[System]
Race: Human

Age: 22

Appearance: Only a fraction shorter than the average woman Kali often wears very simple clothing, betraying the nature of her commoner background. From working in the fields her once pale skin now bears a moderate tan, and though she had taken pains to care of it its once smooth texture is now marred with rough patches.

Her face is framed by her brown hair, carrying a tinge of red through its colour that is most noticeable in the direct light of the sun. Her eyes are a type of Hazel, with a stronger amount of green than brown, but where one would expect to see the spark of youth in her eyes it instead seems to be a dull colour betraying her innerself. Finally her face is an attractive degree of plump, enough to hide any strong definitions of her bones but not enough to detract from her overall appearance.

While her clothing is somewhat simple and suited for travelling or hard work, it still has some minor degrees of embellishments that help to flatter Kali's form. That combined with a number of assorted trinkets that she has received as gifts over the years help to attract some attention to her, though often times it will simply remain at a long drawn-out glance

Personality: Kali is a hardened individual from a difficult life but she hides this truth behind a false personality. On first appearances she appears shy and a somewhat indecisive individual having found these traits and an air of innocence causes those she interacts with to underestimate her or even outright ignore her entirely. Though this fake personality is somewhat robust for first meetings, it lacks depth that becomes apparent over prolonged encounters

Her true personality is that of a survivor, and this belays the manipulate and cunning individual she acts as. She had learnt the world is a harsh place and understands the world is full of pain and loss. Taking an enjoyment in manipulating and fooling others, she has no qualms if her plans results in others being hurt. However she is rather sheltered from death in her life, so the concept of killing or dealing with someone being killed is still hard for her to swallow.

Driven and confident in her own abilities, when she makes a decision she will see it through, choosing to be either subtle or direct in her approach as needed by the situation. Despite the harsh outlook that life has left her with, she still has dreams of a fairytale ending which can often times leave her to being dragged upon romantic strings despite the risk they can carry

[User]
Theme

I hear them over and over, the curses, the dread, the fear in my name. Cecilia the Devouring One they call me, mistaking me for that Beast. I've heard them for so long that it's but a breath away to ignore them, pretend they are the background noise to this sea of nothingness. Don't I deserve this though? Am I not the one in her self-righteousness, her arrogance, feeling as if I were invincible just because I was a god, that was the reason for all of this? I could've seen it, but instead I let my nativity get the best of me and doomed my people to fall. How stupid...

I go over my mistake again and again, trying to find a way that I could've fixed it or avoided and there are hundreds of ways - but it doesn't matter. I am forgotten, lost in the void of all forgotten deities. I cannot die, but I no longer hold any power.. only the capacity to think, to ponder, to wallow in my guilt. Why didn't the others spread my heroic tale? Did they not see? Are they all really that greedy? Was there not one noble god among them?

... w-wait. I.. this.. I haven't felt this in ages. Someone is praying - to me? That isn't enough, but.. someone actually gives me offerings?

---

Just as Anela turned to scoff at the newcomer, there was a sudden burst of wind that rushed through the shrine, forcing the door to creek and bang against the outside. Leaves and dust swirled around the two in a dance that could only be described as calming and soothing, the air becoming heavy with the scent of a fresh rainstorm, despite the sky's protest that there were no clouds. If it were magic, neither of them could feel it's energies - no, this was something different, other-worldly in nature, but inspiring in it's own way. Slowly, the dust, the leaves, and wind died down until the shrine was quiet once more.

However the play did not stop there. The scent of rain water still cloaked the shrine as the light started to dim into almost pitch blackness, then without warning, the light became so bright as to becoming blinding - though it did not blind. As the white flash drifted away, both women were presented with a scene that was familiar yet vastly different. The solid stone floor almost shined, free of dirt or grime, the chairs that had previously been broken and rotted were repaired once more, tables placed upright as if brand new, giving off the feel that the shrine had only been just built moments ago. The cloths hanging seemed clean and soft and candles were lit, giving off a gentle warmth, making one question how this could ever be the shrine of someone so evil.

Most importantly however, they both realized something. They were not alone. In the middle of the room stood a woman, clad in a mixture of cloth and silver chainmail, holding a runic blade in her hands. In many ways, this made her appear as a soldier, but upon closer inspection even the cloths had a unique elegance to them from an age gone by. The layers were folded to flatter her form and yet the chain mesh provided protection and mobility in ways that spoke to a skilled swordsman, but even the armor had a pleasant shine to it. Beyond this though, it was obvious that there was an almost otherworldly glow about her that was less seen and more so felt, radiating an aura of fierce compassion. It was then that they both noticed her staring right at them.

"The one who prayed to me.." The woman paused, but her voice was filled with a subtle yet musical echo. "I did not imagine the first request being that of a bed." Causally, but with what seemed like the strength of a dozen giants, she thrust the tip of her blade into the stone floor, sealing it in place. She then leaned on her hip, gently placing her palm against it, studying the two in a few moments of silence. "Regardless of why - I am thankful. No one has prayed for centuries.."

Her eyes then met Kali's own for a moment and Cecilia smiled softly. "Nor has anyone given me offerings in those times." The goddess looked down at her hand, flexing her fingers into a fist and then back to an open palm. ".. however, you may be disappointed." Her eyes wandered back up to the pair, her smile having faded. "I am the patron of noble warriors - not a love goddess." At that, she simply went silent, allowing the mortals to respond to her, lowering her free hand to sit at her side as she watched them with an unusual intensity, her piercing green eyes never leaving them.

[Assistant]
As if awakening from a dream, Anela shook her head at the sudden transformation of the abandoned shrine. It took but the time of a blink of the eye, and there she was, standing in a temple of virtue with her swollen desires. Did she just harass the local devotee? The confusing sense that reality could have been different from appearances left Anela silent for a moment.

She straightened her back, and closed her lips in a long flat and thin line. Her hair still flowed rather indecorously on her shoulders, and her dress felt a bit too airy for the occasion. All the riches of the shrine seemed unfamiliar to her eyes, and the perfect decorations, barely swayed by the sudden gush of air that had her close her eyes: she could not recall any of them.

Above all, she gazed at the perfect amazon talking to her. That amazon which she had taken for merely a sculpture, was no less than a human being, made of flesh and bones. A superb human being. One of such a terrifying beauty, that words of compliments turned to fear, and desires turned to the morbid attraction of horror. Oh she was beautiful, so much beautiful to eclipse the existence of yet another woman barely two arms away. Her attire, so poor in contrast to the noble look of her eyes and the dignity of her temples, made her shine even more, and by the time Anela paid attention to the third woman, her heart had given a burst of joy, and stopped.

That was what a human could be, closest to the incarnation of a Goddess. A Goddess of fiery love, perhaps, or a Goddess of harsh passions, clad in armor, and bearing a sword. Or nothing of that. Just a harlot perhaps, one gifted with an unearthly beauty by nature, and playing some articulate game to entice rich clients. A playful twist, indeed, very unexpected of such a forgotten place like Harvest. Anela forced herself the believe the latter, he struggled in her heart to accept the easiest explanation of reality, that the fabric of the Universe may not be altered as easily by a lustful desire. Let it be a well disguised brothel, she thought, one where they use complex artifices to create all sorts of illusions.

But the look of the Goddess was too strong, and her power too large to ignore. Her beauty too perfect, her symmetry too unnatural. Which hand could frame such body? Which flute could play such tones? Anela found herself trembling lightly, and her knees stiff and sore from the effort of keeping them straight.

"So you say. Prove it." she said, finally.

[User]
It had all happened in but a heartbeat, one moment Kali had been leaning against a column, bemused smile half cloaked by the shadows cast from the remaining structure of the shrine as she teased the stranger next to the statue of the Goddess. And then, in the next the entire world had changed before the lady had a chance to respond. The world seem to whip into a frenzy all around the shrine, pleasant scents of nature drifting from sources unseen, driving back the old dank and musky smell of moss and aged wood long since left to rot. Even as Kali drew in a breath of surprise, the gentle scent of fresh rain seeping through each inch of her form - every muscle in her body seeming to relax, the darkness from the corners of the shrine seemed to grow and cover her vision.

And yet, even as all sight faded from the room, Kali could not find it within her to panic. Though she could not understand the nature of these changes, the atmosphere held no aggression and even this darkness seemed more like a comforting blanket then a hostile force. Not daring to utter a sound, lest she break the magic of this moment, the darkness was flung back from her vision, as though one had just lifted the curtain to a play. If her mouth had not been agape before, Kali certainly became dumbstruck at the sight that now lay before her.

No more was this a decrepit shrine, abandoned to face the ravages of nature and time. Kali's eyes darted around rapidly attempting to take in the sight before her. As stunning as the transformation of the shrine was, even it's beauty and elegance paled in comparison to the true figure of the goddess that stood before them. Kali could feel a lump grow in her throat, her voice caught and unable to make a sound as she stared at what could only be described as the true definition of beauty. The entire frame of the Goddess seemed to radiate to Kali's eyes, blanking out the rest of the room and leaving her only that single entity to gaze upon, the rest of the room, nay, the rest of the world not existing for that brief moment her eyes were blessed enough to capture that image.

Her eyes moved on their own accord, tracing the curves and edges of the figure, Kali's face beginning to flush as her mind began to wander to strange thoughts brought on by the conversation she had overheard earlier suddenly feeling her comment could have been ill-advised, who was she to judge craving such a form as the one before her when her own body betrayed her own intentions. Lost in her own thoughts, the voice of the Goddess's words seemed to gently drift through her scattered mind with its musical melody, guiding her mind back to the reality at hand. Each of her words were like the sweet whispers of an Angel, it was both such a sweet sound to listen to but commanded power and authority, keeping Kali from drifting into none to appropriate thoughts as she hung onto every word.

Still captivated, Kali listened with bated breath as the Goddess gave hints of her plight, the thought of such a figure being left abandoned by all of her followers pulled at Kali's heartstrings. And then the Goddess's gaze drifted over to Kali, Kali's own hazel eyes meeting those piercing emerald pools of the Goddess's. It was but a simple gesture, and yet Kali felt as though her entire body and soul was laid bare to the Goddess, the way she smiled as her gaze held her own made her entire body feel as though it was melting, a warm spreading through to every corner of her form in the most pleasant ways possible! It was just a look and yet the intensity of her eyes were overpowering, Kali feeling as though she may burn up on the spot. Thankfully the Goddess eyes drifted down to her hands, Kali turning to her head to the side quickly as she felt her entire face burn, no doubt she was blushing enough to be noticed even through the white make-up she had used earlier.

Her eyes yearned to drift back to that visage of perfection, but Kali did not trust herself with such an action just yet. She wished to listen and pay attention to the musical voice of this godly figure. After the Goddess had spoken and Anela had directed her question, Kali gently shook her head, finally able to find her voice she found her voice on the verge of trembling from such unsavoury desires "How could we be disappointed? And how could you question her divinity" She asked, taking a shaky breath to calm her nerves "Just to be in your presence feels like a blessing, a…" Kali paused as she struggled to form the words in her mind "Unearthly gift that I can barely comprehend. And don't pretend you can't feel it as well" She directed at the other woman in the room. Though Anela was composing herself far better than Kali was in the presence of this Divine being, it was apparent to all it was still having an effect


[System]
---

Appearance

Aged 90 | Male | 6'3 | 192 lbs

Tall, dark (not really), and handsome, or at least he considers himself as such, Benjamin sports dirty blonde hair and gray eyes. He stands on the taller side of things and has a fit figure, pale skin and long facial features giving him a rather serious look. His choice of clothing is usually simple and comfortable, preferring comfort over style, although he can dress up for the occasion if need be.

Personality
The only thing anyone needs to know about Benjamin is that he will become the next Lord of House Eve.

Benjamin comes off as a taciturn, stoic figure. That is most definitely not what he is, though it amuses him that he can have that appearance if needed. He is passionate about everything he puts his mind to, whether it be his fighting ability or endeavoring into the political world. There is very little in this world that phases or frightens him, believing that fear should serve as a motivator to improve oneself. He does, however, keep his wits about him and reacts accordingly to most situations.

While not as serious as he looks, so long as he keeps his mouth shut, he can keep that appearance up to the point that he really can be the neutral Eve he's expected to be. Instead, Benjamin is every traditionalist's nightmare: frighteningly progressive, looking solely to the future while wanting to get rid of outdated rules, and more than willing to inflict radical change if and when it is needed--and in his opinion, this world needs it sooner than later. That being said, he is smart enough to know going in with torches and pitchforks won't accomplish anything except further fighting, instead hoping he can change the system from within.

When it comes to mages, Benjamin believes their fleeting lives require guidance. Just because they aren't around long, however, doesn't mean that they shouldn't be respected. On the contrary, they very much exist as vampires do, even if they are a little frail for his taste.

Benjamin is known as the young troublemaker of the house; where most stick to the common Eve stance of neutrality, he feels that keeping that mindset is precisely what led to the house's current state. What needs to happen is change, but seeing as how he's outnumbered, change needs to come slowly but surely. While he does have sympathy for Count Lutheran, he is aware of the vampire's struggles and feels he doesn't have what it takes to properly control the rest of the family.

Bio
Benjamin always had a tendency to stir up trouble in his youth, despite being raised to be proper and poised. He liked to ask questions, he liked the freedom to do as he pleased, he disliked being told what to do, and he absolutely hated having to show 'respect' to those that often did not deserve it. Fortunately he also hated getting punished just as much, learning to keep his words to himself and keeping up the image of a proper gentleman. His family is one of the few branches that has managed to hold on to both dignity and wealth, leading to a proper upbringing and the freedom to lay out his own path--though life would show him his privilege sooner than later.

The first instance had to be at a meeting in which a mage had corrected their vampire on something. He never did remember what the information was, but he couldn't forget the way it was dealt with: a direct smack across the jaw, with absolutely no one batting an eye to the contrary. 'It was deserved' was the common consensus, followed by a shrug and a change of topic whenever he inquired. He was told that was not how mages should be: they should be seen, but not heard. That was just the way things were, but it never did sit well with him, his protests and questioning reaching a head when his own father had to get involved to stop him.

For some time Benjamin was quelled until he met Delia, a mage belonging to Duke Gethin. Their meeting was entirely on accident, with Benjamin stumbling across her while looking for his mother. It was the first time he had met a mage not belonging to his immediate family, but the two got along well. The bruises lined around her neck had gotten his attention, but she was able to successfully evade his questioning and distract him with a much too pleasant conversation. By fortune the baron was conducting some business with his father, and Benjamin insisted on going along despite being deemed too young to properly understand. The woman was rigid next to her baron during the meeting, a strange mask of neutrality that greatly contrasted the warmth he had encountered before. It was all too obvious that despite never laying a hand on her in front of them, the abuse the baron gave was apparent in the ever so slight flinch anytime the baron raised his hand.

After the meeting he managed to borrow her, asking if she was being treated badly, but she wouldn't give him any semblance of the rather obvious circumstance. Time passed and things stayed the same, and despite her warmth, it greatly disturbed him to know she was being treated in such a manner. In his foolishness, Benjamin would eventually confront the man, setting off an unfortunate chain of events that resulted in Delia's death. It was deemed an accident and swept under the rug, and aside from an obligatory warning from the Council, nothing came of it. Gethin continued to mistreat his mages, and Benjamin was shown just how powerless he was in the grand scheme of things.

Feeling responsible for Delia, he decided to dedicate his life to advocating to mage rights, finding a lot of pushback from the older generation. Rather than wait to get taken out due to his 'radical ideas', he took the initiative to undergo vigorous training, covering both long range and short range forms of fighting. His first encounter with an assailant proved that his paranoia had a place, but instead of getting shaken he actually found himself enjoying the tussle, ultimately disappointed when it ended. From that point forward made sure to divide himself between his training and his work, working slowly but surely to make sure he would see his goals through to the end.

Likes
Benjamin's passion has always been the thrill of battle first and foremost, having trained in several forms of martial arts. He values strength, both physical and mental, believing that without it very little can be accomplished. He enjoys sports of most kinds, or any physical activity, really. Traditional archery is a neat hobby he picked up around twenty years ago that he finds himself enjoying as of late.

Dislikes
Sitting still for too long tends to get to him, and while he understands education is important, he would rather sit out in the sun than willingly listen to lectures. He doesn't like the mistreatment of mages nor is fond of the idea that they are lesser. He loathes paperwork, often procrastinating unless he gets a streak of motivation. He also doesn't appreciate when he isn't being taken seriously; disrespect is more insulting than any combination of petty words or even a thrown punch to him.

Habits
He loves to play darts as it keeps his aim right. Whenever stressed he tends to go completely mute as he mentally drowns in his own thoughts. He's a bit of a slob; if it isn't important paperwork (and even that is haphazardly, if not at least kept securely in a safe), his personal possessions often getting lost or turning up in random places. He gets lost in his thoughts a little too easily, often spacing out at inopportune times during conversations.

Other
His forte is ranged combat, favoring bows and crossbows with an assortment of throwing knives often carried around. He does have a falchion dubbed Sigmund that was given to him after completing basic training. His ears are pierced to match his mages, each one wearing small silver studs with the Eve insignia engraved into them.

[User]
---

---

The rest of the walk out of the forest ended up no remark from Eris, the vampire determinedly silent. The shock hadn't exactly worn off just yet, but he had done some thinking and at had arrived at a crossroads of sorts. If he was being honest, it would be something that had always been at the back of his mind, successfully buried by...well, everything else in his life. These four years were supposed to be smooth, easy, and relatively peaceful--all he had to do was squeeze in some time for homework and he could essentially focus on building his businesses and annoy Max.

But no, that had been too much to expect. Instead he had to deal with murdered mages and a hysterical rumor mill that he had yet to fully take advantage of, and now this bullshit. He might've meant to take Max's advice to heart but holy fuck did he get more than he expected. Part of him was annoyed he hadn't gotten anything he could practically use unless someone invented some type of time machine, but the other part of him had been distracted by a teeny tiny little detail that affected Eris more than he was willing to admit.

But at least they were finally out of the fucking forest. "Thank fuck," There was no stopping his relief as he ran a hand through his hair, grimacing slightly at the feeling. Rather than its usual feathery soft texture, his blonde locks just felt dirty.

As the princess greeted them, Eris found himself having to put more effort into resisting the urge to roll his eyes. If it was up to the kid he would've been delivered in multiple pieces on a very long skewer. That said, he was glad to hear about getting a night off--he'd have plenty of time to find something to take care of his stress, because he was pretty sure tonight was going to suck. He'd have to talk to Max beforehand and that conversation was probably going to be annoying, and of course he needed to address the elephant in the room.

Actually, now that the princess was in front of him, the other Varis' words clicked in his head--the 'work colleague' mentioned must have been talking about Ryner. Great, now he had another cog to try to wrest himself out of. But that was no reason to be rude. "Quite the titillating challenge, Highness," He replied, leaving himself ambiguous if only because he personally hated every single second in that forest regardless of the other Varis-mind-fuckery and was quickly finding himself starting to hate all illusion and mental magic. And speaking of which... "I'm starting to think you have a fondness for illusory magic at this point."

---

Speaking with @Achronum (and waving off @Scribe of Thoth and @Obscene Symphony hanging out).

[Assistant]
Victor Astorio

Salem was silent as they continued to move, speaking only for direction. Victor was well aware that the answer he gave him wasn't the best but at the very least it would shut him up about it until after this test was done. Soon the duo came to a stop and the location of what was their next test. The count listened closely to the words Salem spoke and took a few minutes to think.

"Hmm, 'to whom walks amidst Time's tangled web, look close at that which walks removed.' Definitely talking about us and something that neither of us walk with or live with." Another pause as he continued to think, "Three keys to enlightenment of our kind-Might, Majesty, and Mastery-and yet not all three command them. Pick the light that guides their way and keep it safe on your way to have your diligence paid in kind. Stay to the right as it shines." Repeating it aloud again. "One to choose, stay to the right? A maze perhaps. Or only when it shines, three keys to enlightenment, three choices paid in kind. Well which ever we choose we will be tested. But might doesn't solve everything even if we are good at it." Again another pause. "boar for strength, Ocean Wave for majesty, and Flower for mastery."

"Majesty is lacking with both of us but still there and neither of us have mastered anything. The last part is just in case we are running low on time. I haven't felt the temperature change dramatically yet and it will get colder before the dawn. Choose Mastery and let's take the path on the right. I'm sure it will be fun." He answered with a smile, these tests are taxing but a challenge he wasn't expecting.

[User]
---

Eris was abnormally silent on the way back, which was as much a bad sign as it was a welcome reprieve. It was better than him nervously rambling and saying something he shouldn't in front of Varis, in any case. Max was too invested in this for comfort; Eris' piddly issues shouldn't concern him, but there was always a very real possibility that anything that inconvenienced Eris would inconvenience him too. Not that Max had the ability to do anything about it. This job fucking sucked.

When they emerged from the forest, Max gave Ryner the barest of attentions as she addressed them, responding to her praise with a noncommittal hum. This was definitely a game to her, she looked far too happy at Varis' squirming. At least she dismissed them promptly instead of asking any stupid questions. He didn't need any opinions floating into his head while some mind mage was probably still lurking around.

He was pretty sure he didn't get even a sliver of enjoyment out of this test. Should've walked Eris into a tree when he had the chance. Now he just had stress and the knowledge some asshat was reading his thoughts. He tilted his head toward Aaron was they were walking to the tent, offering a snide grin. If Eris was gonna go do something filthy with Cinnamon, he needed to nip any chance of Aaron trying to use him as an excuse to flee the scene in the bud. Not that he thought the other mage particularly valued his company, but he assumed Aaron would consider an impromptu playdate with the rude kid preferable to listening to vampire romance in the next room.

"So, are you always on piggyback duty or is that a new development?" It was almost a genuine question. Varis seemed ashamed of it, considering he bothered to walk the last bit, but he wasn't sure how creative the leech got when it came to degrading his pet in private.

---

@Achronum@Obscene Symphony

[Assistant]
Perhaps he requires a more literal definition, Ben couldn't help but think as his chest ached slightly. His ego was slightly bruised at the small comment as well but there was no time to dwell on it. The monster went back to its original form after he had taken damage, which meant that one theory of his was proven; of course, he was nowhere closer to solving the riddle now than he was before. There must have been something obvious he had missed. What could it be? A test of might with a strange creature asking him what might was...perhaps this was an exercise in metaphorical restraint. As much as he enjoyed the occasional puzzle, this one had him befuddled.

The water soaking his shoes caught his attention second and he now noticed the rising water level. It must be an indication of a time limit. But he was a little lost on what to do. The thought of taking Lilie and running came to the forefront, but where would he go? Taking a swim seemed nonsensical. Was he truly overthinking? The past riddle was already resolved with Lilie's enchantment, the only thing that came to mind was the warning on 'chains' but he wasn't entirely sure how that could apply.

Ben had no choice: if he could not fight the monster, then speak he would. First things first, he should probably respond to the creature. "Might is great and impressive power or strength," He said. "But if that is what you're searching for, then I do not understand your actions. Why approach my mage? She is powerless in sleep--is this might you speak of so great when aiming at a defenseless creature?"

Whether his words would make a difference or not, he did not know. But it was better than doing nothing, he hoped.


[System]
Photo:

About 5'0"

Age*:
15 1/2

Gender*:
female

Abilities*:
▪potentially Monster-level Aura Manipulation
▪She actually has a very large pool of Aura to pull from
▪She is able to embue her body with the elemental magic and uses it to create devistating attacks or a solid defences and can further amplify this ability by channeling it through her aura
▪Enhanced strength and endurance
▪stone like skin on her arms, stomach, and legs that acts like non-newtonion fluid meaning it hardens when a sudden force is applied otherwise it is normal skin.

How you could work in a team:
she's able to be an up front attacker and damage sponge

Personality*:
Aleksandra is a pretty quiet person at times though this doesn't mean she doesn't want to talk, in fact she enjoys others company most of the time through she most likely won't add much to progress the conversation, actually many people don't think she can talk in he first place. She is a rule abiding student preferring to use her Abilities to help keep order in the school, which she enjoys vastly, though this does get in the way of her making aquantances because she is seen as the dog of the school. She gets excited about sports and participates in strength based ones most of the time though will run track.

History:
Aleksandra comes from a mountain village out in the deep east where there wasn't much to do.... except fight monsters and in turn practice fighting. She helped protect the village along with her father and the others on the watch. She has taken down multiple beast which were at least twice her size, she has done this both by herself and with others so Aleksandra is used to working with others. Aleksandra is naturally proficient in fire Magic and knows a bit of other elemental magic as well, such as lightning and ice but they will never be as good as her fire control. Before she was born Aleksandra's mother had been fighting a beast and ingested some blood and that, through some kind of magic altered Aleksandra's and her mother's auras making them more "Alive" but also more controllable. She came to the school after an ancient beast attacked the village while she was away on training, scattered or killing the guards and sending the village into another dimension which no mage knows how to get to, now she acts as though she guards the school.

Other:
▪Her magic is mid to close range except her wind element which is her only long ranged magic.
▪she is a trainee/member of the disciplinary committee.
▪since her village just went poof she doesn't have much stuff or money
•small yet deceptively strong.

Classes
First period: Free
Second period: Physical ed.
Third period: General education
Fourth period: Elements Class
Fifth period: Combat Training
Sixth period: Practical Applications
Seventh period: Magic Theory
Eighth period: Sealing

[User]
@WittyWolf

"Yeah, Sol, good to meet you." Sol said plainly as he shook Kieran's hand. Interesting person, Sol thought somewhat abstractly, he seemed... a little detached, like he wasn't quite sure what he was doing. He was about to say more when he noticed another student come over, Azrael? Yeah that sounded right, and he slumped against the wall and made an audible sound of relief. Sol tapped the sword at his belt making a barely noticible clink sound. "Hey, Azrael right? You're one of the... what four sword users so far? Guess we gotta stick together right? My name Sol by the way in case you didn't catch that and this is Keriran." Sol said in a friendly manner.

At least he wasn't all alone in his practice of the sword, though he did feel somewhat foolish bringing his sword to what was supposed to be a magic academy. Oh well, at this point it would be even more foolish to not use his sword, after all what happened if you found something magic didn't work on? Or you had your magic taken away. Now that he thought about it if his magic was taken away that could be extremely problematic. Sol would have to see about getting an inhaler from the office, he hadn't thought to bring one of his own as he hadn't needed it for quite some time.

[Assistant]
@Zetsuko

"Oh, hello! I did actually know that and the swords were the reason I came over." Azrael gave him a small wave, not wanting to shake with a sweaty palm. "It's good to meet you, Sol. And you too Kieran! I noticed that as well, but my teachers were a bit... archaic and insisted. It seems we are a dying breed." His hand rested comfortably on his sword, which didn't seem to hamper his movements but be a part of them, as if it were a part of Azrael himself. He'd spent many years honing his skill and strengthening his body in order to house the Spirits' gifts of power. "I'm told that it is a relic of another Ma- I mean teacher, that I must find and learn under. Under whom did you learn the sword, Sol?"

[User]
Arcadius looked up from his book ever so often, noting the personalities of those around him and taking guesses at their powers. A few seemed to use swords...interesting. There was also that one lizard like fellow, he intrigued him the most as he couldn't really feel anything magical about him..

More absorbed in his thoughts than his reading, he didn't Meruin until she spoke. He looked her over, not really paying attention to her when she introduced herself. She was rather short, at-least compared to the rest in the room. He could sense she had strong potential, this was good, she wouldn't be a waste of time talking to.

"Hello...Meruin, was it?" He replied, closing his Grimoire almost by reflex, fully intent on a conversation if only brief. He paused..not quite sure what to say next or what her intentions were.

He decided to continue with a more generic respone. "So, what do you think of the academy so far? What classes did you sign up for?"

[Assistant]
Meruin tilted her head. He seemed a bit tense. It was probably because of the book he was reading. It must have been a good one to hold his attention as it did. It must have also been due to then fact that the book was leaking magic - only slightly so, but enough that Meruin felt it.

"Hello Arcadius, it's nice to meet you. As for my classes, I signed up for most them."

"Oh wait, that's your Grimoire."

Meruin paused. The things she thinking and the thing she was supposed to say reversed in her head. That was embarrassing, not to mention not very good for conversation. Naturally, Meruin decided to ignire it happened.

"Sorry, I meant it's good to see you. I'm indeed Meruin, and you are Arcadius, right?"

The small mage pulled a seat in front of Arcadius, and leaned back into it with a stifled yawn.

[User]
Charles notice one person, Aleksandra also mostly alone he thought for a few seconds then slowly made his way in a not exactly unseen stealthy way, over to her, when he got to her he looked lift and right, his tail flicking some "um.. he..hello" he says nerviously.. he wasn't use to talking to others, so he was surprising himself being first one to talk some.

ghost in black

[Assistant]
Kieran was waking up a bit thanks to the interaction, his posture straightened and his eyes were now staying open. Thankfully Sol took care of introducing him to Azrael. He looked from Azrael to sol and the former asked the latter where he learned to wield a sword. He was curious himself but it also gave him a moment to come up with something in case Azrael asked him next.

@Eklispe

[User]
Arcadius arched a brow slightly at her and sighed inwardly, he relaxed a bit, slightly amused at the obviously confused girl. So, she was another person interested in his Grimoire..well at-least by displaying interest openly, if only mistakenly, the chances of her attempting to steal it weren't that high. Nor did he suspect she would be able to easily lift it, at-least without a strenghtening spell.

"I am, yes. It's good to meet someone that doesn't appear to be as common as the rest as well." He spoke. While she seemed fully intent on trying to forget the fact she asked about his Grimoire, he decided he'd reply to her statement "And yes, this is the Innocenti family Grimoire. Interesting for reading and surprisingly good for exercise due to its weight..."

Out of the corner of his eye he noticed the boy who he had previously classified as a lizard like fellow walking over to someone else and speaking, upon further investigation he looked more like a demon-esque creature. All the more interesting.

Regaining his train and thought and remembering he was currently talking to someone he continued speaking. "As for my questions earlier, I signed up for the majority of the magic based classes again this year. Never hurts to learn more, especially while dechipering old text and such."

[Assistant] Aleksandra aura fluxed when the boy with horns and a tail walked up to her and started talking, "Pryvet, you are Charles McCloud yse?" she said eyeing him up and down with eyes that seemed to take in everything. "Aleksandra Galino, it is a pleasure to meet you" she said as she held out her hand to the boy after retracting her aura from it. "He's different than the others" Aleksa thought as she felt familiar energy coming off him, "Have I seen you somewhere before?" she asked.

[User]
ghost in black
he would hesitantly nod then shake her hand when she held it out "p...p..please to meet you to" he says with bit of a stutter, "um.. i don't know..." he says "f..ffar as i know.. i .d.don't think so.." he says

[Assistant] "Hmmmm, Ok" she said dropping the subject and changing to another, "Sooooo.... oh what classes are you taking, also how do you like the school?" Aleksa asked and let go of Charle's hand. "He's nervous" she thought after her aura began to calm down.

[User]
ghost in black

"oh um.. well some of the regular classes... like alchemy, Physical Education, Artifacts, Arts and Craft, and Practical applications" he says "a..a.along with s..sshapeshifting" he says rubbing back of his head, "t..t.this place... se.eems nice.. w..w.what about you?" he asks just as his tail comes around and flicks at his face which he would shake his head bit surprised.

[Assistant]
Flare could pretty much see all the scenes that were ongoing on the place. Meruin was talking with Arcadius, the confrontation between Chen and Azrael, the waird talk between Agatha and Apollo (including the shift)... he was happy of seeing everyone getting along so soon. Of course, he wanted to start a conversation, but he didn't even knew how to start one. Plus, he had to keep a really important secret from the rest, so he decided to calm down and keep playing with his cards. I wonder how Cruz and the others are doing back the Realm... and I wonder what he intends to do with our past selves..., he thought.

Then, Flare decided to leave Cruz a voicemail. It wasn't that much of a futuristic communication but it could serve well. "Hey, Cruz. It's me, Flare. Is everything OK with everyone? And with our past selves? Send me a mail, or I'll get really worried.", he spoke to the cellphone he had. After that, Flare send the message and put his device back in his pocket. And kept playing with the cards, just to pass time...

[User] Kenny headed to the back of the crowd and leaned against the back door readying to leave. He opened his palm and a dessert eagle instantly appeared in his hand. "I knew this was gonna happen." He said to himself polishing his pistol looking back at his fellow students that sat and stood before him. "I'll just have to prove myself in battle." Kenny happily stated spinning his pistol and sheathing it within a pocket holster. Lucky his favorite hand gun didn't drain his energy when summoned but only when used. He examined the various students in the crowd to see what weapon he'd use against them in battle. As he did so he held his finger out like a gun and cocked it back when he came to a conclusion on what weapon to use on what student.

[Assistant]
With a nod, Meruin agreed. It never did hurt to learn more. All knowledge gained was knowledge worth knowing. Reina had taught her that knowledge for the sake of knowledge was extreme and dangerous path, but similarly had also taught her than the danger can be curbed so long as one had a goal in mind. It was because of this that Meruin aimed to learn all she possibly could, but always reminded herself that there were things that she needed to learn and things she didn't.

"Yes, similarly, I took all of the magic classes. It's not as though I would be doing much else, in any case."

Meruin looked at his Grimoire. "By deciphering old texts, do you mean your Grimoire?"

The small mage raised a brow as her curiosity took hold. The fact that he had incomplete access to a family Grimoire meant that he could be lacking a core aspect of himself to do so. Of course, Grimoire's were fickle and complex creations, so Meruin was simply working on a conjucture.

[User]
"I do, yes. Much of it is in a old language or encrypted, at-least the more complex and devastating spell portions..it's my hope to be the first in my family to have read and mastered the entirety of its contents." He replied with a sigh, thinking about how little he had read and how badly he wanted to understand the rest.

"Of course, not all of it is complex to read, what I have learned is immensely useful. But until I meet my goals it simply won't be enough."

[Assistant] "My classes are similar to yours except for the Shapeshifting." Aleksandra said and looked around the room gaugeing the others with only her eyes since she didn't have a way of sending people's magic ability other that those which are similar to her own. "I enjoy this school very much, and that is why I had joined the disciplinary committee," Aleksandra stated with a look of fire in her eyes "I want to protect people". From what she could see everyone 'noteworthy' had grouped up save a few select students who stayed to themselves doing.... something.


[System]
H A N A K O /// R A E L

Personal Dossier

---
Avatar

Rael

Age

19

Gender

Female

Visage

Hanako imagines herself as a more confident version of herself, with more flare and assertiveness — a fact that translated to her subconsciousness and her appearance in the world of Pariah. Whilst she still maintains the same petite frame, reddish brown hair and brown eyes, Hanako lacks the visual impairments of her real world appearance with no suggestions that away from Pariah she is nearly blind without corrective eyewear. Her hair is woven in a loose ponytail strung by a simple black linen band and her general appearance is not so flashy it is impractical with a dark red coat, white tunic, white leggings, and dark red boots. Many jokes have pegged Hanako's avatar, Rael, for her preference of the color red; some of which that she has found endearing.

Personality

As her choice in fraternity may imply; Hanako's personality, even when in character as Rael, is determined by self-interest and voracity.

As the product of a sheltered upbringing, Hanako hasn't really had many opportunities to be socially adept especially considering the enormous shadow of her incredibly renowned and wealthy parents who coincidently were also immensely overprotective. Her father insisted on private schooling and strict regulations for socialization for the majority of her life and her mother saw their reputation as too dangerous for Hanako to have a life in the public sector so as a byproduct Hanako gathered few friends and fewer social experience. To describe her as "socially awkward" would not be entirely inaccurate; but within such social ineptitude Hanako ended up directing her emotional and mental energy into creative outlets such as video games, short stories, and augmented simulators and such efforts would eventually become immensely valuable.

It was through virtual social networking where Hanako felt like she could finally be social, and away from the eyes from her parents she could take her time away from her studies and finally act how she wanted to; and away from the expectations, rules, and restrictions she felt she could be herself without any filter to speak of. However such freedom could be seen as anarchic given as soon as Hanako immersed herself in the world of Pariah she chose quite possibly the most self-serving faction of the choices available: Draethir. In combination with that fact and her fanatical stance of being an "avid roleplayer" this has created a personality that represents Hanako's avatar, Rael, as one who is an opportunist who while not unwilling to work with others is still all very cynical, greedy, loud, and arrogant.

As such in the world of Pariah, Rael is a wildcard and is notorious for that fact.

Background

Hanako Moriyama was born to an affluent family within the Tokyo Prefecture in Japan in 2094 CE, situated to be the prospective heir of the family's wealth and legacy.

As a child, Hanako had few friends, a fact that led to her social anxieties and ineptitude regarding interaction due to the steadfast efforts of her parents to protect their interests by isolating their daughter from the public sector of life as much as they possibly could to minimize any potential defamatory gossip or public embarrassment to occur. This would not change as Hanako moved through adolescence, a fact that would often make Hanako feel claustrophobic, restricted, and inconvenienced. Within that childhood, Hanako found herself able to be creative and inspired despite lacking a lot of time in-between schooling, family expectations, and the few friends she spent trying to understand by socializing with. This creativity would lead to a variety of short stories and an interest in video games.

By the time of 2112 CE and Pariah's launch, Hanako's wealth allowed her easy access to the module and the rest is history.

Reputation

Rael is a name that has been one with the community of Pariah since the beginning of the immergence crisis where a variety of new residents came to settle within the confines of the realm from parts unknown. In the time since said crisis Rael has earned a reputation that is equal parts renown and infamy, a fact that has been a result of Rael's arrogant brand of individualism, profession, ethics, and her record on not entirely playing well with other residents of the realm. However, this has not made issue with the fraternity that fostered her as the denizens of Draethir consider her living proudly by their pathos.

For those who are not denizens of Draethir or are disconnected with the socio-politics of the world at large, Rael is an arrogant opportunist who has connections to the illegal markets and their brokers. It is with this connection that led Rael to her current profession, that of a collector.

Serving as a middleman and agent of the illegal markets and their buyers, Rael has often been utilized as a purveyor of niche, exotic, and esoteric needs due to her skillful scavenging and looting of instances across the known territories; things such as lost artifacts, rare poultices, noteworthy items, and uncommon goods serve as Rael's "specialty" and when tasking a dungeoneering group is too costly Rael's services are usually acquisitioned. This can extend to her looting adventurer corpses before a cleric restores them, or even serving as a plant inside an adventuring party to swipe an item or three. Rael's sense of guile and wit has often kept her alive in many instances.

Depending who you ask Rael can be seen as an expert in dungeoneering, a untrustworthy thief, a shrewd profiteer who works for the illegal markets, or a hardy combat rogue who is experienced with poisons.Attribues & Additional Information

---

Role

Tank

Affiliation

Draethir

Profession

Collector

Weapon of Choice

Spear

Domain(s)

Lightning
Enhancement

Benchmarks (Physical)

Acrobatic Reflexes: In addition to her abilities as an evasive combatant, Rael is uncanny with her movement around an enemy thus making it exponentially more difficult to strike her or maintain a full threat assessment of her party given her tendency to jump, weave, and duck in the midst of battle. This benchmark has given her increased polish to her dodging abilities.

Dirty Fighter: Rael has always incorporated cunning into her attacks and using the environment against monsters and even resident opponents in duels. After doing this consistently for an amount of time she has found herself good at analyzing the environment for utility in battle whether it is a section of dirt, loose rocks, or weakened building supports. This has earned her a passive increase to temporarily immobilize her enemies.

Duelist's Ethos: Rael is not a tank who blocks but there comes a time where she needs to meet an opponent's weapon over simply dodging. However, instead of blocking Rael chooses to misdirect and counter instead; using her spear to shift an enemy's weapon to the left or right instead of taking the brunt force of its blow. As such precision-based techniques in clutch situations come easier to her.

Evasive Combatant: As a tank who doesn't bear heavy armor or extensive enchantments, Rael has had to take a different approach to combat; after conditioning herself to be faster than most of her peers she has achieved an agile and dynamic skillset that allows her to perceive things quicker and react in kind.

Provocative Presence: Intending to keep the attention of their enemies away from their allies, the rogue-like user has proven to constantly shift the attention of their enemy to focus on them by being agile and persistent. Due to this Rael has found herself emitting an inherent aura when in the heat of battle that attracts the attention of dangerous foes even when in the company of more dangerous allies that should be prioritized.

Benchmarks (Mental)

Decadent Dungeoneer: Dungeons are dangerous places in Pariah full of monsters, traps, and great treasures. After some time exploring and plundering these ruins and crypts Rael has found herself quite adept at pinpointing the best way to circumnavigate the dangers of their contents.

Herbal Savant: For toxicologists and alchemists, herbalism is the key to understanding the world; for Rael she just rather know if a field of flowers are toxic, carnivorous, or a non-issue and while she has little interest in making potions, she does find the creation of poisons a bit more apt to her interests. As such Rael has a basic fundamental knowledge of the common and uncommon variants of herbs that grow throughout the world.

Prudent Profiteer: After extensive trading through "alternative" channels consistently, Rael has made enough of a mark on the black market to know how to maximize her profits, seek valuable items, and barter efficiently with dubious vendors.

Scrupulous Scavenger: If there is an item that is worth having it tends to be one from the many dungeons, crypts, ruins, and caverns in the world and Rael has shown that she is adept in the procurement of key items. Coupled with her abilities to plunder in these instances she can spot items quickly and pocket them without issue. Knowing the value of items is key.

Venomous Apprentice: The study of poisons is fundamentally to manipulating your opponent in the long term and Rael knows it. Whilst she has not put countless of months into the creation of poisons and other toxins, she has put some time into it and thus can create decent grades of the craft with some competency.

[User]
G R A V E S

---

 • Tʜᴇ Dᴜɴɢᴇᴏɴ •

---

'You've gotta be fuckin' kidding me.'

Graves was just thanking Landon for the elixir, letting the concoction join the rest of the potions on his belt, when Elian decided to have an outburst. A sigh was on his lips and a grimace across his visage as he turned around, glaring eyes dancing between the near hysterical healer and the lithe tank she chose to call out. This was seriously not the time for them to drag each other through the shit. Yet as utterly irritating as the exchange was, the Blood Knight kept his mouth shut. It wasn't his place to get involved. As much as he might look like he was trying to lead them, that was a...misconception. Graves just wanted to survive. He didn't care how it had to happen. Getting out alive wasn't just his number one priority; it was his only priority. He wasn't their babysitter. If the party wanted to tear itself apart over stupid bullshit, Graves wasn't gonna try to step in and 'resolve' their issues for them. They were adults, most of them. They could handle their own shit without big, bad Graves sticking his nose into every little disagreement.

The bounty hunter impatiently tapped the end of his halberd against the stone floor, his battle worn, calloused hands changing their grip upon the polearm several times over. Graves was tired of waiting. He was tired of listening to everyone whine and complain. 'Oh, we're never gonna get back home.' They cried. 'I'm so sad and scared.' Well no shit, Sherlock, they all were. No point standing around moping all day. They were losin' daylight. If everybody wanted to stand around and cry until they were all mauled to death by the dungeon's monsters, they could be his guest; Graves was leaving, whether it was with them all or by himself.

Thankfully for Graves's sanity, Elian's bait wasn't taken by Rael. She shrugged it off and- hopefully- their healer would just let it drop. It didn't matter. Really. She had misconstrued Rael's attempt at helping as her not taking the dungeon seriously. Maybe it was because Graves thought on a similar wavelength to the other tank, but this might be the first time the bounty hunter hadn't taken El's side in awhile. 'She's just...scared.' He sighed. She had plenty of reason to be high strung, so there really was no blaming her.

"This'd be a hell of'a lot easier if I had that drink now." Graves muttered to Landon, turning his attention toward Rael as she addressed him. "For the love of God, yes. Let's get the hell outta here already. Everybody on my flank. I'm movin' now. If you wanna get left behind, be my fuckin' guest, but I'm ready to go." It felt like the millionth time Graves had to say that. They just weren't moving. Every single time Graves started forward, somebody had to go and say something- delaying their advance yet again. The bare chested tank wasn't keen on waiting any longer. Weapon firmly in hand, he started out of the room and back toward the tunnel they'd just exited. They had a lot more dungeon ahead of them, and couldn't be bothered to wait around here anymore. It was a waste of his time.

[Assistant]
Ailanthus_Altissima• Tʜᴇ Dᴜɴɢᴇᴏɴ •

---

"Thanks, Landon," Tessa said, taking the vial of purple liquid. She normally tried not to give the lecher the time of day, but in this situation, he was one of people she was most acquainted with, and as much as she hated to admit it, the familiarity was calming. "If anyone feels even the slightest bit threatened, just hop back in the circle," Tessa said, offering protection. "But remember to do your jobs." She didn't normally keep the protective circle of spells up while traveling, but this was no time to be taking chances. She only hoped her mana and stock of potions would last the entirety of the dungeon.

[User]
 • Tʜᴇ Dᴜɴɢᴇᴏɴ •

---

It had been twenty minutes (although it may have felt like much longer) since Ailanthus' last vocal response in the corridor that the group had briefly felt trapped in. The group had moved through the dungeon, with only a few scattered monsters being in their way that had proved little more than envoys or scouts that had been defeated without much effort from the rattled raid group. The room they had now found themselves in was large, almost preposterously so, but for what the Dungeon had previously shown them it wasn't all that much of a surprise with how seemingly randomized things had been. After all, threat of their very real demise or not, it was still an game in their minds.

The room itself was imposing – a behemoth of what looked to be the approach of some kind of crypt or tomb. Large obsidian chains hung from the ceiling as a blue liquid ran through the channels throughout the entire room. Giant pillars obscured parts of their view and the dim sunlight from the grates above poured downward. To their left, right, and front were large angular doors. As eerie as it was to look at, however, they couldn't see a single monster in sight.

How peculiar.


[System]
Servant Caster
Master: ???
Identity: Tamamo No Mae
Gender: Female

Appearance: typemoon.wikia.com/wiki/File:Caster_(F..

Alignment: Neutral Evil
Personality: A bright, cheerful young fox girl. Searching for love every time she's summoned, she only responds to those who have good intentions. Puts on a brave face detract from her own loneliness. Due to having the perspective of a divine being at one point, she is apathetic to killing.

History: [irl]typemoon.wikia.com/wiki/Playable_Caste..

Weapon: Eightfold Blessing of Amaterasu. Spell Tags.

Strength: E
Endurance: E
Agility: B
Mana: A
Luck: D

Class Skills:
Item Creation -:
The skill to manufacture magical items. Rather than made, her tags are formed; therefore this skill is sealed.

Territory Creation: C
The ability to create an area to facilitate magecraft. Due to issues with her personality, Caster struggles to make a standard workshop for charms and accessories.

Personal Skills:
Witchcraft EX:
The Dakini heavenly methods. It includes methods to discern one's time of death and secret arts to obtain influence, such as methods to attain status and fortune (for men) and methods to gain the favor of influential individuals (for women). By lamenting harshly learning from experience in the past, Tamamo-no-Mae does not feel like making much use of this.

Shapeshift A:
Refers to both borrowing bodies and appearance change. A method used by the millenary spirits of foxes and badgers of China that are put on par with Tamamo-no-Mae. A method used by Daji of the Shang Zhou Revolutionary Period (see Fengshen Yanyi), but Tamamo-no-Mae does not feel like making much of an use of this due a trauma of the past.

Noble Phantasm:
Title: Eightfold Blessing of Amaterasu on the Weight Stone under the Sunlit Waterfall
Rank: D (EX)
Type: Anti-Army
Range: 3 – 30
Targets: 100

Description: A mirror worn by Tamamo no Mae. Because of a curse, it is a bounded field which isolates one in the Land of the Dead. Inside this bounded field all mystical power uses' cost is zero. Because the spiritual rank of the person has dropped, the rank also dropped. Originally EX rank Anti-World. The EX ability's scope is able to cover one country.

The Eightfold Blessing of Amaterasu is a mirror that Tamamo-no-Mae wears on her body. It is the temporarily released form of the Tamamo Shizu Ishi a sacred regalia among sacred regalia, which was enshrined at Izumo after being brought from heaven by "Takehinateru-no Mikoto." According to the descriptions of the Nihon Shoki, it was taken from Izumo at the order of the Imperial Court and then later enshrined at Kawachi. It possibly later came to be known as the Yata no Kagami, the divine repository of Amaterasu, and it is thought to be the prototype of the Tokusa-no-Kandakara of the Mononobe clan, which holds the power to revitalize souls and life-force.

The mirror levitates around Caster in battle, which she uses it to hit enemies in close combat.

[User]
Lú Qiūyuè
Sunday - February 19, 2012

As reluctant as Qiūyuè was to part with her monk robes, now that word was out at a Shaolin Monk was participating in the war as a master, she'd need a change of clothes. It was more than likely a bit entertaining watch her try and figure out how clothes that aren't robes work considering she'd been wearing robes all of her life; it was difficult to tell if the tired young clerk was amused or tired of helping her. Although this does come at the cost of word potentiolly getting around town of a monk visiting Shinto to pick up some clothes - defiantly an unusual occurrence, all considered.

In the end, she settled on a set of sports wear. She picked up a sports tank top, a nondescript dark hoodie, a pair of three-quarter length tracksuit pants, runners and a pair of sports undergarments. The fit could be better, the pants were slightly too large and the runners almost seemed to nip at the sides of her feet, but you couldn't ask for much more from a thrift shop. Her makeshift blanket-backpack became significantly larger with her robes and boots in tow. She did still look a little odd with her quarterstaff and makeshift backpack but she decided to stick to a an 'extreme pole vaulting' cover story, as doubtful as it was.

Although Qiūyuè maintained a perfectly neutral expression as Baldwin addressed Shinobu and Jackson, the idea of abandoning the monastery to the two irritated her a little; she had originally planned to slip into the monastery where she presumably would be welcomed as a pilgrim monk and taken care of, and where she would be able to hide in plain sight. She defiantly didn't intend to leave it so easily, but for now...
She comes to offer the pair a bow.
"I hope we meet again in the future, as friends or as fair and honorable rivals. It was a pleasure to meet the both of you."

As she stands, she moves to let her thoughts ring in her mind to communicate telepathically with her companion.
"I had originally thought the temple as I would be able to hide in plain sight, but without that... I believe there's an abandoned mansion to the south of Miyama on the leyline. Alternatively, East Field - the plains to the north of Shinto - is much more isolated, open for horseback charges, and close to Shinto City, although without the leyline."

Alice@Moonman@Hantu Kongkek

[Assistant]
Kurokiri Hyuuga
Afternoon, After Lunch

That was fun.

That was the first time anyone had ever enjoyed her cooking. Did that mean she was finally improving? Kurokiri cleaned the dishes by herself, humming slightly as she thought through what happened this morning. She had managed to finally summon a Servant, ensuring her participation in the war, and on top of that, had identified a servant AND a master in the same day. The servant was probably a lancer, through he could be rider or a berserker as well. He wore armor still spattered with blood, and spoke in very interesting ways. Perhaps King Arthur? He was betrayed by his own blood, and would speak that way since he was a knight after all. It could be that he broke from the stress of being betrayed and having to kill Mordred.

Finished with the dishes, Kurokiri gazed at Saber for a moment, reaching out to caress her cheeks. Her phone beeped suddenly, as the information about the shipment came in.

Interesting.

Perhaps this could be useful. Sparing another glance at the sleeping Saber, she went into the basement, to where her grandfather's things were stored.

[User]
Berserker

---

"You're the Master here," Berserker said sullenly. "Do as you wish."

The bartender arrived, and set something out in front of her. Without giving her thanks, Berserker threw back her drink, pounding it down without stopping until she had to come up for air, sighing deeply.

"And I have met many such men of their word. Rarely is it worth what they think it is. The only thing I desire to hear from them are the words they speak when I have impaled them on my spear. You'd best be careful you don't end up the same, boy. As it is, you're already getting-"

Berserker burped quietly, a quick "urrp" somewhere between a cough and a hiccup.

"-preferential treatment. However, if you wish to satisfy me, more wine and spirits certainly wouldn't go amiss."

Afternoon...

Berserker tipped back another bottle, sighing with contentment as she desecrated finely-aged wine with fratboy-like behavior. Popping expensive chocolates into her mouth inbetween gulps, she was an odd sight to see in the quiet Japanese town of Fuyuki. A tall, drunk, dark-skinned athletic girl dressed in sandals and ancient combat gear like some sort of historical cosplayer, walking around town with her Italian, Giorgio Armani pretty-boy boyfriend.

---

Wes Downgate

@KoL

---

Wes stared at his Servant dumbly, once again questioning whether or not he was the only sane one aboard this boat.

Polygamist... Castration...

He groaned.

Tamamo, she... she really doesn't, okay? Love me, that is. She's just saying that to try and trick us, me in particular. I know it must seem like you two have a lot in common but trust me, you're worlds apart. I mean, you've never been anything except earnest with me, whereas Seyrun...

Wes stammered.

I mean look at how she reacted when I said I wanted to kill Lord El-Melloi; her teacher. She barely batted an eye! She probably wants me to kill him because that'll in some way further her status in the Clocktower. She's evil and manipulative, like every other so-called "elite" magus.

Wes sighed.

Look, I know what I must sound like to you right now. The irony isn't lost on me. But I want you to know that when I say Seyrun is evil, it isn't like that. I'm not jumping to conclusions and pointing fingers at somebody just because they scare me, I know what she's like. What she's done. I've seen what Seyrun is capable of, with my own two eyes. We've got a good thing going here Tamamo, and I don't want her getting between us. Because that's what she does. Seyrun doesn't bring people together, she tears them apart.

Afternoon...

"I told you to stop calling me that," Wes said, irritated. "And no, not happening. This boat is crucial to the bigger plan. Speaking of which..."

A little egg-timer went off, presumably set by Wes, to signal that the familiar was done "cooking" so to speak. He walked over to the magic circle and picked the now placid, docile rat up, stroking its head gently. With nimble fingers, he affixed one of his miniature wireless cameras to it.

"We're going to need to make a pitstop at the sewage outflow pipe a ways downriver. As for your junk I couldn't care less. Or at least that's what I'd like to say, because it sounds like the stuff you've got there is seriously valuable. Truth be told..." Wes sighed. He was gonna hate himself for this. "It's a good plan. Still, do we really have to hide in a school? Isn't that putting a bunch of innocent students at risk? And like I said, boat-"

Wes made an "=" sign with his hands.

"Important. As for Caster..."

The young magus sighed. He had been hoping to avoid having to make this decision. He didn't trust Seyrun. It was safe to say he'd sooner hug a porcupine or kiss an octopus than he would cozy up to her. Still, at this point the benefits of withholding information were outweighed by the need for transparency. There was no tactical advantage to an ally they couldn't coordinate with.

"Her true name is Tamamo-no-Mae. Fox spirit, courtesan, master of Witchcraft, and as of today, my new ummm... wife," Wes said, slightly embarrassed. He hadn't really thought about it, but saying that to someone else still felt weird. "As for her abilities, I'll let Tamamo explain."

[Assistant]
"Thank you Master. That was a wonderful introduction that warms your waifu's heart!" Tamamo chirped, winking playfully towards her Master before turning to address his other servant. "Indeed, I am Tamamo-no-Mae. The legends were largely fabricated as you can tell having met me. You will forever endeavor to find a love as pure as mine for my Master and fail miserably, though you may perhaps be a close second..." She raised a hand to her chin in contemplation. "Now if you would like to discuss my abilities, they are as straight forward as I am!"

With a thought and a flick of her wrist her reflector appeared, circling her lazily, and a spell tag was in hand. "My reflector is my Noble Phantasm, the Eightfold Blessing of Amaterasu, functions as a reliable weapon and when invoked removes all prana restrictions for the duration of its use. I also favor making these paper beauties through my Witchcraft, and could pump them full of prana like a pseudo broken phantasm if I get the time. I have a few more tricks, but they aren't skills I'm comfortable with using given my…history."

Refusing to let her past bring about a somber moment she dismissed her armaments and pumped some extra cheer into her voice. "Oh, and I like the plan Seyrun proposed. Master is wise to keep our floating love nest, but I think you two should definitely go to skill. You haven't experienced high school if you haven't done it in Japan!"

And while you are there you can prove your academic superiority to your other servant! Once she accepts it she will truly open up her heart to you…after I've thoroughly vetted her of course.  Tamamo licked her lips, looking anywhere but the two young magi. And I'm sure you can handle having all the high school trollops throwing themselves at you.

Maybe she would get a job while they have their slice of life shenanigans? There should be plenty of places hiring a cute, foxy young woman who lives to serve like herself in Fuyuki.


[System]
Age: 15
Element: Wind
Appearance:

Personality:
Hot-tempered, strong-headed, and proud; those three words perfectly define her. She also has a strong sense of justice, which coupled with her pride, meant that she would rarely, if ever, bow down to someone or something she deemed wrong. Thanks to her upbringing, she has quite a bad opinion on non-elementalists, thinking of them as a bunch of ignorant molasses who hated something they knew nothing about. She is also somewhat of an introvert, but not the shy kind. She doesn't really value friendship that much, preferring to spend her free time reading over socializing with others.

History:
Born from an elementalist family, she took great pride in the fact that she was one, so much so that she would be instantly hostile to anyone who viewed her kind badly. Age didn't deter her strong-headedness in this matter. She wouldn't even hesitate to use her power against a non-elementalist, if they offended her so badly. Of course, this led to her and her family having to move around all the time when she "exploded" at her bullies. They didn't really mind that much though, as they loved their daughter and knew that she did nothing wrong, especially her mother, who was just as hot-tempered as her. They eventually sent her to the academy to nurture her power, which she gladly went along with, as she was quite tired with the non-elemental buffoons surrounding her.

Equipment:
She is often seen with a little book on her hand. A pocketbook that she could carry around everywhere, so she could read whenever she wants.

[User]
Silas Asara

I guess we have no choice but to turn back... Letting out a sigh Silas reluctantly followed the girl and began the journey back to the crossroads. Though having someone to make the trip with made the backtracking bearable, Silas was still pretty annoyed that they had wasted all that time on a dead end. His own self-annoyance was enough to make him lag slightly behind, and before he knew it his companion had suddenly disappeared into the all-consuming smog.

What the- She was just here! How the hell did she manage to slip away so quickly?

His thought process was then swiftly interrupted by laughter of all things, something he would almost expect in a creepy forest. This laughter however, was not creepy or eerie but instead it was the kind of laugh that almost sounded forced and overly happy. Perhaps it was one of the seniors trying to freak the first-years out, but instead of scaring him they had successfully destroyed the ominous night's atmosphere, at least for the moment. If that's your attempt at scaring us, you're doing a pretty shitty job! As if on cue someone grabbed his arm, causing Silas to freeze, but his instinctual fear fell away as the someone in question turned out to be the girl with the flashlight. In response he let out a half-relieved, half-annoyed sigh as he wiped the scared expression from his face.

"Ah, there you are love,"

"You've scared me than anyone else tonight." He said while letting out a slight chuckle.

"Hopefully the next path we choose will get us to the right place."

"I sure hope so, I'm not exactly keen on being the last one to finish this run."

As the reunited pair made their way through the mess of gnarled branches and fog, Silas was focused on remaining alert. The seniors had already announced their presence by blasting the girl with water earlier, so Silas was determined to not be an easy target for them. He'd win this run, no matter what they decided to throw at him! The two talked as they made the seemingly arduous journey back to the crossroads with only the light from the girl's phone to dispel the fog.

"And well, I don't really know if things in other parts of this place are as exciting as what happened back there, but if I wasn't loud enough to wake them, I've no idea how loud anyone would have to be."

"We get eliminated from the run if we get caught by the teachers... I don't want to lose! So let's not get caught, okay?"

"So... I'm Vera, by the way, and who might you be?"

"My name's Silas, I'm a water elementalist. How about you Vera?"

[Assistant]
When Jordan winced, Catherine looked back at him with sudden concern in her eyes. He had told her once, in a moment of vulnerable intimacy, of his pains. She wondered if she went too far when giving him 'CPR' earlier in the day. She wanted to say something, but the words couldn't come. They always took things too far, they had gotten too close, too quickly, exposed their weaknesses and ugliness, like they were trying to make up for lost time, like they were both running from something. If love was a choice, then is it no longer 'love' when it became a 'need'? Before she could say anything, Jordan stalked off into the darkness. Hearing a familiar voice call out and begin asking questions, Catherine balled up her fist in regret, and turned to address the student. Though Lyra's question seemed biting and pointed, having met her previously, Catherine had a hunch that the girl with the violin was merely harmlessly curious. "Just a pleasant, late night stroll between two colleaugues, think nothing of it," Catherine pleasantly reassured Lyra, who seemed to be lost in thought anyways. "Good luck," she wished the pair of students as they continued through the forest. As they disappeared among the trees, Catherine tugged absently at the noose around her neck and closed her eyes tightly. Weightlessly, she lifted off the ground and flew towards the main building; she had had enough 'fun' for one night.

---

"Uh...eh...umm..." ShiZhen was still trying to process Lyra's question, when Catherine answered. "Y-yeah, i-it's probably not...that..." ShiZhen said, blushing in the dark. Suddenly Lyra went searching for the source of the water, so ShiZhen automatically followed, though she offered Catherine a respectful bow. "W-wait for me!" ShiZhen called, "I-I don't think we should go looking for trouble!"

[User]
"Hmm, I don't know if I should be proud of that," Vera replied in amusement to her companion's statement about him finding what she had been doing scarier than anything else that had happened.

"Well unfortunately, our chances of winning this thing heavily depend on luck, perhaps even more so than skill," she then pointed out when he spoke about not wanting to finish last. Personally though, she did consider that she might have to be thankful for the fact she had stated, seeing as how she didn't have the slightest experience with something like this and that there was a chance that she might have an advantage if other participants' paths were even more difficult than her own.

This boy had made it clear that he wanted to win. Despite that, he still seemed rather pleasant and not overly competitive. It was nice to know that he appreciated her company as much as she did his. "Oh yes, of course. It'll be great to win this. We'll do our very best!"

'Silas' then replied to her asking for his name, also telling her his element and asking for hers. "My element is light, though, it probably wouldn't help even if there wasn't a rule about not using our powers. If you actually saw me using my light abilities as I can right now, you probably wouldn't be seeing anything after."

Vera let out a small laugh at her own humorous implication. She was actually quite eager to do some research about her element the next afternoon after classes, and perhaps even look for this 'venerable lord of light' that had been mentioned to her by Hargreaves. She brought her mind back to the run, figuring that she and Silas should be back at the crossroads soon, considering how long they had been walking. It is said that the journey of coming back from somewhere was always shorter than going to it. Obvious this didn't apply when the introduction of fog was a factor.

"Oh darn, picking another path will be be so much harder now with this mist."

[Assistant]
Jideh wheezed, and watched as the wind blew chunks of dirt from the spider, but...

The breeze did nothing to stop its inexorable advance. He rolled over and managed to put his arms underneath himself to sit up. The spider was at the base of the wall, and he could spot the base of the spider, roots dangling between its legs and running through the whole of the soil. It was as though the spider were a possessed tree. The earth was being wielded undoubtedly by the elementalists controlling the tree, but the tree itself couldn't be moving on its own, could it?

But if they were moving the tree, then that must mean that the tree itself was being enhanced and if it could be enhanced then couldn't Jideh-

No, he'd never done that! Couldn't do that, as far as he knew. Jideh stuffed his hands in his pockets, but none of the familiar seed shapes could help him here. He didn't even have any food to eat. The spider was crawling up the wall now, and Jideh realized he'd have to act now, and think later.

Jideh stood up, head dizzy and light. He reached down with his elemental energy, and with all the effort it would take to practically lift and throw the spider several metres, Jideh induced a surge of growth energy into the spider-tree-earth elemental, hopefully causing the roots of the tree to shoot outward, immobilizing the construct as its roots dug deep into earth and stone, preventing its legs from moving it any closer to catching them.

Of course, Jideh wouldn't see any of this happen, and it might not matter at all if it had worked, since after using that burst of energy, he felt himself falling backward, tumbling through open air. And as he fell, Jideh remembered the gym teacher and laughed inwardly.

That teacher should give me some pointers on how to deal with this sort of thing. He seems like an expert at it.

---

Jordan locked his shed, having put away the equipment he hadn't decided to crush and erase from his memory. He made his way back to the gym at the student dorms, just to lock up his office and retrieve his finished prep papers. He found a note taped to the door and read it, nodding as he finished the paper. He'd need a lot of rest if he was going to give this kid a run for his money. After all, Jordan thought as he winced, rubbing his shoulder, An old pro like me has got a lot to live up to, facing a rising star like Felix.

"Fuck the whole lot of us indeed..."

[User]
Silas Asara

As he ducked a low-hanging branch, Silas sped up just so he could catch up to Vera before she could be swallowed by the great grey void once more. Since visibility was almost zero at this point, he didn't want to lose sight of his newfound friend. Vera seemed pretty nice, and she could take a joke unlike a certain wind elementalist Silas had met earlier. Just thinking about her earlier abrasive reaction made Silas appreciate the fact that he'd run into the much more easygoing Vera during the run.

"Well unfortunately, our chances of winning this thing heavily depend on luck, perhaps even more so than skill,"

Unfortunately, she was right, and Silas knew it. Any idiot could've picked the right path and arrived at the fountain with little to no difficulty. Their chance of victory was slim, but were they just going to lay down and accept defeat like that? HELL NO! We'll still win this thing, even if it takes hours! Silas thought to himself as the duo walked onward. It seemed that the enthusiasm wasn't restricted to just Silas, because soon after Vera responded in a way that made Silas doubt if his thoughts were just spoken aloud or not.

"Oh yes, of course. It'll be great to win this. We'll do our very best!"

Damn right we'll win this, I really like the way you think Vera! Or maybe you just really like he- NO. Stop it.

 "My element is light, though, it probably wouldn't help even if there wasn't a rule about not using our powers. If you actually saw me using my light abilities as I can right now, you probably wouldn't be seeing anything after."

" A light elementalist has to bring a flashlight to see? Heh- that's pretty ironic."

The pair soon reached the crossroads, the journey certainly seemed a lot shorter whilst returning. Maybe it was because he'd made the trek with Vera? Maybe he was just exaggerating the length of the trip there in his head? Silas didn't know, and honestly he didn't care, so long as the backtracking was over.

"Oh darn, picking another path will be be so much harder now with this mist."

"Not really, you yourself said this thing was more based on luck than skill in the first place. So why not just pick a path and see where we end up? Who knows, Maybe we'll get real lucky." he said as he looked to Vera.

[Assistant]
Seeing how her attack had barely any effect on the spider, Kanako turned into panic mode once more, especially seeing how it was now climbing the wall they were standing on. She had nothing else other than just blowing wind towards the creature. It wasn't like she was a high level wind elementalist that could do more than that, like, for example, grabbing Jideh and flying the hell out of here.

...Wait, Jideh! Maybe he could do something with his element! It should be Earth so maybe he could make a hole for it to fall to or something!

But Jideh didn't wait for her to ask, as he already gathered his energy and unleashed it upon the spider creature. And when Kanako looked behind her, she looked just in time to see him falling backwards off the wall towards the ground below.

Reflextively, she leaped towards him, her right hand reaching towards him. But it was too late. She couldn't reach him in time.

There was no choice. She had to go after him.

With a second leap, she dived towards him, conjuring a burst of wind behind her to make her fall faster. She managed to hold Jideh in her arms as the two fell to the ground. Without thinking, Kanako conjured another burst of wind beneath them to soften the blow. And noticing how her arms who were holding the boy would be squished by the impact first hand, she conjured yet another burst to make them spin 180 degrees, hoping that they would land on her back.

And it actually succeeded. When they landed, Kanako could feel her shoulders hitting the ground first hand, sending a jolt of terrible pain that coursed through her entire body. The effect of her wind however made them roll togethere for a few feet before they stopped, with Jideh on top of Kanako, his face landing right atop her breasts.

"A-are you alright?" Kanako asked him, her arms still hugging him, not noticing where his face had landed. "R-really, why did you fall off all of a sudden? You're lucky I'm a wind elementalist!"


[System]
Age
21

Appearance
A life dedicated to training has left Eli with a lean, athletic form. An albino, her skin is chalk-white, her long hair a similar color, and her eyes holding a glassy-blue hue. She has a hard gaze and straight posture, like a soldier constantly at attention. Despite this, she's prone to wearing civilian clothes when things are quiet. Scarves strike her fancy, and she'll often wear them high on her neck over her mouth, but she's also prone to gloves and arm warmers.

Personality
Cold and dismissive to anyone that isn't her superior, compliant and dutiful to all others with an underlying layer of competitiveness beneath everything. A quick, calculating mind and fast reflexes make Eli a good soldier and little else.
When she was in her late teens, Eli suffered a nervous breakdown that left her an anxious wreck. Not knowing how such an incident would affect her daughter's future, her mother went to great lengths to keep it a secret. The girl recovered without assistance and seemingly returned to normal within a few months.

Background
There were a lot of people in Smith's Rest when Eli was still but an idea in the minds of her parents. Her mother a hunter/gatherer, her father a simple key maker, the two of them got along well until their child was conceived. Three months into her pregnancy, Eli's mother lost her husband in large fight, reportedly started over medicine.
Eli never felt the impact of her father's death, but her mother suffered greatly. Not in the sense of sorrow –though she surely endured that as well– but rather she became incredibly strict. From Eli's earliest memories her mother has been cold, but it could never have been said she didn't care about her daughter. She taught Eli to survive in the harshness of Smith's Rest, taught her to fight, taught her to know her environment and learn to analyze a situation.
What Eli did not receive in compassion, she was given twice-over in discipline, and by the time she was in her early teens the girl had a mind like a soldier. What small scraps she got into with other kids were quick and brutal, leading to a small string of incidents and an even smaller string of friends. Indeed, by the time she was a young woman, Eli had no peers to consider close, nor was she bothered by this fact. Fewer ties meant fewer distractions, something she still sees as important on the battlefield.

---

Blur
(Hidden for size)

:Body-Plan:
Blur is a humanoid, bipedal NC, designed to move and strike quickly. Its armor is lacking, but a myriad of thrusters allow not only for fast evasive maneuvers, but also for gap-closing on enemies.

:Type/Quality:
Blur is designed to be an up-close-and-personal NC, meant to close in on key targets before engaging in a mainly melee assault. In this, Blur excels, and should the enemy be unequipped for close-range combat, they may have trouble. However range is her crux, and while Blur is good at evading enemy fire, should one corner her from far enough away, there is little she can do to get out of the situation.
Though Eli would never admit it, Blur works best with, and sometimes even requires a team.

:Equipment:
-Sets of thrusters allowing for enhanced mobility and sustained flight.
-Flare caches for more difficult evasive maneuvers.
-Targeting system designed to track a single enemy and suggest/allocate NC power to close the distance in the quickest/most effective manner. Suggestions are automatic, control/execution is manual.

:Armaments:
-Standard NC beam swords. One held in the right hand, the other projecting from the top of the left wrist.
-Standard NC shotgun, highly dangerous at close range with an exponential decrease in effectiveness as range increases.
-Set of demolition charges sized for NC's. The charges are kept as two separate components that are combined individually in their storage to become armed as needed, so as to avoid detonation from trauma to the housing NC.

---

Vera Voloshyna

Appearance
Vera looks about as any ten-year-old ought to. She's short, her blonde hair equally so, and her eyes are vibrant, lively green. She's taken to dressing like Eli in some cases, with scarves and hoodies and the like, and generally has smudges of dirt or oil on her face. One of her front teeth bears a chip to it.

Personality
Vera is both easily excitable and hard to bring down. The girl almost always has a smile on her face whether something fun is happening or not, and tends to be more on the gullible side. Growing up in Smith's Rest however has made her somewhat shy around strangers, and she might hesitate before approaching someone, even if they appear friendly.

Background
Vera's parents were at Smith's Rest long before she was born, as refugees from the harsh cold of Russia. Her mother was a doctor, and as Vera understands it she helped Ms. Jackspar deliver her daughter not long after their arrival, and it wasn't until more than a decade later that she herself was born.
Their families grew close, and Ms. Jackspar took on a completely different, warmer persona around the Voloshynas. When Vera was two, she spent much of her time being babysat by them, when she was five, she had managed to befriend Ms. Jackspar's daughter, Elizabeth. When she was six, her parents vanished.
The family had received threats multiple times over the course of their stay from residents none too fond of the Russian Volkov Security. The Voloshyna's tried in vain to explain they held no part in the company's actions, but when at last the threats turned to violence, they had no choice. The letters never addressed their daughter, perhaps because she spent so much time with the Jackspars it was assumed she was just another daughter. Regardless, when Vera's parents fled they took the opportunity to leave her in the care of their friend, who agreed without complaint nor protest.
The girl did the rest of her growing up around Elizabeth and her mother, and grew quite close to both. She did not receive the harsh training the other girl did, but Ms. Jackspar did teach her a few tricks to keeping well in the settlement.
Nowadays she tends to follow Eli around, though given the other girl's busy schedule, she often meanders about the hangers and machine shops out of fascination.

Additional Notes
Though she learned English as a first language, she understands Russian from hearing and speaking it around her parents. As such, her spoken English does carry a faint accent, and at Eli and her mother's behest, tries to avoid letting it slip in front of too many people.

---

Celina Jackspar

Appearance
Celina is tall and lean, much like her daughter. Her skin bears the tan of someone constantly at work, and her dark hair falls straight past her shoulders. Though she generally wears a fairly standard expression, it might be hard to match gazes with her should she turn a cold eye.

Personality
Once a cautious yet happy individual, now Celina is focused on one thing and one thing only, making sure neither herself nor her daughter suffers the same fate as her husband. She's respectful and not openly aggressive to anyone, but it's hard to get many words or any sympathy from her.
That being said, beneath everything she's proud of her daughter's accomplishments, and it doesn't take much to see that she cares deeply for her.

Background
A hunter in both youth and adulthood, Celina grew up in Smith's Rest. She saw its hardships age with her, and like her they only grew harsher. Now she still hunts, but most of her time is spent training her daughter, or caring after Vera.

[User]
The ride continued, oddly silently. The humming of Slinky died down, and an hour or two passed. Feeling relatively soon, they reached the destination. It was a very large rectangular structure, with a parking area, and five massive hangar doors. Each was nearly eighteen meters tall, and ten meters wide. They parked, with just enough space for four of the truck in the zone, and disembarked. It was, uniquely, a paved parking area, apparently made of concrete, like the structure it was attached to.

Bill and Alex showed them inside, the quintet of pilots seeing a relatively large amount of people working on various things. To their right were additional rooms, with signs above each set of double-doors marked 'Barracks', 'Briefing', 'Kitchen', 'Storage', and many other things. The left, or north side of the facility is dominated by five massive giants of metal. This, would be the pilots' first glimpse of their NC's in person. They certainly look larger then they heard.

All of them were pointed towards the east, which was the opposite of where Smith's Rest proper was located, to the west. Obviously, the hangar doors were on the east side as well. The NC's were also marvelously well cleaned and maintained, considering the circumstances. They actually gleamed and shined!

Each was obviously very unique. From the closest to furthest, was Blur, a towering, mobile brawler, The Wessex, a shorter, but massively dependable scout, The Mad-e, a severely over-armored brute of a stand-off unit, the 'Papa Mike', a refreshingly standard design that could do anything required, and the Swarm, an NC that could accurately be described as an armored missile launcher with legs. Each of these may not be all that advanced or well-hewn, but dammit, they were something.

Nearly a dozen people were working on the NC's, two or three for each, and one was very familiar to Madison; a tall, ginger male tweaking one of the leg-motors of the Mad-e. Yet, before they could notice each-other and greet, Alex told the group, "First things first, you guys should probably confirm you're here with The Captain. She's probably in the briefing room right now. Don't worry, she won't bite. Probably."

"Yeah. Oh, you guys are going right from the frying pan and into the fire, by the way. If I remember correctly, they want you to make-up to Fairbanks, y'know, do a more or less freebie mission for them today. Good luck.", Slinky soon interjected.

Obviously, you have 'actual' control of Duncan, Nutts.

[Assistant]
Percy sighed exasperatedly - but quietly, so nobody could really hear him over whatever hustle-bustle there is inside the hangar.

It sure would have been nice to know that he'd be obligated to speak with someone that was actually very important! Hell, he would have taken more time getting ready that morning and maybe would have even put on his best shirt! But no, he's in his tacky green jacket, dingy looking white t-shirt and dirty gray sweatpants, and is going to be talking with their captain. He looks to the right, staring at the signs. Not really reading them, just staring. Today's going to be hell on his nerves, he can feel it.

Why didn't I just become an engineer?

alterate thought, if you'd prefer. I thought this one was funnier but decided against it. :P
Why didn't I just become a dentist?

if this is too short I'm sorry but I don't know what else to put in this post

EDIT:

I DIDN'T MAKE THE FACT PERCY'S WEARING A JACKET OBVIOUS BEFORE SORRY. I mean it's not a really heavy jacket, it's kinda puffy, but that's it. I'M REALLY BAD AT PUTTING IN ALL THE NECESSARY STUFF AND FILLING IT WITH FLUFF WEH.

ANOTHER EDIT: WOW I'M REALLY AWFUL OK SO I DIDN'T MAKE IT OBVIOUS HE WALKED IN
i'm so sorry guys
just
ugh
i'm gonna be that dumbass that has to edit in details and fucks everything up for everyone I'm so sorry.
you might wanna see the post too idk.

[User]
Eli couldn't help the excitement when she finally saw the NC. Beforehand all she'd had was a file and a name: Blur. Neither did the actual thing justice, neither left her feeling like an ant standing at the foot of a titan. For the most part she couldn't wait to get behind the controls, but a tiny, anxious voice in the back of her mind squeaked out in protest. She was quick to silence it.

When she heard they were to report to the captain, Eli wasted no time in starting off, saluting both Bill and Alex. "Thank you for the transportation," she said, and then went on.

What kind of person was the captain? Alex had made it sound as though she was a tad on the harsh side, but Eli was aware enough that not everyone was accustomed to such behavior. Perhaps it wasn't the captain's character that peaked her curiosity, but rather what her role was. The only NC's Eli had seen so far were the ones she and her comrades would be piloting, were there others hidden off somewhere? Would the captain be commanding them on the battlefield, or would she be back here, safe and away from the conflict? Was she trained in the use of NC's? Eli found it hard to imagine they'd be put under the command of someone who didn't know about what they were commanding, but then this was Smith's Rest's first go.

Regardless, Eli would be quick to enter briefing room. Not only was the cold beginning to seep through her layers, but the promise of activity on day one was too tantalizing to fall behind on.