Fandom Carnival of Heroes IC (Freezing RP)

[MocaPoka]

Intro Post (Pandora View)

​

“DIE!!!!” Grace Locklear screamed. Her mouth spitting out both rain and blood.

Bringing her twin tomahawks “Wind and Thunder” down on the number one’s musket volt weapon; the rifle snapped in half from the double strike. She gave a savage smile and swung back up with Thunder; intending to slice the number one’s throat open. However, the blonde girl retreated and dodged the slash. She re-summoned her silver musket and fired. The shot tore into Grace's throat; losing control, her twin volt weapons disappeared in blue fragments and she began to violently choke and gasp. Collapsing; she was sure she was going to die.

It felt like years had passed with her slowly dying, but suddenly there were medics and she could breathe again. Loaded onto a medical helicopter, she was taken from the pouring rain and bloody mock battlefield. How long had she been in the muddy labyrinth? They had started in the dark, then it had been light for a while, and then dark again. From the sealed widow of the helicopter she saw light starting to emerge from beyond dark, storming clouds. Had it been two days?

It felt like she had been wandering and fighting for months. Always in the rain and mud.

How many had she defeated? At least twenty others… only to lose to number one…

The helicopter landed and she was placed on a gurney. Rolled into surgery, her throat was properly sealed up. Surprisingly, she had other injuries as well. Her right foot was shattered, three fingers were broken, two ribs, and her skull was fractured. She hadn’t really felt those in the Carnival. Now though they hurt as the adrenaline and Stigmata activation was fading. A part of her was glad it was all over. Another wanted her to go back and keep fighting a battle that was already over.

After forty minutes of work by the medical staff, she was rolled into a large room with the other injured but stable Pandora. There was a large screen displaying the results of the Carnival. She had made number two. Several other girls came over and congratulated her; it was an extremely impressive rank to hold out of a class of 96. Her influence and reputation would likely sky rocket now… she wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

The excitement from the Pandora rankings soon switched to the Limiter rankings. Their “Festival” had taken place at the same time as the Pandora Carnival. Previous videos were being shown from the male's contests. Almost laughable events comparable to what they had gone through in the Carnival. A sprint around one of the schools tracks, a weight lifting competition, a swimming course in the school's heated pools, and a standard military obstacle course. Despite the lackluster event the boys still got their ranking just like the Pandora did.

Grace reminded herself that the “mixer” was going to happen tonight for the Second year Pandora and first year Limiters. They all would be given a list beforehand of each other and were expected to make pairs. It was funny how even the most grievous of injured Pandora were happily discussing the event; wounds almost forgotten entirely. Some did cry though; the girls with missing limps that couldn't be fully reattached in time or the ones with scars on their faces that wouldn't completely fade. Still even those girls were being comfortable by their fellow Pandora; "The Limiter's will know how hard you fought!", "Boys like scares these days! They'll think it looks cool! There stupid like that, don't worry."

Grace smiled as everyone in the Pandora medical wing began discussing what they were going to wear and which boy they were hoping to get. She was excited to. She wanted a nice boy. She had never had a boyfriend before and almost all pairs of Pandora and limiters ended up together. She hoped she would have time to get changed into something nice… and that her throat wound would healed and un-scarred by the time the mixer started.

The newly crowned number two lounged in the waiting room. She wouldn't be allowed to leave for another thirty minutes to make sure she wasn't having an adverse reaction to the accelerated Stigmatic tissue healing procedure. The less injured girls were starting to leave. Most likely back to the second year Pandora dorms to get ready for the "After rankings" celebrations and mixer in the schools ballroom. Grace hoped she would have enough time to put on makeup and find that one green dress.

PlusUltra , Pilgrim59 , GrieveWriter

---

Intro Post (Limiter View)

​

Alexander Mythins wiped the sweat from his brow. Despite early morning dark, the weather was hot and humid. He had just finished climbing up and down the rope; finishing the obstacle course that marked the last event. He was surprised that he was first to finished, but then again he had done obstacle course dozens of times before. The first event had been a sprint on a track; he placed third. The second a swim; he placed first. The third a weight lifting event; which he also placed third. Altogether a decent effort by him.

In all honesty he was still a little disappointed in the whole thing. The "Limiter Games" as some called it, were boring to the extreme if you compared them to what the Pandora were going through. He had tougher, more tiring days doing physical training in the Greek Navy with his older officers than the short events that he and all the other first year Limiters had gone through. Whe n the scores were added up, he had actually placed number one out of 94 other Limiters. It was almost worrying to him since he didnt consider himself especially physically gifted.

Regardless of his feelings; both the Pandora's two day long Carnival, and the Limiters four hour long games had ended. Once the Limiter rankings had been released on a large televison in the school cafitera an hour later, Alexander could literally see his social status changing around him. Other Limiters looked at him with awe, jealousy, or admiration. Some were apparently now his new best friends and some were now his new worst enemies. He tried to ignore all of it and once he finished his extremely healthy and bland salad, he hightailed it to his assigned room in the first year Limiter dorms. Once he closed the wooden door to his room, the dark skin boy tried to not think about how much he was going to hate the newfound (and forced) social attention.

It was one thing to be social while working; quite another to have to live with it 24/7 on his off time. It was a dreadful thought; what if people came up and tried to talk to him about none school or work related things? Worst he still had to go to an event tonight. The infamous "mixer" where 80% of the Pandora and Limiter pairs were started.

While changing into a suit and tie (apparently this was happening in an actual ballroom) Alexander repeatedly told himself that this was a job and mission. Not an "out of work social event".

He could do this. Maybe no one would even notice him?

Akkun no Baka , Phayne

 

[Akkun no Baka]

Daisuke Trist​

Daisuke Trist was happy. He had successfully completed the "Limiter Games" or whatever the other guys were calling it. He had placed 94th. Not to shabby he thought. He was part of a select few when compare to the whole human population. Sweaty from the events, Daisuke wanted nothing more than to get back to his room for a warm shower. The events reminded him of his time in the U.S. military and made him smile. As he walked back to his room he began to recall the events and some of the strange happenings that occurred.

During the first event, which was a sprint, Daisuke was tripped by an unknown assailant. This caused him to finish last in the race. When he asked the judges and instructors about it they each grimaced in disgust before sending him away. During the swimming event his head was dunked underwater as the starting signal was relayed so he dint know the race started making him lag behind everyone else. Again he approached the judges and instructors but got the same result. The weight lifting portion was by far the worst. He just couldn't seem to lift nearly as much as he was used to. After his results were taken he inspected the weights and they were the wrong ones! For the final time he went to the judges and instructors to try and explain but this time he was verbally berated and told not to show such bad sportsmanship otherwise no Pandora will pick him. The obstacle course was a straight forward event. The finale obstacle on the course was a rope climb. In order to complete the event and get your placing you must call an instructor once you reach the top and they ask your name and ID number. As Daisuke reached the top he called and instructor, and called and called. Eventually he watched every other Limiter finish before a instructor told him to get down and stop looking ridiculous.

I must be pretty easy to miss Daisuke thought to himself. He didn't want to cause anymore trouble for the instructors so he kept the finale issue to himself. As he walked back to his room several other Limiters passed him pointing and saying, "How does it feel to be 94th?!" in a sarcastic tone. Daisuke looked at them and said with great delight, "I look foreword to working with you in the future" and bowed. This took the other Limiters by surprise and they quickly left. What nice people he thought.

As Daisuke got back to his room he took a nice long shower and began to prepare for the evening event. As he looked in his cracked mirror his lazy eye was cooperating and he was able to dress up in his suit. Ok, now if only I knew where I was going he thought. He had only heard about the evening event by overhearing some of the other Limiters talk about it. The Institution must have just forgotten to tell him about it. I guess I will just try and follow everyone else he thought. Whats the worst that can happen. Daisuke left his room in search of other Limiters dressed to impress humming happily as he searched.

 

[GrieveWriter]

Coco

While conversations had already started turning to the Mixer for many of the Pandora in the medical wing, with some still congratulating each other for their work in the Carnival. Whatever the conversations were, many were held in stark contrast to the brutal battle that had just taken place. Even though many of them still wearing the scars of the Carnival, with missing limbs and wrapped up wounds, one would be forgiven for doubting the true source of them. The schoolgirl styled topics and mannerisms were practically a world's apart from the blood sport they'd just been battling through. Yet despite the disparity, many of the voices seemed genuine. Whether it was relief that they'd gotten through, excitement for the prospect of finding their limiters, or maybe something else; one couldn't deny that things seemed to be settling down.

"You're thick-headed peasant trash."

Well, mostly...

In the corner of the Medical Wing, two Pandora had to hold back a third as she struggled to charge towards a bed-ridden woman who was angrily tapping a finger against her forehead.

"You wanna' say that again Lil' miss No legs?!?" the girl being held back shouted with venom as she pulled against the girls holding her back. Perhaps she would've had an easier time of it if one of her arm's wasn't in a cast.

The girl in the bed frowned deeply as her eyes briefly glanced down to the stumps hidden under her covers, but merely sighed, "Look Charlie-"

"Coco!" the enraged shouted defiantly

"Charlie," the bed-ridden girl stretched the name out before leaning back "I know that bottom-feeders like you are usually too stupid to think beyond your plebeian tedium, but now that you're here you could at least pretend to have the thinking capacity of an actual human."

"Piss off!" Coco hissed

Ignoring her, the bed-ridden girl continued, "You see, anyone with the ability of rational thought would understand just how brain-dead their actions were and held back instead of crippling me. You've made my hunt for an adequate Limiter notably more difficult."

"The hell did you think I would do?!?" Coco spat, "I one-hundred percent told you not to fire that damn thing near my ears or I'd cut your damn legs off. And what did you do? Decided that warnings meant dick-all and went full steam ahead nearly deafening me out there like I wasn't 'bout to tear your precious little ass in half with my bear hands!"

The Bed-ridden girl shrugged, "And you still seem to be under the impression that something as vacant of worth as yourself has any right whatsoever to make requests of nearly anyone here."

"I outrank you now you piss-drinking dumbass! Number forty-three!"

"Only further proof that the ranks of this academy have become meaningless," the crippled girl sighed before looking away "if you and half of the rancid wastes out there managed to get such positions, I suppose the Academy's become more lax than I would've expected."

"Are you serious?!?"

"But such rectifications will come with time." she waved Coco off before casting a low glare "Just know that I shall make the repercussions for your actions suitably unfavorable, and that this was an actual warning that you have my permission to appreciate. We're done here."

"Like hell we are!" Coco yelled as the two other Pandora dragged her away "I'd just love to see you slinging anything other than bullcrap you milk-toast, frizzle-haired, piece of-!"

The girls dragging her rolled their eyes, a motion mirrored by several of the Pandora they passed by as they went. It would be dishonest to say that the sight of Coco getting harshly dragged around by other pissed-off looking Pandora wasn't a rather common sight. The rampant string of obscenities she let loose while they carried her off was also nothing new. Many of the Pandora they passed by merely sighed and returned to their business. Eventually the two girls dragged her to the waiting room before shoving her forward and walking off.

Coco immediately recovered, scrambling back to her feet and raising her fist in the air after them, "Yeah, go ahead and run you ass-hat bastards! Have Prissy throw whatever the hell she wants at me, I won't mind cutting her up again whenever she wants! Schedule's open, I promise!"

But they didn't even stop walking, Coco didn't even know if they'd registered her threats. But that didn't matter, in fact she was almost hoping that Prissy Princess would try some thing. Even though the Nova were the true punching bags for her, cocky bastards were getting to a close second. Whatever, not like Coco could bring herself to care. So many folks at this damn school wanted to cave her face in that having one more would barely do anything. Briefly glancing around the waiting room to the other Pandora girls there, Coco closed her eyes and began angrily pacing.

That's right, she couldn't lose sight of the real goal here. Dealing with people like Prissy might've been a pain in the ass, but Coco had to if she wanted to keep ripping Nova apart. And that was something she would state over and over again with absolute sincerity. Though she had no doubt that this Mixer would be one-hundred percent a god-awful excuse for an actual party, a lot of them would be finding their Limiters here. Those guys were supposed to make killing Nova easier, and that was pretty much all Coco needed to hear to get pumped. Anything that meant the absolute butchering of those multi-dimensional pricks was good in her book, and that included dealing with this academy crap on top of things.

 

[Phayne]

Ira found himself sitting in the shadows of a nearby tent, his right hand clenching a cold bottle of water as his left wiped away any residue left on his lips. Ira had downed at least half of the bottle in his attempt to cool down in the hot and humid temperature that the 94 participants found themselves competing in; the heat being the most difficult factor throughout the four individual events. Throughout all the events, Ira had found himself finishing within the top 20 on three of the four events , his highest placing being 9th during the sprint and his worst being 23rd in the Weight lifting event.

Whilst he could have probably done better than he did, Ira found himself unable to muster the same level of performance that he had been able to give back in the UK when he was enlisted within the army. The heat just being more unbearable than usual. Since finding out that he was a candidate for the Limiter Program, the army had intensified his training up until he was to fly over to the Genetics institute. He was representing the country and as the homeland of famous families like the 'El Bridget' household, the Army had taken it upon themselves to ship over a Limiter that would not fail to impress. All of the fuss however was not really the priority for Ira; his only real concern being the increase in his annual salary. His initial reason for joining the British army at the age of 16 was to earn himself some kind of wage in order to ease the burden on his parents. When it was revealed that he had the chance to become a limiter, his first and only question was about the amount he'd earn; the majority of his new salary being sent to his parents at his wish.

Body cooling down and his bottle now empty, Ira had discarded it in the appropriate bin before making his way towards the cafeteria where the results were to be announced within the next hour; the red haired boy hoping to get a small meal into himself and perhaps another beverage before the big event later that day. Likewise, many of the other participants had arrived at the cafeteria as well, eager to find out their rankings and perhaps establish some sort of hierarchy among themselves. Ira, wasn't that bothered. Unlike the Pandora's whose military style ranking of hierarchy was designed to maintain order; the limiters for the large part were not as restricted as they were. Of course, boys would always be boys and there was always going to be a group of them that competed with one another and just like most boys, there was also the minority whose thoughts had leaned more towards the lustful side. It was a well known fact that many Pandora's and Limiters continued to pair up after their services ended.

A chorus of cheers from half of those gathered here accompanied by the groans of the other half had signalled the reveal of the Limiter Rankings; Ira still digging away into his sandwich as a large group gathered around the large television screen. Again, his ranking was not really much of an issue for him, all things considering his score across the 4 events had all been within the top 30 so there was no way he'd rank lower than that.

Rank 13th, was the final result for Ira; the boy glancing at the results as he deposited the plastic container of his sandwich into one of the many bins stationed around the cafeteria. Better then he had expected and hopefully a rank that would be sufficient enough to satiate his former Drill Master. Her last words after all were to not disappoint her, so hopefully this rank would suffice for now, the last thing he wanted was to have her shout at him over the phone because he didn't 'apply himself' enough.

Energy returning and having no other reason to remain in the cafeteria, Ira soon made the decision to head to his dorm room hoping to sort his attire out as well as catch some shut eye before the big mixer tonight. Whilst the Limiter games were meant to be a big event, the truth of the matter was that it was only a compulsary preparation required for the 'true big event' which was the infamous Mixer. It was common knowledge that the mixer was an important annual event for the Pandora's and Limiters, a place where the vast majority of partnerships were going to be made between them. Whilst some saw it as a 'beautiful' thing, the harsh reality of it all was that the Limiters were essentially being put on show for their prospective partners. Like wares put on show for a prospective buyer, they were essentially being showcased in front of a group of women whose destinies were to fight off the Nova scourge.

Ira had no doubt in his mind that the Pandora's whose own Carnival had ended would be glancing over at the results of the Limiter Games, eyeing up who was the cutest Limiter, who was the strongest or who looked the more submissive and so on. Pandora's didn't necessarily just go for the strongest limiter, rather they tended to go to the ones whose personality or appearance tended to suit their taste and it was due to that that Ira also saw no real need to fully apply himself in the games today. As long as he placed relatively high he was sure that he would find a suitor.

It was on his way that Ira had stumbled across a few other Limiters along one of the adjacent hallways; a group of them appearing to take a jibe at another,questioning his low rank with obvious vitriol in their taunting. Ira had no intentions of stepping into a matter that didn't really concern him, rather he looked on in pity at the large group who seemed to take pleasure in tormenting someone who was meant to be their comrade. Though it seemed like their attempts to impose some form of dominance over their assumed lesser had failed spectacularly as his response was far from what they had expected or desired. A smirk appeared on Ira's face as he watched the large group disperse quickly; shaken by how their combined assault had failed.

It was upon closer inspection of the one dubbed 'Rank 94' that Ira had quickly began to recall the series of unfortunate events that he had fallen victim to, the consistent string of sabotage that seemed to swirl around him during the event. No doubt that had played a large part in him ranking last, the sheer fact that even the instructors had seemed to ignore him during the final event was just evident that he had either managed to piss off the Academy or that he had incurred god's wrath and misfortune had become his closest companion. Regardless, it may not have been the best of idea's to associate himself with someone that carried that much 'bad luck' with them.

A shake of the head and Ira was on his way again, eventually finding his way to his dorm room where he quickly found himself flailing onto his bed; not entirely keen on tonights events where he was basically going to be merchandise placed in a shop window to be gawked at by Pandora's. Ira truthfully was not sure how he felt about that.

It was awhile before he made his way into the showers, the boy beginning to get himself ready for the awkward few hours that would soon be upon him at the mixer; the boy already running several scenarios through his head about how the night was going to play out and regardless of the ending, it always seemed to start with sheer awkwardness. This was not because he'd be with the opposite gender, heck that was experience that he had in abundance. It was more down to the fact that he'd be putting his life in someone elses hand and they'd be doing the same with him. The mere thought of that could not help but make him feel nervous; the boy glancing in the mirror as he adjusted his eyepatch over his violet colored Iris, leaving only the apple green of his left eye visible.

Another half hour or so and Ira was now out of his room and on his way to the mixer, the boy dressed to impress as he wore a black tailcoat jacket with formal black trousers; though he did add his own flair with the rather garish looking belt buckle.

 

[PlusUltra]

Qiao "QT" Tai
Tags: (Open)
Location: Waiting Room, Pandora Medical Facility

The display within the Carnival had been something else entirely, while many were expecting a dramatic clash between the participants the end result was anything but with each challenger throwing everything they could at the curved bombshell and yet still she seemed to walk away from each bout with no obvious injury. Standing tall within what resembled a skintight turtleneck sweater and leggings the armored segments shining brightly in red and gold, twin shields larger than her body swung around with unnatural speed to crush many of the competitors flat beneath there weight. The fights ended swiftly and brutally without any drawn-out displays with the girl walking away from her broken competitors only to completely abstain from participation into the quarter-final round entirely much to the confusion of others given their odds as a favourited contender to go all the way.

That being said her mandatory stay in the medical wing was not exactly welcome, she held no injury and the environment reminded her far too much of her time in the lab with the white sterile environment. So there she sat upright within the chair, receiving the odd sour look from those she had unceremoniously disposed of into the care of the medical personnel while attempting not to look interested in the discussion going on regarding the later mixer. Keeping her eyes down on a book within her hands she gives a passing thought to the limiters, some assigned tool and nothing more as anything beyond that she had little idea how to handle, likely also some test to see how well each would perform in the role, though she still had reservations about even requiring one that could be a liability and get in the way, or take her focus away having to try and keep them from not getting themselves killed. Then there was the talk about the mixer, an alien concept to her not that she had anything party-wise to wear that wasn't a dress uniform, she could perhaps request something though outside of being custom made she questioned if something for her stature would be available,

 

[Pilgrim59]

Suomi Lahtinen
Rank 9 Pandora
Medical Wing, WGA
PlusUltra​

Nothing brings out one's baser instincts than that of combat trials. For the Pandoras, it meant more than just a system assessment to measure their strengths. To the younger faces around the Finn, it was a matter of finding a place in the Pandoran hierarchy and perhaps a pinch of pride on the matter. When the sweats and bloods have evaporated, the ranks would determine who their friends and foes were. Loose alliances, false facades, and resolute determinations, all for the sake of scheming their way to the top. Of course, there were the few that did not share such ambitions, when circumstances can quickly shape their already-weakened ideals. It dawned on the white-haired Finn that she was no different from the rest. Like the eccentric ones, she too, had taken the initiatives to secure a proper rank this year. But Suomi was less keen on indulging the needs to compete with her peers. An assertation of power and prowess to dissuade the others. A mild effort to consolidate her place and measure her own strengths. She only fell short of a certain oriental maiden, having briefed a glance at the after-action report on the digital board. She threw neither a fit nor words of disdain, but only a humble nod of acknowledgement. A graceful response to be well on her way.

Suomi emerged from the rehab room after half an hour. It would not have taken her long if she had not stretched herself thin and risked severing one of her limbs. Nothing some motrin and a glass of water would not be able to fix, she thought, waltzing out the room as immaculate as a freshly refurbished mannequin. She often dwelled on the Pandora's purpose as weaponized dolls, but only to keep her entertained rather than a prompt to defy the system. After all, she was among the least affected thereafter. Suomi retained her grace upon taking heed of the mixer gathering that was to come.

It was a good thing she kept her duffel bag with spare attires for contingency. She wasted little time and slid into her evening dress for the occasion. A backless silky attire in cerulean to turn the boys' head, accompanied by ornate silver accessories to fix a certain glow to herself. As she navigated her way down the corridor, she caught the assailant of whom she was bested by earlier. Neither a scratch nor sign of inflicted wounds. But one can never be too sure unless seen to by the medical professionals. Suomi put on her cheerful smile and approached the solitary woman whose posture was uptight as her attire that seemed like it was under extreme stress just from housing her abundant bosoms. Suomi was almost defeated by the notion of making words with the very one that bested her in both body and battle, but even among Pandoras, professional courtesy was a natural instinct to act upon. Lest they resort to their primal nature and bite tooth and nail for petty grievances.

"You're quite an eyesore for the more grievous faces around here, ya know? Fufufu~..." Suomi remarked, as she took a seat beside the oriental Pandora. She donned a distinctive northern Sami dialect, yet woven by a friendly smile.

Suomi studied the girl's attire, then locked eyes with them. Her head tilted slightly.

"Rank Ninth, Lahtinen. But you can call me Suomi if ya like. Don't tell me you're planning to induct yourself to the gathering with that stressed turtleneck sweater, are ya? If you don't mind my company, perhaps I could arrange something for ya? Either way, I am pleased to be acquainted, rank Eight."

Suomi said with sincerity, hoping to perhaps befriend the lady. It was prudent to secure for herself a companion should some undesirable events transpired at the mixer. Suomi was no less a schemer than that of her own deliberate negligent state of mind. A swaying oak in the breeze, but never one to fall under the storm. A hypocrite beneath her sweet and cozy demeanor among others.

 

[PlusUltra]

Qiao "QT" Tai
Tags: Pilgrim59 (Open)
Location: Medical Wing, WGA

Looking up from her text the girl subtly straightens as she regarded them, perhaps it was a test by her superiors who were in the meantime drafting several strongly worded letters of admonishment or simply solely one with their own agenda. The name from the earlier bouts was lost on her, not particularly useful information to regardless of one gain any attachment to the individual you were about to swiftly remove. Still her she was being approached regardless "Qiao Tai, They find it confusing how one can not be injured following participation within such, combined with a failure to comprehend what their instruments are telling them. One can simply take a look to see the truth of the matter but their reliance on those scans is having them demand my continued unneeded presence here" her tone leaks mild annoyance at the entire ordeal.

Well, they're was a little more to it, of course, the X-Ray, PET, MRI, and CT were distorted to a prismatic array of refracted patterns, the ultrasounds returning a cacophony of waves and finally, the blood test was a failure with the available needles far too shallow and brittle to pierce her skin despite seemingly traveling several feet. This was compounded of course by her home nations' reluctance to share information regarding her medical history with a foreign national as well as many of the records regarding her creation having been so deeply classified as to see not a sliver of light or simply outright destroyed. Her brow furrows slightly however at the comments on her outfit "Unlike many others here I am not one who can simply take stuff from the rack, not without the fabrics being far too weak or constricting" plucking the material for emphasis as it stretches before snapping back with a faint shake and standing up to her full height to look down on the far smaller girl "Though I suppose if you are offering such it wouldn't be polite to deny such an offer Nine, ".

This could very well be a trap though it was not one she should consider herself with, being provided with better attire if ever a slim possibility of such on short notice was a calculated risk, at least until her requisitioned fashions arrived from back home with her other belongings in a week or so. Taking her scarf and coat she begins to wrap them around herself, clasping the buttons with some effort and a deep breath.

 

[MocaPoka]

If there was one thing that West Genetics was not lacking in, it was money and pomp.

White and gold were the theme colors of the night in the grand ballroom of the military school. A large room with three floors of entertainment and luxuries. Each marbled floor connected to each other by staircases with gilded railings. The first floor was the entrance and main socializing area. A large dance floor and raised stage for speeches and music dominated the circular room. Currently a classical band was on stage playing a calming and somber melody. Dangling above, a large diamond chandelier that glowed with a dazzingly light from within.

The first floor was where most of the current student body was; dressed in dark suits and colorful gowns. Some danced, most simply talked and laughed in celebration and happiness. Many Pandora and Limiters looked around the room for potential partners; both for simple dances and for future battles. Many of the higher-ranking students searched for the coveted “single digits” in hopes of introducing themselves. Around these highest ranked students were the circles of clinging students and budding politicking. Here was where the number 1 Limiter found himself; awkwardly saying hello to dozens of Pandora, that were becoming increasingly aggressive for his attention.

The second floor held the food and drinks of the party. Long rows of oaken tables with every food imaginable from every corner of the world. Each dish made by some of the best chefs and cooking staffs of the world. Ironically, one corner of the room held the most popular food item with the longest line. “Burger Queen” a fast food chain found anywhere and everywhere. Here was where the number 2 Pandora found herself. The mocha skinned girl wore an emerald dress and looked around herself with hesitant eyes; unsure but suspecting that once she got her Burger Queen burger, she was soon to be swarmed by hopeful Limiters and power-seeking Pandora.

The third floor held the lounge. A quieter floor with comfy chairs, sofas, and tables. Here was were the “successful” Pandora and Limiters were. Those that had found a potential partner and wished for a more private setting to talk. Here was also where the current number 1 Pandora was. A short, serious face blonde girl, with a small line of higher ranked Limiters waiting their turn for the chance at an “interview” with the most powerful student at the academy.

 

[Pilgrim59]

Suomi Lahtinen
Rank 9 Pandora
1st Floor, Ballroom, WGA
PlusUltra
[open for interaction]​

Upon Eight's reply, Suomi perceived a certain distance between them, obligated by the prior's clear, yet reluctant words. This was furthered by her sudden ejection from her seat. It was only natural for Qiao Tai to be guarded around the presence of an estranged Pandora. Suomi only meant well, but perhaps not all shared her sentiments, particularly the Chinese Pandora before her. Knowing the typical doctrine of operational integrity, particularly pertaining to that of the elusive Chinese Intelligence Agency, Suomi expected no less of the formidable and discreet warrior. She acknowleged the need for discretion, and looked no further than a slight nod.

"I see..." Suomi said softly, withdrawing her phone from the duffel bag beside her.

Some mild taps and swipes, the Finn wove through the glass fabric of her device, then eyed Qiao. She stood up with her bag in tow.

"The drones are on their way with a variety of attires to suit your preferences. I do hope that we get along! Fufufu! I'll see ya shortly, Qiao Tai." the Finn giggled mildly with grace, tucking her hair behind her ears as she passed the girl.

The echoes of her high-heels quickly dissipated, as the slender Finn vanished from the Medical hallway. Her presence was quickly replaced by a buzzing noise that hovered in her shadows. Two quad-propeller drones lingered in her stead, tucking a set of latched cargo boxes beneath their bodies. The first box opened and revealed a variety of elegant evening dresses, while the other - a set of complementary accessories and footwears. On the side of the drones read "LAhtinen COrporation" (LACO). A well-known private firm that has always been responsible for the frontline's distribution of supplies and logistics. Their presence was no stranger to the West Genetics Academy. Being a daughter and potential heir to the business has its perks. One that won Suomi's acquaintances time and again. But to Suomi, it was an ordained act of courtesy. The drones dropped off their cargos in Qiao's care, then departed.

Suomi made her entry into the grand ballroom with a refined facade. Her hips swaying to match her steady steps, pleasing the eyes of those that intercepted her nonchalant gaze. Where her silver accessories promoted her dazzling form, the ample amount of skin beneath teal satin fabrics made it difficult to disengage from one's carelessly prolonged stare. It was an easy task to beg for nonverbal attention, but the Finn yearned for more than just appraising eyes. Under the pretense of a perceived social gathering, the mixer was meant to let Pandora scout out a suitable Limiter. Some had no say in it, others - of their own mutual consents and volition. To Suomi, it was a matter of connection and not ranks.

The Finn caught sight of the crowded Rank One Limiter, of whom are currently dressed with attentions of the more assertive students. They briefed a glance and she shot a smile their way. Suomi bidded her time and traversed pass the crowds where she could gain some high grounds to oversee the entirety of the area. For now, she would observe and play along with small talks until someone peaks her interest. Although, she would much prefer it if a certain candid figure would break her out of the cycle for a meal, she contemplated. After all, boldness with preference for food was a distinctive quality she is quite fond of.

 

[Phayne]

~Location~
Entering Ballroom ---> 2nd floor
~Mentions~
Alexander MocaPoka Daisuke Akkun no Baka Soumi Pilgrim59
~Interactions~
None​

Entering the Grand Ballroom, Ira had to stop and gawk for a moment as his eyes widened at the sheer spectacle of the room's interior; the white and gold theme dazzling against the light of the large diamond chandelier hanging above. For a boy born to a middle class family, the sheer immensity of the grandiose display was enough to stun him in shock and awe. A world that was formerly beyond his grasp. This was an insight into the life of the wealthy, a land that someone of his status could have only ever dreamed about or see in movies. It was flashy, yet somewhat fitting as his eyes were torn away from the rooms decorations and onto the plethora of women currently mingling about; each of them dazzling stars in their own right as they prowled the first floor in their various garments; some daring and risqué leaving very little to the imagination.

The sound of laughter and chatter could be heard against the classical music being played as the gathering of Pandora's and Limiters began to intermingle with one another; a clear aura of tempered nerves being felt as both sides began the somewhat awkward introductions and courtship of potential partners. This was the famed 'Mixer' event of the Genetics academy, a place where partnerships were formed between man and women, a holy union brought together to fend off the Nova assaults and protect humanity. Finding the right partner was vital and could not be decided based on superficial attributes such as looks or power. Heck, even the ranking system was not an end all factor that should determine partnerships. No. The most important attribute was compatibility. Yet would Ira be compatible with anyone here?

Ira gulped and took the plunge, taking the first step into the shark infested pool of hungry Pandora's, the immediate feeling of several lecherous eyes already falling upon him as he quickly bolted to one side, avoiding a rather large crowd that had seemed to circle around an individual. It was a while before Ira had managed to get a good look at the trapped Limiter, the lucky or unlucky -depending on how you viewed it- man being none other than 'Mr Rank 1' Alexander Mythins. As if a puzzle piece falling into place, it soon made sense as to why he was being swarmed by various Pandora's. It wasn't all too surprising that the number 1 had gained a large group of admirers, his status being quite desirable. Whilst Ira had no doubt that some Pandora were genuinely interested in his talents and skills, he could also tell that some of the hungry women vying for his attention wanted nothing more than to use him as an accessory; the idea of having the Number 1 limiter wrapped around their finger being a valuable status symbol. Just like the limiters had access to the results of the Carnival, it made sense that the Pandora's would have access to the results of the 'Limiter Games'.

Ira sighed and thanked his lucky stars as he turned and walked away, noticing other large groups forming around a couple of the other 'Single Digits', a term that was quickly being brandished about during idle chatter. While it was almost every boys dream to be swarmed by a mob of women including Ira's, he was rather happy that he had managed to 'sneak away' from the same faith that those men had found themselves in. Ira was a fish out of water here, a middle class boy thrust into a high class setting. Dozens upon dozens of the Pandora's here were from wealthy backgrounds; families whose net worth was more than 100x more than that of his family. In normal situations, he'd be a fool to even approach them. How would he even speak to one of these women? How would he approach a women of higher status? Would he have to change the way he talked? Would his middle class background be unappealing to them?

Such thoughts could not be prevented from storming his mind as the red haired boy found himself passing by a silver haired Pandora clad in a cerulean coloured garment; her figure momentarily catching Ira's attention as he continued on his way up towards the stairs leading to the 2nd floor; hoping that a drink or two would ease his nerves. The last thing Ira wanted to do was to embarrass himself, to make a poor first impression. Ira was a confident individual and had this been in a middle class setting he'd have found himself all up in there and approaching the women 1 by 1 and offering his services, yet unfortunately that was not the case. These were women far out of his league, women from a completely different class of society and women who one of which he was to bond with in a far deeper relationship than that simply meeting a girl at a nightclub. That fact alone was enough to cause his confidence to waver ever so slightly. This was more than just walking up to a girl and asking her out.

With a cold beverage now in his hand thanks to a passing by Waiter whom had balanced several on a large silver platter, Ira had made his way over to a corner of the room and slumped himself against the wall, his one uncovered emerald eye examining the room as he watched various Pandora's and Limiters go about their business. Unsurprisingly, some of the men had been reduced to little more than horny dogs as they bounded after several women; almost begging them to be their Pandora; a faint smirk appearing on Ira's face as he recognised a couple of them as being the same Limiters that had earlier attempted to ridicule the one Ranked 94. Pathetic, how they basically prostrated themselves before the Pandora after trying to act all high and mighty earlier. Was that pride and bravado just for show? Or did they simply enjoy flaunting their 'power' over those that they perceived as being beneath them?. Interactions non existent between Ira and them, the red haired knew full well that he'd feel more at ease if his life were in the hands of Mr 94 rather than that of the men whom had been so shallow as to believe that they were better than what they really were.

Speaking of Mr 94, Ira had not yet seen the man during the short time he had been in the hall and he had to wonder if he was merely running late or if he had already ventured into the 3rd floor; a more private area for Pandora and Limiter to better familiarise themselves.

Ira sighed and took a sip of the drink, though his attempt to look 'Aloof' was somewhat shattered as his immediate reaction to the drink was to gag and almost spit out the beverage its flavor disagreeing with his palette. However rather than doing what he desired, he had managed to put up a brave face and persevered and swallowed, not wanting to stain his suit or make a fool out of himself. Whatever the drink was, It was clearly some high class champagne that probably costed more than his parents yearly wage and if his reaction was anything to go by then it was clear as day that he was not fond of it.

 

[PlusUltra]

Qiao "QT" Tai
Tags: (Open)
Location: Grand Ballroom Buffet, West Genetics

QT raises a brow at the girl's to offer, questioning the angle for her seeming generosity before it quickly became apparent when the drones came buzzing in. This seemed to be an obvious display to showing off the resources they had access too with a grand display though shortly after the boxes landed there was another fact that came to mind, namely the girl had not taken any measurements which lead to the logical conclusion that these garments may be of questionable fit at best. Opening up the first box this was confirmed, while they would surely be more suited for the average figure upon her they would be at severe risk of malfunction combined with discomfort and other issues to name a few. There was a faint twitch to her brow at this holding the first dress in front of her before casting it down into the box at frustration, a display of their resources and attempted joke at their expense, and here she was thinking the retribution would come in a more straight forward form. Her size was both a bountiful blessing and a logistical curse at times she supposed.

Slightly annoyed she made her leave letting the boxes remain and making a gesture to those still undergoing treatment as if to offer them the context as she left, she would be needing to secure her own wear from an alternate source though likely a premium would be required for the custom fitting and expedited services. She would arrive sometime later within Ballroom donned fully in an incredibly ornate red and golden Hanfu, countless layers of silks with intricate star patterns subtly shimmering over the surface were bound tightly to her body though still making the girls ludicrous curves fully visible despite the ceremonial bindings, not to mention her height in relation to the rest of the girls and even boys present. It was clear just from a glance that great effort had been put into the entire ensemble, her hair styled neatly into twin buns with various adornments falling from it combined with makeup and other accessories.

All in all, she resembled less the stoic warrior from the carnival and now more an elegant exotic princess of sorts, a stark contrast to the similar dresses and heels of the other pandoras within the room. While not her first choice, she did need to pull the strings to get attire in time after the previous trick, though of course, it would have been a state-sanctioned one in her countries colors less there be an uproar should she have gone for more modern styles that would be deemed 'obscene' much to her annoyance. Drawing the eye as she moved, she kept her head raised as she gradually made herself to the food floor, having gone several hours since her last meal and the risk of a hunger pang sounding out was increasing by the second. The question still remained on the Limiter she would need to secure, she had given it some thought while being fitted and so far the main criteria she had come up with would be a durable one that wasn't a liability If she could locate the rank 8 or even 88...at least she was given some choice in the matter since otherwise the state would just assign one, or perhaps they were hoping one would not chosen so they could assign one.

As she ate she scanned the room idly, making eye contact with several who looked away as their gazes were noted. Many would likely still be questioning her earlier decision to drop out in the quarter-finals given her performance is sufficient to take her all the way in many eyes, and the full reasoning would likely be one hard to accept overall given how simple it was. On the unlikely chance she had lost in the semi-finals she would potentially be rank 4, and that simply would not be acceptable, and even should she have gone all the way she wished her rank to bring her fortune and blessings, which only the eighth could naturally.

 

[Akkun no Baka]

Daisuke Trist
Location: Ballroom Mixer
​

Daisuke managed to follow several well dressed Limiters and Pandoras to the mixer. As he passed through the large doors his jaw dropped a the sheer magnificence of the room. As he took a few more steps foreword he was quickly stopped and collected by the kitchen staff. "What do you think you are doing out there!?" one of the staff members asked angrily. As Daisuke opened his moth to answer the staff member held up his hand to stop him and said, "I don't want to hear excuses, just go grab a platter and start serving the guest drinks, and for the love of god don't look at them too long." the staff member stated with a shudder. A little confused but nonetheless determined Daisuke walked to a drink platter, picked it up, and started to serve the many Pandoras and Limiters drinks.

Daisuke quickly grasped the concept of serving the drinks and his proficiency at the task increased rapidly. You see, it was all about reading the room. Identifying who was in need of a refill and and arrive out of nowhere before they have a chance to realize their need. It then becomes a natural task of taking their empty glass and replacing it with a new one. The newcomers to the ball room posed a different sort of challenge. The inexperienced would offer drinks as soon as the new guest entered the ball room, rookie mistake. You see, it better to allow the guest time to evaluate their surroundings and find a place that they feel is their own or a group they identify with. It is at this moment Daisuke would arrive, again seemingly out of nowhere, and offer a refreshing beverage.

It wasn't long before the success of the Phantom Server started to spread amongst the kitchen staff and ball room guest alike. It was during a resupply of beverages in the kitchen that the same staff member who directed him to start serving, turns out he was the manager, pulled him aside and asked which formal serving school did he learn his skills. Upon realizing that Daisuke had never attended a formal school for serving the manager begged Daisuke to quickly train the other servers.

As Daisuke began to coach and teach the other servers on good tips and tricks of the trade the proficiency of the entire kitchen staff skyrocketed. In a short time all the servers were able to identify indicators of guest who would soon need a refill or how to ensure new guest were comfortable before the servers approached them. However, none of the servers were quite as skilled as Daisuke, the Phantom Server. As the success of the kitchen staff grew Daisuke was again called to the manager. This time the manager wanted to know when Daisuke was hired. Indicating that it would have been easy to spot Daisuke on his first day. The look of horror and surprise on the managers eyes when Daisuke told him that he was one of the Limiters at the academy.

The manager immediately began to apologize over and over. Daisuke continued to try and console and relax the manager until eventual the manager released a sigh of relief. "Don't worry about it Mr. Manager, I enjoyed working in the kitchen. I got to learn all sorts of new thing. By the way my name is Daisuke Trist." Dasuke said in a comforting tone as he raised his hand to shake the managers hand. The manager was almost crying from relief as he took Daisukes hand. "You can call me Minato Ryota, now get out of the kitchen, this is for employees only" he said with a smirk. "You have a party to enjoy!"

Daisuke was pretty content at the moment. He had made a few new friends on the kitchen staff and learned a new set of skills. As Daisuke found a corner to call home he reached his arm out to seemingly nothing only to be met by a drink on a platter. A smile broke out onto his face. They were getting better. Now Daisuke's thoughts focused on the challenge at hand. He had to meet some Pandoras. As he glanced around the room he saw nothing but the most beautiful women he had ever seen his life. How the hell was he supposed to decide who to talk to first. After some deep thought he deduced that the proximity rule would apply. As he scanned the floor for the closest Pandora, the corner of his lazy eye picked up on a stoic Pandora dressed in a brightly colored hanfu.

Well, I guess this is it he thought to himself. He quickly did a look-over of his suit and attempted to tame his hair and lazy eye. Once he got them to "good enough" he approached the Pandora. As he got closer he couldn't help but notice her curvaceous body, but one thing that stuck out the most to him was her hair. They were pulled into two very cute buns. As he reached her he said in a very genuine tone, " I saw you from across the ball room. I just want you to know that I like your hair very much." He smiled a crooked smile and hoped that his lazy eye would continue to almost cooperate for a little while longer. " My name is Daisuke Trist, I am a Limiter ranked 94th." he took a sip from his drink. "Your dress is very unique and flamboyant. It reminds me of the kominos my mother wears to festivals in Japan." he paused for a reply...

Conversation with PlusUltra

 

[GrieveWriter]

Coco
Location: Ballroom Second Floor

If it we literally any other kind of party, Coco would've been in one of two places. Either she would've been tearing up that dance floor and showing everyone how to truly rock it, or she'd be filling the entire building with enough major beats to toss even the laziest of partygoer up onto their feet. But she couldn't do that here... not in whatever this Mixer was, cuz it sure as hell wasn't a party. Coco wasn't suited for these fancy type displays of wealth. If a bunch of clubbers with deep pockets wanted to make it rain on a dancer here or there, Coco was all for providing just the music to bounce to. Alas, not a single one of these kids looked as if they'd be getting even close to that kind of craziness.

Even though she expected such a result, Coco was still dissapointed.

But even whilst looking over the dance floor from the second floor, she held onto some tiny semblance of hope that things would improve. But as time went on, her only solace was the glasses of champagne she kept nabbing from passing waiters. If she couldn't enjoy this party the usual way then the least she could do was get as intoxicated as possible, which was far harder than it had any right to be. Seriously, this fancy little beverage didn't hold a candle to some of the liver-butchering swill some folks had at the clubs. Four glasses in and she was barely feeling tipsy, but damn it if she was gonna stay bored and sober for the rest of this damn thing.

"Aw, hurt yourself on the way?" a voice spoke up behind her, with Coco glancing back to find another Pandora eyeing her up and down with a smirk "Don't know if many folks here will be aiming for broken goods."

"Pfft, like that matters," Coco drank from her glass again "Long as I'm out there killing Nova, I'd partner with a stick and some duct tape."

"A feisty one, eh?" the Pandora looked her up and down before folding her arms "Lucky for you I happen to adore breaking in the feisty ones."

Coco paused with her glass inches from her lips before raising an eyebrow at the girl, "Excuse me?"

Chuckling, the Pandora looked down her nose at her, "I happen to find an intense amount of satisfaction destroying repugnant little wild ones like yourself, and am more than willing to allow you to satisfy me until I either grow bored of you or find a better limiter."

It would seem that Coco has been mistaken for a Limiter, for what had to be the third time tonight. The first two Pandora to take interest had paused in the midst of their approach when recognizing her from the scoreboard. Seems this one hadn't gotten the memo just yet. It wasn't as though Coco could blame them for the misunderstanding. In sharp contrast to nearly every other student in attendance, she was perhaps one of the few girls dressed in a more masculine manner. Instead of any kind of dress, she rolled up in a vest and dress pants. Her ensemble was notably ruffled and disorderly, seeing as she'd had to dress herself with only one hand fully functional. The other had recovered tremendously since the Carnival and she could move it around as she wished, but her palm was still bandaged up heavily. Between that and the ruffled attire, she was undoubtedly one of the more standout appearances for better or worst.

So with a roll of her eyes, she turned away from the Pandora and looked down upon the dance floor below, "Now I ain't no damn sub, but I'm pretty damn certain that loads of dudes around here would jump at the bit if you swaggered along with words like that."

"Exactly why I have to be precise in picking my toys, congratulations." the Pandora approached and reached out to take hold of her shoulder "Not like anyone else would be aiming for scrappy neanderthals like yourself, take pride in the right to become mine."

Letting herself get turned around, Coco tilted her head to the side and patted herself on the chest with her free hand, "Look if we were talkin' a one night stand or something like that then I'd be all over that, but even if I could be your chew toy I doubt I'd have fun for anything longer. DJ Chocolla only plays certain tunes so long before they get stale as hell to her."

At that the Pandora frowned, "Her? But you're a..."

She trailed off as she looked Coco up and down once more, "A... You're... you're no Limiter!"

"Pfft, I'm more about breaking limits if ya catch my deal." Coco snickered before leaning back "But if you were really achin' for that one-night stand, I'm not gonna say that pissy demeanor's managed to ruin those chances just-"

An open palm slapped Coco straight across the face before she could finish, the DJ taking a step back and growling as she looked up to see the Pandora stomping away indignantly, "And there went the rest of those chances you human-sized twat!"

Shaking off the sudden strike, Coco stumbled away from her previous position whilst downing the rest of her latest glass. Massaging her face, she nabbed a replacement glass while wandering past the growing crowd which had encircled the number one Limiter. Coco couldn't even consider attempting to get in there, if her distaste for the Mixer wasn't enough the idea of wedging herself into a dogpile like that was only appealing in a proper mosh pit.

Instead she came to a stop and downed some more champagne before vocalizing her displeasure to the nearest person she could, "God this is probably one of the dullest parties I've ever had to show up to in my entire damn life."

She sighed before glancing over and realizing that she'd spoken to another Pandora with silver accessories. Shrugging, Coco continued with, "Couldn't just let the dancing be boring, they had to go and make the only drink around so fancy and spritey that it can barely do its job."

She took another drink for emphasis before looking over the glass with disappointment, "Seriously, I've never had to work so hard to get hammered before."

Pilgrim59

 

[MocaPoka]

Alexander Mythins (Number 1)
​

Alexander was not having the best times...

Swarmed by dozens of Pandora, swirling a thousand and one compliments and offers in a whirlwind of social nightmare.

He couldn’t even remember what he had said in the past half-hour or how he was still alive and not suffering from a heart attack or sudden fainting spell. He wasn't sure if his survival and health was a good or bad thing, as his face was now a permit shade of red and he felt like throwing up would actually be a relief. In an effort to escape, he was somehow able to break away from the masses of Pandora and escaped into a mostly secluded corner of the second floor.

Leaning against a wall, with a hand on his head, the young man took some deep breathes and tried to collect his frayed nerves. He knew that the moment of peace would be short lived, but he was thankful for every gifted second. He briefly gave a glance towards the tables of food in the center of the room; before deciding that he had no appetite.

Alexander was unaware of the fact that several Pandora in the teen rankings were watching him with narrowed eyes. One girl, muttering something in disgust to another, ran up the steps to the third floor in the direction of the only other number one in the party…

---

Grace Locklear (Number 2)​

Grace was trying to eat her burger…

“Wow… you’re so pretty…”

“You were amazing during the Carnival. I couldn’t take my eyes off you…”

“Aren’t you worried your going to get fat eating that?”

Her anger slowly growing at the plethora of flattery, insults, and “courtship”, Grace struggled to control her building desire to activate one of her volt weapons and slam it into the table and another one into the face of the Limiter that call her fat. The situation was not helped by the fact that she could smell alcohol on some of them. She was not in the mood to be dealing with drunk or even tipsy boys. The night had only been going on for an hour now and she was already sick of the whole thing.

If something didn’t get these Limiters away from her, she was sure that the night was not going to end well for her reputation within the Limiter community despite her number 2 ranking.

 

[PlusUltra]

Qiao "QT" Tai
Tags: Akkun no Baka (Open)
Location: Grand Ballroom Buffet, West Genetics

Despite the extravagant dress QT appears to have been slowly working her way through the table to sate the hunger that had started to gnaw at her since shortly after her departure from the medical facility. While she was waiting with manners and grace instead of a breakneck speed inhaling the food she had never the less appeared to have worked through a good portion of the table requiring the caterers to replace such several times. Some may question just where she is putting it all through the commonly assumed answer would not be the most family-friendly, regardless of the fact her makeup had yet to smudge did display a great degree of care.

This was always one of the things that happened, ever since her 'freedom' from the more confined lab environment and access to the abundant resources as if to make her forget her experiences growing up. When she annoyed, upset or bored food was the easiest solution, especially given it seemed to enhance her hunger in general. She had just taken a bite from another slice of Pizza when a Limiter had finally decided to wander over and approach her, an eye snapping to the individual at the movement subtly and looking them over as she clears her mouth before looking down at him as he speaks. The compliment was nice and she raised a free hand to her hair at the comment though the luck in his eye did not escape her as he seemed to be desperately trying to keep it from wandering, well at least he was trying to make an effort and not simply do so when they assumed she wasn't looking.

Keeping a pleasant smile as he continues to talk she could not hide the visible twitch in her eye when his rank was mentioned, It seemed she needed a few extra charms as while the 9 was good the 4 followings it almost had her recoil to the point the following compliments were dulled somewhat, the fact he appeared to be Japanese did little to aid things either. Still, regardless she needed to keep her manners, it was likely his poor luck that he was burdened with such a number, a strange contrast between the two may cancel each other at but still. As he finished speaking she closed her eyes for a moment to take a breath before replying, her hand lowering to gently caress what appeared to be three coins tied in a red ribbon that dangled from her wrist.

"It is interesting to meet you Daisuke Trist, I am Qiao Tai of the 8th rank" placing an arm across her in a short bow before continuing "The Garment would not have been my first choice though the short notice combined the nature of the event did require the effort, yet it appears most have gone for the more western attires" despite speaking English there was still the undeniable Chinese accent to her words, speaking in a soft but quick tone.

"Hopefully there are some from a younger generation that also wears such as well, I am not particularly one for attempting to come across as matronly still i thank you for your comment...." ok now the difficult part of socializing and speaking in general, the small talk, despite not possessing any particular interest it said to try and move the topic onto something the person may be interested in and show an interest in that. Her eyes move to the side for a moment in thought before looking back "I Trust you have recovered well from your own experiences in the ranking system? I am aware that Limiters do not repair quite as quickly as Pandoras so it is understandable that such may be an issue with the reduced durability but i am curious on your views of how you faired within the trials?"

 

[Akkun no Baka]

Daisuke Trist
Location: Ballroom Buffet
​

Daisuke couldn't help but notice the reactions that Qiao Tai made when he mentioned his Limiter rank. She must have been shocked to hear that he was the lowest ranking Limiter at the academy. The fact that she was still having a conversation with him made Daisuke feel that she must have been a good person. Daisuke listened to her intently. When she asked how the "Limiter Games" went he put his finger on his chin and glanced upward closing his eyes to think. "I guess you could say they were interesting. There were a few unexpected occurrences but I still managed to pass." he said with a chuckle as if brushing his misfortune aside. "I have seen more direct action during my time in the U.S. Military." he added. As Daisuke began to relax his control over his eye was lost either to neglect or exhaustion, he couldn't really tell. Either way he didn't think he could keep his eye under control and it was better to talk about the elephant in the room, so to speak, earlier rather than later.

"So..." Daisuke began before he was interrupted by a raised voice. "Daisuke-sama!" one of the waiters called as they quickly approached Daisuke and Qiao Tai. As the waiter reached them he bowed and Daisuke returned a shallow bow. The waiter then glanced at the curvaceous female Daisuke was talking too. "This is Qiao Tai, the rank 8 Pandora." he explained "She is my first Pandora friend" he finished the introduction with a large innocent smile that would have cracked a mirror. The waiter bowed to Qiao Tai and then turned back to Daisuke. "Daisuke-sama, we require your assistance. Ryota-sama says only the skills of the Phantom Server can complete this task." the waiter explained in desperation. The waiter then leaned towards Daisuke and whispered something in his ear. After a moment of listening Daisuke let out a laugh "Is that all?" he said in a confidant yet humble tone. He then turned to Qiao Tai and bowed apologetically, "They are my friends too and they need me. 2 minutes, I will be back to continue our conversation in 2 minutes." he said as he turned and walked away quickly. The waiter stood in shock. It was as if the 2 minute timeline was unbelievable.

1 minute and 55 seconds later Daisuke smoothly reappeared shocking the waiter. He bowed to Qiao Tai and apologized for the inconvenience. There was a notable slap mark on his cheek. "What happened to your cheek Daisuke-sama?" the waiter asked. Daisuke walked towards Qiao Tai nabbing a drink from a passing waiter before he took a seat across from her ensuring to maintain personal space before answering, "Lets just say the Pandora in question did not appreciate my physical demeanor" he said with a chuckle. "Mission accomplished though." The waiters eyes gleamed with appreciation. "Thank you, Thank you, Thank you" he said bowing repeatedly before quickly departing the area for the kitchens.

"So..." Daisuke paused as if waiting to be interrupted again. When nothing happened her continued. "I thought meeting a Pandora was going to be more difficult. All the other Limiters seemed to be making a big deal out of it." he said nonchalantly as he sipped his orange juice. You see, Daisuke had made one fatal error in his assumption of the mixer. He thought he was just there to meet Pandora's and make some friends. He had no concept of the whole "finding a partner" thing and no one seemed to have told him. "I think I can make friends with more Pandora's at this rate." his ignorance becoming more and more apparent as he continued. "It does seem a bit overkill to throw such a lavish event for the sole purpose of making friends. Wouldn't a team building event or a shared challenge do better?" he finished and downed the rest of his orange juice. "Well it was nice meeting you Qiao Tai, I am glad we became friends." He said as he stood up and bowed. "Would you mind if I spoke to you in the future?" he added as he looked up an made (one) eye contact with her, the slap mark glowing red on his cheek.

Conversation with PlusUltra

 

[Phayne]

~Location~
Entering Ballroom ---> 2nd floor
~Mentions~
Qiao Tai PlusUltra Daisuke Akkun no Baka Soumi Pilgrim59 Coco GrieveWriter
~Interactions~
Alexander MocaPoka​

From Ira's vantage point, he could easily see all those coming and going between the second and first floor; his eyes glancing between each and every new individual that arrived from the floor below; whether they be Limiter or Pandora or even an already blossoming partnership. The latter had applied to a few couples as Ira watched them bypass the second and head straight to the third floor where they were allowed a more private conversation within the quieter space. Ira had heard rumours about what some of the previous years Pandora's and Limiters had gotten up to up there, some of which was honestly hard to believe prior to him actually coming to the academy. Alas, the things he had seen thus far, it wouldn't have been surprising if all the rumours he had heard were actually true.

A sigh escaped Ira as he turned to glance at the stairway once more, eyes widening in shock as they fell upon a notable individual for two particular reasons. The first was an undeniably noticable feature of the Pandora, one that many men would be hard pressed not to notice and gawk at considering how gravity defying they seemed to be. Like Ira, a lot of the other limiters had been stunned in silence as they stared at the sizeable bosom of the Pandora; their gawking lasting seconds only as for one reason or another they were pulled out of their daze. One particular pairing that was on the verge of being solidified had been snuffed, the Pandora slapping the perverted Limiter as his attention was drawn away from her and onto QT's breast size.

The 2nd most notable feature was her attire, a start contrast to the dazzling dresses that the majority of the women were wearing during the mixer. Whilst for the most part the majority of the clothes that the Pandora's were wearing were quite 'risque' and revealing, QT's was anything but and spoke more towards her heritage; the traditional attire hinting towards nobility with its colors yet also sparking mystery as it did a fine job hiding the voluptuous assets hidden underneath. Ira however was more 'mature' than some of the other Limiters present and did a very good job with hiding his wandering gaze, the red haired boy pretending to fiddle with his eye patch so as to hide the fact that he had been staring. Those orbs gave 'big' a whole new definition.

His longer than normal gaze towards the bountiful Pandora was soon rewarded with an answer to his earlier question; the sight of 'Mr 94' appearing from across the room as he made his way directly towards the traditionally dressed Pandora. With renewed interest, Ira had continued to watch from his spot on the the opposite side of the room, curious to see the fate of a man whom had earlier intrigued him. Would his misfortune continue or was all the bad luck during the Limiter Games just a preparation for tonight's event. Considering how many other Limiters had gawked at QT, it was only really Daisuke who had taken the real initiative and approached. Smiling, Ira had rooted for Daisuke during this moment, if only to see the faces of those that had earlier tried to taunt him for his position.

Alas his desire to silently root for Daisuke in his brazen attempt to woo the Rank 8 Pandora was cut short as a minor commotion near the railings overlooking the first floor had distracted Ira. He had initially ignored the duo at the railings, assuming it was just another Pandora and Limiter attempting to get to know one another. Though considering that the one mistaken for a Limiter had now been slapped by the Pandora and the victim was now shouting back, it had become quite apparent just what had happened and Ira himself had to laugh. Completely uninvolved with the fiasco, he too had assumed the girl to be a Limiter; the attire she wore resembling many of the clothing that the Boys wore. He did however have to thank her at some point as he watched her walk over to where the silver haired Pandora stood. Despite it being unintentional, Coco had helped to rule out that other Pandora as a possible partner. There was no way Ira would be caught with a Pandora who was so quick to resort to violence.

The mixer thus far had been rather interesting to say the least, Ira simply enjoying the sights and sounds of the events around him; the red hair simply going along with the flow as the night dragged on. Yet it didn't look like ending anytime soon as Ira noticed Alexander appear from the stairs, the Rank 1 limiter walking in his direction as he found a secluded spot against the same wall Ira had been leaning against. It seemed like he had just retreated from a major battlefield, the shade of red that colored his cheek and his heavy breathing clear signs of how his night had been thus far. Ira laughed once more and began to walk over to where Alexander stood; ignoring the mumbling and whispers that various Pandora's were making.

"You look like shit" spoke Ira, leaning against the wall next to Alexander. "Though I suppose that's the price you have to pay for coming first" he continued, chuckling ever so slightly as he took note of each and every girl looking in their direction, well at Alexander. A devious thought had entered Ira's mind as a smirk appeared across his face. There was no way he was going to let the Rank 1 representitive of the Limiters shy away from the crowd. He had the responsibility of having to put on a brave front, to represent the boys. If he showed weakness, how would the Pandora's react towards those that had placed lowered than him in the Games. Nope. Ira was not going to let him have it easy.

"So, Mr Rank 1!" began Ira, raising his voice so that most of those on the 2nd floor would hear him. "Have you picked your partner yet?!" he questioned loudly and almost instantly he felt the pressure double as more eyes turned to their direction. "Oh You haven't?!" continued Ira, not really waiting for an answer and simply relying on deduction. Alexander had come here to escape the baying mob of girls downstairs... if he had had a suitor than he wouldn't have had to hide himself. "So Why haven't you found a Pandora yet?.. What is it that you are looking for?" continued Ira, on the verge of laughing as he taunted Mr Rank 1.

 

[PlusUltra]

Qiao "QT" Tai
Tags: Akkun no Baka (Open)
Location: Grand Ballroom Buffet, West Genetics

There was a faint twitch of her eye as the waiter interrupted, she had been listening with mild interest though the new arrival had soured that somewhat especially when they pulled the Limiter away, but more so when for some reason the Daisuke buffoon introduced herself as a Limiter. "Pandora Ninety Four, Pandora" she quickly corrected him before he departed leaving the girl to her food to level her temperament once more before his eventual return.

"The Limiters thus far have shown a remarkable lack of confidence bordering on cowardice, more content to look on from a distance than approach. I would agree in the joint exercise approach in general or perhaps have Limiters assigned based on evaluation and compatibility with psychological profiles....though that as well is not without its potential pitfalls." she looks around the room to several other Pandoras she encountered from the tournament "You have permission I suppose, though one conversation does not a friend make, so simply associates for now"

 

[MocaPoka]

Alexander was starting to calm down.

Simply having a moment to breath and think was a godsend. Clearly this whole mixer thing was not the best way for him to find a partner. He could barely even remember what had happened in the past thirty minutes, much less even thought about who the best potential partners were. He was about to leave the entire building when a voice and a presence stopped him.

He wasn’t aware of the other Limiter next to him until they spoke. The words certainly weren’t the friendliest and most would consider them rude and antagonistic. Also taking into account ranking (and the fact that no Limiter was higher than him) the other Limiter was overstepping his bounds.

Alexander wasn’t sure why the rude one-eyed, red head was bothering him and trying to bring unwanted attention to them both, but he wasn’t thankful for it.

“That’s none of your business.” Alexander said with a confidence in his voice that he hadn’t felt at all until right now. It was much easier to interactive with a rude and hostile Limiter than it was to chat with polite and friendly Pandora.

Alexander turned to face the other Limiter to show while he may be intimidated away from a dance floor, he wouldn’t be from a single individual. Before he could ask for the Limiter’s ranking, a cold and sterile voice interrupted.

“I would like to know the answer to that as well. Why have you not picked a partner yet?”

Before the two Limiters was a short, blonde Pandora. Her eyes were a steel blue and her face was in a seemingly permanent expression control anger. Unlike every other Pandora at the mixer she wore a military uniform. The dark green outfit as pristine, sharp, and utilitarian as she was.

“You should have visited me by now, number 1.” Anastasia Allard, the number 1 Pandora of the second years told the number 1 Limiter before turning to the other male.

“Rank?” She ordered.

Alexander was frozen at the sudden appearance and question by the number 1 Pandora. The mixer also seemed to be mostly frozen as well. Dozens of eyes watched the sudden, unexpected confrontation between the number ones and whatever poor souls were in between or near them.

Phayne

 

[Phayne]

~Location~
2nd floor
~Mentions~
~Interactions~
Alexander MocaPoka​

Ira smiled at Alexander's retort, an expected response and one that had done very little to deter him from continuing this charade and joyful goading of the man leading the ranks of the Limiters. On one hand, it was reassuring to see that their number 1 had not lost his nerve; despite having already fled from 'one battlefield' tonight. A smile appeared on Ira's face, as Alexander turned into him, the boy's difference in build becoming even more apparent. Whilst they were of similar height, Ira could not deny that Alexander's general build was far more imposing and intimidating than that of Ira's. Perhaps that was why he had seemingly breezed through the Limiter Games with ease; yet Ira did have to question just how much closer their ranks would have really been if he had given it his all and not settled for doing 'just enough'.

Expecting Alexander to continue, Ira like the limiter standing opposite him were both interrupted by the cold sterile voice of what was soon to be revealed as belonging to none other than the Number 1 Pandora; Anastasia Allard. Ira had heard several other limiters mention her name and out of curiosity gone to check the Pandora rankings himself prior to the Mixer. With her arrival it was clear to Ira that this was quickly becoming apart of a situation he'd much rather not be involved in; especially since without having to be told it was quite obvious why she was here.

Like Ira, she too had asked the same questions though unlike him, her intent was truly genuine whereas Ira's had been more tongue in cheek. Ira had only asked the question in an attempt to make Rank 1's night a little bit more harder.To have a group of women swarm him, just so Ira could sit back and watch him suffer. Call it Karma for coming in first place. Alas, the attempt to draw the little fish towards the bait had instead pulled in a shark; the uniform wearing Anastasia now fixated on Alexander. Whilst the room itself had become fixated on the whole situation. With the rank 1 pandora and the rank 1 limiter together, Ira could not deny feeling out of place and he didn't exactly enjoy the idea of being seen as a 3rd wheel throughout this eye catching situation.

With the purely selfish intention of sacrificing Alexander for his own benefit and attempt to get away from the commotion, Ira had begun to turn away as Alexander was grilled by Anastasia, however his attempt had been stopped when the petite blonde had instead turned to him. This was his karma now. Turning back to face Anastasia and wearing a rather forced smile, Ira knowing that he'd need to act the part had begun to bow towards her, his right arm across his abdomen as his red hair hung over. "Rank 13, Ira Kane" he replied, "It is an honour to meet you, Rank 1 Anastasia Allard"

Despite how Ira wasn't exactly thrilled to be speaking so formally and acting as such; it had been beaten into him by his former commanding officer in the British army that this kind of behaviour was to be expected once he became a Limiter and that doing otherwise would only cause his time here to be hellish as well as put into jeopardy. A risk he could not take considering he needed the income for his family. Despite how forward he was with Alexander, he could not act as such with the Pandora's who took ranking for more seriously than the Limiters did.

"Alas Lady Anastasia, I do not wish to take away anymore of your time with our Rank 1 limiter, so I will take my leave" added Ira, taking a step back while momentarily raising his head to glance at Alexander, a faint cheeky smile on the red head's face as if to say 'Good Luck' to his fellow limiter.

 

[Akkun no Baka]

Daisuke Trist
Location: First Floor​

The commotion on the second level began to draw the attention of the Limiters and Pandora's on the first level too. Pandora rank 15, Anya Vepera, was getting frustrated, very frustrated. She was standing near the dance floor waiting to be approached by any of the many Limiters to approach her. She was an attractive prideful women. Her long blonde hair fell into drill like locks two of which came over her shoulders framing her face. "Why is no one approaching me!" she though to herself in a bit of a panic. She was the 15th ranked Pandora damn it!. She was in the top 25 of the strongest Pandoras, these Limiters should be begging to pair with her! As panic began to turn to anger she was approached from behind by a Limiter. "Finally!" she exclaimed as she spun around to meet the Limiter. A shriek left her mouth as the hideous figure appeared to be smiling. "Hello there, my name is Daisuke Trist the 94th Limiter." he made a small bow. "It is nice to meet you" he finished awaiting her response.

This was the opportunity Anya was looking for. As load as she could while still maintaining control of her voice she said, "How dare you!" she took her drink and splashed it onto Daisuke's face "I am the level 15 Pandora, you have some nerve talking to me rank 94 Limiter!" she finished and glanced around. Her outcry and drama had it's desired effect. The entire 1st floor, for the most part, was now focused on the drama on the dance floor. Several Limiters approached Anya and Daisuke. "Is he bothering you rank 94?" one of the limiters asked. The group of Limiters surround Daisuke and the two that flank him grab a hold of his arms. "I meant no disrespect I was just trying to make friends" Daisuke mutters with a bit of a nervous edge in his voice. "We completely understand" the Limiter standing in front of Daisuke says with a grin. A quick punch to the face staggered Daisuke as the two holding his arms released him.

As Anya and the Limiters walked away they left Daisuke soaked and bruised. Looking down embarrassed and confused Daisuke didn't know what to do. The silence of the first floor began to break with onlookers whispering and pointing at the degraded Limiter. Daisuke's mind was racing and panic began to set in. Before he lost controlled a idea came to his mind. "Bathroom" he exclaimed as he rushed off the dance floor. After composing himself in a stall he exited and walked to the mirror. Looking at his reflection he could see the starting of a black eye setting in and the hand print on his check showed no signs of fading.. After splashing some water on his face and attempting to fix his soaked suit he said to himself, "Time to get out there and try again. I wonder if I will have better luck on the 3rd floor." he began whistling on his way out of the bathroom.

 

[MocaPoka]

The cold faced, number one Pandora gave a barely noticeable nod to the rank 13 Limiter.

“Most of the teen ranking Pandora have been taken, I will not disapprove of you seeking partnership from ranks 2-9, if they have not picked a single rank already.”

Several small gasps were given out by the surrounding Pandora. Anastasia’s words, suggestion, and allowance being uncharacteristically benevolent of the woman. This rare benevolence was in turn switched to the number one Limiter: still standing frozen.

“Number one… I am… still available for partnership…” The words came out shyly and were painted with a light blush on the blonde girl’s face.

Several large gasps were now given out by the surrounding Pandora. As if a Freezing field had been cast; the area around the number 1’s seemed frozen in time. Several agonizing seconds passed before the male at the center of attention spoke.

“I… I…” Were the only intelligible utterings that could be understood from the young man’s mouth before he twisted around and fled at a full sprint out of the building.

It was a stunning moment that took almost all of the surrounding Limiters and Pandora several long seconds to even process.

After around thirty seconds the yelling and outrage began on the Pandora side. Laughter and horror on the Limiter side. The entire building, from the top floor to the bottom, exploding in wild spectacle from the unimaginable scene that many had witness firsthand. The number one Limiter, flat out rejecting the number one Pandora was the prevailing narrative. Never had such a thing happened to anyone’s memory or knowledge.

In the center stood Anastasia alone. Her head lowered and long blond hair concealing her face from view. If one looked closely, they would see her fists clenched and her body shaking. Few looked at her however, most agreed it would be best to just… pretend that nothing had happened and discuss the gossip in private, well out of sight or hearing of the silent number one.

Phayne

 

[Phayne]

~Location~
2nd floor
~Mentions~
~Interactions~
Anastasia MocaPoka​

Amidst the gasp of the surrounding Pandora, Ira too was caught rather off guard by how Anastasia had spoken to him, the red haired boy fully expecting the short statured blonde to be far more harsh and callous due to their drastically different positions. Not only were the Pandora seen as the more domineering between the two branches, she stood at the peak of all other women in this room and had every right to assert her own authority and dominance over everyone else, yet despite all that and despite how she had initially approached Alexander, she had been far more tolerant of Ira, though Ira soon surmised why she had perhaps acted in such a manner with him.

It had to be because of Alexander, Ira suspecting the blonde haired girl to be acting a tad bit 'differently' because she wanted to make a good expression for the Rank 1 Limiter, after all what man in their right mind would willingly enter a pact with someone whose nature was less than appealing. A faint smile again appeared upon Ira's face as he silently thanked Alexander for being an effective sacrificial lamb; the ensuing unfolding of their partnership soon to be a moment of great entertainment for Ira as it would no doubt have a rippling affect among the other Pandora and Limiters.

"Thank you for your kind words, Anastasia Allard. I will keep them in mind" replied Ira as he took another step back and turned, looking for a gap in the crowd in which he could begin his escape. Everyone else remained transfixed upon the coming together of the two Rank 1's; a match that seemed to have been made in heaven due to their positions at the pinnacle of their respective branches. Alas just as Ira had managed to break free from the crowd of onlookers, the sudden eerie silence that had overtaken the room had caused him to freeze and turn back towards the scene, Ira's mouth dropping as he watched Alexander flee the scene.

For several long seconds there was an awkward silence as nearly everyone tried to make sense of what had just happened, though that silence was quickly consumed by the chaotic nature of everyone elses reactions; each perhaps reverting to their base natures as they tried to comprehend what really occurred. For the most part the Pandora's had reacted rather vehemently as they made their outrage clear, whilst the limiters were more mixed in their response; some laughing only to be given the death glare by several Pandora, whilst other looked on in horror, perhaps imagining what the repercussions were going to be, especially for Alexander who had to put it bluntly, disrespected the rank 1 Pandora.

Ira on the other hand had already placed a palm to his own face, sighing heavily as he shook his head. Ira was clearly exasperated by the fact that Alexander basically dug a grave for himself with this single action and in doing so had given the other Limiters a more negative depiction. After all, if this was the calibre of the Rank 1 Limiter, what expectations could the Pandora's have for the other 93 whom had failed to take the top spot.

Another sigh escaped Ira mouth as he turned away once more and chose to make himself scarce, knowing that he was perhaps somewhat at fault for putting Alexander in the limelight like this with his earlier taunting, though who was he to know that the Rank 1 Limiter had such an issue with being around the opposite gender.