, and of course I'll need to examine whatever lamentable hatchet job they performed on your obturator nerve. Or in terms even you can understand" -- and here he paused to puff out his chest -- "I need to see where your fleshy bits meet your non-fleshy bits." He tipped his hat to them. "A pleasure to meet you all," he said, and made his way to the boarding ramp.</s>
<\|description\|>Vossef ver Niklös - Sef for short Age: 62 (Or equivalent middle age for a Fäldkrest) Gender: Male Role: Captain Bio: Born in the Pikelands like most of his kind, Sef travelled to Teieya as a youth to find work. He joined the air navy and spent most of his adult life in the sky. The navy taught him to be a swordsman and marksman, and through years of effort he rose so far as to captain an airship, the Shearwater. When the Shearwater was decommissioned, he retired rather than take a new berth and instead turned to the Order, which gave him greater freedom to explore and promised more excitement than the Navy. In his personal life, Sef married as a young ensign and has been happily albeit distantly married ever since. His wife, Klotilda, lives comfortably in a Teieyan township, and they have four grown children, and two grandchildren. Personality: Sef was an excitable brawler in his youth, but age and experience have somewhat mellowed him. He's still incredibly determined, self confident and firm in his opinions, but he has learned to pick his battles. People generally see him as intense and intimidating. He's good with words, and enjoys telling the many exciting tales he has gathered through his life. Equipment: * Navy Cutlass with a 24" blade, basket hilt and dragon-head pommel; it was presented to him with his commission * A pair of long-barrelled six-shooters, heavily engraved and marked with the insignia of the order, with jet inlaid grips. They commemorate his commission as captain of Tychon * Navigation equipment including an octant, compass and astrolabe Skills: * Navigation: Sef was a navigator before he became a captain, so he is skilled at navigating with an octant and chart, or by the stars if need be. * Swordsmanship: Sef's a skilled swordsman. He has maintained his physical condition despite his age, though he will be the first to acknowledge that his reflexes aren't what they used to be and it takes him much longer to recover from injury or strain than it once did. * Marksmanship: He's a much better swordsman than armsman, but he's still a pretty good shot. He tends to rely more on melee combat and is conscious of conserving ammunition. * Airship Knowledge: He's spent his entire adult life working on airships; he has a lot of knowledge and experience in how they work and related studies, like understanding meteorology. Optional: I don't have anything else to add. Appearance: Sef is tall and broad shouldered, and keeps himself in fighting fit. His scaling is primarily cobalt blue, with dark olive green highlights. He has a scaly fringe around his jawline, like a beard, and a row of very small white horns on his browline, much like human eyebrows. He also has a crest of long, flexible spines that protrude from his head and neck - most of the time they lie flat like hair, but they can lift like a cockatoo. Like all of his race, he has membranous wings, resembling a bat's. His right wing has a noticeable scar across the membrane between the second and third metacarpals (fingers) and the long bones are knobby where they have healed from a bad fracture. His age is visible in the grey-white patina over his scales, which is most obvious in his face and wings. The backs of his wings almost look dusty, and his "beard" and crest have entirely turned steel grey.</s> <\|message\|>Vanius "The Bloody Handed" Vanius walked towards the docks, the backpack he had been given chaffing his shoulders. The city was exploding with activity, which only distracted Vanius more. The docks were even more crowded than the street he just came from, making Vanius nervous and panicked. After breaking through the crowd he managed to get a break, and sat at a small park bench for a few minutes. He took out a long, dark brown cigar and ran it under his nose before lighting it. "This may be the last cigar I ever enjoy" he thought before taking a deep puff. He sincerely doubted they'd let him smoke on the ship, and he might die on the ground before he got another smoke break. The duffle bag he'd been given had been making Vanius' shoulders ache, and he wanted to just leave it sitting on the ground. Maybe leave everything on the ground and just run back to his Tribe. Put the whole damn world behind him and go back to a simple life. He laughed and shook the thought out of his head.</s> <\|message\|>Avelina (Angel) Callaghan A man hurried through the crowd that surrounded the Tychon, the Order's newest airship. He was only twenty eight but despite his relative youth his hair was white and he had a way of walking with his head down in an incredibly hurry that often led people to believe he was a much older man. His skin was sort of papery and it was clear that he paid more attention to his work than his appearance. He carried a number of papers in his arms and a brown leather pack on his back. He was headed for the loading platform of the Tychon. His name was Armadaus McConally, he was a scholar of the Order of Progress and the handler of the Valkyrie, Avelina Callaghan. Armadaus spotted two men near the airship that he recognized. "Lord Gearheart, Master Sonne!" Armadaus shouted over the crowd. "Are either of you privy to the location of the Tychon's Captain?" he said looking at the two men eagerly. "He must sign these before the airship leaves." Armadaus said motioning to some of the papers he held clutched to his chest. "Avelina Callaghan, one of the Orders assets has been assigned to this ship. I require that the Captain take responsibility for her before I can retire." Armadaus' eyes widened as he looked into the sky. "Speak of the devil." he murmured looking up into the air were a winged blob was gradually getting larger. "She's here." Avelina was looking forward to this particular mission. The Shatter Zone had intrigued her ever since her unplanned trip into it's outer edges. She's been experimented upon by an unknown party and only barely escaped. The nature of that experiment had left Avelina with metal wings twelve feet across wired into her back. They functioned perfectly allowing her to soar through the air just as she was doing now. Despite the constant painful ache that ran across Avelina's shoulder bones every time she took to the skies it was still her favorite way to travel. There was very little she'd ever experienced that compared to the thrill of shooting through the air at fifty miles an hour. Avelina dove downwards at an extreme angle, her stomach dropping off somewhere over the ocean before she pulled of sharply hovering in middle. While I say hovering Avelina was actually drifting up and down at regular intervals keeping her in relatively the same position. Her augmented eyes spotted her handler Armadaus talking with two men on the port. Armadaus had been eager to study the Valkyrie Wings and how they functioned in conjunction with Avelina's neural implants ever since she'd been taken in by the Order. He'd been very interested in the technical aspect of her abilities and had spend hours calculating vectors, and velocities, telling her how much she had to slow down to avoid breaking her legs on landings and the safest altitude she could attain without using a special breather he'd designed for her. Avelina had preferred to just wing it so to say. She did what felt right for the wings rather than trying to make sense of the calculations that covered every surface in Armadaus' study. Smiling slightly Avelina arched her wings diving down towards the peer. She came very close showering a number of people including her handler and his friends with a gust of winds before she turned in midair and bent her legs, she spun reversing her momentum. Avenlina curled her wings over her shoulders and out over her head causing them to lose velocity. She landed with grace in a crouch in front of the three men and straightened with a smile, her wings folded themselves up and slipped through the slits sown into her flight jacket, a substance called Velcro sealed the slits after her wings had come to rest against her back. The Valkyrie Wings in many ways were not a blessing but as long she had them Avelina couldn't help but show off just a little. "You miss me Doc?" She said cocking her head to the side like a bird with a flirtatious smile on her face. "Who are your friends?" She gave an exaggerated curtsy to the two officers. "Boys." she said inclining her head.</s> <\|message\|>Sir Nero Barsad "Out of the way, out of the way!" Barsad shouted at the throngs of people milling about the Port Titanicus docks, who, though quick to vacate the path of the train of laborers carting his laboratory equipment to his quarters aboard the Tychon, could not move fast enough for his liking. "Who dares impede the progress of science?!" He gesticulated wildly at an old woman crossing the procession, nearly bent double beneath the weight of a basket of salt fish on her back. "You! Decrepit crone! Get thee gone!" Barely taking notice of her baleful glare, Barsad eyed the dirigibles resting serenely on the docks, like leviathans dreaming of flight. His mouth twisted in distaste at the multitudinous numbers of the robed members of the Order of Progress. Stuffy, officious fools, too enamored of their own traditions and hierarchy to ever fully give themselves over to their professed calling. Science, Sir Nero knew, demanded sacrifice and an empty heart, not fetishistic affectations and self-inflating titles. Watching them wield their Shatterzone gear like an adolescent wearing his father's armor, he was reminded, and not for the first time, of a tribe of nomadic humans he had encountered in the Pikelands during the first years of his journeys. Having separated themselves from the rest of society centuries ago, the tribe had devolved into a near-feral state, but still clung to the practices of their ancestors, imitating rituals and ceremonies of which they had no clue, no understanding, beyond the vaporous illusion of comfort in the familiar. He believed that the Order, peacocks preening about with salvaged Shatter Tech, was no different: scavengers who surrounded themselves in the trappings of a lost world, claiming dominion over legacies to which they had no right. But what they did have was unparalleled access to the Shatterzone, that ancient place of things unremembered, the playground of all imagination and cold cradle of monsters. And Sir Nero Barsad would have to learn to play nicely if he was to have the same. His spirits picked up slightly when he saw a pair of Setra ascending the Tychon's boarding ramp. In that strange and contemplative species Barsad saw the opportunity for intelligent discourse during the voyage, for he had not been reassured when he saw that most of the crew was comprised of humans: dull, squishy, and terribly predictable, with nary a tentacle or chitinous exoskeleton or hyper-evolved psionic glands among the lot of them. He had already resigned himself to spending much of the upcoming journey shut up in his ad hoc laboratory, for these humans, slaves to their primal apish genetics, would have little to offer him in the way of mental stimulation. Nor was he at all encouraged by their youth. Most of the faces of the Tychon's crew were smooth and unlined. He guessed the majority of them to be in their late teens and early twenties, with even the grizzled veterans among them barely approaching the ripe pastures of thirty. "Children," he muttered to himself, almost giggling in disbelief. "It's a damned children's crusade." Vapid youth, creatures ruled entirely by instinct and brazen ambition, whose higher functions and capacities could be overridden with the simplest chemical changes. Raw emotion, barely removed from the wild rutting beasts of the field, choking the air with the scent of their sweat and energy and hormones. Hormones. Ew. He shuddered slightly in revulsion, then stood up straight and adjusted his white hat and tie. He spotted Sonne, the Senior Agent of the Order assigned to the Tychon, in conversation with his fellows in the Order. "Let us get this farce over with," he said quietly. He directed the lead stevedore to deliver his equipment aboard, and turned to Sonne and the others, already dreading this simple requisite interaction. But the sooner he announced himself, the sooner he could board the airship and set up his laboratory. But already others were approaching. Walking towards Sonne with the unmistakeable purpose of a career officer, was the captain, a Faldkrest named ver Niklos. But more interesting was the girl. Gliding in on metal wings as though she were born to them was the damned oddest halfling Barsad had ever seen. His eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly. Perhaps he had been too harsh in his earlier appraisals. Sacrifices, he thought. This expedition was to be greater than himself. There could be no room for ego. The birth of science, he knew, came only at the death of the scientist. It would be the hardest lesson he'd have to teach himself yet. And so, with mad visions of all the creatures hidden in the 'Zone spread upon his operating table, waiting for the smiling edge of his scalpel to bring their horrors into the light, Sir Nero Barsad made his way to Sonne and his new crewmates, doffing his hat to the future and all that was not yet known.</s>	<\|message\|>Vossef ver Niklös - Sef for short Captain Vossef ver Niklös was not bothered by crowds. As he strode across the dockyards, the crowds melted out of his path. Between his stern gaze, the confident, almost aggressive arch of his wings, and not least the thick gold braid on his shoulderboards, it was pretty clear that Sef wasn't an individual who could be expected to waste time slowly picking his way around revellers and onlookers. Sef did not like his time to be wasted in any capacity, in fact. A lifetime of military service and his own rigid self discipline made for a very punctual individual. Therefore, he was more than a little bit annoyed to find himself on the edge of being late for his own airship launch. The day had begun smoothly for the most part - wake before dawn, breakfast, kit up in dress blues, say goodbye to Klothilda - until he reached the dockyards. Then his carefully prepared schedule had been neatly slashed down the middle by a series of minor emergencies involving quartermasters, the port authority, some sort of journalist, the quartermaster again.... Well. On the bright side, it seemed to be over. A thick sheaf of papers held carefully at his side in one clawed hand, Sef approached a small grouping of gentlemen standing near one of the boarding ramps. Sonne, his senior order agent was there, along with Lord Gearheart and another order representative that Vossef had not been introduced to. He had nearly reached them when a young woman, dwarfed by her wide metal wings, landed with them in a page-fluttering backwash of wind. Sef tightened his grip on his papers. Ah, the Valkyrie. That explains the other Order man. Another man arrived, not an Order man and not know to Sef, grumbling after one of the stevedores. The captain couldn't really blame him; he had not been particularly pleased with the dockyard staff so far today either. Working with civilians was not on the list of "Things That Make Vossef ver Niklös Happy and Comfortable." "Good day Lord, gentlemen, and miss," he said in his resonant voice. The captain clicked his heels together and bowed formally. "I am Captain Vossef," he introduced himself. It wasn't necessary - surely his identity was made clear by his decorated uniform - but formalities were important. "I believe we have some business to attend to?"</s>
<\|description\|>Vossef ver Niklös - Sef for short Age: 62 (Or equivalent middle age for a Fäldkrest) Gender: Male Role: Captain Bio: Born in the Pikelands like most of his kind, Sef travelled to Teieya as a youth to find work. He joined the air navy and spent most of his adult life in the sky. The navy taught him to be a swordsman and marksman, and through years of effort he rose so far as to captain an airship, the Shearwater. When the Shearwater was decommissioned, he retired rather than take a new berth and instead turned to the Order, which gave him greater freedom to explore and promised more excitement than the Navy. In his personal life, Sef married as a young ensign and has been happily albeit distantly married ever since. His wife, Klotilda, lives comfortably in a Teieyan township, and they have four grown children, and two grandchildren. Personality: Sef was an excitable brawler in his youth, but age and experience have somewhat mellowed him. He's still incredibly determined, self confident and firm in his opinions, but he has learned to pick his battles. People generally see him as intense and intimidating. He's good with words, and enjoys telling the many exciting tales he has gathered through his life. Equipment: * Navy Cutlass with a 24" blade, basket hilt and dragon-head pommel; it was presented to him with his commission * A pair of long-barrelled six-shooters, heavily engraved and marked with the insignia of the order, with jet inlaid grips. They commemorate his commission as captain of Tychon * Navigation equipment including an octant, compass and astrolabe Skills: * Navigation: Sef was a navigator before he became a captain, so he is skilled at navigating with an octant and chart, or by the stars if need be. * Swordsmanship: Sef's a skilled swordsman. He has maintained his physical condition despite his age, though he will be the first to acknowledge that his reflexes aren't what they used to be and it takes him much longer to recover from injury or strain than it once did. * Marksmanship: He's a much better swordsman than armsman, but he's still a pretty good shot. He tends to rely more on melee combat and is conscious of conserving ammunition. * Airship Knowledge: He's spent his entire adult life working on airships; he has a lot of knowledge and experience in how they work and related studies, like understanding meteorology. Optional: I don't have anything else to add. Appearance: Sef is tall and broad shouldered, and keeps himself in fighting fit. His scaling is primarily cobalt blue, with dark olive green highlights. He has a scaly fringe around his jawline, like a beard, and a row of very small white horns on his browline, much like human eyebrows. He also has a crest of long, flexible spines that protrude from his head and neck - most of the time they lie flat like hair, but they can lift like a cockatoo. Like all of his race, he has membranous wings, resembling a bat's. His right wing has a noticeable scar across the membrane between the second and third metacarpals (fingers) and the long bones are knobby where they have healed from a bad fracture. His age is visible in the grey-white patina over his scales, which is most obvious in his face and wings. The backs of his wings almost look dusty, and his "beard" and crest have entirely turned steel grey.</s> <\|message\|>Craig Masters Craig... Craig just looked into the eyes of death and survived the accusatory implement that would have tore a hole in his chest. Craig has stared down a microreactor mid meltdown, ripped apart the circuitry of a rampant auto-barber but never in his years had he felt such mortal fear. The suited man quickly left him to himself in the streets, the adrenaline rush that made him deaf to the world was starting to dissipate making him notice that his original track had disappeared into the ship. Out of his daze he decided he might as well board the ship. He presented his pass to the nearby attendant and was instructed make his way to the engineering and cargo bay to help with pre-flight preparations. While disappointed he wouldn't get the opportunity to trail his target any further he shambled towards the lower decks. The engineers seemed to have their own quarters in the lower bays but had to head up to the mess hall for their meals. In time he was tasked with inspecting the cargo, making sure it was tied down and stored properly, and most importantly to make sure the bay doors were operating correctly. The room was quite dark and musty, the few streaks of light coming from scarce windows and cracks in the walls. Craig made his rounds checking the locking mechanisms in the hoists and the gears of the bay doors. It was generally tedious and meticulous work, but Craig was content. That is... until he heard a horrifying sound. A grotesque sound that echoed throughout the room: mew. Craig's eyes went wide, It was soft, barely louder than the distant bustle of the ship but years in the Forge had trained him remain alert for any out of place mechanically. Yet, he had no former knowledge of ships creating this sound, had the hydraulics jammed? Had a circuit board smoldered? Had a steam-pipe leaked? Craig visibly exhaled, for the sake of his new home he had to find the problem and fix it. The sound seemed near, if it weren't for his meticulous, nay, obsessive inspection, it would never had been noticed. He turned the corner where he expected to find the fault, but what he saw was to be expected: piles and piles of crates and cargo. Loose bolts of canvas for the inner lining of the ship's envelope swayed a bit as the vessel rocked gently in the breeze. Craig chalked it up to his nerves and was prepared to leave, when he heard a distinct but recognized sound, a soft purr. Of course, a small opening in the floor boards allowed air in, billowing the canvas bolts. Simple enough to fix, some quick drying tar, a chemical found in any self-respecting ship engineer's kit, will seal it back up. Craig moved to uncover the bolts, but something else caught his attention...</s> <\|message\|>??? Noooo... The boy thought desperately, Go awaaay! He could hear someone shifting sommething in front of him... His cat had mewed in its sleep only a few seconds before, had the guy heard it? It was loud to him, but he was under a canvas. How had the guy heard it? Somewhere in front of his hiding spot, he heard the clanking of something footsteps coming closer, as his cat released a soft purr. The footsteps stopped suddenly, and now they were heading towards him! This is it. He thought, trying to make himself as small as possible. All of a sudden, his cat woke up. It slowly opened its light blue eyes and blinked at him, as if in confusion. Then it shook its head as if trying to wake up, and proceeded to tilt its head sideways slightly with its eyes closed. After a couple of seconds, the cat snapped upright as if it had just gotten an idea, and proceeded to walk out of the canvas the boy was hiding in. He heard it meow as it started to walk away from his hiding spot, and he could see through a peephole, the cat looking up at... some kind of engineer? Um... The boy thought, What?</s> <\|message\|>Sicarus Sonne "Lord Gearheart, Master Sonne!" The two heard a voice yell over the bustling crowd, they both looked towards the young man. "Are either of you privy to the location of the Tychon's Captain? He must sign these before the airship leaves." The man asked. Sonne looked to Lord Gearheart, assuming the Captain would know where the other was, unfortunately no. Gearheart shrugged. "Avelina Callaghan, one of the Orders assets has been assigned to this ship. I require that the Captain take responsibility for her before I can retire." "An asset?" Sonne asked, their predicted path must be very deep into the Shatterzone for The Order to assign this Avelia to the Tychon. "Where is this... Avelina?" Armadaus mumbled something and then announced that she was here, looking up into the sky. Both Gearheart and Sonne followed Armadaus and looked at the dot in the sky. "She flies?" Gearheart asked nobody in particular. Soon, she landed next to them and greeted her handler, then turned to Sonne and Gearheart, greeting them in a rather informal way. Sonne was rather blank faced. Gearheart laughed heartily, "If I had someone who could fly, my ship would still be out there! You are lucky Sonne!" He exclaimed, punching Sonne lightly in the shoulder. Sonne cleared his throat, "If you ship were out there, the Tychon would still be in drydock, under study. And I would be in a lab." The armored man explained, "You know I don't do well in labs." Sonne stated. Seconds later, the Captain appeared. Introducing himself, he then said, "I believe we have some business to attend to?" "Ah, yes. Captain. We are scheduled to leave in two hours, they pushed the original launch time further. However, they did state that if we are ready before then, we have permission to. Also, some of Lord Gearheart's Armsmen requested a transfer to our ship, Lieutenant Colonel Garret and two entire Companies. They are very capable soldiers, I can vouch for their abilities." Sonne explained, he turned to Gearheart, who held out a piece of paper. "Just sign this and my troops are now your troops." The Captain was much larger in person than he had expected. Sonne himself had never really interacted with a Faldkrest so closely before. He cleared his throat and looked to the Valkyre, "Lady Avelina." He bowed slightly in greeting, "You are not what I expected." It seemed that the rest of the crew were starting to arrive, Sir Nero Barsad just arrived. After a brief greeting to the Captain, he turned to Sonne. "Senior Agent Sonne," he said, "I am Barsad. You have heard of me, of course. I've little time to waste, so I'll keep this brief. I am here to make your job easier, and to do that I shall be requiring a sterile operating theatre, and whatever files you may have on the creatures we are likely to come across, as well as prioritized access to any biological specimens we acquire." "Sir Barsad." Sonne bowed in respect. "There is a lab with a sterile section on board the ship, along with a library with copies of all the information The Order has on The Shatterzone. Hopefully you find the lab to be up to your standards. As for specimens, you will have unrestricted access to whatever our Armsmen can capture."</s>	<\|message\|>Vossef ver Niklös - Sef for short The Order handler for the Valkyrie was the first to address Sef, so he dealt with his request first. Truth be told, he was a little uncomfortable having the creature aboard ship. Actual flight was enviable to a man who had only ever been able to glide, but he didn't trust he shattertech and had a sinking suspicion that it was going to break at some point and he would be help responsible. Nevertheless, he signed and initialled the relevant papers. "I trust you can find your own way aboard, Miss Angel?" he said, addressing the Order Asset in question. "You are quartered with the mechanical engineers, I believe, if I remember my crew manifest properly. Unless you require an escort?" He turned back to Sonne and Lord Gearheart, clearly dismissing the winged Halfling. "Ah yes, the troop transfers," he nodded to his fellow - senior - airship captain. This was Vossef's first voyage on anything larger than a frigate. "I appreciate the borrowed manpower, and I am sure the soldiers will appreciate the danger pay." He signed off on those papers as well, taking his own copies and adding them to the folder he had carried from the quartermasters' office. "If you will excuse me, my Lord?" Finally, he turned to Sonne, as he began to stride toward the airship's loading ramps. "I would like to get underweigh as quickly as possible; preferably as soon as the crew has all been accounted for." He knew first hand that the cargo was, for the most part, loaded; he had yet to speak to the admin staff that were responsible for signing in the crew members. "Perhaps in the interim, a quick tour of ships facilities?"</s>
<\|description\|>Francis Smith Appearance: Nickname: Frankie Age: 16 School Year: 2nd Place of Birth: London, England Class: B Sexuality: Bisexual Marital Status: Single Occupation: Student Member of the Host Club? Yes Personality: Frankie is a very arrogant individual, always boasting about his family's wealth, and his appearance. However, he will be kind and suck up to people who he knows are better off than him. He can get very angry very fast if people don't do what he says, and he always wants his own way. Background: Frankie was born to two wealthy parents in London, before moving to Japan at the age of fourteen. He now speaks fluent Japanese, English, and French. His family come from old money, but his father also now owns a large multi-national corporation, however they are still not the best of the best. Frankie grew up learning that his family were excellence, asides from those above him, and as such, he has become very arrogant. He has also trained his body and is now quite strong, and often feared.</s> <\|message\|>Rin Kazuyoshi. Several Locations - Laguna High School - It is a prestigious private school in Tokyo, Japan. The school is attended primarily by children of the rich and famous (e.g. children of prominent families, business magnates, politicians, celebrities, etc.). - Host Club - Laguna High School is also widely known by its students as being the home of the Host Club, an enormously popular and influential club located in Music Room #3 of the building. - Black Magic Club - The Black Magic Club is located in the basement of the north building. The club room is dark, with gothic decorations, and lit by candles. - The Beach - The beach is the place where most of the students go when they do not have school. Sometimes the hosts bring their customers with them. - Karuizawa – One of the cosy villages that is located near Tokiyo. There are a lot of places where one can taste food, it also has a nice shopping street and Bed and Breakfast. ...</s> <\|message\|>Rin Kazuyoshi. Kai would walk along the corridors of Laguna High School as his facial expression would remain emotionless as ever. He did not even try to smile or just start chatting with other people that he did not know. And even if he did know them, he would not say much to them really. That was a rather weird trait for him to have as to be seen for his social status. His parents had tried to tell him to change his attitude but it just asked too much effort to do so. For the "Machina" company that his parents own, he was known as the 'Prince of Ice' which actually fitted him some way. Yet in this school people liked him for the way he was and that was not an usual thing to witness as people would often be embarrassed by the way he looks at them when having a formal conversation. Yet the customers of the Host Club did not pay too much attention to that and he slowly started to become more outspoken and even shows his emotions now and then. Yes, even his sadistic side pops out once in a while. Once he arrived at the Host Club room, he pushed the doors open with the palm of his hand and walked inside where he sat down on one of the couches that were placed inside. --------------------- Rin however was cheerfully, almost running, down the hall as she did not feel like being depressed all day today because of the debt that she still needed to pay. She kept a positive mindset despite all the troubles and difficulties that had happened since she went to this school through a scholar ship. Because of this, she needed to keep her grades up and score between the 3rd and 1st place in order to stay at this school and not be expelled as she could not pay the tuition fee. Mentally slapping the school though because of such high costs. As she sat down on the stairs, she would look at the people that passed her by as she did not feel like going to the Host Club yet.</s> <\|message\|>Hajime Miko Hajime slammed open the door to the host club, threateningly. Most people would have been terrified if Hajime had entered the room, but Hajime was a normal at the host club. And not because of the guys. Because of the food. She stepped inside, and promptly tripped and fell down comically, her collar making a rich CLUNCK sound as the solid gold hit the ground. Hajime sat up and pushed herself of the floor, turning towards and empty seat. She took a seat on a couch, currently unoccupied, and began to swing her legs. In the host club, Hajime didn't look threatening. She looked childish. Like a little sibling who wanted you to make them some god damn food. She began to fiddle with the pin stuck onto her sweater. The pin had an lotus design on it. The lotus insignia was the one of the yakuza. It was a pin that meant danger. One that meant authority. But people in the host club had learned to stop caring. Because, unless they were new, they had seen it quite frequently and knew that Hajime really only wanted food.</s> <\|message\|>Katsuya Diana Estrella Materashi Katsuya barely noticed when the bell rang for the end of classes, she was too engrossed in her book. It was a translated version of an American Novel titled To Kill A Mockingbird about the goings on of a small county in southern America during the great depression they had there in the 1930s. Eventually it seemed that she was able to sense the absence of noise and people, and she began to pack up all her things and leave. Before she got out the door though, she was intercepted by a group of giggly girls who pulled her into their conversation. "Materashi-Senpai! Who's your favorite host?" The speaker was a First-year who Katsuya could remember speaking to only once before, when she had to give the girl directions to her homeroom because she had gotten lost at the beginning of the year. "Um, I'm honestly not very interested in things like Dating Sims and host cafe's. While I respect those who work there to gain the skill, I do not enjoy false flattery." Katsuya was about to walk away when the words of one of the girl's friends stopped her. "No, not like 'Famous' hosts. We just want to know which of the hosts at our school's Host Club you like the most." "I didn't know that Laguna had a Host Club." At this point Katsuya was getting bored. I would rather get home and find out what's going on with the Radley's than be talking to the fluff-brained. As Katsuya was thinking however, the first girl grabbed her hand and was dragging her towards the music rooms, exclaiming about how she HAD to go there and meet the hosts. Oh Dios mi, I don't have time for this!</s>	<\|message\|>Francis Smith Frankie walked down the corridor, going to the host club, as per usual. He usually went here, his family were usually too busy to care if he came home for lunch. So, he went to his school's host club. He tried to make friends there, usually. He mainly chose people who were as rich as him, or richer, because he was too arrogant to care about people of a lower class than him. Except, however, the Yakuza. They interested him. There wasn't really a mob family as such in London, in the whole of England really. Or, at least, he didn't know about one. Frankie walked into the room of the host club, and saw that a Yakuza girl, Hajime, had already arrived, and had sat on a sofa on her own. Frankie walked over to it, and sat down, pulling a lunchbox out of his bag, and opening it, revealing a mixture of sushi, and some English food such as sandwiches, and scones. Frankie pulled out half of a scone, put some jam and cream on it, and then offered it to Hajime, "Want some?" he asked in Japanese, but still with a slight British accent, "It's quite good"</s>
<\|description\|>Ellen Hawkes Digidestined Age: 16 Gender: Female Crest: Gluttony Nationality: English Appearance: Ellen is very short, 5'4" to be exact. She's also incredibly plump; with broad, square shoulders, fat thighs, quite a large and somewhat sagging chest for someone her age, and a rounded and child-like face. She's mostly pale as she doesn't get much sunlight, though her cheeks and nose are a contrastingly bright red as if she has a constant cold. Her blonde hair is just over shoulder length and is often tied up into two twin plaits, adding to Ellen's child-like look. She also wears a pair of thick-framed black glasses. Her eyes are greyish blue. Ellen tends to wear dark and dulled colours, and like wears long dresses, usually of a dark blue. She always wears black leggings underneath as she feels too self-conscius about her legs to have them bare or wear tights, plus it's warmer. She also have an oversized green hoodie, second-hand from her mother, which she always wears over the top. When she's outside by herself, she'll most likely have the hood up. She also likes wearing boots as opposed to regular shoes. History: Ellen was diagnosed with Aspergers at a very early age and, ever since, her parents have been somewhat protective of her, and also tend to spoil her immensely. It didn't help that Ellen's primary school didn't really have much of a special needs program and, even after her diagnosis, Ellen was constantly picked on by the teachers because she either didn't understand certain things (and was too shy to ask for them to be explained) and because Ellen would often daydream in the middle of class. Ellen also had no friends at her primary and was often picked on by a group of boys, who often made fun of her. It got so bad, Ellen started missing days off school. It got a little better towards the end of Ellen's Primary, thanks to talking with the teachers, but Ellen still got picked on occasionally and she had no friends to talk to or back her up. Things were much better for Ellen in secondary school, as they actually HAD a special needs department at the school that were able to give her the support she needed, and she even made a small group of friends... but by that point, the damage to her self-esteem was done. She remained very nervous and introverted, and could be incredibly dependent on her friends. This dependence actually caused one of her friends, a girl named Darcy who Ellen had considered her best friend, to drift away from her as she found their relationship 'suffocating'. This happened when Ellen was thirteen and caused to have nervous breakdown, in which she had to take many days off school. During this time, she was taken to therapy, where she diagnosed with depression and anxiety, and put on anti-depressants to help her cope. They did help, but they tried to send Ellen back to school, all of Ellen's friends were avoiding her, and a group of bullies had started picking on Ellen, saying she was 'schizo', among with other insults. Ellen's parents quickly pulled her out of school. They tried to send her to another school, but this didn't last long and Ellen has since been home-schooled. She's happier and more comfortable now, but has become incredibly lonely as well, seeking the company of children around her own age. Personality: Ellen is a somewhat shy girl, but still relatively easy to get along with if one can put up with her somewhat clingy tendencies. Having very few friends and often viewed as an outcast by her peers at school, Ellen has a tendency to latch onto anyone who shows her the slightest amount of kindness, immediately viewing that person as a friend. She's a people pleaser, often doing everything she can to make sure that everybody likes her. If someone criticises her or dislikes something about her, she'll always view it as her fault and will do all she can to improve herself. In fact, Ellen tends to think many things are her fault, and has quite the guilt complex, apologising for every little thing she has done wrong. This is due to the fact that Ellen suffers from anxiety and depression, both of which she's currently taking medication for, and when she's not wallowing in self-pity, she's getting incredibly worried and upset over tiny things. She's often worried, worrying about events in the future and constantly looking for a way out. In the end, however, she usually ends up ignoring her problems, hoping they'll go away on their own. In short, she's a huge coward, and when faced with a particularly difficult (or boring) task, she'll often retreat into her own little world, daydreaming and hiding in books and TV shows. The only things that make Ellen somewhat happy and content are her family, the various TV shows, movies, anime and video games she likes to read, watch or play, and, of course, food. Ellen eats all the time if there's food around and her parents constantly have to buy snack food for her. When there isn't snack food, she'll even scrounge up bits of bread or cheese. Eating or drinking gives her this slight positive boost in her mood, and she often makes it through the long tedious school days by thinking "at least we're having [insert delicious food here] for supper tonight". Her dependence on food can actually be pretty concerning, as she gets hungry easily and if she gets hungry, she'll get more emotional than normal, sometimes even grumpy and unfriendly. It's something her parents have tried to address multiple times as, along with medication, Ellen also goes to counselling, and her parents have often asked Ellen's counsellor to address this issue. At the moment, though, they have made little progress. Skills: - Cooking: as someone who loves food, Ellen has learnt to cook and she's fairly good at it. - Memory: Ellen has a good memory for detail. She can remember and even quote from the various books and comic books she's read. She can remember important details from the plot of her favourite TV series, anime and movies that she's sure will be important later. However, this memory only seems to extend to things she has an interest in. In the case of her school work, using classical history as an example, she can remember the names of all the Greek Gods, their Roman counterparts, various myths surrounding them and how this hero is related to that deity ect. But ask her about the architecture of a Roman city or the findings in Pompeii? She won't be able to tell you much. Equipment: Often carries her anti-depressants around with her, as well as a mobile phone to contact her Mum, Dad and her therapist, and a glasses case. Trivia: - Ellen's voice actor would be Sarah Williams (e.g. the English voice of Sayaka Miki from Puella Magi Madoka Magica) - Ellen has Aspergers, which is the root of her social awkwardness and causes her to lose focus from time to time, often going into a daydream. - Due to the fact that most of those who have picked on her in the past have been males, Ellen is very nervous around boys and finds it difficult to understand them. - While she loves pretty much most food, she can't stand any form of pork, be it bacon or sausages. She far prefers beef, lamb, chicken or duck. Relationships: Impressions of other characters: - Lopmon: Thinks he's adorable and constantly makes fun of his overly-serious attitude. She's not entirely sure about what to think about them being partners for life, and while she does like him, she isn't sure what to make of him. - Annelise: Will probably want to be her friend the moment she sees her, regardless of how Annelise treats her in return. - Tinkermon: Will probably think she's incredibly cute, but might be a little nervous around her. - Derek: Will very likely be nervous of him as he's a boy. - Syakomon: Might find him a little frightening at first, though in the end might consider him cute. - Gavin: Will very likely be nervous of him as he's a boy, though she may try to reach out to him because he likes reading so much. - Labramon: Ellen has had some bad experiences with dogs in the past and will most likely be afraid of him. Family: - Sarah Hawkes (mum): Ellen loves her dearly and considers her pretty much the ultimate role-model. Sarah also loves her daughter, but is always constantly concerned for her and this has taken a slight toll on her health. - Bryan Hawkes (dad): Ellen loves him too, though can get nervous around him from time to time due to his temper. Bryan loves his daughter, but sometimes get frustrated with her for not trying harder to get along with others. This might be because he sees a lot of himself in her. - Janene Grace (maternal grandmother): Ellen loves her but is irritated with how she's always asking about school. Likes going over to her house because she doesn't cook and often orders takeout. Janene, for one, loves her granddaughter and doesn't seem to notice when Ellen gets frustrated with her. - Nina Hawkes (paternal grandmother): Ellen and Nina like each other but, as Ellen hadn't spent much time with Nina, they're kind of distant, and Nina often thinks Ellen might be a little lazy and needs to contribute more. Digimon Species: Lopmon Nickname: N/A Apparent gender: Male Appearance: Personality: In contrast to his partner, Lopmon is a very proud and opinionated little creature, though he's not much of a talker either. He has this silent confidence that is almost aggressive in its intensity and may even have been considered threatening... except for the fact that he's a little pink bunny rabbit, in which case his arrogant and overly serious nature tends to come off as comedic and perhaps even pompous more than anything else. Still, he seems to care deeply about his partner and, upon the very moment he meets her, is completely loyal to her, though not blind to her weaknesses. He can sense her fear and fragility and tries to make up for it by trying to turn himself into her knight in shining armour. And, as he progresses through his digivolutions, he's likely to become more and more chivalrous, though also more aggressive and overprotective. Time will tell how this pans out for him and Ellen. Attacks: Petit Twister - Causes a small-sized tornado by making both his ears like propellers. Blazing Ice - Fires a burst of cold air, capable of slightly freezing an enemy Lop Punch - Slaps enemy with ears. Digivolution line: Fresh: Conomon In-training: Kokomon Rookie: Lopmon Champion: Turuiemon Ultimate: Antylamon (Data) Dark ultimate: Antylamon (Virus) Mega: Cherubimon (Virtue) Dark mega: Cherubimon (Vice) Trivia: - His voice actor would be Freddy Highmore (e.g. the voice of Pantalaimon from The Golden Compass) Relationships: - Ellen: Completely devoted to protecting her, though he's not sure why he feels this way. He only knows that it's something he's meant to feel. - Annelise: Will probably be wary of her if Ellen is getting friendly with her. - Tinkermon: Will probably think she's childish and ignore most of the time. - Derek: Will probably discourage Ellen from having anything to do with him. - Syakomon: Will most likely ignore him as well. - Gavin: Will be wary of him, though less so than the other two. - Labramon: Will do his best to make sure Ellen doesn't have to get too close to him.</s> <\|message\|>Annaliese Kaufmann "These people ask so many questions I'm not sure where to start. . ." Tinkermon mutters to herself as she mulls over what to say. "Siiiiiggghhhh." She voiced out, "Fine, I'll just let you decide for us Anna. I'll just rest on your head here." The little pixie just slumped on Anna's head with a really relaxed face. "If we're traveling together, I say the forest. Deserts are sandy and hot. . ." Annaliese said fairly calm. "I've seen things on T.V. about people dying in the desert. I don't want that, plus, the witch's house in Hansel and Gretel was in the forest. Maybe we'll find one in this world." As serious as she was, Anna was still a little girl with the thoughts of childish nature among those of an adult. "Wouldn't that be interesting?" From atop the girl's head Tinkermon muttered, "What's with the nice and innocent act all of a sudden? Geez." Lucky for her and perhaps even Anna herself that the German girl didn't hear the comment. "Well, whatever."</s> <\|message\|>Derek Thompson While Derek wasn't happy that the attention didn't stay focused on him for very long,but he knew better then to push it. Syakomon took the time to explain what the box said about Digivices and the paths they could take. While the boy would honestly prefer to be the only hero,he also had no intention of traveling this unknown and dangerous place on his. "My vote goes to desert. if there are more monsters we have a better chance to see them without all the trees." After the whole monsterthing Syakomon couldn't help but wonder if his partner was simply going against the group."Yeah and they will also see us much easier. That plus all the other dangers of the desert means I'm in the forest group."</s>	<\|message\|>Ellen Hawkes Ellen glanced at Annaliese as she voiced her opinion on where they should go. Ellen didn't really like either option, honestly, but if there was no third choice, she knew which way she wanted to go. "I, err, think forest would be better," she said, her voice timid and somewhat shaky. "I mean, if we went through the desert, we'd probably die of starvation and dehydration." "Among other things," Lopmon added. "Yeah..." Ellen awkwardly shifted her weight from one foot to the the other. "If we go through the forest, it will be cool, there will be spots to take shelter, and w-we're more likely to find food. Like.... mushrooms, fruit and all that stuff." As she spoke, Ellen suddenly wished she hadn't thought about food because she now felt a little hungry. Less than an hour ago, she had been back home in her warm house, her parents sitting round the table and the whole lot of them feasting happily on pancakes. Now that she was alone in a strange place with a group of strangers, she now deeply wished she had something to consume, be it a full meal or simply a biscuit. She needed some kind of sustenance.</s>
<\|description\|>Machi Elro Age:19 Weapon: Spear Items: a numerous amount of sacks, pouches, and bags of varying sizes for the different kinds of items that can be found while out in the forest More info?: Machi is an "avid collector" (as she likes to refer to herself; however, a better word would be a compulsive hoarder) of sorts. She enjoys foraging and exploring the forest, pocketing any and every little plant, bone, trinket, etc. that she stumbles upon. She keeps the "unnecessary" items for herself and either turns them into personal accessories or throws them into a growing pile in one of the corners of her house. HUNTER GUILD!</s> <\|message\|>Ashar Kajan The sun finally started to rise over this strange village known as Atari, the birds and frogs began to sing looking for a partner to mate with, the flowers started to bloom and the monsters lurking in the night retreated to their hideouts. The silent village got noisy all of the sudden, as always all the adults woke up to have breakfast, after it they started working without delay. "It's already morning huh?" Ashar asked while looking through the window of his old cabin, he cold not sleep well so he was not in a good mood, after eating meat with bread he put on his mask, not wanting anyone to see his burnt face, and walked out to the hunters guild, ready to take a quest</s> <\|message\|>Raven Sanguine Raven stepped out of her gave just outside of the little town. "I hate mornings." she said, strapping her weapons securely in the holsters in her leather belted sash that wrapped around her waist and her left shoulder. She then yawned and made her way to the Hunter's guild.</s>	<\|message\|>Machi Elro Ignoring the initial morning cacophony, Machi rolled over restlessly as the birds and frogs began to sing. She had stayed up quite late last night to work on her new accessory. It had been a most challenging task, threading the delicate, frayed string end through the tiny hole she had poked with only the moonlight to guide her hands. But in the end, it was all well worth the endeavor. Her project had been completed and was ready to be worn. Rolling over a couple more times, Machi groaned as she covered her ears, hoping in vain to block out the noise that had so rudely disrupted her slumber. She repeated this futile action for a few more minutes before reluctantly sitting up. Scrunching up her face, Machi yawned and stretched her arms above her head. She then proceeded to twist to her left and right, cracking her back and flexing her posterior muscles. Her make-shift bed was not the most comfortable setup. It was simply a soft, worn mat spread out on the floor in one of the remaining spots of open, uncluttered space. Having finished her daily stretch, Machi slowly got up off the floor and instinctively maneuvered through and around the cluttered mess that inhabited 87% of the floor space with squinted eyes. Machi made her way over to a pile of neatly folded garments and plucked up each article one at a time, removing her nighttime garments for her daytime ones. The process as as whole took roughly 12 minutes. Machi had to put on each article individually and take time to carefully tie and fasten her sashes and her many bags to her sash around her waist. Finally, the young girl retrieved her new masterpiece and slipped it into place. The new fanciful feathers that she had tied onto her new animal bone headband gave her outfit a subtle, yet fitting touch. Once done, the girl danced across the messy maze and somehow managed to make it to her door. Taking in a deep breath, Mach smiled and whispered in an endearing tone, "My what a beautiful room~" She grasped her spear that was leaning against the wall near the door and left for the day. Machi made her way towards the hunters guild, humming the whole way there. Just the prospect of being able to collect more treasures out Machi in a good mood.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx grabbed her med-kit on the way out of her den. Well, den may not be the right word for it. The place she had been living for the past few years was one of the massive ruins in her tribe's mountain camp. The cavernous inside was always lit with either sunshine or moonlight that filtered itself through the large, square holes in the walls, and the mostly-missing roof. All the relics that her tribe ever found seemed to always be gray, an unnatural gray that -Onyx believed- meant something IMPORTANT about why the race that created the relics died out. As she left the camp, she went to get her day's 'missions' from her father, the self proclaimed leader of the tribe after the previous one died. The 'missions' she got were more like 'chores'. Things one would assign a child to do. She grumbled to herself as she completed the simple tasks before the sun had even reached past the second mountain-peak in the sky. Finally done with her 'chores', Onyx takes off for the lake/sea for some relaxation, thinking and fishing. She was just getting to the lake when a strange difference in the sand near the waterline caught her eye. It could have been driftwood, had there been any type of tree in the area, and had she not clearly seen it fall to the ground after what seemed like a failed attempt to drink the dark water. Landed lightly on the sand not even a meter from the creature. It had scales the color of the sand, and was wearing a simple-looking cloak. she was about tot try and wake it up when she noticed the relic that had fallen to the creature's side when it had collapsed. It was one of the larger versions of the two she used, one that could fire really fast. Carefully, she searched around the creature ad took anything that it could have used to hurt her with away, hiding it all behind a nearby rock. She purposely put one of her sharp tools on the ground near the creature, so it could feel some form of safety and power when it woke. It would, probably, try to use it against her. Then, she pulled out her small water-skin, and gently turned the creature onto its back, propping its head up on her knee, and poured a small amount of water into its mouth. Its eyes opened almost immediately, and she quickly backed away, being careful not to spill the water from the pouch. She watched as the creature sat up and stared at her, seeming to start panicking as it could not find its weapons, until its eyes locked on the small knife she had left in the sand. She slowly went over to where the knife was, and put the pouch of water down right beside it, sitting down on the sand behind the two objects. Could this thing even understand me if i spoke to it? Might as well try. Onyx thought to herself as the creature eyed her warily, and she noticed, desperately. "Now, you choose. The weapon, or life."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek It took a few moments for Tarentek to come to his senses after he experienced the familiar taste of water flowing past his tongue. At first, he thought it was another trick of his mind, something to give him another shard of hope before fate stabbed it through his heart. However, as he opened his eyes and looked around, he started to realize that it was no trick. Tarentek's gaze darted around himself, more out of confusion than anything. He looked at everything around him, not really taking in much of anything at first. There was a person who he believed to be female, if his knowledge of non-reptilian races was accurate. She was covered in short, spotted fur, and was staring him down. She said something, and though he understood the words, he was not paying close enough attention to register what she actually said. Instead, his attention was wholly on the pouch beside him. It looked like a waterskin, and after he quickly snatched it up, he found that was indeed the case. Without hesitation, Tarentek drank down the contents of the waterskin's contents, giving him his much-needed hydration. Slowly, he felt a sense of normality come to back to him, after which he was able to think more rationally. "You gave me water? Thank you. By Koisk, Jhala, and Vikrii, thank you. It's been days…maybe weeks. The attack…" Tarentek began, his expression quickly becoming more serious as he thought back to the reason he was in this situation to begin with. "I need to get to a city, or a town, or a village; it doesn't matter where. I just need to get somewhere."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Needless to say, Onyx was surprised when the creature spoke. The water seemed to have energized it, and it was now babbling about an attack and needing to get to a city. She slowly picked up her knife and returned it to its sheath, taking the now-empty water-skin back from the creature. She gathered up the creatures things from behind the rock and placed them next to it as it sat, watching her. It looked thankful, and scared, and some mixture of emotions that she couldn't decipher. A city... the nearest city was her own, but she couldn't bring it there. Her people would kill it on sight, not to mention that he could probably do much worse to her tribe with that relic of his. The next closest nest was across the desert, and even with her wings on her own it would take three days to get there from here... She decided to cut off her involvement with it right then. "Not my problem." She said, trying to emulate the power of her father's voice when he gives a command. "I saved you, i owe you nothing." As she said that she stepped up onto the rock, about to take flight, when she decided to wait and see how the creature would respond. She pretended to be watching for something on the horizon while she waited.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Though Tarentek was still fatigued, the water had been reinvigorating enough that he was slowly able to drag himself back to his feet. He felt shaky, but at least he stood a chance of improving. He had not even noticed that the woman had taken his weapons until she returned them to him. There was a moment of surprise, but he could not say he blamed her. He would have done the same to a stranger, even one he intended to help. Now that he was actually in good enough condition to listen to what the woman was saying, he found he could indeed understand her, though he had to focus on paying attention. Their language was the same, but there were definite differences in their dialects. Her accent and the way she pronounced some words was entirely different from the inhabitants of Amman, or even most of the traders passing through it. Nevertheless, his expression became much more serious once she started to act dismissive towards him. She was certainly a curious individual; at one moment, she was saving his life, and at the next, she was abandoning him entirely. Tarentek did his best to make his voice sound strong, despite his weakness. "You misunderstand. It's not because you owe me, it is because I owe you. What I have seen...I guarantee it will become your problem when they raze your city or village to the ground. They are ruthless, uncompromising, and above all, powerful. I am from Amman, one of the largest and most well-defended cities known to us. We have learned the workings of many of the mechanisms left behind by the people who made the ruins that cover this world: the Humans. Our soldiers had working firearms, like my rifle, our city was fortified with the unnaturally strong metals they left behind, but it did not matter. We fought, but they were destined to conquer, and they will not stop with us. They are spreading west like a plague, and they will conquer all in their way. No one, not Amman, not you, not any city I know of, will stop them alone. That is the word I need to spread."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright The creature didn't take long to reply, its voice was hard to listen to though. It had a slight hissing quality to it, and Onyx couldn't understand some of the words the creature used. Although, what she did understand sounded a lot like a threat, causing Onyx to explode. She started crouching into a defensive stance as she spoke, her voice thick with anger. "I do not care for your histories or beliefs. You say that your nest has fallen, I'll have you know the Elissics will never fall. No creature can match our speed, or our strength. This group you speak of will not even be able to reach us."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek started shaking his head lightly. He did not know if her stubbornness was usual for her race, or if she was something unique, but she was dead wrong. He just hoped he could get her to see. "You speak without knowledge; you have not seen what I have seen. This army is legion in number, by all accounts. I heard the rumors from the east before it happened, but I did not believe it either. Not until it was too late. Our walls were too strong, we were too well armed; those were the lies we told ourselves. I do not know where this force comes from, or who leads it, but their army has mastered the humans' machines in ways we never thought possible. Like us, they use the humans' weapons, but...they have more than that. They have armor like strange, thick clothing that can stop a bullet from our weapons, something the best metal armor we have cannot do. More frighteningly is the other machines they've mastered. You know the long stretches of roads in and between the Human cities? You know the old metal machines you can often find decaying on the roads? My people have tried to learn about them, but they are magnitudes more complicated than the weapons you and I carry. Somehow, they have learned to repair them. They can move around at speeds far faster than you can fly. They put metal on them for armor, and put large firearms on them that can shoot through anything and everything. That is just the beginning of what I saw them do, and who knows what they can do beyond that? Believe me when I say that to face them unprepared is suicide. Your flight will not save you, unless you are running away." Tarentek did his best to reach into his memory to convey the gravity of the situation. This enemy was capable almost beyond belief and had mastered technology he thought would be forever lost. It was impressive and frightening in equal measure. He knew little of the woman's race, the Elissics. He had heard the name once or twice in passing, mostly from traders from the west, but all he had heard about them were that they were reclusive. From his impression of this woman, that description was accurate.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Part of Onyx heard and understood the warning the creature was giving, the creatures he was referring to were certainly very advanced compared to the types of Relics her tribe had been able to restore. It did remain possible, however, that the creature could be delusional from the long-term affects of dehydration and separation anxiety. The other part of Onyx, the part that still believed that she shouldn't have been talking to the creature in the first place, only heard a challenge in the creature's words. "You believe that no one may stand up to them and survive? Obviously, you have never met an Elissic before!" She was about to charge at the creature, aiming to push it into the water, when she noticed and remembered the creature's powerful relic, which it was now holding by the barrel at its side. Implementing her new plan, she quickly flew up into the air and out of view. Maneuvering quickly, she managed to get behind the creature and snatch the relic from it before it had realized where she was. "I hope you can swim, creature!" She said darkly as she pushed it into the dark water, causing a large splash of salt-water that Onyx dodged easily in the air.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright The scars were, horrible. Worse than anything Onyx had ever seen before. The shock the sight sent through her left her unable to do anything but float slowly down to the ground and stare. She suddenly felt, guilty, guilty for refusing to listen until now, and for reacting like a child. Yes, Onyx was 19 years old, but she has not gone through her tribe's rights of womanhood ceremony, which is held on the first day of the girl's 20th year, making Onyx currently little more than a child. She was so shocked, she had barely noticed when the creature walked up to her and took its Relic back. All she could think to do is ask, "Are you in pain?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek While the woman was speechless, Tarentek took the time to get out of the water and retrieve his rifle. He was still quite agitated, but just as before, he restrained himself from lashing out against the one who saved him. Both himself and his robes were now soaked, much to his discomfort, but at the very least, he seemed to have driven in his point well-enough. Tarentek shook his head. "At first? Definitely, but not anymore. Removing the small bits of metal was the most painful part, but like I said, this was a glancing blow from that weapon compared to its potential. My race has heightened healing capabilities compared to most that I am aware of. Granted, with as little food as I have had since the attack, the healing has slowed, but with enough time, the scars will disappear entirely. My friend who escaped with me was not so fortunate. He was not caught in that terrible weapon, but..." He began, approaching close enough to show her the hole in his robe near his heart. "A bullet cut through his heart. I do not believe it was a direct hit, as he held on for a few hours, but...it was not enough. He, and almost every warrior in Amman, shared the same fate. This...force, I do not know their name, but they call themselves an Empire. They come from the east, moving from settlement to settlement. From what I know, they sent a messenger to us, demanding we surrender ourselves to their authority and join their Empire. We refused and...we could not have known their power. The rumors I heard say they do the same to every city. When it is time, they will come to your people and make the same demand. If they refuse, then history will repeat itself. No city can face them alone, and in truth, I do not even know if there is time to warn enough settlements, but...I have no more purpose with my life other than to fight them."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "You are the last of your tribe..." It is... Alone. The word cut through Onyx to her heart, and she very nearly started to cry. "My people wouldn't listen to you, as an outsider you have no right to speak to us. I don't even remember why I bothered to try and save you in the first place..." Onyx regreted having to say so. Her people would most likley kill the creature on sight, unless... Unless she could sneak it in somehow so it could talk directly with her father first.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek did not precisely know if he was the only survivor of the attack, as he had been forced out of the city during the fight, too weak to help no matter his own desires. There was no questioning that their enemy had won, as it was already a losing fight when he escaped, but he could not say how many others were able to retreat. Still, even if a few managed to get away, it was unlikely he would ever see them again, so in essence, he was alone. There were other settlements that were partially or completely comprised of members of his species, but they were entirely separate from Amman, and not always allies. They were not his people. The woman's answer was starting to make Tarentek wonder if saving them was even worth the effort, but he pushed back those thoughts for the moment. The fate of her people was at stake, and he had the means to help her, as long as they would accept it. "You are truly living up to your reputation as reclusive. That...stubbornness will be your people's end if you can do nothing about it. I owe you, and I want to help you, but I cannot perform miracles. Is there nothing you can do to get your people to listen?"</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I- I could take you directly to our tribe leader... He is proud and does not keep guards. You could convince him the same way you convinced me." Onyx said before she could change her mind. She looked the creature up and down. It looked like it would be heavy to carry, and so she'd take longer to get back to the mountain camp of her tribe... But she was sure she could do it. "You're going to have to trust me for a while. I'm going to carry you there."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Hmm, you must have strong wings. Are you sure you can carry me, waterlogged as I am?" Tarentek asked before his thoughts went onto a different matter. If her people were really as proud and isolated as she described, he could not imagine he would receive a warm welcome if discovered. He did not like the idea of heading straight into the center of their "nest," as she called it. "Also, I do not know how comfortable I am being dropped straight into the center of your nest. It seems like that would place me in great danger. Perhaps...do you think it would be possible to persuade him to speak to me just outside of the city? If so, I would not be in immediate peril, and I could still get my message to your people." He asked. He did not think it was likely that she would say yes, but he could at least ask.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "That will not be necessary. As a tactial strategy the leader and those of highest rank live closest to the outer edge of the nest, and those who would need to be protected would live in the inner circle. Most enemies are unable to fly, so this works very well." Onyx paused before she spoke again, gauging the creature's reaction. "Should it come to violence, I will fight to defend you. This is a promise." She held out her hand for the creature to take, and when it did she pulled it closer, wrapping her arms and wings around it in embrace. "This is how I show a promise will be kept." She said after she had relased it. "We must go. Now."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Given her track record so far, Tarentek was somewhat nervous when she wrapped her wings around him, but it seemed to be just some strange custom. Perhaps he could ask her to share more of their customs with him on the way, so that he could avoid offending their leader. In any case, it seemed this was the best offer he was going to get. It was a risk, but he needed to spread the word about the attack, and he still did not have enough supplies to get to a city on his own. Tarentek sighed. "Fine, fine, I suppose it is the best option we have. Having fought them myself, I can give important details about our enemy to your leaders. I just hope it will be enough." As he approached the woman to allow her to pick him up, another thought entered his mind. The rational part of his mind said it was a bad idea, but he was still not completely in his right mind. "Wait, there's one more thing..." He began before suddenly, and without warning, shoving her into the water, just as she had to him. Their situation was indeed serious, but they still had time, and he needed that well-deserved retribution. After a few moments of brief laughter, he closed his eyes and let out a deep, satisfied breath. "Okay, I am ready."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Wha-?" Onyx's words were cut out by the salty water that had suddenly filled her mouth, eyes, and ears. The creature had pushed her into the Sea! She shut her eyes as she thrashed around for a moment, looking for the surface. She sat up, and found that she was sitting in only about a foot of water. Spitting, hissing, and shaking her head to get the water out of her ears, she did not know how many times she swore at the creature, or even what she was yelling at it at all. She tried to stand, but her wings had soaked up enough water to throw off her balance, causing her to fall into the water again. She cursed some more, although these weren't really directed at anything, as she tried again to stand. After her second failed attempt, she settled for crawling from the water to the shore. She was sure she looked ridiculous, and decided that she may 'accidentally' drop the creature once or twice along the way as payback. She coughed a few times when she got back on the dry sand, trying hard not to throw herself at the creature and skin it alive, even though those scales would make a pretty offering to her father... if it weren't for the scars... She beat her wings a few times, shaking most of the water out. It would take a few minutes for them to dry enough for her to fly again, and she'd have to wash the salt out of her fur when she got back to the mountains as well. She was not pleased to see the smile the creature was wearing, it looked as if it thought it had won something. "Teckn'aiz!" She hissed at the creature as she walked past it, towards her Tribe's nest. "Follow if you will, choose quickly though, I will leave you if you do not keep pace."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek The woman's reaction to the water seemed well-worth the effort. From appearances, it looked like she was not terribly fond of the water, something he would need to keep in mind. Tarentek gave another chuckle, following the woman as she walked past. "I believe that was fair. You did do the very same thing to me, did you not?" He commented rhetorically. After a minute or so, Tarentek's expression became serious once more. As entertaining as it was to watch her flail about in the water, they did have important matters to attend to. "At any rate, there are some questions I should ask you first anyway. Remember, I know nothing about your people, and if they do not react to the warning I bring, then it could mean the end of them. I need to know what to, and to not say when I meet your leader. Something that is normal in my city might be offensive in yours, so do not assume I will know anything."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Still angry enough not to care about whatever it was the creature had said, she simply ignored it. Her wings would be dry again in another minute or so, she could just abandon it then... But, she made a promise. She would bring this creature to her father, and defend it when it came to that point, even if it was a "Teckn'aiz." She said the last word of her thought out loud to get the creature's attention. "I will call you Teckn'aiz from now on. It fits you perfectly, for it means 'One who cannot be trusted'." She tried to take flight, but was not able to stay in the air for long before drifting down again. Just a little longer...</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Hmph, if you want your leader to actually listen to me, then that would not be wise. You might consider my name instead, Tarentek." He answered. The woman was being about as immature as he had come to expect from her...although, to be fair, pushing her into the lake was not the most well-reasoned action. His current condition made him too susceptible to his own emotions. "Remember, this is the fate of your people at stake. If you do not want firsthand information about the tactics and capabilities of your enemy, then we can part ways now. But you've seen my scars, you know that no normal weapon could have made them. The importance of this goes beyond some prank at a lake. Everything and everyone you know could be destroyed within the next few weeks; that is the gravity of the situation. Remember that when we get to your leader." He said, his expression strikingly grim.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Ta-ren-tek." Onyx said, sounding out the syllables the creature claimed made up its name. "Interesting. That could mean one of two things... 'The Trickster' if you are female, or 'One loved by God" if you are male." She took flight, glad to find that her wings had finally dried. She did some loops in joy before gliding beside Tarentek. "My name is Onyx Bright, which means 'Unpredictable Gift'."</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Close. 'Favored-of-the-Gods.' Our language is the same, but...different. It has always confused me how cities that have never contacted one another could have such similar languages, but...that is not important right now." Tarentek commented, also making sure to remember the pronunciation on her name. Moving on from introductions, Onyx had obviously dried out enough to take flight, so Tarentek assumed they were about to pick up their pace quite considerably. He had not actually thought about the idea of flying yet, but now he certainly was. He had not wanted to fly since his youth, when he would watch birds flying over the city, but now that he had the opportunity, he was not sure he wanted it. "I suppose we should get moving, but...try to fly low. I am not light."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "No... It would be better to fly above that." Onyx said, motioning towards a dark haze on the horizon. "A sandstorm. The updraft will make it easier for me to fly while carrying you." Before he could complain or chicken out, Onyx looped her arms under Tarentek's, lifting him off the ground easily. "Try not to move." She smiled as she sped higher and higher in the sky, careful not to let go of Tarentek, yet. She waited until they were over the center of the storm, and then she let go. He did not fall far, his hooded robe created enough drag to suspend him in midair. Onyx laughed at the expression he had on his face, and then went on to explain why he had not fallen to his death. "We call this 'Wind Net' or Olias. The spirits of the land and air care for my people, so as long as we are in the air they will not let us fall. They caught you because they saw that I was carrying you." Onyx took his hand in hers, guiding him back to her so she could carry him again. "That was for pushing me into the water, I will not drop you again. Olias is strongest over storms." She said with a laugh. Her Tribe's nest was not to far away anymore, she could see the mountains now.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek After the first few minutes of flight, Tarentek was not too aware of his surroundings, as he was going through considerable effort not to be. He closed his eyes, trying not to think about where he was, though the sandstorm made that difficult. He had been through them before, but never had he heard one beneath him. It seemed unnatural, and unnerving. So concentrated was he on distracting himself that it took him a few moments to notice he had been dropped, which was fortunate, as it did not give him much opportunity to be afraid. When he opened his eyes, he could see the sandstorm around him, but nothing else. The wind was overwhelming, and he could not tell if he was falling, or how fast. An instant later, he was snatched back up above the storm. Tarentek did not say anything in the aftermath of the ordeal, instead just focusing on calming his rapidly beating heart as he waited for them to touch down. She explained something about her people's beliefs relating to their flight, but he was more apt to attribute his slowed fall to the wind. Mysticism was not popular with his people in Amman; a result of their technology-centric approach to shaping their city. Their gods were gods of reason and knowledge.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright After a few minutes of science, they reached the mountains. Onyx put Tarentek on a ledge that was just out of view from the rest of the nest. "Stay here, and try not to fall. I will go and make sure that our leader is still in his den, and then I will come get you." She told him in what she hoped was a stern voice, leaving before he said anything else. Onyx flew up above the peak of the mountain, heading towards her father's den. When she got there, she was not surprised to find that he was still home. He was always busy worrying about the tribe's affairs, even before he had become leader. She tried to ignore the small voice of worry in the back of her mind as she hurried to go get Tarentek before anyone else from her tribe could find him. The promise I made... I will keep. I do not like the thought that I may have to stand up to my father in the defense of an outsider, but this is much more important than he will be able to realize right away... She got back to the ledge where she had left Tarentek, landing softly by him. She waited until he realized she was there before speaking. "He is there. Are you ready?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek waited patiently on the ledge. As long as he did not move, he did not have to worry about falling, and he would be less likely to be discovered. His robe could blend in rather well with the rocks, so at a distance, it would be quite difficult to detect him. While he waited, he had time to think about how he was going to word his warning. From his impression of Onyx, he got the sense that her race was prideful and isolationist. However, he had a feeling their leader might be more agreeable. Generally, it made sense to give the common person a strong since of pride and confidence in the group, but leaders tended to be at least a bit more realistic. They were responsible for their people's safety, so not only did they have to know what their people were capable of, but also be aware of and acknowledge their weaknesses. As such, their leader might be receptive to his warning. Once Onyx finally returned, Tarentek stood up and walked over to her so she could pick him up once more. "I suppose so. I've had plenty of time to think about what to say. Let's just be quick; I would like to avoid the rest of your kin until your leader can protect me."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright I would not be so sure of that... Onyx thought the words but did not speak them. She simply nodded and picked Tarentek up again, flying swiftly to her father's den. "I will go in first, and you will follow me. Do not show yourself until I have introduced you." She said as they landed just outside the entrance to the den. "There is a wall just inside the door that you can hide behind. Hurry or someone will see you." With that she walked into the den, greeting her father with a small bow. "Onyx? Is there something wrong? Your mother was looking for you not too long ago." He would have seemed worried, had he even bothered to look at her. She stayed silent a moment too long and then he did look at her. "Onyx! What happened to you?" He asked in surprise. "Nothing, really... I fell into the sea when I went to go fishing, and then I ran into a sandstorm on the way back." She said, trying to keep herself from laughing at her father. When she said that she had fallen into the sea, Her father had made a face like a fish -lips pursed and eyes squished- and he stayed like that for a few seconds. "Umm, Raldel?" She said, calling him by name rather than calling him father for the sake of their hidden guest. "That was not the only thing of interest to happen at the sea today," Onyx turned towards the doorway, motioning to Tarentek to come over. "I also met someone there. Raldel, leader of the gold tribe, I present to you Tarentek. I suggest you listen well to what he has to say." As soon as she spoke his name, he had stepped out into the room. He walked up to stand slightly behind her and nodded his head to her father in a respectful gesture. She was watching her father intently, ready to stop any attack he might make upon her or Tarentek.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek listened in as he waited for Onyx to introduce him. From the way the man, who Tarentek assumed to be the leader, spoke, he gathered that Onyx was more closely related to him than she had previously implied. He assumed, or at least hoped, that their relation would be helpful in persuading the leader to listen to him. Once Tarentek heard his name, he stepped out as non-threateningly as possible, following every social rule she had told him of. In order to limit any snap judgements that the leader, Raldel, might make, he spoke up immediately to get straight to business. "I understand that speaking to outsiders is unusual and exceptional, so I will get straight to my purpose here. Your people are in danger. There is an army, an empire, advancing from the east. The city of Amman has fallen, as have countless others to the east if the rumors hold true. I was there to witness their attack; their power is greater than any civilization previously known to us...by a large margin. They have a command over Human technologies the likes of which I would not have thought possible. The advantage it gives them is...severe. Your people's flight has given you an advantage over the others in our region, but you have to believe me when I say that it will not matter with them."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx saw the hate in her father's eyes as he looked from Tarentek to her and back to him again, he was obviously very angry with her, but that would pass. She was glad, however, for Tarentek's tactful approach, because now her father was also considering a future threat to the tribe rather than just a single outsider. He cleared his throat before speaking, looking only at Tarentek now. "There are many reasons I could give you as for why we would never have to worry about something from the east, our flight being the least of them. My people are always in danger, especially from spies like you, rather than the 'great army' you have described. New Human Relics are found every day, so certainly those who learn it's ways first would seem to have a great advantage at first, but only a battle against a worthy foe would prove their strength." Her father smirked before continuing. "This is, of course, assuming that the 'Empire' you speak of is real." Onyx understood her father's reaction, however she couldn't stand the smugness and pride that filled his voice. She was about to say something to try and make him listen, but he cut her off. "I would, however, like to know how you convinced my own daughter to lead you here. Useless as she is, she knows not to speak to other races, or even to leave them alive. At least, I thought so." He finished with a pointed glare at her, and she couldn't stop herself from stepping back a pace or two.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek did not expect convincing their leader to be easy, and while he was not quite as accepting as he hoped, he knew that it could be going far worse. Raldel's skepticism was understandable, even if his people weren't as secluded as they were. All Tarentek had to do was provide compelling enough evidence to make him take the threat seriously. "She brought me here because I showed what this enemy can do. I still bear the scars of the attack." He explained before pulling back his robe just as before, revealing the scars that still covered a large section of his body. They evidenced a weapon that gave burns, along with many smaller cuts, but above all, the scars showed that the enemy had weapons entirely unlike any Raldel's people had likely seen before. "I was hit by a glancing blow from one of the weapons they have learned to use. It was a small object, not unlike a fruit in its shape, but made of metal, or at least it looked like metal. In an instant, it went from being harmless on the ground, to creating a deafeningly loud fireball of light and heat. It was hard to tell in the moment exactly what happened, but I think it sent out many objects, like small bullets, in all directions. I was far enough away to only be wounded, but my allies closer to the weapon had their flesh torn from their bone. It is a weapon that would be easy to use against flying opponents such as your people. There are many other things I can describe to you about their capabilities, given enough time, but if you are still doubting their existence, then I would recommend you send scouts to the city of Amman, to the northeast. If you do not know its location, I can point it out on any maps you might have. They either captured or destroyed the city, but in either case, their soldiers would still be present. You could see for yourselves their numbers and advanced weaponry." Tarentek recommended.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx tried to avoid looking at Tarentek when he revealed his scars to her father, she hoped she would never have to see anything so terrifying and gruesome ever again. She did, however, look at her father's reaction. He seemed to have turned to stone, frozen in place as he saw the brutal scars that criss-crossed Tarentek's side. It took him a moment to recover enough to speak again, and when he did it seemed like he was trying to keep all emotion from his voice. "It doesn't seem like you have any hidden motive for telling me this, but why would someone from Amman try to warn us of this? We've had little to no interest and interaction with your people ever since we first learned of their existence, and they have never shown much interest in us either." Her father motioned for her to come to his side, away from Tarentek. She thought for a moment and followed his command. It would be easier for her to stop a sudden attack from her father to Tarentek if she were closer to him anyway.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek closed up his robe after showing his scars, as they seemed to have had the intended effect. In a way, it was fortunate he had not been well-fed enough for his scars to heal any more than they already had. With proper nutrition, they would be gone in a week or two. Since he now seemed a bit more receptive, Tarentek felt he actually had a good chance of persuading him to take action. "As I said, my home has been conquered or destroyed. I did not come here under orders, as I had no superiors to order me. My entire purpose for life was found within that city, and now that it is gone, my only purpose is to fight against the advance of this Empire. But, you are correct, we have had next to no contact with your people, and when I fled my home, I did not first think to come here specifically. The reason I am here to deliver this warning is because Onyx saved my life, so in return, I hope to save yours." Tarentek explained.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Her father glanced at her out of the corner of his eye before saying, "I would like to see what has become of Amman for myself. From what I had heard of it, despite them being more technologically advanced than most others we have heard of, they also had a strong system of governing for such a large, city, as you call it. I wonder why your leaders did not recognise such a threat to their people sooner." Her father turned to her and continued. "As it seems that you are responsible for his ability to even give us such a warning," he told her, "you are now responcible for keeping him that way. Onyx, as your father and as the leader of our tribe, I order you to remain with him as a guard and nurse until he is fully healed and well enough to leave. He will stay with you until such a time." Before Onyx could argue, he turned back to speak to Tarentek again. "I will lead a small reconnaissance team to Amman, and will examine the situation thoroughly. Please, go with Onyx. I will tell you what we find when we return."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek gave a polite and understanding nod. There was no doubt that what they would find would be alarming, he just hoped they took the threat seriously enough to be cautious. "Thank you, sir. I would just advise that you take extra precautions on your scouting mission. This enemy is highly deadly, and I do not know how they will react to seeing you. If they annexed the city, they may not shoot on sight, but if they destroyed it and are still salvaging the remains, that may not be the case." With his final word of caution, Tarentek approached Onyx once more and awaited her guidance to wherever she would take him. As much as Onyx's gift of water had helped him, he still had a long way to go for a full recovery. He could hardly recall the last time he had eaten, and he was still on the verge of dehydration.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Her father grinned and said, "Do you take me for a fool?" Before walking out of the room. Onyx stood in shock for a moment afterwards, wondering about his sanity. Not because of his idea for a reconnaissance mission, but because of his order to take care of Tarentek. As Tarentek walked over to her again, she accidentally mumbled her thoughts out loud. "You'd think he'd at least assign someone who was actually a medic to take care of you." When she noticed that she had spoken out loud, she quickly added, "I'm still just in training." With a sigh she walked back out of the den, motioning for Tarentek to follow her. "I think it would be a better idea to walk there now, rather than me carrying you around. You honestly don't look very good, and I know nothing about your race!"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Upon Onyx's request, Tarentek began to follow her out of the "den," as they called it. Overall, the meeting with the leader went as well as he could have hoped. He still did not feel welcome, but at least he was there with their leader's blessing. "I would not worry too much about treating me. My race heals quickly, and thoroughly. Mostly, I am malnourished and dehydrated. All I need is food, water, and a few days of rest. If I could have a meal now, I would be grateful. As for not knowing anything about my race...I suppose I could answer any questions, if you have any." Tarentek offered.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright As Onyx led Tarentek through her tribe's nest, she asked him about his lifestyle. "Well, first off I guess I should know what you like to eat. I sincerely doubt that you'd have the same kind of, uhh.. diet, that I have." She hoped she wouldn't freak him out with the phrasing of her question. She assumed that he knew he and his people was seen as prey for certain races, including hers, but what she was worried about was that he might be a plant-eater. It would take her a while to get together a meal for him if he wouldn't eat ANY type of meat, even if he does eat fish.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek gave a reassuring nod to Onyx. His people were most well-suited to eating meat, but they were still omnivorous, so unless they had a diet of poisons, he would likely not have an issue. "I would not worry too much; I can likely eat whatever you have. Meat is preferred, but I can eat plants if needed. In Amman, we raised livestock when we could, but grew our food in bad years, when water could not be found as reliably. As for drinks, I would really prefer water at the moment, but if you only store alcohol, I will be fine with it." Now that they were outside the den, Tarentek had a chance to get a better look at their city. It was dark, but he could see well enough to notice that the structures were...different. They were not quite like any Human ruins he had seen before, which struck him as especially odd. As well, he could not remember seeing any cities in this area on the old Human maps. It was something to think about, but there were more important matters for him to worry about at the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx gave a slight sigh of relief. He can eat livestock! She could feel herself relaxing as she formed a plan in her mind as for what to do next. She would give him water when they got to her den, which was not too far away now, and she could let him rest for a while as she prepared the meal. "None of us drink alcohol. It makes us, too unfocused, like we are dream-walking. We only use it when we are trying to induce sleep or dull pain from cold or a wound." She flicked her tail and ear nervously as she saw the shadow of two sentries flying above, probably to relieve the current guards at the west mountain for the night. "We are almost there." She said to Tarentek as they went across the last bridge between the center of the nest to the mountain that her den was situated on. It was arguably the longest bridge in the nest, as it went almost all the way to the top of the south mountain from the small plateau that the center of the nest was situated on. "Please hurry, it's getting dark and I currently would NOT like to be stopped by a sentry asking why i'm not home yet." She looked back at him and added, "Do not worry about falling off the bridge, I or Olias will catch you."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "I suppose that makes sense, especially for a people who fly, though it seems somewhat dangerous to me. In Amman, we kept stores of beer for emergencies. Water is hard to keep clean, and can be filled with diseases to begin with, but you can store alcohol for as long as you want and it will always be safe to drink. Plus, it lets us use the alcohol for drink, and the water to grow food during a drought." Tarentek commented, though he stopped and paid attention once they reached the bridge. Although he was in the city with permission from their leader, it would likely be easier on everyone if he was not discovered that night. He assumed their leader would give word about his presence before leaving on his scouting mission, so he would be relatively safe soon enough. Until then, he readily followed close to Onyx. Tarentek was quickly discovering that he was not fond of heights, so he kept his eyes ahead as he walked along. Luckily, he was a relatively coordinated individual, so he did not have much of an issue crossing the bridge. A brief glance down caused him to nearly stumble once, but he recovered and moved to the other side without incident. He decided he would keep himself quiet until they reached her den, so he remained silent as he looked to Onyx expectantly, waiting for her next instruction.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Tarentek's silence worried Onyx, she glance back at him many times as they crossed the bridge, but could not make out the emotion on his face. She hoped it was just because he was tired, and kept vigilant watch on the skies for sentries. As they got to her den she rushed inside, starting a fire in the fireplace and lighting lamps in every room around the den. She motioned for Tarentek to come in once she had finished, and led him to a small room near the back of the den. "This is where you will sleep, please wait a moment." She went to the kitchen and got a large glass of water, returning to Tarentek within a minute. "Here, drink slowly. There is more." She said as she handed the cup to him. She went around the room, gathering up things she would have to move to another room by the door, and making the bed with a large white blanket and pillow. "Please try to rest now. I will call you out to the main room once the meal is ready." She walked over to the only hole in the walls of the room and hung a large sheet over the opening, covering it completely. "Also, do not move this," She said, motioning to the sheet. "It will keep anyone from seeing you as you sleep." She left him then. If he did not come when she called she could try and wake him up, however she believed that in his state it would probably be better to let him sleep and feed him when he woke again.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek felt strange being shepherded around in secret to Onyx's den, but he supposed it was necessary. At least it finally seemed like he was going to be able to stop moving and relax. For almost the entire day, he had been wandering the desert and was close to exhaustion. Luckily, the pair made it to the den without being spotted, after which Onyx was quick to dash around the rooms lighting lanterns for visibility. After a few minutes, Onyx led Tarentek to a small room in the back. It had little else other than a bed, but he was not someone who required much in the way of accommodations. It was already a more comfortable room than the barracks he was used to. He sat down on the bed and leaned his back against the wall as Onyx left the room. Letting down his hood, he gave a fatigued sigh, but did his best to stay awake and alert. Although he was tired, he was far hungrier than he was exhausted, and he was anxiously looking forward to a much-needed meal. When Onyx brought him his water, he was tempted to down it all in one gulp again, but paced himself on her recommendation. Despite all he had to worry about at the moment, the small room in a nice, peaceful den was enough to at least mitigate some of the stress he had accumulated throughout the day while he waited for Onyx to call him into the other room.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx tried to make something that tasted ok in as little time as possible, so she ended up making hot sandwiches. Ground meat cooked into a shape like a pancake and served in bread, a simple meal that she was sure Tarentek would be able to eat as much as he wanted of. "Tarentek. The meal is ready." She called as she placed the food on the small table in the main room, pouring another glass of water for Tarentek and placing it at his spot. She did not have to wait long for him to show up, although he did not seem to have rested at all since she had left him in his room. She decided that she would give him some medicine to help him sleep after he ate, as she placed two small pills next to his plate before sitting down. "The blue pill will help your digestion, and the green one will help you re-hydrate faster. You have to take them before you finish your plate if you're going to want any more food after that." She said as he sat across the table from her.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek felt strange being shepherded around in secret to Onyx's den, but he supposed it was necessary. At least it finally seemed like he was going to be able to stop moving and relax. For almost the entire day, he had been wandering the desert and was close to exhaustion. Luckily, the pair made it to the den without being spotted, after which Onyx was quick to dash around the rooms lighting lanterns for visibility. After a few minutes, Onyx led Tarentek to a small room in the back. It had little else other than a bed, but he was not someone who required much in the way of accommodations. It was already a more comfortable room than the barracks he was used to. He sat down on the bed and leaned his back against the wall as Onyx left the room. Letting down his hood, he gave a fatigued sigh, but did his best to stay awake and alert. Although he was tired, he was far hungrier than he was exhausted, and he was anxiously looking forward to a much-needed meal. When Onyx brought him his water, he was tempted to down it all in one gulp again, but paced himself on her recommendation. Despite all he had to worry about at the moment, the small room in a nice, peaceful den was enough to at least mitigate some of the stress he had accumulated throughout the day while he waited for Onyx to call him into the other room.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx tried to make something that tasted ok in as little time as possible, so she ended up making hot sandwiches. Ground meat cooked into a shape like a pancake and served in bread, a simple meal that she was sure Tarentek would be able to eat as much as he wanted of. "Tarentek. The meal is ready." She called as she placed the food on the small table in the main room, pouring another glass of water for Tarentek and placing it at his spot. She did not have to wait long for him to show up, although he did not seem to have rested at all since she had left him in his room. She decided that she would give him some medicine to help him sleep after he ate, as she placed two small pills next to his plate before sitting down. "The blue pill will help your digestion, and the green one will help you re-hydrate faster. You have to take them before you finish your plate if you're going to want any more food after that." She said as he sat across the table from her.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek was quick to move to the main room once he heard his name. He still had a good amount of water in his cup, and the meal, in his eyes, looked greatly appetizing. Of course, with as long as it had been since he had eaten, just about anything edible would seem quite appealing. Tarentek had not been expecting medicine, though he supposed Onyx was assigned to be his nurse. She had done nothing to harm him so far, so he saw no reason not to trust what she was giving him. "Thank you." He said with a polite nod before taking the medicine, then starting on his meal. As much as he wanted to wolf down the meat as quickly as he could, Tarentek had to force himself to take his time and not overeat. His malnourishment was hardly as bad as it could have been, but he still needed to pace himself to be safe. Hopefully, the medicine would help in that regard. "I have told you some about my life, but perhaps I could ask a few questions about yours?" Tarentek commented after a minute or so of silence. "I got the sense that you are related to your leader. Is that true?"</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Tarentek's question didn't surprise her, although the fog of his memory sure did. Her father had only briefly mentioned that she was his daughter, but the way he said it had made her think that he was attempting to shame Her and Tarentek at the same time. If she accounted for the fact that his memory would probably be spotty because of his condition, she could understand him forgetting such a minuscule moment. "Well," She started, not sure whether to be blunt or vague, and deciding to just get it out. "Yes, you are right. Raldel is my father, and I am his youngest daughter." Onyx tried to force herself to keep a strait face as she thought about her family. She didn't fit in with her brothers at all, as they all decided to become Scouts and Sentries, and her one older sister was... Onyx shook herself to keep the thought from her mind. "I'd rather not talk about my family much, if you don't mind. Please." She added the last part under her breath, so she was unsure if Tarentek actually heard it or not, and then decided she didn't care. "All you need to know is that my father has not been leader of our tribe for long. He took control after the last snow-fall."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "I understand." Tarentek said, nodding to Onyx as he continued with his meal at a relatively slow pace. "My parents were no one special in my city. They were simply warriors, like myself. They taught me what they knew and prepared me for my training, after which I became a scout for my people. My father died in battle about five years ago, and my mother was wounded last year. She lost the ability to use her leg as...effectively as before, so she was no longer able to serve as a warrior after that. As for my role, I have more knowledge than the average person about old Human technology. It was the task of myself and my scouting team to identify and recover useful materials and machines." After giving his brief explanation of his own past, Tarentek moved on to the next point about which he was curious. "At any rate, perhaps I could know a bit more about your kind. The ability to fly is...not something I could imagine myself. Having been something you've had your whole life, I would guess it is fairly mundane to you, but for someone who has been bound to the Earth for all his years, it seems amazing, and frightening, to think about. Although, I do wonder in what ways we are different that are not so obvious."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx had never thought that her flight was mundane, how could she, when every time she took off she could feel the pure joy and freedom of the air around her. She was not quite sure how to explain this to Tarentek however, so she decided to try telling him what her mother had once told her. "Well, to me the ability to fly has always been a blessing upon my people. Our wings have allowed us to survive what our brother race, the Gahiji, could not. The Gahiji all died years before I was born, but other than the absence of wings, they were exactly like the Elissics. The histories I have learned of my people claim that the two races may have had a shared heritage, and that it was a grave mistake on the part of the Elissics to allow the Gahiji's destruction." Onyx took a moment to get her train of thought back on track before continuing. "As for imagination... Have you ever felt so happy and safe that you couldn't help yourself but to laugh and sing? When I'm in flight the world seems so much smaller, and I know that I am free of the lurking dangers and unpredictability of the land below. I am untouchable, and may go wherever I wish, or even simply nowhere at all..." Onyx trailed off, a light smile on her face as she recalled memories of when she had first learned to fly. "I was terrified when I was first learning, Olias caught me a lot at the beginning, but now I could fly in my sleep if i wanted to." Suddenly, Onyx realized what the biggest difference between them could be. "Tarentek, do you have gods? I don't mean the kind that you could prove exist, but the deep belief that there is someone unseen watching over you." Onyx tried not to ask the question too suddenly, but she hoped that he would understand that what she asked had a stronger meaning than the words could imply.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek tried to understand how it felt to fly from Onyx's words. Her way of describing the experience was quite vivid, though he doubted he would ever truly understand what it was like to fly under his own power, not unless he found a way to grow wings. He had not heard of this other race she mentioned, but if they had indeed died out, then why would he? "The way you make it sound...I do wish I could experience it, and not passively as before. It does seem like flight would give your people a great advantage." He commented, giving a pause to take a drink of his water. "Although, I suppose my people are not without any advantage. I am somewhat...larger than everyone I have seen so far here. I am honestly surprised you were able to carry me here; it could not have been easy. I do remember that my kind tended to have at least a bit more in the way of...muscular definition compared to most of the traders and other visitors to our city. Then there is our regeneration." After Tarentek trailed off himself, Onyx asked a question about his people's gods, which he had no problem answering. "Yes, Koisk, Jhala, and Vikrii. They are our body, mind, and spirit, respectively. I could explain more about them, if you are curious." He offered.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Do you trust in them? Would you place any and all hope for not only your life but the lives of everyone around you in their hands?" Onyx hoped she would be able to remember the names he had said, they did sound a little familiar already. "I ask because one thing my tribe has noticed about most outsiders who have recovered more of the Past one's Relics than we have is that they all seem to have a more disjointed relationship with their supposed greater beings of faith. They learn more of the lost past and lose sight of their beliefs, becoming a shell of what they may have been."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek leaned back in his chair, lightly scratching his chin. "I...do not know how to answer that, honestly. To pursue lost knowledge is not opposed to our beliefs, but instead central to them. Perhaps I can explain." He said, leaning forward again and taking a quick bite of his meal before continuing. "Koisk is our body. She gives the gift of the physical form we carry through life; she gives strength, fertility, and ensures our lasting good health. My people, the Karisskan, will heal from any wound that does not kill us. If an injury is terrible enough, it can take a long time to recover, such as with my mother, but even her leg would have healed completely given enough time. Vikrii is our spirit. He gifts us the essence of life, the spark of our being. And, he shepherds us through death, beyond our world. But Jhala, she is the one most central to our daily lives, for she is our mind, our thoughts and knowledge. It is her gift that separates us from simple beasts, not our bodies, no matter how strong or resilient they are. She grants us reasoning and understanding, and to serve her is to expand that knowledge. We seek the lost knowledge of the world before because it strengthens her gifts. So you see, gaining that knowledge is a core part of our values." Tarentek explained.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I think yours is the only race that has such a belief." Onyx said quietly. "My people have a very different belief from you. Our bodies and physical abilities are simply a visible interpretation of the strengths of our spirit, soul, and heart. Earlier you said you didn't think that I would have been able to carry you for so long as I did, that is because my strength is less visible to you than it is to my people. Spirit is our will to live and our hope, without it we would be too heavy with the burdens of sadness, fear, worry, and anger to even be able to fly at all. The strength of our will, our spirit, becomes the strength of our wings, and therefore so long as we believe in ourselves we gain the strength to do what we set out to do." Onyx paused a moment before continuing. "Our soul is our eternal self, and cannot be harmed by anything in this world. Our soul is where we learn to recognize others and we gain our sense of self through it, and it is all that will be left of us once we have passed. Our soul gives us trust and friendship, along with promise and continuity. The strength of our soul becomes the power we inherit when we come of age, our acceptance by the rest of the tribe as who we are. those with a strong soul are better leaders than those with a weaker soul, however a strong soul is more likely to be corrupted by the powers of Fellagang and his minions. Lastly, heart. Our heart guides our decisions and grants us compassion and joy, along with love and loyalty. Our heart is untouchable, for we cannot change its strength on our own. The strength of our heart becomes our agility and speed, as well as our link to Heillias. Those with a stronger heart look more delicate than those with a weak heart, and are often easier to get along with than those without a strong heart." Onyx hoped that she still made sense to Tarentek. He looked very tired as he was listening. "Enough questions for tonight, you need your rest. finish the rest of your plate and i'll get you some medicine to help you sleep if you need it."</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright After Tarentek went back to his room, Onyx spent a few minutes cleaning up and putting out the lanterns around the den before she went to bed herself. A lot of stuff happened today, and it doesn't seem like tomorrow will be any less eventful... Her thoughts slowly drifted into silence as she fell asleep. -- - --- - - -- - --- - - -- - --- - - -- - --- - - -- - --- - - -- - --- - - -- - --- - - Onyx woke the next morning to the sound of someone calling her name. Yawning and stretching, she walked over to one of the square holes in the wall of her room and pulled the cloth that she had hung over the opening out of the way. She quickly saw who was calling to her, it was her eldest brother, one of the strongest sentries in her tribe. "Opal! Brother, what is it?" She called out to him. As soon as he saw her he flew over to land on the ledge just outside of the square hole. "Good morning sister, or should I say noon?" He greeted her with a small smile. Onyx looked up at the sky, and sure enough, the sun was already past The tallest mountain peak. I slept that long? Well... It WAS almost high-moon when I fell asleep last night. Her brother's smile dissipated and was quickly replaced with an undecipherable mask. "Where is the outsider?" He asked in a voice just as stony and cold as his expression. "He should still be asleep. Would you like to see him?" Onyx only took a moment to wonder about the fact that Opal knew about Tarentek, before she realized that the entire tribe must know by now. She let out a sigh as Opal climbed through the hole in the wall to stand beside her in her room. "I do not wish to see or associate in any way with him. I am simply under orders to take you both to see Raldel." Opal's words surprised Onyx. Her father had said he was going to do a reconnaissance mission, however she thought he would have taken longer doing so. "Father has already returned? I thought he was going to assess the situation, not go on a field trip." Onyx was leading her brother to the room Tarentek was in as they spoke. She kept speaking before Opal could respond, "Wait here. I will wake him up." Ignoring her brother's slight grumble about being told what to do, she quietly entered the room. Tarentek seemed to still be asleep, as he did not stir when she said his name. She walked over to him and, hoping that he wouldn't react violently, shook his shoulder until he awoke. "Good morning." She said softly as Opal walked in. She shot him a glare that she hoped he would read as 'be quiet' and continued speaking to Tarentek. "This is Opal. He has been sent to bring us to see Raldel again."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek's dreams were chaotic, and not always pleasant, but his sleep was refreshingly restful. Nevertheless, it took him a few moments to come to his senses after being shaken awake. He groaned and stretched out his muscles as he sat up on the side of the bed. He was not dressed, but unlike other, mammalian races, the Karisskan's reproductive organs were contained internally, so modesty was not a worry for them, though other races were sometimes momentarily surprised. After letting out a yawn, Tarentek finally registered Onyx' glare, and fortunately, caught its meaning. "Oh, of course. I will get dressed at once." He said simply before standing up, which made clear his comparatively large stature. He hoped that Raldel found the evidence of the attack that he had been searching for. Although, after what Tarentek witnessed, he found it incredibly likely that he would have found overwhelming proof. If the city was annexed, enemy soldiers would be occupying it in force. If it was destroyed, then the demolished city would be evidence enough.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx noticed in time to look away before Tarentek got up, although it seemed that Opal was not so lucky. "Hurry up." Was all she said before leaving the room, dragging her brother with her. Onyx would have to speak with Tarentek later about clothing, but for the moment she busied herself by taking inventory of the contents of her med-pack and refilling her water-skin along with an extra one for Tarentek. Opal was staring into space for awhile, so long that Onyx had to pour a glass of water over his head to make sure he was still awake. "Wha- Hey! Why'd you do that!" He yelled as he freaked out. "Oh, just making sure you were still functioning. Quit being such a Kit, I didn't get your wings wet." She handed him a small towel, and while he dried his hair she asked him what he had on his mind that would cause him to become so unfocused. "A lot of things at the moment. The usual worries, and then..." He let his sentence drift off as Tarentek walked out of the room. Onyx gave Tarentek the water-skin she had prepared, and then Opal reapplied his mask and ordered them to follow him to Raldel's den. "I'll tell you about it later." He said as they took flight. "Ok." Onyx looked down at Tarentek, who was standing just outside the door, looking at the bridge they had crossed the night before. "Tarentek, I can carry you there if you wish." She called to him.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek did not notice Onyx's quick departure as he dressed himself and gathered up his belongings as quickly as he could. He felt better than the day before, but still noticeably fatigued and weak. His muscles still ached from the long trek through the desert, and he was overall more sluggish than usual. However, as long as he could retain the goodwill of his hosts, then he would recover. As Tarentek stepped out of the room, he noted that Opal suddenly stopped whatever they had been talking about, likely because of his lack of trust for outsiders. It was an attitude that concerned Tarentek, but he could not do much to change that at the moment. If Raldel's opinion changed because of his warning, then Tarentek might be able to earn some trust, but if not, then he could at least hope to be tolerated. For the moment, he was simply glad to have more water, which he immediately began to drink somewhat conservatively. After they made their way outside, the others started to take flight, and Onyx offered to carry him to their destination. Before, Tarentek might have said yes, but now he hesitated, looking off the side of the bridge at the long drop below. In theory, the concept of flight was amazing to him, but actually being in the air and seeing the long drop beneath him made him more nervous. He still remembered vividly the fear he felt, even if only for a brief moment, when Onyx dropped him. "Oh, I, um...I know what I said about flight yesterday but...does there happen to be a walkway to his den? We can fly if we need to, but...I would really be more comfortable with my feet firmly on the ground." He asked, his demeanor embarrassed and nervous.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Of course, everything is connected by bridges here, so you can walk all the way if you feel well enough." Onyx understood his hesitation to be carried again, he was a creature bound to the land after all. "I will stay beside you along the way. Opal must go ahead and tell Raldel that we are on the way." As she said so, she saw her guess was correct. Opal nodded to her and left without saying another thing, while she flew down to hover next to the bridge. "I'd like to remain in flight for now, I will go over the path to lead you there." Onyx waited until Tarentek started crossing before she flew all the way to the other side to wait for him again. They continued like this, Onyx flying ahead and waiting for Tarentek to catch up before going ahead again, all the way to Her father's den.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek was relieved to hear that he could simply walk to their destination. He had worried that Onyx's people might not have built walkways to every location, since they could just fly everywhere. However, the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. If any of their people had their wings permanently injured, perhaps in battle, they would need to be able to function in the village. As well, it would be quite inconvenient if the village had to shut down completely on the rare occasions that it rained. Eventually, the pair reached Raldel's den, where they were met by Opal, and Raldel himself. It appeared that the scouting mission had been successful, as Raldel got down to business almost immediately, describing, in detail, everything they saw. Much of what he had learned Tarentek had already witnessed for himself, but some of what he saw was news even to Tarentek. As expected, most of the fortifications on one side of the city had been demolished, but the city itself was intact, only now, it was the soldiers of this Empire in control of Amman. The citizenry still appeared to be made up mostly by Karisskan. All of the armed warriors guarding this city, however, wore the same uniform, but consisted of many different races, most of which none of them had neither seen nor heard of before. Almost all of them carried old Human weapons, or "relics," as Raldel described them, that were in notably good condition. The scouting mission also confirmed that the enemy had returned to functionality the ruined vehicles that could be found in most Human cities, and on the roads between them. In fact, Raldel and his team had witnessed more of this Empire's soldiers riding in on these vehicles from the east. The number of soldiers they saw at Amman was massive, and certainly far more than would be needed to defend the city, which did suggest that they intended to continue this expansion. Internally, Tarentek was relieved to hear that his home had not been entirely destroyed and his people were still alive, but he doubted many of the warriors, his brothers and sisters in arms, had survived the battle. After Raldel finished his recollection of all he witnessed, Tarentek was not sure what to say, or if he should even speak up at all. The decision of what to do with his people ultimately rested with Raldel, but Tarentek still felt he could be helpful. He did, after all, have experience with their weapons and tactics. "So...now that you have seen the enemy yourself, what do you intend to do? I could give you all of the details about them that I can remember if you would like." Tarentek offered.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I don't believe that will be necessary, as we were able to see how many troops they had and the races that they had incorporated. None of the races we saw could fly, and many of them seemed ill-equipped to survive on their own if needed." Raldel paused a second before continuing. "While we did not see any of your people within their ranks yet, the sheer number and diversity of races there made it seem that they were forcing the residents of each place they took over to join them." Onyx tried not to think too much about what the direction the threatening group was coming from may have meant. Her people originated in the southwest, and had been steadily moving in each direction over the past few centuries, each tribe moving every few years, and when a tribe got too large to move all at once, half would stay where they currently were and become a brother tribe of the one that went on ahead. To the east, Her own tribe's sister had lost contact with them a few months ago. Suddenly, before she could stop herself, she spoke the worry in her mind. "Raldel, this enemy may have already fought our people before. We have not heard anything from our sister tribe in the east for months now, and there were also other tribes out there as well." Onyx paused to take a breath and calm herself for the next point she would have to say. "You say you did not see any race that could fly among them, but they will defiantly have met at least one tribe before getting to here. Meaning that if what you said is true, that they are forcing the people of the nests they attack to join them-" "Then we may end up fighting people of our own race." Raldel finished her thought, a somber look on his face. "You are most likely correct Onyx. That or, they're all dead." Raldel remained in silence for a minute or so until one of the men behind him, who Onyx had not noticed until now, placed a hand on Raldel's shoulder and said something to low for Onyx to hear. Whatever the man had said had shaken Raldel from his silence, and he reached into his pack to pull out a small object, placing it on the table in front of them. "Tarentek, we managed to take this and a few others like it from an unguarded vehicle near the city. Do you recognize it?" As her father finished speaking, everyone looked over at Tarentek expectantly.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek listened quietly as the others discussed the implications of what the scouting mission had uncovered. He did not know of the other tribes of their people to the east, but then again, he had only been vaguely aware of the existence of their people. It did make sense that their enemy was using the conquered populations to bolster their forces, though he wondered at how they maintained loyalty. It was possible that they kept the soldiers in line through fear. After all, the families of the soldiers were likely back in their home cities, and to betray their Empire might doom them to death. Even if they had to fight against former allies, that would be a compelling way to keep their soldiers loyal, but without knowing for sure, Tarentek was hesitant to make assumptions. The others said that there did not seem to be any flying races among them, and indeed, Tarentek had not seen any during the battle, but he did not know for sure if that was the case. If this Empire was as large as the rumors implied, then they would have to have quite a few races under their dominion. It was possible that there were simply no flying species among the attackers at Amman, though again, Tarentek could not say for certain. He was about to put forward the idea when Raldel suddenly placed one of the explosive devices which had wounded him down onto the table. Immediately, his eyes widened and he reflexively took a step back with his mouth slightly agape. After stumbling over his words for a few moments, he finally managed to respond. "That...yes, just...don't touch it! This close to us it could kill us all! Or...at least be careful how you touch it." He said once he calmed enough after his initial reaction. "That is the weapon, the one that wounded and scarred my body. That is the thing that tore apart my allies around it. If you have more of these, make sure everyone knows what they can do; tell them to put them somewhere safe. When they activate they...I'm not even sure if I know how to describe it. It is an explosion of light, sound, and destructive force. A fireball that rips to shreds anything nearby. I do think I recall seeing some of these one time in a cache of old human weapons we found, but we could not figure out what they did or how they worked. They may have been broken. I...still do not know how they work, or how to use them. I don't know if I would want to; it is a terrible weapon."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Raldel didn't seem surprised at Tarentek's response to seeing the weapon, but rather almost amused. "Yes, we understand that this is dangerous, that is why we took some of them. We saw a few of the soldiers away from the city, practicing how to use them." Raldel picked up the object and touched a small part of it that was near the top and shaped like a ring. "So long as this part is not removed, it is safe, and I have no intention of removing it." He put it carefully back into his pack, and gave the pack to the man who had tapped on his shoulder. "Put them in the west storehouse." At the order the man gave a slight nod and left. Onyx had a strange feeling, almost like fear but not quite so immediate. Could it be because of the weapon? She thought to herself as Raldel continued speaking. The small object had looked no more harmless than one of the strange carved objects that other races used as currency, but the thought that it was the very thing that had given Tarentek his horrible scars made a shiver go down Onyx's spine. How are we ever going to be able to fight, let alone flee, such a force? "Heillias help us." She muttered under her breath.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Well, that is good, I suppose. I would hate to see another harmed in such a horrible way." Tarentek responded, doing his best to regain his composure. Seeing the weapon again had brought up memories he would rather have not relived, but at least he could distract himself with present issues. There was still the matter of how to respond to this looming threat, which was inevitably going to make its way west. Despite Tarentek's experiences and Raldel's scouting, there were still many questions remaining about their enemy. At the moment, they did not even have a name for this Empire. They did not know from exactly where they came, just the general direction of east. They did not know their true numbers, just that they outnumbered the defensive forces of any city in the region. Tarentek had the feeling that they were going to have to make decisions based on only a fraction of the information they needed. "As for our enemies, there is still much we do not know about them. For instance, we cannot really know if they do not have flying races among them, at least not yet. It would not seem like they do, since they did not use them at Amman, but there could be another reason of which we are not aware. If they do have flying soldiers, then your advantage in these mountains would be diminished. And even if they do not, their strength is still considerable regardless. You may hold better than other cities, but I do not believe you can do so forever. If all other cities in this region fall to them, then they will be free to concentrate on you. They could attack your water supply, or kill off the creatures you hunt. There are plenty of ways they could attack the city indirectly. I...admit, there may be nothing that can be done to stop them, but I still believe there is a way to survive their advance." Tarentek explained.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Some of the things you mention show just how little you know about us." Raldel started. "First off, there are very few way that they could attack us indirectly. We can see anything approaching above ground for quite a way beyond the extent of even your vision, and our water supply is under the mountain itself. As for the creatures we hunt... If they mess with that, we will simply hunt them. It has actually been a very useful tactic in the wars of the past to eat the corpses of our enemies, as it gives us another source of food and strikes fear into the enemy." Raldel smiled as he said the last part and continued. "Of course, the other questions you asked cannot be answered unless we were to actually confront this enemy ourselves."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek had hoped that Raldel would not remain so confident in his people's ability to defend against their foe after what he had seen, and while he was not dismissive of the threat, it did seem like he would need at least some more persuading. Tarentek leaned forward and placed his hands on the table, taking on an almost somber expression. "I am reminded of a story, and old fable from my people about our earliest, tribal days. It tells of a warlord of great power who wanted the land of our people for his own. He was so confident in his military might that he would not even listen to the negotiations our tribes offered. He decided he could just take it all for himself, and by all evidence, he was right. He sent all of the warriors not protecting his city to eradicate our people, destroying every village he attacked. He seemed all but invincible. His warriors also ate the bodies of our fallen allies, not for survival, but rather intimidation. They would feast on the bodies in their camps before battle, then launch the bones into our villages from a distance before their attacks. It was a gruesome display of power, but it all ended with the sacrifice of the hero Nunkaliare and her people. She was the leader of a village that had tried to retreat from the warlord, but were trapped and cornered. There were other tribes coming to help, but they would not arrive in time. Knowing their fate, she, and all of her people, corrupted their own bodies with a slow, but deadly poison. They were all killed in battle, but when the warlord's warriors feasted on them on the eve of their next battle, they all found themselves deathly ill by the next morning. Many died, and those remaining were not in any condition to fight. When our tribes united together and retaliated, the warlord's city was conquered with relative ease. It is said that this warlord's city was Amman itself, and after the war, most of the tribes stayed united in the city, learning from the technology they left behind and setting our people on their course." Tarentek let out a sigh and looked back up at Raldel. "I am not trying to say that this Empire will try that tactic. That story may not even be true; it could be just a simple fable, but...the lesson of it is that no defense is impenetrable, no strategy absolute. No matter the problem, no matter what challenge must be overcome, an inventive and clever soul can find the solution. With enough time, and with the numbers they have, one of them could very well discover a weakness you never considered. All it would take is one single flaw, and they could bring an end to your people. They, on the other hand, can take as many attempts as they need. I will not say it is impossible that you can protect yourselves alone, but I will say that I believe you should do anything and everything you can to push the odds as far in your favor as possible. If you accept it, I will offer any help I can."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Well, Tarentek. I thought that was the reason you were here in the first place. Your story's lesson is true, there is no such thing as an absolute defense. However there is also no option for what to do to survive in most wars, there is only the inevitable win by one side." Raldel paused, as if wondering weather to say his next words. "I am a leader, not a thinker. I would appreciate all the help you could give." Onyx was happy that they were finally getting somewhere, even if they did not have all the information that they truly needed to be able to fight this foe. But something pricked at the back of her mind, a small worry that she couldn't quite word...</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Thank you." Tarentek said sincerely, though he was in a position to which he was not accustomed. He had been a warrior all of his life, as well as a student of knowledge in respect to technology, but he had never held any influence over his people's policies. He had never advised their leaders. His experience might qualify him, but it was nevertheless a foreign situation to him. "I have had some time to think about this enemy, about what I would say to those who I intended to warn. One option that I can see is to simply flee, to evacuate your people out of their path. You could certainly outrun their expansion. If the old Human maps hold true, there is an entire continent to the southwest that is much, much larger than our region of the Earth. The same holds true to the northwest. There is even a continent on the other side of the oceans, as far from this place as is possible to travel. Your people could flee their expansion and wait until their Empire collapses under its own weight...if they collapse at all. In all honest, this is the option that I believe is most likely to save your people's lives, and I do not believe anyone could fault you if you chose to take it. The other option I see is more dangerous, but it could just work. Our region, for as long as our history records, has never been united. Our cities rule under their own names, making and breaking alliances, but always staying independent. I would be willing to bet our enemy knows this, and is counting on it. They know they can attack us all one by one until there are none of us left, for we will all be focusing so much on ourselves to be able to help the others. If we can convince the cities of our desert, of this region, to stand together against our enemy, we might just have a force larger than this Empire is expecting. We might be able to find a way to stop them together...or, we might all fail together. The latter might be more likely than the former, but it is the only option I see that could truly stop our enemy's advance. Those are the ideas I have had, or, well, there is a third option, but I doubt you would want to take it. I certainly would not. I do not believe that the attack was entirely unforeseen. If the rumors I heard in the days before the attack are true, then the Empire sent a diplomatic envoy to our leaders to demand they willingly surrender the city and join them. If that option were presented to you, then it could save all of your lives, but you would lose the ability to govern yourselves. As I said, it is not the option I would choose." Tarentek explained. He hoped that Raldel would have some other, better idea for fighting their enemy, as gaining the cooperation of all of the cities in the area would be a monumentally difficult task, but Tarentek had not yet been able to find any alternatives.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "It would be next to impossible to unite the people of this region. However, the people of the continent you spoke of to the southwest would possibly join forces with us, as most of them are our kin." Raldel started explaining about how their tribes had spread from their origins on the continent, while Onyx excused herself and left the den. The worry in her mind was making it hard to concentrate on anything they were saying anymore, so she started flying around the nest to clear her mind.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "It would be next to impossible to unite the people of this region. However, the people of the continent you spoke of to the southwest would possibly join forces with us, as most of them are our kin." Raldel started explaining about how their tribes had spread from their origins on the continent, while Onyx excused herself and left the den. The worry in her mind was making it hard to concentrate on anything they were saying anymore, so she started flying around the nest to clear her mind.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek noticed Onyx leave, but for the moment, he listened closely to Raldel's explanation of his people's origins. He did not know much of the world beyond their region, or at least, not the world in its current state, so this was the first he heard about these groups of people. Reaching out to them for help did seem like a solid option, but there were concerns in his mind. "It is good that you already have a relationship with those groups. Certainly, it will make it easier to get their help, but...I do have some concern about leaving the cities of our region to fend for themselves. Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and especially Tel Nof are large settlements with many people, much like Amman. Even if we have not always had good relations, I do not wish to see them fall to our enemy. Not to mention that those cities will be great assets to this Empire. Tel Nof used to be a Human military base. I want to warn them, but...I do agree that it would be beyond difficult to convince them to work together. These groups in the continent to the southwest, Africa, as the Humans called it, how much do you know about them. I fear that, to resist the advance of our enemy, we will need the support of large cities with organized militaries capable of using human weapons. I fear anything less will not be enough. And, even if we can find the support we need, Africa is far from here, and it may not even be possible to bring their forces here in time. Your people may need to retreat to the southwest regardless." Tarentek reasoned. He still did not like the thought of leaving such large cities to be conquered, but if Raldel had faith that the groups in Africa would be open to joining in the defense, then they might be a better option.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Raldel continued on as if he hadn't even noticed Onyx's absence. "We do not have a 'good' relationship with the tribes that are not akin to us, but as a race we have our pride and responsibility that binds us. I know of Three groups already that would shelter us should we need to flee, and over 10 groups that would rally with us at the earliest notice. The tribes that live on the continent of Africa are much larger than our tribes here, and they may have developed a pact with the other races there, so I believe sending a messenger to each of them as soon as possible would be the best course of action right now, because then they would be able to send warriors to the isthmus between here and the continent to guard against land expansion of this empire into the continent." "As for the cities of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, I believe that they are still under the control of a race much like your own. I have never heard of Tel Nof before, but if it is in the same area as the other two we may be able to assume that they are also under the rule of this same race." Raldel looked around for a moment and then ordered Opal to go find Onyx. "She's been gone long enough now." --- Onyx wasn't really sure where she was going, or why she had left in the first place, however her instincts had never driven her wrong before, so she closed her eyes and let the wind guide her. After a while she was able to smell the familiar taint of salt in the air, and she knew she was nearing the sea she had met Tarentek at just the day before. She opened her eyes and landed at the side of the wide grey road, rather than going all the way to the bank of the sea like she usually did, and looked around. The sky looked as grey as the road beneath her and the sea reflected the color across its surface, creating a variable monochrome scene around her. She had never been much for camouflage, but now, still following her instinct, Onyx pulled the top of her shawl up over her head and face and tied it into a hood, effectively hiding both her face and wings from the sight of any other creature. Then she waited. She wasn't on the normal stretch of shore that she usually ended up at, instead she was in an area that was dominated by the shells of the old buildings and relics left behind by the civilizations before. Her dark clothing blended well into the shadows of the old wall she had chosen to hide behind, even though she really had no idea what she was hiding from. After a while, she heard a loud rumble in the distance. Keeping as still as she could, she watched as the source of the rumbling came into view. It was a small group of the old vehicles that she had seen so many of just lying around that was moving quickly down the road towards where she was. As she watched, the group started going slower as they entered the area until they came to a stop in the middle of the small ruins. They must be scavengers for the empire. Why would they come all the way out here though? Onyx thought to herself as the creatures emerged from the vehicles.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek did not know enough about Onyx to know for sure if it was normal for her to suddenly leave in this manner. Though, given that she was wandering alone when she found him, it couldn't be too strange of behavior. Indeed, Raldel did not seem too greatly concerned, so he doubted it was anything terribly important. After Opal left, Tarentek turned back to Raldel to continue. "Hopefully, your allies can mount a defense in time. Just be sure to warn them of the extent of our enemy's capabilities. I do not know if we could win direct, head on battles against them. Unless our enemy is far outnumbered, we would need clever tactics to give us the advantage. As for the three cities to the northwest, Amman engaged in trade with all of them. We weren't exactly allies, but it was rare for us to have any direct conflict, given our distance from them. Tel Nof is controlled by another group of my race, the Karisskan. We were civil with them, mostly. Jerusalem and Tel Aviv are both controlled by different races; they do look somewhat like my people, but neither of them are Karisskan. From all I have heard, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem have a complicated, and sometimes violent history with each other. Their people are almost opposites in how they behave, so I agree that it may be difficult to convince them to cooperate. It may not be impossible, but...they would need to believe the danger from this Empire is greater than their animosity for one another. Tel Nof is the smallest of the three cities, but there might actually be a good chance of convincing them to aid in the defense. If...I were to speak to them, the fact that I am Karisskan might give me more credibility." Tarentek explained.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I could have a group of sentries go with you there, if you can show the way. As for Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Unless you believe that you could negotiate the truce between them, I know of only one person who is level-headed enough to do so." Raldel spoke with emotion barely contained in the quiet, matter-of-fact tone he was using with Tarentek, an almost unnoticeable quaver behind his words. "You should know though, to retrieve them would mean a dangerous mission into territory that is most likely already under the control of this empire." --- Opal breathed a slight sigh of relief as he left his father's den, and then immediately cursed himself for it. What was he relieved for? To be finally away from the Karisskan Tarentek, and back doing something that was actually DOING something. Yes, finding his sister once she's gone off on one of her little 'adventures' wasn't doing much, but to Opal it felt like he was doing more than standing around and talking about war tactics with an outsider. Opal could not understand how his father or even how his sister could stand to be near such a creature. He had been told that Tarentek was staying with Onyx until he recovered, however, except for some apparent dehydration and a few nasty scars, the Karisskan seemed to be in perfect health. "Healthy enough to stand against one of us, or even launch a surprise attack on Onyx or Raldel should they ever be alone." The words slipped from Opal's mouth before he could even begin to think that he could be wrong. Even when the thought did cross his mind though, he couldn't force himself to change his mind. He forced himself to stop thinking about his distrust of Tarentek as he saw the thin line on the horizon that he knew was the sea where Onyx always ended up. --- Onyx watched for a while as the scouts searched the area, gathering anything they had apparently deemed useful, and then place a small object on one of the walls of the ruin before they left, continuing down the road to the north. They must be going down all the roads to find all of the ruins and search them before they start trying to find the people. Onyx's thoughts continued to wander about the topic as she started flying back to her nest. She ran into Opal as she flew, who told her that her father had sent him to go bring her back. They flew back to the nest in relative silence, each lost in their own thoughts.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek nodded to Raldel. It would still be at least a few days before he would feel well enough to travel, but once he had recovered, he could take on the role of negotiator for Tel Nof. "Of course, Tel Nof is barely farther than Jerusalem, and they would be able to send forces quickly. It is the smallest of the three cities, but their technology is notably better. They regularly engage in trade with other cities, so as long as we are cordial, we should have no problem simply walking through the front gate. Getting an audience with their leadership may be more difficult, but if they are governed in any way similar to Amman, there should be a method to get a message to someone important." As for Raldel's next suggestion about finding people to broker a truce between the other two cities, Tarentek was slightly more hesitant, but nevertheless quickly came to a decision. "As for finding these other negotiators you speak of...if there is going to be a mission to find them, I would volunteer for it. Ultimately, it is my idea to even attempt to broker a truce between the two cities, and I would not send your people into danger without being willing to risk my own life as well. Where are these people you are referring to, and what kind of danger to you expect such a task would entail?" He asked.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "The two I speak of are my mate and eldest daughter. The last any of us had heard of them was that they had arrived safely at the nest of our sister tribe to the east, and shortly after then was when we stopped receiving communications from them." Raldel pulled a map out from a shelf on the wall and rolled it out onto the table, pointing to a spot far to the northeast. "This is where they should be. We don't know if the empire is there yet or not though." "I appreciate your offer, however i'm not sure I could allow you to go there. A small team of sentries would do just fine to go and find them, and you will be to busy to go anyway. Once you are well I expect to send you with a team to Tel Nof to hopefully convince them to join forces with us." Just as Raldel finished speaking, Opal and Onyx walked back in. Opal greeted his father curtly, and shot a dirty look at Tarentek before taking his place beside Raldel again. Onyx still had her shawl tied up over head so it created a hood, and her face was shadowed as she stood off to the side. "Nice of you to rejoin us Onyx," Raldel started. "Where did you go this time?" He didn't seem to actually be interested in what she would say next, and she knew that he wasn't. This was a normal thing for them, her father would absentmindedly ask her this every time she ever had to be brought back, and then the topic would be ended before she had even gotten past saying she was at the sea. She decided to play it differently this time. Instead she kept silent, at least until her father prompted her again, and even then she started with, "I'm not really sure. I was near the sea, but I didn't go down to the water like I normally did. Instead I stayed up the shore, by some of the ruins and the road that went through them." She realized that she still had her shawl in a hood and took it off to fix it. She didn't realize until she had got it back on right that Raldel was waiting for her to say more. "Oh, sorry I thought that was all you were going to listen to." Opal rolled his eyes and shot another look at Tarentek. "Well? What happened there?" "Nothing, at least for a while. Then I heard something approaching and saw some of the creatures that were part of the empire. I think they were scouting out the roads and searching for things to scavenge." Onyx finished and waited in silence for their responses.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "That's an interesting idea. We will have to look into that as well." Raldel started. "I believe that is all we can talk about now, though if you should think of anything else you may come and tell me. Onyx knows the times I am not here, she can lead you to me if it is urgent. It's about time you get back to resting, so this meeting is over." With that he waved everyone out of the room while he went about gathering small rolls of paper and other items. Onyx waited until the two who had gone with her father on their scouting mission left before speaking to Tarentek. "My father is right, you should go back to sleep. Would you like to eat something before then though?" She hadn't noticed Opal standing by her until he tapped her shoulder. "Sister, I leave you for now, but I do still wish to speak to you, alone." He said while looking at Tarentek. "Be careful until then." He called as he took off. "He doesn't trust you, although that doesn't surprise me at all. He's always been protective." Onyx started leading Tarentek back to her den, walking this time.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek could not think of any more to add beyond the suggestions he had already made, so he left with Onyx when requested. Now, he had a mission on the horizon after he recovered, which, as long as he kept up a good diet, would not take terribly long. Perhaps a week or two at most. Likely, he would recover from his dehydration first, as he had been able to get plenty of water since arriving in the village. In fact, now that he was out of the meeting, he resumed drinking from his canteen. "I could certainly use a meal, thank you." Tarentek responded. "I do not know if I could bring myself to sleep for the moment, but a good diet is all I really need to recover. In perhaps a week's time, these scars will be gone, my muscles will no longer be sore and weak, and I will be ready for the mission your father has given me." After pausing for another drink, Tarentek took on a concerned expression. "As for your brother, well...I do not think I expected trust. You were certainly not lying when you said your people do not trust outsiders; honestly, I'm surprised your father has been as accepting as he has. I am grateful he has, of course, as it may end up saving your people. I do wish I could gain Opal's trust, along with the rest of your people, really. If your father is giving me tasks, then I assume I am going to be with you all for the foreseeable future. Do you think there is anything I could do that might gain your people's confidence? I do not really know what traits or actions your people respect, or dislike, for that matter."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "That's good that you feel you'll get better that quickly, but I don't remember anything about you doing a mission. Was that something that happened while I was gone?" Onyx shook her head for a second and continued. "Never-mind. I don't think that matters much, If he gave you something to do, take the opportunity. It will give others a chance to interact with you, and possibly learn to trust you, though I suppose I should tell you that I don't completely trust you myself." "I understand that you're a victim in this, but I still feel on edge around you. Even though I've promised to help you, I suppose you feel the same about me. As for things you could do to gain confidence... You've shown that you are knowledgeable, and you are respectful as well. I assume that my father has already placed some confidence in you, if he is giving you missions, however your respect that you've shown him was probably what caused that confidence." Onyx thought for a moment about what to say next as they got to the center of the nest. "I guess part of my distrust for you is due to the fact that you pushed me into the sea right after I had given my promise to help you. As you could guess, I do NOT like water." Onyx twitched at the memory and took flight, staying near Tarentek as he walked.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek supposed he should not have been surprised about even Onyx's distrust. There was a reason that he had scarcely even heard of her people prior to meeting her, and that was not easily overcome. At the very least, she did have some good things to say about him, which was more than she could say about most anyone else she had met in this place, but he did hope that he could at least fully gain her trust at some point. Tarentek gave a slight grin upon Onyx's mention of the events at the sea. "Now, can you truly blame me for that...incident? As I recall, you had done the very same thing to me only minutes before, did you not? I would say that would be fair...although, I suppose such rules only really apply among friends. Harmless pranks were not that uncommon among my friends in Amman. As long as no one went too far, simple jokes like that could be amusing. I suppose it was not too appropriate in the situation at the sea, but also keep in mind that I had been dehydrated and starved for days on end by that point; rational and reasonable thought was...not exactly my strongsuit at that moment. For what it is worth, I apologize." After a brief pause, another thought crossed Tarentek's mind, which prompted a question. "You say that you do not like water. From what I saw at the sea, you seemed quite afraid after I pushed you in. I assume you cannot swim, correct? Is that common among your race? I suppose there is not much water in the area, and it does prevent you from flying, but I would still call swimming a useful skill regardless. It was rare that I had the opportunity, but when I could, it was a great pleasure to swim in the nearest river to Amman. Without that ability, you would drown if you fell into a deep section of water. Perhaps I could make it up to you by teaching you that skill? If your people have to retreat to the isthmus connecting this region to Africa, the continent to the southwest, then it is not farfetched that we may have to fight near the water. Knowing how to swim could be lifesaving." Tarentek offered.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "While it's true that most of my people dislike water for the mere fact that we are unable to fly if our wings are soaked, it's not a normal trait to fear the water. My brother Opal has been able to teach himself how to swim, and even dive. He likens it to flying, but you have to hold your breath. My fear is... not entirely irrational." Onyx wasn't sure whether to say the reason, but then decided that if he knew he might not try to force her into the water again. "Once, when we were living in a different nest, we had a river nearby along with a tribe of creatures whom we did not get along with. I was very young still, so I don't remember much of why we did not get along, but I do remember the reason we left. These creatures, I do not remember their name, attacked us. They knew that we could not fly when our wings got wet, so they gathered as many children as they could and dragged us to the river... I remember fire and yelling, and then I was under the water, unable to move." Onyx shivered and landed to walk beside Tarentek again. "I appreciate your apology, and your offer, however I think I'd rather stay as far from the water as possible. I can trust in people like my brother to save me if it should come to a situation like that, and Olias will not allow me to fall into water should I fall while in flight."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "I...understand your fear." Tarentek responded, his tone becoming considerably more serious. I know what trauma can do; it can destroy parts of your mind and make you feel things you know you logically shouldn't. I have had...recent experience with such horror, but even before that, I have seen its effects in others. War is rarely kind to its soldiers, and I have known warriors who have survived wounds that make them wish they had died. I suppose a disadvantage of my race's robust nature is how gruesome of experiences we can survive. Our bodies heal much more readily than our minds. I know trauma is very difficult to overcome, though not impossible. I have seen recoveries in the past, people who overcome their fears. I still believe you would benefit from trying to learn to swim, not only from the practical application of the skill, but from overcoming a wound of your mind. I believe it is best to plan for the worst possible scenario; in your case, falling into the water when no others are around. After all, when you found me, you were alone, and from the way your father reacted to your departure, I am assuming that is not too rare. Regardless, I cannot and would not force you to learn, but the offer remains open, should you ever decide to accept." Tarentek guessed that Onyx would not wish to remain on such a sore topic for too long, so he decided to move on, allowing his tone to become more lighthearted. "Well, at any rate, I am sure there is something else I can do, aside from saving the lives of your entire village. I cannot do anything too strenuous until I recover, but I would like to learn more about you all. I still feel like I know so little."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I feel like you know what you are saying, And I would like to believe what you say. I don't believe I'll ever go willingly into the water though, I like to be near it sometimes, when I go fishing or just because I like the smell." Onyx was glad that Tarentek had decided to switch topics, she could only think about this for so long... "What is it that you want to know? More of what we talked about last night?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "That...is a difficult question, honestly." Tarentek responded just as the pair reached Onyx's den and stepped inside. He found a seat as soon as possible before continuing. "I mean, I feel like I don't know what I don't know, if that makes sense. That is, I don't really know what I need to learn. Back in Amman, I realized even just talking to traders that the customs of different places could be greatly different. For instance, in a small settlement outside Tel Aviv, it is a great insult not to wear shoes around their altars. Something to do with their religion, I believe. My people have thick scales and do not need shoes, so as you can see, we very rarely wear anything on our feet, unless there is a specific, practical need. If I were to go to their village, the thought to cover my feet would not even cross my mind. I wonder if there are similar differences between our people?" Just as Tarentek did not know what to ask, he supposed Onyx would also not know what answers to give, since she also had no knowledge of Amman's culture. Still, there were certainly other ways he could learn about her people. "Perhaps, after I eat, you could simply show me around the village and tell me whatever comes to mind that you think I might need to know? Simply experiencing life in your village might help me to learn. Alternatively, I could just start telling you about my life in Amman, and you can point out anything you find strange, or similar to your own people."</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Alright, that sounds like a good idea. Is there anything specific you'd like to eat? I'm thinking that a Fish soup sounds good right now..." Onyx felt her stomach growl and moved to start gathering ingredients. While she did so, she continued speaking. "Obviously, there are a few places I'd be wary to take you, although if you simply wish to see what life here is like we can go see the market-place, or to Heillias' place of power." Onyx laughed as she thought about what might happen if they were to go to the shrine. They'd most likely run into a few of the children of her tribe, trying to find their future place among the tribe. "You might see something inexplicable if we go to the shrine, although that could be a good thing." The rituals that go on there often have strange effects on the people involved. Onyx remembered that once, after her tribe had moved here, She had gone there to find her place and did a group ritual with her brothers and sister, and that's when her hair turned black. None of her other siblings had been affected, so they assumed it was a blessing of some sort, though they still don't know what.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Go ahead and just tell me what ever you want to. I normally sing or talk to someone while I cook anyways. We'll go to the market after we eat." Onyx smiled inwardly at what he'd said about maybe telling her some of his recipes. "I would like to hear about the things you like to make. I greatly enjoy cooking, It's always fun to do and no two meals are ever exactly the same."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek smiled as he leaned forward, resting his arms on the table in front of him. "Well then, perhaps I should start with our food? There are some simpler, traditional dishes that go back to our city's founding, but in my opinion, the most interesting ones are those created more recently. The more trade we had with other cities, the more ingredients we could access from more places. My favorite dish involves ground meat, usually from our livestock, but you can usually substitute whatever kind of animal is on hand. Most will still taste fine. From there you mix in a selection of vegetables. Peas and carrots work well, or anything with a similar kind of taste. Lastly, it is all covered in your choice of cheese, also from our livestock, and placed inside of a sort of bowl made from a kind of layered bread. I wish I had some of these ingredients with me so I could show you myself how it is made. Some of it, especially the bread, I cannot really describe too well with words if you're not already familiar with it. Although, I might be able to take a look at the ingredients you have available and write down some recipes I know how to make from them." He suggested. When thinking about all of the foods he had tried back in Amman, he realized that many were made from ingredients that Onyx's people might not have access to, though that did lead him into his next point of interest about the city. "Really, many parts our city were like that. Connected through trade, I mean, and not just of goods. Ideas were a commodity as valuable as gold to my people. They could be valued in much the same way as crops, metals, or anything you might sell in a marketplace. Of course, some ideas were bad ideas and ended up being worthless, but good ideas were well-rewarded. People from other places were sometimes surprised to see that we try to apply customs from other places to our own lives to see if they improved them. Evidently, some other settlements place great value on traditions and are reluctant to change them, but for us, I suppose you might say that finding new ideas is our tradition. As I explained yesterday, knowledge and learning are central to our beliefs. Some cities and villages took offense to us using their customs, and I did hear some arguments from them that made sense to me about why they did not like it, but to refuse ideas that improved our lives would have been against our beliefs."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright While Tarentek was describing the dish, Onyx couldn't help but notice the similarities between what he described and one of the dishes that her mother had liked to make before she left. "First of all, that sounds really yummy. Secondly, I think I've seen my mother make that, and third, If you want to look through my ingredients, you're more than welcome to." Onyx smiled at the smell that now filled the den, a mixture of spices and fish. "The meal is almost ready, I just have to make sure it doesn't burn now." As she watched the food, she continued her thoughts out loud. "You say that your people adopted traits and traditions that would improve your life? While we don't have much contact with outsiders, we have adopted some practices. It's kind of a necessity for us because we move around so much. One that we had to get used to when we moved here was hunting more at night than we do during the day, because it is cooler at night the creatures we hunt don't come out until after dark, which we figured out after watching a rival tribe of ours that lived in the area."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek found himself watching the meal Onyx was preparing more and more eagerly the closer it came to being finished. He had never been so hungry in his life as he had been for the past few days, and it certainly showed in the way his mouth watered looking at the stew. Nevertheless, he was able to stay focused enough to respond. "That is sensible. The heat of the desert is quite prohibitive to some of its creatures. Although, the colder nights can be just as hostile for us. Usually, for the non-scaled races, their bodies make heat on their own which allows them to stay active in the night, but the same is not true for us. When it is cold, our bodies become cold, so we must rely on the world around us for heat. Many of our customs relate to that need, though I suppose you would have little reason to adopt them. Well, actually, if the night became particularly cold, you might benefit from our knowledge of how to stay warm." Pausing for a moment, Tarentek thought on what customs from Amman had originated from elsewhere. There were many to pick from, though that also meant it was more difficult to remember specifically from where they originated. "A lot of our practices were influenced by other settlements, partially or completely. The robes we wear outside have shifted in style to better keep out the wind, and are made from better materials like cotton, instead of hide. Earlier in our history, we bartered for goods and services, but from Jerusalem, we adopted their system of using coins for transactions. Their coins were fully accepted in our city, just as ours are in theirs. Some settlements sacrifice livestock to their gods, and while we have no need of that particular practice, we did learn that they tended to have surprisingly effective methods of breeding healthy animals, since many of those sacrifices require perfect animals. As for adopted practices that caused problems...oh, I can think of one. We adopted Tel Aviv's nesting habits. Our eggs have to be protected both from threats, and the cold for about three months before they hatch, which is quite similar to the Yaar, the race which controls Tel Aviv. They used a method of nest building that was surprisingly rigid and kept the eggs at the perfect temperature, which we of course adopted. The issue came with the fact that the shapes their nests form is an important symbol in their religion. Each nest becomes a sort of altar to their fertility god, so they took offense to the fact that our nests were not dedicated to their god. However, those nests allowed more eggs to survive, which meant that if we stopped using them, more of our children would die. That was something we were not willing to do."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I know how to keep warm just fine, thank you." Onyx said as she put the finished soup on the table, spooning it into two bowls and placing one of them in front of Tarentek. "I don't ever have to worry about being too warm or cold, my fur keeps me at the right temperature no matter what. Although, what do you mean by eggs? Your people are not liveborn?" Onyx had seen creatures whose young had to remain in a pouch or egg before they were strong enough to move about on their own, but she had always equated those traits with rodents and birds, not creatures like Tarentek.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Thank you." Tarentek said with noticeable enthusiasm as soon as Onyx placed the soup in front of him. He wasted no time in starting on his anxiously-awaited meal, which he found rather appetizing. In truth, he probably would have found almost anything to be appetizing at that moment, but he felt the soup was legitimately well-made. His focused shifted to the food almost to the point that he forgot to respond to her question, though he did manage to remember after a few moments. "Oh, yes...I mean, no. No, my people are not born directly from their mothers as some other races are. Our females lay eggs, which hatch just over three months afterwards. In the meantime, they must be protected so the child can develop within. I have not personally had the responsibility of taking care of an egg, but I had friends who had children. They described the experience as stressful, but rewarding." He said before giving a chuckle. "Although, that description probably fits having children in general, regardless of the race. In any event, some of Tel Aviv's people were angry with us, but the positive effects of our trade ended up outweighing the offense, so no war or fighting came as a result. Overall, we had few reasons to go to war other than defense. Some settlements fight based on their religions, but our gods do not usually call us to war. Indeed, our worship is quite different from many other cultures I have seen. We do not have temples, or rituals as other might think of them. I believe I mentioned this before, but knowledge is our worship. If one wishes to show homage to Jhala, they must seek to improve their mind. The closest thing to a temple in our city were our centers of learning, our schools. I mentioned several instances of our people taking influences from other cultures, but this is one case in which others learned from us. Jerusalem created a university after learning of ours. Well, I do suppose my people were originally influenced by writings from the Humans, but ours was the first city in this area with a university. So as long as they are able to fulfill their normal duties, anyone in our city can attend free of charge, even visitors. Well, if space is limiting, citizens are granted entrance before visitors, but no one is charged. Our university represents one of our government's largest single expenses."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx was glad that the soup had turned out so well, even if the topic of conversation confused her. "You allowed other races into your city, and taught them? That seems counter-intuitive to me. If you worked so hard to uncover the knowledge you are continuously seeking, why give it away? those outsiders could have used the knowledge you gave them to plan an attack on your people." Onyx shook her head and continued eating. "That is one of the main reasons we don't talk to outsiders most of the time."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Though Tarentek had not yet commented specifically on the soup, he was quite visibly pleased with it. He certainly intended to complement her on the dish, though as was common with his people, he would wait until the end of the meal to give his full opinion. As for the present topic, he was also quite eager to talk about his people's system of education. It was a point of pride for his city, and by extension, himself. "Ah, well, I should specify that some knowledge was considered to be secrets of the government. This mostly consists of the secrets of our weapons and defenses, including how to repair human weapons, creating gunpowder and ammunition, and building our fortifications. I am actually one of the few privy to some of those secrets, since they related directly to my role within our military. Otherwise, though, our knowledge is freely given to any who wish to learn. Now, it is true that most of the students of the university at any given time were citizens of Amman. Comparatively few outsiders are willing to come and live in Amman for the years required to receive a comprehensive education. However, they certainly exist, and we are happy to teach them. You see, spreading our knowledge through the world ultimately improves the lives of those who receive it, and eventually, that improvement will reach us. Settlements that learn better farming practices will have more food, those that learn better domestication techniques will have more productive work animals. All of this knowledge creates more wealth wherever it goes, and the common threads between it all are the people we educate. That is how the improvement returns to us. To learn what they need, these people spend years in Amman, not only learning from their classes, but connecting with the city. They become familiar with our customs, they form friendships with their peers and create bonds that give them ties to our city even after they leave. Though there are some exceptions, most of these outsiders become allies to us, or at the very least, remain friendly with our people. And remember, these people are creating wealth elsewhere. Those that become merchants often make trade deals with us that would not have existed otherwise, and if we are lucky, some of them will even grow to influence in their own cities. To us, educating someone from another city is to make a friend in another city."</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Would this, university, still be running now? The empire that has annexed your city will now have access to all that information, and even if they already knew about things like farming and such they will still benefit from the other knowledge that you mentioned. They could also use your city's ties to all the tribes that have made these interactions with your people to cause them to join their empire without any of them knowing what actually happened to your city." Onyx didn't like to think about how much smarter their enemy most likely was than her people, and she couldn't stand the fact that Tarentek didn't seem to be worried about it much. "Which scenario would be worse," She started, "If everyone were to join them willingly and never be themselves again, or if we all died fighting them and possibly stopping the spread of them? I can tell you now that all the tribes of my race, whether friend or foe, will not give their freedom up to this empire."</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Good. Would you like more soup? Or rather go explore the nest now? You may have more when we get back if you want." Onyx was glad to hear Tarentek's determination as she stood and started cleaning up her place. "Hey, do you know any songs? I believe I mentioned earlier that I like to sing while I cook, so do you have any songs that you like to sing?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Sure, we can explore the...nest, as you say." Tarentek said as he stood up from his seat. "You should lead the way. I am sure you will know much better than I where would be best for me to go. And I trust you will let me know if I am about to make some terrible mistake. Though, before we leave, I would like to take a moment complement your soup. I find that it was quite well-made." He said as he began to help her clean as well. Once Onyx asked him about his singing abilities, he stumbled over his words for a few brief moments as he was forming a response. "Oh, um, well...no, I don't. Sing. I don't sing. My mother liked to, but I never really picked it up. A lot of my focus went into my studies on technology, so I never really had time to pick up any musical talents." He explained somewhat nervously. It was true that he could not sing well, but it had not been for a lack of trying. His mother had loved to sing, and he tried to learn, but was terrible to start. He might have improved, but teasing from other children had stopped him from trying before he could gain any musical talent.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I get the feeling that you already have a sense for what to and what not to do, although I will stop you if you are about to do something offensive." Onyx had to force herself not to laugh at how he had stuttered in his answer about singing. She got the feeling that there was a little more to his reason than what he had said, although she didn't want to say anything about it. He'd probably tell her later if it was in any way important. As she lead him out of the den, another question crossed her mind. "Tarentek, I mean no offence when I ask this, but are you considered 'normal' among your people? I can tell you that I am not among the 'normal' group here. Most think i'm... lost."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek found Onyx's question to be curious, and unexpected. He had never thought about whether or not he was 'normal,' though that fact likely meant he was. If none of the others had any question about his place within society, then they likely had no issues with him. "I have not really thought about that before, but I believe my people would consider me to be normal. I am a warrior with knowledge and interest in our technology, both of which would be considered honorable among my people. Beyond that, I have not done much that would be exceptional. I suppose the most they might find strange about me is that I have not yet found a wife, despite being at the appropriate age. Still, that is not terribly uncommon." He explained briefly as his face took on a more concerned expression. "What do you mean by 'lost'? Do others among your people take issue with you?" Tarentek asked. Given all that Onyx had done for him, he did actually find that he was sympathetic to any potential struggles she might be facing.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "They don't really think that I'll be able to function as a part of the Tribe once I come of age, because I have not yet found my Niche." Onyx had hoped that Tarentek would have been in a similar situation, but what he said made her think that he was more like someone in the role of a Sentry, a heroic role that the people looked up to. "Currently, I am in training to be a healer, however healers usually have a stronger Soul than Heart." "I believe I had mentioned something about Spirit, Soul, and Heart last night when I had asked you about your beliefs. My Spirit is strong, my Heart is strong, but my Soul is weak, and Soul is what matters the most when one comes of age."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "I am not sure how well I understand." Tarentek responded regretfully. "Those concepts, soul, spirit, and heart, are not ones I grew up with, so I don't think I understand them in the same way you do. I remember you describing your soul as your 'eternal self,' but don't understand exactly how you can make it weaker or stronger. I will try to understand as best as I can, if you believe it is something you can explain in words. For my people, we did not have any sort of ritual to determine our role. In theory, our paths were chosen based on our greatest talents, but that was usually just following our parents' roles. After all, our talents are usually formed through what our parents teach us. The methods of your people are new to me; foreign." Tarentek doubted his answer was what Onyx wanted to hear, but nevertheless, he gave a smile and tried to elevate the mood at least somewhat. "But, as I said before, my people are always open to new ideas, and I am no exception. And as someone with an outside perspective, I might even be able to give some advice."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I am not sure if I could explain it any differently without distorting the meaning, but I can say that my situation is very rare. Most of my people, across all the tribes, have a weaker Heart and a stronger soul. They are harder to get along with, but they are better suited to leadership and making decisions that affect more than themselves." Onyx stopped walking as she spoke, while a thought came to her. "I also think I mentioned Fellagang and Heillias last night, although I don't think I said anything about them..." Onyx trailed off as she tried to think exactly what she should say. She didn't want to make Tarentek think she was forcing him to recognize them, but she wanted to be clear that they were not simply the meaningless fact that he was so used to learning in his culture. Then, the words came to her, a breathy whisper in her mind. "Yes, our Soul is our eternal self and the source of our strength when we come of age. A strong Soul is sought after and guarded by Fellagang and his minions, as he is the patron of our Soul, and a strong Heart is guarded by Heillias, the patron of our Heart. Fellagang and Heillias fight each other for the right to be recognized as the 'good' conscience, as they both are a major power on the decisions we make." "The only way to make a Soul stronger is if one is blessed by Heillias, where a stronger Heart is a blessing of Fellagang. They can only bless the other's patronage because that is the nature of their fight. One with a stronger Heart is more likely to listen to Heillias than Fellagang, where one with a strong Soul listens more to Fellagang than Heillias. They are both jealous of the other, so they are very unlikely to bless anyone unless their Spirit is strong enough for such a change to leave their loyalty unaffected."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek did his best to understand what Onyx was explaining. To him, what she described was a spiritualistic religion, a concept that was foreign to his people. Despite this, her beliefs were not so complicated as to make him unable to understand entirely. As she explained it, the soul and spirit was indicative of different parts of their personalities, with each guarded by one of their deities. That was actually reasonably similar to his own people's beliefs, though in the case of the Karisskan, Jhala imparted onto them their entire personality. He still felt that there were parts he must be missing, as any religion was too complicated to explain in a few short sentences, but he did have some thoughts on what she had said so far. "I see, so these beings work against one another, but both for your benefit. And a stronger heart means you are blessed by...Fellagang. You said a strong soul is important when you come of age, but I have a question about your heart. Namely, what are all the traits a strong heart bestows upon you? If a strong heart gives you certain traits, then those traits would have to give you certain skills and abilities that others do not necessarily possess." Tarentek asked.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I am glad you seem to understand better now." Onyx said before answering his question. "Well, our Heart grants us compassion and joy, along with love and loyalty. Heart becomes our agility and speed in battle, and a guide when we are unsure what to do. Those with a stronger heart are more delicate than those with a weak heart, but are often kinder than those with a weak heart." "I would not say that our Heart does not give us good traits, but none of them define a practical role in our society. Sentries and scouts, hunters and healers, and leaders are the fundamental roles that must be filled for a tribe to continue to survive, while the role of a prophet, merchant, or diplomat is unnecessary because of the leader's ability to contact other tribes and arrange trades like that. Most Sentries can play the role of a merchant if needed, and prophets are practically nonexistent once you are this far from the hearth of our people."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "You know, I believe I might disagree with that." Tarentek commented, casting his gaze across the village as they walked along in order to observe his surroundings. He did not know for how long her people had been living essentially alone in these mountains, but he had the feeling that they would not be able to maintain their isolation forever. "The way your people live, it seems to have worked for you. Even without those roles you just mentioned, your people have survived and, normally, would probably continue doing so. However, with this Empire approaching, I have a feeling that the wave of change is going to come crashing down over this place, and every other settlement in this area. No matter how events unfold, I see no way that any city is going to remain untouched. I do not know if I told you, but that mission your father assigned me is to go to Tel Nof, with an escort, and negotiate on behalf of your people to secure their aid in the coming war. From all I have gathered, that is something that has never happened with your tribe, or if it has, no one has mentioned it." Tarentek looked back to Onyx with an encouraging expression. "This problem you face, with your heart being stronger than your soul, it may just be a sign of things to come. You people might not have traditionally needed the roles you are suited for, but as change sweeps the land, your people may find themselves in dire need of people like you. After all, if it were anyone else from your tribe who had found me, I doubt they would have saved me. You would not have received my warning, and you would be left to face our enemy alone, with no time to seek help from even your own kin."</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx couldn't stop herself from staring at Tarentek as they walked. Her father wants him to play the role of a diplomat!? "Y-you make a valid point, however that would imply that Fellagang and Heillias knew this was going to happen by the time of my birth, and that is not possible. Only Olias can tell the events of the future, but Olias never tells Fellagang or Heillias anything of what they see. Only Spirits of the past may guide the Spirit of the future." Onyx sighed and took a deep breath before continuing. "One thing I think I've realized by talking with you about this is that I probably am destined to be a Prophet or a Diplomat like my mother is. I will have to go to Fellagang's place of power and ask him for guidance to be sure, however I have a feeling in my heart that I am right." Onyx stopped talking and led Tarentek the rest of the way to the marketplace in silence. The marketplace was one of the most confusing things Onyx had ever experienced in her life, and it was all because of wings. Everyone in the market was almost always an Elissic, because of the aversion her race had towards outsiders they rarely appeared there, however the living mosaic of multi-colored wings made it just as confusing as if every person there was a different race altogether.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek was not sure if his counsel was helpful or not. On the one hand, she explained more about her beliefs that made her seem as if she was skeptical, but on the other, she also seemed to accept it in the end. In any case, he believed he had said all his limited knowledge would allow him to, so they were silent for the remainder of the walk to the market. As with most markets, this one was crowded, at least in comparison to the rest of the village. Being that Amman was a sizable city, he was accustomed to large crowds, but this one looked a fair amount more spectacular simply because of the people themselves. Tarentek had been unaware that Onyx's people could show such a variety of bright colors in their wings. While perhaps not conducive to camouflage, their multicolored wings made his own race seem bland by comparison. This was the first time he had been in a crowd of her people, so Tarentek glanced over to Onyx somewhat nervously. "So...are there specific people in the market you think I should see, or should we just wander? Either way, it might be best for you to lead."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I have a few things I've been looking for, so we'll visit with those traders first. After that we can wander around for awhile if you like." Onyx started leading him through the crowd, pointing out traders she knew and what they normally had with them. She noticed after a little bit that even though everyone was being nice to her like normal, they seemed to be trying to avoid talking to her, as she was the one calling out to each of them. Onyx hoped that Tarentek would not notice their actions, as they were probably only being like this because she was leading him around. "If anyone seems hostile to you I will tell them off. Most of these people are from other tribes who are currently cordial of better to us right now, so they may know who I am by my name." She said to Tarentek, more to keep herself calm than for his benefit.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "I see." Tarentek answered. Mostly, he had been observing the vendors and their products. Since her people restricted their settlements to only Elissics, they did not have quite the variety of trade goods that he was used to seeing in markets, but it was an interesting experience nonetheless. In particular, he found himself interested in their more artistic works. As he would expect, their style of art was much different than what he was accustomed to seeing. Unless two groups had extended contact, it was rare that they would have similar artistic styles. Just like the multicolored wings of their creators, the sculptures and paintings were filled with color, which made some stands into impressive displays. Some of Tarentek's people felt that art was not useful, but he personally believed that beautiful works that their own, practical reward. If Tarentek actually had anything of value that he did not need, he might have even traded for one. After a few moments Tarentek shifted his gaze to Onyx once more. "I am not expecting trust, but...do you think it will ever be possible for me to gain it? Would anyone you know here even be willing to speak to me? Also, what do you think they know about me? Your father must have told them something, but I do not know what."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I would assume that he told everyone not to attack you at least, although I am unsure about the extent of any other interaction he would have specified. The people of my tribe, the ones with golden-brown wings here, might not be as willing to speak to you as much as the people of other tribes because they may feel that you are less obtrusive because they don't live here." Onyx hoped that her explanation made sense, that those living here would rather avoid talking to him because of their distrust. "Here's one of my favorite stands." Onyx led Tarentek over to a stand that had dried herbs and sculptures made of sweet-smelling wax. Greeting the trader, an old sentry of the Black-wing tribe, Onyx started looking over all of the statues. "Good day Jai'san! How have you been?" "Good as always, Onyx Bright. Do you see anything you like?" The old trader seemed to notice Tarentek then, and narrowed his eyes at him. "And who are you?" "Tarentek. If you got here before yesterday you would not have had any warning about him yet, Jai'san. I found him at the sea yesterday at about this time and- Here it is!" Onyx cut off her explanation and picked up a delicate-looking sculpture made of a light brown wax. "You always have a Honey sculpture, it just took me longer to find it today." Onyx was smiling at herself while Jai'san looked back and forth between her and Tarentek. "Um, you were saying?" He prompted her after a few seconds. "What would I have been warned about?" "Oh! Right, sorry. You would have been told that Tarentek was found near-death and is staying here to recover, under my watch. You also probably would have been told not to attack him." Onyx put the statue back on the counter and took out her med-pack. "I have my usual supplies with me, what are you willing to trade for the statue and a braid of dried Creosote?" "A honey-statue and Creosote? Hmm... Two rolls of bandages should be fine." After Onyx had finished her explanation the trader had simply nodded and was now watching Tarentek with curiosity rather than malice. "You remind me of the Karisskan, are you one?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek The trader's reaction to seeing Tarentek was initially no different than any other Elissic he had run into, but he was surprised to see that he was actually willing to speak to him after they were introduced. Opal had seemed unwilling to do any more than tolerate his presence, but as Onyx said, those from outside the village were potentially more accepting. He nodded to Jai'san before responding. "Yes, I am indeed Karisskan. From what I have been told, it is exceptionally rare for one of my kind, or any other kind for that matter, to be allowed into this place. However, there were...extenuating circumstances that granted me an exception." He explained. Tarentek was not precisely sure how much he should share about his reason for being here at this time. He understood that Raldel might want to avoid a panic, so revealing the full gravity of the situation might not be wise. However, giving a basic warning about danger to the east could save lives without risking panic if anyone intended to travel in that direction. "There is trouble in the east. If you have any plans to travel in that direction, I would cancel them if at all possible." He added.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Jai'san Simply shook his head before answering. "No, this is as far east as I ever go. My route comes from the southwest continent, up through this region, and to the northwest in an arc around the great sea." He smiled at Onyx as she handed him the two rolls of bandages. "Speaking of paths, the fact that you needed a honey statue makes me think that you have a better idea of what yours is now Onyx." "Yes, I suppose you could say that. I plan to preform a solo ritual at Fellagang's place of power at high-moon tonight." Onyx said as she gently placed the statue and herbs into her med-pack. "Will you still be here then?" "Alas, no. I depart at sunset dear. Best of luck, however it seems strange that you would ask the guidance of Fellagang rather than Heillias. Planing on being a merchant like me?" "I am still unsure of that, although I don't suppose that it's impossible." Onyx gave a small smile before continuing. "Good travels, Jai'san. May Olias watch over you." Onyx gave a small bow as she said goodbye, and the trader returned it as he did the sentiment.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek mimicked Onyx's gesture, then moved with her. From her conversation with Jai'san, Tarentek gathered that her personality traits were not quite as uncommon among her race as she initially said, though perhaps she was rare among her particular tribe. Tarentek did not know the significance of this ritual she spoke of, but it seemed like something highly personal to her. It was possible that it was some sort of coming-of-age ritual where she selected her path in life. The Karisskan had no such customs, but many of the races who traded with Amman did, so Tarentek was familiar with the concept. "I will be honest, I did not expect him to speak to me. Perhaps if I can speak to more of your people, I might have some chance of at least changing a few minds." Tarentek commented before his attention slowly shifted to the pouch in which she had placed her statue. "So this statue you purchased, it is for a ritual, you said? Will this ritual give you the answers you need about your future?" He asked with genuine curiosity.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Hopefully, yes. If Fellagang hears me, he may point out my path to me. Once I know that, I can begin to prepare for my coming-of-age ritual, not to mention that I'll be a step closer to acceptance by the tribe." Onyx patted the lump where she felt the statue was in her med-pack and smiled. "Honestly, I don't know why I feel so happy right now. From everything that's been going on I should be worried about more than just my own future, but I can't bring myself to focus on those thoughts." Onyx was silent for a moment and then spoke again when they had passed a trader she did not recognize. "Here, I will show you how to greet someone you don't know. Watch my exchange with this merchant, and then do the same as I did after we bow. I will still be there, so I can introduce you if needed." With that she walked up to the stand. The trader smiled when he noticed her. "Greetings! I am Haku Gil, of the White-wing tribe." He kept smiling as Onyx introduced herself. "Good day Haku'gil. I am Onyx Bright of the Gold-wing tribe." Her eyes glinted in laughter as she continued. "That's quite a name for a merchant." "You have quite a name yourself. Are you really so unpredictable?" His smile betrayed his laughter as Onyx smiled back. "Around here I seem to be. Are you always honest?" "I try to be, at least when it comes to fish." He bowed slightly, and Onyx bowed back. His stand seemed to be filled with stacks of stone slabs. They were not very thick, however the sheer amount of them was surprising to Onyx. He must not live too far away, or he is stronger than he looks.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Even if he did not understand everything involved, Tarentek was glad to hear that Onyx was happy with what she was doing. It would likely help her to go into the coming crisis with a clear head. It was not long before Onyx stopped him near another merchant's stall, deciding to instruct him in how to greet strangers. With the relative success he had experienced so far, Tarentek decided that it could not hurt to try, so he watched her closely as she approached the merchant. There were some words of her people's dialect that he did not understand, mostly names, but fortunately, their greetings seemed simple enough. At least, there did not seem to be anything different from greetings among his own people. Tarentek stepped forward beside Onyx, mimicking her posture. "Greetings, I am Tarentek, of Amman." He said politely, though he wasn't absolutely sure if he was meant to say anything afterwards. He assumed it was appropriate to exchange simple banter as Onyx had, but in any case, he would wait for Haku'gil to respond.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "And I am Haku Gil. It is nice to meet someone who is not an Elissic so early in my route." He paused for a moment before speaking again. "My name means 'Honest Fish' among my race. I will not attempt to guess at what your name means however. I do not wish to offend you." He bowed as he finished, an easy smile on his face. Onyx nodded and smiled at Tarentek. He'd done well, although it was normal to allow the trader to greet you first as a courtesy. She'd tell him about that later though.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "We are not Very kind to other races in much else we do, that is the same for every tribe I know of, however as a merchant I am a part of a group that is much more involved with other races. We do not have the limitations of heart that cause Sentries and Scouts to be so cold towards others." Haku'gil looked at Onyx warily. "Not that I think I'm better than a Sentry or Scout in any way." Onyx smiled at him and shook her head. "You have made no offence. I have not come of age yet." "Oh, really? But you're so..." He trailed off, squinting at her. "Mature?" She offered. "Somewhat." He went back to smiling at her. "So, you know your path?" "Somewhat. I have a plan." Onyx looked back to the stone slabs piled on the counter. "So, Haku'gil, what is all this? I seems rather strange to carry around stone slabs to each of the tribes." Haku'gil's smile grew even bigger, if that's even possible. He took hold of one of the slabs and gently lifted it up, revealing an array of beautiful pressed flowers. "These are my wares, although if you're interested in the slabs I can arrange something for those too."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Haku'gil's answer mostly served to create more questions for Tarentek. He wondered what role merchants served within their society, how many there were, and how often they traded outside of the Elissic tribes, but those were questions he could ask Onyx later. For now, he observed the pressed flowers after Haku pulled back one of the slabs. Even when he had nothing to trade, Tarentek enjoyed going to markets just to see wares such as these. The flowers were colorful, and many of them he had not seen before. "These flowers are quite brilliant, I must say. Some of them are unfamiliar to me; are they from outside the desert? There are not too many flowering plants in this area, and I have a reasonable belief that I have seen most of them. If so, then you have likely traveled to farther places than I have ever had the pleasure of visiting." Tarentek commented, though as a thought crossed his mind, his expression became slightly more concerned. "Do you happen to travel to the east of here?"</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Yea, these came from the northeast. It's a lot cooler there, so these beauties are everywhere. I decided to bring them with me to this region because of the lack of flowers here." He picked up one that was a bright red color and gave it to Onyx to hold. "These are one of the most common, so they're not worth enough to trade anything for. You can have it." "Really? You just said that because there aren't a lot of flowers here-" "There are so many of these that they're considered a weed by my tribe. They take up space that could be used to grow food or medicinal herbs instead. I'm happy to be rid of it, besides it looks good with you." "Well, thank you." Onyx put it gently inside her med-pack before turning back to Haku'gil. "So, your tribe lives to the northeast? What is it like there?" "Not as good recently. There's some trouble in the south that's been bugging a few of our sister tribes. Apparently, a few have even been wiped out." Haku'gil frowned and looked at Tarentek. "You sounded worried when you asked if i'd been to the east. Do you know something about this?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek was slightly surprised that Haku'gil was willing to give away the flower, though he supposed it was simply a nice gesture. Even if it was only a weed to his people, Tarentek felt that he would have been justified in charging for it. Something that had no value in one place could be prized in another, and traveling long distances was expensive and difficult. Even though anyone in his homeland could retrieve one of those flowers for free, he was still providing a valuable service by bringing them to a foreign land. Regardless, it was a kind gesture that seemed to show the sense of community the Elissics had. Tarentek nodded in response to Haku. "Yes, I know some of the troubles to the east. I was wanting to warn you of them, especially if you intended to travel in that direction. There is a group causing strife in that area, and it may not be safe to pass through, even by air. I am sure your wings can minimize the danger, but you could be in danger when stopping for camp."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Well, there's no need to warn me away from the area. I'm going to the south next, and I hope that this group is not there already. From what I've heard of them, they take what they want with no concern for the people who are affected, and have no discerning eye for a sentry or civilian." Haku'gil shook his head and smiled again. "I hope you also take care in your travels, Tarentek. Onyx, I wish you the best of luck in your future, and may Olias watch over you." He bowed as Onyx responded. "Good travels, Haku'gil. May Olias watch over you as well." She bowed as she finished and stepped away from the counter, waiting for Tarentek to follow.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek repeated Onyx's farewell, then followed her away from Haku's stall. He hoped that word would spread of the Empire in the east so that travelers would not fall victim to them. Haku'gil seemed to suggest that they attacked travelers, though that was only a rumor. Indeed, most of what Tarentek knew about their enemy that did not relate to their military prowess was merely rumor. It was frustrating to have so little in the way of concrete information about their enemy, but hopefully scouting could remedy that issue. "I did not expect him to be so friendly to an outsider, though I suppose that is sensible for a merchant. I assume that is one of the traits imparted by what you would call a strong heart. I am guessing I will not receive such a warm welcome from everyone, but I am still...encouraged." Tarentek commented as his gaze wandered off across the market. "So, what do you believe we should do next? We can move on from the market, if you wish. I am curious about the rest of the nest. What does one normally do in their free time in your tribe?"</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Once one is done with any duties they had that day, they are free to do whatever they wish. I like to go fishing, but that's outside of the nest, and because you don't have wings we can't just go flying around either. Usually, people of similar professions will group together in areas respective to their role. I would be with the one group that is still completely unpredictable, those who have not come of age." Onyx was leading Tarentek through the last of the crowd now, to a staircase cut into the mountain that led up to the center of the nest. "We are different from children, in that we can take care of ourselves, but we are not adult because we have not been accepted into a role yet." Onyx started flying next to the staircase as she continued. "This leads to the center of the nest, where most of the people my age gather. I don't know any better way to explain our activities other than simply showing you."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek did not quite know what to think about the group that Onyx belonged to: those who were not children, but not yet adults. His people did not have an analogous group, as children in Amman often knew from a young age what role they were going to pursue. There were some who changed their roles later in life, but they were the exception rather than the rule. He felt his own people's method would be more productive, but then again, he did acknowledge that some of his people became dissatisfied with their role in life, but could not change their path because they were already too invested in it. For the Elissics, that would not be quite as much of an issue. Nodding to Onyx, Tarentek continued to follow her up the steps towards the center of the nest. As he had not yet fully recovered, he was already showing signs of fatigue from climbing the steep staircase, but he was not too exhausted to continue. "Alright, I shall follow your lead. The others your age, do you think they will be accepting of me, or should I be cautious?" He asked.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Tarentek was almost to the top when he asked if he should be worried about the others, Onyx landed at the top and waited there for him as she started. "They wouldn't be much different from most of the adults, but will likely be too shy to try and pick a fight with you. I don't know if you're aware of this, but you don't look as kind as you seem to be." "You look tired, would you like to rest here for a while?" Onyx took flight again and continued. "I'll go ahead and tell them about you if you like. The place is just around the corner of this ruin." She gestured to a tall shell of one of the old buildings that were scattered all across the nest. "You can come when you've caught your breath."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek gave a chuckle as he sat down on a large rock along the path. So it was fear that was keeping some of the others from attempting to harm him? It was not his preferred method of staying safe, but at the very least, it was preventing anyone from getting hurt. Tarentek had no intention of picking a fight with anyone, and he would try to run if he could, but if pressed, he would have no choice but to defend himself. "Perhaps it would be best if you told them I was coming, instead of suddenly surprising them with me." Tarentek answered. "I should be fine in a few minutes. How about you go ahead and tell them what you need to tell them, then come and collect me. That should give me more than enough time to rest." He suggested.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Alright. I'll be right back." Onyx said before she flew over the top of the ruin. She landed softly, standing on a narrow strip of the wall as she watched the group below her. She recognized the different clumps of 3 or 4 that were friends and then the few who were off doing their own thing. Drifting down until she was next to a group that she usually joined whenever they played games that needed even teams, she waited until she was greeted before speaking. "Hey Onyx. You're quiet as always." The speaker was the 'leader' of the group, and a friend of Opal's. "Good day Daimos. I'm respectful, not quiet." Onyx had barely finished speaking before another one spoke up. "That's the same thing! Quiet until spoken to, that's 'respect'." The speaker now was one that seemed to consider herself everyone's friend, and was Daimos's sister. "You lack the guts to make anyone angry." "Why would I want to make someone angry at me? Kesi, your name does not have to define you. You are not meant to cause trouble all the time." Onyx couldn't help but smile at her as she tried to come up with a retort, but interrupted her before she could say anything anyway. "I hope you all have at least heard about what happened yesterday. You have to start paying attention to the tribe's affairs eventually, so the sooner the better." Daimos shook his head along with his sister. "Nah, we don't care about that stuff like you do. I'll worry about it once i'm a sentry." One of the others spoke up after Daimos had finished. "I heard about it, I think. Do you mean about the Outsider that's staying here until he's healed from an attack on his tribe?" Onyx smiled. "Yes, that's exactly what I mean Akili. At least you being true to your name is a good trait." She waited a moment while Daimos and Kesi made their objections before speaking again. "I have him with me, would you like to meet him?" The response from the group was immediate and hilarious. Damios and the other boys recoiled a little but then started getting exited, while Akili and Kesi stared at Onyx before stepping closer and asking her questions. "I'm going to go get him now. I told you so you'd all have time to prepare before you actually saw him. I've been showing him around and he wanted to know what we do for fun here." Before she heard whatever they may have said next Onyx took off, flying back over to where Tarentek was. "Hello again. Are you ready?" She asked him after he had noticed her.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx led Tarentek to Daimos and the others, who watched them the entire way. When they reached the group, no one said anything, so Onyx decided to do introductions. "Everyone, this is Tarentek. Tarentek, meet Daimos, Kesi, Akili, Geda, and Helaheim." Onyx motioned to each of them as she said their names, and each of them nodded or waved in responce. "Yea, and this is Onyx. Though I guess you know that already." Daimos said as he stepped up next to Onyx and placed an arm across her shoulders. "My name means 'King-like', so of course I'm the leader here. Onyx isn't really one of us, but she's good for when we need another person to play Felldan with us." He shrugged as Onyx forced him to let go of her to go stand by Akili. "Wha- Of course she's a part of our group! She's my friend." Kesi said to Daimos as she attempted to cling to Onyx's arm. Looking at Tarentek now she spoke coldly. "My name means 'Trouble'. Keep that in mind if you try to mess with me or anyone else." Onyx was about to tell Kesi off when Geda stepped forward and held out his hand to Tarentek. "Geda. Means 'Rock'. Nice to meet ya." He was immediately followed by Helaheim, who nodded to Tarentek but did not copy Geda's gesture. "I am Helaheim, and that means 'Guardian'. Me and Geda are twins, I'm the more talkative one." Akili was silently watching what happened, and made no move to say anything before Onyx prodded her. "Akili, your turn." With a sigh she gave in. "Greetings. Im 'Intuitive'." Leaning in to Onyx she whispered, "Is it safe to be around him?" "Careful Akili, he might hear you." Onyx whispered back before speaking so everyone could hear. "Now, I assure you all that he's more worried that you'll attack him than ant of you should be about him attacking you. He was near-dead just yesterday, he doesn't have the energy to waste."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek stood stoic through the introductions, trying to make sure he remembered each name and what they said about themselves. He had started to gather that the meanings of their names were important to them, moreso than with his own people. In Amman, names almost always had meaning, but since those names were given shortly after hatching, their actual meanings were not strictly assumed to apply to the individual. He supposed that might also be the case with the Elissics, but they at least seemed to speak of their names more frequently in introductions. "She is certainly not wrong. My wounds were severe, and it will likely be another week before I am fully recovered." Tarentek explained, though with his robe covering all except his head, and the very end of his tail that poked out from under his robe near his feet, the evidence of his injuries were not visible. "Fortunately, starvation and thirst were a greater threat to me than anything else, so I believe I will be fine. At any rate, as Onyx said, my name is Tarentek. Its meaning is 'Favored-of-the-Gods.' I do not know a great deal about your people, but I find I am learning much today."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Everyone seemed to calm down after what Tarentek said, so Daimos spoke up. "Well, Onyx told us already that you wanted to know what we do for fun here. Wanna watch us play a round of Felldan?" No one spoke against the idea, so Onyx began to explain the rules to Tarentek, as well as the point of the game, while the others cleared an area big enough to play in. "Felldan is a game involving two teams, usually having three people on each and the members of each being the opposite gender than the other team. It is exactly the same as another game, Heildan, except in Felldan it is against the rules to fly. There are two objects, one belonging to each team, that the team has to guard while attempting to take the other team's object as well. The objects may be carried or left i one spot to guard, but once a choice is made then that is how it must stay for the rest of the round." Akili Interrupted her then. "For example, if a team decides to have their object carried by a member of their team, then that team member is the only one allowed to carry and guard the object, and they can't put it down either. The round is won by the team that gets the two objects together first."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Certainly, I would not mind watching a game." Tarentek said to Daimos, then looked around briefly for a place nearby to take a seat. There were no convenient rocks like last time, but there was an area of the ground that looked to be out of the way. "My people do not have a game like this one, but we had other sports with similar concepts. I was quite fond of playing them myself, especially with my fellow warriors. Sports can serve as great exercise, as well as great team-building and morale-building events. In Amman, they were not something one ever quite grew out of. I think every settlement has at least one game they like to play, though I tend to prefer the ones that allow for a wide variety of tactics and strategies. This one seems to fit that description; although, I do not know exactly how it is played yet. I suppose I will see for myself once you begin, but I am curious, why is it that the two teams must be of opposite genders?" Tarentek questioned. Among the Karisskan, males and females were nearly identical apart from their roles in reproduction, so any sort of gender separation was entirely foreign to them.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "The teams represent Heillias and Fellagang fighting over the support of the people, or here the two objects." Onyx explained. "The team of males represent Fellagang because he represents Spirit, and the team of females represent Heillias and Heart. Back when the game was made many believed that males always had a slightly stronger spirit than females, who were believed to always have a stronger heart because of the role of raising a family." "Speaking of the two objects, what are we going to use?" Helaheim asked Daimos. Daimos thought for a moment and pulled out a knife. "We can use this as one of them." He said while Helaheim and Geda agreed with him. "No! You can't use a knife to represent the people! It has to be something that actually is like the people." Kesi cried. "Oh yeah, like what?" Daimos snapped back. "Like, something soft and beautiful, like me." She grinned at her joke while Onyx started to growl at her. "How can you be so...!" Onyx trailed off, not allowing her anger to get the best of her. "Oh, Onyx! We can use your shawl!" Kesi said, ignoring Onyx's growl. "It's soft, and the pattern is beautiful." She walked up behind Onyx fast enough that Onyx couldn't stop her from taking her shawl from her. "Well great. You guys have your item, what's wrong with ours?" Daimos said. "Maybe you should use a rock or something." Akili offered with a laugh. "There's no rule about what to use. The knife is fine." Onyx said tiredly. "Can we just start the game please?" "Yea. Just figure out what you're gonna do with your object. Game starts when mister 'Favored-of-the-Gods' over there says." Daimos called over to her as his team began to talk among themselves. Onyx motioned the others closer so they could do the same. "Can I please carry my shawl at least?" "Yea, but don't tie it around your neck like you normally do or those idiots will choke you when they try and get it away." Akili whispered as Kesi passed Onyx's shawl back to her. "That means me and Kesi will be working on getting the knife from them though. You'll be on the defense all on your own." "I've no problem with that plan. Daimos gave the knife to Geda to hold." Kesi said before yelling to the boys. "You better keep that thing sheathed! No injuries this time!" "Alright, I'm going to tell Tarentek to start the game now." Onyx said as she retied her shawl around her waist, just below her wings, and walked over to Tarentek. "Daimos wants you to signal the start of the game. Personally I don't care how you start it, just do whatever you want to. Most adults like to shout 'Felldan' to start it though." Onyx didn't wait to hear anything Tarentek may have said before going back to her team and taking a stance between Kesi and Akili to wait for the start of the game.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek still found it strange that Elissics could have different attributes just based on their gender, but as he thought about it, he started to make some sense of it. Male and Female Karisskan had the same average height, weight, strength, coloration, and most other physical characteristics, but that did not seem to be true of the Elissics. It was quite visibly obvious which ones were male and female, even tot he untrained eyes of other races. It was possible they had different attributes, which created differences between them in their culture. It was something he could ask about later; for the moment, he focused on watching the game. As the group was making their plans, Tarentek was a bit surprised to hear his name mentioned. For whatever reason, Daimos said he wanted Tarentek to start the game, though he was not really sure when that would be appropriate. He would have asked, but the two groups quickly huddled together, presumably to make plans for the game. Tarentek was silent and confused when Onyx finally walked over, and he remained confused as she returned to her group. "Felldan? Wait, what does 'felldan' mean?" Tarentek asked as Onyx was walking away, but he received no answer. With the two groups waiting for his signal, however, he had to say something. "Uhh...Felldan?" Tarentek shouted with noticeable uncertainty in his voice.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Even though he sounded fairly confused, Tarentek started the game well. Onyx could hear the hushed laughs from her teammates as they rushed forward to confront Geda. She was only able to watch their skirmish for a short amount of time however, because Helaheim and Daimos were beside her in seconds. Daimos almost got hold of the shawl around her waist, but Onyx sidestepped out of the way so he almost ended up falling on his face. Not stopping for even a moment, Onyx kept dodging Daimos until she accidentally backed into Helaheim, who then tried to immobilize her so Daimos could untie the shawl from her waist. "Onyx! We got the knife from Geda! Hurry up and give those two the slip!" Onyx couldn't see Kesi, but the victorious lilt in her voice was enough to make Onyx smile right in Daimos's face. "That's my cue." Onyx said as she ducked out from Helaheim's grip and started towards Kesi and Akili, who were throwing the knife between the two of them so that Geda couldn't get it back. Onyx nearly tripped though, because Daimos still had a grip on the shawl around her waist. Turning quickly, Onyx raked her claws across his hand, causing him to let go. She didn't smell any blood, so she knew she had only surprised him, rather than actually injuring him. Untying the shawl as she ran over to Akili, Onyx waited for Kesi to throw the knife to one of them so they could win the game. A second later, Akili caught the knife and passed it to Onyx, who held up the two items in victory. "Heillias wins this round!" Daimos, Helaheim, and Geda all walked up to her and congratulated their team, while Onyx gave the knife back to Daimos. Daimos shook his head at Onyx while the others started arguing about whether or not they should play another round.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek was not expecting the game to be a hand-to-hand skirmish for control of the items, though he supposed he could not think of any other way they would get control of the items. He wondered what kind of other rules existed for what one could and could not do other than what he already knew about. Obviously, they did not want to seriously hurt each other, but he was curious what kind of force was acceptable for retrieving the items. "Hmm, so the game is quite literally a fight for the items?" Tarentek commented from the sidelines. "My people do not quite have any games like that. We simply spar if we wish to fight, though I can see how this might be more entertaining. I am curious, what are the finer rules of this game. I gather that you don't want to hurt each other, but what can someone do to claim an item? That round was quick, but I did notice that Onyx used her claws at one point." He questioned. Competitive games in general were something that interested him, even one as seemingly simple as this. If he were in a better condition, he might have asked to join, but he doubted he would be very successful at present.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Well, there really aren't any rules past how the game is played. Any amount of force is allowed, and encouraged, in both Felldan and Heildan. Although Felldan tends to have less injury because of the no-flying rule." Onyx started explaining. "I, uh, actually prefer to play Felldan because of this fact." "Yea, what with all the injuries you got the last time you played Heildan, I don't blame you." Daimos said to her before joining in the other's argument.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "I see, so it is essentially sparring with another goal. I think I understand how that would work. Obviously, you do not want to cause serious harm to your opponent, but you do not go into it intending to hold back any more than necessary, correct? That does sound like a skill-building exercise, something I wish I could ask to join." Tarentek began. He shifted slightly to a different sitting position, feeling the ever-present aching of his muscles as he moved. "Unfortunately, I do not think I would last long at the moment. I will not be able to do any serious training for at least a few days. Perhaps shooting or archery practice, but nothing greatly physical for the moment. My robe covers my wounds, but they are...significant." He explained.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx looked at hom with concern. "Do you want to go back to my den and rest? I have something with me that can dull the pain if not." Onyx began fishing around in her med-pack until she found the pills she was looking for. "You can just take them with some water." She said as she offered the pills to him.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Oh, you don't need to worry right now. I didn't mean to say that I am getting worse or anything, just that I am not up to my normal strength. Rest assured, I am steadily improving. Though, I suppose it will not hurt to take the pills." Tarentek answered reassuringly before taking the pills, followed by a drink of water. "Thank you. If you intend to play another game, I would be quite content to watch, but we could go elsewhere as well. If you think it would be appropriate for me to participate in something, I think I would...enjoy it. It would just have to be something that is not physically demanding." Tarentek added.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Well, it's actually geting pretty late." Onyx said as she looked up at the sky. The Sun was getting low on the horizon, turning the sky a light orange color. "I actually haven't done any of my tasks for today. Would you like to accompany me on those?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Hmm, I did not know you would still have tasks to complete while you were assigned to me. Sure, I can accompany you. Perhaps I can even be of some help if it is nothing strenuous." Tarentek answered before slowly bringing himself up to his feet. It was questionable how much help he could actually provide for many tasks, but he was willing to try nevertheless. Tarentek gave a glance to Onyx's friends, who were talking amongst themselves. While they seemed surprised at first to meet him, they were at least tolerating him at the moment. Of course, they were young, and perhaps not as far set in their ways as some of the older members of the community. Regardless, his experiences with meeting some of the members of the tribe had showed him that it might be possible to be accepted by them. Although, he did not know for how long he would even be with them. After his mission for Raldel, he could very well be made to leave.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I'm never given very laborious tasks, although I seriously doubt you'll be any help to me." Onyx laughed as she began leading the way to a large ruin that looked more intact than many of the others around the nest. She stopped at the entrance and spoke again. "Wait here for me. I have to go in and revive my tasks. This will not take long." True to her word, she reappeared just moments later carrying a few small items that were wrapped in simple white cloth. "I have to do deliveries today. It might be faster if I did this alone though, and easier because some of the places can only be reached by flight. Do you still wish to accompany me?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek did not know what kind of tasks Onyx might have that he could not help with, though it made sense once she emerged from the ruin with the items in hand. She could very easily cover more ground, more quickly than himself, so he did begin to reconsider his decision to join her. As much as he wished to learn more about the tribe, he had no desire to hold her back from her duties. "Honestly, I probably shouldn't accompany you. It would be far more efficient for you to simply give the deliveries by flight. I will head back to your den. I was paying attention as we walked, so I know the way back, and I do not believe anyone will bother me. I will see you once you return." Tarentek answered. After the two parted, Tarentek made his way back across the bridges and down the paths to Onyx's den. Since most of the tribe flew to their destinations, it was not hard for him to stay out sight and out of mind. While he had positive experiences with the people Onyx introduced him to, he had a feeling that other individuals, such as sentries, would not be as open-minded. As soon as Tarentek made it to Onyx's den, he took a seat in the main room to rest after a long day of walking. Despite his condition, he wanted to maintain a minimum amount of exercise, so he hoped he would continue to be allowed outside. At first, he did not believe he had much to do while he waited for Onyx to return to her home, but as the scent of some of her cooking ingredients entered his nose, an idea formed in his mind. Onyx had seemed interested in the idea of learning some of his recipes, so why not simply show her one? He began to grin to himself as he lit a fire with which to cook, then searched through her stores of ingredients. They were not as varied as what he was used to, but there was plenty he could make in the time it would take for her to finish her deliveries. Eventually, he decided on something partially similar to the dish he had described before. She did not have everything needed to make the right kind of bread, but he could make flatbread for a type of meat pie with ground mutton, melted cheese, and a collection of spices.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx was slightly relieved that Tarentek had not insisted on going with her on the deliveries. They did not take too long, So when she got back to her den Onyx was surprised to find Tarentek cooking. "Of all the places you could have snooped around in here, you choose the kitchen? I must say though, that smells good." Onyx sniffed the air. She had no idea what it was he was making, so she went over and started watching him to try and guess. "Oh! This looks like what you described earlier! Or at least, something like I had imagined when you had told me." Onyx couldn't keep the excitement from her voice when she spoke.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek The meal was nearing completion by the time Onyx returned. He might have finished sooner if it had not taken him so long to find something he could use to grind up the meat. It was the one thing he needed which he could not locate by scent, so he had to guess at where he could find it. Hearing Onyx's surprise caused Tarentek to smile as he turned to look at her. "Not exactly, but it is similar. I though I would do something to give at least a bit back for the kindnesses you've done for me. I did not have everything I needed for the right kind of bread, but as long as there is flour and water, I can make flatbread. I'm making two personal meat pies for each of us, each with ground mutton, melted cheese, and a combination of spices you had on hand. It is fairly simple, though I did also add some spices to the bread as well, which should give it a bit more character. It is something my uncle taught me. It is all almost ready, I'm just waiting on the mutton to finish cooking, which shouldn't be more than a few minutes."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Ok. Do you need help finding any dishes or utensils?" Onyx wondered at what he had said for a moment, and spoke another question. "Your, uncle? I am unfamiliar with this term."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Oh, he is my father's brother." Tarentek answered as he checked once more on the mutton. "He was one of the few in my family not to become a warrior. He has been reasonably successful, all things considered. He wanted to own his own business, but he was never able to amass the wealth necessary, so he went to work for someone else, an innkeeper. Luckily, they got along well enough that he ended up marrying her, so his life is fairly secure at this point. Well...as long as they made it through the attack." Not wanting to dwell on the thoughts of his home, Tarentek quickly moved to retrieve the plates and utensils. "And don't worry, I found everything I needed well enough, though it did take a while to find something to grind up the meat."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Well, It seem a strange word to use to describe your father's brother." Onyx purposely tried not to say anything else about the subject, it seemed that Tarentek was beginning to worry about those he had left behind. Onyx wasn't quite sure what to do, she wasn't really used to waiting for a meal that someone else had cooked. "Well, It's good that you were able to find everything. Would you, like me pour some drinks? There is water, of course, but also I have some cordial you might like. It's non-alcoholic, made from fruit juice, water, and sugar."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Sure, I would not mind something different to drink. Perhaps in the future I could show you some of my favorite drinks as well, as long as you don't mind trying alcohol. I think the mutton is done, so I'll have everything ready in a moment." Tarentek answered as he began to move the ground mutton over onto two circular pieces of flatbread, then cover both in cheese. Once finished, he folded the flatbread over the meat to contain it so that it could be eaten with utensils, or simply with the hands. Tarentek set down both plates at the table, then took a seat himself. "It is ready; I am eager to hear what you think. I'm wondering how well my people's tastes transfer over to yours. We both eat meat, and most of the other things you have in your kitchen, so I don't imagine our tastes are too different from one another." He observed.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx poured two glasses of the cordial, and placed them on the table before taking a seat herself. The meal smelled delicious, but what Tarentek had said about tastes kept her from eating long enough to continue on the topic. "I doubt our tastes are completely the same though. Your people must have some reservations about certain foods that I definitely wouldn't have. Say for instance... You told me that your people are born from eggs, I know of a race that also is born from eggs that sees eating eggs as an abomination, while I must say I like the way bird's eggs taste." "Or even something as simple as raw meat. I can eat it just fine, although I don't know if you can so I've cooked all the meat I've fed you so far. Now that I think about it, My people have very few reservations about what we eat, so long as it's not rotting." Onyx stopped talking to take a drink of her cordial. It's not as sweet as the last batch I made... It's still good though.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx was slightly relieved that Tarentek had not insisted on going with her on the deliveries. They did not take too long, So when she got back to her den Onyx was surprised to find Tarentek cooking. "Of all the places you could have snooped around in here, you choose the kitchen? I must say though, that smells good." Onyx sniffed the air. She had no idea what it was he was making, so she went over and started watching him to try and guess. "Oh! This looks like what you described earlier! Or at least, something like I had imagined when you had told me." Onyx couldn't keep the excitement from her voice when she spoke.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek The meal was nearing completion by the time Onyx returned. He might have finished sooner if it had not taken him so long to find something he could use to grind up the meat. It was the one thing he needed which he could not locate by scent, so he had to guess at where he could find it. Hearing Onyx's surprise caused Tarentek to smile as he turned to look at her. "Not exactly, but it is similar. I though I would do something to give at least a bit back for the kindnesses you've done for me. I did not have everything I needed for the right kind of bread, but as long as there is flour and water, I can make flatbread. I'm making two personal meat pies for each of us, each with ground mutton, melted cheese, and a combination of spices you had on hand. It is fairly simple, though I did also add some spices to the bread as well, which should give it a bit more character. It is something my uncle taught me. It is all almost ready, I'm just waiting on the mutton to finish cooking, which shouldn't be more than a few minutes."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Ok. Do you need help finding any dishes or utensils?" Onyx wondered at what he had said for a moment, and spoke another question. "Your, uncle? I am unfamiliar with this term."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Oh, he is my father's brother." Tarentek answered as he checked once more on the mutton. "He was one of the few in my family not to become a warrior. He has been reasonably successful, all things considered. He wanted to own his own business, but he was never able to amass the wealth necessary, so he went to work for someone else, an innkeeper. Luckily, they got along well enough that he ended up marrying her, so his life is fairly secure at this point. Well...as long as they made it through the attack." Not wanting to dwell on the thoughts of his home, Tarentek quickly moved to retrieve the plates and utensils. "And don't worry, I found everything I needed well enough, though it did take a while to find something to grind up the meat."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Well, It seem a strange word to use to describe your father's brother." Onyx purposely tried not to say anything else about the subject, it seemed that Tarentek was beginning to worry about those he had left behind. Onyx wasn't quite sure what to do, she wasn't really used to waiting for a meal that someone else had cooked. "Well, It's good that you were able to find everything. Would you, like me pour some drinks? There is water, of course, but also I have some cordial you might like. It's non-alcoholic, made from fruit juice, water, and sugar."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Sure, I would not mind something different to drink. Perhaps in the future I could show you some of my favorite drinks as well, as long as you don't mind trying alcohol. I think the mutton is done, so I'll have everything ready in a moment." Tarentek answered as he began to move the ground mutton over onto two circular pieces of flatbread, then cover both in cheese. Once finished, he folded the flatbread over the meat to contain it so that it could be eaten with utensils, or simply with the hands. Tarentek set down both plates at the table, then took a seat himself. "It is ready; I am eager to hear what you think. I'm wondering how well my people's tastes transfer over to yours. We both eat meat, and most of the other things you have in your kitchen, so I don't imagine our tastes are too different from one another." He observed.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx poured two glasses of the cordial, and placed them on the table before taking a seat herself. The meal smelled delicious, but what Tarentek had said about tastes kept her from eating long enough to continue on the topic. "I doubt our tastes are completely the same though. Your people must have some reservations about certain foods that I definitely wouldn't have. Say for instance... You told me that your people are born from eggs, I know of a race that also is born from eggs that sees eating eggs as an abomination, while I must say I like the way bird's eggs taste." "Or even something as simple as raw meat. I can eat it just fine, although I don't know if you can so I've cooked all the meat I've fed you so far. Now that I think about it, My people have very few reservations about what we eat, so long as it's not rotting." Onyx stopped talking to take a drink of her cordial. It's not as sweet as the last batch I made... It's still good though.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Before beginning his meal, Tarentek tried the cordial Onyx poured for him. It was a sweet drink, much like he expected from her description of its ingredients. Visibly pleased with the drink, Tarentek moved on to finally start eating. The meat pie was partially encased by the bread, so he decided to forgo the use of utensils and simply used his hands. "Hmm, I can understand why a race might have issue with eating eggs, but my people do not. We tend to be pragmatists when it comes to our food...or anything, really. Eggs are tasty, nutritious, and convenient. Now, if you tried to eat one of our eggs, we would have you tried and executed for murder. Bird eggs, however, go great with a number of dishes. Now raw meat, that is something neither I nor my people would choose to eat. I have had meat raw before, but it was out of necessity. There have been a few times that my scouting team was caught out in the desert with nothing to use to make a fire, usually when a sandstorm was keeping us in shelter. During those times, we ate our meat raw, but I certainly don't prefer it. Most of the people in Amman have probably never eaten meat raw. I can do it, but rather not. It's not so much because of the taste, but because of the extra risk of disease. Eating raw meat, you will probably be fine, but cooked meat will always be safer." Tarentek explained. "As far as tastes we have that you may not? Well, alcohol is a possibility. You said your people do not drink it, correct? Have you ever tried it before, or is it just something you haven't had available?"</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx took a bite of the sandwich before speaking again. "Wow, this is really good! I mean, It smelled good, but it tastes even better than I thought it would." Clearing her throat, she continued on their topic. "Well, alcohol has always been available, but I've never tried it nor have I ever needed it before. Some of the elders like alcohol, they like to mix it with sweet drinks like cordial or cook with it. I've been told that when you cook with alcohol that it just cooks away, leaving whatever you made with a strange flavor, however I've never done so myself because I don't believe that it could all simply cook away." Onyx took another bite. "I have told you we use it as a painkiller, or so I believe I have, but I do remember telling you that it makes us as if we are dream-walking. As for cooked meat tasting better to you than raw... I suppose I could see why. I like both types the same, as you can do different things with the meat when you cook it, like this meal, however I find something..." She drifts off as she searches for the right word. "Intoxicating about being able to hunt your food, and eat it the minute you catch it. It always tastes good too, because it's still warm from the hunt. I imagine cold raw meat wouldn't taste as good, but I still wouldn't mind it."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek gave a chuckle. "Alcohol is intoxicating as well, though in a different way. As you've said, drinking too much alcohol can and will put you in a different state of mind. Some find it rather pleasurable and therefore drink specifically for that effect. However, one should avoid drinking if they have any kind of important duties, as it would make fulfilling them quite impossible for a time. For most who drink, it is a mostly harmless hobby, but some can take it too far and rely on it too much. I had a friend who was like that, but by Jhala's grace, myself and our other friends managed to help him stop. Though, it was likely his betrothed who influenced him the most." Tarentek appreciated the compliment on his food, so he returned one in kind for her drink. "I rather like this cordial. What kind of fruit is it made from? I think it tastes familiar, but I can't quite place it. In any case, sweet foods and drinks are some of my favorites. Some of my friends have said that I like things to be too sweet, but I don't think there is such a thing." He said with a smile.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx smiled at his complement. "Of course there's no such thing. It's plums, by the way. They grow in the oases near the sea, and are very naturally sweet, although I still add sugar to make the cordial." Onyx took a sip and continued. "What types of fruit do you like to eat? Plum is one of my favorites, although I like grapes and apples also."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "My favorite fruits? I rather like cherries, though we tend to have more pomegranates. Honestly, though, fruit isn't the largest part of our diet. When we are able, we eat as much meat as we can get our hands on. Just looking at my teeth can give that away." Tarentek answered, opening his mouth slightly to reveal his many long and sharp teeth. "It is quite easy for us to rip into tough things like meat, but chewing is a lot harder. We have to put in a lot more effort, and it is generally annoying. Possible, but annoying." Another effect of Tarentek's comparatively large mouth was that he could take quite large bites. As a result, he was already close to finishing his meat pie, though he was still perfectly engaged in the conversation. "You know, I would like to thank you for showing me around the...nest today. I understand you might not be able to do so everyday, but I appreciate it just the same. Perhaps later, we can do more outside this den. As I mentioned before, I will not be up for much in the way of physical training for a time, but perhaps we could have some marksmanship training later, or at least archery? I am not certain how many bullets your tribe has on hand, so I don't know how freely you can use them for training. Sometimes, I forget that most settlements have not discovered how to make ammunition for firearms. It requires specialized knowledge that Amman's leadership was intent on keeping a closely guarded secret."</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Not many of us have relics like that, If we need a ranged weapon we prefer something like a bow or slingshot. They're easier for us to aim in the air, and we don't have many relics of that type in the first place, so bows are more accessible. I prefer more, reliable, methods of fighting however; like hand-to-hand and fighting with knives and daggers. I can throw the knives if needed, but I prefer to know that the enemy can't deflect my attacks." Onyx was glad that Tarentek had enjoyed their little outing. "If you wish, I could show you the training grounds tomorrow. There might even be a spare bow that's your size that you could use." Onyx looked at the sky for a moment. "I didn't notice, it's dark now. You should rest after you finish eating, I have something I need to do on my own by moon-high though, so I should probably leave soon." Onyx hurried to finish the meal and then she went around the den, gathering the things she would need to bring with her. "I'll do some cleaning when I get back. Try to be asleep by then though, there's some medicine on the table by your bed to help you sleep if you need."</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Not many of us have relics like that, If we need a ranged weapon we prefer something like a bow or slingshot. They're easier for us to aim in the air, and we don't have many relics of that type in the first place, so bows are more accessible. I prefer more, reliable, methods of fighting however; like hand-to-hand and fighting with knives and daggers. I can throw the knives if needed, but I prefer to know that the enemy can't deflect my attacks." Onyx was glad that Tarentek had enjoyed their little outing. "If you wish, I could show you the training grounds tomorrow. There might even be a spare bow that's your size that you could use." Onyx looked at the sky for a moment. "I didn't notice, it's dark now. You should rest after you finish eating, I have something I need to do on my own by moon-high though, so I should probably leave soon." Onyx hurried to finish the meal and then she went around the den, gathering the things she would need to bring with her. "I'll do some cleaning when I get back. Try to be asleep by then though, there's some medicine on the table by your bed to help you sleep if you need."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek nodded as Onyx spoke. He had finished his food and was now taking his time on the rest of his cordial while they finished their conversation. "I see. It makes sense that you would gravitate towards that which you know will work. Though, firearms can be reliable as well, if you have all of the knowledge necessary to sustain them. They can kill more efficiently and at longer ranges than any bow or blade. Our enemy certainly has the ability to maintain their weapons and supply ammunition, which is one reason we have to approach them cautiously. It would be useful if us and our allies had the same capabilities. I have taken an oath that I would never betray the secrets of my people, but now..." He began, his voice trailing off as his mind filled with conflicting questions. Both of them finished their meals, so Onyx began gathering up all she would need for what Tarentek assumed to be the ritual she intended to perform. "Well, if you say your handguns are not reliable, I might be able to help. Sand can give any firearm problems; some more than others. It can wear down its parts and cause it to jam, but I've had a lot of practice fixing them." Tarentek offered as Onyx was getting ready to leave. "For now, though, I'll let you get on your way. I think I'll take your advice and get to sleep. I do need rest, after all. Good luck with all you need to do." Tarentek returned to his room as Onyx was leaving. He almost had not noticed how tired he really was, given that he had been feeling fatigued pretty much constantly for the past few days. Still, it wasn't quite as bad as the previous day, and his health would only get better. Tarentek undressed and stored his belongings in the same place as the previous night, alongside his rifle. He had not brought his firearm out with him that day so as to avoid seeming threatening to the rest of Onyx's tribe, though he had been carrying his machete under his robe. He did not like to be completely unarmed if he could help it, and a machete could be a generally useful tool for purposes other than fighting. Just like the night before, it did not take long after Tarentek laid down for him to get to sleep.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx got to Fellagang's place of power in just a few minutes. She was somewhat glad that there was no one there still, even though it wouldn't have been a problem if there were. She entered the shrine, an old ruin that was visibly in much better condition than any of the other structures in the nest that had been left behind by the ones before her people. The building itself was made of metal, rather than the stone that made the other buildings around the nest. Inside the domed roof, the singular room was enormous. There was a circular dip in the center, around which was a raised balcony that held the many offerings and mixtures of past rituals that had been held there. Onyx walked in and paused at the stairs from the balcony to the lowered section of the room, checking again for people. She still saw no one, although now the thought made her uneasy. She forced the feeling away and bowed to the center of the room, speaking to the night air. "Spirits of Olias, I ask that you guard and witness my ritual tonight." Standing tall again, Onyx walked the circumference of the room and tried to remember how to start the ritual. "Forgive my mistakes, and guide my actions." Onyx mumbled under her breath before she got back to the top of the steps down to the inner circle. Letting out her breath and forcing her mind to go blank, she stepped down and into the center of the inner circle and sat down. Taking the items she needed from her med-pack where she had put them to carry, she placed them in front of herself and began to arrange them in the way she remembered seeing others do when they had done a solo ritual. Onyx had a small wooden bowl, the honey statue and dried Creosote she had gotten at the market earlier, along with a few other herbs and some flint to use to help start a small fire. She also pulled out one of her knives and placed it beside the flint. "That's everything, now to wait for moon-high." Onyx glanced at the sky through the large hole in the ceiling that allowed the moonlight in to illuminate the room, and would perfectly frame the moon overhead when it was time for her to start. While she waited, Onyx prepared a little more. She thought about what she would say, and what she hoped she would hear in response, while she prepared the herbs in the bowl and the Creosote braid she cut in half, mixing one half of it with the herbs in the bowl and saving the rest to hold as it burned while she did her ritual. When moon-high finally came, she was ready. First Onyx lit the herbs in the bowl by striking the flint against her knife, causing sparks that caught the dried leaves easily, and then lit the end of the remaining half of the Creosote braid off of the small flame that was in the bowl. Once the flame on both Items had died, Onyx put away her knife and the flint, and placed the honey statue in the bowl on top of the now-smoking herbs there. Inhaling the sweet-scented mixture deeply, Onyx closed her eyes and began to speak. "Lord Fellagang, I seek your guidance. Please, answer me here, at the root of your power and link to our tribe, where I know spirits of Olias have gathered to bear witness to your answer." Onyx paused for a second as a small chill went through the air. "I recognize you, as I always have, the patron of Soul. I also recognize and accept that you have blessed me with a stronger heart than most, though I wish to ask what you wish for my path." As Onyx spoke, she could feel the air grow colder. She listened for a moment, and when she heard nothing she went on. "Speaking with the outsider Tarentek helped me to remember a story that my mother, a diplomat blessed by you, once told me about the times of the beginning of our people, when we were just learning the best ways to decide the role of a member of the tribe, and when the roles of diplomats, traders, and prophets came into being. Back then, we as a people mostly ignored Heillias as the patron of heart because of our perception of the usefulness of the gifts of our heart. He was losing his battle with you, as we looked more to you and to the gifts of our souls, so he took our souls from us." "Without the strengths of the soul, our leaders and warriors were unable to make decisions for the tribes and in battle, and many lives were lost due to this sudden weakness. As our people began to slowly die out, leaders that were blessed by you with a strong heart began to try and reach out to the other tribes, to negotiate an end to fighting through any means necessary, while others found a way to strengthen the tribes through trade between them. As Heillias had planned, the loss of soul had made us turn from you and realize the potential of the gifts of the heart. We continued in these new practices, staying strong but unable to get stronger, until the first Prophet began to travel between the tribes and explain the reasons for our troubles." "Many still disagree about who that Prophet served, be it you, Heillias, or the spirits of Olias. What is known is that with the message the Prophet gave, we learned of the battle between you and Heillias and of the fact that the one who actually strengthens our soul is Heillias, while you gave us strong enough hearts to be able to survive the absence of our soul. Thank you for that, even though once we learned that we began to look more to Heillias than to you." "In those times, we were nearly destroyed because we were too dependent on the strength of our soul, and with the threat of this new empire, we may be near destruction once again because of our soul. Those with strong souls, our leaders and sentries, have kept us closed off from the outsiders in a way that meant that we would become as we are now. Still fighting among ourselves as tribes and with the other races around us, and leaving us nearly helpless against such a large unified force as this empire." "One outsider in particular has helped me to realize this, and he also said something else, about my strength of heart being a sign of the changing of the world and the new coming necessity for people who have a strong heart. Fellagang, I know my place is as one of these roles, but which one? My mother became a diplomat, could I be destined for the same path? Or am I to become a trader like Jai'san and Haku'gil?" Onyx went silent as she finally noticed the heat in her hands and opened her eyes. The Creosote braid that she had been holding had burned down into her hand, also burning her. At first glance, Onyx could tell that the burn wasn't severe, it would heal by morning if she put some salve on it before she went to bed. The next thing she noticed was that she was no longer alone. Standing in front of her was an Elissic with pure black fur and wings, and unnaturally blue eyes. Before Onyx could say anything he knelt down beside her and took her burned hand, tracing the burn with his fingers. As he did so, the burn healed completely, her soft fur regrowing over it pure white. "I am a spirit of Olias, and I have been watching you. In life I was a Prophet of Fellagang himself, now I am here to tell you that you will be too." He looked her in the eyes as he said this and then showed her his own hand, with the same white burn mark she now had. He smiled at her and stood back up, helping her to her feet as well. "Now, Onyx bright, speak this at your coming of age ritual. 'Thine eye that shines as white snow, Blessed me my wings of golden heart.' It is your personal Caantam and will show that you truly do know your path." Onyx had so many things she wished to ask, but she could feel herself falling asleep where she stood. "Not falling, rising. You will find that none of this happened, and your words left unspoken bring you to the new day." She heard the echo of his words in the room, and opened her eyes to the lightness of the predawn sky showing through the large hole in the ceiling. She sat up and looked around, finding everything was as she had prepared it before she had lit the herbs, and also finding that the honey statue was missing entirely, though the sweet scent of it clung to her as if she had bathed in it. She silently and quickly gathered up everything, and left the bowl of herbs and the unlit Creosote braid on the outer balcony by the entrance before she left. She did not think as she flew back to her den, and she did not remember to do any cleaning or check on Tarentek before she went to her bed and lay, trying to fall asleep while the Caantam the dark Elissic had told her ran through her mind over and over.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright A sudden scream jerked Onyx the rest of the way out of her trance-like state as she lay on her bed almost asleep. Confusion and then fear went through her as she realized that it was Tarentek screaming. She fumbled for a moment with her med-pack and barely remembered to grab one of her larger throwing knives before rushing to his room. The door was closed, and he had stopped screaming by the time she got there, so she steeled herself and opened the door carefully and quietly. Tarentek was the only one in the room, and Onyx couldn't smell any blood, so she assumed that he was also unharmed. He was sitting naked on the bed with his back to the wall, curled up and crying. Hesitating only a moment, Onyx went to get a glass of water and another blanket, as she saw the one he had was torn on the floor. As she got back to the room, the stepped just inside the door and spoke calmly, sweetly like her mother would speak when Onyx had cried when she was younger. "Bad dreams?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek did not know for how long he remained silent after Onyx spoke, staring blankly at the scales on his arms. It seemed like minutes, though it could have only been seconds. His entire body was shaking noticeably from the fear his memory left behind, and each breath was uneasy. Consciously, he knew he was safe, but the more basic parts of his mind would not cease in their panic. Eventually, Tarentek managed to take in a deep breath, then focus his eyes on the glass of water Onyx was holding. Slowly, he managed to move himself out of his curled up position to sit normally on the edge of the bed. Taking the glass Onyx offered, Tarentek took a small sip, then began to stare into the surface of the water. "Dream doesn't really describe it." He began, pausing a moment to sniff as he tried to cease his sobbing. "It's like...I don't know what it's like. It's horror replaying in my mind, not so much a dream as a memory. It doesn't happen every night but...too many nights. The deaths, the pain, the fear, none of it is going away. I feel...broken."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Tarentek was obviously very shaken by the memory, but he had managed to uncurl himself and take the glass from Onyx, so she hoped he might be calming down. She noticed he was crying, but trying to stop as he told her how he felt. Onyx glanced down at the new mark on her palm, and a sharp pang went through her. She felt so complete since she had seen the vision of the dark Elissic, she could hardly imagine how sad and lonely Tarentek must feel that he would describe himself as broken. He had told her in passing about some of the events that had led to Onyx meeting him at the sea just a few days ago, although she had never thought that there was more that he would never be able to tell because of the pain and fear it caused him to even remember it. Onyx sat on the bed beside him and began to reach for his hands. She hesitated a moment and then forced herself to hold his hands in her own, looking him in the eye. "I don't know what your life was like before this happened to you, and I do not hope to be able to understand completely, but I want you to know this: The past is behind you, and so long as you learn from it, the horrors you've known will never happen again." Onyx kept holding his hands, and she could see the white mark on her palm as she looked at them. "I also think you should know that I'm here for you, if you need to talk about it, or you just need a distraction."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek At first, Tarentek gave no sort of reaction when Onyx grabbed his hand. He simply continued to stare into his glass of water, lost in thought and fear. However, he was not ignoring her words; in fact, he was listening closely. It was unlikely that simple words could fully fix his problems, but he would be lying if he said they did not help. A few weeks prior, he had lost everything, and everyone, in his life. He had wandered the desert in solitude, in constant fear of dying in isolation. It was a prospect that he had never known he feared so greatly until the danger was upon him. He wanted to have friends and companions, to have something to belong to. Without his people, he felt like he had no purpose. Currently, he still had no sense of belonging, but it did seem that one person at least cared about his fate. After a few moments of silence, Tarentek took in a deep breath, then tightened his grip on her hand as he finally turned his head to look at her. "I...thank you. I don't think this pain is going away, but I hate being alone. Knowing there is someone to help me...it is comforting. I appreciate your support. I don't know if I want to talk about what happened right now...in fact, I'd rather do just about anything else." He said, putting on a slight smile. "I think I'll take you up on that offer of a distraction."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx was glad that it seemed what she had said had helped somewhat. "Well, a distraction it is. I don't know how long ago I got back, but I do know it wasn't too long ago... It was just before dawn then." Onyx released Tarentek's hand and stood up. Holding her hand to him, palm up, she simply said, "I think you helped me to find my answer."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek leaned forward and inspected the white mark on Onyx's palm. He had no honest idea as to its actual significance, but by the way Onyx spoke, he assumed it had plenty of meaning. "Oh, so your ritual went well, then? That is wonderful." He commented, standing up as well. He started to stretch out his muscles to get a sense of his current physical condition. The weakness and soreness was still there, but yet again, it wasn't as strong as the day before. He wouldn't have quite as much difficulty moving around, so he could become more involved in whatever Onyx happened to be doing that day. "So, what kind of answer were you given? If that isn't too personal of a question, of course. I am not sure of everything that is involved with your rituals. Still, I assume this means quite a lot to you. I seem to remember that it involved your coming-of-age ritual, correct?" He asked.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx could barely contain her excitement as she recited the Caantam that the dark Elissic had given her to Tarentek. "Thine eye that shines as white snow, Blessed me my wings of golden heart." As she spoke the words, she heard a sort of ring to them, a sense of the power they held. She couldn't help but let out a small giggle as she spoke again. "That may sound like gibberish to you, but that's possibly the most important thing I learned from the ritual. I am to be a Prophet of Fellagang!" She smiled as she spoke the last few words, and had to force herself to stay still as she waited for Tarentek's response.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek From Onyx's tone alone, Tarentek gathered that this role she described, a "Prophet of Fellagang," was something to be excited about. He did not know if it was a class of priest or religious leader, or even if it was something entirely unique, but whatever it was, he was glad to hear it was something she was happy with. It had only been the previous day that she had been struggling with a lack of direction in her life, but now, it seemed she had a definite goal. "A Prophet of Fellagang, what does that role entail?" Tarentek questioned. "I feel there is a lot I still need to learn about your people, but whatever it might be, you look like you can barely contain your excitement. I'm glad I could be of assistance to you, especially when it leads to good news such as this."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx smiled at Tarentek and began to explain. "A Prophet is somewhat like a diplomat, and somewhat like a Sentry, and then again is also like a Rouge." She paused a moment, thinking how better to explain. "A good kind of Rouge though, the kind that helps all those it meets. A Prophet is a warrior and a teacher; they are more than just a member of any one tribe, they are a guiding force that have saved our people may times before."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Hmm, well then. Maybe that is a sign of the times?" Tarentek commented. "Our world is changing, and with this new threat, the kind of person you describe is exactly the kind of person we need. Armies aren't what is going to truly win this looming war, it's alliances. The ability to overcome differences, to speak with others and see beyond the selfish needs of each city and settlement. I may not know much about your rituals or gods, but I can say with certainty that the kind of person who would go out of her way, at potential risk to herself, to help a lizard in need like me is someone who deserves that title...even if you did push me into the sea immediately afterwards." He said with a chuckle. Tarentek stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, looking at her with a smile. "Congratulations, Onyx." He said sincerely.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Thanks. And, I suppose I should apologize for that... I thought you were threatening me then, and I did overreact a bit." Onyx took a step away from Tarentek and turned as if she were going to leave, bu then stopped and looked back at him for a second. "I'm going to make us something to eat. It's still to early to go out and about in the nest right now, but I don't think staying here for a little while would be too bad." She smiled and then added, "You can come out once you've dressed."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Very well. I might be able to be more active today than yesterday. I'm feeling a lot better, and as you can see, my scars have improved drastically as well. Just a few more days, I would guess." Tarentek commented, glancing down at the half of his body that, while still scarred, was leagues better than when she had first rescued him. Once Onyx left the room, Tarentek stopped for a moment and closed his eyes as he took a deep breath. All he needed to do was to keep thinking about the good news, and maybe he could avoid falling back into his memories. After a few minutes, Tarentek emerged from his room in his robes, and carrying his rifle in his arms. Taking a seat at the table, he set his rifle down in front of him. "I think I'm going to take this chance to clean my rifle. Jhala knows it needs it after trudging through the desert for so long. The sand really just gets everywhere." He commented and he removed the magazine, then pulled back the bolt and removed the bullet from the chamber. "You know, you were talking about the reliability of your firearms before; I might be able to help with that. After all, Human technology is my specialty. If I could take a look at your pistols, I might be able to fix any issues they are having, especially if I can find the right tools."</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Well, like I said before, we prefer bows and slingshots. I- I have a pair of relics you could look at if you want, but I doubt even you could make them work. They haven't since I got them." I only keep them because they look dangerous, and I could use them as a bluff if needed... Onyx thought as she went around the cabinets, trying to get an idea for what to make for breakfast. Finally giving up, she took out two bowls and poured cordial into them, mixing in cream as well and finally adding in some broken and dried pieces of flatbread. She placed one of the bowls in front of Tarentek, along with a spoon if he needed it, while she just picked up the bowl to drink from it. After she had taken a few gulps, she put it down and smiled at Tarentek. "This isn't really any type of recipe, I just decided to throw these together. If it were the season, I would add grapes too." She reached into her bowl, pulling out a piece of the bread and popping it into her mouth. The bread was crunchy, while the cordial and cream mix was sweet but not too sweet, with the cream accenting the fruity flavor of the cordial. "How about, once day has begun, we'll go out into the nest again and I'll get my duties out of the way first, bringing you with me this time?"</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I don't mind if you look around for what you need. I'll get my relics so you can look at them." Onyx stood and left the room, only to return a moment later with two twin pistols. "Like I said, I've not been able to get them to work since I got them." She put them carefully on the table before sitting down again. "You wouldn't be a hindrance to me today, I was only in a hurry yesterday because I have to get my job done by sunset." Onyx looked at the sky lightening through the window. "It's dawn now, that means I have plenty of time."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Well then, as long as I am not bothering you, I'll be happy to join." Tarentek commented, going back and forth between eating and disassembling his rifle as Onyx collected her pistols. Once his rifle was fully in pieces, Tarentek got up to look around for what he needed. Since Onyx did not use firearms, he did not expect to find proper supplies for weapon maintenance, but he knew enough to know some alternatives. It was not too difficult to find something that would work for basic cleaning, but it took some more searching to find something that would work as a lubricant. Luckily, Onyx's collection of cooking ingredients delivered what he needed, as grease worked as a fine lubricant. Tarentek started first on maintaining his own weapon as he ate. It was a task he had performed countless times, so it did not take long for him to clean and reassemble the rifle, after which he began work on the pistols. They were a common model, and he had maintained others like them before. Of course, there was no guarantee that he could repair even one of them. It did not matter how talented he was with the old technology if the parts to repair them simply were not there. He finished his meal, then cleared out the table in front of him to disassemble the pair of firearms, making sure to keep the parts for each separated. For one of them, it did not take long at all to determine the problem, as the trigger mechanism was busted. The other required that he take it apart fully, but the problem itself was actually something he had seen before, as it was a common point of failure for this type of pistol. It was not something he could repair without spare parts, but fortunately, there just happened to be an identical pistol right next to it. After about half an hour of examination total, Tarentek smiled once he saw that the parts he needed were still intact. "Ah, I think I have it." Tarentek said excitedly. "On this one, the trigger mechanism is busted; it won't so much as move the hammer. On the other, it looks like the recoil spring is worn down, which in turn put stress on the firing pin and caused it to fail. It just so happens, though, that the recoil spring and firing pin on the other pistol are in perfectly fine condition. I just need to swap over the parts, and it should work fine. Though, I suppose if you haven't used relics before, you'll need some practice if you want to start using it." He explained.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx did some cleaning around the den as Tarentek worked on the relics. She would have liked to watch him, but she didn't want to seem rude by doing so. She had been organizing stuff in the pantry when he spoke, surprising her and almost causing her to drop the jar of mixed spices she was holding. "Trigger, recoil, what? I don't understand the terms you are using, but I do understand that I would need practice. We could go to the training area after I finish my duties for today." Onyx walked back over by Tarentek and decided to watch him now as she to figure out what he was doing.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Well, if you do want to learn to use it, I would be glad to teach you everything you need to know." Tarentek responded as he began to reassemble one of the pistols with the new parts. This model of pistol did not have near as many parts as his rifle, so it was a fairly simple matter to put it back together. Unfortunately, there wasn't really a way for him to test to see if the weapon worked entirely without actually shooting it. The parts he could test were working, but he wouldn't know for sure until they reached the training grounds. Tarentek finished up reassembling the pistol, flicked on the safety, then offered it to Onyx. "There you go, it should work now. I won't know for sure until we can test it. There are really just two things I can think of that you'll need to have other than the relic for training: Hearing protection, and, of course, ammo. As I'm sure you know, firearms are very loud, and you can actually damage your hearing with them if you're not careful. With how large your ears are, you might be more vulnerable to them. As for the ammo, the bullets you're looking for are labeled with '9mm.' That is the size of the bullet. Now, I'm pretty much ready to leave, I just need to put the other pistol back together as well. It won't work, of course, but you might be able to find the parts to fix it later. Or, at the very least, you can use it for parts if the good one breaks again."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Hearing protection?" Onyx asked. "I've never thought about that before. Also, my ears are not large, they're normal size. Quite frankly, I'm surprised you can hear me at all, seeing as you have no ears." As soon as she said it, Onyx regretted her words, but only slightly.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "For your people, your ears are normal, yes. However, you do have larger ears than most other races, and I'm willing to bet that you have more sensitive hearing because of it. Very loud noises like gunfire could end up hurting you, especially when it happens right in front of your face." Tarentek explained. Just like the other pistol, it did not take him long to reassemble the broken one. There were still plenty of parts on it that did work, so it was not entirely useless. "And I do have ears, they're just...not like yours." Tarentek explained as he stood up and approached Onyx. Leaning his head to the side, he pointed to the comparatively small holes on the side of his head. "These are my ears. They do the same thing as yours, though I doubt I can hear near as well as you. My people rely much more on scent and sight. Anyway, here's the broken pistol too. I'm ready to leave when you are."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Thanks, I- I didn't mean to offend you or anything when I said that, but I was a little offended by what you had said." Onyx put the still broken relic on the table, and put the one that Tarentek had fixed in her pocket before starting to leave the den. "We tend to associate large ears with children, so by extension one with large ears is considered ignorant and unimportant, while what I said about you not having ears was also somewhat meant as an insult, however we only use it on outsiders."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek chuckled. "I see. We actually have some similar things among my people, just not with ears. Our ears are pretty much the same throughout our lives. Or at least, they stay about the same size compared to our head. For us, it is big eyes, or a small tail. Especially the tail. A lot of cruel children have bullied others based on that. Luckily, mine is about average, so I've never had to deal with that." As the pair stepped out of the den, Tarentek took in a deep breath of the fresh air. "So, what is our first stop?"</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I should get my duties out of the way before we do anything else, that way I won't have to worry about it later." Onyx said as she started walking across the bridge to the center of the nest, looking at the sky. There were only a few clouds there, but no matter what, Onyx still worried about rain. "Hmm, do you remember the way there Tarentek? I think I'd like to test your memory." Onyx turned and smiled to Tarentek, distracting herself form the weather.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek shrugged his shoulders. "Sure, I should be able to. I was paying close attention when you were showing me around yesterday, and I did manage to make my way back to your den by myself. I suppose I'll lead the way." He answered. Tarentek noticed Onyx looking at the faint clouds in the distance as they made their way through the village. Looking at her, it was obvious she was concerned, which did speak to how much water seemed to concern her. The odds of it actually raining were pretty slim, as it was not a common event in their area. Although, in the desert, whenever it did rain, it would pour so he could see why she might be concerned about it. He had gathered that their wings simply did not work when wet, which, for a flying race, would probably be a big deal. Luckily, Tarentek remembered the path through the village reasonable well. There was one point in which he nearly took a wrong bridge, but he stopped himself before actually guiding Onyx down the wrong path. Obviously, he could not find his way around to anywhere in the village just yet, but he could find a few places they had already been to, and the center of the village was no exception. After a few minutes, they were once again on the mountain path up to the village center. "See, I told you I could find the way. And this time, I'm not walking myself into exhaustion."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Huh, so I guess I forgot to show you the shortcut yesterday." Onyx smiled at Tarentek once he had stopped. "I had honestly thought you were lost for quite a while there, although it's understandable I suppose." Now Onyx could barely hold back her laughter. They were standing at the base of the staircase that they had taken the day before to get up to where Onyx had played Felldan with Daimos and his group the day before, which certainly was one way to get to the center of the nest. "This path works fine, but it would tire you out more quickly because you can't fly up the stairs like we can. I will show you the connecting bridge later, on the way back. If you would like, I can carry you up the stairs now, so you won't tire yourself out yet. I'm serious about wanting you to come with me on my duties today." Onyx dropped the laughing tone in her voice and waited patiently for Tarentek's response.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Well...I'm not psychic." Tarentek said, crossing his arms and looking away from Onyx in a joking protest, though keeping a smile on his face. "At least I got us here. If I'm here long enough, I'll learn my way around. There are a lot of bridges to remember, but I'm sure it can't be too complicated." When Onyx mentioned flying him up the staircase, Tarentek immediately tensed up. Almost on reaction, he glanced down over the edge of the path at the valley beneath them. He gulped, and answered nervously. "F-fly up? Oh, um, well that's not really...necessary. Really. I have a lot more energy than before. W-we can walk, I'll let you lead the way."</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx saw his body tense, and instead of reacting kindly like she should have, Onyx almost hissed her words at him. "Oh, seriously? Last time I dropped you, It was on purpose. Are you doubting my strength?" A few seconds passed, and Onyx was able to calm down. She was sure she still looked a little too angry at him, so she tried to lighten her expression. "Alright, I didn't think before I said that. Although I am a little miffed at you right now." Onyx flew up to a step quite a ways above Tarentek and landed there, turning to speak to him again. "I'll meet you at the top." As soon as she said it, she took off again, disappearing over the ridge at the top.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright As Onyx stood at the top of the ridge, she calmed herself down by watching the few clouds in the sky float by on the wind. When Tarentek made it to the top of the ridge, she was going to say that she didn't care anymore, but he spoke before she could. Afraid of heights? But... Onyx looked at him for a moment, trying to think what he meant, and what she should say next. He compared it to my fear of water... Oh! "I-I had no idea, I thought you had meant..." Onyx forced herself to look him in the eye. "I'm sorry. I misunderstood you." She bowed to him slightly, not getting up until he spoke again.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "It's quite alright." Tarentek answered. Her embarrassment was a bit amusing, but it did make sure not to laugh. "Seeing a vast expanse of nothing, or...well, everything beneath me is more frightening than you could imagine. My people aren't made to fly like yours are. Though, if I am going to be heading out with an escort sometime in the next week, I might be forced to overcome it. I doubt they will be wanting to walk when they could fly me there in a fraction of the time." Tarentek gave a chuckle. "Maybe we should help each other out? You take me out into the sky to help me get over my fear of heights, and I take you out to the sea to help you get over your fear of water."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx blanched at the mention of him trying to help her over her fear of water. She actually took a few steps away from him before she could stop herself, and she struggled for a while to make her response. "I- That-that..." She took a deep breath and said her thoughts as she let it out. "That is not possible for me. Not only would I probably be pushed to the point of fear that I might actually kill you, I might die too."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "See, that is why you need to try and see if you can get over it. If you ever fall into the water, you will end up panicking. If no one is there to help you, then you'll drown. I wouldn't want you to get hurt over something preventable...or, well, I wouldn't want you to get hurt over anything, but especially not something preventable." Tarentek said, shrugging his shoulders as he stepped forward alongside her and waited for her to lead the way. "Besides, I would be letting you torture me in the sky for most of the day, so it's not like it would be a one-sided event. That sea where you found me would actually be perfect for getting used to it. With how salty it is, I imagine you would be hard pressed to actually sink. Salt helps you float. You would be in no more danger swimming with me as I would be flying with you. I trust you in the sky, and I trust you could really help me with my problem. Do you trust me in the water?" He asked, his voice carrying a friendly tone.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright He sounded friendly as he spoke, and even as Onyx heard the reasoning in his words, she was detached, lost in a fragment of a memory. I don't trust anyone, even myself, in the water. I don't know if that will ever change. As Onyx thought, she slowly realized that Tarentek was waiting for her to lead the way. Before she moved though, she spoke the only truth she knew at the moment, being careful of her wording. "I feel that I should be able to trust you. I saved you once, why would you allow me to come to danger?" As she spoke the words, she found that she was trying to convince herself even more than she had been trying to convince Tarentek. Forcing the last traces of the memory and fear from her mind, Onyx started walking towards the building where she would receive her tasks for that day.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek The topic was obviously something that made Onyx nervous, but Tarentek maintained his calm composure as he walked alongside her. "Onyx, this isn't something I would force you to do, but I think it is something you would be glad you did in the long run. Not only would it have the practical effect of removing the danger of being near water, but it would let you conquer one of your own weaknesses. Imagine if you never had to fear the water again; that you could go fishing without the worry in the back of your mind of what could happen if you slipped at the wrong moment." As the pair walked up to the building where Onyx would receive her tasks, Tarentek stopped a moment and lightly placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's your choice, Onyx, and whatever you choose, know that I only want to help."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx shook off Tarentek's hand. She wanted nothing more than to get away from this topic forever, although that didn't seem very likely. "I think it's simply a bridge I will have to cross when I get there. Do you want to come in with me, or wait there again?" She asked a little more quickly than she should have. Onyx softly cursed herself for her cowardice under her breath, and then an idea came to her, a stupid, reckless idea that she regretted the second she said it. "I promise, I will try at least once."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek gave a genuine smile as he nodded to Onyx. "Thank you, and I promise I will keep you safe." He had given swimming lessons before, mostly to recruits who had never swam before, so he was certain she would come to no harm. Some of those recruits had been afraid of water as well, though not for the same reason as Onyx. In any case, since she had at least agreed to try, there was a chance she could recover. Taking a few steps forward, Tarentek turned his head and looked back to Onyx. "And sure, I'll go in with you. What kind of tasks do you usually get, anyway? Is it always deliveries, or do you think we will be doing anything else? He asked.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx nervously returned Tarentek's smile before answering him. "Well, there's no way to find out unless we go in." She walked into the building then, motioning for Tarentek to follow. It was a large building, at least from the outside. Inside, there were piles of packages, building materials, and barrels of sand in the main hallway, while the rooms that branched off of it were only slightly better. "Each room is where people from the different groups would go to receive their duties. As I am yet to come of age, but I am no longer a child, I go to this room." Onyx said as she stopped next to the door to a room halfway down the hallway. Not hesitating a moment, she opened the door and neatly shoved Tarentek in ahead of her, greeting the Elissic in the room as she did so. "Hello, Harp'la! I brought someone with me today, he'll be tagging along with me." Onyx spoke loudly, purposefully spooking the Elissic so as to keep her from reacting to the surprise of seeing Tarentek. Her trick worked. As Harp'la turned to return Onyx's greeting, her eyes simply registered her added surprise by widening, rather than her doing something that would have made one of the other Elissics worry about her, like screaming. "Herald of Heillias! Onyx, what- why? Why is a..." Harp'la stumbled on her words for a moment before she was able to speak clearly again. "Why do you have an outsider with you?" She stepped towards Onyx, but was looking right at Tarentek. "What do you mean he'll be 'tagging along' with you? Is this the outsider that was in your father's report two nights ago?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek did not expect to be suddenly shoved into the room, but he managed to avoid making any loud noises before Onyx managed to speak up. He largely ignored the general surprise of the woman once she saw him. By this point, he was used to seeing that kind of reaction, so he simply reacted calmly and politely. "Indeed I am. I am still recovering from my injuries, and I find that the exercise of walking around can be beneficial. As well, I would like to help out in whatever capacity I can while I am here. I do not like to accept a kindness without offering one in return. My name is Tarentek, a pleasure to meet you." Tarentek explained, keeping a proper, cordial tone.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx sighed. Not everyone could be as kind as a merchant, and Harp'la was a fine example. "Yes Harp'la, this is weird for you. No need to get overly excited, yet." Onyx walked up to Harp'la and whispered in her ear for a moment, and showed her the new white mark on her palm. Harp'la's eyes widened, at first with confusion and then with surprise. Before Onyx could stop her Harp'la had her in an embrace, not like the symbol of a promise Onyx had done with Tarentek, but more as one between friends. "Congratulations Onyx! Or should I call you Bri'nx now?" Harp'la spoke, laughter in her eyes. Onyx slowly shook her head and was about to speak when Harp'la asked a more serious question. "Who else have you told dear?" Onyx stepped out of the embrace, and smiled at Harp'la. "You are the third Elissic to know. The first was a spirit of Olias, who told me, and I was the second to know." Onyx laughed a little. "I intend to tell my father some time today, possibly during my errands if they bring me close enough to him." A slight pause, and Onyx continued. "Which, I still need to receive my errands. That is mostly why I am here, Harp'la." As Onyx had thought, the good news of her hearing that Onyx had found her path had completely changed Harp'la's demeanor. She no longer looked at Tarentek with anger or mistrust, only happiness. Now, because her first meeting with him is acquainted with a happy memory, she shouldn't ever be so towards him ever again. Harp'la snapped out of her stunned daze and rushed to a pile of packages in the back corner of the room. She took a few that were about the same size and handed them to Tarentek, going back to get a similar group and handing those to Onyx. "Well, you got here at just the right time. Those are rations to be given to the scouting groups getting ready to leave at the top of the east mountain. Each Scout and Sentry gets one package, if there are any left just bring them back here, and if there are not enough tell the extras to wait for their own orders." Harp'la explained with laughter in her eyes. Onyx answered her with a smile and a slight bow. "Understood Harp'la. Goodbye for now." Harp'la said good bye as well, and then Onyx left, motioning for Tarentek to follow her out of the building.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek held the packages he was given close under his arm. He did not know what they contained, though he doubted they could be too important if Harp'la was willing to entrust them to an outsider, even while in the presence of Onyx. Even so, he would make sure to take care of them just the same. After Onyx started speaking to Harp'la, Tarentek stood by silently while they conversed. After yesterday, he had to remind himself that not all of the Elissics were as friendly as the merchants, or young adults. Most likely, he would be spending a lot of time silently listening as others spoke. Tarentek mimicked Onyx's farewells as they left, then followed her out the building. Since he hadn't the faintest idea of where to go, he simply made conversation as he followed Onyx. "She seemed...well, she didn't yell at me, so she couldn't have disliked me too much." He said with a laugh. "So, I gather you told her about your experience last night? Will you be getting a new name or something, or will I always be able to call you Onyx?"</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx smiled before answering. "Yea, I told her. I figured that if I introduced you to her along with some good news, she wouldn't react too badly." Onyx had to think for a moment about his next question. "Well, I'm not sure if you should be calling me Onyx now. Yes, once I come of age anyone who is younger than me or of a lower status than me, who isn't a friend or family, will call me by Bri'nx. Anyone who is of a higher status or is an elder, along with my friends and family, would still call me Onyx." Onyx paused a moment and looked at the horizon to the west, away from the sun. "As an Outsider I suppose no one really minds whether or not you follow this rule. Depending on how old you are you could call me either name, I'd answer to both."</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx looked at Tarentek, confused. "You think Onyx sounds better? I've never thought of distinguishing the names like that. I've always thought of Bri'nx as better because it would show more respect when someone called me that than if they were to simply call me Onyx. I suppose most people's First names would sound better than the contraction of the two." Onyx started walking to the bridge to the east. "Come on, we can't just stand here." Onyx explained about the coming of age ritual as simply as she could as they walked over to the bridge. "The easiest way to explain it is to say that it is a ritual, but the largest player in it is the people and Olias. All those who are ready are in the center of a circle made up of everyone in the nest who was able to attend and witness. The ritual is lead by the leader of the tribe, and it involves the reintroduction of the person into the tribe with their second name and path, sealed by a bond of blood with your greatest rival in the tribe." When they got to the bridge, Onyx paused to finish explaining. "After that point the ritual turns into a sort of test of skills between all those who were just reintroduced, intending to show the ability they already have to fulfill the role that is their path. Depending on the role, the test is very different to each person."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Oh, Bri'nx. Bright, Onyx. I understand now." Tarentek commented, chuckling to himself as they walked along. Her explanation of the ritual did not seem too strange compared to any other ritual he had heard of from other places. His own people did not practice what others would generally call rituals, but he had heard explanations of why others did. Of course, those explanations varied significantly from place to place. "Hmm, so this ritual is a social event, but also a very personal one? My people do not really have rituals, so I am pretty unfamiliar with them. The closest thing I would say we have is customary celebrations for important life events. Marriages, hatchings, starting a career, those sorts of things. But, they aren't really the same. This sounds like a large event for the whole tribe, or at least a good portion of it. Though, I am curious about how you determine who is who's rival. Do you know who your rival is?" Tarentek asked. He glanced around at the people around him, not that he actually knew who it was these packages were supposed to be delivered to. For now, he had to rely on Onyx to show him the way. He was just there to carry some of the burden and provide conversation.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx kept leading Tarentek while they talked. "Yes, it is very personal, but it is more special because of the presence of so many in the tribe. As for my rival, I believe I know who it might be." Onyx paused for a moment. "The rivals have to agree to the bond as well, because they may see someone else as their rival. The point of the bond of blood is to tie those two together with a promise that no matter the affairs between them, they will always work together for the good of the tribe." They got to the end of the bridges, and now only had to find the scouting group. As Onyx looked around, she asked Tarentek a question. "You say you have celebrations for many different things, what are they like? Most of our rituals have a set purpose, so they follow a strict pattern and tradition that we rarely ever change."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek looked around along with Onyx after they reached the end of the bridges. There only seemed to be one, reasonably large group of people nearby, so he assumed they were the ones they were looking for. Since he was not sure, however, he stayed at Onyx's side to follow her lead. He thought it was an interesting idea for their rituals to involve bonding together two people who could be considered rivals. Thinking about it, he guessed that a custom like that could lead to less in-fighting among the village, though he doubted that was always the case. "I don't think our celebrations are too much like your rituals. There are very few that involve our gods at all. They are more of...social events, not formal like your rituals. Well, some of them are formal, but not strictly structured, I mean. Often times, these celebrations are private gatherings of friends and family members, but there are some that involve more of the community. For instance, there is a public celebration nearly every year for the students of the University who complete their studies. It is a festival, of sorts, with music, dancing, and if resources permit, a feast. Those who completed their training to be soldiers get special honors at the celebration, and luckily for me, it was a good year when I completed my studies. Plenty of food and drink to go around. My squad had a contest to see who could drink the most wine; I...don't think any of us 'won,' really." He said with a chuckle.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx was a little confused at what he said, but she was distracted from answering him by finally locating the leader of the group of scouts gathered nearby. The group was surrounded by another group of those who were saying goodbye to them for now, and standing slightly apart from all them was the leader. Onyx motioned for Tarentek to follow her as walked up to them. "Greetings Mox'lin. Harp'la sent Tarentek and I with rations for your mission." Onyx bowed slightly as he noticed her and he nodded in response. She watched him for a moment, but if he had any reaction to Tarentek, she didn't see it. He called out an order to the scouts in his group and they all lined up. Onyx looked at Tarentek for a moment and told him what to do. "Start passing out your bundles to each of them, and I'll follow with mine. Remember to save one for Mox'lin, the leader receives rations last."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek As instructed, Tarentek put one package aside for the leader, then began distributing the rest to the line of scouts. If any of them had any thoughts or opinions on Tarentek, they all kept them to themselves. The scouts all seemed regimented and professional, much like Tarentek's own squad had been...when they were on duty, at least. Tarentek passed out each of the packages he had to the scouts, then, once all of the others had received theirs, handed over the one he had set aside to the leader, Mox'lin. Being in the presence of soldiers, or the equivalent of soldiers, almost unconsciously caused Tarentek to shift back into the mannerisms his years of training had given him. He stood with completely proper posture, as if at attention, as he waited for Onyx to finish whatever else she might need to do. For anyone looking at Tarentek, it would be hard to miss the evidence of the years of drills and training that had driven themselves into the core of his mind.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright As they were passing out the rations, Onyx sensed a change in Tarentek. He seemed less aloof, but also almost seemed like he was acting out of habit as he stood off to the side after they had finished passing out the rations. Onyx put it out of her mind for a moment as she spoke with Mox'lin. There had been no extra rations, but there weren't any extra people either, that bugged Onyx. She and Mox'lin said goodbye, as they had to leave soon, so Onyx went back to talking to Tarentek. "Tarentek? We're done here. Are you ok? You seem..." Onyx trailed off, unable to really describe the strange feeling she got when she looked at him. "Nevermind. I think the lack of people here is just making me nervous."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek has barely noticed any change in himself, so he did not quite know what was bothering her. As they were walking along, his posture gradually began to relax. "No, I'm fine. I suppose I might be a little nervous meeting new Elissics, but they seemed professional. Soldiers are like that, the good ones at least. I knew soldiers that hated each other to the very core, but the moment it came to a fight, I had no doubt they would risk their lives for each other. I think there is something quite admirable about that, though I admit, I might be a bit biased." He laughed. By this point, Tarentek was back to his normal demeanor. "So the lack of people makes you nervous? I take it you like crowds, then? I know I was certainly used to them back in Amman, though being a scout also got me used to being alone. Usually I had my team, but there were times I had to be completely alone for whatever reason."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "You didn't seem nervous to me..." Onyx said under her breath before actually speaking. "They weren't being soldiers just then though, they were... subdued. It's also a lack of specific people that put me on edge just now. Usually, there are people who were not assigned the mission who will attempt to go with them, however this time there were no extras in the lineup. That means that all those scouts were actually assigned the mission, and they didn't want to be going either." Onyx let out a sigh. "I hate to say it, but they might be scared. They must be going to the east to find the extent of the empire." After she said it, she knew it was true. "I actually prefer solitude most of the time. Yes, I'm fine in a crowd, as you saw yesterday at the market. I just- There's a reason I live in a den separate from my family." Onyx shook herself and hoped to change the subject. "Well, would you still like to go to the training area?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Oh, I see. I understand. If you're right about their mission...well, I can't say I blame anyone for not volunteering. What they're being asked to do is quite a lot, but it is a duty someone has to fulfill. Depending on what happens, I may find myself in their position eventually. I am a scout, after all, and a soldier. I don't intend to avoid our enemy forever." Tarentek explained, his tone just as serious as Onyx's. Tarentek was glad when Onyx changed the subject. The threat they faced was not a reality they could avoid, but they could at least distract themselves from it, and in the process, perhaps prepare for it as well. "Certainly, now is a good time for training. I can teach you how to use that pistol, as long as my fix actually worked. Just get some 9mm ammo, and I'll teach you everything you need to know. I might even be able to do something more than that; I'm feeling better than before, and could definitely use some exercise. Sparring can be a good way to train, if there is anyone who would actually be willing to spar with me."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Any ammo for it would be in the storehouse at the training grounds, and I would appreciate if you would show me how to use it." Onyx was relieved that her change of subject had worked. She started walking towards another group of bridges. "We aren't too far from there right now, we'll be there soon." "As for sparring with anyone, I'd spar with you if you wish. Anyone else would probably use your fear of flight against you, as that is part of our fighting style, but I'll try to remember not to if we were to spar." Onyx paused a moment, thinking. "Actually, now that I think about it, along with trying to lose your fear of flight I could teach you how to get out of an Elissic's grip without either of you getting hurt."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek nodded. "I'll appreciate any knowledge you can give me of course, but...I don't know if I'm up for flying today. Perhaps...tomorrow? You can help me with controlling my fear in flight, then I can help you in the water. For now, I will just appreciate the exercise. After your lessons of course." It was not long before the pair reached the training area, which, of course, had others training as well. He did not know where the storeroom was, but at least this time he could pick out a spot on their shooting range for them to use. "I'll go pick us out a spot while you get the ammo. Remember, get the rounds labeled 9mm; it's what your pistol is chambered for. It's a smaller bullet that isn't as powerful, but it also doesn't kick as much as bigger rounds, so it should be easier to start with. Did you remember to get something for hearing protection? I'm not exaggerating when I say these things are loud. I'll hold my hands over your ears if I have to."</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Ok, flying tomorrow, and I suppose water also... I remember about the ammo, but what would you recommend for protecting my ears? I'd rather if you not touch them, that's just weird." Onyx laughed a little at her comment. "What am I saying? None of what's happened the past few days has been normal!"</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Ok, flying tomorrow, and I suppose water also... I remember about the ammo, but what would you recommend for protecting my ears? I'd rather if you not touch them, that's just weird." Onyx laughed a little at her comment. "What am I saying? None of what's happened the past few days has been normal!"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Anything that will block out sound will work. Some kind of earplug, or just something to go over them. It is hard to get an appreciation for how loud these things are without firing one for yourself. The reason I am as persistent as I am about it is that you can lose your hearing if you're unlucky, or worse. Some people get this constant ringing in their ear; I've experienced it before myself. And for races that don't regenerate like mine, I've heard it can even be permanent. Just see if you can find something in the storeroom along with the ammo, or I'll have to prove to you that I'm serious about just using my hands." Tarentek explained with a smile.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Ok, I'll be right back. Go ahead and pick out a target." Onyx said before going over to the storehouse that was connected to the training area. It didn't take long to find a box of the ammo, she put it off to the side while she looked around for something to put over her ears. After a minute she found a thick square of cloth that she figured she could just tie over her head like a bandanna and press her ears closed. Testing her idea, she sang a song as she tied the cloth around her head. By the time it was on, she was only aware of the sound of her voice because she could still hear herself before the sound left her body, but it was just that. She pulled the bandanna off as she finished the song and decided to test it again with Tarentek to see if it would truly work with the relic. She found him quickly and walked over. "I think I found something that will work to block out sound, and I have the ammo too."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek It had not taken long for Tarentek to locate a target to shoot. He did notice that he got a few looks as he was waiting, but no one approached him before Onyx returned. He looked over what she had gathered, then nodded to her. "Ah, I see. Tie that over your ears, I guess? It should block enough sound. You'll still hear it, but it shouldn't hurt you. The ammo looks right, so I'll show you what you need to know, then let you try it yourself. There were no tables nearby Tarentek could use, so he took the pistol and sat down on the ground, motioning for Onyx to take a seat beside him. "First, I'll show you how to load it. This is the magazine release." He said, pointing to a small button on the grip before pressing it to remove the magazine. He then started to take rounds from the box and load them into the magazine. "Loading the magazine is easy, just push them in one at a time. However, with a loaded gun, you have to be careful. Really, it's good to be careful with any gun, at any time. Make sure not to point it at anything you don't want to shoot, and keep your finger off of the trigger until you are ready to fire. I've seen too many accidents from people not being safe. Once Tarentek had filled the magazine, he reloaded it back into the handgun. Since it was empty, you have to pull back the slide to load a bullet into the chamber. Once that is done, and the safety is off, it will be ready to fire." He explained, pointing out the safety to her as he mentioned it. "Now, as for how to actually shoot, I will demonstrate. Grab it with your dominant hand as high on the grip as you can, then place your other hand over it as so. When you aim at the target, make sure not to lock your elbows, then look down the sights. You want the rear sights to be in line with the front sight. When you're firing, either hold your breath very briefly when you pull the trigger, or fire between breaths. It will help keep you steady. The latter is more effective, but the former can be easier for beginners." Tarentek explained, demonstrating each part of the technique in sequence. Before firing, however, he paused a moment and reached into the pouch on his waist. He had been wearing it when Amman was attacked, and while it had no useful supplies, there was one thing he always kept with him. From the pouch, he produced two small, tightly wrapped pieces of cotton fabric which he used as earplugs. "Okay, cover your ears." He warned before switching off the safety and taking aim with the technique he described. With a few pulls of the trigger, he put three rounds downrange, showing that the pistol did indeed work. The range to the target was not too long, so Tarentek hit accurately, with a tight spread. He was a marksman in his squad, after all, so hitting a stationary target was nothing too difficult. "Alright, your turn. Take a few shots and get used to the recoil. You might not be too accurate at first, but you'll get used to it." He said, flipping on the safety, than handing it back to her.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Well, the cloth worked. Onyx heard three loud bangs as Tarentek fired at the target, and barely made out the next words he had said to her as he handed the relic to her. She nodded because she didn't know if he would be able to hear her either, and tried to copy what she'd seen him do. She started aiming, but it didn't work when she tried to fire until she remembered that she hadn't turned the safety off yet. pressing the button, she aimed again and held her breath for a second as she pulled the trigger. She heard the bang, but couldn't see where the bullet went. "I missed..." She mumbled to herself before re-aiming and trying again a few times. One finally hit the target, really close to the edge, but it still hit. Onyx turned the safety back on and turned to Tarentek with a smile. "I think you overestimated my accuracy with this thing." She spoke with a joking tone, but she did worry again for a second that he wouldn't be able to hear her.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek removed one of his earplugs after Onyx finished shooting to hear her more clearly. "I think your accuracy is exactly where I'd expect it to be. You're just starting out, so you're not going to be great at first. Make sure when you're aiming that your sights are completely aligned, else your aim will be thrown off. Otherwise, you seem to be following proper form, though I can't tell on your breath control. In any case, there is only so much that explanations can do. Beyond that, only practice and experience can really help you improve. I'd keep trying as often as you're allowed. I know bullets can be hard to come by, but 9mm is a common ammo type, at least. I know I'm kind of low for my rifle. I have a magazine and a half left, and 7.62x51mm will be harder for to come by." Replacing his earplug back into his ear, Tarentek motioned to the target. "Anyway, why don't you try again? Try to keep a count of how many rounds you have left. That pistol will hold fifteen rounds. Sixteen, if you already have one in the chamber when you reload. After you run out that magazine, if you still want to continue, we'll see if you can reload it."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I Think I'd rather just stop after its empty this time." Onyx said as she tried to recall how many shots she had fired already. I think there are only 5 left... She turned back to the target and turned the safety off again. Focusing on lining up the sights and controlling her breathing she fired the last few shots. Miss... Miss... Hit, near where the first one was... Another hit... I missed again... She counted five, but wanted to make sure she was right so she aimed again and fired, and nothing happened. She turned the safety on, just in case, and pulled the cloth off of her head. "What do you want to do now? If you still want to, I'll spar with you, or you can practice with your relic and I'll go do knife training."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "You had a few hits, at least. I think you'll do well with more practice. Though, at the very least, your threats with that thing will have a lot more bite in the future. Just remember to pick up some ammo for it before you go out next time." Tarentek suggested. Pausing a moment, he removed his earplugs and put them away before continuing. "It has been a while since I've had target practice, but unfortunately I don't have the ammo to spare. However, I...think I might be able to handle a good sparring match. I'm still not fully recovered, but I'm doing better than before, and I'd like the exercise. As long as it isn't too intense, I should be fine. I'll admit, I've never sparred against someone who could fly before, so that should be interesting. You ever gone hand-to-hand with someone like me before?" He asked curiously.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "No I've never fought with any of your race before, not any that I can remember at least. I have fought reptiles before, but none very similar to you." Onyx pointed to a large sandy area a little ways away from the shooting area. "That's where we hold sparring matches and duels. I was thinking earlier that if we spar I would try not to fly, if you thought it would be more fair that way. Our fighting style uses flight and speed to overtake an enemy quickly, but there's a sub-style for when we can't fly that I need to practice more."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "That...might be a good idea, actually. I am feeling better than before, but I definitely won't be fighting at my best. It might even things out for you not to fly." Tarentek answered as the pair started to walk towards the sparring area. "We tend to be physically stronger than a lot of the races we come across, so we use that to our advantage. I don't think I can even pretend to be as agile as you, though. Personally, I'm a marksman by trade, but all soldiers, especially scouts, receive their hand-to-hand training. We have to be trained to be able to survive in harsh conditions, and without normal equipment." Once they reached the sparring area, Tarentek glanced around the open area. "Is there anywhere I can put my robe?" He asked, completely casually.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "What?! Wh-!" Onyx was surprised at how casually Tarentek was acting, she narrowed her eyes at him and lowered her voice. "That is not a funny joke. Why would you say something like that?! Do you have any idea how uncomfortable it makes me already that you don't wear anything when you sleep?" Onyx took a few steps away from him and crossed her arms, waiting for his explanation.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek cocked his head to the side, looking at Onyx with genuine confusion. "What are you talking about? I don't under-ohhh, I think I get it. I think I remember hearing similar things from some visitors to Amman. From what I remember, mammals like you have you...reproductive parts on the outside of your bodies, so you always make sure to cover them with clothes. The same isn't true for us. I don't know if you saw before, but all of those parts are completely inside my body, so we don't really have a reason to cover them. Our scales do that for us. Visitors sometimes found it odd, but once they learned that, it usually wasn't an issue. Our clothing is entirely practical in purpose. For instance, my robe is meant to protect me from sand and wind. It's just...not that great to fight in, given how bulky and loose it is. Our combat armor is usually thick leather and layered cloth, which conforms much more closely to our bodies. I would have been wearing it in Amman, but the attack came by surprise." He explained. It was becoming difficult to keep track of how many differences there were between his people and the Elissics.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "No, I've never noticed. When I noticed you weren't wearing anything I automatically looked away, except for the time you showed me your scars, but then I was too distracted by them to notice anything like that." Onyx was still standing with her arms crossed, but with what Tarentek said she was starting to be able to calm down. "I suppose, if you'd rather fight without it on, you could put it on one of the dummies over there." She motioned to a group of wooden training dummies not too far from the sparring grounds.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Not really. There are rules about duels, but not for spars. For example, if this were a duel, we would have to be supervised by a sentry because I am not of age yet, and there would be formalities such as greeting bows and explanations of why the two people are having a duel in the first place. Duels are not training though, they are meant to be a way for two people to solve a problem between themselves, while spars are simple training." Onyx realized she may be over explaining so she kept the rest short. "The only 'rule' for sparring is that you are not allowed to seriously harm the others involved on purpose. Most spars start informally in a pre-set situation, as if one person is already in a corner, so to say." Onyx thought for a moment to try and remember if there was anything else important to say. "Oh! I almost forgot, if you are stuck in a situation where you are unable to speak, we recognize three taps anywhere on the other's body as surrender and you'll be released immediately."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Okay, so not much different from what I'm used to, then." Tarentek responded, moving himself to a spot the right distance from Onyx to start the fight. "There usually aren't any special rules in our matches either, and we often set up signals as well. I will say, there is a good chance of me surrendering during this. I want to have the exercise, but I need to be careful not to put my body through too much, else my recovery might be slowed. Well, anyway, I guess we should begin." Tarentek took on a combat stance and brought his hands up into a guard. He already knew what his likely advantages and disadvantages would be, but he still ended up sizing her up out of habit. He watched her stance and movements to try and get a sense of how she might fight. He expected her to be more agile than himself, while he had strength and reach. He supposed this meant she would probably stick to fast, well-aimed strikes to his weak points. If he could get her into a grapple, he would be able to gain the upper hand by leveraging his strength against her, so she would likely be getting in and out quickly with strikes that would wear him down, something he would have to put a stop to quickly. With her speed, it would not do any good to rush her, so Tarentek stood his ground in a defensive stance, waiting for her to make the first move.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright He's waiting for me to strike first, smart. Onyx thought to herself as she thought how she should start. He was definitely less agile than her, so she had an advantage there. If she could tire him out with quick jabs she'd have less of a chance of getting caught in a grapple with him. She knew her strength and wasn't too worried if it came to a grapple, even if he is stronger than her she'd be able to slip out, he'd probably be surprised if she used her claws against him, so she wouldn't have to hurt him to get away either. With her plan in mind she moved. She rushed behind him and got a few jabs at his ribs and sides before she backed away again and began circling, repeating her rushing attacks every so often, aiming for pressure points.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek's assessment of Onyx seemed to be accurate, as her attacks were following the strategy he predicted. Unfortunately, it was also a difficult strategy for him to fight. She could use her agility to dart around him, getting in quick blows and backing off. His ribs and a few other points were already starting to ache, and the strikes he had managed to deliver in return were not direct enough to do much harm. Something needed to change if he was going to recover; he needed an opportunity. Onyx had managed to get off quite a few successful jabs, but eventually, Tarentek was able to accurately predict one of her attacks. As she dashed behind him and went for another strike, he spun around and slapped her with is tail in the process. Not wanting to let go of a potential way of gaining the upper hand, Tarentek took the chance to retaliate and attempt to grab her. He would prefer to control her arms, but he would grab anything he could get a hold of as long as it could bring them into a grapple. He had his training in some grappling techniques to use to his advantage, he just hoped the strike from his tail threw her off-balance enough that he could get a hold on her.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx could tell her plan was working, he wasn't able to hit her very hard whenever he managed to hit her, and she was beginning to think she should go a little easier on him when she dashed in again, and he managed to hit her with his tail. She felt herself lose her footing and begin to fall, and she tried to change her momentum in a way that would make it so she would roll away and recover instead. Before she was able to though, Tarentek managed to grab one of her arms. Now Onyx was kneeling on the ground, mid-roll, but stopped by Tarentek's hold on her arm. She moved quickly, before he could get her other arm, standing and turning at the same time in an attempt to twist his arm and get out of the grip, while with her other arm she started jabbing the pressure pints in his shoulder, or trying to anyway.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek's effort had some success, but the situation was not ideal. Thanks to his training, he was able to move with her to keep his arm from being twisted excessively as she brought herself to her feet, but there was still the matter of her free hand. As she started to jab at his shoulder, he tried to use his own free hand to grab hers, but her strikes were fast, and he couldn't get a secure grip. With each jab, Tarentek felt his grip on her arm weaken, so he had to make a decision. Instead of trying to grab Onyx's free arm, Tarentek tightly grasped the arm he had already grabbed with both hands. This secured his hold on Onyx, but left him open to strikes from her other hand. To combat this, Tarentek decided to try and use his size to his advantage. He quickly moved one of his sizable feet behind hers, then pushed against her with his shoulder in an attempt to trip her up and force her to the ground. His hope was that she would be too focused on her footwork to be able to do much damage with her free hand, but if not, he had to hope he could endure the pain of her retaliation long enough to secure his advantage.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx wasn't able to get her arm from his grip. She had felt him loosening but he used his other arm to keep his grip and then started trying to trip her. Onyx decided to change tactics as she had to focus more on not tripping. She stepped as close to him as she could, racking her claws up his wrist as she did and turning so that her back was to him and both his arms were in front of her. she grabbed both his arms with both of her own, digging her claws into his wrists but not drawing blood, and slammed her back into him, hoping to knock him over and finally get out of his grip.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Onyx did focus herself on keeping upright, but that only briefly delayed her retaliation. She managed to turn and put her back to him, then grab his arms. If one of his arms was still free, he could have used the position to get a tight hold around her, but as it stood, she had his arms and was clawing at his wrists. Certainly, it did hurt, but Tarentek's scales were thick, perhaps more-so than Onyx expected. Against a forceful stab or slash from a knife or other blade, his scales could not hold up, but his natural armor was reasonably effective in hand-to-hand combat. When she slammed into him to knock him down, he did indeed start to fall, but he had managed to keep his grip on her arm, so he was pulling her down with him. Tarentek prepared for the impact. If Onyx was thrown off enough by the fall, then he had a good chance of getting his arms around her and forcing her into a situation where he had much more control. Grappling on the ground was where his strength would really shine. If she came up with something creative, however, he could lose control, and likely wouldn't gain it back. He did not currently have the endurance to sustain an extended fight.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright As Onyx had hoped, Tarentek fell, but as she had not hoped, his grip did not falter and he puled her down with him. She landed on her side, and surprised by the fall she had accidentally let go of his arm that wasn't still occupied with keeping hold of hers. She used her free arm to start trying to get into a crouching position, she had to get off the ground, she couldn't let him pin her. She thought, only for a second, about flying. If she could get into a crouching position she could use her wings to help her get back to her feet, and possibly drag her arm out of his grip. She was crouching now, still deciding on if she should try her trick, as she had told Tarentek that she would try not to fly. She made up her mind to do it, but by that point she may have hesitated too long.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek had almost had the breath knocked out of him when he hit the ground, but he had expected it, and pushed through to hasten his response. Onyx had released her grip on his arm, but he still had a hold of hers. As he rolled onto his side and started to get up, he saw that she was in a crouching position, paused for a brief moment. In an instant reaction, he seized the opportunity, pouncing on her in order to hold her down with his weight. He kept a hold of the one arm while quickly grabbing the other near the elbow. Finally, he tried to reposition himself so he could hold her torso down with his knee. It was possible this would force her to give, though she could always have more tricks.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx had almost acted in time. As she was about to take off though, Tarentek pounced on her, getting hold of her other arm and pinning her to the ground with his knee. She felt a quick shot of pain through her back as she landed on her half-opened wings. She closed her eyes for a second and couldn't think of any way she could get unpinned that wouldn't possibly hurt her or Tarentek too much. She tried shifting her weight, but Tarentek's hold kept her still and the effort sent another quick pain through her wings and causing her to wince. "Ow, ok you win. Get off please."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek As soon as Onyx requested it, Tarentek released her, then backed off. He sat down on the ground in front of her and let out a deep breath, his fatigue showing with his subsequent heavy breathing. The fight had not lasted too long, but if it had lasted any longer, he likely would not have been as successful. He already felt like he needed to rest after all of that, so he would have exhausted himself if it had kept going. "That...was a good fight, especially given that neither of us were fighting at our best. You did well; you're fast, agile, and got in quite a few jabs on me. Luckily, I have a good grip. My scales are pretty thick, so your claws didn't do as much as you might have wanted. Regardless, that could have gone either way." He said, pausing a moment, laying down on his back, and looking up into the sky. "I'm already considering a nap at this point. That was pretty tiring."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx sat up and stretched her wings, relaxing and soothing the pain from landing on them. "Yea, I didn't think that you would be able to keep your grip like that for so long. As for my claws, I wasn't aiming to hurt you, just surprise you into letting go." She closed her wings and stood up, offering a hand to Tarentek to help him up. "I messed up at the end though. I would have never had to think about a decision like that in a real fight."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek took Onyx's hand and stood to his feet, feeling his joints pop as he did. "Ah, I feel sore, though I suppose I should have expected that. I didn't get hurt too badly, though, so I'll be fine. I certainly would not mind sparring in the future, if we get the chance. Once I'm fully healed and am fighting at my best, you can do the same with your flight. As long as they're is time, of course. Once I'm fully healed, I am probably going to be heading on my mission soon." He reasoned. Tarentek began to stretch out his muscles. "Anyway, what shall we do next? I think I might want to avoid anything too physical."</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx looked up at the sky, judging how much time was left in the day. "Well, we could go to see my father. I need to tell him about last night, and I'm sure you two could find something to talk about. There's not too much time left until sunset."</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Well, it would make sense to me if I were one of them. My father told me to care for you while you healed, so he might try to keep you with me." Onyx looked around at the Elissics around them as she led the way to Her father's den. Most of them looked warily at Tarentek still, though their looks softened when they saw her with him. "Honestly, if for no other reason, I'd probably be there because I get along better with you than I doubt any other person in the tribe could right now."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek looked at Onyx curiously. "You think he will send you? I suppose that would make sense, now that I think about it. You could probably keep the others in line if there are any problems. Hopefully, all of the people he sends will be as open-minded as you. I can foresee a lot of problems if they aren't, and not just with me. Tel Nof is different from Amman, but our cultures do share common threads. I know how to get along with their people, but everyone that goes with us will have to listen to me when it comes to how to act. Doing the wrong things could greatly offend them and compromise our mission. Have you ever been to a city or settlement that wasn't Elissic?" He asked.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I have, but it was never under peaceful circumstances... I've done a lot of scouting missions through almost abandoned settlements before too, but if I ever met another race I was under orders to kill them, so I never got to talk to them much." Onyx looked down at her feet as she walked, thinking how what she had just said might sound to Tarentek.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek found his gaze turning towards the ground as well. "I hope that particular...warrior aspect of your people can change. It will have to if you are to survive this with your independence intact. We're going to need allies, there is no escaping that. Thank Jhala that your father is as open-minded as he is about this, but...what about everyone else? How do you think the rest of your people are going to take the news that your father is seeking out alliances with other races? Do you think their minds will ever be changed?" He asked with very real concern.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I think..." Onyx started her response, but stopped when she realized what she was about to say. I can't be like that right now, or possibly ever again. If I am to be a prophetess, I must begin to choose my words more carefully and remember to think about all sides of the situation. Onyx thought for a bit and came up with something that still included her opinion, but without the anger that was in her first response. "My father is our leader, but he has been disputed since he took on the role. Many believe some things about him and the death of our last leader that would automatically make them wary of any large decision he made. Going off of our history with other races, and the fact that we've never even gotten along with other tribes of our own race very well aside from shared historical roots and trade, I believe that it's obvious that most would not be very open to the idea. Adding the fact that some don't trust my father much, I would expect violence." Onyx looked at Tarentek and decided to add her first thoughts to what she just said. "I think that there could be a rebellion if my father does not watch his words and explanations carefully, and at the moment I don't know where I would stand in that situation. I may gather up those who do not want to get caught up in the fighting and leave with them to find our brother tribe to the west, if I am not captured and held prisoner by the rebels."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Hmm..." Tarentek began as he tried to wrap his mind around what options they might have. Waging a war against their enemy would be difficult enough, but dealing with internal fighting as well? He did not know if they could survive it. Without a united force to face down the enemy, there would not be hope of defeating them. "Do you...do you think we could find a way to prove how much danger your people are in? If they understood the severity of the threat, they might become desperate enough to try something new. It's possible there could be a way to show that your father has no choice." Tarentek reasoned. He looked up from the ground for a moment to check where they were; it seemed they were getting close to her father's home.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "That may be possible, very hard to do, but possible. I Think we'd have to wait until we hear from our sister tribe to the east to know for sure. That might be something to talk with him about." Onyx looked around for a moment, and seeing how close they were to her father's den decided to try and end the topic. "Or not. He might not appreciate if anyone brings up the worse possibility."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek nodded. "Alright, I'll trust your judgment. The more we learn, the more options might present themselves. Hopefully, one of those options will help stop this potential civil war before it starts. Just...whatever ends up happening, I'll give you my support. I won't let you be captured by any violent rebels." As the pair reached Raldel's home, Tarentek stopped in front of the door, then turned to Onyx. "Well, after you."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I appreciate your support, but I hope that nothing like that will happen." Onyx spoke before she walked into her father's den. When she did not see him in his planning room, she called through the den. "Raldel? Father, it's Onyx and Tarentek. Where are you?" Onyx listened for a few moments and was about to call again when she heard her father's voice from his kitchen. "Onyx? Come back here, both of you, I'm a little busy right now." Onyx made sure Tarentek was following her and went to the kitchen. Her father was there, cooking. He smiled as they entered the room. "Good evening. I thought you were going to be here a little sooner than this, although I suppose you've been busy as well. How are you both?" Onyx smiled back at him and walked over to stand next to him. "I am well. Would you like me to help with anything?" Raldel started to say no, but then seemed to think better of it and passed a large bowl to Onyx, which she started adding ingredients to and stirring. "Well, I have something interesting to talk about, but if Tarentek has anything he'd like to talk about first I think I'd best save my topic for last." Onyx said to her father while she worked with the dough in the bowl she had.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek felt more comfortable around Raldel than any of the other villagers, apart from Onyx. He both appeared and felt more relaxed as they entered his home. The smell of food in the air that permeated the home served as a good reminder to Tarentek of how many hours it had been since he had eaten, but he could wait until they made it back to Onyx's home. It seemed that Onyx wanted Tarentek to go first, so he gave a slight, respectful bow to Raldel before beginning. "Oh, I just wanted to update you on my condition. Under Onyx's care, my health has improved greatly. I no longer feel the same soreness and fatigue, and my scars are close to healing. I was even well enough to spar a few minutes ago. It should only be a few more days before I am ready to set out for Tel Nof. I...well, we did also have a few worries about how to go about informing your people about potential alliances with other races. From my understanding, your people may not take that news well, but I do not have any solid ideas on how to make delivering it any easier. My only thought has been to prove the severity of the danger we face."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx kept quiet as she waited for her father's response, focusing on the cooking for now. Raldel didn't look up from what he was doing while he spoke, but his tone held all the worry he didn't show. "So you've both been worrying about that too. I'm not exactly sure what I will say yet, but I'm sure of one thing." Now he did look up, catching Onyx's gaze. "You should probably leave before then. You and Opal and maybe even Topaz, I don't want you here just in case I don't say the right thing." Now there was no way Onyx could focus on cooking at all. She carefully put the bowl down and just stood, looking at her father and thinking what she should say. After a minute or an hour, Onyx couldn't tell how long, her body moved without her consent and she hugged him. "That's not a good idea. You need to show that you yourself are confident in your decision and if you push your children away, for any reason, they will see you as weak. The only thing you have to worry about is that you may be waiting to long to tell them." Onyx had no control over the words she spoke, but after she said them she knew why. The white mark on her palm felt warm as she lifted it to show her father. Now speaking in her own words, she told her father everything that she had experienced during her ritual the night before, while he seemed frozen by surprise for most of the story. "So, that's another reason that I don't think that's a good idea. You're going to need me here, to interact with the people and help guide the tribe." She concluded her story a little breathlessly. Just the memory of the ritual brought her joy and wonder.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "I will follow your judgment, but...I believe Onyx may be right." Tarentek began. There seemed to be no easy solution to this problem, and he completely understood why Raldel would want to get his children out of the village before taking such a risk. It was possible he could justify it to them, but Onyx's argument also seemed reasonable. If Raldel seemed confident in his decision, then others could be more willing to accept it. "If we can gain evidence of the strength that our enemy commands, it might demonstrate the severity of the situation. Desperation could convince them to take what they perceive to be a risk in seeking alliances with outsiders." Tarentek added after Onyx finished her explanation of the previous night's events.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Raldel unfroze as he began to go back to his cooking, speaking calmly while Onyx went back to helping. "I suppose we have to wait for more news from either the scouting party that left today, or from our sister tribe in the east then. I'll wait until we have more proof before I talk to them about it." He finished what he was doing with the cooking and started helping onyx with the dough she was working with. "So, let's set this topic aside for now. Is there anything else you'd like to speak about?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek shook his head. "I...do not think so. Well, I suppose I should mention that myself and Onyx intend to leave the village for a few hours tomorrow. I, well it is somewhat embarrassing to say, but I have a distinct fear of heights. My race is not meant to fly, so being high in the air panics me. I assume that my escort for my mission in a few days will be wanting to arrive as quickly as possible, so they will likely want to fly me there. Onyx is going to attempt to help me overcome my fear." Tarentek explained.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Raldel smiled a little at Tarentek as he and Onyx finished with the dough. Onyx started to line a shallow metal bowl with it while Raldel spoke. "That is not too hard to understand. You don't have wings, you are not meant to be in the sky as we are, although I think there's an easier way." Raldel's eyes glinted with laughter and his voice took on a light joking tone. "Onyx could just knock you out for the entire trip, either with medicines or her fists. I think it would be best if you two continued to work together, so I believe that Onyx will be going with you on your mission to Tel Nof, so she could knock you out if needed." Onyx looked up from what she was doing for a moment, smiled, and mouthed the words 'I told you' at Tarentek before returning to her task. Raldel spoke again, with less humor in his voice now, but still light with kindness and wisdom. "Don't torture yourself trying to overcome a fear, you'll never heal that way. I'm not referring to your physical wounds, I mean those in your heart and soul as that's what a fear is, a wound to the soul."</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek responded with a chuckle. "Hmm, I don't think I would be taking the first option. My race's regenerative properties doesn't extend so well to brain damage. I have thought about being unconscious through it, but I will need to be alert. We still do not know for certain that our enemy does not have a flying race among them, so an attack is not out of the question. No, I believe I can do this. I don't want to have a fear like this exerting its hold over my mind; I want to cure myself of it. In the end, I will be better for having overcome it. It may not work, true, but I would like to try." Tarentek laughed once more. "I'll probably be regretting those words tomorrow. I have seen people overcome fears such as these, though, so I know it is possible. I recall during my education in Amman, a teacher spoke about some of the writings we had translated from the Human civilizations. They had an entire field of study for the mind called psychology. I myself did not study it, but I can't help but to wonder what the Humans could have done for a condition such as mine. Anyway, I cannot think of any more business I would like to mention."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright As Tarentek finished speaking, Onyx had finished everything she was doing with the food and handed it to her father so he could start cooking it. "Ok, my turn now!" Onyx spoke a little excitedly, and took a deep breath to calm herself before she said anything else. "I already explained what happened at my ritual last night, so you must already know what I'm about to ask father." Raldel smiled without looking at Onyx, and nodded as he spoke. "Yes, I know. You have my permission to be included in the next coming of age ritual. You are the seventh one to find their path, so you also get to choose when the ritual will be." Onyx was confused, and it showed in her next question. "I get to choose the day? I thought you were the one who chose the time of the rituals." Onyx shook her head as she thought, trying to remember what she had learned of the strange traditions tied to the coming of age rituals. "What time should I pick? There is no knowing anything beyond the next few days..."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Since Tarentek did not have much knowledge on this ritual, he was not sure if he could really provide any input; however, he did have some thoughts on the matter. Being officially recognized with this title of prophet could be beneficial on a diplomatic mission, not to mention the positive effect it would have on Onyx's morale. As well, there was a possibility that events in the not too distant future could impact Onyx's ability to go through the ritual at all. "That is true. With the situation we are facing, the future is greatly uncertain. I do not know much about this ritual, but with the threat looming over us and the...potential problems that revealing your future plans in regards to outsiders could cause, perhaps earlier would be better?" Tarentek recommended.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx looked at Tarentek, thankful for his calm statement helping her to find a thread to follow in her confusion. He's right, along with the potential of an uprising not too long from now, and the approach of the empire, Onyx also wouldn't be in the nest for a while after Tarentek gets better, because as soon as he is well enough they would be leaving for the Tel Nof mission. Anytime past that point, when she and Tarentek would have to leave, might as well be considered too late. "I think sooner would be better too. Would the day after tomorrow bee soon enough, but not too soon?" Onyx asked her father. Raldel didn't seem surprised by her answer, and he responded quickly, saying that then would be the perfect time. These rituals rarely are announced much sooner than a day or two before anyway.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek smiled at Onyx. "Does this mean you'll be considered a full adult in a few days? Must be exciting. My people do not have any sort of moment that defines adulthood, so I can't say that I know how that will feel. I suppose it would not be appropriate for me to be present, so I will go ahead and wish you the best for it now." Tarentek commented. Since they had gone through all the business they intended to bring up with Raldel for the moment, Tarentek assumed they would be leaving soon, unless Raldel or Onyx had a reason for them to stay. There were still quite a few hours left in the day, but Tarentek was fatigued from the earlier sparring match and would prefer to rest at the moment more than anything.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright With nothing else to talk about really, Onyx and Tarentek said goodbye to Raldel for then and went back to Onyx's den, where Onyx made dinner and they went to bed with nothing else really interesting happening. The next morning, Onyx got up a little after dawn and started making breakfast so that it would be ready to eat when Tarentek got up. She decided not to wake him up today, to start getting him used to doing things for himself rather than her bossing him around like she had been doing.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek awoke to the smell of cooking food filling the den. His night had been entirely devoid of dreams, which was a vast improvement over the night before. He would rather no dreams at all than to experience the terrors he had become used to. At least now, he had something different to worry about, as today was the day he was going to be facing his fear. He knew it was something he had to do, but that still did not stop him from getting out of bed as slowly as he could, taking extra time to stretch his muscles and examine his current state of health. Of course, he was in even better condition than the previous day. Not perfect yet, but a measurable improvement. Eventually, Tarentek got himself dressed and joined Onyx in the main room. By the smell, the food was very nearly done, so he took a seat at the table. "Good morning. So, today's the day you take me way higher in the sky than I was ever meant to be...again. Honestly, it wasn't as bad the first time, while I had malnourishment and dehydration to distract me. I guess we can fly up to the Dead Sea, where you first found me. That is far enough to hopefully get me started on coming to terms with my fear. And, while we're there, you can have your swimming lessons. The salt in the sea makes it easier to float, so you won't have to worry about it being dangerous." He explained, pausing for a moment as he looked down at the table with a slight chuckle. "Now, if only there was a way to make flying safer."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx laughed as she served the meal. "Well, I could tie a rope between the two of us if it makes you feel better, although it wouldn't do anything to make it any safer for you. It would probably just help to drag me down with you if you fell, although I can assure you I'll only drop you if you can't manage to stay still." Onyx sat and started eating. "I'm going to eat quickly and go get my duties out of the way before we leave. I'll be done in no time since I can fly if you're not with me. You just stay here and Prepare yourself to leave. If you have anything you might drop I'd recommend tying it to yourself if you absolutely have to bring it."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek nodded as he started on his breakfast. "I don't think the rope will be necessary. If you don't think I'll need it, then I trust you. For safety's sake, I'm going to bring my weapons. It's very unlikely that we'll be attacked, but I like to be safe. I'll also bring water, of course, as you never want to enter the desert without it. Other than that, though, I won't bring anything extra. Since he was going to have to wait for Onyx to finish her duties for the day anyway, Tarentek took his time with his meal. "As for you, I don't think you're going to need anything specific for swimming lessons. If you have something buoyant to use as a flotation device, you could bring that, but it isn't really necessary. I intend to try and get you accustomed to the water before anything else, and you could use a flotation device for that, but like I said, you don't really need it." He explained.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Flotation device? Never-mind, I won't bring one if you say I don't need to." Onyx gulped down the rest of her breakfast and started cleaning up after herself. "Alright, I'm leaving now. I won't be gone long." When she was done speaking, she grabbed her med-pack and went out the door, taking off immediately.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek It took Tarentek until a few minutes after Onyx had left to finish his breakfast, which he cleaned up at just as leisurely of a pace. His rifle, machete, and canteen all had straps that were rather secure, so there wasn't much he needed to do in the way of preparing. Until Onyx returned, all he had to do was find a way to pass the time. It had actually been quite a while since Tarentek had been alone with nothing to do. After escaping Amman, he had been alone, but preoccupied with survival. Before that, he had sometimes been alone while on scouting missions, but he usually had some task to focus on. Now, he just paced around the main room for a few minutes before returning to his room to lay down and rest until Onyx returned.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx finished with her task just as quickly as she had thought she would. Returning to her den, she found Tarentek in his room. "Um, I'm not too sure about your people, but taking a nap isn't exactly preparing to leave in my opinion." She spoke jokingly, waiting for him at the door. "Are you ready to go? You don't need a moment to gather your thoughts before we fly? Or is that what you were doing?" Still joking, she didn't really wait for him to respond, she just kept talking as she led him outside. Once they were outside she asked again, serious this time. "Are you ready? I was serious earlier about what I said about me dropping you if you move too much. If you panic then I might not be able to keep us both in the sky, and I won't apologize either."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek had fallen asleep briefly after laying down. Fortunately, he was awakened by Onyx's footsteps entering the den, so he was alert by the time she entered his room. After quickly grabbing his weapons, he stepped outside just behind Onyx. His gaze shifted northward as Onyx spoke, and to the sky above him. He had been nervous about this moment ever since he had suggested it. Regret was pouring through his mind that he had even thought of the idea to begin with, but it was too late to back out now. He had to go through with it, because if he didn't deal with it now, then he would be dealing with it in a few days anyway. "I wouldn't worry about that. If anything, I'll be too frightened to move a muscle. Just, um, do you have any...advice for me? Anything that might help me keep calm? Are Elissic children usually afraid of flying at any point, or is it just something that is natural to you from the beginning?" Tarentek asked as he approached her. He stood still, ready for her to grab a hold of him, though he hoped she had some advice for him.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright He seemed nervous already, although she had just been a bit blunt with him. "Well, yes. At first when our wings aren't strong enough to carry ourselves we do get scared at the thought of falling off of a bridge or a mountain, but our parents are always with us and watching us so that if that happens they are there to protect us. After a while our parents will purposely let us fall, or push us even, still ready to save us if need be, but that's how we learn to fly." Onyx paused for a moment and tried to reign in her thoughts back to the point of what she was saying. "My mother told me to relax, and when I did I didn't fall, I soared. If I get too tense while flying sometimes I'll begin to fall, because flight is smooth most of the time, and it's instinct for me now." Onyx smiled and hooked her arms under Tarentek's, getting ready to pick him up. "So here's my advice: Just relax. Think about things that keep you calm, and focus on happy things. I like the way the wind feels on my face as I fly, It's calming to me. Perhaps you'll be able to find an aspect of flight that you enjoy and can use to keep yourself calm and relaxed."</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "That sounds...terrifying. I think I'm glad I don't have wings now; being pushed off of a cliff doesn't sound appealing. Anyway, I'll try to look for some redeeming quality in all of this. That, or I'll just close...or, well, no, closing my eyes won't get me any closer to overcoming this. Maybe I can just focus on the view; I'm sure it will be spectacular." Tarentek commented. When Onyx grabbed him, he felt himself become more nervous, if that was even possible. His mind was screaming at him that this was a bad idea, but for his own sake, he had to get over this fear. Tarentek let out a deep breath. "Okay, I'm ready."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx took off the second she heard Tarentek say he was ready. He was a little heavier than he had been the first time she had carried him, and she took that as a sign of his health. She wouldn't tell him that though, it would probably just scare him more. He was not any harder to carry because of it, although his tenseness and nervousness might prove to be a problem. He was scared stiff, as he'd said he probably would be, and that was making Onyx nervous. "Hey, loosen up. I'm supposed to be helping you get over this, but I cant do that if you're made of stone. Focus on the horizon, see how far we are from the mountains already?" Onyx turned in midair so that Tarentek would be able to see the hazy blobs in the distance that were the mountains her Tribe lived in. Going back to her course, Onyx sped up as she flew. "It's easier to fly the faster I go sometimes, I promise I'm not trying to scare you even more than you already are. Calm. Down." Onyx kept up her little babble of 'calm down's and 'relax's all the way to the sea, too busy trying to keep Tarentek calm to even think about her own fear that she was about to face.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek managed not to close his eyes as they took off. In fact, they were about as wide open as they could possibly be from fear. As Onyx suggested, he kept his eyes fixed on the horizon, apart from the brief moment she turned him to look at the mountains behind them. "Ah this is...okay, okay, okay, just...okay. I need to...okay." Tarentek repeated, unable to collect his thoughts into rational sentences. His heart was absolutely racing, but he tried to follow Onyx's advice as best as he could. "You don't want me to be as stiff? Okay, I'll try, but you also said not to move around as much. How much should I be moving, or...not moving? This is all just....I can see everything from here. It's terrifying and amazing. Seeing the world like this is beyond beautiful, but if you let go of me right now, I would die. I just can't get that thought out of my head." He said, putting his focus into the conversation instead of the flight.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx sighed. "Don't be made of stone, and don't force yourself to move. Relax enough that you feel almost detached from your body, almost as if you were asleep. That would make it the easiest for me to carry you. Honestly, I find your reaction to this quite hilarious, it seems as if you can't even think straight." Onyx slowed down as she saw the sea ahead of them. "I'd say you're doing well, we're almost there now. I think calming down is the key, you may not have noticed but I have. A few minutes ago you couldn't form sentences, then you calmed down enough to talk to me."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "I, uh, I wouldn't call this calm, really. I'm not exactly panicking, but..." Tarentek responded. His breathing felt almost as rapid as his heart rate, but he as least wasn't completely frozen anymore. He saw the sea ahead of them, though he still found it best to keep his eyes on the horizon. Now that he was in a marginally better state of mind, he was able to focus on something other than the thought of falling. At this height, he could see in quite a far distance in all directions, enough to spark a thought in his mind to keep him distracted. "How high can you go? From the Human works we translated, we learned that the Earth is like a ball; rounded. If you go high enough, you can actually see it. Have you saw the curving of the horizon before? I'm not sure how high you have to go, or if you can even reach that height." He asked. Although this was the first time since they took off that he had said anything not related to his very present fear, it was obvious from his tone that he was still quite nervous.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright He was still really nervous, just his voice told Onyx that, but he was also alot more relaxed than he had been so far. "I've never tested just how far up I could go before, I've never thought to try. But what you say about the Earth being like a ball makes sense. I suppose that's why a mountain seems shorter from further away, because the ground curves away from you and covers the bottom." Onyx realized that Tarentek might be using the conversation to keep his mind from his fears, if only just a little, and tried to expand the topic. "So, what else do you know because of these translations? Actually, before I ask that, what are Humans? Are they the ones who left behind the ruins and relics we find scattered around everywhere?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Yes, that was their name for themselves. Many races have many different names for them, but that was their own word, so it is what we call them. From all we have found, they once controlled all of this planet, and had a masterful command over the natural world. They needed to move faster, so they built machines that could move themselves much faster than any person could naturally. They did not have wings, so they built machines that could fly. They even flew above the Earth itself to the moon above our heads. In short, they were all that my people aspire to be." Tarentek explained. Speaking about history and technology was perhaps the best way to distract him, given its importance to himself and his people. He could see the sea growing closer below them, but did his best to ignore it. The fear was still very present in his mind, but holding a conversation such as this helped to give a sense of normality to being higher in the air than his people were ever meant to go. As well, Onyx had not seemed even remotely like she was close to dropping him at any point, which did help calm him marginally.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "They went to the moon?! But that's... How did they make a, machine, fly? Nothing can fly without wings, so they made themselves wings? Wouldn't they have had the same problem as you are now?" Onyx was now very curious, almost enough to make her forget to pay attention to how she was flying. She noticed herself slowing down greatly, so she did a dive to pick back up on speed, weaving through the last few standing ruins to the sea. They were close enough now that she could put Tarentek down if he asked, so now Onyx slowed down on purpose and decided to tell him. "Hey, I can put you down now if you want, we're pretty much there already."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek would certainly be lying if he said he was not frightened when Onyx started to dive. His first reaction was to scream, but he managed to keep himself quiet. Onyx had already proved she was more than capable of flying like this, but that rational thought was in conflict with his innate fear of heights. Fortunately, he did manage to avoid any outward panic. "Yes you can...actually, no, I can do this. Just go ahead and carry me all the way to sea. I can't stop now." Tarentek answered with an interesting tone consisting both of fear and resolve. Given how close they were, it only took a minute or two to reach the sea, and finally set down on solid ground. Tarentek wanted to collapse to his hands and knees at that moment, but he kept himself standing "Oh thank Jhala we're here. That was...Karisskan were never meant to fly. But...I guess that could have gone much worse, and there is still the trip back to get through. I didn't like it but...maybe I can actually do this. Maybe if we just keep flying, it will get better; maybe I'll even start to like it." Tarentek commented, staring out to sea for a few moments before glancing back to Onyx. "Anyways, do you want to go ahead and start the lesson now, or take a break first?"</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright After Onyx had put Tarentek down by the water, she flew back a ways and landed there, not making any move to go closer to the water. "I think you forget that I won't be able to fly for a while if my wings are wet, so you don't have to worry too much about the way back. That flight will be considerably shorter than the way here had been." She looked around at the horizon for a little bit, judging the time of day by the sun's height in the sky. "I want to stay as far from the water as possible, maybe even just fly away now and leave you here to swim on your own, but I made a promise. Even if it's a reckless promise, I'll keep it as I try to keep all my promises." As she spoke, she forced herself to walk closer to Tarentek, her heartbeat getting more rapid with every step. "The sooner we start, the sooner it's over, right?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Don't worry, Onyx. You will be as safe in the water as I was in the sky, perhaps even more so." Tarentek responded as he started to undo the belts holding his pouch and machete in place. "I'm glad you agreed to this. Swimming is a useful skill, and it can even be fun, just as I'm sure flying can be for you. I promise I won't rush you into anything, and I'll be right beside you the entire time in case you have trouble. You know how strong I am, and it is even easier to carry something in the water, so you'll be in no danger. Now, I'll let you get ready. Once you have your belongings situated, just step into the shallows beside me." Tarentek found a spot on the shore sufficiently far from the water and placed down his pouch and machete, then removed his robe. He carefully laid out his robe flat on the sand, then set down his rifle on top of it to prevent sand from finding its way inside the weapon. Walking into the shallows, he stopped once the water reached about ankle high. "Since you spoke before about liking to fish, I'm going to assume you're not completely terrified of touching the water, at least not just a section that barely covers your feet. I have an idea of how to ease you into it."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx watched as Tarentek got ready and stepped into the water. She walked over to where he had put his belongings and took off her shawl, wrapping it around her med-pack and placing it carefully on the sand so that no sand would get into the pack. "I don't touch the water when I fish. I fly over it with a net and scoop up anything I can." Onyx paused and looked at Tarentek, trying to will herself closer to the water, and failing. "The only water I touch it the water I drink, because that can't hurt me. I don't trust this realm of nature." Onyx managed to focus enough on her words that she walked all the way to the edge of the shore before noticing where she was and freezing in place, staring at the dark water.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Water doesn't have a will, or a desire; it simply exists like the air around us. And just like the air, you can master it to glide through it with ease. If you're anything like my people, you will float in water, as long as you have a decent amount of air in your lungs. I this salty water in particular, you'll have a hard time sinking. The water where I'm standing right now is so shallow, you couldn't drown in it if you tried." Tarentek said, trying to encourage Onyx as best as he could. He took a few steps forward, still keeping his feet in the water, and extended his hand, offering it to her. "I'll be right here with you." He added.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx forced herself to look at Tarentek and not at the water as she took his hand. "I don't believe that anything simply exists. The wind is the breath of the spirits, a gentle embrace. The ground is the bodies, for everything does eventually return to the ground, they support us when we cannot. I would say that water is like the vengeful thoughts we all have, free-flowing and everywhere, inescapable as it weighs us down in a way that takes the most freedom from us." Onyx sighed and closed her eyes, her voice now shaking a little. "You promise you won't make me go any farther than I can force myself to?</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I still want to run away. How can you just stand there?" Onyx hadn't opened her eyes yet, she didn't want to see the water around her, she didn't want to think about it. "I feel like there are rocks in my stomach, weighing me down, while I'm trying to keep from thinking about those memories." Onyx was breathing harder now, and she kept her eyes shut tight.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Then try to do what I did in the air and distract yourself from those memories. If you focus something negative like that, then all you'll be able to see is the negative. We've only gone a few steps so far, and I'm not taking you any farther yet." Tarentek said, gripping her hand firmly to reinforce his presence in her mind. "I want you to try to open your eyes and look at me. No need to focus on the water, just focus on me. Let's just talk, have a conversation. Tell me why you like to fly. What about being so high in the air do you enjoy?" Tarentek asked. Just like what he attempted to do during their flight, Tarentek tried to shift Onyx's focus to something else in order to make the water seem less important, and hopefully like just another part of her current situation.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx took a few deep breaths and tried to talk like Tarentek had suggested. "Freedom, and opportunity. Have you never thought how much easier your life would be if you could simply..." She drifted off and focused on her breathing for a little bit. "I'm sorry, I don't think that's going to work. Thinking about what I like about flying keeps bringing me back to how much I don't want to be here, or anywhere near water. The rocks in my stomach just keep getting heavier." Onyx had managed to open her eyes as she spoke, so she looked at Tarentek while she tried not to focus on the water.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek kept eye contact with Onyx once she opened her eyes. "I understand, but my point is that you do like to fly, even though I do not understand it. Or, how a child of your kind might not understand why they shouldn't fear heights. There is something that makes it wonderful. Swimming is just the same. You've told me that some Elissics swim willingly, and recreationally. Try thinking about them; the friends, family, or just people you know that like to swim. There is something they understand about the water that draws them to it for their own amusement, and that is something you can come to understand as well, even more than I can learn to enjoy flight. With me, I cannot learn to fly on my own, but you have everything you need to swim even better than I ever could. Those wings can push water just as they can air." Tarentek glanced down at the water they were standing in, then back up to Onyx. "Right now, the water we are in barely gets above your ankles, and the sea itself is relatively calm with few waves. Therefore, where we are right now is safe. The water you are in cannot physically hurt you. So, how about we stay here for a while." He commented. Slowly, he sat himself down in the water, while still keeping a hold of Onyx's hand. Where he was sitting, the water did not even come up to his waist. "How about you just take a seat with me? We can stay here where it is safe, and you can just take all the time you need to get used to the water."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Ok..." Onyx sat down in the water next to Tarentek, still holding his hand and opening her wings so they wouldn't get wet yet. It was a lot harder for her not to look at the water now, and she had stopped looking at Tarentek when she sat down, so she started trying to keep her focus on the sky. "I remember why I was scared of heights before I could fly. My brothers, Topaz and Opal, told me that if I were to high up on my own that I'd be taken by invisible monsters in the wind. Now the wind is my domain, and the only monsters there could ever be there are those in our imagination." She laughed a little, the sound holding more nerves than humor. "Yes, some Elissics swim simply because they can, but I doubt any of them ever had an experience like mine." Onyx spoke more haltingly now, trying to keep her breathing steady as she kept her gaze on the sky. "I'm really not doing very well at trying not to think about that, I can feel the water around me and I keep remembering how it felt to be trapped under it."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "That was an experience brought on by a person, not the water. The water did not choose to trap you; you simply were not ready to be in it yet." Tarentek responded, pausing a moment to attempt to think of how he could expand on his point. "Try...try imagining for a moment if some cruel person took an Elissic as a child and flew them high in the sky. Imagine if they dropped the child from a great height and caught them at the last moment, over and over again just to frighten them. They would no doubt become just as afraid of flying as you are of the water. But, you know that an Elissic can fly; that they are meant to fly. If I had to guess, I would say that you or your people would want to do what you could to help that Elissic with their fear. Could you imagine what it would be like to be an Elissic who could not fly? Well, I view this in sort of the same way. Swimming isn't nearly as important to your people as flying, obviously, but I still feel it is a shame that you are missing out on such a useful skill because of someone depraved enough to torture you in the way they did. Not only can it save your life, but swimming is a fun way to pass the time." Glancing down at the water, Tarentek took his free hand and waved it slowly through the water, digging slightly into the sand underneath. "Just, try running your hand through the water. Tell me how it feels."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx looked at Tarentek, stunned by his words. "Anyone who would do that to a child would probably be exiled, that's horrible." Onyx watched as he played with the water, repeating what he had said in her mind a few times before responding. "So, you're saying I shouldn't be afraid of the water, because it was a person who almost killed me with it? Like the water can just be treated as any other weapon?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek nodded. "I think that would be one way of putting it, yes. The water will not try to harm you on its own. It is like your relics, or any other weapon you use. When someone is pointing a relic at you, it is a frightening experience. It is threatening; a weapon that can kill you in an instant. But, if you are the one holding the relic, then everything changes. It empowers you and gives you control of the situation, or at least a very good way to fight back. With the water, you just need to learn how to take command of it. Instead of threatening you, it will be useful to you. Imagine being able to fish without any fear of falling in, and if anyone threatens you with water again, you'll be ready."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "There's no reason for me to be afraid right now." Onyx said, more to herself than to Tarentek. While they had been talking, Onyx had calmed down enough that she didn't have to force her breathing to be normal anymore, and as she repeated the reasoning in her mind a few times she curiously placed her own free hand in the water, surprised at how easily she could still move it under the murky liquid. "How is it so easy to move through? I remember it always being harder to move in water."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Memories have a way of becoming more...skewed the more you recall them. Sometimes, I've found that my own memories of events in Amman were almost startlingly different from the written records." Tarentek answered. "What you remember is probably your fear, and what it did to you. You were very understandably panicking, which caused you to sink. I'm not surprised you remember it the way you do. In a calm sea like this, and especially taking it at your own pace, you'll find that the water hardly hinders you at all. In fact, it is much easier to move something that is floating in the water, including yourself. As I mentioned before, your body will float naturally in the water if you have enough air in your lungs, especially in this salty water." Tarentek laid slowly laid himself down on his back, since the water was shallow enough that it wouldn't reach above his head. It did cover his ears, so he placed his free hand behind his head and lifted it up slightly so he could hear Onyx. "Even if I'm not swimming, I just find the feeling of the water against my scales to be refreshing." He commented.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx felt a lot calmer now as she watched Tarentek. "Ummm, I still don't want to get my wings wet if I don't have to. I may feel calmer, but that would make me unable to fly for a while and I don't want that right now." Onyx let go of Tarentek's hand and stood up, walking slowly to where the water came up to her knees before she stopped again.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Understandable. I just wanted to feel the water." Tarentek commented as he stood up to his feet and walked up alongside Onyx. "I should say that this water is quite a bit different from most bodies of water you'll find because of the salt. Nothing lives here, so there is nothing in the water besides you and me, and from my understanding, it is very easy to float on top of it. I would try to avoid getting any of the water in your eyes. In any other lake or sea, you would be perfectly fine to submerge your head under the water, but here, the salt might cause it to sting your eyes. Of course, you don't have to get anywhere close to putting your head in the water if you don't want to." Now that they were starting to get into slightly deeper water, Tarentek had the option of trying to float on his back to see how it felt, though for the moment, he remained standing with Onyx. "If you do get to the point where you actually want to learn how to swim, we'll have to go to a different lake or river, but I'm not going to rush you into that. I just want you to get a feel for what water is really like. Personally, I think this place is peaceful. The water is warm and calm. What do you think about it?"</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Are you sure nothing lives here? I swear I've seen things in the depths a few of the times I've been here before." Onyx looked out at the sea, watching for a moment before answering Tarentek's question. "I suppose it feels sort of calm, although I'm not very comfortable here so it's more of a dead sort of calm than what you probably think."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "I do not believe so. This much salt would kill pretty much anything. Some of our translations of Human writings did speak about creatures so small that they cannot be seen, creatures that are around us, on us, and even within us at all times. Some of them can survive where nothing else can, but even if some of them live in this sea, they would not be able to harm you." Tarentek explained. Pausing for a moment, he placed a hand on her shoulder and looked at her with a smile. "You're doing really well, Onyx. Even if you're not comfortable, you're doing better. Here, how about I demonstrate what it is like to float in the water." Tarentek stepped forward slightly deeper into the water, then laid down on his back. He expected it to be easier to float, but he could not have guessed exactly how easy it would be. In the salty water, he could float on the water's surface with no effort whatsoever. In fact, it would probably be harder to get under the water than it was to float. Lifting his head up slightly, he looked at Onyx with a slight grin. "Well, even I didn't expect this. I don't even have to try to stay afloat; my body just stays up on its own. Honestly, I don't think you could sink here if you tried." He said with a chuckle.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Well, you seem to be having fun. I still don't want my wings wet though." Onyx gave a small smile as she spoke, and shifted her wings restlessly. "Can we leave soon? While I don't particularly mind being here anymore I think we've already been here long enough." She took a few steps back to the more shallow water and waited for Tarentek to answer.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Ok, you go ahead and do that. I won't be gone too long." Onyx paused a moment before taking off again, debating what to say. "I don't know that you wouldn't be allowed there, but I'd think that some people wouldn't want you there anyway. I suppose it's up to you if you go or not. I wouldn't stop you, but others might try." Onyx Took off then, hovering for a moment to say one last thing before leaving. "I'll be right back, definitely before sunset."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Once Onyx flew away, Tarentek returned to her den and took a few minutes to store away his weapons before he searched around her kitchen for something he might prepare. He could see why she mentioned going to the market, as she did not have too much left in the way of food. What she did have he couldn't make anything particularly spectacular, so he just put together something with the remaining ingredients. He cut up the one fish she had remaining to split between them, then started to roast a few carrots with some spices she fortunately had available. As a side item, he set aside some peaches, then started to sear figs to go along with them. It wasn't exactly a traditional combination of ingredients, but with the right herbs and spices, he felt he could make something they would both like.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx tried not to get too lost in her thoughts as she was at the market, and she managed to do exactly that. She returned to her den after not too long, with a basket of food to show for her trip. As she put away everything she had gotten, she looked over what Tarentek had done while she was gone, not surprised by the strange use of ingredients. "Well, I got more food at the market so we don't have to have two strange meals in a row, but at least this looks edible." Onyx smiled as she spoke and sat at the table.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "I'll settle for edible." Tarentek commented as he served Onyx her meal and took a seat himself. The parts of the meal were strange together, but at least they tasted fine if taken individually. "I suppose I'll just relax here tomorrow, as I wouldn't want to do anything to disturb your ritual. I understand its importance to you. So what will this change for you? I know that you'll become a prophet, and you'll be considered an adult, but what comes with that? Are there any changes you're particularly looking forward to? I remember once I started being considered an adult, there were some privileges I enjoyed gaining...along with a mountain of responsibilities I wasn't so thrilled about." He recalled with a laugh.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Well, I told you about the name part already, and I suppose that's one part that I really am looking forward to a lot. Once the ritual is complete, I will be a Prophet, and everyone will call me Bri'nx instead of Onyx in respect to my new role in the tribe. That's a big change in itself, as that is the everyday proof of my acceptance by the tribe." Onyx paused to eat some of her meal before continuing. "As for my responsibilities, I will no longer have any daily tasks to complete unless I want to, and I won't have to attend the Elder's teachings and stories anymore. I will have new responsibilities though, such as looking after those who are still to come of age and going on daily patrols around the nest to help anyone who may need it. Any duties related to my role as a Prophet would also become new responsibilities for me, such as going on diplomatic missions or helping to ease the worries of the tribe."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek nodded. "Hmm, and I suppose I can guess what your first major responsibility will be. It is only going to be a few more days before I'm ready to go. How do you feel about visiting a foreign city? I have been to Tel Nof before, though only once. As scouts, my squad was adept at crossing the desert terrain, so we were assigned to escort a diplomatic envoy to the city. It is smaller than Amman, or most of the surrounding cities, but it is still much larger than this village. It is built on an old Human ruin, a military base. Actually, it was a place where the Humans kept the airplanes and helicopters I told you about. Not even wreckage remains of those anymore, though. All of the metal was taken and reused in building up the city. Still, the Karisskan living there were able to recover quite a few weapons, and have since gathered more from the surrounding area. Amman often traded ammunition to them. They are well armed, which is one reason I believe that they will make for useful allies." He explained.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I'm a little excited, but also very nervous. I told you I've never been in another city under very peaceful circumstances before. I hope for the success of this mission, but I worry about what would happen if we fail." Onyx fell silent for a little while, thinking. "They are your people, but how different are they from your city? Like how our tribes are different from each other, or are there less differences between your city and theirs than I am thinking?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Well...I don't know if I would call them my people. I mean, they are my species of course, but the Karisskan of Tel Nof are quite different from those of Amman. We do share a common background, but we split away from one another long ago." Tarentek began. He did not know everything about the Karisskan of Tel Nof, but he had learned some in preparation for his visit to their city years ago. "There are fundamental differences in our beliefs and the way we live our lives. We see our gods, especially Jhala, differently. For my people, as you know, we are called to develop a deep understanding of the world for the honor and service of Jhala, but the Karisskan of Tel Nof follow a different path, one that can change with their leaders. They split from our people by following their first king to settle Tel Nof. Since then, all of their kings and queens have had absolute authority over their people. They believe that Jhala imparts her wisdom on their monarch, so they serve as leader in state and in spirit. Still, those shared roots we have make them somewhat similar to my people, in a few ways. A lot of our social norms, like the way we behave and talk around one another, are similar, so I can be of help in that regard. They do trade with other cities, so they are accustomed to interacting with other races, and are...reasonably understanding when they make mistakes. Mostly."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "So the major difference between their city and yours is that they follow your goddess in a different way than you do?" Onyx asked before changing her mind. "Actually, nevermind. That makes sense, they have different values, so they follow their own set of rules. The different tribes of my people are somewhat similar, those who are more focused on survival don't actually have a specific ritual for things like coming of age or a funeral, while a tribe like mine that is focused on exploration has a very strong belief in keeping the traditions of our ancestors going strong." Onyx paused a moment as she searched for the thread of thought she had started with. "So, the way their leadership works is very different from yours, but social custom is still similar. Is there anything I should know about what to, or what not to do?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek nodded. "Oh, yes, quite a few. More than I could go over in just a few minutes. A lot of it is behaviors that might offend you which you and the others will have to learn to accept. I've encountered a few of those in my time here, if you recall. I wouldn't want you or the others to think someone is trying to insult you when they're not...or that they're being friendly when they're actually trying to insult you." He said with a chuckle. "We might want to set aside some time one day before the mission to go over all of that in detail. Preferably, with the others who will be escorting me. I may ask your father to decide a few days early on who will be joining me so we can properly prepare." Tarentek was nearly finished with his meal, though he wasn't in any particular rush. "I think you'll be fine, though, as long as you let me lead the way and try not to make any assumptions if you're unsure about what someone is meaning. You seem to have been reasonably understanding about our differences so far, even if there have been a few misunderstandings. Is there anything you can think of that the others joining us might have issues with?"</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Well, the most obvious thing is that they wont want to follow your lead at first, but even after they accept that they may still be rude or insubordinate. But it also depends greatly on who 'they' actually are." Onyx quoclky made a list in her mind of all those who would be most likely to accept the mission and follow Tarentek's orders without too much bad behavior. "I can think of quite a few people that would be included in the best case scenario, but there is an even higher number of unknowns and negatives too."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "I would guess that your father would want to send along the people who would best get along with me, or at least be focused enough on the mission to accept my expertise on the matter. If they do not intend to listen, it would honestly be better not to have them at all. We want to make a good impression on the locals, and there are some things that could actually get them in to some trouble if they make the wrong mistakes." Tarentek explained. He finished his meal, so he opened his canteen and sipped on his water as he continued. "If we are lucky enough to get an audience with her, probably one of the most important rules is to do everything that the Queen tells you, without question. In diplomatic negotiations, you can disagree with her, that is fine, but in everything else, the Queen's word is absolute law, and she doesn't like to be questioned in her own home. If she wants you to do something you don't like or don't want to do, it doesn't matter; you do it. Disobeying the Queen is something they can and will arrest you for, and, well, you really don't want that." He added.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx finished her meal as she listened to Tarentek, and began to clean up everything while she thought how to respond. "How likely do you think it is that we will actually meet with this queen? I'm not certain that our entire group would actually go into the city, some would stay outside either to show less intimidation or simply to avoid the possibility of making any mistakes." Onyx had finished cleaning up now, so she sat back at the table and started sorting through her med-pack. "Speaking of mistakes, it would be extremely bad if we were to come to a misunderstanding while there. Are there specific, rules of court, or anything like that we would have to follow? I suppose you'd tell everyone on the mission at some point along the way, so you don't have to tell them all right now."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek nodded. "There are rules specific to the court, yes. Actually, when I was there, they sent someone to us beforehand to instruct us on their rules. It seems they are not so unreasonable as to punish people for rules they know nothing about. No, they make sure to tell you the rules before arresting you for breaking them. Still, I will tell everyone all that I remember. A lot of the etiquette is simple...fluff, is how I would describe it. Who to bow to; who walks in front when you're going somewhere. That kind of thing. One thing I found strange was that guests, or anyone, really, are forbidden from talking with any of the servants while in the palace. There are specific officials who are permitted to relay orders to the servants. It's a security thing, I believe. All of the servants are...well I don't know if slaves is the right term. They all live quite well, and actually receive a good amount of respect in the palace. But, all of them are hatched in the palace, and are forbidden from speaking with anyone outside the palace...ever. Through their entire lives. I think it is meant to ensure that no outside plots ever find their way into the minds of the monarch's servants." Though she had not asked, Tarentek paused a moment to help clean up. By this point, he had been in Onyx's home long enough to know everything's proper place. "As for meeting the Queen herself, it is actually possible. She does have advisers and other officials who can act on her behalf, but what we are going to be asking of her people is pretty major. We're asking for a military alliance against a force greater than her city could hope to conquer alone. That is important enough for the Queen herself to take interest. If that happens, just do whatever she says. We're not going to be allowed any security in her presence, so it will just be us who has to worry about that."</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright "You've lost me. Slaves and, servants? I understand the concept of slavery but, your people actually do that?" Onyx shook her head, confused but resigned. "Nevermind, we can talk more about this later. The ritual tomorrow starts a little after dawn, and the sun set a while ago. Will you be ok tomorrow? I will be busy for most of the day, so you'll be alone for that time."</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Sounds like a plan." Onyx smiled as she spoke. "I'm going to sleep now, I'll see you sometime later tomorrow. Goodnight." After saying goodnight, she disappeared into her room, falling asleep almost immediately. She had dreams of flight and of water, flight through a place with no land where the calm waters below perfectly reflected the sky above and the moon was 20 times its normal size, a great white orb that glowed with a knowing light. She was alone in the air, but she could see ripples in the water below that set the reflection wavering, and could hear the laughter of many people, although she could not see them. She drifted down until she could sense the water right below her, and the reflection on it's surface stopped altogether from the ripples caused by the unseen sources of the laughter. She landed and stood on top of the water, while the second her feet touched the surface it became mirror-still once again and the laughter stopped. She walked a few paces towards the moon, and heard a scream. Attempting to take flight again, she was unable to, the water reaching up to pull her down and the scream coming ever closer. She was pulled under the surface, and the scream ceased. It was dark for a few moments, but then she could see again. This time she was in the same place, flying again with the laughter and the ripples in the water, only now she could see the creatures that made the sound. As large as the moon had been in the moments before, the sun was nowhere in sight, and the sky that had been so clear was now overcast and lightning flashed around at the edge of her vision. The laughing creatures that caused the ripples in the water were pure black, Onyx could not even see their eyes in their upturned, mocking faces. Just as she had before, she drifted down until she was just above the rolling surface of the water, unable to control herself as she landed and saw the water mirror the stormy sky above. The creatures slid closer to her, no longer disturbing the water with their movements, but unlike the time before they kept laughing as they got closer and she heard the scream as coming from herself. This time when she was pulled under the water, the scene changed to white. She opened her eyes to find that she was safe in her room, looking into the rising sun as it slid over the horizon between two mountains. Jumping out of bed, and keeping quiet as she could so as not to wake Tarentek if he was asleep, she prepared for the ritual in just a few minutes and left as the sun finished clearing the horizon.</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek As the first rays of light slowly started to filter into his room, Tarentek awoke with a yawn. It had been another uneventful night, which was honestly how he preferred them at this point. Today in particular, the day was likely going to be just as uneventful as the night. Normally, he would wake himself up quickly, get dressed, check his equipment, and get straight to breakfast in preparation for the day, but today, none of that was necessary. He stayed laying in bed for longer than usual, getting up only once he heard movement in the other room. Tarentek stepped into the main room somewhat lazily, letting out another yawn before greeting Onyx. "Good morning. I assume you're getting ready for your big day. I wish you the best of luck in that; I look forward to seeing the full adult Onyx, or what is it you'll be called? Bri'nx? After it is over. Do you think you have time for a quick breakfast, or do you need to get going right away?"</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx was almost out the door when she heard Tarentek speak. Still a little shaken by the strange quality of her dream, she jumped a little at his voice. "Oh, good morning. I was hoping I wouldn't wake you up with any noise before I left, but I suppose that thought was doomed from the start." She laughed a little, quietly, uncertain. "I've already eaten, I must go now. I will see you later today, as Br'inx." Now her smile was more comfortable, she was glad he had remembered her new name. "Agrin, litho krebar Tarentek, until we meet again."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Until we meet again." Tarentek said as Onyx took her leave. Once she was gone, he went about making breakfast at his own, leisurely pace. He started to slowly sear a fish, along with a few mixed vegetables. With the way it was being prepared, it took longer to make than a normal breakfast, but he had the time to kill. As he waited for the fish to cook, Tarentek leaned back in a chair in the main room, thinking on the day ahead. Technically, he did not have to stay in Onyx's home, but he was still nervous about being out in public alone in the village. It would cause less trouble for him to stay out of sight. He just needed to find a way to pass the time alone. Unfortunately, a lot of what he would do back in Amman, such as training, required more space than the inside of Onyx's relatively small home. As he sat in the chair thinking, he looked up at the ceiling and let out a sigh. "Okay, this is going to get boring." He muttered to himself.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright As Onyx arrived at Olias's place of power, the site of the ritual, she noticed that there were already quite a lot of people there including her father and 8, no 9 others her age. Great, I'm the last to arrive... Wonderful start. "Hello!" She called out as she landed, her brooding at being last to arrive disappearing quickly as excitement took its place. The area was essentially a large circular room of sorts, as the mountain rose up on one side and blocked the rising sun, and the other side was a steep cliff drop to the base of the mountain. There was a large flat rock in the center which the group her age was gathered around, and around the edge of the circle were various items that would likely be used in the test of sills, although some tests won't use any items or one would be given an item but their test would have nothing to do with it, it was meant to confuse them until the last moment. Onyx joined the group standing around the flat rock and heard her greeting returned with equal excitement as she had spoken with, recognizing everyone in the group. Daimos, Kesi, Akili, Geda, and Helaheim were all there, and they smiled as they greeted her, Daimos making some comment to Kesi that Onyx couldn't hear while Akili came over to stand by Onyx while the group waited for something to happen. The other four in the group didn't smile when they greeted Onyx, but they weren't rude towards her either. If she recalled correctly they were all a few years younger than her and she had never really interacted with them much. They were eager, declaring their paths a few years sooner than most do and stand off from the others as if they were superior in some way. Onyx didn't care, they'll make their mistakes and realize their place later rather than sooner, as most who declared early did. There was much activity going on around them, although Onyx couldn't tell that anything was actually getting done. Someone would put something somewhere, and another person would go put it back where it started, or an order would be given but no one would follow it. Everyone in the group except Akili was getting more and more confused each moment, until Akili spoke up and told them what was going on. "This is our group test," She started, getting the attention of everyone in the group quickly. "Did anyone here attend the last ritual, Where they tested the group with a missing-persons situation? No one told the group what was going on or that there was even a group test, they never do, so the group stood here alone for a few hours before organising and looking for everyone. Once they found Raldel he called everyone else out of hiding, but that group failed because they took so long to realize that something was wrong. Two of them didn't come of age and won't be able to for another season." The group stood in silence for a moment until one of the others spoke up, a young girl who seemed angry at herself and stood with a menacing air about her. "So? This is our test, but what do we do? They're all just going around and getting nothing done." She gestured around them at the people who were working but doing nothing. "They aren't even listening to what the orders are." Kesi nodded in agreement, about to say something, but her brother beat her to it. "So, we fix it, somehow. We've gotta get them to stop undoing each other and actually do what everyone's ordering them to." Daimos smirked as he finished speaking. "How hard could that be?" Everyone studied the situation for a moment, each trying to come up with a way to accomplish their task. A few stared trying to talk to the people around them, trying to get them not to move whatever someone else had just put down or telling them to listen to the orders they were being given, only to get snapped at that they were following their orders and needing to back off before they'd end up starting a fight. Onyx stopped focusing on the workers and listened to the orders that the leaders were giving. Sure enough, whenever someone picked something up to put it somewhere, an order had been given for it to be done, but They couldn't tell that the orders were being followed because the people they were directed at were not the people that fulfilled them. The leaders were undoing each other, and those who were following them were not who they thought they were. It was not a simple matter of disobedience on the part of the followers, it was dissonance between the leaders and a split following between them, something that in a battle would wind up with everyone dead. Speaking to the grunts would not work, the group had to settle whatever the problem was between the leaders of the group before working out the loyalties of the followers. Onyx stood on top of the flat rock so she could be seen by the whole crowd. "Everybody stop!" She ordered in as stern a tone as she could keep when yelling above the clamor of the crowd. To her surprise everyone actually did stop what they were doing, the members of her group making their way back to the flat rock to see what Onyx's plan was. "Would all the leaders please step forward." Onyx wasn't sure of the term once she said it. It worked fine in her mind, but she supposed she should have said 'commanders' instead once most of the group took a step forward. Geda spoke up, correcting the problem for her. "No, only the ones who've been barking out all the orders. Workers step back." At his words Onyx saw smiles go through the crowd, giving the group a hint that they were succeeding so far. Most of them stepped back, leaving 6 people, including Raldel, standing forward as leaders. "Great, thanks Geda." Onyx said as she hopped off of the rock and motioned the group of leaders together. "Now, what's the deal? Someone's got a problem with someone and it's causing everyone problems, so tell me what the first problem was." Onyx spoke sternly and made eye contact with each of the leaders, still a little surprised that they were actually listening to her. Raldel spoke, or started to at least. He got cut off by one of his friends, who gave him a strange look as he spoke. "Ral 'ere's been overstepping 'imself, and Hold's got 'imself in a fight wit' the lady here. I try ta play peacekeeper, but then Kurt 'n Gall tell me ta keep my trap shut. We's got an agreement not to talk ta each other again 'till we finish our job 'ere." Onyx didn't know any of their first names except for her father's, so she was guessing at who everyone was by how they were glaring at each other. Akili sighed and spoke before Onyx could even begin to think what to say to them, her annoyance tangible in her words. "Yea, well you're not getting anything done! You're all standing away from each other and undoing whatever someone else just had done. None of what you're doing even really needs to be done in the first place, you're just wasting time and causing a bad situation for everyone." She paused, seeming like she was going to say something else but ending up not when Onyx found her voice. "Alright, you all need to stop letting personal problems mess with what you're doing. You're a team, working together towards one goal, not a bunch of young children fighting on the playing field. Your actions have consequences for those other than yourself, just imagine if this same thing had happened in a battle!" Onyx still had more to say, but was silenced by her father's sudden embrace and the cheer that rose from the crowd as the other leaders shook hands and patted each other on the back, smiling and congratulating the group. Raldel spoke over the crowd, smiling as he let go of Onyx. "Well done. You have all passed the group test! We will wait a little while for the rest of those who wish to witness the ritual to arrive, and then we will start the introductions." As he finished speaking the crowd quieted and started to tidy up the mess that they had made during the test, putting everything back in it's rightful place without needing any orders to tell them so.</s>
<\|description\|>Onyx Bright Age: 19 Gender: Female Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying. Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack. Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth. Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet. Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright Raldel called forward all who had chosen to be sentries, and Nemos, Haku'da, Merim, the boy who had cut his palm, and the girl with the menacing air stepped forward. Raldel motioned to another sentry, who took his place and told the five of them to follow him. He took flight, leading them to the cliff high above the area. As Onyx watched, Raldel explained what their test was to the crowd below. "Trust is an important quality in a sentry. Without trust in your companions and teammates, the only thing that can happen is failure. Those on the cliff are having their wings bound as we speak, and we are to catch them, that is if they have enough trust in us to jump." No sooner than he had finished speaking did two people jump over the edge, followed more slowly by two more. After the first two had been caught the fifth one jumped, angling themselves so that they fell faster and passed the second two before the three were caught at once. The fifth jumper, Nemos, let out a whoop as the binds on his wings were removed. He passed by Onyx on his way back to his place in line and whispered to her. "That was actually kind of fun." As worried as that made Onyx for his sanity at the moment, she was too excited to see what the next test would be to spend much time on it. Next, Raldel called forward the Scouts. Jun'esi and the other two that were younger than Onyx stepped forward. The two looked almost worried, while Jun'esi seemed excited as everyone waited to hear what their test was. Raldel took a few papers from his pocket and handed one to each of them. "On these papers is a riddle. This is a test of problem-solving and actual scouting ability. You are to find the answer to the riddle and then bring it back here. All the riddles are different, but the items are all smaller than an infant. There is your hint, now go!" Raldel waved the three away and they took off immediately. They hovered in the air for a few moments as they read their riddles, and then went off in different directions. Jun'esi was the first one back, holding in her arms a wax statue representing Olias. The other two got back not too much later, one right after the other and both carrying a wax statue, one for Heilias and one for Fellagang. Raldel smiled and told them all that they had passed, taking the items and papers from them and handing them to different people in the crowd who all stayed standing forward as Raldel started to motion Rin'ili forward. "As a diplomat you will have to solve problems between others and make agreements and compromises between them, even if it costs you something personally to help others. Your test will be to negotiate a compromise between three warring 'tribes', represented by those holding the statues." As he finished speaking the three holding the statues approached each other and started arguing. Rin'ili stood by for a moment, listening before she approached and put her hand on the shoulder of the one holding Fellagang's statue. She took a while, but eventually she reached an agreement between the three and Raldel congratulated her. Rin'ili passed Onyx as she returned to her spot, wishing Onyx good luck. Then Raldel was motioning Onyx forward, a smile on his face. "Bri'nx, you have two tests today. The first one, you must prove you are meant to be a prophetess by reciting your caantam to us, and then you must interpret a dream that multiple people in the tribe had last night." Raldel finished speaking and motioned for a few people in the crowd to come forward as Onyx faced the crowd, waiting for silence so she could recite her caantam. The chatter was mainly people wondering what a caantam even was from what Onyx could hear. Eventually everyone realized that she was waiting and focused on her intently, the chatter stopping almost suddenly. Onyx closed her eyes before she spoke, listening to the words she had only heard one before as she spoke them for the first time. Thine eye that shines as white snow, Blessed me my wings of golden heart. She sounded different to herself as she spoke, older and more powerful. The crowd stood, stunned for a moment after she finished. Raldel was the first to unfreeze, prompting those he had motioned forward earlier to start describing the dream to Onyx. As they described the dream, Onyx got a growing sense of dread in her stomach. When they had finished, she closed her eyes and thought for a moment before speaking. "I had this dream as well last night. Everything you described was exactly the same." Onyx paused for one last moment before she started explaining what the dream meant, surprised at how easily the information came to her. "The absence of land is isolation, and the calm, mirror-like water refers to 'self' or one person. the large moon means that this person lacks trust, either they are not trusted or the do not trust others, and the absence of the sun means that the person may feel lonely or lost because of that. The laughter, the storm, the strange creatures, and the scream all mean fear. Fears of the past, present and fears for the future as well. The inability to move, and being pulled under the water represents a forced or unwanted role, and the inability to ever escape it." Onyx finished speaking and was immediately bombarded with questions. She heard one question the most however. 'Who does this dream about?' "It's not about anyone in the tribe, or even one of our people. None of us have met them, yet, but we soon will." Onyx had no idea how she knew this, the words just came through her, not from her. There was confusion and a lot of noise from the crowd before Raldel silenced everyone and told Onyx that she passed. Onyx went back to her place in line while Raldel closed the ritual with the same words he had started it with. As soon as the ritual was over most started to fly away, while a few stayed behind to tidy things up. Raldel came over and hugged Onyx, congratulating everyone in the group and telling them they were free to go, and to report to him at first light tomorrow to receive their first orders as full-fledged members of the tribe. They all congratulated each other and took off, each heading their own way. Onyx was headed home, as she was tired and hungry from not eating anything since early that morning. She got home to see Tarentek doing pull-ups over one of the doorways in the den. After laughing a little at the, to her, strange behavior, she greeted him and started to make herself something to eat. "Hello Tarentek! I hope you've had a good day?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek dropped down from the doorway once he had reached a nice, even number of pull-ups. He started to stretch out the rather sore muscles in his arms as he greeted Onyx. "Welcome back. My day has been a bit dull, but...encouraging all the same. I feel...good, great even. It seems my recovery has gone a bit faster than I thought, because I am feeling almost as good as normal. I had a nap this morning, but I've spent most of the day exercising; testing myself. It will take some physical conditioning to get back to my peak, but I wouldn't call myself injured any longer. Once my escort has been assigned and I've had the time to properly teach everyone how to behave in Tel Nof, then I will be ready to head for the city." As Onyx was preparing her meal, Tarentek started untying the objects he had been using as weights and putting them back in their proper places. "What about you? From your tone, I'm going to guess that your ritual went well."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Very well. Everyone passed their tests and now we all have to go see Raldel by first light tomorrow to receive our orders. I'm interested to know who else my father has chosen to go as your escort to Tel Nof." Onyx finished making her meal and moved to the table to eat. "I'm glad you feel back to normal now. You should come with me tomorrow morning to tell Raldel."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Well, in that case, I think congratulations are in order. I'm sure this is a big moment for you. I do wish you did not have to go out on this mission so soon afterwards, but I suppose it is for your people." Tarentek responded. After he had returned everything he had moved before back to its proper place, he took a seat at the table across from Onyx. "Sure, I'll come with you tomorrow. Technically, we could leave at any time after I have my assigned escort, but I do want to make sure everyone knows how to behave before we arrive. Even if the others do not intend on joining us for negotiations, we should be prepared for anything. Who knows, the Queen might request to see them for whatever reason, and we cannot afford to deny her requests. Ideally, we won't need the escort, but I'll be glad to have them if we do." He commented.</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Thanks, it is." Onyx said, smiling. "I don't mind going on the mission right after though, in fact i'm very excited for it." Onyx finished eating quickly and cleaned up just as quickly. "Did you really spend the entire day in here? I couldn't stand to do that, even if I were ill. There's still daylight left, would you like to go somewhere?" Onyx thought for a moment. "You don't have to wait until tomorrow to go see Raldel. He could tell you who the escort group is now and I can tell you what their personalities are like if you want."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek gave a slight chuckle. "Well, I'm a lot less likely to run into any trouble in here than I am out there. Until your people have been given good reasons to trust me, it is probably better for me to stay out of sight and out of mind, at least when alone. Besides, I had plenty to keep myself occupied. I have a lot of lost time to make up when it comes to my exercise routine. I never particularly enjoyed it before, but after hardly being able to do anything for the past week, I can't describe how fulfilling it was to be able to just be able to lift something heavy. Anyway, we don't really have to go find Raldel right at this moment. I've already spent most of the day thinking on what I'm going to teach everyone, so I have my plan. And if Raldel was focusing on the ritual, then he may not have made all the decisions yet."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "I suppose that's true... tomorrow it is then. Are you sure you don't want to go somewhere, anywhere that isn't here for a while though?" Onyx raised an eyebrow at Tarentek before continuing. "Or do you want to stay holed up in here? I'm not gonna force you to go outside, but don't you feel uncomfortable being in the same place for so long?"</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek Tarentek shrugged his shoulders. "If you have somewhere in mind, I would certainly join you, but I don't have a particular need to get out of the house. Staying in one place for a while doesn't bother me too much, at least not anymore. Being both a scout and a marksman, patience was something I had to learn really quickly. Exploring new, unknown areas was indeed part of my job, which was obviously pretty exciting, but there was also a lot of waiting involved. Imagine guarding a small, mostly empty cave in a mountainside for about thirteen hours straight while the rest of my team was exploring an ancient ruin, and that is just the most recent example. There are a lot of stories I could tell about that. I mean, they would be really, really boring stories, but I could tell them. Luckily, we always traded off on who was on guard duty for our camp."</s> <\|message\|>Onyx Bright "Really?" Onyx suppressed a shudder. "I think I'd go slightly insane if I had to do that. I don't have a specific place to go, just walking around outside is nice sometimes. If you really don't want to go out then I'm fine staying here, I just wanted to be sure you were."</s> <\|message\|>Tarentek "Well, I mean, it's not that I don't want to go out, it's more like I would like going out, but I would also like staying here. I just don't have much of a preference at the moment." Tarentek answered, though after pausing for a few moments, he suddenly started to laugh. "You know, I think I've had this conversation before. Not with you, just..." He began before trailing off into thought. It was difficult for him to concentrate on his memories without ending up on the attack, but this time at least, he was keeping his focus on more positive memories.</s>	<\|message\|>Onyx Bright Onyx waited a while after Tarentek trailed off, wondering what he was thinking about. After a few more seconds she shrugged her shoulders and went to a box across the room, pulling out a few bolts of tightly-knitted yarn and a lot of loose yarn as well. She sat on a chair in the living room and started weaving yarn through the edges of the bolts, effectively binding them together. She used no tools, other than a knife to cut the yarn with, weaving the yarn into the stitch with only her fingers.</s>
<\|description\|>Ash Nathbakk Gender: Female Age: 18 Species: Gigan Birthday: May 22 Blood Type: B+ Height: 10"5' Weight: 284 ibs. Measurements: 32D-23-36 Like: Mornings, Gale, sleeping, eating, sleeping again, her gun, seeing Gale smile, long walks through Meridian, botany, gardening, flowers, big windows that she can climb out of easily, and small things. Dislikes: The Renoirs, Egrits, moonless nights, mean small people, mean tall people, hot days (which are all too common in the Meridian), and Gale injuring herself. Parasite: Rorschach - a parasite that replaces an unknown part of Ash's body, only Gale has seen it activate and live. Appearance: Ash is a ten foot tall Gigan, with a pair of stubby yellow horns and peach colored skin, her eyes are an expressive yellow, topped off by badly kept white hair. Ash usually wears a striped jacket, and a white undershirt that barely fits her elongated arms, along with her jacket, she also has a bright red bow tie around the collar of her jacket, fur mantle included, which matches the hair on top of her head. She also carries a Gigantian machete as a secondary weapon, alternatively to her .30 caliber Canopian anti-tank rifle; which can often be found slung over a shoulder, with Gale attached to its long barrel. Biography: Ash's origins lie in the cold wastes of Giga, where she was born to a family of Gigan, whose names even she can't remember. They dissipated from Ash's life when she was nine, and she found her way to little Innsmouth through a lowly Elven caravan. After she had strayed from the Elves that had been with her for so long, she found her way to a small family of bat Ferals who, despite her size, took her in. Their giving attitude had touched her so deeply, that she had decidedly stayed with them. Everything went well for a few months, Ash managed to live a relatively normal life tending to flowers, and getting a proper education--until Gale's parents died. Gale's mental state immediately declined, and as it did Ash was the only thing left to keep it from falling into madness. The next seven years were hell not only for Gale, but for Ash as she was treated to all of Gale's hatred and sadness, but Ash soldiered through it. In those seven years Ash and Gale grew significantly closer as Ash slowly became a pillar for Gale, but despite the pair becoming so close, Gale still doesn't know much about Ash; save for what she's been around to witness. In fact, nobody knows much about Ash. After Gale decidedly joined the Medicis, Ash decided to buy a new home in Little Innsmouth where she and Gale can rest in relative peace in between hits. Now a days the pair just hang out, so to speak, lounging in their shared home, and on occasion tending to the flowers covering the interior of their house. When the pair are not scattered through out their home in Little Innsmouth, or breaking backs for their employers, Gale rests on Ash during the night; almost like a Gigan mattress. Blockbusters: Maul (Level 1): Ash unsheaths her machete, and hyper extends her arm, using it to whip lash her opponent several times--blade included. Bullet Hell (Level 2): Ash loads a special 'slug' round into her rifle, which fires numerous smaller caliber bullets in a flurry of lead, which all impacts her opponent; effectively juggling them in the air to open them up to a counter attack. Bloom (Level 3): Ash activates Rorschach.</s> <\|message\|>Juno Bernstein "Well well... That bat doesn't seem to be ordinary." Juno Bernstein swung her legs in a carefree way on her seat, seemingly oblivious that a wrong move would topple her off her rooftop seat and down to the pavement below. The reddish steel gauntlet on her left hand stood out rather conspicuously against her quality suit, complete with a real hand-tied tie tucked carefully in the jacket; none of that clip on thing for her. She wondered briefly if she should have brought a telescope instead of a binocular instead, as her left eye was naught but an empty socket. "HOW CAN YOU TELL?" She took off the binocular, and looked at her left hand, the green eye on the back of the gauntlet staring at her as she did the same. "The way she moves, what she wears, and how she carries herself. Everyone has many different tells. Thats how I can see which one's worth filching off." "YOU ARE SMART. NOW WE'RE HUNGRY. WE EAT." "Yeah, yeah, stave it off with this. We'll get some food after we get a good mark," She shoved a snack bar into her left palm, watching as a maw suddenly appeared and started crunching on the bar. As the taste of chocolate flooded her mouth, she resumed her vigil on top of the roof. Juno knows where the bat lives, and it would be a simple matter to find which floor and number as well. The lost relative trick always works. But she would need her tools for that sort of heist, and today she was looking for a simple mark, a target to swipe money off and run. It was a bit tight this month, the mafia was cracking down on rivals now, and while normally that wouldn't concern someone who stuck to doing small crime, one of the local bosses was getting a bit overzealous. The shadows were getting a bit hotter too now that there was apparently some hotshot cuffers looking to jump badges. How's an honest thief going to make it through the month without starving with all these happening? Just then she spotted a couple, a very well to do looking couple moving to where she knows was an alley, a shortcut out of the crowd. Which also means those two weren't average joes, since civilians don't usually go through that shortcut. "I'm thinking that's a bodyguard and someone's rich wife. Marionette?" "I'M THINKING OF STEAK." "That's the spirit." Swiftly wrapping up her left hand in bandages, Juno moved silently through the rooftops to intercept them. Should be easy money for dinner.</s> <\|message\|>Morgann Lacroix (Stage Name: "Morrgan the Magnificent") Morgann Lacroix, dressed in her usual show attire minus the mask, strolled down the dark streets of New Meridian, the light from the nearby street lamps causing her tall form to project a massive shadow of her figure. At this time of day, everyone had already hurried home, so Morgann never worried about someone asking for her signature or some other typical request. Almost every night for the past few weeks, she would grab dinner at Mad Man's Cafe, and nobody bothered her while she did so. Eating with the carnies at Cartes was okay, but it got on her nerves. The voices of her co-workers were jarring, and not only that, they never shut up. Dinner would last for about two hours, so the magician would find herself in bed with a raging headache. "A star like me shouldn't even have to associate with such peasants anyhow," she snarled, approaching the dimly-lit cafe. Morgann likes to think she's the best magician in the kingdom, and while she is quite good at working with magic, she was nowhere near the best. Perhaps she is somewhere in the middle of the scale, but that was it for the moment. She clearly feels that she needs to be just as good as her father, but that might take at least fifty more years. A magician of his caliber was, and still is, quite rare. As soon as she walked in, she slid into a booth without a word, slowly sliding downwards into the seat to the point where her shoulders were hunched forward and the brim of her purple top hat covered her eyes. "It's been a long day," she breathed softly, looking around the vacant room. There was a single man at the register who glanced in her direction before coming over to take her order. She promptly replied she'd just like a coffee if possible, and the worker hurried away. "Bus boy better make it quick," she growled before looking out the window and up at the starry sky, sighing quietly. "I kinda wish I was back at the circus now, to be honest," she murmured. And in that very moment, Morgann realized how lonely she was. Right before dismissing it and assuming she might be sick.</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash smiles gayly "We don't have to go to Meridian, we can just go to that campy little cafe down the road," she assures Gale, making sure that the clothes the Gigan is wearing look nice, and smell nice enough for her to wear in public. She puts Gale down atop a couch to her right, wedged in between a pair of vases that look much too large, and much too heavy for a normal person to lift. She stands up, hunched over in the suffocating closeness of her room, and begins to piece together her rifle, attaching springs and other key components to its ornate base, and screwing the lengthy barrel on. This go on for ten minutes, until Ash situates the rifle's leather straps with a satisfying 'click', and slings it over her shoulder, the tip of the gun scraping against the ceiling. The large Gigan then bends over, and picks up Gale "Would you like to ride on my gun?" she asks, motioning to the chromatic barrel.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale looked up at the barrel that, compared to her, was gigantic. Without a word, she swiftly hopped from Ash's hand to the top of the barrel, flapping her tiny wings to steady herself. "Alright. I'm happy to go there," Gale replied quietly, crossing her legs and sitting flat on her butt, making sure the bandana around her eyes was tightly knotted. "Thank Goddess she did not want to go to Meridian," Gale thought, flattening her ears against her head. What a rude thing to think. This was Ash's choice, and had she picked New Meridian, Gale would have had to live with it. She should stop being so selfish. Gale hopped from the barrel to the nape of Ash's neck and crawled up so that she could sit right on top of her head, perking her bat ears up as a way of preparation for the sound of the night once they left the apartment. "Oh, I forgot..." she murmured, jumping off of her head and landing on the ground with her wings spread to slow the fall. She dashed off to the hallway near the kitchen and hooked a right, throwing open her white bedroom door. She didn't need echolocation to find Brandy Station. She already knew where he was. Her room was empty and, quite honestly, depressing, with walls of white and a plain brown carpet floor. The only furniture within the room was a twin-sized bed, a mahogany desk with a charming portrait of her menacing family members, a tall wardrobe, and on the wall sat the rack that held her sword up for the world to see. Without a second thought, she leaped up and snatched the sword from its hooks, landing right on her feet. "Time to go, Brandy," she whispered to its black sheath, wincing as the case rattled in an excited manner. She could feel its chilling connection bonding with her body and its resources as she slung the weapon over her back before slamming the door shut and dashing back to Ash. She quickly scrambled up the Gigan's leg and found her way back to Ash's unruly blonde hair, sitting with her legs crossed just like earlier. "Lead the way," she murmured quietly, adjusting the tall collar of her black down vest.</s> <\|message\|>Dontores Allorè "Dontores my boy, do you have any idea where we are?" A teenage boy sat on the roof of a building he didn't know, in a city he wasn't familiar with. He looked into the distance, eyes half-closed, fist under his chin, taking in the scenery. "Does it even matter?" He said. A thick steel-bound tome laying besides him suddenly floated up in front of him. "Culture my boy! Culture!" The book said, a voice coming out from its pages, "How would you expect to blend in if you don't know culture?" The book danced along to its own words, a familiar and tiresome dance. The teenager didn't see a point in it, but then again, he hardly ever saw the point of anything. "You know as well as I do," The boy said in a tired tone, "That it's your fault that I can't blend in anywhere, right?" The book turned its cover to him, it had no expression but he could easily imagine its grin. "You're the one who gave half your body to me, my boy." It said, "And you're the one who decided to take my clothes with it." He retorted. His body was half covered by a thick, wispy shadow that only left one glowing eye visible on the left side of his body. Whatever clothes he put on, the shadows would cover it making disguise impossible. Perhaps if the Grimoire wasn't illegal, it wouldn't have been a problem. "I will admit that this city is quite new to me," he was gloating now. "The world has changed much since I was last released." The book turned towards the horizon and stood still, as if enjoying a sudden breeze. "Well, you shouldn't get to used to the city just yet." It said, "Change is on the winds, and it comes on swift wings." "Nuul," The boy said, turning towards the book, "How many times have I told you that I don't care?" "And how many times have I told you," Nuul said, shadows radiating from his pages, a dark fist emerging from its depths. "That my name is Grimoire Nuul!</s>	<\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash waits patiently as Gale retrieves Brandy Station, slumped over by the front door, and once Gale is situated on Ash's head, the Gigan clumsily opens the door to their house, and manages to squeeze through. Once Ash is out in the open, she stands at her full height with a relieved sigh, looking down at the crowd; who begins to part to let Ash through. She walks with a surprisingly brisk pace, taking into account all the obstacles of Little Innsmouth, properly gaging all her ducks, and side steps to compensate for the bat feral on her head. "It's busy out today, how did you manage to find your way home?" Ash questions as she approaches the door to a local diner, the wonderful smell of cooked food flooding her senses. "Something smells yummy," she comments, lifting Gale off of her head, and guiding her to the door. With her index finger, and her thumb, Ash grips the handle to the glass portal. She opens it slowly, letting the tacky silver bell ring, and giving Gale a light push inside, following after her with a light grunt, forcing herself through the human sized frame of the door. Ash's knee slides across the dirtied tile floor, followed by its opposite, and once Ash manages to slide her gun past the door, she stands up; hanging her head low. "Dagonian cuisine . . ." Ash mumbles with a content smile, clasping her hands together "You have money, right Gale?"</s>
<\|description\|>Ash Nathbakk Gender: Female Age: 18 Species: Gigan Birthday: May 22 Blood Type: B+ Height: 10"5' Weight: 284 ibs. Measurements: 32D-23-36 Like: Mornings, Gale, sleeping, eating, sleeping again, her gun, seeing Gale smile, long walks through Meridian, botany, gardening, flowers, big windows that she can climb out of easily, and small things. Dislikes: The Renoirs, Egrits, moonless nights, mean small people, mean tall people, hot days (which are all too common in the Meridian), and Gale injuring herself. Parasite: Rorschach - a parasite that replaces an unknown part of Ash's body, only Gale has seen it activate and live. Appearance: Ash is a ten foot tall Gigan, with a pair of stubby yellow horns and peach colored skin, her eyes are an expressive yellow, topped off by badly kept white hair. Ash usually wears a striped jacket, and a white undershirt that barely fits her elongated arms, along with her jacket, she also has a bright red bow tie around the collar of her jacket, fur mantle included, which matches the hair on top of her head. She also carries a Gigantian machete as a secondary weapon, alternatively to her .30 caliber Canopian anti-tank rifle; which can often be found slung over a shoulder, with Gale attached to its long barrel. Biography: Ash's origins lie in the cold wastes of Giga, where she was born to a family of Gigan, whose names even she can't remember. They dissipated from Ash's life when she was nine, and she found her way to little Innsmouth through a lowly Elven caravan. After she had strayed from the Elves that had been with her for so long, she found her way to a small family of bat Ferals who, despite her size, took her in. Their giving attitude had touched her so deeply, that she had decidedly stayed with them. Everything went well for a few months, Ash managed to live a relatively normal life tending to flowers, and getting a proper education--until Gale's parents died. Gale's mental state immediately declined, and as it did Ash was the only thing left to keep it from falling into madness. The next seven years were hell not only for Gale, but for Ash as she was treated to all of Gale's hatred and sadness, but Ash soldiered through it. In those seven years Ash and Gale grew significantly closer as Ash slowly became a pillar for Gale, but despite the pair becoming so close, Gale still doesn't know much about Ash; save for what she's been around to witness. In fact, nobody knows much about Ash. After Gale decidedly joined the Medicis, Ash decided to buy a new home in Little Innsmouth where she and Gale can rest in relative peace in between hits. Now a days the pair just hang out, so to speak, lounging in their shared home, and on occasion tending to the flowers covering the interior of their house. When the pair are not scattered through out their home in Little Innsmouth, or breaking backs for their employers, Gale rests on Ash during the night; almost like a Gigan mattress. Blockbusters: Maul (Level 1): Ash unsheaths her machete, and hyper extends her arm, using it to whip lash her opponent several times--blade included. Bullet Hell (Level 2): Ash loads a special 'slug' round into her rifle, which fires numerous smaller caliber bullets in a flurry of lead, which all impacts her opponent; effectively juggling them in the air to open them up to a counter attack. Bloom (Level 3): Ash activates Rorschach.</s> <\|message\|>Nikolai V Lacerta Nikolai pored over his papers, analysing their contents. He took a pen from the nearby clear desk, twirled it into a comfortable position in his hand and wrote some corrections onto a particular sheet and moved on. Nikolai's irritation grew a little, but it wasn't because of what he saw. His research was flawless as always, and the results had been expected. What annoyed him was the fact that he had to modify his lab so that his hands, bigger than they used to be and each with only semi-retractable claws, could navigate the same workspace he'd been using for most of his life without flicking everything on the table onto the floor every time he tried to grab a pen. It had bothered him for a while now, and he debated finding a way to fix it. Certainly, it was only his own fault that his bestial body had gotten even worse. But he couldn't exactly attain approval for live subjects. It'd worked on rats relatively well, and he had little reason to assume that it'd go so horribly wrong for him. After a few weeks of accidents, he'd discovered that his potion had done the intended effect. It drew on the potential of the body and put it under a heavy strain, causing accelerated growth and adaption as the subject's body tears itself apart. Theoretically, it decayed the muscles and replaced them with stronger ones. Unfortunately for Nikolai, he'd included a mutagen which would've helped accelerate growth. For Nikolai, it had made him grow even more lizard-like. He'd grown powerful muscles and sharp claws, and he'd noticed that the claws were long and curved. He'd looked downright prehistoric, and his behaviour at the time matched that. Another unfortunate side-effect was that the potion had awakened his predatory instincts, dulled as they were under the oppressive routine of society. He sighed as he remembered the moment. Around a year of research lost in minutes of primal rage. He'd managed to get it under control, of course. The technological augmentations helped quite a lot. Of course, he'd appreciate his old form again, but he'd gotten used to his more 'predatory' form. Besides, it would be a waste of all the effort he'd put into his lab to make it workable. And if his parasite weapon was to be believed, he might need his new form, beast-like as it was. The paper Nikolai had in front of him was on the subject of the peculiar being, often called 'parasite weapons'. It was on his own parasite weapon, Oculus, and its effect on Nikolai whom implanted it in place of his other eye. He'd stored his other eye elsewhere, in case he needed it for later. For now, the living eye seemingly made out of glass was a subject of focus for his research. Before he implanted Oculus, it'd been in his possession for quite some time. He'd managed to get it somehow, and it was in his lab for quite a time. Despite its reputation as a parasite, it was capable of living without a host. It was less of a parasite and more of a symbiotic lifeform. After he implanted it, it functioned something like an extra organ. It required nutrients, which were absorbed directly from Nikolai, the host body. But it required little for what it gave, and what it gave to Nikolai was insight. It analysed things he saw with it, told him their composition. Uses. Weak points. Its secondary function, a laser, was useful for cutting and exploited their weak points. And thankfully, Oculus never says anything unnecessary. Sharp and efficient, just how Nikolai liked. "Oculus." Nikolai said. "Yes?" It said in his mind. "What can you tell me about your brethren?" Nikolai asked. "Nothing that you do not already know." Oculus said. Nikolai had figured as much. He had already analysed oculus the best he could, and he'd analysed the effects that Oculus had on his body. There was nothing more to be gleaned from studying it. That meant that to further his knowledge of parasite weapons, he'd have to look further. Nikolai thought about that prospect and glanced at his door. His lab, in which he'd spent most of his life, was on the outskirts of Little Innsmouth. There was nothing more to be gleaned from analysing Oculus, meaning he needed to find more parasite weapons. That meant that there was a possibility that he would meet people who wielded parasite weapons. Nikolai sighed. He'd have to find people with parasite weapons to study them further. The problem was, he hated people. He and they had a kind of agreement. He stayed away from them, they wouldn't bother him. His situation was eerily reminiscent of old witch folk tales, where a witch lives in the forest who eats children that try to trespass into her house. In Nikolai's case, he didn't eat children; they tasted terrible. But the characteristics were the same: Outcast shunned by society living on the outskirts of a town. But there were a few differences between Nikolai and a witch. One, Nikolai was a scientist, and two, Nikolai was a predator. He had an intrinsic knowledge of stealth and tracking. This would make the job easier, somewhat, but there was only so much one could glean from observation. But it's not like he had a choice… Thinking a little more, Nikolai spoke to Oculus. "Oculus. Can you identify your brethren?" He asked. "Yes." Oculus replied. Nikolai sighed again and got out of his seat. He'd have to hunt, then. Hunting for parasite weapons. He could search at a distance, relying on Oculus's boons to find his targets. It may be a long time before he came back to his lab, but his memory was good so it would be fine. Coming to a decision, he opened the door to the world outside. It was evening now, but that would only make his job easier. "Let's go, Oculus." He said. "Yes." Oculus replied. Nikolai stood and sniffed the air, isolating which direction to go towards. He smiled a little predatory smile, his instincts enflamed by the anticipation of the hunt. The lizard scientist stalked into the evening woods, making his way to Little Innsmouth.</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash walks up the crimson bar, setting a twenty down on its chipped wooden surface--next to a woman with bandaged hands "Are you okay?" Ash asks her with a concerned frown, before she's interrupted by a waitress. "Oh, sorry," Ash responds to the woman behind the counter, before listing off her order "May I have five baskets of chicken tenders, and uh..." Ash pauses "An extra rare hamburger? With a basket of fries? Pretty please?" she asks, finishing her order. The Dagonian waitress takes Ash's money, crumpling it, and shoving it into her apron, she then rummages around in the same pocket she had put the twenty in, pulling out a five. Ash takes her change, and manages to situate her Gigan rear on a seat, a seat away from the strange woman. 'What's wrong with her hands? does she have a parasite?' she asks herself, to which a rather silent voice in her head responds '...maybe...' before it disperses all together, fading away into the milky cauldron of her mind. Ash looks at the strange woman, then back to Gale, running her fingers through her hair with a worried frown, until her order is set down behind her. "Goody!" she exclaims, scooping up the food in her palms, carrying it over to Gale with a giddy smile. "I got the food!" she says, handing Gale her burger.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale stared down at her burger and tilted her head, flicking her ears. "I can just eat the bun," she thought silently, tearing open the burger's wrapper and snatching the buns away from the meat. Pressing the two slices together, she opened her mouth wide to reveal insanely sharp bat fangs before devouring the bread whole, swallowing. She pushed the meat over to Ash before shuffling in her boots for some extra money. "I'm going to try and order for myself," she explained to Ash, "Meat makes me feel sick to my stomach. I'll be back in a few." With that last comment, she scurried off to go order. The waitress, who Gale could sense was simply staring at her with curiosity, put a menu in front of her, but she pushed it back with her index finger. "O-Oh, sorry, I...I know what I want, rice?" she requested, putting her hands behind her back. "What? Speak up, little one, you're awfully quiet," the woman said. The comment about her size irritated Gale, but she swallowed her pride and firmly repeated. "I. Would like. Rice." Oblivious to her irritation, the waitress turned to retrieve a small bowl of rice before sliding it over to Gale. "Thank you," she whispered, and without even turning to acknowledge the girl with bandaged hands, she scampered back to the table and began to dig into the rice with the hunger of a savage wolf.</s> <\|message\|>Jane Vermilion Jane's attention was shifted from her tea to the door as the stupid silver bell rang. "Oh hey, more people. We should go talk to them!" Jane said, eyeing the two new people with interest. A Gigan and a Feral, both carrying weapons. An odd duo to say the least. For some reason her first thought was that they were lovers, but it was probably at least a little more innocent than that. Probably. She sipped on her tea silently as the two girls conversed. The small bat gal gave the gentle giant some cash and went to find the both of them a seat. Way in the back, of course. It seemed she didn't wan't to converse. Luckily, the more social of the two returned, food in hand. "We should go talk to them. They seem interesting." Jane said, polishing off her tea. "By the way, you likin' this drink?" "The tea's fine, I guess. A little bitter, anyways, can we maybe not talk to whoever you're talking about?" Franky replied, obviously not a fan of talking. "Oh c'mon, you don't even have to speak!" She whined, getting up and placing some money on the table. Franky sighed in annoyance and submission, before saying "Can we at least get some grub first? "Sure, we can eat it while we talk to them." A minute or two later the girl made her way to the only other occupied table in that diner with noodles of some kind, along with more tea. "Hi. Hope I'm not interrupting, but may I join you two? You're kinda the only two people to talk to that's not one of the staff." She said, taking Franky's advice and not drawing attention to her parasite. She noticed the bat girl had a different order than before, some rice, and was tearing into it vigorously.</s>	<\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash shrugs "Sorry about the burger, I thought it would be funny," she mutters, lightly patting Gale on the head, before she starts to consume the chicken tenders she ordered. "What do you want to do after this?" Ash asks Gale with a pleasant smile, looking down at her batty companion, while she tenderly chews on a mouth full of fried chicken. "We could go anywhere you want, I was thinking about going into New Meridian and buying flowers, but you don't like that place. . ." Ash stops when the strange woman approaches the table, giving her a slight glance "You can sit here, sure!" she responds, looking down at the lady's hands. "But first, what's your name?" she questions with a jubilant smile, which appears to be a recurring theme with the strange character.</s>
<\|description\|>Ash Nathbakk Gender: Female Age: 18 Species: Gigan Birthday: May 22 Blood Type: B+ Height: 10"5' Weight: 284 ibs. Measurements: 32D-23-36 Like: Mornings, Gale, sleeping, eating, sleeping again, her gun, seeing Gale smile, long walks through Meridian, botany, gardening, flowers, big windows that she can climb out of easily, and small things. Dislikes: The Renoirs, Egrits, moonless nights, mean small people, mean tall people, hot days (which are all too common in the Meridian), and Gale injuring herself. Parasite: Rorschach - a parasite that replaces an unknown part of Ash's body, only Gale has seen it activate and live. Appearance: Ash is a ten foot tall Gigan, with a pair of stubby yellow horns and peach colored skin, her eyes are an expressive yellow, topped off by badly kept white hair. Ash usually wears a striped jacket, and a white undershirt that barely fits her elongated arms, along with her jacket, she also has a bright red bow tie around the collar of her jacket, fur mantle included, which matches the hair on top of her head. She also carries a Gigantian machete as a secondary weapon, alternatively to her .30 caliber Canopian anti-tank rifle; which can often be found slung over a shoulder, with Gale attached to its long barrel. Biography: Ash's origins lie in the cold wastes of Giga, where she was born to a family of Gigan, whose names even she can't remember. They dissipated from Ash's life when she was nine, and she found her way to little Innsmouth through a lowly Elven caravan. After she had strayed from the Elves that had been with her for so long, she found her way to a small family of bat Ferals who, despite her size, took her in. Their giving attitude had touched her so deeply, that she had decidedly stayed with them. Everything went well for a few months, Ash managed to live a relatively normal life tending to flowers, and getting a proper education--until Gale's parents died. Gale's mental state immediately declined, and as it did Ash was the only thing left to keep it from falling into madness. The next seven years were hell not only for Gale, but for Ash as she was treated to all of Gale's hatred and sadness, but Ash soldiered through it. In those seven years Ash and Gale grew significantly closer as Ash slowly became a pillar for Gale, but despite the pair becoming so close, Gale still doesn't know much about Ash; save for what she's been around to witness. In fact, nobody knows much about Ash. After Gale decidedly joined the Medicis, Ash decided to buy a new home in Little Innsmouth where she and Gale can rest in relative peace in between hits. Now a days the pair just hang out, so to speak, lounging in their shared home, and on occasion tending to the flowers covering the interior of their house. When the pair are not scattered through out their home in Little Innsmouth, or breaking backs for their employers, Gale rests on Ash during the night; almost like a Gigan mattress. Blockbusters: Maul (Level 1): Ash unsheaths her machete, and hyper extends her arm, using it to whip lash her opponent several times--blade included. Bullet Hell (Level 2): Ash loads a special 'slug' round into her rifle, which fires numerous smaller caliber bullets in a flurry of lead, which all impacts her opponent; effectively juggling them in the air to open them up to a counter attack. Bloom (Level 3): Ash activates Rorschach.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk In that very moment, something snapped inside of Gale. "A t-shirt," she echoed in her mind, her entire body filling with a surreal rage. That deafening static had returned, indicating that Brandy Station was most certainly ready to take over. "Are you sure you want me to go on?" he whispered, and she felt her impaired eyes burning from the intense, burning light that was finding its way through her pupils. "Do it," she replied, relinquishing all control over her actions and her body to let Brandy take over. While Brandy slowly began to take control, he reached up using her delicate, thin fingers and opened her eyelids manually, revealing that her entire eye had been submerged in a ghostly yellow light. "I'll keep you safe, you just watch," he breathed softly to her despite the fact that she was too disoriented to properly reply. After he had complete control over her mind and body, he slipped the obsidian sword out of its polished sheath, pointing it directly in the Egrets' direction. "Hello, all," he announced in a voice that sounded vaguely like Gale's, but it had a twist of a garbled male voice and a roaring static accent. "On Gale's judgement, I have been commanded to take over from here," he explained to the soldiers, increasing the light coming from her wide yellow eyes to a blinding intensity. "You may leave peacefully, and I will do no harm," Brandy remarked, tilting Gale's head to the side, "but if you stay and put this girl's life in danger, I will stop your actions indefinitely. An eye for an eye." He turned to Ash and pointed the feral's free hand in her direction. "Stay put," he whispered to her, making sure that it was in a language that only her hidden parasite would understand. He adjusted his host's iron grip on the sabre's handle, raising it in the air. "And don't you dare think of using your filthy guns and tear gas on me," he snarled through her closed teeth, swiping the air with such force that it caused a surprisingly strong wind to blow in the men's direction. "An entity such as me is still affected, but I recover much faster than your average opponent. The repercussions will be great if you dare do so." Gale's being, entrapped within her own mind, watched through blind eyes and listened to her weapon's words. "Them's fighting words," she echoed through his control, causing her feminine voice to be projected through her own throat. "Please keep quiet, Gale," he warned mentally, "if you distract me at the wrong time, our lives will be in danger. Keep in mind that while I am in your body, I, too, can be killed." Curling up on the floor and hugging her knees against her chest, she slowly replied with a delicate, "Okay," to reassure him that she understood the urgency of the situation.</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scoot and Liam were just taking a sip of the coffee the waitress had put down before them, when the bat feral from earlier stood up and began threatening them with violence. Not only that, but she showed the sure signs of having a parasite. In unison, Scott and Liam let out a disappointed sigh before taking another sip of their drinks. Scott was the first to speak. "Miss, you do realize that parasites are illegal don't you?" He pulled out a small notepad from another pouch on his uniform and began asking questions while quickly reading several pages in the notepad. "I'm just going to assume right off the bat that this parasite has not been approved by the Renoir family." Scott looked up from the notepad just to see if she had any reaction to his absolute disregard for her earlier threats. "I'm going to have to ask you a few questions ma'am. First off, I'm going to need your name. Then I need to know what type of parasite it is that you are currently hosting: natural or synthetic. And finally, I'm going to have to ask your friends if they knew of your parasite before now and if they have ones of their own." Scott closed the notepad and returned it to it's pouch. "If we can settle this without violence, I'd much appreciate it. Your actions so far will definitely get you a few years in juvie and I'd hate for them to have to send a young girl like you to prison because of your actions here today."</s> <\|message\|>Jane Vermilion Jane listened with interest as the feral girl, now properly named in Jane's eyes as 'Gale Nathbakk', (Which was a pretty cool name if we were all being honest here) explained her friend's backstory. Apparently, Ash was an orphan too. It seemed they would all be quick friends, what with the similarities and the open friendliness. Ash also pitched in, mentioning she had never really met any gigan herself. Jane had seen gigan around, but had never gotten to know one, she wasn't really super friendly at school. Just then, the silver bell rang for the third time that evening signifying more guests. Unfortunately, these people Jane would not want to converse with. They were with the Black Egrets, the Renoir's personal lackies. She started sweating bullets, immediately placing her right hand under the table and took a big gulp from her cup of tea. Gale was also clearly mad or afraid or something, she was scratching at Ash with an intensity previously unseen. Luckily, she seemed to calm down a little, probably thinking that if they ignored them, they'd leave. Clearly they were not leaving. One of the idiots had gotten up out of his seat, took out company brand Black Egret Tees, and fucking placed three on the table. The amount of idiocy present in that one moment was simply astounding. Had the two people sitting there been regular diner patrons and not real law enforcement officials, presumably with guns, she would have straight up assaulted them. Now though, she had to way her options. Take care of her increasing rage, and show of Franky? Well then she'd probably be arrested, again, and ofcourse she had no idea how they'd deal with her parasite, so unknown horror. Then, Gale... became not Gale. Her voice changed, some dude and T.V. static were added to it. She decided to call this new Gale "Teevee" because, yaknow, T.V. voice. Teevee proceeded to threaten the Black Egrets (Jane was deeply saddened that she couldn't come up with an insulting name for them. The best she got was Bitch Egrets, and that sucked.) with violence, but allowed them to leave peacefully, should they wish. He also gave Ash 'the hand' presumably telling her to stay put. Bitch Egret #1, the same idiot with the damn t-shirts, reacted like she/he wasn't brandishing a blade at them. His blatant disregard for the situation only fueled Jane's anger. Then,Bitch Egret #1 said something that scared her. She barely caught it, but as he was reading her her rights or whatever he said he'd need to "ask [her] friends if they had any parasites of their own." Well shit, it was over then. They'd ask her to take her gloves off, and she'd reveal Franky, and he'd be killed or she would, and that's it. Her only hope was to knock both officers unconscious and run. Jane quickly got up, making her way to Teevee's side. "Franky, it's showtime!" She said, as she ripped off her glove. "H-huh? Wait, are we fighting now?!?" Franky gasped, suddenly roused from his lethargic sleep-like state. Looked like this one was going to be a fight to tell the Aunt and Uncle about.</s> <\|message\|>Juno Bernstein She headed to one of the better restaurant, whistling cheerfully as she entered the scene. Her mind went blank for a while as the sight of the batgirl from earlier wielding a sword and threatening what seemed to be Egrets failed to completely register in her mind. Oh thats right, there was another parasite wielder too. "Nope." With that, she turned around and walked to another cafe. "WHAT HAPPENED TO EATING THAT CHEESECAKE?" "I just remembered there was a better cafe over there, further away from here." Ugh, city was going to hell quick. If she didn't know any better, she'd think the Skullgirl would suddenly appear and mug her. Juno entered Mad Man's Cafe, thankful there was a distinct lack of murderous ferals or apprehensive looking Egrets in the place. With just a sigh of relief, she sat down at a table, straightening her suit and brushing off imaginary dust. After a moment ordering, and feeling slightly amused at the flabbergasted expression the waiter wore as she ordered, Juno noticed someone who seemed to stand out against the few people in the cafe. While she didn't look at her directly, Juno pretended to scratch at her bandaged hand, opening just a little space for her eye on the gauntlet to see. A... carnival person, a... a.. a circus person more like. Juno didn't quite know, but that seemed to be it considering the flash of the outfit the woman was wearing. So much flash it had to be a costume she used exclusively for performing. Which means she just got off from work. No one would wear their work clothes when they weren't working after all, not unless they were taking a break or had just finished working. Either way, she haven't.... liberated.. anything from a circus yet. That circus person would certainly be worth tailing.</s>	<\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash sighs, and sets her ginormous hand on Gale's head (Franky included), furrowing her brow, "Sirs, could you please just leave? I'd rather you not give her a reason to fight." she requests, lightly scratching the Feral's head in an attempt to calm her down, and Brandy Station. "Not to mention that if you arrest us, your good standing with the Medicis isn't guaranteed." Ash continues. Slowly, she shifts in place with an uneasy sigh, monitoring her surroundings. The crowd outside seems ignorant to the events unfolding within, whereas the Waitress is trying to slink into the kitchen with an disinterested frown. Ash then begins to consider her options: if things were to go south, the window is just large enough for Ash to jump through; Gale included, so she could avoid the inevitable fighting in the diner. "How would a pair of normal humans fair against say, three, Parasite hosts?" Ash hints the Egrets before her, now moving onto intimidation "Assuming there are any hosts in here, of course." she adds nonchalantly, for safe measure. Ash really hates it when her lunch is interrupted by Egrets, or Police, she dislikes both of them, of course, but her tolerance is much higher than Gale's.</s>
<\|description\|>Ash Nathbakk Gender: Female Age: 18 Species: Gigan Birthday: May 22 Blood Type: B+ Height: 10"5' Weight: 284 ibs. Measurements: 32D-23-36 Like: Mornings, Gale, sleeping, eating, sleeping again, her gun, seeing Gale smile, long walks through Meridian, botany, gardening, flowers, big windows that she can climb out of easily, and small things. Dislikes: The Renoirs, Egrits, moonless nights, mean small people, mean tall people, hot days (which are all too common in the Meridian), and Gale injuring herself. Parasite: Rorschach - a parasite that replaces an unknown part of Ash's body, only Gale has seen it activate and live. Appearance: Ash is a ten foot tall Gigan, with a pair of stubby yellow horns and peach colored skin, her eyes are an expressive yellow, topped off by badly kept white hair. Ash usually wears a striped jacket, and a white undershirt that barely fits her elongated arms, along with her jacket, she also has a bright red bow tie around the collar of her jacket, fur mantle included, which matches the hair on top of her head. She also carries a Gigantian machete as a secondary weapon, alternatively to her .30 caliber Canopian anti-tank rifle; which can often be found slung over a shoulder, with Gale attached to its long barrel. Biography: Ash's origins lie in the cold wastes of Giga, where she was born to a family of Gigan, whose names even she can't remember. They dissipated from Ash's life when she was nine, and she found her way to little Innsmouth through a lowly Elven caravan. After she had strayed from the Elves that had been with her for so long, she found her way to a small family of bat Ferals who, despite her size, took her in. Their giving attitude had touched her so deeply, that she had decidedly stayed with them. Everything went well for a few months, Ash managed to live a relatively normal life tending to flowers, and getting a proper education--until Gale's parents died. Gale's mental state immediately declined, and as it did Ash was the only thing left to keep it from falling into madness. The next seven years were hell not only for Gale, but for Ash as she was treated to all of Gale's hatred and sadness, but Ash soldiered through it. In those seven years Ash and Gale grew significantly closer as Ash slowly became a pillar for Gale, but despite the pair becoming so close, Gale still doesn't know much about Ash; save for what she's been around to witness. In fact, nobody knows much about Ash. After Gale decidedly joined the Medicis, Ash decided to buy a new home in Little Innsmouth where she and Gale can rest in relative peace in between hits. Now a days the pair just hang out, so to speak, lounging in their shared home, and on occasion tending to the flowers covering the interior of their house. When the pair are not scattered through out their home in Little Innsmouth, or breaking backs for their employers, Gale rests on Ash during the night; almost like a Gigan mattress. Blockbusters: Maul (Level 1): Ash unsheaths her machete, and hyper extends her arm, using it to whip lash her opponent several times--blade included. Bullet Hell (Level 2): Ash loads a special 'slug' round into her rifle, which fires numerous smaller caliber bullets in a flurry of lead, which all impacts her opponent; effectively juggling them in the air to open them up to a counter attack. Bloom (Level 3): Ash activates Rorschach.</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scott groaned as pieces of his notebook fell around him. He turned back to Liam and approached the table they'd originally been sitting at. They began whispering to keep the girls from listening, but the action would be futile for anyone with beyond-normal human hearing. "I just wanted to get something to eat," Scott complained. Liam mouthed the words, "Me too," but didn't actually say anything. "So, what're we gonna to do?" Scott asked. "Well we can't just leave them, they're now officially perps. Owning parasites, threatening government employees, et cetera. I really don't want to get in a fight right now, especially with these overwhelming odds, but we got a job to do," Liam responded. "Yeah, I know," Scott let out a sigh, "Alright, I'll lead them outside and watch them, you go get some distance and call for backup. Fast." Scott turned back to the three delinquents as Liam got out of the booth and stepped out the door. Scott reflexively moved his hand to reach for his MP40. He stopped soon after starting the movement though. Sure they were parasite hosts and would probably tear him apart in the next few seconds, but they were still minors, or at least appeared to be, and there was no way he was going to shoot a bunch of kids. The hand that had originally been reaching for his gun now moved toward his helmet that still lay strapped to his belt. As he put on his helmet, he spoke to the three youths, "Fine, let's take this outside." In an alley next to the diner, Liam frantically called Black Egret HQ, knowing that three parasite hosts would probably be too much even for the police. "This is MacTaggart, I'm going to need support here. Fellow Black Egret Thompson and I have discovered three parasites. I repeat, three parasites. We need back-up now. Send support to these coordinates," he said before giving his location to the radio operator at base.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Brandy smiled with Gale's gleaming bat teeth, lowering the sword. "Alright, we will indeed take this outside," he began, giving the soldier a thumbs up, "but first..." Without a second thought, he dashed forward and slammed the palm of Gale's hand onto the top of his helmet, pulling it down over his eyes before dashing outside. Throwing the door open with great force, he dashed towards Liam's direction with nothing but pure determination and malice. "If she is not pleased with you, neither am I," he began, raising the sword before Gale took over. "No casualties, only injuries," she warned Brandy before overwhelming his control, taking her small but able fist and delivering a surprisingly hard blow to the side of the soldier's head. "You're a fool," she hissed, immediately regaining her stance after throwing her entire body into the punch and beginning to deliver a flurry of speedy kicks to the backs of the soldier's knees. "How dare you both stroll into this homely town with your disgusting boots and uniforms!" Before delivering her final kick, her lithe form leaped forward and snatched the communications device, delivering a final kick with the very tip of her boots to his shin before landing with a flap of her small ebony wings. Tossing it to the ground, she took the heel of her boot and smashed it, clearly not phased by the sparks and the static coming from the dying speaker. "You think calling for your friends will help you?" she demanded, walking over and raising the sabre like before as her voice took on another static tone. "I have friends too, you idiot, and we'll just have another shoot out like the police and the Egrets did so long ago." As she finished her line, she grabbed his shirt's collar with a powerful grip. "We'll have a shoot out, alright," she whispered, staring into his eyes as her red pupils came back and she kept the excruciatingly bright light flowing, "but a Nathbakk will not be the one who dies. You will." Giving him a toothy, rather batty smile, she tightened her grip on him and began to drag him out of the alley before Brandy overwhelmed her, slinging him around to the front of the feral's blind view. "While I cannot see out of my user's eyes," he began, raising the sword like before, "I can certainly tell when one is running or desperately trying to escape." He crouched beside the man and put his host's small arm around his shoulders, hugging him tight, "No funny movements!" He immediately let him go before stopping and turning to deliver a powerful kick directly to his ribcage. "Remember, I can hear everything," he snarled, turning his back and ignoring the crowd that had come to spectate.</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scott hadn't shown it earlier, but he was a bit angry when the girls suggested leaving them alone. He was many things, but crooked was definitely not one of them. When the bat feral pulled his helmet over his eyes, he become absolutely frustrated. Running after her and finding her beating Liam though? Now he was furious. Scott looked down worriedly at his friend, before looking back up at the perpetrator of the beating with more rage than he had ever shown before. If it wasn't for the helmet hiding his emotions, the look he gave probably would have scared most the innocent onlookers away. His reluctance to pull out his gun and turn the girl into Swiss Cheese was nearly gone, the only thing keeping him from doing that now was the amount of innocent bystanders that stood behind her. One of the first rules of shooting: know your backstop. So he charged at parasite host, hoping to knock her down with his shoulder and tackle her. He needed to end this quickly before anyone else was hurt.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk "What an uncoordinated attack," Gale thought, listening as the steps came closer and closer to her body. "Grab him, Brandy," she whispered, raising a hand to smooth her purple pompadour. "Right, no casualties, just injuries," he responded, and waited for the soldier's charge before nimbly stepping out of the way and chasing after him with that same speed that the Nathbakks were known for before hooking the feral's weak arms around his waist and digging her claw-like nails into his sides. "You think such an attack like that will work?" he growled, and after a few moments of struggling to do so, raised him over Gale's back and began to bend him with ease. "Bat Breaker, huh?" she thought, raising an eyebrow. "My last wielder was killed by your army of fools!" Brandy screeched, bending the soldier's body as far as it would go with difficulty. "You killed an innocent family and many others! Have you no shame?!" he screamed before tossing him to the ground, rubbing one of the feral's delicate arms a few moments after. "That was a bit too much," she wheezed silently, feeling the exhaustion wash over her tiny body. "My legs can handle those kicks, but my arms can't handle his weight." Standing up straight, Brandy continued to wield his sword while panting quietly, refraining from speaking. "I'm sorry, Gale, but you're just not strong enough to do what I'd like," Brandy informed her. "You'll have to rest now before you can do anything that strenuous."</s> <\|message\|>Dontores Allorè As he sailed through the air, Dontores had plenty of time to reflect on his decisions. He had the time to, but he didn't. He had more time as Nuul floated after Dontores and charged a blast of pure darkness to launch at him, but again he didn't. He was given more time when he had almost reached the street and the orb of darkness detonated and sent him flying backwards before he hit the ground. He sailed through a window of some description, glass shattering from the impact. Momentum carried him forward as his head collided with some unfortunate person's body and knocked them to the ground. How bothersome. He thought. Time came back to normal speed as he fell to the ground and the Grimoire floated slowly through the window. "Have you learnt your lesson yet, my der boy?" He said. "No." He replied, not bothering to get up. "I didn't expect so." Nuul said smugly, "But I suppose you will learn in time." The Grimoire floated to Dontores' body and floated into his open left hand, suddenly clutching it as he settled into place. His left arm rose of his own volition and he was slowly pulled upright by the left side of his body. So annoying. Dontores thought. He looked at his surroundings, noticing he was actually in a cafe of some description. Oh, this is nice, He thought, I was getting hungry. He walked over the prone body of the person he had knocked over, noticing she was rather short, among other unusual things. He looked over to the right, and saw a person in uniform also on the ground. Perhaps they had been brawling? It didn't matter so much. He walked over to the counter, a shocked cashier at the register. "I want something cheap and filling." Dontores said, "What would you recommend?"</s>	<\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk There's a sudden burst, a volatile explosion of glass, the clear translucent shards of shrapnel raining down on the gruesome scene, as Ash buries her foot in layered brick that's now beneath her. She says nothing when her machete leaves its sheath--and with only a quick flash of steel as prior warning--impales the ground in front of Scott. Like an erect wall, it remains stationary when Scott runs into its reflective surface, and once Scott can regain his senses, he's hoisted skyward, fourteen feet above the ground. "Will you stop fighting? Please?" Ash begs, the hefty barrel of her cannon prodding at the Egret's stomach. "It's not like I wanted to fight, Gale just has... Anger issues." the Gigan explains all too casually; grimacing with each attack Gale dishes out in the backdrop. The longer it takes for Scott to respond, the tighter Ash's grip becomes, her claws slowly invading his armor, making quick work of any protection that's barring Scott from Ash's Gigantian strength. "If you don't, I can't really guarantee your safety, it's not like I haven't killed people before." Ash adds. Twenty feet from the epicenter of the battle taking place, a ring begins to form as humans, Ferals, Elves, people of all sort begin to take interest in the rather one sided battle. "You know we're Medici back breakers, right?"</s>
<\|description\|>Ash Nathbakk Gender: Female Age: 18 Species: Gigan Birthday: May 22 Blood Type: B+ Height: 10"5' Weight: 284 ibs. Measurements: 32D-23-36 Like: Mornings, Gale, sleeping, eating, sleeping again, her gun, seeing Gale smile, long walks through Meridian, botany, gardening, flowers, big windows that she can climb out of easily, and small things. Dislikes: The Renoirs, Egrits, moonless nights, mean small people, mean tall people, hot days (which are all too common in the Meridian), and Gale injuring herself. Parasite: Rorschach - a parasite that replaces an unknown part of Ash's body, only Gale has seen it activate and live. Appearance: Ash is a ten foot tall Gigan, with a pair of stubby yellow horns and peach colored skin, her eyes are an expressive yellow, topped off by badly kept white hair. Ash usually wears a striped jacket, and a white undershirt that barely fits her elongated arms, along with her jacket, she also has a bright red bow tie around the collar of her jacket, fur mantle included, which matches the hair on top of her head. She also carries a Gigantian machete as a secondary weapon, alternatively to her .30 caliber Canopian anti-tank rifle; which can often be found slung over a shoulder, with Gale attached to its long barrel. Biography: Ash's origins lie in the cold wastes of Giga, where she was born to a family of Gigan, whose names even she can't remember. They dissipated from Ash's life when she was nine, and she found her way to little Innsmouth through a lowly Elven caravan. After she had strayed from the Elves that had been with her for so long, she found her way to a small family of bat Ferals who, despite her size, took her in. Their giving attitude had touched her so deeply, that she had decidedly stayed with them. Everything went well for a few months, Ash managed to live a relatively normal life tending to flowers, and getting a proper education--until Gale's parents died. Gale's mental state immediately declined, and as it did Ash was the only thing left to keep it from falling into madness. The next seven years were hell not only for Gale, but for Ash as she was treated to all of Gale's hatred and sadness, but Ash soldiered through it. In those seven years Ash and Gale grew significantly closer as Ash slowly became a pillar for Gale, but despite the pair becoming so close, Gale still doesn't know much about Ash; save for what she's been around to witness. In fact, nobody knows much about Ash. After Gale decidedly joined the Medicis, Ash decided to buy a new home in Little Innsmouth where she and Gale can rest in relative peace in between hits. Now a days the pair just hang out, so to speak, lounging in their shared home, and on occasion tending to the flowers covering the interior of their house. When the pair are not scattered through out their home in Little Innsmouth, or breaking backs for their employers, Gale rests on Ash during the night; almost like a Gigan mattress. Blockbusters: Maul (Level 1): Ash unsheaths her machete, and hyper extends her arm, using it to whip lash her opponent several times--blade included. Bullet Hell (Level 2): Ash loads a special 'slug' round into her rifle, which fires numerous smaller caliber bullets in a flurry of lead, which all impacts her opponent; effectively juggling them in the air to open them up to a counter attack. Bloom (Level 3): Ash activates Rorschach.</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Angus struggled to move even his little pinkie toe as his body was being restricted by a sometimes annoying little parasite that can get on his nerves at time. He realized that this was one of the down sides of sharing a body and mind with someone that also has the control to completely take over his body! The large man grumbled silently inside of his mind as Pharona just giggled slightly at Angus's crankiness, she knew he meant well inside her own safety, but she likes to explore and have fun at times. Plus, she also really wanted to talk to all these parasites surrounding this place, it seemed that a strange amount was all congregating at one point and this was actually getting Pharona excited as the most exciting thing she has experienced was when she had accidentally brought upon a pack of raccoons by giving one of them food. Things only started to get better as more and more parasites continued to come all towards one point! She just couldn't hold her excitement as some book talked openly towards the rather unfortunate Egret. Angus on the other hand felt slightly sorry for the Egret, he knows that they enforce the law and maybe a bit too strictly, but they are merely doing their job and with the amount of people coming along just to make fun of him made Angus slightly angry, reminding him of his past and he knew that he needed to stop this. "Pharona... Release me. Now." The parasite was actually startled once his host made that kind of tone, she had only heard him his that tone a few times inside of his life and she would rather not have this big lug angry at her as she did genuinely like her host. "Sorry Angus," whispered Pharona as she gave control back the control of Agnus's own body. The large, built man started to gently carve a way through the crowd and into the circle of strangers that were picking on this unknown man. He stood to his full height of eight feet and two inches, everyone suddenly noticing that this man was only two feet smaller than the Gigan. Angus coughed into his hand before speaking with his rather deep voice and tried to sound as peaceful as possible. "I'm sorry to barge upon this strange gathering of interesting people and I honestly don't know on how this whole situation came to be so violent, but I would like for this whole scene to stop." Angus stated, he tried to look at everyone eye to eye, trying to convey how serious he is actually being. "We can all avoid this conflict if we just try to remain calm, and especially if the Gigan would try to unhand the man." Angus tried to look as professional and serious as possible, but he was being undermined in that tone as currently Pharona was sitting atop of his shoulders, kicking her feet slightly into the air.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk The bat feral snorted at Jane's response before turning serious once more. Gale looked down at the new giant's general direction and slid down Ash's arm as if it was one gigantic slide, landing directly in front of him. "Listen, it can stop if he comes peacefully with us and stops trying to not only take us in, but our friend here," she explained, gesturing at Jane, "I started it, and now I'm finishing it." She looked up at him now, taking one of her nails and picking another piece of rice out of her fangs. "I've got a beef with any lapdog of Renoir's that steps foot into this town," she continued, untying her bandana and staring up at the man with her yellow impaired eyes, "for reasons that aren't easy to just forget." She walked over to Ash and tugged on her pants, listening as the Egret struggled within her Gigan partner's grip. "Ash, he's a liability now, him and that other guy both," she hissed, turning and glaring directly at the soldier's friend, "we gotta take him in and see what'll happen." The nimble feral turned her back to the giant man before curiously flicking her ears and turning around, scratching her head. "Hey, what's that kicking noise?" she questioned, pointing in his direction. "I can hear extraordinarily well, but vision is a luxury I was not born with." Wiggling her nose as she sniffed the air, she curiously crawled up his arm without haste. "Sorry, this must be incredibly awkward for you," she apologized, finally reaching his shoulder and balancing on her toes in a crouched position before gently groping at the side of his head.</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Angus almost backed away as the tiny bat girl was right only maybe a foot away from him, and he still feels slightly uncomfortable with this bat girl as now he has a sort of fear against vicious animals in general. However, the giant stood his ground, having to bend his head down to meet eye to eye with the feral. Pharona was trying to stay silent at the moment, but she was so close towards talking to this parasite and wanted to do it so badly. She sadly had to stay silent in trying to not make Angus too angry at her as she already felt bad enough making him his that tone of voice towards her. He listened onto the complaints and justifications brought upon by the feral girl and knew her own reasoning, but it was filled with too much hate that clouded her judgement. Angus looked upon her sharp fangs and shuddered on the inside, he was imaging if those fangs would ever bite down into his flesh making a humongous hole inside his body. It took him longer than it would think to get his nerves back again, as he watched the feral hiss something towards the Gigan and suddenly the small bat girl looked back at him with curious eyes. Angus got slightly confused by this and the same for Pharona as neither would really know why she would be staring at him until both of them realized that it was Pharona's kicking that attracted her. Before Angus could react, the bat girl crawled upon his arm making him immediately stiff as his worst fear of that bite might actually come true inside of his imagination and barely even noticed her groping his head, but Pharona did. The little girl upon the giant's shoulder giggled at the strange woman and quickly patted the feral's back hand with her delicate palm. She knew she was about to do something against his will, but she thought she was over-imginaging how angry Angus would towards her and the fact that this was the most opportune time to talk to her! Pharona's delicate voice filled the tense air, "Um... Hello, are you trying to look for me? And... Um... Is it true that you and the Gigan are actually parasites? Because, if you are, that is pretty cool and stuff."</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale squeaked with surprise before flapping her weak ebony wings, listening to the small girl's voice as she greeted her. "For someone I don't quite know," Gale began while shuddering at the feeling of her tiny hand against her own, "you're quite hospitable despite the fact that I'm kinda crawling all over who I'm assuming is your host." She slipped down off the giant to prevent angering him or making him feel any more awkward than he already did. "I'm sorry, sir," she apologized as she did earlier, twiddling her thumbs. "It bothers me when I cannot tell who exactly I am conversing with. I can sense your fear and discomfort." She looked in the direction she assumed that the girl's voice was coming from (but she was turned a bit too far to be looking directly at her), and spoke, "To answer your question, we are not parasites. I'm only the host, and if you'd like to speak with him, that'd be fine." "Who is this?" Brandy whispered into the back of Gale's head, causing her to shudder violently at the sudden static roaring in her ears. "H-Hey, turn the volume down please," she responded silently, running her pale hand through her purple hair before relaxing as the noise died down. "It appears to be another host and parasite from what I can tell," she explained to the garbled voice, going on to add, "I scaled the host, he's extremely tall. Not as tall as Ash, but he's nearly there, and his parasite seems very nice. If she wants to talk to you, you'll have to take over." Brandy remained silent before answering with a simple, "Okay." After spending a few moments conversing with the soothing yet extremely loud voice in her head, she turned back to the man's direction. "When you give me the command," she began, taking the sword out of its sheath once more and holding it at her side, "he'll come out to talk."</s>	<\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash looks in between the Egret, and the boxer girl next to her "Your name is Ja--" Ash is interrupted by Gale suddenly leaving her side, scurrying along the road, towards a tall man. The Gigan starts to say something, but stops, resting the barrel of her cannon on the Egret's stomach "Your name is Jane, right?" she continues "Should I just knock this guy out? He seems resilient, and I don't want to wait long enough for more people to get hurt." Ash explains. She begins to tighten her grip on the Egret, in an attempt to suffocate him "Or, do you want your way with him? I just want to get Gale home." she pleads, cocking her head in the bat's direction "If you get arrested, I can pull a few strings."</s>
<\|description\|>Ash Nathbakk Gender: Female Age: 18 Species: Gigan Birthday: May 22 Blood Type: B+ Height: 10"5' Weight: 284 ibs. Measurements: 32D-23-36 Like: Mornings, Gale, sleeping, eating, sleeping again, her gun, seeing Gale smile, long walks through Meridian, botany, gardening, flowers, big windows that she can climb out of easily, and small things. Dislikes: The Renoirs, Egrits, moonless nights, mean small people, mean tall people, hot days (which are all too common in the Meridian), and Gale injuring herself. Parasite: Rorschach - a parasite that replaces an unknown part of Ash's body, only Gale has seen it activate and live. Appearance: Ash is a ten foot tall Gigan, with a pair of stubby yellow horns and peach colored skin, her eyes are an expressive yellow, topped off by badly kept white hair. Ash usually wears a striped jacket, and a white undershirt that barely fits her elongated arms, along with her jacket, she also has a bright red bow tie around the collar of her jacket, fur mantle included, which matches the hair on top of her head. She also carries a Gigantian machete as a secondary weapon, alternatively to her .30 caliber Canopian anti-tank rifle; which can often be found slung over a shoulder, with Gale attached to its long barrel. Biography: Ash's origins lie in the cold wastes of Giga, where she was born to a family of Gigan, whose names even she can't remember. They dissipated from Ash's life when she was nine, and she found her way to little Innsmouth through a lowly Elven caravan. After she had strayed from the Elves that had been with her for so long, she found her way to a small family of bat Ferals who, despite her size, took her in. Their giving attitude had touched her so deeply, that she had decidedly stayed with them. Everything went well for a few months, Ash managed to live a relatively normal life tending to flowers, and getting a proper education--until Gale's parents died. Gale's mental state immediately declined, and as it did Ash was the only thing left to keep it from falling into madness. The next seven years were hell not only for Gale, but for Ash as she was treated to all of Gale's hatred and sadness, but Ash soldiered through it. In those seven years Ash and Gale grew significantly closer as Ash slowly became a pillar for Gale, but despite the pair becoming so close, Gale still doesn't know much about Ash; save for what she's been around to witness. In fact, nobody knows much about Ash. After Gale decidedly joined the Medicis, Ash decided to buy a new home in Little Innsmouth where she and Gale can rest in relative peace in between hits. Now a days the pair just hang out, so to speak, lounging in their shared home, and on occasion tending to the flowers covering the interior of their house. When the pair are not scattered through out their home in Little Innsmouth, or breaking backs for their employers, Gale rests on Ash during the night; almost like a Gigan mattress. Blockbusters: Maul (Level 1): Ash unsheaths her machete, and hyper extends her arm, using it to whip lash her opponent several times--blade included. Bullet Hell (Level 2): Ash loads a special 'slug' round into her rifle, which fires numerous smaller caliber bullets in a flurry of lead, which all impacts her opponent; effectively juggling them in the air to open them up to a counter attack. Bloom (Level 3): Ash activates Rorschach.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk "Scared of animals..?" Gale repeated in a confused tone, continuing to pick at her teeth before realizing what about her was perceived as scary. "Oh, I get it. These fangs, right?" she asked, flashing him a big, toothy smile. "Don't be afraid. I get woozy when I come near meat or any food with blood in it," she explained, her smile reverting to the thin line of a mouth that it had been, "my family is...was, full of just fruit bats. These teeth are sort of just for show." She inhaled smoothly before exhaling through clenched teeth. "If you're ready," she said in a softer tone, shuddering as Brandy's connections began to override her control. A sharp screech similar to feedback escaped her royal purple lips and pierced the strangely quiet air before dying down, replaced by a dull static. After a few seconds of that tedious static, Gale's eyes took on that same phantasmic yellow hue with the radiant light seemingly pouring out of her eyeballs. "Hello?" Brandy whispered, speaking in the static accent that only parasites and living weapons could seem to understand. "Who exactly am I speaking to? Gale has been explaining all that she can detect, but not even I can see. There is only so much a parasite like me can do," he breathed, clasping the glowing sword in her small fist.</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Pharona patted Angus's head once again and started to speak inside his mind, "See, you shouldn't be afraid of her. Even though her temper is quite uncontrollable, she is just a nice bat girl." Angus merely grunted once again, he usually does that when angry and most likely is caused by Pharona, but he will soften against her soon enough as he always does. However, the little girl was quite surprised by the sudden static noise and Angus was the same, but showed no change of expression in his face. Pharona thought it was quite neat that her eyes started to become some bright yellow, but it merely just made Angus uneasy once he saw this, again, no change of expression due to Pharona actually suppressing his facial expression to not make the parasite feel weird. Strangely enough, the static started to morph into actual words inside of her ears and Pharona thought that was pretty awesome, she always thinks most parasite related things are quite cool. "Oh! I can finally understand you! I was wondering if I could only speak static or something, but very nice to meet you! My name is Pharona, and my host here is called Angus, he is just a huge goofball. Would you care to share anything about yourself?" Pharona was trying to act as nice as possible, she didn't really want to make a bad first impression to the sword. Angus, inside of his mind, had no idea on how Pharona could understand any of this at all as he was only hearing was just static. The large man sometimes wished that sharing the mind happened on both sides, as it was only Pharona who could dwell into his brain, but it made sense that the parasite would be able to get inside of the head and not the host.</s> <\|message\|>Grumm (Percival Botley) New Meridian was a city of many faces. At its apex was a gilded facade, stuffed to the brim with cinema, showtime, martinis, penthouses, lightshows, and business. Of course, there was also the negative: the Medicis, the fraud, the extortion, the intimidation, and other such abnormalities more pleasant for those at the top to ignore. Even the throes of organized crime, at least, were glamorous. Below the pinstriped cigar-chompers were their less cultured brethren, no more villainous but far less efficient, whose perpetual duty it was to ensure that the backalleys and slums and warehouses of New Meridian were inhospitable places for man and beast. It was in those conditions, the cesspools of the city be their contents criminal or not, that the hierarchy of law was forced to operate. To be sure, much of the police force in New Meridian was -at best- a bad joke. Even a department that survived by allowing the big fish to have their way was swamped with trouble caused by the small fry. As such, the valiant NMPD only poked its head out of its shell for serious cases, and the reprehensible underbelly of the city knew how to operate it. Unbelievable it was, then, that there were still some police officers trying to stick to the code and make a difference. Not for the first time, detective Camilia Henry wished that she wasn't one of those cops. Trouble was, this time she worried something fierce that this time it would be her last; she was running for her life, after all. Breathing heavily and heart pounding against her ribcage like a bongo drum, Camilia ducked behind a dumpster. The smell didn't exactly appeal to her, but compared to forcible disembowelment pretty much anything was appealing. Under her breath, the tawny-haired detective vehemently cursed the Black Egrets. They were, after all, why she was here. The Canopy Kingdom's number-one anti-parasite task force had a lot on its plate, so whenever a particular case seemed uncertain, the communications staff seemed very willing to delegate the investigations down to the local police department, which the chief had delegated to Camilia. And now, a raincoat-wearing girl with four massive bony arms growing out of her back wanted her in pieces. Camilia heard footsteps against the asphalt, and wished that she had been able to run farther. Unfortunately, with a gut like this, the detective ruefully thought, Ain't no way I'm gonna get far enough. For the millionth time she wondered where backup was—she had radioed the Black Egret's local com officer, saying that yes, the investigation was going well, the suspect was indeed a parasite's host, only now she wanted to beat the detective bloody for disturbing her. "Sorry, we're getting a lot of these calls right about now," had been the gist of the operator's response, so Camilia figured that she was in trouble. There came a noise several meters away, but rather than the girl shouting, 'Ah-hah, I've found you, say your prayers', it was a surprised cry followed by the unmistakable sounds of a scuffle. Suddenly hopeful, Camilia heaved herself to her feet to get a better look, and instantly wished that she hadn't. Wrestling with the parasite's host tooth and nail was a creature far ghastlier, a corpselike being cloaked in black with a clockwork arm. As Camilia watched, the ghoul dealt a piston-powered punch to the girl that sent her reeling, and just like that, the fight was reversed. Realizing the precious frailty of life, the girl departed in a haste, using her extra arms to ascend the building. The monster lurched forward to follow, but abruptly whirled around when Camilia ventured to draw a breath. She stared at its black eyes and corroded bronze faceplate, looking with revulsion at the perpendicular scars on its chest and the open vertical cut all along its belly. She knew it only by local legend, but whether it was the Headsman, the Scourge, the Cleaner, or just 'Grumm' she had no idea. "You're...not...Egrets...are you?" Camilia managed, her formerly-dulcet tones quavering in suppressed fear. In reply, the ghoul hacked up a wad of foamy yellow bile. When it hit the pavement, it sizzled slightly, and Grumm -bent over double by the force of its vomit- observed it for a brief moment. Then it straightened up, holding its clockwork had to the side of its head as if it were trying to think. "Egrets sent me," it grumbled in a guttural voice that reverberated through the metal that partially covered its mouth. "Are you a parasite?" In all her life, Camilia had never considered such a question, but the answer was easily enough obtained. Still, she answered with hesitation, as if she couldn't believe that Grumm's axe wasn't already lodged in her sizable stomach. "...no. I'm not a...no." Seemingly satisfied, or at least no longer in a murderous mood, Grumm turned away and fell flat on its face. Half a minute past before the thing pushed itself to its feet. Camilia got the impression that the event was less run-of-the-mill clumsiness, and more like Grumm's muscles briefly failing. With its back turned to her, she couldn't see very well what it did, but four mechanical tentacles the size of anacondas emerged from its torso, latched onto the face of the building that the parasite-hosting girl had scaled, and rapidly ferried Grumm upward in pursuit. Camilia might have sunk back to the ground in a mixture of relief and confusion, but the stench of the dumpster was unpleasant enough to send her packing, shaking her head in disbelief. Perhaps the Cleaner was one of those things best forgotten.</s>	<\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash sighs "Alrighty, then," she groans, squeezing the Egret as he attempts to free an arm or two, the one arm he manages to free starts pounding into Ash's wrist in a desperate attempt to free its owner. Ash holds tight as the crowd gasps, she can tell the Egret's will is breaking the longer she holds him within her suffocating grasp. Just as she predicted, the Egret known as 'Scott' begins to cease struggling, muttering some nondescript derogatory terms about Parasites, and giants. Ash releases him once he stops moving, she then picks up the other Egret, what's his name, 'Lan' or something? Ash can't remember. She turns to Jane, holding this 'Liam' by his ankle, precariously wedged in between her thumb, and her index finger "Could you help me carry this baggage?" she asks Jane kindly, involuntarily giving Dontores a momentary glance as she sets the Egret down at Jane's feet. 'Another one,' mumbles the cursed voice in Ash's head, 'looks like I was right after all,' the muddled quandary of voices mocks. Ash simply ignores Rorschach, and turns to Gale as the crowd begins to dissipate. "I know this is a bit much to ask but, would you mind helping Gale and I lug these two to New Meridian? We need to clean up the mess we made." Ash pleads, attempting to clasp her hands together, while balancing an unconscious Scott on her shoulder. "Gale and I could treat you to lunch, or dinner depending how long it will take, I never really got to finish my chicken after all."</s>
<\|description\|>Ash Nathbakk Gender: Female Age: 18 Species: Gigan Birthday: May 22 Blood Type: B+ Height: 10"5' Weight: 284 ibs. Measurements: 32D-23-36 Like: Mornings, Gale, sleeping, eating, sleeping again, her gun, seeing Gale smile, long walks through Meridian, botany, gardening, flowers, big windows that she can climb out of easily, and small things. Dislikes: The Renoirs, Egrits, moonless nights, mean small people, mean tall people, hot days (which are all too common in the Meridian), and Gale injuring herself. Parasite: Rorschach - a parasite that replaces an unknown part of Ash's body, only Gale has seen it activate and live. Appearance: Ash is a ten foot tall Gigan, with a pair of stubby yellow horns and peach colored skin, her eyes are an expressive yellow, topped off by badly kept white hair. Ash usually wears a striped jacket, and a white undershirt that barely fits her elongated arms, along with her jacket, she also has a bright red bow tie around the collar of her jacket, fur mantle included, which matches the hair on top of her head. She also carries a Gigantian machete as a secondary weapon, alternatively to her .30 caliber Canopian anti-tank rifle; which can often be found slung over a shoulder, with Gale attached to its long barrel. Biography: Ash's origins lie in the cold wastes of Giga, where she was born to a family of Gigan, whose names even she can't remember. They dissipated from Ash's life when she was nine, and she found her way to little Innsmouth through a lowly Elven caravan. After she had strayed from the Elves that had been with her for so long, she found her way to a small family of bat Ferals who, despite her size, took her in. Their giving attitude had touched her so deeply, that she had decidedly stayed with them. Everything went well for a few months, Ash managed to live a relatively normal life tending to flowers, and getting a proper education--until Gale's parents died. Gale's mental state immediately declined, and as it did Ash was the only thing left to keep it from falling into madness. The next seven years were hell not only for Gale, but for Ash as she was treated to all of Gale's hatred and sadness, but Ash soldiered through it. In those seven years Ash and Gale grew significantly closer as Ash slowly became a pillar for Gale, but despite the pair becoming so close, Gale still doesn't know much about Ash; save for what she's been around to witness. In fact, nobody knows much about Ash. After Gale decidedly joined the Medicis, Ash decided to buy a new home in Little Innsmouth where she and Gale can rest in relative peace in between hits. Now a days the pair just hang out, so to speak, lounging in their shared home, and on occasion tending to the flowers covering the interior of their house. When the pair are not scattered through out their home in Little Innsmouth, or breaking backs for their employers, Gale rests on Ash during the night; almost like a Gigan mattress. Blockbusters: Maul (Level 1): Ash unsheaths her machete, and hyper extends her arm, using it to whip lash her opponent several times--blade included. Bullet Hell (Level 2): Ash loads a special 'slug' round into her rifle, which fires numerous smaller caliber bullets in a flurry of lead, which all impacts her opponent; effectively juggling them in the air to open them up to a counter attack. Bloom (Level 3): Ash activates Rorschach.</s> <\|message\|>Jane Vermilion Jane, still focused on she and Ash's conversation, watched as she choked BE#1 into an unconscious state. As he joined his brother in dreamland, Ash asked Jane if she could be of assistance. She lightly kicked the body placed in front of her while Ash literally begged Jane to help. Her hands were clasped together and everything. Jane guessed Gale wasn't exactly good at lifting heavy objects all things considered. Ash also offered Jane food, which was one thing she could never refuse. "Hmm. I guess I could help. But it's only cuz food is involved!" Jane joked, a grin plastered onto her pale face. With a grunt she picked up the body of BE#2 and lugged him over her shoulder. She wheezed a little, jeez all this military gear really weighed a person down. "Jane!" Franky whispered, trying to get her attention. She placed him up against her ear to allow him a bit of privacy. "I-I'm not sure we should be helping these guys. There with the Medici's, so...?" He stuttered, dancing around the issue. In all honest he just wanted to save his own bacon, but he couldn't do that without a host. "Bah, it'll be fine Franky." She assured. "So, where am I dragging this dude? Do you have a super secret base that we're dropping these guys off at? Or are we just gonna ditch them in some dumpster in New Meridian?" Jane asked, curious as to how formal the Medici operation was.</s> <\|message\|>Morgann Lacroix (Stage Name: "Morrgan the Magnificent") Morgann, quite keen on the fact that the mysterious girl was awestruck by the hat's sudden action, tossed the hat into the air. Magnolia, fearful at the fact that a part of its "body" was being carelessly tossed, let its purple, yellow, and white fists shoot out of the hat and grab onto the magician's head before pulling itself back down and landing with a quiet bump. "Any fan of mine," she began, standing up to reveal her looming stature of about 6'1" while slowly crossing her arms, "should know my schedule by heart." Raising one of her light brown eyebrows, she continued on, "If you want to know when my shows are, I suggest you keep your ears open on the streets." After finishing her statement, she took her gleaming purple wand and shoved it listlessly into her jacket, exhaling slowly. The entire suit seemed to tense at the unknown object before calming down and accepting it. "Now if you'll excuse me," she grunted, turning away from the girl and heading towards the door, "I think I'd like to take my leave before that bus boy comes running back. I am no longer in the mood to hear his cries of agony and disdain." Morgann definitely thinks she is of a higher standard than most, and living-wise, perhaps. Regarding her narcissistic personality and lack of social etiquette, definitely not. What did it matter for a stellar performer like herself? Everyone just wanted to see some magic. It definitely did matter, though, considering she was a fairly big player in the field of magic and trickery. Her father would definitely be appalled at her mischievous behavior. The thought of her father led to thinking about the past and left Morgann slightly melancholic, recalling every malicious prank she'd played on her classmates and friends. "How the hell did I get from there to some big-shot magician role?" she wondered, snapping her fingers several times in a prompt manner to conjure up her mask as it landed in the palm of her hand. "Oh, right," she replied to her previous question, gently placing it on her face as if she was crowning herself, "I obliterated that entire school. I guess that's where this started." Hands in her pockets, the magician set off to simply wander the streets for an hour, and afterwards, she would head back to the circus.</s> <\|message\|>Grumm (Percival Botley) Forty minutes was a long time to be on the run from anyone, even with four extra skeletal arms that never got tired as support. The girl's feet hurt so abominably that she could feel the beats of her heart pumping blood through them, and her every breath tore through her throat. A while back she had thrown out the idea of taking on Grumm in a fair fight. It wasn't that she couldn't win, no—simply that she had never been very good at tackling her problems head-on. Town bully got her down? Fester with resentment. Envious of older sister? Plant bones among her things to get her ousted as a witch. Infested with the parasite Thanatos, siphoning the emotions of her and those around her in exchange for freakish abilities? Let it happen. It was all that easy. Breathing, though...breathing came hard now. Belle Osburn stumbled a few more steps and fell into a bench, half sitting and half sprawling. Thanatos had wisely retracted the arms -his 'fingers'- into her back now, hidden beneath her blue hoodie. The bench sat on the edge of a walkway along the edge of New Meridian's resident bay. There were not many people around, but those who saw her recognized the look of someone being hunted, and hurried on their way. Who was doing the hunting mattered not. As she panted, Belle stared at the water, glinting with the day's sun in places, obscured by the long shadows of the city's highrises in others. She wondered how it would feel to allow the water to swallow her up. "A nice swim..." she rasped, thinking of how cool it would feel. Thoughts like those are unbecoming of a young lady. Belle buried her face in her hands. She loathed her parasite, and didn't mince her words about him, but he didn't seem to care. Thanatos was a proud and quiet being; he only spoke when he was in danger or to make sure that Belle was doing his will, and even then nobody but his host could hear him. Since he thrived on human emotions, he required her to seek people out near death and be present at their departure, for no event but death could hold more feeling. The hatred, the sorrow, the loss, the insanity, and even the feelings that came afterward were savory to him. Naturally, Belle had seen a lot, but even still, she was hesitant to meet her own end at the hands of some gruesome ghoul. Water would be a much kinder fate. If you were to drown yourself, I would put you into a coma to sustain yourself. Your dreams would keep me alive until I could escape, but until then it would be very unpleasant for both of us. A surge of anger and hatred caused Belle to scream into her hands. "Wouldn't being hacked to bits by an axe and thrown in the sewers be more unpleasant!? Tell me how to beat him!" Now, the illustrious 'Hand of Death' was silent. No doubt he wanted her to figure out her own earthly problems and build character. The injustice of it all made the water seem all the more appetizing. A few moments later, he appeared. Grumm lurched onto the scene from between two buildings. He was every inch a horror meant to creep in the shadows, but he didn't seem to have any hesitation when it came to stepping out into the open. His own breath was thick and wet, dripping bile from a brazen mouthplate to sizzle on the marble tiles. Leaning upon his axe at intervals, he approached. From the bay there came a noise like a wave crashing. Over the edge of the walkway came something very new and unexpected, and she did a flip as she landed on the ground. Her skin was very tan, her wet hair a dark blonde, and her garb decidedly piratical. Interestingly, she also had a mouthpiece, though this one seemed more like something a soldier would wear, rather than a science experiment. She also wore elaborate knee-high boots that appeared to be made of wood. With no further delay, the woman threw a sidekick Grumm's way, and a blast of water erupted from her boot and smashed into him, sending him tumbling away with a snarl. She quickly turned to Belle, who wore a nonplussed expression. "Sorry for ya, hon," she declared in a flighty cockney accent. "This poor monster's gonna be after ya fer a while. I'll 'old 'im fer the nonce, you get lost. 'E's got it in fer folks wit parasites." Though he was having some trouble, Grumm had pulled himself to his feet and was advancing on the ladies once again. "If I die before I can fix 'im one way or another, remember that Caitlin Halte did you right. Now, off you go." A clockwork tentacle latched onto Halte's boot and pulled her off her feet. She did not seem unduly bothered by it. "Run!" She advised as she was dragged toward Grumm. Slow and exhausted, Belle ran.</s>	<\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk "No," Ash responds, simply enough "We might dump him in a dumpster and go flower shopping." she continues with a dreamy smile, already hoisting Liam over her shoulder. Ash turns around, and scans the crowd for Gale, until she finds her feral companion standing in front of a tall man in a onyx tuxedo, how strange. Ash begins to walk forward, but pauses when she senses Rorschach's attention shifting from that Jane girl, to a little girl standing at the large man's feet 'What is that?' Ash asks Rorschach, who says nothing. Nervously, Ash tip toes through the crowd, until she's standing behind Gale, looking down at the trio, as disgruntled Ferals and Dagonians press past the trio "Come on Gale, we're going to dump our Egret friends in a dumpster somewhere in the Meridian, then get more flowers!"</s>
<\|description\|>Ash Nathbakk Gender: Female Age: 18 Species: Gigan Birthday: May 22 Blood Type: B+ Height: 10"5' Weight: 284 ibs. Measurements: 32D-23-36 Like: Mornings, Gale, sleeping, eating, sleeping again, her gun, seeing Gale smile, long walks through Meridian, botany, gardening, flowers, big windows that she can climb out of easily, and small things. Dislikes: The Renoirs, Egrits, moonless nights, mean small people, mean tall people, hot days (which are all too common in the Meridian), and Gale injuring herself. Parasite: Rorschach - a parasite that replaces an unknown part of Ash's body, only Gale has seen it activate and live. Appearance: Ash is a ten foot tall Gigan, with a pair of stubby yellow horns and peach colored skin, her eyes are an expressive yellow, topped off by badly kept white hair. Ash usually wears a striped jacket, and a white undershirt that barely fits her elongated arms, along with her jacket, she also has a bright red bow tie around the collar of her jacket, fur mantle included, which matches the hair on top of her head. She also carries a Gigantian machete as a secondary weapon, alternatively to her .30 caliber Canopian anti-tank rifle; which can often be found slung over a shoulder, with Gale attached to its long barrel. Biography: Ash's origins lie in the cold wastes of Giga, where she was born to a family of Gigan, whose names even she can't remember. They dissipated from Ash's life when she was nine, and she found her way to little Innsmouth through a lowly Elven caravan. After she had strayed from the Elves that had been with her for so long, she found her way to a small family of bat Ferals who, despite her size, took her in. Their giving attitude had touched her so deeply, that she had decidedly stayed with them. Everything went well for a few months, Ash managed to live a relatively normal life tending to flowers, and getting a proper education--until Gale's parents died. Gale's mental state immediately declined, and as it did Ash was the only thing left to keep it from falling into madness. The next seven years were hell not only for Gale, but for Ash as she was treated to all of Gale's hatred and sadness, but Ash soldiered through it. In those seven years Ash and Gale grew significantly closer as Ash slowly became a pillar for Gale, but despite the pair becoming so close, Gale still doesn't know much about Ash; save for what she's been around to witness. In fact, nobody knows much about Ash. After Gale decidedly joined the Medicis, Ash decided to buy a new home in Little Innsmouth where she and Gale can rest in relative peace in between hits. Now a days the pair just hang out, so to speak, lounging in their shared home, and on occasion tending to the flowers covering the interior of their house. When the pair are not scattered through out their home in Little Innsmouth, or breaking backs for their employers, Gale rests on Ash during the night; almost like a Gigan mattress. Blockbusters: Maul (Level 1): Ash unsheaths her machete, and hyper extends her arm, using it to whip lash her opponent several times--blade included. Bullet Hell (Level 2): Ash loads a special 'slug' round into her rifle, which fires numerous smaller caliber bullets in a flurry of lead, which all impacts her opponent; effectively juggling them in the air to open them up to a counter attack. Bloom (Level 3): Ash activates Rorschach.</s> <\|message\|>Grumm (Percival Botley) Upset that some random stranger had dared to break the normal order and intrude upon his doings, Grumm whirled around. The clockwork arm flashed by, easily forty pounds of solid metal thrown in a vigorous slap that could have dislocated Morgann's jaw had it connected. Fortunately, the savage blow fell short, and when he saw that it had, Grumm spewed forth a spray of bile that created a miniature miasma between the monster and the magician. While he didn't speak, punctuating his attack with an angry sputtering noise instead, the message was clear: back off. Grumm then turned away, with no reason to believe that a simple civilian would persist in the suicidal act of provoking an undead armed with a Living Weapon. A flick of the mechanical tentacle whose maw was holding Halte aloft flung the former pirate in the ghoul's direction. With practiced efficiency not completely offset by the sorry state of his body, Grumm brought his axe up in a cruel diagonal arc meant to cleave the incoming Halte in two. At the last moment, however, Halte brought her boots around so that they were facing Grumm, and from their soles twin blasts of water gushed forth. They splashed against Grumm's face, disorienting the creature and slowing down Halte's fall enough to avoid the headsman's weapon completely. Immediately after, Halte landed with both feet planting on Grumm's face, causing him to grumble in protest. Before he could grab her, however, Halte kicked off, flipping through the air to land twenty feet away in a spray of mist. The next second, Grumm leaped into the air, hissing like a sick cat. More noxious bile spewed from his face as he sailed toward his target. Halte steadied herself before raising a leg and slamming her boot into the ground, causing a jet of water to erupt from the marble beneath Grumm as he landed a yard away from her. Beneath her mouthpiece, Halte smiled grimly, only to cry out in pain as her foe dealt her a crushing hydraulic punch. She staggered away and collapsed to the ground, holding her stomach as if her guts had been liquified, her vehement curses lost in a wave of furious static from her mouthpiece. Though sopping wet and even more flustered than normal, Grumm had executed his Rot Wrecker without more than a split-second's delay. Only a few seconds had passed, but it already seemed that the duel had been decided.</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Pharona smiled brightly as Brandy took the coat, even though Angus could see the hesitation when he took it, the large man always wanted to help people even if they did not really want it. Angus kept his gaze upon the downed Egret solider, feeling like these people did not really have to put so much pain upon the Egret and so much ridicule. However, Pharona on the other hand was having quite the time of her little life as she had managed to meet up with several parasites, but one of them had even offered for the two to come with them on their adventure! This made her feel all warm inside and quickly asked permission for Angus to see if they could actually go with the two. "Angus! Brandy just asked us to come with them! Can we please go with them! I want to just continue this amazing day!" "Well, even if I said no. I bet you would ignore me anyone and follow them," mumbled Angus within his own head which only hurt Pharona as she did actually respect and care for him... Most of the time. "Hey, I think your opinion still matters, and if you don't want to go, we don't have to. I think I have had enough exposure to Brandy to have this day as pretty successful." Angus smiled slightly at the thought of leaving these strange people and going back to their daily lives, but he could not abandon this victim to these parasites and he must follow them to see if they don't merciless murder him or something similar in that manner. "No, we can go with these people. I just need to keep a watchful eye upon the solider, and I hope that you will understand if they try to further hurt this man. I will have to intervene." Pharona thought about the proposition and nodded to it, she knew that these people were good and wouldn't murder someone. Even if they have different beliefs than them. The little parasite girl used the massive arm to tap the shoulder of the the curled up Gale and started to say something, "I think we would be delighted to join you and the merry entourage of strangers! Also, if you were wondering, my name is Pharona!"</s> <\|message\|>Juno Bernstein She simply smiled as Morgann left the building. It's all going well. With luck she could just infiltrate the circus or whatever and make off with whatever she had. Old school burglary on some circus hicks none of the authorities would really care about. "Miss, your food has arrived." A waiter covered with bandages came and placed several platters of food on her table. "THANK YOU KIND MEAT MAN!" Juno froze at Marionette's voice, wondering if the waiter would freak out and sic the cuffers on her. To her surprise, he just nodded and gave a strained smile before leaving. Guess after what happened with the magician, he simply decided to stay low and do whatever it takes to not meet another piranha. Shrugging, she started on her meal, shoveling food into her mouth as fast as she could. Tomorrow would be a great day.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Morgann "Gross," Morgann grimaced, hesitant to even breathe after the spray of bile had dissipated. What if it smelled bad? Would it even matter? She was around elephants and Goddess knows what at the circus, so perhaps she shouldn't be such a girl about the possibility of an undesirable scent. After a few moments, she inhaled slowly before letting the cool breath escape her lips once more, relieved that the bile left no scent. She pulled her wand out of her coat, readying herself for the chance that the creature might attack. Realizing she wasn't going to get an answer nor was the tall figure going to pursue her, Morgann watched helplessly as the woman was attacked before shoving her wand back into her suit, dashing over, and holding her arms out, staring directly up at the attacker. "I'm not going to move until I receive some sort of explanation," she explained slowly through her clenched pearly whites, "as to why you are attacking this woman." She swung one of her gloved hands around to hold up over her face, partially to get his attention and partially to not stare at his face. "As far as you know, I am an innocent bystander who merely works at the circus," she went on, narrowing her eyes through the mask's white film, "so I could damn well put you out of business if you laid a hand on me. You think I'm bluffing, you can take it up with my boss after you crush my face or completely dislocate my jawbone." Gale Gale listened from her tall roommate's shoulder to the conversation that the parasite was having with her host. From what she remembers, Brandy had told her at some point that the parasite was named Pharona and the host Angus, but she wasn't quite sure. During the period that Brandy maintained control, memories and conversations seemed to blur together to her, and she didn't particularly care to recall, to be honest. Her parasite had truly heard and experienced plenty that she was not eager to remember, and she was just fine with that. After hearing the parasite confirm her thoughts, she nodded sleepily and flicked her ears before closing her eyes again. "Pharona's voice is so chipper though," she thought sadly, "I actually like hearing it. Too bad I can't see what she or anyone else look like." "Oh wait," she murmured, sitting up and reaching into one of her boots to grab her bandana. As she delicately wrapped it around her head, she began to address Angus's worries. "We will not harm the two soldiers," she spoke in a somber tone, proceeding to pull a couple of black rubber bands out of her shoe and pulling her spiky, unruly locks into two pigtails. "The mafia does not care for such petty crimes that we have committed, such as the one here today," she explained, moving closer so that she could curl up in the crook of Ash's neck, "they only care for the critical hits that we are ordered to take out. Believe me when I say that Ash has already intervened, so I do not think you will have to do so." Gale tucked her knees up against her chest and curled up in the gigantic jacket that Angus had given her, enjoying the warmth and protection from the wind that it provided. Goddess, it was getting chilly. "If you're so cold all the time, why don't you wear an actual coat instead of this stupid down vest?!" Brandy roared from within the depths of her mind, and though she winced, she did not say anything about how loud his static voice was. "Brandy," she began silently, her thin eyebrows furrowing together, "shut your mouth." Brandy remained silent for a few moments before responding, "Gale, your mouth is my mouth, remember?" Groaning quietly, she clawed at the sides of her head before deciding it wasn't worth arguing over.</s>	<\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk "Alright, we're heading out!" Ash walks forward, step by long step she navigates the twists and turns of Little Innsmouth, passing by sunken boulevards and overly complex compounds of shacks stacked in uneven piles amongst one another. Ferals and Dagonians pass in droves, making the trip a lengthly venture to the train station to Meridian. On the way Ash has to stop several times, so that she can spot a gap in the crowd to set her foot, or for the crowd to just part to make a path for her. "Is Brandy okay there?" Ash asks Gale as they approach the train station "You guys sound like you're having an argument" Ash adds with a worried smile. Once the small group is there, it's just a matter of waiting in the deeply congested line to the one ticket booth, surrounded by impatient citizens of Little Innsmouth. "Please be patient." the lone Dagonian pleads, handing out tickets as soon as he's handed loose coins, or change, but the people receiving them are blocked by a pair of large men donning all too familiar gas masks. What would be causing such a horrid back up? Elsewhere On the fifth train car (out of twenty) sits a tank, two to be exact, both of which are tied down to their respective car, the pair of armored behemoths appear to be factory new, with barely a thin coat of olive paint to cover the red steel underneath. On top of the car in front of the vehicular dreadnoughts sits a lone, bored Egret smoking a cigarette, letting his gray helmet rest beside him. "By the goddess, where are our Parasitic scum?" he asks himself impatiently, putting out the cigarette on his armored thigh. "Captain, we're holding up service here..." one of his eight guards say nervously, watching the pair of soldiers the Honorable Captain had dispatched at the entrance to the station not ten minutes ago struggle against the mounting crowd. The Captain shrugs, his vaguely blue eyes scanning the crowd outside "Let them in, I think there will be at least one rat for us in there. Hopefully that anonymous tip holds true."</s>
<\|description\|>Jane Vermilion Gender: Female Race: Human (Canopy) Age: 15 Birthday: April 13 Blood Type: B Height: 5" 5' Weight: 104 lbs. Measurements: 21B-18-23 Likes: Pro-Wrestling, Being right, Being alone, A fair fight, Salty foods Dislikes: Authority, Her parents, cheaters, Country music, hand sanitizer Parasite/Living Weapon: Franky is attached to Jane right hand. His eyes are where her knuckles would be, assuming her hand wasn't covered in him, and his mouth is at her palm. From his mouth, he spews intense fire, and fireballs. Franky is timid and stoic, often times staying silent and allowing Jane to do the talking. He doesn't feel much attachment to her, and simply fights with her because she is his host, and they would both die if he were not to pitch in in some situations. He also feels a sort of social obligation, as to not stain his parasite name. Were he able to use the Skull Heart's wish, he would want complete equality for all. Appearance: Blockbusters: Big Bang Attack -LV1- Franky spews a flaming napalm ball at the enemy that is multi-hit and slowly expands the farther it moves. This move deals a small amount of damage. Sub-Atomic Backbreaker -LV2- Jane flaming uppercuts the opponent into the air, and knees them in the back on the way down. This move deals a decent amount of damage. Causes a hard knock down. Say AAH! -LV3- Franky grows to a massive size and devours the opponent. While in his mouth Franky simultaneously chews and incinerates his opponent. He then spits them out, still on fire. Deals major damage. Bio: Soon after Jane was born, she was left on her aunt and uncle's doorstep by her parents. She grew up watching her uncle's old boxing match tapes and the such. She wanted to be a great fighter, like her hero Beowulf. To accomplish this, she decided to try and get a lot of practice in. She has been in many fights, mainly at school. She has been expelled numerous times, and even arrested for enacting vigilante justice on a criminal who tried to scam her. In the fight, the criminal managed to slice her hand so badly that it needed to be amputated. For about half a year, she was without one of her hands and her dreams of being a professional were crushed. Her grades dropped, and her aunt and uncle became concerned. Particularly her uncle, who supported her dream and was saddened over the loss. She was given a therapist to try and cope. After another one of her sessions that went pretty much nowhere, she was confronted by a parasite. He offered to be her replacement hand, if she was his host, as he was particularly desperate to get one at the time. She agreed ecstatically, and the two joined. That brings us to today, where the budding relationship of host and parasite is going to be tested by the ensuing chaos of the new skullgirl.</s> <\|message\|>Juno Bernstein "WE ARE BEING WATCHED." "Shush Marionette, no one could really see us, or even bother to look up." Reaching the alleyway, she quickly slid down a fire escape ladder to the pavement below, landing just behind the couple with nary a sound. It helps that the din from the main road still reached here, masking any noise her good leather shoes made. Taking out one of those expandable police baton from her belt, Juno walked leisurely to the bodyguard's back, and gave him a solid whack on the nape with the baton. The lady looked upon her bodyguard collapsing with surprise, barely able to register that he had collapsed, before she too was knocked out cold. Juno raised her baton for a moment, eyeing the both of them to make sure they were really unconscious. Satisfied that it was so, she started rummaging through their person. Judging from that man, he would have given her a fair amount of trouble had he put up a fight; more trouble than the mugging was worth. "And done. We can't have the steak-" "WHY WON'T YOU LET ME EAT STEAK?" came Marionette's muffled voice from the bandaged hand. "-but we certainly can have the cheesecake in one of the cafe nearby." "THAT PLEASES ME."</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson As Scott and Liam waited for the waitress to return to take their orders, Scott noticed through his peripheral vision that one of the other diners was staring at the two of them. He started searching through the several pouches on his uniform and pulled out three t-shirts, each with the Black Egret logo on them, and leaned over to the girls. "Here ya go, miss," he said as he placed the shirts on the corner of their table. Usually, just giving citizens a souvenir would get admirers to stop gawking at him. He didn't give enough attention to the girl to notice that her look was not of admiration, but of hate. Liam hadn't even noticed the other diners though as he was paying too much attention to the menu, something Scott always found strange since Liam always ordered the same thing every time. "Alright, Scott. Seriously, what's the plan?" Liam said without even looking up from the menu. "Plan? We don't need a plan. We're us. We just wait for more information. Keep our ears to the ground and all that. I'm sure we'll find a lead or something soon," Scott responded. Liam sighed with disappointment. "You know what's going to happen if you don't come up with a plan. You'll start second-guessing yourself at the most inopportune time and our chance will pass us by." "Well do you have anything in mind? All we have to go on is confirmation of its existence." Liam gave Scott a questioning look that said everything Liam was thinking: "Confirmation? Really?" "Fine, not exact confirmation, but my point still stands. You can't think of anything better." Liam sighed in defeat before rising out of his seat a bit to look for the waitress. Scott did the same. Still, neither seemed to notice the enraged teenager only a table away from them.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk In that very moment, something snapped inside of Gale. "A t-shirt," she echoed in her mind, her entire body filling with a surreal rage. That deafening static had returned, indicating that Brandy Station was most certainly ready to take over. "Are you sure you want me to go on?" he whispered, and she felt her impaired eyes burning from the intense, burning light that was finding its way through her pupils. "Do it," she replied, relinquishing all control over her actions and her body to let Brandy take over. While Brandy slowly began to take control, he reached up using her delicate, thin fingers and opened her eyelids manually, revealing that her entire eye had been submerged in a ghostly yellow light. "I'll keep you safe, you just watch," he breathed softly to her despite the fact that she was too disoriented to properly reply. After he had complete control over her mind and body, he slipped the obsidian sword out of its polished sheath, pointing it directly in the Egrets' direction. "Hello, all," he announced in a voice that sounded vaguely like Gale's, but it had a twist of a garbled male voice and a roaring static accent. "On Gale's judgement, I have been commanded to take over from here," he explained to the soldiers, increasing the light coming from her wide yellow eyes to a blinding intensity. "You may leave peacefully, and I will do no harm," Brandy remarked, tilting Gale's head to the side, "but if you stay and put this girl's life in danger, I will stop your actions indefinitely. An eye for an eye." He turned to Ash and pointed the feral's free hand in her direction. "Stay put," he whispered to her, making sure that it was in a language that only her hidden parasite would understand. He adjusted his host's iron grip on the sabre's handle, raising it in the air. "And don't you dare think of using your filthy guns and tear gas on me," he snarled through her closed teeth, swiping the air with such force that it caused a surprisingly strong wind to blow in the men's direction. "An entity such as me is still affected, but I recover much faster than your average opponent. The repercussions will be great if you dare do so." Gale's being, entrapped within her own mind, watched through blind eyes and listened to her weapon's words. "Them's fighting words," she echoed through his control, causing her feminine voice to be projected through her own throat. "Please keep quiet, Gale," he warned mentally, "if you distract me at the wrong time, our lives will be in danger. Keep in mind that while I am in your body, I, too, can be killed." Curling up on the floor and hugging her knees against her chest, she slowly replied with a delicate, "Okay," to reassure him that she understood the urgency of the situation.</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scoot and Liam were just taking a sip of the coffee the waitress had put down before them, when the bat feral from earlier stood up and began threatening them with violence. Not only that, but she showed the sure signs of having a parasite. In unison, Scott and Liam let out a disappointed sigh before taking another sip of their drinks. Scott was the first to speak. "Miss, you do realize that parasites are illegal don't you?" He pulled out a small notepad from another pouch on his uniform and began asking questions while quickly reading several pages in the notepad. "I'm just going to assume right off the bat that this parasite has not been approved by the Renoir family." Scott looked up from the notepad just to see if she had any reaction to his absolute disregard for her earlier threats. "I'm going to have to ask you a few questions ma'am. First off, I'm going to need your name. Then I need to know what type of parasite it is that you are currently hosting: natural or synthetic. And finally, I'm going to have to ask your friends if they knew of your parasite before now and if they have ones of their own." Scott closed the notepad and returned it to it's pouch. "If we can settle this without violence, I'd much appreciate it. Your actions so far will definitely get you a few years in juvie and I'd hate for them to have to send a young girl like you to prison because of your actions here today."</s>	<\|message\|>Jane Vermilion Jane listened with interest as the feral girl, now properly named in Jane's eyes as 'Gale Nathbakk', (Which was a pretty cool name if we were all being honest here) explained her friend's backstory. Apparently, Ash was an orphan too. It seemed they would all be quick friends, what with the similarities and the open friendliness. Ash also pitched in, mentioning she had never really met any gigan herself. Jane had seen gigan around, but had never gotten to know one, she wasn't really super friendly at school. Just then, the silver bell rang for the third time that evening signifying more guests. Unfortunately, these people Jane would not want to converse with. They were with the Black Egrets, the Renoir's personal lackies. She started sweating bullets, immediately placing her right hand under the table and took a big gulp from her cup of tea. Gale was also clearly mad or afraid or something, she was scratching at Ash with an intensity previously unseen. Luckily, she seemed to calm down a little, probably thinking that if they ignored them, they'd leave. Clearly they were not leaving. One of the idiots had gotten up out of his seat, took out company brand Black Egret Tees, and fucking placed three on the table. The amount of idiocy present in that one moment was simply astounding. Had the two people sitting there been regular diner patrons and not real law enforcement officials, presumably with guns, she would have straight up assaulted them. Now though, she had to way her options. Take care of her increasing rage, and show of Franky? Well then she'd probably be arrested, again, and ofcourse she had no idea how they'd deal with her parasite, so unknown horror. Then, Gale... became not Gale. Her voice changed, some dude and T.V. static were added to it. She decided to call this new Gale "Teevee" because, yaknow, T.V. voice. Teevee proceeded to threaten the Black Egrets (Jane was deeply saddened that she couldn't come up with an insulting name for them. The best she got was Bitch Egrets, and that sucked.) with violence, but allowed them to leave peacefully, should they wish. He also gave Ash 'the hand' presumably telling her to stay put. Bitch Egret #1, the same idiot with the damn t-shirts, reacted like she/he wasn't brandishing a blade at them. His blatant disregard for the situation only fueled Jane's anger. Then,Bitch Egret #1 said something that scared her. She barely caught it, but as he was reading her her rights or whatever he said he'd need to "ask [her] friends if they had any parasites of their own." Well shit, it was over then. They'd ask her to take her gloves off, and she'd reveal Franky, and he'd be killed or she would, and that's it. Her only hope was to knock both officers unconscious and run. Jane quickly got up, making her way to Teevee's side. "Franky, it's showtime!" She said, as she ripped off her glove. "H-huh? Wait, are we fighting now?!?" Franky gasped, suddenly roused from his lethargic sleep-like state. Looked like this one was going to be a fight to tell the Aunt and Uncle about.</s>
<\|description\|>Jane Vermilion Gender: Female Race: Human (Canopy) Age: 15 Birthday: April 13 Blood Type: B Height: 5" 5' Weight: 104 lbs. Measurements: 21B-18-23 Likes: Pro-Wrestling, Being right, Being alone, A fair fight, Salty foods Dislikes: Authority, Her parents, cheaters, Country music, hand sanitizer Parasite/Living Weapon: Franky is attached to Jane right hand. His eyes are where her knuckles would be, assuming her hand wasn't covered in him, and his mouth is at her palm. From his mouth, he spews intense fire, and fireballs. Franky is timid and stoic, often times staying silent and allowing Jane to do the talking. He doesn't feel much attachment to her, and simply fights with her because she is his host, and they would both die if he were not to pitch in in some situations. He also feels a sort of social obligation, as to not stain his parasite name. Were he able to use the Skull Heart's wish, he would want complete equality for all. Appearance: Blockbusters: Big Bang Attack -LV1- Franky spews a flaming napalm ball at the enemy that is multi-hit and slowly expands the farther it moves. This move deals a small amount of damage. Sub-Atomic Backbreaker -LV2- Jane flaming uppercuts the opponent into the air, and knees them in the back on the way down. This move deals a decent amount of damage. Causes a hard knock down. Say AAH! -LV3- Franky grows to a massive size and devours the opponent. While in his mouth Franky simultaneously chews and incinerates his opponent. He then spits them out, still on fire. Deals major damage. Bio: Soon after Jane was born, she was left on her aunt and uncle's doorstep by her parents. She grew up watching her uncle's old boxing match tapes and the such. She wanted to be a great fighter, like her hero Beowulf. To accomplish this, she decided to try and get a lot of practice in. She has been in many fights, mainly at school. She has been expelled numerous times, and even arrested for enacting vigilante justice on a criminal who tried to scam her. In the fight, the criminal managed to slice her hand so badly that it needed to be amputated. For about half a year, she was without one of her hands and her dreams of being a professional were crushed. Her grades dropped, and her aunt and uncle became concerned. Particularly her uncle, who supported her dream and was saddened over the loss. She was given a therapist to try and cope. After another one of her sessions that went pretty much nowhere, she was confronted by a parasite. He offered to be her replacement hand, if she was his host, as he was particularly desperate to get one at the time. She agreed ecstatically, and the two joined. That brings us to today, where the budding relationship of host and parasite is going to be tested by the ensuing chaos of the new skullgirl.</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Angus struggled to move even his little pinkie toe as his body was being restricted by a sometimes annoying little parasite that can get on his nerves at time. He realized that this was one of the down sides of sharing a body and mind with someone that also has the control to completely take over his body! The large man grumbled silently inside of his mind as Pharona just giggled slightly at Angus's crankiness, she knew he meant well inside her own safety, but she likes to explore and have fun at times. Plus, she also really wanted to talk to all these parasites surrounding this place, it seemed that a strange amount was all congregating at one point and this was actually getting Pharona excited as the most exciting thing she has experienced was when she had accidentally brought upon a pack of raccoons by giving one of them food. Things only started to get better as more and more parasites continued to come all towards one point! She just couldn't hold her excitement as some book talked openly towards the rather unfortunate Egret. Angus on the other hand felt slightly sorry for the Egret, he knows that they enforce the law and maybe a bit too strictly, but they are merely doing their job and with the amount of people coming along just to make fun of him made Angus slightly angry, reminding him of his past and he knew that he needed to stop this. "Pharona... Release me. Now." The parasite was actually startled once his host made that kind of tone, she had only heard him his that tone a few times inside of his life and she would rather not have this big lug angry at her as she did genuinely like her host. "Sorry Angus," whispered Pharona as she gave control back the control of Agnus's own body. The large, built man started to gently carve a way through the crowd and into the circle of strangers that were picking on this unknown man. He stood to his full height of eight feet and two inches, everyone suddenly noticing that this man was only two feet smaller than the Gigan. Angus coughed into his hand before speaking with his rather deep voice and tried to sound as peaceful as possible. "I'm sorry to barge upon this strange gathering of interesting people and I honestly don't know on how this whole situation came to be so violent, but I would like for this whole scene to stop." Angus stated, he tried to look at everyone eye to eye, trying to convey how serious he is actually being. "We can all avoid this conflict if we just try to remain calm, and especially if the Gigan would try to unhand the man." Angus tried to look as professional and serious as possible, but he was being undermined in that tone as currently Pharona was sitting atop of his shoulders, kicking her feet slightly into the air.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk The bat feral snorted at Jane's response before turning serious once more. Gale looked down at the new giant's general direction and slid down Ash's arm as if it was one gigantic slide, landing directly in front of him. "Listen, it can stop if he comes peacefully with us and stops trying to not only take us in, but our friend here," she explained, gesturing at Jane, "I started it, and now I'm finishing it." She looked up at him now, taking one of her nails and picking another piece of rice out of her fangs. "I've got a beef with any lapdog of Renoir's that steps foot into this town," she continued, untying her bandana and staring up at the man with her yellow impaired eyes, "for reasons that aren't easy to just forget." She walked over to Ash and tugged on her pants, listening as the Egret struggled within her Gigan partner's grip. "Ash, he's a liability now, him and that other guy both," she hissed, turning and glaring directly at the soldier's friend, "we gotta take him in and see what'll happen." The nimble feral turned her back to the giant man before curiously flicking her ears and turning around, scratching her head. "Hey, what's that kicking noise?" she questioned, pointing in his direction. "I can hear extraordinarily well, but vision is a luxury I was not born with." Wiggling her nose as she sniffed the air, she curiously crawled up his arm without haste. "Sorry, this must be incredibly awkward for you," she apologized, finally reaching his shoulder and balancing on her toes in a crouched position before gently groping at the side of his head.</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Angus almost backed away as the tiny bat girl was right only maybe a foot away from him, and he still feels slightly uncomfortable with this bat girl as now he has a sort of fear against vicious animals in general. However, the giant stood his ground, having to bend his head down to meet eye to eye with the feral. Pharona was trying to stay silent at the moment, but she was so close towards talking to this parasite and wanted to do it so badly. She sadly had to stay silent in trying to not make Angus too angry at her as she already felt bad enough making him his that tone of voice towards her. He listened onto the complaints and justifications brought upon by the feral girl and knew her own reasoning, but it was filled with too much hate that clouded her judgement. Angus looked upon her sharp fangs and shuddered on the inside, he was imaging if those fangs would ever bite down into his flesh making a humongous hole inside his body. It took him longer than it would think to get his nerves back again, as he watched the feral hiss something towards the Gigan and suddenly the small bat girl looked back at him with curious eyes. Angus got slightly confused by this and the same for Pharona as neither would really know why she would be staring at him until both of them realized that it was Pharona's kicking that attracted her. Before Angus could react, the bat girl crawled upon his arm making him immediately stiff as his worst fear of that bite might actually come true inside of his imagination and barely even noticed her groping his head, but Pharona did. The little girl upon the giant's shoulder giggled at the strange woman and quickly patted the feral's back hand with her delicate palm. She knew she was about to do something against his will, but she thought she was over-imginaging how angry Angus would towards her and the fact that this was the most opportune time to talk to her! Pharona's delicate voice filled the tense air, "Um... Hello, are you trying to look for me? And... Um... Is it true that you and the Gigan are actually parasites? Because, if you are, that is pretty cool and stuff."</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale squeaked with surprise before flapping her weak ebony wings, listening to the small girl's voice as she greeted her. "For someone I don't quite know," Gale began while shuddering at the feeling of her tiny hand against her own, "you're quite hospitable despite the fact that I'm kinda crawling all over who I'm assuming is your host." She slipped down off the giant to prevent angering him or making him feel any more awkward than he already did. "I'm sorry, sir," she apologized as she did earlier, twiddling her thumbs. "It bothers me when I cannot tell who exactly I am conversing with. I can sense your fear and discomfort." She looked in the direction she assumed that the girl's voice was coming from (but she was turned a bit too far to be looking directly at her), and spoke, "To answer your question, we are not parasites. I'm only the host, and if you'd like to speak with him, that'd be fine." "Who is this?" Brandy whispered into the back of Gale's head, causing her to shudder violently at the sudden static roaring in her ears. "H-Hey, turn the volume down please," she responded silently, running her pale hand through her purple hair before relaxing as the noise died down. "It appears to be another host and parasite from what I can tell," she explained to the garbled voice, going on to add, "I scaled the host, he's extremely tall. Not as tall as Ash, but he's nearly there, and his parasite seems very nice. If she wants to talk to you, you'll have to take over." Brandy remained silent before answering with a simple, "Okay." After spending a few moments conversing with the soothing yet extremely loud voice in her head, she turned back to the man's direction. "When you give me the command," she began, taking the sword out of its sheath once more and holding it at her side, "he'll come out to talk."</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash looks in between the Egret, and the boxer girl next to her "Your name is Ja--" Ash is interrupted by Gale suddenly leaving her side, scurrying along the road, towards a tall man. The Gigan starts to say something, but stops, resting the barrel of her cannon on the Egret's stomach "Your name is Jane, right?" she continues "Should I just knock this guy out? He seems resilient, and I don't want to wait long enough for more people to get hurt." Ash explains. She begins to tighten her grip on the Egret, in an attempt to suffocate him "Or, do you want your way with him? I just want to get Gale home." she pleads, cocking her head in the bat's direction "If you get arrested, I can pull a few strings."</s>	<\|message\|>Jane Vermilion Jane giggled a little as Gale snorted at her joke. Well, it was kinda a joke, she was getting a little bored just waiting around for more people to fight. Luckily, someone appeared to cure her boredom. More specifically, a ridiculously large man, almost as big as a gigan, and a little girl, his daughter she presumed, riding on his shoulder. He asked the three of them to stop with the soldier strangling in a surprisingly calm and well thought out way, even acknowledging he didn't know the full situation. Still though, he was loyal to the Egrets, an idiotic decision at best. Gale immediately got on his case, explaining herself and their actions. She also called Jane a friend, which was... quite refreshing. She finished her explanation with a rather ominous conclusion. She then said something to Ash after tugging at her and giving a glare to the unconscious body of BE#2. After that, she got curious of the kicking noise the dude's daughter was making. Being a bat she couldn't see, Jane guessed. She violated the dude's space bubble in an attempt to get to it, and he got kinda scared. The little girl clearly didn't understand the gravity of the situation, did she? Gale and the girl conversed a little more, but Jane's attention was pulled away from that conversation to another. Ash asked if Jane wanted to knock the Renoir crony out, and Jane thought it over for a minute. "Hmm. You do it. You and Gale seem to have a lot of beef with these guys. And, uh, thanks for the help, I guess." Jane said, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly as Ash offered to, quote unquote, pull some strings. Jeez, you didn't have to do that stuff for someone you just met! Though, Jane couldn't say she wasn't happy about it. "By the way, I don't think I caught your name. I'm Jane, duh, and this is Franky." She said, lifting her right arm up to show her new friend her old friend. "Uhm. Hi?" Franky mumbled, not wanting to even be in this situation.</s>
<\|description\|>Jane Vermilion Gender: Female Race: Human (Canopy) Age: 15 Birthday: April 13 Blood Type: B Height: 5" 5' Weight: 104 lbs. Measurements: 21B-18-23 Likes: Pro-Wrestling, Being right, Being alone, A fair fight, Salty foods Dislikes: Authority, Her parents, cheaters, Country music, hand sanitizer Parasite/Living Weapon: Franky is attached to Jane right hand. His eyes are where her knuckles would be, assuming her hand wasn't covered in him, and his mouth is at her palm. From his mouth, he spews intense fire, and fireballs. Franky is timid and stoic, often times staying silent and allowing Jane to do the talking. He doesn't feel much attachment to her, and simply fights with her because she is his host, and they would both die if he were not to pitch in in some situations. He also feels a sort of social obligation, as to not stain his parasite name. Were he able to use the Skull Heart's wish, he would want complete equality for all. Appearance: Blockbusters: Big Bang Attack -LV1- Franky spews a flaming napalm ball at the enemy that is multi-hit and slowly expands the farther it moves. This move deals a small amount of damage. Sub-Atomic Backbreaker -LV2- Jane flaming uppercuts the opponent into the air, and knees them in the back on the way down. This move deals a decent amount of damage. Causes a hard knock down. Say AAH! -LV3- Franky grows to a massive size and devours the opponent. While in his mouth Franky simultaneously chews and incinerates his opponent. He then spits them out, still on fire. Deals major damage. Bio: Soon after Jane was born, she was left on her aunt and uncle's doorstep by her parents. She grew up watching her uncle's old boxing match tapes and the such. She wanted to be a great fighter, like her hero Beowulf. To accomplish this, she decided to try and get a lot of practice in. She has been in many fights, mainly at school. She has been expelled numerous times, and even arrested for enacting vigilante justice on a criminal who tried to scam her. In the fight, the criminal managed to slice her hand so badly that it needed to be amputated. For about half a year, she was without one of her hands and her dreams of being a professional were crushed. Her grades dropped, and her aunt and uncle became concerned. Particularly her uncle, who supported her dream and was saddened over the loss. She was given a therapist to try and cope. After another one of her sessions that went pretty much nowhere, she was confronted by a parasite. He offered to be her replacement hand, if she was his host, as he was particularly desperate to get one at the time. She agreed ecstatically, and the two joined. That brings us to today, where the budding relationship of host and parasite is going to be tested by the ensuing chaos of the new skullgirl.</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash sighs "Alrighty, then," she groans, squeezing the Egret as he attempts to free an arm or two, the one arm he manages to free starts pounding into Ash's wrist in a desperate attempt to free its owner. Ash holds tight as the crowd gasps, she can tell the Egret's will is breaking the longer she holds him within her suffocating grasp. Just as she predicted, the Egret known as 'Scott' begins to cease struggling, muttering some nondescript derogatory terms about Parasites, and giants. Ash releases him once he stops moving, she then picks up the other Egret, what's his name, 'Lan' or something? Ash can't remember. She turns to Jane, holding this 'Liam' by his ankle, precariously wedged in between her thumb, and her index finger "Could you help me carry this baggage?" she asks Jane kindly, involuntarily giving Dontores a momentary glance as she sets the Egret down at Jane's feet. 'Another one,' mumbles the cursed voice in Ash's head, 'looks like I was right after all,' the muddled quandary of voices mocks. Ash simply ignores Rorschach, and turns to Gale as the crowd begins to dissipate. "I know this is a bit much to ask but, would you mind helping Gale and I lug these two to New Meridian? We need to clean up the mess we made." Ash pleads, attempting to clasp her hands together, while balancing an unconscious Scott on her shoulder. "Gale and I could treat you to lunch, or dinner depending how long it will take, I never really got to finish my chicken after all."</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Brandy flashed a rather wide smile in the other parasite's direction, tapping on Gale's lower lip as he thought. "My voice is made up of all static," he explained briefly, trying to tune down the cacophony that laced his deep voice. "I'm a parasite that simply inhabits Gale's mind, I've cursed the sword that she wields for years," he revealed, sitting down on the ground and looking up in the other parasite's direction. "I can make myself heard to humans, but I'd rather not," he added, tightly gripping the obsidian blade against Gale's body, "Gale is the only human besides the soldiers that have needed to understand me." "I'm able to partially take over my host's body if they permit it," he stated, rubbing Gale's temples. "She has a raging headache from what it seems," he thought to himself, wondering why Gale hadn't said anything to him for quite a while. He stood back up and stretched in the small body, wishfully thinking how nice it would be if his host was a tad bit taller. "She told me she's sorta got a feel for your host now and that he's a bit of a giant," he remarked, directly looking at Angus while saying this. "Is he anywhere near as big as her Gigan roommate over there, or something else?" he inquired, shivering slightly as twilight's cool breeze began to blow in. "It's going to get cold soon, isn't it?" he thought with slight frustration, rubbing his arms. "Why does Gale always wear sleeveless things? Crazy bat."</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Pharona listened to the static heard by everyone, but her and the parasites around them were only able to hear it making it quite a strange experience as some little girl was talking to nothing. It was cool that he was able to possess a sword that her host carries as it is actually able to kill people instead of the weak body that Pharona was given making someone else dependent on fighting. However, she did find it kind of sad with the implications of being a sword, they could not do much in their original form expect when the feral girl only allows it. "Only partially? I can take over my host body whenever I want! I have complete control over this big guy, but he wouldn't really like me having all the control on this duo, so I give him control most of the time! Except whenever I want to do something that he doesn't really find very safe, like now!" Pharona listened upon the other half of the question and was eager to converse with the sword. "I would like to think so, she maybe taller than my host, but he is actually a human! Imagine if he was born a Gigan, he would have been massive! Well, he was already pretty strong and big before I came along, but I made him even taller and stronger when I attached to him." Angus at the moment was paying close attention to the surroundings they were inside, as it seemed Pharona had complete tunnel vision when she gets excited. He watched as the Gigan almost looked like she was crushing the poor Egret solider to death, and his sympathy for the mistreated human grew even further. He tried to listen on what they were saying as the static was making it quite hard to hear and Pharona was basically talking right next to his ears. However, once his eyes glanced upon the shivering girl, instincts started to take over the large man. "Pharona. Give the girl my coat. She seems cold and I would rather not for anyone to catch a cold." Angus said to Pharona through his mind. "Oh, when did you finally start to talk grumpy pants?" She giggled and soon noticed that the parasite was rubbing their arms and patted Angus on the head. "You are such a nice guy Angus, you always try to help everyone don't you? Even if they scare you." Pharona quickly ordered the body to remove the rather large coat and started to move it towards the parasite. "Here. I think you need this more than Angus at the moment, and don't worry about this guy, he can keep his own body heat going without being cold." Pharona smiled towards him and gestured to the coat once again, Angus and Pharona hoping that they would take it.</s> <\|message\|>Juno Bernstein "Whoah..." She was trying to play the part of a star struck fan, and looking awed at the tricks Morgann was doing. Not that it was hard, she was genuinely impressed. If it was really some trick that was. The more she looked and the more she thought about what happened earlier... Morgann gave her the handkerchief, with a neat signature at the corner. Candy from a baby. She should lift the signature and see if she can cash in some checks. Failing that, the signature could just be sold to someone willing to buy an authentic signature from the magician herself. "Is that it, or would you like something else?" It was a question running through Juno's head as well. Should she continue the act for a few moments more or should she just excuse herself now? "Th-that was it. Thank you for the autograph!" She looked hesitantly at the magician, again smiling shyly. It was a bit odd, but rather refreshing to see someone not taken aback by Juno's empty eye socket. But she was still going to try robbing her blind regardless. "Will you be performing again any time soon? I do so love your show."</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Brandy blinked as he listened intently to what the parasite had to say, amazed that such a little parasite could take control over such a giant man. They must be very close to be able to do such a thing. "I can fully synchronize with Gale and have the ability to completely take over," he began, drawing circles in the dirt with the tip of the obsidian blade, "but I nearly killed her father when he was my wielder by doing it. I don't think he and I were as compatible as us, though." He slipped the sheath's strap off of his shoulders and held it by the sword, speaking, "He retired me to my sheath for years. I wasn't used from the time that she was born because he wanted to keep his family away from me. Though it hurt knowing that I was not exactly welcome, I understand why. Handling that much power from a parasite at such a young age, even Gale's age, is dangerous." Brandy felt a tiny bit scared of the fact that if the host of this parasite had been a Gigan, he would probably be bigger than Ash. "Him as a Gigan? Now there's a scary thought. The male Gigans typically outgrow most female Gigans," he commented, turning in the roommate's direction, "I think Ash over there is actually the shorter one of her kind." The parasite was suddenly taken aback by the offer of the coat, but with slight reluctance, he accepted the coat and managed to slip it on over Gale's lithe form. Considering how small she was and how big the coat was, it probably looked silly, but what did that matter so long as his host was warm and happy? "Oh wow, thank you," he managed to say, fluffing his host's purple pompadour. "I have no idea why she wears this attire despite the temperature, but it's not necessarily my body or choice, so I can't judge," he sighed, giving the parasite a small smile. "I'm Brandy Station, by the way. I heard his name is Angus, but what is your name?" he inquired, tapping on Gale's chin before noticing that the soldier in Ash's grip was passed out. "Oh, I suppose it's time for Gale and Ash to leave for Meridian. Say, why not come with us? It's probably safer up in the city than it is in Little Innsmouth at the moment." Gale woke up only for a moment to speak to him through her mind, sighing softly. "That statement is incorrect in every possible way."</s>	<\|message\|>Jane Vermilion Jane, still focused on she and Ash's conversation, watched as she choked BE#1 into an unconscious state. As he joined his brother in dreamland, Ash asked Jane if she could be of assistance. She lightly kicked the body placed in front of her while Ash literally begged Jane to help. Her hands were clasped together and everything. Jane guessed Gale wasn't exactly good at lifting heavy objects all things considered. Ash also offered Jane food, which was one thing she could never refuse. "Hmm. I guess I could help. But it's only cuz food is involved!" Jane joked, a grin plastered onto her pale face. With a grunt she picked up the body of BE#2 and lugged him over her shoulder. She wheezed a little, jeez all this military gear really weighed a person down. "Jane!" Franky whispered, trying to get her attention. She placed him up against her ear to allow him a bit of privacy. "I-I'm not sure we should be helping these guys. There with the Medici's, so...?" He stuttered, dancing around the issue. In all honest he just wanted to save his own bacon, but he couldn't do that without a host. "Bah, it'll be fine Franky." She assured. "So, where am I dragging this dude? Do you have a super secret base that we're dropping these guys off at? Or are we just gonna ditch them in some dumpster in New Meridian?" Jane asked, curious as to how formal the Medici operation was.</s>
<\|description\|>Juno Bernstein Here's mine, since Poog gave the A-Ok. Gender: Female Age: 20 Species: Human Birthday: April 1 Blood Type: AB Height: 5'4", 6'2" if Marionette encases her in armor. Weight: 50kg. Measurements: 29A-26-28 Likes: Money, good food, good bed, convenient things, silent areas, ultra spicy curry, not being in debt, rich people, nice suits, being paid on time, Dusk Soul Marionette, novels and writing. Dislikes: Being in debt, hunger, sleeping out, inconvenient things, loud areas, curry that does not taste like curry, being in debt, beggars, skinflints, misers, sappy movies, cats, dogs, furry things in general, being in debt, her appearance,Dusk Soul Marionette eating something without her noticing, bad puns. Did I mention she dislikes being in debt? Parasite/Living Weapon: Dusk Soul Marionette - It primarily appears only as a gauntlet made of reddish steel seemingly fused to her left hand, with a single eye, Juno's, on the back, and a maw it can open on its palm. With all the advantages an armored gauntlet on your hand would give, it also strengthened her basic abilities somewhat, especially her strength in her left arm, and gives her the ability to gather and fire purplish luminescent energy from the glove. If needed however, it can extrude itself to cover the entirety of the host in armor for a certain amount of time, pushing up their defensive and offensive capabilities, but lowering their dexterity, essentially inverting her normal abilities. Oh, and it speaks in unnecessarily loud booming baritone. Appearance: Biography: Being born in April first, not one of her birthday passed without some sort of prank being played on her by her family. It was fun the first few times, but she quickly learned to turn a skeptical eye to anything outrageous her family tried to pull off. Which unfortunately, led to her whole house burning down with her entire family inside, when she dismissed the smoke inside her room as another prank. With no other immediate family to turn to, she quickly found herself on the streets. It was harsh few years for a girl her age, until she learned how to pickpocket. Working up from there, she started on robbery, theft, and fraud, never doing more than one major hit in any one frame of time. Which means Juno stayed on doing small time. Big time crime does pay better, but the heat wasn't worth it to her. And joining the mafia wasn't exactly an option since she rather dislikes the way they did things. One night however, while she was eating her dinner on top of some building, she noticed a skylight wide open on a house. Not just some guy's house, but a rich guy's house. Normally she would have cased the place, learn all its quirks, which door leads where, the usual. In this case, she reasoned it would be just a quick grab and run, whatever she could get. It was almost a bust when she entered, most of the valuables were either big, too obvious to fence, or things that were very niche, like a mummified hand she had no idea where to fence. Sighing, she almost gave up before spotting a tarnished gauntlet sitting pretty in a glass container. Reasoning someone might want it as decoration, she quickly shorted out the sensors on the glass, and made off with the gauntlet, putting on her left hand to avoid losing it should she needed to run. Feeling pretty proud of herself, she returned to her apartment and promptly fell asleep. The first thing she noticed when she woke up was her skewed vision. It felt as if one of her eye was lower than the other, causing her to instinctively raise her left hand to her face. Juno's eyes widened as she noticed the gauntlet, now looking very polished and bright, as if it was still fresh out of the forge. Fearing that she might have grabbed something she shouldn't have, she turned her left hand around, bringing to view her green eye embedded on the back, giving her vision of her own shocked face. And just when she thought it couldn't get worse. "BONJOUR!" Special Attacks/Blockbusters: Moves starting with Dusk Soul refers to the moves only done while Soul Protect is activated. Burst Hammer Lv1 - With a little startup, she pulls back her left hand, gathering energy into it, before releasing it with a swift punch. Will knock back unguarded opponents into the opposite wall. Deals fair damage. Dusk Soul Burst Rondo Lv1 - With a moderate startup, they pull back their left hand, gathering energy into it, before releasing it with several lightning quick punches, before ending it with a powerful explosive punch. Breaks guard on the last hit, and will make a character taking an unguarded hit drop to their knees. Deals minor damage on the quick punches and moderate damage for the last hit if unguarded, and minor damage if guarded. Queen's Bomber Lariat Lv2 - Air Ok - Jumps either to the wall behind her or the wall opposite depending on commands, and springs diagonally downwards, slamming her left arm across the opponent's neck. Deals moderate damage. Dusk Soul Monarch Bomber Lariat Lv2 - With a powerful dash, execute an explosive lariat with either arm, or dash past the opponent to their back, and then quickly dash backwards to execute an explosive lariat with either arm. Deals moderate damage, though higher than the base version. Soul Protect Lv3 - Air Ok - Juno emits a shockwave, as Dusk Soul immediately encases her in armor. Inverts her strengths and weaknesses for a certain amount of time in addition to having better defenses. Deals minor damage if the shockwave hits, with moderate knockback. Dusk Soul: Prepare to Die Lv3 - Usable even with 0 units of power, it consumes a chunk of hp for each missing unit. Dusk Soul fires out the left gauntlet along with Juno at breakneck speed. If it is blocked or it misses, Soul Protect mode ends immediately, and any consumed power and hp is not refunded. If it connects, Dusk Soul immediately dashes to the back of the opponent, firing off rapid punches from the back as Juno does the same, putting away her usual electric baton. After several seconds of rapidfire punching, both of them jump backwards, and execute a double lariat.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale let out a soft screech of surprise before calming down as Ash held her close, intoxicated by the sweet scents of her roommate and the flowers that filled their humble apartment. Her outlandish bat ears flattened slightly as she stood up in the Gigan's hand and hugged the side of her face, staring down at her feet. "How long have we been roommates? Everything seems to blur together," she thought silently, looking to the kitchen and sighing at how dirty everything was. "I should really clean this up for her. I know how much she likes to fill our place with flowers, the scents are so nice..." She raised her head and directed her attention towards Ash through her blindfold only to resume resting her head against her cheek. Ash had her own bedroom, the living room, and Gale had hers, but this intimidating bat feral had a crippling fear of being alone, especially at night. Often, Gale would simply curl up with Ash. Her roommate's ginormous form curled around her actually felt like a crib at times, or even a barrier that shut all the bad things out. It shut everything out, like the good memories of her family, her crazed thoughts, the voices poking at her in her head. The murder she committed with her small but able hands. Sometimes Gale would feel brave and inform Ash that she would sleep on her own, but not twenty or thirty minutes later, Ash would hear her panicked cries and have to wake her from the night terrors that kept her awake. She'd clasp her in her Gigan hands ever-so-gently and wait for her to wake up. When she spreads her fingers to peek inside at the little bat girl, Gale would be staring right back with her eyes as bright as stars. After pushing aside her thoughts, Gale decided it would probably be best to respond. "I would like to go eat," she replied robotically to Ash, before realizing how cold that sounded and shaking her head. "I...would like to go eat, with you," she repeated in a softer, more child-like tone, covering her entire face with her hands. Within milliseconds, the small feral scrambled up the Gigan's shoulder and sat, listening to the sound of the wind right outside the apartment to create a mental picture of the living room. "It's about seven now, so it's actually supper," she thought to herself before adding, "W-Where do you want to eat? Would you like to go to the little diner nearby or..." She bit her lower lip with one of her sharpest fangs available and tugged at the piercings in her ears, wincing at the slight sting that came with her action before shrugging it off. "...Or, we can go to New Meridian." New Meridian. Gale hated that corrupted city with every fiber of her being. There was too much that reminded her of not only the Renoirs, but of her employers: the Medici Mafia. It was such a big city, and big cities meant crowds. "Big cities mean crowds, crowds mean cacophony, cacophony means I can't hear," Gale fumed, imagining just exactly how loud it might be. She recalled memories where the sound was so staggeringly loud and the voices were so sharp that it was as if she was hearing dog whistles all around her. "What if I lose Ash and can't find my way home? What if I'm caught without Brandy? What if, what if, what if..." Despite the discord and chaos running rampant within Gale's mind while the fear encased her heart, she exhaled shakily and let her tense body relax. No, these "what if's" would not rule her life. She would put aside her worry and madness for the happiness of Ash. Without a smile, or rather, any look that indicated what she might be feeling, Gale simply added, "Anything you want."</s> <\|message\|>Jane Vermilion It was a cool twilight in Little Innsmouth, about 7, to be a little more accurate. People were all hustling and bustling to get where they wanted to go, be it a restaurant, their homes, or something a little more shady. Jane, was a fan of number one. She had just recently gotten out of detention, about an hour or two ago, and boy was she hungry. She decided to stop by this diner she knew of before reaching home, it had absolutely stunning food. She was sure Aunt and Uncle wouldn't mind, she was pretty much always home late, and she was paying with her own money. As Jane pushed open the door to the diner, her nostrils were graced with the incredible smell of cooking food. She could barely stop herself from drooling all over the slightly dirty tile floor. This was probably one of the main reasons to ever visit Little Innsmouth, the great local food vendors. She wasn't sure if any of it was authentic Dragonian cuisine, but god did it just taste like... a really good metaphor. Honestly all this food was messing with her head. She quickly sat down and ordered herself something to drink, tea. As the waiter left she put her gloved hand up to her mouth. "I still don't understand why I have to hide you." She whispered to her parasite, Franky. "I've told you, they don't want people having parasites unless they're with the Renoirs." Franky explained, his voice slightly muffled by the fabric covering him.. "Yeah, I know it's just-" She was quickly interrupted by the waiter coming back with her drink. She thanked him before returning to her conversation with Franky. "It's just... I dunno. It's dumb." She said, taking a sip from her tea. "Yeah, it is." He whispered back, not loud enough for her to hear.</s>	<\|message\|>Juno Bernstein "Well well... That bat doesn't seem to be ordinary." Juno Bernstein swung her legs in a carefree way on her seat, seemingly oblivious that a wrong move would topple her off her rooftop seat and down to the pavement below. The reddish steel gauntlet on her left hand stood out rather conspicuously against her quality suit, complete with a real hand-tied tie tucked carefully in the jacket; none of that clip on thing for her. She wondered briefly if she should have brought a telescope instead of a binocular instead, as her left eye was naught but an empty socket. "HOW CAN YOU TELL?" She took off the binocular, and looked at her left hand, the green eye on the back of the gauntlet staring at her as she did the same. "The way she moves, what she wears, and how she carries herself. Everyone has many different tells. Thats how I can see which one's worth filching off." "YOU ARE SMART. NOW WE'RE HUNGRY. WE EAT." "Yeah, yeah, stave it off with this. We'll get some food after we get a good mark," She shoved a snack bar into her left palm, watching as a maw suddenly appeared and started crunching on the bar. As the taste of chocolate flooded her mouth, she resumed her vigil on top of the roof. Juno knows where the bat lives, and it would be a simple matter to find which floor and number as well. The lost relative trick always works. But she would need her tools for that sort of heist, and today she was looking for a simple mark, a target to swipe money off and run. It was a bit tight this month, the mafia was cracking down on rivals now, and while normally that wouldn't concern someone who stuck to doing small crime, one of the local bosses was getting a bit overzealous. The shadows were getting a bit hotter too now that there was apparently some hotshot cuffers looking to jump badges. How's an honest thief going to make it through the month without starving with all these happening? Just then she spotted a couple, a very well to do looking couple moving to where she knows was an alley, a shortcut out of the crowd. Which also means those two weren't average joes, since civilians don't usually go through that shortcut. "I'm thinking that's a bodyguard and someone's rich wife. Marionette?" "I'M THINKING OF STEAK." "That's the spirit." Swiftly wrapping up her left hand in bandages, Juno moved silently through the rooftops to intercept them. Should be easy money for dinner.</s>
<\|description\|>Juno Bernstein Here's mine, since Poog gave the A-Ok. Gender: Female Age: 20 Species: Human Birthday: April 1 Blood Type: AB Height: 5'4", 6'2" if Marionette encases her in armor. Weight: 50kg. Measurements: 29A-26-28 Likes: Money, good food, good bed, convenient things, silent areas, ultra spicy curry, not being in debt, rich people, nice suits, being paid on time, Dusk Soul Marionette, novels and writing. Dislikes: Being in debt, hunger, sleeping out, inconvenient things, loud areas, curry that does not taste like curry, being in debt, beggars, skinflints, misers, sappy movies, cats, dogs, furry things in general, being in debt, her appearance,Dusk Soul Marionette eating something without her noticing, bad puns. Did I mention she dislikes being in debt? Parasite/Living Weapon: Dusk Soul Marionette - It primarily appears only as a gauntlet made of reddish steel seemingly fused to her left hand, with a single eye, Juno's, on the back, and a maw it can open on its palm. With all the advantages an armored gauntlet on your hand would give, it also strengthened her basic abilities somewhat, especially her strength in her left arm, and gives her the ability to gather and fire purplish luminescent energy from the glove. If needed however, it can extrude itself to cover the entirety of the host in armor for a certain amount of time, pushing up their defensive and offensive capabilities, but lowering their dexterity, essentially inverting her normal abilities. Oh, and it speaks in unnecessarily loud booming baritone. Appearance: Biography: Being born in April first, not one of her birthday passed without some sort of prank being played on her by her family. It was fun the first few times, but she quickly learned to turn a skeptical eye to anything outrageous her family tried to pull off. Which unfortunately, led to her whole house burning down with her entire family inside, when she dismissed the smoke inside her room as another prank. With no other immediate family to turn to, she quickly found herself on the streets. It was harsh few years for a girl her age, until she learned how to pickpocket. Working up from there, she started on robbery, theft, and fraud, never doing more than one major hit in any one frame of time. Which means Juno stayed on doing small time. Big time crime does pay better, but the heat wasn't worth it to her. And joining the mafia wasn't exactly an option since she rather dislikes the way they did things. One night however, while she was eating her dinner on top of some building, she noticed a skylight wide open on a house. Not just some guy's house, but a rich guy's house. Normally she would have cased the place, learn all its quirks, which door leads where, the usual. In this case, she reasoned it would be just a quick grab and run, whatever she could get. It was almost a bust when she entered, most of the valuables were either big, too obvious to fence, or things that were very niche, like a mummified hand she had no idea where to fence. Sighing, she almost gave up before spotting a tarnished gauntlet sitting pretty in a glass container. Reasoning someone might want it as decoration, she quickly shorted out the sensors on the glass, and made off with the gauntlet, putting on her left hand to avoid losing it should she needed to run. Feeling pretty proud of herself, she returned to her apartment and promptly fell asleep. The first thing she noticed when she woke up was her skewed vision. It felt as if one of her eye was lower than the other, causing her to instinctively raise her left hand to her face. Juno's eyes widened as she noticed the gauntlet, now looking very polished and bright, as if it was still fresh out of the forge. Fearing that she might have grabbed something she shouldn't have, she turned her left hand around, bringing to view her green eye embedded on the back, giving her vision of her own shocked face. And just when she thought it couldn't get worse. "BONJOUR!" Special Attacks/Blockbusters: Moves starting with Dusk Soul refers to the moves only done while Soul Protect is activated. Burst Hammer Lv1 - With a little startup, she pulls back her left hand, gathering energy into it, before releasing it with a swift punch. Will knock back unguarded opponents into the opposite wall. Deals fair damage. Dusk Soul Burst Rondo Lv1 - With a moderate startup, they pull back their left hand, gathering energy into it, before releasing it with several lightning quick punches, before ending it with a powerful explosive punch. Breaks guard on the last hit, and will make a character taking an unguarded hit drop to their knees. Deals minor damage on the quick punches and moderate damage for the last hit if unguarded, and minor damage if guarded. Queen's Bomber Lariat Lv2 - Air Ok - Jumps either to the wall behind her or the wall opposite depending on commands, and springs diagonally downwards, slamming her left arm across the opponent's neck. Deals moderate damage. Dusk Soul Monarch Bomber Lariat Lv2 - With a powerful dash, execute an explosive lariat with either arm, or dash past the opponent to their back, and then quickly dash backwards to execute an explosive lariat with either arm. Deals moderate damage, though higher than the base version. Soul Protect Lv3 - Air Ok - Juno emits a shockwave, as Dusk Soul immediately encases her in armor. Inverts her strengths and weaknesses for a certain amount of time in addition to having better defenses. Deals minor damage if the shockwave hits, with moderate knockback. Dusk Soul: Prepare to Die Lv3 - Usable even with 0 units of power, it consumes a chunk of hp for each missing unit. Dusk Soul fires out the left gauntlet along with Juno at breakneck speed. If it is blocked or it misses, Soul Protect mode ends immediately, and any consumed power and hp is not refunded. If it connects, Dusk Soul immediately dashes to the back of the opponent, firing off rapid punches from the back as Juno does the same, putting away her usual electric baton. After several seconds of rapidfire punching, both of them jump backwards, and execute a double lariat.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale nodded at her and was surprisingly pleased that the girl had came over to sit. She wasn't Medici scum or anything else that might come off as irritating to Gale, so she definitely already liked her. "The food in Little Innsmouth is kind of amazing," Gale remarked in a soft tone, picking some of the rice out of her gleaming white teeth. Rice was good, but when it was stuck in your teeth, it could prove to be quite irritating. "Oh, by the by, I'm Gale Nathbakk," she added, relaxing and scooting a few inches away from Ash. "You're not a baby, Gale, don't cling," she thought, annoyed by her bad habits. Ash had protected her for years, and she had done the same for her, but there was no reason to be so tense and protective at the moment. It wasn't like Jane was going to murder them in cold blood. As Jane popped the question regarding how she and Ash met, Gale's ears flattened and her mouth shifted into a tight, thin line. "Well, my family took her in when we were younger. To be honest, I don't know much about her past, but I do not think one's history matters so long as they are a good person," she explained briefly, making sure to not go any deeper about her family. "In this case, she's actually a good Gigan," she added, tugging on Ash's sleeve.</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scott and Liam walked out of one the many buildings that made up the Black Egret HQ, Scott still trying to convince Liam of the "great idea" that he had come up with. "I'm telling you, think of the benefits if we do this," Scott said. "You're still going on about that? I told you I'm not getting involved. How did you even get this information, anyway?" Liam replied. "You know that one chick in Strategic Intelligence? With the red hair and glasses." "Her? Dude, she's infamous for telling wild stories just to gain attention. How do you know she's telling the truth?" "'Cause I promised her that we'd go on a date. No way a girl like that would give false information with that kind of a deal. Now I just got to think up an excuse of why I can't go." "Dude, you're not standing her up. I know you. You're going to go anyway, even if you have a horrible time. You'd never be cold enough to stand a girl up. But we're getting off topic here. Finding the Skull Heart? That's way out of our league." "Shh, man. We don't want anyone else getting in on this. Anyway, we've dealt with stuff way out of our league before." The two entered a taxi and had the driver take them Liam's favorite diner, located all the way out in Little Innsmouth. "Gaining the courage to ask a perfect ten out, is a lot different then taking on a monster, Scott. And for nothing but a promotion?" "Fine, if you won't do it for the promotion, then do it for the kingdom. How many lives do you think will be lost if we don't find it, Liam? Heck man, if not for the kingdom, then do it for your family." The two Black Egret troops sat in silence for the rest of the trip. When the car finally stopped at the diner, Liam opened the door, stepped out, stopped, and turned to Scott. "Alright, I'll do it. What's the first step?" Liam said. "First things first, Liam," Scott said as he exited the cab as well. "Food!" he shouted, pointing at the entrance of the diner. The two soldiers entered the diner, taking a seat at a table not too far from where three young girls; a human, a feral, and a gigan; were sitting. For the most part, Liam and Scott were still in uniform, minus their helmets which were strapped to their belts, so anyone could take one look at them and know who they worked for.</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash perks up, having been absent mindedly eating for Gale's explanation "Yeah, although I've never really met another Gigan myself, I've mostly been around Ferals and Elves," the Gigan explains "I think I've never actually seen a fellow Gigan before."</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale nodded before wrinkling her nose, the sudden smell of new people within the restaurant causing her stomach to do flips. She bit her purple lower lip and tugged on her bat ears angrily. "That smells like..." she snarled to herself, tapping her nails on the table almost in a frenzied manner. "That can't be!" she screeched angrily inside of her head, feeling like she was about to go over the edge. It was the exact same smell from so long ago, the exact same one. He knocked, she opened, her parents were dead, he said. "It's...city scum," she growled harshly, ripping her bandana off so that she could direct her red pupil in the newcomers' exact direction. Though she was blind, the restaurant was already mapped out in her mind, and due to how long she'd been here to experience the obstacles, the obstacles around her had already been mapped as well. These two entering the area stuck out like a pair of sore thumbs to her, so it was easy to pinpoint where in the room they were. "Ash," she hissed, almost clawing at her friend's shirt sleeve, "we have company." Gale took another sniff as her blind eyes stared at the door for a few moments, flattening her ears just like before. "Not only is it city scum," she began silently, "but they're Egrets. That smell is all too familiar, I know who they are." As she struggled to contain her contempt, a soft voice echoed inside her head, "Your blood is boiling." That was a voice she hadn't heard in a few days. "Brandy, is that you?" she wondered, smoothing her purple pompadour as she did so. "It's me," he replied back in a monotonous tone, filling her head with a jarring static. "Don't do that static noise, it's hurting my ears," she snapped through her mind, to which the sword responded by turning down the noise. "Now?" it questioned, and she visibly winced as the weapon's connections became almost overwhelming. "Stop!" she ordered, and Brandy obeyed. "Not yet, I can't rush out right now," she explained, feeling bad for how rude her last remark sounded. "I'll be here," it replied calmly, the static growing softer and softer. "Sorry for the noise," it replied in an apologetic but soothing tone. Gale had relaxed a bit hearing her weapon's reassurance of its presence, but she had most certainly not forgotten what riled her up in the first place. She had to think of a way to chase them out, but this was not her family's house from all those years ago in which they chased out whomever they pleased. No, it'd probably be much more complicated than that.</s>	<\|message\|>Juno Bernstein "WE ARE BEING WATCHED." "Shush Marionette, no one could really see us, or even bother to look up." Reaching the alleyway, she quickly slid down a fire escape ladder to the pavement below, landing just behind the couple with nary a sound. It helps that the din from the main road still reached here, masking any noise her good leather shoes made. Taking out one of those expandable police baton from her belt, Juno walked leisurely to the bodyguard's back, and gave him a solid whack on the nape with the baton. The lady looked upon her bodyguard collapsing with surprise, barely able to register that he had collapsed, before she too was knocked out cold. Juno raised her baton for a moment, eyeing the both of them to make sure they were really unconscious. Satisfied that it was so, she started rummaging through their person. Judging from that man, he would have given her a fair amount of trouble had he put up a fight; more trouble than the mugging was worth. "And done. We can't have the steak-" "WHY WON'T YOU LET ME EAT STEAK?" came Marionette's muffled voice from the bandaged hand. "-but we certainly can have the cheesecake in one of the cafe nearby." "THAT PLEASES ME."</s>
<\|description\|>Juno Bernstein Here's mine, since Poog gave the A-Ok. Gender: Female Age: 20 Species: Human Birthday: April 1 Blood Type: AB Height: 5'4", 6'2" if Marionette encases her in armor. Weight: 50kg. Measurements: 29A-26-28 Likes: Money, good food, good bed, convenient things, silent areas, ultra spicy curry, not being in debt, rich people, nice suits, being paid on time, Dusk Soul Marionette, novels and writing. Dislikes: Being in debt, hunger, sleeping out, inconvenient things, loud areas, curry that does not taste like curry, being in debt, beggars, skinflints, misers, sappy movies, cats, dogs, furry things in general, being in debt, her appearance,Dusk Soul Marionette eating something without her noticing, bad puns. Did I mention she dislikes being in debt? Parasite/Living Weapon: Dusk Soul Marionette - It primarily appears only as a gauntlet made of reddish steel seemingly fused to her left hand, with a single eye, Juno's, on the back, and a maw it can open on its palm. With all the advantages an armored gauntlet on your hand would give, it also strengthened her basic abilities somewhat, especially her strength in her left arm, and gives her the ability to gather and fire purplish luminescent energy from the glove. If needed however, it can extrude itself to cover the entirety of the host in armor for a certain amount of time, pushing up their defensive and offensive capabilities, but lowering their dexterity, essentially inverting her normal abilities. Oh, and it speaks in unnecessarily loud booming baritone. Appearance: Biography: Being born in April first, not one of her birthday passed without some sort of prank being played on her by her family. It was fun the first few times, but she quickly learned to turn a skeptical eye to anything outrageous her family tried to pull off. Which unfortunately, led to her whole house burning down with her entire family inside, when she dismissed the smoke inside her room as another prank. With no other immediate family to turn to, she quickly found herself on the streets. It was harsh few years for a girl her age, until she learned how to pickpocket. Working up from there, she started on robbery, theft, and fraud, never doing more than one major hit in any one frame of time. Which means Juno stayed on doing small time. Big time crime does pay better, but the heat wasn't worth it to her. And joining the mafia wasn't exactly an option since she rather dislikes the way they did things. One night however, while she was eating her dinner on top of some building, she noticed a skylight wide open on a house. Not just some guy's house, but a rich guy's house. Normally she would have cased the place, learn all its quirks, which door leads where, the usual. In this case, she reasoned it would be just a quick grab and run, whatever she could get. It was almost a bust when she entered, most of the valuables were either big, too obvious to fence, or things that were very niche, like a mummified hand she had no idea where to fence. Sighing, she almost gave up before spotting a tarnished gauntlet sitting pretty in a glass container. Reasoning someone might want it as decoration, she quickly shorted out the sensors on the glass, and made off with the gauntlet, putting on her left hand to avoid losing it should she needed to run. Feeling pretty proud of herself, she returned to her apartment and promptly fell asleep. The first thing she noticed when she woke up was her skewed vision. It felt as if one of her eye was lower than the other, causing her to instinctively raise her left hand to her face. Juno's eyes widened as she noticed the gauntlet, now looking very polished and bright, as if it was still fresh out of the forge. Fearing that she might have grabbed something she shouldn't have, she turned her left hand around, bringing to view her green eye embedded on the back, giving her vision of her own shocked face. And just when she thought it couldn't get worse. "BONJOUR!" Special Attacks/Blockbusters: Moves starting with Dusk Soul refers to the moves only done while Soul Protect is activated. Burst Hammer Lv1 - With a little startup, she pulls back her left hand, gathering energy into it, before releasing it with a swift punch. Will knock back unguarded opponents into the opposite wall. Deals fair damage. Dusk Soul Burst Rondo Lv1 - With a moderate startup, they pull back their left hand, gathering energy into it, before releasing it with several lightning quick punches, before ending it with a powerful explosive punch. Breaks guard on the last hit, and will make a character taking an unguarded hit drop to their knees. Deals minor damage on the quick punches and moderate damage for the last hit if unguarded, and minor damage if guarded. Queen's Bomber Lariat Lv2 - Air Ok - Jumps either to the wall behind her or the wall opposite depending on commands, and springs diagonally downwards, slamming her left arm across the opponent's neck. Deals moderate damage. Dusk Soul Monarch Bomber Lariat Lv2 - With a powerful dash, execute an explosive lariat with either arm, or dash past the opponent to their back, and then quickly dash backwards to execute an explosive lariat with either arm. Deals moderate damage, though higher than the base version. Soul Protect Lv3 - Air Ok - Juno emits a shockwave, as Dusk Soul immediately encases her in armor. Inverts her strengths and weaknesses for a certain amount of time in addition to having better defenses. Deals minor damage if the shockwave hits, with moderate knockback. Dusk Soul: Prepare to Die Lv3 - Usable even with 0 units of power, it consumes a chunk of hp for each missing unit. Dusk Soul fires out the left gauntlet along with Juno at breakneck speed. If it is blocked or it misses, Soul Protect mode ends immediately, and any consumed power and hp is not refunded. If it connects, Dusk Soul immediately dashes to the back of the opponent, firing off rapid punches from the back as Juno does the same, putting away her usual electric baton. After several seconds of rapidfire punching, both of them jump backwards, and execute a double lariat.</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash sighs "Alrighty, then," she groans, squeezing the Egret as he attempts to free an arm or two, the one arm he manages to free starts pounding into Ash's wrist in a desperate attempt to free its owner. Ash holds tight as the crowd gasps, she can tell the Egret's will is breaking the longer she holds him within her suffocating grasp. Just as she predicted, the Egret known as 'Scott' begins to cease struggling, muttering some nondescript derogatory terms about Parasites, and giants. Ash releases him once he stops moving, she then picks up the other Egret, what's his name, 'Lan' or something? Ash can't remember. She turns to Jane, holding this 'Liam' by his ankle, precariously wedged in between her thumb, and her index finger "Could you help me carry this baggage?" she asks Jane kindly, involuntarily giving Dontores a momentary glance as she sets the Egret down at Jane's feet. 'Another one,' mumbles the cursed voice in Ash's head, 'looks like I was right after all,' the muddled quandary of voices mocks. Ash simply ignores Rorschach, and turns to Gale as the crowd begins to dissipate. "I know this is a bit much to ask but, would you mind helping Gale and I lug these two to New Meridian? We need to clean up the mess we made." Ash pleads, attempting to clasp her hands together, while balancing an unconscious Scott on her shoulder. "Gale and I could treat you to lunch, or dinner depending how long it will take, I never really got to finish my chicken after all."</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Brandy flashed a rather wide smile in the other parasite's direction, tapping on Gale's lower lip as he thought. "My voice is made up of all static," he explained briefly, trying to tune down the cacophony that laced his deep voice. "I'm a parasite that simply inhabits Gale's mind, I've cursed the sword that she wields for years," he revealed, sitting down on the ground and looking up in the other parasite's direction. "I can make myself heard to humans, but I'd rather not," he added, tightly gripping the obsidian blade against Gale's body, "Gale is the only human besides the soldiers that have needed to understand me." "I'm able to partially take over my host's body if they permit it," he stated, rubbing Gale's temples. "She has a raging headache from what it seems," he thought to himself, wondering why Gale hadn't said anything to him for quite a while. He stood back up and stretched in the small body, wishfully thinking how nice it would be if his host was a tad bit taller. "She told me she's sorta got a feel for your host now and that he's a bit of a giant," he remarked, directly looking at Angus while saying this. "Is he anywhere near as big as her Gigan roommate over there, or something else?" he inquired, shivering slightly as twilight's cool breeze began to blow in. "It's going to get cold soon, isn't it?" he thought with slight frustration, rubbing his arms. "Why does Gale always wear sleeveless things? Crazy bat."</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Pharona listened to the static heard by everyone, but her and the parasites around them were only able to hear it making it quite a strange experience as some little girl was talking to nothing. It was cool that he was able to possess a sword that her host carries as it is actually able to kill people instead of the weak body that Pharona was given making someone else dependent on fighting. However, she did find it kind of sad with the implications of being a sword, they could not do much in their original form expect when the feral girl only allows it. "Only partially? I can take over my host body whenever I want! I have complete control over this big guy, but he wouldn't really like me having all the control on this duo, so I give him control most of the time! Except whenever I want to do something that he doesn't really find very safe, like now!" Pharona listened upon the other half of the question and was eager to converse with the sword. "I would like to think so, she maybe taller than my host, but he is actually a human! Imagine if he was born a Gigan, he would have been massive! Well, he was already pretty strong and big before I came along, but I made him even taller and stronger when I attached to him." Angus at the moment was paying close attention to the surroundings they were inside, as it seemed Pharona had complete tunnel vision when she gets excited. He watched as the Gigan almost looked like she was crushing the poor Egret solider to death, and his sympathy for the mistreated human grew even further. He tried to listen on what they were saying as the static was making it quite hard to hear and Pharona was basically talking right next to his ears. However, once his eyes glanced upon the shivering girl, instincts started to take over the large man. "Pharona. Give the girl my coat. She seems cold and I would rather not for anyone to catch a cold." Angus said to Pharona through his mind. "Oh, when did you finally start to talk grumpy pants?" She giggled and soon noticed that the parasite was rubbing their arms and patted Angus on the head. "You are such a nice guy Angus, you always try to help everyone don't you? Even if they scare you." Pharona quickly ordered the body to remove the rather large coat and started to move it towards the parasite. "Here. I think you need this more than Angus at the moment, and don't worry about this guy, he can keep his own body heat going without being cold." Pharona smiled towards him and gestured to the coat once again, Angus and Pharona hoping that they would take it.</s>	<\|message\|>Juno Bernstein "Whoah..." She was trying to play the part of a star struck fan, and looking awed at the tricks Morgann was doing. Not that it was hard, she was genuinely impressed. If it was really some trick that was. The more she looked and the more she thought about what happened earlier... Morgann gave her the handkerchief, with a neat signature at the corner. Candy from a baby. She should lift the signature and see if she can cash in some checks. Failing that, the signature could just be sold to someone willing to buy an authentic signature from the magician herself. "Is that it, or would you like something else?" It was a question running through Juno's head as well. Should she continue the act for a few moments more or should she just excuse herself now? "Th-that was it. Thank you for the autograph!" She looked hesitantly at the magician, again smiling shyly. It was a bit odd, but rather refreshing to see someone not taken aback by Juno's empty eye socket. But she was still going to try robbing her blind regardless. "Will you be performing again any time soon? I do so love your show."</s>
<\|description\|>Juno Bernstein Here's mine, since Poog gave the A-Ok. Gender: Female Age: 20 Species: Human Birthday: April 1 Blood Type: AB Height: 5'4", 6'2" if Marionette encases her in armor. Weight: 50kg. Measurements: 29A-26-28 Likes: Money, good food, good bed, convenient things, silent areas, ultra spicy curry, not being in debt, rich people, nice suits, being paid on time, Dusk Soul Marionette, novels and writing. Dislikes: Being in debt, hunger, sleeping out, inconvenient things, loud areas, curry that does not taste like curry, being in debt, beggars, skinflints, misers, sappy movies, cats, dogs, furry things in general, being in debt, her appearance,Dusk Soul Marionette eating something without her noticing, bad puns. Did I mention she dislikes being in debt? Parasite/Living Weapon: Dusk Soul Marionette - It primarily appears only as a gauntlet made of reddish steel seemingly fused to her left hand, with a single eye, Juno's, on the back, and a maw it can open on its palm. With all the advantages an armored gauntlet on your hand would give, it also strengthened her basic abilities somewhat, especially her strength in her left arm, and gives her the ability to gather and fire purplish luminescent energy from the glove. If needed however, it can extrude itself to cover the entirety of the host in armor for a certain amount of time, pushing up their defensive and offensive capabilities, but lowering their dexterity, essentially inverting her normal abilities. Oh, and it speaks in unnecessarily loud booming baritone. Appearance: Biography: Being born in April first, not one of her birthday passed without some sort of prank being played on her by her family. It was fun the first few times, but she quickly learned to turn a skeptical eye to anything outrageous her family tried to pull off. Which unfortunately, led to her whole house burning down with her entire family inside, when she dismissed the smoke inside her room as another prank. With no other immediate family to turn to, she quickly found herself on the streets. It was harsh few years for a girl her age, until she learned how to pickpocket. Working up from there, she started on robbery, theft, and fraud, never doing more than one major hit in any one frame of time. Which means Juno stayed on doing small time. Big time crime does pay better, but the heat wasn't worth it to her. And joining the mafia wasn't exactly an option since she rather dislikes the way they did things. One night however, while she was eating her dinner on top of some building, she noticed a skylight wide open on a house. Not just some guy's house, but a rich guy's house. Normally she would have cased the place, learn all its quirks, which door leads where, the usual. In this case, she reasoned it would be just a quick grab and run, whatever she could get. It was almost a bust when she entered, most of the valuables were either big, too obvious to fence, or things that were very niche, like a mummified hand she had no idea where to fence. Sighing, she almost gave up before spotting a tarnished gauntlet sitting pretty in a glass container. Reasoning someone might want it as decoration, she quickly shorted out the sensors on the glass, and made off with the gauntlet, putting on her left hand to avoid losing it should she needed to run. Feeling pretty proud of herself, she returned to her apartment and promptly fell asleep. The first thing she noticed when she woke up was her skewed vision. It felt as if one of her eye was lower than the other, causing her to instinctively raise her left hand to her face. Juno's eyes widened as she noticed the gauntlet, now looking very polished and bright, as if it was still fresh out of the forge. Fearing that she might have grabbed something she shouldn't have, she turned her left hand around, bringing to view her green eye embedded on the back, giving her vision of her own shocked face. And just when she thought it couldn't get worse. "BONJOUR!" Special Attacks/Blockbusters: Moves starting with Dusk Soul refers to the moves only done while Soul Protect is activated. Burst Hammer Lv1 - With a little startup, she pulls back her left hand, gathering energy into it, before releasing it with a swift punch. Will knock back unguarded opponents into the opposite wall. Deals fair damage. Dusk Soul Burst Rondo Lv1 - With a moderate startup, they pull back their left hand, gathering energy into it, before releasing it with several lightning quick punches, before ending it with a powerful explosive punch. Breaks guard on the last hit, and will make a character taking an unguarded hit drop to their knees. Deals minor damage on the quick punches and moderate damage for the last hit if unguarded, and minor damage if guarded. Queen's Bomber Lariat Lv2 - Air Ok - Jumps either to the wall behind her or the wall opposite depending on commands, and springs diagonally downwards, slamming her left arm across the opponent's neck. Deals moderate damage. Dusk Soul Monarch Bomber Lariat Lv2 - With a powerful dash, execute an explosive lariat with either arm, or dash past the opponent to their back, and then quickly dash backwards to execute an explosive lariat with either arm. Deals moderate damage, though higher than the base version. Soul Protect Lv3 - Air Ok - Juno emits a shockwave, as Dusk Soul immediately encases her in armor. Inverts her strengths and weaknesses for a certain amount of time in addition to having better defenses. Deals minor damage if the shockwave hits, with moderate knockback. Dusk Soul: Prepare to Die Lv3 - Usable even with 0 units of power, it consumes a chunk of hp for each missing unit. Dusk Soul fires out the left gauntlet along with Juno at breakneck speed. If it is blocked or it misses, Soul Protect mode ends immediately, and any consumed power and hp is not refunded. If it connects, Dusk Soul immediately dashes to the back of the opponent, firing off rapid punches from the back as Juno does the same, putting away her usual electric baton. After several seconds of rapidfire punching, both of them jump backwards, and execute a double lariat.</s> <\|message\|>Morgann Lacroix (Stage Name: "Morrgan the Magnificent") Morgann After walking around for hours now, Morgann's heels were killing her. It was not a good idea to go out for a stroll in these golden stilettos, but there weren't any other shoes that would quite match the entire outfit, and she always wore at least some part of Magnolia. Not only were all of her weapons in there, but her wallet, her money, and all kinds of goodies. It was easier having all of the necessities conveniently stored within your suit's never-ending "body", and that was exactly how she liked it. In past incidents, those who had attempted to mug Morgann and threaten her through physical contact found their bodies full of either holes for her tommy gun or wound up as a snack for the suit. She had no problem with causing physical harm to thieves or, to be honest, anyone that even looked at her wrong. She simply didn't. As she waltzed herself closer and closer to the circus, she also became closer to the country's coast. Walking along the bay and adjusting her mask each time the wind moved it even an inch, she noticed a commotion going on a far distance away from her. It was quite a scene to take in form such a long ways away, and to be honest, she wasn't quite keen on what was going on. "What the hell?" she breathed through clenched teeth, shoving her hand into her coat and pulling a pair of opera glasses from within her coat. After fiddling with its burgundy handle for a few moments, she finally had it adjusted so that it would lock in place and took a look. It looked like some sort of ginormous figure holding up another...pedestrian, she was assuming, and to top it off, some other girl was running away. "Now why would she be running away?" the magician wondered while tossing the tool back into the coat, tapping on her chin as she thought of the possibilities. She narrowed her leafy green eyes as she stared out through the mask's white fabric before thinking, "No one runs like that unless they've got something to hide..." Her attention shifted from the fleeing passerby to the woman being held upside down. "But damn, no one gets held up by some big lug like that for no reason, either." "Hold on tight," she murmured to her hat, whose multiple hands held onto her light brown hair from the inside. "From now on, I wear some sort of flats when I go out," she growled, dashing as fast as she could in these heels that she could towards the situation. Skidding to an abrupt halt, she stared up at what seemed to be a man who was a few inches shorter than her. She looked at his black cloak that covered him to the axe in one of his hands, grimacing. "What drab attire," she thought in a disgusted tone, clearing her throat loudly. "Excuse me," she announced loudly, tapping her shoe's tip against the ground. "What are you doing to this woman?" Gale Turning his attention from Pharona to Ash, Brandy nodded and relinquished Gale's body back into its rightful owner's control, her entire body shuddering visibly from the abrupt transition. "Just going to toss him into a dumpster?" she whispered to her roommate, scuttling back up her tall form to rest on her shoulder. "Are you sure that this is the right thing?" she asked, before shaking her head, "No, you're right. The bosses wouldn't like us throwing this trash at their feet." Curling up on the Gigan's shoulder, she yawned and stretched her small wings before uttering a small, "Let's go."</s> <\|message\|>Grumm (Percival Botley) Upset that some random stranger had dared to break the normal order and intrude upon his doings, Grumm whirled around. The clockwork arm flashed by, easily forty pounds of solid metal thrown in a vigorous slap that could have dislocated Morgann's jaw had it connected. Fortunately, the savage blow fell short, and when he saw that it had, Grumm spewed forth a spray of bile that created a miniature miasma between the monster and the magician. While he didn't speak, punctuating his attack with an angry sputtering noise instead, the message was clear: back off. Grumm then turned away, with no reason to believe that a simple civilian would persist in the suicidal act of provoking an undead armed with a Living Weapon. A flick of the mechanical tentacle whose maw was holding Halte aloft flung the former pirate in the ghoul's direction. With practiced efficiency not completely offset by the sorry state of his body, Grumm brought his axe up in a cruel diagonal arc meant to cleave the incoming Halte in two. At the last moment, however, Halte brought her boots around so that they were facing Grumm, and from their soles twin blasts of water gushed forth. They splashed against Grumm's face, disorienting the creature and slowing down Halte's fall enough to avoid the headsman's weapon completely. Immediately after, Halte landed with both feet planting on Grumm's face, causing him to grumble in protest. Before he could grab her, however, Halte kicked off, flipping through the air to land twenty feet away in a spray of mist. The next second, Grumm leaped into the air, hissing like a sick cat. More noxious bile spewed from his face as he sailed toward his target. Halte steadied herself before raising a leg and slamming her boot into the ground, causing a jet of water to erupt from the marble beneath Grumm as he landed a yard away from her. Beneath her mouthpiece, Halte smiled grimly, only to cry out in pain as her foe dealt her a crushing hydraulic punch. She staggered away and collapsed to the ground, holding her stomach as if her guts had been liquified, her vehement curses lost in a wave of furious static from her mouthpiece. Though sopping wet and even more flustered than normal, Grumm had executed his Rot Wrecker without more than a split-second's delay. Only a few seconds had passed, but it already seemed that the duel had been decided.</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Pharona smiled brightly as Brandy took the coat, even though Angus could see the hesitation when he took it, the large man always wanted to help people even if they did not really want it. Angus kept his gaze upon the downed Egret solider, feeling like these people did not really have to put so much pain upon the Egret and so much ridicule. However, Pharona on the other hand was having quite the time of her little life as she had managed to meet up with several parasites, but one of them had even offered for the two to come with them on their adventure! This made her feel all warm inside and quickly asked permission for Angus to see if they could actually go with the two. "Angus! Brandy just asked us to come with them! Can we please go with them! I want to just continue this amazing day!" "Well, even if I said no. I bet you would ignore me anyone and follow them," mumbled Angus within his own head which only hurt Pharona as she did actually respect and care for him... Most of the time. "Hey, I think your opinion still matters, and if you don't want to go, we don't have to. I think I have had enough exposure to Brandy to have this day as pretty successful." Angus smiled slightly at the thought of leaving these strange people and going back to their daily lives, but he could not abandon this victim to these parasites and he must follow them to see if they don't merciless murder him or something similar in that manner. "No, we can go with these people. I just need to keep a watchful eye upon the solider, and I hope that you will understand if they try to further hurt this man. I will have to intervene." Pharona thought about the proposition and nodded to it, she knew that these people were good and wouldn't murder someone. Even if they have different beliefs than them. The little parasite girl used the massive arm to tap the shoulder of the the curled up Gale and started to say something, "I think we would be delighted to join you and the merry entourage of strangers! Also, if you were wondering, my name is Pharona!"</s>	<\|message\|>Juno Bernstein She simply smiled as Morgann left the building. It's all going well. With luck she could just infiltrate the circus or whatever and make off with whatever she had. Old school burglary on some circus hicks none of the authorities would really care about. "Miss, your food has arrived." A waiter covered with bandages came and placed several platters of food on her table. "THANK YOU KIND MEAT MAN!" Juno froze at Marionette's voice, wondering if the waiter would freak out and sic the cuffers on her. To her surprise, he just nodded and gave a strained smile before leaving. Guess after what happened with the magician, he simply decided to stay low and do whatever it takes to not meet another piranha. Shrugging, she started on her meal, shoveling food into her mouth as fast as she could. Tomorrow would be a great day.</s>
<\|description\|>Morgann Lacroix (Stage Name: "Morrgan the Magnificent") Gender: Female Age: 23 Species: Human; born and raised in the Chess Kingdom. Birthday: April 26 Blood Type: O (Negative) Height: 6'1" Weight: 136 lbs. Measurements: 34C-26-39 Likes: Magic, flowers (specifically magnolias), her dozens of suitors, money, fancy cars, bedazzled wands, the colors white and gold, chocolate, glamorous attire, the Medicis, rubies, reading tabloids, signing various things with her signature, birthday cake martinis, being rude, punctuality, Cirque des Cartes, pink doilies, gossip. Dislikes: Fake magic and cheesy tricks, bad jokes, other women, poverty, Dagonians, Little Innsmouth, those who defy her wishes, gaudy or dull clothing, the Renoirs, Gale, rumors about herself, people better than her, Gigans, wizard-like apparel, anything associated with the Holy Trinity, socially awkward people. Parasite/Living Weapon: Magnolia - Though the entirety of her magician's attire is the weapon itself, the parts primarily used in battle are her hat and her jacket. The inside of the suit is similar to a Sea of Dirac, which is assumed to be either connected to another dimension or is another dimension itself. The suit's attacks are aided by Morgann's magical antics, but its main function is executing scarring psychological attacks. The psychological attacks are formed after the suit has figured out the opponent's greatest fears, and after learning about what they fear the most, the attacks are tweaked to throw the nightmarish situations into play. Aside from its psychological abilities, this suit has been known to devour its user whole unless tamed and properly cared for. The current user, Morgann, has wielded this suit effectively since she was at least thirteen years of age due to her knack for magic and fancy clothing. She protects this suit with her life, and the strange thing is that it's the only thing she ever wears. Even in her sleep, she wears simply the jacket over her gown as a safety measure against any enemies that might attempt to attack her. The fibers within the suit are far too strong to simply be shredded, and yet no one knows what exactly they are made of. In order to properly destroy Magnolia, its seams must be undone by magique, an obsolete form of magic that has been lost to the ages. This suit cannot function on its own offense-wise without a user, but defense-wise, its methods are simple and effective. If someone other than Magnolia were to wear it, they would quickly be devoured and lost within the suit's depths forever. Apperance: Under the mask, Morgann's eyes are a piercing bright green. Her hair is short due to its pixie cut. Biography: From her very birth, Morgann was said to have had a great deal of power within her magic. The cause for such power was that Morgann had been draining the very energy from her mother, Aes Lacroix, from the womb ever since the doctor confirmed that she was, indeed, going to be born. After she was conceived and her mother died during the birthing process, her father, Anton Lacroix, cherished her and protected her with his very life because she was all he had left. Not only was she the only one he had in the immediate family, but she was the last baby to be born so far in the Lacroix bloodline. Because she would possibly be the last to carry the family's blood within her veins, he provided her with a rather dangerous but magical suit known as Magnolia. From then on, not only did she come to love the suit, but she acquired a taste for glamorous clothing. Her father, being the well-known and rather rich magician that he was, lived in a lavish mansion within the Chess Kingdom with a young Morgann and two chess servants. While the kingdom struggled to recover from the war that completely destroyed the economy, Anton used his money that he collected through performing to provide for his daughter and spoiled her to the point that there was no way she would ever be able to comprehend poverty nor hard work. Morgann, by age six, had become a spoiled brat. Though elementary and high school, not only was she one of the most popular, but one of the most antagonistic students on campus. Frequently playing tricks on her teachers or bullying other students using her magic, she was usually seen sitting right outside of the principle's office. Despite her social status and magical abilities, she was nowhere near the smartest in the school district, and was actually ranked ten students from the bottom of the bucket regarding her average. This, of course, infuriated her because she never had and never would comprehend the essence of hard work and modesty. She thought simply because she was "the greatest in all of the Chess Kingdom" that she had to be valedictorian. So she destroyed the school and killed most of the people within it. Including the valedictorian. After realizing the repercussions that her deed would come with, Morgann cleaned up the rubble to the point that the campus seemed as if it had just disappeared, just like a true evil magician. Fearful of her father's righteous wrath, she packed up all of her things and left in graceful silence, setting her heart on becoming one of the biggest stars within her new destination. Canopy Kingdom. Prior to Gale's enlistment into the mafia, Morgann soon learned of the circus, Cirque des Cartes, and immediately signed up without second thoughts. Though she was blissfully unaware of their affiliation with the mafia, she became a sensation within the circus, not because she was the best, but simply because they lacked a magician in the first place. One night, as Morgann was about to retire to her dressing room to sleep for the night, Morgann caught a few of her fellow circus members moving a Dagonian's lifeless body to the elephant pen so that the animals would crush the proof that this man even existed. Appalled and feeling a tad hypocritical due to her previous actions, she demanded what was going on and demanded an answer. Cornered with no way to wriggle out of an explanation, one of the culprits stepped up and explained the mafia's goal for total domination over the Canopy Kingdom. After careful consideration and deeming herself a hardened criminal, Morgann demanded to be enrolled in the mafia's forces as the "deadliest hitman they would ever see." With only a day of waiting, she was quickly accepted into their ranks as a lethal force of nature. Though she wishes to be the best assassin within the mafia, many of the hitmen have pegged her below many other killers' abilities, Gale being one of them. Ever since that day, Morgann has vowed to not only kill those in her way of being the best, but has created a plan in her head to get to the Skullheart and become the Skullgirl. She would work strictly for the Medicis and help them dominate the kingdom with ease. With such outlandish goals, she's got a long way to go. Special Attacks/Blockbusters: Alacarzam (Level One -- AIR OK) - Morgann sends a bolt of energy into the ground using her wand before several cars, one-by-one, knock the opponent back. Deals fair damage. Reference Stellar Gunner (Level One) - Morgann pulls a rabbit out of her jacket before shoving it impatiently into her tall hat and promptly rips out a tommy gun before shooting feverishly at the opponent until she runs out of ammo (15 hits). If blocked, still manages to move the opponent back quite a ways away; has weak damage due to multiple hits. Partially based off of this. The Houdini (Level 2) - Counter super in which Morgann quickly blocks the super with a pair of rusted cuffs similar to Houdini's before disappearing in the midst of a smoke bomb. The disappearance leaves the opponent confused before a large cage from the magician's signature water escape comes reeling down from the ceiling, slamming down onto the opponent's head as Morgann escapes the cage. This attack can be easily blocked; can only occur right as Morgann is being hit. Deals major damage. Now You See Me, Now You Don't (Level 2) - If the opponent blindy charges Morgann, she'll wave cheerfully before falling into a trap door on the floor only to rebound up from another behind her challenger. She'll quickly shove her magician's hat over their head and keep them locked in a chokehold, keeping the hat on long enough for an explosion to occur from within it. The only sign that it has happened is the sound of a muffled explosion followed by smoke escaping from the bottom of the hat. This attack causes a hard knock down, but can simply be jumped out of if the opponent manages to stop attacking in time. It is categorized as a grab super, so jumping out of Morgann's range is possible, but if not avoided, can deal major damage. Magnolia's Magique (Level 3) - Morgann's most dangerous command grab super in which she opens her magician's jacket and forces the opponent into it before shutting it and struggling to keep it closed over her. Whilst in the suit, the opponent finds him or herself falling into a dark area similar to the Sea of Dirac before being pummeled by a multitude of white, purple, and golden fists before being thrown out of the jacket and onto the floor. Cannot be avoided unless the opponent has jumped out of Morgann's range. Deals crippling damage.</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scott struggled under the Gigan girl's grip. He had to get out and fight back. He was willing to die for the safety of the Canopy Kingdom, but there was no way he'd die without putting up more of a fight. The Gigan mentioned something about the Medici Family, to which Scott replied, "You think I care about what criminal scum you work for? All you've done is dig yourself in a bigger hole. Threatening and assaulting a Black Egret, resisting arrest, affiliation with a known gang, hosting illegal parasites, and those are just a few of the charges you'll be hearing during your trial." Scott still couldn't get out the Gigan's grip. He looked down at Liam who laid unconscious down below. In a few hours, Scott would probably be making fun of him for getting his ass kicked by a girl. At that moment though, all he could think of was getting down there to help his friend. "So, what happens next is completely up to you. I'd suggest making it easy on yourselves and turning yourselves in. While I highly doubt you'd go for that idea, I'd like to point out that you are, or at least appear to be, minors, so you'd only go to juvie and not prison. Also, we could easily blame a lot of your behavior on your parasites, that'll shave a few years off your sentence. I do believe it's a much more desirable offer than being on the run for the rest of your lives. After all that's happened here, you can bet you won't just walk away without any consequences."</s> <\|message\|>Dontores Allorè "Well now," Nuul said as Dontores looked through the menu, "Isn't this interesting?" Nuul pulled his left arm backwards, trying to pull him towards the commotion. "I'll just have number 13 please." Dontores said to the cashier as he was dragged away. With his right hand he rifled through his pocket, searching for some money. He threw some coins at the cashier as he was dragged in front of a Gigan of some description holding up the guy that had been on the ground just a second ago. Nuul flipped open, his voice spilling out from the pages. "Why do you persist in your pursuit of the law?" He asked the unfortunate officer, "Look at yourself! You're a joke! Can you still pretend to be an enforcer in a place like this?"</s> <\|message\|>Juno Bernstein Well, that was easy. It took but a simple mistake from that waiter and already she had a name, location and profession. Morgann Lacroix, magician extraordinaire, with more magic than tricks in her magic tricks, from what she could see. Juno herself didn't really know the name, but if that waiter had heard of it, then Morgann must be a relatively successful magician. Juno stood up, wearing her best smile, not too enthusiastic, but just enough, peppered with a bit of shyness. She approached Morgann, taking out a white handkerchief. "I uh.. You're that magician right? Morgann Lacroix? I've seen your show, and.. and uh... I was wondering if you would give me your autograph?" Juno held out the handkerchief with a hopeful look.</s>	<\|message\|>Morgann Lacroix (Stage Name: "Morrgan the Magnificent") "Yes, I am," Morgann replied slowly, raising one of her eyebrows. Her piercing green eyes stared down at the handkerchief before she wiggled her fingers and shoved them into the suit, surprised when she did not find a pen to sign with. "I usually have a pen in here," she thought bitterly, sighing with slight frustration. She took off her hat afterwards and before she could even reach in, one of the many purple fists that the suit contained popped out of the hat with a pen. "Oh, okay," she thought before turning back to the girl, gently taking the handkerchief from the girl and signing it without trouble. "Kind of suspicious that she just came over here after that occurence, but then again, that was a bit of a show-off move," she thought to herself before giving the girl her handkerchief. "Is that it, or would you like something else?" she questioned, tossing her pen back into the purple hat.</s>
<\|description\|>Morgann Lacroix (Stage Name: "Morrgan the Magnificent") Gender: Female Age: 23 Species: Human; born and raised in the Chess Kingdom. Birthday: April 26 Blood Type: O (Negative) Height: 6'1" Weight: 136 lbs. Measurements: 34C-26-39 Likes: Magic, flowers (specifically magnolias), her dozens of suitors, money, fancy cars, bedazzled wands, the colors white and gold, chocolate, glamorous attire, the Medicis, rubies, reading tabloids, signing various things with her signature, birthday cake martinis, being rude, punctuality, Cirque des Cartes, pink doilies, gossip. Dislikes: Fake magic and cheesy tricks, bad jokes, other women, poverty, Dagonians, Little Innsmouth, those who defy her wishes, gaudy or dull clothing, the Renoirs, Gale, rumors about herself, people better than her, Gigans, wizard-like apparel, anything associated with the Holy Trinity, socially awkward people. Parasite/Living Weapon: Magnolia - Though the entirety of her magician's attire is the weapon itself, the parts primarily used in battle are her hat and her jacket. The inside of the suit is similar to a Sea of Dirac, which is assumed to be either connected to another dimension or is another dimension itself. The suit's attacks are aided by Morgann's magical antics, but its main function is executing scarring psychological attacks. The psychological attacks are formed after the suit has figured out the opponent's greatest fears, and after learning about what they fear the most, the attacks are tweaked to throw the nightmarish situations into play. Aside from its psychological abilities, this suit has been known to devour its user whole unless tamed and properly cared for. The current user, Morgann, has wielded this suit effectively since she was at least thirteen years of age due to her knack for magic and fancy clothing. She protects this suit with her life, and the strange thing is that it's the only thing she ever wears. Even in her sleep, she wears simply the jacket over her gown as a safety measure against any enemies that might attempt to attack her. The fibers within the suit are far too strong to simply be shredded, and yet no one knows what exactly they are made of. In order to properly destroy Magnolia, its seams must be undone by magique, an obsolete form of magic that has been lost to the ages. This suit cannot function on its own offense-wise without a user, but defense-wise, its methods are simple and effective. If someone other than Magnolia were to wear it, they would quickly be devoured and lost within the suit's depths forever. Apperance: Under the mask, Morgann's eyes are a piercing bright green. Her hair is short due to its pixie cut. Biography: From her very birth, Morgann was said to have had a great deal of power within her magic. The cause for such power was that Morgann had been draining the very energy from her mother, Aes Lacroix, from the womb ever since the doctor confirmed that she was, indeed, going to be born. After she was conceived and her mother died during the birthing process, her father, Anton Lacroix, cherished her and protected her with his very life because she was all he had left. Not only was she the only one he had in the immediate family, but she was the last baby to be born so far in the Lacroix bloodline. Because she would possibly be the last to carry the family's blood within her veins, he provided her with a rather dangerous but magical suit known as Magnolia. From then on, not only did she come to love the suit, but she acquired a taste for glamorous clothing. Her father, being the well-known and rather rich magician that he was, lived in a lavish mansion within the Chess Kingdom with a young Morgann and two chess servants. While the kingdom struggled to recover from the war that completely destroyed the economy, Anton used his money that he collected through performing to provide for his daughter and spoiled her to the point that there was no way she would ever be able to comprehend poverty nor hard work. Morgann, by age six, had become a spoiled brat. Though elementary and high school, not only was she one of the most popular, but one of the most antagonistic students on campus. Frequently playing tricks on her teachers or bullying other students using her magic, she was usually seen sitting right outside of the principle's office. Despite her social status and magical abilities, she was nowhere near the smartest in the school district, and was actually ranked ten students from the bottom of the bucket regarding her average. This, of course, infuriated her because she never had and never would comprehend the essence of hard work and modesty. She thought simply because she was "the greatest in all of the Chess Kingdom" that she had to be valedictorian. So she destroyed the school and killed most of the people within it. Including the valedictorian. After realizing the repercussions that her deed would come with, Morgann cleaned up the rubble to the point that the campus seemed as if it had just disappeared, just like a true evil magician. Fearful of her father's righteous wrath, she packed up all of her things and left in graceful silence, setting her heart on becoming one of the biggest stars within her new destination. Canopy Kingdom. Prior to Gale's enlistment into the mafia, Morgann soon learned of the circus, Cirque des Cartes, and immediately signed up without second thoughts. Though she was blissfully unaware of their affiliation with the mafia, she became a sensation within the circus, not because she was the best, but simply because they lacked a magician in the first place. One night, as Morgann was about to retire to her dressing room to sleep for the night, Morgann caught a few of her fellow circus members moving a Dagonian's lifeless body to the elephant pen so that the animals would crush the proof that this man even existed. Appalled and feeling a tad hypocritical due to her previous actions, she demanded what was going on and demanded an answer. Cornered with no way to wriggle out of an explanation, one of the culprits stepped up and explained the mafia's goal for total domination over the Canopy Kingdom. After careful consideration and deeming herself a hardened criminal, Morgann demanded to be enrolled in the mafia's forces as the "deadliest hitman they would ever see." With only a day of waiting, she was quickly accepted into their ranks as a lethal force of nature. Though she wishes to be the best assassin within the mafia, many of the hitmen have pegged her below many other killers' abilities, Gale being one of them. Ever since that day, Morgann has vowed to not only kill those in her way of being the best, but has created a plan in her head to get to the Skullheart and become the Skullgirl. She would work strictly for the Medicis and help them dominate the kingdom with ease. With such outlandish goals, she's got a long way to go. Special Attacks/Blockbusters: Alacarzam (Level One -- AIR OK) - Morgann sends a bolt of energy into the ground using her wand before several cars, one-by-one, knock the opponent back. Deals fair damage. Reference Stellar Gunner (Level One) - Morgann pulls a rabbit out of her jacket before shoving it impatiently into her tall hat and promptly rips out a tommy gun before shooting feverishly at the opponent until she runs out of ammo (15 hits). If blocked, still manages to move the opponent back quite a ways away; has weak damage due to multiple hits. Partially based off of this. The Houdini (Level 2) - Counter super in which Morgann quickly blocks the super with a pair of rusted cuffs similar to Houdini's before disappearing in the midst of a smoke bomb. The disappearance leaves the opponent confused before a large cage from the magician's signature water escape comes reeling down from the ceiling, slamming down onto the opponent's head as Morgann escapes the cage. This attack can be easily blocked; can only occur right as Morgann is being hit. Deals major damage. Now You See Me, Now You Don't (Level 2) - If the opponent blindy charges Morgann, she'll wave cheerfully before falling into a trap door on the floor only to rebound up from another behind her challenger. She'll quickly shove her magician's hat over their head and keep them locked in a chokehold, keeping the hat on long enough for an explosion to occur from within it. The only sign that it has happened is the sound of a muffled explosion followed by smoke escaping from the bottom of the hat. This attack causes a hard knock down, but can simply be jumped out of if the opponent manages to stop attacking in time. It is categorized as a grab super, so jumping out of Morgann's range is possible, but if not avoided, can deal major damage. Magnolia's Magique (Level 3) - Morgann's most dangerous command grab super in which she opens her magician's jacket and forces the opponent into it before shutting it and struggling to keep it closed over her. Whilst in the suit, the opponent finds him or herself falling into a dark area similar to the Sea of Dirac before being pummeled by a multitude of white, purple, and golden fists before being thrown out of the jacket and onto the floor. Cannot be avoided unless the opponent has jumped out of Morgann's range. Deals crippling damage.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Brandy blinked as he listened intently to what the parasite had to say, amazed that such a little parasite could take control over such a giant man. They must be very close to be able to do such a thing. "I can fully synchronize with Gale and have the ability to completely take over," he began, drawing circles in the dirt with the tip of the obsidian blade, "but I nearly killed her father when he was my wielder by doing it. I don't think he and I were as compatible as us, though." He slipped the sheath's strap off of his shoulders and held it by the sword, speaking, "He retired me to my sheath for years. I wasn't used from the time that she was born because he wanted to keep his family away from me. Though it hurt knowing that I was not exactly welcome, I understand why. Handling that much power from a parasite at such a young age, even Gale's age, is dangerous." Brandy felt a tiny bit scared of the fact that if the host of this parasite had been a Gigan, he would probably be bigger than Ash. "Him as a Gigan? Now there's a scary thought. The male Gigans typically outgrow most female Gigans," he commented, turning in the roommate's direction, "I think Ash over there is actually the shorter one of her kind." The parasite was suddenly taken aback by the offer of the coat, but with slight reluctance, he accepted the coat and managed to slip it on over Gale's lithe form. Considering how small she was and how big the coat was, it probably looked silly, but what did that matter so long as his host was warm and happy? "Oh wow, thank you," he managed to say, fluffing his host's purple pompadour. "I have no idea why she wears this attire despite the temperature, but it's not necessarily my body or choice, so I can't judge," he sighed, giving the parasite a small smile. "I'm Brandy Station, by the way. I heard his name is Angus, but what is your name?" he inquired, tapping on Gale's chin before noticing that the soldier in Ash's grip was passed out. "Oh, I suppose it's time for Gale and Ash to leave for Meridian. Say, why not come with us? It's probably safer up in the city than it is in Little Innsmouth at the moment." Gale woke up only for a moment to speak to him through her mind, sighing softly. "That statement is incorrect in every possible way."</s> <\|message\|>Jane Vermilion Jane, still focused on she and Ash's conversation, watched as she choked BE#1 into an unconscious state. As he joined his brother in dreamland, Ash asked Jane if she could be of assistance. She lightly kicked the body placed in front of her while Ash literally begged Jane to help. Her hands were clasped together and everything. Jane guessed Gale wasn't exactly good at lifting heavy objects all things considered. Ash also offered Jane food, which was one thing she could never refuse. "Hmm. I guess I could help. But it's only cuz food is involved!" Jane joked, a grin plastered onto her pale face. With a grunt she picked up the body of BE#2 and lugged him over her shoulder. She wheezed a little, jeez all this military gear really weighed a person down. "Jane!" Franky whispered, trying to get her attention. She placed him up against her ear to allow him a bit of privacy. "I-I'm not sure we should be helping these guys. There with the Medici's, so...?" He stuttered, dancing around the issue. In all honest he just wanted to save his own bacon, but he couldn't do that without a host. "Bah, it'll be fine Franky." She assured. "So, where am I dragging this dude? Do you have a super secret base that we're dropping these guys off at? Or are we just gonna ditch them in some dumpster in New Meridian?" Jane asked, curious as to how formal the Medici operation was.</s>	<\|message\|>Morgann Lacroix (Stage Name: "Morrgan the Magnificent") Morgann, quite keen on the fact that the mysterious girl was awestruck by the hat's sudden action, tossed the hat into the air. Magnolia, fearful at the fact that a part of its "body" was being carelessly tossed, let its purple, yellow, and white fists shoot out of the hat and grab onto the magician's head before pulling itself back down and landing with a quiet bump. "Any fan of mine," she began, standing up to reveal her looming stature of about 6'1" while slowly crossing her arms, "should know my schedule by heart." Raising one of her light brown eyebrows, she continued on, "If you want to know when my shows are, I suggest you keep your ears open on the streets." After finishing her statement, she took her gleaming purple wand and shoved it listlessly into her jacket, exhaling slowly. The entire suit seemed to tense at the unknown object before calming down and accepting it. "Now if you'll excuse me," she grunted, turning away from the girl and heading towards the door, "I think I'd like to take my leave before that bus boy comes running back. I am no longer in the mood to hear his cries of agony and disdain." Morgann definitely thinks she is of a higher standard than most, and living-wise, perhaps. Regarding her narcissistic personality and lack of social etiquette, definitely not. What did it matter for a stellar performer like herself? Everyone just wanted to see some magic. It definitely did matter, though, considering she was a fairly big player in the field of magic and trickery. Her father would definitely be appalled at her mischievous behavior. The thought of her father led to thinking about the past and left Morgann slightly melancholic, recalling every malicious prank she'd played on her classmates and friends. "How the hell did I get from there to some big-shot magician role?" she wondered, snapping her fingers several times in a prompt manner to conjure up her mask as it landed in the palm of her hand. "Oh, right," she replied to her previous question, gently placing it on her face as if she was crowning herself, "I obliterated that entire school. I guess that's where this started." Hands in her pockets, the magician set off to simply wander the streets for an hour, and afterwards, she would head back to the circus.</s>
<\|description\|>Dontores Allorè Gender: Male Age: 17 Race: Human (chess) Birthday: November 23 Blood Type: O Height: 5 foot 8 Likes: Very little. So little even he doesn't know. Dislikes: Having to care about stuff, inadvertently caring about stuff Parasite/Living Weapon: Grimoire Nuul Dontore's abilities stems from the Living Parasite Weapon known as Grimoire Nuul. The tome has been passed down through his family for a long time, so long his family no longer remembers its first wielder. It used to remain sealed due to tales of the Grimoire corrupting its wielder over time. Dontores however, embraces the corruption, and it has shown slowed but still sure progress compared to the other wielders of the book. Half of his body has been consumed by the book, and is now covered in a wispy shadow. Grimoire Null can actually speak, and seems to think himself as a rather aloof figure. Appearance: The left half of his body is completely covered in shadows but a glowing yellow eye can still be seen. Personality: Dontores could be described as highly apathetic. He cares little for anything, one of the qualities that first drew Grimoire Nuul to him in the first place. He hardly ever speaks to other people, but perhaps this is due to the talkative nature of the Grimoire, as he was known to talk a little more often before he acquired the tome. Blockbusters: Do you think you can face me? – Level 1 Dontores holds out the Grimoire in front of him, and a hand made of darkness bursts from the book to crush his enemies. The hand grabs the enemy and smashes them into the ground, before throwing them away. Deals moderate damage, major knockback and stun. Come now! You can do better than that! - Level 1 Dontores generates a pulse of darkness centered on him which deals varying damage and knockback depending on how close the enemy is. If at the edge of the radius, the enemy will only take a little damage and they won't be knocked back. If they are right next to Dontores when it activates, they will be knocked back a considerable distance and take moderate damage. Taste my power! - Level 2 A heavy orb of darkness is fired from the Grimoire and it detonates when it hits an enemy or goes a certain distance away from Dontores. The orb deals light damage upon primary detonation, then continues to suck enemies towards it in an AOE around it, dealing constant light damage to enemies in the center of the orb. The orb fades after 7 seconds and this attack can be used in midair. I am Grimoire Nuul! - Level 3 Dontores' left arm becomes enveloped in a twister of darkness as Grimoire Nuul takes control of the left side of his body. The book shoots out a large dark hand which grabs the enemy. Dontores' arm then whips back, taking the dakr hand with it and releasing the enemy, sending them sailing back towards him. He then smashes them into the ground with the book, bouncing them up repeatedly before using a dark hand to grab the enemy again and tossing them high into the air. As the opponent comes down, Dontores raises the grimoire upwards and fires a point blank darkness orb which instantly turns into a darkness singularity which constantly damages the opponent. The orb then detonates with a dark shockwave to finish off the attack, inducing major knockback. Bio: Once, Dontores was a rather normal child. He had been adopted by a rich family, and he had little to worry about. He was however, still apathetic, even at a young age. This changed however, when his brother, his parents' biological son, disappeared; and it soon arose that they had been last seen going to the room containing the family's secret Heirloom, Grimoire Nuul. Tales had been passed down through the family of Grimoire Nuul, it was said to corrupt the wielder and consume their body and soul for its own use. Word soon spread around the manor, that his brother had been consumed by Grimoire Nuul. Dontores however, didn't care. He had never cared for his family, and that wouldn't change. The Grimoire didn't interest him, and he didn't care. But one night, he found himself standing in front of Grimoire Nuul anyway. Why had he come there? Perhaps the book would contain an answer. When the morning came, the Allore family saw what had become of their second son. He was found by a servant, unconscious, his left arm holding the Grimoire. When he regained consciousness, a layer of shadow was slowly creeping up his arm. He reported to his parents, and after a few days of arguing, they came to a decision. Dontores was to be disowned, they could not associate themselves with the wielder of such a dangerous artifact. Surprisingly, Dontores cared little for his disownership. He quietly packed his things and left. GM approved</s> <\|message\|>Juno Bernstein "Well well... That bat doesn't seem to be ordinary." Juno Bernstein swung her legs in a carefree way on her seat, seemingly oblivious that a wrong move would topple her off her rooftop seat and down to the pavement below. The reddish steel gauntlet on her left hand stood out rather conspicuously against her quality suit, complete with a real hand-tied tie tucked carefully in the jacket; none of that clip on thing for her. She wondered briefly if she should have brought a telescope instead of a binocular instead, as her left eye was naught but an empty socket. "HOW CAN YOU TELL?" She took off the binocular, and looked at her left hand, the green eye on the back of the gauntlet staring at her as she did the same. "The way she moves, what she wears, and how she carries herself. Everyone has many different tells. Thats how I can see which one's worth filching off." "YOU ARE SMART. NOW WE'RE HUNGRY. WE EAT." "Yeah, yeah, stave it off with this. We'll get some food after we get a good mark," She shoved a snack bar into her left palm, watching as a maw suddenly appeared and started crunching on the bar. As the taste of chocolate flooded her mouth, she resumed her vigil on top of the roof. Juno knows where the bat lives, and it would be a simple matter to find which floor and number as well. The lost relative trick always works. But she would need her tools for that sort of heist, and today she was looking for a simple mark, a target to swipe money off and run. It was a bit tight this month, the mafia was cracking down on rivals now, and while normally that wouldn't concern someone who stuck to doing small crime, one of the local bosses was getting a bit overzealous. The shadows were getting a bit hotter too now that there was apparently some hotshot cuffers looking to jump badges. How's an honest thief going to make it through the month without starving with all these happening? Just then she spotted a couple, a very well to do looking couple moving to where she knows was an alley, a shortcut out of the crowd. Which also means those two weren't average joes, since civilians don't usually go through that shortcut. "I'm thinking that's a bodyguard and someone's rich wife. Marionette?" "I'M THINKING OF STEAK." "That's the spirit." Swiftly wrapping up her left hand in bandages, Juno moved silently through the rooftops to intercept them. Should be easy money for dinner.</s> <\|message\|>Morgann Lacroix (Stage Name: "Morrgan the Magnificent") Morgann Lacroix, dressed in her usual show attire minus the mask, strolled down the dark streets of New Meridian, the light from the nearby street lamps causing her tall form to project a massive shadow of her figure. At this time of day, everyone had already hurried home, so Morgann never worried about someone asking for her signature or some other typical request. Almost every night for the past few weeks, she would grab dinner at Mad Man's Cafe, and nobody bothered her while she did so. Eating with the carnies at Cartes was okay, but it got on her nerves. The voices of her co-workers were jarring, and not only that, they never shut up. Dinner would last for about two hours, so the magician would find herself in bed with a raging headache. "A star like me shouldn't even have to associate with such peasants anyhow," she snarled, approaching the dimly-lit cafe. Morgann likes to think she's the best magician in the kingdom, and while she is quite good at working with magic, she was nowhere near the best. Perhaps she is somewhere in the middle of the scale, but that was it for the moment. She clearly feels that she needs to be just as good as her father, but that might take at least fifty more years. A magician of his caliber was, and still is, quite rare. As soon as she walked in, she slid into a booth without a word, slowly sliding downwards into the seat to the point where her shoulders were hunched forward and the brim of her purple top hat covered her eyes. "It's been a long day," she breathed softly, looking around the vacant room. There was a single man at the register who glanced in her direction before coming over to take her order. She promptly replied she'd just like a coffee if possible, and the worker hurried away. "Bus boy better make it quick," she growled before looking out the window and up at the starry sky, sighing quietly. "I kinda wish I was back at the circus now, to be honest," she murmured. And in that very moment, Morgann realized how lonely she was. Right before dismissing it and assuming she might be sick.</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash smiles gayly "We don't have to go to Meridian, we can just go to that campy little cafe down the road," she assures Gale, making sure that the clothes the Gigan is wearing look nice, and smell nice enough for her to wear in public. She puts Gale down atop a couch to her right, wedged in between a pair of vases that look much too large, and much too heavy for a normal person to lift. She stands up, hunched over in the suffocating closeness of her room, and begins to piece together her rifle, attaching springs and other key components to its ornate base, and screwing the lengthy barrel on. This go on for ten minutes, until Ash situates the rifle's leather straps with a satisfying 'click', and slings it over her shoulder, the tip of the gun scraping against the ceiling. The large Gigan then bends over, and picks up Gale "Would you like to ride on my gun?" she asks, motioning to the chromatic barrel.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale looked up at the barrel that, compared to her, was gigantic. Without a word, she swiftly hopped from Ash's hand to the top of the barrel, flapping her tiny wings to steady herself. "Alright. I'm happy to go there," Gale replied quietly, crossing her legs and sitting flat on her butt, making sure the bandana around her eyes was tightly knotted. "Thank Goddess she did not want to go to Meridian," Gale thought, flattening her ears against her head. What a rude thing to think. This was Ash's choice, and had she picked New Meridian, Gale would have had to live with it. She should stop being so selfish. Gale hopped from the barrel to the nape of Ash's neck and crawled up so that she could sit right on top of her head, perking her bat ears up as a way of preparation for the sound of the night once they left the apartment. "Oh, I forgot..." she murmured, jumping off of her head and landing on the ground with her wings spread to slow the fall. She dashed off to the hallway near the kitchen and hooked a right, throwing open her white bedroom door. She didn't need echolocation to find Brandy Station. She already knew where he was. Her room was empty and, quite honestly, depressing, with walls of white and a plain brown carpet floor. The only furniture within the room was a twin-sized bed, a mahogany desk with a charming portrait of her menacing family members, a tall wardrobe, and on the wall sat the rack that held her sword up for the world to see. Without a second thought, she leaped up and snatched the sword from its hooks, landing right on her feet. "Time to go, Brandy," she whispered to its black sheath, wincing as the case rattled in an excited manner. She could feel its chilling connection bonding with her body and its resources as she slung the weapon over her back before slamming the door shut and dashing back to Ash. She quickly scrambled up the Gigan's leg and found her way back to Ash's unruly blonde hair, sitting with her legs crossed just like earlier. "Lead the way," she murmured quietly, adjusting the tall collar of her black down vest.</s>	<\|message\|>Dontores Allorè "Dontores my boy, do you have any idea where we are?" A teenage boy sat on the roof of a building he didn't know, in a city he wasn't familiar with. He looked into the distance, eyes half-closed, fist under his chin, taking in the scenery. "Does it even matter?" He said. A thick steel-bound tome laying besides him suddenly floated up in front of him. "Culture my boy! Culture!" The book said, a voice coming out from its pages, "How would you expect to blend in if you don't know culture?" The book danced along to its own words, a familiar and tiresome dance. The teenager didn't see a point in it, but then again, he hardly ever saw the point of anything. "You know as well as I do," The boy said in a tired tone, "That it's your fault that I can't blend in anywhere, right?" The book turned its cover to him, it had no expression but he could easily imagine its grin. "You're the one who gave half your body to me, my boy." It said, "And you're the one who decided to take my clothes with it." He retorted. His body was half covered by a thick, wispy shadow that only left one glowing eye visible on the left side of his body. Whatever clothes he put on, the shadows would cover it making disguise impossible. Perhaps if the Grimoire wasn't illegal, it wouldn't have been a problem. "I will admit that this city is quite new to me," he was gloating now. "The world has changed much since I was last released." The book turned towards the horizon and stood still, as if enjoying a sudden breeze. "Well, you shouldn't get to used to the city just yet." It said, "Change is on the winds, and it comes on swift wings." "Nuul," The boy said, turning towards the book, "How many times have I told you that I don't care?" "And how many times have I told you," Nuul said, shadows radiating from his pages, a dark fist emerging from its depths. "That my name is Grimoire Nuul!</s>
<\|description\|>Dontores Allorè Gender: Male Age: 17 Race: Human (chess) Birthday: November 23 Blood Type: O Height: 5 foot 8 Likes: Very little. So little even he doesn't know. Dislikes: Having to care about stuff, inadvertently caring about stuff Parasite/Living Weapon: Grimoire Nuul Dontore's abilities stems from the Living Parasite Weapon known as Grimoire Nuul. The tome has been passed down through his family for a long time, so long his family no longer remembers its first wielder. It used to remain sealed due to tales of the Grimoire corrupting its wielder over time. Dontores however, embraces the corruption, and it has shown slowed but still sure progress compared to the other wielders of the book. Half of his body has been consumed by the book, and is now covered in a wispy shadow. Grimoire Null can actually speak, and seems to think himself as a rather aloof figure. Appearance: The left half of his body is completely covered in shadows but a glowing yellow eye can still be seen. Personality: Dontores could be described as highly apathetic. He cares little for anything, one of the qualities that first drew Grimoire Nuul to him in the first place. He hardly ever speaks to other people, but perhaps this is due to the talkative nature of the Grimoire, as he was known to talk a little more often before he acquired the tome. Blockbusters: Do you think you can face me? – Level 1 Dontores holds out the Grimoire in front of him, and a hand made of darkness bursts from the book to crush his enemies. The hand grabs the enemy and smashes them into the ground, before throwing them away. Deals moderate damage, major knockback and stun. Come now! You can do better than that! - Level 1 Dontores generates a pulse of darkness centered on him which deals varying damage and knockback depending on how close the enemy is. If at the edge of the radius, the enemy will only take a little damage and they won't be knocked back. If they are right next to Dontores when it activates, they will be knocked back a considerable distance and take moderate damage. Taste my power! - Level 2 A heavy orb of darkness is fired from the Grimoire and it detonates when it hits an enemy or goes a certain distance away from Dontores. The orb deals light damage upon primary detonation, then continues to suck enemies towards it in an AOE around it, dealing constant light damage to enemies in the center of the orb. The orb fades after 7 seconds and this attack can be used in midair. I am Grimoire Nuul! - Level 3 Dontores' left arm becomes enveloped in a twister of darkness as Grimoire Nuul takes control of the left side of his body. The book shoots out a large dark hand which grabs the enemy. Dontores' arm then whips back, taking the dakr hand with it and releasing the enemy, sending them sailing back towards him. He then smashes them into the ground with the book, bouncing them up repeatedly before using a dark hand to grab the enemy again and tossing them high into the air. As the opponent comes down, Dontores raises the grimoire upwards and fires a point blank darkness orb which instantly turns into a darkness singularity which constantly damages the opponent. The orb then detonates with a dark shockwave to finish off the attack, inducing major knockback. Bio: Once, Dontores was a rather normal child. He had been adopted by a rich family, and he had little to worry about. He was however, still apathetic, even at a young age. This changed however, when his brother, his parents' biological son, disappeared; and it soon arose that they had been last seen going to the room containing the family's secret Heirloom, Grimoire Nuul. Tales had been passed down through the family of Grimoire Nuul, it was said to corrupt the wielder and consume their body and soul for its own use. Word soon spread around the manor, that his brother had been consumed by Grimoire Nuul. Dontores however, didn't care. He had never cared for his family, and that wouldn't change. The Grimoire didn't interest him, and he didn't care. But one night, he found himself standing in front of Grimoire Nuul anyway. Why had he come there? Perhaps the book would contain an answer. When the morning came, the Allore family saw what had become of their second son. He was found by a servant, unconscious, his left arm holding the Grimoire. When he regained consciousness, a layer of shadow was slowly creeping up his arm. He reported to his parents, and after a few days of arguing, they came to a decision. Dontores was to be disowned, they could not associate themselves with the wielder of such a dangerous artifact. Surprisingly, Dontores cared little for his disownership. He quietly packed his things and left. GM approved</s> <\|message\|>Dontores Allorè As he sailed through the air, Dontores had plenty of time to reflect on his decisions. He had the time to, but he didn't. He had more time as Nuul floated after Dontores and charged a blast of pure darkness to launch at him, but again he didn't. He was given more time when he had almost reached the street and the orb of darkness detonated and sent him flying backwards before he hit the ground. He sailed through a window of some description, glass shattering from the impact. Momentum carried him forward as his head collided with some unfortunate person's body and knocked them to the ground. How bothersome. He thought. Time came back to normal speed as he fell to the ground and the Grimoire floated slowly through the window. "Have you learnt your lesson yet, my der boy?" He said. "No." He replied, not bothering to get up. "I didn't expect so." Nuul said smugly, "But I suppose you will learn in time." The Grimoire floated to Dontores' body and floated into his open left hand, suddenly clutching it as he settled into place. His left arm rose of his own volition and he was slowly pulled upright by the left side of his body. So annoying. Dontores thought. He looked at his surroundings, noticing he was actually in a cafe of some description. Oh, this is nice, He thought, I was getting hungry. He walked over the prone body of the person he had knocked over, noticing she was rather short, among other unusual things. He looked over to the right, and saw a person in uniform also on the ground. Perhaps they had been brawling? It didn't matter so much. He walked over to the counter, a shocked cashier at the register. "I want something cheap and filling." Dontores said, "What would you recommend?"</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk There's a sudden burst, a volatile explosion of glass, the clear translucent shards of shrapnel raining down on the gruesome scene, as Ash buries her foot in layered brick that's now beneath her. She says nothing when her machete leaves its sheath--and with only a quick flash of steel as prior warning--impales the ground in front of Scott. Like an erect wall, it remains stationary when Scott runs into its reflective surface, and once Scott can regain his senses, he's hoisted skyward, fourteen feet above the ground. "Will you stop fighting? Please?" Ash begs, the hefty barrel of her cannon prodding at the Egret's stomach. "It's not like I wanted to fight, Gale just has... Anger issues." the Gigan explains all too casually; grimacing with each attack Gale dishes out in the backdrop. The longer it takes for Scott to respond, the tighter Ash's grip becomes, her claws slowly invading his armor, making quick work of any protection that's barring Scott from Ash's Gigantian strength. "If you don't, I can't really guarantee your safety, it's not like I haven't killed people before." Ash adds. Twenty feet from the epicenter of the battle taking place, a ring begins to form as humans, Ferals, Elves, people of all sort begin to take interest in the rather one sided battle. "You know we're Medici back breakers, right?"</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk "That term can be used metaphorically or literally," Gale commented as she scurried up Ash's shoulder and sat flat on her behind, holding her sabre close to her chest. "Why did I let Brandy do that?" she wondered, tilting her head skyward and staring up at the twilight sky as the moon began to come out of hiding. Her thin line of a mouth slowly morphed into a frown as she realized she had lost her temper yet again. "This is becoming an issue," she sighed, chewing on one of her sharp nails, "it's all this repressed emotion from a few years ago." She looked over at Ash and let her head hang low, feeling ashamed. "I wanted to take Ash out for dinner because that's what she wanted, and then I went and did this," she thought, beginning to analyze the predicament that the team was now in. "Man, I'm a terrible partner," she groaned, tugging at a few loose strands of her purple hair. "I didn't need Brandy for this even," she thought sadly, slipping the sword into its dark sheath. "That could have been overkill, I just wasn't thinking..." What was she doing? This was no time for for feeling ashamed or sad, it was action time. "I can do that when we get home after Ash either scolds me or gives me that one sad look to convey disappointment." For now, she would sit and wait for what was to come. The time for fighting, at least for Gale, had passed, and there was no longer a reason to keep going. "He called reinforcements," Gale remarked grimly, staring at the crowd around the spectacle. "I've no idea what exactly we are going to do about that."</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Angus did not really expect the day that some random parasite that had attached to his face and stole apart of his brain to be surpassed as the most interesting day of his life. At this current moment, he witnessed some random Feral attack some Egret and looked like she was about to break their spine, until some Gigan out of nowhere crashed the entire battle and seemed like they were about to get in some one-sided fight. He looked around the crowd of people surrounding this event and realized if this got messy, a lot of people could get hurt, and that would be bad as it seemed these people could do a lot of damage. Geez, all Angus wanted to do was to get some groceries... You know, usually when he tries to get groceries, something strange happens to him. Last week, he was attacked by some rabid raccoons and he couldn't even fight back as he was trying to protect Pharona from the sharp claws and teeth. Angus suddenly perked up as Pharona was trying to tell him something inside of his mind. "I think those two are parasites... I haven't seen one infect a Gigan in some time... I think we should talk to them after this whole thing is over with." "Talk to them!? I don't think so, it looks like the Feral one looks quite unstable and the Gigan looks a bit menacing. I'm also a bit afraid that Feral might attack me or something also, those raccoons did really hurt and a Feral would probably hurt more!" Angus exclaimed inside of his mind, however, Pharona was no longer listening to the worried Angus as she was looking onto the spectacle that was developing. Angus on the other hand was worrying that one of the two apparent parasites might sense her also and might accidentally rat her out to the Egrets! Pharona's safety was too great to risk for Angus, and he tried moving to get away from the crowd, but he couldn't move... PHARONA! She was now taking complete control over the body, forcing him to stay in place and keep on watching. She was ready if things got physical, but it seemed like the Feral was starting to calm down as she scurried up the large lady's shoulders... Just like she does! One thing that Pharona knew is that she needed to talk to these new parasites, mainly just out of curiosity as she hasn't talked face to face with one in quite some time.</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scott struggled under the Gigan girl's grip. He had to get out and fight back. He was willing to die for the safety of the Canopy Kingdom, but there was no way he'd die without putting up more of a fight. The Gigan mentioned something about the Medici Family, to which Scott replied, "You think I care about what criminal scum you work for? All you've done is dig yourself in a bigger hole. Threatening and assaulting a Black Egret, resisting arrest, affiliation with a known gang, hosting illegal parasites, and those are just a few of the charges you'll be hearing during your trial." Scott still couldn't get out the Gigan's grip. He looked down at Liam who laid unconscious down below. In a few hours, Scott would probably be making fun of him for getting his ass kicked by a girl. At that moment though, all he could think of was getting down there to help his friend. "So, what happens next is completely up to you. I'd suggest making it easy on yourselves and turning yourselves in. While I highly doubt you'd go for that idea, I'd like to point out that you are, or at least appear to be, minors, so you'd only go to juvie and not prison. Also, we could easily blame a lot of your behavior on your parasites, that'll shave a few years off your sentence. I do believe it's a much more desirable offer than being on the run for the rest of your lives. After all that's happened here, you can bet you won't just walk away without any consequences."</s>	<\|message\|>Dontores Allorè "Well now," Nuul said as Dontores looked through the menu, "Isn't this interesting?" Nuul pulled his left arm backwards, trying to pull him towards the commotion. "I'll just have number 13 please." Dontores said to the cashier as he was dragged away. With his right hand he rifled through his pocket, searching for some money. He threw some coins at the cashier as he was dragged in front of a Gigan of some description holding up the guy that had been on the ground just a second ago. Nuul flipped open, his voice spilling out from the pages. "Why do you persist in your pursuit of the law?" He asked the unfortunate officer, "Look at yourself! You're a joke! Can you still pretend to be an enforcer in a place like this?"</s>
<\|description\|>Dontores Allorè Gender: Male Age: 17 Race: Human (chess) Birthday: November 23 Blood Type: O Height: 5 foot 8 Likes: Very little. So little even he doesn't know. Dislikes: Having to care about stuff, inadvertently caring about stuff Parasite/Living Weapon: Grimoire Nuul Dontore's abilities stems from the Living Parasite Weapon known as Grimoire Nuul. The tome has been passed down through his family for a long time, so long his family no longer remembers its first wielder. It used to remain sealed due to tales of the Grimoire corrupting its wielder over time. Dontores however, embraces the corruption, and it has shown slowed but still sure progress compared to the other wielders of the book. Half of his body has been consumed by the book, and is now covered in a wispy shadow. Grimoire Null can actually speak, and seems to think himself as a rather aloof figure. Appearance: The left half of his body is completely covered in shadows but a glowing yellow eye can still be seen. Personality: Dontores could be described as highly apathetic. He cares little for anything, one of the qualities that first drew Grimoire Nuul to him in the first place. He hardly ever speaks to other people, but perhaps this is due to the talkative nature of the Grimoire, as he was known to talk a little more often before he acquired the tome. Blockbusters: Do you think you can face me? – Level 1 Dontores holds out the Grimoire in front of him, and a hand made of darkness bursts from the book to crush his enemies. The hand grabs the enemy and smashes them into the ground, before throwing them away. Deals moderate damage, major knockback and stun. Come now! You can do better than that! - Level 1 Dontores generates a pulse of darkness centered on him which deals varying damage and knockback depending on how close the enemy is. If at the edge of the radius, the enemy will only take a little damage and they won't be knocked back. If they are right next to Dontores when it activates, they will be knocked back a considerable distance and take moderate damage. Taste my power! - Level 2 A heavy orb of darkness is fired from the Grimoire and it detonates when it hits an enemy or goes a certain distance away from Dontores. The orb deals light damage upon primary detonation, then continues to suck enemies towards it in an AOE around it, dealing constant light damage to enemies in the center of the orb. The orb fades after 7 seconds and this attack can be used in midair. I am Grimoire Nuul! - Level 3 Dontores' left arm becomes enveloped in a twister of darkness as Grimoire Nuul takes control of the left side of his body. The book shoots out a large dark hand which grabs the enemy. Dontores' arm then whips back, taking the dakr hand with it and releasing the enemy, sending them sailing back towards him. He then smashes them into the ground with the book, bouncing them up repeatedly before using a dark hand to grab the enemy again and tossing them high into the air. As the opponent comes down, Dontores raises the grimoire upwards and fires a point blank darkness orb which instantly turns into a darkness singularity which constantly damages the opponent. The orb then detonates with a dark shockwave to finish off the attack, inducing major knockback. Bio: Once, Dontores was a rather normal child. He had been adopted by a rich family, and he had little to worry about. He was however, still apathetic, even at a young age. This changed however, when his brother, his parents' biological son, disappeared; and it soon arose that they had been last seen going to the room containing the family's secret Heirloom, Grimoire Nuul. Tales had been passed down through the family of Grimoire Nuul, it was said to corrupt the wielder and consume their body and soul for its own use. Word soon spread around the manor, that his brother had been consumed by Grimoire Nuul. Dontores however, didn't care. He had never cared for his family, and that wouldn't change. The Grimoire didn't interest him, and he didn't care. But one night, he found himself standing in front of Grimoire Nuul anyway. Why had he come there? Perhaps the book would contain an answer. When the morning came, the Allore family saw what had become of their second son. He was found by a servant, unconscious, his left arm holding the Grimoire. When he regained consciousness, a layer of shadow was slowly creeping up his arm. He reported to his parents, and after a few days of arguing, they came to a decision. Dontores was to be disowned, they could not associate themselves with the wielder of such a dangerous artifact. Surprisingly, Dontores cared little for his disownership. He quietly packed his things and left. GM approved</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk "Alright, we're heading out!" Ash walks forward, step by long step she navigates the twists and turns of Little Innsmouth, passing by sunken boulevards and overly complex compounds of shacks stacked in uneven piles amongst one another. Ferals and Dagonians pass in droves, making the trip a lengthly venture to the train station to Meridian. On the way Ash has to stop several times, so that she can spot a gap in the crowd to set her foot, or for the crowd to just part to make a path for her. "Is Brandy okay there?" Ash asks Gale as they approach the train station "You guys sound like you're having an argument" Ash adds with a worried smile. Once the small group is there, it's just a matter of waiting in the deeply congested line to the one ticket booth, surrounded by impatient citizens of Little Innsmouth. "Please be patient." the lone Dagonian pleads, handing out tickets as soon as he's handed loose coins, or change, but the people receiving them are blocked by a pair of large men donning all too familiar gas masks. What would be causing such a horrid back up? Elsewhere On the fifth train car (out of twenty) sits a tank, two to be exact, both of which are tied down to their respective car, the pair of armored behemoths appear to be factory new, with barely a thin coat of olive paint to cover the red steel underneath. On top of the car in front of the vehicular dreadnoughts sits a lone, bored Egret smoking a cigarette, letting his gray helmet rest beside him. "By the goddess, where are our Parasitic scum?" he asks himself impatiently, putting out the cigarette on his armored thigh. "Captain, we're holding up service here..." one of his eight guards say nervously, watching the pair of soldiers the Honorable Captain had dispatched at the entrance to the station not ten minutes ago struggle against the mounting crowd. The Captain shrugs, his vaguely blue eyes scanning the crowd outside "Let them in, I think there will be at least one rat for us in there. Hopefully that anonymous tip holds true."</s> <\|message\|>Grumm (Percival Botley) Faced with Morgann, the monster hesitated. From beneath the mire of rage and confusion bubbled up a shred of Grumm's human consciousness, which busied itself thinking about the situation. The inside of Grumm's head began to pound; rational thought, already so hard to dredge up, hurt worse than a sledgehammer to the cranium. It was so much easier to let go, to let the mind slip away beneath that murky bog of beastliness. Yet, whenever that human side did arise, it asserted that at the very least it was supposed to persevere. Human nature was supposed to be indomitable—all the stories said so. When bombarded by that pain, however, that strain of holding together focus, justifications came easily. No being could have withstood that agony enough to stay sane. So naturally, Grumm hesitated only a moment, but it was enough to draw a conclusion. In his experience, no normal human, even armed ones, would dare to so boldly interpose herself between a hunter and its prey. That could only mean that the masked woman that stood before him, arms raised in a gesture of placation, was extraordinary. Her words bounced dimly around inside his skull. All he could really gather was that she thought that attacking her would be a mistake on his part. A snorting, ugly laugh escaped the wreckage that was his mouth, rattling through the metal guard that covered it: "Hagh. This individual was keeping him from bringing to justice the water-wielding woman with whom he had a personal quarrel. Halte had been seeking him out lately. He had no clue why, but she seemed determined to keep him from capturing and/or killing his targets. Annoyingly enough, it was working, and that made Halte his dire foe. Anyone who attempted to keep him from his revenge was just as guilty. Besides, Morgann had a strange smell on her. The same aroma wafted from each of the parasites he hunted, slightly different for each, but all still identifiable. Grumm grunted and raised his axe for an overhead chop, bringing it down with enough force to cleave bone if Morgann allowed it to hit her.</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson Liam was the first of the two Black Egrets to gain consciousness. He turned towards Scott, after rising off the ground, and shook him awake afterwards. "Whu- what happened? Did we win?" Scott said after lifting his head off the ground. "No. I think we got our asses handed to us," Liam replied. "Urg, come on man. How could we have lost? They were frickin' kids." "Well, in our defense, they had parasites. And they outnumbered us." Scott rose off the ground and brushed the dirt and grime off his uniform. "Hey, wait a minute. You called for backup didn't you? Where is everyone?" Liam rubbed the back of his head as he thought back to right before he had the snot beaten out of him. "Yeah, I didn't finish the call, but they should have still arrived with the information I was able to give." Liam bent down to pick up some of the pieces of his shattered radio. "Oh," was his only response to his discovery. "What? What's 'oh'?" Scott asked. "Um, nothing. Just, uh, I might not have had the radio on," Liam replied. "What!?" Liam held up the piece of the radio that had previously been the 'on and off' switch, only for it to be set in the 'off' position. "Exactly what I said, man." "Are you kidding me? You're saying, that had we run into an even more dangerous opponent, we would never had received support, because you forgot to turn the radio on?" Scott than slapped the back of Liam's head. "Idiot." "Hey, I was trying to save batteries. So, uh, what do we do now?" Liam asked, rubbing the back of his head again now that Scott had made the pain return to that part of his body. "No one back at base knows this happened. Let's keep it that way. I'd rather be chewed out for arriving at base late for duty, than be absolutely ridiculed for being beaten by kids," Scott replied. "Alright. Let's head back now than. I want to get this over with as soon as possible."</s> <\|message\|>Jane Vermilion Jane nodded with interest as Ash responded to her question. So the operation was pretty informal, just dumping unconcious bodies off at a dumpster. Jane also took interest in the fact that they would be grabbing flowers after that. So, one of the two sisters was into botany, it seemed. Jane thought it a bit unfit for two mobsters to be into pretty posies, but she wouldn't judge them too harshly. Before Jane could question which one of them enjoyed flowers, or if they both did equally, Ash hoisted BE#2 over her shoulder and looked, presumably for Gale. Jane stayed silent and followed behind, quickly forgetting about the question she was going to pose to the both of them. Jane simply watched as the team grouped back up to go into New Meridian. It seemed the group had 2 new additions, the little girl Pharona and her father(?). They expressed concerns for the Egrets' health, and Gale said some interesting things in retort. It wasn't that the mafia was informal, simply that they didn't care about such small crimes. That was... odd. Did they really hold that much clout? It seemed time would tell, as long as Jane lived to see the tale unfold. And with a reassuring cheerful shout from Ash, they were off. Jane didn't bother finding her pair of gloves. She was already part of this mob of odd and unruly characters, dragging a body, why bother hiding her parasite? Besides, she said she'd allow him some breath on the walk home. Might as well give him some extra time, right? He was the reason she could fight again, she should definitely treat him right. Once they reached the station, she was surprised there was such a clog up. After a highly focused search, she noticed what seemed to be a gas mask. Were those damn Egrets here too? Hm... she did remember one of the idiots calling for back up. It was a possibility that these were the people called. With an impatient huff, Jane turned to Ash and Gale. "Ugh. Do you see who's up front? Those freaking Egrets, again! It's like it's their job is to annoy the populace." Jane complained, angrily glaring at the two soldiers. She cracked her knuckles menacingly. "We should take care of them. You guys that kind of immunity, right? We can-" Jane wrapped finger quotes around this part, "Get rid of", now putting her hands back down, "Temporarily. We got rid of those other two guys, right? Or is that kind of a limited use privilege?" Jane asked. "I mean, I'm gonna get noticed anyways, might as well start the fight now." "Will you not get into a fight for one second...?" Franky chided, a little to soft to be heard over the crowd.</s>	<\|message\|>Dontores Allorè "Stop restraining me Dontores!" Nuul shouted as he struggled underneath Dontore's weight, "We must pursue those people!" "No we don't." He replied in a flat tone, "And I want my food." They were making quite the scene, being in the middle of the cafe and all. He was lying on his left side, pinning it to the ground with the right side of his body, and he also had a table on top of him to keep Nuul down. "It'll be done soon." He said. "And they will be gone soon!" Nuul argued. "Do I look like I care?" He replied. "Come now Dontores! They're the most interesting people I've ever seen in centuries!" Nuul pleaded, "We're not going without my food." Dontores said, "I paid money for that, you know." "Why are you so difficult!" Nuul seethed, "And you agreed so readily to giving me half your body!" "I only do what I want." He said, "And back then I wanted power." Nuul fell silent, conceding the point. "Right now I want food, and I'm still your master," He said flatly, "You cannot deny me." "Hmph. Fine." Nuul said, ceasing his struggles. Dontores still stayed under the table, however, as he knew Nuul would probably take the first chance he got to run away with his body. Still, it was slightly uncomfortable. "Hm." He said, shifting himself to a more comfortable position, "This'll do I suppose."</s>
<\|description\|>Nikolai V Lacerta Gender: Male Age: 32 Race: (cyborg) Feral (reptilian) Birthday: 31 March Blood type: AB+ Height: 6 foot 2 when standing straight, otherwise it's somewhere around 5 foot 6 Weight: 182 lb Likes: - Science - Scientific things - Finding stuff out - Intelligence - Livers Dislikes: - Unscientific things - Social interaction - Incompetence - Stupidity - Eating bad livers - Distractions Parasite/Living weapon: Oculus Nikolai's parasite is a glass orb which has the appearance of an eye. Oculus replaces the user's eye and gives the user the ability to study an opponent and learn their weak points. The weak points are outlined in a sweet HUD that only Oculus can provide that looks all sci-fi and stuff. Additionally, Oculus gives the user the ability to fire highly concentrated beams of energy by sapping the user's energy and turning it into a laser which can hit the weak points with needle-like precision. Appearance: Nikolai has more 'beast' than most Ferals, and he's quite recognisable as a reptile. He's less of a human beast and more of a beast human, and there is little distinguishing him from an actual iguana as he adopts a hunch, his skin is scaly as hell, he has a lizardlike head structure, and he is very long, tail included. If he bent down, he'd look exactly like a really big iguana. One thing that differentiates Nikolai from a standard iguana is that he's around the size of a normal human. Another thing would be the metal augmentations and partial mutations. Yeah, you heard that right. As a result of having no guinea pig other than himself, he added mechanical parts to his body and is now a cyborg. His left arm is mechanical, his legs are mechanical (he added jets to them), and the left side of his face (where Oculus is) is also mechanical. His jaws are mechanical and his teeth are made of metal. The cyborg augmentations also stretch to some of his organs and muscles and he has enhanced strength and speed as a result. His mutations made him a bit scalier, have larger claws and made his jaw protrude to become longer. He wears a worn dress shirt and tie, torn black pants and a slightly torn lab coat. No shoes. Personality: Nikolai's personality, though he seems rather beast like, is one of cunning intelligence. He prides himself on being a scientist and is good at supressing his pure animal instinct. Nikolai can talk (has a hoarse voice though) and is very learned, having studied all kinds of science for years. That said, he has little patience for incompetence people, favours speed and efficiency and dislikes distractions to his work. He's fairly quick to snap at people (not literally) and is quick to distrust. That particular character trait stems from the fact that he's rather paranoid, and many view him as insane. If asked, he'll claim that he's just exploring the limits of science, and then he'll probably force you to leave his lab and lock the door. Blockbusters: Tail slam (1 bar) Nikolai dashes forward with extreme speed and turns quickly, slamming his tail at his opponent. Should the attack land, it causes moderate damage and knocks them back with the force of his momentum. Easily dodged as it is a set distance, but is a fast move that Nikolai can use to throw off his opponents. Precision laser (1 bar) Nikolai locks on to his target and fires his laser eye. For some reason, a red targeting assistor for all to see appears on the target, showing them exactly where he's going to fire. That said, it's not that difficult to dodge, but it ignores blocking to an extent. If the target is blocking, it does 1/2 of the damage it would normally deal. Does moderate damage if it hits normally. Nikolai can also use precision laser in the air by floating with his foot jets. Rage rend (2 bars) Nikolai dashes forward and begins rapidly tearing into his opponent with his bestial speed and mechanical power. He gets a speed boost and swipes wildly 10 times, the last blow knocking his opponent down. Each hit does light damage but altogether stacks up to high damage. Easy to block, but Nikolai can move and jump twice as fast with the rage render, making it difficult to dodge. Cyborg fury (3 bars) Nikolai dashes forward and grabs hold of his opponent with his jaws. He then proceeds to slam them side to side a few times and then hurls them upwards, charges Oculus and fires a laser at his opponent. Before his opponent lands, Nikolai flies up with his jets, grabs them, slams them into the ground, bites their face and fires his laser into it before jumping off. Does major damage. The grab can be easily avoided, though. Bio: Nikolai's parents died at an early age and his more-beastlike-than-usual appearance put him at odds with most. Hence, he devoted all of his life to increasing his own intelligence and lived a life of seclusion. He actually became a scientist for a way to change his form so he could be accepted by society, but his ideas were often too radical to be accepted by the scientific community, and he never got approval to test them. This put him in an even more reclusive state and he began to sink close into depression. He began to shun people and society, and devoted his time to furthering his knowledge. At some point, he came across Oculus and implanted it into himself, which made his research easier. He became interested in parasite weapons and always strives to find out more about them. But one day, he made something special. He made a serum that theoretically evolved your genes at an amazing rate, making you faster, stronger and better in general. Having no one to test it on, he drank it himself. It worked with the intended effect, but it had a drastic unwanted side-effect. The serum awoke something ancient in Nikolai's DNA, something primal. It didn't just make him better, it pulled at his DNA, mutating his body to become even more bestial. As you can tell, Nikolai didn't appreciate this. He built cyborg augmentations into his body to control the bestial urges. He eventually got it under control (kind of) and lived with it to the present day. The only reason he's out here now is because he wants to analyse parasite weapons.</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash waits patiently as Gale retrieves Brandy Station, slumped over by the front door, and once Gale is situated on Ash's head, the Gigan clumsily opens the door to their house, and manages to squeeze through. Once Ash is out in the open, she stands at her full height with a relieved sigh, looking down at the crowd; who begins to part to let Ash through. She walks with a surprisingly brisk pace, taking into account all the obstacles of Little Innsmouth, properly gaging all her ducks, and side steps to compensate for the bat feral on her head. "It's busy out today, how did you manage to find your way home?" Ash questions as she approaches the door to a local diner, the wonderful smell of cooked food flooding her senses. "Something smells yummy," she comments, lifting Gale off of her head, and guiding her to the door. With her index finger, and her thumb, Ash grips the handle to the glass portal. She opens it slowly, letting the tacky silver bell ring, and giving Gale a light push inside, following after her with a light grunt, forcing herself through the human sized frame of the door. Ash's knee slides across the dirtied tile floor, followed by its opposite, and once Ash manages to slide her gun past the door, she stands up; hanging her head low. "Dagonian cuisine . . ." Ash mumbles with a content smile, clasping her hands together "You have money, right Gale?"</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk "Um..." Gale reached down and shoved her hand into her white motorcycle boots, shuffling around for her wallet. "These boots have carried tons of stuff over the years," she thought silently, whipping out the wallet with one quick movement. "I have money," she said, pulling a few dollar bills out of the wallet's main pocket. She counted at least twenty dollars out for herself and then proceed to distribute twenty more to Ash. While working for the mafia was a tiring job with constant death threats and way too much blood, it definitely paid good money. "I guess it's not that bad," Gale thought, blowing a strand of her purple hair out of her face. Gale quickly scurried up to Ash and whispered into her ear, "H-Hey, I'm going to find us a table. Please take my order for me..?" After deciding what she was going to do, she shoved her split of the money into Ash's hand. "Here, just...order for me," she squeaked before scuttling off towards a booth in the back of the restaurant, curling up in the seat. She could never order for herself. Though most did not mess or even come near Gale, she absolutely did not appreciate the piercing looks she would receive. Between her family history and the crime she committed, things would never be normal for her. - Morgann, with a heavy sigh, turned her head from the window before stopping immediately. "Hold the phone," she murmured, immediately turning her attention back to the sky. "Is that...a person?" she questioned, staring at what appeared to be an average height silhouette on top of a building. "There's some sort of light, but it's so faint..."</s>	<\|message\|>Nikolai V Lacerta Nikolai pored over his papers, analysing their contents. He took a pen from the nearby clear desk, twirled it into a comfortable position in his hand and wrote some corrections onto a particular sheet and moved on. Nikolai's irritation grew a little, but it wasn't because of what he saw. His research was flawless as always, and the results had been expected. What annoyed him was the fact that he had to modify his lab so that his hands, bigger than they used to be and each with only semi-retractable claws, could navigate the same workspace he'd been using for most of his life without flicking everything on the table onto the floor every time he tried to grab a pen. It had bothered him for a while now, and he debated finding a way to fix it. Certainly, it was only his own fault that his bestial body had gotten even worse. But he couldn't exactly attain approval for live subjects. It'd worked on rats relatively well, and he had little reason to assume that it'd go so horribly wrong for him. After a few weeks of accidents, he'd discovered that his potion had done the intended effect. It drew on the potential of the body and put it under a heavy strain, causing accelerated growth and adaption as the subject's body tears itself apart. Theoretically, it decayed the muscles and replaced them with stronger ones. Unfortunately for Nikolai, he'd included a mutagen which would've helped accelerate growth. For Nikolai, it had made him grow even more lizard-like. He'd grown powerful muscles and sharp claws, and he'd noticed that the claws were long and curved. He'd looked downright prehistoric, and his behaviour at the time matched that. Another unfortunate side-effect was that the potion had awakened his predatory instincts, dulled as they were under the oppressive routine of society. He sighed as he remembered the moment. Around a year of research lost in minutes of primal rage. He'd managed to get it under control, of course. The technological augmentations helped quite a lot. Of course, he'd appreciate his old form again, but he'd gotten used to his more 'predatory' form. Besides, it would be a waste of all the effort he'd put into his lab to make it workable. And if his parasite weapon was to be believed, he might need his new form, beast-like as it was. The paper Nikolai had in front of him was on the subject of the peculiar being, often called 'parasite weapons'. It was on his own parasite weapon, Oculus, and its effect on Nikolai whom implanted it in place of his other eye. He'd stored his other eye elsewhere, in case he needed it for later. For now, the living eye seemingly made out of glass was a subject of focus for his research. Before he implanted Oculus, it'd been in his possession for quite some time. He'd managed to get it somehow, and it was in his lab for quite a time. Despite its reputation as a parasite, it was capable of living without a host. It was less of a parasite and more of a symbiotic lifeform. After he implanted it, it functioned something like an extra organ. It required nutrients, which were absorbed directly from Nikolai, the host body. But it required little for what it gave, and what it gave to Nikolai was insight. It analysed things he saw with it, told him their composition. Uses. Weak points. Its secondary function, a laser, was useful for cutting and exploited their weak points. And thankfully, Oculus never says anything unnecessary. Sharp and efficient, just how Nikolai liked. "Oculus." Nikolai said. "Yes?" It said in his mind. "What can you tell me about your brethren?" Nikolai asked. "Nothing that you do not already know." Oculus said. Nikolai had figured as much. He had already analysed oculus the best he could, and he'd analysed the effects that Oculus had on his body. There was nothing more to be gleaned from studying it. That meant that to further his knowledge of parasite weapons, he'd have to look further. Nikolai thought about that prospect and glanced at his door. His lab, in which he'd spent most of his life, was on the outskirts of Little Innsmouth. There was nothing more to be gleaned from analysing Oculus, meaning he needed to find more parasite weapons. That meant that there was a possibility that he would meet people who wielded parasite weapons. Nikolai sighed. He'd have to find people with parasite weapons to study them further. The problem was, he hated people. He and they had a kind of agreement. He stayed away from them, they wouldn't bother him. His situation was eerily reminiscent of old witch folk tales, where a witch lives in the forest who eats children that try to trespass into her house. In Nikolai's case, he didn't eat children; they tasted terrible. But the characteristics were the same: Outcast shunned by society living on the outskirts of a town. But there were a few differences between Nikolai and a witch. One, Nikolai was a scientist, and two, Nikolai was a predator. He had an intrinsic knowledge of stealth and tracking. This would make the job easier, somewhat, but there was only so much one could glean from observation. But it's not like he had a choice… Thinking a little more, Nikolai spoke to Oculus. "Oculus. Can you identify your brethren?" He asked. "Yes." Oculus replied. Nikolai sighed again and got out of his seat. He'd have to hunt, then. Hunting for parasite weapons. He could search at a distance, relying on Oculus's boons to find his targets. It may be a long time before he came back to his lab, but his memory was good so it would be fine. Coming to a decision, he opened the door to the world outside. It was evening now, but that would only make his job easier. "Let's go, Oculus." He said. "Yes." Oculus replied. Nikolai stood and sniffed the air, isolating which direction to go towards. He smiled a little predatory smile, his instincts enflamed by the anticipation of the hunt. The lizard scientist stalked into the evening woods, making his way to Little Innsmouth.</s>
<\|description\|>Nikolai V Lacerta Gender: Male Age: 32 Race: (cyborg) Feral (reptilian) Birthday: 31 March Blood type: AB+ Height: 6 foot 2 when standing straight, otherwise it's somewhere around 5 foot 6 Weight: 182 lb Likes: - Science - Scientific things - Finding stuff out - Intelligence - Livers Dislikes: - Unscientific things - Social interaction - Incompetence - Stupidity - Eating bad livers - Distractions Parasite/Living weapon: Oculus Nikolai's parasite is a glass orb which has the appearance of an eye. Oculus replaces the user's eye and gives the user the ability to study an opponent and learn their weak points. The weak points are outlined in a sweet HUD that only Oculus can provide that looks all sci-fi and stuff. Additionally, Oculus gives the user the ability to fire highly concentrated beams of energy by sapping the user's energy and turning it into a laser which can hit the weak points with needle-like precision. Appearance: Nikolai has more 'beast' than most Ferals, and he's quite recognisable as a reptile. He's less of a human beast and more of a beast human, and there is little distinguishing him from an actual iguana as he adopts a hunch, his skin is scaly as hell, he has a lizardlike head structure, and he is very long, tail included. If he bent down, he'd look exactly like a really big iguana. One thing that differentiates Nikolai from a standard iguana is that he's around the size of a normal human. Another thing would be the metal augmentations and partial mutations. Yeah, you heard that right. As a result of having no guinea pig other than himself, he added mechanical parts to his body and is now a cyborg. His left arm is mechanical, his legs are mechanical (he added jets to them), and the left side of his face (where Oculus is) is also mechanical. His jaws are mechanical and his teeth are made of metal. The cyborg augmentations also stretch to some of his organs and muscles and he has enhanced strength and speed as a result. His mutations made him a bit scalier, have larger claws and made his jaw protrude to become longer. He wears a worn dress shirt and tie, torn black pants and a slightly torn lab coat. No shoes. Personality: Nikolai's personality, though he seems rather beast like, is one of cunning intelligence. He prides himself on being a scientist and is good at supressing his pure animal instinct. Nikolai can talk (has a hoarse voice though) and is very learned, having studied all kinds of science for years. That said, he has little patience for incompetence people, favours speed and efficiency and dislikes distractions to his work. He's fairly quick to snap at people (not literally) and is quick to distrust. That particular character trait stems from the fact that he's rather paranoid, and many view him as insane. If asked, he'll claim that he's just exploring the limits of science, and then he'll probably force you to leave his lab and lock the door. Blockbusters: Tail slam (1 bar) Nikolai dashes forward with extreme speed and turns quickly, slamming his tail at his opponent. Should the attack land, it causes moderate damage and knocks them back with the force of his momentum. Easily dodged as it is a set distance, but is a fast move that Nikolai can use to throw off his opponents. Precision laser (1 bar) Nikolai locks on to his target and fires his laser eye. For some reason, a red targeting assistor for all to see appears on the target, showing them exactly where he's going to fire. That said, it's not that difficult to dodge, but it ignores blocking to an extent. If the target is blocking, it does 1/2 of the damage it would normally deal. Does moderate damage if it hits normally. Nikolai can also use precision laser in the air by floating with his foot jets. Rage rend (2 bars) Nikolai dashes forward and begins rapidly tearing into his opponent with his bestial speed and mechanical power. He gets a speed boost and swipes wildly 10 times, the last blow knocking his opponent down. Each hit does light damage but altogether stacks up to high damage. Easy to block, but Nikolai can move and jump twice as fast with the rage render, making it difficult to dodge. Cyborg fury (3 bars) Nikolai dashes forward and grabs hold of his opponent with his jaws. He then proceeds to slam them side to side a few times and then hurls them upwards, charges Oculus and fires a laser at his opponent. Before his opponent lands, Nikolai flies up with his jets, grabs them, slams them into the ground, bites their face and fires his laser into it before jumping off. Does major damage. The grab can be easily avoided, though. Bio: Nikolai's parents died at an early age and his more-beastlike-than-usual appearance put him at odds with most. Hence, he devoted all of his life to increasing his own intelligence and lived a life of seclusion. He actually became a scientist for a way to change his form so he could be accepted by society, but his ideas were often too radical to be accepted by the scientific community, and he never got approval to test them. This put him in an even more reclusive state and he began to sink close into depression. He began to shun people and society, and devoted his time to furthering his knowledge. At some point, he came across Oculus and implanted it into himself, which made his research easier. He became interested in parasite weapons and always strives to find out more about them. But one day, he made something special. He made a serum that theoretically evolved your genes at an amazing rate, making you faster, stronger and better in general. Having no one to test it on, he drank it himself. It worked with the intended effect, but it had a drastic unwanted side-effect. The serum awoke something ancient in Nikolai's DNA, something primal. It didn't just make him better, it pulled at his DNA, mutating his body to become even more bestial. As you can tell, Nikolai didn't appreciate this. He built cyborg augmentations into his body to control the bestial urges. He eventually got it under control (kind of) and lived with it to the present day. The only reason he's out here now is because he wants to analyse parasite weapons.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale squeaked with surprise before flapping her weak ebony wings, listening to the small girl's voice as she greeted her. "For someone I don't quite know," Gale began while shuddering at the feeling of her tiny hand against her own, "you're quite hospitable despite the fact that I'm kinda crawling all over who I'm assuming is your host." She slipped down off the giant to prevent angering him or making him feel any more awkward than he already did. "I'm sorry, sir," she apologized as she did earlier, twiddling her thumbs. "It bothers me when I cannot tell who exactly I am conversing with. I can sense your fear and discomfort." She looked in the direction she assumed that the girl's voice was coming from (but she was turned a bit too far to be looking directly at her), and spoke, "To answer your question, we are not parasites. I'm only the host, and if you'd like to speak with him, that'd be fine." "Who is this?" Brandy whispered into the back of Gale's head, causing her to shudder violently at the sudden static roaring in her ears. "H-Hey, turn the volume down please," she responded silently, running her pale hand through her purple hair before relaxing as the noise died down. "It appears to be another host and parasite from what I can tell," she explained to the garbled voice, going on to add, "I scaled the host, he's extremely tall. Not as tall as Ash, but he's nearly there, and his parasite seems very nice. If she wants to talk to you, you'll have to take over." Brandy remained silent before answering with a simple, "Okay." After spending a few moments conversing with the soothing yet extremely loud voice in her head, she turned back to the man's direction. "When you give me the command," she began, taking the sword out of its sheath once more and holding it at her side, "he'll come out to talk."</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash looks in between the Egret, and the boxer girl next to her "Your name is Ja--" Ash is interrupted by Gale suddenly leaving her side, scurrying along the road, towards a tall man. The Gigan starts to say something, but stops, resting the barrel of her cannon on the Egret's stomach "Your name is Jane, right?" she continues "Should I just knock this guy out? He seems resilient, and I don't want to wait long enough for more people to get hurt." Ash explains. She begins to tighten her grip on the Egret, in an attempt to suffocate him "Or, do you want your way with him? I just want to get Gale home." she pleads, cocking her head in the bat's direction "If you get arrested, I can pull a few strings."</s> <\|message\|>Jane Vermilion Jane giggled a little as Gale snorted at her joke. Well, it was kinda a joke, she was getting a little bored just waiting around for more people to fight. Luckily, someone appeared to cure her boredom. More specifically, a ridiculously large man, almost as big as a gigan, and a little girl, his daughter she presumed, riding on his shoulder. He asked the three of them to stop with the soldier strangling in a surprisingly calm and well thought out way, even acknowledging he didn't know the full situation. Still though, he was loyal to the Egrets, an idiotic decision at best. Gale immediately got on his case, explaining herself and their actions. She also called Jane a friend, which was... quite refreshing. She finished her explanation with a rather ominous conclusion. She then said something to Ash after tugging at her and giving a glare to the unconscious body of BE#2. After that, she got curious of the kicking noise the dude's daughter was making. Being a bat she couldn't see, Jane guessed. She violated the dude's space bubble in an attempt to get to it, and he got kinda scared. The little girl clearly didn't understand the gravity of the situation, did she? Gale and the girl conversed a little more, but Jane's attention was pulled away from that conversation to another. Ash asked if Jane wanted to knock the Renoir crony out, and Jane thought it over for a minute. "Hmm. You do it. You and Gale seem to have a lot of beef with these guys. And, uh, thanks for the help, I guess." Jane said, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly as Ash offered to, quote unquote, pull some strings. Jeez, you didn't have to do that stuff for someone you just met! Though, Jane couldn't say she wasn't happy about it. "By the way, I don't think I caught your name. I'm Jane, duh, and this is Franky." She said, lifting her right arm up to show her new friend her old friend. "Uhm. Hi?" Franky mumbled, not wanting to even be in this situation.</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Pharona quickly pulled back her hand as she was startled from the squeak that was produced from the bat girl, she soon giggled again as she realized that Angus was completely scared of this little feral girl that was currently on him. Once she was finally climbing off Angus, the man could finally relax and not have to punch the bat girl off out of pure panic that was enveloping him, however, he wasn't really ready to talk yet as being quite disturbed so the large man tried to find his happy place as Pharona continued to listen to the girl. "You don't have to worry about this big guy," patting his buzz-cut hair while speaking, "I think he still has problems after having a bad experiences with some animals recently, but I'm sure he will be fine!" She soon started to feel embarrassed as she was corrected about the bat girl actually being the host, not the parasite, it has been quite some time actually talking to someone like her. After a few moments of silence from the feral and the Gigan asking something to the other parasite, they had finally come up with a response that got Pharona out of her thought bubble. The little girl clapped her hands excitedly as she was given the permission to talk to her own kind, but she first needed to ask Angus about something. "Hey, Angus. I'm going to talk to another parasite if that is ok with you, I'm just warning you since you care all about my safety and you are always nice to me." Angus gave her only a small grunt within his mind, giving her his permission to do so, but was still quite angry at Phrona. "Uh... Ok, I would wish to speak to your sword. I mean parasite!" Pharona sheepishly said.</s>	<\|message\|>Nikolai V Lacerta A loud bang attracted Nikolai's attention, and his head snapped in the direction of its source. He weighed his curiosity against his caution, and his curiosity won. In the dark alley way that hid his form, he grabbed a pipe and scrabbled onto the roof, took a run up and started jumping rapidly from rooftop to roof top, towards the source of the loud noise. What he saw when he arrived exceeded his expectations and made him smile. A chaotic scene met his vision, with a certain group in the middle of it. A gigan holding up a man in uniform, a feral bat sticking close to her and a few others. Quite a curious bunch of others, especially for a town like little Innsmouth. But it wasn't that which made him smile, it was what Oculus had detected. "Multiple lifeforms detected." Oculus had said. Presence of multiple parasite weapons confirmed. A red reticule appeared in his vision, outlining the parasites occupying their respective hosts. Nikolai made a mental note of their appearances and what they were doing. "How convenient." He thought to himself. Within a half hour of leaving his home, he'd stumbled on several subjects differing natures, which was exactly what he needed. He wanted to study their habits, and how their parasites affected their daily lives. He was especially curious about the gigan girl, who's parasite weapon wasn't apparent. "Likely an inner organ, or at least internally based..." He observed. He would've liked to study them and ask them questions, but they were making a scene. Nikolai glared with disdain at the growing crowd. No-he couldn't walk up to them with the crowd like it was. But that was fine. Nikolai hid his presence on the rooftops instinctively, content to watch the events unfold. This was a good time to collect information.</s>
<\|description\|>Scott Thompson Gender: Male Age: 23 Birthday: December 7 Blood type: O- Height: 6'4 Weight: 170 Ibs. Likes: Fellow Black Egrets, proving himself to those who doubted him, the Canopy Kingdom and it's royal family, guns, women that are way out of his league, rock and roll music. Dislikes: Criminals, people with a lack of respect, anyone who shows him up, anything sticky. Parasite/living weapon: None. Just uses the Black Egret standard issue MP40, Luger P08, and Model 24 grenade. Appearance: Blockbusters: 1. Boom Baby - Scott throws one of his grenades after shouting "Boom baby!". Does mild amount of damage, stuns opponent for one second, and throws them back a few feet. 2. Hasta la vista, baby - A fellow Black Egret pulls up in a motorcycle and gives it to Scott before running off. Scott then drives towards his opponent and grabs them by their collar before throwing them in the air and unleashing an entire magazine from his MP40 on them. He then drives away before turning back around and crashing the motorcycle into them. Does moderate amount of damage. 3. Overkill - Scott calls in a squad of fighter planes to make five strafing runs toward his opponent. Each strafing run will also throw his enemy into the air. Does extreme amounts of damage. Bio: Scott's parents both worked for the Black Egrets, so it was only natural that he would join them himself. As soon as he turned eighteen, Scott volunteered for service. It was during his first few days at boot camp that he met his best friend Liam MacTaggart. The pair became fast friends, as they shared very similar interests and world views. The only difference between the two was their confidence. Scott often second-guessed every decision he made, even though it more-often-than-not the right decision. Liam, on the other hand, would be able to quickly figure out what needed to be done and then do it. This allowed Liam to ascend in rank with less struggle than Scott. Rumors have spread from the intelligence division of the Black Egrets that the Skull Heart might have resurfaced. Seeing this as the perfect opportunity for them to gain recognition among the higher-ups, if the rumors are true of course, Scott has talked Liam into teaming up to search for the weapon of mass destruction. Currently, both Liam and Scott are the Black Egret's equivalent to the rank of Sergeant. While Scott is single, he helped play wingman for Liam several months ago and is proud to have helped his friend meet the woman that Liam now calls his fiancée.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk "We may go into New Meridian," Gale answered solemnly, nibbling on a few of the grains and crushing them between her fangs with ease. "Flowers are her favorite thing, I'm not going to restrict her from going there just because I don't like it," she thought, scolding herself for her selfishness. She raised the bowl to her face and licked the rest of the rice out of it. She definitely lacked proper dinner etiquette. "Oh," Gale squeaked, looking up at the new girl. Sensing she wasn't quite as dangerous as some of the residents in Little Innsmouth, she nodded in a timid manner. "Y-You can join us," she finally replied, scooting over as close as possible to Ash. "There, you can sit properly and not feel squished," she added, burying her face in the Gigan's sleeve.</s> <\|message\|>Jane Vermilion Jane responds to the outgoing girl's smile with one of her own. It was quite nice of her to allow some stranger to eat with them, Jane probably would have straight up turned her away. The gigan then asked of her name, and she replied with a simple "Jane." without offering her hand, so she could hide Franky. The feral stuttered and made room for Jane to sit, now pressing herself against the other girl, probably out of social anxiety. Yup, definitely making out on the side or something. Anyways, these gals were pretty cool, nothing like the assholes at school. These two would probably be the only two she wouldn't beat the crap out of. Heck she'd probably protect the feral girl, though judging by the size and sharpness of her fangs, she might not need it. The gigan definitely didn't need it though, massive, strong, and proficient in rifles? Hell yeah. Jane seated herself next to the feral girl and set down her meal, slurping down some deliciously salty noodles. "Mmph." She moaned. "Oh god this stuff is so good." She said in between mouthfuls of noodle. She washed it down with some bitter tea. "I see why you ate all your food in, like, a second." She laughed, playfully elbowing her new friend as gentle as she could, which was a little less then gentle considering her hobbies. "Anyways, seriously, thanks for letting me join you. Is it cool if I ask how you two met?" She asked, before sipping some tea and shifting a little in her seat out of discomfort. She hated being seated for to long, made her butt itch like hell. She wondered how Franky felt cooped up like that all day? She'd probably take her gloves off on the way home, she wouldn't get caught, it'd be cool.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale nodded at her and was surprisingly pleased that the girl had came over to sit. She wasn't Medici scum or anything else that might come off as irritating to Gale, so she definitely already liked her. "The food in Little Innsmouth is kind of amazing," Gale remarked in a soft tone, picking some of the rice out of her gleaming white teeth. Rice was good, but when it was stuck in your teeth, it could prove to be quite irritating. "Oh, by the by, I'm Gale Nathbakk," she added, relaxing and scooting a few inches away from Ash. "You're not a baby, Gale, don't cling," she thought, annoyed by her bad habits. Ash had protected her for years, and she had done the same for her, but there was no reason to be so tense and protective at the moment. It wasn't like Jane was going to murder them in cold blood. As Jane popped the question regarding how she and Ash met, Gale's ears flattened and her mouth shifted into a tight, thin line. "Well, my family took her in when we were younger. To be honest, I don't know much about her past, but I do not think one's history matters so long as they are a good person," she explained briefly, making sure to not go any deeper about her family. "In this case, she's actually a good Gigan," she added, tugging on Ash's sleeve.</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scott and Liam walked out of one the many buildings that made up the Black Egret HQ, Scott still trying to convince Liam of the "great idea" that he had come up with. "I'm telling you, think of the benefits if we do this," Scott said. "You're still going on about that? I told you I'm not getting involved. How did you even get this information, anyway?" Liam replied. "You know that one chick in Strategic Intelligence? With the red hair and glasses." "Her? Dude, she's infamous for telling wild stories just to gain attention. How do you know she's telling the truth?" "'Cause I promised her that we'd go on a date. No way a girl like that would give false information with that kind of a deal. Now I just got to think up an excuse of why I can't go." "Dude, you're not standing her up. I know you. You're going to go anyway, even if you have a horrible time. You'd never be cold enough to stand a girl up. But we're getting off topic here. Finding the Skull Heart? That's way out of our league." "Shh, man. We don't want anyone else getting in on this. Anyway, we've dealt with stuff way out of our league before." The two entered a taxi and had the driver take them Liam's favorite diner, located all the way out in Little Innsmouth. "Gaining the courage to ask a perfect ten out, is a lot different then taking on a monster, Scott. And for nothing but a promotion?" "Fine, if you won't do it for the promotion, then do it for the kingdom. How many lives do you think will be lost if we don't find it, Liam? Heck man, if not for the kingdom, then do it for your family." The two Black Egret troops sat in silence for the rest of the trip. When the car finally stopped at the diner, Liam opened the door, stepped out, stopped, and turned to Scott. "Alright, I'll do it. What's the first step?" Liam said. "First things first, Liam," Scott said as he exited the cab as well. "Food!" he shouted, pointing at the entrance of the diner. The two soldiers entered the diner, taking a seat at a table not too far from where three young girls; a human, a feral, and a gigan; were sitting. For the most part, Liam and Scott were still in uniform, minus their helmets which were strapped to their belts, so anyone could take one look at them and know who they worked for.</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash perks up, having been absent mindedly eating for Gale's explanation "Yeah, although I've never really met another Gigan myself, I've mostly been around Ferals and Elves," the Gigan explains "I think I've never actually seen a fellow Gigan before."</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale nodded before wrinkling her nose, the sudden smell of new people within the restaurant causing her stomach to do flips. She bit her purple lower lip and tugged on her bat ears angrily. "That smells like..." she snarled to herself, tapping her nails on the table almost in a frenzied manner. "That can't be!" she screeched angrily inside of her head, feeling like she was about to go over the edge. It was the exact same smell from so long ago, the exact same one. He knocked, she opened, her parents were dead, he said. "It's...city scum," she growled harshly, ripping her bandana off so that she could direct her red pupil in the newcomers' exact direction. Though she was blind, the restaurant was already mapped out in her mind, and due to how long she'd been here to experience the obstacles, the obstacles around her had already been mapped as well. These two entering the area stuck out like a pair of sore thumbs to her, so it was easy to pinpoint where in the room they were. "Ash," she hissed, almost clawing at her friend's shirt sleeve, "we have company." Gale took another sniff as her blind eyes stared at the door for a few moments, flattening her ears just like before. "Not only is it city scum," she began silently, "but they're Egrets. That smell is all too familiar, I know who they are." As she struggled to contain her contempt, a soft voice echoed inside her head, "Your blood is boiling." That was a voice she hadn't heard in a few days. "Brandy, is that you?" she wondered, smoothing her purple pompadour as she did so. "It's me," he replied back in a monotonous tone, filling her head with a jarring static. "Don't do that static noise, it's hurting my ears," she snapped through her mind, to which the sword responded by turning down the noise. "Now?" it questioned, and she visibly winced as the weapon's connections became almost overwhelming. "Stop!" she ordered, and Brandy obeyed. "Not yet, I can't rush out right now," she explained, feeling bad for how rude her last remark sounded. "I'll be here," it replied calmly, the static growing softer and softer. "Sorry for the noise," it replied in an apologetic but soothing tone. Gale had relaxed a bit hearing her weapon's reassurance of its presence, but she had most certainly not forgotten what riled her up in the first place. She had to think of a way to chase them out, but this was not her family's house from all those years ago in which they chased out whomever they pleased. No, it'd probably be much more complicated than that.</s> <\|message\|>Juno Bernstein "WE ARE BEING WATCHED." "Shush Marionette, no one could really see us, or even bother to look up." Reaching the alleyway, she quickly slid down a fire escape ladder to the pavement below, landing just behind the couple with nary a sound. It helps that the din from the main road still reached here, masking any noise her good leather shoes made. Taking out one of those expandable police baton from her belt, Juno walked leisurely to the bodyguard's back, and gave him a solid whack on the nape with the baton. The lady looked upon her bodyguard collapsing with surprise, barely able to register that he had collapsed, before she too was knocked out cold. Juno raised her baton for a moment, eyeing the both of them to make sure they were really unconscious. Satisfied that it was so, she started rummaging through their person. Judging from that man, he would have given her a fair amount of trouble had he put up a fight; more trouble than the mugging was worth. "And done. We can't have the steak-" "WHY WON'T YOU LET ME EAT STEAK?" came Marionette's muffled voice from the bandaged hand. "-but we certainly can have the cheesecake in one of the cafe nearby." "THAT PLEASES ME."</s>	<\|message\|>Scott Thompson As Scott and Liam waited for the waitress to return to take their orders, Scott noticed through his peripheral vision that one of the other diners was staring at the two of them. He started searching through the several pouches on his uniform and pulled out three t-shirts, each with the Black Egret logo on them, and leaned over to the girls. "Here ya go, miss," he said as he placed the shirts on the corner of their table. Usually, just giving citizens a souvenir would get admirers to stop gawking at him. He didn't give enough attention to the girl to notice that her look was not of admiration, but of hate. Liam hadn't even noticed the other diners though as he was paying too much attention to the menu, something Scott always found strange since Liam always ordered the same thing every time. "Alright, Scott. Seriously, what's the plan?" Liam said without even looking up from the menu. "Plan? We don't need a plan. We're us. We just wait for more information. Keep our ears to the ground and all that. I'm sure we'll find a lead or something soon," Scott responded. Liam sighed with disappointment. "You know what's going to happen if you don't come up with a plan. You'll start second-guessing yourself at the most inopportune time and our chance will pass us by." "Well do you have anything in mind? All we have to go on is confirmation of its existence." Liam gave Scott a questioning look that said everything Liam was thinking: "Confirmation? Really?" "Fine, not exact confirmation, but my point still stands. You can't think of anything better." Liam sighed in defeat before rising out of his seat a bit to look for the waitress. Scott did the same. Still, neither seemed to notice the enraged teenager only a table away from them.</s>
<\|description\|>Scott Thompson Gender: Male Age: 23 Birthday: December 7 Blood type: O- Height: 6'4 Weight: 170 Ibs. Likes: Fellow Black Egrets, proving himself to those who doubted him, the Canopy Kingdom and it's royal family, guns, women that are way out of his league, rock and roll music. Dislikes: Criminals, people with a lack of respect, anyone who shows him up, anything sticky. Parasite/living weapon: None. Just uses the Black Egret standard issue MP40, Luger P08, and Model 24 grenade. Appearance: Blockbusters: 1. Boom Baby - Scott throws one of his grenades after shouting "Boom baby!". Does mild amount of damage, stuns opponent for one second, and throws them back a few feet. 2. Hasta la vista, baby - A fellow Black Egret pulls up in a motorcycle and gives it to Scott before running off. Scott then drives towards his opponent and grabs them by their collar before throwing them in the air and unleashing an entire magazine from his MP40 on them. He then drives away before turning back around and crashing the motorcycle into them. Does moderate amount of damage. 3. Overkill - Scott calls in a squad of fighter planes to make five strafing runs toward his opponent. Each strafing run will also throw his enemy into the air. Does extreme amounts of damage. Bio: Scott's parents both worked for the Black Egrets, so it was only natural that he would join them himself. As soon as he turned eighteen, Scott volunteered for service. It was during his first few days at boot camp that he met his best friend Liam MacTaggart. The pair became fast friends, as they shared very similar interests and world views. The only difference between the two was their confidence. Scott often second-guessed every decision he made, even though it more-often-than-not the right decision. Liam, on the other hand, would be able to quickly figure out what needed to be done and then do it. This allowed Liam to ascend in rank with less struggle than Scott. Rumors have spread from the intelligence division of the Black Egrets that the Skull Heart might have resurfaced. Seeing this as the perfect opportunity for them to gain recognition among the higher-ups, if the rumors are true of course, Scott has talked Liam into teaming up to search for the weapon of mass destruction. Currently, both Liam and Scott are the Black Egret's equivalent to the rank of Sergeant. While Scott is single, he helped play wingman for Liam several months ago and is proud to have helped his friend meet the woman that Liam now calls his fiancée.</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash perks up, having been absent mindedly eating for Gale's explanation "Yeah, although I've never really met another Gigan myself, I've mostly been around Ferals and Elves," the Gigan explains "I think I've never actually seen a fellow Gigan before."</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale nodded before wrinkling her nose, the sudden smell of new people within the restaurant causing her stomach to do flips. She bit her purple lower lip and tugged on her bat ears angrily. "That smells like..." she snarled to herself, tapping her nails on the table almost in a frenzied manner. "That can't be!" she screeched angrily inside of her head, feeling like she was about to go over the edge. It was the exact same smell from so long ago, the exact same one. He knocked, she opened, her parents were dead, he said. "It's...city scum," she growled harshly, ripping her bandana off so that she could direct her red pupil in the newcomers' exact direction. Though she was blind, the restaurant was already mapped out in her mind, and due to how long she'd been here to experience the obstacles, the obstacles around her had already been mapped as well. These two entering the area stuck out like a pair of sore thumbs to her, so it was easy to pinpoint where in the room they were. "Ash," she hissed, almost clawing at her friend's shirt sleeve, "we have company." Gale took another sniff as her blind eyes stared at the door for a few moments, flattening her ears just like before. "Not only is it city scum," she began silently, "but they're Egrets. That smell is all too familiar, I know who they are." As she struggled to contain her contempt, a soft voice echoed inside her head, "Your blood is boiling." That was a voice she hadn't heard in a few days. "Brandy, is that you?" she wondered, smoothing her purple pompadour as she did so. "It's me," he replied back in a monotonous tone, filling her head with a jarring static. "Don't do that static noise, it's hurting my ears," she snapped through her mind, to which the sword responded by turning down the noise. "Now?" it questioned, and she visibly winced as the weapon's connections became almost overwhelming. "Stop!" she ordered, and Brandy obeyed. "Not yet, I can't rush out right now," she explained, feeling bad for how rude her last remark sounded. "I'll be here," it replied calmly, the static growing softer and softer. "Sorry for the noise," it replied in an apologetic but soothing tone. Gale had relaxed a bit hearing her weapon's reassurance of its presence, but she had most certainly not forgotten what riled her up in the first place. She had to think of a way to chase them out, but this was not her family's house from all those years ago in which they chased out whomever they pleased. No, it'd probably be much more complicated than that.</s> <\|message\|>Juno Bernstein "WE ARE BEING WATCHED." "Shush Marionette, no one could really see us, or even bother to look up." Reaching the alleyway, she quickly slid down a fire escape ladder to the pavement below, landing just behind the couple with nary a sound. It helps that the din from the main road still reached here, masking any noise her good leather shoes made. Taking out one of those expandable police baton from her belt, Juno walked leisurely to the bodyguard's back, and gave him a solid whack on the nape with the baton. The lady looked upon her bodyguard collapsing with surprise, barely able to register that he had collapsed, before she too was knocked out cold. Juno raised her baton for a moment, eyeing the both of them to make sure they were really unconscious. Satisfied that it was so, she started rummaging through their person. Judging from that man, he would have given her a fair amount of trouble had he put up a fight; more trouble than the mugging was worth. "And done. We can't have the steak-" "WHY WON'T YOU LET ME EAT STEAK?" came Marionette's muffled voice from the bandaged hand. "-but we certainly can have the cheesecake in one of the cafe nearby." "THAT PLEASES ME."</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson As Scott and Liam waited for the waitress to return to take their orders, Scott noticed through his peripheral vision that one of the other diners was staring at the two of them. He started searching through the several pouches on his uniform and pulled out three t-shirts, each with the Black Egret logo on them, and leaned over to the girls. "Here ya go, miss," he said as he placed the shirts on the corner of their table. Usually, just giving citizens a souvenir would get admirers to stop gawking at him. He didn't give enough attention to the girl to notice that her look was not of admiration, but of hate. Liam hadn't even noticed the other diners though as he was paying too much attention to the menu, something Scott always found strange since Liam always ordered the same thing every time. "Alright, Scott. Seriously, what's the plan?" Liam said without even looking up from the menu. "Plan? We don't need a plan. We're us. We just wait for more information. Keep our ears to the ground and all that. I'm sure we'll find a lead or something soon," Scott responded. Liam sighed with disappointment. "You know what's going to happen if you don't come up with a plan. You'll start second-guessing yourself at the most inopportune time and our chance will pass us by." "Well do you have anything in mind? All we have to go on is confirmation of its existence." Liam gave Scott a questioning look that said everything Liam was thinking: "Confirmation? Really?" "Fine, not exact confirmation, but my point still stands. You can't think of anything better." Liam sighed in defeat before rising out of his seat a bit to look for the waitress. Scott did the same. Still, neither seemed to notice the enraged teenager only a table away from them.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk In that very moment, something snapped inside of Gale. "A t-shirt," she echoed in her mind, her entire body filling with a surreal rage. That deafening static had returned, indicating that Brandy Station was most certainly ready to take over. "Are you sure you want me to go on?" he whispered, and she felt her impaired eyes burning from the intense, burning light that was finding its way through her pupils. "Do it," she replied, relinquishing all control over her actions and her body to let Brandy take over. While Brandy slowly began to take control, he reached up using her delicate, thin fingers and opened her eyelids manually, revealing that her entire eye had been submerged in a ghostly yellow light. "I'll keep you safe, you just watch," he breathed softly to her despite the fact that she was too disoriented to properly reply. After he had complete control over her mind and body, he slipped the obsidian sword out of its polished sheath, pointing it directly in the Egrets' direction. "Hello, all," he announced in a voice that sounded vaguely like Gale's, but it had a twist of a garbled male voice and a roaring static accent. "On Gale's judgement, I have been commanded to take over from here," he explained to the soldiers, increasing the light coming from her wide yellow eyes to a blinding intensity. "You may leave peacefully, and I will do no harm," Brandy remarked, tilting Gale's head to the side, "but if you stay and put this girl's life in danger, I will stop your actions indefinitely. An eye for an eye." He turned to Ash and pointed the feral's free hand in her direction. "Stay put," he whispered to her, making sure that it was in a language that only her hidden parasite would understand. He adjusted his host's iron grip on the sabre's handle, raising it in the air. "And don't you dare think of using your filthy guns and tear gas on me," he snarled through her closed teeth, swiping the air with such force that it caused a surprisingly strong wind to blow in the men's direction. "An entity such as me is still affected, but I recover much faster than your average opponent. The repercussions will be great if you dare do so." Gale's being, entrapped within her own mind, watched through blind eyes and listened to her weapon's words. "Them's fighting words," she echoed through his control, causing her feminine voice to be projected through her own throat. "Please keep quiet, Gale," he warned mentally, "if you distract me at the wrong time, our lives will be in danger. Keep in mind that while I am in your body, I, too, can be killed." Curling up on the floor and hugging her knees against her chest, she slowly replied with a delicate, "Okay," to reassure him that she understood the urgency of the situation.</s>	<\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scoot and Liam were just taking a sip of the coffee the waitress had put down before them, when the bat feral from earlier stood up and began threatening them with violence. Not only that, but she showed the sure signs of having a parasite. In unison, Scott and Liam let out a disappointed sigh before taking another sip of their drinks. Scott was the first to speak. "Miss, you do realize that parasites are illegal don't you?" He pulled out a small notepad from another pouch on his uniform and began asking questions while quickly reading several pages in the notepad. "I'm just going to assume right off the bat that this parasite has not been approved by the Renoir family." Scott looked up from the notepad just to see if she had any reaction to his absolute disregard for her earlier threats. "I'm going to have to ask you a few questions ma'am. First off, I'm going to need your name. Then I need to know what type of parasite it is that you are currently hosting: natural or synthetic. And finally, I'm going to have to ask your friends if they knew of your parasite before now and if they have ones of their own." Scott closed the notepad and returned it to it's pouch. "If we can settle this without violence, I'd much appreciate it. Your actions so far will definitely get you a few years in juvie and I'd hate for them to have to send a young girl like you to prison because of your actions here today."</s>
<\|description\|>Scott Thompson Gender: Male Age: 23 Birthday: December 7 Blood type: O- Height: 6'4 Weight: 170 Ibs. Likes: Fellow Black Egrets, proving himself to those who doubted him, the Canopy Kingdom and it's royal family, guns, women that are way out of his league, rock and roll music. Dislikes: Criminals, people with a lack of respect, anyone who shows him up, anything sticky. Parasite/living weapon: None. Just uses the Black Egret standard issue MP40, Luger P08, and Model 24 grenade. Appearance: Blockbusters: 1. Boom Baby - Scott throws one of his grenades after shouting "Boom baby!". Does mild amount of damage, stuns opponent for one second, and throws them back a few feet. 2. Hasta la vista, baby - A fellow Black Egret pulls up in a motorcycle and gives it to Scott before running off. Scott then drives towards his opponent and grabs them by their collar before throwing them in the air and unleashing an entire magazine from his MP40 on them. He then drives away before turning back around and crashing the motorcycle into them. Does moderate amount of damage. 3. Overkill - Scott calls in a squad of fighter planes to make five strafing runs toward his opponent. Each strafing run will also throw his enemy into the air. Does extreme amounts of damage. Bio: Scott's parents both worked for the Black Egrets, so it was only natural that he would join them himself. As soon as he turned eighteen, Scott volunteered for service. It was during his first few days at boot camp that he met his best friend Liam MacTaggart. The pair became fast friends, as they shared very similar interests and world views. The only difference between the two was their confidence. Scott often second-guessed every decision he made, even though it more-often-than-not the right decision. Liam, on the other hand, would be able to quickly figure out what needed to be done and then do it. This allowed Liam to ascend in rank with less struggle than Scott. Rumors have spread from the intelligence division of the Black Egrets that the Skull Heart might have resurfaced. Seeing this as the perfect opportunity for them to gain recognition among the higher-ups, if the rumors are true of course, Scott has talked Liam into teaming up to search for the weapon of mass destruction. Currently, both Liam and Scott are the Black Egret's equivalent to the rank of Sergeant. While Scott is single, he helped play wingman for Liam several months ago and is proud to have helped his friend meet the woman that Liam now calls his fiancée.</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk Ash sighs, and sets her ginormous hand on Gale's head (Franky included), furrowing her brow, "Sirs, could you please just leave? I'd rather you not give her a reason to fight." she requests, lightly scratching the Feral's head in an attempt to calm her down, and Brandy Station. "Not to mention that if you arrest us, your good standing with the Medicis isn't guaranteed." Ash continues. Slowly, she shifts in place with an uneasy sigh, monitoring her surroundings. The crowd outside seems ignorant to the events unfolding within, whereas the Waitress is trying to slink into the kitchen with an disinterested frown. Ash then begins to consider her options: if things were to go south, the window is just large enough for Ash to jump through; Gale included, so she could avoid the inevitable fighting in the diner. "How would a pair of normal humans fair against say, three, Parasite hosts?" Ash hints the Egrets before her, now moving onto intimidation "Assuming there are any hosts in here, of course." she adds nonchalantly, for safe measure. Ash really hates it when her lunch is interrupted by Egrets, or Police, she dislikes both of them, of course, but her tolerance is much higher than Gale's.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Gale's favorite thing that Ash did was scratching her head. She was part animal, after all, but that would not stop her. Not now, not when these soldiers dared to enter her hometown. "Ash, there is no stopping this," she voiced through all the static, "This has to happen, and you know why." With that, Gale's presence receded and let Brandy do his thing from then on. Without another word, Brandy, clearly able to work his host's body with ease, stepped forward with an unbelievable speed due to Gale's abilities and stuck the sword into the soldier's notepad, causing the tip to be about a few centimeters from the man's face. Brandy carefully brought the notepad back and tossed it into the air before flicking Gale's wrist and slicing the notebook once with what seemed to be almost a delicate force. While suspended the air, the notebook seemingly split into bits and pieces of paper before flittering like butterflies and falling to the floor. "You will not question these girls. You will not question my host. You will not even get to know what type of parasite I am," Brandy stated in a smooth yet static voice, the light from Gale's eyes growing even brighter as he stared directly into the single soldier's eyes. "H-Hey, be careful! My eyes can only handle so much power," Gale thought in a panicked tone, wincing at the pain, to which he responded, "I am well aware of your abilities, Gale. Why have you no confidence for what I do?" The sword's true wielder held his attention on the Egrets and made sure that the blinding light was making contact with their eyes. "I would take this fight outside if you decide you'd like to engage," he informed the man, tapping the small table to the right with the obsidian blade. "There's too many bystanders in here, and no one innocent needs to get hurt." With that, "Gale" glided past the two men and stood by the door, gesturing with the sabre to the scenery outside. "Shall we? It's either you leave peacefully with no damage, or you leave with broken bones and black eyes. Maybe more." - Morgann winced as the door to the cafe slowly opened and turned her head slightly, narrowing her light green eyes. "Who's that? No one comes to the cafe at this time," she fumed silently, opening her jacket and pulling out a compact mirror. She carefully opened up the compact and pulled out a small brush, pretending to apply powder to her face when she was actually aiming the mirror towards the newcomer. "Strange," she mouthed silently before snapping it shut, taking off her hat, and dropping the mirror back into its shadowy depths. She wriggled her fingers at the jacket in a playful manner before opening it and reaching in, feeling around for her tommy gun and exhaled with confident relief when she caught it by the handle. "It never hurt to be prepared," she said to herself, tipping her hat forwards. During her contemplation on the possibility that she might be attacked, her thoughts were interrupted by the young man from earlier, silently and clumsily slipping her coffee onto the table. Before she could say thank you, his shaky hand let go of the coffee, and the burning liquid splashed all over Morgann's coat. The magician quickly clasped her suit against her body despite the fiery liquid coating the outfit and winced as a monstrous roar came from within it, finding herself struggling to keep the suit from leaping off of her. "M-Ma'am?" the boy whimpered, quickly cleaning up the coffee off the table with his dish rag. "No, no, it's alright, the spill is fine," she soothed, waving her hand at him in a nonchalant manner. "N-No, your coat, it made a noise!" he cried, covering his face. "Hm? No, that wasn't my coat, dear. Have you ever been to Cirque des Cartes?" she questioned, adjusting one of her gleaming white gloves. "O-Oh, are you...the magician from the circus? The magician? Morgann Lacroix?" he asked, his shyness suddenly dissipating as she nodded at his question and plastered a fake smile onto her face. "Oh my God, I'm going to get you another coffee! It's on the house!" he shouted, beginning to run off. As he took off, Morgann pulled out her wand and wriggled her skinny fingers once more, shoving them into her jacket before pulling out a small piranha. Twirling her wand a few times, she sent the fanged fish flying via telekinesis into the back pocket of the boy's apron. "Lousy kid, spilling all that coffee on poor Magnolia," she cooed, stroking the jacket's sleeve to which the entire suit seemed to clasp itself against her and calm down just as it had before. The coffee stains seemed to have been absorbed into the lavish white fabric, and Morgann found herself busy with her own thoughts despite the bus boy's cries of fear from the kitchen.</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scott groaned as pieces of his notebook fell around him. He turned back to Liam and approached the table they'd originally been sitting at. They began whispering to keep the girls from listening, but the action would be futile for anyone with beyond-normal human hearing. "I just wanted to get something to eat," Scott complained. Liam mouthed the words, "Me too," but didn't actually say anything. "So, what're we gonna to do?" Scott asked. "Well we can't just leave them, they're now officially perps. Owning parasites, threatening government employees, et cetera. I really don't want to get in a fight right now, especially with these overwhelming odds, but we got a job to do," Liam responded. "Yeah, I know," Scott let out a sigh, "Alright, I'll lead them outside and watch them, you go get some distance and call for backup. Fast." Scott turned back to the three delinquents as Liam got out of the booth and stepped out the door. Scott reflexively moved his hand to reach for his MP40. He stopped soon after starting the movement though. Sure they were parasite hosts and would probably tear him apart in the next few seconds, but they were still minors, or at least appeared to be, and there was no way he was going to shoot a bunch of kids. The hand that had originally been reaching for his gun now moved toward his helmet that still lay strapped to his belt. As he put on his helmet, he spoke to the three youths, "Fine, let's take this outside." In an alley next to the diner, Liam frantically called Black Egret HQ, knowing that three parasite hosts would probably be too much even for the police. "This is MacTaggart, I'm going to need support here. Fellow Black Egret Thompson and I have discovered three parasites. I repeat, three parasites. We need back-up now. Send support to these coordinates," he said before giving his location to the radio operator at base.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk Brandy smiled with Gale's gleaming bat teeth, lowering the sword. "Alright, we will indeed take this outside," he began, giving the soldier a thumbs up, "but first..." Without a second thought, he dashed forward and slammed the palm of Gale's hand onto the top of his helmet, pulling it down over his eyes before dashing outside. Throwing the door open with great force, he dashed towards Liam's direction with nothing but pure determination and malice. "If she is not pleased with you, neither am I," he began, raising the sword before Gale took over. "No casualties, only injuries," she warned Brandy before overwhelming his control, taking her small but able fist and delivering a surprisingly hard blow to the side of the soldier's head. "You're a fool," she hissed, immediately regaining her stance after throwing her entire body into the punch and beginning to deliver a flurry of speedy kicks to the backs of the soldier's knees. "How dare you both stroll into this homely town with your disgusting boots and uniforms!" Before delivering her final kick, her lithe form leaped forward and snatched the communications device, delivering a final kick with the very tip of her boots to his shin before landing with a flap of her small ebony wings. Tossing it to the ground, she took the heel of her boot and smashed it, clearly not phased by the sparks and the static coming from the dying speaker. "You think calling for your friends will help you?" she demanded, walking over and raising the sabre like before as her voice took on another static tone. "I have friends too, you idiot, and we'll just have another shoot out like the police and the Egrets did so long ago." As she finished her line, she grabbed his shirt's collar with a powerful grip. "We'll have a shoot out, alright," she whispered, staring into his eyes as her red pupils came back and she kept the excruciatingly bright light flowing, "but a Nathbakk will not be the one who dies. You will." Giving him a toothy, rather batty smile, she tightened her grip on him and began to drag him out of the alley before Brandy overwhelmed her, slinging him around to the front of the feral's blind view. "While I cannot see out of my user's eyes," he began, raising the sword like before, "I can certainly tell when one is running or desperately trying to escape." He crouched beside the man and put his host's small arm around his shoulders, hugging him tight, "No funny movements!" He immediately let him go before stopping and turning to deliver a powerful kick directly to his ribcage. "Remember, I can hear everything," he snarled, turning his back and ignoring the crowd that had come to spectate.</s>	<\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scott hadn't shown it earlier, but he was a bit angry when the girls suggested leaving them alone. He was many things, but crooked was definitely not one of them. When the bat feral pulled his helmet over his eyes, he become absolutely frustrated. Running after her and finding her beating Liam though? Now he was furious. Scott looked down worriedly at his friend, before looking back up at the perpetrator of the beating with more rage than he had ever shown before. If it wasn't for the helmet hiding his emotions, the look he gave probably would have scared most the innocent onlookers away. His reluctance to pull out his gun and turn the girl into Swiss Cheese was nearly gone, the only thing keeping him from doing that now was the amount of innocent bystanders that stood behind her. One of the first rules of shooting: know your backstop. So he charged at parasite host, hoping to knock her down with his shoulder and tackle her. He needed to end this quickly before anyone else was hurt.</s>
<\|description\|>Scott Thompson Gender: Male Age: 23 Birthday: December 7 Blood type: O- Height: 6'4 Weight: 170 Ibs. Likes: Fellow Black Egrets, proving himself to those who doubted him, the Canopy Kingdom and it's royal family, guns, women that are way out of his league, rock and roll music. Dislikes: Criminals, people with a lack of respect, anyone who shows him up, anything sticky. Parasite/living weapon: None. Just uses the Black Egret standard issue MP40, Luger P08, and Model 24 grenade. Appearance: Blockbusters: 1. Boom Baby - Scott throws one of his grenades after shouting "Boom baby!". Does mild amount of damage, stuns opponent for one second, and throws them back a few feet. 2. Hasta la vista, baby - A fellow Black Egret pulls up in a motorcycle and gives it to Scott before running off. Scott then drives towards his opponent and grabs them by their collar before throwing them in the air and unleashing an entire magazine from his MP40 on them. He then drives away before turning back around and crashing the motorcycle into them. Does moderate amount of damage. 3. Overkill - Scott calls in a squad of fighter planes to make five strafing runs toward his opponent. Each strafing run will also throw his enemy into the air. Does extreme amounts of damage. Bio: Scott's parents both worked for the Black Egrets, so it was only natural that he would join them himself. As soon as he turned eighteen, Scott volunteered for service. It was during his first few days at boot camp that he met his best friend Liam MacTaggart. The pair became fast friends, as they shared very similar interests and world views. The only difference between the two was their confidence. Scott often second-guessed every decision he made, even though it more-often-than-not the right decision. Liam, on the other hand, would be able to quickly figure out what needed to be done and then do it. This allowed Liam to ascend in rank with less struggle than Scott. Rumors have spread from the intelligence division of the Black Egrets that the Skull Heart might have resurfaced. Seeing this as the perfect opportunity for them to gain recognition among the higher-ups, if the rumors are true of course, Scott has talked Liam into teaming up to search for the weapon of mass destruction. Currently, both Liam and Scott are the Black Egret's equivalent to the rank of Sergeant. While Scott is single, he helped play wingman for Liam several months ago and is proud to have helped his friend meet the woman that Liam now calls his fiancée.</s> <\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scott hadn't shown it earlier, but he was a bit angry when the girls suggested leaving them alone. He was many things, but crooked was definitely not one of them. When the bat feral pulled his helmet over his eyes, he become absolutely frustrated. Running after her and finding her beating Liam though? Now he was furious. Scott looked down worriedly at his friend, before looking back up at the perpetrator of the beating with more rage than he had ever shown before. If it wasn't for the helmet hiding his emotions, the look he gave probably would have scared most the innocent onlookers away. His reluctance to pull out his gun and turn the girl into Swiss Cheese was nearly gone, the only thing keeping him from doing that now was the amount of innocent bystanders that stood behind her. One of the first rules of shooting: know your backstop. So he charged at parasite host, hoping to knock her down with his shoulder and tackle her. He needed to end this quickly before anyone else was hurt.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk "What an uncoordinated attack," Gale thought, listening as the steps came closer and closer to her body. "Grab him, Brandy," she whispered, raising a hand to smooth her purple pompadour. "Right, no casualties, just injuries," he responded, and waited for the soldier's charge before nimbly stepping out of the way and chasing after him with that same speed that the Nathbakks were known for before hooking the feral's weak arms around his waist and digging her claw-like nails into his sides. "You think such an attack like that will work?" he growled, and after a few moments of struggling to do so, raised him over Gale's back and began to bend him with ease. "Bat Breaker, huh?" she thought, raising an eyebrow. "My last wielder was killed by your army of fools!" Brandy screeched, bending the soldier's body as far as it would go with difficulty. "You killed an innocent family and many others! Have you no shame?!" he screamed before tossing him to the ground, rubbing one of the feral's delicate arms a few moments after. "That was a bit too much," she wheezed silently, feeling the exhaustion wash over her tiny body. "My legs can handle those kicks, but my arms can't handle his weight." Standing up straight, Brandy continued to wield his sword while panting quietly, refraining from speaking. "I'm sorry, Gale, but you're just not strong enough to do what I'd like," Brandy informed her. "You'll have to rest now before you can do anything that strenuous."</s> <\|message\|>Dontores Allorè As he sailed through the air, Dontores had plenty of time to reflect on his decisions. He had the time to, but he didn't. He had more time as Nuul floated after Dontores and charged a blast of pure darkness to launch at him, but again he didn't. He was given more time when he had almost reached the street and the orb of darkness detonated and sent him flying backwards before he hit the ground. He sailed through a window of some description, glass shattering from the impact. Momentum carried him forward as his head collided with some unfortunate person's body and knocked them to the ground. How bothersome. He thought. Time came back to normal speed as he fell to the ground and the Grimoire floated slowly through the window. "Have you learnt your lesson yet, my der boy?" He said. "No." He replied, not bothering to get up. "I didn't expect so." Nuul said smugly, "But I suppose you will learn in time." The Grimoire floated to Dontores' body and floated into his open left hand, suddenly clutching it as he settled into place. His left arm rose of his own volition and he was slowly pulled upright by the left side of his body. So annoying. Dontores thought. He looked at his surroundings, noticing he was actually in a cafe of some description. Oh, this is nice, He thought, I was getting hungry. He walked over the prone body of the person he had knocked over, noticing she was rather short, among other unusual things. He looked over to the right, and saw a person in uniform also on the ground. Perhaps they had been brawling? It didn't matter so much. He walked over to the counter, a shocked cashier at the register. "I want something cheap and filling." Dontores said, "What would you recommend?"</s> <\|message\|>Ash Nathbakk There's a sudden burst, a volatile explosion of glass, the clear translucent shards of shrapnel raining down on the gruesome scene, as Ash buries her foot in layered brick that's now beneath her. She says nothing when her machete leaves its sheath--and with only a quick flash of steel as prior warning--impales the ground in front of Scott. Like an erect wall, it remains stationary when Scott runs into its reflective surface, and once Scott can regain his senses, he's hoisted skyward, fourteen feet above the ground. "Will you stop fighting? Please?" Ash begs, the hefty barrel of her cannon prodding at the Egret's stomach. "It's not like I wanted to fight, Gale just has... Anger issues." the Gigan explains all too casually; grimacing with each attack Gale dishes out in the backdrop. The longer it takes for Scott to respond, the tighter Ash's grip becomes, her claws slowly invading his armor, making quick work of any protection that's barring Scott from Ash's Gigantian strength. "If you don't, I can't really guarantee your safety, it's not like I haven't killed people before." Ash adds. Twenty feet from the epicenter of the battle taking place, a ring begins to form as humans, Ferals, Elves, people of all sort begin to take interest in the rather one sided battle. "You know we're Medici back breakers, right?"</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk "That term can be used metaphorically or literally," Gale commented as she scurried up Ash's shoulder and sat flat on her behind, holding her sabre close to her chest. "Why did I let Brandy do that?" she wondered, tilting her head skyward and staring up at the twilight sky as the moon began to come out of hiding. Her thin line of a mouth slowly morphed into a frown as she realized she had lost her temper yet again. "This is becoming an issue," she sighed, chewing on one of her sharp nails, "it's all this repressed emotion from a few years ago." She looked over at Ash and let her head hang low, feeling ashamed. "I wanted to take Ash out for dinner because that's what she wanted, and then I went and did this," she thought, beginning to analyze the predicament that the team was now in. "Man, I'm a terrible partner," she groaned, tugging at a few loose strands of her purple hair. "I didn't need Brandy for this even," she thought sadly, slipping the sword into its dark sheath. "That could have been overkill, I just wasn't thinking..." What was she doing? This was no time for for feeling ashamed or sad, it was action time. "I can do that when we get home after Ash either scolds me or gives me that one sad look to convey disappointment." For now, she would sit and wait for what was to come. The time for fighting, at least for Gale, had passed, and there was no longer a reason to keep going. "He called reinforcements," Gale remarked grimly, staring at the crowd around the spectacle. "I've no idea what exactly we are going to do about that."</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Angus did not really expect the day that some random parasite that had attached to his face and stole apart of his brain to be surpassed as the most interesting day of his life. At this current moment, he witnessed some random Feral attack some Egret and looked like she was about to break their spine, until some Gigan out of nowhere crashed the entire battle and seemed like they were about to get in some one-sided fight. He looked around the crowd of people surrounding this event and realized if this got messy, a lot of people could get hurt, and that would be bad as it seemed these people could do a lot of damage. Geez, all Angus wanted to do was to get some groceries... You know, usually when he tries to get groceries, something strange happens to him. Last week, he was attacked by some rabid raccoons and he couldn't even fight back as he was trying to protect Pharona from the sharp claws and teeth. Angus suddenly perked up as Pharona was trying to tell him something inside of his mind. "I think those two are parasites... I haven't seen one infect a Gigan in some time... I think we should talk to them after this whole thing is over with." "Talk to them!? I don't think so, it looks like the Feral one looks quite unstable and the Gigan looks a bit menacing. I'm also a bit afraid that Feral might attack me or something also, those raccoons did really hurt and a Feral would probably hurt more!" Angus exclaimed inside of his mind, however, Pharona was no longer listening to the worried Angus as she was looking onto the spectacle that was developing. Angus on the other hand was worrying that one of the two apparent parasites might sense her also and might accidentally rat her out to the Egrets! Pharona's safety was too great to risk for Angus, and he tried moving to get away from the crowd, but he couldn't move... PHARONA! She was now taking complete control over the body, forcing him to stay in place and keep on watching. She was ready if things got physical, but it seemed like the Feral was starting to calm down as she scurried up the large lady's shoulders... Just like she does! One thing that Pharona knew is that she needed to talk to these new parasites, mainly just out of curiosity as she hasn't talked face to face with one in quite some time.</s>	<\|message\|>Scott Thompson Scott struggled under the Gigan girl's grip. He had to get out and fight back. He was willing to die for the safety of the Canopy Kingdom, but there was no way he'd die without putting up more of a fight. The Gigan mentioned something about the Medici Family, to which Scott replied, "You think I care about what criminal scum you work for? All you've done is dig yourself in a bigger hole. Threatening and assaulting a Black Egret, resisting arrest, affiliation with a known gang, hosting illegal parasites, and those are just a few of the charges you'll be hearing during your trial." Scott still couldn't get out the Gigan's grip. He looked down at Liam who laid unconscious down below. In a few hours, Scott would probably be making fun of him for getting his ass kicked by a girl. At that moment though, all he could think of was getting down there to help his friend. "So, what happens next is completely up to you. I'd suggest making it easy on yourselves and turning yourselves in. While I highly doubt you'd go for that idea, I'd like to point out that you are, or at least appear to be, minors, so you'd only go to juvie and not prison. Also, we could easily blame a lot of your behavior on your parasites, that'll shave a few years off your sentence. I do believe it's a much more desirable offer than being on the run for the rest of your lives. After all that's happened here, you can bet you won't just walk away without any consequences."</s>
<\|description\|>Angus de Barra Gender: Male Age: 35 Birthday: February 29 Blood Type : B- Height: 8'2" Weight: 398 lbs Measurements: I have no idea how this part works. Likes: Exercising, Horses, Large hats, Text books, Non-fiction books, Vegtables, Working, Pharona Dislikes: Cosmetics, Scratchy clothing, Candy, Cars, Explosions, Fire Parasite/Living Weapon: Pharona: A Remote Parasite that forms itself as a little girl on top of the giant, she stole part of Angus's brain to bond with each other. Pharona must keep constant contact to the head at all times, it can be touched from any point of the small body, but Pharona prefers to sit on Angus's shoulders as it is much more comfortable for her body. For being able to live on his shoulders and feeding her, she is able to give the body an immense amount of growth and muscle generation once combined and making the body extremely agile and flexible making his size deceptive for opponents. She controls Angus's body completely, but Angus can have control of his own body whenever the two aren't fighting. If they would ever be inside of a fight, Pharona and Angus switch between controls to do rather devastating combos. Apperance: Biography: Living inside of the Canopy Kingdom, he was always a rather large kid when growing up through his life. However, it wasn't the muscles that made him large, it was actually his fat that made him so big. An easy target for kids to laugh at him at a young age, Angus tried everything to make him lose weight from weight loss pills to becoming a vegan. However, nothing worked for him making the ridiculed boy depressed for several years, even dropping out of school. When he reached the age of eighteen, his parents as a last ditch attempt to get him out of his depression as nothing seemed to be working, his own personal gym. They set up the rather expensive home gym just for their son and tried to push him to get out of his deep depression. He never used it, making his parents give up on trying to get him to leave his deep sadness. Leaving the house to figure out if they could return the home gym, they were involved inside of a fatal car accident by a random drunk driver hitting them from the side, instantly killing both of his parents. After hearing the news, Angus had decided to use the home gym in honor of his parents and not letting their lives go to waste. Several years later, Angus is now 25 with his birthday the next day, he was a changed man. The fat that had been retained had become slimier, but it still remained under the fat. However, under that fat was pure muscle that made him able to lift and carry most things than any regular person could ever hold! Later in the day, he was outside ready to get some groceries to celebrate his birthday until in the corner of his eyes saw something stir the trashcans. Curiosity gripped the man, and he peeked his head around the corner to find two large men wearing suits stuffing something that was muffled and squirming into the bag. He immediately knew what to do, grabbing a nearby trashcan lid, Angus quickly threw the disc towards one of the men to hit one directly in the head, immediately knocking the fiend out. The other man, quickly realizing what was happening pulled out his gun, and started firing upon Angus giving time for the squirming thing get out of the bag. Angus ducked behind some trash, but soon realized that the creature they were shoving into some dirty bag was a little girl, and that further enticed him to punch that guy shooting at him. The loud gun shots of the pistol were soon replaced by clicks and Angus knew what to do at that point. Quickly, he ran up to the man and sucker punched that man right into the jaw, leaving his body to slam into a nearby wall and collapse. Angus was finally done with those thugs and looked upon the little girl staring at him with wide eyes, the large man was about to say something to the little girl, but she suddenly latched onto his face with surprising speed and Angus blacked out on touch. The large man soon found himself waking up on his bed, his head feeling like it was splitting into two while something else was stabbing something into his eye. Angus was thinking if that heroic act was all in his mind produced by drinking? He never drank alcohol that night, however, but when he tried to rub his head, he touched something. Angus quickly screamed, which also made his mind scream like an actual little girl. Angus looked up to see that the little girl he rescued was latched onto the back of his head... After several hours of explaining as her voice echoed through his mind, this entire thing was insane. Several days after staying inside of his house, Angus finally accepted the fact that he now had to share his body with some parasite that took apart of his brain... His life is kinda messed up at the moment. Special Attacks/Blockbusters: Iron Thighs(Level One) - If within grabbing range, Pharona commands the body to jump and grab the enemy's head between his thighs. He then squeezes his thighs together and causes moderate damage and smashes them into the ground leaving the enemy dazed for one second. Running Man(Level Two) - Angus goes into a mad dash, anyone in the path takes a large amount of damage and are thrown into the air. However, if blocked, the damage will be low but will still be thrown into the air. The Full Workout(Level Three) - Pharona and Angus control the body in sync to create a devastating combo. Angus suddenly tears out a large piece of the ground starts to smashes it against the enemy repeatedly until it is only rubble. Pharona takes control and jumps high into the air, the massive body weight speeds them down and the body points the large knees towards the enemy and directly lands on top of the person, crushing them completely.</s> <\|message\|>Jane Vermilion Jane glared as menacingly as a 15 year old girl could at the two officers as Ash tried to get them to back down. She brought up a good point, there were... wait, three? Jane guessed Ash was lying to try and get the officers to back down, but there was a possibility that she held a parasite of her own, hidden somewhere under her clothes. Gale wrestled control from Teevee for a moment to assure Ash that this needed to happen, and that she "knew why". Well, that was ominous. Teevee then took the first step in ensuring the fight, bringing the black blade very close to BE#1's face and telling him to take it outside, as to not sustain any civilian casualties. A surprisingly noble thing to do. BE#2 slipped outside without Jane herself noticing, but Franky was a little less focused on the man Jane was preparing to fight. "J-Jane!" He whisper-shouted. "That other officer i-" Before Franky could finish, Teevee stunned BE#1, slapping his helmet down like an old style cartoon, and dashed after the secondary officer now calling for back up. The movement was all very fluid, much to fast for Jane to comprehend it all. She came to her senses and ran outside right behind the officer, not daring to harm him before he was ready. She wanted a fair fight after all. He tried a running charge, a horrible idea for someone as fast as Gale, and was promptly punished for it. He was hoisted over her head and bent like a toothpick, as Teevee screamed at him that the Egrets had killed it's previous owner, presumably another Nathbakk. Clearly, this act is much to strenuous on Gale's frail small body, and Teevee is forced to simply chuck Scott off in another direction. Suddenly there is a focus shattering sound as something collides with the glass in the diner, and subsequently the bodies of the soldier and her friend. Then the man took one good look at them, and went to grab something to eat. What an odd boy. Then, Ash, thinking much quicker than Jane who, at this point had simply been watching the whole spectacle, grabbed up BE#1 and held him. She begged with him to stop the fighting, and threatened him too, trying every trick in the book. The best thing though, was that she had revealed the Nathbakk's were in league with the Medici's. Hm. Jane wasn't quite sure how she felt about that. She was hanging out with the worlds nicest criminals, beating up government officials and eating noodles. This day was getting weirder and weirder, wasn't it? Gale remarked about reinforcements, apparently they had been called. For three minors? Sure, they had parasites, and two of them were with the Medici's, but hey, that was no reason to call in a freaking tank or whatever. Scott tried to reason with them, but hey, they had already gotten this far, why stop now? Besides, she wouldn't blame this crap on Franky, he was nice and timid and not at all violent, despite aiding in her violent tendencies. "You do realize you're the one being held against your will right now, right?" Jane asked the soldier. "Oh, Mr. Officer please don't arrest me!" She joked, walking around his restrained form with a playful smile. "When do these other guys show up? I'm getting bored!" She asked Gale with a smile. Sure, they had guns, but she had fire, and two official Medici assassins on her side.</s> <\|message\|>Angus de Barra Angus struggled to move even his little pinkie toe as his body was being restricted by a sometimes annoying little parasite that can get on his nerves at time. He realized that this was one of the down sides of sharing a body and mind with someone that also has the control to completely take over his body! The large man grumbled silently inside of his mind as Pharona just giggled slightly at Angus's crankiness, she knew he meant well inside her own safety, but she likes to explore and have fun at times. Plus, she also really wanted to talk to all these parasites surrounding this place, it seemed that a strange amount was all congregating at one point and this was actually getting Pharona excited as the most exciting thing she has experienced was when she had accidentally brought upon a pack of raccoons by giving one of them food. Things only started to get better as more and more parasites continued to come all towards one point! She just couldn't hold her excitement as some book talked openly towards the rather unfortunate Egret. Angus on the other hand felt slightly sorry for the Egret, he knows that they enforce the law and maybe a bit too strictly, but they are merely doing their job and with the amount of people coming along just to make fun of him made Angus slightly angry, reminding him of his past and he knew that he needed to stop this. "Pharona... Release me. Now." The parasite was actually startled once his host made that kind of tone, she had only heard him his that tone a few times inside of his life and she would rather not have this big lug angry at her as she did genuinely like her host. "Sorry Angus," whispered Pharona as she gave control back the control of Agnus's own body. The large, built man started to gently carve a way through the crowd and into the circle of strangers that were picking on this unknown man. He stood to his full height of eight feet and two inches, everyone suddenly noticing that this man was only two feet smaller than the Gigan. Angus coughed into his hand before speaking with his rather deep voice and tried to sound as peaceful as possible. "I'm sorry to barge upon this strange gathering of interesting people and I honestly don't know on how this whole situation came to be so violent, but I would like for this whole scene to stop." Angus stated, he tried to look at everyone eye to eye, trying to convey how serious he is actually being. "We can all avoid this conflict if we just try to remain calm, and especially if the Gigan would try to unhand the man." Angus tried to look as professional and serious as possible, but he was being undermined in that tone as currently Pharona was sitting atop of his shoulders, kicking her feet slightly into the air.</s> <\|message\|>Gale Nathbakk The bat feral snorted at Jane's response before turning serious once more. Gale looked down at the new giant's general direction and slid down Ash's arm as if it was one gigantic slide, landing directly in front of him. "Listen, it can stop if he comes peacefully with us and stops trying to not only take us in, but our friend here," she explained, gesturing at Jane, "I started it, and now I'm finishing it." She looked up at him now, taking one of her nails and picking another piece of rice out of her fangs. "I've got a beef with any lapdog of Renoir's that steps foot into this town," she continued, untying her bandana and staring up at the man with her yellow impaired eyes, "for reasons that aren't easy to just forget." She walked over to Ash and tugged on her pants, listening as the Egret struggled within her Gigan partner's grip. "Ash, he's a liability now, him and that other guy both," she hissed, turning and glaring directly at the soldier's friend, "we gotta take him in and see what'll happen." The nimble feral turned her back to the giant man before curiously flicking her ears and turning around, scratching her head. "Hey, what's that kicking noise?" she questioned, pointing in his direction. "I can hear extraordinarily well, but vision is a luxury I was not born with." Wiggling her nose as she sniffed the air, she curiously crawled up his arm without haste. "Sorry, this must be incredibly awkward for you," she apologized, finally reaching his shoulder and balancing on her toes in a crouched position before gently groping at the side of his head.</s>	<\|message\|>Angus de Barra Angus almost backed away as the tiny bat girl was right only maybe a foot away from him, and he still feels slightly uncomfortable with this bat girl as now he has a sort of fear against vicious animals in general. However, the giant stood his ground, having to bend his head down to meet eye to eye with the feral. Pharona was trying to stay silent at the moment, but she was so close towards talking to this parasite and wanted to do it so badly. She sadly had to stay silent in trying to not make Angus too angry at her as she already felt bad enough making him his that tone of voice towards her. He listened onto the complaints and justifications brought upon by the feral girl and knew her own reasoning, but it was filled with too much hate that clouded her judgement. Angus looked upon her sharp fangs and shuddered on the inside, he was imaging if those fangs would ever bite down into his flesh making a humongous hole inside his body. It took him longer than it would think to get his nerves back again, as he watched the feral hiss something towards the Gigan and suddenly the small bat girl looked back at him with curious eyes. Angus got slightly confused by this and the same for Pharona as neither would really know why she would be staring at him until both of them realized that it was Pharona's kicking that attracted her. Before Angus could react, the bat girl crawled upon his arm making him immediately stiff as his worst fear of that bite might actually come true inside of his imagination and barely even noticed her groping his head, but Pharona did. The little girl upon the giant's shoulder giggled at the strange woman and quickly patted the feral's back hand with her delicate palm. She knew she was about to do something against his will, but she thought she was over-imginaging how angry Angus would towards her and the fact that this was the most opportune time to talk to her! Pharona's delicate voice filled the tense air, "Um... Hello, are you trying to look for me? And... Um... Is it true that you and the Gigan are actually parasites? Because, if you are, that is pretty cool and stuff."</s>