Fantasy New Oasis: Four Heavenly Kings

[Peckinou]

Noa Bakoria Aquanaut

CS Link

SCENE:

Phoenixes Arc 3: Scene 1 [Follow the Lightning]

LOCATION:

South District

PARTICIPANTS:

@joshuadim , Ryoma Stros , Suzerain @Ambiloquous

Follow the Lightning

Noa gave a annoyed huff at Suzus comment about her clothes being trashed not being too bad, she of course figured that to be a lie to cheer her up, "You don't have to lie to me about it." . Though Suzu soon announced her own Theory about who took Hitoshi, Hyperstar, sounded familiar but then again, Noa mostly focused on her own company or companies that could actually rival hers, and Hyperstar wasn't one of them. Shrugging Noa figured that it was a far fetched idea anyways, Tigers operating in the South would be too risky anyhow, though she had no doubt some really ballsy Tigers would try something like that for a few bucks if they could. She shrugged at Ryomas comment about the Tigers, much more concerned about her own outfit being in such bad shape. "Yeah, figured." Though before she could do much else the woman who had just so previously helped them moments ago came out, broom in hand attacking the Lizard man with it in furious rage. Before giving them the go ahead on on being able to leave for Hyperstar so that she could deal with the intrusive lizard man.

Noas frown turned into a sinister smirk, as the woman had taken Revenge on their intruder and gave Anya a thumbs up, "Sure, of course, but if you every need anything be sure to give me a call or text, ESPECIALLY IF OUR LITTLE FRIEND OVER THERE CAUSES TROUBLE!" She emphasized the last part in anger as she said that. Before directing the comment at him "If anything happens to her or she texts me that you are being trouble, i will find you, and i will make sure you feel the worst imaginable pain you ever felt in your entire life!" she said that directing it completely towards the lizard man, before montioning to her bodyguard to give her number to Anya. In which their bodyguard dutifully complied giving her personal number on over to Anya, before giving her a polite smile. Then directing her comments to Ryomon in Suzu all the cheerfulness in her voice now turned into bitter annoyance, "I'm going to my car to get a change of outfits, my bodyguard will brief me once i get changed, and i'll meet you guys at Hyperstar, or whatever." Once Noa was done saying that she stormed off, to her car to get changed into a unsullied outfit, thankful that she packs a bonus outfit just in case missions get messy, or she needed a new change of clothes due to her going for a surprise swim.

 

[BluEndings]

BURNING CONSTRUCT

SCENE:

Serpents Arc 3: Scene 3 [Filth in The Gutter]

LOCATION:

Lab Icarus, North District

PARTICIPANTS:

Respite

DOWN DOWN DOWN DOWN DOWN THE GUTTER

The golem hadn’t moved an inch.

It could feel the tug of its directive pulling at its smoldering limbs. The individuals of its disdain were but a mere wall away. Yet the construct’s feet remained planted in the self-formed craters. Any sort of tether which bound it to toil had already been smothered out. A master which had lost their limbs, and now their mind. Nothing but a hollow carcass without the will to even twitch as a dead body might. They were gone. Dead. There was nothing here to accomplish. Their dying wishes meant nothing to one formed of scorched cobble.

That was how it was supposed to be—nothing left to hold them back.

Only some form of contention seemed to remain. While it was possible to escape what was physical, the strength of desire persisted. A cruel allowance that goaded an impossible freedom. This was a feeling that could not be avoided. It was something etched far deeper than the heart of the creator who had given them life. This was life. Not whatever crude mimicry that made its body shamble. This was real.

A quaint little town, fields of gold and green, and a blue this cursed city could never match.

It was warm. It was kind. It was patient. It was gone—destroyed by insensible longing for more.

Ah.

This was a memory—this was regret.

That day had been filled with excitement.

It was the day when they were supposed to get the thing she wanted most.

The stars were beaming. The sky was clear. The road was quiet.

Everything was perfect.

Call it whatever you liked.

An accident. A tragedy. Misfortune.

A landslide.

A consequence of an action. A consequence of a selfishness.

Entirely avoidable.

That had been the true directive this whole time, hadn't it?

Not the violence.

The city. The people. The way of life—she had always longed for a slice of it.

Hadn't she got that?

It was time to rest.​

Goodbye Mimi.














And the golem crumbled to ash.​

NAVIGATE

 

[Lucem]

Fade (Isaiah Spade)

CS Link

SCENE:

New Oasis Arc 3: Scene 2 [The Dragon and the Phoenix]

LOCATION:

Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Isaiah, Helva, Kaede, Kanna, Maho, Meirin, Rin, Shen, Vulken, Yong-Yut

THE DRAGON AND THE PHOENIX

The storm after the calm had finally arrived. As soon as both Kings emerged from the wreckage of their summit, it seemed as though all hope of reaching a peaceful resolution had been destroyed along with the nearby buildings. The flames of war were lit, and the Phoenixes were quick to fan them, demanding blood even before the ground stopped trembling.

Despite being in favor of peace, Isaiah didn't hesitate to draw his knife at the first sign of conflict. He had his questions, but he knew better than to let his mind wander or lament the loss of a less bloody future. Now wasn't the time for that. The problems in the present took priority, along with his obligations as a Dragon. Regrets and questioning could wait for later.

Not the slightest bit rattled, he maintained his composure and surveyed the area, quickly switching gears. Immediately, his gaze drifted to Meirin, the one who was furthest into Phoenix territory. Thankfully, she was still okay, but that could change at any moment. The same went for everyone else.

Prepared to make his first move, his other hand reached for his gun and he cleared his mind, intending to use his Potential to tip the scales in his favor. However, he was interrupted by a buzz in his pocket and the screech of burning rubber. A car skidded to a stop, and the driver revealed himself soon after. The balding man's arrival was definitely attention-grabbing, but the words he shouted across the battlefield were even more concerning.

Something wrong? As he digested that urgent warning, a switch was flipped in his head, causing him to rethink his next move. The phrasing told him that it wasn't the fight itself that worried the man. It was something else. What it was, Isaiah had no clue, but he saw opportunity there. If there was a fraction of a chance left for peace, he was willing to make a grab for it.

He rushed over to Yong-Yut and Meirin, catching the end of the conversation as he stopped in front of them. After receiving the warning, the Phoenix asked for help. They asked someone who was supposed to be their enemy to assist them. The Phoenixes currently had an advantage due to their numbers, so he doubted it was some kind of trick. There was no reason for them to bother with deception in their current position.

While still wary and not fully convinced, he decided to come closer. He made no sudden moves to avoid giving the impression he was aiming to attack, but he kept a tight grip on his weapon. He had to carefully balance optimism and caution in a situation like this.

"If something really is wrong with your King, we could try to help resolve the issue." He spoke calmly, wearing a neutral expression as he stopped at Meirin's side and looked into the Phoenix's eyes. "However, it'll be hard like this." He kept a level head, but there was still a sense of urgency.

"It'll be easier for us to help if you can stop your friend." He looked over at the dark-haired woman who pushed for conflict, urging Yong-Yut to do the same. She had been the most problematic one by far, seemingly never having any intention of securing peace during the conference. She even went as far as instigating by throwing out a claim with no proof, forcing the Dragons to act in self-defense. As long as she continued to rampage here, nobody could afford to leave their post and rush to help the southern gang deal with whatever was wrong with their King. However, there was still a chance.

The battle had only just started, and no injuries had been suffered. If it stopped here, they could still make something of this. Of course, that hinged on the cooperation of rivals. They also had to worry about the circumstances behind the fight between Kings. Even if the battle here was stopped, it meant nothing if a war was what the leaders of both gangs desired. They'd only be delaying the inevitable.

With those things in mind, he looked back at Kanna and used his Potential to erase her presence, hiding the Jack from the Phoenix who charged at her. He had no doubt she could handle herself, but this would make it easier to prevent any injuries before they could bring an end to the fighting. And if nothing came out of the proposition and they continued to fight anyway, it would at least give Kanna the upper hand.

Spoiler: Tags

Elenion Aura @EmperorsChosen FabulousTrash gxxberkit Nobody Special Peckinou QuirkyAngel Sei Shonagon The Suspicious Eye

 

[FabulousTrash]

Kanna Katsura - Azure Dragons - Jack [CS LINK]
Scene - Arc 3, Scene 2 | The Dragon and the Phoenix
Location - Eastern Edge of Central District, overlooking the SEC Bridge
Mentions/Interactions - Helva, Hou, Isaiah, Maho, Meirin, Ra, Rin, Shen, Vulken, Yong-Yut

Everything changed in the blink of an eye.

As Kanna heard the loud boom in the air, her eyes casted upwards in time to see Shen fly out, followed right behind the Phoenix King. Clearly, their conversation didn't end well. It was unfortunate, but Kanna couldn't ignore the fact that these peace talks were a long shot to begin with. But there was a small part of her that had hoped things would've turned out differently.

Kanna couldn't dwell on her thoughts for much longer. Out of the corner of her eye, the Jack caught the movement of something fast, headed towards Ra who was still sitting down. Without hesitation, Kanna drew her staff, throwing it forward. The weapon extended to full length as it traveled through the air, knocking the stake thrown by Helva off its trajectory and for now, saving Ra.

That split second decision costed her greatly, as Kanna's attention turned to the dark-haired woman who shouted words of conflict before charging at her, a spear drawn and pointed forward. Shadows surrounded and moved with them, like some sort of barrier. All Kanna could do right now was evade.

As Helva came in for a strike, Kanna backpaddled to the side. She could hear the gust of wind as the tip of the spear moved past her, nicking her shoulder. Her feet pushed off from the ground as she reduced her gravity, floating upwards into the air with her momentum. She quickly re-orientated herself as she lowered herself back down on the ground, taking a fighting stance.

In the brief moments she had, Kanna's eyes observed the area. Dragon and Phoenixes were starting to engage one another. From what she could see, there was no stopping the conflict now. Only one gang would walk away the victor tonight. Her eyes returned to her attacker.

Behind Helva, Kanna noticed a truck pull up beside the Phoenixes. Was is backup? Did they have reinforcements on standby this entire time? Whatever the case was, Kanna returned her attention to her opponent, ready for their next attack. She wasn't aware of what Isaiah had done.

 

[QuirkyAngel]

Zachariah C. Locke

CS Link

SCENE:

Phoenixes Arc 3: Scene 3 [Whole World Blind]

LOCATION:

Vantaggio Tower, West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Charlie, Hector, Hide, Raquel, Yukito, Zachariah, Mizuya
Alicia, Dante

Whole World Blind

Zachary yawned as Middleton’s commentary ran on and on, providing back noise as his fingers danced upon his phone’s screen–a quick text sent to one of Hector’s confidants:

Blink the headlights twice when ur in place

A nondescript black van pulled up near the entrance of the Lucky Rabbit’s parking lot, its headlights flashing twice, then dulled as it quietly parked. Zach nodded. By the time he returned his attention to his Phoenix compatriots, Hide had already loudly entered the front door of the casino with Raquel in arm and the man ‘Team Pharoah’ encountered had become a Popsicle a la Pluto. Sniggering at his own mental joke, Hawk focused eyes towards the shaft Yukito climbed into, then broadened his gaze to study the entirety of the building’s ventilation system upon request.

“They do, they do~” Zach sing-songed. “I can certainly lead you to where you wanna go, Sweetie, though that depends on where you wanna go~”

He reached for the box of crackers in his bag. “Or rather, where Queenie wants you to go~”

Having set his rifle back on the tripod, so that he could secure their getaway, Zach now sat crossed legged near the window with one hand prying open the box of snacks and the other still holding his phone–just in case he needed to quickly text the confidant.

“Keep going straight until you reach a 3-way fork, then take the leftmost tunnel to get to the array of vents on the first floor. Go left. Right. Left. Left. Right. Follow the voices.”

At least, Zach assumed there would be more voices where the majority of the party was being held. His potential didn’t let him hear any, though if he focused, like he did with the Alice and Dante dance, lip-reading was little problem for someone of his skill-sets. Therefore he couldn’t help chortling when the words ‘be someone like Markus’ could be read from their young target’s lips. Having joined the Phoenixes in his teenage years, it was impossible for Zach not to hear of the flashy, bombastic king that ascended Albino Tiger ranks some 5 years ago. And, if one wandered the South District long enough, meeting the Beckmans and learning of a certain, sulky blue-haired kid that used to frequent their abode, an inevitability. Zach didn’t know the specifics. However, he knew mentions of the Tiger King to either Vulken or Boltius tended to leave the redheads a little more foul-tempered than usual; That rumors painted Markus Weiss to be a cold, ruthless, and morally-questionable man.

Certainly not the ideal role-model for an innocent, young girl looking to live a criminal-less life.

However, regardless of what Alice wanted, Zach had his own agenda–

'–we interrupt this broadcast to bring you news of yet another gang war occuring in the eastern sector of upper central.'

Blinking as Middleton’s droning voice was cut off, Zach’s eyes flew to his phone, which displayed the live aerial battle between Lyric and Shen Yue. Eyebrows raised, the Phoenix Veteran shook his head before chuckling wryly. He’d known of the gang meeting meant to iron out relations between former allies. The fact that it had broken into yet another Pheonix-Dragon skirmish, especially with Lyric leading the charge, didn’t surprise him.

He was more worried about Helva and Maho being in the fray. Maho was still only a rookie, after all, and Helva would fight the Bridge-Breaker himself if Lyric asked.

'Fighters appear to include the Kings of the Scarlet Phoenix and Azure Dragon gangs respectively–both known to be powerful, lawless Homo Potentialis. Residents of the area are advised to evacuate. I repeat, residents of the area are advised to evacuate.'

Then again, Helva could hold her own and Maho wasn’t likely to die anytime soon. As much as Lyric still annoyed him, Zach didn’t want to see her die either. That was why he had discarded the safety of ‘Lu’ and returned to the Scarlet Phoenix gang. Big things were happening. Alliances were changing. Powers were shifting hands. Ghosts were rising from the dead. He wanted to make sure those he cared about survived the upheaval.

'–we now return to our regularly scheduled programming.'

His eyes once more zoomed into the Lucky Rabbit’s ventilation system. “I assume your role, Pluto, will be to blow a nice bit of very cold air through the party-room’s vents…” Other than the ‘target’, Zach didn’t know if Hector had any other intentions. “Try to freeze up as many of the Tiger’s liquid, and non-liquid, assets as you can, though it’s your call once you get into position. Temperer’s going to need a big distraction if he’s going to snatch the target from Mr. High-ranking Hunk's clutches~”

Tigers were easy to pin down when money was on the line–their values fairly obvious. If Alice wanted to test her value to the Albino Tiger gang, Zach was all too happy to oblige. He couldn’t deny that he was curious to see how Elias would respond to a “friend” and “fellow gang member” being kidnapped as well, though, knowing Yumin, joining the Albino Tiger gang was naught more than the whimsical decision of a spoiled, rich kid; Therefore, Zach doubted his former classmate took the relations he made in it all that seriously.

“I’ll provide cover fire as needed. The getaway vehicle is in place as well…Oh, and one of the rabbits in the room has very good ears so I’d try to be as quiet as possible while traveling the vents if I were you.” Zach shrugged. “Spellbinder and Gourmet can be as loud as they want~”

It was a miracle that no one seemed to follow the boisterous couple after Hide’s dramatically indignant entrance, but given they were decoy, they could’ve entered the casino by smashing in the faces of the bouncers and Zach doubted it would’ve mattered much. He munched on a cracker. “Nice acting by the way, Spellbinder. I give it two stars~”

Zach's eyes tracked the poor, pink haired cutie that had shamefully slunk out of the party. Quietly knocking out the Tiger with the necromantic potential before they could become a nuisance would probably be ideal...but there were other ways of making use of a lonesome, greedy kit as well.

Roda the Red WhiskeyMarten Caffeine_Obsessed Misuteeku @AriAriAbabwa The Regal Rper @weatheringwings

(mentioned: Peckinou , The Suspicious Eye )

 

[Lucem]

Ashley Hart

CS Link

SCENE:

Phoenixes Arc 3: Scene 2 [Tactical Mayhem]

LOCATION:

CDPD-HQ, Upper Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Ashley, Boltius, Callista, Dyne, Eric, Gideon, Inigo, Tatsuya

TACTICAL MAYHEM

Ashley barely registered the mysterious woman's presence. In the brief moment he spared the blurry body a glance, he couldn't see a badge or a uniform, so he quickly looked away. He didn't perceive her as an enemy, unlike the long-haired batter in front of him. Right now, the fight and the other person involved were the only things that mattered to him. He was far too deep in his single-minded pursuit of ending both to pay attention to anything else.

He was focused and frustrated, and his agitation only kept rising as the never-ending cycle of counters continued. He hated that bat and the unsatisfying screech that followed each attempt at putting the lawman down. That surge of emotion fueled the light bulb that suddenly lit above his head, reminding him of an unfinished thought from earlier. The fucking bat.

He recalled all the smacks and swings, every time the officer smashed his weapon on the ground like a belligerent caveman with a club. He also remembered the unusual force that followed the attacks that hit much harder than they should've. The bat had to be involved with the wielder's Potential somehow. With no proof, it was only a guess, but it was the only thing that made sense to him. If nothing else, he could use the strange stance Oliver took as evidence.

The way his opponent aimed the bat only made him more suspicious of it, cementing the idea that he had to get rid of it. Even if it was completely unrelated to Oliver's Potential, it still had to go. As long as the prick held on to it, they'd just keep dancing the same dance. It'd just be a drawn-out fight that kept both of them busy until more cops showed up. It wasn't good for the mission, and it definitely wasn't good for him. With the shitty drawbacks of his ability, he had to get things done quickly.

He realized that a bunch of blocking from that bastard was bad, but he also acknowledged that doing it himself wasn't the way to go about this. He wouldn't get any stronger unless he took the hits himself. That always irritated him. Having to put himself through a bunch of bullshit to see any benefit was dumb as hell, and he'd always hated it. But he had to work with what he was given. If he wanted to put an end to this, complete the mission, and get everyone home, he had to just suck it up. At the end of the day, it was only pain.

Tired of thinking and dancing, he stopped moving, watching as Oliver aimed the bat at him like a bazooka. He wasn't sure what thoughts were going on behind those onyx eyes, but he really didn't care. Whatever the guy had planned, he'd take it all. He'd take the hit head-on, along with the strength that followed. He'd be sure to take that fucking bat too.

Standing firm, he didn't budge an inch as Oliver unleashed his attack. However, he ended up moving anyway as the invisible force pushed him back. His sneakers squeaked as his feet dragged across the floor, and if he didn't know any better, he could've sworn they started smoking.

As expected, waves of pain traveled throughout his body. It was a lot worse than he expected, strong enough to tear holes right through his tank top. Better his clothes than him, but it definitely felt like a hole could've been punched in him too if he was any less sturdy.

He was hurt and he was angry. That was only natural after something like that. However, there was something else mixed in. There was a feeling of satisfaction, accompanied by a rush of adrenaline that let him know he'd be getting something good for his troubles. But that feeling paled in comparison to a sudden rise of relief. Above all else, he was glad he left his jacket with that blonde Phoenix. It was spared from suffering the same fate as his shirt.

Releasing a deep breath, he tightened his grip on his baton. His body creaked and cracked, all the little pops in his ears sounding off like firecrackers. It was like it was begging him not to move, but he ignored those protests and put one foot in front of the other. He felt the strain but he also felt a new burst of speed, another sign that his pain had become strength.

Faster than before, he charged ahead as the officer readied his next attack. As soon as the bat moved from Oliver's shoulder, Ashley wrapped his hand around the dented material. He squeezed hard, bending it to the side as he tried to crush it like an empty soda can.

With the bat in his vice-like grip, he stared Oliver down, still taking deep, hungry breaths. The red in his eyes burned even brighter than the flare that once lit up the records room, casting a glow on his target's face. It was like it was marking him.

Ashley fully intended on unleashing everything he'd just received by bringing down a blow he believed couldn't be blocked. However, before he could feel that satisfaction, a voice called out. He spotted a familiar uniform out of the corner of his eye, confirming that backup had finally arrived for the pig. Had that been the only thing he noticed, it wouldn't have stopped him from trying to knock Oliver out cold, but what he saw in the newly arrived officer's grasp gave him pause.

His adrenaline and focus died down, but his anger only grew. It was the same shit again. This was all these people knew how to do. It would never change.

He reluctantly released his grip, shoving the bat away before taking a few steps back. He looked back at Oliver, eyes narrowed. He hadn't thought anything good of the man during the brief time they'd known each other, but the original feeling of anger had morphed. There was now disgust as he looked down on something he only registered as a cowardly piece of trash that resorted to things like this. These two were just pathetic.

"What's wrong? I make you shit yourself so much you needed someone else to come and clean you up?"

He fully turned away from Oliver, still making sure to keep his guard up in case he tried anything while he focused on the sergeant. He looked between Inigo and Roza, eyes constantly drawn to the sharp blade sticking to the Phoenix's side. After all of that, he was right back where he started.

Ashley didn't trust the cop one bit. Roza was heavily wounded, and the horned fuck dragged her around like a ragdoll. It made it seem like he didn't care if she lived or died, only wanting to use her as a tool to force a surrender. How was he supposed to trust someone like that to honor their word and actually treat her?

He was torn. Even if he couldn't trust a thing these people said, he couldn't just leave Roza to die either. If he didn't do something, she wasn't going to make it. Those wounds were nasty, and she looked even worse than Dynamik.

As he focused on her injuries, he noticed that the person restraining her didn't look too good either. There was a deep gash in his side, and the blood still looked fresh. The sergeant probably wasn't in top condition. Ashley wasn't either, but he believed he could still take him. The only issue was having to deal with both cops. That and finding out how to get Roza away before one of them decided to just kill her on the spot.

His breathing slowed. He had one idea, but it was a gamble. It all depended on how fast he was, how strong he was, and how much longer his body could hold up. There was a chance it would all just blow up on his face, but he believed taking that chance was better than the alternative. He already promised himself that he was always going to do something whenever he could. He was sick of doing nothing.

Slowly raising his hands to avoid giving Inigo an excuse to kill Roza, he pressed on the top of his baton, collapsing it. He then pocketed his only weapon, showing his willingness to step down. "Fine." He spat the words out, not at all pleased with being forced to comply.

As soon as he pulled his hand out of his pocket, he pressed his foot deep into the ground, ignoring the cracks that formed before he rushed in. Moving as fast as he possibly could, he flew at the cop, pouring every bit of strength he had into his legs. Each of his quickened steps left behind a crater, destroying the path behind him. Then he pounced.

As he collided with the officer, he knocked the unconscious Phoenix from his grasp, but that didn't stop him. He kept pushing, tackling all three of them to the ground with great force. He focused on bringing everything down. Down straight to the second floor.

The ground crumbled, sucking Ashley and the officer into the newly formed pit. They followed after debris, and debris followed after them, making for an even rougher landing as bits of concrete slammed down on top of them. Then there was Roza.

Her limp body slid down the small slope that led into the abyss. By some miracle, Ashley managed to stumble to his feet and catch her. He didn't have the luxury of being gentle with an enemy around, so he quickly slid her across the dust-covered floor, hoping that distance would be enough to keep her safe until more help arrived.

Coughing, Ashley looked at the sergeant and tried to straighten himself. "You like your trip to the second floor?" He usually wasn't much for talking during a fight like this, but there was purpose behind the comment.

He spoke loudly enough for his words to be picked up by his earpiece. He'd kept it on the entire time, allowing anyone on the channel to hear everything that happened. With any luck, help would come by. Help for Roza. She was still breathing, but there was no telling how long that would last.

Spoiler: Tags

Doctor Llamabean Coyote Hart Damafaud Nobody Special Roda the Red simj26 @W I N T E R

 

[Roda the Red]

GREGORY GALLONS

https://www.rpnation.com/threads/four-heavenly-kings-cs-thread.503332/post-11433369

CS Link

SCENE:

Phoenixes Arc 3: Scene 2 [Tactical Mayhem]

LOCATION:

CDPD HQ, Upper Central Disctrict

PARTICIPANTS:

Ashley, Boltius, Eric, Gideon, Inigo, Roza, Tatsuya

TACTICAL MAYHEM

Eric continued his slow, careful approach towards the mysterious gangster, yet he couldn't help but stop in its entirety, as the man displayed a bit fit for a clown, the detective being just too baffled by the tinkering of the machine to even be able to react in any way other than just watching with a blank expression of disbelief.

Eric found the guy's antics to be quite amusing, in fact, almost to the point he wished he could invite him to join the force, not like he seemed particularly capable, but because having silly people like Tatsuya around the headquarters always made the grueling desk job ever so slightly less soul-draining. But alas, he was an enemy, a threat to the peace in central district, and he had to put a stop to it one way or another.

"My name? It's...Gregory, Gregory Gallons, and you do bring a good question, but the reality is that..." He brought his forearm up to his face, using it to cover his eyes, in an attempt to cover up a totally real and definitely not fake stream of tears about to flow.

"I just... I just feel so trapped in this place, everyone in the station makes fun of me...Belittles me, even my partner treats me like trash on a daily basis...But still, I don't think I can leave no matter how hard I try"

What a sad and definitely real revelation, truly a perfo- a confession that could melt the coldest of hearts.

"The only way I can prove myself to them...Is to catch gang scum such as you"

Before the gangster could react, Eric opened his raised hand, a ball of energy exploding into a powerful flash that turned the entire room completely white for a full second. which the Deterctive used to his advantage to rush in, aiming to grab the other by the throat. He was confident by the mannerisms, that this guy was probably not much of a fighter after all, so a close quarters approach could be most effective.

Direct Interaction: Coyote Hart
In Scene: Doctor Llamabean Lucem RedArmyShogun simj26 Nobody Special

 

[YumenoTsukishiro]

EUN JI-YOUNG

CS Link

SCENE:

Tigers Arc 3: Scene 3 [The Faceless Fox]

LOCATION:

Akira's Office, West District

PARTICIPANTS:

| Pablo | Akira | Ji-Young | Dante | Welsha |

The Faceless Fox

Ji-Young expected as much from Anthony’s answer, right down to the irritation seeping into his voice and the anger creasing on his brows. She merely nodded in understanding, knowing what she knew of Akira’s reputation. Her face perked up when the cup of tea was delivered to her, its woodsy fragrance washing away the disgusting scents of smoke and alcohol. She gave a nod of thanks to the bartender and helped herself to a sip. Warmth, gentle and bittersweet, spread from her mouth, down her throat, and into her very core. Ji-Young gave a small hum of appreciation, because frankly she didn’t expect a man like Anthony to have something like Ceylon tea in stock, much less the means to procure it. Perhaps she gave him too little credit.

She continued listening to him talk badly about Akira, up until he made his audacious proposal. It took everything in her not to burst out laughing and spill any of the precious tea on herself (or, heaven forbid, on the floor). Ji-Young was in no way interested in working at a seedy establishment like this. Guys would be lining up to look at her? She’d be lucky to last a day without spilling someone’s blood on the dance floor. Still, she had to give him more credit; he certainly did sound like he wanted to save her from the worse fate of working for Akira.

At Anthony’s last question, Ji-Young lowered her cup to the table and smiled the way she would when talking to debtors way behind on their payments. “My name is Pink, and that’s all you need to know, mister. Thank you very much for the offer, but I got a nice gig of my own which makes me enough to get by.”

She took the manila envelope, thick with cash, and stuffed it inside her inner jacket pocket. “Don’t you worry about me, mister,” Ji-Young said. “I’ll make sure to put in a good word for you, make Akira get bored of you faster.”

With the payment in hand, Ji-Young wanted to return to Akira and get the job over with as soon as possible. Etiquette demanded that she stay seated until dismissed by Anthony, one way or another. She hoped that he would be reasonable and not do anything to ruin what was shaping up to be a perfectly pleasant day.

Interactions: Nobody Special

 

[simj26]

Dagger

CS Link

SCENE:

New Oasis Arc 3: Scene 3 [Silence for the Damned]

LOCATION:

Dilapidated Clinic, North District

PARTICIPANTS:

Jack, Dagger, Roland, Charmy, Guinevere

Silence for the Damned

"Shut the fuck up."

Her gun barely even moved before it let out a sharp retort. The bullet struck the ground, leaving a small crater an inch away from the woman's right foot. "The dead man talks, not you."

Her voice and words were jagged icicles directed straight at their throats. This was beginning to feel like a waste of time. The dead King went on a philosophical monologue, pacing to and fro, as if he were on a theatre stage. She did not appreciate the play, not one bit. Dagger moved in close, her hand reaching out to grab him by his collar, pull him towards her, jam a gun straight into his mouth and to tell him to spit it out--

But he suddenly fell, pain wracking his body. Even in the silence that escaped his mouth, the contortion of his facial features was enough to tell her of the excruciating agony that he was experiencing. She had seen it enough in the faces of both friends and foes, and all those in between. And in that lapse of control over the dead that roamed around the area...

She spun around, slamming her handgun into the skull of one of the undead that lurched towards her. Three shots, two in the chest, one in the head. "Akela! Hermes-Seven-Niner! Alpha, Gunnolf, the lady, and the Tiger bitch!" The wolves moved even before her orders were complete. The smaller, faster wolf vanished, shooting out of the hall they were in, while the two larger wolves bounded over to the cop and the Tiger woman, covering them.

The dead belonged in the ground, six feet deep. She readied her knife. Time to put them back. Nothing she hadn't done before.

Spoiler: tags

The One Eyed Bandit BluEndings Elenion Aura @Chaos Gallant

 

[Vahn]

Omar Ayad

CS Link

SCENE:

Azure Dragons Arc 3: Scene 3 [Ripples of Stardust]

LOCATION:

Zhànzhēng Resort, East District

TIME:

Hiram, Kazue, Kairong, Omar, Ottilie

Azure Dragons Arc 3: Scene 3 [Ripples of Stardust]

Omar Ayad looked as Ervin chortled not really the reaction Omar Ayad was hoping for but then the smell of blood wafted in the air normally Omar Ayad response would have been to run. However the smell of blood is not Omar Ayad blood but it was close as Omar Ayad would stare at Ervin as he fished a handkerchief to dab on his ear. Interesting reaction and as Ervin would point out a couple of details that seem...well...obvious. Omar Ayad thought that maybe Ervin does not understand why business people would pick the most inconvenient day to do business but maybe just maybe Ervin does understand and this is a feel test that most emotional people would attempt to do which if it is, Ervin is clearly doing a bad job of it.

Ervin would throw the key in Omar Ayad direction as Omar Ayad quickly noted that he has a briefcase in one hand and his walking cane in another. Time for some finesse. Omar Ayad throws his cane up in the air and with his now free left hand grabs the key in the air and with an over-dramatic spin grabs the cane on its way down with his left hand while hold the key between his index and major finger. Throughout the whole unneeded spectacle not even flash of a smile on Omar Ayad face as Ervin would state about a guest speaker would Omar Ayad simply reply.

"It would have been helpful if it was owner Mister Sieh or his heir but seeing as they are busy...I could wait unless you Mister Ervin Patrick have some sort of say in the Zhànzhēng Resort management otherwise my presentation would not be very useful to you. Also I'm unsure of where this key would go into would you so kindly lead me to the door to which this key can open?"

Omar Ayad would lift his left hand to show Ervin where he caught the key while still holding his brief case in his right hand would he gently tap his pants leg and activate a quick prompt to his cell phone.

Meanwhile in one of the buildings nearby a man wearing a black coverall with fresh blood sprinkled on it and with a black hood covering the back of his head as he just received a picture from one of the hidden cameras placed on Omar Ayad clothing sent to his cell phone. The picture received shows Ervin Patrick as the man in black bloody coveralls smiles before putting on his mask and leaving the bathroom where one of the drug dealers for the Sable Serpents was pumped full of their own product while drowning in their own high but unable to escape the bath tub that he was stuck in. The masked man would go to where his motorcycle was hidden but the people on the streets who saw him can only think freak or to those who lived long enough the masked murderer Jack-O-Lantern who came years ago and terrorized the gangs as the man revved up his motorcycle before speeding off to the Zhànzhēng Resort.

Spoiler: Tag

BluEndings
Saturn_moon
simj26
azenva
YumenoTsukishiro bu

 

[The Regal Rper]

Orion | Lab Perimeter, North | Sun In The Gutter

There was an explosion, the sound of rending metal, the tumultuous cacophony of something before everything went dark.

Orion woke up on the far side of the warehouse, sword laying next to his leg, his body slouched against the fence. As he came to the distinct sight of smoke wafting up into the air above hit his sight in scattered images. Everything came out fuzzy as he tried to focus and stand, and his head hurt something fiercely as he rose to his feet unsteadily. A grunt of effort, a spike of pain as he blinked seeing a spot of red in his right field of vision.

An attack? He stumbled on his first step and came to a knee. "Unh, damn it. What hit me?" He blinked and the fuzz that clouded his vision faded even more. He could make out a car-- the battered remains of what looked like one at least, smoking and burning- and in the distance two individuals he did not recognize exchanging blows with other Serpents. Some sort of robot mecha leaving the remains of some crumbled stone creature as it retreated, or at least seemed to.

Orion was at a complete loss- but seeing pieces of the warehouse damaged did bring back the memory of him seeing a car hurtling towards him and him dodging that, only to turn and face the fist of a giant behemoth as it launched itself right at him after a blur of light had zoomed by him.

Said behemoth- Raiz, one of the same Dragons that Jiak had brought in with his assault, was acting as the shield for one of his allies.

"Everything looks like a mess." He grimaced as he wiped the spot of blood with the back of his hand from his temple. "Damn it." He grimaced, leaning over to grab his sword. "I need to find Darius and Ten."

Though for a moment, with him out of sight in this battle and out of mind considering he was still breathing, he took just a minute to regain himself. Just a few, before he took off- hair changing and undulating like the blow of wind, as he zipped in through a hole in the wall- and began his hunt for the only two that mattered to him.

Mentions: WhiskeyMarten gxxberkit

Interactions: n/a

 

[The Regal Rper]

Gav | Central | Passionate Melody Onslaught

With all her jitteriness, he practically allowed her to pull him out of the trap. Elizabeth, really was an easily scared one- reminded him of Luwulski back in his nation. A kid, lesser noble rank than he, who had a diffident and bashful nature and preferred to stay out of conflict than go into it- yet still charged in after him whenever he led the way towards the gaping maws of possible destruction.

Listening to Elizabeth's points on the fact that the doors were actually elevators, was just another example of having grown from the brash-Do It Yourself, attitude he'd had in his youth. "Huh..." was his only comment to that revealing point. He honestly might not have noticed that for quite a bit of time.

This was why it paid to have others around to be a second pair of looking eyes. "Nice job Squealer." He patted her on the back. "Let's go through it and get the hell out of here." He stated at the same time as he entered the very same door she had just been pointing out, pulling her in with him in the process.

Down they went till the reached the bottom floor. When the doors parted the ground was coated in fog, the pistons and cogs churned, working their hardest for the contraptions functions. Walking through this level, the perceived 'exit' of which Gav doubted would be easy to just walk through, he saw nothing more than burnt remains and charring around the large hallway he and Squealer now walked through.

"Ugh" his nose wrinkling at the smell alone. "Fuck is this supposed to be?" He grimaced.

At the end of the hall, two doors lay, one of them pristine and untouched, whilst the other matched the walls: A rickety thing which was barely holding itself together.

As it had before, the ceiling parted, and a television screen swung down from above. This time, it was accompanied by an artificial, thunderous boom which caused lights which dotted the hall to flicker. The television hung there for a moment, and then another moment, and then...

Another moment more. The fourth and final moment stretched on, as if it were grasping for the infinite, until eventually, finally, Miles's face buzzed onto the screen wearing an apologetic grin.

"Sorry, bud!"

Gav could not help but roll his eyes. Unsurprising. He had expected this, at least something to happen- but from how Milo spoke and rummaged around it was clear this wasn't part of the act.

Altaea would be ready regardless, from the way his body gained a faint outline.

"Congratulations, brave soul, you've chanced your way through the horrors of..." He pressed a button, and the thunder-boom effect from earlier repeated itself. "...The Hotel Betwixt! But now, a choice lays before you... That of the selfless man, or the selfish cur!"

Ferried by a series of rails, the screen swung back and fixed itself between the two doors.

"Through one of these doors is a great boon! A blessing born of this twisted place! And through the other... That, I dare not speak. And it falls upon you to choose! The path you tread will be yours and yours alone... Whilst the other will remain open to all those who wish to seek passage. So, brave one, this I ask, will you doom your competitors to torment, or allow them to prosper in thou place?" He let his words hang for a moment, before hitting the thunder button another time.

Gav was already walking now that he knew the jist of it before Mile's had even hit the thundering button again, and thrown off his hood- he was moving. Once again, he had picked up Elizabeth and swung her over his shoulder- as if she were now his bag to carry.

"Let's see if we both really can't make it through together." He stated it as if it were a challenge despite how casual he said it.

Turning his attention to Elizabeth he said: "Before I go through anything you think I should note about these doors?" He asked, now more carefully looking at the array in the once again brighter hall.

Mentions:@Anne Boolean @The Prophet Elenion Aura @Ambiloquous

Interactions: The One Eyed Bandit

 

[WhiskeyMarten]

DARIUS KENNEDY

CS Link

SCENE:

Filth In The Gutter

LOCATION:

Lab Icarus, North District

PARTICIPANTS:

Darius, Mimi, Orion, Rutheless, Sang-Cheol, Ten, Yuna, Yuto
Ruriko, Schroeder, Silva

THE SUN IN THE GUTTER

It was useless. Ten was nowhere to be seen. Darius couldn’t even be sure if their shadow was lurking, there was too much going on for him to keep his eyes on the ground. A few panicked workers shoved by him, but none stuck around to hear Darius’s desperate pleas for help.

Useless bastards.

They’re all useless.

After being ignored by one more screaming passerby, he was experiencing an overload of emotion. Anxiety was overwhelming as it usually was, his throat clenched shut and his stomach doing flips in his body, but he was angry too. Angry at Ten. Angry at Sang-Cheol. Angry at the intruders. Angry at everyone in the lab. Most of all, he was angry at himself. He almost missed the vibration of his phone, processing it a few seconds after it happened before stopping in his tracks to see- Oh, just Yuna. Something about fire. Nothing about Ten. Guess he could try-

Then he heard the lab creaking and groaning as the car-robot tore through the building, almost dropping his phone in his weak grip. Leaving Yuna’s text ignored, he clicked Ten’s contact and the call button. Then he looked ahead.

The carnage was nearing.

Ten was somewhere.

Darius made a decision.

Turning his back on the destruction, he ran away towards the last major unscathed room he had passed. His phone stayed in his hand, but any thought that wasn’t pure survival instinct had left him as he burst through a door, spying the stairs after some looking. Only when he reached the top of the stairs did hesitation anchor him down and he looked down at the phone screen.

The call had started. Thank you.

“Ten? TEN! Listen to me Ten.” He held the phone to his ear with both of his trembling hands, his choked-up voice barking out orders without waiting for a response.

“Are you still in the lab? You need to get downstairs. One of the rooms- All of the rooms, the big rooms, there’s stairs down. You need to go down there NOW. You’ll be safe down there. GO NOW, ok? I love you, Ten. I love you so much.”

Darius dropped the phone from his ear as his arms fell slack against his body, barely hanging onto the device. His head spun, and he didn’t even blink the tears that welled up over his vision away before beginning his descent.

He’d never been downstairs before.

 

[QuirkyAngel]

Meirin Azuza

CS Link

SCENE:

New Oasis Arc 3: Scene 2 [The Dragon and the Phoenix]

LOCATION:

Eastern Edge of Central District, overlooking the SEC Bridge

PARTICIPANTS:

Helva, Hou (inactive), Isaiah, Kanna, Maho,
Meirin, Ra (inactive), Rin, Shen, Soren (inactive), Vulken,
Yaroslav (inactive), Yong-Yut, Kaede

The Dragon and the Phoenix

Meirin tilted her head when a vehicle drove into the battlefield, but didn’t interrupt as Yong-Yut turned to speak to the strange, old man behind the steering wheel. That would be rude. An eye for an eye and courtesy for courtesy was how the Dragons did things. Besides, Meirin disliked attacking/killing someone behind their backs. Some call it foolish, hypocritical even for a gangster, but for Meirin, it was a pride thing. She didn’t necessarily look down on those who used stealth or assassinated. Everyone fought in their own way, used whatever tools or abilities they had in their disposal, and she even admired them to some degree (her sister and Isaiah especially)…but she herself preferred straightforward approaches. Honor. So long as clung to her morals as best she could, acted in the way she herself believed to be right, she could hold her head high regardless of her background or whatever life threw her way.

And, even if she fell at times, it was the effort to live ‘righteously’ that counted.

Therefore, when it was apparent that Yong Yut had no desire to fight, Meirin lowered her weapon as well. She blinked at the following proposition, not because it surprised her, but because Yong-Yut voiced the very thing she’d been feeling since the mayhem started. Her eyes followed Yong-Yut’s gesture to the battling kings. “What makes you say that?”

She asked not because she disagreed, but because she was curious whether or not the Phoenix had any insight to back her claim. She wondered if they knew something she didn’t.

Then Fade appeared and immediately offered his assistance with a neutral expression. Meirin stared at the illusioned Ace for a bit, then sighed, scratching her head as her gaze once more flew to the fighting leaders. She was more worried about Shen than the Phoenix King. That was why she’d requested Fade make use of his potential to get close to the fighting Dragon Monarch. Observe him. Maybe even speak to him. Meirin didn’t know the Steel Tempest as well as Ruri did, but that didn’t mean she didn’t watch him. The girls at Eternal Night Palace, especially Lotus, liked him. She’d even occasionally interact with him whenever he stopped by the brothel for inspections or she made her Pleasure District reports to HQ. He was an airhead. He liked fighting strong opponents. The latter was a reason for him to face off against the Phoenix King, but… “He’s fighting as if he’s possessed…”

Meirin knew nothing about Lyric and thus couldn’t say what was normal for the Phoenix King or not.

Her free hand grabbed the shirt of an overly excited, battle fervent Dragon rookie before they could charge at an “open” Yong Yut. “My fight. Back off. Can’t you see the Ace is talking?”

“B-B-B-But you said--”

“Does it look like the Warden of Eternal Night Palace needs help?" Meirin interrupted before the rookie could finish. "Are you looking down on those in the escort business???” She glared at the cowering gangster who rapidly shook his head. The Sleeping Giant’s fervent stance when it came to the better treatment of sex workers in the Azure Dragon gang was well known, after all. She directed him where a group of Dragons seemed to be fighting shadows. “If you must fight, protect our comrades over there! Remember, we aren’t a disorganized band like the Northern Serpents. Kill only for the sake of self-defense or on a leader’s orders. It’s the Dragon Trials that determine who deserves death and who doesn’t.”

Not that their leaders had given many orders.

Meirin sighed before glancing at Fade. “If we’re going to talk, can you illusion us as well? Orbit can handle that war-monger.”

The only way Meirin knew how to break up a fight was with more force. Fear of the Azure Dragons gang had been what kept the East District “peaceful” and other criminals from invading their turf. Having seen and been a part of the darker sides of the gang, brothels weren’t a clean business regardless of her efforts, and she didn’t believe the Azure Dragon gang to be “just” in all their actions. She knew corruption existed in the gang…but that was true of any government. At the end of the day, it wasn’t the cops that kept the streets of the East District crime-free. It wasn’t the police that dealt justice to the scum who sold his adoptive daughter to Eternal Night Palace.

It was the Azure Dragons.

“You can talk to her like you did with me, right…?...through illusions…talk to Shen too…”

Meirin’s gaze finally settled on Yong Yut. She trusted her instincts regarding people and, thus far, Yong Yut hadn’t given her a reason not to trust. Frankly, she’d thought the scarf-manipulator was less likely to lie to her than Vulkie at the moment.

“If something’s wrong, it’ll reveal itself once we hear what our kings have to say.”

Whether or not the kings wanted war that is.

Peckinou @SilverFlight Lucem FabulousTrash @The Prophet @EmperorsChosen Elenion Aura @LXI Nobody Special @L.Amour gxxberkit The Suspicious Eye

 

[gxxberkit]

Zygarde

CS Link

SCENE:

Tigers Arc 3: Scene 4 [Puzzling Directions]

LOCATION:

Some Library, West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Matsuda, Minato

Puzzling Directions

Kiwi was a little busy. Fortunately, Zygarde wasn’t.

The puppy happily trotted after the small boy band, completely silent except for heavy panting as the group made their way towards the library.

As they all reached the library, the dog simply followed them inside, not bound by the silly human rules that usually insisted dogs not be allowed. Instead, protected by the Tigers that he escorted— or did they escort him?— he ignored the librarian.

He begged the few humans he came with to follow him. And, when they did, he led them to a corner of the library, sniffing at a wall of books.

A group of ten books, unremarkable. Titled, in no particular order, "Petty Crimes and Other Trivial Pursuits," "Empire of Words," "Insignificant Words," "Extraneous Mentions," "Tell of My Story" "Imagine, My Apollo," "This is Neither Here nor There," "Deductions," "Your Love, My Life," and "Superficial."

Upon picking up the books, there’s nothing really special inside. But, there must be a reason for Zygarde’s interest.

Elenion Aura Caffeine_Obsessed

 

[Sei Shonagon]

Kaede Shimokōbe

CS Link

SCENE:

New Oasis Arc 3: Scene 2 [The Dragon and the Phoenix]

LOCATION:

Eastern Edge of Upper Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

a bunch of names

The dragon and the Phoenix

The man crawled his way out of the driver's seat on trembling legs and with a new pattern adorning his suit in red splotches. It was neither fashionable nor hygienic but seeing as he huffed and heaved his way up to the youths, one would be more concerned about the possibility of him currently experiencing a heart attack than being out of trend. "Sommy." He wheezed in between breaths that ran shallow and clutched the waist that didn't fit into his palm. The short eyelashes flitted up to reveal dark eyes and then he froze.

Uh oh.

He was too late. The members of the gangs were already at each other's throats, clashing in fists and weapons alike to the sound of metal clatter and impacts upon flesh. Darnit. It would appear that his efforts to stop this progression had already ran into the sand. A little too late and a little too little, as always. It didn't surprise him either that the most enthusiastic enforcer of this progression was Helva. A groan resounded through the man's head and he turned to the unlikely quartet that had assembled at the fabric manipulator's side.

It suddenly occurred to Kaede that she had perhaps been a little rash in her exclamation. The man sneaked a furtive peek at the fellow phoenix that had been the intended target and then examined the unintended audience. A dapper young man and a woman with a rather doe like appeal to her in brown hair and eyes. Kids, really, to Kaede who had probably double the years on them in gang experience. How come it was always the young ones out on the battlefield? He sighed inwardly and braced himself once more.

They were also dragons he steeled himself mentally in the resurgence of a familiar frown on facial features. They seemed willing enough to cooperate but to what price? What if the information that Kaede possessed turned out to be completely irrelevant? If it did...he fixated her gaze on his companion and relented in a sigh.

"Fine. We'll work together." He glanced at the younger phoenixes that had gotten themselves entangled in the battlefield. "Unfortunately, I don't think there's much we can do to stop them, unless the Kings themselves order it." The disapproval that leaked from downturned lips was clear as day but the man didn't linger long "-I saw them". Kaede drew a deep breath and continued "I saw them shake hands and then...they appeared scared of something and-". The cut off was intentional as he searched for the right words to describe it.

"They started fighting." The unsaid question hung in the air above them- Was this something their Kings would do?

gxxberkit Lucem QuirkyAngel

 

[Saturn_moon]

Isobel Pham

CS Link

SCENE:

Tigers Arc 3: Scene 1 [Where Giants Sleep]

LOCATION:

Heavenly Beast Plaza, Lower Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Elias, Ezra, Isobel, Kenji, Passeri, Wren

Where Giants Sleep

Isobel felt it shortly after they entered the room. The ripple of energy emanating from the plinth. It was faint and passed as quickly as it came but it overwhelmed her with a sense of disquiet. Things were in motion. They had been for a long time but it was now that they were coming to a head. Not wanting to further Elias' sentiments that she was hearing the ghosts in her head, she kept silent on the matter.

So fixated she had been on the strange pulse that she didn't catch Passeri poking about the tombs until she heard the idol's far too placid warning. "Are you okay?" Isobel started to type on her phone but by the time she was done, Passeri had already moved on and was busying herself investigating the other tombs.

"I think you two should duck! I'm gonna try something."

With the casual fearlessness of a child on a jungle gym rather than someone who'd just taken a dart to the leg, Passeri summoned her potential in the form of six pink blocks, one above each of the pressure plates she had found, and dropped them. Isobel instantly ducked to the ground as she had been told but rather than six darts flying their way, a loud click pierced the quiet and the stone door swung open.

Behind the door were more stairs, curving their way downwards. Thankfully, unlike the endless tunnels they had spent the two hours traversing through, the stairs went down a flight before leading to a balcony overlooking a cathedral-like cavern. Careful to stay in the shadows, Isobel crept up to the edge to get a better look. Below was what looked to be a large round inner courtyard upon which was a massive stone table that spanned nearly the entire width of the courtyard. Squinting her eyes to get a better look, Isobel learned it was not a table after all but rather a tomb eight times the size of an average HP.

This was no cathedral. This was a mausoleum. And whoever, or whatever, was buried here spelled trouble.

Behind that main tomb were four smaller tombs... and a woman dressed in robes of black that covered her from head to toe. She wore a golden mask that covered most of her face and stood tall and proud, holding a large open tome in her hands while speaking words that none of them could make out from this distance. On the other side of the massive tomb were six people kneeling quietly on the ground, heads lowered as if in prayer. Unlike the woman, these six were dressed in simple beige linens and did not wear masks.

​

"It would appear we have some visitors." The woman's dulcet tone suddenly echoed through the cavern loud and clear, causing Isobel to startle. "Crowe, if you don't mind escorting our guests down. I believe introductions are in order." She tensed as realization struck that the woman had been referring to them.

Spinning around, the trio came face to face with a human-sized crow grinning down at them. "Of course, Priestess. Ladies first." Without a chance to react, the crow spread his wings and leaped up grabbing Passeri and Isobel by the scruffs of their necks, and dived off the balcony. As they neared the ground, he released his talons' grip on them and unceremoniously dropped the two women on the stone floor. Isobel suppressed a groan as she pushed herself upright. The crow circled around the room once, oil-black wings stretched out wide, before landing gracefully beside the woman he'd referred to as Priestess, the talons that had so painfully dug into her back had been replaced with two regular human feet. His beak too had disappeared and they were now looking at the visage of a young, dark-haired man.

​

"Look what the cat dragged in or should I say, tiger." There was a smugness in her tone that said she had been expecting them for a while. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Your so-called king was the first to unlock his totem after all and release one of those meddling beasts. It was only a matter of time before someone discovered this place." The woman slowly paced slowly between the smaller tomb, running a hand along the edge as she passed each one. "Worry not. We don't intend to harm you. Any HP is a friend of ours. I suppose you've come looking for an explanation. For answers." She stopped, facing Passeri and Isobel straight on.

"We are the Stewards, guardians of The Sleeper and New Oasis." As she said these, more figures emerged from the shadows of the balcony above. With a quick glance around, Isobel counted five others. "The Sleeper has given this city so much more than we deserve. Wealth, security, a future. Had our ancestors never discovered the Sleeper, we would have remained but a simple mining village, left behind by time and globalization. As stewards, we are the embodiment of potentiality. We ensure balance and promise continuity. This city will thrive and live far beyond whatever legacy we leave behind. You do not - cannot begin to comprehend the importance of our work, but perhaps I can show you."

Walking up to the tomb once more, she picked up the tome she had previously been reading from and traced a finger to the point she had stopped. "Coincidentally, you've joined us on a very important day. You see, there are those that want to see this city fall. They want to take potentiality, this gift, away from the people for good. Others want to claim it for themselves." The priestess' gaze fell on the four tombs behind them. "But after today, things will change. For after today, the Sleeper will sleep no more." The Priestess' excitement was almost palpable as she raised a hand and summoned one of the worshippers up to the tomb. While he seemed to be acting on his own, there was strange emptiness in his eyes. Looking to the other worshippers still knelt on the other side, they all shared the same blank stare.

With a nod from the priestess, the worshipper picked up an ornate dagger that Isobel had not noticed on the side of the tomb and in one swift movement dragged it across his neck. With a choked gurgle, the body fell limp in front of the tomb as his own blood pooled around him. Immediately, the whole room started to shake.

The One Eyed Bandit Lucem Kyuubey QuirkyAngel Stros ​

 

[WhiskeyMarten]

LUCKY RABBIT CASINO

CS Link

SCENE:

Phoenixes Arc 3: Scene 3 [Whole World Blind]

LOCATION:

Lucky Rabbit Casino - Ground Floor, West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Charlie, Hector, Hide, Raquel, Yukito, Zachariah
Alicia, Dante

WHOLE WORLD BLIND

Silence befell the workers at the door as Hide’s outburst drowned out all conversation. Of course, they were used to Karens (or whatever the male equivalent is), and with the mass of people filing through the building, it made sense that there would be more than usual. Tensions were high as it is with all the activity going on today, and security was keeping a close eye on the festivities on the floor above. A few doormen and women, with their hands clasped behind their backs, nodded with awkward smiles. Nobody quite making full eye contact lest they be the target of the next rant by the vicious-looking man.

Further away, burlier men with earpieces uttered a few words about keeping an eye on the couple, but they were out of earshot and watched cautiously at a distance. Seemingly out of nowhere, a bright face popped into the pair’s view, flashing a pearly-white smile and holding a hand out.

“Welcome Sir, I apologize for the treatment. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.” He broke the tension with a light chuckle as though nothing had happened at all, “This is your first visit to the Lucky Rabbit Casino, isn’t it? We’re honoured to have you here. I won’t keep you waiting, but let me offer you and your…” The sharply dressed man looked Raquel up and down before grinning an artificial smile and continuing, “gorgeous wife a complimentary drink if you’ll just follow me upstairs. What brings you here today?”

 

[Misuteeku]

Raquel Filo

http://

CS Link

SCENE:

Whole World Blind

LOCATION:

Alleyway, South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Raquel, Hector, Alicia, Dante, Hide, Charlie, Mizuya, Zacharius

Whole World Blind

Well, wasn't this amusing?

Raquel held a hand up to her mouth and giggled at the sight of Hide facing some difficulty with the bouncer. It would seem like he had forgotten about his ID. While she could help him out by pulling out her ID, she often went the extra mile to impress Hector; watching this was much more entertaining. She smiled at the bouncer like a doll as Hide tried to formulate a rant to get them inside the casino. Raquel hugged Hide even closer than before.

"I'm pregnant!" Raquel added on in between Hide's gesturing to her. It was mainly to push Hide into an even more awkward situation. However, she was slightly curious about Hide's expression. Would one of those veins pop if she jabbed her finger in them? Would blood gush out like rain pattering off a drain? So many questions and not enough experience. One of her hands crawled up from behind Hide's back. They had already gotten past the bouncer at this point, so a little tease wouldn't be too bad.

Her hand hovered close to Hide's ear. Raquel's hands neared the veins and brushed her fingertips against Hide's smooth skin. With a quick movement, Raquel brushed Hide's sideburn. It felt like hair. A little soft and flowy, not that those two descriptors fit Hide's hair anyways. "Aw, what's wrong, Puppy-wuppy?" Raquel cooed at the mildly stressed veteran. "Did the catty catch your tighty-wighty tail?" With a smile, Raquel went back to holding Hide's arm close.

That was until someone came up. Putting on a smile, Raquel observed the man behind her facade. It seemed like they had grabbed their attention. She tilted her head and nodded at the man. "Well, I wouldn't mind a drink. I do feel a little parched." The voice in her stomach couldn't be ignored after all. "We won't mind having you either if that's what you'd like." She gave him a flirtatious wink. If Hide was her fake husband, he'd protest, but that made it even more entertaining as well.

"Well dear, do you think we should go?" Though the mission came first. Raquel was only making idle chatter with the man and wasn't interested talking about him. Perhaps if they had time, she'd like to pluck the man's phalanges and play with them for a little.

 

[Peckinou]

Helva Linxal

CS Link

SCENE:

New Oasis Arc 3: Scene 2 [The Dragon and the Phoenix]

LOCATION:

Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Isaiah Lucem , Kanna FabulousTrash , Maho The Suspicious Eye , Meirin QuirkyAngel , Rin @EmperorsChosen , Shen Elenion Aura , Kaede Sei Shonagon , Vulken Nobody Special , Yong-Yut gxxberkit .

The Dragon and the Phoenix

Helva wasn't fast enough to to kill either of the targets, early on in the battle, though it didn't matter to her, her enemy wasted her weapon in order to save one of their allies, it was something she respected, but hated at the same time. She had used the same move to get away from Libla when she tried to attack her at the bridge, this earned a lofty smirk from Helva, as it gave information on her fighting style, it wasn't until the Jack of the Dragons disappeared from view that Helvas eyes shifted into one of confusion. She knew that wasn't part of her potential, her potential was more similar to Lyric from what reports about her stated, just it was typically on her own body instead of objects. She figured it might of been another Dragon who did that, maybe it was the portal girl the Dragons had, but she quickly debunked that since she saw no portal get opened, plus she doubted the Dragon would leave the battlefield while they still had comrades on it. She must of been hidden from her view or something, it was the only logical explanation, she could think of, likely due to another dragons potential, but which one she didn't know for sure. It was a unfortunate predicament, but it didn't matter, she would tear apart every Dragon here, and then go help Lyric, her main focus was to kill the Dragons Jack and the gold guy, and she wouldn't rest until they were dead. But she didn't mind to share a bit of her thoughts with the Dragon, in order to give Skadi and Hiyma more time to set up their operation and get to them. "Heh, two can play that game, you know, I've killed many Dragons, Snakes and Tigers in my career, Snakes are decently strong individually but are hardly effective, and Tigers are pretty much a joke, but Dragons, you guys are a actual challenge, and a genuine threat." Helva let out a short chuckle before darkening her tone and looking at the spot that Dragons Jack disappeared at "That must be ERADICATED"

With those words said, Hiyma and Helvas Sponseree Skadi finally joined up next to her, Skadi having let out floating black orbs from her hand, in complainance with Helvas Blackout order. They had worked as a team for many years and have assembled code words in order to signal to each other what they wanted them to do, Helva knew the risk of activating her sponserees potential with other Phoenixs in battle near her. But Helva didn't care, once she killed her main targets, she would then be able to go help Lyric in their fight against the Dragon King, but right now she had to figure out if her theory is true, and the Dragons Jack didn't abandon their Dragons to save themselves. So with one word Helva said to Skadi "Night Witch, Paint it Black." the code word used telling Skadi to activate their potential. The black orbs that were floating around the battlefield were then activated, sucking all the light within it's radius, leaving the the area in complete darkness, making it nearly impossible for anyone that wasn't Helva or Skadi to see anything more than a foot away from their eyes. But Helva didn't bat a eye at this, and grabbed Hiyma pulling her close. "Lets see how you Dragons deal with the Monsters of the Dark." After saying that Helva fused with Hiyma, taking on her Hiyma based shadow form, letting out a monstrous roar that could be heard across the battlefield, in a attempt to unnerve the dragons.

A internal talk ensued as Hiyma and Helva went back and forth, You do know the other Phoenixs are gonna be mad with this since it's gonna interrupt their fights. Well they are just gonna have to deal with it for now, this is war, let's just hunt around and help out when needed, and focus on killing that Ra guy. Helvas attention was focused mostly on the battlefield, killing the Gold guy and finding the Jack, she began to walk towards the golden man who was clearly able to be seen by her, and made her approach towards him, the Shadows around them lashed out randomly, targeting any dragons within range and avoiding any Phoenix, with Skadi following behind her, watching Helvas back and observing the battlefield for any complicated problems. Once Helvas was in range of the Gold boy, she had shadows last out towards him from multiple angels, while Skadi gave commands to the other Phoenixs directing them to nearby Dragons, and notifying them of Phoenixs they were about to engage with "Harbrine, Dragon to your left, Fox the guy in front of you is a Phoenix, don't engage, Bengi Dragon in front of you, charge forward, keep up the forward pressure Onyx." It was a effort made to minimize the damage against the Phoenix side, since only those who could see in pitch black would be be able to make out anything, and since the Dragons didn't know if they were being targeted she was sure her words would confuse them and put them on edge whenever she says something. Though she knew the risk that by shouting Dragons would be able to target them, but she was confident that the shadows would take them out before they could even get to them. The strategy was done many times before by the two and they, knew what they were pretty confident that it would work, but there was always doubt, and a back up plan ready if things ever go wrong. Skadis grip tightened on their spear, while Helva continued their assault upon the Gold user prepared to take out what was to her a key Dragon and a key target.

 

[The One Eyed Bandit]

NPC Post - Chipper Contestant H

SCENE:

New Oasis Arc 3: Scene 1 [PASSERI PARK'S ULTRA PASSIONATE MELODY ONSLAUGHT]

LOCATION:

Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Florence, Pascal, Gavril, Milo, Dimitri, Jackson

THE HALL OF INSIGHT

"Mmm! It's all topsy-turvy in there!" 'Thelma' laughed, pocketing their glasses as they shuffled towards Pascal. "Plenty of lefts and rights. I'm betting that they run behind all of the mirrors." They paused for a moment, pushing their head as close to Pascal as he'd tolerate, hemming and hawing all the while.

"I think you'd need a haircut to be Ted. And an ascot. But you've got the eyes for it! Maybe they'd give us some extra points if we switch into cosplay." They nodded, and then moved past Pascal, assessing the gaping maw as best as they could. "And if I'm Thelma, then it's my job to think. And I think that there's not much difference between being in there and out there with my glasses all in pieces. Except that I might end up with glass in my forehead if I walk into one of the mirrors too hard."

They moved forward again, vanishing into the blackness, while continuing to speak.

"I'm guessin' that either this part is a shortcut, and moving between the two is a super shortcut! It's a toss-up between being turned around by the mirrors, or not getting to see anything at all!" They nodded sagely, ensuring that Pascal could at least hear the motion by punctuating it with a hearty pair of harumphs. "Me, I'm not too keen on breaking anymore glass, so I'll be sticking back here! Feel free to trail along if you'd like, 'Ted'! I could use the company!"

Spoiler: Tags

Interacted With: @Anne Boolean
General: @Ambiloquous The Regal Rper Elenion Aura BriiAngelic @The Prophet

 

[The One Eyed Bandit]

NPC Post - Glamorous Contestant M

SCENE:

New Oasis Arc 3: Scene 1 [PASSERI PARK'S ULTRA PASSIONATE MELODY ONSLAUGHT]

LOCATION:

Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Florence, Pascal, Gavril, Milo, Dimitri, Jackson

THE GREAT THRESHOLD

"Tch." Makoto clicked her tongue, because that was really all that she could do. For all her bluster, if huffing and puffing didn't work, then she was at the end of her rope. After all, despite how it may have appeared, she was not quite brash enough to take a swing at the blonde-headed punk in front of more cameras than there were in a sleazy landlord's apartment.

"I guess you can use your brain a little after all." She glowered, pushing down her desire to have the last word until it was moulded into the milder form of a backhanded compliment. She'd play along with the two clowns until they were out of here. Then she'd show off what she could do. "I've already kept my part fixed, if your enlightened lordship hadn't already noticed. The bottom right-hand corner there."

She pointed with her part of the puzzle, and then turned it towards Jackson's face.

"Click-clack your parts in there, and we'll see if that big brain of yours can't figure out the rest on your own." She yawned, and then reclined against the wall, shooting him a smug look. "Or maybe Madam Fatass over there could bust it off its hinges. Damn near snapped my spine, you know that?" She shifted her glare towards Flo. "Don't think I've forgotten about that just cuz you know your place. If I've even got a single ache in my ass after this, I expect you'll be paying for the bills."

She yawned again, and then made herself busy expecting the pair to either fuck things up, or figure it out and plain fuck off. Whatever happened, she was clearing out as soon as she could, and since the blonde had been so insistent, he'd be the one clearing the way for her. Her smugness deepened a bit. She'd always been great at delegation.

Spoiler: Tags

Interacted with: BriiAngelic @Ambiloquous
General: The Regal Rper Elenion Aura @The Prophet@Anne Boolean

 

[The One Eyed Bandit]

NPC Post - Lydia Trope

SCENE:

New Oasis Arc 3: Scene 1 [PASSERI PARK'S ULTRA PASSIONATE MELODY ONSLAUGHT]

LOCATION:

Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Florence, Pascal, Gavril, Milo, Dimitri, Jackson

THE IRIS

Floorboards creaked beneath Milo's footfalls, though whether that was genuine, or the product of some unseen array of speakers and sensors, it was hard to tell. With each step, though, there was an unmistakable dimming of the lights, the scant few functional lightbulbs which dotted the ever-more cramped hall flicking on and off.

"Ohohoh~" A voice, as unfamiliar as it was playful, bounced about the hall. "A bold choice, young one... To step into my domain of your own volition? So valiant!" The voice went on, clearly not belonging to the event's illustrious host. In fact, that was just about the only distinct thing about it, given the tens of layers of synthetic warping that it had applied to it. The voice warbled severely with each syllable, just barely teetering on the edge of legibility. There would definitely need to be subtitles in this part of the broadcast, though that was a mercy that Milo himself would not be spared.

"Valiant, but foolish! Behold!" Through the speaker, there was a barely-recognizable sound of metal shifting and clapping against itself, and then then entire hallway shifted. Beyond the confines of the narrow space, the rest of the contestants might have caught a glimpse as the section of the hotel rotated, shifting from a horizontal axis, to a diagonal, and then slowly, agonizingly, into a straight vertical drop.

"There'll be no plotting or planning for you, oh brave hero!" The voice cackled as they spoke, the hallway that Milo had been stood in a few moments ago now having turned into what felt like a chimney. "Tremble in fear, for you now face your greatest trial yet!---" Whether he fell freely or abated by some use of his Potential, what waited for him at the bottom of the shaft was the same-

"---An eye exam!" In contrast to Flo's previous plummet Milo's was cushioned by an actual cushion, rather than the top of an angry woman's head. The room he dropped into was sparse, and flanked by four doors, each of them firmly clasped shut. "Welcome to my clinic! I like to call it the Iris. I hope the fall didn't spook you too bad. Miles and the boss-lady both love dramatics, and I can't say I'm not guilty of being a fan either!"

In the centre of the room, a lone, bespeckled woman sat upon a metal stool, wreathed in the bright, hard light of a spotlight overhead.

"Take a seat just in front of me if you would! This one's simple. You're lucky you stumbled in here!" She smiled, and patted the seat in front of her, an identical stool to her own. She spoke with a chipper air, and her voice was just barely legible as the one from the hall. "I've gotta have a peep at your peepers and make sure you're ship-and-shape for the trials ahead! Lots of funny lights and whatnot. And as a reward for being a good trooper, you got double the choices you usually do!"

She gestured to the doors, and then shot Milo a wink as and pulled a lollipop from her pocket.

"And a bit of candy too, but keep that between us. I was supposed to be a hardass for this, you know?"

Spoiler: Tags

Interacted with: Elenion Aura
General: The Regal Rper @Anne Boolean BriiAngelic @Ambiloquous

 

[The One Eyed Bandit]

NPC Post - Stressed-Out Contestant E

SCENE:

New Oasis Arc 3: Scene 1 [PASSERI PARK'S ULTRA PASSIONATE MELODY ONSLAUGHT]

LOCATION:

Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Florence, Pascal, Gavril, Milo, Dimitri

THE HOTEL BETWIX

"Eep!" Elizabeth squirmed in Gav's grasp as he hefted her over his shoulder, but her tiny frame wasn't able to offer much resistance in the face of the larger man's iron grip. "I- I can use my own legs, you know!" She protested, and then wriggled against him for a few moments more, but eventually went limp. She'd been in situations like this before, not being picked up like this specifically, she wasn't that sort of woman, but being pitted against another's will like this, and she always lost.

"Fine..." She huffed. In her experience, the resignation was usually the easiest way to deal with people like him. "Usually in shows like these they'll try to trick you with stuff like this... Do the selfish thing and they'll punish you, and do the selfless thing and they'll reward you..." She gestured to each door respectively, her voice as nonplussed as one would expect from one being carried about like a gym towel. "...But in Extreme Warfarer, they like to switch it up so you never know. It's better to keep the audience on edge, I guess."

She nested her head on his shoulder, and her expression went slack. In general, her demeanour with a sort of laxness that she'd been entirely removed from, and frankly could have done with a bit of earlier. She wasn't happy about being turned into luggage, but the familiarity of her helplessness induced a strange sort of comfort in her.

Some things never change.

"S-so. I dunno. Maybe you can flip a coin? Or we could split up, unless you plan on keeping me as a weapon or something." A jolt of panic shot through her. She really hoped she hadn't just given him that idea. "B-but don't do that actually, okay? I think I'd just go splat.

Spoiler: Tags

Interacted With: The Regal Rper
General:@Anne Boolean @Ambiloquous Elenion Aura

 

[QuirkyAngel]

Elias Yumin

CS Link

SCENE:

Tigers Arc 3: Scene 1 [Where Giants Sleep]

LOCATION:

Heavenly Beast Plaza, Lower Central(Beneath Dragon Statue)

PARTICIPANTS:

Wren, Elias, Kenji, Passeri, Isobel, Ezra

Where Giants Sleep

Stepping out from where he crouched behind one of the plinth sides, Elias sighed in relief when nothing seemed to happen besides a loud click and the stone door swinging open. He dusted clothes before glancing at the woman who’d taken a dart to the leg. “Your ability to unlock puzzles is very impressive, Miss Iori, but please exercise caution in future endeavors. Injuries to yourself would pain the citizens of New Oasis as well.”

And Yumin Entertainment, which also benefited from Our☆Dream Entertainment’s most profitable talent, but Elias didn’t feel the need to voice that anymore than pointing out an idol’s unspoken duty to take care of their bodies. It was something Passeri Park already knew. Then again, the woman behind the idol image was also a gangster, a veteran of the Albino Tiger gang which ran and maintained the dirty, underground money channels of the West District. Fighting and exposure to danger was probably to be expected in such line of work.

Eyeing the downward spiral of stairs curiously, Elias courteously let the ladies go first before opting to follow behind and cover the rear. He watched Park closely in case she staggered or passed out from pain or poison. Checked the time on his phone as well. Spelunking was all well and good, but if any member of the group got seriously injured, especially from an unknown source, common sense dictated that they either stopped or retreated; They didn’t know how far the mine extended, after all, and Z had taken the other path.

As they stepped onto what seemed to be a balcony, overlooking a cathedral-like mausoleum, Elias’s eyes swept the proceedings below with something akin to wonder and mild interest; It seemed there really were “mole-people” living in an old, abandoned mine. Or, rather, cultists worshiping a crypt.

The sudden voice that addressed them startled him, mostly because he didn’t expect it, and Elias swiftly turned, reaching out to try and catch the bird that snatched Mouse and Iori into the air. He missed, of course, and clicked his tongue as his gaze followed the “Crowe” back to the proceedings below. Were they being watched? How did the “Priestess” identify them as “Tigers”? His first thought was that there were hidden cameras or that she had a potential similar to Zachariah’s, but the possibilities were endless and Elias didn’t ruminate on it for long, focusing instead on the information the Steward Priestess provided as he traveled along the balcony, counting her followers.

Five. One of which stood near the exit–the stairs they’d come down from.

Hand to his chin, Elias considered his options for a moment before shrugging and approaching one of the cultists with his bare hands held out in front of him, in a peaceful, weapon-less gesture, and a warm smile on his face. "Hello--" The sudden shaking of the room was surprising, but provided him with an excellent excuse as he “tripped”, latching onto the wrist of a smallish female in an awkward attempt to keep his balance. “Woah!”

He immediately activated his potential as he dragged her to the ground with him. Or rather, on top of him.

“M-my apologies, Miss! I’m as clumsy as an elephant when it comes to balance…” The words themselves were a distraction as he scanned her memories, keeping his hold on her wrist for as long as possible. If he was bothered by the NPs he saw killing themselves in front of the ‘Sleeper’ tomb, his embarrassed face didn’t show it.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

The longer she forgot about his grip on her wrist, the longer he could maintain physical contact. In fact, he was subtly making sure she did.

The One Eyed Bandit Lucem @ Saturn_moon Kyuubey Stros