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

[miki]

Melody Tucker

CS Link

SCENE:

INWRITCILVIODV

TIME:

Pre-Arc 1 | 2020

LOCATION:

Central District | Grubtopia

PARTICIPANTS:

Melody, Tak, Cassidy (NPC)

If Nutrition Was Really Important They'd Call It Life Value Instead of Daily Value

Melody’s new self-titled disciples watched, mouths agape and eyes unblinking, as Tak casually licked off a layer of their new god’s head.

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOINGGG!?” He screamed, falling to his knees as he clutched the sides of his head.

“STOP THAT!! STOOOOP!!!! YOU’VE DOOMED US ALL!!” Rhythmic stomping matched her screeching tone. “CEASE THIS MADNESS NOOWWWWW!!!” The woman crouched down with her hands close to her feet, like a cat. She hunched her back, unsure if she wanted to shield herself from whatever fallout was imminent or pounce on the perceived assaulter.

The four-year-old girl fell backwards when the man turned to address her suddenly. Cassidy was shocked someone yelled at her out of nowhere, but didn't seem too too bothered by it. She clapped her hands with a blank face, attempting to show her agreement.

Ultimately, the crowd was split between joy, confusion, concern, and (mostly) exhaustion. So it was up to Melody to decide what this all meant.

And at that moment, to her chagrin, she kind of panicked.

The sensation was similar to the prodding she felt when new birds flocked to her head. It was great for hunting, but really, really bad if she wanted to go outside. It wasn’t like the sharp pecking, but she still felt it. Within a system of invisible capillaries, she felt the danger of her head being bitten away.

“Gah!” Melody’s head whipped around, eye darting around for the culprit. In her frenzied movements, she lurched backwards—in the direction of Tak in the process. Her lack of control over her balance made her slide towards being horizontal.

In one fell swoop, Melody’s upper back consumed Tak’s upper body.

“Oh, no!” Melody stood straight up again, lifting him up with her tall stature. She reached for her back, trying to pull him out like she had with Cassidy, but her arms didn’t reach that far. She still tried, extending herself into spinning circles.

Try as she might, she couldn’t reach him herself.

From the floor, Cassidy giggled as she watched him get swallowed into Melody, just as she had been. She kicked her light-up sneakers around and pointed at the spectacle, her high pitched laugh bouncing off of the ceiling.

No one said anything, but the security guards whimpered the beginnings of shrieks as they reached to hold each other a little tighter.

Spoiler

thebigfella

 

[miki]

Hiachi Ito

CS Link

SCENE:

Taking A Break

LOCATION:

West District | Camila’s Apartment

DATE:

June 28, 2022

PARTICIPANTS:

Hiachi, Camila

Taking A Break

Hiachi didn’t even acknowledge Camila’s response. The second she heard ‘no’, she snatched the bowl off the table. She ripped the spoon out of the rice before carefully angling the spoon to scoop up a large chunk of rice and stew—so much that it was about one quarter of her bowl. The chunk let off light steam, peppered with the aroma of the meats and veggies. She dug out her sustenance before shoveling the whole thing in her mouth.

Her expression was entirely deadpan until the flavors hit her tongue. The pepper, paprika, cayenne, and rosemary were most prominent. They were all such bold flavors, and still managed to work together in harmony. The potato, carrot, and beef she had swallowed all melted down and burst with their own unique reactions to the flavor. The red broth burned on the back of her throat, slick with oil and meaty bouillon. Hiachi’s cheeks were full and puffed out as she chewed down the meal, before she quickly swallowed.

A fist covered her mouth as she processed what she just experienced.

Hiachi’s shaky finger pointed towards Camila. “And you… you made this? You’re not hiding a private chef in there?” Even though she asked, Hiachi lifted herself up from her seat and tried to peek into the kitchen. It was hard to believe that her boss liked to do anything that involved actual… Well, work.

As cruel as it sounded, Hiachi only knew Camila as a coaster in life. Yes, she did her missions, but a lot of her work seemed to be outsourcing to others. She couldn’t imagine that she would willingly cook. It seemed so… human. So unlike the machine she formed around her perception of Camila.

That wasn’t fair, as she quickly learned. Hiachi would have felt more guilty if every word that came out of Camila’s mouth wasn’t punctuated by cruel irony. She’d be a lot more relaxed if she wasn’t in the Tigers. She nagged like her mom, but was the source of pretty much all of her problems.

It made her exactly like her mom, actually.

Amidst all her bubbling angst, the flavors of the stew broke down the ill perception. Her twisting hatred had been nullified. Hiachi licked her teeth, the truth finally setting in.

…Camila went out of her way to do this for her?

“You…” Hiachi started the sentence before cursing herself out in her mind. She knew damn well she had no idea what she wanted to say yet. The silence dragged on as Hiachi scooped another spoonful into her mouth. “You’re… strange.”

Hiachi really wanted to punch herself in the mouth. Her eye twitched before she managed a cough, and an attempt at a rephrase.

“You’re different, I mean. I think…” She squinted before biting down on another spoonful. There was all but a small corner of stew and rice left. Even so, Hiachi reached for her glass of water and guzzled it down her throat before reaching for it.

The meal was so hot that it ran her body temperature up. The cooling within the apartment helped, but her jacket still clung to her burning arms.

Spoiler

Roda the Red

 

[joshuadim]

RYUTARO HASHIMOTO

CS Link

SCENE:

Blood Pact

LOCATION:

West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Ryutaro, Robin

Blood Pact

"Ryutaro Hashimoto." the real estate mogul introduced himself, "I've been following your work in recent months. The details certainly intrigued me, as usually those in position of power are often untouchable to the wrath of those below." He spared a glance to the corpse of Palvarotti, before returning his attention back to the woman. "But of course, those who have that kind of power tend to often abuse it for their own ends. Greedy, spiteful, lustful little cretin Luca was. Though I only knew him in passing... only once at a party about 4 years ago I believe... said he wanted to get into real estate. Did get into real estate. And now he's a thorn in my side that no longer will bother me through happy coincidence."

"Sir, police are about 10 minutes out according to chatter. Whatever you're doing, better make it fast." Cal then chimed in into Ryu's earpiece. He took a mental note of his timeframe but otherwise ignored his CTO and focused his attention towards the woman still.

"I take it you control blood?" Ryu then commented as he clasped his hands together in comfort. "Seeing how you formed weapons of whatever design you please, you have a unique grasp on it as well. Though it seems limited mostly to outside the body. You have to get up close and personal to really use someone's fluids against them in their own body, as you did with our mutual friend here."

A moment of silence then passed, allowing for the ambience of air conditioning to fill in the auditory void as Ryu continued to study the woman's reactions. He tilted his head, before continuing: "I think you lie to yourself when you said you did it for someone else." he then said, testing the waters. "Your reasons for killing are more... personal, no?"

Infab

 

[thebigfella]

Shishido Takakazu

CS Link

SCENE:

If Nutrition Was Really Important They'd Call It Life Value Instead of Daily Value

LOCATION:

Central District, Grubtopia

TIME:

Pre-Arc 1 || 2020

PARTCIPANTS:

Tak, Melody miki

If Nutrition Was Really Important They'd Call It Life Value Instead of Daily Value

Tak's greedy mouth barely ceased, only stopping for moments to swallow, breathe, or shout in surprise at Melody's flavor. He had been in the mood for strawberry jam, but to have an unlimited buffet of it had made him realize how hungry he was. The feeling of his enamel and gums being attacked by sugary sweetness.

At some point, he had gotten too greedy. Soon, a haze of ruby-red tinted light covered his vision. Sounds became dulled and muffled as the world was overcome with a haze of ripples and jiggle, small separations built upon layers.

He went to open his mouth in question of what was going on, his eyes darting around. But his mouth could not move; nothing could move besides his eyes. As if his whole body had been engulfed in sweet-smelling gel, his body could barely so much as twitch against thick, rubbery resistance.

No air found him, and his complaints about being stuck and questions of what was going on came out underneath the layer of jam. Despite the situation, he didn't seem too disturbed; his legs didn't flail or kick; on the contrary, he patiently tapped a foot, trying to figure out his next move with his limited air supply.

Then, an idea came to mind just from a simple comparison.

"Isn't this kinda like gum?"

And with that thought, he took action: With the last bit of oxygen in his lungs, he exhaled, squeezing his lungs like tubes of toothpaste as he pushed out all he could. From his mouth, a balloon began to grow, bulging within the back of Melody's head like a massive tumor, larger as the jam grew more and more taunt until…

Pop.

Eyes shielded, as if someone had stepped into a pile of grapes, splatters of jam hit people in the face like wet slaps, scattering across their clothes and covering their glasses. It oozed down collars and drizzled onto the floor as people started in stunned silence.

Like someone had taken a shotgun slug point blank right into the back of Melody's nonexistent skull, it had been entirely gaped open, ripples traveling down similar to a torn-out spinal column as Tak squelched out from what was left of the jam woman's body, shedding it like a snake as he swallowed what was left in his mouth.

His hair was matted with a thick layer of jam-like gel that had yet to be rubbed into the scalp, and clumps stuck together. Splotches of red soaked into his shirt and clung to bits of his skin.

"Damn, that was close," Tak sighed in relief, escaping his near suffocation with a rub of the back of his neck; like a dog who had been shocked getting too close to an electric fence, he quickly learned his lesson, looking at Melody over his shoulder with an apologetic frown, "Sorry, I got a bit too carried away. You alright?"

He looked upon Melody's Visage, half of it torn asunder from his forceful freeing, plainly as if he hadn't caused it while everyone else stared in horror. Very quickly ,the aisle had turned into a crime scene.


Someone was going to have to clean this up.

 

[Infab]

Robin Krantz

CS Link

SCENE:

Blood Pact

LOCATION:

Palvarotti Villa, West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Robin, Ryutaro

Blood Pact

Ryutaro Hashimoto, of Hashimoto Real Estate. Real estate extraordinaire. Has a taste for the finer things in life.

I've apparently done him a favor, getting rid of a rival. Wonderful news.

"Elizabeth Robin Krantz, though I simply use the name Robin." she responded, motioning a hand to her chest and tilting her head towards him in a bowing manner. "If you're feeling more dramatic, the news likes to call me the 'Ripper'."

She listened attentively as he spoke afterwards, commenting on her abilities. He had pretty much nailed them on the head. There were no witnesses to the past crimes, and no footage, so he must have been following her over the course of the evening. She had been simply a spectre of violent, grisly death up till now.

A slight smile began to stretch across her face, the corners of her mouth curving upwards just a hint as the moment of silence settled in. She wondered if he had procured evidence of all she had done here. He likely had. Otherwise, he wouldn't still be here unless he meant to try and contain her until the police arrived, or intended to offer her something in exchange for staying quiet. Smart businessmen always had back-up plans as well, so it was likely he had already sent the evidence to someone else in the event she attacked him. Perhaps one of his associates, or to another member of the Tigers.

Why did she have to be so sloppy tonight? Of all nights?

Was it the urges?

When he spoke again, her smile faded. "...They were. Once." she responded, her red eyes drifting down to the floor. "...Revenge. Perhaps, to even prevent someone else from becoming like me."

She straightened up, lifting her head and looking back to Ryu. "...All the men that made me what I am are dead, their corrupted hearts carved from their wretched bodies. My... 'excuse' no longer applies. I continue on, killing more and more. I've even expanded beyond businessmen, over the past few months. I'm sure you've seen those other articles in the papers and online."

"...I think I just make up new excuses now. Some justifiable reason to kill people, like with Mr. Palvarotti, or even ridiculous reasons for people like Wanda Mitchell. She was the post master who was found dead on 23rd Street here in the West District. Ripped her stomach out an hour after she told me that I didn't know what a good burger was while at Lil' Bruno's Burger Joint."

"...I just like killing people, honestly. I love the blood. The excuses... are now simply something I tell myself so I don't devolve into some lunatic. I won't bore you with other details. I may be some sort of psychopathic murderer, but I try to be a tactful one. Mostly."

She then paused, looking down to the floor again. "...I hope that was an acceptable explanation, Mr. Hashimoto." she then said, the smile reappearing on her face.

joshuadim

 

[Jexon Whells]

Lloyd Sorvocah

CS Link

TIME:

Pre- Outbreak: 2022, July 1st

SCENE:

Agonizing Bonechill

LOCATION:

Littleleaf, East District

PARTICIPANTS:

Jackson BriiAngelic , Yona CasualTea , Lloyd (Me)

Agonizing Bonechill

While Lloyd was charging at the enemy again, it was evident that he was ready. But before a counter-attack could be launched on Lloyd, he got hit in the arm by an ice blade, which cuts and lacerates, and leaves behind ice fragments. If that was not enough, Yona took some of what little energy she had left to expand the ice shards into the arm, causing a painful chill to the bone.

This left the enemy wide open for Lloyd, and he swings with his clawed hand at the enemy to finish him off. His head is slashed to pieces from the claws, ande the remains splatter on the floor and wall, leaving a headless corpse to thud lifelessly on the floor. Lloyd stands still, breathing heavily, staring at the corpse, like a predator standing over its prey. Hunger besets him from the sudden and unplanned excertion, since transforming to this extend was unplanned. Ever so slightly, he begins to drool as he keeps his gaze focused on the corpse.

Internal termoil takes place, but Lloyd ends up returning to his original self. He takes a few moments to catch his breath, and then looks angrily at Yona.
Pointing a finger straight at her he shouts, "Never fucking pull that shit again! I told you to stay behind! There is a reason I take point on missions like this, especially when I have a Rookie with me!"
He wipes the sweat off his forehead and steps closer to Yona as he continues speaking, "I do not know where you come from, and when it comes to this, I do not care. Do NOT ever charge into unknown territory, and do NOT waste all your energy like that again. Stay in formation, work and communicate with your team. For goodness sake, you could have gotten seriously hurt, and I'll be damned if I let that happen to any Dragon. Definitely when it's on my watch!"[/justify]

 

[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 smiled as Red hugged the bear, glad it could comfort the girl. When she spoke her voice came out much deeper than before and although it did startle him, his smile never faltered as he replied, "It don't matter how grown you are, sometimes ya need to hug a teddy bear." Rico shrugged, before adding in a softer tone, “You're welcome."

When Red's stomach interrupted them again, Jericho couldn't stop the laugh that escaped him, “Damn, yer hungry- Don't worry, I gotchu." His smile widened as he hopped to his feet, grabbing his phone and calling a local pizza place. He put in an order for delivery and hung up a couple of minutes later, turning to her and giving her two thumbs up, “The food should be here in a bit. I probably shoulda asked what ya like, but because I didn't I sort of... ordered a bit of everything?"

Jericho offered her a sheepish smile and another shrug, sitting beside her on the couch, “By the way, if you wanna change out of yer muddy clothes feel free to raid my closet. I got plenty of sweatshirts and pajama pants you can wear. Just til we can get the ones you're wearing washed, that is." It was an innocent offer, and the way he gestured towards his room while also getting comfortable on the couch indicated he didn't seem to mind her going through his closet to find something suitable.

“There's a bathroom over there if ya wanna get washed up, I'll let you know when the pies get here." Jericho gave her another thumbs up and turned the TV on, keeping the volume low enough so they could still talk to each other if they wanted to. He just liked the background noise.

Spoiler

miki

 

[The One Eyed Bandit]

Passeri Park | collab w/ miki

Collab Post

SCENE:

WYTTTTLBYUFTIFOYIACP

LOCATION:

Passeri's Penthouse, West District

DATE:

June 19th, 2022 || Post-Arc 3

PARTICIPANTS:

Passeri, Hiachi

When You Take The Time to Look Back, You’ll Usually Forget That In Front of You Is a Cheese Platter

Buzz, buzz.

A hum of plastic on glass. Amongst a sea of anonymous-looking, undecorated cell phones, a single one rang.

On any other night, it might have gone unanswered. The deep night was not that realm of a woman like Passeri Park. The early bird catches the worm, that was an adage she’d always held tight, but tonight was not any other night. The malaise that had taken Hiachi and Takakazu’s evening was, as it seemed, mutual, and the pair of rookie Tigers had caught her during one of the rare nights where she’d see the clock strike twelve.

The phone rang for a few moments more, each buzz longer than the last, until-

“Hiachi?” A tired, confused voice spoke, and the long wait ended. “What are you doing calling this late? No, sorry-” Bedsprings creaked, just barely audible as Passeri took a seat. “What do you need?”

The phone hummed with the drone of silence. It stretched on one, two, too many seconds. Like it was a mistake.

A closer listen revealed that it wasn’t just quiet—there was breathing, her breathing, heaving between intervals. The urgency and her voice swung out of sync, as two unmet pendulums in the background of mystery. It seemed it would stay that way, until her sharp breath cut the static and collided the two.

“I …I need help.” Her voice came out strained, hollow and pale; a string instrument without mucilage; her voice without moisture, bloated with shaking breaths. Hiachi swallowed the lump in her throat, forcing it to stop its horrible symphony. “I need medical help. There… I’m with two people who are hurt badly. My—one of them can’t walk. I’m too far to get direct help. I’m not in Tiger territory.”

She recited it all out of order. Still, it was an attempt at clarity.

There was a short pause, and then another phone was in Passeri’s hand. A few quick, efficient swipes later, a text message was sent out into the night. She didn’t know Knight well, but given the constant, laggard shuffle in his step, she gathered that he was hardly one to be in bed at a reasonable hour. A timer started to run in her mind. One minute. That was how long she’d wait. Passeri was well familiar with the low, strained notes of panic in one’s voice. She doubted Hiachi had more than minutes to spare.

“Right. Medical attention. I’ve contacted someone. You said you’re not in Tiger territory- Where are you? Which District? Can you give me any landmarks? An address?”

“East District. I’m at…” Her voice trailed off for a moment. “Ul.. ja… Uljama Works. Abandoned factory. We’re close to the road.”

The sound of Hiachi sucking on her teeth permeated through the phone. “How quick can they get to me? Who are you sending—what do I look out for?” It was like every question she could think of spilled out through her broken filter.

“Tch. Knight. You might’ve met him at the ball last month, but he’s nowhere near you- Hold on.” Passeri set the phone aside, and switched it to speaker. Even with that supercar of Knight’s, Passeri doubted anybody’s ability to be across the city in minutes, and if Hiachi’s patients were in as poor of a condition as her panic made it sound like…

In a snap decision, Passeri scooped another phone from her bedside table and made a call. The ringtone was short, and the following conversation curt enough to match.

“I need you to pick someone up.”

“Uljama Works, in the East. It’s abandoned. Look out for a girl, black hair, just a bit taller than me and two more. Injured.”

“Now.”

“I’m sending you her number and the destination.”

And then the long, tinny beep of a discarded call made its way from one phone to the next.

“Hiachi, are you still there?” She spoke out loud, electing to leave the phone on speaker. “Knight’s in the West, so I’m going to send you to a doctor to stabilize the people with you until he can be there. They’re underground, so they won’t be able to work any miracles, but it’ll have to do until Knight can get to you.”

More silence. The sound wasn’t laced with hesitation as it had been—rather, racing breaths, smaller, trying to jog memory.

“There’s—” She choked. “—There’s bodies in the factory. One… dead, others unconscious. They’re Tigers, but they attacked first. What do I do about them?”

She paused again, considering something. An important risk. With a clearing of the throat, she continued. “It’s… my dad is hurt. They know his face now. I can’t have him in danger. I’m sorry. I don’t know what to do. Fuck…” Hiachi cut her own rambling off. “No. Sorry. We can talk later. Can the doctor bring us somewhere else?”

“Your-?” Hell’s teeth. Her father? And she’d been fighting other Tigers? What in the world had Hiachi gotten herself into? “No, you’re right. Don’t worry about the bodies, I can have someone clean up the dead and take care of the unconscious. The doctor won’t be able to do much for you other than his work, but I’ll have the driver sit on standby for when you’re ready, they’re used to this kind of thing. Do you have somewhere you need to get them?”

“Just… anywhere but here.” Hiachi finally breathed. “...Don’t tell my brother. I’ll let you know when they get here.” She paused for the final time before finally being able to speak with assurance. “...Thank you.”

“Right. Of course. It’s fine.” A matter of course, really. Passeri had no more interest in airing out Hiachi’s dirty laundry than her own, especially when given the fact that in this case they’d more or less be one and the same. “And you can thank me once things have been straightened out. Speaking of… Do you have anywhere to stay once everyone’s patched up? You aren’t planning on making the trek back tonight, are you?”

Even as she started to relax, the wet, haggard breath that Hiachi breathed into the phone painted a picture of exhaustion, physical and emotional both. She was going to need rest once the adrenaline wore off, not to speak of the risk posed by sauntering around in the dead of the New Oasis night.

“I have… Safehouses around the city. East included. If you and your father need somewhere to hunker down for the night, I can give you an address.” Passeri sighed. She was getting tense herself. What a night to get a call like this.

“And then if you need any help in the morning… Give me another call. I’ll be busy for a bit, but afterwards…” Her voice hung for a moment. “...I think I’ll appreciate a distraction.”

“That would be great.” Hiachi was beginning to actually sound relieved. “All of it. An address would be nice. And I’ll let you know.” Her voice halted from beyond the speaker. She had questions, but wouldn’t ask them. Passeri’s personal life had no place in the conversation.

“Bye.”

“Hang tight, Hiachi. I’ll send the addresses over. The car will be there in ten, just explain to them what you need done.” Passeri breathed a sigh of shared relief. “Talk to you in the morning.”

The disconnect tone chimed.

Hiachi was back to the outskirts of the abandoned factory. Returned to the abyss, senses stinging with the blood. Blood that wasn’t hers. She couldn’t face either of them, not yet.

She stood for a moment as the light square shone in her eyes, and faded into darkness. She was forced to look at her blood-drenched face in the glass reflection. The cracks in the protective glass over the screen shattered over her face. Fragmenting her.

The phone was quickly shoved into her jacket pocket. She paced two steps sideways, in all directions, spinning her around like her mess of a mind.

The darkness was closing in. In scribbles, around her vision like a vignette. It clawed at her shoulders until she shuddered it off.

She dug her last cigarette out of her pocket. The single stick was drawn out between her ring and middle finger, so she could dig through her pocket and pinch out her tried and true lighter.

The cigarette fell between her lips. This time, after a couple hard clicks, the flame of her lighter sprung to life. She brought the flame to the end, eyes watching the end of the cigarette brighten with embers and darken with burns. She inhaled, and a puff of smoke left her mouth in a wide cloud.

She drew back her thumb and let the flame extinguish. Hiachi stood, hands in her pockets, eyes glancing between the horizon, Tak, and her father. The smoke billowed in a single, long strand before quickly dissipating into nothing.

thebigfella Lucem​

 

[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

​

And sing they did, tearing up the karaoke stage as a dynamic duo that was furthered along by exorbitant amounts of alcohol. The drinks kept flowing and so too did the lyrics at the demands of the The Serenity's crowd. None dared take the stage while both Hiachi and Hitoshi were here, as it was their domain. Their kingdom to drown the sorrows of the world with tunes and dance moves, without pity or fear of what others thought of them.

Tonight, they weren't the failures that they were. Gone was the weight of the past upon them; on this night, they were on top of the world and telling it to fuck off with its bullshit!

There was but the minor concern that they were both ordering drinks way out of budget, with money that they didn't have, but that didn't matter. The golden liquor lights of the Serenity drowned away the world into a deluge of colours as the duo continued their rampage. The hours flew by until it was already 1 in the morning, but somehow neither Hitoshi nor Hiachi were fazed by their circadian rhythms. Instead, they were just as vigorous as they had started - plowing through playlists like they were nothing. A ravenous hunger of karaoke appetites that the two placed upon the machine. No longer were they creatures of flesh, but life-forms of blood-alcohol and music.

Such was their rampant celebrations that neither noticed that bouncers rolled up to them in the middle of yet another song, communicating non-verbally that their time was up. The song came to a standstill, much to the disappointment of the club, as the air now took on an air of tension. "Huh, wha-?" Hitoshi managed to jumble out, stumbling in place as he struggled to coordinate himself properly. "Who're the party poopers..." He was slurring his words heavily, almost unintelligibly, and looked genuinely confused as to why they were stopped.1

"Boss says time's up, you gotta get down from there and leave the bar. You and your friend are too much of a ruckus." one of the four bouncers spoke, crossing his arms in annoyance. "Now get down and get out."

Hitoshi stared blankly with microphone in hand, his brain short-circuiting on any sort of direct response. Booze stains on his shirt and face gave him more the appearance of a hobo rather than a gangster, compounded by the awfully scraggly, poorly permed hair. Hiachi wasn't much better either on that front from the partying, and the duo made a portrait what one would consider to be poster-children for needing rehab.

Hitoshi then turned to Hiachi and snickered: "...that guy is bald... hah..."

miki

 

[joshuadim]

RYUTARO HASHIMOTO

CS Link

SCENE:

Blood Pact

LOCATION:

West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Ryutaro, Robin

Blood Pact

Another moment of silence passed between the two of them, with Robin's words being left to hang in the air for a brief period. Ryu was in thought as he processed the woman's motives and feelings laid bare, which came as a slight surprise. He thought she would have come across more defensive in these circumstances, but perhaps she didn't feel fear in the moment. Or, perhaps, it was something else at play here? Regardless, he kept his gaze at level with the crimson haired woman before allowing a smirk to crawl up at the edge of his lips.

"Acceptable? I doubt you need my approval in the first place." Ryu commented, "However, your response did intrigue me more so than your actions. Most serial killers don't express restraint when it comes to their hunt. It means you aren't just an animal driven solely by urges, but that there is something else in there that keeps you above that." He then brought his wrist up to glance at his watch, as he had been keeping the time since Cal's warning. There was still enough to get what he wanted out of all this, as either she would understand her predicament or be resigned to her fate.

"We have about seven minutes until the police arrive. Our departed friend triggered a silent alarm when you broke in here. This then leads me to my next inquiry..."

Ryu lowered his wrist and looked back to Robin: "How would you like to work for me?"

Infab

 

[Infab]

Robin Krantz

CS Link

SCENE:

Blood Pact

LOCATION:

Palvarotti Villa, West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Robin, Ryutaro

Blood Pact

"You have a point." responded Robin, "Approval isn't needed. However, at times, I do welcome it. As for 'restraint'... I would rather separate myself from the chaff. I do have urges, of course, but I resist them. Mindless killing isn't as satisfying as taking down a target properly marked and studied. I like the details. Personal lives, schedules, relationships, and so on. Knowledge is power, and it can be fun to acquire. There's a thrill to it all, and you don't get that thrill by casually slicing a random street walker's throat. That's so... impersonal."

As Ryu checked his watch, and mentioned that the police were seven minutes out, Robin raised an eyebrow slightly. Her sloppiness over the course of the evening was ever more glaring. "Tonight seems to have been a rather bad night. I didn't think Mr. Palvarotti would have had a silent alarm. He seemed... too old school with his security detail and cameras. I was far too lax." she muttered aloud, as she looked back towards the floor for a few moments.

Her eyes shifted back to Ryu as she pondered his question. "...What might that entail? Security services? Personal bodyguard? ...Potential threat or annoyance elimination?" she asked, before going silent for a moment. Her eyes moved to the floor again, then down to her hands. Maybe she could contain her urges a bit better with someone telling her who to go after?

"...I'm sure you have evidence of my presence here. A smart businessman like you prefers to have the edge in the deals you make. One of your associates is probably making backups of everything as we speak." she said softly, "...Its likely the police would try to kill me rather than arrest me. I've looked into how they deal with HPs locally. So I'm... fully aware of my situation."

A moment later, she held up her hand. Her index finger outstretched. "...Just a simple request, if I may be so bold to make it." she said, "...I would like a comfortable place to stay. Seedy hotels, the backseat of stolen cars, metal benches, pieces of tin and cardboard in back alleys... isn't good on the body and mind. Aches and pains, bed bugs, rats, and a plethora of other unsavory things. It doesn't even have to be anything fancy... just... comfortable."

She lowered her hand back down afterwards. "I'd be happy to work for you. Just... grant me that one request."

joshuadim

 

[Kameron Esters-]

Musai

CS Link

SCENE:

Young Blood

LOCATION:

South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Charlie, Hitoshi

Young Blood

Musai, who had been casually observing the store's contents, turned sharply at the cashier's words. His eyes widened as he saw the kid holding his wallet. The boy's cheeky grin and swift dash out the door ignited a fiery determination within him.

"Well, I'll be damned," Musai muttered, a smirk creeping across his face. "Little punk's got some nerve." He didn't waste another second. Musai bolted after the kid, his long strides quickly closing the gap. The thrill of the chase ignited his competitive spirit, and he couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of being outsmarted by a child, even if just momentarily.

As he ran, Musai's mind raced with thoughts of how to catch the nimble thief. He considered using his abilities but decided against it—no need to scare the kid witless or cause unnecessary damage. Instead, he focused on sheer speed and agility, dodging pedestrians and leaping over obstacles with practiced ease.

"Hey, kid!" Musai shouted, his voice a mix of annoyance and amusement. "You think you're fast, huh? Let's see if you can keep up!" His eyes locked onto the boy, who glanced back with a mix of fear and determination. The chase was on, and Musai was determined to show the kid that stealing from a Phoenix was a bad idea.

Roda the Red joshuadim

 

[simj26]

Kisara McDowell

CS Link

SCENE:

Futility Smells of Rot, Feebleness Tastes of Bile

LOCATION:

Underground Arena, South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Kisara, Mugen, Pei

Futility Smells of Rot, Feebleness Tastes of Bile

He was fast, and that was it. Just as it had been practiced multiple times before, she brought forth her own blade from her arm, and swatted the offending blade aside as it closed in on her neck. Keeping with the tempo, she stepped forwards, bringing her own violet blade in from the side, clashing with the offset sword, forcing her opponent on the defensive.

“Fast! Yet so meek, and so weak! I know exactly why! Your heart’s not in it. You fight for another, not for yourself!” In the violet light that illuminated her features, she grinned, baring her razor sharp fangs. There was a taste of mirth, a tiny ounce of entertainment in her voice as her eyes locked onto her foe’s. “What kind of warrior are you?” She pressed her hand onto her own blazing blade, forcing her opponent’s steel one back against him, matching each minute change in his posture with her own shifts, intending to keep their blades locked for as long as she possibly can. “I don’t want to fight a pawn of some mysterious higher being. If you can’t fight for yourself, if you can’t feel for yourself, then what point is this battle? So, pretty please? Leave before you embarrass me further.”

Her eyes turned away from him. “Only the weak take advantage of those weaker than them. Only the feeble shove and push their inferiors to the ground!” These statements, she issued aloud, louder than the questioning, interrogative hiss that she had given to her foe, directed towards the other hooded figures. “I ask again, what kind of warriors are you?!”

Her eyes moved again. “And what kind of warriors are you to hang your heads and follow the instructions of bullies and hoodlums like these?!” This one, even louder yet, almost a rallying roar, directed towards those lined up against the wall that her foe had directed to earlier. “If you can’t fight for yourselves, can’t fight for your own freedoms, can’t be willing to put your lives on the line for the thrill of battle, then I have no use for you! You’re not warriors! You’re not predators of the arena! You’re prey! Stop disgracing the name of all fighters, of all warriors, and leave! You don’t deserve to be even identified as being able to fight if all you do is cower! This place is PATHETIC! You promised me strong warriors, and all I see are sheep all around me! What a joke!"

Clear, transparent, even, attempts at riling up everyone gathered. Her intents were laid bare, there were no lies in her taunting speech. None of it rang false. She had truly no interest in more cultists, she had no interest in weaklings who only pursue those beneath them to prove some point, she had no use for those who shake and quake in their boots when it came to facing a difficult situation. She had no quarrel with those who couldn't fight for themselves, only those who truly felt and desired the thrill of battle itself, and if the pathetic, mewling nobodies wanted to get in her way of a proper, good bash, then so be it. They will be run through and stepped over. Nevertheless, her objective had shifted since the very moment she first stepped into this jank ass arena: if so much as one amongst them realised their hearts, if only one could understand what it meant to fight, what it meant to be a warrior, then she would have succeeded greatly in her time here.

Elenion Aura thebigfella

 

[Breadman]

Karina Zemova

CS Link

SCENE:

Bloodlines & Bank Accounts

LOCATION:

Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Karina, Christina, Helva, Sheridan

Bloodlines & Bank Accounts

It was early in the morning when Karina entered the Fool's end cafe just like every Monday. It had become a routine for her at this point. Get up, shower, brush your teeth, groom yourself, clothes, grab the work laptop and head straight to Sheridan's cafe. She wasn't one to complain about Mondays. They come and go just like every other day of the week, but they still had that negative feeling associated with them. Luckily it wasn't nothing a fresh cup of coffee couldn't fix. That and those scones Sheridan would make.

"Good morning." Karina greeted the staff as she walked in and moved to her usual spot at the back of the cafe. A nice comfortable corner spot safe from anyone sneaking a peek over her shoulder. She slid the bio-metric thumb drive into USB port and began to look over the files that were send her way overnight by her clients. Or client in this case. One Matilda Blackwood-Winchester. A wealthy woman from Britonia with a special interest in Sable Serpent activities. Whatever her reasons, Karina knew not to ask. If the lady wanted to share her intentions, she would have done so already. Karina and a few of her colleagues were fine with that arrangement as long as the money kept flowing and that's exactly what she was going to make sure happened.

Her Britonian counterpart had send over tax records, financial information and the accountant books of the Blackwood and Winchester estates. Big names in the weapons R&D sector as well as the titular private security firm that has been forming patrols around some of the more sensitive Serpent assets. Both estates were also old money, generating a substantial amount of generational wealth. Wealth that Matilda has been more than happy to spend on her new friends. Karina looked up from her screen to the sight of her usual order being delivered. Cappuccino with a couple of blueberry scones carried on a silver platter with the coffee served in a porcelain cup with a silver trim. She was sure that the silver would be authentic as Sheridan wouldn't be one to skip on the quality. A drink and a bite only enforced her confidence in her bet. How does he do it?

It was nearly two hours, two scones and a second cup of coffee when she began to notice a pattern in the books. A series of payments being diverted in a separate account that was marked for personal use. It was from the Blackwood-Winchester estate itself. Normally this wouldn't be an issue. Clients can do what they want with their personal money, but this was also money being taken away from the PMC Matilda owned. Another piece of the puzzle was that the payments were still being diverted and it appears they have been set aside since the mid 90s. Karina already send an e-mail to the accountants in Britonia as she looked through the bank statements. Once an answer came through it all started to come together.

"Hmm. Interesting." Karina tilted her head as she read the name of the account holder-Christina Winchester. A Scarlet phoenix if memory served. According to the e-mail she received, this was an account set up by her father, Matilda's late husband. "I'm sure he had good intentions." Karina began to type another e-mail to Matilda, informing her of the account as it seems that its existence was done in a rather covert way, obfuscated among the books. They always put it under 'other'. In the e-mail, Karina wrote a few recommendations on what to do with said money, but urged patience on Matilda's side. There was an opportunity here. Karina looked through the contacts she was given when she was assigned to Misses Wichester and her hunch was right. Christina's information was included.

"From: Karina Zemova

To: Christina Winchester

Subject: Financial future

Hello miss Winchester. I hope this e-mail finds you in good health. I am Karina Zemova, your mother's accountant. You might have heard of me, but that's not important. I noticed a few things while looking through your mother's financial history and it raised some questions. I don't think this is a conversation we can have over e-mail, so I propose we meet face to face since we're both in New Oasis. Somewhere I think you would be familiar. The Bio-Link Pharmaceuticals Office in the Central District could work as a meeting spot. Its close to some cafe shops and there is a nice Elassian restaurant nearby. Lets say 12:30? I suggest you come on time.

Best regards
Karina Zemova"

With the e-mail send to Christina, Karina prepared to leave for the meeting herself. She packed the laptop in its case and walked over to Sheridan.

"Sheri, not to bother you, but I have some urgent business to get to and I need somewhere to stash this laptop. Can you put it in your safe just for a short time..." She paused as she looked at her fellow Serpent and then mentally cursed herself that she didn't think of a backup until now. Sloppy. "Sorry, I may have to ask you for a second favor. I'm going to meet one of the Phoenixes on neutral ground in Central. I don't think she would come alone and to help keep the peace, I will need some backup. Can I trouble you to pick out an apporpriate mask for the occasion and accompany me?" She smiled after asking. "I promise to make it worth your while."

Infab YumenoTsukishiro Peckinou

 

[Jexon Whells]

Lloyd Sorvocah

CS Link

TIME:

2022, July 22nd

SCENE:

Thou Shalt Not Detonate

LOCATION:

Pleasure District - Sewers, East District

PARTICIPANTS:

The Pope Vorifengrous , Aerith thebigfella , Yona CasualTea , Renjiro (@/Beann), Lloyd (Me)

Thou Shalt Not Detonate

Being blocked and slowly encompassed by the strange black sludge set off alarms in Lloyd's head. This stuff is dangerous. In response, Lloyd quickly grew his armour all over his body to make sure he had extra protection. With the columns blocking their path, it seemed that that was the exact way they should be going, and with haste too, if they didn't want to be swallowed up.

"I'll clear the path. Stay back and avoid getting splashed by whatever this is, probably from someone's Potential," Lloyd warned as he took a few steps towards the columns.
He adopted a low stance, and then swung his weapon over his head to smash through the columns and clear their path to head forward. He hoped that anything that did splash didn't land on his teammates, but him instead. "Disgusting!"
He turned head to Yona and said, "Yona, I think we will be needing your Potential a lot, so we have to be tactical. Your ice will likely freeze this sludge in place and make it easier to kill off."

 

[AriAriAbabwa]

ALICE

CS Link

SCENE:

Two Can Cross the Threshold

LOCATION:

Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Alice, Charlie

Two Can Cross the Threshold

"Huh...?" She felt weightless. Everything slowed down. Alice knew this feeling of suspension well—been taken enough times to know someone was carrying her. But as her eyes saw nothing but Charlie... this was different. For a moment, everything faded to a blur. Her conflicted feelings about him. The setting of danger. The gangs' conflict. All erased to make a few precious seconds.

Alice heated up a flush of pink. The air brushed against the pair as they flew. She buried her head into his jacket, leaving another teary stain. One that, instead of a memory of anger, was regret.

The crowd of White Rabbits yelled in a meshing roar. A roar that gradually faded as Charlie kept running. Turns out, crowding at an end makes it a ton harder to turn and run the other way. Charlie passed sleeping bunks, abandoned equipment, scaffolding and the like, and soon enough the yells became little more than white noise.

The wind grew stronger, and Alice nestled into his grip. He'd have to squint as light peeked over the far distance. They were going to escape! The perfect ending to what was almost a nightmare...

But neither of them spotted the pair of limbs rolling across the floor. As Charlie skipped over, one hand lunged out. It took his ankle, sending him downward into a face full of dirt. Alice stumbled out of his grasp, losing sight of the light.

A mocking laughter emerged as Lady Cheshire's full body revealed itself. Holding Charlie by his foot, he'd have seen the White Rabbits led by Janay making up their lost ground. "Tch!" He clicked his tongue, fingernails digging at the damp soil beneath him. "Alice, you go on ahead!" He shouted, looking back at the approaching hoard. "I'll handle them real quick, you have to go—!"

Cheshire fired a shot into the side of his head. "Shut up." Though the bullets were by no means enough to kill an HP, the impact was akin to a slab of brick slapping him. Enough to rattle his thoughts and leave him dazed. She looked at Alice with a sadistic smile, as if to say she was next.

The girl felt her limbs go cold; watching what was an execution for any regular NP. She was scared. She couldn't breathe. Where did the air go? Why is everything so blurry? Save me. Please...

When Charlie opened his eyes again, the dingy clearance disappeared. In a flash of sunlight, grassy hills grew beneath their feet with blue skies to boot. The Rabbits all stopped in their tracks, seeing the same things. "This..." Lady Cheshire's grip weakened, in awe of the sights. She remembered this all too well.

But instead of the delightful wonderland... the ground shook. A crack split the world in half, spidering out where the crowd of Rabbits remained dense. Some of them fell on their backs, screaming and whimpering as if they'd gone crazy.

More notably, Alice was gone.

Roda the Red

 

[AriAriAbabwa]

Jesper Albrecht

CS Link

SCENE:

Reparations

TIME:

Post-Arc 3

LOCATION:

Ruined Bridge, North/East District

PARTICIPANTS:

Lots

REPARATIONS

So far, Guardian's presence was not needed. Sure, that's the ideal outcome for ceasefire talks, but Big Stick diplomacy was no fun for Jesper. He imagined siccing his drones loose, tracking the enemies' movement and landing every shot with a satisfying 'dink'. He imagined turning on the background music in his room and igniting gunpowder to a beat drop. But for all his dreams and a certain Serpents' taunts, he knew better than to open fire.

That went very well with the Phoenixes, after all.

On one side of his view, he opened a tab: the official group chat for Dark Era. Only a few of his friends were online, so he could occupy his time there. Hovering in the air as though sitting (unhealthily) in his gamer chair, he turned his focus away.

forced to sit at politics,, bored af rn

not redpilled enough

explodes politics with mind

nuh uh

simply be an anarchist like me

tru just like me fr fr

heck

What else could be done about this atmosphere...? Some music surely wouldn't hurt. Guardian looked to the drones, and after fiddling with an invisible screen, one of them started blasting some funky EDM. In other words, he was not taking this seriously at all.

Nobody Special

 

[joshuadim]

MICAH

CS Link

SCENE:

Young Blood

TIME:

Post Outbreak || July 21, 2022

LOCATION:

South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Hitoshi, Charlie, Musai

Young Blood

​

"That's literally what a bad guy would say before they hurt someone!" the little boy shouted in retort to Charlie as he winded his way past the crowds of people with ease, their collective concern now culminating in a mass of people congealing the pathway for the Phoenixes. From their point of view, what they were witnessing now was a small child being chased by three grown adults for some reason - and the reasons that people came up with on the spot were less than ideal to the image to the Phoenixes involved. Scorn lined peoples faces, painting a canvas of discontent for the situation.

The kid then quickly opened his bag, shoving the wallet inside before pulling out candies. "I am fast! Look!" the kid then shouted in glee to Musai - who was closing in fast - before shoving the chocolates into his mouth as though it were Halloween night. Any kid would get a sugar rush from that much sucrose entering their system, but the little boy took it to a whole other level as his speed suddenly increased rapidly in response; with this, he not only dodged Charlie's leap, but also managed to gain greater distance between him and Musai. Hitoshi, however, was left in a lesser position as he found himself rapidly winded.

Ho crap, my cardio is NOT good. the elder Phoenix thought to himself as he felt his heartbeat roar in his ears like a war drum. He was quite behind both Charlie and Musai by this point, and was sweating like a waterfall. It also struck a wound into his pride, as it meant that his body had aged far worse than his mind. He felt 60, not 40!

Micah knew the streets better than most people, and he knew that he was gaining ground from his pursuers. He couldn't wait to spend this shmuck's money on candies and video games! From the brief look inside, he saw a few hundred dollars... though he would have to set aside some money for the others as well. Still, there's was plenty to go around! The new Wyrm Quest game had just released... maybe he should get that...

"I'm gonna buy Wyrm Quest 11 with this money! Thanks stranger!" Micah then taunted as he kept running, his little feet kicking up dust and small pebbles. Though his burst slowly started to dissipate as his speed decreased once more to allow a chance for Charlie and Musai to try to close the distance.

Roda the Red Kameron Esters-

 

[Haze-]

Dante Aguilar

CS Link

SCENE:

B T S I T R U M Y M T O

TIME:

April 19th, 2022 || Pre-Arc 3

LOCATION:

A Bar in Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Tak, Hiachi, Dante

Being The Smartest In The Room Usually Means You're Missing The Obvious

He was sat slouched at the bar, one foot sunk down and lodged at the bottom, the other held up with the sole of his boot against the seat. Slouching, a drape of black hair hung low over his golden gaze, one hand idly flicking a black nail at the half-glued label on his drink from before. If it wasn’t clear from a glance at him— Dante was just putting up his best ‘I swear I’m not shit-faced yet’ expression while he looked for the barman.

When their eyes found each other, Dante simply tapped a finger on the counter, raising up three fingers while maintaining that stoic look. It wasn’t until he heard a resigned grumble from the other side that he dropped the act. He wobbled onto the bar, chuckling when the harsh wooden edge caught him on the stomach.

He heard a crackle, something throaty, whispery at the shell of his ear— a woman’s voice. A woman’s voice he recognized. Had him smacking the side of his head like a fly had buzzed into it — “Shh—h-what?” — Dante slurred at no one in particular, a frown coming up on his face once the brainlag caught up to what the hound had murmured — “Oh, so— when I’m tryin’ t’ have a fuuuuun night out with my friends— Im a fuckin' alcoholic, huh…? That’ what it is? A guy can’t enjoy himself now?”

He giggled like a schoolgirl, dropping himself on the counter. Sounding more enthused to have an excuse to drink his liver into collapsing rather than being able to hang out with those ‘friends’ of his.

Drunk, and schizophrenic, would’ve been the other patron’s best guess.

If there was one thing Dante had inherited from his father, it was most definitely how much of a lightweight he was when it came to the bottle. An apple doesn’t roll too far off the tree.

“I ain’t sending no one no cock pics.” — He groggily clarified, raising a finger over his shoulder. He perked up when Tak came into his peripherals, half of his face pressed against the bar, a shit eating grin forming on his face. He shot him a smug, thin-eyed expression — “You speak from experience? I’m already startin’ to see some of the dents in y’ head actually…Looks like you took one too many bricks t’ the head.”

"Y' can buy us some stuffed-crust pizza after we win."

He sat there, his upper-body slumped on the bar, as if his spine had suddenly turned into jell-o. A lazy, droopy smile on his face. Like Tak’s face looked funnier than usual. Dante only found the self-conscious to straighten up once Hiachi came down on her seat. Tak he’d allow to see, but there was something— some uncompromising bit of brain matter still sober in his skull— that just couldn’t let Hiachi see him completely wasted.

“Put som’— HIC! —somethin’ with some punch to it.” — Attempts were made at keeping the obvious under wraps, at least. His chest rose with another hiccup, a shaky smile split his face when Hiachi dropped the pen and paper. Dante threw himself slightly, bumping a shoulder against hers — “Bah, it’ll be fun. Quit being so grumpy.” — It was his own, likely fruitless, attempt at getting Hiachi to loosen up. As impossible as blowing out the sun’s fire, from what experience was telling him.

“Gimme that…” — He snatched the sign-up sheet, trading paper for a fresh drink that he slid her way. After a few, thoughtless seconds of hazy-eyed reading, he moved to scratch something in.

Without even consulting with the other two, a half-drunken stupor keeping the pen flowing, the moment he was done he tapped the butt of the pen on the counter, hung the sheet over their faces with a proud look on his face.

“Hiachante.” — He read out, deadpan — “It’s us. Combined like a megazord. You’re the ‘Hiach’, I’m the ‘Ante’, and Tak’s the…Tak’s, uhhh…Huh.“

“He’s the ‘T’, I guess…”

“Sounds like some bulked up, spartan fuckin’ warrior’s name don’t it? Spears and shields n’ shit. Imagine them in like an arena with the crowd just chantin’ their name.” — He explained his choice, selling them the image through grand gestures— jabbing at the air like he were holding a spear with one hand and bashing an invisible shield against his chest with the other.

“It’s perfect.”

thebigfella miki

 

[AriAriAbabwa]

TAKAONNA

CS Link

SCENE:

The DEATH of Cinnabun??!?

LOCATION:

North District

PARTICIPANTS:

Takaonna, Celeste

The DEATH of Cinnabun??!?

Taka followed along like an oversized, uncanny puppy. With both of them on the same page, she was ready to tackle the next obstacle of... socializing. But before that, Celeste posed a simple question. For once, she had to spare some thought to her words. Taka could easily carry Cinnabun herself; she brought her to the warehouse from the old sewer habitat. But...

Stroking Cinnabun with a singular finger, she uttered, "It will be okay... Celeste is nice. She will be good to you." Taka gently left her in Celeste's hands. A tiny ball of life holding on by a thread. Even though she'd left her to Celeste's care, Taka still hung intently close by. Just in case.

"Ready."

angel doe

 

[AriAriAbabwa]

ALICE

CS Link

SCENE:

Fairytales Stay in Books

LOCATION:

West District, Photo Studio

PARTICIPANTS:

Alice, Red, Basil Briar Warren (NPC)

Fairytales Stay in Books

This is fine. I'm probably overthinking things. The photoshoot will be over quickly enough... Alice took another breath, telling herself she was calm, yet still hesitating about approaching those doors. There was little solid reasoning to have her gut feeling act up, she felt. Public reception about BBW Media was in the high with plenty fans alike. Surely she was worrying over nothing. Surely—

“How’d you meet Mr. Wolf?”

Alice jumped and squeaked. Then her face flushed red at the fact that she made such a noise. And the culprit was none other than the child(?) beside her! "I'm sorry." She sighed. "You gave me an awful fright."

Where was this girl's parents? How did she even get here? Questions for later. Instead, Alice mustered a gentle smile. "Well, Mr. Wolf heard of the... difficult situation I'm in. Then he kindly offered me some help, which I do need." To be honest, the conditions sounded like she'd just become another model in his magazine. But she didn't like thinking she'd been 'hired' by the guy. "I suppose we're 'collaborating' in that regard? Anyway, what about you? Forgive me, but... aren't you quite young to be here by yourself?" Genuine concern reflected in her eyes. And it wasn't just for Red.

miki

 

[Roda the Red]

CAMILA GASPARI

CS Link

SCENE:

Taking a Break

TIME:

Post-Arc 3, June 28th 2022

LOCATION:

Camila's Apartment, West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Camila, Hiachi

Taking a Break

"Now that's more like it." It was with a triumphant feeling that Camila smiled, satisfied with Hiachi's compliance to eat. It was always fun to watch ecstasy taking over the whoever was trying her meals for the first time, only for her smile to disappear, with Hiachi being so clearly skeptic about her culinary skills.

"Of course I made it, I only hire a cleaning lady that comes three times a week." She took another spoonful of her meal, downing it with another sip of water. Unlike Hiachi, she was taking her time with each bite, it wasn't everyday that she could have the free time to enjoy her lunch at a leisurely pace, at least not without the pressure of responsiblity prickling at her nape. "I cook most of my meals, the food is better that way and the cooking helps me relax." She could've also noted that doing so was cheaper than takeout, however, that would be a straight up lie, as splurging on expensive ingredients had become something of a habit for her. Two hundred amestriyen for a small bottle of balsamic might be preposterous to most, but not to this gal.

Part of her wanted to share a little bit of her past, of the fact her parents are, still to this day, active owners of their own bakery in West District, and how their overly enthusiastic and nosey behavior brought Camila's passion for her hobby to life. But not even in a million years would she casually talk about them with anyone in the Tigers. She'd never forgive herself if something ever happened to her family because of even the slightest amount of intel about them leaking from her overeager lips.

"Hm? What do you mean by that? Can't really tell if you just complimented me or insulted me." The confused veteran placed her spoon on the bowl, sticking out like a flagless pole. She put her hands together, looking at Hiachi in the eyes. Camila may not be blessed with supernatural eyesight like her guest from across, but she did have plenty of experience analyzing people from the dozens upon dozens of shady deal's she's arranged in the past. She lowered her brow, believing she's managed to decode most of the girl's odd behavior. "Hiachi, I need you to be honest with me." She paused, her tail coiling around her own waist. "Are you afraid or resentful of me, because of how our first meeting went?"

She didn't bother to sugar coat it, or to rummage in her mind for nicer words to project a similar yet milder question. It wasn't her style, and neither did she have any intention of changing it anytime soon.

miki

 

[Nobody Special]

VULKEN BECKMAN

CS Link

SCENE:

Playing With Fire

LOCATION:

South District

TIME:

July 17th, 2022

PARTICIPANTS:

Vulken, Yong-Yut, Passeri, Dagger

CURRENT STAGE:

0

Playing With Fire

See where some cards fall…

Vulken’s eyes shifted towards Yong-Yut. What could Park have possibly meant by that? And her emotions didn’t change in the slightest as she said it, either…

Now she was ordering appetizers for the table. He couldn’t help but muster a small smile as he watched the woman struggle with the names on the menu. Whether it was an act or not, this girl sure fit the ‘adorable superstar’ role well. He wasn’t exactly hungry considering the time of day and his feelings prior to arriving to this meeting, but he knew firsthand how women usually got when the people they were with didn’t eat while they did. Besides– if he was going to pay (which he definitely was. There would be no secret check-payments today, god damn it. He’d make sure of it.), he might as well eat with the table, right?

“I’ll do the Bistro Tender. Extra fries, please.” He requested, shooting a wink at his best friend before closing his menu. “Oh, I’ll take scotch and soda, too, if you guys got a bar…”

Vulken stifled a laugh when Passeri addressed his ward. “She’s a little pipsqueak for her age, so I can’t blame ya fer thinkin’ she’d want somethin’ from the kids menu. But she’s, what, thirteen now?”

Amelie, still too wound up in her unique emotional mixture of elation and bashfulness, quietly ignored Vulken’s jab and substituted words for a simple finger, pointed at the honey garlic salmon on the menu.

“The suspense is killin’ me, just so y’know.” He started again, clearly eager to know why he’d been summoned here in the first place. He just couldn’t shake that damned cloud of anxiety, and all this beating around the bush wasn’t helping. What did she, no…

He glanced at the supposed ‘PA’, Alisa. Something about her was throwing him off, too.

What did they want?
@gxxberkit The One Eyed Bandit simj26

 

[joshuadim]

RYUTARO HASHIMOTO

CS Link

SCENE:

Blood Pact

LOCATION:

West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Ryutaro, Robin

Blood Pact

She's a sharp one. Ryu thought to himself as Robin laid out her thoughts, correctly pointing out that he had in fact backed her into a corner. She couldn't have survived thus far without that keen instinct for what other's were planning. What did surprise him was that she seemed... content? Or rather, she seemed at ease with her circumstances that he had placed her under. Of course there were other situations that were far worse for her, given his own desire to not destroy assets when he could, but it was something that did put him slightly off-centre.

But it was when she made her request that he realized that he had overthought the situation as Robin saw she could benefit from all this materially. She wanted a roof over her head. He couldn't tell if it was a facade or a genuine feeling arising from the killer... thought a predator always lowered the guard of prey before it struck. Still, it wasn't a ridiculous request by any means. Ryu thought it over briefly, as he went through the lists of different properties that were vacant currently...

"Your terms are agreeable." Ryu stated, "So as to not rouse suspicion, you'll be on my payroll at Hashimoto Real Estate. Let's call it... security contracting. I'll have an condo assigned to you as company provided housing."

Faint sirens sounded in the distance, heralding the coming of howling wolves of metal and oil; Ryu turned his gaze to the side for a moment before standing up. He straightened his tie before calmly walking to the door: "If that is all, then we should leave."

Infab

 

[Infab]

Robin Krantz

CS Link

SCENE:

Blood Pact

LOCATION:

Palvarotti Villa, West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Robin, Ryutaro

Blood Pact

A condo as well as an official job with Hashimoto Real Estate as a cover? Interesting. It would indeed deflect suspicions. Robin soon heard the sirens, just as Ryu did. The police were not too far off. They would need to leave, and soon, if they were to avoid an encounter with law enforcement.

"Indeed, we should." responded Robin, as she stood from the bed. She drew her butterfly knife from her pocket as she walked towards the door behind Ryu, before speaking again. "By the way..." she said.

She waited for him to turn about, then held the closed knife out to him. "Consider it a sign of respect, and trust." she said softly, gently pressing the weapon into his hand. "Our encounter could have gone a variety of other ways, but it didn't."

Robin then flashed him a smile. "Shall we depart? I'd hate to have to stain blue uniforms with red, or get any red on that nice suit of yours. Boss."

joshuadim