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

[Lucem]

Ezra Knight

CS Link

SCENE:

In the Tigers' Web

TIME:

Post-Arc 3, Timeskip 1 | June 3rd

LOCATION:

Nameless Storefront, West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Ezra, Dagger, Elias, Jennifer, Passeri

IN THE TIGERS' WEB

Ezra wasn't sure if Passeri chose not to look his way or if her unquenched bloodlust rendered her incapable of doing so. In the end, it didn't matter. Even though she didn't spare him a single glance, his eyes never left hers. Those magenta pools were usually bright and full of glamor, but now they only pulsed with hate as they reflected the target of her ire. The way she spoke had also changed, leaving no trace of the voice that captivated so many people. It was replaced by something much colder and more threatening.

He remained silent as she responded, still refusing to look away from the man she fully intended to kill. He was already aware of the points she raised, having taken them into consideration when he decided to commit to his insubordinate actions. Nothing she said was wrong, and he never intended to argue otherwise.

Despite giving Passeri his full attention, he remained aware of her construct. It seemed perfectly in tune with her emotions, floating higher as her palpable hate flared. It was clear that she still had every intention of killing Webber. However, what Ezra planned to do about it remained to be seen. Would he interfere again, or would he let her go through with it?

Before he or Passeri could follow through with either of their intentions, Dagger acted first, wasting no time as she made her approach and unceremoniously slit Webber's neck. It felt like all the tension was released, violently dispersed like the air from a popped balloon. Just like that, it was over.

There was a certain numbness that took hold of him, both inside and out. He wasn't sure what kind of expression made its way onto his face before it evened out into something more neutral. He turned away as Dagger dragged Webber across the floor like a sack of garbage, letting his eyes linger on the bloody trail for a moment.

As much as he wanted to avoid murder and violence whenever possible, he sadly acknowledged that this outcome was probably the best he could've hoped for. Passeri didn't kill Webber, and the issue of what to do with him had been solved. But even though both sides seemingly got what they wanted, there were no winners here. It was vexing.

When Passeri finally spoke up again, Ezra gave her his attention once more. Even though the matter was settled, it seemed as though she was trapped in that moment, her hand still poised to bring down the killing blow on a man who was already dead. The only hint that she even registered his presence was the delivery of new orders.

"Understood..." That was all he had to say in response to the instructions she gave. There was no weeping for the dead or a comment regarding what transpired. He simply went to collect Jennifer and gave Elias a nod as he carefully took the silver-haired woman into his arms.

"If you need anything else, let me know." He didn't turn around to look back at Passeri. He had a feeling she was still in that same position, paralyzed by emotions that could no longer be taken out on the person responsible for them.

As he went for the door, the soles of his shoes made contact with the red drops that now stained the floor. In the next moment, the rest of the blood that soaked into the ground and Dagger returned to the corpse's lifeless body. It wouldn't bring back someone who was already dead, but it would make the clean-up easier for the women who stayed behind. Not that it needed to do much else. It wasn't as if he was hopeful that Webber would suddenly start breathing again. That man wasn't the person he was really trying to help.

"Just make sure you stay yourself." Those were the last words he spoke in that room. Even if Passeri came to the same conclusions on her own and still decided to kill Jacob Webber, her doing it after the maniac's influence pushed her into that headspace seemed like the worst outcome. It was hard to say what the aftermath would have been like if she carried it out when she wasn't fully herself. He didn't know her well enough to confidently claim that she'd regret it, and he was more than likely projecting. He acknowledged that, but ultimately, he didn't care.

To him, what mattered was that he did what he felt was right. He took action instead of idly standing by. He wanted to be there, so he came. He wanted to speak up, so he did. If he managed to change anything, that was great, but he wouldn't be discouraged if all he managed to do was take up empty space.

He was still far from where he needed to be. He needed to grow more and do more. But for now, just walking his path and working toward an actual goal was a step in the right direction.

Spoiler: Tags

QuirkyAngel @Saturn_moon simj26 @The One Eyed Bandit

 

[Jexon Whells]

Lloyd Sorvocah

CS Link

TIME:

Pre- Outbreak: 2022, July 1st

SCENE:

Agonizing Bonechill

LOCATION:

Start: East District; Dragon HQ

PARTICIPANTS:

Jackson BriiAngelic , Rohen CasualTea , Lloyd (Myself)

Agonizing Bonechill

Lloyd and Jackson had some plans for today, busting up some Serpents who are planning on trafficking their drugs into the East District. However, a few days prior, they would both receive a message that they are to bring a new rookie along to show them the ropes and work them in. Now, Lloyd wasn't planning on letting that stop him, of course. However, he also does not want the rookie to get in the way. Oh well, he just has to wait and see how things go.

Lloyd would have his car parked at the Dragon HQ before going into the building to meet up with Jackson, and the new rookie. He first walks into the lobby, where he expects to meet Jackson at least. Lloyd would likely be recognised quickly by Jackson due to the clothes he is wearing. Whenever they went out to eliminate some Serpents, Lloyd would wear baggy and somewhat cheap clothes, due the workings of his Potential, and the occasional bloodstain that would not be able to be washed out.

As for the rookie they were to bring with them, Lloyd would probably have to check with the receptionist to see if they had already arrived here, if the rookie would not approach him or Jackson beforehand. Despite having to adjust today's plans, Lloyd has grown quite curious who this new face could be, and what type of person they are that they were invited into the Azure Dragons.

 

[joshuadim]

HITOSHI YAMAKAWA

CS Link

SCENE:

Get(ting) Help

TIME:

Post Arc-3; 2 1/2 weeks later

LOCATION:

The Old Dojo, South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Hitoshi, Charlie, Ashley, Gideon, Hector, Kaede

GET(TING) HELP

Hitoshi didn't have time to react to Hector's suggestion, as the Queen had already lunged himself with a full frontal assault that left the veteran on the backfoot immediately. The pellets fell down and forced Hitoshi to close his eyes as he tried in vain to swat them away. This created the immediate opening for Hector to take advantage of as his blunted mallet collided his Hitoshi's chest, knocking the air out of the veteran as he was sent tumbling back a few feet. But there was no reprieve from the onslaught as the Queen kept on coming with more attacks.

Another swing hit Hitoshi on the side, straining his ribs and forcing an audible 'ack' to sound from the veteran as he manged to bring up his staff to block a third attack. Hitoshi felt something well in his chest from this as he desperately sought to keep his guard up with his weapon of choice. Something strained at both his head and chest as he did his best to follow Hector's movements, only to fail to keep his guard up and receive a blow to the belly that made spit fly out of Hitoshi's mouth. But the coup de grace came when Hector managed to break the bō staff with an especially hard blow. A flew bamboo splinters came flying off from the impact, signalling the last of Hitoshi's defences being broken.

For the veteran, things were descending from bad to worse as he felt his surroundings fade away. His heart felt like it wanted to explode, his limbs felt swollen and useless; barely managing to bring up his arms only for them to be batted aside by another strike. It became hard to breathe for him as the world descended upon him, feeling as though that death was coming for him at last. Gone was the dojo, and instead he felt the pattering of rain on his head. The thunder roared in the sky as Hitoshi found himself in a setting that haunted him for so long - faced by a figure that he once called brother.

Fists collided with his face as Hitoshi struggled to defend himself. He couldn't bring himself to fight what was essentially his family... in that respect, he had failed everyone. "FIGHT, DAMN YOU!" he shouted, "FIGHT BACK!!"

He tried to find the words, only for them to be caught in the constricting masses that were his throat and tongue. Both of which writhed in his mouth and seemed to want to escape the clutches of his body. By this point, he couldn't feel his arms let alone feel like he could direct them. He felt as though he was on autopilot, looking from a mirror outwards to the rest of the world. What he saw was a pathetic sight of a man getting wailed on. "YOU MADE ME DO THIS! YOU COULD'VE GONE WITH ME AND YET YOU DIDN'T!"

Another series of strikes broke past Hitoshi's guard, settling on his chest and face, and causing the veteran's vision to blurry as he staggered. He tried in vain to put up a defence but failed in that respect too. He felt his heart drum in his ears, blood rushing into every part of his body that wasn't his heart. In turn, he felt as though that his chest might explode at any given moment. "YOU ABANDONED ME!"

"S-stop..." Hitoshi managed to get out weakly.

He gritted his teeth at the accusations, gasping for air as a mountain descended on his lungs. He couldn't find his way out of this, descending into a dark, deep pool that he had avoided for so long with drugs and alcohol. Maybe he did deserve to die after all. But something else welled up within him - a defiance towards the world itself as it sought to flagellate him for his inaction. His face strained with all the rage it could pool, his teeth grinding as his heart beat with a self-directed anger. It was reaching a boiling point, one that he hadn't felt ever come up before. It was scary... but it also felt liberating in a sense. Something returned in his fighting instinct that he had learned all those years ago, creating a single moment for him to use.

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT-"

"SHUT UP!!!" Hitoshi then roared, breaking out of his stupor with a five inch punch that cracked against Hector's side. From the sheer force of the strike the Queen was sent flying, before crashing into the rack of weapons that the veteran had collected his bō from earlier. For Hitoshi, this was no triumph; he stood in place as his body shook, his fist trembling the most. His breathing was erratic and frantic, and it was then that he realized just how bad things had gotten. He clutched at his chest, and stumbled over to a nearby pillar for support. He almost fell down face first from the vertigo he was feeling, as sweat and saliva poured down like a raging river from his body. Everything felt wrong, and he felt his ability to exist rapidly dissipate.

"H-help..." Hitoshi managed to vocalize through the panic.

WhiskeyMarten Roda the Red Lucem Coyote Hart

 

[CasualTea]

Lloyd Sorvocah

CS Link

TIME:

Pre- Outbreak: 2022, July 1st

SCENE:

Agonizing Bonechill

LOCATION:

Start: East District; Dragon HQ

PARTICIPANTS:

Jackson BriiAngelic , Rohen CasualTea , Lloyd (Myself)

Agonizing Bonechill

Lloyd and Jackson had some plans for today, busting up some Serpents who are planning on trafficking their drugs into the East District. However, a few days prior, they would both receive a message that they are to bring a new rookie along to show them the ropes and work them in. Now, Lloyd wasn't planning on letting that stop him, of course. However, he also does not want the rookie to get in the way. Oh well, he just has to wait and see how things go.

Lloyd would have his car parked at the Dragon HQ before going into the building to meet up with Jackson, and the new rookie. He first walks into the lobby, where he expects to meet Jackson at least. Lloyd would likely be recognised quickly by Jackson due to the clothes he is wearing. Whenever they went out to eliminate some Serpents, Lloyd would wear baggy and somewhat cheap clothes, due the workings of his Potential, and the occasional bloodstain that would not be able to be washed out.

As for the rookie they were to bring with them, Lloyd would probably have to check with the receptionist to see if they had already arrived here, if the rookie would not approach him or Jackson beforehand. Despite having to adjust today's plans, Lloyd has grown quite curious who this new face could be, and what type of person they are that they were invited into the Azure Dragons.

Rohen Kowloong

CS Link

TIME:

Pre- Outbreak: July 1st, 2022

SCENE:

Agonizing Bonechill

LOCATION:

Start: East District; Dragon HQ

PARTICIPANTS:

Jackson BriiAngelic , Lloyd Jexon Whells , Rohen (Myself)

Agonising Bonechill

It was the morning of something new. She had only recently been officially recruited but no active assignments were available for her to be a part of. Today was the day where she was activated after laying dormant for some time, doing nothing but walking aimlessly throughout the district getting a real good feel for the local life outside of Madam Bo's and her apartment complex. She started to notice the amount of brothels the place had and observed them as well as its customers. While the brothels were elegant and seemingly high class and well maintained, its customers also share suit to the same standard. Among them, she also noticed that it was where she met more concentrated areas of Dragon-affiliated member gatherings as well. Perhaps that's where security comes from.

All in all, a nice place to live in. Rather peaceful and tranquil despite the hot mess that goes on behind the scenes. It was rather... therapeutic and a large contrast to what she experienced back home. Suppose it was thanks to the Azure Dragons that peace was able to prosper in this part of the city. She still needed to learn more about the district, especially what goes on behind the scenes. This mainly included other operations the Dragons have other than tending to and running the brothels. Today's the day she'll learn what they actually do.

She already touched face with the receptionist and was told to just wait for her seniors to pick her up. She waited around in the lobby where she found herself a nice seat near some windows, able to observe the outside. However, she was more observant of the entrance and the main floor of the lobby, looking for her senior. As a recruit, she dressed herself not in her usual elegant garbs and hair dresses. Instead she dressed herself appropriately of the current stature donning in a simple traditional combat dressing. Alongside that, she tied up her hair into a tail. Her sword was in its sheathe laid on her lap as she waited patiently.

After a number of personnel walking in and out of the lobby, one stuck out to her as it triggered her memory bank. She remembered when she went to the reception desk she was told to wait for a person by the name of 'Lloyd' or 'Jackson' and was even given a picture of them for reference should she make contact sooner. She saw a rather tall man with broad shoulders but despite in all those features, she could tell he still has some aspect of youthfulness. From what she saw from the picture and what his facial features displayed in front of her, she found him. She got up from her seat and started making her way towards him in a casual manner as to not alert him or make it seem like he was being targeted with ill intent. Her foot steps were however very quiet as she walked but later, Lloyd would find a pleasant feminine voice with a soothing sound insert itself within his ear shot.

"Good morning. Are you the one I'm supposed to meet today? Mister... Lloyd?" She formally greeted, putting up a rather coy act. "My name is Rohen Kowloong. I was told that I would be going on assignment with two other seniors today."

She stood at a small distance from him off to his side to greet herself. Her sword was now strapped behind her and she gave Lloyd her full attention. Her figure somewhat obscured by her free flowing combat dress which reached down to half her thighs, leaving her slender legs being supported by traditional footwear exposed and seemingly being a flashing contrast from her darkened upper half. Her head was adorned with hair ornaments which seemed to help keep her hair up and in order regardless of motion. At a first glance, she almost looked like a brothel employee. But in actuality, this was just her choice of clothing heavily influenced from home.

Even with such an appearance as this, she did hope that her superior would take her to a modicum of seriousness and not joke around. Despite not interacting with any of the members directly, she does experience the tendency of others misjudging her only to learn about the cold heart she possesses much later. She's only putting on an act now to acknowledge her standing in rank and experience among her new teammates. But later should the opportunity present itself, she will sing her song of lust and death.

 

[joshuadim]

DAIGO ASANUMA

CS Link

SCENE:

Anger Management

TIME:

Pre-Arc 1; August 1, 2019

LOCATION:

South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Charlie, Daigo

ANGER MANAGEMENT

Daigo had hoped that he would be able to quickly make his escape, but he was taken aback by the blue-haired man's sudden surge of strength as he practically soared through the air. He didn't expect his mark to have been superpowered in this manner. And now things had gotten so much more difficult. Nice going. a thought raced through his head as Charlie hit the ground nearby and began the chase. "Huwhoawhattheshit!" Daigo managed to get out as he took off, with his victim now in hot pursuit.

​

His lean physique allowed him to squeeze past people in a hurry, but that didn't count for much given that his chaser could leap over great strides. He was catching up quick, and Daigo needed something to slow him down. Fortunately for him, Mr. Pandari's hot dog stand was perfect for the job as it was in the way. Daigo quickly rushed over and bounded over the stand, grabbing two fully loaded hotdogs that were meant for customers much to the chagrin of the stand's owner. "HEY! GIVE THOSE BACK!" he shouted, shaking his fist at the teen as he watched him run off.

"Sorry! I kinda need this more than you!!" Daigo shouted back as he turned his gaze behind him to see his pursuer closing in. It was then that Daigo twirled around and fired his sausage missiles at Charlie, managing to land one on his face - splattering relish and mustard all over - and the other hitting him on the chest! "Enjoy your lunch, bozo!" Daigo then shouted as he continued to run off, making distance with the distraction he had employed.

Roda the Red

 

[joshuadim]

HITOSHI YAMAKAWA

CS Link

SCENE:

LYRICAL MISERY

TIME:

Pre-Arc 3; Nov 11, 2021

LOCATION:

THE SERENITY - BAR AND EATERY, South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Hitoshi, Hiachi

LYRICAL MISERY

Hitoshi downed another one of his drinks, finishing two in total in rapid succession by now as Hiachi grumbled to herself. The backdrop of whomever was on karaoke now drew Hitoshi's attention to the singer and frowned. "Aaaaaaagh, man, they suck at this." he commented. "There's no passion, or anything. They're just reciting the damn lyrics! Goddamn shame. This establishment is sorely in need for Dr. Mic." A stupid nickname that he had given himself hung in the air as he finished his third drink. It was then that his attention was drawn to Hiachi again when she mentioned something about not taking a bet.

"HAH! It's not a bet my friend. It's a promise." Hitoshi said with another pained grin, the smell of alcohol oozing out from between his stained teeth. It was then that the final chorus of the song finished and the would-be singer on stage departed to scattered applause from the patrons. "Well, that's my cue!" Hitoshi then said with a grin, pointing to Hiachi. "You should watch, and see how a real soul sings their heart out."

Without waiting for a response, he bounced out of his stool and made his way towards the stage. It was a position he was familiar with over the years; eyes trailed his passage as he made his way to the microphone and the stage lights. Lights, camera, action! As the movie stars would say as they got on set. It was in moments like these, outside of the crushing weight of reality, that Hitoshi felt like a superstar. Whatever fleeting moments he could grasp like these he would take, no matter how much of a fool he made himself out to be. It was here that his vast, oceanic soul would flood outwards for people to understand... whether they liked it or not.

He fixed the microphone on its stand for a moment, gripping it with both hands as his oily skin glistened in the light. He then let out a grin and snapped a finger towards the DJ. "HIT IT!"

​

The words came flowing out from his mouth as the classic progressed. Pearl beads rolling across a waterfall, with a sombre and gentle rain pattering the waters' surface. Every lyric he went 100 percent on, putting his utmost into the inflections and the meaning of the words. He was truly an idiot who messed up so many things in life. And to the shock of the crowd, they felt this resonate in their minds too as they watched with abated breath. Every progression, every chorus, was more impactful than the last. A few even had tears in their eyes. They saw a man who suffered so much.

They wanted him to be better.

Little did they know that it was too late for him.

As the song came to a close with its final notes, a silence permeated the establishment. It was as though the world had been drowned out for a moment, before everyone began to clap vigorously and cheer for such a performance. Hitoshi stood on stage for a moment, taking it all in as his eyes scanned the room. None of their opinions really mattered, save for the new drinking buddy he had just spoken to earlier. He looked over towards Hiachi and gave a thumbs up, affirming that the start of his campaign had begun.

miki

 

[Roda the Red]

CHARLIE HUGHES

CS Link

SCENE:

Anger Management

TIME:

Daytime, Pre-Arc 1, August 1st 2019

LOCATION:

South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Charlie, Daigo

Anger Management

Charlie really wished it didn't have to come to this. The curious eyes of the onlookers gazing up into the air, getting glimpses of the leaping blue blur made his cheeks grow slightly rosy. But no matter how many judgemental eyes may fall upon the young man, nothing would stop his righteous chase. Running was most likely the worse option, as jumping up in the air not only meant that he could cover up for his frankly lacking running speed, but the higher altitude also meant that the golden boy would never escape his hunting sights. The pacing was good, just a few more jumps and Charlie might be able to come into contact with his target.

Amidst their pursuit, the young criminal made his way through a hotdog stand, arming himself with hotdogs on both hands. It was understandable to be hungry, but was he really starving THAT much that he was willing to grab a bite while being pursued? Charlie's question was met with an unexpectedly quick answer, as a flying sausage was sent at his direction, obstructing his vision when it hit his face. Truly, he had met his defeat by the hand of the Meat Marksman

Unceremoniously, Charlie landed on the ground with a clumsy miscalculation, rolling continously like a bowling ball which the civilians needed to quickly move away from. Using his arms to push himself off the ground, the boy stared at the distancing youth, irritation in his eyes as the sausage rolled off from the bridge of his nose. A hand quickly going for his pocket, Charlie resumed his chase while wiping the goopy toppings off his face with a fancy-looking handkerchief.

It wasn't helpful that the kid clearly knew his way around the area, moving with a foresight unique to someone who grew up familiarizing himself with them. Charlie decided to instead take on a more stable path, performing a high jump that brought him to the roof of one of the adjacent buildings. "YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY FROM MEEEEEE!" He shouted stubbornly, hopping from roof to roof as his gaze long onto the fugitive.

joshuadim

 

[WhiskeyMarten]

DARIUS KENNEDY

CS Link

SCENE:

Dissonant Ichors

LOCATION:

Alleyway, East District

TIME:

Pre-Arc 1: December 21, 2020 -- Dusk

PARTICIPANTS:

Darius, Shen, Raph

DISSONANT ICHORS

“Come on man…”

Darius’s pleas died down as Raph came close, watching, hoping he was at least considering it. His fingers grasped the air, as he tried again to wriggle free, though also careful not to provoke his potential rescuer. He didn’t have to try to appear sincere in his begging, but he feared the sad helpless little puppy thing wasn’t garnering any sympathy. When Raph retreated, Darius perked up a little. Was this good? Was he about to be freed.

The air left his body in a sad squeak of terror as he leaned back as far as he could from the snapping jaws. He felt the cold wall behind him. That was as far as he could go, and all Raph needed to do was go a little closer and there’d be no escape. Fortunately, or unfortunately, he didn’t seem so interested.

“H-hey, wait.” No way was he going to leave him here. Was he just going to taunt him and that was it? “You should just help me out, please. I have… money! I have money, in my pocket. And I can get you more money when I’m free.”

A few notes sat balled up in Darius’s pocket. Crumpled, torn, but perhaps enough to pay his way out of here.

Hopefully not worth enough to grab and be done with.

He had to get paid for this job anyway, even if it was botched. It wasn’t his fault Caio sent him out on such a night, and he’d like to think he was worth paying for, if all the shit Caio put him through meant anything.

“Anything else you want, or need, I can do! Just don’t leave me here! I didn’t do anything wrong!” It wasn’t quite true, but his focus right now was gaining access to the floor. From there, he could activate his best strategy of getting the fuck out of there as fast as his chilly legs could carry him.

 

[tityanya]

𝑵𝒂𝒐𝒎𝒊 𝑺𝒂𝒕𝒐

CS Link

SCENE:

If Something Tastes Funny, Try It Again

LOCATION:

Central District Club

TIME:

May 6th, 2022 || Pre-Arc 3

PARTICIPANTS:

Tak and Dante

If Something Tastes Funny, Try It Again

Naomi knew well enough how to tell when a man was hiding his emotions. Her concern for him probably surprised him as much as his concern for her when the bouncer was ogling her–they were complete strangers after all. But Naomi wasn’t without empathy. He shrugged it off, looking away from her, off into the distance. A classic response to hide your emotions. Naomi wasn’t going to press it. His emotions were his to conceal as he saw fit. She instead stared off with him, her head pulsing with an ache as she made eye contact with the street lamp. She hissed a little, her hand covering her eyes. “Why do they make those things so damn bright?” she grumbled, mostly to herself. She needed something to take the edge off. Maybe some cigarettes? Those wouldn’t be terribly hard to find in a club.

Dante spoke up, saying that because he ate his veggies he could tough this out. She scoffed at that, which turned into a little laugh, swept up in his stupid little smile. He started posing, showing off his muscles. Naomi laughed at his silliness, resisting the urge to run her hand along his bicep like some bimbo to the jock in a teen movie. Her laugh got caught short as he hissed, trying to play it off like a laugh as he shrunk in on himself. “Don’t hurt yourself trying to show off!” she chided, ignoring his comment about being funny.

She offered to redo his bandages,which seemed to take him a moment to process. “Oh” he said, although Naomi couldn’t see if his face had flushed in the dark lighting of the night. She waited for a moment in silence, her hands still clasped behind her back. He was concerned about her hands getting messy? “That’s what a sink is for! Hold on, wait–”

She dove back into her trunk, pushing aside the drugs and the clothes. “Aha! Almost forgot about this!” she pulled out a small bag, her face beaming. “First aid kit! I should have some gloves in it, and maybe some fresh bandages…” She wasn’t really sure what was in it. It was one of those things she bought while high, absolutely determined that a first aid kit was something she needed to have in her car at all times. And well, at least it was coming in handy now?

“I’d love to help! It means that this won’t be a waste of money! Come here, sit down,” she told him, patting on the edge of the trunk. Once he acquiesced, she rummaged through the first aid kit, pulling out the gloves and two whole rolls of bandages. Hmm, maybe she should buy more of those?

She quickly worked on unwrapping and re-wrapping the bandages, her hands a little clumsy as she tried to fly through the procedure. She was surprised at how efficiently she could still do it–the clumsiness started to go away the more bandages she wrapped around him. The gross ones she threw at the floor, using her own to replace them. Once she was done, she admired her handiwork, and maybe Dante’s muscles a little. “There we go! That should be good for now!” she said, pulling the gloves off and also throwing them onto the floor. They were in seedy central, she wasn’t that concerned about the garbage. Hers wasn’t the only litter on the floor.

Their conversation turned to the car insurance, Naomi joking that his insurance premiums might be even higher than hers. He joked back that he would probably need to crash ten more times before his insurance got that high. She grimaced in a comical way, her mouth stretched dramatically. He was right, probably. “If someone totaled my baby, I think I’d total them,” she said, her eyes gazing off in the distance but her voice deadly serious. She had gotten in fights with people before for even daring to touch her car, usually as Omi or Noam rather than Nao.

She watched his hand touch the top of her car with amusement at that thought. She’d invited him to look at the car, though. She wasn’t going to fight him for admiring it. “I can take you for a ride in it sometime. I think Tak might be a little sad if we left him behind.” She wasn’t really sure if she thought that, but at the very least it made her look better that she thought about him. She was enjoying standing outside here with Dante, watching his adorable smiles in response to her actions. Tak could continue to strike out with women at the bar for all she cared at this particular moment.

The subject changed to fashion, and Naomi put on her serious face as she contemplated Dante’s choice. She nodded as he told her that he didn’t sweat easy. “I’ll hold you to that! You’ll have to pay for the dry cleaning!” she joked, sticking her tongue out at him and winking. She wouldn’t actually charge him for something like that. The clothes in her car were cheaper than the ones she kept at home. She didn’t care if they got all dirty. And if they did, they could easily go in the washer at the laundromat in her apartment building.

She politely looked away as Dante pulled off his last remaining piece of clothing, hissing and groaning as he did so. Men were so stubborn and eager to hurt themselves, weren’t they? But she wasn’t going to press the issue–he wanted to do it himself, and she wasn’t going to force him to do otherwise. His voice spoke up from behind her, wagering a bet on if Tak had wooed some babes all alone at the bar. Naomi resisted the urge to guffaw, instead letting out a choked-sounding laugh. “I’m willing to bet that he’s talking to a girl right now, unaware that he’s about to strike out before he even gets up to bat,” she laughed, the imagery of Tak alone at the bar bringing a smirk to her face.

She gave him shit, but she loved the guy. He was so funny and delusional. Naomi glanced back at Dante, a little disappointed to see that he had already gotten fully dressed. He looked…pretty good. The slits in the body suit revealed more of the gauze used to wrap his wounds than his skin, but the stark white against the black looked good. Intentional. She eyed him slowly, her gaze more critical than lecherous as she took in the outfit.

He himself compared himself to a zombie, making her snort. He was making a self-deprecating comment, but once he saw himself in the reflection of her window, he saw what she saw. The damn I want to take this guy home comment sounded genuine. She couldn’t say that she didn’t think the same–he was just too cute. Something about the bruises and bandages made him seem more vulnerable. Other girls would undoubtedly feel the same. “I can guarantee you’ll get more girls approaching you than Tak,” she said, her voice a little smug. She totally didn’t have an ulterior motive of proving Tak wrong about how people could just wear whatever and still have game.

She watched him with a gentle smile on her face as he admired himself in the reflection, her own eyes watching the ripple of muscle underneath the fabric’s surface. Noam’s muscles were purely for show, something to make him more attractive to the general man-loving populace. Dante’s muscles were different–they were meant to be used. And they looked great on display. For a second she entertained the notion of Noam having muscles like that, but quickly shook the thought away. He didn’t want that.

Dante’s attention returned to Naomi, his good hand outstretched as he did a little spin for her. She clapped and cheered, enjoying the little show. “You look fantastic! Ready to go back inside?” she asked, closing the truck on her car and clicking the fob a couple times just to make sure it was really locked. “I should probably go wash my hands, first. Then we can go look for Tak,” she added after.

POST NOTES​

((ooc: ))
((Outfit: Red Dress with red high heels))
((Die in the Disco))

@Haze- thebigfella

 

[Roda the Red]

CHARLIE HUGHES

CS Link

SCENE:

To Live in the Shadows

TIME:

Afternoon, Pre-Arc 1, June 11th 2020

LOCATION:

Nameless Warehouse, South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Charlie, Helva

To Live in the Shadows

Charlie visibly pouted, strangely enough, the fact that his two adversaries were acting so smug about the unfair match up weighted a lot heavier on his mind than the great pain coming from the shallow stab sound on his side. "I know that...But when I'm told I'm gonna fight an enemy, I expect AN enemy!" It almost sounded like he was throwing a tantrum, but how could you blame him, It really felt like a scam! And not an 'Over 100 options which is actually just 101' kind of scam, it was a 'Come on kid, you can EASILY win this carnival game' kind of rigged!

Time for going over the minutia was over, with Revenant going in for an attack once again. Charlie braced for impact, making sure to keep the other attacker by the corner of his eye, should he try anything funny. But just as quickly as the lady of darkness approached him, she created distance anew, her strides taking her behind the labyrinth of objects and materials littering the inside of the warehouse, disappearing under the shroud of night.

Noticing that the other man was now on his own, Charlie took the initiative and rushed forward, aiming to throw heavy punch at the intruding individual as he closed then distance between them with long steps. But lacking on a desire to comply with the boy's desires, the man made a retreat of his own, skipping back into darkness' veil.

"O-OI! Get back here, both of you!" He snarled, stomping the ground as he heard the sounds of footsteps in his vicinity, the pair still lying around in the area. It made sense, even if they played dirty, this was still the trial's duel, this they still had all of the intention of bringing Charlie down. Knowing well that giving chase blindly in the darkness was the same as begging to be ambushed, he stayed firmly in place instead, his eyes scanning his surroundings for any alternatives.

It was then that he understood that, sometimes, a simple answer could prove to be most effective. He remembered one of the requests from the short girl from earlier: To not destroy the warehouse, and Charlie was determined to comply. However...She never said anything about the integrity of everything lying inside it. His hands opening and closing consecutively, the boy pregressed with his straightforward plan.

What came next was an absolute barrage of thrown hazards. Charlie woulc grab a hold of anything in reach, from bricks and bags of cement, to pipes and even wooden boxes, all of them being launched one after another blindly at the general direction of where he assumed Revenant and her underling might be. Certainly not the smartest move, but give his circumstances, it might at least be the prudent.

Peckinou

 

[Beann]

SAMIRA CALRISSIAN

CS Link

SCENE:

I am (not) your Grandpa!

LOCATION:

Calrissian HQ, West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Babarutthoth, Samira

I am (not) your Grandpa!

“Hmm…”

The Tiger Ace hummed softly in thought as she considered Babar’s words. He made quite the compelling argument, selling his skills to her benefit. Truth be told, she herself didn't have much use for him currently. Samira was strict about separating her wine business from Tiger business (yet here she was discussing Tiger business in her wine business). The idea of using his skills to meddle with her competitors didn't sit well with her as she was always proud of her achievements that were earned by her own hard work alone. However, she knew the Tiger Queen, Ryutaro, would have much more use for him. Considering their plans in the work against Markus, the Tiger King, she'd imagine that Babar would play an important role. At the very least, he would play an annoying role. Regardless, Samira made a mental note to discuss further details with Ryutaro but for now…

“Very well,” she decided, standing up from her chair. Samira began to extend her hand out to offer a handshake but she quickly retracted her idea as she wasn't sure how long Babar had been homeless. Perhaps after he received a proper shower and clean clothes would she be more comfortable exchanging formalities. For now though, she plucked a business card from the stack that was neatly placed near the corner of her desk. “You will contact me after Danielle secures a properly configured phone for you, and once you're settled into your apartment. I will handle the matter of your allowance on my end.” Samira stated as she held out her business card for him to take. Then she reached for her phone, quickly dialing her assistant’s number to request her presence.

“If you cause my assistant any trouble, I will call off the deal and ensure you're locked away from the public’s eye.” The tone in her voice was cold as she lowered her phone. Moments later, a soft knock was heard at her office door, “enter.”

A short, timid looking woman with glasses opened the door, cautiously stepping into her boss’s office. “Danielle, get this man a phone and chaperone him in his apartment search. Somewhere close, I'd suggest the Soaring Heights apartments. You may use the company card.” Her assistant pushed her glasses up with a single finger, glancing over at the ill-dressed man. Danielle bowed slightly, “very well. This way, sir.” She gestured to the door.


“We'll be in touch, Babar.”

Vorifengrous

 

[joshuadim]

DAIGO ASANUMA

CS Link

SCENE:

Anger Management

TIME:

Pre-Arc 1; August 1, 2019

LOCATION:

South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Charlie, Daigo

ANGER MANAGEMENT

Ok, seriously, what WAS this guy's problem!? He was getting so damn overdramatic over a phone and wallet he most likely could afford to get replacements for! Daigo gritted his teeth as he turned his gaze while running to see the blue-haired menace tailing him from above. "Tch. Buzz off!" Daigo shouted as a taunt towards his pursuer, as he continued to bob and weave through the crowds with ease. Though, he wasn't quick enough to get a larger lead ahead of someone who was seriously way too invested into these sorts of things. And when Charlie lept off the rooftops nearby, closing the distance again, Daigo struck again.

Not physically, but rather with words as he shouted at the top of his lungs. "HELP! THIS CREEP IS CHASING ME!" he shouted, pointing towards Charlie as he continued to run. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE WANTS WITH ME BUT I'M SCARED!"

The commotion drew the ire of angry eyes straight onto the hapless victim of accusations, creation a much more difficult mess from the masses. Fortunately for Daigo, there were good samaritans in the crowd that he managed to exploit as a particularly burly man stepped towards Charlie and grabbed him by the arm. "Hey, knock it off creep! Leave the kid alone!" he said with a scowl.

"Yeah, weirdo!"

"Get this guy out of here!"

The mob mentality had struck as more and more people piled onto the sentiment in the air, cascading like a boulder rolling down a hill. And Daigo couldn't help but smirk from under his hood as he gained more and more distance away from the man who was too attached to such material things.

Roda the Red

 

[Roda the Red]

CHARLIE HUGHES

CS Link

SCENE:

Anger Management

TIME:

Daytime, Pre-Arc 1, August 1st 2019

LOCATION:

South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Charlie, Daigo

Anger Management

The brain is an engine, and the heart is a drum, energetically and rythmically the two worked to push the body forward, and right now, the two key components coordinated in unbroken harmony for a common goal: To catch the brat ahead.

In other words, Charles Hughes is a very, VERY stubborn man.

Roof tiles disloged and drywall cracked as the young man took leap after leap atop the rooftops. Each action slowly closing the gap between himself and his target for a second time now. Fortune was on Charlie's side as he, lastly. got close enough that he could comfortably return to the street level. And so he did, his heavy body causing the ground to trembled as he landed from a five meter fall. "AHA! I got you no-"

The teen started to cry out, how rich.

"N-No wait! I-I-It's not what you, I swear!" The blue-haired boy panicked slightly once more, struggling to utter the proper words to clear the disdain caused by the horrendous slander spouted just now. The men approached Charlie were not buying into his defense in the slightest, however. "Should we take him to the police?" Asked one of the nearby people. "Fuck that, as if I'd trust the pigs...Gonna impart the teachings hard way..." said the man holding Charlie's arm. "Right here, Right now" Had the man possessed both of his hands available at the time, he would've cracked his knuckles menacingly.

"I just...I-!" It was no use, none of the men acted cooperatively in the slightest, and Charlie didn't want to hurt them! They were just good samaritans caring for each other.

The boy sighed, letting his head droop down for a second before speaking once more, something very different going on this time around. "I'm sorry, gentlemen..." His voice was now different, its intonation made so that his already velvety and feminine voice sounded even more womanly, his glossy eyes bashfully looking down and to the side as he covered his mouth with the sleeve of his jacket, his cheeks turning red as he blushed. The men around him taken aback by the sudden shift in voice and demeanor.

"That boy...I'm his big sister...He ran away from home a few days back" Fabricated pain in his words uttered the blatant lie. A talent for lying is but a natural lesson all kids growing up in West District develop. The men stopped on their tracks, unsure of what to do in front of a worried lady.

"Please! I need to go get him! I just want my little brother back!" He turned dramatically to the burly man, both of his hands tightly clutched under his chin.

"Oh...I'm sorry, miss...I-I really didn't mean to" The large man showed a blushing of his own, gently letting go of 'her' arm, the others around giving awkward smiles as they seemed to share the sentiment. Charlie smiled, a warm, gentle gesture which could many a few hearts skip a beat.

"OKAYTHANKYOUBYENOW!"

With no time for proper reactions, Charlie's usual, more boyish voice returned, before abruptly leaping away. The force of the action was enough that a gust of wind made the men's hair and clothes wave wildly, all the while they shared a collective, dombfounded expression.


"AHHHHHH SO EMBARASSING" Charlie covered his face with his hands while mid-air, not caring too much about the precision of his jump. After all, right now he cared more about reaching the brat quick than anything else.

"AH, THERE YOU ARE, JUST STOP RUNNING ALREADY!"

joshuadim

 

[Peckinou]

Helva Linxal

CS Link

SCENE:

To live in the shadows

LOCATION:

Warehouse, South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Helva, Zulin, Charlie Roda the Red

To live in the shadows

Helva made her escape and Zullin followed, both went into two separate directions as they melded into the Shadows of the warehouse, their steps were dead quite as they transversed the place. But they eventually both stopped when they felt like they had gained enough distance from their blue haired adversary, Helva went on to regroup together a task made easy due to their link together. They both found amusement in the situation somewhat as their Blue haired friend seemed to be getting frustrated with the entire ordeal, though it wouldn't be the first and she doubted it would be the last time someone would get frustrated with her little trial. It only took a few minutes before Helva and Zulin were able to regroup together, Helva giving Zulin a nod as she got ready for the next step. They were a bit of distance away from Charlie, but she was able to hear that the boy had opted to throw things around, which was defiantly one way to make a mess of the place, while causing a few hazards. A smirk came to both Helvas and Zulins face as they looked at each other, before move around Helva opted to shout out towards the kid "Ya know boy if you wanna roll with me in the Phoenixes you got to be able to fight and survive a number of enemies, honorable and unhonorable, those that are deadly and just about harmless, delusional folks, madmen, sociopaths, psychopaths, narcissist, master manipulators, dark empaths and sometimes -" Zulin placed both his arms around Helva as if to hug her from behind, a devious smirk plastered on his face as their entire body darkened into a shadow and began to cover Helvas body as they began to merge together while Helva continued her little speech " even monsters." Helva let out a devious laugh as she said the last part before going on to add on. "You only want one adversary at a time right? Well here you are boy! Remember our little code phase, just in case you need to give up, and try not to die!" As she said the last part her entire face began to become coated in Shadows she then let out a monstrous roar as she allowed the rest of the shadows to coat her body. Claws made of Shadows started to protrude from her hand, Helva didn't wait long as she jumped up onto the shelves of the warehouse, the darkness coated their body entirely with Shadows and her steps were surprisingly silent as they meshed with the darkness.

Still though, Helva made haste towards the area where she heard the the items being spewed around at, and it didn't take long before she was able to spot the blue hair kid. Typically she would devise a plan for some way to deal with him, but this was a trial, and with her Shadow armor on, and the darkness fueling her, she was going for a more direct approach. Besides she wanted to see just how well he could work under pressure, constant attack and most of all, how well he handles monsters that he should fear. A low growl escaped Helva before she pounced towards Charlie like a Jaguar who has decided on it's prey. She fully intended to use her claws to slash but not stab, while the boy had impressively hardened skin, she wasn't sure if it would be able to handle her shadows at when their nearly at their best.

 

[joshuadim]

DAIGO ASANUMA

CS Link

SCENE:

Anger Management

TIME:

Pre-Arc 1; August 1, 2019

LOCATION:

South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Charlie, Daigo

ANGER MANAGEMENT

Daigo had managed to buy himself more time, but that was quickly gone as Charlie had managed to break free of the major distraction that had been employed against him. And soon enough he was gaining on the teen again, which caused the latter to scoff in annoyance again. "Jeez, what's your damn problem!? It's just a wallet and phone. I need the money more than you do!" Daigo shouted at his pursuer, while trying to find a new tactic to hinder the blue-haired man's efforts at catching him. He knew what street he was on, and he also knew exactly what the alleys were.

And so, he took a sharp turn into the closest alleyway and ran through the small puddles on the ground and the small steam exhaust trails that oozed out of the buildings that comprised it. Charlie had no issues following behind, but what he then saw was an impressive feat of acrobatics; Daigo jumped against the wall, kicking himself off, before grabbing hold of the lower end of a fire escape ladder and swinging himself through an open vent into the building opposite. Inside, Daigo had slid into the kitchen of a busy restaurant as he quickly stumbled on the landing and nearly crashed into one of the sous chefs.

All the cooks inside were flabbergasted by this entrance, and they all stared at Daigo as he patted himself off and briskly made his way through. He picked up a spring roll that was being heated up and took a bite out of it before pointing to the back door. "There's a guy there who's gonna bust that door down and try to rob you guys. Be careful!" Daigo said, finishing his on-the-road snack with a second bite before dashing out of the kitchen.

And he was right: the door was practically kicked down from its hinges as Charlie made his way inside to keep the chase going. But now he experienced a cohort of angry chefs with knives to defend themselves from what they saw as a would be robber!

"GET HIM!" one of the chefs shouted.

"YOU AREN'T ROBBING US!" a commis then yelled, throwing a pan at Charlie's way.

Roda the Red

 

[WhiskeyMarten]

HECTOR MOSES

CS Link

SCENE:

Get(ting) Help

TIME:

Post Arc-3

LOCATION:

Jiro's Dojo, South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Hector, Hitoshi, Ashley, Charlie, Gideon and Kaede

GET(TING) HELP

On receipt of the thought, Gideon would see Hector’s mouth widen with the semblance of a smile as he was spurred on the keep up the rough assault against Hitoshi. It seemed Gideon’s fear was a great motivator. He’d show him how things are done. Unfortunately, Hector remained dense as ever and didn’t realise his foe was in another world right now.

“Didn’t think round one woulda tired you out this much.” He didn’t have the time for grand taunts, just bitter muttering as he kept the pressure on. There was a rhythm to each hit, and he had fallen victim to this rhythm. He wouldn’t have caused any serious damage, but he really should’ve seen sooner that it was time to give him a break. It was when he was about to strike again did Hitoshi seem to return to the fight, and Hector’s flow was broken. He held a hand to his head to block the falling weapons, and he sat for a moment in the pile as he looked for his next move. His next strategy came quickly, but before he could start again he realised that it was over.

He righted the rack, collecting the stray weapons and placing them back haphazardly. He made eye contact with Hitoshi a few times, seeing if he was recovering or not, and only when he was done with cleanup did he approach him with a sheepish expression.

”Hey Hitoshi, didn’t go too far, did I?”

Nobody had ever taught him what a panic attack was. He was way behind on mental health awareness in general, so he didn’t recognize the signs. Something was wrong though, even he could figure that one out. He walked over to the side of the room, where water bottles had been left. Grabbing one and walking back, he tried to pass it to Hitoshi.

”Have some water. I guess we’re done sparring then?”

He felt a twinge of guilt, but couldn’t work out why.

 

[angel doe]

jericho s. madden

CS Link

SCENE:

a daughter's eulogy

LOCATION:

south district

TIME:

2021 | post hurricane

PARTICIPANTS:

red, jericho

a daughter's eulogy

Jericho watched in awed silence as she, in mere seconds, had torn through almost all of the food he brought for her- save for the fruits and vegetables. It appeared she was a bit of a junk food fiend, but Rico could hardly fault her for it. Junk food was unfortunately delicious.

“You don't gotta apologize, kid," He smiled at her, unable to hold back his laughter, “I'm here to help ya and however much food you need, I'll do my best to get."

With a hum, Jericho cleared out the empty bags and boxes, depositing them in the garbage before turning back to the girl with a thoughtful expression, “What if we ordered some food? Would probably be faster than me tryna make somethin' and you'd be able to get anything ya wanted."

Retrieving his phone, Rico pulled up some of the nearby restaurants and handed the device off to her as she talked, “I know ya ain't tryna be greedy, I get it." He reassured her as he sat down on the couch beside her, making sure to keep a reasonable distance between them.

“It’s just—It’s my potential. You’ve got one too, right?”

Jericho laughed at this, “Man, was it that obvious? I was tryin' so hard to keep it hidden," He grinned at her, a playful glint in his eyes, “Yeah, I gots a potential. So I understand needin' more than a regular person."


miki

 

[Slav]

Osamu Ueno

CS Link

SCENE:

A Dollar?

TIME:

Post-Arc 3| July 1st

LOCATION:

Glamour Casino, West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Rem ( gxxberkit ), Osamu

A Dollar?

Empty seat after empty seat started to appear at the table Osamu was sitting at. It wasn't his fault that people didn't know how to play. If you're going to sit at a table and gamble hundreds of dollars away, at least know what a three of a kind is. This was the type of people he dealt with everyday. People pretending to know the game or people who have less impulse control than a child. It was all rather exhausting, especially since they presented no challenge.

His pile of chips was smaller than it usually was. The word must have gotten out that he wasn't somebody you wanted to play with. Osamu barely paid attention to the last two people at his table, watching the hands of the dealer the whole time. Counting cards was easy, something he learned to do quickly. When it was time to present their cards, Osamu showed his pair of aces, matching with the other two on the table. "I win." He didn't even bother looking at the cards of the two individuals, grabbing the winnings from the middle. A collective groan from the table seeped into his concentration, causing him to glare at the other two. He watched them retreat, going back to counting his winnings. People always thought gambling was a game, but it was a battle of the wits... something that many of these people didn't have unfortunately.

Osamu yearned for a worthy challenger, a thought he carried every day as he gambled with this lot. Luckily, the drinks at this casino were free or he'd have gone crazy already. His three empty glasses were evidence of his boredom and he already had another one on the way. "I may have to end the day early... such a pity." He mumbled to himself, tapping his nails against the poker table. Maybe if he put a smile on his face he could try and entice some people who didn't know better. Whatever he needed to do had to happen soon or his mind was going wander somewhere else.

The restless gambler watched the waiter bring him his rum and coke, taking a sip from it once it was placed down. Today was supposed to be a good day for leeching of the habitual gamblers but the roulette table was more popular than it usually was. "Those bastards and their game of chance." His eyes wandered around, searching for someone to grab... someone with money. He wasn't here to fiddle his thumbs, that was Friday night at the bar. An opportunity was sure to present itself.

 

[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, Misty,
and more???

Clad in Golden Dreams

Elias sighed as the chaos transitioned from amusing to dangerous.

He hadn’t even intended to stay at Weiss’s table for very long. Greet the Tiger King, exchange a few pleasantries, assess a couple of rumors, maybe make a couple of introductions…nothing too complicated. And yet, Tak ran away to the restroom (with Bulldozer Briggs) while Hiachi still refused to extract herself from under the table.

At least she’d stopped crying.

It had been amusing to watch Markus’s struggle to retain composure. Passeri’s as well, though the Cold King’s desire to escape his current company was much more obvious. Neither seemed to know how to react to the ‘girl under the table’ scenario and their response had been to look to each other. Well, Markus’s response had been to look to Passeri, the host of the party. Passeri’s response was to shrug (metaphorically) and–thankfully–join him in trying to comfort the crying girl.

He knew why she was hiding. He’d seen her memories. His ‘escape to ladies room’ suggestion had been ignored, but, at this point, it no longer mattered.

She could stay under the table…especially when the first scream sounded.

Elias’s eyes had flown up then, though he’d instinctively distanced himself from the table the moment the first thorn appeared, his mind quickly processing the events as he watched Markus evade continuous, thorny assaults.

Passeri reacted first, walls of pink littering the room.

An invasion of insects heralded the arrival of the mayor’s granddaughter.

Tak returned from the bathroom, covered in bugs.

Finally, Ezra arrived, weapon pointed at Shrike.

Amidst all the chaos, among the litany of screams, Elias recognized the voice of his mother and his eyes darted to where she seemed to have encountered one of Grant’s ‘children’. Cordelia Yumin fainted in her usual, overly dramatic fashion, caught by her husband before she could hit the floor. Elias resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

“While I would love to do so,” Elias began his reply to Passeri as he edged over to the ‘assassin’ Tak had knocked out. “You seem to have more than enough people watching your back.”

Markus’s back was the one that needed to be watched. He was the assassination target.

“My strength doesn’t lie in combat,” Elias searched the pockets of the suited individual, strewn atop vomit and the remnants of a broken table. “It shows itself once the enemy is subdued and caught.”

It was only a guess on his part, but, based on what he’d seen during tonight’s gala, he assumed the CEO of Nex Corp was behind the chaos; Markus had certainly been a bully tonight. Then again, the gang leader probably had many enemies. Elias wouldn’t know for certain until he checked their memories.

He pulled out a gun.

“And I have family here. I won’t be able to operate as well until I know they are safe.”

As much as Elias enjoyed spending time with the gang, he had his priorities. He had no intention of inheriting early. Nicholas and Cordelia Yumin were NPs. Unlike Markus, who could take a bullet and survive, his parents weren’t likely to do so. Even if their main target appeared to be Markus Weiss, the assassins didn’t seem to mind causing random carnage either. The guests would have to be protected - unless Passeri fancied her gala turning into a massacre, of course.

“I’ll rejoin you guys once I’ve checked up on them. Stay safe until then, Boss.” Elias smiled beatifically at Weiss, whom Passeri had pulled to safety, before darting away from the ‘main’/target group, past an array of pink barriers, towards where he’d last remembered seeing his parents.

Elias found his father behind one of the maze of pink walls, calmly fanning his unconscious wife. Lihua was with him, her lap serving as Cordelia’s temporary pillow. Her eyes darted in Elias’s direction as soon as he appeared; More specifically, at the gun in his hand.

“Is everyone alright?”

“Does your mother look alright?” Nicholas asked gruffly, before sighing. “We’re fine. I’ve phoned Walter. I phoned the police. Nothing else to do but wait for help to arrive, I suppose.”


His father was taking the situation fairly well, though, as an NP living in the gang-riddled city of New Oasis, Elias supposed he’d be used to it by now. A stampede of guests trying to be the first to get to 'safety' blocked the door. If money was enough to guarantee their lives, the entry would've parted like the Red Sea at the first offer of cash, but, alas, order would have to be reestablished by other means.

Elias decided to take a page from an old Veteran that decided to switch sides.

A wild shot, straight in the air, shocked the stampede into stillness.


"Now, now, we aren't animals. If you intend to leave the party please do it in single file, though…" Elias glanced at the insect-covered 'waiter' challenging Markus's assassins. "It's not necessarily safer out there than it is in here.” Not if the perp of the chaos was somewhere behind the flimsy walls and doors. “Miss Park and her staff are doing their best to quell the disturbance, so I ask that you exercise patience. Keep near the pink walls or insects if you want to stay safe."

That was all he'd say on that matter. He was 90% sure Araminta Grant hadn't come to a charity party to kill anyone, and that she had a reputation to uphold, but how the guests chose to defend themselves given the current situation was up to them. There were Hps amidst the partygoers. And NPs. Each had a different response to danger depending on their ability to defend themselves.

Elias's main interest was to clear a path, the gun in his hand an unspoken motivator.

His father, the technical owner of Yumin Entertainment, stepped up beside him. "Aren't you going to assist your friends?"

Of course his father would’ve seen him at the Tiger King’s table. Only idiots didn’t know the sort of ‘business’ Markus Weiss was involved in.

"I've only just met Mr. Weiss.” Elias replied with a shrug. “Funny guy. To think his hired hands would be after his life…” He sighed sadly. “You really can't trust anyone these days."

"You're a little too old for me to be telling you this, but be careful who you make friends with, Son. Get involved with the wrong crowd and they’ll drag you down with them.”

“But of course, Father. Aren’t I always careful?” Once the mob in front of the exit thinned, Elias turned to Lihua. “Sorry to trouble you Miss Xun, but do you mind accompanying my parents to safety? I’ve got some business to attend to before the night ends–”

“No need. Walter is here.” Nicholas scooped up his wife. “And you two are on a date, aren’t you? To think, a child of mine would abandon a sweet girl like Lihua on a night when you’re supposed to get to know each other better. It’s little wonder I haven’t heard news of grandbabies yet! You’d better shape up, Son! Walter tells me you’re doing well at work, but there’s more to life than pushing papers.”

Exchanging glances with his ‘date’, Elias watched his parents leave before his eyes returned to the ballroom’s main attraction. Screens of blaring pink made it difficult to aim. It was obvious that the chaos was intended to mask the assassination attempt, so, ideally, reinstating order would make a mess of their plans.

Sadly, Elias wasn’t a miracle worker.

For now, Elias kept himself near the double-doored exit/entrance, every casual bump and accidental touch with a person entering/exiting the ballroom meant to identify a hidden assassin. Or the actual perpetrator behind the assault. The latter would be ideal, but Elias wasn’t one to get his hopes up.

Slav Lucem Elenion Aura @The One Eyed Bandit miki thebigfella simj26 BriiAngelic simj26 Azure Sky

 

[thebigfella]

Zentsupa Pei

CS Link

SCENE:

Twister Trickster

LOCATION:

Casino, West District

TIME:

Post-Arc 2 || March 12th, 2022

PARTICIPANTS:

Artemis, Pei

Twister Trickster

With the deck in front of him, the demonic-looking man glanced at it momentarily. Instead of immediately going for it to get things started, his eyes narrowed upon the new dealer who thought it was her time to command the table.

He hadn’t bothered giving her a good look before, but now he allowed his frown to fade away as he stared at her, his arms crossed as Pei started to play with concepts, assumptions, and assertions, which he combined into formulated theories and a simple hypothesis.

“Kekekekekek. Mister? You can drop the respect; you’re probably older than me anyway!” Pei broke back into his toothy smirk, uncrossing his arms as he reached over to grab the deck between his fingers, the familiar weight within his grip.

“We’re both enemies here! It’s me versus the house! No need to play nice!” He exclaimed, raising his hand and loosening his grip, allowing the cards to fall downwards in front of his face into his other hand, his grin growing as the cards stacked up on his other hand.

Quickly, he clasped his hands together with the deck in the middle and then split the deck in half before shoving them back together, interlocking in a faro shuffle, weave shuffle, or whatever you wanted to call it. He did it repeatedly in quick succession, and he decided it was time to set the stage.

“Oi, geezers! It’s time for you to sit back and watch,” he said to the other players as his hands continued to move. Sharp glares and annoyed grimaces draped the players’ expressions. There was the slightest hope they could get some revenge against the sharp-eared man with this new dealer in play, but before they could even hang onto that hope, Pei had decided to dispose of them like broken toys.

“You kickin’ us off the table? Who the hell do you think--” An outburst from one of the men as they stood up in defiance, hands slamming against the table.

“You’re fine to keep playing,” Pei responded, his shuffle finally ending as he twisted the deck in his hands, a shadow spreading over his eyes as silence took over the surroundings. His smirk disappeared, and instead, he looked up with a scowl.

“But if you do, you’ll leave this table with nothing else to call your own, not even the clothes on your back.”

His threatening words earned silence from the table. Nervous sweat trickled down the backs of the others, and they gritted their teeth together. It would have been an empty threat from anyone else but from this guy…

With different paces of hesitation, some of them stood up and moved out of their seats; they moved and weaved through the surrounding crowd to leave behind their failure, only able to look back with a sneer, to curse under their breath with hope for his collapse, others didn’t move from their spot, intent on seeing Pei’s fall for on their own with their own eyes.

The animosity against him had only grown, with no one on his side; despite no one being on his side, he seemed right at home, a devious glint in his eyes as he focused back on Artemis. Quickly, he pulled off a stack of seven cards from the top and placed them in front of her, then placed seven in front of him, placing the rest to the side.

“Pai Gow Poker. You ever played it before?” He picked up his stack of cards, folding them in front of his face with a devious grin, “It’s usually played with six players, but for us, this will do!” He exclaimed, reaching over to push forward a large stack of chips as his bet.

“With Pai Gow Poker, luck and skill are separated by only a thin line. It’s simplistic enough that any cheating would also be easy to snuff out. Should be too good to be true for you, kekekek.”

BriiAngelic

 

[Damafaud]

Dyne Enjyre

CS Link

SCENE:

Those in the River

LOCATION:

Sphynx Tavern, North District

LOCATION:

Post-Arc 3, June 5th 2022

PARTICIPANTS:

Peyton, Dyne

Those in the River

The North was not kind to beautiful women, so Dyne avoided the district. It was unfortunate that today was inevitable.

New Oasis protected her from the pursuit of her family. She had thought that the East was safe harbor, but stability was an illusion amidst the violent flood. The territory war between the four gangs never ceased. Death and violent rampaged in daylight and moonlight. Even the East, championed for its stability, wield a saber to keep the peace. To protect a bottom line in a time of warfare, one must be crueler than the enemies.

And now, she had partook in the same battle.

Dyne dressed casually. An oversized jacket. A baggy pants. Loafers. Still, she stood out in the ragged down street; her black hair framed her luster. She held diamonds behind her gaze. Only the strong and the overconfident walked alike her forceful stride, and until someone tested it, the truth was a difficult blur. Of course, she could have blend in better, but her pride would not let her. For what she wanted to do, some confident was necessary. After all, strength was a prerequisite in the territory of the Serpents.

The rise of the Deacon as the King brought with it a surge in chemical weapons across members of Serpents. The Shadow King, as few whispered, utilized his father's power to arm the Serpents with weapons that could allow NPs a fighting chance against HPs. Those weapons were precisely what Dyne was after.

She didn't know why Peyton leave the Dragon, but she was glad to hear that he was willing to sell her the weapons she was after. And now, she arrived where their meeting should be.

Dyne entered the Sphinx Tavern.

Coyote Hart

 

[Roda the Red]

CHARLIE HUGHES

CS Link

SCENE:

Anger Management

TIME:

Daytime, Pre-Arc 1, August 1st 2019

LOCATION:

South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Charlie, Daigo

Anger Management

"I NEED THEM MORE THAN YOU THINK!" He responded, picking up the pace of his leaps to traverse the concrete jungle and reach his trarget, he was close enough to know he could sing victory soon enough.

But the rascal made a surprise turn on an alley, right as Charlie was just a few feet away from reaching him. He was caught off guard, still in the middle of another jump when the trajectory of the chase shifted. He overshot, desperately grabbing onto the edge of the building, his fingers going with with pressure as the momentum of his body pulled him in, his legs whipping against the bricked wall. Before gravity did its thing, he launched himself into the alley with his hands, unceremoniously landing on the concrete floor.

Looking up, Charlie observed the teen performing some impressive acrobatics up the fire escape. He would've been more awed by the performance, if not for the minuscule fact that the performer was, in fact, a runaway thief.

Charlie followed suit with a high jump, the entire fire escape rattling violently as his heavy mass landed on the dark metal platform. Having gone through the vents, the blue boy considered that following there was a really bad idea, as his high mass meant he might well test the whole tunnel's integrity, and causing a mess of such a degree was something Charlie simply couldn't afford to cover. Instead, like a civilized person, he opted to go through the main door to his side, and not so much like a civilized person, the door bursted open with a kick fueled by a young man's desperation.

He was met with a very active restaurant kitchen, the cooks who were just a second ago hard at work, now turned their attention towards the blue pursuer, something about their expressions not suggesting the friendliest of receptions. But most importantly, Charlie got a glimpse of the thief's frame escaping through the door at the opposite end of the kitchen. As Charlie took a single step inside, the cooks reacted with unexpected aggression.

"What? Rob? No that's not wha-"

*CLANG*

With a short yelp, Charlie's head recoiled back after being hit by a stray pan that flew directly into his forehead, the sound of the impact was one that could make the average person cringe in discomfort, but the cooks were to steadfast to care such things, not when faced with a (alleged) robber.

"Hey! You could get someone hurt with tha-Ow!"

Suddenly, the kitchen's wrath was summoned forth anew, a vagrant cleaver spinning through the air and landing on Charlie's shoulder. It was fortunate that the young man's hardened skin was able to make the rudimentary blade bounce off, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt!

"ARE YOU ACTUALLY TRYING TO KILL ME OR WHAT?" Shouted Charlie, raising both of his closed fists above his head in annoyance. Had the target of the projectiles been a regular human, then by now the cooks would've found themselves having commited actual murder! And worst of all, there wasn't even the slightest tinge of regret in their faces, these men wanted to blood!

Evading a THIRD dangerous kitchen tool coming his way, Charlie decided that enough was enough and made a beeline towards the door he had spotted the teen run to. His traversal through hell's kitchen was now met with a literal roadblock, in the form of a large, round man who held his open palms up, reminiscent of ceremonial martial arts where weight gain was considered a boon.

With no intentions of letting the downright manslaughtering have it their way, Charlie grabbed a hold of the overlapping edge of the man's uniform, lifting him off his feet. The man gasped and screeched as his impressive frame was held up with relative ease, ultimately getting thrown back over the boy's shoulder.

Walking trough the door frame, the youing man could hear the crashing sound of a large man landing somewhere non-specifc in the kitchen, followed by a tremble and then a cacophany of pots and pans falling on the floor from their hooks. Cries and panic roared through the kitchen as Charlie buried his face between his shoulders, closing his eyes with each loud sound echoing.

"NO, NOT THE CHOWDER!"

That was the last thing that Charlie could hear before resuming his chase, now well aware of what place to NEVER go and eat at ever again. With heavy steps, Charlie cried out for the michevious goldielocks, putting in the extra effort to make up for the lost time.

joshuadim

 

[joshuadim]

DAIGO ASANUMA

CS Link

SCENE:

Anger Management

TIME:

Pre-Arc 1; August 1, 2019

LOCATION:

South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Charlie, Daigo

ANGER MANAGEMENT

Outside of the kitchen and the mess he had just created for the workers, Charlie could see that the front entrance was still closing after having been pushed open by the teen he was chasing. And he could spot him across the street dart into another alleyway before taking a sharp right turn. It was here that Daigo was truly in his element; the labyrinth of alleyways would serve as his getaway and finally escape his pursuer. He almost felt bad for his mark, until he remembered just how much trouble he was being put through for so little in the first place. He just needed to take another few turns-

A heavy impact struck the youth straight on the forehead, his momentum sending him spinning in a undesirable flip as his whole world turned upside down almost literally. His ears rang from the impact as he tumbled to the wet asphalt below, groaning as he lay in place. Yet he had no time to try to recuperate as familiar - and unwelcome - figures stood above him.

"Well, well, well. If it ain't the brat, Daigo!" one of them spoke, brandishing a baseball bat with nails poking out of it.

Ah shit. He knew that voice. It was the asshole he knocked a tooth out of a few weeks back when making an escape. Then that surely meant-

"Pull him up." the street gang's ringleader then spoke with a thick Boustanian accent, an incredibly large and imposing figure whose goons did his bidding without question. The youth was pulled up and slammed against the nearby wall of the small enclave that existed in this part of the alley system. Here, far away from the bustling crowds, Daigo was completely alone as he let out a cough as he tried to reorient himself.

"Oh heeeeey, I know you!" Daigo quipped with the usual snark, "I'm sure we can let things go, right? A watch is just a watch-"

A fist met his stomach, forcing spit out of his mouth as he let out a serious of coughs afterwards. "It's not about the money, kid." the Ringleader spoke with a growl. "It's about my image. Being besmirched by some cocky little brat? Can't let that slide. Not in this town."

"Ack... well, have you considered insurance? I'm sure they cover that kind of stuff nowadays-"

Another punch to the belly shut Daigo up as he let out another series of coughs.

"Being a wise guy won't help you." the Ringleader then said, before scoffing. "Really, I gotta waste time in my day to deal with trash like you? This is beneath me."

With a nod of his head, Daigo was then thrown to the ground at the center of a semi circle that had formed around the scene. An arena of flesh prevented an escape escape for someone already so winded and tired as the teen struggled to get on his hands and feet. This wasn't good... and he wasn't exactly brimming with plans in his current scenario. Every option just seemed bad in both execution and outcome. As he looked with his lowered head, he could see the Ringleader pull out a large metal pipe alongside him. He patted it in his hand softly, letting know what exactly he had in mind to teach a lesson.

"Ah shit..." Daigo muttered.

"What's the matter? No more jokes up your sleeve? Might as well start this off by making sure you won't be able to use your mouth for a while." the Ringleader then said, motioning his on-the-spot weapon as if he were aiming straight for the kid's jaw. This guy had every intention on brutalizing Daigo, and for the first time in a while Daigo felt afraid. He almost considered letting loose... but at the same time was terrified of what that would entail. He didn't want to hurt anyone. Not like the first time he discovered his true strength. Would it be going to far here?

Roda the Red

 

[thebigfella]

Areith Rozárie

CS Link

SCENE:

Murder Above The Coffin

LOCATION:

Abandoned Church, North District

TIME:

June 8th, 2022 || Post-Arc 3

PARTICIPANTS:

Deirest, Areith

Murder Above The Empty Coffin

Eyes closed into a smile; through the incoherent ramblings, you had made sense of it all. You understood the vagueness of His messages. His guidance always appeared in the way that was needed.

“I’ll show you,” you said, for they were the ones who did take it. For their enlightenment, they took a tiny bit within themselves; it was His graciousness, and in return, they were to devote their lives to spreading His message.

To rebuild the way to the skies, they would do anything, fulfill any desire, and, if demanded, return what they borrowed.

Boots clicked against the ground as you walked ahead, expecting your savior to follow, “They are in the middle of delivering retribution,” you briefly explained, knowing she would understand.

A door on the side departed from the nave. Its rusted hinges creaked as it opened. A long, dark hallway stood in front of them, doors adorned on the sides in different states of disarray. Faded numbers, broken handles, and the smell of rotting wood greeted them, and tears in the ceiling let in the moonlight. Broken glass let the wind whistle in, causing the weeds that had grown within gaps and edges of the muddied carpet to flutter.

Footsteps echoed, and your hands clasped together tight against your chest. You had grown to know the church’s labyrinth so well that you no longer needed our eyes to help guide you. Another addition made traversing the hallowed halls even easier.

Screams of agony rattled off the stone walls; they soared down the hall as they begged for forgiveness and pleaded for mercy. Babbling and stuttering in their fear and torment. It grew closer and closer as you walked together until you finally stopped before the door where it was the loudest. Your hand reached to push it open. Torchlights hung to the corners, enveloping the room in an orange glow.

‘Sister! Please! Forgive me!” A plea, and you felt all attention come to your direction as you bowed our large form through the door. Blood-stained knives held within orange hilts held by distinct grips, hands of hardened scars and softened skin gripped them differently. The edges of the blades dripped fresh crimson; figures masked under black visages turned to look, expressions underneath the shadow of their hoods.

“I’m sorry! I was doing what I thought you would have wanted! I’m sorry! Please! I'll die! I'm dying!” The continuous begging brought your attention upward, a crow who had been stripped of his plumage, his arms, and legs bound against wood, and he was hung upon the wall. Cuts and wounds adorned his flesh, decorations of sigils and carves of messages drawn into his body, across his chest, and down his midsection. His scorpion-like tell hung limply behind it. The sharp tip that was adorned on it had been torn out, leaving toxin and blood to seep onto the ground in a pool. His muscles visibly twitched under the exposed layers of viscera, gushing out blood as he slowly lost color, his breath growing hoarse.

You looked upon him with a smile; your disappointment in him was short-lived. His mistake would be forgiven, as He dismissed all humanity’s mistakes, even against His chosen. Your disappointment had turned to sadness, pity, and despair that one of your lambs had become so lost. He would ask for your forgiveness instead of His; he had lost his connection with what truly mattered, earthly desires overtaken by the role as one of His messengers.

“I have already forgiven you,” you spoke, eyes opening to look at him, a warming smile to assure him he was still within your warmth and His love, “But, it is not my choice to make; it is His.”

You stepped aside so your savior could do as she pleased. The cloaks quickly dropped to their knees, hands clasped together in prayer, as they looked at Deirest once more; they spoke in whispered worship as she walked upon the same ground they knelt upon.

“It is your decree,” You stated, looking upon the messiah. Above all was her will. His will. She would stand by her desires, no matter how disoriented in her waking state they may be.

Slowly, the adjustment would take place.

 

[BriiAngelic]

Jackson Reese Alessi

CS Link

SCENE MUSIC:

Color Your Night

LOCATION:

East District; Dragon HQ

TIME:

Pre-Outbreak || July 1st, 2022

PARTICIPANTS:

Llyod ( Jexon Whells ), Rohen ( CasualTea ), Jackson

Agonizing Bonechill

<- Remember

Today he had a mission.

For him, it was nothing more than another Friday night, but they were taking on a rookie so he knew he needed to put his best foot forward. Hopefully, this time he wouldn’t eat it. Even so, with Lloyd coming along as well the new gal should be more than prepared to learn the ropes. He listened in from higher ground looking down on the lower lobby of HQ.

Once he saw Lloyd come in he knew it was time to get the ball rolling. He strolled along the walkway to the stairwell his weapon strapped to his back. With as unwieldy as it was he rarely actually used it. No one smart walked around with a lance strapped to their back, even if it was usually stapped into the mic mode. His combat practicality seemed almost zero in comparison to the others. His skinny jeans and form-fitting tank looked every bit stupid for a fight until you realized that despite his looks Jackson was a ranged fighter.

He gave them both a nod as he approached them.

“Hey so you already found each other then.”

The familiar sight of Lloyd’s extremely baggy clothes made him chuckle. He’d never get over the other’s amazing ability to look every part not a dragon when on a mission. It was a starch contrast to Rohen who’d managed to look every part a dragon. He’d looked a bit into her file beforehand but it was rare people reacted well to that information. Ironic really that she’d chosen Songbird as her alias.

“Sooo you’re our rookie then? Nice to meet you. I’m Song, at least here I am. Was that Rohen, right? I overheard you guys as I was coming down.”

He gave a grin to Lloyd that would have read something to the tone of ‘no suitcase today?’ but even he knew to let Lloyd make the impressions he wanted to without pointing out any of the little quirks of his friend too early around this stranger.

“C’mon it's stuffy in here might as well stretch our legs and get goin’ then. Lloyd you got the deets right? We taking your car or borrowing one?”

He twirled as he walked backwards still facing the two as he spoke. It wasn’t like he didn’t know this place like the back of his hand with the years it had been. While he was never really comfortable sticking around long he knew better than to not get a good grasp of the place.

“Oh right, So that sword mean you fight with your own strength or…”