[System]
Quote: Well... crap.
Alias: Ecto
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Family: Fathers: Isaac Engelson, Liam Engelson (Surrogate Mother: Jane Woods)
Occupation: Online Translator
Appearance:

Eric is in the middle of his twenties, with dark hair and green eyes. He is around 5'10", and although he was considered quite lazy, a few years ago he started working out to boost his endurance, so his physique is just above average. He usually wears comfortable street clothing, jeans and cargos, T-shirts and hoodies, complete with sneakers.

He doesn't have any special costume for his "night-time" activities, as his powers give him a distinct look on their own.

Method of Operation: The cautious approach was always more appealing to him, usually scaring the criminals away. His appearance and abilities make it easy to create the impression of a ghost, and criminals are less likely to strike up a neighborhood if they think it is haunted. He also enjoys slowly building up fear in his "victims", like haunting the TV in the house burglars are about to enter, or levitating an umbrella. But if every trick fails, he does not shy away from using force and subduing his opponents, typically with either beating them with a blunt instrument or making them headbutt something with his haunting ability.

Superpower:

Spectral Form : Eric is able to turn into a gaseous, incorporeal form, which allows him to fly and move through tight spaces, like a keyhole or a chimney, though he cannot enter areas that are sealed shut completely. He can shift between this form and his human body in about a second, and when he is in this form, he cannot be touched by anything physical - as it moves right through him -, but this true the other way around as well. This does not, however, make him invulnerable. His powers seem to be somewhat related to the element of air, and and is especially susceptible to it, but other non-physical attacks can also hurt like hell.

Partial Shifting : He can manifest certain parts of his body to grab hold of objects, but the corporeal parts of him are completely defenseless, unless grabbing something that would provide protection.

Spectral Healing : While in the Spectral Form, Eric slowly heals from the wounds he suffers, although this has it's limits, and can leave scars. In any case, it stops a wound from getting worse.

Haunt : Eric can take control of objects that are not bigger than him, forcing himself into them. This allows him to move or levitate around in a rather sluggish way, but can be effective when haunting, for example, a baseball bat. Physical damage to the object also hurts Eric, so it's not worth haunting something that can be easily broken.
Haunting can also be used to take limited control over others, as someone wrestling against the haunted person. This can be overpowered by sheer strength though, and can slow strong opponents at best.

Skills: Due to his upbringing, Eric knows multiple languages, including German, Spanish, and Russian. He also studied piloting to learn about currents and basic flight physics, since he can be affected by the wind. His fighting style is closest to the "whack it until it's down" technique, he started practicing aikido and krav maga to be more efficient.

Equipment: Since the Spectral Form does not extend to clothes or equipment, he goes to the field basically naked. It would be nice to find a way not to appear in his birthday suit when shifting back.

Personality: Eric is prone to cynic joking, and likes irony. He can be sincere and serious as well, but he finds it easier to brush things off with a stoic remark. He is disappointed in humanity, as what he often sees is that man is a wolf to man, and everything is run by corrupt bureaucrats, who are consumed by greed. He believes that although there could be so much potential in people, it is squandered by selfishness and apathy for others. He doesn't like to be in the spotlight, as he has witnessed power and popularity corrupting people. He also dislikes taking responsibility, but reluctantly does so by using his gifts to better the streets, to soothe his conscience.

He disapproves of people who are what he used to be like, and feels shameful about his past as a couch potato. He regularly does cardio exercises to build up his stamina, and trains fighting techniques on his own not only to better his performance on the field, but as a way to "atone" for his laziness. He is likely to push himself past his limits, saying something gritty or just using the words "crap" a lot. This sometimes leads to injury, but since he can heal in his spectral form, he really doesn't care.

Biography: A son of a russian economist and a german engineer who moved to the United States, Eric had ha very easy way of learning multiple languages at a young age. He was also a bit of a geek, and got bullied in school, until he befriended a schoolmate who turned out to be a super with enormous strength. His name was Damien Reed. They were both huge comic book fans, and although Damien was not allowed to use his powers in public, or reveal in in an obvious way, he told his secret to Eric, who practically worshipped him. They used to hang out a lot, playing video games and watching cartoons. Since Damien's power made him fit without breaking a sweat, he was also kinda lazy, but Eric was a normal kid and the lack of physical exercise and countless junk food made him overweight by his teenage years.

Though his parents were caring and supportive, they did not like their son getting fat on the sofa and sometimes made stinging remarks about Eric's appearance, but it was also painful when Damien was adored by all the girls, while Eric was ignored by the opposite gender. So he started working out, and Damien joined him for support (even though it was nothing to him). This would soon turn into short sessions that turned into more chilling.

Time went by, and when went to different colleges and saw each other less and less. After a year into his studies, he saw some news about a superhero on the streets, rounding up criminals and smiling for the camera in the meantime. He recognized him as his best friend. When he called him about it, he admitted with pride that he has officially started his superhero career. Eric found the news fantastic, and proposed to be Damien's sidekick, but he politely declined, reasoning that this was dangerous for "normies", especially for ones who are out of shape. This made Eric finally snap from his lazy ways and work out in earnest.

But while he was losing weight, he saw his friend gradually turn into (or maybe revealing himself to be) a conceited braggart, who loves to dominate the scene. And that was BEFORE he became a corporate tool who started working for the mayor's office as a glorified enforcer. Since he was always "busy" they slowly stopped talking.

One night Eric was going home from a jogging session, while he ran into an armed robbery: two men were robbing third who was drunk after partying. Eric decided to step in, and ended up getting stabbed. While the assailants ran away, he stumbled into a corridor and collapsed from the blood loss. When he came to himself, everything was different, and felt the pain slowly go away. When he looked down, a pool of blood stared back at him, soaking a lying figure on the ground. When he looked at himself, he was floating, all blue and transparent.

"- I'm... I'm dead? Well... Crap. God dammit."

At that moment, he fell to the cold pavement, completely naked, as his usual self. That's when he realized that the figure on the ground were only his clothes, empty of any wearers.

"- I...guess not."

Cold and confused, Eric hastily dressed up in his bloody clothes and ran home. When in his house he threw everything into the washing machine and examined his wound in the mirror. It was a nasty cut, but not as deep as a full stab should have been.

"Okay, let's try this again." He concentrated, and after a short while he turned into his ghostly form once more. He could see the wound slowly, gradually get smaller and smaller healing itself.

"Groovy." This is when his life really began.

Theme Song:youtube.com/watch?v=qyNrZwDOh14

Relationships: TBD

Extra: We're NOT normal.

[User]
TURN BACK

Turn Back didn't even pay attention to the conversation going on with Ditch, preoccupied as he was by the child. He was pleased to note that he could indeed lower a fever this way, however as he started preparing to check the boy's wounds the child woke up, scrambling away and crying out in fear. "No no, it's okay buddy!" Turn Back cried, pulling his bandana away from his face. This was becoming a habit now... "We're not going to hurt you okay, we're here to help!" He reached down and grabbed some things off the stage, never breaking eye contact with this unnerving boy.

Holding out a water bottle, one of Tank's burgers, and his own warm hoodie, Jason smiled at the kid. "Our friend found you out there, she brought you here to be taken care of. You're safe here, buddy. My name is Jason, would you mind if I asked for your name?" He set the offering down and pushed them towards the boy. On a whim he pulled one of the nuts out of his pocket and charged it with a tiny bit of power, his own eyes flashing purple as he did so, and the metal bursting with a small amount of fire that quickly went out. "We're all like you... We can keep you safe."

[Assistant]
Listing to Ditch, Raven tilted her head in thought. Her arms crossed at the explanation. Course the woman fell asleep, she probably worked herself to it. Honestly, she was tempted to drug her if she had to. She did have some equine muscle relaxers in her pocket, and she did have a coffee right now. Soooo...

No, not the time for that, her interest captured again. Raven knelt down by the woman, nodding her thanks to Wraith as she left. "Listen, you were disorientated, you just woke up, you were trying to get here, the child was hurt. We can ask him whats going on when his body is well, but for now, clear your mind. Its not the best action to push your thoughts when your shaking like a leaf in a winter storm." She could hear teeth chattering, words were strained, trying to remember.
"Least you got him out of there. If Umbra got Lava king like I been thinking, than he wouldn't stand a chance if the child is useful to his plans. Someone's going to have to figure out if he has family."

Hearing a cry from the stage however, had caused her head to turn. The albino standing only to hear Jason handle it. Offering a wave to the trembling thing, she shook her head. "Are you aright little one? Do not worry, you have nothing to fear from us." Her voice changing pitch, she offered a smile. A calming air about her, one that had calmed down pray animals when they thought they were about to be killed. Still, she did not advance, she had a raven skull on her head after all.

[User]
It looked as though Omega's attempts to calm Ditch had fallen short. Seeing her up close like this, he noticed how awful she looked and it only increased his concern. When Wraith walked over to offer Ditch a flask of coffee, he noticed a change in her demeanor. She no longer oozed arrogance, but instead was pretty even-keel, maybe even a bit somber. He inwardly wondered if she was alright, but set it aside in his mind to deal with the issues at hand. As she left to check for potential threats, Ditch contiued her spiel. She had a real knack for leaving Omega puzzled whenever she spoke.

"Ok...so you've found out why supers are disappearing....and  then  this battered kid shows up talking about your father? Didn't you say he was dead?"

Omega furled his brow and shook his head.

"I'm not sure which one I wanna hear first…"

A sudden scuffling caught his attention and he turned his focus to the stage. The child had woken up and scurried away from the others. He looked scared, though who could blame him? He was surrounded by strange people in masks and such. His eyes definitely glowed like Ditch mentioned earlier, so by default they all already had that in common with the kid.

Just a few moments ago, he was this pitful little thing, and now he's on his feet without even being halfway recovered. Tough kid.

"Well, Ditch, it looks like we're all gonna get some answers. Just gotta get you both to chill."

Omega followed TB's lead and removed his goggles, placing them in his pocket, and he flashed his best kid-friendly smile, speaking after Raven.

"Yeah, little dude. We're the good guys. Just take it easy, alright? We're gonna help you get better," Manny said with a gentle nod. "My name's Manny."

[Assistant]
"Please, please don't hurt me, I swear I'll be good after this I will, I will!" The boy scrambled back on the stage, in the verge of panic, and jumped up, ready to defend himself.
Eric was just a few feet right behind him, holding his breath as to not make a sound. It seems the kid didn't notice him, and does not realize that he is sitting there.

What should I do? If he sees me, he might freak out and do something extreme. Not good. What if he tries to turn my head into jelly? If I turn to spectral form to avoid that, he could take it as an attack, also not a good idea. Last time I intervenes, it didn't turn out so well.

He froze like a sitting statue, chopstick and food box still in his hands, only following the events with his eyes. TB, Raven and Omega tried to approach calm him, slowly approaching, as to a frightened deer. It was all so intense, but strangely comical for him.

"My name's Manny."

 Manny? As in... Emmanuel? Oh my good this is too good.  Suddenly, a picture of a moustached Omega flashed before his eyes, Omega the latin lover, with spanish guitar playing in the background.
No, not now, idiot!  Eric clenched his teeth, struggling not to chuckle.


[System]
Child of:
Light
Nickname:
Tal, Tally, pretty much anything but she prefers to be called Thalia
Age:
652
Gender:
Female
Sexuality:
Demisexual
Relationship Status:
Single
Species:
Elf
Occupation
Huntress
Likes:
* Hunting game (mainly rabbits)
* Music
* Parties/festivals
* Talking to herself

Dislikes:
* Silence
* Being wrong
* Losing bets
* Alcohol

Fears:
Thalia fears thunderstorms. It's not something very commonly known, but the sudden sound of thunder and flashes of lightening terrifies Thalia to the core.

Personality:
A cocky, confident know-it-all, Thalia loves the thrill of the chase. It can be said that she's addicted to adrenaline, which is why its no surprise that she is a huntress for a living. She loves talking, whether to herself or at others, it doesn't matter.

Thalia can carry grudges, she has done her entire life. She hates being being bested at her own game, loss never sitting well with her large ego.

Thalia loves a laugh, but not at the expense of others, especially those she calls friends. Her sense of morality is high, and she cannot resist helping those that cannot help. She can often be seen giving away any game she earns to the needy, much to the chagrin of her brother.
History:
Born to a small fishing village, little Thalia was a young elf with large vision. She was the second elfling to her parents, her older brother almost a century older than her. Since for as long as she had known, Thalia had clung to her brother - Itham - like a shadow, often to the glee of her parents. Her father was a fisherman, her mother often staying at home to take care of the young children.

One day, her father was forced to leave for a fishing trip during terrible weather, the village suffering from a shortage of food - both for trade and for the citizens alike. It was during the fishing trip that her father died, the waves taking his body under and away from the family. At the news of the death, Thalia's mother eventually succumbed to sickness a decade later, leaving Thalia and her brother to fend for themselves in an increasingly scary world.

With the news of the war between the darkness and the light reaching the young Elves, Itham took his sister's hand and they set off to the main kingdom, where Itham pledged his life to the King and his family, eventually setting off to help fight while young Thalia was raised with an elderly human couple and their child - old friends of their parents. Thalia eventually picked up hunting as a way to practice her shooting skills, in order to train herself and be ready to join the ranks beside her brother.
Extra
She is known to wear the same sleeveless fur coat over her usual hunting gear, a slightly oversized dark brown tunic with dark fitted trousers and boots. It helps ward off the cold, and not to mention loves the softness of the fur.

[User]
The sudden eruption of anger coming from the elder vampire caused Velia to clap her hands in a gleeful manner. She knew that it would be a good idea to come this way. Staring up at the fairy, her eyes narrowed for a second, calculating. After a second of glaring at the being, she let out a laugh similar to that of ringing bells.

"I've always wanted to taste fairy blood." She exclaimed, reaching up as if she could pluck the winged creature from the sky. She could probably have jumped up and grabbed it if she had to, but instead remained dancing around dizzily on the ground and following its movements. The clink of bottles being rummaged drew Velia's attention once more to Caezel. He seemed to be looking for something, probably one of his fancy potions. It was when she was watching him that something peculiar came to mind.

Why was she here in the first place? Why was he? Sniffing once, a scent so pure, so filled with goodness reached her. She scrunched up her nose and gagged, "What on earth is that smell?!" She demanded, stomping her foot in a child-like manner. "It reeks of light!" She turned around and around, trying to locate the source of the scent.

@Ace of flames01@ArenaSnow@Lord Zee

[Assistant]
of flames01 @ArenaSnow @Lord Zee @DeyeDreamer @Cuccoruler

Uriel had finally wanted to stop. It was nearing his time to train soldiers but everything inside the forest was just wrong. First, a mysterious hooded figure that he was currently trying to find, then a small voice which could no doubt belong to a fairy, and then there's the case of the burning decaying bush. Everything was in disarray and the general couldn't just make sense of where these people were. He stopped moving and then began to survey the surroundings.

He closed his eyes and focused on his hearing. Footsteps, coming from another way. Two more people were present, no doubt their resident vampires who were usually here. Then the fairy. He sighed and then continued walking to the direction of where the figure first ran. He didn't care anymore about the others that are possibly present. This could have all been avoided if that figure, who was now an undeniable Child of Light, stopped.

He was nearing Octavia's position but he didn't exactly know that. He stopped, a few meters from the angel's hiding place, because he had heard something odd. Quick and light footsteps. And then he saw it, Lucius. The general could easily make him out as the human mage who had fought in many battles.

"To enter without an army is foolish human." He then unsheathed his sword and pointed it at him. "Perhaps a valid explanation would save your life." True, Uriel saw this human as an enemy and would likely want to cut him down right here and now. But perhaps if he is not attacking and is here because he got lost into the other border or is here to pick up a lost kid, then it would break his morals to cripple him and send him to some random vampire as food. Admittedly, this went against his loyalty but his morals stand high above it.

[User]
Lucius stopped dead in his tracks at the voice of the General, this demon could quiet literally kill him with one blow but he hesitated to do so. The real question was, what was Lucius going to do about it because the demon made a point, it was foolish to come in here alone. As he thought he became aware of the fairy the darted among the dead branches. What in the hell was a fairy doing here? It didn't matter, Lucius needed to speak and then, an idea came to mind.

"Oh great demon," he paused, getting down on one knee. It was a fact he hated but it needed to work. "I am looking for someone dear to me, I fear that they have fled into this... place, to get a better look at it. Stories can only go so far I'm afraid!"

Now for the tricky part, he raised his voice, hoping to project it so that a certain angel could hear him. "Yes! As a matter of fact, I was really hoping that the person I was looking for would actually have made their way back to our home, while it was relatively safe and free of getting distracted!" This was so embarrassing he thought. It was a long shot, Lucuius didn't even know if she was around here but he tried nonetheless.

"I really hope that they just run back to the border, if they are still here! That would make this so much better for both sides, if my dear would just run home now." He stopped shouting, hopefully it would have the intended effect.

"Anyways, with your express permission General, I would like to conduct a short search of the area, in hopes that I can find my dear beloved before it is too late. I can not bear the thought of loosing someone so close to me, after all I have been through. Perhaps you can sympathize with me?" he said, pretending to be sad.

[Assistant]
Caezel found the potion he was looking for. In truth, he should have brought it out much earlier - but he didn't expect things to go nearly the way they did. He would take it now.

He took the cap off the small bottle he brought out and drank the contents in one gulp, immediately noticing the effects. Mainly, his arm dropping down after preparing to throw it at the fairy. That's one of my good bottles...

Everything was wrong, he saw that more clearly now. A fairy following an angel that ran out in the forest. Said fairy moving back in the direction of the Border. Oh yes, it was clear. A trap.

Caezel didn't like the idea of letting a fairy go in any circumstance, but he would rather not die to a hundred elven blades. Death was all that awaited; the whole situation was a trap.

The best he could do was try and get the angel, and leave before a true battle erupted. And Caezel knew there were beings on both sides that were at least curious about him, in bad ways.

He stared at the retreating fairy, anger simmering but not excessively so. Cunning bastards, the lot of you. You won't have me today. The scents of an angel, demon, vampire, fairy and magic-attuned human were all too clear.

He went towards the scent of the angel fishing for something else in his pocket. He found it and counted himself lucky - the bottle, only half full, was the last he had in supply of the stuff.

He threw the bottle at the fairy, but differently - towards the ground in front of it, with a very deliberate move. The impact would cause it to explode in tall flames, hopefully serving to keep the fairy away for the moment while he left to find the angel. Of course, there was the side effect of attracting every demon and other being in the area to the spot - but there was nothing he could do about that anymore. Humans and fairy scents would be far superior to an old vampire. He had thrown the bottle without much consideration for Velia - if she was smart she would follow him, as the fire, while it wouldn't last long, would certainly get her considering the speed and height that it was designed to spread.

@Ace of flames01@Lord Zee@Polaris North@Deyedreamer

[User]
@Cuccoruler@Lord Zee@Deyedreamer

Octavia heard the voices of 2 men nearby, one terrifyingly familiar; the voice of the soldier that she had encountered earlier, and the other was new. She heard the unfamiliar voice turn to a yell and she couldn't help but giggle slightly at how ridiculous he sounded. However, she understood the message he was implying. He wanted her to run while she had the chance. Only except for one thing; Octavia had no intention of running. This man, as well as the taunting faerie and elf (though she didn't know it yet), had risked their lives to help her. Octavia was determined to return the favor.

Octavia, ever so slightly, peeked out from her hiding place and looked around to see who was present. A human, a moth faerie, 2 vampires, a demon, and an elf not too far away from their location. Octavia took a deep breath and stepped out of her hiding place, spread out her wings and jumped down from the tree, flapping her wings a few times, landing softly behind the man, who told her to run. She stepped directly in front of him, only a few feet away, and removed her hood to finally reveal her face. She had a stern, fearless look in her eyes, frost crawled up her cheeks and across one of her eyes, yet the cold did not seem to faze her. A heavy trail of steam escaped her lips between exasperated breathes. Though it did not show on the outside, on the inside her weak heart was racing and her mind was a nervous wreck; she was terrified.

Octavia spread out her arms and wings, acting as a shield, protecting the human male. "Please don't harm him. I was the first to cross the border. I'm the one you seek, correct? The only reason why the other light children crossed the border was so they could make me return home. I apologise on their behalf and ask for you to please pardon them." She said, her voice cool and calm. She then made a gesture to the soldier to wait for a moment with one hand and she rumaged through her satchel with the other. After a few moments, she pulled out a dagger and held it out towards the soldier in a non threatening manner. "When you found me at the border, you asked who I was. I have that answer for you. My name is Octavia, daughter of the king of light and the sole heir to the kingdom of light. I have no hostile intentions to the kingdom of darkness or her people. Nor am I a spy, my dagger should be proof of that. I sincerely apologize for the misunderstanding. I crossed the border out of mere curiosity and intrigue of this kingdoms diversity in culture in comparison from my own. So I shall ask you once more. Please pardon the children of light who trespassed through here. Or perhaps... You'd like to worsen the effects of war?" Octavia's words were not bot meant to be taken as a threat, rather, as a warning. She did not want to worsen the relations between the two worlds and she hoped that the soldier would see that.

[Assistant]
It wasn't long before Thalia lost sight of the angel running through the forest. She immediately disappeared, like a terrified prey, and before Thalia couuld even realise it, she was gone. It was probably for the best too, as the forest slowly grew louder with more and more sounds. There are more people here, whether good or bad, I can't tell. It was then she tried re-evaluating her life choices.

One: follow after Little Miss Explorer and possibly be killed for simply existing on the wrong side.

Two: find the pesky angel, but be killed for swiping other creatures' prey.

Yeah, none of them really sounded too good. Thalia may like helping people out, but there was no way in hell was she risking her ears for this. Readjusting her grip on her bow, one arrow pinched between her fingers, Thalia looked around her surroundings. She had come running after the girl, without realising that she hadn't been focusing on the direction.

Fucking great, lost in the woods. Cursing her luck, the Elf sighed. Thalia picked up a leaf fallen beside her, evaluating it carefully before letting the breeze blow it away from her open palm. Her eyes watched critically as the leaf blew to the right, and with another sigh, Thalia followed.

It wasn't long before Thalia was approaching closer and closer to sound. It was muffled, but something. Heart racing, she tightened her grip on her bow before peeking past the tree she was hiding behind.

What she saw made her raise an eyebrow. The angel she had followed - and lost - had her wings and arms spread, covering something protectively as she spoke to the soldier. As if the soldier will see things like that. Thalia shook her head, her blonde hair flowing with every movement. Thalia took one step closer, to be able to see the spectators clearly but her boots crushed some old leaves instead, alerting anyone nearby.

Well... shit.

Thalia decided it was best just to reveal herself. No point hiding when people were already aware of your presence? Keeping her bow ready, she stepped past the tree, arrow still pointing down so that she wasn't giving anyone any ideas. "Seems like a party over here." She couldn't help but comment, to no one in particular.


[System]
Appearance:
Nickname: None
Age: 28
Race: Argonian

Items and gear: Hide armor, A one-handed iron sword, a basic longbow. He also has an unenchanted circlet obtained from a dungeon. He doesn't use footwear.
Abilities: Low level spells across all schools but no necromancy. Good skills with one-handed weapons and decent skills with the bow.

Job: Adventurer and hunter. He occasionally fights bandits and kills off dangerous animals when the pay is slow.
Bio: Hailing from Black Marsh, Ardashir was accused of having sympathies for the Dunmer when the argonian advance on Morrowind was halted by House Redoran. He fled the Argonia to avoid political repercussions and took the first boat out of the province, which happened to be heading to Windhelm. Finding no life worth living at the Argonian Assemblage, he headed south and settled in Riverwood, where the locals were suspicious at first but have since come around to tolerating him.

Other:

Here are his claws, taken from a Skyrim mod.

[User] When he finishes moving his stuff, Corinth heads to the top of the keep and starts inspecting the damage. "The bunkers are fine... the same with the back and the cells. Doesn't look too hard to clear this rubble... Hopefully i can get an office of some kind set up." Having finisjed hos inspection, Corinth decides to head back to the bunker area and rest a bit. 'I'll set up a patrol around dusk... Should be simple...' He drifts off into a nap on one of the beds, a dagger under his pillow and his axe leaning on the wall nearby.

[Assistant] Cedus left his room at the inn and saw a Nord inspecting the keep. "Are you the new guard leader or something?" He still had his smithing hammer in his hand, and a few metals poked out of his bag. "Because if you are, good luck with keeping this place safe." He laughed. "If you do somehow, I will be amazed."

[User] Corinth grunts and sits up, rubbing his eyes. "I am. And I can. I may not look like much but I'm confident in my abilities. I'm also the new farmer, once the men the Jarl promised to send get here..." Corinth stands and walks over, holding his out out for a handshake. "Name's Corinth. Corinth Frozen-Hammer."

[Assistant]
"The sooner his men get here, the better. This province is going to Oblivion in a handbasket" Ardashir had left the inn a few minutes ago when he failed to find anyone looking to go on an adventure. He'd found his way to the keep, finding it to still be in ill repair. If a single dragon could do all this, what chance did they have against hundreds of them? He looked at Corinth and Cedus

"So, don't tell me either of you haven't seen an argonian before. I'm Ardashir, by the way."

[User]
"I'm Cedus." He grinned. "Great to finally meet an Argonian. Always heard stories, but nothing is like the real deal." He turned to the other man. "I'll be happy to assist you in any way. Whether it be making weapons, or something else." He grinned. "Now, does anyone else want to explore a bit more? Maybe go on a wee adventure?" He looked antsy for action. "We could find something good. Trouble is, I don't have a cart nor a horse."
@GrizzTheMauler

[Assistant] "We don't need a horse for this. Plenty of nordic ruins, bandit camps, and animal caves nearby. If you're all up for a longer march, there are dwemer ruins a bit farther afield. Might even find one of those falmer caves I've heard about. You know, those weird eyeless elf-goblin things" Ardashir explained to Cedus. "Don't tell me you're afraid of a little walking."

[User] Corinth chuckles. "I would love to adventure a bit, but I have a lot to do here, sadly. I am Corinth, I currently am the interim Captain of the Guard. Till the jarl actually sends the man he promised."

[Assistant]
gnome

Valrona smiled as another customer came up to her store. "Why yes depending on what you are looking for. After the attack I have not been able to find a lot of things but I have a pretty good stock pile." She said smiling at him. "My name is Valrona and welcome to the Helgen General Store." She said holding the door open for him as well. Yang sniffed him wagging her tail excited that they had new people for her to meet. "This is Yang." She said petting her head as she looked into the store. "In that back left corner I have all my alchemy supplies. If you need any help just give me a shout and I will check in the back as well." She said smiling.

[User] Jo'marash entered the store and looked around. "This one is Jo'marash but some call him to Sojourner." He then looked at Yang "A canine? as a pet? Skyrim is a strange place…" He said as he continued into the store. Many of the ingredients were native to Skyrim and he had never seen them before. He looked around a little until he found what he was looking for. "Aha! Juniper berries! Jo'marash wants to buy them. How much will it cost him?"

[Assistant]
gnome

Valrona thought about it for a moment to think of a good price range. "I sell them for 1 gold coin a bushel. I have them tied off for each about I sell per gold. How many are you looking to buy?" She asked curiously. She hoped he would not take her whole supply. They seemed to be hard to come by considering everything that happened in the town recently. It has cut down on her chance to go out and forage for them.

[User]
@Evil gnome

Before Felix could utter a single word, another customer visited the general store. "Greetings! This one sells alchemical ingredients, yes?" The enquirer was a Khajiit. Felix stood silent and watched as the elf introduced her store once again. Jo'marash the Khajiit followed Valrona into the store; Felix then got in behind them.

The curious customer seemed to be in search for some kind of alchemical ingredient. Felix decided it would be best to wait for the two to finish their deal. He knew next to nothing about alchemy anyway. Meanwhile, he could try to befriend the black wolf who was casually strolling around. "Hi, Yang..." Felix usually stay far away from wolves, but this one seemed pretty tame and relaxed, plus the owner was just there.

[Assistant] Jo'marash didn't know how many he needed, but he knew that you never could have too many ingredients. " Hmmm…. One can never have too many ingredients, but Jo'marash is a little short on coin at the moment. Khajiit will have 1 bushel." He said as he walked towards Valrona with a septim in his paw.

[User]
@Evil gnome

Valrona smiled as he asked for only one. "Here...I will make you a deal. I will sell you two for one gold. It looks like you need it." She said knowing she was selling it at a loss but she knew if she made a good deal for him that he would be sure to come back to her shop if he needed anything else.

Yang smiled at the man addressing her. She walked up slowly to him and licked his hand and wagging her tail. It was rare that she could make new friends after the attack. She walked off and came back with a small ball of string dropping it at his feet.

[Assistant]
Illium Vethlot - Helgen

At first glance the room beyond the door seemed disorderly and messy. Illium had been inside on more than one occasion and could explain in great detail how organized everything was beyond the initial shock of seeing things everywhere. As the door to Casimer's house swung open, Illium's head turned back around to peer at his friend. The man had obviously just stopped working, or atleast took a break to answer the door, when he had arrived. Then again, Cas did give a time of day to have it delivered.

When the other man's gaze turned away from himself, Illium turned once more to look towards Helena's. The thought crossed his mind that they wouldn't send anyone with aid, but then he turned back to address the man with a question.

"We did send a runner to Whiterun with a message saying we'd been attacked, right?"

[User]
Casimer Demetrius-Kahn - Helgen

His brow furrowed deeper at the question. With a weary sigh, he shrugged his shoulders.

"No one's told me anything."

He peered out again towards Helena's, his features adapting a more thoughtful expression. "But Helena will know.". With that, the Imperial took a step back, allowing Illium access to his home. "And if you have the time, we can get that metal stacked over here" - one hand jerked to point in the direction of the small stack Illium had spotted earlier - "and then head down."

[Assistant] "Alright. Perhaps I shall check in the store. I suppose guarding the town is a worthy endeavor in light of attack here." Ardashir shrugged and padded his way over the the store, where he found Valrona and some others.

[User]
Wolfgang finished up blessing the temple and organizing the furnishings, which were for now just a bed for himself and some shrines since he had spent most of his money on the temple itself. He made a mental note that at some point seats would need to be added but until then those who entered would have to kneel to pray.

Wolfgang walked outside equipped in his full set of gear, the town was half destroyed of course but considering its state it was bustling with many people, even an argonian and a khajiit had made their way here. He walked up to two people talking "Hello brothers, I am Knight Protector Wolfgang Vestenheimer. I've recently built a temple here and it now serves as a headquarters for the The Knights of Aedra and Protectors of the Blessed" Deciding on the spot that was the name for the order which was a mash up of the two names he was considering "I invite you to come pray sometime soon, and if either of you are the fighting sort perhaps you would be inclined to join?"

@GrizzTheMauler

[Assistant] Cedus followed Ardashir to the general store. The Argonian had won his friendship. He was quite an interesting fellow, in his opinion. And most likely brilliant at fighting. "Would you like to go on an adventure soon?"

[User] Corinth chuckles. "I would be interested. The god I serve is Talos, like my father and the ones before him. No matter what the damn Thalmor have to say about it. I am Corinth Frozen-Hammer, I am currently the Captain of the Guard here in Helgen."

[Assistant]
Vauldis viewed the ruined town before him. He had noticed the wreckage the previous night, he had also noticed the group attempting to rebuild the town. This could be an opportunity to gain some renown in the province. And renown can attract admirers. Admirers can become servants. Or food.
Approaching the ruined town, he observed it from a closer distance. There were several buildings already being constructed, the necromancer noted the church with disdain I should burn that if I get the chance, who knows what trouble those Divine worshipers could cause for me.
As the argonian reached centre of the town he looked around where he noticed many of the townsfolk entering a store. He followed, grasping some of his concoctions from his robe as he did. Entering the building, he spoke with a somewhat weak and raspy voice "Does anybody require an old alchemists service? I noticed the activity around the town and thought you would appreciate any help you could get." Vauldis noticed the young argonian wearing hide armor, presuming he was a fighter, he revealed a red poison vial He added the last part of his sentence hesitantly, he knew little about his races traditions but he was sure they refer'd to each other in such a way.

[User]
@DriveEMOut

"An adventure? Sure. We can call it a hunt. If any of you need to find an excuse to go off to war, you can call it that." Ardashir flexed his clawed toes, a sign of enthusiasm for a trip among argonians. "And yes, I would appreciate any and all help I can get. I was thinking we could raid a ruin not too far from here. One of those old nordic barrows. Maybe do some actual hunting if we have time."

[Assistant] "Sounds good. Would you like to go now?" Cedus was shifting balance back and forth between his feet, bursting with anticipation. His sword and pack were strapped to him. He had several rations in his pack, as well as a canteen and a compass. He had been waiting for the right time, and now seemed to present itself as such.

[User] "I'm ready, so if you are, yes. I have my weapons on me. Got some magic too. If this goes well, maybe I'll buy a new longbow, or maybe get one from one of the enemies we're going to face." Ardashir opened the door and walked out of the building.


[System]
Age: 16
Occupation: Student
Appearance:

Personality:
Despite a mean-looking exterior, Riku's nicer than he looks. Well, he is to people he knows and trusts, anyway. To the rest of the world... he's more or less about as cold and unapproachable as he looks. Not from any sort of malice or hatred, mind you. Riku simply values his privacy and prefers to be left to his own devices more often than not. There are some nasty actions that he won't tolerate if they are done in front of him, but otherwise he's content to shrug his shoulders and mind his own business. It's only by delving into his views on Gunpla does one begin to understand how he thinks beneath the rough shell. He's come to think of Gunpla as an art form, viewing the plastic as merely a 3 dimensional canvas upon which a builder can express their thoughts and feelings if they so desire. This extends to his Gunpla itself, which almost seems to have different specs and paint jobs on a regular basis, often reflecting the mood he was in that day while working on it. But unlike most builders - who shy away from battles for fear of damaging their builds - Riku is quite the opposite, viewing Gunpla Battles as an extension of the art. He believes that how the machine moves or looks while battling can convey much about what the pilot is thinking or feeling much like with building. He has no problem whatsoever taking his builds into battle and even seeing them destroyed as a result of it. For him, that's merely an opportunity to rebuild, redesign, or even start over from scratch. Who wouldn't want to take that kind of opportunity to exercise their creative juices?

Background:
Riku didn't always dress and act like a metal head. That actually started right around when he was 12 or 13. Before then, he was surprisingly normal. The change was almost certainly brought about by his dad up and leaving the family. Riku never did learn why, and after spending enough time never getting a clear answer from his mom, he stopped caring about it. It didn't help that all this was coupled with what seemed like the beginning of a rebellious streak, Riku barely ever doing as he was told at home or in school. With frustrations building up, he vented it in the only way he could figure out how: art. Well, he called it art, others called it graffiti. He started tagging walls all over his neighborhood, and even the door of his locker at school. It got him into trouble more than once. The school principal even threatened expulsion if he didn't make weekly visits to the counselor's office, apparently thinking that would lead to a solution for the problem. Honestly, Riku's behavior only worsened as a result of this, but only briefly. It turned out the counselor wasn't a half-bad guy, usually just letting Riku vent to him however he wanted. And after a few weeks, he finally had an idea he offered to Riku.

The counselor, as it turned out, was a Gunpla fan. He showed Riku one of his prize Gunplas, a crimson Gelgoog fashioned after the one piloted by Char. He suggested Riku look into acquiring one for himself, noting that his desire to vent and express himself could be done so in Gunpla building. He wrote an address and said Riku should check the place out if he was ever interested. Riku brushed it off at first, but later that weekend decided to go to the place anyway if just to humor the counselor. That was about a year ago, and Riku has since become a very prolific builder and battler of Gunpla. He's built and rebuilt several creations, so many in fact he started keeping an album of sorts filled with pictures and specs for his previous builds, calling it his Catalogue. And with all this, he also became a staunch regular at the Iori Shopping Center, though because of his tough/heavy-metal looking exterior, he's not approached often by other builders or pilots. The staff are friendly enough toward him though, at least after the few visits anyway.

~Piloting Ability~

- Battle Sense: 3
- Perception: 3
- Mechanical Knowledge: 4
Other Skills: He has a knack for sensing what his opponents may be thinking or feeling based on analyzing their Gunpla designs and how they move them in battle. He isn't always spot on, but the skill has been surprisingly helpful in beating his opponent through mind games.

Name: KRB-7N Metal Angel
Model: Gundam AGE-1 Titus

~Stats~

-Destructive Power: 7
-Defense: 5
-Mobility: 6
-Energy Output: 7
Description: A moderate customization of the AGE-1 Titus, Metal Angel lives up to its namesake by making heavy use of brutal hand-to-hand attacks utilizing strategically placed beam emitters on key body parts to maximize damage. Of course, that alone is not it's full capability. Metal Angel's hands, feet, and shoulder parts are equipped with extra particle emitters. These emitters allow for increased energy output in those specific body parts. When activated, the emitted particles give the appearance of brilliant glowing fists and feet, and a brief projection of particle energy wings from the shoulders. The form has come to be known as God Hand Mode, providing a brief boost in striking power and mobility, just long enough to perform a final flurry of blows as a finishing attack.
Weapons: Beam Lariat, Beam Shoulder Tackle, Beam Knee Kick, DODS Rifle, and God Hand Mode.

Name: KRB-6R Shin Musha Hyaku Shiki
Model: Shin Musha Gundam + MSN-00100 Hyaku Shiki

~Stats~

-Destructive Power: 8
-Defense: 5
-Mobility: 7
-Energy Output: 5
Description: A more heavily customized kit-bash of the Shin Musha Gundam and Hyaku Shiki. It appears to be armed only with a single sword, named Izanagi. But that one single sword serves as the crux for the Build's entire bag of tricks. Izanagi's blade has been laced with Particle Alteration Coating, a principle originally pioneered by the famous Nils Yajima of Nielson Labs and Yajima Trading. The coating allows the sword to deflect most smaller beam shots and even cut through most of the commonly used energy/particle shields such as GN-Fields and I-Fields. In addition, the base of Izanagi's hilt has been reinforced with a Particle Absorption Coating, giving the weapon the capability of absorbing a small percentage of the particle energy from beam attacks it comes into contact with. The overall strategy is to allow this absorption of particles to gradually drain the energy reserves of his opponent while also slowly recharging the Shin Musha Hyaku Shiki's own energy without the need to stop and recharge. As a final measure, stored up excess energy can be released in the form of the Shin Musha Hyaku Shiki's signature technique, the Shining Flash, in which the blade of the sword radiates with the particles it's absorbed and releases it in the form of a hyper-charged sword strike capable of slicing through even the larger Mobile Armors and even some Warships.
Weapons: Izanagi (main weapon), Anti-Beam Coating (armor)

Name: KRB-8B Manticore
Model: OZ-06MS Leo

~Stats~

-Destructive Power: 7
-Defense: 7
-Mobility: 5
-Energy Output: 6
Description: A slight customization of a Leo made during the lead up to the Free For All Takemori Locals Tournament. Like its original counterpart, it's intended to be used for a variety of roles in squad based combat and can serve just about any of those roles based on whatever arsenal it is given prior to deployment. Due to this versatility that allows it to function as a commando unit with different faces depending on different combat roles, it has been given the name Manticore - after a mythical creature similarly capable of different animal feats that it is a hybrid of.
Weapons: HWF GR·MLR79-90mm Long Rifle, Twin Beam Cannons (shoulders), 2 Tri-Pod Missile Launchers (legs), and a retractable Heat Rod (wrist mounted)

[User]
Kishimoto Arcade, Local Tournament.
@Crimson Lion - Seize your Play!

There was such intense feelings on the field. Gunpla is more than just a game, he remembered an old teammate saying. Its a true-blue bond that brings strangers together. More and more he was fighting off an unusual aching in his heart. A force wanting to be violently let out. It was manifesting he realized in several ways, excitement mostly but also impatience and cockiness. But it seemed as if all these aspects were wanting to pull together and that this match was doing just that.

The Baelstrom strode upwards in its flight-mode, the thrusters burning blue, its hull shaking with age. Silence dotted the team's communication after Hachiyama's sudden attack and declaration. Witnessing such raw emotion set something in Ryoichi on fire. He felt like he was burning up, as if a rolling heat was building in his chest; ready to explode if he would let it out. So he held himself together... really tried to keep it in his heart where he could nurture it. He tempered his cold exterior and his face scrunched up with that hot resolve.

A crooked smile pulled his lips as he rediscovered the great truth of Gunpla battle. That it was designed to let one play with all their heart and feelings. So that Hachiyama could be enraged, so that Char-chan could be unacceptably arrogant, and so that he could be searching for his lost joy. And still... they were playing a harmless game.

"Nice shot, Hachiyama-san. Now let the Metal Devil end this parlor show!" he replied, eyeing the knelt Mobile Armor from on high.

The Baelstrom pivoted fluidly from its accelerated climb before falling straight down towards the crimson Scorpio. Shreds of metal paint was peeling off, the optics of the suit shone--for once--with a mighty glow as it brandished a green beam saber. A shink! and clank resounded as the long blade of the Trikeros Kai extended and its bulky oblong shape slid from the Baelstrom's arm. The deteriorated suit swiftly grasped it before it could get away, plunging it first into the Mobile Armor's head unit. In the same motion he landed in front of the kneeling Scorpio. A wave of dust sweeping outwards from the controlled fall.

Ryoichi found himself oddly exhausted at the controls as he pulled the Baelstrom's beam saber back and skewered the cockpit. Through the contact communication, as the orange, red, and black of the blazing forest reached the overarching sky, Ryoichi offered the man a rare smirk that reached his eyes, "Gee-Gee, Red Virgo... This may seem sappy but I want to thank you for helping me rediscover something lost. This match was awesome."

[Assistant] Blade stood there as he stretched and he smiled and went over to Naoki said," yes I've been building Snow white for a while now she's an upgraded version of the gundam wing." He said holding onto the new gunpla. As he looks into the crowd. " Our first victory! We won guys." He looks at everyone and smiles.

[User]
Kishimoto Arcade
Lion

They... won? They won! That went surprisingly well, all things considered. But Riku wouldn't complain. He actually had detected the location of the Taurus units but when the Full Armor was shot down that was no longer relevant. Team Imagine Victory won by virtue of eliminating the enemy team members.

It looked like the other battle hadn't end yet, and so their team would have a brief window of time to perform repairs or make other relevant preparations for the next battle. Good thing, too, because that first round made it perfectly clear that Riku needed to think about more heavily arming his Gunpla. The Shin Musha Hyaku Shiki was, in its current form, a one-trick pony - albeit a very powerful one. Maybe it could do with having a back up weapon or two, just in case something happened to the Izanagi in the middle of the next battle? The Manticore needed to be equipped better for aerial combat, but as there was no time for that much of an overhaul, the surfboard shield would simply have to do.

Hmm... by this point Riku was looking over the spare weapons and parts he'd brought with him. Eventually he hurriedly removed the twin beam cannons from the Manticore's shoulders and replaced them with two entirely different weapons. One was a Hyper Bazooka that was equipped to the left shoulder, and the other was a Dober Gun that was equipped to the right shoulder. He also took the beam shield generator off the arm of a Victory Gundam and used super glue to fit it to the left arm of the Manticore. Unfortunately, there was no time to apply any paint changes, meaning the beam shield projector, bazooka, and dober gun would all retain their default colors. Also, Riku couldn't find any weapons he could really add to the Shin Musha's arsenal, but he wondered if Naoki had brought any extra parts or weapons he might be willing to loan out?

"Hey, uh... Naoki?" Riku asked him, seemingly out of nowhere, "Did you happen to bring any extra weapon parts with you? I think my Shin Musha could use a backup weapon or two, but none of the weapons I brought seem like they would suit it. I was hoping you might have one I could borrow for the fight against Seo's team."

He had also been listening in on the talk concerning the Mercs. They certainly sounded as tough as he guessed they would be, if not more so. Seemed to even have Takemori worried and wanting them to come up with a new strategy. Well... the only one Riku could offer was one that they may not want to resort to, "I'm pretty sure the Yamato's trump card could probably wipe them out. Though I can't help but feel like it would be a waste to use that much power on just two enemy Gunpla."


[System]
Age: 27 (?)

Appearance:
Personality: A rugged and gruff man, Harry much prefers to spend time tinkering with his latest find or tuning up his cycle than chatting with others. Dedicated and fiercely loyal Harry's always one of the first to step in and break up a fight, especially when he thinks someone's unfairly outnumbered or outclassed.

Skills: Mechanical engineering and maintenance, expert off-road motorcycle rider, skilled tracker and outdoorsman, experienced sniper and pistol marksman

Non-standard Abilities:
Bionic Implants: Cybernetic Eye: Harry has never revealed exactly what his eye lets him see and the best anyone's ever gotten him to admit is that it's considerably better than his old organic one. Observers have noted that he seems to be able to see through walls and have deduced that the eye has some level of backscatter x-ray detection along with enhanced night vision and thermal detection.

Equipment:
Rail Rifle: A heavily modified longarm sniper rifle whose barrel has been modified with electromagnetic charge coils which launch small metallic objects, commonly nails, at its target with high accuracy at extreme ranges. Sue to the long charge time for each shot (approximately 1.7 seconds) the Rail Rifle is best used as a sniper rifle, where plenty of time can be taken to line up the perfect shot.

Little Nelly: A custom built blaster pistol which fires concentrated bursts of densely packed negatively charged ions which can overload most electrical systems, including most biological nervous systems, with a single blaster. Charge time on the pistol (0.8 seconds) makes it best for single shot use, but it can be switched to autofire mode with considerable loss of power with each shot.

Radcycle: Custom built all-terrain single seat vehicle with short-range VTOL hover unit. The Radcycle was built from spare parts, salvage and 'acquired' technology by Harry over the course of many years and he's usually found making adjustments and refinements to its design whenever he has a free moment. While the cycle mainly uses its dual wheels for propulsion it is also fitted with an anti-grav coil which is usually used to lower the vehicle's mass, increasing its cruising speed and allowing for easier handling over rough terrain. In a pinch the coil can be overcharged to allow the bike to perform impressive jumps and even fly for short distances, although Harry would be the first to admit the reliability of the flight systems makes driving a much safer option in most circumstances.

'Wrench': Harry almost always wears a power generator backpack with a multitool attachment on an extending arm. He mostly uses this when repairing and maintaining his equipment and occasionally seems to argue with the device as though it were a living thing, but this may just be an anthropomorphisation of his tools. The backpack also contains a long-range scanner capable of detecting most known unshielded power sources upto a kilometer away, along with valuable metals and other technological items.

'Tablet': Seeing the need for data exchange, information management and gaming apps Harry built himself a simple but effective portable computer. Fitted with numerous data interfaces the Tablet can access most known network protocols and data feeds, along with acting as a messaging and extranet terminal. When not in use Harry normally carries the Tablet in a custom made carrying pouch slung over his shoulder, or just in whatever bag or satchel he happens to be carrying at the time.

Bio: As Harry rarely speaks of his past in any great detail no-one's exactly sure where he's originally from. Although he appears to be human at times he's mentioned a mixed race heritage, although whether this was merely in jest has yet to be confirmed. What is known is that at a young age Harry found himself alone in the world, force to scavenge for food and supplies. Early on he discovered a knack with mechanical devices which would serve him well over the years.

Constantly on the move, Harry has adapted well to a nomadic lifestyle, learning how to live off the land and hunt for food, as well as how to survive the sometimes harsh wasteland conditions he travels through. At some point one of his inventions would've literally blown up in his face, requiring him to have his left eye replaced with a cybernetic implant. Exactly where and when this had been done is something he doesn't like to talk about much, but then again he doesn't like to talk about anything very much, apart from technology.

Quote: "I ran out of red wires so I just used green for everything. That won't be a problem, right?"

[User]
"More than I've ever seen, that's cute. I've been pulling wrecks since before you were born."

"Well, more in one place, maybe, not total. If it's as fresh as I hope, neither of us will have to worry about money for a while."

"Getting past their security will be a pain though, it always is. Sounds good to me but we'll need a bit of muscle too. Assuming it's in good condition we'll need someone to carry the heavier equipment since Zathurans use fairly dense materials on their military ships."

"True. And I doubt any of the exoskeletons are left in the cargo hold." Exoskeletons were valuable and in high demand due to the fact that they could roughly triple the amount you could lift. For that matter, they could triple the strength of your punch too. "As for some extra muscle, I'd look for an out of work security guard or caravan guard, maybe an anti-raider. There aren't many bounty hunters or mercs I'd trust on a job like this." Anti-raiders did to raiders and slavers what raiders and slavers did to normal people, and unlike bounty hunters, they didn't wait until enough people had been attacked or killed that the local law enforcment put a bounty out. Many raider camps had been slaughtered and looted by anti-raider parties. Because the anti-raiders didn't hurt non-outlaws, towns didn't mind having them around. "So, which one of us should go find one? We'll also need a trailer to haul stuff in. One of us will need to rent or buy one. And the Jeep will need a recharge, as the wreck is north of Houston and I don't want to risk running out of power out of power in a rad zone."

[Assistant]
Neptune stepped outside, knowing full well that the two individuals inside couldn't get out any way except through him. He waved a few guards and a wagon over to take away the captives. The wagon was for the wounded one. "Let's have these two put away for a bit. Alcohol may or may not have influenced their actions, and I want to find out." Neptune was fully aware of what happened to people who committed capital crimes, and if alcohol wasn't involved, they would definitely be let go with a simple ban from the bar. If not, well...

The town couldn't afford to hold any prisoners for long, since there were only two rudimentarily put together cells. He just hoped that they were under the influence. Odd to think about at first, but at least they'd get a second chance. He began walking down the road again, whistling Yankee Doodle and hoping the rest of the day was calm.

[User] "Qasan T'Lora..." She touched her right hand to her forehead and bowed slightly as is customary for her people. "...that all sounds like a good plan but I'm beat. I could use a rest and a good drink." She stretched her arms out and leaned back against her old jeep. Surely he wouldn't mind if they waited until the early morning. It was already getting late and a few hours rest would do her (and probably him too since he walked) a world of good. "Besides, if you want muscle in any town you start with the bar!" She smiled to herself, even if it was true she was still using it as an excuse to get drunk. It had been too long since T'Lora tasted a drop of anything other than recycled water and it was time to fix that. She started to climb back in the jeep. "Do you want to come along or should I just meet you somewhere?"

[Assistant]
"Sure." said Has'la. "Has'la Robinson." He held out his hand. "I've never really needed extra muscle for a job, but you seem to know better than me what to look for. I'll put a listing on the 'net, see if any ex security or caravan guards are looking, but I'll have them meet us in the bar at sundown. I'll meet you there as soon as I unload some junk and buy or rent a trailer for us. Shouldn't take long."
After the conversation was over he walked into the general store she had just left and traded in the junk he had salvaged on the way for a few Valn. He then walked around the town until he found a trailer that met his needs. "Are you looking to sell?" he asked the old man who was unloading scrap steel from it.
"Depends on how much you're offering." said the old man. "I still need the jeep, but I can borrow a trailer if I need one."
After settling on a price, he arranged to pick it up tonight and went to the bar. There he found T'lora and sat down, ordering something to eat.
"So, find anyone interesting yet?"

[User]
The light was dimming and the Radcycle grumbled between Harry's legs as he crested the last hill and looked down over the town in the distance. It didn't look like much this far out, a cluster of prefab dwellings with a couple of more permanent structures at the heart of the town, most likely the bank and the jail if he guessed right. Not that he cared that much, there wouldn't be many in a town this far out from the central cities that'd be interested in the wares he had to offer.

Turning the handlebars Harry kicked the bike up into high gear, heading for the cluster of turbines scattered further along the rise. It always paid off to make an entrance in small settlements like this, especially when your guns were clearly holstered at your side. Not that Harry intended to threaten them in any way, but the sight of the longarm often helped get a good price for some of his scrap, if only to ensure he left quickly without having to draw the weapon.

Pulling up beside the sales booth Harry kicked the cycle into parking before hauling himself up out of the saddle. He'd been driving for the better part of three days and his legs were still tingling from the constant vibrations the bike's electric engine gave off as it ran. Taking a moment to rub some lift back into his tired muscles Harry reached down and tightened the exo-brace which helped keep his leg together, or at least that's the impression it gave. In truth his legs were just as good, if not better, than most human's his age. He'd been told that was part of the genetic inheritance he'd gained from his father's side of the family, not that he'd ever bothered to ask exactly what that meant.

Moving to the back of his vehicle Harry quickly yanked a large satchel up onto his shoulder before reaching down with both hands and hauling an old engine block up from the storage compartment. With an over-acted shuffle he quickly made his way over to the counter, waiting a moment as the attendant cleared some space for him before setting the heavy piece of machinery down.

"There you go Simon," Harry said smugly, "One Lightning engine, as promised."

"You're a wonder Harry," The attendant replied warmly, rising up from his seat to examine his new prize with obvious excitement. His eyes lit up a moment later as he stroked his hands down the side of the micro-element manifold. "Damn... flawless manifold, almost all shock plugs still intact... where'd you find this?"

Harry shook his head with a smile, "You know better than to ask things like that Simon. All I can say is that there's no previous owner likely to come looking for it." With that Harry pulled a battered old tablet from his satchel and with a swipe of his finger brought up his financial management program. "Now, as for business..?"

"No problem," Simon said, his iPhone already in hand as he tapped in the credit transfer. A moment later Harry nodded happily as the payment registered on his pad.

"Got something else for you too, prime grade power cells." Pulling the satchel mouth wider Harry let Simon take a peak at the high-capacity cells piled inside, each gleaming as if they'd only just come off of the assembly line. In truth they were all refurbished and drained, but with as little charging they'd work just as good as they looked.

Simon shook his head sadly. "I'd love to take them from you Harry, but business ain't too good right now and this has wiped out my readies. Best I can do is point you to a fella in town, he was in a earlier today looking for high-cap cells and had the look of someone who'd be looking to settle for the night. If you're lucky he might still be looking to trade."

"Yeah?" Harry said, tucking his tablet back in the pouch as he glanced down the road towards the town. "He look good for the money?"

"He was wearing a fancy wrist-comp and said he was gonna be buying an ion charge cell, so he'll have some scratch to play with. Best hurry though, might not want to buy if you leave it too long."

Harry smiled, a customer with ready cash, always a good thing for a scavenger. "Thanks for the tip. See ya soon."

With that Harry turned back to the Radcycle, stowing the power cells in back before kicking the engine into life. Moment later he was speeding down the roadway into the town, heading for the town centre. As he pulled up he spotted the sparse crowd clustered around the old truck belonging to a trader he'd dealt with a few times in the past, not always with a mutually agreeable outcome. Turning away from the market Harry made his way towards the bar with his satchel hanging down at his side.

Stepping through the door he could see the usually evening crowd clustered at their usual tables. In one corner a card game of some sort had started up and already several knick-knacks and gadgets were resting piled in the middle of the table. A quick glance told him the gadgets were all low-quality junk, including a couple of pieces he recognised as his own finds from a few weeks earlier. Turning away he was about to head back out the door when he spotted a rough looking man sitting with a Blueberry off to one side. He didn't recognise either of them, but the man's wrist-comp was distinctive.

'What the hell,' He thought to himself, 'It's worth a shot at least.'

Lifting his arm in the air with a friendly wave, which also gave everyone a good view of the custom stunner hanging from his belt, just in case, Harry called out to the man as he stepped up towards the table. "Hey there! You the guy looking for high-cap power cells?"


[System]
Sol Grim
Occupation: Lawyer

Name: Kelsey Larson
Dallen's daughter. Student.

Name: Lucille "Lucy" Carlson
Dallen's girlfriend. Lawyer.

Name: Riley Nelson
Dallen's partner and friend. Lawyer.

Court house lead security officer.

Court house security guard.

One of the cafeteria room survivors. There on misdemeanor charges. Steel worker.

The little girl that that was stuck in the cabinet.

Student at Romero high school.

Football quarterback at Romero High

Pastor of the church

Leader of the Ranger Station group

Ranger station member

Bartender. Ranger station member.

[User]
"Not a very good question..." Tyler let slip out.

Dallen gave him a glare, then left the two of them to their own. He started walking back toward the stairwell, but a small group of people stood in his way. At the front of them was the man from the elevators, his steelworker uniform and nametag now clear to see: Buck Harrington.

"Listen mister, we're gonna need more than a 'just wait for help' type of solution," he said. "If we really are trapped, this food situation's not gonna cut it! Who puts you all in charge anyway?"

 "I don't have any answers,"  Dallen replied. He started walking through the people, there was a slight hesitation, but they let him pass through easily enough.

He walked under the security camera, the doors unlocked, and he went back in.

8 pm Day 1

"The entire city is on fire," Judge Williams said. She was staring out one of the large windows that wrapped around the building.

"The city is on lockdown, too," Briggs spoke. "The bridges are raised. This thing might be contained solely to Mecha city."

"Wh--what does that mean?" his fellow security guard asked, a young apprentice named Steven Burwell.

 "It means the military might bomb us, any minute now,"  Dallen said cooly, he was leaned against a desk and smoking a cigarette.  "How's that radio working?"

"It's dead, nothing but-" the kid started, he turned the radio on as he spoke, halting when he heard a voice on the other end. He quickly found the frequency, then connected the broadcast to the airwaves of the building. The voice on the other end turned on every loudspeaker throughout. It was a loop.

"...this is happening because we have sinned...we did not listen...the flood has come...when there is no more room left in hell, the dead will walk the earth..."

"The fog is still out there..." Riley told Dallen, a glum look on his face.

"...this is our reckoning...the dead will rule the world..."

"Turn that shit off!" Judge Williams finally shouted. She was clearly having a massive headache, as she then ran off to her quarters for the night.

The broadcast was shut off. Everyone seemed to go their own ways afterward, all staying relatively quiet. They had no choice but to wait it out until tomorrow.

"I'm scared for Kelsey," Lucy said. Her, Dallen and Riley had their own corner of the floor. "...what if..."

 "Don't,"  Dallen said.  "Just don't. Get some rest if you can..."  He turned himself to lay down on the carpet. The thoughts of his daughter were already burning in his mind. He wanted to think that she was still safe, hiding in her school classroom. A quick look outside the thick windows told otherwise.

[Assistant]
Sleeping on the floor with nothing but the clothes on her back wasn't comfortable though a very nice man offered her to use his jacket as a blanket while Tyler complained about the loss of his during his run to the elevator. She accepted the offer though ended up using it as a pillow rather than a blanket and Elizabeth still didn't sleep well that night.

The next morning everyone was fed from what they had in stock. Someone had gone through already to ration out the food, not knowing how long they were going to be there. Since they were only in there a day, the portions were still generous though as time went on they would undoubtedly get smaller. Maybe even non-existent.

"I should be upstairs with the other big wigs. Why am I stuck down here with you nobodies?" Tyler asked, looking dejected as he picked at his food.

Elizabeth popped hers in her mouth and then, upon seeing that Tyler wasn't eating his, reached over to take some off his plate. Pretending to think about his question, she finally replied, "Maybe because you suck and no one likes you."

The man scowled which caused her to grin; she was amused. Unable to eat due to the stress, he pushed his plate away and she happily took it from him. Things were going well until he said, "You can be such a bitch, Lizzy." Then the smile quickly vanished from her face.

"I told you not to call me that," she warned, her eyes narrowed in his direction. The fry she held hung limp, but she would throw it if she had to.

Now it was his turn to annoy her. "Lizzy, Lizzy, Lizzy," he said. It was a pet peeve of hers whenever someone called her anything other than Elizabeth. Only a select few could get away with it and Tyler was not one of them. She'd much rather he continue calling her a bitch. She arched the fry in his direction and he flinched as it hit his chest. It was the only thing he ate.

But as soon as Ava sat down at the table things became calm. They minded themselves around her, but mostly because she was the nice one. A calm and rational head on her shoulders, the two of them tended to look towards her for guidance even if she didn't know anything more than the rest of them.

"Hear anything new?" Tyler asked.

The woman frowned and shook her head. "No. They're keeping things pretty quiet. I heard one of the security staff talk about fixing up a radio, but I don't think they ever got it to work." She gave them an apologetic look feeling guilty that she couldn't bring them better news. It wasn't her fault though and neither of them held it against her.

Down on the 32nd floor, they hadn't been privy to much information which made the others unhappy. People wanted to leave, get home, and see their families. All Elizabeth wanted was to know if her son was okay, but even when someone had let her use their telephone, there wasn't any signal. She hadn't been able to get in touch with anyone and inside she was a complete wreck. But she was trying her best to hold up—something she was finding difficult without her usual vices.

"I can't stay locked up in here," she sighed.

It was perhaps the only thing she and Tyler could agree on. "No one wants to be here," he said. "But how do we get out?" Glancing between the two of them, he asked, "Do we even know what the situation in the lobby is like? Are they still down there?"

As bad as it was, as far as they knew, they were the only three to make it out of the lobby and they hadn't heard anything about it since. A few people had asked them what had happened, but none of them wanted to talk about it. No one understood what they had been through down there or knew how bad it really was—which was why the three of them mostly took to conversing amongst themselves, even if two of them didn't get along.

[User]
Day 2 morning

Shifts were taken throughout the night. When it was Dallen's turn, he watched the dead on level 1. He watched them until he noticed a few patterns. They were attracted to the various blinking lights. When no people were around, the undead seemed to just stay in place. He rewound the tape of Elizabeth's escape, clenching his teeth as he saw the chaos unfold again. Then he noticed something he did not expect. He rewound again, just to make sure. There was a little girl, his daughter's age. Her mother hid her into a low cabinet just before she was devoured by the dead. That little girl is still in there!

With the morning came the sun. The fog had seemingly disappeared completely, leaving the building in rays of sunlight. The streets were littered with the dead, a massive amount of infected just wandering around aimlessly. The comms stopped working again, and the group moral was very low.

Dallen showed them all what he had found, and to his surprise he received mixed feelings on the matter. Most thought it would be suicide, but Dallen was persistent. In the end, a plan was made.

Noon

The doors to the lobby had been opened. From the 35th floor, flares were shot out to the streets. A lot of the dead inside the lobby began to follow after the distractrion, and when a good number were through, the doors locked again. The rest would have to be dealt with up close.

Dallen and Briggs came down to the 32nd floor to speak with everyone. It had been awhile since anyone heard word, but regardless, none of them were going to like what was about to be said.

"The situation is still the same," Briggs told everyone. "Worse, actually. We're looking for volunteers." He would use his own security team, but unfortunately he and Steven were the only two not working the floor room.

"For what...?" Buck asked.

 "There's a little girl still alive on the first floor,"  Dallen told them.  "She's trapped. We're going to get her, could use some back up."

A small outburst of emotion struck everyone, as an argument was beginning. Briggs held his hands up and gave off a few yells to calm them all back to speaking level again. "Does anyone volunteer, this poor little girl has been in a cabinet this entire time. You think you had it bad, well now we all do. We're not savages people, we were all civilized human beings 24 hours ago."

"It's not about being a decent human being," Buck fumed. "There is a virus down there turning people into creatures! What if it's airborne and you all bring it back up here? The fog came for a reason. It brought the virus."

 "I was trapped outside on the balcony when the fog came,"  Dallen assured the man.  "I've breathed it in, and I'm fine. As long as I'm fine, I'm going to try to get that little girl. Will any of you help us?"

They looked around the room, it quickly turned eerily quiet.

[Assistant]
After eating, everyone was called together for an update. Everyone gathered around to hear what the security guard had to say with hopeful faces that they would be let out. The new grim, it wasn't long before they all began bickering. Tyler shouted along side them even though what he was yelling didn't exactly make sense to Elizabeth; she didn't see how opening the gates to let them out would help anyone. Not when there was a bigger threat on the first floor to deal with first.

Glaring in the security guard's direction as he spoke, it felt like he was undermining exactly what she'd been through down stairs in the lobby. Bristling as she clinched her fist and took a step forward, it was the touch of Ava's hand gently touching her arm that kept her held back. Gritting her teeth she remained quiet, but she didn't think the people up here could compare with what any of them had seen downstairs. It just wasn't the same. Those screams and the vivid images of all those people dying would forever haunt her nightmares for the rest of her days.

That didn't mean that she wasn't in support of saving a little girl. In fact, it made her want to help even more. No child should be stranded down there and had she known about it then she might have died trying to get to her yesterday. Maybe it was because she was a mother herself, even if her son lived with his father, but she could feel her maternal instincts tugging at the thought of a child in danger.

Everyone had fallen quiet as they looked around at each other. No one was willing to risk it. "Seriously?" she demanded, looking around the room at each of the faces in disbelief. "There's a little girl down there and you all would rather let her die?" It hadn't even been a day and these people were ready to start throwing one another to the wolves already.

Taking another step forward out of Ava's reach, Elizabeth went to stand beside Dallen. "I'll go," she volunteered. She wasn't going to be a coward.

"Wait," Ava said quickly before turning to Tyler.

The two of them spoke to each other in hushed voices. He looked upset about something and even mad. Wondering what his problem was, she found out when he flatly stated, "We'll help, too." It was obvious that he didn't want to go, but she'd somehow talked him into it. And since it didn't look like anyone else was stepping in, they needed all of the help they could get.

[User]
The only three people to survive the first floor massacre were the only ones willing to go back. It immediately said something about each of their character to Dallen, as he gave a nod for the help. The five of them went back to the armory, each getting a weapon and a short tutorial on how to use them. Or rather, how not to shoot yourself.

"Do not! I repeat, DO NOT shoot me!!" Briggs told them all as distinctly as he could. "Only fire at the dead!! We don't even know if they can be killed yet!"

 "That's first,"  Dallen said.  "We lure one into the staircase with us, then we figure out if we can kill it."  He already hated referring to the dead walkers as 'it', but they definitely weren't human anymore.

"And if we can't kill it..." Briggs took over. "...we run back to you. You are our back-up. Don't kill us, please!"

Once the group all had their weapons ready, they were granted access through the stairwell, all of them taking their own pace as they descended further down the building and closer to what could easily be all of their deaths. Other than each of their voices, it was dead silent going down the dark stairs.

Briggs led the way down, he kept a slow pace and held an automatic shotgun before him. A flashlight was attached at the end of the weapon, showing the way forward for all of them. He was a silent and loyal man, though has been referred to as a teddy bear to those closest to him. His mind was focused on the task before them, but he couldn't help the thoughts of his family that kept pouring into his mind. So many people were dead, he knew he had to keep his mind sharp and his eyes trained.

Dallen trailed behind him, he took a belt holster and equipped it with a glock 43. In his hand he carried a security baton that extended, while he also took a tactical knife that was stuck on the other end of his belt. He walked nearest to Elizabeth.

 "Thank you,"  he said to her, but really meant that to all of them. He didn't know the little girl he was going to try to help, but it gave him some hope that others out there would help a little girl that was trapped no matter what. He hoped someone was helping his daughter, that she was safe somewhere.  "To escape yesterday and volunteer to go back to help someone else, it says a lot. I apparently misjudged you. I thought you were just a wild, drunk party girl."  He had dealt with very similar dui cases in the past, and couldn't help his judgements. He spoke plainly because things were different now.  "Nice to know which of us has a backbone."


[System]
Appearance:

Age: 22

Major: Ecology

Part Time Job: Arcadia Arcade

* Earning $9/hour and works Wednesdays and Fridays from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM

Money: Total Funds are $900.00

* Cash: $63.78
* Account: $836.22

Residence:

* Lives with parents in Breezy Hills.

Family:

* Kazehana Sato - Mother, 46, Real Estate Agent
* Mamoru Sato - Father, 49, Automotive Engineer

Hobbies:

* Gaming – Anything and everything. Got some unresolved frustrations with a few impossible brainteasers that need solving? Maybe an immersive RPG that will keep away the sun for days on end? How about one of those first-person shooters all the kids are playing… guaranteed to be filled with hoards of zombies no less?

* Biking – Not all things are fun and games. Some hobbies are just plain fun, and a fantastic way to sightsee around the town. Traveling by bike is Kazumi's preferred mode of transportation when by herself, though other modes are happily accepted, especially on those brutal weather days.

* Baking – Ah, baking. Those highly addicting sweets that add the pounds and rot the teeth when perfected are masterfully crafted from the loving heart… and just as quickly burnt to a blackened crisp in the often blamed oven. Quite frustrating, Kazumi knows. That is why the very first days of trial and error are long since over. That's right, delicious creations are continuously being made by Kazumi herself. Don't believe? Even with all of the compliments? Guess trying them out is the only way to find out.

Aspirations:

* Going beyond simply exploring the land around her, Kazumi desires to not only study the ecosystems of the world, but to join in on the cause to preserve the natural habitats that exist to this very day. Wishing for a way to coexist with less of an environmental impact is also of great interest.

Fears:

* Cleithrophobia – A fear of being trapped or locked in an enclosed space.

4 Positive Trails and 1 Negative Trait:
+ Generous: Despite being blessed with a greater financial wealth, Kazumi has refused to allow her elevated status go to her head. Alive with a benevolent heart, she has taken many opportunities to lighten the burdens upon those she has been grateful to meet no matter what sort of assistance may have been required.

+ Resourceful: Not every situation can be simple all the time. That's why when things get overly complicated; it is time step back a moment and use another more logical approach. Like a detective to an unsolved mystery, every piece of knowledge she holds and every connection she knows will be used to its fullest extent to set everything right again.

+ Courageous: No matter how inevitable a situation may be Kazumi will always be a fighter to the very end. She may not be the strongest or even the fastest, but Kazumi will not give up on herself or anyone else that requires her help.

+ Energetic: Kazumi is almost always on the move and is enthusiastic in trying anything out for the very first time… or the second. Got an outing? Is it outside of work hours? If so, then game on.

- Headstrong: Yes, even Kazumi can have her moments of unwillingness. Who knew? Despite her valiant efforts to remain unfazed by life's frequent tribulations, sometimes stubborn emotions creep up unexpectedly. Depending on the situation, a simple compromise can alleviate the problem. For the tougher situations it may require a bit more to reacquire a level head.

[User]
Friday April 15'th 2016

8:06 PM

Timers and More

When Kazumi tried to assure her, despite the bizarre circumstances, Natazume could only let out a grumbling whine. Meanwhile Whisper turned his attention to the other woman named Kazumi who asked whether or not the other demons were friends with other people. "It's entirely possible that other spirits are friends with other wearers of your watches. Those are an older prototype, I see Mortimer has been neglecting his tinkering with the spiritual electronics. Hmmm?" The floating wisp gave his old friend a look of amused disapproval. Before Whisper could ponder the girl's second question, Mr. Goodsight spoke up again.

"I was hoping someone would find them. They are old...like me." He laughed a little. "I couldn't bear to part with them so I hid them, hoping they would be discovered but it took several years it seems..." He glanced to Whisper. "He is right in mentioning there are other types of watches used to summon spirits. These were one of the first models. You might think I should save them but then they wouldn't be serving their purpose. Only those with true adventure in their heart should have them." He explained. At one of the boy's comments about them looking childish, Mr. Goodsight huffed. "Back in the day, bright colors were all the rage, I'll have you know!"

"When? The 60s?" Tamago joked. "But I like them, they're eye catching!" He spoke up.

"If you want to bother me some more, come back tomorrow. I'm missing my shows!" Mortimer snapped.

Whisper then turned his attention to Sayuki who said to call her Saki. "Hello hello, my dear." He smiled wide at her. He then remembered her question which almost got lost in the ramblings of the old man. "Oh, yes, we love treats!" Whisper confirmed. "Some love candy, some love drinks and others like vegetables, you'll just have to figure out which they like. The more happy they are, the better their abilities are." He said and moved around to where Natazume was. The woman finally collected herself and pushed herself up to rejoin the others, Whisper silently followed, still observing the group of young adults.

"You all are able to summon me at will, of course if I'm with someone and I'm summoned elsewhere, I'll vanish into a puff of smoke. Just try not to summon me when you're in the middle of on coming traffic or in the middle of a snowstorm. Of course you might not even see me in a snowstorm..." He shook his head a little. Tamago gave a nod and put the medal in his pocket and glanced to the owner of the shop was still giving them a grumpy look.

"I think we better go guys..." Tamago spoke up.

Natazume nodded and rubbed her face. "Do you think it's safe out there?" She couldn't believe she was asking such a thing but after almost being murdered by a gigantic demon, she felt she had to ask. "What if that demon shows up again?"

"He doesn't show up twice in one night and only if there's trouble afoot!" Mortimer mentioned.

"If you ask us, he's the trouble." Tamago said. "But yeah there isn't anywhere that's open close by unless you count the Everymart." He mentioned as they all started to head toward the exit with Whisper following overhead. "Why don't we just call it a night? I gotta say our camping trip is probably off the table now." As cool as it might be to go back and look for more demons, Tamago had a sudden urge to be back in his real bed where it was safe. "But maybe we should all meet at the Community Center in Uptown? Maybe we can find some awesome request that could net us some cash or something?"

"Oh how noble, I like you already!" Whisper said.

[Assistant]
April 16th, 2016
Saturday
9am

The fallen leaves crunched lightly underfoot as she made her way back up the shrine steps, a sense of surrealism surrounding her. The area looked just like it always did, there was no sign of the wild dash they had made only yesterday. A half-hearten greeting left her lips as she passed the shrine, the old priest was out sweeping again and she didn't have the heart to tell him that it never did any good. Her dark colored eyes searched the area looking for something that proved that yesterday had happen besides the watch attached the her wrist.

'This isn't a dream....maybe I'm hallucinating? Or it could be an elaborate hoax...'

She frowned at how unsure her thoughts sounded, she knew if she opted to voice them out loud they would sound just as ridiculous as she felt for even allowing herself to think them. She chided herself for not wanting to believe in something so strange when she was always reading books and trying to convince the others it was real. But having a hobby wasn't the same, her conviction was lacking now that she had to face reality. Sighing her eyes focused on the red leather bound book, at first it looked on worse for ware, yet as she got closer she noticed the dirt grounded into it like it had been stepped on by something large. Whatever it had been it was definitely a lot larger than any of her friends.

'The Oni.'

She didn't have a viable reason for anything else leaving that mark, a shaky hand circled around the book before drawing it close to her person. Looking up she realized that she had reached the path at the back of the shrine, the same path they had walked up eagerly yesterday for their picnic. She stood there torn; her curiosity in fight with her survival instinct screaming that it was a very bad idea to continue up that path. Her feet shuffled as she took another tentative steps forward, nothing but normal sounds of the forest surrounding her bolstering her courage to keep marching up the steps.

The farther she got a long the more she felt like something was watching her, the hair on the back of neck seemed to stand up straight as goosebumps raced down her arm. A loud snap from the left caused her to jump in surprise, her footing slipped sending her tumbling back down the steps a hiss of pain escaping her lips. The tattered book was still clutched in her hand as she groaned sitting up holding her head.

"I got it, going up there is a no go..."

She grumbled out loud to whoever cared to listen, if she couldn't go up then she should at least head towards the Community Center to meet up with the others as promised.

April 16th, 2016
Saturday
10:15am

The tattered book laid sprawled out over pale colored legs, stains of grass and twigs clung to the chocolate shaded skirt continuing up towards Sayuki's white blouse; her hair and glasses were tilted forward as she continued to read sitting aimlessly on a small bench. Her appearance had a calm disheveled look as if she had spent the better part of the morning out hiking or exploring a forest patch. A small scratch flushed red, angry and determined to make it's presence known sending a twinge of pain out every time the young musician moved her head.

Bright gold letters shimmered on the pages, happy drawings danced on the opposite page, how funny to think that yesterday such a fairy tale was nothing more than a myth, but perhaps there was more truth to it then she had believed. The childish watch was still tightly fastened to her wrist all to happy to remind her that yesterday wasn't a strange dream from reading too many of her father's books.

The towering bulletin board gleamed brightly in response, it was unblemished and beckoned travelers towards it with temptations of rewards and adventure; post of request and needs for any of the townsfolk brave enough to try and ascertain. The girl had looked over them briefly earlier, her breath coming out in short burst and gasps, she was surprised to see she was the first of the group to reach the Community Center normally Natazume was the most punctual one after all.

Leaning back against the wall she sighed softly, her hand slipping into her pocket toying with Whisper's coin wondering if she should summon him to relieve the build up of questions circling her mind; her limbs still felt heavy sore and in protest to the unwanted run they had to suffer yesterday, her brain felt sluggish as she yawned softly her eyes slowly drifting close as the book stayed safely nestled on her lap merely waiting to be picked back up.

A peaceful breeze blew through the Center as Saki gave into the impulse to nap while waiting on the others.

[User]
Shimmering eyes of blue widened upon the favorable morning sky in delight, eagerly anticipating a fresh new day full of endless possibility. For in this little world of hers, there actually existed curious spirits residing beyond the limitations of human sight. Who knew what Kazumi would have believed otherwise, prior to one of life's strangest preludes she had ever encountered? A lowering glimpse at her wrist provided the only physical proof she needed to confirm the truths she could no longer scrutinize in a once divided mind. Even if the device was childish by design, proper functionality was all that really mattered in the grand scheme of things.

Beckoned by a promised deadline she dared not miss, Kazumi sought after her bike and found a seat, hyped to reach her friends. A hastened adjustment to secure her backpack over her purple top was the final check of importance. And so, with the green light aglow, peddling feet propelled her onward. Not until she passed the opened entrance gate did her feet quicken, anticipating the exhilarating Breezy Hill's descent. Wisteria Gardens, a place of strong natural attraction was the first to fade behind her focused sights. The drifting tortoise clouds stood not a chance at the hare's accelerating pace.

Skillfully traveling the path surrounding the Gourd Pond Museum, a smile widened, her hair blowing more so in the gently swirling wind that followed along with her easing advances. Kazumi's arrival in Uptown Springdale signified the final stretch. There would be no distractions along the way as she took no heed to the mischievous thoughts of the always tempting Banter Bakery nearby; certainly not after a hearty breakfast with the parents. With her sights set entirely upon the Community Center directly ahead, she carefully weaved around traffic and pedestrians alike until settling nearest one of the benches that immediately caught her attention.

Getting off of her bike, Kazumi approached a napping Saki, finding the girl to have taken what appeared to be an involving detour of sorts into the heart of the woods. Just as long as meeting up with the dangerous Gargaros alone was of no desire, then curious minds should always be allowed to remain curious. Wishing not to disturb a deserving Saki for a little while longer, Kazumi looked around, a hand shielding her eyes from the brightening rays of the sun radiating down upon her. None of the others were in her sights just yet. For now, she would remain on the lookout, eagerly ready to spot their eventual approach.