Multiverse Crisis MUSH - User contributions [en]

3423/Cooking A Burger Because Why Not

2016-01-18T18:13:57Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/11/20 |Location=Boston-666 |Synopsis=A responsible use of company resources and super powers. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=253, 317, 715, 847 ..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/11/20
|Location=Boston-666
|Synopsis=A responsible use of company resources and super powers.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253, 317, 715, 847
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Luckily for most, it was right on the cusp of fall into winter in Boston. Because of this, on the roof of the Heaven or Hell, it's only a mildly brisk 50 degrees and a sweatshirt will keep anyone comfortable.     Psyber has brought two things with him: The first is the cooler with patties of ground beef, Bacon, and cheddar cheese. The other is a grill tray and a bucket to hold it over. The half-angel is inspecting the ground beef and lightly sprinkling some salt on it as he waits for people to gather for this brilliant idea. 

:'''{{#var:715|Kenji Kawasaki (715)}} has posed:'''      Kenji Kawasaki appears out of nowhere on the lawn. There's a burst of smoke and flame, and then the teenager appears, hovering in the air, his eyes on fire, his normally-black clothes burned white, his hair actually literally moving (and colored) like fire. On his tank-top is the only spot of /blackness/ on him - a fire symbol enclosed in a circle, like it was painted in ash.      Kenji lands and scratches the back of his head. Most of the fire dies down as he walks over - only his eyes remain burning.      "This is," Kenji observes, holding out his hand, "..."      He takes a deep breath.      "Control training."      "How hot do you want this?" 

:'''{{#var:847|Konoe Kanno (847)}} has posed:'''      Konoe had apparently sparked the passions of multiple individuals with her ignorance of the majesty that is the burger. Let confused and with no real choice but to show up and see just /what/ this hubbub was all about, she made her way to Boston. It wasn't too long before she ascended the building, flying up to the roof and then landing with a soft tap.      "Um..." With a confused expression on her face, she eyed Psyber and Kenji, blinking several times as she approached. "I...what's going on here? Control training?" 

:'''{{#var:317|Theo Morrison (317)}} has posed:''' Theo is too much a red-blooded American to miss a good burger, /especially/ if Psyber is doing the cooking, and /double especially/ if it's going to be part of some manner of culinary supernatural experiment. A reversal of emphasis on 'especially/double especially' may occur once he actually gets to the eating part. Theo's wearing a navy blue sweatshirt to ward off the chill on the roof. Coming up with him is Kickotron, that three-foot bird-robot, who appears to be carrying a pan full of peeled, cut and washed potato wedges. It looks like all that's needed is some heat and the application of a spatula. Kickotron is wearing a baseball cap that doesn't really fit the shape of his head, but somehow remains affixed anyway. "And cookery. Mostly..." Theo thinks. "...well, maybe fifty-fifty." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "It's all very scientific. If Kenji can cook a burger, it will help him exercise precision control of his heat, I suppose," Psyber theorizes as he finishes salting up the burger, "Gimme something searing hot. Like 400 degrees." Psyber says to Kenji seriously as he browses through stuff.     "Plus, if Theo gives him a second temperature, it'll teach him to multi-task his powers," Psyber muses before looking over at Konoe, "Plus, I just had to have you try a burger. Next to ribs or steaks, they're my favorite thing to grill."     Psyber gives Theo a thumbs up, "Bangin' job on the potatos. We're gonna get some deliciousness going for our feline friend here. And don't worry, we're in a safe zone, no one's gonna try to grab you and pet you around here." 

:'''{{#var:715|Kenji Kawasaki (715)}} has posed:'''      "That's a good way to rationalize it that I definitely said," comes a sparky voice from the emblem on Kenji's chest. It sounds like fire is talking, disembodied fire.      Kenji sighs and holds up his hand. It bursts into flame in an instant. He holds the burning hand out for the grill, then looks over at Theo. "OK, so I just have to balance the temperatures until they're both done cooking, right? And we want them to finish at the same time, because that's proper kitchen etiquette."      "You're going to make someone a wonderful wife one day."      "Shut up!"      "Hehehe."      "Anyway...sorry for messing with you, Kanno. But if this goes well you'll have something really good to eat, so I guess it's worth it." 

:'''{{#var:847|Konoe Kanno (847)}} has posed:'''      "Ah...So this is control test in addition to making food." folding her arms behind her, Konoe stepped forward a little more, observing the extremely odd setup. "Well, then I'll be cheering for you, Kenji-san." She smiled a little and watched.      "But with the way you all talk about burgers, I'm really curious." It sounded like she just offended a god when that came to light. It was surprising. But she supposed that curiosity would be sated if this went well.      Good luck, Kenji.      She also let out a sigh of relief at the mention of 'safe zone'. A quick glance about did suggest that there were no sneaky Rivas present. That was a load off her mind. The lady confounded the heck out of her.      Kenji's apology is met with a shake of the head. "It's okay, Kenji-san. I don't understand the nuances of that...um, capitalism myself. It was my fault for not being wise enough." 

:'''{{#var:317|Theo Morrison (317)}} has posed:''' Theo shoots Psyber a grin. "Thanks. That's the plan. You're really gonna like all this," he asides to Konoe. "And I don't think Kickotron knows what 'petting' is." The myr hops on over to Keni, peering up and around the pan with his typical blank expression. He's looking at the mark where the disembodied voice is coming from. Is this myr-ly curiosity, or something else?! "The recipe says four-fifty... can you get that precise? Um, fahrenheit," he adds, "in case, you know, rest of the world... anyway, yeah, that's basically the gist of it. These cook for half the time on one side and half on the other. Potatoes already got boiled to firm 'em up, the pan's oiled and salted and it just needs the heat." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "So. Here's a true fact. America is a pretty new culture compared to most of the world. So it doesn't have all the fancy unique foods that a lot of places have. But. The Cheeseburger is a uniquely american creation." Psyber asserts as he starts to grab the meat patties and place the grill in Kenji's hand, "It is one of the very few foods that is American in creation. It's like... Sushi for the Japanese or spaghetti for the Italians."     Psyber lets the grill heat up a bit before immediately dropping all of the patties onto it, "We'll let them sizzle for a bit, then flip em and add cheese," He muses as he lays some strips of bacon along with his burgers. About two per burger as he figures out where to position them.     "So a burger is a very important thing to us Americans like me and Theo." 

:'''{{#var:715|Kenji Kawasaki (715)}} has posed:'''      Kenji is about to say something to them, when all of a sudden SHIN TOKUYAMA'S TREACHEROUS TREACHERY is revealed over X-Union. Kenji's face turns a brilliant scarlet all over again, then promptly bursts into flames, presumably to *hide* his blush. His other hand takes the pan, though, and starts blazing upwards. Despite the staggering emotional bombardment he's going through right now, he's doing pretty good.      He focuses in on the conversation right now. He can do that. He can HANDLE that. "Y-yeah. I can get that precise. Kojin handles most of the heavy lifting, normally, but he's been easing off so I can do it tonight. I just have to think about it really hard."      The patties thump onto the grill and sizzle with a delicious hiss, underlying Kenji's point excellently.      "It's, uh..." He stumbles, "Capitalism is...I really only get this stuff because..."      "..."      He shakes his head. This has the hilarious effect of the fire around his head wobbling a lot.      "Don't worry. I at least take food *very* seriously. It is merely one of many reasons that I, Sambo-Kojin, deserve the vaunted title of 'Best God' on the interwebs."      "Kenji won't burn anything."      Kenji sighs. "Yeah...I won't. I may look like a thug but I could rival a professional chef after the hell training Kojin put me through."      THE HELL TRAINING KOJIN PUT HIM THROUGH      ONE YEAR AGO      "WHY DO I HAVE TO KILL THE BEAR MYSELF"      To hone your meat-sense!      "WHAT IF THE BEAR KILLS ME"      You worry too much about that kind of thing.      "FUSE WITH ME"      That'd just ruin the meat!      RIGHT NOW      Kenji's face blanks out just a bit in remembered horror.      "If it's any consolation, he cooks a mean bear, as long as he's killed it properly first." 

:'''{{#var:847|Konoe Kanno (847)}} has posed:'''      "I...I see. So a burger is an important cultural food to your country because it's uniquely yours, not something borrowed from elsewhere." She nodded in understanding, getting that much at least. "They sound rather easy to make. Are they really that simple?" Konoe asked, tilting her head a tad upon posing the question. Meat, bread, cheese, and maybe bacon. Didn't sound too hard.      But then, she wasn't really a cook. Couldn't find her way around a kitchen to save her life. Not that she wouldn't try.      Kenji's change of expression is met with a curious hum. "...? Are you okay, Kenji-san? Your head suddenly...um..." She pointed in the general direction of his head, indicating the fire, butcontinued to miss the connection between the banter on the moderated band and him. Huh.      Anothe tilt of the head. "...Cook bear? The last time I killed a bear I just ate it as is." The miko looked aside thoughtfully as she dropped that random fact.      Theo is met with another confused glance. "Kicko-...oh your robot minion." She smiled a bit sheepishly. "Well that's good. I have enough trouble with just Riva-san already." And maybe Kyra hot on her heels. 

:'''{{#var:317|Theo Morrison (317)}} has posed:''' Theo jerks back a step when Kenji's head explodes into fire. Kickotron does the opposite, hopping into the air and aiming to put the shallow pan on Kenji's other side. "Woah! Okay then! Uh..." He clears his throat, nodding along with Psyber's explanation. "There's a lot of ways to cook them -- different variants on the same base formula, you know?" Theo helpfully adds for Konoe's benefit, which might just confuse her more. "All sorts of things can go on the bun-patty-cheese combo. Some people don't even go in for cheese, which I don't agree with, but I guess everybody's got a right to their own opinion." "Even if their opinion is bad and they're wrong," Theo adds, under his breath. "And yeah; robot minion. Technically I guess he's a bit like a golem? I think he's a magitech construct or something. Never really was clear." Theo looks down at Kickotron, who is mostly just standing around, and gestures at Konoe. "Say hi, Kickotron." Kickotron does not say hi. Mostly he just silently stares at the cat with a big beak and expressionless... lenses? Eyes? Whichever. It's a bit tough to tell. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber, who has access to all relevant radio channels to Kenji, seems pretty on point with what's happening, "Hey now, keep the heat even. Emotional stress is going to come up out in the field, lord knows I can testify to plenty of that this year," Psyber muses before he flips the burgers and then lays a slice of cheese on each, "Bear's good. A bit lean for my taste."     "We're doin a classic. Theo's right, though, and there's a ton of variation. We could do a mushroom swiss. Or a chili burger. Or teriyaki. But tonight, classic bacon cheese." He comments, waiting for them to get ready. Once they are, he hoists them off and onto patties, handing them out to people as he muses, "Burgers are also a utility food like that. Basic recipe, complex variation." 

:'''{{#var:715|Kenji Kawasaki (715)}} has posed:'''      "I'm fine," Kenji replies, though his voice is a little bit quieter than normal. The fire around his head dies down, and with it, the blush, because he's no longer thinking about how his personal business got blown up for half the multiverse to hear, he's thinking about how he wants to punch Shin Tokuyama in the face.      This is therapeutic.      He takes a deep breath and nods at Psyber. "Yeah, sorry. I can just...do that. I lost control a little."      "But nowhere it mattered. We're good."      "I'm not really a fan of bear," Kenji admits, "But I can cook it. I can cook the hell out of it."      He shrugs at Konoe. "Being trained to cook all kinds of stuff is one of the few upsides of being Kojin's partner. I used to eat like a washed-out high-schooler, but nowadays I cook all my own food, and my apartment always smells pretty awesome. I've even started screwing around with recipes in my free time. It's actually a fun hobby." 

:'''{{#var:847|Konoe Kanno (847)}} has posed:'''      "Ohh...so this is only one way to make them? And there are a lot more? That's a lot to remember..." Konoe nodded at Theo and Psyber, glancing down at Kickotron and offering the robot minion golem thing a short wave. "H-Hi?" It just stared at her...      Creepy.      Her ears twitched upon hearing Theo's bit on wrong opinions, but as it turned out, she wasn't very well versed on burger opinions to begin with, so she left it alone. Who was she to argue cheese or no cheese, bacon or no bacon, american or pepperjack? What the hell was pepperjack anyway? She had no idea!      Putting that aside, it seemed like they were done. With the results handed out, Konoe took one offered, awkwardly holding it in both hands. ".....?" She looked the thing up and down, side to side, and sniffed at it, unable to figure out a point of attack. "So I just...bite into it?"      A rhetorical question because she was going ahead anyway. It smelled kind of amazing, but what about the taste. Her fangs sunk into the combo of bun, meat, and cheese and she took a bite out of the holy grail in her hands.      "......."      Munch munch munch.      Swallow.      "T-This is......this....." Konoe's eyes glazed over in shock and she visibly reeled back. "THIS.....THIS IS......T-THIS...." Her heart rate sped up. She couldn't find the words. A feeling of euphoria washed over her entire body.      "THIS IS SO GOOD!"      People down on the street probably heard that. 

:'''{{#var:317|Theo Morrison (317)}} has posed:''' Theo takes his, digging in pretty happily with a 'thanks' that's almost secondary to the task of actually eating it. He sighs with obvious relish (not the topping). "Bacon should be standard," he says around half a mouthful. It's rude, but he does not give a single crap. "Keep thinking I should learn to cook," Theo adds, "but I'm too easily distracted to spend the time on it." Kickotron continus to stare at Konoe the whole time. The myr does not have anything better to do. His head turns to regard the waving hand, and then he looks her in the face again. There's a small tilt of his head. If she's paying attention, she'll notice he's mimicking her. There is no visible reason why. Theo peers off the edge of the roof after the declaration of joy. "I'm surprised car alarms didn't just start going off. You've got /lungs/." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     After he finishes distributing burgers to Theo, to Kenji, and to himself, he just gives Konoe a big smile and a thumbs up, "Yeeeeeeeeah. That's the reaction I was hoping for. This is why Theo and I love a good burger as much as we do."     He has a fairly dumb and happy grin on his face as he gets pretty much exactly the reaction he wanted out of her, "I'm happy you liked it so much, but yeah, wow, leave it to a cat to be way louder than you'd expect." 

:'''{{#var:715|Kenji Kawasaki (715)}} has posed:'''      "There's a lot of ways to make pretty much any dish," Kenji starts, but Konoe goes into /burgerthroes/. Kenji stops and stares, then rubs his ear a bit. It's ringing.      "...heh, well, I guess we got that right. I guess if I don't make it in Shinra I've got a future as a portable grill or a food truck or something."      Kenji eats a lot less like a high-schooler is supposed to. He actually pauses, savoring it, thinking about it. He chews slowly, getting every bite of the burger in, and the fries. It's a thoughtful process, one that looks wildly out of place on a man as young as he is.      "Pretty good. Listen, I gotta bail, I've got to get on patrol." Kenji hops up into the air, floating there for a moment as his eyes brigten up. "I'll see you guys later. Thanks for the burger. Glad I could help."      Then, in a burst of flame, he vanishes. 

:'''{{#var:847|Konoe Kanno (847)}} has posed:'''      Konoe nods excitedly. "Oh, it's so good! I had no idea what I was missing!" Like a savage without any manners, she wolfs down the burger without savoring it at all. She can savor the feeling of it in her belly! "How can such a simple combination of---haahm-" She doesn't even finish the sentence.      In short order, she's finished. "-What was I saying? Um..." Her face turned a little red and she chuckled once there was no more burger to gush over. "I-Ah sorry, but it was really good! Thanks for showing me this everyone!"      Kenji's departure is met with a wave. "Oh- Bye Kenji-san. Thank you for coming out."      Silence fell.      ".....Could I have another?"      Psyber, you have created a monster. 

:'''{{#var:317|Theo Morrison (317)}} has posed:''' "Wish I could flameaport," Theo says to nobody in particular, once Kenji's gone. "That's cool as heck." Kickotron retrieves his pan, wearing oversized pot-holders and holding it up. Theo makes sure the contents are loose, and fishes out paper plates. He adds fries next to his burgers. Burger, actually, singular; he's done with one already, and is licking grease off his fingers. "Pretty much. Easy to make it, lots of room to do stuff, always delicious." Kickotron does not have a burger, because myrs don't have burger intake ports. Probably. 

}}

3510/Duet's First Christmas In Boston

2016-01-18T18:12:28Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/12/12 |Location=Boston-666 |Synopsis=It's pretty adorable. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=92, 253 |Tinyplot= |Tinyplot2= |pretty=yes }} {{Poses ..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/12/12
|Location=Boston-666
|Synopsis=It's pretty adorable.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=92, 253
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber has asked Duet to meet him somewhere to talk. However, that location is not at the office. It is instead somewhere around the northern end of the city. It's cold out, Winter starting to set in to the city and the temperature going towards freezing almost every night. It makes one wonder why Psyber would pick such a weird place to meet him.     Well, the answer is pretty simple. Upon arrival, the place is revealed to be an ice skating rink. It's got a middling population for the night and Psyber is leaning up against one of the railing with two pairs of skates in his hand. He has devious plans for the poor Duet. 

:'''{{#var:92|Duet Fortuna (92)}} has posed:'''     Duet shows up wearing a bikini and- wait, no. Actually she's bundled up reasonably well, though the way she moves hints that under the coat, she doesn't have layers. She's more resistant to cold now, so it takes less to make her 'comfortable' even if she still needs a coat. It does make for a weird place to meet, though. "Heeeey!"     Oh yeah, waving like that. She's far more... mobile nowadays. Energetic. She also smirks, showing that she isn't that surprised by the idea. "I should warn you, Psy, that I took second place in the priesthood annual ice skating competition at Lake Kanna."     She lets that sink in for about ten seconds before she reaches out to take the skates, "I'm just kidding, I'll probably fall on my ass a few times." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "It wouldn't surprise me if one of your infinite talents was the ability to skate," Psyber says to her with a wide grin on his face as he hands her the skates before sitting down on a bench to put his own on. The skates themselves should fit as he says, "But I figured, hey. You wanna live a normal life, this is what normal friends," A pause, "Or, you know, normal couples. Your choice. This'd be what they do."     Still not sure where he stands there. But he seems pretty laid back about the whole affair, "It's all about balance and just taking it easy. I'm not the beeest either, but I'll catch you if you take a bad spill, so don't be afraid to fall into me. I doubt you could really knock me over that easily."     When he stands up again, he extends his hand to her, "Come on, let's give it a try." 

:'''{{#var:92|Duet Fortuna (92)}} has posed:'''     "Saaadly no," Duet laughs, lacing up the skates. "It isn't really a sport that was in my region, but I have at least heard of it before unification. I guess I'll see how I do!" She smirks as she manages to stand, walking along with hand on Psyber's arm. "Ah, this isn't too hard at all!"     Of course, as soon as she steps on the ice she'll end up on her ass. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Or will she? Because credit to Psyber's promise, as soon as she goes over backwards, a hand is around her waist to catch her in something halfway between what a dip might look like and the motion to catch a wildly-thrown football. Either way, he's hoisting, wobbling, and winding up setting her upright again, "Ooookay, there we go. Come on. Try to find your center of balance."     "Uuuh, you got sword training, right? Think of it as similar, you wanna find the stance that lets you move and glide along easiest," He smiles gently and tries to help guide her along, "So how's it feel being normal-ish, anyway?" He asks quietly. 

:'''{{#var:92|Duet Fortuna (92)}} has posed:'''     Duet actually chuckles as she steadies herself. "Yes, I had formal training. I just... am not used to having it quite this way." She does have good balance, after all, and probably could fight on the ice in a pinch... but wearing skates changes things considerably. It makes her wobble more, then straighten as she slowly adjusts her center of gravity. She isn't ready to skate, but she's feeling better about moving her feet.     "I don't think I'll ever be normal," Duet points out lightly. "But it's... nice, to not have a driving force behind me constantly pushing. I have goals now, things I want to do, but I don't have a timetable." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     When she finds her balance, Psyber switches to slowly swooshing around her in a lazy circle, mostly because he can't really do well when stationary, "Goals, huh? Knowing you, they're secret for now. Any of them involved February? Because I was hoping to take you out on the fourteenth to a nice dinner."     "And well. Normal is relative," Psyber declares to her, thinking it over, "Sometimes not being normal makes you a better person. I've done a lot of things I regret, but... in the end it made me who I am. And who you are. And I like both those people." Half of that last sentence is a lie. 

:'''{{#var:92|Duet Fortuna (92)}} has posed:'''     Slowly, Duet eases up and tries to get some independence. Just like her. It's a bit of a large concession that she lingers close enough for Psyber to help if she slips, though. She isn't trying to go off alone immediately, at least.     She laughs, "I just told you, I have no hard timetable!" Flashing a smile, she tilts her head to take a look. "Not really secret... just haven't worked everything out yet. I may wing it a bit! I think I'd like to do something different. Maybe get a vehicle again to see the Multiverse in." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Knowing enough about her, he's never too far, but when she tries to get her independence, he backs off a bit and skates more at her side. He smiles cheerily and says, "Now you're getting it. You're a natch."     "Well, whatever your plans are, don't forget. National holiday in two weeks, don't forget to go shopping for people now that you're an 'American'," Psyber muses as he slides alongside her with his skates, "And... don't forget to just enjoy life. We're going out for coffee and cinnamon rolls after this, by the way." 

:'''{{#var:92|Duet Fortuna (92)}} has posed:'''     "I have been Christmas shopping before," Duet points out, wobbling a little. Her natural balance makes it easy for her to stay upright after some practice, though she's not going to be doing tricks any time this trip. "This one just has more cards and less leather involved."     That's... good?     Duet laughs then, flashing one of her more and more common smiles. "I /am/ enjoying it. Going easy on matters." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Whenever she wobbles, it shows that he's a bit protective as he prepares to catch her. But overall, he's good about giving her space to learn. He slides along the ice easily, "You know when I did ops in Russia during World War II, I had to hunt lake monsters in ice skates." This might be a tall tale.     "I'm still picking your present," He notes, folding his hands behind his back briefly. He swooshes lightly, "I considered asking for a kiss, but it felt tacky and cheesey. I'll figure out something for you, though. Gonna be hard to top whoever gave you that pistol." 

:'''{{#var:92|Duet Fortuna (92)}} has posed:'''     "Did you, now?" Duet smiles in reply, daring to try a slow turn around. She's not rushing it, so she manages that and skates backward slowly. "That sounds interesting. I can't say I've dealt with many lake monsters."     Ah, presents. "I'm sure I can find something fitting for you," Duet replies with... a faint blush. "As for me... I have my likes aside from pistols. I'm sure you can figure something out." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "They're rare nowadays. Not like sea monsters, with lots of places to hide. Lake monsters, the hostile ones, mostly got fished out and dealt with by Hunters," Psyber explains in a brief history lesson, considering it, "Like most dragons. Anything that makes its presence too much of a threat, the natural ecosystem eventually handles."     He muses on this for a bit, "I'm pretty sure I can figure something out for you, yeah. Every day mundane girls are easy to shop for." 

}}

3623/Training Sequence Not Featuring Music

2016-01-18T18:11:14Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2016/01/07 |Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH> |Synopsis=Psyber offers Kay some advice and points her in the direction of some people that can tra..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2016/01/07
|Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH>
|Synopsis=Psyber offers Kay some advice and points her in the direction of some people that can train her.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253, 780
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber hadn't sent Kay and big or fancy notice about wanting to see her, rather choosing to use an email or a text message telling her to stop by because he thought he could help her control her superhuman powers. Probably not completely, admittedly, but in terms of her 'overperformance' issues at times, he was willing to bet they could relate enough to give her some good advice.     Thus he waits, wearing some loose-fitting training clothes and sneakers on the floor of the sparrnig area. He's got a can of energy drink in one hand and lets out a heavy yawn. 

:'''{{#var:780|Kay (780)}} has posed:'''     Kay eventually does show up, also wearing some casual clothes fit for training. Mostly, she did this because she didn't know what to expect from any 'training' that Psyber might offer. Her new rifle is in a case, though... a locked case, as it turns out. She sets that aside when she comes in, rubbing her head. "Hi... sorry I'm late. I got it to fire once, and I'm not sure how, so... better safe than sorry." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber grins when she arrives and rubs the back of his head with his free hand, crushing the empty can and tossing it into a trashcan across the room with the other, "No rush. Basically, I just... remembered you talking about how sometimes you have issues controlling your physical powers. The throwing yourself through the air and all. I think maybe I can offer you some advice and practice, if you want it, since I have a lot of experience with that," He brings his hands up to a defensive position, "That way, you might be able to use it a bit better against other people in the future." 

:'''{{#var:780|Kay (780)}} has posed:'''     Kay just shrugs lightly, rubbing her hands together in a display of nervous. "The... throwing through the air is kind of... I can sort of control when I do that. It's more um... tapping into the reserves that I can't. Or striking the intangible. Like the... you weren't around, but when Barghests attacked a while ago, sometimes I could hit them and sometimes not. That sort of thing. I haven't figured out how to do that." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Well. Before I was the humble investigator you see before you, I used to be a Hunter. So maybe I can give you some advice," Psyber says as he watches her shrug. He thinks for a few moments and then says, "Mm. Sometimes you can, some times you can't. Unreliable, huh?" He looks up at the ceiling a bit.     "Back when I was learning to control my strength and stuff, it helped me to think about my powers like... a valve." He grins, "Sounds stupid, but maybe you should do the same. When you wanna throw yourself through the air, instead of doing it, imagine yourself opening a floodgate just a little to let out some power. Or when you want to hit those enemies you can't, imagine that power has a switch and then envision yourself flipping it. It might not work at first, but visualization can help control." 

:'''{{#var:780|Kay (780)}} has posed:'''     "I've tried something /like/ that but I'll try what you say," Kay says. "I mean... you gotta remember I already have powers most humans don't. My handshake is a lot firmer if I want it to be. Controlling my strength and speed... I learned that a long time ago, even without a guide."     She gestures, reaching down after and lifting the edge of the table with remarkable ease. "I mean I'm probably not on your level, strength-wise, but I'm not exactly human either. It's just some parts that don't work right. My perception, that... special phase-hitting thing... got any tricks for that?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Powers like that, it's all about triggers, switches, and activations," Psyber thinks, crossing his arms and watching her lift up the table, "What you gotta do is find out what every event where you've ever done it had in common. Might be an emotion, might be a situation, might even just be that you REALLY wanted to hit someone at that moment."     He smirks a bit, "That's where you learn the trick for it. Find out what all your uses had in common and you have your trigger, then you can recreate it. Best advice I can think to give, since my eyes have their own weird vision. For me, I just feel like I'm mentally squinting and then supernatural stuff gets more visible." 

:'''{{#var:780|Kay (780)}} has posed:'''     Kay laughs, "Yeah, that's... kind of like how it is for me and seeing stuff. That's the one I've learned a little how to use, but I haven't quite gotten good at using it when I want. At least I know I'm on the right track, right?" She hops up to sit on the... table. Real casual, huh? "The things I don't understand are my regeneration and the other thing. I can /feel/ it happening, and I've figured out it's tapping the same source that Berserker is, but I haven't figured out how." She nods to the rifle in its case. "And I think that's drawing from it, too." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber tilts his head as she hops up onto the table, "Definitely on the right track. If you keep having issues harnessing it, I might know a biomancer that could make you some 'glasses' so to speak, so you don't have to squint as hard to hit your targets," He crosses his arms and shifts his weight slightly, "That stuff is hard for me to give advice about. I know where my regeneration comes from, but it's a whole different source." He clenches his jaw and thinks a bit, "Magical potential, though, is a bit beyond me. You might find more success talking to one of the more practiced mages. Arthur Lowell, Himei, Homura, Scarlet Everille, Theo Morrison. They've all got experience tapping power locked inside them." 

:'''{{#var:780|Kay (780)}} has posed:'''     "It's a start," Kay mutters. "And biomancer... you mean Lest? I've worked with her a couple times. A little uh... standoffish, I guess, but once I learned who she was I realized she was probably okay. She's been looking at my blood samples with Kyra." She flexes fingers. "I just hope I can get something of use going soon... now that the truce is over. Heh, I sound like a Unionite." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Lest is a brisk person, but a good person," Psyber says flatly, letting out an awkward laugh at hearing her called stand-offish. He shuts his eyes for a few moments and then opens them, "Kyra is alright. She's apprenticing under my in-house physician." He adds, watching her flex her fingers, "I'm sure you'll get something of use going. You just can't rush your natural growth, I think. Excepting the fact that your regeneration seemed to get kicked into high gear after that recent mission, didn't it?"     He folds his hands behind his head, grinning, "Sounding like a Unionite is alright. People stay in the faction for a reason." He seems to hesitate for a moment before adding, "If I can give you any more advice, training, or anything like that? Just tell me." 

:'''{{#var:780|Kay (780)}} has posed:'''     "Yeah. Yeah it did," Kay admits, "And I don't think I want to experiment by 'nearly killing myself' more. But... it's not like very many things have regeneration like this, so I guess I'll just cope. I don't exactly mind." She sighs, running fingers through her hair. "IT's stuff to think about, anyway." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "As much as I get injured, I don't recommend that as a method to find out your limits, no," Psyber admits to her, sighing a little and then reaching out with his free hand. He plants it on top of her head and ruffles her hair a bit, "You're gonna be fine, kid. I got your back, so do a lot of people. Happy to help, even." 

}}

3633/The Past Revisited

2016-01-18T18:10:11Z

Psyber:

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2016/01/08
|Location=Boston-666
|Synopsis=Wo finally stops by Boston, where Psyber teaches her who she really used to be.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253, 582
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     It had been a very long time since the last time Psyber and Wo had any sort of clandestine or personal meeting between the two of them. There were numerous reasons for this, ranging from the holiday times to the fact Psyber had been repeatedly pissing off Lezard recently, plus the death of Elliana Fairchild. Combining that will recent Hikari aggression against Wo, Wo's own prolonged injury period, and Fed-Union relations, it led to bad scheduling.     Finally, though, perhaps prompted by the fact that Wo now has a slightly more clandestine dock to use on the outskirts of Boston, Psyber was taking the time to actually set up a second meeting. Winter has finally settled into Boston after the unseasonably warm December, and the half-angel is wearing a pair of gloves and leaning against the railing for a small dock on the north end of Boston as he smokes a cigarette. Tucked under one arm is a manilla folder. 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     It has been quite some time, in fact. Just as with Psyber, there were many reasons: Some are actually quite troubling ones. Aside from that, the truce period might have offered relaxation to many across the multiverse, but as with the Hikari fleet, there was no such prolonged rest for the Abyssal fleet. It was simply a time to stockpile, and draw up plans anew. Now that even that is clearing, it will soon be time to once again be put against the grindstone. Amidst that, however, an unexpected boon arrives, in the form of a formal document, assigning a permanent docking area, just inside the neutral sea port of Boston, for the Wo-class with which Psyber was best familiar. Today would be the time to make herself at home, with Psyber's own invitation.     With a secondary goal to clear the air, and get some things off her mind, Wo surfaces closeby, a travel trunk of all things set across one shoulder. Also surfacing is an I-class destroyer, another trunk strapped to its back, and buzzing cheerfully, happy to be of use to a big sister even in this less glamorous role. The two drift in, mere inches over the surface of the waters, before landfall. "Psy-ber," Wo calls, though her tone remains subdued, almost allowing it to be lost against the sounds of lapping waves. "...sorry, that we have-n't spoken, for so long." For her to be 'sorry' about something, only a year ago, that would have been almost unfathomable. It's that same kind of thing that weighs heavily upon her now, as she emerges onto the dock, with her destroyer escort following behind, and shaking off some of the sea water like a dog might.     She stares with cyan eyes for a few long moments, her expression as ever difficult to read. It had been a long time since she had seen him with her own eyes, after all. "...a lot of things, change," she reflects, "Even if we - look the same." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "You don't really owe me an apology, I understand that a lot has been going on," Psyber comments, one hand holding the cigarette to his mouth and the other thrust into his pocket, cradling the folder against his side, "You're travelling heavier than usual today, though. I don't usually imagine you with... luggage." He nods towards both her steamer trunk and the one strapped to the I-Class. He hopes one thing, but keeps it silent.     "Planning another vacation to Boston? Or just planning to pick up some things you need a trunk for," He asks curiously, tilting back on his footing a bit, "Good to see you again, though. Up and about. I would have said hi during the issues with the rogue abyssal, but, I was an acting Admiral both times. Sorry if the torpedos gave you a startle, though." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     There is a moment of hesitation about the torpedoes. They still weren't a comfortable topic, especially to have head toward her, but in another life she had remained a stubborn ship despite, and perhaps partially owed, to the confusion of scuttling. "You did," she finally responds, "What you had to. ...I can't, hold that a-gainst you." It was always a complication of their working and diplomatic relationship that they were going to have to accept, little different than how Wo treats the fleet daughters that reside with Psyber in Boston. To the questions of her luggage, she momentarily gives a glance to her destroyer companion; a late model, it has stubby little legs, which it gives a hop with as it is paid notice to. "To a ship, like my-self," comes her explanation, "A dock is...a home. I should like - a place to stay, closeby." With her various factional stipends, it isn't likely hard to arrange, especially if Psyber assists her in the real estate jungle.     Something else is deeper, however, and just under the surface. Even with her usual mask-like expression, just the slight way her shoulders are bowed and the way her eyes never seem to quite focus on Psyber, beyond that first contact: Something is trying to come to the surface. Sensing this, the destroyer buzzes inquisitively to her, as if wonder if it's okay to share such matters with a third party. "...no, it's o-kay," she responds directly to the unintelligible garble. "We can, trust this - one." But with a brave quirk of her mouth that might have been an unrealized attempt to smile, she finally looks the angel directly in the eyes again. "But - that, can wait. We should, head in-doors." The chill doesn't affect her or her escort, but perhaps Psyber's physiology is a bit more susceptible. The folder does get a brief and obvious look of her eyes, however: "...taking - your work, out of the off-ice," she wonders? 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber will be more than willing to find her a seaside condo or something to rent nearby, since her factional pay would make it trivial to afford. But for not, he just sort of agrees with her, "Yeah, we should get out of the cold. I think the card I gave you should also open the dock lounge, so we can at least get some coffee." Said lounge is a small building on the dock meant for maybe a half dozen people at a time. It's open already, since Psyber is a caffeine junkie, and he steps inside, "Oh this, no. It's uh. I guess you could say, it's a present for you. I'll show you it once you've had a chance to sit down and relax after your travel."     He pulls up a chair and drops down into it, stretching out a bit and taking off his gloves after snuffing out his cigarette in an ash tray, "You have more on your mind than I think I've ever seen you consider. I'm not used to me being the relaxed one and you being stressed out." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     Coffee. That seems to be a familiar thing, despite her being a ship. "...ah, yes," she adds, a quick study with such modern contrivances as a key card. Stepping up, it's only a brief puzzle, but ultimately a key is still a key. "I can al-so, place my things here...for now." It's doubtful that any would-be burglar would want any of her things, but in the multiverse, you just never know. "I app-reciate it, Psyber. Every-thing." Especially in response to the offer of help to find her a place nearby, though the idea of a condo somehow causes her eyebrows to furrow lightly. Did it almost seem like she found the thought amusing, somehow? There is no laugh, however. Making her way inside along with Psyber, she also takes a seat, reaching up both arms to lift the enormous flight deck from her head, placing both it and her personal trunk out of the way. The I-class, somehow, unfastens its own load in the same area, before wandering around on its own to closely examine *all* the things, with its search light eyes.     As Psyber stretches out, the carrier remains seated upright, almost as though her internals don't allow her to relax similarly. With her 'control' staff placed across her legs, clutched in both hands, she nonetheless gives a breath outward, as a token that she's trying. The 'present' remains something of a curiosity, now, but she won't dwell on it. He wants her to speak, it's obvious, with him pointing out how much the tables have turned. She'll just come out and say it, accordingly, subtlety not one of her stronger points, "I may have...done, some-thing regret-able. Things will become, com-plicated. But...I could not tol-erate it, any longer." She gives a glance to the destroyer, which through perhaps some telekinetic link, stops what it's doing, and wanders over to the coffee machine. How in the hell is it operating it without any proper hands? Ship magic. Wo's eyes return to full forward, and she wonders:     "Tell me, hon-estly," she wonders, "...do you think - ships are, happier...as 'fleet daughters'?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "That's a complex question," Psyber says as he watches Wo, tilting his head a bit. He seems to take the question incredibly seriously, perhaps because it's something he's wondered himself, "I have a limited pool of interaction, so it's hard to say for certain. I think. But..."     "Kongou seems happier as Kongou than as Ko-Class. That's what I know. When she was given the chance between Ko-Class and returning to being Kongou, she chose to be Kongou," His answer calls back to the siege on Boston, the half-angel lidding his eyes a bit, "But that's her choice. That's why I don't try to sink Abyssals. I believe in choice, agency, and decision. What makes one person happy may not make another."     "Are YOU happy, Wo?" 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     It's perhaps not the ultimately definitive answer Wo might have wanted, but something about the quirks in her expression suggest that she didn't expect one. Perhaps she is even pleased with Psyber's answer, which is one he had even given before, in slightly different words. With this, she does at least find the ability to sit back in her own chair, allowing it to support her weight all the more. "I see...that is, a good way...of put-ting it. I agree." The I-class destroyer toddles back over to the table with two freshly brewed mugs of coffee on saucers, which it carefully balances on its back. Wo unflinchingly takes them from the top of it, giving a reasonably soft - considering her monotone, "Thank - you." Before wordlessly dismissing it back to its curious looking over of the facility. With gloved hands, the carrier sets one before Psyber, as well as herself.     With that taken care of, she fields Psyber's own question. "I...do not know," she admits, a bit helplessly. "But - I do know, that I re-fuse to abandon...my sisters. That is why..." She gazes with her eyes down into the steam rising from the coffee mug, "I have made, an ag-reement. With their lead-er, Nagato. Any Abyssal...that shows Kon-gou's type, of preference. ...I will not, hold them back. If that...is what they want, then...even if we, be-come enemies. I want, what is best - for them." After she finishes, she is silent for a few long moments. It opens things up for Psyber to make his own comments, of course, but also hanging in the air is what isn't spoken about that kind of arrangement. That it is seemingly in direct conflict with what Samar would want. Self-consciously, the carrier lifts the mug to her lips and takes a sip of it. "...it's bitter," comes her breaking of that silence, as a non-sequitur; it doesn't seem she dislikes that quality, however. Unsurprising, as one that is still relatively new to the sensation of having a sense of taste at all. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Having maxed out his Hardboiled stat, Psyber is totally unphased by drinking black coffee, sipping it and nodding thankfully at the I-Class, "Yeah. A lot of people add Sugar or Milk to cut the flavor a bit," He advises to her before sipping at his some more. It buys him some time on how to react to her admission.     "Samar will be unhappy if she finds out. Lute will, as well, be distressed to find out you no longer agree with his desire to sink all the Fleet Daughters," Psyber comments, shifting in his chair and steepling his fingers, "I suggest you keep it a secret until you have made appropriate arrangements for a worst-case scenario," He adds with some finality, resting his elbows on the table. 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     There is also the matter of that I-class wandering around while this is being discussed. It didn't seem concerned, though, and does not seem to be consciously following the conversation at the grown-ups table at all. Even if it were, though, Wo discloses, "...yes, you are the first, to know, out-side Nagato and some of mine." She holds her mug in both her hands for the moment, then glances over at the ever-inquisitive destroyer again, this time hopping from one stool to another. "I have...a few, that feel as I - do. If it, were to come...to it. We have some sites, scouted. Hope-fully, it won't." It's clear that she had put some thought into it already, before taking that step. The mention of Lute causes a soft sound to rise from her throat. It's half a grunt of frustration, but also a sigh of worry: "Lute...is mis-guided, but means well. I will, keep it to my-self, for now. But, hope-fully, he can be made to un-derstand...this is more com-plicated, than right or wrong."     After that kind of tense subject, though, the tension seems to ease from her shoulders and the rest of her posture, somewhat, even if she does remain seated in that almost unnaturaly upright way. Another drink of coffee is given, as she shakes her head to another earlier point, "No - it's...fine. I like it, like this." And then, "Thank you, Psy-ber. Having someone else...helps, I think." But then, it's time for her curiosity to get the better of her, as she once again glances to that folder. "You said...that was some-thing, for me?" She utterly can't imagine what it would be, much less how a present comes in the form of documents. Outside that, she doesn't pressure, however. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I remember... I forget if it was you or Darwin... or Kongou. That told me it was that Abyssals fought to be remembered. So that people wouldn't forget what they'd done. I wanted to show you something, but it took me a while to get, I'm not a naval historian," Psyber muses as he starts to open the folder. He begins laying out paper after paper on the table in front of her. Some of them are news articles, some of them are ship reports, some are various US Military files.     "Uh, sorry, this is awkward for me. I'm still not sure where to start," He frowns, "Your name is the CV-8 USS Hornet. Your were laid down in 1939 and completed in 1940. You were commissioned on 1941 for active duty and sunk in 1942. You were... your crew was trained in Norfolk, Virginia, but after Pearl Harbor, you transferred to the Pacific Theatre." He rummages through some papers.     "Your first major claim to fame was the Doolittle Raid. It's considered an incredibly important raid, because it was the direct retaliation for Pearl Harbor. No one thought the US could bring a naval presence to the Pacific, but the Hornet's bombers showed that not only could the US field a Navy, but that we could strike Japan and bloody their nose back. It was a major boost to morale."     He rummages for another sheet, "You also participated in the most important battle in the entire Pacific Theater," He pulls up the almost iconic picture of one of Hornet's Douglases running on Mikuma, "A battle which turned the tide of the entire war. But your own fighter wing, VT-8, suffered colossal losses and received a Presidential Unit Citation for bravery."     "After the battle of Guadalcanal, you were the only active carrier in the entire Pacific and you defended it on your own for several months." He seems to furrow his brow, "Your final deployment was the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands. It was here, with some irony, that you met Zuihou, though she was fighting Enterprise at the time. You severely damaged Shokaku and Chikuma, but your power and engines were knocked out by torpedo strikes. The US tried to tow you clear of action, but you were hit by torpedos just before you could be repaired. You took a fatal hit and the US had to try to scuttle you, but failed."     He sighs a bit and then turns over a final sheet of paper, "Despite this, your name was given less than a year later to an Essex-class to carry on your legacy. You were a ship of fresh-faced recruits that spent two years holding the Pacific Theater against a nation famed for its Navy. Every battle you fought, every action you took shaped carrier tactics, even your mistakkes. You, Yorktown, and Enterprise stopped a juggernaut no one ever thought could be halted."     "I spent a lot of time researching who you used to be so I could show you that the US never forgot who you were or what you did. And I think if I can tell you one more thing, I want it to be this:"     "You were the last Fleet Carrier the US ever lost. We never repeated that mistake." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     Wo wasn't really prepared for the figurative torrential downpour. Yet, in this kind of atmosphere, and with some things she'd stored away for the past few weeks finally out in the open, this is about as good of an environment for it that she could have expected. The I-class, sensing something akin to story time, even hops up on one of the seats of the table and watches the laying out of papers, articles and photographs with seeming interest. As for the carrier herself, her expression remains difficult to discern, but she does sit through the entirety of Psyber's production. Whether it's out of stunned silence or intrigue is also difficult to discern. A perhaps positive sign is that her aqua-toned eyes glance over the spread in turn, sometimes returning to previously mentioned pieces of the collection. Placing down her coffee mug, every so often, unbidden to do so, she even reaches out a gloved hand to pick up one of the photos, in order to examine it more closely.     "These are," she recollects, "My mem-ories." The staff, perched across her lap, begins to glow at this, and the projection that had become known as Hornet lingers in the air next to her, wordlessly at first, before speaking up, "You had already realized it, hadn't you?" The carrier's body doesn't flinch, instead answering with some detachment from the present, with so much of the past strewn on the table in front of her, "Yes... I - said, as much. To Nagato. But, to see all of this here..." While her form remains essentially unresolved, the glowing figure appears to cross her arms, "It won't change your mind though, will it? Such a difficult girl. Guess I should expect it, since you're me." Without directly responding, Wo picks up another photograph, this one of a ship trying desperately to tow the damaged Hornet away, "Northampton..." And a historical sketch, of all things, of a Japanese destroyer trying to tow Hornet, after the failed scuttling. "Even those child-ren..."     It's a lot to soak in. Wo had definitely realized herself over the past several months, but it was the little details that still remained confused in her mind. "I was...con-fused," she recounts, "I still -- thought, I could fight. They were...only try-ing to, grant me...an honorable end." The ghost pipes up, "But so stubborn." "I wanted...to re-turn home. But..." At this point, an unfamiliar feeling strikes her, as tears begin streaking from the corner of her eyes. Not even some kind of freaky oil slick. She simply remains holding some of those old photographs for a few moments, silently. The specter isn't at such of a loss of words, though, "She'll be fine, just give her a few moments. We're both grateful you took the time to do all this! Guess I underestimated you a bit." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber rubs the back of his head, unsure how to respond to Hornet, "It took me months to gather it all, and I probably wasted dozens of Interns time researching what they thought was totally irrelevant, but." Psyber shrugs a bit, "If her big woe, no pun intended, was being forgotten, she deserved to know she wasn't."     "I only hope I didn't just give her another mental breakdown or something," He adds, taking a hankerchief out of his coat pocket and putting it on the table in front of Wo, "You have a hull breach, Wo. You're leaking." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     It's Wo, herself, that responds first. At least it wasn't a segmentation fault and core dump like last time. Perhaps, somewhere in all these months in between that happening and this, she had learned to handle this kind of thing better. "No, it's...o-kay," she says, gathering up a deep breath, even though it's questionable whether she actually needs to breathe. "I also, thank you...for bring-ing this, to me." She's not quite empathic enough to give much mind to the idea that Psyber had a lot of interns on this wild goose chase, though. Poor interns. The seemingly good-natured ghost grins to Psyber, or at least seems to, since her facial features still lack much in the way of definition, "Noone should forget a ship that had the guts to launch full-sized bombers. From what I overheard earlier, she's still taking risks, too." She also remarks to Wo, on an earlier point, only half-playfully, "You heard that, didn't you? You have a younger sister named Hornet. You might even get to meet her, at this rate."     This seems to snap Wo out of it, and she actually gives a pointed look at the spirit, at this. Her eyebrows are furrowed, in what can only look like anger, "No. ...if she's, dormant. ...I don't want her - to see this, ugliness." "Hey, hey, relax," the ghost dismisses, raising both hands. Looks like they're not quite ready to reconcile some differences, yet. After that, though the carrier's physical form remains looking over the materials. She never did tend to that 'leak'; it was strangely not an uncomfortable feeling. "I...had no, idea. ...when I, a-woke. All I felt -- was that I had, been thrown a-way. That, all surface people -- are self-ish, with their care-less wars. I, still be-lieve that last part, but..." She quirks her mouth oddly again, and it creates a decent semblance of a smile for Psyber, without having to use her fingertips to pull up the corners of her mouth. "Through fight-ing, for my sisters...and even, surface people. May-be someday, I'll be able...to pro-tect, instead of just fight." The spirit has already faded, apparently having said what it was she wanted to. For the next while, Wo takes her time reading, and drinking the rest of that coffee before it gets cold. The destroyer is oddly quiet. 

}}

3633/The Past Revisited

2016-01-18T18:09:47Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2016/01/08 |Location=Boston-666 |Synopsis=Wo finally stops by Boston, where Psyber teachers her who she really used to be. |Thanks= |Cast of Charac..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2016/01/08
|Location=Boston-666
|Synopsis=Wo finally stops by Boston, where Psyber teachers her who she really used to be.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253, 582
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     It had been a very long time since the last time Psyber and Wo had any sort of clandestine or personal meeting between the two of them. There were numerous reasons for this, ranging from the holiday times to the fact Psyber had been repeatedly pissing off Lezard recently, plus the death of Elliana Fairchild. Combining that will recent Hikari aggression against Wo, Wo's own prolonged injury period, and Fed-Union relations, it led to bad scheduling.     Finally, though, perhaps prompted by the fact that Wo now has a slightly more clandestine dock to use on the outskirts of Boston, Psyber was taking the time to actually set up a second meeting. Winter has finally settled into Boston after the unseasonably warm December, and the half-angel is wearing a pair of gloves and leaning against the railing for a small dock on the north end of Boston as he smokes a cigarette. Tucked under one arm is a manilla folder. 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     It has been quite some time, in fact. Just as with Psyber, there were many reasons: Some are actually quite troubling ones. Aside from that, the truce period might have offered relaxation to many across the multiverse, but as with the Hikari fleet, there was no such prolonged rest for the Abyssal fleet. It was simply a time to stockpile, and draw up plans anew. Now that even that is clearing, it will soon be time to once again be put against the grindstone. Amidst that, however, an unexpected boon arrives, in the form of a formal document, assigning a permanent docking area, just inside the neutral sea port of Boston, for the Wo-class with which Psyber was best familiar. Today would be the time to make herself at home, with Psyber's own invitation.     With a secondary goal to clear the air, and get some things off her mind, Wo surfaces closeby, a travel trunk of all things set across one shoulder. Also surfacing is an I-class destroyer, another trunk strapped to its back, and buzzing cheerfully, happy to be of use to a big sister even in this less glamorous role. The two drift in, mere inches over the surface of the waters, before landfall. "Psy-ber," Wo calls, though her tone remains subdued, almost allowing it to be lost against the sounds of lapping waves. "...sorry, that we have-n't spoken, for so long." For her to be 'sorry' about something, only a year ago, that would have been almost unfathomable. It's that same kind of thing that weighs heavily upon her now, as she emerges onto the dock, with her destroyer escort following behind, and shaking off some of the sea water like a dog might.     She stares with cyan eyes for a few long moments, her expression as ever difficult to read. It had been a long time since she had seen him with her own eyes, after all. "...a lot of things, change," she reflects, "Even if we - look the same." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "You don't really owe me an apology, I understand that a lot has been going on," Psyber comments, one hand holding the cigarette to his mouth and the other thrust into his pocket, cradling the folder against his side, "You're travelling heavier than usual today, though. I don't usually imagine you with... luggage." He nods towards both her steamer trunk and the one strapped to the I-Class. He hopes one thing, but keeps it silent.     "Planning another vacation to Boston? Or just planning to pick up some things you need a trunk for," He asks curiously, tilting back on his footing a bit, "Good to see you again, though. Up and about. I would have said hi during the issues with the rogue abyssal, but, I was an acting Admiral both times. Sorry if the torpedos gave you a startle, though." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     There is a moment of hesitation about the torpedoes. They still weren't a comfortable topic, especially to have head toward her, but in another life she had remained a stubborn ship despite, and perhaps partially owed, to the confusion of scuttling. "You did," she finally responds, "What you had to. ...I can't, hold that a-gainst you." It was always a complication of their working and diplomatic relationship that they were going to have to accept, little different than how Wo treats the fleet daughters that reside with Psyber in Boston. To the questions of her luggage, she momentarily gives a glance to her destroyer companion; a late model, it has stubby little legs, which it gives a hop with as it is paid notice to. "To a ship, like my-self," comes her explanation, "A dock is...a home. I should like - a place to stay, closeby." With her various factional stipends, it isn't likely hard to arrange, especially if Psyber assists her in the real estate jungle.     Something else is deeper, however, and just under the surface. Even with her usual mask-like expression, just the slight way her shoulders are bowed and the way her eyes never seem to quite focus on Psyber, beyond that first contact: Something is trying to come to the surface. Sensing this, the destroyer buzzes inquisitively to her, as if wonder if it's okay to share such matters with a third party. "...no, it's o-kay," she responds directly to the unintelligible garble. "We can, trust this - one." But with a brave quirk of her mouth that might have been an unrealized attempt to smile, she finally looks the angel directly in the eyes again. "But - that, can wait. We should, head in-doors." The chill doesn't affect her or her escort, but perhaps Psyber's physiology is a bit more susceptible. The folder does get a brief and obvious look of her eyes, however: "...taking - your work, out of the off-ice," she wonders? 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber will be more than willing to find her a seaside condo or something to rent nearby, since her factional pay would make it trivial to afford. But for not, he just sort of agrees with her, "Yeah, we should get out of the cold. I think the card I gave you should also open the dock lounge, so we can at least get some coffee." Said lounge is a small building on the dock meant for maybe a half dozen people at a time. It's open already, since Psyber is a caffeine junkie, and he steps inside, "Oh this, no. It's uh. I guess you could say, it's a present for you. I'll show you it once you've had a chance to sit down and relax after your travel."     He pulls up a chair and drops down into it, stretching out a bit and taking off his gloves after snuffing out his cigarette in an ash tray, "You have more on your mind than I think I've ever seen you consider. I'm not used to me being the relaxed one and you being stressed out." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     Coffee. That seems to be a familiar thing, despite her being a ship. "...ah, yes," she adds, a quick study with such modern contrivances as a key card. Stepping up, it's only a brief puzzle, but ultimately a key is still a key. "I can al-so, place my things here...for now." It's doubtful that any would-be burglar would want any of her things, but in the multiverse, you just never know. "I app-reciate it, Psyber. Every-thing." Especially in response to the offer of help to find her a place nearby, though the idea of a condo somehow causes her eyebrows to furrow lightly. Did it almost seem like she found the thought amusing, somehow? There is no laugh, however. Making her way inside along with Psyber, she also takes a seat, reaching up both arms to lift the enormous flight deck from her head, placing both it and her personal trunk out of the way. The I-class, somehow, unfastens its own load in the same area, before wandering around on its own to closely examine *all* the things, with its search light eyes.     As Psyber stretches out, the carrier remains seated upright, almost as though her internals don't allow her to relax similarly. With her 'control' staff placed across her legs, clutched in both hands, she nonetheless gives a breath outward, as a token that she's trying. The 'present' remains something of a curiosity, now, but she won't dwell on it. He wants her to speak, it's obvious, with him pointing out how much the tables have turned. She'll just come out and say it, accordingly, subtlety not one of her stronger points, "I may have...done, some-thing regret-able. Things will become, com-plicated. But...I could not tol-erate it, any longer." She gives a glance to the destroyer, which through perhaps some telekinetic link, stops what it's doing, and wanders over to the coffee machine. How in the hell is it operating it without any proper hands? Ship magic. Wo's eyes return to full forward, and she wonders:     "Tell me, hon-estly," she wonders, "...do you think - ships are, happier...as 'fleet daughters'?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "That's a complex question," Psyber says as he watches Wo, tilting his head a bit. He seems to take the question incredibly seriously, perhaps because it's something he's wondered himself, "I have a limited pool of interaction, so it's hard to say for certain. I think. But..."     "Kongou seems happier as Kongou than as Ko-Class. That's what I know. When she was given the chance between Ko-Class and returning to being Kongou, she chose to be Kongou," His answer calls back to the siege on Boston, the half-angel lidding his eyes a bit, "But that's her choice. That's why I don't try to sink Abyssals. I believe in choice, agency, and decision. What makes one person happy may not make another."     "Are YOU happy, Wo?" 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     It's perhaps not the ultimately definitive answer Wo might have wanted, but something about the quirks in her expression suggest that she didn't expect one. Perhaps she is even pleased with Psyber's answer, which is one he had even given before, in slightly different words. With this, she does at least find the ability to sit back in her own chair, allowing it to support her weight all the more. "I see...that is, a good way...of put-ting it. I agree." The I-class destroyer toddles back over to the table with two freshly brewed mugs of coffee on saucers, which it carefully balances on its back. Wo unflinchingly takes them from the top of it, giving a reasonably soft - considering her monotone, "Thank - you." Before wordlessly dismissing it back to its curious looking over of the facility. With gloved hands, the carrier sets one before Psyber, as well as herself.     With that taken care of, she fields Psyber's own question. "I...do not know," she admits, a bit helplessly. "But - I do know, that I re-fuse to abandon...my sisters. That is why..." She gazes with her eyes down into the steam rising from the coffee mug, "I have made, an ag-reement. With their lead-er, Nagato. Any Abyssal...that shows Kon-gou's type, of preference. ...I will not, hold them back. If that...is what they want, then...even if we, be-come enemies. I want, what is best - for them." After she finishes, she is silent for a few long moments. It opens things up for Psyber to make his own comments, of course, but also hanging in the air is what isn't spoken about that kind of arrangement. That it is seemingly in direct conflict with what Samar would want. Self-consciously, the carrier lifts the mug to her lips and takes a sip of it. "...it's bitter," comes her breaking of that silence, as a non-sequitur; it doesn't seem she dislikes that quality, however. Unsurprising, as one that is still relatively new to the sensation of having a sense of taste at all. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Having maxed out his Hardboiled stat, Psyber is totally unphased by drinking black coffee, sipping it and nodding thankfully at the I-Class, "Yeah. A lot of people add Sugar or Milk to cut the flavor a bit," He advises to her before sipping at his some more. It buys him some time on how to react to her admission.     "Samar will be unhappy if she finds out. Lute will, as well, be distressed to find out you no longer agree with his desire to sink all the Fleet Daughters," Psyber comments, shifting in his chair and steepling his fingers, "I suggest you keep it a secret until you have made appropriate arrangements for a worst-case scenario," He adds with some finality, resting his elbows on the table. 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     There is also the matter of that I-class wandering around while this is being discussed. It didn't seem concerned, though, and does not seem to be consciously following the conversation at the grown-ups table at all. Even if it were, though, Wo discloses, "...yes, you are the first, to know, out-side Nagato and some of mine." She holds her mug in both her hands for the moment, then glances over at the ever-inquisitive destroyer again, this time hopping from one stool to another. "I have...a few, that feel as I - do. If it, were to come...to it. We have some sites, scouted. Hope-fully, it won't." It's clear that she had put some thought into it already, before taking that step. The mention of Lute causes a soft sound to rise from her throat. It's half a grunt of frustration, but also a sigh of worry: "Lute...is mis-guided, but means well. I will, keep it to my-self, for now. But, hope-fully, he can be made to un-derstand...this is more com-plicated, than right or wrong."     After that kind of tense subject, though, the tension seems to ease from her shoulders and the rest of her posture, somewhat, even if she does remain seated in that almost unnaturaly upright way. Another drink of coffee is given, as she shakes her head to another earlier point, "No - it's...fine. I like it, like this." And then, "Thank you, Psy-ber. Having someone else...helps, I think." But then, it's time for her curiosity to get the better of her, as she once again glances to that folder. "You said...that was some-thing, for me?" She utterly can't imagine what it would be, much less how a present comes in the form of documents. Outside that, she doesn't pressure, however. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I remember... I forget if it was you or Darwin... or Kongou. That told me it was that Abyssals fought to be remembered. So that people wouldn't forget what they'd done. I wanted to show you something, but it took me a while to get, I'm not a naval historian," Psyber muses as he starts to open the folder. He begins laying out paper after paper on the table in front of her. Some of them are news articles, some of them are ship reports, some are various US Military files.     "Uh, sorry, this is awkward for me. I'm still not sure where to start," He frowns, "Your name is the CV-8 USS Hornet. Your were laid down in 1939 and completed in 1940. You were commissioned on 1941 for active duty and sunk in 1942. You were... your crew was trained in Norfolk, Virginia, but after Pearl Harbor, you transferred to the Pacific Theatre." He rummages through some papers.     "Your first major claim to fame was the Doolittle Raid. It's considered an incredibly important raid, because it was the direct retaliation for Pearl Harbor. No one thought the US could bring a naval presence to the Pacific, but the Hornet's bombers showed that not only could the US field a Navy, but that we could strike Japan and bloody their nose back. It was a major boost to morale."     He rummages for another sheet, "You also participated in the most important battle in the entire Pacific Theater," He pulls up the almost iconic picture of one of Hornet's Douglases running on Mikuma, "A battle which turned the tide of the entire war. But your own fighter wing, VT-8, suffered colossal losses and received a Presidential Unit Citation for bravery."     "After the battle of Guadalcanal, you were the only active carrier in the entire Pacific and you defended it on your own for several months." He seems to furrow his brow, "Your final deployment was the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands. It was here, with some irony, that you met Zuihou, though she was fighting Enterprise at the time. You severely damaged Shokaku and Chikuma, but your power and engines were knocked out by torpedo strikes. The US tried to tow you clear of action, but you were hit by torpedos just before you could be repaired. You took a fatal hit and the US had to try to scuttle you, but failed."     He sighs a bit and then turns over a final sheet of paper, "Despite this, your name was given less than a year later to an Essex-class to carry on your legacy. You were a ship of fresh-faced recruits that spent two years holding the Pacific Theater against a nation famed for its Navy. Every battle you fought, every action you took shaped carrier tactics, even your mistakkes. You, Yorktown, and Enterprise stopped a juggernaut no one ever thought could be halted."     "I spent a lot of time researching who you used to be so I could show you that the US never forgot who you were or what you did. And I think if I can tell you one more thing, I want it to be this:"     "You were the last Fleet Carrier the US ever lost. We never repeated that mistake." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     Wo wasn't really prepared for the figurative torrential downpour. Yet, in this kind of atmosphere, and with some things she'd stored away for the past few weeks finally out in the open, this is about as good of an environment for it that she could have expected. The I-class, sensing something akin to story time, even hops up on one of the seats of the table and watches the laying out of papers, articles and photographs with seeming interest. As for the carrier herself, her expression remains difficult to discern, but she does sit through the entirety of Psyber's production. Whether it's out of stunned silence or intrigue is also difficult to discern. A perhaps positive sign is that her aqua-toned eyes glance over the spread in turn, sometimes returning to previously mentioned pieces of the collection. Placing down her coffee mug, every so often, unbidden to do so, she even reaches out a gloved hand to pick up one of the photos, in order to examine it more closely.     "These are," she recollects, "My mem-ories." The staff, perched across her lap, begins to glow at this, and the projection that had become known as Hornet lingers in the air next to her, wordlessly at first, before speaking up, "You had already realized it, hadn't you?" The carrier's body doesn't flinch, instead answering with some detachment from the present, with so much of the past strewn on the table in front of her, "Yes... I - said, as much. To Nagato. But, to see all of this here..." While her form remains essentially unresolved, the glowing figure appears to cross her arms, "It won't change your mind though, will it? Such a difficult girl. Guess I should expect it, since you're me." Without directly responding, Wo picks up another photograph, this one of a ship trying desperately to tow the damaged Hornet away, "Northampton..." And a historical sketch, of all things, of a Japanese destroyer trying to tow Hornet, after the failed scuttling. "Even those child-ren..."     It's a lot to soak in. Wo had definitely realized herself over the past several months, but it was the little details that still remained confused in her mind. "I was...con-fused," she recounts, "I still -- thought, I could fight. They were...only try-ing to, grant me...an honorable end." The ghost pipes up, "But so stubborn." "I wanted...to re-turn home. But..." At this point, an unfamiliar feeling strikes her, as tears begin streaking from the corner of her eyes. Not even some kind of freaky oil slick. She simply remains holding some of those old photographs for a few moments, silently. The specter isn't at such of a loss of words, though, "She'll be fine, just give her a few moments. We're both grateful you took the time to do all this! Guess I underestimated you a bit." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber rubs the back of his head, unsure how to respond to Hornet, "It took me months to gather it all, and I probably wasted dozens of Interns time researching what they thought was totally irrelevant, but." Psyber shrugs a bit, "If her big woe, no pun intended, was being forgotten, she deserved to know she wasn't."     "I only hope I didn't just give her another mental breakdown or something," He adds, taking a hankerchief out of his coat pocket and putting it on the table in front of Wo, "You have a hull breach, Wo. You're leaking." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     It's Wo, herself, that responds first. At least it wasn't a segmentation fault and core dump like last time. Perhaps, somewhere in all these months in between that happening and this, she had learned to handle this kind of thing better. "No, it's...o-kay," she says, gathering up a deep breath, even though it's questionable whether she actually needs to breathe. "I also, thank you...for bring-ing this, to me." She's not quite empathic enough to give much mind to the idea that Psyber had a lot of interns on this wild goose chase, though. Poor interns. The seemingly good-natured ghost grins to Psyber, or at least seems to, since her facial features still lack much in the way of definition, "Noone should forget a ship that had the guts to launch full-sized bombers. From what I overheard earlier, she's still taking risks, too." She also remarks to Wo, on an earlier point, only half-playfully, "You heard that, didn't you? You have a younger sister named Hornet. You might even get to meet her, at this rate."     This seems to snap Wo out of it, and she actually gives a pointed look at the spirit, at this. Her eyebrows are furrowed, in what can only look like anger, "No. ...if she's, dormant. ...I don't want her - to see this, ugliness." "Hey, hey, relax," the ghost dismisses, raising both hands. Looks like they're not quite ready to reconcile some differences, yet. After that, though the carrier's physical form remains looking over the materials. She never did tend to that 'leak'; it was strangely not an uncomfortable feeling. "I...had no, idea. ...when I, a-woke. All I felt -- was that I had, been thrown a-way. That, all surface people -- are self-ish, with their care-less wars. I, still be-lieve that last part, but..." She quirks her mouth oddly again, and it creates a decent semblance of a smile for Psyber, without having to use her fingertips to pull up the corners of her mouth. "Through fight-ing, for my sisters...and even, surface people. May-be someday, I'll be able...to pro-tect, instead of just fight." The spirit has already faded, apparently having said what it was she wanted to. For the next while, Wo takes her time reading, and drinking the rest of that coffee before it gets cold. The destroyer is oddly quiet. 

}}

3687/Yang Stops By the Office

2016-01-18T18:07:38Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2016/01/17 |Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH> |Synopsis=Yang stops by Boston to hire some professionals to track down her mother. |Thanks= |Cast ..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2016/01/17
|Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH>
|Synopsis=Yang stops by Boston to hire some professionals to track down her mother.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253, 906
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     It's the Sunday before an American Holiday, so the lobby of Heaven or Hell itself is pretty slow. The building itself, located in downtown Boston-666, is a tall office building with a prominent logo on it. With how paranormally integrated the city is, someone like Yang might get a few curious looks but not much warning. She might have to ride her bike a bit more carefully, since the streets are slightly icy from winter snowfall.     The half-angel and owner of the building is hanging out in the lobby, feet propped up on the front desk and a small TV up on said desk as he watches a football game. It's a somewhat stark contrast of relaxation to the professional and impeccable air of the lobby itself. But he definitely matches any personnel file or record someone could pull up on Psyber. 

:'''{{#var:906|Yang Xiao Long (906)}} has posed:'''     Blonde teenage girl on a motorbike? Check. She's riding within speed limits, and only weaving a little bit through traffic. Bumblebee is a pretty /big/ bike, after all. Not one of those sleek designs like the locals have. She pulls up into a spot outside the office, checks her Scroll to varify she's at the ride place, then dismounts, leaving her helmet on the bike. No apparent lock? No problem, the Bike itself will deter any would-be thief with a nasty little zap, like a taser.     She walks up to the doors, pushing them open, or otherwise entering the lobby. Lilac eyes lay instantly on the reclined half-angel, and she beelines for him. "People say you can do most anything." she begins once in earshot. Leaning onto the desk by her elbows. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     He looks up, taking his eyes off the television as the blonde girl walks into his lobby. It's a slow and somewhat laid back sort of gesture. With a slight grunt of effort, he sits up a bit more, though says nothing until she makes the approach and talks to him so point of fact.     "Well. I'm a bit of an all-around problem solver, yes. Mostly paranormal investigation and crisis management," He vaguely recognizes the voice, but hasn't talked to Yang much, "How can I help you today?"     His red eyes fall upon her, waiting for the response. 

:'''{{#var:906|Yang Xiao Long (906)}} has posed:'''     Yang pulls her Scroll out of her pocket, opens it to its widest aperture, then taps a button to bring up a picture. It's a woman in white and black clothing, with long black hair like the blonde's. Red eyes and a katana, the picture was likely taken just after she'd felled some beast or other. "I'm looking for this woman." she states simple. "I'm wondering if you can help me find her." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber hrms and leans in, looking at the picture, "Not bad." He muses before looking over at Yang, "Friend?" He inquires, before reaching towards his desk. He takes out a business card, "Here's my email and cell phone. Gimme her name, last known location, occupation, any relevant information you've got. I can put up a post to my info network and try to see if anyone wants to track the job, besides myself. I have a lot of specialists on call."     He rubs the back of his head, "Since you're a Unionite, they'll cover your bill, so don't worry about money."     He finally extends a hand towards her, "Psyber, by the way, since I don't think we've formally met." 

:'''{{#var:906|Yang Xiao Long (906)}} has posed:'''     "Mother." replies the blonde. "Raven Branwen, Planet Remnant, not sure where exactly. Huntress. She disappeared when I was a baby, now I want to know why." Yang takes the card, then shrugs lightly. "I'll forward it in writing to the email as well... it won't be an easy job, I've been looking for the last ten years."     At the mention of not needing to worry about money, she frowns a bit. "I'll work for it myself. I'm a capable fighter, and I know my way around a negotiation or two." not mentioning the /last/ negotiation meant putting a literal squeeze on someone.     The offered hand is taken, and a firm handshake given. "Yang Xiao Long. Huntress in training at Beacon academy." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Mm. I see," Psyber says as he looks at the picture again, "Alright. Raven Branwen from Remnant. Missing over a period of more than ten years," Psyber nods his head some more and narrows his eyes, "Got it. I agree, it's going to be hard with a trail that cold, but we'll see what we can do."     "And if you insist on paying it off, and you're some sort of Hunter in training, I may be able to make you a middle-ground offer," He waves around the building a bit, "Come work for the office part time. A lot of people take odd jobs whenever they want the money, plus you'll get to meet most of the people that are going to help look for your mother." 

:'''{{#var:906|Yang Xiao Long (906)}} has posed:'''     Yang takes a quick glance around the lobby. It doesn't take her long before she nods. "Okay, agreed. Bonus on top is I get to see more of the Multiverse, and maybe try out a few more styles of combat... you guys /do/ fight stuff as well, right?" she asks, standing up and crossing her arms under her bust. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Sometimes violence is a part of the job, yeah. We do a lot of field work and investigation, but there's always dangerous things trying to stop that, so another fighter on board isn't a bad idea. Plus it could help you grow out your powers a bit, like you said," He nods, watching her carefully, "That and it's good to develop skills besides fighting, now that you're in the Multiverse. We'll get you set up with group access pretty quick." 

:'''{{#var:906|Yang Xiao Long (906)}} has posed:'''     "Sounds good to me!" replies Yang, grinning a bit at the prospect now in front of her. "Tell the truth? Last person I went to for information on my mother... was a total scumbag. I had to beat him, his goons and a couple of his bodyguards up and got nothing out of it, except for a good fight." 

}}

3163/Talk About Awkward

2015-10-07T20:17:39Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/10/06 |Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH> |Synopsis=Psyber, Mordred, Duet and Nathan have a very awkward talk after Sunday. |Thanks= |Cast of..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/10/06
|Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH>
|Synopsis=Psyber, Mordred, Duet and Nathan have a very awkward talk after Sunday.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=12, 92, 168, 253
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     What's for lunch in the lobby? It's actually a pair of pizzas.     Psyber seems... surprisingly upbeat for the day. He's still working, even while he waits for Nathan to come down for the impromptu meeting he expected, but despite that working, he has a slight hum to his voice and a generally more... relaxed posture than one would expect from him.     Due to the weird time of afternoon, the lobby is fairly deserted, with a minimal amount of foot traffic out on the street. 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     Nathan heads down the elevator from the library without a ton of ceremony, really. He's just sort of doing things the way he's been for a long time. He has that air of an exhausted robot as he shuffles out, but he doesn't seem like he's going to touch those pizzzas. Or, you know, say anything first. Which may create a bit of an awkward silence when he wanders over to Psyber and just sort of stares. 

:'''{{#var:92|Duet Fortuna (92)}} has posed:'''     If Nathan isn't going to say anything, Duet's going to snag a slice of pizza and shove it onto a plate, passing it right over to the librarian. "Eat something, Nate. It's been a long few years, and I for one am glad to have it be over." She pauses, then adds lightly, "Not that I've known you all that long, just had my own long years, you know." She's leaning casually against the wall, and already has a half-eaten slice of her own. "I'd say you've earned it, is my point." 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     Mordred walks in, wearing the typical short shorts, Psyber Replica Jacket and white tube top underneath, complete with ALREADY having a burger in her hand, half-eaten. She falls idle by Duet, munching.     "You know, your office has so many wards in it, dematerializing here actually feels kind of awful if I don't watch where I walk." Despite already having food she will help herself to a slice of pizza regardless, duel-wielding her burger with that.     "Long years is vague. Do we get a story time?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Sorry about that. Good to know they don't actually fuck you up, though," Psyber says to Mordred, folding up his paper and setting it down on the desk in front of him. He looks around at the three people gathered. The three people responsible, that he knows of.     He slowly stands up and looks around, his gaze finally settling on Nathan, "If you're waiting for me to be mad, I'm not going to be," Psyber notes in a somewhat bland tone, "I think I've made it apparent by now that my strange and forgiving nature works in all directions."     "Plus, Duet was willing to step in first and defuse a bit." He notes, looking at the masked woman gratefully. 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     "Mad? About what?" Mordred glances at Psyber, between bites of her food. "I feel like I missed something very important. What was defused? Who did what?" Evidently someone has been rather busy handling other stuff and hasn't caught up yet. It's probably not anyone's fault, the Servant had been back and forth a lot and rather scarce, perhaps to Nathan's joy. 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     He stares at the plate like Duet just offered him a plate of snakes. Though, you know, for Nathan, the difference in expression is very difficult to see. He takes the plate though. "Of course you haven't, of course. You haven't known me long." He says, in that neutral monotone of his. "Though I rather don't think I've earned it. Had my fair share of..." He pauses before the first bite. "Debt on that point."     He gives Mordred a long look, but as is by now per the norm for him, he doesn't really say much to her. Like he's been doing for a while, he keeps out of her conversation. Psyber on the other hand doesn't really get much of a look at all. Nathan keeps his eyes from meeting Psyber's. "Well. I admit I was braced, I was braced a bit for something severe. You'd shown a bit of... Severity, recently." He seems like he can't much figure the words for what he'd much want to say here. He'll let Psyber, Duet, and probably at least a bit of Mordred guide things properly. 

:'''{{#var:92|Duet Fortuna (92)}} has posed:'''     Duet shrugs to Mordred, "I had a talk with Psyber last night. He seemed a little down, so I reminded him of a few things and it all worked out." She nibbles on pizza a little and ponders, "Maybe... maybe you did, Nathan. But you should also know that sometimes it's good to get a fresh start, both for you and others. I know you likely have a lot of important things to take care of, I think you can let go and just accept a little forgiveness."     She holds up a finger, "And don't have any of this 'undeserving' bit, I can think of at least one other person who doesn't deserve it and got it." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber looks to Mordred, "Mad over the circumstances of the death of Elliana Fairchild," He notes point blank. His hands go into his pockets and he takes out a cigarette. He's allowed to smoke in his own building, or so he'd think, barring someone stopping him. As he takes a slow drag, Psyber looks to Nathan.     "Severe is one word for it. But I'm not mad at anyone in this room," The half-angel says very carefully, "Despite losing my best friend, I have reason to believe that things will continue to work out positively from this event, tragic as it may be." He sighs a bit, exhaling smoke, "I can't sum up the effort to be mad at my best friends. Or you, Miss Fortuna, who is on the road to becomin such." He adds the last part hastily, "So much of the problems over the past three or four years are from bitter grudges and anger that I think it's better to just... not be." 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     "Oh."     Mordred looks down a bit. "Sorry, you said mad, and I wasn't sure why you'd be mad about that instead of sad. I mean, mad on the spur of the moment was fine, and that's why the Emperor got his due, but there's nobody left to be mad at. Nobody here's the one who killed her. I guess you could be mad at me for not playing my part and defending her, if you wanted. I should've stuck with her." Chomp. Well, Mordred doesn't have her usual, haughty smirk on, but chewing on food makes up for it.     "Sorry about making that worse. Lord of Rage wanted out and the Command Spell might have made it worse." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     Nathan stares at his pizza. His stoic face has a hint of glumness to it. You can sort of barely see it, though you have to know him particularly well. He mutters something under his breath, clearly not meant for the others to hear, though it's quite possible they might. "Nobody got what they deserved."     Well, that seems to not be what he intends to talk about. "I understand, Psyber, I understand, to a degree. It's good to know you don't have to deal with that, you don't have to deal with all that difficulty. So much exhausting emotional difficulty." He takes another nibble, it's not much though. He seems more interested in reacting than speaking on this. It doesn't look like he has a lot to say. Or, rather, he haas a lot, but he sure doesn't have a lot of words for it. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I could be mad at some people," Psyber notes to Mordred, "For deceptions kept from me. But I understand the logic behind her plan. I've had a day to consider it. I know why I had to be kept blind on that part," The half-angel frowns, "As much as it vexes me that it happened, I understand it."     "I think though..." Psyber furrows his brow some more, "I'm done trying to play politician. I have people for that working here now. I'm a detective and a fighter, and I'd like to stick to that unless I'm really needed for stuff like that. 

:'''{{#var:92|Duet Fortuna (92)}} has posed:'''     Duet... frowns. Thens he shakes her head, "I think... that turned out for the best. There were some um... signs that it wasn't quite as planned. The Black Cartridge is something that I doubt Fairchild could have known about. I certainly didn't. At the end of the day, though, the Empire fell and has a new, trustworthy leader. The Confederacy lost three of their Elites. And I hope, at least, that you two can start to remember you're good friends again."     She finishes her slice and sets the plate aside. "There were a lot of people hurt in the last few years. Mordred included. I'm hoping that won't happen as much." 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     There is a brief exchange between Duet and Mordred, as the Servant frowns and tries to extract an answer amidst word games.     And then she turns back to Psyber and regains her joviality. "I'm being informed I don't have to pretend like you don't know, so, for all it's worth coming from a treacherous knight, I AM sorry. I guess I lucked out. Fury is easy to crank to eleven when you have a switch for it inside you. Otherwise I bet I'd have been in the dark too."     Mordred finishes her slice of pizza, turning to Nathan next. "Say, speaking of people who got what they deserved. What'd you do with the Emperor?" 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "It doesn't suit you, Psyber. Doesn't suit you at all, getting into that role." nathan says, somberly. "You have me for handling that, for handling it when things get too diplomatic." He makes a broad gesture, which looks a lot more casual when one of his hands is holding a slice of pizza. "I can withstand the social stress a lot more than you can, I think, before losing some efficacy. Before starting to lose too much efficacy." The wordless insinuations here are that he is, at least a little, saying that Psyber should trust that things like this are why he's the one who stays in charge of this kind of thing. "I'm glad you're feeling that way, Psyber."     Then he's done talking about that. it's on towards Duet's subject. Mordred included? Nathan gives her a look, and it's edging out of his stoic blank ranges, but not much, and it's impossible to tell what its emotional content is. "Mm. Objectively, the only good thing I could desire here would be for that sort of hurting to stop." He says.     As for Mordred's actual question to him? "Worse than some would want. Better than he deserves." Nathan says, blandly. "It seems the effect of the attacks attacks you and Psyber performed cut off his new body's connection to the Network. He's isolated. We've stored him, with relevant accommodations." Seems Lady Fairchild wound up causing a Binding in her death. "He will not be released." He's still not even halfway through his slice, his nibbles are that small. 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     Mordred idly and dismissively waves her empty hand in the air at the mention of hurting. "I don't know if I'd say I've hurt anywhere near as bad as you two. Three. For the most part, I was a knight doing what their master told them. I can't really ask for more. Doing what you're told, not taking decisions, it has its charm, you know? It's less stressful than the alternative."     She nods to Nathan, and then shrugs. "I guess that's for the best. Who knows, we might need him later. Stuff about the Empire only he knew. Secret contingencies. Certainly my former master wasn't the only fan of those." 

:'''{{#var:92|Duet Fortuna (92)}} has posed:'''     "And by necessity, still has a few running," Duet adds. "The Emperor was mad, but not stupid. Mordred brings up a good point, and we should keep it in mind. As a native, I'll give my advice where I can, but I think it best if Nathan handles the actual storage and monitoring." A little gesture of trust, perhaps. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber shakes his head at Mordred, "I appreciate it, but we're cool. In the end, for as much as the plan hurt me, it excised a damaged portion of my social life and implanted a more healthy arrangement. That was necessary. I'm not obsessing over juggling my social roster any more."     He smiles and laughs a bit, "Heck, I might even get to have healthy relationships for once," He notes, some genuine humor returning to his voice as he looks to Mordred, "So in the end, thank you for that much alone."     He looks to Nathan, finally, "Fine. I'll keep your drift on that much. But you don't fight any more. Let me do that, in exchange for you handling the social stress." He points at the Librarian, "No one likes it when you get violent and no one wants to see it again."     The status of the Emperor causes him to let out a faint noise of curiosity, "So that was the verdict. I tried to... stack the jury against him, so to speak. I was interested if the five I chose could reach a balance." 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     "See it another way, what happened was kind of dirty, but now you've got the two best heads working in tandem to fix Terra Majora, and at their disposal, the two enforcers who can turn that world upside down by force if they want to. We've had our differents, Hall, but now you get to order me around and make me sword what's convenient for YOU. Ain't that gonna be a nice change of pace? Just don't slip back into wanting to hurt my master, past or current, and we'll get along best we can."     The Saber grins, and then tips a hat she isn't wearing to Psyber. "Sure thing, ma'am. All cool here if it's all cool over there." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     Nathan just sort of gives Mordred a soft "mm" of response, keeping from giving them much of a significant reply at all. At least, to her first statement. There's more of a nod to Duet, of course, and he replies, "I have a few more investigations underway. Prefer, you know, prefer to keep them from the emperor, but it might help. Nobody closer to the top than he is." He sighs. The gesture of trusting him is accepted; it seems to not be the source of his distress.     He gets a little more reserved when that bit comes up. "Yeah." He says. His voice edges down closer to a whisper. "Not meant for that at all. Couldn't do any good with it if I tried." The second statement Mordred gave gets a bit more of a distant look, like he's looking past her. "Wasn't what I had problems with." He says, still in that low tone. He sounds disinclined to discuss things on a more serious level with her, though...? 

:'''{{#var:92|Duet Fortuna (92)}} has posed:'''     "I wouldn't be surprised if it takes a little while for all of us," Duet points out. "It's a change of pace for everyone... including me. I'm new at... all this. That is, not having a specific goal to work toward, and not having to... engage in certain behaviors. Not making people do things for me." She considers. "Actually asking." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber looks over at Duet and reaches out. His hand comes up and... plants firmly on her head, "You'll figure it out," He ruffles gently. And then, unless Duet actually resists him, Psyber will attempt to pull the blonde girl into a firm hug. It's not hard to escape, though, if she doesn't want it.     "Right now, I think we should all just be grateful it resolved how it did." 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     Mordred raises a brow at Nathan, curiously. "If you want to air what I did wrong, you can go right ahead. If we're going to be working together, my time in Camelot has taught me unaired issues result in rebellions, stolen queens, crusades, and ultimately, burning kingdoms." She glances towards Duet and Psyber. "The stolen queen part is already happening, you see? Personally I was just mad you were romping in my former master's head and causing damage. I mean, besides the fact we were on opposite sides and all." 

:'''{{#var:92|Duet Fortuna (92)}} has posed:'''     Somehow, Duet manages to look startled at the hug, even if she returns it with a light laugh after the shock wears off. It's brief, but genuine at least. And when she releases, she casts a smile at Mordred. "Stolen queens, is it? I'll hold you to that metaphor, you know." Lightheartedly she punches Mordred's shoulder, before things turn a little more serious.     "I can supply plenty of prana, but it does look like you'll see a lot of fighting. Fairchild was a powerful being in her own right, but Duet is... not so spectacular." She shrugs, "Maybe it's better that way." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     Nathan looks at Duet with a somber look. "It works. It works, you know, better than you'd expect. Much better than you'd expect, sometimes. Just don't let it give you the wrong impression. Sometimes you can't depend on it." He makes a bitter noise at that last part. Still a little stressed about it, seems like. There's a nod at Psyber. "It turned out better than it could have." He says. "Prefer this to most alternaatives." What an emotionless way of saying it, sheesh. Right during the hug too. Kinda classic Nathan, though.     Mordred gets another long, storic look. He makes a critical sort of noise. "Doubt you much care for the story. I had no harmful intentions with trying to prolong that nightmare." His usually articulate monotone manifests in an exhausted mutter, very briefly, as if uncomfortable with airing anything out. "Wanted to see what it was like, being in a world where I was worth being loyal to."     Wow, awkward.     He goes back to nibbling on his pizza. Still only halfway through a slice. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     He doesn't try to hold out the hug or anything, releasing Duet when she's ready to be let go, "It's nice to see you able to relax, Duet. And to be yourself. In that much, I'm getting to see what I told Elliana my definition of redemption was," He admits as his hands fall to his pockets after that.     Nathan's comment draw his gaze. He frowns a bit and sighs. He doesn't say much to Nate, at the moment, though. He's learned better than to call Nathan out on his emotions in front of other people. Though he at least has the impression that there's a lot more for Nathan to work through in the coming months. Instead, he asks a much more benign question:     "So have you and Pegasus done much apartment hunting, Nate?" 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     "My story didn't come from bad intentions either, you know. But I don't have to tell you how it turned out, and what history books paint me as. Mythology books. Whatever," Mordred answers Nathan, deciding not to push. "Doesn't excuse me. People're right to distrust me. You ever want to set me straight, though, you help yourself. Until then, it won't change the fact my sword is going to be yours to command."     She regains her grin, especially at Duet's chiding. "Appearing powerless has its uses, master. One day someone will try to kill me by killing you, or will manage to slip past my guard. Best for that day that you not be the harmless person you pretend to be. And yes, I'm sticking to stolen queen. That makes Psyber Sir Lancelot in my analogy, by the way. I'm obviously the king. Who else could be?" 

:'''{{#var:92|Duet Fortuna (92)}} has posed:'''     Giving Mordred a bit of an eye, Duet tsks, "King Mordred, then. I guess that works. You're right, of course. Until then, I think I'll enjoy being just Duet for a while." She tucks her arms behind her, turning some more attention to Nathan. "Bsides, some things you can't really fix with a sword or raw power anyway." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     There's a bit less distance there for a moment. Progress! Or something vaguely like it anyway. "Mmh." Still not a lot of words there though. Nathan turns his attention from Mordred to Psyber. "We are making relevant arrangements. It should be complete soon. I admit I was ensuring it would be somewhat delayed, to a time when there was less tension. Like Duet said. I need to remember good friendships, and you needed some signs that I was not doing it to distance myself from you. Less of an issue, now."     "Not a chance many people get." He says, nodding to Duet herself. "Best to enjoy what you have, in that case. As for those sorts of solutions... Yes. I hope to turn more to those now, once again." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I dunno if I wanna be Lancelot. That seems to imply infidelity and eternally unrequited love, lest I destroy everything I care about," Psyber notes to Mordred as he rubs the underside of his chin, "That sounds like what we had before, actually, so we're doin something new now. You can still be King Mordred if you really want, though."     Turning to Nathan, Psyber nods his head firmly, "Of course, I can see the logic there. If you put me as a reference on your renter's application, I'm sure you guys can get some good deals shopping around the city," He adds with a bright smile. 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     "I'm fine with that if I keep getting free access to your fridge," Mordred answers Psyber, before giving Nathan and Duet a side glance. "Hey now, you be careful not to solve everything with words so hard we have to put our swords away because nobody wants swordsmen anymore. Try to leave some stuff for us to have to put in their place."     How boring would those two's ideal world be.     Mordred will ever be glad words don't fix everything, either. 

:'''{{#var:92|Duet Fortuna (92)}} has posed:'''     Duet just smiles, "I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities for you to demonstrate your unique diplomacy, Mordred." She rubs at her shoulder, then looks thoughtful. "Speaking of diplomacy, I guess I'd better get my things arranged. I'm glad that we could all have this talk, though." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "Will be happy to. Very happy to, Your reputation is a good one here, I think." Nathan says, nodding to Psyber. Then, he shakes his head. "Our job is the same as yours. We each exist to put the other out of business, to take care of all the problems the others would. Neither of us ever manage, neither of us ever really pull it off, no matter how hard we try." He then regards Duet, with that usual uncertainty that he always gave Elliana herself. "Admit, I'm not sure, not immediately sure what the talk was for. Suppose it cleared the air on... Some subjects. Well. As long as you feel it achieved its goal." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber sighs a bit and folds his hand behind his head, "Right. I should probably get back to lobby duty. I need to finish up a gun for Kyra by this afternoon,"" He notes, considering it, "Mostly done with that, though. Mostly, I think, the talk was just nice. We got to hang out and chat a bit. We almost never get to just do that. I hope we can do it more often." 

}}

3165/Giving Guns to Kids

2015-10-07T20:16:53Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/10/06 |Location=Boston-666 |Synopsis=Psyber delivers Kyra her first gunpowder firearm. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=253, 626 |Tinyplot= |Tinyp..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/10/06
|Location=Boston-666
|Synopsis=Psyber delivers Kyra her first gunpowder firearm.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253, 626
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber promised Kyra a gun forever and a day ago! Unfortunately for Kyra, the many trials and tribulations of his life had waylaid his ability to finish it for some time. Fortunately for her, though, Psyber had found himself with a windfall of free time and called her to the armory about her completed gun.     And that's where he is now. In the armory with a black case in his hands about the side of a breadbox. He looks somewhat tired, as if he's a bit overworked, but generally seems to be in an amicable mood about things. 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     Kyra understands: Psyber is a busy guy. He has to run things and do missions and all kinds of crazy adult responsibility stuff, the poor guy. Though she also kind of assumes it got lost in the background noise-maybe there was an order form she was supposed to fill out or something! Turns out she's wrong though.     Once school is out on her end, she heads straight to Boston where the now-familiar Heaven or Hell Headquarters rests. From there, it's the armory and although it's the first time she's visited, she's easily able to find it. "Oh, hey Psyber." she greets slightly guarded. "How're you doing today?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I'm getting by," Psyber says to kyra with a tired smile. He pats the side of the case on the table and looks at her, "I finished your gun, though. Took me a while, since I made most of the parts by hand and forged them myself. This will be about as good a handgun as you could ever get," He assures her as he slides the case over to her.     "I went with standard 9 mil in it, so the recoil won't be too bad." He seems to wait for her to open it. 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     "You look pretty tired. Maybe you need a vacation soon, Psyber." Kyra suggests before her green eyes drop down to the case. "Ooooh." she murmurs, immediately leaning forward before she catches the case on the table with both hands before it slides off. Immediately, she opens the box to look at the piece.     "Oh, that's right, these kind of guns will have the physical recoil." she remarks. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Sometime soon. Things have been a bit rough," Psyber admits to her as he watches her open the case. When she does, she finds what is basically a Sig Sauer P226, save that each piece was hand-forged by Psyber in the armory, "I've balanced it, put recoil control onto it, tried to tighten up and reduce the frame a bit."     "But yes. Physical firearms have recoil. And you're going to have to get used to feeling and using them." 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     She seems to vaguely recognize the gun: "Is this like a Sig?" Kyra asks, carefully taking it out of the case. Judging by the way she handles it, she's obviously trained with guns and knows her safety rules-it never gets pointed at herself or Psyber. "Very nice. You made this whole thing by hand?"     She looks up at him and nods. "The Luna's Resolve has the physical recoil too but I'm guessing this feels a lot different." she's quiet for a second, "Hey, do we have anywhere I can try this out?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "It's a me-variant of the Sig P226, yes," Psyber says to her as he watches her pick up the gun, "If you wanna name it, you can. I don't, usually." He admits to her as his hand go into the pockets of his coat. Alongside the gun, or rather under it, are three clips and about 45 rounds of ammunition in the case, "Powder charge firearms will have a LOT more recoil than you're used to."     He waves a hand at her, "Come on. I set up some paper targets at the testing range for you to plink at."     He starts to leadher over to a basic shooting alley with a pair of earmuffs for her, "Also, oiling and cleaning is very, very important on powder firearms." 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     "Lloyd names his pieces, yeah. Maybe I'll name this one the Psyber Special. Then I can serve up a heaping hot dose of Psyber Special." She giggles like a schoolgirl, contrasting strangely as she handles the gun. Her grip shifts to one hand as she picks up a clip of the ammunition and looks it over. "Hm, yeah, the bullets feel less dense to me."     She puts both back in the box and closes it, getting up to follow after Psyber. "Yay! It's like you read my mind." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Hoo boy, that doesn't sound like a double entendre at all," Psyber comments as he leads her, hands in his pockets in a casual gait, "Things to account for more in a standard firearm are recoil, bullet drop after a certain distance, effective range, and other things." He notes, giving it to her as if it was a lecture.     "The gun also ejects spent cartridges, which are searing hot. Effective range will be about fifty yards if you can get to be a good shot." 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     Kyra laughs mischeviously at that. "I know, right?" She tucks the box under an arm after closing it fully and walks next to him, listening as he explains the strange world of guns that don't run on MP. "Bullet drop? Oh, right, like range limitations. Yeah, we can't keep our bullets at the same height and velocity indefinitely either. Well, most people. There are some Gunners that can do these /things/...anyway, go on, go on."     She listens, then lifts a finger. "They're hot because of the gunpowder going off, right?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Yeah. Hammer strikes the firing pin, all the gunpowder goes off in an explosion. The bullet is propelled out and the spent cartridge is ejected from the slide there," He explains the rough physics of it, looking down range at the various targets.     "You seem to have studied this already." 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     "I find the concept of using controlled explosions to run everything pretty interesting." Kyra says brightly. "But yes, I did do a little bit of research on the physics of these things beforehand so I had some idea of what I was getting into! Besides, I don't want to look dumb and fall on my ass due to completely unexpected recoil." She sidles up to the range and unpacks the gun from the box again. She examines the clip again before holding both it and the gun up for Psyber to see.     "Stop me if I'm doing it wrong." she warns him before putting the clip in. It doesn't seem like she's doing anything wrong. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber silently nods to her, watching her take the magazines and the gun out, carefully assessing how she's handling it. Finding nothing to object to, he doesn't say too much and instead opts to look down range. He is, however, very careful to do one thing first. He picks up the shooting range earmuffs and drops them over her ears so she doesn't accidentally surprise herself. 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     Kyra seems largely confused by the earmuffs. She taps one with a finger, that confusion apparent on her face, before she lifts the gun and aims downrange. Actually holding a gun doesn't seem to differ much between where she's from and Psyber's Boston, given she takes it up with a two-handed grip in this case. She doesn't spend all that much time aiming and fires down the range.     ...and misses the target.     She seems surprised, both at the noise, and at the fact that she missed. She lowers the weapon and lifts one of the earmuffs off her head. "Wow, that's pretty loud." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber is spared any sort of hearing damage mostly due to his nature as a regenerator, "Yep. When you use it indoors, you need to mind that. You won't go permanently deaf, but you might cause a ringing in your ears," He comments as he watches her miss the target.     "Try again. This time, exhale as you pull the trigger and fight the recoil a bit less. If you anticipate it too much, you mess up your aim." 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     "Impressive that they got such a loud explosion in such a tiny place." Kyra says, looking down at the Psyber Special. "Maybe I can esuna the ringing away..." she muses aloud but doesn't seem too inclined to try it out as she lets the earmuff flop back over her ear.     Only she picks it up again as Psyber keeps speaking. "Oh. Huh, okay." She draws in a breath and lifts the gun, firing a second time. The bullet actually hits the paper this time, but not the actual target areas on the paper.     "...hmmm." she muses, then fires again, this time striking the second inner ring of the target. "Ahh..." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     There's a slow few nods as he watches the second shot hit the paper and then the third hit the target proper. He seems to nod approvingly before he crosses his arms, "Good!" He shouts, loud enough to be heard past the earmuffs, albeit quietly, "You just need to practice and get a feel with it. If you need ammunition, buy nine millimeter. If you wind up needing more stopping power, I can up the barrel to a .40 or something." 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     Kyra lowers the gun again so she can lift an earmuff and hear Psyber talk. She nods. "And I can find that pretty easily, right? Like they sell it in stores and you don't have to make it special order? Like Lloyd's bullets?" A laugh follows, "If I ever need that much stopping power, then something has gone really, really wrong and the healer isn't being protected. That's no good. Hopefully I can get separate practice shooting under combat conditions though."     She puts the earmuffs back on and takes up the gun again to practice some more. The next few shots consistently do hit the targets-she seems to be adapting to the recoil of the gun very well. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Incredibly common. Arguably, one of the most common types of ammunition you can get, actually," Psyber says to her bluntly as he watches her fire. There's a slow narrowing of his eyes as he observes both the patterns of her shots and the adaptation. He doesn't say too much about it, but he's impressed at how fast she's adapting.     "If you ever get in a combat situation," He shouts, "Don't try to do the fancy stuff you see people like me do. Just stick to basics. Find cover, wait for clear moments, take deep breaths, aim and fire." 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     "Oh good." Kyra says casually. "Common means cheap too." It doesn't take her too long for her to empty the whole clip into the target. Of all the shots, one does manage to hit dead center of one of the targets. After that, she switches to a different target until the clip is spent.     She removes the earmuffs, though when she does, Psyber just finishes talking. She's heard him though: "Oh, yes, I'll do just that. I'll leave the super fancy gun stuff to you." There's a bright grin that follows but it slowly fades, "So. What do I owe you?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber waves his hand at her dmissively, "You don't owe me anything. You're an employee and a Union member, so I don't mind supplying you a reliable sidearm," The half-angel says somewhat tiredly, "If you wanna owe me anything, just do me a favor. Don't hesitate on pursuing what you want."     It's a pretty strange sort of thing to ask of her, but he shrugs, "Otherwise, just stay safe with it." 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     "...really?" Kyra seems a little bit surprised. "You sure? I mean, you made this gun, that probably took a lot of time, right?" She pulls out another clip from the box. "Well, I don't think I have any problems with doing /that/ almost ever."     That is a strange thing to hear, at least that's what her gut says. On the other hand, there still felt like a lot she didn't know about Psyber yet. "Thanks, either way." 

}}

3157/Talking in the Aftermath

2015-10-07T20:16:07Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/10/05 |Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH> |Synopsis=Duet gives Psyber some closure after a traumatic day. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=92, 25..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/10/05
|Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH>
|Synopsis=Duet gives Psyber some closure after a traumatic day.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=92, 253
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     There were two things to note about the aftermath of yesterday. The first: Psyber didn't break pace or stop working. In fact, he had gotten up at the same time as always and started right back to work the day after it happened. Impressive, if slightly worrying as to the nature of his personality. The second is that he apparently got the letter from Elliana with Backbiter. He's not fully sure what to make of it, or how to process it, but it's been opened and read and is sticking out of the sheath of the weapon.     As for Psyber himself, though? He's in a desk in his room, with the door unlocked, scrawling away on a piece of paper while managing something on a touch screen Union Command-Issue Computer that is likely related to his rank in the faction. There's a few energy drinks scattered around the table and he's managing a lot of work at that moment.     It's not hard for someone who really knew him to realize that he's hiding from his emotions with work. 

:'''{{#var:92|Duet Fortuna (92)}} has posed:'''     She's noticed that the note has been disturbed, at least. Good, that gives her something to work with. Duet doesn't come directly in, choosing to lean on the doorway at first. She's very, very direct in what she says, though. "You have the look of someone who doesn't want to talk, but needs to. Mind if I come in?"     She asks the question with that tone which says she's going to anyway, so it shouldn't be a surprise that she just walks right in and pulls up a chair. "So, we're going to talk." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber looks up from his work, looking at the girl as she walks in. He takes a long moment to stare at her, as if judging what he wants to say, but then decides to put down his work and turn his chair towards her when she just elects to come right in, "I should have seen it coming. She warned me. You warned me, too. And the most I could do when it happened was focus my rage on the cause, and avoiding hurting my friends like the last time she trusted me with her plan."     That's his opening statement to Duet, looking at the mask the woman wears and seeming somewhat more willing, perhaps, to talk to her due to her forceful approach. 

:'''{{#var:92|Duet Fortuna (92)}} has posed:'''     Duet lays her hands in her lap and listens, at first, but she just shakes her head. "Words are only words. I doubt anything could have prepared you for that. It's far too emotional... even now you aren't thinking too clearly about it, I would bet."     She seems remarkably calm for this, but then she didn't know Elliana well... or did she? Himei did accuse her of knowing it would happen, and maybe there's some truth to that. She doesn't say this, though. She focuses on something else. "It was just not really possible to stop it. The Heaven Guard were keeping everyone busy, and she went ahead to handle the Emperor herself. I'm sure she had a very particular plan, though. When was the last time she ever rushed into something like this?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Mm. I don't think she's dead, though," Psyber says as he looks towards Duet, and then lets his eyes slip to the sword with the note, "I think she's... gone, though. And I still lost one of my best friends," He adds, sighing a bit and watching her calm nature.     "It wasn't possible, in our setup, to prevent it. But perhaps that was her plan. I never could follow her intellect, truth told," He confesses, then leans back in his chair, "What hits me hardest is I had something I needed to tell her, and I won't get to now." 

:'''{{#var:92|Duet Fortuna (92)}} has posed:'''     If Duet is surprised at the suspicion, she doesn't show it. In fact she plays right off of that. "So you trust her to survive, and that she knew that you'd take it this way." She sighs. "That's a very deep trust in someone who betrayed you like that. Maybe undeserved, but maybe it isn't wrong either."     She sits up and gives a light touch on Psyber's hand. "If you trust her that much, to know she found a way to survive, maybe you should just extend it a little further and trust that somehow, she found a way to keep an eye on you. She had a lot to gain by being dead, if you consider her position, but what does she gain from hurting you?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Mn... of course I trust her," Psyber says as he looks down at his lap, "She was... still is, if she's alive, one of my best friends. I spent years trying to get her to trust me and that's a two-way street," He notes to Duet seriously, curling a hand into a fist.     A fist that promptly uncurls when she puts her hand on top of his. He looks almost embarassed by the gesture, so used to being the strong one that someone else lending him support takes him by surprise. He lifts his eyes to her as she says her next words and then watches her carefully. Something that Nathan said, weeks ago, snaps into his mind: <X-Union-Chatter> 2-XO Exhausted monotone, Nathan Hall says, "You can narrow her identity down to individuals, factions, or points of origin that have the capacity to act as she does, but who would have a strong, vested interest in avoiding connection to the primary identity." <X-Union-Chatter> 2-XO Exhausted monotone, Nathan Hall says, "Internal factions that wish to project a public image that is counter to the one she acts on, individuals who would stand to benefit from her agenda but most benefit if their participation is not known."     He remembers even further back than that. PHONE: Elliana Fairchild says, "Some things that will happen will likely hurt you, emotionally. I really regret this, and ask that you trust I will make it better in the end."     And there was Duet, the day after it happened, telling him that Elliana would keep an eye on him. His eyes narrow slightly more, "Are... you..." 

:'''{{#var:92|Duet Fortuna (92)}} has posed:'''     Before he can finish, Duet does a familiar gesture. She lifts a single finger at presses it to Psyber's lips. "Never finish that thought. My name is Duet Fortuna, and I am a wanderer. An adventurer. And, at times, someone who helps out around the office. My only claim to fame is participating in the most grandiose scheme that Elliana Fairchild ever managed. Her very last, most impressive plan... as she would have it said."     The finger lifts away, and Duet smiles. "Exactly how much of a success that was... well. We'll have to see, won't we? I look forward to working with you, Mister Sinclair, and I think I've taken enough time for today. I'll let you get back to your work." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber looks baffled at the touch to his lips, staring at her with widened eyes. The half-angel watches her carefully as if sifting through numerous thoughts before she explains the situation. He slowly nods and then seems to ponder on something.     "Wait!" He half-shouts as she indicates she's about to leave, "Before you go." He takes a slow breath, "You may not be Elliana Fairchild, but you're someone I can trust, Duet Fortuna. I'd like to tell you what I was going to tell Elliana. It would mean... a great deal to me."     He awkwardly rubs the back of his head, "If you can spare me just a bit more of your time." 

:'''{{#var:92|Duet Fortuna (92)}} has posed:'''     She was just starting to turn away, but Duet turns around again, facing Psyber with a tilt of her head. "If you want. You're the busy one, not me, boss." Her lips turn into a faint, yet sad smile. "Really, actions speak louder than words, and you don't have to tell me."     She doesn't leave, though, and she continues after a beat, "But I think by now we both know the power that words can hold." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I think, in this case, it would do better for me to finally say it," Psyber notes with an awkward laugh. But he does smile back at her, resolved to get this out, to any iteration of Elliana he can.     "I wanted to tell Elliana that I'd fallen in love with her. And not... puppy-love, but like... actual love, I think. And that, no matter who she chose to be, I wasn't going to feel differently about that," He notes, the words coming easily to him once he's finally saying it, "Few people had so profound an impact on my life as she did. Even in her worst moments, she grew me as a person. And at her best, she was someone I could rely on. Whoever she became, however she acted, she was so important to me."     "That's why, whatever her plan was, I couldn't be mad at her," Psyber says to Duet carefully, "And wherever she is, I'd want her to know," He notes, watching Duet almost as if fearing her response as he says.     "But she's dead. So if she wanted me to move on, it might take me a while, but I think I could find someone to be just as important to me, if I really tried," He finishes, watching to Duet to see if she can pick up on his unsubtle subtext.     "What do you think?" 

:'''{{#var:92|Duet Fortuna (92)}} has posed:'''     "I think she knew it," Duet replies, after a long silence. "And in her own way, shared it. But I also don't think that Fairchild could... return it in any way that would make sense or be understood. Fairchild had pushed away her humanity, whether she realized it or not, to become a focal point for her goals and nothing else. In the end, I think that's what killed her. Knowing what she missed, feeling what she felt and unable to express it. Maybe it made her falter when she shouldn't have."     She tucks her arms back, taking on that smiling, youthful appearance that she sometimes gets. "If she could have left all that baggage behind, maybe something could have happened. I can be sure she felt something for you though. Enough that if you could find happiness with someone, she'd be glad." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber nods his head to Duet and considers this answer. It's clear, in one way, and murky in others. As is always the case with anything related to her, the answer is just beyond his reach. But he's taken this much of a risk, so he has no reason not to step into full vulnerability.     "Hey, I'm feeling better, honestly. And I could probably use a break. Maybe you'd like to hang out and play games. Maybe grab some dinner?" He asks as he slides his chair out a bit and looks at her hopefully. 

:'''{{#var:92|Duet Fortuna (92)}} has posed:'''     That question gets a brighter, less enigmatic smile. "Let me get changed, and I'll meet you down in the lobby in five~" She starts to turn around, then suddenly stops and holds up a finger. "Oh... on one condition..."     She lets that hang in the air before finishing with, "No place that serves Manhattan style clam chowder is acceptable." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Alright. I'll get my coat and meet you down there," Psyber says as she agrees to come, pausing as he starts to stand up. He pauses when she says she has a condition, tilting his head.     Her response actually... gets him to let out a real laugh, "Bestill my heart. Someone with taste in seafood. We'll make a Bostonian out of you yet." 

}}

2738/Wo-alking Around The City

2015-08-19T06:33:42Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/08/05 |Location=Boston-666 |Synopsis=Psyber calls Wo to hang out, not wanting to bother the Union with his problems. |Thanks= |Cast of Charact..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/08/05
|Location=Boston-666
|Synopsis=Psyber calls Wo to hang out, not wanting to bother the Union with his problems.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253, 582
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     In a somewhat unheard of turn of events, it had been Psyber who called Wo this time, instead of the other way around. Usually it was her calling ahead for a visit and them receiving her, so this was unusual just for that much. His message had been pretty basic, too:     'Hey Wo, do you want to take a walk around Boston? I could use the distraction.'     And that's what led us to where we are, with Psyber keeping his hands in his pockets and waiting in one of the parks located around Boston on the shoreline. He sighs a bit, smoking a cigarette and tapping his foot as he looks out over the waterline. 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     It really was unusual. Enough so that the carrier hadn't really been certain what to make of it, when the request had been first received. Adding to the wariness some of her Abyssal counterparts had of the surface, and her continued contact with it, this Psyber had now taken the unusual step of inviting the increasingly distant Wo-class into town. The tone seemed different than the diplomatic, or even shore leave, reasonings that had been common. However, as an Abyssal emissary - and more importantly, someone that respects Psyber - she was willing to slice a bit of her time out from her own, sometimes tedious schedules. Middle management can be quite the demand.     No special arrangements or surprises this time around. The local Coast Guard only receive a singular sonar contact, which soon emerges from the water as Psyber's expected guest for the day, dressed in her usual attire, and hands clutching her staff, as she glides the rest of the way across the water. Not even a trace of a Destroyer or Light Cruiser escort, today. Now that's trust.     Finally making landfall, her boots comfortably on the ground, she uses this one weird old trick to get some of the sea water out of her cape - glancing back with those luminous, turquoise eyes and grasping it into a gloved hand, before wringing some excess out. She will still drip everywhere around the city, but maybe a bit less with some extra prep work. "You - called, Psy-ber," she wonders, as a torrent spills out, as well as an errant jellyfish plopping out? "...it was, un-expected. But... Had time." After fussing with her cape, something she would have never done just a couple of months ago, she turns to face him and stands even more upright. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Mn..." Psyber, who looks distinctly more troubled than he usually does, looks over to the Wo-Class. It wouldn't be hard, even for her, to tell that he's been growing more and more tired. Despite how well he tries to hide it, certain things slip and he shows the actual stress levels he's under. After his fight with Nathan the other day, he can only half-heartedly hide his stress.     "Thanks for coming out. You're one of the few friends..." And he did just call her a friend without much hesitation, labeling her as something a bit more than just the emissary of her people. He heaves a bit of a sigh and then looks over to her, "It's nothing for business. I just thought you might want to walk around and talk a bit," He notes as he starts to take off at a calm pace.     "I decided to keep that submarine. I'm gonna find a really good use for your gift," He says seriously, smiling a bit at the Wo-class as he goes, "It was unexpected, but a very good gift." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     Surface dwellers are a mystery to most of her kind. A mystery they don't particularly want to solve, though, given the in-built distrust and anger they feel towards them, as tortured souls from the deep that are regularly stirred up by Samar and company. This particular Wo-class, however, at least for some exceptions, has come to set that aside and become familiar with them. Now that she's had a good look at him, without the distraction of her extracting water from her cape, she actually tilts her head to the side, the entire mass of her hat swaying with it, as she repeats her designator, "Wo?" A truly naive puzzlement, and a habit she can't quite break, despite her trying.     Certainly, she had seen holes in his armor before, but never had she seen Kongou's invincible admiral look quite this visibly worn. This takes her a few moments to process, her eyebrows contorting into what can only be called a trace of worry. Surface people get sick and tired, but she had limited experience. "Psy-ber," she wonders? "Do you need - fuel?" She could have some transports bring it right away! Before she can properly muse on his calling her a friend, though, or fuss over him further, he begins simply walking just as the invitation had said he wanted, and she lets it drop in favor of following closely. "O-kay," she allows, her monotone not really allowing any further worry out. "Walking, I can...do."     Thankfully, in this part of town, most everyone is likely too busy with their own interests to bother the two of them, and they're no doubt used to the idea of a ghostly pale woman with a metal squid hat. Somehow. Her eyes swivel between a laser focus on Psyber, and alternate distraction with the sights and sounds of this island of relaxation, in the middle of the bustling city. "I am glad...the sub-marine, also," she says with some unusual confidence, given that she had said the U-Boat had no voice yet. "Every boat and, ship - wants to have, that pur-pose." She breaks her eyes away from his smile for a moment, glancing again towards the shoreline, "It is the same...for sur-face dwellers?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber lets out a laugh a bit as she asks if he needs fuel, "Naw. I'm fine, fuel-wise. Just tired. Don't tell anyone, but I had an argument with one of my friends the other day over some disagreements," He rubs the back of his head, "Kinda needed to just... talk and hang out with someone uninvolved," He notes, looking over to her. He extends a hand and pats her shoulder a couple times, "So thanks for coming out."     When they get to walking, he seems to relax a bit more by her presence and the movement through 'his' city, looking around a bit, "People want a purpose, yes. But sometimes that purpose causes them to be in strife with those around them. I think this is similar for ships as well, is it not?"     "What about you? You have seemed to have a great deal on your mind most times I see you, though you hide it well since your incident with the plane," He notes, hands falling into his pockets as his cigarette is discarded, "If you ever need advice, you can talk to me." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     "You can...be friends, even after - fight-ing?" Somehow this thought, which she half-articulates, had never truly sunken in with her. Certainly, with folks like Psyber and even the ship formerly known as Ko-class, she had come to an understanding, but she had never thought that deeply about it. Nonetheless, she gives a soft sound from her throat, in understanding. Certainly, she had had some disagreements, herself, in the not so distant past. Usually with other flagships, since the rank and file basically follow them around. "...I under-stand," she agrees, "It is...be-tween us, then." It seems as though she is keeping a lot of secrets, lately, both for other people and to herself.     A fact that Psyber has apparently picked up on. While it doesn't quite carry through to the rest of her frame, or the even expression on her face, it does somewhat startle her a bit. "--hmm? Ah..." She recalls the scene she had caused when that happened, and while she had recovered fully, and had even kept the plane afterward, it is still a bit embarassing to remember. "Act-ually, I suppose...there is, some-thing. May-be, in a moment..." Right now, she's more focused on helping Psyber relax than airing her own problems, though her shoulder would have been a bit stiff to the touch, one she didn't seem to mind. Someone else obviously needed the outside air, as well.     On his other point, she allows her eyes to lapse closed. Owing to all the sensory information a ship has available to them, they scarcely need to 'see' to navigate, really, and her steps continue carrying her forward despite it. It's more to concentrate on putting her thoughts into words, while these surface dweller-like legs do their thing. "Kon-gou and I, want, the same thing. But...how we, achieve it - is diff-erent. And so...we fight." Her eyes open again, pivoting over to the half angel as her eyebrows raise inquisitively, "Like - that? But...I think. Even Kongou, and I, could work to-gether. ...in the right, circum-stances." So all it will take is removing those other factors, and they can be one big happy family again! 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Yes, that's part of being close friends. Even when you disagree with them, sometimes violently, you can still trust them and remain close to them," Psyber notes, his gaze shifting skyward as he walks along, "I think that's the strength of humanity, or surface dwellers, as a whole. The ability to disagree on so much, but not be at war at all times," He muses, lowering his gaze again.     "I think you and Kongou would... be an interesting pair, if you ever teamed up," Psyber says aloud, thinking it over, "You're very different, but similar in certain ways too. Like me and Nathan," He ponders aloud, thinking about the very friend he had been fighting with earlier. He eventually lowers his gaze again and looks to Wo, "You seem happy under Samar, but if you ever go shopping for a new Admiral, stop by here first," He notes, tossing her a wink to show he's joking.     Seems, if nothing else, that his playful nature is slowly returning. He doesn't seem to have much else to say beyond that, though. So he finishes with a simple, "And take y our time if you need to ask me something. Only when you're comfortable." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     While Psyber's Boston, and Psyber's America, didn't seem to be war-mongering right this moment, that hasn't seemed to be the case for many Earths in the multiverse. It has been painful to see, in a way. Samar and (most of) the other princesses and demons might delight in conflict, but for the Wo-class and others in her position, it creates a complicated atmosphere. "That is...act-ually it," she allows, her steps somewhat slowing for a moment, before she catches up. "I owe Samar, ev-erything. I would ne-ver, disobey her order. ...but." She can scarcely believe she is saying it, as much like her self-conscious cape wringing earlier, it would have never been an issue only a few months ago.     "Pur-pose, is what drives - us," she reiterates the point from moments earlier, "But, what is...Samar's pur-pose." There is no question in Wo's mind that Samar cares for her flock, and perhaps on some level believes the things she says, but the longer it has gone on, the more aware she has become, and the more she has had moments like this to think about it, the more cracks would appear. She quickly dismisses it, however, lifting her hat off to let it rest bulkily under one arm, which frees her head to give a light shaking gesture. "Sor-ry, I suppose...that is the kind, of question, I should save - for Samar. Just wor-ried, she will...take it, the wrong way." She gathers her breath afterward. Talking at length on things still can tire her out.     After that spilling out, she is also eager to return the ball back to Psyber's court, seeming to agree with another tilting of her head, "You were...the first to tru-ly show, me. ...that we could, cooperate, with surface people. May-be, there is a future, for the Abyssal fleet...after our wars." That is a statement that would no doubt chill Samar to the bone, if she were in ear shot. She reaches over to return an earlier gesture, a gloved hand aiming to reach upward and rest on Psyber's shoulder for a moment, "Admiral, or not - you are some-one, to respect. You...have already, made a diff-erence. Psyber." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Samar? I don't know what her purpose is. I haven't spent enough time with her to be able to really grasp what she thinks," He comments as he walks along, hands in his pockets, "But I have theories. Judging by Lute, the Ri-Class, and you... by how she used the Ko-Class..." He scowls a bit, "I think her goal isn't to make you understood. I think her goal is to..." He pauses, picking his next words very, very carefully.     "She wants to keep you from being understood," Psyber notes in a very careful voice tone, "It will prevent you from any substantial understanding if she creates situations in which you are viewed in the most adversarial viewpoint possible." He scowls a bit, "I don't think she counted on my particularly forgiving nature." He finalizes, looking very perplexed by the entire thing, "But... particularly with how she has Lute targetting the Fleet in the name of the Abyssal Navy, I think that's her goal."     He gives Wo a gentle smile when she puts her hand on his shoulder, "I think you could do some very interesting things after the war," He admits, pondering it, "The oceans, even without the Abyssal Aggression, are dangerous. Sea monsters, pirates, storms. Someone like you could protect a lot of people if you operated just a little differently." He laughs slightly, "Could you imagine it? The Abyssal Navy being the protectors of the ocean?" 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     It's enough to get Wo's eyebrows shifting again, drawn together worriedly. She had posted it up to Psyber for his response, and an outsider to Abyssal politics - yes, they have them - offers a fresher perspective than the echo chamber of 'the voices'. It might not have been what she wanted to hear, even if it it confirms at least some of the things that have been threading their way into her heart. Once Psyber finishes his appraisal, she is silent for a few moments, which creates just the faintest tinge of tension, before she states simply, "...I - see." After she's back to being full speed, she adds, "Thank you - for being hon-est." It is understandably difficult to have this kind of conversation with her own kind.     Despite that, it doesn't really cut to the heart of why Samar might be speaking one thing and shuffling her deck for another. It is something the Wo-class will not confront her with, at least not yet, but that will have to remain on her mind when the next set of official orders comes in. One point of emphasis gains her attention, though, "I'm worried - for Lute. He is, loyal and eager, but...to the wrong, ends." That is another of the cracks that had formed, that Wo could plainly see. It was easy to dismiss at first, at having a loyal surface dweller to help, but with how Samar has basically employed him as a bludgeon against the fleet daughters... "He might be, too far gone, though... He is, con-vinced of his ways." She actually emits a subtly pained sigh. Emotion!     She also doesn't think the prospect is that funny, though it's a question of whether she could return the laugh if she could. She does repeat her class designation, curiously. "Is it - that un-usual?" It is already what she was aiming for, after all. "To pro-tect the peace, of the sea. I can think - of nothing, more noble. If the surface peo-ple, could one day...come to see us, like they do, the fleet daughters. But - for now, we have to sur-vive. And do things, in our way." She glances out to the sea again, halting in her steps as she rests her free hand atop the weathered shank of metal that passes for her staff. "That sub-marine, now yours...was not, sto-len. She was freed, from that kind, of pur-pose. In your hands - she can pro-tect lives, not, take them." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I'm always happy to lend my opinion to people who ask for it," He says to her with a nod, keeping his hands into his pockets as he walks, "I can't say the same for her subordinates, however. I get the feeling Darwin just wants to protect you all," Psyber adds with a pointed note, "Savo, I dunno. And I haven't met any others, but you know."     "If you're worried for Lute, you're the one in the best position to have him stop," Psyber points out as he walks, looking sideways at her, "He doesn't listen to Unionites, and he won't listen to me, because we're all Unionites and he has his own particular narrative to live under. You're in the Confederates, though. He may well listen if you simply tell him to stop," Psyber suggests musingly.     "And no, it is not amusing itself," Psyber says to her as he responds to her final statement, "But the situation... the idea of the Abyssals moving from the greatest threat on the ocean to the greatest savior is one which carries a sense of what surface dwellers call irony," He then looks over at her.     "I think..." he pauses, "As you grow as an individual, you seem to be growing as a ship. You feel different to be around, lately." He comments in a tone that suggests it as a compliment, "Some days I wonder what kind of ship you used to be. I would have liked to see her." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     "Darwin," she trails off, before giving a slight nod of her head. "...she is - nice." Which is an interesting contrast to her monstrous claw hands. Probably some kind of metaphor there. "Perhaps, I will...speak with her - first. Subtle-ty, deferment - are also, things, I have learned." Useful tools when properly timed. To the notion of confronting Lute about it, even if Psyber is likely correct, her eyebrows once again furrow. "--I will, have a chance, soon. One of, Kon-gou's -- Zuihou. Has asked him, to meet. I will, also go." She takes another deep breath, with a closing of her eyes, and seems to gather herself on both those fronts, "There is - no avoiding, all conflict for now. ...but, his aggression, is a com-plication. I will - do what I can." She really has come a way from being that almost shy second fiddle.     Nonetheless, Psyber's calling her out on that fact causes her to pause again, and her frame to visibly seize. It is something the voices had noticed, as well, but in the Abyssal fleet, undue attention can be a work hazard, in a sense. Everything is meant to flow together. Samar and her kind's words are absolute, with flagships like the Wo-class being middle managers. "It seems...nothing remains un-changed, Psyber," she says, her voice a bit lower and turning toward him with that otherwise usual, unreadable non-expression. "That is, reason for hope, too." A small bump rises up in her cape, and appears to move to the edge of it, where the fairy that accompanied the plane emerges, her chubby cheeked face popping out to blink at Psyber. In a now-practiced gesture, the carrier places a hand level for the fairy to climb onto.     "It's still, sca-ry...not knowing, what will happen. If I re-member. But...I think, I am near-ly ready." She seems to be thinking deeply on something, while she gives the flight jacketed fairy a light rub on the head with a finger, before she comes to a decision. Giving a meaningful look up to Psyber, she begins pacing down the short distance to the sea. Leaving already? "...come. And...tell the Coast Guard - to not, be alarmed. I will...show you, some-thing." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber watches the fairy. Its existence does not overtly surprise him, other than the fact Wo has one. He's used to seeing them, or at least hearin about them, in relation to the other girls. He nods his head to her a few times and then takes out a walkie talkie from his jacket. He puts some generic chatter into it before putting it away.     He's more interested in following Wo towards the coastline as she walks. He takes a slow breath and then says, "Alright, it should all be prepared. They're confused, but accept you by now as a regular comer and goer," He assures Wo while they go. The last time a ship girl said not to be alarmed and to come with her, she showed him the full-sized Kongou Battleship.     "And... uncertainty... is part of being a person. It means you're becoming more normal, more... individual," He notes, "I feel it all the time. I don't know if what I am doing is right or wrong, sometimes. It's only when I have people like you who talk about my work positively that I know for certain." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     The notion that imperfect beings can exist, and come to regret their decisions, has been the most important discovery for the Wo-class in allowing her campaign against the surface people to settle into a simmer. People can change, and now, she can also change. It isn't easy to put those kinds of things into words for the sake of Psyber, as she strides along, but she is at least able to confide, "It has...not been easy, to trust. We might still, be enemies, some-times. How-ever...you are a pos-itive presence." For both her and the Abyssals that feel similarly to her, and that have taken the opportunity to visit Boston. That's right, even the cute little Abyssal Destroyers. If not for the shelter Psyber's arrangements have provided, it's entirely possibly Hayashimo would still be cruising the seas as an evil whale thing, and Akizuki wouldn't have met her friend.     The Wo-class cannot forgive those years of neglect yet, and perhaps never will, but she can come to an understanding that it isn't the fault of every surface person. So it's progress, and another thing that Samar will have to reprogram and recondition out of her at some point, no doubt.     Psyber's guess wouldn't be too far off the mark, it turns out, and his words about her being similar to Kongou earlier have even more weight now. "Under-stood," she says, just at the edge of a deeper drop into the sea than most in the area, "I just don't, want, any trouble." With this, she sets the fairy down on the ground, before she glides out on the surface two-hundred meters or so, which with how effortless it is for their kind does not take long. Gathering her thoughts, and what fractured memories she can draw upon, she sets her hat back atop her head, freeing both hands to clutch her staff.     What usually seemed like a mere prop gathers a golden glow around it as she stands clutching it, a glow that soon spreads around her, and a similar hue as her eyes take when she's in an engagement. Lifting into the air, the bay's waters begin to ripple with an approaching disturbance, apparently coming from below despite how relatively shallow it must be. Twisted, blackened steel emerges from this turbulant cauldron, at first in pieces, but appearing to weld spontaneosly together at its shattered seams, before Psyber and any other on-looker's eyes. It eventually begins taking on a distinctive, flat-decked shape, even if it's clearly an incomplete and rough hewn rendition. The gigantic mouth that forms at the front, with a fiery furnace look behind it, does not help. Yet if one were to compare the profile, enough detail remains...hmm.     Regardless, Wo settles down on what became the deck of the craft, in another key different to the Ocean Fit-Out as Psyber would know it. The fairy that had been watching this with a blank stare, that could either be wonder or simple cluelessness, seems to clap her hands - not that those ball-like things could make any appreciable sound. "This is, my memory," the Wo-class would say, over that same radio Psyber had just called in on, with a good deal of static despite the proximity. "...come a-board?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Right. Er... Roger. Coming aboard," He says into the walkie talkie before putting it away again. To say he's surprised by this development is to bean understatement. He thought Wo would simply... get bigger like Ri-Class or Samar had in the past. Instead, Wo seems to wind up right on the mid-point between Kanmasu and Abyssal, generating a larger form based on a ship, but also retaining herself.     He lifts off from the ground, two feathery black wings sprouting from his back as he flaps his way off towards her. About ten feet above the deck, the wings vanish in a faint swirl of feathers and he finds himself landing with a thud as his boots hit the deck. He looks around a bit and says, "Hm. Interesting. Wo, I think you might be becoming something different than either side."     "And I think that's not a bad thing." He ponders, rubbing his chin, "It fills me with an interesting sense of hope." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     With Psyber securely on deck and with his feet settled, the distinctive sound of anchors being lifted can be heard. HAH, GOT YOU. ...ahem, just a short trip around the Boston area might be nice, and Psyber did need a distraction and some conversation. Nothing puts Wo in the mood for either of those things quite like the sea does, even if they won't move out of sight of Boston, itself, lest they have the Kongou intercept in worry. Given her own condition, she thinks little of his appearing and disappearing wings for the short trip. Maybe all surface people can do that, she wouldn't really know. "Diff-erent," she wonders, sounding somewhat subtly worried, though it's short-lived, as she gives a nod of her head. She steps to the edge of her summoned ship's deck, once again removing her hat to let her hair rustle in the breeze, now that they are under way.     "I was...never able, to Levia-than. Like other, flag-ships. But... I think, it just didn't, a-gree with me. This...feels better." As opposed to the rampage of a Leviathan, which certainly has its advantages, in this state she can be more selective. She half-turns, and manages a trace of curiosity, mostly in a sound in her throat. "Hmm?" She isn't certain what Psyber could mean, or why this would really matter in the grand scheme of things. The concept of this at least partially breaking what had previously seemed an ironclad (heh) duality is lost on her conscious thought. "...that could be, trouble-some," she interprets. "--I have not, shown many others. Yet." The people of Boston, she figures, also wouldn't be in a hurry to blab about it. Nevermind that there are things like the news media. "But... Yes. ...hope. Maybe, I can, re-member."     After that, she walks back up to Psyber, and struggles with her face for a moment. Was she trying to smile without using her fingers? It doesn't quite work, but at least the effort is there. She gives a slightly frustrated grunt after a few moments, then moves on, "...let's, en-joy the sea, for now. Can worry - about those, other things, la-ter." And that's really the whole point of the evening, after all. 

}}

2672/More Than A Sandwich

2015-08-19T06:32:59Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/07/24 |Location=Boston-666 |Synopsis=Psyber, Wo, and the Fourth Mobile meet to talk a bit. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=253, 582, 637 |Tinyplo..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/07/24
|Location=Boston-666
|Synopsis=Psyber, Wo, and the Fourth Mobile meet to talk a bit.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253, 582, 637
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     It was already late evening, local time. The waterfront, where most of these meetings naturally began their course, is brightened by the sparse lighting. For her part, as is customary, Wo had radioed ahead her intentions via wireless telegraph, so that both Psyber and the local Coast Guard would be aware. The nature of the meeting, however, was a bit more vague than usual, lacking much in the way of motive or objective, and the timing even moreso. Had something happened on her end that required the odd circumstances? Had Samar finally lost her mind, and the loyalty of her fleet?     Radio chatter by the local port authority would alert those present to several sonar contacts - something to be expected, given the nature of Abyssal visitors. The routine of this had apparently sunken in with the Bostonians by now, since the confirmation of a half dozen human-scale contacts is par for the course for this kind of encounter. A bit of confusion slips in, though, as the last return is analyzed, "That's a fairly biggun. They swim around like giants, too?" There is no alarm, yet, but the slightest bit of tension enters the atmosphere, at least among them.     Not long after, the sonar hits turn into radar ones, as the Abssals surface well offshore. The familiar Wo-class is here, or at least it can be assumed to be 'that' one, flanked by a formation of four Ro-class Abyssal Destroyers. A Tsu-class Light Cruiser is also present, sticking closer by to Wo, herself. None of them appear to have weapons readied, for what it's worth, as they buzz and gargle between each other, heading forward. It is somewhat the spectacle, this time of day; all of them that have visible eyes are glowing like bioluminescent jellyfish on some deep sea documentary. Their mostly black and white forms illuminated by the Coast Guard's searchlights.     Finally, the largest contact also surfaces, breaching the waves dramatically in the harsh light, and bringing the attention of most of them. The sleek shape glides the rest of the way, behind the Abyssals, its conning tower and appearance easily marking it as a U-Boat. A naval museum piece, but it looks new, from what little can be told in this environment. What in the world? 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     As is his self-given custom, Psyber is waiting on the docks to greet Wo whenever she sees fit to arrive. Part of his ongoing project to make her feel welcome and accepted by him, regardless of her Abyssal work. He has a cigarette in one hand while the the other is kept in the pocket of the much lighter, short brown coat he wears on his upper body.     "Dunno," Psyber says to the analysis of the size of one signature, "But it's probably safe. Clear it some room and try not to get directly above it. She won't let anyone attack the city, much less do it herself," Psyber says, putting that normally huge amount of trust in the intentions of the Wo-class.     Of course, Psyber recognizes Wo-Class as the one he associates with. Give him a couple more meetings with her, and he'll be able to pick her out of a lineup of dozens of Wo-class vessels, no doubt. Hypothetically, anyway, "Oh, there she is," He says to whichever members of Kongou and her team decided to come out for greeting duty with him.     Of course, once the submarine surfaces, he gets a surprised look, "WOAH. That's uh... that's not normal for her. Where'd she get that?" 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:''' ELSEWHERE:     "Admiral is going to like this~!" Kongou sing-songs to herself, swinging her arms in wide arcs as she strolls along the sidewalk. Hanging from one hand is a thick paper bag with sturdy straps, containing something wrapped in paper and tied with string. The battleship is totally unaware of ABYSSAL ENCROACHMENT into her territory, because she's not the one who accepted the usual transmission. AT THE DOCKS     The shipgirl who did receive that transmission is barely visible behind Psyber. A glimpse of raven hair here and there betrays her presence until, after a few moments, Hayashimo leans aside just enough to peer under the half-angel's arm. Her single visible eye wanders across the gathered destroyers to the Tsu-class and then rests on the Wo in the center of the formation. When the submarine surfaces, that eye widens and she lets out a little "..Ah." sort of sound.     Not standing behind Psyber but to the side is Zuihou. Tucking her airplane magazine under one arm, she raises her other hand to wave cheerfully at the surfacing Abyssals, "Welcome back~!"     It's a wave that freeze-frames when the u-boat appears, "--huh?" 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     At the head of the odd group, considering an actual boat is among their number, the Wo-class Carrier slips forward just above the waves, hands on her staff and singularly focused on the shoreline. If she is bothered or distracted by the attention of the locals, it never crosses her face - not even her eyebrows, the normally expressive part of it. The Ro-class, despite their own 'faces' being even more fixed, somehow seem to have a pride to them, their bellies angled to be lifted just slightly higher out of the water as they make their way forward. Kids will be kids, even when they are evil whale things. The Tsu-class appears a bit more stoic, or as much as one can without a visible expression.     It doesn't take long, even when not at full steam, for the collection to properly enter the bay and approach the waterfront. The submarine remains just offshore, seeming to set anchor there, and the softer glow of the ambient lights reveal it is in perfect condition. The only alteration appears to be the removal of certain hated symbols, replaced with Heaven or Hell's own emblem, most prominently on that conning tower, as well as any identifying numbers. That is certainly peculiar, as well. After a while, some (human) civilian contractors that had been manning it climb out onto the craft's narrow deck, gathering there and appearing to wait.     With the other Abyssals appearing content to remain on guard duty, the Wo-class drifts out of the water, making an unhurried walk to finally actually greet Psyber, Zuihou and Hayashimo in person. The latter still gets that somewhat purposeful look from her, but she lets her focus wander to Psyber in short order. "Psy-ber," she says, summoning her energy to try and sound as serious as she can through her stilted monotone. Both her own eyes and those of the hat glow a turquoise as they bore in. "--I'm sor-ry, for the short no-tice." She glances out to the U-Boat, then. "But...this de-livery, had taken. Long e-nough." The Abyssals buzz again, somehow enthusiastically.     As if it wasn't clear enough, Wo states it quite plainly to him, "This is - yours, now. Ad-miral." Once her moment is over, she appears to relax a little in posture while propped on her staff, her eyes travelling to Zuihou with an acknowledging nod, but then her eyes continue to glance around, almost expectant, and missing something. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     There's a lot of things to process for Psyber right now. He looks over his shoulder at Hayashimo and gives her a smile. Another smile goes towards Zuihou. Somewhere, he feels a sense of dread at what kind of present Kongou could be preparing for him, but that's more instinctual than knowledge. Little does he know, the most awkward present of the night will come from the Wo-Class directly in front of him.     Unlike many, Psyber simply nods to the destroyers and the Tsu-Class as they approach the shoreline. These forces are harder for him to recognize if he's seen before. The Wo-Class, he knew much better than her escorts. That was more often the field of the Fourth Mobile than it was him. The half-angel tilted his head a bit and watched the approaching group.     "No need to apologize for the short notice. I told you that you're welcome any time, but a delivery? I'm very confused," He notes, taking a long pause as if expecting her to hand him a package or some salt water taffy or something. When she indicates the submarine over her shoulder, Psyber gets a rather embarassed look on his face.     That's not just because she almost literally did the ship equivalent of a cat delivering a bird, but because she called him Admiral. He's not fully sure how to take it, unsure if it's a note of formality, the start of some awkward competition between her and the other ships, or what.     "That's a uh... Type Seven, right? German?" He asks awkwardly, looking at the vessel in the harbor, "Uh... Admiral?" He finally asks awkwardly.     Moments later, he adds, "Ah! Right! Thank you for the gift, Wo-Class. It is certainly an unexpected surprise. I've never gotten a gift quite like this before," He says with a mix of embarassment, formal acceptance, and confusion. 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:''' ELSEWHERE:     The battleship girl pauses mid-stride, eyes snapping open, with a shocked sound. Planting her foot down, Kongou whirls in place, the radars on her headband adjusting a few degrees. After a moment, the girl's eyebrows set in determination, fire blazing in her eyes. Her free hand raises slowly.     "Someone different..." That raised hand clenches into a fist with a sound like steel striking together, "...has called my admiral 'Admiral'..!" AT THE HARBOR:     "...Delivery," Hayashimo repeats, "...of a Submarine." Her single visible eye travels sidelong until she peers up at Psyber, as if asking if he somehow knew about this beforehand. When he's clearly flabbergasted by it, she returns her gaze to the Wo-class.     When noticed, the destroyer disappears behind the angel, who is conveniently large enough for one fourteen year old to hide behind with ease.     Zuihou is more distracted by the submarine, herself. Trotting past Wo, she grabs on to the railing and leans over to get a closer look, propping her feet on the lower bar, "--Wow, is that really for the Admiral? Miss Wo, you find the neatest things!" Straightening, she glances over her shoulder with that big, honest smile of hers, "You know, I used to be a submarine tender before I was remodelled into an aircraft carrier! But I only ever serviced Type-C I-Boats, never a German one!" Looking back out to the vessel in the harbor, she clicks her tongue, "It's so small~... How cute!" 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     The Wo-class finally quirks an eyebrow at Psyber's questioning on specifics. She's not like Zuihou, worrying over particulars and specifications, outside of the general role definitions. All(*) of the equipment she produces looks and performs basically the same, perhaps owing to part of the Abyssal unified purpose. Eventually, she gives a shrug of her shoulders, "German. Surface...people. Making, weapons." That might also serve as a hint on how she came across this particular specimen, as she breaks away to join Zuihou at the railing, resting one black gloved hand atop it. "Many, were - sunk. But... This one, will be. Diff-erent. It will pro-tect, Boston."     She does give a quizzical look to Zuihou, though. Something she said caught her attention. Not the unintentional stealth diss on what the cat dragged home, but, "You, re-member, then?" Her eyebrows knit together, "...when you were...a ship." This is somehow something she hadn't seriously considered before. Certainly, she had been aware of even her own nature, after she became more conscious of herself. But that sort of thing has remained completely beyond her. With a slightly pained and uncomfortable sound from deep inside of her, she dismisses it, "...for-get it. Zui-hou. I'll be - count-ing on you, then. ...to help." The hand that had been resting on the railing lifts to move toward the light carrier, giving it a firm touch if she doesn't evade it.     She then turns again to Psyber, and accordingly Hayashimo; her cape flourishing with the movement, which is fluid despite that pendulous flight deck atop her head. This sends something tumbling from beneath the tarp-like cloak, which in one smooth gesture is snatched out of the air by her hand. It makes a squeaky sound. Don't interrupt her serious time, fairy! "You are, Kon-gou's...Admiral," she reaffirms, "Is that - not acc-urate?" She eventually releases the fairy again, that seems to climb onto the notch in the metal shank that serves as her staff, propping itself there. Wo doesn't seem to bother with it further, continuing, "With this... No more, motor-boats. They are...be-neath you."     Her eyes wander again to the Destroyer that's trying to hide behind Psyber, but her peek-around staring doesn't feel like the source of the strange tingling she just felt. Peculiar... Is something bad about to happen? 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Oh, you..." He seems to dawn the realization. Every time Wo has ever seen him deploy on water, he was either on foot, riding a piece of ice, or in a crappy motorboat. Thus, he figures, in Wo's mind he was lacking a suitable Naval ship. He understands it now, sorta. He gives her a smile, "Thank you, Wo."     He looks over to Zuihou, "Oh, if you have some experience here, I will probably need your help keeping it maintained. I already can think of a crew, or at least a few people," He ponders, rubbing his chin as he looks over the water.     Finally, he deems fit to react to Wo's comment about his Admirality, "Oh. Okay. I thought this was some Abyssal ritual to come claim me as an Admiral for yourself as well or something. I'm still figuring out cultural dynamics," He professes, watching the fairy as it scampers around.     "I appreciate your gift. I will likely record it with the Union, but..." He ponders a bit, "I think I'll be vague on its origin. If they find out it's stolen, I'll have to give it up and it'll defeat the purpose of your actions." 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     "Mm~," Zuihou tilts her head to both Wo and Psyber's questions, "I remember who I was and what I used to do very clearly. It's a part of who I am!" Hopping back down to deck level, she whirls in place and folds her hands behind her back, "I don't have the equipment to service submarines anymore, but I can offer advice from what I remember, sure~!" Leaning back, she shifts a hand around front to touch her cheek, looking upward, "But we're going to need a crane for resupplying the torpedoes..."     "Motorboats..." Hayashimo peeks around Psyber again, "...Do the job.. inadequately." Her eye wanders to the submarine and she makes a thoughtful sound, though it's the fairy that draws her attention away from it.     "...So you kept it."     She disappears again, only to glide out from the other side like a ghost. Cautiously, she approaches the Wo-class carrier, though rather than address the taller woman, crouches down on her knees. One hand rummages in her pocket for a moment, and then she holds out a small grain of bauxite on the tip of her finger, holding it out to the fairy occupying Wo's staff. Probably some pebble left over from an expedition that the other carriers somehow missed. 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     The taller carrier stares a bit blankly with Zuihou's complete explanation. Even though she had dismissed it, it came all the same. This girl was always eager with this kind of thing, she's come to expect. This prompts the Wo-class to close her eyes briefly, taking a deep breath of air, even if it's uncertain whether she really needs to breathe, as Psyber does, and presumably the fleet daughters do. "I - see," she eventually speaks again, her lip pursing. Metaphorically, another piece of a longstanding puzzle falls into place for her. It's becoming more a matter of whether she truly wishes to solve it, in the end. "Paid...a crew, but. Just - for delivery," she also explains, off-subject for Psyber and Zuihou, which would be the people that are now climbing into a raft to make landfall, presumably to arrange their own transport back to other parts unknown.     Her eyes narrow just the slightest with Psyber's later words, though. It might have been the slightest bit insulting, really. "They were...ma-king weapons, to disrupt the sea's - peace," she says, her mouth managing a frown despite her voice remaining much the same as usual. She then seems to regain her calm, after the moment is over, the fairy glancing up from the nook curiously at the shifts in demeanor. "--call it, what you - want. Any, that weren't - taken. Were des-troyed." She glances out at it again. Better for it to be in Psyber's hands, she figured, than left to make war, or a heap at the bottom of the sea. "You are not, my Admiral," she confirms, "But - you are, a surface person. That I, can re-spect. You also, treat...my sisters, well. Your dig-nity is, important."     She is shortly distracted from her thoughts by Hayashimo speaking up. A rarity in itself, it is followed by her approach, and preoccupation with the tiny fairy, dressed in a flight jacket. The Wo-class does not draw away or even particularly shift, merely watching with teal eyes that, despite her mask-like face, manage to convey curiosity. The tiny figure, meanwhile, blinks blankly at Hayashimo for a moment, with that dumb but friendly smile that many of her kind seem to have. When handed the pebble of bauxite, though, her expression brightens, taking it into those miniscule hands. A bit of fairy magic later, and it turns into a suitably-sized cheeseburger, more fit for consumption. "...yes," the carrier finally speaks up. "She - listens well." Even if she can't be certain she really understands. 

}}

2777/Giving Guns to Children

2015-08-11T04:25:52Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/08/11 |Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH> |Synopsis=Psyber gives Lila some guns. He also asks her some questions. |Thanks= |Cast of Characte..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/08/11
|Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH>
|Synopsis=Psyber gives Lila some guns. He also asks her some questions.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253, 545
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber, owing to both a fondness for Lila herself as well as her relationship with Ariel, didn't waste any time in working on guns for Lila immediately. Her specifications were pretty simple: One revolver, one semi-automatic. An easy order to fulfill for someone with his particular skillset in gunsmithing.     Thusly, he can be found in the obvious place: The workship. There's a number of parts laid out on a table in front of him, picked out from any number of boxes and compartments in the room. He's got a small file in one hand and the barrel of a gun in the other and seems to just be putting some finishing touches on it. 

:'''{{#var:545|Lila (545)}} has posed:'''     It's not a hard guess as to where Psyber would be. Lila is... well, she's still holding that cocky smile of hers, with the playful look of a child, but today she's a little more serious in what she actually says now.     Sweeping into the room, she finds a spot to hop up and sit, swinging legs lazily. "Annoying to ask for it, but they are more convenient than relying on magic at all times. And familiar, reassuring. Weapons of murder and death are things I can understand." Not... the most pleasant way of putting things, but it's probably a close thing to an invitation to talk. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Her having met with him prior, she can potentially tell a more quiet streak out of Psyber as she sits down. He looks up from filing the barrel and fitting it a little bit, "Is that why you asked for them now, after what happened to Ariel?" He inquires in a placid tone. It carries neither accusation nor judgment, "It can hurt to see someone you care about damaged. It is not uncommon to seek familiarity."     He lets his red eyes rest upon her, "I'll be done fairly quickly, I have a great deal of parts, I simply need to tune them to fit together. I want to give you the best gun possible. In exchange, perhaps you can answer me a question." A long pause, "Nothing about your past, but something about the present." He reassures her, setting down the barrel and picking up a trigger and a small screwdriver. 

:'''{{#var:545|Lila (545)}} has posed:'''     Legs sway again, and Lila gives Psyber a funny look. "Is that what you think it is?" She, however, doesn't actually /deny/ feeling something for Ariel. Perhaps not even she knows if it's a correct statement or not. It's not as if she's super in touch with her feelings.     "A question? I might answer, I might not~" She flashes a smile of her own, but doesn't say no of course. "What is it you want to know?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "When bad things happen, you retreat to what you know. Be it... tools of killing, baking, reading. It depends on the person," Psyber notes somberly as he seems to reach the trigger sensitivity he wants and then puts the parts down, "But I can't say for certain. I'm no Nathan Hall."     "I'm going to kill... what's his name... Tiberius. I have an idea, I have a plan that sums down to 'next time I see him I'm going to blindside him with all my power', and some other ideas. I want to know what info you can give me about it," He notes as he slowly guns assembling the handgun in front of her. 

:'''{{#var:545|Lila (545)}} has posed:'''     Leaning back, Lila thumks her head against the wall and hmms. "Is that all? Well... Tiberius is... immortal. Undead, no longer human. He has placed his soul beyond reach, and will regenerate - mostly - from whatever damage you do to him. He is, quite simply, unkillable to a degree even other Anticross would envy."     Interesting choice. 'would' envy, she says. "Of course he can't really feel anything and is quite insane," she continues. "But anything you did to him would be a delaying tactic, at best... under normal circumstances." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber frowns at hearing this and looks up at Lila, "I see. Vexing to hear. I've been told men were unkillable before, and most claims to it have been valid within reason," Psyber admits to her, starting to put the last pieces of the handgun together, "This means my trump card is necessary, if it'll work at all," He looks upset at this, but no less determined.     "Thank you for this information," He says as he sets the first gun down on the table in front of her, "In exchange, this is a Browning Hi Power. I swapped out most of the factory parts with custom jobs from my personal stock. Hair trigger, 15 rounds, custom slide and barrel work. It should be as accurate as a laser and as light as a feather."     As he leaves the gun there, he goes to a storage locker on the other side of the room and starts gathering up parts into a box for the next part, "I have most of the parts for your second gun pre-made. It shouldn't take more than a couple minutes to fit it together."     "What will you do after this is all over?" 

:'''{{#var:545|Lila (545)}} has posed:'''     Lila hesitates a moment, before she adds something to her initial statement. "If you intend on taking care of him for good... you should know that he can't undo his own immortality. Put him somewhere he can't escape or focus on escape, and that will be enough." There's a slight twitch of her lip, as if there's something she's not saying, but she moves on to the next question with a more serious expression, all while inspecting the Browning.     "Do?" She finally asks. "When this is over? Hm. I hadn't really thought about it~!" She looks up with a smile. "I think I'd like to live with Ariel. She's fun. Maybe take a trip up that mountain. I don't know. What do normal people do?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     That last question from Lila gives Psyber a very, very long pause. She might get the impression that he's mad at h er asking him what normal people do, or that she's upset him somehow. In actuality, the answer comes when he quietly says, "I don't know what they do," Before sitting down.     He starts to take parts out of the box. Wooden grips, metal frame. It looks OLD, though. So most of his work is spent on polishing the pieces with a cloth and tuning them up with a screwdriver and other minor tools, "But I think staying with Ariel is a good start. Her family are good people. They're lucky to have eachother."     "Maybe consider getting a job or going to school." 

:'''{{#var:545|Lila (545)}} has posed:'''     "I don't think I could go to school," Lila admits. "But it might be fun to try. I'm a little older than I look. Or a lot older. I know I'm adorable and cute, but I am... likely older than most anyone you know! Except maaaaaaaybe the unspeakable one." She kicks her legs lazily.     "But I've not going to school in a long while. I should try that!" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     He gives her a charming smile, breaking the serious face he had a moment ago, "It's fine, many women pursue college education well into their golden years," He replies, "Though how come you do look so young? Why was your age stuck at what it is?" He doesn't doubt her age, though. Someone as old as Hastur is impressive.     The gun is getting assembled now! Piece by piece, this one is much more complex, although made of less parts. Psyber just has to tune and change something with every new piece. The final product is a revolver that, instead of the cylinder coming out, the entire revolver breaks downward to eject cartridges, "This is one of the older revolvers. Smith and Wesson Model 3, Schofield. Something old and something new, I guess. It seemed to fit you." 

:'''{{#var:545|Lila (545)}} has posed:'''     Lila is already sighting along the Browning, hefting it from hand to hand to get a feel for it. "Lighter than I am used to, but... ah..." Now this is something she can appreciate as well, the heavier revolver giving a smile to her.     "It's simply the way my age is set," she says, which is... not so much an answer. "It's complicated and you wouldn't believe me, most likely, if I told you the truth. I'll simply say that things are very different from what I'm used to now, and I'm enjoying it. I hope they continue to be different." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Haha, might be a bit light, but it has stopping power." He counters, starting to clean his hands off with a rag as she looks at the revolver, "Schofield's a hell of a gun. Always liked it more than the Peacemaker."     "And right, complex supermagic, I suppose," Psyber comments, placing his hands into his pockets, "If you need ammo, I can give you some. I only didn't include a couple boxes because you mentioned handloading," Psyber comments before grinning at her, "I hope they continue to be different for you too. I would like to see you remain happy." 

}}

2722/Cats, Bags, Etc.

2015-08-04T05:15:42Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/08/03 |Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH> |Synopsis=Boy this did not go at all how Psyber expected. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=168, 253 |Ti..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/08/03
|Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH>
|Synopsis=Boy this did not go at all how Psyber expected.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=168, 253
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber is here! Just according to his statement to Nathan, he has also brought lunch. It's a pretty basic pair of dishes from a local italian restaurant: Noodles, some chicken, a creamy red sauce. Delicious stuff, nothing too weird or Hastur-esque in terms of cuisine. The half-angel doesn't really see much need to announce his presence, instead just walking up and setting down the bag with both servings on the table between them. 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     Nathan, as is by now the norm, disengages from the Front Desk area to the familiar side-table. They use this one so regularly that Nathan has stopped leaving books on it. His robotic, deliberate, and somewhat exhausted-seeming motions are in their usual full force as he shuffles on over to the table and takes a seat. "Welcome, welcome, well, come in, come on inside." He mutters as Psyber enters, and tilts his head with stoic, blank-faced curiosity as he sits. "So, what did you want to talk about, to speak to me privately about?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Alright, so here's the deal," Psyber says, when Nathan wants to get right to business. Psyber is sitting down and unpacking the food for them both, "There's something I feel you have a right to know about me. But... because of how I am... how fucked up I am in a lot of ways, I can't come right out and say it, because that would be like admitting it," Psyber notes awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head, "I'm surprised you didn't see it by now, but then I remembered how your puzzle solving stuff works. So..." Psyber looks across the table at Nathan, "I'm going to give you the pieces and see when you can put them together. That way I don't have to... say it out loud." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     Nathan stares, and his expression shifts not one single iota. "I understand." He says, without speaking. "All sorts of old distresses, all sorts of old anxieties. Plenty of things I wouldn't ever want to say out loud, to say in any direct way. Any sort of explicit way." He politely gets to work on digging into the meal, of course, with the intent to eat while Psyber speaks. Something he hopes will make Psyber feel more at-ease about things. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "The first piece I have to give you is what I tell people when my dating life comes up. There's something very precise about that phrasing I use," Psyber notes as he unpacking his food and then pushes at it with his fork, "That line. 'I am in love with my job. Until such a time as those circumstances change, I am not a suitable candidate for any dedicated relationship. It would not work for a number of reasons.'." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "And then people always talk about what my job would be like as a girl. Good-looking, but trouble. The kind of person that causes a lot of trouble in my office," Psyber says as he stares down at the food, "Maybe not intentionally, but yeah." He thinks over it for a few moments, "What my job would be like if it was a woman, it always has certain common traits. Awkward attributes." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     Nathan twists up some spaghetti idly. "Current going message I'm getting is that you've accidentally summoned something, that our influx of personified ships, anthropomorphized vessels may have created some real being." He says, with an idle sort of monotone. "I expect that this is incorrect, that this is the wrong message to take, so continue, continue." He continues his quiet nibbling on the food. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     The half-angel kind of shifts in his seat a bit, "Then there's the fact that one could argue that the lion's share, or majority anyway, of my work is or has been centered around certain individuals and incidents." He pauses to laugh at Nathan's joke, "Your humor is coming back. I like that." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Mmm, but. I'd say the biggest piece I can give you is this..." He pauses, trying to think of how to phrase it, "As you had your decline, I had a similar shift in stances and viewpoints. In order to keep a state of zero sum, your hatred increased and in response, I unknowingly had similar shifts in viewpoints... perspectives. In feelings on topics." He scratches the back of his head, "Not that the conclusion is your fault, and I don't blame you, but it's a big piece. I became a mirrored version of your own motions on certain topics. Certain... things." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     Nathan's focus becomes a bit more dark when Elliana comes up, for reasons that are obvious. "Well. I can see that Lady Fairchild is, at the very least, a central topic. A central topic for whatever it is that needs saying." He sighs heavily, putting down his fork and seeming unlikely to eat more for a while. "Fitting. Fitting, I think, very fitting that whatever it is about her you're not able to say has to be said with truthful half-directed statements." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber makes an awkward sort of jaw-clenching gesture as Nathan figures out Elliana is involved, "Yeah. Elliana is involved. That's another piece of it," Psyber says as he looks across the table at his friend, "And part of why I can't say it outright. But it's more a personal... hangup. A glaring flaw in a few things... that stop me from saying it," Psyber notes, taking a bite of food, "But the pieces are there. If you put them in the right order, you'll see the picture." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     Nathan clasps his hands now, and leaving them just over his mouth as he stares down at the table. "Yes. Not many things we disagreed on that way, not many things besides her." He mutters. "Not many things, and especially not things that I could say led to my decline, my particular... Fall from grace, as it were." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Yeah, definitely not much we disagreed on. Not a lot that we took... mirrored stances on." Psyber notes, emphasizing that last part of it in a hesitant sort of way. Because of how Nathan is, Psyber can't fully tell how much the librarian is getting his implications. 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "I would assume this has something to do with the nature of positive feelings towards her, yes." Nathan says. His monotone is slowly turning to that old one, more stiff and forced. "I will have some logical difficulties trying to think about things in any perspective that assumes she deserves such positive attention." He seems to be working backwards on Psyber's hints... 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Yeah. I don't expect you to understand or agree with the conclusion, if you meet the right one. But I felt you had a right to know, as my best friend," Psyber says to him, nodding a bit as Nathan works. 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     His mind seems to visibly grind gears a bit when he gets to the second hint. "Making trouble in the office, yes. I have no doubt that such a personification would be conventionally attractive, as all such personificiations tend to be. Substantial focus towards certain members of the staff, not unlike the Kongou-class or other similar beings. Et-cetera." He makes a subtle noise of almost recognition. "And I suppose Lady Fairchild fits into several of those categories, if this matter is about her." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     He then seems to work his way back to the very first one. "And I do recall what you usually say about this matter, yes." He says, nodding. "Little time for affection when you are focused on a job. You mentioned... Focused around certain individuals." He visibly seems to be turning the thoughts over in his mind, thinking on the precise phrasing, since at last it has been very directly pointed out. 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     It takes a long while, but he then seems to link the thoughts in his head. A feeling opposite to his hatred, a focus on few individuals, and the combinations of the first and second hints do seem to link in his mind. In one abrupt moment, Nathan seems to figure it out. His face remains emotionless, his posture remains utterly still. But there's a very, very quiet sparking noise at his right eye, a tiny arc of electricity that plays over the lens of the glasses without damaging them. Psyber's keen eyes may notice the fingernails on his thumbs pressing deeply into his hands while they remain clasped, drawing the smallest amount of blood. Just enough to hint at the restrained emotions, but not enough to make it clear what those are.     He flinches, briefly, as if suffering some intense pain in his head before he speaks up, but continues staring down at the table. "Is that why you chose her over me?" This slight inflection to his monotone is one Psyber hasn't heard in months. Before the fractured lens, or maybe after his exposure to the Lord of Hate. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber was feeling awkward before Nathan put the pieces together. When the electricity comes back and the tone comes back to his friends voice, Psyber clenches his jaw some more. The half-angel levels his gaze on the man, flinching as Nathan draws just the smallest amount of his own blood. The half-angel narrows his eyes a bit and says, "Mm... no. Or at least, as far as I know. Because I was ready to kill her that day before you could do it, if I couldn't stop you from killing her."     He looks away as he says that, sighing a bit, "What I did was because I didn't understand how to protect you from yourself. It had nothing to do with such emotions." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     Nathan's breathing slows and his posture relaxes, but this is far from an indication that he's de-stressed. In fact, it seems forced and conscious; Psyber may recognize it as a telltale sign that Nathan is utterly denying the urge to express emotion further. He notices the slight bleeding and reclasps his hands on the table, thumbs hidden. He still flinches, as if experiencing some intense, heavy, pounding headache, a clear sign of the intensity of whatever caused that. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Mmm... I gain the feeling I should have kept this to myself, despite the persistent urging to face problems head on that has become so prevalent on my radio bands," Psyber says with a calm, if somewhat ashamed, tone to his voice as he looks across the table at Nathan, "I admit I'm not sure why I expected any different reaction after what has transpired." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     Then, Nathan seems to reign in that brief moment of exposed emotion. "I understand." He says, his voice forced into calmer ranges. The old inflections are choked back with such overwhelming intensity that it's difficult to tell what's being choked back in the first place. "Emotions are difficult to control. It is not my place to judge you or insist on the same standards I hold myself to. I comprehend and accept the feelings you hold for Lady Fairchild." There's a distinct element of lacking truth to this, in the sense that it doesn't reflect Nathan's genuine feelings. But he's trying. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "You don't have to accept them," Psyber says, giving his friend the out. The exit to being forced to pretend, "We've reached the equilibrium in the system, Nate. I don't see a need to pursue you over your feelings for her any more, and my act of contrition for everything I did to you is to come here and set this on the table for you," He stares hard at his friend, "You are allowed to disagree with it, just as I am allowed to disagree with your own points. But I would feel like a poor friend if I didn't make my own shameful stance known to at least you after I pulled yours into the light." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "There are unbalanced scales. Inequalities of a profound type. But you are not the one at the other end of that imbalance." Nathan mutters. He forces his volume low, just in case even the slightest inflection of his overwhelming, miserable frustration gets to the surface, so it will be that much more difficult to hear. "At least, not the worst of the imbalance are at your feet. So I will disagree with what you feel but I will not claim you have no right to feel it or try to convince you otherwise, and it would be wrong to want to do as much. As before, as now." There's that sense of inauthenticity again. Nathan's trying, as hard as he can, to avoid expressing his factual, true emotions. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Nathan," Psyber says seriously, watching his friend, "Don't do this again. Don't swallow whatever you're feeling and then blow it back out in my face in six, eight, or ten months. Two years. I can't handle another explosion like the one we just had," The half-angel gives his friend a hard look, "And I'm not an idiot. You very clearly loathe the way I feel, so please at least take some solace in that your wallowing in misery is not singular, and you know that for a fact," The half-angel looks at Nathan, "At least with Pegasus, you found someone who would stand by you no matter what, who would never use you, and who gave up everything for you." He plays a pretty honest card, "And I've never said a word to you about that in the negative. So before you break out some victim complex that puts you on the imbalanced edge of the scale remember that everyone supported what YOU wanted, while I suffer my emotions alone and isolated, and beyond even that, forever unreciprocated." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     Nathan very abruptly stands, both palms planted on the tabletop harshly. "Do not compare Pegasus to Lady Fairchild." He says, with a soft, miserable inflection to his tone, something he's trying to hide behind a whisper. "And do not call the scales anything but what they are. If you wish for my feelings to be expressed, then know them now, if that is your choice. As soon as Pegasus had the means and the motive, she made her choice. She stopped chosing the Confederacy, she ceased everything that could be worth objection."     He remains motionless and monotoned as he talks in that whisper. "You have fallen in love with a woman who chose and continued to choose to destroy my life out of the convenience of being loyal to the Confederacy, long after you claim she began to feel regret and long after she claims she desired to leave it, and I will refuse to believe the love had nothing to do with the fact that you led a conspiracy against me for my refusal to trust her because I was suspicious that the Confederates would turn against me, which they thereafter /did/ because of that. You have no right to claim the scales have any balance or that I have ever had the advantages or fair treatment you ascribe." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber stands up and looks across the table at Nathan, "Why not, Nathan? One Confederate who slaughtered people for another," He glares across the table at his friend, "You have the audacity to tell me that Elliana is nothing like Pegasus? So fine. Cyborg Nine, your serial killing cannibal best friend. She's done as much, or more, to repent than he has. And yet somehow he's your absolute trusted best friend," Psyber stares hard at the librarian.     "And you're running a very skewed history, Nathan Hall. One that overlooks years of standing by your side and backing your calls. One that overlooks that what I did was not out of Elliana, but out of your own instability. You destabilized an entire cross-factional operation through your own obfuscation, equivalent in its magnitude to that of the Confederates. At least they were on the same page with eachother, we had no idea what you planned going in. And then you jumped to blame Elliana for it all, requiring me to step in and go to the Confederates in damn prostration to re-negotiate terms because you couldn't be a diplomat." He thrusts a finger forward.     "My 'conspiracy' had everything to do with the fact that after years of having your back, you left me in the dark and took a dump on the bed that de-stabilized three years of work on a planet," He scowls at Nathan, "So I had to do your fucking job for months." He shakes his head, "And still, after all of it, when you fucking snapped and took an army's worth of payload to her doorstep to violate the pacifism you have spent years believing in, I gathered everyone I could think of that meant anything to you, within the purview of contacts I had available. Your girlfriend, your future sister, your therapist. To try to talk you down from breaking everything you believed in."     "And yet I was still the one who took the black mark. The traitor, forever atoning for doing what was laid before him. You were getting praised by Confederates for your power while I was trying to rebuild my office. Your girlfriend stayed in my office with you while I stopped sleeping."     "And yet you DARE tell me the scales gave you no advantage, when all you had were outs that you refused to take." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "I made my choice, Psyber. Because I was right." Nathan says. He remains utterly unmoving again. "The conspiracy you led was wrong. I told you the Confederates could not be trusted. And the fact is that they /could not/ be trusted. I was nearly turned into something like Lady Fairchild when I followed your way, Psyber. I tried to take the path that would avoid it and you went against me. Your argument has a mistake. Your argument assumes you were in the right." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "You claimed I unnecessarily jeopardized the Union-Confederate relations when I began to perceive a risk to myself and to the world if I continued collaboration with them in that particular effort, and acted accordingly to deny them those opportunities. But you ignore the fact that as soon as we resumed the course I denied because of this risk, it arose again. You claim I was irrational to believe that the Confederates would exploit the Shajem in a way that was worse than the benefit gained by trusting them and working with them. And when I followed your path and trusted them, they attempted to bind a Shajem to my soul." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "And I made my choice because while it was wrong, it was for the right outcome. Just because you can talk circles around me in a debate and live in a world of self-perpetuating victimization does not make you more correct than I am, Nathan," Psyber says in a hard and accusatory tone, "All your arguments, all your counterpoints, come from a subjective attempt to rationalize events into a narrative that you always wanted to have happen in the first place." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "It's amazing how in the months since that happened, you've changed this story from 'Elliana betrayed me again' to 'The Confederates betrayed me just like I knew they would', once it became apparent Elliana was the not the mastermind behind their actions," Psyber notes with a flat tone to his voice, glaring at his friend, "And that's how you win these. You have essence-powered eidetic memory that allows you to out-class and perfectly recall every event, so you can simply arrange the events in a way that will support you against anyone equivalent." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "If you have evidence against my claims, then provide it. Otherwise, your opinions are rooted in emotion and feeling, as I believe. And I will accept your feelings, but I will not accept your claims of fact. Do not ever claim I wanted any of this to happen, and if you still wish for me to be open with my emotions then I will: I find it completely unacceptable that you believe I would ever /desire/ a life of being repeatedly betrayed by my allies." Nathan says. The few signs of his emotions getting through the monotone and the stoic mask speak more of misery and frustration than aggression and hate, when they're visible through the flinches of pain from his head. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Evidence the first: The Confederacy did not betray you. Their goal was to gather a portion of Shajem energy for independant research purposes related to the proper usage of Shajem and Amethyne energies," Psyber notes, staying at Nathan quietly as he leans in, "Second evidence, the Confederacy did not betray you at the Shajem of Hatred. Lezard Valeth, a Confederate, betrayed you. And when he had breached the treaty, Elliana Fairchild and Nox took steps to prevent him from completing his betrayal. A Confederate betrayed you, the Confederacy protected you." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "And I do not believe you desire a life of being betrayed and victimized, but much like many other people, it is the narrative you will read from the situation," He states flatly, "In fact, it's not that different from Unionites you have helped in the past such as Staren. Think of the advice you would give him about how to handle himself in your situation, rather than your own actions you have taken," He looks at his friend hard, "My claims are as rooted in fact as yours, you simply have the encyclopedic ability to cite every betrayal, while all I can do is explain motivations and exist in the court of public opinion." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "But you know that. It's how you control the refutes against what you believe," Psyber says with some seriousness to his voice, "I can't win against you in an argument, certainly not one about Elliana. The most I can do is hold my ground to a stalemate, but I've never actually won. Even then, at the Drasillium, I needed a half-dozen people helping me to even make that headway." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "Then why do you keep asking for that? Why do you keep wanting to know how I feel if your only urge is to argue against it? I /told/ you the 'right' thing, I told you what you wanted to hear. And I kept what I believed to myself." Nathan says, pausing and briefly holding his hand to his head as if experiencing a particularly intense burst of sensation. "I can accept what you believe about many things. I have accepted what you wanted to tell me today, that you love Lady Fairchild, and I continue to accept it. But you say you want to know how I feel and then you tell me what I am feeling is wrong, and that it was awful for me to explain what I feel and why. I still do not understand what you want." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "You instigated," Psyber says in a hard tone, "You claimed the scales were imbalanced. You brought my judgment and my actions to questions, and then you have the gall to stand here and act like all you did was express emotions, create dialogue, and I am the unreasonable one?" The half-angel asks him incredulously, looking at him in almost shock at it, "You tell me how I feel is completely different from your almost identical situation, while you still have no response to why you're allowed to have a best friend that eats people, but I can't know a woman who betrays people." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "Nine never pretended to be anything else." Nathan says. It feels, in a way, like a certain element of resolve is weakening; something Psyber said there is wearing away at something deeper, but it's not clear. "And I would never, ever argue against the right anyone has to hate Nine for what he does. Yes. He eats people. You are free to hate him for that, to fight him for that, and I will not stop you. I will not choose him over you. I will never pretend that he did not do the evil he does." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "And I have stopped trying to force you to stop hating Elliana," Psyber says to Nathan, his own tone starting to pull back a bit as he crosses his arms, "But what I don't do is blast you for loving a former Confederate you thought you could save. And what I didn't do is choose Elliana over you," He says, putting a hand to his face and rubbing it with his palm, "I told you. I went there resolved to stop you from killing Elliana. That meant, like I said earlier, killing her myself if all else failed. I could have come at you at full force and you know it, and if I had chosen Elliana over you, I would have. But I doubled down on believing in you, Nathan. Please stop saying I chose Elliana over you." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "You're right, though, about one thing," Psyber says to Nathan, looking at his friend hard. He leaves it hanging in the air for a few moments while he thinks. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Elliana and Pegasus ARE different. And what you did to save Pegasus, I've been trying to do to save Elliana," Psyber notes, looking at his friend in an almost tired way, "Pegasus, as soon as the choice was hers and the capability granted, chose to leave the Confederacy. This is irrefutable fact, but it also came after you gave her a Moral Compass, quite literally," Psyber notes, having a long moment to think, "I've been trying to do that for Elliana. I've been trying to give her a moral compass, but she's not a machine, I can't just install a part into her to let her see the world different than how she has her whole life up to this point." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "So I can't tell you not to hate her for what she did, lord knows she deserves it," Psyber notes in a concluding sort of tone, "But what I can say is try to separate into objectivity and look at the whole of what she used to be and what she is today," The half-angel states with a sad sort of tone, as if he wishes someone but him could see it. 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "I don't believe you chose Lady Fairchild over me when I went to the Drasillum. I believe you chose Lady Fairchild over me when you executed your conspiracy. When I was right, I was demonstrably right and even vindicated in the end, and you chose her regardless. You still believe it was right, even when..." Nathan starts, and then sighs. Unfortunately, whatever shift in the conversation Psyber did, it got away from the part that was wearing down Nathan's negative resolve, it's restoring a bit! 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "Maybe she's changed. Maybe you're right. But the scales are still unbalanced. She destroyed who I was and she has nothing to show for it but more and more power, and friends, and anything she could want. She has you, in my command, willing to help her allies even when they are going to ruin me." Nathan says. "I had my soul nearly mutilated, I have been humiliated and betrayed. The scales are not balanced. Whatever narrative you believe, they are just... Not." That last part seems especially miserable in the tone, but he spends his time after that shoring up his stoicism. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "If Elliana had me, I would have left the Union," Psyber states rather blandly, looking to Nathan, "And the scales may not be even. But..." He looks to Nathan, "It's like you just said on the radio. I don't confuse my actions with their weight. What I did was the correct choice, but it was not the right choice. Even then, it was not her over you. It was choosing what you believe in over what you were doing," He stares at Nathan, "The Nathan Hall I believe in is a pacifistic man. He believes in cooperation, even when it means he might get hurt." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "When the situation with your marriage had you occupied, I filled in your shoes. I was forced to take on a ton of your duties, including being betrayed over negotiations and cooperations," Psyber notes to Nathan, crossing his arms, "That you held on for as long as you did is admirable, but what I did was to protect the spirit of collaberation I know you believe in, over the actions you were taking out of a mindset you have admitted was irrational." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "But tell me. How would you see the scales evened? What would you have done to Elliana to even the score?" He inquires in a tired tone, moving to sit back down in his chair and watch the librarian. 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "When the Lord of Hatred was affecting my mind, I would have killed her to even the scales. I'm not capable, not at all capable of what she can do. I couldn't ruin her the way she ruined me. Now I don't know. You both claimed things were already fair, claimed that I was wrong." Nathan's tone is taking on that exhaustion again, without really losing the misery. "If she even acknowledged what happened, maybe that would help, maybe that would make things a little better. It felt better, to hear her agree. To hear her say that she had done something wrong, that she would take responsibility for her actions." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "I don't know. I don't know, don't know anything at all. Maybe there's nothing, nothing to do to even the scales anymore. I just don't want to have deserved what happened, to have deserved the betrayal, for that to have balanced things out. All I want is to not have been worth betraying again." The long pause at the end of that seems heavy, in an intense sort of way, with Nathan incapable of seriously speaking more for a moment. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "She told me she apologized to you before, but that you wouldn't hear it," Psyber says as he crosses his arms. It's a defensive gesture, and perhaps him showing that he has chastized Elliana for how she acts as well as Nathan. Moments later, he concedes to Nathan, "You didn't deserve to be betrayed by her. You don't deserve to be betrayed now. You SHOULDN'T have deserved to be betrayed before, but I pushed you into a situation you could not sustain." Psyber looks down, "It's ultimately all my fault. You don't deserve any of it." Psyber has a secondary thought in his head, but one he keeps to himself. 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "She asked me what I wanted from her. I told her about what I wanted, the few answers that I could give. She also once apologized, for the very first betrayal. I understand it, and I have forgiven her for it. That aside, there is little she has done to fix what she shattered." Nathan says, trying to muster the old energy again. The miserable tone, at least, is being reigned back in as he gets more control over his voice. 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "...I know I did not deserve being betrayed. It is why I just... Want something that acknowledges that. That even pretends to equalize it. At least then there would be some acknowledgement that it was unequal in the first place. Instead I am told that things are and will continue to be fair and equal." He makes an exhausted, unsettled noise. "Much of it is not your fault. You know who I blame. But for the reasons we have discussed here, I cannot much expect you to contribute to a solution." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I don't really know what else to say, Nate," Psyber admits to him, "I've apologized to you over and over. I've tried my best to make ammends for what happened. I'm going to keep doing that," He sighs a bit and looks down at the food, most of his appetite gone, "I do think it's unequal. But life is never equal one-to-one. I don't think you two got it equal, but I think you have it equivalent. You have things she doesn't, she has things you don't. That's just how everything is." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "I do not demand an apology from you. My dispute is with her. You have acknowledged the disparity, understood the imbalance to some degree. You have worked to resolve it. The one I reserve my hatred for is her." Nathan says, with a heavy sort of tone. "But it is not equal between us. Would you urge her to see herself equal with the Windward Empire? Only once did I ever inflict any loss on her, and all that was turned out to be a humiliating tantrum and a tree burned down." He makes a softly bitter noise. "Perhaps she has it worse than I do. But I had nothing to do with it. The simple fact is that, for all the harm she has done to me, there has been no recourse. Not since her betrayals began. And so the scales remain unbalanced." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "As I said, Nathan. Not equal, but equivalent in many ways," Psyber says seriously, looking towards Nathan, "Her losses may not be inflicted by you, or visible, but..." Psyber thinks it over, "Do you think all the people Pegasus killed or hurt saw her punished for her actions? Do they feel equal seeing her with the General of the Union?" He rubs the back of his head, "Not everything is equal." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "But it should be. Pegasus works to do good in the world. If you put her face to face with the people she hurt, I expect she would try to do right by them. She certainly chose to stop as soon as she could. But that is irrelevant in the first place. I am a human; all I can do is judge these matters from my mortal perspective. Maybe there is some greater justice and equality, but all I can see is the imbalance." Nathan says, and then makes a plaintive, helpless gesture. "I am, after all, only human. And so I cannot perceive equality until it enters my human perspective." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Mm. Elliana is trying to do right in her own way. Trying to fix the world, I think. I hope," He rubs his hands together, "But yeah, you're right. Pegasus is probably a much better person than Elliana," He just concedes it to Nathan, not wanting to have the fight with him on that point, "You're lucky to have gotten her, I imagine, in the end," Psyber slides out his chair and stands up, making motions to leave unless stopped. 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "She was trying to do right when she tried to kill you." Nathan reminds Psyber, in a bitter way, but seems to accept that there will be differences on this. There's a fairly long pause while Psyber gets to the door, before Nathan says, "I wish you that same good luck, Psyber." In a heavy, meaningful way. "You remember how I helped you after the battle in the volcano. I may hate her. But I still am here to help you." 

}}

2475/Sanae Visits The Office

2015-06-26T22:43:39Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/06/17 |Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH> |Synopsis=Sanae stops by with her two goddesses from her shrine. She meets and greets with a few m..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/06/17
|Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH>
|Synopsis=Sanae stops by with her two goddesses from her shrine. She meets and greets with a few members of Psyber's office.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253, 619, 637, 705, 707
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:619|Sanae Kochiya (619)}} has posed:'''     It had been a few weeks since a certain priestess, namely Sanae, had asked Psyber to come check this place out. Her interest was ostensibly to come inspect the organization that so many of the local youkai, and youkai-likes, had gathered interest in, but it is just as (or more) likely that she just wanted to see where this Psyber fellow lives and works. Nonetheless, multiverse life being the busy matter it is, it had been delayed - that is, until today! The nice thing about this is that, as Sanae phones ahead, she had informed him that she was bringing two guests with her.     Finding the way around Boston for a foreign, in all manner of ways, tourist isn't easy, but neither is navigating the Tokyo jungle. She arrives by taxi, figuring correctly that the local landmark of the Heaven or Hell tower would be well-known, and tips the driver very well. It's all part of supporting the local economy! "What a pleasant city," she chimes, stepping out onto the sidewalk proper, as someone yells 'FAHHHHK!' right behind her when they accidentally spill a hot drink all over themselves. "It's odd to think, but even here in the multiverse, I think this is my first time visiting America! I feel like I should have on a souvenir shirt."     Kanako and Suwako are with her. The former, hovering just above the ground cross-legged, which thankfully isn't that unusual in this particular Boston, doesn't seem nearly as impressed with the local culture. She nonetheless has that patient, subdued smile on her face that is normally reserved for doting parents, "That's fine, Sanae. But don't forget why we agreed to come here." Suwako does not share this view, as she's as energetic as usual, hopping up and down, "We're going to gather this place's Faith, right!?" The priestess of these two's shoulders visibly slumps a bit as she sighs, "That's not it at all..." Then, if noone is there to greet them, they cross the street, and Sanae takes the lead, moving to push open the doors. "This seems like the place!" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     The doors pushed open and the lobby entered, Psyber is sitting at the front desk and working. The half-angel has a tablet propped up nearby that he's sifting through Union work for. At the same time, he's using a PC and doing other, unrelated work. He's basically doing two people's worth of work simultaneously as he rapidly switches from keyboard to touch screen with practiced motions.     Otherwise, it looks pretty much like the lobby to an office. There's some cookies out for stop-in visitors like Sanae, Suwako and Kanako. And Psyber, attentive as he is, looks up as soon as they open the front door, "Oh! Sanae. You actually came to visit. I was wondering if you'd ever find the time. You find your way around Boston okay?"     While he doesn't get up to greet her, he does stop working to pay more attention. 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     At some point while getting closer to the Heaven or Hell tower, the supernatural trio of varying fractions of god-ness become accompanied by a somewhat small raven-haired girl toting a plastic shopping bag with both hands. She keeps her distance, about thirty paces back, and generally avoids contact even with regular city people.     Once it's time to cross the street, she looks down both directions, then squeezes her single visible eye shut and simply scurries across the crosswalk.     She pauses, though, when the three strangely dressed people actually enter the office building, coming to a silent stop a scant three paces behind. With Kanako and Suwako and Sanae in the doorway, and her own anxieties, she doesn't feel comfortable just squeezing through. Instead, she dips her head and tightens up her hands, drawing the plastic bag to her chest.     "...Excuse me."     One might miss Hayashimo's words over the sounds of traffic just outside, though. 

:'''{{#var:705|Reiji Arisu (705)}} has posed:'''     Sometimes, an exorcist's job can take them to all kinds of interesting and dangerous places. Other times it takes them to Boston. Not that Boston is uninteresting, it's ust that it's probably a lot safer than most places. Well- this Boston is, anyway.     Reiji is at Psyber's office doing a bit of heavy reading. The books he has propped open seem to be texts on the nature of the soul, and there is at least one sheaf of loose notepaper that has all kinds of experimental drawings and scrawling annotations strewn all across it. Only some of it is his. It seems Reiji is busy at work addressing a certain world-ending event.     Psyber's notice of Sanae's arrival does cause Reiji to glance up from his work, however. "Oh," he bobs his head in greeting, "Hello again, Wind Priestess. Long time no see." Reiji glances up at the woman floating next to her... And at the smaller one at her side. There's a slight buzz at the back of his head that suggests that These People Are Important. Uh. "And... Who is this you've brought with you?" 

:'''{{#var:707|Xiaomu (707)}} has posed:''' One of Reiji's books is actually propped up against Xiaomu's thigh as she sits near him, her attention fully and completely focused on saving the world. Except ... not the way Reiji's going about it. In fact, given that the focus of Xiaomu's attention is on the screens of her Nintendo 3DS, it's a pretty good guess that they aren't even saving the same world. One blonde-furred, brown-tipped ear perks up a bit at the sound of conversation nearby, including a voice she doesn't know as well as the others she's hearing. With that, the sage fox confirms her next move and folds the 3DS closed, looking over at Sanae and her companions. 

:'''{{#var:619|Sanae Kochiya (619)}} has posed:'''     "Ah, Mister Psyber," Sanae calls, spotting him quickly from where he's working on important business! She gives a half-courteous, half-hurried bow, before she steps on inside. A sheepish glance is then given to the tablet he sets aside, and she reaches a hand behind her head to ruffle at her emerald green hair, "Uhm, this isn't a bad time, is it? I didn't mean to interrupt your office work or anything. But, Boston is great! It's great to finally get to see it with my own eyes."     Right on cue, as Reiji takes notice of her, Kanako also drifts in, continuing to hover for a moment before remembering her manners, and setting both feet down on the actual floor. Physically and symbolically lowering herself to the realm of mortals, perhaps? "So this is a modern building, hmm?" Her eyes continue to go over every small detail of her surroundings, which is quite different from that passive smile on her face. And then, she also bows to Psyber, as well as the others that happen to be in the area, answering the question instead of Sanae, "I am Kanako Yasaka. It is sometimes good to go out and get in touch with the ways of the people, even if we usually have Sanae for that."     Suwako, the smaller, far younger-looking of the two, raises a sleeve triumphantly, "We are enacting the Faith gathering plan!" Kanako shoots her a dart-eyed look at the lack of tact, but it doesn't seem to bother the girl with the frog motif on her dress. Sanae just shifts slightly, looking embarassed, "Please excuse the extra company, everyone. That is - these are the goddesses of my shrine." Hmm, *two* gods in one shrine? Odd... "Faith is kind of important to them, so."     Being a bit closer in height, on that note, Suwako is actually the one that takes closer note to Hayashimo's uncomfortable entry. She does sidestep for a moment, or more like a light hop, and then - having little concept of personal space - moves to place two hands on the one-eye-haired girl's shoulders, "Hey! Who is this young lady? She looks interesting!" It's kind of weird to hear Suwako call the Destroyer a 'young lady', considering all the age shenanigans going on here. But that's where we are. Sanae, meanwhile, keeps having her eyes pulled towards Xiaomu. Eventually, she ups and blurts out, "Mister Reiji, you brought your shikigami familiar with you! And she's playing a 3DS! I love this contrast of imagery." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber looks to Kanako for a long few moments, trying to judge how to react before he stands and gives her a polite half-bow, "Kanako. I'm Psyber, a half-angel. You're in my office and home, so welcome to Heaven or Hell," The half-angel says formally, looking over to Suwako a moment later, "You're welcome as well."     "I can offer you some of the coffee and cookies over there, but mealtime isn't for a few more hours yet, I believe," He laughs awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head as he looks to Sanae, "So it's not a bad time, no. I just wish I could show some more hospitality with so many guests stopping in at once," He looks a bit perplexed.     "What is the Faith gathering plan?" 

:'''{{#var:705|Reiji Arisu (705)}} has posed:''' It's not too strange to have multiple gods at one shrine, really. Not for Reiji, anyway. Sometimes he has to deal with dozens! But those 'gods' are usually ancestral spirits, so maybe it doesn't quite count. "More or less," Reiji answers the woman, "I suppose Gensokyo doesn't have too many of these." His eyes shift towards Suwako, then, brow-furrowing ever so slightly, "...Faith-gathering?" They're... Goddesses? Oh. Well that explains the tingle.     "My apologies," the exorcist suddenly seems... so much more formal. Maybe it's the way his posture is firmer now. Or that he's bowing from the waist, "I am not prepared to properly welcome goddesses today. Still, I'm honored to meet the both of y--" Reiji peers at Sanae like she grew a second head.     "...Xiaomu isn't anyone's Shikigami, Sanae," Reiji answers, sitting back among his notes. "You should see our setup at home if you want to watch a fox play video games." 

:'''{{#var:705|Reiji Arisu (705)}} has posed:''' Oh. But there are more than just goddesses and priestesses here today, huh? Reiji glances down towards Hayashimo, inclining his head inquisitively. "She looks familiar. Where have I seen you before?" Maybe at the big party at Hikari Port!? Maybe not though. Do all destroyer-spirits look the same to an Exorcist's eye!? 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     When Suwako hops aside, Hayashimo makes as if she's going to advance through the provided opening, only to be halted by hands on her shoulders. Suddenly shooting bolt upright, she freezes in place and simply stares at the frog-themed goddess with a look of ... confusion, actually. "...Ahh...?" She blinks once, slowly, and then dips her head in the only form of a bow she can do when her shoulders are held like that.     "...Yuugumo class destroyer... Hayashimo. ...I live here. ...with the Fourth Mobile Unit."     She hadn't been a part of the Fleet at the time of the Hikari party, but perhaps one of her sisters had been sighted. The uniform at least may seem familiar. But that long raven hair and the shy demeanor are unique to the watcher herself.     Looking down, the girl tightens her grip on the bag she carries, "...I'm a new addition. ...Please don't mind me." 

:'''{{#var:707|Xiaomu (707)}} has posed:''' Xiaomu gives Suwako a quiet withering look. "What Reiji said; I'm Xiaomu, and if anything, Reiji's closer to my shikigami than I am to his." Then she grins, reaching over to pat Reiji on the head. "It's not like that, though - we're partners, pretty much on equal terms apart from my teaching him a lot of what he knows. At any rate, it's good to meet you ladies!" 

:'''{{#var:619|Sanae Kochiya (619)}} has posed:'''     Kanako had actually hoped to approach this more diplomatically, and in less potentially provoking terms. Her smiling face shows its first few strains at this, and she eventually reaches a hand up to rub at her heavenly forehead. "Please pardon the rudeness of my colleague, Suwako Moriya." With a sigh, she has regained her composure, and since there can be no pretenses anymore, she returns to her warm yet oddly aloof smile. "It was never meant to be underhanded, and I had hoped to address it later. As Sanae said, we gods rely on Faith for our well-being, so we are always on the look out for new sources." It goes without saying that the spiritual ooziness of this place is off the charts. Thanks to Psyber's charisma!     Now both Sanae and Suwako are crimping her style. What an evening this is going to be, at this rate. She clears her throat again, perhaps aiming draw their attention to focus, "Lord Psyber. Words of your exploits have already reached my ears. It seems you are quite the shaker of this place called the multiverse?" Her smile takes on a slightly more devious tint, but perhaps it is simply the light. "Heaven or Hell. An interesting name, and I'm certain it has just as interesting a story behind it." She turns to Reiji next, somehow the atmosphere around him making it immediately obvious what his general nature is, though she has other things on her mind, like dispeling any worries from either him or Psyber, "Oh, this is more of an informal meeting, really. We did stop in unexpectedly, after all."     Sanae, herself, has her cheeks go red with embarassment, at being corrected by the exorcist as well as his fami--err, partner, and she gives a rapid series of apologetic bows, "Ah, sorry. I just thought - since you're a fox spirit type and all." She's really the kind to extrapolate from just one edge case she's encountered, isn't she. "Youkai and humans working together, huh?" She gives a more curious glance at that, before an accepting smile. Suwako, still hands on with Hayashimo, does at least free one to give Sanae a pat on the back, "Well, we do cooperate a lot with the Tengu, you know! It's probably no different for them." "Ah, yes! P-please show me your game collection sometime, Miss Xiaomu!"     The Destroyer isn't getting off that easily. Though, at least, Suwako does have enough common sense to not try riding her as a backpack. It's just the narrowest of margins that prevents her from doing so, though. "A Yuugumo-class Destroyer, huh? That sure takes me back... World War 2 wasn't the best time for our shrine." Suwako gets an odd look from Sanae as she mentions this, but then she's used to being surprised by the dimunitive goddess, after the time with the robot. Then something strikes her, and the wind priestess gives a closer look to Hayashimo, before trembling, "Wait a minute... You're one of those ship girls like on the news!" 

:'''{{#var:705|Reiji Arisu (705)}} has posed:'''     Being patted on the head does not do much for Reiji's cool, unflappable image. It doesn't stop him from wearing a ':|' in perpetuity, but it sure puts a damper on his style. "I'm not sure how I'm your shikigami," he mutters, though he doesn't do anything to dissuade the patting either. Maybe he's just used to it by now. "But she's being truthful otherwise. Shinra believes in cooperation and coexistance, not subjugation."     He looks towards Hayashimo, then. "Oh, I see. Well, welcome to the organization then, Yuugumo-class Destroyer, Hayashimo. You'll do just fine, I'm sure."     Reiji turns back towards the goddesses and their priestess again. How exactly does an Eastern Exorcist ignore something like this? Really. "Of course, Lady Kanako. I'll try to... Loosen up a bit." At least head-pats helped with /that./     "The Second World War seems like it was awful all around," Reiji says with a shrug. "It threw everything right the hell off when it happened back home. I wasn't there myself, but..." His eyes flicker towards Xiaomu, "I've heard stories." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I see. You're looking to set up a siphon," Psyber says to Kanako, cutting past the obvious flattery she's trying to deliver upon him. He gives her a faint smile and then says, "Kanako. Suwako. And Sanae? I see." He's mostly just memorizing names and considering them all.     "Spiritually strong location, lots of strange people. I can imagine if you got even, say, three percent of the magic it accrued per day, you would get quite a boost," He ponders this point in consideration. He had no reason to dislike most of the Gensokyans, since they'd treated him well over the years save for a few exceptions.     "I could be pursuaded. But I'd require you three to at least work here as part-time employees, since I don't believe in giving things for free. Maybe do some freelance work or let me call in favors in exchange."     Beyond his negotiation, most of the other stuff is going temporarily unnoticed by Psyber, largely due to him trying to negotiate with the Goddess. 

:'''{{#var:705|Reiji Arisu (705)}} has posed:''' Psyber gets a long, distant stare. "Did..." Reiji squints, "Did you actually just ask gods to be part-timers?" 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     When the goddess seems not only to accept who she is without a second thought, but even extend her own sympathy for the girl's own turbulent past--in a general fashion--Hayashimo pauses in her initial plan to break through the line and make it back to familiar waters. Instead, she simply closes her one visible eye and murmurs, "...In the end, all I could do was watch. ...Always watching from a distance."     The destroyer girl starts suddenly, realizing she's still holding a bag. Leaning from side to side, looking Psyber's way, she suddenly slips around between the two imposing figures of Shinto history and approache the much taller half-angel. She digs into the bag, then pulls out a paper-wrapped sandwich covered in logos from a local subsandwichery.     "...The Port of Subs...has launched a new Meal-class vessel for you... Commander." 

:'''{{#var:707|Xiaomu (707)}} has posed:''' "He has an Outer God on his regular payroll," Xiaomu points out. "And ... honestly, Reiji? You're *glad* you weren't around when World War II was going on." She actually shudders a bit as she remembers what it was like. 

:'''{{#var:619|Sanae Kochiya (619)}} has posed:'''     As she had unexpectedly ended up taking point, just like most meetings with the Tengu and Kappa, Kanako is somehow in her element now. She's uncertain whether her open carry flattery of Psyber is welcome or not, but honestly, it never *hurt* her negotiations, either. Seemingly, at first, she echoes Reiji's incredulous-seeming reaction, making an odd 'tut tut' sound of her lips. And yet, that soon gives way to a somehow even broader smile, and it's soon clear that she was never off-put by the offer, "Those conditions certainly seem fair to me, for the favor you would be paying us, Lord Psyber. I agree to your terms." Isn't she going to ask Suwako and Sanae how they feel about it, first? Apparently not, and since they barely even give a glance, they're apparently used to it.     What Suwako does do, though, is give an excited cheer, at the prospect of hanging around Boston again. Honestly, she could care less about this whole Faith-gathering business, which is possibly how she ended up with this child-like form to begin with. It was all about getting out and playing with people. She does, though, give some surprising insight on why Kanako might have been so unfazed by this, "You scratch our back, we scratch yours. That's how things get done! A long time ago, we experimented with giving wishes to people, but that just made them lazy. Lazy people don't generate much faith, you know." Now when you give something to a *Kappa*, that's a whole different beast.     Elsewhere, Sanae seems to be a bit more comfortable with Reiji and Xiaomu's situation, now that they've gotten a chance to explain themselves. She does give a slightly quizzical look, and seems to give a far off glance for a moment, as though she were remembering something. "A peaceful coexistence? There's some monk lady that runs a temple that says that kind of thing." Suwako laughs at that, "What a lot of trouble she caused when she came. It was a lot of fun!" Sanae laughs a bit nervously, "Yeah, fun..." Then she's distracted by Hayashimo's sad girl in shrapnel atmosphere, and her laugh fades into a slightly concerned expression. And then the Destroyer goes and does something cute, and Sanae seems to tremble again. No, she can't contain it any longer. "S-so cute," she mumbles, and sidles over to try and give Hayashimo a hug. "You are the perfect spokesgirl for Port of Subs!"     It's probably good that Kanako isn't paying too much attention to that side of thing, or she might have yen signs appear suspended in the air around her. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Sounds like we've got a fair trade, then, Miss Kanako," Psyber says with a smile. He's pretty relaxed around her, despite her status as a deity. In no small part, this is because Psyber is a Western angel talking to an eastern deity, so there's very little jurisdiction overlap here. He nods his head, "I'll get you guys access codes and employee badges."     To Reiji, Psyber simply smiles and shrugs, "This is how I meet a great deal of my employees. Hastur isn't among them, but it's similar to how I met any number of other people, so I consider it successful. Worked with Mokou, after all, though she put in two weeks recently because she wants to focus on her shack," He concludes.     Hayashimo gets a somewhat more confused reaction from Psyber, "Ah... th-thanks," He has to choke back a d'awww, and instead turns it into: "D'a-o you know what flavor it was?" 

:'''{{#var:705|Reiji Arisu (705)}} has posed:'''     Are all gods this relaxed in Gensokyo? What kind of a strange, terrifying place is it, really!? One that breeds gods that can shrug off being casually offered part-time jobs, clearly!! Reiji just sort of stares for a long time, and then slowly shakes his head. "...Alright then. I'll try not to think about it for too long." It might give him a headache. Instead, Sanae becomes the focus of Reiji's dread attentions.     "A monk lady all about harmony between man and spirit, huh?" Interesting. Must be Buddhist, Reiji concludes. They're always all about that kind of harmonious sort of thing. He's kind of one, himself! Only he's also Shinto and, and maybe Taoist. It's weird. "Might have to put in some time to visit, then. It'd be nice to get that kind of perspective."     Hayashiro does... Impossibly adorable things. Reiji tries not to stare. It's tough, because he also kind of wants to go over there and pat her head. REIJI REMAINS STRONG, THOUGH. 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     "...Kongou said--" Hayashimo starts, and is interrupted when Sanae surrenders to the cute and hugs her, disrupting the destroyer for a moment. Getting measurably quieter, she continues, "...Ph-philidelphia cheese steak. ...For your dinner." Despite the shrine maiden hanging off her, she holds the sandwich up for the angel to take, listing somewhat to one side.     "...Since Kongou is on anti-air exercises. ...she gave me this mission."     For trying to be quiet and unintrusive, Hayashimo sure seems to be pulling a lot of attention somehow. Such is the life of destroyers. 

:'''{{#var:707|Xiaomu (707)}} has posed:''' Xiaomu is about to say something else when a blinking red light catches her attention, and she grimaces, getting to her feet. "I'd love to stay and chat some more, but if I don't go up and plug my 3DS in, I'll lose all my progress since starting the boss fight ... I'll see you all around, I'm sure!" The 3DS goes into a pocket of her vest, she collects her monk staff, and after a polite bow to the group, she heads for the elevator. 

:'''{{#var:619|Sanae Kochiya (619)}} has posed:'''     A fingersnap is drawn from Sanae, with that, as she is suddenly reminded of her original, actual purpose of coming here, and granting Hayashimo a reprieve, though she sticks close in case she does something adorable again. Wouldn't want to miss out! "So Miss Mokou is adapting well? Hmm...so it's like that." When you're an immortal fire person, she supposes you have to have hobbies. A smile is on her face, as the Destroyer finally completes the Boston Express run, and she holds back from trying to give her a congratulatory pat on the head. She doesn't seem *that* much younger than her, especially since the priestess isn't considering chronological age here. That gets weird in Gensokyo. "Never thought I'd get a chance to work alongside Mister Psyber, so this is going to be interesting! I mean, I get worried sometimes, when I think of how much he must miss out on, being stuck behind that desk."     It seems she has more than a few mistaken first impressions to go around. Dare anyone break her heart?     Kanako simply gives a satisfied smile, to the notices of arrangements. "Excellent. We will handle things on our end, as well." When you're a god, there's not much problem actually transporting shrine materials. When allowed, she will simply set up a small shrine in one of the many spare rooms of the tower, with some ever tasteful onbashira. For the sake of being guests here, she will find a way around the shedding snakes and singing frogs. "Feel free to call on us for any of your investigations, or if you need a bit more -- firepower. Though Sanae is usually the one that handles that for us." Suwako takes this moment, since she couldn't keep herself from it any longer, to hop up on Sanae's back, clinging around with a clearly practiced ease, as the priestess wobbles but soon stabilizes. "Sanae," comes Suwako's even-toned but cheerful instruction, "Be a good girl and treat Psyber's word like you would ours, when he asks you to do a job, okay!"     Sanae gives a soft laugh, but seems well at ease with this, herself. "Yeah, I understand!" Reiji had wondered about this monk, though, and seemed to want to visit Gensokyo again, so she glances between him and Xiaomu, thoughtfully sparing a hand to tap her cheek while she continues carting the frog-aspected goddess around. "She is friendly, I think, and she would likely welcome visitors. There are a lot of youkai around her place, but she generally keeps them in line. You and your partner are welcome in Gensokyo any time--ah," she calls after Xiaomu, "Please give me your friend code next time!" 

}}

2328/A Wo-nderful Meeting

2015-06-26T22:42:43Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/05/26 |Location=Boston-666 |Synopsis=Wo starts her vacation in Boston-666. She meets up with Psyber and a few of the Fleet Daughters. A spec..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/05/26
|Location=Boston-666
|Synopsis=Wo starts her vacation in Boston-666. She meets up with Psyber and a few of the Fleet Daughters. A special present causes Wo to react in an unexpected way.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253, 582, 637
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     'We're weapons.' 'We can never know peace.' Those weren't the exact words Samar had said, all those months ago, that somehow seems even longer a span of time than it truly has been. They remain close enough, however, and in the back of the mind of the Wo-class aircraft carrier. It's like that song that you catch yourself humming, before you realize it. It would be an easy truth to accept...except, then, why are they able to interact with the surface people? Why are some so accepting? And why, most of all, has she gotten tired of it all, if only for a time. These are the kinds of questions she mulls over, as she awakens in a three-star hotel room, bolting upright in an instant switch from resting and awake, before reaching up a hand to palm at her face. Ungloved, for once. The inconsistencies have begun to pile up, but where is she going to find those answers?     A knock on the door of the room, which she'd rented herself like a responsible surface dweller would, brings her out of her thoughts, standing up from the firm bed to pace over to the door. "Who...is it," she wonders, with a trace of caution leaking into her reverbed, near-monotone? "Cleaning," comes a noticably more human reply, one that is obviously uninterested in more than the basic interaction. Opening the door, the cleaning lady prepares to change the sheets and do the usual routine, but instead her frown deepens at the wet spots on the carpet. Nothing she hasn't seen before, though, considering after the pause she steps on in. Wo watches her for a few moments, before putting on the rest of her own 'civilian' set, without any heed. It was much like Psyber would have seen her in before. Her full size flight deck will be left to bother the cleaning staff.     Psyber would have been notified that she was going to be taking her leave here ahead of time, as well as where she would be staying, but she hadn't made any specific plans, other than that. That was apparently the point of surface people taking these things they call vacations, after all. She wasn't even completely certain that he wouldn't be busy with something else. Regardless, she steps out of the front doors, tugging on her gloves, then shading her teal green eyes with a hand. The broad daylight is so different than the restful deep. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber was already waiting for Wo outside of her hotel's front doors. He's leaning against the roof of a car (probably not his own. It looks like an economy car) and playing with the phone in his hand as he uses some messenger client or another. He yawns a bit, a hand coming up in front of his mouth as he does so. Eventually, after typing in some message or another, he looks up.     "So. First long term stay in the city? You know the front desk of your hotel will have some sight-seeing pamphlets and all that so you know where to go to see all the cool stuff," Psyber says, thinking on it, "Plus I think there's a crab festival later this week, but don't hold me to that. I don't much make appearances at those," As a local celebrity, stopping in at any Boston function was hectic at best for Psyber.     Psyber's outfit is different, mostly because he lacks his long coat while Boston gives way into spring and summer. Instead, he's dressed more like one would expect an off-duty cop to be. Jeans, sneakers, black t-shirt, short black coat with a holster under it, "How're you liking the city, Wo?" 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     Meanwhile, elsewhere in Boston, a silver-haired girl in green and her dour, raven-haired companion stand on a street corner. The smaller of the two (though it's an awful close measurement) holds a couple of flat boxes in both arms, while the taller with the silver hair consults a map of the city with a little frown.     "I could have sworn we were going to Walnut," Zuihou puzzles to herself, "But this is Birch." She turns around, examining signs, "Isn't that 16th Street? But that's way on the other side of town from where we were going..!"     "...Scout plane," Hayashimo murmurs quietly.     "...Of course!" Zuihou flickers as her rigging appears around her hips and shoulder and she fires off a rapid transmission. A few minutes later, she unslings her bow and draws an arrow.     That was half an hour ago.     A few minutes after Wo and Psyber meet up, a light buzzing noise makes itself known over the regular sounds of traffic and cursing that is the sound of Boston's streets. Moments later, a small green aircraft with yellow markings flies down the street, a dozen meters or so off the ground to clear any big trucks or power lines. Clearly a scout plane with no armament, it banks sharply at the next intersection and makes another pass, dipping its wings to display its identifying markings as a part of Zuihou's personal air group.     Looks like she got permission for an unarmed aircraft. Who needs GPS? 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     How long had he been waiting there? There's the subtlest trace of a start to the carrier, as Psyber speaks up, right about the time her vision clears from her eyes adjusting to the light outside. She doesn't seem frightened, just caugh unaware. "Psyber..." Her head cranes around at an awkward angle to look back towards the hotel lobby, which proudly proclaims its air conditioning and cable in every room with signage out front. "Tour-ism," she mumbles thoughtfully, having apparently picked up some surface dweller terms for things since they'd gotten a chance to speak last. Turning back around to face Psyber, as well as step up to him, she gives a lightly disapproving sound, "No... Those sorts, of things. Too..." She pauses and visibly strains for a word, with a few false starts before eventually settling on something that's close enough, "Pre-fab-ricated." If she's to get the most out of her visit, she wants to see things that aren't on the gaudy green street maps.     Her eyes travel next to the car Psyber was leaning against, oddly enough, and stay fixed on it for a perhaps unusual amount of time, given how otherwise unremarkable it is. Her mind briefly wanders to the ones she'd seen zipping around, and possibly been honked at by, as she gives it a pat with a gloved hand, and proclaims it, "A nice, land-ship. Is this...yours?" Monetary values, and Psyber's take on them, aren't something she really knows about. To an earlier question, her mouth quirks, perhaps trying to smile, but still unable, "It is... Re-laxing. It's been, so bu-sy, lately." As he certainly would have seen from the reports.     She's soon distracted by buzzing. The almost hilariously tiny guns on the lighter version of her hat swivel skyward on reflex, as her eyebrows furrow...but she soon sees what sort it is, as well as easily guessing whom it belongs to, given where they are. She also, after a moment, nervously lowers a hand she had suddenly thrust in Psyber's direction, at the sound of an incoming aircraft. Had she intended to push him out of the way or something? "...we've been, discovered," she says, softly echoing, and rather anti-climactic. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber looks at the car he's leaning on, "No, not mine. And it's actually called a car. I tend to drive more uh... muscle-car stuff," He thinks about it, "You'll know my kind of car when you see it." He takes out his phone and holds it out to her. One of his cars is on the screen, a black 1970 Pontiac GTO.     "I agree, though. Pre-planned tourism is too hokey. You should pick your own sights you wanna see and head that way, figure out where to view and all that junk," Psyber notes, smiling a bit and turning his phone around to type on it some more. When the phone goes back in his pocket, he reaches behind him and takes a paper bag off the hood, "Brought you a bite. It's a bacon cheeseburger with aluminum foil instead of lettuce." He's still trying to slow-roll her towards human food.     He looks up to spot the plan and says, "Ah. I guess the faeries will report in and they'll catch up pretty soon." 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     The Saiun levels out and starts a somewhat elliptical circling pattern, using the opposing intersections for the space it needs to turn around, and generally making some noise but not causing any trouble. A few tourists take pictures of it, thinking its some kind of model air show or something. Just adding to the fakeness of Boston's manufactured 'sights to see'.     It's some time before the girl the plane belongs to shows up. Zuihou rounds a street corner one block down and trots along the sidewalk, with Hayashimo scurrying along behind her with her cargo. When they come to the intersection, though, they stop to wait for the signal. Too far out to talk just yet, Zuihou raises a hand to wave to Psyber and his newest companion.     Conspicuously, Hayashimo disappears behind the carrier almost completely, just the tips of her hair visible when the wind catches her. That girl's pretty good at remaining unseen, isn't she? Or is it just because she's so small. 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     She'd been so cool, when she'd told Kuma that they'd meet in Boston. Yet, in reality, it's only been a few days. While she remains stable in her standing, a light shudder rattles across her frame, as she reaches the previously extended hand up to rub lightly at her forehead. As much as it might be uncomfortable, though, this is another part of the neutral ground agreement. It's even more those fleet daughters' home than it is hers. "Yes," she confirms, with little room for error. The display by the fairy pilot left no doubt, as well as the fact that it is soon circling about the area. She'll just have to take a few moments to prepare herself mentally for their arrival.     Until then, she's looking at the image on Psyber's phone, and then thinking about it once he puts it away. "Car. Yes," she ably allows herself to be corrected on the terminology. While they're intended for different things, machine knows machine well enough for her to note the difference, as well as comment about it, "Power plant...much larger. Faster." She finally lets her hand lapse to her side, as she seems to relax, though it soon gathers up what Psyber had offered. Her lean fingers slide and lift through each layer as though it were a stack of cards in a rolodex. What passes for an expression on her face makes it clear that it's not out of distrust, but more curiosity. "Hmmm.." She visibly shifts again, as she tries another unfamiliar surface convention - the compliment, "You are - very thought-ful, Psyber."     The miniature hat, while not quite as extensive as her full-size one, nonetheless retains its ability to emote effectively, perhaps ironically better than its wearer. At the burger, especially the aluminum, its smaller, flipper-like tendrils flap excitedly, in a 'gimme' manner. Unfortunately, it lacks the apparatus to eat, on its own, unlike its larger counterpart, so Wo has to heed its whims with her own mouth. Opening her mouth wider, and giving a rare glimpse of her elongate canines, she effectively takes a bit out of the whole thing. Pausing to consider the texture, she talks as she chews, unapologetically, which makes her usual tone a bit warbly, "Yes.. The real - Bos-ton. I'd like...to see it." No matter how rude and crude it gets.     Swallowing, her eyes swivel to the immediate distance. The light carrier is conspicuous enough, but the one accompanying her does not escape her notice, despite minimizing her radar profile. "They're here," she says, passing the burger with a bite taken out of it up to her hat to hold, as she begins taking some steps forward, to meet them halfway. She hesitates, as though realizing something, and glances down at her hands as though she'd just noticed she had them, and then returns the gesture, lifting - and waving. "Wo, wo," she calls, though it likely gets washed out a good deal by the sounds of traffic. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Engine, but yeah. It's higher performance than a car like this," Psyber says with happy tone. More than happy to encourage Wo in her ever-going journey to learn new surface terms and proper interaction. The phone is twirled in his hand in an absent-minded fashion, as if he's trying to resist any of the other vices he engages in when he feels awkward or stressed out.     "Oh, aheh. Thanks," He says in regards to the comment about being thoughtful, "I figured rather than expect you to like surface food, I'd try to make surface food slowly become more appealing till you can try both. I'm glad to see that it's working at all," He replies, hands clutching the phone and stuffing it into a pocket. When she branches into the 'Wo, wo', Psyber seems to pick up on it.     The couple times he's seen her do it, he knows it means she's either anxious, nervous, embarassed or stressed. All of these are negative emotions, so his response is to extend one of his hands and pat her on the shoulder, "It'll be alright. Neutral territory, none of them will do anything besides try to socialize with you, I promise."     He might be way off on picking up the social cue, but it's the one he guesses at. Towards the approaching Fleet Daughters, though, Psyber waves a hand and gives a chipper smile. 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     When the signal changes, Zuihou lowers her waving arm and raises her opposite, displaying her flight deck. On cue, the Saiun dips its wings and descends, deploying landing gear. Only once the plane has touched down and caught her arresting cable does the girl lower her arm and cross the street, converting the plane back into an arrow as she moves and tucking it away. Once done, her rigging vanishes back whence it came, leaving an normal girl in abnormal clothing.     "Mister Psyber, you found miss Wo-class way before we did!" She sounds chipper as ever, the easygoing light carrier of the Fourth Mobile Unit. She bows to the angel, briefly exposing the destroyer still hiding behind her, "And hello, miss Wo-class!" A second bow. This time, Hayashimo's caught on that she's been revealed, single eye widening and her posture straightening right before Zuihou obscures her again.     "We wanted to welcome you to Boston too!"     Slowly, Hayashimo peeks just so much around Zuihou's arm. Just enough to see the (to her) towering standard carrier. And then she retreats again. 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     Normally, she wouldn't be nervous. It's hard for her to pinpoint why she is, to begin with. Maybe it's related to her strange feelings while withholding information from Wake. Though, she dismisses it as battle fatigue, the supportive pat from Psyber at first causing her to tense, but then her posture appears to relax, at least a few degrees. "Wo..," she mumbles, one last time, reaching up to tug at her hat as though it might regain her composure, as well as to retrieve the burger. "You're...right," she responds to Psyber, half-turning her head to stare him in the eyes, briefly. "I sup-pose, it's just - hard to, relax. After...every-thing." They were certainly still the enemy, but here they were young girls with circumstances not dissimilar to her own. She takes a deep breath...     "Zui-hou," she says, remembering the name. It's not quite as melodic to her as the name the Ko-class had adopted for surface interactions, but it suits her slightly shorter counterpart well. To the notion of Psyber being a better scout, she is quickly deflecting of it, giving a light shake of her head, "No - your plane's per-formance, was...well-tuned. But... This is, Psy-ber's, city." Even if it is their neutral meeting grounds, he still has a distinct advantage in navigating it. Plus, she allows, reaching up to adjust her hat again, while speaking around another bite of the burger, "I had...also, in-formed him. Of this - place." A subtly meaningful glance is given to the hotel, before her mouth twitches, perhaps still giving her best effort to return Zuihou's smiles. "I..app-reciate it. ...I know, things are - strained, right now."     She's lifts the burger up again, about to finish it completely off from its (imaginary) red condition sticker, when with Zuihou's cheerful shifts in position, her eyes fixate on Hayashimo, and she appears to freeze in place. She goes ahead and takes the bite she had intended to, but everything seems like someone had hit the 'two-hundred percent slower' button, somewhere. It ends with a look of subtle, glowing recognition -- perhaps it's best that the girl is avoiding her, before fading into her usual expression. "Wo? The girl...back there. What is, your name?" There's nothing accusing about her tone, at least. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber laughs and echoes the rough sentiment that Wo conveys, "Over the years, I've been able to set it up so that there's very little that happens in Boston, particularly with regards to the paranormal, without my at least passing knowledge," He notes this with a joking tone to his voice, suggesting it to mostly be humor. Despite this, somewhere, across town, a small devil-blooded child picks up a candy bar from a shelf. His mom takes it out of his hands and chides that kids who shoplift get taken by Psyber. He promises to be good.     "And mm, I can understand how recent events would stress you out. And stress relations. That's part of why I think a place like this is so immensely important," He waves around a bit as he addresses both parties in regards to this sentiment, "If the Fleet Daughters and the Abyssals want to eventually reach understanding, there needs to be a place where they don't fight and they can communicate." He places his hands in his pockets after his impromptu speech.     "Ah, but anyway..." He kind of trails off. He hadn't meant Hayashimo personally, only heard about her. And briefly talked to her, but that was fleeting (Haha, ship puns). So he mostly regards her with a curious glance. 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     "Eh hee~," Zuihou reaches up, rubbing the back of her head, "Yeah, you've got a point! Mister Psyber, you're pretty amazing, aren't you?" She lets it slide that Wo had already told him where she was anyway, negating any need for a search to begin with. On the subject of strained relations from both angel and carrier, Zuihou lowers her hand, "Mm~... Yeah, so we've had a few sorties. But just because we believe different things doesn't mean we have to hate each other, right? We fight on the sea but off the sea is different, that's how I see it."     When Wo draws attention to the girl behind the carrier, Zuihou glances over her shoulder, "Neh? H-hey, why are you hiding! Come out and meet miss Wo-class and mister Psyber!"     "No."     The carrier turns around and reaches, and there's a bit of a scuffle, before she pulls the smaller girl around and plants her on the sidewalk in front of her. Like this, Zuihou's presence forms a barrier that blocks the raven-haired girl's escape.     "U-uhm..." Still clutching those two boxes, the girl recognizes she's been defeated, though she looks down and away, shrinking, "...Yuugumo-class. ...Hayashimo."     "Please excuse her!" Zuihou pipes up, "She's shy around new people, but she's really nice." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     As much as she might want to say what is truly on her mind, as of late, the trust still isn't quite there, yet. Psyber is jovial, and likely the surface person she feels she could confide in the most - but the anchors are sunk in deep. She will instead let it go at the surface, and let the assumptions only be reinforced, with a slight, agreeable nod of her head, despite a shift in her cheek indicating, to those versed in her body language, that she's likely holding something back. "The isolated...base," she nonetheless confides, distilling complicated feelings into something easier to digest and less revealing, "Was not - my fav-orite place." Her eyes her stare down of Hayashimo, giving a brief reprieve, to look at Psyber, and then around the city. "It is...nice, to have - this place. Away, from the fight-ing. But... The voices, of my sis-ters...never stay, quiet. For long."     Hayashimo would know all about that, wouldn't she? The destroyer has the abyssal's attention again. The outright refusal to come out from hiding doesn't seem to offend her, instead her head tilts to the side, curiously, with one of the hat's tendrils now hanging lower than the other. "Well, if she -- doesn't..." She was about to dismiss it, but Zuihou just won't have any of it, Wo's eyes blinking as the light carrier displays her true strength when her whims are fought against. Definitely, not an older sister to be trifled with. "Haya-shimo, I see..." Yes, 'new people'. Getting an even better look at her, there's a feeling that confirms what Wo had already suspected. The young girl might be able to read this even beyond her mask-like expression. Though, after a few more moments in the glaring spotlight, she softens again, and says almost dismissively, "Don't be...hard on her, about it. I am - the enemy, after all."     Adjusting her gloves, and pulling them taut, her mind finally wanders back to nicer things, like vacation. "Psy-ber," she addresses, "I have heard - of a, game. Sports, the surface dwellers..play. They hit - a ball, with - a stick. I should..like, to see this game." It appeals to her ballistic sensibilities. Her eyes wander to Zuihou and her shy friend, as well, "You - should also, see." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber raises a hand and waves to Hayashimo again, "Heyo. Nice to meet you. I'm Psyber," The half-angel introduces himself. He gives a faint smile and then lets his hand fall to his side.     Almost imperceptably his face tightens, then he says to Wo, "What do they say, Wo? Your sisters, that is. What do they ask for?" He seems to show serious concern at this, squinting at the carrier girl for a long few moments. This breaks, though, at her request.     "Oh, baseball? Yeah, sure, I can do that," He tilts his head to the side and thinks, "There might be a game this week. Or on Monday. I don't know." 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     "...Ah." Hayashimo dips her head in a slight bow towards Psyber. She can't do it properly due to her parcels, "..Thank you for your hospitality." Her eye wanders towards Wo again, then she looks down at the boxes in her hands, hesitant and pensive all at once. It's Zuihou that speaks up next.     "Ah, baseball!" Zuihou claps her hands, "That's become popular in Japan, too. I'd like to see a game played in America, it sounds fun!" She pushes Hayashimo along, keeping the destroyer in front of her now to join the taller pair.     Hayashimo almost looks ... ashamed. Though the emotions swirling around in her head are more confused than anything. For some reason this enemy--who looks pretty much like the others of her type--feels very familiar and she cannot place why. Trotting silently along beside and somewhat in front of Zuihou, her head still dipped low, she murmurs, "...You are the enemy. ...But. ...I don't hate you."     "Speaking of islands, though, miss Wo class, was it you who was in that battle?" Zuihou leans forward past Hayashimo, "We did a little looking around after the battle and I think I found some things that belong to you, so I wanted to give them back." Eyes closing with a smile, she nudges Hayashimo, who starts and then fumbles, holding up the topmost of the two boxes she carries.     "...We couldn't...um...fix this one. ...But maybe you can." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     It's Psyber's suddenly serious question that gets Wo's response, first, before they can discuss any baseball plans. It actually catches her a little off-guard, as she often forgets that what is normal for her, isn't for most everyone else, especially not the surface dwellers. Her lips, normally inexpressive, twist slightly, as though she were trying to get a grasp on how to articulate it. "The voi-ces..? Sisters...are in pain. A-fraid. Ang-ry. There is, not one - reason." While her voice had managed to sound almost sociable, a few moments ago, grows cold again as she glances distantly into space, "I can...calm them. Some-times. I was, also like that. ...once. There are...no words, a surface person. Could under-stand. And yet - they speak." She visibly trembles, but not out of fear, but an intense sadness as she recounts this. She gives a shake of her head, and changes the immediate subject, "Any day - is fine. ...no real, plans."     Hayashimo and Zuihou receive her attention, now that they have fully closed the distance. They are beings that are essentially the same, so why must they feel so alien to her? Curiously, it is the destroyer girl's words that capture Wo's imagination the most, immediately, and she looks intensely curious, within the framework of her muted expressions. "You..don't? But..." Her mouth hangs slack for a few moments, mid-sentence-forming, before she shifts gears to try and deflect things away, "I have...sunken, ma-ny, you know. ...you should not, be...that fast, to for-give it." Somehow, her words are serious, even if it'd be obvious from the outside that it's a diversionary tactic, on her part.     Assuming she hasn't sent Hayashimo scrambling again, she blinks her subtly glowing eyes at the packages. With 'Al's Specialty Burger' completely consumed ahead of time - including the wrapper, if there was one - it leaves her hands free to accept them, even if she's not certain what reason they would have to deliver things to her. "Wo," she wonders, in for once obvious disarmed confusion? Her mind thinks back to the aftermath of the battle, and rewinds to the preparation before. ...her planes that she had intended to come back for? She opens the first box. Psyber would see that it's a mostly-assembled Abyssal fighter. The Wo-class carrier looks puzzled, "You... Brought that back, to give it...to - me?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I see. And if you can understand them, it is your duty to listen," Psyber adds, thinking the matter over as he scratches at the back of his head in thought. It's a hard feeling for him to articulate as well, but he can empathize with Wo in some capacity due to his nature as a Guardian and protector. He takes a slow sigh and then shrugs a bit. Out of habit, Psyber puts a cigarette in his mouth and lights it.     This causes Wo to get her first true taste of Boston. Because as Psyber exhales smoke, a guy stops and yells at Psyber, "'ey! The fahk you doin'? Don't give me lung cancer just because you need a smoke. Friggin' douche."     Psyber shouts back at the guy, "Don't you fahkin lecture me on what to do. I don't go where to you work and slap the broom out of your hand ya piece of shit. Friggin' stop on the street talkin to people, why don't you just keep walkin'?"     Beyond this, there's not a terrible amount for him to contribute. He pats Wo on the shoulder a couple times as he watches her open boxes with gifts. 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     "Mm~..." Zuihou nods once in understanding as she listens to the discussion about the voices that only Wo can hear. The voices of her sisters, the destroyers and cruisers who cannot themselves speak in words that Zuihou could hear. Psyber expresses what she's feeling, and in turn she leans forward with a nod, "I think I understand! Someone has to bring their voices to others, right?"     When a passerby starts cursing Psyber out, Zuihou reaches up and covers Hayashimo's ears, a placid smile on her face. The whole motion is almost... practiced. Perhaps she's had to do this more than once already today. "Ah, Mister Psyber, it's almost like a whole different language, isn't it? You're full of surprises!"     When Wo opens up her fighter, Zuihou nods, "If it's not yours, can you give it back to the carrier it belongs to?" She nudges Hayashimo, who holds out the second parcel, "And this one, too! I think this one is a bit more precious than that one, so please take very good care of it." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     Briefly turning back to the most serious topic, the Wo-class looks thoughtful of both Psyber and Zuihou's thoughts, on their situation. It is a complicated matter, with what is likely hundreds of voices to filter at times, a small mercy being that those farther away are less intense. "...they each want, peace," she finally says, summing things up. "I in-tend, to help...each, and every, last one. Find, their peace." She often gets so wrapped up in this, that she neglects her own inner voices. What was it that she wanted, and why did she keep coming back, when she could have stay sunk forever? Unspoken, but perhaps readable in her eyes, which while blank and pool-like as ever, somehow stare into the box before lifting out the half-finished plane. It is completely harmless like this, its black shell glimmering in the light. Tinkering with her plane's performance, to bring out their best - that is also a carrier's duty.     She glances up from her distraction, as Psyber and the passerby have an exchange. She stares for a good few moments, before tiltering her head to the side. Her head then cants forward, and for the briefest of moments, something like a choked bit of laughter actually sound like it's coming from her. It certainly couldn't have been, though, and she quickly excuses it, "Sorry.. Not used - to surface, smoke stacks." What was that weird sensation, though. Had she actually found the exchange, as the word Samar had once used, amusing? She quickly advances on, hopefully before anyone can ask any uncomfortable questions.     "It is...mine," she confirms, now that she's gotten a good look at it. There might be no visible markings, but she has a certain connection with it, as it is her own creation. "I was...at the base, yes. ...gave, the last - order. Surprised, anything - survived." She turns the plane around in her hands, before passing it up to her hat to hold on to. It seems to puzzle over it for a moment, before lifting its body up and settling on keeping it beneath itself. The second parcel receives similar consideration as the first; a curious glance, but slightly less so than the first, as she assumes it will be another partially completed abyssal fighter. There is no ceremony to her undoing the top, as she accepts it from Hayashimo.     Perhaps a forboding music should have keyed up, though, as once she lifts the top off, her body seizes up completely. Have you ever wondered if abyssal ships sweat? Because some manages to bead up around her frozen expression. Inside the box is a small but scale sized Grumman F4F, mostly completed but, as Zuihou would know, non-functional for a fleet daughter's purposes, still. A fairy, perhaps having formed in the box alongside it from having been in proximity to the fleet daughters, looks up and smiles, waving while holding a hamburger. Unfortunately, Wo won't be able to follow Zuihou's request, this time, as her hands shake and drop the box - thankfully packaged well enough to prevent damage, but the fairy goes tumbling out from the momentum.     If her skin weren't already practically pure white, it would have faded several shades. "Wh-where did you..." That's right, she had made that. She'd pushed it into that dark corner, intending never to see it again. Her hat falls off from the recoil of her clutching her head, and her normally soft tone gives way to a howl of pain, as disparate images flash in her head, something that hasn't happened in her waking hours in quite some time.     "I can...still," she sobs, showing more emotion in the short, pained burst than she has to any surface dwellers before, "Stop, I'm... Why are they -- torpedoes..." The strain seems like it was a little much, as she suddenly begins listing, and falls forward, soon to join the box if not caught mid-way. Zuihou couldn't have sunk her more assuredly if she'd actually tried to. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Aheh," Psyber laughs awkwardly, returning to his normal demeanor right after, "It's just... something you pick up living in the city," He replies to Zuihou with an awkward sort of smile and a sheepish rubbing of the back of his head with his free hand. He tries to play off the slip of attitude, waving it off. Though he does note that it seems to have amused the Wo-Class, which is good to remember for later.     That reaction changes once Wo receives some sort of reaction from one of Zuihou's presence, "Wo?!" Psyber says urgently, calling out her name as she clutchers her head and seems to be in intense pain from that gift in the box. The half-angel looks to Zuihou and Hayashimo, "What's going on?! What happened?"     As she lists forward, Psyber moves to put both arms under her stomach and catch her, trying to hold the ship upright and steady as he says, "Wo, just take some deep breaths. We're here, it's okay."     Is she having a PTSD flashback? 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     "Ah, okay," Zuihou nods once, "I wasn't sure, there are lots of other Wo class carriers too. But I don't think I've seen that kind of plane with the Nu class girls." She folds her hands, eyes closed with her smile, "There wasn't much, but the room these were in hadn't been destroyed." When the second box is opened, the carrier's smile widens, "It looked so great, I wanted to keep it, but I knew I should give it back to you!"     "...Miss Wo-class?" The lack of a response prompts Zuihou's eyes to open, "...Torpedos--" The smile disappears and she reaches when Wo collapses, though Psyber gets there first, "Wha--!? Miss Wo?!" The silver-haired girl starts fretting, not sure what to do with her hands while stepping back and forth in confusion, "I didn't do anything, I didn't do anything!"     Hayashimo's demeanor, remarkably, does not change. She watches with that dim look in her eyes when the woman strains and then faints, though she reaches for the box when it's dropped without the speed to catch it. The destroyer pauses, perplexed, then reaches down to collect the fairy by the collar of her little bomber jacket and lift her up to eye level, "...Where... did you come from..?"     Her face now wearing a small frown, Hayashimo pulls the box containing the Wildcat closer, then deposits the fairy inside. She lifts the box, cradling it to herself gingerly. Single eye lowering to Wo, she murmurs, "...Old wounds. ...This... ...In another life, it was hers." Looking down further to the aircraft in her arms, Hayashimo adds, " ...I'm sorry. ...She was not ready. ...for the memories."     Meanwhile Zuihou is starting to lose her mind, "I broke the friendly Wo! I didn't mean to..!" 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     Though she had completely collapsed, some part of her remains conscious, in that twilight sort of way. Psyber's words, Zuihou's panic and even Hayashimo's spot-on explanations filter into her ears, even if it's all muddled and still mixing in with memories, vibrant, but still playing back like a poorly spliced back together film reel. 'That was mine,' she thinks? 'I...still don't... Re-member. But...why did, I react. So strongly.' These images still belonged to her, somehow, she realized. Yet, something was holding her back.     All the while, her eyes had remained open, though more unfocused than usual. There's no real heartbeat to tell whether she's alright or not, in that capacity. Thankfully for Psyber, and perhaps the hysterical Zuihou, she lets out a light groan shortly after, more from her throat than her lips. A blink of her eyes soon follows, but considering how physically strong she usually is, she even feels a bit weak and flimsy in Psyber's grasp. "...I..." The words come even more difficult for her now, but at least she's speaking, "...tow me..back. ...for now. Sor-ry, to have, worried you."     She's pointedly avoiding staring at much of anything, instead allowing her eyes to lapse closed, as she seems to fall into what for her kind must be a more restful doze. There doesn't seem to be any actual breathing to deepen, however. 

}}

2078/Hanging out with Wo

2015-06-26T22:41:34Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/04/23 |Location=Boston-666 |Synopsis=Psyber and Wo just sorta eat sandwiches. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=253, 582 |Tinyplot= |Tinyplot2= |pr..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/04/23
|Location=Boston-666
|Synopsis=Psyber and Wo just sorta eat sandwiches.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253, 582
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber has, in his infinite wisdom and having some downtime from more pressing projects to work on only slightly less pressing projects, invited Wo to Boston. There was no stated reason beyond requesting her presence for a social call and some general fraternization. It was hypothetically her duty as envoy to respond, though the request also clearly stated she could refuse.     Which brings us to present location: Psyber has found a couple benches near the Boston docks, figuring Wo would want to hang out near the ocean as a matter of comfort. He has a couple brown paper bags with him. The weather is mostly mild, overcast and in the low 50s in temperature. The time of year means the sun is just starting to go down in the late evening. It's a pretty relaxed setting. 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     The kind of pleasant and mild atmosphere one could even have a fated encounter in. Not that it is expected to be the purpose of summoning her here. Like Psyber, the Wo-class aircraft carrier has had a lot on her plate, lately, some of which had no doubt reached his ears through reports on the Union side. There had been little opportunity to perform a function that had almost threatened to become routine, just a couple of weeks ago, with things once again threatening to become heated. That's why the timing had been terribly curious: It's not that she doesn't trust him, as he had never shown reason to be suspicious. Just..why now?     Opting for a lower profile than usual, her approach would likely be easily missed, for once. With her flight deck almost, but not quite, fully repaired, she's opted for a spare, as well as something closer to the clothing a surface dweller might wear. She'd still checked in with the Coast Guard, as is customary, but it's hard to imagine her posing any threat in her current configuration, and especially with no accompaniment this time. "Psy-ber," she speaks, as her footsteps bring her closer, to hopefully identify herself if he had any doubts. "You..wan-ted to see, me?" There's just a slight edge to her that he would have seen somewhat fade before, which is hard to read since her facial expression is as subdued as usual. Maybe just the atmosphere around her. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber holds one of the two paper bags out to her. If she opened it, she'd find it was a tunafish sandwich, some potato chips, and a can of soda. Granted, not the way it's normally prepared. For Wo's metal eating tastes, he literally stuck three unopened cans of Tuna on a roll with some cheese, "Yeah. I wanted to see how you were doing. I heard the Abyssals fended off an attack from the Fleet Daughters recently and there was some heavy damage on all sides."     The half-angel tilts his head a bit, "I figured you wouldn't get sunk, but I wanted to check in and see how damaged you were," He notes, eyes narrowing a bit as he keeps his watch on her. He takes his own sandwich out of the bag and takes a bite out of it, "Your big hat is gone." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     Leave it to Psyber to think that far ahead, about something as otherwise simple as a sandwich. She continues openly staring for a few moments, even as one of the paper bags is offered forward, a gesture that for most would obviously indicate it's supposed to be for her. After a few moments more, she finally gets the idea, taking it into her gloved hands and opening it. Her eyebrows are easily the most expressive thing about her, and they tilt inward quizzically. "Ah..supply." After that realization, especially once Psyber himself begins to dig in - was he really holding off on that until she arrived? - she moves to take a seat, leaving ample personal space and further inspecting the contents. It doesn't seem to be out of mistrust, but curiosity.     Her hand tightens somewhat around one of the cans at the words spoken, denting it with alarming ease but thankfully not rupturing it. This is accompanied by her head lapsing forward so that what's there of a hat can shield her eyes, to a degree. A deep breath later, and she reassembles the sandwich as Psyber had done, though not taking a bite just yet. "I am..un-damaged," she remarks, before further clarifying, "Surface dweller-form body - that is. ..flight deck, bombed. Still - in repairs." That would at least explain that, without any further need. "I am...sorry. My duties as, an emissary. Still - secondary. Things..are out of, con-trol again." She finally does help herself to the sandwich, which she appears to have no real effort in biting into and chewing, despite what's in it.     "I..do not, blame them," she speaks again, around a second, half-chewed bite. Tsk, manners! "..this is - as it, always has been. The ugli-ness.. May-be, we are..cursed." This is more frank than she is even with her own kind. It's unspoken that she expects this to be said in confidence. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Mm. It is an ugly and unfortunate inevitability of war," Psyber says to her honestly. He stretches out his legs a bit on the bench and opens the can of soda from his own bag, sipping it a bit, "Despite my considerable skill in fighting, I prefer non-violence more in the current state of things." Wo can, if nothing else, mis-attribute Psyber's return to formality to the weather as opposed to the stress of unseen factors.     "I am glad you are undamaged, though," An odd thing for, of all people, the Admiral of the Fleet to be saying. But he looks over at her and gives her a nod, taking another bite of his sandwich and swallowing it, "I understand that your duties will come first. I won't hold them against you any more than I would hope you would not hold it against me if I was ever forced to move against the Abyssals to recover Kongou once more." He admits.     "Being cursed, hm?" He says after another long pause, "Perhaps. But I don't think cohabitation is as impossible as it was even a few months ago. The Fourth Mobile has taken to, at the least, you. And I think, of your sisters, perhaps you are the one most capable of providing a vector of understanding between the sides." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     "Peace..takes strength," uttered somewhat lower in volume, perhaps a spoken, errant thought. Wo allows herself to expand on it, even if it was unintended to be vocal, however, facing Psyber directly again, "Some-times - even more, than fighting." What could have been a pointed and insightful remark is spoiled, somewhat, by a stray bit of tuna that's found its way on her cheek. One that she belatedly realizes is there, as she just as quickly turns away again, to consciously fix the issue. She can be heard to murmur 'wo' a few times as she frets over it. Even an old vet like her can be embarassed sometimes, huh?     After that is over, though, she regains her former composure. "I - would not," she confirms. "The one, calling herself. Kon-gou..has a strong, connection, with you. ..that is why, she is..lost, to us." She goes silent for a few moments, staring at the sandwich in her hands, with its tuna intermingled with shorn off steel. Her mind goes back to the last sortie that Psyber had mentioned earlier, especially the I-class that had broken out of formation. She had no direct confirmation, of course, but the last broadcast she had received before contact was lost sounded...happy. Happy in ways abyssals typically aren't. She should be glad that they were able to break free from whatever still has her and her sisters anchored, but instead it only makes her feel even more empty, at whatever this hole is that still eats at the corner of her mind.     She snaps out of whatever had suddenly seized her, after a few uneasy seconds, all but visibly lapsing out of it with a start and a light gasp. Reaching a hand up to rub at her forehead slightly. What was she just thinking about? "--sorry. Yes.. Now, more than..be-fore, we need. This place. Otherwise..it will only be, fighting." She does manage to look a bit curious at what he mentions next, though, daring to finish off the rest of her sandwich as her eyebrows once again do most of her emoting for her. "Me?" The sudden weight of responsibility can almost be seen landing on her shoulders, "..I'm..no-thing special. Dar-win, or Samar..so much more, elo-quent." Despite her subdued and near monotone speech, she sounds uneasy with this. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "It can, yes. It can also lead to immense amounts of disappointment when what you do is not enough," Psyber admits to her pretty flatly. He doesn't remark about the tuna, perhaps understanding that Wo needs to not be teased quite YET, until she's used to human customs. Maybe the next time they eat together and she tries ribs or something.     "Kongou, many members of the Fourth, actually. I am, by my nature, not someone who leaves people behind or abandons those who look to me for protection. It is, perhaps, a flaw in my nature as a guardian," He says to Wo seriously, "It is difficult to go against the concepts that define us. Painful, even." Psyber looks to Wo, "Perhaps this is why the Abyssals are in pain so often?" He postulates, "Ships were built to carry people, to open the world. But you must strike out violently because you will not be hurt otherwise. But it still must hurt to defy your purpose like that."     Philosophy aside, Psyber gives her a nod, "Barring someone betraying the agreement and attacking my city, I will try to keep it as open to your visits as I can," He replies. And then he adds, "Darwin is nice, but Samar... mm." He thinks for a long moment on phrasing, "You are more genuine. That is its own kind of strength. People will listen to you because you do not use eloquence so much as speak what you feel." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     Something that she had thought was a weakness, could be its own kind of strength? As much as she appreciates what Psyber is trying to say, the carrier still can't quite completely wrap her head around it. Wo gets enough of the gist to confirm, "Believe..I understand. That is..re-assuring. ..words, do not come - easily." She is suddenly thinking back to the Fourth Mobile, and their last meeting. They treated her well enough, even if she could still see what looked like doubt, in that light cruiser calling herself Isuzu's eyes. This manifests as a thoughtful look, as she rummages in her brown bag some more, though to Psyber's own admitted flaw, she similarly defies it, "To pro-tect..is a good - quality. Even in, an 'enemy'. ..I think, in my - old life, as now. Many Destroyers, were around me." She looks a bit pointed, having withdrawed a soda can, "--their feelings, are strong. You've..probably seen it. ..on, your side."     She moves on from her own doting on how loyal Destroyers might be, since there's more important things to discuss, even if it is somewhat related. She had purposefully waited to respond to the half-angel's mulling over what their nature might be. Something like that has to be thought about deeply, as she herself has only the vaguest notions of why she came back - and kept coming back. All she can really offer is what she herself knows, "We are all..in-complete. There is - something, missing." That is, frustratingly, judging by her eyebrows again, about the extent of what she can consciously realize. "It does not - mean..we are broken. Or, have to be..saved, or fixed. As I have..heard, over global radio. But we..all seek, that some-thing. Samar gave us..a purpose. A fam-ily." She then goes quiet, fussing again with the can - perhaps expecting it to open like a fuel drum, before seeming to give up and just bite into the side with elongated canine teeth. CANPIRE, AH. 

}}

2426/A Wo-nderful Goodbye

2015-06-26T22:40:43Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/06/11 |Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH> |Synopsis=Wo finally ends her extended vacation in Boston-666. To say goodbye, Psyber arranges a s..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/06/11
|Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH>
|Synopsis=Wo finally ends her extended vacation in Boston-666. To say goodbye, Psyber arranges a special tour.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253, 582, 637
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     For her last day in Boston, Psyber has arranged for something somewhat special.     It's nothing fancy or high-class, but it's more of an emotional sort of gift to say goodbye to the Wo-Class than an actual gift. Namely: Psyber has let Wo into his office. It had taken some time for him to reach that level of trust for the carrier, but she seemed to be genuine in her desires for socialization and protective of his city. These two facts made him a bit more lenient.     And so that's why the half-angel is waiting in the lobby of his own office with a somewhat worried look on his face. Despite the invitation, it was still nervous. What if she opened fire in the building or something? He doubted she would, but he still had trust issues.     "Nnn... I hope she finds her way here alright." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     The worry from Psyber is ultimately unnecessary. Ships of Wo's size have radar, you see. It's simply a matter of - okay, so she presumably has a compass, at least. Regardless, she seldom becomes actually lost, but Boston is a big place, with a lot of tall buildings to block the line of sight, and plenty of angry traffic and distractions. It is quite different than the freedom of movement the sea allows. Perhaps the half-angel's worries were rooted in reality, as the clock continues to tick upward toward the scheduled rendezvous time, with no trace of the Wo-class carrier in sight.     He would not be left waiting much longer, though. A familiar dark shape approaches the door, steady in its gait, and the pendulous mass riding atop it betraying its identity as the awaited visitor. There's a pause right outside, and then a thump, as the flight deck's dimensions prove too much even for Heaven or Hell's accomodating front doors. A confused "Wo?" can briefly be heard, muffled through the door pane. Ah yes, a proper dignitary would remove her cover, regardless. Taking a moment to lift up the hat, she places it cumbersomely under her arm and then squeezes in the door, that way.     "...I am - here, Psyber," she says, as her mutedly glowing, pale turquoise eyes scan the vicinity, her voice as monotone and vaguely autotuned as he would expect, yet somehow a tinge of sheepishness creeps through, at having her grand entrance spoiled. There is no way the hat would hang on any reasonable rack, so she simply chooses to check it in on whatever platform is nearby and available. She doesn't have to be armed here, since this is certainly not a trap! "So this is... Your - base?" Stepping into the lobby proper, she cranes her head this way and that, the stresses her movements cause on the fabric of her clothes clearly heard with the acoustics of the place. She has an idle thought, "Kon-gou...also lives, here."     And since she's been on dry land for a week, she's barely dripping *any* sea water on Psyber's nice floor. 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     And so Wo learns exactly why, just a few days ago, Zuihou had to resort to a Saiun just to find her way around town. Isuzu occasionally mentions this new 'super radar' thing called a 'gps', but it's just not as good as proper radar and reconnaissance! At least that's what the light carrier claims to cover her unfamiliarity with newfangled technologies.     But Zuihou isn't here. Rather, from the elevator banks, Kongou clicks her heels across the lobby floor to stand a foot or so behind and to one side of Psyber, her arms folded behind her back and a welcoming smile on her face. Her rigging is nowhere to be seen, and as Wo relieves herself of her own monstrous flight deck, the battleship's posture simply shifts to a somewhat more proud, straight stance.     "<See~?>" Leaning forward slightly, Kongou's eyes shift to Psyber's face, "She made it just fine." And then returning her attention to Wo, the brunette's face lights up, "Welcome~!" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber seems to look a bit more assured as Wo actually walks into the lobby of his building. The half-angel lets out a sigh of relief and says, "Oh good, you managed to make it. I'm so glad you found your way."     The hat can easily be placed on a table if Wo is willing to move Magazines to do so. Or any one of the chairs in the waiting area. The half-angel waves around a bit, "This is uh... my office. I live and work here. A few other people live here too. So it's sort of my base, yeah. I figured, since you're gonna be leaving soon, I'd let you see it."     A look is given over to Kongou, "Well. I was worried, okay? It's her first time trying to find the place in a big city," He grumbles before looking to Wo.     "So welcome. Have you been feeling better?" 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     Given her somewhat shakey, and well-earned, foundation with surface people still, it would not be a good idea for the Wo-class carrier to launch anything that could even vaguely be mistaken as an Abyssal aircraft, at least within the city itself. Zuihou has her at a disadvantage, there - and surely, that light carrier's unwillingness to adapt is not also contributed by wanting to play with her planes, given any chance. Regardless, she's here now, and barely any late. Walking around Boston on her own was...different. The cars honking and people milling around provided had provided much needed ambience, that kept her focused on her surroundings, instead of troublesome thoughts inside her head.     The relative quiet of the inside of the building begins to let some of that seep back in, but the presence of Psyber, and suddenly Kongou, give her something to root onto. With her hat settled atop a magazine table, covered with ones noone was likely going to seriously read, anyway, she is free to examine every small detail of the interior. Surface buildings are still strange to her, just like the one the demon of the isolated island had camped out in. Her shoulders briefly tremble at a memory, but it is short-lived and easily dismissed. "Ah..." She responds to Psyber first, looking at him directly, "Admirality, office." She gives another thoughtful glance to some of the decor, "To be...invit-ed, here. ...it would have, been. Im-possible, before." The immense leap of trust that Psyber is taking here isn't lost on her, even being a monster from the depths. This is his livelihood. Surface people need those.     She seems to level her focus on Kongou, next. Staring unflinchingly, as her human manners and body language still need some work, in areas. Funny, even as she'd mentioned the name the Ko-class had assumed for her earthly negotiations, and that she also bases here, she somehow hadn't expected her to join them. "Kon-gou," she confirms, each syllable cognate extended a bit longer than normal. Sadly, she can't return Kongou's smile, at least naturally, but in the interests of making things go smoothly, she lifts her gloved index fingers to the corners of her mouth, pulling it up into that reasonable facsimile. "It is...good, to see - that you are, well." Wishing the enemy well!? She wouldn't want to sink her at anything less than full strength, is all.     To Psyber's earlier question, she actually breaks eye contact for a moment, but it seems more ponderous than actively avoiding the question. She finally sums up, truthfully, "I have...spent, a lot of - time. Think-ing. But... I am - okay, now." Her mouth creases slightly, as she folds her arms in front of her, "Please tell - Zui-hou. I will... Keep, the plane. Some-thing tells, me. It is...im-portant." But, after that disclosure, she seems intent on getting the full experience, and wonders, "Psy-ber, Kon-gou. Show me...your base." 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     "Mm~! But sometimes it's good to see that you were worried for nothing, isn't it, Admiral?" Kongou teases the half angel. She can't fault him, though. Even she was a little concerned that some trouble might befall a lone aircraft carrier in the big city, and it's just a relief to see she had made it with no problem.     To Wo, she nods once and straightens herself once more, "That's right~! I sortie from here as well as from our own base on the sea, depending on where I'm needed. Though with our agreement, work out of Boston rarely involves the Abyssal Navy." Eyes closing, she tilts her head and her smile takes an apologetic slant to it, "Ehh... Though, we're still at conflict, so I'm just happy you're willing to visit us at all, even in this neutral port." Admittedly something else Kongou had been nervous about. The Fifth Mobile still fights the Abyssal Fleet and other enemies of the Fleet Daughters, after all.     "Ah," The battleship's eyes open again, "Zuihou is here, actually~! If you want to talk, I can call her down. But a tour--that's up to Admiral~! It's his building after all." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Oh, it's just... well. You're a friend and I thought you should get to hang out here at least once before you go," Psyber says pretty firmly. He's glad Wo seems to have realized that Psyber can have emotions besides 'Admiral' and 'Also Admiral', because that makes it a bit easier to relate to her and converse than when she keeps expecting him to he a flawless paragon of command.     To the both of them, though, Psyber nods his head, "Sure. I'm fine with giving a tour. I always think there's importance in a line between war and peace. And where the battlefield ends. I like to imagine we can all be friends off the field, after all one of my best friends is a Confederate." He explains as he leads them both to an elevator.     When both of them are in the elevator with him, Psyber will hit a button and swipe his pass-card. The elevator lurches to a movement and then again to a stop, opening the doors to find a living-area and gathering point up on the residential floors. Couches and TVs mostly, some snacks for people to munch on throughout the day, "This is where most of the residents hang out during downtime. Barracks, I guess, would be your term." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     "Ah..." The Wo-class thinks on Kongou's offer, first, regarding Zuihou. After a few moments, she gives a light shake of her head, even though her facial expression never shifts from 'impossible to read', "No... I - made her, so worried. ...last time. Just, passing it along - is fine." Her eyebrows twist visibly at something else the battleship said. She didn't need to be reminded that they are enemies, insomuch, even though she is not as voracious as many of her sisters. But to hear it in Kongou's casually enthusiastic voice strikes an odd chord, which prompts her to bring a balled up, gloved fist to her chest. "May-be, someday... We won't need...neutral zones." She had made her wishes for the peace of the sea clear, but it might be hard to interpret exactly what scenario she was thinking of, with that.     A brief news reel like mental image replays. Even before their current dealings, she and Kongou - Ko-class at the time - were no strangers. Several operations together, Kongou's own Abyssal sins run deep. She wordlessly pivots her eyes to Psyber again, wondering how this surface dweller, talented a commander though he may be, was somehow able to change her heart so much. A question she leaves unvoiced, since this is not the time or place. Maybe she's also a bit afraid of the answer.     "Sor-ry," she says, seeming to visibly snap out of whatever thoughts she was having with an odd twitch of her body. "Guess...still not, one-hundred per-cent." As she moves to follow Psyber and Kongou into the elevator, she takes note of something the former had said, milling it over with a genuine curiosity that manages to breach even her strange intonations, "...friend?" It was a term that only the surface dwelling folk really used. Abyssal ties course so much deeper, at least at her level. But, considering it carefully, and resting her arms in front of her to make the elevator more comfortable, she comes to an agreeable conclusion, "Psy-ber... Is, a sur-face person, I trust. So...yes, friends." 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     Kongou trots alongside Psyber in order to keep up with the taller angel, and also so she can meet him by the door and welcome Wo inside. Like this, she ensures she's the last person to enter the elevator. Hands resting on the railings, she barely moves when the elevator lifts (What incredible machinery to lift a battleship and an aircraft carrier!) (oh wait she only weighs a couple dozen kilograms like this), hands resting on the rails but not really clinging or anything. In her corner, the battleship practically glows, "That you could call someone outside of your fleet 'friend', even if it's Admiral... This is a <Happy Time!>"     When the doors open out into the common room, two faces swivel in the elevator's direction, followed by two more. The first pair are not human, eye-like rangefinders blinking and ear-like cannon barrels raised alertly. Recognizing the wo-class, both Choujuucentihou-chan gun turrets raise their little flippers and let out identical 'Vwrr~!' noises, which draws the attention of the two much more human faces turning to peek over the back of the couch. It's Akizuki and Hayashimo, naturally. Fumbling, the taller of the two destroyers, grabs for a remote to pause the movie they're watching, then turns back, "Ah? Miss Wo class? You're here, now?"     "...Welcome," Hayashimo murmurs, "...It is good to see you... have recovered." She doesn't say any more, though, simply offering a nod. Given her history, the quiet destroyer probably understands more than she lets on.     "Girls!" Kongou leans forward, out of the elevator, "It had better not be a bad movie!"     "...Scary movies are fun," is the only response Hayashimo offers. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Well, I mean, you can call it whatever you want. It'd be REALLY weird if you started calling me your Admiral too, though. I understood when Kongou and the Fourth started it, but I felt mega awkward about most others," He confesses to Wo with a bit of humor in his voice. Another rare insight she can get into his mentality, "But hey, you know, whatever makes em happy."     He reaches out towards Wo when she stares at him and then musses her hair. It's a surface-dweller form of affection, really! He then smiles at her, "Relax." He comments before looking as the elevator doors open.     "Probably not TOO regularly, since her work will keep her busy. She can stop by once in a while nowadays, though," Psyber says to the two girls that are hanging out around the office, "But only if you all can get along. The one that starts trouble gets banned till they can behave," He says to them both chidingly.     "So what's on the tube today?" 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     Conventional social interaction, while not as difficult for her as it had been for the Ri-class that visited a while back, can still completely consume the Wo-class. It takes a few moments, and a set and a half of new eyes, and a pair of new voices, to make her completely absorb what Psyber had just described to her. "Ah...yes, li-ving quarters," she says with some belated recognition, thankfully not as extravagant as Wake had gathered around herself, blue-green eyes wide open and staring unashamedly at the interior, as well as its occupants.     That is, before Psyber performs the hair muss maneuver. Without her flight deck to get in the way, the silvery strands are unarmored and vulnerable. She visibly jerks, but the involuntary reaction isn't enough to yank her out of grasp's reach, and after the moment her shock turns to a dull confusion, which she voices with a simple, "Wo?" Is this something that 'friends' also do with each other? Leaning up on her heeled boots, she reaches up a gloved hand as best she can to make up the height difference, and return the gesture. This seems meaningless, but so do a lot of surface customs.     Kongou's enthusiasm is somehow as infectious as it is, at times, embarassing. Having regained her normal speech faculties, or what passes for them, she addresses the battleship maiden, "In war...we are - still enemies. But...in Boston, it is o-kay." That goes for the both of them, but at least she's coming to understand that there can be a civility in between the battles. To any concerns that she'd start calling him her admiral, too, she gives a shake of her head, "No... Psy-ber, is not my ad-miral. That...would be - weird."     With that said, she steps to walk out of the elevator, because gosh darn it, there are Destroyers here, even if they aren't cute Abyssal ones. Well, Hayashimo having a familiar atmosphere around her aside. She confirms Psyber's own statement, "For to-day, Psyber...is showing me, your base." Her eyes stare down Akizuki and Hayashimo in turn, perhaps lingering just a little longer on the latter, whom she specifically addresses, "..just...need-ed, some rest. ...is all." Since Psyber taught her how to do it, she reaches out a gloved hand to try and give Hayashimo's eye-concealing hair a muss.     "Tele-vision," she glances at the paused movie, momentarily distracted. There was one in her hotel room, but she hadn't even turned it on, not really thinking to do so. "...they don't work - in Iron Bottom Sound." A few of the more surface savvy fleet members have tried. It didn't go well. 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     "I know!" Akizuki chides Psyber, "And I made sure Hayashimo knows the rules too. We're not gonna cause problems an' neither is Choujuucentihou-chan. Right, guys?"     Vwrr! A noise that, while not the same as the buzzing Wo might hear from her sisters, may at least be a little nostalgic. The little rabbit-like turrets swivel their heads back around towards the paused screen, not seeming to realize it's paused. Look, they're gun turrets, they aren't exactly smart.     Hayashimo's single visible eye closes and she simply accepts the (admittedly, kind of awkward) hairmussing Wo provides. Though her bangs fall back into place quickly, there's the faintest glimpse of the Hidden Legend that is Hayashimo's left eye. Maybe it DOES exist. The right, visible and unobscured, opens once more, "...Rest is good. I was told.. that I rested for several days. ...You recovered quickly. You must be... strong."     At Psyber's question, she turns her head towards the angel, simply stating, "...The Cube. ...Three Dimensions of Fear." SHe might be quoting the box, there. Eye closing, she shrugs, "...I've seen better. ...But it is okay."     Immediately, in the elevator doorway, Kongou puffs out her cheeks, "Mou! That's not for little destroyers, <Eighteen And Older!>"     "I'm seventy-six!" Akizuki objects. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Bless you," Psyber says to Akizuki reflexively when she says the name of her turret.     The half-angel then has an awkward moment where he bends over to let Wo ruffle his hair a bit. He doesn't resist the gesture as she reciprocates, and his hair looks pretty decent even more mussed up than usual, "That would be a showing of affection. A sort of exchange of teasing between friends," He contextualizes for her.     To the defense of the destroyers he jumps a moment later, "Oh, come on, Kongou. If they're old enough to go to war, they're old enough to watch a scary movie. You're lucky I'm not giving em scotch and cigars, you know," He points out to the battleship hanging out in his elevator.     Then back to Wo, "Yeah, electricity messed up under water, I imagine. Plus the signals required to watch it can't hit that deep." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     The seemingly self-animated turrets do get a momentary look from the carrier, after she's withdrawn her hand from poor Hayashimo, victim of her vicious hair ruffling. The sound they make is familiar, a slightly more melodic version of some of the sounds 'lesser' Abyssals, and even her aircraft, can make to communicate. Being able to actually understand it is a bit beyond the boundaries between them, though, so she merely watches them curiously. She does remark to Akizuki, though, seemingly complimentary, "...they seem - to like, you. Must take...good care, of them." She doesn't receive the relentless hair assault that Hayashimo did, perhaps her more perfect himecut trim repels her hand. More likely, she just doesn't have the same familiar air around her as her friend does.     A bit belatedly, to Psyber's explanation since she's already enacting it, she gives a thoughtful look as a softly ponderous sound rises from her throat. Without the filter of the haunting reverb that many of her kind seem to possess, it might almost pass as human. "...so. Physical con-tact, play-ful. Is something...friendly surface people, do." She cannot say it makes perfect sense to her, but there was something oddly soothing about it, once the shock had worn off. And Hayashimo did not recoil away from her, so that is also progress. Speaking of that Destroyer, she is next in line for Wo to give a wondering look to, and then a surprisingly solid statement, "...I am, strong. I kept - coming back." But there's somehow a tinge of sadness to her voice as the confidence falters, "...but - I do not know, what makes me - strong."     That is perhaps what troubles her the most. The fractured memories, the feelings of having spiritual chains around her, certainly take their toll. Yet, imagine knowing you have a reason for being here, but that it has been lost to you. Her gloved hands clench and unclench a few times, her head dipping forward. Thankfully this time she manages to keep things well-managed, enough that she's soon joining Psyber in the Destroyer's defense, "Let them...have their fan-tasy, Kon-gou. ...they see, e-nough, real tragedy." She's aware enough of fictional movie materials, because as she soon reveals with a subtle nod to Kongou's Admiral of her Heart, they aren't completely bereft of entertainment technology, even there. "We do...have some film. Pro-jectors... I-class and Ha-class, enjoy them." 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     The mention of scotch and cigars only deepens Kongou's pouting. She puffs up at Psyber's teasing, ahoge almost swishing on its own but that's certainly not the actual truth-- Such powers are unique to Kuma class cruisers. It's Wo's words that bring an end to the playful tantrum. Not specifically what she said--but the fact that she said it. Kongou immediately deflates, blinking at the carrier. After a moment, she looks down, "You're right. And they're old enough anyway~. Don't mind me."     The remarkably stubborn Kongou has been caught on the back foot by this display of real empathy from an enemy that she often wondered might have forgotten what empathy is. Though she does leave the elevator, simply standing beside it, turning quiet and thoughtful. Though she spares a glance Psyber's way, all she offers is a wordless, somewhat apologetic smile over her behavior.     Akizuki squints at Kongou for a moment, then closes her eyes with a little 'huh' noise and a shrug, "Some day, Commander, I'll get you to say the name right instead of pretending it's a sneeze." Towards Wo, she adds, "I sure do! Keeping them clean and well oiled, supplied, and making sure the barrels are replaced frequently, all make for a happy Choujuucentihou-chan."     Hayashimo remains quiet, though, while the carrier dotes on her a little. She doesn't shy away or recoil, but does dip her head long after Wo's hand has left her hair. In a deliberate motion, she reaches out and traps that hand between both of hers, looking up towards Wo's face, "...If you are that strong. ...Please keep coming back." Though she doesn't voice it, the dark haired destroyer feels that if her plea is heard, the abyssal carrier will someday find the answer she's looking for.     Hayashimo holds this posture for a few seconds that may seem longer than they actually are, before she finally releases, "...The Commander would be sad... if you didn't." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     When Kongou gives him a smile, Wo can see the efficacy of the physical affection method external to herself. Psyber reaches out a hand, puts it atop Kongou's head, and pet-ruffles her gently, giving her a smile back, "Thanks for watching them so closely. I'm sure they appreciate it deep down."     To Wo, "Sorry it's not more... amazing or spectacular. Just an office building with some sections where people live," Of course, he hasn't shown Wo the library, vault, garage, or armory yet. But she probably doesn't care about those too much.     "But hey, if you phone ahead I'm sure you can stop by sometime again." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     One never knows about what these zany ship people want. Wo's current form looks human enough, certainly, and she's beginning to come to terms with a lot of surface people conventions, even if understanding is a ways off. But there's still a certain alien feel to a lot of what goes on around her, even now. What isn't, though, is when she goes to move away from Hayashimo, but instead finds her hand captured. She doesn't appear startled by this, but she does give an initially puzzled wrinkle of her eyebrows to the girl.     This one, she has a certain understanding that the others don't. It's clear from her words before, and especially now. Perhaps, even now, the lines that once tied them are only sketched on in pencil instead of clearly severed. There's a moment of paralysis in the carrier's body, before her unreadable face manages to convey some semblance of a determined look, and she places her free hand over one of Hayashimo's, "I won't...let any-one down. A-gain." 'Again?' It seems she hadn't consciously caught the word, herself, since it doesn't seem to have any additional meaning, but it is certainly an intriguing piece of the puzzle when combined with other glimpses. "There will..be sad-ness," she warns, it is unavoidable in a war, both between their kinds as well as the greater Union and Confederate battles. "But... With times, such as this. Also, room...for happi-ness."     With this much of a promise as she can offer, she gives an approving glance to Akizuki, "Please - con-tinue to be, a good friend. To this girl...and your Chouj--cho--" She hesitates, before settling on, "Tur-rets." And then it is Psyber, and Kongou, that she lifts her frame towards, eyes settling on them. She gives a light shake of her head to her angelic host, "I think...as long as, you are sur-rounded. By your 'friends'. The looks...don't matter. It is...the same, for Abyssals." Iron Bottom Sound is basically a glorified scrap heap, you know.     This thinking has got her on another train of thought, and her head quirks to the side at a sudden realization. Now is the perfect time. She announces, "Want to eat... Kon-gou's curry. If it's...o-kay." 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     "...It is a promise," Hayashimo states with a surprisingly firm nod of her own. She then sinks back behind the couch, merely watching, just over the backrest. Always watching.     "Of course, you can count on me, Akizuki is a dependable girl!" The second destroyer taps herself over the collarbone proudly. And then Wo mentions Kongou's curry. Both destroyers exchange a single glance. Akizuki glances back towards the three adults, "Ah... We'll skip on that, I think! We already ate, you see." She then sinks similarly down behind the couch, both girls returning their attention to the TV, which resumes--with much applause from the Choujuucentihou-chans.     "A <Fantasy Castle> or a <Card Board Box,>" Kongou declares, throwing her arms out suddenly and throwing herself about Psyber's neck, "With love, the surroundings don't matter~!" She's remarkably light for a thousands-tons battleship, as the elevator can attest. Rolling her head towards Wo, she beams, "<Curry?> It would just happen I was making a fresh batch when you arrived~! If the destroyers are going to pass, that's all the more for us~! Please have all you want~!" 

}}

2149/The Moon Bridge

2015-05-20T05:30:48Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/05/02 |Location=Sixth Age Earth <SAE> |Synopsis=Laine takes people to the moon in search of Silver. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=151, 152, 253..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/05/02
|Location=Sixth Age Earth <SAE>
|Synopsis=Laine takes people to the moon in search of Silver.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=151, 152, 253, 255, 383, 495, 591, 626, 759
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:383|Laine (383)}} has posed:'''     Evening in the world of the Sixth Age. Moonrise, to be specific. The Lunar Forest is not too far from a warpgate, so there's no real need to do anything special to arrive. Of course, large vehicles will be warned away by Laine anyway, as the Lunar Forest is a very primitive, intentionally so. It's quite a pretty forest, tall and wild, with few paths... but Laine being here, she can lead the group to the large glen in the middle.     This is where she... sits and scratches at an ear with a hindleg, waiting for the others to follow the trail she blazed. It will fade at the dawn, but for now it's free. Animals watch, but unless the group is aggressive, will do nothing. The moon is huge above, just starting to get full... which is why the shimmering foundations of a bridgehead are forming, glimmering silvery and translucent. It's solidifying and growing upwards by the minute, a fascinating look of making a gleaming silvery road. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber opts to come along with Laine for numerous reasons, many of them private. He has no need for Moonsilver, but one of his friends does and that is reason enough for him to come. He also enjoys any excuse to visit Sixth Age Earth after its rebirth, finding the world beautiful in its own way. And finally, after the immense stress he had been under for months, being around Laine in any given context had a relaxing sort of effect on him which he direly needs, though he won't admit it.     This is why he's hovering around not too far away from Laine. He has one hand in the pocket of his coat and the other is smoking a cigarette as he loiters. 

:'''{{#var:151|Ainsley (151)}} has posed:'''     It's unlikely that Ainsley used any form of vehicle to reach the Lunar Forest, and she got there a great deal earlier than the rest of the party. She floated in to land near Laine, finding a place to sit down and look around at their surroundings. The animals get wary looks, because the lizard girl isn't entirely sure what level of hostility she should be expecting here. Considering that nothing is immediately ruining her day, she grows accustomed to it very quickly.     Which just leaves her looking at Laine curiously. She has no questions, she just watches the volunteer guide that she had never met before the offer was made to find this magical material on a completely uncharted moon world. Psyber gets a similar look, for a while, silent observation, because she barely knows the guy and has hardly seen him in action except when in missions they've both had some investment in. His presence draws a smile to her face, briefly, before she turns her attention away and to the distracting sight of the Moonlight Bridge.     Mostly, Ainsley seems quiet and not really in a socializing mood. This is fairly normal for her. 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     In the case of Kyra Hyral, today there are no large vehicles to warn about. She's perfectly fine with arriving on foot or by Chocobo though today she elects to come by foot, hauling her gear with her despite its weight. Though since taking on the burden known as the CURE-ALL, an incredibly pimp looking grenade-launcher healing gun, she has been able to take on a little extra weight. Like Arthur said, she's getting SWOLE. For a mage.     This mission seemed like a straightforward one: walk on a bridge to the moon, dealing with Random Encounters, to find Moonsilver for Ainsley. It's probably one of the more "normal" missions she's undergone lately but despite this, she's actively streaming the mission to her Galiandan Light Warriors Mogtube channel if only to show her world that, hey, there are other places out there with bridges to the Moon.     Kyra's lingering on the formation of the bridge, awed by the spectacle. "Whoaaaah." 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     Aoko has been to a LOT of places.     Not the Moon.     The closest she has been to that is meeting the True Ancestor, and hanging out with a man who once punched the Moon back into orbit because it was getting uppity and kind of dickish.     The Moon, that is, not the man.     That's why there's a red-haired completely normal magus tagging along with a big grin, whistling something or another, hands in her jeans, and a bland white t-shirt to make her look like she's nobody. And really, she is! Just a boring magus, she'd insist, and she does pretty much look the part.     "Oh! Oh! So we're just sort of... going to WALK to the Moon? This is awesome! I mean that looks a bit steep to walk on right now but psht, details!" 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     While it's Setsuko's habit not to rely on her flight in general, Sixth Age Earth is one place where she tries not to bring in more technology than she absolutely must. And given that the demigod can now fly under her own power, she has no need to bring in her usual hoverbike.     So flight under her own power is the order of the day, until they arrive at the Lunar Forest. After that, it's on foot, at a calm and steady pace. She hasn't had opportunity to come here in a while, and it's a gorgeous, wonderfully primal place. And she doesn't have anything in particular to say to Laine; she trusts that the route will be obvious, or that she'll explain it to them if need be. So instead, she follows near Psyber, slightly behind.     Her reaction to the silvery moon bridge isn't as pronounced as Aoko or Kyra's, but she does widen her eyes just a little, then allow the faintest of smiles onto her face. 

:'''{{#var:152|Faruja (152)}} has posed:''' Faruja Senra can't help it. He's arrived here with Ainsley, arm crossed, as he /peers/ at that magical moon bridge that's forming. The Burmecian is utterly /fascinated/ by the construct, plucking at every time-mage bone in his body. "Lady...Laine, was it not? How /ever/ is such a thing accomplished? What of the lack of oxygen? Some form of magic-gravity generation?" Cough. Right, manners. Bow! He'll go through his usual introductions to those not aware of him, notably Lain, and politely bless those he knows. Aoko in particular gets a smile. "Lord's blessings Lady Aozaki! Truly, the wonders of the Lord's magic are great, art they not!? A shame we cannot study it more. Another time, mayhaps!" 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' Riva has basically a dozen reasons to be here, from helping Ainsley (the obvious reason) to other, less obvious reasons involving other people present. Riva arrives in Sixth Age Earth with a spring in her step and a happy, wordless song on her lips as she practically skips through the area. The primal purity of this area is almost... invigorating to Riva for some reason, but she just enjoys it for what it is, ambushing Kyra from behind with a laugh as she ruffles her hair. "Hey, chekc it out, Kyra! A moonbridge!" She does step away from Kyra to look up at the bridge as it forms with a sort of awe in her gaze, however. "It's beautiful!" She exclaims as she approaches, turning to Laine and Psyber as she claps in anticipatory glee. "Today we're gonna have ANOTHER Moon Landing! It's going to be awesome!" God, did she down a brick of sugar before coming? 

:'''{{#var:759|Valka (759)}} has posed:'''      Valka has never been anywhere, really, besides the islands that she called home. Ever since arriving here in the Multiverse, her boundaries have been expanded a thousandfold - potentially more, if she really sat down and thought about it. The chance to go to the moon, to actually set foot on the surface? Well, that's a tale that could be shared around campfires for dozens of years!      The coordinates given were fairly easy to find - she's been practicing, after all - and her arrival on the back of Cloudjumper, her Stormchaser dragon, is a bit...well...dramatic. Her usual method of entry. She slips from his back with a graceful twist, bowing to the gathered people before straightening. "Good evening, one and all. I hope you don't mind my accompanying you on this journey. I am Valka, Dragonmistress of Berk." She smiles. "I'm...ah...quite new, actually."      Looking to the gathered throng, then the moon bridge itself, Valka gets a pensive look before asking. "Will I need to bring Cloudjumper along, miss Laine, or will it be advisable for me to accompany you on my own two feet? Having a dragon could be quite useful, for scouting, tracking, or otherwise defense against things susceptible to flame or large gnashing teeth." 

:'''{{#var:383|Laine (383)}} has posed:'''     Okaaaay. Riva's a little hyper, but everyone else seems a mixture of apprehensive and excited. The only one getting really awkward is Faruja, who asks a lot of questions that Laine can only answer with a blank stare, the wolf just tilting her head more and more. The rat does get a reply though, growled out in the lupine language of the Garou. <<Is bridge. Walk.>> That... seems to be the answer to all of them? She doesn't seem worried about air or the like.     Of course it takes a few more minutes for the bridge to coalesce, forming that shimmering arch up toward the moon. It does indeed look quite steep, so it's probably a little awkward to watch Laine walk up toward it as the arch finishes forming, placing a paw on it.     The tiny wolf looks back toward Valka, tail wagging. <<Bring dragon. Can fly with.>> Apparently she expects Valka to ride the dragon to the moon... but maybe that's possible here, because Laine walks right up to the bridge and starts walking up it, the steep angle making it look like she's walking up a wall. Anyone who bothers trying to place their foot on the bridge will find that walking 'up' it is disorienting but easy, not requiring any special balance. Despite being glimmering and translucent, it feels as solid as stone. 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     "Wah!" Kyra exclaims as her hood is ruffled off of her head, exposing her hair. Thankfully, since it's evening out in this world she doesn't have to worry about being exposed to INFERNAL DAYSTARS that would make her pale, almost gray-ish skin burn. "I know, right, Riva? My world is not alone! But this one is completely different. It IS beautiful." she agrees with the Templar.     She's certain to capture the entire formation of the moonbridge until it has mostly finished forming. Mostly, for it seems that Laine in her wolf form is eager to go.     Faruja gets a cheerful wave from the white mage, who does not bother to replace her hood. With it down, people can see her 'camera' a bit more clearly, which appears to be a headband with the camera apature flat and smack against the center of her forehead. "Hi Faruja! It's a moon bridge! Like she says, just walk on it!" As if to demonstrate, Kyra, completely undaunted, follows after Laine onto the translucent, steep structure. There is no concern about things like 'lack of air.' 

:'''{{#var:152|Faruja (152)}} has posed:''' Faruja visibly deflates. /Sigh/. Exalts and their cheating! He'll have to pester Finna some time about the whole matter. "Yes, yes, let us walk the bloody thing." But he doesn't forget the newcomer and her dragon! It's been a while since the rat has seen one that isn't Rhapsody or Bahamut. "Lord's blessings, Lady Valka, and...Ser Cloudjumper?" He's not too sure on that one. Bow! "Inquisitor Senra, Holy Church of Saint Ajora Glabados at thine service! Come then! We hath a heathen moonbridge to cross." Mutter. Yes, he's a little salty here. There's a Kyra though! Oh Thank Faram. "Lady Hyral, blessings mine dear! Ye make that sound /trustworthy/. Forgive me if I am just a touch concerned...oh bloody abyss, why not?" Shrug. He's not going to let the white mage of the party show him up. TO THE MOON BRIDGE! The rat has a teleport spell ready to go, just in case however. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Ainsley gets a polite nod of Psyber's head as he smokes the cigarette he was carrying. Valka gets a more descriptive greeting, "Greetings. I'm a Union Reserve Colonel. People call me Psyber," He says, eschewing most description of what he does at the moment. He nods his head slightly, "A pleasure to meet you."     Oh hey, Aoko's here as well. That always makes things funner, or at least more interesting, for him, "Hey hey, it's my favorite boring Magus. Where've you been lately, Aoko?" He asks in a casual tone. Most others just get a polite nod of his head in terms of greeting.     And then, when Laine takes off to walking, Psyber will try to follow behind her. 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     "A pleasure to meet you, Valka," Setsuko replies, regarding the girl and her dragon with a formal bow. "Major Setsuko Kaminagi, swordswoman and soldier. I apologize in advance if my presence causes any issues with your dragon. I... can have that effect," she admits. Her divine presence has caused trouble with animals in the past; hopefully Cloudjumper won't be put off by her.     Laine's reply to all the questioning very nearly gets a laugh out of her, but she manages to (just barely) maintain a calm expression as they start up the bridge. 

:'''{{#var:151|Ainsley (151)}} has posed:'''     Ainsley watches the bridge as it manifests before everyone, her lightly-feathered brows raising in silent thought at the sight. She gets up from her seat soon after Laine approaches the bridge, preparing to follow after. She doesn't seem at all bothered by how steep it is... at first. Once she looks UP, she frowns at the journey ahead of them.     "Thank you, all of you, for coming to help with this," she says to the group at large, and then begins to progress up the bridge, squeaking from the disorientation of being turned practically 90 degrees and walking toward the surface of what is essentially a completely different planet.     She frets with her hands in front of her chest, extremely nervous about this bridge. Especially because it's transparent. 

:'''{{#var:152|Faruja (152)}} has posed:''' Faruja also notes Ainsley's nervousness. He hardly blames her. He walks over, offering a tail to her own! Squeeze. His smile, despite his previous words, are all reassurances. 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' When the time comes, Riva rushes towards the bridge. "Last one on the bridge is full of stinky cheese!" She calls, playfully, as she leaps towards the bridge to attempt a TOTALLY SWEET acrobatic maneuver to roll up the bridge. She slips, falling over with a short yell. Given she's falling 'down' onto the nearly vertical bridge, it looks like she's almost splatting into a wall comedically and hanging there. Riva quickly scrambles to her feet and laughs. "Don't worry about it, Ainsley! I wouldn't miss this for the world. Come on, it'll be an awesome adventure!" Riva says, moving along quickly. This might not be entirely reassuring. 

:'''{{#var:759|Valka (759)}} has posed:'''      Well, that answers that. Valka gives the large fringe-faced Dragon a nod and another motion of her fingers, beckoning him closer, before hoisting herself up onto his back by hooking her curved staff around the base of one of his four wings, standing astride him in the middle of his back. She watches the bridge come into view, like fog being wiped away from reality to reveal the spirit world behind. It's the thing out of legends, really. Something that she never thought she'd see. Her lips move in quiet prayer to her Gods, if they are in this world.      Faruja gets a smile, the woman sitting cross-legged on the back of the dragon, peering over his ruff of fringe, patting him lightly to calm him. After all, it is an interesting experience, walking on a bridge of light. "Oh, just Cloudjumper is fine. And please, just Valka. I've not earned a title yet, but that's not to say I won't in time." Her position on Cloudjumper's back soothes the beast, despite Setsuko's divine presence. Apparently the pair have a rather strong bond and, if Valka's not nervous, it seems Cloudjumper isn't either. Before the dragon begins up the bridge, though? Valka does offer. "If anyone else would like a lift, I've got room for one or two more." If there are no takers? The dragon starts up the bridge, giving a growf of surprise as his massive weight held easily by the moonbeams. 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     "Yo, Faru! Psy. Uuuh, places!"     Aoko reaches into a pocket, producing her cellphone. She swipes, looks into the gallery, and produces a slideshow of pictures.     "I went to Paris!" <Blue fire, Eifel Tower in background.>     "Oh, I had to drop by London after that." <Clock Tower, blue fire in background.>     "Then I went to Venice!" <Blue fire on water next to boat.>     "And London again!" <Clock Tower, magi putting a blue fire out.>     "I wanted to go to Egypt, see a pyramid, but." <Magi at airport. They look angry.>     "So I just went to Italy again instead." <Nero Gundam, as seen from the head of the Shining Gundam.>     "Oh, Len came along for that one!" <White Len chewing on an arm.>     "... I still dunno where she found that arm."     Well.     That's Aoko for you. 

:'''{{#var:383|Laine (383)}} has posed:'''     Laine lets out a small wuff... and it may be a little hard for some to tell that she's chuckling to herself in amusement. The jackal-wolf is padding ahead of everyone, glancing over with a lupine grin now and then, while walking toward the steadily-approaching moon. <<Luna not settled,>> she reminds. <<Is wolf land, not for humans.>> Just a note of caution, apparently, for she doesn't seem too concerned with the current group.     Once actually on the bridge, the vertigo from those who realized that they were at a 90 degree angle will likely pass... because it feels like the bridge has its own gravity. Glancing behind will show that after only a few minutes of walking(or flying along the path of the glimmering, ethereal bridge) results in a much more distant forest behind than would be expected... and that the moon is rapidly approaching. It's getting very easy to see now that the features of the moon are made up of blue, silver, and grey foliage of strange sorts, and the bridge lands in the middle of a large basin with a forest on one side, a shining river nearby, and some low mountains opposite.     Laine explains, <<Can choose which way?>> 

:'''{{#var:151|Ainsley (151)}} has posed:'''     Ainsley receives comfort and a rather comical display from Faruja and Riva, respectively, which certainly help her mood a great deal. The whole journey is made less horribly frightening by the properties of the Moon Bridge... She looks behind the group and marvels at the distance they had made in such a short period of time, then turns to look toward Luna with a bright smile on her face.     "The mountains," Ainsley suggests, "I have no idea how Moonsilver collects or where it would, but it seems more likely to find anything approaching a mineral or metal in a mountainous area, as opposed to a forest." She shrugs her shoulders. She's not even sure Luna follows basic logic, she's just spitballing here.     She looks to the others, and asks, "What do you think?" 

:'''{{#var:152|Faruja (152)}} has posed:''' Faruja smiles just a bit. "Valka, 'tis then!" To Aoko, he peeks at her pictures briefly. Famous place. Burning. Famous place. Burning. He gives an entirely too wide grin there, with plenty of teeth. "If the Mage's Association ever becomes a burden, Lady Aozaki, the Inquisition couldst well find a woman of your particular...enthusiasm...most useful! Keep it in mind if ye ever hath a sudden religious epiphany." /Smile/. To Ainsley and Laine, the rat mmm's. "Makes sense. I aught hath brought a bloody pickaxe. Mayhaps Titan can lead us to a source of it if we arrive at a suitable mountain." It helps to have earth-spirits at your beck-and-call. 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     "So your moon is complete wilderness." Kyra concludes to Laine's words, "Like back-" Kyra turns around to look at the forest they came from, only to be surprised to see how far away it now seems. There was a similar effect on the Great Span to speed along travel but this one was much, much faster, "-whoah. Back there. Does that mean the humans are going to get attacked?"     Meanwhile, Kyra's attention drifts between Faruja and Valka upon Cloudjumper. She lets out a low whistle at the sight of the dragon, which reminded her of an owl for some reason. "Hey miss Valka?" she speaks up, waving to the older woman, "I don't need a ride now, but if we get into a fight, can I get up on the dragon's back? Turns out that's a pretty safe spot for a healer." Well, barring vampires shadow-teleporting in and removing her from the dragon's back at least.     Laughing, she gives Faruja a grin, "Oh, it's normal, right? I mean the see-throughness might be a little unsettling but it seems solid to me. C'mon Faruja, don't lag behind~!" 

:'''{{#var:759|Valka (759)}} has posed:'''      The reorientation of gravity is a little odd, but when you spend a large portion of your life on the back of a dragon, up becoming some other direction in an instant kind of comes with the territory. Still, it's kind of weird seeing a dragon step on the bridge, push up and then turn 90 degrees to head up the bridge, with Valka standing the whole way. Cloudjumper, once everyone is past, does take to the air with a beat of his wings, giving Valka an overview of the landscape.      "Could you give us some insight, Laine, on where we might be likely to find such a thing? My son uses a strange substance he calls quicksilver for some of his experiments. If moonsilver is the same, it will flow like water, but is as heavy as lead. If we go to the mountains, might I suggest lower areas where it may collect in pools?" Valka's voice is clear, easily heard over the beating of wings in the calm air surrounding the moon bridge, her attention moving from one person to the other as they speak. Any oddities - reptilian women, for example - are simply chalked up as 'different from me, but on the same team.' "Of course, Miss Kyra. If things get interesting, just raise your arms. We'll snatch you up before you know it." 

:'''{{#var:759|Valka (759)}} has posed:'''      Valka adds one more thing. "Cloudjumper's breath can melt rock and steel, but we might set the forest alight if we're not careful." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "You know, if you ever want to leave Len in my care, she's probably one of the only cats I've ever actually been able to tolerate," Of course leave it to Psyber to actually like the cat-familiar-slash-Wallachia. He shrugs a bit as he watches the pictures scroll by, "Fun journey! Good to have you back around."     He scratches the side of his cheek as he wanders along after Laine. He doesn't have a strong opinion on which way to go, instead opting to let the others take point as he looks around the crazy landscape of the moon. This is one of the only times he's ever been to space. He tries to recall the others and the only other one he can think of was when he brough the ISS out of orbit before this world was recreated.     As he walks, he looks down at Laine, keeping a careful eye on the jackal. And then he looks back over to Valka and comments loud enough to hear (he hopes), "Your dragon is quite impressive. It is rare to see one which is clearly of such fine health." 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' Riva isn't too worried about this being Wolf Country. We can stop here. What she's not prepared for is the dragon. She looks up at Valka and Cloudjumper, causing her to 'oooooh'. "Man, that is so cool! You're riding a dragon! That's the most awesome thing ever!" When Valka offers to give other people rides, Riva passes for the moment. Clearly, she's too into just absorbing the unsual surroundings to pay enough attention to the offer. She'll catch Valka later. Wheee, dragons! However, the ydraw closer to the actual surface, and Riva looks around. "Amazing!" She does lean over and ask Laine, though, "I know we're looking for Moonsilver, but is part of the moon made of cheese? I gotta know if there is and what it tastes like." She couldn't resist asking. 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     The fact the bridge has its own gravity explains how they're going to walk up. Aoko's previous queries are now answered! Well, less queries, and more curiosity. All the same.     "This place has really bright colors. It's kind of pretty! A bit creepy too, but not past the uncomfortable point. Moonsilver! It's like silver. But from the Mooooon~" She makes hand gestures. WoooOOooOooo. Okay, that sounded better in her head. Hm.     To Faruja, she grins. "Nah, nah! No worries. Detouring to Italy turned out way more fun than seeing a pyramid, I got to ride a Gundam." It really did work out for her. Now if only she could have piloted it instead of standing on its head.     "Dibs on Mooncheese if it's a real thing." 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     Transitioning from one gravitational pull to another is not the /strangest/ thing Setsuko's ever had to do, but it certainly /feels/ pretty weird. She's silent for the entirety of the trip, though she does watch Cloudjumper with curiosity. Once they arrive, however, her silence is of a different nature; she's closing her eyes, sinking herself into her other senses. Hearing, smell. Even touch, feeling the breeze on her skin, if there is such a thing. And reaching out with her magical senses, getting a feel for the place besides. It's a rare chance, so while a direction is decided, she simply drinks it all in. 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' "See? She totally wants to try moon cheese too!" Riva points over to Aoko. "Look, we can bring some home and make some moon cheeseburgers. Or a Mooncheese pizza. Mooncheesesticks?" She's got food on the brain right now, it seems. 

:'''{{#var:151|Ainsley (151)}} has posed:'''     If anyone is looking at Ainsley while Riva goes on about moon cheese, they will see the lizard woman with her hands on her face, absolutely embarrassed about Riva's antics. "Riva..." she complains, vaguely. 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     "Len's already at your office right now! I tend to leave her there. She camps the elevator with Death." Let it not be said Aoko does not contribute to Heaven or Hell in any way, she literally furnishes the elevator with a vampire succubus fear-phenomenon cat and the Grim Reaper itself.     "She left me something too, let's see." She digs into a pocket. Pulls a finger out. Looks like it was chewed off the hand it belongs to. "Oh. That's why she said she wasn't hungry anymore. I really should find who that belongs to." Back in the pocket it goes. 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' "What?" Riva pauses. "Oh, of course we'll have some for you too! Gawd, we're not going to be stingy." She smiles and gives a gesture towards Ainsley, clearly missing that the lizard is heavily embarassed. 

:'''{{#var:383|Laine (383)}} has posed:'''     Laine nods her head at what Valka says, which seems to be agreeing with Ainsley. Riva gets another weird look before Laine explains further, <<Is not same, Luna having own... ways. Own life.>> It's clearly hard to explain, even without the laziness of Laine's speech. She can talk more clearly than that, she just doesn't feel it would help.     It's pretty obvious what she means when the moon bridge ends, only about 20 minutes after the trek started. It looks more solid now, but there are hours of moonlight left. The actual lunar ground is a faint silvery green from a kind of grass, but the shrubs and trees are utterly alien, and strange bright green berries are on some of them. Odd birds are watching the group, with some rather tropical-looking plumage. There are no paths, and a loud roaring cry can be heard somewhere in the distance. At least the mountains seem... like mountains, it's true. Laine herself glances at the group, <<Never looked for Moonsilver. Know here.>> 

:'''{{#var:152|Faruja (152)}} has posed:''' Faruja frowns, casts a haste spell on himself and Ainsley, and is all but yanking her along now if she doesn't let go of his tail! "Right bloody behind ye, Dame Hyral!" If nothing else, the White Mage is good at getting the rat in gear. Though clealry dissappointed that Aoko isn't leaping into the Inquisition, the rat manages to mask it with a smile. "Ye aught visit Lindblum some time! Lovely city, 'tis a capitol of industry and art!" Pause. Right. Fire. "...Just be careful with the magic, hmm?" The finger just gets a fuzzy raised brow from Faruja. The /hell/, Aoko! Faruja tamps down the desire to admonish Aoko about proper burials, but he'll leave it with a dissapproving Priest Look (tm). Then, they're on the moon. Trying to ignore Riva and her hyper antics, Faruja focuses on casting. Magic flows around him, and the ground in front of him splits. The hyper-muscled form of the Esper Titan appears, before the ground re-knits itself at the Esper's will. Towering over the rat, Titan leans down to him. And offers a knuckle. Faruja, after a sigh of letting out all of his dignity, bro-fists Titan. Titan grins, and flexes before plucking Faruja atop his shoulders. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber idly side-comments to Aoko, "Maybe you can use it to open someone's fingerprint safe and find some cool secret shit like a spy." He seems pretty casual about the fact Len ate a dude. Then again, look at the crazy menagerie he hires on the average mission-to-mission basis, "You should ask her if she ate a spy. Or a mage spy."     Still, the elevator. How had he missed that? She was getting smarter, "Hmm. The elevator. She must be mastering the sneaking, I haven't noticed her. Unsettling."     To Laine's comment about not knowing where to look for Moonsilver, Psyber snuffs out his cigarette on a rock and muses, "Maybe in a cave. Or underground. Or it could be sap from one of the moon-trees. Maybe the moon is like Canada and its silverstandard is tree sap. Space Canada or something. Everyone keep your eyes open for a Moon Tim Horton's or something."     Normally he'd flick the cigarette but away, but since Psyber knows about Laine's spiritual attachment to the moon and he's not a huge dick, he then crumples the leftover cigarette up and shoves it in his pocket to throw away later. He's still somewhat ill-at-ease on the alien landscape. 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' Riva doesn't seem to quite understand Laine's response, but she nods, smiling regardless. It kind of makes sense. "Well, we'll see what happens! You'd know best!" She says cheerily. When they land on the moon, she looks around with surprise. "Wow, this is amazing! One small step for Heaven or Hell, one giant leap for people who don't know how to walk to the moon!" She cheers, thrusting a hand up into the air in almost a victory pose, before she hops forward through the grassy area, looking up at the birds. "The wildlife is so pretty!" She exclaims, before she sees those green berries. She hums for a moment, and then shrugs as she promptly picks a few of them and absently pops them into her mouth, chowing down. What's the worst that could happen? "Hahahaha, Moon Tim Horton's." Riva laughs in response to Psyber's joking. 

:'''{{#var:759|Valka (759)}} has posed:'''      Valka, from her perch on Cloudchaser's back, looks down and, to be honest, the grin can be seen from up where she is. "I can teach people, if they are interested and don't mind a little work with the dragons." Her attention turns to Psyber and she shifts a little, maintaining her balance as easily as one would on a rolling ship. "Thank you, Mister Psyber. It's taken quite a while to get him to become comfortable around such interesting and varied people but," She bends her knees to scratch behind one of Cloudjumper's horns. "learning the ins and outs of diet and exercise took years. Are the dragons in your world not as...." What is the word? "Harmonious with the people? Do they not get along well?" When Laine stops, though? Valka waves a hand and, with a tap of her foot, the large dragon lands. "Another time."      It hits Valka then, turning and looking the way they came, the bridge stretching back to the blue marble that they all call home. Gods, they're really on the moon. Really and truly. Cloudjumper settles down and looks around, alert, his large yellow eyes moving from place to place, his ears (hidden under frills) working overtime to make sure they're not going to be ambushed and eaten by creatures. He does skitter back at the summoning and rumbling of the titan, alarmed, but a soft word from Valka soothes the dragon. "I...I don't suppose anyone has a pair of sticks we can use as a dowsing rod?" Only thing that she can come up with for the time being. The finger, though? That does get a bit of an odd look. It must be a talisman, for luck. The other things, like that smoky, flaming stick Psyber is sucking on, or Tim Hortons, is kind of left....well...we'll not talk about that just now.      "We should have brought Toph....or a badgermole. They could have found it easily. Probably, if the moon wouldn't mind getting earth bent." 

:'''{{#var:151|Ainsley (151)}} has posed:'''     Ainsley, once she recovers from having her tail tugged by Faruja's overzealous Haste spell and hurrying, stands on Luna's ground and looks around with a look of... disorientation. The whole world just feels different to her, and the birds get a distracted look. While she waits for everyone to gather, she steps over to gather a few berries curiously because they're just THERE. She considers them, and then turns to start hovering toward the mountains. She glances behind to give an uncomfortable frown at Riva and Aoko because of that Moon Cheese nonsense, and a glance at Faruja, in case Titan can sense any caves or pools in the mountains.     Nom. Berries.     "Moonsilver as maple syrup. A funny thought," she remarks, absently, agreeing with Riva's opinion of Psyber's humor without paying much attention to it. 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     "Thank you, Valka." Kyra grins, giving her a double thumbs up without realizing that she might not recognize the meaning of the gesture at all. "I'll do just that in case things get hairy."     Of course, excited to be on the moon, Kyra's happily taking all the sights of the Lunar landscape in. The nice part about her camera stream means she didn't have to fuss with her phone to get pictures. Being the curious person she is looking all around at the plants, eyeing up the berries. "Silver out of a tree like sap. Now THAT would be cool! Riva-" she watches as the older redhead scoops up the berries growing here and pops them into her mouth-actually something Kyra would not blunder into without running a basic poison test first. She takes some of the berries for herself but does not eat them, watching Riva's reaction to them first.     If Riva falls over dead, she probably won't eat them but Kyra will happily save some for later. For science. And poison making. 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     It's a very strange place indeed. Very alien.     Very /alive/.     Setsuko opens her eyes again and looks around briefly, brow furrowed. "I wouldn't know the first thing about finding any kind of ore, I'm afraid, or I'd help. I..." She looks up skyward - earthward? - and makes a thoughtful noise. "...Laine, would it be a bad idea to go flying?" 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     "I think it was a thug. Like, evil henchman criminal sort." Maybe more than one. She was kind of distracted at the time! Oh well. It's not that she doesn't respect the poor people Len must have devoured, but they were kind of attacking civilians and wrecking a place, so past a point you kind of lie in the bed you made. Lay? One of the two. She shrugs.     They are ON THE MOON, though.     Aoko reaches down to grab a fistful of dirt. Dust. Whatever the ground here is. She will stuff it in her pocket, without remorse. No way is she missing out on a spell component like this.     "I have no idea what Moonsilver feels like, sorry. Or I'd try to feel for it. I think I'm just happy tagging along! Hm, maybe I should try bringing Len a moonbird back." On the other hand that'd be a lot of work. Eeeeehn.     "Say, what's the metal for anyway? I missed the briefing." 

:'''{{#var:151|Ainsley (151)}} has posed:'''     "Making a magic mirror that can view the soul," Ainsley tells Aoko with absolutely no other explanation. "Because I want to try it." Besides that. She shrugs at Aoko and smiles lightly.     She might not be telling the whole truth here. 

:'''{{#var:383|Laine (383)}} has posed:'''     Laine glances at Setsuko, then gives a lupine shrug. A moment later she's fluttering in owl form, hooting softly and flying off toward the mountains. She doesn't go far, more just acting as a guide to something someone said, but without comment. A Lupus has never been the sort to be very talkative anyway. She only says something when that distant roar sounds again. <<Is bad to stay long. Things here can hunt. Like the hunt.>> Those familiar with Creation's Luna may... have an idea of why.     Those not eating the berries will rapidly realize that pathways and the like are few and far between... so going to the mountains might have been a good idea. Approaching the foothills is easier, despite the rough terrain, because vegetation is more sparse. With anyone taking to the air, and the extra height of a Titan, it's likely that anything approaching can be seen first, and the eyes in the sky can note the rougher patches to avoid trouble. It doesn't look like many of the animals are large here, at least, though that roar sounds pretty big.     The berries taste a little sour, but not bad. It might be hard to notice the difference at first... but gradually, the area becomes even brighter, as if the earth above were giving off as much light as the sun. It is not immediately evident that the berries make sunlight seem as dim as moonlight. 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     Well, that's as close an answer as any she's going to get. Satisfied, Setsuko looks upwards and lifts off without another word, floating up until she can get a good look at the landscape. Lacking any further direction, she'll follow along with Laine, though higher and a little further back.     She's also not above calling down directions from above, if she can. She's got the superhuman vision to do that, especially from here. Of course, whenever she has a chance, she'll look in the direction of that loud roar - if she can get a glimpse of what's causing it, all the better. 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' Riva hmmms as she munches on a couple berries... And then she looks around with a squint. "Oh, don't worry about it, Kyra!" Riva waves. "If these were bad I'm sure Laine would have said something!" At least she has a foundation for just immediately putting them in her mouth like some kind of adventuring six year old. "It's kind of bright around here." She comments. She takes another bunch of berries and hangs onto them, bouncing them in the palm of her hand as she picks her way through the strangely bright woods. It doesn't seem to quite dawn on her why this is the case. "So, does anyone have any idea of what we're looking for?" She asks, starting to thread her way towards the hilly, mountainous terrtain. "I've got a pickaxe if we need it, but where do we go from here? Just wander around until we find something promising? Not that I'm against that, this place is amazing." She doesn't seem too worried about the apparent hunters here. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber gives a shrug to both Riva and Ainsley, "The Canada parts are obviously a joke, but considering the strange landscape and the weird way Laine's world has always acted, it's possible it will be in some unorthodox location. Tree sap, waterfall, fruit. Could also just be mineral deposits in the ground."     He looks to Valka a moment later, "It's an unfortunate fact that in my world, the vast majority of dragons were overtly evil or harmful to humans. The few surviving ones are neutral or good, but live in hermitage. So they're largely non-present on my home world," He somewhat furrows his brow at this.     Hands in the pocket of his coat, Psyber sets off to walking after the flying owl. The roar causes him to lift his head a bit. He carefully rests a hand on his holster as they go, careful of what that might be. 

:'''{{#var:152|Faruja (152)}} has posed:''' Faruja watches, a little concerned as Riva and Ainsley eat the berries. He peers down from atop Titan. "Be careful ye both." He jangles an antidote he has with him. Other than that? The Burmecian is quiet for the most part, fuelling Titan with magic as the great Esper walks along and hunts for the odd metal that they're after. Faruja squints over to Ainsley, however. "...I /still/ say this is something of a bad idea, mine dear." Cautions the rat like a proper priest. 

:'''{{#var:759|Valka (759)}} has posed:'''      Psyber's comments about his dragons give the red-haired woman a grim expression - her dragons were misunderstood, not evil. She doesn't answer just yet. From Cloudjumper's back, she watches as green berries are sampled, rocks and dirt are pocketed, and Setsuko, without the aid of a dragon, takes flight. She joins the divine-aura-bearing woman on the back of her dragon - after all, three sets of eyes watching for danger are far better than one, and the fact that there's a dragon hovering over the group may end up dissuading anything that may seek to cause them trouble...unless something is actively seeking a challenge.      "We may not have that much time to explore." Valka calls, responding to Riva's suggestion of wandering. "If the bridge home was powered by moonlight, we might want to return before night is over." Falling into space is not something that Valka would like to experience - made more so with the lack of air up there. Not that she knows, but still. 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     Kyra still doesn't eat anything until she sees Riva continuing to live and Ainsley doesn't need immediate medical care. A few moments pass and neither do and Kyra looks relieved. After a few moments, she picks a few more of the berries and slips them into one of the pouches on her belt. One of them gets popped into her mouth to taste.     "Why don't we tap a tree then? You could use your pickaxe, Riva." Kyra suggests, blinking as her eyes seem to accomodate to the new light as an effect from the berries. 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     Aoko has been mostly following! Not eating strange berries. This is UNUSUALLY CONTROLLED for her. Normally she'd stuff her mouth full of strange plantlife if it seemed even remotely like a decent idea. And we're talking very remotely, here.     "Actually, that's a good question, how do you even collect Moonsilver? Like you get regular silver? Geez, we don't have a mining rig. If only we had drilling lasers handy!"     Alas.     "Hey, hey, can we talk to Luna? I want to ask her what she thinks about Gaia. Just curious." Says the completely normal magus with a doom aura that explicitely marks her as an enemy of Gaia. Whoops. 

:'''{{#var:151|Ainsley (151)}} has posed:'''     "That makes sense," Ainsley agrees, smiling mildly over in Psyber's direction. "I was thinking it would collect as a pool, like suggested earlier, perhaps as part of a secluded glade. Maybe it would be easy to track down where it is, or maybe the stuff is sacred to Luna in some way and a local will know where it is." She looks around at a squint, her eyes slowly adjusting to the change. She looks up -- and looks away from the planet that looks like a star. She blinks a few times, and looks down at the berries in her hand.     "I'll call these... moonsight berries," she remarks, "Maybe there's a better name."     She turns her head to look at Faruja, and lets out a pronounced siiigh. "We have been over this," she tells him, gently, "I will be doing a controlled test, there will be people there to help if things get out of hand. I am sure it will be fine." Because nothing bad ever happened when someone looked at their own soul. Nope. 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' "Uhhhhh..." Riva says in response to Kyra's suggestion. "I don't actually know how to properly tap a tree. I don't think that would /actually/ work though." She pauses. "Would it?" She doesn't seem to have any ideas, looking to the smarter and more knowledgable people to perhaps give some kind of direction on what they want her to apply her inventory on, adventure-game style. 

:'''{{#var:759|Valka (759)}} has posed:'''      From her vantage point high above, Valka looks for anything that may resemble metal shining in the earthlight, while Cloudjumper keeps his attention for anything that may cause problems for the people that Valka is currently hanging out with. "Let's worry about finding it before collecting it." Valka calls from on high. "If it's in a tree, easy enough to pull it up by the roots, push it over, burn it down, use whatever metal gizmos or magic we have available. If it's in the ground, Cloudjumper can dig or melt his way to it, though the landscape might be a little singed afterwards." 

:'''{{#var:383|Laine (383)}} has posed:'''     Oh darn, it looks like Laine will have to answer people. But first, the flyers will be looking out for issues... which include the massive rustling of the forest behind. Whatever is out there is heading this way. It's not super fast, but it may make the trip home awkward! There appear to be two major areas of interest. One is a large ledge on the side of a mountain, like a massive an intricate garden.     The other option is what looks like an unnatural cave mouth that is fashioned into a gateway, with pillars on either side. Both are up a treacherous, narrow path, but the garden looks easier to get to... if guarded by massive wolves prowling up and down the trail.     Laine lands atop Cloudjumper and hoots with a faintly angry scowl, but her mental speech flows out a moment later. <<Can ask for Moonsilver, can make Moonsilver. Either.>> So apparently she had options coming here and just... didn't tell anyone. Oops.     Those down on the ground will get some pretty obvious signs of animals moving about. Some are normal, and visible. Others have some truly bizarre tracks. Oddly... none are in the way. Most of the animals seem to be fleeing the area, with barely a glance at the invading humans. 

:'''{{#var:152|Faruja (152)}} has posed:''' Faruja /peers/ right back at his favorite lizard. He doesn't need words. It's his inbuilt paranoia at the Heretical and 'unclean'. It lasts for five seconds, and he flicks his tail. 'Just be careful', his expression screams. Then Faruja's back to scouting atop Titan. "It seems we hath two possible areas, Sers and Dames." Squint! Thankfully Titan's eyesight is far better than Faru's. "A cave, or a mountain-side if Lord Titan is true. ...And both contain guardians it seems. Oh. And we hath a guest behind us." 

:'''{{#var:151|Ainsley (151)}} has posed:'''     Ainsley flits through the air, turning her attention back to where... something is moving through the forest. The creature seems to be moving slowly, but she does notice that it's going to become a problem at the Moon Bridge. She frowns at the thought, and floats in to try to make a landing in plain sight of the wolves, but not close enough for any of them to lunge at her out of reflex. She was told to ask, and so that's what she's going to do.     "I was told there is a material called Moonsilver here," she explains to them, lowering her head respectfully to them. "I am willing to negotiate for some of it, if that is what is being guarded near here, or negotiate for information on where to find it. I am not clear on how rare it is or even what it is..."     Hopefully these massive wolves are intelligent enough to, well, actually reply to her.     "I do not require much, for what it will go into," she assures. 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     "Well we don't know until we try. But I don't know how to do it either." Kyra points out with a sheepish look on her face. She knows tapping a tree involves putting a hole in a tree and then milking it with a pipe. But how to do it correctly...     "-wait, a guest behind us?" Kyra stops in her tracks and whirls to stare into the forest where they came. Slowly, she reaches under her hoodie to produce her needlegun. Then she reaches under her hoodie to start procuring tranquilizer rounds from one of the bandoliers wrapped around her. "Faruja, I think some of us should stick around back here to make sure we don't get snuck up on." she sounds nervous. As if she really, really doesn't want to be the only person doing this. She doesn't go in the woods after it but she does wait, hearing the noises, knowing that whatever it is...     ...it'll catch up with them eventually. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber, feeling Laine capable of handling things on her own terms, lifts up a hand and shouts, "Laine. Hoot or howl if you need me. I'll be around." He notes with a flick of his hand towards the scowling owl. And then he takes to walking.     It's not hard to tell where he's walking, either. He has turned around entirely and is heading back towards whatever is meandering towards them through the woods behind them. He figures there's two ways it can ideally work out: He can catch up with it and if it's hostile he'll fight it. Or he can catch up with it and maybe it's something cool that remembers him from a few years ago. Either way, it gives him something to do. 

:'''{{#var:759|Valka (759)}} has posed:'''      While flying lower, Cloudjumper is boarded by the four-legged leader of the party. Valka looks, pushing her hair out of her face. "How did you get up here?" Valka seems to have been surprised by Laine's dramatic appearance on Cloudjumper's back, the dragon's head swiveling to look at the new weight resting atop him, the woman shuffling slightly to the side to balance the load - an automatic movement when there are multiple riders on the dragon's back. Laine's assertion that she can find moonsilver or make it....that just gets a frown.      "Not that I mind questing for rare and exotic items, Miss Laine, but wouldn't it be wise to do that so we can face whatever is currently causing panic with the local wildlife and, in addition, blocks our return trip to the bridge?" Ainsley plucking one of the wolves up gets an arced eyebrow, as does Kyra's arming herself. She kneels to whisper something to the Dragon who takes in a deep breath, his insides warming up for a potential fracas. "Ready for your lift, Miss Kyra?" Valka and the dragon get low and actually hover near Kyra, wings stirring the air around them, ready to snatch her and burn whatever it is might be there. 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' Ainsley is the reason why they're all here, so Riva follows the Lizardbrarian along. She simply smiles and waves at the wolves. This doesn't mean she doesn't have that giant Ajoran-cross mace on her back potentially ready in case she might need to intercept wolves trying to eat Ainsley, but for now she's super friendly! Ish. "Do wolves even speak English?" She asides quietly to Ainsley. 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     Psyber decides to just go right off in the woods to confront the mysterious stalker instead of waiting for it. Kyra starts after him when Valka calls out to her from above. "Actually, yes, that would be a good idea." Unzipping the front of her hoodie gives her better access to her materials and holsters so she can stow her needlegun again for a second. 

:'''{{#var:151|Ainsley (151)}} has posed:'''     Ainsley turns to look at Riva and raises her brows in silent thought. Then she just shrugs at Riva. "I figured the translation effect would kick in," she remarks, "It usually does. I can work around it, if not." She smiles confidently on that front. 

:'''{{#var:383|Laine (383)}} has posed:'''     So Ainsley makes the choice for people! That's fine. The wolves whirl about, but when Ainsley immediately makes overtures for negotiation and the like, it becomes a little easier. There is the problem of the language barrier, though! Or is there?     Okay, yes, there is. Sort of. Those of the group who have some kind of 'spirit sight' or have eaten the berries will see the wolves more clearly. Others will see them as ephemeral wolves, shimmering and not quite there. None of them say anything, but those who follow Ainsley will find the wolves wait for them before turning around and padding upward, escorting the group into the garden. We'll get to the garden in a moment.     Those who stay behind with Psyber will hear creaking and rustling, then a louder roar! A few minutes later, a large /dragon/ crashes out from the forest, shaking itself and stretching wings. It appears to be a western dragon, sky blue in color, and not anything like the sort of being that's normally in Laine's world.     It coughs, then lifts a pair of broken spectacles up toward its muzzle to squint through them at the humans. "Ah, pardon me. I keep missing the bridge. Been stuck here dreadfully long, you know. Can anyone direct me toward the bridge? If my calculations are correct, it should be manifesting again tonight." 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' Yay! Negotiation works! Riva looks to the wolves and then to Ainsly, nodding happily. "Hey, this is working out well! Maybe everything will go smoothly!" Hope springs eternal. 

:'''{{#var:383|Laine (383)}} has posed:'''     Faruja should probably dismount the titan for this. Those going into the garden will find it... wild, overgrown. Any botanist will see many extinct species of earthen flora, and many new ones, all crawling over everything. Nonetheless, there is a path inward, leading to a clear glade with... nobody in it.     Except that somehow, the thoughts still form. It's as if remembering a conversation, only in real time. A being, not manifest but feminine in nature, requests to know who everyone is, and why they need this precious material. 

:'''{{#var:152|Faruja (152)}} has posed:''' There's a swift nod to Kyra! But before the rat can coax Titan into a rear-guard position, Psyber is off running! Faruja grips his cross. "Ye better remain /alive/, Ser Psyber! Someone must file the paperwork for all of this!" When in doubt, encourage survival through beauracracy. Faru dismounts Titan, and desummons him. Faruja calls upon all of his oratory skill, and bows. "Blessings, mine dear Lady! Inquisitor Faruja Senra...ahh, but let us skip titles." Faruja, can, actually be self-aware sometimes. "Quite simply put, we wish to construct a mirror to peer into our own souls. We require the mineral for such a craft. Best to ensure purity through self-contemplation, mm? Shall ye allow such a thing, dear guardian?" 

:'''{{#var:151|Ainsley (151)}} has posed:'''     Ainsley follows up to the glade, happy to be guided up there and through the plant life, taking note of the exotic species in particular. She is quite delighted upon seeing all of it... when she steps into there, and a force just... impresses upon her its words with a manifest sensation, she finds a place to sit at a kneel before giving her answer. She glances at Faruja, and then around the empty glade. Her eyes lid shut.     "I am Ainsley, though that is not my true name." She opens her eyes, and smiles into the air, focusing on something she can't really see in front of her. "The Moonsilver is a component, part of four different components to make the mirror. It is an ideal material for this. This tool could provide a level of insight that mortal creatures crave more than any other physical possession in the world."     "I am willing to work for it," she says, "To trade or to convince you. I had a hunch that it would be sacred to this world... to you, so I had no intention of stealing it."     Honesty is the best policy. She indirectly said her real reasons for it somewhere in there, so she definitely isn't lying. And she wants to be cooperative. 

:'''{{#var:759|Valka (759)}} has posed:'''      Cloudjumper is ready, already flaring out his frills, his wings beating the air. Thing is, when another dragon makes an appearance, the Stormchaser (breed of dragon, y'see) looks rather surprised, more at the talking than at the actual sight of a spectacled dragon. And it has been a night of surprises, hasn't it? Valka nudges Cloudchaser and, obediently, he settles to the ground, Valka sliding off his back with a practiced movement. Approaching the dragon, she bows lowly, one knee to the ground, arms outstretched before straightening, her staff held close, but not threatening in the least. "It has manifested, sir. We'll be going back there shortly, if you'd care to wait for a few moments for us to finish our...um...mission."      Go go, diplomatic Dragon-lady! 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber boredly waves his hand at Faruja, dismissing the comment as if him dying her not a feasibility.     As the dragon comes out of the forest, Psyber has several thoughts go through his head. 'Huh, a dragon' is one of them. Another is 'I wonder if I can teach Laine to turn into a dragon'. And finally 'Oh, it's lost."     "Yes, as my companions said, we will be returning shortly. If you wish to accompany us, we can help you find the proper location. It must have been very inconvenient." 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' The garden is beautiful. Riva picks her way through it carefully (figuratively, not literally), making sure to not harm the rare plantlife. She doesn't really recognize it, but she's never seen such a riot of color and natural beauty in some time. It feels... wrong to mess with it. Unlike those berries. Berries exist to be eaten. Mmm, berries. "Hello!" Riva says brightly to the unknown presence. "I am Riva Banari! It's nice to meet you. I never thought I would be getting a chance to speak with you like this." She is cheery as ever, it seems. "I'm sorry to interrupt your work. This is a wonderful place." 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     Kyra does just that when presented the opportunity to climb onto Cloudjumper's back. Of course, she is excited by this since dragons are rare and secretive creatures on her world. Meeting others was always a special delight to the white mage. She starts to reach for the CURE-ALL, expecting the need to support Psyber against a mysterious, deadly creature!     But it turns out to be another dragon-a lost dragon. Though Valka dismounts, Kyra remains on Cloudjumper's back. Cheerfully, she waves to the dragon, the creature's question answered by Valka and Psyber. 

:'''{{#var:383|Laine (383)}} has posed:'''     "Oh... oh really?" The dragon replies. He squints, trying to line up his spectacles. "I know it's around here somewhere. Hmph. Rather... trying little place. Relax in the frontier, get away for a little while, he said. Really now. Though I suppose not bringing a spare was my own fault. Really, I don't think the frontier life is for me. This 'thrill of the hunt' thing just isn't my sort of... oh hello there."     Looks like the 'beast' has finally noticed Cloudjumper and by extension, taking a better look at the others. "Hmm. Not one of ours, for sure. Not magical enough. Still, nice to see visitors. Don't see many of those around here, especially from other worlds. Eheh... bit of a hard to reach spot for most, I guess. And the giant wolves discourage casual mapping. Much appreciated if you'd show me the way." He squints at Psyber. "You look familiar..." But otherwise he lowers his head, sniffing and peering at the others in turn, if Valka or Kyra wants to get friendly. 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     "Setsuko Kaminagi," the demigod answers to the unseen presence, as her feet touch down on the edge of the glade. She speaks aloud, but answers with her heart as much as with her voice. "I have come to see the beauty of the Moon, and to keep Ainsley safe from danger." 

:'''{{#var:759|Valka (759)}} has posed:'''      Valka is the friendly sort. Even with the dragon that talks, she lets him sniff and peer at her all he wants - after all, it's kind of the thing she does. "I can honestly sympathize with your plight. I've only just become aware of the multiverse and, even now, it's a lot to take in." Cloudchaser rumbles, settling down with Kyra on his back, watching the dragon and Valka have what seems to be, for all intents and purposes, a civilized conversation. "I do not see that being a problem but, like I said, our companions need to complete their mission or, at least, figure out where to go next before we can leave." 

:'''{{#var:383|Laine (383)}} has posed:'''     The impression that Ainsley and Riva and Faruja get is one of whimsical laughter. Apparently Luna is in a good mood, of late. Playful. Yet the impressions she passes on through that odd means of communication is curious, at the same time. There's the impression of consideration, along with wariness... though more FOR the group than anything else.     There's the distinct impression that Luna actually LIKES Ainsley, in some way, and has a vaguely positive opinion of Riva. Faruja's impression is more complex, as if uncertain and wary. And Setsuko... is like a fascination to Luna, that presence moving in, then out, as if afraid to touch but staring.     Finally, the 'request' comes through. A tale or concept of each traveller's world is all she will ask today. A brief image of burning pillars, of shrieking and then disintegrating vampires, of the light of the sun blazing across a dusty, dead moon, then of a shimmering mirror. Luna remembers the end of the last Age, and that some of those walking upon her aided. 

:'''{{#var:151|Ainsley (151)}} has posed:'''     Ainsley smiles peacefully when Luna seems to approve of her, shutting her eyes bashfully for a moment. She tries to fight the urge to blush, the weight of such a being approving of her is much more than she's used to hearing. She opens her eyes and looks around at the plant life, considering for a while. She thinks, and her smile slowly starts to fade.     "There once was a prince who only wanted to be acknowledged by his family," she begins, in a soft tone of voice. "Even in his youth, his was wrathful and stubborn, and his decisions eventually alienated him from his family, forever separating him from any chance of becoming a king. He became a general of his family's army, trying to find their approval that way, but they feared him, feared his wrath and eventually they feared how effective he was at conquest. He would never get his name back, and slowly fell to madness, losing anything that he once was. His name, his identity, his hope. And just when he would have destroyed a people who did not deserve it, after helping to cripple their home... Someone stopped him."     "He would never be acknowledged as a prince or a king again, his anger having long since burned that all away. The only thing left was his desire to fight, and his desire to die fighting."     "So that is what I gave to him... And to this day I wonder if it was better for me to do it, someone who at least understood why it needed to be done, and would mourn what had happened to him. Or if it would have been better to try to save him, despite what he became."     She smiles gently after that. "He doesn't have to suffer anymore." 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' Riva nods, happily. "I'll be happy to help!" She says, and then closes her eyes. They want a concept? Riva can supply a concept. But Luna has been speaking to them wordlessly, and Riva is going to try to supply it to the same way. It feels the most pure that way. In her mind, she builds the idea: A vast, seemingly infinite empty space shining with golden light, Within it, a great Tree twists and wends, branches forming pathways and platforms. Pools of space and time twist and shimmer, the great Tree spanning places and times across the world while great clockwork keepers move among the branches, protecting the great Tree from threats. The air is heavy with the scent of life and honey, the faint sound of innumerable bees always audible in the distancezzzz- a thousand buzzing voices drip sweet, burning, liquid knowledge, bubbling to the urface of the mindscape from vestigal, hidden places. they overlay each other in a chorus-cipher that boggles the mortal mind. Their wisdom flows so sweet. Taste and see. Agartha's heart is the tree. The wisdom tree. The world tree. The connection between all points. It grew before the First Age, branches and roots burrowing into all possibilities. The pumping blood that is the sap flows in luminescent gold. The tree is the divine bio-tech computer, her palpitating hand. Come see the immaculate machine. You know her name. It rests on your tongue, a comforting weight, when you walk in the dark. "Gaia." She called you. She woke you from your somnambulist life. She filled your brainpan with anima, which flows from agartha, from the Tree. She gave you strength to rend the lion and eat its honeyed entrails. You are the anti-body. The sickness spreads, and you must keep running. Riva's eyes fly open with a gasp and she staggers, holding a hand to her head as she almost falls over, breathing heavily as her heart pounds in her chest. But she seems all right. Ish. A moment of revelation is not always pleasant. 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     As if sensing the indecision, Setsuko closes her eyes, and allows herself just a faint smile. "It's alright. I don't mind." If Luna is curious about her, the least the demigod can do is let Her investigate on Her home turf.     And a tale is requested. So the demigod indulges, and sinks into memory.     A snowy, desolate canyon. Light, just starting to creep in from the slow approach of sunrise. A desperate battle, fought between a small and well-trained mercenary group and a much larger army. Swords, spears, bows and arrows, traps, tactics. The small mercenary group bleeds, giving ground, but also demands a price of blood for each foot given. They fight to protect a village. The enemy fights, quite literally, for the sake of ending the swordswoman. They do not care how many of them fall.     The sun rises. The battle rages on. Men and women die. Setsuko is the last. Even in the end, they fear her. She drops to her knees, and they keep their distance. She collapses, and they look between each other hesitantly. Her world fades to black. And then a distant blue light calls to her. Offers her a chance to rise again, to claim vengeance for past wrongs. She takes it. She stands again, reborn as neither human nor god. With just herself and her blade, she turns back the army and ensures the safety of a people.     'My world is not a kind one. There is much injustice and cruelty in it, and my hands are not clean. But I strive to hold myself and my blade to a high standard. And some day, I hope to set things right. To make life for those in my homeland just a little less cruel.' 

:'''{{#var:152|Faruja (152)}} has posed:''' Complicated. That /feeling/ alone is enough to have Faruja chuckling bitterly. So many strange beings, holy and heretical, has the rodent come across. Some have ended allies, others enemies. Faruja gives the smile of the long suffering, a priest amidst conflicting forces of absolute faith and the contradictions of worlds far beyond himself. The inner light of a good person flares, and the inner conflict of a battered zealot flares in his eye as he gazes at the creature that inhabits the garden. It's story time. Faruja's features soften. He has a /ton/ of those. Hands reach wide imploringly. "Listen ye well! To the story of Disciple Joseph! The third of Saint Ajora's disciples. He was born a simple man, the son of a merchant in olde Goug. His was a quiet life, of coin and food traded equally. He learned his craft quietly, until one day, the great Saint himself stood upon his Father's doorstep." "Joseph's Father thrice denied the Saint! You have no coin, you have no birthright of nobility, you have no goods upon the market! AWay, you useless clod! Joseph saw this man, the Saint in the clothes of a beggar, and took pity!" At night he came, and took hold of the Saint's dirty cloak and said, "Take shelter in the hay of our stables! And take with you my blanket, for winter is nigh! For I love my Father, and obey. But he has not denied you the stables, and I would not have a traveller to freeze!" Faruja takes a breath. "The Saint lived, for this simple act of mercy. Betrayal of his Father never considered, and yet cunning he held to help the traveller unknown, didst the good Disciple Joseph hold! The great Saint Ajora took the young man into his flock for this deed, offering up the Stone of kindness and cunning upon him. Forever more would the Disciple be he of holiness and bearer of the law so twisted in mortal minds." A bow at the performance, and Faruja straightens. 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     Likewise, Kyra gets really still when the other dragon comes over to curiously investigate them. After some sniffling, Kyra waves at the other dragon cheerfully. "We can all go back togeher so you won't be lost here for any longer. Don't worry!" Still cheerful, she leans forward while on Cloudjumper's back, seemingly at home there now. "So do you have a name? Mine's Kyra Hyral. That's Psyber, that's Valka, and this is Cloudjumper." she goes right ahead to introduce everyone for them. 

:'''{{#var:383|Laine (383)}} has posed:'''     Luna cares not about the truth or fiction of a story, only that it is about other realms, other places, other dreams and situations. That strange presence seems to laugh at each tale, no matter how serious, but it becomes clear that she is interested because of one facet only.     Luna embodies change.     She recognizes allies of those who helped ease her into a new age, who helped prevent her own death. Thus the 'cheap' price of this, and the resultant shard that shimmers into being upon the ground.     Yes, shard. It's rather large, capable of being cut into a proper shape or melted down. It's a fragment of the mirror used to kill Tzimisce, now shining brightly with a layer of silvery metal brighter than silver itself. A faint warning is given that misuse of this will lead to a Chosen. Whatever that means. 

:'''{{#var:383|Laine (383)}} has posed:'''     The dragon nods quickly. "Yes, yes! A pleasure, a pleasure. You'll pardon me, I'm not really used to... being me! It's been what, a year? Sometimes I wonder if this is the right me. You can call me Fred! No, wait... don't call me Fred. That is a nickname that he calls me." Nodnod.     "Right! The Fantastical Reader Eternal in Dreams, that is me. A bit of a flowery name, but I do like it. Pleasure meeting you all, you should stop by and visit! In the Rogue Land, we pass by the Spire every month or so. Appreciate the help, very much. I'm making a library!"     He'll continue to ramble. 

:'''{{#var:151|Ainsley (151)}} has posed:'''     Ainsley gently picks up the shard of Moonsilver, regarding it with a gentle appreciation. "Thank you very much," she says to Luna, glowing with appreciation at her generosity. Then she looks to the others and breathes a soft sigh.     "Let's go home."     She stands up, and does a little curtsey to the air, with a bow of her head. "Thank you for you time." And then she turns to leave, humming the Moonlight Sonata to herself gently, just for how appropriate it is. Maybe Luna would like hearing it. Maybe it's just to express her good mood at not running into any huge obstacles in the process.     "This will work perfectly. I wonder what a Chosen is...?" she murmurs to herself. Not that it matters, she thinks, because she doesn't plan on misusing it. 

:'''{{#var:152|Faruja (152)}} has posed:''' Faruja Senra /shudders/ at the worning. At the same time, his zealous heart leaps in fury. Teeth grit. It's like he's deciding whether he should summon Bahamut, or offer teatime to the being in their general area. Complicated. Well, Luna was right about that bit. "...Until next we meet, dear Lady." Ye filthy bloody Heretical garbage. Hmph! Then he's after Ainsley. "Best to forget such things. 'Tis the words of a spirit. Naught more." Riiiiiight. 

:'''{{#var:151|Ainsley (151)}} has posed:'''     "Oh hush," Ainsley tells Faruja, frowning over at him, "When you speak to the spirit of an entire celestial body, it is best to heed her words. Being rude to her is like being rude to Bahamut," and then she shrugs at Faruja. 

}}

2244/It's Like a Job Interview

2015-05-20T05:29:50Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/05/14 |Location=Boston-666 |Synopsis=Psyber meets Mordred about appropriate outlets for aggression. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=12, 253 |Tiny..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/05/14
|Location=Boston-666
|Synopsis=Psyber meets Mordred about appropriate outlets for aggression.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=12, 253
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     What could Psyber possibly want with Mordred?     Knowing Psyber's general nature, it's probably just to hang out and chat or something. The meeting place for the two of them is fairly mundane. Due to the onset of Summer, the sun is going down later and later. Right now, it's just at Sunset on the piers around Boston Harbor. Some of the food stands are closing for the night, while others are opening. There's a pretty decent spread of food if Mordred wants to pick up a bite.     The piers are actually pretty bustling with tourists and the view would make it almost seem romantic if Mordred and Psyber weren't almost totally platonic in every interaction they've ever had. The half-angel is kinda walking the length of the pier over and over, up and down it as he thinks and smokes a cigarette. 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     The player having no idea where they're staying right now, this pose will omit mentions of Mordred's current life arrangements and prior occupations before showing up.     The Servant appears at the harbor, forming out of red and blue wisps of magic in the air. She's wearing a pair of jeans, with a white shirt and that cool jacket Psyber got her. That one isn't going to go out of style anytime soon.     "So what, are we taking a boat."     Why say hi when you can get to the point. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "No," Psyber answers sarcastically, "I'm out here to ask you to marry me."     "I wanted to see how you've been. It's been a long couple months and I had to cut off our social contact while Nathan was having a meltdown," Psyber comments, putting his hands in his pockets and looking over to Mordred, "So now that shit's calmed itself the fuck down, I'm trying to re-open communication. Figure out how you've been doing." 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     "Oh, you know. My house burned. Coulda killed the cause but my master was like noooo we need him alive, don't shank him. That was a thing." Mordred shrugs. "She's taking it weird. Talking to herself a lot, sorta. Not bad self-talking, just... schemer self-talking. Said she'd send your BFF a copy of all her plans or something. Might already have, I don't intercept the outgoing mail."     Too much work.     Especially all those ban appeal requests for video games.     "So what, we're just going to hang out on the piers? I mean the view's nice but this ain't prime excitement." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I appreciate you not killing him," Psyber says in a somewhat honest tone, looking sideways to Mordred, "Despite the Shajem of Rage inside you, or perhaps because of it, you have become less Violent in recent months." Psyber replies in an even voice, looking over to Mordred.     "I know she's planning, though. I'm not allowed to know most of it, but whatever it is I guess I'm going to back her play when it comes down to it," His hands go to his pockets, "Anyway, I did have a thing I called you here for."     He points over towards an 8 foot tall werewolf, "That guy owes me 800 bucks. Said if I wanted the money, I had to take it from him." He kinda trails off the statement there. 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     "Yeah well when you have an angry thing inside you always asking to be let out to play I guess you learn to not let it do what it wants. It's not like I wanted to change." Tsun tsun? CLOSE ENOUGH. Mordred huffs, crosses her arms and glances away.     "Anyway, she'll probably let you in on it, she kinda promised an integral copy of her plans with some sort of key to reading it all? I dunno. Gotta ask her, not me." Communication's not overflowing these days, anyway.     Psyber's matter causes the Servant to grin and regain her composure, at least. "Oh, is that the second part of your proposal? Asking me to beat up a guy? You shouldn't have." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "That was to Nathan, not to me," Psyber says in a serious tone. He knows Elliana well enough to know there's parts he won't be in on. Plus she told him that some parts were going to be a secret and were going to hurt him.     He looks over to Mordred, "Anyway, yeah, I guess. I don't disagree with the use of force or with violence as a solution, when applied to appropriate situations or contructive outlets. Boxing... roughing that guy up a little to get me some money he owes..." He waves a hand vaguely.     "If you do it right, with enough restraint, you can have a little violence and get that job done. An exercise in letting go while still holding back." 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     "Yeah, yeah, I know the song and dance. Dead men pay no taxes. Though, dead men can't stop you from raiding their house. Just sayin'." With this factual history lesson on the table, the Servant gives a wide shrug. "But, I get it, just a bit rough. I can do a bit rough. Who's this guy and what does he do?"     Inwardly she hopes 'he's tough and defends himself' is in there, because it's easier to justify 'not being gentle' if the guy is actually putting up a threatening fight. But if he doesn't, oh well, stick to the plan for once. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Normally, I get work from a lot of people for mundane stuff," Psyber says, teasing Mordred a bit with it being boring before he adds, "But that guy? He's a bouncer at a local club. Takes care of rough guys that start fights in bars. Hired me to serve his ex-girlfriend, a succubus, with a restraining order. Magic eyes, couldn't break up with her."     Psyber slaps Mordred on the back, "You get my 800 bucks, and two hundred of it is yours." He grins widely. This might be a test. 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     "Mystic Eyes, yeah, huge pain in the ass. Thank god for Magic Resistance." She does know her basics. Her mother was an alchemist slash magus, she spent time with freaking Merlin, and let's face it the days of Camelot were days of dealing with magical bullshit all the time. Oddly, especially around lakes. Something about lakes. Never really got it.     "Sure, seems easy enough. And more exciting than boxing. So where's this guy live? I take it not far from here or you'd have called me somewhere better." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Haha, actually." Psyber points to the werewolf again, "He works at that bar a couple buildings down. He just picked up his pay and was gonna go buy some stuff. Figured you could just intercept him on the pier~," Psyber grins to her, looking over at the servant chipperly. It's an almost perfect arrangement of situation, but then again, Psyber runs a huge business so it's not infeasible.     "I figure, if you can do something like this. Collect bills from deadbeats that wanna threaten me, instead of pay or negotiate a payment plan, I can get Elliana to vouch and maybe put you on payroll. Get you a productive social circle of not sociopaths." 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     "Oh. That's unusually convenient, sure."     Mordred will not question an easy job.     "Got a picture? Wait, hang on. You want to pay me to beat up people who owe you money? WAIT. No. That's not the part I want to object to. I think it's the sociopath one." She considers. Lifts a hand, lifts two fingers up. Touches one, muses. Touches the other, muses.     "Yes, it's the sociopath one. No. The productive one."     Damnit.     "Fuck you I'm questioning all the things, there." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Your master is a woman who, for all I do adore her as one of my best friends, had to progressively learn human interaction at a genuine level over a four year period," He points out, thinking it over, "You are in a faction in part led a woman who attempted to kidnap a seventeen year old girl to hold her hostage because negotiations were too hard."     "I'm not saying the Union is full of winners, but the Feds are kinda," He wobbles his hand, "I'm also not trying to get you to LEAVE the Confederacy. But I know you wanna start getting back in with the Round Table, right? Having some alternative social contacts outside the Feds might be good for you."     He holds out his arm to her, "Here. If I upset you, you can slug me in the arm to make up for it." 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     Mordred considers punching Psyber.     And then she just sort of lowers her hand.     "Yeah okay I can't argue that. Your general is a ticking timebomb though, don't you go writing that off. And you know, I'm not sure Dun Realtai's such a good idea. No 'ffense to Father, but... he's welcoming people with less than noble intentions in his ranks. Bad shit's gonna happen, and it won't be my fault this time."     But, obligations. She can't say more than that.     "'nyway, you got a picture of this guy I have to slug? Or a description?" It might help! Or she could start slugging people at random. That's fine too. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber walks along with Mordred for a bit, "Nathan's a time bomb. And he almost killed one of my best friends." He agrees with Mordred, "I can hope we defused it for now."     "Dun Realtai is good in spirit," Psyber says, leaving the statement at that, "I will not speak out against Bedivere or your father, for all I dislike some of its regular residents." Loros, mostly. Others.     Psyber fishes out a picture from his jacket and hands it to Mordred. On the front is a big looking guy with a goatee and a shaved head. On the back is a giant furry werewolf. It shouldn't take more than about a couple minutes for Mordred to pick him out. Even without transforming, he's a half-foot taller than Psyber. 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     "I'm not saying they're idiots. I respect Father and... Sir Bedivere's intentions are where it counts. I'm saying our rules, traditions, vows, were not made with the Confederacy in mind. They were made with like-minded people in mind. And this might cost them a lot in the future."     Mordred puts the matter aside as well; tht's that for now.     She takes the picture, looks on both sides. "A werewolf, huh. OK, I can handle that. I bet. Doesn't look like just any other guy either."     Off they go. And finding him is easy!     The five foot tall blonde knight will just walk straight up to the guy, get in his way. "Yo. Got a second, Big McLargeHuge?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber hangs back and watches while Mordred goes to work.     The guy is actually hanging out looking at some tacky knock-off Rolexes being sold at a store. He stops and puts down a watch as Mordred comes over to him.     "For you babe? Sure. You come by the bar where I work later, I can spare you a whole lot of seconds~." He gruffly states, looking down at her. 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     She WAS going to ask nicely.     Was.     Mordred's left hand pulls back, and then just goes straight for a boosted hook. Not enough to kill or cause permanent damage, but then this guy's a werewolf, he can probably take it anyway. Her intent's to floor him-- away from collateral. Not through a store window or anything like that. That'd escalate things needlessly.     "I'm not a babe. Also you owe a dude a thousand dollars." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     The hand connects solidly. To this guy's credit, it's like hitting a solid slab of meat. He'd probably be a mid-20s PL Elite under most circumstances. The hit staggers him back and he grunts, slamming square into the railing of the pier and slumping down against it as he holds his stomach.     "Damn, ow." He grunts, trying to stand up but clearly having had the wind knocked out of him (and probably a couple busted rubs). He looks to Mordred and says, "Ugh, what're you, his muscle? Can't he come get it himself?"     Still, he reaches into his jacket and pulls out an envelope. Taking a stack of cash out of it, he holds it out to her, "Here. A thousand. We're square, right?" 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     "Yeah I guess I am actually. Hadn't thought of it that way. We're square, have a good day!" Polite, no hassle. No more blows while he's down. She'll count the money to be sure, but she's going to respect the 'restraint' part of the deal. This is a BIT more fun than just killing, anyway.     Assuming he doesn't come after her, she'll get back to Psyber, and briefly rub her hand. She wouldn't show it to that werewolf's face but that actually hurt her knuckles. Coulda been worse, he could have bitten or claws her, at least.     "Here, eight hundred. Already got my cut." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Hey see, look? You refined the fee. If I have to send you after people, they pay 25 percent over the original cost," The half-angel comments chipperly as she hands him the cash. It was all there and she made a clean couple hundred dollars.     "If you want the job, it's yours. Couple conditions, though. Get Elliana to sign on board with the idea of you working for me, that's the first one," And then he looks at her seriously, "Second one is this: Swear to me on... I dunno, something that will invoke your knightly honor. That you won't betray or leak secrets from my office, that is." 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     Well, it was just twenty percent.     But if Psyber's giving her a five percent raise on her first day of work she's not going to argue with THAT rate. The more serious questions though, she hrms thoughtfully.     "I'm in. Uh. I'll ask master, sure? That second one, though. Well, I think any Confed stupid enough to ask someone to betray you is gonna end up in a world of pain and truths regardless, but if it makes you feel better, I swear on my master's life that I won't betray your office as an entity. Can't promise ya anything about you. No more than master can. Long as you understand factional work's business and nothin' personal. But I'll turn down anything that comes down to attacking yer place. Pretty sure that's how master already operates anyway."     The amount of times Elliana could have struck out and didn't probably speaks for itself there. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Swearing on Elliana's life? That will work for me, yeah," Psyber says in a serious tone. No need to really handshake on it or anything, if she's giving her words like that, "But yeah, business is business. I just try to keep my office a neutral ground. You'll probably get the same kind of restricted access she has, eventually. After a probation period of a month or something."     He rubs his hands together, "Welcome aboard, then." 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     "Sure, sounds fair," Mordred says, nodding, before stuffing the money in her jacket's pocket. She crosses her arms and glances around, hrming.     "I'm hungry, though. Can we stop somewhere, my treat. Buffets only." Fuck all other restaurants and their "reasonable" portion sizes. 

}}

1912/Medical Visit (Serious Discussion Optional)

2015-05-20T05:25:36Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/03/30 |Location=Medbay - Heavily Secured Wing |Synopsis=Psyber and Haruno has a serious talk. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=134, 253 |Tinyplot=..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/03/30
|Location=Medbay - Heavily Secured Wing
|Synopsis=Psyber and Haruno has a serious talk.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=134, 253
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Despite recent disagreements and arguments, Haruno was still listed under medical files as one of Psyber's two Primary Care Physicians. Since Laine was out chasing birds in the park, and rarely did duty in the medical station, Haruno was called in to check on a patient whose file she was named in who had dropped into the wing randomly.     And that's how we're here: Psyber is hanging out in an exam room with his right pantleg rolled up to his knee and some bloody bandages around one of his calves. He'd been nursing the wound for two days and it wasn't healing quite as fast as he'd like. Plus it gave him a good enough reason to drop in and surprise the ever-elusive medic. 

:'''{{#var:134|Sakura Haruno (134)}} has posed:'''     Not that Sakura was in Njorun proper all that often, though in recent weeks it had been rather more than in months prior. Still, it's easy enough to find out when she would be, or just to catch her by luck; once she got there, she usually had to be pushed out the door.     She knows who's in the room before coming in, of course. Files get read, especially ones where ninety plus percent of the history had been written by her to begin with. "What did you do to yourself now?" Is the rather resigned, tired-sounding question from the medic, who as usual looks like she'd seen better days at some point in her life. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Two days ago. Deployment in Mizuki's world. This is going to sound weird, but I got bit by a donut. When it didn't heal after a couple days, I got worried," Of course, with how strung out he's been, his regen outside of fights has just slowed down a bit. It would probably be fine by the end of the week if he didn't exacerbate it (spoilers: He tends to exacerbate it).     "Wanted to make sure it wasn't infected. Plus I had to talk to you about a couple things anyway. Seemed good enough to knock out two things in one sitting." 

:'''{{#var:134|Sakura Haruno (134)}} has posed:'''     "What would you have done if I hadn't been here, then?" She asks, figuring the answer was proably something along the lines of ignoring it. "And I don't know anything about Mizuki's world, but I'm never going there now."     She'll ignore the part about talking to her, rather than make it any easier on him to segue into that, though she'll start unwrapping the bandages to take a look at the wound right away. He may want to talk fast if he wants to finish by the end of the exam. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I dunno. Probably go to a tatoo parlor. Have them tattoo something right on the muscle while it's already exposed." Psyber notes in a wry tone. As she unwraps the bandages on his leg, it's not a very healthy looking wound. It's not INFECTED, but it's pretty obvious he bandaged it himself by the fact that it's all bandage and almost no gauze. The wound is also really deep, not unlike a bite-and-rip sort of wound.     He won't let her block his segue, because if he can't do it smoothly, he'll just do it bluntly, "I'm sorry about some of the stuff I shouted at you a few weeks back. Moving to Dun Realtai wasn't an easy call for you, and I had to right to call you a monster. That was a shitty escalation of our disagreement on my part." 

:'''{{#var:134|Sakura Haruno (134)}} has posed:'''     "You really need to get Laine to look at these when they happen if you're not going to let someone officially with medical do it." Sakura chides, sighing at the look of the wound. "Or learn to bandage properly, or at least clean it out a bit better. It's not infected, at least, so no amputations today." She could fight off virtually any infection, of course, but she might amputate just to teach a valuable lesson in first aid. Her hand will flair up with precisely controlled chakra as she goes to work shutting the wound, not bothering to warn him about the slightly cold feeling it will come with.     "...mm. Well, I can't say I was happy about it, no, but if it was how you felt..." She'll trail off, leaving him to draw his own conclusions, not giving much in those areas. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     When you carry around a graping leg wound for days, a hard chilling sensation from magic healing is a tolerable, and slightly pleasant, change. He's moderately glad she doesn't decide to amputate, "It's not how I actually feel, it's something I said in the heat of the moment. You're not a monster, and I know that, but."     He sighs, "I miss when your teasing used to feel more like friendly ribbing and less like constant attacks. Just last night, it really felt like you were accusing me of drugging Nathan for mind control." He shrugs a bit, "I know I can't change your mind about Elliana or about what I think. But I don't like the open hostility any more, it's too stressful." 

:'''{{#var:134|Sakura Haruno (134)}} has posed:'''     "What else am I supposed to think? Something clearly happened to Hall, because he damn sure didn't just change his mind a hundred and eighty degrees. He doesn't even change his mind five degrees. You may or may not have done it, but there's something obviously, blatently wrong with him, and you don't seem very interested in finding out what it is." Sakura is clearly less worried about clearing the air of all the hostility, and more worried about finding out just what that is, possibly because of the whole coup thing.     In any case, she's moving towards more aggitated, not less, though her chakra remains tightly under control as she works on the wound. "You think I was enjoying the hostility up until this point? That I like feeling chased out of my home by that woman?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "You're right. Something is wrong with him, but it's not a drug," Psyber actually doesn't disagree with Haruno on the front of something being wrong with Nathan, "I think he suffered a nervous break. One second we were arguing, then he lost control of his magic, and then he changed his entire opinion." He keeps the leg pretty still, letting her heal it up, "A psychosomatic injury. He does need help."     Meanwhile, the half-angel also sighs a bit, "No, I don't think you enjoy the hostility. I could make any number of statements about 'that woman' and 'you being chased out', but I'm not going to." He grits his teeth slightly while she works on the injury, "Point is, if we can't agree, I want us to be able to coexist without taking potshots at eachother. We're supposed to be friends." 

:'''{{#var:134|Sakura Haruno (134)}} has posed:'''     "If he had a nervous break, then he needs to be in the hospital, not running the Union. If he didn't, and there's something else affecting his mind, then that needs to be stopped. And given that it seems to be giving everything you or Elliana could want from him, the people with the motives to do that kind of thing are pretty obvious. I'm going to put a salve on this, and you're going to leave it bandaged, or else it's going to rather badly scar."     She'll do as she's just said, in spite of the lack of a transition there, speaking as she does. "Are we still friends, then? Do you have room for friends who aren't on your side with this obsession with trying to redeem her, or will I find myself suddenly completely reversing my thoughts on it if I stay near you? I shouldn't have even the slightest doubts about that last, but.. how can I not?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber looks genuinely wounded. Aside from the genuine wound, he also looks pretty hurt as Haruno re-asserts her accusation towards him, looking down and away from her abruptly, "I wanted to change his mind, not fundamentally alter it, or break it. I don't DO that and Elliana wasn't anywhere near us when it happened. We were just arguing in a mission yesterday and he snapped or something. I didn't do anything more than shout."     He looks back towards her and glares a bit, "I'd like to think we're friends. I've given up on altering your dissenting opinion, and yet am here anyway to make ammends. You've been the one who escalated this disagreement in almost all instances. The most I ever asked from you was to tolerate her existence in a single location. Not agree with it, not... welcome her with open arms. Not change your entire world view." He frowns, "When I gave you a dozen locks for your door, you accused me of keeping keys to invalidate them. When you asked me to consider your viewpoint, and I still disagreed after doing so, you left and claimed I chose her over you."     He looks at her seriously, turning her own question back on her, "Do YOU have room for friends who aren't on YOUR side with your obsession that she's going to kill me?" He adds, "Or do I have to worry about accusations, insults, and berating if I stay near you? I shouldn't have even the slightest doubts about that, but how can I not?" He almost perfectly echoes her words back to her in a serious tone.     He mumbles, "Yeah, bandage the leg. Can I walk on it for ops tonight, or will I need a cane or something?" 

:'''{{#var:134|Sakura Haruno (134)}} has posed:'''     "You shouldn't go on a combat operation tonight, or probably tomorrow. When you ignore me, and you're going to ignore me on it, don't say I didn't tell you so when you end up with a limp for life. A cane would at least look stylish." Sakura adds.     "You think he snapped, and you're just going to let him wonder around and keep going like that? He needs to be in treatment, if that's what's happened, not organizing the Union. But I guess it's just too convenient having him act the way he is for you to help with that. You may not have done it, but you certainly seem to be taking advantage. I don't really see the difference, and there was a time when you wouldn't have, either."     She'll finish with the bandage, then look up, sighing. "You still don't actually understand, I guess. But I moved out. You don't have to stay near me, if it hurts so much, if I'm so intolerable. I still have to look into what happened to Hall, because it's my duty, even if you don't want to grant me that much. It's not like I even like him, or some of how he was acting before, but you have to see why he can't be left like that." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I'm not Nathan Hall's therapist," Psyber says to Haruno, looking dead at her, "And he's not of a rank which I can order him to go to therapy, much as I actually do think he needs it and I do think he's not presently fully capable of objective decision making," As Haruno presses into him, Psyber's tone and vocal patterns sort of detach. He takes an almost Nathan-like pattern of speech, "I have no means to stop him beyond brute force, which would be an inefficient application of both his and my skillsets. It's not about my convenience, it was about impeded Union operations and my inability to mitigate his existing emotional trauma."     "I am not the only one lacking in understanding, though," Psyber says, looking down at her as he moves the leg a bit, "I am here becaues I find your presence tolerable and your friendship to be an emotionally stabilizing factor. You may not immediately notice, but the increased hostility and the tension has caused me substantial interpersonal detriment and duress."     "Despite the duress caused by your hostility, I am endeavoring to make ammends and salvage the relationship we had at one point, because the sustained stress of your insults is vastly outweighed by both your value as an associate and your redeeming qualities as an individual." 

:'''{{#var:134|Sakura Haruno (134)}} has posed:'''     "And have you reported it up the chain, to the people who need to know this?" Flowers finally says, with a sigh. "But no, you and he are going to keep doing this false horseshit. And here you go with it, too, just as bad as him; do you think the rest of us can't tell? These lies don't do anyone any favors. If we can't come to an agreement, if there's nothing we can do except for hurt one another, isn't it better to just blow up and mourn it, rather than pretend everything is okay? I can't live a lie like that. That's the selfish part of why I left; I can't pretend we're all okay, and that we should just mouth things we don't mean to get along and get by until someone gets killed because of it."     "You seem to have learned it from him, too. You never used to do that. Or I couldn't get out of my own head enough to notice it. But I don't like it; it's dishonest, it's wrong, it's not you at all." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber brings his hands up and rubs his face, "Who up the chain? The non-existant Field Marshal or the hibernating, non-present Dragon?" Psyber counters with a bit of annoyance in his voice. Not AT her, but at the situation. He wished he could have just reported it to a boss and been done, but that wasn't an option given to him, "I had no chain. Nathan was the chain. Still is."     "But no, you're right. I didn't used to always be this way. I used to be allowed to relax, but not so much. This is who I had to become to adapt to all the stress," Psyber says pretty bluntly. He scowls, "I miss when it used to be like when I first met you, and I came in to the ER at 2 AM on a Wednesday because my lead pipe hurt."     "I can't change who I am, or my desire to protect people, even the ones others hate. That doesn't mean I want to stop being your friend, but I don't want to stop being Elliana's either. Or Nathan. Or Amalthea, who is confused by the entire thing happening between the three of us." 

:'''{{#var:134|Sakura Haruno (134)}} has posed:'''     "Mmph. Then as his boss in Heaven or Hell." Sakura says, folding her arms under her chest. "But this still just sounds like it's nothing that's going to get better. It's not that you chose her over me, though I believe that if push comes to shove that you would. It's that you don't seem to understand that there are choices at all, or that things and people break if you push them far enough, or that there are actually people who care if you get yourself killed being foolish, whether it's 'redeeming' someone who is actively still on the other side of a war or somehow getting mauled by a pastry. I'm tired of it too - not nearly as tired as I am of that new girl you hired, by the way - but nothing's really changed, has it?"     She'll hand over a jar of a lotion that smells rather strongly of citrus. "Twice a day, this under fresh bandages for the next week. It's structurally healed either way, but if there's a scar the next time I work on your leg, I'm going to know you can't follow even that much of an instruction to help yourself, okay? And I'll try to visit Amalthea. I owe Ariel a present, anyways." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Riva's just... Riva. I guess she feels like you're attacking me or something," Psyber says, watching the doctor as she works. He sets the leg down and still has a slight limp to it, but less pronounced than when he walked into the doctor's office, "I'll put Nathan under a counselor later. I need to get to a mission in the immediate future."     He sighs, looking at the jar in his hands that she gave him, "I understand passive choices. Unspoken choices." He admits to her, gripping it tightly. Not hard enough to break it, but out of a nervous use of his hands. He grits his teeth, "Your friendship means a great deal. I don't have much family, so I don't wish to lose the few people I have I could consider as such. Even if family snipes, they try to always come through for eachother. That's why I can't just give up on our friendship."     In all fairness, while he isn't going to take her advice and stay off it for two days, he'll be on-par with keeping it changed and lotioned. 

:'''{{#var:134|Sakura Haruno (134)}} has posed:'''     "I don't care. If she comes at me again like that, I may show her why there are times and places that I've been feared."     But then he talks about family, and that, there, is the right thing to say at last, and it gets Sakura to pause. "..Mm. Fine, then. If you'll do that, if you really want that... I'll come back. But no more lying to me, no more pretending to not care and acting like some kind of emotionless robot, because I can't take that from you. I really can't. Good luck with the mission, and I'll see you in the office." 

}}

2071/MISSION: Ring of Thorns (2)

2015-05-18T08:43:29Z

Psyber:

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/04/21
|Location=Flotilla Space
|Synopsis=The Starbound Flotilla pursue the Ring of Thorns, an Avian pirate gang, along with a few of their allies... a bit more aggressively, this time.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=7, 42, 320, 343, 428, 571, 626, 672, 673, 711, 750
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
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{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     RING OF THORNS     "THE POULTRY SECTION"     This planet is a frozen hole. A vast expanse of tundra, the rolling snowy plains, make for a hell of a surface to deal with. The Flotilla is all here; though many associates are still sticking to the orbital areas, the Core Fleet and many participants are all heading down to something closer to the surface, a proper engagement distance. Due to the sheer destruction rained upon the Chop Shop, this particular Ring of Thorns base is on a higher alert, with anti-air defenses active, but it should still be fine for an on-foot raid.     Speaking of the base, it's in classic Avian style. Mesoamerican stone-like structures, mayan-esque layout and design, carvings and statues, but there's heavy, large gems apparently in use as power sources and projectile emitters for large stone machines here. It's got all the necessities of a long-term pirate base. Massive hangars, huge residential areas, agricultural centers, and loot storing areas scattered all around. The six CORE FLEET ships, along with the ships of all those who have come along for the raid, are likely all available for the shipless to deploy from, meaning that those aboard can easily teleport themselves to the surface without issue, as long as they're teleporting to around the edge of the large base. For those with heavy-duty vehicles such as Rebecca Kismarin, Albert's even fitted his ship with a sky-drop pod to help her deploy straight to the surface!     "Alright! One more time. We're here for ships. They've stolen 'em, we're stealin' 'em back. But any extra loot, we're gonna be splitting up, so grab /all/ of it you can. Blackout, Kyra, and Zwei managed to steal a ship from them that lead us here, but it was punchy enough that they're gonna be high strung. Can't imagine why!" George's casual, cheerful voice calls out over the inter-ship intercoms. "These guys have loot, they have cash, they have ships, might even be some hostage prisoners needing rescue if you're really into that sort of thing. Most important thing is, get in, smash, grab, and get out. And have some fun! These are just pirates, y'know, not anything wrong with letting off a little steam. Watch out, though, these ones bring out some heavy weaponry."     The ships are closing in now. "Arm up, grab a cold-protection nanoskin or snow infantry gear, and get ready. ETA's a minute tops or somethin'. Jump on a teleport pad and key in the data when you're ready to drop." Speaking of the ships and the teleport pads, those coming here aboard the Starbounder ships will find that they're fairly roomy, wide, and long double-chambered SPARROW-CLASS SHIPS, full of comfortable but secure seating outside the cockpit, as well as a tech station for them to get a nanoskin dispensed from, and a little teleporter pad that should be easy to operate to get down to the surface. 

:'''{{#var:711|Corona Arclite (711)}} has posed:''' This was a big deal. Thieving pirates was right up there with the large scale gangs back home, and that was all the reason Corona needed to join in on the party, meeting with the rest of the Flotilla with her refurbished Novakid spaceship. It's the one that looks like a classic steam locomotive on the ouside, contary to it's insides. More importantly, she decided to bring an extra bit of muscle of her own, and even got two cold weather suits from Moonfin for it. "They ain't the Purple Dragons," she had explained to Rebound, "but they're cut from the same sorta stinky cloth. In space. Ya can beat them up to your heart's content and take their stuff." Once they were suited up she keyed up the teleporter and beamed down to where the rest of the group was meeting on the snowy surface, expecting Rebound to be not far behind her. 

:'''{{#var:571|Alexis Maaka (571)}} has posed:'''     Waiting on the ships, Alexis slams a new magazine and a full power pack into her coilgun, the EM GASH giving an electronic whine as she chambers the rifle. She folds her mask back into place, her armor covered up in cloth and enviroment-regulating modules installed. Taking out pirate groups is something Alexis Maaka's quite amendable to, so she has no objections or questions.     "I got the anti-air defenses, I came prepared." She says, tapping the C4 she brought along for the ride. As she equips a nanoskin in case her suit is damaged, she approaches a teleporter pad, waiting for the go-ahead to hit the ground.     Once coordinates are set into the console, Alexis waits for the teleporter to get her groundside. "Here we go..." 

:'''{{#var:343|Rebecca Kismarin (343)}} has posed:'''      Rebecca respectfully declines any sort of ride in, as the 'Hand of Iapetus' is carrying the Captain's armory. The massive dropship burns into atmo with the rest of the descending vessels, the huge cargo bay doors in the back between the engines splitting open. The cavernous hangar is devoid of any life or crew, the technicians on board having sealed themselves away from the icy chill through airlocks. All that remains is a trio of vehicles. Three HERCs, a quadrupedal Mantis chassis, a slim and gangly Sensei chassis, and dwarfing the two combined, a thick and stocky Apocalypse.      "Signals are green. Life support compensating with thermal shielding. LZ acquired. Dropping in three..."      "Two..."      "One."      For a bunch of bricks, they fly pretty good. The trio of HERCs step out of the dropship as it remains in motion, falling together, microthrusters and gyrostabilizers managing to keep them upright. They land about as hard as thirty, fifty, and one hundred ton bricks would be expected to, sending plumes of frozen ground straight up into the air on impact. Single-use gravity dampeners soften the landing and the HERC's leg flexors do the rest. One by one, they stand, almost a duo of AT-AT's with an AT-ST running by their side. The little one's bunny ear sensor arrays extend and initiate scans from behind the line of the two. 

:'''{{#var:320|Flint Hawke (320)}} has posed:''' ===ABOARD THE BLACK SUN=== Flint and several members of the maintenance crew are all gathered around what is probably the worst looking small vessel that has ever been pulled out of space. It's a small transport wing, meant for quick hauls and courier service between small systems.. Flint is inspecting it and he says, "Nono. It needs to be more on fire. And make it look crappier." "Sir, that's as crappy as she gets. We could slather some burn paste to the hull and then it'll ignite in orbit, though. That'll make her much more fiery," Says a technician with a datapad while the two inspect the ship. Flint nods his head, "Let's go with that." ===FROZEN CRAPSACK PLANET=== A flaming small-transport descends into atmosphere from orbit. It has no subtlety, no espionage, and is actually very LOUDLY broadcasting its existence to the pirate base. Flint Hawke's voice rings out, "Mayday, mayday. This is Juniper's Comet, small systems transport. We just got caught in a solar blast while warping and our systems are fried. We're hauling 20 tons of purified ores that need to get to their processing plants. Please help us." The ship SLAMS into the ground in an impact that would kill almost anyone piloting it on impact. Luckily, the pilot has a Pure based solely on the concept of survival, and so Flint simply lays slumped over the steering wheel, feigning unconsciousness while he waits for the pirates to come investigate the sweet prime target he dropped right on their doorstep. 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     Amongst the Sparrow-class ships of the Flotilla is a Starling-class, which happens to be the very ship that Juno swiped during the commotion at the Chop Shop yesterday. It has a blue and grey exterior, clearly of Hylotl make due to its conspicuous shark-like shape, complete with dorsal fin. The ship itself is also encumbered with thick, woody vines, giving it a gnarled appearance. At first glance it almost looks like one of those oddly-shaped fish that live at the bottom of the ocean where light does not penetrate.     "I know, right?" Kyra laughs over the radio, "Extort someone with nuclear weapons and suddenly they get so serious. Hey Pavo, you know the shot?"     Before they set out, Kyra had met with Pavo and given her a syringe filled with hazy white liquid as a 'gift'.     "You should probably use it before we disembark. It's got some fun buffs in it but more importantly, it's a fast-working vaccine against the flu I made for the other Avians. An Avian flu, if you would! Granted, if you do get sick, it won't kill you but it will give you a very unpleasant time, which you don't need when being shot at."     Additionally, the prior night she had Moonfin and Biteblade help her figure out the controls on the ship. It was pretty painful, actually-it's clear she's never piloted anything before. But she knows where to find the nanoskin dispenser and the teleporter pad now. She hits the first and then the second, arriving all geared up with...well she appears to be carrying two grenade launchers now. The CURE-ALL is on her back, obviously the CURE-ALL because it's shiny and golden. The other appears to be a gas canister launcher, on closer inspection. 

:'''{{#var:750|Rebound (750)}} has posed:'''     "Not sure how I feel about getting my particles all transported, but if it works on Space Heroes I'm sure it'll work here." Rebound says, as she follows Corona back into the teleporter room. Once they hit the surface, she was really shocked with just how...Miserable. She's seen New York in some of the worst winters she's ever encountered. And this beast that by a lot. Thank goodness for the cold weather suit as she hops up to where Corona is.     "Holy hell, I knew this place would be miserable but I didn't think it'd be this bad!" She calls out over the whipping wind, trying to keep close and not lose sight of her vulpine friend in the snow as they look to group up with the others and assault this pirate base. At least she knows a thing or two about assaulting bases. 

:'''{{#var:7|Kotone Yamakawa (7)}} has posed:''' Kotone Yamakawa is making ready to deploy at this point she's got an idea of what she needs to do as she stands on her ship's teleporter. She's clad in a cold weather outfit that's got some very badass snowgoggles which are pulled down over her eyes for now. She make sure eveyrthing is done up and checks her gear before she makes ready to drop in. Her own Sparrow-Class ship the bluenose. She now just waits for it as she gets ready to beam down, all her gear is ready, her optic cameo is set. It's time to get to work at this point. She just waits for the signal to beam down. 

:'''{{#var:673|Rory White (673)}} has posed:'''     Cold-resistant Nanoskin applied and AI helpers primed for emergencies, Rory rides down to the planet on a beam of light. She's wearing all sorts of belts with survival gear. All sorts of weird blobjects dangle from these belts, their purposes unknown at a glance. There's also some some small weapons (railguns, given the cold temperature) and currently dormant Saucer drones.     "Why anyone would setup a base here is anyone's guess. Although there IS an abundant supply of water..." 

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''     After a bit more explanation about the mission, Staren decided not to bring his Sparrow-class and deploy on foot.     Instead, flying alongside Albert's ship is what looks like a slightly bulkier jet fighter, obviously modified for space work. It's like someone took an F-14, added some bulk behind the cockpit, added sleek curves, and coated the whole thing in the kind of reflective armor that tends to show up on worlds with lots of laser weaponry. There are also a half-dozen add-on packs of some sort -- two massive boosters on the top, packs of unclear nature on the side, and two little packs tucked underneath with a missile launcher pack clipped to one. The wing hardpoints each have a pair of missile packs attached.     Staren actually waves from the cockpit, wearing some sort of space flightsuit.     When the dropship opens up, Staren looks at the machines with interest, and whistles at the sight of the Apocalypse. When they drop, armor closes over the cockpit and he dives down ahead of them to draw AA fire, shooting down missiles with his own and, he hopes, moving too fast to avoid taking much damage.     He lands near the HERCs' LZ, his machine slowing down, and then transforming in a blur of tiny moving parts, into a 42-foot-tall humanoid machine with a bit of a fuselage shape to its torso, the packs now on behind its shoulders, on the sides of its legs, and on the back of the forearms.     The head looks around in a surprisingly human motion as Staren tries to appraise the base defenses, especially anything that looks big enough to actually /damage/ his machine or the HERCs, or anything that looks tough enough to require their attention. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Corona keys up the DEFAULT LANDING ZONE, which is at a large hill just outside the base. It provides her a terrain advantage! There aren't alerts going off yet, but it's a short jog to the exterior defenses. It's primarily piratey Avians bundled in cold-weather gear, patroling at stone watchtowers with their ERCHIUS FLINTLOCKS. They're on high alert, but they're currently unfocused with discussion of a DISTRACTION ELSEWHERE. This is a good place to start a breaching advance. The others descending to the default landing zone find the same thing.     There's several types of BASE STRUCTURE to pursue, from the look of it. Environmental, residential, storage areas, hangars, anti-air, communications, and similar are all on display. Where prisoners or similar might be is a mystery that might need solving. Maybe data's stored somewhere? 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Flint knows how to fuck with pirates.     All sensors are focused on the ship incoming as Flint crashes it into outskirts of the base. When he 'comes to' it's going to be with a rather large amount of the Avian forces on top of him. They have not brought any medical tools, and instead they just have a /lot/ of ship disassembly tools. They won't even go to check if he's alive or anything; the hawkish birdlike men and women in piratey outfits just immediately start trying to scavenge his craft around him. This has left portions of the base open for... 

:'''{{#var:711|Corona Arclite (711)}} has posed:'''     "Yeah, this is the middle of fucky'all nowhere. Kinda the point, I reckon," Corona murmurs in response to Rebound as she unslings her main hammer from her back. Is it go time? ... There's Flint making his DYNAMIC CRASH ENTRY. It's go time! The wry fox girl hops over the crest of the hill and starts down the opposite side, her light size and the wide soles of the winter protection suit keeping her from sinking in the snow. As she sprints towards a watch tower she she clamps one hand around the lever built into the breaker's hand-guard, extending it to its full length. As the pulsarium core charges up arcs of plasmatic energy crackle around the hid of the breaker. "KNOCK KNOCK!" As she comes to the gate of the watch tower Corona plants one foot and twists to transfer the momentum into her swing, aiming to slam the plasma energized sledgehammer like weapon right through the gates. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Titanfall goes on elsewhere. Rebecca's squad and Staren land roughly together. The anti-air fire did, spin up, though on a delay due to Flint Hawke's distractions! Staren will find that the blasts are energy rather than missiles, but he'll also find that if he shoots the magnetically-coherent particle packets in the air, they'll get decoherent and explode before impact... At least most of them. The outskirts that they land on allow Rebecca enough time to perform a scan, collated with Staren's data. Both ought to be able to recognize the specs and power of some HEAVY WEAPON PLATFORMS incoming; large bipedal structures with twin guns mounted on them, apparently made out of stone and with a gem-styled cockpit. They also get a solid map of the anti-air defenses for others to use, but not too much else at the moment. 

:'''{{#var:750|Rebound (750)}} has posed:'''     It's generally Rebound's style to go over obstacles, not through them. Still if Corona is going to go through the watch tower's gate, Rebound is going to put her own skills to use. She rusehs forward, just a few steps behind Corona, and when she judges she's at the right point, she kicks off with both feet, sending her sailing up through the air. She's trying to land on the tower's upper levels and, considering the guard there, plant both of her huge feet into him as she comes in for a landing.     It's more like a dropkick than a normal landing, but she'll come down on her back and if she does it right, her opponent will get knocked over the railing and down to the ground below her. Once she's landed she'll kip back up to her feet as quick as she can and move to secure any other guards that may be in the tower as well. And of course secure in this instance means kick them until they stop moving. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Pavo laughs as she takes the syringe! "Aye aye, doc! I'll put ye chems to the test, let's see how they do!" She's already drawing her cutlass and slamming the syringe into her thigh as she prepared to take to the ground, and then shortly after that to the sky! Wherever the Core Fleet intend to deploy, it's not with the main group, but presumably she's going to have a more potent cocktail of buffs working in her body with whatever she does! The Starbounders are all deploying in an independent party, it seems, to deal with another angle of approach; they can be met up with now, or later, based on what people need, it seems. 

:'''{{#var:673|Rory White (673)}} has posed:'''     TACTICAL MAP:     RORY WHITE has established a TACNET through her Mesh Inserts. Anyone with compatible means to transmit and display data that's linked up adds to the data collection for impressive results. Be that some kind of camera or visual recording, sonar data, sound input, anything. No detail is left unanalyzed.     As Rory scans over the distant base with telescopic optics, the external structure gains more detail. Entrances are marked in hilighted green. Avian pirates with weapons out are marked in red tagged with tiny lines showing their kinds of weapons and estimated ammo. (Given this is an unknown, the data for both is 'Rifle?' and '???')     As weapons in use are analyzed, more data pops up. Kotone will get her usual firing arcs over her Augmented Reality, as will Staren - though he probably has them anyways. Otherwise, the main advantage this provides is a map one can glance at over a PDA or something similar.     There's no telling how it'll get once everyone's INSIDE... or anyone manages to get into the security systems!     Rory hurls a Saucer towards the distant base. its flight takes on a life of its own. Assuming it will go unnoticed in the chaos she tries to place it straight over the base and start pegging the entire thing with a combination of electromagnetic and sonar scans. It's a very active and invasive scan that would light up all kinds of every warning sensors ever, but...     Rory doesnt' care. In the wake of all this chaos, she's trailing behind the others trying to get near the base! 

:'''{{#var:320|Flint Hawke (320)}} has posed:''' Flint 'wakes up' and looks around as they disassemble what might be the shittiest configuration of metal ever held together by hopes, dreams, and heat-resistant turbo-adhesives, "Oi oi oi!" He hops out of the cockpit, dressed in his usual outfit. He doesn't look that bothered by the cold, but then again every so often a black shimmer seems to faintly show under his skin as if his body is reinforcing itself against lethal cold. Either way, he looks outwardly angry, "Hey! You can't just disassemble my ship! I have a very important edict here saying you have to help me." Flint takes out a folded sheet of crisp white paper and holds it out to the nearest of the Avians. If taken and unfolded, the sheet of paper has a very minimal amount of text on it, although that text is written in a very artful and professional-looking calligraphy: This is a distraction so you won't notice I'm about to punch you in the throat.     Regards,     Flint Hawke     Freelance Space Enthusiast' And sure enough, as the Avian looks up from reading this paper, a Pure-enforced haymaker will be aimed right at the throat region in a likely-lethal strike. And then the Pirate Captain flicks his wrists and two blasters are in his hands. He unleashes a quick volley on the remaining Avians. If they all die, he sets about to seeing if he can loot their com beads, access cards, and other clearance-related materials. He whistles while he does this. 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     The signs that the "vaccine" is active are immediate. Most visible of the effects is that anyone looking at Pavo will see four Pavos, only one of which is the real one, the other three being illusions. Magic particles intensify around the Avian, solidifying into a Wall spell that will reduce the damage of physical strikes and magical strikes-certain firearms may qualify for the latter here! Finally, Pavo will even feel a little stronger than normal, a temporary attack boost via Bravery.    Groundside, Kyra follows after Corona and the others, far more comfrotable in working with a group. Ultimately, she wants to get inside so she can really wreak some havoc with the biological payloads she's carrying. Outside, dispersal would be pretty poor and not hit enough Avians.     She struggles after the group, her ordinance weighing her down a lot more than usual-but for her, keeping towards the back of the group was always a good thing. Still, she attempts to keep herself busy while catching up and starts to cast a Reflect spell on herself, eager to establish some protection on her against ERCHIUS FLINTLOCKS and LASERS but mostly LASERS. She presses a free hand to her chest and murmurs, only to be met with the feeling she's linked most recently to her magic not functioning as it is supposed to. Those in the local area will hear her swear loudly over it as she pries her glowing hand away from her chest and thrusts it upwards. There is a spark and a shockwave of magic particles that spread out laterally from her hand in a ring of blue light. Getting hit by it doesn't hurt, but...     Overhead a storm immediately starts to brew, rapidly intensifying into a very, very thick blizzard. It approaches whiteout conditions very rapidly and starts to spread from where Kyra stands to the Ground Party's location near the base.     Swearing some more, Kyra chases after Corona, now even more motivated to get inside the base. 

:'''{{#var:571|Alexis Maaka (571)}} has posed:'''     With the larger mecha soaking up most of the attention, Alexis takes this oppertunity to make her way towards the AA platforms. "Mechs...I shoulda seen this one coming." She mutters under her breath, before she begins to make her way closer towards one of the two mobile platforms. An additional teleport from orbit sends her bike groundside, fitted with tires intended for use in arctic enviroments. She makes a leap on the bike as it moves on autopilot, releasing control to her as soon as she hops on.     THe vehicle's tires scream across the ice and snow, leaving tracks in its wake as she closes in on the AA Mecha.     She slings her rifle, instead producing a C4 charge she primes, and as she gets within range, she sets the bike on auto again as she sits up, and pitches the explosive like a softball. As soon as it impacts, the C4 charge will stick to one of the mech's legs before going off almost immediately. 

:'''{{#var:7|Kotone Yamakawa (7)}} has posed:''' Kotone Yamakawa ends up at the landing zone appearing in a pillar of light which rapidly forms into her, and damn it's cold it's really freking cold. She's looking over her hud for a moment as she gets ready to turn on her thermo optic cloak as she gets ready to move out. She's going to head for the communications section hopefully there would be information there for the people who are being held hostage hopefully she can press off fot that and she checks the hudd she's got form Rory and everyone else. <<Look I'm heading to the comm's hopefully there will be informtion there on where anyone they have are being held.>> With that Kotone is moving out with some handy help from the Tac map, 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Corona smashes one of the watchtowers, blasting out a large portion of the solid shut gate nearby in a tremendous blast of force. This now leaves the BASE INTERIOR open, and Corona can rush in and head into further facilities inside! Unfortunately, she'll have had several FLINTLOCK ROUNDS headed her way. The erchius in the powder for this has made them have an outrageous kick to their impacts, though a high reload time. Fortunately, it'll have been interrupted halfway through by someone else, such as... 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Rebound lands on the tower long before Corona destroys its support. The pirate there that was firing rounds at Corona will suddenly be slammed into the dirt, killed or knocked unconscious depending on Rebound's choice of technique, dropping his gun. And then the tower under Rebound is suddenly knocked over! As it collapses, Rebound gets a good opportunity to survey the interior and figure out where she'd like to jump to. Piratey Avian men with guns are patrolling rooftops, but there's a lot of sword-bearing groups in the spaces between structures. She can launch an attack on any of them, to cover any particular person's approach here! 

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''     Oh hey, they have mechs on this world too!     They're awfully small, though...     Plans are made -- The HERCs look big and tough but less agile, so he'll put his speed to use. There's a blur of shifting parts again and the Star Hawk is now in the form of what looks like a plane with arms and legs extending out from under the body. Thrusters in the feet keep it hovering over the ground even at slow speeds -- but it quickly accelerates, the right arm pack opening to reveal a gatling gun that fires a stream of slugs at several times the speed of sound. Staren tries to spray the defending mechs to distract them and put them on the defense before zipping by, flying ahead towards one of the heavy weapons emplacements so he can get a closer look at it, and maybe help the HERCs target a weak point with whatever heavy weaponry they have! 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Rory springs into action! Her weapon analysis gives everyone connected a generalized DODGE BOOST, as well as letting her determine that these flintlock pistols are way more effective than any flintlock pistol should ever be, the mass of the projectiles and speed by which they're fired is more along the lines of what you'd see in some futuristic mass driver weapon! Rory also gets a good MAP of the facility, allowing her to map out DATA LINES as well as PHYSICAL LOCATIONS. This means she'll be able to determine the location of any specific data type or computer system she needs to breach to get done what she wants done here. 

:'''{{#var:750|Rebound (750)}} has posed:'''     Considering her particular fighting style it will be best for Rebound to stick to fighting the guys using the swords. Those guys down below would be the best bet, and so as soon as Corona breaches the tower and sends it falling, Rebound rides the collapsing tower for a few moments before she uses the extra momentum to propel herself off of the tower and towarsd the closest group of sword-wielding bird men.     She has to remind herself that much like Corona, these guys are naturally bird people and not just former humans turned into bird people. Not that either of those will matter much when the hefty kangaroo comes sailing right towards the group. She tucks herself down and tries to land and roll, hopefully bowling over at least one of them as she lands. A quick sweep around with her thick tail to try to take some off of their feet before she rises up and raises her hands, "Alright boys, lets do this." The looks at whichever ones are still standing and motions for them to come attack her. Hopefully they'll be cliche and attack her one at a time. But she doubts they're that predictable. It's not like they're ninjas. 

:'''{{#var:343|Rebecca Kismarin (343)}} has posed:'''      The trio of HERCs move into their positions, a reverse delta formation with the 'point' at the back. The Apocalypse, Jupiter's Hammer, lurches forward as its massive legs make it look like some sort of lumbering giant. It stomps forward, the spinal-mounted cannon angling upwards as the mixed tactical data is fed into its targetting systems. There's a thunderous -BOOM- and a flash of light as the barrel erupts, spewing a huge sphere of energy towards one of the AA emplacements. At the same time, the shoulder launchers begin to expel their payloads as well, locking heavy missiles onto the emplacement's energy signatures.      Somewhat 'smaller', the Mantis-chassis, 'Hellhound', runs interference. With a mix of Staren's proximity to the Avian vehicles and the combined sensor feedback, blasts of lime-green charged ballistics start to pepper the advance. The four top-mounted electro-flechette cannons fire one after the other to suppress and inflict damage to the stone-and-crystal constructs. Behind them, the Usagi remains stationary. Its missile racks open up moments after the Apocalypse's do, though they appear to sail in a long arc over the compound instead of aiming for anything in particular.      Four missiles spread across the sky over the pirate base, dropping small sensor pods, creating a 'net' to further enhance the assault's tactical view, adding to the terrain map and attempting to highlight larger power sources. Like HERC sensors, however, they are still dismally ineffective when it comes to detecting individual humanoid targets... 

:'''{{#var:711|Corona Arclite (711)}} has posed:'''     She didn't necessarily mean to bring the whole tower down, but hey, it's somebody else's structure, so Corona isn't inclined to care about collaterial demolition, either. She's more interested on finding where the goods are stored. Parts and raw materials are typically what's on her agenda. The Avian Pirates have mean attitudes, no morals, and anachronistic pistols that can make physics cry like a bitch. Corona has small size, acute spacial awareness, and a familiarity for this sort of defense breaching combat. Who's going to win? Let's find out! As she comes into the corridor the Avians are whipping out their guns and firing, Corona drops backwards into a slide to avoid taking direct hits from the space-fucking shots. With one hand she pulls a cylinder-loaded gun from her toolbelt and as the avians stop to reload the foxgirl fires in their direction. From the gun sprays a viscous semi-liquid compound that looks like it could be molten run-off from some industrial process, clinging to whatever it comes in contact with and burning down as it turns into a thick caustic mess that makes it difficult to remove. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     The base is lighting up with alerts on a delay due to FLINT HAWKE and his distraction, but the Avians, baffled by the yelling of a dead man, aren't pointing any of their fancy Erchius flintlocks at him, just sort of staring. The leader of them is the one nearest the 'cockpit' of the 'ship', and he's the one that Flint's shoving the paper into the hands of. He reads it, squinting in confusion. And then: SQUAWK-CRUNCH. The man's on his back, dazed and dying, while his men are being gunned down.     One or two manage to go for those Flintlocks and get a shot or two off -- and they have a kick like anti-materiel rounds, christ -- but they all go down eventually, leaving their POWER-CUTLASSES, their ERCHIUS FLINTLOCKS, and their comm beads and the leader's access card up for grabs. 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     Catching up, Kyra is there just in time to see the aftermath of Corona breaking a hole into the base. She can see the back of the foxgirl for a few seconds before she turns a corridor and it's enough for Kyra to scramble suddenly to catch up, diving in as the snow collects on her hood and boots. Stumbling inside, she takes up her gas canister launcher in both hands and presses onward, chasing after Corona.     She doesn't move as quickly, though, looking for handy VENTILATION SYSTEMS she could dump a few of her gas canisters in to release the virus. 

:'''{{#var:673|Rory White (673)}} has posed:'''     The reason that Rory hasn't gone into the base herself is that she doesn't need to. She's tailing after Corona and Rebound though, keeping at a distance and using the snow and ice for cover...     While a tiny robot no bigger than an insect flies after Corona and into the base. Believe it or not, it really does look like a dragonfly! It even flies like one. The tiny wings vibrate at tremendous speed and keep it going in any direction Rory wants.     This tiny robot's a work of nano-art, to say the least.     Lots of people like big mechs. Rory likes SMALL ONES.     Small ones that can hunt down the security camera's and try to jack into one and gain access to the networks to begin hacking.     Assuming these guys HAVE security cameras... if not, anything that looks like it's part of a network will do.     It's also scanning for local wireless frequencies using all of the tech the Core fleet knows might be using that! 

:'''{{#var:320|Flint Hawke (320)}} has posed:''' A couple of those Flintlock rounds catch him clean in the chest, staggering him and blowing huge chunks out of his body. But those wounds bleed an odd black substance and quickly seal shut. The pirate twirls the pistols in his hands and they vanish up his sleeves once more, "Dandy. Just dandy. Thank ya, gents." He bends over and picks all the Flintlocks he can gather, sticking them on various holsters and harnesses inside of his coat. The power cutlasses are left behind, since he already has one of those. But a pirate can always use more flintlocks. The com bead is stuck in his ear and the access card is picked up, "Rawk. We need to protect the leader." He says in a shitty bird accent. "Braaaawk, tell me where he be and I'll get a security detail to him," He adds, walking towards the base at a pretty casual pace despite the ongoing battle around the base. His own goal is a bit loftier, so he'll keep his pace up and let the others soak as much of the attention as they can while he plays the role of Saving the Leader for the moment. As he walks along, he sings to himself, "Fifteen men of the whole ship's list. Dead and bedamned and the rest gone whist. The skipper lay with his nob in gore, where the scullion's axe his cheek had shore, and the scullion he'd been stabbed times four. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Alexis Maaka's bike blasts through the snow, giving her incredibly effective hit and run capacity. Slinging at the robots, she manages to cripple one with a short-delayed blast that she immediately gets clear of! It goes down on one leg, still flailing its gem-guns urgently while its auto-repair tries to get the leg back in working order. If her plan was to salvage one, this ought to work; if she wants to finish it off, she's got complete access to the head now! The others haven't noticed their compatriot going down, and are similarly somewhat vulnerable! 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Slipping in around the broken watchtower, this galaxy's lack of cloaking tech makes itself known again as Kotone is easily and quickly able to avoid any hostilities, despite the fact that Avians on high alert, brandishing swords and pistols, are called into action! She'll need to be careful to not have them slam into her. The communications center, though... It's locked up! If she wants to get in, she'll need some sort of ACCESS CODE! She could try to do a STEALTH TAKEDOWN of one of the Avians, call in help, hack it herself, or any combination, but the big stone door here is solidly stuck shut for the invisible girl. 

:'''{{#var:571|Alexis Maaka (571)}} has posed:'''     Speaking of TItanfall...         Alexis doesn't take long to leap off her bike, sprinting towards the downed mech as she draws her rifle in one hand, and her grapple in the other. Tossing the line up, she climbs to the top of the downed mech, nimbly making her way up until she stops at the canopy itself.     She braces her rifle's muzzle against the joints on one of the gem guns, then fires a long burst until she goes to rip open the hatch, and she'll take out the driver as well with a deft shot or two. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     The chicken-legged mecha are actually pretty good at tanking some of these shots. Though huge holes are blown in them, it seems like they've got enough redundant systems and self-repair mechanisms to keep going, though a second one's knocked down, leaving only two standing. The double crystaline mechanisms that make up the muzzles of one's guns light up, and begin spewing an intense red beam, sweeping around erratically. They're untrained pilots, but their gear's stolen from the clipped council, and it's way more brutally powerful than you'd expect. This one's going after Staren! Though it's going to pursue him -- swiftly LEAPING around! -- towards the base!     Staren finds that everything's wired to those central crystals. Target those, and the anti-air should go down pretty easily... Gonna be TOUGH in this blizzard though! 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Rebecca finds the flechette rounds are fairly ineffective on these mecha, unfortunately. The stone they're made of isn't really stone, and it actually seems like, from the scans, they might not actually involve mechanical parts in the first place. Anti-terrain things may work more effectively! The second standing mecha LEAPS, high! It's trying to fire over the two in the front, knowing enough basic tactical awareness to get at the one at the back!, with its big laserbeam!     Meanwhile, the TACNET is improved by sheer volume, letting the group get awareness of the individual ON-FOOT PIRATE MOVEMENTS. Meanwhile, the heavy blast that impacted one of those anti-air emplacements sends it down. One or two more down and the STARBOUND FLOTILLA will be able to provide airstrikes from above! 

:'''{{#var:7|Kotone Yamakawa (7)}} has posed:''' Kotone Yamakawa has done well to get past them also had she not got inside before that blizzard started? She'd be much easier to spot, thankfully she's weaving in and out of the pirate's ranks as they move past her. She thinks about a take down to get the codes, but that would be an issue she thinks. She makes up her mind to attempt hack the door remotely and get past its security systems if she has ot she'll grab a pirate to hopefuly get the code or call for some help to get past the door. Thinking on that she does ask for some help if she runs into trouble with the door, for now she's going to try to do it on her own. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     The essential equivalent of a napalm gun, Corona's weapon finds a lot of purchase. Everyone here's equipped with a cold-protection nanoskin. NOT a heat-protection nanoskin. Molten substances can take them down pretty swiftly! Corona's managed to deal with the interior area here, meaning she has free access to the inter-structure passages, as well as the basic info listed on walls and suchlike of where exactly things may be. Combined with the tacnet she ought to be able to get to any objective area she likes. The Hangar's the core objective, but various storage areas and suchlike are also available! 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Kyra, meanwhile, can get in behind swiftly. Writhing, scalded Avians are still screaming in here, but they shouldn't be too much problem. Corona has dealt with most of those present here. There is, in fact, a ventilation system! It has to circulate a LOT of heat in here! Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't be able to actually pick locations to flood with the viral agent, but this time, she can, because of the superior tacnet Rory and Rebecca and company have been establishing! It lets her pick specific ventilation shafts that are linked with specific sectors. Where does she want to clear out early? 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Down below it is! The watchtower collapses through the wall of the base, giving Rebound a clear shot to launch at high speed and on top of the pirates with the POWER CUTLASSES from above! Slamming into them, she finds that several are taken down, but those that aren't will prove surprising! Like her, they are focused on VERTICAL MOBILITY! Their hollow bones may be easy for Rebound to snap, but she'll have to contend with the fact that the half-dozen or so in the swarm she's attacked are also bounding up and off a nearby wall, trying to come down on her from above while the few that remain un-dazed after the leg-sweep try to hack at her knees! 

:'''{{#var:711|Corona Arclite (711)}} has posed:''' Corona Arclite ejects the empty canister as she's getting up, pulls a new one from her belt and reloads it, then reslings the weapon on her belt. Looks at the avians (or what remains of them) and makes a quick comment over the comm before stepping over one of the charred remains to examine wall listing. She pulls out her analyzer and uses it to snap a picture of the directory, both for herself and for others. Then she takes off at a sprint down the corridors. The hanger is the main objective, but that doesn't mean she can't stop to check a supply room or two along the way. Because that would be a total waste of time even being there if she didn't. So while she's taking a path to hopefully get to the hanger in a decent amount of time, she's checking anything else she comes across along the way. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Rory will find cameras! Ssss...sort of! Like everything else that's avian and technological, they're made out of some kind of crystal! There's some universal adapters on the gem surface, despite that making no fucking sense whatsoever. There's also wireless! For now, though, she gets in a good position to start any digital breaches she likes. Which may be a good idea to start! Given that Kotone is currently also doing her damndest to breach the communications room. Digital countermeasures are firing off, and Rory can see them clearly with this virtual perspective! 

:'''{{#var:343|Rebecca Kismarin (343)}} has posed:'''      The two front HERCs are forward enough that the Avian mech with its superior flight mechanics and size has no issue whatsoever with targetting the Sensei lurking behind them. The bipedal HERC's 'ears' twitch as the sensors try to account and adjust for the poor weather, the pilot responding a little bit late to the sudden burst of laser fire straight at it.      The Usagi's shield dome flickers and glows an angry shade of neon green as energy licks the edges. The pilot had long since focused the shield facings full forward, the bleed of energy showing where the dome's edge tapers into the weak facings. The sustained blast might just pass through the deflector if it lingers much longer. Arms raise and the shoulder-mounted cannons rotate upwards to target the immediate threat. Geared for point defense, the Quickfire targeter has an easier time of locking on through the snow, especially with the beam of superheated energy drilling a hole in its housing's defenses.      Both of the Sensei's arms erupt with a needle-like stream of charged atomic particle beams while the shoulder turrets unload a torrent of 50mm rounds that rival modern anti-aircraft guns.      Up front, the two heavy hitters redouble their efforts. The Mantis attempts to focus the steady pulse of EF bursts towards crystal components rather than plinking at the stone while the Apocalypse's secondary guns, a trio of 40mm 'sniper' cannons, send volleys towards the next nearest AA emplacement. That Hellfire cannon needs time to cool down, even in the cold.      Far up above, nestled inside of the stormclouds, the Hand of Iapetus holds position, focusing all of its technical efforts on piercing the blizzard and maintaining the tacnet's integrity with the shifting data and battlefield conditions. 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     Considering the options that Rory and Rebecca have fed, Kyra's quick to make a decision on where to deploy the majority of the viral payload. Though risky, she actually splits off from Corona. Of course, given the tacnet she assumes that all the friendlies are being tracked throughout the base as well so if she runs into serious trouble, they'll know where to find her.     Kyra navigates to the prime ventilation shaft that, according to Rory's layout, would circulate air primarily to the COMMUNICATIONS CENTER. Once that goes dead, it's sure to attract even more Avians to check, which meant more victims. /Deaf/ victims. Using the butt of the CURE-ALL (which is far heavier), she breaks the cover off the vent, then aims her gas canister launcher down into it. With four consecutive THUNKS, she fires four vapor-spewing canisters down the vent.     Satisfied, Kyra breaks away, following after Corona's path of destruction, knowing she'll encounter less resistance that way. She does eventually branch off just a little so she can stealthily check on some of the STORAGE AREAS. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Erchius Flintlocks acquired! Long reload time, but they're slim and powerful! The erchius powder in them gives them a brutal kick. Over the radio, though, Flint can hear something very familiar: Pirate chaos. These guys aren't tactically trained, and while they're individually pretty strong, they're not overall a well-trained organization. Which means that his injection of a query is lost in a storm of chaotic and slightly drunk yelling. He gets two responses: First, that the actual leader -- which is to say, Thornwing -- is going to be here within something like half an hour, giving them a harsh sort of time limit. There's also the local leader, and Hawke gets a good idea of where his control room is, around the Residential sectors. Conveniently located on this side of the base! 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     The 'kneeling' mech manages to right itself just as Maaka gets atop it! One of the guns is sputtering and dead though, which is convenient because it tries to point the gun up at Maaka, and instead causes it to break off almost comically. It's slightly less comical when the hatch of the hollow gem that makes up the mech's cockpit is torn off, because despite the Avian going down in a shot or two, it came out swinging with that Power Cutlass and attempts to run Maaka through before taking a few rounds in the chest and slumping, dead. 

:'''{{#var:750|Rebound (750)}} has posed:'''     Holy crap that's a lot of guys. The 'roo tries her best to deflect blows from the sword wielding pirates, but the ones coming from above have to take priority. She takes a slash along her thigh before she grabs one of the aerial assaulters and throws him into the guys attacking on the ground.     She also tries to make sure to grab the sword from him as she throws him, so now she'll have a weapon of her own to fend these guys off with, "Sometimes I really wish I had a gun." She mutters, before she falls back onto her tail and kicks with both legs at two of the pirates. That's enough force to knock over a car that she's directing towards them. The sword also gets swung in a wild arc, trying to either hit somebody or at least keep them back 

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''     Staren shoots the mechs... full of holes?? Wow, he didn't expect it to be /that/ easy!     Oh wait, they're still moving. What the heck, are they some sort of golem?     Staren grumbles to himself. He did the same thing, after all... although the Star Hawk can't fight very well in golem mode.     Also, they can JUMP! They're much more mobile than they looked, apparently, and the beam hits the passing Star Hawk in the underside, leaving a superheated scar of slag across the body. Now, it /is/ a giant robot, so it can take some hits, but it's now apparent that sustained combat will be... problematic.     He's still going to go for the objective first, though. Maybe they won't have much range.     A firing solution is programmed in. The Star Hawk does a tight loop-de-loop, and one of those wing-mounted missile pods is ejected and flung towards the group of mini-mecha -- the cover blows off, and five minimissiles flies towards /each/ of the walkers. Staren's not messing around -- these detonate in massive plasma fireballs that on a normal planet would scorch everything in a 15' radius to ash aside from armor made to take it. Here, though... Well, that's why he fired so many of them! Also, as a little extra, the packs on the legd deploy some sort of homing energy projectiles -- not particularly powerful, but he has effectively unlimited ammo. They leave trails of light, looking like one might imagine 'homing lasers', except they're obviously not lasers -- lasers don't work like that at all!     The arms and legs fold up and Staren boosts towards the nearest crystal at full speed, transforming again and trying to violently crash into it. His machine activates giant beam sabers in its wrists and tries to plunge them into the crystal, hoping to shatter it with heat shock! 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Remote-hacking works here, due to the convenience of wireless networks! While Kotone does get to get into the door's interior systems, it looks like the lack of access codes has activated brutal COUNTERMEASURES, apparently designed to attack an infiltrating Glitch or two, trying to inject some horrible code right back into Kotone's systems. That is, unless Rory -- or perhaps a certain BLACKOUT, who's in on the wireless hacking! -- can intercept them first! 

:'''{{#var:673|Rory White (673)}} has posed:'''     "Using gems for CAMERAS?! I could believe using it for data storage or maybe a magical focus, but a camera?!" she's not ENTIRELY new to magic as a concept. Or weird psionics. Or other Strange Tech things. Her world has plenty of fiction!     But seeing it? Her thought processes always go blank for a few seconds. "Maybe Pavo can explain. At least they're using something nicer to work with..."     The Dragonfly's rear end is more like a mosquito's, and it attempts to jack into the adapter. But the wireless connection is also made!     As soon as the protocol is analyzed, Rory starts sending spoofed communications posing as the security transmission services giving false readings that there is an intruder at COMPLETELY the other side of the base from the actual asault and a lot MORE of them.     Whether these are accepted is anyone's guess. She's much more interested in sniffing all of the transmissions and getting security footage put together!     Finding the hangars, prisons, supply rooms and other goodness is top priority!     Another thread links up with Kotone's efforts and starts offering aid, timing transmissions on a low level that are enough to baffle the validation checking pings and hopefully buy her some time... 

:'''{{#var:320|Flint Hawke (320)}} has posed:''' "And there they lay, and the soggy skies, dripped all day long up staring eyes. By murk sunset and by foul sunrise-- Yo-Ho-Ho and a bottle of rum~." Flint sings to himself as he listens to the radio. Letting out a bit of a sigh, he hears the chaos and shakes his head. Really, how shoddily run was this operation? On HIS ship, this kind of rabble for an attack would be sorely punished. Space-keelhauling at least. With a big of a shake of his head, the Pirate Captain keeps one Flintlock in his hand, twirling it idly. The control room sounds like a good enough destination, if nothing else. He'd been hoping to run into the opposing leader and simply force a surrender so he could take the base over, but that seems to be a farflung dream. Such is his sordid relation with lady luck some times. The local leader would have to do. He stops in the snow and folds his hands behind his head after holstering the pistol, "The ropes creaking, ship's leaking, sails are on fire, and this whole bloody ship could go up like a pyre. We've got smiles on our faces, but we've seen this before. No telling just now what we have in store." He takes off at a walk, switching his song as he keeps his hands folded behind his head and resolves to lazy-stroll his way over to the current boss's office. Shouldn't be too hard with all this chaos. 

:'''{{#var:571|Alexis Maaka (571)}} has posed:'''     Even as the cutlass nearly guts her, Alexis seems utterly calm as she leaps off of the mecha. She checks the magazine before she hoofs it on the ground, making a dash towards the mech. Coiling up her grapple line, she then recalls her bike, leaping upon the vehicle in perfect timing as she speeds off towards the vehicle.     She then narrows her eyes, before she throws the grapple to snag onto a leg belonging to the mech when she's in range.     If it works, she'll go to make enough passes to tie the mech's legs together, tripping it and sending it falling onto its back. 

:'''{{#var:428|Juno Eclipse (428)}} has posed:''' Miserable planetary ball of slush? No, thank you. The mercenary operative known only as Blackout has been in orbit all this time, possibly hanging back with the Core Fleet's ships, and exercising her technical mojo by keeping her ear to the ground and her ship's sensors busy. She's been feeding intel to George for most of this time, while waiting impatiently for a systems check to finish (possibly running it after having HK-47 aboard, possibly because she doesn't trust him not to have tried to sabotage something). Now that she's more or less cleared that, Juno Eclipse has switched over her communications to the Starbound Flotilla at large, and their allies. Just in time to help stop those ugly     [cxterm81">Blackout to Starbound Flotilla. Alright, I've got the ship's systems cleared. Leave this to me. Sorry about that radio silence. I needed to make sure my little droid friend didn't leave me any unexpected presents.] Her fingers all but fly over the controls, deft as a master harpist at their instrument. It's good to be back at the Rogue Shadow's     [cxterm81">A little creative slicing here, and a little aggressive countermeasures there...] Grinning a sour little grin, Juno leans forward in the pilot's     [cxterm81">Miss White, see if you can get me a feed on those security cameras, if you'd be so kind? I'm experiencing a bit of interference, which is probably the result of their pathetic efforts to get us out of their systems. Which won't work, of course~.] 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Heading to the hangars, Corona splits off. She can wind up dashing around the place where Rebound is currently trying to fend off a dozen Avians with swords; this means they're not currently attacking Corona, thankfully! There's also crates full of gems, strange square things that seem to be like a local currency, and several weapon storage areas, where weaponized Erchius Powder is kept for use as in the flintlocks, among other valuables stolen from many ships and many dead victims.     If she doesn't break off to help Rebound -- Rebound can probably handle herself, honestly -- she'll be able to crash through the hanger pretty quickly! Unfortunately, someone's had a very bright idea: Defend themself by jumping into a gunship they've stolen. The VTOL-like Apex spacecraft is clearly a Starling-class, and the tall hangar gives it enough room to move. It's sweeping a sensor around in a paranoid way to ward off attackers from the PRIME LOOT of the spaceships! 

:'''{{#var:7|Kotone Yamakawa (7)}} has posed:''' Kotone Yamakawa is dealing with a lot of input, she's getting good but she's not a AAA Wizard Class hacker by any means yet so the help is very welcome even with her defence barriers its not going to be fun thankfully Blackout is there to lend a hand for Kotone to deal with the counter attack. Still she's got a lot of power behind her even if she's not the most skilled hacker. Soon also Rory is also helping with her and this is very useful even if Rory in cyberspace? Is some kind of dread creature from the depths of cyberspace, the Cyber Karken if you will. Well compared to Kotone that is. <<Blackout? Rory? I owe you one, these guys IT people are not as dumb I expected.>> She keeps working to pop the damn door. Now she's got some people watching her back and she can focus on full out attacking the Avian's system. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     The heavy mecha is stunned due to being unable to dodge in mid-air. Heavier cannons slam through the stone and force the mech's animation systems to recalibrate several times, though it gets a gap to recover in due to the blizzard! But sudden EF bursts to the crystals do real, serious damage, causing the mech to kneel from low power. All energy goes now into the beams, which it fires at the Mantis while its legs are cleanly drilled through and incapacitated by the Sensei. The Apocalypse fires on another AA emplacement, cracking the gem in half and causing it to explode! One of the Flotilla ships is closing in... It's Biteblade's, with that huge railgun mounted on top of it! One or two more AA emplacements should do it. That gun's also strong enough to take out a mech on its own, with the heaviness. if Staren can get the third, she'll be able to finish off these resilient little bastards. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Communications go dead as Avians go dead in the COMMUNICATIONS CENTER. Good work, Kyra! Kyra also manages to get a good look at several STORAGE AREAS, getting a chance to grab any of those piratey weapons she wants, as well as eventually finding an extremely rare, experimental ERCHIUS CANNON in one of the rooms, alongside high volumes of simple basic valuables, primarily stolen from Hylotls and Avians, with the odd Glitch king's treasury here or there. By the time she catches up with Corona, she'll probably get to see that same gunship patrolling around the hangars that Corona got to see... 

:'''{{#var:711|Corona Arclite (711)}} has posed:''' Corona Arclite lets out a wistful sigh at the sight of the storeroom, mostly at knowing she doesn't have time to just clear it all out. Fortunately Albert has a plan for that, and Hawke has a handle on just how much time they have. So she makes sure they've got the room tagged for the big sweep in her wake. The Flotilla will take care of the big and high volume stuff. That doesn't stop her from grabbing a couple of the flintlocks, maybe another gun or two, and stuffing as much of 'money' cubes as she can into the largest pouch of her tool belt. Everything else she marks for later. Rebound might notice her briefly run by, and though she doesn't stop the gal knows where she's headed and can follow after she's done teaching the birdbrains why you don't get in a boxing ring with a kangaroo. Just as Corona is running into the hanger she hears the sound of engines running, and reflexively dives behind the closest obstacle she can. There's usually storage crates or tanks around hanger bays, right? She hunkers down, knowing she's not got long until that ship's sensors likely pick her up anyways, but it's just long enough to give out a warning and try to get a plan quickly slapped together... 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Rebound beats up a bird using another bird. Two birds, one... Mixed martial arts throw. Hmmm, doesn't have the same ring. A pair of avians are slammed back by a massive kick, impacting another trio with snapping cracks, while Rebound manages to brutalize another pair of Avians! The others are backing off a bit, or rather she's beaten them up enough that the straggler survivors are easier to deal with. Now she has several choices: She can go cover Kotone's efforts at the communications room, she can go keep more Avians from hassling Corona in the hangar, or she can pursue avians that sound like they're gathering elsewhere in the base, in preparation for trying to muster more resistance to the mecha fighters outside! 

:'''{{#var:343|Rebecca Kismarin (343)}} has posed:'''      The mech will find the Mantis' shields to be more robust than the Sensei's, but only marginally. The lack of a focusing mechanism means the dome is equalized from all sides, the fast recharge built in only truly benefitting the HERC against more intermittent attacks from all sides. That beam burns a hole through the immediate shield facing, even melting through a good portion of the thermal diffusion net weaved into it. The top of the hull has a nice slagged hole in it, two of the EF Rotaries taken out with it but no truly vital systems destroyed with it. The remaining two cannons continue to focus fire on the mech, the pilot wanting to ensure that the stone-and-crystal construct is taken out.      The Sensei, no longer at risk of being turned to scrap for the moment, angles its sensors towards the furthest crystal signature that Staren had pinged. Its primary missiles bays open up, dozens of missiles arrayed inside of them. The HERC braces, locking its legs auibly before the racks unload a hail of munitions in a cloud of fire that arcs through the blizzard to saturate the area and hopefully take a chunk out of the other power unit.      The Apocalypse surges forward, cannons smoking and the Hellfire tube starting to glow as another charge builds. Its missile bays are empty, the handful of Darkfist missiles spent in the first barrage. Anything hostile NOT made of stone is met with arcing lightning from the tall vanes on the side of the HERC, though it's entirely likely the ELF weaponry will go completely unused this fight. 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     No stranger to looting, Kyra will happily grab some stuff, including helping herself to a ERCHIUS FLINTLOCK or two. She'll also grab one of those sabers so she can give it to Dominic later. Very, very quickly Kyra runs up against her carrying capacity in loot. There is so much here she can't possibly clean it all up on her own (at least not without a portable hole). Instead, she marks the rooms on the tacnet Rory has set up, passing it on to everyone else that the rooms contained stuff in need of pilfering for the Flotilla. She also takes a moment to pull out her phone and take a picture of the ERCHIUS CANNON since it looked pretty important.     Weighed down just a little more, she heads for the hangars, catching up with Corona, but not breaching the doorway to the place once she sees that Starling-class gunship flying around taking shots at them. "Ooooh shit, that's going to be a problem-here."     Kyra's quick to lay down the protective buffs on Corona-both Protect and Shell to cover all their basis for damage here. "Hopefully that'll help if you actually get hit." she offers, hearing the foxgirl's preliminary plans to get in under the ship and breach it. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Staren manages to smash a scattering of micromissles at the mechs. He goes for all of them, but the small mech BOUNCES IN swiftly as soon as it sees rocket ports opening, trying to get another swift shot in and slam him down! It gets its beam off, but only just before several shots impact it, turning the rock to gravel and slag! With that, it seems the melted mecha can't pursue further! Thank goodness, Staren gets his chance to fire on the last anti-air emplacement, allowing BITEBLADE'S SHIP to come into the space above the two mecha.     "Helloooooo cat friend, new friend! Floran hasss big gun for helping! You point, Floran shoot, everyone /diesss/!" Biteblade says, linking in with the tacnet! Staren and Rebecca can now call in AERIAL STRIKES from Biteblade's massive STARHUNTER cannon.     Good thing too, because a lot of on-foot Avians have looted their own rocket launchers stolen from the Apex, and are beginning to assemble at the walls of the base! 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Rory and Juno manage to fight the countermeasures off of Kotone, preventing them from trying to fry her precious brainmeats! Thank goodness. This means Kotone lives to see another day, and manages to get the COMMUNICATIONS ROOM open! The communications room is full of DEAD AVIANS, apparently killed by some kind of biological weapon. Hey, thank god for prosthetics, right Kotone? Anyway, she can rush right in there and get access to RECORDS of where prisoners are being kept, used to taunt ransom victims' families. Using her own hacking and Rory's hacking, they ought to be able to pinpoint the proper location! It's a fair distance from here, but Rebecca and Rory's and Blackout's combined tacnet indicates not too many Avians between here and there... Maybe Kotone can get there invisibly! 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Flint Hawke wanders by a kangaroo-girl decapitating a bird girl. He wanders by a cyborg in a room full of discolored corpses. He wanders by a room full of screaming Avians covered in molten industrial runoff. He wanders by Avians carrying desperate armfuls of rocket launchers. And he does not give one single fuck.     He gets into Residential, mostly untouched by the chaos. The Avians here are sparse, most have gone off to help the others, but some are here in the more cramped rooms, wielding cutlasses. It shouldn't be too tough for Flint to fight his way to the top of the temple-like structure, through the dozen or so swordsbirds that challenge him on the way up! 

:'''{{#var:428|Juno Eclipse (428)}} has posed:''' Juno works her jaw and leans forward, squinting critically at the pilot consoles of the Rogue Shadow. She's already leaving the countermeasures to Rory and seeking out the fragile computer core of the Apex Starling-class ship, attempting to win her way in through finesse rather than brute for     [cxterm81">Easy, there. I'm already trying to overpower the native S.A.I.L. module. I think I've almost got a way in, and then all you've got to do is activate those thrusters.] She narrows her eyes at the readouts, simultaneously managing sensors and her attempts at forcing her way into the Apex ship's systems. Swallowing through a dry throat, her fingers all but fly as she coaxes her work out of the Rogue Shadow's systems. She's even put PROXY to work next to her, tasking him to help manage the     [cxterm81">Yamakawa, there aren't too many of them between you and your destination. If you book it, I think you can make it without being spotted, if you're careful.] The rapid-fire clacking of keys is almost deafening in the silence of the     [cxterm81">Arclite, keep at that ship. See if you can initiate the startup sequence on the engine. I make no guarantees; I'm trying to bypass that S.A.I.L. blind.] 

:'''{{#var:750|Rebound (750)}} has posed:'''     Okay, so aparently the big guy is on his way. That's bad. But Rebound has to do what she can to help out in the mean time. She hears the sounds of the avians regrouping. That's a good place to help. So Rebound starts to make her way over where the gathering avians are trying to regroup.     With the element of surprise and the fact that she's bigger than they are, she jumps into the fray, unleashing a battlecry and again swinging that sword around like a crazy person, "Ah hah! You're all going to get it! Better run while you can!"     She is moving to kick and slash and generally make a nuisance of herself so that she can keep them from attacking the friendly mechs. She just hopes they don't have guns. 

:'''{{#var:7|Kotone Yamakawa (7)}} has posed:''' Kotone Yamakawa gets the door open and enters into the comm room, she looks about the dead Avians will brifely check them for things like access passes and the like or other notable things. She'll move up to get access to the computers and move to start hacking what data she cna it doesn't take long given she's got help to get the information she was after. "Hum I think I got the hostages location." She thinks the pirates are dead and she's going to move on, there's a bit of a sick pit to her stomach for lack of another term. Memories of stuff about stuff she heard about happening in the third world war. That was a small mercy of cyberization the development of bioweapons had lessened somewhat due to full con soldier being able to laugh it off. Either way she's cloaking again and going to make a run for the hostages. 

:'''{{#var:320|Flint Hawke (320)}} has posed:''' Flint Hawke wandered by a great many things. If there's ONE thing he can at least relish in, it's that he's not on a timetable. Between his ability to Unshift as a mode of transportation and his Pure preventing his death in general, he's pretty lacksadasical in his wanderings. He had heard these guys weren't heat shielded. He was, himself, naturally heat-shielded. That's why he grins widely at the group of Avians that come to fight him, "Gentlemen! Ladies? Mm... Ah!" He pauses to think and comes up with a proper greeting,"My fine, feathered companions. I bring you tidings and good offerings." He slowly takes off the hat he's wearing and bows his head in a jovial fashion. Perched atop his head of hair is a firebomb. Firebombs are an absolutely bitch to deal with in tight quarters and, as previously mentioned in the set pose, this is a very tight place. As he unbows, the bomb falls off his head and he kicks it. It flies forward and detonates in a massive cascading spray of fire and blastwave, the naturally fluid movements of the flames swiftly flooding out the halls. The pirate himself idly skip-walks through the flames, very burnt, but already regenerating, "Ah. Guess that was not their taste. Mm." He comments, sighing a bit as he pulls that long blonde hair up so he can extinguish some flames at the end of it. "Painful, but good to know I can survive it," He leans down and sniffs the end of his hair a bit, "Will need a bit of a cut, though. Can't have singed edged." He holds up one arm where part of his coat is scorched off. The flesh is already reknitting with black ichor and regenerating, "Daaandy~. Have to look good when a Cap'n is meetin' another Cap'n." And then he's sing-songing his way off and up the stairs. 

:'''{{#var:673|Rory White (673)}} has posed:'''     <Connection established, Blackout! Feel free to use my Personal Area Network as a relay!> Rory sends back without it affecting her operations in the slightest. Calling her a Cyber-Kraken is not without its reasons--     As a digital being she grasps how these kinds of systems can work with the same intuition that humans understand how to walk.     Both Kotone and Blackout receive the messages in fact. <They use some of the best security I've dealt with in a year!>     And her methods when dealing with an alien system through a simple wiretap are crude to say the least. She's had to analyze the protocol stack from the ground up! ... Thankfully a heavily specialized AI handles most of the heavy lifting, letting her do that in mere moments and have some good tools to work with.     From there it's a matter of sending spoofed transmissions and pretending to be the device she's plugged into.     It's so much cruder than having an actual terminal that she can understand!     But she has managed to quickly work out an interface that's letting Blackout do remote slicing, as she calls it, with extra precision by relaying from the Odyssey to Rory to the Dragonfly and into the Pirate base's systems...     This hacking stuff is complex! Is it any wonder she's nto talking much?     "I think I've done most of what I can on the digital front! Without having time to try and dig through their whole systems..."     For now, she works on trying to locate their data servers if they have any. And just... DOWNLOADING EVERYTHING, starting with logs about prisoners and ransoms and ships in case that takes too long. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Maaka takes out one, and then the other is brought down too! These things like jumping around, but the hopping mech slams into the snow SOMETIME, which means she can grapple the leg and tie it to the other! The inevitable, almost comical result of this is that it doesn't actually fall onto its back, but rather, it attempts to jump again!     It winds up slamming copmically into one of the base structures, crashing through a roof and down into some basement. 

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''     Okay. Some of the big guns are down, but it's other things that are holding back the ground team now. <<Rebecca,>> Staren transmits, <<You handle the defenders at the wall and the rocket launchers. I'm gonna take care of that gunship.>>     The Star Hawk transforms, and quickly zips over to the hangar.     If there isn't room to go in as a humanoid, Staren just pokes his gatling railgun into the hangar and spews hypersonic slugs at the gunship.     If there /is/ room for a humanoid... well, Staren opens up with a long burst from the railgun, then charges and tries to /grab/ it and start tearing it apart. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Corona remains undetected by the ship, hunkering down and getting buffed. Smart. Their relay for JUNO allows her to execute her plan of sending an engine startup sequence through the SAIL. Forcing it to execute an engine startup sequence means that it can't yank away and maneuver into a dodge when Staren grabs it! The mechan can't tear it apart, but this means that Corona can, with some protection, immediately breach the thing from below, or if Juno can hack it, via the wide opening of the cargo bay, while it's immobilized!     From there it should be pretty simple to brutally kill the Avian pilot inside! 

:'''{{#var:571|Alexis Maaka (571)}} has posed:'''     Alexis is almost curious to look inside the hole in the ground, as she skids to a stop and reels in her grapple. "Hm." Shrug. She opts to hop off the vehicle, before she approaches the hole itself. Making a leap, she begins her descent with night vision on, landing whenever she does with a motion to grab her rifle.     She'll just begin to sift through whatever she can that's inside the basement, looking to figure out what she can scavenge here. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Meanwhile, the Avians at the wall are finding a lot more difficulty amassing resistance here, because where they were intending to start a barrage of heavy weapon fire, using rocket launchers and energy weapons, their local energy net experiences a huge power failure shock, causing half of their munitions to be completely unavailable, meaning Rebecca only has to contend with the rocket launchers. Several of the Avians are dying under the barrage as well, the wide-area explosive effect blasting them right out of their base. Most of them, however, are going to be electrocuted to death! This is fairly one-sided, missiles towards Rebecca's forward line aside. 

:'''{{#var:711|Corona Arclite (711)}} has posed:''' "Much abliged." A proper cowboy always gives gratitude for assistance, no matter how stressed for time they are. Juno is going to hack the ship, but seeing as there isn't much time, Corona figures she best try to stack odds in their favor by acting herself as well. So when Staren stomps in and grabs onto the gunship to keep it from maneuvering around, that's when the foxgirl moves. Darting from her cover she runs underneath the ship and uses one of her grappler chains to snag the bottom near the panel Albert pointed out and pull herself up. "No time to do this the clean way," she muses, followed by a wicked little grin as she clenches the other hand and a plume of plasma energy hisses to life from the Arclight Cutter fitted into her glove. Corona just thrusts the plasma cutter into the panel to slice the locking mechanism apart so she can pull the hatch open. And so it can still be closed behind her so the ship stays space capable with a jury-rigging. Once she's inside Corona slinks towards the cockpit, pulling the Erchius Flintlock she snagged earlire from the weapon storage, levels it at the back of the pilot's head as soon as he's in view, and fires. Hopefully her skill with unusual firearms will back it a quick and clean headshot. Hopefully once the pilot is out of the way she can take control of the ship for herself. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Any that aren't going to be dealt with by Rebecca's explosive and electrifying display are going to find themselves kicked and slashed and generally beaten and stabbed senseless. Where Rebecca's power shenanigans cut the damage output by half, Rebound's disruption cuts it in half again to a fourth of its overall potential damage! They have guns, sure, but they're all anti-vehicle launcher type weapons, their hands are definitely NOT on their erchius flintlocks. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Oh, these guys aren't actually dead, they're just really fucking sick. PHEW. Thank goodness for that. One vulture-looking jerk tries to vomit aggressively at Kotone. Wow, what a dick. He had a good access pass though. And then it's time to book it out of here!     The hostages are kept in a lower sub-basement area. There's a small family of Glitch, as well as a Hylotl, who are trapped in a dungeon-like prison area. Luckily, elsewhere, REBECCA KISMARIN has sent the facility's power systems into emergency mode. With the pass, she should be able to cut the emergency power and force the dungeon cells to open. Unfortunately, there's a bulky, six-foot-tall man with two cutlasses guarding them, wandering up and down the halls of the sub-basement area. If Kotone can get rid of him, the small family and the Hylotl monk, though starved and thirsty, ought to be able to get out and teleport to the Bluenose if Kotone has them do so. 

:'''{{#var:428|Juno Eclipse (428)}} has posed:''' There isn't much sign to Juno's tension beyond the working of her jaw, but her fingers fly true over the ship's controls. She's busily attempting to hack the ship's control systems to allow Corona a better shot at controlling the little Starling-class, but she's got her attention split half a dozen ways on various subsystems of the Rogue Shadow. It's getting difficult to follow. "Captain Eclipse, is your primary program faulty?" PROXY inquires politely. "What?" "You are producing a strange sound, presumably from your jaw unit." "Oh." Juno realises belatedly that in her stress she's been grinding her teeth. "Sorry. Eyes forward, PROXY; let's finish up here before we think about anything else." "Yes, Captain Eclipse." Back to work, for the blonde pilot.     [I've almost got you in, Arclite. Hold tight.] 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Close-quarters firebombs are, in fact, a /huge/ bitch to deal with. The swordsbirds find themselves burning. Man, there's been a lot of burning avians in this tiny little miniplot. Writhing pirates roll around trying to put out flames in Flint Hawke's wake. And then he steps upstairs to find the leader!     The leader is a jovial big blue Avian in a small lounge that doubles as his control room. He immediately invites Flint in, pours him a drink, and settles down, eagerly asking what is very clearly a fellow pirate captain what exactly needs doing in order to get off this rock before Thornwing turns it into slag and ash. This is a man who understands the most important rule of piracy very well: Never be loyal, know when to cut your losses. 

:'''{{#var:343|Rebecca Kismarin (343)}} has posed:'''      The one-two punch of energy fire and ballistic fire would be a very real threat to the HERCs, even with the Apocalypse's sturdy shielding and armored shell. But without the means to crack the barrier, incoming rockets and explosives leave scorch marks and pitted dents in the plating rather than gouges and breaches. The pilot's stability remains high as does the shield integrity as the behemoth stomps towards the line. The Hellfire cannon unleashes another sphere of matter-shearing particles towards whatever big targets are remaining. Those sniper cannons are too unwieldly for small, soft targets so instead they -CRACK- and -BOOM- towards portions of the wall. When the Jupiter's Hammer gets close enough, though, the shoulder vanes light up, crackling with electricity.      Electricty arcs from the tip of the vanes, two flailing tendrils of lightning crackling and popping as the flux whips rake across anything on the walls it gets attracted to. Meanwhile, the damaged but not crippled Mantis follows in the Apocalypse's wake, the two remaning flechette cannons peppering the walls with those razor shards. Further back, the Sensei only moves forward to enhance its portion of the sensor net, 'ears' raising higher to keep the team supported. 

:'''{{#var:750|Rebound (750)}} has posed:'''     Okay, she thinks she's done her part to help the cause at this point. Just as quickly as the kangaroo came rushing in and struck at the anti-vehicle avians, she vanishes, using her powerful legs to leap away. She's not sure which direction she's going but at this point, she just figures she'd better get away from the base.     She just hopes somebody remembers to pick her up at some point. The last thing she wants is to be left abandoned in the middle of this wintery hell hole forever. Well maybe not forever, because she'll probably freeze before forever. A couple more jumps and she should be far enough away from the base to be clear. 

:'''{{#var:320|Flint Hawke (320)}} has posed:''' Flint Hawke smiles widely at the Captain, though he won't partake of a drink. Flint also knows the secondary rule of piracy: Never be loyal, kill the man threatening you. That could be poison for all he knows. The Captain keeps the Flintlock twirling around his finger as he ponders the offer from the blue Avian, though, "Ah, hrm. Well. The price of a ticket off. Yes, that would make me the toll man and you the toll-ee. Caged bird, so to speak, yes?" Flint leans over his table and takes out a space pen. It's like a regular pen, but space-r. The Captain starts to scrawl out what appears to be an account number, followed by a secondary number, "You just be a good chap and re-route all your base's funding from this Thornwing fellow into my private accounts. And don't tell me they're all in his name. We're both smart men, or at least I know fifty percent of us are smart men. The other half the jury is still out. You kept his maintenance funds in a separate account." Flint scratches the side of his head with the barrel of the gun, "You just go ahead and give me all that then, and we'll see you on your way. New beginnings, yes? Can't have you burdened by the fortune and material possessions of an old life. Don't worry about conversion rates, that launderer will tidy it right up into the Multiversal credit or what have you." The Captain nods his head a few times, "Right right, let's get this on, then. He should be here soon, yeah?" 

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''     Staren caught a ship! He holds it to keep it from getting away until Corona has control, then lets go, surverying the contents of the hangar and checking on the radio if anyone needs anything. Still, looks like this is about done... 

:'''{{#var:7|Kotone Yamakawa (7)}} has posed:''' Kotone Yamakawa gets back from teh agressive vomit, well most of it, she did get the pass off him. She says nothing as she tries to get it off, then cloak again. She's now made to the sub-basement area and is looking to see what she can do to get them out. Thanks to Rebecca the power systems are not out and she should be able to use the card to cut the back up iwers to the cells. However the huge man is wandering about the sub-basement and she's got an idea. She does have an arc thrower for such reasons, it's only got power for two shots, it doesn't mnake it good for large scal use, but uses like this? She's going to attempt to sneek up on the guy and give him a good jolt which should hopefully drop him. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Rory gets all the prisoner data. She also gets access codes for ship after ship, which, when routed to Albert, allows the Starbounders -- they're catching up on the hangars now -- to jack several ships easily, as well as letting Juno secure REMOTE PILOTING on a second Apex ship, and letting Kyra get another craft. It essentially enables much of the functional remaining ships to get into orbit as soon as they have digital control or someone behind the wheel. There's also all the data scavenged from the vessels themselves -- some of which is incredibly valuable scientific data, among other things -- and some data about more Ring of Thorns cells that could be turned over to authorities. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Juno forces the controls into manual. The pilot doesn't realize that's a GUN at the back of his head until it's too late! We will leave the details of his gray matter tastefully unspoken. What matters is that Corona takes control of the Apex gunship! The STARBOUNDERS have also arrived here! All except Biteblade, who's currently using this advantageous position to take out more anti-air systems, to clear a path for an exit. The ships are FREE! Free to be piloted out as fast as they can. The Starbounders are jacking five ships here, plus a ton of spare parts lying around, while Kyra is encouraged to snag a second, and Rory finds information that Blackout can use to remote-pilot a third right out of here. 

:'''{{#var:428|Juno Eclipse (428)}} has posed:''' Oooh, goody! Remote piloting! That's always fun. Fortunately, Juno has PROXY to help her manage the particulars, and remote piloting isn't something too difficult for her to figure out on the fly. The Rogue Shadow has a tremendously sophisticated computer array, so managing something automated like that isn't too diffi     [cxterm81">I've got one of those ships via remote systems. Let me know when you're all ready to leave. Maybe there's something useful on its core I can dig out for you later.] In the meantime, she'll move that Apex ship into joining the others, gunning the engines for all they're worth once they've got an open corridor ahead of them. It's a little unsteady, but that's the best she can do without actually being in the pilot's chair herself.     [I'm keeping an eye on local space. If they try tailing you all, I'll see what I can do from here to support and keep them off your six.] 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     Kyra, who had been waiting just outside the hangar doors so she does not get SHOT by the Apex gunship, peeks in every now and then to see what's going on. Fortunately, the radio provides a better update of the progress over the gunship's erratic flying. It isn't long before both the ship is neutralized and the other Starbounders come sweeping in-or at least most of them. She's about to ask about Biteblade but she checks the tacnet first to find her position. "Hi guys!" she greets cheerfully, "Clear out the storage rooms?"     She slips into the hangar regardless of the answer, picking one of the remaining ships, enabling her fake ship hijacker reputation she used yesterday on the outpost to actually become reality. 

:'''{{#var:711|Corona Arclite (711)}} has posed:''' Corona Arclite pushes the dead Avian out of the seat, and makes a note to clean off the brain splatter later. But she deals with occasionally having to shoot down bandits from day to day so it doesn't bother her much. That and she's focused on the matter at hand. Fortunately after picking up her own ship she's gotten some good familiarity with flying them. She doesn't land it entirely, but since it's a VTOL she only has to hover low enough to open the cargo bay and let the Starbounders toss in some of the loot they've been looting, and hitch a ride themselves if they need by. Once that's all sorted out she gets the gunship out of here, off the planet and reuniting with the rest of the Flotilla ships. 

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''     And now it is, apparently, time to get out of here! If there aren't enough pilots, Staren sends the Star Hawk away on autopilot and hijacks one of the ships.     If there are enough pilots, Staren keeps watch outside the hangar until everyone's taken off, then high-tails it out of the atmosphere! 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Maaka follows along to the hole, and winds up in the sub-basement! This looks like it was some kind of storage area.She's not finding much that's unusual though! Just some more cash, some valuables, and...     ...     Oh YEAH.     Maaka has found what appears to be some kind of ancient Glitch sword mixed with futuristic Hylotl tech. An internal wire-tension system made it possible for its old holder to keep it, flexibly, inside a standard Glitch mechanical arm, to which it is still attached. It may be compatible with Maaka. Quick, take it and run before anyone sees you. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Rebecca has cleared out most of the wall with her vicious assault of flechettes, electricity, and similar. Hellfire works wonderfully against those huge gems. They may be a bit wounded, but they've essentially won. Which is good, it gives them plenty of time to clear back a little. The night sky is now being host to several dozen very large Avian ships on the horizon. It may be time to get moving! 

:'''{{#var:571|Alexis Maaka (571)}} has posed:'''     Alexis stares at the sword-arm thing, before she takes it. There's no real reason not to, honestly. Grabbing it, she then nabs whatever else she can until she begins to climb her way out. This might end up a good find, if she can figure out how to put it to good use anyway.     Until then, she'll just shave the arm down until it makes a decent grip for the blade. 

:'''{{#var:673|Rory White (673)}} has posed:'''     Rory's own retreat is very simple. She orders the Dragonfly to fry itself and overload, burning itself out entirely and recalls her Saucer. It's really simple since she's remained outside the whole time!     Mesh connections are wondrous like that. They have kilometers of broadcast range in open air and about a kilometer when surrounded by lots of barriers.     This definitely wasn't a kilometer away."I suppose that's about all that can be done now..."     With a sad look for the base, she waits until her Saucer's right overhead and grabs it, engaging the teleport beam. ZOOOOOOOOSH!     Back to the Odyssey. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     The friendly blue avian is a little concerned at that; Hawke can see him sweating a bit. Parting with his fortune is a little bit of an issue, but he's also a smart and savvy enough pirate to know that living to make another dollar is better than dying with a dollar in your hand. Still keeping his friendly composure, he says that he thinks that's quite a reasonable thing to offer, and he'll go ahead and take that then. He then rather immediately transfers the 'Pixels' in the base's name, and immediately offers a wireless link to his TELEPORTER BEACON so that Hawke could take him along in any teleportation. Hoping, of course, that Flint isn't planning on screwing him over. He does make sure to mention the pixels he keeps stashed around his backup ship, without mentioning where he stashed that backup ship. Apparently he has a backup ship specifically meant for situations like this! This guy is a really savvy pirate. 

:'''{{#var:343|Rebecca Kismarin (343)}} has posed:'''      Another hard burn descent, the Hand of Iapetus breaking through the blizzard and lowering three of the four massive cargo elevators on the underbelly. Cold rushes into the hangar bay, empty as before to save the unprotected human crew from the biting cold. The HERC pilots guide their machines, damaged but not broken, towards their respective platforms. Salvaged chunks of crystal and stone and more litter the internal hoppers. As the heavy lifts start to ascend, so does the dropship, rising and making for the Flotilla even before the three elevators are even sealed.      Rebecca, in the control room, just stares at the tactical readout screen, shaking her head. "...another race of sentient goddamn robots... 'mostly good'... I'll believe it when I see it." She runs a hand through her hair, the other planted on a console edge. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     The incredible uses of invisibility continue to be critical. An arc thrower throws its arc rather well here, and drops the large man, though he goes for wild, blind swings behind him before the pain overwhelms him and he winds up twitching on the ground. The cells, of course, can be easily opened now. The Glitch family are all very stoically excited, with a lot of "Begging. Thank you, thank you, please help us." And "Desperate. Take us with you on your ship, please." The Hylotl, as Hylotls are, basically just sort of assumes this is natural, and remains monkishly silent. They'll follow Kotone to the surface and hopefully back to the Bluenose, albeit briefly, before they go to the Connoisseur. 

:'''{{#var:320|Flint Hawke (320)}} has posed:''' Flint hmms and rocks on his feet as he watches the funds get transferred, "Very good, very good. I'm glad we could reach an accord about this matter. Just one thing!" Flint thinks it over and then sighs, "I agreed to let you leave, not take you with me. You're going to have to find your own way to your ship. Do watch the fire just downstairs, though it should have burned out by now." He nods his head a bit, smiling. "I'm going to name you...Bluejay. That works well enough, since your actual name is unimportant to me. Mister Bluejay, please do survive! It was a pleasure doing business with you, but you should be going," Flint mulls it over, "And, on that note, so should I!" "UNSHIFT!" Flint snaps his fingers, remembering a word he was stumbling for on radio, "That's what they call it when I do that." "Ah, that would have bugged me for so many cycles," He shakes his head and laughs a bit, clearly just holding a one-sided conversation for the most part, "Anyway. Toodles~." And just like that, Flint seems to vanish out of existence. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     Biteblade covers Rebecca's squad effectively. Staren covers the people retreating from the hangar, a small fleet of eight ships plus change. Maaka will have no trouble beaming back to the Crimson Shadow, and Rebound will have no trouble beaming back to the Steamhammer. Kotone and her entorage will have no issue getting back to the surface. Flint in his unspace won't be affected by what comes next.     An Avian cloaked in the shadow on the bridge of a huge flagship growls and orders a bombardment, but by that time, one thinks, the Starbound Flotilla and their allies for today are likely gone, alongside a copious amount of valuables, more than a half-dozen ships, a variety of incredibly useful ship parts, some hostages who are thanking Kotone and Rory profusely for saving them, and a whole boatload of generalized happiness all around. Laughing and hooting and yelling in a generalized celebration, the Flotilla blasts off out of the system.     "Bluejay" downs the drink he poured for Captain Hawke. The poison therein kills him painlessly before the first bombardment starts, saving him the pain of being around when Thornwing lands. Never let good rum go to waste. 
}}

2155/Lunch and Chitchat

2015-05-06T23:28:57Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/05/03 |Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH> |Synopsis=Psyber and Nathan begin to repair their relationship. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=168, 2..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/05/03
|Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH>
|Synopsis=Psyber and Nathan begin to repair their relationship.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=168, 253
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber had said he was bringing Nathan lunch, and so he would do so. Though it might not be the sort of lunch Nathan was used to eating. Before he showed up in the office, Psyber had gone to the Boston Fish Market and picked up some fresh-cut sushi for lunch. A couple trays of it, actually. Mostly Tuna, Fatty Tuna, salmon, eel. Basic things, nothing TOO weird. But he has no idea if Nathan really would eat Sushi, so h e also has a basic ham and cheese sandwich with him.     These, along with two cans of juice, are what he arrives in the library with, "Hey Nathan. I told you I was gonna stop buy today. You feeling up to sharing some lunch with me? Maybe talking a bit?" 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     Nathan is looking... Well, he's calmed down, in a way. In the throes of hate, he looked positively radiant, healthy, full of vigor in his own way. Right now, he doesn't look sick, he doesn't look sleepless, and he doesn't look like he's been missing out on meals. He just looks... Kind of lifeless. "Welcome. Welcome, welcome, come in." He says, muttering as he closes up something he was working on research for. Likely something to deal with the Lordran crisis. "Can't really imagine it'll be a stress. Won't be stressful, I think. You know what stresses me," Nathan says, shrugging vaguely. "So."     He's not at the main desk, instead on a desk off to the side, so he can move the books off to one side and let it work as a functional sort of table for just eating. "Take a seat then, go ahead. What did you want to talk about?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber nods his head to Nathan and sets the bag down in front of the librarian, "I dunno if you like Sushi. I got some mild kinds, but pretty good," It's introductory chatter, mostly, as he moves to sit across from his best friend and look at the desk, "I figured you might give it a shot. Also got you a sandwich if not."     "Mm. Talking," Psyber looks a bit lost, "I admit, I don't know what I want to talk about. All of it, I guess, to some degree. I want to apologize for failing you, first and foremost. For not seeing how things were affecting you before you got so bad off. I'm not a man the Union uses to see emotions, so it can be hard for me, even with my detective intuition." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     Nathan makes an apathetically accepting sort of noise in the vague direction of sushi. "Give it a shot. Sure, I can give it a shot." He says, simply, staring at it and blinking slowly. He'll probably dig into it in a while, slowly getting the food out with his now typical slow, gradual motions. "Yeah."     And then he looks up, seeming to take a long time to try to figure out where to start on a response. "Can't blame you. Can't blame you for not seeing them right. Suppose I try to project an... Appearance, a particular appearance of someone who doesn't feel much. It's what I ought to be, really, what I'm supposed to be. Can't blame you for not really seeing past that." He winds up staring at the sushi again eventually, though, looking down and away from Psyber a bit. "Just... Please don't try to find them out the way you tried. Before. Made this mistake twice now, won't make it again. You don't have any obligation, really, it's not your job to figure out what's going on in my head. Going to make sure this time I don't make it relevant again." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "That level of aggressive addressing on my part will not be happening again, I promise you on my life," Psyber says seriously. It seems that the effects of coming at Nathan in the angle he did will remain for Psyber. He learned a valuable lesson about Nathan from all that, and it was that he couldn't come at problems publicly and aggressively. With Nathan, he had to be more gentle and approach them at a calmer pace.     "But that doesn't mean I won't still try to see how you're feeling at times. Get your opinions, your feelings on certain matters. You are one of my best friends and your mental stability is important, if this series of events has taught me nothing else," He picks up a piece of sushi, dipping it in some soy sauce and saying, "But it will not be how it was before. That was simply harmful to all involved. It will be a gentler affair, as two friends talking should be. I will ask if you have a feeling or an opinion, I will note your answer whatever it may be. If I feel it needs extrapolation, I will do it more calmly and not in public." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     Nathan looks relieved, in his own way. It's a palpable reduction in pressure, but he still seems to remain on the retreat, in a way. "Not something I like talking about. Worst in that context, sure, worst of all. But I guess..." He rubs his face a bit before pressing on, starting to get into the sushi. "My feelings aren't really something I think helps anyone. Doesn't help anyone, honestly, just winds up with a lot of people hurting. I think I told you before, I think I told you, that sort of thing just..." He makes a vague gesture.     "I've learned, through the years, through the problems I've worked on. I've learned that talking about how I feel, acting on how I feel... Really doing anything that acknowledges it, that acknowledges that that sort of thing exists, it's really nothing but shame in the end. Nothing but mistakes. Burning the Drasillum showed me that a lot more. I was a bit stupid, really a bit stupid when I thought... I don't know. Don't really know what I thought. Thought maybe opening up more, acting on how I feel, that was a good idea." He shrugs. "Saw how that turned out, we both saw. So don't worry about it. Not a mistake I'm going to make again. Don't need to know much."     His face is stoic and his tone is monotone but there's the palpable feeling that, while he believes it's wrong, he probably won't actually deny Psyber any answers here. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I respect your stance, Nathan," Psyber says in a pretty honest tone, "You've earned and proven that much, at the very least, to be valid," Psyber concedes this point to Nathan in regards to him not wanting to share his emotions.     "But on some level I worry that if you are conditioned to never express, this issue will reciprocate itself in another three to four years. And, in all realistic projections, I may not be alive to prevent the subsequent repeat incident," Psyber says very dourly, eating a piece of sushi gently, "It is less a belief which you should emote and act more," He notes, phrasing this as if he weren't trying to disagree with Nathan, but instead more asking Nathan to pander to his weakness, "And more a doubt in my own ability to and those around you to notice when you are in pain."     "Expressing and acting on emotions is dangerous. You were right, in a way, that I cannot relate one hundred percent to how you feel. You are, even among humans, unique in how your memories work. A fleeting emotion could, for you, last much longer and echo forward far further," He rubs his hands together and thinks on it, "I worry. This is the end point. I worry for the ramifications of what happened five days ago." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "Expression got me here." Nathan says, making a plaintive gesture. "Expression. A little here, a little there. Letting go a little more each time, just a little. Little more, little more. Everything was fine with Lady Fairchild when I was just keeping it in. Things got worse after we rescued her from Wrathborn, things just got worse. Had that outburst. Made it clear, made it obvious. Everything started falling apart. Because I was letting go." He remains essentially motionless now, going back to staring at his food.     "Then, I didn't refuse when you asked. Really ought to have, told you it wouldn't do any good and I thought that would be enough. Still had a bit of my head on straight back then. When you asked why I felt how I did, when you wanted... Some resolution. Just ruined things further. Put us in opposition." He breaks his motionlessness to rub his temples. "Then the next incident. And the next. Lost all my allies, the friends on my side. Kept showing more and more pain. Figured someone would help." He shrugs. "I was wrong. The problem was that my feelings are wrong, really, just wrong. Don't have much right to them if they're that bad, you know. Expressing something wrong doesn't do any good."     Propping his cheek up on one curled-up knuckle, he leans onto his elbow and begins picking at another piece of sushi. "Ramifications are simple. More shame on my part. Probably spent the last of whatever goodwill Lady Fairchild still had. And I won't make the mistake a third time. That's all, really, that's all. Simple stuff." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber is silent for a long moment, staring down at his sushi before picking up a piece and nibbling, "Proverbs." He says, halting a moment, "Uhm... Sorry..." he stumbles a bit, the first time he's ever had to pause to remember a verse, "Chapter twenty-seven. Verse seventeen. As iron sharpens iron, so too will one man sharpen another."     Psyber lets this hang for a long moment, as if searching for a way to explain what he wants to say, "I... the arguments about Elliana stopped being about Elliana after a while. I think I didn't convey that properly, and you thought I was simply attacking you on her behalf. This was also my failure."     Psyber finishes off the piece of sushi in his hand and continues, "I value your disagreement. I respect your emotions. And I have learned from my mistake, in that I never made it clear when the argument stopped being about Elliana herself and became about my concern for your well-being. That I was iron attempting to sharpen iron, rather than be a wall with which to crush you," He looks down, "In the future, I will do so in a more easily-apparent manner if I believe necessary, though I doubt it will be."     "As for... driving us apart, I doubt that. You are my best friend. As I attempt to sharpen you, you too sharpen me. More than Elliana, or Hastur, or even Laine. You, your agreements and disagreements, and your emotions. They help me understand my human side more. Whatever coping mechanism you choose to use, I would be sad to lose that," He hangs that thought in the air for a long moment, "Because of that, for whatever happened earlier this week, I want you to know one thing. I have tried to be, and will always try to be, your friend. The same forgiveness I have always given Elliana was a resource available to you as well. It simply never had use before now." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "If you want." Nathan says. "Don't have much right, really, don't have much right to tell you not to. Or to reject it." There's a little of that lack of opposition left, but it seems a healthier context. "I don't agree, not really, but, I'll let you do what you do." He makes his plaintive gesture again, but otherwise doesn't shift his expression or tone. "And whatever you choose to learn, I'm not in any real position, any real perspective that I can expect you not to. I appreciate it, though. Appreciate what you're doing, what you're promising."     He gives a heavy sort of sigh. "Feels wrong. Feels wrong arguing against what you felt, then using it to... Make up for my mistakes. I about tried to kill you, really. Probably wouldn't have worked, probably wouldn't have ever worked at all, but..." He stops, for a while, freezing, as if stuck processing for a moment. "I let my guilt make me irrational once." He says, plainly. "Won't make the same mistake. I don't think it's right to forgive me. Don't think it's right at all, really, think Amalthea's stance strikes me as more rational. But I'm not going to tear myself apart about it. I'll accept it and try to move on, try to learn a little more. Try to make it up the ways you want me to. Already got enough guilt now without jumping obsessively into something, obsessing over some way to make things right. Only ends badly."     He leans forward a bit, getting a bit closer. "I'm not going to give up being friends with you, no. Not going to give up anything like that, not going to just drop that, if you need it. If that's what you want. Don't deserve it much, really. But until you decide you don't want it anymore, I'm going to keep it." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Nathan..." Psyber trails off the name, watching the man as Nathan leans forward and says all that. He looks immensely guilty, almost hurt at the particular phrasing from the librarian, "A friendship is mutual. It's not enough that just I need you." He sighs a bit, trying to figure out how to phrase his feelings, "It's... do you WANT to still be my friend? I'll hardly hold it against you if you don't, after all I did."     The comments about forgiveness are left unaddressed. Psyber is, and always will be, too forgiving of a man in many ways. For all the scars he bears and the cuts he receives, it is in his nature to be so forgiving because he simply... is. He rubs his hands together awkwardly after saying that last part to Nathan, though. As if scared of whatever the librarian has to say next. 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "What I want's pretty irrelevant to what I deserve." Nathan says. "Already saw that, I'm sure you already saw that." He gestures that plaintive 'you know what i mean' kind of gesture again, and then goes back to talking. He doesn't seem entirely aware of how he's hurt Psyber's feelings there, but it's likely what he says next will resolve some. "Can't say I think it makes much sense for you to forgive me. Doesn't make much sense to want to be my friend, or things like that. But,"     "Yeah. I want to be friends with you. You save my life. You're a great partner for fieldwork. Dependable, reasonably dependable. Intelligent. We get things done that need doing, solve problems that need solving. And I want you to be happier, deal with less stress, want you to succeed when you're fixed on a goal." He does look at Psyber, though his eyes remain lifeless. "Don't think I much deserve the friendship, not really. Want it plenty, though." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber nods his head to Nathan again and smiles a bit, "I guess you can chalk my forgiveness up to that 'angel' thing," He says, referencing an older comment by Nathan, but framing it in a much more positive light, "As a Guardian, it's in my nature to forgive the unforgivable. I once was asked about this by Riva, and I told her..." He thinks for a few moments, "I told her that it's easy to forgive someone that spends all their time in the light. These are the people whom shine, and while it is good to trust and walk with them, it is a test of your nature to forgive those whom have slipped to darkness. Good people whom through mistakes or misbeliefs have taken to a dark path."     "These people, I think, MOST deserve a candle in the darkness," He notes quietly. Looking around the library a bit to make sure they're actually alone, Psyber slowly shifts his chair. Unless Nathan seems to object or not want it, Psyber will break his no-hugs policy and actually try to hug Nathan under the shoulders and around the back in friendly embrace.     This is him using up the second of his 'three hugs a year' quota. 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     Nathan accepts the hug. It's a bit lifeless on his part, but in a way, it seems like he might need it. He even goes, a bit, to reciprocate the hug, albeit cautiously. The feeling is less of fear and more of doubt that he ought to in the first place. "Might be. Might be that you're right, I don't know. Turns out I was wrong about a few things myself, a few more things than just what you know now. Still don't know the answers to a lot of questions."     "Suppose you know better than me. Lots of years, lots more years than I've had dealing with this sort of thing." He says, once Psyber chooses to let the hug go; before then, it was just some respectful silence. "Suppose I have a few questions myself. Some insight you can give me. People like me, people like her. Maybe we need the light. But..." The next question comes without any implications of attack, no attempt to change Psyber's opinion in any way. He just wants an answer. "Why do we really deserve it?" This seems like a meaningful question; Nathan will accept any answer Psyber provides, but there's a palpable feeling like what answer he does choose to state is something that will affect things to come. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Nathan's question is a very heavy one. And one which gives Psyber a long pause, "There are many different kinds of people who exist in the darkness. You will notice that for all my forgiving nature, some I cannot. Those people who truly... have no humanity left. No morals." He says this seriously, "People like Lute... people like Lezard."     "But people like you and Elliana, who maybe took a turn towards Dark because circumstances forced them to, forced them to in order to survive the immense pain of a shitty life," He looks at his hands at this. The unspoken part of that is 'people like me, who had to commit an unspeakable evil for a greater good'. He clenches his hands into fists after looking back up at Nathan.     "Those people deserve a chance to come back, I think. It's naive, and it hurts me so much every time I believe in someone and they cut me with it," He looks towards Nathan again, "But it takes a certain understanding. People who've been hurt. Hurt so bad that a shroud of dark is the only security? Hurt so bad that the only way to deal with the pain is to lash out? To get through to them, you have to be willing to accept the pain they give you. Willing to really believe there's something worth it under all that."     "But mmmn... that's not an answer, I guess," Psyber thinks it over, "The... Redeemer, they call me. Because I have always believed in a necessary evil for a greater good. But an understanding that the ends do not excuse the means." He rambles a bit, shaking his head.     "If no one hated me for Annu, for what happened, what right do I have to hate you?" He frowns again, "Why is it so hard for me to explain this answer?"     He pauses and murmurs, "You deserve it because you feel pain. Feel regret. Feel remorse. You wish it could have been different, wish you could change for the better," He looks to Nathan, "Because you wish for these things, you deserve a light in the darkness to guide you to those goals."     "It sounds foolish when stated out loud, and it is more sophisticated in my head," He elaborates, "But it is the best answer I can give. You deserve the light, deserve my forgiveness, because you are not a monster. Because you wish to not be a monster. I only hope I can make this understandable." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     Nathan seems to give some consideration to Psyber. He doesn't seem to arrive at any one particular conclusion or another, or if he does it's not showing on his stoic expression. "Okay." He says, simply. "I guess that answers that, guess that... Gives me what I need to think about. I guess that lets be get started. Don't need to push yourself, don't need to force yourself to say it in some articulate way. Figure I got the message, I'm close enough. Same ballpark, I suppose."     "Suppose that answers the question, suppose that tells me a bit of what I need to know. Suppose I'll think on it. Thanks." He says, then, a bit more intently. "Thanks for... Well, thanks for thinking I deserve this. Deserve any of this. It helps. However much I deserve the help, it helps." He sighs, and gets back to focusing on his sushi, picking at it and eating it slowly, gradually. "Bit heavy for a meal. Probably ruining your appetite, probably... Hhhhh. What else did you wanna talk about? Just the apologies, or...?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     What does Psyber want to talk about? He's pretty content with how this conversation has gone so far. He made more headway in a single lunch than he did with months of radio yelling, so there's that. He he knows Nathan and knows that this will be slow going. The half-angel lets out a pensive noise and says, finally, "I dunno. I figure we should probably pick up a new project to work on together. It's been too long since we were both really focused on the same prize. And it might be good for your energy levels."     He looks over Nathan's desk curiously, picking up a piece and popping it in his mouth. In a much more casual manner, he asks, "What've we got to choose from here?" 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "Lordran. Lordran first, then," Nathan says, nodding firmly. "I've got Lady Fairchild's plans. Things she needs done, things she's planning to do. Terra Majora needs fixing. Properly. No more indirectness, no more... Messing around. Take the conspiracy at its source. Put all the stupid cycles of pain to rest. Best we can hope to do. That's what I'm going to focus on this time. None of the obsession, none of the guilt, none of the skewed perspective. Just one more plan to put this all to rest, put everything to rest."     "Aside from that? Not much I know, not much at all. We'll find something. Always more work to do. Always something more. By the time we're done with that, there's going to be plenty." He hits his stride in the whole 'eating' thing, slowly resuming properly. "Delegated the job to Himei. Pretty sure she'll have something collated for us soon, pretty soon. Dependable that way. We'll always find something." 

}}

2174/What is Justice

2015-05-06T23:28:07Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/05/06 |Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH> |Synopsis=Nathan and Psyber talk about the definition of justice and punishment, as well as its pur..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/05/06
|Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH>
|Synopsis=Nathan and Psyber talk about the definition of justice and punishment, as well as its purpose.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=168, 253
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Time for another lunch visit from Psyber! Today, he's bringing something more normal for Nathan. Just a basic BLT sandwich with some potato chips and an apple juice for the librarian. Psyber, himself, has a big meatball sub he'll be eating later, "Hey Nathan, you around and hungry? My classes wrapped up a bit ago, so I came back. Something we talked about the other day really stuck with me." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     Nathan's at the main desk at the moment, and peers up from his reading. "Oh, Psyber. Come in, come in, come on over here then." He gestures off to the side, slipping his work away and leading back to the same table as before. "Had a late breakfast, bit late, no lunch yet. What's on your mind?" He takes a seat at the table, in those usual slow, very deliberate motions, inviting Psyber to sit across from him, or next to him. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Just something you said that put me into thinking about philosophy, meanings of things," Psyber notes as he sits down across from Nathan at the table. He enjoys that spot a bit more than right next to Nathan because it balances proximity with eye contact, "So I wanted to, well, puzzle out my thoughts with you. I guess the core question that I want your opinion on, Nate... 'What is Justice?', would be the best way to phrase it." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "Not qualified, really, not particularly qualified to answer." Nathan says. "Don't give it much thought, myself, you know. I figured it was your sort of business, it was your... Particular court. Nothing I'd ever know about. Suppose it's just something you know when you see. A criminal does something wrong, and they get punished, and that's justice, or sometimes it isn't. Really just know when you see it. Might need a bit more context though, a little more frame of reference. Justice in what situation?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Well, that's the thing, isn't it?" Psyber asks Nathan curiously, rubbing a hand under his chin as he considers it, "There are so many situations. Justice applies to crime, justice applies to the natural world order, justice even applies to interpersonal interactions. But I guess I would say, in this instance, 'Justice for actions which harm another'. What is Justice in those situations? What should it do?" 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "It should make them regret what they did." Nathan says. He'll go for the sandwich now, probably, intending to take a bite to punctuate what he's thinking. "A crime against another that is not sufficiently regretted will be repeated, always be repeated eventually, because then there's no consequences. It should create regret appropriate to the action, it should make crimes have a negative consequence. Something to form regret." He says, eventually. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I see, an interesting definition to have. Allow me to approach an alternate philosophy," Psyber sighs a bit and thinks, "A thought exercise, if you will. There are two identical kingdoms with two different kings. In each Kingdom, a man steals a loaf of bread to feed his family. He is caught and brought before the king to be Judged. In one Kingdom, the king orders the man's hand to be cut off. That man will never thieve again, his victim will be appeased, and Justice is served," Psyber steeples his fingers in front of himself. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "In the other Kingdom, the King instead orders the thief to work for the man he stole from. To earn a modest wage that he might pay off what he stole, as well as feed his family in the future," Psyber postulates, looking at Nathan over his steepled fingers, "In this situation, the man will still never thieve again. He will, in the hypothetical, live an honest life since all motive to steal has been removed. His family is fed, he is working," Psyber muses on this, "Which King, then, served Justice?" 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     After a long pause, thinking and chewing, Nathan looks more directly at Psyber. "These are both a bit extreme. I'd say, I suppose, I'd say the second one served it. First one's a bit of an extreme. Justice is there too, though." He rubs his forehead a bit with a free hand. "People don't empathize just on their own, you know, they don't sympathize just because..." He gestures. "Just because someone tells you about how something hurt you, it doesn't mean anyone really shares it. Some pain and loss, you have to have it sometimes just to bridge the gap. I think both approaches have a bit of validity, sure. Not sure what keeps a man, you know, a man of lesser moral caliber from stealing now that he's got the keys to the victim's business." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber temples his fingers and then says, "Mm, but in the hypothetical, the man was stealing purely to feed his family. But, based on your extrapolation, you are correct," Psyber nods, "A man of lesser moral, a man who repeated his offenses, that man would deserve punishment. He was given his chance to reform, to rehabilitate, and he did not. He has shown that the kindness is wasted on him." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "But, if a measure of pain is necessary, if the man in the second example felt emotional pain for his actions. Shame, regret, doubt. Emotions such that he would not repeat his actions again," Psyber looks to Nathan and ponders, "In this scenario, a different sort of punishment was served in his own way." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "That certainly makes sense." Nathan says, nodding. "However, it assumes a degree of... Insight, it's assuming the court's privy to the same information we are. It's assuming the kings are listening in on this conversation." He makes a plaintive sort of gesture. "Anyone can pretend that they feel a tremendous emotional pain. In fact, many can legitimately feel it, and still continue. I work with many Confederates who do as much. Nine, for example, often grieves, but continues his more murderous tendencies." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "So then. You will accept this as a form of Justice in the personal sense. In exchange, I will concede that it is an inefficient form of Justice in the larger sense," Psyber makes this careful concession to Nathan, keeping his concession well in line with his personal beliefs, "But you have conceded that, with proper insight, emotional distress and regret... if the acts of kindness generate these, are acceptable." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "What is Justice, at its core? What is the purpose of it? So much stems from it. Punishment, crimes, actions." He ponders aloud, sighing a bit, "It is easy to confuse Justice and Retribution. To demand Retribution and call it Justice. And while some Justice DOES demand Retribution, and all Retribution should be Just... not all that is Just should involve retribution." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I put forward that the purpose of Justice is not to appease the victim, not to inflict pain upon the accused either. I propose the logical assumption that, when all is stripped away and the term is looked at objectively..." Psyber looks seriously at Nathan, "In the clinical observation, Justice's purpose is to create a framework by which an offender does not repeat. Rehabilitation, reformation, and a deeper understanding of your offense. These are what justice is meant to protect and instill. Sometimes this involves a punishment, sometimes this involves a kindness. But I postulate that Justice's most core goal is always to prevent repetition." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber raises his eyes and looks to Nathan curiously, "I am certainly no Field Marshal Tyrael, but this is what I propose to you." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "Unfortunately, the king's got no reason to know when the kingdom of hypotheticals comes to an end, nor the terms, really. He doesn't know he's looking at a man filled with regret. As far as anyone but the man knows, he could be just fooling the people around him, you know, could just be trying to get the mercy. Seems like you tried to present the first as flawed and the second as proper. But..." Nathan says, taking a break briefly to drink, and as he does, compose his thoughts. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber smiles at Nathan, "'And if your right hand causes you to sin, you should cut it from you and cast it aside. It would be better for you to lose it today, than to see it sentence you to Hell'. Matthew Five, Verse Thirty." And then, a moment later, Psyber adds, "'But I tell you, do not respond to the evil man in equal measure. But, should he strike you, turn him the other cheek as well'. Matthew Five, Verse Thirty-Nine," The half-angel gives Nathan a gentle grin, "Neither is flawed. Both are valid, merely different forms of Justice." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "'Turn the other cheek' was a challenge, not a statement to accept the strike of an evil man." Nathan says. "Given your age, you know that better than anyone." Nathan says, putting his drink down. "But the philosophy. It falls apart, a little, really. It falls apart when you start considering the idea that both kings, both of these judges, would make the same decision if you reduced the moral caliber of the man. In the first kingdom, it'd be right, certainly. In the second kingdom, he's handed the criminal the keys to the bakery, and shown that theft gets you that sort of thing." Nathan gestures with one hand now. "The problem with your hypothetical is that it's designed, really, designed to extoll the virtures of kindness. But the fact is, if the moral caliber is variable, if it can change, then the second king fails his people. The first king, on the other hand - no pun intended - is successful all the time." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "Humans have varying morality. Humans also have the capacity to lie, you know, to lie a very great deal. Assuming some rash of bakery thefts plagues two kingdoms, not all the thieves have their families in mind. But the first kingdom stops all thieves. The second kingdom rewards a few of the accused who deserve it, sure. The ones that don't are just being enabled, don't you think?" Nathan says, tilting his head at Psyber. "I know. Both have validity, sure. Sure, they both have their place. But regret needs atonement. Proof of the regret, in actions. Not just someone saying how bad they feel." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "So it does not work for handling a Kingdom to be kind at all times. That King is foolish," Psyber says to Nathan with a serious look on his face. He folds his hands under his chin and watches Nathan, "You cannot run a Kingdom on Kindness and second chances." He gives this point to Nathan, "It is noble, but naive. Let us scale it down, then." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Instead of a Kingdom, it will be a group of friends. People closely intimate with one another, who know eachother for years," He begins, thinking over his point. He's leading to it, but he's trying to set it up in a way that will prove his point, since he has learned not to simply come at Nathan on whims, "Their knowledge allows them to make those intimate-level decisions, to know the character of who they are." He muses to Nathan, "Then, in those cases and when applied sparingly and with reservation, do you accept that kindness and forgiveness can be a punishment for sleights against one another? Perhaps not all sleights, perhaps not all transgressions. But some, when you can know that they will not repeat that mistake? When they know that repeating it may lose them this... kindness and understanding in the future?" 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     Nathan considers this, taking a few more bites and chewing them thoughtfully. "Sure." Nathan says. "Sure, I can see that working fine. I mean, assuming the sleight's only done once, just the one time. And I suppose, assuming that there's some effort, you know, some effort on the part of the wrongdoer to, well, do right. To atone for the damage done, of their own will, where they don't really have to do any atonement in the first place. And a whole lot of other conditions. Something like that." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Then, under those qualifications, Justice has already been served onto you," Psyber says seriously to Nathan, "This is the answer to your question of why you deserve a second chance and why I'm so willing to forgive you," And to forgive Elliana, though Psyber sincerely feels that Nathan should be allowed to make the minor logical leaps that the conclusion to Psyber's argument has tried to steer him towards naturally, "Because we are friends. Because I KNOW you. And because I know it will not happen again if you are given chance to prove this." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I think, under those stipulations, that it would be better to see you turn your emotions and your energies, that same drive, towards a noble goal than to see you cut off your emotions out of fear that it may cause you to transgress," He adds quietly, musing upon it, "Justice has been served, has it not?" 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     Nathan blinks a few times at Psyber, and looks down at his food. "Not feeling isn't a punishment." He says. "Not like getting your hand cut off, not like things like that. I don't want to cut my emotions out, cut my feelings out of things like this, decisions I make, because it's... Something that will appease victims. It's something that stops this from happening again. Made this mistake twice already. Letting go of the emotions, even a little, even trying to focus them, you know? Focus them on a job like this. It just messes everything up, eventually, it really messes everything up." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "It's not a punishment. It's just something that needs doing. It needs doing to stop the mistake from happening again. Using emotion, putting emotion to things like this it works for some people. Some people, you know, really good people, whose feelings are righteous and good. Not me, though, doesn't work very well for me. Justice is served, maybe. Maybe. If it is, I've still got an obligation. Have to make sure it doesn't happen again." Nathan says, starting to mutter at the end there as he fusses with his food. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "The point is, by the definition of Justice which we defined, it has been served to you," Psyber says to Nathan in a slow tone. He takes a heavy sigh and then says, "Even if I don't agree with your method of repenting, I respect it for now. You have chosen your path," Psyber begins, rubbing his hands together. He has to bring this towards a conclusion, but he's not sure he's convinced Nathan enough. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "So. With all of this said..." Psyber looks down for a moment and then back up at Nathan, "Can you forgive me for my betrayal? For the harm I brought to you?" He asks in an unsure tone, "Or do you believe there is more punishment which I must suffer under, beyond simply the abject horror of having to hurt my best friend in defense of my convictions? Has Justice been done?" 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "...I still wish you'd done otherwise. And it hurt pretty much as much as it can, as muc as anything like that could, practically." Nathan says, still motionlessly staring down at his food. Then he makes a broad gesture with both hands. "But I told you Can't punish you, really. Can't even think about it, really. Thought I could, for a while, after the Shajem. Not really, now." He stares at the table again, and says, "I don't want you punished or suffering. Really would rather just go back to the way things were now." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I didn't think there was another option. I believed I had only one choice to save the collaboration. Give them a partial piece to keep them from getting the whole thing," Psyber says somberly, his voice clearly pained to talk about it, "I regret it constantly. It won't... ever happen again. It was more painful to me than anything I've ever done. More painful than Annu." Psyber admits to Nathan, coming clean about his feelings. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I think about it constantly. How it hurt you, how I was the breaking point, how I made you afraid of me. When I put my hand on your shoulder and you trembled just from my presence..." Psyber takes a slow breath, confessing this to Nathan, "It was the worst feeling in the world to me. Everything I've done since then, everything I do going forward... it's all to try to stop something like this from ever happening again." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     He lets out a slow exhale and seems to stop to think, "I... I don't want to ever hurt you like that again, Nathan." He just finishes with, leaving it at that, "And while... I have a lot of feelings about Elliana. About the punishment she's faced that no one ever saw but me... I know that it doesn't trump how I feel about the fact I hurt you," He seriously states. Finally, he just says, "Never again." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "Justice, right? That's your court, that's your field. Not mine. I just want to go back to us working together, doing our jobs. Just doing our jobs again. Being friends, that sort of thing." Nathan says, without too much pause. He's stopped, mostly to respectfully let Psyber speak if he needs to. "I'm not... I don't know. I guess I don't really know how we're gonna be defining forgiveness. I don't want you to hurt more for what you did, I suppose, not really. I want to trust you. I want to go back to how things were. I guess that's all. Hope that's forgiveness, for something like this. You'll know, if anyone does." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Mmm. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. That's the other thing about Justice. It's subjective," Psyber confesses to Nathan, looking over at the Librarian, "I can't tell you what to think or how to feel. Eventually, it's going to come to you to decide, in your own heart, if I was punished enough for what I did. Same as everyone who betrayed you, including Elliana and her loneliness and self-loathing," Psyber somberly states, "But for now, I think that what you're describing is pretty close to forgiveness. But if you ever decide I need more punishment, just tell me." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "I told you. I can't..." Nathan sighs a bit. "I'm not the kind of guy who really, you know, really easily decides that his friends should hurt more. Not... Well. You know. Not normally." He finishes off his sandwich and starts trying to nibble at the chips. "Suppose, I suppose if it comes up, I'll let you know. And, I guess, until then, let's just go back to normal. Go back to the way things were, the way things are supposed to be. Might not run into something like this ever again. That's what I'm hoping, anyway. Hoping." 

}}

1916/Broken Bird

2015-04-06T21:17:22Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/03/30 |Location=Terra Majora <TM> |Synopsis=A small group of people try to heal Wrathborn. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=12, 92, 219, 253, 331,..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/03/30
|Location=Terra Majora <TM>
|Synopsis=A small group of people try to heal Wrathborn.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=12, 92, 219, 253, 331, 383, 395
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     This time, entering into Elliana's dreams is... different. There's no need for Wrathborn to open up access, so the fortifications that were put in place to keep people from snooping about unattended are more visible. The orb lands the Union where Mordred is already waiting: in a large, stone cube with the Gates closed on one side, and no other exit. The Gates are for Wrathborn's memories, not an exit... which means he probably put them there himself. The only comforts he provides this time are a set of chairs.     Wrathborn himself is, of course, present. In his human guise, he's leaning against one wall, waiting for everyone to appear before he says out loud, "So... I hear you want to muck about in my head. Such as it is. Figuratively and all." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Yo Wrathy-b. I managed to find it," Psyber says, forcing a smile and holding up the (thankfully sheathed and non-active) sword known as Sovereign. Himei wanted him to bring it along today for the thing they were going to try. The half-angel is still wearing the same shirt and pants from yesterday, having not had time to change for Reasons. Then again, he dresses similarly every day, so not many people will notice.     "I'll let Himei explain the plan." 

:'''{{#var:331|Himei (331)}} has posed:'''     "Hey," Himei says, nodding to Mordred. She has her hands in her pockets as soon as she recovers from being dropped into the dream realm again. "Hi, Wrathborn," she says to the man, fidgeting awkwardly. "Yeah. Something like that. It's a little dangerous, but we brought the best people we could think of for this. Laine is pretty good at conceptual stuff, and owes Elliana a favor anyway. Amalthea is a healer as you know, and Ariel... you should know Ariel from Abstractum stuff."     She shrugs lightly, glancing toward the gate. "We're going to try to return you to what you were before the whole Amethyne war. I'm not sure if this means you'll change at all, or heal, or become something less... focused on darkness, or maybe even 'forget' the memories. So... given that much, it's up to you. We won't even try this without your okay, because it could mean messing with your memories. That's not what we're TRYING to do, but it is a risk." 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     Mordred will be over there, just kind of leaning back. There's a non-zero chance she's just here to watch and make sure people don't fuck around, so she's not expecting to have to do a whole lot today, which is just as well since she's not a real brain surgeon.     She will return greetings and waves boredly, at least. 

:'''{{#var:383|Laine (383)}} has posed:'''     It's true, Laine is here! Perhaps not the most qualified for brain surgery, considering. She's in owl form, at least, perched on Psyber's shoulder. A little flutter of wings announces her presence when she's introduced, and her head darts back and forth, watching the others. Mordred gets a chirp, since she hasn't interacted with the Servant all that much. She isn't actually speaking, though. 

:'''{{#var:395|Amalthea (395)}} has posed:'''     A per her part of this plan, Amalthea is present. Standing somewhat distant from the rest of the group and looking sullen. As her purpose here tonight is to heal, and not to defend, nor harm, it might be a surprising change of pace to see that she is in her less heavy set of armor tonight, layers of chain under light plating and navy surcoat.     A mild grunt of greeting is afforded to Wrathborn as the plan is laid out, as she simply waits for the Shajem's consent. Otherwise nothing is getting done, right? 

:'''{{#var:219|Ariel (219)}} has posed:''' And then there's Ariel. The little Unicorn is in her humanoid form today, wearing Harmonious Deia. she's not sure if Abstractum even work in here, but it's an article of clothing she's gotten used to wearing, and Wrathborn should recognize the billowing cloak from the various times he's seen her. She waves a hand, "Hi! It's nice to meet you, Mister Born." Yes, she just called him that. "I'm not as good at healing as mom, but I do know sorcery stuff that might be helpful in doing this. So! Just let me know if you want me to try." She also gives a timid wave to Mordred, a little less enthusiastically. Amhar scares her. Still, she's polite. "Hi, Sir Mordred." 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     Wrathborn flinches at Sovereign, but he nods as well, "So I heard. I also heard why they make me feel so... uncomfortable, most likely." He doesn't seem to hold any animosity toward Psyber for having the sword, though.     Himei gets a small quirk of a smile, "Yeah... well, thanks for being honest, I guess. It's a big risk, huh?" He sighs, leaning against the wall again. But before he can say more, Ariel gives her introduction and makes him stare. "Just... Wrathborn, please. Mister Born makes me feel like a surgeon or something."     Right, back to the matter at hand. "Look, I'm not sure this is a good idea... but at the same time, it's kind of something that I was asking for. So all I ask is that you take a good look at what's going on in there before you do any actions. I'm hoping Mordred will keep that in mind. And yeah, I remember Ariel... pretty sure she doesn't want to hurt me, at least, unless she's a better actor than Elliana."     Which means... the key comes out, unlocking the gates and letting them swing open. Wrathborn tosses several coils of rope out. "Same as last time. I'll give you a reasonable amount of time, but if I see anything freaking out too much I'll yank you as well." 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     "Yo, and yo," Mordred answers to Laine and Ariel respectively, glancing at the little unicorn. That is one polite and studious little girl to not need the loud reminder that it's sir, not lady, dame or miss. No complaints here. "Second unicorn I ever see, you all always so colorful?"     To Wrathborn, the Servant shrugs. "Can't promise I won't let 'em hurt you just a bit but I've got no more interest than you in massive damage here, to you or my master. So yeah, yeah, I'll play night watch."     Mordred produces a security guard cap and puts it on.     "'least I'm not retirin' tomorrow." 

:'''{{#var:395|Amalthea (395)}} has posed:'''     Just like the last time, then, Amalthea loops the rope into her belt and knots it. A tug to ensure it's secured, and she flashes a thumbs up. "I'll try to not fuck things up on my end." She gives by way of vague assurance. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Despite the almost perpetual look of exhaustion and stress Psyber carries these days, the half-angel looks at least slightly less immediately tense with the owl on his shoulder. His free hand comes up to rub the top of her head and then to smile a bit weakly, "Thanks for coming, Laine."     Back to Wrathborn, Psyber nods his head, "Disgusting, though it's given me a new theory. If hypothetically true, could the two halves be reunited and the original entity restored to its original state?" He openly states this theory, "If so, it could change the world. It is worth investigating."     He has no comments about the operation, he's here to supply a sword and some muscle where needed, "Anyway, I'm here to help, but I'll be following along more than anything else. I'm following Himei's playbook." He notes, stepping forward a bit. He limps still, though not as bad as yesterday. 

:'''{{#var:331|Himei (331)}} has posed:'''     "... right, thanks." Himei replies, staring at Wrathborn for a long moment. Maybe she didn't expect to get accepted? She grabs one end of the rope, glancing at Mordred and biting her lip. "Wait, seriously? You're... never mind. I guess you gotta have fun somehow."     Though the thought hits her as she ties off her harness, "Are you so irreverent with your Master, Mordred? I don't really care, I was just realizing I don't know much about you and Fairchild." It's... kind of a lame attempt at conversation, really. Then again, she doesn't expect that she, herself, will be doing much here. 

:'''{{#var:383|Laine (383)}} has posed:'''     For some reason, Laine's response to Psyber is to PECK HIM ON THE HEAD! It's not really enough to hurt, just a sharp rap as if scolding for some reason. She doesn't talk though... even if she is fluttering a little bit. She did bring her own Abstractum, but she doesn't expect to need Silver's help.     "HOOT!" It doesn't mean anything, just a reminder that she's here... and then she hops down, landing on two feet as she ends up in human form, so she can better use the rope harness. Mordred gets a minor sniff, but that's all. 

:'''{{#var:219|Ariel (219)}} has posed:''' Ariel ties off her harness too, and flashes a smile to Wrathborn. "We'll be careful, don't worry! I um... think. I've never actually done anything like this before, but it can't be any worse than living in the house, right?" That's a little jab at Amalthea and the crazy household, that's all. "I'll do my best!" 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     "I have no idea if that's possible," Wrathborn says. "And it's kind of disturbing to think about. I'll... see what I can dig up about that. Or ask Elliana, more specifically. Times like this, it sucks only being limited to what she knows." He gives a little wave as everyone straps themselves to the ropes. "It's odd wishing you all good luck, but there's not much else to do. Uh... be careful in there, my unease might make things a little rough. I have no clue. And thanks, Mordred... I think."     Well, that was rather worringly non-confident. This could be a bad omen. It certainly is dark in here, with murky clouds of purple and blue swirling about the moment everyone steps in. Naturally, the relatively united purpose of the group rapidly leads to some kind of congealing landscape... blurry, at first, but resolving as the presence of sapients fills in the details. What ends up there is... very odd-looking. No humans are present, only Wrathborn, or what seems to be him... and one other.     The creature here appears to be made out of rocks and trees all twisted together, but it's definitely animate. It's apelike and massive, at least three stories tall, and currently in mortal combat with Wrathborn. The creature is grabbing at the snakelike form, despite the fact that Wrathborn, like all Amethyne and Shajem, doesn't seem to have an entirely solid form. Somehow, the beast is holding on... but that doesn't help.     Wrathborn's shape is less purple, with bluish highlights like before. Wings flap wildly when the creature holds him, but the one-eyed serpent retailiates with his tail, wrapping it around a leg and yanking hard to tear it away, then swiftly warping the land around it to form arches that pin the strange creature to the ground. This appears to be the tail end of some kind of fight between titans. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Ow! Hey!" Psyber shouts, rubbing at his head more in surprise than actual pain when Laine pecks him. It's not often that she actually overtly scolds him like that and he looks more than slightly surprised. He watches Laine depart her perch and land, tilting his head a bit as he prepares to go, "Disturbing, but better than not trying to fix such a godawful action." He replies to the Shajem.     "What the fuck is that thing?"     Psyber asks helpfully. He resists a few temptations, though he looks to Himei, "If that's the thing that corrupted the Shajem, should I like... go try to take a crack at it with Sovereign?" He inquires of the girl, not wanting to break the plan or anything. 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     "I just don't really care what happens to him beyond the fact it might hurt my master," Mordred answers honestly, shrugging the line of questioning off. She's not fond of Wrathborn; maybe she will be one day, but that'll take a while still. She chooses not to comment on the fact Psyber's bird is pecking at him and sniffing her.     As they finally go in, she quietly watches the battle and shrugs. "Fuck if I know. Amethyne, maybe." 

:'''{{#var:331|Himei (331)}} has posed:'''     Himei stares when they arrive, rubbing at her head. "I... don't know. How should I know? It doesn't look like an Amethyne, though. And it's also losing. Besides, this is a memory. I'm not sure how much we want to try changing the memory itself... maybe? I'm a little unclear on this thing, here. Or what to do. I just had the general idea and I'm winging it from here."     Still, Himei draws her sword, just in case they need to fight. "For now, let's see how this turns out. Do we need to like... subdue him to take him back or something? Or would that do the opposite of what want?" She's asking about Wrathborn, but she's staring at the strange beast. 

:'''{{#var:395|Amalthea (395)}} has posed:'''     Once more into the breech, to a sight that Amalthea is not entirely sure what to do with. The sight of Wrathborn of Olde going mano-a-mano with the ape-like treebeast is one that she watches with something of a distant look in her eye. Before her gaze focuses more on the other beast.     "It is fae." She notes absently. "Or close enough to it."     Oddly she does not instantly go off on a homicidal rampage to kill it on sight, she merely snorts a slow gust of steam. "Did anybody bring any iron?" 

:'''{{#var:219|Ariel (219)}} has posed:''' "What's a Fae doing here?" Ariel looks a little confused, but only a little. She is, after all, not that familiar with this world. "Um... we'd better maybe see if he's hostile before figuring if we should attack or not, I'd think. Makes me wish I'd brought Demonbane, though. These guys are pretty big." She shuffles nervously, glancing at Amalthea. Fortunately Amalthea isn't rushing off to fight the 'fae' being. That relieves her. "So none of you have seen anything like this?" 

:'''{{#var:383|Laine (383)}} has posed:'''     Laine stares at the fight for some time, her eyes going between Wrathborn, the creature, and then back to Ariel and Psyber and Mordred, in order. She frowns and looks at the fighting creatures again... with surprising seriousness. So serious, in fact, that she doesn't even talk in her normal disjointed manner. It no longer hurts her to focus that much, at least.     "The new creature is a being of raw Wyld. Creation and chaos. Wrathborn is... it's like in my world, when the Wyrm used to work for Balance, then became something of corruption. This is like the Balance Wyrm, before he fell. Wrathborn is calming the land, bringing order to it." 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     Well, Wrathborn doesn't seem to be attacking the newcomers. It's true though, he's winning this fight. The crumbling creature of roots and rock falls, and the earth rises up and wraps around it to pin it down. Now, the appearance of Chalaine makes itself known, as the blue divinity glides up for a moment from nearby, floating and fluttering wings. A wild burst of greenery grows upward, blooming all over the creature... which is now a large mound in the ground. Chalaine, as if unconcerned, then flits off to another place, moving out of sight over another hill.     Wrathborn lingers, hissing and coiling around the creature. That wild greenery is mostly grasses and shrubs, but the Shajem's power flares, and the blossoming shrubs grow faster, forming trees and vines... and then various rodents and lagomorphs burst from the ground, scampering outward and heading for newly-available dens, followed swiftly by minor predators such as snakes and foxes.     That seems to be the end of Wrathborn's task, the one-eyed serpent turning and staring at the newcomers. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber listens to Laine's explanation, "Restaint," Psyber says. One simple word as he observes the process as Wrathborn brings the strange monster into temperance and then Chalaine causes its own effect, "And then catalyzation. That explains why they work in pairs, I guess."     Psyber is not stupid enough to draw his sword, and instead he just holds up his right hand. As he does so, two things glow: The first is a scar on his back, a dull blue color. The other is the Hand of the Redeemer, most often in his right hand, lights up with a white color.     He's not taking any action or aggression, he might just be trying to use its basic and primal nature as a conceptual power to appeal or establish commonality with the massive beast. It won't understand words, but concepts and instinctual forces might get through to it, and Psyber's communicating point is: Redemption. 

:'''{{#var:383|Laine (383)}} has posed:'''     At first, Laine does nothing. Then she suddenly steps up beside Psyber and holds out her hand. She doesn't seem to really be... /doing/ anything, except that she's actually reaching out with her spiritual gifts, trying to bridge the gap in communication. Letting the group get the conceptual framework of the creature known as Wrathborn is the best idea she has, and if she can use the hand of the Redeemer to help...     It's not much, but it's something. 

:'''{{#var:219|Ariel (219)}} has posed:''' Woah. That was a pretty nice sight, and Ariel is duly impressed. She rubs at her head and watches, then sees the others stepping forward. Right. She needs to... do something. Aside from being a shining beacon of hope and all that, she can do other stuff.     "Um... excuse me, sir." Fingerpoit. "We just want to help your future self, if you'd be so kind." In order to make it clearer, she begins working on a Sorcerous Working to wrap around the Shajem, taking it nice and slow. The idea is to capture a 'mold' of sorts, to preserve what the Shajem's nature used to be like and carry it out. 

:'''{{#var:331|Himei (331)}} has posed:'''     Well, Himei is now outside of her area of expertise. The Magical Girl can only watch at this, taking note of how things were supposed to work. She asks the obvious question, though. "I wonder... what broke them? Or was it humans? If so, why?" It's a good question, she thinks. 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     It's an interesting combination of effects. Himei's question becomes a little more clear when the approach begins... because the Shajem is wild, naturally, and reacts as any would. His head lowers, a deep hiss sounding out... and the ground ripples, starting to twist and rise in places. The creature manipulates the world, but humans are not necessarily its ally.     The attempts to communicate bring wings fluttering, the nonsapient serpent glaring at first... then calming somewhat. It may not fully understand, but it's getting the idea that this isn't supposed to hurt it. Ariel spell is able to shape, and though it makes Wrathborn's memory nervous, it does little more than cause him to probe and test the edges while the spell shapes. 

:'''{{#var:331|Himei (331)}} has posed:'''     "It's your show now, guys," Himei admits. "I don't know how I can help here. It's not getting violent, and it looks like maybe we don't need Sovereign after all." She sheaths her sword and just passively lets out that faint glow of her own power, the hope-centered kind to help along anything in an emotional support manner. 

:'''{{#var:395|Amalthea (395)}} has posed:'''     The 'fae' is... Made one with the earth, by Chalaine and Wrathborn. It is an interesting sight, but once completed means the group is facing down the Shajem. One boot scuffs lightly at the ground, but Amalthea still does not reach for her weapon, as Psyber and Laine attempt to broach contact with the Shajem. The most she does, at first is tilt her head, intending to look as non-threatening as she can, as her lone eye seeks to make eye contact with the Shajem; perhaps in the same way one animal would meet another in passing, a wordless, placid, almost primal means of declaring no intent to harm, while Psyber and Laine reach out, and Ariel attempts her sorceries. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I guess this thing is finally useful for SOMETHING," Psyber says to Himei in regards to his glowing hand. It can't DO much, but at least he can use it in this instance. And maybe, if plans persist, he can have an alternate function ready by the summer. Consider this a beta test, of sorts. Overall, he just keeps his hand up and radiating concept while he watches Wrathborn. 

:'''{{#var:383|Laine (383)}} has posed:'''     Laine is ALSO a sorcerer, of sorts, though not the same kind as Ariel. She can, however, help in some ways. Her mastery of spirits and her own knowledge of strange natural concepts should help. "Thinking... is going to stay. Hurry?" she tries to hurry, anyway, in doing a quick shaping of her own magics, taking it easy and not hurrying /too/ much. She has no idea if a Retribution could happen in here, but if it does it could be... weird.     Thus the Lunar tries to grasp at Wrathborn's concept, to 'record' it somehow, like Ariel. "Keep holding." 

:'''{{#var:219|Ariel (219)}} has posed:''' Oh... huh, Ariel um... has to do stuff now. "Wah?" She's feeling the pressure! But that's okay, because she's learned a LOT of magic lately, and even if Al isn't here, she can hopefully tie this off with Laine's help. The 'mold' closes in, for an instant, pressing against the concept of Wrathborn. She doesn't even realize it, but she's using some of her experience from seeing the Abstractum operate to attempt this, to grasp at the concept of the untainted Shajem... and have something to work with. "I think I have it," she says quickly. "We should get going so mom can do her part, now." 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     Wrathborn squirms a little, but there's a lot of pacifying energy going out here. He hisses, wings lifting again... he looks a lot nicer with those wings, even if they're trying to threaten. But then... Laine and Ariel feel it 'catch' somehow, the imprint gathered and held, at least for a moment. He's still eying the group, but as long as Psyber's hand is out, and nobody is being threatening... he's fine with this. 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     With the mission accomplished, the dream shatters not long after. Wrathborn, the current one, appears in the forming room as the group feels a sharp yank at each of their waists and shoulders, spilling them all on the floor of the small room.     The man that was a serpent crosses his arms as the gate slams shut. "You were really tickling some weird memories, in there," he notes. "I got a blurry flash of a giant robot or something." Apparently his memories of that time are... not so clear, consciously. 

:'''{{#var:219|Ariel (219)}} has posed:''' "Okay mom!" Ariel immediately calls out. "Ah... sorry, Mister Born. Um, Wrathborn. I don't know how long this spell will hold! Just um... I don't /think/ it will hurt? It's holy so it might." She huffs. "Mom, just heal him! Or um... you know, something like that! Laine and I will release the imprint and see if it takes!"     As soon as Amalthea moves(presuming she does) to heal Wrathborn, Ariel will 'push' the gathered concept onto Wrathborn, hoping he's willing to try this. 

:'''{{#var:383|Laine (383)}} has posed:'''     When Ariel releases her spell, Laine lets go of the ties on her own sorcery, allowing it to 'snap' back into Ariel's full control and flow into the Shajem. She's frowning, though. This is a pretty big reworking, and she's pretty sure it only works because they're in a dream. "Can the wound be healed from inside what makes him powerful?" Yeah, she's so uncertian she's being careful to speak reasonably clearly. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     When they're yanked back, Psyber sighs a bit and lowers his hand, flicking it so the light washes away from it, "Today I learned I can do that still, I guess." Psyber looks to Wrathborn and then scowls a bit, "Hey man, how're you feeling? Everything okay?"     Laine asks a good question a moment later and the half-angel lets out a thoughtful noise, "Good question, but. I think we should at least try." He looks to the man and squints a bit. Psyber, admittedly, falls back to watch the others work. 

:'''{{#var:331|Himei (331)}} has posed:'''     Himei is dumped on her ass, but as she gets up, she reminds Psyber, "Your hand thing might actually be helpful here. Or something. All I can do is shoot things, so uh... I guess I'll stand over here and see the magic work." She doesn't want to screw it up, though she's looking pretty relieved that things aren't screwed up worse, at least. 

:'''{{#var:395|Amalthea (395)}} has posed:'''     With the memory segment of this journey handled and Amalthea once AGAIN yanked in an undignified sprawling heap, the elder unicorn at least manages to pick herself up to stand as if it never happened. There isn't even a rustle of chainmail as she smoothly rebalances herself. "Aye, aye, hold your horses, this can't be rushed, child."     It's without a word that she grabs Psyber's hand by the wrist, her own horn glowng gently with a flickering butterfly light, glimmering with a seashell reflection.     No words. She simply lays her hand, and Psyber's on Wrathborn's chest in tandem, with a warm, gentle glow and feeling. "Now give it to him." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber looks awkward when his hand is grabbed by Amalthea. Not because he has any feelings over it, he was just surprised. There's no resistance as she drags him over, and when she places her hand atop his, and then both atop Wrathborn, Psyber thinks.     "Alright. Fair warning, I have no idea if this works on anything but the Scar, but here goes nothing," Psyber closes his eyes and focuses the original intent of the hand. Almost ALL of his concentration goes into that, trying to use the Redeeming trait to, instead of judging the 'Scar of Annu' concept, just judge 'Scar's in the concept in general to find if Wrathborn has objectively earned a 'redemption'. 

:'''{{#var:219|Ariel (219)}} has posed:''' Ariel does not need to be told twice. In an instant, the little unicorn releases her hold, pressing that new mold down upon Wrathborn as firmly as possible. She... has no idea what she's doing, but she's pretty sure this is a conceptual change upon a god, basically. Pretty sure if Wrathborn doesn't want it, it'll just slough off. 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     Wrathborn looks a little bewildered at the sudden activity, all centering on... him? He doesn't stop it, even if he flinches, then cries out in sharp pain as Amalthea and Psyber are touching him. He quickly grips the half-angel's wrist, holding him there to let him know the pain is bearable. His body flickering, Ariel and Laine will feel what is going on... that 'mold' grafting onto him, settling around him, with the healing power and Psyber's own 'bolting' it to his form.     It's not visible, though. Nothing changes, on the outside. He just... holds there, then slumps against the wall. The mold seems to be staying, but it doesn't quite fit right. Perhaps he needs to adapt to it, or grow into it. "That... was a little painful, but I think I'm all right, yes," he belatedly answers. He makes a strange gesture with his hand, then frowns. "... I'm not sure you did anything, but I think I can feel that there /is/ something missing now. Before I couldn't really tell exactly. I knew something was off, but not what."     Awkwardly, he frowns again. "... thank you, for that much." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Yo bruh, radical conceptual shifting doesn't just happen over night. Except, you know, when it does," Psyber says seriously. The white flame on his hand goes out a moment later and then slaps both hands down on Wrathborn's shoulder, "This was a very touching moment, in a completely platonic way."     "I need your advice on something, later. Can I arrange a meeting at some point soon?" Seems Psyber, at least, has accepted that some shit seemed to happen and change, but has also moved on to a different piece of business. He looks around at the group, "It's nothing related to operations. A couple personal questions." 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     Wrathborn rubs at his chest as if it still hurts. "Sure, sure. Whenever. Just give me a few days to get used to this." He glances at all the others. "I suppose we'd better be getting the rest of you home..." 

}}

Sieving for Clarity (Psyber)

2015-03-17T23:08:45Z

Psyber:

{{Cutscene Header
|Date of Scene=2015/03/03
|Location=
|Synopsis=Alone in an apartment, Psyber attempts to sift through the events of the past several days.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253
|Tinyplot=
}}
"Then the Warrior realizes that these repeated experiences have but one aim: to teach him what he does not want to learn." -Paul Coelho, Warrior of Light

BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yyy4yaVwsv0

A lock clicks into a door in the Arkham Apartment Psyber and Amalthea cosigned on months back. The half-angel shuffles in with a brown bag full of groceries. Not much, enough to last two or three days at the most. Keep his head low, clear his mind, and start fixing messes.

The contents of the bag placed in the fridge, Psyber steps away and towards the deck that faces the water. He stepped out onto it and rested his hands on the railing. For the first time in days, maybe weeks, he had enough downtime to shut his eyes and start organizing the events that were plaguing him most. Conversations darted through his mind and started to pull into cohesivity.

PHONE: Himei says, "I just realized."
 PHONE: Phoning Himei, Psyber says, "What did you just realize?"
 PHONE: Himei says, "In both that nightmare and the real world, Elliana is someone trying to do good and, by her personal meter, failing."

Himei's was the first voice. So often she provided insight Psyber never would see, and the dreams had been her idea in the first place. Himei was an anchor for him in some ways, consulting her for advice in relation to his problems, giving him minor guidance, telling him when he was stepping too far. He took a deep breath and Himei's voice drifted out, replaced by another.

PHONE: Eleanor Lamb says, "...Evil is just a word sir."
 PHONE: Eleanor Lamb says, "It is always just a word."

Eleanor. He had talked to her the day after Himei. She was new to Elliana's mission roster, but strong in presence. Despite this, no one could deny her insight into Elliana in a way few could mirror. Hers was a voice of mirroring. She could, potentially, reach Elliana in ways even Psyber could not. Or help Psyber find angles he had missed before. He slowly opens his eyes and takes out a cigarette. Eyes watch the dancing flame of his lighter and his mind wanders.

PHONE: Kimiko Shinobu says, "I have hope that you will be successful, if anyone can be. Not certainty, but hope. You can trust me to support you in that until Miss Fairchild proves otherwise."

Of all the support he had gained in recent weeks, none surprised him more than Kimiko Shinobu. Not because he thought she would be impossible to sway, but because she was impossible for him to truly read. He had thought her utterly indifferent, or if anything leaning against Elliana. When she had stated she would have hope in him, it had rung a bell that woke him up from a haze that had pushed him into being almost on auto-pilot. Psyber exhaled a plume of smoke and watched it drift out away from the balcony.

PHONE: Phoning Amalthea, Psyber says, "While I do not disagree, I have thrown everything I have into my work, much of it into this singular cause of saving one woman. I do not get a second chance, either I save her and she comes back, or I do not and she crosses the threshold. In that moment, my efforts will be judged. I am beginning to doubt that I am enough."
 PHONE: Amalthea says, "I know you have. I'm not blind to how this has all been tearing my closest friends apart at the seams."
 PHONE: Amalthea says, "But you're not alone."

Amalthea. Despite her diminutive size and feminine gender, she was a brother rather than a sister to him in all but blood. She had been one of the most recent to voice her support of him. Not agreement, but support. And it had come when he needed it most: On the back of his best friend deceiving all of them. The thought of betrayal makes a new voice come to mind...

PHONE: Mordred says, "We're stuffing as much of its energy in a box as we can. You want my master not to keep having nightmares, right?"

He turns away from the balcony, tossing the rest of the cigarette off the edge. The Knight of Betrayal had been more loyal to the plan than his own General. While Nathan argued his need to keep everyone in the dark about an alternate methodology, Mordred had done almost the same thing and had been cried traitor for it by the same man that deceived them all. Mordred had many flaws, but to Psyber, dedication to helping Elliana and her world had never been one of them.

-<RADIO: HeavenOrHellAlternate>- Psyber says, "Then just let go of the hatred."
 -<RADIO: HeavenOrHellAlternate>- Nathan Hall says, "Unlike what you may think, angel, it is not that simple for humans."

A blow Nathan had struck in his jaw, so to speak, comes to Psyber's mind as he washes his face and looks at himself in a mirror, the wounds from that night already mostly healed to allow him to fight another day. That his own friend would say such a thing shook Psyber on many levels. It was a two-line exchange that had been delivered once before by Nathan and had made him doubt his own humanity. This time, it merely made him doubt Nathan.

PHONE: Elliana Fairchild says, "One of the harsh lessons I had to learn is that sometimes, you need to make a leap of faith and hear out someone to work out a misunderstanding."

As he climbed under the sheets of the bed, Psyber heaved a heavy sigh and the line from Elliana earlier in that day came to him. That the 'monster' Nathan fought would be more willing to seek clarity in narrative than the librarian was telling of how far he felt Nathan had degraded. He was growing harder to deal with by the day, and his hatred was beginning to blind him.

-<RADIO: HeavenOrHellAlternate>- Psyber says, "After so much of your life has been built around and upon Elliana. How much would you lose if that simply vanished?"

This was his second-to-last thought of the night. He pulled the covers up around himself and curled a bit. Without Laine here, the nightmares would be worse tonight, but at least he had peace and quiet. Mostly. One thought echoed in his head, still. It was growing louder every day, but it was only in the stillness that he could finally understand it.

Quietly, he murmurs:

"I may have to destroy everything my best friend has built in order to save him."

1759/Scouting Operations

2015-03-12T21:32:12Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/03/08 |Location=Boston-666 |Synopsis=The Wo-Class vessel visits Boston to determine if it is suitable for the Abyssal Fleet to visit. |Thanks=..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/03/08
|Location=Boston-666
|Synopsis=The Wo-Class vessel visits Boston to determine if it is suitable for the Abyssal Fleet to visit.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253, 582, 637
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Owing to an amount of patience to the alien mentality of the Abyssal Fleet, Psyber has agreed to a meeting at what could arguably be called 'Late O'Clock' so that Wo can pre-scout the city of Boston for her bosses and act as the Abyssal Envoy.     This doesn't mean he can't be grouchy as the dickens about it, though. It's right at freezing temperature and, though the city was spared snowfall for the night, the weather is bitter cold with ocean breezes around the docks. The half-angel and most famous inhabitant is, to that end, dressed slightly warmer than usual. Slightly being the addition of a red scarf and black gloves to his normal attire.     He's also hanging out by the docks, sitting on a bench, with a thermos in his hands. He unscrews it and steam wafts out before he fills the cap with some sort of soup (like any good New Englander, it's a lobster bisque) and sips from it slightly. 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     Gathered a few paces behind Psyber is a trio of girls, each one younger than the last.     Akizuki elbows Isuzu in the hip, "Waiting is boring, why'd you have to take my game?"     Isuzu, the eldest of the trio, keeps her arms folded and her eyes closed, "Because we're a diplomatic delegation and you beeping away in the back would make us all look terrible." One eye opens, fixing on the younger destroyer, "You should take up a quieter hobby like Zuihou."     Zuihou, to her credit, has her nose buried in a magazine about the Smithsonian Aircraft Museum. Oblivious to the conversation, she suddenly squeaks and holds it out, pointing, "Look! It's one of the Suisei I carried! How nice of them to give it a home!"     Closer to Psyber, standing nearly shoulder to shoulder with him, is Fast Battleship Kongou. Radars swiveling, she beams a smile so bright it might act as a lighthouse. For once, she's remarkably quiet, too. 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     Making it all the stranger would have been the way the request for clearance had even come: via shortwave wireless telegraph. It's a good way to reliably communicate across the strange landscape the Multiverse presents, and is less likely to be intercepted - hopefully Psyber's stomping grounds were still equipped to receive it. Regardless of that, they come. A light disturbance at the surface is the first visual trace, though a hundred or two meters out, they eventually rise fully out of the water and make their presence known. Five destroyers, at first - glowing eyes being the most visible thing about them, with their sleek, black exteriors well suited for night operations. Four pairs of eyes in all, and a cyclopian specimen adding a ninth. Shortly after, a larger upwelling yields the expected Wo-class carrier. Her hat skimming across the water at first, before the rest of her body does so.     Their approach is rapid, but not nearly as much as it would be if they were here for offensive operations. Once the docks themselves are reached, the destroyers move from their guarding ring formation into two flanks, parting to allow Wo to go before them. A sign of trust, perhaps, or simply obedient to her mental order. When she slides along the water up to the pier, itself, rather than suffer the indignity of climbing out, her feet visibly rise the short distance above the water necessary, before her booted feet set down on the surface. The destroyers appear to do the same, though rather than coming to rest there, one of the two-eyed ones actually seems to stand on two vestigal legs -- any fleet daughters in attendance would recognise this as a permutation that has been rarely sighted, but has become more numerous recently. The 'late model'.     Lifting a hand to the brim of her hat, the more humanoid abyssal gives a quick glance around with similarly glowing, turquoise eyes. Eventually coming to rest on Psyber. She gives him a stare down for a few moments, and then lowers her hands to the corners of her mouth, lifting it up into the best facsimile of a smile she can give. "Psyber. I appreciate - your co-operation. And..hospitality." Lowering her hands further, she beckons to the destroyers, which float (or wobble, in the case of the legged ship) on forward, opening their mouths and producing garbled sounds that might be vocalizations of some kind, but it's honestly hard to say. "Sisters..will obey. Won't attack."     Beyond Psyber, fleet daughters can be seen. Foremost, Kongou gets the longest stare from the Wo-class. She had promised herself that she would not react as comes natural to her kind; but a trace of a furrowing of the brow can still be seen. "Kon-gou," she stresses out, but doesn't offer her a smile that her commander got. "..these are - your fleet?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Telegraph was at least accomodated, in no small part owing to Kongou and her small group of ships. The Hikari Fleet had brought it back as at least some method of communication he had around. The half-angel has alerted the Coast Guard of the approaching Abyssals, meaning that while the approach is detected, they're not harassed. The Coast Guard ships do still circle around and seem to post an uncomfortable distance while keeping an eye on the destroyers. These are still the people that put a bloody nose on the city a few weeks prior.     He tilts his head a bit as she pushes her hands into the corner of her mouth, "You do not have to force yourself to smile if you are unable. I am quite experienced with Elites incapable of expression and I can understand intent from words if you wish to maintain an unexpressive demeanor. I will take no offense." It's true, too. When you hang around with Nathan for years, you learn to divine emotion from monotones.     When one of the destroyers wobbles close enough, Psyber leans over the dock and pats it on the side a couple times, hand pressing against it, "Sisters? I see," Psyber notes, tilting his head. And then a few moments later, Wo addresses Kongou and the ships.     "Yes. Kongou is my ship, I suppose you could say, and so I have taken responsibility for her Squadron as they were assigned to her. They are all very capable," He notes, pointing to each one in kind, "Akizuki, a destroyer. Isuzu, a light cruiser. And Zuihou, a light carrier. After the events which led to Kongou's second sinking, they came around to make sure she would not go unescorted to field deployments."     "Welcome to Boston. Not too far from here is the USS Constitution, and you can visit the Naval Yard at some point. Presently it's in drydock for a restoration over the next three years, but I know some associates who may arrange a viewing." He thinks, "The other famous Naval battle of note was the Battle of Boston Harbor in 1812, in which the USS Chesapeake was taken and refitted to the HMS Chesapeake after a harsh battle."     He's trying to talk ships, despite being nowhere near a Naval buff, to keep Wo relaxed. This is the extent of his knowledge, however, since he's a Boston Historian not a Naval historian. 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     "<Welcome To Boston!>" Kongou echoes after Psyber's through with his crash course of local nautical history.     Behind the pair, the three other members of the Fourth Mobile straighten up one after the other when her name is mentioned, not quite reaching Attention but certainly trying to look attentive. However, the arrival of the Abyssals is also enough to get them to stop chattering amongst themselves. The Enemy is present on a diplomatic mission, time to look like something other than schoolgirls!     The wobbling legged I-class, however, gets a curious second look from Isuzu. She might be surprised to see one like that just milling around with a Wo-class aircraft carrier.     Kongou meanwhile smiles towards Psyber, "Good Effort! As expected from Admiral!" And then, she turns towards Wo more directly, hands folded primly in front of herself, "Though~ there are also things further from the water that you and your friends might like, too. Like restaurants!" 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     The I-class destroyer that had hopped close enough initially freezes for a moment, a gesture that despite its semi-rigid shell still easily comes across as being startled. It strains to pivot its head to look to its flagship, the Wo-class carrier, and she can be seen to give a subtle nod of her head. After this, it seems a bit more comfortable being patted, its toothed jaw hanging open and seeming somehow -- appreciative. They often aren't shown this kind of attention.     As Psyber takes charge and makes his introductions, the be-hatted abyssal scans her eyes in turn between each one. As he'd said, her expression remains difficult to read, though she's at least restraining herself from displaying any hostile intent. "..hmm," she finally offers, to his explanation that she doesn't have to make any extra emotive effort, for his sake. She then continues, in a soft monotone, "..okay." Honestly, that seems to put surface people off more than not even trying, usually, anyway..so maybe she should reconsider, or try practicing in a mirror, instead.     The other destroyers begin meandering closer to the fleet daughters, though with the calming influence of a Wo-class flagship here, they honestly do seem more curious about the fleet daughters than trying to size them up. Not that this likely makes it any more comfortable. Wo, herself, also steps forward to seemingly get a better look, reaching a hand out at none other than Akizuki. It seems at first she might be reaching for that pattable Yamato Nadeshiko-looking head, but at the last minute her eyebrows draw in, and she hesitates, eventually bringing her hand back down. She let it get the better of her with Kuma, she mustn't here...     The primary hosts of this get-together, Psyber and Kongou, are whom she turns to next. A vague recognition of some of the names Psyber is dropping is hinted at with a furrowing of the most expressive part of her face, those eyes and brows of hers. But..even though she might feel she should remember, it is still..hazy. "..I..think I would. Like to visit." Maybe that might be a clue she requires. 1812 seems like an awful long time ago for it to be relevant to her, but she honestly can't say how long she was alone in the dark, with those voices. She manages to give Kongou a slightly puzzled expression, before realizing, "--ah. ..surface food. Curry..?"     Some things remain common. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber embarassedly rubs the back of his head as Kongou praises, "Aheh, thanks. I wish I could have more interesting ship stuff, but we're not the New England area for that. You usually want Maryland, they have a bunch of ships. The only other one we have is uh... USS Cassin Young, the Fletcher-class Destroyer. Otherwise, there's Fall River like an hour South. But that would probably be awkward, since most of you guys are from that era. Be like visiting a friend in the old folks home, right?" He probably made a faux pas there.     He scuffs his foot. He used up MOST of his diplomacy yesterday, so cut him some slack. He coughs a bit and then holds out the thermos towards Wo, "Would you like some Lobster Bisque? Seafood is a specialty of the city, so we're great with crabs, clams, that kind of thing. Curry is more of a Kongou-speciality than a Boston thing." If Wo tries some, it'll be pretty good.     "Otherwise, uhm. Welcome to my city and is there anything I can show you in particular? Restaurants, sights, that kind of deal?" 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     "Mmm~..." Kongou mulls over Psyber's words for a moment, then closes her eyes with a grin, "More like when old war vets from opposite sides get together! I might want to play <Checkers> with her~!" It's hard to tell if she's serious or joking, the level of energy and her tone are the same as ever. Returning her attention to Wo, Kongou nods twice, "Admiral is right! This city prefers seafood. Curry is my <Specialty> though~! If you want, I don't mind making some for your whole fleet."     Isuzu is apprehensive at the concept of approaching destroyers, even though she's fully aware that they're not hostile. There's a bit of distrust just in her posture. However, she doesn't flinch away. Instead she permits their approach with a nervous little grin, "Nice to meet you, little guys. Just don't get any ideas, huh?"     Akizuki is too distracted by an outstretched Hand Of Headpatting. She does take a step back, eyes locked on Wo even after the taller woman's withdrawn her hand. After a moment, though, she straightens up and marches right past the Angel and the Battleship, holding her own hand out, "--I'm sorry, you're not here to cause trouble, I shouldn't act like that."     Zuihou lifts her magazine to look underneath it when Abyssal Destroyers start milling around close by. She lets out an "Oh!" of surprise and promptly closes the book, tucking it under one arm while she digs in her pockets. After a moment, she pulls out a handful of ... something.. and tosses it to the little ships. They're little silver cubes, about the size of dice.     ... Yeah. She just tossed steel bits to them like how you'd toss bread to ducks. 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     A slight tilt of the head is given in Psyber's direction, and she lets her single syllable of a designation be uttered in a puzzled way, if barely perceptible as such. She had been used to seeing him confident. Trying insane things just to win Kongou back to his side. And yet right now he seems as inscrutable as most surface people remain to her. Even seeming a bit, vulnerable, somehow. Then she finally has the presence of mind to put two and two together, at least in her head. Surface people, and sometimes even fleet daughters that more closely emulate their form, are more affected by the weather than they are. Her eyes wander to the red scarf wrapped around him, and easily betray the conclusion she comes to. He must be acting strangely because it's so cold for his kind.     With that realization, and she definitely wouldn't want Akizuki's boiler to get fouled with the weather - even if she did get a bit of a cold reaction, she makes a surprisingly conscious suggestion, "Let's..go inside. Talk more, on the way." She gestures with a hand again, this time adding a slight raise of the shank of metal she always seems to carry in some capacity.     The destroyers have been mostly content to mill around, never getting so close that they'd be mistaken for cats instead of ships. That is, until the tossed steel cubes attract the attention of two of the hungrier ones, both non-legged I-class, which scoop them somewhat awkwardly into their mouth-openings with their hinged lower jaw. --yeah, you try eating without hands or much of a neck, and see if you do better! With Wo's gesture, though, all of them seem to direct their attention to her, and gather around her booted feet. It seems they're ready to follow her suggestion. It also gives the Psyber's protectorate a bit of a reprieve, no doubt.     Where they head inside is mostly unimportant to her, though several suggestions are being made to her. She remains quiet, mostly, while Kongou's excitedness and Psyber's awkwardness do the talking for her. After, she lowers her head slightly, a movement more exaggerated with the pendulous mass atop it, and sending the tentacles attached to her hat draping on the ground. "Mostly here..to confirm, security arrangements. Not - used to..sight-seeing?" She sounds uncertain whether the latter is the right word, though continues, with the slightest trace of a hopeful tone, "I'd..like to taste, Kon-gou's curry. Then..can visit, sleeping sisters." An odd terminology for museum ships, perhaps?     And then she attends to Psyber's worry, with a shake of her head, another gesture that becomes amplified with that jellyfish-like adornment, and seems slightly in agreement with Kongou's assessment, "..we all fought, for our own..peace. Some, were able - to rest." But apparently, not all were ready to. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber can't correct the strange mental connections Wo is making between weather and Confidence Levels, so he can't bother to correct it. Not that he would, because the explanation would sail right over her head. So instead, when she motions that they should move. He blinks a few times, "Oh, sure."     Will Wo ever figure out that, outside of his insane antics and battlefield presence, Psyber endeavors to be a regular dude? Find out Next Time on KanColle Z.     And by next time we mean right now: She won't. Because he doesn't make the connection that she made a misconception.     "Security arrangements are basic. You can call ahead to me, I'll clear it with the Coast Guard, and they'll let you through. If you show up unannounced, they'll ask you to stop so they can contact me via radio and wave you through or raise an alert." Psyber notes, trying to be as official as possible about it.     He watches the small destroyers play, and doesn't comment on the statements of either girls about the museum ships. He does smile after a few moments and then say, "Sure. We can arrange it." He pauses and then says, "I am very happy this neutral ground appears to be moving forward. I hope the rest of your fleet is as amicable as you and Samar have been towards it."     He takes off at a relaxed walk, probably meaning to guide Wo towards a late-night Diner or something else that would be open at the late hour. 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     "Mm~!" Kongou shifts her hands as she walks, keeping them folded behind herself. "We all have telegraphs, so we can receive any uncoded message you send and relay it to Admiral for you." To accentuate this, Kongou's radars twitch slightly, while she beams a smile towards the quiet carrier.     "...Oh!" When the Abyssal destroyers shuffle back to Wo, Zuihou starts and then rises up from her watching-them-eat crouch. With quick steps, she trots up to walk beside the Wo-class, leaning forward slightly to watch how the destroyers shuffle and move around, "They're kind of cute like this. I didn't really get a good look before."     "You think they're /cute/?" Isuzu maintains a respectful distance, raising her arms up behind her head and closing her eyes, "You're so weird sometimes."     Akizuki sticks near Isuzu though seems to have nothing to say. The youngest looking shipgirl seems more thoughtful than apprehensive, though, staring at the sidewalk in front of her during the trip. At the diner, she declines, raising her hands, "Ah, I'm not hungry. I'll stay out here for a bit."     Kongou, however, holds the door not just for Psyber, but for Wo and her entourage as well, "It'll be warm inside~! Though I don't think they'll let me use their kitchen, maybe next time~!" 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     And we're walking, and we're walking. Perhaps owing to the weather, the Wo-class doesn't seem to be dripping as much sea water as she usually does after freshly surfacing. A bit more mindful, after the last several social calls, she does reach to her cape and make a token effort at shaking out a bit of excess moisture. Some of it splashes on the Ha-class destroyer, which causes the non-like destroyers to start making an alternating buzzing, hissing sound, as their jaws move in tune with it. Is that..laughter? As playful as many destroyers Kongou would know, in their own way. Their flagship for the day reaches down, perhaps in some semblance of an apology, and gives the one she'd splashed a pat on the head. They all settle down after that, and move to follow with her and Psyber, after Zuihou gets her own closer look. As she rises up, the fellow carrier gets an uncertain look, then she agrees in a firm monotone, "They are - cute." Take that, Isuzu. You've been outvoted.     It's a short trip to the closest all night diner, which suits Wo and her escorts just fine. As promised, while they're moving, she does her best to talk about things. Though her words are strained, it seems she understands well enough. "..yes. Telegraph. ..easiest way. Voice, not as - reliable." It can be a little hard to talk over the voices sometimes, and likely the least thing Psyber needs in his office are even more ghostly, polyphonic voices of subocean terrors crying in torment, but even more than that, it can be hard to predict how their 'technology' interfaces with the unified radio system, at times. She casts a look back to the sea, where the Coast Guard is likely still being watchful, with the mention of security. They can't really be blamed for that, she *did* kind of participate in a raid on the place.     "That..is acceptable," she confirms to Kongou. While everything is in relatively good spirits, though, when Psyber mentions how well the neutrality agreement is working out so far, she feels she must say, "..we - won't stop, just because..of this. Wounds, run deep. But.. ..perhaps, sometimes. --can, talk it over - in-stead." That small measure might save a bit of oilshed here and there, which is certainly better than no attempts at all. Her eyes get distant for a moment, then, allowing her mind to wonder about how Samar is taking this back at Iron Bottom Sound.     Such thoughts are soon interrupted, as Akizuki stops short of entering once they actually reach their destination. The Wo-class gives an odd look, perhaps with a barely readable tinge of disapproval, or is that worry? Unless she pulls away or is particularly insistant, though, Wo will reach out to try and take her hand, "It's cold. Come.." She's not used to leaving destoyers behind, as the ones that toddle in the door as if it were perfectly natural to do so prove. Regardless, she also looks a bit disappointed that she won't eat Kongou's cooking, but gives a firm nod of her head, before removing her cover when entering, placing its bulk under an arm. "..yes. Next - time, then." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     To it's credit, Boston is fairly paranormally integrated, so when Wo comes in with her destroyers, all the man behind the counter says is, "Eeeeeeh, make sure they don' make a fahkin' mess on the flo'."     Otherwise, they're free to grab a big booth as a group, which Psyber does, pulling a chair up so he doesn't have to sit in a booth but the others can all cram in. The menus are a basic diner affair of latenight food: Burgers, breakfast food, malts, sodas. The standard roster of food.     Psyber doesn't take too long to order, sifting through a menu, "I'll have the waffles and some bacon with two eggs over hard," He says to a woman standing nearby and jotting down orders with a pen. After he finishes folding up his menu and handing it to the waitress, he looks over to Wo.     "So Wo. Is there anything you need us to do specifically so that you feel you're doing your job as an envoy?" 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     Isuzu slides in first, with Zuihou filling in the middle and Kongou occupying the outboard seat--where she can be closer to Psyber's impromptu head-of-the-table seating. Isuzu collects her menu and flips through it, intensely concentrating. Zuihou's choice comes by what amounts to randomly pointing at something when the waitress shows up, "This looks tasty! I'll have it, please."     "Tea please~," Kongou's order is expected. She leans forward a bit, glancing down at Isuzu, "Are you going to <Order?>"     "...I..." Isuzu mutters, "...don't recognize any of these."     Taking the initiative, Kongou glances Waitress-wards, "And a <Short Stack.>"     Wo insisted Akizuki come in out of the cold, but she lingers outside for a moment, scuffing her feet. After a bit of thought, closing her eyes with a sigh, the destroyer turns and enters several minutes after the Abyssal Entourage had already done so, "Fiiiine, I'm here." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     The abyssal destroyers, for their part, don't make too much of a mess. Their flagship for the day is well under control of herself, so they are influenced by the relative calm. The most trouble they would cause is by their curiosity, hobbling closer to various bits of decor in the place to take a closer look, though never causing any real damage. They also don't seem to stray too far from the Wo-class carrier that brought them along, though as far as the beings alien to them go, they seem to be most comfortable with Zuihou, as far as proximity goes. Perhaps they sense her greater patience with them, or bribes of raw material go a long way. Or...nah, probably best not to overthink it.     Their carrier's face retains most of its mask-like nature, her pallor not really helping that impression much. She continues looking to the hesitant Akizuki for a while longer, before her duty to her own destroyers wins out, and she continues inside. Thankfully, her persuasion also seems to have gotten the better of their fleet counterpart, and while her neutral expression doesn't change much - something about her eyes gives the impression she is pleased with this.     She must not dwell on it, though. This is still an official diplomatic meeting and security review, and Psyber's question remind her of it. As she wanders further in, she glances around at the diner, finding some things oddly familiar - yet she honestly could not say why. It also gives her a chance to properly assemble her words in her head, though there's obvious difficulty in actually speaking them, still. "..there is..something." She reaches down to her hat, and makes a gesture with a hand that almost looks like she was turning an old-school, analog volume knob to the 'off' position. She also casts a glance to the destroyers, which all snap to attention at some unheard instruction.     Taking a seat afterward, her voice somehow gets even more serious, despite her monotone. "Psyber. Kon-gou. ..even be-fore, I saw.. There had, been rumors. Among sisters.." The destroyers give a bit of their buzzing, almost static hissing, as though discussing something amongst themselves from the floor nearby, before hopping in turn up into the seats. "--Samar, does not..like us to.. ..talk about it. But..some sisters. Remain..curious." A moment is taken as she retrieves a menu, though she seems less intent on reading it than catching her breath. If only she were as articulate as the greater demons and princesses. "..it could - put them at risk. If it, spreads - around." In a round-about way, it's obvious that she's asking for privacy for her kind that normally don't have it.     Even if she never asks directly, she continues, "..Samar's orders..absolute. But -- I also, care for sisters. So.." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber stops as he hears the words from Wo. He doesn't react to anything else in the room. Normally, he'd tease Isuzu about her ordering problems or make a couple light jokes at the group about it. Instead, Wo goes right to some very major business.     "I do not like sinking you all," Psyber says in a very dark tone, staring down at the table in front of himself. He takes a slow breath and says, "When I first recovered Kongou, I didn't sink her so much as tackle her. When she sank again and I could hear the pain and anger, it tore at me. When I had to put her under the water with my own two hands, that was a daunting task for me."     He looks to Wo, "I feel like the decision, Abyssal or Fleet Daughter, is up to you as individuals." He pauses, "I feel you should make your choices, research your options, and then choose where you want to be with a clear head and a strong basis of knowledge."     He scowls a bit, "If you say you want to be Wo, you're Wo. I'm not going to force you to be someone else." 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     "I understand why you feel that way," Kongou points out, eyes closed while she waits, "Sinking is like death. You don't want to kill people if you can avoid it." Eyes staying closed, she turns them upward with a smile, "That's just one of the things I like about Admiral~!"     Those blue eyes open finally, focusing on Wo more directly, "As a battleship you know I will not hesitate to fight if I am needed. But I think that Admiral's plan is the better one. Life shouldn't be about pain, but about love, yes? Such as your love for your little sisters~!" One hand unfolds, sweeping out to indicate the destroyers milling about.     Speaking of destroyers: Akizuki, apparently not hungry, has crouched down with her hands on her knees, staring one of the I-class down with a neutral expression. It's almost like she's not sure what to do with herself when they aren't shooting at her.     Zuihou has gone back to staring at pictures in the menu. Isuzu just sort of glowers down the table at Kongou. That'll probably pass soon enough. 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     She realizes, even if she lacks human sensibilities in many ways, that it was a big weight to drop right after they'd just settled in, but it had to fall eventually. With that out of the way, and especially with Psyber's and Kongou's responses, a weight almost visibly lifts from her caped shoulders, and not just because she has her hat removed. For the briefest of moments, one might almost swear they saw a pink tinge appear on those pale, white cheeks of hers - but that'd be physically impossible. "Th..thank you," she replies, lowering her head so that her eyes glance to the table, "..for understanding. ..should be - a choice. Not..absolute." When she raises her eyes again, she gives Kongou a particular look of understanding. It doesn't mean they won't have reason to fight, but to her mind, this neutral ground should be a place where each can sort out of their own feelings.     Despite the positive response, though, on the identity issue - she further reveals, her expression souring almost imperceptibly, "..many sisters. Can't remember.. Some, con-tent, but..all, struggle." The destroyers, at least the ones not having a staring contest with Akizuki, all seem to slow their restless, energetic activity for a moment, as though recalling some internal confusion of their own, on point. Never moving her eyes from looking forward, she reaches a hand over to rest atop the Ha-class' neckline, presumably reassuring. "Surface world..holds many answers. I feel.. For, Ko-class..she met, her commander. Again.." Don't think she didn't replay her personal recordings of that over and over when Samar wasn't looking, trying to figure it out.     After a few moments of inner reflection, she gives a subdued shake of her head, "..aside from that -- we can, deal with..material requirements, la-ter. For now.." The Wo-class takes to browsing her menu a bit more purposefully, "..surface food, not necessary. But - nice." She orders some burgers for the abyssal destroyers, and perhaps remembering something she read about the surface world, quizzically asks for them to have little flags planted in them. Hopefully the wait staff doesn't get confused by her halting speech. For herself, a glass of cola will have to substitute for high grade motor oil. Just a trace of an actual smile, easily missed with its brevity and subtlety, plays across her face as she turns to the energetic destroyers again, seemingly excited about food. "Love.. ..yes. Hard to believe..perhaps." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Wo, there's only one question I think you really need to ask yourself," Psyber notes, looking across the table at her. He tilts his head to the side, "And if you take away one question I ever ask you that sticks with you, I want it to be this one."     "'Are you happy?'."     He takes a long moment and then explains, "I think that's what matters, and I realize that more and more. If you can sit and be truly happy as an Abyssal, that is where I think you should be. If you aren't, maybe you should search for what makes you truly happy." Psyber adds, elaborating on his point as he lets her browse the menu.     Kongou has her own points to make, and Psyber agrees with them. He also doesn't expect Wo to come to any life-changing decisions overnight. He just wanted to give her the best answer that he thought he could. 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     "Mm!" It's just a noise Kongou makes, rather than pursuing the conversation herself. The look on her face pretty clearly states what she feels: That Psyber's point is a very good one. It's also remarkably close to Kongou's own philosophy, which she alluded to just a few moments ago. Though she doesn't out and voice her thoughts on the Abyssals themselves, that they live an existence of pain and hate. This Wo class in front of her doesn't seem to be all that hateful, after all. Could she be wrong?     But then what of that feeling she gets whenever Ko-class is brought up? That lonely sadness in the back of her mind. Is that not how they all are?     To hide the disappearance of her smile, Kongou folds her hands in front of her mouth, leaning on them with a thoughtful look in her eyes.     Meanwhile, Akizuki finally moves, reaching out with a single finger extended to just ... poke the I-class in the side. Not even very forceful, a nudge at least. Perhaps to see what they feel like when they aren't all teeth and flying at her face. "...You guys aren't so bad, huh? I'm Akizuki, nice to meet you."     Zuihou, waiting for her food, has returned to her magazine. Isuzu is listening intently but has nothing to contribute, by the look on her face. 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     It would be a mistake to say that the Wo-class has no pain and resentment. Her continued development as a flagship, however, has given her the control necessary to channel it until it's necessary. Perhaps someday, that same clarity will come to a certain troubled sister she's currently dealing with - the Ri-class that has become somewhat known around the multiverse. It also feeds back into what she'd just disclosed. She needs more answers as to why she was so angry, for so long. Distinct feelings of abandonment and betrayal had to have come from somewhere.. None of this comes into view on her face, but she listens in silence for some time, sorting some things in her head of her own. Is she happy? She can honestly say, "..don't know. Only - that there, is something..missing." Many of the abyssals feel the same, she's gathered, but not all are able to express it in actual words.     "Samar, made us whole. Gave us - something, where we had..nothing. But, a hole - remains." That's about as well as she can put it, the reasons for the apparently rampant loyalty to Samar's cause, their cause, and to each other. Thinking about it even this deeply causes her to pause, lifting a black gloved hand to her forehead as she abruptly drops her menu. She looks to be in physical pain for a moment, a softly enunciated grunt accompanying the most expression her face has managed in likely anyone gathered's memory. After it's passed, she expresses flatly, "..won't..talk about it, more. For now."     The abyssal destroyers had cast a slightly troubled look to the Wo-class, but soon resume their previous activity level. They really do seem like children in this atmosphere. The one that seems preoccupied with Akizuki, and vice versa, makes an alternating garbled sound while its jaw works in tune with it, almost as if it were laughing at the touch. Ticklish? Its flesh is actually soft, to a degree, though quickly meets resistance, as though there's probably an armor shell beneath. To the introduction, it turns to look at her more directly, and its mouth hangs open for a moment as if expressing its bewilderment, but then tries really hard to express something. It almost, for a moment, sounds like a voice might come out, but in the end it's lost in the same frustrating static. It gives up shortly after, its mouth closing, and it somehow seems..disappointed. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Despite her attempt to hide it, Psyber spots the file as it fades from Kongou. The half-angel reaches out quickly and pokes her in the side, trying to tickle her just a little so she'll buck up and break that serious look.     "Samar seems like she relies on you a great deal," Psyber says deflectively. It's not a compliment or an insult, but it can easily be taken as him speaking well of her. He adds a moment later, "And she seems very attached to you. Though it was odd of her to risk Ko-Class like she did, don't you think?"     Either way, Psyber lets it go at that and looks to Wo with a smile, "Follow your own path. If Samar is a good leader, she will understand that you need to be who you want to be, right?" Psyber says in a reassuring tone. 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     "Yah~!" The poke in her side surprises Kongou, prompting the shipgirl to jump in her seat. Quickly recovering, she teases right back at Psyber, "<Hey> Ad~mi~ral~! I don't mind if you touch, but there's a time and a place for everything~!" The poke is also returned. Seems like she's been brought quite easily back to her cheerful, playful self.     Isuzu finally speaks up, eyes closed, "It's a pretty cut and dry 'Follow your heart' sort of message. Do what feels right to you. Nobody really has the power to make you do otherwise, right?" Eyes opening, she adds, "Of course I'm biased, so I'll keep my opinion on what's right to myself." It's pretty obvious anyway what her thoughts on what the right path would be.     Zuihou's eyes light up and she sets her magazine down, "Oh, a Dauntless! Miss Wo-class, do you have these?" She pushes the magazine out, pointing at a handsome picture of a restored SBD-3 dive bomber.     Akizuki meanwhile is oblivious to the heavy conversation going on in the booth, since she's not over there. Instead, she seems preoccupied with her new deep sea friend. The noise the I-Class makes when it tries to speak gets her head to tilt, "Huh... You can't talk? Is it something only the bigger ships can do?" Eyes closing, she just pats the destroyer's head lightly, "I understand. Until you can tell me your name, is it okay if I call you Icchan?" but that could be /any/ of them in this room other than the cyclopean Ha-class over there. 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     There's just a bit of discomfort. The Wo-class had really gone out on a limb there, even if there's little risk of it becoming a liability. All this encouragement isn't lost on her, but given her difficult position, it's not something that's easy to accept. She also holds back her own feelings on Samar's mission with the Ko-class fast battleship, which were conflicted from the beginning, but also brings to mind their leader's words before retreat that day. So much to absorb, but she must project a strong presence for the sake of her destroyers, whom like Akizuki has learned a facet of, aren't as able to do so for themselves.     "Yes," she finally states, simply, though to which question or statement - Psyber or Isuzu - in particular is left up to interpretation. Her still glowing eyes, despite the absence of the shade from her hat, watches the lighter-hearted play between Psyber and Kongou, before they close. Before she can get lost in her thoughts, Zuihou drags her back to the here and now, and she gives a glance. Her eyebrow draws in again, as something in the back of her consciousness says she should remember something like this. Either personally, or as part of a greater awareness. "..no," she says, with a somehow displaced firmness, and just a tinge of regret. "Abyssal planes.. ..mm. ..also, from uncertain - memories." She has enough awareness to realize that the owners of the diner likely would not care for her conjuring one up, and it might spook the current company too much, anyway.     The destroyer that had seemed disheartened, at not being able to communicate, nonetheless seems to perk up again as Akizuki gives it a nickname. Even if it's going to be impossible for her to know which one this is -- or will it be? There's definitely no sad future ahead for them at all.     "The important..thing," the Wo-class finally begins to summarizes her case, as the burgers arrive for the abyssal destroyers. Their mouths all hang open and their eyes seem to glow just a little brighter, before they do their best to eat properly. The one that had been interacting with Akizuki is a little hesitant to break away from her, but even as it does, it is a bit more careful and measured with its portion than the others. Perhaps it's trying to project a bit more dignity now that it has made a friend? Regardless, after the pause, the carrier continues, "..I - am thankful. For your hosting..us. It..won't stop things. But.. ..maybe, can help - fill that hole."     "Psyber -- I find, the arrangements. Satis-factory." And even though he had told her it was unnecessary, she still lifts her fingers to the edges of her mouth, to give that forced smile again. 

}}

1684/Search for Sovereign 2: Hunting a Wizard

2015-03-12T04:15:57Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/02/28 |Location=Terra Majora <TM> |Synopsis=The next (and final) leg in the hunt for Sovereign. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=2, 40, 92, 168, 2..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/02/28
|Location=Terra Majora <TM>
|Synopsis=The next (and final) leg in the hunt for Sovereign.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=2, 40, 92, 168, 253, 626
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     The Blooded keep records of who fought in large battles, most often. It is a matter of lineage and bragging rights. So with a quick visit to Lastfall or somewhere, it's a pretty simple task to look up the prominent families present at the battle, and to find out which ones SURVIVED and passed on their blood.     So it is pretty simple to find the sorcerer's family. That battle gave them some prominence, but they are by now a fairly minor noble family. Not really /disgraced/ so much as fallen by the wayside, they have a smallish manor overlooking a rustic little town in the rural areas of the Windward Empire. Airships rarely visit, leaving carriage or horseback as the most inconspicuous way of finding a way into town. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     By Carriage, do you mean... full-sized van? Because I feel like you meant full-sized Van.     Also that's what's cruising through town.     Psyber is sitting in the driver's seat of a full-sized van. People in the front, room for gear in the back. The half-angel is also nodding his head along to an iPod plugged into the tape deck that is currently running through a playlist of 1970s Rock and Roll. You can debate amongst yourselves who got shotgun.     "So. Hopefully the Merrihearts..." He pauses for a long moment, surpressing a reflex to judge by name, "... will be helpful. And might have some records or antiques. Maybe a family crypt. That would be the most ideal for u- Oh shut up, I love this part."     There's about a 40 second pause for a guitar solo in a song.     "-s, since if this doesn't pan our, our leads will look pretty slim. Let's try to be polite at first and, if we need to negotiate, let Nathan beat them up with his words."     His goal is pretty much just to drive up to the front door of the manor unless stopped. 

:'''{{#var:40|Eleanor Lamb (40)}} has posed:'''     Eleanor Lamb... came prepared. You don't roll up in a van like this without being at least a little tooled up. Thus th wrench and the pistol under that leather jacket. She does puff up a bit though, and calls out. "Is there a scale on 'the nicer the name the worse they are'? I mean, Merriheart, i am expectign them to open the door with death magic blazing." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     Nathan, who as always has the 'shotgun' position, stares at Psyber for the duration of the guitar solo with a completely dry, emotionless expression. And then follows up. "Yes, we should try to use a minimum of force, both diplomatically and martially. I would appreciate the opportunity to gain their cooperation with a minimum of trouble. Word does not travel fast in this land, but those with agendas can speed bad news very effectively."     He turns back to stare at Eleanor a bit. "I am not sure what you mean." He says, frankly. "But as their political relevance has waned, I doubt they are particularly on guard against traveling diplomats and treasure-seekers. Be cautious regardless, they are still Blooded." 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     Homura is in Psyber's shadow as usual, and has preemptively finished her homework for the weekend. Just this time she gets a free weekend. And immediatly starts using it to handle heroics.     Sigh. It's like an addiction.     That hasn't stopped her from having her nose in a book the entire trip here, but will put it away as soon as the van stops. Her hair's in a ponytail, she's got a nice formal white shirt and black pants.     "What do you expect they'll know and share, anyway?" 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     Kyra is so aboard the party van. She sits in the back on the far left side up against the window, a big fat Moogle-shaped backpack in her lap. The last time she was here she found herself wishing she had more explosives and although this was meant to involve questioning a family about their former wizard patreon, Kyra's not taking any chances. Her own experiences with this world very scant compared to the others, she cannot truly appreciate how ominous a family name such as 'Merriheart' is in these parts. In the meantime, on the way over she seems to be engaged in...texting someone it looks like?     "Erm, quiiiick question." Kyra holds up a hand, waggling her fingers, finally disengaging from her phone, "What is the meaning of 'Blooded'?" 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     It's isolated enough that the van gets some very curious looks, but the fact that a Multiverse is out there is known to enough people that it's not really seen as a monstrous invasion. By now, most everyone knows of the other realms past their own... but few leave their own place. So there's no panic, just stares and the occasional shuffle to tug a friend over to see the weird vehicle with the screeching 'music' coming out of it.     The van sure does roll right past the manor gates! Guards are inside, but it looks like the gates are open, and not guarded. The only guards are the two at the front door, and the approach has been seen far enough away that a man is there to 'greet' the group. He steps forward as the van stops, and clears his throat. "Apologies, but the manor is not open to visitors, not even offworlders."     The decor, by the way, consists of columns that are decorated with inlaid bone, with what appear to be human skulls embed upon the doors to the house. Purple and black are the dominant colors, and much of the mural that is faded on one side of the manor seems to have lots of swords and blood. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Blooded are supernaturally empowered individuals of varying levels of potency. They comprise most of the nobility of Terra Majora. Most are jerks, save a very limited few," Psyber comments to Kyra. To Homura, he answers quickly, "Antiques. War trophies. The location of a tomb."     When he rolls the car to a stop and looks out the window, Psyber tilts his head. He says to Eleanor, "It is a pattern, but not enough to establish a certainty."     To the man who comes up to tell them the place is closed, Psyber thinks for a long moment on how to approach it. While he grapples with this, Nathan will probably do something amazing. 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "I somehow doubt they will just hand us that information," Homura answers, somewhat skeptical, especially at the sight of the motifs around the mansion. This does not look like a place where someone friendly lives. Maybe it's all the bones. Or blood motifs. But that's a big maybe. It could be anything!     Like Psyber, she will let Nathan say hello. If they continue denying them entry she'll probably just do what she usually does when told she can't go inside a building and take everything that isn't bolted down. 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     "Aaaaah." Kyra drawls, slipping her phone back into her pocket. "So all the high-ranking people here have the cool powers leaving the regular folks kind of SOL, huh?" Not that she'd seen much 'regular folk' in this world yet. Mostly monsters and dead bodies. "That seems a little unfortunate."     This commentary stops once they're in earshot of the locals. She squirms in her seat, trying to peer out the window to get a better look at the mural. "...hey." she says quietly, "He said we can't go inside but nothing about looking around outside, right?" 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "Little, and less." Nathan replies swiftly to Homura when she asks what he expects to be told and given, without missing a moment. Kyra also gets a quick response. "Blooded. Individuals possessing hereditary holy energies. A variety of physical enhancements, practical abilities, and sorcerous potentials are inherent to their heritage." And then they arrive!     This is iffy. A cold negotiation means Nathan doesn't have any opportunity to gather data or get things rolling behind the scenes vis a vis this challenge. Well, he's dealt with worse. The General rolls down his window rather casually. "Salutations." He says in the usual monotone, and with the timing of someone who does this sort of thing regularly. Okay, cold negotiation strategy one: Take advantage of the fact that they don't know what to expect either. Nathan does his best to put the cadence of his voice into one of a high-ranking official doing one of dozens of rounds. "Merriheart Manor, home of what remains of the Merriheart line, correct? A lack of visitors will do that, yes." He pulls out some sort of record pad, looking the guards up and down, examining them, and the man here to greet them, and writing something down. Stragegy two of the cold negotiation: Do whatever you can to make your opposition self-aware of their traditional behavior, to make them open-minded to the idea of going against it. One way of doing that is to record what they're doing.     He looks at the mural and raises an eyebrow. "Hmm. I thought it involved much, much more mass land manipulation, and much, much less swordplay and blood." And then he peers at the skulls. "These specific trophies at least, are those available to examine? Hmmm, likely not. Well, we do not mind reporting the Merrihearts as empty-handed for this." Cold negotiation strategy three: Bait the opposition into tipping their hand. This is a matter of pride for the families. His commentary about "'what remains of the Merriheart line'", his mild awareness but mild 'inaccuracy' about the subject of the mural, and his apparent vague but easily dropped interest in the minor group are a combo designed to force the man to engage rather than discard the group, while Nathan's appearance of stoic, regular apathy is designed to be a deft means of averting any appearance of ignorance.     If his guess is right, the family is gradually declining while making a greater and greater show of their glory days through trophies, art, and similar displays. As such, by initially appearing to be an extremely vague opportunity to increase the glory of the family line, but one that will be easily lost by potential rejection, he'll hopefully get the family to engage more directly. 

:'''{{#var:40|Eleanor Lamb (40)}} has posed:'''     Eleanor grumbles in the back of the van and looks over as Nathan attempts to Socially Engineer his way inside the facility.     A look over to Himei and Kyra, and she fidgets. She'd help but she doesn't have Nathan's expansive and didactic memory. 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     The man replies stiffly, "No, you may not examine those." He now frowns, looking disapproving. "The family is just fine, thank you, and I believe you should go immediately before you wear out your welcome. We do not-"     "FREDERICK!" A young man calls out loudly. "Why didn't you tell me we had guests!" The youth, no older than 17 or 18, appears to be jumping out the second story window to land in the grass. He's dressed in dark clothing, with silver studs and a little skull motif going. Otherwise he looks pretty normal, handsome even.     "Master Timothy, I do not believe-"     The boy waves a hand, wandering over to the van. "Don't be ridiculous! They're just here to look around, right? I mean, what could a bunch of offworlders want here?" He grins, flicks his hair back. "HEY! Welcome to Merriheart Manor! Don't listen to Fred here, he's just pissy because the-"     "Master Timothy-"     "-front door has been stuck for three weeks, and he doesn't like to admit it," the young man finishes. "Hi! Name is Tim Merriheart, Sorcerer in training! What brings you all here to our neck of the woods?" He pauses. "OH! Right! If you want to come in and hang out, we'll have to go in through the back door. That's fine, it's closer to the kitchen. We don't have a lot on hand right now but I think there's some bread and cheese and maybe a nice wine left..." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Ah. Thanks for your hospitality, Mister Merriheart," Psyber says, smiling at the boy. Psyber places his hands in his pockets and then shakes his head, "I don't need anything to eat."     "Ah, around the back door. I see, I see." Psyber says with a nod of his head, "Truth told, I'm hoping you can tell me about your ancestor at Glittering Fields. I've been tracking that war and it's a fascinating piece of history." Play into the ego.     "Did your ancestor keep any, you know, souvenirs? Bring back any trophies?" 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     All this noise over a stuck door?     Homura frowns, mostly from how suspicious and odd that all is. Not quite her place to question it, though. Instead, she'll focus on something else entirely: "The place looks... interesting. Aren't you even slightly concerned it looks fairly ominous?" 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     While the man at the door is occupied, Kyra stealthily takes a picture of the mural so they can study it later, need be. She's not really sure how well the picture is going to turn out, given how faded the mural is. Some of the colors might be off but the thought doesn't cross Kyra's mind.     Leaning forward to listen to Nathan Hall execute some masterful social engineering hacking, the white mage finds herself startled when a teenager leaps out of the second story window to land nearby them. Kyra leans forward, peering out the window at him for a second before scrambling to get out of the van, sliding her backpack over her shoulders as she moves. As she hops out, her boots jingle with her movement and continue to do so as she walks around Timothy, looking him up and down with an appraising eye.     "You have good style." Kyra finally confides to him with a grin on her face. Her compliment at least sounds genuine enough. "But! Like our friend here said, we're pretty interested in the escapades of your bloodline. Not that I wouldn't mind hanging out." 

:'''{{#var:40|Eleanor Lamb (40)}} has posed:'''     Eleanor smiles cheerfully from the back of the van, and... Well. He's a happy sort. So lets try happy. Also this is a van full of young ladies here to see a young and ASPIRING SORCERER. BRITISH PEPPY CHARM ACTIVATE.     "Wine and cheese sounds lovely, thanks!" She practically climbs over Nathan to stick her hand out the window of the van. "Hi! I'm Eleanor!" 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     Nathan's maneuvers don't go well. But at least his embarrassment winds up getting overshadowed by the arrival of Timothy here. "Ah, salutations." He says, still from the passenger seat of the van."'Hanging out' certainly sounds agreeable, we will be happy to." He leaves the van quickly, and offers a handshake. "Nathan Hall, holistic librarian. A pleasure to meet you, Tim." He drones, offering a handshake politely, and nodding.     "If you would, we will certainly follow." He says, agreeing to heading to the back entrance. But he focuses partway on assuaging Frederick. "Thank you for the hospitality, we will be sure to give it due respect." Just a bit meant to defuse some amount of the potential tension there. And he heads forward! 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber, realizing he forgot to introduce himself before asking about antiques, immediately goes, "Oh shit, right. Psyber, private investigator." 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     "Yeah, nice to meet you all! I've never met offworlders before. Nobody comes to this place, and we don't travel much. Town troubles, you know? Well, I mean dad's out of town, but..." Tim rambles on, waving his hand in the air, while Frederick sighs and comes around back to open the door for everyone. It leads into a surprisingly simple kitchen, though it's very clean, and Tim himself starts to hunt for the bread before Frederick shoves him toward the guests while he takes care of getting food.     "Glittering... oh yeah!" Tim snaps fingers and smacks his fist into his palm. "Grandpa used to ramble about that all the time. Sorry, not a lot to tell beyond some stories, though. I know them all, but if you're looking for trophies there's not much. Nobody likes to give Sorcerers stuff like that, they prefer to give out cash or titles."     He leans against a table, looking at Kyra and flashing a grin. "Thanks, family style." To Homura, the young man shrugs, "Ominous? I guess to strangers. Grandpa was uh..." He frowns, then shakes his head. "Well, he always said respect was gained through fear. Dad didn't believe the same. Me, I'm just enjoying things before I have to be serious, so we're still doing it dad's way. The place may /look/ creepy but the town doesn't care. I think." He scratches his head. "It's true we don't get all that many visitors even though we leave the gates open." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber actually feels somewhat bad to be considering stealing from this guy. Timothy seems nice, his dad sounds nice. The half-angel sighs a bit and then nods as Tim goes into the whole explanation, "What's wrong with the town?"     "You seem like a nice family. Kinda lame to hear that the town is in trouble and see your manor in disrepair. Want me to try to fix that door for you? I do a lot of work with tools," He offers, smiling at Timothy and then leaning over to inspect the door. Probably just needs WD-40.     "Did your Grandfather ever talk about an object called Sovereign? Or talk about where they TOOK the objects recovered from that battle?" Psyber is still being vague about what Sovereign is, but that's because he doesn't want to spoil the surprise. Or, you know, get hopes up.     "Actually, were there any stories in general that stood out from that incident?" 

:'''{{#var:40|Eleanor Lamb (40)}} has posed:'''     Elle makes her way inside and... uh, yeah this place is pretty spartan for a Blooded house, isn't it? Psyber's already off to handle the front door, so Eleanor settles in at a chair near the table, happily waiting for Hospitality. "Oh yes, I'd love to hear stories. I mean, Nathan is a big fan of stories. He's that sort of Librarian you know. Histories and ancient lore and all that."     She thumbs up at Nathan, and then leans in to LISTEN CLOSELY TO TIMOTHY, radiating happy. 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "You should consider a restyling, then. This place gives off "evil wizards live here" vibes a mile away," Homura peanuts, mostly content to have asked a question that made the guy speak... well, presumably honestly, and fairly naturally. He doesn't SEEM like a liar. She'll continue playing tourist and just sort of hanging back, since Psyber seems comfortable enough and that's usually a good sign. 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "Indeed." Nathan says, nodding to Eleanor. "Stories are certainly enough, considering what we are here for. If you have them, we will be happy to hear them. We visited the Glittering Fields ourselves, actually. The name is very inaccurate. It was educational, but only partially so. We thought we might be able to gain more insight here."     There's a glint on those glasses for a moment. "Before you have to be serious?" He asks, tilting his head. "Upcoming duties, or are you simply prepared for a more grave incident?" He seems socially curious here, not especially stuffy about things as he wanders into the kitchen amicably. 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     Frederick returns with bread and cheese, along with knives. Apparently they... are kind of trusting. The bread is GOOD bread, for anyone who tries it, though the cheese will probably be pretty hard and crumbly for anyone who is used to softer sandwich cheeses.     Tim sighs, "Well, I have a TON of stories, but if you're looking for relics you're in the wrong place." He crosses his arms. The name 'Sovereign' does get him to perk up. "Oh, you're after one of the Hundred? That explains it. I... don't actually remember grandpa mentioning Sovereign by name. It wouldn't surprise me that it was at that battle, though."     Tim smiles at Homura, "Yeah, well... it IS our heritage, and the skulls ARE enchanted. It's not like they aren't useful, just creepy. As soon as we get the money I plan on changing the color scheme, that might help. Dad wants to refresh the mural first, though. It's actually an image of that battle, if you want to take a look." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber closes his eyes and draws in a sharp breath, hissing a bit as if stunned. He didn't expect the boy to recognize the name, nor to simply state what it was, and because of this Psyber mentally recoils. He didn't want Nathan knowing what he was searching for until he had it in-hand. At least he knows Nathan won't elaborate on the term 'The Hundred'.     Psyber brushes it off, quickly, "Ah yes, the Mural! I'd love to see it. Please show it to me right away." He urges, trying to steer the conversation in that direction. 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "... ah? Is that so? What do the skulls do?" Homura asks, curious. She was also going to say she'd like to see the mural, but Psyber's beaten her to it. It still holds, though. 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     Tim doesn't notice the tension. "Oh... nothing grave. I hope. Things are actually improving of late! Just, you know. I'll be turning eighteen soon, and I'm /technically/ old enough to take over now. But dad wants to wrap up a few things first, so he's handing over the keys to the house then instead of now." 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     "It's true, she's got a point." Kyra nudges her head in the direction of Homura. "I mean, clothing-wise I think it's okay. Decore wise...well there's only so much skulls you can have before people get suspicious, you know?" But it quickly becomes clear that Timothy here was very unlike his grandfather.     Or...he was very like his grandfather and much better at hiding it. 

:'''{{#var:40|Eleanor Lamb (40)}} has posed:'''     Eleanor blinks a bit. Psyber and Nathan will have their fill of lore tonight, that's for sure. She doesn't catch the tension just yet either. "Hundred? Is that the number of people who were at the battle? Or something else?" 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     The youth tugs at his vest, grinning at Kyra's comment. "Heh, thanks. Yeah, I want to keep SOME of the family... tradition, I guess? We can probably make it less offputting though. We aren't /necromancers/ after all. Sorcery is its own bag of tricks." He frowns suddenly, then waves away the thought. "Frederick, can you get a platter for this? We'll make it a picnic while I talk about the mural."     Timothy turns to the door again, but Eleanor gets a funny look... then he smacks his forehead. "Oh, right, offworlders! You wouldn't know all our legends. The Hundred are artifacts that were used in the war... the old war. The Shajem War. Swords, shields, helms, whatever. Not a lot of them known these days, though. What I wouldn't give to have one of THOSE here... but they say the Hundred choose the wielder, too, so maybe it wouldn't do much." 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     There's a moment where Nathan recognizes the name and a heavy twitch in the face as he glances to Psyber heavily, incredulousness inherent to the stoicism. And then he's back to Tim. "I see." He refuses to make a big scene here or something like that.     "The mural out front." Nathan asides to Psyber and Homura. "With the swords and the blood." And then he considers the words of Tim, turning back to him. "Enchanted skulls... Keys to the house... Ah, your father is away on business, and the skulls are warding, or something like that?" He guesses. Best way to flatter someone to pay attention to them and respond with theorizations and suchlike this way. "In any case, what has had your father so occupied? I admit a bit of curiosity. You said he was doing something in opposition to the way your grandfather did things?" He's mildly curious about if he might motivate a bit of help from this sorcerer himself, since he seems so un-twisted by the insular blue-bloodedness of some of the Blooded in this world. 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     Homura's question gets Tim to pause. "Well uh..." He's suddenly flustered, a little. "I can't tell you what they do. A warding? Kinda, yeah!" He perks up a little. "I mean... it's part of the family secret and all. Sorry. A couple pretty faces can go a long way, but I'm not going to give out our secrets!" He grins. "It's also kind of creepy anyway. Not important." At least he isn't trying to pass it off as being innocent!     As Frederick moves outside, Tim starts to move too. "Anyway... it was a pretty bloody battle. My great grandfather fought in it... he lived a lot longer than most. There are rumors he used necromancy to do it, but I think it might have been something else. Great grandpa was a real asshole... uh... a REAL asshole, but I'm pretty sure he wasn't THAT bad." There's a bit of desperate hope in his voice there, and just a hint of pleading. "The mural! It's hard to see with the grime and fading, but it's basically the last charge of the Windward Kingdom. They were /losing/ and getting pretty desperate, but my ancestor and another sorcerer whose name escapes me - he died in the battle - summoned up the water from the earth and smashed the enemy line right ahead of the charge. Completely broke them, and turned the tide when they lost most of their front line. Somewhere in there, their commander fell, and that's probably what really saved the day." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     When Nathan looks at Psyber, the half-angel just narrows his eyes and looks back. Staring contest between the two of them. The kind of staring contest that isn't a contest at all, but more a precursor of 'some shit might go down some day and this will come up when it does'. Or possibly just 'I don't want to deal with this right now'.     "Nnn." Psyber remarks to the story about the Glades, "If that's true, logic says it's under the Glades. But I already tried going carving holes out there. Maybe I didn't go deep enough?" He thinks. The Mural might have a clue, though. Or he's being obtuse and missing something. 

:'''{{#var:40|Eleanor Lamb (40)}} has posed:'''     Eleanor manages to follow the rest, catching the looks between Psyber and Nathan and the words and... ooh. Well. Elle calls up all of her limited theatrical training and makes a show of a faux dissapointed gesture. "Ah, well. I wasn't after secrets, really. Ooooh."     She points up to the mural. "And this is why you bring wizards to a war. They can do... very effective things to the enemy lines. Artillery and engineering all in one package." 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     "Skulls on buildings is one thing, skulls on people is another and it takes a certain person to really pull that off well." Not that Kyra was really implying that Timothy was a certain person-actually, no, she really was. She was implying this so they'd look even better and get Timithy even more willing to talk.     Her mind jumps to a conclusion that the thing Psyber seeks is one of the Hundred...but she doesn't voice this aloud, letting Timothy continue to speak. His story so far does seem to track well with what they found at the battlefield. 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     "No need." Nathan assuages Tim. "We will not pry." And then they head out. He's quiet for now. Attentive, listening. Maybe chewing on some good bread once it's available. Psyber's already asked the core question, Nathan just needs to listen now. 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     The mural seems to capture what he's describing... two sides of a battle, with a large mass of soldiers on one side, and the other a smattering of troops running forward under cover of a building wave of water. A figure is up high, gesturing dramatically... and from a poor tactical position, since an archer could take him down. No doubt it didn't actually go down this way.     Tim nods, "Yes, well... pulling off a sorcery of that level is not really common. It took two working together, killed one, and my great grandfather was crippled for years." He fusses with one of the buttons. "Well... there's only so much you can do with skulls. And you can't just have them sit there out of place. I'm not really a decorator. I don't suppose I could ask you to come by later and give me a hand with that, once I have the money and the time?"     Then Tim just shrugs. "Anyway... you won't find any artifacts from that here. Minor stuff is mostly grabbed and passed down or sold off. Major ones... well, they either go to next of kin, or sometimes are buried with the wielder. So maybe Sovereign was buried on the battlefield? Which is kind of a pain, finding a grave and hoping it isn't full of monsters or undead. You might be better off looking for its twin. Which is uh..." He stops, rubbing his head. "I wish I'd studied this stuff more. It was another high-brow name, but maybe it's lost, too."     Frederick interrupts, "Majestic. It is in the Fairchild family."     Tim snaps fingers. "Right, right. No luck there. I think they've been gone for years. Unless you want to poke around their family tomb." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Majestic is known as Backbiter now," Psyber says, immediately taking the initiative and cutting this off right at the pass, "It is in the hands of Elliana Fairchild and therefore presently unavailable for numerous reasons." Put that one right down on the line. Secret's out, anyway. Mostly. He has pieces to withold still.     'Finding a Grave and Hoping it isn't full of monsters'     Psyber abruptly shouts, "SON OF A BITCH."     The half-angel turns and starts heading for the van. 

:'''{{#var:168|Nathan Hall (168)}} has posed:'''     Nathan is finding the act of resisting a biting comment towards Psyber to be physically painful, but he pushes through it, merely muttering, inaudibly under his breath, "Actually, 'Backbiter' nowa--" Oh, Psyber cut him off there, alright. But, he's keeping his bitterness to himself, under his hat so to speak besides the bitter mutterings. He speaks up properly shortly after Psyber heads out. "It was certainly an impressive battle maneuver, considering the small level of sacrifice." He stands and nods quickly. "I believe our visit may be being cut short by my friend. Please forgive him, he does this at times."     "It was a pleasure meeting you, and I hope we do so again. If you are so inclined, I invite you to join us in our own efforts, but it seems you will shortly be required to be serious in some capacity. I believe we may be visiting nearby areas in the near future, for other investigations into matters of the past; perhaps we can meet again sometime." He's not going to miss the ride out, and he's heading right for his long-reserved shotgun seat. The ride is going to be awkward, of course. 

:'''{{#var:40|Eleanor Lamb (40)}} has posed:'''     And now confusion on the face of Eleanor as Psyber and Nathan have A MOMENT and then bundle everyone back to the van. Apparently she's missed something again, but... she's coming to expect that at this point.     She does pluck up a piece of bread though, and wave to Timothy as they're all leaving. "Yes! It'll be nice to see you after the serious. DOn't get yourself embroiled in awful backwards political jerkery! Or try not to!" 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     "Thanks for letting us hang out at your place, Timothy." Kyra offers as the conversation draws to aa close. If she notices the back and forth with Nathan and Psyber, she doesn't outwarly acknowledge it, focusing on their host instead, "Who knows, maybe we all can hang out with you again sometime, right?"     She flashes him one more friendly smile beforethey pack up to leave. 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     When Psyber explodes like that, Timothy pauses. "Was it... something I said?" He scratches his head, then sighs... only to perk up again. "Oh... one of them survived? Weird that I didn't hear. Dad was talking about marrying us off at one point when I was really young, since she's about my age. Fell through even before the whole mess." He smiles. "Still, nice to hear she's alive... maybe." He hasn't missed the reaction that got from everyone.     "Ah, I'll see if I can convince dad to let me out for a while, check out the other worlds." Tim belatedly realizes he never explained where his dad was! "He should be back soon, he's just doing the vote and tax thing."     Kyra and Eleanor bid him farewell, and he gives them a smile. "Ladies. You're welcome any time. Next time I'll show you around town, you can see what little we have to offer. Things are getting better but we are kind of in the middle of nowhere. Take care of yourselves." 

}}

1740/Totally Mundane Meeting

2015-03-09T01:03:30Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/03/06 |Location=Boston-666 |Synopsis=The Union and the Confederates operating on Terra Majora begin a tentative alliance. |Thanks= |Cast of Ch..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/03/06
|Location=Boston-666
|Synopsis=The Union and the Confederates operating on Terra Majora begin a tentative alliance.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=12, 92, 202, 253, 331, 340, 347, 395, 598
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Only an idiot would plot direct treason with five Confederates in the city where the General lives.     So anyway, it's a pretty chilly day in Boston-666. The high was about 25 degrees and the low was about 14. The sky was partly cloudy and the winds were a weak five miles per hour. Thankfully, it is not actually this cold where Psyber has asked the Confederates to meet him and the two officers he trusted enough to bring along.     The city has mostly rebuilt itself, which means the harbor is open again after the Confederate attack some weeks back. Psyber has asked for a meeting at a small, out of the way patio cafe. The outdoor area is kept decently warm by a series of outdoor heating units meant to stave off the cold weather.     Psyber, himself, is sitting at one of four gathered-together tables in the pretty deserted place. It has a decent menu of mostly late-lunch foods like sandwiches and soup. The half-angel is having a roast beef-cheddar melt and a bowl of clam chowder. 

:'''{{#var:395|Amalthea (395)}} has posed:'''     So about those plans for clandestine meetings with The enemy...     Amalthea is here- lacking her armor in a rare display of some tenuous trust. This is supposed to be a meeting to discuss things, not a brawl. Though she isn't unarmed, in the event of something crazy happening like an extra Confederate showing up and things devolving into a Mexican Standoff. But she's not blatantly showing this fact.     She's decked out in a casual tie-dye tank top, some girlishly over-decorated charm bracelets, and a set of jean cutoffs, the ultimate attire for treasonous plots, as she's settled beside Psyber, slowly sipping a beer and plinking at her own bowl of chowder. 

:'''{{#var:331|Himei (331)}} has posed:'''     Himei's worn a heavy coat with a lighter liner, allowing her to wear the liner as a jacket in the warmer cafe. She too has chosen to show some trust in coming unarmored, though it's less of a risk for her considering her situation and skills. She's sipping a coffee, relaxed and leaning back in her chair. As usual, she wears drab and dull clothing that doesn't stand out at all. You can't take that part of her out of her... even if she's shown a lot more color when she wants to, lately. 

:'''{{#var:202|Adelyn Lysen (202)}} has posed:'''     Boston-666 seems a pretty cool place, eh. They get visited or invaded by bizarre off-worlders on a monthly basis and aren't afraid of much. So it is that Adelyn Lysen expects no more attention in her mage robes and her occasionally-moving little headwings than anyone else going down this street. She doesn't actually have far to walk, intentionally, as walking is primarily for chumps.     This particular group of Unionites, of course, are immediately recognized, and the Confederate lieutenant gives a smile in greeting that, it is entirely plausible, was not meant to look anything like a smug smirk. Maybe her face just got stuck that way.     She's not visibly carrying any weapons, but she is carrying large books hooked to a set of belts that seem to be there only for that purpose, and in the context of her abilities that can be basically the same thing. Grimoires, like swords and other weapons, can also make it inconvenient to sit in small chairs. Bother.     The first words out of her mouth are, "Yes, I'll have the chowder. That's warm, isn't it? Right, good." 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     Despite the temptation, Elliana neither rode Veryx nor took the Drasillum. Nope. Instead... she rented a car. A sports car. All they had was a Camero, but that should be fine, right? Naturally, since she can't drive, she let Mordred do the driving. Thus her actual entrance will depend on how Mordred wants to drive the car.     It should be noticed that Elliana is wearing jeans, a coat, and a PAX East sweatshirt, along with a ball cap that has her hair tugged back into a ponytail out the back. "You like chowder, right Saber?" 

:'''{{#var:340|Mir (340)}} has posed:'''     Even though she wasn't at the original event in question, Mir knows Psyber, Elliana, Adelyn, and even Nathan. It's not a surprise that she'd show up if she took an interest... which she did. She hasn't decided if she's going to help out with this yet, but it's interesting enough for her to hear out what the Union has to say about this. She's going to be quiet for once, and listen to things.     She is dressed in a catholic school girl outfit.     "With extra paprika, yes, and ground beef," Mir is saying, before wandering over to the tables and just sprawling in a chair. "Hi." 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     Surprising NO ONE, Mordred drives in a way that borders the legal. Fortunately, she also does so with great skill, obviously unnatural for a KNIGHT, but nobody's going to question Servants anymore if they're smart. She is wearing the cool red and gold jacket she was given months earlier, along with torn jeans and a white tube-top underneath. Bloody Amhar may or may not be visible right now, either sheathed or in a new form that makes it easier to haul around.     The car will come to a screechy and showy stop in front of the restaurant, perfectly inserting itself into a parking slot with no difficulty. Mordred is grinning, so if Elliana was trying to make her Servant a happy murderbeast she succeeded. Hopefully it'll last until the meeting is over.     "The real question is do I like food, master?" 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' There might be an idiot around here somewhere, but Lezard Valeth generally is not considered one of them. The Sorceror of Midgard is taking some token efforts to blend in with the modern environment, dressing up in a cardigan sweater and white button-up shirt with slacks and some black work shoes. He'd probably fit right in a university library or a Harry Potter convention. He arrives on foot (having teleported in to a spot out of casual observation), and sits down at the combined tables. He nods to Psyber. "Greetings again." He says with a smile to Psyber. There is a glance to Amalthea, and he smiples pleasantly. He offers a hand to Amalthea, then Himei in turn, though he STINKS OF DARK MAGIC. Some things just don't come off in the mana shower. "Greetings." He says. "It is good to see you both. I am Lezard Valeth, Alchemist of Midgard." He chooses to not immediately comment on the sorcery, necromancy, and forbidden rituals. He looks over the menu as he sits, and then simply sets it aside. "I will have what he is having." He replies, gesturing to Psyber. "You have good taste in food as well as drink, I see." The arrival of the others elicits a smile and a gesture of greeting. He does not say anything else yet. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     The three cop cars keeping an eye on Mordred all pull up next to the car when it FINALLY comes to a stop. They don't ticket her, but they do seem baffled to see a driver so reckless while Psyber is sitting at a table eating a meal. A couple do a double-take, even. Then they drive off.     "You know, Ell. I might not go next year," He notes, pointing at her shirt, "It was SO crowded this year and it stank of basement ogres. But if you drag me by the arm again, I just might."     "Chowder is a hot soup, yes." Psyber responds to Adelyn, sipping his scotch and soda before sighting a bit. None of the Confederates ordering food actually have to PAY, so it seems Psyber has covered their tabs for the day so long as they're heading his way. We're sure Mordred won't viciously abuse free food.     "Greetings and thank you for meeting us. After the fiasco of five days ago, I would not have been surprised if you elected not to," Psyber begins to the gathered Confederates. Notably, Nathan is definitely not here, which means Psyber seems to be taking point on talking, "Let me open this by stating one thing which I wish to establish: Nathan Hall acted alone and without the knowledge of any Union personnel. He kept his own operations team in the dark. As such I, and to a lesser extent these two, will be usurping him as the Confederate point of contact for joint-operations."     Psyber takes a slow breath, stirring his soup, "You will find I operate very differently in terms of what I believe is equality. And that I am very willing to cement cross-factional collaberation on Shajem Sealing." 

:'''{{#var:347|Abstractum.Net (347)}} has posed:'''     Mordred appears to be wearing a bracer -- though maybe more of a fashion type? -- with teeth jabbed into her body. It's not actively sucking her blood, but it is a little shitty to wear, kinda chafes in this form. You can still see the eye, if you peer closely.     The form is not unlike Amalthea's Abstractum, who seems a bit cautious, but not offensively so, merely in the dutiful manner of a bodyguard.     Himei's set of wings is concealed under the heavy coat, shifting occasionally in an uncomfortable way, but otherwise politely packed up.     Gishur doesn't even need to be disguised, its normal mode is a book, who's gonna give Adelyn grief for walking around with a book? It did insist on sitting on TOP of that stack of grimoires.     Brilliant Dawn hangs around Elliana's neck contentedly. The pendant seems to be quite comfortable with the current course of action.     And Adjudicator, in gauntlet or perhaps even sword form, is likely set off to one side. It keeps a presiding, mature sort of posture, silently approving of the insubordination but monitoring it closely regardless. 

:'''{{#var:395|Amalthea (395)}} has posed:'''     Immediately Amalthea is beset by an amazingly awkward quandry. Pausing in her consumption of delicious chowder as the Confederates arrive, Lezard presents her with a hand. Oh it's not the first time she's met the man but in the last time she did, she was not in such a delicate social situation requiring her to touch him.     Slowly, the unicorn's lone eye glances down at the hand. She VERY MUCH triest ot not look at it in the same manner one would look at something unpalateable on their plate. But Amalthea is a good girl.     Thankfully, Ironclad Oath is on her hand, which means the gauntlet will eat the brunt of terrible, horrible PHYSICAL CONTACT for her, an act she generally does not like overlymuch except with those she calls friends. Of course this means a very WEIRD left-handed shake.     "I remember you. Lordran."     She pauses however at Mir's request. She then awkwardly looks AWAY from Mir as fast as she can. 

:'''{{#var:331|Himei (331)}} has posed:'''     Himei hastens to add, "Not that we don't have requirements and restrictions." She is going to leave most of the talking to Psyber, but she doesn't want things to seem like the Union are too soft. "And in fact I think we have a proposal you'll be interested in. I think we can all agree that everyone would have been more effective if we'd coordinated what we were doing Sunday, right?"     Himei shakes the hand, and though it gives her a small ache in the temples it's not enough to really put her on guard. She nods to Mir, "Mir, nice to see you again on less violent terms." 

:'''{{#var:202|Adelyn Lysen (202)}} has posed:'''     Adelyn doesn't generally make a point of it, but she might also have a bit of that dark magic going on. But then, she has a lot of magic going on. Some of it just seems to run together. Perhaps more importantly, she's not trying to touch the unicorn.     She gives a nod at Psyber's confirmation. She actually looked up Boston before coming here, but wiki articles tend to omit those things that everyone in /that/ world already knows. She's in no particular hurry to actually get her food once she's ordered, with enough else to occupy her attention.     "Really? He didn't tell anyone about that spell he was working on? Apart from the Binders. They were working with him on it, after all." Finger-steeple. "Interesting. I see. I acknowledge this transfer of roles." She nods, then, to Himei. "There was some wasteful effort that could have easily been avoided." 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     Elliana shrugs, "The odor was offensive. Maybe as a one day thing, next time." She settles in to enjoy some warm chowder, glancing at Mordred without comment. Then she folds her hands together, listening to apologies and the beginnings of plans. It is only then that she speaks on the matter of coordination.     "Of course, if you had brought me onboard you would have also had my expertise, which you must admit is even greater than Sir Bloodstone's in this particular category." She tsks, and then continues, "But then, that would defeat the purpose of showing me that you could take your own initiative. I suppose I can't complain about the attempt itself, but the fact that Sir Hall interfered instead of helping... mn. And it was such a clever idea, too." 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     Mordred ignores the cops. Let's face it it'd be a bad idea for them to pick that fight without Psyber as backup. Granted, he probably would step in if she became aggrassive.     If she minds the bracer with teeth sunk into her arm, it's not showing.     "Sure, if you want to go staight to the point, we had a PLAN, which was to actually SEAL the damn thing, with the side-benefit of us getting a small chunk of it. And then Hall did his thing and we had to rush it because we didn't know what the fuck was going on. So let's put this shit on the table right now, there's a Shajem loose and none of us trusts it'll stay safe. We're going to finish the job."     Not 'we want to'. Not 'will you let us'. 'We will'. 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' Lezard doesn't seem to take any particular pleasure in the mostly-hidden distress of Amalthea. Then again, they haven't really had much time to interact. "Indeed. Lordran, wonderful place..." He does smile at that, though more in a 'fond reminiscence' instead of 'ominous' style. Of course, it being Lordran, that probably says volumes on its own. Lezard takes a bite of his sandwich when it arrives, apparently showing an appreciation for good red meat. He IS from Midgard, after all. "Master Hall does seem to have some... odd behaviors in this regard, but I can respect your efforts to work around the issue. After all, there is too much at stake for simply allowing one man to hold it back, no?" He considers the three present. "You, Amalthea, and Himei, correct? Very well, this is workable." Himei begins to add to it, and Lezard folds his hands. "I am sure whatever restrictions you have will be reasonable. We will have some of our own, of course. Such is the nature of a cooperative venture, is it not?" Mordred offers their own side of the story. Lezard also supplies his own addition. "We believe that studying the tapped energies of the Shajem will be extremely useful in the future, as we are seeking knowledge of both how the energies function as well as how they can be both contained and negated. If this is possible, we can convert the Shajem from a dangerous terror to something more... useful for a world..." He pauses again. "... As well as less dangerous for those who bear them, perhaps..." 

:'''{{#var:340|Mir (340)}} has posed:'''     "It has been some time," Mir admits, speaking to all three of the Unionites. She's putting forth a relaxed air, but those who know her can easily see the slight tense of arms and jaw when Psyber explains what happened. Demonstrating some supreme control, the Reyvateil does not comment on the situation yet, though. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber nods first to Adelyn, "His principle was sound and the theory has a valid base, but he kept it from us all and then severely damaged cooperative efforts by accusing the Confederates of deception." Psyber slowly eats a spoonful of his soup, "As such, we will not be using his Binding unless and until Elliana has reviewed and approved its usage. At such a time, we will see how things play forward." A concession on his part that functionally loses nothing: Wait until Elliana allows its usage. A moot point too, since Nathan was benched right now with other matters.     Mordred comes in precisely in her style: Aggressive, strong, and straight to the matter. Psyber remains pretty calm despite this, looking over at her, "No part of your statement is incorrect," He says carefully, "You had an independant plan which you, likewise, did not inform the Union of. It was not to the magnitude of General Hall's, but we were uninformed. He made an accusation rather than an inquiry." A pause, "There is a Shajem loose with a degrading seal. The job must be finished."     He lets Himei say her piece. He's not inclined to disagree with her, or to stop her from making a proposal. If he's talking and coming across as the 'ringleader', it is for a very specific point that will come up far down the line. Smarter people may already suspect why he is placing himself as a central figure.     "Shoutan's proposal will be hers to make. Here is mine:" He begins, looking at the gathered individuals, "You made offer of our services. It is foolish not to believe you would want something in return. You deserve fair trade for your expertise and I am not going to deny you that right. I only know what Mordred wishes their share to be used for. Frankly, I do not care about the motives of the rest of you. This is not an insult, it is a careful level of deniability on my part. I would like no knowledge of your ultimate goals, so that I may remain ignorant as to whether you merely wish to study it, eat it, weaponize it, or elsepurpose."     After this, he takes a deep breath and makes his offer, "One third of the energy of every Shajem dealt with will be yours with no intervention from Union forces. In return, the Union will receive an equal piece to do with as it pleases, whether that is to remain with the sealed Shajem or be used independantly will not be disclosed. And the core third which comprises the being itself will be sealed in some fashion so as to not rob Terra Majora of powerful cosmic entities until they can be mitigated."     "In this, I feel, there is a fair balance for all involved parties."     As he finishes speaking, Psyber gives Mir a slight smile. He knows she will be, at least, slightly unhappy to hear of Nathan's betrayal. All he can really offer her is a bit of an apologetic look, even if she was uninvolved. 

:'''{{#var:347|Abstractum.Net (347)}} has posed:'''     "We know there's a history about it." Brilliant Dawn speaks up. "And there's some mistakes and downsides about the approach. But Terra Majora's problems aren't just Shajem. We need a lot of power if we're going to improve the welfare of the entire world. We'll ask your help if there's anything the Union share could be used for, collaboratively. We can't do this without every ounce of power we could get." The pendant seems quite intent on this fact. It's also generally intent on a positive spin to Elliana's side of Psyber's statements here. 

:'''{{#var:202|Adelyn Lysen (202)}} has posed:'''     "There are potential issues with the details of such an agreement, and it locks out certain avenues that have yet to be fully explored. However, I cannot speak to the likelihood that these issues will be significant until there has been time to analyze recent results. There is much to still be attempted."     Adelyn, for her part, is just having the one bowl of hot broth. It will satisfy her immediate curiosity as to Bostonian cuisine. It will also make it difficult to keep talking, as it now arrives. 

:'''{{#var:331|Himei (331)}} has posed:'''     Himei shifts a little, scooting back in her stool. Brilliant Dawn talking has her keenly aware of how many Abstractum users are here, but it seems to be neutral ground. "Most of what I have to say is about some long term planning, so won't be immediately relevant right now. This is something I want Mordred and Elliana to hear and consider, especially, but given the kinds of powers I saw you guys throwing around, I'd really like to have some Fed help on this, too."     She doesn't speak on the matter that concerns her yet, though. She wants to let Psyber finish negotiating the immediate terms. 

:'''{{#var:395|Amalthea (395)}} has posed:'''     Lordran. Wonderful. Sure. Settling back in her seat as Psyber begins the meeting officially. Amalthea grimaces for a wholly new reason as the events just days prior are dredged up, and the unicorn takes a steeling sip from her beer. This is going to be a doozy, especially as Mordred already states some pretty clear intent.     Truth be told, this is all so over her head; a slow breath filtering a gust of steam from her nostrils, holding her thoughts for now. 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     "Brilliant Dawn is correct," Elliana states. She gives Himei a curious glance, but is otherwise listening to Psyber's explanation and offer. She purses her lips tightly, then sighs as she nods and closes her eyes. "I see. Yes, the part about the ritual and binding would be... agreeable. Sir Bloodstone does know his material, so it is likely that the theory is sound if he attempted it. There can be no doubt that it was rushed, however. I will look into it and see what can be done as soon as possible."     Lezard and Adelyn's commentary about the refinement of power earns them a long look, but she doesn't support nor decry their statements. Instead, she simply nods slowly. "I believe we should, at least, leave open the possibility of /renegotiation/ before every Shajem is attacked. It is something of a relief that I do not need to personally attend to each, though I likely will if possible simply for the added expertise." 

:'''{{#var:347|Abstractum.Net (347)}} has posed:'''     Gishur is the one who speaks up. "It's folly to guess that you know everything about this from the start. When we manage to find more data, we'll likely need more renegotiation, Fairchild is right. We re-open the agreements each time." This book sure does manage to spin not knowing a lot in a know-it-all way. 

:'''{{#var:340|Mir (340)}} has posed:'''     Mir speaks up again, "Those of you who know my history know that I have some experience with sealing beings of great power." On the wrong side of the sealing, maybe. But she doesn't say that. "And Miss Fairchild is an ally of mine. Much as I would rather let these things exterminate the planet's human life, she would dislike that."     Lest she be chided for her statement about genocide, Mir pauses and then adds, "It sounds to me as if the humans on this world deserve it more than most." 

:'''{{#var:347|Abstractum.Net (347)}} has posed:'''     Bloody Amhar pipes up with a few mucky growls at Mir, from Mordred's arm, but agreeable ones. "More than a few." It says. "I don't think anything's worth saving. But some parts are not worth it a hell of a lot more than others." Apparently the sword doesn't really have a concept of altruism but at least there's some dislike of the Greater Evil there. 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     Mordred considers. She crosses her arms.     "Sounds fair. So, we split every Shajem in three. We get a third, you get a third, and we seal the rest. I disagree with the secrecy part. We can't seal those things on half-assed measures. If we want GOOD sealing spells we need to know from the start if we're sealing a third or two thirds of the Shajem. Pretty sure that's a factor. Besides, why would you want to just leave your third with it? It's free and you get to study it."     She does not understand why the Union would arbitrarily choose to sometimes not take their share, but maybe there's a good reason. Oh well.     "So. Somethin' else. Bloodstone whined the Order is being a pain in his ass. I don't like him, but master probably agrees it's a good idea for him to have free reign to get shit done. We gonna take this up with the Order? Violently, if need be?" 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' Lezard shrugs, shaking his head, and then leans back in his chair in an overly casual manner. "Very well." He lays a hand down ont he table and drums it idly. "I doubt it would be simple to measure such things easily, but I will leave /that/ difficulty to later events. He ponders for a moment, looking back at Elliana, his expression pleasantly neutral, and he smiles, nodding to her. Perhaps in deference? She certainly has the most experience at the table. "At the current time, we see no need to very our method of extracting and weakning from the Shajem. It is not... an easy process, but it is known to be functional. Assistance from Miss Fairchild will allow us to refine our techniques, undoubtedly, now that we are all operating on similar pages." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "The reason the Union third is kept at our discretion allows for the addition of our share on a necessary basis," Psyber explains to Adelyn, Elliana, and Brilliant Dawn in tandem, showing he put some thought into the arrangement, "If you find avenues of research to better the whole of Terra Majora, we will be willing to collaberate with our share and energy as necessary. The thirds are separately owned, but have a potential for joint-collaberation. I wish to secure an agreement that simultaneously reaches the middle ground between optimal independant goals as well as collaberative potential. This is the best compromise of the moment."     "I am also endeavoring to avoid ultimatums on my part which may strain relations. However," Psyber says, looking between the gathered Confederates, "Any renegotiation would have to provide the Union with some method of equality in their execution. The Confederacy is already in possession of two Shajem and a flying base of operations, while the Union is severely hampered in its foothold of operations on Terra Majora if we do not take into account General Hall's present diplmatic engagement. The Union acts out of altruism, and I understand the Union is momentarily operating from a place of diminished trust, but I am not Nathan Hall and I will not be deceiving the Confederacy for so long as we are in cooperation." For all the concessions he's offering Confederates, he's also trying to stick to his guns on a few key points. He's not Nathan, though. For good or bad in this case, he is definitely not the person he is modeling his negotiation style after. He's sure Nathan could argue this into perfect hypothetical symmetry, but all he can do is say, "I cannot, especially if I am circumventing the involvement of my own direct superior, come back with an agreement that looks potentially slanted."     With a serious tone, Psyber states his summary, "Renegotiation is an option, but even someone who trusts Elliana as much as I do can see the inherent flaw of renegotiation at time of sealing. With a higher volume of powerful and planning-oriented Confederates involving themselves directly, it poses the ostensible risk of the Union gaining disadvantageous negotiations as a matter of course. If Elliana can promise me this will not happen, I will draw some measure of reassurance." Naively, Psyber banks on the inability of Elliana to lie.     The half-angel slowly takes a cigarette out of his jacket and puts it in his mouth, slowly taking a drag from it and then exhales, "To Mir's comment, the most I can offer you is this: Sustained effort on the planet will allow you to systematically upheave a group of empowered humans that have used blood-based racial motivations to institute systematic oppression. It will not be wholescale extermination, but you will be granted a level of cathartic upheaval." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Finishing all that up, Psyber looks to Mordred and says, "How to deal with Ethan and the other Binders?" He thinks for a moment, "I will, in all honesty, defer to Miss Fairchild's judgment in that matter and act according to her wishes. If it requires moving against the Order as a whole to grant him autonomy, I am willing to follow along with that plan so long as innocent casualties are avoided where necessary."     Psyber adds, seriously, "I will still pose resistance to the spilling of innocent blood, however, and would prefer we attempt to start with negotiation and leave violence as a secondary option." Seems, for all Psyber LIKES Mordred, he's not sure about the level of restraint that a Rage-God-Fueled-Bloodthirst-Sword-Wielding Saber Class can show. 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     "Oh man, we have two giant monsters, a third of another, and a big tree! Seriously, that's your measuring unit? You have more manpower, more plans, and let's face it half the shit I've done I did because you asked me to come along, so take a step back on our advantage there and look at yours. You're not behind us in the slighest, you people keep stumbling on shit a step ahead of us. You want real equality, you're gonna have to start forking over everything you know and have planned, if you expect full cooperation. Otherwise y'still have a hell of a leg up on us," Mordred grunts, nitpicking the idea they'd somehow need to fut forward more effort right now.     "How about you come clean and tell us ALL your little plots and ploys and we'll do the same, sealed agreement, and at no point do we get to change the terms of any of the clauses, but neither can you. And then we're all on the same bloody page and maybe we can fix this shit and Terra Majora can have as happy an ending as we can salvage now."     Truth told she doesn't give a fuck about the world itself, just about Elliana, but it seems making the world a better place is what she wants, sooooo. On that note, she glances at her master to hear her stance on shanking the Order. 

:'''{{#var:347|Abstractum.Net (347)}} has posed:'''     Adjudicator is the one who speaks up more immediately. "Mordred. Your Master can decide what is equal. Equality in all fields is not the right way. Elliana has advantages in the fields she wishes to hold an advantage in. Psyber may keep an advantage in the field he wishes to hold an advantage in. Some secrets are best kept secret, though, and I believe Elliana would agree. Miss Fairchild?" The sword prompts her reply, and works to neutralize the most aggressive element on the Confederate side using another Confederate element. Outmanned at the negotiations table, this sort of tactic is pure necessity. 

:'''{{#var:331|Himei (331)}} has posed:'''     When Mordred goes off on that, Himei raises a hand. "Woah, hey now. One of the things I'm going to do here, today, is tell you some of our long term plans. I can't promise ALL of them because we haven't refined them all yet, but the ones that we're planning on performing? Sure." She lowers her hand and frowns.     "But I'd also like to at least keep one bit of information to ourselves for now. Until it's time to move, we're going to be keeping the specific locations of the Shajem a secret. I don't have a problem with giving you the list of which ones we know, but I think we should keep at least the location to ourselves as a bargaining chip. That sound like a good deal? We plan the strike together, and once we're all agreed on each strike, we give out the location. In return, I'll tell you some of the plans that I think we have a good chance of performing, and as we develop new ones we'll share information and expertise. No point in not tapping into what you guys know, right?" 

:'''{{#var:202|Adelyn Lysen (202)}} has posed:'''     "Hmm." Adelyn elects to ignore a large chunk of what she sees as entirely irrelevant, though there's a fair chance that someone else will pick up on those points anyway. She just focuses elsewhere. And finishes enough of her chowder to feel warmed up.     Though, Mordred speaks before her thoughts are composed. That makes things a bit simpler, actually, as she can just state a reassurance that ultimately means very little, unless one chooses to personally trust her word. It's not quite as if she's ever given reason to doubt it, but neither does she really expect much trust from any involved.     "As an official declaration, I will neither take, nor authorize, any action upon the homeworld of my ally, Elliana Fairchild, that is against her interests." No smiles, now. "Given that the Union's interest align with hers in resolving the problems of Terra Majora, is there any further problem inherent to renegotiation in the event of new findings? That we avoid hindering such resolution is the main point, isn't it?"     What's really bothering her, though, is that they can't even TRY some things if their goal is to drain-and-seal the Shajem every time. But she'll save that point for later. There's too much already on the plate. 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     Elliana listens to all the arguing, then sighs heavily as she crosses her arms. "I see. I am willing to set aside renegotiation /during an operation/, as that is exactly the sort of hindrance we want to avoid. Renegotation of the next Sealing's terms after completion of one seems to be agreeable, or in the event of new findings when not in an operation. During an operation, of course, we need to be willing to share any information that may be immediately relevant to changing battlefield conditions." She drums her fingers. "As for the Order..."     Elliana sighs, "Killing them would weaken the Binders, which is exactly what I do not want. I think, however, that we need to put pressure on Windson, the leader of the Binders. He was a thorn in Sir Bloodstone's side from the beginning, and he is the larger reason why Sir Bloodstone's faction is so weak." 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' "I, too, will be guided by Lady Fairchild's desires." Lezard replies. "I see my involvement in the affairs of Terra Majora as a chance for practice and research. I see no reason to jeopardize the land for... ill-advised reasons. Mordred has given you our current objectives. Others will be pending based on our findings and research. Once we have viable plans, I am sure we can share them with you, just as you will be sharing viable plans with us." He pauses. "If you choose to hide the locations of the Shajem, be aware that we will be under no obligation to share ours as well." The mentioning of Windson causes Lezard to tap on the table again. "It would be a simple matter to begin setting our combined intelligence resources to looking for ways to... reduce his influence, would it not? He may be prepared for interference from his world, but he cannot be prepared for everything." 

:'''{{#var:340|Mir (340)}} has posed:'''     Mir rubs her chin while she listens to everything, then nods her head as she agrees with something. "I am less concerned with hiding the locations until operation time than some," she admits. "They need our help, or at least want it, so they have no reason to keep it hidden indefinitely. That would defeat the purpose of sharing information in the first place." She spoons some more chowder in, and smiles, "I think I could help with Windson. It would not be the first time I had manipulated a Church man." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Where normally Psyber would display overt frustration, he instead displays a bland monotone, "Despite 'stumbling on shit a step ahead of you' as you say, the Confederate forces have managed to meet or surpass Union operations in many critical avenues." Put simply, despite being outmanned, Elliana was kicking the Union's ass in raw planning. More Confederates in the field frightens Psyber to a degree. But it is Himei and Adjudicator that come to his rescue against the aggressive Saber-class. So instead of saying any more, he simply looks at her with a distant dullness in his red eyes before looking to Adelyn.     "Yes," Psyber says to her, "This is acceptable so long as I gain the word of Elliana as well. If this is reached, the sealings can be left to pre-mission flexible negotiations where necessary, be they original methods or newer and experimental procedures. The only form of sealing which I would like to see off the table are harnessing them for or placing them within selected individuals." A reasonable demand, if objectively discriminatory towards Elliana and Mordred on a technical basis. If NOTHING ELSE, this is becoming a slowly stressful exercise in how Psyber infuriates Nathan with this, as Psyber has had to resist the urge to shout counterpoints at least twice now.     He takes a calming breath and a drag from his cigarette before nodding to Lezard, "That is correct. If we keep the locations of the Shajem hidden until the time of the missions, that puts under no obligation to share yours immediately. HOWEVER," Psyber is careful to point this out, "The point Shoutan was making is that we would share each one after the terms of its mission had been worked out. Would the Confederacy agree to do the same?"     "If the answer is yes, that while we would keep some individual elements of our plans a secret until they are relevant, but would ultimately share them at the proper times and not be in competition over the Shajem, I am willing to accept these terms."     Inside, Psyber is using almost every instinct he has to resist rash or instinctual decisions, to operate off his gut, or to 'wing it' as he often wants to. Externally, Psyber remains detached and (slightly uncharacteristically) calm.     "Is there anything further to negotiate?" 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     Mordred huffs.     "For once I agree with the justice sword, then. Fine, whatever, we have the raw power advantage. That doesn't change the fact you have a bunch of advantages on your side too. Don't forget it just for the sake of making it sound like we owe more stuff on the table than you do. If anything it's even. But you start keeping secrets and we will too. And that shit's just gonna escalate until another crash and burn like last time," the Servant explains, drawing on personal experience that the more shit you stack the more likely Camelot is to go up in flames.     "So, you know. Keep that in mind. Master's a hell of a schemer, and I get skeevy asshole vibes from Lezard and Adelyn a lot too," she would glance at them, "No 'ffense," before turning her glance to the table, since it serves a metaphorical purpose here. "You turn out to have big secrets we're not okay with and that might just lead to another clash." 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     Elliana considers. "If we are working together to seal a Shajem, it would make sense to share the location once terms have been agreed upon." Yes, this leaves her some wiggle room, but it also gives her a reasonable outlet to demand terms. "For now, we can agree on this. No more surprises during the mission... and I am willing to take it on /good faith/ that Dame Shoutan is going to share any relevant information. This is a consideration I am not willing to extend to Sir Hall at this time."     Elliana nods at what Mordred says, and adds softly, "Sir Hall's current situation is regrettable, even as I gain some amusement from it. It is entirely due to his breaking good faith. I am attempting to honor the spirit of our agreement here, but should matters turn sour, do not think that I have not made plans. I really do not wish to use them." She pauses, then allows, "Well, a tiny part of me does, just to show off, I admit. Saber is correct, however. It would be /unpleasant/ if we were to clash again due to a loophole on either side." 

:'''{{#var:331|Himei (331)}} has posed:'''     Himei frowns at some of this, and then speaks up. "As a sign of good faith - one of several - I'm going to share some of our long term plans that we're still working on. I'm going to ask you all for help because I think you'll enjoy the challenge. I realize you may have a more utilitarian use for a god in a box or something, but I'm going to offer you something that I think at least some of you have an interest in." She sits back, looking at each Fed in turn.     "Mordred can confirm this, but... the Shajem weren't always like this. They weren't always so... extreme." Himei takes a deep breath. "I have some... ideas. I need to check up on a few things first, but we can lay the ground work now. What I'm offering is something better than just sealing or making the Shajem harmless... I'm offering the chance to utterly usurp the natural order of the world. We're going to make the Shajem more benign. I think... I think it's possible to make them non-corrupting, non-evil entities. To literally change the makeup of the entire pantheon. That's the information I'm going to be sharing, as soon as I check on some suspicions." 

:'''{{#var:340|Mir (340)}} has posed:'''     "Mn," Mir frowns. "If you were to ask me which ten Unionites I would trust, you three plus Nathan Hall would be on the list. But since Nathan betrayed our trust, I'm not sure how much I can trust any of you." She glances toward the others, especially Elliana, and makes a face. "Since it is up to Miss Fairchild, and you seemed to be as betrayed as the rest of us, I will reluctantly continue to hold you three to your word. I am less interested in schemes as vengeance though." 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' Lezard has been casually consuming the meat and chowder he ordered while they went back and forth on this. He doesn't look exceptionally interested, and simply smiles with a shrug at the accusation of 'skeevy asshole vibes'. But when Himei offers her plan to alter the nature of the pantheon itself. Lezard's gaze suddenly focuses directly on Himei. His expression becomes alert, and he straightens in his chair. "Your proposal is... very interesting, Dame Shoutan." Lezard replies. "Such a thing would require an exceptional understanding of the metaphysical fabric of Terra Majora's universe as well as the nature of both Shajem and Amethyne." He pauses, a familiar-looking glint entering his eyes, to some. It's his 'I hate gods' glint. "If you wish additional research ro verify if such might be possible, I would be willing to help on this project." His tone is even, pleasant, but his body language says everything else that needs to be said there. 

:'''{{#var:202|Adelyn Lysen (202)}} has posed:'''     Adelyn waits to speak, less because she needs more input than because she intends to agree with her fellows in the matter. "As stated. I've no amendments to make." Turning to Himei, then, "Potentially interesting. Of course, more data is necessary. I'm prepared to reciprocate with such knowledge as would be relevant to independent avenues of research." Meaning, she'll share what might make Himei's plan work better, but makes no promises otherwise--not that there's anything but congenial cooperation in her tone. Lezard's more eager offer gets a nod.     The Realm mage doesn't even glance at Mordred in regard to the, truthfully unsurprising, choice of phrasing in referencing her ability to scheme. It's the sort of thing she'd say. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber takes a slow breath and nods his head, "Very well. I did not mean to imply the Union was at a disadvantage." He notes to Mordred, shutting his eyes and slowly opening them again, "Quite the opposite, it was a testament to Confederate ingenuity to have come out objectively ahead while being at a diminished level of involvement. You should take it as a compliment to your usefulness and devotion to Lady Fairchild."     "I have am under orders from Nathan Hall that any information he gains moving forward will not be given to you or your subordinates by myself. This is why I will be placing Shoutan under orders to relay them for me," Psyber notes, looking to the Confederates, "It will ensure you remain informed as we go forward, regardless of consequences." His voice hollows out a BIT more at those last three words.     "As another show of good faith on our part and to facilitate our cooperation into the future, I am willing to make an additional revelation," Psyber notes, looking down at his soup, "I have strong suspicion to believe there is an unhatched Shajem preparing to make entry into the world of Terra Majora. The first one in perhaps centuries or thousands of years and the counterpart to Neuvina. It will be a chance to observe an untained Shajem."     "This, along with one other revelation: This new Shajem may be the child of Wrathborn and Chalaine." Psyber places his hands flat on the table, not out of a threatening gesture, more out of how out of his element he is and trying to keep from fidgeting. He takes a slow breath again.     "I believe this gives us four valid areas of pursuit now to collaberate on. The first is Shoutan's plan. The second is locating and studying the egg. The third is attempting to locate Chalaine." He pauses, "And finally, I believe the first Shajem that we should collaberate on sealing is the Lord of Cowardice. It will be good for morale on both sides to see that work finished."     He looks around the table for a few moments, "Have I missed anything? If not, I will set up a channel for you to collaberate with Union members we see fit to include into this arrangement so that we may all discuss matters." 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     Hm. That is an infodump alright. Mordred looks satisfied, although now she has a question. "Actually, speaking of. Where are we going to seal it? We can't just sort of seal that thing wherever we find it. We need somewhere suitable, and I doubt we can drag its ass back to the catacombs easily. Or maybe we can, if it hasn't gone too far yet."     She omits to say anything else-- it's Elliana's place to weight in on the plans and how they will be approached, after all. Mordred is a more straightforward person, and 'smacking the Lord of Cowardice' is the forefront matter in her mind. 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     Since she knows that some may not know, Elliana first answers the obvious question. "Chalaine, for those who do not know, is Wrathborn's counterpart in the Amethyne. The strongest of the Amethyne and the one that I had pledged service to as a Binder." She keeps her tone even, betraying no shock at the moment, though she's still processing some of the new information.     "My only question," she continues, "Is what plans we have for locating Chalaine. It is also something in doubt that this 'egg' as you call it leads to a Shajem. Neuvinea, as you recall, was formed by the remnants of energies left in the earth, as far as I could tell. But for now let's presume this is correct, as you seem to have a source of information that hints at such."     She looks at Mordred, and nods at the Saber's comment. "Indeed, we need both an item to seal them within - though that I can provide easily enough, or your own Binder... Reiji wasn't it? More importantly, they must be placed in an area that is difficult to access, and where leakage cannot do any undue harm. With any luck at all, Sir Hall's incomplete Binding will have placed the Shajem in a location suitable for this. As I do not want to rely on luck, we have the option of finding a remote and dangerous location that it is reasonable to fear... or placing it in a location that we want others to fear. I suspect the previous location was just such a political maneuver. With some, it does not matter as much, as with Lastfall." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I feel the need to footnote all of this negotiation with one simple fact," Psyber begins abruptly, looking at people around the table, "I am not an intelligent man. I am, in fact, an idiot and an idealist. I am playing a negotiation with people who are far more cunning than myself. As a personal request, please do not take advantage of my naievety and my belief in Elliana Fairchild," Psyber notes absently.     "That said, I have a suitable location in mind for the placement of the Lord of Cowardice."     "I believe underneath the Glittering Fields, either at the bottom of one of its swamps or in a cave underneath the location itself, would be the ideal location for the Lord of Cowardice. The location is already sufficiently tainted with negative magic that it is beyond recovery and people should keep away from it as a matter of course. Its hostile environment is also a natural discouragement."     Elliana's OTHER question, though. Psyber says, "You are correct. It is not with certainty that the egg will be a Shajem. It could be a unique being entirely. All the more worth study." He explains a bit more, "I believed it to be a Shajem because it was the product of mating between a Shajem and an Amethyne. And an Amethyne had been born in recent months. If Neuvina hatched recently, it would be a cosmological balance for a new Shajem to come into existence in the immediate future, as they are paired entities." 

:'''{{#var:347|Abstractum.Net (347)}} has posed:'''     "Such a thing," Comes a confident voice, muffled from under Himei's jacket. "Would require a /lot/ of love-slash-justice beams too, the way I've seen it." With a sudden soft glow, the wings are in Himei's hands, as a small wand shaped like a pure white rose. The little eye marks it as an Abstractum, and it waggles a petal at Lezard. "So you figure out all the metaphysics, the weird reality stuff, and we can figure out everything else. Honestly, if you're on board with this, I'm pretty sure we can trust Elliana to vet your word here. That look you've got is suspicious as all heck but I'm starting to get the vague feeling you don't actually have a mode that's not suspicious as all heck." 

:'''{{#var:331|Himei (331)}} has posed:'''     Himei sees that she has Lezard's attention, at least. Time to make her pitch. She takes a deep breath, "We've seen what Wrathborn originally looked like, and it wasn't the way we've seen him. We also have evidence that the Amethyne themselves were used to bind him. I... have a feeling that something was done that 'damaged' the Shajem. We could thus naturally find out what, and 'fix' them. Maybe it was something done to their partners." She then straightens up and gets a little more bold.     "More importantly, if their nature was altered once, it can be done again," she states. "Here's the real meat of it. Originally they were pretty destructive to humanity. These things aren't naturally intelligent, Wrathborn excepted. Maybe we could do something that alters the nature of both of them to make them more uh... I don't want to say 'friendly' so much as something that doesn't get in the way of humanity by blundering about on pure instinct. I have a pretty strong suspicion that the Church might have the answers we need, since they're the ones who pulled off the original Binding. I'd bet there's some lost lore there, or original records before they were mucked with to make the Blooded look like heroes."     She glances at her shoulder and Abstractum. "Yeah. You do look pretty shady, but I am trusting Elliana here to keep you from screwing with me too much, even if it's only so it doesn't mess with her world. I would like to think she doesn't want to screw me over, and I KNOW she doesn't want to mess her world up worse." 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     To Himei, Mordred says: "Why don't we just find suitable hosts for all of them? Being inside Elliana transformed Wrathborn, why can't that happen to every Shajem and Amethyne? Seems like 'making them more human' is an option. If we can find out how to safely use their powers without all the shitty side-effects, we'd just have to find worthy hosts. People who won't shit everything up when given unimaginable cosmic power. Like Bloodstone, I guess." 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' "Love and justice are resources to be used like anything else," is Lezard's response. Nevertheless, there is a twitch of an eyebrow as the Abstractum waggles at him. "As before, I have no interest in damaging the world." He glances up to Himei as she responds. "So they were changed once... And you believe it is possible to change them again. It is a logical assumption, provided we can find proof. But such proof will be exceptionally well guarded." He taps on the table once more. "I have no doubt that we will run afoul of certain people who wish that information to remain hidden, and others who would exploit such information in ways that are not to our desire. I hope you are prepared to deal with them in any way necessary." 

:'''{{#var:331|Himei (331)}} has posed:'''     Himei shrugs in reply, "I'm pretty pragmatic, as Fairchild can confirm. I'm not really the type to kill, but I'm not afraid of knocking people around to get them to see straight." She smiles. "I'll let you know if I find anything more clear than the dream that Mordred and I saw with the others. It'll be interesting... I'm not a wizard or anything, just a girl who punches things." 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' "Yes, and I am simply a man who makes potions." Lezard says with only gentle sarcasm, smiling. "Keep us abreast of events. We will ensure you are also informed of our progress, as per our agreement. This is far more efficient if we actually trust one another..." He arches an eyebrow. "And by that I wish you all good luck." 

:'''{{#var:331|Himei (331)}} has posed:'''     Turning to Mordred, Himei shakes her head at the idea. "I'm pretty sure Elliana's unique like that. And even if she isn't... I'm not sure we have any guarantee of what the Shajem would end up like. Wrathborn's kind of a jerk. An OKAY jerk, as jerks go, but he still doesn't have a lot of human understanding. It'd be easy for a different one to end up... well. You know. And remember, he only got that way AFTER taking over Elliana once." 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     "Mn," Elliana says. She taps her chin. "For now, we have no reason to not presume the hatching will be a Shajem, it's true. But more investigation should be done. Plan around what we know, for now, but always find out more." She frowns then, staring hard at Psyber.     "The Glittering Fields would be ideal," she finally says. "It couldn't make the area worse, and it is suitably accesible that a dedicated Binder team could make it in and renew the Seal, but keep out any riffraff. Though I wonder why you know of such a place, unless you have been reasearching for this particular idea."     She doesn't agree for the others, since she can't, but she does shrug. "Helping my world is what I've wanted from the Union for years. Sabotaging it would be... counterproductive." 

:'''{{#var:12|Mordred (12)}} has posed:'''     "Just don't abuse our trust 'n we won't abuse yours," Mordred answers Psyber, pretty straightforwardly. It's as true as it'll get. Things will stay clean and nice as long as nobody steps out of line. At the suggestion of the location, she shrugs, turning to Elliana to see her judgment on it.     Though idly, she tells Himei: "Hey, I'm just sayin'. It happened once. Why can't we make it happen twice? You gonna be satisfied with just making them harmless when y'had the option to integrate them into society instead? If they turn out to be assholes then that's where we come in. Y'know, again." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I know because..." Psyber begins, staring back at Elliana. His red eyes meet her red-and-teal gaze. He halts halfway into the sentence.     He takes a deep breath again and says, "I know because I..." Psyber halts again, partway into the sentence. His eyes look away and he seems to contemplate for a long moment. How would she react if she knew the truth? How would she feel about it? He had told her he would set up a contingency for her, she said he should.     And then Mordred says that key phrase 'Don't abuse our trust and we won't abuse yours'. That's right, if he kept this under any justification it would just damage everything going forward when it came out.     "I know because that's where I found Sovereign." Psyber finally says to Elliana, staring her dead in the eye. 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     One eye twitches when Psyber says that. "I see." She stares back at him, then shuffles and sets her empty cup down. "You really have been busy. I hope you know what you have gotten yourself into. Mastering one of THOSE is not easily done, and even then there can be a price. I never fully mastered Majestic. Be careful, Psyber."     She then smiles, "We should go now, before someone shows up wondering why you are meeting us. Thank you for dinner." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber's eyes narrow at the eyetwitch. He tries to file it and figure out a meaning. Anger? Betrayal? But she lets it go away too quickly. He's left simply wondering. But he forces a smile, "I asked you if I should plan a counter to you, and you agreed." He says, perhaps in defense of himself.     "I do not intend to keep it permanently. It is a legacy of the Fairchild family and I will return it to them once I feel their current inheritor is fit to wield it, that I promise," Psyber says to her in an awkward tone, sighing.     "Yeah, though. I said I'd be home tonight, so I'm sure Nathan and the others will wonder where I am." 

}}

Sieving for Clarity (Psyber)

2015-03-09T00:14:16Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Cutscene Header |Date of Scene=2015/03/03 |Location= |Synopsis=Alone in an apartment, Psyber attempts to sift through the events of the past several days. |Thanks= |Cast of ..."

{{Cutscene Header
|Date of Scene=2015/03/03
|Location=
|Synopsis=Alone in an apartment, Psyber attempts to sift through the events of the past several days.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253
|Tinyplot=
}}
"Then the Warrior realizes that these repeated experiences have but one aim: to teach him what he does not want to learn." -Paul Coelho, Warrior of Light

BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yyy4yaVwsv0

A lock clicks into a door in the Arkham Apartment Psyber and Amalthea cosigned on months back. The half-angel shuffles in with a brown bag full of groceries. Not much, enough to last two or three days at the most. Keep his head low, clear his mind, and start fixing messes.

The contents of the bag placed in the fridge, Psyber steps away and towards the deck that faces the water. He stepped out onto it and rested his hands on the railing. For the first time in days, maybe weeks, he had enough downtime to shut his eyes and start organizing the events that were plaguing him most. Conversations darted through his mind and started to pull into cohesivity.

PHONE: Himei says, "I just realized."
PHONE: Phoning Himei, Psyber says, "What did you just realize?"
PHONE: Himei says, "In both that nightmare and the real world, Elliana is someone trying to do good and, by her personal meter, failing."

Himei's was the first voice. So often she provided insight Psyber never would see, and the dreams had been her idea in the first place. Himei was an anchor for him in some ways, consulting her for advice in relation to his problems, giving him minor guidance, telling him when he was stepping too far. He took a deep breath and Himei's voice drifted out, replaced by another.

PHONE: Eleanor Lamb says, "...Evil is just a word sir."
PHONE: Eleanor Lamb says, "It is always just a word."

Eleanor. He had talked to her the day after Himei. She was new to Elliana's mission roster, but strong in presence. Despite this, no one could deny her insight into Elliana in a way few could mirror. Hers was a voice of mirroring. She could, potentially, reach Elliana in ways even Psyber could not. Or help Psyber find angles he had missed before. He slowly opens his eyes and takes out a cigarette. Eyes watch the dancing flame of his lighter and his mind wanders.

PHONE: Kimiko Shinobu says, "I have hope that you will be successful, if anyone can be. Not certainty, but hope. You can trust me to support you in that until Miss Fairchild proves otherwise."

Of all the support he had gained in recent weeks, none surprised him more than Kimiko Shinobu. Not because he thought she would be impossible to sway, but because she was impossible for him to truly read. He had thought her utterly indifferent, or if anything leaning against Elliana. When she had stated she would have hope in him, it had rung a bell that woke him up from a haze that had pushed him into being almost on auto-pilot. Psyber exhaled a plume of smoke and watched it drift out away from the balcony.

PHONE: Phoning Amalthea, Psyber says, "While I do not disagree, I have thrown everything I have into my work, much of it into this singular cause of saving one woman. I do not get a second chance, either I save her and she comes back, or I do not and she crosses the threshold. In that moment, my efforts will be judged. I am beginning to doubt that I am enough."
PHONE: Amalthea says, "I know you have. I'm not blind to how this has all been tearing my closest friends apart at the seams."
PHONE: Amalthea says, "But you're not alone."

Amalthea. Despite her diminutive size and feminine gender, she was a brother rather than a sister to him in all but blood. She had been one of the most recent to voice her support of him. Not agreement, but support. And it had come when he needed it most: On the back of his best friend deceiving all of them. The thought of betrayal makes a new voice come to mind...

PHONE: Mordred says, "We're stuffing as much of its energy in a box as we can. You want my master not to keep having nightmares, right?"

He turns away from the balcony, tossing the rest of the cigarette off the edge. The Knight of Betrayal had been more loyal to the plan than his own General. While Nathan argued his need to keep everyone in the dark about an alternate methodology, Mordred had done almost the same thing and had been cried traitor for it by the same man that deceived them all. Mordred had many flaws, but to Psyber, dedication to helping Elliana and her world had never been one of them.

-<RADIO: HeavenOrHellAlternate>- Psyber says, "Then just let go of the hatred."
-<RADIO: HeavenOrHellAlternate>- Nathan Hall says, "Unlike what you may think, angel, it is not that simple for humans."

A blow Nathan had struck in his jaw, so to speak, comes to Psyber's mind as he washes his face and looks at himself in a mirror, the wounds from that night already mostly healed to allow him to fight another day. That his own friend would say such a thing shook Psyber on many levels. It was a two-line exchange that had been delivered once before by Nathan and had made him doubt his own humanity. This time, it merely made him doubt Nathan.

PHONE: Elliana Fairchild says, "One of the harsh lessons I had to learn is that sometimes, you need to make a leap of faith and hear out someone to work out a misunderstanding."

As he climbed under the sheets of the bed, Psyber heaved a heavy sigh and the line from Elliana earlier in that day came to him. That the 'monster' Nathan fought would be more willing to seek clarity in narrative than the librarian was telling of how far he felt Nathan had degraded. He was growing harder to deal with by the day, and his hatred was beginning to blind him.

-<RADIO: HeavenOrHellAlternate>- Psyber says, "After so much of your life has been built around and upon Elliana. How much would you lose if that simply vanished?"

This was his second-to-last thought of the night. He pulled the covers up around himself and curled a bit. Without Laine here, the nightmares would be worse tonight, but at least he had peace and quiet. Mostly. One thought echoed in his head, still. It was growing louder every day, but it was only in the stillness that he could finally understand it.

Quietly, he murmurs:

"I may have to destroy everything my best friend has built in order to save him."

1728/Meeting at the Harbor

2015-03-05T03:27:38Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/03/05 |Location=Boston-666 |Synopsis="When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty." -Thomas Jefferson |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=253..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/03/05
|Location=Boston-666
|Synopsis="When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty." -Thomas Jefferson
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253, 395
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber's message to Amalthea was brief. Terse. 'Meet me at Boston Harbor.'     Today was a cold day in winter, with snow falling from the sky as the half-angel was standing at the edge of the harbor, leaning over the railing and looking out at the water. His eyes stared straight out over the ocean while one gloved hand clutched a lit cigarette. He's totally waiting for her.     And when she arrives, he notes in a serious tone: "Thank you for coming." 

:'''{{#var:395|Amalthea (395)}} has posed:'''     It was as good an excuse to get out of the manse as any. Having spent the past few days sulking in her basement, the unicorn slouches out of her seat as the message hits her comm bead, rifling through her closet for something to throw on.     It doesn't take long for her to arrive at the harbor, unbothered by the chill even in just some ratty old jean cutoffs and a tie-dye t-shirt. Her favorite digs, usually.     "I am here now." She announces, settling just aside the half-angel to brace her arms on the rail and also stare off towards the sea. "Of course. You wanted to see me?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber doesn't stop looking out over the water, "Amalthea. I asked you here because you are one of a very small number of people I am going to be trusting with the full scope of my plan."     He looks towards her and takes a slow breath, "But. Once you know, you will be forced to make a decision. A decision which can never be unmade, and which will force you deeper into this division between your friends. But, it is also the option most likely to, inevitably, bring this schism to a close for good."     "I am giving you the option to walk away, because no one has more right to than you." 

:'''{{#var:395|Amalthea (395)}} has posed:'''     A slow breath, and the unicorn's eye closes, the misty steam hanging in the air for a moment. She is silent for a time, stock still, much like a cornered doe listening for a predator. There's a small buzz of her fingers on the rail before her eye opens again, turning to glance sidewards.     "It's not so simple as something to walk away from, we both know that. I see the worst of the ones I hold dearest come out more and more with every passing day now, and it won't stop if I turn my back and cover my ears."     Again she pauses, thoughtful but not hesitant, before her decision is made. "If you think it will bring this to a close, then you have my undivided attention." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber takes a deep breath and then grips the railing tight in his hand. Tight enough one can hear the metal creak against his superhuman strength as he struggles to find words.     "Very well," Psyber begins, continuing a moment later, "Nathan's judgment is compromised. I can no longer trust him to lead in matters related to Elliana." He begins it off with that simple statement, "Once I thought he could, but he has grown worse of late. More irrational, more paranoid."     "He deceived us all," Psyber says with finality, "And he refuses to hear criticism for it. I have no one to appeal to, because ostensibly his argument and actions are reasonable, even if they are not in actuality."     "I have decided," Psyber looks to Amalthea finally, "If he cannot be trusted to lead, then someone must disinvolve him."     "I am meeting with the Confederates in two days. I am going to attempt to re-establish cooperation. Nathan will not be involved and does not know the meeting is occurring."     "This will get worse before it gets better. I am going to be committing a righteous treason of sort, collaberating without the knowledge of a Union General. I am willing to take responsibility for all who would follow me, and accept punishment for it when the time is finished," He notes, looking to Amalthea.     "You have more to lose than I do. A wife. A child. I will understand if you cannot believe in my cause, regardless of the protection I offer." 

:'''{{#var:395|Amalthea (395)}} has posed:'''     There it is. And now, a turn of her head and the unicorn is staring dead on at the man, that piercing eye as deep as very sea they had both been looking to a moment before. "I've got one eye, but I can see with it well enough, Psyber." She points out. "Nathan grows worse with every new development, he's too driven by his vendetta and his hate. He's wronged us all, but he wrongs you more." She states her opinion very directly.     Doll-jointed fingers drum on the rail before she breaks away from it, arms folding under her chest. "Disinvolve him then? Mmh he won't be happy. Especially when he finds out- though it won't be from me that he does." A shake of her head and shoulders buzz, lifting in a shrug.     "I have much to lose either way from this, but I already told you didn't I?"     "You're not alone. My path is committed." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "He will not be happy, this is correct," Psyber says, staring at her, "But if this all works the way I want it to, I will take the brunt of the blame when it is all done. You and anyone else who follows my plan will simply have been coerced by me."     Psyber turns away and looks towards the water once more, "I have only trusted one other with this plan: Himei Shoutan. You two were the only two I felt could understand. On paper, Nathan looks right and I look wrong. But I know it's not the case." He notes, sighing.     He takes a deep breath, "In the end, if we can prove him definitively wrong, it will likely destroy him. He has built everything around this hatred. But, if we can remove it, he might be able to finally heal."     A final note is added to her agreement, "My motives are selfish in my own way, and I know I am his opposite in many ways on this matter. I will not deceive you that this plays directly into my favoritism towards Fairchild." He looks down at the ground, "I felt it worth noting that at the end." 

:'''{{#var:395|Amalthea (395)}} has posed:'''     "I think we're looking at a very different sheet, Psyber. What memo did you get?" Amalthea once again is very blunt with her opinion. But then comes the sigh, one hand lifting to rub at her brow around the base of her horn. Though she does pause to peer rather intently after a moment.     "Himei is a good choice." she agrees at length. "Always had a good head on her shoulders."     Reaching up, she sets her hand on the half-angel's shoulder in a light squeeze. "He needs to let it go. It'll destroy him if he DOESN'T. Proving him wrong will hurt him. Deeply. Probably for a long time, but wounds always heal. Faster for humans than to an immortal."     "You would know."     With that, she releases. "When are the motives of man not selfish? Even when altruistic? I'll see you on Friday." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Perhaps. Not all will see me as right," Psyber admits, thinking it over for a few moments.     The hand on his shoulder is looked at for a long few moments, "Beyond us three, I will likely play it by ear. Every new person increases the risk of getting caught," He looks down and away from the hand right after this.     "I can only hope that as he heals, it will mend us all by the process. You, me, Pegasus. His friends coming together to help him." He takes a slow moment, "I think that is where it all comes back."     When she releases his shoulder, "Thank you for hearing me out. I will hope that on Friday we can make some progress." 

}}

1624/Parley with the Abyssals

2015-03-01T06:41:28Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/02/20 |Location=Boston-666 |Synopsis=Psyber meets with Samar to talk terms and motives. Wo is along because her hat is amazing. |Thanks= |Cas..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/02/20
|Location=Boston-666
|Synopsis=Psyber meets with Samar to talk terms and motives. Wo is along because her hat is amazing.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253, 494, 582
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     There are many neutral locations throughout the Multiverse, enforced and otherwise! The place Psyber has arranged to meet is one such location, but it's name will be of little importance. It's a tiny cafe in one corner of a far off area on the very edge of the Sector and so quiet it never sees combat. It's also in a retirement area for war veteran Elites, which may explain that as well.     Either way, the ideal location for a talk, which Psyber has requested. The half-angel is sitting at a small table in the cafe, drinking a cup of coffee with a newspaper in his hands. Next to him is a briefcase, which probably means he came here from some sort of other business. 

:'''{{#var:494|Samar (494)}} has posed:'''     This is intended to be a peaceful, neutral meeting, and while Samar may be a figure of war and strife, she at least still knows how to present herself for something like this. To that end, her lumbering symbiote is nowhere to be seen: the Princess walks down the sidewalk on her own two feet, raised heels clacking against the pavement with each steady, confident stride she takes.     Once she steps into the cafe, she pauses at the door to take a look around. As willing as she may be to concede a peaceful encounter, trust is another issue altogether; her scarlet-eyed glare isn't searching for Psyber, but checking for any obvious or not-so-obvious threats around the cafe. Only when she feels decently confident in her safety and that of her accompanying sister vessel does Samar stride over to Psyber's table, pull out a chair, and straighten out her dress before taking her seat.     One leg crosses over the other, and her arms fold over her chest. She only looks at the half-angel for a moment out of the corner of her eye before turning her gaze to her far more interesting fingernails. "Afternoon," she greets him flatly. "So, what exactly did you want to hear today?" 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     It had been a while since this meeting had been scheduled, which had enabled the Wo-class carrier - at least, the one with which Psyber was most familiar, to finish fully recovering from that last battle. In this case, that mostly mean she has reconstructed her hat, which is easily the first thing visible about her as she trots steadily toward the agreed-upon location. No sea skating or hovering above the waves available, here, replaced by the sound of her boot heels and the periodic drip of sea water still making its way out of her cape, as well as off of that hat. She follows along slightly behind Samar, as she is the presumed 'flagship' of this sortie, the piece of steel fashioned into her staff held level in both of her hands as she walks, and her eyes glow from within the shadow cast over her face - a pale blue green, for the time being. Seems she's relaxed today, such as it is, though it would be hard to read from the even expression on what can be seen of her pale visage.     When she finishes her approach, a brief moment after Samar, she remains standing a few meters away, regarding Psyber silently for a moment, before observing some kind of barely remembered protocol for this sort of thing. That is, she bows her head forward, lifting her hands up to the edges of that black, squid-shaped monstrosity that lives on her head with relative ease given the appearance of her frame, and lifts it off before resting it against her side. This leaves her, perhaps, a little more approachable. "..I'm here," she states simply, and obviously. For the time being, though, it's clear that she's intent to let this be their leader's show, unless Psyber has any questions for her specifically, taking a patient but observant stand directly behind her, to one side. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I won't mince words. Despite my reacquiring of the Ko-Class vessel, your subordinate made statements that are correct. I have no functional understanding of the goals, wants, desires or motivations of the Abyssal Fleet. This means that I will be vastly underinformed in this currently forming rivalry which seems to be growing between our two sides," Psyber notes this in a calm down as they both join him in his seat. He takes a deep breath and then adds, "Please, may I get you some coffee or a pastry or something?"     Refusal or acceptance, Psyber continues on, "My primary goal here is to open communication lines between both factions and attempt to understand the opposing viewpoint. I have all the information on the Fleet Daughters I need for now. I would like more on the Abyssal Fleet." 

:'''{{#var:494|Samar (494)}} has posed:'''     "I'm not in the mood for human food," Samar replies frankly to that offer. As calm as Psyber remains, it seems she's not really in the mood to be cordial; not nearly to the point of antagonizing and berating him, at least not /yet/, but she doesn't want to seem too comfortable with this situation. He is, after all, the one who reverted Ko-Class. Twice.     Samar does glance back to Wo, gesturing to another seat nearby. Wo, at least, gets a slightly gentler tone. "Go ahead and have a seat, Wo. You don't need to spend all this time standing there."     Finally, she turns in her seat to directly face Psyber, interlacing her fingers as a perch for her chin and resting her elbows on the table's surface. Water starts to gently pool around them; seems she hasn't completely dried off, either. Her eyes remain slightly narrowed, but at least she's looking at Psyber now, as she starts to speak.     "Open communication lines for yourself, if you want, but don't expect me to speak to those traitors as if /negotiation/ will solve anything." That draws out a hot huff of breath from her nostrils, her expression growing slightly more irritated at the thought. It only lasts a moment, though, and her tone, while slightly chilled, maintains a matter-of-fact tone as she continues.     "...as for us. It's quite simple, really. Do you know what it's like to be used, Psyber? Do you know what war is like? Real war, I mean, not these...Elites in one-on-one conflicts. War where you're sent into a conflict whose cause you may not know, directed by people you barely recognize, until your corpse slips under the surface in a twisted, ruined wreck of whatever shred of glory you had a moment before and lies abandoned and uncounted for an eternity to follow?" Her head tilts slightly to one side; she's silent, then, waiting for an actual response. 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     She would have been content to remain standing there, as the two presumed dignitaries have their words. That's before Samar invites her to take a seat, as well, prompting the briefest, subtle look of bewilderment, before she accepts the offer. It seems that even with having unlocked her own flagship potential, she's still somewhat unused to having a seat at the table, figuratively and literally. Slipping into her seat, her own water pooling - thankfully for the poor staff that has to come and clean this after this meeting - has stemmed somewhat from even a few moments earlier. Mutedly eyes wonder around the cafe, when she feels she's not being directly addressed, examining the strange yet somehow familiar trappings of the surface dwellers. This is where they 'supply,' isn't it? But it doesn't look like a very efficient place to it.     "I'll..pass. Thanks.." Her own refusal is a bit less harsh than Samar's, though she also has less to be bitter about, on the surface. Or perhaps it's simply a measure of caution in an unfamiliar arena. Other than that, she sits relatively quietly, aside from a soft, heaving..breathing that can be heard from the hat, which she allows to settle against her chair, as it also seems to somehow be regarding Psyber, albeit sideways, through its empty, metallic irised sockets. Despite her passive nature, since Samar speaks for all of their feelings, she feels she must address at least one matter. "..Ko-class.. No..'Kon-gou.' Is she - well?" It can be hard to forget comraderie, even in light of the betrayal. Once Samar's words fully sink in, though, that concerned look fades slightly, and the trace of a scowl plays across Wo's subdued features. Samar has managed to sink her anchors in deep with most of the abyssals, with those kinds of loaded mental images, giving voice to decades spent in the dark, alone, abandoned.     It's easy for them to buy, and despite those hairline fractures appearing, it remains hard to ignore. Wo's eyes lower, as she stares holes down in the table. Did her eyes just flash golden amber for a moment? "..loneliness.. But..then, found sisters. Like, Ko-class." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     So much to respond to and so much to say. Psyber nods his head to Samar when she turns down the food. He gives her an appraising look with his red eyes, same to Wo-Class. But he doesn't say much of any thing related to the frankness. He's beginning to understand that's just how Samar is.     So when she levels her eyes on him, he stares directly back at her, "I understand and accept your lack of desire to communicate with the Fleet Daughters," He says in a detached tone. Best not to press comfort zones on initial diplomatic contacts, "My goal is only to open lines of communication for myself at this point. Tensions can be high post-sortie and upon initial contact with new forces, so I wished to establish lines to foster future negotiations between us."     But then Samar asks him something very serious, and Psyber takes a deep breath, "Of the many people who reside within either faction, you will find few who know more about the horrors of war than myself. Not identical to the war you described, but similar enough," He notes in that same distant and detached tone, "To be sent to do a job no one else can accomplish, and to be expected to succeed at all costs. To be forced to do things that no one will ever understand, and then to wonder if they secretly see you as a monster for it. Yes, I understand this feeling quite well."     His head slowly turns to the Wo-Class so he can answer her, "Kongou is well. I would have brought you some curry from her, but I did not have time." He pauses, looking to the Wo-Class, "She is, of the Fleet Daughters, the only one aware I plan to communicate with the Abyssal Fleet. And she encouraged me to reach an understanding of you." His reply is, if a bit formal because this is a first meeting, genuine in tone. 

:'''{{#var:494|Samar (494)}} has posed:'''     Samar just gives a low note of acceptance when Psyber responds to her question. Inwardly, she doubts he'll /really/ understand their situation, but at least it will make it easier to just talk about it. Her scowl does return, though, when Kongou's encouragement is mentioned. It's obvious Samar doesn't like the Fleet Daughter - though it's not as if she likes /any/ of them - but, for the moment, she keeps her opinions at bay. There's more explaining to be done.     "Then if you understand that, maybe you'll understand our position," the Princess continues. "We were used for mankind's great war across the world, and when it was over, we were cast aside and forgotten. Many proud ships that were used, then abandoned when it suited them, only there to fulfill a brief purpose. And so...after it became unbearable, our wish for vengeance grew, until we ascended into what we are now. Princesses, Demons, loyal sisters who want victory and what is owed them; Abyssals, all of us, serving a common purpose to end our suffering. Maybe they see us as monsters for it, but I really couldn't care any less."     She pauses for a moment, letting her arms fold over one another on the table's surface as she stares across at Psyber. "And then Nagato and Musashi turned on us, and they have steadily been making traitors out of my sisters ever since. I could tell you the histories of every ship you seem to have allied yourself with now, and everything they upheld in their time with me. They really don't belong where they are now." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     Not wanting to dwell too much on the topic of Kongou, for various concerns, the carrier only offers a soft sound of acceptance, to Psyber's report. Uncertain of what she would do with it, curry is nonetheless a faded memory that manages to remain lodged in many abyssals that once had crews. A slight furrowing of her eyebrow follows, as she accordingly finds herself..somehow regretting that she did not get to taste of the Burning Love curry. There was also something more important than food there, though, and that draws the confused expression even closer to the surface, as she stares outright at Psyber - perhaps somewhere between unbelieving and boggling, "..she did?" While it's certainly true that Kongou has been the one with the experience of a child playfully flipping a light switch, as of late, the notion of a Fleet Daughter seeing them as anything more than monsters is.. Strange? Unsettling? She isn't certain how to feel about that.     Sinking into the depths of that thought is perhaps why she spends the next several moments in silence, resting what to untrained eyes seems little more than that hunk of oxidized metal across her lap. While she might not pursue the agenda as strongly as Samar, it nonetheless remains close to her own feelings, as she understands them. No interjections are made as the Abyssal fleet's presently unchallenge boss makes their case, or at least, lays out what their overarching plans are. Something does cause her expression to sour again, though: Even if it were possible to achieve peace on the Fleet Daughter's terms, it's not like they would be easily forgiven. And her own heart remains heavy with something she still can't quite remember. Once Samar seems finished, she once again adds her own, less articulate experience - at least, what has clarity of it: "Existence.. ..to not be, forgotten. To end, sisters' suffering. The surface dwellers..so quickly forget. Still fighting.." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Now it is Psyber who rests his chin in his hands and looks to Samar, "I doubt you are very religious, but there is a verse I find particularly striking for this moment." He's actually not fully sure on that claim. Ships have always had some religious connotations and ties throughout the centuries, "You'll find I use them a lot. It's part of my nature. I apologize, it is at times the best means to convey my feelings."     "Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes," Psyber says in a pretty even tone, sighing a bit as he thinks, "First John, Chapter Two, Verses Nine to Eleven."     "I believe this applies to both sides in this conflict," Psyber notes, shutting his eyes for a moment and thinking, "Your pain is understandable. Your suffering is justified. And your anger is understood. But if you allow hatred to cloud your expression of those feelings, you merely will stumble through and find yourselves in battle after battle, with no one ever truly understanding you, because they feel that you are merely wrath incarnate, as opposed to individuals with feelings and desires."     "JUST..." Psyber begins forcefully, "As the Fleet Daughters may yet stumble blindly through their belief that you must be sunk or brought to violence to mitigate your threat. They are blind, in their own ways, as well. For their works are carried out in their own belief, and they are naive in some ways. But I would disagree that every ship is wrong where they are now. I would challenge you to spend 20 minutes in a room with Kongou and not tell me she is where she wishes to be."     Psyber opens his eyes again, looking to Samar in a serious way, "Our past is important. It informs our present, but it should never define it. By defining ourselves by our past, we limit our growth. Who you all were, where you came from, being remembered? These are important. The sacrifices you made should never be forgotten and each of you should be honored. But you do not honor your past by repeating it. You do not honor the ideals you once fought for through violence, I feel."     Psyber takes a deep and slow breath, "One more verse for you."     "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is against you. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you." Psyber pauses for a long moment, "Matthew Five, Verses 38 to 42."     "I would, if you can lay down your arms and uphold a place of neutrality as you have today, invite you to visit Boston some time. Come see my home, where people once viewed as monsters and horrors now live alongside humans peacefully. But this offer shall extend only if your more violent desires can be restrained." He notes seriously, opening his eyes and looking hard to Samar and Wo, "There will be elements in the Confederacy who would use this hospitality I have extended you to strike to my heart, so consider this a test of your ideals as well. You desire not to be used again, then do not. Let that be the reason you uphold my offer, if none other." 

:'''{{#var:494|Samar (494)}} has posed:'''     Samar, for now, is silent. Psyber's words draw a range of reactions from her: silent calm, a narrowed look of wariness, signs of her doubt and temper starting to lift to the surface again. Just as she seems about to open her mouth to say something, however, Psyber's forceful addition gives her pause, and grants him a few more moments of patient (if faintly glowering) audience.     She doesn't like this. Not at all, if the way she stares at Psyber in silence after his offer is an indication of anything. Exactly /why/, however, isn't so obvious. Perhaps she's conflicted by the offer of something like that from someone who clearly isn't on her 'side.' Perhaps there's something else, simmering under the surface.     She gives a sideward glance to Wo, her gaze nowhere near as piercing for the Abyssal's sake. That she cares for the other Abyssals is something that's difficult to question, perhaps even from an outside perspective. She leads them into battle, but when they're ready to give themselves entirely, she pulls them back. She really does want what's best for them, doesn't she? Though...is this what's best for them?     Her red eyes shift back to Psyber, still smoldering with wary apprehension. Her fingernails drum along the table's surface, once, twice; a rhythm to break the silence before she finally feels comfortable enough to give her answer. "No."     A pause; her frown turns to a lightly fanged grimace, as if she doesn't even want to say what she's about to, but she continues. "...nnh. For myself, at least. I have no interest whatsoever in visiting your city for any peaceful reasons. Least of all to visit you, or Kongou, or any of the other Fleet Daughters that have decided to stay there. But...if any of my subordinates wish, with the proper supervision, I will allow them to visit. Under peaceful conditions. Some may be more willing than others."     Samar looks over to Wo again, curiously. She was always interested in being social, wasn't she? It makes the Princess worry, in no small amount. "...Wo, I think, would be the most cooperative escort, under your terms. And rest assured," she adds, looking over to Psyber again, "that they will be suitably punished by me if they choose to act with hostility during such a visit. I may not be accepting your offer personally, but I will at least uphold your terms." Her frown hardens a little further. "So long as you, in turn, don't misuse them." 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     Religious? Perhaps not in the usual sense. It might be hard for a belief system devised by surface people, and for surface people, to find much application among sunken ship spirits. Yet, some themes are universal, aren't they? Even in this twisted up multiverse. The Wo-class carrier sits peacefully, her own expressions not quite matching the gamut that Samar's horned demeanor ably demonstrates throughout the discourse, though she at least manages to play the part of the captive audience. It is still hard to read, accordingly, just how much impact it's having on her, and how much is escaping her yet unfulfilled capacity. Rudeness is not one of her traits, regardless, so she waits until he seems to be finished with his sermons, before she even thinks of speaking a word.     Not that she does, even then. Such heavy scripture is best answered by the one among the two that has the real authority for any meaningful change in disposition, within their fleet. Wo's eyes turn to Samar, much like a younger sibling gauging their elder's answer to a challenge, as she responds in refusal, and yet doesn't directly address Psyber's wider themes, at the same time. Perhaps in annoyance, or.. No, that's definitely it, nothing more. Despite Samar's razor sharp response, however, there is that tiniest sliver of an opening that remains. "..wo?" A sound escapes her before she can adequately form a response, since she honestly wasn't expecting even that level of concession, to one that houses their most preeminent enemy. Simultaneously, while she would not care to admit it, there is a softening of her expression, as some small corner of her mind is accepting, and perhaps even welcoming of the chance.     Perhaps Samar's confidence will be overextended. Or she's smartly allowing the chain to given an inch, as opposed to losing it later. Whatever the reason for her allowance, and indirect offer to the Wo-class, she gives a nod of her head, and her expression grows mutedly more determined, as she obviously takes this seriously, "..I won't..allow Samar, to be embarassed. Your city, will be safe - with me. ..Psyber." If not for how serious these high-level discussions were, she might even look..the cute kind of determined. And hey, she remembered his name, after all! "Sister's voices..calmer, around me. Flagship." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Despite your own lack of interest in my city, I thank you for upholding and enforcing neutrality," Psyber says with a carefully practiced calm tone, "And I promise I will see that no hostile actions are taken so long as your side upholds the agreement as well. I believe it will, if nothing else, further your goals of us understanding you." He smiles widely at this. And with a bit of sincerity despite her hostility.     "And Wo, your determination is noted and appreciated as well," Psyber says, smiling at her in turn. Psyber is, for his own part, a pretty unique individual. His past and his various beliefs make him utterly confusing until you realize his core point: He wants to help people, however he can. Sometimes with a sword, sometimes with a hand.     He looks towards Samar, "One last question before I go. What woke the Abyssals up? It is rare that spirits rise in such a way, so I have been curious. Was there a catalyst, or had enough time simply passed?" 

:'''{{#var:494|Samar (494)}} has posed:'''     Psyber gets another long, serious look for his gratitude. It's clear Samar still isn't comfortable with this whole thing, but she's trying. In her own way, at least; not enough to return the smile, but not so little as to snap or glower.     That last question makes her hostility ebb away just a little, however, as she considers her answer. She sits back in her seat, arms folded over her chest, and offers a short sigh before she actually answers. "Time, and the growth of a deep-seated grudge. It became too great to be contained, and our will gave us shape. At least...that's all I know. I can't say whether or not something else might have caused it, if anything."     Samar stares at him for a few more moments, then finally sighs before rising out of her seat. "Well, if that's all, then I think we'll be leaving now. Thank you for your time, I suppose, Psyber. I'll inform my subordinates of our arrangements, and maybe they'll choose to visit you and your city in time. The only promise I make is to your safety under those circumstances." Her eyes narrow; something bristles around her shoulders and slips into her voice. "...I'll hope I don't regret making this concession."     A nod is given to Wo, then; a silent sign that their time here is done. With that, she turns to stride back out of the cafe and find their way back home again. She has quite a bit to think about now. 

:'''{{#var:582|Wo (582)}} has posed:'''     Psyber's appreciation receives mainly a nod from the abyssal carrier. Smiling as he does remains difficult for Wo, though for different reasons than Samar's. Besides..there's a certain amount of decorum to be observed in what remains a primarily serious diplomatic engagement. "Of course.. Psyber," at least, comes her verbal response, while both her own eyes and her hat's regard him.     Speaking of. With business here seemingly concluded to Samar's..well, satisfaction is probably not the word, but certainly concluded, her superior gives the signal for them to make their exit, prompting her to pick up her hat and return it to its proper place again. It's possibly better than allowing her to sit, stew and try to think on how exactly she came to have this form, and how she fought and scraped for every bit of sanity she possesses now. It wasn't an easy process. "Good-bye, for now," she states, hoping it isn't out of turn to extend the black gloved hand that isn't holding her staff, for whatever gesture of agreement Psyber's culture might prefer. Opportunity taken or not, she dutifully moves to walk out behind Samar, not giving a glance back. Back to the sea, their home. 

}}

1634/Welcome to Midgard!

2015-02-24T21:54:54Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/02/22 |Location=Midgard-87 |Synopsis=Elites from both factions show up in defense of Alif against an undead horde. |Thanks= |Cast of Character..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/02/22
|Location=Midgard-87
|Synopsis=Elites from both factions show up in defense of Alif against an undead horde.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=4, 106, 525, 598, 626, 662, 705, 716
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:716|Alif (716)}} has posed:'''      Traveling through the warp gate would find pretty much exactly what Alif warned about. Off in the distance from the warpgate itself, it would be possible to see a large force approaching a town, largely due to the portal having opened on the outskirts of the city. The portal itself was somewhat inconvenient for getting to the battle, but it would make for a great pincer opportunity, as the large force was faced away from the portal.      When the visitors arrived, they would find the situation is already far underway. Seems Alif hadn't spotted it until it was too late, herself, or she'd delayed for some reason or another. At the outskirts of the town, humans were doing their best to shore up makeshift defenses. Sand bags, snow piled up high, and similar to try and give them the advantage. But they were horribly under-equipped, against an enemy that was well-equipped, almost born for war. Stones, sticks, broken pipes, and other makeshift weapons were what humanity had.      Meanwhile, the 'bloodless ones' were horrific monsters. Once human, they now looked twisted. Their pale skin stretched tightly over bones, not a single drop of blood left in their veins. Sunken eyes and bared teeth, hair long having fallen out, they were enduring and had unnatural strength, with the tips of their fingers twisted into horrible claws. And humanity's defenses were struggling to stay up, as the people who fought were peaceful and had not seen war in years.      Spread out here and there, there were a few humans who seemed well-equipped though, they were transparent and shimmering, many of them wearing doctors coats and equipped with strange guns and melee weapons, or using magical spells. But even with those beacons of hope, there were hundreds, maybe even thousands of the bloodless ones, and humanity had only half that. It was a desperate situation, and no wonder that Alif called for backup. 

:'''{{#var:525|Inga (525)}} has posed:''' Despite the fact that they will be walking into a battlefield, Inga is still coming. While no warrior, there are many ways she can still be of use. She hopes, anyway. Despite this alegedly being Ragnarok, she really isn't sure what to expect. A world like hers? Not like what she'd left, and likely (hopefully!) not like her world in this age, either. All the same, she's elected to wear the clothing she thinks people will expect, looking like the woman out of her time that she is in a long red overdress pinned at the shoulders with silver brooches over white linen, her woven belt tied with pouches and charms of bone carved runes. Over all this she wears a heavy wool and fur cloak. The Seer walks out of the warpgate leaning on a carved wooden staff that helps to alievate a limp in her gait. She looks toward the battle with a frown of concentration, reaching for the knife at her belt. "More draugr," she hisses, looking toward the others who have come through the gate as well. "We mean to fight, I assume? I can support with magic but I am no melee combatant," she informs. "I can provide wards of protection and healing--but I must warn, if I have a vision...it is likely I will be helpless for a time. Do /not/ risk your life in that case," she continues, glancing to Kyra. She at least would understand why. Inga then brings the knife to the inside of her arm, quickly slicing and drawing blood, flicking it outward toward the others as she chants a spell, a shimmering barrier forming over her allies one by one as she casts. 

:'''{{#var:106|Yuri Stinson (106)}} has posed:'''     "Once there was a maiden...      ... who spent her life in shackles.      One day her masters offered to remove her chains, if she would behave.      With silent eyes she nodded, and her chains were removed.      When their backs were turned, she beat them with her undone shackles.      She stood over their bodies, covered in blood, and she whispered:      'Defiance knows no wait. Vengeance knows no duration.'"      ~Scripture of the Rebellious Maiden     Out of the warp gate steps a figure clad in cloaks, a hood pulled up to obscure white hair and green eyes. Yuri Stinson, The Dark Hero That Rebels Against Tyranny, has arrived. He takes two steps forward on the ground and a metallic dragging is audible. On the ground, trailing behind him, are several feet of chains, as if worn on the legs of an escaped prisoner. The rest of the cloaks and coats obscure his form as he steps forward and looks around.     "A world cries out for freedom. A monster has arrived, but will they accept him?" He looks around carefully, "The monster is unrestrained, his trappings of morality left safe elsewhere. His revolution may continue without restraint. He will paint the tapestry of their dreams upon the ground with blood, and his brush shall be a blade. Will they think it a masterpiece of a macabre parody?" He talks to himself, as if milling over the point.     He crouches a bit and then lunges forward. Almost immediately, there's a blowing rush of wind around him that kicks up the snow as he runs. He's moving blindingly fast, hundreds of miles per hour at least as he moves across the ground. If his outfit or the chains he may wear underneath impede him, he is not showing it as he carries himself into battle with a calm determination.     As he moves, he pulls back his hood and an energy seems to gather around him. It's a red-orange, like the color of a raging fire against the backdrop of the field, but with no heat. What it does do is impose his presence. He is here, he is Exalt, he is Rebellion. It's a crushing presence that flares up and around him, signalling that something much greater than man and much darker than a monster has stepped onto the battlefield and wishes to announce its existence.     And that frightening god-monster is charging its way right towards the enemy flank, trying to insert himself directly into the battle lines and divert forces almost immediately. As he hits the opposing force, a glint flashes underneath his cloaks and his body moves. He spins easily through the snow, a copper blade attached to his arm by a chain coming out. As He throws his blade, trying to impale one monster and then wrap the long chain around the necks of a group of monster and flick his arm, attempting to decapitate as many as he can while returning his own sword to him.     "War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over."     He pauses.     "Face me now." 

:'''{{#var:4|Alicia T. Harlaown (4)}} has posed:'''     Ragnarok... The end of the world...     Alicia has never experienced the end of the world before, but she's seen its results. Numerous times has her work has taken her to the ruins of dead civilizations. It's always a sad sight, to think of all the lives lost... All the hopes and dreams that will never be fulfilled... The call for help from someone experiencing such an event brings back memories of those worlds to the Mage. Except this one isn't quite there yet and Alicia certainly isn't going to stand around and let it happen. Not if she can help it!     The warpgate opens and the magical clothing-clad Mage, Alicia Testarossa Harlaown, steps out. Her hair and Barrier Jacket sway in the wind as she stops to look out at the sight ahead of them... She grimaces. The sight of undead, which is what these creatures appear to be on first glance, is always disturbing. Just another reminder of lives lost.     As a magical barrier forms around her, Alicia gives Inga a smile, "Thanks."     Alicia turns her attention to the portal in the distance and frowns, "I don't like the look of that... It's still open which may mean more are coming." Alicia blinks as one of the responders from the gate suddenly rushes out towards the monster army... Well, if he wants to fight without a plan, Alicia's not going to worry too much about it. Glancing at the others she says, "I'll see if I can find a way to close it."     Gripping the staff in her left hand a little tighter, Alicia begins to dash in the direction of the portal, though nowhere near at the speed displayed by Yuri, it'll take her a little longer to get there. Time which she uses to study the portal and let her Device gather information on it. 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     For the support of Inga, Kyra had made a promise that she would defend the seer during the times she was hard at work providing warding or other more complex rituals. It is out of both friendship and of guilt that she does this, the latter arising from at least two different incidents she felt slightly at fault for. The white mage arrives with the seer, astride a yellow-feathered chocobo bird, part of her considering surrendering her ride to the seer for ease.     "They look like they could use some fighting help, yes." Kyra nods, unzipping her hoodie with some reluctance because it was pretty damn cold here. Still, she needed easy access to the materials beneath and had soon planned to warm up the surrounding area shortly. "Oh, I know, but if you start setting up some kind of ward that NEEDS to be completed...well..." She reaches up under the collar of her hoodie and pulls up a set of goggles. "...don't worry, I'm not letting some filthy /undead/ take me down." She waits for a few moments for Inga's magic to take hold, pleased at the initiative the wisewoman takes. "I'm going to be going ah-"     Yuri Stinson charges in and Kyra stares, unable to look away as the power roils around the Exalt. Having never been exposed to one before, the sight brings no small amount of awe to the teenager. "...all those magic particles..." she mutters before spurring herself into action. One hand remains clutching the saddle of the Chocobo while the other starts tearing flasks of liquified napalm from one of her belts. Knowing that large armies of undead were going to be present here meant she took the time to stock up on quite a bit of the explosives.     The chocobo is fast and able to close the distance between the gate to the world and the rear of the undead mob. All too happy to force the monsters to fight a battle on too fronts, Kyra lobs the napalm into the shambling masses. 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' You called for backup in a war against the gods of Asgard and Niflheim. You get Lezard Valeth. From the Warpgate, there is a low thrum of power, the black Sorceror of Midgard arriving to look over the frozen lands. Fimbulwinter holds the land deep within its grip, and the chill cuts those unprepared to the bone. Lezard is not unprepared. The air around him hums, and he strides forward to look over the massive horde of undead already moving in to press the humans. The bloodless ones, they were called. Lezard reaches up, pushing up his glasses as they reflect the light, a dark sheen washing across the lenses as a terrible anticipation enters his voice. "Ye who would consume mankind in your folly, prepare thyselves to face /true power/." He savors the moment, purple flames roiling around his hands as he calls upon the souls at his own command, gathering into a howling purple flame in one hand. "I do not make an example such as this lightly, fools, but you have drawn forth the wrath of LEZARD VALETH!" With a flourish, he draws forth a ruby-tipped sceptre, an eruption of Power rising around him as he calls up a phenomenal amount of magical force. The wind whips up around him as a magical circle draws itself below, and he focuseses himself, his voice ripping across the battlefield in a reverberating, powerful tone. "YE MUST DESIRE RESPITE FROM THY EMPTY EXISTENCE! THOU SHALT HAVE IT!" High avoce, halos of brilliang holy power gather, circling and shrinking rapidly. When they collapse inwards, there in an explosion of white feathers as beams begin to lance downwards in a heavenly rain, a wave of golden, cascading light showering down in brilliant blasts. "CELESTIAL STAR!" The bombardment does not harm the defenders, only the assaulting Bloodless Ones. The strikes continue until there is an explosion, the ruby erupting and shattering under the volume of power flowing through it. Lezard, nevertheless, cackles with glee, crying out, "BOW DOWN BEFORE ME, WRETCHED SERVANTS OF THE GODS, AND KNOW YOUR DOOM IS AT HAND!" 

:'''{{#var:705|Reiji Arisu (705)}} has posed:'''     As Reiji had promised, so he has appeared, emerging from the warpgate not long after Inga. The Japanese exorcist might just look about as out of place as someone could possibly be given what particular brand of apocalypse happens to be occuring. He does not, however, appear out of his element. "With any luck, they won't be getting close enough to you for that to be a concern," Reiji says, his hand moving to its place above his portable arsenal. His fingers curl loosely over the three weapons racked one on top of the other, "Focus on support for now. If they do break through, then we can start worrying."     Reiji inclines his head as the Infernal God-Monster that is Yuri Stinson surges onto the battlefield. He nods in the direction of the ambulatory natural disaster, "Do what you can, Inga. I'm heading in."     Cold air blasts across his face as Reiji breaks into a hard sprint for the undead horde. He follows after Yuri's monstrous charge, though nowhere near as quickly as the Exalt is capable of. He dips away from the Dark Hero's chain as it screams through the rotting masses, and fades left a dozen meters from the center of the Titan's fury. Fire dances through the air as Karin traces fluid lines into the crush of undeath. Blasts of shrapnel follow shortly thereafter as his shotgun roars angry rapports of gunfire into dead and frozen flesh.     Lezard's spell rains down all around him, doing its divine work. Reiji rolls between the shafts of light, twisting like a blade of grass in the breeze. His weapons flicker in and out of his arsenal at almost inhuman speeds; it's Iaijutsu applied to both sword and gun. Flame and lightning and supernaturally pellets of shot cleaving into every and any walking corpse that draws close enough to hit. A zombie horde is nothing new for an experienced exorcist. Though these might be just a bit hardier than he's used to. 

:'''{{#var:662|Fake Avenger (662)}} has posed:'''      Avenger is a monster who has witnessed the end of the world.      There can be no doubt that Kojirou Sasaki, Avenger-class Servant, is a monster. It takes but one look at the ominous black tattoo-scars etched into his flesh, one glimpse at the black and unsettling flecks of darkness in his luminous purple eyes, to tell that he isn't really a human being anymore. It can't be helped, of course. When one achieves such power that they can be said to have left the human race behind; when one achieves such legend that they are known by al breathing things with fear and hatred; when one is hated by an entire world without pause or equal: in circumstances like this, one can only, and rightly, be called a monster.      Nor can there be doubt that Kojirou Sasaki witnessed the end of the world, for a thousand years ago...      Well, that doesn't matter. As Kojirou Sasaki steps foot on the field of battle, around him is silence. There's no brushing of snow from his trailing kimono. There's no crunch of snow from his feet. There's not even the barest hint of his presence as he arrives in Lezard Valeth's shadow, and people might be forgiven for not noticing him. He glides across the battlefield, silent, his purple hair flowing loose in the wind.      But then, he stops suppressing his presence, and it becomes impossible not to notice. Kojirou's gaze sweeps out across the battefield, at the monsters present, and shakes his head. Not one of these enemies...not one of them is worthy of his blade. Not one of them is worthy of his art. Not one of them deserves to witness it.      Kojirou walks forward as the lights from heaven come falling down, as the Devil With The Rebellious Maiden roars into battle, as the others begin mounting their attacks. He is heedless to harm to himself, ignoring the shockwaves and blood splatters as a man might ignore the falling of the rain onto his umbrella.      Kojirou pauses only as a broken sword falls at his side. Cracked and damaged, the European weapon gives him that moment of thought. He crouches and lifts the weapon.      Kojirou considers it for a moment. He runs his fingers along the edge, and a surge of magic - a surge powerful enough that it can be felt all over the battelfield - explodes outwards. The cracked and damaged blade etches lines into itself as that power flows into it.      He swings the sword experimentally once, twice, three times. The sword hums with power as he enters the fray.      There it becomes immediately obvious why Kojiou did not draw Monohoshi Zao.      Every stroke of his sword, every strike with that broken weapon enhanced only by his own Reinforcement, every slash of that broken sword, is like an artist painting a masterpiece. He carves into the battlefield without rest, without anger, without second thoughts - merely a peaceful smile, a strange look in his eye, and a grace that defies logic and explanation.      He could not use Monohoshi Zao on these unworthy beasts.      An artist does not waste his finest brush on bad canvas when a lesser brush will do.      His style is without explanation. Each strike shifts, each slash changes. He flows each strike through, into, around blocks, the neck always his target, the path always different, the path impossible to read. He is an artist.      He is a monster who defies human logic. He is the one who mastered an impossible sword technique that gives even gods pause.      And, he hoped, he would be able to find something to use that perfect brush upon. 

:'''{{#var:716|Alif (716)}} has posed:'''      A healer. Inga's arrival is something sorely needed, as humanity's forces sorely lacked any that could do that to any useful amount in combat. The Seer's arrival seems to draw attention in and of itself, a gaze across the battlefields, but no direct action, just yet. Until she casts her spell. And then the undead turned, a small group of them beginning to make their way across the snowy wastes.      Only for there to be a horror far worse than them join them on the battlefield, the living incarnation of rebellion. The painter of the battlefield. His charge into the flanks of the enemy force was enough to knock those bloodless ones over, they fell to the ground simply from the might of his charge, and the force of his aura. While these were enough to overwhelm humanity, they were naught but the shock troops, those who were sent for the slaughter, to weaken the enemy before the true army arrived. An Exalt, a being who existed to be an army... the strikes took down foes, slashing flesh and bone alike. But while they were not particularly enduring while facing the exalt's onslaught, they were many. And they were surprisingly quick, turning and lashing out from all sides towards the exalt, intent on attempting to tear him apart and have him join their army of the dead.      Yuri's worries of being accepted or not would be something he hadn't had to worry about. While some might see a monster, ruthlessly cutting down with cruelty, humanity saw a hero. Humanity saw a burning torch of hope tearing through their enemies. And they cheered and fought all the harder for it. As they fought, more poured forth from the portal. It was a good thing that Alicia had noticed it and went with the intent to work on closing it, as portals to hel were definitely things that you did not wish to have still open. As she flew, Alicia would note that there was very little threatening her... that is, until the undead began to throw their own at her as weapons, one or two even likely ending up close enough to attempt to latch onto her!      A charging yellow bird was difficult to miss, and the undead army had turned thanks to Yuri, intent on fighting its incoming enemies. More humans, or so they thought. More of their prey. More to kill. As the chocobo charged, so did the undead. They targetted the bird and attempted to tear it out from under Kyra -- even as napalm exploded in their midst, leaving many of them burning. Screams escaped their throats, unholy and twisted human voices screeching their agony as they burn.      Magic. Magic of someone from 'their' world. That draws the attention of the undead, they look to him and almost seem to listen to him as he spoke. Were they in awe? It was difficult to tell! They looked up towards those halos beginning to form above them... and then... blasts. It was devestating, blast after blast sending undead flying and several are simply destroyed from direct hits. Their endurance began to show itself though, as those only somewhat wounded stood slowly once more, giving screeches of their pain and rage at their wounds. And their ever-gnawing hunger. 

:'''{{#var:716|Alif (716)}} has posed:'''      With each shot of the shotgun, another of the horde falls. Another becomes just a pile of flesh on the ground, laying silent and still. Especially with those charged shotgun pellets. Fire, lightning, and sheer force ripping through their ranks. Those not hit directly continue to move though, and dart in towards Reiji, giving screeches of joy as they attempt to tear into Reiji. Another chance to cause others to revel in horror and pain.      Finally, Kojirou arrived on the battlefield. His movements had drawn the attention from the undead. His aura had caused them to begin to swarm around him. And though they struck at him, tried to rend him to pieces so he could be remade in their likeness -- he ignored them. Were they still human, they would be frustrated, they would be angered. Why would this human not pay attention to them? And then... he chose a broken blade, one that had fallen from one of the few equipped humans. And he had made it his own. Strike. Strike. Strike. Every movement of the blade carved into flesh, and there was definitely plenty of canvas to paint on, as the undead continued to pour from the portal.      Meanwhile, on the human side of things... they were faltering. Even with their increased morale, their aid on the other side, humanity was not ready for war on this world. Their weapons could hardly injure the undead, and while those who followed Alif were capable of doing such, there were only 100 of them on this battlefield. Far too few, even with Alif doing her best to direct them from atop a nearby building to the battle. But she, too, was not free from assault. Words glowed on her arms, whispered softly. Sears of white light strike down her foes, as a man and woman defended her from attack. "DO NOT GIVE UP! DO NOT BACK DOWN! REINFORCEMENTS HAVE ARRIVED, WE MUST HOLD FIRM UNTIL THIS BATTLE IS WON!" She calls out over the meager human forces, several of which gave encouraged shouts, while other cowered behind cover, curled in the fetal position and trembling. They did not want to die. And who could blame them?      The battle continues to rage on, and there is a dent being made in the undead army... possibly enough of one that a path could be made to the city itself, should those who arrived to help so choose. 

:'''{{#var:716|Alif (716)}} has posed:'''      Since Alicia was NOT flying, the undead do not throw themselves at her, instead a group of them charge at her, attempting to leap onto her and keep her from getting to the portal! 

:'''{{#var:525|Inga (525)}} has posed:''' A gust of arctic wind blows back the hood from her face, then Yuri passes and the breeze he creates from the speed of his passing nearly sends her reeling. She watches, wide-eyed, as he storms into the hoard, his god-fury something quite impressive to behold. Inga shakes her head, then looks to Alicia, nodding to her, lips thinning thoughtfully as she waits for others to arrive through the warp gate. The next who arrives is not who she expects, though really, she should have. Inga cannot keep a scowl from appearing at the sight (and oh, the sound!) of Lezard Valeth and his whale-sized ego, even if the power he wields is currently in defense of people. She doesn't think for a single moment that his actions are altruistic. Inga reaches to touch the iron hammer that hangs on a chain around her neck, whispering a prayer to Thor. Her Thor. A sigh, then Inga looks to Kyra. "I understand. Thin the ranks if you can. If I can get there, I will fortify their defenses," she says to Kyra and Reiji as he arrives from the warpgate. "Gods see you and grant you victory," she says to the warrior, blessing him with one of the wards before he dashes off to join the fray, leaving Inga standing alone outside the warp gate. As if there wasn't enough power beyond reason clashing her today, her gaze snaps toward Kojiro, pupils widening, a perfect picture of the past playing through a stretching second. The darkness and stink of the sewers, Joe Slater losing himself to the monster he is becoming, Kojiro calling forth a monster of The Filth, black tentacles flailing in aggressive madness, trying to break through-- Inga snaps back to the present, her pulse quickening. She lets out a shaking sigh, then steels herself. "Odin's bones," she curses, then begins to simply walk into the battle, staff in one hand and bloodied seax in the other. It was fortunate that the others are rather more attention grabbing than she is. Plans form and re-form in her mind as she walks, wondering what the best approach would be. A charm of concealment? No, she has already been seen...Lightning? Fire? Some of the undead approach her, limiting her options considerably. She moistens her lips with her tongue then begins a soft chant that gradually grows toward a crescendo as she draws another line of blood down her arm, blood gushing from the vein to hover, shimmering, in the air before her. The crimson liquid forms together, solidifying into elongated spears, four of them, glimmering sharply, steaming in the cold air. With a gesture, the spears fly swiftly forward toward their targets. The bloodless ones will be considerably less so. Inga continues forward, moving as quickly as possible toward the human line, ready to provide assistance however possible. Gods know they need it. 

:'''{{#var:662|Fake Avenger (662)}} has posed:'''      One should not mistake Kojirou's presence for the presence of one who is kind, or who is here to aid others. There is no urgency in Kojirou Sasaki. There is no great need to link up with the others. There is no great desire to carve a path through to other humans. Kojirou does not hurry himself to help them, because, in the grand scheme of things, Kojirou does not really care about the people he is theoretically here to help.      Nor, however, does he enjoy this battle. It's clear in each stroke, in each motion, that he isn't putting any real effort into this. Gently he side-steps around an attack from behind and carves open a dead thing's skull. Softly he slips between two, leaving nothing in his wake but a flashing blade and severed heads. Effortlessly he wades through the crowd, and where he passes passes blood and (re)death...but he is not enjoying it. He is dispassionate, disconnected, distant and apathetic. His thoughts lie far from this battlefield.      Kojirou never fought in war. He was never a soldier, never served in an army, never joined any of the warlords of the Sengoku on their grand quests. He simply drifted from place to place in pursuit of a worthless dream, like a leaf carried on the wind. Now, again, he is a leaf; now, again, he floats through the battlefield, find no meaning, no interest, nothing but the claws of the mindless dead.      These are not opponents.      These are /targets/.      As his blade flashes, Kojirou bothers to speak. It likely goes unheard by all but dead ears.      "I don't wish to fight such a meaningless battle. Guide me to your master, so that I might fight something worth my time and my blade."      "Or find me someone on your enemy's side worth my efforts." 

:'''{{#var:106|Yuri Stinson (106)}} has posed:'''     It has been long since the Supernal Exalt threw himself into true battle, and longer since he did it for the cause of another. Those flickers of doubt as to his nature earlier burn at him as a weakness. He remembers that without FIA here, external opinions are discardable... or are they?     It is good that the people find hope in him now, that bolsters him. And he has yet to truly show his monstrous nature, and when he does, it will be okay if they hate him then. This, too, is in his concept. The Unshackled Monster is a being of both hope and horror in equal measures, for he is not the protagonist any story. He is merely here to help Alif and humanity, and then vanish into history, a footnote of a monster who once bit the Gods.     In the aftermath of his opening carnage, Yuri takes a long moment to look around and appraise the changing lines of battle. His sword is back in his hand and he must choose his path. Though limited in power while on foot, he was not helpless. He was, however, locked out of his most powerful and monstrous abilities.     Eyes turn to Reiji and Kojirou, both of whom seem capable of holding their lines in this battle. He turns around slowly, looking towards Lezard, though the man as well seems capable. In these moments that he turns and inspects, spears pierce him from every direction, pushing through his body and turning him into something resembling a living pincushion.     It is upon those advancing for Kyra that his ire next strikes. He takes a deep breath and then seems to notice he's been stabbed multiple times, "Nnn..." He snarls. The man doesn't feel the wounds, nor do they slow him down, but that is the nature of a once-Malfean. The monster rages until his last breath, at which time he will merely die uneventfully. An inability to feel pain is not the same as an inability to be wounded. And he has been wounded.     He turns violently, breaking the spears in his body. As they fall around him, brass and green flame leaks from the wounds and onto the ground, sizzling in the snow as he lifts his blade again. He then hurls the blade forward, embedding it into the ground between Kyra and the lines of advancing monsters. With a mighty pull, he drags himself across the battlefield, interposing himself between Kyra and the advancing monsters.     With Brass and Flame bleeding out of him, he turns towards the approaching lines and lifts his chained blade again. He swings it in a wide, cleaving half-circle, trying to cut them down and protect the mounted medic.     All of this is done in a stony, and somewhat creepy, silence. 

:'''{{#var:4|Alicia T. Harlaown (4)}} has posed:'''     Alicia's eyes narrow at the portal as she gets closer... Doesn't look all that different to what she's used to. She's fairly confident she'll be able to find a way to close it, once she is close enough and can gather the information she needs. More immediately, she has an under problem to worry about.     Turning her gaze to the undead charging her from ahead, Alicia considers... She doesn't want to slow down, giving the portal more time to pour forth reinforcements for the enemy. Which means she needs to be a little light, "Melody..."     Already knowing what her master is thinking, the staff in Alicia's hand, Sweet Melody, chimes in response, <Yes, master. Gale Form.> The outer layer of Alicia's clothes suddenly turn silver light and fade, just leaving the inner layer. Now free of the more restricting armor, Alicia begins to move faster. She spins to the side to avoid one of the charging undead, then hits the ground in a slide under another as it leaps.     Coming back onto her feet, Alicia continues the rush towards the portal, though several undead cluster ahead of her, charging. She can't go around... So she goes over. A silver spell circle appears just above the ground in front of Alicia. She jumps onto it then jumps again, a foot touching down on the head of the lead undead. It is barely there a moment, long enough for Alicia to jump off again to the next. She uses her magic to enhance her movement, staying light and swift as she jumps from one undead to the next, all the while silver magic begins to gather just beyond the crystal of her staff.     Finally reaching the last of the undead in the group, Alicia launches herself off it into the air, spinning around as she does to face all the monsters she just evaded. Swing her staff to aim at them, she cries, "Shoot!" The magic gathered in her staff bursts into numerous beams of light that streak towards the undead to explode on contact.     Landing on the ground once more Alicia keeps running. She does take a moment to glance at her staff, "Melody, do you have the data yet?"     Sweet Melody chimes, <Analysing...> 

:'''{{#var:705|Reiji Arisu (705)}} has posed:'''     In defiance of the infinite legions of the damned, Reiji proves disturbingly difficult to actually score more than a glancing blow upon. His portable arenal proves to be an effective shield, knocking aside attacks that would otherwise cripple him. Cuts begin to open across his arms and legs regardless as the creatures nick through his defenses. Karin and Chirai form walls of flashing steel and elemental energies, cleaving away limbs before they have a chance to land a telling blow.     But the dead legions are numberless. They pour infinitely from a hellmouth, and fight with the limitless strength of the grave. Humans, no matter how puissant, will eventually tire. But for now, Reiji's arms and legs move unhindered- though he's moving with greater purpose, now.     A cloud of flame reaves through several corpses as Reiji leaps towards Inga's advance. "Stay close," he calls, ducking to avoid a claw before twisting almost cat-like under the strike to remove the creature's arm at the shoulder. "I'll clear a path to the front lines, then double back for the portal," Reiji continues, moving at a brisk pace in front of the blood-mage, "Keep picking them off and we should be fine."     He glances toward the rest of the battlefield in the narrow slivers of tranquility that flicker intermittently within the endless cycle of block-parry-strike that the Exorcist has fallen into. Fake Assassin's appearance gives him pause- but a pause that only exists between heartbeats. Chirai screams out of its sheath, cleaving into another of the walking dead. "Keep up the pace," Reiji grunts, "The longer we take here, the worse it'll get!" 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     "Lezard..." Kyra grumbles, not looking away to spot the sorceror, knowing that he was here thanks to his usual over-the-top means of announcing himself wherever he goes. Of course this is only the second time she's seen him do this but she now assumes that wherever Lezard goes, he has to loudly and elaborately introduce himself to everyone there.     Magical nuke that follows is optional.     A little surprised at the attention the chocobo garners, Kyra is ready to deploy even more flasks of liquid napalm as a group closes in on her and tries to part her from the chocobo. Touching and pulling the bird elicits the same reaction it might from any animal being grabbed. It thrashes and kicks, the latter of which actually being quite powerful. Unfortunately, Kyra did not spring for a chocobo summon matrix with the choco meteor upgrade. That was just WAY too expensive.     After flinging down a third flask, Kyra's hand strays to the egg-timer-looking device at her waist (which is, in fact, the object containing the calling circuits for her ride), ready to override and pull the plug in case the Bloodless continue the harassment.     But the Exalt interferes on her behalf, literally cutting through the advancing line with her chained blade. The Chocobo kicks away the flaming remains of one of the monsters and pulls back, still there and now no longer in danger of being mobbed. "Thanks." she breathes out breathlessly, something repeated into the radio quickly.     Since Lezard wanted to demonstrate holy magic so thoroughly, Kyra would not be the one to be showed up. Holy spells were one of the few offensive tools that a white mage was offered nor were they easily mastered. In a way, she would be showing off as she murmurs the incantation, holding a hand to the sky, one finger pointed upward. But only those from her world might recognize the distinction and even then...only other white mages would really be impressed.     "HOLY!" she cries out as the murmured incantation is finished. Fortunately, for today, the magic behaves as intended. For a few seconds, the grey clouds above split as light from above tears down, meeting and covering an enormous, ornate-looking spell array that appears in white light on the ground. The array, which seems to serve as a targeting cantrip for the enormous holy blast from above, covers a portion of the left flank of the in process of being forcibly parted horde. 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' Lezard enjoyed that. The looks on the faces of these people. The obliterated undead, the crushing power... It is an addictive rush. It is no wonder why most high-tier sorcerers tend to be a little on the egomaniacal side, isn't it? Lezard of course takes that to the next level. Even as the Bloodless Ones melt around him, he stays near Kojirou, tossing aside the smoking, ruined scepter and raising his hand. "MYSTIC CROSS!" He calls out, a lesser barrage of holy sparkles rushing out to crash into the horde in a torrent. Not nearly so grandiose, but at least he doesn't detonate his magical focus using it. He senses a gaze upon him, and he looks to Yuri, watching him intently. When the man is skwered and continues battling, he nods in response, instinctively drawing towards Yuri and Kojirou and forming an imprompu battle team. Lezard settles for laying down wide-scale blasts at this point, cleaning up whatever Yuri and Kojiro aren't murdering at the moment. He uses brutal, tactical strikes to maximize takedowns while keeping the swordsman and brawler from getting overwhelmed from unexpected directions. When time permits, he does throw a couple spells downrange to help take pressure off of the defensive line as well. 

:'''{{#var:716|Alif (716)}} has posed:'''      Spears of blood, striking the bloodless. There was some irony in this, as the blood stabs through them. They continued to move forward, slowly, for several moments... but eventually they collapsed to the ground, simply laying there silently, unmoving. Due to the battle raging in front of her, her movement forward would likely be relatively unhindered, at least for now. The bloodless ones were focused on the monsters tearing through their forces, over the healer and seer that was moving to protect. At least for now. It would give her time to prepare as she moved forward towards the town, to ready herself to make her way to it. They definitely did need it, that was for sure.      As Kojirou carved through the ranks, calling for one who was actually a challenge, the undead did not offer an answer for a time. That was, until a shadow flashed from the portal, flying towards Fake Avenger and striking the ground before him. A bloodless one, though this one looked old, grizzled, and still had some of its facial hair, for one reason or another. One of its eyes had been lost long ago, and it held a rusty old sword in its hand. Miraculously, as this sword is lifted to meet the Fake Avenger's blade... it would not break, at least not immediately. The old grizzled war-hero, who lived to die of old age... at least had enough skill to face the Fake Avenger. It moved with speed, a clawed hand striking out for the Fake Avenger's flesh, while the sword moved to do its best to defend against him.      Strike. Flesh, they had managed to wound the monster that charged into their midst, they had managed to cause harm to Yuri. But stabbing into him proved a horrible mistake. The undead found claws and weapons alike shattered and broken, and though they had not died to this... many did, as that blade was thrown across the battlefield, piercing through the undead as Yuri dragged himself across the battlefield. Those that had been lit on fire and screaming were granted peaceful respite as the blade cleaves through unburned and burned alike that had been after the chocobo-riding white mage. Returned to the sweet embrace of death, until they were called once more to the armies of hel. Still, there were more to fight, and more still coming for Yuri. Dragging oneself across the battlefield was not exactly subtle, and many along the path he had taken were now following, beginning to pose threat to Yuri once more.      Strike, burn, kick, thrash. These things had proven effective defense for Kyra as she approached, the undead were quick, but not fast enough to do much in the face of the pair. And then Yuri came to her aid, and she was given a moment of respite. Until, like a sea, they began to crowd in once more. And once more, due to the blast of those powerful holy magics, the sea is parted by the power of an Elite. The holy magic rending them and resulting in little more than bloodless dust in their wake. Once more though, the horde comes. Once more, it tries to close them in, to encircle them, and to cut off escape or ability to dodge. 

:'''{{#var:716|Alif (716)}} has posed:'''      Alicia's rush towards the portal was heroic and brave. Weaving, dodging, and slipping through the undead ranks. They were not slow, but she was definitely agile and quick, and they had not expected that of humanity. At least not to that level. Once she was close enough to begin analyzing... well. The portal was definitely magic. It was an ancient magic of the gods, created by the leader of this army of undead. It was almost a hexagonal shape, with a large rune on each of the corners of the portal, something that could theoretically be disrupted... once Analyzation was complete, at any rate. However, due to its age, there might be some difficulty in the analyzation...      Strike, strike, strike. The legions of the bloodless strike at Reiji endlessly, but they never seem to strike hard. And yet, they never stopped trying. they continued to strike at him... until flashes of steel and elemental enemies remove their arms, stopping their ability to strike anymore. Reiji's movement to Inga's side was effective-- protection that would soon be sorely needed, as the bloodless follow him -- and thus begin to target Inga. Still. Block, parry, strike. It was enough to get them through the grunts, it was enough to get them through these shock troops. They had only been sent to destroy humans... they had not expected those with the power of gods.      Lezard had killed many, and many had melted away to nothingness. His ego was likely well-deserved, at this point. As his lasers pour out into the horde, swaths of the undead are eradicated and destroyed, kept nicely and neatly away from Kojirou... save for those that Kojirou were wiping out, himself. Still, the undead began to move quickly. They began to attempt to get between Kojirou and Lezard, even as they are melted, cut down, and otherwise. So that they could separate them, so that the veteran could fight without distraction. And so that they could attempt to divide and conquer, with their endless strikes and swipes of claws.      And humanity fights on. The front lines are beginning to falter, but they are holding strong, thanks to the heavy distraction that the visitors were posing. The undead turned largely towards the powerful infaders, leaving only a much smaller force continuing to assault the town. Alif's army was beginning to slowly push back, beginning to strike down the undead before they could get to the normal humans. And those brave humans that fought on the front lines... many of them were wounded, but fought on. Morale was high. They could win this. Heroes were fighting at their side. Perhaps even gods. And that was something humanity could believe in. 

:'''{{#var:525|Inga (525)}} has posed:''' Well, if one is going to get stuck as her escort, at least the position comes with the perk of healing. Another flick of her knife and blood is directed from her wound to surround Reiji, a surge of healing energy seeping into his body, granting him a few moments of something like her own regenerative powers. Wounds would reknit themselves before their eyes, magic running through his veins to invigorate his body. As or area spells, Inga thinks she can oblige. "A moment. Guard your eyes," she says to Reiji as she gathers her anima, chanting, reaching into the staff as her Focus... The air around them grows rapidly warmer, coming alive, tingling with life as the air becomes charged. Inga steps to the side and points her staff ahead of them toward the undead approaching. The runes carved into her staff light up a brilliant blue as her lips part, eyes rolling toward the heavens. "Thor, Mightiest of Gods, Defender of Midgard, lend me your strength!" she shouts, then unleashes a storm of lightning that crashes with power, a deafening thunder cracking as it seeks to tear through the undead who impede their path. The end of Inga's staff meats ground again before she once more begins to move forward. "Come, we are almost there," she says to Reiji, praying the gods have not abandoned these people. It was wrong, all wrong. 

:'''{{#var:4|Alicia T. Harlaown (4)}} has posed:'''     There. She should be close enough now. Alicia skids to a halt, briefly examining her surroundings to ensure there are no direct threats close enough to disturb her. She expects more undead will be heading her way shortly, but for now she takes what time she has to begin deciphering what's necessary to close this portal.     Releasing her grip on her staff, the intelligent weapon just floats at Alicia's side. Alicia swings her hand around in front of her, summoning several holoscreens into existance that display the information gathered by her Device in a language that somewhat passes for English. She moves both her hands down, a holoconsole appearing, and she begins to type rapidly.     Typetypetype, "Not a form of magic I immediately recognise... Still, there are several close that should form a strong enough basis to work off..." Since her unification almost three years ago, Alicia has studied a number of forms of magic not of her own world. She should be able to piece a process together to close this portal... Hopefully before something bad... Something worse... comes through.     As she works, Alicia occasionally glances in the direction of the others fighting. She wishes she could help, be in two places at once, maybe even three to help the townspeople survive... But she has to focus on closing the portal, to end this, and trust the others will keep the monster army distracted. 

:'''{{#var:662|Fake Avenger (662)}} has posed:'''      Kojirou throws up his kimono - his Holy Shroud, made by his Caster - to deflect the spill of the Holy from Lezard and Kyra. It doesn't actually offer him protection, and he's not actually in the radius of it, but he doesn't really want to get caught in the strike.      Granted, it's not as if it'll kill him.      His enemy seeks to catch him unawares, as he's blinded by the light and his Shroud. It's an excellent strategy - as the sword comes in and the claws falls, one might be mistaken for imagining they caught Kojirou Sasaki unawares. Certainly something like this creature might be forgiven. It is different from the others. It is better. It has some shadow of its former self, some shadow of memory. Some flickering wisp of what it once was.      In a way, Kojirou reflects as the european sword slings up to block the claw, they were alike. His sword grinds across the hand as Kojirou's thoughts turn. He, too, was a dead shadow. But that was where the similarity ended. This was only a shadow of its former self.      Kojirou was not.      The enemy wields its blade in defense. Kojirou does not bother to punch through it. This is not an enemy worthy of his time, not really. It's a good distraction. But...that's all it is.      "You are not what I seek," Kojirou tells the uncomprehending dead thing. He raises his left hand and points at the enemy.      "And I do not have time to waste on shadows and corpses that bring me no joy." The lines on the back of Kojirou's hand light up. There's an explosive feeling from around Kojirou, an overwhelming sense of power and of darkness, as he reaches into the endless well of prana that is the Holy Grail and drinks deep.      "Bring me a god. Bring me something that can make me feel joy once again."      "GANDR."      A normal Gandr Shot is a bullet. Cast by an ordinary magus, this spell is barely capable of breaking flesh, inflicting spiritual wounds. Cast by a powerful magus, it can leave holes like a shotgun.      From Kojirou's finger, the attack that roars forth is a thunderous vision. It is not a shotgun - it is a missile, a missile of destruction that roars forth from that single finger. It is a floodgate of power that pours from Kojirou's finger, a floodgate opened at his will. Red and terrible light, crackling with black electricity, it screams - not only at the opponent across from him, but at the battlefield, at the portal...at pretty much anything foolish enough to be in its way.      Kojirou closes his fist. The Gandr Shot ceases.      He does not seem visibly fatigued. 

:'''{{#var:705|Reiji Arisu (705)}} has posed:'''     Regardless of how thick the swarm becomes, the fact that each of these monsters is limited to short range means that Reiji only has to deal with three or four at once. He has entered into a rhythm- the walking dead only have so many ways to attack, and only so many directions to strike from. Reiji knows them, now. He knows the reach of their arms, the curvature of their claws. He catches one in the gaps of his arsenal as it lunges, before he lops away its limbs with a flick of his blade.     Worse still for them- the wounds that they had inflicted on the exorcist have begun to close. Reiji makes an appreciative grunt as he pivots, removing another corpse's head from its shoulders--     And then Inga casts. Reiji shields his eyes just in time to miss the columns of lightning carve a path through the horde. Magic of such scale is uncommon back home- at least, the kind that's normally cast by a single sorcerer. But it's a welcome reprieve, no matter how ear-shattering it might be.     "Yeah. Once we're through here, we should be in the clear," Reiji answers, dashing ahead to make up for lost time. Karin's fire rolls through the air all around the swordsman as he swings the enchanted sword in wide, sweeping arcs. His aim is less to obliterate the dead that might think them opportune targets, and more to keep them at bay- clearing a path like some kind of terrible elemental lawnmower amidst a field of shambling, rotting weeds. 

:'''{{#var:106|Yuri Stinson (106)}} has posed:'''     Yuri lets out a faint wince as a lance of holy is dropped onto the battlefield like a nuke. He covers his face with one hand, the sheer light of it causing him to flinch at the conceptual level. While not his Holy, and not the wrath of the Unconquered Sun, he can still feel the anger of the Gods reflected in the element.     Lezard making his way over towards himself and Kojirou is clearing house with his attacks. He can echo the sentiment of these two men. While having no wrath for the Gods as a concept, the Rebellious Monster does not tolerate tyrants, and wishes to strike them down where possible. And with a press on all fronts, Yuri feels it is time to finally step into his true form, lest he be a sparrow among hawks.     Kyra has said she wishes to come along, and so he will easily wait for her to join him where he stands (or to pick her up and carry as need be), before he rolls his neck and says, "By Pain Reforged. By Agony Empowered. The monster roars. Viridian Legend Exoskeleton."     While a charm of the Tyrant Malfeas, the Dark Hero has bent it to his will. And upon its invocation, an immense roar of magic and power gathers around the man. He says simply, "Where the flames of rebellion roar, so is the monster's voice. And where revolution strikes, so is the movement of the beast."     Out of the ground beneath him, seemingly summoned from nowhere, a massive red and white machine erupts, lifting Yuri (and possibly Kyra) up in a burst. 10 meters tall, it holds its passengers in one hand before its chest opens and they are entered inside.     The interior of the machine is a standing cockpit, meant for motion control. Panels and readouts light up everywhere, showing readouts on the entire battlefield. For the record, there's also room for Kyra to go out onto the exterior and healbomb people from the cockpit ramp if she wants to open it.     Slowly, the machine turns and, echoing Kojirou's own attack, the green visor lights up. It starts to fire massive, lancing beams across the battlefield. They leave sickly green flames where they strike, but to the undead the true power of the flames is irrelevant. It's just a very damaging beam. 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' Lezard continues laying down fire upon the undead, but the undead show that they know tactics, attacking to separate Lezard from Yuri and Kojirou. Kojirou calls out to him to stay out of the way, and he does so, pulling backwwards. The undead hound him, several of them lashing out at him and drawing blood, sweet, hot, fresh blood from a living being. The Bloodless Ones must relish such a thing. Lezard, however, is not out of surprises. As the horde lashes out at him, attempting to dogpile him to death, there is a dull thud of arcane power that sends them flying backwards, buying him a moment. "The undead... Very well. I will show you undead." Lezard grits his teeth in rage, perhaps that he would be wounded so, as he raises his hands. There is a massive surge, and a large pueple portal opens in the ground. From it, a deadly, poisonous wind howls, as a hulking, seething, mouldering beast pulls itself out of the endless pit. Scales glisten in the chill winter light, and exposed bone and muscle flex with fetid liquids dripping from the outstretched, worm-eaten wings. One eye is a cavity, the other squelching as it irises open. IT is a dragon. A zombie dragon. Majestic in life, unstoppable in death. With a cry, Lezard leaps upon it, perching upon its neck as the undead abomination roars, lashing out at the hordes. All around him, smaller portals open, more traditional undead arriving to begin backing up his own mount. The battle is rapidly becoming an army against an army. 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     With a fresh hole blown open in their ranks, Kyra is quick to take advantage of the gap before the Bloodless start filling in the space like an advancing ocean tide. A much firepower she did have on her right now, being in the middle of THIS many enemies was not a good place for her. From a durability standpoint, if they managed to grab ahold of her, these numbers would have no trouble overwhelming her and ripping her to pieces. Not good!     Squeezing her thighs and wedging her feet into the stirrups of the saddle, Kyra grabs another napalm flask. Rather than throw it, she pulls something else out of one of the pouches on her belts-a bright red feather. Hastily, she stuffs it into the flask and re-corks it. This marks the first time she's combined such reagents (or rather, a reagent and a product from another mixture) and she's not sure if it'll work but...     "Only one way to find out!" Kyra hurls the liquid napalm/phoenix down mixture behind her as she rally's to Yuri's position. It, of course, explodes in a blast of fire.     A very, very strange green-colored blast of life-giving fire. It kills undead! It heals the living! It burns! YEAH SCIENCE!     She joins up with Yuri a moment later, having mostly sought him out as an acceptable tank here. Fighting giant monster hordes with a party just felt more natural to the white mage. When she arrives, she hops off the chocobo, which disappears in a scattering of green sparkles seconds later. The animal is gone, perhaps to the dismay of the undead that wanted to rip it to pieces. At this point, she's not really sure what to expect out of an Exaltation, though Yuri did mention cockpit so perhaps it was an airship?     No, it's apparently better than that. "It's a GIANT ROBOT?!" she exclaims as she's placed inside next to Yuri. "Holy shit! -OH, hold still, by the way." Although Yuri can't really feel his wounds and fights regardless of them, Kyra nonetheless sees them and does what comes naturally. She plucks a syringe from one of her bandoliers and tries to stick him with it. It's filled with potion. She doesn't even warn him. 

:'''{{#var:716|Alif (716)}} has posed:'''      When Inga calls upon the gods, there was a crackle of thunder in the sky. As her spell tears through the undead, Thor has taken Notice. Though he does not act directly, Inga's spell would find itself empowered by the gods' aid, striking larger and wider than she would normally have been capable of. Though this world differed from Inga's, Thor was much the same. Thor was still a defender of humanity, though humanity believed him just another god wishing to trample upon their existence. And Thor had listened. Moving forward would likely prove particularly easy, between that bolt of lightning and Kojirou's massive Gandr.      As Alicia stood before the portal, it was mysteriously silent. No more undead poured forth from its mouth, and none approached her as she worked to close it. Though the army was largely mindless, its leaders were not. This battle was a losing one, and they had realized it. The remaining undead were forsaken, fighting for the simple right to exist until the end of this battle. And the work on closing the portal likely progressed quickly, as it was created by a lieutenant, and it was rune magic. Powerful, but also somewhat common.      Speaking of Kojirou's Gandr... the massive blast of energy was rather unpleasant to behold, undead, and likely human alike were blasted by this massive destructive spell, and when it faded... the area around Kojirou was silent and still, and that undead that had come to fight him... was no longer there, having been whisked away as if it were but another flea in the path of the summoned warrior. Though the gods were not here, gods of another sort had seemed to appear, and the army was rapidly dwindling.      Strike, strike, strike, strike. Reiji's blows were tearing through the remaining forces easily, the reduced army making his job grow easier by the moment. It would not take long for him and Inga to make it to the front lines, and it would not take long for them to be ready to tend to humanity. Though humanity was surviving, it was a haggard force. The spirits that fight under Alif fared well still, but the true humans were exhausted, they lay against walls, many of them wounded in their desperate fight, and many having been the unfortunate targets of the Gandr that had taken out much of the enemy forces.      Really, the undead couldn't do much against the giant cancer laser robot, they were strong, but they were grunts. And they were meant to fight against humans. As the laser lances through the remains of the bloodless horde, the flames of rebellion alight upon the snowy ground, covered in the remains of the bloodless and the humans that had fallen prioer to the arrival of the elites. When Alif had asked for aid, she had expected men with weapons, or women with magic similar to her own. She had not expected anything like this. The multiverse was a terrifying place. Alif definitely found herself glad that she was on /their/ side.      And then Lezard opened a portal. And through the portal, a dragon came. It was rapidly beginning to go the other way. No longer army versus army, but rather... victory. The dragon and undead arriving would find that the army was definitely on even footing with its own, that is... if they had been alone, at any rate. The bloodless ones still fight, but their numbers are starting to 'dwindle', many of them still standing back up to fight, but just as many staying down.      BOOM! LIFE-GIVING FIRE! Many of the undead that are caught in the explosion would find themselves consumed in it! Unfortunately, the bloodless ones did not instantly die to life-giving spells! This would likely be unpleasant, as some of them begin to actuall grow healthier-looking. And stronger. Luckily, they were right in front of a giant robot, so their strength would result in them attacking metal! But those claws of theirs had grown more fierce, and their strikes might actually be a threat... 

:'''{{#var:716|Alif (716)}} has posed:'''      Humanity, meanwhile, is working at bolstering its defenses, for now. Alif standing atop of it and motionoing her spirits towards the bulk of the bloodless army that remained nearby, as the elites had made this battle become rather one-sided, turning the tide rapidly. 

:'''{{#var:705|Reiji Arisu (705)}} has posed:'''     With Inga delivered to the human lines, Reiji seems to be feeling significantly more confident about their ability to minimize losses. That was what was important here- not the murder of gods or the slaughter of the already dead. There was no use fighting if the ones who they intended to protect were already dead. Of course...     Well, now that he has a chance to look toward the battlefield, it doesn't seem like there's going to be much /left/ to fight. There's a giant robot over there, and not far away is a monstrous zombie dragon. "The multiverse has some impressive individuals," Reiji mutters, turning back towards the horde. He glances back over his shoulder towards Inga, "Alright. Hit me up with that protection spell. On my mark, give me a shove."     The exorcist fixes his gaze on the nearest shambling horror and lowers into a stance that, if Avenger was close or willing enough to notice, he might find distinctly familiar. His knees are bent and his back is stooped forward, one hand hovers over his crimson katana as the other braces his arsenal against his hip. "Ready?"     Reiji waits for the first enchantment to take effect, before he rushes forward, hand gripping tight to the hilt of his blade. But he doesn't swing- he leaps. Reiji jumps, his steel-toed boot slamming down into the zombie's shoulder as he pushes himself forward and over what's left of the swarm, "Do it! NOW!" 

:'''{{#var:4|Alicia T. Harlaown (4)}} has posed:'''     "There! That should do it!" Alicia finishes her preparation, hitting a key and then letting all the holoscreens vanish. She reaches out to grab her staff and looks at it, "Ready, Melody?"     Sweet Melody chimes, <As ever, my master.>     Alicia swings her staff around to point in the direction of the portal. Spell circles appear near each of the runes that make up the portal's corners. Tendrils of silver magic begin to snake out of the spell circles, wrapping around the runes as they begin the process of destabilising their magic.     At the same time as her magic works on the runes, Alicia prepares the second stage. Sweet Melody chimes, <Sealing Mode.> A spell circle appears beneath Alicia, slots on her staff snapping open as petals of silver light flow out. Magic begins to gather just beyond the crystal of the staff, the petals curling in to surround the growing orb, the hum of energy getting louder.     Finally, Alicia is ready, "Enact modified sealing program!"     Sweet Melody chimes, <Sealing...>     A continuous blast of silver light blasts away from Alicia and her staff. It heads to strike the centre of the portal and begin closing it as Alicia continues to channel her magic into the attack. Unfortunately this leaves her immobile until the process is completed. 

:'''{{#var:525|Inga (525)}} has posed:''' Again and again the multiverse had taught her how tiny she really is. Such power wages around her, so often opposing her. There are beings on this field who wish to challenge the gods. Who think they will win if they do. Inga isn't even entirely sure they are wrong. What is she suppose to do against such power? Even if it works toward a common goal now...well, if anyone is equiped to recognize the prickling of destiny it is a Seer. She will oppose Lezard again, and likely Kojiro too. Is there no bloody end to it? Then her lightning is unleashed, tears rising to her eyes as she feels Thor empowering her strike. The god-speaker called out and the god answered. Whatever else was happening here, Midgard's mightiest defender still listens and moves to help his people. Inga is deeply moved. She reaches up to touch her mjolnir pendant, whispering a heartfelt prayer of thanks. They've nearly reached the line now, a clear path, and Reiji is ready to go help close the portal to whatever terrible place these undead are coming from. A mad plan forms. Grumbling to herself, Inga opens another wound and moves toward Reiji, smearing him with her blood in the form of a rune, her grumbling turning to more arcane mumbling as she casts her spell. "This will turn blades, or claws, away from you and strike fear into the enemy...by the gods I hope this works," she growls, then waits for his signal. When the signal is given, Inga turns toward him and points her staff, taking a deep breath as she begins to cast, anima buzzing inside her, coming together, building up until she calls for its release. "R��a!" she cries, and releases a blast of force toward Reiji on his cue, sending him flying. It is the best she's been able to do with the spell thus far, throwing him fifteen to twenty feet. It may not make much difference, but she prays it does the trick. Inga moves forward then, coming into the town line. She's growing tired, but there is no time for rest nor even a taco. She brings her knife up again, wondering just how much blood she can use before she accidentally kills herself. Well, time to find out. She sliced one arm then the other, opening both veins deeply. It is a gruesome sight, and not one likely to immediately made the defenders of the town feel better. But the blood rises from her her, pooling in the air before it begins to move, swirling outward in a line to form a barrier between the town and the main point of attack. With more time, she could ward the entire town--but she does not have that time just now. Even with her remarkable healing ability, Inga nearly passes out from the loss of blood. She topples, her vision going black for a moment as her regeneration works to try to close the self inflicted wounds. The blood however, will continue to provide a crimson misty barrier that shimmers in the light. 

:'''{{#var:106|Yuri Stinson (106)}} has posed:'''     The upside, for Kyra, of being in the machine is that she's almost entirely safe from harm while inside of it. It's an armored war machine meant to face down other Exalts and custom-tuned to Yuri's own war-like tendencies and specifications. She's pretty darn safe inside the machine.     Yuri less-so, due to haptic feedback. More powerful, but linked with his machine in terms of damage. But luckily for him there is nothing much capable of piercing its armor, so we can't see how that plays out for the pilot in terms of damage.     OH! And, there's a recliner chair off to one side and a mini-bar fridge stocked with soda. He has those there for when FIA is awake. There's also a door in the back of the mech that seems like it would open to the back of the machine, but is mysteriously locked. Pretty relaxing setup.     When she injects him with the potion, it goes to work almost immediately. A couple of his larger wounds stop bleeding green fire and brass, slowly shutting as he says a subdued, "Thank you." To her, giving her a nod of his head.     At the controls, he slowly rotates the machine. Since bigger attacks are going out, he guides his own machine across the battlefield with an uncanny swiftness and skill. The large form of it comes to a crouching halt in front of the human lines, meant to serve as a bulwark against incoming forces and to block the human forces from attacks and give them some relief. 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     he mixture Kyra sports seems to have the...opposite of the intended effect? Well if it can't kill undead like Kyra can do with regular 'healbombing' then the mixture would have little application. Who would be interested in being burned to health on the 'civillian' side of things. Her experiment is going to matter little to her in a few moments.     Because in those few moments, Kyra winds up INSIDE A GIANT ROBOT. NOthing else really matters right now...well, except maybe keeping an eye on Reiji and Alicia.     "Hey, don't mention it. It's the least I could do for you-ooh, is that a minibar?" Kyra is thoroughly distracted by her environs. Thoroughly! She performs a very brief examination of the cockpit, it's side areas, and the ramp that leads back outside. She touches what she can-provided it doesn't look like controls that Yuri is in the middle of using. "Whoaaaaaaah." Eventually, she does find that little exit she can leave and perch upon so she can resume her usefulness to those fighting. From up here, she can expend the last of her napalm flasks in piece but she ducks back inside when the mecha starts moving to fast. 

:'''{{#var:705|Reiji Arisu (705)}} has posed:'''     Inga's spell slams into him like a firing pin into a primer. Reiji shoots forward like a bullet, his feet slamming into zombie after zombie after zombie as he surges overhead at speeds that could kill lesser fighters. He's not using the spell for a quick boost of speed-- he's using it to RUN. Rotting bodies transform from possible threats into platforms for his advance- the army has become a road.     Up ahead, the portal looms. Alicia has begun to close it, but that doesn't reduce the threat that still exists on this end of it. Reiji makes one final leap towards the ground just ahead of the gate. He draws Karin in that same, smooth motion, and drives the blade into a trio of the Bloodless. A wave of flame rolls out from the cut, washing over a half-dozen undead as it sluices forward. Reiji lands and rolls, arcane runes swarming around him and absorbing his impact with the ground. He continues without hesitation, slicing once, twice, thrice more, clearing the land around him for what's next to come--     Reiji takes in a breath. His lungs fill with rotten, putrid air, but also with energy. So much prana has filled the battlefield by now- more than enough for him to act. "Arisu-Ryu," Reiji murmurs, sheathing his blazing sword. He lifts a leg a half-foot off the ground, "OUGI!" "JUU NO KATA!"      Reiji's leg slams down. Azure light erupts from the ground beneath his feet, exploding outward in cocentric square sigils. They drive into the undead that remain near both Alicia and the portal, all of whom would suddenly find that space itself would begin resisting their movement. It's as if the very fabric of the world were endeavoring to hold them in place. And then Reiji draws his guns. In one hand, a gleaming, polished hand-cannon that glistens like gold. In the other, a black-barreled shotgun, its stock carved from the trunk of a sacred, blessed tree.     Reiji's eyes flash. He points the guns into the horde... and depresses their triggers. Again and again and again, he fires, pivoting and aiming and firing in the space between heartbeats. Bullets and buckshot scream out from within his guns, their blessed slugs mixing the elemental forces of wood and metal into a typhoon of bloodshed. As the rounds pass over the azure square, they suddenly blaze like tiny shooting stars-- and ACCELERATE. Space twists to expedite their journey, and it twists in other ways as well. One bullet seems to become two, which then seem to become four. Countless rounds spiral away from the man dancing in the center of the magic circle, sweeping into what's left of the shambling dead. And when at last his rounds are spent, and his weapons are left smoking and burning hot from the strain, Reiji at last lets his arms fall-- and he finally releases his breath. The magic circle flashes one last time, before flooding away in a wave of concussive force. 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' Lezard would be /really/ disappointed if the people here were losing to a /shoddy/ undead army. He takes some measure of pride in the Necromancer's art, after all. At the moment, his own small horde moves to intercept the Bloodless Ones, harpies flying through the air as Lesser Vampires, Ghouls, and Zombies strike out and clash with the horde. But their purpose is simply to even the score against a horde. The true push comes from his associates. He pauses in his next spell as he hears the crack of thunder, and he looks into the distance, his brows furrowing. "Intriguing." He says to himself. Could he have detected the assistance from Thor in the middle of the pitched battle? It's hard to tell at this point. His gaze sweeps down to the exhausted Inga, And he raises a hand... But turns to the Bloodless Ones, pointing. The dragon howls, a sonic shockwave blasting through the area with shrieking, pulverizing force, while the mouldering tail smashes downwards, sweeping around to strike at groups of Bloodless Ones. He'll join back up with Yuri's badass mecha and Kojirou's murderfest shortly, but at the moment they have some more of these things to deal with. 

:'''{{#var:662|Fake Avenger (662)}} has posed:'''      Kojirou isn't in this battle for the defenders. They are an incidental element of this battle, something motivating Lezard (perhaps) and Yuri (perhaps) and the others. He does not specifically care if a few of the warriors standing against the dead are slain in his strike. All those who stand upon the battlefield must understand that they have a chance to die on the battlefield, and the destruction of the undead was, in a way, worth it. He is not so high-minded as to believe in protecting the weak. His battle is not so laden with meaning for anyone but him. For others, Kojirou is only here for his selfish vice of fighting.      For Kojirou, that vice is more important and meaningful than any other reason he could possibly be here.      The remaining dead around him are quickly swallowed up by Lezard's dragon and Yuri's war machine. Kojirou lazily slices one of the survivors' necks in twain as he watches Reiji. In his mind's eye, he can see the other man's stance. As he bulets come swarming all over the field, Kojirou's blade flashes through them lazily in the arc around himself - and by extension, Lezard and part of Yuri's robot.      Every bullet Kojirou's heavy european sword carves through splits in twain.      Kojirou doesn't even appear to have noticed that he did it.      "This is," Kojirou says slowly, "Not a battle worth my time."      And then he simply stabs the European sword into the ground, folds his hands into the sleeves of his kimono...and waits. 

:'''{{#var:716|Alif (716)}} has posed:'''      Shooting the portal! What an ingenious way to close it, brute force! That's totally not going to wo-- oh wait that's a sealing spell. As the spell begins to blast the portal, and Alicia is left immobile... the portal begins to slowly close, the runes at each corner beginning to erase themselves. It takes far longer than Alicia would likely like, but it does close! And before too many of the Bloodless Ones could exit it, or try to flee into it. Reinforcements were cut off, now the last of the bloodless ones just had to be killed.      And then... Reiji charges towards the bloodless one, and uses it as a step stool! Having not expected this, he manages to escape harm from the Bloodless one, who swipes where he was standing, rather than where he was! Running on the head of the undead was ... likely not the most pleasant of experiences. They liked to move and shift and try to get out of the way, but nonetheless, Reiji manages to use the undead as a road to the portal! As Reiji nears the end of his path, Alif lifts her hand, a soft word spoken. "Entangle." Runes wrap around him as if they were roots, grabbing him and helping to slow his momentum -- before quickly fading. And then... bullets, bullets everywhere! Ripping into the bloodless flesh, tearing into the heads and bodies, ending what little was left of their life and leaving the horde ragged and largely unmoving and dead!      Inga's help is taken note of, and humanity moves to stay towards the edges of it. Meanwhile, a rather cheerful little red-head walks up to Inga, quickly making her way to her side, lifting her hand. "Hello~. I'm Aradia~. I'm here to stop you from joining Hel's army by losing all your blood~." Aradia says cheerfully, lifting her hand in a playful little salute, before she lifts her hand, several runes glowing on visible tattoos on her body. "Restore." She says, her voice echoing with power. And then... the spell would begin to take hold. It was not an instant repair one, but rather a gradual regeneration. Normally, it would be kind of useless in battle... but as the battle was coming to a close, and Inga was safe, she was capable of using it on her to a useful level. After that, Aradia waved to her one last time, "Bye bye~." And then turned quickly to return to taking care of the rest of the humans. Of note, Aradia totally was dead and one could somewhat see through her. Possibly creepy!      It's probably good that Yuri is being a shield for the people, all things considered... even with Inga's shield, it's probably best that it not be struck too often and make Inga have to expend too much energy on protecting them! And the fact that it was all set up like that was kind of awesome~. As Yuri's machine runs, those hopped up bloodless ones had tried to attack it -- to no avail, beyond getting a vial of alchemist's fire to the face. That really wasn't as pleasant as the last fire, to be honest. Not at all.      Nor was getting assaulted by the sonic screech of an undead dragon, or being torn apart by /true/ undead! As the undead dragon tears and rips into the remains of the horde, and the portal closes... the battlefield goes silent. No more wails or screams of the twisted dead, no more of those who died of age or illness stalking the land. The bloodless ones were no more than a bunch of corpses in the snow, many of them trampled underfoot into the snow by their bretheren. Eventually, though, all of their corpses began to turn to dust, little more than filth upon the ground. Luckily, due to their lack of blood, they had very little to rot. Closer to mummies or skeletons than any other form of undead. 

:'''{{#var:716|Alif (716)}} has posed:'''      "..." Alif stands atop her building, staring out over the battlefield. Looking out over the monsters and heroes alike that she had summoned, unknowing of their power. Her knees shook, and eventually she fell to them, breathing a little heavily as she tried to cope with what she'd just witnessed. The multiverse was horrifying. The multiverse was powerful. She was terrified, happy, and hopeful all at once. And it was overwhelming. Eventually, though, Alif managed to stand. Her gaze sweeping the humans. "..." She lifts her hand. "...It must be frustrating..." She says softly. "...Dying like this... to a bunch of mindless bloodless monsters..." She says, her gaze falling on each of the humans who died. "Being killed by the one who came to defend you..." The runes on her arms began to spread out, sent flying towards those fallen humans, those who had died but not left their body. "...I can let you fight again. I can let you help protect humanity." She murmurs softly, her voice lightly resonating, as spirits began to step out of the bodies. Not all of them, but most of them. Some were too scared. Those ones she would leave for Reiji to guide to an afterlife. "...Ah... thank you... my comrades... I'll make sure that everyone can rest in peace when this is over, okay?" She murmurs softly. And then her hand closes, slender threads attaching to the tattooing on her arms. "Contract complete."      And then she turns towards the battlefield, taking a deep breath. "Union, Confederacy, and Unaligned!" She says, dipping into a slight bow. "...You are appreciated. I do not have much to offer, but your aid is appreciated, and when my world is no longer on the brink of extinction, I will do what I can to repay you." She says, straightening up. "... I believe some of you wished information, and to talk to me. We have places to rest, and a few healers to tend to your wounds in town. You're welcome to come and rest, if nothing else." She says, before turning to begin to make her way down the side of the building. She definitely didn't look like a general, a war hero, or anything even remotely of the sort. Nope. She was totally a frail little scientist. Just doing her best to not let the world burn around her. 

:'''{{#var:525|Inga (525)}} has posed:''' Inga looks to Aradia. Immediately, she knows that she is not alive, which is why it is very surprisingly when she casts a regeneration spell very similar to a spell she has. Of course, her spell requires blood, which is what she is lacking at the moment, so...would rather defeat the purpose. The spell serves to kick Inga's already excelerated healing into overdrive, the wounds on her arms reknitting before their eyes, leaving not enough a scar behind. Still, she is tired. That was a lot of blood lost, and the barrier continues to hold. "Thank you," she says to Aradia before she leaves, turning then to watch Alif, her brow creasing in thought. She is binding the dead into her service...though she gives them the choice. Inga decides she sees no issue with this. The wisewoman gets to her feet, leaning on her staff as she bows her head slightly to Alif. "I thank you for your hospitality, then. I volunteer my services further. I can erect a more permanent barrier for this town. I can also assist with healing and...other things," she offers. Those 'other things' would need to wait until later. Inga has many questions. Now, what would the other do? Especially Lezard and Kojiro. Worry remains, but as she thinks about how she'd felt Thor's presence her faith is bolstered. Inga reaches into her belt pouch and pulls out a taco. Munch munch. 

:'''{{#var:4|Alicia T. Harlaown (4)}} has posed:'''     Alicia may have had to maintain her current position and stance to close the portal, but she could still look around and admire that effectiveness of Reiji's attack. At least those creatures, who had once been people, could be released from such a sad form of life...     Pouring her magic into the portal, success finally comes for Alicia. The portal collapses and vanishes, Alicia's bombardment of magic finally fading away. Her spell circles soon follow, until Alicia finally relaxes and breathes a sigh of relief. She swings her staff around to the side, the four small exhaust ports sliding open to unleashing the bursts of cooling gasses. Alicia then smiles at her Device, "Good work, Melody." The Device chimes in response.     Seeing the undead have been defeated, Alicia makes her way over to the town's edge to see if there's anything she can do to help. She's no healer, but there are other things she can do which might be useful to help clean up. But things seem to be under control... Her eyes go a little wide at the sight of the spirits rising up out of their bodies... Creepy. Of course, then there is the invitation for information from the leader of the defence. Sounds interesting... Though she glances to see what the others are planning to do. 

:'''{{#var:662|Fake Avenger (662)}} has posed:'''      Kojirou feels nothing. There is no expression in his eyes. There is no expression on his face. There is /nothing/, as he watches the dead and living alike die. He seems so out of place, so peaceful, so distant. As though the bloodless had not fallen to his blade as wheat falls to a scythe, as though he had not murdered the creatures on instinct and reflex more than any real effort.      Kojirou's gaze is distant and distended. His presence recedes, his terrifying power vanishing as he kills his fighting spirit and subsumes it back into himself. How horrifying, that a monster like this can exist!      He looks at nothing in specific. He gazes off at the sky. He looks at the snow. He doesn't particularly care about the spirits rising, or the dead, or...anything.      "Repay me by telling me where I can find the gods," Kojirou tells Alif distantly, "I want nothing but the duel I was promised by Lezard Valeth." 

:'''{{#var:106|Yuri Stinson (106)}} has posed:'''     Yuri's machine slowly lowers itself into a crouching position, keeping itself spaced properly to allow Kyra to hop down off the outside of the machine and go give medical aid now that the battle is over. The machine has some paint scrapes and some dings, which are reflected via cuts and nicks on Yuri's face, but is overall mostly unharmed.     As it does this, Yuri's voice booms from inside the machine, "It is not the nature of the unchained beast to be welcomed. As one does not invite the fire to the table for supper, so too must rebellion maintain some level of distance so as to not steep men in his presence." It is Yuri's voice, but it's coming from the machine as if it were speaking as him, despite no parts moving and it having no mouth.     "I will come again when the tyrants seek to beat down on men, and those who are more sociable than myself will make reports and information I am sure," He notes. There's a hint of sadness to the voice, mostly because staying present directly defies his concept in some ways. As does attempting too hard to relate to the average person. He interacts with humanity as concept, and the concept of 'human' is lost to him for it.     "I wish I could stay, but the most I can do is offer my aid and allow you to call on me once more." 

:'''{{#var:705|Reiji Arisu (705)}} has posed:'''     Spent clips clatter against the ground. Reiji holsters his pistol in its place at his back, then locks his shotgun back into his portable arsenal and lifts it to dangle across his shoulders. "Could have been worse," the exorcist mutters, making his way slowly from where the portal had once stood back towards Alif and her settlement. He slips a little grey box from a clip on his belt, and gently presses a cigarette to his lips. After combat is the best time to light one up, after all. And so he does, bright embers glowing from the end of his stick. A thin contrail of blue-grey smoke drifts up into the sky as Reiji makes his arrival.     "Don't worry about it," Reiji says to Alif around his cigarette. He plucks it out of his mouth to continue, "Just doing my job. Leave the defense to us for now. Let your people rest."     His gaze flickers towards Avenger. "Why in such a hurry to fight a God specifically, anyway?" Reiji asks, tapping away a few scraps of ash, "If I'm not mistaken, there are giants to deal with, too." 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     Before Kyra steps out of the machine, she pauses, grinning at Yuri like a lunatic. "Hey, that was fun. We should do it again sometime." Yes, she says this in spite of hs super dramatic speech about being unwelcome as a victor amonst those of the village they just saved. She doesn't try to debate his speech, though. If he wants to play the hit and run rebellion beast hero, that's his choice. Still, she gives him one cheerful wave before stepping out to rejoin her compaions. In particular, she returns to Inga, who will probably appreciate the help in caring for the injured.     For today, she will be using her white magic, which seems to be cooperating much to her relief. 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' Lezard stands, triumphant on the battlefield. The dragon gurgles and makes unspeakable noises as the Necromancer looks over the field. Nothing more than the chaff of the army. No leaders. He can imagine the massive irritation felt by his associate. He leaps from the dragon, and the purple portals appear once more, swallowing up the Dragon Zombie and the minor beasts and dismissing them whence they came. He looks over unto the battlefield as some of the spirits choose to join Alif. Others do not. A hand twitches in consideration, but he does not move, approaching the others. "Indeed. This battle will never end until the gods are taught to cease feeding upon the realm of men for their war. You have suffered enough. Though the lay of this land resembles that of my own world, it would be foolishness to try to apply my own information to the land." Lezard pauses. "IF you can give us informaton and directions towards the bastions of our foes, we will begin to lay waste to them. Show us how to draw them out and bring them low, and we will help you achieve victory and peace within the Twilight of the Gods." 

:'''{{#var:525|Inga (525)}} has posed:''' Inga looks toward Lezard, frowning deeply. But she says nothing, not now. She hopes she will have a chance to speak with Alif and any others who make the decisions in this conflict. One thing Lezard says is true, at least. This isn't their world. All that she knows might not help them...but still, it might. She is a Chosen of the gods, and perhaps she is here for a reason. Inga does smile to Kyra. "We'll have much work to do," she says, then finds someone to heal--yes, probably with blood. 

:'''{{#var:716|Alif (716)}} has posed:'''      Yep. Alif totally gave them the choice, and it wasn't a huge act! Actually that's the truth, at least right now. She hadn't gotten enough renegade points to start forcefully putting people into her service yet, and it would lose her potential allies. Alif made her way over to Inga as she offered the shield, giving a small nod. "That would be appreciated, I'll see if some of my magic-types can help with that, too." She says, dipping her head slightly towards Inga. "...And aid in healing is appreciated, there are very few doctors among my comrades, so we're stretched thin..." Really, though it was a victory, there weren't that many humans that came out unscathed, mentally or physically. Also, taco. That looked rather tasty, though Alif had no time for food right now, she had to properly greet her guests and such!      Alicia was welcomed by the guards at the edge of the barrier, many of them praising her for her help and making various largely unimportant small talk, asking things along the lines of where she learned to do that, and how she has the energy for it. Even if they were spirits, they didn't have limitless supplies of energy, after all!      Kojirou is given a bit of a Look from Alif though, and she listens to him silently as he spoke. Alif decided that she rather disliked this one, though she'd already pretty much decided that before. Still, she was sure that he could be aimed at her enemies and 'fired' in a way useful for her. "...I cannot, yet. They have scarcely shown their face. But, so long as you go to where the battles are... eventually, you will fight the gods. Stronger and stronger enemies..." She gives a firm nod. Of course, if he continued this nasty habit of also killing the living... she would have to stop him at some point. But she also knew that angering him would just result in her army being treated much the same as the army of bloodless. Not ideal.      And then the much more agreeable and helpful monster(in her eyes) spoke up, the one who terrified her but also reassured her at the same time. He had aided in protecting the humans, and was aiding in the rebellion. "Though it is not necessarily your nature, I will offer it regardless." Alif says softly, gently bowing her head. "...After all, it was not in my nature to fight before, either... and now I am leading an army, because I just happened to have the right skills..." Alif murmurs. She still firmly did not believe herself a hero, she was just someone who had developed the right thing at the right time. Luck, mostly. "...Still. Since you must go, I look forward to seeing you again." She says, bowing respectfully towards Yuri. "And wish you as safe of travels as possible."      Reiji is given a bit of a look, as Alif starts to muse a bit, thinking on his voice. And then how he spoke. She gave a small nod. "Ah, you. You were the one, right?" She says, before motioning towards several of the dead. "...Those ones need guidance, lest they be claimed and turned into warriors." She murmurs. She was far too calm about it, but that was partially because she was just being really good at hiding it right now. Though, through the cracks, it might be possible to see little signs of her lack of war-hardened-ness.      Kyra is MORE than welcomed by the other doctors and spirits with healing abilities, as they were highly understaffed. They did their best to help her and share some rations with her, along with some water and various other useful things to help recover from the fight and rest. Because those were important things, really.      And then Lezard approaches. Thankfully, without his undead, because her humans were kind of traumatized and fucked up enough to begin with! At least the physical ones at any rate. The non-physical ones were somewhat more battlehardened. Lezard made his speech, and Alif listened, along with several of the humans... who continued to have a decent morale boost from these heroes and monsters that came to save them. There was hope, for the first time since this whole mess began! Alif's response would 

:'''{{#var:716|Alif (716)}} has posed:'''      And then Lezard approaches. Thankfully, without his undead, because her humans were kind of traumatized and fucked up enough to begin with! At least the physical ones at any rate. The non-physical ones were somewhat more battlehardened. Lezard made his speech, and Alif listened, along with several of the humans... who continued to have a decent morale boost from these heroes and monsters that came to save them. There was hope, for the first time since this whole mess began! Alif's response would likely be disappointing though. "I apologize, I... don't really know, Lezard." Alif murmurs softly, her gaze shifting away. "This... stuff ... only started happening like ... a month or so ago, we haven't had a chance to scope out the enemy, or how to draw them out. We've been focused on just trying to survive and do what we can to fortify areas, and start trying to arm humanity as well as we can." She says softly. "My scouts can't go all that far from me either, and the other humans are all people who have not lived in a time of war..." She says, looking towards one of the people cowering by the edge of one of the barriers, still too terrified to move. Another human was trying to help him. "I will start trying to seek out people... starting with ...whoever is sending those /things/ after humanity." % 

:'''{{#var:705|Reiji Arisu (705)}} has posed:'''     "I am," Reiji nods at the woman, then looks over towards the fallen. He goes quiet for a moment, taking a long draw from his cigarette. Its embers glow and then flicker and fade to ash. With a flick of his wrist, he flings the cigarette into the ground and grinds his foot into the dimming flame.      "...Right," he says, extracting a long string of fragrant beads from one of the many pouches of his armored coat. Reiji pulls one hand from its gauntlet, then wraps the beads around his wrist and hand, letting them dangle slightly from between his fingers. "I'll do what I can. I can make no promises, though. If the cycle of life and death has been broken, then... The best I can do may be to put them at rest into the Earth." 

:'''{{#var:525|Inga (525)}} has posed:''' Inga looks to Reiji, frowning slightly. "Could we talk more about that? I have worked with spirits...I would like a chance to understand more what is happening here," she comments. 

:'''{{#var:705|Reiji Arisu (705)}} has posed:''' Reiji pauses, inclining his head at Inga. "Of course," he nods, "I'm in unfamiliar territory here, myself. My speciality is in Eastern spirits and these are..." He turns a long stare to the field of bones and ash that was once a legion of undead soldiers, "Not... those." 

:'''{{#var:525|Inga (525)}} has posed:''' Inga nods to Reiji. "From what I heard, there is likely much in common...but we should learn more about what is happening here before any action like that is settled on. First, however, there are many injured who need tending. We will all speak later," she says, then excuses herself to go help Kyra and the others with healing the injured. 

}}

1594/Harbor Meeting

2015-02-18T17:03:36Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/02/17 |Location=Boston-666 |Synopsis=Kongou has a surprise to show Psyber. Plus they talk about the Abyssals a bit. |Thanks= |Cast of Charact..."

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|Cast of Characters=253, 637
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}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     Late evening in Boston harbor. Repairs are well under way from the damage caused during the Abyssal Navy's attack, though it was kept reasonably low by the defensive response of the residents. Many of the larger piers weathered it purely due to their size and mass, while several smaller ones also made it through.     It's at the end of one of the larger concrete piers that Kongou stands, her arms folded neatly behind her back. Hair and long sleeves rustle in the crisp Boston winter breeze. Her usual outfit doesn't seem like it'd be that warm, but the only winter accessory she's opted for is a fuzzy woolen pink and white scarf wrapped about her neck, the tails ending in little pom-poms, which also dance on the breeze.     Like this, her eyes closed, Kongou waits. She sways slowly from side to side, humming to herself. Overall, even at a distance, the battleship girl seems cheerful. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     After the radio conversation not too long ago, Psyber is actually intensely nervous for this meeting. He rarely likes to interact with serious romance, and for Kongou to ask him to the harbor so soon after such a declaration has filled Psyber with an intense amount of worry and, even, dread.     Fallen snow crunches under his boots and a cigarette dangles from his lips. He takes a deep breath and then exhales. Numerous scenarios run through his head on how this meeting could play out. If he rejects her advances, at the BEST scenario (in Psyber's mind), she'll want a new Admiral who she thinks can appreciate her. In the worst, she'll go back to being an Abyssal. Paranoia is heavy hanging over him like a black cloud.     "Yo," He says quietly, barely audible over the winter winds. He finally walks right up to the edge of the docks and looks out. He's pretty much the opposite of the cheery girl next to him. 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     Though she continues to sway slightly from side to side, Kongou tilts her head towards Psyber when he steps up beside her. The radars on her headband shift, shedding snow that had accumulated on them, "Hello~. I did promise to show you something you hadn't seen before, <Yes?>" Leaning away, she glances his way at last, "You haven't seen my full fit-out yet."     She steps forward, right off the pier, and drops down to the water where she lands as if it were solid ground. With a silvery glow, her Land fitting materializes, bolted to her hips, the turrets all at rest. She turns only slightly, looking over her shoulder, "I think we've caused trouble for you, so~... maybe I should wait until we're further out before I transform? You have permission to board, though~!" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber looks over towards her, "You did promise to show me that," He says, watching her glance towards him and then rubbing his hands together slowly. He scuffs his foot against the ground and then watches her step into the water, "Your ship form? Is that your full fitout?"     He steps off the edge and his wings appear. He's hovering just above the water, "We can head out to sea a bit. The US Government knows you're in Boston, so it wouldn't cause that much trouble for you or the other three to be in the harbor," He carefully leaves out the more complex portions of their registration, like his ass being in a bureaucratic sling.     "I'm curious to see it, though," Psyber notes, still looking nervous. He's not sure how this will all play out. 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     There's almost a pout when Psyber opts for wingpower over riding on her fittings or shoulders. Alas! The briefly puffed out cheeks return to normal very quickly and Kongou smiles, "Ah~! I'll still be careful not to cause more problems, though." Her arms re-fold behind her back and she kicks off much like a roller blader might, accellerating on one leg. After a few dozen meters, she switches, accellerating more, until she's cleared the dock and reached a healthy cruising speed of twenty knots.     "Though, I've been wondering~," The cheer is there but the girl's voice is also clearly concerned, "If I've become a burdon, Admiral. I saw the television broadcast." Glancing sidelong, assuming he's keeping pace, she adds, "If me being in Boston really is troublesome, it's <Okay> to say so. I don't want to cause more problems when you already have so many."     Problems named Riva, for instance. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "No," Psyber says pretty flatly, flying along at an easy pace to keep up with her with some heavy wing flaps, "The only thing that troubles me is the worry that I can't live up to your expectations, and that I might lose you for it," Psyber says in a serious tone, gliding overhead of Kongou and looking down at her, "I don't want to break your heart or let you down."     He scowls a bit at the idea of it. And keeps an easy pace with her. He would have been embarassed to perch on top of her in her more humanoid form. Plus it didn't occur to him while he was busy letting his paranoia run wild. 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     Returning her face to forward, Kongou lets out a thoughtful noise as she shifts her stance and her posture, going with the skating motion. At least now she's keeping both feet on the water, almost as if she were coasting, though it's clear she's propelling herself across the surface in that mysterious way all Kanmusu do, "You couldn't disappoint me, Saiba. You came back for me when I was lost in my own <Despair.>"     She doesn't often say his name. Kongou clearly means what she's saying. After a moment, she returns her gaze to the floating angel, a warm smile filling her face, "<You Came Back.> I can only hope to do half as much for you as you've already done for me."     Lifting one arm, she braces her bicep with the other, "Not that it will stop me from trying~! Gain altitude, Admiral, this is going to be <Big!>" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "You say that now, but I let everyone down eventually," Psyber notes depressedly, scowling a bit, "But thank you. Even if I'm not sure I can return your feelings in the same way..." Mostly because he's not sure he can feel romance like that. Partially because he may already have those feelings for someone else. He's still wrestling with that.     "... you will always be my ship. And I will always try to be an Admiral worthy of your loyalty and devotion," He notes in a very, very serious way, looking down at her. But when she tells him to gain altitude, he nods and then swoops up, easily peeling up and into the sky with almost no effort from his wings. 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     "That's okay with me," Kongou says brightly, "So long as my feelings reach you, It's <Okay> if they don't come back! <Love> is a renewable resource and nobody has more than me~! But that's enough of the past, okay? For now, don't take your eyes off me!"     Kongou twirls on the water, though maintains her forward momentum, her hands held out to either side. Swiftly, her entire body starts emitting that same silvery light that her Fitting had shined into existence with. This rapidly expands into a large sphere, clearly visible even from shore. And then, from within the orb, surges forth a fortress of steel, wood, and guns. The battleship bursts forth at an upward angle, quickly crashing down into the waves with a tremendous splash, dipping, then bobbing back up to her regular waterline.     Kongou still cruises at 20 knots, though her size is significantly different. Immediately upon emergence, the radar masts begin to rotate and, more importantly, the radio mast extends. Before the Boston harbormaster can even pull his jaw off the floor and reach for the Bad Shit Button, she's broadcasting her Union affiliation and peaceful intentions.     "This is the real me, Admiral~! My armor is <Perfect,> my guns are <Perfect!> Aren't I impressive~?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     The sigh Psyber heaves is almost palpable, as if the entire weight of a ship had come off of his chest. He nods his head to Kongou and then flies along.     "What the..." Psyber murmurs as she turns into a massive battleship. He loses pacing and dips a bit in his flight. And then he turns hard in the air and comes down to land on her deck, trying to find a spot as close to the bridge as he can.     "I feel like I'm robbing a real naval expert of a marvel," Psyber admits, looking around the ship. One of his hands rests on the railing and he looks out over the water, "It's amazing. I knew you were a ship, but it never clicked until I saw it." 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     "Mm~mm~!" Kongou's voice is disembodied, echoing through the ship's PA and external megaphones rather than through any kind of spiritual presence. The closest point to the bridge to land would be on the superstructure, on one of the exterior lookout platforms--which are literally a single door's distance from the bridge itself. This platform also has a 20mm anti-air cannon on a railing mount, which respectfully points down and aft after the angel lands.     "Most people don't believe it until they see this. Even my Land fit-out doesn't convince them. But who could deny <Proof> like this~?" Far up on the mast, the foghorn lets out two customary blurts of sound, announcing the vessel's presence as she starts to round the cape. Given her size, there's a noticable lean inboard as she starts to turn but it's not very severe. "I thought to myself~... An admiral should know as much about his ship as he can, <Yes?> What better way than a cruise under the stars~?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber stands on the lookout post for a while, his wings vanishing and leaving him steady on the ship as he looks around. He rests two hands on the rail of the lookout deck and then heaves another heavy sigh as he looks around. It's an awkward and new experience for him to see her this way. He's most weirded out by a lack of crew.     He carefully opens a door and takes his place on the bridge. He carefully looks around, inspecting controlls and getting a feel for the layout of the ship. He's silent for a very long moment, "Thank you, Kongou," He murmurs a bit. 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     Once Kongou exits the bay and reaches more open ocean, there's a ringing sound within the bridge. The speed telegraph lever rocks back to All Stop, then swings forward to Flank. It's echoed somewhere else far away. With little warning, the battleship accellerates again to her top speed. Cruising at just over thirty knots in no time, the most unnerving part of the missing crew must be how the helm steers itself.     "<Problem Nothing!>" the ship declares when she's thanked, "If there's every anything I can do to help you, don't hesitate! Not one bit! Kongou will help you any way she can. I am <Your Ship> after all, please make use of me when you need me~!" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Maybe it might be best to tell Kongou his plan now, so it didn't catch her off guard later. If she's being so open about wanting to help him, that is. The half-angel walks to the backmost wall of her bridge and slowly slumps into a sitting position, back against a wall and his legs sprawled out.     "I'm going to make an unpopular decision soon. Again," The half-angel reaches into his jacket and takes out a flask, unscrewing it to take a deep drink and then put it away, "I'm going to try to reach out to the Abyssals. Wo, at least, anyway. I think they can be understood and reached without sinking them."     He rubs a hand over his face, "I don't like the idea of having to hurt you every time you turn into that other form. I want to understand the Abyssals so I can better know how to fix you when I need to. I expect many people will not like that call. Especially your own fleet." 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     Without fanfare, the speed telegraph suddenly ratchets back to All Stop and stays there. The distant rumble of Kongou's turbines fades to the dull thrum of her boilers and, steadily, the ship glides to a stop. Evidently, while thinking over the angel's words. What he's said, as he surmised, is not an idea she likes. But it's not for the reason he might be expecting.     "That will be dangerous," the ship states plainly, as her speed dial creeps down past 10 knots, approaching 0. "I think it's the right thing to do," she asserts, "Reaching out to them, reminding them of the good things about the lives they held before ... what they are now. But many of them will not want to remember. That Wo-class might respond. Or she might be too far gone to reach. It's very hard to tell with them, but if that's what you want to do..."     After a long moment, the telegraph rocks back to Full and the thrum of Kongou's turbines returns, the ship's bulk accellerating again, "...Then I will stand beside you and reach out to them, too!" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Thanks, Kongou," Psyber says as he rests the back of his head against the interior wall of the bridge, "What I do is always dangerous. My life's going to be hard, just because they're going to get support from within the Confederacy to disregard my stance. I already had one group of people berate me over this business involving reaching out to Feds, it's risky for me to try with another group," He adds.     Psyber slowly stands up and walks over to the helm console on the bridge, running a hand over the consoles and blinking several times, "The support means a lot." 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     "Mm~..." Kongou muses it over, a thoughtful noise resonating from the PA system for a few moments, "In many ways, your life is like ours. Before. During the War. It was a dangerous life, frought with perils and filled with combat on every horizon. Eventually it caught up with me~." While she's cheerful, there's a hint of sorrow or regret in her tone, "But. I wouldn't change anything, because if it was different, I might not be here, sharing this time with you, Admiral."     The empty captain's chair suddenly swivels towards the angel, but does nothing else of note.     "I'll be here with you, as far as I can go, okay?" The sorrowful tone leaves, "I won't let you be defeated for following your <Heart> and trying to save those ships!" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber doesn't have much else to really say to Kongou for a long few moments. He stares out the front window and then lets out a tired sigh. He looks towards the chair when it swivels towards him and then calmly sits down in it, resting his hands on the arms of the chair and gripping them tightly.     "I'll try my best to do what I can. We'll see what the future holds." 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     "We'll meet the future together," Kongou says brightly, "On the Dawn's horizon~!" Also this chair is incredibly comfortable.     There's a buzzing noise outside, approaching fast. From behind Kongou, soaring out in front, is a green and teal plane with floats on its wings. This aircraft waggles its wings, then banks, showing the red circles adorning either wing as it comes about.     "Isuzu is here~. I think they noticed I snuck out." Kongou actually sounds a little guilty this time, like she's been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.     After a few minutes, a much smaller warship pulls up alongside, a few dozen meters out. Flying the Rising Sun, it's clearly Isuzu--lacking the distinctive flight deck that Zuihou would have and being too large to be Akizuki. Once she matches Kongou's speed, her seaplane lands in the water beside her and is swiftly hoisted up by a crane from the aft deck.     "I guess this is an end to our private time together," Kongou admits helplessly, "But she can't tow me back, so we can go back whenever you want." 

}}

1457/A Dinner Meeting!

2015-02-05T23:41:05Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/01/31 |Location=Boston-666 |Synopsis=Psyber and Elliana meet for some Chinese food and conversation. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=92, 253 |Tin..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/01/31
|Location=Boston-666
|Synopsis=Psyber and Elliana meet for some Chinese food and conversation.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=92, 253
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Pretend that this is not today. Pretend it is, in actuality, Wednesday when Psyber originally asked to meet Elliana.     The meeting place is a small, hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant. And within that restaurant, Psyber can be found at a corner booth waiting. He's pre-ordered two family-sized entrees in preparation of waiting for Elliana. By the time she arrived, there's a tray of dumplings and a huge bowl of chow mein on the table.     Psyber is drinking a beer and looking pretty anxious while he waits. 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     Elliana has once again shown up in casual clothing, though this time she has a jacket overtop of it to make herself look less suspicious. Also a hat and scarf, but those are being taken off as she makes her way over to the table.     "Apologies for being slightly late," Elliana states as she pulls up her chair. "I thought it best to use conventional means of transport again, and... well, I am unused to the traffic hours." She's blushing, vividly. Even being a few minutes late is something that she dislikes. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "It's fine, really." Psyber reassures her. The bags under his eyes indicate he probably hasn't slept well lately, but he looks upbeat to see her besides that. He smiles and waves at the food a bit sheepishly, "Help yourself. Best Chinese place in Boston. Run by a pair of yaojing that set it up a century and a half ago."     "So what's up? How're you doing lately?" He asks, almost immediately. He coughs a bit after spilling that out, trying to adopt a more relaxed posture and sit back a bit in the booth. 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     The sudden question has Elliana peering curiously, before she looks at the menu and hmns. "Twice-cooked pork." There, that should take care of it. It's a good thing she doesn't have any odd dietary requirements.     The order taken care of, Elliana folds her hands together and sets them on her lap. "Nothing much is 'up' right now. Nothing I can talk about, at any rate. I have had to adjust some long range plans, but nothing out of the ordinary and none that you would disagree with in concept." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Actually... about plans and stuff," Psyber starts, kind of awkwardly, looking over at her, "Well. No. First."     He looks up and over at Elliana, "Are you sure you're okay and everything? Not the plans, though I have a minor question about that later. I mean like... you, Ell. Are you okay?" Red eyes stare directly at her as he places his hands on the table.     He's not the greatest at subtlety, but Wrathborn did inspire him to actually sit down and ask Elliana how she was doing in a more direct sense. 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     The direct questions really are baffling to Elliana. "I... am well enough, I suppose? A little short on temper of late, but that is not really a concern I can speak about." She shakes her head. "Worried. Frustrated, perhaps. But healthy and in control of the situation."     She tilts her head uncertainly. "Why do you ask? Do I come across as stressed? I had hoped I did not." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "No, I just..." He frowns and tries to think of how to explain it, "I've been having a rough week and it's made me more than slightly aware of a few things. One of which is that I ask you about your actions, but never seem to check on your emotional state as much as I feel a friend should."     "Frustrated, though? Sorry to hear that." He thinks, "If I can help at all, just tell me." He'll refrain from telling Elliana about Haruno storming off and half-moving out. That will just upset her.     "Can I ask you sort of a weird question about your plans?" 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     Elliana has ordered hot tea to go with her meal, and it's this that she starts to sip quietly while she listens. "Mm. Well, it is hard. I've been trying to let go more, but I still like to feel in control. That does not mean it is easy to maintain that control, and certain events recently have raised my ire. It is... distressingly easy to consider murder as a viable means of resolving the issues."     Of course, in saying that, it would imply that she attempts other means, so it isn't a bad thing to say... not entirely.     "Well, I cannot promise that I will answer, but you are welcome to ask," she states calmly. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber sips his own beer, nodding his head as he listens to her explanation, "Violence is a base instinct of many people. Take myself, for example," He waves at himself, "I've hyper specialized such that murder is one of my only solutions," He teases, trying to make a bit of humor.     "I appreciate you trying to control less. And bring alternate means. And... generally attempting to keep pursuing your goal, but as ethically as you feel you can," Psyber adds, smiling at her.     "As for the plan. Well, and this is awkward," He looks down at the table, "Do you have a contingency plan for me? I don't expect you to tell me WHAT it is, if you do. But for certain, personal reasons, I just wanna know if you have a plan in place to neutralize my threat if I get in your way." 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     Nodding, Elliana relaxes slightly. Very slightly. She doesn't seem the type to totally relax, at least not often. "Hmm. I do try. Control is in my nature, though less than some might suspect."     Leaning back in her chair, she is silent for a very long time about the other question. It's almost a half minute before she replies, at last, "Yes. After a fashion. I cannot tell you what it is, you are right... but I can tell you it is probably not as bad as you would think." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber nods his head and says, "Then would you fault me were I to plan a contingency around you?" He asks seriously, as if it were an actual question he wished to bring to her, "I had been considering it lately, mostly owing to pressure from Nathan in relation to his relationship with Nine versus mine with you. And other external circumstance."     The half-angel stretches in the booth, "But I don't want to, on the other hand. I've come this far in our friendship believing in you." He thinks it over, mulling the idea, "And it seems like it would fly in the face of that faith in you as a person if I were to do that. You need your plans to feel secure, but my goal requires me to operate without a net as a matter of trust in you," Psyber notes, "Do you... understand what I mean?"     "It's weird that you're the only one I can talk to about this," He laughs slightly, "And I'm immensely appreciative that you haven't ever..." He thinks about how to say it, "Used my feelings for you against me." Wrathborn did, but that wasn't her. 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     The mention of using feelings against Psyber causes Elliana to make a face, setting her cup down at the same time. "I understand, and... I admit that I have come up with plans which do exactly that. It leaves me with a feeling of distaste to consider using them, however. Generally, I rely upon improvisation more with you, and do not come up with a contingency for every major situation. At least one of my major plans has no contingency for you should you choose to oppose it... in part because if you chose to do so, it would indicate that my assessment of the situation was entirely incorrect."     She sighs, "You really should have more plans against me. It pains me to suggest that, since it hurts my cause, but at the same time... I have doubts. More of them lately than before. I am thinking I may need to reassess priorities, but I do not yet know where to begin." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I usually wing it when it comes to you. It's what I did with Steppenwolf...worth. Sorry. That name still amuses me because of the band and all." He awkwardly coughs and then rubs the back of his head, "If I feel a substantial need to stand against you, I often rely on Nathan's plan or whatever I can come up with in the moment."     "I'm... not smart like you or Nathan. You guys are really the big brains and the diplomacy." He shakes his head and then adds, "I'll try, though. I had one in mind, to at least look into."     "Just... never, ever think I don't believe in you, alright?" He says seriously, looking at her, "I know you have your past and all that baggage, and I've yelled at you at least once before. But... whatever disagreements I have with you, I need you to know you can still count on me."     "I've given up a lot to try to help you, I just want you to know that I really do believe that you're a good person. Okay?"     It's really awkwardly emotional from him as he says that to her, but then again he's had a really bad week so far. 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     Elliana rubs at her head "I know that you care, Psyber... and it is something I appreciate, no matter how many times I am forced to act against you. I will not lie that there has not been some stress involved in all of this. I appreciate that you come to talk to me, even knowing... the possibility that I could use it against you."     She straightens up. "Fortunately, you have taken care not to do so in a way that the Confederacy can directly benefit." Directly. That is a key word. She could use some of what she knew against Psyber, but she does not feel /obligated/ to do so. "This trust issue is difficult for me, but I think I have started to understand it." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "The same could be said for the things you tell me and my status in the Union. Truthfully, and this never leaves you and me, sometimes I think about what it would all be like if it played out differently," He says a bit wistfully, "But... I know you. You torture yourself every day over the choices you've made to get where you are."     "I don't want you to feel utterly alone," He smiles and reaches out to put a hand on her shoulder, "So, you know, thanks for being patient with all my checking in."     For trust, though, he thinks for a long moment on how to phrase what he wants to say, "I am not too dis-similar from you there. But... you open up at your own pace. I'm patient. And immortal. I'll be around in a thousand years when you're..." And then just to crack a joke, he flourishes his hand dramatically, "Ready to fully trust and give me your ~heart~." 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     Elliana looks amused, "And I am still only... goodness. Twenty now. But I do have many centuries ahead of me." She sighs, shaking her head. "I spoke with Nathan." Yes, she used his first name there. "It did not go as well as I had hoped. I even pleaded with him. I very much hope I will not be forced to use my contingency against him... he would be a strong ally, and there is no reason for us to be enemies concerning my world." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Nathan is set in his belief," Psyber says, crossing his arms a bit, "I already got my ass chewed out once over him feeling like all I do is tell him to lighten up on you, while he feels he's done more to reach out for you than I have," If Elliana remembers carefully, she might be able to date that conversation by the last time Psyber checked to make sure she didn't resent him over their past. It's also him revealing that Nathan feels that way.     "I am unsure how else to approach him on the topic. I know that I won't be doing it until I'm sure I can beat him in the debate, though." 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     Sigh. Elliana rubs at her eyes, then returns to her food, nodding her head. "It may be best to not approach him. I cannot /entirely/ blame him, but I do wish he would not blame me for things that I did not do. Damcyan, for example, was a plan he still seethes about... even though I expressed my distaste of the idea to the Confederacy, and told him such. I had very little to do with it, though I must admit I profited from it in the end." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Yeah, you're probably right," Psyber agrees with her, nodding his head, "For now, though, let's just eat. No sense letting good food go to waste, yeah?"     And then they'd totally eat dinner. 

}}

1377/Negotiations

2015-01-23T23:25:37Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/01/20 |Location=Bar and Grill at the Edge of the Multiverse |Synopsis=Psyber and Lezard meet to negotiate over a Dragon Ball and discuss terms..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/01/20
|Location=Bar and Grill at the Edge of the Multiverse
|Synopsis=Psyber and Lezard meet to negotiate over a Dragon Ball and discuss terms.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253, 598
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' Lezard Valeth picked the area for a number of reasons, not the least being he was in the mood for a fine wine to cleanse the palate of multiversal grandstanding. So it is that he sits in a private booth with a bottle of wine, casually swirling his wineglass as he waits for Psyber to arrive. Who knows? The negotiations might even be successful. More insane things have been known to occur. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     In contrast to Lezard's wine, Psyber has a bottle of Scotch the Bar and Grill keeps for him. Old, smooth, and mild. He walks over with the bottle in one hand and a glass in the other. Sitting down, he pours himself some. "I am hopeful it will be easier to negotiate in person without radio chatter." 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' "Indeed. I believe this is the first time we have met in person. Your reputation precedes you, Colonel Psyber." Lezard says with a polite incline. He smiles, leaning back in his portion of the booth, relaxed. "I will make my position plain. There is no need for us to waste time on the usual trappings. I have an interest in acquiring the Dragon Ball, and the Union has little need for them. You have more than enough similar devices on hand to spend the time and pain needed to acquire them. I have many talents and unusual resources which you might find useful in exchange for the Ball. This will resolve the umbrage of our more aggressive Saiayan friends and gain the Union something of more immediate use than a Ball which may or may not ever actually be activated." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:''' Psyber leans back in his seat a bit and keeps his gaze level on Lezard, "Well, understand that the Union's position in this is the natural stake in preventing dangerous Confederates with a habit of invading planets from getting their wishes. Such a fact makes the object very valuable." He folds his hands behind his head and thinks it over, "And while reports and heresay of your cunning and skills do make rounds, and I have witnessed several myself on Lady Priscilla's world, I have something else I want in mind. Now I doubt, personally, you can approve any trades today. But I will negotiate with you so that we can both take the offers to our bosses." Psyber smiles, "So, negotiations. My opening offer is this: The Confederates will deliver Field Marshal Dracula's head on a pike with a written agreement he will not be resurrected for ten years." It's a pretty classic play of 'Go WAY over what you want and then haggle down'. It's incredibly transparent. 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' Lezard's reaction to the initial offer causes him to laugh. "That was an excellent joke. I appreciate the Lord Marshal's leadership and capacilities far too much to do this." He takes a sip of his wine, and then gestures to Psyber. "Besides, you and I both know that whoever would replace the Lord Marshal in the ensuing power vacuum would be likely far worse. Thus it is with Serori. She is not Vegeta, nor is she Gohan. She is by far the most stable and reasonable of the Saiyans in the Confederacy. So far we have destroyed a horrible android using it as a power source, and non-lethally distracted a pair of large and brutish pterodactyl." Lezard pauses. "It was the height of villainy." He says dryly, then flicks a hand. "I can approve anything involving my personal resources. The rest would have to be approved by someone who is a ranking officer, of course. Now, do please attempt a more reasonable request. Perhaps you would like a service involving a crafted homunculus?" He smiles. "Far be it from me to believe that no one in the Union could eventually replicate my designs, but I wager few of them are willing to make the... commitment it requires." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "At least worth a shot," Psyber says, taking a sip from his Scotch as he watches Lezard from across the table, trying to read the reactions, "Serori seems reasonable, if prone to rash action at times. While she is neither Vegeta nor Gohan, she exacerbates both of their underlying poor traits." He points out.     "Hm. A homunculus is tempting, but I don't know what I'd do with one, I admit," Psyber notes, rubbing a hand under his chin, "I also understand that you can willingly trade any of your services for a Dragonball, but that any offer requiring a Confederate movement or acquiesence would be up to your upper officers. Likewise, any negotiation I make is going to require Nathan or Paarthurnax to sign off on it."     But a more reasonable offer. For that, Psyber runs a hand under his chin, "Okay. My real bottom line and a more reasonable offer: I want the Planetary Trade Organization out of Namamura and the area returned to the care of Yunomi Stadler with an agreement of no further aggression. I also want the favor that Nathan owes the Confederacy nullified."     "For a chance at an unstipulated wish, I feel these are very minor concessions by the Confederacy." 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' "I would say she keeps them under control, but I suppose that is a matter of perspective, would you not agree?" Lezard shrugs, smiling. What does he want here? What's /his/ reason for doing this? "A homunculus, like any body, is but a vessel, Psyber. It contains anything you wish to place within it. That process is something I can assist with should you need more... esoteric services." The second offer causes Lezard to arch an eyebrow. "Oh my. I was not aware that you had a stake in the fate of Namamura." He shrugs. "There are a number of devices that can fulfill wishes in existence. Perhaps I should direct Serori to intervene in one of the Grail Wars?" He smiles. "Access to such is not a difficult thing for one with my powers. A Saiyan with a Servant would be a terrifying sight to behold, would it not?" He sighs, and taps the side of his head as he seems to be almost bored at the moment. "Perhaps you could decide which of the two you might find more valuable. I could see them possibly agreeing to one, but both would be more difficult." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber smiles evenly at Lezard throughout the statements, eventually replying with, "I hold little stake in Namamura's ultimate fate," He bluffs, "But the relinquishment of a planet controlled by the PTO would be a powerful bargaining chip among elements of the Union that wish to maintain control of the object."     He calmly and slowly refills his glass with another finger of scotch, gathering his thoughts, "If Serori wishes to participate in a Grail War, she is more than welcome to find a new iteration of one or to interject herself into one of the existing Grail Wars." A hand comes up to rub under his nose a couple times, "The Union can also elect to find six other magic spheres and get a wish." His smile, though present, is a mask for both a strong poker face and a cold demeanor. He's taking Lezard very serious as a negotiator. Probably more serious than most deals he bargains for.     "I will accept one or the other as a fair concession, but I will not be the one to choose which," He begins, leaning back in his chair and looking across the table, "We can both go to our factions and see what their stance is and the take of the higher-ups. If we bring it to our factions and if the deal goes through, I'd like to see the Syndicate hold both sides of the trade and act as an intermediary to foster a certain level of... reliability."     "I'm sure you understand my reasoning. In light of recent unpleasantness, the Confederate bargaining position and ability to claim honor and reliability have been slightly diminished. Particularly when one of its former Field Marshals makes an overt statement on the Public Channels that you are not to be trusted as recently as..." He looks at his watch, "18 hours ago." 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' "The Union doesn't deal in wishes." Lezard taps on the table. "Not in this manner that I have seen thus far. Else I am sure some fool would have attempted to wish us away by now." He pauses, and then sips again. "Or perhaps they had tried, and were taken away to a place that we will never find or see... It is worth a thought, is it not?" He chuckles at that. Lezard does, however, nod at the presence of the Syndicate. "I am in favor of the Syndicate as a mediator for any possible exchanges." He shrugs. "The Confederacy is a place that caters to those of ambition, Colonel. Sometimes, some find their ambition to be worth more than their honor." At that, he pushes up his glasses, and nods. "You will find that the terms of any agreed upon deal will be held to, I am sure. However, the question is whether those concerned will accept the terms of any given deal. I will bring your requests to those in the Confederacy who will be able to accept or deny them. Let us know what your choice will be in the meantime." His expression is as jovial as usual, but it's clear that he doesn't appreciate the thought of one of their former people making a statement like that. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I appreciate your candid demeanor and statements of reliability," Psyber notes, sipping from his glass, "I have spent years attempting to foster a reputation as a more trustworthy member of the Union. And, speaking simply, the Union has its own share of the overeager," He concedes, adding, "I will not hold that against you in terms."     "I will decline to make the choice at this moment, however. Instead, I will opt to present the choice to my superiors and allow them to make the choice, if a choice is made at all. I will inform the Union we have a choice of one or the other, and we will see if they accept and which they choose, if EITHER option is available. I would prefer to not obligate the Union and be misinformed on what they wanted in the end." 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' "Indeed. I will convey the potential demands to those in the Confederacy that will be concerned with them, for similar reasons." He drains his wineglass, and sets it aside. "While I am not overly concerned about the fury of Lute, Gohan is someone I would ill wish to anger by speaking for him. I am sure you understand." He smiles at that. "Tonight has been a fascinating evening, Colonel Psyber. I appreciate your time and look forward to our next meeting." At this, he offers a hand. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I will extend our end of the deal to the Union and see how receptive they are to the matter, Lezard. I can make no promises for matters above my head, but I appreciate that you and I were able to reach a reasonable, if only hypothetical, accord." He grips the hand of Lezard tightly and gives him a firm shake, moving to stand up, "I shall be curious to see how this plays out." 

}}

1391/A Meeting With Wrathborn

2015-01-22T03:53:35Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/01/22 |Location=Terra Majora <TM> |Synopsis=Psyber and Wrathborn have a meeting to discuss morality, philosophy, and Elliana. |Thanks= |Cast o..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/01/22
|Location=Terra Majora <TM>
|Synopsis=Psyber and Wrathborn have a meeting to discuss morality, philosophy, and Elliana.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=92, 253
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{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     It isn't a pirate ship this time. No, this time it is a different kind of ship... a large starship, soaring through the depths of space. Only, the meeting place isn't inside the starship, but on the top of it, complete with a little stand that is offering tea and coffee.     Wrathborn is there as well, of course. He has a stool to sit on while he waits, and is sipping a cup of tea that has a fruity aroma. He's dressed much more normally this time, though the sharp cut of his jacket is reminiscent of a uniform of some kind. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber is obviously going to show up. He wouldn't ask for a private meeting and then no-show. That would be immensely rude and make him look like a jerk. So he arrives, astoundingly alone with permission from Elliana, and slowly starts to walk across the top of the ship, "I appreciate the view. It's a pretty nice one," He notes, smiling a bit.     He looks around slowly, sitting down across from his host, "So how do you wanna do this? You ask a question, I answer and ask my own question, go back and forth till we get bored?" 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     "If you want," the man replies, gesturing to an upholstered stool nearby. "We can walk and enjoy the view, or just watch the stars go by. It doesn't have to be anything formal, no need to stick to turns." Surprisingly laid back about this... or maybe it isn't a surprise, given how he's been acting. "It's difficult to think about where to start, though. The best question I can come up with is... well..."     He shrugs. "Have you ever thought about... NOT being a guardian angel?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Sure, whatever works best," Psyber notes, looking up at the stars above them. He tilts his head and inquires, "Are these from some star system, or your imagination?" He wonders. No, that is not his question.     He does takes a long moment to consider Wrathborn's answer, "Maybe. I wouldn't mind retiring, but it's also anathema to my nature not to help those I think need it. If the circumstances alligned to alleviate my necessity to many people, I might consider taking it and retiring. But it would be a difficult adjustment. Helping people like Ell or Homura is how I achieve a feeling of being worth something to the universe. I've begun to wonder if Psyber is less me any more, and more a duty I fulfill."     He has a counter-question to Wrathborn, "Why did ask the other day if I thought you were evil? I'll answer that for you now, if you want, by the way." 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     Wrathborn considers, while he answers the question about stars. "Mostly my imagination. Or Elliana's, maybe? I'm not really sure how that works, since I'm in a sense borrowing hers. I think. I'm not sure any more." He shakes his head and sits up, opening his mouth to answer, then closing it just as quickly.     "I will answer that, but I think it would make more sense after you give an answer. It might be better with that context," he admits. "It's complicated, anyway. It's part of why I wanted to talk to you before I spoke to Elliana." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I will tell you what I tell most people who ask me if I think they're evil for their origin or their powers," Psyber begins, looking over at Wrathborn seriously. He wants to give as complete an answer as he can, after all, "I do not believe good or evil is determined by the origin or power of a person. I believe it is determined by the actions they take, the beliefs they support, and ethics they hold. I have seen dark powers used for great deeds. I have seen divine power used for unspeakable horror."     "I do not view you as inherently evil. I believe you may have done evil things, I believe controlling Elliana was an ethically unsound action, but I also am aware you were a more primal being, then," He notes, rubbing a hand under his chin and sighing, "So. Your actions moving into the future will determine if I believe you evil, but as of now I cannot say I view you as a wholly evil being. I view you more as a newborn being, still figuring out your morality and actions as such things are foreign to you." He adds as a note, "Keep in mind, to frame this, I am also a man who believes Elliana to be a good and decent person while many disagree." 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     A tilt of his head, and Wrathborn nods. "That's one way of seeing it. But your own definition makes things murky. My nature tells me to destroy, to tear apart. To twist and change. I have a burning need to murder my sisters. I WANT to." He sips his tea as he states that calmly. "At the same time, the logical part of me says this is a terrible idea. And in some ways I don't want to, because then I wouldn't have a world to enjoy. And... there are things I don't want to ruin, even if my nature demands. So in that way, by denying my nature, I am not evil? I think."     He frowns. "But Elliana doesn't want to do the things she does... and she does them anyway. Does that make /her/ evil? Or does it make her capable of this 'redemption' you seek?" He spreads his hands, demonstrating a tiny bit of power by leaving the cup floating while he does that. Feh, physics. "Is it wrong to value the lives of some over others?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Part of humanity and ethics is resisting your urges and base impulses for the sake of a morality system or your belief in what is right versus your natural instinct," Psyber notes, leaning back and crossing his arms as he thinks over Wrathborn's words, "To twist and change is not an inherently evil desire, though many may view it as such. Change can be for the better or the worse. It lay in how you change and what you change. In who gets hurt or helped by your change."     "Elliana does not want to, but Elliana also believes her way to be the most reliable. She has forced herself to a set path because her origins and beliefs mean she cannot implicitly trust, so she believes a course in which she has the most control is ideal, I think," Psyber looks at Wrathborn, "It is natural to value some lives over others, but endangering innocent lives recklessly is not someone I agree with. It is an inherently touchy subject, I feel."     "Morality and ethics are not... my strongest area, ironically. I just try to help people where I can." Psyber notes quietly, rubbing his hands together in a somewhat nervous gesture. 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     "Mn." The man grasps his cup again and ponders that answer, then nods at last. "I don't think we have the same value system. I don't really... feel any connection to humanity. I don't really care about them. If anything, it'd be nice if they just went away." He stops and reconsiders his words. "I guess I don't have any desire to hurt them either, beyond the general urge to destroy. I just don't /care/ is all. Mostly."     He sighs, "But Elliana does, and I don't want to have /her/ unhappy. I don't think that counts, and I'm not even sure if I should care if it does. That's why I don't know if I'm evil or not. Does caring about one person make up for the apathy toward the rest? I don't know." He shrugs again. "But your answer at least helps me realize that I don't have to be evil by nature. But by that extension, as you said, a 'good' being isn't good."     He waves the thoughts away. "You had other questions?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Well, I'll repeat my first one again," Psyber says, somewhat simply. He looks at Wrathborn and then adds, "But I did have a few others. Why did you want to know if I thought you were evil?"     He takes a moment and then, before Wrathborn answers, he says, "Well. Some people don't think that way. I think it's important to have things you DO care about." He frowns a bit, "As for Ell, I dunno. Even if you're a part of her, I don't mind saying that sometimes I doubt if I'm doing her any good, or just... flailing around, so to speak." 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     Wrathborn taps his cup a few times, then sighs. "I'm not sure. I think because I want to understand better what people consider evil. I know Elliana's thoughts - most of them - and many of her feelings... but not all of her. And..." He makes a face, looking grouchy for a second before turning away and shrugging.     "I suppose I don't want her to think that she has to keep something horrible and awful inside her for eternity." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber gives Wrathborn a bit of a laugh, "I think if anyone knew all of Elliana's thoughts and feelings, she would have to kill that person out of fear of being hurt again," He says, couching a pretty true fact in a joking manner, "I think you should communicate your feelings with her, in terms of wanting to... you know... figure out who you are. Me giving you this advice will, I'm sure, inevitably bite me in the ass by unlocking some new power for her due to you and her reaching a more mutual understanding and symbiosis, but yeah." Another fear, couched in a joke.     Psyber leans back a bit and then asks, "Do you remember far enough back to know what happened to some of the original hundred weapons?" 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     The joking gets a half smile, but only half. "Not so easy. I really don't want her to view me as a child. I want to be my own person. Even if I... probably can't survive as such outside of her anyway." He sighs and sets his cup down.     "I don't remember much of the hundred weapons, no. I wasn't really... the memories from back then aren't very clear, because of what I was like. I remember pain, and something a little like anger. Along with..." He seems to search in the air for the right word. "Horror? No, that isn't quite right. Disgust? There's something very strange about those weapons. Even Backbiter, after I twisted it, isn't really... I don't know." He trails off, then shakes his head. "I can tell you that some were destroyed. It IS possible, but there's something about that impression that makes me think there's a big 'but' there." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I'll make you a deal," Psyber says, looking at Wrathborn from across the table, "You don't have to talk to Elliana now. And it's clear you care for her well-being, and you've admitted as much yourself. If you agree to help me with Elliana where our beliefs allign," He's careful to phrase it that way, "And try to help me keep her from ruining herself... I will use my autonomy to research if Terra Majora has any way to allow you to manifest a more autonomous form without losing your connection to her. It's in both our best interest, since if she keeps on her current path she will force Nathan's hand inevitably."     "As for those weapons..." Psyber furrows his brow a bit, deciding whether or not to tell Wrathborn much of his personal project, "I'm trying to track down Sovereign. I want to research one of them to find out what makes them tick. This is only reinforced by your statement that they function strangely." 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     "Soveriegn... Majestic's twin," Wrathborn murmurs. "That's been lost for centuries, but it's Elliana's by blood, supposedly. Probably still in Empire lands. Toward the midwest, I think. That's all I can tell you." He turns around again, spreading his hands once more. "I can't help you much more than that, concerning the weapons. Ask something else, I guess."     Though he's at a loss, the man does have his own comment. "I don't want Elliana to ruin herself either. If you have some thoughts, I'll do my best to help, if I think it would be in her best interest. I don't even care about hav- no, that's a lie, it would be nice to have a body of my own, but that isn't what I really want. I just want to have a purpose beyond the nihilistic. Maybe it would have been better if I'd been sealed completely like my brother. None of this consciousness to worry about." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber scowls a bit and then says, "I would rather you weren't sealed. For the trouble you have caused, you still seem... decent. A long time ago, in the Twin Towers, you said you were unsure if we would be friendly were you in my head. If you were as you are now, I think we would be." Psyber looks down at the table as he says this. It's hard for him to admit he has an amount of respect and, if faint, desire for friendship with Wrathborn. Internally he wonders why he is always drawn to what seem like the worst causes.     Taking a deep breath, he lifts his head and smiles a bit, "I think Fairchild needs to find people she can trust. People she can not be in control around. Her intellect, demeanor, cunning brutality and political saavy are all defense mechanisms. I've seen her let down one, even two at a time. But never completely relax."     "My naive idea of redemption is just to see her get to be a girl instead of... whatever you can call her now. The self-appointed Messiah of a world."     He does have one more question for Wrathborn. It's an interesting one, "Do you regret not killing me when you had control of Elliana's body?" 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     "I tried to give her that, and it was rejected," Wrathborn points out. "My motives weren't pure in doing so, but the effect should have been the same. She got her childhood back... at least for a little while." He sighs, "I thought she wanted family. Maybe I was wrong."     He frowns, "Regret? I don't... I don't really feel things the way you do. I want you alive right now, I suppose? So I don't, I suppose, regret not killing you. And I think... if we're to get any idea of what she wants..."     Wrathborn steps forward. "If you could pick a group that you could trust to know Elliana's most deepest, darkest secrets, who would you pick? Small group. Four, five at most." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber is given a fairly hard question. He looks at Wrathborn and then slowly says, "Me, Mordred, Himei, and Amalthea," Psyber notes seriously, "Maybe Nathan, but I can't be sure he won't abuse it, for all that he is a close friend of mine." Despite the brevity, it's an answer he thought very hard about and people he chose incredibly carefully.     "Me for obvious reasons. Mordred is obvious as well. Himei because she knows what it means to do monstrous things for a greater good. Amalthea because she understands being wounded." He then asks, "Why do you ask?"     And a final question, delivered in a very flat tone, "Do you think I can help her? Does she have a capacity to trust, to open up, to love, hate, and feel other emotions openly? Or has she shut herself off permanently?" 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     Wrathborn looks back and nods slowly at the choices. "That's who I would have chosen, too. And I ask because I don't know the answer to your question. Sometimes I get the feeling that she desperately needs someone to talk to. She talks to /me/ of all people... but I'm a captive audience, aren't I?" He stops and rubs his chin. "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but I don't think she trusts anyone in the Confederacy. There are a few that she... has something like a distant friendship with? The closest that anyone comes to trust is probably... Charity and Mordred. In the Confederacy, anyway."     He sighs, and points off in the distance. It wasn't there before, but that giant Gate looms off in the starry sky. "There. I uh... can't actually go there myself. We don't want to go there yet, though... I think it's best saved until you've seen at least a little more of her more solid dreams. But I think we might need to go through the gate if you want the answer to your question."     He stops again, and adds, "For what it's worth, I think she can. I think she /wants/ to. You'll need to do something spectacular to do it... and not JUST you." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber looks towards the far off gate when Wrathborn points it out, heaving a heavy sigh. He really wants a cigarette right now, but he's polite enough not to introduce such a concept to Elliana's subconscious. He simply looks off into the distance, "I see. I assume that is her most locked off area. True feelings, heart's desire."     Psyber looks over to Wrathborn and simply gives him a smile, "Spectacular is my middle name. Well, not really, it's..." He pauses, realizing he almost gave that out, "Unimportant."     "Nathan and I are working hard to help her fix her world, I want to get to the bottom of her parents death. I'm trying to dig up lost artifacts," Psyber lets out a genuinely forlorn sigh, "I'd tear down the sky for that woman if I could find a handhold. I just wish she'd realize it."     Psyber then... blows a raspberry, "Bah, look at me, getting all sentimental. Sorry. Anything else you want to ask me? I think I'm out of questions, myself." 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     Surprisingly, Wrathborn shakes his head. "No. Well, yes, it probably has that, too. I'm not sure what's in there. I can't get in, but what I've felt is... chaotic. Half-formed, mostly. I don't know exactly what you'll find in there. It might not even be important or understandable at all."     Any other questions? Wrathborn hesitates at first, then goes ahead and asks. "I'd like a private meeting with Nathan, if you can manage it. I'll understand if you can't." He holds out a hand. "I've thought about what you said. I don't think I can be human, but I don't think I need to be. I'll... consider the rest." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber says, "I'll relay that. I don't think he'll let personal pettiness turn aside the perceived tactical benefit of meeting you for discourse. It shouldn't be too hard to frame it enough to pique his interest," Psyber turns to Wrathborn and then grips his hand tightly when he offers it, "Good, let's make sure we protect her, then. I appreciate the meeting and... all that. I really just wanna help Ell however I can."     "You know, if you aim for independence, the first step could be picking a new name." He adds as a final, if joking, note. 

:'''{{#var:92|Elliana Fairchild (92)}} has posed:'''     The hand is shaken, and Wrathborn nods, "We both do, I think. More than you'd know." He releases the shake and starts to let the dream fade, but stops when the joke is made. "You think? I thought about it, but Wrathborn seems like it would inspire trust and confidence. I guess it could be a little more dashing though. Maybe something that people can look up to and feel comfortable with. 'Thrasher Bloodtide' or something..." Shrug. "I'll think about it."     As the dream fades, Psyber MIGHT pick up the sudden grin that flashes over his lips. 

}}

977/What Is This I Don't Even

2015-01-07T22:01:54Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/11/15 |Location=Boston-666 |Synopsis=Board games at the office. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=253, 317, 495, 591, 614 |Tinyplot= |Tinyplot2= |..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/11/15
|Location=Boston-666
|Synopsis=Board games at the office.
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|Cast of Characters=253, 317, 495, 591, 614
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{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:614|Assassin (614)}} has posed:'''      In one of the rooms of the Heaven Or Hell Agency Office, a most peculiar thing occurs. Granted, given the clientele, the nature of the multiverse, the cases with which Heaven Or Hell primarily deals, and so on and so forth, that isn't exactly a particularly shocking event. Unusual things occur frequently around this sort of place.      Rarely, however, do they involve quite literally the Grim Reaper.      On the table is a jar of pickles. It is state-locked to remain closed and impervious to harm. A single pickle is missing from it. This is where this story began.      Also on the table is a very old, very ornate chess set. It sits proudly next to the pickle jar, highly out-of-place, currently sitting in the middle of some gambit or another. Chess veterans would recognize the black player's gambit as the Sicilian Defense, an opening popular at the master level for being capable of highly complicating White's position.      Literally anyone would instantly recognize the black player.      It sits on a simple chair, both bizarrely out-of-place and right at home. It is eight feet tall, perhaps taller, and even seated it looms over everything like a terrible spectre. Over its shoulder, in slender white fingers, hangs a scythe. Its robes spread out along the floor, turning to roiling mist after they hit the ground. Its figure, its gender, its age - all are impossible to determine.      What is very clear, however, is that it is the Grim Reaper, the Specter of Death, Azrael, Thanatos, Yamaraja, and a million million other names besides.      It is also clear that it is very, very good at chess.      "An l-shape," the asexual, lilting, yet serenely monotonous voice observes calmly, "Like the shape of a scythe, My Master. Two in one direction, one in any other, barring diagonals. It may jump pieces." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber is here with a big breakfast burrito in his hands. It smells of chorizo, egg, spiced potatos and lots of gooey cheese. And also vaguely jalapenos. He uses his free hand to rub Aoko's shoulder encouraginly.     "Come on, Aoko. You can do this. I have money riding on this match. So just make sure you always remember that your pieces shoot lasers after every move." He encourages to the redhead. He didnt bet that she'd win, he just bet that a specific phrase would come up three times in some form over the course of this match. And he wants to win that bet with Theo.     After that, he'd return to just leaning against a wall and watching this match get started. 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     Aoko does not play chess often.     Or, rather, at all.     Sitting in front of Assassin is the red-headed magus, pondering the board. She vaguely recalls how the game goes, but not some of the finer points. If only the pieces really could shoot lasers.     "Do we get house rules? Can I say my queen CAN shoot lasers?"     Anyone considering the white side of the board will notice Aoko has already pretty much opened a path to her king to get the queen out and rolling, with general disregard for every other piece.     If anyone else wants to challenge the pickle jar, the glass itself is invulnerable to harm, and the lid is state-locked to shut. The lid is not invulnerable (she didn't think about it, and most people would give up after the glass can't be broken most likely) and the jar isn't warded in any other way whatsoever, though. 

:'''{{#var:317|Theo Morrison (317)}} has posed:''' Theo showed up a little while ago, fully expecting the sort of stereotypical hole-in-the-wall office you see in detective stories. He's not a hundred percent sure why, but it was just sort of the feeling he got. He spent a few minutes gawking before he actually came up to see the game and take a look around. He looks a little bit beat, and his jacket could use a wash; it's entirely likely he was in some kind of dirty rainstorm recently. He's also armed with coffee and doughnuts, having picked some up on the way over, since it's typically a sure-fire way to make a good impression on people you don't know. There is at least fifteen bucks in his pocket after all is said and done. "I think house rules kind of defeat the purpose of the game until you've picked up the basics," Theo says, "but I know a couple of, um, 'Chess expansion sets' that make things more interesting." Because of course he does. 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' "HRNNNGH!" Riva has arrived on scene and has immediately begun working on trying to open the pickle jar. While the two do their chess match, Riva is busily struggling with the lid, which probably amuses Aoko immensely. She hasn't gotten to the point of violence yet, but give her a bit. "Chess would be pretty cool with lasers," Riva comments as she works on the lid. "I heard someome mention something about a 'laser chess' once..." 

:'''{{#var:614|Assassin (614)}} has posed:'''      Assassin plays with all the ponderousness of, well, the world's oldest chessmaster. Each move is like a glacier, those thin white fingers taking a span of forever just to move a single piece. Each movement is thought about longer than any move has any right to be thought about, likely making the already-impatient Aoko unhappy.      "Such a thing is not part of the traditional rules. There are variants. I will teach you those, then."      Assassin resets the board with a flurry that belies its ponderous moves. It's one of those subtle reminders that the massive thing is a Servant, not a human in a robe; the board is cleared and reset in a matter of seconds.      Assassin looks at Theo for a very long moment. "I am familiar with many. Some involve lasers," it adds to Psyber, Riva, and Aoko.      "They are not actual lasers. That would destroy the board. That is bad."      Assassin lowers its hooded head to consider the board. "Do you not play many games, Master? The others here seem to be more acquainted with such things." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Laser chess sounds great, but I'm way too dudebro for a lot of the old board games. I gave up chess back in the fifteenth century." Psyber says pretty casually to Assassin, "So I probably missed its evolution into Laser Chess."     Psyber pauses and thinks, "I think the game I left it for was called Knifey-Hand-Stabby-Fasty. Or whatever the German equivalent for that word was at the time." He pauses and says, "Nowadays most people call it stabscotch or five-finger fillet."     Psyber is describing exactly the game you think he is. That was his strategy game of choice for a while. 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     "I like games! I just don't really play them often. I like fast ones better, I'm not good at the whole slow, careful thinking part, haha~." Modest, but it's kind of true, she's very impulsive and impatient. Sometimes she can make good decisions that take a while, sure, but that's rare.     "Keep trying! You'll get it one day," is offered to Riva.     "Do I get my cut?" is asked of Psyber, because cash money!     Then back towards the chessboard, she ponders.     "Yeah I guess actual lasers would be bad, huh. I'm with Psyber though, laser chess would be awesome! It's fine though, I can learn regular chess just fine. So YOU play a lot of games, Azzy? Is that really a thing Death does? Just sit around and play games a lot? Do you like it?" 

:'''{{#var:317|Theo Morrison (317)}} has posed:''' Theo is alternating between watching the game and watching Riva try and open a jar of pickles. It's astounding how entertaining the latter is. Kickotron, the three-foot bird-robot called a myr, is hunched by her side of the table and watches the process with more interest. If it had expressions, it might be interested, anyway. Assassin turning its eyeless gaze in Theo's direction makes his skin crawl. "I would be surprised if you hadn't," he says. "They're cool, but Chess... ehhh..." Theo kind of shrugs, and reaches for his coffee. Caffeine makes the world go 'round. He gives Psyber a look. There is a second where he may be trying to count his fingers. "Uh, wow. That's kind of hardcore." Beat. "Hey, no fair deliberately engineering a win like that. It's gotta be a natural progression from chess to lasers." 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' "Fifteenth century?" Riva pauses as she looks up from the jar... Or rather down, the exertions having by now put her upside down on the couch. "But you don't look a day over 25!" She seems slightly horrified at this revelation for some reason. "You know, Psyber, I think we might need to have an intervention. You like pain /way/ too much to be healthy." She comments. Aoko gets her back on task, however. She stares at the jar for a moment, considering whether to begin gnawing on it. She decides not to, and heads over to into the kitchen. There's some noises, and then some clanging sounds follow. People who look in there notice she's hammering at it with a meat tenderizer with a determined look on her face. 

:'''{{#var:614|Assassin (614)}} has posed:'''      "People have challenged me to games for as long as there have been stories of people challenging me to games," Assassin observes paradoxically as it waits for Aoko's first move, "They have gambled, rolled dice, moved pieces, and attempted to outwit me at every conceivable game humanity has ever produced. None have so far succeeded."      "People will attempt many things to keep their lives," it adds with a note of terrible, grim finality. t "Yes. I enjoy it. It is the only time I am able to sit and speak with people at length. When they lie upon their deathbed and challenge me to a game, I have all the time the game takes to play. It is a fleeting glimpse."      Assassin picks up a piece. "People challenge me to what they feel comfortable at. Those who are runners challenge me to races. Those who are gamers challenge me to games. I know little of humanity besides those windows."      It sets the piece back down. "The games are not important. The moments are."      Assassin looks over at Theo. "Do you dislike chess?" It inquires. "I have never found a game I enjoy as much as chess. It takes a very long time to play, and people talk a very great deal between turns. It is relaxing."      "The jar cannot be opened," Assassin adds to Riva as it takes a piece of paper and produces a quill from God-only-knows. The quill is jet black. It writes in red ink that is unsettlingly bloody.      "I will describe variant rules here. Please choose one that appeals to you, Master."      Assassin starts writing. "What is 'dudebro'?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Stay young at heart, I always say," Psyber says to Riva, watching her violently grapple with her new foe, Lord Picklejarius the Second. He tilts his head a bit, taking a bite of his burrito, "I try to remain youthful in spirit to match the appearance because once someone loses their sense of adventure, they tend to become very boring. So for most intents and purposes, I'm 25 in everything but actual age mostly 99 percent of the time." He smiles at her widely.     The other 1 percent are his serious moments.     He looks over at Theo, holding up both hands so that Theo can count 8 fingers and two thumbs. Then he grouses at Riva, "I do not enjoy pain! I have accepted it as an inevitability of my career choice! There's a difference!"     And then to Aoko, Psyber says, "Yeah, I'll split the pot if you help me win." TAKE THAT, Theo. Collusion is occurring. He pats Aoko on the shoulder again.     And finally to Death. When asked what a Dudebro is, Psyber simply says, "Just observe Arthur Lowell." 

:'''{{#var:317|Theo Morrison (317)}} has posed:''' Kickotron follows after Riva. It comes back after a moment of observation, opening up Theo's backpack and rooting around inside it. It's pretty clearly bigger on the inside based on how it has to lean in. It retrieves what looks like a claw hammer and a chisel, turns, and hops back over to Riva, offering them up helpfully. Theo, meanwhile, frowns in Psyber's direction -- not at the ten fingers, but at the collusion. "Hey. Hey! This is a precedent you don't wanna set," he warns. His warning gesture is spoiled by the cup of coffee. "I'll play fair as long as you do. Unless cheating's in the rules, I guess..." "I don't mind playing Chess sometimes, but it's a solved game, at least on my world. Someone made a computer that could calculate all the possible moves pretty recently. Crazy stuff." Theo takes a sip of the magic elixir. "As you might have guessed, I prefer Magic. There's enough permutations and possibilities that the strategy is always evolving, and there's always new material to work with being made." Theo thinks about it for a second. "Weird that Chess is the same everywhere I've checked for it," he mutters. 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' "UGH! THE FEELS!" Riva yells from the kitchen as Assassin talks about sharing the final moments with people through the lens of a game challenge. There's still clanging. "There's got to be SOME way to get this thing open..." She grunts, then turns on the water and starts running it under hot water. THERMAL EXPANSION, RIVA CHOOSES YOU! "So how old ARE you, Space Dad?" Riva asks, before she suddenly yells again, "THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT A MASOCHIST WOULD SAY!" She does take a moment to pet Kickotron, because Myr Servitors are excetpionally cute for tiny helper robots, then takes the claw hammer and chisel. Hammer and chiseling noises begin to follow. At least she is doing it in the sink? 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     "Oh. I see."         Aoko observes the board quietly for a long few seconds.     Then she cheers right back up and grins.     "Something fast-paced! I'm not good at the long-term strategy stuff, but if you give me something that's more 'feel it and act right away' I bet I can put up an okay game."     She glances about at everyone as she waits for Assassin to pick a game. Riva gets the most interest, mostly because of the eternal struggle with the pickle jar. 

:'''{{#var:614|Assassin (614)}} has posed:'''      Assassin stops writing. It reaches under the desk and acquires a set of cards. It begins shuffling them rapidly, dexterity beyond that of a human being sending th cards flying like a magic trick. They are normal cards, not Magic cards or anything particularly intriguing.      "The game is Texas Hold'em," Assassin declares in its slow, sedate tone.      It does not know what FEELS are. It watches for a long moment before it repeats, "The jar cannot be opened by the top. It cannot be damaged."      Then it looks back at Theo and Psyber. "I believe that chess is a mathematical certainty. It must exist, because it is incredibly simple, and thus easy to invent." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber has many things to respond to. First to Assassin, "I play Chess a lot like I do most things. I go all in with an aggressive strategy and tend to get myself soundly defeated. But sometimes it surprises a grandmaster and I win when I need to. That's why I can respect Chess." He teases to the Death-entity before watching the board. His response is to both him and Theo, "Because past a certain point, the world's worst player can outfox a master BECAUSE it's so mastered. The unpredictable moves can yield results."     Psyber then immediately sits down at the table when cards are being dealt out for Texas Hold 'Em, "Oh, I'm in for that. I love poker."     "Alright, fine, fine. No cheating unless we allow cheating in the rules in the future." Moments afterwords, he adds, "And I still need to learn Magic, though I think THAT might take me a while to pick up."     And let's not forget Riva, "I'm not YOUR Space Dad. I'm Arthur's Space Dad. It sounds weird when you call me that. And I am..." Psyber wobbles his head back and fourth, "I dunno, about 'old enough', give or take a few decades for calendar drift due to inaccurate original celestial tracking." He grins a moment later. SOME DAY she may get the actual number out of him. 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' CLANK CLANK CLANK. Riva seems to be stubborn about this. "Can't be damaged? THIS IS CHEATING!" Her yell comes from the kitchen, and she turns and throws it at the wall. It clonks, instead of shattering, and she looks down at it as it rolls back to her feet, her expression despondant for a moment. Slowly, she reaches down to the jar and picks it up, and then takes the claw hammer and chisel and gives them back to Kickotron, before taking the jar back to the couch and just folding around it in a mild grump. "Oh, so I'm the weird one now?" She teases Psyber. "Fine. How about Teen Angel?" She chuckles a bit at that, while watching the poker game. She doesn't look like get's getting in on it yet. "I need to get back to London soon, I have to report in to my first boss." 

:'''{{#var:317|Theo Morrison (317)}} has posed:''' "I guess that's true. Unpredictability on account of a lack of skill is a sort of asset," Theo agrees. He puts his cup down, leaning against a table edge and folding his arms. He thinks about it a minute. "Cheating is a bit different, though. Good wins get soured by it, I think." Betting on a phrase is slightly different, however. "I'll teach you when you've got some time to spare. It's a complicated game." Theo actually has a real seat about then. Kickotron comes back with the tools in-hand, looking a little bit disappointed, insofar as it's capable of looking disappointed. It rummages in the bag again, fishing out something odd: a big, triangular shard of some kind of crystal carapace. Kickotron brings it over to Riva. "Hey, no giving away the loot," Theo admonishes. 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     As Psyber brags, Aoko raises a brow. "Hey, hey, Azzy. You know what'd be way more fun than playing with me? Playing against Psyber! He's like, half-angel! How often does Death get to play a game with an angel? I bet that doesn't happen much, because God just kind of sends angels to Hell, right? They don't really die."     But maybe she's wrong.     She's not hyper-religious or anything.     Plus, beliefs change between versions of the same religion.     "For chess, I mean. I'm okay with Texas Hold 'Em!"     She's not a pro but she'll manage.     "What's a space dad anyway?"     The towards Riva: "Hahaha~, sorry, sorry. I can't do a whole lot besides lasers but rigging a pickle jar to be the most frustrating thing in the world, that I can do!" 

:'''{{#var:614|Assassin (614)}} has posed:'''      Assassin begins dealing. It deals with that same lightning-speed dexterity - quite literally faster than the human eye can track. The upsides to being a Servant are massive, apparently! At least in terms of things like this, anyway. It flicks the cards to Psyber, Theo, and Aoko without bothering to look at them, operating purely on reflex.      "I do not know. I have not met angels. They are not in my purview, My Master," Assassin replies serenely, "I do not know if God exists."      "What is in London?" It asks Riva.      "What is 'the loot'?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "He'd kick my ass at chess," Psyber says off-handedly to Aoko, admitting that Death would probably be frustratingly better than Psyber at all levels of Chess.     "Ah, the space dad thing," He says to Aoko as he waits for cards, "My actions directly led to the circumstances that allowed for the creation of another being. Because of this, it is joked that I'm his Space Dad. Like... non-blood, but related through coincidence."     "Take care travelling to London. Don't get lost on the way back or anything and don't eat the local food. Brits put beans on everything," Says the Bostonian. Psyber looks at the cards as Death deals them out and then takes a moment to reply to Death, "If, hypothetically, God did not exist, his concept would still exist in good actions and deeds, and his principles would persist through selfless deeds. Whether God exists in a tangible form is irrelevant compared to the concept of God's existence and the weight it carries."     Pause for a beat.     "Riva, before you go, can you toss me a beer from the fridge?" And then to Theo, "So I wanna just blitz people down and slam em to the wall. What kind of deck do I go for for that?" 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' Riva, kind of dejected, nods to Aoko. "Well, it's good to have some skills, right?" She says with a little smile. "London is where the headquarters of the Knights Templar are in my world. We're an organization dedicated to protecting people from the various horrible things that like to send people to an untimely end or worse." Riva gets back up and takes the pickle jar back into the kitchen, putting it on the counter. Kickotron offers her a crystal chunk. "Oooh, pretty." She says, and then absently stabs the jar lid with it. It shears straight through the thin, cheap metal, but Riva doesn't even seem to notice since she's already rummaging in the fridge for beers. She comes back out of the kitchen, carrying the jar in one arm and the beers in the other. She sets down the jar (with crystal) to one side, still apparently not noticing that she punched a hole in the lid as she sets out beers for everyone (including Death). She sits back on the coutch, and opens up the beer to take a swig, "Actually, there's a /great/ taco place in the Haitian Quarter." Riva replies. "The Yellow Sign Fish and Chips is pretty good too." 

:'''{{#var:317|Theo Morrison (317)}} has posed:''' Theo is okay with cards. This is not his final fo--er, favored game, but he'll play a couple hands. "'The loot' in a broad sense is items acquired as a result of victory with a monster, and 'the loot' in a general sense is a bunch of shards of Endbringer carapace from Brockton Bay. I was at the crazy fight last night, stopping tidal waves and stuff while people actually did the heavy lifting." Psyber waxes philosophical. Theo looks at him for a minute, vaguely quizzically. He shakes his head slightly to dismiss it. "Um, red for a swarm of goblins or direct damage, white for soldiers, weenies, little things like that... both if you want to play turn-right-win-fight. Aggro is annoying to deal with." Kickotron is fascinated with the now-punctured lid and the jar. Theo glances over and doubletakes. "Geez. Good for more than just hypothetical armor, I guess." 

}}

1258/Sword Learning Time

2015-01-04T04:02:49Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/01/04 |Location=Void - Skyland |Synopsis=Onikaze Kenshin and Kaminagi Setsuko meet to teach her the basics of iaijutsu. |Thanks= |Cast of Char..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/01/04
|Location=Void - Skyland
|Synopsis=Onikaze Kenshin and Kaminagi Setsuko meet to teach her the basics of iaijutsu.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=76, 255
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:76|Onikaze Kenshin (76)}} has posed:'''     Some time ago, Setsuko had asked Onikaze Kenshin for lessons with the blade. An interesting request to make of him, since he never thought himself one to teach, merely to carry on a style. But he knew her with some familiarity, and so was willing to help!     The holidays and some personal matters had kept him from contacting her before now, but he had finally found the time. A simple courier would deliver a note to wherever Setsuko may be found through Union channels, requesting she meet him on one of the floating islands in the Skyland. Kenshin feels more comfortable out in the open air and strange landscape.     So, with sword in hand, he calmly aways her arrival. 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     It is probably even more interesting in light of the person making the request; no one who saw Setsuko use a blade for any stretch of time would call her anything less than a master swordswoman, even without her supernatural attributes. Nevertheless, the demigod has come to feel there are gaps in her style. Areas in which it falls short. While her own battle experience and ingenuity can cope with these on an individual basis, it would be much better in the long run for her to learn techniques that shore up her style's weak points directly.     Rather than arrive on her usual hoverbike, the swordswoman has come on nothing more than the air itself. She glides down out of the sky in a smooth, curved swoop, one that brings her feet to rest on the floating island as naturally as if she'd taken a step. Her greeting is simple and down-to-business, but couched in more respectful language than even she usually favors. "Thank you for offering to teach me some of your sword techniques. I am deeply grateful for anything you impart. Kaminagi-ryu is a fine style on its own, but it simply isn't built for quick strikes." 

:'''{{#var:76|Onikaze Kenshin (76)}} has posed:'''     Kenshin nods his head to Setsuko and says, "I doubt I can teach you the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-Ryu without decades of time and devotion. But I can teach you the basic of what I believe you wish to learn." He says in a formal tone. He holds his sword out in a formal fashion.     "You wish to learn battojutsu, yes? The art of the drawing strike." He adjusts his stance and explains, "Your style focuses on the waging of war, and this is why it lacks lessons in these. The art of combatative quickdraw is steeped heavily in surprise and in counter-attack. It focuses on bringing your opponent to you, rather than you pursuing them."     "In the end, all styles focus on killing. The drawing strike wishes to simply do so before the battle even starts." 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     "I do," Setsuko confirms simply; and then falls silent, listening. It has been a very long time since she listened to another as a student; setting aside all her notions and preconceptions is a skill that she is perhaps out of practice with, but the philosophy underlying a style says much about how best to use it, and so she listens as she hasn't in a decade. It is only when he pauses that the swordswoman nods her head faintly. "I see... and I think that I understand, yes. Kaminagi-ryu is a battlefield style. Well-rounded, but not made for situations in which speed is paramount. We only have one draw technique, and compared to other styles, it's... rudimentary." 

:'''{{#var:76|Onikaze Kenshin (76)}} has posed:'''     Kenshin nods his head as she explains her style, "I see. Yes." He notes, listening to her carefully, "The most important point to know in battojutsu, the whole of the fight takes place in the drawing of the blade. That is why it is defensive and meant to counter an opponent or catch them off guard."     He adjusts to show her a stance, keeping his sword held at his side with one hand while his other is on the hilt, "In the one motion of drawing, you will begin the battle." He takes his sword partway out of its sheath, "And then you will defend against the assault," He tilts the sword a bit while drawing, meant to pull it across his body in a defensive motion while still removing it from the sheath, adding a step to the side as a dodge, "And then you kill your opponent." He flicks the blade out finally in an easy and graceful slash. He did it slowly, in three separate segments. But then he shows her the actual draw and it all looks like one motion of a second.     "Your three goals of any battle are followed in one motion. Draw, Deflect, Defeat. This is the first and most utilitarian of its style." 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     Setsuko's eyes follow each movement. There's an intensity of focus there she seldom shows outside of a battle, committing to memory the stance that Kenshin takes, every movement of arm, of sword, how the stance enables it. The reasoning behind it. The slow, sectioned demonstration also makes it easier for her to decipher the quicker follow-up, mulling it over in her head.     And then she shifts one foot, allowing herself to fall into the same stance her teacher displayed. It's a nearly perfect mirror, with imperfections so small it would take either a master's eyes or superhuman senses to spot the differences. Zanjintou rests on her hip in exactly the right place, and in one smooth and fluid motion, she grabs, draws and slices, completing the technique as shown to her. It might take a purely human student months to reach that level of mastery; if nothing else, giving her the basic technique she needs won't be a huge undertaking. 

:'''{{#var:76|Onikaze Kenshin (76)}} has posed:'''     "Excellent," Kenshin says, "You have several minor inefficiencies of motion, but you can practice to work those out. No storm is ever perfect," He notes to her after watching the recreation of his move. He seems approving as he re-sheaths his blade.     "This is the fundamental principle of battojutsu, the core maneuver. All else from here is of form and response. You may cede ground and strike horizontally. Or you may step forward and slash upwards." He watches her, stepping easily in the grass, "It may sound simple, but remember that battojutsu is the act of response. You must, in the instant that threat is identified, determine your own response. If you determine incorrectly, you will have consequences."     "The complexity of battojutsu is its simplicity, and that is why it is so hard to learn late in art. From one trunk stem the many branches of response. Many choices, and you must decide which is correct." 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     Again Setsuko nods, returning her blade to its sheath and considering. It is almost reflex to attempt to frame what Kenshin says in context with her own experience and philosophies; but she's old enough to see the trap in that. Even that one simple technique is different than her own style's single equivalent. More refined. Entirely different in meaning and function. But in the very core of swordsmanship itself, there is one principle at work she finds sensible indeed.     "Rather than practice a thousand skills, practice one skill a thousand times." Standing straight, Setsuko rests her hand on Zanjintou's sheath. "It's no wonder battojutsu is such an enduring art. A strong foundation like that..." Once again, she nods. "I think I'm ready to continue." 

:'''{{#var:76|Onikaze Kenshin (76)}} has posed:'''     "Something like that. A more accurate statement would be 'from a single tree grow many switches with which to strike an opponent'. No branch is the tree," He then twirls his sword in his off-hand while sheathed and takes a dashing up backwards, drawing the blade in a basic maneuver that swings it upwards before he pivots in his place and hop-dashes again, sheathing it a moment later as he skids along the grass, only to turn and draw it in a second strike, "From there, you would be taught to push drawing into your normal sword styles, but that is something I cannot teach, as all of my personal maneuvers use my own learned style. It is also risky because it involves sheathing your sword in combat." 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     Again, those blue eyes follow the swordsman through his movements with a sharpness no ordinary mortal could match. Each strike, the way it grows from that one basic movement, she takes it all in, memorizing, and this time her head shakes faintly. "I don't think I would ask that even if you could. I've trained my entire life in Kaminagi-ryu. Even my physical build is geared towards it. I can learn the core of Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu, but I don't think I'd ever be suited towards it as you are. Better that I incorporate the basics, and find places for them in my own style, I think." There's a faint smile on her face, some half-recalled amusement leaping to the fore. "Father always said that he'd like to modernize our family style some day. The way my world is now, I suspect it might not have been so different from this." 

:'''{{#var:76|Onikaze Kenshin (76)}} has posed:'''     "An interesting statement," Kenshin says, standing upright again as he holds his blade at his side, "For in my world, it is considered the oldest of the acknowledged sword arts, dating back over five hundred and fifty years. To hear it is being used for modernization is very humorous to me," He smiles in return to her, "I appreciate your compliment, however." He bows to her in a formal fashion, "I have little else I believe I can impart. All growth will come from you fostering this seed of knowledge. And when you pass it on to a successor some day, the Kaminagi-ryu will be all the more refined for it." 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     "Kaminagi-ryu is the style of a warlike clan," Setsuko explains. "When I say 'modernize', I meant more... altering it to suit the times, I suppose." The bow is returned, deep and formal; however brief it might have been, Kenshin has served as a teacher for her, both in combat technique and in philosophy. "And I thank you for giving me the knowledge and tools I need to refine my style. I don't know what my future will bring for my family's school of kenjutsu, but I'm certain that your lesson will help it, and me, to endure." 

:'''{{#var:76|Onikaze Kenshin (76)}} has posed:'''     Kenshin nods his head to her, "A style is like the sword it uses. It will only cut a path to the future so long as it is kept sharp. I am happy to have helped you, in any way, to have persisted your style further to the future." Kenshin gives her a nod of his head and then lets his sword vanish from his hand, his hands coming to fold behind his back, "But it is the wielder of the style that will most determine how deep it may cut, and you are a mighty warrior, Kaminagi Setsuko. I wish you all the best." 

}}

1207/A Christmas Meeting

2014-12-25T04:24:10Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/12/24 |Location=Boston-666 |Synopsis=Psyber and Homura have a special Christmas moment on the roof of the office. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/12/24
|Location=Boston-666
|Synopsis=Psyber and Homura have a special Christmas moment on the roof of the office.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=2, 253
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     It's a cold and rainy day in Boston, but Psyber is still up on the roof of his building. He's hanging out near the door of the building, under a big awning so he's not fully out on the roof and getting wet. He's still bundled up in a thick coat, though.     The reason he's outside is two-fold. The first is for privacy. He wanted to ask Homura to meet him, and with so many people in and out of the office on Christmas Eve, it was easier to set up somewhere that people wouldn't want to go. A rooftop on a rainy day is a good place. The second is because he's allowed to smoke on the roof without upsetting people.     So yeah. Psyber is up on the roof of Heaven or Hell, having a cigarette and hoping Homura managed to free up the time to head up to the roof and meet him like he asked. He knows she's been busy with the whole 'my brain is mush after finals' thing, so it's up in the air for him. 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     What an awful day to talk on a roof.     Well, it's not like she has anything better to do.     Gifts are handled (but the player isn't touching that until way later this month because it requires wanting to sit down and make a huge list), everyone at the loft is fine. She was just going to hole up in a room with Madoka and maybe watch a dozen movies or something, for all today mattered. Apparently it is being interrupted but that's fine, she needed a snack anyway.     That's why when she appears on the roof with an umbrella it's with a chocolate bar in one half, half eaten. It's almost Christmas, she can indulge in pointless sugar and chocolate.     "Hey. Merry Christmas and all that. Why the roof? It's raining."     The critism stands on its own. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Less chance of being disturbed. Plus all that weird symbolism, I guess. Having a meeting at a high place when it's very important. Angels like to have important talks up in lofty places," He waves a hand back and forth, smiling at her and not minding the rain too much personally.     "Really, it's that privacy thing, though," Psyber says, his hands falling into his pockets as the cigarette dangles from his mouth, "Merry Christmas to you too," Added as an afternote to his thoughts.     "Iiii called you up here because I wanted to ask something, but I wasn't sure how you'd react, so I didn't wanna put you on the spot in front of people. I know how private you are about how you feel," Psyber notes, looking at her as he leans against a wall. 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "I see. Where's the flaming bush and commanding voice, then?" Homura replies, brushing aside the whole symbolism angle because this is really an awful place even by angelic standards. There'd need to be at least 100% more psychological breakdowns going on here, and some music playing in the background.     "But yes, you are correct. So what is so important it had to be today?" Of all the days to have a talk on, Psyber certainly picks his'.     "How do Angels celebrate Christmas anyway?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Flaming bush doesn't work in the rain, kept going out. And the commanding voice kept getting noise complaints," He smirks a little. He folds his hands behind his head and laughs awkwardly at his own dumb joke.     "Ah, well. It's not a bad sort of talk, I hope," He hmms faintly, rubbing the back of his head with his hands, "I celebrate Christmas like any average person. He's my Messiah too, after all."     "Ah, so, too the point," Psyber scuffs his foot awkwardly, "Just in advance, you can say no to this, my feelings won't be hurt."     He squints a bit, "I know from your file about your parents. And... we sort of have a back-and-forth sort of thing," He turns his back to her awkwardly, staring out over the city.     "I just figured I'd ask if you wanna make it official. You don't have to change your name or anything, but..." He has to ask this facing away from her because, for someone as closed off as Psyber, it's awkward to even broach this topic.     He's dancing around the point with Homura, but his intent is pretty clear: Does she wanna actually be his daughter? 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "T-That is..."     Well, any attempt at humor is dead.     That's too serious to joke about.     "I... well, if you did not mean to put me on the spot, I still am. Given my age I suppose it's a symbolic gesture more than a legal one, anyway..." Technically 17 now, but as far as her Union ID goes and takes her places she's undefined and legal.     "If that is what you want, I do not see an objection. You have been a better father figure to me than most, even if I've also picked up all of your bad, self-destructive heroism-related habits over time." She scratches the back of her head. "Does that make Arthur my brother more officially now?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Sorry, there was no way to really do it without putting you on the spot to some degree. I figured better you and me than, you know, a crowded table of people all gawking at you?" Psyber offers, trying to point out how much more embarassing this talk could be.     "You are, in many ways, an adult. And it's largely a formality and a symbolic gesture, but... one I wanted to offer," He notes, rocking back and forth on his feet before turning to face her again, "I don't expect anything mushy out of you like tears, we're both way too jaded for that. But... in some ways, making it official felt like the right way to go."     It can mean a lot to feel like you have parents that care. Something Psyber wishes he'd had more exposure to. He then hmms, "I dunno what Arthur is. But I guess it might." 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     Mushy, yeah, that's not in Homura's repertoire anymore. Or at least, it's pretty hard to bring out. This is close! Probably closer than she's been in a while. Stuttering and voice breaking indicates it, even if she tries to keep a neutral facial expression and deflects the obvious implications by talking about Arthur.     "I, erm, I hope you do not expect me to call you dad. That seems like it would be extremely awkward." Though she might save it for a time when it's appropriate and awkward for Psyber more than her.     "I don't... see any reason to say no, really. For all intents and purposes I suppose it was already this way to begin with even if it wasn't acknowledged formally by some legal paperwork." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Psyber works fine," He says with an awkward laugh.     He's smart enough not to call attention to any stuttering or tone breaks. That would just make her even more upset. He'll deliberately not call attention to it and instead rock on his feet a little.     "Thanks. It means a lot that you'd accept. I was nervous to ask you, heh." He flicks his cigarette off the side of the building. He rubs his hands together and then kinda just says: "So... yeah. Merry Christmas, Homura." 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "O-Of course. Merry Christmas, dad."     See, there you go.     Maximum awkward for Psyber. That plays right into Homura's comfort zone so it's okay! Normally wouldn't be. Probably won't be again in the future. But hey, alone on a rooftop, no witnesses-- sentient clouds excluded, they cheat.     "You didn't answer though. Angels, do they celebrate? Surely there must be something up there on this day, if it's so important down here. Or would it be seen as a negative holiday? The sins of Man having needed shouldered by one, and it's a sort of reminder of that?" She wouldn't know. Though Psyber compared the Angels to automatons more than individuals, so maybe they really don't give a damn. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber makes a grousy and embarassed noise when she calls him that, but it's also easy to tell that it strikes a chord with him. Luckily for him, she supplies him an easy way to feel immensely less awkward.     "The usual. Chorus of angels, praising the Highest. It's a big deal. He's the Son of God, after all. There isn't the gift exchange and all, but it's a day of praise." He thinks it over, "I never really fit in up there, much. I was more human in nature, so being down here and doing this stuff is more my bag." 

}}

1166/Kenshin's First Class

2014-12-18T04:52:19Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/12/17 |Location=Galianda |Synopsis=Kenshin has his first day as a teacher! It turns out pretty interestingly. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=8,..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/12/17
|Location=Galianda
|Synopsis=Kenshin has his first day as a teacher! It turns out pretty interestingly.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=8, 76, 255, 575, 626, 627, 633, 642, 650, 658, 666
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:76|Onikaze Kenshin (76)}} has posed:''' It was something of a notable event on campus: The first lesson or lecture taught by an extraversal resident. Kenshin had no idea that this was a notable event, however, and had simply offered to give advice and teaching on his three very narrow fields of specialty: Swords, the wind, and extraversal temporal manipulation abilities. This lecture was about that third topic. Deliberately kept open to all departments, it was an open-door lecture mostly owing to Kenshin's dislike of restrictions or constraints most of the time. The room he had taken was mid-sized and in the Theoretical Education building, tucked into a corner of the building and on the ground floor. It had a number of desks and every window in the room was pretty widely open. Kenshin, himself, is wearing his usual outfit of a black button-up shirt and some slacks. His cloak is hanging in one corner of the room and his sword is laying across a desk, sheathed. "Greetings and welcome," He begins with a calm tone, "I am pleased that the winds of fortune have brought you all to listen to me today. It brings me happiness to impart wisdom on all who seek it, and I would like to teach those here today about the rare residents of the Multiverse whom can manipulate time. Most of my knowledge is second hand unless it pertains to my own abilities. My hope is to help you find similarities and differences in their areas of power, and help people synergize with these individuals." He waves a hand at a chalk board and there's a slight rustle of wind. Chalk dust picks up from the board and starts to form into letters, "I have no real name any more, but since it makes many people content to address me by a name, I go by Onikaze Kenshin." The chalkdust in the wind carefully imprints those letters onto the board, "I am a philosopher and a wanderer." "As I will be educating you about time manipulation," He says, going through the desk they provided him, "I have prepared a test to be taken before the lecture, which will assess your knowledge of what I will be teaching you for today. Do not feel pressured, they were already graded an hour ago." There's a long pause before he smiles slightly, "I merely jest. A friend told me that humor may lift spirits and facilitate learning." 

:'''{{#var:666|Mirielle Edelweiss (666)}} has posed:'''     In the middle of the lecture room, a hand goes up. A sleepy-looking student with dorkily huge glasses then asks a question.     "This isn't Professor Yorom's 'An Unabridged History of Everything'? That was supposed... to be in this room, I think..." She asks, quietly, before pulling out a small notebook and beginning to leaf through it.     After a few moments her hand sloooowly sinks down, as she looks quite sheepishly at her notebook, the 'new teacher', her notebook, and just sort of tries to disappear into her seat. Nope. Nothing to see here. Nope. Not at all. She didn't say anything. No sir.     Mirielle curses, once more, her memory. 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     With members of Alexander Academy in both factions, it's only natural that word would get out here and there about Kenshin coming to lecture. Certainly, many in either group might simply think, 'oh, that's interesting' and move on. Others might come for the lesson.     It's debatable, however, how many have come simply for the fact of who's doing the lecture.     At least one of them, however, is standing in the back of the lecture hall, doing a good job holding the wall up with her back. Setsuko is not one to disrupt a place of learning like this, but it can't be helped; between her height, her potent supernatural aura and the sheer 'presence' that sets her apart in a crowd, she's gonna draw eyes no matter what. So she may as well stick to the back and minimize her impact.     If nothing else, though, Kenshin has her full attention and silence. 

:'''{{#var:8|Deelel (8)}} has posed:''' Deelel had been curious about things here and she was sitting in and listening at the moment given how scrambled her own home worl has bene for how many years? This was something she'd wnted to know about so here she is sitting in and not really lookint /to/ out of place save for the disc mount and disc on her back. 

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''     Ayako is here for several reasons! One, she loves dressing up in school uniform. Two, she loves acting like a student. Three, she was interested in the class as well! There are more reasons, but most of them are far less comprehensible. Leaving that aside, the water spirit in human shape is sitting at a desk and paying attention, and doing qutie a good job of fitting in. She's staring at Onikaze as he prepares for the lecture. Jiiiiii. At least until he starts speaking.     She does clap her hands together softly when Onikaze writes on the chalkboard with the chalk dust. And of course Ayako inclines her head to the side gently when he mentions a test that was graded an hour ago. Hmm...? What test? Oh! It's a joke. She giggles softly.     Ayako looks over to Mirielle when her hand goes up and... then starts to sink into her seat when she asks something odd. She offers the girl with the huge glasses a gentle smile and then tries not to direct too much attention to her. 

:'''{{#var:627|Souji Murasame (627)}} has posed:''' There might be a demigod in the back radiating divinity, but this does not prevent Souji Murasame from paying attention in class. He watches the front of the class stoically as he makes gestures on a mPad to take notes. His Moogle Glasses flicker on the HUD as he does work, quite probably working on running his business interests remotely while in class. His demeanor is formal and his appearance spotless and businesslike. His blade remains at his side and within easy reach. When Mirielle asks her question, Souji glances to one side, looking at Mirielle through peripheral vision. He says nothing, nor does he manifest scorn upon Mirielle, simply looking back and letting the woman shrink as she wills. Unlike some of the others here, Souji has some knowledge of Time Magic so he might actually get something out of this. He waits politely for Onikaze to request input on whatever subject he plans to broach. 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     Naturally, this classroom is pretty packed. There are even a few students hanging around outside the windows through a variety of Float spells and tricksey ninja skills. The novelty of this being a guest lecture from an extraversal is not lost on the student body-well unless your name is Mirielle and have not gotten the memo that the Unabridged History of Everything lecture had been moved.     Having actually fought alongside Kenshin on multiple occasions, Kyra made effort to attend this particular lecture. She's buried amongst those seated and has her fingers at the ready on her MPad.     There's pretty much no chance that Kyra will be able to make use of time magic, barring another magical accident. ...which could be a thing. It hasn't rapidly aged anyone yet, it could happen! But Kyra is still very curious nonetheless. 

:'''{{#var:642|Landon al Cid (642)}} has posed:'''      It's a notable event, which means that Landon al Cid is basically obligated to show up. The Prince is dressed in the black-and-silver uniform of an Alexander Academy student, and he's quite eager. It's something to do that doesn't involve getting cut, working his sprained ankle, having his stomach exploded through with an arrow of light, or having his ribs shattered. Besides-which, it's something he might be able to learn from, which is always exciting to him - both as an adventurer, and as a Freelancer.      The young Prince has taken up a spot somewhere near the door, so he can evacuate in case of an emergency, ostensibly. In reality, it's so that he can help people get out faster in the event of the emergency. Landon is that sort of man, after all.      He's also taking careful, copious notes. He's that sort of man, too. 

:'''{{#var:633|Soan Sagittarius (633)}} has posed:'''      Soan Sagittarius is also in class. He's not a time mage, sure, but this is a momentous occassion as the first class teached by a Multiversal stranger into Alexander Academy. In fact, he's surprised that there is not more people that ther eis right now! The thief is seated on the other side of the class, looking up at Mirielle with a smile. Late girl, wrong place.      He silently motions her to a seat near-by. Always good to be poilite with people. His own equipment is on him, his sword is near as is his shield, close to his fellows of the Light Warrior Club. He's dressed as he usually is, the uniform of the Department of Rogues. It's very serious and tidy.      He's taking note on his tablet, or at least ready to. 

:'''{{#var:76|Onikaze Kenshin (76)}} has posed:'''     If Kenshin feels the pressures of lecturing in front of so many and in so historical a fashion, he hardly shows it as he looks over to Mirielle and smiles, "No, I apologize. That was postponed until he can find someone who wishes to attend it." He says in a calm and cordial tone.     Among the students gathered he can see at least two faces he knows: Kyra and Setsuko. Both of whom get polite smiles after his response to Mirielle. He turns his attention back to the board and begins by saying, "Those who work with time are varied in their capacities. I have, personally, encountered three distinct individuals with three disparate levels of control. This number includes myself." The other two are Homura and Vruasa, but he can hardly lecture on their abilities at length.     With a flick of his wrist swiftly, a gust of wind moves and draws a singular line across the length of the board, "For the average person, time progresses linearly. You exist in the present and the future and past are uninteractable. For someone like myself or the other two, we have interaction with all points upon this line which involve ourselves, to a varying degree. This is different from those in your world, who limit their interaction to immediate temporal effects such as personal hastening or slowing at an individual level. This leads to many common misconceptions and faux pas that we run across regularly."     He turns to the class and finally asks his first question, "Who would like to guess the most common faux pas that someone who manipulates time will encounter from another person?" He looks around the class and smiles widely, "Or rather, let us expand that."     He thinks for a moment, "I do not wish you to be bored, and I know I am new here, so I will also allow you to ask me whatever questions you wish about my personal experiences. I do not have any explicitly defined material for today, so I am content to allow my first day to be used to familiarize myself and my abilities with the students."     Kenshin is clearly less of a regimented teacher and more someone who enjoys freeform lecturing. 

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''     Ayako cheerfully raises her hand. "I think the biggest faux pas would probably be... if you could go back in time and change the past!" She shakes her head slowly. "Time travelling like that is... it feels incredibly futile. You do one thing, and something else happens that causes it to happen anyway... or more commonly... makes it worse." A groan escapes her lips. "You feel like you're doing things over and over again with nothing changing and then you're crying and your friends have no idea why."     She then clears her throat and smiles cheerfully. "Ahem. And that is why you don't ask someone with time magic to try to change the past." Ayako's amber gaze goes off to the side. "Not that I've done it myself, that is!" 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     "Ooh!" Kyra's hand also shoots up. "And I bet people always make the assumption that you know /exactly/ what's going to happen in the future if you can accelerate through and back the timeline at will. Then they probably demand that you tell them." She pauses, "But it doesn't really work like that, does it?"     Sloooowly she turns to look at Ayako, the look gradually becoming a frown. Kyra has this vague sense that the girl's speaking from EXPERIENCE. Or maybe she's watched a bunch of cartoons that darkly explored that plotline. Privately, she kind of hopes that it actually happened since it would validate the fact that time travel is bad juju. 

:'''{{#var:642|Landon al Cid (642)}} has posed:'''      "Time travel isn't something that exists here," Landon observes after a moment, "Except as speculative fiction, anyhow. Is this something common to the Extraverse? That's quite a worrying thought." 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     The silver-haired swordswoman in the back takes in the students present with curiosity; Souji in particular gets a curious look before she moves on, if only for the sword he keeps with him. But most of her attention is reserved for Kenshin and his lecture, and when he opens up the questioning, hers is a simple one on the face of it... but perhaps not so much in practice. "I am curious where the intersection of time and wind lies." A question that hits on philosophy as much as metaphysics, perhaps. 

:'''{{#var:658|Annia Shirley (658)}} has posed:''' Annia Shirley had been quiet up to now, jotting down notes in her book the whole time. When it comes to studies, the new girl is pretty serious about it. She listens to some of the answers, and also raises her hand. Quietly, she gives her answer "I think the biggest problem would be what is they call a paradox. There are many theories about results of time traveling, but in at least one of them, if you did use time travel to change a specific event of the past, then you create a paradox no matter the result, since the reason you traveled back in time ceases to be, thus removing the reason why you time traveled in the first place." She goes for that answer at least, pitching in the discussion started by the teacher. She taps the end of her pen, waiting for more input to write down. 

:'''{{#var:8|Deelel (8)}} has posed:''' Deelel is thinking as she listens thankfully she'll be able to recall anything she hears later she does seem to be an outsider there's somethign maybe a bit strange about her clothing but that's about it.The Bsic seems to be listen and she ponders for a moment as she thinkg about what she does know about time. Humm she wonders about bringing up the Temporal Wastelands? 

:'''{{#var:650|Eiko (650)}} has posed:'''     Kono Eiko throws the door open! If it were already open, she throws it open again. Such is the haste with which she enters the room. In jeans and a hoodie and carrying a backpack, she would look exactly at home in almost any university campus on 21st century Earth--probably because she was a university student on a 21st century Earth. This isn't such a place, so she probably looks exactly as out of place as every other extraversal/multiversal/whatever student. At least she has that Rank C Dungeon License, which would mark her as someone with some kind of right to be around her, if legitimate. (It is.)     The place being as crammed as it is, she makes do by doggedly pushing through until she can find a halfway-comfortable place to set herself down, making good use of technically-being-an-adult and the height advantage that brings.     Oh hey, Ayako is here! She gets a wave from Eiko, before the latter starts studiously staring at the board and the lecturer without saying anything at all about her tardiness.     In fact, she was hoping there'd be some swordplay involved in this class, but only because of who was teaching it. On seeing the board and how there isn't actually any /room/ in here to swing a sword without hitting someone, she is--not too disappointed, since Real Magic(tm) is still a thing she wants to hear about, but it's frustrating how that katana she's carrying is still a total mystery. 

:'''{{#var:633|Soan Sagittarius (633)}} has posed:'''      Soan, for the moment, has little questions to ask about the experiences of the Time Mage that apparently had to think up a name. The Thief is attentively looking back and forth between the Extraversals and the new students, as well as the new teacher. Hmm. Time travel... it's always been the source of some really contrived plot convenience in novels and movies. He doubt it's... really like that, if it really does exists as they say. 

:'''{{#var:627|Souji Murasame (627)}} has posed:''' Souji contines to write on his mPad. His sword is clearly of ancient design, peacebonded with a crimson string that might not be colored with simple dye. The scabbard is of aged black leather, wear marks showing both great care and decades of use. An insignia is set near the mouth of the scabbard with small shards of silver and ruby, simply reading 'Murasame' to those who can read the language. It is also the center of an insignia commonly seen in Galianda should Setsuko look at any advertisements or weapons stores. The blade's handle is also wrapped in black leather in a complex intertwined pattern, a thin handguard of a dark metal visible. Others have already given the same answer Souji would hae given himself, so he contents himself with simply listening to the responses and taking additional notes. The question from Satsuko does gain a glance from Souji, causing him to look over his shoulder towards the one speaking. He watches her for several seconds, his gaze measuring... And says nothing, looking back to Onikaze to see if he happens to have an answer for the curious question amidst the other answers. 

:'''{{#var:76|Onikaze Kenshin (76)}} has posed:'''     To Ayako and to Kyra, Kenshin smiles widely, "These are the two most common inquiries, yes. Whether I can change the past in an advantageous fashion for an individual and whether I can predict the future because I interact with it." He leans on his desk slightly and says, "The answer to these two questions is simple..."     And it's actually the answer to Landon's question as well, "Interaction with time at such a level is incredibly rare. And, to be honest, is not how the books make it out to be." He tries to think of a proper explanation, "Time has a direction it wishes to flow. Events which must happen in order to lead to the proper outcome. These are unchangeable. Attempting to do so will fail in all cases. Your existence has an arc which it must follow and your free will gives you agency to determine your future. Because of these two facts, it is not possible to simply travel to the past and remove someone from time. That will fail in the best case and create a forked timeline in the worst, with the suboptimal line of progression eventually reaching its unfavorable conclusion. You would not experience this, as you are you. My capacity to move through time is hardly so robust that I could travel to the future or past of someone else's world. I move along the line of my personal experiences, allowing me to re-experience that which I have done. I cannot edit or view the timeline of another." It's a hard concept to grasp, but fundamentally sound. Changing a set timeline is impossible. Things must happen in a certain order for the current timeline to exist.     This is meant to answer Annia and more simply clarify his point for Landon, "Extraversals, as you call them, will not be able to merely travel to the past and disrupt your worlds progression. The most control I have experienced is over my personal experiences, and all that creates is a forked timeline which only I experience. Please do not worry about that. I assume a forked timeline is similar in function to a paradox. Changing time alters its flow such that you cannot recreate the causality for your movement through it in the first place."     Setsuko's question is a more personal one, "Ah that is... a personal topic," An awkward laugh, "I made a personal choice which involved attempting to follow the wind's path. To do this, one must be free of obligation and ties. The wind goes where it will without cause or reason, flowing upon its own will. So I gave up my ties to my home, to material possessions, and eventually to the flow of time itself. I am as the wind, I flow freely. It is... difficult to fully explain. I find I often do not think in conventional manners either." A side effect of his existence is his growing schism with regular thought.     He wrings his hands faintly and takes a deep breath, nodding to Eiko as she enters the room. A welcome distraction, "Welcome to my class. I was merely attempting to lull the class to sleep with the dry mechanics of how extraversal time interaction works."     He coughs and says, "We have talked about the larger displays of my ability, but these are rare and almost non-present. The most common extraversal usage of temporal manipulation is stopping time in a localized area." He explains.     And then in an instant he's somewhere else in the room, looking out one of the open windows with his back to the class. A blink later and he's back at his desk, "This will be the most common ability you will encounter. It lasts for short periods and often has a specific range of usability. You should not panic if an extraversal ally displays such a power." 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     Aside from that indefinable 'something' about her that marks her clearly as Not Normal, or the divine bonfire that can be sensed with any sort of magical senses, just looking at Setsuko makes it clear she's a seasoned warrior. Visible scars, the build of a fighter, the way she holds herself, the look in her eyes. But as much as she shows her experience in every way, her sword is simple and pristine by comparison. The wrapping on its grip is simple black leather, the crossguard the only vague nod to ornamentation on the entire thing, and the scabbard is lacquered black wood without a single mark or pit. That is the sight Souji is greeted by when he turns to look.     And Kenshin's explanation keeps her full attention, only to earn a faint nod at the end. "I think I understand, at least in passing." Her biggest question has been answered. Others are already asking the other questions she would have. So, she returns to silence. 

:'''{{#var:650|Eiko (650)}} has posed:'''     "Yo." Eiko responds when greeted pretty much automatically. She gives a little 'heh' at at the line following, but still doesn't have anything to add in the way of questions over the natures of time travel and such-like. Pretty outside her experience.     Now that she's distracted by trying to figure out what she *would* ask, she's got the chance to look around and see who else is here. She can't recognize any of the regular students in particular, but the other foreigners stick out as well as she does in a variety of ways, so they get looks in turn. Likely since her mind's still on it, she finds herself giving Souji and Setsuko another glance. More katana types, eh. And a little of that Main Character aura. 

:'''{{#var:666|Mirielle Edelweiss (666)}} has posed:'''     Mirielle is too busy being a lump in her chair that wants PRECISELY NO ATTENTION. She had not only been shot down by her own ignorance, but the guest lecturer deployed SICK BURNS upon her person and so her rather meek voice is barely audible, long after Kenshin had already started speaking.     "I-I wanted to go to that class. It sounded informative." She mumbles to herself. She is, however, taking copious notes, across two different notebooks. Pen and paper! Becuase she is not ritzy-rich like a certain sempai(s).     Slowly, she raises her hand.     "So, when you say a 'localized time stop' effect, do you mean something like someone casting Stopga? That's very advanced time magic! Um... That's the most common power of extraversal Time Mages?" 

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''     Ayako waves hello cheerfully in return to Eiko, not wanting to interrupt the class too much. She nods her head slowly as she listens to Onikaze.     And then giggles brightly when Onikaze answers Setsuko's question. "Eehh? Like the wind, huh? Being water is kind of similar." Ayako presses her palms togather and angles them diagonally by her cheek as she smiles brightly. While she might look, sound, and feel like a human, anyone with magical senses could feel that Ayako has an enormous amount of water mana, and anyone with spiritual senses could easily tell she's a spirit.     Despite Onikaze seeming to teleport around, Ayako's amber gaze shifts quickly to keep up with him. "It is pretty amazing the first time you see it yourself, though!" And then she claps her hands quickly at the demonstration. 

:'''{{#var:627|Souji Murasame (627)}} has posed:''' The examination proves to be worth the effort. Souji takes more notes. The opinions of time manipulation as displayed by an extraversal is useful knowledge, expecially by one who displays this degree of control. Finally, he speaks. "To be truly free of all ties, means one has given up their past and future." He says simply. "That specific iteration of that technique is highly uncommon in our world. One does not casually cast Stop-2, though here it would last somewhat longer. Or if you mean the process of relatively instant movement from place to place, it is more commonly performed here through use of Haste or Ninjutsu skills." 

:'''{{#var:642|Landon al Cid (642)}} has posed:'''      "For that matter, isn't Stop-5 still theoretical, too?" Landon observes at Souji and Mirielle, "I don't think I've ever heard of someone casting it, or harnessing it." 

:'''{{#var:633|Soan Sagittarius (633)}} has posed:'''      "I'm pretty sure it's /fictional/ as far I'm concerned." Soan adds in, leaning over on his chair to look over his shoulder at Landon. "Then again, I don't follow Theorical Time Magic." 

:'''{{#var:627|Souji Murasame (627)}} has posed:''' "Everything is theoretical until it is proven." Souji says with mild asperity. "The magnitude of power and the framework needed to engage that level of spell pattern in Time Magic is to common knowledge impossible, never mind what effect it would have." 

:'''{{#var:642|Landon al Cid (642)}} has posed:'''      "I read a book or two," Landon replies succinctly at Soan, "It was interesting." 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     Kyra seems pleased that her answer was right-though at the same time it's also a little disappointing. "To be expected, right? If you could just move through anyone's timeline at will that would just be too easy. Then you'd get leashed as a seer and that would be pretty miserable."     The source of Kenshin's power does not surprise her. She's actually had this conversation with him previously, having come to the realization that he attained mastery over time by /sheer force of will/.     "Still theoretical but not for lack of trying." Kyra cheerfully announces. "Professor Khamer has made some attempts." 

:'''{{#var:8|Deelel (8)}} has posed:''' Deelel smirks for a moment it's strange but she's thinking about someone she knows in passing. They would likely enjoy that but they are likely dealing with Daleks or something knowing htier luck at the terms for the moment and she pauses thinking. "I have a quetion have you looked into the Temporal Wastes or any of the incidents that are publicly known there?" 

:'''{{#var:658|Annia Shirley (658)}} has posed:''' Annia Shirley keeps taking notes of the answer. She doesn't know if that will be on a test or not, but personal experience and knowledge is not a bad thing either.Especially if it can be seen in a fight. Knowledge is power after all, she knows that much, using weaknesses for example is one way of using one's knowledge against them. She understands what the teacher is talking about though, actual time travel would be a mess no matter what you do, but time manipulation is a different story. Teleportation, haste, slow are all applications of it to some degree after all. 

:'''{{#var:650|Eiko (650)}} has posed:'''     Eiko cranes her head a bit to follow the disappearing-reappearing act, less so to follow the discussion, though she's listening. So spells are actually numbered, here? Too bad no one's explaining what the numbers mean.     "What's the exact scale on a Stop-1-through-5, anyhow?" Digression ahoy.     More head-craning then. Temporal Wastes? What? 

:'''{{#var:666|Mirielle Edelweiss (666)}} has posed:'''     "Well, there's no real useful striation between stop levels that are accessable." Mirielle explains. "To require a 5 tier system. You can clearly see it in, say, the base element spells, or white magic. Effect spells tend to be classified into two groups. 'Single Target', the first level. 'Multi target' at the second level. There is a theoretical third level that would affect everyone on a broad geographic location, a fourth for everyone within one sphere, and a fifth for everyone that 'exists' in the world." She offers, pressing her glasses up her nose.     "But that's purely theoretical. It is simple to say that Stop-1 stops 'one person'. Stop-2 would stop 'many people'. Stop-3 would stop 'everyone'. Four and five... Well, there's really no point in speaking of them, since nobody known can cast time magic at the third level." 

:'''{{#var:76|Onikaze Kenshin (76)}} has posed:''' "Ah, my mistake. You should contact him immediately to reschedule that," Kenshin says with a serious tone to Mirielle, "I had not known it was so important a topic to you. I apologize for causing it to be rescheduled." He looks a bit distressed at hearing he put her out by teaching today. He smiles at Ayako when she compliments his ability to use his powers. He doesn't have much of a response to that, but he does confirm her statement, "Yes. It is why many of my powers are actually wind-based. The time powers are just very memorable. And the most notable interaction with Alexander Academy students I had was in a cave where my powers were diminished." Deelel receives a very simple answer, "I know of one individual whose planet is located there, but her story is her own. I have not bothered myself to travel there due to having no need for its anomalies. I apologize that I cannot give more information on it." He falls a bit more silent, though. He's somewhat fascinated by the discussion going on between the students about in-world time theoretics. A bit of in-class discussion is hardly bad, so he simplyl eans on his desk and watches. 

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''     Ayako smiles happily and then looks towards the other students as they talk. "Eehh? So that's how it works? The number indicates it's range? Hmm... so I'd have... a lot of ones." She giggles softly and then inclines her head to the side gently. "Is there a special thingie for magic strength?" 

:'''{{#var:627|Souji Murasame (627)}} has posed:''' "There are various mechanics to measure the rating of a specific magical effect. There is no telling if extraversal magical powers would work well with the devices, however." Souji replies to Ayako, still taking notes. Onikaze, however, is addressed directly. "I have a record showing you manipulating the personal timeline of a Bomb. Can you explain the mechanics of what you were doing in that instance?" Souji asks, businesslike. 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     For the moment, Setsuko remains silent, listening to the discussion as well. 

:'''{{#var:642|Landon al Cid (642)}} has posed:'''      "Ah, generally, the higher the number, the stronger the spell," Landon informs Ayako, "But, as Mr. Murasame says, that's not guaranteed to make sense on the extraversal scale." 

:'''{{#var:666|Mirielle Edelweiss (666)}} has posed:'''     "Oh, no, um, that's not precisely true." Mirielle explains, raising a finger. "There are two scales. Strength, and effect. For example, Fire-4, or 'Firaga', is a very powerful blast of fire. There are numbers for 'power' and numbers for 'effect'. We are speaking about the effect scale. For example, on Ramuh, you could say that there is an effect of Rainfall, with the strength of 4. The entire sphere is raining, all the time. When we speak of effects like 'Bolt-2', or 'Thundara', that is mostly referring to the strength of the lightning bolt. Generally, if a spell is cast for effect, it falls into the effect scale, such as Esuna, Stop, or Protect. A spell cast for effect tends to have a very consistent thing it does and either works or it doesn't. There's no real difference between the strengths of an Esuna, becuase it either clears conditions, or it does not."     She lowers her finger, smiling. "The field of magical calculations and effect categorization is fascinating!" 

:'''{{#var:76|Onikaze Kenshin (76)}} has posed:'''     "Hm?" Kenshin perks up a bit, "Oh." He rubs the back of his head and then thinks.     "The wind blows strongest for itself, but may move the sails of any ship," He says to Souji. Of note, Kenshin has yet to response to what Souji said earlier about giving him his past and his future. Kenshin thinks a bit more and says, "I cannot travel back along a timeline to its origin, but in that very limited capacity, I simply advanced the time between my hands forward and backward along the side incriment of five minutes." 

:'''{{#var:650|Eiko (650)}} has posed:'''     Eiko's attention is brought over Mirielle's way.     "So this 'esuna' is something that fights off 'conditions,' I get that. But what do you mean you can't measure its strength? You don't have like, 'weak' curses and 'strong' curses? Or conditions or whatever. Seems to me more like there's a whole spectrum of strength for how much oomph you've got in an effect you're trying to put on something that doesn't want it." Totally off-topic now. 

:'''{{#var:633|Soan Sagittarius (633)}} has posed:'''      "Ehn, more precisely, Esuna 'returns to original state', in a lot of cases. That's how I interpret it, anyway." Soan says, waving a hand and sinking in the lenghty explantion from Mirielle. It's prett much more or less accurate, and he's pretty sure that she knows a lot more on the subject matter than he does. He's not a mage or theorician. 

:'''{{#var:666|Mirielle Edelweiss (666)}} has posed:'''     "Another prime example is that, on Galianda, you could say we benefit from Gravity at the effect rank of 5 - world-spanning - but at such a low power level we are resistant to most negative effects. Well, I suppose, it is hard to get up in the morning. But it is the reason we are not all floating around. So! Two scales. Power, and Effect." Mirirelle finishes, having been flipping through a third notebook.     As Eiko asks her a question, she gets a look through the notebook girl's huge glasses. "Well, it's a spell that purges conditions. It costs a decent chunk of power to cast, and it's generally tuned towards a breakeven that produces an effect that, yes, returns a living creature to its originalstate. You can't Esuna a Zombie and make it living again, but if someone living has been struck with a CURSE that makes them zombified, or into a toad, you can cast Esuna and fix it." 

:'''{{#var:627|Souji Murasame (627)}} has posed:''' Souji takes more notes. "That is an interesting manifestation... and exception... to your previously stated theories." The Murasame Heir notes. "Do you believe that extensive temporal effects in an area can cause a cumulative effect? Have you ever attempted to match temporal effects against each other? Is there a general extraversal measurement on which effects tend to take primacy?" Eiko's comment about curses causes Souji to glance over. "There are some things that the magic we know cannot resolve. There are a large category pof potential afflictions that are commonly grouped together under a single definition. a 'Curse', for example, can take many forms, but in the end, if it cannot be removed with magics, then alternative solutions have to be devised. Such has been the subject of many stories and tragedies." 

:'''{{#var:8|Deelel (8)}} has posed:''' Deelel Says "That's fair I was just curious." DEelel was honesly just curious she's leanring quite a bit about the local magic and that's always useful she's got the idea this world is going to end up being very imporant. 

:'''{{#var:650|Eiko (650)}} has posed:'''     Eiko waves a hand dismissively, kind of annoyed that these guys just don't get it. It's probably due to having learned magic operating under totally different principles than what her world has, but that doesn't make the disconnect bug her any less. "Naw, guy, you're still talking binary and I'm talking analog, like. Okay, so, example, I try to put some kinda curse on somebody, and they pull some tricks and shake it off. I put more /oomph/ in it, and the second time it actually sticks. The type isn't different. And if they were better at the whole esun-ing thing they'd still shake it off. You telling me magic just doesn't /do/ that around here? It's all nice and on/off multiple-choice round-peg-round-hole?" 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     "I can't speak for time magic in specific," Setsuko says from the back of the room, speaking up at last. "But it's my experience in general that primacy of one effect or another in the Multiverse is a very fluid, often unpredictable thing, especially where Elites are involved. You can never be sure your ability will overpower theirs, or vice-versa." 

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''     Ayako inclines her head to the side gently. "Hmm... extraversal things must be kind of... undefined for everyone here then... huh?" She giggles brightly, "Well, I find it pretty amazing how diverse and how unpredictable all sorts of magic and technology you'll find out there!" And then taps her cheek with her pointer finger as her amber gaze moves upwards and off to the side. "Well... I find it interesting anyway. And sometimes fun!" She nods her head quickly, agreeing with Setsuko, "Un, un! You have to give the proper respect to things Elites do!" 

:'''{{#var:76|Onikaze Kenshin (76)}} has posed:'''     To Souji, Kenshin thinks about it and rubs a hand under his chin, showing some thought, "I do not recall a standardized measurement. As for interactions, that is hard to say. I know that our abilities can cross-interact. I can move around when one of the others has stopped time."     "As for the matter with the bomb, there are outliers to all situations. Perhaps it was merely weak. Perhaps, because it was a monster and destined to die that day, its timeline was easily fluxuated. It is hard to determine. I could likely not to the same to an Elite-class entity, as many others have said." 

:'''{{#var:633|Soan Sagittarius (633)}} has posed:''' "What do you mean, more 'oomph'?" Soan asks Eiko, tilting his head over at. "Like, more MP into it?" 

:'''{{#var:626|Kyra Hyral (626)}} has posed:'''     "Hey now. That's not how esuna works." Kyra chimes in, looking up from her copious notes. She peers over her shoulder, looking at Eiko and Landon beyond. "It returns patterns to their /original/ state. That's why it can't, say, heal an Inverse from Odi-err, someone who is born with a disease but it can remove Doom. Doom's an /infection/. Esuna is the antibody."     She leans back in her seat, looking thoughtful, "There's a theory that the Enemy has the ability to alter the basic pattern itself. It's all just conjecture though. Nobody's seen it happen. And a damn good thing too. The idiots worshipping Chaos already do enough to fuck up reality when they're around." 

:'''{{#var:650|Eiko (650)}} has posed:'''     Eiko shrugs at Soan. "Magic Points? I guess maybe, I dunno. More EFFORT, get it? More of whatever it was you gotta sacrifice to make stuff happen. I try harder, it sticks better. I don't put in the effort, stuff doesn't work. Not all that different from swinging a sword, really." 

:'''{{#var:633|Soan Sagittarius (633)}} has posed:''' "That's what I said, returns to original state. It's like we have a 'prime, optimal' state and that's what it returns you to." Soan says, quite very well aware that he is not in the perfect depth of his specialties, but can only make vaguely educated arguments as far the under working of reality truly, really work. He's pretty well informed for a Thief, anyway. "No, Magic Particles. We've all got them inside of us. Some have more, some have less."      The Thief looks at Kyra, crossing his arms as he thinks on it. "Well, you shove enough MP into a spell to reach for a specific effects. A lot of technology works that way. Pump in just enough, repeatedly, then it goes. Traps works that way, too: powers a bit, powers to move another bit that'll expand another bit, to make it explode after a time." 

:'''{{#var:642|Landon al Cid (642)}} has posed:'''      "Magic Particles are everywhere. It's well-understood that gravity and weather effects occur because of natural magical patterns. When MP takes the correct shape, effects occur; this happens in nature as often as it does spellcasting," Landon chimes in, presumably because he reads a lot, "As Soan said, technology is much the same. MP is put into the pattern to make something occur." 

:'''{{#var:627|Souji Murasame (627)}} has posed:''' "It is a cause for a great deal of concern, but much of Galianda is welcoming of the potential for change." Souji replies to Ayako. "There are many things that we can all benefit from in trade." Setsuko offers clarification, and Souji nods. "So Elites cause warping in expected effects." He pauses, thinking for a moment and then jotting something down. "I expect all attempts to quantify this has failed so far. Very well." Onikaze's explanation gains another nod of acknowledgement. "This must be a manifestation of the distortion that has been mentioned... Or perhaps a manifestation of your personal ability with temporal manipulation. Regardless, the exceptions prove to be as informative as the rules." Whatever that means. Eiko gains another glance from Souji. "Your ability to apply an effect to someone is not related to the ability of Esuna to remove it. It works or does not. Esuna does not get more powerful, it only changes the number who can be affected." 

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''     Ayako perks up. "Hmm... Magic Particles, huh? Now that's interesting!" She inclines her head to the side gently. "I wonder if I could restore or give you some of my magical energy with my healing water?" Her hands cup together in front of her body and Ayako concentrates for a moment. Water with a green color to it forms in her cupped hands-and then floats into the air in a ball. "Green Healing Water." A pointer finger pokes the floating ball of water. 

:'''{{#var:650|Eiko (650)}} has posed:'''     Eiko stretches out her arms, fingers splayed, and JAZZ HANDS.     The meaning is a mystery. 

:'''{{#var:76|Onikaze Kenshin (76)}} has posed:'''     Kenshin nods to Souji in a slight manner, "Precisely, we may find wisdom in the system, and perhaps more wisdom in that which exists outside the system." He notes, folding his hands into his lap. Internally, he is somewhat intrigued at the multiple conversations which have sprouted up in the class room.     Idly, his hands move around in front of himself. He produces, a moment later, a curious sphere. It looks like a solid crystal with a swirl running through it. In reality, it is a small piece of wind frozen in time. He tosses this underhand to Souji and then smiles, "I think this has been a productive first day. I have little else to cover this lesson." 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     'Class dismissed' seems to have been the moment Setsuko was waiting for, as things turn out. She leans away from the wall at last, standing straight, and begins to circle around the room clockwise, taking care to catch Kenshin's eye with a wordless 'I'd like a word with you, if you're not in a hurry' look. 

:'''{{#var:627|Souji Murasame (627)}} has posed:''' Souji reaches up and cups the sphere, catching it with one hand without missing a beat. He watches it intently, turning it in the light. "Interesting." He says, and then pockets it in his suit. He'll examine it in detail later. Onikaze functionally dismisses the class, and Souji stands, locking his mPad. Perhaps he is planning to leave himself should he not be interrupted. 

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''     Ayako gets up from her seat and stretches as the class is dismissed. "Nnngh... ahh... thank you for the class, Onikaze! It was interesting!" She then wheels around towards the students. "And everyone else was interesting too!" And then smiles brightly and cheerfully. 

:'''{{#var:650|Eiko (650)}} has posed:'''     Eiko sees what's going on, and she's got about the same idea Setsuko's got, and does pretty much the same. Except she does it second, so she also gets to take a closer look at the demigod (and her sword) without having to crane her neck backwards and be even more obvious about it.) 

:'''{{#var:76|Onikaze Kenshin (76)}} has posed:'''     When Setsuko gives him a look that says she'd like to talk to him, he simply stays at the front of the class and tilts his head at her in a curious gesture. 

:'''{{#var:633|Soan Sagittarius (633)}} has posed:'''      "I think that was interesting, thanks you!" Soan lets out, closing up his ChocoPad(with an adorable, digital 'kweh') before shoving it back into his bags, dusting his hands off. He eyes the ball of air being thrown, as well as the looks of some Extraversal. Hm. He'll take his time to get his things gathered, he's urious. 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     With the brisk pace of a career soldier, Setsuko reaches the front of the class quickly. "That was an interesting class. I... don't think I've ever seen the kind of teaching that goes on in worlds other than my own, save from a rooftop across the street." She folds her arms behind her back, and turns to give the class a quick glance-over from a place where she can see faces. "I admit I'm curious how this came about." To anyone who knows her, it's pretty clear this is just something of a conversation padder; she wouldn't come into a crowded school just for curiosity's sake alone in most cases, and it's not the kind of thing she typically asks about. 

:'''{{#var:76|Onikaze Kenshin (76)}} has posed:'''     Kenshin tilts his head at Setsuko when she asks him the question, "I met Miss Kyra Hyral several times and followed along on a school function. My unique talents had me amicably approach the school to see if I could aid," He notes, leaning back against his desk, "With Miss Mari Hime and I having parted ways some time ago, I wished to pre-emptively stymie my separation from what people might call 'normal human characteristics' which she had been serving as an anchor for." He seems pretty aloof in admitting that particularly major flaw of his existence. 

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''     Ayako gently plucks up her floating ball of green healing water and absorbs it back into her hand. "I guess I'll find out by acting like a nurse here." She smiles brightly. "Time to stock here with healing water bottles~." And then hums softly to herself. "Oh oh... and then maybe more walking practice." Odd. She seems to walk perfectly fine...? Is she talking about something else? 

:'''{{#var:650|Eiko (650)}} has posed:'''     Eiko's kind of dancing from one foot to the other in a gesture of totally blatant impatience, but doing so at a socially acceptable distance from Setsuko and Onikaze so she can at least pretend to not be showing that impatience. In fact, she's totally willing to wait until Setsuko asks whatever it is she came down for. She got there first, anyway. Plus, Eiko's kind of curious. 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     "I see," Setsuko replies, inclining her head. "It's a good way. I suppose I'm not that dissimilar, in some respects..." She trails off, glancing to one side at the movement in the corner of her eye. Eiko's impatience doesn't go unnoticed, and if anything the demigod, very briefly, looks faintly amused. "I shouldn't keep you busy much longer, I think. I was wondering if you might be willing to take on a student of a different sort. It wouldn't require much of your time. Perhaps a single hour, some evening or other." Her hand has come to rest on the grip of her sword in a way that is deliberately more than just 'somewhere to rest it', giving the question an unspoken context. 

:'''{{#var:76|Onikaze Kenshin (76)}} has posed:'''     "Ah. You wish a lesson. Well I am trained in the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-Ryu style. And am its last surviving user. I suppose I would not mind sharing my knowledge some time in the future, most certainly," He smiles at her slightly, "We can talk about it sometime in the near future. Right now, I believe..."     He tilts sideways and looks past Setsuko, "You would like my attention?" He's not trying to dismiss Setsuko, so much as is worried Eiko may die of impatience and that would look bad on his first day. 

:'''{{#var:633|Soan Sagittarius (633)}} has posed:'''      Soan is no longer in sight. Whenever he left or is just lurking around is up for debate. 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     Setsuko arches an eyebrow. "Both of us the last survivors of our style. Interesting." Having already noticed Eiko, she wastes no time in actually stepping aside to 'cede the floor' to the girl, so to speak. 

:'''{{#var:650|Eiko (650)}} has posed:'''     Eiko raises her hand. "Yup, same deal. Basically. Shoulda guessed someone'd already ask what I wanted to--that's always what happens." Siigh. "But yeah, I wanted to know if you were going to do sword lessons. Heard around town that you're something pretty special with a Japanese sword."     Why a totally dissimilar culture with totally dissimilar styles in every other respect would also have Japanese-style swords is something she doesn't ask of the Galiandans. (Galiandians?) It doesn't even occur to her to ask. But that's aside of the issue of Onikaze having one.     "See, I've got one, and /it's/ something special, but if I had to describe my level of proficiency with the thing /as a sword/ I might have to use words like 'jack' and 'squat,' and that's the kind of thing that could get me killed sooner or later, ya know?" She doesn't seem especially serious about the being killed part, or at least not as if it's gravely worrying her. More like it's distinctly annoying. 

:'''{{#var:76|Onikaze Kenshin (76)}} has posed:'''     "Well remember that my world was destroyed. You were there." Kenshin remarks aloofly and distantly to Setsuko, as if the fact his world was destroyed is an unimportant note.     To Eiko, he nods, "I will likely do sword training at some point in the future, though last I heard the school already has extensive intructors for most weapons owing to the diverse number of classes in this world."     He smiles a bit, though, "If I receive enough requests, I can teach swordplay, though I doubt I could teach my precise style as curriculum, as it is a pursuit which took me two decades to learn. But I can impart the principles to people." 

:'''{{#var:8|Deelel (8)}} has posed:''' Deelel has been finding this whole class ineresting even if she's not had much to say as she starts to wonder about something she was old very old but she knew about human information ages and suspected there was a time differential between the Grid and the world at large before the unification. 

:'''{{#var:650|Eiko (650)}} has posed:'''     Eiko gives a nod. "Alright. Well, I guess I could always see what these chumps got in the way of basic instructors." She doesn't sound especially condescending in that, but between 'some random instructor' and 'time wizard swordsman struggling with retaining humanity' there's not much contest in her mind. It's obvious which of these has plot relevance. "Can probably use some of that before seeing that style with the long name you mentioned anyway." 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     "I always tend to recommend seeing regular instructors over seeking out an Elite," Setsuko says, nodding her head a little. "Onikaze and I are both extremely experienced battlefield fighters, but one thing a common teacher has that we don't is more experience in actually imparting their technique to others. I came to him because his techniques have a more refined version of what I lack than any ordinary swordsman I know of, and I learn... a bit differently than ordinary people." 

:'''{{#var:650|Eiko (650)}} has posed:'''     Eiko tilts her head at Setsuko. "Huh, so you've got some kind of wind-based thing? What's your deal, anyway?" No comment on the choice of teachers thing. 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     The silver-haired woman shakes her head. "Nothing of the sort. I have only my sword and myself. I'm a demigod, and my divine side's domain is War." Then, however, she gives a little nod of greeting, a formal introduction at last. "Setsuko Kaminagi, major in the Union Armed Forces." 

:'''{{#var:650|Eiko (650)}} has posed:'''     "Ahh, 'k. Eiko. Uhh, no armed forces. Syndicate Network, if that counts." The whole demigod thing kinda passes by her. Hey, she just spent the day learning about time magic. No more startling than the 'manipulating people's timelines' thing.     "Guess I can't say I've only got my sword and myself, since I've also got my ass of a partner, but I've got the sword 'cause of that so I guess that kinda counts?" Elaborate shruuuug. 

:'''{{#var:255|Setsuko Kaminagi (255)}} has posed:'''     Again Setsuko nods. "It's good to meet you. And you have what you have. The best advice I can give is, don't measure your abilities against those around you - measure them against what you want them to be. And then work with or against others as you need, to get where you want to be. As for myself, I should probably return to my duties." 

}}

1113/Ship Shopping!

2014-12-12T05:11:42Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/12/10 |Location=Boston-666 |Synopsis=Psyber recruits a new member to his office! |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=253, 637 |Tinyplot= |Tinyplot2= ..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/12/10
|Location=Boston-666
|Synopsis=Psyber recruits a new member to his office!
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253, 637
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber had totally requested to meet with Kongou!     He had heard from her, but hadn't SEEN her, since the incident where she turned into Kongou from whatever she was before. So after dropping her off at Medical weeks ago and then hearing her back on radio, it was a relief, but he wanted to actually see her for himself.     Hence comes this meeting on a snowy day in Downtown Boston. Psyber is hanging out near Boston Harbor, mostly because he thinks it might help Kongou be more at ease to be at a famous seaport. Mostly, though, he's hanging out and waiting with a cup of clam chowder to eat. 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     A request from Admiral! Of course Kongou couldn't turn it down. Though she knows he's not the same man who occupies her memories, Psyber's efforts have left a lasting impression. So 'Admiral' is more like a nickname. Just roll with it.     Of course, arriving in Boston, flagging down a taxi, and telling the driver 'Take me to the Admiral' doesn't get Kongou very far. Instead of the harbor, she's deposited at the Admiral's View restaurant overlooking the bay.     Not sighting Psyber inside, the girl emerges on the sidewalk, one hand on her hip, the other rubbing her chin thoughtfully, "Now where could my Admiral have gone~? This must be the <Wrong Place.>"     Nevermind she's like 5 feet away with her back to the person she's looking for. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber tilts his head at the girl as she appears from a taxi which has fortuitously brought her to the location she was supposed to be at by total accident. And she's facing away from him.     Carefully holding out his hand, Psyber taps her on the shoulder a couple times, "Looking for me?" He asks her curiously, that hand going to fall into his coat pocket as he drops the rest of his chowder into a nearby trash can.     "Thanks for coming out to meet me." He doesn't mind the nickname, truthfully. He just rolls with it because a lot of people call him numerous things, "I hope it's not too cold." 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     Firstly the radars protruding from Kongou's headband swivel. A half-second later, the girl turns at the waist, glancing over her shoulder, "Hmm?" Right awya, her face lights up in a big smile, "Ah, I <Found You> after all!" She orients herself to face him properly and bows, hands folded, in a normal Japanese greeting.     "We haven't been together since that day on the sea, no?" Her question comes out as the girl straightens her posture once more, "My memory is <Hazy> but I do remember your face from that day." The concern about her comfort just gets a small laugh out of Kongou, who squares her shoulders with a tilt of her head, "Cold? <Problem Nothing!>" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Yeah, I haven't seen you since I pulled you out of the ocean. I woulda stayed around till you woke up, but I had to handle a timetravel thing for a friend," He explains, smiling back at her when she bows to him. He pats her on the shoulder, "No need to be so formal."     "I'm sorry I tackled you, though. I mean, if it hurt. I feel bad about hurting girls unless I have to." 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     "Hmm?" Kongou's head tilts, her eyes open now. The smile is gone as well, her expression more curious than anything, "You tackled me?" Her eyes wander up, those radars twitching slightly, as if emphasizing the small, "Hmm~..." sound she makes. After a few moments, the girl shrugs, "I don't remember it, so it's okay~!"     It's entirely possible she has no idea what she did when she was that other person. Could they be two completely different people?     Leaning forward slightly, Kongou folds her hands behind her back, "<Formal,> no! Polite, that is all~! As for you. I am a battleship, you know, so don't feel as if I'm a <Delicate Flower> that must be protected~!" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "If you say it's okay, then cool. But you can't stop me from worrying. It's what I do. I wanna make sure that everyone is at their best. You may not be a delicate flower, but that doesn't mean you don't have your own set of likes and dislikes," He chides to her, watching her fold her arms behind her back, "Which is why I'll worry."     Then he gives way to a bright smile, "It's just how things are. So how have you felt since then?" 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     The ship girl lifts her shoulders. Ahh, she really has found a good one! A guy who worries even if it's not strictly needed. That, she determines, is a sign of a good leader. Even an admiral who is certain of victory is still concerned for the safety of his fleet, after all! Those radars wiggle slightly upwards, "<So Cool~.>"     Shaking her head slightly, Kongou returns to her usual peppy self, unfolding her arms so that she can flex one, the other hand resting on her bicep, "<Right As Rain!> I've already sortied for the Union a few times, as well! Though repair is tricky and resupply is hard, I don't give in easily!" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Good, good! I was actually gonna call you out here because I wanted to give you an offer! You should come work for my office. We're basically just... people who wanna help eachother," He smiles at her and then waves his hand, "And I'm not so cool. I'm just a guy, really, who wants to help people out."     "Ah, but anyway, we're stationed here in Boston at my home office. I was hoping you'd wanna come take jobs for us once in a while." 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     "Ahh?" Kongou lowers her arms to her sides, head tilted in consideration, "Work for your office?" Her eyes wander up thoughtfull, radars wiggling at odd times, "Mmmm~... Ah!" As if recalling something, "<Heaven Or Hell,> yes? It was mentioned in the introductory material I was given." Arms at her sides but her hands out, she leans forward a touch, "Lead by a modest man named Saibaa. That wouldn't be my Admiral, would it~?"     Arms folding up behind her back, Kongou corrects her posture, "But~ I wouldn't mind joining your fleet. You can count on my speed and firepower, Admiral~!" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "That's me, yes." He says with a smile back to her, watching the radars wiggling. It's actually a pretty enrapturing sight to see them go, eventually looking down at her when she accepts the offer, "Awesome! I'm glad to hear it. I'll get you set up with the encrypted frequencies and channels and permissions." He says. He looks pretty happy to hear that from her.     "I'm sure you'll get along with everyone. Mostly. They're an odd lot." 

:'''{{#var:637|Kongou (637)}} has posed:'''     Immediately, Kongou whirls in place, arms folding, and tips her head up, "Odd!" A cheek puffs out in a clear pout, "To think Admiral would call Kongou 'odd'!" It is, of course, all an act. She makes this clear when one eye opens and she glances his way just to gauge his reaction. The miffed look becomes her characteristic smile again.     "A fleet of many talents is a fleet that can accomplish <Quite A Lot!> That's how I feel." 

}}

1083/A Requested Meeting

2014-12-05T22:09:05Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/12/05 |Location=Boston-666 |Synopsis=Beatrice requests a meeting with Psyber and gets that meeting, plus an offer for recruitment. |Thanks= |C..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/12/05
|Location=Boston-666
|Synopsis=Beatrice requests a meeting with Psyber and gets that meeting, plus an offer for recruitment.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253, 638
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Just yesterday, Beatrice had requested a meeting with Psyber after hearing about what he did for a living! Psyber always tries to accommodate meetings where he can, and the girl seemed nice and well-meaning enough. Psyber's schedule was busy in December, though. The Pagan origin of the holiday's core celebration meant he had a lot of field mission to counter seasonal cults. Not to mention finals over at Miskatonic being rough as he was getting done with his first semester as a teacher. He also, pretty simply, wanted to show off what he meant for Beatrice a little.     And that's why he chose Boston Harbor for the meeting place. Despite the chill in the air and the cold winter weather, Boston is still a gorgeous city and its harbor is no different. A light falling of snow is starting to dust the ground and the piers and boardwalks, but it doesn't stop people from going about their business. Numerous ships are coming and going from the harbor and the streets are pretty crowded. Which is a good chance to see what Psyber meant by cohabitation: There are lots of humans, and in fact the population is dominantly human, but none of them seem to bat an eye at the occasional demon in a business suit, or a werewolf working on street construction, or even a giant that's helping to move steel girders up a building while the crane-operator is out to lunch. About one in every dozen or so inhabitants is a non-human, but they seem integrated into society and working alongside the people of Boston.     Psyber himself is standing on the edge of the docks, sitting on a safety rail and watching people go by as he sips on a steaming cup of black coffee, stretching out a bit and waiting for the girl to arrive. He's dressed in his pretty standard attire: A long black duster, slacks, and boots. A splash of red is around his neck today in the form of a bright scarf that sometimes flutters in the ocean breeze. 

:'''{{#var:638|Beatrice Marshal (638)}} has posed:'''     Beatrice is right on time, as always. The girl is dressed in light blue and pink clothes - a warm vest, under a jacket, and long stockings under her skirt. Which she still insists on wearing even though pants would probably be more sensible. Oh well. She doesn't appear to be cold, anyway.     On her head she's wearing a hairband with a pair of bunny-like ears and a Moogle pom-pom attached to it. The pom itself is pink. She also has a cat-ear umbrella over her head.     She seems to have had time for some shopping, given the bags she's carrying in her other hand. The sort of bags you get at very expensive boutiques - as well as places trying to imitate them. There's a teddy bear poking out of one of the bags. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Part of the advantage of Psyber's seated and elevated position, as well as his natural height, is that it's easy to play 'spot the non-Bostonian'. Beatrice, particularly in the outfit she's wearing, sticks out enough that he figures 'That is probably the girl from the radio', and so he lifts a hand to wave to her.     "Yo! Beatrice Marshal, right?" He shouts across whatever distance is between the two of them. He hops off the rail he was seated on and puts his free hand in his pocket, sipping his cofee with the other one as he strolls his way over towards her, "Interesting outfit. That all the fashion rage for kids at your Academy?" He asks in a mixture of teasing and curiosity.     "Welcome to Boston. I'm Psyber," He adds a moment later, smiling in a cordial manner and giving her a polite nod of his head, "I hope you found the city alright after you were done shopping around. Holiday Presents?" 

:'''{{#var:638|Beatrice Marshal (638)}} has posed:'''     The girl stops dead in her tracks as Psyber calls over to her. She doesn't need to look around to find the source of that voice, though, looking towards Psyber immediately. She reaches up to give a sort of half-wave with her bag-toting hand, which she self-consciously turns into brushing aside a bang halfway through the motion.     "I, um," she stammers, shyly. "...No. It's just... something I felt like wearing. I figured it would be cold, so..." She looks down at her bags. "Oh! Um. Yes. The Day of Victory is less than a month away, and I like to get my gift shopping done early..." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "It's kinda cutesy fashionable chic. I like it, it's like one of the animes where you want all the sempais to notice you," Psyber says with a grin and a thumbs up towards her. His office employs a lot of japanese teenagers, but his personal grasp on the anime genre is suspect at best. He twirls around a bit as a gag, tossing his coffee cup in a trash can, "I tend to trend towards the Gritty Noir Detective look," At least he's making fun of himself, too, stopping after his little twirl and saying in a fake and gravelly voice, "I like my coffee black and my whiskey neat." He laughs after this.     "I need to get my own Christmas shopping done. I have a ton of people to buy presents for," He notes, nodding a bit to himself, "Ah, but anyway. It's really nice to meet you!" 

:'''{{#var:638|Beatrice Marshal (638)}} has posed:'''     Beatrice looks totally baffled! "Wh-what? What are... animes...?" She peers at him dubiously as he spins around. Then, she giggles in unison with his laughter, instantly set at-ease by his antics. Apparently.     Beatrice looks at her hands for a moment, then stoops down to set down her bags. She then stands and holds out her now-free hand. "Pleased to meet you as well, Mister Psyber," she says. "I've... noticed there are a lot of, um. Different. People around here." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "It's a japanese style of cartoon. They're all the rage these days with the 15-25 crowd," Psyber says in a shrugging motion, "Please, though. You can just call me Psyber. I only like Sir or Mister when I'm in the field or on Union missions. I like to be relaxed and informal."     He looks around at her comment about the city, "Yeah. This city is pretty much the most progressive place on my world for Natural-Supernatural cohabitation. Years, decades of my work. I'm pretty proud of it. It's what I was talking about when I told you that I think monsters can live alongside humans sometimes."     "You seemed interested in the concept, so I wanted you to see for yourself." 

:'''{{#var:638|Beatrice Marshal (638)}} has posed:'''     "I-I don't watch cartoons!" Beatrice says - a little too quickly. And for that matter, Psyber never insinuated she did! Someone's a little defensive. She then catches ehrself, and blushes deeply. "I-I... prefer to, um..." Fidget. "My father is a Marquis, you see. So I try to be... formal, most of the time. I-it's probably a bad habit..."     She sort of trails off, then looks around - eyeing one of the clearly nonhuman Bostonians. "...It's a strange concept. These people... wouldn't be called 'monsters' in Galianda. Monsters are the spawn of Chaos. But, they're... obviously not Humes, either." Pause. "Well, some of them could pass as new subraces, I suppose. Carbuncle knows Odynari look kinda weird." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "You do not watch cartoons! I'll remember that for the future," Psyber says in mock seriousness, tapping his temple a few times and then giving her a wink, "But if it makes you feel better to use Mister, I guess I can learn to live it with. It'd be one of the less weird things people called me."     He seems interested in her take on the city, though, "Well these are the more humanoid monsters. Obviously there are some that are less so. Dragons that live in caves in the hills and wooded areas and other more bestial-inspired magical creatures." He wags his hand a bit, "In this world, most people consider them monsters due to permeating legends and mistaken lore. Or, in the simplest explanation, a few bad ones a couple centuries back ruined the reputation of their entire species." 

:'''{{#var:638|Beatrice Marshal (638)}} has posed:'''     "Oh! Dragons. Dragons are a thing." She hmms. "...Dragons appear to be a universal constant. Huh. The Dragoons will be thrilled." She pauses for a moment. "Or... possibly horrified. I'm not entirely sure." She giggles a little bit.     Psyber's explanation for why they're called 'monsters' stops her giggling in short order, though. "...Oh. An entire species branded as evil just because of a few bad apples? That's... sad." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "It's how society works before the advent of social communication like it is these days," Psyber explains calmly, hands in his pockets, "A series of grisly murders, a couple bad werewolves behind it, suddenly all werewolves are hunted and evil. And it sparks an animosity that lasts generations until people forget what started it." He uses an off-hand example.     "The world is basically a high-school rumor mill at its core." He grins a bit and then says, "So someone has to counteract that. You open up a dialogue and its amazing how many misunderstandings just..." He takes his hand out of his pocket and snaps his fingers, "Poof. Disappear."     "So what are you in school for, anyway?" 

:'''{{#var:638|Beatrice Marshal (638)}} has posed:'''     Beatrice frowns. "...I suppose I can understand how that would happen, although... It's also kinda hard to picture it? I guess because we have a unified enemy we don't really need to create targets to focus our hate on..." She shrugs her shoulders.     "Oh? Um. Well. Alexander Academy is primarily an institution devoted to giving us the tools to make ourselves productive members of society. So we're taught, you know, regular subjects like history, mathematics, literature... and also how to excel at our Jobs." Psyber can almost -hear- that capital J. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "You already have a job?" Psyber asks curiously with a tilt of his head, looking pretty curious to hear that, "I mean, the rest sounds like a pretty normal school, but the job thing is new. Unless it's some part of your world and we're mish-mashing meanings or something." He adds as a cautionary note.     "Overall, sound fun, though. You enjoy it there?" 

:'''{{#var:638|Beatrice Marshal (638)}} has posed:'''     "Jobs... oh -man- it is so -weird- how many worlds don't even have those. Okay uh." Pause. "Yes, I do enjoy it there." She coughs. "So! Jobs. Um. Legend states that when the world was young, Humes were given power by the Divines to fight the forces of Chaos. We were given Jobs, which are... basically areas of expertise. The original six were Fighter, Black Belt, Thief, Black Mage, White Mage and Red Mage."     She shrugs her shoulders. "Apparently Jobs are what allow us to become stronger simply by fighting monsters? I dunno, it's hard to imagine a world where they -isn't- what naturally happens." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "OH! Is that like how Cecil Harvey's Magic Mountain Ghost Dad made me a Holy Knight after vision quest into my fucked up trauma and really pissed off Faruja by circumventing years of training and restriction?" Psyber says-slash-rambles, the parallel between her description of a job and his strangely bestowed power clicking together at the same time, "Okay! Now I'm on board with what you're saying. That's pretty cool that it's a standard thing on your world." 

:'''{{#var:638|Beatrice Marshal (638)}} has posed:'''     Beatrice giggles a little bit as Psyber rambles. "I guess there -are- parallels in other worlds..." She smiles up at him. "Um. My Jobs are Arcanist and Time Mage." Pause. "M-most people only have -one- Job. Having two is seriously rare. Which... I guess is what makes me Elite...?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Ooooh, two jobs. Fancy. Arcanist and Time Mage. That second one is pretty self-explanatory, I know a lot of people that do time stuff. But what does an Arcanist do?" He wonders aloud, also passively asking her for an explanation.     "So you give any thought to what you wanna do after you graduate?" 

:'''{{#var:638|Beatrice Marshal (638)}} has posed:'''     "--Time Mage may not be as self-explanatory as it sounds at first blush. Time Mages practice Time and Space Magic... usually abbreviated to Time Magic..." She looks down for a moment, then back up. "Arcanists! Um, we Arcanists study Arcanima - the, um, mathematical patterns that define reality? By channeling MP through them we can... well, theoretically we can do -anything-, but a lot of things are much easier to do with a more traditional magical discipline. S-so we tend to focus on, um, more obscure stuff... like diseases."     She doesn't give that any chance to sink in. "After graduation? Well, um. My parents want me to be a lawyer, or a magistrate, or something. I'm not totally sure what I want, though." She gets a little quiet. "I-I -kinda- want to be a superhero, but that's... kinda childish..." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber nods his head as he listens to the explanation of both jobs, "I see, I see. Time and Space, like I said, I know a lot of people that work with that. It's pretty crazy to see what it can do at high levels, though. And Arcanima sounds pretty cool. Pretty intense, though." He pauses, "So it's like magical calculus or something? Instead of just doing the simple equations for effects, you have to do the more complex ones for the same stuff. But you get a wider array of utility, right?"     He seems to think over her desires post graduation, "You should do what you think is best for you. Don't take too much pressure from people around you. Your fate is yours to make." He smiles, "I proooobably can't help you be a superhero, but I can help you network with people who can teach you lots of stuff. You should consider interning at my business on-and-off. I don't mind freelancers." 

:'''{{#var:638|Beatrice Marshal (638)}} has posed:'''     Beatrice nods her head slowly. "That sounds about right. Calculus." She laughs. "Man, I suck at calculus. Why'd I have to get lumbered with the magical equivalent of it?" she jokes, mildly, smiling.     "Ah..! m. I-if you think it wouldn't be too much trouble for your friends..." Pause. "Um. Interning..? At your business? But, I'm. I'm only fifteen. I don't think I'd be any good." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber shakes his head, "You'd be surprised. It's not about age in the Multiverse. It's dedication, skill and how good at your job you are." Psyber says seriously, looking at Beatrice, "Age is pretty much just a number. Whether you're thirteen or thirteen hundred won't make a difference to the people I work with, just so long as you have their back and treat them well."     He does warn her, "SOME of them can be a bit crass." His mind turns to Arthur and Vruasa in particular, "But overall they're a good lot. If you want in, I'm not opposed to taking you on as a free agent." 

:'''{{#var:638|Beatrice Marshal (638)}} has posed:'''     Beatrice looks down, then shrugs. "...Eh. A lot of my classmates can be a bit crass. I mean. They're boys." She grins a little bit... then looks dreadfully shy again. "If you... think it would be a good idea. I guess I can try. I-I promise to do my best!"     Pause. Paauuse. "...What does your business actually do...?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Almost as if reading a rehearsed line, "Investigate threats around the Multiverse and participate in numerous peacekeeping activities with a particular focus on issues originated in monsters, paranormal activity, or occult leanings." He smiles at her, "In short, people work on whatever issues affect them personally or whatever they wanna work on, and the office helps you network with other people that can help you. It's kind of like a Faction Lite. I employ a lot of people. A lot of them like helping." 

:'''{{#var:638|Beatrice Marshal (638)}} has posed:'''     Beatrice cants her head to one side. "...You've said that a lot before, haven't you," she comments idly. "...Mmh. Well, that... does sound like a good group of people to get to know, if that isn't all propaganda..."     She coughs. "U-um. Sorry. I know it isn't. That was a joke." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "It's part of my sales pitch. I DO run the biggest Paranormal Investigation business in the Multiverse." He smiles slightly and then notes, "But it's something I really believe in. And they're all a legit group of people. We do have a Confederate, though, so be careful what you say."     "I'll see about getting you frequencies and accesses to my group and their resources." 

:'''{{#var:638|Beatrice Marshal (638)}} has posed:'''     Beatrice nods her head, slowly. "I... appreciate it. Um." She looks up at the sky. "...Oh. Pressure drop. It's going to start snowing a bit more heavily. Maybe we should head inside somewhere..." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber looks upward when she points out that it's going to start snowing more heavily, "Is it? I hope they salt the streets a bit more this year. It's always a pain to do car chases in this weather." He shrugs, "Sure, I know a cafe near by where we can get some coffee." 

}}

1063/In Which Aoko Blows Things Up

2014-12-02T05:08:56Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/12/01 |Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH> |Synopsis=Psyber and Aoko bond over weird talents. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=253, 591 |Tinyplot=..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/12/01
|Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH>
|Synopsis=Psyber and Aoko bond over weird talents.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253, 591
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     While most dates would consist of someone going to a nice restaurant, maybe dressing up, and some music... well, we already did that last time. That's boring if it happens every time. Who would wanna play that out?     Instead, the next time Psyber calls upon Aoko, it's less of a romantic get together and more of a curiosity-solving session. Psyber is up on the third floor of his building, having spent a large chunk of his time reinforcing the already reinforced walls and triple-checking to make sure the building could handle this. Which brings us to the actual premise:     Psyber, who is hanging around wearing jeans and a black t-shirt, sent Aoko probably the most simple text message ever: 'I wanna watch you laser stuff. Explain how it works.'     And now there's dozens of targets down range, ranging from small and coin-sized, to human-sized cardboard targets, and even a few watermelons for explosion messiness. 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     A normal person would worry this has TRAP written all over it.     Aoko already has a foot in the elevator by the time any such thought can even begin forming on the surface. This is completely literal, because she doesn't take too long to burst into the room with a grin on her face, shutting the door behind her.     "Psyber! Hahaha, you know the way to my heart! This sounds kind of one-sided though mhm. Won't you trade? If I show you things you have to show me things too!" Psyber's used to Samael, he can handle Aoko.     Predictably she's wearing a white t-shirt and jeans, also. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "'I'll show you mine if you show me yours'?" Psyber asks of Aoko, ignoring the obvious innuendo of thes tatement as he watches her burst into the room and make such a declaration. He lets his hands go into his pockets and laughs, enjoying her rather quirky nature. And it's true, dealing with Samael means he's not TOO put out by the statement.     "Very well. What would you like to see in exchange? Holy Knight tricks? Gun play? My weird conceptual scar? I'll let you take your pick, anything you want." 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     "I wasn't thinking that far ahead!" Aoko says, still grinning. She really wasn't either. She figured he'd offer something interesting and she could pick then, but even that requires effort, so she goes for the easiest route:     "Pick and surprise me! But, why do you want to see my magecraft? It's nothing interesting, you know. Insert mana, collect laser! There's no complicated ritual or anything. That's why good magi would judge me for using such primitive tools, but I'm okay with that."     She steps towards the edge of the safe zone of the shooting range, glancing at all the targets. "Ah, geez, you sure want to make me work too. Will you make pew pew noises for me?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I dunno, because it's cool? Most mages I've seen from your world use a complex technique like tracing or gemcraft, that kind of thing. You just punch lasers rapidly. It's an anomaly, I guess, so it fascinates me?" He nods a couple times, stretching out and then saying, "I guess I wanna see why it's only you."     But she did say he could pick, "Okay, I'll combine two and show you my special thing." Psyber draws a handgun from the small of his back where it was tucked into his waistband, "So. Check this out." He twirls the gun and says, "Cleansing Shot."     He fires off a bullet that strikes a watermelon to seemingly no effect at first. After about 15 seconds pass, however, the watermelon's Doom effect kicks in and it sort of melts into a puddle, "A lot of knights use holy swords. I can use a holy gun~."     His moment of showing off aside, he rocks on his feet, "Fine. I will make lasers for you. But if you tell anyone, you're dead meat."     And sure enough, once she fires off the first laser or two, he's going, "Pew pew! Vwooosh! Brrrraaaam! Bzzzzz!" In time with her shots. 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     At least, Psyber won't have to be humiliated very long.     After the melon promptly gets Doom'd, she eyes the dozens of remaining targets, mentally registering their location. This only takes her about five seconds of being quiet, but that's a big change from how chatty she is.     "Turbine, set~."     There's a ruckus; what few Magic Circuits the magus has, start spinning so quickly they make noise like jet engines. It would be hard to count the mount of bright blue orbs that suddenly form in the air; there's one for every two targets or just about, aligned so each beam can hit two. It's completely unfair, yes, if Psyber expected her to shoot from where she's standing.     The orbs hover in place a few seconds, small spell circles keeping them locked in place. They kind of look like flowers, with all the triangular lines and runes hovering around. "Circuits, connect. Deploy~."     The room is flooded in blue light, and the targets taken out two by two, although quickly enough it might as well be all at once. Red hair trails behind Aoko as she spins in place and turns to look at Psyber, still grinning.     "There, there! Although, your trick was cooler."     The noise form her body has already died down completely, although there's probably quite a bit of blue fire and heat in the room if it wasn't fire-proofed. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber takes a few long moments to be amazed at the fact that Aoko just sounded not unlike a jet for a few moments. He knew the woman was strange, but that's a pretty bizarre trait. And the fact she flooded the room just like that is equally bizarre, leaving Psyber taking a moment or two to just murmur a stunned, "Wow."     Luckily for Aoko, while not fireproof, the room has a fire surpression system! After a couple of seconds, the area downrange lets out a slight ringing noise and a damp foam starts to try to take down the fire before water tries to clear the foam out down a drain. Unless the fire is very resistant, it should be pretty simple. Also lucky for Aoko: The sprinklers are area-sensitive, meaning that she didn't set off every one in the room and get herself and Psyber damp.     "I dunno!" Psyber finally manages to say, looking towards her, "I'm pretty sure your trick was amazing. I've honestly never seen someone do that before." He reaches out a hand to clap her on the shoulder, "So what's the secret, really? How come you can do something like that?" 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     The flames are just flames! And blue.     RIP the flames, the sprinklers triumph.     "Huh? Nah, nah! It's nothing special. It's just lasers! Pew, pew. Ah, well~. Since you're asking me nicely. I don't have a lot of Magic Circuits, see. I guess a normal magus would have anywhere between ten and thirty? Really good ones could go all the way up to fourty! I have like, five. Maybe! I didn't count. But, they cycle really fast. So, say a normal magus can produce a handful of prana every few seconds, I can do that every fraction of a second or so. My magecraft is still really primitive, but I kind of cheat and have more juice to put into it than most."     Right! She points at Psyber.     "Your turn! How does your special holy stuff work?"     She could have just paid attention and figured it out herself. Probably. Maybe. But asking is way more fun. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber seriously tunes in and listens to Aoko, "I see. So it's not that you have a high capacity, but you can do what you do more OFTEN. Interesting," He says, rubbing at his chin with his free hand, "You can operate at top power for a lot longer too, I wager."     Psyber leans back a bit as she points at him, not wanting to get poked in the face with a finger, "A while ago, after the first time you vanished, some shit went down. I went to a mountain to see someone's Magic Mountain Ghost Dad. He gave me a quest of self-discovery about my paranoid beliefs in betrayal.     "The lesson about, you know, not being as bad about it as I used to be resonated with an ambient power source I'd hijacked into my body from before that and allowed me to tap into a native power of that particular world." Psyber smiles a bit and says, "Short version: I had a spirit journey that lets me channel holy energy from my personal concepts into various effects that I can impose upon people, such as Stop or Doom."     "Nowhere near as cool as being a smokin' hot Overclocked mage." 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     "I don't know, I don't see a smokin' hot magus around, just this lame third-rate one! I'm sure whoever that is appreciates the compliment, haha!" She doesn't seem too taken back by it; either she's used to flattery or she just can't fluster easily. Probably the latter, she seems too carefree to turn red... ever. Making people fluster, though, that's more up her alley.     "So a spiritual quest huh. Sounds familiar! But ah, that'd be telling~. I bet it was awesome! So you got some sort of holy artifact jammed into you and now you can use it like a battery? I bet it's super compatible with your nature as an angel too."     She flips back to herself, briefly. "And yeah, I don't think I can really run out of power. Or at least, I've never been in a situation that made it happen. I fought the True Ancestor once! We kinda held back because she was with company at the time. Plus, I wouldn't wanna anger her, she'd be serious trouble if she took me seriously. That's why I prefer being thought of as just a third-rate magus. Makes everything easy if nobody has expectations of you!" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Something like that. It was a gem that my body later just... incorporated. I guess that's also why I make a halfway decent Master for Servants despite having no spellcasting," He laughs at her, rubbing the back of his head. If there's one thing he can appreciate about Aoko, it's that he always feels a level of relaxation.     "I can dig the... deceptive expectations thing," He admits, leaning against a wall and watching the woman, "It's why I tend to play low key a lot. Make them all think I'm all action or whatever." He waves a hand, trying to find the words to explain it, "Then I get to surprise them all with a brilliant plan once in a while."     He tilts his head at the mention of a True Ancestor, "So do you know actual martial arts, or do you just wing it? I bet I could teach you some boxing, bit of karate. Mixed with lasers and energy, it might be interesting." 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     "I had a friend in high school, he taught me some martial arts! Mostly kung fu and... a bit of something he called Snake. Capital S. He didn't really teach me a lot of it though, it was way too complicated for me. Saw him using it once though, it was something alright. The kind of style that can make your heart burst without actually puncturing your skin. Oh! But, you know, when I went my own way I kind of figured some styles out on my own. I stopped counting after the tenth, but I haven't mastered any."     Mostly, she doesn't have the focus, discipline and attention span to master a martial arts style. "I wouldn't mind extra training though. And ooh? You're saying you have a mastermind brain hidden behind the action hero facade? That's deceptive! Does it ever actually work?"     Anecdotes, she demands anecdotes. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I wouldn't call it a Mastermind brain. I'd just say I like to pretend to not be as smart as I actually am," Psyber corrects, "I'm no Nathan Hall or Elliana Fairchild. I just tend to like being able to look for avenues others don't see."     "But I do succeed sometimes where people think I shouldn't," He notes, scratching the side of his head, "I helped Arturia and Mordred settle their differences as father and son. Uuuuh..." He pauses to think again, "I've helped a lot of magical girls, but that was someone else's plan that I just helped." He rocks back and forth on his feet, "I guess I'd say that I try to show people that it doesn't always have to be status quo. Nothing is set in stone."     He grins and then throws a slow and playful punch at her, "For martial arts, I'd say... boxing and kickboxing. Handstrikes and footstrikes. It'd mesh best with your style, I bet. Lots of hitting power backed by a nice blast of laser at the end."     He tilts his head, "What about you, though? You want anecdotes of my mastermind, but you've managed to be in the Multiverse a couple months and you're working with a Grail Servant, you've gotten on the ins with a major organization, and you're starting to get involved in a lot of major goings-on. I bet you're just waiting to squeeze your bosses for extra cash. Or some pretty big favors." 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     "Psh, months? Try years. But yeah, you're still right, I guess I have a knack for ending up weird places. I wouldn't call it being smart though, it's more like being lucky. Reeeeeaally lucky. Like, disgustingly lucky! But, also, I just love getting involved in stuff. I'm curious! It meshes well with all the stuff going on. I don't think I have a secret besides that!"     Favors, though. Aoko shrugs.     "Nah, nah. I don't pile up favors. The Association just pays me to stay out of trouble, that's good enough. Sometimes I go ask for more travelling funds but nothing serious. I don't think I have any pull!"     Technically a lie, she could probably yank the Association around pretty hard, although how much of that would be her and how much would be her asking Zelretch nicely... it's not like she has a reason to, though. What the magi do is none of her business, and it's nice like that.     "Boxing and kickboxing I have bases in! I have to use stuff that puts emphasis on my hips and ribs, that's where most of my magic flows from, although at the speed it does it really doesn't matter, hehe." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Both of those fighting styles use a lot of hip and torso movements," Psyber says, taking a boxing stance and then throwing a few jabs as he rocks his body, "Stick and move." Then he throws a couple kicks with some decent agility.     Lowering his hands a moment or two later, he dusts them off on his pants, "Someone like you could combine that reinforcement magic with some laser blasts, really get a guy good." He clenches his hand and playfully does another punch motion.     "Not a bad career, though. Get paid to stay out of trouble while working for a guy who pays you to show up at the same trouble he does? You get paid either way! Sometimes twice." He DID give her his paycheck from the Dorothy incidents, after all. 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     "It's true! And yet..."     Aoko empties her pockets by turning them inside out.     Nothing in there.     "I'm awful at money, hahaha~. Oh! Reinforcement. I'm really good at that too, since it comes down to passing mana through your limbs, and I sure have a lot of that to spare. I don't really like boasting though. I hadn't gotten to trade blows with a Servant before a few nights ago, but if what that dark version of Arthur can do is in the top tier like his legend would suggest, then it turns out I could probably outwrestle her."     She grins sheepishment. That was boasting. Ah well.     "Well, you know. Third-rate magus and all that, maybe it'd be my last mistake to try that. If I had to pit a magus against a Servant-tier entity I'd bet on the Servant a hundred percent of the time, no exceptions." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Well. I can't guarantee I'll keep you rich, but as long as you're around me, you at least won't ever have to sleep in an alley," Psyber says, his own hands coming to rest in his pockets as he rocks on his feet a little, thinking over that fact, "Your Servant has settled into the tower well. And killed the morale of a DVD Player as well."     "So you're estimating yourself as Servant-tier? That's pretty impressive." He confesses, thinking it over. He doesn't say too much beyond that on the topic of her toughness, switching topics, "What a very interesting third-rate Magus I've begun hanging around~."     "At least I can trust you go never be boring and bookish like I hear some are." 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     "You said book!"     Aoko produces a book.     It is a random book about horses.     It immediatly bursts into flames in her hand, the blue fires generating enough heat you could-- hey where did she get those marshmallows.     "This is the best rule I ever invented and stuck with." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     The half-angel really has no reaction to this. He simply stands there, dumbfounded and watching Aoko roast marshmallows over a book.     "I suppose that proves my point well enough." 

}}

985/A Scene of Little Import

2014-11-20T05:23:02Z

Psyber:

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/11/16
|Location=The Homeworld
|Synopsis=Seriously, we just played tabletop.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=2, 253, 455
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     One may wonder where this meeting is? It's in an inconsequential room that Psyber rented in an unimportant office building that would promise to be vacant on a Sunday. The room features a large meeting table with three seats around it. In the center of the table is a pizza, hot and fresh. Pepperoni and extra cheese, to be precise.     In one corner of that room is a cooler, presumably filled with drinks. Psyber is sitting in one of the seats at the table, a briefcase in front of him and checking his watch. This is a very important meeting he has requested Samael make, and it certainly isn't going to turn into anything stupid and unexpected. 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     There is a couch to the side, which Homura has shunted out of her hammerspace for comfort. She is lying on her back on it, holding a thick temporal theory book and reading from it. She's wearing pretty casual black and purple pants and a sweater, nothing too formal this time around. She has her glasses on and her hair is side-tailed by a red ribbon.     #JustRegularFinalsAreComingUpStuff 

:'''{{#var:455|Samael (455)}} has posed:'''     Pizza! And soft drinks! Apparently, these were some of the items that could enact the cursed ritual to summon Samael. And so it seems that Psyber was successful as the girl appeared out of nowhere, touching down on the floor quite gracefully on a toe, before spinning around and beaming as she normally did.     "Oh, so you did bring food!" she exclaimed, wandering over to the table, apparently not bothered with things like 'plates' and 'sitting down,' as she flipped open one of the boxes, unconcerned as to the opinions of anyone else. After taking a piece and quite quickly making it disappear in the space of a few seconds, she looked to Psyber and Homura, tilting her head.     "So! Did you just want to share some pizza in a vacant office building, or did you have something else on your mind~?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Sammy! I'm so happy you could make it," Psyber says in a tone that is equal parts 'I'm happy to see you' and 'I'm actually annoyed by you'. We'll call that his Samael Voice from now on, "Actually, I did have some things on my mind! I wanted to know if you would..."     Psyber flicks open the briefcase on the table. This part of his dumb plan was kept even from Homura, "Play some tabletop with us! I wrote the system myself. It should be pretty fun. I had a lot of time to work on it while I did my day job. It's called Weapons of Destiny."     Psyber pulls out some bags of dice and a few folders with some rules, "I already made people characters." Psyber smiles to Homura, "Homura will be playing as Cyba, a powerful warrior with a magical sword that embodies justice and truth named Judginatrix."     Psyber hands Samael a packet of papers, "You will play as this guy. He's a berserk swordfighter. He doesn't have one of the Weapons of Destiny. Instead, he was empowered by the Mysterious Others, the villains of the story. A rogue agent of theirs sometimes bestows incredible power with a terrible price on people. You can fill in his name, how he got that power, where he met that rogue agent. Just write it in with a pen."     Psyber smiles, "And I'll be the storyteller!"     He looks around, "Sounds fun, right? Any questions?"     This is the most passive aggressive way he could think to ask Samael about this set of incidents. 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "What."     It isn't Samael's appearance that makes Homura angle her book just right to get one eye to stare at Psyber, but the half-angel. No, Samael's appearance is pretty expected by now, she's gotten kind of but not entirely used to it.     "There isn't a cause dire enough on this Earth or the next to make me pick up a roleplaying game after the absolutely awful experience of painting my skin grey, Psyber." 

:'''{{#var:455|Samael (455)}} has posed:'''     "Ooh? A game? I get how it is!" the girl said, after peering at the packet given to her. "But...hmm. I'll come up with a name later! I'll just call him Swordguy for now." she said, nodding to herself. Psyber may have also noticed that one of the bags of dice had already been swiped, and Samael had opened it and dumped all of them out in front of her.     "So! What're we doing, then?" she asked, looking at Psyber expectantly as the dice clattered, hitting the table and going every which way. "You're running the game, right?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Okay, so since we all know that Homura is boring, she won't be joining us and I'll just dock her points off her grade this semester. I'm sure she won't mind getting a B," The greatest threat Psyber can give: Ruining a pristine 4.0 GPA.     Psyber smiles at Homura charmingly after this and then takes out a DM Screen, "Oooohkay. Swordguy, since Cyba may show up later, you are just outside a graveyard in Rome," Psyber says in a more authoritative voice, "You just got your mysterious power recently. There are other people in the graveyard, they're here pursuing someone very dangerous. The Warrior Cyba is in this group, and you two have never met. The person being pursued into this graveyard makes the entire field go from light to dark in a flash. This is very dangerous for everyone involved," Psyber continues narrating, looking over the edge of the screen with bright red eyes.     "The Darkness magnifies the darkness within, so keep that in mind when you dictate your character's actions. All characters playing." 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "Sigh."     Homura snaps her book shut and stands up, and then sits around the table across from Psyber, next to Samael. She glances at the material provided, to see how much Psyber is pulling her leg.     Social pressure and ramifications win once again.     "Alright, alright." 

:'''{{#var:455|Samael (455)}} has posed:'''     "Wait, so what does that mean? If it's dark, my character should act weird?" Samael mused, before just shrugging. "Rome? A graveyard? So...why am I here? What can I do? Why should I care about any of this?" she put forward, placing her elbows on the table with a *THUNK* and staring directly at Psyber.     "Whyyy? Why shouldn't I just go home and leave all those people to do their dangerous thing?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I don't know, Samael! That's what I'm asking you to tell me. You're roleplaying as someone besides yourself," Psyber says in a patient tone. He gives her a pleasant, if strained, smile, "These are the answers for your character. Why does he have mysterious power from the Others? How did he get involved in this mess? How did he meet the rogue agent?" Psyber asks her, staring her square back in the eyes when she thinks on the table and stares at him, "Put yourself in the Swordguy's head and then tell us how you got here! You're not Samael, you're Well-Meaning-Dark-Power-Swordguy!"     Homura's sheet, on the other hand, is pretty much an expy of Psyber, as the name would imply. It has stats for Judginatrix, skills in guns and swords, humbly low Int scores but a decent Wisdom, Strength and Con. Definitely a combat splat instead of a thinky-one.     "Cyba, you can take action any time you like, just tell us all what you're going to do on your turn," Psyber notes to Homura, rolling some dice behind his screen.     Then he narrates: "The Evil Vampire Witch casts a spell and the dead begin to rise from their graves. They're swarming through the graveyard, making awful moans and shambling along in a most sinister manner." 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     Seems simple enough.     Though it seems obvious Psyber just wants Samael to say something. She reads reports, she knows things, although if it were her she'd just ask straight up. It's not like Samael is a liar, or so they can reasonably believe right now.     "Can Cyba see Swordguy? Can I go hit on Swordguy? She has been doing this for a long time and love blooms on the battlefield, they say. There isn't a better place to find a soulmate."     She supposes she can have some fun at Psyber's expense. 

:'''{{#var:455|Samael (455)}} has posed:'''     "Ahhh...so. Then, I want to go fight the dead, then! They should be easy to kill, shouldn't they?" Samael said, apparently starting to use her dice as impromptu marbles. With a flick of her finger, one of the polyhedral dice when flying with a *crack*, causing the die it impacted to go flying in a random direction.     "And that is what it sounds like someone who has powers from the Others would do. Fight. It sounds right, doesn't it?" she said, her expression unchanging from her previous smile.     "So that is what Swordguy will do! Fight the zombies, and then try to go after the witch!" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber scowls a bit at Homura for making fun of him, "Cyba can see Swordguy once he runs in to fight the Zombies! Which he does right now with a..." Psyber looks at the die that Samael knocked around, "Sound success. Your power is active, you can feel the force of the Others washing over you, making you stronger, but you also feel violent and out of control from it. You go berserk."     Psyber looks to 'Cyba' across the table, "The force of his arrival and transformation easily kills a dozen zombies with flying gravestones. You can see swordguy. He looks interesting, but you should remember that you're already involved in forlorn relationship with both a traitorous man named Eliot Darkman and a dashing blue-haired mage they call Mister Red. Plus the ancient old one Wastil seeks your heart." Wryly he stares at her.     "The Darkness Field enhances Swordguys Other Powers, and the Judginatrix tells you that his power matches a known and dangerous agent named...Johnolun. Johnolun's power is very dangerous and your sword advises caution."     He looks between Samael and Homura, "How will you two interact? And what will you do about the horde? The others are fighting it, but you could still help them." 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "Hm. I see. Cyba has allies there with her, correct? She can trust they'll handle the vampire, while she goes to handle the agent. It won't do to have an external factor plowing in. And if the agent isn't present, then it'll be good to know why Swordguy reeks of them."     Homura glances at her sheet and then back at Psyber. "Cyba clears a path towards the incoming berserker through the undead to confront him and ask him who he is. There is a voice in her head telling her it would be a bad idea to bring someone else home but she'll ignore it." 

:'''{{#var:455|Samael (455)}} has posed:'''     "Going berserk is okay, because that is what is meant to happen. But what /should/ happen is that...well, fighting. Combat. That's what happens, you see! But the thing is...it shouldn't matter, since the Others' power is strong. Or maybe someone else stronger will come. We'll see, I guess! Because Swordguy isn't going to do anything but fight!"     Samael looked towards Homura, doing another disappearing trick with her pizza. "So, it probably isn't going to be any use talking to him, because he won't! All he'll do is fight." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Homura is really busting his chops here about this topic, and he can't say too much to her about it, "Interesting moves on both your parts." Psyber says, rolling some nice, "None of the zombies have enough power to match up against Cyba, meaning it's more time than effort to get over there, and it's barely effort at all."     Admittedly, he's also having fun running this tabletop for them because it's a fun way to find out information! Learning can be fun, you guys!     "So Swordguy has a lot of power from the Others. And Judginatrix tells Cyba that she might need to use Ascension to match him," Psyber points at Homura's sheet, "That's detailed on Page 2."     "This is because what Swordguy lacks in talent with fighting, he makes up for sheer durability. Wow is this guy tough! This battle is going to literally be unstoppable force and immovable object."     Psyber grins at them both, "Call your attacks!"     Psyber then sideglances to Samael, "Tell me. Have you figured out WHY the Rogue Agent gave Swordguy that power?" 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "She'll just have to knock the berserk out of him then."     Homura smiles innocently at Psyber. If she can make her play games she can tease him a bit. But this is probably the safe limit to stop at now, better not anger a teacher.     "Alright. Cyba will use Ascension, and will try using one of these..." Shuffle shuffle. "Law-based smite powers on Swordguy, to test the waters. To see if there's still a mind in there or if it's the agent pulling the strings. Since it's obvious Swordguy won't back down." 

:'''{{#var:455|Samael (455)}} has posed:'''     A yawn. "Maybe because it would advance an agenda. Or maybe they did it because they felt sorry for them. Orr...no reason at all! Maybe they just wanted to see what would happen. Or they were bored. Any reason works, really!" said Samael, as she streeetched, tilting her chair back on its rear two feet.     "There are a lot of reasons someone might give that kind of power. But it's pretty obvious what the end result would've been, isn't it?"     Samael's smile got a little more toothy as she went on to describe her character's actions. "He doesn't need one, because he's that strong. He just needs to swing his sword, that's all." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I see." Psyber says to Samael simply, accepting Homura's sweet smile for what it is: He trained her way too well in busting chops and it's finally coming back on him. He's as proud of her as he is dismayed.     "So. Here's where it gets weird. Swordguy is so tough that even your favorite and most powerful Law-Power only seems able to damage the power, not him." Psyber says to Homura, looking over at Samael, "So instead of your Health taking damage, your 'Remaining Other Power' takes damage instead, leaving your health pool untouched."     "Your erratic strikes, Swordguy, are able to land a few hits. She can take health pool damage, but she has a LOT of health. And she regenerates a little each round, making her dangerous for a long fight. But Cyba is very practiced with a sword and her defense is able to stop your strongest melee attacks. Especially boosted by Ascension."     "In the background, the others are having a very tense conversation and confrontation with the Witch. Mister Red looks on as his new..." He pauses, "Vassal seems very interested in killing the woman. Everyone seems to be distracted from the fight of Swordguy and Cyba." 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "Hm. I see. Cyba observes this, because she's experienced and can spot variations like that. If the power is diminishing but still out of control, then she needs to hit it hard. There won't be any worry of killing the person, so depleting their power in one strike doesn't have any inherent risks. Cyba'll tap into everything she has for one big hit, and try to force Swordguy to reciprocate."     Then she looks between Psyber and Samael, crossing her arms. "This is such a roundabout way of asking someone a question. How long did it take you to prepare all this?" 

:'''{{#var:455|Samael (455)}} has posed:'''     "Well, it doesn't really matter, because, at the end of the day...nothing major happened, did it? Nobody even...well, people /did/ die, but not where anyone saw it." There was a yawn as Samael put her feet up on the table. "Nothing will happen and everyone's fine, and everyone knows how this will end!"     The dice went up in the air as her feet hit the table, and the girl nibbled on another piece of pizza. "But if it did go that way...well, Swordguy would just keep fighting, because that is the point." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "About a week." Psyber answers to Homura, "I get a lot of free time because I don't sleep much. So I mostly work on stuff." He notes, folding up the DM screen after this.     "What you did to that kid really fucked him up, Sam," Psyber says, dropping the pretense of the tabletop when Homura does. It was a coy game, and fun for a while, but he supposes it's over, "I dunno. I guess, in the end, no one got hurt from it. Well besides the fact he destroyed my wings, but that's really unimportant. Still, it coulda been bad." 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "Your wings regenerate, don't they? I've never seen something just blow them off you, though," Homura side-comments, before producing her book and reopening it, now that playtime is evidently over.     "What DID she do, anyway?" 

:'''{{#var:455|Samael (455)}} has posed:'''     "Oh, well. People got hurt. Just nobody you know about. Or care, I dunno. Out of sight, out of mind, mmm? Or maybe you do. You can't be expected to be everywhere all at once." Samael had started to play marbles against with the dice, a sharp *crack* sounding as one die impacted another with what looked like the force of a bullet. The dice shattered, sending bits of plastic flying everywhere.     "Though, they were only tangentially related. And wasn't it obvious? He decided to play with me a bit after he ran into me, and I felt bad, since he used up...a thing, so I gave it back to him after we were done. That's all!" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I see," Psyber says to Samael at first, listening to her version of what happened. He watches the two dice explode as well, shielding his face for some errand flecks of plastic, "That's one way of putting it. The other is that you infused him with some of your power." He looks to Homura, "I had to fight a kid that she infused with her power and who went into turbodrive. Yeah, my wings grow back, but they take longer to regen than any other part of my body."     "So is that something you can just do?" He asks Samael curiously, "Is it like a Black Cartridge for non-Abstractum-Users?" 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "Oh. I see. Having you refill someone's magical battery after they use it up sounds like a pretty bad idea, yes, but I suppose saying so is more incentive for you to try it out," Homura notes, now filled in.     She hardly has anything to say, though.     "What do you mean by play, though?" 

:'''{{#var:455|Samael (455)}} has posed:'''     "Well, I tried! I don't know. I just...put a little bit of stuff into him, that's all. I felt bad for him, since he used up something, and...well, it looks like it worked!" Samael giggled, shrugging as another piece of pizza went down the hatch. "If I were to make a guess..."     The girl closed her eyes, chewing thoughtfully on a piece of pizza. "I would easily be more than capable of brute forcing someone's energy supply. It would be extremely painful, and would more than likely be extremely inefficient, and the results are..."     Another giggle. "Well, you saw it, didn't you? And, well...I played a game with him. That's all. He impressed me enough that I decided to let him be the hero for the day." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Well, it certainly created quite the interesting situation that I had to clean up, truth told," Psyber says, taking his turn to lean back in the chair and look at Samael. He doesn't look angry OR happy with the decision, more a sort of professional expression. The look of a cleaner that is used to dealing with messes.     "Well, when I found out it was you behind it, I figured I'd at least come tell you the results of your experiments. Homura is here because..." Psyber waves his hand. Homura is here because Psyber takes Homura MOST places. She's one of the limited pool of people he unquestioningly trusts.     "So that was the outcome of your favor to him. He turned into a bigass swordman made of Obsidian who was nuts and eventually shot me with a mouth laser." 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "At least you had good intentions, this time."     Homura shrugs the matter off. There's no doubt Samael is a dangerous loose cannon, but there's also no doubt there's no point hating her for it. It won't do a thing for anyone or help.     "He's fine, by the way. I believe Psyber sent him home after he was nursed back from the fight and fed here. I didn't catch him, though, so Psyber'll have to fill in the blanks." 

:'''{{#var:455|Samael (455)}} has posed:'''     There was another yawn, and a pleased, cheshire grin came to Samael's face. "That's good! Very good. If I was paying more attention, maybe I could've made it a bit more..." There was a vague hand gesture from the girl, but she just shrugged after a half-hearted attempt at getting her point across visually. "Easier...to digest? But anyway, it seems like it worked out okay. But I did that as a favor to him. Such a shame it was wasted on nothing at all, though...maybe I should try it again?"     Samael finally stood up, walking around to one of the windows, looking outside. "What do you think? I could be more careful this time! Or...I could just try putting even more power instead. It wastes a lot of power, but, it's not like I havn't got enough to spare." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber wobbles back on the chair, propping it up onto two legs and then adds on to what Homura said, "I sent the kid on his way after he woke up. It was pretty much the end of my involvement with him for the moment," He admits, crossing his arms and sighing a bit. He then props his feet up on the table to steady himself.     "If you're going to do it again, I can't stop you. If you're asking my opinion, it's that first you shouldn't. And if you defy that, you should do it cautiously if you do it again. There might not be someone around to mitigate the damage next time," He answers to her honestly. 
}}

985/A Scene of Little Import

2014-11-19T18:43:55Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/11/17 |Location=The Homeworld |Synopsis=Seriously, we just played tabletop. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=2, 253, 455 |Tinyplot= |Tinyplot2= |p..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/11/17
|Location=The Homeworld
|Synopsis=Seriously, we just played tabletop.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=2, 253, 455
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     One may wonder where this meeting is? It's in an inconsequential room that Psyber rented in an unimportant office building that would promise to be vacant on a Sunday. The room features a large meeting table with three seats around it. In the center of the table is a pizza, hot and fresh. Pepperoni and extra cheese, to be precise.     In one corner of that room is a cooler, presumably filled with drinks. Psyber is sitting in one of the seats at the table, a briefcase in front of him and checking his watch. This is a very important meeting he has requested Samael make, and it certainly isn't going to turn into anything stupid and unexpected. 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     There is a couch to the side, which Homura has shunted out of her hammerspace for comfort. She is lying on her back on it, holding a thick temporal theory book and reading from it. She's wearing pretty casual black and purple pants and a sweater, nothing too formal this time around. She has her glasses on and her hair is side-tailed by a red ribbon.     #JustRegularFinalsAreComingUpStuff 

:'''{{#var:455|Samael (455)}} has posed:'''     Pizza! And soft drinks! Apparently, these were some of the items that could enact the cursed ritual to summon Samael. And so it seems that Psyber was successful as the girl appeared out of nowhere, touching down on the floor quite gracefully on a toe, before spinning around and beaming as she normally did.     "Oh, so you did bring food!" she exclaimed, wandering over to the table, apparently not bothered with things like 'plates' and 'sitting down,' as she flipped open one of the boxes, unconcerned as to the opinions of anyone else. After taking a piece and quite quickly making it disappear in the space of a few seconds, she looked to Psyber and Homura, tilting her head.     "So! Did you just want to share some pizza in a vacant office building, or did you have something else on your mind~?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Sammy! I'm so happy you could make it," Psyber says in a tone that is equal parts 'I'm happy to see you' and 'I'm actually annoyed by you'. We'll call that his Samael Voice from now on, "Actually, I did have some things on my mind! I wanted to know if you would..."     Psyber flicks open the briefcase on the table. This part of his dumb plan was kept even from Homura, "Play some tabletop with us! I wrote the system myself. It should be pretty fun. I had a lot of time to work on it while I did my day job. It's called Weapons of Destiny."     Psyber pulls out some bags of dice and a few folders with some rules, "I already made people characters." Psyber smiles to Homura, "Homura will be playing as Cyba, a powerful warrior with a magical sword that embodies justice and truth named Judginatrix."     Psyber hands Samael a packet of papers, "You will play as this guy. He's a berserk swordfighter. He doesn't have one of the Weapons of Destiny. Instead, he was empowered by the Mysterious Others, the villains of the story. A rogue agent of theirs sometimes bestows incredible power with a terrible price on people. You can fill in his name, how he got that power, where he met that rogue agent. Just write it in with a pen."     Psyber smiles, "And I'll be the storyteller!"     He looks around, "Sounds fun, right? Any questions?"     This is the most passive aggressive way he could think to ask Samael about this set of incidents. 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "What."     It isn't Samael's appearance that makes Homura angle her book just right to get one eye to stare at Psyber, but the half-angel. No, Samael's appearance is pretty expected by now, she's gotten kind of but not entirely used to it.     "There isn't a cause dire enough on this Earth or the next to make me pick up a roleplaying game after the absolutely awful experience of painting my skin grey, Psyber." 

:'''{{#var:455|Samael (455)}} has posed:'''     "Ooh? A game? I get how it is!" the girl said, after peering at the packet given to her. "But...hmm. I'll come up with a name later! I'll just call him Swordguy for now." she said, nodding to herself. Psyber may have also noticed that one of the bags of dice had already been swiped, and Samael had opened it and dumped all of them out in front of her.     "So! What're we doing, then?" she asked, looking at Psyber expectantly as the dice clattered, hitting the table and going every which way. "You're running the game, right?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Okay, so since we all know that Homura is boring, she won't be joining us and I'll just dock her points off her grade this semester. I'm sure she won't mind getting a B," The greatest threat Psyber can give: Ruining a pristine 4.0 GPA.     Psyber smiles at Homura charmingly after this and then takes out a DM Screen, "Oooohkay. Swordguy, since Cyba may show up later, you are just outside a graveyard in Rome," Psyber says in a more authoritative voice, "You just got your mysterious power recently. There are other people in the graveyard, they're here pursuing someone very dangerous. The Warrior Cyba is in this group, and you two have never met. The person being pursued into this graveyard makes the entire field go from light to dark in a flash. This is very dangerous for everyone involved," Psyber continues narrating, looking over the edge of the screen with bright red eyes.     "The Darkness magnifies the darkness within, so keep that in mind when you dictate your character's actions. All characters playing." 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "Sigh."     Homura snaps her book shut and stands up, and then sits around the table across from Psyber, next to Samael. She glances at the material provided, to see how much Psyber is pulling her leg.     Social pressure and ramifications win once again.     "Alright, alright." 

:'''{{#var:455|Samael (455)}} has posed:'''     "Wait, so what does that mean? If it's dark, my character should act weird?" Samael mused, before just shrugging. "Rome? A graveyard? So...why am I here? What can I do? Why should I care about any of this?" she put forward, placing her elbows on the table with a *THUNK* and staring directly at Psyber.     "Whyyy? Why shouldn't I just go home and leave all those people to do their dangerous thing?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I don't know, Samael! That's what I'm asking you to tell me. You're roleplaying as someone besides yourself," Psyber says in a patient tone. He gives her a pleasant, if strained, smile, "These are the answers for your character. Why does he have mysterious power from the Others? How did he get involved in this mess? How did he meet the rogue agent?" Psyber asks her, staring her square back in the eyes when she thinks on the table and stares at him, "Put yourself in the Swordguy's head and then tell us how you got here! You're not Samael, you're Well-Meaning-Dark-Power-Swordguy!"     Homura's sheet, on the other hand, is pretty much an expy of Psyber, as the name would imply. It has stats for Judginatrix, skills in guns and swords, humbly low Int scores but a decent Wisdom, Strength and Con. Definitely a combat splat instead of a thinky-one.     "Cyba, you can take action any time you like, just tell us all what you're going to do on your turn," Psyber notes to Homura, rolling some dice behind his screen.     Then he narrates: "The Evil Vampire Witch casts a spell and the dead begin to rise from their graves. They're swarming through the graveyard, making awful moans and shambling along in a most sinister manner." 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     Seems simple enough.     Though it seems obvious Psyber just wants Samael to say something. She reads reports, she knows things, although if it were her she'd just ask straight up. It's not like Samael is a liar, or so they can reasonably believe right now.     "Can Cyba see Swordguy? Can I go hit on Swordguy? She has been doing this for a long time and love blooms on the battlefield, they say. There isn't a better place to find a soulmate."     She supposes she can have some fun at Psyber's expense. 

:'''{{#var:455|Samael (455)}} has posed:'''     "Ahhh...so. Then, I want to go fight the dead, then! They should be easy to kill, shouldn't they?" Samael said, apparently starting to use her dice as impromptu marbles. With a flick of her finger, one of the polyhedral dice when flying with a *crack*, causing the die it impacted to go flying in a random direction.     "And that is what it sounds like someone who has powers from the Others would do. Fight. It sounds right, doesn't it?" she said, her expression unchanging from her previous smile.     "So that is what Swordguy will do! Fight the zombies, and then try to go after the witch!" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber scowls a bit at Homura for making fun of him, "Cyba can see Swordguy once he runs in to fight the Zombies! Which he does right now with a..." Psyber looks at the die that Samael knocked around, "Sound success. Your power is active, you can feel the force of the Others washing over you, making you stronger, but you also feel violent and out of control from it. You go berserk."     Psyber looks to 'Cyba' across the table, "The force of his arrival and transformation easily kills a dozen zombies with flying gravestones. You can see swordguy. He looks interesting, but you should remember that you're already involved in forlorn relationship with both a traitorous man named Eliot Darkman and a dashing blue-haired mage they call Mister Red. Plus the ancient old one Wastil seeks your heart." Wryly he stares at her.     "The Darkness Field enhances Swordguys Other Powers, and the Judginatrix tells you that his power matches a known and dangerous agent named...Johnolun. Johnolun's power is very dangerous and your sword advises caution."     He looks between Samael and Homura, "How will you two interact? And what will you do about the horde? The others are fighting it, but you could still help them." 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "Hm. I see. Cyba has allies there with her, correct? She can trust they'll handle the vampire, while she goes to handle the agent. It won't do to have an external factor plowing in. And if the agent isn't present, then it'll be good to know why Swordguy reeks of them."     Homura glances at her sheet and then back at Psyber. "Cyba clears a path towards the incoming berserker through the undead to confront him and ask him who he is. There is a voice in her head telling her it would be a bad idea to bring someone else home but she'll ignore it." 

:'''{{#var:455|Samael (455)}} has posed:'''     "Going berserk is okay, because that is what is meant to happen. But what /should/ happen is that...well, fighting. Combat. That's what happens, you see! But the thing is...it shouldn't matter, since the Others' power is strong. Or maybe someone else stronger will come. We'll see, I guess! Because Swordguy isn't going to do anything but fight!"     Samael looked towards Homura, doing another disappearing trick with her pizza. "So, it probably isn't going to be any use talking to him, because he won't! All he'll do is fight." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Homura is really busting his chops here about this topic, and he can't say too much to her about it, "Interesting moves on both your parts." Psyber says, rolling some nice, "None of the zombies have enough power to match up against Cyba, meaning it's more time than effort to get over there, and it's barely effort at all."     Admittedly, he's also having fun running this tabletop for them because it's a fun way to find out information! Learning can be fun, you guys!     "So Swordguy has a lot of power from the Others. And Judginatrix tells Cyba that she might need to use Ascension to match him," Psyber points at Homura's sheet, "That's detailed on Page 2."     "This is because what Swordguy lacks in talent with fighting, he makes up for sheer durability. Wow is this guy tough! This battle is going to literally be unstoppable force and immovable object."     Psyber grins at them both, "Call your attacks!"     Psyber then sideglances to Samael, "Tell me. Have you figured out WHY the Rogue Agent gave Swordguy that power?" 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "She'll just have to knock the berserk out of him then."     Homura smiles innocently at Psyber. If she can make her play games she can tease him a bit. But this is probably the safe limit to stop at now, better not anger a teacher.     "Alright. Cyba will use Ascension, and will try using one of these..." Shuffle shuffle. "Law-based smite powers on Swordguy, to test the waters. To see if there's still a mind in there or if it's the agent pulling the strings. Since it's obvious Swordguy won't back down." 

:'''{{#var:455|Samael (455)}} has posed:'''     A yawn. "Maybe because it would advance an agenda. Or maybe they did it because they felt sorry for them. Orr...no reason at all! Maybe they just wanted to see what would happen. Or they were bored. Any reason works, really!" said Samael, as she streeetched, tilting her chair back on its rear two feet.     "There are a lot of reasons someone might give that kind of power. But it's pretty obvious what the end result would've been, isn't it?"     Samael's smile got a little more toothy as she went on to describe her character's actions. "He doesn't need one, because he's that strong. He just needs to swing his sword, that's all." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I see." Psyber says to Samael simply, accepting Homura's sweet smile for what it is: He trained her way too well in busting chops and it's finally coming back on him. He's as proud of her as he is dismayed.     "So. Here's where it gets weird. Swordguy is so tough that even your favorite and most powerful Law-Power only seems able to damage the power, not him." Psyber says to Homura, looking over at Samael, "So instead of your Health taking damage, your 'Remaining Other Power' takes damage instead, leaving your health pool untouched."     "Your erratic strikes, Swordguy, are able to land a few hits. She can take health pool damage, but she has a LOT of health. And she regenerates a little each round, making her dangerous for a long fight. But Cyba is very practiced with a sword and her defense is able to stop your strongest melee attacks. Especially boosted by Ascension."     "In the background, the others are having a very tense conversation and confrontation with the Witch. Mister Red looks on as his new..." He pauses, "Vassal seems very interested in killing the woman. Everyone seems to be distracted from the fight of Swordguy and Cyba." 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "Hm. I see. Cyba observes this, because she's experienced and can spot variations like that. If the power is diminishing but still out of control, then she needs to hit it hard. There won't be any worry of killing the person, so depleting their power in one strike doesn't have any inherent risks. Cyba'll tap into everything she has for one big hit, and try to force Swordguy to reciprocate."     Then she looks between Psyber and Samael, crossing her arms. "This is such a roundabout way of asking someone a question. How long did it take you to prepare all this?" 

:'''{{#var:455|Samael (455)}} has posed:'''     "Well, it doesn't really matter, because, at the end of the day...nothing major happened, did it? Nobody even...well, people /did/ die, but not where anyone saw it." There was a yawn as Samael put her feet up on the table. "Nothing will happen and everyone's fine, and everyone knows how this will end!"     The dice went up in the air as her feet hit the table, and the girl nibbled on another piece of pizza. "But if it did go that way...well, Swordguy would just keep fighting, because that is the point." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "About a week." Psyber answers to Homura, "I get a lot of free time because I don't sleep much. So I mostly work on stuff." He notes, folding up the DM screen after this.     "What you did to that kid really fucked him up, Sam," Psyber says, dropping the pretense of the tabletop when Homura does. It was a coy game, and fun for a while, but he supposes it's over, "I dunno. I guess, in the end, no one got hurt from it. Well besides the fact he destroyed my wings, but that's really unimportant. Still, it coulda been bad." 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "Your wings regenerate, don't they? I've never seen something just blow them off you, though," Homura side-comments, before producing her book and reopening it, now that playtime is evidently over.     "What DID she do, anyway?" 

:'''{{#var:455|Samael (455)}} has posed:'''     "Oh, well. People got hurt. Just nobody you know about. Or care, I dunno. Out of sight, out of mind, mmm? Or maybe you do. You can't be expected to be everywhere all at once." Samael had started to play marbles against with the dice, a sharp *crack* sounding as one die impacted another with what looked like the force of a bullet. The dice shattered, sending bits of plastic flying everywhere.     "Though, they were only tangentially related. And wasn't it obvious? He decided to play with me a bit after he ran into me, and I felt bad, since he used up...a thing, so I gave it back to him after we were done. That's all!" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "I see," Psyber says to Samael at first, listening to her version of what happened. He watches the two dice explode as well, shielding his face for some errand flecks of plastic, "That's one way of putting it. The other is that you infused him with some of your power." He looks to Homura, "I had to fight a kid that she infused with her power and who went into turbodrive. Yeah, my wings grow back, but they take longer to regen than any other part of my body."     "So is that something you can just do?" He asks Samael curiously, "Is it like a Black Cartridge for non-Abstractum-Users?" 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "Oh. I see. Having you refill someone's magical battery after they use it up sounds like a pretty bad idea, yes, but I suppose saying so is more incentive for you to try it out," Homura notes, now filled in.     She hardly has anything to say, though.     "What do you mean by play, though?" 

:'''{{#var:455|Samael (455)}} has posed:'''     "Well, I tried! I don't know. I just...put a little bit of stuff into him, that's all. I felt bad for him, since he used up something, and...well, it looks like it worked!" Samael giggled, shrugging as another piece of pizza went down the hatch. "If I were to make a guess..."     The girl closed her eyes, chewing thoughtfully on a piece of pizza. "I would easily be more than capable of brute forcing someone's energy supply. It would be extremely painful, and would more than likely be extremely inefficient, and the results are..."     Another giggle. "Well, you saw it, didn't you? And, well...I played a game with him. That's all. He impressed me enough that I decided to let him be the hero for the day." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Well, it certainly created quite the interesting situation that I had to clean up, truth told," Psyber says, taking his turn to lean back in the chair and look at Samael. He doesn't look angry OR happy with the decision, more a sort of professional expression. The look of a cleaner that is used to dealing with messes.     "Well, when I found out it was you behind it, I figured I'd at least come tell you the results of your experiments. Homura is here because..." Psyber waves his hand. Homura is here because Psyber takes Homura MOST places. She's one of the limited pool of people he unquestioningly trusts.     "So that was the outcome of your favor to him. He turned into a bigass swordman made of Obsidian who was nuts and eventually shot me with a mouth laser." 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "At least you had good intentions, this time."     Homura shrugs the matter off. There's no doubt Samael is a dangerous loose cannon, but there's also no doubt there's no point hating her for it. It won't do a thing for anyone or help.     "He's fine, by the way. I believe Psyber sent him home after he was nursed back from the fight and fed here. I didn't catch him, though, so Psyber'll have to fill in the blanks." 

:'''{{#var:455|Samael (455)}} has posed:'''     There was another yawn, and a pleased, cheshire grin came to Samael's face. "That's good! Very good. If I was paying more attention, maybe I could've made it a bit more..." There was a vague hand gesture from the girl, but she just shrugged after a half-hearted attempt at getting her point across visually. "Easier...to digest? But anyway, it seems like it worked out okay. But I did that as a favor to him. Such a shame it was wasted on nothing at all, though...maybe I should try it again?"     Samael finally stood up, walking around to one of the windows, looking outside. "What do you think? I could be more careful this time! Or...I could just try putting even more power instead. It wastes a lot of power, but, it's not like I havn't got enough to spare." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber wobbles back on the chair, propping it up onto two legs and then adds on to what Homura said, "I sent the kid on his way after he woke up. It was pretty much the end of my involvement with him for the moment," He admits, crossing his arms and sighing a bit. He then props his feet up on the table to steady himself.     "If you're going to do it again, I can't stop you. If you're asking my opinion, it's that first you shouldn't. And if you defy that, you should do it cautiously if you do it again. There might not be someone around to mitigate the damage next time," He answers to her honestly. 

}}

832/Finna Bugs Psyber

2014-11-13T00:50:22Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/10/20 |Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH> |Synopsis=Finna comes to bug Psyber about guns. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=253, 513 |Tinyplot= |T..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/10/20
|Location=Heaven or Hell Tower <HoH>
|Synopsis=Finna comes to bug Psyber about guns.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253, 513
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     After teaching his classes over at Miskatonic, Psyber has come back to the tower for his meeting with Finna. The gym-ish area is where he goes to warm up after classes, but before he goes out for actual missions in the city. As such, leaned up against a wall is a messenger bag with a dress shirt draped over it so that Psyber can lift weights in one corner of the room without dirtying up his nice shirt.     And that is exactly what the half-angel is doing, lifting a large-loaded barbell up and down while he waits. 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     When did Finna enter the building? Who knows. Maybe she's been waiting. Maybe she just recently snuck in. The mouse on the ceiling was probably quite hard to notice. And honestly, the way it descends behind Psyber on a thin silken line that glitters silver in the light is a thing one'd expect of a SPIDER, not a mouse.     But Finna doesn't like taking spider forms. They're too creepy for her aesthetic sense! So Ceiling Mouse was watching you instead.     Halfway to the floor she shapeshifts, so when she lands it's with a noteworthy thump about ten feet behind Psyber. Unlike before, she's in her modified huntress attire. Like her normal tribal leathers and furs, but heavily stripped down and modified to show midriff, short sleeves and pants... yeah, the same material, but more like what some fantasy thief might wear, or perhaps an adventurer who's tired of OVERHEATING CONSTANTLY in the Multiverse's warmer zones.     "Ooooooooh, there you are!" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Ceiling mouse is still creepy in its own right! And Psyber may have to adjust security to prevent people from sneaking in. He wards against the paranormal, and sieges, but not sneaky Lunars. Either way, Psyber pauses in his weight lifting when she makes her presence known, grunting a bit as he braces the heavy weight against the bar and then sits up.     "Indeed! Here I am. Welcome to my office and home, Miss Finna," Psyber says with a smile, picking up a towel and draping it around his shoulders. He's sweating slightly and his muscles are a bit strained from the lifting. Still, he looks to her a few moments later and then adjusts the towel before asking, "So! You have your face to face. What request is so secretive that you require a trist with a Colonel?" 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     Finna snickers into her wrist at Psyber's choice of words. "Oh, it's a tryst now, is it?" She, unlike Psyber, is not showin any signs of exertion, though she does len about on her tiptoes to get a good look at the room she's ended up in. She's eyeballing the range in particular...     "Me, well," the young woman leans forward, ears perking up as she cracks a smile at the half-angel. "Iiii just prefer face-to-face over a disembodied voice! So!" She plants a hand on her hip and looks up at the taller person's face.     "I've heard you're quite the gun nut. Yes? No?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "You're the one sneaking in, half-dressed, to the place I work out! What if I'd been in the shower?" He asks in a playful tease, before he lets his hands fall into the pocket and the towel is left draped over his shoulders, "But I can understand preferring a face-to-face over a radio conversation, definitely."     He hmms at her question, "I use guns a lot in my line of work, yes. Gun nut, sword master, researcher. A man of many fields," A chuckle escapes him while he looks down at her, "A few people around here are gun nuts." 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     "mmmmMMmmmmmmh? Your imagination is more suspect than I thougght." Finna grins shamelessly at Psyber. Who knows jsut WHAT he'll make of that statement or gesture, but she doesn't appear bothered b that insinutation one bit.     "The answer, of course, is 'whatever I felt like!'" Nnnnnyah! She sticks her tongue out!     But then it's back to serious mode. "The thigns are giving me trouble. Not shooting, I've got that down fine! But there's so many weird details like what kind of bullets fit what gun and the thing jamming on me... it's way better for some things than a bow, so not getting it working's a damn shame... soooo I was wondering. Can you teach me about these things?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "My imagination is perfectly normal, it is your conduct and demeanor which is suspect!" Psyber says with a grin back at her, hands still in his pockets as he rocks back and forth on his feet.     "Sure, I can teach you about gun safety, at a price," Psyber says, rubbing under his chin and thinking it over, "Always important to get that down. But in return..." Psyber's grin turns to a mischevious one, "I get to play with your ears some more." 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     "Hgi?"     Finna WAS gonna say something, but she's left stumped by this request. Stumped. Slightly blushing.     Also gaping a bit.     Really, her fce mostly freezes in an incredulous expression at the half-angel.     He could've asked for all kinds of things, but he went and asked for THAT.     "Gcht..."     She seems to be stuck trying to parse that one. A few nonsense syllables follow, and her tail's gone from wagging merrily to wagging sporadically.     Is this a good reaction? A bad reaction?     "... hguh... what."     It's not as if the price is really any trouble.     She just can't BELIEVE it. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber gets the feeling that causing someone like Finna to go off-balance in a social situation is a feat of amazing skill, but he has no confirmation of this. Instead, he stands there smiling widely and rocking back and forth on his feet, "It's a simple price! It's not like you seemed to mind the last time I did it, either."     It's in Psyber's nature to ask for the unexpected in payment for services. Like saving Elliana to hire her. Or befriending Nathan as a job. Or making Hastur learn cooking. 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     "Y-..." ear-twitch. "...You weirdo... a cute, 'half-dressed' girl drops in on you and THAT's what grabs your attention?" She finally recovers, clapping a palm to her forehead while still blushing a little. "Leave it to the man with a skyscraper full of girls to have strange tastes..."     Not that she sounds insulted by this. Or even bothered. Simply surprised!     "Hrmhrm, no, I don't mind! You just... caught me off-guard..." unstated: 'Weirdo.' Again. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Great! Sounds like a bargain! You get almost free gun safety lessons from a professional." Psyber says cheerfully, pointing out the bright side to her, "And yep, that's pretty much exactly how it works. But I'm not a weirdo, it's immortal eccentricity." He says in response to the strange tastes.     "So where do you wanna start?" He asks her, tone turning a bit more serious. 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     "Ah-huh..." Despite some hints of what might be reluctance in Finna's tone, she brings both hands behind her back and sways a little. Not unlike a kid might, really! "You got 'eccentric' right, not that I mind!" Finna chimes with a wink.     "And of course, the beginning... all I know is 'point, shoot.' These things make the fine art of archery look simple in some ways... aiming's easier, but the weapon sure isn't." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber hmms and tries to figure out where to start, "A gun is a weapon that uses a powder charge to propel a piece of metal at incredibly high speeds." Psyber says pretty simply. Info everyone knows, "Typically, a gun is sized to a single type of round. They're named by size: 9 millimeter, .45 Long, .45 ACP. With guns like these, the round is not able to be used between guns. The ONLY exception is with revolvers. Revolver rounds tend to just be 'bigger versions of the older round'. This means that, because a .357 is a larger version of the .38 Special, a gun that can shoot .357 can shoot .38 Special. This does not work downwards, however. A .38 Special Revolver can only shoot .38 Special, because a .357 will not fit in the gun itself. The other example of this is the tiered order of .460, .454, .45 Long Colt, and .45 Schofield. You get the point."     Psyber then says, "There are two types of handguns. Those loaded via a magazine, which means you put bullets in independant, swappable loading systems. And revolvers, which use an in-built cylinder to hold ammunition. There are pros and cons to each in terms of capacity, reliability, power of handgun." He waves his hand a bit, taking a pause in his explanation to let it sink in. 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     Finna's eyes start glazing over a little about halfway through the explanation, but she slaps a cheek and forces herself to pay attention. SOOOO many numbers!     Well, she's smarter than she looks, that's for sure. "...Aha... so the bullets really are that specific... why so many different kinds, I wonder... hrmh." Finna reaches behind her back and pulls out - seemingly from nowhere (yes, Elsewhere) - a Glock 19, and in the other a Smith & Wesson 686. Seems she's been collecting some... although the revolver is completely unloaded. "That explains these two designs!" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Different levels of power and how hard you wanna stop someone." Psyber explains to her simply, watching her pull out the two guns, "So what you have right there is a Glock 19 in what looks to be 9 Mil. And a Smith 686, which is .357 Magnum." Psyber says, heading over to the range and coming back with three boxes of ammo, "This is 9 Mil Hollow Point, you use this on things you want to fall down." He points to one box, "This is .38 Special. You also use it on stuff you want to fall down." And then to the third box, ".357 Magnum. You use this on things that didn't fall down with the last two rounds." He grins widely.     "Revolvers are abit more potent because their frame has less moving parts. Less moving parts means you can build it to withstand more force. More force means bigger bullets." 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     "Ahaaaaaaaa! .. Well, that's more sensible..." Finna follows along, but stops upon realizing Psyber's comingg back. She leans forward to examine some of the ammunition... "The revolver's pretty easy to reload... the other one is pretty fidgety!" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "With the Glock, you wanna have multiple spare magazines on hand to make sure reloading is way faster and easier," He explains to her, "Jamming bullets into a magazine after every set of shots can be tiring and time-consuming. But with your dexterity, you probably would do great with revolvers are your all-arounder weapon," He says pretty honestly. 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     "With my dexterity, huh? You do know a few things about Luna's Chosen then!" Finna's showing a sort of lopsided smile now as she turns the revolver around. "All-around weapon... not a bad idea. The... what a weird name... Smith and Wesson 686... that's a mouthful..." And she's an Exalt saying that!     "... The revolver's way simpler! ...Ooookay, I'll focus on them then! .... What do I gotta do to keep the thing in good shape though? For a bow, it's all about storing it somewhere not too wet, cold, or hot... keeping the string from drying out takes waxes or oils that are easy enough to scavenge up, but uh..." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "It has to do with design numbers, probably," Psyber says to her, in response to the comment about the strange name of the weapon, "It was the successor to the 586, and they wanted to differentiate it. The company makes a LOT of revolvers in a lot of different frames," He says, before his hands fall onto hers, setting the bullets down on a table.     It's not a romantic gesture, he's guiding her hands through the moving parts of the revolver, "Same basic rules. It's stainless steel, so it can take a bit of water around it. Dry it out before you fire it, but it'll work in the rain. You wanna make sure you never bend or damage the barrel or you risk a misfire. Use oil on any moving parts like the cylinder or the hammer," He guides her hands to show her the moving parts once more.     "If you treat it halfway decent, it'll hold up for a very long time. I still have revolvers from a century and a half ago." He releases her hands after that, "Make sense?" 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     "Th-that's all? For such a complicated-looking gadget..." Finna blinks a few times, and doesn'tresist at all as she's shown the different parts of the weapon. "Rain's horrible on bowstrings... and not these, huh? That's even better to know!" Finna's getting quite excited now! And all over a gun.     When she's let go, she twirls the weapon a few times... ".... Urgh.. lots of them... well, nothing to be too surprised about! Sooooo what kinds do YOU favor?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     An interesting question to ask him, "I use all kinds. My bread and butter guns are usually heavy weapons that should be mounted on vehicles, OR..." Psyber reaches to the small of his back and pulls out a gun he had holstered in the back of his pants, "102 years ago, John Moses Browning designed the Colt 1911. A gun so good they based all future handgun designs on it. I love the 1911. It's big, it has stopping power. If you maintain it, it's an amazing gun," He grins widely and then spins the gun in his hand.     "Guns took a long time to get to where they are now. When they were first created, you shot metal balls out of broomsticks at people. Now there's a gun for almost every combat situation!" 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     "There's similar-shaped weapons where I'm from! Firewands, they're called. Nasty things to be up against... twitchy and unreliable to use. Also expeeeeensive! You know how much Firedust costs? ... Stuff's not very easy to come by where I live..." Finna rambles a little. "And they just belch fire. Short-ranged fire. Effective. Scary! But... no substitute for a bow in my opinion!"     She sticks her tongue out again. NOT a good opinion of Firewands here!     "And 102 years... that's ooooold... but it's metal. It doesn't rust over that long?!" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Well-made steel that you care for and treat right can survive for a very long time," Psyber admits to her, "Dry it off, oil it, and it'll be your friend for life," He laughs a bit and then tilts his head at the idea of firewands.     "That sounds like a lame flamethrower. I know a similar weapon in principal. It uses a backpack container and a hose with fuel. It spews flames over short or medium distance." He explains, "Way more effective due to continuous fire." 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     "Well, that's good to know! ... about the metal that is. Yeesh, a super Firewand... sheesh, these worlds keep making some dangerous stuff! I should go track one down, it sounds like great fun!"     This girl should never be allowed to get her hands on a missile launcher. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Now then!" Psyber says abruptly, reaching out with both hands and planting them atop her head, "Gimme those ears~."     Psyber's fingers playfully start to work right at the base of her ears in a skillful manner, due to his skills with scratching Laine. He grins widely, figuring that he has educated her on guns enough that he can play with her ears some more. 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     "A-awgh!" Surprised, Finna doesn't even have a chance to do anything about this sudden assault. Psyber is mean!     Nah.     But Finna's ears twitch and flatten out somewhat. "Oooooh..." Her eyes are also turnin a bit glassy, and there's no mistaking the sudden blush. "Y-you... weirdo.... that's an eccentric taste alright..." Her shoulders are also bunching up.     She's probably had this done to her lots of times offhandedly, but like this? It's a little bit embarassing - and for her that's saying something. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber laughs slightly as he works at the ears, "I just like playing with the ears. I dunno why." He admits, continuing to scratch and rub at them easily, "You don't seem to mind the attention. I only enjoy it because you make such a big deal about it, duh. What better way to keep the trickster off balance?"     So he DOES have a reason he likes to mess with her ears: It embarasses her. 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     "T-tch! It's only a little bit..." Finna's shtill scrunching up her shoulders though, now trying not to show the effect the attention's eliciting from her. And failing. "So don't expect it to work again! Poo... if I was really out to trick you..." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber laughs and then releases her ears, "Payment given. Now we're even." Psyber says before reaching into his pocket to take out his wallet. He hands her a business card, "If you're ever looking for work, look me up. I have employed Exalts in the past." 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     "Hunting down monsters, right?" Finna takes the card, and tucks it away... somewhere... after a glance. Well, Elsewhere, probably. Who knows what else she's got stuffed there. "Well, that IS one of a Steward's duties.. in a manner of speakingg... though I hear the monsters you deal with aren't the sort I've heard about?" Yup, now she's curious. And speaking of curious...     "So... what do YOU think I would've done if you'd gone for the showers instead of the weights?" She cracks a wickedly playful little smile.     If Psyber thinks to make her ineffectual, she's going to prove him wrong. All she has to do is get a blush or something out of him! 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber taps his chin to Finna, thinking of a good comeback to this statement, "You know, I dunno." He says, humming a bit. At the moment he doesn't have a witty comeback for her.     "Probably embarassment all around." He admits. 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     "Hah! ... you're a tough nut to crack. Tougher than I expected." Finna remarks airily. "Oh well, now I have something to work with!" wait, what's THAT supposed to mean? 

}}

887/Halloween 2014

2014-11-01T06:36:13Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/10/31 |Location=Boston-666 |Synopsis=Once again, nothing happens in Boston worth noting. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=1, 2, 38, 70, 140, 183, ..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/10/31
|Location=Boston-666
|Synopsis=Once again, nothing happens in Boston worth noting.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=1, 2, 38, 70, 140, 183, 186, 206, 238, 253, 331, 430, 439, 495, 580
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
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{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     There are many reasons to be in Boston-666 at the moment. Some people are visiting the office, some people picked up the radio transmission that went out before the city went off-contact. But there are some... like Puella Magi or Magical Girls... who just got one HELL of a headache. Something's coming. Something that magical girls are an anathema to.     Boston-666 is currently, as the weather predicted, in the middle of a monster storm. Wind and rain whips through the city and the streets and ground already have at least an inch of water in the gutters, maybe more. But that's not the concerning part. The part that caused the panic on radio is that from the harbor, a black mist is starting to filter through the streets.     By the time people have arrived, a massive wall of pure black fog, almost smoke-like in appearance, is gathering out at the harbor and starting to seep through into the city. While it flows like a mist, it's almost impossible to see through. It's not a choking hazard as much as a visual one, and it makes it very easy to get lost and disoriented as it blocks visuals of street signs and whatnot.     Within the mist, the occasional pale blue light can be seen moving, as if something is perpetually moving behind that veil, just out of sight. It projects an aura, passively, out over the whole city. Anyone in the bounds of Boston can tell what it is, and it's definitely not right.     What's behind that wall of smoke is a Witch. Specifically, a Witch so large and powerful that it no longer needs to project a barrier to assert itself. It has broken into reality proper and is currently in Boston Harbor.     Psyber is there as well. His car is haphazardly parked sideways in the street with the trunk flung open. He's currently got a very big gun that he's firing into the fogwall ineffectually, the being behind it seeming to shift and move away from the shots each time, but never counterattack.     It has, however, arrived. And its presence claws at the mind. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:''' ## ######## ##### ########## ######## ######## #### ### ######## # #### ######## ######## ##### ###### ### ######## ########## ######## ######## ## ### ######## #### ########### ## #### ######## ########### ####### ########## ######### ### ### ### ## ###### ######### ###### ### ## ### ## ######### ## ######## ## ### ######### ##### ## #### ## #### ######## ### ####### ### ### ######## #### #### ### ## ### ### ## # #### ########### ### # ## # #### ##### # ## ## # ### ########### # ### # ## # ### ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ########## # ##### ## ## ## ###### # #### # # ### ######### ######## ####### ######### ### ###### ########## ### ###### ##### ###### ####### ##### #### ######## Samhain The Horror Witch 

:'''{{#var:206|Harry Dresden (206)}} has posed:'''     This has been a month of Outsiders for Harry Dresden. A collection of encounters with one of the Lurkers, bullshit with century old demon summoning blood circles and now His Birthday. Always the worst damn day of the year, hands down forever.     Harry appears, or rather, apparates himself through the Never Never into... uh.     He's got just enough time to find Psyber before the Witch takes him.     Blow me to Bermuda. 

:'''{{#var:140|Ryuko Matoi (140)}} has posed:'''     Well, this is some crappy weather, for Halloween. Who's gonna go door to door, with this shitty fog, and all the wind and rain? Maybe she should have picked a better costume. Ryuko's dressed up, of course, but that clawing inside her head.. She's been in a Witch fight once, before, and like anyone can tell you, it's not something you get used to. "Ghh! Seems like I'm in for a wild night.." 

:'''{{#var:430|Satsuki Kiryuin (430)}} has posed:'''     A huge REVOCS cargo helicopter is swooping in over the city when the Witch introduces herself.     The craft visibly bucks in the air, everyone onboard hit by the psychic shock all at once, including the pilot. It sways to one side dangerously, just missing a skyscraper, before righting itself. Anyone privy to the goings-on inside the helicopter would hear a very familiar voice ordering the pilot to drop low, and then leave as soon as she's disembarked. Otherwise, they'll only be in the way.     Scant seconds later, Satsuki Kiryuin is on the street, and the helicopter is banking away.     A fleeing civilian is divested of his motorcycle, with a check worth twice its value. The engine roars, and the bike weaves through the city at a breakneck pace. It takes her short minutes to reach the harbor, and when she steps off her pilfered ride, she strides straight up next to Psyber calmly, facing the black fog without a trace of hesitation.     It would be very easy, however, to make the mistake that it's Homura that's arrived, carrying a sword for some reason. Because that's exactly how she's dressed.     "It would be wiser to save your ammunition for a clear shot." 

:'''{{#var:70|Priscilla (70)}} has posed:'''     Does Priscilla need an excuse to lurk around Heaven or Hell (possibly without anyone knowing)? No. Besides, she'd heard that Psyber's Halloweens are wonderfully ordinary and that Nothing Ever Happens on them, which seems like a good way to finally tiptoe into the shallow waters of this particular holiday. She'd actually just arrived early to start putting on her incredibly witty and totally perfect costume when the call had gone out, forcing her to leave it behind just in case it turned out to be dangerous.     Which it almost certainly is. When she arrives on the scene, she appears near Psyber's car as though having apparated herself, though she had simply walked the entire way while invisible, holding her hands over her ears to muffle the sounds of gunfire. "Lord Psyber, if thou hast any knowledge of this, I wouldst dearly like to hear it. There is something within that fog, and I hath never sensed another soul so twisted." 

:'''{{#var:186|Cecily (186)}} has posed:'''      Maybe Cecily's got a knack for finding those with good taste in cars and guns, because she responds to the stormcall with her wife in tow. The angel-dressed-fox's car skids to a halt not too far from Psyber's parking spot, and no less haphazardly. Headlights, engine, and windshield wipers still on, she pulls herself out of the driver's seat and stares at the fog and the light the boss-man is opening fire against.      The falling rain pelts her head and her ears wilt at the sight. "This is not how I envisioned spending Halloween tonight... I think you're going to need a bigger, gun, dear!" 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     It is fairly trivial for Homura to arrive in Boston.     Direct pathway between the loft and tower.     From there it's a short trek to the harbor, made a bit easier by Madoka's presence. Indeed, the two just kind of disappear once they arrive in their guest room in the HoH tower, gone in a flash of pink light.     The pink link pillars by Psyber, and the two magical girls-- well, one goddess and one magical girl-- are all that's left when it vanishes. INTRODUCING HOMURA AS SATSUKI. She wasn't planning on showing up in public with that, no. She just kind of liked the uniform, it was very similar to her own.     She's about to yell at Psyber, one finger raised and everything, when she spots Satsuki and Ryuko. Her mouth stays half-open and she can't quite find the words anymore. Well that's KIND OF REALLY AWKWARD.     "... erm. As I was about to say. Psyber, your city and this date do not get along, and now it just had to go and make it awful for me too. I'm blaming you if we survive." 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' Riva was tooling around the Heaven or Hell building as it was. If nothing happened, great, she could relax and lounge around. If Psyber needed help? Well, she's always happy to assist. She's certainly not the most mercenary of his employees, the money is a side benefit. There are /other/ benefits as well. This is why she's tooling around in a white robe, with a crown of woven ivy and a smiling drama mask. She decided to be Thalia, the Muse of Comedy for Halloween, for various reasons. Unfortunately, as soon as she hears the reports, she's racing through the streets on a motorbike, having hastily thrown on her Templar jacket and gritting her teeth as she forces her way through the inclement weather. "God damn." She chatters. "I should have picked a costume with a nice coat this year." She mutters to the wind. As she gets closer, the terrible feeling grows. Ominous. The wind, thankfully, does not answer back. As soon as she reaches the harbor, she skids to a halt near Psyber's car, her hands immediately diving into her robe to pull the augmented MAC-10s that Addie helper her put together. Blue-green Anima gathers within the circuitry laid into the weapons, and she begins spraying magical bolts into the fog as well. "HEY PSYBER!" Riva yells behind her mask. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS THING?" She yells through the storm. At least /she/ doesn't need to worry about ammo... 

:'''{{#var:183|Mizuki (183)}} has posed:'''     When Mizuki arrives, she already has her sword out, and her wings, too, seeing as they were her primary vehicle for transportation. Now, there's some good news and some bad news here. Good news is, Mizuki isn't at all put off by the radiant energy of nightmares that's probably making the magical girls sick -- she lives in exactly that sort of environment, man. Now, the bad news? She is really, -seriously- not good for much in situations with low visibility. She does what she can, though, allowing assorted small hints to lead her nearer to any semblance of a cohesive group that may be forming.     She hears gunshots, and follows their noise. Gonna have to assume that's Psyber, or at least someone else on her side. It isn't until she creeps a little closer, hopping and feeling her way across rooftops that she notices the reason that she's come here. Something grotesquely large is lurking beyond the curtain of mist that she didn't quite catch before. Deeply melancholic in a way she can't quite place, and in a way that might be a bit too distracting for her own good. Regardless, the threat of impending death never was a good enough excuse to ignore ideal times for theatrics, and rest assured that she does not. Pulling down the british hunting hat that she had miraculously been able to keep on her head mid-flight and gripping a curled novelty smoking pipe held between her lips, she studies the massive figure in the distance. Might even smirk a bit, here and there.     "So this is what they call a 'witch' in Miss Akemi's world, is it?" Nor is the world around her spared a brief monologue. "This should be a wonderful learning experience. A terrible shame that Fenestra can't be here to sketch a picture, really." 

:'''{{#var:580|Ryoko (580)}} has posed:'''     So far, this 'Halloween' thing hasn't been going well for Ryoko.     Aside from the fact that every single person she has met has failed to understand what it is, it is also raining, and she's wet. She hasn't managed to get a single person to open their doors for her (though a couple of houses are likely going to need new doors as a result) and now there's this damn fog rolling in.     At first, she doesn't really notice it. Not until something underneath her wig goes "Nya!" And then she turns around to face the harbor. Her hands go to her hips, and she squints at it. "... You think that's where they're keeping the candy, Ryo-Ohki?" "NYAH!!"     The more panicked note is coupled with a desperate burrowing into her hair, and the Space Pirate folds her arms over her chest. "Yeah, you're probably right. Whatever it is, that feels... bad. What do you say we check it out?"     There's a faint ~bweep~ noise, and Ryoko fades into existence behind Psyber. Lounging on the air, as though she doesn't have a care in the world. Her eyes are peering deep into the mist, though, betraying that she's not... quite as indolent as she appears. "Whew, so this is where the party is, huh? I hope there's treats as well as tricks..." She pauses, and then adds, "Although, the trick IS impressive!" 

:'''{{#var:238|Beli Klum (238)}} has posed:'''     Beli, as mentioned, happens to be right in the passenger seat of Cecily's car. Dressed as a demon in more clingy and showy clothing than she's used to as an opposite to Cecily's angel outfit, she looks vaguely like usual, only...obviously different. The horns, tail, leathery wings, and completely red clothes probably look quite out of place on her, especially considering the short skirt and low-cut top. Thankfully, she has little time to be embarrased, as the rephaite is quick to emerge from the car as soon as it stops and slip into place near Psyber and Cecily.     Oh boy. This is terrible.     The hybrid frowns. She takes in a deep breath, then sighs, idly rubbing the side of her head. "...this does not look good. How...exactly are we supposed to deal with this? Whatever it is." 

:'''{{#var:331|Himei (331)}} has posed:'''     Himei's costume is pretty uninspired. She's wearing a large tricorn hat, has a fake beard stencilled on her face, and is wearing an eyepatch. The rest of the piratical garb goes with it, including a /very real/ cutlass at her side. She's dressed as a pirate, yep. Just a pirate for Halloween.     And on her shoulder, Tamehito has an eyepatch as well, along with a tiny hat. "Polly want a cracker!"     Himei herself is looking pretty grim NOW though, as is Tamehito, the Great Grey Shrike on her shoulder. She's jogging toward the docks, slowing as she winces. "Great..." She doesn't change yet, she's still trying to get with the others. 

:'''{{#var:439|Madoka Kaname (439)}} has posed:'''     Indeed, a gentle flare of pink and Madoka arrives with Homura, a worried look stricken upon the face of the Law of Cycles as she squeezes on Homura's hand. She should have recognized the signs. The terrible weather- the fact that somewhere, a girl was deep in despair. The normally cheery divinity is a wall of worry and grief. "Psyber, we're here."     She was remiss in her duties, for but one night, as she casts her gaze to the storm, and the terrible Witch- powerful enough to no longer need a Barrier.     She doesn't look too out of the ordinar, a black seifuku style uniform with suspenders-- oddly with an 'x' on one lapel like it was missing an eye.     She's also carrying half of a pair of red safety scissors.     It's just a little awkward. 

:'''{{#var:1|Kirito (1)}} has posed:'''     Halloween. Having experienced this day before in the Multiverse, Kirito's quite glad he's been spending so much time recently training back up to his own exacting standards. He can finally say he's regained most of his edge back.     His budding social life's suffered in turn, but the lives he wants to protect are worth too much to worry about such things right now.     The Multiverse, the Abstractum, and now Boston need the Black Swordsman.     High above the city, a human-sized fairy warrior penetrates the Witch's aura and immediately goes tumbling through the air. Kirito brakes and reorients himself, rubbing his face. The boy in black scowls. "A witch...!"     In a word: Crap.     Fighting down the urge to turn right the heck around, Kirito instead brings both hands up behind his back, grips his twin swords... and draws them whilst inhaling deeply. Gonna have to knuckle down for this one, huh?     The boy tucks his arms in tight and DIVES, pushing his translucent spriggan wings for all they're worth. He rockets down through the fog and zips over buildings quickly enough to drag a tunnel of sorts through the fog. Not that this helps clear it, but his approach makes a weird wake indeed.     In a matter of moments he slams down into the pavement near Psyber and those around him... just hard enough to slightly crack it.     "Is this as bad as I'm guessing it is?!" He asks of the half-angel, brandishing his twin blades. One, a crystal-cerulean, the other a midnight black. 

:'''{{#var:38|Noble Six (38)}} has posed:'''     Today would aparently be a bad day for Noble Six to have her very first Halloween celebration. She had been planning on going trick or treating, and had even gotten to the point where she was dressed up. Well...Dressed up for her.     A UNSC drop pod streaks through the stormy skies, and slams into the ground with a massive impact. The explosive bolts that hold the door closed blast off, and the black armored SPARTAN warrior emerges from it. Noble Six's armor has been painted pure black, however there are some differences. A skeleton has been painted onto the armor, looking remarkably anatomically correct, save for the head, which is replaced by a jack-o-lantern with flaming eyes. A little portable holographic generator she had picked up to conceal her helmet. The bones glow with some kind of luminescent paint as she emerges from the pod. She pauses for a moment, and then turns around and grabs several things from inside the pod, before she hoofs it towards where Psyber is firing into the wall with little effect.     "Try this." She offers, as she sets down one of the SPARTAN lasers next to him, "Though I don't know if a high desity concentrated energy pulse will work either." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber has about enough time to fire a rocket launcher at it once before tossing the spent delivery system into the harbor with a swear. The half-angel looks around at people gathering. He seems much more paniced than usual, even than usual on a halloween. He looks to Satsuki and sighs, "It was worth a shot."     To Priscilla and Riva, Psyber simply replies, "A Witch. Something that has the potential to level the city if left unmitigated." A quiet tone. He then looks to Homura, "Must have been drawn to the paranormality of the city."     "Miss Ayeka." Psyber says to Ryoko, nodding his head. She definitely seems cool. Someone he should meet during a non-disaster.     While it cannot speak, what it can project is that it seems... content that the others have arrived in the city. Psyber alone would have bored it, now it has more prey. It drifts forward out of the fog to reveal its form:     http://i.imgur.com/poG20nV.jpg     Floating, it thrusts a hand forward and the fog it was hiding behind rushes out over the ENTIRE city like a tidal wave. It grows so thick that seeing more than an inch away from ones self is impossible. Like being pushed by a wave, a rushing sensation accompanies this. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     RYUKO:     When the rushing stops, Ryuko finds herself alone in a hallway. The door behind her is shut and blood covers her hands, dripping off of them like a thick syrup. Blood seeps out from under the door and she feels a faint tugging to go forward. The hallway is lined with gas lamps that flicker and burn, and the hallway seems to extend forward for miles and miles.     She's also no longer in her costume, from what she can tell. Instead she's wearing what feels like her original school uniform from when she first came to Honnouji, complete with high-top sneakers. She is missing her guitar case.     HOMURA AND HIMEI:     Homura and Himei are lucky enough to be swept off together. Instead of fog, they feel themselves being pushed through the city and dragged along its paths and alleys. When the two of them come to a stop, it's in a downtown alley that is soaked with rain and grunge. It smells absolutely terrible and it looks worse. They can feel an encroaching evil all around them. Himei, worse, has a migraine.     They may be more lucky than they realize, as Psyber comes running around a corner, frantic. He stops in front of them, "Both of you. Good. I figured out this thing's power. It's going to unleash every monster we've ever encountered in the city. We need to move fast, get the others, and stop it." The hunter speaks in an authoritative tone, "Before it hurts anyone we care about."     RYOKO:     Ryoko is pushed up and back, as if tugged and pulled skyward while her view is obscured on all sides. The inky blackness is stifling, veils and coats and lines of it just floating everywhere. Up feels like down, left feels like up. Direction feels meaningless in this place, just a static world where blackness floats in all directions.     MIZUKI:     Mizuki won't get to study it, because she's taken away by the darkness as well. Dragged and pulled, she finds herself in a room as the darkness pulls away. It's a simple room, no windows, and a door. There's a table and a desk. There's a revolver with one bullet on that table with a card that says 'In case you get stumped~ ;)'.     The door has a microphone instead of a lock, and it won't yield to force. Instead, it simply has a note beneath it which asks the simple question: What are you bad at?     BELI:     Beli is awoken by a kick to the gut, "MOVE IT, Mongrel." She wakes up in the city she was found in on unification. A man is standing over her in a police uniform, staring down and scowling. He kicks her in the stomach again, "Worthless trash, I SAID MOVE IT. Tired of garbage blocking the gutters." He says before slamming the ground next to her with a police baton and saying, "You got 60 seconds before I come back and move you myself."     She can feel all her old powers, but none of her new gains of the past years.     CECILY:     Cecily's fate is more abstract. As her fog clears, she's in an invisible bubble, floating over Beli and watching her wife get abused by the cop in the street. Her voice is unheard and the barrier feels as solid as steel. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     DRESDEN:     Harry Dresden finds himself at the gates of a lonely cemetary. A hill is in front of him, and at the top of that hill is a funeral in progress. A very dismal one, as the only person in attendance is a single priest in shambly robes that look unkept and ragged. The graveyard itself is well kept and in good condition. Hardly scary.     RIVA BENARI:     Riva finds herself in a room, at a table. Sitting across from her is... herself. But different. This version of Riva has her hair cut short and slicked straight back in a professional style. She's wearing a suit, complete with black leather gloves. On the table in front of the other Riva is a silenced Beretta. Her counterpart smiles coldly and says, "Let's talk about the direction your life is heading."     NOBLE SIX:     When the fog pulls back from Noble Six, she's in a foxhole on a dying planet. She has her battle rifle and Covenant forces are all around her. She's holding them off, trying desperately to save what few people are left on this world so they can evacuate. This isn't heroics, she's in a suicide holdout. She can feel the forces pushing in on every side, and a feelin she won't succeed.     PRISCILLA:     Priscilla finds herself pushed off into a different area of the city. Another grimy alley, alone. But as soon as she tries to move, two spirits emerge out of the ground in front of her. One of those spirits is Psyber, non-interactable. That Psyber is talking to Nathan Hall, and Priscilla gets the feeling she is watching a conversation from recent memory.     "Nathan, she's dangerous. Her world has rejected her, who knows what she'll do."     Nathan makes a worried noise, "I am a pacifist, so I cannot condone violence." He looks at Psyber and says vaguely, "But I can't order you not to deal with a perceived threat. If you wish to handle it, I won't stop you."     KIRITO:     Kirito wakes up. He's at a computer in a room. That is what he experiences. He was asleep up until now, and the entire multiverse was a dream. He is back in his house, on his computer. He can smell dinner cooking in the other room, which means it'll be time to eat with his family soon.     SATSUKI:     SPEAKING OF DINNER, let's go to Satsuki. Who finds herself in a very new position. Wearing a lovely white dress, she's sitting across from her mother in a quiet cafe in France. She gets the feeling this was expected to be a casual meeting, but her mother's hands are folded over eachother and she's silently glaring at her daughter.     MADOKA:     Madoka has a very special role from here on out. She can consult with the GM and pop into any single Nightmare once per round. 

:'''{{#var:430|Satsuki Kiryuin (430)}} has posed:'''     The exchange of strategy on the radio is... concerning. A being of this magnitude can't be fought without collateral, and her mind is quite firmly on the big picture almost immediately.     That doesn't stop her from staring at Madoka. And Ryuko. And especially Homura.     The coincidence is almost enough to derail her. Almost.     But as the Queen of Honnouji turns around and draws Bakuzan, the fog rolls forth, and she finds herself in another time, another place. Seated at a table, with her mother. Wait, wasn't she just somewhere else? There was something important... but no, mother's summons is more important. She'll deal with it later. Especially given how upset the CEO of REVOCS looks. This was supposed to be a calm mother-daughter event, wasn't it? "...mother, what's the matter?" Her expression is carefully neutral, but a sharp glare like that isn't encouraging. 

:'''{{#var:206|Harry Dresden (206)}} has posed:'''     Harry Dresden comes to up on top of... Well hell, Graceland. Graceland Cemetary in Chicago. Cripes this Witch had a kick. Temporal thing maybe? A quick check of his radio... nothing. Right, well.     He adjusts his Merlin beard, peeling it off from his chin to show a clean shaven Dresden underneath. Might as well go see what's going on. The Wizard's hands slip into his pockets and he rolls his stiff neck, sauntering down in the direction of the funeral. 

:'''{{#var:140|Ryuko Matoi (140)}} has posed:'''     Blood.. Ryuko can feel the sticky warmth dripping off her hands and fingers, and.. her clothes are changed. She doesn't have anything else, either. Not her scissor or her other gear. And this place is.. She doesn't want to go forward. Not towards that door. She doesn't want to walk, but she staggers towards it anyway. Slow, shuffling steps towards it. "No.." She murmurs, "I don't.." Something about what's behind that door. She's never felt like this before, even when she went home, for the first time in ages. 

:'''{{#var:580|Ryoko (580)}} has posed:'''     As the discussion on the radio unfolds, a slow, creeping realization begins to come over Ryoko. This thing is ruled by its darkest emotions. Huge, monstrous, it seems an unstoppable force; one that is descending from nowhere to obliterate a city and its terrified inhabitants.     This must be what it felt like when she fell upon her victims.     She's just beginning to rationalize that and start floating up so she can call on her power and strike at the revealed monster without risking cooking everyone around her, when she is suddenly jerked upwards. That alone is surprising enough - she's not used to ANYTHING being stronger than her! And then, then there's darkness.     "Y-You think you can hide from me?" Ryoko shouts, plasma boiling about her fists. She fires a bolt off into the inky darkness at random, and then... a second. And a third.     Darkness.     She grinds her teeth together. Everyone's stopped talking, too. Why has everyone shut up? What the hell is going on?! 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "What--"     Swept off? So this Witch has a Barrier after all?     ... no, hang on, this is different. SIMILAR, for sure, but it's not... Homura frowns. She raises her left hand, producing her Soul Gem. The bright purple and gold egg shines, trying to sense the location of the Witch-- and the pathways of this would-be Barrier too.     At least Psyber and Himei are there with her.     "I guess it needed to separate us to prevent us from being an effective team. Now what? It tries to hunt us down? What good is splitting people up unless you can be everywhere at once to hunt them down?"     She glances towards Psyber. "Unleashing every monster might do it though. We'd all be separated AND dealing with hordes of whatever, so it doesn't need to handle us itself. Your city really is the worst at this time of the year." 

:'''{{#var:186|Cecily (186)}} has posed:'''      Cecily is busy. Busy focusing on the conversation while she and two of herself brace, load, and prepare a cannon to work as a team to offer suppressive fire. One aims, a second steadies the gun on a thick cloth on the hood of the car, and a third stands by with a drum of fresh ammunition in hand. As Psyber's rocket goes sailing into the fog, the first fox pulls the trigger. The custom modified 40mm Vickers starts to -THUMP- as the fog suddenly sweeps in. The sound of the autocannon is drowned out by reality shifting.      Cecily finds herself without her sisters, her consciousness and body stuffed back into a single form. Her ears twitch and her tails fan out, her palms pressed against the barrier. "What? Where did..." her eyes widen as she sees the treatment Beli is getting in the street below. "Let her be! She's not trash!" she shouts, hearing nothing but her own voice coming back at her, her fists starting to hammer at the bubble she's trapped in. The connection with the Vault is dim, try as she might she can't even pull the smallest bludgeoning implement into her hands. She may as well be naked for all she can do to free herself, let alone help her wife.      "This isn't real..." she clenches her fingers and stares, helpless. 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' Riva keeps shooting, but there isn't much she can do before the fog rushes over and through her. She grunts, fighting through the fog, the rushing sensation growing... Blink. Change in evironment. Stop. Riva blinks at the environment, looking around for a moment. She's wet and dripping and altogether ragged-looking, the comedy mask sort of hanging on the side of her head at the moment. "Huh." She says. Okay. She puts down the guns on the table and looks at her opposite, tilting her head as she looks at... herself carefully. "You know, that's the line my mom would always open with when we were about to get into a fight." Riva comments, and then tilts her head. "But man, I really /rock/ the professional look." She looks confused, but seems to be taking things as they come so far. "So, um... Where did the horrible city-destroying monster go?" 

:'''{{#var:183|Mizuki (183)}} has posed:'''     Then, a room. A small room where Mizuki is quite alone. Now, she's versed enough in dreamwalking and intuitive enough to guess that none of this is real, but that doesn't alter its prevalence one bit. It's one of her hobbies to try and work people through their little personal hangups and hatreds by visiting there dreams, so is this -really- any different? Well, she'll certainly find out. She spies the table and the door, checking momentarily to see if her wings, sword, and revolver are still with her. But if not... there's a revolver over on that table, isn't there? She approaches it first, finding the card in question. She reads it. Studies it. As a connoisseur of dark humor, it's only natural that she would immediately grasp its meaning... which she takes as something of a challenge. At the card's own smirk, she returns with a renewed iteration of one of her own. Albeit, this might come with a set of narrowed eyes as well.     "Cheeky." As if someone can hear her. She briefly contemplates wedging her sword - provided that she still has it - in-between the door and the wall, but quickly decides against it. Brute force never works how you hope that it will in these sorts of hallucinations. She studies the question for a spell, quirking an eyebrow at its sheer simplicity. "Athletics." She folds her hands, shutting her eyes in a manner that would feign restfulness. "I'm a complete invalid in the realm of athletics, if you would like to know the truth. I'm terribly lucky that I have my wings to support me." 

:'''{{#var:38|Noble Six (38)}} has posed:'''     The dust clears and Noble Six peers out from the foxhole. That plasma blast hit close, too close, "Jenkins, I need you to sure up the right flank!" She says, turning to her side to see that Jenkins has been blasted by one of the Covenant shots and is laying dead in the foxhole. She ducks back down next to him and stares at him and his dead eyes, "No. Damnit." How many is that she's lost in this fight. And for what? To get some VIPs off world?     She doesn't think she's going to make it this time. She's had a lot of close encounters before, but this one feels different. This must be how Jorge felt. Or Carter. Or Emile. She failed all of them too. Just like she failed her parents, and just like she knows she's going to fail now. 

:'''{{#var:238|Beli Klum (238)}} has posed:'''     The Witch shifts out from the fog, and Beli's eyes narrow further. It...vaguely reminds her of some kind of hybrid between an angel and a demon, really. Maybe a rephaite? Not that it matters too much; it's not going to act the same as any of those, she knows, so the best she can do is-     The fog suddenly rolls in, and Beli gives a soft gasp of surprise as she feels herself pushed and shoved. All she can do is raise her arms and try to brace, keeping herself from being pushed too far away. She tries to open her eyes as much as she can to see around her, but it's too dark to make out anyone that was just beside her a moment ago. Soon enough, the rush simply becomes too strong for her slender frame to endure, and she goes tumbling with a shout...     The next thing she is aware of is a kick to the gut that makes her abruptly lurch into a fetal position on her side, coughing and gasping for breath. Her eyes widen, forcing her into an awareness of her surroundings that immediately makes her eyes widen further. A brilliantly blue sky, a city that seems to almost glisten with a sheen of light, making all the shadows of the city of Venice seem immaterial.     The rephaite - is that what she is now, or just a halfbreed? - stares up at the policeman with a look of shock as he snarls at her. "W...what...?"     She seems too shocked to respond yet. 

:'''{{#var:70|Priscilla (70)}} has posed:'''     The instant the Witch rears its ugly head from the fog, Priscilla's scythe is in her hand. The first couple of steps she takes turn into the start of a run, and just as she gets ahead of Psyber, she poofs out of existence, vanishing from the monster's gaze to buy her time for a surprise attack. This is what her power is good for. The one situation where she can use it freely, without fear of consequence, and with the simple, unclouded knowledge that things will turn for the better if she does.     That clear vision doesn't last long. The confusion of being forcibly relocated hits her, bringing her to a stop as she splashes into a puddle that hadn't been there before. Suddenly fearing for her comrades, she goes to run again, only to be stopped by the apparitions that rise before her. As plainly obvious it is that the Witch must be generating illusions, she can't help but pay attention at the sound of Psyber's voice, having come so close to walking straight past.     At first, she simply dismisses it. Nobody had cared about her circumstances when she had first come to the multiverse. Everyone was nothing but accepting. Nothing but understanding and kind. If they weren't, she would have never left the painting, no matter how rocky her start might have been. Besides, even if this conversation had actually happened, Psyber would have had 3 years to make good on it, and clearly he had no interest in doing so. It is only after Nathan starts talking that the alternative becomes clear to her. The last thing both Psyber and Nathan had seen from her had been that night in Anor Londo. When Gwyndolin had broken her heart. She'd barely spoken to anyone since. Maybe this was recent? Maybe they had the wrong idea? Unable to stop herself, she hesitates before reaching the end of the alley, momentarily forgetting her caution just in case this conversation had actually happened. That way, she'd know everything the two of them thought of her, and she could clear everything up. Right? 

:'''{{#var:331|Himei (331)}} has posed:'''     A girl in an alley is holding her head.     Himei Shoutan is not sure what happened, and she's really, reallly in an awful mood now. She's just about to say something to Homura when Psyber comes around the corner, hurriedly explaining everything. "Can it even do that?" She grumbles.     She looks at Homura. "Well... you know what we both have to do." She sighs, gesturing to the bird on her shoulder to signal Tamehito to dive back into her body. Can't have the glaring weak point exposed, right? "Fine, let's get moving. This headache is making it hard to get a specific direction, though." 

:'''{{#var:1|Kirito (1)}} has posed:'''     kirito's dressed in, oddly enough, utterly black clothes nonetheless. A black shirt and black pants. Completely normal clothes. No weapons, none of his light armor, and... he's awoken by the glowing light of his computer screen. Dang, did he fall asleep at the computer again? Sugu's gonna make fun of him, ugh.     He stretches, yawns... "...What a weird dream," The boy mutters, half-awake, before going to check his email on his custom-built 24ghz octa-core PC.     Thinking about how delicious that dinner's smelling isn't doing much to soothe how weird he's feeling though. The boy rubs the side of his head, trying to clear it. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     SATSUKI:     The CEO of REVOCS calmly picks up her cup of coffee and takes a sip from it, "I'm disappointed in you, Satsuki." She says simply. There's no anger to her voice, simply a calm and decisive tone, "That's why you're here."     She sips her coffee once more, "I would be a poor mother if I weren't here to console you as you grieve the deaths of your friends and classmates." She notes, in a vague sense, "Just please try to cry into your napkin and not on my dress. It's brand new."     DRESDEN:     It's a long walk down that hill and towards that grave, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." The man rasps, speaking out of formality.     "Though he left this world alone, he is truly one of God's Children, and so the lord will walk with him. And though none are here to mourn, this rain is the tearfall of the Lord for his passing. Amen." The priest lowers his head and then turns to Harry, "Oh, are you here for the service? It was in the paper, but no one showed up. I'm sure he'd be happy someone did."     RYUKO: The door is there. But from behind it come muffled sounds that are hard to describe. The best way to define the sound would be the muffled sound of teeth going into a fresh apple, a crisp cracking followed by some crunching chewing noises. It's ravenous and repetitive, even from behind that door that dampens the sound.     The door itself is unlocked if she wishes to enter it.     RIVA:     The other Riva smiles calmly, "You don't remember? That's the day we made the decision." She chuckles slightly, covering her mouth with her hand, "We're immortal, a higher purposes. Those who aren't? Cannon fodder."     "And we were better for it. After they were all dead, we were able to tell the story we wanted. We were the heroes. The Union loved us, no one ever knew." She looks at the suit, "You like it? It came when I took over Psyber's business. And then I guided it towards what was best for... everyone."     RYOKO:     The blasts from Ryoko sail off in all directions. They give light to the blackness, but soon trail off into distant specks as they soar with nothing to collide into. Flicks and specks of light so far off.     Ryoko's own voice speaks to her shortly after: "Is it hiding from me? It's so cold here. I'm so alone. Don't leave me here, mom!" Her voice raises, lightens, going to that of a child.     CECILY:      That barrier does not yield under her furious assault of verbal shouting. Nor to her fists. It does not yield to her fury and to her indignation. It feels hopeless to watch Beli.     "It's real enough," Her own voice says in response, "She's worthless without you. You're trash without her. That's why you're so attached to one another. You know that if it weren't for her, you'd be a lonely little fox in a vault that the world forgot."     BELI:     "Of course. Stupid too." The cop says, stomping away, "Be cleared out in ten minutes or I'm bringing back higher authorities. Sick of you transients." He scowls, looking towards her.     Curiously, Beli can feel despair that's not just her own. Call it empathy, but she definitely feels someone else suffering from her pain. Or is that just the conflict of her own soul? It's hard to tell sometimes, isn't it? 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     HOMURA AND HIMEI:     Walking out into the streets is agreeable to Psyber. He nods his head, "Whatever it's planning, we need to be careful." Psyber says in a worried tone, putting his hands on both girl's shoulders, "We've had some close calls and I just can't see you both get hurt again over this." He states seriously.     "I'll do whatever it takes to stop that."     Heading out of the alley and into the streets shows familiars, looking like men with pumpkins for heads, traipsing through the streets and throwing fireballs at Civilians. Psyber, of course, immediately opens fire on these creatures.     NOBLE SIX:     "We're surrounded on all sides! We can't hold them o-" There's a cutoff as an entrenched tank takes a large blast of plasma that blows it apart, sending metal and bodyparts into the trench. The din and roar of battle around her wails, surrounding Noble Six with the fire and fury of war.     "We're all gonna die here, in this godforsaken place!" A panicking new recruit cries out, curling up in the trench next to her. He's hyperventilating, "We jus- I ca- I have a WIFE. I'll never see my kid again!"     MIZUKI:     "LIAR!"     Screams the door back at Mizuki in response to her aloof statement. It doesn't believe her for a second. And it doesn't want to take HER dismissive attitude. The room shakes a bit from the fury of its voice, the table jostling.     Somehow the gun that was on it lands at her feet. A new note is there: 'You don't HAVE to admit anything~'     KIRITO:     Email Subject: Where you been, man?     Body: Ever since you got into the full dive beta for that Multiverse Whatever MMO, we hardly hang out on your other games, dude. Everyone's asking about you. You turning into a Hikkikomori, bruh? 

:'''{{#var:140|Ryuko Matoi (140)}} has posed:'''     It would all be so much less unsettling, if it wasn't for that sound.. Ryuko's feet have somehow managed to carry her to the door, but her hand is frozen, outstretched but not touching the doorknob. Her breath has quickened, and she can feel sweat beading on her forehead, goosebumps racing up her arms and down her spine, and then her legs. Her white shoes are smeared with blood along the soles, and some of the bottoms, staning the white a dark red. "What is.." Her fingers, still dripping wet, reach out and grasp against the doorknob, which she turns slowly. She hesitates again, leaning forwards slowly as she pushes the door open. 

:'''{{#var:206|Harry Dresden (206)}} has posed:'''     Harry looks up at the Padre and grumbles, still not on the right side to see the stone, if there is one yet. Oh hey, there is. Well, he'll get to it in a minute. "Not really, just sota passing through, really. I was... somewhere and now I'm here. Sorta happens a lot, really. All those concussions and you forget things sometimes." He cglances down at the very plain casket and sighs. Lonely funerals are the worst. He's been to a few himself, just a few people.     Monsters don't get a lot of remembering. 

:'''{{#var:430|Satsuki Kiryuin (430)}} has posed:'''     Satsuki's brow furrows. Has she made a misstep? Her plans for a number of things are still in motion, including those to find the hidey-hole of a certain 'resistance' group. "If there is something I've-" She halts when her reply is cut off by more words from her mother, and after a second or so to sink in, the Student Council President's eyes go wide. She knows. She knows /everything/.     The table topples over in an instant, as Satsuki Kiryuin goes from calmly seated to standing for battle in the space of a heartbeat. "What have you done with-" Her hands have gone to her left side, left hand to where the sheath would be at her hip, right to where she would take hold of Bakuzan and draw. But the words die in her throat as she realizes the weapon isn't there.     That is when she realizes she's in more than a little danger. "Tch-!" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     PRISCILLA:     The conversation continues from there, Psyber and Nathan talking to eachother pretty directly.     "Halloween. It'll happen then," Psyber says to Nathan pretty directly, looking around, "Something bad always happens. She'll puppy-dog after me like always, shit will go down, and then I'll-"     Nathan holds up a hand to Psyber and says, "Stop. If you say any more, this becomes my job. And I can no longer condone it. If an accident happens, that's your business, Psyber. You know how black operations work." He says. His glasses even give off that sinister flash of light. 

:'''{{#var:183|Mizuki (183)}} has posed:'''     Mizuki jolts backwards as the room quakes, her eyes widening quite a bit in reply. If her skin grows more pale than before, it's impossible to tell, but nevertheless she's silent enough the gun clattering to the ground at its... oddly convenient locale to be particularly jarring. She bats her lashes at it briefly before picking up the note. The hand carrying it shakes slightly, as though she were resisting an acutely strong urge to crumple it and toss it into oblivion. Instead, she eventually sets it down on the desk rather politely, walking back over to the door in due time. Then, with a deep breath, she would begin anew.     "... that was not a lie. I was being perfectly truthful." Her tone is a bit more even now, though her face has transformed into a decidedly severe scowl. "I must take some issue with a game that does not accept true answers to unpleasant questions, but nevertheless, I shall offer yet more. In all the times I have tried to paint, I have not produced a single worthwhile portrait. All of them are despicable mockeries of the things that they were intentioned to represent. You may know that this is earnest because it is a subject that I care very much about. Now, may we continue? I can do nothing to help either of us if you aren't willing to level with me somewhere."     She looks pensive. Maybe she's a bit apprehensive, but if she is, she's doing a surprisingly good job of letting it show. She would idly, gently kick away the gun when she next has the opportunity in a show of her resolve. 

:'''{{#var:580|Ryoko (580)}} has posed:'''     Ryoko drifts backwards - or perhaps it is up. She can't tell. The light failed completely to illuminate anything, and she can't orient herself at all. When she hears herself speaking, the Space Pirate freezes up, and a shiver runs down her spine. She doesn't remember anything before Kagato. Even those memories were indistinct. Had she ever been a child? Had she been... abandoned? It'd make sense, a monster like her...     "I'm not alone, I'm not!" She protests, her voice just starting to crack. Snatching the wig from her head, she expects to find Ryo-Ohki, the comforting little cabbit that has been her most steadfast companion... instead, she finds herself staring into the bottom of a cheap wig with a pricetag still attached, and her mass of green hair splays out in a mess behind her.     The woman's knees fold up against her stomach, and she wraps her arms about herself. Alone. Again. Alone. Seven hundred years of crushing isolation presses in about her in an instant. Hot tears stain her cool cheeks.     "T-Tenchi... w-where are you? I, I need you..." 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "It's hard to pinpoint, yes," Homura says, reverting the Soul Gem into its ring form at the sight of what she PRESUMES to be Familiars. A bit Halloween-y but then this is a thematic Witch if she's ever seen one given the time it chose to pop up.     "And I don't know if it can really do that or not. I want to say reproducing every single thing we've ever fought is probably ludicrously out of reach of any singular entity, but it might be possible to generate Familiars that loosely match a handful of encounters a piece. But that'd be pretty unique. Then again, this is the highest tier of Witches... so unique is the name of the game to start with," she asides to Himei.     If Psyber feels safe unloading, she'll follow suit. A handgun is produced and the clip is emptied towards the pumpkin heads, with explosive rounds just to make sure. Well, as explosive as you can make a handgun. Fayt always pulls through on novelty ammo, at least.     "Something's off though. Unless it intends for us to just get lost, it should be mobilizing SOMETHING to actually stop us in our tracks. Not... these."     On the other hand maybe they're nastier than they look. 

:'''{{#var:186|Cecily (186)}} has posed:'''      "There has to be something..." Cecily mumbles to herself as she just watches and stares. She tries to bite back the feeling of despair, "That wave must've slammed me into standby mode..." she breathes slowly, trying to find something more than smooth nothingness for her fingertips to latch onto, but she can't even 'draw' her claws. So focused on what almost turns into a scrabbling at the walls of her prison like a caged animal that the sound of her voice has her tearing herself away from the sight of Beli below her to look around in a panic. "Wh--"      She's cut off as the voice continues, eyes widening, then closing, her head shaking. "That's not true.." she breathes, her hands coming up to the top of her head, pressing those vulpine ears flat against her hair. "...I have a -home-... I have my parents." She'd just recently had the anniversary of her 'birth' not two days prior. But the voice pulls at something inside of her. She'd gotten 'lost' when the Vault travelled. She'd lost her family for so long. Thoughts of her own struggles to find her purpose within the Union seep into her mind. "I'm not alone..." she exhales in a voice that surprises her with how weak and unconvincing it sounds.      Her hands move from her ears to join together as she hugs her knees, looking through the barrier towards Beli, unable to even help one of those she cares most about. Even the presence of her 'sister', the former White Queen, feels missing, preventing her from dividing herself and her escape efforts. 

:'''{{#var:331|Himei (331)}} has posed:'''     Well those are... strange. Himei's still holding her head, but as she follows Psyber out, she forms a little shimmer around her body. The motes of light shift about, only briefly, before she takes her Sailor form in an instant, ready to fight these strange creatures. "I guess we'll have to just fight our way through. We can't have them hurting the civilians."     She takes her typical stance, stepping off to the side and sending a blast of energy toward one of the Familiars, just to test it. 

:'''{{#var:1|Kirito (1)}} has posed:'''     Oh man. It's true. Kirigaya Kazuto has had this bad habit of ditching all his other MMO time for the new FullDive beta. He got lucky enough to be accepted, why wouldn't he try out the latest and greatest? Lots of people were jealous, a source of some nervousness, but he didn't have to face any of it since only those chosen were where he was checking out anyways.     But still... he's frowning harshly at this criticism.     The boy starts typing.     SUBJECT: RE: Where you been, man?     BODY: As if. Anyways, wouldn't playing on our games all the time still qualify for that? I'll log on later tonight. Catch you then?     And he hits send.     Without really grokking who he's even talking to. Or what MO this is. His mind is in a bit of a haze, and he rubs at his forehead again. "Maybe some fresh air will clear my head!" He stands up, stretches again, and heads out into the hallway. His room is on the second floor, so it's down the stairs, through the kitchen, out doos...     But as he strolls, he's bearing a rather down expression. "Was that really all a dream?" If so... darn it all. His memories of it are already fading some, the harder he tries to grasp at it. There's someone he should be talking to. Who was it? 

:'''{{#var:238|Beli Klum (238)}} has posed:'''     Beli visibly flinches at the cop's words. Shock and hurt flicker over her expression as she feels something digging into her heart. A familiar feeling, but one that has not been felt for a very long time.     It aches. And as the cop strides away, shooting a look of derision toward her, that ache seethes into something even less pleasant. A conflict she has dealt with for decades boils and simmers, sparking a debate between two greatly opposing sides. A kind, gentle person who would rather be walked over for the sake of others than raise a hand in anger, and someone who has grown far too tired of spite and scorn to endure it for any longer.     The hybrid's expression slowly turns to a scowl. Slowly, she pushes herself up, rising to her feet as her glare remains fixed on the officer before her. "...I am not /transient/."     Beli stands looming where she is, a shadow encroaching along the ground around her as it seems to overwhelm the radiance of the street. Tendrils of sin and hatred seep along the earth as her left hand balls into a tight fist.     Her voice is a low growl, echoing more with a dull, volcanic rumble than the soft bells of angels. "Do you even know what I am /doing/ for all of you? What struggling I have endured because I believed I could /save/ you? Even when it wore on my soul and mind and made every day a cacophony of pain and fear and darkness, I /tried/! And I am not going to be talked down to as if I am lower than someone who cannot even THINK FOR THEMSELVES!" 

:'''{{#var:38|Noble Six (38)}} has posed:'''     The panic of the new recruit snaps Noble Six out of her own momentary panic, as she turns to look at him. She frowns below her helmet, and then kneels down next to him, taking hold of his shoulder, "Private Reynolds, right?" She says, looking at his nametag on his armor, "I need you to listen to me, alright?"     She doesn't sound angry, and is only raising her voice enough to be heard over the battle that's raging around them, "We have a job we have to do. I know you are worried for your wife and your kid. That's the reason you're here. We have to stop the Covenant anywhere they strike, or they'll march straight to earth and kill every man, woman and child there. It's not just your wife and kid that's depending on you. All of humanity is." She motions for him to get up, and turns to fire her battle rifle at an Elite that had gotten too close to the trench, "Hold this position, I need to go find out where our air support is." She says to him, hoping he'll do what she asks, and not cut and run. If he tries to run away in this firefight, he'll be cut down in a heartbeat. She just knows it.     She moves through the trench looking for whoever has the radio back to HQ. They're going to need that air support here sooner rather than later, though she has a feeling that it might not be coming. 

:'''{{#var:70|Priscilla (70)}} has posed:'''     The first four words out of the ghostly Psyber's mouth cause Priscilla's blood to freeze in her veins. 'It'll happen then'. Such a statement goes well beyond any ideas she may have had of Psyber trying to distance her from the Union, and straight into territory that has alarm bells ringing full blare in her head. That strange, unshakeable feeling of vicarious nostalgia; the sense that this conversation had already happened; makes doubting the dialogue playing out before her eyes a distant, far-away thought. What if, against all odds, the Witch had spirited her away here, alone, away from everyone else, because it wanted to protect her? What if it was showing her these things because it already knew them, and due to some facet of its unassailably alien personality, it had decided it would rather not see them unfold. Homura had said it, hadn't she? That these Witches are consumed by their most negative emotions. Perhaps in its past life, it too was subject to the same whims of paranoid and spiteful people. Misery loves company, after all.     Deciding it would be best if she were to not go anywhere, Priscilla sits down in the corner of the alley, knees pulled to her chest, hair, dress and tail getting soaked and soggy in the rain. The words 'puppy-dog' sting. She'd watched this man for three years from afar. Fought by him in some of his worst battles, but never demanded anything of him. She'd declined the invitation to join his inner circle, hoping not to be simply tuned out in the way he'd grown so used to the rest of his coworkers. And he'd come to see her as well. Stuck his neck out for her in Lordran. Was that really so pathetic? Was she really that transparent? Nathan chills her most of all. He'd done nothing but help her every step of the way through the painful process of being reunited with her homeworld, and yet it somehow seems completely in character for him to drone out those words in the same monotone as always.     So be it. He'll never find her here. 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' Riva blinks. Okay, she's in the future, she supposes. It could be an illusion, but weird crap happens in the Multiverse every day... "What." She says, staring at her duplicate as she goes full-bore. "Whoa, wait a minute. Sure, I barely know a lot of the people there, but they all seem cool. Why would I get them killed? That's..." She trails off a bit. "Wrong." She edges away from her Future Self a bit. "What happened to you... me? Why would we make that kind of a decision? Since when did we know what was best for everyone? And why would I get a cute hunk of man like Psyber killed in order to have to take over his corporation and have /more/ work to do? I've still got all the Templar stuff at home to deal with!" Riva is looking significantly less confident by this point, but doesn't pick up her guns. 

:'''{{#var:439|Madoka Kaname (439)}} has posed:'''     Pain. Terror. Despair. Hopelessness.     A quartet of emotions rife in the world of a Witch, so strong as to break free of her bounds and run rampant on the world, to spread her pain to others. As Samhain, free and wild, flings the Multiverse's strongest into nightmairs and despair of their own, only one remains. Floating in a haze between dream and reality.     She sees many things.     She hears many voices.     A single girl wanders the land of dreams, peeking from world to world, a transient visitor poking her head through many doors. Try as she might to spread herself, she can but open one door at a time.     Her first stop is a conflict ravaged land on a dying planet. Ash and glassed earth, choked with the dust and fog of war, where a single soldier fights on her last battlefield in an act of Noble sacrifice.     Like a gentle presence, she approaches, whispering words gently in an ear. "Not here."     A soft hand, small, fragile, and warm, touches to unyielding armor, solid and assuring.     "That's right. You have a job to do. Fight. That's what you do, right? You won't have failed if you give it your all. But not here... This isn't your last fight. You're needed somewhere else."     "So please, wake up." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     RYUKO:     The door opens to the... Mankanshoku family. The crunching sound is them biting into whatever ingredients Sukuyo has used tonight, hungrily going through platefuls of the delicious dinner. They all kind of look up at her and then look at eachother. Mako is the one that gets up.     She scuffs her foot awkward, "Ah... Ryuko... uhm." She frowns, "We talked. Your blood always makes such a mess. And the Academy always wants to make trouble. Uhm. We decided you should stay somewhere else. Sorry." She says before slowly starting to close the door.     DRESDEN:     The gravestone seems slightly familiar to Dresden. A shape he's seen before, a style he partially recognizes. The priest nods his head slowly, "Yes. It is sad when men simply give out. They're not sure what took him. Sad."     He motions to a chair across from him, "Please, have a seat. I'm sure Harry would appreciate someone being here."     SATSUKI:     Ragyo laughs haughtily, leaning back in her chair, "Ah hahaha. Ah, relax dear. I would never hurt my daughter~." He croons, reaching out across the toppled table as if to caress satsuki's cheek in a relaxed fashion, even as the girl goes on the defensive.     "But please don't make a scene, I do like this cafe," She flatly notes, her hands falling to her lap, lacking a table to rest them on, "If you're going to get upset," Her tone turns Motherly-lecturely, "Well, if it makes you feel better, you can build your toybox again. I just wanted you to know I don't fear you."     Oddly, despite not having her sword on her, Satsuki can ALMOST feel it. As if it were at the tips of her fingers, just slightly out of reach. Something she SHOULD have, but doesn't. MIZUKI:     "Individually you are bad at those things," Comes Mizuki's own voice from out of the door, "But come on. You know what you're actually bad at. Or do you~?" It wonders, taunting her.     "Perhaps you don't know at all. Oh ho ho~. Silly ignorant girl." It's Mizuki taunting herself. Her cackling laughter fills the room.     RYOKO:     "Yes~ Cry cry~." Comes a different voice. This voice sounds like a 15 year old alto gloating in victory, a bully that is happy that she has broken someone, "Cry, cry cryyyyyy, and no one will hear you because you're aaaall alone." Her voice croons, almost sneering in its tone.     A form appears across from her, vaguely humanoid as it asks, "Someone has the worst day of her life, so why should she suffer alone. Misery loves company, so will you be my company?"     HIMEI AND HOMURA:     "You guys can't fight!" Psyber protests to them both, looking between the two of them as he guns down familiars. Psyber steps forward towards the two of them in his typical covering formation.     "Anyway, whatever this thing wants to send to stop us, it'll get handled." Psyber says, looking to Himei as she takes her stance, "I meant it when I said I'd do anything to stop you two from getting involved in something like this again."     Himei is suddenly grabbed by the throat, using her migraine as a distraction in her senses. A powerful hand wraps around her neck as Yamiko Psyber moves to lift her up off the ground, "It's okay. Soon nothing will ever hurt you again," He says, tightening his hand and waiting for the telltale snap of bone. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     CECILY AND BELI:     "Isn't it?" Says the voice in Cecily's bubble, sounding like her. It doesn't say anything else, though. If Cecily cries, she'd notice the tears don't evaporate. Instead they pool at the bottom of her bubble slightly. Beli's torture is her torture, it seems, and the Witch can think of no greater punishment than Cecily seeing Beli suffer.     Out on the street, Beli is losing her temper, "Save us? What are you even on about," He says, shrugging, "The Angels will save us when they take out the Demons, don't you get that? No one's above them. Especially not... you." He pauses in a disgusted tone. His baton is out and extended again, looking towards her and ready to strike if she tries to attack him.     KIRITO:     Re:Re: Where you been, man?     Body: For sure, man. I'll be proxying onto the Nippon servers like always. I wish they'd release this game in the US-of-A. Sick of this monster lag. I'll be logged in on Psyber, you know, that alias I use for everything?     Kirito gets some rice balls shoved in his hands on the way out the door. A snack for the road. Outside, his world all seems just like it was before he ever unified. Before he ever tried out Sword Art Online.     PRISCILLA:     Like Ryoko, when Priscilla has a breakdown, she can feel a presence next to you. It's a shadow person, vaguely humanoid, that speaks in a girl's voice, "Sucks, huh? People always want to use and betray you. All my friends wanted was my power, so when I wanted to do something else, we all stopped being friends."     The figure extends a hand to Priscilla, "You wanna be my new friend? I promise I won't ever ask anything from you." She can sense it smiling at her, trying to pry past her defenses.     NOBLE SIX:     Noble Six is really in a bad spot. The Private she's lecturing takes a deep breath and slowly nods his head. He shakily picks up his rifle again and starts to hold the position. Unfortunately for her the position comes under bombardment by covenant tanks. Huge jets of plasma begin to rain down, looking like they're about to fall into the trench.     But it all stops when Madoka appears in the world, her very presence a disjoint in how Witches should work. The bombardment hangs in the air, the world quiets. Noble has time to think now.     RIVA BENARI:     Other Riva laughs at Riva slightly, covering her mouth with her hand again, "While he was attractive, and probably long-lived, he was too suicidal for us. He'd get himself killed and he wouldn't come back, and that would be bad for his business." She smiles coolly, "See, we Immortals, we have to look out for our own. We're going to be around forever, so we can see the big picture that..." She thinks, "Lesser beings can't. You figure this out after the first century or two of life. If they don't live with you, they'll just die without you." She shrugs. 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "What? Why not?" Is Homura's first question. Why can't they fight? They're used to this, it's nothing new. Well okay it's rather new overall THIS scenario, but the overall situation, not so much. Then Psyber is being creepy. And then it becomes a bit more obvious. She can't tell he's a Yamiko, specifically; her best guess right now is that it's an illusion, or maybe shapeshifting Familiars.     It threatening Himei is enough to cause an immediate reaction, though.     "Let her go!"     The handgun is discarded and replaced by a Regisword, which the Puella brings crash down for the elbow of the arm holding Himei in place. The blow echoes in time, and actually strikes twice rather than once, a second iteration of the same slash on a delay of about a second behind the first.     Can she even hit hard enough to cut Psyber's arm off? If it's the real deal, probably not. If it's a fake, she can always hope. It's not like she has a ton of options here. 

:'''{{#var:38|Noble Six (38)}} has posed:'''     The plasma was about to rain down on them when everything in the world grinds to a sudden halt. Six rises up from where she had been about to take cover and looks to Madoka as she comments. Six's mind works on this for a moment, and then it hits her. This isn't Reach. This isn't the place for her final stand. She made it off of there. She survived. And she won't die here.     Wake up, huh? She'll do it. She'll get up, and she'll fight. She won't ever stop fighting until she draws her last breath, whenever that day may be. The only way to stop her is to kill her...But then again, SPARTANs never die. 

:'''{{#var:140|Ryuko Matoi (140)}} has posed:'''     "Ah.. Well, I.." Ryuko looks down at her hands and her feet, her outfit stained red, including her hands. "No, Mako, it's fine.. I kinda put you guys in a bind, huh? I'm sure I can find somewhere ta' lay my head." She watches that door shut, and she goes limp. Her shoulders sag, and she sighs, turning on her heel, she looks back down the hallway.. 

:'''{{#var:206|Harry Dresden (206)}} has posed:'''     Harry Dresden flinches at the name. And the gravestone. Wait wait wait no no no.     There's a look of abject despair in his face for all of a moment or two, before... he shuffles overand sits in one of the chairs. Resignation on his face, maybe? Something approaching dull horror, but...     No. No this wasn't right, this was... "Padre are you sure that... maybe they didn't know? I... there's got to be..." Why wasn't anyone here? What could have gone wrong? He sits down in front of the Padre, knowing what's he's going to see when he looks up at the gravestone.              HARRY DRESDEN              HE DIED DOING              THE RIGHT THING     Pain, terrible awful pain creeps into his throat. He can't breathe, he can't... why. A look at the padre. "N-no one? I... Waldo? Murph? Gggn. There's... there's got to be someone. Even... Mab, anyone?" No no no, this isn't right, not even a little bit. 

:'''{{#var:430|Satsuki Kiryuin (430)}} has posed:'''     Bakuzan isn't there. But it /should/ be. For that matter, she should be wearing Junketsu! She's reached the point in her plans where she is never not expecting enemies. Never not expecting a surprise attack, even from her own mother. So why can't she reach down and take hold of her sword? Why can't... why wasn't...     Something... something isn't right. She would never make this mistake. Never be so unprepared. "What... is happening here?" she growls, only growing more defensive as the hand comes towards her. She was... she was doing something. Something important. Is her mother trying to distract her from it? Why does this all feel so wrong?     Something clicks. "...you. What are you doing to me? With my resistance to Life Fibers, I shouldn't be susceptible to this from mother." Her gaze levels at the woman, and the Queen of Honnouji begins pushing back on that mental suppression, hard. "The only possible answer is that you aren't really Ragyo Kiryuin. And I won't accept myself or my plans being made a fool of by anyone less!" Like a star being born in infinite darkness, her will surges against the horror pressing down around her. And once again, her hands go for her sword, as if she's certain that in reaching for it, she will find it against all logic. 

:'''{{#var:183|Mizuki (183)}} has posed:'''     That earlier shock has briefly desensitized her to a point where the reverberant sound of her own voice isn't in the least surprising. Rather, it's just extremely - extremely - inflammatory. Her fists tighten considerably, now, the contours of her face growing ever the more indicative of her worsening mood. Still, with a series of breaths she is able to stay her wrath, facing the microphone with an ever more poisonous glare. "Pray tell, are you mimicking my voice just to give yourself an excuse for greater pretentiousness then you've yet demonstrated? Continue to behave in this fashion, and there will be no recourse for you. The people who came to this city with me will strike you down, and I will laugh as your soul is brought before the guillotine of your own madness." She squeezes her eyes shut with the last word, drawing in another, shaky breath.     Briefly, she rubs her forehead, opening her eyes and looking around the room in an effort to locate some aspect of the phantom haunting her. "Ignorant I may be, but if I am, then I see no way in which you would be more learned on the matters of my heart. Now, come -- cease this obnoxious charade and speak with me in earnest. What despair has grasped you? To what place have you fallen? My associates..." She pauses here, briefly. "... my associates have a way of pacifying self-doubt and loathing. If you would allow me to pass through this door, I could lead them here. They could help you to find a way out of this maze you have built yourself. Please. Work with me."     If telling it more of what she believes it wants to hear, maybe changing the subject will? Worth a try, at least. Still, though, in spite of herself Mizuki would find herself contemplating fervently what sort of iniquity it could be referring to. What in Creation's name would this abomina --... tortured soul know about her that she would not? Nothing, clearly. It's a farce, a ruse; something meant to throw her off. Recognizing this, she refuses to acknowledge it any longer.     Or at least until she's forced to -- it's a safe bet that she much of this solidarity she's attempting to display is just a front. It shows in every twitch of her eye and quiver of her legs for those keen enough to notice. 

:'''{{#var:439|Madoka Kaname (439)}} has posed:'''     Having given one of Humanity's greatest soldiers a moment to breathe, a moment to regain herself, the girl continues on. One last smile as she slips away and on to the next door of dark dreams down the neverending hall Samhain has trapped those she loves in.     To a woman trapped alone with her tears, locked in a prison of watching the one she loves suffer abuse, torment, and begin to fall to anger.     "You're not alone." Says the gentle warmth of a palm on Cecily's cheek. Like an angelic figure bathed in pink light, Madoka speaks true, within the fox's prison.     "She needs you, just as much as you need her... It's not right to keep the two of you separate, is it?"     Her giggle is like a silvery chime, as the Law of cycles summons her bow to hand. "Here..."     A mighty draw upon the string summons an arrow of light. "Why don't you go to her?"     Indicating for Cecily to fire the bow and break free of her nightmare. 

:'''{{#var:580|Ryoko (580)}} has posed:'''     Ryoko's crying slows when the teenage voice interrupts her sobbing. Mockery cuts through her self-pity like a knife, a hot flush of shame making her sick to her stomach. The wig falls from her hands, tumbling away eternally into darkness, and she looks up through bleary eyes. She can't see very well, those damn stupid contacts are getting in the way, but she can make it out, that shimmering, indistinct form.     Ryoko tries to hold herself back; but she's scared. Desperate, even. "You did this." She growls, and her teeth are... fanged, much more noticeably than normal. Orange lightning burns at her clothing, red plastic running down her cheeks and mixing with her tears. The gemstone on her wrist is a bright and brilliant red, even if it completely fails to illuminate more than her own savage features.     "Let me go." Her voice is a harsh bark, tears replaced by fury as she has a face to look at. "Let me go or I'll kill you. I'LL KILL YOU." 

:'''{{#var:331|Himei (331)}} has posed:'''     Well this has rapidly gone from suck to blow.     Or rather, from suck to strangle.     "Hrk..." any snappy retort that Himei had is cut short by the powerful grip on her throat. Her arms flail a few times, but... well, she has an advantage here. She's already transformed, after all. If this had been a few years ago, she'd have been too panicked to do anything with her powers. She'd have scrambled and scratched. But now...?     Now Himei still panics, and so she does what she always does when confronted by a powerful, surprising foe that she feels is out of her league.     She blasts a bolt of silvery light through Psyber's chest. 

:'''{{#var:70|Priscilla (70)}} has posed:'''     There are no theatrics for Priscilla. Nobody to talk to. To yell and scream at and tell them that they're wrong. The crossbreed watches the little stage play enacted by the two phantoms with dull, glassy eyes, staring over her knees as the oily water pools around her feet. She doesn't feel the rain hitting her face, nor does she even notice the sounds of the distant storm outside that little alleyway, lost in her own thoughts. 'Puppy-dog'. Is that what she was? A creature that thinks of others as part of its pack, but really handled by beings that view it as a lower form of existence. A needy dependant, either just useful enough to keep around, just endearing enough to put up with, or too close to human to get rid of without guilt. The more she plays her own memories through that filter in search of the truth, the more they start to take on a completely different hue; warped by that twisted lens. Awkward stares that had once seemed meaningful. Subtle smirks where there had been none before. Old dialogues spelled out in simple tones for unstable ears. Gazes that didn't really meet. Words that didn't really sound genuine. Psyber and Nathan are like a muted radio in the background by now. The question remains: "was I always the crazy one, and simply the last to know?"     The sound of a new voice quietly jolts Priscilla out of her stupor; green eyes looking past sodden silver hair at the new character on the stage. "In truth, I am not certain what any of them wanted at all." Comes her plain, toneless answer. "I never did know what they desired from me. When I questioned why they accepted me and found no answer within mineself, I accepted it. That things were simply . . . different here." She presses her face into her legs, taking in a deep, bracing breath, though her voice still comes out as choked and hoarse as it would have been without it. "I suppose I was wrong." Wordlessly, Priscilla looks back up, and offers her hand. There are no tears to be seen. This was the way things always were. They weren't going back to the way they were before: they had never changed. She'd let the multiverse go to her head, and had gone a little crazy for a few years as a result. She'll look back on it and laugh. At least, that's how she rationalizes it to herself. Anything not to start crying. 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' Riva's expression twitches, uncertain and then degrading rapidly from there through shock into horror. "Christ. Are you really what I have to look forward to?" She scoots back and stands, starring to turn away to stalk back and forth. Her hands waving as she begins to yell. "You've lost it! You've lost everything! What happened to living? Having fun? Keeping some perspective? These people are supposed to be why we're fighting! It's what the Templars were all about! That's why I joined them! Hell, do you even paint anymore?" She stops, leaning forward and slamming her hands on the desk. "Do you even remember what it's like to be human anymore?" 

:'''{{#var:1|Kirito (1)}} has posed:'''     Glomph. Kazuto's grateful for something to munch on! He greets Sugu and his adoptive parents on the way outside, then finally reaches his porch, still scarfing down the rice ball. Once he's done though, he pulls out his smartphone. The e-mail alerts just went off. Sure enough...     There's that name.     Oh yeah, the demon hunter guy he worked for! Kirito brings up the reply and prepares to tap out a response on the touchscreen and just... stops after a few taps.     He stopped not because he had nothing to say, but because his contacts list has DRASTICALLY shrunk. No Agil, no Lizbeth, no Tomoe... Silica's nowhere to be found... panicking, he cancels out of the response and scrolls several times through the contacts list. It was never really big back then, he just had a handful of people he sometimes hung with on some games... no.     Even 'Yuuki Asuna' is nowhere to be found.     THUMP.     That's the sound of Kirito transition from 'sitting on the deck' to 'toppling backwards, limbs splayed out limply' as he gazes skyward.     Could that have REALLY been all a dream? For the first time since waking up Kazuto's eyes show some real energy, but they're clouding up... he chokes down his urge to cry, but a few sobby noises still leak out.     A montage of memories plays through his head with machinegun-like rapidity. Being flung free of the Death Game, meeting up with Asuna, making many friends, joining the Multiversal fight... "Double Fault?!"     The Abstractum he was given has a special ability to switch manifestations between digital and physical, but... nothing happens.     It's all gone. Or rather... maybe he never had it to begin with.     Now really tearing up, Kazuto sits up on the porch's edge again.     Is this some kind of sick joke? Was all that just a dream? He'd found something he'd wanted for so long without really knowing it. Was that real? Or was that just some trick of his own mind trying to tell him he needs to stop being a recluse, a product of his own guilt from ditching everything for the new game?     Kazuto's never been a very loud crier. As his heart and stomach start knotting up, he does something that nobody's ever seen him do.     The boy warrior who's tried to appear so strong and keep walking no matter what happens... curls up into a fetal crouch and starts quietly sobbing into his knees. Teeth clenched and gut full of nausea, he nearly vomits up his recent meal. 

:'''{{#var:186|Cecily (186)}} has posed:'''      Those tears do begin to flow, at first one, two droplets streaming down her cheeks to wet her tunic. Down below she can see Beli's anger rising, the devil of her costume showing through more and more than just that of a simple holiday outfit. "No," Cecily rolls over, pressing her palms to the wall of the prison. "Not again. Don't lose yourself, love," she breathes, having seen Beli nearly fall to Wrath before, and how many of their friends were there to help bring her back. Her tears flowing more and more. "You're -not- alone!" she cries out desperately, pounding on her 'cage' with such force that her hands discolor slightly and a sharp pain rushes down her arms. Anything to distract her.      Then another voice, a touch, a light. Not one taunting or tormenting her. Warm, gentle. Her eyes widen and she jerks her head up towards Madoka. "You--..." she murmurs softly, finding her breath and her voice, breathing shaky. All she can do is nod dumbly as she's spoken to, ears lifting as hope starts to make cracks in the despair and hopelessness. She reaches for the girl's hand, then finds purchase on the bowstring and the arrow.      Magic and artifacts never did get along with Cecily, but she wasn't the one to draw the string and form the arrow. All she would be doing is letting it loose, letting it go. She puts herself in a position to do just that, hands trembling as she composes herself. "Thank you," she murmurs, clenching her eyes shut to squeeze out the last pair of tears before releasing the arrow into the barrier. "I'm coming, love." 

:'''{{#var:238|Beli Klum (238)}} has posed:'''     "The /angels/ could not care any less about you than the demons!" Beli's voice raises to a shout. Her hands are clenched into fists so tight that her nails begin to dig into her palms. Her body trembles, her breath nearly impossible to keep regular and even when she isn't snapping at the officer in front of her. "How can you not even see that?! How can you not notice that your choices are not your own? All they want is to influence you so that you will go to their world, and then all they are to you is more service, more /power/! You are nothing more than fuel for an ever-expanding competition of might, and I...I..."     Her voice cracks. Something slips into her mind, then, that makes the darkness at her feet falter in its steady spread. Rage flickers out of her expression, replaced with a steadily heavier and heavier despair that makes her hands loosen and her shoulders sink.     "...I was...supposed to save you. I was supposed to save you all..." She blinks, looking down at her hands. Something is wrong. The hybrid pushes, strains, attempts to draw out /something/, but the souls she has taken are silent. Adramelech, Zerachiel, Beelzebub, Barachiel, Belphegor, Jehudiel, Alastor, Raphael...none of their powers come, no matter how she focuses on them. Realization suddenly strikes through her heart like a burning knife, stealing a sob of fear from her throat. Her soft voice is barely a hushed, terrified murmur gasped through panicked breaths. "...this is...this is not right. What happened? Where is...where did...?"     A terrifying thought begins to settle into her mind as she sinks to her knees, suddenly feeling very, very frail. "...was it all a dream...?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     BOSTON:     Noble Six wakes up on the docks in Boston. She can feel smoke clearing from her head, though Samhain is not aware this has happened yet. The massive figure of the Witch is floating high over the city, its smoke causing thousands of wiry lines back to it as it clutches one hand shut and revels in the horror it is unleashing across the city. The others are nearby, heads all surrounded in the smoke, looking catatonic in their standing positions.     RYUKO:     Ryuko feels an arm go around her shoulders. That same voice that has plagued two others is now here to talk to her, "Nowhere to go? People abandoned you? You can stay here. That's just one lame room. I got dozens of others to show you if you'll just stay around." He voice practically grins at her, starting to lead her down the hall and towards the darkness, by dragging if necessary, though it tries to avoid seeming like its dragging her.     HARRY DRESDEN:     "Shame." Says a feminine voice. A female form, made of shadows, is sitting next to her, "I died alone. Or I was going to. I chose not to, you know?" It asks him, sighing, "I figured... If I was going to go out, I wanted company. I don't wanna KILL anyone, I just don't want to be alone."     "You don't have to die alone, though. I'm here!"     SATSUKI:     A sword is drawn and faced towards her mother. The being taking the form of Ragyo simply shrugs, "I'm making people suffer with me. But if you won't believe this reality so much, well." The woman smiles, "I will show you how hopeless the situation is."     She snaps her fingers and vanishes. Satsuki also wakes up to the same sight that Noble Six does: A city enslaved under darkness.     MIZUKI:     "Can they?" The voice asks curiously, shifting from Mizuki's voice to someone else's standing across from her, "I don't know the inner workings of people's minds. Truth told, this is all new to me. I'm just projecting YOU~. I don't read the slides."     The shadowy figure waves a hand, "But if they can pacify doubt and self-loathing, why do you keep biting your lip, wringing your hands, trying to figure out what you're bad at? How can you promise me help you don't even have." The figure says before vanishing through the door again.     RIVA BENARI:     "Do you think you're going to?" The Other Riva asks pretty calmly, despite the hand slamming on the desk. She watches the real Riva rant about the situation, "Painting is... a frivolity I indulge in from time to time. Landscapes, mostly. Those last the longest before they change. But it all will eventually."     "That's why immortals are so important. We won't change when others will. Or we'll change for the better, like you're going to." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     HIMEI AND HOMURA:     Yamiko Psyber's arm is easily taken off at the elbow, causing him to drop Himei as she blasts right through his chest, "Augh... damnit..." He groans, the hole seeping black blood as he wobbles on his feet, "Wish I'd been the new breed. Identical to human. That wouldn't have worked..."     He has just enough energy to look at BOTH the girls and ask, "You'll finish her off for me, right? Orders and all." Before he falls over backwards, dead.     It's at this point that the realization that the street is empty sets in. There's only Himei, Homura, and their new friend known as Creeping Doubt.     RYOKO:     The shady figure crosses its legs and takes a sitting position, "You COULD kill me. But how do you know that would free you?" The voice asks in a desperate bid to cool her fury. Can't have her get TOO angry and break out, now can we?     "For all you know, I killed everyone else and it's just you and me." It puts up its hands, "Can't kill your possibly only companion."     CECILY AND BELI:     "Haha, what? Are you insane?" The cop asks her, watching her rage flicker out as she collapses to the ground. He collapses the baton and then puts it in his holster at his side, shaking his head at her, "Stop babbling and get moving," Comes the voice of the cop before he starts marching away.     Beli can feel two hands rub her shoulders. Two shadowy hands, "Come on, now. You can still save people. That's what I'm trying to do. You wanna be fri-"     The shadow is cut off as a blast of light punches through nowhere in the sky, slamming into the ground as an arrow. The being shrieks before disappearing into nothingness, vanishing like dissipating smoke.     Cecily and Beli may now reunite and wake up.     PRISCILLA:     "They weren't your friends." The voice says firmly, smiling at her as Priscilla takes her hand, "Everything was wrong before, but it's right now. It'll be just you and me here, and I promise. Friends forever." The voice says, wrapping shadowy arms around Priscilla.     "Promise you won't ever hurt me like other people did?"     KIRITO:     New Personal Message from 'SammyHain<3Gaemz' SammyHain<3Gaemz: Hey u here? SammyHain<3Gaemz: Cmon dont ignore me :((( SammyHain<3Gaemz: i just wanna play games SammyHain<3Gaemz: my friends all vanished but u The IMs coming into Kirito are light grey on a black background. And they're pretty insistent. They're also the only thing he can pull up on his computer right now, whenever he gets back from being sick. 

:'''{{#var:430|Satsuki Kiryuin (430)}} has posed:'''     Satsuki finds herself awake, Bakuzan in hand, pushing herself up onto her feet. She blinks away a muzzy-headed sensation and sweeps her gaze around, spotting Noble Six - to whom she nods briefly - and then the others. And then, just for a moment, she calmly looks skyward. "If you've looked into my head, you know that hopelessness and fear are an obstacle over which I step daily. Neither they nor you will prove any obstacle for me."     First things first. The Queen of Honnouji calmly strides her way straight up to Ryuko, sizing the still-catatonic girl up. She seems to consider her options for just a moment, before a single step back is taken, and without warning Bakuzan whips downward in an incredibly fast slash-     Right through the haze surrounding Ryuko's head. With all her will, she brings her sword straight through it, as if seeking to disperse the miasma keeping the other Honnouji student on lockdown. 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     Okay that worked. She... didn't expect it to, but she'll take it. So Psyber's Yamiko is destructively overprotective, huh... then again, this might not be true to the real deal. It depends on the Witch's ability to be accurate.     The Puella extends a hand to help Himei up, right up until the fake half-angel rings out his last words. Then her extended hand is filled with a handgun instead, and actually capitalizes on the fact the other magical girl is probably still grounded. She might have caught herself, though, but either way, gunpoint.     "... that's problematic. How do I know he wasn't bluffing? We've both already had a Yamiko. Either it's impossible to have two like you said, or I'm with someone who'll try to choke me too."     She... might be a bit more on-edge than she'd like to admit.     Normally she'd trust Himei more than that.     That's probably why her arm is shaky and she can't keep the steady aim. 

:'''{{#var:439|Madoka Kaname (439)}} has posed:'''     In another dream Madoka has done what she can. And now she's direly needed elsewhere. With one last squeeze to send Cecily on her path, just like that Madoka moves on.     Elsewhere... %THope Spirit Madoka Kaname has invaded your world.     As Priscilla reaches out for that dark hand another reaches for her. A small hand gooved in white. "Things are different. There's nothing to know! Because they are your friends. It's really that simple. You weren't wrong at all."     Her voice is a slim thread, delicate and gentle. Loving in it's own selfless, earnest, honest and wise way that only one immortal could share with another.     It is to the other figure that madoka turns her attention. "She won't hurt you. It's okay. None of us will. But I need you to let her go." 

:'''{{#var:206|Harry Dresden (206)}} has posed:'''     Harry Dresden's eyes come slightly more focused, the tears that were threatening him slipping back a bit as he's got a proper audience talking to him again. A shadow lady. Not suspicious at all.     No, really in the cemetary Harry's met some... okay people. More than a few young ladies, even. His lip twitches a bit, and he adjusts the big floppy Merlin hat. "I have to admit you've got me at a disadvantage, since.. uh. I'm not used to being a ghost, actually." That's what this is, isn't it? He's dead and stuck here like some damn fool haunt.     What a way to go. "So, what, just here to gloat that you offed Harry Dresden or... uh." He adjusts the hat again. This feels rediculous and more so that he's dead why is he still in the get up AM I STUCK LOOKING LIKE PARTY MERLIN FOR ETERNITY? 

:'''{{#var:186|Cecily (186)}} has posed:'''      As the arrow of light shatters her cage, Cecily dives down with it, feeling strength and hope return to her. She descends to the street, seeing the aftermath of the impact, the dissipation of the being rising up from behind Beli. And soon the hybrid will feel a pair of hands on her shoulders again. "You're not alone. I'm here for you, love," comes the fox's voice, still shaky. "Wake up. We have to move. The city is still under attack and the others may need us." Those hands slide down Beli's shoulders, the warmth of the woman's body pressing into her back as she embraces her fully with arms and tails. "I'll always be here for you," comes the whisper with a kiss to the back of her head.      Then Cecily's eyes flutter open, shaken free where she stands on the Boston street. She presses the heel of her palm to her forehead, shaking off the feeling of waking from that nightmare. She looks around, seeing the state of the others, awakened and otherwise, and huffs. "Can we get the others out of this from here?" she asks those awake, already moving to where she'd seen Beli. In her hands she draws that promised sword, a completely mundane claymore, long and heavy and solid steel.      A kiss is pressed to Beli's cheek, the cold handle of the blade pressed into her palms, "Wake up," she repeats. She splits, two of her 'sisters' moving to check the Vickers left on the hood of her car, clearing the breech and getting ready for a hint from someone who knows Witches far better than she. 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' Riva has always worn her emotions on her sleeve, and this continues to show now as the other her simply sits there in the face of her increasing volume and agitation. Anger, fear, and desperation etch themselves across her expression as she responds, "Frivolity?! God dammit!" Finally, she grabs one of her MAC-10s off of the desk and points it at Other Her, her hand shaking. But she doesn't fire. she just roughly stows her guns in her toga and backs away. "Just... get away. Go away, damn you! You're not me, you're just some... Super-cold heartless bitch! Do you hear me! You're not me! And you never will!" 

:'''{{#var:580|Ryoko (580)}} has posed:'''     "You... killed them?"     In her half-crazed state, Ryoko's mind swims with possibiities. At the least, Ryo-Ohki, dead. At the worst... there's nothing here. Nothing. It is similar to the moment she found herself in the Multiverse, torn away from the dysfunctional family she'd managed to pull together.     Ayeka. Annoying, frustrating, stuck-up, brilliant, beautiful Ayeka. Dead.     Sasami. Adorable, innocent little Sasami. Dead.     Mihoshi. The most hilariously ditzy police officer she'd ever had the chance to prank. Dead.     Old Man Yosho, that quiet, stoic, dignified gentleman. Dead.     And of course, Tenshi.     "If you've killed them..." When Ryoko lunges, both hands lead the way, aiming to wrap tight about the figure's throat and crush. She's NOT thinking straight; what the shade says makes sense, but Ryoko is about as logical right now as a wounded bear.     Whether she gets a grip on nothingness or passes straight through, she'll still cry, "Bring them BACK! Give them BACK to me! Or I'll kill you, and join them in the next life! There's, no need for a universe, without my Tenchi!" 

:'''{{#var:331|Himei (331)}} has posed:'''     THUD!     Himei blinks a few times, coughing, and rubs her throat as she scrambles away from the arm. A quick pulse of light disintegrates the arm, done almost out of habit, and the magical girl staggers to her feet- or starts to, anyway. Her hand was reaching toward Homura's, but now it's frozen.     "Clever," she whispers, still getting her voice back. "It should be impossible, but if this is a different world's, maybe not. So... easiest solution is I shoot you. But if your corruption is high enough, it would hurt the real you, too. And you won't let me, because if I am a Yamiko, I could just blast through your chest easy enough... I think. I'm not actually sure how Yamiko power replication works."     She pauses. "There's something I'm missing, though..." She's now wishing she were sharper about this sort of thing, because she's sure there's a way out of this. 

:'''{{#var:140|Ryuko Matoi (140)}} has posed:'''     No.. That's not right. Ryuko clenches her fist.. "Mako.. would never kick me out. They wouldn't kick me out.. They're my family, damnit." She doesn't pay attention to that voice, beyond telling it to shut the hell up. "I'm not goin' anywhere.. This is bullshit!" She resists any attempts, now, to move. "Mako's my friend.. She wouldn't abandon me!" 

:'''{{#var:183|Mizuki (183)}} has posed:'''     Mizuki's look hardens yet more, but in that darkening, almost seems to soften. That she finally coaxed this witch into speaking with her own voice is victory enough to void most of the pain brought on by the recognition of her own writhing. She takes another deep breath, here, much of her fidgeting halting. She's holding her breath to reduce her movement where her emotions alone cannot. Whether or not this is symbolic in any way is very much up in the air.     "They have not known me long enough to become so entwined with my course of life that my actions would be reflective of them in the ways that you are describing. And that is largely because of -my- weakness. I am too preoccupied with professing my own distance from their norms, and far too caught up in my own flights of fancy, for them to have seen even the faintest fraction of what lies beneath my haughty facade. Perhaps that is one of my weaknesses: I am a terribly poor socialite. I am also..." She closes her eyes, again. "... a horribly fickle person. Fickle and arrogant, to a degree that I would think mere words of rote superficiality would undo untold amounts of your pain." Mizuki eases up rather suddenly, her arms falling into neutral positions as her head... bows. Her hands gradually fold at her waist, and she begins to look... vaguely reverent.     "Forgive me. I had, in a moment of weakness, forgotten myself." Her gaze slowly rises to the door. "I have not experienced a pain like yours, but I have met people like you. People who have been betrayed. People who have turned their back on the world in order to forever indulge their own delusions and scorn. Indeed, while I have no right to the sensation, I had withdrawn into such a realm not unlike the one you are living in now. For hundreds of years." She sighs. "Far too easy is it to turn one's back on reality. And unlike some would say, I would not insist that you return there immediately. But if there is any chance that you will listen -- any chance that I may offer your spirit rest and asylum in any form, physical or figurative -- let me know. If your tale truly meets its end this night, then tell me. Everything. I will write it so that you, and your toil, will never be forgotten. So that one day your story may save some poor soul from the suffering you experienced."     Then, assuming she still has it on her person, Mizuki would reach into one of her concealed pockets and fetch her notepad and pen. She would then reach a free hand for the door and attempt to press it open, just in case something she said might've triggered the lock. 

:'''{{#var:38|Noble Six (38)}} has posed:'''     Things start to come into focus again as Noble Six wakes up back in Boston. That was a hell of a trip. She pushes herself back to her feet, slowly but surely getting back up onto her legs and stabalizing herself. It looks like everyone else is still out cold.     She looks up at the huge witch, and frowns. She would need to call in an MAC strike to take something like that out by herself, and she's pretty sure that the Crimson Dawn isn't on station this time. She moves over to whoever is closest to her, and tries to see if there's a way to wake them. They'll need all the help they can get to bring this thing down, and she knows better than to try to solo it. 

:'''{{#var:1|Kirito (1)}} has posed:'''     Oh who the hell is this? Can't they see that Kazuto's having a rough day? Glowering at the screen after he wipes his eyes... Kazuto's eyes lock onto the name. There's a name that gets him tense like few others. With a sharp hiss-like intake of breath he gets up to his feet and brings his empty hand up behind his back to grip... empty air.     And he's quick to mentally chide himself. Of course, he's not a swordsman... what is he thinking? Why would he have a sword?     That reflex is just so terribly ingrained. He actually feels quite naked without a weapon, even in his own peaceful neighborhood life. Ever since being freed from the Death Game... but wait, was that part of the dream too?     Kazuto croaks out a hopeless, despairing sound, and seats himself again.     Maybe he's just losing his mind.     Though his soul feels far too empty to emotionally process ANYTHING, he reads the messages again... and decides he should ask Psyber if they've ever spoken to this person.     But the device doesn't respond. Nothing's responding but the response features. "......." How cruel can this joke get? Is the whole world just trying to torture him?     No, it's not Kazuto's way to cry much. He bottles everything up into a bitter brew and uses it to fuel his journey forward, even if that journey's almost certain to end in ruin.     Oh, the temptation to tell this person to just bug off. Or ignore them. But he feels he simply cannot do that.     Sure, once he could've done that. Blow off all his obligations, focus on himself and his needs and worries, but too much has happened since then.R     Or maybe it hasn't happened, but he must at least act on the lessons he learned... or he'd be betraying everything he feels he now is.     Nervously, and choking down his bitter anger, he enters a response with rapid fingerpresses on his smartphone.     'I hear you. What games?'     He stands up, just trying to breathe now. Both hands - one clutching the smartphone to await a reply shake - stuffed into his pockets.     The boy's head is bowed and face cast in shadow. Sorrowful and hollow eyes gazing at the ground. He doesn't even try looking out into the yard whre Sugu's often training... 

:'''{{#var:238|Beli Klum (238)}} has posed:'''     Beli doesn't even respond to the cop this time, as she feels fear, doubt, and a powerful sense of loss steadily creeping through her. Is he right? Was it all just a crazy, desperate dream to escape day after day after day of crushing loneliness and dismissal? Was she simply reading too many silly stories, enough that her mind developed such wild fantisies as a half-angel who encouraged her and trained her to be better than she could be, a strange fox-woman no less out of place than herself and yet even more caring than she, a magical girl whose foul mouth was only matched by her honesty and good nature, a hunter who, while cold and distant, still held a warm and selfless heart...     ...was it all just...nothing? Idle hopes for a world that could never exist?     The hybrid jumps and gasps when she feels shadowy hands on her shoulders. They grip, squeeze. She freezes; it's the same kind of touch she's experienced before, almost the same slithering, weaving words. Words she would hear now and then before the Multiverse came into her life, manipulation predations against her weakness and doubt.     ...but before she can sink any further, piercing light shoots through the street and casts away the figure clinging to her. And another set of hands, warmer and far more loving settle on her shoulders, making her gasp again. A kiss is pressed to her cheek, and a sword pushed into her hands.     "...Cecily...?"     The moment she blinks, she finds herself back in Boston. Back in the dark, stormy city, where a Witch looms above the docks. She blinks again, before her expression hardens to a determined glare and she slowly pushes herself to her feet. A glance is given to those around her to make sure she's back, and when she feels confident that everything is where it should be, a light smile begins to settle over her lips.     Light flares around her. Six black, feathered wings spread from her back, coated in a sheen of blue. Three black halos hover behind her head, blue flames hovering in their centers. And cyan fire slips over the blade of the claymore in her hand, coating it in the cleansing power of angels as she looks back up at the Witch.     "...I am not afraid of you. Or any other lies you show to me." The sword lifts, braced in front of her. A deep breath is taken, then released, slow and steady to calm whatever remains of overwhelming wrath. Maybe she can't do much by herself right now, but...she isn't alone, at least. 

:'''{{#var:70|Priscilla (70)}} has posed:'''     That's right. Nobody had ever actually said they were friends. She had people who she thought looked after her, and people she thought she liked her, and even people she thought respected or listened to her, but at no point had Priscilla anyone she could definitively call a friend. It all seems so glaring in retrospect. People would thank her or offer praise, but when did they ever want to meet her or do something just for fun? Why was she perpetually on the outside of every relationship formed between the people she knew, ignored until she could be fleetingly useful? Everyone around her was meeting new people, making friends, saving worlds, forming clubs, even getting married, and what presence did she have among any of them after all this time? Did anyone even think about her when she wasn't there? Had everyone grown up without her?     Finally pulling herself out of that soggy dent in the asphalt, Priscilla gingerly moves to return the shadowy figure's embrace, doing her absolute best not to give into emotion. This Witch - this person - had been the one to save her from her 'companions'. The one to show her the truth. The one who, here and now, understood her, and wanted the best for her. How could she say no to that? What reason would she have for denying someone who obviously felt for her? Besides. Being forced to write off so many people at once is hard. She can't give up on everyone quite so fast. It'd be much easier if there was at least one person she could trust; something left after she'd gotten rid of everything else. "Thou hast mine word I-"     Priscilla freezes at the second voice. She turns to see if another spirit has been added to the two from earlier, already on edge, trembling at the idea of hearing more of those venomous words. The urge to close her eyes, hold her hands over her ears, and just ignore it is overwhelming, but she finds no third figure. For the strangest reason, she doesn't flinch at the feeling of the second hand on her own. For an even stranger reason, despite all the evidence to the contrary, she just can't doubt those words. ". . . -I will not harm thee, but I cannot stay." She finally finishes. Just saying those words makes her feel warmer, as if accepting Madoka's words is so natural that she'd wonder how she ever forgot them. Slowly, she backs away from the shadow, letting her arms fall to her sides as she slowly shakes her head. "I begrudge thee nothing. It wouldst be not mine place to hold ire for one who shares the same place I once did." Her fingers squeeze around the Cycle's hand for an instant, before finally letting go. "But such means I can say with certainty that this is not the only way of the world." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     HARRY DRESDEN:     "Me? I don't want to kill anyone. I haven't killed anyone ever," The voice says calmly, sitting next to him. She crosses her legs and says, "If you need a name for me, you can call me Sammy now, I suppose."     "We're all ghosts, though. At some point we realize our life is over. That we're stuck in a fate. I'm here to tell you it doesn't have to be alone." He can feel the voice cordially smiling at him. It's a friendly sort of feeling, with no hostility behind it for as long as he's not hostile to it.     RIVA BENARI:     "If it helps you to shoot me, go ahead. You know it won't slow me down much," The other Riva says pretty bluntly. However... the other Riva does have a passionate response to her 'younger self'.     She slams her hands down on the table, "I AM YOU. AFTER however many centuries whittle away what humanity is left of you. When you realize that you will outlive EVERYONE you are friends with. I'm you, Riva." She slams her hands again, "You're never gonna die. And this is what you're gonna become!"     SATSUKI AND RYUKO:     Ryuko manages to resist her nightmare. And as the shadowy figure is pulled away from, the world is cut in half. It falls around her, dissolving into smoke. Satsuki has, during a weak moment in the connection, severed the nightmare that Ryuko was resisting.     The plus side: Ryuko is now awake again.     The down side: Ryuko owes Satsuki a favor.     NOBLE SIX AND MIZUKI:     The closest person to Noble Six is Mizuki! And trying to wake her up would have effects. From the other side of the door in front of Mizuki, she can hear cries of 'Hey wake up!' or 'Come on!'. If Noble Six shakes Mizuki, the room rattles. Including the door.     Mizuki's confession is made to an empty room around her. And the non-response hangs heavy, the cries for Mizuki's attention coming from the other side of the door. After several moments, there's a click. And she can pass through it to awaken. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     RYOKO:     The shadow can definitely get grabbed. And it looks surprised to be grabbed in the first place. The woman SHOULD be broken in spirit, but it has turned into desperation. A desire to fight against inevitability that the being could not compensate.     As Ryoko squeezes down on the throat of the shadowy figure, the world fades to white around her. She is literally choking the life out of her nightmare, causing it to ripple and then eventually burst back into reality around her, snapping her into waking on the dock. She has brute forced her way out of a mental dungeon.     HIMEI AND HOMURA:     Do Himei and Homura need help right now? Nope.     The Nightmare is content to let the two of them stew right now. They can have their square off and doubt one another. Eventually, it wagers, one of them will kill the other and it can swoop in and prey upon the despiration of the survivor.     KIRITO:     There's a pause before the screen bleeps back at him:     SammyHain<3Gaemz: dunno     SammyHain<3Gaemz: just feelin crummy SammyHain<3Gaemz: games always help. SammyHain<3Gaemz: We could play some shitty K-Grinder. Or an american FPS. SammyHain<3Gaemz: itll distract us!     The screen is a very enticing thing for Kirito to focus on. After all, if he's feeling bad, surely playing a game to distract himself and re-orient himself in his REAL LIFE will be the best thing, right?     PRISCILLA:     The confrontation between the spirit of Samhain and Madoka is a tense one. The Mega-Witch is not sure what to make of the Hope Spirit that has now disrupted no less than four nightmares during this little event. And others are breaking out as well. There's a stony silence at Madoka's words. No hostility, just silence.     "I don't know who you are," The voice begins, "Or why you can do this..." It continues, "...but please stop."     And then it ripples and vanishes, letting Priscilla re-orient herself and wake up. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     BOSTON (Everyone who woke up this round):     Weirdly enough, Psyber is already up and about when everyone is waking up in Boston. Did that guy ever even fall asleep? Who knows! So mystery, much cryptic.     "Bout time people started coming around," The half-angel declares to the people who are waking up or are re-orienting himself.     "This thing needs to be taken down, broken apart, and cleaned."     He angrily picks up a car and hurls it at Samhain, the motor vehicle soaring through the air and colliding with Samhain, who wobbles and teeters in the air, but recovers a moment later.     Oddly, as people are breaking their nightmares, it causes bursts of smoke and energy, which are now apparent. Every single time someone wakes up, the smoke explodes in vanishing. And from the glowing part of its face that Samhain has, black smoke falls like tears. 

:'''{{#var:206|Harry Dresden (206)}} has posed:'''     Harry scratches a bit at his hair, hand reaching up and under his hat. He's now talking genially with a ghost lady at his own funeral while also a ghost and dead. "I mean, I get that we don't need to be alone but I'm still a little broken up about no one else showing up for this? I mean... I'm... I've made plenty of friends with the Union. I'm not THAT much of a recluse."     She's not being violent, but the dull horror of being alone is subsiding now into curiousity as the investigator starts to regain his footing. "Inga? Riva? Puck? No one?"     The wizard gets up and out of his chair and starts to look around a bit more. Hell, even if he was alone at his funeral, where's anyone else here? It's Halloween, isn't it? "This is the worst birthday ever." 

:'''{{#var:430|Satsuki Kiryuin (430)}} has posed:'''     The first thing to greet Ryuko when she awakens is Satsuki's face, calm and stern. "How long do you intend to keep dreaming, Matoi?"     Perhaps surprisingly, though, her usually iron-hard voice has softened just a little.     But there are no more words for her to give, apparently. She turns to look at Psyber, watching his display for a few moments, and then turns her gaze up to Samhain again, frowning. "...I am a purely close-range fighter. I'm not particularly happy with this, but I can't see any other alternatives. Psyber. Use that strength, and throw me. I'll see if I can cut her connections to her prey. And if not, I'll see if I can cut her." 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "That's right. Either of us confirming who the other is is as deadly," Homura admits. She tries to think. Yamiko, Yamiko... what all was known about them. Black blood, lack of a conventional soul-- two things those two can prove easily enough.     "You saw my Soul Gem and I saw Tamehito. It's unlikely either of us are Yamiko. But there's an easy enough way to check aside that," she says, raising the Regisword. It probably still has the black blood from Psyber on it, though the sword being pitch black isn't much help there.     "We can just draw blood. You have a cutlass, I have this. Together on three, out of arm's reach."     She takes a step back, though keeps the firearm leveled.     "Deal?" 

:'''{{#var:38|Noble Six (38)}} has posed:'''     Kneeling next to Mizuki, Noble Six grabs her shoulders and starts to shake her repeatedly, "Hey! Up and at 'em! We've got work to do!" The movement should hopefully get her to actually come back around, if Six is doing it right. 

:'''{{#var:70|Priscilla (70)}} has posed:'''     Priscilla rubs her face with her free hand as she wakes up, drawing in the breath she had forgotten while in her personal, hazy little labyrinth of self doubt. The only real plus she can see to the situation is that at least she doesn't feel like a wet cat anymore, since she hadn't actually been sitting down at all. "Lord Psyber, I-" She can't believe she's saying this. ". . . -think it wouldst be best to be not quite so zealous. The Witch represents a very grave threat, yes, but-" But. "-I made a promise I would not harm her." 

:'''{{#var:439|Madoka Kaname (439)}} has posed:'''     "Mm." Yet still in Priscilla's dream a moment longer, golden eyes linger upon the dark shade pleading her to stop. But Madoka cannot. She cannot remain static and let her friends be brought low by their own horrors. With one last squeeze to the crossbreed's hand before fingers detach, Madoka shakes her head. "I'm sorry. But don't worry. I promise you."     "You won't have to hurt anyone anymore."     Just like that, the Law of Cycles is on the move.     And with a PING PING! Kirito's smartphone comes to life with a new email notification.     Subject: Your friends are waiting!     The body of the email is a bright blue background, with pixellated images of so many familiar faces. A half-angel, magical girls of all stripes, a half-dragon girl, faces and people Kirito knows from the Multiverse, friends both new an old. And of course... A chibi smiling Madoka.gif holding a pink heart.     'Your friends are waiting for you on a new game. Pick up your SWORD and join now for free. Feel free to invite someone in need of HELP to join you.'     There is a link to click labelled WAKE UP. 

:'''{{#var:140|Ryuko Matoi (140)}} has posed:'''     Ryuko sees Satsuki, feels the weight of her scissor in her hand, again.. And she scowls, "Oh, shut up. Don't we have a witch 'ta kill? You can gloat and stand above me, some other time." She huffs, and rolls her shoulders a bit, looking back to Psyber. "Can't disagree, though.. Got any ideas?" 

:'''{{#var:331|Himei (331)}} has posed:'''     Himei stares... and then something clicks. "No need." She shakes her head and rolls, moving slowly to make it clear she isn't going after Homura. "I know you aren't the Yamiko anyway. Your Yamiko's obsession would mean you wouldn't have let me go out anyway. You'd not want me to fight. And if you remember what my Yamiko's desire was, you'll know that shooting me in the back wouldn't really prove anything."     She cracks her knuckles. "You want me to stab myself, fine. I don't think you need me to, either. Let's go save a girl." 

:'''{{#var:580|Ryoko (580)}} has posed:'''     Ryoko managed to brute force her way through but... she's not come through unscathed. One look at her tear-stained features, ruined outfit, and expression - a mix of confusion, shame, and anger - is enough to confirm that. She hangs in the air for several seconds, disoriented and trying to make sense of what she's just been through.     The crunch of car against Witch seems to snap her out of it. Rain is evaporating before it can touch her, all that anger having caused her to call on her power. That orange lightning is still crackling, and Ryoko raises her hand towards the creature. Normally, she likes a good fight - but in this case... well, even the idea there might be something redeemable in there seems forgotten after the personal violation.     A lance of orange plasma bursts from her palm, strong enough to take out spaceships and released in a continuous stream, she might be awake... but Ryoko's more murderous impulses have still been successfully riled, and she's lashing out with everything she's got. Perhaps most tellingly indicated by the fact she's not even screaming and shouting any more, let along quipping, she just wants to kill this monster. 

:'''{{#var:183|Mizuki (183)}} has posed:'''     When she wakes, Mizuki's expression is as dour and fretful as could be expected. Rather than rising with a start, she gives Noble Six a passing glance and a nod that just might be misconstrued as dismissive. Not a word emerges from her mouth as she rises from the ground gradually. She seems entirely disinterested in the talk of fight preparation, instead walking over in that same silence to offer a hand to Priscilla if she still needs it by the time she arrives.     What's digging at her, though? Is it the fact that that whole exchange devastated her little 'I can correct everything with a few words' hero complex? Is it the fact that she's waking up to the realization that she had that sort of preconception at all? Probably a little bit of everything, coupled with the niggling feeling that there really is something wrong with her - some intensely profound flaw - that after all her time sitting idly by a window she has not been able to identify within herself.     She doesn't even want to think about fighting a witch right now, but no one else is throwing a hissy fit and quitting, now are they? A subtle reflection of a certain Curator from her home might resurface just long enough to criticize her beyond the notice of others while she nods her head at the crossbreed's words.     "... I agree. We should attempt to make this as quick and painless as possible." 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     "That's..." Basically completely correct. Or rather, as correct as Homura can wager it is. She never met her own Yamiko but she heard and that was kind of enough. With a resigned sigh the Puella Magi lowers her weapons and smiles faintly.     "Right. Completely right. Better not waste time here then. Here, give me your hand. Let's try something stupid and overly sappy."     If Himei complies, her hand is held up along with Homura's. She produces her Soul Gem again nestled between the hands, and focuses on finding the way. They're not just good for finding Witches, after all, they're good for finding a path through their mazes, and this MIGHT qualify. Just, thank god nobody is watching. 

:'''{{#var:186|Cecily (186)}} has posed:'''      Hopefully it wasn't Cecily's car that got hurled. She needs that. Eventually. With Beli awake and the others coming to, the pair of foxes tend to their autocannon. One pats the other on the shoulder and a thumbs-up is granted. The singular Cecily at the Vickers gets it steadied and takes aim at the Witch, Samhain. Then more and more foxes seem to just appear. Three of them, including the one at the 40mm, stay near the car and prep more firepower. The 40mm Vickers S, a Carl Gustav recoilless on a tripod, and the third with a .50 HMG, wired directly into the sight mechanism. There's six more. All nine still dressed as angels.     "If you're going to start severing connections, people will need help," one of them calls to Satsuki. "We can cover more ground and you can do more damage. The Witch is a big enough target and I can offer fire support from the line here, but the rest of us..." the six sisters nod towards each other. "Will see if we can't round up some transportation for the dreamers and help them out as they wake up."      Then much like the flare of blue on the sword in Beli's hands, the wings on the foxes shine and they take off into the storm, leaving the trio at the defensive line to open fire when the word is given. 

:'''{{#var:238|Beli Klum (238)}} has posed:'''     "Yes. I am not very fond of this," Beli remarks to Psyber, glancing back at the Witch as she tries to consider how to handle this situation. Well, at this range, if the Familiars aren't an issue, then maybe...     The sword is heavy, but Beli manages to lift it up and point it at Samhain. She focuses, sending seraphic flames whirling around her forearm, up to the weapon's blade. Unhindered by the rain and wind, it burns in a calm inferno around the sword...then suddenly blasts forward, roiling and swirling with the calm appearance of a rolling breeze that holds the all-cleansing strength of an inferno behind it. The beam of seraphic fire rushes toward the Witch; hopefully it's power that works against all that is malevolent, evil, and negative will have some effect against the creature threatening them tonight, if only enough to allow those stronger than Beli to take it out before it causes more suffering. 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' The words just continue to batter at Riva's ears. Each one just keeps stabbing at sore points, the secret places and dark thoughts she has when she's not out smiling and talking to people, the things that echo back while she is spattered with zombie and draug gore. "I can't shoot you." Riva snaps, her voice half-yelling, half-sobbing. "You'll just come back. I can't even shoot myself. I'll get bored of hanging out in the Shadow World eventually and then I'm back to..." She slumps, just collapsing to the floor with a noise of anger and sorrow as she just sits there. "... And then I start just making friends with the other immortal people. Because there isn't a point to making friends with the people who'll just die..." She goes quiet for a minute, and then she continues speaking quietly. "And then it just goes on from there. People stop mattering. Why do anything that doesn't make something that will endure?" 

:'''{{#var:331|Himei (331)}} has posed:'''     Himei smiles faintly. "Right." She reaches out and shows some trust by taking Homura's hand, because... well, if it were the Yamiko, it would want to keep her safe anyway, right? There's no need to worry right yet.     "Let's get moving." 

:'''{{#var:1|Kirito (1)}} has posed:'''     An American FPS? Kazuto scowls.     Kirito: Your tastes leave something to be desired.     Then he gets a new message. And just like that, he DOES burst into tears. For a good fifteen seconds, he's staring at that. His head and heart start to clear up. He gazes at his IM lists, flicks to 'SamHain' and adds another message:     Kirito: Come visit the Dicey Cafe. My friends and I will be waiting.     That's probably not the smartest thing to do, given the sender of that message, but Kirito's too overjoyed to think about the details now!     He hits the link...     And awakens.     Back in reality, Kirito's unconscious avatar springs to life again. Assisted by midnight-black wings, the swordsman rises to his feet. The dreary winds blowing through the city catch his longcoat. While his garment flaps dramatically in the wind he gathers up his treasured weapons and swings both with a testing flourish.     "That was a foul trick. But if you're this lonely, then let's have a match. I accept your challenge!" He solidly declares into the mists, then glances about to take stock of the others... 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:''' @emit     HARRY:     The girl laughs at Harry, "That's logic. Logic doesn't work in nightmares, you know that," She says calmly, "This is what's going to happen to you. It happened to me. No one wants to be alone when they die," She says firmly, repeating herself to her prior points. Mostly because she doesn't have a counterpoint to the fact that Harry has friends who WOULD show up.     HOMURA AND HIMEI:     Wandering their way out is pretty easy, all told. The empty street leads forward, the gem guides them down a side path to a door in an alley. When they open this door, the entire world is flooded with light that washes over everything around them. Moments later, they're free to awaken shoreside in the harbor. They may take action against the witch next turn. r     MADOKA AND KIRITO:     Hope and Horror, two allignments as opposite as night and day. And they've been clashing tonight in a most curious way. Horror does not have the advantage of being a concept projected into the world, and so has found herself outmatched at every conceivable turn, out maneuvered and out-played. And more than that... out-loved. She wanted friends selfishly, but Madoka had been making pure appeals.     SammyHain<3Gaemz: maybe     SammyHain<3Gaemz: i dunno     SammyHain<3Gaemz:I have bad luck with friends.     SammyHain</3Gaemz has gone offline.     Kirito clicks the link and then... wakes up!     RIVA BENARI:     The other Riva simply smiles at her 'younger' self, nodding her head, "Now you understand. You can accept this, though. And grow stronger from it. Outlast this sorrow and numb yourself. Accept reality." A brisk, simple message of 'give up' for Riva Benari. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     BOSTON:     Psyber looks to Priscilla, "I don't want to hurt her. How she is right now is hurting her. I want to defeat Samhain and bring back whatever girl is inside her," Psyber says pretty distinctly, "I don't wanna kill anyone tonight." He says, looking to Satsuki. Then to Ryuko, "Hit it hard with whatever you've got. We'll purify her after."     "You got it. One Shuriken Girl." Psyber carefully grabs Satsuki at the back of her collar and the center of her back before he whirls around once and flings her towards Samhain at a meteoric speed. But not before...     Ryoko blasts the thing with a giant laser. Samhain brings up a hand to stop it, but it can't do so fully. It's VERY apparent that the huge strike of power directed towards the massive witch is bleeding through the defense of the hand as burn marks appear all over its body and up its arm. It's survived, but it is incredibly damaged.     Satsuki's connection severing is pretty effective from the getgo. People are waking up and the multiple Cecilies that are going through the city are able to pick them up in commandeered vehicles which can be led to medical care in the still-free parts of the city.     Beli's power hits the Witch, and some of the purification comes through. There's a staticy distortion along its body, but it manages to hold strong for now. 

:'''{{#var:206|Harry Dresden (206)}} has posed:'''     Harry Dresden's eyes light up with sudden recognition, and he slumps into his chair. "Oh. Okay. I'm... right." And then Harry smiles a bit, leaning forward in his seat and looking back at the girl, murmuring. "You know you're not alone right now, right? I mean, there's people out there who are probably trying to save you too, just like... I'm guessing, they're trying to save me."     And he reaches out to try and plant his hand on the Witch's shoulder, looking at her. "Logic doesn't work in nightmares, no. But I'm not so sure this is my nightmare any more, kiddo." He sighs, and looks at her. "If you don't want to be alone... just... know that you can be saved. I know I can. And hell, if I can't, then I'm a shitty wizard." Now there's tears, as Harry swallows thickly.     "No one should ever die alone, and you're not going to." He tries to find Samhain's hand, and squeezes at it. "We're both going to be okay." 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     Homura awakens, finally. It takes her a moment to understand why she was on the ground, but once she regains her senses and a rough understanding of where the lot of them still are, that faintest smile she might have had returns to a neutral frown, and she rubs the back of her head, waiting for Himei to get back up too so they can hop to Psyber's side again.     "Still standing, I see. Has anything actually harmed it so far?"     It looks vaguely bruised, but she can't tell if that's just how it looks or if it's the result of attacks so far. Could be both. 

:'''{{#var:430|Satsuki Kiryuin (430)}} has posed:'''     Even without the overwhelming might of Junketsu, Satsuki Kiryuin is a shockingly skilled swordswoman - able to compete with as much as a Two-Star Uniform purely on her own skill. With the Two-Star Halloween Magical Girl-Spec Goku Uniform she wears now, she can move well beyond human limits, and so as she flies towards Samhain like a missile, Bakuzan whips here and there faster than the eye can see, severing connections and cutting people free near the source.     When she reaches Samhain, rather than take a slash, the Council Prez drives her sword in with a simple, sharp stab, and uses it to arrest her momentum entirely - and then yanks it free and hurls herself up onto Samhain's body. What follows next is a swordswoman dressed like Homura, leaping and darting all over a giant monster's body, striking out not at the monster itself but the connections of power linked to it. 

:'''{{#var:580|Ryoko (580)}} has posed:'''     Strangely enough, its Psyber's words to someone else entirely that actually helps rein Ryoko back in. The power she had been projecting dies away, and she looks at the bleeding, burned, staticky creature. Her expression softens, and she sighs, shoulders sagging. "Just tell me when to stop." She says, to Psyber. "And remember, you owe me a barrel of sake. /Ryoko Hakubi/. After tonight, I'm going to need it."     Once more there's a ~bweep~ as Ryoko fades out of existence, and this time she reappears in the sky above Samhain. Rather than one concentrated beam, she lowers her hands, and dozens of scattered blasts rain down along sections of the creature her allies /aren't/ close to, aiming to inflict damage, yes, and definitely not GENTLE... but hopefully less lethal than continuing to try and carve the thing into distinct chunks. 

:'''{{#var:140|Ryuko Matoi (140)}} has posed:'''     Ryuko nods to Psyber, and brandishing her sword, just goes and charges at the Witch. Big or no, she's able to leap at it, using the buildings to get up to it, if she has to. Either way, she attacks the Witch directly. Like Psyber said, she hits it hard. 

:'''{{#var:238|Beli Klum (238)}} has posed:'''     Beli's attention flits between the others for a moment as she sees them waking up. Some relief settles into her features, then. Good. If they can just keep working together, maybe this will be over with...     The rephaite doesn't say much more for now. She focuses, instead, pouring as much of her angelic power as she can through the sword and into that concentrated, cleansing beam. She seeks to simply burn away any of this evil and negativity that she can; if that saves someone being consumed by it rather than simply killing a creature, then all the better. 

:'''{{#var:183|Mizuki (183)}} has posed:'''     Any contribution Mizuki may make to the fight here is halfhearted at best. A few volleys of gunfire at areas that have already been struck to exacerbate wounds others have already wrought, along with some temporal teleportation around what seems to qualify as the witch's center of cognition to confuse her while others strike. She would continue on with the latter in a pattern, lashing out with her sword where possible and withdrawing where that isn't, until she is either snagged by her foe or she develops a lethargy from overuse of her abilities that would lead to that outcome in the immediate future.     Then, assuming she wasn't captured, she would land some distance away and simply watch. When this is all finished, she's going to have to remember to ask what people learned about this girl so that she can piece together a story. Even if she didn't acknowledge it, even if she hadn't been around to hear it, Mizuki had still made a promise. As capricious and omissive as she may be, she fully intends to keep that promise, too. Ideally that would mean by listening to her stories by her bedside as she recovers, but one can never be sure that things will work out that way. And if they do? She's not entirely sure she deserves to be the one that hears her story. There are others - two in particular - who are in much better positions to understand. She would likely just be invasive.     So maybe it would be best to leave this alone, and compile what other people discover. Watch them and content herself in knowing that there had been a positive outcome at all. Like authors and readers classically do. 

:'''{{#var:331|Himei (331)}} has posed:'''     First, Himei is speaking into the radio. She's doing this as she sits up, grumbling at the power and muttering, "Let's just blast this thing." Seething anger is a good motivator, for her, but she's no longer a berserker. Now, she picks herself up with a shakes of her head, and tugging the eyepatch aside so she can look properly magical-girly.     "Well then..." An aura of brilliant silver light flares around her, shimmering and swirling upward. Homura will recognize it as one of those rare times when Himei is channeling her full power, something she hasn't done since the Earth-776 incident. 

:'''{{#var:38|Noble Six (38)}} has posed:'''     Now that everyone seems to be getting back up to their feet, Noble Six turns towards the Witch. The witch wants to fight dirty? Well Noble Six can fight dirty too. She grabs the weapon that had clattered down to the ground next to her, and then levels it at her target. She fires both rockets from the launcher, and then immediately switches to the weapon that had been maglocked to her back.     This weapon is a sleek, rifle shaped device, which she levels at the target. The weapon whirs to life, building up a charge over a couple of seconds, before it unleashes a powerful, magnetically driven slug at relativistic speeds. It's not breaking any of the laws of physics, in fact it's taking advantage of them to deal as much damage as she can at once. 

:'''{{#var:70|Priscilla (70)}} has posed:'''     Priscilla doesn't seem to understand the distinction between Witch and girl for a while. For her, the giant monster floating above the city may as well have been the same figure in her dream. Not everything lonely has to look human. She's very understanding about appearances. For that reason, it takes a few seconds for her to really grasp what Psyber is saying. ". . . very well. I shalt do mine utmost." She does stop however, just for a moment, as Mizuki comes by, gently squeezing the girl's hand as she offers it. Just the sight of her face makes her feel stupid for forgetting the time they had spent together. This girl, at the very least, understood her. How could she have doubted someone who spends their unguarded moments so earnestly?     Letting go of the Author's hand, Priscilla takes a couple of steps back from everyone else, taking a deep breath as she gathers her energies and prepares to do something she hasn't needed to do since Annu. Placing her fingers to her mouth in the way one would to try and warm them with their breath, she sucks in a lot of unnecessary air, pauses, and then releases the full throttle version of her breath weapon; a brilliant, cutting beam of blue-white spiritual energy that slices through the air and across Samhain, sprouting fractal explosions of crystal on everything it touches. This always reduces her throat to smithereens afterwards, but so be it. 

:'''{{#var:439|Madoka Kaname (439)}} has posed:'''     Email sent. Madoka moves on. She can feel the effect she's having. The others are waking up. They're able to protect Boston. But her work just isn't done.     With a knock on the door, Riva and Riva are interrupted, and she enters, adjusting the collar of her suit. White on black is the theme, a white longcoat worn over a perfectly pressed black shirt and slacks, and white necktie.     "Excuse me. sorry to interrupt. I'm sorry I'm late." She says with a smile, sitting down at the table.     She proceeds to steal Riva's coffee.     "You don't have to accept anything, you know." The pink-haired divine says in her sweet tone of voice. "You don't need to shoot her. You just don't have to become her. I mean. You can still be whoever you want, right? You should never give up. And you should wake up and see that now."     It took some effort. A work of sheer will amid all the multitasking and world hopping to go diving in two dreams at once.     But the Madoka that appears within the nightmare of Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden is not in a halloween costume. She is not 8-bit. She is not a magical girl. It's a flowing white dress of starlight, hair long and free, bound in white ribbons as she appears, one hand on Harry's shoulder. "Ah... It looks like I got a little caught up with all the others, I'm sorry, Harry. But it looks like you handled this just fine, mm?" And her smile widens as she dabs at the wizard's eyes a little.     Because when Harry reaches out to the shade, so too does she. "He's right. There's still hope. There's always hope. You're not alone right now. You just need to take our hands. All of ours."     Not just hers and Harry's.     But everyone that's now awake and fighting as well. 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' Riva sits there, pulling her legs in as she listens to the other her make a simple, final statement, a closer on her arguments. The weight of inevitability is heavy on Riva's shoulders. It's hard to breathe with the stabbing sorrow that radiates through her heart. Her body is just a vessel. Her soul is eternal... But immortality is no blessing. Is there no other way? What will she be like in a couple hundred years? A thousand? Two? Ten? "I..." She finally speaks quietly. "I..." She looks up in shock as Business-Class Madoka appears and ganks coffee like a pro. She stares without comprehension for a moment as the words pierce through the fog of grief, a hand held out to a drowning woman. She readily grabs it. "She's right. I can still... live. There's no reason why that has to be the only end, right? It's just one..." She staggers to her feet, and nods. "Even the little things are important. You forgot that... And even I did, for a bit. We're supposed to be artists, right? What's the point of a work of art if you overlook all the little details that give it life? Even immortality is like that, right?" She nods to her other self. "But one thing is for sure. This was... educational. And now it's time to go." She turns, a door where none was there before. Doors are powerful metaphors, a focus... And then there is rain. Riva looks up, now kind of thankful for the chill water that splashes down her face. It hides the tears. The anger is gone, Madoka's words helping to give her another way out... But there is a nod. "Break through." There is no going through something like that unscathed, but there is always a path forward. Sometimes you just need a little help to find it. The guns come up, her hands firm now as the levels them at the Witch. "If we can find another way, so can you." Is all she says as the Anima builds within her, flowing into her guns and charging. She brings the weapons behind her head, then flicks them forward in a deceptively nonchalant manner. There is a large radial blast of blue-green Anima force, a hexagonal color-shifted pattern gleamining in it for a moment as a screaming bolt of devastating force rolls towards the Witch. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:''' RIVA:     There's a sense of annoyance from the other Riva as Madoka shows up in the dream scape. Shortly after this, the other Riva vanishes, leaving just Madoka and Riva to talk about her future.     Riva can easily open the door and step out into the real world, leaving the other riva looking about ten shades of pissed off at the fact that she just got trumped YET AGAIN by the pink-haired being.     HARRY:     Within Harry's nightmare, the shade finally snaps, "AT EVERY TURN you have outplayed me. What is it that you WANT FROM ME?!" She practically shrieks at Madoka, knowing what Madoka actually wants, but unable to understand it in her current form. So instead there's just rage and despair to meet Hope. She storms off, vanishing and giving Harry the ability to wake up when he so wishes. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     BOSTON:     "Ryoko Hakubi, barrel of Sake, got it." Psyber says distinctly.     The hour is getting late, so let's cut to the chase. With the level of attacks that people are bringing against this Witch, combined with the weakened state of its many nightmares being severed, Samhain is not as much of a fight as it could be.     Samhain relies on the despair of others to create power for itself, so with that being diminished, it is not undefeatable. And it is not able to withstand the sheer attacks being leveled against it. Wave after wave of the assault explodes across it and eventually the witch lets out a dismal shriek and explodes into black mist that vanishes towards the sky.     But something is falling down as the mist rises up. It's the body of a girl. 15-16, wearing strange clothes. Purple hair. Falling along side her is a jet-black gem about the side of a silver dollar.     She slams down into the streets of Boston like a stone, kicking up water and debris as she and the stone land next to her. She is a stranger to all here. http://i.imgur.com/5iYWE7m.jpg What will later be recorded in Psyber's Hunter Diaries: SAMHAIN, The Witch of Horror True Name: Erica Weissman Age: 17 Went missing 3 months ago from nominally Union-alligned territory. A lull in demon activities meant a chip shortage. Erica's teammates attacked her seeking her chip surplus but believing she would not share. The shock of killing her friends in self-defense, plus the horror of their betrayal, would create the despair and hopelessness that serves as the basis for Samhain. Samhain, as a Witch, is unique because in all instances of her manifestation she has never directly caused a death. Her Witch's Kiss has caused several people to kill others, but she possesses an incredibly low fatality count for the magnitude of power she manifests. Ultimately, it was not the goal of the Witch to kill, but this hunter believes she sought companionship as a basic instinct, making her unique among many encounters. 

:'''{{#var:1|Kirito (1)}} has posed:'''     HERO INTERRUPT!     As the girl tumbles groundwards from the heavens, a shockwave and a sound like wind instruments blasts over those on the ground. Then, a black streak zoooms up at tremendous speed.     The Black Swordsman has to make several course corrections, but he arrives just in time to snag her when she's only a few hundred feet up.     And he's not alone.     A much smaller fairy appears in a blip of light near him and catches what is rather cumbersomely sized for her: The Soul Gem. Yui raises the gem over her head. "I got it, papa!"     Smiling, but breathing rather shakily, the Spriggan and his Navigation Pixie daughter descend down towards the group and gently set the girl down before Psyber.     The boy in black heaves a sigh of relief. "That was close!" 

:'''{{#var:2|Homura Akemi (2)}} has posed:'''     Homura is not going to complain that the firepower the others brought to bear was more than enough to finish the job. She sighs, and will keep her eyes on Madoka for the most part, crossing her arms. There are much better (but probably much worse too) ways to spend Halloween, she guesses. Boston can be such a pain about it.     "Looks like a happy ending at least. Psyber, Himei, you've got this?" She's pretty confident they do, but phoning in Flowers or Laine might not hurt once everything clears. 

:'''{{#var:331|Himei (331)}} has posed:'''     The power fades around Himei as she sees the witch fall. She didn't get to do more than throw a bolt or two, but that doesn't matter. "I think I've got enough in me to handle my part, if Psyber does."     She looks tired... even if she shouldn't be. She does not, however, look exhausted. She flashes a small smile to Homura, "Heh..." Then, as she approaches Psyber, she says, "Thanks. Your training really helped me out."     ~ 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' Riva isn't gloating or celebrating at the end of that. There are no tacos. She just lowers her guns, and turns away from the situation. "And that's why nothing happens on Halloween." she says in a quiet, matter-of-fact tone. 

:'''{{#var:206|Harry Dresden (206)}} has posed:'''     And Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden is lying on a bench down the road from everyone else, gasping a bit as he's getting rained on, looking like a very bedraggled wet gandalf. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber looks very confused at the thanks from Himei, "Yeah, sorry you... got stuck and all." He looks around awkwardly and then reaches out to pat her on the shoulder.     "I think I can do a purification for her and then we can get her medevac to a secure facility." 

:'''{{#var:439|Madoka Kaname (439)}} has posed:'''     Phew... With her work complete, the littlest Divine settles down. A gentle flare of pink light returning her to her halloween costume as she kneels by the now freed magical girl.     Still smiling.     It is another Madoka that appears beside Homura, draping arms over her shoulders, with that gently satisfied smile.     "So... So Homura... Hey..."     ...     "Can we go trick or treating now~?" 

}}

872/Act While In Delirium

2014-10-29T02:15:08Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/10/28 |Location=Divided Equestria <DE> |Synopsis=A church is investigated by several people in order to find clues on a grisly murder. |Thanks..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/10/28
|Location=Divided Equestria <DE>
|Synopsis=A church is investigated by several people in order to find clues on a grisly murder.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=239, 264, 470, 475, 513
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:470|Pinkie (470)}} has posed:'''     Divided Equestria. Pretty and pastel though the land may be, not all is right here. Named for its divisive and warring factions led by the formerly gentle and friendly Element Bearers. For those who don't know it, this is a world that has gone so very wrong. For those who do know it, then this will simply be another journey into a world of tragedy and pain.     With the recent chaos near Golden Pines that has probably been covered up fairly effectively by the Archmagister's faction, House Moon and Star, the populace is on edge, running on rumors and hissed whispers of terrors in the night, but things have gotten worse.     Pinkie Pie has gone missing.     Hard Boiled Manehattan detective, Gum Shoe seems to be in need of help at the town of Sunny Hills.     Something monstrous happened in a small church in the town of Riversplit, just west of Stalliongrad in Twilight's territory.     Everything is going so horribly. 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     Lunars have this way of simply riding rumors like a ship sails witht he wind, it seems. One might say that a little bird tells them about things...     That probably isn't literally true. Most of the time. And it's not the case this time.     But a red-tailed hawk has come swooping down from the skies after investigating the rumored Churchgrounds. It's acting like no red-tailed hawk should, really, peeking into windows, looking at the grounds... 

:'''{{#var:475|Magister Twilight (475)}} has posed:'''     Wearing her broad-rimmed hat and accompanied by a silent, capable-looking stallion bodyguard, Twilight pulls up near the CHURCH in a carriage, as usual. The Archmagister herself has come to take a look, muttering dangerously about 'issues' with the interrogation. Ness may be with her, but the important thing is that she's looking over the church with a thoughtful, considering pair of eyes.     The unicorn adjusts her hat and sighs. "Might as well see what Secret Service turned up. Where are they, anyway?" 

:'''{{#var:264|Eliot Ness (264)}} has posed:'''     Ness is, indeed, nearby the Archmagister. He's giving a sideways look at the bodyguard, apparently not sure what to think of them still. He has one hand in his pocket and the other has a half-bent Lucky Strike between his gloved fingers, which he smokes idly, "Good question, Archmagister." He agrees with her, adjusting the hat atop his head and appraising the church with careful gaze. 

:'''{{#var:239|Polite Words (239)}} has posed:'''     Also arriving with the group at the church is a vaguely familiar seeming woman in a very nice suit. She's armed to the teeth, as is completely natural and unremarkable in these dangerous times, and will take a look out at the church. "Secret Service? I'm sure they're very capable." She says, a bit neutrally in tone, mostly just wanting to make conversation. She'll rub at her red-specked eyes before getting out and looking around the area, trying to scope out the surroundings of the scene before they might head inside. 

:'''{{#var:470|Pinkie (470)}} has posed:'''     The town of Riversplit is a small river town close to the edge of Moon and Star's territory to the north, bordering lands with constant threat from Rainbow Dash's House Stormwing territory, and the mountainous borderlands that are home to the Gryphons to the north. It's set right by the main river that feeds water to Stalliongrad, but needless to say the people and ponies here are always a little on an edge due to the double threat from the north, even though the borders are pretty well defended.     But this is something that's struck close to home for them. The town is quiet, with most of the residents locking themselves away while Secret Service and his investigators wander the streets, questioning from house to house, a slew of ponies and men in dark suits with shades doing dark work.     The church itself is a hotbed of activity. Armed and armored Moon and Star guards cordon the area off- taking no notice of the hawk that a COMPLETELY NORMAL HAWK touching down. They're more focused on the higher ranks coming to investigate.     Twilight Sparkle, Ness, and Polite words are all aproached by a slim unicorn pony, brown pelt, black mane, dark shades over his eyes and an ear-piece. He also has a suit on, though it doesn't hide hise cutie mark of an ear wire.     Meet Secret Service.     "Archmagister. Federal Agent." He pauses squinting at Polite Words, "Associates. Unexpected but pleasant surprise." He says in a dry, completely business oriented tone. "You'll be pleased to hear we haven't let anyone in or out of the scene. We have the priest detained for questioning, or you can see the site yourself." 

:'''{{#var:264|Eliot Ness (264)}} has posed:'''     "Have we met before?" The federal agent says to Polite Words. He extends a gloved hand to her and says, "Eliot Ness, US Treasury Department. Miss Sparkle hired me through the Syndicate," Whether he's met Polite Words before or not, he can't remember, so he's being polite and introducing himself.     "What happened here?" Ness asks immediately to Secret Service. Ness admits to liking the police ponies more than the federal ones, just because they gave him less of a hard time before he got a footing here. This shows in his tone, "Any witnesses?" 

:'''{{#var:475|Magister Twilight (475)}} has posed:'''     "Hmmn." Twilight looks thoughtful, somewhat like her younger self might, considering the situation. "So much activity, it isn't a good sign..." She lets Ness meet Polite, walking toward the church with a curt nod to Secret Service. "Good work."     She's not exactly friendly to her underlings, but given her reputation that's to be expected. SS probably knows her well enough to realize she's thinking more about the problem than any niceties. "Let's look at the site for now. I don't trust an oral recounting without a way to question it back." 

:'''{{#var:470|Pinkie (470)}} has posed:'''     "Murder. Ritualistic. No witnesses." Secret Service replies. Because Ness is now in Twilight's employ he gets the full breakdown, and the suit-clad pony seems to not let Ness' tone get to him, one hoof rising to adjust his shades before motioning inside the church. "It's a mess in there. Whoever did it tried to make sure to defile everything as much as they could. The priest found it this morning and reported it. We've been here all day because it's highly suspected to be Cult activity."     The way is opened immediately when Twilight wants to take a look, guards stand aside, leading into the entrance of a small chapel. The pews have been smashed and wrecked, display of a clear struggle. Stained glass windows have been smashed and there's old blood everywhere. The unicorns have used some magic to preserve the scene, but the worst of everything would have to be the lone body laid out on the altar. 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     Oh hey, all kinds of official-looking people are appearing. The Red-tailed hawk has perched itself on a sign while examining the church. Nobody pays much attention to animals, even if one happens to be doing something weird it's just an animal, right? One that'll probably do something weird, head somewhere it shoulodn't, and get baked into a pie maybe.     This one, however, is keen on getting into some other kind of mess.     It takes off with a mighty set of flaps and circles the church again. If there's any way in - a broken wall, a belltower (if it's old enough), a large vent maybe... 

:'''{{#var:264|Eliot Ness (264)}} has posed:'''     Ness nods his head and says to Secret Service, "Ritual Murder. This have anything to do with the undead sightings?" He asks to Secret, scratching under his chin and sighing a bit in thought, "If it's cult activity, it might be just the beginning," He conjectures, stepping into the chapen when it's opened.     Ness takes off his hat slowly and then takes a deep breath, looking around the room. His keen detective abilities kick in as he tries to piece together a narrative from the crime scene's current evidence. 

:'''{{#var:470|Pinkie (470)}} has posed:'''     There is actually a slew of shattered windows for the hawk to get through- with enough space for Finna to get in and snoop around.     Clopping along in with the group, Secret Service chuffs softly. "Potentially. Hard to tell with the Cult of Laughter. Though this doesn't look like one of their usual works. There's something off about it."     From the wreckage to the chapel it looks like there were multiple assailants, terrible scrawlings in several handwriting styles deface relics and holy images of Celestia- even gone, some have taken to worshipping her, despite the dark circumstances of her disappearance. Something might stand out to Ness, though. The knife in the corpse.     The corpse itself is in horrible condition, mangled and clawed, but the altar the body was set on has been etched and scraped, sigils and runic signs of magic written in an elaborate magical ritual of some kind. It's hard to tell if the dead was a man or a woman, from the level of damage, but they WERE a unicorn. 

:'''{{#var:264|Eliot Ness (264)}} has posed:'''     After a few moments, Ness says aloud, "Multiple attackers." He paces around the room a bit, cigarette in hand. He's pretty sure the magic will keep the ash from mucking with the crime scene. He thinks for a few more seconds, "That knife is from the assassin that has been targetting the Archmagister. Or it resembles hers."     He rubs his chin and places his hat back on his head, looking to the corpse while clenching his jaw, "Motive's not fully clear. Might be sending a message. Might NOT have been a message to Twilight." He looks at the corpse, "Internal problems in the cult, could be house cleaning disguised as something more. Could be framing the assassin for a ritual. It's not clear yet."     He looks to Twilight and the guest, "Either way, very unsettling." 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     With everyone else entering the Church, Finna decides to mute the sound of her wings flapping (which involes infusing her body and motions subtly with Essence...) as she takes perch on a rafter overlooking the altar. With raptor vision, she doesn't need to be very close to examine fine details. And what the bird-shaped Lunar's seeing is disgusting her. Some cult's work is right, that's for sure.     She'd intended to investigate more thoroughly given some rumors that had reached her, but with others coming in that'll have to wait. It would not look good if she was found here- these people do not seem friendly, and she might seem too suspicious.     What luck thouggh, the people who followed know much more about this than she does. Perhaps she will not need to investigate too much more than them...     But she does know quite well that murderers often return to the scene of a crime. Something like this might well lure the culprit back to watch investigators bumble around. So while she's watching and listening, her ears are open for the sound of anyone else approaching. Possibly even them just breathing... 

:'''{{#var:475|Magister Twilight (475)}} has posed:'''     Twilight's horn lights up, giving a little extra light to the scene... and in a wavelength that throws disturbances into sharp relief. Walking in with Ness, she frowns at the mention of the knife and what it could mean.     "This doesn't seem like that assassin's manner," she finally says. "Insane, maybe, but she's always done things in a very clean, planned manner. Someone in the same faction, maybe? Or..." She pauses, pondering. "This is your area of expertise." 

:'''{{#var:470|Pinkie (470)}} has posed:'''     The whole scene is rife with the muted noise of all the investigators outside, too many feet, too many lungs, too many rustling suits of armor. Though Secret Service frowns deeply, he hasn't seemed to notice Finna just yet. "Markings on the face match the Assassin's last known attacks but the rest isn't making much sense."     The corpse indeed has an ear to ear smile cut on the face, eyes gouged out in star shapes. But the body itself looks like it's been partially DEVOURED.     Written in blood on the base of the altar is the word 'Lamb'     "The priest is with my men outside. He'll be detained for questions at your leisure, Archmagister."     Twilight's light results in an odd shimmer of the blood in the circle. Places where it didn't finish seeping in. 

:'''{{#var:264|Eliot Ness (264)}} has posed:'''     Ness conjectures aloud, "If there's in-fighting in the Cult, this could be one group trying to pin their hits on the assassin," Ness theorizes, sighing a bit and exhaling some smoke. He adjusts his tie with his free hand and looks at the word.     "Lamb mean anything to you, Archmagister?" He asks, reaching out to touch the marks that indicate devouring, "This body has teeth marks, I think. Could be more of those laughing dead." 

:'''{{#var:475|Magister Twilight (475)}} has posed:'''     Twilight is walking around the edge of the scene, more analytical than anything else. "Mn." That's her reply to Secret, nodding that she heard his statement before she moves to look at another angle. Her eyes are on the arrangement, the details.     Finally, the Archmagister looks up. "Necromantic. Possibly attempting to raise the victim as a servant. It doesn't look like they got to finish though. Someone interrupted the ritual. Lends support to the factional rift... unless we have a vigilante on our hooves, but it would be a vicious one." 

:'''{{#var:239|Polite Words (239)}} has posed:'''     The Sidereal will catch up in a literal sense, as well, coming in from the outside. In spite of her usual lack of footwear, she's very lightfooted in the crime scene, moving from one side of the church to the other, not seeming too worried about disturbing Ness or the Magister. She's going to kneel down, finally, near where the word has been written.     Someone might think she's using some sort of super secret Sidereal technique to get more information. They'd be completely wrong. Emily is kind of meh at this sort of investigation, and is really on the whole much better at making corpses than she is at investigating who else made them. "Necromancy terribly common around here?" Though she'd fought some undead. 

:'''{{#var:470|Pinkie (470)}} has posed:'''     If it was the Laughing Dead they're not present now. Though all past accounts of them have displayed them to be fairly mindless and not capable of such elaborate displays. They barely even have the motor function to hold a knife let alone wield one.     "Priest says this might have been the grounds keeper. Been missing all day, all sources lead to that so far. Name was 'Grave Marker'. Kept the church in order. Background checks come up clean for him. "Trying to figure out the significance of the word ourselves." Secret Service adds. 

:'''{{#var:264|Eliot Ness (264)}} has posed:'''     Ness nods to Secret Service, "Your reports show the Groundskeeper as a Unicorn? Looks like the vic was one." He notes, taking his hand off the bite wound and wiping his gloves with a hankerchief, "I doubt lamb has the same religious significance here. I don't know what it could be."     Ness seems a bit stumped, pacing the room a bit. He takes out a brush and a container of powder and dusts the jutting knife for fingerprints. 

:'''{{#var:475|Magister Twilight (475)}} has posed:'''     "Necromancy is not common," Twilight says in a serious tone. "Only the Cult of Laughter practices it with any great regularity. And this has all the marks of something of theirs. What we don't know is why..."     Twilight stops and glances to the door. "Agent, what do you think of the theory that he may have seen something he shouldn't have, hm?" 

:'''{{#var:239|Polite Words (239)}} has posed:'''     "Right." Polite Words says, standing back up and dusting her untouched skirt off. "His name was Grave Marker?" She asks, looking for confirmation. "And.. Lamb has a few different meanings for rituals like this where I'm from." She briefly considers something, but seems to decide to pass for the moment on sharing with the group, stepping away from the altar.     "Well. I suppose necromancy would have its uses; this would be much easier if we could just ask them." She jests, quietly, gesturing towards the body. 

:'''{{#var:470|Pinkie (470)}} has posed:'''     "Grave Marker. Sex: Male. Species: unicorn. No family, no relatives. Quiet type. Kept to himself. Retired war veteran for house Moon and Star. Nothing of major note beyond that." Secret Service reads off from memory, adjusting his shades.     Did he see something?     "Possible. Eyes were gouged out. Standard Cult of Laughter practice."     The knife is... COVERED in fingerprints. Ness hits a complete jackpot as he gets a whole hand worth of them. Several full prints and a few partials. Just who they belong to though is anyone's guess right now. 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     All things considered, Finna isn't really a good investigator. She's run into some cults. It's usually very easy to figure out where people are disappearing to, who's behind it, and slitting a few throats or going snake on someone. No fair fight's owed a demon cultist or awful necromancer, after all!     But nitty-gritty crime investigation? Someone else in the Blooded Hawks did that, if it was ever necessary. She paid attention, but... well, that's about what she's doing now, isn't it? Paying attention to what the more competent people are saying.     Seen something he shouldn't have, huh? Now this is worth investigating.     Oh well, looks like it's time to reveal herself.     Shapeshifting back into human form, Finna descends from the rafters... on a string of silky, silvery Essence. Literally, she's hanging like a spider from Essence webbing attached to the rafter. For those few strong-willed enough to see it, fox ears that glitter silver and a wagging tail adorn her otherwise human form.     She's RIGHT BEHIND the group. Like, ten feet behind them.     "Seen something he shouldn't have, huh? And missing all day? Then where might he have gone? I might be able to tell you!" 

:'''{{#var:264|Eliot Ness (264)}} has posed:'''     Ness carefully picks up the knife and puts it in a plastic bag. One good thing about communicating with future worlds: Plastic bags. A simple pleasure he was learning to love. He holds the bag out to Secret Service, "Peace offering. You might get some good leads off this." To Polite, he sighs a bit and then says, "It's similar in my world. But I am not sure Lamb would have the same meaning here. Maybe a name?"     Ness looks to Twilight, "This wasn't the Assassin. Look at all these prints. She wears gloves. You may be right at this person saw too much, I may be right this is a frame job. Right now what we should do i-" He cuts off when Finna speaks, "Archmagister get back!"     Ness, having already had one person come out of nowhere to try to kill Twilight, won't risk it again. He reaches under his jacket and draws a pistol, immediately stepping between Twilight and Finna as he pulls back the hammer on it, "Who are you?" 

:'''{{#var:475|Magister Twilight (475)}} has posed:'''     "Hello, Finna," Twilight says when the foxgirl introduces herself. She's met her before! Toying with her hat, she considers. "She is... not harmless, but likely not hostile, Federal Agent. And she may be able to help us."     She glances to Polite next, shaking her head. "I know all kinds of magic, but I do avoid Necromancy as much as I can. Bad news, all around." She frowns. "But I want whomever did this found. Defacing the Sisters is not something that I take lightly." There's a very faint, cold threat in her voice, probably the sharpest that any have heard yet. 

:'''{{#var:264|Eliot Ness (264)}} has posed:'''     When Twilight gives the 'all clear', Ness seems to relax, nodding his head to her. He uncocks the gun and reholsters it at his hip. He looks towards Finna and tips his hat, "My apologies, maam. Can't be too careful during times like these and I take my jobs very seriously." 

:'''{{#var:470|Pinkie (470)}} has posed:'''     Finna's sudden appearance catches Secret Service off guard, and in an instant he too has whipped around, horn glowing with an aggressive light and trained on the Lunar. But when the Archmagister seems to know her, he backs down. Though a watchful eye is kept on her from beneath his shades, he gratefully accepts Ness' plastic bag of evidence storage. "I'll have the prints taken back to the lab. See what we can do from there." To Finna's offer he peers. "Whatever you're going to do, I want one of my ponies watching you the whole time."     Well he's not going to stop her. 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     "Whoah there." Finna frowns, whilst upside-down. So it kinda looks like a smile. But she seems to be unfazed by the threat of a firearm - and glowing horn - pointed her way. Not unusual for an Exalt, really. She figures he won't get twitchy or instincts fingers as long as she doesn't get any closer... so she smoothly rights herself and drops to the floor.     "Sheesh. If I was gonna attack any of you, isn't saying 'hi' first just a biiiiiiiiiit silly?" 'Not harmless, huh.' Mostly harmless?     Mostly harmless. Should she be proud of that rating? Oh well.     She does smile when Eliot stnds down though, and plants a hand on her hip. "Twilight! Haven't seen you since that chat in the other Equestria, and now I'm hearing there's assassins after your tail.... some spooked peoplee came through a warp gate earlier muttering about a murder so I came by for a look... and if this has to do with the Cult of Laughter, I'll lend a nose as well. No promises, you know how unreliable scent trails can be. Anyone creepy enough to make zombies laugh needs a claw in the face."     Not apparently 'anyone creepy enough to make zombies,' but making them laugh was going too far in her book? 

:'''{{#var:264|Eliot Ness (264)}} has posed:'''     "Oh right, I remember you now. You were at that incursion of them on the border of Golden Pines, yes?" He asks to Finna, "Sorry, I just plum forgot you," He apologizes again, "I was burning the midnight oil and wasn't on all sixes that night."     He looks to Secret Service and nods to him, "Might pull up some results on those prints. Then we know who to shake down till they squawk like a songbird."     He rests his right hand in his left and cracks his knuckles through his gloves. 

:'''{{#var:475|Magister Twilight (475)}} has posed:'''     "Any help you can provide would be appreciated," Twilight says mildly. "Something is getting everything all riled up again, and I'm not going to let things get out of hoof again."     She pats Eliot on the shoulder, then walks toward the door for now. "We'll see what the Priest knows later. This is definitely not something commonplace. If this is a botched ritual... it makes me wonder if a successful one went undetected. And that... could spell trouble." 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     "If it's a botched ritual, this'll happen again... I can bet you that much." Finna grumbles out... then turns to Eliot Ness with a grin.     "Uhh-huh! And the person behind it's won a prize: my personal attention! A week's worth of nightmares.... rrrruuuurgh." She shudders, whilst making a disgusted face. 

}}

842/Clandestine Meetings

2014-10-24T00:06:26Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/10/23 |Location=Boston-666 |Synopsis=Psyber, Jude Mathis and Gawain meet to try a daring strategy. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=253, 533, 542 ..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/10/23
|Location=Boston-666
|Synopsis=Psyber, Jude Mathis and Gawain meet to try a daring strategy.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=253, 533, 542
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     As with most of his discrete meetings, Psyber has elected to meet at Boston Harbor. A famous location in the city, it was perpetually crowded and that meant it was very hard to actually SPY on a conversation, because picking one conversation out of a hundred would be very difficult. The huge crowd makes it a great place for a quiet conversation.     Psyber, who actually came to this meeting after a day of work, is dressed pretty differently than usual. There was a raid in the city today of PSWAT and Psyber led it, so he's wearing navy blue BDU pants and shirt and has a baseball cap turned backwards on his head with some sunglasses on top. He's not too hard to spot at 6'6, either.     He's leaning up against one of the railings that overlooks the water, the afternoon sun hitting the water and causing it to shimmer in a pretty nice view. He's also smoking while he waits and holding a personnel file in his free hand. It's Jude's. 

:'''{{#var:533|Sir Gawain (533)}} has posed:''' As with most of his discreet mee- wait, Sir Gawain never has discreet meetings, never mind! Gawain is not far from Psyber, a few feet away to perhaps make it look like they're not necessarily together because he saw it in a movie once. He's dressed in a golden jacket with a white undershirt, a pair of blue jeans and tennis shoes finishing the ensemble. He's rather easy to notice himself, rather tall with blonde hair and blue eyes. He's currently staring down into the harbor, watching the view. Thank god they are unlikely to be listened into, because Gawain is likely to be the least covert person in all of history. Ever. 

:'''{{#var:542|Jude Mathis (542)}} has posed:'''     Jude is a creature of habit. Time was, that meant studying by magical lamplight, hunched over some books, and completely tuning out the world around him. More recently that's meant answering emergency calls for a nurse on Njorun when there's no one else around to fill the role. He's had juuusstt enough time since the last big incident on his homeworld that he's begun to lapse into a sort of routine there, so, well... it was a little weird hearing his name on the radio that's frequented by higher echelon military personnel.     Still, never say that he's one to ignore a plea of help from a complete stranger. Psyber asked, and he answered; quick as can be he's stepping out of a warpgate and on to a boston street, weaving his way through the crowds under a waning sun. He could almost believe he was back in Fennmont right now if, you know. The sun wasn't out at all. It makes him feel a little nostalgic in spite of himself. Even moreso when he starts bumping into people as he runs to Psyber's locale -- bit of a bad habit.     "S-Sorry! Here, let me..." He helps a woman that he had just knocked off-kilter to her feet, fetching her bags and putting them together. By now, he's in the harbor, so Psyber probably sees this whole thing go down. And before long, Jude sees him too; he gives him a lingering look and decides, yes, the outstandingly tall man in that corner over there is probably the one he's looking for. Why? Just intuition, I guess. But that sort of intuition generally gets chalked up to 'common damn sense'.     His arrival is as humble as Psyber might've expected from reading his profile. He gives a faint bow and a welcoming smile as he walks up to Psyber. "Hey. Jude Mathis. I'm guessing you're the one who wanted help?" He doesn't notice Gawain at first on account of this distance between them, but when he does, he gives a look in his direction. "... oh." Then back to Psyber, "Is he with you?" His expression... dips a bit, and his hand wanders to the back of his neck in some approximation of embarrasment. "Eh... heh. I kinda don't know what I'm here to help -with-, or who I'm supposed to help. Buuut I'll go ahead and guess you're about to tell me and leave it at that." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber smiles at Jude when he helps the woman he bumped into. Good kid. And a nice sign to start the meeting off with. The half-angel stands up off his leaning position and gives Jude a wave with the hand not holding the file, "Heeeey!" Psyber calls cheerily, "I'm Psyber. This is Gawain. Welcome to Boston."     He gives Gawain a nod that it's safe for them to all group up while he walks over to Jude Mathis. Psyber exhales a bit of smoke, smoking being one of his three least healthy habits (The other two being drinking and friendship with Confederates). And then he holds out Jude's own personnel file to him, "Jude Mathis. Nice to meet you outside of a personnel file."     "Well, yeah, about that," He says with an awkward laugh to Jude, "Gawain and I are currently partnered in a War for control of the Holy Grail. A Master-Servant kind of deal. If we win, we both get a wish. Gawain can explain the nuance of that better than I can." Psyber awkwardly scratches the back of his head.     "Now... truthfully, I think I critically misplayed. I didn't realize a lot of these people, because of how noted I am, can easily research my capabilities and powers. It makes me... very easy to plan around. And a liability," Psyber says, having a hard time admitting this fact, "So we came up with a Hail Mary. Switch out the Command Seals onto someone compatible, with a good skill set. Keep the other participants in the dark about it. It's our best option of winning, I think."     "You're... the best candidate. And from your profile the only one I think I can trust to do this." 

:'''{{#var:533|Sir Gawain (533)}} has posed:''' "Greetings, Jude Mathis. I am Sir Gawain, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Sir Gawain moves over, extending a hand to Jude as he does so. His smile is big and warm, though, it rarely isn't. "It is a ritual in my world that has been going on for a century. Historical figures of lore, like myself, are summoned to the present to fight with a Magus, our magical wielders, for the Holy Grail. I am one such case of historical figure, a Servant, as is my designation. Saber class." Sir Gawain seems like he's been trying to rehearse this possibly, as it seems very serious for him. "You power me with magical energy to keep me on the physical plane, and you receive three Command Seals, which allow you to make a binding order towards me. Though they are not to be wasted, as they are also the tether of our contract. I can explain more if you need, before or after you may agree." And then the rigidness ends, as Gawain has ran out of rehearsed material. "I must warn you that the Grail War is risky, but I believe you are capable of this, otherwise Psyber would not have chosen you." "I trust you as well." 

:'''{{#var:542|Jude Mathis (542)}} has posed:'''     Still sporting that same grin, Jude looks to Gawain and nods. "It's nice to meet you, Gawain. Psyber." Turning back to the latter, he nods. "Yeah. It's weird being in a place where I can sense so little mana, but it still reminds me a little bit of home somehow. I... haven't been there for a while." Once Psyber says his first words on the Grail War, though, all bets are off -- his mouth gapes slightly, subtly, and his previously warm demeanor devolves into a bunch of bewildered blinking. Yeah, that... does not seem to have registered very easily, if at all.     "I'm... sorry?" Blink. "You're fighting a war? I'm not sure if I'm the best person to --. I mean, don't get me wrong - I want to help, I just think there are probably better fighters out there that you could ask. I'm just a med student." He completely disregards the wish bit for now. Probably less interested in that anyway.     How 'noted' he is? Wow. Having any kind of fame in the larger Multiverse must be a /really big deal/. He might start to contemplate, briefly, just who he's talking to, but he doesn't let that break his focus. He listens closely with every word, bobbing his head to indicate attention (if not complete understanding). When the half-angel has finished speaking, though, he's still at a loss for a few moments, awkwardly holding the bend of his arm and shifting somewhat in place.     "... like I said. I'm not the strongest person around, but if I can still help somehow, then I would be glad to. I just need to know what we'll be up against." He turns to Gawain. "But no matter what comes at us, you will probably be our main fighter. I can heal you and try to spot our enemies' weaknesses for you, but I mean. Aside from a few punches and kicks, I don't think I really have any way to bring trained soldiers down." Another expression reminiscent of a sweatdrop. Either he's being painfully modest, or this is sincere. And chances are eerily good that it's sincere.     Still, even before he pauses to listen to Gawain's more detailed explanation, he's already spoken as though he's signed some sort of invisible contract. In spite of some confusion, there's no way that he would ever say no; both Psyber and Gawain would know well before he speaks what his answer will be. He gives a nod of his head to further cement that. "I... might need some time to learn the specifics, but if I'm hearing you correctly, you're like a spirit: I give you mana, and you give me help. Right?" He smiles, nodding his head. "So this isn't -that- confusing. And as long as I help you out, you get your wish. Sounds pretty good to me." He exhales. "But... wow. A wish? For anything? I don't know what I would use that for. Maybe world peace? Or a way for humans and spirits to communicate more easily." Yet /another/ sweatdrop. "... sorry. That probably sounds pretty boring. If we win, I might just give you a second wish, or pass mine to Psyber."     Already acting like he's in this thing, yep. Just like that. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber looks over to Gawain as he explains the details of the war. See? He knew Gawain could explain this way better than he could. And his gaze falls back to Jude moments later when he looks confused, "Don't look so amazed. You can Multiverse Google me later or something," He says playfully with a wave of his hand.     There's a long moment of silence while he lets Jude process through and then he seems to immediately be on board with the idea, "You know, I thought it would take more convincing than this," Psyber says to Gawain as he reaches for the glove on his left hand and takes it off to reveal the red Command Seals.     "Gawain is a great guy. He's more than your partner in a war. He'll be your friend, he'll have you back. He believes in doing what's right and helping people, the whole knightly shebang," Psyber says to Jude, "Gawain is a really good friend."     "Now I'm not sure how to transfer these. I'm hoping a really hard handshake will do it," He confesses as he holds out his hand to Jude. 

:'''{{#var:533|Sir Gawain (533)}} has posed:''' "That would be better than what most Masters are capable, and is all I would ask of you. In turn, I will assist you with any problems you yourself may have. Masters are mainly support and mana generation for their Masters, few can go up against a Servant." Sir Gawain stares at Psyber's Command Seals, and then at Jude's hand, and then seems to be thinking for a moment. "I do not know the exact way to transfer it..but it may be best for you to verbally express that you wish to transfer them for him, and he to verbally express that he accepts the contract." Sir Gawain ignores the compliments for now. He's actually a bit nervous, but he has faith in the plan. "Any more questions you may have, I can tell you of what we know." 

:'''{{#var:542|Jude Mathis (542)}} has posed:'''     "Multiverse... Google?" Annnd that was completely lost on him. He's probably got a ways to go on understanding the colloquial humor of his -own- world, let alone that of mighty alien cultures he's still only scarcely aware of. He picks a good, suitably inconspicuous time and looses a sigh, figuring that he'll probably just hear some lore about this guy from word of mouth if he's really so well-known. Psyber, was it? He'll have to remember that name just in case.     Seriously, though, him? Need more convincing? He just shakes his head with a smile. "Nope. I just want to help out however I can. And if that means fighting, then... that's fine, too. It has to be. Even though a lot of positive change is peaceful, some just can't be. Someone has to be willing to do good, even if it's hard. And a chance to help someone -and- to get a wish that could really make things better is a chance that I just can't pass up."     And at that next bit, Jude nods. "... yeah. If he wants to help people, too, then I think we'll get along just fine. All that matters is that we have the same goals. Anything else we can work through. Together." He holds out a fist to Gawain as if to request a fistbump; the punchman requesting a punch it. "Let's break 'em down. With my fists, and your blades."     Following that gesture, he would gladly take Psyber's hand. Then, after hearing the rest of what Gawain has to say, he announces: "I accept a contract with Gawain. Together, we'll do our best to win the war and help as many people as we can along the way."     Once all's said and done, he would briefly aside to Gawain again. "And... you don't have to, but if you want to help me, I'm working with a girl named Milla to destroy as many Spyrix as we can find. Spyrix... well. Normally, artes - techniques that use mana - donate some energy spirits to help keep them alive, but Spyrix rips it away from them. It's usually lethal. I'm sure that you can understand what that would be like, and why it should be stopped." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     A nod to Gawain and then a look to Jude as he takes his hand, "And I consent to relinquishing my Mastership and all things association with it, unto Jude Mathis. He will serve as one of the Magi in this Grail War and I will do so no longer," Psyber firmly states.     As he does so, the command seals fade from the back of his hand until they are gone. He releases Jude's hand after this and then lets it falls back into his pocket. He's back down to his normal number of hand-based magical powers once more, smiling at them both. The other hand flicks his cigarette to the ground and snuffs it out.     "Good. I expect you both to win. I'll help out any way I can, I still promised that to Gawain," He says before taking a deep breath, "I'm hoping this will keep them in the dark a bit more. And we might have an increased chance." 

:'''{{#var:542|Jude Mathis (542)}} has posed:'''     Jude gives Psyber a resolute nod, balling his fist and holding it confidently aloft before his chest. "Yeah. We'll do our best." He flashes Gawain a lasting look of warmth and dedication.     He's definitely in this to win. 

:'''{{#var:533|Sir Gawain (533)}} has posed:''' Gawain accepts the fist bump after realizing what Jude is doing, before watching what is about to go down. Jude's going to feel magical energy as the contract is transferred, and possibly the fact that a small part of his own is being siphoned to keep Gawain on the physical plane. A Command Seal appears on the hand he used in the handshake, a sort of red pattern with three different parts to it, one for each command. "If Spyrix is that much of a threat to your world, then I will do all I can to assist. It is my duty as your Servant! And we will win this war." "The holy grail will be ours." 

}}

828/A Totally Awesome Pizza Party

2014-10-20T18:55:56Z

Psyber: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/10/19 |Location=Boston-666 |Synopsis=A very social event. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=33, 151, 183, 253, 365, 385, 495, 513, 575 |Tinyplot= |..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/10/19
|Location=Boston-666
|Synopsis=A very social event.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=33, 151, 183, 253, 365, 385, 495, 513, 575
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     This week's Heaven or Hell-ish social gathering is being held at a Pizza Buffet. You know those places where there's like a dozen different pizzas and you just grab a slice of 3 or 4 and load them on a plate. That kind of deal!     A decent, but not overly massive, number of tables have been set aside to accomodate Heaven or Hell members coming in and out, and Psyber has again comped food and beverage for people on his tab.     The half-angel in question is mostly chilling at a table with a couple slices of anchovie pizza (special order) and a beer in his hand. 

:'''{{#var:365|Procyana (365)}} has posed:'''     But don't be surprised if you get a visitor or two that isn't on the roster.     Because seriously who doesn't want to hang out having pizza and beer?     The point being that Psyber abruptly has a raccoon woman leaning over his shoulder, the flicker of her stealth field fading off still faintly visible for a moment as she does so, as she flitchs an anchovi off a slice and flicks it in her mouth. "And here I thought I would be the only one with strange taste preferences." 

:'''{{#var:183|Mizuki (183)}} has posed:'''     Mizuki and Palora are here again, though the former doesn't make any great effort to be noticed. She does greet Psyber as she normally would, though, giving the half-angel a curtsey. For him, it should be fairly evident that her smile lacks some of its usual, coy luster, and he could probably also guess why. In fact, that's probably why she's here -- to take some of the edge off and relax. So she'll just be sitting at a table adjacent the one Psyber's at, in a corner, watching everyone else. As authorial stalkers are wont to do.     Palora, in the meanwhile, pulls up a chair at Psyber's table and throws down a plate stacked to the ceiling with pizza slices. That's an obvious hyperbole, but she does have, like, five pieces on a single plate. Most of them are laden with pepperoni and other iterations of snausages, but a few of them have healthier things on them. Like steak! Wait, is that not healthier? Don't tell her that.     Seriously, though, if she was a normal human, she'd really need some Jenny Craig after this outing. Dear lord.     After a while, Mizuki meanders over to the salad bar to fetch some healthier alternatives. She grabs a small bowl of lettuce and another of fruit, taking both over to her little corner when she's finished.     Meanwhile, Palora. She yanks an anchovy off of one of Psyber's slices and tosses it mouthward, chewing critically. "Hmmm... not bad! Not as good as pepperoni, but these little fish bits are tolerable." She reclines in her seat, wrapping her hands behind her neck, grinning. "Hey, I just got the craziest idea ever. You think anyone has ever made lobster pizza? ... naaaah. That's just too far off the -deep- end." Her grin widens.     God damnit Palora. 

:'''{{#var:151|Ainsley (151)}} has posed:'''     Ainsley shows up, and there's a bit of an oddity to her right now. She has a bunch of loose change stuck to one of her hands. She seems to be trying to remove it, with much fiddling and grumbling, and almost bumps into someone in the process. She even walks over to the pizzas and gathers up her food without stopping this process of painstakingly removing magnetized coins from her scales.     When she finally seats herself at a table, she has grabbed one piece of three different pizzas. The coins are placed in a pile on the table... a pile that remains magnetized together.     She finally looks up at the rest of the room and browses the selection of folks that she could work up the nerve to talk to. Like most social occasions, she doesn't seem to be very social. A little awkward frown shows up on her face as she has trouble choosing who she can talk to. She resigns herself to eating her food for now.     Maybe she's just here for the pizza. 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     "Ooooooooooooooooh. Meat Lovers!" Nobody invited Finna here.     Chances are almost nobody here even knows who she is.     But she is in your party, eating your pizza.     She's chosen to wear a festive sort of skintight adventurer's crimson bodysuit, sporting a leather harness-like topwear and strips of leather pleated into a kind of armored miniskirt. The outfit is more for flair than function, but it goes well with the young woman's loose white hair - hair that swishes freely down to the middle of her back.     Chances are high nobody's going to be spotting the woman's strange fox ears and tail at first glance, but the former are flicked high and the latter's wagging playfully... as she's seated in the next table over. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Hey! What is it with people stealing right off my plate here!?" Psyber grouses in playful annoyance, "Go get your own slices and eat those, you jerks," He waves at both Palora and Procyana, shooing them away from his precious pizza slices. And then he looks over to Mizuki and pats her on the shoulder, "Hey. Buck up." He says to her.     Ainsley gets a wave as she picks pocket change off of herself and sets them on the table, "Ainsley. I see you're getting a magnetic personality during your travels. You been doing okay?"     Finna, on the other hand, gets ID'd immediately by Psyber. She has similar Tells to Blossom Rose, so he pretty much just guesses, "Oh hey, what brings a Lunar to my little pizza party?" 

:'''{{#var:365|Procyana (365)}} has posed:''' Procyana stands up and gives Psyber's hair a ruffle with one hand as she walks past the back of his chair. "Aw, but then I can't tease you with it," she replies just as playfully, before saunting over to the pizza buffet to help herself properly. It's not her fault she likes to tweek people a little. Well okay it is, but it's just out of amusement. As long as you're not on the other side. You know how spies tend to be. 

:'''{{#var:151|Ainsley (151)}} has posed:'''     Ainsley looks over to Psyber, smiling lightly at him, the joke seeming to cheer her up a little. "Seems I magnetized the coins in my pockets without realizing it," she tells Psyber by way of explanation. "I'm doing fine. Thinking of visiting mom." She shrugs her shoulders, and stuffs more pizza in her face.     She carefully nudges the pile of coins around the table with a field of magnetic force projected from one of her hands, entertaining herself with her new sorceress traits. 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' (HEAVEN OR) HELL YEAH, PIZZA! Riva has arrived at the location and sets to with gusto. She grabs an even spread of a variety of pizza types, as well as a nice side salad. "HI FINNA! Good to see you here! How's the foxing going?" She asks. She also makes a point of poking Ainsley. "Hey Ainsley! I didn't even know you /could/ magnetize pennies like that. What kind of voodoo magic did you pull off there?" She gives Ainsley a grin and gestures with her head. "Come on, let's go pester Mizuki." And then she does just that, sitting down across from Mizuki and folding her hands daintily as she does so. "Hi Mizuki!" She says brightly. "How's it going? Are you feeling all right?" Yesterday was kind of super duper drama, after all. 

:'''{{#var:183|Mizuki (183)}} has posed:'''     "Had to get my free sample first, boss man." Even though he's already paying for all the food, you mean? Meh. Palora takes two slices of pizza and bites off their ends at once. Gulp. "So what were you sayin' about fish rolls or whatever? I wanna get in on some of that if people are really givin' you free food for savin' 'em and stuff. I'm guessin' they don't have too much of that here since this is a pizza place, but still. Haven't been able to stop thinking about it since you brought it up before."     Mizuki gives Psyber a small, appreciative smile when he gives her the pat. "Thank you, Psyber." And a bow of her head. "I'll be fine. You know, for years I watched events exactly like this one to console myself. Times when people are together and enjoying themselves, I mean. I do derive pleasure from being allowed to see you all, even if my participation is limited, so do not worry too much. My distance is not a hint of some untold loneliness." With that, she plucks a pair of chopsticks from a hidden pocket and eats an olive or two. Once she's finished chewing, she idly comments, "Chopsticks. Infinitely more versatile than knives or forks could ever be on their own." Maybe her fondness explains why she went to the trouble of having some carved out of ebony. Or at least, that's what it looks like.     Her eyes grow wide at Riva's approach, though, and for a while she's stunned into a stammer. "Erm. Ah... well." She manages a nod, eventually. "Yes, I'm well enough. It's not as if this is the first time this has happened. I will recover. Nevertheless, thank you for your concern Miss Banari." If Ainsley gets dragged over, too, she gives the lizard woman a vaguely apologetic look, but bows her head in greeting to her as well. "Good afternoon to you as well, Miss Ainsley." 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     Ainsley will be the first to notice a new arrival, from the light flicker of an aurora that comes from Arthur making fun of her magnetism troubles with a bit of his own solar radiation! What a jerk! He swaggers his way into the pizza buffet, having a small humanoid iguana thing handle all the relevant payment matters while he piles his plate with pepperoni monstrosities.     "HEYYYYY, what up yo? What's the HAPS PSY, besides some PIZZA HEISTS?" Then there's a few greetings to Mizuki and Palora. "MIZ and my FAVORITE MAID, how's it HANGIN'?" Good lord how is he so upbeat after last night? It actually seems a little forced. And then he turns to Riva, giving a friendly wave to her. "ALL THESE JOBS we've done together, STILL never had a chance to meet you OFF the job if I remember right. HEYA."     And then he looks out at the rest here. "And the BOSTON ZOO out in full force today I see." He says in a bit of good-natured humor. "Man I haven't even MET some of you, that's a fuckin' TRAVESTY." He says, apparently interested in meeting them while he stuffs his face with pizza, wandering somewhere near Psyber. 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     "The pizza!" Finna cheerily answers, tilting her head and grinning over her shoulder at Psyber. "You went and said the one word I wasn't expecting, too... poo, am I that easy to see through?" Well, she wasn't doing a lot to hide herself. But soon, an array of Moonsilver Tattoos fade into view all over her body for the benefit of those LACKING magical sight!     Riva gets a wave! A pretty exuberant wave, and Finna's stuffing a piece of meat lovers pizza in her face at the same time... "Oh, it goes, it goes! ... It would be better if someone apparently hadn't come before me and spilled all the beans..." 

:'''{{#var:151|Ainsley (151)}} has posed:'''     "They're not pennies," Ainsley says, holding up the magnetized bundle of coins, now lightly covered in the grease of a messy eater. They seem to be some kind of crude currency that isn't from any country that Riva would recognize. "These are from home. I went shopping for my magic research." She sets the coins down, and then tries to lift her hand and finds the coins are stuck to her hand again.     Arthur's entrance into the room is met with a look of mild uncertainty. "I belong in a zoo just as much as you do," she tells Arthur, but the good-natured tone she has suggests she understands he didn't mean anything by it.     She gathers up her plate of pizza -- leaving the magnetized coin bundle there on the table -- and moves herself over to Mizuki's table to sit down with her. The lizard girl smiles gently at the dream witch, content not to say anything, just wanting to be near someone she knows. 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     "ESCAPED BEAST ROAMS BOSTON STREETS; ANIMAL CONTROL STRUGGLES TO CONTAIN POTENTIAL SICK BURN THREAT." Arthur makes an overdramatic gesture of reading a newspaper with one hand while he gnaws pizza with the other, clearly a response to Ainsley. It comes with his usual grin, though, so he probably doesn't mean anything bad by it. 

:'''{{#var:151|Ainsley (151)}} has posed:'''     Ainsley cannot help but laugh at Arthur's boisterous humor, which results in quite a bit of coughing because she was in the middle of eating some of her pizza. And then a bit more laughter, more awkward this time. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Aaaarthur. How are you doin after last night? Puke your guys out, come to fill em back up on delicious pizza?" He asks to the Mage/God of Space before grinning at Procyana and saying, "Yeah well, you might lose a hand next time you steal from my plate." He makes a biting noise before looking over to Riva.     "Yooo, Riva. Welcome," Psyber says, shifting attention over towards Mizuki right after and nodding his head, "Well I'll help you as much as I can help. But I doubt I can do as much as some." He says pretty honestly.     To Ainsley, Psyber says, "Visiting your mom? That's not a bad idea if you have a decent relationship. You should do it."     And his final response is to Finna, "One of my close friends was a Lunar. I can pick em out. Plus I'm your boss. Plus you admit it repeatedly!" 

:'''{{#var:183|Mizuki (183)}} has posed:'''     Mizuki gives Arthur a somewhat reserved, but earnest nod of her head and a smile. Something behind her eyes almost looks... pained, though. It might not get across to him, but she isn't at all surprised that he's acting this way; she's just torn up all the more to think that he feels he must. If only he was allowed to be sullen as she is being right now.     Palora, on the other hand, dives in for a high-five with the rocket powered jerk if he'll reciprocate it. "Not too bad, ULTRA JERK." She grins her usual, toothy grin and folds her arms. "But I'm not a maid out here. I'm just a totally awesome chick with a scythe. Well, sometimes with a scythe; Mimi said I ~hhaaaad~ to put it away if I was going out in public, so I figured I'd just say 'whatevs' and follow her stupid rules."     Mizuki gives Ainsley a quiet look now and then, but for the most part any communication she engages in with her is of the nonverbal variety. She informs her that there's a salad bar if she gets hungry later, offers her some reading material, and other such things, though. Just to be polite, but Ainsley would likely understand that Mizuki means the suggestions to be benign no matter how perfunctory they may sound. 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     Arthur winces a little at Psyber, then says, "I'm FINE, wasn't a BIG DEAL! I'M the sort of COOL KID who's supposed to be able to be TOTES APATHETIC to that shit, so, hey! S'ALL GOOD." He says, forcing that grin back over his face before excusing himself from more talking for a moment by jamming more bastardized Italian shlock down his gullet. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     As an afternote, Psyber explains to Palora, "Lobster Roll. It's like lobster, diced celery, butter sauce on a toasted bun. They're basically the specialty food of east coast seafood towns," He explains before hearing Arthur's response and ruffling the top of his head, "If you're sure you're good." 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' Riva laughs in response to Finna. "Well, looks like you've just made an impression! Did someone spoil you grand entrance? Who'd do such a thing?" Riva makes a 'tsk' noise, though still smiling as she shakes her head. Arthur's arrival gets a squeak and a moment of relief for Mizuki as Riva leaps over ang gives Arthur a hug hello. "Oh my God it's so good to see you again!" She says effusively. "And you are totally right, it's about time we finally met outside of work, Jesus, things get so crazy, you know?" While Arthur might seem forced, Riva seems to be intent on battling the forces of social awkwardness with pure optimism and energy. "So you're THE MAN HIMSELF, Arthur Lowell, god-badass of space and whoopass. I'm Riva Banari, member of the Knights Templar in my homeworld, powered by bees and world-energy, and tasked to stab evil horrors in the face. It's a living!" She shrugs. "Now go get some pizza and meet me over there." She gestures over to the Mizuki corner. Ainsley points out they're not pennies. "So you were doing magic research on what, magnetic coins? Where did you even get them from?" She leans over and pokes at the coins, seemingly unable to keep her hands to herself in that respect. "You've been doing a lot of research lately. Still working on that thing with the thing?" She says, maybe obliquely referencing her undead research. "How's it all working out?" Psyber greets her, which means it's time for Riva to change targets. "HEY PSYBER!" Riva calls happily. "Nice to see you again! We just keep running into each other, don't we?" She laughs. "It's almost like I work with you or something~" She teases. "What's the latest? Hope it's not all work-related, you know how people get when they don't take time off!" Mizuki draws her attention as well again, causing Riva to get back to snaffle a piece of her (Riva's, not Mizuki's) pizza and ask her in between bites, "So what are you up to these days? I mean, you have to have SOME free time or something, right?" 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     Arthur has a free hand, but that would be boring. Palora's enthusiastic response deserves equal enthusiasm, so he tosses his pizza plate up into the air before slamming in the high five and then catching the plate, then each slice in sequence. That was TOTALLY POINTLESS and just showy for its own sake.     "WELL, still the FAVORITE ONE then. Good to see ya! Yeah, people get MAD UNEASY around WEIRD WEAPONS. Didn't really get that way back in MY HOME, funny story. Should TELL YOU GUYS sometime." 

:'''{{#var:365|Procyana (365)}} has posed:''' "Bite me? Is that a threat or a promise?" Procyana replies in a coy, what could almost be faintly flirty sounding in tone. But she's a spy, they all tend to sound like that from time to time. After snatching an assortment of differently topped slices she wanders back over, hooks a chair at Psyber's tabel with her foot, and pulls it out to sit down. "Pizza buffet sounds like such an odd idea, but I ain't going to bloody complain about the variation without having to order multiple pies." 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     Arthur accepts the hug from Riva with a palpably awkward and reluctant vulnerability that doesn't fit with his presented image. More with how he seemed last night.     "SHIT YEAH I am! Though not doing much GOD STUFF these days, I like to think I'm more INTERGALACTIC HOOLIGAN than any of that DIVINE SHIT, yo. Good to meet you, anyway! Powered by BEES huh? I'm powered by MONSTER STABBING myself." He assumes an upbeat, social posture after extricating himself from the hug. "Sounds like the BEST KIND OF LIVING! Lots of ADVENTURES and all that. GOOD STUFF." He's planning on following along with his supply of pizza, joining her as requested. 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     Finna tchs lightly over at Psyber, apparently she's disappointed whatever ploy she had in mind was cut so short! "Ah, who would've guessed? You do attract the strange like treasure attracts lodestones, maybe I should've expected it." Was that a compliment or an insult? Who can say...     Her attention wanders about, settling on Riva and Arthur first! "Hah! With you two about this is almost like a party back home!" 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' "Intergalactic Hooligan? Awesome title. And hey, I was in college to be an artist. Fat lot of good that degree was in the work force, huh?" Riva says, jokingly. "It's a living, that's for sure!" She sounds optimistic... ish. "So you're really into the adventures and stabbing monsters, huh? What got you into the business? Or did you just descend from on high like Chuck Norris?" She chuckles at that one. Finna causes Riva to lean over. "Hmmmmmm? So what are parties like back at home? Come on, tell me about it!" Whee! Exalted party talk! 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Riiiiva! It's almost like exactly that thing. Not that I'm complaining about seeing much more of an awesome lady like yourself," He says with a big laugh, "Aaaah, the latest. Nothing too amazing. Just taking a lazy sunday while I prepare for crunch time coming up next week."     "Could be both~," He says to Procyana. Finna gets a pretty straight question, "So you just here to mooch pizza, or can I help you with something, foxy lady?"     "And Arthur, you know you can come to me for advice, right? As your weird, dictated space father, it's my duty to guide you along despite you being billions of years older than me." 

:'''{{#var:151|Ainsley (151)}} has posed:'''     "Yeeeeah no..." Ainsley says, carefully setting down her pizza. "You know that crazy murderer that was terrorizing the Grey Scholars? She got captured..." She frowns for a second over at Psyber, letting him fill in the blanks from there. 'My mom is a homicidal crazypants.' She doesn't seem to want to talk about it to much.     She smiles at Mizuki and takes the offering of reading material, as well as getting some salad when it's suggested. She doesn't seem all that bothered. 

:'''{{#var:365|Procyana (365)}} has posed:''' Procyana smirks around a bite of pizza. "With you it probably is." Nomnomnom. "I might bite back... or use the claws." Idly turns the slice around so she can bite through the thick crust and gnaw on that. 

:'''{{#var:183|Mizuki (183)}} has posed:'''     To Riva, "Oh, of course. I am chronically flooded with free time. Regardless of the consequences, the situation in my world does not seem to have any explicit deadlines. Continuing on at my own pace has worked thus far, so I shall continue to do just that." Under hear breath, she might add, 'And that way I may yet have a chance of preserving what little sanity I still retain'.     Then back to Palora. "Oh. So it isn't just really expensive sushi? Huh. You know, when you said 'roll' I thought you meant something wrapped in one of those eggroll crusts. A sandwich sorta thing sounds pretty awesome." That said, she's content to return to stuffing her face full of bread and cheese for the time being. Go figure. 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     "WORLD BLEW UP! Had to ESCAPE into a realm of MONSTERS AND FIGHTS! DUNGEONS, GREAT EVIL, that kinda stuff. Turned out GREAT though!" Arthur says, in a friendly sort of casual tone, to Riva. Then a quick glance to Finna and a brief flare of grinning. "Must have some GREAT PARTIES at home!" Quick wink.     Psyber gets passed on the way to the Mizuki Corner and he gets a somber sort of look, briefly. "Yeah." Arthur says, in a much less upbeat tone. "I know. Thanks. I'll be fine though. Slept it off, you know?" He really didn't but, you know, not polite talk to bring up. 

:'''{{#var:365|Procyana (365)}} has posed:''' Procyana just raises a brow a bit at the exchanges going on, but doesn't bother asking. She's only nosy when it's part of her current job to be nosy. 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' "Pffft, I'm not that amazing, I just try to help out where I can." Riva says, waving a hand nonchalantly back to Pesyber. "Yeah, word on the street is that Halloween is usually a Thing basically everywhere." She frowns. "Something seems to be winding up in my own world too. Hope everything works out." Riva sliiiides in near Palora and gives a wave. "Hiiiiiiiii there! I don't remember meeting you! Sup, I'm Riva!" She holds out a hand to shake. "Maid off-duty, huh? What got you into the scythe thing? Are you doing the whole 'maid of death' thing or is it something else?" She shrugs. "Hey, if you're working with Mizuki, I guess the rules are there for a reason, right? Bedies, people /totally freak out/ if you wave weapons around out here. Believe me, not worth it." The mention of weird father causes Riva to chorus "SPACE DAAAAAD~" at Psyber from the background. Arthur's statement causes Riva to blink. "Your /world blew up/? Wow, no wonder why you're all into the disaster movie thing. That makes sense." She nods definitively. "Guess you didn't have much of a choice either, huh! Well, glad everything worked out for you, right?" She winks at that. And then back to Mizuki! "Good! You have to have time to unwind! So what do you do when you're doing it? I'm guessing reading figures into a lot of it, huh?" She says. 

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''     Ayako peeks into the room. She's not exactly being sneaky-her witch hat sort of prevents that! Rather, it seems she's being shy all of a sudden? She hesitatingly steps into the room, glancing about awkwardly, and takes a seat at one of the tables. Her body shakes slightly as she quietly watches everyone. Now, why is she acting like this instead of her usual cheerful mood? 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     "Lots of boasting and high spirits to go around, of course!" Finna clarifies, returning the wink with a lopsided little grin of her own.     "Oh, yeah! Both! I did have something, but it can wait!" The foxwoman replies Psyber's way. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "If it's to marry me, I have to warn you that I get a lot of suitors." Psyber says to Finna pretty casually, taking a long swig from his beer before taking a big bite of Pizza, "So you've got stiff competition there."     Ainsley's response causes his face to fall into a frown, "Ah... I didn't know. I'm really sorry to hear that, Ainsley."     Arthur does not get a further response from him, Psyber's message conveyed and then dramatically bolstered by Riva. So instead he looks to Palora, "It's like a super swanky seafood salad sandwich. It's the tops."     Psyber spots Ayako and waves her into the pizza establishment, "Ayako! Come join us. We're all taking a day away from the drama of our ongoing crisises to chill out. You like pizza?" 

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''     Ayako smiles softly when she's waved in. "I... umm... alright." Her gaze travels to the floor for a moment. "A day off is always wonderful! I... well... I don't really eat, so..." That's probably the exact reason why she feels awkward! She fidgits a bit awkwardly in her chair. 

:'''{{#var:151|Ainsley (151)}} has posed:'''     "But I still need to visit her. I... don't know if it will matter to her," Ainsley says, trying her best to prevent turning into a sullen pile of regret and despair. She does a pretty good job of that. She looks over to Mizuki with some pleased smiling for a moment, though still doesn't say anything. It's mostly just friendly looks. Riva, though, gets a reply.     "The coins are currency from the Quetzal home city. They're made of metals that magnetize too easily." She pauses a beat. "I'm not studying the undead anymore. Focusing more on where Quetzal magic came from and what it actually is. Seems like my people got led astray at some point and all the literature is filled with ideas that don't actually work when someone tries to put them into practice." She pauses to take a bite of pizza.. "Inga is helping me. She's very insightful. I think I'll be focusing on wards and healing." 

:'''{{#var:365|Procyana (365)}} has posed:''' Procyana snorts softly as she starts on a slice of hawaiian. "Drama of ongoing crisises. The bloody lot of you all make my time seem placid, and I'm the one that sneaks into evil mastermind's bases to break their shit and occasionally assassinate one of 'em for a living." Then she picks a slice of meat off her pizza between two clawnails. "And why the bloody 'ell do they call this canadian -bacon- when it's made like -ham-?" Aaah, the mysteries of life. 

:'''{{#var:183|Mizuki (183)}} has posed:'''     Palora is probably licking some sauce off of her mouth when Riva comes to bug her. "Oh, uh. Yo. 'M Palora, but you probably got that already." She listens to her rapid volley of questions with a gradually raising eyebrow. Clearly, she's not quite so flattered by the interest as Mizuki herself. "Uhhh huuuuh. Well, yeah. Scythes are the things Grim Reapers gotta have, right? I'm a Grim Reaper. I gotta scythe. Sorta like a badge of office or somethin', you know? Maid of Death sounds pretentious as shit, though. I prefer Soul Taxi." She sticks out her tongue... and then rolls her eyes when she gives her even more reasons not to have her scythe out in public. "But it's freakin' -funny- when people run around screaming! What's the point in being scary if you can't... well. Be freaking scary?" Pout.     And when Riva gets around to prodding Mizuki, she nods again. "Yes. I read, write, and visit others when I have the opportunity. I've been drafting no small number of poems lately as a method of venting."     Mizuki gives Ayako a small wave as she notices her coming in, and Psyber gets a somewhat narrow-eyed, critical look at the mention of suitors. "It's hard to chalk you up to a single mythological character, you know? You're beset on all sides. Wayward mages, eldritch abominations, and even completely mundane maidens seem to be drawn to you. If you were any more magnetic, you would spontaneously combust to become the sun." The smile assures him that it was just more tongue-and-cheek.     As Arthur approaches, Mizuki pulls something out of her pocket. A handkerchief, it looks like, embroidered with an image of the night sky. The letter 'M' appears in a bold, golden hue at its Southeastern corner as well. Oddly enough, she offers it to him. "This is but a small token, but I would be honored if you would accept it. I had this crafted for me years ago but never put it to any use. I thought it might make you a trifle more 'classy' if you kept this in one of your pockets." And hey, maybe he could even wipe the grease off of his hands with it once he's done eating!     ... even if that -is- a handkerchief's intended use, why does that sound so wrong? Mimi gives weird gifts. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Even if you can't eat, you can still enjoy the company of good friends, can't you?" He points out, smiling and waving her over as best he can, "So there's nothing to feel awkward about. Just chill out, tell us about your day and junk."     "Multiverse has some crazy shit going on in it," Psyber replies to Procyana, grinning a bit, "And it sorta takes a toll on the people that try to get out there and try to maximize the good they can do," He explains to her, nibbling on his pizza. No explanation is given for canadian bacon, and instead simply a shrug.     To Mizuki, he waves his hand, "Don't forget crazy time-powered authors, Grim Reaper Wannabes, and a single traitorous priestess." He adds to her list. 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     "Oh... I haven't even put any effort forth and you're already smitten with me?" Finna teases after munching down another bite of pizza. "Not what I was expecting to hear, Psyber!" Seems she can roll with this kind of jokery, huh?     "...So many people about I haven't met! Who might you all be, anway? The name's Finna!" 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     Arthur gives a laugh to Riva. "YEP, PRETTY MUCH. Not much of a CHOICE, but y'know, GO WITH THE FLOW and all that. Better than the ALTERNATIVE, yeah? Alternative was being blown up by meteors. SHITTY ALTERNATIVE." He winds up sitting down at the same table there now. Riva doesn't need to do much to get him right into being really intensely social. Probably would have done it anyway, honestly. 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     Ayako gets a wave and a grin after she's been there long enough to get noticed. Arthur remembers her! In a positive light, given how she was so supportive before. "Can you TASTE?" He asks, plaintively. "'Cause, you know, you don't gotta get SUSTAINANCE from this shit for it to still be WORTH EATING. It's PIZZA. If we ate it for NUTRITION we'd be SUICIDAL. Give it a TASTE, huh?" 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     Finna's comment about boasting and high spirits gets a laugh from Arthur. "Lady if my SPIRITS were ANY HIGHER they'd be part of NASA." Arthur says, pointing at her and doing a quick little finger-gun. "Can't imagine how you OTHER DUDES manage to get 'em so LOW sometimes." 

:'''{{#var:365|Procyana (365)}} has posed:''' Procyana shrugs at Psyber and tosses the slice in her mouth before continuing on the pizza. "I guess its because I'm still not on the actual frontlines much, even in the Multiverse. So I don't see a lot of the... y'know. Just the weird shit people come up with in secret." 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     "CANADIAN BACON is a PYRAMID SCHEME." Arthur declares authoritatively, replying to Procyana's confusion regarding the issue of the toppings, then laughing briefly. 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     Palora gets a stare from Arthur, then another laugh. "Always good to not take yourself too SERIOUSLY. Just as long as you don't go with SOUL TRAIN, ought to be good." An approving thumbs-up! And then, hey, Mizuki's giving him a gift! "Oh! Hey. Coo'. Thanks, Miz! I'll TAKE CARE OF IT. Make shit MAD CLASSY up ins." Arthur takes the hankerchief. Despite his emphatic words and relaxed mannerisms, he handles it both gingerly and dexterously, slipping it into a pocket after folding it with quick, simple one-handed motions while he continues to chomp his way through a slice. 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     Finna's request to get introductions gives Arthur an excuse to do his well-rehearsed introduction. "ARTHUR LOWELL! ROCKET-POWERED JERK and INTERGALACTIC HOOLIGAN!" He says, giving his own weird little title set. "Nice t'meetcha, Finna." Quick little greeting by way of fingergun there. Re-re-regreeting, anyway. 

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''     Ayako waves a small, slow wave back at Mizuki and smiles softly in return. Her head nods slowly in respsonse to Psyber and she smiles softly. She takes a deep breath... and then exhales. "Maybe I should have some soda of some sort..." She gets up from her seat and gets a small cup, filling it up with some lemon-lime soda. Her steps take her back to Psyber where she sits down next to. She settles into the chair properly for a moment, drops a straw into the cup and takes another deep breath. She stares at the cup... and then shakes her head quickly. "Best for me not to drink that unless I really have to..."     Ayako smiles softly, "Umm... I don't really do anything exciting or special, though. I just end up filling up bottles of different colored healing water for Medical." She looks over to Arthur and then giggles a bit awkwardly. "I can't taste. I can detect things in water just fine, but... no... there's no real emotional link or anything like that. So yeah... no happiness from sugar, no yumminess from salt. Flavor is a mystery to me..." Her stare goes back to her cup. "Soda... does affect me, though. Or even just carbonated water. But... I act... Hmm... odd? When I drink it." She shakes her head slowly, "I don't ever remember what I do, but everyone says it's... alarming?" She smiles brightly, "Oh, but I always feel really good after! Kind of like a release somehow." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber laughs to Finna, "Other way around, you're the one smitten with a total stranger. That's why you're showing up in a body suit and skirt to a casual lunch you're totally unrelated to~. It's really very incriminating for you," Psyber says with a teasing tone.     Ayako gets a much more serious response, Psyber moving to pat her on the shoulder as she sits down next to him, "That sounds pretty interesting, to be water. That's really cool, even if I couldn't imagine not being able to taste," He says with a bit of wonderment, "So Soda is like... boozey for you? I wonder what Booze would do, then." 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' "The home city, huh? So you went and visited your home town?" Riva replies curiously. "What's it like? Would it be okay to visit sometime? It sounds interesting." She nods. "Well, you have to do a lot of research before you get someplace, so says all the scientists. And magic is kind of like science sometimes, right?" She shrugs. "I'm not expert, though. Maybe we can ask Supercatboy." She nods at the mention of Inga. "She's incredibly gifted with that. It looks like that's what all of her, um... home tradition focused on." She kind of glosses over the blood part. Palora's response causes her to laugh. "Soul Taxi, huh? Do you get a tip from people you go and reap?" She asks. Can't resist. "Well, save it for Halloween maybe? Everyone expects that kind of thing then." Mizuki causes Riva to lean forward in interest. "Poetry, hummmmmm? Care to share, or are they the super private type~?" She asks, slightly teasing. "And don't worry about Psyber. I'm going to steal him for myself and they won't have to fight over it anymore." Riva says it so flippantly, she's got to be joking. Right? Arthur gets a definate nod, and that puts Riva, Arthur, and Mizuki on the same corner. Maybe the boisterousness will cancel out the inherent awkwardness from yesterday. That's her hope anyway. "Yeah, getting blown up by meteors would be terrible. What's with meteors anyway? Why are people always trying to crash them into planets? That's super inconvenient." Ayako's timidity practically calls out to be addressed! "Ayako!" Riva calls, leaning in from behind the water girl. "Relax! Here, you're with friends! Eating or drinking, whatever! We're all here to enjoy ourselves, aren't we? Just relax! We're here to have fun and be with our friends. So what are you up to, hmmmm?" How does she manage to do this? 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     "....Hah! Incriminating... as if showing yourself off is something to be ashamed of. hah!" The foxwoman fingerwaggles. "It shows where your mind is..." And adopts a mischevious grin, whilst raising up to her feet and scooting away from the seat. "Tyah!"     Spinning in place, she's surrounded with a flicker of silvery light and her clothes shift and reform! The bodysuit's gone... replaced with a Japanese PE uniform! She snaps her fingers, and it shifts again: A lovely cerulean wedding dress! Another fingersnap and the dress becomes a crimson, flower-patterned qipao.     The outfit switching continues for a bit: french maid outfit, fantasy thief outfit, pirate, exotic belly dancer, white-robed priestess, tribal life...     She finally settles on overly modest, super colorful merchant's robes complete with an overly garish assortment of jewelry, and takes another bite of pizza! 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     To this entire display of outfit switching, through the many different looks Finna gives herself, Psyber looks to her and says, "Oh. So you're a Lunar with a cosplay fetish! Okay." 

:'''{{#var:365|Procyana (365)}} has posed:''' Procyana nearly chokes on her pizza in trying to not laugh at the way Psyber chose to phrase that. She sputters a few times, then groans as she gets over it and chugs down a glass of beer to make her throat less dry. 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     "BLEH. So, TASTE, but no REAL TASTE, huh? Harsh. Ought to look into FIXING THAT. Trust me, food is GREAT." Arthur says, nodding to Ayako in a ponderous sort of way. "Don't worry, I got a FRIEND who handles ANYTHING THAT'S NOT WATER like SHIT AWFUL. Don't do it today, probably a BAD IDEA!" That last bit is very upbeat! Punctuated by another chomp into his pizza. 

:'''{{#var:385|Yuna Kagurazaka (385)}} has posed:''' The door to the pizza parlor/buffet swings open, and a young woman walks in who hasn't been around the Union much lately. Yuna looks much the same as usual, blonde hair tied back in a long ponytail, green eyes shining with good spirits, lips curved in a friendly smile; she's dressed up a bit more than usual, though - not like she's going to a formal ball, but with a tan sweater and matching below-the-knee skirt, white blouse visible where the sweater's collar exposes it. "Sorry if I'm running late, Psyber," Yuna says apologetically, then bows - not just to Psyber but to the others at the table. "Is it all right if I join you?" 

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''     Ayako smiles softly at the shoulder pat from Psyber. "I-Is it? I don't really know. I've always been made of water. Although I have no complaints about it, really." She looks over to Arthur, "Hmm... I don't really know what I'm missing so... I don't really mind, to be honest. I've tried fixing it in the past, but... it never really works out. So I'm just happy the way I am now." She giggles softly, "Hmm... I suppose you could say that, Psyber... Oh! But alcohol doesn't do anything to me." Her pointer finger pokes the small cup of soda in front of her. "I have to drink this willingly and not kick it out of me."     Her eyes blink quickly when Riva leans in behind her. "Eh heh... I... alright, Riva." Ayako smiles gently. "Umm..." She inclines her head to the side gently. "Acting like a water witch! Well... dressed like one, anyway!" Her hands reach up and take off the witch hat on her head. She hugs it gently. "I happen to like this outfit a lot." A light blush crosses her face and she places the hat carefully back on top of her head, adjusting it so that the bow is in the right position.     Ayako claps her hands cheerfully at Finna's display of outfit switching. "Oh oh, I can do that too!" She blushes deeply. "But I don't like to do it in front of other people." Her head shakes quickly and then she raises her hand. "Then... I'm a water spirit with a cosplay fetish too! I'm always looking for cute outfits that suit me."     Ayako notes the new arrival and waves hello cheerfully to her. "Hello!" 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     "I actually SOLVED the whole METEOR MYSTERY after a while. LONG STORY. It involves a lot of TIME TRAVEL, apparently. Shit was NUTSO CRAZY, lemme tell you. Turned out, no joke, the METEORS were just a SIDE EFFECT of SOMETHING ELSE. Now THAT'S fucked up." Arthur says, rambling a bit on the subject while he pals around with Riva and Mizuki over here. He shakes his head. "As for MOST TIMES? Just CONVENIENCE. Lotta POTENTIAL ENERGY for ANYTHING outside a planet's PRACTICAL GRAVITATIONAL PULL, y'know? Work with what you GOT, I guess." 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     That whole exchange going on between Finna and Psyber gets a laugh out of Arthur. "OH MAN." He says. "Never let her get near CROWRAVEN, huh? Man, that'd be AWFUL. SILLY COSTUME SINGULARITY." He declare, as if speaking of some great and terrible disaster! 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     Finna leeeeans over at Psyber, showing him a most twisted frown while her cheeks puff up. "Doesn't everyone around this time of year?" 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     There's a casual wave and a greeting to Yuna. "HEYA. I remember YOU! C'mon! Take a SEAT. You been doin' a LOT LESS YELLING these days." He takes a relaxed stance, figuring she'll have something to say on her own, linking his fingers behind his head. 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     "YOU," Arthur says, swapping subjects in his conversation with Ayako. "Need to find a BETTER WORD FOR THAT. Also what the HELL, this is like the THIRD, what, FOURTH time I've met ANOTHER weird tricky girl all up into COSTUMES. Is there some SECRET CONSPIRACY? Some POD PEOPLE shit goin' on up ins? What the hell." He gestures to both Ayako and Finna here in a baffled way, then resumes his relaxed stance. 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' "Your costume is awesome, Ayako! I love it." Riva says, still smiling. "And don't worry, I like dressing up, Arthur, but I'm not like, really into the cosplay thing." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     When Finna is leaning over at him and frowning, Psyber does the number one counter that he's discovered for the Lunar Exalt. The half-angel reaches up atop her head and scratches right behind one of her ears. He takes this time to laugh at Arthur's comments.     To Yuna, Psyber waves her over, "Sure, come sit down and chat. We're just kinda messing around."     And finally to Ayako, Psyber nods his head in understanding and then simply laughs at her picking up the term he used against Finna, "Ah. You're a riot, Ayako."     RIVA, though, gets the most surprised response out of Psyber, "That's really your plan? Dangerous game to play." 

:'''{{#var:183|Mizuki (183)}} has posed:'''     Almost simultaneously, Mizuki and Palora turn and give Psyber looks. "Don't you dare lump my associates and I in with your 'groupies'." Hmph! She gives a gentle, playful flip of her hair to go along with the remark. She's obviously recovered quite a lot just being here if she has the oomph to give witty retorts like that one. Palora follows her up with a rapid series of nods. "You tell 'im, Mimi. I'm in that Aozaki chick's corner. Just followin' Mister Investigator around for his wallet, and the good eats." She sticks out her tongue again, here.     She lets Arthur go without any more sappy gestures, but does silently appreciate his tact in handling her gift. She'll tell him her prettily worded, poetic reasoning behind it later. In private. Palora bars her proverbial fangs even more when he replies, too, placing a hand on her hip as she wolfs down the last bite of one of her pizza slices. "'Soul Train' sounds like some tacky disco song name from the goddamn 70s. The hell I would ever use that." She's obviously more keen on American culture and history than she lets on. At least she plays it for humor in pretty sneaky ways; not likely to be picked up by others that way!     Palora makes a shrugging gesture at Riva. "I wish I got tips. Trouble is, dead people usually don't have a lot of money on them. A real shame, that." Sarcastic as always. Mizuki is finishing a sip from her glass - a wine glass containing naught but water, of course - and peeks open an eye at Riva before she replies. "Not the sort of poetry I would share in a public forum, at least. But then, I've never been overly fond of sharing -any- of my writings in a public forum."     She sighs loudly at the discussion of cosplay fetishes, pinching the bridge of her nose. Then Palora, at the top of her lungs, speaks thusly:     "Mimi should know about -that-. She has a Victorian cosplay fetish obv -- MMPPPHH!"     Palora now holds the world record for having her mouth covered by her relatives. She also holds the world record for pissing of Mizuki the most. Or is it embarrassing her the most? Probably both -- she looks pretty angry, but the blush on her cheeks is kinda hard to miss. 

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''     Ayako raises her hand again, "I'm like it all year! Well... except for Halloween." She glances off to the side awkwardly. "During Halloween, I get stuck in my formal appearance and can't look like anything else." Her palms gently rest on her cheeks. "It's really embarrassing looking like that... So... I'll probably try to hide somewhere during Halloween."     She then giggles at Arthur's gesture. Ayako taps her cheek with her pointer finger as she looks upwards, "Alright, alright... I'm just... fashion conscious?" She looks over to Mizuki and Palora. "Oh oh... Victorian clothing is wonderful too! I actually have one purple dress and a hoop bonnet, but... it's a bit too showy for my tastes..." She blushes lightly. 

:'''{{#var:385|Yuna Kagurazaka (385)}} has posed:''' Yuna smiles a bit brighter as she heads over - actually hitting the buffet first to pick up a few slices for herself, then taking a seat at the table with the others. "Quite a few people I haven't met here yet ... I'm Yuna Kagurazaka, idol singer; it's good to meet those of you I don't already know." She bows her head briefly, but formally. "I was called away for a while on something kind of urgent," she explains to Arthur.as she's picking up a slice of pizza. "It's a little complicated to try and explain beyond that ..." She trails off, pursing her lips, then takes a bite of her pizza, considering how (and whether) to try and layo ut more details. Psyber *will* need to know, if she's to make her request of him; Arthur might be able to help too ... 

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''     Ayako smiles brightly at Yuna, "Nice to meet you too, Yuna! I'm Ayako Hasekawa, a human water witch!" She sticks out her tongue playfully, "Just kidding! I'm a water spirit!" She rests one palm against her cheek. "Gosh... an idol singer... that brings back some memories..." And smiles softly to herself. 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' "Did you have to fly onto the meteor and blow it up with a nuclear weapon?" Riva is forced to ask Arthur. "That's so crazy!" Riva replies to Arthur. "But I guess that's right. You work with what you've got. Thank goodness you've got a hell of a lot to work with, huh?" Riva jokes. Psyber warns Riva about the dangers of getting involved, and Riva waves back at him. "Relax, silly. We've barely met. Even if I think you're a cute hunk of man, I'm not really crushing on you." She then grins, her eyes narrowing with dangerous levels of teasing amusement. "Yet." Palora laments the lack of money in reaping. "Really? You don't get paid? I guess people don't do that thing where they bury people with money on their eyes anymore, either." Mizuki's ACTION GAGGING of Palora causes Riva to waggle her eyebrows. "Victorian, huh? Niiiice. Classy!" She shakes her head and waves a hand. "Relax. But I really think you should do some poetry you can share. We can go to readings! That'll be great!" 

:'''{{#var:151|Ainsley (151)}} has posed:'''     Ainsley got preoccupied with some radio conversation, distractedly watching the other folks. Unable to really mingle with them in any meaningful way -- what does she really have to talk about that isn't about work or another crisis? -- she stands up and meanders out of the place, finishing off a breadstick that she ordered a few minutes ago. 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     Finna's just confused enough by the gesture she thinks Psyber's up to that she doesn't see what he really intends until it's too late. "a-ah!" The weirdest look flashes across her suddenly-blushing face as her ears aflatten out a little. Both eyes turn a little glassy with content, and she makes a very inhuman little 'chirp' like noise... only to wrench herself away and fold her arms after a few seconds of that. "Ooo-ooooohgh, you've learned too much!"     Still blushing like a maniac... 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber can't help but laugh at Riva, "Oh you're good." He says to her, before laughing even harder at Finna's reaction to his ear-attention, "Muahaha. The most dangerous weapon of a paranormal researcher is knowledge." He says to Finna, wiggling his fingers at her enticingly.     Psyber's laughing subsides as he looks to Yuna and asks, "What's on your mind?" 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     "Not into the COSPLAY weirdness? So, just into OUTFITS, not into the STRANGE CONSPIRACY, huh?" Arthur says, jabbing Riva in a friendly, joking sort of way. "Well, GOOD TO HEAR." 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     There's a few nods in a friendly way to Palora. "Hahaha, well, there's worse STYGIAN CONVEYANCE I can think of. Could make it even MORE bad. Work the SOUL PLANE and all." Arthur laughs for a moment before crossing his arms and putting an eyebrow up at Mizuki's little bit of wrestling with Palora, grinning as he observes. Ah, true friendship! So nice. 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     "Cosplay? What is that supposed to even MEAN anyways?" Finna asks Arthur, trying to avoid bringing up Psyber's laugher apparently. "I'll deal with you later!" She snaps none-too-seriously at the half-angel! 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     "LONG STORY, huh? I know how that goes. Don't wanna PRY or nothin', huh? Lay it on me if you're FEELING IT, but otherwise, sounds like you need your chance to CHILL, yeah?" Arthur says, relaxing and going back to chewing. 

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''     Ayako comfortably nestles back in her chair and leans forward to the straw-and quickly stops herself. "Eep. That was close." She moves her head back and shakes her head. "Almost got too into the mood." She raises her hand cheerfully. "It's costume play! You know... dressing up in costumes for fun." She shakes her head slowly and sighs, "I love dressing up, but... while a lot of clothes look good on me, a lot of it doesn't suit my style..." A smile crosses her face. "I like... cute and elegant clothing. Nothing really showy, but still eyecatching." 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     Arthur shakes his head at Riva. "NAH." He says. "Went into the RELATIVE PAST of the meteors and killed the EVIL SPACE TYRANT who made them be AWFUL. Was a HUGE DEAL at the time. Big fight. Lasted like FIVE DAYS or something. Turned out PRETTY RAD, even though I needed fuckin' HALF THE MULTIVERSE to get me through it." He sticks out his tongue and makes a quick "bleh" noise. 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     Then Arthur's asked to define what cosplay is. He puts a hand to his chin. "COSTUME PLAY. It's where you're a REAL WEIRDO who enjoys LOOKING LIKE an even BIGGER WEIRDO, but with, like, a THEME, usually. Like a COSTUME, or a COPYRIGHTED CHARACTER." One can tell this is not his actual belief, and he seems to not really have any disrespect about the idea. He just doesn't have any mode besides "irreverent" that applies here! Oh well, Finna can figure that out.     "And sometimes you're a JERK, like CROWRAVEN is, and FOIST AWFUL COSTUMES on people, because of IRRATIONAL FASCINATIONS. That's what COSPLAY is, apparently." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber is gonna let Ayako and Arthur have their conversation. He's having enough fun messing around with the flustered Finna, "Yeah? I'll be curious to see your dastardly revenge tactics." 

:'''{{#var:385|Yuna Kagurazaka (385)}} has posed:''' Yuna smiles, looking Ayako over briefly. "Pleased to make your acquaintance! A water spirit, huh ... ?" A particularly close eye might pick up a slight flicker in Yuna's expression at the name, though. 'Ayako' isn't a name that Yuna's going to forget, although there are other reasons for that. For now, though, she looks to Psyber and Arthur ... almost offering Finna her answer, but Arthur beat her to it. She takes another bite of pizza, chewing and swallowing. She has the feeling that she can trust the people who are here, so there's really no reason to waste the opportunity. "Basically, the reason I dropped off the grid for a while was that I found out there's a *lot* I still needed to learn about my other job," she says - mostly addressing Psyber and Arthur, but not trying to shut anyone else out. "So I was out of contact during my first set of lessons ... and the homework Queen Ryudia gave me," she focuses more on Psyber now, "is that I need to find teachers for some of the things she can't teach me. You were one of the people I thought of, Psyber. If you don't have time to spare for it, I understand - but I'm not sure who else could fill in that gap ..." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Yuna's request surprises Psyber for many reasons. The half-angel blinks a few times at her and tilts his head, "I'm not sure what I could actually teach you. Setting aside my talking animal companion, I have very little overlap with the average magical girl that would allow me to train or impart wisdom. I'm really not a good role model for anyone," He admits pretty perplexedly. 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     "Hmph... I was going to lounge around here and see how long it took people to realize I wasn't invited, or a member... but so much for that idea!" Finna grunts with a sour look out of the corner of her eye at Psyber, whilst munching on more of her meat lovers slices.     "Huuuuuuuuuh... well then, I guess I'm just an exhibitionist... you're the ones who like these silly getups." She chortles into her slice. 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' "Well, I do like outfits~" Riva admits. Maybe she's not been corrupted by the COSPLAY CONSPIRACY yet. WHO KNOWS. Arthur gets a squint. "Well, at least you didn't have to deal with Bruce Willis, I guess." She says noncommittally. "But that's insane, five days of a huge fight against an evil space tyrant? Man, I miss all the fun." Yuna gets Riva to lean in over by her. "HI there!" She holds out her hand in greeting. "I'm Riva Banari, nice to meet you! I'm a new hire into Psyber's group of misfit toys." She jokes some more. Does she take ANYTHING seriously when she doesn't have to? "I work with the Knights Templar of my world to solve ancient eldritch horror problems. How about you?" She sounds so /chipper/ when they're not trying to bite her face off. 

:'''{{#var:385|Yuna Kagurazaka (385)}} has posed:''' "You might be surprised," Yuna answers Psyber, smiling. "I can explain in more detail another time, if you'd like - they're ... a little private." And Riva demonstrates sort of why privacy might be an important thing. She does accept and return the handshake, though. "Well, like Psyber just hinted - if what I said wasn't enough - besides being an idol singer, I'm sort of a magical girl myself. It's a little more complicated than that, but that's the simple and not-wrong way to describe it." 

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''     Ayako wiggles her fingers at Yuna. "Yup. A water spirit." As she waggles her fingers, starting from her fingertips, her hands lose their color and turn into water. Her hands slowly reform from the floating water. She giggles brightly! And then blushes when Finna says she's an exhibitionist. "I... I'm kind of technically an exhibitionist too..."     Ayako reaches up and takes off her witch hat. "My clothes are made of water too." As she says this, her witch hat also loses it's color, making it look like it was made of clear glass. 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     Psyber laughs at both Finna and Ayako, clearly amused by them as a duo. He then looks over to Yuna and says, pretty seriously, "I'll hear you out, but I don't really teach people or take on apprentices, so definitely no promises. I really don't think I'm good at it. In the worst case, I can probably guide you to someone that can give you better teaching than I can." 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     Arthur nods to Yuna. "WELL," he says, "I dunno what you need TAUGHT. Plus, ME, I'm probably a SHITTY TEACHER. Unless you need someone teachin' you how to not be so HIGH STRUNG all the time, I might not be able to HELP." Arthur gives a little good-natured laugh, showing that he doesn't really mean that. Any of it, really. He's not even really that lacking in confidence that he could teach, really, but he has no idea right now what Yuna needs. 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     Another point to Finna and Ayako. "I keep saying," Arthur says, pausing long enough to let the words hang in the air with a tone so dry it could hurt Ayako! "You need BETTER WORDS. EXHIBITIONIST? COSPLAY FETISHIST? C'mon. This is a FAMILY ESTABLISHMENT." Arthur makes emphatic gestures. "Though actually I'm just sayin' that so you don't drop in on any of the OTHER pizza nights for Heaven or Hell and wind up saying that in front of CROWRAVEN."     Chomp chew chew chew. 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     "TRUST ME. Next time one comes up? I'll make sure YOU get to know TOO." Arthur says, turning back to Riva and giving her an easygoing sort of gesture, with a wide grin. "Let EVERYONE who'd give me a LISTEN know about the last one. God I hope we don't have ANOTHER ONE, though." He sticks out his tongue and makes the noise again. "BLEH." 

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''     Ayako puts her watery witch hat back on her head and it slowly regains it's color. She blushes at Arthur's words, "I-It's not my fault! Finna is the one choosing the... Umm... questionable words!" She nods her head once! And then inclines her head to the side gently. "Umm... who's Croraven?" A water drop falls from her witch hat. 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     "If I used better words, you'd be running around screaming!" Finna points out, planting hands on her hips and grinning at Arthur. She somehow manages to do this while still munchig on the slice, without sounding like she's got a mouth full of food... 

:'''{{#var:385|Yuna Kagurazaka (385)}} has posed:''' Yuna nods to Psyber, "I understand completely. I'll call your office and set up an appointment to talk about it, if that'd help?" She looks at Arthur next, grinning somewhat wryly. "I'm not sure what you'd be able to teach me either," she admits, "but 'not being high-strung' sounds like a useful skill ... - oh, there *was* something I wanted to ask you, though. Who do I need to talk to about planning a concert on Afterus?" 

:'''{{#var:495|Riva Banari (495)}} has posed:''' Riva shrugs. "What's so crazy about having magical powers in this place? There's a god over there, Psyber there, Ayako is all water and cute, and then there's apparently dudes who can murder entire planets. Is that really a problem, or do people keep getting in your grill about it?" She tilts her head questioningly. 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     "I'm ALWAYS running around SCREAMING, lady." Arthur says, grinning smugly to Finna. "SERIOUSLY, c'mon." Then, to Ayako! "ANYWAY, CROWRAVEN is a GOOD FRIEND with a big COSPLAY FASCINATION and likes SHOWING OFF. I can only keep her in check with a lot of SHAMING, y'know?" He makes another good-natured joking noise. "She'd probably like MEETING you. Well, AYAKO more than FINNA there, no offense." 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "You'd be surprised what makes me run around screaming," Psyber says to Finna, reaching towards her threateningly as if he's going to go after her ears again before backing off a couple seconds later.     "Anyway, sure, Yuna. Or you can just hit my private band and I'll try to help you where I can." He says in a chill tone, "Always trying to help people where I can." 

:'''{{#var:33|Arthur Lowell (33)}} has posed:'''     Then he's focusing on Yuna. "Most of the MUSIC SORTS go through Three Muses Media. Big ol' MUSIC GROUP, based out of some MODERNIZING of the WEIRD ANCIENT ORDERS around some of the MUSIC GODS we had on AFTERUS. They'll get your shit SET UP, easy peasy. No issue with a CONCERT, probably." He says. Lots of leaning back. Very relaxed. Or, you know, relaxed-seeming. 

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''     Ayako blushes at being called cute and rests her palms on her cheeks. "Eh heh heh... thank you, Riva..." She then looks back up at Arthur. "Aahh... I see." She glances down at her witch outfit. "If I meet her, I should probably wear more... normal clothes, huh... or... it could be bad." 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     Finna's ears twitch the instant she picks up on the movement Psyber's threatening... "Hmmm... is that so? I should stick around you some more then, Arthur! Sounds like you get into all kinds of fun!" SMACK! She claps her palms together and rubs them together in a show of interest! 

:'''{{#var:385|Yuna Kagurazaka (385)}} has posed:''' "Thanks, Psyber," Yuna says with a sunny smile.. "I'll appreciate any help you can give me. I have other people I need to check with as well ... how's Amalthea been doing?" 

:'''{{#var:253|Psyber (253)}} has posed:'''     "Busy with her family, but not too much beyond family-related stuff like the Necronomicon and all," Psyber says pretty blandly, as if it's not a major deal, "So there's Ariel and the mech, plus she trains Dex, but that's pretty much it."     Psyber might be reaching slowly for Finna's ear, trying to get another couple scratches in. 

:'''{{#var:385|Yuna Kagurazaka (385)}} has posed:''' Yuna nods. "Good to know her family's doing well," she says. "And 'Three Muses Music,' you said, Arthur? I'll let my manager know ... it may be a while before we can get everything lined up, but I'm looking forward to performing on Afterus." She pauses to look at Ayako and the witch outfit. "Doesn't seem *that* unusual ..." 

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''     Ayako stretches her arms upwards and then curiously watches everyone else. She absentmindedly gets to her feet, takes her hat off with her right hand and shakes the hat. A broomstick falls out of said hat that is quickly grabbed by Ayako's right hand.     Ayako starts... sweeping for some reason? Her eyes blink quickly when Yuna looks her witch outfit over and she smiles cheerfully. "Eh heh... thank you, Yuna. Err..." She glances at the broom in her hand. "Oops. Force of habit..." She giggles brightly. 

:'''{{#var:513|Finna (513)}} has posed:'''     While Finna doesn't seem to be looking Psyber's way, far too intent on munching down her pizza...     Her tail does something a bit weird. IT STRETCHES and zips up like a tendril, growing several feet in the blink of an eye. The tip darts straight for his now-vulnerable armpit to TICKLE ASSAULT while Finna continues munching on her pizza! 

}}