tricolor_mina

♫

There was dead silence for a moment... The look of pain on Ronan's face was intensified, and Jack looked at Raidou with an aghast look on his face. "You're a madman." Jack breathed, a bead of sweat dripping down his cheek. "We treated her as best as we could given the circumstances-" "Violence begets Violence, Bloodshed begets Bloodshed." Ronan said firmly, cutting off her brother as she began glaring at Raidou. "She took Declan's personal motto to heart, and does her damnedest to live by it to the best of her ability. She raged, and raged hard. And what was her reward for vengeance..? Peace of mind? a solemn thank-you from her friend..? ... Try vicious nightmares that tore up that last little bit of sunshine that we had."

"It started with a hostage situation at a hospital that, ironically, is what introduced us to her Brother. Akane was hit across the throat so hard that it irreparably damaged his vocal cords, to the point that it rendered him completely mute. If it weren't for the fact that technology was advancing so far ahead that it was easy to find a computerized replacement he would have lost his job because of that particular group. Then Del was next. We were all relaxing at a mall, going on a shopping trip. Next thing we know, some crazy fucker jumps her with a glass bottle. Violet was screaming her head off, trying to get them off of her. One trip to the hospital later, Del has scars all over her face, and is walking around with sunglasses and a cane. She had gone completely blind because one person decided that, hey, lets fuck this particular person's day up. A few days after that, someone decided to go and burn down Rosa's bakery. We thought it was just someone being hateful to someone who was doing good for the community...

And then there was the big incident, the day Declan died." Ronan paused for a moment, before laying a hand on her leg, her teeth gritted. "As it turned out, All three of the previous incidents were the actions of one particular gang that had been causing a crapton of problems for the area at the time. What had been just a simple response call, ended up resulting in a bloodbath. I was shot in the back twice, and my spinal cord was severed in two because of it. In the real world I will never be able to walk again. Declan died shielding violet from a spray of gunfire, but the poor girl was absolutely drenched in blood because of those fuckers." there was a bitter rage to her voice, as she suddenly seemed to curl in on herself. "I watched that girl die that day. She quit smiling, she quit laughing. First fucking time in the better part of 4 years I have seen her smile is in this game, and she didn't have the strength to make it genuine." Ronan's voice dropped an octave as she leaned forward towards the Wanderer.

"Tell me, Raidou, were you able to see past that mask?"

Sign language... It had been some time since the pair had seen anyone use such a thing for any particular reason. Not many players resorted to it in-game, making it a rare skill to even be used, unless the player in question used it back in the real world. 'Jack's' thoughts drifted back to how Akane had started to teach him back in the real world, right after the accident that took away his ability to hear. The flowing gestures that made his heart ache as he thought of how peaceful it was back then, how much better it had been. Meanwhile, Ronan's thoughts drifted back to Violet, and how she had been upon their first meeting. The wide-eyed girl with damaged sight that saw nothing but a bright future ahead for her. A hand drifting to her legs, she tilted her head down, the grief that came with the loss of that bright light making her heart ache painfully. Her Visage returned back to her own a few short moments later, the disguise faltering under the conflict of emotions. She glanced up at Raidou, her eyes practically dead. "Wanderer... you can't protect her from herself." she said bitterly, glancing back at the photograph on the table.

Her eyes landing on the soft smile that was on Violet's face as she was cuddled by Rosa and Declan, their smiles wide and almost gleeful. A far cry from the bitter Rage that seemed to have consumed them from the inside out after their dear friend passed away. "She'll destroy herself from the inside out, and there won't be a thing you can do about it. The bright star you see..." Ronan picked up another card from the deck, before flipping it so that Raidou could see it. The Knight of Wands, Reversed. Reckless, impulsive, impatient. "I don't believe I have to explain what this card means, no? Believing in fate or not, these cards can be used to describe someone. But I know you didn't come here to hear me blather on about that."

3 years prior to the start of SAO...

Crisis Negotiation Unit, LAPD Main compound.

"Well, according to the boss-man we got a brand new member." Ronan commented, turning to her coworker with a soft smirk. A coffee cup was clasped in her hand, a small cloud of steam billowing from it. "Apparently she was a student of my brother's, I think he told me her name was Violet..?" Her coworker smiled faintly, her hand fiddling with her cap. "Gehehe~! Padmé, she's probably gonna be some kind of kind of greenhorn that doesn't know what she's doing." the other woman chided, shaking her head. "Del, she wouldn't have been praised by him if she was a-" they opened the door, only to be greeted by a tall man with blonde hair. their boss, Declan Cian. His pale golden eyes were tired, though he had a soft smile on his face. "She's only been here a day, be gentle you two." he quipped, shaking his head. "Vi, C'mere for a sec! I got two knuckleheads you need to meet real quick."

A girl with wild, curly black hair stepped into view, looking oddly small in her uniform. Her bright red eyes were wide, and she practically seemed to cling to Declan, who ruffled her hair. "well? you gonna introduce yourself?" A small eep! of surprise echoed from the girls throat, the poor dear jumping at the sudden jab. "U-um... I-I'm Violet ____." she stuttered, a soft pink blush dusting her cheeks. "Its uh, nice to meet you two..? I-I'm looking forward to working with you..!" Padmé's eyes went wide. "Mére de Dieu, you hired a lil kid?!" Spluttered Del, the older woman blanching. Violet seemed embarrassed, the poor girl's face turning a brilliant shade of crimson. "Noooo! I'm twenty-two you big meanie! I'm just, uh.. VERTICALLY CHALLENGED!!" Declan made a face. "What did I literally Just finish saying about fucking with the newbie." "Nope, she's not a newbie now. We throw newbies on desk duty or with the other part of the force as Meter maids and you know it." "Del, Can you not?!"

"Violet was quite the welcome addition to our team.. Back then, my brother, Pavan, had left a year prior to go and teach at a Police academy in LA, where he Met Violet during her second year of training. She was smart, albeit a lil' ditzy. It was at Pavan and Rosa's suggestion that Declan hire Violet should she apply to work with us. We needed someone to replace my brother, and she had luckily majored in Crisis management and Negotiations, with a Minor in both Criminal Psychology and Profiling. She was good at it too, which made our jobs alot easier. Delilah would tease her relentlessly like any decent 'big sister' woulda, while Pavan and I simply preferred to make sure the two didn't hurt each other. Rosa and Declan would step in if actual fighting broke out, and Violet's brother, Akane, would treat any scuffs and bruises that the crew got from our little spats.

It really wasn't much, but it was a kind of family that we had struck out with. I just wish it could've stayed like that."

Violet watched as Freyd approached the cathedral, a soft smile gracing her face finally. Her eyes flashed over to her watchers, who were nodding in approval at the other man's behavior. "He's a smart man, ne?" she said dryly, shrugging. "When we're finished, make yourselves more obvious, maybe playing chess or doing something clowny?" Akane made a rude gesture at her, while Delilah burst out laughing, a wide grin on her face. "Have a sense of humor, brat. The others are with him right now." "Could you at least NOT encourage my damn sister's behavior right now???" "Gehehehe! I'm just sayin that she's not the one we oughta be worryin' over!" Violet rolled her eyes before walking down the small path towards the chapel, her smile dropping quite quickly. She didn't have time to keep semantics up, she needed to do this now.

The man's familiar, Persi seemed to cling to the walls, bathing them in wavery shadows that seemed to bend and flicker as they grew in strength. Her own familiar was with Akane at the moment, considering how hyper the lil' lady was, it wouldn't be a good idea for Violet to take her down here for this. At Freyd's comment about watching her step, violet let out a dry laugh as she positioned herself on the opposite side of the ladder, taking note of the shape of the well that laid in front of her. "See you on the other side, ne?" Violet suddenly hopped onto the well, before sticking a hand straight up into the air and jumping down it one fell swoop. the rather bland room she landed in piqued her curiousity, but it wasn't why she was here. she moved to the side, an interested look crossing her face for a brief moment before returning to the dull look she held before.

Violet let out a soft sigh, shaking her head. "It's by sheer dumb luck that you havent gifted something like this to one of the younger players, then." she said tiredly, taking another drink from her coffee. "Fear of death aside, there are still kids that try to play the game, no matter what we older players might try to do. Its painful to watch, but there's really nothing we can do." the bitterness that had only been barely present when she had originally spoken was much more pronounced now. No matter what they did, there really was no proper way you could use to actually stop the younger players from going off on their own, and getting themselves killed on accident because they weren't being as careful as they should have been.

At his comment about it being one hell of a Rabbit hole that she was about to dive headfirst into, Violet fixed him with a look. She let go of the cup to retrieve the paper that Delilah had left her, holding it up to Freyd. It read 'I've counted at least twenty names alongside his on the memorial... and I'm not sure who else is on there with his name there. Go and meet with Freyd from Firm Anima, but be careful. I'll be watching over you when you show up. <3 - Omori' 'God, the irony of being watched over by a blind woman.' Violet thought idly, shaking her head and placing the paper on the table, before speaking aloud. "I already know he's killed people, and that he's done horrible things on top of that." Violet said darkly, her fingers going white as she gripped the coffee tightly. "I want to know just how far he's been driven to go, and I want confirmation of those actions. It'd give me a bit of closure, even if it'd hurt horribly to see just how far this fucking game is driving people like him." She looked down at her hands, which were shaking slightly. The dread and anticipation in her heart was affecting her deeply.

"... And I know I won't like what you're probably about to say, but at this point I think I'm just resigned to hear whatever sins are about to be aired."

A few yards away...

Delilah was leaning against a cloth wall alongside Akane, who was wearing a disguise. Delilah was wearing her civvy clothes, not caring in the slightest if she was spotted by anyone. To literally anyone else, she was just another face in the crowd. Her claymore was strapped to her back, and she was wearing a generic set of armor to offset the elegant looking weapon. the only other thing that seemed to offset that was the fact that she had on a pair of tinted glasses, which concealed her eyes, but still let her see clearly.

What kind of watcher would she be if she just sat there blind?

Violet quietly stowed away the piece of paper in her hands, the sharp burning of her anger giving way to a more empty feeling. Freyd wasn't the reason she was angry, it wouldn't be right to take it out on him by accident. It certainly wouldn't be fair to him, when he had really been nothing but nice to her, despite the rough demeanor he put off. He did save her life on more than one occasion, after all. Violet Silently followed him to the table he had set up for the impromptu meetup. A steaming cup of coffee was offered to her, the smell invigorating to her. It made her feel slightly more alive than she had been before, a faint ember flickered in her eyes, before quickly dying as she thought about why she was here.

at his comment about what she was doing here, she looked at him with a tired look on his face. "This is... unfortunately not a visit, for pleasure.." she said quietly, her voice lacking the usual cheer she forced into it as she took a drink from the cup in her hands, the virtual warmth failing to melt away the cold that had seeped into her bones. "... I wish it wasn't necessary for me to do this, and I wish that each of you would take me seriously instead of treating me as a mere child. Maybe seeing me drop the cheery act will make you three take me seriously for once." The bitter anger was almost overpowering for a moment, forcing Violet to reel it in with a sharp sigh.

"I just... I have a few questions about Rai... Can you do me a favor and answer them for me..? It won't take long, I swear."

Angel's Point, Floor 13.
Just outside of Freyd Edges.

Violet was at a loss as she stared at the group of what appeared to be some sort of makeshift tents that were set up on the edge of the settlement. She could see players bustling around the tables that were spread out around them. A piece of paper from Delilah was clasped in her hands, her fingers almost ripping the poor sheet in two. The older woman had reached out to her to see if she was ok after the shitshow at Rikers edge... the only one other than her own brother, who had been the first one to help her. He didn't talk for a very long time after all of that, something that she understood all too well. He couldn't talk normally back home, so when he got overemotional in the game, he found himself unable to speak, and only able to make simple sounds. The note that Delilah had left had suggested that she seek out Freyd for her answers, instead of hanging around Raidou.

Something that she could understand their worry for.

Violet adjusted her mask, her gaze focused on the figure that was toiling away in his shop, the familiar look of concentration on his face. If he were to look straight out of his 'Shop', Freyd would see her standing there, paper in hand. She looked the same as she always did... except for her eyes, which were dull and dreary. Dead-Fish Eyes, as they were called. The eyes of someone who looked like they were giving up. Otherwise, she was just dressed in her typical gear, including the intricate set of armor that Freyd had gifted her for some reason. She reckoned it had been Raidou who had told him to give it to her. Her hands gripped the paper much tighter, the bitter feeling in her chest giving way to anger. It always, Always seemed to lead back to the Wanderer.

Stats & Equipment

Violet let out a groan as they all started to trudge out of the sewers, a look of irritation on her face. The dull ache of frustration bit into her, along with pent up anger over what had transpired during the very end of the Raid. Jon and Raidou had decided that they would start to bicker as though they were literal children, something that made her blood boil. It hadn't helped that She only found out last minute that Jon was going to be at the raid, and that she only found out after she had already been assigned to Firm Anima... and when she literally had no choice but to be with him. The sharp sensation of of that anger suddenly faded as Jon reached out to clasp her hand, pleading for her to come with him.

The anger swiftly gave way to simple guilt, and she clasped his hand tightly, her eyes squeezed shut. "..." she didn't respond, but she squeezed his hand tighter, moving as close as she could without tripping the blonde. She felt horrible, and she regretted letting herself get forced into being in a seperate party than him. She didn't want to leave him anymore, not like that again. She shivered a bit, before pulling her mask over her face. There was something comforting about being able to hide her facial expression from everybody else. Her emotions didn't matter right now...

... what mattered was checking that what Gabrandr had said was correct.

Stats

Violet smiled warmly, taking a bite out of the Taiyaki. The nostalgia of the situation was making this so precious. Here they were, sharing the same snack she'd shared with him upon their first meeting. He was stoic, cold... all too quiet, and far too hard to reach. Now, all it took was some gentle prodding and a smile to get him laughing and smiling like she would have never had been able to imagine him doing before. He'd grown from how he had been before, and she was proud of how far he'd come. At his comment about dancing, she simply let out a laugh, before casually taking both of his hands, her fingers lacing between his and catching them tightly. "Dancing is something I've always loved, dear" she breathed, her eyes twinkling. For someone who could be so smart at times, sometimes he really did ask silly questions.

"And heels pose no problem, after all, the game does help you out with balancing~"

Violet let out a sigh, elbowing Raidou gently in the ribs. "Rai, I'd be happy with just about anything, I thought you knew that already.." she chided softly, an amused smile on her face. "You could hand me a ring from a cracker-jack bag and I'd be happy with it, as long as it made sense for the situation... But the point I'm getting at is that you're worrying about it too much. Just take a deep breath, and look at it from a fresh perspective. Just go with the flow, and do whatever feels right!" Violet pumped her fist in the air, before opening her menu, and stowing away the chess piece, before summoning a few pieces of Taiyaki, her smile widening. She casually held one out to Raidou, a soft blush once again dusting her cheeks. The tasty treat that she had given him on their first meeting seemed to be something fitting to give to him now, when they were celebrating the bond that they formed together.

She was his star, and he was her precious fool.

Violet let out a snicker as she saw Raidou react poorly to the grilled Squid Skewers, a hand covering her mouth. "Its just street food, Grilled squid isn't that bad~" she commented, glancing at the younger man. Ikayaki was honestly a staple street food, and she vividly remembered all the festivals that happened around where she'd lived where she got to enjoy some as a snack with her family. "But, I think that this will be much better than just some plain ol' squid, ne?" Violet felt Raidou tug her in the direction of the little old lady and her small shop. She noticed Raidou picking out a small statue that resembled her beloved familiar, making her stop short for a moment... At the sheer highway Robbery.

The price tag was rather high, especially for something as small as the figurine that Raidou seemed to be planning on buying. The old woman was taking advantage of him to a degree. Violet let out a sigh as she took pity on her lover's plight, gently moving his hand away from the small figurine. "Love, I truly hope that us being on a date hasn't turned your brain off completely.." she chided softly, before pointing at a completely different carved sculpture. It was what looked like a white queen chess piece, carved expertly to resemble a miniature of the real thing. There was another chess piece sitting right next to it, this one a White King, carved in a similar manner.

Violet quirked an eyebrow at the NPC, who displayed a much more reasonable price tag of 5.000 Col per piece, a mere fraction of what Rai had been planning on buying the other statue for. "You won't have to spend so much if you looked at the simple things... I feel like this represents us both much better, no?" she said, passing over the col to the NPC, and passing him the queen piece, taking the king for herself. "There! Now we both have something that reminds us of the other!"

"heh... you certainly must be to have said that aloud, dear.." Violet had an amused look on her face, her smile widening at Raidou's admission of nervousness. It was rather endearing to see him react in such a way, such a far cry from how he typically presented himself, the ever-stoic enigma melted in her grasp... revealing the dashing, flustered man underneath the Façade. "Well... why don't we get a treat from one of the street vendors first?" she commented, nodding her head towards one of the many food stalls that littered the street, run by NPC's and players alike. Food ranging from the standard fare that was served all throughout Aincrad, to specialty dishes that were hand-crafted by players all throughout the floors. "I can see quite a few choices that might taste fantastic... though I also see a little souvenir shop that seems a bit interesting." A stall that seemed to sell various different trinket-based materials that was run by an elderly old lady NPC had caught Violet's eye, specifically the elegant little sculptures that were littering the tables there.

Violet's smile grew warmer, and she gently cupped his face with a hand, her fingers brushing his cheek. "Well you're quite the treat to look at yourself, dear.." Her deep red eyes twinkled with delight. As Raidou presented the Rose to her, she let out a soft gasp, her blush deepening slightly. "Rai, its beautiful... I love it!" Violet gingerly took the rose from Raidou, holding it up to her nose as she drank in the scent of the delicate flower, its smell near intoxicating. She gently wove the stem of the flower into her braid, allowing the flower to rest against her cheek.

Violet took the proffered hand, weaving her fingers between his. "Well, off we go it seems." she said coyly, her eyes still twinkling. Her heart was thrumming in her chest, the blush from before having faded to a soft dusting of pink that just barely colored her face. "Anything particular you have in mind, hon? Or would you like to make this up as we go?" The crowd of players were bustling around the couple, funneling through the town and off into the evening.

There was a fluttering sensation in her chest as she stepped forward, her eyes glittering with anticipation. The streets were so busy at this time of day, always bustling with players either heading out of town, or heading back for a bite to eat and something to drink. Her clothes were simple, yet still fancy enough to warrant being worn during something like this. A silky-smooth black sleeveless high-necked dress with a Pink and white jacket that was detailed with red and black roses. Dainty red heels, with black stockings detailed with climbing white and pink roses. Her hair was styled in a braid that hung over her shoulder.

She walked inside the building, her eyes scanning the room, looking for one specific person. her eyes finally landed on the one that she was looking for. That familiar shock of dark brown hair, those familiar golden eyes looking for her too. She quietly approached him, before leaning on him, resting her chin on his shoulder, a coy smile on her face as she gently pressed against him. "Looking for me, Raidou-kun..?" she breathed, her eyes twinkling with a mischievous light. "You're always here before me... I'm starting to feel a little bad for making you wait, even if its only for a little while. I'm here now, though~"

"What you... assume... is something that you are not privy.. to... Red Wanderer..." 'Jack' replied, his eyes narrowing. "She is upset with.. you, our boss... is upset that.. You somehow managed.. to make.. Even our... princess believes in.. you. Think of... your actions before you... drag her.. with you. She has a heart... that is too.. big.. for how much she gets back... in situations such as.. these." Ronan calmly held up a hand, a frown on her face. "He's not taking advantage of her, she's just trying to puzzle out what the hell he Is." she said dryly, a frown on her face. "You really think your best student is going to sit there and not see that there's something more to it than 'Oh he's a troubled kid, lemme try to help him solve his problems'? That's the equivalent of trying to hand a snake expert a coral snake and say its a fuckin King snake." An image appeared in her mind, of a lethal looking snake coiled around the boy in front of her.

Ronan turned back to Raidou a frown on her face. "And as to where Rosa went? ..... Not even Violet knows the answer to that one. She just straight up vanished after that shitshow." she said tiredly, ruffling her hair. "Anyhow, where to actually start with this story... ah." Ronan gestured at 'Jack', a sad smile on her face. "The man that 'Jack' is disguised as at the current moment is Declan Cian, Rosa's Husband. I figured that you'd appreciate seeing what he looked like up close." "She also figured that you would get a better feel of who he was as a person if you heard him speak." Jack's voice had changed entirely from the husky, clipped sounding speech pattern, to a much smoother, lighter tone. "Declan meant quite alot to all of us, you know.. He was a breath of fresh air, compared to everyone else. He brought all of us together, made us a small, yet chaotic little family."

"But then someone had to go and take him away from us... and led them down a splash of bloody hell that they couldn't escape." Ronan's appearance started to shift as she activated the hide skill. Curly black hair and stark red eyes, and what looked like a police uniform. Bloody splatters were all over her clothes, and all over her hands and caked into her fingers. Her knuckles were bruised, and looked like they might've been broken recently. The part that made it all too familiar was the scar that covered most of the left side of her face. Ronan inwardly marvelled at how well the system could render an image from memory. "The story of the Nightingale and the Sun..."

Violet looked at him with a sad expression. "... Jon.." she mumbled, furrowing her brows. "... No, I think you need to go first.. You sound so distant... is there something that we need to really discuss..? Have... have I done something wrong..?" Violet glanced up at the higher part of the trees, the sadness on her face deepening. It was painful to think about it, because she was starting to feel a bit selfish for not having asked him something like this before now. It was a sharp aching sensation that made her heart hurt, and she hated it desperately. She gently prodded Jon in the chest. "Remember what I said about how I'll be there for you if you need me..? I'll set aside what I want to discuss for now, just please talk to me... Please..?"

"Just share what you're feeling, I want you to be happy too. I can't do that if you won't share it with me." She plucked off one of the flower clusters from the branch that hung above her head. Since when did this have to be so painful... She just wanted him to be happy too.

"Caution is indeed important, but being too cautious sucks all the fun out of life." Ronan replied, a wistful look on her face as she looked at the Hierophant lying on the table now. This was slowly getting much more frustrating. "You've got numbers on your side... don't pretend that you'll get one shot like the low-levels." She held up a hand, cupping it around her chin. Her method of mediation was absolutely worthless if someone didn't care to even hear her out, something that Raidou seemed to be intent on doing, whether it be intentional or not. She glanced at the photograph on the table, the wistful look to her eyes darkening slightly as she stared at the faces there.

A sigh escaped her throat at Raidou's question towards their dearly beloved leader, and the safety of both herself and the others of her guild. "Well... She's not happy right now. As a matter of fact, she's Resigned as our leader." she said dryly, shooting a frown at the wanderer, her voice tinged with frustration. She held up a picture of a very powerful looking man with a feral smile and a razor sharp axe dripping with what seemed to be blood, and another of Ameneti "It was compounded by the fact that your guild decided to trespass here, and scare the everloving fuck out of all of our members with that little show of power. Granted, the first intervention was warranted, but now Rosa has been having both La Luné and La Sol Keep a razor sharp eye on Violet, mainly to keep your darker... associates, away from our little Himé. But I digress... Would you like to hear a st-" There was the sound of soft, steady footsteps emanating from the entryway of the building. "... Wanderer.. Here..?" a voice called out, the footsteps drawing closer. "Oh... You came as well..? I guess the moon decided to say... hi..? What are you dressed like that for..? Rosa would be tearing you a new one for doing that, yanno?"

A tall man stepped through the door to the deck room, wearing simple clothing. The part that was important was the fact that his face closely resembled one of the faces in the photograph. Blonde hair, and striking golden yellow eyes that could pierce right through you. "Stories need... Faces. Rosa... would ask me to do... this. Our.. Captain.. Deserves this." he said slowly, his voice having an odd tenor to it. Like they weren't used to hearing their own voice for some reason. His voice kind of felt flat. "If he... wants to know it... then we will say it... together.."

The announcement had aired finally, they were about to get everything underway, it seemed. Violet let out a yawn as she stretched her limbs, flexing her fingers as she made her way over to where the fights were meant to take place.

Violet cracked her knuckles as she stood at the edge of the area where she was meant to be fighting, a grin on her face. "What a great turnout, heh..!" The grin quickly turned almost Feral as her opponent stepped up to the area. She casually slung her Bokken over her shoulder, leaning forward slightly. She bowed to her opponent, pointing her blade to the ground and leaning down on it, a hand resting on its hilt, her elbow propping her chin up. "Let's give these spectators a decent showing, shall we? Here's to a good match!" Violet kept her lax pose, closing her eyes. Now her blood was really, really pumping! She suddenly snapped up, her weapon flying towards her opponent, Her eyes gleaming with excitement.

The fight was on.

Stats

@Bismuth

"Oji..?" Violet nearly did a facefault, a distressed look on her face. "Wha..? That... Oh, you meant that kind of Oji. That didn't register right for some reason... did the system bug out or something..?" Violet let out a squeak as she was suddenly drenched by the older man throwing water everywhere, Her familiar let out a screech of surprise, and ended up taking off into the air, her poor floatie getting abandoned in the water as the tiny feathery dragon flew off. Maybe being in the water with noisy humans flinging around water wasn't the best idea. Violet let out a wail. "Akame, nooooo! Come back!" Violet picked up the floatie, a distressed look on her face. "Akame's really well behaved for the most part, but she's also really unpredictable... I guess she draws the line at getting water flung at her..?"

Violet let out a sigh, sinking deeper into the water. "I came here because I wanted to go rock climbing at first, this place has some pretty nice looking walls... but then those NPC's mentioned the hot springs.." she said idly, glancing up at the rocky ceiling. "And that's basically that, so I ended up heading here to try and relax because I've been working my ass off trying to get up to snuff for being on the frontlines. I've been feeling like I'm lazy for not stepping up, and it was stressing me out, along with some other reasons.."

"Well this sounds kind of fun..." Violet mused, tilting her head to the side with a smile. She might not be in it to win whatever the deal was, but it did sound very much interesting. The boss raid had left quite a bit of excitement for everyone involved, and had left everyone antsy for more combat. An itching, potent kind of bloodlust... or perhaps a different kind of lust, it seemed. Judging by what was written on that note, it was a tournament meant to decide dates for those that signed up for it. Needless to say, a large crowd had already managed to amass itself, and she could have sworn that she'd seen a number of frontliners signing up for this little show... Even the likes of Calrex and Macradon seemed to be getting involved, which was both surprising and amusing at the exact same time. She recognized Koga putting his name down as well, causing a faint smile to quirk her lips. "Lots of powerful people here... Aaah... this should be loads and loads of fun! Even newbies can have fun in this~" Violet put her name down, skipping away from the place where the sign up had been placed, back towards the center of town.

It seemed a change of clothes were definitely in order.

Violet stepped off of the platform, a groan escaping her throat. It took way longer than it should have to actually find something that she would wear to a fighting tourney. All of her fancier Yukata were far too restricting for her to wear here, and she'd been at a loss for a while. But then she'd gone out on the town, searching for a vendor that sold clothing. She picked out the materials that the seamstress was meant to use, and had left the younger girl to work on it, coming back much later to a pleasant surprise. The fabric of the Yukata was soft and supple, yet quite durable. The colors were rather simple, but the design itself was absolutely mesmerizing to her. The real surprise, however, was the purple and gold parasol that had been included with the Yukata. The style was more Chinese than it was Japanese, but she wasn't going to complain. It was still beautiful and that was all that mattered to her.

After having greeted Takumi-kun — And thanking him profusely for his work, as he was quite literally the only reason people could even get to Baldur-San's house — Violet was ferried over the water that surrounded Baldur's home. She stepped out, a smile on her face. She could already see two people who had shown up, ready for the battle to start. Her grin widened slightly as she saw the wall lined with standard wooden training bokken. It felt like she was back in a dojo, and here to learn about everything all over again. She glanced up at Baldur, her red eyes gleaming with delight. "Oji-san!" she called out, her smile bursting into a full on grin. "You've outdone yourself this time! This is gonna be so much fun!" 

... especially since she'd slipped her own Fiancee's name in the box as well.

Violet made her way over to one of the walls that guided the outer area, before leaning against it, and closing her eyes. the parasol had been neatly tucked back into her inventory, considering how rude it was to have one out when you were indoors, even if the doors were wide open. Now she was just playing the waiting game.

Outfit

Statblock

Sign me up~

Ronan had a wry grin on her face. "You wound me, Raidou." she replied, a single hand over her heart as she responded to his threat by calling him by name. "You're a smart boy, you ought to know very few could even wound you in this world. I was warned against trying anything against you, unless I'd like to meet my old friend in the other world a tad bit too soon. We Enforcers are Pragmatic, not Suicidal. " She reached towards her Tarot deck, humming slightly. "I'd think you'd hate it more, if you were told something you'd rather not hear... I, on the other hand, would take great pleasure in seeing what that fate happens to be. The way that Rosa and Akane became my friends was through our mutual craving of Knowledge... Rosa in her quest for historical knowledge, Akane in his search for medicinal knowledge, and myself searching forever for Emotional and Mental Knowledge. Greedy, greedy, we took and conquered, then later shared."

She drew away from the deck, a card in hand to which she flashed towards Raidou. after a brief glance "The King of Cups, Reversed... you bear a grudge, little one...  and a rather strong one for it to be the king looking down on you so bitterly, so angry.." Ronan gestured towards her deck, her deep purple eyes watching him carefully. "Why don't you try and draw a card..?" she mused, her eyes twinkling slightly. "I want to see how my cards respond to you, perhaps they can offer some insight? And you can ask me a few questions, I'll answer them to the best of my ability. As to why I would return..?

This is my home, My beloved friend's home, a home DESECRATED by the FILTH that thought it was right to take what was never theirs." Her voice had dropped to a hateful sneer, though it dropped almost immediately, covered up by the mask of serenity that she kept.

"Oh..? You actually remembered me!" Mina cheered, her smile erupting into a full on grin. "And you remembered my name as well! Its good to see you again! You really surprised me during the Raid, I didn't think you'd vote the way you did, Though I suppose you weren't the only one I was kind of wrong about~!" Shield immediately came to mind, though so did Freyd and Raidou after they had changed their votes. Hopefully she got the opportunity to express gratitude towards both of them in the near future. Violet Swam over to the other player, poking him gently in the chest with curiosity in her eyes, her smile remaining firmly in place. "I'm not entirely sure if we've been introduced, have we?" she commented, her eyes scanning over his features with a twinkle. "I am Tricolor_Mina, Though you're more than welcome to call me Mina, as that is what I'm often called by my colleagues." Akame was using her tail to propel her float around, and ended up bumping into Koga, a chirp of surprise coming from the tiny Dragon. Violet turned her gaze briefly in the direction of her wayward familiar. "And that precious little one is my familiar, Akame. She's rather playful, so don't be surprised if she jumps on top of you~"

Violet tilted her head in confusion. "A player guided you here?" Violet commented, folding her arms over her chest. "I got recommended this place by a group of NPC's that were wandering around. I came by a few days ago to check this place out, I was a bit surprised at their request to leave gear behind though.. I guess its because this is a kind of safe zone?" 

Violet was walking down the path, a soft smile on her face. She was wearing a black wetsuit that was detailed with pink and white patches on the arms and chest. Her familiar was holding a soft blue floatie in her claws, a delighted look on its face. The natural pools in this cavern were rather beautiful, and said to be nice for relaxing in. An NPC had given her the idea to visit, and she'd taken it with a grateful smile on her face. Being able to find natural wonders on this floor was a blessing that she had rarely gotten the opportunity to enjoy... 

Violet nearly stopped short when she spotted the other two players that were already sitting within the pool, a confused look on her face. one was an older man that had dark brown hair and steely greyish-blue eyes that looked like they could pierce right through her. The other was a relatively familiar man, one that she had seen several times over throughout her time climbing higher and higher in the floors. Red eyes and dark hair, and a face that she could remember easily. A faint chuckle bubbled in her chest as she strode forward, quickly entering the water. Akame hopped off of her shoulder, before landing in the water with a splash, the blue floatie keeping the tiny dragon above water.

"Well well... I seem to keep running into you, don't I?" Violet commented, her earlier confusion having dropped for a crooked grin, "Are you two here to enjoy the hotspring as well?"

Riker's Edge, Floor 19.

'Luna's'/'Ronan's' Pov.

There was a howling wind blowing through the entirety of the building, making a deep chill flow through the room. The main room of the Tavern was cold and empty, fallen chairs scattered across the room. A deep gouge was in the wooden floor, the planks seeming to have lost their luster, their life, their shine. The fireplace was inactive, its coals and charcoal scattered around it. The door to the deck room was broken in half, and hanging partially off of its hinges. tables were overturned, cold food laying on the tables, half eaten, and utensils scattered across the room. Empty mugs and bottles were scattered around just as much. The door to the dorms was lying on the ground, cracked a bit from what seemed to be excessive force having been used on it.

The deck room was cold and bleak, the fireplace in the room completely empty, leaving little the room almost pitch black. A half eaten meal sat upon the table in front of it, empty bottles and mugs lying on the table. The decorations in the room were horribly broken apart, as though someone had gone on a rampage inside the room. the door that was in the far corner of the room was ajar, giving a view into the small, humble room that laid within. A woman sat upon the bed, humming to herself. She was polishing what seemed to be a rather ornate set of claws that laid upon the back of her hand, the metal a gleaming tungsten, the pale greyish-green material showing in stark contrast to what the woman was wearing.

She resembled a Gypsy, almost, with how she was dressed A purple and gold jacket, with flowing white sleeves that came down to her elbows. A sheer black tube top with gold and purple detailing, and a matching purple skirt with a slit on the right side, what looked like layers upon layers of soft black silk laid underneath. Her dark purple hair was done in an intricate updo, making it seem as though it was much shorter than it actually was. An ornate metal hairpiece curled around her face and stuck out slightly above her head held everything in place. Her eyes were a deep shade of Blue that faded to a pale pinkish-purple towards the edges, almost resembling the night sky. On the table, a set of what seemed to be Tarot cards laid there, next to a purple and gold necklace that featured several golden moons bore across its thin chain.

A sigh escaped the woman's throat, her eyes focusing on the deck on the bedside table. it was so lonely, so horribly lonely without the others here to warm their home. She missed them desperately, but she also understood why they were gone. Rosa wanted them to make their choices on their own, to see if they would participate in such a narrative on their own, rather than being forced to by order. "Rosa, oh how you've changed..." Ronan mused, her humming dying down. "II truly miss the days where I could say that we wouldn't need to do such things, to lead this far... If little Akane had spoken of this back then, well... I would have hoped that you would have entrusted this to him, not I... Despite the interest that the wanderer sparks for me. Such is my fate, however." Her hand reached towards the table, a smile on her face as she drew a trio of cards, lying them face up. "Come out to play, Red Wanderer... Let me read your fate, and allow me to read your story. And allow me to tell one of my own."

On the table, laid the fool, the Moon, and the star.

@Raidou

Stats

"And we also have people like you insulting their intelligence for wanting him to live."

Violet stepped forward with a scowl, her weapon still drawn. The fight had gone from a king going out in a Blaze of glory, to them being in a court trying to see if the king had even a chance to live, however small. she turned to Oscar and Freyd, her voice brimming with anger "Look, If you're gonna advocate for the poor fucker to die, do it without insulting your teammates, and at least give more than a Reason than 'oh its just an NPC'. That's a shallow way to go about the decision. Lets not have a repeat of the shitshow that happened during the floor 23 raid, shall we? And besides, I don't even see him taking advantage of something like that to begin with, he doesn't even want to Fucking run away!" Violet was Angry now. Yes there were a bunch of kids in this fight, but some of the players here were grown-ass adults, and were bickering over this like children.

... including her own fiancee it seemed.

"Jon, Raidou voiced a very valid concern." Violet said curtly, the scowl on her face changing to a disappointed frown. "One I sincerely disagree with, but its certainly still valid nevertheless. I don't agree with him or Freyd for that matter, but I'm also not going to drag their personal morality  into it, because that accomplishes absolutely nothing. Don't sit there and try to argue about a hypothetical, we aren't fighting each other, we're fighting in the frontlines and fighting a boss." She turned towards Raidou, her frown deepening. "And we can still give him the benefit of the doubt, he didn't want this to happen from the looks of it. And we started it by damaging his scathers. He plainly stated right at the beginning that he didn't want this to happen." she then stepped towards him, her voice dropping to a whisper she knew that only he would likely hear, her normally bright red eyes becoming a cold, chilly red. "Just like I'm giving you the same despite all of my friends screaming that you happen to be a danger to me."

Violet stepped back, before moving towards the king, her expression returning to the frown she'd had when she was speaking towards Jon, speaking to nobody in particular at this point. "Jesus christ, poor guy's literally just sitting here in the damn red looking like someone kicked his dog or something, and Some of Y'all are apparently hell bent on killing something that won't even fight back? Seriously?" She stood in front of Gabrandr, closing her eyes. "He's Gabrandr the Broken king, not Gabrandr the Imma-stab-you-in-the-back king. He has no reason to be lying to us right now, and at this point? He's in absolutely no position to do so. One of us could fucking breathe on him wrong and he'd keel over, so we'd literally be kicking him while he's down at this point."

<<Spare>>