[System]
Namesake:The cosmic event when the moon covers the sun

Age: Young Adult

Gender: Male

Species: SkyWing/NightWing hybrid

Personality: Eclipse has the fiery temper of the SkyWings, but does his best to present a more mellow front and the poise of a prince. He does have a bit of a short fuse that can burn down at the worst of times even if the anger doesn't last long. He likes the mysterious air of the NightWings and tries to imitate that more than the aggression. Overall he's a creative and quick-witted young dragon that enjoys the vigor of life and is a bit of a daredevil.

Short Bio: Eclipse's parents were a bit of an odd pair, a NightWing and a SkyWing isn't the most common of relationships. His father found his mother unconscious on the shoreline after a powerful storm knocked her from the sky. He had never really seen a NightWing before and found himself enamored by her jet black scales and the stars under her wings. He pulled her from the waves and helped her get back on her feet; discovering that she had Left her tribe due to some conflicting beliefs. He invited her back to the Sky Kingdom and after some convincing she agreed. Being the brother of Queen Ember, and a capable leader in their army, no one really questioned him beyond their initial surprise. After a short time they had Eclipse who spent his childhood learning battle moves from his father and the mysteries of the world from his mother.

Other: Eclipse is proud of his aerial prowess and combat abilities. He has a fair amount of book smarts as well, but when it comes things that require more precision he's pretty much hopeless

[User]
Eclipse nodded shakily at Skua's words, still trying to wrap his head around everything that had happened. He was grateful for the initiative of his friend, even if it was a bit forceful. "This is going to mean war with whichever tribe is responsible," he looked at the faces of the dragons below them as they quickly made their way up into the sky, "and whichever tribes they're allied with." Any one of them could've been responsible for the attack on Queen Ember, but at the same time, most of them were innocent bystanders. Many of their faces were filled with shock and sadness, and if a war started so many of them would die, even though they did nothing to cause it. He shook his head angrily to banish the thoughts away.

He let Skua lead the way through the guards, slightly surprised that the one that attempted to stop them didn't recognize either of them. Though the stress of the situation probably made things difficult. As he landed on the pulpit beside Skua, he could see the healers nearby, trying to do anything they could to help their queen, but the pain seemed to grow every second she laid prone and gasping. Her claws scrabbled against the ground, leaving deep gouges in the stone. He easily recognized his father crouched close enough to have his snout pressed to Ember's forehead, but far enough to not get in the way of the healers that rushed around. The deep reds and oranges of his father's scales seemed pallid and his eyes were clouded as he whispered soothing words to her that were much too quiet for Eclipse to hear.

At Skua's hiss he pulled his attention away from his family for a brief moment to stare at him. "Why would someone do this?" he shook his head, "What is there to possibly gain?" The surprise was beginning to give way to a blood boiling anger; a rage that he usually tried to keep well in check, but this time he planned on using it to discover who was responsible.

A sudden flurry of activity from the healers drew his attention back to the crowd. The gasping from Ember had grown quieter; her tail and claws stilled in their frantic motions. The only movement was the blood bubbling up between her teeth and pooling on the stone underneath her head. There was a beat of still silence before pandemonium erupted as roars and cries rose from the assembled dragons.

Eclipse immediately shoved his way through the crowd, an incomprehensible roar of rage and grief causing several of the guards and healers to jump backwards in surprise. He pushed past the rest of the healers to crouch next to his father who hadn't moved from his position next to Ember; small tremors causing the armor he wore to clank slightly. He draped a wing across his father's back; knowing there was nothing he could possibly say to make this any easier.

[Assistant]
This was almost too much for Skua to handle. The grief that pooled together from the spectating dragons was heavy in the air. Yet, alongside the grief and pain, there was a quiet rage that hung thick like blood between them. Eclipse was right. Whoever was responsible had just started a war between tribes. After so many years of peace and prosperity... he trembled, the mix of emotions swelling in his chest. He couldn't even bring himself to comfort Eclipse and his father. He wasn't related to them, and he only had a percentage of SkyWing blood...

Suddenly, Ember's body became still, and the smell of death quickly flooded the air. The Skywings all screamed and roared and wailed in unison. Skua ground his teeth together and snarled. "This means war!" he roared, quite literally bristling with fury.

The SkyWing healer, Cloud, ducked his head. "Did... did no one see anything?"

"The dart came out of nowhere..." one of the SkyWing guards whimpered.

Skua's scales felt like needles. "We need to find whoever is responsible, whatever it takes. We're wasting our time hanging our heads and feeling sorry for ourselves!"

Most of the SkyWings glared at him, but Cloud shook his head. "It may prove more difficult than we think."

"Why?"

Cloud carefully lifted the sharp object that had struck Ember. It was covered in blood, but there was something else there. Something waxy black was splotched over the dart, and Skua wrinkled his nose.

"This is unlike any poison I've ever seen before. It's not SandWing venom, and it's not dragonbite viper venom... and look, it's eaten the scales around the puncture wound on Ember's neck."

Skua craned his neck to look closer. Cloud was right. Ember's scales had twisted and deformed among the blood, as if they had begun to melt off her body.

"Then we have no exact way of knowing where the poison came from..." Skua muttered.

[User]
Eclipse listened to the conversation going on between Skua and the healer, Cloud, while keeping himself crouched next to his father. His legs were starting to cramp up a bit, but he wasn't about to move. He frowned in confusion at the dart that was being held in between the healer's claws. He'd certainly never seen anything that looked like that or had the effect on a dragon's scales that this substance did. Maybe Sunrise would know something, she spent all that time reading through old scrolls.

He heard a familiar roar and glanced up to see his mother, Brightstar, soaring quickly down to the pulpit; light catching on the gleaming white scales under her wings and bouncing off her jet black hide. Despite not being directly related to the Queen she still commanded a great deal of respect, and the guards lowered their heads; stepping back slightly to allow her to move closer. A deep sadness filled her eyes as she looked down at Ember. The Queen had been one of the first dragons to truly welcome her when she'd first come to the Sky Kingdom with Storm.

Eclipse felt himself sag slightly in relief, surely his mother would know what to say or do, she always seemed to know more than anyone else did. He drew his wing back and pushed himself to his feet, opening his jaws to say something, but quickly snapping them shut again at a minute shake of Brightstar's head.

"Blackbird and Jet," she called out to two of the guards nearby, "Please take Storm back to the palace." The two SkyWings moved to help Storm to his feet and gently lead him away from the body of Ember. "Take care of him, I'll be there shortly." She took a step towards the healers and began a hushed conversation with them; occasionally gesturing towards Ember and the crowd below.

Eclipse moved to stand next to Skua once again, "What should we do?" He bumped his wings against his friend as he shifted uneasily, "Should we try to figure out what the poison is?" He sighed, suddenly exhausted. This festival was supposed to celebrate peace and instead it was going to be a catalyst for war.

[Assistant]
At the appearance of Eclipse's mother, Skua had become much more quiet. He had roared and stamped his feet enough; he wasn't a mewling dragonet that had to be told to be quiet. Yet, his tail still lashed wildly, and his bright eyes blazed with fury. The two of them were very much being ignored. The SkyWing guards in the pulpit muttered among themselves, then split off to the dragons keeping watch over the clusters of dragons in the arena. They spoke among each other as well, and then they turned to the spectators and roared something. Skua couldn't hear their voices over the sound of the wind, but the clusters of dragons slowly began to take into the sky. Skua began to wonder why exactly the SkyWings were letting them go, then thought again. If no one knew where the dart had come from, then they had no leads. They would find the culprit eventually, though.

Skua eyed Eclipse when he was approached. "You can bet on it," he growled. Though, where would they start? The healers and the royals seemed to only be interested in conversing with one another, and the rest of the guards looked to only know as much as they did. Most, if not all, of them looked confused about the source of the poison. "Where do we start? The healers don't even know where the poison comes from. If they don't know, then who does?"

[User]
Eclipse sighed as the guards began to allow the crowds to make their way out. "I don't know," he turned to look at Skua who seemed to be getting more agitated as time went on, "I was thinking that maybe Sunrise might know something. She spends all her time reading old scrolls, or maybe my mom, but I don't think she'd tell us anything. Other than that I really have no idea."

He dug the tips of his claws into the stone of the pulpit; anything to keep him remotely grounded with everything going on around them. He didn't really think they'd have much luck in finding out who was responsible or what this poison was. They were just two young dragons and if the healers and every guard who was here knew and saw nothing, what could they possibly do. Despite this he couldn't imagine just sitting around and doing nothing while the tenuous peace they'd lived in for years crumbled to the ground around them.

As his thoughts ran circles around each other he noticed his mother had finished whatever conversation she'd been having with the guards, who began to hustle about and prepare for whatever came next, and she began to approach where he and Skua stood. She looked more weary and unsure than he'd ever seen her before and that sent a jolt of nerves across each and every one of his scales. If Brightstar didn't have any ideas then, in his mind, their chances of solving this crept closer to zero.

Her eyes swept across the both of them, "I can't imagine either of you know much more than the guards, but if you happened to catch anything that they missed I'd love to hear it."

Eclipse shook his head, he had been looking back towards Ash and Sunrise when everyone had begun to panic. All he'd seen was Ember falling to the ground. "Skua said something about a dart," he looked questioningly towards the silvery dragon, "but we already knew that. Did you see where in the crowd it came from? That could help."

[Assistant]
Skua frowned at his friend's reply. So, no one would really know anything about this poison. He tapped a serrated claw against the floor of the pulpit, glaring to the side. His mind rattled with different types of thoughts. Who? Why? It just repeated in his head over and over, only driving forward the anxiety in his chest. The flash of black scales caught his eye, and he raised his head, blinking at Brightstar.

"A dart came from the midst of the crowd, but I didn't see anyone winding their arm up to throw it. It just... flew out of nowhere. Now that I think of it, I didn't see anyone that might have had bad intentions, either." Skua found this hard to admit, but he wasn't going to make anything up. One of the things that came from his mixed bloodline was the SkyWings' excellent vision, but even his eyes couldn't pick anything up. "I'm sorry," he bowed his head towards Eclipse and Brightstar. "If only I'd have been more observant..."

[User]
Eclipse leaned a shoulder against Skua, silently making sure the other dragon knew he didn't at all blame him for not being able to notice anything, and gave him a faint smile. His mind was still reeling, running through all manner of questions and possibilities for what could have happened and why someone who do this. The only though that came continually to the front of his mind, no matter how hard he tried to shove it away, was that someone wanted to start a war with the Sky Kingdom.

Brightstar simply nodded her head, looking lost in thought for a moment, "It's alright dear. Even the guards who were right up next to the Queen saw nothing, so I shouldn't have expected either of you to have seen any more than they did." She stepped past the two young dragons, briefly brushing her wings against Eclipse, "Go get some rest. It's been a trying day." She smiled warmly, if slightly strained, before leaping from the pulpit and soaring down to the crowds below.

Despite what his mother told him, Eclipse found that he could not rest, even as the sun fell in the sky and the stars began to twinkle cheerfully he found himself pacing the length of his room in the palace; like some kind of caged beast. He let out a long sigh before stretching his wings, maybe a flight would do him some good. He was sure it wasn't the smartest idea to be out alone when someone was attacking royals, but he didn't care at that point, his room felt stifling and his darker scales would hide him well enough.

Pushing open the doors to the balcony attached to his room he took a deep breath of crisp night air before leaping into the inky blackness and spreading his wings. The wind whistling by and rushing across his scales drove the meddlesome thoughts away as he soared down before looping back up and around towards the mountains. As he glided near the mountain that held the palace his keen vision caught a flash of movement on the stone slightly below him. He came to a stop, flapping his wings to keep him aloft, and stared at the place where he'd seen it; waiting for anything else.

After a brief moment he saw the moonlight catch on black scales and for a second he thought it was his mother before remembering seeing her inside the palace with his father. No other NightWings lived in the Sky Kingdom, so they definitely should not be here. He moved slightly closer, but not close enough that he was at risk of being attacked, "Who's there?" he put more force into his voice, like his father did when ordering the young recruits around, "The festival is over. You shouldn't be here."


[System]
Age: 20

Gender: Female

Rank: Ensign

Appearance:

Personality: Although she may not really look like it (unless she's smiling), Yemi is actually quite a sketchy young gal, capable of doing whatever is necessary to get what she wants (especially if it involves interesting gossip you've unwisely chosen to give her). She gathers juicy tidbits the same way workers on a vineyard gather grapes, storing them in her photographic memory for a day when they could be properly used. Information is her currency, and it is through the proper application of knowledge that she believes she can reach her paradise of a comfortable life.

Thus it comes as no surprise that Yemi is actually quite the social butterfly. She finds it remarkably easy to talk to others, always seeking to form a connection with them so that she can grab herself some juicy info (even if you've become her friend, which does however reduce the likelihood of her ratting out your secrets somewhat), or simply because she's bored. It's easy for her to remember details about others, and combined with her joking manner and casual amicability, she seems like someone you can rely on ... or at least until your aims diverge from hers.

Still, she's friendly and helpful enough (although prone to poking fun), even if she can be a pretty shifty person. Just try not to get in the way of anything that she views as profitable to her. When she finds something she wants, she'll stick to it to the very end, which is why she's a member of the Earth Federation Forces. Although not a person you would expect fighting to defend the Earth, Yemi actually has a strong connection to the EFF; she seeks to use it to propel her forward in life, and if it's fighting Zeon that will help her with that, she'll definitely do it.

Backstory: When the One Year War first broke out, Yemi initially served as a Tin Cod pilot in the Earth Federation Air Force, intercepting any Zeonic troops that sought to make landfall on the planet. It was a dangerous duty, and she soon found herself risking her life far too much for her liking against the superior technology of the invading forces. Thus, she managed to charm and blackmail her way into transferring to a mobile suit, ending up in one of the newly-produced GM Cannons that the Federation were using to counter Zeon's Zaku IIs. She would fight at the successful defence of Jaburo, repelling the invaders in her GM Cannon, and also joined up with one of the Federation attack forces that sought to retake California Base.

From there, she was able to convince her superiors to assign her to one of the newly-built Pegasus-class assault carriers. Thanks to the connections she had made, she was also able to request spare Guncannon parts for her personal use, working with the engineering teams to customise the RX-77-2 into a machine that integrated as much of its successors' improvements as possible. The 'Guncannon Custom' was something she rapidly grew to love, and she found it far more easy to pilot, especially thanks to the Core Fighter that was similar to her old Tin Cod.

Other: She has a smiley face emblem prepared for if she ever made ace.

---

Model Number: RX-77-2(C)

Designation: Guncannon Custom

Original Model: RX-77-2 Guncannon

Features:* Core Block System w/ FF-X7 Core Fighter
* Specialized targeting sensor suite for beam cannon, mounted on left shoulder
* Sensors - Range: 7300m
* Armor - Luna titanium alloy

Fixed Armaments:* 2 x 60mm vulcan gun, fire-linked, mounted in head
* Beam cannon, mounted on right shoulder

Armaments:* BOWA·XBR-L beam rifle, powered by rechargeable energy cap
* 10mm machine gun
* Balzac 380mm rocket bazooka
* MIP-B6 cracker grenades, stored in optional grenade rack on left hip armor

Appearance: Although possessing the basic frame of the RX-77-2, the Guncannon Custom is, as its name suggests, a heavily modified variant of the original mobile suit. This is particularly obvious in the construction of the navy blue machine's upper body, where instead of the traditional Guncannon head unit, it instead possesses the head of the Guncannon Mass Production Type. Only one beam cannon is mounted on its right shoulder, while a sensor suite is mounted on the left, a radical change to its design that was originally a feature of the Guncannon II. Its armor, although not noticeably different, has been retooled somewhat as well, particularly in the shoulders, which show that the unit has integrated some aspects of the Guncannon Heavy Custom into its design.

[User]
Lieutenant Kat (And NPCs)
Sinatra @Crimmy @Deadlyrose9641

The immediate fight was resolved. If you could call it a fight, given how quickly they'd dispatched their Spacenoid foes. It was more like a bloodbath, though that didn't really fit either given that all their foes were vaporized without a trace. The point is, as Lieutenant Staten surveyed the battlefield, the fighting had wrapped up. The Zaku Cannon's shoulder and right arm were sheared off by Yemi's shot while it tried to dodge, only a few milliseconds saving him from instant death in the vacuum of space. His respite didn't last long. Even refitted for use in space the Cannon was still a fish out of water, and with the Pixie it would've had a tough time even on Earth.

Out here, it didn't stand a chance.

The Pixie's sabers destroyed it before Lt. Nocte had a chance to do much more than make his peace. The Zeonic mobile suit vanished in a purple puff, and the last active target on the battlefield with it.

Which left the Musai. Or rather…

"Eyes open, girls." The Spartan sent her trophy drifting back towards the ship, sheathing her knife and saber while she maneuvered back towards her point of origin to grab her gun. Nothing was showing up on her IR sensors, at least nothing useful. The number of beams getting bandied about meant anything useful in the vicinity was just noise. This was going to be more complicated. "That was seven mobile suits. Musais only have room for six."

"Which means we've got one more out there, and potentially five more enemy contacts on board. The Horse will support us, we're going to find 'em both and sink 'em or drive 'em off. Savvy?"

The Spartan pointed.

"Somewhere in that debris. Casablancas, I could use a lift. You and Yemi are the only ones packing the ranged firepower to sink 'em, so Luna and Yemi are going to travel as a pair, and so are you and I."

[Assistant]
Yemi Dumuzi

"Aye aye, El-Tee."

Sticking close to the Gundam girl was definitely an idea she'd been bouncing around too. Not only was her fellow Luna Titanium girl packing some heavy firepower with those beams (even if it was less than her own Guncannon's), but those Zeons who might be hiding in all those rocks were more likely to aim for the Pixie than her. Yemi had nothing against her fellow pilot, but they needed to alternate playing meatshield for each other; you scratch their back and they scratch yours and all. Besides, the more attention that the Gundam diverted, the less likely their enemies were going to see her cannons coming.

Becoming an ace would do wonders for her reputation. People always liked talking to "heroes".

Would getting friendly with someone given a Gundam help too? Questions, questions; it wasn't always a guarantee, not when she'd heard on the grapevine that not everyone on the brass was a fan of that Newtype crew with the Shooting Star. Ahh, politics. Being suspicious of anyone who looked like they could shake things up a bit too much for your liking.

The Guncannon Custom shifted slightly, its bulky mass drifting through the inky black to link up more closely with the Pixie.

"Let's try and get along, okay Gundam Girl~?"

The tone of her voice through the broadcast was mildly chipper.

@Krayzikk

[User]
"Get along?" Luna said over the common without meaning too, she knew she hadn't been close with the others , but did they think that was out of malcontent, nevertheless, this was combat and that Musai needs to be taken down.

"R-right I've got your back, Yemi." She then pushed her gundam forward a bit towards the debris. "Let's get that ship then?" She asked hoping for a better que,

She thought on herself for a moment, she had been given the gundam for her combat ability , but she scored rather poorly in the leadership column.

She thruster forward and tried to scan around but she couldn't seem to find the Musai

[Assistant]
Cairo Casablancas
Now Playing...

Great. Awesome.

"Okay, ma'am."

That's what my day was missing - the lieutenant forcing me to present myself for molestation again.

Some greater cosmic force must have been belting out one hell of a belly laugh the day that it assigned Cairo Casablancas to serve underneath Lieutenant Kat Staten. Cairo wasn't very good at keeping track of her family history to begin with, and it would have been beyond her to explain the intricacies of the ethnicity, culture, and history of the Basque region to even an open-minded, understanding audience. Those weren't terms you could use on Staten - a mad, bad, and dangerous-to-know lout whose best attributes were a carefree attitude that redefined the word slovenly, a husky voice that was most content to bark ignorant slurs at minorities, and an eye for talent that often leered at Cairo like she was a gorilla in a zoo.

She wasn't all bad or anything, just the opposite; if anything she was too friendly and bombastic, often inviting Cairo to her office - never her private quarters, thank the Lord - under the manipulative pretense of 'paperwork,' only to cackle like a woods witch at Cairo's horrified reaction to her disgusting, cluttered office. What would follow was wasting entire hours of off-time to cleaning up and parental lectures, which Kat Staten responded to by taking a tank top (from where, the devil only knew) and whipping Cairo's ass with it to jubilant cries of "Andale, Flamenco! Migra, migra, Albuquerque!"

At a certain point, fighting it became useless. You just had to go back to your quarters, like Cairo did, and gulp sambuca until your soul went limp and the memories started to fade.

If there was one truly redeeming quality to her, it had to be her hatred of the enemy. If her mockery of Spanish-speaking cultures was carefree, goofy, lecherous fun for the whole family, then the lieutenant's seething disgust for the Principality of Zeon was a rated-R bloodbath that came with an even gorier director's cut shooting for a Christmas release. Hell, she probably would take a bath in the blood of Zeeks if she could. Lather her hair with it, cleanse her pores, rub it into those ungodly American t--

Nnnnnnnno!

No, Cairo!

She huffed grumpily.

"Just please be quiet," she requested of her commanding officer as her G-Fighter lost speed, allowing the Spartan to close the distance where the Gelgoog had formerly stood as a midpoint. "I'm going to need to concentrate on looking for this Musai, and I don't need you giving me a headache. With all due respect. Ma'am."

[User]
"Don't flitter off so quick, Pixie," said Yemi with a hidden smile, even as she herself activated her own machine's thrusters to catch up. The other pilot was moving ahead far too quickly; it wasn't good for their shared survival if they were to keep each other's backs scratched, and if she lost a Gundam-piloting wingman ... wingwoman ... winggirl, then her rep was probably going to take a hit. That wasn't a good thing. For all that the empty sea of black seemed devoid of anything but their mobile suits drifting through the void, there was in fact quite a lot of opportunity hidden in those depths.

Opportunity for success ... and failure.

She definitely wanted to grab the opportunities that would help her career a bit more. But if she wasn't careful with sticking close to the Gundam Girl, then she wasn't going to look very reliable to others. Her machine paused slightly behind the Pixie Gundam. Aah, there was always so much to pay attention to, but it was all so very interesting too.

"Minovsky's super dense right now, Gundam Girl," she broadcasted, tapping a few keys and turning several knobs to bring her sensor suite to life. It would definitely be better than default MS ones, for sure. "You won't be able to find much with a Gundam."

But her Guncannon might.

And if it did, then that was one of those things that'd help her get closer.


[System]
dumbledore
Age
Lavender turned 11 in April

Appearance
Lavender is tall, well built and rather strong but not very athletic. She usually wears her black hair in a pony tail. Her sparkly green eyes may look innocent, but do not let her appearance deceive you.

Personality
Lavender is an open, outgoing, friendly girl. Intelligent, quick witted and mischievous, Lavender does very well in school and takes pride in her academic achievements. Her playful manner ensures she always has plenty of friends who enjoy her company and sense of adventure.

History
Lavender is adopted. This is uncommon in the wizarding world, but there you have it. Her biological parents were considered strange, and didn't mingle with the townsfolk. When they were killed in a freak explosion that destroyed their house, leaving little baby Lavender completely unharmed amidst the rubble, nobody knew what to do with the girl. One of the first responders was an open minded young man. He and his wife had been trying for a baby for a long time. Rather than abandoning Lavender to the harsh reality of foster care and social services, he offered to take the little bundle of joy home, fully aware of the implications and the risk of having to give her up again.

When no relatives appeared to claim the little rascal, her foster parents filed the adoption papers. They had fallen in love with the intelligent and mischievous little girl and quickly learned to deal with the strange things that always seemed to happen when Lavender was around.
When the Headmistress of Hogwarts came to their house to explain to Lavender that she was a witch and that her biological parents had been magical folk as well (the explosion turned out to be a failed attempt at inventing a new potion or spell), a lot of things fell into place for the young girl. Lavender's parents fully support her going to Hogwarts and are thrilled to see all the marvels and wonders Diagon Alley and the magical world have to offer.

BloodType
Full blood. But having been raised by muggles means Lavender does not know whether this is relevant, or should be.

Wand
Willow, 10 1/4, with a core of Veela hair.

Pet
Intrigued by the idea of owl post, and eager to keep in touch without setting her apart from her peers, Lavender's parents bought her a barn owl in Diagon Alley. Lavender named her April, because, like her, the owl was born in that month.

[User]
Brynn wondered if she aught to feed Gregory anything when she remembered not only did she feed him before she'd even left For the train, he wasn't even in the great Hall. She'd left him saftly in his cage with the rest of her things, hopefully he'd be okay.

Back in the conversation though. Brynn hadn't really caught most of what he said except for the last part. "Well, I know all about what I've read about magic. But I never really knew about magic until I got the letter for Hogwarts. I mean I read peoples minds sometimes and changed stuff into different stuff, but I think most wizard kids are like that, so yeah. What about you? " she said with confidence. She figured that her experience wasn't much different than anyone else's, though maybe magic born people had it a bit easier with magic knowledge and what not.

[Assistant]
Sarah
Jay starts digging in and pauses to chuckle at lavender."same thoughts here" he digs back in. Jewel lifts her head up and seems to study the food before shaking her head. She was well fed and doesn't eat much to begun with.
Jay consumes a lot of food then sits back and pats his stomach. "That was awesome...so you are thinking of trying for quidditch as well?" He beams at her now more excited to have found someone interested in the same things as him. Especially in the same house. Maybe he did find a very good friend in lavender but really only time will tell.

[User]
@KahleenCuthald

 "It's nice to meet you, Nathan. And I hope so to." Karen shook Nathan's hand. "I'll admit that I am eager to get to know new people, but also equally eager for the lessons to start." When Nathan asked about trying out for the Quidditch team, and Charlyn asking about positions, Karen nodded and said: "Yes I have, actually. I was considering trying out as a Chaser or Seeker. I'm not really sure which, but I have a whole year to decide."

 Karen began picking out a serving of every morsel of food on the table. From the way she looked and acted, the amount of food she had on her plate was unexpected - it was almost enough for three people. Before digging in, she turned to Charlyn. "I think the tryouts are usually announced a week or two after the first day of classes, but it shouldn't matter to us yet. First years aren't allowed to participate, apparently."

[Assistant]
@KahleenCuthald

After shaking Karen's hand, and listened to her speak. Nathan nodded in agreement.

"I think I'm going to try out for a chaser as well. I'm definitely not the build for a beater," he waved around his stock thin arms, "Don't have fast enough reflexes for a keeper, and I'm not fast enough on a broom for a seeker."

"First Years aren't alowed to participate, apparently." Cal couldn't help but speak up. "Well, it's changed over the years. Ever since Harry Potter got on his team in first year, parents have been complaining. Now that McGonagal is in a much higher position, she can't afford to look bias, so, she just lets us play. I hope I'll get to be a seeker, just like my dad and my grandad, though, they were all seekers for Slytherin house."

[User] Bishop shook his head as he replied, "I have the same amount of magic knowledge as a fossil enclosed in a glass case stuck in a muggle museum. In other words, all I know about it is that it's dangerous when used improperly, which will probably make me a little nervous around the Slytherin." He chuckled as Veil attempted to move a large piece of broccoli. "Not like I'm not already incredibly nervous around anyone here." By her actions, Bishop guessed that Veil had her fill of vegetables. He placed her back on his shoulder, her white fur a stark contrast to the black fabric. He pushed away the plate and nearly stood up, but he had no idea where he might've gone if he did.

[Assistant]
Brynn looked back over the food, there was still so much despite everyone having eaten so much. It pained her to see it all go to waste after growing up with so much less. She grabbed a few rolls just in case.

"Yeah, everyone here seems really nice. I agree about the Slytherins a little. They didn't have to be such poor sports, booing when other houses got students. It's not like everyone can be in Slytherin," she paused, sitting up a little to see over everyone's head.

Up at the head table was an array of teachers, each looking very experienced in magic. Then over at the other tables. Most of the older kids looked scary, especially Slytherin now that Bishop pointed it out. The people on the train came to mind too.  "Hey, Bishop later on can you come with me to one of the magic classes. I wanna get a head start on magic. It seems like most kids had a head start. "

[User]
Charlyn Jane Avalon
(Ravenclaw)

Charlie nodded in agreement. "As for what I know by now first years are allowed to try out. Although they obviously stand a smaller chance to get on the team duo to the older one's practice and experience. I don't believe any first year would get to be a beater. You need some arm strength for that and I don't think any 11 year old has that better than the older years. But a seeker, that could work. Being small helps. Fast and good balance." She nods. "That sounds makeable. Chaser might be makeable too. And keeper only with a really good reflection sense and broomstick control at the finest. We definitely have it harder than all the others at the try out."

She smiled politely at her new friends. Then her gaze fell onto the Gryffingor table and to Lavender. She already missed the girl. But in her mind she made a big fat note to approach her as soon as possible and stay in close contacts. They would sure share some classes, she thought, so there she would always sit with her. A smile appeared as she watched Lavender. At least she was in a good house with good people - as from what she heard this is.

[Assistant]
"Uh, sure. You'll have to show me where it is, since I didn't really get a chance to walk around," Bishop replied as he straightened himself. He felt that having his back straight made him look taller, a little more intimidating. He wasn't sure if it actually worked, but it kept him from slumping over. "Now that I think about it I'll probably need a map. This place his huge," the conversation he was having with Brynn showed Bishop that she wasn't as bubbly as he first made her out to be. Or maybe she only acted this way because she figured by the way he stood back in a crowd that she should tone down a bit.
Now that he was actually talking to Brynn, Bishop thought that she would probably make a good friend if things with Karen didn't work out. He was only used to having two friends at most. He hoped that the rest of his house was at least half as nice as Brynn, otherwise he would avoid them like the plague. Bishop looked around as his mind continued working out the personalities of the other people at the table.

[User]
"Dunno" Lavender shrugged. "I was never a star athlete, but that was mostly because I always tripped over my own feet. Shouldn't have that problem on a broomstick, right? Sounds like I'd be missing out on a lot of fun if I didn't at least try." Lavender was still determined to make the most out of her time here, and enjoy everything she could.

"Worked for me!" the boy sitting next to Lavender blurted out. Several people laughed, and he soon joined in. "I'm Ashton, by the way. I guess with both feet on the ground I'm the clumsiest Griffindor since Longbottom, but I don't mind a little healthy competition. It's not a title I have my heart set on." Lavender giggled, as the rest of the group burst out laughing again. "It's a wonder nobody has been knocked off their brooms yet, right Ash?" They were a good-natured bunch, and Lavender couldn't help but feel included and welcome. She looked back at Jay and said "What about you, Jay? You up for a little healthy competition as well?" She finished her plate and grabbed another of those delicious rolls.

[Assistant]
Isaak was wondering how the other Slytherins would view him if he made it a common occurrence to hang out with the first years he had met on the train. Oh well, his family was honorable and sticking with his new friends was the right course to go.

"You know I hear it's been awhile since the hat sorted someone so quickly into a house especially Slytherin. You must have many qualities of the our house" Stephan said to him as they ate.

"I'm sure it has something to do with my family name. They've been in Slytherin for over a hundred years and I was sure that I would end up in the house. I couldn't see myself in any other house" Isaak said with a smile.

"Well it's great having more students who aren't bias against our house. We all have to stick together and keep our dignity" Stephen said with a proud grin.

"Well my parents always told me that it's always good to stick out for your friends and those that care and respect you. Ambition and honor are firm ways to success they always say" he said to his follow housemate.

"That sounds like a good form of ethics, my mom told me that doing whatever I can to beat Griffindor at academics and quidditch if I ever get on the team" Stephen replied.

"You want to get on quidditch team?" Isaak asked curiously.

"Yep, I always wanted to be a beater, I've been practicing with my older brother, he's a fourth year and on the team. What about you?"

"Chaser and Seeker are my hopes for the team. I feel like I'd be quick enough for either position and I really like the idea of passing the Quaffle back and forth between my teammates. I'm excited to have a go at the positions" Isaak said as he took an apple and juggled it a bit before he took a bite out of it.

"Maybe we'll both make it onto the team" Stephen said to him taking a bite of a piece of chicken.

"That would great" Isaak replied.

[User]
Sarah
Jay laughs with the bunch as well, but seems focused on lavender. "Healthy competition is always the best" he beams. "Can't say I can compete with being clumsy though." Small chuckle. "So you're already winning at that" large smile. "I don't know what position of go for though...any ideas?" He sits up a bit straighter as he thinks. He only knows that he wants to try.
Jewel pokes her head up and flicks her tongue in and out as she seems to stare from one person to the next. She really is a friendly snake.

[Assistant]
Brynn grabbed a few more rolls, couldn't hurt to have a few extra. When she turned back to Bishop he looked, taller? She didn't really know, maybe he got taller. Well anyway, he was right she'd need to figure out were to go to get help with magic. Luckily the table was pack full of other students.

She signaled Bishop to wait with one finger before turning to one of the older looking Hufflepuffs and asking, "hey do you know who my friend and i could go to to figure out some magic before class starts?". The tall Hufflepuff smiled. She'd known many young first years like Brynn, eager to learn. "Sure, you should try out Professor Longbottom. He's a grand old chap with lots of great stories and experience. Teaches DADA in the north tower, though wait until tomorrow.  she wink before turning back to her own conversation.

Brynn swivelled back around to Bishop with a grin. "There you have it cool guy. We can go see this Log Bottom guy tomorrow.

[User] "Not sure, really." Lavender wasn't quite sure what to do with Jay's focus on her, but decided to let it slide for now. This was new to both of them, and everyone handled these things in their own way. "I've never actually seen a game of Quiddich, or ridden a broomstick, so I have no idea how to choose." Lavender turned back to Ashton. "What position do you play, Ashton? And who else is on the team?" Almost without thinking about it, Lavender reached for another roll and started nibbling it, while she listened to Ashton and his teammates tell her all about how wonderful Quidditch is, and who plays which position. Their excitement was catching, and Lavender soon found herself immersed in a conversation about sports, great players and the legendary Oliver Wood, their teacher. The warm, homely feeling spread further, making Lavender feel happy she came to Hogwarts for the first time since that horrible moment on the train.


[System]
Age: 2.5 years old

Appearance:

Position: Hunter

Personality: A good hunter, Klondike can be a bit cool and aloof, but he means well and would fight hard to defend the pack. He's big but not very agile.

[User]
Amber stopped at the strange object and gingerly lowered her nose to smell it. It had a small assortment of strange and foul smells, but the most overwhelming smell was the human scent that lingered over the whole thing. There were faint traces of its past victim's blood. She smelled many different bloods on it, even tiger blood.

Amber didn't want to guess for what or how it was used exactly, but she could tell it wasn't lying around by accident. She backed away from it and quickly caught back up to Renzo and Lila as they continued heading back to the rest. "That wasn't there before, was it?" Amber observed, "I think we would have noticed it sooner. When do you think they went through here?.."

[Assistant]
Klondike caught up with Amber and the others with her, having followed their scents. He also smelled some unfamiliar scents. Blood.

"Hi guys! What'd I miss?"

[User] "When indeed." Renzo said, frowning as he thought ahead of it. The humans got this far then that means they are in danger of being exploited. "I need to talk to Misty and Postremo." He said, standing up and heading for the Alpha's den and passing by Klondlike without hearing what he said as he was too focused on thinking.

[Assistant] "A great deal I'm afraid," Lila said, stopping in the clearing.

[User] "So, what's been happening, Lila? I'm happy to help" Klondike replied.

[Assistant] Misty left the den and went out to greet Renzo, Lila, and the others and tell them of the decision that she and Postremo had come to. She wasn't sure how well it would go over with the others, but hoped that they would all understand.

[User]
Amber listened intently to the idea Misty was presenting. She didn't know how she felt about leaving her home, but it was easily the best option they had at this point. If the pack confronted the humans... Well she didn't really want to think about what might happen. One thing was for sure, there was no escaping that situation if they hung around any longer. Every time they found evidence of humans, it was closer to the pack. It wouldn't be long before the humans simply walked into the clearing.

"I think Misty's right," Amber put forward her opinion, "We found some kind of trap left behind by humans. It was even closer than the track I had found earlier."

[Assistant]
Renzo looked at Misty and bowed his head as respect before looking at her again, listening to the explanation on their idea. This was their home but they could easily make another one. This place may have held his memories but it was needed. The humans are getting closer... and closer to the point where he feels restless.

"Indeed." Renzo said, nodding at Amber. "We are in immediate danger and the relocation won't be so bad. But the question is, where would we go? We need to have a place in mind before setting off."

[User] Lila listened to the plan, but unlike the others she didn't want to consider leaving. "So that's it? We're just going to leave our home?" She asked. "There's no way to know we'll find a place that is like what we have here or that there will be any place for us at all. What if we run into other packs or the tigers?"

[Assistant] "If we stay there is even more danger," Misty said to Lila. "Tigers and other packs are easier to avoid than humans. And we know for a fact the humans are here. I would rather deal with the unknown then the dangers that are very real and very close."

[User] "If we run into tigers, we have to gang up on them one at a time. Tigers don't hunt in packs as we do, so it will be several of us and one of them at a time. Even so, that's no excuse to get overconfident" Klondike explained, baring his fangs at the thought of the fighting he would have to do if it came to that.

[Assistant] "And then what happens when one of us is injured? We couldn't travel until they had healed or in the worst case died. No, if you want to leave then go ahead, I'm staying here and fighting to keep my home," Lila said, turning and going to her den.

[User] "Lila-! Oh, fine" Klondike replied. "This is not a time for us to be divided" he said to the others. "We're stronger as a pack. That's what we do! We're not lone wolves!"

[Assistant] Renzo kept quiet and looked at Lila as she left. What a stubborn wolf... He then turned his gaze to Klondlike as he spoke up. "You're right, we can't be divided at a time like this but it is her own choice." He then looked at the forest entrance. "We can stay and fight but that would lead to more injuries but what if we go back here?" He asked Misty. "I'm pretty sure that the humans will leave sooner or later so we should just find a temporary home and stay there for a moon or two and then head back here." He suggested.

[User] "And just where would that be? "Klondike asked. "Even if we ran away to find a temporary home, some other pack would just move in on our territory while we are gone. That, or we might not find another territory. In any event, it's too big of a risk. Besides, we've never cut and run before, have we?"

[Assistant] Another good point risen and nothing to counter it with. Renzo literally couldn't think of anything to counter that statement. But he knew full well that they can't dwell on what ifs. Suddenly, an event, similar to this one, hit him so suddenly. The leader and himself was talking about moving away from this home. Renzo insisted on staying because of the dangers that would arise if they left. The leader refused it but Renzo managed to convince him to stay here. 'I forgot that it isn't the first time we've gone through this.' He thought to himself. He looked at Klondlike. "You raise a good point there Klondlike. I must say that staying here would prove to be a good idea. We managed to stay here with the danger of humans before, why can't we do it now?"

[User] "I have an idea!" Amber exclaimed suddenly. "For the next hunt, we can do some scouting too! We'd look for a spot we can settle down in, and we can sniff out any danger. That way, the entire pack doesn't have to move before we make sure its safe!"

[Assistant] "We have to do what is going to be best for everyone in the pack," said Misty after listening to what everyone had to say. She turned to Amber. "I think you have the right idea. I want you to go out with Klondike and see if you can locate some food as well as somewhere safe for us to stay at least until the human threat has moved on. We don't know if they're just passing through or mean to stay for awhile. We need someplace that is more defensible and easier to hide in. Okay?" She then started to walk over to Lila's den, hoping to talk to her sister. She poked her head inside. "Lila? Can we talk?"

[User] "Got it. Alright, Amber. I guess it's us again" Klondike said, resigned to his task. "If we really must retreat, fine, but I am not going to a fallback position unless the danger absolutely forces us" he said, speaking aloud so all present could hear. "Even so, I suppose there is no harm in scouting one out, just in case."

[Assistant] "Now that that's settled..." Renzo walked back to his den and looked at something he took from the humans years back. It was the tube-like metal thing that they use. He has been examining it for a long time yet nothing... nothing came out which greatly disappointed him.

[User]
Klondike's ears bent back and he got out of the tube's path, clearly shaken by it.

"Careful where you point that thing!"

[Assistant] "Don't worry, it's not going to fire." Renzo said as he stood up once again. "It never has before." He continued before looking lazily at it. "But we need to know how the humans use it so that we can create a strategy against it."

[User]
"How can we?" Amber said irritably. "They look at us, they point it at us, we die."
She really didn't like that... thing around, even if there was no human to hold it. Even if it had never fired before, it looked extremely dangerous. It simply looked dangerous; she couldn't trust it. She shook her head and turned to Klondike, "Should we go now, Klondike? What direction do you want to try for first?"

[Assistant] "Let's go north, first" Klondike suggested, not sure of which direction to take. Still, he didn't know of any dangers in that direction.

[User] Lila curled up in her den, keeping her back to the entrance. Her ears flattened and then perked up slightly when she heard Misty. "Not if you're going to try and convince me to leave."

[Assistant] Misty realized that it wasn't going to be easy to convince her sister, maybe even impossible. "What are we supposed to do if the humans come here looking for us then? Do you really expect us to fight against them even though it might mean many of us will get hurt and likely die?"

[User] Renzo nodded at Lila as she said her part. It was true for the most part but there had to be something that could make it work. He also knew that testing it here would be a bad idea. He grabbed the tube like thing and went off to the forest, quite quietly too.

[Assistant] "There weren't that many, maybe we could get them to move on," Lila said. "Or maybe the local tigers... Wait! I have an idea!" Lila bolted upright and turned around.

[User]
"Alrighty," Amber agreed. She gave a quick glance back at Lila in worry. She had never realized how attached Lila was to their home. Amber didn't much like it either, but she knew perfectly well that leaving was their best option. She couldn't imagine how being this close to humans could be safe. She hoped Misty would be able to convince her to leave with them.

"Okay," Amber said turning back to Klondike, "we better get a move on."

[Assistant]
Klondike nodded and they went north, sniffing for any danger and to find a good spot. After about an hour, Klondike found a little cave. Its entrance was just big enough for a single adult wolf to enter, so they would have to go single-file when entering or leaving. The cave was nondescript and it was not obvious that anyone was there by sight, although a wolf could still smell if anyone was in it. It would be very dark in there, but it would do in the event of an emergency.

"Say, Amber? What do you think of this place?"

[User] "Hmm..." Amber approached the cave and sniffed at the air. She took a few steps further in and sniffed at the ground. "Well," She said as she turned back to Klondike, "I don't smell anything in there. It looks kind of small though." She glanced back at the cave. It was too dark to see very far in. "Maybe we should go see where it leads," She suggested.

[Assistant] "What? What is your idea?" Misty asked her sister, a bit surprised by her suddenly jumping to her feet.

[User] "The tigers! You know the saying, the enemy of my enemy is my friend? Maybe the tigers would agree to a temporary truce!" Lila said, pacing her den.

[Assistant] Misty didn't like the sound of this idea. "Are you sure you know what you're saying? These are tigers we're talking about! They might just try to kill us."

[User] "Misty, I won't leave our home until I know I've done everything I could to protect it," Lila said. "If it helps, I'll go alone so there's no danger of losing anyone else in the pack if the tigers don't share the same sentiment."

[Assistant] Misty shook her head. "No, you won't go alone. If you refuse to leave then I have no choice but to stay and try and keep the pack safe. I'm going with you to talk with the tigers. I'm the alpha female after all. I should be the one to go."

[User] "It's because you're the alpha female that you shouldn't go. Postremo wouldn't be happy if you left without him knowing," Lila said.

[Assistant] Misty sighed. "I guess you're right. But that doesn't mean that I like you going on your own. I think you should at least take someone else with you."

[User] "Going alone will be simpler, I'm actually hoping to run into Kava, she was the most pleasant out of them," Lila said. Kava was an older tigress who lived at the edge of the tiger territories. She was brusque and rude but at least she'd hear you out before deciding to kill you.

[Assistant] "If you're sure then I won't try and stop you. I'll make sure to keep everyone here safe while you're gone." She just hoped that the humans didn't try anything before they knew if the tigers would help or not.

[User] "I'll leave in a while, make sure no one tries to follow," Lila said. "And if I run most of the way, I should get there by tomorrow morning."

[Assistant] "Alright, Amber. Let's check it out" Klondike squeezed himself down the hole and into the cave. It was roomier than he had imagined it would be.


[System]
Age: 36/38
Species: Vampire (Brujah)
Appearance:

Personality: Darby is almost the perfect example of the typical 11th generation Brujah; In his mortal life he described himself as a "Law-breaker, troublemaker, beer-drinker and hell-raiser", and not much has changed, save the beer-drinking part, though now he's picked up an almost scholarly interest in Blood Magic, especially Necromancy. Not surprisingly, he fell in quickly with the Anarchs, though he isn't nearly stupid enough to openly challenge the Camarilla, and typically responds to their 'requests' for his skills when summoned if for nothing else but his continued unlife. He loves the new power he has, and it melded well with his already predatory nature as a criminal. He does however have a strong sense of camaraderie with those he calls friends, and will happily drop whatever he's doing to help a friend in need.

Biography: There isn't too much to be said about this piece of work. Darby doesn't talk much about his life before his Embrace, as he doesn't consider it very important, but his small circle of friends knows that he came from a dysfunctional family in the Louisiana, running away from home at age 14 and fell in with outlaw bikers, heading West like any good cowboy. He spent the next 12 years in California drifting around the outlaw MC and dive bar scenes, quickly establishing a reputation with the LAPD and various lowlives.

From here, however, things are fairly well known, if for nothing but the sheer amusement it brings to many a Kindred in the city. Darby's Embrace came at the fangs of a young Brujah fledgling with severe daddy issues who's name almost no one, even Darby himself, bothered to learn. What did matter was that it was one without permission from the Prince, and she was quickly executed. The biker, however, was spared, partly because his skillset and contacts with the various outlaw biker gangs would be of use, and because the situation had made Lacroix giggle. Whatever the case, he's now kept around as an expendable attack dog and burglar by Lacroix, though now he's also fallen in with the Anarchs in the area as well. Recently, he's started to show ambitions of growing beyond just another flunky, and rumors even circulated that he's been trading services with LA Samedi in exchange for lessons in Necromancy.

Supporting Characters: Cheyenne Clinton - A 20-something Ghoul 'old lady' of Darby's, Cheyenne serves as both a way for him to cling to his Humanity and a set of hands to help him in the daytime. She is one of the few people he treats with genuine kindness and affection.

[User]
Bobby groaned to himself as he stirred to consciousness in the backseat of the station wagon as it cruised through the streets of the unfamiliar city. He had never been to LA before, but his band, Splintered, had a few gigs coming up in the city, which happened to be fairly coincidental. Apparently there was a lot going on in the supernatural underbelly, and that's not something Bobby and his band, who were also a tight nit pack of Garou, wanted to miss. "We there yet?" He mumbled, sitting up and looking at two sitting in the front. His band and packmates, Jake and Sammy.

"Yeah man, there's a local Stomping Ground a couple of blocks away." Jake, the muscled young man behind the wheel replied, chucking a take away bag back to Bobby.

"Awesome." Bobby dug through the small take away bag, pulling out a cheeseburger, chomping it down rather quickly. "Is it close to the bar we're playing at tonight?"

"Thankfully, it is. Only walking distance." The lanky bassist in the passenger seat answered, poring over a map of the city. "We'll go see the local rabble and ask around, see if we can get any information about what's going on in the city, then go set up in the bar."

[Assistant]
Lucas looked up when a man addressed him. This was the same man he'd seen in the picture online. He vaguely remembered the face. Lucas nodded and got up, following him to a table. He sat himself down silently as David mentioned having another friend there to meet. Lucas's eyes followed his to the man, accompanied by the woman who had approached him earlier.

The scarfed young man hid his hands on his lap under the table. He hadn't been prepared to deal with other people. Honestly, he hadn't been prepared for this at all. He went back to eyeing David with his dark stare. Was this man possessed? He certainly didn't act like it... But at the same time, he gave off a weird vibe. It was same unsettled feeling Lucas got right before every exorcism. He was almost certain that there was a demon near, and it could very well be inside of this man.

Lucas had never heard of a demon going dormant before, but he supposed anything was possible. When this was over, he needed to get in touch with Seymour and see what he thought. If Lucas's suspicion was correct, and David was still possessed, then Lucas wasn't sure if he was going to able to remove the demon on his own. He remembered very clearly the feeling of fighting that demon, how close he had come to losing to it. Lucas had never been possessed, despite having dragged countless demons into his own body. He didn't know what would happen if he was, and he really didn't want to find out.

[User]
@DepressedSoviet@Letter Bee

"Hold up, there's a lost boy who might need some guidance." With that, the long-haired beauty in hiking clothes just turned and walked purposefully away.

"A lost boy?" Damien murmured curiously to the vacant space next to himself, feeling about as interesting as a sack of potatoes. It was all he could do but to stand watch as she went off, but perhaps he could see what child this was who was lost in a diner in the middle of the afternoon. He mused. It was probably some cute kid. Woman always like cute kids... Hey, wait a minute.

The person Priscilla had so avidly approached didn't look like a cute kid at all. In fact, the apparently homeless man she went up to looked to be about Damien's age. He was unhealthily thin, wearing dark, old clothing, and had half his face hidden like he was hiding years without dentistry. A knot twisted in the young detective's stomach as he realized Priscilla probably also thought of him as a mere "boy" as well, albeit better dressed. Did 2 years difference really define him as a child in her eyes? Damien stepped closer, allowing his burned pride to take a backseat to his growing curiosity. She was talking to this man, but for some reason, Damien couldn't hear anything. And it wasn't the music or the background chatter, but something was different. There was simply no sound at all, and unless this homeless man was lip-reading... Damien narrowed his eyes in a suspicious glare as he tried to figure out if he could trust his own senses.

Damien's date and the homeless "boy" seemed to talk briefly in this strange way, and she ended up giving him a religious memento, a small cross, looked like a letter-opener. Damien straightened his face before she turned around again and smiled at her as she returned. That silent talk she did was odd. Surely most people probably wouldn't have even noticed her mouth moving, but Damien wasn't most people. Not yet anyway. Strange talk aside, the fact that she was going out of her way to help weird people seemed to place her as one of those super-loving religious Christian types who run up to strangers to hug them and such. Damien was really beginning to doubt this match-up was a good one. Regardless, it was important to make the most of the evening.

"That was certainly friendly of you, heh." The two began to look for an open seat when suddenly, Damien recognized David entering at the door. "Oh hey, look. There's my boss. He just walked in. Come on, and I'll introduce you." Truly, Damien was thankful to have a reason to change subject and began moving toward David, who ironically, sat down right in front of the very same scarf-covered homeless man.

"You must be Lucas..." Damien heard the start of the conversation as he was waved over, and already his preconceived notions were being redefined.

Not forgetting his manors, he held a chair for Priscilla before seating himself. "Hello Mr. Jones, and Mr. Lucas. Yes, uh, Priscilla and I had a date. I.. hope it's alright. So... Saved you you say? Are you two old friends?" Damien played to the more casual interpretation of David's invitation, yet he began to wonder how personal or work-related this meeting might actually be. Inwardly, he hoped his new boss didn't think his mind wasn't in the work simply because he had brought a friend along. Being a detective meant a lot to him, and he certainly couldn't afford to get canned again.

[Assistant]
"David..." Priscilla can see something strange from the man, something that both resonated with and repulsed her. But she chose to cast that aside as she was on edge now. "Well, it's nice to meet you; my name is Priscilla Brown, Female Priest of the Episcopalian Church. I'm Damien's current date, and he's proven himself to be good company." A coldness had entered her voice as she faced David, a wariness that came from facing potential danger.

"And yes; I'd like to hear your story as well, David." Priscilla then glanced at her glass of coffee, frustrated that the mass of sleepers around her would not allow her to defend herself without causing Paradox, the backlash that came when you went too far against the Consensus. But it was a mild gripe; she can get herself out of this situation if she wanted to.

Daring to use Forces once more to direct a whisper at David and Lucas, Priscilla would say to them, using her magic to 'curve' the sound so Damien couldn't hear.

"David, Lucas, I'm a Mage, and you two hold some power yourself. David, do not try and ruin the life of either of these young men, and Lucas, if you have supernatural abilities, you should be careful and not be alone without preparations. Notice that I'm trying to help," Priscilla would finish, then say, somewhat jovially:

"So, who wants me to buy the Bacon, while we listen to the story?"

@Metronome@DepressedSoviet

[User]
(Collab between Grec and I.)

It took Darby only a moment to remember the creepy son of a bitch's stubborn refusal, or perhaps inability, to speak, and the neonite sighed and grabbed for the patch-covered leather cut thrown across one arm of the worn couch. He was pretty sure he was never going to understand Nagloper.

"Alright, lead the way." The biker said, slipping on the vest and a pair of riding gloves. Darby walked out of the apartment and into the alleyway, where the giant bat-monster landed. The Sheriff reverted back to his human form, the term "human" being used very loosely to describe the 9 foot tall monster vampire. The Sheriff led Darby through the alleyways of Downtown L.A until he reached Venture Tower, and they went in through the back entrance as to not attract attention. They went up the elevator to the penthouse floor and saw Lacroix waiting for them.

"Ah, mister Darby I presume. The Camarilla has an important mission for you. We need you to retrieve the Ankaran Sarcophagus." Lacroix said. Darby had to struggle to keep the scowl from his face as he listened to Lacroix's 'hail fellow, well met' heartiness, arms folded over his chest. Oh, Lacroix could play up the Camarilla's act of all Kindred being equal, but he couldn't hide the edge in his tone, the contempt he had for the Brujah fledgling from his eyes. He'd never liked to suffer fools or the bourgeois cunts who treated him like shit they'd scrape off their shoe, and he normally would have happily put a few teeth down their throat. A Camarilla Prince, however, was not the normal sort, and even he wasn't stupid enough to invite that kind of trouble for sake of sticking it to the man. Still, he felt the need to slight him somehow, and was preparing to light up a cigarette when Lacroix gave him his job. The smoke fell from his lips.

"Are you shittin' me right now?" He said, beady eyes narrowing at the prince. This was either a test or a trap, and either way he didn't like where this was going. "You want me to fetch a goddamn sarcophagus?"

"The Sacrophagus is hidden deep within the Museum. You are not to kill any of the security guards there, we can't have mortals knowing the existence of the supernatural. Now, be off" Lacroix said, apparently content to leave it at that.Darby's eyes narrowed again, trying to read the man's face as he spoke. He couldn't keep the scowl from his face now.

"Why me? Way you're talkin' it sounds like this is the biggest find of the goddamn century. Like you oughta be sendin' some big badass like the sheriff here. So why ya sendin' me, the poor ol' neonite Brujah that's barely been Kindred for two years?"

"We need someone who can be inconspicuous. My Sheriff's skill set isn't exactly specializing in subterfuge. Now go." Lacroix said. Translation: "You're expendable, and I don't want to waste anyone I actually give a shit about on this."

Darby grunted shortly, reaching down to pick up his fallen smoke, striking a match to light it as he nodded up to the Prince. He really hated that frigging smug, oh so punchable face.

"Yessir, your highness." He said, his tone far from deferential as he started to walk out of the office. Well, he'd enjoy seeing that smug melt off the fucker's face when he came back with the sarcophagus. And this would be a great opportunity to see how his wraith did on the job...


[System]
Gender: Female

Age: 19

Appearance:

6'0 | 150 lb.

Rank: PFC

Class: Lancer

Weapons and Equipment:
* Lancaar-MSH 01
* Ragnaid (Small)
* Pistol (The type Alicia used at the ruins; was that close to a Makarov or a TT?)

Personality: Emmaline is best described as a businesswoman who brings stricture and a worker's mindset in and out of the field. While she comes off as overly serious, sometimes cynical, and often sarcastic, she does have her soft moments when confronted with death, which she views as "just another goddamn door for the reckless or the hopeless". She fears it as much as the next woman or man, but in her self-righteous perspective, she believes she should be right next in line to the Darcsens, if not in front of the Darcsens, if possible.

That being said, she isn't going to give any special treatment to anyone that's still alive when the dust clears, regardless of what happened in their childhood or the last 25 seconds.

Bio: Emmaline was the overseer of a grain field and mill by the time she was 18, and was already considered in an arranged marriage. The eldest of four sisters, Emmaline had to hop between taking care of herself and her sisters while her parents tried to ascertain the best match between the three Muller brothers.

It was quite unfortunate to say that they took the Muller cousin, who lied about his wealth and played coolly the poor man against his three cousins. Emmaline was a little more than disappointed, but at the time said nothing.

Then the war came about, and the Muller cousin fled to avoid the draft. Emmaline wasn't going to stand for that. In a fit of anger, she burned their small cabin and stomped back to her village, only to find it under attack. One thing became another and soon, she found herself dropping grenades into the hatch of a tank.

There was a certain satisfaction about explosives one could get from using them. Maybe it was the comfort knowing that if the shrapnel, the fire, or the force was failing, the shock from the results thereafter would demoralize many. So when she, amongst a slew of other young people flooding in, was sent to the Academy, she found her calling as a Lancer.

RP Sample:

Emmaline frowned as she rolled the head of a wheat plant between her fingers. Today's year was extremely good, since the crops were much hardier than the last three. They had almost grown wild without her employees noticing, and so the harvest was more of a mad rush to reap, thresh, and process into what would be fine flour for the Capitol.

It came to her as odd that if she did meet the production quota, she was to send every seed of that strain to the Capitol too. In other words, she was playing roulette on whatever she could muster or send back. Policies like this made her blood hard-boil, but if she was only reborn as a man...well, then she couldn't wear dresses, couldn't she?

Appreciate your given life, her mom always chimed, but Emmaline always felt she was making withdrawals from a bank of time. This life of a lady wasn't to her liking, but her brain couldn't frack up any alternatives under that straw-colored hair, so here she was.

A wail from inside the mill told her someone had just soiled themselves again. Children these days...

[User]
Private Zeal Ashart

---

The rubbery sensation of his leather gloves tasted bitter and salty, but at least it was something to focus on. The APC wasn't a pleasant place to be in, really, and already, Zeal's mind was going into overdrive, thinking of how much it'd suck if they landed on a mine or something. He needed things to take his mind off his death scenarios, and, thankfully, someone finally struck a bit of conversation, asking if anyone else had fought the Imperials before.

Judging by the general range of responses though, it seemed that most of them were greenhorns that hadn't actually gone to the field. Oh, that was good. Though the ash-haired Shocktrooper didn't care much for that Lancer babe's random racism, he had to admit that he didn't mind an experienced woman. He rolled up the sleeve covering his left arm and revealed the scar that the bullet left, before saying, casting away the nervous tension in his voice, "I was a Scout for the first part of the war. Did a good job, and even took a bullet for a sniper. 7th Platoon's Ilya Meredith, if any of you want to confirm my act of bravery. Then they took me back into training because they were running out of Shocktroopers, so here I am."

"Used to be a precise shot, but now I'm a quick shot."

At that, he spared a smile of his own, amused by his own random joke.

[Assistant]
Evan's Post
Evan smiled as he drove the APC down the road, happy that the new recruits were getting along, or at least getting along as well as they could with a Darcsen in the group. Damn his sleep addled brain, he was clearly not thinking straight when he invited her along. Eh, might score him some points with the OTHER damn Darcsen that sent him on this mission, though. From the conversation in the back, though, it didn't sound like Bons had done a very good job of explaining the mission/situation to the greenhorns.

Banging on the crew compartment, Evan yelled back to said driver. "Hey Bons! Take over drivin' for me, would ya? Gotta explain the mission to the new guys." Once the APC had pulled over and the two drivers had switched, Evan climbed into the APC and stood at the front with his foot up on one of the seats. He was tired and did not have the best judgement at the moment, so perhaps what he was about to do was not a good idea... But there was no way in hell he was going to give a boring briefing like the ones the Darcsen or the Captain. Raising his voice, he began his speech.

"Alright ladies and gentlemen, listen up. In a weeks time, the Gallian army will be launching an attack on the Imperials defending the city of Vasel. The imps will be dug in pretty well so to prepare for this attack, squads like us have been sent out to capture important crossroads, scout enemy positions, and potentially assist in the attack if the army starts losing too many soldiers." Well this wasn't working at all... Sure, he'd told them their task at hand, but it was turning out just the same as the Darcsen's briefings... Hmmm...

Raising his fist into the air, Evan began speaking in a much quicker and more spirited voice. For some reason, he'd always wanted to do something like this. "Our Captain, our Army, OUR GREAT COUNTRY, HAVE GIVEN US THE TASK NOT TO LET THE ENEMY TO RETAKE OUR CROSSROADS AND TO SLAUGHTER ALL WHO APPROACH WITHOUT HESITATION OR MERCY!" A pothole in the road shook the entire APC and nearly sent Evan tumbling to the floor from his unstable position. Never the less, he maintained his balance and continued on, waving his arm out in front of him this time. "THE IMPERIALS ARE NOTHING COMPARED TO SQUAD 4! IF ANY RETURN TO FIGHT US, WE WILL CUT THEM DOWN AND SQUASH THEM LIKE THE DISGUSTING INSECTS THEY ARE! AND WHEN THE MAIN ARMY DOES FALTER, IT WILL BE OUR JOB TO PICK UP THE PIECES. IT WILL BE SQUAD FOUR THAT CAPTURES VASEL AND GAINS THE RESPECT AND ADORATION OF THE ENTIRE NATION! DOES AAAAANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS!?"

After answering any questions that came to the best of his abilities, Evan sat back down and chuckled to himself. For some reason he'd always wanted to do something like that. After chugging half of his canteen (his throat was thoroughly parched now), Evan banged on the drivers compartment again. "Hey, make sure not to hit any more o'those potholes, Bons. Ya nearly tossed me outta the APC." Said ribbing of the driver completed, Evan sat back and closed his eyes, hoping to get at least a little nap in before they got back to the crossroads.

---

"DARCSEN!" Evan crashed through the door to the house that the majority of squad 4 was holed up in. Following behind him were the trio of recruits... and Bons. Waving over to the sergeant (who again looked thoroughly displeased with his entrance), Evan made a grandiose bow and stepped aside to showcase the new group of people who would be joining them. "I come bearing gifts in the form of more peons! Hey girls,... and guy. This is Sergeant Harald, otherwise known as Darcsen. Darcsen, these are..." Evan motioned for the group to introduce themselves. Would probably be best to get everyone acquainted ASAP. Once the introductions were finished, Evan thumbed towards the west side of the crossroads. "In case you're wonderin', we parked the APC behind one of the buildings over there. Figured the imps would be less likely to spot it when it's on our side of the buildings. Now. What else ya want from me?"

The power nap had done wonders for Evan, and even though he knew it would only last for a short while, he fully intended on making the most of his (temporarily) renewed energy. Bringing Bons along had turned out to be a great idea. They'd even made good time, arriving a couple hours after noon, rather than in the evening that Evan had expected. Things (at least for his mini-mission) had surprisingly gone better than planned.

[User]
Private Alonso Bons, Gallian Militia

Of course, it would be the Darcsen that answered first. It galled him that she had been accepted into the Army when he hadn't met the cut, but Alonso kept that little titbit to himself. Darcsen or no, at least she was Gallian. Better than some. The next woman echoed his unspoken sentiment, albeit with a bit more distaste than he would have used. Her other comment confused him though. 'Other action...? What, border guarding or something?' Alonso's confusion was rooted in his utter lack of experience, more so because his parents had been violently traditionalist and homophobic. The idea of a woman bragging about sexual conquests? Blasphemy. As he was trying to figure out the hidden meaning, the others chimed in. The lancer spoke his language at least. 'You should'a been there last night then. We near enough got wiped by a tank.' Despite the terror of the experience, he couldn't help but feel a flash of pride for delivering the killing blow. 'I got the bastard though, just about.'

Alonso sat back to chug some water as the fourth and final recruit said his piece. Once again the innuendo went well over his head, but something he said sounded off. 'Wait, first part of the war..? It only started two weeks ago! Must have been a light wound then.' He squinted at the Shocktrooper, wondering if maybe he had simply grazed his arm rather than actually get hurt. Unfortunately the meathead interrupted their conversation before he could ask any awkward questions. 'Yeah, yeah...' Once they switched around and got on the move once more, he tried to tune out the booming voice behind him. Didn't really work. Hell, when Carn went into full Sergeant Gusto mode, Alonso jolted the steering wheel in shock. 'Calm down, you old cunt...', he growled under his voice. 'At least try to be quiet.' Technically they were still in unsecured territory. Never knew when another Imp patrol might find them. Carn's 'encouragement' didn't help either and truth be told, he wanted to run into every damn pothole he could find, just to spite the bastard...

An hour later they trundled into the village of Le Haye Sainte, a veritable wreck of a place. Half the buildings were damaged or destroyed and smack bang in the middle of the road stood a wrecked tank. A pillar of smock rose from one of the farmhouses, in fact the only one left standing. 'End of the road guys. Squad's probably in there, rock up and follow...' Carn had already bounded off the APC and his characteristic voice boomed from inside the house. '... Valk's sake. Just go in there.'

Sergeant Harald, Gallian Militia

Having made damn sure that everyone had gotten a decent cup of stew, Harald was finally pouring his own portion when the door suddenly exploded inward. 'Fucking hell Carn, learn how to knock man!' What was left of his lunch dripped sadly from his upturned tankard and he sighed a deep, resigned sigh. 'Yes, yes, thank you very much Carn. Take Bons and Glaive and start laying those mines. Remember the briefing? East and west roads, about ten per side.' When he had finally gotten rid of the nuisance, he turned to his newly acquired squad members. 'Well, good morning and welcome to Squad Four. I'll be frank, I don't know how he managed to get so many of you. What did he do, just kidnap you or something?' He leant back against the kitchen sink, sipping a cup of tea with a bemused, if tired smile. 'As PFC Carn mentioned, I am Sergeant Harald, your new squad leader. Squad Four has no officer, don't ask, don't know why. I've had to pick up the slack, so I'll be relying on you all. I look forward to working with you.' Giving a little bow, Harald couldn't help but notice the high percentage of women in this new cohort... Not that it was anything new to the squad, Hell, half of the men had quit or been transferred already. Maybe the Captain's just an old lech, he thought amiably.

[Assistant]
After returning the terse, but curt nod, Emmaline walked to the window and took a peek at the smoldering battleground outside.

"...got any orders for us right now, sir? I could help with the mines...or the wounded, if there are any."

She wasn't sure what to quite make of it, considering she had just stumbled upon what might've been an extremely terrifying battle. Sure, they won, but she forgot to keep her eyes open for any injured or dead troops.

That, and there were still piles of rubble in the plenty. Undoubtedly, there would be a corpse or an unconscious soldier underneath. With the current effort and quietness, though, she wasn't sure if they could spare the time before...perhaps another Imp attack would drive in?

Could they have even relayed the battle results that quickly? Sure, they had radios, but in the thick of things...


[System]
Age: 25

Gender: Female

Bio:

 Born in the gutters by her local Mage's Guild, Tanya was an orphan who pickpocketed power from wizards. Hers is an insatiable thirst for fortune and glory, combined with a magpie-like talent for taking and hoarding interesting trinkets. In back-alleys between witches and warlocks, she made whispered legends of herself as a dealer of lost wands, interesting scrolls, and dangerous beasts. Over time, the scrawl of her lifetime spent in the business of magic made its way to her skin, her body a ledger for transactions of reality bending power. With her own knowledge and a series of kept promises and well-backed blackmails with real arcanists, she became a talented mage in her own right, and is always looking for a deal.

Powers and Abilities:

Signature Technique

Pure magecraft, writ unto Tanya's body over her years of experience. She has several different abilities based on the tattoos she's inscribed into her skin, and the amount of her own life energy she intends to feed her spell.

Binding Contract: Tanya has the ability to inscribe circles of ink into surfaces which magically entrap anybody who touches them. Without extended preparation, these circles can range in size from anywhere to the width of her outstretched palm to a diameter of four and a half feet wide. These circles can hold a victim for roughly twice the time spent used to create it, and remain on the surface they've been inscribed to for the same amount of time. With focus, larger ones can be created to detain larger threats, and smaller ones can be applied directly to bind the movement of muscles or joints on an opponent's body. These circles can be broken with relatively little effort by trained mages, and exceptionally strong individuals should be able to force their way out of most binds. Furthermore, ranged attacks or traps are still very usable from within a Binding Contract. Tanya herself is unaffected by these circles, and can even hide them among the tattoos on her own body to catch would be wrestlers by surprise.

Feather of Innocence: By pressing her palm to her chest, Tanya can manifest the outlines of wings at her back, which allow her to hover or fly for short distances. She is able to levitate for up to thirty minutes while using other abilities, and can charge at a maximum of almost forty miles an hour. These feathers can also be used for combat applications, as they can cushion blows that land among them, and be fired as a cloud of magical shrapnel. Furthermore, Feather of Innocence is extremely versatile in that it can be combined with her other Signature Techniques, such as Binding Contract and Rules Snake, to give her ink blasts stunning capabilities, or impose the Pact at a greater range.

Rules Snake: Tanya has managed to seal a demon at the nape of her neck, a malevolent being that serves as the linchpin of her magical powers at the price of demanding souls. Writ between the lines of spellwork on her body are the codes and dictates by which Rules Snake is able to act, and it states that in order to drain the soul from a victim, it must establish contracts with the one it seeks to consume.

 In combat, this means that Tanya's touch will allow Rules Snake to bite its victim, marking them in unknowable runes as a manifestation of its demonic Pact. Once a mark is made, Tanya can impose terms upon the opponent, often relevant to the battle at hand, such that they may not use their right hand, or that they may not open their left eye for the next thirty seconds. Tanya need not announce her terms, but once she has set them, the opponent should be filled with a zealous obsession to make their own terms. If the opponent fails to provide a counteroffer, Rules Snake will manifest from the original wound and devour their soul. If the opponent is willing to play this game, they may impose counter-terms upon Tanya, which she will innately understand, and must abide by until one of the combatant's souls is extinguished. Should she reject the terms outright, Rules Snake will consume her, and seek a new master. If she is able to deal further damage to her opponent with Rules Snake, the Pact with her personal demon will be fulfilled for the moment, and its hunger will be kept at bay for just a little bit longer...

===
Physical Coordination

 She is able to move with impressive grace and speed, built through years of practice dodging hexes among ramparts and towers. Her movement style in urban areas bears a striking resemblance to modern parkour, which she can augment through the use of the Feather of Innocence. Furthermore, her hand to hand combat style emphasizes the use of joint locks, strikes to pressure points, deception and decisiveness. She'd make quite a show out of modern special forces.

Weapons and Equipment:

Quill

 A dagger with a four inch long handle and a five inch long blade, the image of a snake carved into each flat of the metal as an ornate blood groove. The wood encasing its fine steel is grooved perfectly to Tanya's grasp. She's able to manipulate it expertly, separating meat from bone with as little trouble as she separates her customers from their ill-gotten cash. It's been with her so long that the metal has become somewhat attuned to her mana, and she can channel her abilities through it through slashes, thrusts, or throws.

Misc. Equipment

* Parchment
* Ink Stone
* Razor Wire, Leather wrapped coil
* Small Bottle of Oil
* Matches

[User]
The vulture's scream pierced the darkness by the rafters-- Tanya had landed right next to it! It's shrill cry shocked her for a brief moment, but heart pounding, she flicked her blades at it as its menacing caw scraped her eardrums. She could waste no time in pressing more than a cursory attack, but perhaps it would be enough to punish the beast for being caught even more flat footed than she had. She had a feeling that the real danger was lying in wait below, but that didn't mean she didn't have time to send a shotgun like spray of magic at a sitting duck vulture.

"What... the fuuck?" She intoned.

Tanya darted across the rafters as fast as she could, one shadow anonymous among many. The rush of movement made her forget the cold, though the inky blades she flung in every direction were a painful reminder for whoever it was had the same idea to loot the museum. The darkness surrounding her made it difficult to track her quarry, but it seemed that she didn't need to track much. A demonic roar echoed through the hall, it's vibrations probably enough to stir even the museum's famous ghosts. A familiar itch at her forearms screamed danger, and her thoughts raced to handle the threat of the animalistic figure gathering it's power in the gallery below.

She slid to a stop as she got to a corner of the room, moonlight layered with dust, dust outlining the magic traced around her body. She pressed her hand to her chest again, ignoring attacks from the bird for the moment. Instead she gathered her magic once more, coating herself with another cloak of the Feather of Innocence, weaving them once again with the Binding Contract. It was taxing spellwork, but it the more she put into it, the more it would give her. As things stood, she wore two layers of her feathers, the tracings of them floating around her in what appeared to be a small cloud. The outer layer was interspersed with changing, mutating, symbols-- time and energy spent to paralyze the foe beneath her. He didn't seem to know where she was waiting yet, and the element of surprise was a decisive advantage. At the first sign of his movement, she planned to leap from the catwalk and sling her razor sharp feathers down in a paralyzing rain, creating a widespread lane of mezzing Binding Contracts if he decided to charge. If he went for a direct attack at range, she was confident that two layers of protective magic and fast moves would deflect the worst of the blows. All in all, Tanya was terrified, but Tanya was ready. She balanced on the balls of her feet, and got ready to leap.

[Assistant] Ezili flapped madly to try and get away but was torn apart by the magic! But that didn't register with her master. Zande turned around, shivering. His pupils had dilated to completely fill out his eye sockets with an oily blackness, the empty yet virulent gaze a rat or a shark. These eyes could see in the dark, absorbing light from the furthest sources. Not a second passed before the space where the cannibal had occupied was empty, and he had loped across the room and up the side of the opposite wall. His legs swept back and forth in long, unnatural strides. He had transformed into some kind of childhood nightmare, moving much more swiftly than anything of its size should have been able to. Each rapid step sounded like two knives being smacked together, the steel claws of his boots dashing sparks from the stonework. If Tanya didn't fly soon, it would reach her before she had made much progress in her magical preparations. And if that happened, it would be obvious what fate awaited her. Snapping bones, tearing muscles, screaming agony and then only the darkness.

[User]
A surprise attack! The lighting advance of raging beast beneath her made Tanya's breath catch in her throat, and she was forced to abort her careful preparations. This thing was just too goddamn fast, and it was charging straight at her! It took a fraction of a second to process the sparks hitting the floor, the crash of it's unblinded rage. This was one of the most fight or flight situations she'd ever encountered, and it looked like it was time for flight.

It was too much of a risk to try getting above it, in its path, anywhere near it with anything less than the set up for a killing blow. For all she knew this monster could snatch her out of the air, tear her completely to shreds as soon as she moved-- since it moved with all the unpredictability of a raging bull, now was the time to take some aggressive precautions. This wasn't something she wanted to do, but she was desperate. It would be easy. It would be done at the speed of thought. And it had to be done. Tanya was used to making deals. Yet.

She felt her sins crawling on her back.

As one demon charged, she beckoned another one into this world. It was in her mind, slithering among her worst thoughts, her fears and grudges hiding it like tall grass. It spoke to her, asked her what she wanted. She told it that she wanted the same thing she did every time. She told it she wanted power. It rattled its laughter, and offered the apple. She stepped forward in her soul, and forged her side of the pact.

Tanya's mind returned to the moment, her senses overloaded but still functioning. She slammed her hand onto the chest hard, inking a Binding Contract into her skin, no time to make a second layer of the Feather of Innocence like she intended. The monster was all but upon her; she'd have to let the creature attacking her dangerously close, and she could only hope that the paralysis of the Binding Contract would give her the opening she needed to let the Rules Snake take its bite...

[Assistant]
Zande pushed off the wall and landed neatly beside Tanya, on her left. As the dreadlocked horror then rushed upon her, from betwixt its front teeth would a spray of blood jet out. It intended to spit in her eyes as she looked. A technique!? A plan!? The cannibal may have been insane, but insanity and stupidity were two different things.

After launching the distraction, Zande would swing his left axe up over his head in preparation for a strike, at the same time leaping forwards and thrusting his right foot towards Tanya's abdomen, actually trying to overshoot the mark so that if she tried to escape backwards it would still land. A charging front kick with enough weight behind it to drive most humanoids into the ground.

Though her skin written defences might absorb the shock of the kick, what came next would not be so easy to endure. Should the blow land, then instead of drawing back his foot Zande would bear his weight forwards. The brutal talons of his boot could easily gouge through the intestinal wall and catch on the top of the pelvis, dragging a victim to their knees and leaving them too traumatised to block the overwhelmingly powerful swing of his readied axe.

[User]
The killer had gone berserk and rapidly closed the distance, its insane instincts piloting its body more immediately than its mind. All the same, it wouldn't make life so easy as to attack without a backup plan. As it landed next to Tanya with a weighty thunk, it attempted the gambit of blinding her with its tar-like spit before throwing everything behind its weight in a vicious kick. Fortunately, Tanya's pact with her Snake hadn't dulled her reflexes at all, or it would have been a rather poor weapon of last resort.

She pivoted towards the monster as it landed, and threw up her left hand in reflex as the inky jet of blood spurted from between its shark-like jaws. The feathers wrapped around her left forearm burned and disappated at the blast of foul liquid, but there were yet enough about her back to propel her forward. All Tanya needed to do to avoid the incoming kick was duck down low, the ironshod boot swinging like a doorbuster overhead. At the same time, she pushed forward from underneath its guard, the solid magic of her wings flexing upward to push its center of gravity back and up. Its long leg would serve as an excellent lever to push it back in a splits. The surprise burst of momentum aided by her unfurling wings should be enough to dodge the incoming attack, a hair's breadth of distance between her and getting fucked up, but fast enough that she could end up surprising it. As Tanya followed through with her momentum, her left hand shot out underneath to tag the demon's right thigh, her touch able to forge the Contract Will of her Rules Snake.

With her wings extended, a direct strike down into her back from one of its wicked looking axes would be dampened, even if the beast managed to find its footing before her counterattack connected. Her positioning was aces, its leg was already in the way of a sweeping strike, stomping down would meet the same problems as a strike downward from the left axe, and both options were swiftly growing more inconvenient. It could possibly wheel its momentum upward and attempt to kick from under her chin with a backflip, but it had thrown its bodyweight forward, so a trick like that would be awkward and slow enough to be handled in the realm of mortal possibility. Even with all of these contingencies accounted for, Tanya was aware that these next few instants were the boundary between life and death. If she could pray, even with a demon in her hands, she would.