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

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HECTOR MOSES
CS Link
SCENE:
Blood Stained Girl
TIME:
Pre-Arc 1 - Night, 2016
LOCATION:
Alley, South District
PARTICIPANTS:
Hector, Raquel
BLOOD STAINED GIRL

A willingness to kill. That’s half of the making of a perfect Phoenix. It’s all some could do, all some are cut out to do. Mindless murder. That’s all some saw Hector as. A mindless murderer. It was that attribute that he was tested against in his trials after all.

But he wasn’t, he wasn’t just a grunt, a common thug. He knew he was more than that. That’s why he put himself up for so many jobs, that’s why he was recruited by the King herself, that’s why he tried to know all his fellow Phoenixes. Some were only meant to be workers, but Hector had potential. He knew what he had to do for the family.

Ah, family. Devotion to family. That was the second half of a perfect Phoenix.

It remained to be seen whether the blood-stained girl could devote herself to the family, if she could remain loyal to anything but the growling of her stomach. But following his orders was a good start. Hector looked past the girl, down the dark road that awaited them.

“You can eat soon. Let’s walk.”

And down he walked, plunging himself into the darkness.

“To the light there. See the door?”

He paused to let Raquel go in front of him again. His initial concerns were renewed now that he couldn’t quite see her, and he was still no fool. About halfway down the dark street was indeed a light, just a small porch light that illuminated a metal door. No signs of life lingered around it, just Hector and Raquel.

 
BOLTIUS BECKMAN, HECTOR MOSES
SCENE:
Passing The Torch
TIME:
Pre-Arc 3 — September 28th, 2021 — 5:00 PM
LOCATION:
(Shady's Motel) Phoenix HQ, South District
PARTICIPANTS:
Hector, Reika, Doctor Slim (NPC), Boltius @Doctor Llamabean
PASSING THE TORCH


A dash of colour returned to Hector’s sallow complexion as he walked slowly to the table and sat before giving Boltius a commanding look.

“Could you sit down? There’s more we need to talk about.”

Though his usual energy still evaded him, he hadn’t forgotten what happened, nor did he intend on letting it fall to the wayside.


Bolt's eyes followed Hector, and there was a moment of pause before he responded, sounding hesitant. "Uh-... Y-Yeah." Slowly he found a seat, eyes on the ground as he awaited reproach.

“Well,” Hector let out a sigh, looking down at the table. He’d been waiting for the opportunity to have a one-on-one conversation since the other day, but now that he’d gotten his attention, it didn’t seem that simple. There was plenty in his head for him to say, but nothing was particularly tactful.

“How do you know him?”

He looked back up at Boltius, trusting he’d fill the gaps himself.

His eyes went up. Expression, at first, was blank with thought as he processed who Hector was talking about.

Then it crossed his face, realization. "Oh- Him."

He avoided looking at Hector's eye, shameful. "Uh-" He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. "He... We met in high-school, I think... Or maybe it was late middle-school... Um... We both had this friend, and we met through him, but he was sort of... We were kind of... Close- We all were, the four of us."

"He, uh... Milo." His eyes drifted down again, brows pinched. "We fought, before graduation, over me joining the gang and never really... I guess, made up." He was bad at explaining himself. "We were like brothers... And our friend. He actually... You remember Nanami, don't you? Or maybe you don't..."

Boltius growled, a sudden burst of irritation. He shook his head and ruffled his hair with both hands. "Point is, Milo was always there! I was always there! And then suddenly Milo wasn't and I have questions! I have... I have questions..." His voice fell soft toward the end, his eyes adopting a sudden tiredness. "I didn't want to see him die after... fuck, I don't know... four? five years of nothing?... I..." Boltius sighed, still wanting to apologize but denying himself Hector's forgiveness. "I shouldn't have interfered."

Hector held his hand out on his desk, wringing them together, feeling each bony knuckle, and each scuff and graze as he listened to Boltius. He didn't interrupt, but it was clear that he had plenty he wanted to say, his uncovered eye staring intently at his subordinate like he might disappear if he didn't look hard enough.

"Of course I remember Nanami..."

Truth be told, it had taken a moment. His brain may have been knocked askew from the fighting, but it was something he took pride in, that he tried to know every face and every name that entered his family. Though after the hurricane, well, it was hard to remember just every fallen troop, but Nanami was a name he remembered. And if he was important to Boltius, he was important to Hector.

"You're right. You shouldn't have interfered. If he had died back there, it woulda been a result of his own actions. Can you tell me something, Bolt?"

He straightened his back, appearing taller now to look down at Boltius.

"Would you have let me die if it meant getting the answers you want?"

 
Yuto Nishimura
SCENE:
The Giant's Web
TIME:
April 16, 2021 | Pre Arc-1 | 6:15 pm
LOCATION:
Picabo Park, North District
PARTICIPANTS:
Yuto, Celestine
THE GIANT'S WEB
With a giggle, he let go, his sneakers making a soft thump on the grassy dirt. he trotted around so they could be face to face- well, face to chest. A bright smile adorned his lips, gently but excitedly clasping onto Celestine's forearms. He lifted her hands to his face, nuzzling into them and closing his eyes with a satisfied sigh.

In the few seconds her big warm palms cradled his face, he stayed silent, not yet feeling that the quiet was meant to be disturbed. After another minute or so, he opened his eyes, letting her hands fall from his face, though still keeping his grip on her arms. Yuto looked up to her with a laugh, a mischievous glint in his three eyes. "It was such a good day y'know? The sun was shining-" His sensitive eyes burned at the too bright light "The birds were chirping-" The annoying squeaks nearly sent him out of his mind, he couldn't focus for a single second, "And the breeze was just right!" Now that-... was true. It was the perfect breeze, enough so that the scent of his hunt's sweat wafted pleasantly to his senses. "Perfect afternoon for a..." He side-eyed the trees from whence he had just came, already spotting the man he had previously been chasing run away in the distance. "... Hearty snack."

Yuto pouted, a frustrated groan leaving him as he hung his head back, face towards the sky. "It has been too long!" HIs lip quivered as he turned to her face, his eyes shining in faux tears, arms beginning to sway his and Celeste's gently."A week is far too long without seeing your pretty face!" If it weren't for the serpents keeping him busy- and his new collection he's been building absorbing his mind- he'd be with his best friend 24/7! Curse this traitorous world! He swung their arms with more energy now. "What about you?" He gasped, arms suddenly coming to a stop. With a giggle he tilted his head, freeing one of his hands to hold over his heart in a lovestruck manner. "Maybe it was fate we both met here!" He chuckled, bouncing on his heels.


-

 
Yuto Nishimura
SCENE:
Sir, This is a Hospital
TIME:
Tuesday, September 28th, 2021 || Post Arc 2
LOCATION:
Correspondance Hospital, Lower Central
PARTICIPANTS:
Peyton, Yuto
Sir, This is a Hospital
Despite feeling suffocated with guilt, a giggle broke through, tilting his chin down in embarrassment. He wiped at his own eyes, before looking down to inspect his clothes. Yuto tried to hold back a laugh, a "pfft!" Leaving him before he quickly rushed to cover his mouth. His clothes were already doomed with the blood soaked in it, yet Taffy was worried about his tears dampening it? With a smile on his face, he squished Peyton's cheeks, before smashing his lips firmly onto the his. He separated with a smack, leaving a quick peck on the other man's nose. "You're too cute!~"

Yuto stumbled back on his feet, the previous exhaustion making his legs achy. He offered to help Peyton up as well, before turning his attention to where he had previously spat the chunk of his friend out. A glanced at Peyton, a smile full of mirth on his face. "Anything is bland in comparison to you..." The three eyed man walked over and bent down to pick up what he had spit out. Did it really bother Peyton that much that he hadn't eaten him?

His locked his eyes with Peyton, before deliberately taking the piece of flesh- which was surprisingly, but luckily enough- still warm into his mouth. he closed his jaws, his teeth sinking into the tender flesh, feeling the metallic sticky goodness slide down his throat. Taffy truly did taste better than any prey he could remember. He licked the blood off his lips, showing his friend a smile full of teeth.

He stalked towards Peyton, a harsh grip anchoring his jaw, before kissing him once more, a bite to his lip hard enough to bleed. "You could never ruin my appetite Taffy..."


 
I Would Like to See Your Permit


Lorette LècuyerCS LINK

Scene: I Would Like to see your Permit.

Time: December 2021, Night.

Location: Lower Central, Public Square.

Participants: Eric, Lorette.



She wondered if this was how a rat in a maze felt. Closed in, frustrated, and confused. It would have to if its life was nothing but a pointless exercise in turning corners blindly and staring at walls. Though when she thought about it, even a rat got something out of the affair if it managed to reach the end of the maze. Lorette saw no end in sight, much less any sign of the prize she sought if she could find it at all.

Lorette turned the thousandth corner of the thousandth narrow street of Lower Central's urban sprawl. It was down here that shacks and dilapidated houses were packed together like sardines in a decaying forest of rusted metal and rotted wood. Lorette traipsed down winding pathways past shops, bars, and the occasional restaurant. Dingy as the lower levels of Central were, they were not devoid of life.

Like her, people scurried through alleyways and slipped between buildings. Those who were nimble, brave enough, or perhaps merely foolish scampered across shingled roofs. They cleared the spaces between buildings quickly as if it were a game. They navigated the endless concrete jungle as naturally as Lorette breathed but dared not climb too high.

The fortunate. The talented. The Prosperous. They made their homes in the gleaming spires of Upper Central. It was not the place for street rats.

Lorette was no rat, depending on who you asked. But she still had an interest in them and what they could do.
Good talent was either hard to find or costly to attain. In New Oasis, it was often both.

Most people sought talent cultivated within the upper echelons of society. People with the right pedigree could afford to send their special angels off to the best schools and get them the best tutors and coaches. A lifetime of positive reinforcement and world-class training could make the mediocre elite and the already elite into superstars. Those people had enough eyes on them and enough interested parties hoping to buy them. Lorette had been forced to think outside the box when she conceived her plans years ago.

Those born lucky knew it. They reveled in it unapologetically. They could be bought for the right price but were often fickle and demanding. Lorette preferred to plan for the long term and could not rely on individuals dictated by their personal whims. No, she would have to dig further down if she hoped to strike gold.

It was the unfortunate and forgotten that she required. Those destitute and beyond desperate for some break. When those kinds of people got lucky, they clung to it like a lifeline. They guarded opportunity and fortune jealously, holding it in a death grip as if it may be ripped from their hands at a moment's notice. A life of hardship made them so. A paranoia followed them even if they succeeded and escaped the slums. Life had taken from them before and could damn well take from them again.

If diverted in the right direction, that paranoia could be forged into an almost fanatical devotion to anything that would retain the status quo. All that Lorette did was ensure she was the only thing standing between those lucky few and a life of dumpster diving.

Naturally, that was easier said than done. Poor people may have been desperate, but they weren't stupid. Lorette couldn't very well go skipping through the streets handing out stacks of cash. The people in Lower Central would view her either with suspicion or as an easy target. She was savvy enough to keep her head down and mean enough to scare away trouble. No, she needed to blend in with the other rats.

Lorette finally breached the narrow street she'd been wandering along and stepped into the open air of a middling-sized courtyard. Even with the sun's setting and the biting cold, people still chose to congregate around the ancient statue planted dead in the center. What snow had fallen onto the flagged stones had been tamped into an icy slush beneath her feet by the numerous people milling around. White blanketed the head and shoulders of the seated Buddha statue like a silken shawl. At his feet, lit candles cast a warm glow over the surrounding area, no doubt left by those who'd come to pray. The scene was so inviting that Lorette could almost forget the squalor and ramshackle homes surrounding her.

A shrill laugh pierced the air, and the woman's gaze sought out the source of the noise. A group of children played nearby. They chased each other, snowballs in hand, with unrestrained glee. They cared not for their place on the social ladder. Their lot in life was cause for neither shame nor pride. Life was as it was. And they lived as children did.

"And here I am to ruin it all." Lorette thought bitterly.

Children were easier to mold than their older counterparts. And their parents were easy to sway if there was a possibility that they could climb their way out of poverty. Lorette provided the rope they'd need to do so.

Under the guise of an anonymous benefactor and several puppet charities, Lorette had spent years erecting schools and youth centers in the most poverty-stricken areas of Central. It was there that local children were taught, trained, and closely evaluated. Those that excelled, especially those who hinted at the development of Potentiality, were further assessed for theoretical usefulness to the Albino Tigers. They'd be watched and guided closely. An unseen hand directing them towards a future that would best fill the Tiger's coffers.

The children who fell short of expectations, well...at least they got a good education out of it. So in all, it wasn't a complete loss.

That is what Lorette told herself every time she made one of these trips. In the end, she was helping these kids. That a life among the Albino Tigers was better was far better than what they might have to look forward to without her intervention. Even the less capable were still granted opportunities they would never have otherwise.

It was what the woman had to tell herself, lest she think too long and hard about the futures of their choosing, that she'd denied those children. They became cannon fodder in a war that'd started before their birth and waged for longer than they'd lived. These children would either be shuffled into the endless ranks of lackeys and drones that kept the Western District running, or they'd become meat for the grinder to further the violence between the four gangs. Lorette had long since become used to taking lives, to denying people the right to a future. But taking from children was beneath even her.

"But I still do it anyway."

Lorette closed her eyes and exhaled loudly. The cold could numb the woman to her misgivings. Those were simply things she'd have to live with, as always. The woman opened her eyes and trailed her gaze over the courtyard. She did not linger too long on anyone as that would draw attention. Hell, she wasn't even sure if she wanted to build anything in the area yet.

"I'll hang here for a bit and get a feel for the area. I'm pretty sure this one's a dead end, but the night is still young." She mused.


Roda the Red Roda the Red





 
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Shishido Takakazu
SCENE:
Reaching The Heavens From Hell (Pre-Arc 3)
LOCATION:
Tourist & Casino District, West District
PARTICIPANTS:
Shishido Takakazu, Sylvie Slezák ( WhiskeyMarten WhiskeyMarten )
Reaching The Heavens From Hell

The irritated punk scowled ahead as he waited impatiently for the line between him and starting his rise to the top. Yet, as he stared forward, he didn’t expect the person before him to turn their head around and look back at him. Tak hadn’t bothered paying attention to him before, but now faced directly at him, he had no choice but to take in his appearance as his brow scrunched tightly.

His appearance was nearly a complete mirror of Tak’s. The brute’s lazily cobbled-together outfit and cheaply produced clothing were entirely at odds with the other man’s casual glitz; he wore clothes with purpose and meaning and held himself as such; his staunch air of authority was palpable to anyone who paid attention.

Tak, however, could care less, instead focusing in closer on the man’s gaze towards him; the expression Sylvie wore spoke clearer, and with more prominence, than any words could, the lack of glint in his purple fuchsia eyes paired with the way he scanned him up and down immediately caused Tak to understand he was looking down on him. Unfortunately, it was something he was all too accustomed to.

He grit his teeth slightly, his brows tying together even more tightly as the corner of his mouth twitched; before Sylvie spoke, he had already formed an opinion about him.

“I wanna punch him in the face.”

While focused on his own thoughts on wanting to assault this man within a second of meeting him, Tak glared at Sylvie as he spoke, his clear accent apparent but not making it any more difficult to hate his tone. He wore an evident scowl, as Sylvie introduced the fact that they were in the West District--

Wait, of course, they were! What the hell is he talking about!?

Tak’s glower toward Sylvie disappeared, replaced by a neutral look as he blinked at the man, confused by the awkward pause, thinking that was all he had to say. He looked around from side to side to see if he was missing something before looking back at Sylvie.

Just for him to finish his train of thought, causing Tak’s stance slumped forward as his head dipped down, a small bead of sweat going down the side of his face. “Couldn’t you have just said that all at once?!” Tak complained internally, lifting his head back up as Sylvie turned fully to confront him. Tak re-equipped his glare like a proper ruffian. He didn’t know what would come next from Sylvie’s mouth, but he hoped it would make the beatdown he was about to give him more justified.

He was forced to listen as the tiger claimed that he, of all people, would be the one to make it big today, leaving everyone else in the dust with emptied pockets and voided bank accounts. He had turned his own words entirely against him!

This gaudy-looking pretty boy had decided to come at him, talking all this smack, so many things Tak hated all bundled into one. Undoubtedly, the brute wouldn’t sit back and let this happen.

“Oh. Nice to meet you.” Tak responded, reaching a hand out to shake Sylvie’s hand.

However, Sylvie’s sudden introduction completely took Tak off guard, responding politely without a second thought.

Then, as he realized what he was doing, his eyes shot wide, snatching his hand away from Sylvie’s as if he had just stuck his fingers into a box of angry hornets, moving in such a blur it almost seemed like it was about to fly off his body. “W-WAIT! WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING!?” Tak shouted at himself, furious that he pulled himself into Sylvie’s pace.

His focus on the situation returned as he clicked his teeth, stepping forward to close the distance between him and Sylvie as he got up in his face, “You got some damn nerve! What did you do before you came here today to make you so confident, huh!? Pray in front of the statute of Lady Luck!? Played with your 8 balls!? Ate a nicely balanced breakfast, huh!? Cut the shit!” Tak shouted in a fury, acting as if Sylvie’s comment on his supposed luck was complete crazy talk, despite him doing the same thing only moments before.

Pointing a finger at himself, a grin came over his face as his agitation turned to unfiltered cockiness. “As for me, the news lady today said Virgos are going to be extremely lucky, so feel free to go home and cry to your tailor while I’m rolling in the dough tonight, idioooooot.” Tak gloated in a childish tone as he revealed his surefire reasoning for winning big tonight, dragging out the end to sell the playground insult.

Any intelligent person would realize that arguing with someone as dumb as this was a lost cause, but…

 
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Faelan Bryne
SCENE:
Shadow On The Line
TIME:
Pre Arc 1 - February 2020
LOCATION:
Reinhart Home, South District
PARTICIPANTS:
Callista Reinhart @W I N T E R
Shadows On The Line
Infrequent were the moments where one's voice would twine with that of a shadow. Yet, he found himself on the line with a voice from his past, a famiscile of one of his closest friends. Faelan had spent the first few breaths in a reverent silence before emotions swelled from the pits of his stomach. His disbelief was punctuated by surging waves of relief and joy that made him equal parts excited and confused. The grasp of nostalgia intertwined with the bittersweet recollections of a friendship thought to be forever severed. It was sudden—no preamble could prepare him to hear her voice at such late hours.

He had so much to share and more that he wanted to know. The urge to unite was strong in his mind while the night draped across the sky. The moon was still in anticipation, and the usual cacophony of nocturnal creatures gave way to a silence that echoed in his heart. The vacant streets were the sole witness to his hurried footsteps as he found his taxi. The wheels of the vehicle spun with fervor as if sharing in Faelan's urgency, traversing the winding avenues with haste.

Faelan detected a disquieting undertone of panic in her voice, as though an oppressive weight bore down upon her psyche. This weight to her voice breathed life into dormant suspicions, long buried within the recesses of Faelan's mind. The unspoken whispers that once hinted at Callista's possible involvement in her father's untimely demise echoed free again. As Faelan navigated his uncertainty, he grappled with the conflict between the affection he held for his long friendship and the insidious seeds of suspicion that threatened to consume a reunion. The lingering question of her innocence cast a pall over the approaching encounter.

Under the moonlit sky, Faelan arrived at Callista's ancestral manor. He took a moment to just breatheso that he may steel his resolve. Faelan approached the door that stood guard between him and the shadow of his beloved friend. With a mix of anticipation and unease, he knocked, the sound bouncing within the halls of the quiet structure. Would the truth, so long cloaked in uncertainty, reveal itself within these storied walls? Would his reunion with Callista be one of joy, or would it be tainted by a ghost from their past? He had no answers of his own; instead, he danced with his own thoughts and let his body linger in the cold night air.
 
NIKOLAI NOVAK
SCENE:
Unforeseen Sham
TIME:
7:26 PM || August 12, 2020 || Pre-arc 1
LOCATION:
Nikolai's walk-in Armoire, North District
PARTICIPANTS:
Nikolai, Damian
UNFORESEEN SHAM
Pink smoke wafted around Nikolai's shoulders, the pink mist licking off of his fluffy pink feathery boa that was already draped across his shoulders, trailing down to his abdomen. He had to be careful to control his smoke tonight. He wouldn't be garnering any attention nor investors if they were all too rage filled to focus on his excellent designs. Of course, he could always turn it off and stick with his normal boa but where was the flare in that?

Nikolai hummed, assorting through his many brooches which he kept in a black leather case. He glanced over his shoulder at Damian, squinting his eyes in concentration. He mumbled, turning his attention back to the brooches, "No no... the daisy simply won't do... how unflattering." his gloved finger traced over a sun brooch and a lily brooch delicately, lips thinning. He hummed with a furrow in his brow, adjusting his boa which had fallen and covered his sight of the metal.

Nodding, ha laid a lily brooch, a sun brooch, a diamond brooch, and a crown brooch across his red gloved palm, before making his way back in front of his black haired companion. He picked up one after the other, pressing them to Damian's clothes with a furrowed brow. The corner of his lip twitched in a barely there annoyed snarl. He stalked over back to the box, placing the diamond back in its place. Going back, he held up both palms, the lily and sun brooches on one, and the crown on the other.

"Which do you think hm?" Nikolai had been invited to a party full of potential investors, as well as other fashion designers. It was a good opportunity to get his name further out there, but of course- it couldn't be that simple could it? If he went alone, they might view Nikolai as unapproachable, unfriendly. An uncooperative weasel. How could he possibly do that to himself? These people were looking for someone strong, approachable, someone who knew how to deal with people and deal with them well. He needed to look trustworthy. Unfortunately. Luckily- or unluckily, Nikolai couldn't decide- the elusive Damian had shown up at his home on the day of the party. Nikolai didn't necessarily have friends-what use were they?- so he supposed he was grateful this enigma had shown up. Even so, he wasn't about to show up to this party with a partner who looked horrendous now could he?


 
SCENE:
Coolness as a Rule
LOCATION:
Serpent's HQ, Northern District
TIME:
Wednesday, November rd, 2021 || Post Arc-2
PARTICIPANTS:
Tri, Naomi
Coolness as a Rule

To Naomi,

Meet me for dinner in three days in Serpent HQ Lobby, 8 pm sharp.

Your Boss,
Sable Serpent King, Tri

p.s. Be cool


And so, three days later, Tri waited in the lobby reading a newspaper. He was, for once, dressed business smart. A turtle neck under his coat, a pair of glasses he didn't need, and a watch he robbed several months ago from a clock store. The men guarding the lobby pretended not to see him and he pretended not to care about them.

Today, he was business cool. He saw the impersonator-for-hire last week. In his clothes, Naomi looked like him, but he didn't like it. She spoke like him if more formal, but she wasn't cool. And then, when he asked her to be cooler, she just looked confused. That wouldn't do. If she couldn't be as cool as him, it was only time until someone saw through her. So, today was a day of lesson and learning.

Naturally, her clothing option would be the first judge of character. He needed to see with his own eyes what she considered to be cool.


Tags: tityanya tityanya
 
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𝑵𝒂𝒐𝒎𝒊 𝑺𝒂𝒕𝒐
𝔸𝕤: 𝕆𝕞𝕚
I am here: Serpents HQ
With: Tri
Scene: Coolness as a Rule
Time: Wednesday, November 3rd, 2021 || Post Arc-2


"You know once I start, I cannot help myself"



Naomi stared at the letter in her hand, scrutinizing it for the thousandth time. Simple and to the point, a summons to go meet Tri, the new King. It wasn't the first time she met with Tri one-on-one. But the nerves were eating away at her--and she knew why. It was that last sentence of that simple summon--"p.s. Be Cool." She and Tri had met up last week. Paris had given Naomi a new assignment--impersonate the new King in social events that he couldn't be bothered to go to. It was...a lot, to be honest. Naomi avoided impersonating any of her fellow serpents. It was already hard to get people to trust her due to the nature of her potential, and her job. She didn't need to make it worse by masquerading as them. But now, here she was, with an official job to impersonate another serpent. And not just any serpent. The KING. It was a lot of faith and trust in her, which left Naomi flattered. She could very easily abuse this new position of "power." But she wasn't willing to risk her place in the serpents. Impressing the king with doing a good job meant that she could gain favor and genuine power. She needed to do well.

To say that she was nervous at their meeting last week would be an understatement. She had known Tri for years, known his mannerisms and his appearance down to a T. But she was stiff. She was being too formal and she knew it. It didn't help that when she asked for advice, Tri had only said to "be cooler." What did that even mean? Different people had different ideas of cool. Their meeting last week had ended with failure on Naomi's part. She wasn't cool. Whatever "cool" was. So when she got the summons with that little p.s....well, to say that it panicked her was an understatement. Should she be her own idea of cool? Whatever she thought Tri's idea of cool was? Noam was her coolest persona, and she debated if she felt up to going to the meeting as him. But no, that wouldn't be right. Noam was her own personal freedom, she didn't want to get him mixed up in Serpent business. Nao was best for a formal dinner meeting, but that be cool message made Naomi hesitate. She would have to be Omi, the in-between of the two.

But that wasn't the only thing Naomi was stuck on. Now, she was staring at her little mattress, covered in various outfits. Should she go more formal? More casual? What was cool? Naomi bit at her thumb as she glanced at the time on her phone. 6pm. That wasn't nearly enough time. She had the commute to get there on time, so it was less than two hours. She had showered, but her hair was just hanging around her shoulders, and no make-up was done. Maybe she shouldn't have eaten that edible when she woke up. She was only just now even starting to somewhat come down from the high. She just wanted something to make her a little less nervous, but she might have gone overboard. Naomi sighed, before closing her eyes and spinning her hand in a circle, finger outstretched. When she opened her eyes, her finger was pointed at a leather skirt and top. Yeah, that would work.

Naomi sped through the streets, one hand on the wheel and one hand biting at her nail. It was a bad habit, she knew, but when she could just...regrow the fingernail, what did it really matter? She had left way later than she had wanted. If she was lucky, she could get there exactly on time. She just needed the person in front of her TO ACTUALLY GO THE SPEED LIMIT! Five under, like some kind of coward. Naomi always took this road at 20 over. She hadn't crashed yet. In fact, she was pretty sure she could go a lot faster before she even felt like she was going to crash. She'd have to try it sometime when the street was more empty. The most dangerous thing about driving is the other drivers, after all Naomi thought, as the road widened just slightly enough that she could race past Mr. Slow and not hit the curb.

Naomi pulled into park with just minutes to spare. She ran-walked to the HQ entrance, making it inside just as her phone began to ring with an alarm. 8pm meeting! the screen read as she dismissed the alarm. Naomi scanned the lobby, ignoring the guards as she sighted Tri, reading a newspaper. Ah, he was such a cute old man with his turtleneck and useless glasses. At the very least, Naomi thought they were useless, as he didn't normally wear glasses. He probably thought they made him look cooler. Naomi snorted at the thought, before approaching him with a click click click of her heels. How formal should she be? He thought she was too formal last week, right? "Hey, Tri. Ready for dinner?" She asked, absent-mindedly fussing with her hair to make sure it was still placed correctly in her bun.​

((ooc: ))
((outfit))
((Discipline))




Damafaud Damafaud
 
Hiachi Ito
SCENE:
Tigers B-side: Learning Your Stripes
LOCATION:
West District, The Silver Spoon
PARTICIPANTS:
Hiachi, Lorette
Learning Your Stripes

For the past few days, the burner phone that Hiachi had been given was all that was on her mind. For one, it was an ePhone. She knew the tigers were fans of luxury, but buying the most expensive phone on the market for the sole purpose of giving a rookie details for a meeting was incredibly overkill. Two, it was given to her by someone she didn’t even know. Someone had approached her and promptly placed the phone in her hand, without another word. They were clearly associated with the tigers as they were deep in tiger territory and no one was bothering them, but that didn’t ease her at all.

Naturally, Hiachi didn’t trust it one bit. Any object she was given now that she was in a gang could easily be a tracking device, or even an explosive. But, her peace of mind was a lot better once she took a walk around the police department and no service dogs were lunging at her back pocket.

April 10th, at The Silver Spoon. 10 AM sharp. Her gut told her that ignoring the invitation would be a lot more lethal than accepting it. So, she took her walk from her neighborhood to the Highreach zone in careful strides.

Only when Hiachi stepped in the café did she realize that she was way out of her depths. The tiled black and white floors echoed sounds of expensive shoes click-clacking on them. The tables and chairs were crafted from sleek ebony, and the walls were decked out with contemporary art and photography. The brewing machines were modern, but in a classy way. The ambience was filled with mumbles about the stock market and melodic laughs, carefree and rich like a bell.

Hiachi felt the hair on her arm stand up. She frantically looked around, scanning the room for a sign from the person who was expecting her before everyone else realized she didn't belong in here.


 
Yuto Nishimura
SCENE:
Accidental Rumble
TIME:
September 17, 2021 | 5:45 pm | Post Arc 1
LOCATION:
North District, In a Car
PARTICIPANTS:
Yuto, Sang-Cheol, Tri, Kaiga, Musai
Accidental Rumble
A scream tore through Yuto as they crashed, his body lurching forward and his skull banging on the cracked glass. White hot pain shot through his body, an agonized groan leaving his lips. With bleary, squinted eyes he looked up to the window, noting a smatter of blood that no doubt came from him trailing like vines down the cracks of the glass. For a moment, he was entranced, his jaw hanging open. The pretty sight was enough to distract his mind of all the pain, his three eyes growing hazy as his stare continued. The longer he watched it drip, the more numb his body felt- almost as if he were leaving it to a more peaceful place. It looked as if he were a god, watching as his red rivers he created flow down a rickety mountain, the bright liquid nourishing the lands he had made, some trails merging and become one beautiful-

Yuto was abruptly taken out of his daydream by an arm harshly tugging him out of the broken car, throwing him on the floor none too gently. The three eyed boy grunted, then groaned as he curled in on himself, all the striking and aching agony from before redoubling it's efforts on destroying him. A puff of air left him, his eyes shooting open as a foot connected to his sore ribs. His nails dug into the offending calf, warm trails of wetness leaving his foggy eyes as he stared up at the stranger with his mouth agape.

His eyes glanced over to Sang-Cheol, another man dragging his body out, another person coming to help carry him. hearing a muffled voice, he turned his gaze back up at the man before him. His voice coming in and out of his wariness as his eyes fluttered. "You scumbags killed some of our own! How do ya expect to repay us huh?" Another kick to his abdomen, Yuto groaning and rolling onto his back, his grip on the man's leg faltering as his head dropped to the hard floor. The last thing he felt were strong arms hoisting his limp body up, before everything went dark.


 
[GM] HOLDING CAGES
SCENE:
Accidental Rumble
TIME:
September 17, 2021 | 6:55 pm | Post Arc 1
LOCATION:
Holding Cages, North Underground Fight Ring
PARTICIPANTS:
Yuto, Sang-Cheol, Tri, Kaiga, Musai
Accidental Rumble
The sewer's water moved gently, the sounds of the small crashing waves a complete contrast to the area surrounding it. Loud clangs and brash yells could be heard, the energy within the cells in an uncontrolled frenzy. Gaurds stood at the locked gate, armed with guns, as well as their own powered potentials. There was no getting out, and no getting in without their or their higher ups' permission.

Whether the prisoners were held here out of there own free will, kidnapped, owed a debt, etc were only their and the higher up's business.

Muffled yells, shouts, and hollers trickled from upstairs, where the matches and bets were being held. It had been nearly half an hour since the last fight had begun. Soon now- so very soon, the next was soon to be called for.


 
SCENE:
Coolness as a Rule
LOCATION:
Serpent's HQ, Northern District
TIME:
Wednesday, November rd, 2021 || Post Arc-2
PARTICIPANTS:
Tri, Naomi
Coolness as a Rule

Click click, eyes glanced. Tri's, too. He liked what he met; cool dress and cool attitude. She looked like a secret dark alley's elite member. She technically was one, so he nodded.

"Cool," said Tri with approval. He folded the newspaper- then it snagged. Its spine bent weird. Tri straightened it, and the inside fluttered off. Newspapers scattered to the floor.

...
246b8bbcb79c059c0318fb14cf117313.jpg

Tri pulled out his phone. The newspaper didn't exist. The guards pretended not to notice. He sent out a message and nodded at Naomi. "Let's go."

A black sedan had stopped outside. A man with curly hair hurried from the driver seat to open the passenger door. He looked uncomfortable in the formal suit and tie. Tri entered, expecting Naomi to follow. Once they did, the sedan drove into the night.

"So," Tri began. He leaned against the window, glancing with a look he thought forlorn (he's staring blankly to the window). "we will have dinner first at Takoyashi Sushi Bar, then rob someone, then drown someone to the sewer. Any question?"

The car stopped at a red light. Tristan the driver, meanwhile, had pulled out his phone. That bar was definitely not their initial destination. Then, he froze.

"Uh, sir?"

"Hm?"

"Takoyashi Sushi Bar is in the Central District. It's about an hour drive."

"Oh."
Tri nodded. That is far. He twisted his watch-worn wrist, thinking for a while. "Okay, we'll go there."

"There?"

"There." Tri pointed at a taco food truck in a parking lot. The owner looked like he was closing. Tristan met Tri's eyes through the rearview mirror with exasperation. The car turned to reach the parking lot.

"Right," Tri turned to Naomi again. "what do you think?"

It was unclear what Tri was asking about. Tristan stopped the car and walked out with two things: a gun and a money gun.



Tags: tityanya tityanya
 
SCENE:
Accidental Rumble
LOCATION:
Holding Cages, North Underground Fighting Ring
TIME:
September 17, 2021 | 6:55 pm| Post Arc 1
PARTICIPANTS:
Yuto, Sang-Cheol, Tri, Kaiga, Musai
Accidental Rumble
You needed to find an audience for OCs, Lewis advised. A one-time big show just made him a terrorist. If he wanted to be a brand, he had to make a consistent appearance. What was consistent with a terror attack in an anime convention?

Naturally, a massacre in a fighting ring.

Now, he was going to pretend to be a helpless old man in a costume being kidnapped away by unthinking goons, but apparently he was too famous for that so he got bummed. He ended up asking Paris to help him enter the fighting ring. It wasn't as exciting, but at least he got to keep his Savior of 2D Humanity as a result. His cosplay wouldn't be complete without his trademark deodorant shooting gun.

Tri sat cross-legged in a lotus position, humming like a buddhist monk as he blew air in his rubber monkey mask. The cell was damp and cold, but it was hot inside the costume. Beauty was to suffer, so Tri continued humming and being cool. Cool Chimpanzee wouldn't move just because he felt hot.

Come to think of it, what did they say about Savior of 2D Humanity again?


Tags: Misuteeku Misuteeku Caffeine_Obsessed Caffeine_Obsessed Kameron Esters- Kameron Esters- The Crimson King The Crimson King
 
Caden Howell (Isaiah Spade)
SCENE:
All that Glitters...
LOCATION:
Restaurant in the West district
TIME:
June 20th 2018
PARTICIPANTS:
Isaiah, Kaede
ALL THAT GLITTERS...
Tucking a strand of gold behind his ear, he bid a well-dressed acquaintance farewell before turning his attention to the vacant table nearby. Nursing a clear glass, he listened to the soft crackle of his earpiece and the gruff voice that followed. With the effects of his illusions already in place, there was no need to fret over the possibility of wandering eyes or sharp ears picking up on his activities. The other diners would hear nothing except the gentle sound of the live piano and sea of idle conversation. If anyone cared to look his way, it would appear as if his gaze never left the plate in front of him.

According to the Veteran who tasked him with shadowing a fellow Dragon, the target would soon arrive. Until recently, Isaiah didn't know much about the man. Much like himself, he didn't stand out much, his only notable feature being the rank he'd attained through tenure. However, the personal details were unimportant. What mattered was the suspicious activity that had been observed over the last few months, including tonight's rendezvous with an unknown woman.

While the target's loyalty and integrity had been called into question, nothing had been confirmed just yet. This was just meant to be a simple observation. Isaiah had to ensure there was no betrayal and that there would be none in the future. It was his hope that this would all turn out to be an unfortunate misunderstanding, but he would do what his job demanded if necessary. He may not have been a Veteran, but this was far from his first mission.

After a few more seconds ticked by, his mark finally arrived. Accompanied by a stranger dressed in red, the Dragon took his seat. Things would truly start from here.

While Isaiah's artificial body looked through the menu in front of him, his true self leaned forward, observing the couple. He had to keep an eye out for anything that seemed even slightly out of place and listen for the smallest hint of sensitive information. As soon as the Dragon gave him cause, he would intervene.

For a while, all seemed fine. However, as the drinks kept coming and the conversation started shifting, the Dragon's lips began to loosen. Nothing important was revealed, but the way the man came close to teetering on the edge was enough reason for Isaiah to make his move. It was time to pull the plug.

Turning around in his seat, he matched his illusory double's positioning and removed the effects of his Potential. Then, turning back, his body language revealed genuine surprise as he just so happened to notice the familiar face. Without wasting time, he got up from his table and walked over, a smile plastered on his face.

"Well, that's a face I haven't seen in quite some time. How have you been?" Coming to a stop behind the Dragon, Isaiah placed a gentle hand on the man's shoulder before directing his attention toward the woman sitting across from him. "I'm guessing pretty well, considering your current company. Tell me, who's your lovely friend?"

As he beamed at the rose, hushed whispers reached the man's ears. With his Potential, he issued a single warning. "Leave. Now."

The other Veteran would be waiting outside to collect their comrade. At this point, a harsh punishment could still be avoided, but Isaiah believed getting off without consequence was very unlikely. That would all be decided another time. For now, there were still other issues to deal with.


Sei Shonagon Sei Shonagon
 
xFQrJdH.jpg

𝑵𝒂𝒐𝒎𝒊 𝑺𝒂𝒕𝒐
𝔸𝕤: 𝕆𝕞𝕚
I am here: Black Sedan on the streets
With: Tri, his driver
Scene: Coolness as a Rule
Time: Wednesday, November 3rd, 2021 || Post Arc-2


"You know once I start, I cannot help myself"



Tri's eyes met Naomi, and she watched impassively as he sized her up. It wouldn't be cool to look nervous. But inside, she was mentally chewing on her nail again. Was her outfit cool enough? Did it meet expectations? Had she gone overboard? When he nodded and said "cool," her eyes lit up. Approval! But besides that, she kept an impassive stance, only nodding in response. Cool people didn't get excited about being acknowledged as cool, because there was never any doubt in their heads. Tri went to fold up his newspaper, but disaster struck. Naomi wasn't even entirely sure what had just happened--one second, the newspaper was in Tri's hand, the next second it was scattered in pieces on the floor. Naomi stifled a laugh, not for the sake of looking cool, but for the sake of not being seen laughing at The King. It was hard going with Tri and the guards pretending that nothing had happened. It was the residual effects of her fading high, she knew logically, but for some reason this experience was the funniest thing she had ever experienced. And she must not laugh.

Tri texted something on his phone, and then said to Naomi that it was time to go. She nodded again, trying desperately to stamp off the smirk from her withheld laughter. She could laugh in the car. She followed Tri out of the building, towards the black sedan that was waiting. She let out a laugh now, now that she was out of sight of the guards. "Sorry Tri, thought of something funny I saw earlier," she lied easily, following him towards the car. Their driver was dressed in a suit and tie, and he looked incredibly uncomfortable. His body was all stiff, subtly tugging at his collar and wrists. Naomi subconsciously mirror the gesture, tugging at her own sleeves. She would never be caught dead looking that weak. Was this outfit comfortable? Hell no. But it looked great on her, and she was wearing it, not the other way around.

She followed Tri into the car, carefully sitting to make sure her skirt didn't expose any unwanted skin. That would be embarrassing. They sat in silence for a moment as the car took off, Tri looking blankly out the window. Did he...think that looked cool? He looked like he was staring into space, or having some kind of war flashback. But it was a Tri-ism that Naomi needed to copy, so she leaned against her own window, staring blankly at the streets as they drove. Tri spoke, laying out the itinerary for the evening. Sushi, cool. Robbing someone, how fun! Drowning someone...in a sewer? Naomi's nose wrinkled at the thought. Any questions, Tri asked? Did he actually care? "Can you do the drowning? I quite like my clothes and don't want them smelling like sewer. I can definitely lead someone into the sewer for you," Naomi tried to compromise. She knew it was a little bit of a risk, but, well...She wasn't dressed for sewer diving. She was dressed for dinner.

The car stopped at a light, and the driver pulled out his phone. Naomi's eyebrow quirked. If a driver for her father had done that...well, that would be the last time he had ever driven for the family. But his body language froze up, and he tentatively spoke. The sushi bar was an hour's drive away. Naomi snickered, hiding her mouth behind her hand, hoping that it would muffle the sound. It was just like Tri to think of a place but not how long it took to get there. She'd have to keep that thought in mind. Random, last minute choices that weren't always feasible. Tri pointed at a taco truck instead, the owner putting away foldable chairs and tables. Naomi caught the driver's exasperated eyes in the rearview, and laughed again. Today just wasn't his day, was it?

The car pulled into the parking lot, and Tri turned to Naomi. What did she think? Naomi glanced again at the taco truck, nearly all packed away. "I think that the only reason a taco truck would close this early is because they've run out of food. But, if they've run out of food, they probably have a lot of money on hand," Naomi answered, emphasizing the word money with a twinkle in her eye. The driver seemed to have caught her drift as well, since she saw him exit the car gun in hand. "Life is all about improvisation. You don't mind doing your itinerary a little out of order, do you?"

((ooc: ))
((outfit))
((Discipline))




Damafaud Damafaud
 
Devin Cena
SCENE:
Ain't that a kick
LOCATION:
Garden, East District
PARTICIPANTS:
Devin, Amari
Ain't that a kick


"AOOOOOGGGH!" Devin's eyes bulged as his head popped out from the ground, freed from the heel that submerged his head in the dirt. The Rookie coughed out dirt mixed with saliva. He heaved in precious oxygen from his lungs, even though he didn't need to, and crawled out of the ground. "Guh, gah, gah." Devin coughed out what remaining throat had entered his system. Next time he was going to buy a couple of bags of mulch and dirt and bury himself inside a bathtub with it.

"Eh?" The plant host looked up and finally took notice of Amari, who was standing a few feet away from him. His mind blanked out at the sight of the towering, mean-looking woman before him. "Ah..." Was the only thing that left Devin's mouth. Then a surge of embarrassment colored his face as he immediately started crawling back into the ground. "You... saw... nothing..." He wanted to die.

The sheer thought of a woman stepping on his head led to weird thoughts. He wasn't a masochist, and he definitely wasn't a pervert!? What was that woman going to think seeing a man crawling out of the ground in front of her? Was she just going to say, "Ha, pathetic," and leave without an explanation!? He didn't want to be seen as some sort of weirdo!

Unfortunately for Devin, George had other plans. As Devin gradually re-buried himself into the ground, George started to grow in size, and vines started to grow out. "HSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS." It lashed out at Amari. With vines as thick as a human forearm, it crackled them down like whips. A nearby tree was decimated by an unprompted strike from the furious plant.



@angel doe
 
Last edited:
Kaede Shimokōbe
SCENE:
All that Glitters...
LOCATION:
Restaurant in the West district
TIME:
June 20th 2018
PARTICIPANTS:
Isaiah Spade, Kaede Shimokōbe, Npc dragon man
All that Glitters...
Pretending to be someone you’re not is easy. Put on a wig, curl your lashes and smear red on your lips. A careful brush of strands behind your ear there and a coy smile here. Trace a line from wrinkled delight in left to right eye while they speak and then paint a curve with your gaze on their mouth until counterfeit becomes real. It’s no wonder that art has lost its value on the market, it’s so easily replicated. And Kaede was becoming real proficient at playing the artist. If they desired a girl with a pearl earring, she would give it to them, and if they desired a Mona Lisa she would grant it likewise. Anything to loosen the seam on that pouch of secrets that she knew was hidden behind dimpled cheeks.

“And then?” The red-clad woman processed her Dragon date’s story with downplayed enthusiasm all the while she leaned forward. Her fingertip caught the rim of her wine glass just as the Dragon man was about to holler out the continuation. He sprawled himself out over the back of the chair. “-And then blalblala alias this and alias that did this and I saved them all.” The dragon burst out in raucous laughter which eventually simmered down at her lack of response “Sorry, you didn’t come here to hear me talk about old anecdotes. It must be boring to listen to, right?”.

Yes. “No, not at all.” The soothing timbre was accompanied by recumbent lashes that lowered over brown eyes to veil the truth. Her gaze trailed after the fingertip that circled the thin edge between air and the untouched contents of the glass. She hadn’t been told anything of worth yet and as the score was looking right now, with double zeroes hanging in the air, it was looking like a tie. But could she afford it? Flickers of familiar faces were reflected in the spot where the glittering chandelier appeared to hit the glass. Old ones, lost ones and ones that she would like to forget if she could. The silk fabric suddenly felt invasive where it sat upon her skin, glued to the spot by a flush of heat that was anything but buzzing intoxication. Kaede drew a measured breath “Rather than bored I’m curious how you come up with those quirky aliases”.

“Is it up to the person themselves to pick one? Or is it given to you? Do you have a special ritual for choosing a name?” Her lashes swept up at the man in tandem with her gaze. It crept up on him, slowly and deliberately delayed in the image of a viper that was awaiting the signal to lunge. The dragon’s mirthful grin widened, pleased to have regained her interest, and took another sip of his wine. “Well, in my case it comes from my middle name, which is Lorenzo. Ren was the easy option, so to speak, but for someone like the King-” The speech came to a premature end when a hand cut in and stilled the animated shoulders.

Extended stares compensated for lungs bereft of words. Dumbfounded blinking ones from her date and a silent trembling one from herself as she sifted through the blonde strands. She was displaced from the room for a single muted gasp. The sky suddenly not dark, but bright, and the marble floor suddenly not fossilized cosmos swirls, but green meadows. Oh. The conscious effort she had made to suppress that single face dispersed at the bottom of her dark wells. In eyes that sought out the shade in between the waves of hair.

She eyed him in easily stirred foliage and filtered the light through dark spots on her dropped facade. The displeasure bled out quicker than she could smother it in the voids. She really did hate blonde hair. Her date shot a fuzzy look between them and hastened out of his chair. Kaede snapped her muscles back into place in a trained smile and a hand that brushed up over his on the table.

“Oh dear, it appears that you're quite popular as well”.

The date wavered “Uh, I- This-”.

Her expression softened “There’s no need to hurry, is there? Sit. Your friend will get his chance to introduce himself, as will I”. Kaede dragged through the motion to face the blonde “I’m sure your friend understands, that it’s quite rude to cut in line when I’m just getting to know you”.

The innocent tilt of her head masked any underlying meanings “Please, have a seat. It’s not like the table can’t fit three”. She waved at a waiter to fetch a chair and raised a challenge in her brow “-Unless you just stopped by to pass a friendly greeting and you’re on your way to attend other matters?”.



Lucem Lucem
 
SCENE:
Blood Stained Girl
LOCATION:
Alleyway, South District
Time:
Pre-Arc 1 | ???
PARTICIPANTS:
Raquel, Hector
Blood Stained Girl

Without a word, the girl followed the Phoenix Veteran. While do so, she wordlessly clutched her arm and lowered head. Ignoring the blood that stained the ragged clothing, it made her come off as meek and timid. Her face, on the other hand, conveyed a completely different emotion. One far from fear, but more of hunger. She wanted to eat. Remove the skin and feast on the marrow. Crush the bone and consume the meat. Saliva built up at the thought of the next person she was going consume.

If following this man was going to bring her food, so be it. If not, then she'd just consume him instead. The hunger had slowly overtaken the previously tame woman. The dark halls reminded her of the emptiness. There was nothing in darkness after all. Only a deep desire fill it with something.

They came to stop in front of a lit door. Standing in front of the door, the girl turned to face Hector. Her disheveled hair slightly concealed her facial expression, but Hector could tell that she had a morbid look on her face. Droplets of saliva dripped down from mouth when she poke. "Ah....." Sounds were spoken with barely concealed intent. Her desire to eat was hanging on a thread.

That thread was about to snap.

Her eyes faced the door. Once she opened it, she'll no longer would be herself. She'd be nothing more than a monster seeking another human's flesh and blood. Though despite that, she didn't open the door. Without turning, the bloodstained girl said.

"I just have to eat everyone behind this door, right?"


WhiskeyMarten WhiskeyMarten
 
HECTOR MOSES
CS Link
SCENE:
Beginner's Guide To Housekeeping
TIME:
Pre-Arc 1 - Dusk, August 2019
LOCATION:
Near the North-Central Major Bridge, Upper Central
PARTICIPANTS:
Hector, Yukari
Omi, Takaonna, Tri
BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO HOUSEKEEPING

New Oasis rarely looked more beautiful than it did right now. The sky glowed purple and orange, beginning to dim as evening transitioned to night. The river was calm, reflecting the lights that lined the riverbank in soft ripples. Even the view across the river was beautiful. The stream of cars going back and forth across the massive bridge that linked the parts of the city, the silhouette of buildings, dark and devoid of detail. It might be surprising to see someone admiring the view of the North District, but it would be most understandable at this time.

It didn’t matter at all though, because Hector wasn’t looking over in admiration. He was on patrol.

“We’re lucky tonight, it ain’t always this peaceful.”

Hector was growing restless. He guessed he should’ve been grateful for the lack of trouble, it meant good things for the Phoenix Empire, but he didn’t have the reputation of a bringer of peace — quite the opposite actually. But not only was he itching for a fight, but he was itching for a good opportunity to see Yukari in action.

It hadn’t been long since they first met, Hector happened to be in the area when he was informed of a fight brewing nearby. It resulted in Hector and Yukari teaming up to beat down a minor gang that had been a thorn in the side of the South for a while. That’s where Hector saw what Yukari would do. That’s when Hector knew he needed this guy on his side.

They’re lucky, actually. They’d be shitting their pants if they saw us, ‘specially with what you can do.”

It was supposed to be Yukari’s trial, but so far they hadn’t caught anyone to deal with as they walked back and forth around the North-Central bridge area. If there were to be any Serpents, or other Northern intruders trespassing on the Empire, this is where they’d come from. Of course, it wasn’t the only route, but Hector didn’t deem any of them to be strategists.

”We don’t have to stay out here all night, we have people doing night patrols. I’ll bring you round to Red West when we’re done, I promised them I’d show my face tonight, and maybe I can introduce you to a few folks.”

Though he was as diligent as always, it had been a long evening, and Hector’s mind was wandering, thinking about his favourite haunt — Red West Bar. It might not have been so wise to take someone there who wasn’t yet a confirmed member, but Hector’s faith in Yukari trumped all reason.

 
Yukari Niyami
CS Link
SCENE:
Beginner's Guide To Housekeeping
TIME:
Pre-Arc 1 - Dusk, August 2019
LOCATION:
Near the North-Central Major Bridge, Upper Central
PARTICIPANTS:
Hector, Yukari, Naomi, Takaonna, Tri
Beginner's Guide To Housekeeping
Yukari walked alongside Hector as they patrolled the north side of Central. Yukari didn't care much for the colorful sky, but he glanced at it so often anyway. You know, in case some HP that could fly came barreling down on them. That's all. He heard Hector sigh over how "lucky" they were and smirked. He even gave a chuckle at the next thing he said, know he was certain Hector was actually itching for a fight.


"Lucky, huh? I agree, but that does make both of us unlucky; and bored."

Yukari gives small sigh of relief when Hector mentions they wouldn't be out here all night like this. He'd end up crazy from boredom.

"Well, at least a bar won't bore me to death. I'd go crazy if we had to patrol all night with nothing happening..."

It was than he caught sight of a bird. Yukari watched as it circled around a bit before landing on a nearby street lamp. A few seconds after, and another ten birds followed suit, only they began attacking the first one. The hair on the back of Yukari's neck twitched as he watched.

"Any chance this is just the calm before the storm?"

While Yukari wasn't the smartest guy, he was completely stupid either. He was, however, gifted with a pretty good instinct - probably closer to intuition - from his ability. Right now, that intuition was telling him something was going to happen. He stopped watching the birds and glanced at Hector, waiting for his input.

 
Last edited:
Alice
SCENE:
The House Always Wins
LOCATION:
West District, The White Tiger
PARTICIPANTS:
Hiachi, Ryutaro, Camila, Alice, Jennifer
The House Always Wins
Alice was unusually excited to be roped into the job; partly because Camila, who she thought hated her, had asked; partly because of the cute outfit! And in that, just maybe, she could feel what it was like to have a normal life. One where people looked at her, but not "see" her the way people usually do.

Well... even if the presence of the new Queen and an espionage-esque setup screamed another mission for the Tigers. Maybe it was hopeful of her to think a Tiger mission would offer a momentary escape from her mental hell. "I'm sorry, I don't know anything other than what Camila told me," she said, smiling. One other person, Jennifer, had joined them. Alice wasn't too familiar, but she certainly looked capable for the job.

When Camila looked at Alice with her expression of... not exactly ideal emotions, she was met with a polite nod. Though still smiling, Alice notably sunk a bit when the tea was brought up. "I can do that..."

As the plans seemed to settle, Alice only sat and played with her fingers. Usually Mr Hat stood by her side, his presence letting her know everything would be okay. But Mr Hat wasn't here anymore—and probably never would be. She itched to walk around and play pretend, no matter how temporary or the intent behind it.

The only thing that could make this worse was if masked men appeared from the walls and shot the place up...

miki miki @joshuadim @Uasal Roda the Red Roda the Red
 
SEBASTIAN SE
SCENE:
Fireflies for Glass Bottle Hearts
LOCATION:
North District
TIME:
December 18th, 2021 | Post-Arc 2
PARTICIPANTS:
Sebastian Se, Julian Midgley
FIREFLIES FOR GLASS BOTTLE HEARTS
As the homeless man dipped his fingers into the body wound, Sebastian leaned forward in a squat to properly observe his reactions. The pain that the man felt as his frozen fingers were thawed from the warmth was tantalizingly likable. Sebastian's eyes fixated on the man, not letting a single detail go past him, from the squirming to the way his ears flushed pink. What a nice reaction.

Sebastian smirked as he let the moment lengthen. He derived quite a depraved enjoyment from the sight, as much as the act of taking a life. But this time, he didn't need to worry about feeling guilty. He wasn't taking anybody's life this time around.

After looking at the man for quite a few moments, Sebastian got the realization that he wasn't half bad looking. Looking past the cold that chapped his lips and skin that showed signs of starvation and cold were wispy, glass-like blond hair, arctic blue eyes, long eyelashes, and slim neck made him look quite pretty.

When Sebastian finished thoroughly enjoying seeing the man squirm, he produced a handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to the glass-like man. If he let his blood-soaked hands get exposed to the cold air, they'd freeze once more.

"We're going to get you something to eat and drink," Sebastian said with a kind smile, "You can't watch me kill someone without energy."

Allowing the man an opportunity to watch Sebastian in action was only one of the reasons Sebastian offered him lunch. The second reason was that the glass-like man's demeanor evoked quite a bit of respect from Sebastian. There was also the fact that it was that it was right to give to those who were in need. And besides that, the food in the North was cheap and delicious, albeit incredibly suspicious due to the scrappy environment. Sebastian knew a few food carts nearby that sounded absolutely scrumptious right about then.

"If you're having trouble moving around, I can give you a piggyback ride?" Sebastian offered. He turned around to give Julian an opportunity to get on his back. "Your driver today is named Sebastian. To who do I owe the pleasure of giving a lift? Also, please remember to tip and rate your ride five stars."


Sei Shonagon Sei Shonagon
 
SCENE:
Coolness as a Rule
LOCATION:
Parking Lot, North District
TIME:
Wednesday, November 3rd, 2021 || Post Arc-2
PARTICIPANTS:
Tri, Naomi
Coolness as a Rule

246b8bbcb79c059c0318fb14cf117313.jpg

Naomi wasn't that cool, Tri realized in the car. Definitely not as cool as Kisara or Bash or Yuuto. She didn't have confidence or recklessness. If Nikolai was here, he would have thrown an irritable look when the papers dropped. Not whatever that was; he wasn't stupid. If she found it funny, she should have laughed. Or maybe it was because she worked with Paris? He was the type to kill people that annoyed him, so maybe Naomi was timid from that.

Hm.

Tri scratched his chin. His stubble grazed against the cold window. Where should he begin? He didn't like that compromise earlier either. This was Serpent, not Tiger. Either agree and do it or disagree, complain, and do it anyway because he was a King.

Tri began by shaking his head. "Businessmen only rob big, not small business owners. This is different." He pointed at the money gun. "Incentive." Then, at the gun. "Threat."

And apparently, the gun wouldn't be needed. Seeing the $50 bills in the money gun, the food truck driver smiled and began chatting with Tristan. Moments later, Tristan returned to the car with a look of relief.

"Only chorizos and the barbeque pork are left. He's whipping six up now, all that's left."

Tri nodded. He stopped leaning at the window. His impassive face stared ahead. He nonchalantly said, "Serpent is about freedom. My freedom is about cool. So, as long as it cool, anything else doesn't matter. Today, I'm businessman-that-works-for-a-shady-corporation cool."

He pointed a finger gun at Naomi. "Bang."


Tags: tityanya tityanya
 

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