tricolor_mina 0 Posted November 6, 2021 Author #21 Share Posted November 6, 2021 (edited) Glenn let out a shaky sigh at Jon's reaction, shaking his head. "The kid mentioned something that royally pissed Rosa off." He said tiredly, rubbing his temples with a free hand. "I'm glad she sent me out here, I don't want anything to do with that, it felt like getting stared down by a pair of alpha predators when you're alone in the woods without a weapon to defend yourself. It was fucking terrifying." When Jon joked about him following the pair out of the room like a lost puppy, he glared at him. "Don't even joke about that, that's my little sister!" He said quietly, glancing away. "Rosa just wanted me out of there so she could talk to that guy in private. This guy is someone she's wanted to corner for a while, but she hasn't had the opportunity to until, out of fucking nowhere, the lil shit drags the guy in here, with a tainted Reindeer as a gift. Rosa tossed it to me so I could check it over. Damn thing was filled with sleeping toxin." When he heard Jon ask if it was the guy's fault, Akane shook his head. "I did it so we could have our conversation without interruption. That, and Rosa was worried that the tone would have her freaking out. You saw how sour it turned." His hand glowed slightly, and he turned to Jon with a narrowed gaze. "And don't you dare tell her who I actually am. She doesn't know, and she's probably better off not knowing I'm in here with her, trapped in a death world." The glow intensified, and Violet blearily opened her eyes, a dazed look on her face as she glanced up towards Jon. ".. oh hello..! Ooh, I'm sleepy still.. what was in that stuff..?" In the deck room. Rosa hummed to herself, her smile still playing around the edges of her lips. "Make it clearer next time, Moccioso." She said softly, shaking her head. "The phrasing of how it was said was insinuating, but I can see you only had good intentions. Or rather, I'd hope that was all there was in those words." She took a drink from her glass, watching him carefully through half-lidded eyes. The boy in front of her was too young to be saying things like that. When he mentioned the loss of her husband, and his apologies for it, she simply shook her head. "Declan led me to her, and I'll forever thank him for doing that. That precious girl saved me when he died, but I failed her badly. I failed her real bad." She set her mug down, glancing at her inventory, looking through a small list of crystals, before finally finding what she was looking for. A deep Red recording crystal, labeled ; 'Analyst record #78: Raidou-kun.' She materialized it, and set it down on the table right in front of her. When Raidou spoke of the losses he'd experienced throughout his time here, she leaned her head down, a solemn look on her face. "And my apologies for your losses." She said softly, before reciting a softly-spoken prayer. "May they find peace in the afterlife, Raidou. And may you someday find peace of your own." She watched him drink from the ash-smelling cup, taking note of the color and texture of the teacup. Then, for a split second, Rosa could feel a sharp bloodlust, directed at the person who had killed her husband, like a snake ready to coil. The amber eyes of the boy had flickered red out of barely restrained bloodlust… then within mere moments, the bloodlust faded, caged once more. A few moments after he finished his rant, she started chuckling, her smile from earlier turning feral. "Bold of you to assume that they were alive long enough to ever even make it to this world." She sang, a delighted look on her face. "I revelled in every blow, every splash of blood and grey-matter that splattered across my hands and face. I drank in the rage I felt back then, the thrill of beating them to bloodstained heaps of flesh covered by clothes. A rage that, while justified, was oh so Childish. There are repercussions to doing something like that, Raidou. Grave ones that leave you dead and empty, and craving that pain you just dished out til it drives you mad. And one by one, you lose the ones you care for, all of them too disgusted by your behavior to want to know you." Rosa picked up the Recording crystal, a deep sigh escaping her throat. "And yet there is always someone who can somehow see right on past that. See you as a good person." She continued, closing her eyes. "Bruised and bloodied, she still liked to see the good in others. The accident that stole away her eye? She was more worried about the other driver, worrying if they would be okay despite her own rather severe injuries, and their lack of any. Motorcycles always lose a battle against a full on car, after all. The other driver was a bastard that didn't care about her, and was just bitching about how she ruined his car. Didn't give a single fuck about her, and I can still remember seeing Declan take great pleasure in arresting him for nearly killing an off duty police officer by running a red light." Rosa shook her head one last time, meeting the young man's intense gaze. "Her job in the real world was analytical psychological profiling, something that she was absolutely brilliant at." She said calmly, fingering the crystal again. "As a way to make sure her skills didn't drop off and wither, she's recorded profiles of people based off of any encounter she has with another player. She did one for each of her friends, and she did one each for every member of this guild… she also made this one for you. And it interested me when I heard it, so I think you'll find it rather interesting as well." Rosa tapped the crystal, setting it to play. There was static for a few moments… then. "Uaaah! C-can you hear me..? U-um, uh… 'SCREECH!!' Eep..! Heesh, OK. I was too close!" It was Violets voice, filled with a nervous tenor. "Ne, ne… This is... number 78 of the analysis record. Let's see… ah! I'm on Raidou-kun today! Let's see… long brown hair, deep golden yellow eyes set behind a pair of square-framed glasses. Average height and build, plain features. Has a familiar named Juiblex, a weird lil oozey critter that kind of reminds me of a slime. Apparently it liked the Teriyaki sauce Rosa managed to make, i'll definitely get her to make some for the lil guy when Raidou comes and visits!" Violets voice had changed to an upbeat, confident tone, unlike the one she usually used in this world. Any of her usual snark vanished in the face of her cheery optimism. "Ah, let's see… He seemed kind of withdrawn..? It took a minute for me to get a good read on him, he was really really quiet. His sense of humor.. heesh, it was like he'd never heard a joke before! It was almost clinical with how he responded, so I thought he was a sociopath at first!" There was a shuffling sound, and a faint chirping in the background. "Uwaaa?! Akame be careful, I'll play with you in a minute! Ok, what else. Oh, yeah! He looked really young, too! Probably only around Jon's age, maybe just a teensy bit older by like a year or two. It's nice to meet people closer to my age here, everyone else is so young… but this is an RPG, so I expected that at least! Anyways, once I actually got him talking, I noticed that there was an undertone of kindness in his words, but it was super faint in comparison to everything else." There was another shuffling sound. "I was really happy, you know. He seems like a good guy!" Violet said, her tone full of joy. "The only thing that worried me was that lethal-feeling killing intent I felt when I mentioned what happened to Declan. It wasn't even directed at me, and I felt like a snake wanted to bite my head off! Spooky stuff, and I didn't expect it at all! He's so young, but to have that much anger inside of him… that, that kind of worries me a little..! Raidou-kun is also really, really smart. He even has a book full of names and notes, kind of like what I've done with these crystals! And he was constantly trying to look for information, despite not really understanding how to go about doing so. I gave him a small push by starting up a game of questions, something we both enjoyed! I've wanted to have someone other than Rosa that can give my brain a nice workout for a long time, so it was refreshing! He even caught me off guard with a few questions.. I loved every second of it!" "In short, I find Raidou to be a sweet kid that has had a rough time in life. He seems to be holding some kind of grudge that shows in his day-to-day speech, as well as his face. But above that, he's someone I'd like to get to know better! I hope he keeps trying his best in life, and that he can let go of all that pain one day, and be happier! I want to be around for that growth, so I can make sure he doesn't suffer like so many others that I've met!" The crystal whirred for a few moments, before shutting off, and Rosa sent it back into her inventory. Rosa smiled daintily, leaning her chin on one of her hands. "She thinks pretty highly of you, Raidou. That's not the kind of praise she hands out lightly." Edited November 6, 2021 by tricolor_mina Link to post Share on other sites
Raidou 1 Posted November 6, 2021 #22 Share Posted November 6, 2021 Complete silence, taking in Violets understanding far beyond the veil. She was more than on point, and it was quite refreshing. So few were able to understand others on a deeper level, so very few. There were some holes in her logic, but they were by choice that it was omitted. "I find that, typically, people are only honest with me when they want to stab me." Raidou remarks, lifting the glass, a still half finished meal littering the table before them both. He reaches to the glasses on his nose, removing them and folding them away. His anchor gone, a sea of memory sucking him down into the depths. "Good intentions, are always the quickest to be buried. I know of repercussions, and I have made the choice. I will do what others shouldn't, so they do not have to. Furthermore, I know full well the gravity of the road I walk, Rosa. It does not make me happy, and it never will. I have given up on my own happiness long ago." A simple acknowledgement, muddied with the smell of ash wine and two people playing the part of parent. Raidou had the face of a boy, but the knowledge and skill set of an old man. Loss had aged him eons in a fraction of the time and what was left was hollow. "As much as I wish that Violet's image of me were true, as much as I could believe that my fate is different. All I see is a dagger in a cup, that my chosen path will lead to bloodshed. Frankly, Rosa I believe you understand me better than someone as pure as Violet ever could. To do what must be done, despite how it makes us villains or monsters. Talk of justice, of purity and doing what is right only goes so far. It's an ideal, one that in reality can never be reached. I have already accepted the payment due on my actions, and I am willing to pay that price. The fury you sense is for those that undermine others, for those that exploit others. The wolves in the shape of people, the animals that mirror you and I." Nothing, not a single show of anything behind those amber eyes of his. A blank slate. Rosa would see nothing on him, because there was a detachment from his anger and a sense of duty. "However, at least he is gone. Again, it saves me the trouble of having to hunt him down. I am not without seeker, and it will only get worse. But I will continue to walk the path of the fool, so that I may obtain the world I wish to exist. I will leave behind but a single flag upon my own tombstone, and my actions will never be fully noticed. To play both sides of the board and rig the odds in the favor of the one that should win, because right now it's white that is losing Rosa. The valiant and the hopeful are losing, and it isn't right. So I will play black, and will never allow white to lose a piece. They can protect their kings without fear, and it will look as though they did it all themselves. A martyr, That is who I am Rosa. All I can do now, is fix what problems I know of before I expire." A soft clatter of a teacup down, the spirit within long consumed. "That is who I am, Raidou died long ago and The Red Wanderer took his place." Link to post Share on other sites
Morgenstern 1 Posted November 7, 2021 #23 Share Posted November 7, 2021 As Glenn began to explain himself, the blonde couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance. Something that pissed Rosa off? Heart had looked just as unhinged when he walked in. A fight was brewing like steam coming from a closed vat of tea. If he hadn't opened the door, it would been blown off. As for his comment about predators, he couldn't relate at all. Perhaps it was what he had been through, but Rosa didn't intimidate him whatsoever. In fact, very few actually could. "Rosa just wanted me out of there so she could talk to that guy in private. This guy is someone she's wanted to corner for a while, but she hasn't had the opportunity to until, out of fucking nowhere, the lil shit drags the guy in here, with a tainted Reindeer as a gift." Eyes quickly darkening he turned on Glenn. Man, he was really starting to get ticked off. Is all this guy do was bitch? No wonder Rosa sent him out. "Call her a little shit in front of me again. I fucking dare you." He snarled at Glenn. "Stop lying to yourself, Rosa sent you out here because you're being a spineless little bitch." Quickly taking a sigh, the blonde ran his hand through his hair. What did Violet see in this lot? He didn't like how they involved Violet in some pretty dangerous operations. "Sorry... you all are stressing me out. You guys are messing with a frontliner in there. I've seen him before." The Arbiters were strong together but seperated like they currently were? Even he could pick them off easily. Besides, the guild symbol the boy in red had. He'd seen it around. There were quite a few of them. "You said something about a sleeping tox-" ".. oh hello..! Ooh, I'm sleepy still.. what was in that stuff..?" Jonathan immediately turned his attention to Violet. "Hey!~" He said happily. "Yeah, I found you just passed out. They were being noisy when I got here so I brought you out here. I would've let you sleep longer." His eyes drifted down to his jacket that was still draped over her. He doubted he'd get it back for a bit. He turned his gaze back to Glenn. "Go for a walk or something. Get some fresh air and lighten up." His tone had a slight edge in it to warn him not to back talk. The blonde wasn't interested in arguing with Rosa's peeps just because they technically didn't answer to him. He was an outsider. He was the strongest of all of them, and he technically helped them get Rosa back in the past. "Are you feeling alright?" He asked Mina as she fought through the slumber to wake up. Link to post Share on other sites
tricolor_mina 0 Posted November 7, 2021 Author #24 Share Posted November 7, 2021 (edited) Violet smiled faintly, brushing her hand against Jon's face. "You didn't even say you were going to visit today, I missed you..!" she laughed, nuzzling her face into his body. "Rosa made some Ragout stew today, and I invited someone over to enjoy it! He seemed to like her cooking after.. all..?" she blinked in confusion, realizing that they were in her room at the tavern, and not in the Deck room. She looked over to the side, to see a rather stressed out looking heart, his hand glowing a faint blue from what was apparently the purify skill. Her eyes narrowed in confusion and concern, her demeanor instantly changing to an angry one. "Glenn for fucks sake, we had this discussion already, Raidou isn't-" there was suddenly a flurry of hand movements, Glenn scowling fiercly at Jon. "Rosa Demanded it. I'm leaving before I deck your fiancee across the face. Ciao, Violet." Sign language, something must have happened for him to resort to that. Glenn had stomped off, most of the patrons getting the hell out of his way before they were subject to any misplaced anger. Glenn was too annoyed to care right now, he was not getting yelled at by two children in one day. "This day is just getting worse, the nerve of that guy.. and that guy in red... " Violet quietly bonked Jon over the head, annoyed. "The hell happened while I was out? Never seen him do that before, let alone using ASL instead of JSL." she said grumpily, staring at Jon with a frustrated look on her face. She was out of the loop, and she very much hated it. "mmk, that's enough being lazy for me today. I'm going to go tear Rosa a new one for this, I can't believe she'd go behind my back and mess with my new friend like that! I told her he's a good guy!" she hopped to her feet, scowling now. She stomped over to the door, yanking it open, and made her way over to the Deck room. She moved Olenna out of the way, before Slamming her fist down on the main part of the door. It was locked, and by Rosa herself it seemed. They still would have heard the resounding 'B A N G!' Though, along with an angry roar from Violet as she continued banging on the door. Back in the deck room. Rosa leaned back in her chair, a sigh escaping her throat. It was just her luck, honestly. This was a losing battle, but not for her. That boy assumed that she was the one that could understand him, that could comprehend his motives the best. He was a white piece playing double agent in this game of chess. To the point of actually denying himself happiness in his life. "Don't kid yourself, boy." She spat, her face filled with bitter anger. "A life without the wonders of joy, without happiness. That is merely existing. To live, you have to experience it all. Pain, sadness, grief, rage, excitement, fear, joy, relief, these things make us whole. You know the gravity of the road you tread? You're just trying to justify yourself, to make it seem like you know it." Rosa shook her head as he went on about how Violets image of him was flawed, fractured from how it should truly be. That his path couldn't be changed any further from where it already was. That Violet was as pure as he claimed. She set her mug down, before looking Raidou dead in the eyes. "You didn't see her raging that night." She said calmly, folding her hands under her chin. "While she hasn't told me what happened herself, I heard it from one of her buddies at the station. Eighteen people. She killed eighteen people, out of a murderous rage. Rage that felt justified. She was never pure in the state that you know her. That event changed her permanently. She's oh so quick to anger, now. Even mild annoyances making that same sensation bubble to the surface. You claim I'd understand you? She's gone further down it, and is willing to go further for the sake of another. That king on the board you're trying to protect? It would sooner surrender itself than allow its comrades be taken away. Surely you've seen her play? Even the slightest hint of white losing is enough for her to withdraw her king. She'll go down with the enemy if it meant the safety of her friends. You still have the chance, why not take it?" The banging on the door made Rosa look up, and she smiled faintly. "Ah.. she's awake. And pissed too." She said dryly, before downing the rest of her sake. "Raidou, you assume you've got a foot in the grave before you're even ready. And you assume that I am willing to play on your board, unknowingly without some sort of deal. I only want two things out of you, kiddo… firstly, I want you to try and live. Keep your plan going, but instead of shouldering it on your own, let people help you. Two or three heads work far better than one, after all. Second, take off the mask you keep putting back on from time to time. Nobody likes to be afraid, or let their more volatile emotions out on display, but that's just a natural part of life. The boy you claim is gone is still there, you're just drowning him in suffering, grief, and rage. You just haven't realized it yet. You can do it in stages if you'd like, that's OK. But try it at the very least, thats all I'd like to see. Just anything other than the paltry showing you've given me just now." Edited November 8, 2021 by tricolor_mina Link to post Share on other sites
Raidou 1 Posted November 7, 2021 #25 Share Posted November 7, 2021 "Perhaps." a simple response, to the rhythmic pounding of a door. There was to be a reckoning, but the motivation was directed toward whom? Either way, Rosa and he would share conversation either through words or inspection, and Riker's Edge would have found slumber. The nomads intentions were as absolute, as they were fair. Unfortunately the pair were at an impasse, but not for reasons that Raidou had suspected. Rosa like so many before her assumed his stance as foolish, and yet couldn't fathom the end or the big picture. So many believed that justice was strong enough alone to support its own vision, and it was hardly the case. For every 1 that would protect, there were 3 that aimed to destroy. The odds were not balanced in the slightest. The only cure to such cancer? Fear. Listing off a world of emotions that the guy was literally buried in, like an exposed nerve, the moment he found silence. A ripple of time thrumming behind his eyes as every single memory pounded away and reminded him of his past. It was no simple recollection but instead a deafening roar inside a small chamber. Millions of voices and faces, actions to learn from. Where most were driven by their own affairs, hopes, dreams and aspirations. Raidou wasn't, he was a direct reflection of the path he walked, the lives he happened across and the dreams he looked into. The traveler walked that field of aspiration without one of his own, save one, and it wasn't one that anyone seemed to glean. Perhaps, it was Violet who did understand him better. Perhaps it wasn't. But in the end, it wouldn't matter. His course was set, his goals had been planned down to a letter and all of his choices had been swayed toward them. Raidou wasn't but a single lost boy, one that was naive in the slightest. He was a legion of voices trapped behind a pair of glasses, where lessons were written upon a tablet made to bear every second. Where most would shatter under that weight, Raidou found purpose. "It looks as though our time is up, Rosa. You're quite the chef, perhaps I should introduce you to Gaius. The man only knows how to cook from a single book and doesn't really know his way around anything outside it." Into his pocket, a pair of folded lenses just like a million others. A plain faced boy, misunderstood for a reason. Deliberate in his obscurity and in his conversation. He could be anyone, and that was entirely the point. A facade replaced, a living ghost trapped in a sea of emotion that no longer belonged to him. Link to post Share on other sites
Morgenstern 1 Posted November 9, 2021 #26 Share Posted November 9, 2021 To no surprise, Glenn didn't take the scolding lightly. As he excused himself Jonathan couldn't help but matter, "Looks like he listened after all." There was just something in the air that had them both in a more foul mood. Getting bonked over the head, Jon couldn't help but feel annoyed. Really? She was mad at him for Glenn acting like a total jack off? However, his distaste for the Arbiters was quickly interrupted. Someone finally got around to answering the question he answered twice. "Glenn for fucks sake, we had this discussion already, Raidou isn't-" 'Raidou...' Where had he heard that name before? Mina stood after ranting about Raidou being mistreated despite her saying he was a good guy. Running a hand through his hair trying to recall, he watched as Mina stormed into Rosa's room. That's where it dawned on him. Just why the name was so familiar. His hand squeezed his jacket that Mina had left behind tightly. 'The name Raidou was scribbled on the Monument of Life over a hundred times.' Eyes widening, he stood suddenly and picked up the pace as he followed behind Mina. Taking a breath, he took that same lazy attitude he pretended to always be in these days. It was the only way to prevent Violet from freaking out over him all the time. The only way to obscure how paranoid he was about things these days. The only way to pretend that he was completely fine with Violet being with the Arbiters. Stepping into the room, he scanned Raidou's features very closely for the first time. His appearance didn't exactly scream mass-murderer to Jonathan. Though, neither did the green cursor. He had no doubt they had the name right. Something in Raidou's eyes had a hunger to them. Just what was he hungry for though? "It looks as though our time is up, Rosa. You're quite the chef, perhaps I should introduce you to Gaius. The man only knows how to cook from a single book and doesn't really know his way around anything outside it." Musing his few options, he quickly decided which was the best to take. Remove Raidou quietly from the premise and away from Mina. "She's pretty good at it, i'll admit. It's at the cost of much effort to get the right ingredients though." Placing a hand on Mina's shoulder, he stepped past her to where he had set down the strange blueberry cake from earlier. Lifting up the plate, he brought it back to Mina. "I had brought this back for you but you were sleeping. Girl who made it was extremely into making desserts, didn't catch her name though. She ignored me and kept talking about... Blueberries?" Shifting his stance, a glance was sent Raidou's way. "No worries, I'll walk your friend out. I promise not to harass him for escorting a girl who's spoken for too much." A light chuckle succeeded his words. Despite this laughter, the glint in Jon's eyes remained unwavering as they trained on Raidou. If the man in Red was any good at picking up hidden meanings, then he would be able to tell that he had more heavy stuff in mind then what his words gave away. Link to post Share on other sites
tricolor_mina 0 Posted November 9, 2021 Author #27 Share Posted November 9, 2021 (edited) Violet had finally thrown the door open, looking outraged. She was absolutely done with Rosa's crap today, and not wanting to put up with it any longer. She just wanted to bring her friend over, have a friendly meal, and just enjoy her day. Her drink had been drugged, likely by Glenn since Rosa wasn't able to make poison that was strong enough to knock her out. The after effects of it were still running through her system, the edges of her vision a faint purple as she stumbled into the room, before walking over to the table, and sitting down, at the table, giving Rosa a death glare. Rosa simply shrugged, rolling her eyes. "You expecting me to apologize, kiddo?". "Rosa... What the ever-loving FUCK were you thinking?!!?!" She snapped, glaring at her. "DON'T harass my friends, how fucking hard is that?! I invited Raidou for drinks and a good meal, not for you to keep going with your idea of who he fucking is!! I already gave you an analysis. I gave you an analysis for every-single one of your Goddamn persons of interest, and you haven't questioned my thought process yet." Violet pulled out a crystal, a frustrated look on her face. She was too tired to try and keep her "Happy" mask on anymore. "Look. Just... just quit doing that, dammit. I just wanted some more banter. And to actually enjoy your stew for once... I miss it." Violet felt Jon's hand on her shoulder, and she noticed the piece of cake he'd brought her, a half-hearted smile on her face. "Thanks Jon... Maybe this is what i'm gonna need to feel better after that." Violet's eyes widened with shock when she heard Jon talk about escorting Raidou away, the undertone in his voice catching her attention almost immediately. but before she could say anything... 'T H W I P!' A dagger suddenly flew past her face, brushing past Jon by a narrow margin. It hit the wall hard, before abruptly shattering against it, a purple immortal object sign appearing in front of where the blade landed. Violet turned to Rosa, concern hitting her. ".. Ro.. sa..?" she whispered, looking visibly shaken for a moment, all traces of her anger locking themselves away as she stared at her friend. "When Raidou meant our time was up, he was referencing our little chat." said Rosa calmly, calmly filing her nails with another blade. "And as for why he's here, Rubacuori, Violet wanted me to cook up a fantastic meal to share with a hungry friend. A fellow frontliner, no? Besides, It's good food, and I'd hate for it to go to waste. He was just complementing the chef, is all." Rosa sent the blade back into her inventory, closing her eyes. The problem with frontliners was that they Violet visibly relaxed when Rosa put away her weapon, a relieved look on her face. "Lets cool it a little with the knives, yeah..?" she said weakly, before tugging Jon to get him to sit down, her other hand fiddling with her menu to send out a second plate of the Ragout Rabbit stew, and pushed it over to where he could sit. "And Jon, Just sit down and enjoy some soup. I didn't work my ass off for those rabbits just for you to not get your fill too... One of these days I'm making you come with me to get them." "You don't say.." Violet's head snapped up when she saw Glenn waiting by the door, looking tired. He wasn't wearing his usual getup, instead partially dressed in black, his signature studded Handwraps on his hands. "Let me guess.. You took it out on some player-killers didn't you..?" she asked tentatively, watching him carefully. He normally only wore those when he was beating the everloving shit out of someone that was on Rosa's bingo book. "mhmm... the Weeper's still sending people to try and tail us. I didn't even make it two feet out the bar before I got jumped by four different guys." Rosa choked on her drink, and made to stand up. "Shit, do I need to start with the alternate routes out again..!?" Glenn shook his head at Rosa's concern, holding up a hand. "Add four to the tally, boss. Just add four to the tally. " Glenn thought back to the situation that had just occured outside, his red eyes narrowing in annoyance. They were more or less just a tedious amount of cannon fodder at this point, He was hoping for an actual fight. "You'd think they'd recognize me at this point, y'know?" "mm... I'll send out the message just in case, I don't want anyone getting kidnapped because we were careless, no? At least you're still cleaning house, red eyes." "I feel like you're breaking a bunch of oaths, Akane-nii.. Like, alot alot." mumbled violet, staring at her food with a deadpan look on her face. "Maybe I am, but I-" Glenn paused midsentence, looking at Violet with the same narrowed eyes. "What did you just call me..?" he said carefully, folding his arms slightly. "Quit playing stupid, I already knew. You would've gotten away with it for a hell of a lot longer than just a few days, but you slipped up and used sign language Ala Tou-san." she said dryly, a bemused look on her face. "You keep forgetting that A, identifying people was... is, my job. And B, that you literally look just like dad when you do that... and C, you literally carry a picture of mom and dad in that locket you have around your neck." "... I'm more than a little concerned that you aren't freaked over me being the equivalent of a hitman that has a day job as a medic." he said carefully, walking over to the table and sitting down. "maa... I'm more concerned about the people that were waiting for you out there." Violet said dryly. "That's besides the point though, don't take that habit to anyone but a red player... actually, I'd rather you not do it at all, but I can't exactly stop you. Just don't drag my friends into it, please. Alot of them are still kids.. they're too young for this shit. Especially not Tweedle-dee, I don't want my Fiancee getting his hands... dirty..." Violet paused, a blank look on her face. Did she really just say that out loud..? Did she really just say that out loud? Her mouth opened briefly, only to snap shut as a brilliant red flush appeared on her face. "Is this a good time to say that she was planning to do that, like, three weeks from now..?" mumbled Rosa, a sweat drop rolling down her face. "Dammit, now I owe both Mujo and Olenna money... As ditzy as ever, hm?" Edited November 9, 2021 by tricolor_mina Link to post Share on other sites
Raidou 1 Posted November 13, 2021 #28 Share Posted November 13, 2021 Activity, so close to home. Didn't bode well for their chances of concealment, what's worse if any escaped then locations would soon be revealed. It seemed as though all had their problems, not just him and his own charge. A slide of a menu beneath the table, as it turned out, the existence of rivals were more than enough fire under prospective wolves. Only a brief second and a flash, and a message was sent. Adept at keeping it quick enough that it was impossible to follow. Like a girl texting on a phone, it was so damn fast you can't even see his fingers move on the keyboard. Conversation had devolved into knives being tossed around, epiphanies to be had in all but a stagnant warrior of time. Another soft draw of tea to chase the alcohol he'd drank, a placid demeanor that humbled his surroundings with his composure. Listening, recording like a courtroom transcriptor: Akane~Glen, Rosa, Jon, Violet~Mina, Mujo, Olenna. Weepers, he'd not waste the space on an issue about to be solved. A glance toward Jon with a look that read later. All that was left was the red wanderer placed into a room filled with people at each other's throats. "I am sure Glenn had his reasons, as does Rosa for the actions she takes. I commend your efforts to protect Jon from becoming tarnished, but in this place it is difficult. Hold on tight to each other, and don't let go. Else, Aincrad will take away all you hold dear without remorse." He was of course speaking to not only AI but players themselves, the wolves wearing the image of sheep, like the ones who were being torn asunder some leagues away just about now... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Elsewhere *Slam* A massive titan sporting a plate metal glove that extends to the shoulder, from the back of his fingers up to a jagged pauldron. A guillotine so large it would make Ugzeke blush, cutting an unsuspecting foe clean in half right through a weapon aimed to block it. A nasty grin as the ground is painted red with the innards of the opposition. Grabbing another player by the face and squeezing until a pair of flailing legs are halted by a sickening crunch. Cries of horror, as he heaves the limp body at the remaining few. "RUN, I want to savor the CHASE!" Genma looms with a massive battleaxe, before heaving it with enough force to carry a player into a nearby building. The wall gives out and shatters, leaving a pile of rubble in its wake. Broken weapons litter his playground, he was ordered to kill this lot, but nothing said he wasn't allowed to enjoy it. So he'd let them flee so he can savor the hunt, as they run away with the slowly ticking bleeds leaving a trail to follow. *OOC note: Close enough, hard to find an accurate representation. His chest is bare, and his left arm is plated up to the shoulder with spikes.* Link to post Share on other sites
Morgenstern 1 Posted November 14, 2021 #29 Share Posted November 14, 2021 A dagger sailed past his face and into the wall behind him. Raising an eyebrow at the obviously flustered Rosa, he would internally question her motives. Had the blade touched him, it would've most likely been soaked up through his mitigation and instead forced his thorns. Rosa spoke violently at first, but her tone dimmed as the sentence ran on. A sigh escaped Jonathan. He guessed he let the Arbiters push him around more than he cared to admit. Although, he wasn't going to turn down the offer for more food. Catching Raidou's look, he would nod before going to grab a dish. Quietly sitting down with it, he would begin to happily munch while listening to the conversation. The first half of the conversation he didn't catch. Something about player-killers but it had been made to clear to him in the past that the Arbiters didn't want him in those kind of affairs with them. Especially with him technically being allied with the APD. Although, he hadn't heard much from Itzal or Hestia so he'd been mostly doing his own thing which was to say basically nothing. Though there was something that was vaguely interesting to them in the topic. Why would anyone want to kidnap another player? Other than some bargaining chip or hostage, a player didn't really hold any value. The next thing was Violet pointing out information that Jon didn't even know. Pausing his eating, he watched on in confusion until Violet retreated into awkward silence. "Wait, you guys are like actual siblings? I thought it was some brotherly love kind of deal going on not the actual real thing. Huh. The more ya know." Completely having missed the important thing Mina had said, he resumed eating. With both of them being siblings, they didn't really act a lot alike. "I am sure Glenn had his reasons, as does Rosa for the actions she takes. I commend your efforts to protect Jon from becoming tarnished, but in this place it is difficult. Hold on tight to each other, and don't let go. Else, Aincrad will take away all you hold dear without remorse." Jon bit his tongue to hold back words or feelings. He knew what it was like to have Aincrad take everything from you. If it wasn't for some good friends, he would've been lost forever. He'd been angry and was misguided to make the same mistakes that he hated others for. No. Not mistake. Sin. Link to post Share on other sites
tricolor_mina 0 Posted November 14, 2021 Author #30 Share Posted November 14, 2021 (edited) <<Outside the Deck Room>> Shireen was lazily flicking through the menus of her HUD, humming to herself. Two names had already been crossed out entirely, and the other two were going to be wiped out soon as well. A panicked message suddenly appeared in front of her eyes, and she sighed. The Laughing Coffin was on the move yet again. It was a little sad that the Wanderer talked so much about safety and careful actions, and yet didn't pay attention to the people present. It was far, far too easy for her to sneak into the place that she once knew, and even easier to overpower the young girl that led the scout portion of the Arbiters. Violet eyes briefly turned to yellow, and a smile stretched across her face underneath her mask. The fact that the wanderer and that Frontliner were present wasn't going to be a deterrent, it only meant she needed to be patient. She just needed that boy's sister to be isolated. She waved over one of the other Arbiters, spade if she recalled correctly, and pleaded for them to trade off with her. The older woman relented after a few moments, a frustrated growl escaping her throat as she did so. 'Shireen' skipped upstairs, humming to herself. As she went further up the hallway to her room, her appearance shifted slowly to a more childlike form. Long lilac hair shifting to a soft, short red color, eyes shifting to a pale gold from their comforting violet. She casually opened the room assigned to Shireen, the real version of her laying prone in her bed, barely conscious. A cocktail of various status effects kept her unable to move, and was slowly eating away at her health. It was too easy to drug the girl with poisoned wine, which was unfortunate. She was hoping Glenn trained them better than that, yknow? The little girl sat down on the bed, giggling at Shireen. "Golly! you're kind of blind, aren't you?" She said softly, smiling at her victim. "you're gonna lay here until I get who I need, and then maybe someone will find you before you fade away! Maybe this will teach Glenny-boy to show you how to check for poisons!" Ameneti was smart enough to know someone would have traced her by now if she let her name be known, so she bypassed the system by drugging her victims with a slow acting toxic poison/paralytic combo. The cardinal always seemed to mark it as a suicide. The little note she always left near her victims always told a different story. She hummed to herself, tapping her feet against the floor, before forcing Shireen to open her player menu, and her friends list… scrolling right down to Violets name. "check… hmm, let's see.. 'Violet, can you come upstairs and help me with some profiles? I'm in my room upstairs.' Oooh, that sounds only slightly unconvincing!" Ameneti giggled madly before she sent the message, hiding away in the corner of the room with a soft shimmer, leaving Shireen in the bed, the poor girl moaning as her health slowly started to trickle into the red. Spoiler Roll ID#: 201820, LD 17 Stealth Rating 17 Far away, screaming from one of her "Allies" was cut off with a sickening crunch, blue and red pixels flying everywhere as yet another life was ended. <<Inside the deck room>> Violet let out a relieved moan, an anxious look on her face. "Kami, I keep forgetting you don't have any social awareness!" She cried, faceplanting into the table. "I don't think I've ever been so glad you missed something, uwaaa! A-and as for me and Akane being siblings, you'd have to pay attention to the little things we do… And know how we acted in the real world." Akane nodded, a tired look on his face. "Agreed. Even Rosa had a hard time of it, and she knew both of us back home. Granted, Violet has pink hair now, but my point still stands." He commented, before turning back to his meal. He didn't feel like talking much anymore, not while there were frontliners in the room… though he did perk up slightly at Raidou's comment. "Its mainly our business thanks to the frontliners being too busy up top to even look at the middle tier players. Rosa and I are at least a solid twenty levels above Violet, but thats hardly even enough to keep up with one of you. Not like it matters, we don't even compare. If you want to make a point, do it in a way that's not going to affect the people you aim to protect. Think about that knife throw from before through Violets eyes. She's not even wearing proper armor, and that knife was enchanted with phase, and would cut through her body like a hot knife through butter. Friend or not, that scares people." Rosa stood up, stretching her limbs out, a yawn escaping her throat. "Mm.. as much as i want to stay here and get some teasing done, I want to go make sure everything is OK outside." Rosa said dryly, glancing towards the door. "I'll be back in a few hours to a couple days. Glenn, keep an eye out for drugged alcohol." Akane rolled his eyes. "I kinda figured, it is her MO after all. She cried like a baby every time she directly killed someone, so she prefers drugging people to kill them slowly with toxic venom. I better not find you laid out with her fucking call-sign tattooed on you, this guild kind of needs you." "Akane's right, please be careful Rosa..." Rosa waved off their concerns. "Heh… if I die, I die. But people will go looking for me. That being said, keep an eye out for this, you two." She gestured for akane to brush his hair away from his neck, revealing an odd looking tattoo of an eye that seemed to be crying blood. Violet pulled out a piece of paper that had a similar design on it to show Jon "The Weeper marks their victims with this. Dead, or alive. Be careful." A few minutes passed after Rosa departed when Violet received the message. "Huh.. I guess it must have been time for their trade off then." She stood up, glancing over at Jon. "I'll be back in a bit, Shireen asked me if I could go give her some lessons again. If you need me, I'll be upstairs~" Violet leaned down and gave Jon a quick peck on the cheek, a soft smile on her face. With that, she made her way up the stairs, giving a friendly wave to Olenna, who rolled her eyes with a faint smile on her face. "Have fun teaching the gremlin, Violet." Edited November 15, 2021 by tricolor_mina Link to post Share on other sites
Raidou 1 Posted November 14, 2021 #31 Share Posted November 14, 2021 ID:201815 | Battle:5, Craft:10, Loot:9+6=15: Stealth Detection As fun as this strange exchange had been, Raidou's suspicions had been met and his promise fulfilled. It seemed as though Violet had other matters to attend, as did Rosa. Glenn seemed to be in no part pleasant company and clearly did not wish his presence at all. The nomad could read a room, even if he could not mesh well with it. It seemed as though the evening had come to a close, and there was always more at which the wanderer needed to attend. His breathers from activity could only last so long. "Give Violet my regards." The red wanderer quips to Glenn before taking a glance toward Morgenstern or Jon depending on interpretation, offering the man some respite from him that he so desperately craved. The house of cards was still just as lively, albeit in shorter quantity. Some had turned in for the night, but the late burners were still present. Night air felt slightly bitter on the skin, and the moonlit glow that loomed overhead. He'd made his way through a den of wolves and left unscathed, despite any reticence he had about obliging the offer. He'd palm a small sapphire around his neck, dangling from a string as a horrendous laugh echoed through the trees from somewhere else. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Somewhere Else Following the trail of bleeding effects that were signatures of his custom, a multifaceted tracking augment that allowed none to escape him. Genma folds his knees and takes a heavy whiff of the false bloodstain, tapping his fingers in it and giving the stuff a smear on his tongue. His eyes flare, and that smile in a cocky twist on his lips widen just a bit. "I can smell you, little bug. You think you can hide from ME!?" Leaping into the air and shattering a tree trunk under his massive stature. The player yelps, as he's landed on. A massive axe gleams in the moonlight as it's raised high. Dropping to the sounds of pleading and screaming, a head rolls silent. "Not even an ounce of courage in you, what a pathetic game. I like it when they fight back." Genma snaps his teeth together, stepping off the lifeless carcass before it explodes. Grabbing a handful of coin from the floor, hearing a nice ding as he'd reaped just that much more value out of the sorry sack of shit. "Run run little, insect. I'll find you, and when I do." Tossing the heavy head of his weapon over his right shoulder, finding the space between a broad shoulder and a column like neck. "It will be to die for!" His laughter pierces the stony crags of floor 19, casting horror into the hearts of those that would hear it. Link to post Share on other sites
Morgenstern 1 Posted November 15, 2021 #32 Share Posted November 15, 2021 After being told to sit and stay, Jonathan was only halfway through his soup before Rosa headed out. A flicker of annoyance passed over his face. She risked his anger by throwing a knife at him to leave moments later? Continuing to eat, he was now interested in what Mina and Raidou would talk about. She had actually brought him here hadn't she? Though it seemed instead that poor Raidou would have to sit in silence as Mina and Heart spoke amongst eachother. "I'll be back in a bit, Shireen asked me if I could go give her some lessons again. If you need me, I'll be upstairs~" Raising an eyebrow, a glance went over to the man in red. Had all of them just forgotten about him after literally fighting for him to stay a moment ago? He nodded to Mina, watching her leave the room. It was silent for a moment before anyone spoke and there was no surprise as to who spoke first. The man of the hour. "Give Violet my regards." Their eyes met only for a moment as Raidou got up to leave. Jonathan watched in silence as he left. Setting down his soup, Jonathan made a nod to Heart. "Probably gonna head out for the night. If Mina comes down and asks for me, I'll be at my house." A flick through his inventory and a katana would materialize at his side. Moving out of the room, his eyes traced over to the stairs that Violet had most likely taken for her training with Shireen. What was it again that she wanted to learn? Jon had forgotten. An exhale to steal himself and he would step out into the brisk night. Closing the door, his eyes observed the area around him. Rikers Edge rested in the town of Rig, the place where his house use to be. In fact, it wasn't too much of a walk to the abandoned building where he used to live. He didn't miss the Morningstar Manor too much. Reminded him too much of home and how he had major similarities to his father. The MorningRose manor was much more... comfortable. Maybe that was just because of Mina's touch on it. His eyes finally passed onto Raidou who know stood out here alone. He knew that Jon would make his way out here. Raidou reminded him a lot of Itzal with their cold calculating looks. "I'd consider it an interesting day when my girlfriend walks in with a frontliner. Not just any frontliner either, one who's name I've seen before." The words were passive, but Raidou would definitely be able to see the sharp ends of his words as they waited to strike. Link to post Share on other sites
tricolor_mina 0 Posted November 15, 2021 Author #33 Share Posted November 15, 2021 <<Upstairs>> Violets boots clacked against the ground, a soft humming coming from her throat. Her favorite part of the day was when she got to talk with Shireen about how her skills at profiling were coming along. Her own skills back in the real world were nothing to sneeze at, and she adored being able to share it with others. Her neatly-lined catalogs of psychological profiles that she recorded almost daily were always kept in her inventory, with spare sets hidden in her room at the LeBlanc Chateau, and with Rosa, who used them to capture and either kill or jail the more dangerous people that Violet had profiled. The precious audio recordings detailed both physical and mental profiles, ranging from the clothes that they wear to the familiar that they have, and to the people that they associate with. She was planning on gifting Jon a collection of the ones she had done for the Ascendants. She had one for just about all the ones she had met personally. She thought back to the smiling faces that had been in her memories… and the scratched-off names on that monument. Violet paused on the steps in order to compose herself. She looked downstairs, the door was still slightly open. She shrugged helplessly, it wasn't as much of a problem as most would think. Only players that had express permission could even enter the stairwell, even if the door was open. Unless their name was Morgenstern, then they basically seemed to have a free pass. She made her way up towards Shireens room, pausing as she heard a strange, raspy sounding moan. She placed a hand on the Rapier at her side, a look of concern plastered across her face. "Shireen..?" She called out, a tentative look on her face as she pushed open the door, only to see the young woman laid out on her bed, and her health badly low. Violet suddenly scrambled forward, her hands glowing a soft bluish white with the First aid skill. "SHIREEN! Stay with me, come on!" Violet grimaced as the skill only brought the girls health up to yellow, when there was the sound of quick, dainty footsteps right behind her. Violet realized with a pang that there was a freshly made tattoo on Shireens throat, of the very same eye that she had just shown Jon and Raidou. Violet turned slightly, her eyes widening at the small girl that was standing in front of her. Bright gold met Blood red, the tension in the room rising. "So.. a hostage situation, huh..?" She bit out, glaring at the girl. "Hostage situations are so boring! I just want you away from that little wandering spider you found!" Ameneti giggled, a wide smile on her face. "But you aren't silly enough to endanger your friends, are you? Lets go away from here, and have a nice little chat!" "And if I refuse..?" Ameneti opened a window that displayed all four of the Deck members in clear view. "Then you're gonna have a-looooot of blood on your hands~! But if you go with me peacefully, nobody has to die! Pinkie swear on my little heart, and hope to die!" Violet swore under her breath, glancing over at Shireen. The young woman's eyes gleamed with the tracking skill active. Even if violet disappeared, they'd be able to find her. Situations like this always left a bad taste in her mouth. Violet relented, walking forward to the girl. "Am I allowed to leave a message to them, at least?" She bit out, scowling. "Yup! But not written by you!" Violet opened her message menu, opening it to send a message to Raidou and Jon at the same time. Ameneti cheerfully began instructing her in what she should write "Can you two come upstairs? I think we made a break in the case. I left the door unlocked, just tell 'lenna and Akane-nii I asked for you two!" Ameneti smiled, clapping her hands together. "Perfect!" She said, her grin widening. "My little coup-de-grace should kick in any second now, so let's skeddadle!" Violet let out a grunt of pain as the tiny girl suddenly tackled her, forcing a strange bottle to her mouth. Whatever the hell it was, it tasted absolutely foul, the flavor bitter and spicy, and brought about the strongest urge to vomit. Her vision suddenly blurred, the paralysis icon flickering into view on her HUD. The tiny girl caught her as she fell, before she sent a message of her own to Raidou specifically, moving Violets hand to do so through her HUD. "And now one specifically for mister spider himself!" "Don't leave your friends waiting on you, time is ticking, and there's a life in the balance here! … oh, and I was after Violet :) Thanks for letting her head upstairs without any issues, Wanderer~" Ameneti pulled out a teleport crystal, smiling at violet as she did so. "All done! With that out of the way, awaaaay we GO~!" she giggled, disappearing with violet in a spray of blue and silver crystals. Shireen let out a shuddering gasp as the status effects that were ticking away at her life finally faded, leaving her paralyzed instead of slowly dying helplessly. She gritted her teeth, before letting out a loud, bloodcurdling scream. <<Downstairs>> Shireen wasn't the only one screaming now. Several of the patrons in the bar had begun to shatter like glass, the small scattering of poisoned meals that Ameneti had spread throughout the building taking course. By the deck room, Olenna collapsed to her knees, her health having taken a massive hit from the poison. She curled up in front of the door, her mask laying off to the side as the black haired woman fought off the tremors that threatened to overtake her entire body. The cacophony of screaming started to make people panic and flee the bar, players streaming out the front door and teleporting out in droves. Rikers Edge was in chaos Link to post Share on other sites
Raidou 1 Posted November 16, 2021 #34 Share Posted November 16, 2021 A small blip on his peripheral as he turns to look at Jon, offering but a simple turn of phrase. "Your name was a bit unexpected as well, Jonathan...Morgenstern of APD, Disciple of Are. Life is full of unexpected events, that we are made to deal with." His menu explodes, he zooms in to find a new icon in a group of three. A message sent from Violet, and his face twists into a scowl. Screens one after another erupt from all sides, creating a ring around him. Both hands began to type away feverishly as he monitors an icon making a leap to floor 13: Raidou activates Tracking on Mina To: Shiina From: Raidou F:19, X: -171.12, Y:+24.32 Heal them To: Freyd From: Raidou F: 13, X: +45.19, Y: +22.38 Track Mina To: Setsuna From: Raidou F: 13, X: +45.19, Y: +22.38 Prepare to Hunt Grasping at the necklace around his neck, Raidou turns more about face to look at Morgenstern. "You don't trust me, and I know damn well this looks like a trap. But Mina just disappeared from that room with one other person." He twists the screen around and shows the girl's fianceé the message received. "I don't have time to argue with you, and I don't have time to squander. We can discuss whatever it is you'd like to after I save her life." It flashes in his hand, and as he peels that color away, he rakes his hand through the air and begins to shred the fabric of space. That portal would remain should the man choose to follow or not, the wanderer would understand if he was reticent to leap into an unknown maw. Right into the Demon's End, a remnant of an old settlement that still lingered. His eyes advance to the tops of towers, and the signature flash of light showed the guild was already here. A moment's notice and strange attire aside, there would be bloodshed, and the weeping eye would never have seen it coming. Link to post Share on other sites
Shiina 0 Posted November 16, 2021 #35 Share Posted November 16, 2021 (edited) Falling face first out of a portal, still wearing her PJ's. Right into the middle of a tavern. Still sleepy beyond all get up, the child starts to ooze on the wood. Why was she awake again? "Oh, right." She rolls over onto her back, staring at a dangling chandelier, watching it sway and flicker. "Ya'll noobs need to stop trying to die, or whatever." She quips as she starts to sing. The entire building begins to shake, cups falling off of counters as paralyzed people begin to fall off of stools and join her on the floor. A wave of white light causes the windows to become illuminated like a sun. She slaps some dude that rolled next to her, a couple hearty biffs showing he was still working. That was more than enough to stem whatever that was trying to kill them and start to clear up the status effects all at once. She immediately falls right back asleep, in her nighty in the center of the room. A solid whiff, she begins to murmur through closed lips. "MM, soup." The Arbiters would come to, virtually resurrected and cleared of any chance at dying, to find a brand-new sleeping child snoring away dead center in the middle of their newly compromised building. Shiina | HP: 800/800 | EN: 92/92 | DMG: 1 | MIT: 246 | FL. AURA: 16 | FR. AURA: 16 | HLY BLS: 32 | MENDING: 2 | REC: 8 | THRNS: 72 Spoiler Shiina, The Resonant Valkyre Level: 31 Paragon Level: 30 HP: 800/800 EN: 92/92 Stats: Damage: 1 Mitigation: 246 FL. AURA: 16 FR. AURA: 16 HLY BLS: 32 MENDING: 2 REC: 8 THRNS: 72 Equipped Gear: Weapon: Aegis of Ancients - Valkyrie [T4/Demonic/Heavy Armor] Frost Aura 1, Recovery 2, Thorns 1 Armor: Interwoven Celtic Band - Fervent Expression [T4/Demonic/Trinket] Life Mending 2, Holy Blessing 2 Misc: Valkyries Wings +4 [T4/Demonic/Heavy Armor] Flame Aura 2, Frost Aura 1, Thorns 1 Custom Skill: Skills: Heavy Armor R5 Extended Weight Limit Active Mods: Large Pockets Energize Press the Attack Rally Purify Inactive Mods: Barrier Addons: Field Medic Hyperactive Iron Skin Active Extra Skills: First Aid R5 Leadership R5 Battle Ready Inventory: Flash of Rejuvenation [T1/Perfect/Crystal] Mass Heal x15 Flash of Rejuvenation [T1/Perfect/Crystal] Mass Heal x15 Flash of Rejuvenation [T1/Perfect/Crystal] Mass Heal x15 Flash of Rejuvenation [T1/Perfect/Crystal] Mass Heal x15 Flash of Rejuvenation [T1/Perfect/Crystal] Mass Heal x15 Flash of Rejuvenation [T1/Perfect/Crystal] Mass Heal x15 Flash of Rejuvenation [T1/Perfect/Crystal] Mass Heal x15 Housing Buffs: Well Rested: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat Squeaky Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down) Hard Working: +2 EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. Item Stash: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot Delicious: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed. Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [1/1] Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll Decor []: This buff affects the player and their choice of up to two party members. Guild Hall Buffs: Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day. Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests. Edited November 16, 2021 by Shiina Link to post Share on other sites
Freyd 0 Posted November 16, 2021 #36 Share Posted November 16, 2021 A message received, a bobber retrieved and Whisper slinking out from his near back yard to the farther one. This girl was a trouble magnet, it seemed, but at least she had the decency to keep it local. He didn't even bother asking how or why Raidou was involved. It was trouble, and he was Raidou. It just made sense. The picnic sprawled out before him had been assembled for his first attempt at a recreational outing. Someone had mentioned the concept before, and colleagues nagged him incessantly that he needed to 'get out more'. It only just occurred to him that they meant somewhere more lively than a swampy pond at ass end of his monastery home surrounded by an entire floor full of zombies. "Oh. Huh. Yeah, alright. Point taken." Persi glared at him disapprovingly, as she so often did, while lapping at a small bowl of ether set aside for her benefit. Scanning the shadows took less time then one might expect, given that they were everywhere. But, when you stop to think about it, how long does it take for an absence of something to make itself known. The very presence of absence made its own impression, and a pattern across the whole of creation. You just needed to watch for it. A flash of light followed by the whizz of spooling wire. The ruined streets of Demon's End held no light, which suited him fine. Freyd's eyes pierced the veil without hindrance. A running target approaching, listing to the left under load and with unsteady footing. A sliver of nothing summoned from nowhere, suddenly back in familiar hands. The trap was set, and the carrier ran straight into the line. Freyd's foot held fast on the reel of his fishing rod, the far side firmly snarled in debris for a convenient snare. Her charge sailed out from her hands and rolled multiple times in the dusty street before rolling to a stop and revealing a familiar face: Mina. Out of the shadows he stepped, bearing a beige, oversized bucket hat paired with grand, heavily tinted aviator glasses. Freyd wore his sunglasses at night, especially while on vacation. But it was the flaming red Hawaiian shirt that really sold it, complete with white lotus blossom print, untucked over a pair of khaki shorts very likely hiked up over his belly button. A cigar hung from his lips - the only source of light in the scene. "Sorry babe," he muttered, chomping out the words around his stogie. "But you're in timeout." Pressing the script to his lips, it went up in flames and the dungeon's hellmouth opened right beneath the kidnapper's entangled form. "Now. Get off my lawn." Lifting his foot released all tension on the line, condemning his prey to her oubliette. Her screams ended suddenly as the dungeon closed around her, still trapped as she triggered the first wave. "Damn," he griped, under his breath. "I really liked that fishing rod." *** Freyd | HP: 1150/1150 | EN: 134/134 | DMG: 29 | MIT: 98 | ACC: 7 | EVA: 3 | BH: 63 | LD: 8 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | TXV 32/3 | PARA IMMUNE | REC: 8 [Assuming that this will be narrative combat. If not, narrative above indicates consumption of buffs which will be added here] Full Stats: Spoiler Freyd, The Whisper in Shadow Level: 31 Paragon Level: 87 HP: 1000/1000 (+150) EN: 134/134 Stats: Damage: 24 (+3+2) Mitigation: 78 (+60-40 Accuracy: 5 (+2) (Evasion: 2 + Filled) Battle Healing: 55 (+8) Loot Dice: 5 (+3) FLN: 16 HLY: 16 (TXV 32/3) PARA IMMUNE REC: 8 Equipped Gear: Weapon: Samael's Pride (T4 Hammer | Holy 2 | Fallen 2) Armor: Fallen Angel Garb (T4 LA | Mit 2 | Rec 2) Misc: The Shadowed Rose (T3 Trinket - ACC 3 | Para Imm) Custom Skill: Skills: Hammer R5 Battle Healing R5 Light Armor R5 Searching R4 Charge Energist Quick Change Active Mods: Night Vision Tracking Meticulous Untraceable Inactive Mods: Addons: Ferocity Precision Resolve Reveal Stamina Active Extra Skills: Survival Meditation Forgotten King’s Authority Hiding R2 Inactive Extra Skills: Disguise Brawler Photosynthesize Battle Ready Inventory: Teleport Crystals x7 Mass HP Rec [Inst] (+30*T HP) x7 Mass HP Rec [Inst] (+30*T HP) x7 Crystal of Divine Light (Reusable) x1 Rhino's Horn (Reusable) x1 Hmr.Pk: The Thing Behind All Lies (T4 Demonic WH, AA, Blight, Static, Para.Ven (Off)) x1 Housing Buffs: Rested: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down) Working: +2 EXP per crafting attempt Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. Item Stash: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot Delicious: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed. Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. Skylight (Searching): +1 Rank to the Searching skill. Angler: +1 material gained when fishing Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [0/1] Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll Decor [Potted Tanabata Bamboo Tree]: This buff affects the player and their choice of up to two party members. Guild Hall Buffs: Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day. Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests. Scents of the Wild: Kumatetsu Statue: +1 Base Damage for a thread Wedding Ring: Link to post Share on other sites
Setsuna 0 Posted November 16, 2021 #37 Share Posted November 16, 2021 (edited) ID:201842 | Battle:6, Craft:10, Loot:15+6=21 Stealth Rating (Assassin) Corridor set, gate crystal had dropped the girl hook line and sinker. An order given and movements made, where Raidou had given only the initial location her own captain had redirected and placed his own vice about the status quo. As Ameneti would find herself in a barren room completely beside where she once was, filled with clambering creatures that scurried left and right. Another one of Freyd's dungeons cleared and used as such an easy form of bear trap. Scratching, burning the eardrum as eyes dart from left to right in a dark room. The player would find only the faintest flicker of cyan blue light, darting and yet unable to be gleaned directly. As it would be traced, a voice sourceless and yet could be made out clearly. "I don't know who you are, and I don't know what you've done." Trailing and echoing off the walls, as if from the very void, and it was grim. Cold washes over the room and attacks the player killer's ankles, and the smallest sound of grinding. A black expanse that made one feel empty, alone. "But it never matters. You think you understand fear, you think you are above it." A single darting line of light blue would cleave off a leg now frozen solid and stuck in place. A slow creeping cold, a dark embrace that mirrored that of shadow's storm. It climbs ever so slowly across peach colored skin, crawling like a tide. "I am that which your kind will understand, filthy animal. No pity, no remorse." Trapped in a column like prison of ice, a violent tear bisects the statue that once could breathe. From the shadows apparating like a ghost, the very one that all would come to understand some day. Slowly peeling a mask from the lower half of a face. An intense pair of ice colored eyes in a glare that could pierce one's very soul. "I will enjoy watching you die." as the hairline fractures slowly climb to the sounds of muffled screams that so desperately tried to escape frozen lips, and that cut sees her fall into pieces. One more name on that slab of lead, as Setsuna twists her head and smiles before the clatter of her heels bounce off the walls. ID:201843 | Battle:5+7-3=9 [HIT], Craft:4, Loot:15 Damage dealt: 1242-70=1172 DMG Spoiler Setsuna, The Frigid End Level: 31 Paragon Level: 32 HP: 740/740 EN: 92/92 Stats: Damage: 29 Evasion: 7 Accuracy: 7 Loot Dice: 1 FLN: 16 FRZ: 56 FRSTB: 40 RSKY: 8 Equipped Gear: Weapon: Shiva's Embrace - Skadi [T4/Demonic/Katana] Fallen 2, Freeze 1, Frostbite 1 Armor: Azuresilk Kunoichi Wear - Ghost [T4/Demonic/Cloth] Evasion 2, Risky 2 Misc: Kunoichi Wrapping's [T1/Demonic/Trinket] 3 Accuracy, Evasion 1 Skills: Katana R5 Cloth Armor R5 Charge Active Mods: Blindside Vanish Surprise Attack (Assassin) Athletics Untraceable Addons: Ferocity Nimble Stamina Precision Active Extra Skills: Hiding R5 Parry Disguise Frozen Hide Battle Ready Inventory: The Rising Sun (Mass Heal Crystal) x1 Bird Seed (T2/Rare/Snack) Vitality 2 x2 Teleport Crystal x1 Housing Buffs: Well Rested: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat Squeaky Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down) Hard Working: +2 EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. Item Stash: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot Delicious: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed. Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [1/1] Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll Decor []: This buff affects the player and their choice of up to two party members. Guild Hall Buffs: Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day. Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests. Edited November 16, 2021 by Setsuna Link to post Share on other sites
Morgenstern 1 Posted November 19, 2021 #38 Share Posted November 19, 2021 "Disciple? That isn't accurate. Hardly have ever talked to the guy. He seems to actively avoid me for some reason." It had been awhile since someone remembered the APD. The main members had gone silent and Jonathan himself had even been slacking on any duties. He had other things he was interested in doing. While he spoke, he caught sight Raidou's face. "What's up? Looking pretty a-" "You don't trust me, and I know damn well this looks like a trap. But Mina just disappeared from that room with one other person." Anger quickly rose in Jonathan. Here it was, of course there was something up. Was it a threat? In one clean motion, Jon's blade was out crackling into the air. As much as he wanted to attack, Jonathan instead turned around. Tearing through the yard, he found himself at the door to Rikers Edge rather quickly. Slamming his foot into the door, it busted into broken pieces from the force. The people inside were all still except for a girl singing in the middle. Was she the enemy? It honestly didn't matter. He needed to get up the stairs. Taking three at a time, he moved and burst through several of the rooms in search. Instead of Mina, he found a girl. Shireen. The one he had shoved out of the way earlier. Kneeling down to her, frustrated, he pulled a antidote from his inventory and forced it into her mouth. After ingesting it, Shireen wasn't spared. Picking her up by her clothes, he would hold her there and the first Arbiter would get a glimpse into how he truly felt about that. "Where the F**K is she? You goddamn shit bags keep involving her in YOUR dumbass operation!" Tossing her aside and back onto the ground, his eyes gleamed a dark gold as they seethed with hatred. "Stay out of the way if you know what's good for you." Stepping back downstairs, he would confirm something. The sleeping child was one of Raidou's goons. The patrons seemed more stable, she was helping them not causing their state. Point in Raidou's favor he supposed. Stepping through the broken door, he returned his attention towards Raidou. "Something tells me you aren't the one who did it, but at the same time I have a feeling you helped cause it. So you're gonna help me find her and then you're gonna stay the fuck away from her. Think I wouldn't know about the names? OVER A HUNDRED. Now, here you are bringing the bloodshed that travels behind that number and involving Mina. You're a bad omen." His blade remained out, crackling at his side as it rested in one hand. "Just somehow get a message from them? They used Mina to get at you. If anything happens to her, that's on your shoulders." Jonathan's tone was venomous and threatening. It didn't help that the man in Red simply stood there, screens floating around his avatar as if he didn't care that Mina just whisked away to who the fuck knew where. Link to post Share on other sites
tricolor_mina 0 Posted November 19, 2021 Author #39 Share Posted November 19, 2021 <<Upstairs>> Shireen had just been able to finally get some semblance of calm to her, when the player that had pushed her aside stormed into the room, his eyes blazing with barely concealed rage. She felt him slip something in her mouth, an antidote from the color of the phial, before she was suddenly hoisted into the air, the blond man having hoisted her into the air like a ragdoll. His scream of rage as he ranted about how they were causing problems for Mina, and getting her into situations that she should have never been involved in in the first place. something that she should have been able to avoid. She let out a whimper of fear, clawing weakly at Jon's arm, her entire body flooded once more with terror. "N-no.. I-I swear, I never..!" She let out another cry as she was roughly thrown aside, landing harshly on the table next to her bed, and catapulting several recording crystals out of the drawer. After Jon had spat out a warning, and returned downstairs, Shireen weakly stood up, her eyes watering slightly. The pale pink glow her eyes were giving off brightened slightly as she finally got ahold of another reading for Violet. "You're alive, oh my god you're alive..!" she whispered, a relieved look on her face. She rummaged through her crystal drawer, finally withdrawing a deep blue corridor crystal. She couldn't afford to be afraid of Violet's lover, even if he could snap her neck with ease. She had never bothered speccing into a weapon skill, preferring Leadership and searching to any of that, and just running as the only bona-fide support of the guild. Shireen carefully popped the coordinates into the crystal, a weak smile crossing her face as she did so. She stood up shakily, before suddenly sprinting down the stairs, sliding down the banister with an almost frenzied movement. <<Downstairs>> Olenna sat up, a dazed look on her face as the wave of light suddenly swept through the entire building, curing people left and right, herself included. There was a loud bang as the front door was shattered in a spray of pixels, eliciting a cry of surprise from her. Violet's lover had blown the door clean off of its hinges, breaking it into millions of little pieces. She made to stand up as he suddenly tore past the entrance, rushing up the stairs with a look of rage that actually rivalled the looks she'd seen on Rosa and Glenn's faces before. She flinched when she heard screaming upstairs, followed by a crash and someone running back down the stairs. Jon flew past her again, making his way back outside to where the Red Wanderer was standing. She could hear even more shouting from outside as Shireen suddenly slid into the room, stumbling slightly. Her health was in the red, and she seemed unfocused. "Shireen, what the hell was that..?! Did the guy make you ragdoll or something??!" Olenna hissed, a panicked look on her face. "He-He did, y-yeah... but that-tha-that's not what I came downstairs for!" Shireen stuttered, holding up the corridor crystal. "V-Vio-Violet's gonna be s-so proud of me, don'tcha think, nee-san..?" Olenna let out a low growl of frustration. Shireen was in no state to be wandering around with a crystal clasped in her hands, and running away to go find their mutual friend/teacher. "Gimme a copy of that so I can go there with my crystals. Let Glenn know the Weeper is probably a thing of the past though, especially with the wanderer involved. I'm going out there to go have a talk with the 'Rubacuori' about manhandling fourteen year olds like ragdolls." she growled, a scowl on her face. Olenna scribbled the notes down, before standing up and popping her mask back into its rightful spot on the side of her face. Shireen scurried off to the deck room, sending a message over to Rosa with an Anxious look on her face. Olenna calmly made her way outside, noting silently that Raidou's eyes had the faintest glint of the tracking skill being active. "Oh good grief." she muttered, before smashing the crystal on the ground at Jon's feet, shipping him off to the location that Shireen had given her. The glowing blue portal was still open, and she calmly jumped through, landing daintily on her feet, not caring how the Blond man had landed, vindicative satisfaction flowing through her as she stepped forward, pointing over at the pair of players standing off to the side. "My little sister went out of her way to track Violet, and your first reaction is to manhandle the one person in this goddamn guild that can't defend themselves? Not a good look for you, you bastard. Get it through your fucking head that we don't ask for this crap, Violet, the boss, and her stupid-ass older brother bring them to US." Olenna stood next to the portal, an irritated look on her face. <<With Violet>> Violet blearily opened her eyes, a dazed look on her face. She'd felt like she had been thrown around a bit, and felt slightly dizzy... only to find herself laying on the ground, with Freyd sitting directly in front of her with a Hawaiian Shirt, and for some reason he had a fishing rod in his hands. The paralysis sign was still in her hud, making her groan in frustration. "God dammit." she muttered, giving him a reproachful look. "Why the hell is it that both times I've met you its been because of stupid shit like what happened today?" She squirmed on the ground, when she heard a chirping sound. A few moments later, Akame fluttered over to her, pawing at Violet with a few anxious Chirps. "Hey lil' lady, I guess you ended up okay too.. I'm glad" Link to post Share on other sites
Freyd 0 Posted November 20, 2021 #40 Share Posted November 20, 2021 Freyd shrugged, deflecting the potential accusation. "To be fair, this one had nothing to do with me." He pointed to his outfit as proof. "I was firmly on vacation, trying to get some rare R&R in when I got the call that you were in trouble." A deep gasping sound opened beside them, like a sealed pocket the size of Ugzeke's arse had just puckered. Out walked Setsuna, along with the final few floating dregs of the unfortunate woman who'd triggered this particular mess and fallen prey to his dastardly fishing line. "And that other time was That Guy's fault, not mine, so by my tally," he paused to count his fingers then nod to himself in confirmation, "the more accurate common denominator, is you." Arching his right brow caused his bucket hat to tilt in the same direction, accentuating his redirect most effectively. "Who did we aerosolize today, Setsuna? I just saw an orange cursor, heard the snap of my line and ....phew..." he waved his hand in front of his face. "Ugg.... I remember that dungeon now. Sorry. I'll try not to use that one again." Freyd smacked his lips, loudly, as if trying to masticate the taste from his mouth, but without success. Wrapping his hands around Violet's, he gently stretched her fingers back and forth, then wrists, to loosen the joints and help the effects of her status wear off. "Alright. I can give you two options. First, we can just wait for the effects of this to subside, but I know this neighbourhood, and that's probably not a great idea. Second, I can give you this." From literally nowhere, Freyd summoned a small vial containing a sickly green liquid, popping the cork with his thumb. It smelled worse than the hellmouth from which Setsuna had just emerged, which took some serious effort. "Yeah. I know. But it works." Link to post Share on other sites
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