[System]
---

---

Age: 17

Element: Wind.

Appearance:

4'10", 85 lbs. Absurdly small and narrow. She has short, straight auburn hair atop a short and wide face, with low and prominent cheekbones. Her ice blue eyes appear dull and vacant - almost lifeless.

Most of her garments consist of an earth-tone tunic under a sleeveless doublet, with earth-tone pants tucked into perfectly fitted, dark-green boots.

A tattoo is visible on the back of each hand. Both are reminders. On the left is the message "I have amnesia.", and on the right is the message "Check the journal."

Personality: Brunhilde is generally friendly to those around her, often very cheerful, and extremely confident in herself. She speaks very clearly and carefully to avoid being misinterpreted. Around people she's comfortable with, she tends to be much less careful with her choice of words, which often backfires. She is fiercely (and often violently) protective of herself and the things she cares about. Since coming to the Academy, she has been pushing herself much, much too hard, which has been problematic, to say the least.

She suffers from anterograde amnesia, constantly forgetting that she has ever met people or that events in her life have occurred. Generalized knowledge, facts, skills, and the like seem to be completely unaffected, thankfully - and she's able to remember certain things about herself if she reads it like it doesn't pertain to her. On account of this forgetfulness, she continually finds herself in unknown situations, and when she doesn't have several clear lines of escape, this puts her on edge.

She despises and fears cows, and because of this, she has dedicated her culinary preferences to taking revenge one delicious bite at a time.

Key words: Friendly. Confident. Periodically insensitive.. Aggressive. Amnesiac. Fearful.

History: Brunhilde's childhood was, for the most part, good. Her parents were farmers on an island nation somewhere between Greenland and Nunavut, just a couple miles south of a moderately large (if very poor) fishing village. At the age of 6, she was identified by her family as having some elementalist tendencies, but was forced to keep her abilities hidden from her friends from the village, out of fear that she may be barred from ever entering the town again. Her parents' fear for her safety led them to enroll her in a local martial arts school for two years, where she met a number of good friends. The school taught what was merely referred to as 'self defense', and incorporated techniques and philosophies from a wide range of other martial arts. She eventually lost interest in formal martial arts training, however, and left the school just a few months before she would have taken her exam to become a black belt. Her parents were satisfied that she could protect herself.

At the age of 10, she was playing and practicing her elementalist skills out in her family's fields when disaster struck. One of the cattle was afflicted with Mad Cow Disease due to a farmhand's incompetence and lost control, trampling crops and chickens alike. Brunhilde took a hoof to the head before the cow was put down, and although she made a full physical recovery, she had lost the ability to form new biographical memories. Her parents brought the farmhand in question before a tribunal to seek retribution for her injuries and the lost livestock. Brunhilde was brought to the witness stand, and when questioned, she was unable to recall anything had happened at all. This, of course, was used as evidence that she had been altered as a result of her head injury. The farmhand was found guilty and forced to repay the family with one cow and one goat, as well as serving a two week sentence in the stocks for gross negligence.

Her parents scrounged up what money they could for her to be seen by a psychologist from down south. Money was tight, but they managed fine regardless, and through years of therapy, she began to be able to cope with her disability by means of keeping journals and by identifying the ghosts of feelings of familiarity as reminders. Eventually, she even started learning to recognize whether or not she knew her friends or not. Their identities were still usually a mystery to her until she checked her journal, but a vague sense of deja-vu caused her to check in the first place.

During the seven years after the accident, she continued learning wind manipulation in the safety of her own land, until she made a single mistake. She didn't realize that her parents had company one day, and was spotted hovering three feet above the ground by one of the town's butchers, who had come to take one of the cattle. He said nothing to her family, but brought this news to the town hall. The local government recognized that she had not been a threat to the town, but that elementalists were abominations that must be removed, and they held a vote. The decision was 5-4 in favor of banishment over imprisonment. One courier later, her parents pulled her inside, helped her pack her things and many days' worth of provisions, and wrote two words on the most recent page of her journal: "The Academy" before sending her southwards on a plane. Under this, she wrote a reminder to herself to stay in contact with her parents as time went on.

Her arrival at the Academy was, unfortunately, too late for her to observe the opening ceremony for the semester.

Equipment: An enormous travel pack with a mess kit, a sleeping bag, several sets of clothes, a large heap of empty Slim Jim wrappers at the bottom of the travel pack, an enormous journal with a steel cover, and more pens than any normal person would know what to do with. Her only weapons are her fists.

Initial Wind Talents: Hovering a short distance above the ground, creating small breezes, cow tipping, and putting some extra force behind her fists.
Adjusted Wind Talents: A bit of focus in the classroom is leading Brunhilde to become increasingly creative with what skill she does have, and she is currently learning airsense, which will both allow her to feel her environment and control the wind more effectively.

[User]
Emi

Her body was being moved. She could feel it. He was taking her somewhere, she felt kind of happy for him doing such a thing for her helplessness. Hopefully he would be taking all her stuff too. Well knowing it was a not so much used room and inside the building the stuff would probably still be there after the night. She didn't need tp worry as much as she did. She had gathered a fair amount of pages. Not every page contained much important info so it was fine, truly. She was raisen upon Luke his back. Her chest lightly pressed against his back as her body kept trying to slip away from him. Stupid gravity was making it harder for the boy. Her head was resting on her own arm, he mouth was fairly close to his ear making the breathing rather audible. She hoped he didn't have any problems with her being so slacky as this.

As they left the room her eyes opened a little. The light of the hallway was enough for her to get back to conscious again. He sight was blurry and her headhurt a lot but she was able to know a little where she was. She straightened her head a little but wasn't able to help Luke by shifting her gravity point to the right place so it was easier for him to carry. She could barely move her body in this state. From her face alone you could tell she looked tired. Her mouth slowly opened up a little.

"T..nk .ou..."

She muttered softly as she displayed a small smile on her face before going back to sleep again. She was placed in his bed and curled up under the sheets in a small ball emitting the light bubbles again. Her body pulled the sheets towards her, covering her body as close as possible as she drifted off into a deep sleep.

---

Emi yawned as she stretched her body in the bed. She pushed the sheets aside with her feet and still looked a little rather tired. She scratched the side of her head for a bit clearly trying to wake up as she sat stil on the bed. After a few moment she pushed herself off the bed and opened the curtains. A small rose again in the distance shining bright on Emi her face. Her expression rapidly changed to a more woken up and happy girl. She looked around the room and wondered how she ended up in her dorm room after having fallen in the dark room. That was right, Luke had brought her over... She had to thank him. But before that it was time for a morning ritual. He had left her sleeping in her old clothes, what a reasonable thing to do was. But they smelled a little off now from the ground and her own smells from in the bed. It wasn't enjoyable.

She pulled off her clothes and stepped in the shower. Not untill she had stood under the shower for about 2 minutes she had noticed that her shampoos weren't anywhere in sight. Instead there were much simpler shampoos instead of them. They smelled boy like. Oh crap, she was in Lukes room wasn't she... Her face turned bright red as she turned off the shower and left. She quickly dried herself off in the shower and made sure it was clean. Her clothes were still out on the floor in front of the bathroom door. She wrapped herself up and wrapped her hair up too in another towel. Emi made sure no one was in the room before entering and quickly put on her clothes again. With a bright red face she left Luke his sleeping room entering the main room. If he was still there he would recieve a soft pardon from the girl with a bright red face or else she would leave. Either way she had taken one of the towels hostage to keep her hair drying.

[Assistant]
Vlad was doing things he'd never do, since that fight yesterday something felt different about him. Although it was barely noticeable, he was more energetic than ever and this kept his mood pretty positive. He didn't expect the girl to laugh like that, honestly he was expecting a slap, and was ready to grab it. This was a pleasant surprise, her taking out a snack and offering it to him however, was even better. Vlad took the bar, trying to smile but forming a half assed grimace instead, he didn't smile often.

It was her way of apologizing, about the fight from yesterday. Vlad's arm was completely healed but she seemed like she was still wounded. Had she been weak, Vlad wouldn't even bother talking to her nor even approach her. While opening the wraps of the bar, Vlad looked at her with a serious look. "You're strong, and I noticed that. I want to see more from you"

He then turned toward the gate, with one hand in his pockets and the other with the bar which was already headed to his mouth. "I dunsh minnsd" he said while walking forward with the bar in his mouth.

[User]
---

It was a rude awakening for Luke, and it wasn't a comfortable night either, the pads for the couch weren't fluffy at all. They were rock-like in texture, did the Academy skimp out on his dorm's couch? He grumbled to himself like an old man, until he felt and heard water flowing. He sat upwards, his hair unkempt and messy, four strands standing upright against gravity. He patted the table inbetween him and the tv for his glasses, after finally finding it he put his glasses on,

"... Does she now know this was my dorm?" Luke uttered silently, slight embarrassment and awkwardness laced in his tone. Then the flow of water seemed to stop abruptly, and rushed shuffling could be easily heard from the main room, she came out red as a beet.

"Good Morn'." Luke greeted her, it was still kinda weird that a girl had slept in his room and used his shower but he subconsciously chose to shrug it off. His back ached slightly though, probably from the rather stone-hard couches he had, "... I'm gonna have to write a very angry worded letter about this painful couch." he joked, standing up and stretching whilst yawning a really long yawn, a tear almost coming out of his left eye.

"I hope that it was fine I brought you to this dorm, I tried asking where yours was but you were fast asleep." Luke exclaimed, scratching his head, "Ah! Don't forget your bag, I left it on the table next to your bed, seemed like they were important to you seeing as you fell asleep collecting them. I didn't manage to collect all but I think I got most of it."

"Ehm... If you're hungry I can make something." Luke continued, remembering his Uncle's words to be welcoming and greet people with hospitality.

[Assistant]
Day 2, 7:42 AM

---

She finally awakened. The air smelled clean, disinfected - or, perhaps more accurately, it smelled like nothing at all, which was rather unusual, and it was quite chilly. There was a sense of warm weight over her body, and she felt that whatever she was on was both soft and firm at once. A bed, perhaps, with a relatively thick blanket. Wherever she was, she couldn't see a thing, and couldn't move. The sleep paralysis hadn't quite gone away yet, preventing her from doing so much as opening her eyes. It was a very familiar sensation, lying there, only half-awake in an unknown place. It was like that every morning for her, but this one was ever so slightly different. It felt like the very first time she regained consciousness after the farm accident, though she couldn't remember it. Perhaps a sense of having very narrowly escaped death.

Everything on and in her had the ghost of an ache, but she couldn't tell if that was just from her body, or if it was simply her mind playing tricks on her. Curiosity took her when she heard the sound of voices outside, and she allowed her senses to wander toward the source of the faint vibrations in the air. Younger students were walking somewhere or other - maybe five or six of them.

"...and did you see how fast he was? That guy's a monster! I feel sorry for whoever's in his class."
"Yeah, he's fast, but he seems pretty nice. At least he's not like Headmaster Hargor. I heard a student almost exploded in his class yesterday."
"Woah, really? How the heck does that happen in a water class?"
"It wasn't water, idiot. It was one of the lightning kids."

Words, words, and more words. While Brunhilde could understand them, she didn't entirely know what they were talking about. It was like some sort of bizarre dream, hearing them speak of monsters and lightning, but she knew better. Her own air magics meant to her that there were almost certainly other elements, and she continued listening, more out of boredom than any real interest in what they had to say. The conversation had moved on during the past few seconds of rumination.

"I really hope there's not another fight in the cafeteria today. I couldn't pay attention to my homework."

"You think you had it bad? I was standing in line when that tall fuck shoved me over and stole my voucher."
"I dunno, I almost wanna see another one. Hope it's better next time. Didn't even get to see anyone throw any fireballs or anything - just that flash."

As the voices faded into the distance, Brunhilde found herself almost alone in the silence. Birdsong could be heard faintly, but it wasn't particularly beautiful, and she found herself trying to close her senses off from the grating, staccato squawking and clicking. More birds answered the calls with loud caws - the cries of ravens or crows of some sort, she thought. Or at least something that sounded like them. Those had always been some of her favorite avians - their regular use of tools was, in a word, captivating. Not many creatures could do that.

The darkness took her once more, and she drifted back to sleep. She had had a rather exhausting first day at the Academy, after all, and merely eight hours wouldn't make up for how draining it had been.


[System]
Age: 14

Her Soul Gem is Teal and is on the ribbon her chest

Nationality: Polish

Personality: Serafina is always upbeat and filled with energy. The amount of energy and pep in her step she displays is merely a fragment of her true potential. If the full power of her upbeat happiness was to be released, the world itself would be changed forever. As one would expect from someone as energetic as her, her happiness is often infectious. It is really hard to be pessimistic and or sad around her, and one of her smiles is sure to make everybody who sees it smile as well.

Of course, Serafina isn't all smiles and sunshine. She understands the world around her, and is well aware of the horrible dark things that are around it. Her faith in her fellow man is quite low, and isn't willing to trust anybody easily. She definitely isn't an optimist, but calling her a pessimist would be wrong as well. She hopes for the best, but expects the worst. Needs a hug.

Serafina's blood and soul are for Poland. Poland will always be number one in her heart, and she believes that one day Poland will return to the global powerhouse it once was. While the past few hundred years have been dark, with a few incredibly bright moments, Poland will achieve another Golden Age in the future.

Also likes plants.

Wish: "To return my physical body to the state it was the day prior to the accident that killed my mother"

Biography: Serafina was born to a wealthy family in the city of Poznań. The children in the Wawrzaszek family have been serving in the army for as long as the family can remember, and Serafina wasn't expecting anything else. From a young age she trained physically and mentally for her future in the service. Serving her country was the highest honor Serafina could think of.

When she wasn't training, she was taught History, especially that of Poland. She was told the long history of the former superpower, and how it has been bullied over the years by its neighbors. Of course, she isn't searching for revenge (Germany got plenty of that), but she has a general dislike and distrust of Germans and Russians. She isn't fan of most foreigners in general, outside of Americans, though she isn't hostile to most. Tourists are fine as they help the country, but anybody who plans to immigrate to Poland must learn to assimilate.

Outside of this, Serafina was a pretty normal girl. That was, until she got into a car accident with her family. Her father and eldest brother survived, but her mother and youngest brother didn't. The accident also caused a spinal injury that didn't allow Serafina to move any part of her body below her torso. Obviously, in this condition, all of her hopes and aspirations were gone.

She lamented over the death of her relatives, as well as her injury for months. The doctors said there would be no way for her to regain movement in her lower body, and the world that was so bright before became bleak. There seemed to be no hope for Serafina, at least until she met a strange space ferret named Kyuubey.

Of course, she understood that this deal was going to be shady. Nobody is going to allow you to wish for anything without the deal being heavily in their favor. Serafina made sure to word her wish as perfectly as she could.

With her body back to the way it was, Serafina could continue working towards her goal of serving her country. If anything, this was a plus, as she could defend her people now instead of when she was older.

Skills:

Physical Strength: Serafina is incredibly strong for a girl her age, and could probably beat up the average adult. Don't mess with this loli.

History: Generally speaking, Serafina knows basic knowledge about every place in the world, but knows just about everything when it comes to Poland.

Gymnastics: Serafina picked this up when she was little to give her more flexibility. She dropped it when she was injured, but picked it up right away.

Charisma: As a future soldier, it shouldn't be a surprise that Serafina is charismatic. Her speeches can change the tide of battle, and bring hope to those who hear her.

Threads of Fate: 6

Magical Weapon: Herself? A Koncerz sword

Experience: 3

Magical Ability:

Body Modification: Serafina has the ability to change any part of her body into something else, though most of her body can only be modified to a minor degree. The cost of magical energy goes into the initial change, and is rather cheap. It is possible to change the properties of her body, making it stronger/faster/more durable, and so on.

Left Arm: Serafina's left arm can be manipulated farther than other parts of her body. Her imagination is the only thing limiting it, and she has a very active imagination. Generally speaking, it is better to call her arm a "thing."

Right Arm: Serafina's right arm can be manipulated farther than other parts of her body. Her imagination is the only thing limiting it, and she has a very active imagination. Generally speaking, it is better to call her right arm a "thing."

Signature and Finisher:

██████:43%

[User]
MARY BETH

There was little that had to be said. However, precisely because this was the case, much will be said regardless.

-The rampant denial of the 「Curse-Woven Impostor」, a fool who had become locked into repetition. A cockroach in a glass, seeing its fate but unable to hasten the pace.

-The mediation attempts of the sidekick. A poor sidekick, then, if they would aim to restrain the action of the protagonist. The sort of sidekick who would be swayed by worldly desires, rather than one who had escaped the cycle of that 「Six-Twain Wheel」.

-The audacity of a child. A fool who does not understand that they are but a speck in the hand of the Bodhisattva, that the 「World」 they hold so dear is merely a forgotten veil. Simulation, falsehood, dream, illusion, craft of a demon, prized domain of a narcissist pariah, altar of a corrupted god, plaything of an incomprehensible is-not. Pathetic. Impermissible. Disgusting.

How dare she state that the visage of the 「Curse-Woven Impostor」 is superior to that of the original?

...the declaration had already been made. Ah yes, there's no possible means it could not be known.

Declaration. Sentence. The world starts, the world ends.

As the warning had been given and ignored with reckless abandon, there was no reason to hesitate.

Fall into nothingness.

Condense into nothingness.

Shatter amidst nothingness.

Become naught under nothingness.

"All candy received by the 「Curse-Woven Impostor」 shall henceforth be made with inferior quality control standards and shall be given a mark-up of approximately four hundred percent additionally!"

The announcement that called for the end of Being pierced the world. Like an army of insects, innumerable points cut through space, cut through time, cut through the foundation of reality's hastily-made "logic" as though it had never existed.

"Furthermore, all allies of the 「Curse-Woven Impostor」 shall incur the same detriments! Verbal abuse will be meted out as time permits! When total verbal abuse is infeasible due to temporal constraints, an overly terse and upset demeanor will be adopted! The soul will be broken apart and reduced into the dust from where it arose before it can enter the cycle of reincarnation! All applications as prospective sidekicks will be denied on face!"

So it goes.

[Assistant]
There seemed to be plenty of action going on around the city. It isn't a surprise, Gdańsk was a very busy city all year long. Of course, with the resurgence of Witches, it was busy for all the wrong reasons. While Serafina should have been hunting for Witches, she preferred a nice day off. When the day was up, she'd be back into the fray, but for now, she needed to relax. Now, in a huge city like Gdańsk, what could a cute little girl like her do to relax?

Eat some ice cream with a good friend. Kazimiera Sienkiewicz came to Gdańsk around the same time as she did, and quickly struck up a friendship. Working alone might have been beneficial, but it could also lead to a quick end, and that wasn't really how Serafina did things. Working with another person still allowed her to get as many Grief Seeds as she needed, as well as reduce the risk factor. Having company was also nice, it made a boring life seem more complete.

Of course, Serafina wasn't actually at the location yet. She overslept, and missed her ride, so she had to take public transportation. Now public transit in Poland wasn't too bad, but it wasn't the preferred method of transportation. It also didn't help that the nearest stop was still a decent ways away, so that required Serafina to run as fast as she could to make sure her friend didn't wait too long.

With all the training she had been through so far, the running wasn't too bad, but she couldn't hold her excitement when she finally caught sight of her friend. Serafina ran faster upon seeing Kazia, almost as if she was running into her.

Actually, Serafina didn't slow down, and continued to speed up. She was crashing into her.

"Kazia~~~~~!!! "

[User]
Kazia was adapting well to Gdańsk better than she was initially worried she would. Originally, she had been worried about making new friends, being at loathe to leave her old team. They were a tight knit group once, broken apart not by some tragedy in combat but the plain necessity of her parents moving to a new city.

Her worries had been quickly quelled when she met Serafina. Immediately striking up what she could safely call a friendship, the two had fought together through several battles in (un)surprisingly busy Gdańsk. While it was not the same as having a full team, having just the two of them seemed to have its own comforts. Namely, the much reduced risk of disagreements and interfighting which her old leader had dealt with so efficiently with a charm and charisma Kazia was not confident she had.

Being the proud owner of a bicycle, Kazia did not take public transportation like Serafina did. As such, she had much more leeway when it came to getting to places on time - not only could she fail to miss her bicycle as opposed to a bus or train but if needed be she could always take several shortcuts. Side-streets, Alleys, parks, forests, people's lawns. Despite all of this however, she had barely made it to the prearranged meeting location and locked her bike when she heard her name being called.

Turning and looking towards the source of the sound, she saw Serafina completely disregarding any idea of slowing down as she plowed right towards her. Kazia only had a brief moment to spread her arms to accept either an incoming hug or tackle, something which was only possible for her through months of dealing with life and death situations.

[Assistant]
Running around at the speed of sound,

Got places to go, gotta follow my rainbow.

Can't stick around, have to keep moving on,

Guess what lies ahead, only one way to find out!

Actually, Serafina was fully aware of what was ahead of her. It was her friend Kazia, with her arms wide open. It appeared to be that she couldn't handle her excitement either. Serafina jumped towards her friend, arms stretched outwards to greet the other in a hug. Of course, since Serafina was fairly strong as it is, on top of the fact she was running at her top speed, this was more of a linebacker trying to sack a quarterback then two friends hugging.

And, as one would expect from such a powerful collision, Serafina brought her friend to the ground. If Kazia wasn't a Magical Girl, she'd probably be in a lot of pain, but she was fine! What was a tackle to a big, strong, magical girl?! Serafina was fine of course, landing softly on her friend. This was probably a very awkward situation to the onlookers, but Serafina paid no attention to them. She had urgent matters to talk about.

"Kaiza~! I heard that more foreigner girls showed up! I hope that they understand that Poland is number one, and that they're learning the ropes around here! I won't tolerate them if they insult or disgrace our beautiful land! "

A cute little scowl appeared on Serafina's face. She understood that her friend Kazia wasn't as, well, insane for Poland as she was, but that didn't mean she could keep quiet about it. Of course, Serafina would mind her business, and let them do as they will. However, if she finds out that they were disgracing her beautiful Poland, Serafina would not be pleased.

Poland is number one.

[User]
Kazia allowed herself to be knocked down by Serafina. Had it been anyone else Kazia would have taken it as an attack of some sort and she would have responded - probably violently - but Serafina was a friend. A little roughhousing was not out of the place at all - the fact that this looked really strange to the bystanders notwithstanding, of course.

As Serafina talked about the foreigners, Kazia couldn't help but be a little excited. It was always good to meet new magical girls - in a world where magic was unknown it was nice to meet other members of the really small number of magical girls compared to the rest of humanity. They already shared the common bond of "being a magical girl", that alone should be basis for getting along, no?

"Well I guess there's only one way to find out if they're learning the ropes or not." Kazia commented, deciding to play on Serafina's occasionally disturbing but mostly likable patriotism. Much like Serafina's love of Poland was obvious to Kazia, it was no secret to Serafina that Kazia hoped for cooperation with other magical girls. No doubt she would figure out Kazia intended to approach them and talk of potentially making a team.

[Assistant]
Serafina understood exactly what Kazia was referring to, and her scowl became sour. This was a topic they've talked about plenty of times in the past, but it wasn't one Serafina enjoyed talking about. She didn't like foreigners as it was, let alone having to work with them in something as serious as this.

There was also another reason, one a bit more serious.

Serafina's voice became a tad more serious, hoping her friend would pay attention to her words. "Kazia, understand that not everybody is willing to be nice and cooperate. You might be used to working as a team, but many prefer to fight on their own. They'll have no qualms leaving you to die, and would never want to share. Just because we're friends doesn't mean everybody will be. "

The life of a magical girl was usually that of being alone. You have much more to gain working on your own, and most would probably see it that way. Kazia might be used to working with magical girls, but she was probably just lucky in the past. Luck like that wasn't likely to strike twice, and Serafina had to make sure her friend was aware of that.

She'd also only work with fellow Poles, but Kazia probably knew that already.

Probably.


[System]
Basics
Codename: Whiteout
Age: 29
Appearance:
Clocking in at a respectable 5'11, and with a build that fits the 'athletic' type easily, Able, whilst certainly conventionally attractive, is hardly extraordinary. He looks to have Mediterranean or Latino blood in him, and to spend a decent chunk of his time in the sun, but neither of which are true. In fact, really the only distinctive thing is his hair- which is a sharp shock of platinum blonde. Old photos show him with black hair, and it's clear that this was the only visual side effect of his 'awakening.'
Personality: It's hard to really pin down Able's personality. This is more to do with the fact that he's strung out almost all the damn time. Unusually for a cocaine junkie, he doesn't seem overly excited- instead very, very laid back, but this calm belies the fact that he has almost superhuman reflexes, and speed to match. The things that can be pinned down is that the man has a very, very short temper, is almost comically playful despite this anger, and absolutely loves being as over the top as he can be. Not tacky though- he despises people who are tacky.
History: Really, the story of how Able became the man he is today, starts as he locks himself in a bathroom, aged twenty, and with more than a kilo of coke under his jacket. Some $12,000 in debt to a drug cartel, it's not difficult to see how the most logical recourse for him was to attempt suicide. Of course, being $12,000 in debt to a drug cartel, this meant that the natural way to do so was to overdose on cocaine, therefore wasting even more of their product. One kilo later, and wondering how he wasn't dead, Able passed out.

Now, most people would die if they tried to take a kilo of cocaine in one go. Able was not most people. When the door to the bathroom was busted open, he found himself facing down two men with handguns, very much alive. The fact that he had a nosebleed so large that he had a stain reaching from collar to belt didn't really bother him that much, if he was perfectly honest.

If the cartel members had pulled the trigger then and there, the story would have been over. Instead, they slammed his head into the sink, which was still covered in powder. Although only a tiny does, Able finally got the high he had been chasing since his first ever usage of the drug... And he began seeing in perfect clarity. Half a minute later, he was left with two dead goons, a pennknife in his hand, and no clue what had happened to him.

From here, things only went up. His powers were discovered, and thoroughly explored. Able went from junkie with debts to a member of the gang he had been indebted too, and through increasingly bizarre power grabs, made it all the way to the top. Once there, he secured his position through some impressively ruthless politiking. With his position secured, he realised his unique skills, and... interesting outlook on things made him a positively fantastic assassin. Plus, it was an excellent advertisement to his own business.

Battle Rites

Combat Style: Able is a man of distance. Specifically, ever so slightly further than a beam katana. His spear has further reach, and his reflexes mean that he's often pinpoint accurate with his revolvers. Of course, this is reliant on him getting everyone's favourite party drug in his system, which is... Usually not an issue.

Equipment: As much cocaine as he can physically fit into his pockets, along with various amounts of drug-related paraphernalia. He also carries his trusty beam-spear (unusual in that it is essentially custom made, albeit based off of two older model of beam katanas. This essentially makes it 'double ended,') as well as two .66 custom revolvers, nicknamed the 'White Devils.'

Powers: Able has a... Unique relationship with Benzoylmethylecgonine, or as pretty much everyone who isn't a scientist knows it as: Cocaine. Able has ingested so much of the drug that he has become totally inured to the normal effects of it. He no longer can overdose, and his body is hyperefficient at purging it from his system. His highs pass much more quickly than that of a casual user, and every single dose gives the same gratification as the first one ever. What's more, when under the effects of cocaine, Able becomes more powerful in almost every sense of the word. His reactions speed up, and his body can move blurring quickly. Furthermore, his pain threshold is increased immensely, and his metabolism slows dramatically. Whilst high, Able can move fast enough to dodge bullets and, quite literally, shoot the wings off of a fly.

Special Techniques: Able can give people contact highs. This doesn't sound particularly bad at first glance, until you realise what this actually means in practise. As long as Able has skin-to-skin contact, he can pretty much cause anyone to overdose. Of course, this is limited by the aforementioned fact that he has to be able to touch skin, and people who are already cocaine users often have enough resistance to not overdose.

Your Turf

Arena Description: Whilst Able has a lot of places he likes to lounge in, the place he fights in is his major distrusting plant. It's a large, unassuming warehouse, full of cocaine. Stuffed to the gills. He can get soldiers there fast, and lock it down even faster.

Arena Tactics: Able's warehouse is full of cocaine. Just, all of the cocaine. In fact, there's so much cocaine that he gets more and more powerful simply by breathing in, and every time one of the packets or bundles takes a hit, he just gets higher and higher. The more damage his surroundings take, the more powerful Able gets. Finishing fights quickly is the only way to beat him.

Minion Description: Able's soldiers are all toughened men. Drug dealers and gang members, mostly, they are distinct in the fact that they all wear gas masks to cover their mouth and nose, and are armed pretty damn heavily. Assault rifles are the name of the game, with many of his soldiers wearing heavy kevlar vests to boot. Style wise, they're all classy ladies and gents, with trim hair (or hair done up in a ponytail,) and suits. Tattoos covering their body optional.

Other Things

His theme song.

Look at dem red jackets y'all.

[User]
@BCTheEntity

Teams? Actually this probably could work towards his advantage. Earn the respect of the team. Rise in the ranks together. Get to the top. No more worrying about or maybe really he should say less worrying about pipsqueaks coming in trying to kill him.

He just had to earn their trust and not want him dead, instead they'd work so well together they'd want to stick together. Unlike the others he wasn't so averse to working in a team as the others. Because he was use to it in the Exorcism Society.

He could do this. Yeah it wouldn't be as simple as that, but they gave him the opportunity to game the system. You bet your ass he would. He didn't bother too much about the dead guy, all he did was inhale then slowly exhale his smoke towards the ceiling of his cigarette.

Oh this was this girl earlier, drinking something he was sure people should not be drinking. When he saw the flower in the pot he took a second as it instantly grew. Nice. He knew spells too. Kimber wasn't sure if he was suppose to take the pot, but he hadn't gotten anyone gifts for this event.

If he had known that he'd take whatever shit trunk space he had and loaded it up. Because Santa would want to deliver presents in a sports car he believed.

"So teams, that's new, sounds like one of those bottom of the barrel ideas they scraped from the bottom to change the dynamic of things," Kimber mentions to her, as he's taking off his watch. It cost him forty dollars, but looked like it could have cost him hundreds,. He handed it to her, "Remind me I have to get you a gift and hold onto that for a while until I do."

"Mind you I am not complaining, unlike some of these freaks, I know how to work in a team," Kimber tells her, "Maiden of Bones, huh. That's cool. Wasn't expecting plants though. Silver Prowler, but just call me Kimber when we're not doing anything important. Way too formal for me in this kind of scenario.."

He takes a look around. The loud Japanese Stereotype began to laugh loud enough everybody could damn hear her. All eyes were on her, oh at least that's what he expected. Tentacles bursted out from her back and Kimber kind of laughed.

"Guess she produces her own hentai too," Kimber tells Maiden of the Bones with a laugh, "Japan, am I right?"

Kimber sighs, when someone ask if you have questions that's when everyone gets chatty. Trying to get this crowd earlier to talk was like they had just recently gotten out of a coma. Kimber feels like he's black in the classroom of school, when the kids all huddle together in their groups after their teachers called them names and lined them up in a group.

"Yeah," Kimber raises his hand, "Teach, what's pay going to be like? Is it shared? Separate?"

[Assistant]
Selune@Old Amsterdam

Such characters. He felt like he had been sucked into the television. Surrealistic cartoon moments, where a man is dead and the people they are taking orders from are giving each other shit. Felt nothing like the military. In a bar it would be friends and comrades talking shit. In a briefing it would be about your last goodbyes. Only reason he was on this train of thought was because of the announcement of teams.

Soldiers worked together. Police worked together. Assassins. Assassins killed each other. Killed their targets. Killed others targets then each other. Vincent did not see the benefits. He could work with others. If asked. If told. An order was to be respected. The Bible of Professionalism. He worried others might not.

Till he heard his name in a lineup of individuals. Such characters. One was the young woman he already had spoken too earlier. The other the Nazi. Now Vincent did not want to start any conflict. But Nazis were not something he liked. As a Soldier or a Former Soldier it was occupationally necessary to hate Nazis.

Still he gathered around the group he had been paired off with. The woman in the mask, cautionary. Though she chatted with him earlier, guarded with others. Then the Nazi began to laugh loud. Vincent covered his ears. He was sure the whole neighborhood heard the Nazi's laugh.

Tentacles. Kraken like the myths. Or whatever she said. Vincent wasn't entirely sure he understood most of what she said. Though his orders were to be respected. Work within a team. Work with these folks. It was the Bible of Professionalism to not let his own biases get in the way. Suppressing the way he feels about it either way.

Vincent nods his head.

"Chroma," Vincent says in his dry way, he actually forgot he had a voice for a second, "I do not have," he paused, "a flashy display prepared for this moment."

Questions. Better let everyone ask. He'll listen. He'll absorb them. Take them in. Perhaps his train of thought is similar to another person's here.

"...." Vincent stares at the two he is supposed to be working with.
[You may also call me Vincent]

[User]
Asterisk resettled the skirt she'd been wearing, taking the chance to run her hand down her thigh. Really, this was much better than the previous models had been. She swung her lower leg forward gently, just to feel the muscles move. God, she loved wearing these bodies. The gang of people in the bar had been quite amusing, not least of which was the nice young man next to her, evaluating her work in other, more difficult areas. She leaned forward while he asked a question, and kissed him just under his jaw. After all, his hands were awkward in a good way. A server whirred as a note of the hesitation and touching he used was saved and filed. Another identity might find that useful after all.

She gently removed his hand from her blouse, then turned to face the three agents. "Sorry, Mr Baigo, but I was a little busy. The name Asterisk should be on that list of yours." Leaning across her new friend's lap, she trailed a finger down his jawline and neck. "This is that one. I suppose this means I'm in your charge, with this," the finger hooked into Kimber's collar, "fine, young gentleman," She wiggled her hips with a half smile on her face. "And his gun." And that other girl with the armour and sword, but getting to know her could wait until later. She lowered her voice to precisely the volume necessary to reach Kimber's ears and no one else's. "Does this mean we get to share rooms?"

An alert sprang up elsewhere in her network. Her eyes unfocused slightly and her expression went still for a moment while she made sure it was taken care of. Lesser subroutines had their place, and that was taking care of lab accidents. This particular model hadn't been fully test-driven yet, she thought as the mental processes focused back on her new best friend. Perhaps he'd be willing to help with that. She flicked the top button undone on his shirt, partly to cover the lapse in concentration, and partly out of mischief. It was such a lovely emotion, mischief. Doing something wrong to provoke a reaction in someone would have horrified her before. Now... She swung her legs again. Now it was fun.

@BCTheEntity

[Assistant]
There was a loud, conspicuous sound as Able slurped the vodka, before shaking his head. "Wheeeewie. That gives you a pep, for sure." He smiled. A group to work with, huh? A job within a job. He could live with making millions via the brutal assassination of everyone in his way. He could especially work with making even more millions by cooperating. As long as he made the most, of course. He hadn't become the head of international drug syndicates simply by allowing other people to walk all over him. Even if his business partners looked... Interesting. Wiping his nose, he snorted the last traces off and rubbed a little into his gums, letting out a long sigh as he did so.

The finely dressed man who introduced himself to... Omnivore... Seemed to be the one making their group all tick together. Straightening his clothing out, he also stepped forward, (or, really, stepped, as he was currently coked up enough to make every movement at about thirty miles per hour,) and stuck his hand out too.

"Indeed, that would be me. My name is Able. Able Blackthorn. If any of you have any... Fingers in the pies that are international drug smuggling, I'm sure you should know me very well. Beam Katana enthusiast, un-addict to cocaine, and owner of some very nice firearms. I hope we can work together nicely! Also, if any of you would like 99% Colombian White Snow, I can hook you up with that no problem."


[System]
Age: 13
Hometown: Ecruteak City
Appearance (pic preferred):

Starter: Torchic
Bio: Shiranui had developed a fascination with fox-like Pokémon from watching the Kimono Sisters performing during his childhood. His favourite Pokémon are Espeon, Umbreon, Delphox, Zoroark and Ninetales. He is generally kind, but has a low tolerance to those who speak ill of his likes. He had been inspired to go on a Pokémon journey ever since he spotted Ho-oh taking off from the Bell Tower at age 8, later catching it during his journey through Johto along with two of the three Legendary Beasts.

Having experienced the wonders of the Kalos Region, Shiranui had conquered the Kalos League and was added to the local Hall of Fame after defeating their Elite Four as well as the local champion Diantha.

[User] "Thunder Punch!" Kinoko charged at Deoxys, one of her arms sparking with electricity.

[Assistant] "Ice Punch!" Liam called.

[User] The battlers' attacks connected and Kinoko was barely holding on. "Seed Bomb!" Kinoko's tail started glowing green as she charged at Deoxys again.

[Assistant] "Skill Swap!" Deoxys went to defense form took Poison Heal away from Kinoko again. Deoxys was hit and barely holding on.

[User] "Facade!" Kinoko charged in for another attack. Since she was poisoned, the Breloom's attack would be twice as powerful.

[Assistant] "Protect." Liam ordered.

[User] "Facade once more!" Shiranui called. Kinoko was repelled by Deoxys' protection shield, but charged in for another attack.

[Assistant] "Iron Defense!" Liam ordered. Deoxys upped its defense stat in order to prepare for the incoming attack.

[User] Kinoko's attack connected and a cloud of dust covered the battlefield.

[Assistant] Liam was hoping Deoxys survived the attack.

[User] As the cloud subsided, Shiranui saw that Kinoko had succumbed to the poison.

[Assistant]
Deoxys was on a knee, panting heavily. Deoxys wouldn't last much longer.

Liam-vs-Shiranui
Pidgeot-1-Starmie
Jolteon-2-Breloom
Dusknoir-3-Mawile
Deoxys-4-Latias
?-5-Kyogre (Primal)
?-6-?

[User] "Majin, I choose you!" Shiranui sent his Hoopa out. What came out was much bigger than the little hooped djinn he was used to seeing and it had six disembodied arms. This was the Unbound form that Shiranui was told about.

[Assistant]
Liam-vs-Shiranui
Pidgeot-1-Starmie
Jolteon-2-Breloom
Dusknoir-3-Mawile
Deoxys-4-Latias
?-5-Kyogre (Primal)
?-6-Hoopa (Unbound)

"Recover" Liam ordered.

[User] "Dark Pulse!" Deoxys recovered its health while Majin channelled its fury into an orb made from a series of dark rings and threw the orb at Deoxys.

[Assistant] Deoxys was hit by the move, and had was almost back to where it was before the recovery. "Signal Beam!" Deoxys morphed to Attack Form and fired the Bug move.

[User] "Phantom Force!" Majin dodged the Signal Beam by vanishing to Arceus-knows-where.

[Assistant] "Iron Defense!" Deoxys went to Defense Form and and upped its defense, in hopes of surviving the Protect/Detect immune move.

[User] Majin reappeared and struck Deoxys for a super-effective hit.

[Assistant]
Deoxys stumbled and started to fall. Liam called quickly for a Signal Beam. Deoxys managed to shift back to Attack form and fire the beam before loosing consciouness.

Liam-vs-Shiranui
Pidgeot-1-Starmie
Jolteon-2-Breloom
Dusknoir-3-Mawile
Deoxys-4-Latias
?-5-Kyogre (Primal)
?-6-Hoopa (Unbound)

[User] "Protect!" Majin's six arms conjured a shield that blocked Deoxys' last ditch attack.

[Assistant]
Deoxys was deemed unable to continue. "Sylveon!"

Liam-vs-Shiranui
Pidgeot-1-Starmie
Jolteon-2-Breloom
Dusknoir-3-Mawile
Deoxys-4-Latias
Sylveon-5-Kyogre (Primal)
?-6-Hoopa (Unbound)

"Moonblast!" Liam ordered.

[User] "Gunk Shot!" Majin's six arms threw gobs of slimy garbage at Sylveon before getting blasted for major damage by a Moonblast.

[Assistant] Sylveon was hit by the poison move. "Draining Kiss!"

[User] "Phantom Force!" Majin vanished before Sylveon could drain the Unbound Hoopa's energy.

[Assistant] "Dig!" Sylveon burrowed underground, so she could not be hit by Phantom Force.

[User] Majin reappeared and with Sylveon underground, the Unbound Hoopa could not hit its target.

[Assistant] "Now Draining Kiss!" Sylveon jumped out from the ground, attempting to use the element of surprise to latch onto Hoopa and give it a big kiss, and suck away some of its health.

[User] "Gunk Shot!" Majin rained slimy garbage down on the latched Sylveon while it felt its energy drained away.

[Assistant] Sylveon was too close to avoid the gunk. "Fairy Wind!"

[User] "Hold the wind back with Psychic!" Majin's six arms went into a defensive formation as the Unbound Hoopa used its psychic powers to try and block the Fairy Wind.

[Assistant] "Shadow Ball!" Liam called. The black ball of energy was fired into the vortex of pink, and made an appealing combo.

[User] "Break up the combo with Psybeam!" A bright iridescent beam of energy was fired from the hole in Majin's torso. The beam struck the combo of attacks.

[Assistant] "Yawn!" Liam called. Sylveeon launched a pink bubble towrd Majin while it was distracted with the combo move.

[User] "Destiny Bond!" Majin applied a little hex on Sylveon before it stopped using its moves to hold the combo back. The Unbound Hoopa was buffeted by the vortex of moves and the damage was enough to cause Majin to fall over with a mighty crash.

[Assistant] Sylveon was linked by the Destiny Bond. Dust shot up, sprinkled with grass when Majin hit the ground. It could not be seen if Majin was KO'd, and thus Sylveon was as well.

[User] "If Majin is down and out, it will go double for Sylveon," Shiranui mused as he waited for the cloud of dust and grass to subside, "I still have Jolteon to contend with and my hunch about Liam's last Pokémon could still be half correct. With only Kaishin left, I'll need all the luck there is."

[Assistant]
When the dust settled, Majin was on the floor, as was Sylveon.

"Neither Pokémon is able to continue, this is a draw!" The Ref said.

Liam-vs-Shiranui
Pidgeot-1-Starmie
Jolteon-2-Breloom
Dusknoir-3-Mawile
Deoxys-4-Latias
Sylveon-5-Kyogre (Primal)
?-6-Hoopa (Unbound)

Shiranui only had one Pokémon left, and it had seen combat already. Liam had Ohm and one other left, so he was in good shape. "Ohm!" Liam called.

[User] "Kaishin, I choose you!" Shiranui sent his Primal Kyogre back out and torrential rain started falling for what seemed to be the umpteenth time.

[Assistant] "Start with Thunder Wave!" Liam called.

[User] "Kaishin, Earthquake!" Kaishin was zapped into paralysis. The Primal Kyogre was mobile enough to slam its bulk onto the battlefield and start a devastating Earthquake.

[Assistant] "Ohm! Double Kick off the ground!" The Jolteon used his hind legs to kick off from the ground, and avoid the powerful quake.

[User] "Sheer Cold!" Kaishin fired a blast of energy that measured at absolute zero in temperature, intending to intercept Ohm in mid-air.

[Assistant]
"Thunder!" Liam called. Ohm launched the bolt of lightning before being it by the frgid air. Liam sent his final Pokémon, Goodra out.
Liam-vs-Shiranui
Pidgeot-1-Starmie
Jolteon-2-Breloom
Dusknoir-3-Mawile
Deoxys-4-Latias
Sylveon-5-Kyogre (Primal)
Goodra-6-Hoopa (Unbound)

"Thunder!" Liam called.

[User] Lightning struck Kaishin and Shiranui felt he had to make the next attack count otherwise lightning would strike twice and he'd lose the battle. "Kaishin, Blizzard!" Shiranui called, doubting Sheer Cold would hit twice in a row. Since Kaishin was faster, the Primal Kyogre summoned a Blizzard that compounded the torrential rain. Electricity was arcing between Goodra's horns as the sky above the battlefield was lighting up to deliver the lightning strike that would knock Kaishin out.

[Assistant] Goodra launched the attack as he was hit by the ice move, and frozen solid.

[User] Kaishin was struck by lightning and knocked out. The Kyogre changed back to its normal form and the torrential downpour had stopped. "Kyogre is unable to battle!" the official ruled, knowing that a frozen Pokémon was still able to battle, "The winner of the Hoenn League Grand Final is Liam Coleman of Blackthorn City!"

[Assistant] Liam was happy. He ran onto the stage and sprayed Ice Heal on Goodra and pointed to the screen. Goodra saw it said Liam won the tournament. "Goodra!" He cried happily as he picked Liam up in a hug. When he let Liam go, Liam's front side was covered from head to toe in Goodra's slime. Fireworks exploded across the night sky as Liam was presented a gold trophy by an offical, and a slightly smaller silver trophy was presented to Shiranui. Liam was informed that he had a week to prep before his battle with the first member of the Elite Four. Liam took to research on the Pokémon each of them was known to use.

[User] Shiranui helped Liam in his research while his Pokémon were being healed. "According to what it says here, they specialise in Dark, Ghost, Ice and Dragon-types respectively," he stated, "From someone who's faced and defeated the Kalos Elite Four, I can tell you that your competition would be on par with my level of skill. Having defeated me twice in a Pokémon League tournament, you'll have no problems succeeding."

[Assistant] "Especially since I have fought Drake twice before, thanks to the Dragon Cup." Liam pointed out.

[User] "Except this time you'll be facing his full team of five," Shiranui rebutted.

[Assistant] "True, but he has used all five of them throughout those tournaments." Liam noted. He was trying to figure his most effective team to take on the Elite and Champ.

[User] "I would recommend Fairy, Steel and Dark as the types of choice for taking on the Elite Four," Shiranui suggested, "As for Steven, the only Pokémon we've seen him use is Metagross and I did recall seeing a Metagrossite attached to the top of its head."

[Assistant] "Well, I'm taking Jiriya and Sylveon in for sure." Liam said.

[User] "Jiraiya can definitely cover for several types thanks to his Protean ability," Shiranui agreed, "You'll still need some back-up in case Jiraiya falls and against Metagross, Sylveon has a disadvantage."

[Assistant] "Well, I'm looking at Jiriya, Sylveon, Scarlet, Goodra, Grimm, but the last one is where I'm stuck. I don't have many particularly strong Pokémon with an advantage over Sydney, and he's first up." Liam said. "They will however allow me to heal my Pokémon, but I am not allowed to switch anyone out, unless Joy orders that they be rotated out to heal from serious injuries."

[User] "What about your Hitmonchan?" Shiranui suggested.


[System]
Age: 18

Gender: Male

Race: Human

Weapon: Fists. Send help.

Crow's Beak: Crow's Beak is, at its core, an alternative form of the ubiquitous poleaxe-- a Lucerne Hammer. Also known as a Bec de Corbin (from which the moniker 'Crow's Beak' has been derived), this weapon is characterized by the four-pronged hammer at its head, curved spike upon the opposite side (the eponymous "beak"), and an even longer spike that extends from the top of the haft.

In the case of Crow's Beak, the shaft of the weapon is long and sturdy, extending well above his head at six feet even. Rather than one solid unit, though, the bottom half twists off into a semi-automatic shotgun, providing Luke with some now sorely needed ranged offense, whist the top half simply maintains its original function as a slightly long-handled warhammer. Finally, the aforementioned, sole piece of carryover his original weapon comes in the form of that topmost spike, now a thin yet sturdy coil of steel that retains the stabbing capabilities of the classical design whilst gaining an additional boring (as in the ability to bore through something) utility, in case sturdy armor should be encountered that he cannot simply smash, shoot, or stab through.

Specialty: Close-Quarters Combat, with a focus on all aspects of unarmed fighting as well as simply outlasting opponents through sheer guts and an advantageous semblance. Not a tank so much as a sponge, and not the tip of the spear so much as the glue keeping everything else in one piece. Soon to begin working on middling and longer ranges.

Semblance: Healing Blood: Rather than focusing primarily on the defensive, shield-like capabilities that most Auric individuals come to take almost for granted, Luke's semblance causes it to take an almost entirely different route when dealing with physical trauma— rather than outright absorption and nullification, his aura instead fuels massively overdriven levels of healing. In essence, rather than stack up defenses, Luke's method of survival is always being able to get back up for more after something flays him alive. While still tougher than a normal human by leaps and bounds, you're more likely to see him spilling blood than any other Hunter. This is, in actuality, not quite a bad thing— that same aura-charged blood, when in contact with another's wounds, will impart similarly accelerated restorative effects until it evaporates. In a way, it befits him: To be knocked down seven times means you must stand up eight, and to help others means you must be willing to invite harm upon yourself.

Personality: Luke is a person that can be described, plainly put, as "selfless to a fault". Driven by a deep-seated sense of justice and desire to become a hero, all it usually takes for him to want to step in and help someone is a moment of weakness, or the sign of someone being in need— something he often denigrates as him just being nosy and incapable of leaving well enough alone when he takes issue with something. That same sense of self-deprecation colors a good portion of his self-esteem; he has pride like any other guy, and will stand up for himself if under what he deems as undeserved attack, but his admiration for those he is surrounded by far outweighs that which he holds for himself. Prone to monologuing in his own head, he is a natural conversationalist even in spite of his status as a "recovering pariah", equally capable in the roles of both straight man and wise guy. This is why, to some, he may seem like a simply good-natured, friendly young man with a keen ability to laugh at himself— rather than the fairly melancholic and snarky, if permissive fellow lying beneath the surface. In some ways he's a walking contradiction, being silly and sober in the same breath— just as he values and preaches safety overmuch for someone almost suicidally willing to rush into danger for the sake of another. Too smart to ignore his faults and too dense to acknowledge his virtues, "selfless" really does fit the bill— for the value he places upon himself can be practically nonexistent.

Color: Black Hole

Emblem:

Appearance:

A bit on the short side, at 5'7. Athletic physique, as is the standard for those putting themselves through the type of physical training necessary to even think of becoming a hunter, if on the slimmer side of things. Interestingly, that little hair-antenna seems to be some form of indicator of his emotional state, easily as expressive as the rest of him, gray eyes included. Tends to like hoodies, sneakers, and jeans or khakis whenever not in uniform. Hailing from a town in the mountains near the northern tip of Vale as he does, even the long days spent outdoors hiking and training in preparation for his enrollment at the academy haven't done much to change his medium complexion, and his relatively long and straight black hair makes for good insulation in the wintertime.

[User]
Luke Schwarz, Breakfast Club

...

I've made a terrible mistake, haven't I?

That was what I had been thinking then. Of course, given that I had just engineered a situation in which an aura-eating berserker would be involved with combat in the slightest, it'd have been hard to come to any other real conclusion. She was already a hard enough taskmaster when it came to intellectual pursuits, but now that combat was in the mix...

I wasn't too optimistic that these would remain simple, casual rounds of drilling or advisory.

"Yeah, I'm sure you will and then some..."

More like rounds upon rounds of adversary.

"I guess I'll dig around for one, then..." I lamented, hoping to not too openly show fear in front of her. "I can certainly ask Bianca for help with using the pointy, spear-y end of it, so that's a place to start."

And here I had just gotten used to not treating her as a wild animal, too. Forget making progress, I felt like I had actually regressed here! I can't become a friend to someone who scares me half the time!

Honestly.

Demanding teachers was one thing. In fact, I was very much experienced with them. It was why I was fine with having her lecture me through integrations without as much as a flinch, for instance. But that same Gratia, being as demonstrably vicious as she was in a fight...

Would she be able to tone it back enough for me to learn?

"......."

This wasn't actually my first time asking this question, was it?

No, no it definitely wasn't. I asked the same thing at least once before. Six months ago, in fact.

I asked it about April, when I first realized I would have to train with and under her at the Summit of Fists. How did that turn out, again?

Well...

---

"Hey Dawn?"

"Hai?"

"Make sure you have your strings ready whenever we see nii-chan."

The youngest Schwarz cocked her pretty little head in a manner not dissimilar to an inquisitive dog.

"What for?"

"Feel like I need to punch him for some reason."

"Ah."

She straightened back up with a smile.

"Sure thing!"

"Thanks, sis."

---

"I'll be sure to mind my P's and Q's when that time comes, then."

I'm not gonna die. Maybe get beat up, but not die or even get sent to the hospital. I'm a champion at getting beaten up and coming back from it.

That was what I told myself once and was telling myself again, and it had been working so far to be fair.

So why would I worry about fighting an aura-eating berserker when I had my semblance and natural grit to back me up?

...

Wait a minute

[Assistant]
Sinatra @Kaithas @NarayanK

Even after a relatively short time, you build up a tolerance for Lauren's antics. You had to, or you'd go crazy trying to keep up. Dealing with Lauren was something Ben could do. Dealing with Lauren in front of her Mom, who had already sized Amy up before she turned her sights on Ben, put him in uncharted waters. She had to know how her daughter was, but she didn't know him; so as much as Lauren's rambling amused him, and made him smile hearing the esteem she held him in, her Mom's first impression of him probably shouldn't be out of her daughter's mouth.

Thaaaat's enough.

His best friend's bawdyiest joke was cut off by his shoulder, mostly because it went up when he twisted his arm up and around to ruffle her hair.

Now for a little damage control, before she makes people think I'm… Don't even have a word.

"She is a bit of a gremlin," He admitted, still ruffling her hair. It was really, really apparent that those clothes were hers now. They weren't going to fit anyone else. Not something to think about right now, not in this context. "But she's a good teammate. Better friend."

"Don't know if she told you, but she joined the team after we lost a member. Showed up right before combat class. She did snap my neck, I try not to hold it against her, but the rest isn't quite that inappropriate." He gave Costa a smile, stepping forward (now that her hands were free) with Lauren still on his back to offer her a hand to shake. "But we wouldn't trade back for the world. She's been really helpful, especially on our mission, and she's fun as hell."

"Probably not news to you, but you've got a hell of a daughter ma'am. Glad she's my friend."

[User]
Apophis gladly remained silent as he looked around the Armory, naturally taking an interest to the presence of metal all around him. He was a bit of a collector, so it was only natural for him to at least pay some attention to the place- even if it wasn't some kind of legendary forge that rose from the underworld or something. Although he remained near the others, he let his mind wander about, his hollow eye taking in the details of the academy's Armory.

Sangue, on the other hand, remained quiet. When Lauren wrapped an arm around her, the red-haired girl made no attempt to break free. She rather enjoyed Lauren's warmth, and out of everyone in BASL, Lauren easily had the highest body temperature. It made her feel fuzzy inside. And safe. A weak blush appeared on her cheeks due to the heat she felt.

She didn't know what it meant to be "sun-bleached," but it must have been a harmless thing if Lauren described her like that.

She blinked without much thought when Lauren pecked her cheek, glancing at Lauren, and then at her pretty mom.

The snake noticed how Costa seemed a lot calmer than Lauren, who was practically bursting with energy and joy. But despite their differences, Sangue could tell that the family loved each other well. It was nice to see.

As she glanced at Ben, who explained how Lauren fit right into the team to Costa, Sangue looked back at Lauren's mother with her idle expression still unchanging. The faint blush that had appeared earlier had yet to vanish.

Meanwhile, Apophis wondered if he should just start eating before he lost the food he brought.

@Kaithas@Plank Sinatra

[Assistant]
Gratia Mindaro - Beacon Cafeteria (Monday, Early Morning ~6-7am)

The cowlick was drooping. Despite the reserved manner in which Luke was attempting to act in, it was immediately clear to the Mistralese girl that her response had instilled in him enough emotional stimulus for his hair to move, if her hypothesis continued to hold true. The question was what exactly that movement represented. Hesitation? Fear? Despair? The underlying suggestion of a spar was already beginning to bear fruit for her research; if assisting him in his training would provide her with more evidence, then there was little reason for her not to. She was already fucking helping him with his schoolwork; doing the same for his combat skills for some reasonable gain was perfectly acceptable.

"The staff aspect would be something Nuit could also cover to some extent," she said, eyes glancing down from the strands of hair to meet Luke's grey orbs. "But you should work quickly to find a suitable polearm. You don't have time to fuck around on that."

[User]
Luke Schwarz, Breakfast Club

"Yeah, that's true. Best case scenario is me having until the end of week before I need something again..."

I steepled my hands, a small part of me wishing for a pair of orange glasses and white gloves, and racked my brain.

Quite a few images flashed to mind. Even without my remedial education on hunting and weaponry, I would have always been able and likely willing to come up with at least five variants of weapons like this. They showed up in games all the time, and while I'm no historian or enthusiast by any means, I had already learned a thing or two about the potential options provided to me by the general category of "polearms".

Halberds.

Glaives.

According to some, Bardiches and other such greataxes.

Even a Naginata wasn't out of the question, but...

The thing was, a lot of my studying the types of Grimm under Tanner's careful tutelage had been done under the assumption that I would either be landing blows with blunt force or piercing straight through with the head of a drill. I wasn't so delusional as to believe I could get by without ever knowing where I would need to, say, cut or chop at something, but with the time I have until the next sortie being measurable in days...

I needed as smooth a transition as possible.

That narrowed it down a good bit.

"Something that offers sheer blunt trauma as well as enough puncturing power to penetrate thick skulls and tough armor... A weapon I won't need to switch targets all too much for, in other words."

I looked back up to her.

"That sounds like a Lucerne Hammer to me."


[System]
Alias:
Meteor
Age:
18
Appearance:
Celeste stands at a short 5 foot 6 and has a skinny physique that betrays her true strength. Her skin isn't really tanned or pale, just somewhere in the middle. Her most notable features lie above her neck though, with her hair being at the top of the notable list. Her hair is long, and stretches down to about her waste. It's colour could be described as purple, though that wouldn't portray the majesty of it very well. The colour changes hue from neon pink, to deep purple every time you turn away from her. While at first glance, most of her hair would be purple, with only shades of dark pink here and there, at second glance this could change into being almost entirely pink with only small hues of purple here or there. While this may sound gaudy and unappealing, the iridescent nature of her hair is actually rather beautiful.

Sticking out from her hair are two small horns, a staple of her former race and a reminder that she is far from human. Her eyes match her hair in the nature of their colour. While most of them are an aqua blue, the bottom half of both of them fades into a sort of light green. Along with this, further adding to the alien look are here ears, which give off a sort of elf-like touch to her.
Gender:
Female
Powers/equipment:
Celeste's main power is her sheer strength and durability. She is far stronger than any human, and even then most superhumans. Along with this, she can withstand the full force of a train hitting her head on and only sustain a broken arm or so. Her healing factor is increased, but not overtly so, she could heal a broken limb in about a week or so. She is also able to fly, albeit at only a minor speed faster than her running pace. Her durability factors into her lungs, and she is able to fly through space without fear of death.
Weakness:
Enough damage can kill her just like anyone else. Along with this, her naivety and lack of knowledge about earth can be her downfall, as any villain who convinces her that they are a good guy can put a deathly turn on the situation. Quicksilver also severely weakens her, and can even kill her in large enough quantities.
Personality:
If you had to describe Celeste in two words they would be 'Overtly optimistic'. Celeste refuses to see the bad in a situation, whether this be due to her naivety or something else altogether is unknown, but she never lets anything get her down. Kind and thoughtful, Celeste will often pick up on a minor thing a person has said and try to find out as much about it in order to become better friends with the person.

However, there is a downside to this overtly happy personality. She is rather bold and outgoing in what she says, and can often offend with her blatant observations. Along with this, she knows very little about earth and this lack of knowledge has been a great nuisance for her.
History:
Celeste was born on a planet far out of the milky way. It was a planet mainly filled with various faunas and forests, hardly even breaking past the pre-historic stage of its cycle. Nevertheless, do not think it's inhabitants to be cavemen, they were just as adept and smart as the modern human being, but their culture was centred extremely around tribes and whatnot.

Celeste spent a lot of her youth hunting and exploring with her siblings, tracking various birds of prey and carnivores before fighting and killing the animals to bring home for dinner that night. Everything seemed to be going well in her life, that is, until the Empire of Jahanos attacked. The Empire of Jahanos was an extremely advanced army of aliens, dedicated to mining out planets for their resources whether the inhabitants liked it or not.

This lead to the tribes forming together into one massive army, and managing to hold off Jahanos for a few weeks or so, before they began pulling out the big guns. They slaughtered entire towns without mercy, and began starving out the ones that caused the most trouble. Soon enough bombings began occurring and the tribes began having less and less chance of winning this fight.

Celeste would never discover who won the war, as she was kidnapped before it had even properly gotten into full swing. She was to be used as a bargaining chip, but fate saw other plans for her. She broke out of her jail cell using her incredible strength and managed to make it to an escape pod on the ship she was being held on. She pressed just about every button in the pod before it put her into deep sleep and sent her shooting off into space.

She slept in that vessel for 4 months or so, tumbling and spinning through space until she finally reached her stop. Earth's moon. She exited the vessel fully rested and ready to get revenge on Jahanos. Unfortunately, that revenge would have to wait. She explored the moon, finding nothing but a few rocks and craters. She leapt into the air, only to discover her ability of flight, and managed to make her way to earth before subsequently getting lost once more.

She found her way into society and adapted as well as she could. She managed to get a small job, an apartment and became inspired by heroes like Superman and Wonder Woman to start doing it herself. A few months later and there she was, joining the Teen Titans.
Other:
* Her favourite food is hamburgers
* Obsessed with 'future funk'

[User]
The Titans Headquarters

Hadrian stood in a large entrance hall of the Teen Titan's new headquarters and his mind was full of anxious thoughts. Today would be his first time meeting the entire team and that would mean he would have to hope that their first meeting together would go smoothly. For a long time Hadrian had fears that this idea of a group of teenage heroes would be a disaster and they would all get killed, but he would have to rely on faith that everything would work out.

"Their files are fine and they all have great power, but I just hope that they will work well with this team" he said to himself as he waited for their arrival. Hadrian wasn't use to working in groups and this was all going to be new to him. With how much trouble that the Justice League had to handle nowadays ever since the trinity disappeared and the world's troubles had risen, it was his hope that this team would help bring some order back into the world.

They would be in for a wild ride when they begin to do hero work as a team. Their headquarters was built with the help of the League and it was located in an obscure part of the woodlands of New York State. A hidden base was wise now that so much hatred against superhumans was everywhere and they would need to stay hidden. Hadrian never thought that Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman were so integral to keeping the civil peace in the world.

Now there were all sorts of hate groups both human and metahuman going around attacking those who did not follow their ideologies. There would need to be order brought back into the world if peace was going to ever be achieved again. Some of the League members were still wondering what happened to the trinity, but Hadrian was more focused on making sure that entities who had given him his powers did not return and bring complete chaos with them.

Hadrian wanted to focus more on helping bring down criminals and fighting against the hate groups to keep the public safe. Deep down in his mind something told him that it may be a bad decision to not focus on finding out what had happened to the big three, but he looked past that and wanted get into combating villains and using his powers for good.

[Assistant]
Ever since arriving in this new world, Light had to get acclimated to quite a few things. For one, it had a lot of entertaining books and movies. Another, there were a lot of 'special' beings with super powers. And third, while the Justice League was fairly nice to her, normal people as she learned, weren't super keen on seeing her at times unless she was fighting crime or something. It made watching movies really akward when most people gave her a wide birth minus a few people who well... She wasn't fans of them.

Light made her way to the location of a new base, having been told to be part of a team called the 'Teen Titans'. She kinda understood why they put the building in the woodlands of New York, but was still annoyed with the location being so far away from a city. She arrived at the base second, which confused her since she wasn't in much of a hurry to get there. Noticing one of her new team members, she pulled out a hole from inside her dress and jumped into it, another hole appearing in front of Hadrian in which Light popped out of.

"Hiya, I'm Light, who are you?" She said with a smile on her face, extending one of her hands for him to shake. "Is this a duo thing or...?" She said, puzzled.

[User]
Celeste stretched up into the air as she awoke, almost as if she was reaching up to grab the very stars that she fell from. She slid out of bed and pranced over to her bathroom before showering and getting dressed. She wore an oversized black sweater, a plaid skirt, tights and flat shoes. Along with this, was a baseball cap worn backwards, in a vain effort to hide her 'secret' identity. Suffice to say, her fashion sense was limited to what she saw on the internet, namely on something called 'tumblr'.

She had received a message, about joining something called 'The Teen Titans'. To tell the truth, most of the situations in which Celeste found herself in was due to pure bad luck. Taking out a withdrawal at the bank? You better believe that a robbery would take place. Walking past an orphanage? Of course a new fire based villain would be attacking it. Heck, she even had to deal with some condiment based villain while at Burger King with a few of her friends.

While she had very little to do today, other than watching a documentary on whales that she had been waiting what felt like weeks to be shown again, she felt an urge to not meet the titans. She couldn't tell what it was, but something in her stomach told her that meeting them could be a bad idea. Although that could have just been the copious amount of pears she had eaten the night before. Ever since discovering them, they had far surpassed anything she had ever tasted.

She took deep breaths, considering her options. She could either go to the meeting, risk potential death or dismemberment, have her 'identity' revealed and face social exclusion should she survive. Or, she could not go, live a life of boredom and stick to the same process of watching nature documentaries, crying at the bits with koala bears and eating pears for the rest of her young life.

Obviously, she chose the first option.

She left her small apartment and scurried to the back alley. There was no quicker way of getting around New York than flying, in her experience. She looked to the sky, crouched and shot off into the sky like a reverse meteor. Zipping and swooping around the clouds was fun, for sure, but also dangerous to the careless or distracted. In fact, Celeste had managed to doge multiple birds and jet engines just by a hair in this flight alone, she should really have flown a lot closer to the ground.

Soon enough, she found herself diving towards the meeting place. At the same time, she found herself wondering how they'd tracked her down. It would take a smarter person than her to realize that while the cap hid her horns, it did not hide her constantly changing purple hair or ears.

She landed just in front of a large steel door. With a layer of anxiety, she pushed the door open and began making her way in. As if by chance she found herself behind what looked to be an alien. This did more than excite, Celeste, it got her hopes up so high they had hired window cleaners. She walked up to the two, a grin on her face as she stood beside, Light.
"Hello!" She practically shouted, her excitement obvious. "I'm here for the Titans thingy!" She said, pointing out the obvious as per usual. She turned to Light, her grin growing slightly wider. "I am very sorry if this sounds rude, but are you an alien?" She asked, excited at the prospect of not being the only alien on the team.


[System]
Age: 19

Gender: Female

Appearance: Onyx has black hair and green cat eyes. The skin of her entire body is covered in short, soft cheetah-patterned fur, except her wings and face. She is missing her left ear and has a scar on her left cheek from a fight she was in a while back. Her wings are like the wings of a brown hawk, and her wingspan is twice her arm span. She usually wears a shawl so that her wings are hidden unless she is flying.

Equipment: 3 or 4 small knives (and other tools), a pair of restored Twin Pistols, and a basic med-pack.

Physical Abilities: Flight, 6th sence(hunting/tracking), Speed & Agility, Stealth.

Background: Onyx's species, the Elissics, live in the mountains and old cities found there. They could be categorized as a frightening predator and enemy to all creatures, as they have barely any ability to distinguish one race of creature from another from the air, and there's barely any escape once they swoop down on their prey. They are not a particularly smart race, they can't understand old human language and can just barely manage to put back together the few relics they find from humans. They can only make crude weaponry, and are fairly simple with the other things they make as well. Their society is broken up into many nomadic tribes across the region, each having their own unique color of wings, and they have no unified head of power, so they will often fight with each other when the different tribes meet.

Onyx herself is a bit different from the others in her tribe… she likes to be alone, rather than hunting in a group, and will keep trying towards her goal until she figures out how to get there. Instead of trying to fly over the tallest mountain and tiring herself out, possibly even getting sick, she'll look for the shortest path around. She's better with strategy and quick moves than drawn-out fights and trying to compensate for a group. Because of this, she is sort of left out of everything, and she doesn't care because she doesn't want to have to feel like she can't say what's on her mind. She is often given solo missions that really don't make much difference around the tribe, and whenever she's not on a mission will fly in random patterns around the mountains, usually ending up at a large lake (or small sea) where she likes to fish using an old net she had found nearby the first time she had gone there. Onyx, just like the rest of the Elissics, doesn't worry much about the state of the world or how it got that way. They all live completely in the moment.

[User]
Tarentek felt strange being shepherded around in secret to Onyx's den, but he supposed it was necessary. At least it finally seemed like he was going to be able to stop moving and relax. For almost the entire day, he had been wandering the desert and was close to exhaustion. Luckily, the pair made it to the den without being spotted, after which Onyx was quick to dash around the rooms lighting lanterns for visibility.

After a few minutes, Onyx led Tarentek to a small room in the back. It had little else other than a bed, but he was not someone who required much in the way of accommodations. It was already a more comfortable room than the barracks he was used to. He sat down on the bed and leaned his back against the wall as Onyx left the room. Letting down his hood, he gave a fatigued sigh, but did his best to stay awake and alert. Although he was tired, he was far hungrier than he was exhausted, and he was anxiously looking forward to a much-needed meal. When Onyx brought him his water, he was tempted to down it all in one gulp again, but paced himself on her recommendation. Despite all he had to worry about at the moment, the small room in a nice, peaceful den was enough to at least mitigate some of the stress he had accumulated throughout the day while he waited for Onyx to call him into the other room.

[Assistant]
Onyx tried to make something that tasted ok in as little time as possible, so she ended up making hot sandwiches. Ground meat cooked into a shape like a pancake and served in bread, a simple meal that she was sure Tarentek would be able to eat as much as he wanted of. "Tarentek. The meal is ready." She called as she placed the food on the small table in the main room, pouring another glass of water for Tarentek and placing it at his spot. She did not have to wait long for him to show up, although he did not seem to have rested at all since she had left him in his room. She decided that she would give him some medicine to help him sleep after he ate, as she placed two small pills next to his plate before sitting down.

"The blue pill will help your digestion, and the green one will help you re-hydrate faster. You have to take them before you finish your plate if you're going to want any more food after that." She said as he sat across the table from her.

[User]
Tarentek was quick to move to the main room once he heard his name. He still had a good amount of water in his cup, and the meal, in his eyes, looked greatly appetizing. Of course, with as long as it had been since he had eaten, just about anything edible would seem quite appealing.

Tarentek had not been expecting medicine, though he supposed Onyx was assigned to be his nurse. She had done nothing to harm him so far, so he saw no reason not to trust what she was giving him. "Thank you." He said with a polite nod before taking the medicine, then starting on his meal. As much as he wanted to wolf down the meat as quickly as he could, Tarentek had to force himself to take his time and not overeat. His malnourishment was hardly as bad as it could have been, but he still needed to pace himself to be safe. Hopefully, the medicine would help in that regard.

"I have told you some about my life, but perhaps I could ask a few questions about yours?" Tarentek commented after a minute or so of silence. "I got the sense that you are related to your leader. Is that true?"

[Assistant]
Tarentek's question didn't surprise her, although the fog of his memory sure did. Her father had only briefly mentioned that she was his daughter, but the way he said it had made her think that he was attempting to shame Her and Tarentek at the same time. If she accounted for the fact that his memory would probably be spotty because of his condition, she could understand him forgetting such a minuscule moment. "Well," She started, not sure whether to be blunt or vague, and deciding to just get it out. "Yes, you are right. Raldel is my father, and I am his youngest daughter."

Onyx tried to force herself to keep a strait face as she thought about her family. She didn't fit in with her brothers at all, as they all decided to become Scouts and Sentries, and her one older sister was... Onyx shook herself to keep the thought from her mind. "I'd rather not talk about my family much, if you don't mind. Please." She added the last part under her breath, so she was unsure if Tarentek actually heard it or not, and then decided she didn't care. "All you need to know is that my father has not been leader of our tribe for long. He took control after the last snow-fall."

[User]
"I understand." Tarentek said, nodding to Onyx as he continued with his meal at a relatively slow pace. "My parents were no one special in my city. They were simply warriors, like myself. They taught me what they knew and prepared me for my training, after which I became a scout for my people. My father died in battle about five years ago, and my mother was wounded last year. She lost the ability to use her leg as...effectively as before, so she was no longer able to serve as a warrior after that. As for my role, I have more knowledge than the average person about old Human technology. It was the task of myself and my scouting team to identify and recover useful materials and machines."

After giving his brief explanation of his own past, Tarentek moved on to the next point about which he was curious. "At any rate, perhaps I could know a bit more about your kind. The ability to fly is...not something I could imagine myself. Having been something you've had your whole life, I would guess it is fairly mundane to you, but for someone who has been bound to the Earth for all his years, it seems amazing, and frightening, to think about. Although, I do wonder in what ways we are different that are not so obvious."

[Assistant]
Onyx had never thought that her flight was mundane, how could she, when every time she took off she could feel the pure joy and freedom of the air around her. She was not quite sure how to explain this to Tarentek however, so she decided to try telling him what her mother had once told her. "Well, to me the ability to fly has always been a blessing upon my people. Our wings have allowed us to survive what our brother race, the Gahiji, could not. The Gahiji all died years before I was born, but other than the absence of wings, they were exactly like the Elissics. The histories I have learned of my people claim that the two races may have had a shared heritage, and that it was a grave mistake on the part of the Elissics to allow the Gahiji's destruction." Onyx took a moment to get her train of thought back on track before continuing.

"As for imagination... Have you ever felt so happy and safe that you couldn't help yourself but to laugh and sing? When I'm in flight the world seems so much smaller, and I know that I am free of the lurking dangers and unpredictability of the land below. I am untouchable, and may go wherever I wish, or even simply nowhere at all..." Onyx trailed off, a light smile on her face as she recalled memories of when she had first learned to fly. "I was terrified when I was first learning, Olias caught me a lot at the beginning, but now I could fly in my sleep if i wanted to." Suddenly, Onyx realized what the biggest difference between them could be.

"Tarentek, do you have gods? I don't mean the kind that you could prove exist, but the deep belief that there is someone unseen watching over you." Onyx tried not to ask the question too suddenly, but she hoped that he would understand that what she asked had a stronger meaning than the words could imply.

[User]
Tarentek tried to understand how it felt to fly from Onyx's words. Her way of describing the experience was quite vivid, though he doubted he would ever truly understand what it was like to fly under his own power, not unless he found a way to grow wings. He had not heard of this other race she mentioned, but if they had indeed died out, then why would he? "The way you make it sound...I do wish I could experience it, and not passively as before. It does seem like flight would give your people a great advantage." He commented, giving a pause to take a drink of his water. "Although, I suppose my people are not without any advantage. I am somewhat...larger than everyone I have seen so far here. I am honestly surprised you were able to carry me here; it could not have been easy. I do remember that my kind tended to have at least a bit more in the way of...muscular definition compared to most of the traders and other visitors to our city. Then there is our regeneration."

After Tarentek trailed off himself, Onyx asked a question about his people's gods, which he had no problem answering. "Yes, Koisk, Jhala, and Vikrii. They are our body, mind, and spirit, respectively. I could explain more about them, if you are curious." He offered.

[Assistant] "Do you trust in them? Would you place any and all hope for not only your life but the lives of everyone around you in their hands?" Onyx hoped she would be able to remember the names he had said, they did sound a little familiar already. "I ask because one thing my tribe has noticed about most outsiders who have recovered more of the Past one's Relics than we have is that they all seem to have a more disjointed relationship with their supposed greater beings of faith. They learn more of the lost past and lose sight of their beliefs, becoming a shell of what they may have been."

[User]
Tarentek leaned back in his chair, lightly scratching his chin. "I...do not know how to answer that, honestly. To pursue lost knowledge is not opposed to our beliefs, but instead central to them. Perhaps I can explain." He said, leaning forward again and taking a quick bite of his meal before continuing.

"Koisk is our body. She gives the gift of the physical form we carry through life; she gives strength, fertility, and ensures our lasting good health. My people, the Karisskan, will heal from any wound that does not kill us. If an injury is terrible enough, it can take a long time to recover, such as with my mother, but even her leg would have healed completely given enough time. Vikrii is our spirit. He gifts us the essence of life, the spark of our being. And, he shepherds us through death, beyond our world. But Jhala, she is the one most central to our daily lives, for she is our mind, our thoughts and knowledge. It is her gift that separates us from simple beasts, not our bodies, no matter how strong or resilient they are. She grants us reasoning and understanding, and to serve her is to expand that knowledge. We seek the lost knowledge of the world before because it strengthens her gifts. So you see, gaining that knowledge is a core part of our values." Tarentek explained.

[Assistant]
"I think yours is the only race that has such a belief." Onyx said quietly. "My people have a very different belief from you. Our bodies and physical abilities are simply a visible interpretation of the strengths of our spirit, soul, and heart. Earlier you said you didn't think that I would have been able to carry you for so long as I did, that is because my strength is less visible to you than it is to my people. Spirit is our will to live and our hope, without it we would be too heavy with the burdens of sadness, fear, worry, and anger to even be able to fly at all. The strength of our will, our spirit, becomes the strength of our wings, and therefore so long as we believe in ourselves we gain the strength to do what we set out to do."

Onyx paused a moment before continuing. "Our soul is our eternal self, and cannot be harmed by anything in this world. Our soul is where we learn to recognize others and we gain our sense of self through it, and it is all that will be left of us once we have passed. Our soul gives us trust and friendship, along with promise and continuity. The strength of our soul becomes the power we inherit when we come of age, our acceptance by the rest of the tribe as who we are. those with a strong soul are better leaders than those with a weaker soul, however a strong soul is more likely to be corrupted by the powers of Fellagang and his minions. Lastly, heart. Our heart guides our decisions and grants us compassion and joy, along with love and loyalty. Our heart is untouchable, for we cannot change its strength on our own. The strength of our heart becomes our agility and speed, as well as our link to Heillias. Those with a stronger heart look more delicate than those with a weak heart, and are often easier to get along with than those without a strong heart."

Onyx hoped that she still made sense to Tarentek. He looked very tired as he was listening. "Enough questions for tonight, you need your rest. finish the rest of your plate and i'll get you some medicine to help you sleep if you need it."