Graded [Guifei City] The Forbidden City

[LadyOfStars]

Welcome! This Rp is part of the Isekai Hell world. If you'd like to join or would like more info, click here

This rp will chronicle the interactions between Zetian and the characters that visit her business.


Wu Zetian

Time of Day: 10am
Weather: Sunny, cool, foggy
Location: Guifei City, Yang Province

The events of the Moon Festival fight night were still very popular topics of conversation. It seemed many people were wowed by the fairy's strength and more than once, Zetian was approached with requests for the adventurer's information. People wanted to know his name and where they could find him. Of course she had to spin the story in her favor. "He is a powerful warrior who came here at my request. I alone know how to contact him and won't be sharing that knowledge." The brothel had been abuzz with gossip, more so than usual thanks to that night. Sage's antics even attracted new customers, all of whom were hoping that the fairy would make another surprise appearance. There were some who were unhappy with that night however. Chief among them was Lord Honfa who despised Sage for his victory and Ninelle for daring to stand against him. Zetian would have to make a concious effort to smooth over things with the noble before the next time that she would need his help. Then there was Enzo, another person that Sage had embarrassed. The criminal was less important than the noble, but he had his uses and Zetian would hate to have to build a new relationship with someone who may be even less likeable than the bald thief.

Even worse was the fact that Todo was now gone from the brothel with Sage. "The Whole Hog." She whispered as the doors to her bedroom opened and she wandered into her office. Right about now he'd be bringing her breakfast or coming to ask what she wanted for breakfast. That kind of friendship was hard to find and apparently difficult to keep. With a heavy sigh she left the office, locking the doors behind her and headed downstairs. Her first stop was the kitchen, were the chefs worked in near silence to prepare for a full day of cooking. She wandered through the room with a somber expression upon her face as heads bowed to greet the lady of the house. A plate of food sat upon the table, an old meal that she would regularly eat before she had employed Todo. "Hmph." She picked up the plate and strolled through the foyer to find a seat in the dining area near one of the windows.

This early in the day guests were sleeping or leaving and the staff were either preparing for tonight, relaxing, or cleaning up their spaces. She looked up from the crowded tray of breakfast food and let out a heavy sigh. "A new day and we must carry on." She told herself.

On the second floor where the guestrooms were located, several room doors would be knocked upon. "Breakfast." Called out the voices of several members of the kitchen staff as they brought food to their overnight guests.

SilverFeathers Lulidew

Spoiler: Forbidden City Brothel

 

[SilverFeathers]

Ninelle Lifeblossom

Once again, she found herself in the beautiful city of Guifei, both lured by the liveliness, and to meet again with a new friend. A red peony, flourishing in bloom, was held carefully with two hands as she flew across the rooftops, its crimson petals hovering above her head like an umbrella. In all honesty, she was rather excited to meet with Ms Zetian again. Though she had long figured out through eavesdropping that Ms Zetian was not a princess or noble lady, and that dream-like residence above the waters was not a palace, but a brothel, her opinion of her hadn't changed a bit. At the thought that she had spent an evening in a brothel blissfully unaware however, still made her cheeks burn.

Finally reaching the Forbidden City's premises, she glanced upwards only to luckily catch sight of Ms Zetian through the window. Ninelle beamed with an ecstatic smile, fluttering upwards and knocking on the window pane to get her attention. Waving and hopping about, her excitement was clear as day, so much that it surprised even herself. After a moment of studying for any openings, she decided to just fly in and around, almost bumping into a few surprised courtesans or guests along the way.

"Ms Zetian!" She called out cheerfully once she reached the dining hall, floating over to land on the table at an appropriate distance before holding the flower out with both hands. "A gift for you!"

She smiled beneath her mask. A peony symbolized wealth and prosperity, and she naturally wished these things for Zetian and her business. As for the colour, well, she wore a red dress last time, so she simply assumed that she likes that colour. Though fragmented, Ninelle instinctively knew were many different plants could be located in her home forest, and was spoilt for choice on flora to bring as gifts.

 

[Lulidew]

Orrius
​

Orrius would awaken abruptly from the knocking of the door to his guestroom. Sitting upright with a jolt, he would eye the door, readying himself for any potential threats.

"Breakfast." A voice called out. The boy then recalled his circumstances, how he had ran from home, joined a pirate crew and was now traveling alone to see new sights while his captain was busy. He heaved a sigh of relief, realizing that he was in a much safer place now, with much better folks as well. Well... it was ironic to say that he was in safe hands, seeing how he was now in a pirate crew and all... Still, he'd much prefer his current circumstances to his old life back at the village. And if there were any threats out there, he'd just have to grow strong enough to snuff them out before they got to him and his crew.

"Coming!" He called out, scrambling out of his bed and rushing to answer the door. He was still rubbing his eyes, groggy from just having woken up, but he didn't want to make them wait any longer. Opening the door, he'd receive the food and thank them for their service, before returning back into the room to wolf down on the meal in front of him. The boy knew little of table manners, but fortunately there wasn't anyone else to witness him eating this time. After he was done, he'd figure he would go outside to introduce himself to the owner of the place. Perhaps it would be good to get acquainted with her, after all she did seem like a very important person.

 

[LadyOfStars]

Wu Zetian

Like a bird she had been pecking at her food, taking small bites that prolonged her meal time while a tempest of sad memories swirled within her mind. But like a blessing from the heavens, a tapping on the window woke Zetian from her daydreams. She spared a fleeting glance at the glass, but then quickly looked back when she saw the familiar face that had started to fly away. Her eyes followed the fairy until she was out of sight. The Jade Emperor must've known that she was lonely and sad and sent Ninelle to clear away her dark clouds. As the fairy came back into view and landed on the table, Zetian smiled from ear to ear. "Ninelle." She said softly as she laid down her chopsticks and took the flower in her hand. "Thank you. It is almost as beautiful as yourself." It had been quite some time since she received a gift from someone who wasn't hoping the gift would lead to more.

"What brings you here little one?" The flower was laid in her lap and Zetian gently laid her hands on top of it. "Oh...are you hungry? The kitchen has breakfast prepared and we have a varied menu. Had I known that you would be visiting I would have had a plate ready for you." IN all honesty she hadn't expected to see the fairy again so soon, if ever. The Forbidden City was but a blip in Ninelle's life, she thought.

Upon leaving his room, Orrius would see the kitchen staff hustling through the halls of the brothel, carrying away empty plates of food and drinks. There were also a handful of beastmen wandering around with cleaning instruments in hand. They had just finished mopping and drying the floors, preparing the brothel for business. The only chit chat that could be heard was coming from the kitchen and the dinning area. The main floor's open floorplan made it easy to hear Zetian and Ninelle conversing even though they were on the opposite side of the room from the balcony that overlooked the dining area.

Lulidew SilverFeathers

 

[SilverFeathers]

Ninelle Lifeblossom

Ninelle couldn't help but blush at Zetian's praise, feeling greatly honoured that someone like her had complimented her of all people. After all, she still felt that Zetian was one of the most beautiful people she had ever seen, both in this life and her last. Even if It might just be words of reciprocation, she felt undeserving and fidgeted a little, because only she knew what she really looked like beneath her cloak and mask. Still, she felt glad that Zetian took her floral gift, praising herself internally for how well the peony seemed to match its recipient.

"Haha, did you forget about our bet already?" She smiled cheekily before continuing. "I'm here to fulfill my end of the bargain. The flower wasn't a bribe to make the favour weigh less or anything, I promise! I should repay you properly for the food and kind hospitality the other day." She bobbed her head up and down with conviction, though after glancing around, she wondered if there was even anything a weak and fragile fairy like herself could do to help in this place?

"Don't worry about me food-wise, I made sure to have an early breakfast before coming over. And, I have some snacks in my bag too!" She spun around to show off her fairy-sized backpack, before standing confidently on the dining table, clearly ready and raring to go.

 

[Lulidew]

Orrius

Hearing voices coming from the dining area, Orrius headed towards that direction. Along the way, he'd notice the various beastmen who served under the owner. Just how rich was this person? He'd thought to himself, while admiring the aesthetics of the brothel. As for what this boy was doing in a brothel, he only assumed it to be a place for lodgings, like a hotel of some sort.

Upon entering the dining area, he would recognize the fairy and the owner from last night's fight in the arena. The fairy who came to provide aid to the fallen beastman, and the owner who had reprimanded the other rude man.

Awkwardly making his way over, he'd say, "Hi! I'm Orrius..." The boy would then shift his gaze to the floor as he paused, unsure of what to say next. Twiddling his thumbs, he'd continue. "That was some nice fight last night, huh... Oh, nice backpack by the way." After saying that, the boy regretted not having thought through what to say beforehand.

 

[LadyOfStars]

Wu Zetian​

Aa gentle chuckle resonated within the madam and she shook her head when Ninelle brought up their wager from the fight. "It had slipped my mind." She confessed. "You do not owe me for my kindness towards Sage and yourself, you were both guests in my establishment who came to my rescue when that low life was harassing me." Zetian placed her chopsticks on the side of her tray and pushed the food to the side of the table; at this point it was lukewarm and she no longer had an appetite. Hearing that Ninelle had supplies for her trip did ease some worry Zetian had about the fairy flying around. "How far is your home from here, NInelle?" She asked of the small lady.

That was when she finally noticed the small boy standing beside them. It took everything in her not to jump up from her seat and keep her panic contained. "Well...hello, Orrius, I am Wu Zetian." She bowed her head slightly in her greeting of the boy and when she raised it back up she took the chance to examine him. He was very young, likely an orphan or child separated from their parents. "Are you here alone, Orrius? No family?" They had very few services that were appropriate for children so she couldn't fathom why a parent or guardian would bring their kid here.

Lulidew SilverFeathers

 

[SilverFeathers]

Ninelle Lifeblossom

She wasn't sure if Zetian was purposely turning a blind eye, or if she truly wasn't aware, but Ninelle was very clear on the fact she did not come to the rescue at all. Rather, during that time, all she did was get attacked by birds! Still, this was the second time now she had insisted on giving her credit for this, so she decided to just leave it. "Alright then." She began slowly with a soft sigh. "But I still lost the bet, so let me know if you think of a way for me to pay you back for that at least." She perked back up with a smile before pondering how to respond to Zetian's question. "My home isn't too far from here. This city, uh, Guifei? I believe is the closest human settlement to it." She explained roughly, before focusing her attention on the newcomer.

"Good morning Orrius! I'm Ninelle, Ninelle Lifeblossom." She greeted energetically, taking a few steps on the table towards him to welcome him to the conversation. Ninelle only saw the one-sided 'fight' between Todo and Sage before leaving, so she didn't comment on the fights. But when it came to her backpack... "Thank you! My friend was a very talented leatherworker." She genuinely beamed, having a slightly raised impression of the boy thus far, purely for that comment.

At first, Ninelle was puzzled by Zetian's hesitant greeting towards Orrius, but at her questions, the cogs suddenly clicked. Right, this was a brothel! She internally panicked, awaiting the young human's answer with trepidation.

 

[NeramoDJI]

Zeke “Mors” Valdain

Zeke smirked as he walked up to the front door of the brothel, chuckling a bit to himself as he adjusted his cutlass, opening the front door with that constant confidence oozing from his posture, his face wearing a large smirk on his face. He knew this would be the best place to start looking for his crew, since if there was anywhere a sailor that just got out from sea would be, a brothel would be in the top three. However, that was only half of the reason he came here. The other, was to see an old friend.

He entered the brothel, looking around and starting to move to the eatery, figuring at least some of his crew would be eating now if any of them had come here. So instead, he came and watched around, looking for any hide or hair of his crew, before he spotted a very certain short head of hair, belonging to a certain Orrius, raising an eyebrow. "Deviancy starts young I suppose." He hummed a bit, walking towards the three, noticing his old friend, deciding to make a big entrance.

"Oy Orrius, a bit too early to exploring these kind of vistas, lets stick to cliff faces and temple ruins." The captain said with a grin on his face, tipping his hat back as he approached the table, chuckling as he put a hand on the boys head, looking towards Zetian afterwards. "Heh, been a while ey Wu?" He asked, chuckling a bit as he took a seat without care for anyone watching him take a seat freely at the table of the headmistress of the brothel.

He spotted the fairy as well, humming a bit. "Aw, it ain't been so long you need to replace me with a little flower hopper." He teased, using his own coined nickname for fairies.

 

[Lulidew]

Orrius​

“Umm… yeah, I guess I’m travelling alone.” Orrius paused, thinking if he should mention about being in a pirate crew, but he felt like they would see him as a threat if he did mention it. Oh well… it wasn’t as if they would believe his story either. They’d just think of him as a crazy kid with plenty of imagination. “Actually, I’m in a pirate crew! That’s the only family I got, just that I’m travelling by myself now for fun. But it’s not like I have anything to fear, I can handle any baddies myself!” Saying this, he would stand proudly with his hands on his hips, smiling at them with a smug grin.

Seeing the fairy take a few steps towards him, he would jump back instinctively. Taking a good look at her now that she was nearer to him, he’d realize she wasn’t just any normal fairy. Part of her seemed… artificial? “Woah…” He stared at her, amazed that there were so many different creatures in this world. So far, he’d encounter a baby dragon, beastmen and now some sort of fairy robot?

Still, the boy would keep his distance with his arm raised defensively in front of him. While the fairy didn't seem to be dangerous, it was all new to him and he would subconsciously see it as a threat.

Just then, he’d recognize a familiar voice from behind him. Turning around, the boy would find his captain once again.

“Woah! How’d you find me here? And what do you mean too early?” He said, shocked to see the captain just appear out of nowhere behind him, while not really knowing much about brothels.

 

[LadyOfStars]

Wu Zetian​

Time of Day: 11am
Weather: Sunny, cool, foggy
Location: Guifei City, Yang Province

The madam's eyes slowly shifted back and forth between the two small figures before her. Ninelle was this small, innocent fairy who unknowingly came to the Forbidden City and stayed for friendship. Orrius was a child who knowingly came here and must have stayed for the sleep and food. "How odd." She whispered with a hint of laughter as she watched the two. It had been a while since she'd seen such traits in the people who came through her doors, and just when she thought she would never see them again, here stood these two. But she wasn't going to complain, they were refreshing to have around. One of the chef from the kitchen approached in silence and Zetian leaned back in her seat, allowing the man to take away the tray she had her food on. "The first time I think of something, I promise to let you know, Ninelle."

At the sound of the front doors opening, he attention went from the conversation at the table, to the foyer and beyond. She saw a man entering and rolled her eyes at the thopught of a guest arriving so early in the day. She was about to tell the man that their workers were not available at this time, but the familiarity of his voice left her speechless and as the man approached she felt her heart race. "Zeke..." Right away she bowed her head in prayer, thanking the Jade Emperor for the comfort he offered her in the shape of new and old friends.

"It makes sense now that this boy would be a pirate if you are his captain." A smirk spread across Zetian's face and she let out a soft chuckle. "This fairy is my friend, Ninelle." she pointed across the table to where Zeke sat. "That is my oldest friend, Zeke. A bit rough around the edges, but he is good company." She told the fairy. "You have been gone for quite some time, I was worried. Now I see you've become a captain of a toddler crew?"

NeramoDJI Lulidew SilverFeathers

 

[SilverFeathers]

Ninelle Lifeblossom

A pirate crew? Never, in a million years, would she have guessed that of the young human standing before her. Orrius' confidence seemed so genuine, but she couldn't help but wonder how he could have such faith in himself. Perhaps, like Sage, he too had some extraordinary hidden strength. At this point, she felt like she could expect anything from anyone.

Still, his show of confidence was somewhat diluted as he leaped away as soon as she made move to approach, causing her to immediately halt in her tracks in surprise. Seeing both his innocent curiosity, and his defensive stance, Ninelle calmly took a few steps back to put him more at ease. She had no questions, and wasn't going to ask why he reacted the way that he did, instead smilingly sitting herself down on a farther edge of the table. His vigilance felt somewhat familiar to her, for in certain situations, she knew she was the same.

As the doors burst open and a stranger swaggered forth, she was both surprised at how much the man's attire screamed pirate, and that the brothel had a customer this early in the morning. "T-the Forbidden City really is popular huh." She couldn't help but stammer, before identities were revealed and introductions were made.

Though Zeke was welcomed as an old friend of the kind brothel owner, Ninelle couldn't help but have her doubts. After all, he had a young boy employed under his wing, in a dangerous, criminal line of work no less. It shouldn't be surprising that a brothel owner would have connections in darker places but... perhaps she was blinded by the kindness she had been shown. She should keep in mind that Zetian, was not necessarily a good person.

"Nice to meet you Zeke." Keeping her thoughts to herself, she welcomed the stranger in an unreadable tone, listening quietly as they all caught up with one another.

 

[NeramoDJI]

Zeke, Divine Outcast
Zeke “Mors” Valdain

"Heh, I knew one of the crew'd be here, just didn't think it'd be you Orri." He said, smirking a bit as he ruffled the kids hair, looking at the others at the table, smiling a bit. "And don't worry lad, I'll let you know when you're older." He said with a small smile, before turning towards the others, giving Orrius a nudge even as he turned. "I came here to see an old friend, and let you know we're setting out in the morning Orrius. We've got a long trip ahead of us." He explained, looking towards the boy. He turned towards Zetian, that selfsame cocky grin on his face.

"Heh, sorry 'bout the long time. I took all that heaven talk of yours to heart and decided to pay the place a visit." He said with a chuckle, before unsheathing his cutlass, slashing the air to the side where Orrius was not, a slash in the air opening to show a divine glowing portal, a divine white light pouring through it, before it vanished a few moments afterwards. Zeke did enjoy showing off.

With his showing off complete, he nodded at Zetian's explanation, looking down at the fairy. "Good to see Wu's made some friends. Cheers Ninelle." He said, tipping his hat a moment at the fairy. "And they're not all toddlers. Least, not most of em. We got Orrius here, n' me new lass Stella. She's a real sweetheart. Speaking of which, Orrius, do you know where the lil' lass is off to?" He responded to Zetian while asking about his dragon daughters whereabouts at the same time, leaning back a bit before turning to Zetian to look more directly at her. "I hope business has been going smoothly for you in my absence."

 

[Lulidew]

Orrius​

Toddler crew? Who was she calling a toddler here? Orrius would frown upon hearing the comment from Zetian. The boy didn’t mind being treated as a kid, but to be referred to as a toddler?! Did he really seem that young? He saw himself more as a teenager, but it seemed that he was just a baby in most people’s eyes. Even Zeke couldn’t tell him something that required him to be older…

Also, what a coincidence it was that the owner knew Zeke beforehand! Maybe it was fate that had brought Orrius here! Or that he had a good eye for places…

Upon seeing Zeke form a portal with his very blade, Orrius would crack a smile. As expected from the captain, always full of surprises. The boy had a feeling he’d never truly discover Zeke’s full scope of capabilities, but of course that was probably intentional so that no one could outright betray him. When asked about the dragon’s whereabouts, he’d shrug his shoulders. “Beats me.”

Once again, he would shoot a glance at the fairy. Earlier, she'd left him alone when he felt uncomfortable, as if she could read his mind. Was she a mage of some sort? Maybe mind reading...? Either that, or she just understood him really well. Still, he couldn't help but feel more curious about her now.

 

[EMIYAman]

Ingenium
Interactions: NeramoDJI LadyOfStars Lulidew SilverFeathers
​

In the far east a man of metal, a Construct had come into Guifei City and into a particular establishment. Ingenium stepped through its doors following behind the Pirate Captain Zeke. He stood straight and moved in a measured pace with his head forward, all the while his eyes rapidly swept from side to side taking in his surroundings. His time within the Eastern Empire was short and he hadn't taken much time to "smell the roses". From what Ingenium had observed though was the lifestyle of the people being a far cry from the village he had resided in. From architecture, clothing, food and the people. Everything was exotic though surprisingly not as gaudy as one would think. He had heard the whispers of the people. They called this place "The Forbidden City Brothel" , a den of pleasure and desire attracting all sorts of people. Yet Ingenium had all the mental endurance of a monk. He had no desires which could be sated by this place nor were there any temptations which could entice his mind. He was singularly driven by the desire to create, learn and spread his knowledge.

His current project, the creation of what will likely be the greatest ship ever built, is what brought him here. While his garb and looks were fairly different from the norm Ingenium had a way of appearing unassuming, so modest was his presence. He walked with Zeke through the establishment. Arriving at a restaurant like area quietly tailed behind as the Pirate Captain met with a young effeminate boy, and an opulently dressed woman garbed in the vestments of the East. As Zeke spoke with friends Ingenium stood quietly at his side. He leaned upon his cane with his hands folded across the top. Staring straight ahead unblinking he merely listened while going over the plans for the ship.

While information scrolled across his eye, his other noticed a small figure among the individuals Zeke conversed with. A small humanoid winged creature. Its overall shape was relatively human, but the standout features were the blend of flesh and metal present upon its body. "Fascinating..." Stepping past Zeke he got up close to the Fairy Ninelle looking her over from every angle he could. "Such advanced cybernetics, the wing appears to have been merged with the flesh almost perfectly. Impossible and yet, truly sublime..." Fully enthralled Ingenium was lost in trying to figure out a way in which he could replicate the fairies framework. Ironically enough this brothel did seem to hold the one thing which could truly allure him. Until he suddenly ceased in his rather intrusive inspection. He remembered how he had been admonished for his lack of manners and etiquette. He reasoned he should adhere to proper social behavior. "Apologies I should introduce myself. I am the Mechanist Ingenium, I am accompanying Captain Zeke for the time being." He spoke this politely to the group, but all the while he was still poking at Ninelle. Only half paying attention to the rest of them. Rifling through his jacket for his tools he addressed Ninelle. "Your construction is captivating. May I examine your inner workings?" His face was impassive but there was an expectant glint in his crimson eye.

 

[SilverFeathers]

Ninelle Lifeblossom

Caught off guard like a startled deer in headlights, Ninelle froze up completely. Her smile was plastered stiffly on her face, her eyes wide but unseeing as she stared at the stranger. The gentle swaying of her legs off the table's edge stopped abruptly, before she pulled all her limbs back and retreated swiftly in a shaky manner.

Struck by paranoia, she anxiously gripped her cloak tighter around herself. Her fearful eyes darted around every inch of her body, ensuring that the skin and metal beneath her gloves, sleeves and boots was still completely concealed from view. It was only her wing that he had commented on, she knew this, but the stranger's sudden interest gave her nothing but dreadful heart palpitations.

Times of when she laid in her bed, with half the walls and mushroom roof nothing but rotting debris on the ground, flashed through her mind. Though the rain and winds were unrelenting back then, what she would always most vividly remember was the phantom pains, of her own metal eating away at her flesh from the inside. Those memories, as far away as they seemed right now, were ones much too recent to be looked back on with a calm mind.

The sight of the stranger brandishing his giant tools only heightened her terror.

"No." Ninelle began hesitantly, the tremors in her voice clear as day, stumbling away and towards Zetian as she hastily took to the air. Almost desperately, she gripped onto the brothel owner's shoulder as she hid behind it, before something seemed to abruptly snap within her.

"Never." She re-iterated decisively, in a low, vaguely dangerous tone, like a beast baring its claws for the first time. "Don't take another step."

EMIYAman LadyOfStars

 

[LadyOfStars]

​

Immediately her eyes went wide upon hearing that Zeke's disappearance was spurred by her religious talk and hearing him say that he had visited. "What?" She was at a loss for words, confused and somewhat afraid. Her emotions would compound even further however when the pirate would go on to display just how he had visited the realm of the Jade Emperor. As if in a trance, Zetian stared into the portal, fixed on it and ignoring all of the others present. However before she could act, the portal closed. She leaned back in her seat, defeated and confused. How had Zeke of all people come to possess such an ability? She wanted to know more, but she did not want her fascination to get the better of her.

"Business has been...good, great. Business has been great." She had to remember that this was a joyous reunion and that she should sound excited to be talking to such an old friend again. "You have been missed by myself and even some of the staff however. We recently had a very interesting fight night to celebrate the New Moon and the competitor drew in a whole host of new guests." When she said that was when she also finally noticed Ingenium, Zeke's other companion. So his crew wasn't made up of toddlers at least.

Something about the man did seem odd to her however, as if her were disconnected from the rest of the group and she disliked a person she could not connect with. But it didn't take long for him to prove he was just as odd as she suspected. When Ninelle took flight and hid behind her, Zetian's gaze narrowed upon Ingenium and she raised her hand up to shield Ninelle. "Attempt to invade someone's space again and I'll have to remove you from the building." She declared with confidence and strength. "Are you ok, Ninelle?"

He attention drifted slowly to Zeke, shooting the man a look that insisted he step in and control his friend. She didn't haven to scold her friend however as another voice joined the group and did it for her.

"Zeke!" Came the familiar voice of his dragon, Stella. She soared down from the floors above and landed on the captain's shoulder. " He's scaring that lady." She whispered the the pirate with her wings outstretched and her claws grabbing at his shirt. Zetian was shocked to see the dragon and once again a little speechless. Zeke certainly had lived an adventurous life the past few months.



SilverFeathers Lulidew EMIYAman NeramoDJI

 

[NeramoDJI]

Zeke “Mors” Valdain

Zeke listened intently to what Zetian had to say about her business, figuring paying attention was the least he could do. He nodded a bit as she listed the event and the fighter. "Heh, sounds like some kind of monster if he got all sorts of new folks in here." He said, kind of wishing he could meet the fighter, but not knowing he could not meet them by the universes very design. However, he listened to her continue until the fairy suddenly went feral at Ingeniums questioning.

Zeke sighed a bit at the sudden emotional outburst from the fairy, figuring that would take a little while to calm her down. He stood up a bit, turning to Ingenium. "I probably don't have to say this, but in case I do, might wanna cool it on the questioning of the little girl. Disecting someone is not a first encounter activity." He said, looking at Ingenium with a small sigh, feeling Stella holding on with a chuckle, holding the little dragon up to help her hold on easier.

He watched Zetian over all this, noticing the expected reaction of entrancement by the portal, as well as her fascination with Stella, smiling a bit as he held the dragon under her arms like a cat, like he usually held the little dragon. "Ah, small introduction, this is my lass Stella. Saved her from a dragon and it's cult a few months ago." He said with a chuckle, rubbing stella's head and looking around the table, figuring that maybe the little dragon would be cute enough to calm the fairy, gently setting her on the table. "There's nothin to be scared of lass, Ingenium here just has a bit of a fascination with machines. Won't happen again."

While he hated apologizing for anything, let alone for something someone else did, he was forced to do so to keep a good tone to the meeting, as well as keep Ingenium on his side by apologizing on his behalf instead of having Ingenium do it himself. "And if you want Wu, I could give you a visit there. Only downside is that it'll be a few weeks to come back, since we get spit out in the mountains between here and Ryke."

All the while, he glanced every now and then at Orrius to keep an eye on the boy, wanting to make sure the boy didn't feel left out or anything, figuring he'd keep them engaged to keep from any discontent or unrest

 

[Lulidew]

Orrius

Orrius would quickly notice the new stranger that had followed Zeke into the establishment, eyeing him cautiously. Another one of Zeke’s acquaintances? This captain of his sure had many connections! But he still couldn’t bring himself to trust this newcomer as well as the owner of the place. Thinking back on his past, he used to be all alone without having anyone to care for him, apart from a single old man. However, when the boy would require his assistance the most, the old man who he trusted most had vanished, leaving him behind all by himself. He was lucky to have found a pirate crew to join, otherwise he’d likely die off all on his own out there.

Putting his trust in Zeke was merely a gamble of his, to ensure his own survival. It could have gone horribly wrong at any point of time, and maybe in the future as well. So when it came to Zetian and Ingenium, he wouldn’t be too quick to trust them this time round. Furthermore, upon closer inspection of Ingenium, he too didn’t seem human. Was he also half robot, like the little fairy?

It wasn’t long before he would take an interest in the fairy, confirming Orrius’ suspicions about him being not exactly human. He would be so keen on her, till the point of asking if he could take her apart and examine her insides. “Great, so now we gotta trust in this weirdo?” Orrius would think to himself.

Stella would then show up from up above, landing onto Zeke. “Woah! Stella? Where did you come from?” The boy would ask, while looking at the upper floors.

 

[SilverFeathers]

Ninelle Lifeblossom

With Zetian raising her hand up in a protective gesture, Ninelle was both startled and relieved, the unease and fear building up within her dissipating quickly as if it was never there. To think that the person she was beginning to doubt just earlier came to her aid so swiftly and decisively, even at risk of offending whoever the other party was. Ninelle couldn't help but laugh ironically at herself before fluttering over and giving Zetian's raised hand a hug. "T-Thank you Ms Zetian, I'm alright. I apologize for overreacting a bit." She smiled a little sheepishly as the trembles faded, before landing carefully back on to the table, albeit a little closer to her friend for safe measure.

Taking in a deep breath, she looked back towards the metallic stranger, wanting to at least make her introductions and start their meeting off on the right foot this time round. Now that she could reflect back a little more clearly, he was actually rather polite about the whole thing, so she felt the need to amend this misunderstanding. "It is nice to meet you Mechanist Ingenium, I'm Ninelle Lifeblossom. I apologize for lashing out earlier, your words inadvertently brought back some unwanted memories for me." She greeted him in a gentle tone with lowered eyes, before continuing. "My wing was not made metal by choice, but due to a recent accident. I hope you can understand my refusal."

The arrival of a small silver dragon surprised all in the room, and Ninelle was no exception. Though, perhaps she was especially startled as the dragon naturally appeared a lot larger to her than the others. She almost felt the rekindling of a desire to hide behind Zetian again, but as Zeke's kindness became apparent, she found the resolve to stay as Stella landed on the table beside her. "It's nice to meet you Stella." She smiled whilst keeping her distance, just in case she was about to become dragon food.

EMIYAman LadyOfStars

 

[EMIYAman]

Ingenium
Interactions: NeramoDJI LadyOfStars Lulidew SilverFeathers
​

The Construct blinked once before suddenly retracting his metallic hands back into the folds of his robe. "It appears I have erred, unfortunate. I have not come across such a beautiful machine prior to this engagement." He appeared almost regretful as he pulled away. In his eagerness he had made a blunder. The reaction of the cyborg was an unforeseen development. He questioned if it was due to the stress induced by the enhancements? Perhaps, he resolved himself to keep that in mind for the future. With an inscrutable expression he retreated to the side of Zeke seemingly unbothered. At Wu Zetian's warning his crimson eye turned to her "Such an outcome would be undesirable. I shall consider this in any subsequent endeavors." Surprisingly enough Ingenium gave a bow to the proprietress. Properly angled and reverent in relation to her authority. Something he had picked up from observing the people of the East. Though his cane made it a bit of an awkward maneuver. When Captain Zeke gave him his advice on social interactions Ingenium took it to heart, so to speak. Giving the Pirate a nod of acknowledgement.

Already having moved on from the conversation. Ingeniums mind was racing with both what little scans he could make of Ninelle and her composition. As well as the Portal he had noticed after his "fascination" had waned enough. He classified the opening in space as a Wormhole, but his current capabilities and tools did not allow him to detect much from it. So he could only guess at what he assumed to be exotic matter which allowed it to form. While he was interested he found Astrophysics did not come to him as easily as the manipulation of metal. There was simply a "pull" he could not feel from it.

His eye swept to the side as he met the suspicious gaze of the boy Zeke had called Orrius. Ingenium held his position for a moment before his attention was suddenly taken by a figure swooping through the air. A flying reptile with glittering silver like scales, and strangely enough wings that resembled more the thrusters of a jet engine than anything in the natural world. Even stranger still was its ability to speak. It was unlike anything he had seen before, though he noted he wasn't a Zoologist. So it was entirely possible he just did not know of this particular species. Such a thing didn't matter much to him anyway. No he was far more interested in the practical. Similar to Ninelle, but with Wu's words in mind at a more respectful distance Igenium circled the Dragon Stella. His eye rapidly moving taking in as much detail as it could. "For biological diversity to allow for the development of naturally formed locomotion of this kind is a great opportunity. The energy it would take for an organism to achieve flight in such a way is too great to even mention. If I were to find the method this creature is able to circumvent such requirements and replicate it..." His dialogue devolved into rapid mutterings of "Superconductors" and "Biomimetic applications". Ingenium only just noticed the Fairy Ninelle speaking to him but it was close. Sufficiently brought out of his reverie he stared at her. A complicated expression played across the Constructs features. In a rare display of emotion a kindly smile came across his face. He knelt down so as to be face to face with Ninelle. "It was my miscalculation you need not apologize." His eyebrows furrowed as he once again gazed at her wing of metal though this time seeing them in a new light. "Flesh is fallible, it may blacken and fail. Though with the right tools it may be replaced with the cold certainty of steel. However, that is a decision not taken lightly. It is one chosen with clarity of mind and faith in the strength of metal." His eyes appeared truly sympathetic and even apologetic. "Such a transfiguration done against your will is a perversion of the proper path. I am unable to restore your flesh, nonetheless should you require aid I shall give it to you freely. I would pray that one day your soul and the 'engine' are aligned. Failing that, a return of the flesh." This entire situation seemed truly alien to who Ingenium had appeared to be upon first meeting. Yet it was something within him all along, evoked by the Fairies plight. Then his face returned to its impassivity. He merely gave her a nod before returning to Zeke's side still as a statue.

 

[LadyOfStars]

Wu Zetian​

Stella's claws tapped down on he wooden table and she folded her wings up to look less terrifying as she approached the opposite end of the table and titled her head playfully. "Hi there!" The dragon greeted cheerfully as she looked to Ninelle. Her tail swishing side to side as she put on a draconic smile. "I'm Stella! It's great to meet an old friend of Zeke's." As she said that, one of the kitchen staff approached the table with a menu in hand. She looked to Orrius and let out a hefty chuckle. "I came here with Zeke of course! But I took some time to chase the dragonflies and birds outside." She confessed the last part with a bit of embarrassment and regret. Maybe she shouldn't have shared that part. "When did you get here? To this...place?" The dragon turned to stare at orrius with a somewhat teasing expression.

"Ladies and gentlemen." He placed the menu on the center of the table and bowed his head. "I'll leave this here in case someone wants to order drinks of food." He explained before the stepped away from the table. Zetian nodded at the man, a silent thank you to him.

Zetian smiled and nodded at Ninelle. "You're all right Ninelle." She lowered her hand and looked across the table to ingenium, but then to the dragon. She was beautiful, even more so up close. But she couldn't stop thinking about Zeke's offer to take her....to heaven? "I will make sure to pack my winter clothes then." She replied with a wide grin. "I would love the chance to travel to such a place and see such a different world." What she really wanted was a chance to meet the Jade Emperor, a chance to meet the deity that she idolized the most. "What is next for your band of misfits though Zeke? Will you all begin plundering the empire? Or perhaps the republic?" She couldn't deny that it was a lucrative business, but a bit too dangerous for her.

SilverFeathers NeramoDJI Lulidew

 

[NeramoDJI]

Zeke “Mors” Valdain

Zeke hummed a bit at things settling down a little bit, chuckling a little as he leaned back and relaxed a little bit. He scratched Stella's back and head a little bit, before turning to the people around the table. "Well, that's what I was here to bring up to Orrius and my crew. We're going on a trip to get materials for a new project of mine." He said, deciding to keep it a bit secret, but he'd throw a hint to the person who might get it, a manic smile slowly appearing on his face. "I'm finally gonna go back to the stars where I belong." He said, a large grin on his face as he looked at Zetian.

When they had their talks in the cabins, and had revealed their origins, he had told her of the massive buildings of metal that were Spaceships that could move from star to star near instantly. If she knew what he meant, she'd probably understand what he was building.

"As for the heaven trip, I don't want to get your hopes up. They won't actually let us through the gate to the actual city there. Mainly because we're not dead, and only dead people can go through that sort of thing." He said, humming a bit, not wanting his friend to get any false ideas of a grand vacation. Heaven had a gate at the front that didn't even have a way to open it. So only dead souls could get through.

"Hope you ain't got attached to any of the girls here yet Orrius." He joked, laughing a little bit at the implication, but figuring nothing like that happened. He sighed a moment, looking towards Ingenium. He wasn't sure where to go with this conversation now, but he decided it was best to keep the ship secret for now. Unless Ingenium mentioned it or something like that. Normally he wouldn't care since he trusted Orrius and Zetian, but with Ninelle here, he couldn't have her blabbing, and she was a friend of Zetian's so he couldn't just pluck her wings and throw her in the ocean like he usually might.

 

[Lulidew]

Orrius​

As Orrius was eyeing Ingenium, the strange man would suddenly turn to look in his direction, and as their eyes met for a brief moment, Orrius could feel a shiver run down his spine, before quickly averting his gaze elsewhere. That was creepy! How exactly did he know he was being stared at? Orrius could feel perspiration starting to form on his forehead as his mind raced.

When Stella would ask about his purpose here, he’d respond, “Oh, well… I guess I overheard there being some sort of fight show going on, so I came just last night to check it out. And just as I had expected, it was amazing!” The boy’s face lit up as he finished his sentence, recalling back the intense battles last night.

Zeke would then share his plans with Zetian, speaking of the gathering of materials and how he belonged among the stars. Orrius would cock his head to the side, not really getting much of it. Was his captain from outer space? Oh well, he didn’t really think too deeply into it, choosing to follow Zeke without asking too much about the details. He’d figure he would probably understand things better when they were out there accomplishing whatever they needed to do. The boy also wasn’t used to asking too many unnecessary questions. That used to get him into lots of trouble when his dad would get irritated at him.

The captain would then talk to him about the girls, which the boy would understand somewhat. Attached as in some sort of romantic interest? While he didn’t personally know of romance himself, he would have vaguely read up on the concept during his travels. A mere definition of the word, at the very least. Was the captain trying to tease him, knowing that he was inexperienced in this area of romance? In that case, he couldn't let himself be teased. He had to respond playfully somehow... “Hmm? I guess there was this one girl who caught my eye… She may have been pretty short, but she was so beautiful, she was able to make flowers bloom from out of nowhere!” As he said this, he’d take a quick glance at Ninelle, before looking back to Zeke innocently. “Just kidding! I’m not sure if there’s anyone with such beauty around here.”

 

[SilverFeathers]

Watching the mechanist flutter around the silver dragon, babbling all sorts of foreign and complicated words with the most keen gaze, Ninelle finally came to understand Zeke's words from earlier. Ingenium was just an eager researcher. Someone overly excited about things that seemed interesting or new to them, kind of like the classic mad scientist stereotype in novels and movies. Smiling funnily at the metal man, trying to decipher what he was mumbling with her limited knowledge and grades from her past life, she was abruptly startled when he suddenly appeared at her eye level.

His string of words left her stupefied, but also left a small ball of warmth blooming in her heart as she realized he was comforting her. To think that stoic metal man that stayed by that pirate's side so robotically could make such a kind expression.

"...I don't think I could blame the person that did this to me, they did do it to save my life." She negated gently, thinking back to that day.

"But, thank you Ingenium. I think... you've given me a new way to look at my artificial wing." She smiled faintly, flapping the mechanical fans on her back in response.

It was something that she hesitated to admit most days, but it was true that she had always disliked her new engineering. And for many of her early days, that dislike was much closer to loathing. It was hard. Cold. Noisy. What was there to like about a metal body? Not to mention the fact that it would always be a cruel reminder of the outcome of that day.

But, this mechanist spoke as if it was something to relish, to be proud of. Something you would voluntarily choose to turn your flesh into. She couldn't comprehend such a perspective yet, but she felt her eyes had been widened a little today. "...Did you choose to turn your body metal?" She couldn't help asking, hoping he didn't have a similar experience to herself.

His promise of aid also perplexed Ninelle. It was an offer from a stranger, to a stranger. Still, if something went wrong with her mechanical side, anything she did would likely cause much more harm than good. He did specifically introduce himself as a mechanist after all... As long as he didn't dissect her in the process she would likely be okay. "Thank you, I do think I might need you one day. So if you actually meant your offer, I would like to take it." She began contemplatively, before continuing. "How should I contact you in the future?" She asked hesitantly, before her attention got side-tracked by Orrius' excitement about the fight night yesterday.

She didn't recall seeing the human there, but then again most of her attention was on Todo after the opening fight. His words intrigued her, as she started imagining a pretty human nature mage at the arena, summoning deadly flowers and being all-around awesome. Ah, she would've liked to meet her and maybe learn some things. She almost felt a twinge of regret at leaving early last night.

"Oh, Orrius, if you don't mind me asking, with Zeke the captain and Ingenium a mechanist, what is your role in the pirate crew?" She inquired suddenly fueled by nothing but pure curiosity, having subconsciously grouped them all together as one morally questionable but kind-of-nice crew.