Fantasy New Oasis: Four Heavenly Kings — The B-Sides

[AriAriAbabwa]

ALICIA MOREL

CS Link

SCENE:

Backroom Dealings

LOCATION:

West District, Sarizara Restaurant

PARTICIPANTS:

Ryutaro, Samira, Jack, Passeri, Camila, Elias, Welsha, Dagger, Alice

Backroom Dealings

It was no secret that the "Golden Goose" of the Albino Tigers was changing. Not after the incident at the mall. Especially not after the Phoenix's audacious raid on her home.

Those close to her—or saw her often—could not find the Alice that they sought affection from. What they found was a scarred, dull-eyed girl who sneered at the requests she once happily obliged. It was a girl who found out her mother was dead—had been for the past decade, a fact deliberately hidden from her; a girl who learned that her "family" was nothing but a bunch of liars.

And while this girl drifted near Dante, her only real ally, she thought of several ideas—ideas about change. But it was the Albino Tigers, she thought. What could she do to change them and their way of life? It only ever occurred to her former caretaker, Janay Fox, that what they were doing was wrong; and he paid the price for that.

So Alice remained dormant. At least, until something pertaining to those very thoughts arrived at her feet.

An invitation to a dinner.

She'd received many party invitations over the years—someone had to manage them to fit into her busy schedule. This one, however, was unlike the others that wanted to showboat their wealth and abuse themselves through her tea.

Ryutaro Hashimoto. She knew from Dante that he was the current Queen. This Queen took interest in her; what she had to say.

It was better now than never. Alice didn't want to live low key for the rest of her life. She had grievances, and this probably was the only chance she had to air them out.

She arrived in the familiar surroundings of opulence. Alice grew up in these very sights, yet she couldn't have felt more out of place. A quick glance around let her know she was the first to arrive. The silence was familiar, as well.

It only now occurred to Alice that there was always somebody to tell her what to do in these high-class environments. What was one to do should they arrive first, and alone? Asking herself that, she dug deep into her memory. Regardless of arrival time, the first objective was always to find the host and greet them. Taking a breath, she called out, "Mr. Hashimoto?"

This probably was not proper etiquette, but Alice had more on her mind than curtsying and proper verbatim.

joshuadim Beann Chaos Gallant The One Eyed Bandit Roda the Red Peckinou simj26 QuirkyAngel

 

[QuirkyAngel]

Zachariah C. Locke

CS Link

SCENE:

Fell and Cruel Hounds

LOCATION:

Actaeon's Rest, Central District

TIME:

Post-Arc 3, Timeskip 1

PARTICIPANTS:

Passeri, Dagger, Corvo, Lily, Musai, Zach, Yushui

Fell and Cruel Hounds

“Rodger dodger~” Zach responded to Corvo, though whether she heard him above all the gunfire or not he couldn’t say as Vulken’s mercenary sponsee had already disappeared into the fog of battle. Not that “disappeared” was the right word in Zach’s case. Regardless of whether he was facing her or not, regardless of whatever smog “blocked” his vision, he could see her just fine.

Everyone in the field of overarching, omnipotent vision to be precise.

Still he continued a sweeping spray of bullets that shattered glass and ripped through expensive furniture. Ripped through any negligent, black-dressed NPs as well. One might call him discriminatory for specifically targeting the non-homo potentialis population of enemies before the HPs, but Zach simply liked to think of himself as practical. Taking out the weaker, more numerous opponents first only made sense…and since his eyes could tell the difference between them, there was no reason not to. NPs. HPs. Enemies were enemies and, in the battlefield, he shot them down all the same regardless of what Noa might think of it.

One down, two down, back to the bullet-proof HP…Zach chortled when the man who mocked bullets found himself distracted enough by said loud pellets to let summoned blades rip through flesh. “Perfect timing, Babe!”

It really was. More importantly, it bought them time.

He continued support fire while Passeri’s blades danced and together they backed closer to the client who, fortunately, seemed to be getting up. Her taking out the operators was a smart move as well. Cut out sight. Cut out communication. Regardless of the number difference, fodder would eventually dwindle.

Eventually.

Burning down the building might be faster.

“Sure, sure. Glad you're still alive. So–,” Zach stopped mid sentence to casually evade the swipe of a bounty hunter, one who managed to breach his array of bullets, and slam his weapon into the NP’s gut. The NP crumpled like paper. “assuming we get paid by the body count, do we get more for killing an HP versus an NP? Do support kills count?”

Kicking up the crumpled body, Zach used it as a shield for a couple of seconds before tossing the sack of hole-riddled meat at a row bounty hunters and continuing his bullet assault under the cover of smog. One bullet cut a chandelier free, causing it to descend towards the Tang girl while she battled Passeri’s blades. Another volley punctured holes into the chair Saito hid behind. The rest mowed down idiots who popped their heads within firing range. Fire. Reload. Fire. Reload. Whack any guy that gets too close. Drop another smoke grenade whenever the smog thinned. The cycle was repetitive, but effective. Zach rarely stayed in one position for very long anyway.

He’d go where he saw he was needed.

Dropping another smoke grenade, Zach–currently Crow–glanced at the disguised idol. “Whichever the case, ya’ll got things handled here, right? Use the comms. Protect the client. I’mma go take out our little sniper before he becomes a nuisance later.”

Though he hadn’t had a chance to say it aloud, Zach agreed with Corvo that it was his fight. As the only one of them able to locate the hidden enemy at the moment, it made sense for him to do the hunting. He’d be of more use as a distance support anyway.

Plus…a sniper battle with a foreign bounty hunter sounded fun.

Taking out another couple heads with some skillful shots, Zach weaved his way to a nearby penthouse window–still under the cover of smoke–and ducked through. Then, kicking off the balcony, the dark-haired, black dressed figure ran along the rooftops in a way that only an HP could. Not as fast as someone with a speed enhancing potential, but definitely not slow, and with an agility beyond what a normal NP ought be capable of as he did his best to remain hidden in the shadows of the night. He knew exactly where he wanted to go. Where he wanted to be. With his eyes active and searching behind his sunglasses, locating the sniper on a nearby superstructure hadn’t been very difficult. The important question, and one that would make a difference, was whether or not the sniper had noticed him.

The hiding. The hunting. That was what made sniping battles fun.

Once Zach reached his ideal sniping spot, he traded his assault rifle for a sniping one, loaded it with a shimmering cartridge he’d obtained from the black market (so definitely illegal), and took aim. “Let’s see how many shots it takes to kill you.”

And, without hesitating, a beam of pure red ether energy tore through the night sky, straight towards the mechanical hunter with the custom Vipera X-12 Precision.

It was enough to make Zach jealous.

simj26 The One Eyed Bandit @Kameron Esters- Elenion Aura AriAriAbabwa @ATurei @Seaquill

 

[Elenion Aura]

MUGEN

CS Link

SCENE:

The Hard Way

TIME:

Post-Arc 3, Timeskip 1 | June 4, 2022 | Daytime

LOCATION:

NOPD, West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Hiachi, Mugen

THE HARD WAY

Instinct took over. There was a crackle of static electricity. Blood like lightning flowed through his veins.

Mugen grasped the small wrist attached to the hand that tapped him and squeezed, hauling the hand and wrist and body of the small girl attached to it up to his eye level, her feet dangling off the ground like a fish on a line.

Mugen didn't speak. He only stared, mouth agape, his eyes wide and swirling with malice, intense and unblinking, his demeanor more man than beast.


The guards at the door took notice of this sudden movement. The taller one tapped his shorter coworker on the shoulder and directed his attention toward the spectacle. The pair of them became alert, stepping forward out of the shade, uncertain but prepared to act, if necessary.

"Oi! Everythin' alright there, miss?" Asked the smaller, portlier man. He didn't want to assume. Maybe this was some weird kind of foreplay—not that he was judging; but, best keep it to the bedroom, in that case, eh?


Mugen's attention diverted. His eyes slid sideways, assessing. Calculating. His brow twitched, the only sign that he was about to move. About to act. About to blow.

 

[The One Eyed Bandit]

Passeri Park

CS Link

SCENE:

Ours and Ours Alone

TIME:

Post-Arc 3, Timeskip 1 | June 20th 2022

LOCATION:

The Vanishing Lot, West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Passeri, Eric, Sebastian, Hiachi, Tak, Dante, Kisara

Ours and Ours Alone

A trembling in the skin of the world. It is midnight. Police cordons radiate bright, searing yellow amidst the darkness, dividing the world from the ethereal absence beyond. Where once there was, now was only was not. It is a different case than the ruination of Central, absent of the grandeur, but nonetheless draped in mystique. Not only a missing person, but a missing people, a missing culture. A company culture that had ebbed out to infect the world. The beating heart of an invisible organism, plucked straight from the chest.

It is still midnight. Elsewhere, above the ruined skyline, a pair of fluorescent eyes gleam wearily, peering into the dark. A crisp, white light fills the hotel room, vainly struggling against the gloom. This wasn't what she'd promised. She was not home, and this was not rest, but she was at least meeting them in the middle. Her mind had been racing all day. What had happened, and how?

And why?

Back within the absence, the tension finally snaps. From within the black, a window frame flickers back into the room, hailed by an explosion of glass. Amongst the pitter-patter of falling glass, something else clatters onto the absent lot. A shoe, and inside that, a crumpled old ticket, purple and covered in stars.

ADMIT ONE - 16:45 - SEPTEMBER 26 JUNE 20

~~~​

The morning had come and gone, and with it, the discovery of one ominous piece of footwear. Now, the afternoon sun hung in the sky, and the decades-old foundations of the absent building shrunk away from the light.

She'd spent the day as she had the last one. Staring, pacing, and hoping that the building would just... Come back. Her schedule, as always, had been busy before this. She had people to talk to, and places to be, but she'd had it all delegated and cleared away. Right now, a proxy was in a meeting in her place, in an hour, there would be a charity drive under alternative supervision and this evening, a sponsor would be eating dinner alone.

Not much had come of it, but not nothing at all. Every now and again, as she peered into the air, she'd see something. A flicker of colour, or a glassy distortion where a window had once been, there one moment and then gone the next. Nothing of substance, but still something to hold onto.

And then there was the ticket.

The purple slip of paper felt flimsy between Passeri's fingertips. It was cheap paper, hastily printed for a last-minute event. If it were older, she might not have recognized it. It could've been from any of her shows, after all, but this one in particular stuck out like a sore thumb in the front of her mind. The week of her return. A request from her noble King, and all of the trouble that ensued. It was from that day. If this turned out to be a joke, she thought, it was a sick one.

One of her people had found it, someone she'd paid to monitor the site while she and the investigators slept, not that she'd gotten much of that in the first place. It wasn't that she mistrusted them, but she needed to be the first to know if anything had happened, and it had. As soon as the news had reached her, she'd been up, and she'd been her ever since. Waiting.

The clock on her phone now read 16:37, and the air about her bristled with a motley mixture of hope and desperation. A few others milled around the empty lot, the investigators and families of the affected. Past them, news reporters pushed at the borders of a police cordon, their cameras and microphones ravenous. Passeri had already made the rounds. Delivered her promises and sympathies, and made her statements to the press.

Now, she was quiet. Something stirred beyond the veil. She squeezed the ticket in her hand.

Spoiler: Tags

Interacted With: N/A
Relevant: Coyote Hart Roda the Red miki thebigfella Haze- simj26

 

[tityanya]

𝑵𝒂𝒐𝒎𝒊 𝑺𝒂𝒕𝒐

As: Zack Bennett​

Scene: St. Steinburg's Maiden Voyage
Time: July 1st, 2022 | Post Arc 3, TimeSkip 1
I am here: Port, North District
With: ​

"Make you betray your eyes, when I hide in plain sight"​

It was harder to find someone in a casino than Noam had thought. The overwhelming cacophony of lights and sounds were distracting. There was a constant low mummer of all the people speaking, as well as the occasional hoots and hollers from winners. It was so dazzling and amazing--it didn't help that Noam was high. The lights were so much more entrancing, so much more beautiful. A couple of times, he found himself staring at the dazzling lights of the slot machines instead of looking for his target.

His father had never let him into a casino. He said that gambling was a dangerous addiction that would ruin even the most successful of businessmen. When he was being groomed to be some bride to an executive, he still remembered his father's serious face as he looked into Fumiko's eyes--If your husband starts gambling, divorce him. I will support you. He had been so serious about it at the time, but the thought made Noam laugh now. Just a little chuckle, not something too extravagant. Completely normal.

He made eye contact with her. It was an accident, really, as his gaze fell right on the table she was sitting at. Cards. Oh boy. He was going to lose a lot of money, wasn't he? He wasn't any good at cards, no matter how many times he played at parties. He could bluff like nobody's business--but that didn't mean anything when he didn't have any strategy. Noam wanted to sigh, but he knew better. Zack wouldn't be upset about the idea of card games--he would be cautiously enthusiastic, discovering something for the first time. He strode over to the table.

He sat down next to Yui, a big smile on his face as he looked enthusiastic. Somehow, deep inside, he felt like he was betraying his father. It was kind of funny, in a way--his whole life in the North would have been a series of one decision after another that would give his father an aneurysm. The crime, the women, the drugs. Well, scratch that on the drugs. Looking back, Noam was pretty certain his father had been a secret coke fiend. He recognized a lot of the behaviors as his own when he was on cocaine. But most of that felt like things that his father would overlook, if Noam cracked his head really hard and forgot the past ten years and decided to go back to living with his father. The gambling, though? His father's intense hatred of it would be enough to disown him over.

The round of cards had just started, so Noam sat there silently, a giant smile on his face. He looked like a kid let loose in a candy store. He bought into the game onto the next round, and was dealt his cards. He looked at them with a blank smile, before putting them back down. He glanced at the rest of the table, and then finally at Yui. He leaned over to her, and spoke in a conspiratorial whisper: "I have no idea how to play this."

║▌│█│║▌║││█║▌│║║█║█║▌│█║▌│║║█║

((ooc: ))
((Outfit: Same as Picture))
((Catch Me If You Can))​

QuirkyAngel miki

 

[joshuadim]

RYUTARO HASHIMOTO

CS Link

SCENE:

Backroom Dealings

LOCATION:

West District, Sarizara Restaurant

PARTICIPANTS:

Ryutaro, Samira, Jack, Passeri, Camila, Elias, Welsha, Dagger, Alice

Backroom Dealings

The first of many arrivals appeared, as she had been led to the entrance to the private dining area of the restaurant by the hostess at the front. The door opened to allow Alice to enter and in turn she spoke up. Two pairs of eyes greeted her, with Cal studying her for a moment. His stoic expression betrayed no visible emotion, but underneath he couldn't help but be unsettled. This was a child. He looked over to Ryu for a moment before shrugging, making his own concerns known through nonverbal means.

"Miss Morel." Ryu spoke as he waved a hand to the many seatings available. "Please, take a seat. I'm pleased you accepted this invitation, especially after what happened those weeks ago."

Every seat was available for her to take. Her positioning, whether it was closer to the Queen or further at the other head of the table, was entirely up to her choosing. They were all identical in their setups, as polished obsidian plates marked each desginated location alongside bamboo chopsticks, small porcelain cups for sake, and small glasses for water.

AriAriAbabwa

 

[Coyote Hart]

PEYTON XIONG

CS Link

SCENE:

Crash and Burn

LOCATION:

Peyton's Old Apartment, East District

TIME:

Post-Arc 3 || Two Weeks Later

PARTICIPANTS:

Peyton, Jackson

CRASH AND BURN

Peyton's eyes widened at Jackson's outburst, and he took hasty steps backward as the Dragon ominously approached him. The heel of his sneaker bumped against the wall, which interrupted his momentum and forced him into Jackson's grasp. Despite it all, Peyton was finding that he was enjoying this Jackson with cruel words and full of physical intimidation. His heartbeat, was it fast because of trepidation or excitement? Even with everything almost being obvious, Peyton had yet to put two and two together.

"I don't mind being threatened! I know I'm a bit of weirdo, 'cause I even find it fun a--" Peyton's cheery and insensitive words suddenly cut off when he caught sight of something on Jackson's face. Was he... crying?

Suddenly, the cheerful look was wiped off of Peyton's face, and he belatedly got a grasp on the situation. He was hurting Jackson. Crap. He screwed it all up. His hands very uncertain in their movement, Peyton reached into his pockets to grab a small bottle of ibuprofen, shaking a few tablets into his other hand and popping them into his mouth. He used the liquid from the otter pop to down them.

Peyton blamed his insensitivity on the sanity-deteriorating aspects of his Potential. But Peyton knew that it really stemmed from himself; even without his Potential, Peyton had trouble empathizing with others and understanding what they were going through. His Potential just made things worse. Regardless, ibuprofen seemed to rein in Peyton's Potential a little, and if there was a moment that Peyton needed lucidity and clarity, this was it.

Peyton dropped the open otter pop on the ground, the blood red liquid soaking into the carpet. With his hands now free, Peyton gently pried Jackson's hands off of his hoodie and stepped forward to hold Jackson in a tight embrace. His arms wrapped slightly above Jackson's waist, and Peyton's head was tilted awkwardly to the side so he didn't stuff his head right into Jackson's chest. With Jackson now in his grasp, Peyton felt the reverberations shaking Jackson's body. Jackson was trying his best to hold himself together.

"If you wanna go out for burgers and fries, then I'll make it work," Peyton's usually loud and cheerful voice was uncharacteristically somber, "And we can still go to all sorts of places in central, where nobody will care that a snake and a dragon are hanging out. I can sneak into the ENP after closing, I can make us some drinks, and then we can chill. And if you ever want to, you're always welcome over at my place."

Peyton wondered at how realistic his ideas were. There was nothing wrong with meeting in central-- Peyton had Jackson's number from work. However, Peyton had a vague idea of Jackson's experiences in the North, and it didn't seem all that likely that Jackson would be willing to visit the North. And visiting the ENP after hours... well... Peyton had snuck out to hang out with his Serpent friends plenty of times during his Dragon tenure, and he had also snuck Serpents into his apartment room, but who knew whether that could be a feasible long-term arrangement? Regardless, Peyton had to try.

Granted, now Peyton had more time. Rent was cheaper in the North, which was further helped by the fact that Peyton was hopefully going to room with August. These savings meant that Peyton didn't have to work as much as he did when he was a Dragon. And hopefully, he could invest that time in his relationship with Jackson.

"But if I don't go, then I'll be killed," Peyton said. He chuckled, only half-humoredly, tightening his embrace on Jackson, "I really don't mind the Serpents threatening me. It feels nice to not have to make a decision. But I'm sorry that allowing myself to be controlled like this hurt you."

BriiAngelic

 

[Slav]

Vissarion Argyris

CS Link

SCENE:

Clad in Golden Dreams

TIME:

Post-Arc 3, Timeskip 1 | June 16th, 2022

LOCATION:

West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Passeri, Ezra, Viss, Mark, Jess, Hiachi, Tak, Elias, Jesper

Clad in Golden Dreams

After toasting, Vissarion took a large sip from his champagne. "Being shallow is just the nature of the game." Ezra had been more forthcoming than himself, something he greatly respected. Their conversation was fruitful but Vissarion still had a nagging sense of unfulfillment. Despite making connections today, he still felt like he didn't accomplish anything. Was this the right step towards his goal? He held his head in frustration as he could feel the wooziness. Maybe the drinks was making hard to think or perhaps this was how he felt about the situation. However he felt in the moment quickly washed away as Missy arrived.

He didn't realize she was working today... especially as a waiter. There was much more important things she could be doing and yet it seemed she was slumming it out at this gig. He admired the drive but he wouldn't stoop that low himself. "Good to see you Missy, you should be a guest, not a waiter." He took another large sip from his glass, starting to fell a tingling sensation in his hands. His gaze followed Passeri as she left, returning his gaze to Missy once he saw her destination. Whatever was going on over there, he didn't want a part of it.

Vissarion overheard the announcement, causing him to make a sly smile. A romantic dance? This didn't really seem like the time and place for one but he wasn't against the idea. He just had to find a dance partner. His golden eye gaze gave off sparks of mischievousness, a storm brewing within himself. That gaze was on Missy, his soon to be dance partner. She didn't know it yet but like a tiger eating it's prey, it's not like it had a choice. He took his glass, chugging the contents. Time to get the party started.

"Hey Missy, let's go dance." Vissa wasn't asking, he was more so telling. He normally wasn't an imposing figure, but with the devious grin and his mannerisms one might assume so. Without warning, he grabbed her wrist, tugging her towards the center of the room. His grip was firm but knowing her smaller stature, he kept it light enough so she wouldn't feel any discomfort. His ears caught the sound of a yell, the content matter causing him to cackle. This night was quickly delving into levels of chaos he wasn't expecting and that was okay with him. Whoever he was, hopefully he could find the bathroom.

Finally stopping, he straightened himself as he asked her an important question. "Can you dance? Properly dance, like the waltz?" This determined how the affair would go. He didn't really know much about her history, so it was hard to guess if she would have the knowledge. He attentively waited for an answer, in his buzzed state he didn't have a lot of patience.

Interacted: The One Eyed Bandit BriiAngelic
Mentioned: Lucem thebigfella

 

[Coyote Hart]

SEBASTIAN SE

CS Link

SCENE:

Stymied

LOCATION:

West District

TIME:

January 2020 | Pre-Arc 3

PARTICIPANTS:

Sebastian, Vissarion

STYMIED

The walk to the casino was marked by gray skies, gray concrete, and gray moods. The only thing adding color were the various store signs that the West was famed for. As Vissarion did his best to retain any semblance of warmth through his scarf and pockets, Sebastian was similarly buried in a heavy gray winter jacket as he sought to warm himself up. Mushrooms like himself didn't bode well in cold weather. They needed warm, wet, and dark environments. When Vissarion turned towards Sebastian to speak, Sebastian tilted his head so that he made eye contact, nodding along with Vissarion's words.

"I think a cold rain would be quite pleasant," Sebastian disagreed with Vissarion's preference. The flurries were quite eye-pleasing, but Sebastian found the rain to be incredibly soothing. Like Sebastian's distaste for particularly cold and warm weather, it probably stemmed from Sebastian's fungal genetics. Regardless of the details, Sebastian found the weather to be just as miserable. "I promise I'm more properly dressed underneath the jacket. And I am a serial murderer in the police force. I'm no stranger to blending in~"

With his best gentleman manners, Sebastian held the door open for Vissarion, following behind the aristocrat. The hotel was extravagant-- golden lights from the chandelier making patterns on the walls, royal red carpet with a fancy, intricate design softening the ground. If not for Vissarion's encouraging words, Sebastian would've felt a bit out of place. With the warmer environment, Sebastian matched Vissarion's movements and unzipped his winter jacket. As promised, beneath his jacket were a button-up shirt and a sweater over it. Business casual.

"Lead the way, king," Sebastian said to Vissarion as he followed the man into the adjacent bar area. Vissarion was Sebastian's rock in this environment, and he was content with following the man around. Besides, Vissarion wasn't wrong in thinking that a drink or two would be good to calm the nerves. Sebastian could only imagine just how much nervousness he was hiding underneath his calm exterior. The police officer took a comfortable seat at the bar, and when he heard that Vissarion was taking care of the tab, Sebastian leaned forward and asked the bartender, "I'll have a Reverse Manhattan."

"Buying the drinks, you really know how to get to a man's heart," Sebastian teased Vissarion, although the flirting was quite empty in nature. He knew how austere the situation was. "How are you doing, by the way, Vissarion? Holding up alright?"

What kind of question was that? Sebastian already knew that Vissarion was nervous. Who wouldn't? But it made for the perfect segue into talking about their situation. "I know you're probably nervous, but I'm sure we'll be fine. We've got the element of surprise, and worst comes to worst, all I need to do is make an arrest to buy us some time."

Sebastian accepted the Reverse Manhattan from the bartender, swirling it around before taking a sip. It was light and delicately spiced. There was a maraschino cherry speared with a metal toothpick dipped into the drink, which Sebastian picked out. He held it at mouth level and offered it to Vissarion. "But I hope we can resolve this quickly. I don't like seeing your dashing face all serious like that."

Slav

 

[Roda the Red]

ERIC EVENSEN

CS Link

SCENE:

Ours and Ours Alone

LOCATION:

The Vanishing Lot, West District

TIME:

Post Arc 3 || June 20th, 2022

PARTICIPANTS:

Passeri, Eric, Sebastian, Hiachi, Takakazu, Dante, Kisara

Ours and Ours Alone

Fingers of the upper hand drummed on the steering wheel in the dashboard as a lazy head bobbed up and down at the rythm of cheesy video game music. One would almost think that judging by the man behind the wheel's relaxed and nonchalant expression and mannerism, this was nothing but a pleasant weekday drive, or well, as long as you didn't notice that he was wearing a suit alongside his co-pilot, or that the car he was driving was in fact from the police force, OR that the direction they were headed to was towards a crime scene.

"Okay Sebi, we'll be there in a few minutes so get ready, West Cops may get a bit territorial with us so we need to stand our ground, okay?" Said Eric towards the man sitting beside him, with his eyes still glued to the road ahead. "Charm them with your million-Amestriyen smile if necessary".

Minutes later, the duo parked nearby the half dozen or so police vehicles stopped in the middle of the street. Opening the door, the detective stepped out from the car. Elbow resting on the roof, he gave the crime scene a long stare, taking in to what there was to see...Or rather, what there wasn't. In an extremely uncanny way, a single plot of land laid bare and barren among the lavish buildings around it, those being a common sight around the streets of West. Where one would expect Eric to be yawning or cracking some sort of joke, there was now silence and serenity, two key elements to keep his focus sharp. "Let's Go"

Approaching the yellow police bands that determined the limit of how close civilians were allowed to get, the detective gave a couple claps to get the attention of the nearby officers, a few of them turning with puzzled looks.

"Afternoon, gentlemen" As usual, the man showed no apparent emotion in the slightest as he spoke.

"...Do we know you?" Said one of the officers, by the looks of it, he was the one in charge of the people around.

Reaching for the innef flap of his suit, Eric retrieved a badge, displaying it forward towards the officers "Detective Evensen and Prosecutor Se, CDPD, we were sent by HQ to help out with the investigation." Well, that was at the very least half truth. The moment Eric heard that Central was looking to aid on the case of the Our☆Dream building that vanished from thin air, the detective wasted not even a single second to jump into action, offering himself to help...As well as dragging a certain prosecutor to the scene, as the aid was always appreciated.

"Oh, Central, huh?" The officer didn't give either of them the friendliest of glances. He held one hand gripping on his belt strap as the other one tipped his hat. "I'm Corporal Rugal, and I don't recall our HQ requesting for aid, does Central really think that low of us?" While he tone wasn't aggressive in the slightest, it did carry a hint of contempt, it seemed like the man sincerely trusted the capability of his unit.

Eric turned his head, giving Sebastian as slight, relaxed smile, almost as if he expected the prosecutor to do something about the corporal's response.

Spoiler: Mentions

The One Eyed Bandit Coyote Hart thebigfella miki simj26 Haze-

 

[Roda the Red]

CHARLIE HUGHES

CS Link

SCENE:

To Live in the Shadows

TIME:

Nighttime, Pre-Arc 1, June 10th 2020

LOCATION:

Falcon's Perch, South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Charlie, Helva

To Live in the Shadows

By the point of nearly reaching the front door, the place's owner came across the lady in black, annoyance and contempt over her presence written all over his face. She then gave her apology and an offering to compensate for the damages, he stared at the cash for a prolonged moment, unsure of how to proceed with the proposition in front of him.

"Tch..." He clicked his tongue as he snatched the card and money from the woman's hands "Fine, whatever, but I just wish you phoenixes could stop putting us all in trouble with your reckless violence" He made his way outside, the front door's open, lacking its usual bell ringing, as the addition was ripped out by the forceful opening from earlier.

Charlie continued to kneel on the ground, still in disbelief at the unexpected turn of events, crystalline dollops welling up on his eyelids as he stared into nothingness. His very only intention was to save and protect the people, it was clear that the attackers had no intention of leaving peacefully in the end, one way or the other. It all started to make sense now, this was no plain robbery, it was a territorial display, they were from a gang and they wanted to hurt people in order to prove their point and assert their dominance, no matter how docile the other end behaved. But that didn't matter much in the end, in the eyes of his boss...Former boss, this was just a conflict that escalated unnecessarily because of Charlie's and the lady's intervention, leading up to a death, and all of the consequences that it brought along.

A primarily black silhouette then approached him, covering most of his vision, snapping him out of this deep thoughts, the person in front of him once again being the lady in black. Bills hanged in front of his face, held by the very same woman, backed up with words of compensation and sympathy. Lost for words, the former waiter stared at the money for a second, his eyes, large as plates by the unpredicted gesture. His gaze shifted towards the woman, and then to the money once again. Doubtful hands rose from his sides, shakingly taking a gentle hold of the offering.

"T...Thank you..." Was all he could muster, like a lost and confused doe, a course of action eluded him, at least long enough for the woman to start his retreat.

...That's right, a Scarlet Phoenix.

It was so obvious, all this time. That's why she was here, she showed not even an ounce of surprise when the criminals arrived. She knew they were coming, she wanted to stop their attack. It may have been true that she stained her hands with blood in the process...But isn't killing dangerous people for the sake of protecting others ultimately a noble goal? Was this all what the Phoenixes were truly about? Despite all the warning that the other civilians would give him, could they truly be such a bad bunch? And that was not all, not all that he had heard about the gang ever since he stepped into the district. The phoenixes were different, they weren't just a criminal organization, just like how it happened today, they cared for each other, the look after one another with genuine care. Truly they were...


A Family.


What a foreign concept, so far removed from Charlie's psique, caring for each other and wanting to strive for everyone's happiness, it was alienating to him...But also...also so indescribably alluring. A family that cared for each other, and that cared for its community, a desire to protect everyone through their strength.


A power...That he too possessed.


Raising his forearm up to his face, the boy used his sleeve to wipe out the buildup of tears, courage welling up within himself with each second that passed. Back on his feet, Charlie made a run for the entrance, the door once again opening violently, startling the owner who laid his back against the restaurants wall, a mostly-intact lit cigarette trapped between his fingers.

"Boss...Did anyone get hurt other than the gangster?" Asked the boy, looking at his former employer with a serious expression.

"I'm not your boss anymore" He said as he turned face Charlie, caught off-guard by the extreme change in the boy's demeanor. He closed his eyes, giving his cigar a deep inhale, casting a small, great cloud shortly after it got separated from his lips. "...Nah, luckly no one else was touched, they all just fled first chance they got" He gave the boy one more look. "Well, you're hurt too it seems, you should wait for the ambulance so they can take care of your injuries"

"So I was right" Without bothering to elaborate further in his words, he took off, rushing towards the retreating woman. The owner only able to let out a single "Oi!" before sighing in resignation.

"EXCUSE ME!" Shouted Charlie, leaving heavy steps on his wake as he approached the woman. Once he made sure he had her attention, he spoke again. "Miss...You're a Scarlet Phoenix, right?" Whether she gave him an answer or not, it mattered not to him, he already knew the answer to begin with. Kneeling on the ground once again, his palms quickly following suit, and lastly his head, staring straight on the concrete below him.

"Please! Allow me to join you! I want to be part of your group!"

 

[Beann]

JACK & SAMIRA

CS Link

SCENE:

Backroom Dealings

LOCATION:

West District, Sarizara Restaurant

PARTICIPANTS:

Ryutaro, Passeri, Camila, Elias, Welsha, Dagger, Alice

BACKROOM DEALINGS

Jack took the keys out of the ignition, opened his door and stepped out, and put his hat on in one smooth motion. He walked around to the passenger side door, opening it as well, and holding out his hand.

“Thank you, dear.” Samira reached out to take the cowboy’s hand, carefully stepping out of the vehicle in her glamorous heels and dress. The two had coordinated to match their outfits for their arrival at the Sarizara restaurant, and by the two of them, it was really Samira sending a picture of her outfit and expecting Jack to follow through. He certainly didn’t disappoint either as she eyed him over once she fully exited the car.

“I hope you worked up an appetite, the food here is quite good.” Samira smiled as she snaked her arm around Jack’s. The Tiger Ace had dined here a couple of times with their Queen, with both of them sharing the common trait of a foodie. She squeezed his arm against her side and walked towards the entrance of the restaurant.

"I certainly have." His stomach had been grumbling for the past few hours and he was more than ready to chow down. Jack tossed the keys over to the valet as they walked inside. The lobby was a nice little elegant room, not that Jack was paying much attention to it, his mind becoming more and more focused on the prospect of food as they reached the elevator. He let Samira in first, stepping in after her and pressing the button for the top floor.

The ride was fairly short despite the many levels of the building as the elevator came to a smooth halt. There was a single attendant posted just outside to confirm their invitation to the private event, a valid measure to prevent outsiders from prying in on their dinner. Once confirmed, they were escorted to the main dining area where Samira took notice of Alice first. The young lady certainly looked like she had gone through a fair bit. She recalled Jack telling a few details about his experience in tracking her down in some mall but aside from that, she didn't know the full story.

Her eyes then shifted over to the host himself, Ryutaro. She offered him a genuine smile, one that was backed with years of friendship and loyalty as opposed to a smile she would use to curry favor with business partners. "Ryu," an informal greeting between friends. Had the rest of the Tigers been present, she may have considered addressing him formally but seeing as it was just Alice and Cal so far, she figured there was no need for such formalities yet. Samira gently pulled her arm away from Jack's yet gestured for him to follow as she rounded the dining table, her eyes on the seat directly to the right of their Queen.

Jack removed his hat as he followed Samira out of the elevator. 'Not too shabby.' His eyes followed Samira to the table catching a glance at a few familiar faces. "Good t' see ya' Miss Alice, yer lookin' stunnin' this evenin'. Everythin' been alright?" He asked as he moved to pull out a chair for Samira.

joshuadim AriAriAbabwa

 

[Roda the Red]

CAMILA GASPARI

CS Link

SCENE:

Backroom Dealings

TIME:

Post-Arc 3, June 21st 2022

LOCATION:

West District, Sarizara Restaurant

PARTICIPANTS:

Camila, Ryutaro, Samira, Jack, Elias, Alice, Welsha, Dagger, Passeri

Backroom Dealings

The time had finally come. After several years of hard and smart work, the Veteran of the Albino Tigers, Camila Gaspari, the one who had struggled to gain any sort of notoriety for the longest time, had now managed to get herself a spot on the luxurious table set up by the Queen himself. At last her efforts hadn't gone unnoticed, be it her determination to see whatever job thrown at her done, even when the requirements far exceeded her capabilities, or by the slow and meticulous build up of working arms willing to go on the move at her command. Whether may be the case, the fact remained the same: She had made it to the big leagues in the Tigers, and she had all the intention of staying there for the forseeable future.

Getting off her car, Camila handed her keys to the valet, making sure to gesture to her company to follow suit, the awkward yet always-reliable Welsha, who upon hearing about the meeting, decided to insert herself as the white-haired woman's co-guest. Camila knew that no matter how much she objected, the strange girl would not change her mind about it once she decided it, so reluctantly, she let her tag along. Still, it wasn't that bad, if anything it was a bit reassuring to know that whatever she had to say, she would be backed up by arguably her most devoted and loyal min- work associate.

Making her way through the main lobby and into the elevator, the veteran took no time to bother marveling at the exquisite and arguably excessive architecture of the place, it was not her first time at a fancy building in West, and it would not be her last. By now this wasn't anything special, it was the norm that she had come to expect. "Remember, Welsha, I need you to behave as best as you can, no hugs or shouting, the people gathering here today won't doubt for a second to use any sign of weakness to their advantage" Said Camila as she looked at herself through her pocket mirror, brushing her hair with a small comb, making sure she looked her possible best by the time the elevator stopped.

The elevator cabin stopped after a short moment, declaring the end of its journey with a high pitched beeping sound, the door slid open in a smooth motion immediately after. With confident steps, her heels clacking against the marbled floor, Camila approached those who had already arrived. "Good to see you well, Queen, Cal, I'm very thankful for your invitation" She gave him one of her classic saleswoman's smiles, pretty much everyone in the room knew just how fake it was, but a formality is a formality. "I certainly hope the food is up to my standards" She let out a giggle, making it clear that her words were in jest...for the most part at least.

Veering her gaze to the pair next to him, her smile shifted slightly, one more natural and relaxed, not exactly one that felt genuine, but not exactly forced either. "Calrissian, Montaña, nice to see you both" Not exactly chasing for further conversation with them at the moment, Camila made her way to one of the empty seats, her purse left hanging to the side of the chair. Her attention then shifted to the one girl who had been on her mind a surprising amount as of late. "Alicia, hey there, It's been a while" She placed one leg over the other as she got comfortable in her seat, taking to appreciate just how different the air around the spoiled brat was now. "I heard a lot about what's happened to you recently, let me say, you sure look like you blend in among our ranks far better now...Affectionately, of course" An inevitable smug expression appeared on her face as she spoke to Alice, a lone fingertip now tracing the rim of her empty wine glass in a circular motion.

Spoiler: Mentions

Chaos Gallant Beann joshuadim AriAriAbabwa simj26 The One Eyed Bandit QuirkyAngel Peckinou

 

[QuirkyAngel]

Meirin Azuza

CS Link

SCENE:

The Yeye Home

LOCATION:

The Yeye Home, East District (LittleLeaf zone)

LOCATION:

June 5th, 2022 || Post-Arc 3, Timeskip 1

PARTICIPANTS:

Meirin, Dyne, Isaiah, Devin, Sabrina, Ruriko, Jess, Ottilie

The Yeye Home

Meirin learned that Jessamine, despite being several years younger than her, was a much deeper thinker. Magic wasn’t magic if it could be explained? If it had rules bound to genetics? She’d never thought of it that way before and the notion had her brain whirling, brows furrowed and fingers to her chin as she tried to process the concept. Certainly the fireballs and wazoos of wizards became less dazzling to her once she was introduced to the world of HPs, but it wasn’t as if she didn’t find entertainment in watching others do the things she couldn’t.

Potentiality was incredibly diverse. No one knew where it came from or why only 10% of the population had it. Science said genetics–a random mutation. Meirin, being religious, saw it as a gift from god…though ‘gift’ probably wasn’t the right word in her younger years. Back then, she had wanted to fit in. Size-shifting, as well as uncontrolled strength, had been a hindrance to that.

Were those powers the same as feats of wizardry she’d seen on TV? Did that make her a magician?

While Meirin entertained those thoughts, Jessamine continued to talk, so Meirin continued to listen. Though, this time, she worked while listening. Multitasked.

If there was one thing she appreciated about Jess, it was that the rookie had a strong sense of justice; Definitely a Dragon. Meirin even agreed to a degree. It wasn’t fair that her sister could not join the Dragons because of how she was born. Not fair that she could never be as physically strong as Meirin no matter how hard she worked. However, Meirin did not share the Serpent mentality that everyone should have powers, which would only bring more chaos than good. She did not question the decision of ‘god’ or the way things were meant to be. She preferred things natural.

So what if Jun couldn’t smash a house or randomly break beds whenever she caught a cold? The former brothel worker was smart, beautiful, could cook…much more useful traits in Meirin’s mind.

Her thought process was halted as Jessamine suddenly redirected a question at her. “Me?”

It had yet to register in Meirin’s mind that Jess avoided her main question, since the younger girl had talked quite a bit about thought-provoking subjects, though once it did, Meirin simply shrugged it away. ‘Are you happy?’ was a simple but difficult question for her as well…and she could see how it might be perceived as intrusive. Jess seemed fine with her family. That was the important part.

“I was 16 when I first started to work part-time at a Dragon brothel; I wanted to be closer to my Sister, who I deeply admired and who was sold there due to an unfortunate string of circumstances.” And a sleezy adoptive father, but Merin didn’t feel the need to elaborate on that part, “That was when I first met Dragons–including our current Ace, Izzy–and realized they weren’t as bad as the stories and media painted them to be. Don’t get me wrong, they were still dangerous, and I knew better than to piss any one of them off, but they weren’t boogymen or monsters like in the stories Madame Kouka would tell to get us to do our chores. They were regular people with regular jobs–minus Dragon work–living out their lives like you and me. Alot of them were even friendly, though since I worked in one of their brothels, I supposed they wouldn’t have much reason to be hostile to the cleaner…”

She shook her head to keep herself from going off tangent and continued to clean. “Anyway, once I graduated high school, I contemplated switching to full time and doing the same job my sister did” since she didn’t have any goals of her own besides wanting to be closer to her sister. “But I couldn’t quite cut it–beat up one of their important clients instead. The next day, when I figured I was going to get killed, or at the very least fired, a letter of invitation appeared on my bed. It was like magic.”

At the very least, Meirin didn’t understand it. To this day, she didn’t know which Veteran recommended her or why they did. “People that found out,” basically all of Eternal Night Palace. “started to treat me differently. Cautiously. It was bizarre. The brothel’s owner offered to legally adopt my sister and I, which we naturally accepted, so now Eternal Night Palace is pretty much family business . Sis no longer has to work. I got Dragon Training. It was a good deal for us.”

Saying it that way made it sound so…business-like…but it really was the better option in terms of freeing her sister. And it gave Meirin a family. And financial security. “The work was a little scary at first, but I met some awesome people along the way, who helped ease me into it, and now I can’t really see myself anywhere else. I'd like to do the same for you. Not mentor exactly,” She didn't know who invited Jess into the Dragons, why, or what the other girl's goals even were. She didn't see herself teaching anyone anything except Shaolin martial arts…which her black belt licensed her to teach. Maybe sex ed since she'd learned a lot from working in a brothel. "But if you have any questions feel free to ask. Whether it's about me or the organization we ended up in, I'll be happy to answer to the best of my abilities~!"

Should Jess continue to prod the Dragon veteran, she would find Meirin to be a fairly open book. Nothing to hide…at least in regards to herself. However, the secrets of others were met with an 'I don't know' or 'I'm not allowed to say' since she certainly didn't consider herself a snitch.

Thus time passed.

The Yeye home found itself much cleaner than before thanks to the efforts of its visitors. The roof repaired. The children entertained.

***

While she’d been assisting the orphanage cleanup (because she couldn’t cook), Meirin found an old photo album amidst the rubbish of things she sorted through and took a break to browse. Old pictures. Old memories. Should any of her friends stop by, and were curious, she would’ve shown them the pictures as well. It was nothing to hide:

Meirin had lost track of time until Madame Kouka popped her head in. “It’s lunchtime. Tell your friends they are all invited.”

“In a sec…”

“What are you looking at?” Madam Kouka joined, peering over Meirin’s shoulder. “Oh.”

“I can’t believe I was so tiny back then…” Meirin spoke in wonder. “And what the fuck was I wearing? A mask?”

“Language,” The elder matron chastised. Then she chuckled. “You certainly were quite the rascal when you were younger.”

“Was I?”

“Oh yes. Always picking fights with the other children. Always hard-head and vocal with your opinions. Jun had to step in for you whenever you got too big for your breeches. It wasn’t until you started visiting the local temple that you calmed down.. ”

“I didn’t think you remembered,”

“I remember every child that passes through my doors,” Madame Kouka stated matter-of-factly. A sharp mind even in her old age–just as Meirin remembered her. Nothing ever got by the strict orphanage matron when she was on duty, whether it was sneaking off during curfew or stealing candy from the jar. Meirin ought know. She tried it all. “How is Jun these days?”

“Happy,”

“That’s good, that’s good. I’ve never had to worry about her much since she’s always been a good child. It’s a relief that she ended up in a good family.”

Meirin bit her tongue.

“...unlike you who is still very much a troublemaker.”

“You knew?”

“Hard not to while I still live in the East District and you run around as giant. Are those friends of yours Dr…?” Meirin didn’t answer and the orphanage matron shook her head. “You’re right. I probably don’t want to know.”

“Are you ashamed?”

“Of what?”

“Of my choices. Of what I’ve become…”

Madam Kouka studied Meirin intently. “Why should I? It’s your life. Those are your choices. I do my best to raise you kids decently, find good families for you to live in, but all children are different. You’ve always been hard-headed and rebellious, unlike Jun, so it’s no surprise you went your own way.”

“Guess that’s why I was always passed by during Adoption Day,” Meirin chuckled.

“Possibly.”

Seriously–,”

“But you know,” The old lady continued as if she wasn’t interrupted. “Life has a funny way of planting you where you are meant to be. I never liked children when I was younger. Yet, here I am. I’m certain you never planned on being a criminal, but these things happen in life. I assume you had a good reason for doing so and I won’t ask.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Because you never got adopted, I’ve watched you for grow for 18 years,” Madame Kouka deadpaned. “Of course I know. You haven’t changed one bit since you’ve left these orphanage doors–still a troublemaker….but a responsible one that tries to do right by her eyes. You wouldn’t have brought me that child, or be here cleaning this old orphanage, otherwise.”

“You’ll take her in?”

“If that’s what she wants…”

Both pair of eyes flitted to the window where the children played outside…and were met with a gruesome sight of a boy crawling out of a carnivorous plant’s mouth. Madam Kouka paled.

Meirin was quick to reassure her. “It’s okay, Madam Kouka! I’m sure they’re jus’ playin’. Dev would never let George eat them! And, even if it does, by accident, I can always make it throw up…”

Madame Kouka pinched the bridge of her nose. “Just make sure they’re all hosed off before stepping foot into the dining hall. I will not have them trek in plant slobber.”

Meirin saluted before marching off to help with the corralling and cleaning of kids, album still tucked under her arm.

@Damafaud Lucem @Saturn_moon @Misuteeku simj26

 

[Peckinou]

Zulin

CS Link

SCENE:

Loose Exhibition

LOCATION:

Premier Motors, South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Zulin, Gideon

Loose Exhibition

Zulin smirked as Gideon seemed pretty excited by the fact they were able to make a clean enough getaway, though it was pretty sloppy it wasn't the worst, plus it was quite a rush, which was very fun. Zulin couldn't help but chuckle a bit as Gideon playfully bumped into them, as they drove away, now that they got away a new problem needed to be addressed. He hoped Gideon would know a person, but when he mentioned Helva, Zulin was taken aback for a moment, with a shrug he said "Probably, either that or she is hunting as she likes to call it." it was pretty obvious what Zulin meant by hunting so he really didn't think he needed to expand on that. "Though she could also be interrogating someone I don't know for sure." Zulin wasn't for sure exactly what she was doing at the moment and he didn't feel like telepathically asking her, at the moment.

Though when Gideon mentioned if there was anything he wanted to do Zulin smirked, before musing over their question in contemplation. That was until Gideon gave them another question, asking what Helva thought of him, Zulin couldn't help but chuckle at the question. "Well i don't get told everything by her, she is pretty secretive and doesn't trust me all that much, but I do know she doesn't dislike you at the very least, and probably leans positively toward you" But just as Zulin was finished talking he smirked towards Gideon deciding to tease him just a bit " Though if your asking in order to know if you have a chance of asking her out, sorry to disappoint but I'm pretty sure you have absolutely zero chance." He couldn't help but laugh as he said that last part, not being very serious at all about it.

After Zulin recovered himself he got an idea and asked Gideon "You know any places around that sell paintball guns and green paintballs? or red, either one would do." Plus he would have time to telepathically ask Helva if she had any contacts that would be able to help deal with the stolen car they obtained.

Coyote Hart

 

[simj26]

Dagger

CS Link

SCENE:

Sweet Talkin' Woman

TIME:

December 22nd, 2021 | Pre Arc 3

LOCATION:

Park's Safehouse

PARTICIPANTS:

Passeri, Dagger

Sweet Talkin' Woman

She was suddenly acutely aware of herself. Too often had Chloe and Talbain told her that she looked like a wet dog when she came in from the rain, and that the smell was only marginally better. Confined within the box of metal that was the van that had ferried them to the staging ground and away from it, she was not sure if she was causing Park or her friend much distress. She resisted the urge to take a sniff herself. On other occasions, she would have cared little, and even less if someone mentioned it. In this case, however, the stymieing silence of the trip back would have been much less uncomfortable than if they did.

Her mind lingered on this strange obsession over what the other two might have perceived her smell to be until the crisp ‘ding’ of the elevator pierced through the haze. Had she unwittingly followed the two of them like some kind of lost dog? Her eye scanned the location, and noted, with some level of impression, that it was healthily stocked, not unlike a safehouse. The only thing it was possibly missing was a gun cabinet. Still a little dazed from getting her brain rocked in her skull, she wandered off to the side, running a finger across the surface of a table. Dust. Not exactly abandoned, but not really maintained either. Not a common haunt for Park.

She could feel Park’s friend boring holes through the back of her head with her eyes, but she did not bother to respond in kind. She continued to study the structure of the living quarters until she felt the eyes leaving her alone.

“I was paid to help you extract the target. I did as I was instructed.” She finally spoke, and slid the wet jacket off her shoulders. She started to unbutton her shirt, drenched as it were from the rain. The jacket had done little to shield it. “I have to refuse the bonus payment. An apology. For abandoning you the last time.” She dumped the shirt onto the jacket, and stretched the dull pain from her limbs away.

Was she alright? Not a question that people asked the lone wolf. Not one that was asked for the longest time, at any rate. “I’m…fine.” She thought it would be better to leave out the remark that she had gone through worse. Surmised that it would have been a little too snide for the mood. “If I had access to my full arsenal, there would have been nothing left of the place,” she said bluntly instead, in response to Park’s suggestion that she could have grounded the bouncers. She would have, but it was probably not worth it at all. She kicked off her pants into the same pile, the various metal implements in her pockets making a dull thump as it landed.

Now in nothing more than her skivvies, she gathered up her clothing and strode over to a chair and draped her wet clothing over it. “I’m going to let this dry out first, and then I’ll leave.” With the rain outside right now, she was not about to test a HP’s immunity to catching a cold.

“I…” she paused. She had never truly watched a movie before. The squad had tried to drag her to some films before, but she had never paid much attention to the stories or camerawork or whatever it was. She was always mainly focused on the gunplay and the knifework, if there had been any. “Anything’s fine.”

Spoiler: tags

The One Eyed Bandit

 

[angel doe]

celestine renee cadieux

CS Link

SCENE:

blurred borders

LOCATION:

hartswan terrace, north district

TIME:

pre-arc 1 || october 25th, 2019 - night

PARTICIPANTS:

darius, celestine

blurred borders

Celestine just smiled at him, turning and tilting her head downward to meet his gaze, "Of course, I am okay with doing this, Darius. I would not have offered otherwise." Her smile wavered for a moment when she noticed the way his expression darkened and took a step towards him.

"Wanting to forget is nothing to be ashamed of, you know. What matters most to me is your health and if this is something that will affect you negatively from here on, I do not want you to go through that." Celeste did her best to reassure him despite knowing it may not mean much, "You may think you are being selfish by accepting this offer, but you are not. Trust me."

She paused, biting her lip, "I do have to touch you to do this, however, but do not feel bad if I get hurt." She looked him dead in the eyes and lifted her hands to his face, "This is my choice."

With that, Celestine set the timer on her shock bracelet for 25 seconds, took a deep breath, and gently touched her fingertips to his skin. Her eyes started glowing white as she delved into his mind, pushing past the mental barriers that would normally keep her out when using her ability without making physical contact.

It didn't take long for her to locate the memories of everything that happened tonight as they were some of the most prominent, and she was grateful she didn't have to dig any deeper. Focusing all of her energy, Celestine grabbed ahold of the memories from when they first entered the house until this exact moment, dissolving them entirely. In order to fill that space, she did what she could to craft memories of them getting their job done, keeping it purposefully vague and hoping that would be enough.

A painful shock jolted Celeste from Darius's memories just as she had completed her task, "So... How are you feeling?" Although still slightly disoriented, Celestine's only concern was if he was okay or not, and whether this had actually worked.

She hoped it worked.


WhiskeyMarten

 

[simj26]

Inigo Han

CS Link

SCENE:

Cleaning Duty

LOCATION:

Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Eric, Inigo

CLEANING DUTY

“Get that thing out of my face.” He waved irritably at what remained of the gold star that Eric had sent his way, but it had done nothing to mask the smug look on his face. He had definitely not planned for the kaleidoscopic burst of colours, but that it happened was what he would call a happy accident. Looking good was never on the top of his priority list, but when it did happen, it was appreciable.

He threw a dull look at the officers who stormed in. Eric, as always, took the speaking role. For all that it was worth, he, instead, took on the opportunity to introduce his boot to the offending thug’s face, and then to one of his hands, as he walked towards the door. Maintaining his silence, he tipped his cap as he walked past the attending officers, affirming that Eric’s words were his.

He broke out into a jog, falling in line beside Eric. He turned slightly towards the officers, and jerked a thumb towards them, his face set in a grim scowl. “Cut the crap, Detective,” he snarled. “You know full well that I’m going to be the one who’s filling in the papers later.”

His scowl held. Then it broke, and he did, too, into a fit of laughter, and he clapped a hand on Eric’s back. “The things I do for you, Eric.” He brushed a few crumbs of crystals from his hands and cracked his knuckles. “Right, let’s go. But it’s your treat, yeah? For the paperwork.”

Roda the Red

 

[Doctor Llamabean]

COLLAB: CHIKAGE, KYODEN, YELENA

SCENE:

Ice Breakers

TIME:

Post-Arc 3 — June 25th, 2022

LOCATION:

CDPD HQ, 2nd-floor Break Room

PARTICIPANTS:

Sebastian, Chikage, Kyoden, Jean, Tatsuo, Yelena, Inigo, Eric, Kyoden, Yelena

ICE BREAKERS

The office was wide and clean. The windows were tarped, in need of replacement but someone had insisted they take last priority. Due to a shift in the building from the earthquake, the walls were cracked with inch-deep fissures that branched off from one another.

Looking at it, one might argue the building was unfit for occupation, but a thorough inspection suggested it was safe.

Safe enough.

Most of the furniture was unscathed. The desk looked good as new, the chairs plump for comfort, and the bar was well-stocked as always. As for the shelving unit behind the desk, apart from its solid appearance, the cabinet doors creaked in their hinges now, a new resistance when opening them.

The Captain wasn’t there, but the office was not empty.

— — —​

Yelena leaned against Chikage's desk, a large, hand-rolled cigar dangling precariously between pursed lips. Her arms were folded in front of her chest, and her legs were crossed. Her head tilted back and allowed tendrils of sinuous smoke to flow freely out of her open mouth.

After a long moment’s contemplation, she sighed, pinched the cigar between her fingers, and pushed herself upright, all before leveling her gaze at the only other person in the smoke-filled room.

"Zo. You finally came back into ze fold. Huh?" Yelena’s thick Ruthenian accent seeped into her words as she spoke.

Kyoden offered Yelena a soft smile, squinting slightly to see past the smoke that filled the room. He shifted his weight back, leaning against the wall closest to the door. At the sound of a slight pop though, he immediately took his back off the cracked wall, looking down on the floor to see debris that had been displaced thanks to him. He looked around for a moment before sweeping the debris away from him with his foot.

”Uh…yeah! Not really my decision with my cover being compromised but…” He clapped his hands together, nodding to himself in thought. ”I don’t mind returning to the basics!”

Without much sign or warning, the office door swung open to announce the arrival of a third party.

The man took three steps in before halting at the sight of the woman behind his desk, a woman he’d grown rather familiar with since the capture of Yuudai Fuse of the Sable Serpents, more familiar than he suspected she knew. Taking her in without a word, the Captain’s head, next, turned slowly to meet eyes with the tall man beside him.

A moment’s pause rode silent breaths before Chikage faced forward again, “I wasn’t expecting company,” and approached his desk.

— — —​

Chikage hated leisure work events, but he’d grown used to them over the years. Not so much to his good fortune, as he never went so far as to call himself lucky, but conveniently, he was the Captain and had an endless supply of excuses to justify his absence from most occasions.

Not this one, though. Chikage wanted to be here.

That being said, he’d been locked in his office for a while now. After all, it was still a work day, and Central was no closer to reclaiming its former glory, if glorious was ever the thing to call it, but more than that…

Looking up from his desk, and the papers splayed across it over a manila folder, he eyed his company for a spell, said nothing, then glanced back at the papers.

“Kyoden or Kokyo? Which do you prefer?” An eyebrow was raised as he met eyes with the tall man once more.

Kyoden contemplated for a second. For the past decade, he had been practically living a different life. This would be a chance to start fresh — starting with what he wanted to be called around the office. Despite that train of thought though, the only thing that came to mind was the tone of amusement whenever Raph said ‘Kyo’. ”Kyo is fine. For Kyoden. Or Kokyo?” He glanced up at the ceiling in thought.

With a shrug, he held his hand out towards Chikage, ”Kyo for Kyoden.”

But Chikage did not reciprocate right off. Grunting, he turned his attention back to the paper in hand, laid it atop the rest, and stood. Only then did he return the gesture, giving also a slight bow of the head. “Kyo for Kyoden then. Most call me Captain, but I have no preference between Nakazajo and Chikage. ”

When that was out of the way, Chikage sat again and began stacking the papers on his desk into a neat pile, returning them to the folder where they belonged. “You have some interesting years behind you.”

He met eyes with the other person in the room, Yelena, and asked her, “Has he undergone the necessary psychological evaluation required to return to the force?”

Yelena shrugged, waving her cigar through the air like a conductor's baton before answering flippantly, "Vhat do I look like?" Evidently, not her department.

She gestured to the door with the glowing ember of her cigar. ”Don't you t'ink it iz time?”

But Chikage’s gaze did not follow. It lingered on the woman, eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

“I’ll arrange for Kyo’s psychological evaluation, myself,” he said, looking to Kyoden, “You’ll be required to complete it before returning to the field.”

After that, Chikage stood again and led the way to the door. “I’ll take you down to meet some of your colleagues.” He led the way down the hall and into the elevator, out of the elevator and to the break room. There, Prosecutor Se was addressing the whole of the attending group about ‘embarrassing secrets’, which Chikage didn’t care to question, so he didn’t.

Instead, he got straight to the point. “Everyone, I would like you to welcome a returning force member from a long period of undercover infiltration in the Sable Serpents. This is Kokyo Kyoden,” he gestured to the towering figure beside him, “I expect that he will be treated like one of the rest… … … …”

Following a pause, Chikage cleared his throat and concluded his speech, “Carry on.”

(Interacting w/ Yelena, Kyoden, Everyone in the break room)
(Mentioned no one)
AriAriAbabwa Elenion Aura Beann Coyote Hart Sei Shonagon Roda the Red simj26 ​

 

[Doctor Llamabean]

August "TAZZ" August

CS Link

SCENE:

Unlikely Encounter

TIME:

Pre-Arc 2 — September 20th, 2021; 1:00 AM

LOCATION:

North District

PARTICIPANTS:

Raphael, August

UNLIKELY ENCOUNTER

August pursed his lips at the question.

He was trying to sober him up. With intoxication comes impulse and unpredictable mood swings, so if he had to choose, sober was the way to go when the company in question was a member of the Sable Serpents whom August, based on their first encounter, was confident wouldn’t think twice before slicing him up at the first misspeak.

Browsing the digital list of nearby hotels gave the impression that August wasn’t sincerely listening. But when Raph concluded his narrative, August put the phone away and finished up pumping the gas.

When he returned to the car, taking the driver’s seat, shutting the door beside him, he put both hands on the wheel and looked at the Serpent. “...Didn’t strike me tha type who’d go feelin’ sorrows ovah some lost bruce… or sheila, ya know, whichevah you’re into.” He briefly recalled the Serpent’s earlier, drunken advances but promptly brushed the memory aside.

“‘S a big city, mate. ‘S more loikely they got nabbed, yeh?”

The car was started, engine already warm, and they were off again, on-route to the nearest hotel.

As he drove, August questioned, with an ounce of doubt, the success rate of gangster-life romance. Perhaps, though, he was biased due to witnessing his father’s own countless failed attempts. Partner after partner, all short-lived, returned to the sea on account of too little time, attention, and satisfaction.

That’s when the thought hit him. Maybe romance as a gangster should be pursued within, with members of one’s own rodeo.

He stole an absentminded glance at Raph, making a mental note to offer the revelation to his father as a tidbit of advice. But because he looked at Raph, August felt the need to explain himself.

He gestured to the side-view mirror on Raph’s side, “Just checkin’...” Though, that was a lie. He could hardly see the lines on the road to gauge the placement of his wheels. Checking now was just muscle memory.

Flickering in the distance, the letters H, E, and L of HOTEL carried the full weight of advertisement on their shoulders.

Seeing it, August couldn’t help but find it fitting in a place like the North.

He let a drowsy laugh escape him, expecting Raph to share in the amusement despite not pointing it out. “Guess we’re goin’ ta Hel.”

AUGUST NOTES​

— —POST RECAP: August and Raph near the Hotel.

— —WEARING: (Click Here) + Covered in red, wine stains

— —CAR: (2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 (Click Here)

(Interacting w/ Raphael)
(Mentioned no one)
Elenion Aura ​

 

[QuirkyAngel]

Elias Yumin

CS Link

SCENE:

Clad in Golden Dreams

TIME:

June 16th, 2022 | Post Arc 3, TimeSkip 1

LOCATION:

West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Passeri, Ezra, Viss, Mark, Jess, Hiachi, Tak, Elias, Jesper, Misty

Clad in Golden Dreams

Giving a friendly wave (and a smirk) to the tattooed enforcer, Elias was, for the most part, focused on the Albino Tiger King before him. His words had been deliberate, after all…and Markus’s pause said it all. Beating down the overwhelming desire to reach over and peer into the gangster’s memories was perhaps the hardest thing he had to do since breaking up with his ex, but it had to be done. Weiss knew his potential. He did not fancy becoming a popsicle over some unwanted physical contact.

He’d have to do this slow and steady.

In Mouse’s memory, the former Jack suspected that whatever going down below the mine had to do Weiss’s odd “self-talking” behavior these last couple of months. Beatrice Grant had made several mentions of a ‘Meddlesome Tiger’ in her tirade. How was it all connected? Why were all of the Kings gathered in Central that day? The memory manipulator felt like he had all the clues placed out before him, that the answer should’ve been obvious, but a metaphysical line kept them from connecting…

He’d have to do more research.

Well, seeing as the King’s odd behavior waned these last few weeks since the “earthquake”, he didn’t have to do anything. The anomaly had passed. That, of course, didn’t mean it wouldn’t return. Elias wasn’t the sort to bury away problems when they cropped up in business. Nor oddities that he took an interest in; Mysteries were made to be solved and putting together pieces (of memories) was one of Elias’s many hobbies.

“Friends, Mr. Weiss, friends,” Elias repeated merrily. “They were only worried about you. Myself included of course. Should you find anything ails you in the future, having a group to confide in would do wonders for the mood and the mind. Humans are social creatures, after all, and even a King can get lonely.”

In fact, Markus did look quite lonely sitting by himself–an isolated iceberg in a sea of lavish cruisers.

Perhaps a different party would suit him more. Perhaps he truly didn’t belong in the “upper class” with all their shine and gilded gold. Weiss certainly looked to be sort to find more joy in…fighting other Kings? Elias wouldn’t know. He wouldn’t even pretend to know the sorts of things the Albino Tiger gang leader enjoyed (besides wealth, chess, and looking at his phone). What he did know was that 4 Kings of New Oasis had a history of battle. No generation of Kings ever got along for very long. For a long time, he hadn’t thought much of it beyond gangsters being gangsters; Peace was an illusion because gangsters weren’t the sort to get along.

But now, following the failed negotiation of the Dragon King and the Phoenix King, where there a epic battle tore apart the city and their unity at the end saved the District from certain destruction, he wondered if there was more to it.

The prospect excited him.

Then the lights darkened, servers approached in great numbers, Passeri approached, Tak had to use the restroom, and Weiss checked under his table. Elias’s cough masked his chuckle, which would have erupted into full-blown laughter had Elias been any less of a controlled, mannered individual. He couldn’t help it. The series of events was just all too funny and he could only imagine Markus’s expression at finding a girl under his table.

One look at Passeri told him the idol was quite stressed as well; The lying smile was one Elias was quite familiar with.

“I had intended to introduce you to ‘one of ours’ that I’d befriended at this party,” Elias continued as if Markus finding a lady under the table was no big deal. Who knows? Silias might be into that sort of thing. “But he seems to suffer from incontinence and this works just as well. She also belongs to our little kitty club..”

Given the setting, he refrained from using the term Albino Tiger. Having to go around and erase memories in yet another party would be a chore. Charity galas, especially ones hosted by the Knight family and New Oasis’s idol tended to make front page the next day. Elias wasn’t blind to the “hidden” reporter waiting for her next big scoop either. Fame was a hindrance as much as a benefit. As someone who worked in the Entertainment Industry, the future heir of Yumin Entertainment knew that all too well.

Violet eyes shined in amusement as they once more peered down at the scruffy girl that hid under a table. “...what was your name again?”

Slav Lucem Elenion Aura The One Eyed Bandit miki thebigfella simj26 AriAriAbabwa BriiAngelic

 

[Roda the Red]

ERIC EVENSEN

CS Link

SCENE:

I Would Like to See Your Permit

TIME:

Nighttime, December 2021, Post-Arc 2

LOCATION:

Lower Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Lorette, Eric

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOUR PERMIT

Elevation Enterprises? Unfortunately, Eric was quite sure he had never come across such a name in the past, nothing that he could really get a grasp on what her main dealings may be. However, an enterprise? Judging by its title, as well as the woman's lavish attire was enough indication to show that she was most likely from West District, and as generalizing as it may sound, the aggressive competition for capital in that district often left little to no space for true philantropic work. Most of the time, there was something shady happening in the background, and it just so happened that shady was also written all over her behavior.

"Oh, sorry about that, never considered myself much of a gentleman so I didn't notice" She was sharp, her movement was subtle yet unwavering, which only meant one thing. She was clearly on edge and her guard was as up as it could possibly be. Now, admitedly, MAYBE this was because of the simple fact that she was being approached by a stranger in the middle of the night, in a district that presumably she didn't live in. That said, she also seemed awfully eager to interact with strangers on her own just a moment ago, but now that someone approaches her, prodding at the intentions, she goes all distant and defensive. Well, perhaps a sign of trust was all he needed to calm her down, that is, if she had nothing to hide to begin with.

"Oh, it's okay, I don't want to keep you here longer, don't worry" He reached for the right pocket of his sweatpants, pulling out a golden badge. "Detective Evensen, CDPD, as you can see my interest is only in the good of the public, so I think it's only natural if I'm interested in this enterprise of yours...Oh, that's right" He said, snapping his fingers with his free hand. "I'm sure my buddies at the HQ would be interested, we could even help you set up a charity event of some sort, we haven't done one of those in a while after all" With piercing, golden eyes, he gave the woman a final, relaxed smile. "Wanna come with me for a moment so we can set it up? I'm sure there's no reason you'd be against it, right?"

Ramjammer

 

[gxxberkit]

Nona-me Gregor

CS Link

SCENE:

Spotting The Wingless

LOCATION:

East District

TIME:

Night

PARTICIPANTS:

Jozef, Celestine, Keith, Nona-me, Serp + Dragon NPCs

Spotting the Wingless

Quickly enough, the two Dragons came to Nona’s position just as the crow flies. In the few moments after their appearance, the standoff between the groups beneath her feet became tense. A smirk came across her face.

Though Nona would’ve loved to drop down and join the other two in subduing the dealers, she figured she would have more use staying in the sky for now. A bird’s-eye view was perfect.

She tilted backwards with a turn of her head to look behind herself. With the eye of an eagle, she surveyed the area. Suspended rather high up, albeit still below Nona, seemed to be a pair of snake watchers nesting on a fire escape. They didn’t seem to have noticed the scenario just under them… it was hard to tell if they were affiliated or not.

Unlike water off a duck’s back, Nona couldn’t find herself able to shrug off the pair’s proximity to the dealers. Birds of a feather, after all, and foxes were unwelcome in the henhouse. However, these people seemed to just be sitting ducks…

Nona-me figured it wouldn’t hurt to feather her nest; they were wide open and all!

With a silent giggle, she hovered over the pair of assumed Serpents, watching them closely. Their goose was absolutely cooked if they decided to act, and, oh, wasn’t that so exciting!

Once Urumi showed up, he could help out with the entire group of Serpents; then they could kill two birds with one stone!

Her feet swung around in the air, a large grin on her face. She clutched tightly onto the broomaxe, preparing to swoop in once the time came.

Roda the Red angel doe WhiskeyMarten

 

[Doctor Llamabean]

Boltius "BLITZ" Beckman

CS Link

SCENE:

Rain on the Mountaintop

TIME:

Post-Arc 3 — 2022, June 28th

LOCATION:

Borgo Orecchiette, Fusilli

PARTICIPANTS:

Passeri, Jackson, Jesper, Pascal, Milo, Gav, Boltius

RAIN ON THE MOUNTAINTOP

“Not yet. We've got time,” said Milo.

Boltius caught the gesture and got the message.

“For now, let’s eat.”

Bolt nodded, keeping a careful hold on his plate as they moved past Passeri Park, looking for a place to sit. “Right, right. My bad, I just…” He kept his voice low. “I don’t get to do a lot of stealthy, ninja-type shit, so I’m a little- You know…”

Boltius flexed his muscles just then, despite his arm, and growled. “You know? Like…” A second time. Briefly halting in place, he widened his stance and grunted aggressively, then showed his teeth in a goofy smile, catching back up with Milo. “I’m excited!”

More like stupid.

In the time it took for them to occupy a table, Bolt’s mouth was already full (having stolen a bite right off the top without the use of his hands). He dropped down into his seat like a king to his throne and handled his silverware in a way that really exemplified his… charming lack of practice in dining etiquette.

Shoving a fork-full of ham into his mouth, he scraped his teeth on metal and cringed, groaning almost painfully.

Quickly recovered, he eyed his plate for the next bite. “Tell you what, though-”

“Hey, Bolt. Look over here.”

“Ah?” The Ace’s eyes went up to find the camera of Milo’s phone staring back at him. Posing with his mouth open and an empty fork going in, the food descending back to the plate the moment he diverted his attention, the image was taken, unbeknownst to him.

“Not cheese, bro, it’s proteeeein~” Bolt flexed his right arm, making a perfect ball of his bicep while flashing a pretty, squinty-eyed smile.

Afterwards, he went back to eating as usual.

“What else is there to do here, again? Do we gotta talk to people or, like, are we free to do whatever the fuck we want? Should I have a fake name?... Like… Should I be a Kent? Do I look like a Kent?... Say yes an’ I’ll beat yer ass- I don’t wanna be a Kent.”

BOLTIUS NOTES​

— —POST RECAP: Boltius and Milo sit down to eat. Milo takes a picture of Bolt. Boltius poses, not knowing the picture is already taken, and asks Milo questions.

— —WEARING: Some shit like this: (Click Here) His left arm from wrist to shoulder is in a cast and sling. He's wearing his usual bling: rings, chains, bracelets. You know how it goes.

— —TATTOO: (Click Here)

(Interacting w/ Milo)
(Mentioned Passeri)
The One Eyed Bandit Elenion Aura BriiAngelic AriAriAbabwa @The Regal Rper @Anne Boolean​

 

[gxxberkit]

YONG-YUT SOMSRI

CS Link

SCENE:

H-Eye

TIME:

Post Arc-2

LOCATION:

Red West, South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Hector

H-Eye

“Mm.” She pursed her lips, holding her hands together. Her voice was low, but not in a whisper. “Yeah. I have. Just for a moment. I wasn’t the closest to her, but I know how much she matters. She’s pretty great.”

Yong-Yut looked up at him. “I don’t know her very well, but I do know that she cared a lot for us. Definitely you. And I’m not so sure she’d be happy to see you pushing down on yourself.”

“It’s not your fault. It couldn’t be, you know.” She shrugged. Her fingers tapped on the table again as she searched for words. “It’s not like you were the person that injured all those people.”

“She chose to help them. She would've if you were there or not. Wasn’t that admirable? I think you could be admirable, too.” She raised her hand to gesture at him. “Once you get cleaned up, and all.”

WhiskeyMarten