[System]
* Age: 228
* Gender: Female
* Race: Sentient Undead (Human)
* Appearance:
 Though at one time as shiny and luminescent as pictured, Tyaethe's armour has lost much of its lustre due to a combination of two hundred years of constant use and an inability to perfectly clean it whilst in use. The result is a blurring of the intricate detailing on the paladin's shield and armour, and the shining metal is now a dull grey verging on black—when not coated in blood. It got cleaned. The scarf obscures how the throat is heavily armoured, beyond what one would expect of such an ensemble.
Though none still in the knights can say for certain what she looks like underneath all the armour, her eyes are clearly an unusually brilliant red and her hair white. Since the armour's on the intentionally bulky side and doesn't come off, it's not quite clear what Tyaethe's height is... though probably over six feet. Currently, she seems to be trapped in appearance as a child... though her armour's size doesn't quite mesh with the old paintings.
* Personality: If there's one thing that all her instructors tried to do, it was to cure Tyaethe of her temper. Fervour and determination in a battle is all well and good but carrying that attitude over to your everyday life? Despite their efforts, it was a fruitless endeavour and the tall paladin is as irascible as ever, though with enough self-control to avoid the worst outcomes.
At heart, Tyaethe is a dutiful knight and a good person. So despite her frequent anger, she has never once backed down on her duties or struck out at a child or someone truly innocent, even if rather aggressive verbally. Her unfaltering devotion to her duty—or anything else, as she seems too stubborn to ever back down—is best exemplified by her continued presence in the Iron Rose Knights, despite the drift from being a religious order.
Something more familiar to the newer recruits than the veterans is her sullenness and risk-taking. Not a behaviour always evident but at the same time a concerning trend, as if her patience for something is running out.
One trait carried over from her normal life is a dislike of being seen out of her armour. Since Elionne's death, this has exacerbated into a full refusal to remove it for any reason short of their first captain's return. Partly, at least, this is to prevent anyone from learning of her undeath and to preserve the idea of an immortal knight.
* Brief Backstory: Tyaethe was born to a minor noble family and, as the only child, was expected to carry on the family's duty as knights. To this end, at the age of seven, her education was entrusted to an important but highly religious duke that owed her father his life. It was for this reason that instead of continuing on to be a squire, the young Tyaethe pledged her service to the church and became a paladin.
As an adult, her strength and steadfast service was admirable, even though her hot-headed attitude caused friction with some of those she had to work with. It was for this reason that she was granted the honour of protecting the High Priestess and, when reports of an incoming force surfaced, left Falthir in order to conduct the fighting when she wouldn't be at risk. Naturally, this backfired and it was only Elionne's intervention that prevented the deception from being successful due to the diversion of the guards.
Owing the maiden for fulfilling her duty where she could not, Tyaethe swore to serve her in life and in death, second only to the goddesses. Part of the Iron Rose Knights since their inception, Tyaethe's death came in a pitched battle where their foes managed to split herself, Elionne, and some less experienced knights from the majority of their comrades.
The reason for her survival has never been perfectly explained. Some of the knights assumed it was just sheer luck and the high level of mana in the region and the more religious assigned it to divine intervention. Some of her detractors have even accused Tyaethe of dabbling in necromancy. As for the paladin herself, she cites her oath and willpower, as well as a refusal to go down whilst Elionne was still in danger. The fact of her undeath has been kept a secret within the knights, to cultivate a reputation as an immortal holy warrior, though doubtless people have guessed the truth.
Tyaethe has been unsurprisingly steadily more bitter since the original captain left, wanting to know why and find out what happened. Despite this, she has faithfully explained new captains their duties and guided them through it, even as the knights have drifted further and further from the religious unit she joined.
* Equipment: Forged nearly two hundred years before, the styling of Tyaethe's armour is antiquated to say the least—though the decorations, obscured as they are, resemble the current pieces made on the behalf of the church. Few people can move efficiently in such weighty protection, let alone adjust to how it restricts movement in order to fight but even going for its vulnerabilities leads to a difficult time in scoring a fatal injury. Of particular note is the one addition made before Elionne left: a reinforced gorget, to make even accidental decapitation even less likely.
Her other armament consists of a sword that most refuse to treat as one and an immense shield. Both are as long as she is tall and the sword itself unreasonably broad and tough; it crushes as much as it actually cuts. The shield, scratched though the design is over the years, contains a wolf rampant in its design—a lesser-used Mayonite symbol.
All three pieces were blessed and enchanted to regenerate under moonlight, since even before Tyaethe's death they took vast amounts of punishment and repairing them manually was prohibitively costly.
* Skills: Raised as a member of the nobility and intended to become a far more ordinary knight, Tyaethe knows falconry, board games, how to ride, and the social graces needed for polite company. All of these skills, save the riding—and that relies on draught horses in her case—are incredibly rusty skills due to neglect. Her literacy and ability to recite scripture on a whim, due to her training as a paladin, are as strong as ever.
In combat, Tyaethe's immense strength and armour leads to an approach best likened to an oncoming tide: she's not the most agile or that hard to hit but actually stopping her or resisting the offence is futile. Her speed can also be deceptive; she chooses to adopt a slow approach for psychological reasons and is more than capable of surging forwards to strike down a threat. Though a shield might seem redundant with such armour, she happily uses it as a second weapon or to force an opening from someone hoping to budge her defence.
With over a century of experience on her side and an initial training in the arts of warfare, Tyaethe is also a valuable tactical and strategic source—provided that you ask her opinion when she's not agitated in some manner and ensure that the reason Tyaethe suggests she be put in the thick of it is due to needing an immovable obstacle.

[User]
The guards' hastily-assembled defensive wall crumbled under the attack from Martina and the strange paladin. Shields splintered and men died, or fell to their knees in surrender. Soon enough, the entire room had been cleared of active opponents. They were either dead, or had given up entirely on fighting.

"Collect their weapons," Fanilly said, quickly, as she came to a halt near the surrendering guards. "And bind their hands. We'll take them to the guard when we're done here."

So far, they had yet to encounter any undead. It was likely, if the necromancer still had any risen corpses waiting, they were deeper in the tomb. It was strange, though.. on one hand, the sanctity of the dead being undisturbed was hardly anything to complain about. But on the other... what was the necromancer doing? There didn't appear to be any undead, despite the number of coffins lining the walls. At once Fanilly was thankful, but wary.

"We'll be going after the conspirators," she said, turning to address the knights, "With the guards dealt with, we'll be able to focus on them and any undead the necromancer may have risen, so-"

Something whistled past her cheek. Fanilly swiftly turned on her heel, and saw... It looked like a man, standing on the stairs, but his identity was concealed behind a hood and black leather armor. In one hand he held a crossbow, and in the other a shortsword.

"You're looking for me and my fellows, then, are you?" he asked, leaning against the wall as he spoke. When had he gotten there? And why hadn't he dropped in earlier? He was now between the two groups of knights... "I'll be sure to tell them that. I saw the little nem girl with those others. Tch tch tch."

He waved his finger. "That'll cost her one whole sister."

Fanilly took a step forward, raising her sword, only to immediately be met by... another attacker?! wielding a heavy axe, she was forced to step back, her own sword barely deflecting the blow. He was tall, muscled man in steel armor...

Two out of six conspirators were here.

---

As Tyaethe charged, the ground in front of her suddenly blazed brightly, a magic circle igniting bright blue on the ground where there had been none before.

She'd have to act quickly to avoid stepping into it and triggering whatever effect had been planted there!

---

Tili simply nodded to Marianne's words. She understood this was not out of kindness. However, she did not know the way. They had never let her beyond the first floor of the mausoleum. And so, she was left with the others, in silence, hearing them speak amongst themselves. And yet, there was another tone she could hear... she could hear breathing. Her sister's breathing. It was a technique they had used to detect one another, a Nem hunting technique repurposed. That meant, certainly her sister was still alive!

If she could just listen for where the other Nem was, then...!

... As the last guard fell, another sound came from below. It was a rattling noise, almost like dried branches, but deeper.

The bleached white frames of skeletons, carrying swords and shields, proceeded from the depths. Among them was a tall man in black, wielding a longsword in one hand.

"Blast it, the Iron Roses, eh?" he said, as skeletons filtered in around him, "And Neldrin was so sure you'd never find out... well, his skeletons should be useful, regardless."

He shrugged.

Tili's eyes locked on him. He hadn't seen her.

As skeletons filtered into the room, Tili drew the dagger she'd taken from the dead guard. Her eyes were still on that man.

Provided no-one looked directly at her, it would be easy to lose track of her in the upcoming battle...

---

The Princess stared blankly at the man who had arrived. So... that was... quite a story. He'd... tried to kill father? But now he hadn't... and... the girl shook her head. She wasn't exactly in the best mental state, and quite a lot of things hand happened very rapidly. She took a deep breath as she tried to discern what kind of response was appropriate to such an unusual tale. Especially given exactly what it entailed... a situation that could have been the death of her father.

Finally, she spoke.

"I... see," she said, flatly. It was all she could manage in the wake of such a strange story.

Meanwhile, Bethany seemed rather overwhelmed, still embarrassed by Sult's treatment of her. Quaking slightly, the court mage quietly shuffled behind the Princess. While she wasn't particularly much taller then the blonde girl, the sight of her attempting to hide behind Eliabelle was rather absurd.

[Assistant]
Dante watched the man in black as well as the undead around him. She had faced the undead before in an incident where a lower tier necromancer had tried to destroy a farm. But that had only been a few. This was a few dozen. Even though the situation made her nervous, Dante shook it off, and charged, loosing a battle cry as she did.

She sprinted with her kite shield in front of her, sharp end pointing up, and her Battle gauntlet trailing behind her. The first skeleton she came to she planted her left foot in the ground and used her momentum to swing the gauntlet with as much force as possible. The blow struck the skeleton directly at the top of the sternum, the force of the punch combined with the brittleness of the bones made the undead soldier shatter from the shoulders up. Dante then pulled the gauntlet hard to the right and up, smashing the skeleton directly next the other one's head against the damp stone wall, causing it to splinter into pieces.

The skeleton that had been to her left at the beginning chose that moment to try and lob her head off. She raised her kite shield just in time to block the blow. She raised her shield slightly higher and the sword slid along the curve of the shield, she then pinned the sword under her shield and then used her gauntlet to break it in two. Dante the flung her gauntlet up in a backhand blow directly to the undead creature's chin, ripping its head off. Dante then realized that her entire chest was open to attack, and brought her shield in to guard her just as a bolt struck her shield and richoched into the wall.
She muttered to herself,
"Too close."

[User]
One of the downsides of running at a full sprint was the difficulty in stopping or making abrupt changes of direction without careening into whatever you wanted to avoid in the first place. Rarely was this more apparent to Tyaethe than with unexpected magic: almost everything else could just be ploughed through or rebounded off. Instead of jumping, which would have been the simple solution, she hurriedly jammed her sword forwards.

The blade found purchase between two of the stones in the floor and worked as a functional pivot to successfully cross the trap, barely not skimming the circle as Tyaethe pulled it free again for the last part of the leap. The tip was now thoroughly ruined for cleanly piercing anything, but the flex needed for such a massive blade to avoid breaking meant that it was still otherwise functional.

And the paladin was still rushing headlong down, leaving the trap for someone else to deal with.


[System]
Frost

"Why don't you take a chill pill?"

Vitals
Age: 29

Sex: Male

Date of birth: 22nd May, 1986

Lineage: -

Class/Major: Rogue

Class/Minor: Mage

Occupation: Detective

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Marital Status: Widower

Birthplace: New York, New York

Blood Type: B+

Eye Color: Blue

Height: 6'

Weight: 177 lbs

Hair Color/Style: Snow white, waist length hair tied into a long, thin ponytail.

General Appearance: Anthropomorphic wolf. Normally wears a thick hoodie over a shirt, a grey square cap on his head, jeans and sneakers. His hands are usually adorned with a pair of plain black fingerless gloves.

Skin Tone/Condition: Normal grey wolf fur colours.

Markings: Two sky blue arrows that start on his cheeks, pointing towards his eyes. The other ends of the arrows travels as stripes down his neck, shoulders and onto his arms, where they end as arrows again on the tops of his hands. These markings glow a pale blue.

Combat Stats

Dominant Hand: Right

Equipment:

-Upper Body: Nil

-Lower Body: Nil

Weapons* Black Blade - A standard length katana with a wholly black blade, the sword is Daniel's power focus. He can channel his ice energy into it to make it flash freeze anything he hits, and it is also bound to him; he can summon it anywhere he chooses to. Its blade is razor sharp, able to cut through most sturdy materials like wood or stone with ease, metal less so because of its strength against a cutting force, but with a substantial effort, yes he can cut blades with his sword.
* Eagles - Two IMI Desert Eagle pistols with engraved grips. These pistols, born from magical energy, do not run out of ammunition, instead shooting bullets of compressed magic. In turn, Daniel can channel his ice into the guns to make them shoot ice bullets that freeze their targets solid.

Abilities* Super Speed
* Enhanced Strength
* Enhanced Reflexes
* Heightened Senses

Magic* Ice Elemental - Daniel, once flesh and bone, is now a being wholly made of ice. His intensive training with the element has made him so in tune with it that he has become one with the cold. As such, basic physical attacks to his body cannot harm him, as he will simply refreeze any injuries he suffers. He is also highly skilled in the use of ice magicks. Magical attacks, however, will cut past the ice that once was his flesh and injure his inner being, making him bleed in that sense.
* Mark of the Rogue - Representing the Rogue, Daniel is able to travel at speeds faster than the naked eye can follow, along with being able to easily navigate terrain, staying out of sight and being a very fast attacker. All this emphasis on speed does reduce his ability to hit harder than he's normally able to.

Bio

Voice: Deep, raspy, compelling.

Personality: Cool and collected, cunning and lethal, Daniel makes it a point to let everyone know that he means business and that if you cross him, bad things will happen to you. That being said, he treats his friends with the utmost care and concern; if you are on his good side, you are a best friend to him. Acquaintances that have likewise earned his trust and respect are people whom he will also treat very well.

Backstory: Born in New York City, Daniel Anderson took into his father's footsteps by enrolling in the NYPD and becoming an officer. With hard work and determination, he took up his late dad's desk as a detective and began a long, hard career in the service.

Near his fifth year in the office he was taken over by a powerful celestial force known as the Protectorate, and was transformed into a Protector; a powerful demigod whose sole purpose was to ensure the safety of the world. He trained with the best and made many friends around the world, demigods one and all. Together he and his Guardians went on many an adventure, with the safety of the planet often hanging in the balance.

After several decades, Earth began to decay. Society collapsed, the environment ran rampant and turned the world into a wasteland. Still he persevered, though the more years he spent on the earth, the more of his Guardians fell to the ravages of time, age and injury. It was then that he realised that the world didn't need him any more; it was dying, and soon it would be time for the demigod, now nearly a full god in terms of power, to leave for greener pastures. One of the remaining Guardians suggested that he venture into the multiverse; a plane where worlds and universes collided, an interdimensional highway, so to speak. An endless amount of possibilities lay within, and the promise of more power. So he went, leaving the ailing Earth to the care of the remaining Guardians, and entered the multiverse as a wanderer.

Now Daniel is no longer a god. He considers himself more of an elemental than anything else. His wanderings have brought him far and wide, though recognition is sparse. A run-in with a Dreamer ages ago was the closest he'd been to making a friend in the multiverse.

[User]
Just as the monk expected, the anthropomorphic wolf padded in from the right, still quite clueless as to where his opponent was, up until he entered the T-junction and saw the other guy standing there with a bow and arrow fully drawn. With a quickness, he brought his sword (still in its sheath) up from within his belt and held it in his right, turning on his left foot to face the monk. His stance lowered, feet spreading apart, right ahead of left, as he pulled the brim of his cap lower and steeled his grip on his sheathed sword.

"Well then, this is a pickle."

[Assistant]
Not a pickle, I am a monk, my title is Xing Yi the Endless one, and I have my endless long bow trained on you, werewolf.

Xing drew back his arrow and was ready to fire at any given moment, the tension in the air was thick, and Xing could sense this creature was incredibly strong, and was exuding some powerful energies that seemed to transcend regular magic. Xing Yi had encountered all manners of beasts and warriors before, but this individual was perhaps the most intrugiung.

Why have you come here? you are clearly not from this land or maybe even this world. I think you should leave, your aura stinks of a false god, your very presence offends me.

Xing took a few steps back with bow still trained on the werewolf, looking to put the broken coffin between himself and this creature for minor cover should he need it.

[User]
"False god? What false god? I don't see any gods here."

He spun his sheathed sword in his hand a few times. That bow looked quite fearsome, actually, but nothing he couldn't handle.

"And my name's Daniel, just to get introductions out of the way. And I'm looking for something, or someone, really. It led me here. Have you seen a beagle around here anywhere? About yay high?"

He held his free hand out to roughly his head height.

"Blue jeans, cowboy boots, big ol' hat?"

Ready for anything, of course. Sword and sheath were in his right hand, stance still the same. Nothing had changed. If the monk fired an arrow, he'd be ready.

[Assistant]
You are not simply mortal, correct? I sense energies in you that are not of this world, you are a false god.

Xing Yi hunched to a slightly crouched position with his arrow still trained on the wereworlf, now wondering how he was going to fight such a being if he needed to. The light from the chandelier reflected off the fairly deep puddles on the floor, which almost bathed the hallway in a glistening aura which painted the picture further that these were two people whos powers had at least some influence from the divine. The werewolf once again spoke describing someone he has never met nor would wish to.

Youre not going to leave are you? Ive given you ample chance to flee and never return, but a false god will always find himself in places he is not wanted. This cathedral will be your grave, werewolf.

Xing refused to call the creature by his Anglo name, and focused his eyes as he fired an arrow straight at the creatures chest.

[User]
He saw the monk's movements before he loosed the arrow. The tiny flinch of his hand as it pulled back a fraction, the tensing of the arm and the twitch of the tendons in his hand as his fingers released themselves from the arrow's feathers. All this happened in a fraction of a second, nearly the height of his enhanced reflexes and vision.

Then the arrow left the bow, travelling across the hallway in a blaze of speed. Its motion slowed in his eyes, he had all the reaction time he needed to lean slightly to the right, letting the arrow sail right past him, embedding itself deep in the stone wall behind him. With a small smile, he resumed his stance, rolled his shoulders and stretched the kinks out of his neck.

"Well then now that's just rude. You wanna play this way, fine then. I'll play rough."

With a flick of his free hand the water in the hallway began turning into ice, swiftly and steadily. He braced his right foot, bent slightly to gather his strength, and then pushed off from his right. This action made him hop into the air slightly as the leap forward closed the distance between him and the monk, even as the water beneath him froze solid, trapping his feet and ankles in a solid, icy grip.

A second passed. Two.

Daniel landed on both his feet and, using the ice as a rudimentary slip-n-slide, let his right foot skid forward. His body twisted left and he leaned to the left, lowering his left hand to the ice to clamp down on it, slowing his progress forward enough to turn his forward momentum into a sideways spin on his left foot. Maintaining the crouch he swept his right leg right around counter-clockwise, aimed right for the monk's left shin.

Continuing the spin, he came round again, still pivoting on his left foot, and threw up his free hand as a feint, palm up in a quick flicking motion that did nothing, while beneath him his sword arm came up swiftly in a straight, quick diagonal jab from Xing Yi's low left, aiming to hit his solar plexus with the hilt of his sword. He would be in a kneel now, his right knee on the ice with his left foot bracing.

All this, from dodge to leap to kick to feint to jab, took merely seconds, what would seem like a short moment to the monk.

False god he may be, but speed was his game.

[Assistant]
The arrow flew beautifully towards the werewolf and like water the opponent was able to dodge the movement like it was nothing and flicked his hand. Xing Yi was very in tune with spirits and magic energies and knew that very second that there was a spell being cast....the air in the atmosphere began to cool down considerably.....that was it, ice magic! The shallow pool around the floor began to freeze almost instantly, Xing Yi was lucky he placed himself so near the broken coffin and quickly hopped on top of it so he was not in the puddle as it froze.

The werewolf then used the now frozen water to skate towards him throwing a low kick just as Xing jumped back on to the coffin and was able to narrowly dodge it, luckily. But the attack was not over, the low kick's momentum allowed the beast to spin into an attack with his sword handle, which Xing did not expect, luckily the attack seemed to be aimed for his chest, but in Xing's elevated position the attack thudded into the monk's stomach. Which was very painful. Xing Yi managed to grunt the pain of the attack and maintain his excellent balance on the smooth coffin.

The Monk's endless bow shifted form instantly to a new weapon.. the bo staff! Xing countered the attack he suffered by swinging the large pole toward the werewolf's neck at a diagonal angle from the right, all while maintaining balance.

[User]
Daniel felt the hit connect and he smirked.

The monk was fast, being able to dodge his sweep kick by hopping onto a fallen coffin.

He hadn't been fast enough to dodge that though. No one really expected a swordsman to use his sword as a staff anyway.

The hit he made stopped his spin quite nicely, but opened him up for attack, which of course the monk did, his bow swiftly changing into a bo staff that he swung downward at his neck. He could see it whistling in from his upper left, the monk's lean body twisting and flexing as his arms brought the staff to bear.

He ducked and swivelled his body to the left, feeling the staff clear the back of his head and his neck, barely grazing his ponytail. The staff swung by harmlessly, and as he straightened up he raised his sword arm in a circular motion and then brought it crashing straight down onto the coffin the monk stood on, his fist and sword smashing its lid and body to pieces almost effortlessly. He stood and continued the coffin smashing, twisting to the left and pivoting on his left foot as he brought up his right in a football kick that completely destroyed the wooden coffin.

As he did so, his heightened senses kicked in, for he had a plan.

No doubt he'd dislodged the errant monk by destroying his only foothold in the water.

He probably thought his ice could only affect the water.

Wrong.

As he felt his kick connect with the coffin in slow motion, he channeled his ice magic into his body then pushed it into his right leg. The magic dispersed through his right foot just as the kick punched through the coffin, smashing it to pieces as the splinters and shards of wood froze into deadly sharp shards of ice that erupted everywhere, most sent flying straight at his opponent.

Two seconds passed.

He completed the spin as his kick sent his rudimentary projectile attack away, and he bent into a crouch, smoothly transferring his sheathed sword from his right hand to his left. His new sword hand gripped the sheath tightly as he lowered himself, his right coming to rest on the hilt of his sword.

He inhaled briefly.

Four seconds.

The water underneath him froze to provide him a stable foothold as he braced his feet, tensing up for a good burst of speed. Left foot in front of right. Crouched.

Five.

He kicked off his left foot and closed the distance in two strides, charging his way through the frozen debris cloud he'd made with the remains of the coffin. His right pulled his katana from its sheath and, in a single stroke, he drew and swung from his lower left to his upper right, meaning the monk would see the sword slash coming from his lower right to his upper left, if he had time to block it at all.

After the swing, his momentum carried him two steps forward where he stopped in a crouch, sword still raised in the air. Head lowered, body relaxed. Left foot ahead of right.

Seven.

He exhaled.

Iai.


[System]
Age: 450
Background: Being a pureblood vampire, he has had a distaste of the other outlying clans for biting their newer members instead of mating with other vampires. The only son of Vlad Tepes IV, is expected to wed another vampire to continue the family line as his forefathers have and the fight against the Van Helsings and Belmonts.

[User]
The young man that is going to wed her, summons a bat to come and retrieve the rose and carefully place it back into your hair. His ice blue eyes cut the air around him like a razor although his features are far more fair than his father, there is no doubt that he shares the same mind and ambitions. There is, however, a far more civilized heir about him that commands respect and trust.

"The pleasure is mine Von Strong. Although I do smell bitten ones in our midst." He says as his nose folds into his face in a sort of disgust. "I would rather your clan breed purely. Am I correct... Sir Von Strong...?"

He looks at the father with those same icy eyes that again command everything that his position as hair to the Darcula clan maintains.

[Assistant]
Rose closed her eyes when the bad returned her rose and she softly smiled. ''Thank you'' she whispered and then looked up at her fiance. She had to admit, he was a very handsome man but she was very much afraid that with that handsomeness, a lot of arrogance would come. Marcus looked at the young man and smiled. ''That is true.. My youngest daughter was born a human as she is born from a human mother'' he said. ''She let me turn her when she was eighteen years old'' he then said. The tone in his voice made Rose roll her eyes. ''I am sorry Sir Tepes, I am maybe not a pure blood but I am just as much vampire as you are.. I would now like to show you the way to the dining room so we can have a peaceful dinner'' she said, she had lost her temper, she knew. She also knew that she was in trouble, feeling the look of her father on her face.

Rose turned around and walked gracefully towards the Dining room. She was followed by her sisters who all gave her a stern look and she just smiled. At the table that she would share with her own family and the members of the Tepes family, she waited for the oldest ones. Her own father and the father of her fiance could sit, followed by the other important members. Eventually she sat down at the end of the table, she had always liked the spot as she was not in the center of everyone's attention. Vlad's father whispered something to hers and Marcus nodded. ''Rose honey, I would like you to trade your seat with your sisters, so you can sit next to our special guest'' he said. Rose wished for simply being absorbed by the ground but she got up, walked to the new chair and when her sister had got up too, she sat down next to her fiance. ''Good evening.. Sir'' she said and then looked into the room. Everyone looked at her and Vlad VII !!! She didn't like this.

[User]
He nods back at the half-pire but refocuses his gaze at the trappings of the room.

"I see that your family certainly take your Prussian heritage very dearly. That is something I can respect in a clan. That and your preservation of these artifacts is also impressive. Considering that Napoleon Bonaparte's march easily would have scattered such things or burned them as fuel for their fires." He says as if he was there himself. Of course he would have. He is over four hundred fifty years of age. There is no doubt that he would have seen his fair share of conflict.

"Our clan had the same trouble in Great Wars in the Twentieth century. Mostly with old Adolf's Third Reich. They were the most persistent. Horrible blood though... It was tainted with toxic ideals."

"Are you kidding me son?" his father, the sixth Vlad speaks up, "Theirs was the sweetest blood in eons. As a matter of fact, Marcus Von Strong, I wish to gift you with five barrels of Nazi blood for agreeing to this arrangement." He says patting the other father on the back as if they were friends.

[Assistant]
Marcus smiled and nodded. ''I will gladly accept them, Thank you so much'' he said and looked at Rose. Rose smiled and nodded. ''I am very proud of who I am and where my family comes from'' she said. When he talked about Napoleon and the past wars she looked at him. ''Well, I believe that the past is the past.. And that we should focus on the future'' she said. Then the time came to start the dinner and Rose looked at her father. ''To you the honor of starting the dinner'' he said.

Rose swallowed and got her glass, she got up from her chair and raised her glass. ''I wanna welcome you all to our house.. Today we have one..'' she waited for a moment as her father coughed. ''Two special occasion's... One, is my birthday.. And the second one is that from today on I'll be officially engaged to Sir Vlad Tepes the seventh, in order to keep the peace between our clan's. All I can do is promise my clan with that I'll do everything that is needed to keep the peace as I think we spilled enough blood'' she said and then took the first sip of blood, followed by everyone.

Rose sat down and mumbled to herself: ''Even if everything means marrying mister arrogance''

[User]
The fiance whispers back to her, "It is actually being well learned." He then chooses his food and his blood, serving himself and his bride to be in a very respectable manner even though he was just insulted.

"So, Sir Von Strong, what do you think of this 'modern age' with all of it's 'computers' and 'automobiles'?" he says before taking his first bites of the venison that he was served.

[Assistant]
Rose looked at him with narrowed eyes and then looked at her plate. When he had given the orders to fill her plate with the things he had chosen she didn't say a thing and once the maid moved on, she started to eat. She felt her oldest sister look at her but she didn't react on it.

Marcus sighed at his daughter's reaction after her short speech. This was going to be a disaster, but he had to keep his hopes up. He looked at the young Vlad and smiled. ''It is a weird time, sometimes I wish to go back in time but then again, maybe this new world gives new opportunity's. A few hundred years ago our clans were in a great war and look now, we are about to become one clan.. of course with separated houses'' he said. Rose choked on the bite she just had taken and took her glass, she drank from it and looked at her father when she had swallowed the peace that had gotten stuck in her throat. ''Father.. you said we would live in one house.. Separated houses, does that mean that after tonight I am going to the house of Lord and Sir Tepes?'' she asked. ''I said, my dear Rose, that it was a possibility but Lord Vlad and I discussed and knew it would be better to stay in our own houses.. So yes, you are going to move there'' her father said. Rose swallowed and then looked at her plate, not feeling really hungry anymore.

[User]
The groom senses her distress and thinks quickly. "Father?"

"Yes?" He asks, clearly not liking how he and his clan are being treated tonight.

"I am thinking that we might compromise..."

"What do you mean son?"

"I mean, what if I were to dwell here in exchange for one of Sir Von Strong's children to like in our territory." His father is clearly fuming at the thought and his sapphire eyes have now started to turn blood red. The dogs sens this and whimper as they run away to hide in case of conflict.

"Live here...? Son... You are the head of the family... Your child should be raised in our lands... Unaderstood?"

[Assistant]
Rose swallowed and cleaned her mouth before she reacted and when she saw the red eyes she knew that she really had to apologize. ''My Lord.. I am sorry for what I said.. It's just that my family is very dear to me. Can I ask your permission to have my family visit me so now and then or.. That your son and I visit mine? I wouldn't want to miss them and.. Of course I will live in your lands and there raise a good child from your son and me'' she said and laid her hand on Vlad's hand.

''I hope that you both will accept my apology. I was very rude'' she said and then bend over a little to give Vlad a soft kiss on his cheek. ''It is just all so new.. I never met this... Wonderful man before and now he is my fiance'' she said. She really hoped that they would both accept her apology and that the peace would stay and not be ruined even before it was official.

[User]
His eyes quickly subsides. "That will be acceptable... Thank you for your humility. As you for you young one..."

"Father. With all due respect, perhaps we should embrace new things. I wish to stay here with my wife and her house. Besides, you can think of me as a governor of some sort. so I can make sure they don't... step out of line..."

[Assistant]
Rose stayed quiet and looked at her husband, she knew that she had to find a way to get a new topic to talk about. She looked at everyone in the room and when she saw that everyone was finished she suddenly got up and raised her glass. ''I would like to make a special toast to my Husband and his Father.. And I hope that with our marriage, the peace will stay for ever'' she said.

''Now.. for the rest of the evening, we have a lot of things planned... Starting with the official ceremony for me and my husband to be married.. If both gentleman would excuse me, I would like to change as I have a special dress for that occasion'' she said and then left the table, her sisters went along with her and they all disappeared trough a special hallway. Marcus looked at his guests. ''The ceremony will take place in the room next door.. I would like you all to go there, the bride will join us in ten minutes'' he spoke.

Rose got into her room and locked the door. ''You are crazy! You almost insulted to most powerful vampire of us all'' Sylvia said. Becky got Rose her dress. Rose undressed herself and the stepped into the new dress. ''I know.. But.. I tried to save it and I really hope it has worked'' she said. ''I hope so too.. If your fiancee refuses to drink from your blood, so you both are connected.. This whole happening is going down and there will be a great war coming'' Mona said. ''I know! Geez.. I never asked for this but accept it as good as possible.. And all of you can only complain.. Sorry okay?'' she said. Becky zipped the dress and they redid her hair. ''Your ready'' they said then. Rose took a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror. ''Okay.. all or nothing'' she said and then walked down the stairs. She saw Vlad waiting for her and she suddenly felt really nervous.

Dress

Hair

[User] He stands at the end of the hall with his sword, tucked away in his scabbard and in his formal Transylvanian armor and attire. His prized eagle sits on his shoulder. He looks the son of the most powerful vampire in the world. But his mannerisms are far different.

[Assistant]
Rose walked up to him, slowly so she wouldn't stand on her skirt and once she stood in front of him and smiled. ''All or nothing I guess'' she whispered to him as she laid her hand in his and together they turned around, ready to walk into the ceremony room. Suddenly a cat came running towards Rose and sat down next to her. ''Oh, Silver.. Welcome back honey'' she said. ''Come with us'' she said to the Big Maine Coon. Silver walked up in front of them, just like his lady he wore a blood red rose around his neck.

The moment Silver entered the room, and Rose looked up at Vlad for one last time before they started to walk down to the middle of the room, everyone got up from their chairs. Rose looked at everyone and then waited for Vlad to start walking.

[User] He starts striding with her up the isle, keeping his eyes straight ahead the entire time. His hand is actually warmer than what she had expected but there is an even greater shock of him being gentile with her. Her sisters' husbands have all been fairly rough to them. But this iteration to the Tepes House was unusually gentle. He reaches the end of the hall with her and then face each other.

[Assistant]
Rose felt his hand and looked at it when she felt it to be warmer. She then faced forward again, and when they reached the end of the hall, she looked at him. He is so quiet.. Why is that? she thought to herself. She then looked at the ceremony master which started to talk.

Rose looked at the man as he did his speech about marriage and the holy bond between a man and women after they promised to care for each other until death parts them again. She then looked up at Vlad, was she really going to do this? Did she have too? Yes she did, she had no choice, but she was planning on making herself very happy.

Then the moment came for them to say that they would agree to everything the man just had said.

Young Mistress Rosalinda, will you have this man to be your husband; to live together with him in the covenant of marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful unto him for the rest of your immortal life?

Rose looked at Vlad and nodded. ''Yes, I do'' she answered.

Then the ceremony master turned to Vlad.

Young Lord Vlad Tepes the seventh, will you have this woman to be your wife; to live together with her in the covenant of marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful unto her for the rest of your immortal life?

[User] He nods, "I do." His voice is unnaturally soft from the way that she has heard him before.

[Assistant] ''Then now, I ask of the Bride and Groom to both give me their right wrist'' The ceremony master said and when they both had done so, he cut their wrists in one straight line. ''Groom, please kiss your bride'' he said. Rose looked at Vlad and waited for him to kiss her, knowing that once he did, their wrists would be placed against each other so as a symbol their blood would be mixed.

[User] He smiles and leans in, kissing her deeply, allowing his fangs to scrape against hers. His hand intertwines with hers and their blood mix as one.


[System]
Age: 12
Hometown: Ecruteak City
Appearance (pic preferred):

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

Having never left the regions of the Far East, Shiranui is excited for seeing the culture of a faraway land whilst also steeling himself for the culture shock he may inevitably feel. As part of his ninja training, his father had told him to expect the unexpected.

[User]
Ryan shrugged and called out his Pancham. "Come out Bancho." The Pancham looked ready for a fight as it began hopping around. The opposing trainer was a 17 year old male who was wearing a torn up scarf. He sent out a Poochyena and prepared for battle.

"Bancho, start it off with a Comet Punch." With these words the battle began as Bancho rushed the Poochyena with a flurry of punches. The Poochyena dodged the first two punches, but was hit by the last three in turn.
"Poochyena, use Bite!" The Poochyena latched onto Bancho but it did practically nothing due to typing.
" Bancho, Slash it until it lets go." Bancho brought out his claws and began repeatedly slashing at the Poochyena until it eventually let go. The Poochyena was obviously on its last legs, so it was time to end this.
" Bancho, Circle Throw." Bancho grabbed the Poochyena and threw him over his head and into a nearby wall. When the dust settled the Poochyena was knocked out and Bancho was the winner. "Well done warrior. Return and rest." Ryan returned him to his Pokeball and graciously accepted his cape to show his new status as a Baron.

[Assistant]
It was now Shiranui's turn to battle and his opponent was a 16-year-old red-haired boy with a blue shirt who sent a Murkrow into battle. "That Murkrow reminds me of Kyouchou," Shiranui mused, thinking about his Honchkrow, "Honoh, I choose you!" He sent out his Fletchling and the battle was on.
"Murkrow, Pursuit!"
"Honoh, Peck!" The Fletchling put his Gale Wings ability to work and gave Murkrow a swift peck before Murkrow tackled the robin.
"Murkrow, Wing Attack!"
"Honoh, time to test out that new move we worked on! Acrobatics!" The Fletchling let out a high-pitched chirp before he started to glow. Honoh grew more than a foot in height before the glow subsided to reveal a Fletchinder.
"Fletchinder, the Ember Pokémon and the evolved form of Fletchling. The hotter the flame sac on its belly, the faster it can fly, but it takes some time to get the fire going." Honoh executed a few aerial stunts before dive bombing Murkrow into a knockout.

Shiranui also gained the status of Baron after receiving his own white cape.

[User] Mr. Coleman appluded the valliant battles done by the three heroes.

[Assistant] Ryan put on his cape and smiled. He bowed when Mr Coleman applauded him and his grin got even wider. "I am glad to see you enjoyed our battles."

[User] "So, where are you three off two next?" Mr. Coleman inquired. A dark skinned man approached, "I bet they are heading for the Cyllage City Gym, right?" he asked. Liam confirmed the speculation. The man introduced himself as that gym's leader, Cliff. and that he looked forward to their battles there. He then excused himself and left to return to his gym.

[Assistant] "So this is the guy we need to defeat next," stated Shiranui, donning his cape and letting Yoto out to ride on his back.

[User] "Well, shall we move on?" Liam inquired.

[Assistant] "Let's do that." Ryan responded as he opened the exit. As he opened the door he came face to face with Viola. "Nope." He immediately closed the door and ran to the restroom. After a few minutes he came out in different clothing and a hoodie. " Ok, I'm ready to go now." He opened the door again and made sure to cover his face as he walked past Viola and towards Cyllage City.

[User] "What was that all about?" Shiranui inquired. He grew concerned about Ryan's strange behaviour.

[Assistant] "I wonder what his beef with Viola is." Liam thought aloud. "We should probably catch up with him though."

[User] "Agreed," replied Shiranui.

[Assistant]
Ryan stopped and panted a bit. He remembered his experience with Viola an hour ago and shuddered. She had been shaking with rage after that incident with the door. "I'm not crazy right? She looked like she wanted to kill me." Ryan asked Oberon and Fuma.

"You're definitely crazy. but you are right about this one thing." Oberon responded with a level of sarcasm that couldn't hope to be expressed through words.

"Screw you. You agree with me right Fuma?" Ryan asked, while just Fuma shook his head and snickered. "Everyone hates me." He said with a cartoon storm cloud above his head.

[User] Liam finally caught up with Ryan. "Here you are." He said.

[Assistant] Shiranui caught up as well. "Are you feeling okay?" he asked.

[User] "I am concerned as well." Liam added.

[Assistant] Ryan looked directly at them and smiled. "I am perfectly fine. Let's never talk about Viola ever again." Ryan then continued walking towards Cyllage City. "So how much farther would you say we need to go?" He asked.

[User] Shiranui wore a sceptical look on his face as he considered asking Oberon what was going on, knowing the Ralts could sense feelings. "We just have to keep heading west and go through a cave before reaching Cyllage City," he answered.

[Assistant]
Liam encountered a Machop inside the cave. He called on Jiraiya. The Froakie won and evolved.

"Frogadier, the Bubble Frog Pokemon, and the evolved form of Froakie. It can throw bubble-covered pebbles with precise control, hitting empty cans up to a hundred feet away. Its swiftness is unparalleled. It can scale a tower of more than 2,000 feet in a minute's time."

[User] Ryan nodded at Shiranui in recognition of his accomplishment and sent out Amber to take down so Machops. In the process Amber evolved into a Vespiquen. It Slashed the remainder of its opponents and was quite pleased with itself. Ryan returned it to its Pokeball and began walking forward to the exit. He caught a Mawile, but when he retrieved the Pokeball it disappeared from his hand. "So that's how the six Pokemon limit works. Interesting." He commented to himself. He would decide who to store when he got to town.

[Assistant]
Liam encountered an Axew. He remembered the one he met at the Blackthorn Gym. He noticed that it was a shiny one as well. "Jiraiya!" Liam called on the Frogadier.
 "Cut!" Liam called." The Axew got hit and used Assurance.
 Liam called for Rock Slide next. Axew used Dragon Claw next. Jiraiya followed it up with Ariel Ace. Axew used Dragon Dance. Liam tossed a Luxary Ball. Axew got hit. The Tusk Pokemon was sucked in. After shaking a bit, the ball pinged shut. Liam now had a total of four Pokemon on his person.

[User]
Shiranui encountered a horde of Whismur and sent Higitsune out to battle. "Higitsune, start with Ember on the far left!" The Fennekin breathed out some embers on the Whismur on the far left and scorched it into a knockout with a critical hit. Shiranui had to hold his ears as half the remaining Whismur used Uproar while the other half used Pound. The four-pronged attack inflicted major damage on Higitsune. Higitsune started to glow, shifting from a quadrupedal stance to a bipedal stance. The glow subsided to reveal a Braixen. Higitsune pulled his stick out of his tail and fired a bright iridescent beam of energy that knocked the Whismur on the far right out. Shiranui recognised the move as a Psybeam. One of the Whismur continued its Uproar while the other two started their own Uproar attacks. The loud discordant noise caused Higitsune to be on his last legs. "Higitsune, return; Hana, I choose you!" Shiarnui switched the exhausted Braixen for his Flabébé.

---

The Uproars continued and Hana got some major damage from the three-pronged attack. "Hana, Fairy Wind on the left Whismur!" The Flabébé let off a bright glow of her own, Hana's flower morphing into something like a parasol. The glow subsided to reveal a Floette that unleashed a Fairy Wind on the Whismur on the left, knocking it out in one hit. The last two Whismur continued with their Uproars and Hana was left exhausted. "Hana, return; Yoto, I choose you!" Shiranui switched out his Floette and pulled Yoto out of his sheath and threw the Honedge into the battle.

---

The Uproars continued, but Yoto was immune to the attacks. "Yoto, Swords Dance!" The Honedge performed a series of slashes that sharply increased his Attack. One Whismur started another Uproar while the other tried to use Pound, both attacks not affecting Yoto at all. "Yoto, use Pursuit on the Whismur on the right!" The Honedge did a charging thrust at the Whismur indicated and stabbed it into a knockout. The last Whismur continued its Uproar to no avail. "Yoto, finish the last Whismur off with a Pursuit!" The Honedge did a piercing thrust that stabbed the Whismur into a one-hit knockout. Shiranui breathed a sigh of relief as Yoto returned to his sheath, glad the noisy battle was over.

[Assistant] "Well, we are most of the way though this cave, then we can receive our next badges."

[User] "It'll be a breeze for me," boasted Shiranui.

[Assistant] "Same here." Liam said.

[User] Ryan shook his head, he would've called them arrogant if he didn't know them. But they had the skill to back up their boasts. "Let's just get out if here before you guys cause a cave collapse." Ryan said as he walked out of the cave.

[Assistant] "I'm with you on that," Shiranui agreed, feeling lucky the Whismur he battled didn't cause a cave-in with their noise.

[User] Eventually, the end of the cave came in sight. It would only be a few minutes until they were in the next town, and they could stop at a Pokemon Center.

[Assistant] Ryan checked his watch and saw that they were arriving precisely on schedule. He walked to the Pokemon Center and thought about what he was going to do. He got all his Pokemon healed up and he deposited Mimi in exchange for the Mawile he found earlier. He decided to name it Futana.

[User] Shiranui checked his Pokémon in at the Pokémon Centre as quite a few of them were exhausted. He knew Grant would use Pokémon restored from fossils, but was wondering what ancient Pokémon were native to Kalos.

[Assistant] Liam got his Pokemon healed at the Pokemon Center as well.. "You guys ready?" He asked after everyone recived their Pokemon back?

[User] "I am ready." Ryan answered with a smile.

[Assistant] "Ready," added Shiranui.

[User] "Then, its time to face the gym." Liam said. He was fired up. Grant was outdside the gym waiting for the heroes. He welcomed them into the gym. Liam saw the inside had huge rocks to scale. Grant expressly said not to have Pokemon help in scaling. When Liam made it to the top he stopped to catch his breath while his friends made it to the top.

[Assistant] Ryan followed Liam the entire way and smiled as he looked upon the entire gym. It's always nice to see new places. "Anyone want to go first?" He asked the others.

[User] Shiranui put his ninja training to work and leaped his way up quietly. Several leaps saw him at the top with the others.


[System]
"Only the foolish tempt fate by trying to wake a sleeping bear."
Project Number: TBA
Sex: Male
Age: 19
Species: 91% Human, 9% Black Bear

Hair color: Black
Eye color: Amber
Skin tone: Fair
Scars: One major scar across his face, from above his right eye down to the left side of his jaw. Numerous small scars across his back and the backs of his arms that resemble claw marks. Scars around his ankles and wrists show where they have been rubbed raw countless times by shackles.
Tattoos/Piercings: None.
Height/Weight: 6'2", 210lbs
Significant Markings: Bernard's eyes reflect light in a way similar to many nocturnal predators. His finger and toenails are black like claws, and his canine teeth are sharper and more prominent than the average human. The palms of his hands are rough and calloused.
Abilities/Mutations: Due to the animal DNA he posseses, Bernard has much higher bone and muscle density than the average human. This makes him very durable, as well as capable of incredible feats of strength. He can also see better in the dark than most humans, though he can't see color in minimal-light situations. His fingernails appear to be thicker than average, and taper slightly like claws.

Personality: Bernard is a level-headed individual, choosing his words and actions with care. Overall, his direct manner makes him come off as rather blunt and to the point. He follows his heart, and is quite stubborn once he has chosen his path. Though his primary loyalty is ultimately to himself, he still makes a dependable friend and ally.

Though it takes a lot to get under his skin or piss him off, an angry Bernard is not a pretty sight. He is prone to violent rages, throwing caution to the wind as he loses himself in the primal anger. Friend or foe matters not when he truly needs to vent, though certain people or trigger memories are known snap him out of it. More often than not, Bernard becomes extremely withdrawn for quite some time after such an outburst.

Weaknesses: He hits like a truck, but Bernard lacks maneuverability. If someone knows how to get into his head they may be able to trigger and end his rages seeming at will. Though he is far less likely to be manipulated once angry, he is equally more likely to hurt his friends in the process.

Biography: The majority of Bernard's time within the facility consisted of tests of strength an endurance. Whether that meant long fights or the endless lifting of weights, he was constantly pushed to exhaustion. He did little more than eat, sleep, work, and train. All the lessons he learned here he took to heart, especially those about human nature he got only from observation.

Outside the facility, Bernard went his own way and put his animal nature to work for him. His gruff demeanor pushed most humans away with ease, which suited him just fine. He survived on the edges of society by scavenging for food and when he had the opportunity, hunting. Wary of humans as a whole, he tends to stick to lightly populated or abandoned areas near woodland. When his hunger is sated and he is not sleeping, he can often be found wandering aimlessly, in search of someone else like him to end the lonely silence. He regrets leaving the others after the escape, but knows not how to find any of them.

Likes: Red meat, green apples, honey, storms, long walks through the woods, and sleep.
Dislikes: Needless violence, being woken up, hot weather, "rabbit food," crowds, large open spaces.
Crush(es): TBA
Relationships: TBA

[User]
It was as quiet and peaceful in the meadow as it was any other day. The sun peeked just above the trees, shaded by the branches reaching ever upward. A thick layer of undergrowth settled beneath the trees, tangling together and pushing upward for the warmth of the sun on their leaves. Vines tangled around the trunks, winding upward and snuffling out weaker plant life on the way. Fungus grew on a fallen log on the north end of the small meadow, beneath which a family of rabbits made their home.

The meadow itself was little more than ordinary, it's placement just north of a lake and far from human civilization. But something about this meadow drew them here. Something, be it a scent, an image, a longing; whatever it was that brought them here to this specific place, the urge to head toward it without really knowing where one was going, was much too strong for any of them to deny. The pull of the meadow was like a magnet to the Evolution Projects, drawing them together. A few had already collided before then, having left one anothers company before they were pulled back to this meadow.

Nothing disturbed it's peace, nothing but eyes watching each other across the meadow. Staring intently, untrusting and cautious. On one side of the meadow stood a male, a tiger, full of rage and annoyance before the one that stood across from him. He was losing control faster than he would have wanted, losing it to when even the Projects in the shadows turned to prey for him. Nothing would stop him from tearing them apart.

Nothing but the female across from him.

She danced side to side, her footfalls swift and barely touching the ground between steps. Grey fur lining the leopard paws on the end of hybrid legs. She watched the male, staring at him just as intensely as he stared at her. Either waited for the other to make the first move against their opponent. Those who watched knew nothing of the reason why the male had become so enraged with the female across from him. Her form was petite, perhaps half the size of his, and he looked an easy predator for the frail looking leopard girl.

Would any of the subjects step in to stop them before the fight truly began, or would they hide to save their own hides from the wrath of the winner.

[Assistant]
Gina skipped through the grasslands. Her feet were bare, and she could still feel the morning dew cold against her toes. The moss of the forest provided enough of a cushion for her to tread barefoot without injury. A breeze blew by, her long green skirt flew up all around her. Gina giggled. She took a moment to spin in place, watching the brilliant green envelope her legs, and flow around her like a never-ending current. A second breeze brought her back to her senses. The scent that had drove her here grew stronger. It was sweet, something that reminded her of a time that she no longer remembered. If she had a mother, one of those elegant high heel wearing types, she imagined that this was what her perfume would smell like. The warmness of it surrounded her, and carried her legs in the direction from where it came.

In the sun, Gina's eyes were bright yellow. Her side-ways pupils were squinting, trying to see through all the light. If Gina could have it her way, the sky would be cloudy every day. "But then I wouldn't feel this warmth on my back," she giggled out loud to herself. Gina talked to herself frequently, since it had been a long time since she'd seen anyone else. She forgot how to talk to others, but grew lonely fairly quickly. Talking out loud had become a habit, and Gina used it to pretend like she had others around her. It be honest, she missed her cell mate from before. Even though that time was horrible, there were moments of light to it. Gina tugged on her white tank top, and started to walk faster.

Just as quickly as she had come to the forest, Gina had left it. She stood in a clearing, her white hair reflecting the sunlight to a painful degree, and she let her eyes adjust for a moment. Standing not too far from her was a girl. Well she wasn't standing, she was more-so dancing. And she wasn't a girl, but something far more interesting. Gina watched her tail move side to side. For a moment the mutant stood, frozen in her place. This other girl was the most beautiful thing she had seen in a very long time. Before taking another thought to consider her actions, Gina ran.

Gina ran as fast as her legs could carry her, laughing the whole while. She almost tripped on a branch, but righted herself quickly and ran right up to the dancing leopard girl. Without saying anything, Gina grabbed the girl's hands and started to dance. Her arms pulled to and fro, her hips moving back and forth, and she skipped her feet in time to a music she could only hear in her mind. A huge, childlike smile was plastered to her face, she closed her eyes and started to sing:

"Well I think it's fine, building jumbo planes.
Or taking a ride on a cosmic train.
Switch on summer from a slot machine.
Get what you want to if you want, 'cause you can get anything.
I know we've come a long way,
We're changing day to day,
But tell me, where do the children play?"

[User]
Bernard lumbered through the woods, lost not in the trees but in his thoughts. Nothing guided his steps except for the fact that he had to take a winding path to avoid walking into trees. No physical needs plagued him at the moment, and yet he was still driven to seek... something. The feeling would allow him no rest, and so he walked rather than finding shelter to sleep the next week or so away until he was truly hungry again.

Ahead, there was a brighter area that he could see between the trees. He spotted movement, and the amount of sunlight could only mean that there the trees were ending. Forging through the undergrowth, Bernard continued on. The scent of prey animals came to him as he stepped over a log, but he did not stop. He could now clearly see the two girls dancing in the meadow, and he stopped at the edge of the trees. Still in shadow, he looked out into the light to see what he could see.

Spotting the other Project, for what else could they all be, made Bernard's scars itch. The two of them had rarely been near each other, but he recognized another of his kind that had been subjected to similar treatment. A low growl rose unbidden and his throat, and he started towards the center of the clearing.

If there was going to be a fight, he wasn't going to let it be between to two feline projects.


[System]
Black Knight

---

• Appearance:

• Age:15

• Emblem: A red tattoo on her back, vaguely reminiscent of a flame. Is about hand sized in the middle of her back.

• Devil Arm: Where once, Ami's sword would inspire hope in allies and fear in the Nightmares that roamed the streets, now it's hardly recognizable due to the raw taint that has covered it. The holy sword that Ami wielded before is now blackened steel with red tainted runes engraved all over.

• Magic: Ami controls Fire as her magic, she is a raging inferno intent on burning everything around her. Before, she would control the flames she used in order to do as little harm to the environment as possible. Wings of flame used for flight, a sheathe of fire around her sword to burn away the taint of the Nightmares. Now she cares not for control, she only wants to have fun in whatever way she sees fit. Her fire is blackened, raging out of control whenever she calls upon it. She burns entire streets with a sweep of her sword, uses explosive pillars of flame to leap into the air and fall upon her enemies with the force of a meteor.

• Background: Sometimes, in order for a life to begin another must end. Such was the case when Ami was born and her mother died in childbirth. Her father was left behind to raise a child by himself, which he was ill equipped for to say the least. He blamed Ami for his mother's death and could never truly love her, yet felt obligated to raise her. It was at the age of 6 that he first hit her in a drunken fit. She didn't understand why, she just assumed she was doing something wrong. Ami loved her dad more than anything in the world, he could do no wrong. As the years went by things slowly grew worse, with Ami's dad getting drunk regularly and abusing her. Sometimes it would be a day without food, others she would be locked in her room just because she looked so much like her mother.

Life did not get much better from there as Ami's father was diagnosed with lung cancer when she was 12. He was stuck in the hospital a year later, kept in a medical coma to ease the pain. It was around this time that Ami met the cat. It was a strange thing, with a tv for a head and expressing itself in emoticons and written text. She made a pact with the strange creature, in exchange for curing her father's cancer she would become a magical girl. And so the pact was sealed.

It was a miracle doctors said, the cancer didn't just go into remission, it completely disappeared. He was healthier than he had ever been as a matter of fact, in less than a week he was back home. Things were back to normal finally. But normal wasn't a good thing. Within a month Ami's father was back to the same old abuse. At the age of 14, Ami snapped. She saved his life and this was how he treated her? Well he could go to hell! The house burned down with him in it, it came out of nowhere according to the neighbors. It was assumed she also died in the fire, but nobody could find her body. One could say Ami died in the fire that day. The day her father died, The Black Knight was born.

• Inventory: A locket containing a picture of her as a baby and two older figures, presumably her parents, their faces faded into obscurity.

• Sample Post:
The light of the flames reflected off of the windows of the cafe for but a moment, it was beautiful almost. Then the giant monster made of darkness and evil smashed through the window, moment gone. "Nobody said we were done shitstain!" Ami cried out as she thrust her sword in the direction of the Nightmare, a pillar of flame erupting forth and incinerating several wooden chairs and tables on it's path to the strange blob. It leapt out of the way, sticking to the ceiling and emerging outside within seconds. A column of flame erupted beneath Ami as she leapt upwards, melting the concrete and asphalt beneath her as she swung upward at the Nightmare's mask.

As she sheathed her blade, a merry whistle sprung forth from her lips while she stepped through the shattered window into the cafe. No cameras, no alarms going off, the place was pretty old fashioned. She hopped over the counter with little thought and wrenched open the register drawer, stuffing cash into her pockets while snagging a muffin off the display rack. Smoke was beginning to fill the air already, not that it meant much to her. She was born in fires hotter than the fires that consumed the earth in it's infancy, this meant nothing to her. Plus her own fire couldn't hurt her, which is always nice.

Once that was said and done she was on the hunt once again, leaping from building to building, leaving scorch marks in her wake every time she jumped forward. It was hardly even twelve after all, and she had only killed 4 Nightmares. She's also looking a little low on rent, she would have to find another place to rob if she wanted to keep her electricity. Tonight, the Black Knight rode once more. And she was sacking the city.

• Appearance:

• Name: Margaret White

• Title: Judge

• Age: 18

• Emblem: A pendant necklace with a green emerald in its slot. The emerald is usually covered at most times, only uncovered once transformation is necessary.

• Divine Arm: A holy spear seemingly made of pure ivory, surrounded by gentle winds that bring repose to those who need it most.

• Magic: Wind, the magic of controlling the very air that we breath and using it to purify the world. However her wind is more of a gentle breeze, less suited for direct combat and more for healing the wounded and lost. Margaret's Wind Magic excels in healing humans from injuries caused by the darkness, simply blowing them away like they had never happened. Similarly, when used on creatures of the Darkness such as Nightmares and Dark Girls, it blows away their darkness and purifies them. While for Dark girls this is merely a temporary measure, as they are fueled by their own inner darkness, for a Nightmare this proves most deadly. She also uses the wind for more mundane purposes such as flight and limited telekinesis.

• Background: Her mother always said that when Margaret was born, she cried louder and harder than any other baby in the maternity ward, only stopping once she got attention and food. She was born with a silver spoon in mouth and it showed. Born into the White family, the father being a CEO of a major Fortune 500 company, Margaret had always been guaranteed a future. This was only guaranteed further as she grew up, showing an innate talent for running a business that few could match. She excelled in learning the family trade, breezing through classwork, learning how to negotiate with foreign business men, and always engrossed in any lessons her father could spare when home. By the time she was 7 she had already learned 3 different languages, well on her way to a fourth. She could be considered the perfect businesswoman, with a heart as cold as ice and a mind as calculating as her father's. Quite unlike her sister.

Now Elizabeth was always the black sheep of the family. She simply didn't have the stomach for the ruthless corporate world, being much too kind to make any of the tough business decisions that such a life would lead. It was truly a blessing when Margaret was born 5 years after Elizabeth, showing that rare talent at the age of 6, guaranteeing that the White family would have a worthy successor. So while Margaret was taught by her father personally, Elizabeth was instead relegated to the position of maid. She would clean up after Margaret and take care of her, since that was all she was good for.

Things continued like this until Margaret turned 10, when she first realized Elizabeth was her sister. Of course she knew the fact that Elizabeth and she were related, it wasn't like it was an secret or anything. But she never truly realized the fact until that one fateful day, when an act of kindness opened her eyes. It was such a simple thing, her father had not bothered to do anything for her birthday, viewing it as wasteful and unnecessary. Yet Elizabeth had scrounged up her meager savings, and bought her a cupcake to celebrate the occasion. It was such a simple thing, but it was that moment that Margaret truly began to love her sister.

The two became virtually inseparable for the next year, much to the chagrin of their father. He worried that Elizabeth's presence would soften Margaret, killing that rare talent that Margaret had shown. He had a point too, it was clear that Elizabeth had taught Margaret how to care about people other than herself, something that was anathema to the world of business. He sent Elizabeth away to a boarding school, hoping that the distance would not only separate them physically, but emotionally as well. Years passed like this, with Margaret stuck at home with only her father and Elizabeth stuck at some school with nobody who cared for her. Every night on her birthday, Margaret would wish for her sister to come back home so they could share a cupcake again, just like the old days.

Then one night, on her 15th birthday, a strange creature that spoke in static and images granted that wish. In exchange, she would protect the world from the Nightmares that plagued it. The pact was struck, Margaret had become a Magical Girl. Not a day later Elizabeth had returned, the matron of the school claiming that they were getting budget cuts and simply couldn't hold her anymore. Every time she was sent to a new school, yet not a day later some reason would crop up as to why she had to return home. Things came to a head when Margaret turned 18, getting into an intense yelling match with her father about his treatment of Elizabeth and many other things. It eventually ended with Margaret packing up her bags, all but forcing Elizabeth to come with, as they got on the first flight to Miso City, Japan. A seemingly random choice, yet fate is anything but random.

• Inventory: Due to her background as the child of a family mired in wealth, Margaret has most anything anyone can ask for. One could say her precious maid Elizabeth is a part of her inventory, however Margaret would firmly disagree if anyone said so.

[User]
Kelly slid into the classroom, almost unnoticed. She'd managed to get through the rest of the night, and the day as well, but it wasn't easy. Fighting Nightmares, adventuring with her clubmates, that was what she was born to do. It was almost as if Kelly was a mask, and Wither her true self. Something to think about, perhaps.

Kanbaru and Alex were already there, engrossed in conversation. Kelly took a seat next to them, starting to actually perk up as the day went on. Magical girls tended not to be morning people, for obvious reasons. "Yes, we've got a quiz tomorrow. I'm not really worried, though- I'm already pretty good with the material. Could help you out, if you want it."

Chie was there as well, not surprising, considering that her last class of the day was next door. "Thank you, Chie." It might seem odd, politeness coming from a girl whose defining personality trait was arguably megalomania, but she did have a soft spot for her fellow club members, even if she'd never admit it.

[Assistant]
---

A part of her still missed it, really.

The satisfying sensation of throwing someone over her shoulder every Monday and Wednesday, watching the air burst out of their lungs as a mixture of astonishment and respect bloomed over their expression.

The addictive pain that shook through her forearms on every Tuesday and Thursday, when a high speed serve was received perfectly and launched so high into the air that it would graze the lights, while her team assembled into a synchronized offensive.

As she passed by the gym, hearing the shouts of former classmates, Maiko turned in that direction, caught a glimpse of Miso City High's yellow-and-white uniform through the faded glass. Green eyes lingered for just a moment, before she turned away once more, bobbing her head to the exquisite DnB track by DJ Miche. A part of her did, but another part knew that such clubs wouldn't bring her anywhere special, anywhere new. For that, there was only one place for a battle junkie like her to go.

The Detention Club.

A quick stop at the vending machine for some red bean soup and she skipped up three flights of stairs to reach the westward classroom that served as the headquarters for Miso City's edgy reboot of a Magical Girl team. Throwing the door to the side and causing loud bang, Maiko stepped into the room with a cheery "Sup!" before cracking open her lukewarm can and taking a swig. Cookies were provided as well, and the sporty girl took those three at a time, going through six of the much too small confections in three seconds.

Black Shot, the edgy two-faced weirdo.

Fortuna, the frigid bitch with a sweet ride.

Fallen Prince, the girl straight out of a chuuni's wet dream.

Wither, the one who was even WORSE than the little prince in that regard.

"Not the cheeriest group today, eh?" Maiko remarked, plopping down on a seat in a particularly manly manner. "Little birdie told me that y'all cracked down on a horde of ants last night. How did that go? They didn't fuse or nothing, right?"

She sure hoped the Nightmares didn't. It'd been two goddamn weeks since she's fought any Nightmare worth her time and if yesterday had been that sought-after big boy, she was seriously going to have to bully the fuck out of her manager for her shit shift management skills.

[User]
A small snore echoed through the classroom, the source being one tiny blonde girl who slept through class every day. Nobody bothered to wake her up, last time the teacher tried she "accidentally" broke their nose after they startled her awake. Nothing ever came of the incident, she looked like she was nearly on the verge of tears when it happened so everyone just pretended it never happened and moved on. But since then, nobody has been brave enough to try and wake her up from one of her infamous naps, not even the teacher. So the classroom was nice and empty when Ami finally woke up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as she let out a cute little yawn. A few minutes later and she was on her way to the Detention Club with a stick of pocky in her mouth, strawberry flavored, and a pep in her step.

The door closed quietly after Maiko had opened it loudly, only for it to slam open once again which everyone would know meant the other loud girl of the Detention Club had arrived. And of course the first person her eyes landed on was Kanbaru, who never responded to her call last night. A small pout formed as Ami stomped over to Kanbaru with a new stick of pocky sticking out of her mouth. "Jeez Kanbaru, it's pretty rude to ignore someone when they call you ya know? What if I was having an emergency!?" Ami wildly gestured with her arms in the air, hopping backwards into a nearby chair with a surprising amount of accuracy despite her attention being solely on the icy girl in front of her. She landed with a solid thump, immediately regretting that as a small wince of pain showed itself. Landed right on her tailbone.


[System]
Age: 26
Sex: Female

Description: Juniper is a slim woman with no real muscle tone to her build. Standing at a less-than-intimidating height of five foot two, she possesses a more petite and lithe look than athletic. Her smooth pallid complexion is set by a slight tawny undertone leading belief of a mixed heritage deep within her genetics. Juniper's hair is a mottle of grey streaks blended in with black and blonde. Which she keeps mostly kept up in a simple ponytail with only neatly cut bangs left free to frame her face. Her eyes resemble the sky on a clear and sunny day, not that she's seen many of them in her hometown of Rynalem.

Juniper likes to keep herself dressed sharp, or as her mother would accuse her--manly. Often borrowing her father's old jackets and fitting them for her small stature. A theme of tan and light browns swim in her wardrobe, only the pair of deep red earrings she wears brings any real color to her daily attire.

Flare: Mental manipulation or known more simply as 'mind control'. The power sounds far better than it actually is. In order for Juniper's power to take hold she must be able to make eye contact for a duration of ten seconds. And even still she can only place one order at a time. The deeper she places the order in the target's subconscious the longer the command stays. It also burns through her powder relatively quickly and requires almost complete concentration.

Its secondary use is hypnotic suggestion. A lighter form of her full power, it only takes a little of the powder at a time. With this she can simply speak verbal commands and her targets will have a strong desire to obey or react accordingly. Though easily wafted off depending on the person's willpower.

History: Juniper's upbringing was nothing short of average for that of a citizen living in Rynalem. The storms often brought with them a new gaggle of sea sick travelers, looking for a warm bed and stout ale. Her mother and father owned one of the smaller Inn's that flourished there. Known for their hands-on hospitality. With no male heirs to take on the business side, Juniper often tagged along with her father when he set to do his trades. She quickly picked up on the how-to's of haggling and business management. But as happy as the life made her folks there was always a niggling feeling that would press in the back of her skull.

But it wasn't until a particularly nasty storm brewed over the sea scape and bit into the outskirts of Rynalem that Juniper found her freedom. Money, a thing that they never had too much or too little of was now in short supply. Repairs were needed and she watched her parents struggle to barely cover the costs of upkeep. After several days of heated debates, tears, promises, and a step by step plan she bid her home goodbye. Juniper set off to join a guild in order to sate her thrust for adventure and to ease her parents woes.

[User]
Franca Mintz

"Raven, huh? So you're new too." Franca leaned forward and rested her chin on her hand propped up on the table, giving the woman before her a once over, and smiled. "I thought you might have been an old hand at this, since you looked kinda bored sitting here is all. No offense though. Me, I can't get enough of this place," she said cheerily. "'Course, I haven't even seen most of it yet."

Franca looked all around the feasting hall for a bit before returning her attention to Raven. "Been all over this town and still there are things that are a mystery to me. A guild hall carved into the bloody cliff face, how about that? I'd say someone had too much money and too little sense," Franca said with a chuckle, though her expression then became a little wry. "I hear Vale Craft isn't even the richest guild out there, yet they still have a place like this. I'd heard the stories, but it's more than I could have ever imagined. And we work here now."

But then Franca's usual brightness returned to her face. "And the food is amazing as well. Say, if you'll forgive me for eating, would you be so kind as to forgive me for eating this, too?" Franca reached across the table and pulled with her finger the tray in front of Raven slightly towards herself, grinning widely. "It'd be a shame if this went to waste." As she leaned in closer, Franca gave another glance at Raven, at the hair that was almost white, even against the fair skin. "You should maybe have some soup, though, since you seem a little pale," she joked, laughing a bit. "You've got some look. I haven't seen hair like that before. You're not from around here, are you?"

[Assistant]
Gwendolyn Abramelin

Gwen's newfound conversational partner appeared rather unabashed by Gwen's own disheveled appearance. While well kept, the woman also seemed to have a bit of a rugged appearance. Of course, she didn't appear as if she had slept inches from a pile of ash that night. Gwen seemed unaware of her own plight, though. She was rather friendly as well, though while the two exchanged words, Gwen's eyes remained locked upon the stained glass panes rising up before her. The sight was certainly something to behold, and really Gwen was content to just watch the light as it spilled in. Things only grew brighter as time passed as the colored light cascaded into the building, and as things grew brighter the feasting hall grew more lively.

"They are certainly a welcome addition to a home. This sort of thing doesn't exist where I come from. I would love to get some of my own." The strange thought crossed her mind. Gwen didn't know where she would put a collection of stained glass, but she knew herself. Thus, she knew that if she ever found some, she would no doubt seek to acquire it. She was an odd one, Gwen. That much was only further accentuated when Lyrel introduced herself and spoke of the guild's 'Master'. Somewhere deep inside, Gwen felt like an outsider. She wouldn't acknowledge it, or maybe she would, but she would never let herself appear phased by something so mundane. "The pleasure is all mine, Lyrel. It's good to finally acquaint myself with..." There was hesitation in her words. Gwen really hadn't met anyone in Dilei— not seriously. "Other people from this strange city."

Before more words were exchanged another young woman approached with a brazen greeting. Gwen's eyes finally tore away from the splendor of colors poised before her to look towards the girl as she entered the feasting hall. Gwen arced a hand through the air in a friendly wave, exuding a rather welcoming aura. She would have spoken up, but another voice chimed in and another woman entered the hall and joined in on the conversation. It was soon revealed that Lyrel and Gwen had been joined by another recruit. It was a peculiar feeling that arose inside Gwen as she observed the interactions of the other women. This was perhaps one of the first times she had ever had a common interest with the people of Dilei. It warmed her a bit. When questioned whether or not she was new herself, Gwen gave a simple nod. It was then that the newcomers exchanged names.

"Good to meet you, Erinn. You as well, Franca." After speaking up, Lyrel posed a query to Gwen. It certainly struck a chord. Deep within, she felt as though she may have been apprehensive to answer questions of her origin, but nonetheless Gwen wasn't going to close herself off. She never had before, and she certainly wouldn't start now. Everything had worked out so far. Of course the issue arose that Gwen really didn't know much of her origin. She came from the northern seas. She knew that much, but beyond that there wasn't much she really knew about her ventures with Menes. Or rather, that was all she knew. This mainland was entirely foreign to the young Gwendolyn.

"Oh yes! I've come a long way by ship. The journey was hard and arduous, but I suppose it was worth it to experience this new land." Gwen gestured vaguely to her surroundings. The thought came up in her mind that her venture here was more for seeking asylum rather than adventure and experiences. Gwen wasn't sure she was ready to share such details yet. It wasn't that she didn't trust her new comrades, though there was something to be said on that front, but instead that she didn't want to think about it herself. She wanted to imagine all was well on that old island. "I come from the Derelict City where I lived rather ascetically with my mentor. What of you, Lyrel? Are you a native of this place?" Gwen furrowed her brow as the words left her mouth. Perhaps it was a bit strange to call the majority of the world's inhabitants in this massive land 'natives'. It was quite obvious Gwendolyn was foreign, but not in the typical sense. A slight sense of embarrassment welled up inside her. She wondered if maybe she should have been more clandestine with her life's details.

"It's quite a complex place this city. To live here must be rather confusing."

@Rigmarole@Snagglepuss89

[User]
 She winced, just a subtle movement, when the woman called her out on her lack of direction. It wasn't as if she was wrong but Juniper's pride wilted at the comment.

"You're right," she admitted flatly, "I just got to shore the night before and wasn't paying any attention during the tour. You'd think coming from a seafaring town I'd be more used to traveling the waves, but it never ceases to make me sick."

It wasn't like to her to blatantly admit her failings but at the moment she didn't find the use in trying to keep it hidden. The woman had been kind enough to help her when she had been too stubborn to ask. And even still her comment held little judgement in its tone as they pushed further down the halls.

While they walked Juniper tried to pay closer attention to the winding hallways. Heat now rolled out of various rooms, fires crackling in their hearths to stave off the morning chill. Savory smells from a nearby kitchen wafted through the halls and set her stomach into a fit of low grumbles and growls.

Juniper reached her fingertips, out of habit, tracing them lightly along the walls. It felt different than home—where the well-worn wood held a polished sheen from the years. But there was a sense of solace in that touch. The slight grit of the stone was something solid and she allowed herself to find a small peace of mind with it.

As they rounded a corner her companion faltered, drawing her attention to the now flustered looking woman. Her dark eyes had widened with embarrassment as she quickly bowed before her.
"Nila Lionridge, of Carneylem. I apologise for failing to introduce myself sooner; there's a lot to consider at the moment, but it's no reason to lose my manners,"  she said with a flourish.

Juniper felt her mouth quirk into a little half smile. Neither of them had introduced themselves, instead happily working their way down towards the main hall as if this was nothing but a typical day. With a slight shake of her head she thrust her hand towards Nila.

"Seems we're both a little off kilter today. It's a pleasure, Nila Lionridge, I am Juniper Andrews from Rynalem,"  she said letting her face crack into a broad smile.

Juniper moved and grasped Nila's hand in hers, giving it the same firm shake she used back at home before letting her go. The scent of food was heavy in the air now and her stomach issued another, audible, complaint. With a forced chuckle she tipped her head in the direction of lilting voices and busy bodies before saying, "Ready then?"

 She eagerly moved into the hall and followed her nose to where the morning's breakfast was being served. After gathering a rather stout portion Juniper hesitated when looking for a place to sit. A handful of members had already woken and sat casually around, some eating and others chatting. Insecurity flushed through her—they all looked like they belong here more than she. Or maybe it was her own mind playing at her fears while she gingerly picked a seat close to where the group of people were. With a nervous silence she poured herself into a chair, listening quietly as they talked to one another.