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

[Coyote Hart]

Peyton Xiong

CS Link

SCENE:

Just Another Training Day

TIME:

January 8th, 2022 - 7:00AM || Pre-Arc 3

LOCATION:

Wuyang Temple; East District

PARTICIPANTS:

Meirin, Laura, Peyton, Isaiah, Hou

Just Another Training Day

Peyton flinched like a kid that had been caught in the act of stealing cookies from the cookie jar. There was a guilty look on his face as he turned around. As someone who was much smaller than Meirin, and since Meirin was his boss, he was quite nervous about Meirin disciplining him. But when he realized it was just a tough-looking guy with crimson red hair and a child eating potato chips on his head, he relaxed.

"Come on! I'm like a cheetah: going fast for a small while!" Peyton said when he finally got over his surprise. An easy smirk grew on his face as he talked to the red-haired guy. There was just something so disarming about carrying a kid on his shoulders. He took Hou's hand and gave it an eager shake, "You can call me Pengfei, or Peyton if you prefer."

Peyton had to crane his neck up to look at the Child. With Hou being more than a foot taller than Peyton, meeting the eyes of Xuefeng was a tough task. Although he hadn't met the Child in person, he had heard stories about the unusually able Potential user. "Hey, pal! Good to meet you! With your ears, you look more like a Shu than a Hou Junior."

Really, the kid's chinchilla ears gave him a mousy look.

Peyton stepped into the shop, allowing Hou to hold the door for him. The sound of the pendulum ticking rose to a crescendo, all of the clocks essentially synced up. The multitude of antique designs and gears made it feel like he had stepped into an alternative steampunk world.

"My family owns a Dim Sum restaurant in the West where we had this really big grandfather clock in the reception area," Peyton explained as he browsed the maze of clocks, "We basically lived in that place, and so when the grandfather clock stopped working everyone was real sad. That's why I wanted to look at the clocks."

As Peyton looked over the clocks, he asked Hou a question, "You here to train too? Are you going to be running the laps with Hou Junior on your shoulders?"

SilverFlight
Lucem QuirkyAngel RedArmyShogun

 

[AriAriAbabwa]

TAKAONNA

CS Link

SCENE:

Katakiuchi

LOCATION:

Kason's Mansion, Underground, West District

PARTICIPANTS:

,

Katakiuchi

The buzzing noise wriggled through her ears and into her head. She battered against the walls, trudging step after step, feeling through the hall and along the empty cells. The dreadful noise followed her, hopping room to room from the intercom he always used. Just as routine had it, the buzz corralled the Takaonna into a dead-end room, encased in nothing but steel with a similarly laden door (repurposed from a nuclear bunker) kept open for her. Shinko felt her way inside; the coldness of the surface was ever familiar.

From the push of a button above ground, the doors slid shut firm. At last, the noise stopped, yet came another grating sound. "Wonderful fight today, champ! I raked in another cool million from that fight from bets alone!"

The bruises from that fight still pulsed around her body; her only winnings from victory.

Kason yawned. "At this rate, you'll fight your way into freedom in no time flat!"

How many times has he said that, she wondered?

"Night, night Taka. You oughta get some rest. I've got an even bigger match scheduled tomorrow!" With that, Kason flicked a switch from his office, and the lights floors below shut off; not that it changed from Shinko's perspective. Usually all would go silent at this minute, but the intercom kept scratching to life. "You should come over! I'm hosting another party, and I'm getting all the expensive shit! Hm? Oh, yeah, that thing's back in its pen, don't worry! Besides, I've already tamed it, it's not—Oh, the damn mic's still on..."

In a moment, it was finally silent. Takaonna remained unmoved from the center of the room. Standing. Waiting.

gxxberkit

 

[The One Eyed Bandit]

ANNA GARDENER

CS Link

SCENE:

Mutual Assurance

TIME:

Post Arc 1/Pre Arc 2 — Sometime After September 17th, 2021

LOCATION:

Outside Lab Icarus, North District

PARTICIPANTS:

Raphael Shaw, Anna Gardener

MUTUAL ASSURANCE

"Wh-" Anna's voice caught in her throat. She knew Raphael was a bad guy, but this a straw that she'd assumed he'd leave untouched.

Her eyes wandered behind her mask, putting in a clear and concise effort to look anywhere but at the young man across the table. Or maybe manchild was a better descriptor. With his flagrant and flamboyant waiving of anything that Anna might've considered civil, he certainly reminded her of a child.

"...I don't" She wriggled uncomfortably in her seat. "I don't keep track." Her voice was quieter and more meek, distilled within a cold iron drum of guilt. A lot. That was the best answer she could've given, but she didn't want to. "I don't like to think about it."

On any other day, she would've just stood up and left. She doubted it would've been hard. Even if Raphael wanted to follow her for some god-forsaken reason, he didn't really seem like the athletic type. But today wasn't any other day. Sitting here and chatting with the Serpents' dearest human slimeball was a job. She had to do it.

"W-what about you?" Anna gave him a hesitant stare. "It must be a bit, right? After all, you seem so..." She wasn't sure what to say that wouldn't get her threatened. Or attacked.

"...W-well, you know."

Elenion Aura​

 

[Misuteeku]

Sang-Cheol Man

http://

CS Link

SCENE:

Rock and A Hard Place

LOCATION:

North District, Lab Icarus

TIME:

Pre Arc-3 | September 30th 2021

PARTICIPANTS:

Sang-Cheol, Damien

Rock and A Hard Place

"I'm just saying, Boss, you never know what Damien does with those tentacles-"

"Shut it, Olivine, another word, and I'm sewing your mouth shut." The Sang-Cheol doppelganger raised his hands in mock surrender. The Head of Lab Icarus could shake his head at his subordinate's crude jokes. Sang-Cheol already had enough on his plate to deal with various problems that sprouted up after returning from his mission.

Raphael's disappearance was one of them. He had to file a report and give it to Snake; needless to say, Snake was not happy to read it. Yuudai got arrested, which surprised Sang-Cheol, and all the labs and Serpents were in disarray over losing their King. Not to mention fucking, Tri was the one who had to be placed as King. Sang-Cheol couldn't exactly let that slide. Then Mimi came, and he slipped a few things, and now she was irritated as well.

The only thing that was even remotely a good thing was the files he had obtained from the mission.

Olivine just smiled and slowly left the area. Now left with his thoughts, Sang-Cheol sighed and waited for Damien to show up. The octopus man was someone Sang-Cheol had reluctantly gotten to know over time. While the obnoxiously tall man was surprisingly pleasant to spend time with, the surprise drop-ins made Sang-Cheol furious. It didn't help that Damien was the curious type. He'd have to watch over squid boy and make sure he didn't stick his nose where it didn't belong. One of Damien's many redeeming factors was that he listened, so he was pretty high on Sang-Cheol's list.

Regardless of what he had thought, Sang-Cheol had a request to make to Damien. Usually, someone who was more sociable like Rebecca or Gerda would handle cases such as these, but this was important. He needed someone who was incredibly inquisitive, someone like Damien. Damien was curious enough to slaughter an NP without much thought if told to do so. Trusting in that trait, Sang-Cheol hoped to have him get some information he needed to perform his next big experiment though there was a problem.

What Damien was going to ask for in return was what worried Sang-Cheol. Nobody knew what the man was thinking, and Damien could want anything from him. So, what would he ask for?

Spoiler: Tags

Lucem

 

[SilverFlight]

Hou Huang

CS Link

SCENE:

The Koi Pond

TIME:

2021

LOCATION:

Park, East District

PARTICIPANTS:

Hou, Shen

THE KOI POND

"Heheh, yeah. Marnie says I run my mouth too much. But Coco says I should be as loud as I want, take my space y'know? I think I get both sides."
He beamed when Shen agreed to help him name the fish. Hou got up onto the railing again, hooked his legs around the banister and lowered himself close to the water.
The fish didn't seem to notice him, their fins cutting the surface as they milled about.
Very gently, Hou reached out a hand to brush the back of one, and it swam deeper in annoyance.
"You look like a....Midnight Assassin." The first name had been cast.

"Oh!" Hou pulled himself up and leapt deftly back onto the path.
"Don't go anywhere. I'll be right back." He told Shen, an excited smile playing on his lips.
He turned and jogged away. Hou stopped at the vendour with his cart. He could be seen speaking enthusiastically and pointed back to the bridge where Shen stood.
A few more words exchanged and Hou returned with a small paper bag. He thrust the item into Shen's hands triumphantly.
A few of the tiny pellets spilled out onto the path.
"It's Koi food! Go ahead, feed 'em!"

Hou returned to looking at the water, picking out fish to subject to his creative skills:
"That one? Spring in the Mountains, and that one? Ocean Storm, and that one?..." Hou thought for a long time.
"Uhh. Bob."
He grinned back at Shen. "Your turn."

Spoiler: Tags

Elenion Aura

 

[The One Eyed Bandit]

Passeri Park

CS Link

SCENE:

The Punchline

TIME:

February 12th, 2016 || Roland's Reign

LOCATION:

The Precipice

PARTICIPANTS:

Passeri Park, Charmy Delvin

The Punchline

A spark of recognition.

This wasn't the first time Passeri had been examined like this, forced to take a journey of impromptu introspection at the behest of another. Paparazzi and psychologists, both used the same tricks and wanted the same things. She knew well enough when somebody was trying to prod and poke and worm their way into her head. This woman was like one of them.

But that wasn't all. With those sorts, things began and ended then and there. It was all scrutable and plain. They wanted to ruin her. They wanted to help her. But here-

There was a suitcase. Hushed whispers. Rushed orders. A gun.

Here was an alien place.

"What I'm lacking...?" Passeri trailed off, and her mind wandered about in an aimless grope for something of substance. "I guess, grit?"

It was vague, but it'd do.

"I'd like to learn how to take care of myself, you know! And I don't figure that a self-defence course will really be enough to pass in..." She cleared her throat, and shifted in her seat. "The business, so... I figured somewhere like this was the best place!" Her voice was chipper, accented with excitement even through the haze of deepening bruises that coated her body.

"So um-" Passeri caught Charmy's gaze, but shrunk away. Her eyes flicked between the other woman and her mysterious accoutrement. "What'cha got there? Not gonna put one between my eyes are you? That be like, sooooo cliche. Like in a pulp movie."

Her voice was relaxed and obviously meant in humour, but there was still an inch of caution in there. She never knew what to expect from these gangster types.

BluEndings​

 

[simj26]

Dagger/Elaine Domovoy

CS Link

SCENE:

Building Bridges

LOCATION:

South District

PARTICIPANTS:

???, ???, ???

Building Bridges

Hello My Name Is
Elaine Domovoy

Disguises weren't much of her thing. She had learned on more than one occasion that simply changing her hairstyle and placing contacts over her eyes have worked much better than completely changing her look. Her hair had grown out back to its usual mess, and she had neglected to even attempt hiding the scars on her eye, and more than once, now, she had been apprehended by other Tigers for skulking around their headquarters. She had completely dropped the relatively cleaner look she had been sporting, retreating back into threadbare jackets, grimy tops, and fourth-hand pants. Just to make sure no one would ever call her by any other name, or simply to give those who had no other name for her something to call her by, she had slapped on a little sticker on her chest, and hoped that it would be enough.

She had dropped the jacket on the ground somewhere, where it could pick up more dust and dirt, and had went to work on the bridge. She didn't know why she was here, to tell the truth. Maybe it was just out of a warped sense of responsibility. Maybe she just wanted to do something. Idle hands are the devil's playthings, as her father once said. She was never the type to sit on her thumbs, waiting for something. With sleep evading her, and the horrors encroaching upon her every time she attempted to close her eyes, she was set on keeping her hands busy, in some way or another. When the singer kickstarted a volunteer project to fix up the bridge that the Knight boy had ruined several months ago.

She set the shovel down, rested her arm on it, and shielded her eye as she looked up at the blazing sun. This was good weather for construction work. She had taken a couple of part-time works here and there, and even a spot of dark clouds lurking in the distance would have made the others groan at the prospect of either abandoning work, or rushing the job. She supposed she could take a break for the time being. She glared at the artificial beings that had now taken over the work, then at Alpha who was lazing under some shade. She snarled at him, and he yawned dismissively, as if it was entirely her fault that he did not have opposable thumbs. It almost looked as if he was smirking at her. She rolled her eye, and stabbed the shovel into a pile of dirt as she stormed back to the giant wolf. She gripped him by his snout and growled deeply, scratching under his jaw. He looked nonplussed, and once she released her hold on him, he went back to lazing on the ground. She had let the dogs out to go gallivant around while she was working. Akela and Gunnolf were probably frolicking in a park somewhere, but Alpha had decided that he had done enough work for the past few months, deciding to park himself under some shade and relax. Just like Father used to do on off days.

She sighed, and left the spectral wolf alone, making her way straight to where Park was, surrounded by yet another group of fanboys. After the last incident, she couldn't trust these kinds of people. Some of the mooks had given her a report of what happened and the aftermath, and it only made her worried about yet another group of people. As if terrorists, extremists, and gangsters weren't enough, she had to think about fanatics as well. Ugh. She barged into the conversation. This was a good a time as any to apologise to Park. "Park, we need to talk." She glared at the redhead, then slowly pushed Park around. "I'm sorry about the concert. I..." she paused, trying to find a reason, then cursed herself. There was nothing that wouldn't sound like an excuse to her. Nothing she said was worth anything. "Sorry," was all she managed, before she stalked off, back to Alpha.

She fell down beside Alpha, and lay her head down on his fur. She folded her arms together, and stared towards the bridge. Just a break. Just a short break.

The One Eyed Bandit Nobody Special AriAriAbabwa

 

[BluEndings]

"HANUEL" BAE (HIFUMI)

CS Link

SCENE:

[Clouds at the Summit]

TIME:

Pre-Arc 1, March 21st, 2017

LOCATION:

Millennium Hall, East District

PARTICIPANTS:

Hifumi, Bae Family (NPCs), Shen, Others?

CLOUDS AT THE SUMMIT

The trek to their destination had been a long one.

Not only was the path physically extraneous, but the journey had been devoid of any conversation, spare the few reprimands of Hifumi’s father. Normally there would be no intrinsic issue with silence, but the weight of today was nipping at Hifumi’s vigor. His fortitude was already demanding hefty amounts of air with no opportunity to recoup. This much was supposed to be the standard. No—not even a consideration.

In the current times, the Bae Family’s attendance was for little more than appearances. Hifumi himself had only heard sparse rumors and the tales father or brother would bestow. The details were taboo, but it was evident that the other family’s did not take kindly to their presence. His family had long since fallen out from whatever grace they once had. What was left was the constant and continual need to justify their very presence. A need that has only amplified as of recent affairs.

The entire social and political spectrum was not intended for Hifumi. He had been raised in an entirely different circle up until now. But with the discouraging reality of his brother’s betrayal, a whole new set of responsibilities had been thrust upon him. Both by his own family and by the many he was to face in the upcoming gathering. It was crucial he displayed not only adequacy equal to his sibling, but a level of excellence that would reignite the other’s trust in the Bae Family.

His hand tensed against his sisters.

“Fumi?”

Her voice bounced in the back of his mind, but he put her worries to rest by relaxing his grip. This would be his first time here, but she attended the years prior. It was a slight relief, but valuable in the face of coming here alone with his house’s head.

“Eun”—the iron voice of the siblings’ father—“you are not to refer to him as such in front of the others.” The man’s scrupulous glare zeroed in on their hands. “Hanuel, I expect no such displays in public. You are here to demonstrate strength and dignity. Or have you already forgotten?”

The two immediately released hands, and extended a hasty bow.

It seemed excessive, but Hifumi knew better. There was no doubt that his father had noticed much earlier, and yet he had allowed it as far as now. He was someone who was shouldering much these days. Even so, he continued to handle the formalities of higher duty with an edge of grace. There was no man Hifumi respected more. It was this pride that fueled his determination to make the world recognize the Bae Family once again.

It would be a hard battle, however. The final steps up might have been the hardest to take. The entire trail had been an enormous display of scenery, but the, now in view, building was a monolith to the East District’s dedication. It was obviously an old structure, but its pristine condition would make one doubt. Despite the bounteous surrounding flora, it remained clear of leaves and petals. It was only the immense statues at the sides that gave indication of wear.

The trio paid their respects, before making their way into the building.

What had seemed tranquil and vacant just earlier had become an eruption of liveliness from the moment they stepped into the foyer. Masses of unfamiliar faces and clothes reserved to a nominal level of noise. The whiplash already had Hifumi frozen in place until the firm palm of his father made contact with his back.

“Do not concern yourself with affairs beyond you.” He directed them towards their places. “When the opportunity presents itself you are to establish lasting connections. I care not how.”

Hifumi nodded, but his eyes were already faltering against the stares and whispers around them.

NAVIGATE

 

[SilverFlight]

Hou Huang

CS Link

SCENE:

Just Another Training Day

TIME:

January 8th, 2022 - 7:00AM || Pre-Arc 3

LOCATION:

Wuyang Temple; East District

PARTICIPANTS:

Meirin, Laura, Peyton, Jesper, Hou and others

Just Another Training Day

The child wrinkled his nose at the names being tossed about, but continued eating all the same. His eyes widened at the mention of the dim sum restaurant however, and his expression mirrored Hou's perfectly.
"Whoa really? Hey kid, guess where we're going for breakfast tomorrow!" He glanced up at Xuefeng, who nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah we're here to train. I didn't think this little guy could keep up with the big dogs yet but, I think he hates being left alone. Ruri's busy so, he's with me today."

Hou considered the clocks on the wall, their elegant faces and gentle ticking.
"So your clock's broken huh? You know, I think I could take a look at it later, if you want. Coco worked as a repair guy before she took over the club. She taught me a thing or two."
Then Hou had an idea. You could tell by the way his eyes lit up. He threw a wide grin at Peyton.
"Hey tell you what, if I can fix your clock, howabout you let me and the kid here eat on the house one day?"




QuirkyAngel AriAriAbabwa RedArmyShogun Coyote Hart

 

[Lucem]

Ashley Hart

CS Link

SCENE:

Ballin'

TIME:

Pre-Arc 3: March 29th, 2022 -- Evening

LOCATION:

South District... Old basketball court in the middle of nowhere...

PARTICIPANTS:

Boltius, Milo, Roza, Rin, Yong-Yut, Hector, Ashley, Libla, Hitoshi

BALLIN'

"Not bad, Lolo." Letting the bouncing ball fall into his palm, Ashley grinned and turned to face the blonde artist. "Now let's see how you do in the game."

He and Milo weren't particularly close, and the latter had only been in the gang for a few months, but that didn't stop him from indulging in a little friendly teasing. The new recruit had already proven himself during the fight with the Tigers. While that didn't necessarily mean he was a great guy, Ashley figured he at least owed him the benefit of the doubt, especially if Bolt was willing to vouch for him.

Slapping another hand down on the ball, Ashley eyed up the line of new faces. Unless he was dealing with the gang's leaders, he usually didn't care about ranks. However, after becoming a Veteran, he was starting to feel differently about stuff like that. It wasn't a drastic change, but looking at all the new blood made him wonder if he'd end up sponsoring someone in the future.

"Name's Ash. Alias is Riot, but you don't gotta worry about that unless we're on the job. Lookin' forward to seein' what you Rookies can do."

Tossing the ball back to Boltius, Ashley's gaze settled on the organizer of today's game. It was easy to forget that his friend was the Ace now, especially when he still acted like his usual self. It was a big change, and it almost didn't feel real sometimes. However, that didn't mean he thought the promotion was undeserved. He was damn proud of Bolt, and he felt the same way about Hector. After everything that happened, those two definitely earned their current positions.

"So, we ready to play? Of course, if you'd rather have that fight, I'm willing to give it to ya."

Spoiler

Doctor Llamabean Elenion Aura RedArmyShogun EmperorsChosen gxxberkit WhiskeyMarten Peckinou joshuadim

 

[QuirkyAngel]

Elias Yumin

CS Link

SCENE:

Love at Yu Min Cuisine

TIME:

February 14th, 2022 | Pre Arc 3

LOCATION:

West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Elias, Zach (NPC until CS finishes), Sabrina, Meirin, Samira, Minato, Camila, Passeri, Alice, Pascal

Love at Yu Min Cuisine

“Oh, Heyyy! You’re the girl Eli made cr–”

Elias cleared his throat, cutting Zach off before his old ‘friend’ could finish that line of thought. He smiled at Alice. “You’re very welcome, Alice. Why would that surprise you? We are friends, are we not?”

At the very least, Alice had always stated thus whenever they had tea together; That the Albino Tigers were her friends. Whether or not that remained true, Elias did not know, but he was curious to find out. Alice Morel had always struck him as the friendliest and most innocent member of the Albino Tiger gang; A princess, stuck in her own wonderland and colored view of the world. Certainly, he played a part in keeping her in her pristine cage, but his involvement was recent compared to how long the gang had been using her.

At first, he hadn’t cared.

The Albino Tigers had done much worse to many others. Embezzlement, scams, extortion, murder, etc. It wasn’t as if he paid his way into a gang not knowing what sort of group they were. Why make oneself a gangster without playing the part of the villain? Not like it was all that different from what he did on a daily basis anyway–using his potential to make life easier, that is. New Oasis wasn’t an easy city to live in for those that didn’t possess power, whether it be potential, wealth, knowledge, connections, etc. The riches Alice enjoyed was built on the exploitation of others by criminals that lied to her about her mother; Her mother who was also a criminal.

Her mother who had wanted her to live that sort of ‘elegant’, 'happy' life. Or, at least, that was what he’d pieced from the memories.

Tapping the seat beside him in invitation, Elias glanced at one of the passing waiters. “Bring whatever she ordered to this table.”

Then he looked back to Alice, a finger to the playful smile on his lips. “Just don’t mention what sort of friends we are to the guests here; My mother especially. I’d hate to have to remove their memories as well.”

“Wha, like sex fr–?”

Beneath the table, Elias's foot stomped on Zach’s foot. The pink haired man let out a yelp, before glaring at Elias. He glanced between Alice and Elias before smirking. “Fine~ I see how it is how it is~” Sliding his chair out, Zach stood and tipped his imaginary hat at Alice. “I guess I’ll just go use the restroom for a bit then. Zachariah Clifton Locke. Just call me Zach. Eli and I go way, way back.”

Elias rolled his eyes, but didn’t watch a whistling Zach saunter away, his attention solely on Alice. He still didn't know whether it was right or wrong of him to have pulled Alice of her wonderland and into the real world. Some lies were necessary. There were some things people would be happier, or better off, not knowing, especially if there wasn't much they could do about it. Elias still believed that...but lately, he couldn't help wondering. “How have you been?”

From the corner of his eye, he’d seen Samira Calrissian enter the restaurant with Passeri Park, but while he was curious about their relationship, he’d find an opportunity to speak to the wine trader’s daughter later. Or perhaps his mother would. She was more of the socialite, after all, and technically the owner of the restaurant they currently occupied. Therefore she ought be the one playing host. He'd informed her that comments on the cuisine were the main thing they ought be looking for on the Pre-Opening night. Music and the restaurant's overall ambience were important too, but the main thing restaurants sold were their food. What people ordered. What they didn’t order. It was the job of the waiters to record all that…and ensure that the guests had a wonderful dining experience, of course.

In Alice’s case, she seemed to like desserts.

A lot of desserts.

AriAriAbabwa
(mentioned: The One Eyed Bandit , Beann )
(other in the scene: Elenion Aura Roda the Red Anne Boolean )

 

[Doctor Llamabean]

BLITZ (Boltius Beckman)

CS Link

SCENE:

Shaping Up

TIME:

Pre-Arc 3: December 3rd, 2021

LOCATION:

South District... Old basketball court in the middle of nowhere...

PARTICIPANTS:

Vulken

SHAPING UP

Hold it… Hold it…

Don’t let it overflow…

Boltius grimaced.

At this temperature, his entire body ached and crackled with pain as fire whipped violently around him, and a spasm that shot through his leg caused him to suddenly buckle. “Ack- Ffff-...uck” However, he did not break. He kept up his potential, maintaining his maximum heat output.

Rashes were spread up his arms and down his legs, dappled across his bare torso, but that was a sign of progress. Usually, by now, he’d be blistered all over and near the brink of losing consciousness.

He was growing.

But progress came gradually—Boltius was in no rush. Not that he had much of a choice, for his bones and muscles finally gave way to an exhaustion he hadn’t felt in a long time, and he crumbled and caved, face-planting into the concrete of that old basketball court he and Vulken often trained on in the past. The same one on which a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors sealed his fate as a Scarlet Phoenix.

Centered in the middle of nowhere and surrounded by an overgrown field. Once bordered by a chain-link fence but no more, as chain-link fences don’t respond well to extreme heat. That court was the birthplace of many fond memories between the two brothers.

“That’s it.” Weak, Boltius laid there—unmoving against his will. “I’m-... I’m done-... Huh-uh- no more… I don’t wanna-... I’mma die. I’m dyin’... My body-... broken… I can’t move…” His flames flickered one last time before dying out altogether.

“I’m gonna-... be so sore…” His body screamed. “Fuck you,” he cursed with lacking vigor.

It had been a long session of trading punches and observing Vulken’s use of his own potential, but most of all it had been Boltius being thrown around like a damned hot potato. Time and time again, he’d faced this reality—looking up to his brother… looking up at his brother. His ambition.

The Beckman he aspired to be.

A twitch of renewed spirit, just then, erupted within him. And he thought to himself, maybe he can get up... Nobody Special

BOLTIUS NOTES​

— —What he's wearing: Shirtless with a pair of basketball shorts and regular tennis shoes

— —Tattoo Reference (X)

— —Physique Reference, since his face-claim art doesn't always accurately depict it (X) (X)

— —POST RECAP: Nearing the end of some heavy training with Vulken, Boltius collapses in a heap of exhaustion... Can he get up?

 

[WhiskeyMarten]

DARIUS KENNEDY

CS Link

SCENE:

Burning Bridges

LOCATION:

Serpent HQ, North District

TIME:

Pre-Arc 3: March 24th, 2022 -- Evening

PARTICIPANTS:

Darius, Ten, Amicia

BURNING BRIDGES

Darius continued to wait for Ten, wringing his hands together with uncertainty. He had expected Amicia to leave him alone then, and reconvene later for her errands, but after sparing a few glances at her it was clear she was staying put.

Can’t she take a hint?

He nodded at her introduction, “Yes, lovely name.” A slightly curt response, but he followed it up a moment later after considering what to tell her.

“I’m Darius. Just waiting for my partner. Got a busy day planned with them. Whole day.”

Dammit Darius, you should’ve just said no.

 

[WhiskeyMarten]

HECTOR MOSES

CS Link

SCENE:

Swords and Snakes

TIME:

Pre-Arc 1, Night, January 23, 2020

LOCATION:

North District

PARTICIPANTS:

Hector, Rutheless First Rose

SWORDS AND SNAKES

“Is that true?”

Her voice met his ears like beautiful music, and he wanted to listen on repeat. Hector was still fuming, sure, but he couldn’t stop a sly smile form as he followed her to a table. He was confident to a delusional degree, willing to put his head straight into the lion’s mouth if it brought him closer to what he desired. Right now it was vengeance, and, if Rutheless wasn’t his enemy today, maybe he’d desire more.

Before sitting down, he leaned on the table with one hand, trying not to cough as he looked down at her, and the cloud of smoke that trailed from her.

“That’s why I’m here,” a glint of metal shone on his fingertips, the start of claws before he stopped their emergence, taking his hand off the table. “But first, what will you be having?”

Though he arrived here ranting and raving, he hadn’t forgotten his manners, as poor as they could be at times. Of course, he’d be buying her a drink, which is how most of their meetings tend to begin, and he disappeared to the bar after receiving her order.

Hector marched through the nest of Serpents like he owned the place, a dangerous move but he pulled it off so well, returning shortly with two glasses. Both filled with rum, one accompanied with ice, the other with coke. He slid the first glass over to Ruthe, before sitting down opposite her.

“Care to explain then? Why someone on your bike decided to terrorize my people on my turf? I’d hope you’d call me first before resorting to that.”

He slammed his drink on the table. No matter how much he liked Ruthe, he wasn’t just here to catch up, nor was he here to let her take charge. He was going to get to the bottom of this one way or another.

“That is what we need to discuss.”

 

[Anne Boolean]

Pascal Corbin

CS Link

SCENE:

Love at Yumin Cuisine

LOCATION:

West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Elias, Zach, Sabrina, Meirin, Samira, Minato, Camila, Passeri, Alice, Pascal

NAME OF SCENE HERE

"And how's everything here?" Pascal asked. Unlike what would be expected from a waitstaff, his smile was genuine. "Great! I'm glad to hear it!" he said after getting a positive response from the table. Most would think he was crazy, but he found this temporary stint in customer service to be enjoyable, at least when compared to his usual duties of extortion. After stepping away from the table, he found an out of the way spot to stand in and write the dishes that were ordered and the customers' thoughts on them. It was part of his instructions from Elias, but he also found the feedback helpful for deciding what he would have later. The reward for playing waiter here today was a free meal, and judging by the prices, available dishes, and ambiance of the restaurant, it would be fairly upscale. The blond was excited; he would be eating good tonight.

After finishing with his notes, he moved to start another round of the area he was assigned. Before he could take more than two steps though, another waiter approached him. The thirty-five year-old gave a nod as he listened to the man's words. Apparently one of the guests had moved to a different table, and their order was to be delivered to their new table instead. He eyed the table his coworker referred to, taking note of it now indeed being empty. He was able to easily remember who was sitting there though: one of his colleagues, Alicia Morel. He looked over to where the man said her new table was and saw that she was sitting with the host of today's event. Pascal gave a nod to his coworker before continuing on with his duties.

After another walk through the tables he was serving, with the occasional stop to fill up water, he made his way to the kitchen. Alice's order was ready, and he deftly lifted up the trays of desserts. On his way to deliver his colleague's food, he noticed a few other fellow Tigers and acknowledged them with a smile and nod. While he was a part of the waitstaff, most of them were guests at today's event. Some seemed to find this particularly amusing and made it known through smug looks or a snide remark. The blond just brushed them off. They were here actually paying for a meal, while he would be eating for free later. It was obvious who was the victor, at least in his eyes.

He soon arrived at the new table Alice was seated at. "Here you are, Miss Morel," he said with a smile as he placed various plates down on the table. "Can I get you anything else while I'm here? How about you, Mr. Yumin?"

Interactions: Alice ( AriAriAbabwa ), Elias ( QuirkyAngel )

 

[WhiskeyMarten]

SYLVIE SLEZÁK

CS Link

SCENE:

Add Image

LOCATION:

Eminence, West District

TIME:

Pre-Arc 1, August 1st 2021, Evening

PARTICIPANTS:

Sylvie, Kiwi

ADD IMAGE

Ever since it fell into the capable hands of Lena Slezáková, and her husband Yuriy, Eminence has been one of the West District’s biggest hot spots, offering all the luxury and elegance the district is known for. Not just a place for the wealthiest residents to mingle casually, but they offer space with a more relaxed ambience on their upper floor to facilitate meetings. They’ve also earned a reputation on a countrywide level, being one of the places to visit if you’re vacationing with a lot of money and few cares.

First remodelled in 2016, an influx of wealth in recent months has allowed for a new remodelling, which was partially underway. The Eminence name deserved a sleek new look, with plans to expand to the rooftop of the Panthera Tower, the high-rise they’re based in. This includes a new stage and an extravagant water feature and is intended to become the venue for many a socialite's parties.

A young man was seated at one of the tables in the corner of the large room, situated far away from the jazz band that graced the lounge’s presence tonight, and close to the security guards that scanned the room with a steely focus. Laid out on the table were an ice bucket containing a bottle of champagne to be gifted, an open WacBook, and various paraphernalia with the Eminence logo stickered on.

The man stood up, pointing at each item, checking them off a list in his head. He nodded to himself, turning to the nearby guard.

“I will be going outside to greet Ms Bonheur now. You will mind the table, yes?”

“Of course, Mr Slezák. And should you need anything at all, just signal Lucienne.” He pointed to a waitress nearby, who smiled and nodded in return.

“Thank you.” And out the door he went, nodding to the bouncers and the lift operator as he began his descent down the tower, in one of three lifts that serviced the building. He passed a casino, small by Western standards but still befitting the opulence of the building, a few restaurants, and a few bars before he reached the ground floor.

Sylvie’s leather Oxfords clacked across the porcelain lobby floor as he made his way towards the automatic doors at the front of the building. The warm August air was a pleasant feeling against his face as he wandered around, searching for the woman he’d be meeting with this evening. She should be here any minute now…

 

[BluEndings]

"NAOMI BLECHER" (MIMI)

CS Link

SCENE:

[Tin and Matchstick]

TIME:

Pre-Arc 3, September 29th 2021

LOCATION:

Lab Icarus, North District

PARTICIPANTS:

Sang-Cheol, Mimi

TIN AND MATCHSTICK

It was not her intent to appear so uneasy in front of another.

She accepted the offered seat, and allowed her posture to fold into disarray. A manic grin split across her face, but quickly melded back to rest. Everything was absolutely terrible, but among omen after omen was a sickly sweet silver lining. For the first time since her joining the Sable Serpents there was finally something worth pursuing. An option much less extreme than her original intentions. It was just a matter of bringing it all to fruition.

After the delay, she took the bottle as well. Her eyes disapproved, but it didn’t stop her from unscrewing the lid. She slipped off her glove, and contracted her fingers. Her eyes met the floor, then she poured the liquid into her palm. Her body didn’t react, but the outer layer of ‘skin’ began to seep away with the water. Just a thin layer of sediment concealing the now obvious balled joints of her ‘skeleton’—by the looks of it, plastic.

Her body visibly convulsed, but she remained in place. Then she reached her bare hand down to the floor before slowly dragging it back upward. As if pulled by thread, the material rose in tandem. It whisked around, but didn’t unite into a bipedal form. When her hand locked into a fist the matter dropped.

Once again she placed her hand against the ground. This time small ripples extended out from her touch. It disturbed the flooring, but the damage was entirely temporary. Seemingly content, she returned her hand to her lap, and took a deep breath. Sparing no time, she downed one of the suppressants without so much as a sip. Her displeasure materialized into a grimace but that appeared to be the most of it.

“How long does this stuff usually take to kick in?”

Given her unusual condition, there was no guarantee the chemical would have the desired effect, but there weren’t many alternatives available. She didn’t hold any hope in this as a long-term solution but so long as it showed some signs of success, it would be adequate—better if it could be further adapted to the complications. For now though, she just wanted some peace of mind.

“And what about you?” Her gaze returned. “This research, are you going to try and pursue it?”

NAVIGATE

 

[BluEndings]

CHARMY DEVLIN

CS Link

SCENE:

[The Punchline]

TIME:

Pre-Arc 1, February 12th, 2016

LOCATION:

The Precipice, West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Passeri Park, Charmy Devlin

THE PUNCHLINE

Charmy’s face remained at an amicable expression, but the look her eyes leaked her impish intent. They were voraciously gouging into the every tic of the woman beside her. The fleek exterior. The cloy voice. Words held together with butter. Nothing standoffish. Definitely not the usual sort she worked with. This one was far too fresh for meat that had been tenderized just earlier.

“My my!” She chided, flicking the latches on the suitcase. “I would do no such thing to a victor.”

The container opened—inside, six bullets and some sort of supplementary barrel. Without hesitation, she took the attachment and safely secured it to the front of the weapon. Then she slotted a single one of the shots into the gun. A one-two look over, and she held the newly primed weapon out towards Passeri.

“This game is simple:”—Charmy leaned forward until her face was inches from Passeri’s—“you get to pull the trigger. Who you point it towards is up to you.” She pulled back. “If you pull the trigger you win. If you don’t, I win. The only rule is you have to be aiming at someone.”

The security that continued to remain at the green-haired woman’s side, leaned to her ear.

“Oh right.” Her voice dampened. “If I win, you give the cage a second round. The crowd would love that.” She twirled her fingers. “If you win, well. You can keep the piece, I suppose.”

The carelessness in her voice made the spontaneous nature of the ‘game’ plenty evident.

NAVIGATE

 

[Lucem]

DAMIAN

CS Link

SCENE:

I Won't Become a Monster!!

LOCATION:

North District, an icecream shop a few blocks from Tri's lab

TIME:

Pre-Arc 1 || February 19th, 2015

PARTICIPANTS:

Damian, Peyton

I WON'T BECOME A MONSTER!!

Damian nodded, making mental notes as he listened to Peyton's explanation. As he thought, the younger man's Potential was truly fascinating. Luck was a phenomenon that nobody could hope to control, but he now stood in the presence of someone who could seemingly bend it to their will. Even if there were periods where the good fortune would "dry up", being able to influence it at all was astounding. In fact, the ability's drawback only made it more interesting.

What determined how much luck Peyton could use before it ran out? Was there a way to increase that amount? Was it possible to obtain an infinite supply? Did the quality of the luck vary between uses? Were there any limitations? Could it be used to influence any possible outcome? Could astronomically low odds be raised to something more feasible? Could the Potential influence things beyond Peyton's reach? Could it influence other people? Did it work based on his own definition of what it meant to be lucky? Did it follow an unknown force's beliefs on what would be a good outcome for him? Could a lucky event accidentally lead him to misfortune? If it did, would his luck get him out of it? If the misfortune was required to reach a result that was ultimately better, would that still be considered lucky? Could the luck only be applied to one thing at a time? What if two separate forces posed a threat to Peyton at the same time? Could he use his Potential on both, or was it limited to one thing at a time? If it was the latter, what determined that limitation?

Damian had plenty of questions. There were so many that he couldn't decide which to ask first, and those were only the questions about Peyton's potential. He was also curious about his fellow Serpent's time with the Albino Tigers, and he had a separate list of inquiries pertaining to that topic. However, he'd have to put his plans on hold for a moment.

Peyton responded with a question of his own, something Damian hadn't expected. The boy asked for advice, pointing out their shared history as guinea pigs. Combined with the image of things crumbling and falling, the words triggered a brief memory of everything in his sight being reduced to blood and rubble. As the flash of recollection faded, the smile fell from his pale face.

"I don't see what's strange about that." He spoke flatly, his voice losing all traces of its almost whimsical tone. "If that's what you want to see, then let it happen."

Damian wasn't sure what Peyton was referring to when he expressed a desire to see destruction. Was he referring to buildings like the dilapidated houses that surrounded them, or did that go for all things? He was curious, but it didn't really matter. It wouldn't have any effect on his answer.

Looking back into Peyton's eyes, Damian took a step closer, his extra limbs following slightly behind. "Nothing was built to last forever. Not even us. You should use the time you have left in this world to do everything you desire. Bring those things you want to see into reality. And if anything or anyone ever gets in your way..."

The memory came back. It was nothing but a sea of red and endless gray fog. Surrounded by debris and unidentifiable lumps of flesh dressed in stained coats, he was the only thing left standing. No voices, no pain, and no obstacles.

"Make them crumble."

Damian gave Peyton a pat on the shoulder. Unmoving, he kept his hand there as the swirling mass behind him retracted, slipping under his coat and returning to his body. With the tentacles now slumbering, his lips stretched into a smile once again.

"That aside, I'd be interested in hearing more about how that luck of yours works when we're finished. Ah, the same goes for your experiences with the Tigers. I'm sure you have a story or two worth sharing." His usual tone was back too.

He pulled away, continuing his march ahead and expecting Peyton to follow. The sooner they finished, the sooner he'd be able to ask more questions over a few more cups of ice cream. He couldn't wait.

Coyote Hart

 

[The One Eyed Bandit]

Passeri Park

CS Link

SCENE:

The Punchline

TIME:

February 12th, 2016 || Roland's Reign

LOCATION:

The Precipice

PARTICIPANTS:

Passeri Park, Charmy Delvin

The Punchline

The gun sat fat and heavy in Passeri's hands. A tinge of unfeeling, still iciness leeched into her skin, and a chill of intent ran up her arm.

"I'm sorry?" She blurted out, her eyes transfixed by the firearm. This wasn't her first time seeing a gun. She was a Northerner after all. She'd seen them laying about and even pointed at her before, but this was the first time she'd held on in her own two hands.

She swallowed hard, and met eyes with the other woman.

"That's-" Her words caught in her throat. That's a joke, right? Passeri caught the question by the tail. She could tell from a look into the woman's eyes that if this was a joke, then the bullet was the punchline. "You're serious? I-"

She puffed out a long, strained breath.

"Jeez."

Passeri rolled over the gun in her hands. She was sure that there was a surplus of people in this place that probably would've deserved it. Some combatant with a twisted streak of cruelty. Equally, she was unsure if the thing would've actually done anything if she'd picked an HP. Maybe she could've shot it into her leg and left with just another welt. A surplus of thoughts whirred through her mind. Chances, scenarios and consequences. Through it all was her eyes, green and piercing and waiting.

Her. If there was anyone who was ready for this, it was her. She squeezed the gun tight and gripped down on the handle.

The barrel hovered over Charmy's chest, wavering in tune with Passeri's increasingly muddled thoughts, and then passed over to her shoulder. She studied the woman's expression, searching for a tremor- A show of fear or worry or any other sign that this might be some perverted game of chicken, but found no purchase. Her grip tightened, her finger hovered over the trigger, and-

Her arm went slack, and she dropped the gun to her side. Passeri let out a sigh. There was just too much she couldn't account for.

"Guess I lose!" She cringed. There was already a seed of regret budding within her chest. "So. Um. What'll I be up against?"

BluEndings​

 

[Misuteeku]

Sang-Cheol Man

http://

CS Link

SCENE:

Tin and Matchstick

LOCATION:

North District, Lab Icarus

TIME:

Pre Arc-3 | September 29th 2021

PARTICIPANTS:

Sang-Cheol, Mimi

Tin and Matchstick

Sang-Cheol's face relaxed as Mimi took a seat and began recollecting her feelings. What surprised him was the 'happy' expression she had on for a brief moment before it quickly morphed away under Mimi's mask of emotions. Was she seriously interested in it? No, it shouldn't have surprised him. Considering Mimi's circumstances, perhaps this was some ray of hope for her. Not that Sang-Cheol would understand. Animals, humans, and other moving organisms were the same to him. If a robot acted like a human, talked like a human, and looked like a human, he would consider the robot 'human.'

Mimi's unique way of intaking his drugs was unusual, to say at least. He had forgotten that Mimi couldn't exactly drink water. Considering how her skin was slipping away from her body, it was sufficient to say that Mimi didn't need water to consume his pills. At the very least, it was interesting to watch.

Sang-Cheol placed his hand on his chin and contemplated Mimi's question. "The effects are instantaneous on an NP; for an HP, I'd say that they usually kick in after thirty minutes or less, depending on the quantity consumed. You? I'd wager at least around an hour." Or longer. Mimi's anatomy wasn't exactly like one of a human's, and he couldn't precisely keep Mimi in the lab to observe the effects of his drugs. Nobody liked being treated as a lab subject, after all.

Mimi's next question, however, caught him off guard. There was a brief moment of anger, but it faded like Mimi's manic face. However, his tightened fist explained his feelings well. "I wouldn't say that I'm entirely interested in their project, to say at least." The processes were interesting, the goal not so much. Crossing in arms, he met Mimi's eyes behind the sunglasses that covered the window to his soul. His thoughts briefly landed on his workers. "I find the goal of the project ridiculous. Trying to interfere with the natural cycle of life is absurd." Why would anyone in their sane mind try to prolong the existence of life? A bird with fettered wings would prefer to die rather than live in its pointless existence.

"It's also in my pride as a scientist. I loathe taking another's idea and using it as my own." As a sign of showing his feelings, he removed his sunglasses. He flinched when the light entered his retinas, filling his world with color. Sang-Cheol's breathing heightened in response, but he continued. "I will admit, however, that their results are interesting." Moving in and taking the manila folder back into his hands. Flipping through the contents of the folder, Sang-Cheol's naked eyes gazed through the papers. "It gives me an idea on where to take my ideas, but I do not plan on continuing their experiment."

Spoiler: Tags

BluEndings

 

[Misuteeku]

Sang-Cheol Man

http://

CS Link

SCENE:

Accidental Rumble

LOCATION:

North District, In a car

TIME:

Pre Arc-2 | September 17th 2021

PARTICIPANTS:

Yuto, Sang-Cheol, Tri

Accidental Rumble

What a fucking day. Sang-Cheol had an unpleasant look as he drove down the road. The mission blew donkey shit. What went from a typical day at a lab to deal with the fucking little shit in the back of the car. Taking a hit of his cigarette, Sang-Cheol calmed himself down. Regardless of what happened, they dealt with whatever fucking occurred in the district. Those cops shouldn't show up anytime soon.

"Fuck, what a pain in the ass." He still felt sore after his fight with Yuto. Stupid spider fucker got him good. It also didn't help the fact that he had overused his potentiality. It was a miracle that he was even driving the car at this point since he could barely feel his fingers.

Speaking of Yuto...

Looking at the rear-view mirror, he saw Yuto moving. That immediately put Sang-Cheol in a sour mood. If anything, he wanted Yuto to be unconscious for the rest of the day. Maybe even a year. "Finally awake, huh, Yuto?" The aggression in his voice was not concealed at all. "You were trying to fight me. Too bad you got your shit kicked in. Do me a favor, and don't piss me off again." The kid needed to know his place. If he had disrespected Snake or King, Sang-Cheol would have incinerated him on the spot.

Taking a left turn, the car spun inefficiently. It seemed that whoever owned this car fucking sucked at taking care of it. That and the bullet holes ridden through it didn't do it any favors.

Spoiler: Tags

Caffeine_Obsessed Damafaud

 

[The Regal Rper]

Dante | South Bridge | Building Bridges

Walking in shoes with elongated heels was not a thing most guys normally did. Dante, was not like most guys- and the shoes he wore were designed for models.

Being rich had its benefits.

He tipped the sunglasses down as he entered the domain of his target. Surveying the crowd gathered, blowing a bubble of gum- and popping it.

Seems Idol's got herself a line already. Shame. Seems I'm already late.

Passeri Park had been on his to-do list for some time now. Just as Charmy, Elias and Welsha would soon follow.

He didn't listen to much of her music, couldn't even count himself a fan of hers in the slightest-- but he knew of her. That's how it tended to work in the music industry. As Callan, he kept track of a lot of the figures that worked in the business of generating music. Even if you didn't know someone, if they were well-known, famous, you had heard of them. His music catered towards the punk, hip hop and dramatic mixtures of pop genres; the emotions he put into it sometimes carried undertones. Maybe it was sexual, maybe it was about manipulation, maybe it was about both-- maybe it was about Oasis, and then there were times it was just plain sad-- the times his music floated towards happy, were not as many as they could have been- but there were always undertones in the sad that there was a happier path ahead.

So it was interesting to see a Tiger doing charity so openly that deviated from the norm of the rest of the Den. After all, Tigers were, mostly- selfish little pickles. So any one Tiger doing something so out of the ordinary in open, was bound to alert his people, who'd alert him.

He had heard about her charity work before, but if his sources were right it wasn't just for show- she was actually doing something here. Much like he had been funding the reconstruction of lost homes through his contacts anonymously- she was rebuilding the bridge. It was strange, but also nice to see that there were other sparks in this city of man-made hell aside from Celeste, Alice, Wren, and Ezra. And even if he had never really interacted with her as a Tiger- it was time to start changing that, given the information he'd been digging into her since November had kicked off it's first week.

Most Tigers were absolute sluts for a good opportunity. He wasn't any different- on some level, she mustn't be either. If it wasn't making bank, it probably wasn't on the line of interest. Tigers were self-aggrandizing. If it was in their interest they were interested, if it jeopardized that, they most likely weren't and would likely put a bullet in whatever threatened their interests for good measure. He was the same way- but Dante liked to think of himself in a different spectrum of the type of Tiger he was compared to the others. Wren certainly wasn't like some of the scummy types he had met- and the Den hadn't changed her as much even in the years she had joined ahead of him- and neither were Ezra or Alice, despite their own positions. Isobel- though they had met only once, hadn't given him that impression either- but he hardly knew her.

With training Alice and Ezra over the last couple weeks being a priority- he had to let his allies do some of the work of digging into Miss Idol's past- the information they'd gotten him was certainly juicy. Originating from the North, just like his father- then eventually getting a break in life. There were details he'd learned in the last month that had been too good to make this sort of opportunity something he could ignore. So here he was- strutting around like an absolutely fabulous peacock, ignored by the crowd for now- but waiting for the right opportunity to mingle with the other fowl.

Dante's lilac eyes turned at the sound of 'YY's name.

A gathering of Phoenixes? Fans of Miss Idol's?

A popping sound echoed as Dante blew a bubble that went 'clack' as he bit into it with his front teeth, and casually worked it back into his lip glossed maw.

Tipping his sun glasses down, dressed in porous material, a open button shirt and wearing a sash that wrapped diagonally around him- hair only slightly messy from the drive here, he considered slipping in to interact with YY. It had been a while since he'd mingled with her.

Then again, he didn't want to attract too much attention.

Decisions, decisions.

"Whatsa pretty boi ta do?" he muttered to himself while he decided to glide over to some of the stands. Maybe grab a bite to eat.

Mentions: Elenion Aura (Milo) Nobody Special (Vulken) gxxberkit (YY) The One Eyed Bandit (Passeri) Doctor Llamabean (Bolt) AriAriAbabwa (Corvo) WhiskeyMarten (Jozef)

Interactions: N/A

 

[Doctor Llamabean]

BLITZ (Boltius Beckman)

CS Link

SCENE:

Ballin'

TIME:

Pre-Arc 3: March 29th, 2022 -- Evening

LOCATION:

South District... Old basketball court in the middle of nowhere...

PARTICIPANTS:

Boltius, Milo, Roza, Rin, Yong-Yut, Hector, Ashley, Libla

BALLIN'

RECAP FROM BOLT’S POV​

And just like that—from Boltius to Rin, then Hector, Hitoshi, Roza, Libla, Milo, Yong-Yut, and Ashley—introductions were complete, Rin of whom managed to bring a smirk to the new Ace’s lips before Hector stepped in. He was Queen now, and the crown shone bright per his new reign.

The supposed-to-be friendly game of no-rules basketball had just gotten a tad more serious, and all it took was: “I’ll be watching.” Then at the Queen’s hand on his shoulder, just before Hector left the court to take a seat, Boltius gave him a humble nod.

Moving on… Not unlike the sound of a stampede of bison on the run from spear-wielding warriors, Hitoshi’s arrival was quite exciting—most of all for Boltius who bit his knuckles white as the hot-dog truck came to a teetering halt near his Denali, threatening the worst (though, perhaps an exaggerated thought). Watch it, watch it, watch it!

But, alas, all was well when the dust cleared, and the Ace visibly relaxed, releasing the breath he’d been holding in anticipation.

"DID ANYONE ORDER HOT DOGS!?" Hitoshi sang aloud, hanging out the driver’s window, and Boltius shook his head laughing. “Crazy motherfucker,” a light quip, no harm intended and spoken softly so that only those closest to him could hear it.

. . . That was when he noticed one of the Rookies relaxing from a defensive stance to give her own introduction.

For a brief moment, Boltius stared at her—Roza was the name. She seemed tense, or that’s what he took from her reaction to Hitoshi’s dramatic entrance. It reminded him of when he first joined, jumping at every loud noise and gearing up for a fight with every new face. Over time, he grew familiar with the bulk of Phoenixes and began to trust that they had his back. Only then did he finally relax.

But who knows…

Boltius wasn’t always good at understanding others. Looking toward Milo as Libla gave her introduction, Bolt recalled some of Milo’s past counsels during their high-school days as carefree boys, and he watched as the curly-haired Rookie took a shot, paying Yong-Yut’s introduction little mind before she ambled off for hot-dogs.

The ball landed in Ashley’s hands, who then gave his name and alias, and that was a wrap.

RECAP CONCLUDED​

“So, we ready to play? Of course, if you'd rather have that fight, I'm willing to give it to ya,” said Ash to Bolt, Bolt of whom grinned an invitation.

“Shit, dawg, I’m always ready.” He caught the ball and propped it on his hip, looking out at the gathering. “Alright, alright! Show of hands- Who all’s playin’?”

When the hands came up, he counted five. Perfect.

“At’ll work!... It’s Free-for-All, and don’t be afraid to step in and out as you want. Aniki didn’t bring hot-dogs for nothin’.” Boltius stood center-court, bouncing the ball at his side, hunched low as he waited for the players to gather ‘round and ready up.

As they did, stillness settled over the court—a tension unlike that which came with danger. Rather, an adrenal buzzing like a rush of caffeine through the bloodstream.

Still dribbling, he shot an eye at the tall beauty that was Rin and nodded his chin toward her. “Poke fun at my name later. After that, I’ll buy ya a drink.”

Following that came an abrupt and dry blast of cold that expanded outward from the Ace—not quite cold enough to deal damage, but enough to (maybe) catch the others by surprise—and Bolt was on the move. Dribbling wasn’t required but he did it anyway out of habit.

There were two goals, one on each side of the court.

He just needed one.

Spotting an opening, Boltius brought the ball up over his head and shot… and missed… then he took a step back to look at Rin once more with a shrug. “Woulda been cooler if I made it,” he joked.

But the ball didn’t stop; it descended from the failed attempt. To whomever had it next, Boltius lunged, keeping a frosty aura that he hoped would eventually slow the others’ movements.

[The ball is up for grabs. There is no posting order.]
gxxberkit (Yong-Yut) Peckinou (Libla) Lucem (Ashley) WhiskeyMarten (Hector) Elenion Aura (Milo) RedArmyShogun (Roza) EmperorsChosen (Rin) joshuadim (Hitoshi)

BOLTIUS NOTES​

— —What he's wearing: (Click: X) White long-sleeve shirt + Red hoodie overtop; Black basketball shorts +Black leggings underneath that are tucked into his socks; White shoes + Headband [His chains and jewelry are in the back seat of his Denali, along with his three duffel bags)

— —Tattoo Reference (X)

— —Physique Reference, since his face-claim art doesn't always accurately depict it (X) (X)

— —POST RECAP: Boltius explains the rules and initiates introductions.

 

[Roda the Red]

Charlie Hughes

CS Link

SCENE:

[Building Bridges]

LOCATION:

West-South Bridge

PARTICIPANTS:

Passeri, Gideon, Milo, Dagger, Yong-Yut, Vulken, Boltius, Corvo, Charlie

BUILDING BRIDGES

Of all days, it had to be this one when the alarm clock fails at its job.

Being already a whole two hours later than he was supposed to, Charlie rushed out of his apartment as soon as he could, wearing a thick coat expecting for the day to be quite cold, and taking the bus which was just about to leave when he reached the stop.

He had been invited by Milo, the new rookie Phoenix that had joined pretty recently to the gang, him and Charlie quickly befriended over the last month, and for a change, it was actually Milo the one who approached him to begin with. He was a great guy, kind, sweet and considerate, to a point where you would never expect him to be a member of organized crime. In a way, Charlie felt a special connection with Milo, a kindred spirit so to speak. And today, it was thanks to Milo that Charlie heard about this volunteering event taking place over at the damaged bridge connecting with West District, spearheaded by a Paseru something, apparently a big artist from the City who came back recently, doing some phylantropy work. Admitedly, Charlie had absolutely no idea who this artist was, you could ask him about all the new movies and also hold his own decently when it came to videogame releases, but music? He could not name you even seven new mainstream artists from the last 5 years.

Eventually he reached the event, and to his luck, he was eagerly accepted to help out still! He couldn't find Milo from the get go, but decided to get to the helping right away as to compensate for the late timing. So he got to follow directions as soon as possible, mainly carrying heavy objects around such as concrete blocks. The whole ordeal seemed somewhat shoddy and unorganized, but he was happy to help around and doing what suited him the most.

Some time later, that one artist, Pisari, was announcing that it was lunch time. Charlie then noticed the entrancing aroma of unhealthy street food, which caused his hunger to kick into high gear. He took off his coat, which was now dusty as well as having absorbed too much of the heat that the sun unexpectedly released onto him (Weather forecast once again being full of lies). As he approached the waiting line, his eyes spotted the one person he totally didn't forget he was supposed to meet here.

"Milo, Hi! I'm so sorry for being this late, I can't believe I fell asleep..."

He also noticed someone else beside him, a guy with a facial expression that felt similar to that of a grumpy puppy, who apparently had been striking a conversation with Milo until now.

"Um, hello, I'm Charlie, Milo's friend, nice to meet you!"

Interacting with: Milo ( Elenion Aura ), Gideon ( Coyote Hart )

Spoiler: Others

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