Fandom [Closed] Tower of God: Alpha Perspective

[QuirkyAngel]

Selicity Faars + Ajax Cruise

Left alone in the training room, Selicity couldn’t help but groan. Abandoned. Just when she’d planned an entire day of catching up as well. Not that “planned” was the right word exactly. She didn’t have anything specific in mind. She just wanted to get to know the new Illiam. Yet he seemed so secretive. Vague in his wording. Truthfully, Selicity couldn’t tell if she said something wrong or not. The boy who had once so easily broken down doors now slammed them close. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking at all.

The curiosity itched at her.

Who’s expectation weighed him down like that? What did he feel the need to hide from her that closed the door? Why wouldn’t he tell her where he was going?

Before Selicity knew it, her hand was already reaching for the knob, ready to yank it open and find the answers herself when Sweet’s lighthouse in the corner of the room suddenly blared to life. Ajax’s masked face appeared on the screen. “Miss Selicity, if you aren’t busy, could I trouble you to return to our residence?”

Blinking confusedly at the lighthouse, the white haired cat sidhe tilted her head. “What? Why?”

“Miss Gladioli seems to have an unknown guest. It’s just a precaution.”

“Unknown guest?”

Ajax’s image shifted—flipping like and changed channel—to display a walking rabbit eating a carrot instead. “A rather suspicious one at that. I do not know what he’s referring to when he asked if she is ‘Alice’, but he claims to have traveled to many different planets.”

“…planets?”

“Exactly. Planets are as much a legend as stars are. They don’t exist in the tower.”

She did vaguely remember reading something like that in one of the books Ajax forced on her. Though, in her case, she was struggling to remember what a ‘planet’ was. “So he’s a weirdo?”

“That’s not exactly the way I would phrase it, but, in a manner of speaking, yes. His wording makes him sound a little unhinged. That, coupled with the fact that he seems to be a skilled fighter, is a dangerous combination for a guest.”

Selicity looked from the knob to the lighthouse before recalling Illiam’s advice regarding ‘Sugar’ and sighing. Gladioli wasn’t weak by any means, but neither would she classify the other girl as strong. She couldn’t take hits like Illiam. He called the people like him powerful, but that clearly didn’t apply to Gladioli. How powerful were irregulars really? She’d thought him to be strong even more before she’d learned of where he came from. It wasn’t as if some label defined who he was. And, whether he was strong or weak, the desire to protect a friend was still the same. Gladioli was as much a friend to her as Illiam was—and no friend in their right mind would let a friend be approached by a wierdo.

“Got it. I’ll go punch his lights o—,”

“No,” Ajax interrupted. “You’re a scout, Miss Selicity, so please use your head. It’s better not to jump to conclusions before fully understanding the situation. I just want you in a position to intervene if necessary. Unnoticed. Like a shadow. Think you can do that?”

“Of course I can!” Selicity pouted, her dark golden eyes shifting blue to reflect her inner calmness. “Don’t treat me like an idiot.”

Then, without another word, the cat sidhe sunk into the floor, phasing through the solid hardwood and leaving the training room empty.

(mentioned: Rantos simj26 Azure Sky )


Ajax Cruise + Shinyoo Hyek

“Haha, looks like I win our bet after all!” Shinyoo laughed, clapping as Ajax pulled his attention away from his lighthouse. The living ignition weapon hadn’t really been watching the fight, but it was a simple matter to review what his lighthouses recorded. From what he could tell, Nyra seemed a little too…emotional…in her fight. Charging at the enemy herself instead of letting the shinhueh handle it was stupid. She gave Mateo Nameroff the opening. It was only natural that he took it. He’d bet on her because he figured she was a more brains than brawn fighter…though it seemed he was mistaken.

Oh well.

It was simply more data to correct and record. He may have lost a few points betting on her, but he’d make it up if the Princess of Zahard won. “Honestly, thought for second the cat was going to chomp his arm off! Told you I was lucky!”

Cat?

Ajax quickly looked over the footage, this time doing a shinsoo scan and he did indeed find a creature that looked like a cat. “T—,”

"Hey, look it's High Ranker Yume Yu!"

Ajax looked over as paintballs splattered all over the arena. “That’s an…interesting…choice for theatrics.” Was this because a finalist was chosen? Personally, he would’ve gone with fireworks for more pretty flare to look at. Paint didn’t look all that appealing. Honestly, it just looked like a mess.

He listened to the CEO of Selicity’s current favorite drink company’s words, thinking she seemed to put a lot of emphasis on certain ones. It was almost as if she was trying to deliver a hidden message to someone. While he could appreciate her words on an idealistic standpoint, he could tell, if she truly believed in her words, that the two of them wouldn’t really get along. Ajax, after all, appreciate cleverness in a person. Cheap tricks were the weapons of the weaker and denouncing it like that defamed their efforts to climb ahead in the tower. It wasn’t realistic to believe that they could beat someone physically stronger simply by ‘working harder’ rather than ‘working smarter’. Did she intend to get them killed?

Her blind faith in Mateo Nameroff seemed strange as well. Wasn’t she Volk’s sponsor? Certainly, he wouldn’t deny that the wave controller seemed quite talented for an E-rank, but…legend? Really? The cheers of the audience seemed to approve though, so Ajax left it at that. He was about as likely to debate worldly views with Yume Yu as he would with Shinyoo Hyek anyway.

“Ah, the poor cat.”

“I’m sorry?”

“See that splatter of red? It’s blood not paint.”

Ajax looked where Shinyoo pointed. Was the paint used to mask the action? The rule-bending caught? He did think her bit of cheating wouldn't go unnoticed considering she'd revealed the usage of at least two shinueh in the match, but he didn't expect the workshop to be very rule-stringent in the first place given their...propensity...for human experimentation. Knowledge for the greater good seemed more their priority...but that might've been just Miss Ellia. “You’re good at noticing these things, Mr. Shinyoo.”

“Training your ability to sense shinsoo will help with that,” Shinyoo grinned. His hands slipped into his pockets as he stood. “Anyway, since I got what I came here for and I’ve affirmed my superb gambling skills, I’ll be off. Guys like me actually have a lot more to do than you think. I’ll stop by your place before the Workshop battle’s over to pick up the items. Good luck on your team challenge.”

Ajax nodded. “It was nice seeing you again, Mr. Shinyoo.”

“Same, same.” With a lazy wave, the ranker known as the Spear Angler sauntered off.

(mentioned: cojemo OverconfidentMagi Azure Sky )

 

[Rantos]

Yeong-Su Xia
Tags: The One Eyed Bandit Mentioned: Brendanfp
Those not so fond farewells were echoing still in Yeong-Su's head. Whispers that formed into memories, the kind that haunt through the night. Her eyes and voice alike still haunting him. The judgment from Mun he faced in the wake of his past dredged up, it still hurt. Even well into the night, he couldn't escape them. He didn't go into the shared room last night, every time his hand touched the doorknob he could feel his hairs stand. A clenched hand stopped him from entering and from letting go of that door in equal measure. But in the end, he couldn't do it. So he wished a fond farewell to the room and those within it as he walked the halls of the ship all night.

He wasn't sure when the illuminance outside the ship came to match that within, either way, it was an unwelcome sign. With the new dawn came Regulars, and plenty of them. All to flood the halls and make a racket. As the Regulars around Yeong-Su started to rise, so did his anxiety. His sleep-deprived eyes seeing double didn't help either. But it was fine, he stumbled and slid against the walls of the ship, seeking the small pockets of space lacking in people. Though they were far and few between. Not to mention, altogether vanished with the arrival of that girl.

The third in his trio, and the last person he wanted to see, heading towards him at double speed. Maybe, on a normal day, he could face her with stoicism. But today, his eyes shown with fear, his face with panic, and his awkward body shambled forward in an attempt to escape her. A panicked walk that wasn't hard to keep up with was his best method of escape. No matter how many slurs he pointed her way, or tables he tripped to impede her, she was always hot on his trail. Begging for her to stop as he "ran" through the huddled halls.

The poor boy ran, ran as hard as he could till his legs gave out, sending him crashing down. His head bounced off the arm of a couch in a reception area, his body slummed against the furniture. The only thing he could do was move his chest as his lungs inflated, making way for some much-needed air.

"S-Stop! Cease! Scram!" Each command was accompanied by a futile swing of his arm in her direction. "Why must you torment me?!" His cry for an answer was loud but almost drowned out by the sound of the other talking Regulars. Even more so by the plethora of screens within the reception area that were broadcasting the champion battles live, sound in all.

 

[simj26]

SweetThe more she looked at him, the more she lost focus. That fur, that voluminous, white fur looked so enticing, like white, soft snow. It was all she could do to stop her jaw from going slack. She wanted to brush her hand against it, just to feel if it was well taken care of, and if it wasn’t, she was going to give it a good brushing. Her eyes made their way down from his delectable ears down to his teeth as he gnawed on a carrot.

Her focus shifted entirely. Sharp teeth. Signs of a predator rather than prey. No, that wasn’t right. Carnivorous animals sported sharp teeth, for gripping and cutting up meat. She couldn’t make out any molars, so it was highly likely he swallowed his food in chunks. Weird, for someone that looked like a rabbit. Then again, she couldn’t exactly see all of his teeth. There was a chance that there were wider teeth at the back, meant for chewing. Something did puzzle her, however, and she looked almost pensive while the man talked. He was eating a carrot. Those were normally toxic to rabbits, due to their high sugar content. Maybe when fed in small amounts and once in a while, she supposed. Then again, this particular rabbit in front of her was not the average rabbit. His build probably meant that he could eat the same amount of carrots as a human being. That having been said, having no molars to speak of, does he swallow chunks of carrots? Does he just cut them up in his mouth and swallow them whole? She could feel her own throat choke up just thinking about it. Furthermore, if he was a carnivore, his stomach was probably not set up for digesting and utilizing plant material. So engrossed was she in puzzling over this man’s eating habits and dietary functions that, though her eyes were on him, she barely heard anything he said throughout.

Only the question of ‘Are you Alice?’ reached her ears and woke her up from her study.

“I’m,” she breathed in, “not, so sorry to say. My name is Gladioli Arisanthus Sweet, not Alice. You can call me Gladiolus if you like, but everyone just calls me Sweet.” Her facial expression shifted uncomfortably, then her inquisitive mind took over. She took a step forwards and reached her hands up to his face, attempting to touch his white fur. “Hey, if you don’t mind, could you open your mouth again? Do you have any molars-- chewing teeth in there? The flat kind? I thought I saw sharp incisors and canines in there, but I don’t think I saw any flat ones. You look like a rabbit, clearly, but you’ve got a weird mouth. Did you just swallow hard chunks of carrots like that? Are you carnivorous? Omnivorous?” C’mon, just a little brush on his fur! her heart exclaimed as she advanced on him.


Azure Sky

 

[Azure Sky]

Hare in Wonderland- Part 1​

His eyes lit up when she said she was not "Alice" and briefly changed his stance, but upon hearing her presenting herself, he calmed down and returned to his usual relaxed posture. Yet he was confused.

"Was I too cryptic? I know your name is not Alice... I..."

“Hey, if you don’t mind, could you open your mouth again? Do you have any molars-- chewing teeth in there? The flat kind? I thought I saw sharp incisors and canines in there, but I don’t think I saw any flat ones. You look like a rabbit, clearly, but you’ve got a weird mouth. Did you just swallow hard chunks of carrots like that? Are you carnivorous? Omnivorous?”

...

Wierdo.

"Omnivorous. It is believed that my species was initially herbivorous, but the environment taught us to adapt and... evolve." He opened his mouth revealing a combination sharp teeth in the front and some molars in the back. "Don't think too much of the carrots. They are merely a snack that I prefer."

What the hell am I doing? Also, why is she so close?

Hare was perplexed. Was she playing with him? No, she seemed genuinely curious, and for some reason tried to touch him. Why? He felt no animosity coming from her, so what was her reason? Curiosity? About what? Whatever. Hare sighed and just let it happen. Apparently she wanted to touch his... fur?

True wierdo. Am I actually Alice?

Eventually, he asked the question normally. "Are you really not the person who followed me to the gates of this forsaken Tower?"

simj26

 

[The One Eyed Bandit]

"You do know you're not on stage, don't you?" It didn't take much. If the boy had put his mind to it and employed that long, lanky frame of his with move with efficiency and poise, Guinevere would've had little chance of keeping pace. Her limbs, much shorter than his, only allowed her to move with so much speed after all. But instead, he chose to slough about; a network of gangly limbs steered by a clumsy, sleep-deprived pilot bumbling its way through the Archimedes' busy streets.

Honestly, it was kind of funny. She'd always been a fan of slapstick comedy.

"Are we done with the chase scene now?" She spoke cleanly, her breath bereft of the slothful gasps that riddled Yeong-Su's. While her tiny frame didn't allow for her to make for much of a sprinter, it did lend her a bit of a boon when it came to weaving through crowds. "Someone really ought to yell at you, you know? I'm sure Miss Minseo is as worried as she is furious right now, but..." Giving a knowing huff, Guinevere flashed the boy the sort of smile you would a naughty child and took a seat next to him.

"...She's not here right now, and I don't really think that kind of thing fits me." As she babbled on, Guinevere's focus remained fixed on Yeong-Su, neither wandering idly nor distracted by the televised deathmatches that lay on every street corner.

"So what do we call you now? Mister Arie? You've moved across almost that whole alphabet! That's honestly kind of impressive." Babble babble, she droned on and on. "At this point calling you Xai will just feel kind of weird. Sort of like when an online friend tells you their real name, and you've just got to awkwardly dance around it when you're in company."

"I feel like I'm getting off track here." A frown spread across her features, and Guinevere squeezed her eyes shut in thought. Behind shuttered eyelids, they rolled up and took the whole of her head with them, desperately searching for her train of thought. "Ah... Right. So, tell me, why are you running anyway? I mean, I know well enough that you hate me, but shouldn't you be licking Lady Mun's boots right now?" When she spoke, her eyes were still squeezed tight, granting Yeong-Su a brief respite. It was only once her piece had been said that they fluttered back open and cast the boy a sidelong glance.

"Or, what, is it time to find yourself a new girlfriend? I already have commitments, so sorry in advance."

Rantos

 

[OverconfidentMagi]

Yeon Maeum ​

The people sitting in the arena seats let out a surprised cry as a girl dropped out of the sky in their midst. She scanned the back wall to find the closest exit and then shot off like a burning arrow, her feet only momentarily making contact with the tops of peoples' heads as she ran above the crowd. She was thinking about where she was even going when she entered the exit tunnel and immediately smacked her face into something hard. "Ah!" She stumbled back and rubbed her forehead. It had felt like she'd hit a wall with her face.

"Sorry miss, you okay?"

Maeum glared up at the person she'd run into. He was a tall man wearing a gray duster, rather plain-looking aside from the one rather large exception of the strange white helmet covering his entire head. A glowing slit around where his eyes should be stared back at her.

​

"I'm fine..." Maeum slowly answered the man's show of concern. She was more than sturdy enough to handle hitting her face against a person, even if that person's body had felt more like a brick wall. Her face had experience crashing into walls too, so she was rather confident in saying she was unharmed right now. The slight hesitation in her voice wasn't due to being hurt, it was confusion. Maeum was always rushing to and from wherever she needed to be, and despite countless close calls - from others' perspectives - the number of times she'd actually crashed into someone on accident was low enough to count on her feet. How hadn't she noticed this person?

[Cursed Eye]

Maeum brushed her hair aside, but stopped mid-motion. Nothing had changed. She'd already been seeing with her cursed eye from watching the end of the fight. But she couldn't see the person right in front of her. No, she could see him. Smoldering flames burned faintly around his body, but it was the same thing her eye saw around walls and objects, not people. The bright flame of a person was nowhere to be found inside this person. He was hollow inside. Was that right? The more she peered inside, the more she felt she could almost make out something there. Like little tiny sparks of light. He raised a hand towards her, and she was relieved to see a smoldering outline predict the movement, but even that precognition seemed blurry. Her body tensed, her guard up.

"The fights going on here," he spoke in a voice that sounded perfectly normal, if slightly muffled by the helmet he wore. "It looks like I made it before they ended. Could you tell me when Nyra Carciphi's next fight is?"

"Nyra? That anima girl?"

"Yes, that's her. The adorable little anima."

Adorable? What part of that freak show and her monster menagerie was adorable? Already wary of this person, Maeum was tactful enough to not disagree with his taste in regulars. "Sorry to tell you, you just missed her last fight. She lost." She involuntarily took a half-step back as the pressure from the person's gaze increased.

"Lost you say?" He looked past her towards the light of the arena. "I guess I got here later than I'd thought. I didn't expect the final round to happen so quickly. If it was a princess, I suppose she could have gotten overconfident and stumbled. Even then, I doubt the princess would have survived against so many shinheuh. This place should be in chaos if that's how things went." The man spoke over Maeum, working out what had happened for himself and reaching a completely wrong conclusion.

"It wasn't the princess," Maeum found herself correcting him.

The oppressive gaze from that helmet turned back onto her. "Hmm?"

"The anima lost to a wave controller named Mateo something, not even a great family name. Not even a special family name."

"That seems unlikely."

Maeum didn't know what this person wanted her to say, so she kept quiet.

"An irregular? Probably not, that's even less likely than Nyra somehow losing. Those guys are too conspicuous. Sabotage?"

Maeum's mind flashed to how the anima's soul had twisted as soon as the high ranker had appeared. If there was something there, then she really couldn't say anything. She might be from a great family and have some amount of confidence in herself, but getting on the bad side of a high ranker wasn't something any sane regular would ever risk.

"Hmm... Do you know where I might find Nyra now?"

"She should be back in her waiting room, or at least somewhere nearby. That's a left down the next hall and one level down. I think there's a sign." Maeum honestly doubted the girl was in any state to wander off with how her fight had ended, but she really didn't want this person coming back and accusing her of misleading them. She really didn't want to interact with this suspicious person any longer than it took for him to let her leave.

The man looked in the direction she'd indicated. "I see. Well whatever. Thanks for stopping to answer my questions. Try to keep an eye on where you're running in the future."

Maeum watched the man closely even as he turned to walk off in the direction she'd told him, and that was what saved her life. She saw those strange tiny points of light inside his unnatural hollow body suddenly grew brighter in a wave up from the guy's feet. She was already jumping backwards by the time her cursed eye could see where he'd move.

A long white needle coming from near the man's wrist was where Maeum's head had been a millisecond before. The floor of the hallway was melted from how fast she'd retreated. Strange glowing tendrils from tiny openings all around his hand and arm had also emerged to attack where she'd been. Whatever that was, Maeum's eye could see it clearly. It was definitely alive. Where had it come from? Maeum's heart was racing. She'd barely avoided an instant death.

The man clenched and unclenched his fingers once the needle and glowing things retracted. "Sorry about that. Seems like something's happened. Don't have time to really explain, so here." Maeum jumped back to avoid the thing this dangerous person tossed at her. A metal ball with a flat metal star piece sticking out of it slammed into the floor and rolled towards her. "A little bribe to keep whatever you're thinking now to yourself. Later." He turned and walked off in the opposite direction from what Maeum had said.

She took a step back and fell against the wall. What was she thinking now? That it was probably a good idea to not pick up things dropped by such a shady person and that she should go away from wherever he was headed.

 

[Brendanfp]

Mun Minseo & Quetzal Blitz

Minseo sat slumped in her stadium seat. A large frown hung from her face and her fingers gingerly massaged her temples. She tried to tune out Quetzal as he continued his story.

“...can you believe that?! On her third day as my pupil, the Lil rascal thinks she can challenge me to a one on one duel and actually come out on top! Ahahaha, my goodness that child has always been fueled by some inhumane drive to succeed against all odds, but get this I take it easy on the brat and she winds up busting my lip! Had to put her in her place after that one Ahaha! I know you won’t believe it but the fourth day was even wilder! So there I am preparing the sparring room when...”

The frowning freckled regular had stopped listening to a while ago, but the ranker continued talking on and on for what seemed like an eternity. Her only lingering hope was that the next match would start soon, cutting Quetzal off for his detailed past with his star student Haewon. However, with no end in sight, and her patience wearing so incredibly thin, she feared that direct confrontation would be the only option.

And here she thought her day couldn’t possibly get any worse...

--- Earlier that Day ---

Minseo for the first time in a long time woke up in the middle of the day. She'd been kept awake for hours last night by frivolous thoughts surrounding her pale-haired partner and his recently revealed heritage. Needless to say but she had woken up just as irritated as when she’d gone to rest, and now on top of all that, she had missed the opportunity to bet on several Champion matches as the games had already begun. Minseo briefly considered just canceling her plans for the day and staying indoors, however, the idea of leaving any money on the table pained her greatly. Hastily she freshened up before blitzing out the door in an attempt to catch what few matches remained.

The freckled regular arrived at the arena right in the middle of the semi-finals. The first battle had just concluded and from what Minseo could tell from the various screens posted around the arena, they were celebrating a young man’s victory in a very colorful way. Minseo entered the seating area with little confidence that she would be able to find herself a seat with the second match of the semi-finals starting so soon. It was then when her luck turned for the better, or so she thought. Right in the front row, there was a sizable vacancy centered on a single rather well dressed regular. A few reasons for this gap in the seating crossed her mind… perhaps he had the seats reserved… was violently aggressive… or maybe just possibly smelled awful. Regardless of the reason for the empty seats Minseo wasn’t just going to ignore this opportunity.

She quickly sent a message via her pocket to Naseon, Sorri, and Guinevere alerting them to her location and where she would be sitting.

Minseo casually made her way up to the front row and took a seat right next to the man. Getting a better look now, the man appeared up in years, though age was irrelevant in the tower. He was fairly handsome and sported crimson dress pants and blazer which also complemented his red spiked hair. The man cast a curious glance over at Minseo as she sat down. She avoided reciprocating his gaze but after several awkward seconds of the unwanted attention she finally gave in. She slowly turned her head towards the stranger and met his gaze with a lazy glance and frown.

“You want something sir?” she asked dryly now facing him but still avoiding direct eye contact.

A moment of silence passed as the man’s lips curled upward into a slight smile. He let out a short chuckle, “Heh, I like you kid. You got a lot of guts for a regular. Here I thought you guys were just too weak to endure my presence.”

Minseo suddenly raised an eyebrow, “So you’re a ranker? Why aren’t you sitting up in the fancy seats with all the other rankers?” she inquired skeptically.

“HIGH ranker,” he quickly corrected, “and if I were up there in the snazzy private rooms my dearest student wouldn’t be able to hear my cheers now would she?”

Minseo's interest was piqued even further. Was she really sitting next to a high ranker? She didn’t feel particularly intimidated by him. He had also said something about having a student that he was cheering for. The regular took a second to think and the gears in her head began to turn. She thought back to the announcement Quiz had made the previous day about all the notable regulars who were taking place in the Champion game. That paired with the man’s distinct fiery red hair. Things began to click into place.

“You’re talking about the Princess? Haewon?” Minseo mused, now more interested in the ranker’s relation to the supposed strongest E-rank regular.

The ranker’s eyes lit up as Minseo mentioned his beloved student’s name, “Ah you’ve heard of her! HA what am I saying, of course, you’ve heard of her. I bet you low ranking regular’s worship her like some sort of god,” he spoke even more enthusiastically now as he laid his arm behind the regular, resting it atop her seat. Minseo tensed up, uncomfortable with how the ranker was invading her personal space, yet he continued leaning his face even closer as he got more excited, “and of course you would have heard of her dashing mentor, Quetzal Blitz! Hey, That’s me! Ahahaha!” Quetzal laughed heartily.

Minseo had never heard of the man, she was however uncomfortable with him invading her personal space, “Hey… you’re getting a bit--” she started.

“You know Lil’ HaeHae wasn’t always this badass! Ha, when I first laid eyes on that runt she was nothing but a troublemaker, but hey kid always had spunk,” Quetzal interrupted without even realizing, “...you kinda remind me of her in that regard though not nearly as impressive or attractive, but hey that’s not your fault right? Ahahah!”

The man would continue to drone on about the Princess for several minutes without so much as a pause, and the conversation soon turned very one-sided. Minseo tried to endure the ranker's incessant non-stop verbal diarrhea, but he quickly wore away at her already small reserve of patience.

--- Back to Present ---

Minseo felt the last straw break as Quetzal reached day four in his story, “For the love of Zahard! Please! Stop! Talking!” she shouted abruptly, throwing both hands into the air, “And back up! There’s a reason no one wants to sit next to you, and it's not because you’re a fancy pants ranker!” she snapped.

… a second of silence past…

Quetzal withdrew back into his seat, hands crossed over his lap.

Regulars from the surrounding seats glared at the two momentarily. The air was tense for a moment. The spiky-haired ranker wore a look of surprise. Minseo wondered if he was upset that a regular dared speak to him in such a manner. Fear welled up in her chest. She figured it would be best to apologize before he reduced her to a bloody stain.

“Look, I’m sorry” she sighed, “I’ve been having a really bad day, and--”

Quetzal frowned, “Never apologize for saying what’s on your mind! That’s the kind of guts I like to see in this new generation of low ranking shrimps… Ahahah I mean regulars!”

Minseo, who had been avoidantly staring at the ground, now looked up at the ranker. His eyes squinted for a moment and he fingered his chin as if he were in deep thought. He looked her up and down before seemingly coming to a conclusion.

“You said you were having a bad day. If you don’t mind me asking… is this about a boy?” he mused.

Minseo's eyes widened for a moment before she attempted to subtly avert her gaze. Internally she felt overwhelming panic. How could he have discerned such a thing?

“No, of course not. How ridiculous that you would even ask.” Minseo denied.

Quetzal’s eyes narrowed and a sly grin crossed his face, “Ohohoho, you can’t lie to me girl, romance is my true calling in this tower,” the ranker cooed.

“W-What are you on about? You don’t know anything. Don’t worry about my personal affairs you weirdo!” she blurted. Minseo wasn’t used to being so flustered. It felt unnatural, but Quetzal only seemed to grow bolder as she grew more unstable.

“That’s fair…” he offered, “Then… perhaps a wager? Who do you think will win in this bout between Mena and Haewon?”

Minseo took a moment to process the question. She thought back on the time she had gotten a chance to observe the Princess interacting with Yeong-Su. “Mena will win the fight,” Minseo stated with confidence.

Quetzal immediately let out a roar of laughter, “AHAHA, and tell me, girl! How did you come to that conclusion?!”

Minseo couldn’t help but feel irked as the ranker laughed but she took a breath and remained composed, “Mena will win, because in the limited time that I’ve seen Princess Haewon in action, she has always acted with rash indifference for her own safety, and as strong as she is, this trait alone will inevitably lead to her demise.”

Quetzal stopped laughing for a moment as the regular responded. His face softened a bit and then his smile returned, “Silly girl… you don’t know anything about Haewon. That girl is simply indomitable… So here’s my wager. If Haewon wins this match, as she surely will, you’ll tell me all about this special boy who’s causing you all this distress.”

Minseo looked immediately displeased, “I already told you there’s no boy, and why are you so interested in my life anyhow?”

Quetzal just continued smiling, “You know what kid, I've taken a liking to you. I wanna offer my expert romantic advice! And hey, I’m a sucker for some good gossip.”

Minseo rolled her eyes, “And if I win?”

At that moment Quetzal revealed his pocket. On it, a monetary figure was displayed. Minseo could barely stop herself from gawking at the ridiculous amount of points he revealed.

“I was planning on betting this much on my dearest HaeHae anyhow. Will this suffice as my end of the wager?” he said almost mockingly. Quetzal already knew the offer was far too good for any regular to resist.

Minseo didn’t need long to think, the words were already coming out of her mouth, “Fine… it's a deal,” she agreed as she extended her hand.

“So there is a boy?” Quetzal quickly inquired.

The freckled regular rolled her eyes once more, “Yes yes you were right…”

“Ahahahaha I knew it! I’ve still got it!” Quetzal exclaimed as he took her hand in his, “It’s a deal!”

----

Mentioned: Rantos The One Eyed Bandit OverconfidentMagi

 

[Brendanfp]

Haewon vs Mena
a collab with Azure Sky ​

"You have waited a long while for this. Considered the two strongest E-rank Regulars, Haewon Zahard and Ha Mena Arie will soon being their battle!" Quiz was enthusiastic. This battle would surely help with his research a great deal.

Loud cheers could be heard throughout the arena.

Yet, Mena was not as enthusiastic as she wanted to. She was about to fight the woman who was chosen as a Zahard Princess instead of her. The battle with Volk proved her worth, but the Mad Dog was a very powerful opponent that caused her quite the damage. Thus Haewon was at a disadvantage from the beginning. It was unfortunate.

"I will still give it my all." Mena sighed as she looked at the Ignition Weapon she took out from her inventory. Wounded or not, she would not underestimate Haewon Zahard.

Meanwhile... Haewon stood in her waiting room brimming with anticipation for her fight with Mena. She could feel her wounds throbbing beneath her bandages like the steady beat of a drum. Soreness was radiating through every muscle. It was as if her body was playing one big symphony of pain. The Princess, however, didn't mind the music. If anything she reveled in it, The music made her feel alive. She lived for the chance to battle any regular who knew the tune. Soon Mena too would have to face the music.

The Princess stood ready as a familiar tingling sensation overcame her body.

"This is gonna be so fun!" Haewon gushed with a clenched fist.

"The participants will now be teleported."

The Princess blinked. Her surrounding has shifted, and she was now in the familiar arena. Mena appearing only a moment later. Haewon couldn't help it as a massive toothy grin stretched across her face. The air around her crackled as wisps of flames erupted from her skin.

"Good." Mena smiled, as she unsheathed both her C-rank Katana and her Ignition Weapon Hwasan (D-rank, C-rank when ignited). "A fiery spirit comes a long way. Tehe."

"Try not to get burned," Haewon responded with a smirk.

"BEGIN!"

[Deva] plus [Mena Style: Autumn Leaves]

Mena's swords pulsated with crimson shinsoo as she moved them quickly, again appearing to have six arms. The swords unleashed a barrage of red slashes at Haewon, but she didn't stop there.

[Mena Style: Dawn]

The same as she used in the fight against Bourbon, a wave of crimson Shinsoo after a one-handed overhead swing. But she was still not done...

Ignite!

After all those sword swings, she ignited Hwasan. The sword's edge already was incandescent before but erupted like lava after she ordered it to unleash its power. The hot, molten Shinsoo formed a mini tsunami-like wave, ready to swallow Haewon if she managed to bypass her other attacks.

"Pulling out all your stops for little ol' me? I'm flattered!" Haewon teased as she engulfed herself in a brilliant pillar of flames that stretched all the way up to the Archimedes artificial skyline. Through the fire, only a dark silhouette of the Princess could be seen.

"Yes that should be enough!" she exclaimed. She stretched her arms outward in either direction and then inhaled deeply, preparing to absorb all the flame.

[Quinn-Style: Infernal Technique]

Haewon's hair flew around wildly. Her eyes and hair began to glow faintly as they became infused with the surrounding flames. Within seconds the Princess consumed the massive flaming pillar and internalized all its Shinsoo within. As the pillar faded away, it left Haewon standing in its place. The ground around her was scorched black, but her skin pulsed with a reddish glow. She possessed an aura of heat around her body as if she was a living embodiment of fire itself.

As the initial slashes of Mena closed in, Haewon quickly called her pipe withdrew Naga. The Princess didn't waste a single second and began to spin her spear unraveling the chains within and forming a protective semi-sphere around herself.

[Quetzal-Style Spear Skill: Hellfire Dance]

Mena's slashes clashed against her chains but failed to reach her. She ceased her defense as the final slash was deflected, the parts of her spear rejoining and becoming one. Haewon began to dash forward towards the opposing wave of crimson Shinsoo. She was going to meet it head-on. The Princess moved with explosive speed as she propelled herself forward with a blast of fire from soles. With each blast, her pain intensified as did her battle lust. Gripping her spear firmly the firey Princess extended her flaming aura onto Naga. She pulled her spear forward with great might before unleashing a slash infused with her burning Shinsoo and unleashed a wave of flames.

[Quinn-Style Spear Skill: Flame Tongue]

The massive wall of fire surged forward clashing against Mena's own wave and canceling it out with explosive force. Haewon's eyes were wild as she overcame another one of Mena's attack, yet one more remained. A flowing river of lava that looked as if it would consume all that stood in its way. It was no wonder that Mena was so highly regarded. Any other average E-rank regular would be helpless to fight against the might of this monster, but not Haewon.

The Princess kicked off the ground with such strength that a massive portion of the concrete behind her pulverized instantly as she launched herself into a spin. Haewon winced as something in her left leg cracked audibly. It looked like the strength of her internal Shinsoo had grown too much for her body. Quinn had warned her of the repercussions of over-using the [Infernal Technique]. This wouldn't stop Haewon though.

[Quetzal-Style Spear Skill: Flame Wheel]

The red-headed regular sent herself spinning through the air engulfed in flame with her spear in hand. She flew straight into the wave of lava cutting the Shinsoo with her spear as she advanced. The heat and density of the shinsoo around her overcame her own. Her bandages burned away and her flesh was scorched. If not for her durable body and affinity for flames she would have died within the lava, but just as Quinn had taught her, the strong always find a way to survive.

Haewon emerged from the deathly wave of lava at the end of her spin. Her eyes locked on to Mena, and she mustered up her strength to raise Naga high above her head and with the strength of a Princess brought it down upon her opponent.

Mena's smile grew wider and wider each time the Princess bypassed each attack and grew closer. Her initial surge in fiery power also came as a pleasant surprise. It was great. This fight would be better than she thought.

"I love you." She was on cloud nine.

[Mena Style: Double Fake Out]

Mena looked like she'd perform an X-shaped slash with her blades, but they suddenly disappeared, like with Bourbon, only for both to appear from the ground for an upward slash, but they disappeared again, only to appear as a double sword thrust towards Haewon's shoulders. But it didn't stop there. Mena's swords where an extension of herself, the blood of an Arie and of a Ha, as well as the teachings of...

[Revised Ha Yuri Shinsoo Hadoken: Double Red Velvet Sword]

Shinsoo was charged at the tips of her blades, forming two small orbs, from which two great crimson blasts were set loose.

Haewon's eyes moved violently as she tried to track Mena's movements but they were advanced and possessed a level of finesse that Haewon had never seen in a regular. It was otherwordly. However, while the Princess couldn't rely on her perception, her intuition never failed her. The first two attacks lacked any blood lust from Mena. Two feints, but the third attack was different. The double trust carried Mena's pride and spirit behind it.

"Shit" Haewon cursed.

Her left leg was surely broken. She wouldn't be able to land in this condition. This left the fiery red-head with a single option. She would have to use her trump card. Though... how long would it last? One minute? Thirty seconds? No surely less. Haewon would have to finish the fight, before she ran out of Shinsoo.

As she fell to the ground with her spear in hand, the Princess gathered the last of her Shinsoo and let it take a shape that felt the most natural.

[Haewon-Style Shinsoo Skill: Valkyrie]

From her back, a massive pair of flaming wings exploded from Haewon's back. The wings were like that of a bird, each feather an amalgam of fire Shinsoo. Their wings thrust the Princess with massive power. In an instant the red-head vanished from Mena's view, appearing directly behind her.

"Where are you aiming?" Haewon huffed mockingly through her own exhaustion.

The Princess speedily drove her flaming Naga towards Mena's shoulder.

As her opponent seemingly vanished from sight, Mena was engulfed by pain, the moment a fiery spear pierced her skin, then tore through her muscles. Luckily, no bones were shattered. The pain, unlike anything she felt before, also brought her a weird sense of joy.

"Gaaah!" As she shouted, she let go of her C-rank blade to distract from the other one which she rotated backward, to stab Haewon, and at the same time...

Ignite!

A powerful release of molten Shinsoo.

Haewon felt her focus laser in on the falling blade as Mena released her grasped on it. In the same instant searing pain from the side of her abdomen. She howled in pain and spat up blood as the molten blade made its way deeper into her body. Her wings fluttered forwards thrusting her backward away from Mena. The second wave of pain came as the blade slid out of her body.

After maneuvering back several meters, Haewon came to a stop. The dual wings keeper her afloat with torrerts of flame like a jet engine. Her left leg hung below her, unmoving. Only seconds remained until Valkyrie consumed her remaining Shinsoo.

"Mena... you aren't going all out? Are you? I can feel it..."

Haewon's grip around Naga tightened. Her vision was blurred. Her breath was shallow. The music was louder than ever. The Princess had never pushed herself this far before, on top of numerous injuries. Each of them had scored one clean hit on the other but Haewon knew she was in far worse condition from tanking numerous attacks not only from Mena but also Volk.

"What I am not good enough for you?!"

For the very first time in Haewon's entire life, she thought... I might lose this fight.

Then Ellia's words echoed in her head.

“It’s good to be competitive, Princess, but please keep the main goal of climbing the tower in mind. Even if it is highly unlikely, should you find yourself against an opponent you can’t beat, whose strength or level outmatches your own, it’s better to stay outside the Arena. Don’t force yourself too hard."

The Princess shook her head violently, trying to dispel her partner's advice. Haewon wasn't a quitter and she wasn't going to lose.

"Mena stop fucking around and give me everything you've got! In return, I'll show you why I'm number one."

Without another word, both of Haewon's wings flared up even more than before sending her flying forward with explosive power. She leveled her spear in front of her and raced forwards towards Mena. She would end the fight here and now.

"Number one? Who cares about that? Words on their own are cheap, you know?" Mena was surprised at Haewon's taunts, but they weren't enough to dash out an emotional response.

"I always give it my all..." Ok, maybe it did affect her to a degree. She took a few steps back at blinding speed as Haewon approached, and sheathed her blade, placing the sword upright. The moment the Zahard Princess would come in range...

Haewon felt time slow as she accelerated more violently than ever before. This attack would surely be the end for her opponent, so why did Mena stand so still. She bore no fear on her face... as if she truly believed she would win this bout. Haewon questioned why she was having such thoughts. Just end it. Victory is seconds away. Have no fear... but the Princess was scared.

In the final moment of her advance, Haewon heard Mena mumble something.

[Whisper] plus...

Ignite!

In her mind's eye, Haewon was once again faced with an image of a smiling Ellia, and it that moment it became clear what had to be done.

With all her might the Princess raised both hands releasing explosive flames directly in front of her, rapidly slowing her advance until she came to a jarring halt at the edge of Mena's range.

An inhumanly fast unsheathing of the sword, followed by an even faster sword slash combined with a molten ignition. She then resheathed her katana.

The Princess held her breathe as the blade parted the hair hanging in front of her face. She exhaled. Her endurance was exhausted, her Shinsoo was depleted, and her spirit... for the first time ever... was crushed. Haewon's wings of flame disappeared and she fell down to the ground on hands and knees. Tears rolled down her face and down onto the concrete.

"I... I forfeit... you win," she whimpered through sobs. Haewon couldn't even look her opponent in the eyes as she announced her defeat.

Mena blinked a couple of in surprise, then sighed. "You know, you're strong. But if I were given the Zahard blood instead... I would have been stronger." Mena said, coldly.

Winner: Ha Mena Arie

A part of the crowd cheered furiously for the winner and the match in general, while another booed the loser because of their monetary loss from the failed bet.

"QUIT YOUR YAPPING, YOU SORE LOSERS!" Mena's powerful voice echoed throughout the arena. Her fury being directed at those that shunned Haewon, staring at them with a scary look in her eyes. It did make an impression.

Before being teleported away, she had one more thing to add. "Knowing when to call quits is a sign of strength as well... Rejoice! You fought well. Let's duel again some other time." And with that, light engulfed her body as she disappeared from the arena.

Shortly thereafter, Haewon, beaten both physically and mentally finally gave in to the music and lost consciousness before she too disappeared into a pillar of light.

---

QuirkyAngel

 

[simj26]

This time, she heard his words, rather than be lost in her own ponderings. Evolution, huh? Originally herbivorous? Interesting. That means he wasn’t just a rabbit, but rather a humanoid species that came from rabbits. Thank goodness she had never hunted hares, then. She could cash in on that good karma with him. Or maybe it was rude to assume that both species were of the same kind? A monkey was not a man, after all. Has evolution really reached so far ahead that she had to ponder on these moral quandaries, she wondered as she brushed her hands across his fur. It was as she assumed it would be. Soft and plush, smooth to the touch as she ran her hands over it. This man took much care of his own personal well-being, and that was a hallmark of someone who knew where their priorities lay. Or something like that. Someone who knew how to keep himself looking and feeling fresh couldn’t possibly be a terrible person, could he? Having sated her curiosity, she stepped back, pleased with her findings.

It was only about then that she realised that she had, probably, possibly, and maybe, committed a sin against personal space itself. “I’m so sorry! I just couldn’t help myself! It was just that your fur looked so soft, and you look so goshdarn handsome that I just wanted to find out if--”

"Are you really not the person who followed me to the gates of this forsaken Tower?" he interrupted her rambling apology, if one could even call it that.

“Huh?” Sweet blinked. Followed…? “I’m sorry, wh-- oh!” The words that he had said finally reached her memories. She stepped backwards. Out of fear? No. Out of shock, perhaps. She didn’t think anyone had even noticed a speck of dust like her entering the Tower, much less the person that she hitchhiked her way in with. She desperately dug around her mind for the words to say. What kind of response should she even return his appearance with? “It’s you.” She finally said. What the heck was that? Was that all she had to say? Darn it, Sweet, apologise! she chided herself.

Her skill at bowing was unparalleled, it would seem to her. She had only been doing that since the day she arrived here, and it wasn’t going to change any time soon. Masterfully, she bowed down, a perfect one, from the hips upwards. “I’m sorry! It was an accident! If I could, I’d never have come in here in the first place! Please understand!”

Azure Sky

 

[cojemo]

Mateo Nemeroff

"And the winner is: Ha Mena A-"

"FUCK!" A loud crash halted the broadcast, the screen shattering and becoming distorted as a remote control was now imbedded deep inside of it. Mateo quickly stood up and began to pace back and forth, hand over his mouth. He closed his eyes momentarily as he tried to steady his breathing, nothing but the sounds of static from the fragmented television to interrupt him, but no matter how hard he tried the images of what he just witnessed would not leave his mind. All that focus, all that planning and analyzing he'd done up to this point...his teeth clenched simultaneously with his fists. "That fucking..." Mumbling under his breath, there were a few brief moments of silence before his eyes shot open in rage and he screamed once again, bending down to flip the nearby coffee table into the wall. The furnishing broke under the force of his anger, a large crack forming down the center as one of it's legs separated itself from the whole. Mateo stared at the damage he'd caused, nostrils flaring as his nails dug deep into his palms, until eventually he forcefully seated himself back down onto the couch, hands on his forehead as he stared at his feet.

"What do I do? What the fuck do I do?"

His whole body shook as he looked into the abyss that was his future. In his mind he still thought the princess was the stronger of the two girls who'd fought, but at least he'd anticipated her. He was screwed against either of them in a straight up fight, but he was so sure Haewon was going to win he put all of his focus on planning around her and barely paid any mind to the mixed blood. He cringed as his skull still throbbed from the concussion he'd received earlier, only serving to up his frustrations even more. He could barely tell if he had two feet or four with how his vision refused to stay focused, and considering how high his blood pressure was at the moment that wasn't likely to fix itself anytime soon.

"That Zahard girl...why'd she have to go and be a fucking no talent brat? I'm dead. I'm so fucking dead. I just can't-"

A dull pain on the right side of his forehead caused him to wince slightly, pulling his thoughts away from his impending doom for a moment. Confused, he brought down his hand covered in dry blood. "Oh right, that." Mateo's eyes were seemingly drawn to one of the remnants of his weakness that had stained his face and now his hand. Looking for what felt like minutes to him, the boy brought his thumb up to the wound and roughly rubbed against it, re-opening it slightly and letting the blood flow once again. Slowly he rubbed it between his fingers, feeling its warmth. Closing his eyes gently, he took in a deep breath and relaxed his body.

Mateo chuckled. "There's always a chance. I'm not going down without a fucking fight."

 

[Azure Sky]

Von Hare- "We Are Both Alice, It Seems"

Eh?

The rabbit man was confused. The girl just bowed out of nowhere and apologized for something. Von Hare had no idea what it was. Was it because she followed him merely out of... curiosity? Even if she did, it was not something she needed to apologize to Von Hare for. Did she think she think she displeased him? She was quite a polite person too. Von Hare almost felt bad.

"Well-mannered. A good defensive mechanism." He thought. Such a rare skill in this Tower. Little gestures with great impact. "There's no need to bow or apologize. I was just curious as to why you followed me. In a way, it is also my fault. I am too attractive for my own good. Sometimes it's a curse." He chuckled. "Ahem. Jokes aside, you made it pretty far, so I am quite impressed." He smiled. "Also, from what you just told me... You want to get out of here, don't you?"

"Ultimately, I wish for that as well." He wasn't telling a lie, but there was more to it than he conveyed.

simj26

 

[The One Eyed Bandit]

collab with Azure Sky and simj26

For the longest time, Haewon, or at least his hood, seemed to contemplate the presence of his pancakes on his plate. The command of his knife was smooth, not unlike the whipped butter that he was now spreading across the syrup-coated fluffy surface of the pancakes, covering every inch of his breakfast very carefully. Without looking up from his food, Haewon directed his words to his companions that sat with him at the table. "You know, I really like pancakes. Especially ones that are made with proper ingredients and method. Along with high-quality syrup and butter, nothing can compare to such a simple meal to start the day."

"Whatever you say." Opposite Haewon, Areum gulped down a bite of her own meal. Fruit salad, as was her predilection. "Nothing like a tower of sugar and carbohydrates to start off a day, right?"

Not that she cared much about the dietary failings of a man she'd known no longer than a day.

"So, what do you want?" Setting her utensils aside, Areum addressed her hooded protégé. Her gaze bored into the darkness of his cowl, locking with a pair of imaginary, downcast eyes.

"You obviously have something in mind if you're inviting us out like this." Or at least, he definitely seemed like the scheming type. Nobody wore that much black without a few dozen fledging plans knocking about in their head. "Don't you think, Yeon?"

Bulsajo was eating quietly and was focused on the task, lost in his thoughts, as usual, so he flinched slightly when Areum addressed him and looked up.

"You give me too much credit." Satisfied with his preparation, he began to meticulously attack his pancakes, jabbing his fork into one corner and drawing his knife across. He held up the severed piece, observing its thick, viscous dressing dripping lazily back onto the plate. "I simply wanted to relax for the day." With that, the piece of pancake held on his fork disappeared into the void under his hood, and he got to resuming his assault on the rest.

"I-it's not m-much of a plan, but..." Jo took a deep breath. "I believe we can win the ultimate defence prize. T-the condition is to be as u-unharmed as p-possible by the end of the battle." He stopped his speech there. They already knew he could heal people, so he thought it would be redundant to say it.

"Now, you see, we don't know that. We don't know anything about what this battle is going to feature. We could win any number of prizes, or none of then at all." Haewon's tone was indifferent as he finished off his first pancake. "Let's talk about something else instead." He took another dollop of butter and began to repeat the meticulous spreading of it across his next morsel. "Humor my curiosity- how is it like living under the yoke of a Family name? That announcement yesterday did pique my interest-- everywhere you go, your name continues to hound you. Zahard, Khun, Ha, Arie, Yeon, Eurasia..." He paused, and observed his handiwork for a moment, then continued, "A lesser man like I couldn't live under such heavy expectations. How do you do it?"

"Why do you care?" Areum's voice rung with a defensive bite. "Look, buddy, we might be working together for this tournament, but we aren't pals. Don't go sticking your nose where it doesn't belong." Glaring a hole into Haewon's void, Areum sought to make her point clear. She was working with the guy to win a prize, not participate in a third rate psychology session. Haewon himself didn't seem too bothered, offering an understanding nod and a non-committal shrug.

"And frankly, I'm more interested in Yeon's idea over there anyway. I'm confident I can handle the brunt of whatever they throw at us, but another question stands: How do we even plan to beat the thing? I don't have much in the way of firepower myself, and neither of you two exactly ring of heavy ordinance."

"I am at a disadvantage against organic b-beings, but not against machines." Bulsajo replied. "My flames act as usual ones around them. I just need to be close. U-unfortunately I have limited range." He looked downwards at his pancakes lost in thought. Usual was an understatement. They were hotter than that when it came to contact with objects.

"You wound me," Haewon said, not sounding wounded at all, as he downed his glass of orange juice.

"I- I am sorry I din't mean to..." Jo wanted to apologize, thinking that he insulted Haewon, but given the tone of voice, he was probably jesting. Bulsajo's voice trailled off into a mumble.

"Let me worry about putting dents in our foe. We have yet to see it- perhaps heavy firepower need not be deployed at all."

"T-that is true. I got ahead of myself..." he was feeling embarrassed.

"Better to have it and not need it than the other way around." Areum leaned back in her chair, a frown still lightly lingering on her features. The Yeon was straightforward enough, but Haewon was bothering her, with his air of non-commitence.

"So, I'll leave it to you boys. I'm at least confident enough in my abilities to be able to take some collateral damage, so go wild."

"T-thank you for the vote of confidence." His eyes lit up. He was happy to have a team that did not try to use him like a tool. Maybe his life could change for the better.

"Hm hm! That's all I would ask of both of you!" Haewon sat up straight, drawing himself to his full height, as much as he could while sitting down at any rate, an air of confidence exuding from his being. "Don't you worry, Eurasia, I've prepared years for such an occasion! Now, eat more, and worry less! We've much time today, and little to see. Let us enjoy these hours!" He took another pause, then lowered himself down, resting his arms on the table. "Unless, of course, you'd rather train and prepare for tomorrow?"

Areum watched Haewon's display through a pair of upturned eyes, and cocked a brow in response. What a handful of a man.

"And what, listen to you prattle on about how we should be bathing by the poolside instead of practising, or whatever your obsession of the moment is?" She spoke with a sigh, her voice ringing with the low tones of resignation. "I'd rather spare myself the headache. So, pray tell, how exactly do you mean to waste our time instead? It's not like there's much to do on this floating tub."

For a second, Haewon looked, or at least seemed to be, taken aback, shifting backwards slightly in his seat. Another pause in the conversation, then he gave a low, mirthful chuckle. "No, no, you're right, there isn't at all." He moved to rub his non-existent chin. "But bathing by the poolside does seem a tempting idea. Think of all the ladies..." he trailed off, lost in his imagination for just a moment, before he shook himself out of it. "Any suggestions from that corner of the ring, Yeon?" He turned to the young man.

"I..." Jo was thinking. "Th-there is the arcade." he took another pause, unsure of himself. "I-it m-may be a waste of time, but we have a chance of winning some useful items i-if we are lucky. M-maybe." He felt like he was not giving any particularly interesting information. "S-sorry, I cannot t-think of anything better..." He looked downwards.

"Honestly, I forgot that was even an option." If she were of a better temperament, Areum would've laughed at herself. In all the dramatics of the past day, she'd totally forgotten about the Workshop Battle's minor events. "Yeah, sure, lead the way. I guess there are worse ways to spend the day."

 

[Rantos]

Yeong-Su Xia
Tags: The One Eyed Bandit
"I find that hard to believe." For a while, that was Yeong-Su's only response. To which statement out of the perfectly tortious plethora he was replying to, Guinevere would be left to her own devices to find out. If one thing was certain, his response lacked the tremor that perforated every word before now. His voice ceased to waver between the dueling emotions, fear, and annoyance. Now his low tone steeped in somber flavors. Slowly rising, he joined Guinevere on the couch. He made it a point to sit as far from her as possible, facing his back towards her in an attempt to hide his hands as they trembled. Though he tried his best to hold them firm it was all in vain. After all, he could hide his trembling hands behind his body, but what would hide his body as it did the same still.

It was after a deep breath, a moment of silence, that he finally talked. "I am, Xia. Yeong-Su Xia." To speak of his other name, to think of it even, brought his body to panic. "I'm Yeong-Su Xia, that's all. I've never been an-" Could the word cross his tongue? "Anything else. But you think otherwise. Mun does too." He speaks her name, pained.

"I didn't lie, I swear. She couldn't be mad at me for lying. Or leave me behind." And that was the issue. Haven't spent so long following her, that was the one change that rattled the bones more than any freezing wind. Even now, instinct cried to look for her, follow her again. But what would happened when the two met face to face, he didn't wish to find out. At least separate as they are now he could pretend that he was still her welcomed partner. And that uncertainty felt nice compared to an undesirable alternative.

"That family doesn't need me. I don't need it." He was muttering, speaking loud enough for Guinevere to hear though he wasn't speaking to her directly. "What I need, is Mun. I need to be Xia." His dependency was no secret, not to him nor to others but in a state of panic, he gave words to a thought that dragged his feet forward.

Illiam Herlaa
Tags: Azure Sky
Mentions: QuirkyAngel The One Eyed Bandit
It was with a calm disposition and lucid eyes that Illiam watched the clouds pass on the deck of the Archimedes. Odd. It was only a little while ago he was ready to break his body against this ship, cursing his weakness and the world around him. Driven to rage, at the thought of Selicity. Her words: caring. Her expression: soft. Her role: savor. Everything she was, it was all blessed to the point of giving Illiam conniptions. The worst of it all was when he encountered Selicity. A moment of weakness flipped the script, and so Illiam's expectations of their reunion were burned to ash. With the roles reversed, and an actor called off stage, never to be seen after the opening act.

For a while, he hated it. In an attempt to keep his hands busy he swished and swiped through pages on his pocket. Better they were busy doing that than breaking something expensive as he walked the halls. And it was then, running through his message log with Hex, that the bastard's words rang through his head. "Just try meditation, dude."

He wasn't sure why now of all times he decided to listen to Hex. Though the advice reached him rather late. Now, laying on the deck, his thoughts wandered and drifted like the clouds. As he watched them pass, he gave every cloud a piece of his mind.

"I hate being helpless in her eyes. Of all the people to see me as helpless, it was my pet." But the reality was, at that moment he was. Brought so close to tears by the news of Seefi's passing. Then in her arms, he let them fall. That was the reality of the situation. The cloud drifted too far to hear Illiam anymore, so he moved to talking to the next.

"Who do I blame for her passing? The Tower, the Shinheuh, my negligence." Or something between all three. Regardless of where the blame was tossed, that didn't change the fact she was gone. He could see himself as a horrible owner, or the Tower as a thief. That didn't change the reality of the situation. The cloud moved on, maybe it was bored. So Illiam began talking to a new one.

"I hate that she's right." Areum, every slime coated word to slip from her mouth yesterday was correct. Even if they were coated in malice, looking past that, the meaning was sound in every sentence. He was just envious of the fact she could understand the reality of the situation so well. The cloud Illiam spoke to lingered for longer than the rest, maybe it agreed with his claim, however short. He was finding trouble putting his thoughts into words. So, for every cloud to pass he'd repeat the words. "That's reality. That's reality. That's reality..." It seemed like a storm was on the horizon.

He was growing weary of it all. He talked for long enough to leave his throat dry. But he didn't wish to finish just yet. With a flick of his wrist, his pocket appeared. The screen showed the same as it did when Illiam left it. Hex and every passive or aggressive message between the two. His finger pressed call. The pocket vibrated as it rung. Only a few times before it stopped, and once it did Illiam spoke after swallowing his pride. "Hey, Hex. I think I have a wish to take the top now. I'm going to need your help."

 

[Azure Sky]

Nyra and the Dream, Part 1
Collab with OverconfidentMagi ​

A piece of Nyra's body suddenly disappeared. It was there one instant and the next... just gone. "...Ullyr?" Nyra's constant subconscious link to the cat shinheuh was gone. Just like that Ullyr had been killed.

Something that might have been pain tried to force itself into Nyra's chest, but it froze on contact and retreated. So Ullyr was dead. Nyra's fingers clawed the ground of the arena, forming fists. A stronger predator had made one of her family prey, that was all. It was nothing to be surprised about, nothing to feel pain about. It was just how life was. An unnatural calm refocused Nyra's mind. She couldn't despair now, not when the predator was still in front of her.

The ground beneath her changed as Nyra was relocated somewhere else, but she hardly noticed. The predator was still here. That was all that mattered. Nothing else. Nothing. Even as the High Ranker spoke to her, Nyra couldn't hear the words. The blood rushing in her ears was too loud, every last drop rushing to her brain as it worked its hardest to come up with some way of dealing with the predator that threatened Nyra now.

SPLAT!

Everything came to a stop. Everything went cold. Everything was gone. The pain that hadn't been able to reach Nyra's inhuman heart when Ullyr had been killed now rushed in, but instead of a container to hold it the pain only found an empty void there that it couldn't possibly fill.

Nyra hadn't looked. She'd felt it. Yazi was as much a part of her own body as her arms, so she'd felt the instant of confusion and fear and pain as Yazi died as her own. She'd experienced the moment of death. She'd been killed. Nyra's pointed fingers dug into her skin as she clutched herself, drawing out dark blood. "...l"

"My, oh, my. Festivities came early this year." The deep voice of a mature man could be heard from behind Nyra. Yume turned around, poker-faced as usual. "Oh, you are here." She bowed in respect. "My god."

"..ll"

The person was Exodus, at least from the exterior. But the person talking was not the original owner of the body. "Fantastic." He looked at the headless eel with great interest as he raised his right hand. Suddenly, a white orb came out of the body and entered a sharp-teethed mouth that appeared around Exodus's diaphragm.

".ill"

"Thank you for your donation." He said to Nyra. After he finished his sentence, the headless eel would start to move as its golden body would turn silver, and its head... would regenerate.

"Kill"

The shinsoo rippled with the force of the command, spreading like a wave from the tiny wounded girl. It reached the far walls of the room and beyond, a formless pulse of undirected murderous intent. Kill everything.

The command shattered the two bowls between Nyra and Yume, turning the invisible wave into a very real tsunami of compressed shinsoo. Behind the girl, Nyra's inventory became visible and crashed to the floor, all of the bowls inside exploding as the command reached them and their occupants forced their way out. The amount of shinsoo contained in all of Nyra's compressed bowls would have easily overfilled the room and drowned all inside, but that kind of easy death wasn't what she'd commanded. All of her shinheuh swam through the shinsoo tsunami to bite and sting and stab and crush the predator before them.

As all the creatures and Shinsoo rushed towards her, Yume started laughing wholeheartedly as she used Reverse Flow Control. She probably never laughed in such a way for a very long time. Even her eyes got teary.

"Kill? Kill what exactly?" Yume taunted, wiping away her tears of joy. "Me? You can't be serious." A malicious smile formed on her face. "Wrong level. Ant."

"Kill"

Clear, thin tentacles somehow moved inside the wall of frozen shinsoo and monsters. Even though its body was held fast by the ranker's shinsoo control, the stinging arms of a Ghosthair Jellyfish had evolved to reach against the flow of shinsoo to capture prey. A ranker's technique was no different. The tentacles broke out of the shinsoo wave and stabbed towards the ranker's face.

"Oh, interesting." Yume was actually quite impressed by the jelly fish. She raised her right arm, as if wanting to touch the creature's tentacle, but a small incandescent baang formed at the tip of her index. "However..."

[Ignis Rabidus Eternal]

A modified version of Yaga Jeyen's technique. The ignited oxygen-like Shinsoo engulf and incinerate the entire body of the creature that touched the mini-baang.

The tiny girl's body flinched. Dark nearly-black blood pooled beneath her, running from the wounds a result of her match with Mateo, from the self-inflicted wounds of a failed attempt to hold herself back, and now from her mouth and nose and eyes as she'd completely lost it. Her body trembled.

"Kill"

Each repeated command slammed into the shinheuh trapped inside the frozen shinsoo, but no matter how strong they struggled, the remaining monsters couldn't break free of the ranker's hold like the jellyfish had done. They were powerless to obey their master's command. A gray lizard crawled onto its master's shoulder, while a red lizard covered in what looked like eyes wrapped itself around the top of her bandaged head. The room filled with a low piercing whine sound as Nyra's shape began to distort. The girl raised her eyes to meet her predator's. Seeing Yume completely unfazed, Nyra pushed even harder.

"Kill"

The golden ring of her eyes broke into a hundred tiny slivers, and even more of her black blood poured onto the floor. Nyra pushed as hard as she could and then even further.

"Kill"

Throughout the ship, shinheuh cried out in pain and went berserk. Other anima were shocked to find their connection to their shinheuh suddenly cut. Many found themselves being attacked by their own shinheuh before they could reassert control as Nyra's vague command for death crashed into the minds of every shinheuh it reached.

Message: "Miss Yume, reporting: Shinheuh are acting aggressive without reason in several areas. There are not many Anima on board, but they are causing a commotion."

"Oh my. That is worrying." Yume replied cool as a cucumber.

"Hmmmm. Ah yes." Yume took out a tool from her inventory. It looked like a taser gun.

[Quiz Prototype Eleven: Only Dreams]

It released a neuro-electrical stimulus that calmed down the nerves and induced drowsiness. She used it on Nyra.

The visual distortion surrounding the girl immediately stopped, her bloody and bandaged form snapping into focus without having moved at all. Nyra was unable to move her own body at all. But if she reached outside herself far enough, she could move the things she found. Nyra's mind was so fractured from controlling so many shinheuh that she only registered the red lizard on her body that had taken the hit from the ranker's unknown weapon falling to the floor as just another node in her expanding network of bodies becoming useless to her. Even if the ranker hadn't been keeping her body frozen, it was doubtful Nyra would have been able to distinguish her own body enough to reassert control. She'd reached too far with her power too quickly. Only one thought was keeping her together:

"Kill"

Why was the predator not dying? None of her bodies in the room would move, and the bodies outside the room couldn't find their way here. Move! The shinhueh hurt themselves as they strained ineffectually against a ranker's shinsoo hold. Nyra felt something move. It was just a twitch, but it was a movement, and it was close, in this room. Close enough to kill the predator.

"My you are quite persistent~"

"Nyra... don't do it."

"Oh my, a visitor. I need to remember to fire all my security personnel later. Tehe."

The full force of Nyra's unnatural anima power turned onto the body she'd felt move. It was... a silver eel-like creature. Nyra didn't recognize it. It felt familiar. Either way, it was already being controlled by something else. That didn't matter. Nyra's insanity slammed into the creature like a tsunami as she tried to drag it under her control as well.

A voice let out a heavy sigh. "That's enough."

Nyra felt a sudden pain in her body, her real body that she'd nearly forgotten about. Through the eyes of the shinheuh in that room she looked and saw a person wearing a long coat kneeling close to her body. He pulled back his hand, and a thin needle retracted from her head, coated in what must have been her own dark blood. He'd stabbed her between the eyes.

Nyra's small body crumpled onto the floor like a puppet with all its strings cut, and it was only a few seconds later that her mind was forced out of every creature she'd taken over so that she could slip into an unthinking unfeeling darkness.

[To be continued.]

simj26 The One Eyed Bandit Rantos QuirkyAngel Brendanfp cojemo

 

[The One Eyed Bandit]

Guinevere cocked an eyebrow, and smirked softly. If he was trying to cover his ass, he really was bad at it.

"Mmm. Sure, sure. You never told a fib nor a lie." She laughed. "Just for future reference, you should know that innocent people usually don't go on the run, alright?" Whilst she half mocked, and half advised her lanky teammate, Guinevere's Pocket pinged as it received Mun's message.

Reading it quietly, she couldn't help but think it was a little sad. In the non-flattering sense. Given Yeong Su's lack of reaction, she figured it was a safe bet to assume that she'd excluded him from her invitation. If she hadn't been in company at the moment, she would've huffed a sigh of exasperation. Honestly, stuff like this was bad for her heart. For a moment, she considered playing matchmaker, and leading him to her location through some trick or another, but-

-Before she had the chance, chaos broke loose.

One moment, she was lounging comfortably, and the next she was in midair. Confused shouts accompanied her on her trip, and it was only once she'd touched down that her mind caught up with her body. The half of the couch that she'd been lounging upon had vanished, a shark-like shinheuh taking its place, stuffing and fabric caught in its teeth.

A bead of sweat ran down Guinevere's forehead once she fully processed what was going on. It was nice that she hadn't just died without even realizing it, but she'd definitely have to have a conversation with him about this later.

"Xia!" She shouted, putting aside her pursuit of the truth for a moment. "Keep it still!" They were being attacked, she figured. By whom and why, she'd no idea, but snap situations called for snap decisions. Guinevere snapped her fingers, and manifested Grasschilde within her grasp. She wasn't about to let herself become some fish's afternoon tea.

In Guinevere's grasp, Grasschilde blazed quietly. This sort of thing was exactly what it, what she, had lived for. As if in answer to that, Guinevere squeezed the spear tightly and set it loose, sending it rocketing through the air towards the Shinheuh's many-toothed maw.

Rantos

 

[simj26]

Sweet
“Y-you’re not mad?” Sweet straightened up, blinking in surprise. No, he didn’t seem like he was hiding it or anything. Rather, he even had the cheer to make a joke. She relaxed, her shoulders drooping, and she gave a small chuckle of relief. “Oh, thank the gods. I thought--well, nevermind what I thought,” she dismissed her own worst case scenarios.

“I’m not entirely sure any more, to be honest. What is there left outside?” she smiled wryly, and though the words stung, she couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit relieved. With her team, she couldn’t ever talk about this stuff normally. This rabbit was nothing like her, but the fact that he, too, came from a world without lifted the overwhelming pressure from her chest. “It’s been so many years, I wonder if there’s anything left for me,” she mused wistfully, staring up at the door frame. “So, what did you want--”

Her expression changed. Very gently, she pushed her way past the rabbit and looked out at the hallway. “Do you feel that?” She didn’t feel it as much as she smelled it. Something in the Shinsoo shifted. She smelled blood-- no, to be precise, she smelled bloodlust. Fury, anger, hatred. She could smell a single word that reverberated through her soul and body. ‘Kill,’ it said. If she were to describe the process of threat assessment as a banana split sundae, three scoops of the ice cream were already on the plate, and she wasn’t about to wait for the bananas or the dressing to arrive. She took the rabbit’s arm, pulled him into the room, and slammed the door shut, just in time to hear the sounds of distress outside. She picked up her rifle, and brought her Lighthouse to one side of her room, expanding it to display her various viewpoints, large enough for both her and the rabbit to observe it clearly.

The one outside her room was clear, for the time being, but the one that she had sent to watch the proceedings of the Arena was a different story. Shinheuh were rampaging. What was going on? Was it because of one of the competitors currently in the ring? It seemed highly likely, given the state of things. She furrowed her brow. To effect Shinheuh across such a large area, that was beyond dangerous. She didn’t quite know who or what was the exact cause of this, but, for posterity’s sake, she decided to keep note of the current fighters. She glanced at the rabbit. “You know any of them?” she jerked a thumb towards the screen.
Azure Sky

 

[Azure Sky]

Bulsajo and the Mean Fish​

Jo was fairly happy that his suggestions were taken into account. They could relax a bit in the arcade, maybe win some prizes, build a worthwhile friendship. He turned around to say something to his two companions, but suddenly he was knocked towards the nearby wall by a great force, making it dent.

"Ouch. Wha-"

He was hit by the tail of a Shinheuh. Some sort of gigantic crocodile-like beast.


It let out a loud roar as it opened up its mouth filled with razor-sharp teeth ready to bite at either Areum or Haewon.

"L-look out!" He got up and launched himself in front of the creature. He jumped with a bit too much strength and speed, however.

Gulp.

He was eaten...

Hare and Sushi​

"There must be something. The children of your friend's children, a better world, or a worse world. Regardless of the options..."

Sniff, sniff

Bloodlust and the smell of fish. Was it a Shinheuh?

Kill!

Wha-

"Do you feel that?"

Ah, so she could feel it too. "Mhm. I-"

Before he could finish, Sweet dragged him in her room and locked the door, readying her weapon and being highly alert, with all her lighthouses visible, so she could check the situation throughout various points throughout the ship. "Good survival instincts." He thought. The one outside their door was moving aggresively, in contrast with its colourful and... cute (?) appearance.



"You know any of them?" She asked.

"What, you mean the fish?" It took him a bit to process the meaning. "Oh... any of the people? Well, I know Mateo Nemeroff who was supposed to fight some shady Anima last I heard. But he was already teleport-... Ah, the Anima." Of course an Anima would cause this sort of turmoil. But was it the one who Mateo fought against beforehand? Did they lose and get salty? Also...

"What's up with all the sushi? I thought Anima were quite rare. Did the Lo Po Bia do like rabbits or somethin'?" Hare was merely thinking out loud. There were indeed some Anima gathered, but not that many. His reaction came from barely ever meeting any.

"Oh well." Hare took out a spear from his inventory that released an eerie fire-like esoteric energy and moved in the air on its own.


"Dance for the lady, will ya?" As Hare spoke to it, the spear moved towards Sweet's side and stayed nearby, idly. For now.

Hex​

Meanwhile, in a calmer place...

"Hey, Hex. I think I have a wish to take the top now. I'm going to need your help."

The man was walking through the air as usual, with plenty of people staring and pointing, but he just nonchantly continued to walk as he took Illiam's call and listened. He smiled with great joy.

"Are you okay, Illiam? Did you eat something funny again?" Hex asked with a faux serious voice. After a short pause though he replied on a genuinely serious tone.

"I am listening."

simj26 The One Eyed Bandit Rantos QuirkyAngel

 

[QuirkyAngel]

Ellia Aris Khun
Archimedes, Haewon's Hospital Room

Seated in a hospital chair for visitors, Ellia was calmly reading a book when some sort of commotion erupted outside. After Princess Haewon had lost her match and was teleported back to waiting room, Ellia had taken it upon herself to force the lock open and carry the young princess to a room for proper treatment of all accumulated injuries. The sooner it was done, the better. She’d have given the redhead her watch, but it wasn’t proper conduct to use an item on another without their consent. Instead, she demanded the best shinsoo healers tend to Haewon and oversaw the treatment herself. It wasn’t often Ellia Aris Khun exercised her family’s power in such a manner. In fact, one could question whether the Khuns had any authority at all on the Archimedes—which was owned by the Workshop—when she was only a Regular. However, confidence was the key when it came to such things.

Words like ‘princess’, ‘Zahard’, and ‘Khun Family wrath’ still carried its weight around, especially amongst non-rankers. Even some rankers worried about upsetting someone from a prestigious family that might out-rank them somewhere down the line. Ellia may have picked her path in the Workshop, but she hadn’t abandoned her family and had been long taught to wield the power she possessed by lieu of birth.

Watching, Princess Haewon’s fight, Ellia felt conflicted. It was the second-best outcome in her mind. Haewon’s fight hadn’t drawn out too long given her injuries. She wasn’t killed or so grievously injured that she couldn’t continue to climb or participate in other events. Ellia assumed the princess measured her strength, found it inadequate given the final confrontation, and chose the most logical path forward. Yet, seeing the tears on Haewon’s face at the final moment, watching the flames die out, Ellia wondered if she’d given a flawed advice after all. Breaking Princess Haewon’s spirit hadn’t been her intent.

Ellia didn’t have much fire in her. She only wanted to cool the flames so they didn’t burn the other girl’s path forward. Not put it out.

Yet that may have been what she did.

Clenching the edges of her book, Ellia sighed and closed it. The noise outside was growing too loud to ignore. With Haewon out cold, it was up to her to make sure no harm came to the princess. Political enemies? Someone climbing the tower who wanted remove a powerful potential opponent down the line while her defeat had been publicized? Reputation came with its own risk and weight of powerful blood was the burden they were forced to carry.

Ellia preferred freedom.

“Woah—hold up, Sis! I’m sorry okay!? Whatever I did, I didn’t mean it!”

Opening the door of the hospital room, Ellia blinked at the sight that met her eyes. A cat-girl was choking the life out of an injured cat-boy. It took her a couple of seconds to recognize the boy. “Holangi Lo Po Bia?”

Holangi looked to her. The girl…Holangi’s sister…looked to her as well, though the eyes were vicious. A killer’s eyes. Wasn’t that the girl on Ajax’s team? Was some sort of family drama going on with the Lo Pia Bo Family?

“You! You’re the Workshop Khun!” Horlangi’s tone was half-relieved, half demanding as he broke free from his sister’s grip. “Save me!”

Ellia closed the door.

“W-wait! You can’t just leave me here with her!” Horlangi’s call was accompanied by several poundings on the door. “I’m injured! C’mon, I’ll pay you! The Khun family can’t be so cold-hearted they’d leave another Great Family out here to die! I’ll—ow, ow, ow! Stop it, Sister! No scratching! HEEEEEEEELPPPP!”

Ellia pinched the bridge of her nose. It was clear Holangi woudn’t shut up unless he was let in. Too much noise would disturb Princess Haewon’s rest. She had no idea why he was being attacked by his sister either. Sul family girl if she remembered correctly. Didn’t they always serve the feline branch of the Lo Bia Po family? She’d met girl several times as well…the most recent being at Ajax’s place. A gentle soul compared to her arrogant brother. After a moment’s of hesitation, Ellia opened the door. Holangi fell in…along with an unconscious Golangi.

Ellia checked the feline girl’s pulse. “She seems to be fine.” She then looked to Holangi Lo Po Bia. “What’s going on? What did you to her?”

“I didn’t do anything!” Holangi hissed, seeming hurt by the accusation as he nursed his injured cast arm. There was a cast on his leg as well, which made Ellia wonder if the Lo Bo Bia of the feline branch had managed to hobble his way over from his room in an attempt to escape his attacking sister. That or his attacking sister hadn’t tried very hard. “Someone released a wave of annoying, mind-control shinsoo and Golangi’s a weakling.”

Brendanfp

 

[QuirkyAngel]

Ajax Cruise
Ajax sighed. To think that Princess Haewon would give up her match. She came out with more injuries than expected as well, given he Ellia Khun supported her. Rules were rules to be certain, but there was only one rule that truly mattered in the tower and Ajax didn’t her the type to take risks with someone she seemed to value. Then again, there were risks involved in breaking rules as well, and it wasn’t as if Miss Ellia had much stake in who won the Champion’s tournament, so he might’ve miscalculated. Even so, the Blitz family princess forfeiting her fight was beyond calculation. It weakened her stance as a princess. Made the Blitz family look bad. The Workshop Battle was a public event, visible to all occupants of the tower that possessed a TV. If she went down in blaze of glory it would’ve looked more acceptable to the public.

Only a handful could see value in the strength she displayed after all.

Ajax would rather someone on his team who knew their strengths and limits and strove to improve rather idiots who risks their lives, and their teams, to prove their strength and died. The Tower to him was a long-drawn game with the ultimate goal being to reach the top. Survival was the key. Those that knew how to live would continue. Those that didn’t, died.

Game Over.

Ajax had thought Princess Haewon Blitz Zahard to be the mad princess of the Blitz family…but it seemed she wasn’t as mad as the rumors made her out to be. He may have lost a chunk of points betting on her, but it was a good bit of information to correct.

Ha Mena Arie seemed to have gained some sort of respect for her as well? They way she shouted at the crowed seemed to imply as such. Ajax may have loss points, and he could understand the distress of the crowd to a degree, but he found such actions as ‘boo-ing’ the fighters to be beneath him all the same. Focusing on one’s loss was counterproductive to the path forward. There was one more match to bet on anyway. As Ajax pondered his decision, a young girl approached him and bowed.

“I’m so sorry! I don’t know what happened, but they aren’t normally like this!”

“Hm?”

The girl pointed to Ajax’s lighthouse, which contained a group of small yellow birds pecking furiously at the container that housed them. Ajax certainly hadn’t expected to be attacked by a group of tiny bird shinhueh while watching the matches, but he responded quickly enough. Fortunately the opponents weren’t very strong. Rather small and cute as well.

“Changlings aren’t known to be very aggressive,” Ajax observed. “Don’t they just specialize in shinsoo sense and vocal imitation?”

“Yes!” The girl seemed relieved that Ajax didn’t take offense and seemed knowledgeable about the creatures her family cared for. “I’m just a regular E-ranked scout who lucked into a ticket to the Archimedes. I swear I didn’t plan on attacking anyone! Not me nor the Changlings! They were just happily playing in their bowl when it suddenly broke.” She showed him the evidence.

“Yet they seem very angry right now.” Ajax commented.

“I have no idea why,” the girl shook her head. “They’re normally very sweet. But even my mother’s changlings were acting out suddenly. Fortunately, she was able to regain control and force them to sleep.”

“Can you do the same?”

The girl shook her head. “I’m not good enough yet.” She did look rather young.

“In that case, let’s keep them in my lighthouse for now. It can act as a psudo-bowl until yours is fixed.”

“Thank you!” The girl took the empty seat next left by Shinyoo and tried to soothe the birds while Ajax contemplated the events. If Shinheuh on the Archimedes were losing their minds, it could prove disastrous for the regulars on board the ship. Ajax knew for a fact, after all, that the Workshop housed shinheuh for experiments. He’d seen them while he’d stayed at the 20th floor Workshop branch. Bigger, larger ones than a normal E-ranked regular could hope to control. If the Archimedes participated in chimera experiments then…

Ajax shrugged, crossing his legs.

The Workshop did have Rankers on board. If regulars died on their ship, during their Workshop battle, then it would be the Workshop that looked bad. For now, Ajax had one final bet to place. A last chance to make up for all the points he’d lost. Mateo Nameroff or Ha Mena Arie? The winner should be obvious. However, all the more probable winners seemed to be failing him lately. In this case, should he bet on luck? Ajax sighed as he made his choice.


Selicity Faars
The Rabbit was an irregular. He smelled like Illiam, Sweet, Evelyn did. She’d always thought irregulars were supposed to be rare, yet she now knew 4 of them. His talk of planets might be true then. No one knew what existed outside, after all. Could the outside have many planets? Interesting. Now if only she could remember what a planet was exactly…

As Selicity pondered that thought, she could smell a small shift in the current of shinsoo. Odd. Her ears twitched. It didn’t really affect her though so Selicity ignored it. More important to her was that Gladioli seemed to have followed the rabbit into the Tower. And now she wanted to get out? Well the rabbit did. Gladioli didn’t seem to know what she wanted.

Selicity would’ve remained hidden if she hadn’t noticed a fish crawl into the building. Sel couldn’t help herself. Her stomach grumbled. That little bit of training with Illiam had left her hungry. She hadn’t eaten breakfast yet and it was already nearing lunchtime. Wiping the drool off her lips, Selicity sighed. She couldn’t let her stomach get the better of her. What if the fish was poisonous? Ajax’s lecture would be endless if she ended up sick on the day of the Team Battle.

Worse than her ears falling off though, Selicity also knew Ajax to be the passive aggressive sort. He seemed mild-mannered, but he wouldn’t let it go easily. Training would be doubled. Study time would be doubled. The amount of points she could spend would be limited. He’d probably report it to their guide was well. Selicity could just imagine the smug smirk on Evelyn Wicker’s face if he’d heard she’d gotten sick from eating a fish. Yeah, no. She was not giving the eye-thief another opportunity to laugh at her.

Besides, some fish were friends and not food. It depended on the fish.

Phasing though the roof of the building where she knew Gladioli’s room to be—based on her scent—Selicity landed deftly…next to a spear. Black, aura-y spear.

“Heya, Gladioli~ How’s it going?” Selicity waved brightly. “So, uh, who are your friends?”

She hadn’t caught the rabbit-man’s name in the entirety of their conversation. Nor the fish’s for that matter…not that it’d been talking. Selicity didn’t even know if it could talk. The only thing she could tell was that it was upset. And aggressive. Body signals gave it away. Perhaps Sel should have killed it, but she couldn’t be sure whether it was friend or food.

Ajax told her not to jump to conclusions.

Azure Sky simj26

 

[QuirkyAngel]

Shinyoo Hyek

Shinyoo couldn’t help but be curious. Evelyn told him to keep a low profile, but The Galleon wasn’t his boss exactly. It wasn’t like he was being paid. Their relationship had simply started from the moment the irregular first entered the Tower and had remained a strange one ever since.

Evelyn called him a ‘stalker’…and he couldn’t deny it. Shinyoo had stuck with the dark-skinned guide longer than he had with any woman. Only an Irregular could kill the king of the Tower. Therefore, only an irregular could grant Shinyoo his wish. Luslec told him to keep an eye on Evelyn Wicker…that was 700 years ago. It hadn’t even been a master-student relationship. Teaching Evelyn was impossible. The guy knew what he wanted to learn, knew what he wanted to do, and never let anyone change his mind or alter his goals. The punk guide literally climbed up and down the Tower with different groups, breaking as many rules as possible without being caught in act, and did whatever he wanted behind the scenes, all to prove he can. The kid…hadn’t changed at all since he’d first started climbing. The Tower was still his ‘playground’ and messing with the Tower’s occupants his mode of operandum. It would’ve normally pissed Shinyoo off, but Shinyoo had been finding his time spent as an ‘employee’ of Ophidian more enjoyable than the things he did in FUG.

Evelyn Wicker wasn’t a king.

Wasn’t a hero.

Wasn’t a FUG Slayer.

He was just…Evelyn Wicker. He helped a Vampire Queen build her Empire. Assisted fairies. Found a hidden Cat Sidhe village. Stole rare items. Helped some of the most prosperous rankers climb their way to the top. Built a shop on the 20th floor. Yet, never once looked for a way out. If anything, he was digging deeper into its mysteries. Lore from even before Zahard and his 10 Great Warriors started climbing. Hidden civilizations that the king forgot, or didn’t pay mind to, when he conquered the floors. Rather than picking one path, the guide walked many different paths in his search for entertainment, and, if the paths ran out, he created new ones to amuse him. Perhaps it was because Shinyoo been watching Evelyn Wicker for a long time—700 years being no small feat—but in his eyes, there were few that loved the Tower more.

Not the Empire.

Not FUG.

The tower itself. And, in all that time, Evelyn Wicker never changed. The Galleon wasn’t a good guy. Only a fool would call him that. But, just in the same way Luslec had garnered Shinyoo’s respect, Evelyn Wicker—brat though he was—gained his respect as well. If Wicker would just join FUG, his life would be so much easier.

Then again…it wasn’t as if Shinyoo agreed with everything FUG did. Being ‘inactive’ for so long, with only certain elders knowing he was still alive, left him out of the loop in regards to what many of the newer members were doing these days. It also gave him a new perspective. Sort of.

The shift in the shinsoo current didn’t affect him in the least. However, he would have to be blind not to notice the way the shinhueh reacted to the change. Compared to humans, shinhueh were much more responsive to the ebb and flow of the currents that wave manipulators learned to control. Not all of them were strong, but they were born in the Tower and adapted to it all the same. True natives. Shinyoo might not be a tree-hugging pacifist, but he didn’t much like the thought of them being toyed with either. Therefore he followed the source of the disturbance…to an interesting conversation.

It sounded like a fight…between a Ranker and a Regular?

Interesting.

However, what was more interesting was Yume Yu’s voice that referred to the redhead he’d seen enter as ‘My God’. Definitely not a Slayer he’d ever seen. Another Candidate? FUG did so love to choose and train more Zahard killers…but was that really all? Something about that redhead definitely bugged him. He just couldn’t put his finger on it. Judging from the voices, it sounded like another had entered the fray as well. Must be a party in there. At least the waves of disturbing shinsoo seemed to have stopped with the latest arrival. Shinhueh should be back to normal shortly.

Hopefully the kids didn’t get too injured in the meantime.

Standing outside the room of where the source of the disturbance had been coming from, Shinyoo contemplated just breaking open the door and seeing for himself what was going on when a Workshop security officer found him. “Hey! Aren't you one of the bidders from the Auction? The one that won the Zygaena Jewels? What are you doing over there?”

Shinyoo had a split second to decide. Make an enemy of the Workshop just to satisfy his curiosity? Or keep a low profile so he could finish his task and enjoy the rest of his stay on the Archimedes without any problems? The answer was obvious. He wasn’t Evelyn Wicker. Nor did he enjoy causing trouble like back in his glory days. As easy as knocking out a name-less security grunt might be, the benefits of doing so had to be worth the effort. “Haha, sorry about that. I got a bit lost on by way to the restrooms.”

“It’s that way.”

“Thanks, Man! You’re a real lifesaver!”

Even if FUG did have some plans in the Workshop, Shinyoo didn’t really have a reason to intervene. He was a member, after all. A Slayer. An inactive one, maybe, but still someone who wanted to see the king of the Tower dead. Whether he was training newbies like Jin Ae or keeping an eye on Evelyn Wicker, his goals remained the same. He wanted to continue climbing. To reach new heights. The 79th floor guardian wanted the same.

(mentioned: Azure Sky OverconfidentMagi )

 

[The One Eyed Bandit]

"I-" Areum was, evidently, dumbfounded. "What?" She'd seen what had happened plainly enough, but understanding it was another matter entirely. In the face of the threat that bore down upon her and Haewon, Areum was frozen for a moment, and a thought fired in the back of her head that this was the second time that the Yeon kid had left her speechless today. She spared a sidelong glance at Haewon, an eyebrow arched and her jaw agape.

However deep her surprise was, however, it was ultimately transient. Before her the beast snarled and spat, letting out a guttural roar that sounded half-fearsome, and half like it was just choking on its unexpectedly spicy snack. Her body activated on instinct. She'd been subjected to enough tests involving chance encounters with Shinheuh for it to do so.

The crocodile lept in her direction, its maw rowed with jagged teeth and glistening with hot, viscous saliva, and she met it with an equal viciousness. Her Shinsoo ran swift and clear, compressing itself within her right arm as she thrust it forward into the beast's maw.

It snapped shut in an instant.

With such a tasty morsel being thrust right towards it, the Shiheuh could hardly resist. Its lizard brain howled with delight as it experienced its second treat of the day. That delight then, quickly turned to panic, as it felt its meal still wriggling about within its maw.

"He'd better appreicate this shit." Areum and the Shinheuh had practically exchanged places. Its tiny, beady eyes looked down upon her in confusion, and she looked up at it with a snarling grimace. Her arm was sunk shoulder-deep within its maw, bleeding bright, freshly spilled blood, but still firmly attached regardless. She swore under her breath at the thought of what she was about to do and ithin the darkness of the beast's mouth, her hand snatched forward and siezed the first thing it could find: A meaty, oversized uvula.

The mighty beast's throat caught, its stomach heaved and before it knew what was happening both of its snacks as well as the whole contents of its stomach were being ejected from its body in an explosive spray of stomach acid, half digested food, and disheveled looking Regulars.

Azure Sky simj26

 

[simj26]

Yoo Haewon
My, my, my. Truly a sight, some of these Regulars were. His hood visibly turned at the sight of some select participants that passed the group by. Some had responded to his lascivious leering, and most looked as if they were ready to slaughter him where he stood, but a few were quite kind to reciprocate with a greeting, which he returned with a gracious one of his own. This was the meaning of being alive- to peruse mankind at his own leisure. He kept his comments to himself, however. Neither of the Family kids could POSSIBLY understand what strange thoughts curdled underneath that hood. If anything, the Eurasia girl would probably beat him within an inch of his life if he had opened his mouth.

Something shifted in the air. Haewon took a pause from his window-shopping to take note of the change. Something felt off. What was going--

His thoughts were very politely interrupted and answered when the fiery Bulsajo was sent flying into a wall by a thick tail of a Shinheuh. Panic and excitement began to fill the air around him. Haewon turned around in place casually, surveying his surroundings, not an ounce of worry present in his body language. There was nothing to worry about in the first place, after all. Bulsajo was a rather tough kid, he had shown this. Being flung into a wall was probably a daily occurrence for him. Instead, he soaked in the feeling of chaos that permeated his vicinity. Disorder, confusion, mayhem. People running, fleeing, panicking, readying themselves, bargaining. What a mess. What a place to be alive in. He hadn’t expected this when he had boarded this ship, but by Zahard, did it feel exquisite.

A growl from the creature in front of his team shifted his attention towards it. It leered at Haewon, and the man found something ironic about how he was being looked at. It amused him. “Oh? See something you like? You wouldn’t like me. Meat’s too tough.” Haewon’s hand curled into a fist. Many times his size in length alone, and perhaps three of him across, this was not exactly something he would call a ‘worthy opponent’. Far from it. It barely had the brain to plot or scheme, much less adapt to his so-called strategies. A simple blow would end this poor beast’s misery quickly. He flexed, clearly ready to get to work, only to be outsped by the Jo boy, who was promptly devoured whole by the beast. His amusement turned into confusion as he attempted to register what had just happened, and he glanced at his other companion, as if he were to find the answer to his questions on her face. Her puzzled look that greeted him told him that she was just as unprepared for the sudden shift in tone of this particular tale as he was.

Almost at once, he burst into laughter at the ridiculous nature of it all. The Eurasia girl took no notice of his mirthful outburst, and dived straight at the beast. Haewon stifled his laugh, and watched carefully as she let the beast consume her arm. It took him a moment to understand what she was going for. Interesting play. He wanted to see how it played out. After a moment of concentration, it seemed as if she succeeded. She extricated her arm, followed quickly by a spill of vomit that included the beast’s quick lunch, one of which included the Jo kid.

“Oh, snap! That was awesome!” Haewon crouched down excitedly beside the literal sick that had been expelled out of the Shinheuh, and poked Bulsajo with a knife that had found its way into his hand. “Hey, kid, you alright there? I appreciate the help, but a word from the wise,” Haewon nodded towards the Eurasia girl, “she and I can handle ourselves pretty well. Try to refrain from doing stupid things. Ain’t that right, Eurasia?” he called over his shoulder. Today was starting to look a little more fun.

The One Eyed Bandit Azure Sky

 

[QuirkyAngel]

Shinyoo Hyek + Yoona Yeon

“So this is where you’ve been hiding.”

She came to him as he was washing his hands. A voice he hadn’t heard in a long time. A face he hadn’t seen in 700 years. Shinyoo sighed. He should’ve guessed she would be present on the Archimedes given that the Zygaena Jewels were one of the items being auctioned off. They belonged to her family, didn’t they? Its flower their trademark.

He’d punch Evelyn if the guide had set him up.

“You know this is the Mens’ Room, right?”

Ranker #255, the leader of the Yeon Knights and Azure Flame of the Yeon Family ignored his comment. “I saw you being driven off from where you intended to go by a lowly Workshop Security guard. Now you squirrel away in a restroom while shinhueh act abnormally on the ship? Have you become a coward since going inactive?”

“I have my priorities,” Shinyoo shrugged. “I’m an item collector for a rich Ranker now. Protecting others isn’t really my gig. Besides, plenty of High Rankers like you and the Gallant Spearfish are around to deal with it if shit really hits the fan. I’ve been bumped off that list years ago.”

“Since when did ranks matter to you?”

“It doesn’t,” Shinyoo dried his hands. “Nor do the lives of Regulars and Rankers on this ship. Not my priority.”

Though Evelyn would probably throw a wrench at him if he let Ajax and the Cat Sidhe die before they reached their full potential. Might be good to check on them, after all…in case they run into a Zygaena-sized shinhueh or something.

“What of Emris? Does he matter to you anymore?”

Shinyoo stilled for a moment before crumpling the paper towel in a ball and tossing it in the trash. Hands in his pockets, he walked passed the ghostfire user, prepared to defend himself if she attacked. He didn’t think she would, but most Hwayeomsa he encountered tended to have fiery tempers to match their shinsoo qualities. “I’m not the same Slayer you once knew, Yoona.”

“You were my God once, you know. I thought you could change something in the Tower.”

In the Yeon Family.

Shinyoo heard the unspoken words he promised her so many years ago before he started following the Irregular Guide down the many paths he walked. Seeing so many new things, so many new perspectives, had changed his views somewhat. When he’d first joined FUG after working as an assassin in Zahard’s Army, he’d been full of anger at the various injustices that he saw. Now it mellowed out. The burning desire was still there, but tamed by a wider view. “It’s better to look towards the future than the past.”

Not that he didn’t intend to keep his promises…but in a slightly different way.

As the words escaped his lips, Shinyoo figured out why the redhead from the Champion’s Match bugged him so much. His shinsoo had felt strangely familiar. Where? When? Who could say? Shinyoo had lived a long time and, honestly, couldn’t even remember the reason he started climbing in the first place let alone a person he may or may not have met somewhere down his long life. “Whoever could produce shinhueh-manipulating shinsoo at a range wide enough to cover the entirety of the Archimedes certainly has a bright future ahead of them.” Definitely not a normal E-rank. If Shinyoo didn’t know any better, he’d think the Black Pit Eel decided to stop by to toss in a little bit chaos.

And if he were still Captain of the Assassin Unit for Zahard’s Army, he would’ve recruited them on the spot. Well. Maybe not on the ‘spot’, but he’d certainly keep an eye on their progress if they continued to live. Easier to plan ahead and pick the ones he knew he liked than to rifle through a gazillion applicants to do background checks on. Work wasn't all fun and kills.

But of course, that was all in the past now. Now he was just an Item Collector, for an annoyingly irritating, flea of an Irregular High Ranker who he’d have to call and make a report to. Ajax seemed to be doing fine. Finals for the Champions matches would probably be on standby until the shinheuh were all handled—either put back into their cages or killed—so perhaps he should check on the Cat Sidhe who Ajax requested him to train and Evelyn seemed to like. He’d won the bet with Ajax, so Shinyoo didn’t have any obligation to help anyone. However, Shinyoo was also curious about her since Evelyn only ever took interest in those with potential and he didn’t particularly mind doing favors for co-workers. He just hated it when other people told him to do so. Shinyoo would decide on his own terms whether a Regular or Ranker deserved his help.

(mentioned: OverconfidentMagi Brendanfp )

 

[QuirkyAngel]

Sunhee Yeon

Behind Sunhee Yeon, several scientists in white coats cowered as the Yeon Knight—a group of female warriors selected by the Azure Flame to defend the Yeon family—trainee held up her blade unwaveringly. Sunhee may be the adopted daughter of the Yeon branch families, but she was still an A-ranked Regular chosen by Lady Yoona to join the Yeon Knights. Therefore, the sight of a large, angry, flying shinhueh with crab claws didn’t faze her in the least.

As she raised her sword with both hands, the edges of the blade became lit with searing, hot fire. “Three slashes is enough to end this.”

As the claws neared her, Sunhee delivered the three promised swings. And, just like that, the shinueh’s armored body fell apart with only the ends colored by scorched marks to show where she’d cut.

“We’re saved!”

“Thank you, Miss! We’re in the Yeon Family’s debt.”

“No need for thanks~ The knights of the Yeon family will always strive to defend the less fortunate.” Sunhee smiled brightly as she sheathed her blade. “But, you know, that shinhueh probably wouldn’t be angry at you if you didn’t trap it in a cage and perform experiments on it~”

Truthfully, Sunhee even felt a little sorry for creature, but she whether it was justifiably angry or not, she couldn’t let it harm other non-shinhueh occupants of the Tower—no matter how cruel they could be. It was the discoveries of the Workshop that advanced the Tower. Produced items for Regulars to climb. If it came at the expense of the more mindless species of the tower…well…it was sad…but there wasn’t much that could be done. The job of a knight was to defend.

It was the kings and family heads that made the decrees.

Hoping from one building on the Archimedes to the next—like a ninja—Sunhee looked for more people who might need help. She’d only been going at the behest of Lady Yoona to auction some Zygaena Jewels at the request of certain main family members and hadn’t intended to go on a shinhueh hunt, but life didn’t always go as planned. Seemed the prices of the jewels we’re rapidly decreasing as more Zygaena babies were being born under the protection of the Urek Mazino so some wanted to get as much money as they could off the once rare jewels before they become nothing but common gems. Honestly, Sunhee didn’t know much about marketing. Or politics for that matter. But it wasn’t hard for her to tell that certain factions of the Yeon family were upset at Urek Mazino…and subsequently King Zahard for doing nothing about him.

Her own father included.

Stopping near where a large crocodile-like shinhueh became visible, Sunhee blinked when it spewed out Bulsajo Yeon. Sunhee couldn’t help it. She bent over and laughed. Pure joy rather than any intended malicious intent, but it might've been seen as rude nonetheless. “Pffttt—hahahaha! Did you seriously get eaten, Bulsajo~? I mean, I know boys are weak, but man!”

The Yeons were a matriarchal family where females where the strongest, much like the Has, so the belief had ingrained itself into her like many other Yeons…and she climbed with mostly girls…but she had been climbing long enough to know that wasn’t strictly true as well. She didn’t even know that much about Bulsajo since she was from a branch family. However, he did always strike her as weak. Both physically and mentally. Even if his flames only healed, fire wasn’t the only way to fight. Or stand up for oneself.

Poor boy was a magnet for bullies.

Wiping her eyes, Sunhee continued brightly. “Let me know if you guys need any help with the crocodile~”

The regulars—with the exception of Bulsajo—seemed strong enough to handle the shinhueh on there own and there were many other confused shinhueh that needed putting back in their bowls, but she'd thought she'd ask to be sure. Not enough animas out there to deal with it all either. The Lo Pia Bo Family weren’t the only ones that kept pets. Whether as test subjects or as food reserves to be slaughtered, shinheuh were an integral part of life in the Tower.

Azure Sky simj26 The One Eyed Bandit

 

[QuirkyAngel]

Ajax Cruise

Three lighthouses held the white tiger still with flow control while wires extended from Ajax’s glove to encoil the immobile, feline shinhueh. Ramping up his Shinsoo Reactor Core, the living ignition weapon sent a current through the wires with just enough amp and voltage to shock the creature into an unconscious state. If it weren’t for the fact that the large cat attacked him, Ajax would’ve felt like an animal-abuser. But knocking it out was the easiest way to free it from whatever was affecting its mind and faster than waiting for it to regain its senses.

Unlike the Changlings, a big cat was a bit more dangerous.

Just as he finished knocking it out the shinhueh with electricity, his pocket alerted him to call from Ellia Aris Khun.

Ajax answered. “Miss Ellia?”

“Hello, Ajax. I just thought I’d let you know that one of your teammates is unconscious in Princess Haewon’s Hospital Room.”

The living ignition weapon stiffened in surprise. “Which one?”

“Golangi Sul. She attacked her brother, Holangi Lo Po Bia, then fell unconscious as the waves of mind-control shinoo cut off. Physically she’s fine, but she doesn’t seem to be waking up.”

Ajax mentally cursed. He hadn’t taken into account that the Sul Family were susceptible especially powerful mental influences. “What do the medics say?”

“I haven’t really been able to get a hold of them since the shinhueh started acting strangely. There are other injured here, helpless to deal with potential shinhueh attacks, so I suspect the hospital workers are busy dealing with that. I am told they are having difficulty contacting, High Ranker Yume Yu as well.”

“Got it. Thank you for letting me know, Miss Ellia. I’ll be there after taking care of a white tiger-like shinhueh—”

“Did you say a white tiger shinhueh?” A different voice interjected. Male. Held a note of self-importance one might expect from from nobility or someone with a high status.

“I did,” Ajax replied. “May I ask who I am speaking to?”

“That’s my shinhueh. I am Holangi Lo Po Bia of the Feline Branch and I demand you bring it back to me unharmed.”

Ah.

Well, Ajax didn’t want to make things difficult for Golangi by making enemies with her brother who—despite of his attitude and poor performance during the Champions match—did belong in the Lo Po Bia Family. Animas, due to their rarity, were excellent allies to have. “Unfortunately, your shinhueh assaulted me so I had to respond in kind, but I shall endeavor to bring it back to you with as limited injuries as possible, Mr. Lo Po Bia.”

“See that you do.”

If Ajax still had a face, he would’ve rolled his eyes. Alas, the living ignition weapon simply hung up his pocket. Working at Ophidian meant honing customer service skills. He was used to much more arrogant attitudes from those who actually had the points to purchase rare items. A flick of his wrist caused one of the lighthouses to grow the size of the white tiger and encase the unconscious shinhueh within the walls. Another flick and said cube shrunk, along with the enclosed tiger, before floating beside him.

“You’re pretty good at manipulating your lighthouse.” The young scout/Changling anima who sat beside him complimented. Her composure was praiseworthy compared to some in the audience. Workshop employees where doing their best to minimize panic and keep fearful viewers in their seats...many of them big business owners who were demanding refunds or their medical expenses paid for from shinhueh-related injuries...but it looked like they were having a hard time. Especially since some of them were attacking each other. Those who wanted the caught 'criminal' shinhueh dead and those that didn't.

A real riot of animal lovers and non-animal lovers.

“It just takes practice, Miss…”

“Marie. Marie Changler, but everyone just calls me Mari.”

“Well then, Miss Mari, if you’ll excuse me—”

“Can I go with you?” Mari pointed to her Changlings in Ajax’s lighthouse, which seemed calmer than before, but still somewhat confused. “I want to wait a bit before transferring them to a different bowl. Sudden changes in shinsoo density right now would only startle them.”

Ajax nodded. “If you tell me the amount of soo they normally like to live in, I can adjust my lighthouse so that they are more comfortable when the transfer occurs.”

The Archimedes, being one of the Workshop’s 5 main ships, probably had an assortment of bowls to choose from as well. Likely in a Pet Shop or something.

As Ajax made his way to the hospital area where the severely injured of the Champion tournament rested—blond girl, a cube for the tiger, and a cube for the changlings in tow—he also connected to Sweet’s lighthouse and opened communications so her face was visible in his screen and vice versa. The shinhueh he encountered thus far had been easy to handle, but checking on his teammates and ensuring they didn’t get eaten or something was only prudent. Worse come to worst, he could just teleport over, using Sweet’s lighthouse as an access point so long as she allowed him to adjust the parameters, but he didn’t think it really necessary, especially since Selicity ought be with her...assuming she didn’t ditch the task he’d assigned her.

“Shinhueh are acting strangely aboard the Archimedes. Is everything okay where you are, Miss Gladioli? Is Miss Selicity with you?”

Check on his teammates. Return a cat. Plan for a team battle. In the end Ajax made his bet on Mateo Nameroff because—despite his lack of physical skills to her—he was still a wave-controller and had aerial capabilities Ha Mena Arie didn’t. The girl from the great families couldn’t fly—as far as Ajax was aware—and if he played a good distance and war of attrition game, he might have a chance of winning since her two greatest strengths came in close-ranged combat. Course, Ha Mena Arie could probably shoot laser beams from her sword as well so…it was still a gamble.

For now, making sure the temporary team defender was capable of participating in tomorrow’s team battle was more important. Points won or lost really only meant the difference between him cooking or not cooking for a weeks or so and, unlike lives, they could easily be earned back. Besides, Evelyn Wicker paid for their climb. A monthly stipend. Ajax wasn’t simple like Selicity. He was aware his Boss wouldn’t invest in something unless the returns proved an equal or greater value. He also knew that the High Ranker wanted eyes in the Inner Tower where Regulars climbed…and that the information he’d stolen from the Workshop the day before part of some bigger scheme.

What scheme? He doubted Evelyn Wicker would tell him--a mere virus planted in the Inner Tower for some likely nefarious purpose whose main role is to help Selicity climb--and, honestly, he didn’t care. As long as it took him the top, that was all that mattered.

simj26
(mentioned: cojemo Brendanfp Azure Sky )