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

[joshuadim]

HITOSHI YAMAKAWA

CS Link

SCENE:

Get(ting) Help

TIME:

Post Arc-3; 2 1/2 weeks later

LOCATION:

Kiki's Eatery, South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Hitoshi, Charlie, Ashley, Gideon, Hector, Kaede

GET(TING) HELP

[Playing at Kiki's Eatery right now in the background]​

Kaede was the first to arrive, and Hitoshi greeted her with a solemn smile as she took her seat across from him. There were room for the others to come when they did, naturally, but two was already a party. On mention of it being so early to meet, in his context, Hitoshi let out a chuckle: "Well, changing habits is a way for me to grow... I guess." Hitoshi said, "It's good to see you Kaede-san." The server came by to deliver Hitoshi's orange juice that he quickly took a sip of to refresh his parched throat. "It's not a mimosa, I swear."

And when Kaede spoke of who would be next to arrive, Hitoshi scratched his own head to ponder: "Well, I think it will be Charlie but... you never know." he said with smile before shifting in his seat. "I, uh... how've you been? Like, recently... or in general... doesn't matter. It's been a while." Hitoshi then asked, trying to steer the conversation elsewhere. "Too long, if I had to say."

Roda the Red WhiskeyMarten Coyote Hart Sei Shonagon Lucem

 

[Roda the Red]

ERIC EVENSEN

CS Link

SCENE:

North Says No!

LOCATION:

Redwater High, North District

PARTICIPANTS:

Eric, Passeri

NORTH SAYS NO!

Eric shrugged nonchalantly. "Does it really matter?" He didn't even bother looking at the man in the eyes.

" 'Course if fuckin' matters, we all good friend n' shit here, right?" He extended his arms to the sides. "Ain't we all just having a great fuckin' time right now?!"

An unfomfortable silence propagated around the courtyard, students staring intently at the altercation with a mixture of interest and worry.

"Sorry to break it to you, but I'm not your friend, and most importantly, you're making the kids and my friend here uncomfortable. She's just trying to bring some optimism and empathy around here for a change." Eric took a step forward, closing the gap between him and the drunkard, cold, emotionless eyes now facing the inebriated, choleric gaze.

"Trespassing of school grounds and disruption of peace" The detective crossed his arms, angling his hips to the side slightly. "Reason enough to call my buddies here in north to force you out. You had your fun, you had your say, now you should probably leave quietly before things take a turn for the worse."

The man felt a vein on the the verge of bursting. "Disturbance of peace, eh? Shoulda just cave ya teeth in...Waittaminute" The detective's behavior, the way he confronted the man...That characteristic cold gaze while in the face of adversity, they all reminded him of that man. "...Evensen? No way, heard the old shithead had a son who wanted to follow daddy's footsteps, just my lucky day."

Eric raised an eyebrow. "Huh, cat's outta the bag I guess? Not like it mat-"

Silence befell upon him at the sight of an incoming swing. Arching his body back, the detective managed to barely avoid the man's bottle from striking at him. Eric's expression remained unchanged, but his guard was high now. "Oh, let me guess, contentious past?" He took a moment to look to his back towards passery, extending an open hand.

"Pleaser stand back, Miss Park, I'll deal with him." Then, he looked back at the drunkard, Eric's hands now evoking a faint glow.

The One Eyed Bandit

 

[Sei Shonagon]

Kaede Shimokōbe

CS Link

SCENE:

Get(ting) Help

LOCATION:

South District

TIME:

Post Arc-3; 2 1/2 weeks later

PARTICIPANTS:

Hector, Hitoshi, Ashley, Charlie, Gideon and Kaede

Get(ting) Help

The jeans hitched a few centimetres too short of her ankles as she crossed her legs, and the shoes squeezed her feet. The deterioration was evident on both. From the washed-out colours to the fraying around the edges, plucked at by time’s hands. It was as if she had tried to replicate the nostalgic meeting in nostalgic clothes- ones that were from her teenage years. Kaede had, you see, regrettably noticed that her closet was in dire need of an overhaul a little too late. Once she stood there trying to choose an outfit that was not a dress shirt and dress pants, she had found herself stumped by the lack of variety. So into the good ol’ chest of antiquities she had delved, and this was the subsequent result of it.

Speaking of delving, his joke delved into her cheek in a dimple and a chuckle “It better not be, or else I would have to scold you”.

A hum of recollection picked up after the mention of his first guess at the next arrival. Charlie was, like many others, a new addition to the gang that had stumbled into the underbelly of society. And the climb back up was a long arduous one that many failed to undertake. Kaede hadn’t met him yet, but the mere thought of filling the ranks with such youth was enough to prick a slight frown into existence.

The brunette shifted on the chair and redirected hands from picking at her cuticles to nursing a cigarette between lips. “Too long you say…” Her lashes swept up at him in tandem with the lip that pulled back to flash a canine “Why, you missed me?”. The playful remnant of her past was short-lived and flattened out in the next breath. “I guess I have to agree, though. Six years is a long time. Sometimes I blink and think it’s still 2016.” Her back hit the frame of the chair under a prolonged pause. The brown eyes travelled back the path she had come from and she exhaled the continuation in what sounded like a sigh “-Silly, isn’t it?”.

Kaede raised the lighter to the cigarette “-I guess I’ve been good. Can’t really say anything else or else I would be complaining” . Sparks flickered into a flame before she suddenly stopped and looked up at her company “-Oh do you mind if I?” .

joshuadim

 

[Uasal]

Jennifer Weber

CS Link

SCENE:

The House Always Wins

LOCATION:

West District - The White Tiger Casino

PARTICIPANTS:

Camila, Jennifer, Alice, Ryutaro, Hiachi

The House Always Wins

Jennifer wasn't a rookie when it came to gambling, in fact in her youth she had developed quite the appetite for such. That being said, she had no intention of picking back up the habit she had so painstakingly put down. Though, it would have been a lie had she said the thought of her habit resurfacing didn't scare her somewhat. Sitting at the table Jennifer was quick to place her bet, though unlike what Hiachi had expected, Jennifer only put forward the bare minimum required. Likewise, the chips aside her, though by no means a small amount, was nowhere near that of what Ryutaro had produced. This was of course Jennifer's way of keeping her bad habit under her control as best she could.

When the cards were dealt Jennifer's eyes followed that of the dealer's motions, still not fully convinced the girl hadn't been receiving help in-house. After all, it wouldn't have been the first time such had happened and it most certainly wouldn't be the last were it true. With the cards dealt and shuffled satisfactorily Jennifer moved to glance at her hand. She too had received a pair, though in her case it was a pair of eights. Matching Ryu's bet, Jennifer turned her focus to Hiachi, her eyes meeting the girl's gaze head-on. Though Jennifer had yet to activate her potential, her focus was sharp and her stare unnervingly steeled.

Though Jennifer didn't mean to do so, intending only to watch the girl's actions, she was inadvertently giving off the impression of someone attempting to intimidate their opponent. Silent, stoic and with a steel focus, Jennifer was giving away nothing in terms of her body language. However, her eyes had glanced to her cards and so was Hiachi resolved enough, such a sight was hers to behold.

Roda the Red miki joshuadim AriAriAbabwa

 

[WhiskeyMarten]

HECTOR MOSES

CS Link

SCENE:

Beginner's Guide To Housekeeping

TIME:

Pre-Arc 1 - Dusk, August 2019

LOCATION:

Near the North-Central Major Bridge, Upper Central

PARTICIPANTS:

Hector, Yukari
Omi, Paris, Takaonna

BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO HOUSEKEEPING

“My sponsor, the Phoenix Emperor, she’d be telling me off right now if I were doing what you’re doing. Sniffing for danger.” Given that Hector appeared to have a very ordinary nose, not one powered by any animalistic traits, it was clear he meant it in a less literal way, but he still smiled to himself like he and Yukari were one and the same. “Heh, I’m ready for some danger, though. You read my mi-” As he spoke, a silvery sheen permeated through the skin on his hands, as he began to generate metal in preparation for anything that was to come. Almost perfectly on cue though was the shrieking sounds of metal being pulled apart, not from Hector but from a car, accompanied by screaming. Just what they were hoping for.

“Damn, you’re good at this.” He nodded to Yukari in acknowledgement of his keen intuition, before running in the direction of the trouble. He didn’t feel the need to give instructions. They seemed obvious. It didn’t take long at all for Hector to spot the source of the problem. The human? The freakishly tall one, with the freakishly elongated limbs. Yeah, probably a human. Though her sight bewildered as well as infuriated the Phoenix veteran, it didn’t faze him as he charged in her direction.

“HEY!” He yelled in Taka’s direction as a longsword grew from his hand. “This ain’t your home. Stand down.” Hector grinned like an idiot, not only at the prospect of a fight but from speaking with such authority on behalf of the gang. He was sure Lyric would be proud of him when he reported back to her

 

[WhiskeyMarten]

HECTOR MOSES

CS Link

SCENE:

H-Eye

TIME:

Post Arc-2

LOCATION:

Red West, South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Hector, Yong-Yut

H-EYE

It was a night full of discomfort. Uncomfortable visions, uncomfortable thoughts, uncomfortable feelings. Tangled in his thin duvet, Hector struggled to sleep despite the liquor that normally would’ve brought it on quickly. He was sure he had slept, but it was hard to tell what was what when he was riddled with fever. Eventually, he opened his eye, but made no effort to move until…

“Hi.”

God, what time was it?

“What.”

He didn’t bring a woman home, did he? No. He didn’t. Hector peered up, pulling himself to a sitting position as Yong-Yut set a bag down. The smell of lukewarm fastfood made his stomach turn, but it also growled with hunger. He turned to her, eyes bleary- or rather, just one eye. His other socket was sealed away under unchanged bandages.

“Oh, it’s just you. Hey. I do have a light it’s just…”

Hector leaned over the bed as she continued to talk, feeling for the switch of a desklamp that stood precariously on some boxes. Flicking it a few times did nothing. He grunted in response to her last statement, the one he wanted to hear the least, as he swung himself onto his feet, to stand up. It was immediately evident that he’d been lying down for quite some time as he stumbled a bit before keeping his footing.

“Electrics are dodgy.” He mumbled as he pulled the curtains open, letting a bit of natural light in, though he looked away quickly. Walking up to Yong-Yut, he gestured for her to seat herself on his bed. “I’m doing fine, just got everything to sort out, y’know? After uh… Everything that’s happened” He looked away for a moment, remembering his losses.

”So, what do you want anyway? How are you doing? Is there anything I can help you with?”

He sounded too meek.

 

[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

Clad in Golden Dreams

It’s been nearly three weeks since Central almost collapsed and the wealthy still found time to party. Well, the wealthy that didn’t understand the underlying money currents that is. With the destruction of the old, new opportunities arose for the power-hungry to stake their claim and Elias wasn’t terribly surprised to see the Knight Family being one of the first to try and take a bite out of the prize with a charity gala. Investing was something that only those who knew how to work money understood, after all, though given how easily the district had shattered from a mere “natural” disaster, it was an understandably risky venture.

Only idiots threw in money without expecting anything in return.

“Penny for your thoughts?” His date for the evening, the daughter of the Xen Family–who’ve had close ties with the Yumin Family for decades–serenely sawed through the piece of steak in front of her with delicate precision. Of all of the blind dates his parents forced him to meet, Lihua Xen was by far the best candidate…and she knew it too. Affluent. Accomplished. Business savvy. Lihua smoothly took over and operated her family’s businesses, starting her own successful cosmetic company, despite being the youngest of her siblings. She didn’t seem to mind who he slept with, or how he spent his time, so long as he kept it under the rug once the papers were signed. His parents liked her. Lihua was the perfect partner in every way…

Except Elias didn’t love her.

But of course, to the “elites” of society, marriage had nothing to do with love. It was a tying of families. A tying of coffers. To her, he was a prize. To him, she was a means to secure his inheritance. In a way, that mutual understanding between them made them ideal partners.

“I was thinking how beautiful you are…”

“There’s no need to lie~”

“I was thinking that we are likely to see more Knight buildings once Central is rebuilt.”

“Well, that’s a given,” Lihua chewed and swallowed before continuing to speak. “Your parents are here too, aren’t they?”

“Yes, Mother insisted we help out the poor people suffering in Central any way we can and Father rarely says no to her these days.”

Naturally, his mother’s solution to problems often involved throwing money at it until it went away and, seeing as Cordelia Yumin had never really worked a day of her life (restaurant ownership aside), it wouldn’t surprise him if she told him she thought it all grew from cash trees. Philanthropy was all well and good, especially for those whose businesses lay in the media and entertainment industry, but it took a discerning eye to determine where said donations actually went.

Not Elias had any right to preach seeing as he let the Tigers leech from him as well.

Pocket change in return for connections and an entertaining pastime. Assistance and not getting targeted was a nice bonus.

“I’ll go say hi to them while I’m here,” Lihua dabbed her lips with a napkin before standing up with her purse.

“Shall I go with you?”

“Not unless you wish to accompany me to the restroom. I have to redo my make-up first.”

“Right…”

“My advice to you, Mr. Yumin, is to stop letting yourself get distracted by minor trivialities and start focusing on the bigger picture. I’m willing to wait for you to finish playing around, but even my patience has its limit.”

Elias watched the woman take her leave before letting out a sigh as leaned back in his chair, champagne glass swirling in his hand. Bigger picture? He wondered if Lihua knew that the ‘bigger picture’ lay within the very foundations of the city itself; A secret that he was gradually putting together, piece by piece, with every handshake and memory acquired of the city’s oldest families. A secret that was probably better left unknown.

Sipping the golden liquid that flowed down his throat like a bubbly explosion of fruit, Elias’ eyes scanned the sheer opulence of a Knight hosted gala, wondering the true purpose of the collaboration between Our Star Dream Entertainment and Knight Corp, but ultimately not very worried about it. Tigers collaborating new business ventures was nothing new and Passeri Park had never been one to miss out on PR opportunities. As with any other party, Elias was here to shake hands and gather information. Making friends and supporting his fellow Tigers would be nice too, but regardless of whether he had to leave early (out of boredom) or not, they’d remember an entertaining time spent with one Elias Yumin.

He still had to prepare for the St. Steinburg’s maiden departure anyway.

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

 

[WhiskeyMarten]

HECTOR MOSES

CS Link

SCENE:

Get(ting) Help

TIME:

Post Arc-3

LOCATION:

Kiki's Eatery, South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Hector, Hitoshi, Ashley, Charlie, Gideon and Kaede

GET(TING) HELP

Hector stifled a yawn as he walked along the street. He’d been feeling more tired lately, tired enough that he’d contemplated skipping out on all work for the day to stay at home. Self-care, y’know? But even if he had no paid jobs to do, there was one thing he wouldn’t have missed for the world. He would have never forgiven himself if he had snubbed Hitoshi’s invitation. So he picked up the pace, all who recognized him ducked out of his way as he stormed almost menacingly to Kiki’s. That wasn’t his intention, just tension bubbling over into his demeanour.

Soon he saw two familiar faces, both ones he was more glad than ever to see, and it looked like he was the next one there. Suck on that, Kaede. Washing away any traces of negativity, he beamed a smile at the pair.

”Hey, man. It’s so good to see you. Thanks for the invite.”

Hector leaned down to the seated man, offering a hug that was returned, and they held a brotherly embrace for a moment before he let go, standing back up straight. He then glanced to his side, at Kaede. He had seen her recently, but his face showed complicated emotions hiding beneath the now less-beaming smile. Still he slid next to her, refraining from a hug this time. He glanced at the cigarette as she waited for Hitoshi’s input.

“Gonna offer me one?”

Still, nothing had changed since their first meeting. He was as tactless as ever.

 

[Roda the Red]

CHARLIE HUGHES

CS Link

SCENE:

Get(ting) Help

TIME:

Daytime, Post Arc 3

LOCATION:

Kiki's Eatery, South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Charlie, Hitoshi, Kaede, Ashley, Hector, Gideon

Get(ting) Help

The sun was high up in the sky, beaming down on Charlie, the bright light reflecting on his azure locks, displaying a healthy luster. He walked down the streets of South District, all around him was a sight that just a few days ago he had gazed up with sorrow, with nature's merciless retaliation causing a number on the building and the streets. Today, however, was for a change a moment of excitement for the rookie, as he was summoned to participate on a friendly lunch by one of his closest allies within the Scarlet Phoenixes: Hitoshi, also known as his dear Aniki (whatever that may mean). For the special occasion, he decided to wear some of his fancier clothing, most notably a bomber jacket gifted by his close friend Ashley, in fact, the jacket wasn't even modified to hold any sort of concealed weapon, as he would never wear such a precious gift to battle.

Several minutes of walking later (A half-truth in fact, as the boy took a sizeable chunk of time being distracted by a friendly stray dog, truly a magnificently photogenic good boy), Charlie caught a glimpse of Kiki's Eatery, and with that, the corner of his eye also detected a couple of recognizeable silhouettes. Skipping forward, Charlie close the distance until he was right next to the table.

"Aniki, hi! Thanks for inviting me!" Except he then had to blink twice, his eyes growing wide at the sight of the unexpected glow up. "Oh, Aniki you look really different now! I love what you did, you're looking really handsome!" He gave the burgundy-clad man a sincere, warm smile. One that, admitedly, nearly broke completely as his gaze turned to...Him.

"O-Oh...Hello Que...Ph...Quiff! I think you'd look great with a quiff!" He took a second before speaking again, mentally sighing to himself. "Hi Hector, it's good to see you again." The rookie still felt somewhat unnerved around the Phoenix Queen, a mixture of worry and guilt lingered on his mind, as the last time they had met, it was during that bitter day that Charlie, even now, still wished it was naught but a horrible nightmare. His mind devoid of any further words to say towards the man, he then turned towards the third figure, one that Charlie didn't recall ever seeing previously.

"Oh, Hello there, I'm Charlie! You must be Aniki's friend, it's a pleasure to meet you" He gave the woman a smile and a respectful bow as he took his seat next to Hitoshi, as far away from Hector as possible without coming across as rude.

joshuadim Lucem Sei Shonagon WhiskeyMarten Coyote Hart

 

[joshuadim]

HITOSHI YAMAKAWA

CS Link

SCENE:

Get(ting) Help

TIME:

Post Arc-3; 2 1/2 weeks later

LOCATION:

Kiki's Eatery, South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Hitoshi, Charlie, Ashley, Gideon, Hector, Kaede

GET(TING) HELP

"No, not at all. We're outside anyway-" Hitoshi managed to get out to Kaede until he spotted Hector in the near distance, rapidly on approach. He gave a wave to Hector and reciprocated the hug that was given. "Good to see you too Hector!" Hitoshi spoke with a grin, then turning his gaze again nearby as he saw Charlie on approach. "Charlie-kun!" Hitoshi spoke as the young lad approached. Charlie had given a compliment to the elder Phoenix's new look, but that wasn't what grabbed Hitoshi's attention: it was his rather awkward and subdued reaction to being near Hector. Hitoshi looked between the two of them for a moment before clearing his throat to try to clear the air quickly.

"Well, uhm, just order whatever you'd like for lunch. My treat. They serve breakfast until 3 p.m. if you're still in the mood for that, but they also have a killer lunch menu according to the reviews. Rustic pizzas, anyone?" Hitoshi then asked to the others, gauging their interest. He took another sip of his orange juice and nodded: "I think I'll take the classic Margharitta Pizza for myself." Then he quickly remembered what Anya had asked of him as he snapped his fingers and let out an 'ah'. "Also, Charlie, Anya says hi. She wanted me to give that."

Roda the Red WhiskeyMarten Coyote Hart Sei Shonagon Lucem

 

[simj26]

Dagger

CS Link

SCENE:

In The Tiger's Web

TIME:

Post-Arc 3, Timeskip 1 | June 3rd

LOCATION:

Nameless Storefront, West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Passeri, Jennifer, Ezra, Elias, Dagger

In The Tiger's Web

She chewed on a piece of jerky slowly. It was quiet. It was peaceful. The piece of meat tasted like crap, but it was sustenance enough. Gunnolf was lying beside her, and his steady breathing indicated that he was taking a small nap. Do ghosts need naps? Do they even need to breathe? It didn't matter. At some point, she learned that the questions she asked were largely unanswerable. She leaned back on her chair, and began to tap the barrel of her handgun on the plastic chair to a rhythm that only she could hear.

The tumblers in the door turned, and her gun was up before her kind hostess could even step through the threshold. She angled her head slightly to check behind Park, before relaxing her aim. She shrugged dismissively, as if to avert any blame for her wariness. "Nothing to report," she commented blandly, not that Park needed to hear it.

She glanced towards the door where their guest was confined behind, and waved a dismissive hand at Park’s comments. “He’ll live,” she remarked with as much flavour as her previous comment. He was lucky that he was even given a space that a human being could live in. She had survived on much less, and her hunts had died in much worse. If anything, he should be thankful. She leaned back on her chair, and reached a hand down to Gunnolf, giving him a little scratch on the top of his head. He yawned and got up, shaking himself awake. She pointed towards the door behind Park. With another tired yawn, he padded over and pushed the door shut, and circled around Park, looking up at her with friendly eyes.

“It’s nothing.” She maintained her curt answers to Park, though they were now laced with laziness to respond in any more than three words at once, and a certain touch of awkwardness to be conversing humanly for once. She lazed back on her chair fully, balancing it only on two of its feet, though her hand still gripped onto her handgun. She listened quietly to Park’s brief, if one could call it that. She didn’t care who Park brought in, just that there were supposed to be three. Daughter, son, cousin, uncle thrice divorced, she didn’t bother with the details. That was how she operated, after all. The less questions she asked, the better. Her job was simply to hold down the fort, kill everyone who tried to enter said fort, and, maybe, act on Park’s suggestion to break some answers out of their guest.

There were plenty of ways to drag answers out of unwilling patrons. Even if they were blessed with the heightened abilities of a HP, a car battery and some jumper cables tended to be able to reach past that boundary. Barring that, a bucket of water and a towel, or just a handful of glass shards. There were plenty of others, but she would hazard a guess that her hostess would prefer it if their guest was relatively clean and whole on the outside. Inside, not so much.

She tipped the chair back forwards with a thump as Park threw herself onto the nearby sofa. Gunnolf trailed after her, and lay down beside her. Her eye lingered on Park’s form for a second longer, before it shifted away towards the door. Park seemed tired. Must be hard being a public figure and a star. So many things to do. Maybe just killing people that one was paid for wasn’t such a bad job after all. She flipped her gun up, and pulled the slide back with one hand to give it a cursory check, before she returned it to her normal grip.

Park straightened up again, some energy returning to her, but she still looked like death warmed over. Fifteen minutes for their other guests to arrive. The girl was working herself to the bone.

“Hrm.” Dagger grunted, and reached over to the thermoflask beside her. She removed the cap, and poured out a black, liquid into it. The strong smell of coffee beans began to fill the air. She stood up, and moved to Park’s side.

“Coffee. I only take it black, sorry,” she said as she pushed the cup towards her. “It’s not much, but it should keep your sunny disposition alive. Not much for customer service otherwise.”

She meant is as a joke, but the way she said it sounded almost like a threat. She still wasn’t used to talking casually.

Spoiler: tags

The One Eyed Bandit Uasal Lucem QuirkyAngel Saturn_moon Elenion Aura

 

[gxxberkit]

YONG-YUT SOMSRI

CS Link

SCENE:

H-Eye

TIME:

Post Arc-2

LOCATION:

Red West, South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Hector

H-Eye

“Uh-huh.” She eyed the failing lamp, before looking to Hector and then finally his bed. “Everything is right.”

She grimaced at the sight of his bed, now illuminated by the window. Disgusting— how long had it been since he last washed anything on there? And that included himself, even if he was standing at the moment. She moved to pick up the duvet, hesitating inches away from it. Her eyes lingered on it, though her head tilted towards him. “Me? I’m fine. I just—” she grunted, pulling her hands close to herself.

She turned her head back towards him. “You’re a mess, Hector. And, I’ve got a feeling this is worse than usual.”

She studied him for a moment.

“I just wanted to see if you wanted to talk.”

WhiskeyMarten

 

[Misuteeku]

Raquel Filo

http://

CS Link

SCENE:

Dine Death

LOCATION:

Shopping Mall, East District

Time:

Post-Arc 1

PARTICIPANTS:

Raquel, Musai

Dine Death

"Ahh, this water is so refreshing. Don't you think so, too, Musai?" Actually, the water made her want to barf. Raquel leaned back against her chair and looked out of the window. They were on a mission to eliminate a veteran Tiger. Their client seemed to have some sort of grudge, but Raquel could have cared less about it. Right now, they were experiencing the Tiger Life. Other than the ludicrous prices, the products were high quality.

Right now, they were dining at a restaurant, even though Musai was the only one doing the eating. She decided it would be good to treat Musai to some good food while they waited for their target to show up. Musai was one of the fewest gentlemen in the Phoenixes that the cannibal talked with. Seeing that Musai had a big appetite like her, Raquel had ordered an assortment of food from the Burger House. The sheer smell of food cooking made her want to kill the cooks, but she would have to bare with it for later. They had bigger fish to fry.

"Frideswide Nekasas. A Tiger veteran is said to be the ability to create thunderstorms. I wonder if that's an exaggeration, but I wonder how she would taste like." The client gave them an essay long worth of information. Raquel, of course, skimmed through it as she only wanted to know what their target's capabilities were. Anything was meaningless for killers like them. If the target had an intense history with the target, then why would Raquel be concerned? She'd still kill and consume like usual.

"She's said to be arrive in about ten minutes from now. That being said, I've ordered pretty much ordered everything on the menu. So, enjoy yourself, Musai." Raquel didn't care too much about money. The only time she had a need for it was when she saw a particularly pretty dress, but even then, she'd usually have Ozma foot the bill for her. Her mind was only on one thing, and one thing only. Humans.

Kameron Esters-

 

[WhiskeyMarten]

HECTOR MOSES

CS Link

SCENE:

H-Eye

TIME:

Post Arc-2

LOCATION:

Red West, South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Hector, Yong-Yut

H-EYE

“If we talk are you just gonna lecture me?” Hector scratched his head for a moment, looking back at Yong-Yut. “Look, I’m sorry I haven’t got the time to make myself look all nice like you. You don’t know how things have been.”

He frowned, looking down at her, suddenly looking more malicious. ”Who put you up to this anyway? Who made you come check up on me? You’ve never cared about me.” The springs creaked as he sat down on the bed, leaning forward with a hand over his face. ”And I've never needed you to. I just gotta hold on till Reika's better.”

 

[angel doe]

celestine renee cadieux

CS Link

SCENE:

the giant's web

LOCATION:

picabo park, north district

TIME:

april 16, 2021 | pre arc-1 | 6:15 pm

PARTICIPANTS:

yuto, celestine

the giant's web

When Yuto held her hands to either side of his face, Celestine stood silently, her thumbs gently brushing his cheeks. She almost didn't want to let go, enjoying the comfort this alone managed to bring her, but eventually, her hands fell from his face. Yuto still held Celeste's arms, which she didn't mind, and began to talk about the day. She listened with a small smile on her lips, watching him fondly.

"Sounds like you had a nice day..." Celeste murmured, reaching up and gently brushing some of the hair from Yuto's face just before he started swinging their arms; gently at first, but then with more fervor. He was so energetic and it made her happy that he missed her as much as she had missed him, "You are right, a week is far too long."

Suddenly, Yuto stopped swinging their arms and pulled one hand away. Celeste couldn't stop the smile that formed again as he made the declaration that perhaps it was fate that brought them together, "I think you are right, this must have been fate," She agreed softly, delicate laughter escaping her as she watched Yuto bounce up and down. "My day has been rather miserable, so I am glad fate was kind enough to bring you to me."

Celestine raised her hand to his cheek again, letting out a soft sigh and tucking a strand of his hair behind his ear, "Would you like to spend some more time together? We could go back to my apartment and I could make you something to eat," She offered, "It is getting pretty late, so..." Celeste trailed off, her eyes meeting Yuto's as she waited for an answer.

Caffeine_Obsessed

 

[WhiskeyMarten]

MIRZA KARTAL

CS Link

SCENE:

Whispers at Dusk

LOCATION:

Taiyōkō Shrine, East District

PARTICIPANTS:

Mirza, Hifumi

WHISPERS AT DUSK

Mirza was silent for the whole journey, hardly smiling at all, even when his fellow Dragons engaged in pleasant conversation. A cool breeze had hit the air and the sky greyed as the evening progressed. Most of his companions were Rookies, and even Mirza himself had only been a Veteran for a year, lacking experience with this sort of duty. It didn’t stop him from putting himself forward when news of the break-in reached his ears, always one to take initiative, and so he took to the front of the group as they neared the Taiyōkō Shrine. A stern look toward the more talkative Dragons was enough to silence them, plunging the group into the solemn atmosphere.

He nodded as Hifumi thanked them, remaining silent as initial instructions were given. Only when he finished did Mirza take a step forward.

“We’re more than happy to do whatever we can to help.” He studied Hifumi’s expression, but honestly it didn’t matter much. He wasn’t expecting to be showered in confetti for showing up. Even just the thank you he got was more than enough. ”And I can assure you that we will keep this event to ourselves.” Looking around, Mirza could feel the weight of the incident.

”We’ll keep some posted at the gate. Nobody else comes in. If you don’t mind, could you introduce us to the staff, and I’ll take what you know as well while you’re here.” Mirza was uncertain as to whether the young man stood before him knew anything, but thought to not ask for his knowledge would be disrespectful.

 

[WhiskeyMarten]

HECTOR MOSES

CS Link

SCENE:

Blood Stained Girl

TIME:

Pre-Arc 1 - Night, 2016

LOCATION:

Alley, South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Hector, Raquel

BLOOD STAINED GIRL

Hector's ears stung with an intense ringing as the grenade went off. He had heard it when it dropped and skidded to a halt. His reaction times were quick, but in an unfamiliar room with an unfamiliar girl, he couldn’t help but hesitate. Only when Raquel flung herself to the floor without fear, aiming for the grenade did Hector jump away, colliding with some furniture in the dark that thankfully provided good cover.

Raquel’s rating in his mind had just skyrocketed.

He would’ve done that for Lyric. He would’ve done it for Reika. There were a lot of Phoenixes he would’ve done that for, too many to name. He would not have done it for someone he had just met. On top of that, a fact that he’d soon learn was that she had the initiative to not only go for the grenade but was quick enough to throw it before the building was engulfed in a fiery explosion.

Hector emerged from his hiding spot, showered in dust. The smell of smoke hit his nose first. The dark corridor was illuminated by fire, though the brightness was counteracted by the dark smoke. Dulled by the ear-piercing explosion, he could hear screaming in the direction the man had run, but his attention was on Raquel first.

”WHAT THE FUCK?” Hector ran up to her, about to hoist her up before he remembered her bloodthirst. He was not getting his hands near her if he could help it.

”ARE YOU OKAY?”

 

[Caffeine_Obsessed]

NIKOLAI NOVAK

CS Link

SCENE:

Revenge Best Served à La Mode

TIME:

6:15 PM || November 7, 2019 || Pre-arc 1

LOCATION:

Novak's Dilapidated Mansion

PARTICIPANTS:

Nikolai, Naom

Revenge Best Served à La Mode

With a sigh, Niko relaxed into the couch, practically melting. "Fuck the media..." Though he supposed Naom had a point. Why resort to messy, needless violence when they could do so much more? A pleased shiver crawled down his spine at the mere thought of their suffering. Whatever it was they did, Nikolai wanted both of them to be utterly and irreparably humiliated. So that just the mere sight of themselves in the mirror revolted them. However knowing that narcissistic prick Jeremy, that would be a hard feat.

A furrow of his brows, and he was on his feet. The previous drunken stumbling from before seemingly gone. That was of course, before he took his first step, in which he nearly tripped over his own legs as he began to pace. "Shapeshifting... yes yes that could come in handy. A disguise- fabrication of ourselves. They won't know what hit them.. yes this is absolutely brilliant!" he spat the words out, his hands waving an imaginary picture before him.

He finally came to a stop before his companion, a dark, determined look in his pale cerulean eyes. With his inhibitions lowered thanks to the alcohol, he placed his gloved palm upon the other's head, fingers unknowingly digging in. "We sneak into that god forsaken company and then... and then." He laughed, spine straightening in confidence. Taking his hand back, he placed it upon his hip, the other pointing and swaying to the air in thought.

His mind suddenly became distracted at the barrage of images of the bastard's face. The sleazy smirk, those greasy brown locks, the crooked front teeth that his fucking fans say adds to his "charm". What charm?! With a disgusted "AGH!" He threw his hands up and sat back down on the couch. Placing his elbows on his knees, he rubbed at his temples in frustration, already feeling a headache coming on. He didn't enjoy feeling so fucking helpless. Even if they did manage to accomplish something, there was no doubt Jeremy would be back on his feet in a week's time. Curse the power of celebrities.

Spoiler: Tags

@tityanya

 

[angel doe]

amari

CS Link

SCENE:

ain't that a kick

TIME:

vague shrug

LOCATION:

garden, east district

PARTICIPANTS:

devin, amari

ain't that a kick

Amari's eyes widened and she stared silently as a person emerged from the earth, taking another step back and examining the situation. She thought this plant being here was a bit strange, but this was the last thing she had expected to see and she couldn't help the surprised laugh that forced its way out. Amari almost didn't hear the person when they spoke and she pressed a hand over her mouth, silencing herself.

"You... saw... nothing..."

That was all he had to say?

Amari kept watching as he started to bury himself in the dirt again, raising a brow, “Yo, kid, who are ya?" They hoped he heard them, but they weren't able to confirm as the plant started to get agitated again. This time it lashed out and they had to jump to one side to avoid being struck, glancing over at the tree it destroyed, “Fuckin' hell, man!" Amari yelled angrily, shielding their face from the dirt that sprayed in their direction.

A growl rumbled in the back of Amari's throat as she brushed the dirt off her clothing, glaring, “Chill! I ain't tryna get in yer way, I was jus' leaving." She snapped, turning to go.

Misuteeku

 

[gxxberkit]

YONG-YUT SOMSRI

CS Link

SCENE:

H-Eye

TIME:

Post Arc-2

LOCATION:

Red West, South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Hector, Yong-Yut

H-Eye

“No, no one. No one did. It’s just,” she sighed, resting her arms. “You’ve just never been so... You remind me… ” Fading to a quiet, she clasped her hands together.

“I understand you don’t need me. But, you know, I… also understand that it’s hard. It’s just also really hard to watch someone… I don’t know. Deteriorate?”A dissatisfied hum at her choice of words followed. “You’re not my friend, but you’re my friends’ friend. So, I care a little, just so you know.”

She shifted on her feet. “Right now, I’d just like to listen. But no promises.”

WhiskeyMarten

 

[Misuteeku]

Sang-Cheol Man

http://

CS Link

SCENE:

This is an Investigation

LOCATION:

Streets, North District

TIME:

Post-Arc 3 | 1-2 Months After

PARTICIPANTS:

Sang-Cheol, Peyton

This is an Investigation

The hum of the engine filled the silence in the car. Sang-Cheol was currently in the driver's seat with a persistent frown on his face. While it was usual for the Icarus Lab Head to wear a frown, it had an even more irritated look to it than usual. After he had awakened from his unconscious state at the lab, Rebecca informed him of dire circumstances. The first was that an earthquake had hit New Oasis. That fact alone surprised Sang-Cheol. In all his life, the only earthquake he had to suffer through was when he had to fight an HP that involved tremors. A genuine, natural earthquake was unheard of in New Oasis.

Next were the casualties back at the lab. Mimi, Darius, and Olivine had perished in the siege at the lab. It was unfortunate, but Sang-Cheol didn't pay much attention to it. He would need to find a new worker to replace Olivine for Mimi and Darius. Sang-Cheol's mind went blank when he thought of their names. They didn't sound familiar to him. While they had a few chance meetings, their names didn't evoke any emotions from him. Well, if they're dead, then they're dead. Why should he care?

The last piece of information was what made his blood rush. Caio had disappeared along with Kyoden when they were raiding the lab. It didn't take a genius to connect the dots, but Kyoden was a fucking backstabber this entire time. The question would be since when, but that didn't change the fact that Caio was now gone. If he had come with Caio to the lab, would they have changed anything? Would he have been able to prevent his friend from being kidnapped? His hold on the steering wheel tightened.

That being said, there were a few oddities that were in the mission. New Serpents that he didn't have files of. The following Serpents were identified as August August, Julian Midgley, and finally...

Peyton Xiong.

Sang-Cheol's eyes lingered on the rear mirror to the backseat. The smaller man was sitting back there at Sang-Cheol's request. While initially, Sang-Cheol didn't have a file on Peyton, Gerda had informed him that at one point a file with the man's name existed at one point. The reason why they didn't have it was that Peyton left the Serpents, which made Sang-Cheol dispose of the file. But now the man was back. A glare could be seen through the rear mirror as Sang-Cheol scrutinized the 'new' Serpent.

He was going to drag answers out of him one way or another.

Coyote Hart

 

[Sei Shonagon]

Kaede Shimokōbe

CS Link

SCENE:

Get(ting) Help

LOCATION:

South District

TIME:

Post Arc-3; 2 1/2 weeks later

PARTICIPANTS:

Hector, Hitoshi, Ashley, Charlie, Gideon and Kaede

Get(ting) Help

Speak of the devil and he will turn up. From one troubled expression to another, Kaede observed the unlikely arrival greet Hitoshi halfways with open arms. The gesture painted her own greeting as somewhat lacking and she suddenly felt rather self-aware of the seat that she was glued to. On one hand, there was a nagging worry that she had been rude to not offer at least a handshake. On the other, she doubted that her body would’ve been able to reciprocate such tenderness even if given a second chance. It was fine, she told herself as Hector slid into the seat next to hers.

She wasn’t much for hugs anyway. The slight tug on lips and sullen slope to eyes were gone by the time that Hector had begun his pestering. The brunette eyed him narrowly, then looked at Hitoshi and back again. “Fine.”. The sigh was audible and visible through the compliant hands that handed over another cigarette. Slender fingers immediately reproached from any skin contact once it was done. “Light it yourself.” A quick flick and an even quicker spark followed in rapid succession. Kaede dragged out the inhale and exhaled a cloud of gray that just happened to fan towards Hector’s direction.

She turned away when it crashed into his silhouette. “Kaede and likewise.” Any lingering ill intent was masked by the polite nod she returned to the third party member. She didn’t let the wince at the word ‘friend’ show. “You sure Tos-Hitoshi-san? Shouldn’t we be the ones to treat you today?” It was only because of him that they had all agreed to gather after all. Even she had been invited after such an awkward reunion, it only felt right to pay for her own meal with all the circumstances in mind. She gazed at the glass of orange juice in front of Hitoshi “-Do they serve dessert? I'll take a parfait in that case”.

joshuadim Roda the Red WhiskeyMarten

 

[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

Continuing to wander around, Sylvie wondered just who it was he was meeting. He eyed every passerby with curiosity, hoping one would make eye contact back and realise that they were the two that were to meet upstairs. He wasn’t worried though. The warm air was nice on such a lovely evening, and the work they had to do wasn’t urgent, so he relaxed until he was greeted with a wave, and he looked in surprise at Kiwi.

“Ayy!” He greeted back, clearly not using his usual greeting but wanting to match the tone. This had to be her. “Sylvie Slezák, Lena’s son. You’re Miss Bonheur, is that correct?”

Looking down at her outfit when she brought it up, he quickly noticed the walking stick, ”No, no. You don’t have to worry about that, they will not bother you about the dress code. Are you injured? Is there anything I can help you with? We will have to go upstairs, I’ve set stuff up in the lounge but there is an elevator, no need for stairs.” It was clear that he had been caught off-guard, but maintained a warm smile the whole time. ”Let’s get inside- When you're ready.”

 

[Coyote Hart]

Gideon Gray

CS Link

SCENE:

Get(ting) Help

LOCATION:

Kiki's Eatery, South District

TIME:

Post Arc 3

PARTICIPANTS:

Hector, Hitoshi, Ashley, Charlie, Gideon and Kaede

GET(TING) HELP

Gideon's wheelchair hummed as it drove down the street, the odd sight of a man with a cast on both his arm and leg, and directing where he went on his wheelchair with a joystick catching quite a few stares. All the while, Gideon's face was carefully deadpan, an inkling of his resting bitch face permeating through the facade of apathy. He only had to bear with this arrangement for a week or two more, and then he could use a cane.

It was a good day for an outing. Summer's blessing shone down on the people who wandered the streets. Even though Gideon's injuries caused him to not be able to partake as fully as he hoped in various activities, there was no way that he was going to ditch Hitoshi's invitation. If the older role model of the Phoenixes wanted to turn a new leaf in life, then the very least that Gideon could do was to help the man out.

Kiki's eatery loomed up ahead of him. Gideon was late. Most of the others had already arrived at the eatery, gathered around Hitoshi's table. Hitoshi was sporting a new hairstyle, long and interestingly different.

"Sorry for the tardiness," Gideon said as he drove up to the others, "Congestion."

Gideon's humor, as always, was as dry as hard tack. Most probably didn't even understand it as a joke. The congestion on the way over wasn't even that bad; the reason that Gideon was late was that he couldn't figure out what to wear. It would seem unsightly if he wore the barista outfit that he put on every day for the past year or so, but suddenly deciding to wear something else from his dusty wardrobe was a difficult change in pace. Finally, after ten minutes of contemplating, Gideon had decided on a Victorian jacket out of all things. Maybe that was what people were staring at.

"Hitoshi-san, thanks for the invitation," Gideon said, a ghost of a smile on his face. "Nice hairdo. You look excellent in it. Sorry, I know that sparring is on the itinerary, but I'm not sure I'll be able to partake much."

All of the people there Gideon recognized, save for one. A woman with oval glasses and tied-up hair, huffing on a cigarette. Gideon had heard of her. Kaede Shimokōbe. Gideon offered the hand of his uninjured arm to her, brusquely introducing himself, "We haven't met. Gideon Gray, mastermind in training."

But at that moment, Gideon realized that there was a slight slope where they were at. Not a usually perceivable one, but one that was there due to the earthquake that had struck two years ago. Gideon's wheelchair was rolling down it. Desperately, Gideon used his uncasted leg to try to activate the breaks on his wheelchair, but it was too late.

"Charlie! Watch out!" Gideon warned. But it was too late. The wheelchair was on a crash course collision with Charlie's chair, and it collided with a resounding clunk.

Oh good lord Satan. What a way to ruin his introduction, by crashing into one of the junior members of the Phoenixes. Cheeks burning in shame, Gideon could only ask, "Charlie, you good?"

joshuadim Sei Shonagon Roda the Red WhiskeyMarten Lucem

 

[WhiskeyMarten]

HECTOR MOSES

CS Link

SCENE:

Jingle Bells, Jingle Hell

TIME:

December 26th 2013

LOCATION:

The Metropolitan Museum, Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Kaede, Hector

JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE HELL

His teeth were gritted in frustration, but he couldn’t help but be a little amused from winding her up, more than ready to egg her onto his level. Hector opened his mouth to speak, interrupted by her speaking. He let out a noise — the start of a word — before Kaede continued her lecture, and he paused once more. He tried once again, resembling a goldfish gasping for air, but what really took his breath away was the tugging at his neck as she drew him in close, so close it caused the immature man to blush slightly.

She had successfully flustered him. He wavered for a moment after she left him, finally speaking only a moment too late. “Heh, whatever, lady. You can come cryin’ back to me when it turns out you need my help…” He spoke a little too loudly, but realised she wasn’t listening, and so he turned to head to the refreshment table, pushing through the various gormless couples.

Look at me, eating my fancy canapé— Hector took a bite from the salmon and cream-cheese topped bread, chewing it with an open mouth, enjoying no part of it— with my fancy champagne. He drank from the glass, not expecting it to be so small, and thus finishing the glass quickly. The delicacies on the table were lost with him. He wasn’t a big appreciator of food, but when he was eating, he’d take a greasy burger over smoked salmon. When it came to drinks, he had a bottomless stomach. He was sure he could down a whole keg of beer, none of this sparkling nonsense in tiny glasses. Of course, nobody nearby could hear his mocking thoughts, but they could certainly tell that the man was not enjoying himself.

”That’s it.” Hector slammed the glass back down, where it predictably shattered. That was the downside of HP strength. That did garner a few stares, but Hector only stared back as he replaced the broken glass with a fresh one, not bothering to clean up after himself. He had hardly stood there for a few minutes yet before he looked around, trying to find Kaede among the crowd with no success. But hey, if he couldn’t see Kaede, it must mean she couldn’t see him, right? Satisfied with that, Hector wandered off.

He’d prove something to the King alright, and there was nothing Kaede could do about it.