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

SCENE:

Late-Night Chase

TIME:

Nighttime, post-arc 1

LOCATION:

Aksher Co. offices, South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Charlie, ~~Minato~~ Masked Bandit "M"

LATE-NIGHT CHASE

Minato were crawling over the three floors of Aksher Co. Offices like maggots over a corpse. Some were rummaging through files. Others were stuffing paraphernalia into rucksacks. Others still were booting up office computers with special, monogrammed flash drives that rifled through digital records with a quickness.

In the backs of their minds they were aware that the Phoenix was working his way through them. But he wouldn't get to all of them in time! Maybe. Probably. And if he did, Minato decided to invest in a little insurance.

”You, you... And you!” Minato pointed out three other Minatos in quick succession, each of them offering a quick, two-fingered salute in turn before they scampered off in the direction that the bull-Phoenix would be coming from. They would stop him in his tracks... Or at least slow him down. They were so close.

Meanwhile, the Minatos on data-duty continued to collect every morsel, every nugget they could get their hands on.

As Charlie passed into one narrow corridor, the sound of scuffling feet from behind him was the only warning before a Minato came up around a bend in the hall and swung at him full-force with a crowbar, aiming for the back of his head.

At the same time, two other Minatos burst out of closed-door conference rooms and rushed the Rookie Phoenix.

Minato Blitz!!!

WhiskeyMarten · Aug 28, 2022

HECTOR MOSES

SCENE:

Swords and Snakes

TIME:

Pre-Arc 1, Night, January 23, 2020

LOCATION:

Red West Bar, South District -> Somewhere, North District

PARTICIPANTS:

Hector, Rutheless First Rose

SWORDS AND SNAKES

RED WEST BAR, EVENING.

“Ruthe…”

Hector stood in the middle of the road as a bike disappeared into the distance. There was no doubt that it was her bike, he’d seen it enough times that he could draw every last detail from memory. The only anomaly was the driver, who was definitely not Rutheless Hernandez.

One of her lackeys, perhaps, he was sure she had plenty under her thumb, but what business had she in South? Sure, he hadn’t paid her a visit in a while, but he hadn’t done anything to offend her… right?

Maybe she just wants my attention.

Though he smirked at the prospect, it quickly morphed into a scowl as he focused on the situation. He wiped his fringe away from his forehead, where it was dripping a foul concoction of spirits down his face, and flipped the now-departed biker off before turning back to his haunt, Red West Bar.

The door stood loosely, its hinges in a fragile state, and Hector took care to treat it more gently than he had when he left the building. A young lass stood over the mess inside, unable to figure out where to start fixing it, instead looking up at Hector. The manager was out of town. She was a new staff member. Hector was meant to be helping her keep the place intact, given his previous experience in the bar (as a customer, a resident, and a former employee).

“What the fuck, man, I gotta call the boss.”

“You ain’t calling nobody.”

Hector stepped over a table, picking it up and propping it against the wall, for it was now missing two legs and wore a crack through its surface. A casualty of the fight, thrown by Hector as the assailant made his escape. He then found the legs, chucking them over at the table, to keep them out of the way.

“Do you want us to-”
“...”
“Go. We’re closing early.”

A trio of patrons, young clubbers, scurried away while they had the chance. They had no reason to stay, as their drinks had spilt and it was hard to find a reason to stay out after their lives had been threatened by an armed intruder.

“That’ll be one hell of a cleanup, hm?”

A regular remained seated at the bar, entirely unfazed by the whole event. He had barely flinched when a man’s body flew inches above him only minutes ago, missing him only because the drunkard had his head slumped on the counter.

Hector marched past the last customer — thankfully it was a very quiet evening — past the despondent bartender, to dare peek behind the counter at the massacre below.

3 shelves of glasses and bottles lay broken on the floor, in a pungent sea of alcohol. Hector’s clothes dripped with it, which made sense as he was the one who had been thrown into the shelves as he tried to take down the intruder, causing the catastrophic waterfall that sent Red West's profits for the night down the drain.

Though she was new, the bartender knew well enough not to mess with Hector and remained silent as he stood over the wreckage. He stood for a few moments, before turning to the door.

“I’ll sort this out.”

And with that, he was gone.

NORTH DISTRICT’S UNWELCOMING STREETS, NIGHT

Hector kicked an empty can, watching it bounce across the pavement. He was absolutely fed up.

“RUTHE.”

There was nobody to yell at, but it felt like it would help. He had stormed into 5 bars along North District, all ones he had met the Serpentine woman in before, ones he hoped she was lurking in today. Perhaps she wasn’t baiting him after all, or if she was, she could’ve been a bit more obvious.

“I KNOW YOU’RE OUT HERE.”

He was having doubts, but he kicked the helpless can across the pavement again as he stormed towards another bar he had met her in.

“SAW YOUR DAMN MAN ON YOUR DAMN BIKE.”

Caffeine_Obsessed · Aug 28, 2022

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

Yuto squinted in suspicion. Was Taffy... doubting him?... Did he not believe Yuto's words? The ravenette was unable to withhold the twitch of his eye, the feeling of disdain aimed at him unwillingly making itself known. A shaky breath left him, a smile taking over his face instead of a scowl he so desperately felt he needed to express.

Peyton... Yeah. Right. Like Yuto was going to bother remembering that. After all, who in their right mind would call their meal other than that? Their meal. "I'm glad! I wouldn't want to name you something you didn't agree with after all..." Yuto mocked a pout, shaking his head.

Yuto snuck a glance at his empty food tray. Well... Taffy did have a point... The food here was atrocious. But it wasn't goop. Hm~ If the nurses fed Peyton goop instead of the dull food he got, that must mean they liked Yuto more! Yuto chuckled to himself, smug and satisfied at this new revelation.

His attention was snapped back onto the other at his little nickname. Yutes? Yuto tilted his head, an innocent confusion written over his features. "...Yutes? Did you just... give me a nickname?.." A growl was on the edge of his voice. He... didn't know how to feel. Rage was there- but also... he didn't particularly mind it... He only allowed those close to him to give him a nickname- those that he didn't like?... Well. We all know how that goes.

Yuto hummed, contemplating. Instead of lashing out, he shrugged and accepted the gum. Did this mean... they were friends now? The three eyed boy stared unwaveringly at Taffy, slowly shoving the stick of gum in is mouth. Friends with.... his food? That was an odd thought. Then again- Yuto had heard of snakes befriending the rat meant to be their meal... Maybe this wasn't so different? He nodded to himself, getting up from the bed and extending both arms out. "Well~ it is quite boring... So, sure! Just heh..." His gaze sharpened into something threatening. "How about you stop tormenting me with that and actually break it? hm?" He made a close eyed smile, lifting his chain higher. "And I will make due of my word... eventually. But I don't feel like it yet!" He giggled.

Coyote Hart

Caffeine_Obsessed · Aug 28, 2022

Yuto Nishimura

SCENE:

Tutor Turmoil

TIME:

Pre Arc 1, 2020 || November 15 || 6:45 pm

LOCATION:

Lab Icarus

PARTICIPANTS:

Raphael, Yuto

TUTOR TURMOIL

Yuto picked at his teeth, his bare feet kicking a small pebble out of his path. If he could just- Aha! Yuto spit at the ground, the small remanent of his previous meal hours prior finally dislodged. The ravenette's head fell back, a great big sigh escaping his lungs. He rolled his shoulders out, quickly becoming bored of his after meal stroll. Yuto hummed in thought, contemplating. Well.. there were other ways to burn all this energy. Other ways besides hunting that is- Yuto was already full. Which was a shock.

He had to find someone to mess with! Yes! That was it! Who hadn't he seen in a while, lets see... Yuto snapped his fingers, a smile lighting up his face as he bounced on his heels. Raphael! That grouch always needed a bit of joy In his life! Luckily for him- Yuto was exactly that! A joy. With smug glee, Yuto made his way to Lab Icarus. If Raphael wasn't there, well... Yuto will just find some other scientist to pester there... Sang-Cheol for example!

--

Yuto barged through the doors, a hum in his throat nearly loud enough to echo. Looking around, his tune abruptly stopped once he set his sights on the man. He bounced over, jumping and attaching himself to Raphael's back, wrapping his arms around the other man's neck. "Raphi~ just the gem I wanted to see!~" Yuto giggled, tightening his hold on the man's neck. "Play with me!~ I'm bored..." The three eyed boy pouted, though he was certain Raphael couldn't see him.

Beann · Aug 28, 2022

RURIKO IKEDA

SCENE:

Date ???

TIME:

Friday, May 27th, 2022 || Post Arc 2

LOCATION:

The East District ---> Central, Catmosphere Kitty Cafe

PARTICIPANTS:

Isaiah & Ruriko

DATE ???

‘I feel fucking ridiculous, I should just leave now —’

Before Ruriko could even consider turning around to bolt, she froze in place as she heard the door unlock. She felt like a deer caught in the headlights when she was greeted by Isaiah — or rather, greeted by Ray. Over the years, she had learned about a few of his personas. ‘Fade’ was the one she was most accustomed to so she was a little surprised to see a headful of silver hair. “Oh - uh, thank you -!” She rubbed the back of her neck, embarrassed by the compliment she received.

“Uh - I think you look great,” she shrugged awkwardly, mentally kicking herself at how stupid she must sound. Isaiah always dressed well, as if he had some corporate job or something. She did prefer his real face over any of the other personas but she respected how cautious he was. Ruriko may as well have been wearing a disguise as well given how differently she was dressed compared to her normal attire.

Her attention shifted to the slight disturbance in front of him as his shirt gained a similar pattern to match her yukata. She felt her chest swell, unsure if it was flattery from Isaiah wanting to match with her or embarrassment that they were now matching like a couple. “Yeah — it’s a good color,” she responded sheepishly, looking away for a moment as she waited for him to lock his front door. Was it too late to call this off? She could just lie about Kairong needing her to pick Xuefeng up, yes, the classic parental excuse.

However, as she looked back at Isaiah, the gears in her brain ceased to churn as she stared at the hand he offered her. This gesture had to be solid confirmation that this was a date. What else would Isaiah want? A high-five? “Yeah, yeah — uh — I’m ready if you are,” she slid her hand into his, taking the initiative to intertwine their fingers together. “It’ll take a couple of portals to get to the cafe so…let me know if you start getting dizzy midway.”

With that warning, she motioned her free hand to whirl a new portal to life. Ruriko wasn’t sure if Isaiah had grown accustomed to her mid-air portal travel so she safely placed the following ones near the ground. Without the use of momentum, it took a bit longer to arrive at their destination than she had anticipated. At the very least, it was still faster than vehicle transportation.

As the last portal was opened, the two appeared in front of a building with large windows and a colorful sign that read: Catmosphere Kitty Cafe. The clear windows showed that the place was somewhat lively, as lively as any cafe can get at night. A few cats slept against the window, allowing any passersby to admire them but the rest were either hiding or receiving attention from other customers. “It’s crazy that you haven’t been here before, Is — er, Ray. Seems right up your alley.” After she closed the last portal, she pulled on Isaiah’s hand, guiding him towards the entrance of the cafe.

Ruriko dipped her head slightly in acknowledgment as Isaiah opened the front door. Walking in, she looked around for seating. There were a few sofas that a cat or two occupied and a lot of tables to consider. This may be a date but she wasn’t going to hold herself back in the presence of several cats. She immediately marched towards one of the ‘occupied’ sofas, gently picking up a rather big, white cat from its spot and sitting down with it on her lap. "It's been a while since I came here. Xuefeng always prefers Ojiisan's shop whenever I give him the option to choose."

Lucem

BluEndings · Aug 29, 2022

"NAOMI BLECHER" (MIMI)

SCENE:

[Tin and Matchstick]

TIME:

Pre-Arc 3, September 29th 2021

LOCATION:

Lab Icarus, North District

PARTICIPANTS:

Sang-Cheol, Mimi, NPCs

TIN AND MATCHSTICK

A soft knock.

The groaning of a door.

Settled in the entryway was one orange-haired woman. She hung by the edge leaving only a portion of her person in view. Normally there would be another—a hunk of wood, metal, or stone by her flank—yet her side was empty, and the shadows behind too thin. She was alone, and her cautious rosy eyes fluttered about the room. Her interruption was clear, and though she had opened the door without response, there came not a single step.

“Can we talk?” Her swaying gaze soaked in the carnage and oddity. “Alone.”

The scene at hand was not something she wanted to pay mind to. The intricacies, the implications, and the inevitability; it was all the perfect culmination for a headache. The most she could manage was keeping her eyes towards the walls. Though, arguably, they weren’t any prettier than the room’s innards or the individual at the center.

Acknowledging anything else was too hazardous. After everything that happened last week she doubted anyone was in a good state of mind. It was supposed to have been a simple job. She hadn’t taken it all that seriously. There didn’t seem to be a need to. The utter failure as a result was not felt by her like the others, but it did provide a swelling feeling of unrest.

Things could not be allowed to get worse.

NAVIGATE

The One Eyed Bandit · Aug 29, 2022

Passeri Park

SCENE:

Sunday Roast

TIME:

October 21st, 2021 || Pre-Arc 3

LOCATION:

Passeri's Penthouse, West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Passeri Park & Markus Weiss

Sunday Roast

It was a nice evening. Rain lashed against the windows of Passeri's penthouse suite, washing over the windows in long belts of chilly, liquid winter. Behind the thick panes of insulated glass, though, there was warmth. A faux fireplace, which served as the centrepiece of the living room, radiated heat throughout the room, and the scent of a freshly baked roast permeated the air. It was just about as cozy of a winter night as one could imagine, it was just a shame about the circumstances.

A steaming hot roast sat in the middle of her dining room table, with Passeri sat at one end of it, and Markus at the other. Both of their meals had already been plate, and both were untouched. She'd told her staff, namely the housekeeper and chef, to take the night off. Whatever this was going to be, she had a feeling it was better that she handle it in private.

"So!" As usual, her voice beamed. She wanted to see where things stood before she went about shuffling through any masks. "It's been a bit! So sorry it took so long to get this organized, but, you know, scheudles~" She stuck her fork into her plate, and then started to nibble away at her meal.

"It's a touch late, but I've really been wanting to catch up ever since... Well, you know." She let the implication go unsaid. If Markus was half as smart as she thought he was, then he'd be able to put one and one together. "So- Teensy little request! Next time you loan out one of your faves, maybe don't then them back while we're in the middle of something?"

Of course, Markus wasn't the only one she was holding at fault here. She'd had some semblance of hopes for Elise, and the morose woman had not lived up to them. But she wasn't nearly as important as the man in charge of her.

Of all of the people in the Tigers, Markus was the one she needed to have on her page the most.

Nobody Special · Aug 29, 2022

VULKEN BECKMAN

SCENE:

Building Bridges

LOCATION:

West-South Bridge

TIME:

Pre-Arc 3: December 12, 2021

PARTICIPANTS:

Passeri, Dante, Charlie, Milo, Yong-Yut, Jozef, Gideon, Corvo

CURRENT STAGE:

1

BUILDING BRIDGES

Take Amelie to help rebuild the bridge, they said.

She loves Iroi, she's always watching Our☆Dream videos on her phone, they said.

There are gonna be other Phoenixes there. YY's gonna be there, they said.

Of course, the 'they' in this situation was only a pseudonym for the guilt left in Vulken after what had occurred all those months ago. After leaving the kid alone in the house while he went on his violent little escapade, he found himself on the receiving end of some serious scolding from some of his peers. Stricken with a deep feeling of accountability after leaving a child alone with three beasts in the middle of some serious danger, he decided to atone for his wrongdoing by taking his ward to meet her...

Well, for lack of a better word-- her 'Idol'.

And so, here he was. While he knew that the main objective of this little get-together was to re-pave the street of the bridge, he had absolutely no idea that certain individuals would be given... 'special positions' depending on their potentials. While most of the others were diligently paving the roads-- arguably the 'easier' part of the jobs that were being handed out, he was tasked with 'drying duty' after a certain red-haired sponsee of his decided to run her mouth. The idol approached him to jokingly ask that he do the job, and as soon as she got close, Amelie's eyes grew starry with excitement and admiration.

One thing led to another, and now Vulken was walking up and down the bridge's length with his potential activated to help speed up the drying process-- the young girl by his side for the whole thing, filled to the brim with energy after seeing Passeri Park in person for the first time in her life. He dreaded every second of it. It was embarrassing, energy-draining, and boring--but it made the kid happy, so he'd simply have to man up and power through like any good spontaneous guardian would.

When the pale-headed woman's angelic voice rang throughout the bridge to announce that it was now break time, Vulken's head shot towards the sky, and with Amelie being so close to him, he was forced to suppress a loud, relieved 'Thank FUCK' with a simple "Finally."

With Amelie's hand in his own-- something she had apparently grown attached to after spending a sufficient amount of time living with him and Yong-Yut-- he wearily made his way towards the lunch line. He looked down at the elated young woman, before finally asking the question she'd been waiting to answer since the very second she had woken up that morning.

"'Ya want me 'ta try and see if we can say hi 'ta Miss Park--"

"Iroi."

He glanced at her with an unamused look on his face, before clearing his throat.

"Yeah, yeah. Wanna see if we can say hi 'ta Miss..." a sigh. "...Miss Iroi? I promised you I'd get that autograph, after all." Big mistake.

Instantly, Amelie started violently nodding her head, and Vulken snagged a water bottle before quickly pulling her over as he scanned the area for the idol. S'not like I'm hungry or anythin', anyway, he thought to himself, a hint of attitude clear as day on his face. Having a kid was hard.

It didn't take long for him to find the woman. If he was being honest, she was much prettier in person than she was in those two-second glances of her he'd occasionally get while walking past Amelie during one of her many video-watching sessions. It was kind of... unnerving. Radiant, delicate, more intriguing than alluring. Approaching her somehow felt like approaching a Queen who had just requested your audience, and this was all coming from someone who barely had any idea who she was aside from the fact that she was famous.

The closer they got, the more excited Amelie seemed to get-- to the point where she was practically glowing as bright as the sun itself once they were standing right in front of the woman, who was sipping away at a juice box. With a quick sigh, he spoke up to explain why they had come to her.

"Uh, my kid-- Well, she ain't my kid, but-- Damn it." He pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling Amelie squeeze his hand hard as a warning not to screw up her big moment.

After a few seconds, he reached back into the girl's backpack, pulling out a photo of Passeri's famous face and holding it out in front of her.

"D'ya mind signin' this 'fer her? I'll pay you, or whatever you need. Just-- please."

BluEndings · Aug 29, 2022

CHARMY DEVLIN

SCENE:

[The Punchline]

TIME:

Pre-Arc 1, February 12th, 2016

LOCATION:

The Precipice, West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Passeri Park, Charmy Devlin

THE PUNCHLINE

Click. Clack. Click. Clack.

The woman’s heels hit the floor harder than they needed to. Loud deliberate movements as she snaked between people, giving the few audacious enough to stop her a quick shake of the hand and a smile obviously slick with displeasure. The pleasantries were quickly dropped as the number of exchanges grew until she was ignoring any further attempts. In one instance, her foot was planted directly into a nuisances’ own. That seemed to quell things until her eventual arrival at Passeri’s resting place.

It was possible her aim was obvious, but the woman’s approach was not immediate. Instead she lingered at the edge of the crowd within and shared a couple indiscernible words with some passerby—and then ultimately, took the ear of security before finally turning back around. There was a grin, and slight hop that placed her right in front of the one in question.

“You look like shit.” Charmy huffed, and slid her way onto the couch. “What’s a lass like you doing in a place like this, ’Mysteria.’”

She didn’t bother for an introduction, and more than helped herself to whatever space was or wasn’t available. The sofa springs creaked, but not from the weight.

“The crowd is rearing for more.” She continued, forgoing an answer. “You got more fight? You wanna push things? Live a little?”

She laughed before the seat gave an audible 'SNAP' and lowered a few inches.

NAVIGATE

Beann · Aug 29, 2022

SAMIRA CALRISSIAN

SCENE:

Love at Yu Min Cuisine

TIME:

February 14th, 2022 | Pre Arc 3

LOCATION:

West District

PARTICIPANTS:

The Quirkforce, Samira, Minato, Camila, Passeri, Alicia, Gideon

Love at Yu Min Cuisine

Ever since Samira became acquainted with Ryutaro, the two always spent their time together at any chosen restaurant. Whether it be business or personal, gourmet food was always involved. Plans were made for the two of them to attend the pre-opening of Yu Min Cuisine but unfortunately, other matters prevented Ryutaro from accompanying her. So, naturally, she invited the next appropriate person to join her. Jack — who was also busy. Charmy and Osamu were next, following Jennifer until she decided to invite a random Tiger to join. Well, Passeri was by no means just a ‘random Tiger’ but she was one who wasn’t well acquainted with her. It was a tad frustrating that several of her invitations were rejected but a foul mood sours good food.

She sat across Passeri, eyeing the fork she used to push around her food. The star was far more interested in the live entertainment than the food. As for Samira, she was still working on her Lobster Risotto, eating slowly to savor each mouthful. The food was good, there was no denying that but she certainly missed the dishes back home.

“Hmm, really?” Her gaze shifted from Passeri to the band on stage. The music wasn’t terrible but it didn’t fit the luxurious atmosphere the restaurant was going for — in her opinion, at least. Performances from a professional pianist might have suited this establishment better but she was not one to critique during her meal, that’s saved for after. “Yes, cider and white wine should be marketed separately — wouldn’t want to confuse the consumers.”

Speaking of white wine, she lifted her own glass, taking a small sip to gauge the taste. That would be another thing she would address with the owner later: switching out the current brand of wine for her family’s brand. Samira set the glass back down on the table, a small smile forming at Passeri’s question. “Why, we’re here to support a fellow Tiger,” her golden eyes flickered over to Elias who was seated at another table. “It doesn’t hurt to get in someone’s good graces, no?”

Two birds with one stone. Elias and Passeri were two Tigers she didn’t know that well. She figured attending the pre-opening would be enough to win Elias’ favor and a special invitation for the pop star was sufficient enough. “For such a famous pop star, I’m surprised you don’t relax on your free days. Wouldn’t want to burn out too quickly. I heard you raised money last year for the South District. I don’t really keep up with the entertainment business, have you any upcoming events? Perhaps I’ll attend one sometime.”

Misuteeku · Aug 29, 2022

Sang-Cheol Man

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SCENE:

Tin and Matchstick

LOCATION:

North District, Lab Icarus

TIME:

Pre Arc-3 | September 29th 2021

PARTICIPANTS:

Sang-Cheol, Mimi

Tin and Matchstick

A growl escaped Sang-Cheol's as he heard another voice from the doorway. Who the fuck was it this time? Definitely, not fucking Raphael that's what. Sang-Cheol had enough rage to absolutely incinerate the dumbass that decided to speak up. Whirling his head around, he shot daggers behind his sunglasses and moved to-

Oh, it was just Mimi.

There was a pause from Sang-Cheol. If this was a few days ago, he would have mostly tried to burn her, whether it would work or not, but Sang-Cheol had enough time to vent it out on his surroundings. "Aristotle, Gerda, Timothy, get back to work. Rebecca make sure nobody is around this room." His lab assistance slowly got up from the ground. Wiping away from their wounds, they left as per ordered by Sang-Cheol.

Wiping away his tears and straightening his cloths, thank god that he always wore sunglasses, he turned back to face Mimi. She stood oddly at the door. It was around that time, he guessed. "Welcome, how may I help you, Mimi?" Sang-Cheol asked in a slightly polite tone. The fury weared down his consideration, but Sang-Cheol made an effort to try to make himself friendly. His time spent with Boltius surprisingly softened him up a little.

"I figure you're here for the suppressant, right?" Moving towards one of the draws, he rummaged through it. Sang-Cheol didn't exactly have any time thanks to a few events that extended from burning down a dock to burning down a house. Though, he still made a few more in case he needed to sell extra. Taking out the pill bottle, he tried to maintain his strength so that he wouldn't crush it. "Here, this'll last you for a month. By then I should be able to make a new strand."

BluEndings

The One Eyed Bandit · Aug 29, 2022

Passeri Park

AriAriAbabwa @The Regal Rper

SCENE:

The Punchline

TIME:

February 12th, 2016 || Roland's Reign

LOCATION:

The Precipice

PARTICIPANTS:

Passeri Park, Charmy Delvin

The Punchline

Passeri nearly jumped out of her skin as the couch gave way beneath her. She'd been caught, entranced almost, by the other woman's descent upon her. Clack-click-clack went her heels, a one-two rhythm of encroaching trouble, she was sure of it.

Craven. Ravenous. That was the sort of woman that had just zeroed in on her.

"Haha... You know... Just um, hanging out." Passeri wriggled in her chair, wrestling to find some veneer of comfort in the now slightly more ruined piece of furniture.

The crowd wanted more? She didn't need to be told that much. It just wasn't her that they wanted more of, her Potential afforded her that much knowledge. They were craving blood. To see more sweet, slick red split over the ring's floor. Scrapes, cuts, bruises and violence, that was the product that was being served here, far removed from her usual affordances of bubblegum sweet sparkles and niceties.

"I'm..." Pretty beat, that was what she wanted to say, but her mouth moved in stubborn antithesis. "...totally down!"

"Um-" -Who are you, anyway? That was another thing that Passeri left unsaid. Questions invited questions, and there was a lot that she didn't want to be answering tonight. "-What do you have in mind? As fun as that last one was, I think something different would be more exciting!"

Her voice quivered a bit. She was a Northerner, not a proud one, but a Northerner nonetheless, so violence wasn't a stranger to her, but it wasn't exactly a close friend either. Her body was already laden with petty wounds. She was doing her best to not let it show, but she was just a touch shaken up.

BluEndings

Lucem · Aug 29, 2022

Ezra Knight

CS Link

SCENE:

Checking In

LOCATION:

Lucky Rabbit Casino; Alice's penthouse

PARTICIPANTS:

Alice, Dante, Ezra

CHECKING IN

Ezra stiffened when Dante called out his name. He briefly considered making a break for it, but he realized that running would be pointless. He was already caught, and escaping would only make him look worse. It was too late to turn back now, so all he could do was surrender himself to whatever fate awaited him. Why did he have to screw up here? He may have let his guard down because Alice and Dante weren't enemies, but that shouldn't have been enough to make him forget everything he'd learned. If Victoria could see him now, she'd probably put him in an armbar and reprimand him nonstop.

Stepping into the light, he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head and cautiously approached the pair. "Um, sorry. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but one thing led to another and..." Would trying to explain the situation even help here, or would he just be digging himself into a deeper hole? "Sorry..."

Miraculously, neither of the Veterans decided to punish him for acting like a fly on the wall. Instead, they continued with the conversation, and Dante even allowed him to give his input. However, the dangerous topic made him hesitant to speak his mind. Was this some kind of test? Would an army of Tigers suddenly burst in if he gave them even the slightest impression that he was a traitor?

Choosing to listen in silence, he observed from the end of the couch, trying not to be overly cautious of Alice's wandering gaze. While he was worried about how his responses could land him in hot water, that was only one of the reasons he opted not to speak. Honestly, he wasn't sure he could confidently give his stance on the matter.

Alice and Dante seemed to have opposing viewpoints, but Ezra was firmly in the middle. While he would've liked to believe in Alice's optimism, genuinely hoping that things could be "fixed", he didn't have the conviction to proclaim that it was possible like she did. That kind of faith was crushed by his own pessimistic realism. He agreed that there were many barriers to change that made it nearly impossible to achieve.

He hadn't been in the gang for very long, but he'd already seen more than some Tigers did in their entire careers. The incident in the South was still fresh in his memory, and it was all he could think about when Alice's friend in the Phoenixes was mentioned. Both Isobel and Callahan had friends on the opposite side, but those relationships were quickly tossed out during the confrontation. While he didn't believe every situation would turn out the same way, he was more than aware of the potential danger. Hopefully, things wouldn't end up like that for Alice, but it was important that she be aware of what could go wrong.

Fixing gangs wasn't simple. It wasn't even feasible. Like Dante said, it was a matter of connections and how people used them to their own ends. That was equally true in the world of business, and the Tigers knew the game well. Even if you dealt with a single thread, there was still an entire web to worry about. He didn't like that train of thought, as it reminded him of his family, but he accepted it. He would've liked to think that the city could change for the better, giving him a way out of this terrible situation he'd been forced into. However, it was only wishful thinking.

Aside from the topic itself, Ezra also wasn't sure how to feel about Dante bringing it up with Alice. Depending on how she took his advice, many things could happen, both good and bad. Unfortunately, his thoughts drifted to the worst outcomes, as they often did. It felt like the older man was trying to help, but the mystery surrounding him made Ezra uncertain about so much. However, he definitely agreed that training Alice was a good idea.

He still remembered the day he first met Alice and how she responded to the attack at the casino. She needed to learn how to defend herself. If Janay hadn't been there, things could've ended up a lot worse. There was also the incident at the mall.

Now that he was closer to Alice, he had a better view of the injury she suffered. He felt a small pang of guilt when he looked at it, still placing some of the blame on himself. If he had done things differently at the casino, maybe she wouldn't have ended up in a situation like that. Although, thinking that he could've had that much of an impact on things made him feel like a narcissist. That event was out of his hands, and he wasn't strong enough to change things all on his own. Still, the regret remained.

He waited until the both of them finished speaking before he finally broke his silence, not wanting to interrupt such an important talk. When he felt the time was right, he took another step forward and looked at Alice. "I guess we'll be seeing each other more often then."

Once again, Ezra rubbed his neck, trying to find the best way to phrase what he wanted to say. "I heard a few things from some of the other Tigers. About how they talked to you about me being able to heal your injury." As nervous as he was about everything going on, he managed to keep his voice steady. "I won't ask why you don't want it treated if you don't want to explain. It's your choice to make, after all. But if you ever change your mind, all you need to do is ask and I'll take care of it."

After hearing about how many times Alice refused the offer from other people, not pushing the subject probably would've been the smart thing to do. If he tripped over his own words and said the wrong thing, it could've turned out badly. However, not once did he ever come to her on his own. It was important to him that he be the one to give her the option, rather than have a stranger do it in his place. He also thought it was equally important for her to hear directly from him as he did his best to show his sincerity. He had no end of trouble when it came to trusting the people around him, so he could understand any hesitation she may have had, especially after today.

"Oh, that's right." He'd been so focused on Alice's injury that he completely forgot about him never giving Dante a proper response to his offer. Realizing that after everything he said was embarrassing, but he managed to power through it and look the orcish man in the eye.

"Uh, if the offer's still open, I'd also like to join." After hearing everything Dante had to say, he no longer thought this was an elaborate setup for suspicious newbies. He still had his reservations, but he had to deal with them in order to do his job. Hopefully, he'd come out of this in one piece. Speaking of which...

"I almost forgot." Carefully closing the distance between him and his future trainer, Ezra slowly placed a hand on Dante's shoulder. In an instant, the cuts and scratches on the Veteran's scaly skin vanished, erasing any sign of his scuffle with the security guards. He'd done this a few times before, so he showed less hesitation to heal Dante than he did with others. "How do you feel? Better?"

simj26 · Aug 29, 2022

Kisara McDowell

SCENE:

Omnia et Vanitas

LOCATION:

???, North District

PARTICIPANTS:

Kisara, Raph

Omnia et Vanitas

The door slammed open on the lab’s foyer. The various researchers milling about looked up, saw the pink-haired demon standing at the entrance, her hand outstretched in a pose she would think as being quite imposing…then went back to their work. The strange beast had made it a bad habit to come knocking once in a while, in search for something to get her little grey cells working. More often than not, however, she made more of a mess than she did clean them up. Some of the wiser researchers pulled their test tubes a little closer to themselves, hoping that whatever god that created this menace would spare them the lecture from their boss today.

“I, Prinz Gyoushi, have come to take your finest researcher! He will serve mine own purposes, and only mine! You will tell me where he is, or I shall raze this establishment to the ground, to the very ashes of its foundations!”

“Oh, hey, McDowell,” a passing researcher with a clipboard waved to her dismissively. “Shaw’s lurking around somewhere. I’m sure he’ll be coming around here soon.” He flipped through a few pages on his clipboard, his expression morphing into one of annoyance, then looked up at Kisara. “Just for the day, right?”

Kisara remained frozen in her outlandish pose for a second, before straightening up cheerfully. “Aww, but I wanted to keep him for like, maybe two days?”

The researcher shook his head. “Sang-cheol would kill me. And everyone else, probably.”

“Party pooper,” she pouted.

“Just don’t paint the town TOO red.” The researcher jotted something down on his clipboard, and glanced over at the door at the end of the foyer as it opened. “Speak of the devil. There’s the man of the hour. Oi, Shaw! Someone’s lookin’ for you! See ya later, McDowell.” The researcher strolled away, pushing a test-tube rack away from the edge of a workbench as he did.

The devil, indeed, was standing at where the researcher had glanced towards. “RAPHY!” Kisara greeted him exuberantly, and she made a mad dash straight at him, arms spread open. She enveloped him in a tight, back-crushing hug just as he managed his own greeting for her. “How’s my fourth favourite friend in the whole wide New Oasis?” She set him down, and without pause, went straight to her sales pitch. “Hey, hey! Wanna go break stuff? I know this real cool demolition service that lets people go there and completely WRECK stuff! Like, absolutely go HAM on everything there!”

Coyote Hart · Aug 29, 2022

Peyton Xiong

SCENE:

Carmine Consort

LOCATION:

Outside of Chaturunga Taphouse, North District

TIME:

Pre-Arc 1 || June 9th, 2017

PARTICIPANTS:

Peyton, Raphael

Carmine Consort

Peyton shuddered at Raphael's words. He was enjoying Raph's meanness, the way he poked and prodded with a twirl of his words. This was why Peyton liked the company of the cruel-tongued hemomancer: his presence was simply just fun. There was hardly a boring moment with him.

Peyton wanted to take Raph's offer of a fight. Especially since accepting a fight meant he didn't need to worry about feeling too giddy over any rush of power he felt. They could shred each other until their inner beasts tire of savagery. They could leave this slaughter of the lab people to a satisfying conclusion. But deep down inside, beyond these thoughts, Peyton knew: This was just his Potential talking. Peyton hadn't gotten full control over his Potential yet. It still whispered dark ideas and clouded his thoughts. The undeniable truth was he didn't want Raph to die. No matter where this went, even if Peyton completely lost control, he could not kill Raph. And so, that, unfortunately, meant the satisfying fight was off the tables.

"I was joking, did you really think I'd let you gobble me to death? I'm not a masochist," Peyton said, a teasing smile on his face. He rotated around so that as Raph prowled around him, he was always still facing Peyton. "You're right though, I am enjoying myself! Your hands are really nice and soft after all. But monsters should stick with monsters, so it would be a shame for us to kill each other."

Peyton wiped his hand on his clothing, smearing them with blood. He knew that he shouldn't be teasing Raph like this. There was the concept of playing with fire. But then there was also the concept of setting off a firecracker in the 'New Arrivals' section, leaving the bookstore in a fiery inferno of burning books. Raph was that kind of fire. You shouldn't play with that kind of fire. But Peyton wanted to anyway.

That didn't mean that reason didn't have a part in Peyton's thoughts though. He could tell that Raph was agitated, although he couldn't decipher the reason. Peyton was too though. The copper taste in the mouth, the stinging smell of blood, the red, the pumping of the heart... it was intoxicating. But if he didn't nip this fight in the bud, no matter how much Peyton resisted his urges, this would become a bloodbath.

"You can't eat me up, but..." Peyton dropped to his knees, his gun in his lap. Sanguine blood licked at his pants, but it didn't bother Peyton. He was submitting himself to Raph. Peyton cocked his head at Raphael and asked, "Does this make you feel better?"

Peyton's senses almost screamed at him for kneeling before Raph, but Peyton didn't care. The bloodlust felt more sated in this position. And it gave him ample space in his mind to reflect on this all: What the fuck was wrong with him? What actions stemmed from his instincts, and which from the effects of his disease?

WhiskeyMarten · Aug 29, 2022

DARIUS KENNEDY

SCENE:

Lunch Tension

LOCATION:

Restaurant, West District

TIME:

Evening, December 30th, 2021

PARTICIPANTS:

Darius, Ten, Camila

LUNCH TENSION

A thin wisp of smoke dissipated into the crisp air as a candle was snuffed out, plunging the Serpent couple into darkness. Sure, it was pretty for the restaurant’s ambience, but entirely unnecessary. Darius had adapted well to eating in low light, the dim glow from the restaurant window and the fairy lights scattered along the West District commercial street were more than enough for him to see his food, and his beloved partner.

It had been on his mind for months, a break from the gloom of North District. This was no reservations-months-in-advance place, in fact, it was relatively humble in comparison to the decadence the West had to offer. But Darius couldn’t spare the arm and leg necessary (metaphorically or literally when you’re a Serpent) to secure anything better, and this was finer than most of the stuff dared to be called “food” in the North anyway.

They had been seated quickly, and Darius looked around the vicinity, enthralled. Pristine, a polite atmosphere, no rowdiness. Sat in the heart of it all, Darius could forget for a moment where he would return to when the fantasy slipped away.

“Are you happy? This is such a nice place, And I made sure we were sat away from the light… You’re not too cold, right Ten?”

Of course, Darius had packed an extra sweater just in case.

Doctor Llamabean · Aug 29, 2022

BLITZ (Boltius Beckman)

CS Link

SCENE:

Building Bridges

TIME:

Pre-Arc 3: December 12th, 2021

LOCATION:

West-South Bridge...

PARTICIPANTS:

Yes

BUILDING BRIDGES

Awake at 4:00 AM, today was Nightlife Duty, but with a more personal objective than that of the largely profitable businesses they were encouraged to prioritize.

Standing at the edge of the property-line, Boltius looked out at where Lucrative Lucy’s once stood—previously his favorite pub, now an empty lot and a tragic memory. Though shabby in comparison to the neighboring establishments and begging for business, it had a certain charm that had always kept Boltius coming back.

He’d put to work all of his efforts since the hurricane to clean this place up… Yet, to see it finished, he still couldn’t shake the feeling of discontent.

There was one last thing he needed to do.

The rest of the morning Boltius spent at the gym. He wanted to focus on time-under-tension, something Vulken had recommended during their last training session. Condition his body to better withstand prolonged periods of strain without pause.

Not that he didn’t already do that… but it never hurt to recalibrate the scale and up the focus on a given thing. His routine was evershifting as he targeted different muscle groups and established new goals, so he had no qualms about altering the current one to heed his brother’s advice.

One hand on the wheel, the other out the window, Boltius drove from Central to South by cutting through the East. Through Nightlife, past Phoenix HQ, around White Peak and straight into Sunfell until he finally arrived in Copacabana where he parked a few blocks from the bridge construction and walked the rest of the way.

By the time he arrived, it seemed work was on hold. People were lined up at an elaborate barbeque banquet—Bolt’s eyes skimmed the channel of heads and, somewhere nearby, he spotted Vulken and Amelie talking to someone he couldn’t quite see. From there, a curiosity rose, and he scanned some more until-

Gotcha.

Orange eyes zoned in on Yong-Yut who was seated off to the side in a makeshift swing of her own artisanship, he assumed, which was fixed around the overhang arm of a street light.

Just then, up went his hand in waving, and he called out, “YOOOOO!!” as he made his way in their direction. Once close enough, he allowed his duffel bag to slide off his shoulder, and it settled there on the sidewalk at his feet. “What’s cookin’, good lookin’?” He looked toward the buffet then back at Yong-Yut and smirked, “I’m kiddin’, don’t noose me… What's Vulken doin'? How's the little twerp?”

Nobody Special (Vulken)

gxxberkit (YY)

The One Eyed Bandit (Passeri)

Roda the Red (Charlie)

WhiskeyMarten (Jozef)

Coyote Hart (Gideon)

AriAriAbabwa (Corvo)

BOLTIUS NOTES: — —What he's wearing (Click: X), Black Hooded Tank-Top; Dark-Blue, Cropped Drawstring-Sweatpants; Regular Tennis Shoes + A single silver chain around his neck, black wristbands, his usual rings

— —Tattoo Reference (X)

— —Physique Reference, since his face-claim art doesn't always accurately depict it (X) (X)

— —POST RECAP: Boltius finishes his personal goal of cleaning up Lucrative Lucy's, his used-to-be favorite pub. After that, he goes to the gym and reflects on Vulken's teachings, then, lastly, he arrives at bridge construction and approaches Yong-Yut.

angel doe · Aug 29, 2022

celestine renee cadieux

SCENE:

goodnight

LOCATION:

central district, on the streets

TIME:

pre-arc 3 || february 24th, 2022

PARTICIPANTS:

celestine, yong-yut

goodnight

"thank you so much for inviting me to dinner, yong-yut. this was delightful."

there was the ghost of a smile tugging at the corners of celestine's lips as she held the door to mushi sushi open so her friend could exit. she continued to hold the door as a couple more people filed out, finally letting it close once the last person had left. there was a muttered 'thank you' from the man that had just exited and celeste gave a small bow of her head, before falling in step with yong-yut as they started down the street. for a while neither said anything and although it was a comfortable silence, celeste eventually spoke up.

"i know you offered to walk me home, but i would love it if you would allow me to walk you home instead," she began to fiddle with the vial around her neck, "it is the least i can do."

truthfully, celestine didn't want yong-yut walking home alone especially now with the sun so low in the sky. she knew all too well what could happen to people walking alone when it got late and perhaps it was her paranoia, but the last thing she wanted was for yong-yut to get hurt. a part of her wondered if she was being too paranoid. however, for months she had felt like someone was watching her; it was a feeling that never went away, and tonight was no different.

there was someone watching them, celeste was sure of it, but she didn't know whether to tell yong-yut or not. what if she was wrong? despite her lifetime of bad experiences telling her to follow her gut, what if she was being overly paranoid and ended up causing yong-yut unnecessary stress? that was probably the last thing they needed, so she stayed silent.

celeste did, however, risk a glance behind her to scan the area. she didn't see anyone behind them and from the looks of it, they were the only ones on the street. something that should have calmed her nerves, even if only a little bit, did nothing but stress her out further.

"please forget what i said before, yong-yut," celeste turned to look at them, "i will be walking you home tonight."

gxxberkit

Coyote Hart · Aug 29, 2022

Gideon Gray

CS Link

SCENE:

Building Bridges

LOCATION:

West-South Bridge

TIME:

December 12th, 2021 || Post Arc 2

PARTICIPANTS:

The Bridge Brigade

Building Bridges

Gideon wiped the sheen of sweat from his forehead. He took a moment to get a breather, leaning on his knees as he admired his handiwork. In comparison to the other HPs that were taking a part in the effort, his was minuscule. All he could do was rake the bits of hot pavement. Even with his Potential, Gideon was not a physical guy. He was a man out of his element.

There were several reasons why Gideon was here, some of which he convinced himself of, and others he tried to convince himself weren't true.

One reason was that Gideon was here to atone for his sins. Gideon had begun casually littering to ease himself into a more cold and ruthless mindset. But when Gideon realized his first instinct after finishing a bottle of water was to throw it in the air and forget about it, he knew that there was something wrong. Something to atone for. Helping with the bridge would be his way of saying sorry.

The second reason was that he was a college student. Working on the bridge was a great break from schoolwork and a great distraction from the fact that finals were looming right over the corner. Besides, there was free food! Who could ever pass up the opportunity for free lunch, especially with such high-quality street carts?

There was also that Gideon adored Passeri and her music. But he wouldn't be caught dead confessing that.

Gideon's head snapped up at the sound of Passeri's voice announcing lunch. He still couldn't believe his luck-- being able to see his favorite idol just by volunteering! And with lunch here, it meant that Gideon's hard work paid off. Free lunch! And not a moment too soon. With the sun beaming down on them, the flurry of activity, and the machinery whirring away, it meant that even the arctic December weather felt warm.

"Man, where did that dipshit go?" Gideon scowled, spinning around. They had been together this morning! They couldn't just split apart here and now. After a bit of searching, Gideon found him. He was right where he was an hour ago.

Rather than helping with the grunt work, Milo seemed to have been occupied with drawing something. Go figure. Not that it was wrong, Gideon couldn't imagine someone of Milo's build helping with construction. Honestly, Gideon probably should've avoided the hard labor like Milo. He didn't have the muscles for it.

"What the hell are you drawing?" Gideon asked Milo, looping around so that he could go to Milo's perspective, "Come on, we're going to go miss out on the bratwursts and the grilled onions. Do you need me to get you some while you draw or something?"

Gideon probably didn't need to be so considerate to Milo. But family was family, and Gideon was going to treat Milo as such until the blond-haired artist gave him a reason not to.

Elenion Aura (Milo)

Nobody Special (Vulken)

gxxberkit (YY)

The One Eyed Bandit (Passeri)

Doctor Llamabean (Bolt)

AriAriAbabwa (Corvo)

WhiskeyMarten (Jozef)

AriAriAbabwa · Aug 30, 2022

Alicia Morel

SCENE:

Love at Yu Min Cuisine

LOCATION:

West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Elias, Zach (NPC until CS finishes), Sabrina, Meirin, Samira, Minato, Camila, Passeri, Alice, Gideon

Love at Yu Min Cuisine

If there was one thing she still found pleasure for in the West, it was the food. The gripping flavors, mashing in with each other to create explosions of tastes found seldom elsewhere; their beautiful presentations that made her feel almost guilty for desecrating it for consumption. That was why Alice didn't protest continuing her tea parties at the Lucky Rabbit casino. Even if the patrons became terribly intoxicated by her tea, and the surrounding Tigers reaped their profits with plastic smiles for every second, she could enjoy the delight of well-prepared feast.

Elias seemed to realize that, hence the invitation to this restaurant pre-opening.

Although it was sure to be surrounded by familiar faces (of which no longer had the same impression she used to love), especially of all Elias... she looked over the invitation in her bedroom for over 20 minutes, then accepted the offer. Anything to take her mind off what lied behind closed curtains.

And as an unexpected plus, her usual guard presence was staying outside! Alice sat herself at an empty table where she remained for a good while. As one would expect, the quality of the Tiger establishment was above and beyond. Scanning through the menu, the food was as fancy as ever; high-priced for little portions like usual. The aroma from the kitchen would have made any hungry sod burst with saliva. And the music was certainly... unique! Not exactly her cup of tea so to speak but... it was music!

As Alice would any other restaurant, she flipped to the end of the menu and requested all the desserts.

So while they worked the kitchen and the "princess" of the Tigers was left to wait, she decided she shouldn't sit still and mope—else her thoughts would wander.

Alice looked between some guests, recognizing a few of faces. One sight came unexpected, however... as it was Passeri Park, the celebrity singer? As far as she knew, she wasn't a Tiger! For some reason, she took minor comfort in that "fact." She appeared engrossed in conversation with another woman, though, so Alice looked among others.

Her gaze landed on Elias... the man who kept her memory clean, yet revealed it all not too long back. No matter her conflicted thoughts on the man, there were simple courtesies that Alice dared not to ignore. Hopping from her seat, she waltzed over to the table where he and some other man sat. She donned her usual smile (albeit lacking the sparkle), stopping right before them. "Thank you for the invitation, Elias. To be frank, I was a little... surprised that I received one."

QuirkyAngel

Beann

AriAriAbabwa · Aug 30, 2022

CORVO CORDESCO

SCENE:

Building Bridges

LOCATION:

West-South Bridge

PARTICIPANTS:

Passeri, Dante, Charlie, Milo, Yong-Yut, Jozef, Gideon, Corvo

Building Bridges

With a CRASH!!! that momentary silenced the area, one of the buffet booths folded in on itself. The people around the stall ran out in screams as equipment rolled and bounced outward. All the patties and sausages spattered on the ground as the trays clattered around.

Then the culprit revealed himself, gobbling up the mess of meat on the floor: the enormous torpedo of a doberman by the name of Romero.

"Romero!" his owner called right after. "Lascia!" Romero dropped what was left of the food from its mouth. "Vieni qui!" He turned tail and ran back to her, waggling its tail without a care in the world. He rose on his hind legs as he reached Corvo as if attempting to tackle her down, instead licking her face as she barely got out an, "A cuccia." Romero relented his attack, now panting beside her.

Corvo sighed, though unable to help the grin plastered on her face. After promptly apologizing and forking some money to the people overseeing the buffet, she officially began her break with everyone else. Then, "Prendilo." Romero darted off in another direction, and Corvo followed behind at walking pace, putting a hand over her chuckles.

The dog was told to go 'fetch.' As for what he was to fetch, he knew exactly who to search for. Sure enough, his red hair came into view, and Romero ran faster. The doberman lunged forth, crashing through Vulken's legs from behind and just barely stopping before Passeri Park. He turned back around, trotting over to Vulken's face to lick at it.

"My, my, Vulkie, I'm so sorry!" Corvo's voice came next—the smugness in her tone was all the more apparent. "Seduto." Romero sat beside Vulken, and his owner strolled up on the other side next to Amelie. "It was truly kind of you to volunteer drying the pavement! It's good to set a nice example for children," she spoke, gently patting the kid's head.

Corvo then turned to Passeri Park, tilting her head slightly down as she locked eyes with the idol. "Pleasure to meet you as well, Passeri Park. My son was a big fan of yours."

Nobody Special

Lucem · Aug 30, 2022

DAMIAN

SCENE:

I Won't Become a Monster!!

LOCATION:

North District, an icecream shop a few blocks from Tri's lab

TIME:

Pre-Arc 1 || February 19th, 2015

PARTICIPANTS:

Damian, Peyton

I WON'T BECOME A MONSTER!!

Damian went silent after Peyton explained the details of the mission. For a few moments, the only sounds between the two came from the rustling of money as he fiddled with the offered bills. He just stared at the younger man, gaze settling on his crooked smile.

"Sure, I'll tag along." Still smiling, he broke the brief pause in their conversation. He agreed to the terms rather easily, clearly not thinking anything of the potential danger the mission could pose.

"However, I'd like to make something clear. I don't have any interest in wages. You're free to keep all of it for yourself." When it came to accepting jobs, he never bothered considering what the work would entail or how much he'd be making. Money was just useless paper, after all. The only thing he ever cared about was if he could get something he wanted out of it, whether it be information or anything else that caught his interest.

"But I am interested in something else." Leaning in closer, he looked down at the smaller body and lightly tugged on the book in Peyton's hands with his index finger. He tapped the small scrap of paper tucked inside, counting the seconds that passed like hours. "I'm curious about this shop's famous thirty-one flavors."

Quickly pulling away, Damian exited the booth, now holding the paper between his fingers. "If you use some of your pay to buy me a scoop of each flavor, we can call it even." Not even looking in Peyton's direction, he memorized the listed address as he walked to the counter.

It was obvious to everyone else in the shop that the worker behind the glass was unnerved by his presence, but Damian never noticed, as he was too busy observing the frozen treats gathered behind the transparent barrier. Which two flavors would be the best to start with as he embarked on his quest to sample everything the shop had to offer? Very Berry Strawberry? Winter White Chocolate? What about Hokey Pokey? No, it was best to start simple and work his way up.

Nodding to himself, Damian turned his attention back to the worker who didn't dare take her eyes off of him for a second. "A double scoop of plain chocolate and vanilla." His request was met with a hesitant nod and a fumbling of dashers as she hurriedly complied. Despite her trembling hands, it didn't take long for her to finish. It was truly excellent service. With that kind of speed, it was no wonder this place had such a sterling reputation.

Ice cream in hand, he returned to Peyton's booth. "Well, let's get going then. I can give you a ride." Capping off his words with a satisfying lick, he walked to the exit, savoring the sweet taste.

Back in the snowy outdoors, Damian continued enjoying his ice cream as white flakes fell on his tongue. Despite offering Peyton a ride, there was no car to be seen. That was to be expected. He didn't own any vehicles, and he wasn't particularly interested in buying one at the moment. After all, he had a much more convenient way of getting around.

In an instant, four massive appendages sprouted from his back. He paid no mind to the nameless individuals who stared at the black tentacles in stunned silence. He didn't even look at Peyton as one of his flexible limbs wrapped itself around his new partner's small frame and pulled him in close. Like a toddler in a sling, Peyton stuck to his back, kept safe and warm in the coil.

With Peyton secured, Damian dug one of his free tentacles into the nearby building and lifted them off the ground. They hovered for a moment, gently swaying as onlookers fled. With a single, powerful flick, they were catapulted across the city. When they eventually began to descend, he attached himself to the nearest structure and launched once again. He repeated this process several times, allowing them to soar to their destination at high speeds. If his passenger released any screams of excitement or made any requests to go faster, they went unheard, as the rushing wind overpowered all other sounds.

After an unknown amount of time spent traveling, the two eventually reached a rundown residential district. It seemed like an appropriate location to trade information and other illegal goods, but there was an unfortunate lack of tall structures. Without a proper launchpad, Damian was forced to return them to the ground. They'd have to travel the rest of the way on foot.

"It looks like we still have a ways to go, but I guess this gives us a good opportunity to talk." Without skipping a beat, he moved ahead, tossing his plastic container and spoon into a trash can. "Since we've got the time, I'd like to know more about you and your time in the lab."

Aside from the ice cream, this was what he was hoping to get out of this mission. He'd developed a strong interest in Peyton, as well as his Potential and the experiments performed on him. If he could learn more about them, then that was more than enough reason to accompany his fellow lab rat.

Coyote Hart

Elenion Aura · Aug 30, 2022

RAPHAEL SHAW

SCENE:

Mutual Assurance

TIME:

Post Arc 1/Pre Arc 2 — Sometime After September 17th, 2021

LOCATION:

Outside Lab Icarus, North District

PARTICIPANTS:

Raphael, Anna

MUTUAL ASSURANCE

The woman—insofar as Raph could tell, anyway—was an utter-fucking-enigma to him. And not the 'fun' kind. The way she moved, the way she sat, the way she always seemed to be wearing a mask even more ludicrous than the ones she'd worn previously. Her meek, self-conscious manner of speaking. It all screamed impostor to him. He wanted to know the truth of her. What was she doing in the Serpents? Was she some kind of cop? Did she really think she could pull the wool of their eyes? His eyes?

More than anything though, Raph wanted to snatch that stupid fucking mask off of her face.

“Suit yourself," he shrugged and leaned back, failing to realize that he'd been subconsciously inching toward her, hand outstretching. He draped one arm across the spine of the bench and began absently admiring the nails of his opposite hand. Anything to keep his mind off this house-arrest. Though, Raph pondered... If I make a break for it, would she follow? And if I struck her, would she strike back?

The thought tickled him a little. But not for now. Not yet, anyway. He still had to make her squirm a little longer before he left her in the rain.

“Oh, I love the rain." Raph answered with a gleam in his eye. Whether he was simply being contrarian or truthful was anyone's guess. Since she'd asked a question and he'd offered an answer, Raph felt it was within his rights to ask her a question of his own.

“So! How many people have you killed? Give-or-take. A ballpark estimate, if you please. ~"

He spoke with such ease about the taking of human life that he may as well have been asking about the weather himself.

Elenion Aura · Aug 30, 2022

MILO NAGISA