Fandom Soul Eater: F.A.T.E

[Merciless Medic]

Sara & Eva​

March 26, 2067
Location: Mouth to Hell, Paris, France
Collab with Mook-LandStrider
Interactions: Nadia, Gauss
Mentions: Noah, Dani
RedArmyShogun Sir Les Paul EmperorsChosen Prizzy Kriyze

‘Huh, that didn’t work as well as I thought.’

Sara knew when she smashed the fiery lantern that the balefire wouldn’t do much to stop the beast, but what happened next shocked her. What she hadn’t expected was it to roar and snap its head in her direction. Fear surged her entire body, making her hairs stand on end. Before she could see what else it was doing, she already lunged off of the beast, rolling on the ground and looking back up at it to see this black, tar-like substance being retched towards them. The air around it grew hot, and Sara took a step back, not wanting to turn into meaty sludge. She looked at Eva, making sure none of the tar-stuff got on it.

‘You okay?’

‘I can only imagine what this smells like for you.’ Eva commented, floating about in their shared soul space. ‘It isn’t all that bad right now for me at least.’ She laughed, ‘As long as I really put my mind to it, this area here smells like flowers.’ Having gotten more than a few close up views of the creature Eva had set her mind to trying to find any sort of distinct weakness. ‘This thing is durable.’ She grumbled. ‘But uhm.. yeah I am doing okay I think. This thing is definitely terrifying but we seem to be doing overall pretty good.’ She reflected.

Sara snorted within her gas mask, shaking her head. ‘Dork. Glad you’re doing okay though. Just think of a nice, not too warm, tropical resort. That’s basically my soul space anyway.’ She suggested, her mind focusing back on the monster before her.

Eva laughed. ‘That doesn’t sound all that bad. I wouldn’t mind going for a nice swim after all of this is done. I know I am going to take a long shower for sure considering how disgusting this thing is. I feel my skin crawl just looking at it.’ She commented.

‘I second that.’ Sara grinned, though more so out of chagrin.

Looking back up at the thing, Sara noticed Gauss’s and Noah’s efforts were paying off. The wavelength resonance - or something like it - aided in giving greater control of the train tracks and tried to distract and bind the creature. Running to the other side of the beast, she saw Nadia rushing headlong with Dani’s sword tip breaking through and conducting Nadia’s Soul Force through the weapon. That could work?

Huh, she’ll have to test that out with Eva later. Once she learned how to use Soul Force.

Sensing that Nadia would need help, figuring that the last throes of this beast would be violent (if it were going to be its last throes), Sara charged towards the beast and jumped atop its other shoulder, avoiding the metal beams and using Eva’s chain to throw the lantern around one arm, grabbing the lantern and pulling up, her entire body straining as she pulled one of these arms away to give Gauss and Noah some breathing room with their ability and to protect Nadia from any thrashing. Her foot dug into the shoulder blade of this thing’s arm, hoping that her heel digging into it and her overall strength could prevent this thing from moving.

 

[QuirkyAngel]

Jarvis Briseis

Rieko's Teahouse (March 28th) ​

The moment of emotional team camaraderie was interrupted when Reiko and her husband came out with more food. Attention now back to his own food, Jarvis pinched a piece of raw meat between a pair of chopsticks and was about to put it in his mouth when he felt a nudge at his foot. Red orbs immediately dropped downward to see Blackie–whom he had assumed returned to the dorm–looking at him from under the table.

‘What are you doing here?’ Jarvis mouthed.

The black Siberian cat meowed once before looking expectantly at the uncooked meat between his chopsticks. Jarvis rolled his eyes. Evidently, it had gotten tired of waiting for Jarvis to bring it lunch. Or, perhaps, it had been following him the entire time. Pet ownership was a pain.

Jarvis had been secretly feeding the cat, occasionally sneaking pieces of meat beneath the table, when Reiko approached him. Them. Jarvis glanced at his meister. “W–,”

"I'm pretty sure the majority of us here know Jarvis is a Bloodsucker. Asking what he would like seems more conspicuous than just bringing him something if you somehow have it on tap, doncha think?"

Jarvis resisted the urge to sigh. Again, Adrian wasn’t entirely inaccurate, but the way he said it came off as confrontational even if probably hadn’t intended it to be…and as much as he appreciated his fellow weapon’s protectiveness regarding his vampirism, he preferred lack of conflict more. Insulting their hospitality because of a simple, innocent question just didn’t seem necessary.

“We’re fine,” Jarvis replied simply. He didn’t know about anyone else, but he’d already started ordering and eating while the one x one conversations took place and he doubted Zari wanted a second helping. Probably. Knowing Zari, the boy was too socially shy to ask for anything more even if he did want something, which Jarvis wouldn’t know because he wasn’t a mind reader…unless they linked up. Even then, he wouldn’t call it mind reading exactly.

Blackie nudged his foot again. “No, actually, can I get some milk?”

Maiden became more chatty and as the conversation took on a calmer, ‘get to know each other’ turn, and Jarvis just listened. Finished the free lunch. Snuck food to the cat. The lazy bloodsucker was content to simply listen, but naturally the friendly zombie had to drag him into the conversation as well. Jarvis shrugged. “I’m a clawed gauntlet. I manipulate blood. I don’t have a situation as much as I am a bloodsucker trying to re-enter DWMA.”

Was there anything else they needed to know about him? Jarvis yawned. “I’m not good at talking about myself, but if you have any questions just ask. Lying is too bothersome. ”

***

Gluttony's Paramour, Death City (March 29th, 1pm)
​

Jarvis was “dead” tired. Not only did he have to wake up early in the morning to train at Reiko’s place (she wasn’t letting him slack despite the fact that bloodsuckers didn’t build strength the human way), they were meeting in the afternoon, when the sun was the highest in the sky, for a FATE mission. Calm Mind helped in the program’s obvious goal of turning into a daybat (Diurnal Vampire) and, truthfully, Jarvis wasn’t as physically impacted as he liked to exaggerate (plenty of bloodsuckers worked with humans during the time they were most active) , but the laughing monstrosity in the sky wasn’t making his mood any better as he dragged his feet down Rattling Street.

Humans here, humans there, Jarvis staved his hunger by licking on a blood pop.

Sticking the Bloodsucker calming candy in his mouth, Jarvis stuffed his hands in his pockets as he stopped in front of the diner decorated with a plaque depicting a cartoon pig.

Gluttony is my deadly sin?

Ironic advertisement, considering the establishment was clearly a restaurant that would benefit from “gluttons”, but Jarvis didn’t think too hard about it either. It wasn’t his business how other people ran their business. He noted the lack of customers as indifferently as he would note a table or a chair, his priority on searching out the other members of Team Reaper as he sucked on the blood pop.

Az.

Reiko.

Adrian.

Eloise.

Being earlier than Zari clearly meant he had come too early. Crunch. Pulling the remains of the quickly finished candy out of his mouth, Jarvis tossed the stick in nearby trash bin before gliding over to the table they were all at and slumping over the flat surface, head rested on his arms and face downward.

“Wake me when we’re ready to get started.”

The Regal Rper RedArmyShogun Sir Les Paul EmperorsChosen Serei2477 Azurian Dream Prizzy Kriyze

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Lo, the piece of shit did not break.

The raw force that accompanied Soul Conduction dealt impressive damage. The edge of their blade cleaved through multiple layers of bone alone with centuries old ribs being cut entirely through on the superficial layers. The problem came in that the core body of Anathema consisted of so many layers that cutting through those on top was akin to a paring knife trying to cut through an onion. It could only go so deep. And, once the blade was removed, those cuts only melded back together. Not healed, but reforming over each other like a molding putty of undeath.

The final strike, a piercing stab directed at what would be the heart–or core–of Anathema was still too shallow, albeit not by much. The frigid energy pouring through Dani and into the creature did little to weaken it. The cold was counteracted by the warmth from its core, the magical resistance made no impact here, and beyond the initial strike, the enhanced force from the technique only allowed Nadia to embed Dani dangerously deep into the creature.

Again, the undead creature roared. Sara was successful in dampening its thrashing against the makeshift cage, and the combined efforts of the Witch and their other teammates kept it intact just that much longer. Nadia had more time; the opening was still there. That opening slowly shrank as those moments became more fleeting. Dani was lodged inside the creature and now it clenched onto her blade, refusing to allow her to be freed. With more slashes, they may have eventually cut through. Capturing Dani inside its body was the best survival mechanism it could use given its current restraints.

“The fuck? Is it tryna’ drag me in?!” Dani panicked angrily.

Nadia reacted to the sudden change of events, with at first fury, then a silent resolve as she dug her grip deeper into and around the blade. “She is not yours to have!” Reaching deep within herself, Nadia was determined to not lose another follower, one that was placed beneath her banner. Was it a betrayal of herself? Or something more true? Matters of philosophy could be dealt with later, should there be a later, there was only one way out of this, for once, even if just here and now, Nadia had the willingness that agreed with her soul.

A conqueror with no one to Witness what had been taken was no conqueror at all. In an instant Nadia retreated into her soul room, a desolate waste covered in ice and snow, with a throne of Ice and a collection of treasures, reminders of victories hard won… And something curious happened, a fire was added to the confines of the “room”, and a place for another to sit. A light of warmth in a field of Ice. ‘Dani!’ She yelled out into the space that separated their souls, even with the madness of the other this, she hoped would be enough to strive off despair and to show her intentions to the other, to share their soul spaces, even if briefly, to gain the power to smash the enemy and to show that Nadia herself would not abandon Dani to this creature, no matter the cost.

Dani’s wavelength flared with futility, as if that would somehow help the situation. Her senses drowned out as she focused on the minimal moments she had left to do—something. That was until Nadia’s call pulled her. The far end of the room past the campfire dimmed its material form fading to an earthy darkness that echoed each step taken by the weapon until her presence was illuminated by the fire she stood in front of.

‘Well… this buys time at the least… what good that does. We don’t have enough of a fucking kick!’

“Well, of course you don’t, my dear,” echoed a soft, feminine voice from within their shared Soul Space. It did not originate from any one location and instead seemed to come from all directions at once.

With that, time inside their souls seemed to stand still. Now, it is well-known that time inside the soul passes at an exponentially slower pace than outside of it. In fact, there were many forms of training that involved that phenomenon. This was different. The flames of the campfire were still and silent. Embers emanated a frozen light. Wind inside the desolate waste abruptly ended, ice and now impossibly suspended. All that could move within this space, it appeared, were its owners: Nadia and Dani possessed their freedom still.

“You don’t know it, but you are at a crossroads here,” said another voice. Still feminine, quite similar, but slower and slightly lower with a touch age behind its vowels.

“Though seeing is believing, so perhaps we should show you,” echoed in another. This third voice still feminine, higher pitched, and with a youthful jubilance lacking in the first two.

Following that final comment came a blanket of golden fog sweeping through their soul space, carpeting everything and briefly encircling both Nadia and Dani. Only moments later did it settle to reveal an entirely different landscape. A beautiful, blue sky no pastel painter could ever replicate with clouds as white as virgin cotton. Rolling hills with long, tall grass that created a verdant sea with visible ripples created by the warm air in the gentle breeze. It was a pleasant, picturesque view of the countryside so perfect it might have been cliche.

The distance between Nadia and Dani once the golden cloud had settled was shortened to the mere length of a wide, dirt road, unpaved with no gravel and merely the marks left by hundreds of carriages and wagons. There were no defined lines here, only pebbles and rocks and places where the grass invaded the road.

This road led to only one place. A single large apple tree with both its flowers in full bloom and fruit ripe to be plucked. To its left and right were two identical roads split by the tree itself. Behind them, for the curious, the road continued on until it curved behind one of the emerald hills out of sight.

​

Under the shade of that tree stood three women, each of similar build. Porcelain skin, eyes even greener than the sea of grass around them. The left woman with an auburn hair and a soft, kind smile, though she looked more a girl than a woman. The middle adorned with hair as black as coal and a snake wrapped around her body, cradling it gently. The final woman with white hair like fine silk, her face wrinkled and aged, though without any other imperfections of aging. They stood under the tree as a trio, focused as much on each other as they were on the guests inside this new realm.

The middle woman first spoke, her eyes raising up to Nadia and Dani to acknowledge their existence. “We mean no harm. We never do. Come closer, dear daughters, and we shall share with you our knowledge,” she said, providing them instructions in a kind and nurturing tone. While not unnatural, her voice carried a calmness. It’s softness sparing what might have been misconstrued as condescension to preserve the camaraderie she presented them.

Dani practically jumped at the onset of voices, glancing around to the sides and behind herself as if to check if they were coming from the darkness of her own space. They weren’t, and the disembodied voices weren’t the weirdest thing to occur. Soon their spaces altered severely to a beautiful landscape she could have never dreamed of being in, at least not within her own soul. She held a hand up to briefly cover her eyes from the sudden appearance of light.

“Fuck that’s bright…” At least for her, whose Soul Space was a dark cave. She glanced back and forth at her surroundings, before her eyes centered on the three women. “...Uh, are they yours? Cause they ain’t mine.”

Looking around at the sudden changes after the voices started, Nadia was a bit more on guard. This was her domain.. Or at least part of it was, this however was something else all together. The shift in the landscape in general was something else. Was even such a thing possible? Well, it didn’t matter if it were possible, for the simple fact it had happened. A little time was all they bought and a road was laid out for them.

A road that diverged on each side, of an apple tree, grass and flowers. Ancient legends came to mind, but Nadia wanted that thing dead and to save her partner. “No. But let’s go, I think they know more about what is happening than the DWMA does.”

With that said the pair travel together, down the road where the three women stood, with an offer of knowledge.

“Knowledge is power and power is not so freely given. I’m in no position to turn it away but I expect you to want something from us in turn.” Nadia says in a terse reply.

The elder woman with her dull, yet still green eyes now looked up, slower than the first and with a lofty gaze. “We ask nothing of you, child,” she responded, responding to the implication Nadia made with her comment. “There is a cost, but it shan’t be from us,” she explained.

Then finally the red-haired woman lifted her eyes and offered a much brighter smile than either of the previous two. “Sisters, you already have all the power you need. We three cannot give you anything you don’t already have,” she added, her more energetic tone contrasting the elderly woman. “In fact, it is a power that you would learn many years from now–many years too late, I believe,” she explained.

The elderly woman nodded. “Well, too late to make a difference. The young and eager crave power, but the old and wise know how to use it,” she told them, expounding on the comment made by the younger woman.

“The cost, if you want to call it that, is knowing the power exists and choosing what to do with it,” the middle woman explained, giving the most clear answer of the three. “It is a power you will need, but one that could consume you even if you train it,” she told them.

“That ain’t eerie at all…” Dani murmured to herself, shooting a look of wariness over to Nadia. This was all beyond sketchy. There were no materializations in her soul space except that dog, or whatever the hell it was. The fact these three appeared now out of nowhere. “I already jumped that gun, who the hell are you three and what power is this? Madness?”

“Nyet, it is not so much who… But what they are… The future, powers to be, much could I ask, but now is not the time… They may be the sisters of fate, they may be some devils.” With that Nadia pauses for a brief bit, staring at the three. “Power is a sake all of its own and I…” A clench of her jaw as she faced the reality of the situation.

“I cannot defeat it on my own, our instructors might be able to, but our team cannot. And should I lose Dani to the beast then I will be failed from the program and the DWMA will send a kill squad for me as I cannot be left to live as a civilian. And if it is something I would have learned years from now, then it is nothing I should fear for if I can conquer it once I shall do so again. I shall not allow the abomination to continue to exist.”

The three women did not appear to listen intently. Their eyes each drifted as the two spoke to each other. The younger of the three looked up into the sky, admiring the beauty of the deep blue above them. The middle one looked down to her snake, returning the gaze it gave to her. The third held her gaze, but not on either of them; looking only into their general direction as they spoke.

Yet still, they listened. They always listened.

“We have been called many things… the Moirai. Parcae. The Triple Goddess. Witches, Devils, and Demons, even,” the middle woman told them.

“But we are not gods, though we are older than your God,” added the elderly woman.

“We are not sisters of fate, though that might be neat if we were… we’re just watchers–most of the time,” the younger woman told them.

“We exist at crossroads. Important moments where important decisions are made that dictate which direction the world will go,” the middle woman told them. “This is one such moment. We have seen every possibility for this decision, and we normally do not interfere,” she explained.

“But there is a path to ruin. Only in these times do we tip the scales,” the elderly woman told them.

“Well, there are plenty of paths to ruin and in this case fewer to salvation. The more narrow that path gets, the closer the future is fated than it is destined–and we wouldn’t want,” the youngest yet again explained.

“There is much we could tell you, but we cannot too heavily tip these scales. Listen closely, daughters, we told you that you learned of this power much later. Nothing else,” the middle woman told them.

“Let’s get on with it,” the elder one quickly added, moving the topic along.

“Yes, let’s. I want to see her face,” the youngest one commented.

“The power is not within you, Nadia. It is within Dani. Not the Madness, but the Murder. The power you use is mostly your frigid soul made stronger by her tempered steel. And, for years to come, that would be the case. Not because you can’t, but because of your fixation on getting stronger. You never thought to empower those around you,” the middle woman told them, starting this explanation.

“Oh, it is dangerous, yes. You’ve seen it yourself. You have been warned about it–not even that long ago. Yet… it is the most powerful thing between you two. The urge to kill, rage incarnate, the primal fury of a woman scorned. Such has few equals in this world, no matter how many times we view it,” the elderly woman added.

“Dani… beautiful sister. You should embrace yourself. Like it or not, that fury is part of you. Denying it is like dousing your own spark. You will never tame it if you hide it, and mastering its power might just save both you and… everyone, really,” the youngest added, though more supportive than the first.

“Though, do be aware. There are other crossroads as important as yours, daughters. The world will never revolve around just one decision… but here, we offer you one that exists, but we never see you make. Not this early, at least. Dani must be the source of your power, and Nadia must be the one to strengthen her. Do that, and this abomination will be rubble in your wake,” the middle one told them.

Dani raised a brow as they spoke. Clearly their roundabout way of speaking only mostly confused and somewhat irritated her. “Moirai…” She murmured. Perhaps she could ask about that later or do some research. Still, for now, she needed to not get eaten by Anathema.

“Wait, my wavelength?!” She repeated in plain terms. Her instinct told her to flatly refuse. Neither the Murder nor the Madness had a very good track record. Though apparently, the three likely knew that as well. She looked over to Nadia with uncertainty. “...That didn’t go well the last time we tried it.” The Demon Sword’s emphasis on the ‘we’ made it clear she wasn’t referring to Nadia.

Listening to the three and the answers they gave, Nadia was a bit curious, but as she said before they did not have the luxury of time. However, with mention of what the power was, or rather who, Nadia was left pacing around a bit, unusually for once as if a nerve had been struck, and how she hated that. “I did that before! All it did was leave others hurt! Near death! I broke those who did it, but what good did that do for those who were broken!?” It was then the stinge of guilt in that statement stung through. “And yet I did not check up on them thereafter and the only times I’ve sent my power into another was to see if they could take it. The strong can only walk with the strong...”

Settling herself, she laid a hand upon Dani’s shoulder and gently gave her a rub, in much the way she had taken to doing since their partnership at her remark, and she said some words from before, though the tone of it was different and oddly sympathetic. “I am not your brother Dani. But you and you alone for now do I admit as being strong, strong in a way that I do not seek to crush or to surpass. I…will do as they have said. I ask that you see me in the same way. I will not allow that beast to have you. You have come to be something of a sister for me. Most of, no, all of my family died in Vladivostok, robbed by madness or things made by it. I shall not share the same fate.”

Dani recoiled a bit at the sudden explosion from the other, surprised by the outburst. Nadia was just as unsure, it seemed, or guilty. Then there it was, the hand on her shoulder followed by the firm pressure. She glanced down a bit, before inhaling and exhaling some of her nerves. The Demon Sword still didn’t like the option, but from what the three spoke, this time wouldn’t have the same effects as the last. Or maybe they just left that part out, but she’d still use it for some comfort. The others were in danger too, according to their words.

Looking back up at the taller woman with a bit more determination, Dani gripped the hand placed on her and returned it with a squeeze. “You better not… Okay. Let’s break the fucking thing.”

“Yes. We must show it who should be afraid… So what more do we need to do?” Nadia says looking at the three, she had not sought to be summoned here after all. Letting Dani squeeze her hand, Nadia kept it there as she stood with her partner. “This is not part of either of our souls.”

“What do you need to do? Well…” the youngest of the trio started. “Dani, embrace who you are. Your rage is part of you, but you need not let it define you. Anger is not just for war; some of the greatest art and music has been inspired by the same rage you feel. Remember that… a musician can make anger into a beautiful melody. You can do so much more with it,” she explained.

“And, Nadia, as strong as you are and as you will become, your greatest feats will… surprise you. For now, debuting to the world the power of your partner will do what you and your whole team otherwise might not. After that, there’s no real point in me explaining,” said the middle woman, now petting the snake that had slithered down her forearm as she extended it.

“What she means to say, girls, is that the moment you leave this construct, your memories of us will fade. We could tell you the beginning and end of the world, and it would matter not. We will be but a fever dream; a curio of your subconscious. Perhaps you may meet a version of us in your dreams, but that is all we will be to you. You have a few minutes to execute your plan… before you forget it,” the eldest of the three told them. It seemed by her tone she was becoming impatient, though it was unclear of just who it was with.

With that, the youngest of the trio, the red-haired maiden, raised up her hand to grab an apple from the tree. Once plucked, the innocence of that apple was lost. Its brilliant, red hue shifted into a metallic sheen, a golden leaf across its skin. It was swift, the change of color, and just as swift that the golden apple withered away. Turning to dust in the wind.

As it did, what should have been the most minor amount of dust from such a small fruit turned into the familiar tsunami of golden clouds that had surrounded them before. It did not roar, nor was it menacing like a sandstorm. If anything, it might have been particularly pretty to see the gold dust completely fill the air and sparkle within the sunlight. Though, that sunlight was not fated to last long. As the dust settled, the space they were in returned to the ones they had a left. A simple campfire, a desolate snowscape, and now with time returning to its fluid state of moving ever forward.

“Wait, fever dream, why the fuck would we forget? That doesn’t even make sense!” She complained, to the now deserted tundra they stood in before huffing and looking toward Nadia. “Fuck… alright… then we have to just do it before we forget!”

With what they had to say, Nadia looked at them with a slight, what? It didn’t seem to be hate, but it was not a happy face either, if anything the shift happened when they mentioned, a look of defiance.

“I thank you for this and will use it, but make no mistake, we are no tools and we make our own fate. Even if I forget you, even if it is a brief haunting memory, I will always walk forward.”

With that being said she nodded to Dani. “Let’s finish this. For once I will give all that I can to amplify you… I shall dance on the edge of your madness and together we will put an end to this… See you.” And with that Nadia made way to leave the soul space, repeating to herself internally over and over on what to do. They said it would be like a foggy memory, then she could not forget this at least.

Dani looked at the other and took another deep breath to stay her nerves before giving a resolute nod. “And I won’t lose it on you… I promise.” Saying that more to herself than Nadia, the sword focused her attention on the task at hand, repeating to herself in the same manner as she faded from the soul space.
Focus. Focus is the primary requirement for amplifying a soul. That is why it is normally the duty of a Weapon as a Meister must also focus on combat. That is why some of the most powerful, advanced techniques that exist are the culmination of both parties both amplifying and being amplified. More grandiose is the legendary status of perfect synchrony where it occurs without effort or focus.

Despite the challenge, a Meister amplifying a weapon is not all that uncommon. In fact, on this battlefield, it had already occurred. Why this feat was so vastly different than the other was the soul being amplified.

Inside her Soul, Dani possessed a rage that burned like hellfire and an urge to kill without concession. It is not truly known if this a state one develops or is born with. It is not truly known if it ever fades in time. What is known is that that rage, anger, and hate generate a thunderous cacophony within the soul and all those that contact it.

Pouring her wavelength into Nadia was hardly difficult. The real challenge was for Nadia. Not only did she have to contend with those urges and emotions, but her focus had to remain stalwart through the chaos. It was not a thunderous roar, but instead a haphazardous amalgam of noises. The grinding and faltering of metal as if the toothy gears in a transmission ground against each other; the explosive forces of wind shattering to speed when sound was surpassed; violent wales of inhuman voices shrieking into the frigid desolate that was her soul. All at volumes that could bleed the ear if they were real.

But, she did. With determination that proved absolute, she was able to withstand the noise of that infernal chorus and reign in that rage. Like a blacksmith with dirty iron, her will hammered that wavelength until it was free of those unstable imperfections. The end result was a power laden with rage and brutality, tempered by the frozen heart of its mistress, and unlike any other feat of Resonance either had performed prior.

An explosion of crimson launched out from her blade edge and Dani found herself not only freed from the grasp of Anathema, but crushing its bones and mincing its desecrated flesh without even direct contact. The raw power released from her in these brief moments created a crater in the back of the creature as if it were struck by an artillery shell. The shockwave that came from this radiated the rage the two had tempered. For their allies, this could be seen, but also felt. What filled the air was the terrible sensation of primal rage. It came with power unlike any either had before and any that their allies had possessed up until now.

Power, as promised, had a cost. No more than a moment after the two had unleashed and caused such destruction to their foe was Nadia hit with a new wave. A wave that even her iron will could not indefinitely resist. The Madness of her partner flared in the smallest increment, but Nadia had to endure that flare five fold as she was amplifying it. Each mere second they continued, it grew and that growth was exponential. This power was granted to them for not even a minute before that rage and anger would manifest as madness and bloodlust. Time was of the essence.

She only remembered bits and pieces of what had happened, a shadowy trio, a warm meadow, or was in grassland? Just trying to recall was painful enough, but one thing rang true, she had come to be of mind to amplify Dani, and for that the demon weapon had forced Nadia into a situation she had once sworn off. Yet even with events being uncertain, Nadia had remembered the feeling and even a bit of what she had said.

Dani was like a sister to her, so as she boosted Dani’s own wavelength the events that had brought Dani here were manifesting once more. But Nadia would not yield, her already battle hungry manner, the thirst of conquest and leading the assault bled into that of rage, anger and bloodlust. A state borderlining on a Berserker. With Dani freed from the beast, Nadia was panting a bit as she held the sword intact, her urge to cut anyone and anything was strong, the motion of the waves crashing into her ship returned. To which she recalled what Dani had said before as her gaze settled upon the one true threat in the room. Rip and Tear.

“...till it is done!” She shouted before leaping again with the blade, her mind only briefly registering the fact that the sword's form was more than a bit different. She would not be broken here, her will, even if pressed upon, seemed to press back. The means she used to break partnerships with inferior weapons was now being used to keep a partnership together.

Dani's focus narrowed into a near trance. Memories of before dissipated until there were only the words Nadia had told her and that she had repeated to herself. Then, even those lapsed, replaced by all the rage inside her and the retribution she longed for.

Her gaze and focus was entirely on Anathema, the martyr for all who had wronged her and all the pain suffered in her life. Every action taken or not was a grudge to be noted, its very existence a sin and slight against her. The energy around her form resembled that of at the tournament, albeit refined into a deadly determination. Eerily silent, the weapon’s full attention was deferred to the task at hand, not even delegating enough for speech.

With the power just being contained Nadia struck out at the demon, monster, abomination, Anathema… It didn’t really matter, for one word could sum it up.

Enemy.​

Showing enough care to not strike Sara and Eva, Nadia went for where she had cut the beast before, slashing and stabbing, thwarting any attempt to absorb the weapon or be a threat to herself a flurry of blows that seemed to form in mere seconds, if not even faster as Nadia continued to hold with determination, she screams. “JUST FUCKING DIE!” The Russian accent is thick, though in English purely.

The bone carapace of the creature was no match for intensity that was a soul fueled by rage. Each hack and slash Nadia executed with Dani caused chunks of bone and the decayed flesh to fling off the creature as if the sheer presence of her blade sucked the very life of them. One, two, three slashes, and nearly half the back of the creature was laid bare with naught but the core exposed, itself an orange mass of congealed flesh with a faint glow. Nadia in her flurry had already destabilized this core and the following strike was enough to shatter it entirely, even without it being direct.

In the end, five brutal attacks from Dani is all it took to fell the beast. No more than ten seconds. Life fled from it. Whatever enigmatic force was animating it dispersed into the air rapidly until the entire body of the creature fell limp, leaning into the tracks that Gauss still held up. Even then, its body began to degrade. Bones fell from it like ocean waves, no longer held together by any force. What little preserved flesh remained from the corpses that created it sloughed off in lifeless heaps. In no more time than it took the two to end the creature, it fell apart like a ragdoll with no stitches.

The quick kill of the creature granted Nadia more than sufficient time to tame the wavelength she was channeling from Dani. The anger and intensity while still vast was within her willpower to contain and the Madness had not the time to run rampant. Dani had merely but to cease channeling her soul into Nadia, and the haste of which they ended the creature even kept her touched mind within reason to do so. The danger here was minimal, though with due credit to those that helped set it up. Gauss and Noah caged the creature while Sara and Eva distracted it.

Though only a few seconds, in Dani's rage it felt longer. She almost wished it was, the disheveled appearance of the creature not enough to sate her. It was not torn enough. However, the sudden shift in demeanor and intent from Nadia was like a cold touch to stir her. It interrupted her focus, gave her flashes of vague memories of a dream.

'I won't lose it on you. I promise.'

Dani inhaled sharply and stopped channeling into Nadia, jolting from her form as a blade into her original shape before she collapsed. Her hands shook from the high as she seemed in disbelief, glancing around at her surroundings and particularly back and forth from her partner.

"I-I'm good…? We're good..?"

With sudden deftness, the encroaching force was pushed away, causing Nadia to Gasp for air as she went from seeing red to seeing the world as it was, her own wavelength quickly dying back down to normal. If anything she would need a little time to charge, still be it from shock or gratitude, she sits down, or rather flops down next to Dani and wraps her own left arm around the back and side of the other as she squeezed her a bit and laughs. “Da, da! Za Zdarovje! Hahah!”

Perhaps it was the rush of adrenaline as well, but when the Russian fell next to her and began laughing, so did the pink sword. A small chuckle before a genuine laugh, if not the kind that came from you narrowly avoiding getting hit by a car. “Hah-Hahaha! Ihavenofuckingideawhatthatmeans!” She said in practically the same exhale, lunging at her with both arms and shaking her a bit in excitement. “Haha… You’re okay…! You and your fuckin’ jibberish!”

“Ah yes, to your health, or to our health…” Giving Dani a bit of a hug and back pat in return, it suddenly dawned on her that the rest were here. Which caused her to shift rigid a bit as she gave Dani a few more pats then released her. “The rest are watching… I… you earned this however.”

“Hah?” As if suddenly realizing, Dani cleared her throat and pulled back with a bit of pink to her face, forcing a scowl back on. “Ah… I just sat there and stewed… but thanks…”


Collab with: EmperorsChosen Sir Les Paul
Mentions Merciless Medic Prizzy Kriyze Mook-LandStrider

 

[The Regal Rper]

Collab With RedArmyShogun
Az & Reiko

The Sushi was provided with the water as requested, and dipping sauces strayed out in a line. Annetta dropped off Adrian’s order, and then after taking everyone else’s, was off quickly to get theirs.

Gluttony’s Paramour, Az explained for Jarvis, Zari and Ashi’s benefit upon their arrival, served everyone- even those that had become part of the Monster Race which under normal circumstances, was exceptionally unlikely. However, that was what made this restaurant such a hit. The few Monsters that dined here did so in the upper parts of the building or in the Western Wing- he personally knew the owners of this place, and had specifically booked the whole area for the purpose of being able to provide a sense of privacy.

He didn’t look wealthy from how he dressed- but it was clear he had connections, or at least knew people to pull something like this.

That and it helped not having rush hour hit at this time on a busy day like today.

“While she’s getting that, let’s begin shall we?” And out from the briefcase, came pale yellow folders.

“I.S.M stands for the Innocent Soul Market.” He laid the folders out on the table one by one. “It's exactly as it sounds” his tone was bereft of the welcoming air it held when they first came in, it was neutral in fact, but his eyes remained fixed on the folders- “It's a marketplace for buying souls to put it plainly like you’d buy groceries at your average store. Monster or Human. Corrupted,anywhere within the spectrum of Innocent.” yet there was a sense of contempt he kept hidden well under all the neutrality and calmness.


“The Innocent Soul Market's existence is fairly new, I’d say at the very least. As far as illicit forms of business go.” He explained. “When I first was exposed to the dealings, it was when I was in Hong Kong. Investigating a series of murders while I and my partner at the time, were hunting down a series of Corrupted the police of the area were struggling to deal with.” He added. “Souls of the dead are collected and then sold to ‘hosters’ who then auction and sell the spirits to buyers at a price. Depending on the country, the process works differently- but it is ultimately all the same. Before I became partners with Reiko, I had the good fortune of interrupting my share of those auctions and liberating those souls.” He explained with no change in his tone, but internally, a sense of satisfaction.

“The missions here may introduce you to this world, so it’d be better to explain it now, than when we go” Az continued. “Two of these missions have intel that tie into I.S.M activity- you won’t be going for a major sting operation, the missions here all tie into extermination.”

“Hmm, I leave it up to you what mission you wish to go for, though I have some misgivings with one of them, but we’ll see how you take measure of one another. Unfortunately work must still be done. Though I would have also not informed you of the ultimate task towards all of this.” Rieko says, turning her attention to the files and shrugging points at them,

“Some of you wished for more trust to be placed in you all, well, here is your chance. More team building may have been needed, but some light work in the field may do you some good. We’ll also be in the area should this turn into something too much.” She says.


“I’ve prepared a flight for us to get our location of choice quickly, once one is made that is. Which brings us to the debriefing aspect of our meeting.

“The first mission is a bit unique compared to your average DWMA missions. It actually ties into a case that the Intelligence branch of DWMA had found to be an anomaly themselves. After the death of a duo of Vigilantes in a fight against what reports seem to be unclear about whether it was multiple Corrupted or one really strong one- a new Corrupted was born in that altercation and it has been hunting down criminals, convicts, and eradicating other Corrupted of all things.

“Our job is to hunt down this runaway Corrupted and kill it. It has left the city in a state of paranoia with its activity as of late and is believed to be more intelligent than your average Corrupted are normally from the few altercations that Agents who have tried hunting it and failed report from their experiences.”

“The second mission is based in Britain. That specific mission will involve us tracking and hunting down a group who have been reported to be responsible for not just collecting souls for the ISM, but have been actively killing and gathering the souls of their targets with the aid of a Monster. The file states their leader, or at least one of the heads of this small defacto group, are led by a Bloodsucker.”

“And the final mission ties into paranormal activity that has been affecting the magical creatures of the Corcovado National Park, based in Costa Rica. Our intel on this specific mission misses certain variables in all honesty, but we have reason to believe that whatever paranormal influence is affecting only some of the magical creatures there, is specifically tied to an Evil Spirit.”

Eyeing over the rest, Rieko nods her head before giving a sigh. “I you think this all may be a bit too much for you all so soon, you do have the option of refusing if you so wish.”

Interactions: Sir Les Paul RedArmyShogun RedArmyShogun EmperorsChosen Serei2477 Azurian Dream Prizzy Kriyze

 

[The Regal Rper]

Ark | DWMA | Dall Island | Rings: 2/3

The ponderings of just how unique Dall Island itself was, was a phenomenal thing to consider. From the fact its animal phylum seemed to be so off the charts bizarre and unique in terms of how the creatures here interacted and utilized magic made him think about the other things they could discover as their journey progressed.

And progress it did.

Carrying the equipment on his back, Ark made sure to spread his awareness through geo-vibrational sense. Every now and then he'd release a wave upon landing his foot after a certain distance at random intervals, never consistent but just enough to pick up details on any shifts in their environment and to keep track of the possibility of any of their peers lagging behind.

Which he did make sure to turn around and keep an eye out for Maria as she occasionally tripped and stumbled under the weight of her own load to carry. Luckily with his skill and one ring off, he would be able to catch her quite quickly if she did fall completely- but that didn't' seem like it would be the case.

Their movement continued, and as it did- the terrain made a noticeable shift- not just in the nature of how it looked but very much in the nature of how it also felt. There was a suffocating sense of 'emptiness' forwards-- and the feeling left Ark stopping before Rand had even raised his hand up to signal their stop at all.

Caught off guard by it so much was he, it took him a few seconds to register what Raph had even said.

He'd never experienced the feeling of a 'dead zone' before- the brief sensation he'd felt from the signal he'd sent into the earth, it made him cringe and his muscles tense.

He wondered if he had been an Earth Shaman- if he might have felt something greater, such as excrutiating pain.

"Alright, understood." He responded to Rand's instructions and in turn, turned his attention to Maria as he removed the pack carrying their food supplies- and left it on the ground beside his leg.

Both arms came out, he flicked his balled fists' fingers then swiped them to the side. The earth shot up around them, three sets of walls walls in several different directions. He paused upon hearing Maria's question and replied quite quickly, "Actually yes, your creative mind might help me with the design if you would be so kind in guiding me. As you can see" he nodded towards the sets of walls he had raised around them, then with one glove glowing, displayed his control for her to get an understanding- if her senses were as strong as his or if they were attuned she could pick up the magic he was putting into each wall and how he could easily control every grain- but for simplicity instead, Ark used the one hand to shift the three sets of walls he had created to drop them a bit lower. "I have free control of everything in our area here- but if we end up getting attacked again, we should factor defenses in on top of space for where we might put any creatures we capture. Thoughts?" He probed, curious to see what she might offer.

Mentions: n/a

Interactions:: Merciless Medic Sir Les Paul RedArmyShogun Meredith

 

[Sir Les Paul]

Adrian Hackney​

"The Maiden"​

Species Human
Partner None
Rank Fate Agent

Location Death City, Gluttony's Paramour
Mission New Mission
Status Content with food

​

Tags: The Regal Rper RedArmyShogun EmperorsChosen QuirkyAngel Prizzy Kriyze Azurian Dream Serei2477

Snap...

The sound of Adrian breaking his chopsticks apart for his sushi shot through the air. Adrian may have often been a little ball of rage, but spicy tuna rolls had a profoundly positive effect on him. Even waiting for them prior, all of the little things that normally ate away at him had dissolved. He was just too curious about what this place offered in their roll. Traditionally, he knew they were quite simple. On the other hand, he had been plenty of places--some fancy like this one--where they were taken a step beyond their normal components. Still, even the basic components could be made a little more complex for the purposes of added flavors or textures.

This was one of the few things not related to fighting or his general disdain of societal structure that Adrian obsessed over.

First, the tuna. Where was it imported from? Was it ever frozen? Or, abhorrently, was it farm-raised? If it was, he would likely know immediately--it would be a different color. Was it vinegar base? Or seasoned at all? He preferred it not so that the natural, potent flavor of the tuna could shine.

Next, the rice? Sushi rice was a bit unique. Every place made it a bit different--sometimes, it was even chef to chef. Would it be warm or cooled? Was it made with vinegar, oil, seasonings, maybe a touch of sugar? If so, what kind? The rice was important to the dish. It complimented the fish and was integral to the structure of the roll. If it was seasoned, would it be noticeable? Again, he hoped not. If it was done correctly, there would be a natural tang to the rice that he adored. Rice vinegar was typically a given, but sugar and oil were unique variables. A touch of sugar could do good to help the rice remain sticky and moist, though too much and the rice would turn slightly sweet and adjust the flavor. The oil used could matter, too, specifically how much. Though, he was never very good at differentiating most oils.

The nori was important, but it was somewhat hard to fuck up nori. Sure, there were higher grades of it brought in, but this was Nevada. They weren't exactly getting fresh stuff. It was entirely possible to make some type of error with it, but he hadn't seen that often. Most of the time, it was due to improper rolling technique. Not the nori itself.

The secret "spicy" flavor also mattered. Were they just going to use traditional sriracha? If so, he didn't mind, but most places worth a damn had their own sauce mix. He actually preferred it to be a creamier variant. Not that he minded spicy food, but that when it was toned down and given that texture, it complimented the tuna--which in his opinion should be the star of the show--more than an overwhelming heat.

And, of course, toppings. Most people that ordered sushi expected ginger and some shit wasabi paste on the side. Perhaps some soy sauce. Adrian never used soy sauce--even the low sodium type--on these simple rolls. Their potent flavor brought nothing to the mix he preferred unless they were already unbearably bland. This was in part why he preferred the base ingredients to be good in the first place. He didn't want to add anything to it. But, of course, there were other options. Green onions, scallions, sesame seeds--he had seen it all. He had even seen tobiko, which was rare given the expense on something like a simple roll. These never added too much to the roll, but they didn't detract much, either. Adrian was actually quite the fan of the chopped green onion as a topping, as long as it was only the green part; the white was a bit overpowering in his opinion.

Yeah. Adrian obsessed. It perhaps seemed like a little thing to the others, but Adrian had his attention entirely set on what was coming to him. There were so many factors that could make this roll good, plenty that could make it great. But, at least, even at its worst, sushi was enjoyable. As long as it didn't make him sick. Even then, he'd probably eat more.

Then Annette brought it. A simple platter in front of him. She didn't know it, but for a moment, she became the most important person in that building. Fuck Reiko, fuck Az, even Zari and Jarvis could wait. Granted, they had seen him eat sushi before and knew his love of it. They'd probably be at least a little more understanding.

His mentors went off about these options. The innocent soul mark. Vile stuff, for sure. But, the sushi was just so beautiful. Four rows of four arranged in a diagonal pattern. A decent size, a little larger than average. The rice looked just faintly off-white, indicating it probably had minimal seasonings. Scallions on top over a light orange drizzle of what looked like a creamy sauce, though it smelled of pepper. The tuna was a deep red color with a more than fair amount of transparency, meaning it's quality was definitely closer to sashimi-grade. And, of course, there was a small dot of wasabi and ginger that had no place here in his opinion. He knew they were meant to be palette cleansers, but what the fuck did he need those four when all the rolls were the same.

Adrian at least waited for them to finish before he went to town. This was definitely more intense than the selections Midori gave them. Either he was starting them off small, or the fact these two were Three-Stars carried more weight. He wasn't sure. Didn't care.

They finished.

"All the options seem to be in populated areas, so civilians are something we'll have to watch for regardless," Adrian commented. His words were quick. He was spitting out his opinion pretty much as fast as he could to get to his food. "I can't hit spirits and the Bloodsucker legion sounds like we'll have to pull punches. The Corrupted has the least chances of fucking up and hurting something we don't want to hurt," Adrian explained, giving a quick bit of his rationale here.

"My vote is for the Corrupted Soul," he finally told them.

Then it was time. Chopsticks quickly grasping the first roll on his platter and plopped it in his mouth entirely. Though, while one might consider him a glutton, he didn't eat it fast. He wasn't preciously ravenous, either. He savored it. It was pretty solid: a good 8/10 in his book. The sauce was a highlight; he wasn't sure what it was derived from, but it definitely hit the mark between spicy and creamy. The tuna was solid, though not the most intense flavor he had. Rice was good, too. If it had green onions or tobiko, would have had a point. Slightly better tuna, another point. It wasn't that far off perfect. But, Adrian didn't need perfect.

He just needed a spicy tuna roll to be satisified.

 

[Sir Les Paul]

The French Legion Arrives​

​

The defeat of Anathema marked the first milestone of the mission into the catacombs. Like Cerberus, it was merely the beast the guarded the entrance. That analogy fell apart when the surface was scratched. True, the Catacombs of Paris were a half-explored underground made home by the dead. True, the Underworld the three-headed dog guarded housed the dead. Cerberus, however, existed to prevent the dead from leaving. He was much a guard dog for the living entering this unnatural domain as well, but Hades leashed him there so that the dead could not escape. Anathema and all its dead brethren had but one goal: to escape.

It was the job of the DWMA to prevent that.

The catacombs were truly an eerie place. The risen dead and abomination had done significant damage to the entrance and underground passages as they ascended through the underground networks. The entrance was deeper into the railway system not far off where Anathema emerged. Much of the wooden frame of the station that housed the access point had burned down. What was left behind was scorched stone, shattered glass, warped metal reinforcements, and the ash of all that had burned away in the process. This entrance was originally barred, hidden behind steel grates and under what was effectively a locked, wooden barricade at the back of this small station. Now, that entrance was bore through like a worm through the dirt due to Anathema and what little beauty existed in the original stone staircase downward was all but demolished.

The stone was still warm to the touch.

The depths of the catacombs were pitch black. Illumination from flashlights and headlamps became mandatory pretty quickly. And, oddly enough, the catacombs were fairly cool near this entrance. The heat from the undead that had passed through it only lasted so long, and by now had dissipated to near its original state. If not for the clear destruction and desecration that surrounded them, this might have been slightly relieving given the intense heat that they had just fought in.

Passageway through passageway, crevice through crevice, little to nothing was found. On guard at all times and expecting enemies around every corner, the catacombs were seemingly empty. Twenty minutes of searching and the realization that the map they had was half-useless due to the destruction caused by these creatures had passed until they found anything. And, what they did find wasn't what they expected. Phantoms of those that had died in the tunnels were attracted to the spectral light created by Eva's lantern. In turn, they found her--and the team--and revealed themselves. They told the story of what had happened here.

A strict timeline was not something they could provide. Being dead and in the darkness, it was hardly something they could keep track of. What they did know was why they were there in the first place. Illegal or not, exploring the Parisian Catacombs was a pass time. Tourists may have gotten that: just a tour. Locals and enthusiasts had access to more lowkey locations, connections that let them get passed security, and equipment that made this endeavor more comparable to spelunking. They came equipped with rope strong enough to ascend and descent, countless light sources, food and water that could last much longer than they needed, maps that had more information on them than anything formally; alongside various other special equipment like measuring devices that used lasers, devices that measured the ambient water in the air, so on and so forth. The remains of a lot of these items could be seen on the charred corpses found of some of these travels, oddly enough not having risen from the dead.

They weren't even there just to explore. They were there originally to remove graffiti from some of the tunnels. That's what some of these explorers did; try to restore these places to their natural state. But, as the saying goes, even the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. They were unclear of what happened beyond that. They were using a cleaner that emit little-to-no hazardous fumes, peeling away bits of paint and storing the rags they were using to take back with them. Standard procedure. Then, a woman by the name of Claire, a long-time member of this group and one of the older among it, started acting weird. Only moments later, they said her body combusted into flames and soon enough she had killed all of them before fleeing.

From then on, they say the skeletons. The abomination. They knew where it came from, too. And, they lead the way.

There existed a new problem with this venture. Any place these creatures had been more recently was nearly unbreathable. The air contained dangerous amounts of carbon monoxide. Trapped underground, there was essentially no escape for this. Even when they stumbled onto more aimless skeletons, the flames from just one were enough to make a room toxic.

And, this was a situation they were not prepared for. Their masks filtered out the bad, but it did not provide any supplement oxygen. Much to the chagrin of Team Stitches, they had to retreat. Either to get equipment or backup.

Back on the surface, the ghosts that were trapped below were able to freely pass on. They escaped the fate of being trapped underground for eternity to wander in their own crypt.

Back on the surface, it seemed the European branch had finally sent in adequate reinforcement. There were many other entrances like this where armies of the undead had escaped, some creatures even akin to the abomination fought by the team. But, nothing more. Not yet. Because it wasn't until now that agents came in prepared to go underground and hunt down the source of this devastation without senselessly suffocating.

The team was thanked for their assistance, but excused. It didn't matter that they were still in fighting shape or had experience with these creatures. The European branch didn't bring them equipment--potentially and probably intentionally--and there was little more they could do. Despite their efforts, this is where this mission essentially ended for them. They had the option to remain on retainer in case of another outbreak, but such wasn't expected and there were now plenty of resources allocated to handle anything equal to what they had already. It didn't seem like they were keen on sharing findings, either.

It was a bittersweet end. More could have been done, if allowed. But, the red tape and lack of cooperation between branches prevented it. All that was left was the return back to the DWMA the next day, and little was said in the time. A sour taste was left in the mouths of those in charge, knowing what type of bureaucratic bullshit stone walled them here. Whatever needed discussed, it could be done later. As it stood, all they could do now is stew over the facts as the helicopters came flying in carrying personnel and equipment for the mission they weren't permitted to finish.

RedArmyShogun EmperorsChosen Merciless Medic Mook-LandStrider

​

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Maria Mayer - Dall Island​

As she paid close attention to Ark and his magical display, she paused for a bit, wondering how much Mana he was able to command. Was he not in as much danger as she was with the oddity so close to them? Either way that was there and this was here, and more importantly, now. Studying the three layers of wall, watching as they got lower, she tilts her head to the side a bit and lets out a giggle.

"Heheh... Hmm three walls, but where are all the King's Men? But ah, ah yes. I'm afraid I'm not much of an architect but hmm... Multiple walls are a waste of magic for what extra defense they give. Maybe make one for sure exit we can use and make a couple of false ones with a back stop wall to herd anything to the sides? Mayhap a pitfall to contain or kill beneath those? If they are trapped in a hole, we can worry about what to do with them later."

Maria says, tapping her chin with her right knuckles. "Ah maybe put an out facing slant to the top of the walls so nothing can climb over. Otherwise, solid walls would work I as well think. You know more of what your magic can do than I."

Merciless Medic The Regal Rper Meredith Sir Les Paul

 

[EmperorsChosen]

Eloise Keegan - Rieko's Teahouse
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Elly hummed, prodding the bloodsuckers head with her finger. "Wakey, wakey~ Seems you aren't getting much of a nap here~," She chimed, likely to the added fatigue of the other, as Az began to go through their briefing.

She listened with vested interest and a polite smile. The Innocent Soul Market was something she had heard of before, even if she never directly dealt in it, other parts of her family did. Though most of their sins were tied to narcotics and the dealing of them, they also dabbled in human trafficking, and to a lesser extent, this. Enough to know it existed and generally-speaking how it worked, but not enough to be of any particular advantage. Regardless, she posed a thought-provoking expression, as if the premise was new or greatly unfamiliar to her.

The first option was a simple extermination mission, or simple in regard to the objective. How that would end up working was yet to be seen. Intelligence was the greatest threat with these Corrupted.

The second was more directly tied to the Innocent Soul Market and involved a bloodsucker. However, Elly was less than excited to be back near Ireland. There were still eyes and ears there, even if they were crippled and could not act freely.

The last was regarding a potential spirit in Costa Rica and sounded as if it would require as much brain as brawn to track down the source and get to the bottom of what was going on.

Elly glanced over at the others, as if testing their thoughts on the matter. Jarvis was still uninterested, Sage was likely wanting to go along with whatever she said, and Adrian--Well, the meister didn't need her Soul Perception to see how he was picking apart the sushi with his eyes. She supposed that was a way to bribe him or get on his good side. A good note for the future. Thankfully, his option played to her own wants as well.

"I'd be inclined to agree with Adrian. I should also be able to track the Corrupt Soul with fair ease as well, meaning we can locate it, and pick out any potential collateral to take into account and prevent ahead of time. Though I wouldn't be opposed to investigating the the magical phenomenon." Their intel was iffy, so for all they knew, it could be a witch or something else. Had Sage taken a Witch Soul yet, she wondered?

@Team Reaper

 

[Azurian Dream]

Ashi
Location: Gluttony's Paramour (Team Reaper)

Ashi was by no means overwhelmed by the masses of Death City she had been here for awhile now, and quite frankly the bustling city life was by no means new to her having lived in big berthed residential area's of her own homeland. However the Eastern side did prove much more boisterous in activity surprisingly with flashings lights of the leisure life definitely aimed to blind her in contrast to people just yelling as loud as they could to sell their wares to her in her past live... she rather preferred being deaf over blind in this scenario though. Thankfully the map she had nabbed on the rails had proven accurate as she had no desire to work with the strange phone device for directions.

"I swear on my soul they are trying to goad me," she sighed as the destination was once again a eatery. She doubted it was on purpose obviously the rest could eat, but the twice in a row meet up did not amuse her in the slightest. Certainly something like a library wouldn't be so hard to ask for somewhere peaceful, soothing, maybe a lake side, not a eatery, or even just without the constant glare of technologies blinding lights. Ashi mimicked a sigh knowing that this was the accepted norm, and she really just had to deal with it as her complaint was mute in a sea of older ideology swept under the rug as it were.

Upon entry Ashi could immediately identify Az, Reiko, Eloise, Jarvis, and Adrain. The vampire was currently working on a piece of candy clearly tired as per the expected she felt bad for her nocturnal comrade. Eloise, and Adrian were enjoying the restaurants venue while Az had just started to express the ISM. This was definitely not a illicit business Ashi had never heard of before very much obvious by the rather blank expression she gave to the exposé of it all, and the following frown on her features as she sat down next to Adrian. She did keep her thoughts on such to herself not wanting to ruin anyone's rest or meal though her expression made it clear-cut which one she was most prominent on choosing as the options were laid out.

That was when Ashi for a moment got a reprieve from it all stifling back a smile as Adrian seemed to become intimate with his meal from the moment the snap of his chopsticks resounded in the silence after the briefing was closed. It was clear what he was having was in fact his choice of entrées all the way from the study of the appearance to the actual taste. He seemed rather normal in this instant which Ashi was happy to see as he voted for the corruption mission.

Ashi was about to give her vote but something has stopped her from placing what she wanted to via Eloise's minor facial responses to said mission... something about it had clearly not sat well with her in a not want to go way. To be fair both Adrian, and Eloise had given valid reasons why the corrupted mission was a splendid pick yet Ashi felt it was also a bit of a easy picking.

"But aren't we doubting ourselves by picking what is most fitted for us," Ashi's terse sentence softly resounded as she revived her business woman's expression while leaning forward looking at the documents the Mentors had. There was no hint of argument in the sentence she was not questioning there reasoning on there picks more so questioning her own pick. She wanted the IMS mission, but she could tell something about it didn't sit well with Eloise. The Corruption was a good pick, but it felt to uniform to what they were expected to do. Of course that didn't mean she expected them to be able to swipe the corruption mission easily either.

"I will vote for the Paranormal Scenario," she answered feeling her opinion on this was at best a push to work both the teams mental, and brawn capabilities with each other.
...........................................................................................................

@mentions
RedArmyShogun EmperorsChosen Sir Les Paul QuirkyAngel The Regal Rper Serei2477 ​

 

[Meredith]

Chanterelle Fuir RedArmyShogun Maria Sir Les Paul Rand Merciless Medic Raphael The Regal Rper Ark

The conversation did not give light to any new information, really. The accumulating “why”s filled her with some sort or irritation; most nature simply was even if it followed a set of rules. Those rules were often, in her experience, modified by magic. These plants were different. They utilized mana themselves – or at least Chanterelle hoped they did – because any person able to control so much life at a time would be a force to be reckoned with. Perhaps it was the conversion of mana into a form useful to their biology that allowed such massive growth. Maybe, instead, the plants here were given some limited intelligence or spellcasting ability like one of those cats-

They would not likely know until they got to the root of the issue. Their speculation was all but useless, she thought bitterly, without a way to test those theories. So those tests would have to come quickly. Theories about the crabs were more difficult to fathom; while Chanterelle could have crafted an assortment of opinions about the plants and their use of mana, she did not know that anyone could influence the animals through magic, and did not find the idea of trying appealing at all. Animal magic had always made her uncomfortable. Something about the melding of flesh-

Nobody else knew more than she did, including their mentor, so it was moot.
The tension in Chanterelle’s straight lips cracked into a facsimile of warmth as she was put aside with Raphael. They worked well together at play; his effectiveness at work was not something she had yet measured. There had been a coldness to the witch in the time of their walk; some separation from the rest in their camaraderie as she stalked more lowly, off to the side, listening intently to the noise of the wood and taking the time to feel its energy.

This field, indeed, was different. The order to scout ahead sparked the fire in her chest. She offered Rand a nod; as she stepped forward with Raphael, toward the dead land, she shrugged. A soft sigh escaped from her lips. Stretching out both arms purposefully – lazily? – her head tilted. There was humour in her eyes, but her words were still flat. “That’s a good guess. If there’s something here drinking mana, though, it’s bound to be more powerful than bushes. The lights might be lures… if it’s some kind of witch influencing this – well – they probably care less about the wildlife than preventing us from coming through.” The tightest of smiles. This sort of mana draining was worrisome: what of her body? Of its magic? Though Chanterelle had no want to walk into that mess, she had a goal, and intended to see it through.

As her hands came back down, she began to pick forward toward those bushes, toward the dead grass. When the witch came to its edge, reaching into her pocket, she found a handful of dirt and sprinkled it forward with the intent to revive the plants in a line to walk through. First, through, she kneeled. Watched the new growth, slowly budding from its germination in her hands, for any signs of decay or other irregularity. “Alternatively, it could have been razed, or salted somehow by magical means.” She felt bad for her manner. Really, it couldn’t be helped. Her nerves crackled as if holstering aggression. Behind them, Ark and Maria had already gotten started, with a task in which they were confident. The witch couldn’t decide whether or not she was happy for them.

“Keep a hold of those chains. If I end up on my knees in the first foray, I’d like to be yanked back.”

Do Not Touch!

 

[Sir Les Paul]

Rand Mabason​

"Soundwave Sorcerer"​

Species Witch
Partner N/A
Rank Two Star

Location Dall Island, Western Beach -> Moving East
Mission Return to Dall Island
Status Curious

​

Mentions: Merciless Medic The Regal Rper Meredith RedArmyShogun

The construction of the rudimentary base was under way. Maria might not have had the most insight as to the architecture side of its construction, but her more objective mindset kept the operation both efficient and effective. Built into the side of the overhanging hill they were nearby, simple yet robust walls, pitfalls covered by a thin layer of dirt surrounding. Minimizing the use of spellcasting for more maximum output. While the crabs might have been able to eventually get through something like this, none of the spiders they encountered would be even remotely capable. All wise decisions granted how much of their resources would be left here.

Rand himself was surveying the entire area as far as he could see. It wasn't just a less vibrant stretch of mana-deprived foliage, he saw this dead zone extending further than they could reach in the evening--and even into the next day, even. It seemed like there was a division line where the abundant mana along the coastline just vanished. Not that it was impossible for life to thrive in an area like that, but it by far and large was not a place that mages thrived. Even just being present in it would slowly dissipate their mana more than any natural environment. Needless to say, he was not appeased by these findings.

Yet, still, if he focused his third eye on what the compass read as Northeast, there was a massive surge in mana. There was a glimmer of hope here. There just happened to be a wasteland between them and it.

The findings from Chanterelle would give great insight as to the nature of this barren area. Her skillset and knowledge was perfectly suited to soon deduce one important thing: these plants were not just drained of their mana. Chances were, they never had any to begin with. They were perfectly healthy for the area. In contrast to the absurd growth patterns that preceded them, these were more of what one might expect from an island like this. Admittedly, it was odd they were devoid of mana in its entirety. There was factually a decent amount of ambient mana in most places that life adjusted to naturally. But, that was just it. These plants had adjusted to the mana they were surrounded by; that mana just happened to be none at all.

This part of the forest was factually the most natural thing the island had thrown at them since they arrived. Here, there seemed to be actual signs of decay. Fungi in the soil, decomposing bacteria, new signs of life springing from it. Further in, there were even insects and signs of biodiversity. Here, the cycle of life was just that: a cycle. Not an infinite process of growth shown in the foliage closer to the coast. At the very least, the mana-deprived environment they were in had yet to start sapping the reserves of either Raphael or Chant. It very well could, given that any place Chanterelle tested to grow drank up her magic like a water-deprived sponge.

Then it happened. Unlike either the crabs or spiders from before, Raphael and Chanterelle would be front and center to pick up on the only source of magic in this desolate area. Before even Rand, given his eye was not focused on it. As if coming to life from some dormant state, dozens of little signals of mana were becoming present--most from an eastward location. Raphael nor Chanterelle may have been specifically talented in picking up on mana at a range, but when they were the only sources of it in a wasteland, it was relatively easy. More concerning was the fact that soon after these sparks of energy came into being, the Witch and Sorcerer could feel then incoming. Closing in. These were coming from living things that somehow seemingly knew where they were; perhais for the same reason they knew they were incoming.

The exact distance would be hard to discern. Forty? Fifty? Sixty meters and closing--pretty quick, at that. Whatever their actual range was for picking up on the faint mana sources, that would be what they felt. More damning was not the distance; they had plenty of room to run back. Instead, it was the numbers. They seemed to grow by the moment with more of these little signals sparking to life. While Rand overlooked their location to peer further and Ark and Maria were finishing the base, Raphael and Chanterelle were the furthest out feeling this wave of mana-carrying life forms headed their way. It seemed they could not, in fact, catch a break.

 

[Merciless Medic]

Sara & Ashi​

Location: Death City Apartment, Streets, and Park

March 11, 2067
After the Tournament

Collab with Azurian Dream

Spoiler: “A Time To Be Alive… Or Undead”

After being admitted into the hospital, Sara found her regeneration had aided in her stay being only several hours long. She was able to go home almost directly after, heading into the apartment and going up to her room. However, she started to smell something almost odd. Almost like… A corpse. She followed her nose, only to smell other things about them. Weapon. Human. Dead. But not dead? The soul scent was there, and the body smell… The body smell was also rather corpse-like. But if someone had died, she’d have smelled blood here before. Her nose took her to a door, and she tilted her head, wondering who was behind it.

Either way, she went back to her room, took some food from her fridge, heated it up, and took it back down to the room. Whoever it was, maybe she could lure them with food before she can nab them and take them to prison. Sara’s never met a Zombie, so she had no reason to believe that was the case.

Yet as Sara would near the supposed scented death room the door would open wide as a woman wearing a long milky white egyptian dress with golden laces tipped around her neck, and sleeveless arms adorned with a sapphire ring on her right hand, ruby earrings, and a bedazzling egyptian adorned emerald stone necklace stepped out causal. If Sara was able to pull from the very wellspring of ram sledding beauty she would notice the room behind the woman was nearly completely empty with only a couch, a TV, and a strange large marble ball atop a water fountain like device. More notable is that around its base were extreme cracks on the floor welded back together with metal platings.

Closing the door behind herself the straightened blue haired, and blue eyed woman turned noticing Sara. More notable at that moment would probably be the long golden satin glove completely covering her entire left hand that had closed the door. The woman with pale blue tinted skin looked at Sara, noticing the canine girl's ears immediately causing her to stare at Sara for a moment in a long drawn moment of silence between the two before finally speaking.

“Ah… salutations. I apologize for… the uncomfortable leering,” she spoke extremely politeful yet with authority in her tone along with a stance that spoke volumes into her maturity. She gave Sara a politeful half bow before noticing the food. Given it was quite clear at Sara's current stance that she was about to probably knock on her door Ashi decided to make small talk beyond hello.

“If that is for me, I apologize to inform you that nourishment is no longer something viable to me. I do appreciate the thought,” while clearly respectful it was clear the woman was aiming to quickly exit stage left on this bump in.

Sara was taken aback at how beautiful she was. Not only her beauty, but also the lack of things in her apartment and- was that a marble sphere?

She did notice the leering though, and Sara tilted her head in confusion. Her ears? Why was she looking at her ears like that? Did she have a fear of werewolves? She can smell unease, almost as if Sara’s very presence caused her discomfort. She furrowed her brows in concern and chuckled a bit sheepishly at the food. “Ah, I just wanted to give you a care package. I do that with everyone who is new to the apartment. Though, if you can’t eat food, then what shall I give you? Oh, and hello, sorry, I’m a bit all over the place today, heh. I’m Sara. I live on the third floor and am a FATE agent meister of DWMA.” Her tone became more chipper as she quashed her nervousness, her smile ever present and her tail wagging slightly.

“Oh, and not at all. It’s not every day you find my kind stunted in their growth. If it makes you feel any better, I’m not as strong as the rest of my kind. I’m pretty much the runt. But uh… What’s that marble ball for, if you don’t mind me asking? Is it for exercise or decoration?” She had no idea if it even was for decoration, but considering she got mixed signals between the ball’s metal plates and bolts keeping it on the ground and the water pouring over it, she had to ask.

"A… pleasure I am Ashi," after a soft sigh Ashi caved into interacting with the wolf girl. There was no sign of annoyance, but the subtle hint of wariness was still there. It's like her sessions told her she needed to not avoid them and give them a chance. Besides, Sara had gone out of her way to bring her a gift, and it would be unkind to not respond in a positive manner.

However there was a noted uncompromising silence from Ashi as she listened to Sara talk about being a runt of her litter. This time there wouldn't be a sense of unease, but a sharp watchful piercing gaze to all of Sara's bodily movements like a king cobra ready to strike. Especially on the note that she was a werewolf and in the F.A.T.E program. Near the end though Ashi caught herself giving Sara the equivalent of a death glare, softly coughing as her body language returned to a more ladylike posture.

"Ahem… I see. I too am in the F.A.T.E program, but more for a unique type E reason," Ashi shared feeling it would be even ruder not to after that nasty look she had given her. By the gods this was not an easy task… but she needed to get used to it.

"Don't worry I don't really do much on the material side of things, not the temporary I am rather a lackluster person when it comes to gifts. Like I said the thought is very appreciated though and more than enough," she smiled softly waving her hand at Sara's concern to get her something. On the note to her room's centerpiece she laughed a little.

"I guess you can say it's a little of both. It's a… old technique to perfect palm strikes and strengthen your wrists," Ashi explained, a bit jarred by the fact so many of her own methods were now considered archaic and lost to time. She had planned to simply go out today and take in the sights of Death City now, however this seemed to be a good chance to better… her condition.

"Listen, do you have plans today? I was going to go sightseeing, but a guide would be presumably better for such a vast area," she offered the canine.

Ashi, huh? She seemed rather Egyptian, with the way she looked. And the way she spoke and held herself, Sara had to guess she was of noble descent. She wondered what happened to her that caused this, but she wasn’t one to pry into people’s pasts, regardless of how curious she was. She also noticed how Ashi kept staring at her and Sara had to wonder how long ago Ashi was if she were a Zombie now, and if she ever seemed to have anything bad towards races in general. But that’s not what she was here for. The death glare and the tension could be seen, and the latter smelled. Yet, Sara didn’t let that deter her. The poor lady must have been through a rough time with those of her kind and Sara wanted to help ease her into helpful werewolves.

Hearing she was a Type E, Sara nodded in understanding. While she didn’t know, the very reason she was a Zombie now probably was the reason for her being a Type E agent. Sara smiled happily at Ashi’s appreciation for the thought though, but now she had food she didn’t know where to put it or who to give it to. She’ll just have to put it back in her apartment before continuing.

The little laugh caught her off guard and she smiled and giggled when she explained the purpose of the sphere, her eyebrow raising. She wondered just how strong those slaps were now. She blinked a few times at being asked to sightsee and be her tour guide, to which Sara’s eyes widened and her tail wagged happily. If Ashi were aware, she’d realize Sara was acting more like a house dog than a scary werewolf, the metal collar around her neck not helping this appearance. “Oh, oh, yeah, I’m not really busy for a while. I can show you around. Meet me at the front of the apartment, I gotta drop this food off.” Sara ran back upstairs to the third floor to drop off her food in her fridge before meeting Ashi at the front. It only took her a minute.

It seemed Ashi had rather quickly enticed the Wolf girl as the happiness exuding off her was equivalent to the first time she had given her guard dog some extra jerky. The woman bowed in confirmation to Sara's preparation watching the girl run off she sighed.

"Is this a good idea?" She whispered to herself she indeed needed to experience first hand how much cultural change had happened in 400 years, but that nagging concern of hers was always on high alert when near monsters and witches. Yet this Sara also could see Ashi's sense clear as day as it was to her in turn. And yet she was still wanting to do so with so much energy.

"I need to give them a chance, nothing good comes from assuming…even if from grounded truth," she mulled, sighing again which she really did more so to feel normal than from actual expression of breathing. However as she waited a curiosity came to her on what was the metal collar for. She had an understanding of this so-called blood of madness disease but not a full grasp on the balance of judgment to have on those who had it. It was also unforeseen if that's why Sara had it. With those thoughts to bid her over she went to wait for Sara at the front entrance. Upon seeing her she bowed politely.

"Well meet. So what are some grand sights we can glimpse in the city of the dead?" Ashi asked, not too familiar with the area yet.

Upon seeing Ashi, Sara giggled and waved, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet. “Alrighty, grand sights, huh? Well, we got some rather loud places, like arcades, but I’m not sure if you wanna go there. That kinda atmosphere might not be the best first thing to experience, especially if you’re new. But there are some rather serene places too, like parks. There’s also DWMA, but I’m pretty sure you’ll be heading there soon. There’s also a wonderful cafe- oh, you don’t eat.” She pursed her lips as she paused in her excited rambling, her body becoming still for a moment as she redirected her thoughts to other things that aren’t about eating. She then went back to her bouncy, bubbly self. “Oh, oh, there’s a park nearby. Yeah, let’s go to that one.” She smiled happily, already walking down the sidewalk, turning her head to see if Ashi was following. “By the way, if you have any questions, I probably got answers~.” She sang at the end, smiling wide.

“...” This girl was definitely a fireball of energy so much back and forth of things, Ashi honestly didn't know if she even knew what they were. Arcades? It sounded like some sort of partying place with seedy backing? Cafe? Was that some sort of place to see cats while eating? Parks, ah that one was a familiar form that the egyptian girl was happy to have been the selected target for their first stop. There was a moment where the wolf had a small shutdown where Ashi was about to check on her before moving a step back at the sudden explosion of being re-energized. At first it seemed Ashi had simply been surprised, but what no one had seen was the circular blade extending out of her left forearm only to retract back in upon Sara chiming in a random direction. Smiling while giving no vibes off the sudden silent surge of reaction Ashi took a breath while following after the wolf.

“So, miss Sara, why join the DWMA?” she asked while catching up trying to make small talk while she tried not to overthink everything the wolf did.

Sara slowed down so Ashi could catch up, her tail wagging happily. She had noticed a shift in Ashi’s soul when she had paused earlier, and she didn’t want to scare her. There wasn’t fear that she smelled, but caution. Wariness. Whoops. Sara looked at her when she asked why she joined DWMA, and she smiled, though her ears fell a bit. “I wanted to change. Because I had gotten sick from the madness plague, my body was stunted in its growth. This collar isn’t to stop my madness, as I don’t have it. I’m just sensitive to others’ madness. I can’t transform normally because of it. I can’t take the full werewolf form that everyone else can, and when I do, it’s because I lose control from my anger or bloodlust, only in combat.” She flashed Ashi a smile, yet it was remorseful. It was clear that whatever it was, she felt guilty.

“I joined DWMA so I wouldn’t hurt anymore people from something I have a hard time controlling, so I can help others and become a werewolf designated for therapy and being a three-star meister, but more to figure out how to control myself, specifically during combat. Something I was born with, yet not having the ability to control as I got sick when I was four, when I should be able to transform. It’s like… I’m not even a werewolf. Just something that has werewolf traits, like I sometimes feel more human than I do werewolf.” Sighing, Sara shook her head and looked on ahead as her voice took a more solemn turn, taking a turn over a quiet street. In the distance, there were trees that could be seen and a nice brick-laid fence with iron-wrought fencing. “I’m in DWMA so I can fight through the scars of the virus I was afflicted with, so I can be normal again and help others who suffer similarly. I can smell emotions, so that at least helps me in my endeavors.”

She continued, sensing in soul scent that whatever Ashi was worried about was probably due to her race, as it spiked when she spoke about it, particularly when she became more dangerous. “I am fine right now, and as myself. When I transform, it is not me. So, please, do not worry when I’m in this form. I don’t intend on hurting anyone, and I never want to kill anyone who isn’t an enemy, especially when I can’t control myself when transformed. This collar will keep me from hurting anyone when transformed, as it will knock me out. So, don’t worry too much. You seem to come from an area where werewolf attacks are common and I do not blame you for what you’ve gone through or what you think of werewolves in general. But I’m not them. Besides, I’m stuck like this and I have worked on myself not to change, even in the midst of combat. It’s just hard, like trying not to use your dominant hand to write, but using your other hand instead. The desire is there, but the last time I fell for it, it was a couple years ago. Never again.” She realized how heavy that got and she chuckled sheepishly. “Ah, sorry about that, I didn’t mean to be such a downer. But hey, I probably feel less like a werewolf because I like to eat bone-themed graham crackers as doggie treats, wear this collar like it’s a fashion statement, and act more domesticated. Everyone in my biome hates it.” She giggled, trying to get back to a lighter subject.

Part of Ashi regretted asking the question rather quickly as the ears flipping down gave way to this would be a sad but of fact for Sara to recount. The girl was a runt to her species, and didn't have full access to who she was, something Ashi could completely relate to. The Egyptian weapon continued to listen silently with no expression on her face as she could see the painted picture of guilt on Sara's smile. This madness plague really seemed to have done a number on many in different ways.

It was the next slice of words that made Ashi feel guilty for being so mistreating at first to the werewolf girl whose only desire was to be normal… who she was. Sara seemed to have a rather intriguing soul scent ability as she picked up the very thing that Ashi was thinking about. A twist of irony indeed the zombie let Sara finish though before saying anything.

"You are a strong one, Sara, not many people in your situation would ever think like that. To better yourself to better others is indeed a noble and respective trait," Ashi spoke a little whimsically with an artistic stride of her right hand softly, well as softly as Ashi could on Sara's left shoulder. The zombie sighed, trying to think of how to say what she could next. It was hard to give out thoughts being so misplaced. Yet this girl deserved a proper response after sharing so much and so willingly being kind.

"It's not just werewolves, other monsters, and witches… I am so out of place here in a world where humans accept you as the norm for interaction now," Ashi started knowing the harshness that was coming off that very line.

"I died 400 years ago on a lost island. Imprisoned out of time subjugated to things that would turn your fur pure white in madness, and worse through it all, I stayed sane," she paused again as they walked the very memory of the things that happened echoing in her head for a moment as Ashi paused in her footsteps tilting her head to the wolf girl.

"And before that I lived in constant war protecting people who everyday had to wonder: will this be the day I disappear? Do I still have my children when I return home? Is the witch going to snatch me up on a whim for their next experiment? Is my life's purpose to be food or a plaything to another?" Ashi spoke a bit darkly, clearly with a searing hatred at the thoughts of those who plagued such crimes on those she protected, remembering all the times they were just a minute too late, or when they found the aftermath of a monster's "fun time" or a witch's "curiosity".

"But now that's all gone, the world is at peace, and I am cursed with having to let go of all that knowledge and anger that my whole life was built around. I am expected to simply trust the words "it's not like that anymore",” Ashi hissed under her breath as she remembered the screams at night, the haunting howls of laughter, the nefarious giggles of excitement. Ashi's grip on Sara tightened for a moment as powerful eyes pierced into Sara's. Yet the grip softened into a massaging cusp.

"Yet, at the same time, I know they're right. Things are different, this is not the world I grew up with, and I am no longer human. Just a muddy remnant of a time forgotten that should stay that way," her eyes returned to a more lady-like composure as Ashi removed her hand from Sara's shoulder after massaging it for a minute or two.

"I returned to the DWMA because if I don't distract myself with the familiar work, I might lose myself to the rage of it all," Ashi silently finished mimicking taking a huge breath, and pretending to sigh it out.

"You have done nothing wrong, Sara, you're just picking yourself back up like the rest of us, but with a bright soothing smile of hope," the zombie chuckled, finding it funny how she was in fact opening up so much more to a werewolf than her own therapist. With that in mind she actually started to laugh a little, shaking her head and the werewolf before giving Sara a genuine smile.

"If you're still up to showing such a rude, befouled, spiteful louse like myself around I would very much continue to enjoy your company, Sara Middleton," Ashi spoke offering the girl a way out from the ironic monster phobic zombie.

Sara realized just how damaged Ashi was. It should have been obvious, given she was a zombie, but upon feeling the dead hand of Ashi on her shoulder and as she spoke in a manner that was long gone and of how she was, her ears perked up before falling slowly in empathy. Everything clicked together as it all made sense finally. The way Ashi stared at her before, it was because of how removed from today Ashi was. Her mind still held strong to what life was like in the past and now she was like a ghost of a bygone era. The emotion in such words had her understanding her far more now, but with each word she spoke, Sara realized she hopelessly couldn’t understand her situation completely. It was all new to her. Yet, she felt like she could? It was the oddest sensation, not knowing fully how to think about it yet understanding it in such a way that she felt like she could. Maybe it was due to being a werewolf and having to understand not every clan of werewolves are as integrated into the lives of the people. There are still plenty of ‘backwater’ werewolves who have denounced human integration or didn’t want to do it to the extent that her clan did.

As Ashi complimented her, she felt a surge of pride puff out her chest and she beamed happily, joining her in laughing but unsure why she was laughing about. When Ashi offered, she gave her a happy nod. “Sure thing. I enjoy your company, too. To be honest, I thought someone died in your apartment-” She chuckled. “-and when I realized it was just the smell of a Zombie, I figured you needed something like company.” Her voice fell a bit more solemn to be reverent about her past.

“I can’t imagine how that must’ve been for you. The only similarity I can think of would be how there are some werewolves out there that are pretty backwater and I had to understand not everyone is as integrated into human life like our tribe. But I do understand where the fear comes from. It’s the very thing our people are working on controlling and have been doing so for generations. Most of the werewolves in my clan are rather decent about that aspect. Most of our “wild hunts” have become more about hunting animals and making a more traditional sport about it so we have something a bit more “us” without the whole… Well, murder of more sentient beings.” She chuckled a bit sheepishly.

“Anyway, you’re not half bad yourself. I don’t think you’re befouling anyone or anything.” She beamed happily before suddenly looking a bit thoughtful as she looked to the sky. “Well, I don’t think you’re spiteful either, but you are rather direct when you talk which could be seen as rude. But-” She beamed at her once again. “You’re not that unpleasant. You just have things to work on like everyone else, but yours requires a bit more help. If you want, I can help with that. I don’t know if we’ll be on the same team, but since we live in the same apartment - given I’m not going on a mission somewhere else - I can help with anything you need. How about that?” With Ashi’s agreement, her ears perked and tail wagging excitedly, the entire conversation hadn’t put her in bad spirits. In fact, she was doing what she can to uplift them in the here and now and in their future. “Oh, and uh… I don’t think you’d have one, but do you have a phone?” She asked, her eyes blinking a few times and watching her.

And so ensued the battle of cellular understanding for the poor zombie.
[/color]

 

[Merciless Medic]

Noah & Daniella​

Location: Death City Apartment

March 11, 2067
After the Tournament

Collab with EmperorsChosen

Spoiler: ”Two Tsunderes Walk into an Apartment”

Noah was just coming back from the hospital. He had heard from Sara’s text message that there was a new partner settled for her and he wanted to see her and catch up before all that started. Since she had regeneration, she was in and out of the hospital rather quickly and Gauss was still asleep by the time he left. Opening the door to the familiar apartment complex, he ascended the steps until he met someone familiar. He had gotten off on the wrong floor, looked around, only to suddenly stumble upon someone with pink hair.

Eyes widening, he pulled his hands up from his jacket pocket and said with some monotone, yet there was caution thrown in, too. “Hey, don’t stab me. I’m not here ta poke at ya anyway. Came to see Sara.” He then returned his hands to his pockets slowly.

Dani had just stepped out of her apartment and turned to lock the door when the elevator nearby dinged and someone stepped out of it. Her eyes glanced over, not really all that interested in who was getting off, more so a reflexive action. However, the person who did get off wasn’t a neighbor nor a stranger.

Her eyes caught his and she stared at him with a scowl, or possibly her default face. She didn’t give any overt reactions to his joke, if it was one. Dani let out a light huff before she continued fiddling with her key and the door lock. “A certain prick told me I can’t,” She remarked, though whether she was playing into the “joke” or was serious wasn’t made obvious by her tone or posture. A few moments later, she paused, as if processing the latter bit of information. “Wait, the wolf is here too?”

The question caught him off guard. He knew that it was likely Emmett she was talking about, and so didn’t take whatever she said as a joke. Noah chuckled, a bit of surprise making him smirk. “Yup. Third floor, reinforced ‘n’ soundproofed room, so she doesn’t end up hearin’ everyone else come ‘n’ go. Or use the bathroom.” He sighed before looking up at her. Strain on his face, as if he was forcing himself to say something. His eyes fell and he scratched the back of his head, unsure of what he should do or if she’d even take to what he wanted to say. He decided to just bite the bullet and he let out another gruff sigh before continuing. “Hey, uh… About that… Time in class. Sorry.” He looked up at her, his brows furrowed in concern. “It was obvious ya had madness, but I shouldn’t’ve poked ya then. I… Realize that it was… Insensitive of me. Plus, my Healin’ Wavelength almost makes me feel compelled to help people with Madness in some way. Or at least… In an odd way, want to experience what it’s like. So, I’m sorry for makin’ ya feel even more like shit.” He then let out an amused scoff, and a smirk playing on his features. “Don’t worry, I wanted to strangle Prudence for sayin’ that shit to ya, too. I even thought that crossed the line.”

“Huh,” She murmured, partly wondering how the two hadn’t run into each other and partly surprised that the girl hadn’t tracked her down. She seemed like that type.

With that, though, Dani returned her attention to the door and her keys and finished locking it, only turning her head up when he started speaking again. Raising a brow slightly as he began, she was taken aback that he wanted to apologize. He and those other two were so damn snarky in class, but they seemed in completely different spirits at the tournament. Prudence was still on her shitlist, but after that bloodsport, Dani couldn’t be angry with her for being incorrect, only that she had the balls to say it. Also that, unlike Cyrus, she didn’t think the woman actually had the means or intent to carry out the deed of putting her down. Still, comparatively to her, and even more so Cyrus, Noah and even Gauss ranked far lower on her shitlist.

Dani had written off most as assholes given recent experiences, but that wasn’t entirely fair. Emmett and Zelda seemed to care, the former of which even helped her. Sara just seemed genuinely nice. She thought Maria was trying to kill her and she turned out to be—her. She let out a somewhat conflicted sigh as she turned to face him.

“You don’t want to,” The Demon Sword replied sharply before pausing. “It’s fine… you ticked me off, but you weren’t the worst part of that day, or that week, by a longshot. I don’t wanna kill you, at least not normally.”

Stating that, Dani shoved her keys in her pockets before shrugging a bit, her scowl softening a bit. “Besides, as much as I wanna beat the shit out of her, she’s right. Why the hell would you or anyone else give a shit about my issues?”

Noah perked up upon hearing her react not as bad as he had thought. The sharp words had him confused until he realized she was talking about strangling Prudence or experiencing Madness. Yeah, maybe she was right. At least Dani didn’t want to kill him. He gave a sort of amused smirk at the question, but it fell as he shook his head. “She may be right, but that doesn’t mean we should write ya off ‘n’ let ya struggle on yer own. Yeah, don’t expect others to, but when they wanna help, take it. Once…” He paused for a moment. His eyes seemed to be looking past her and through a wall as he seemed guilty about something. “Once I… Learn how to do my Healin’ Wavelength better ‘n’ can impart my wavelength in others who aren’t just the meisters I resonate with, I wanna help people like ya out. Not because I have the gifts for it. But I genuinely want ta help. Regardless if they need it or not.” He looked back at Dani and gave her one of his rare, soft smiles. “I’d rather not… Feel helpless. Not again. Not like last time. Not ever.”

“I see ye’re on yer way out, so… Well, here.” He pulled out a notebook and filled it out with his phone number. “Ya need somethin’, I’m there.” He gave her the slip. “Even if it’s just an errand to get ya more booze.” He chuckled, having remembered her likeness to alcohol.

Dani stared at him as he replied, as he said he wanted to help. If he was bullshitting, she didn’t know what the purpose would be. More than likely, he was just not an asshole as she had thought. If she recalled, he came in with the wolf. Did he actually need to be here or was he just here to help, she wondered. Eventually she sighed.

“You’re probably better off letting my problems be mine.” It was only partially dishonest. Dani didn’t want to drag him down, but she also didn’t need to open up more than she already had. She frowned a bit, but nonetheless took the slip and stared at it a few seconds before shoving it in her pocket. “Look… you seem like a nice person, but you should focus on your team making it through the program… not helping me. I’m not trying to be a bitch, but I’m already on thin ice. Even if your posse is a pain in the ass, I don’t really want to drag any of you down… Besides, there’s no fuckin’ way you can get alcohol if I can’t.”

She was right. Of course she was. At least she took the slip and knew she might think about it. There was something about her that reminded him of himself and it was comforting. He just chuckled and shook his head at the last statement, shaking his head. “Hey, I’m twenty-three. If they need ta card me, I’ll let ‘em.” His light-hearted tone disappeared to be more firm. “While ye’re right, I don’t care. I don’t trust the DWMA as far as I can throw Cyrus. I don’t trust Cyrus. I don’t trust Kidd. I barely even trust our mentors. Since I’m put under the same group with you ‘n’ Nadia, ‘n’ Sara ‘n’ whoever her new partner is gonna be, I’ll focus on everyone. Can’t drag me down if I’m already in the back makin’ sure nobody else falls behind me. Might as well be the stool people put their boot on to help ‘em out. It gives me purpose…”

While the way he said it made him sound a bit angry, he wasn’t. He was firm in his stance, and while every other time there would have been a void in his eyes, there was a spark of something. Like something in him was reawakened after the fight. He paused and chuckled, shaking his head. “If my mom heard that kind of self-defeatin’ talk, I’d be smacked ‘n’ lectured.” For once, he didn’t speak of his mother’s death and was actually almost smiling.

Dani deadpanned at him when he told her his age. “...No fucking way,” She replied, not believing it in the slightest. There was no way he was several years older than she was.

“Either way, you’re right not to. I was pretty high after the fight, but I remember most of it. If any of us go awol, more specifically if those of us with these collars lose it, the dandy can and will off us… Other than that, he said some shit about being told that shit was for our sake… so basically, it’s all fucking politics. Go figure,” Dani replied in stern agreement before softening a bit once again. “Eh… Zelda and Emmett seem okay, or at least Emmett. He tried to help at least. I just think they’re on a leash.”

She couldn’t very well blame them for not telling Death, the DWMA, Cyrus, and whoever else thought that shit was a good idea to “fuck off”. That wasn’t fair. Regardless, they weren’t something Dani could do anything about. All she could do was try not to screw up and take anyone else down with her.

“You can’t help me. You said it yourself, you can’t use your wavelength on me, and I don’t want to fuck anyone else over… There’re things I don’t want to repeat either,” Dani stated, shoving her own hands in her pockets and averting her eyes a bit. “My brother was more of an optimist… I just try to fuck up as little as possible…”

Noah snorted at her realization that he was, indeed, older. If he wasn’t in such a mood at the moment, he would have taken offense to it. But he shook his head and sighed deeply. “Even if ya were to lose it, ye’re not lost causes when ya get to that stage. Not yet. Someone with a wavelength like mine gets there fast enough, they can bring ya back. ‘N’ yeah, that was all a political stunt back there, which I don’t appreciate. I wouldn’t be surprised if our mentors got their hands tied. Either way, ye’re not gonna fuck me over. We both don’t wanna repeat our past mistakes. So we work on that. ‘N’ I may not be able to do it now, I’ll have the ability later.”

He looked at her once more, care on his face. “Regardless of what ya think, I’ll still be there to help. No strings attached ‘n’ I’m not yer meister, so don’t worry about me. If anythin’, might just have Emmett resonate with me ‘n’ have him use my wavelength if Gauss can’t. Not gonna… Give ya up, never gonna let ya doooown~.” He chuckled and stopped trying to poorly sing the song. “Death, that was cringe.”

“That’s if they want to bother… again,” Dani commented. She hoped she was right and that she didn’t screw him over, but she had already put the crosshairs on Nadia without meaning to, so it wasn’t that far-fetched. “I’m not worried about you, I just don’t wanna be responsible… and you can’t use that logic on me when I just used it on you. Either way, that’s a lot of hoops to jump through.”

However, as he went on, Dani’s eyes widened a bit as he started to sing. It came so completely out of left field, it took her a few moments to process what he was doing. She was entirely taken aback, though he would see a glimpse of what he saw at the tournament when Gauss showed up in his power ranger costume.

A small, suffocated laugh arose from Dani, one hand shooting up to cover her mouth as she turned her head to the side in an attempt to hide it with an obviously exaggerated clearing of her throat.

Upon hearing her chuckle, Noah’s chuckle broke into a laugh and he shook his head. “Huh, surprise ya with cringe ‘n’ ya laugh. Interesting.” He gave her a teasing smirk, sounding like he’ll be doing that more often. “Either way, any logic’s fair game ‘n’ I don’t care if I have ta be an Olympic hurdle jumper to get through those hoops. I’ll use that logic with ya, kinda too late.” He snickered, seemingly now in a better mood. “Hey, if ya ever need anythin’, let me know. Knowin’ Sara, ya might get a care package. ‘N’ Nadia, as well.” He looked at Dani a bit firmly now and smiled just slightly. “And, if no one bothers, I’ll bother.” He looked around at the hall and realized he was on the wrong floor and he walked towards the stairs. “Either way, have fun doin’ whatever ye’re doin’. I gotta make sure Sara doesn’t whine about some stupid shit…” He grumbled, shaking his head.

“I-I ain’t laughin,” Dani remarked with a small tinge of pink on her cheeks and giving another fake cough, as if that would make the lie more convincing. Listening to the rest of his spiel, she realized she wasn’t going to deter him. He was a lot more altruistic than she presumed him to be. “The hell kind of logic is that?” She questioned almost rhetorically before giving a light, defeated huff. “...Sure, sure, Superhero. You too…” She said, raising her hand in a motionless wave before heading for the elevator herself.

 

[The Regal Rper]

Az | Death City | Gluttony's Paramour

"Then that is that." Az replied, once listening to the choices made by the remaining four.

"We'll go with the Corrupted Soul Mission." Given that it had more votes in the group anyway.

"We'll be heading to Chicago in a day or two. I initially was going to have us head off immediately but, I think I'll take an extra day or two, to see if there's more information about this Corrupted Soul we will be hunting that I can find and update you all on. Since this one required teams to go after it, high caliber One Stars mind you, were not able to eliminate it and neither were a pair of skilled Two Stars by themselves. So, better safe than sorry. In the mean time, since we are all here let's enjoy the meal before the task of further research is done." He informed, opening the option of the group staying and ordering more food, if of course, that is what his students desired.

After all, he was paying- and it didn't hurt to spoil them, just a little. Especially given how their first meeting had went. Adrian's appeal to sushi was something he could not help but note in the rhythm of his soul, that focus and intense interest in the sushi itself, despite still paying attention to the briefing he had provided on each mission- it had gone noticed and Az, while no stickler or scrooge, certainly found a pinch of amusement in the boy's laser focus on his meal.

Besides, a normal conversation outside of the formalities of their business, might be good for further team strengthening, considering what Reiko had told him had happened at her home through the talks.

Mentions: n/a

Interactions: Sir Les Paul RedArmyShogun EmperorsChosen Serei2477 Azurian Dream

 

[Sir Les Paul]

Project

F.A.T.E.

Phase

Two

"If you find yourself drawn to an event against all logic, go. The universe is telling you something.." — Gloria Steinem, My Life on the Road
​

April 1st, 2067

The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry...

Truer words were never said, especially for those that conspired with fate. Every event, every effort, every success, every failure, and every unforeseen happenstance that transpired was the fault of one dream. One individual. One that possessed the soul of a God, but the emotions of a man. Lord Kidd, the acting Shinigami, had a dream that he could keep more people from walking down the path of evil and Madness than any predecessor before him. An ambition, perhaps even unrealistic, to be the salvation for those the world had failed. Is it so absurd to believe the embodiment of death was a dreamer? Someone willing to go the distance when others had already forfeit hope?

It shouldn't be. After all, for as much as he truly wanted to help, he relied on others to make it happen.

Cyrus was truly the one that put structure to the dreams of his partner. With what felt like the world against him, he worked with the most difficult people to achieve a goal that at best only a few of them might really achieve. To make dreams a reality, concessions and compromises needed to be made. Not just among him and those involved, but with the world they all lived in. It wasn't even his dream, really. But, he had sins of his own, a life of guilt, and a reason to do something good.

He made the plans. He considered every contingency he could, tried to be realistic with expectations, and kept far more of an active role in the program than anyone could expect from an ex-Reaper.

Yet still, there were setbacks. In the first few weeks alone, a third of the students had left. Some of their own volition, others proving they weren't truly ready. Fact was, they might never be. Some mentors left. Some thinking this whole endeavor was a lost cause, some felt their efforts would be more useful elsewhere. Some just weren't built to make it in the environment the program fostered.

But, that was okay. Cyrus knew that. It pained Kidd to see it so immediately. From the beginning, however, they were both well-aware that this program wasn't meant for everyone and this world was far from fair. The best laid plains of mice and men don't just often awry, sometimes it's expected.

The program would endure. While some could not make it, others would. Some would do even better than expected. Some would show such potential that it inspired others and kept hope alive about the worth of the program. Most importantly, the first four groups of the program and the initial culling convinced Cyrus that they were ready for the next step.

The remaining mentors were contacted. The loss of a few mentors was balanced out by the loss of some of the agents. A reshuffle of teams was in order, and alongside that a change to the way teams operated. Instead of closed cells testing the agents, the teams would enter what Cyrus dubbed "the modular stage" where one or two pairs per team would be swapped around for specific missions. Some special teams, such as the Mages or those away for protection, would even eventually be integrated in. As most of the agents up to this point had proven some modicum of reliability within the field, it was time to test how well they could adjust. To new teams, to new leaders, and to new situations they previously hadn't the clearance for.

Among the groups, this had already been announced. The new teams had met, but missions were put on pause. April 1st, known as April Fool's Day in the US, had become large holiday within the DWMA, so much so there was Fool's Festival held in the DWMA Courtyard, a Joker's Ball held within the ballroom of the DWMA, pranks were encourage--on DWMA Grounds--and missions were often held off, if possible. The Fate Agents in this case were encouraged to involve themselves this year. To get to be part of the social environment, to interact with new people, to let loose a little, and to further prove they weren't just pariahs.

Starwulf and Electra had in fact met the individuals they would train. Nadia and Dani, Sara and Eva, and Bella and Anna.

Az and Reiko had also had one of their pairs, whom absconded under mostly-unexplained circumstances related to the Yakuza, replaced with Gauss, Noah, and their newest teammate, Ark. Not to be confused with the Mage.

Introductions were over. The initial pruning and pairing was completed. Now, it was time party, dance, prank, and lighten the mood before they got back to work in the program, proving just how capable the hopeless were.

It was their time to keep the dream alive.

Azurian Dream The Regal Rper EmperorsChosen Meredith Mook-LandStrider RedArmyShogun Serei2477 Peckinou Merciless Medic

 

[Merciless Medic]

Raphael Valerias​

March 26, 2067
Location: Dall Island, Forests, Dead Zone
Interactions: Chanterelle
Mentions: Ark, Maria, Rand
Meredith Sir Les Paul The Regal Rper RedArmyShogun

As Raphael walked beside Chanterelle, his eyes were on everything around them. While he seemed rather carefree, he felt a bit odd about it all. The nearing of the dead zone had his soul whining. He tried to walk a bit differently, focusing more on stealth so as to not bring all the attention to him and subsequently Chant, who seemed to be trying to keep it down.

Hearing that the bushes could be lures, Raphael’s brow furrowed. “Maaan, we just can’t get a break, huh?” Sighing, he watched as Chanterelle made a path in front of them to walk on, and he hoped that the plants weren’t that ravenous as to eat their magic reserves.

He noticed the irritation from his friend and gave an easy sigh. He gripped his chains and spun it in a slow circle, the chain growing right before they had to go into the dead zone. “Sure thing. I can’t promise I can make it painless though, so all I’m going to say is I apologize for any discomfort or added injuries you gain from my part.” Careful to not touch her hair, he patted the clothing he knew wouldn’t cause him to get high on her shoulder. “Also, it’s okay. Pretty sure by the end of the day, whatever you did probably won’t affect the flora for long. That is, if my assumption is correct.” He assumed Chanterelle was upset with the act of what she was doing and how difficult it would become.

As they continued into the dead zone, Raphael - with the knowledge from Chanterelle - realized that the plants didn’t have mana. At all. It wasn’t just a dead zone, it was just empty. Huh. It was absolutely normal here and it pervaded his senses with extreme existential dread. He hated it. He wanted out of here. He stayed close to Chanterelle, his feet careful stepping on whatever he was stepping on. He looked around, using his magic sense, which was rudimentary at best. Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

“I really hate this, Chant…” He mumbled, his brow furrowed and eyes narrowed on the “barren” world around them. His tone wasn’t fearful, just cautious. Like he was getting a bad vibe. At least there were bugs and normal fungi. He also didn’t feel drained being here, so that was at least good, but that also meant he wouldn’t gather more mana for his magical reserves as quickly. He was sure, however, that once they start using magic, they would lose more of their energy than what was normal. “If this zone drank up your magic as if parched, it could mean one of two things. One, our magic could get sapped for even simple things if we use it out here. Two, anything that resides here will either have increased absorption to magic and that could either be good or bad for us, depending on how damaging it is to them or if it’s not going to do much… I don’t know if those two points are going to both exist, but let’s be even more frugal than what we were being.”

That’s when he heard it. No, felt it. Tiny pinpricks of magic appeared in the east. It was further away than what his range could feel, but given there was no magic besides himself and Chanterelle, it was relatively easy to feel. And they were getting closer.

“Run.” That was all Raph said, making sure Chant was with him (and tapping her if she wasn’t) before he started booking it back to the rest of them. He opened up his watch and set his communicator in his ear, trying to contact Rand. “Rand, there’s a lot of hostile things honing in on us for our magic, we’re coming back!” However, he was starting to hear feedback on his own device distort the static sound. “The hell? Can you hear me???” As they ran, the things may have been faster than them, and soon enough the feedback was starting to hurt his ear, but he had to keep it in to get a glimpse of anything it could pick up from Rand. He looked back at Chant, hoping she was with him.

 

[Sybil]

Adrasteia Chandrice

Returning to her provided home after the negotiations left her time to finally think on all that she had heard. Madness was making a comeback so-to-speak and it was something scary enough that even tight-lipped enemies were warning those they fight. The reactions of those around her at least told her there was credence to the words, Zosar and Midori being her filter by their reactions at the time. It was certainly a rather… interesting idea that there was some sort of cult of maddened individuals intent on spreading chaos. Reminded her of her history classes of those decades ago with a living kishin roaming the earth.

History repeats itself.

The weapon thought this to themselves, lifting their chest up to their pull-up bar once again as sweat dripped off their nose. Her arms strained, not wanting to quit however pushed her to finish the tenth pull up of her 15th rep. She dropped as she straightened her legs, arms numb from the strain. Her breathing began to slow as she dissociated, mind wandering to the implications of fighting enemies she probably shows similarities to. Madness had been her ally for a few years, keeping herself addicted to the absolute limit-pushing and freedom she felt. It was freeing to no longer care, to feel removed from humanity and feel like the center of the world. Like she was unbeatable. A drug of choice, one that she couldn’t just ignore even if she was doing better. The more mundane the days the more it drove her to be irritable, hating her sobriety of sorts when it got quiet. It’s why she worked out so hard, to cause pain to focus herself. That and she likes being fit, so it was just the best solution to her mania creeping into her. She, however, needed to wrap up. She stripped and showered, dressing in her black and red skirt and shirt, her old clothes once again being pulled out. Just a small way to keep herself feeling ahead of the nerves she had, adopting the visage of her old more confident self that didn’t need to think so damn hard about what she needed to do. She even fixed her bells in her long braid once out, letting them ring loud and clear in her hands before sitting up and letting the hair hang. So much put into her appearance, she felt like she was putting almost too much into it…

……eh fuck it this is for me.

She smirked, heading out to meet Midori and Zosar. Sure enough she was the the second to arrive, liking to keep time to keep the appearance up. Can’t give anyone any lame excuse on her being unfit to work like being late. The idol chatter was expected, but she appreciated the avoidance of the previous program they both were involved in. As much as she wanted to move forward she didn’t want to get stuck on their past fights. At least she was trying and succeeding so far. Her coffee was nearly half empty by the time Zosar showed, and she remained quiet…. But still made rather unpleasant faces at the comments made about her. Dating jokes and then jokes about this new person being treated like they treat her? She huffed, rolling her eyes as she ignored the words rather than start something by tossing her coffee at them. The words however about a new group member was on their mind since they were informed just now. A weapon and one that seemed to be trouble, who could have guessed someone in the program had issues? Truly a fucking very special case to be in FATE and be a troublemaker.

The weapon took a sip and sighed as the cup left her lips, thinking about the problems that might arise if they hinder missions or training. Training apparently by assassins of an exclusive assassin clan no less. While not overly eager, it would keep them interested enough to not deny it. But once more her thoughts rounded back to the new person mentioned, finally addressing it with a question.

“If this new person is another weapon then I’m assuming you couldn’t find any sort of partner for them?”

coded by: @s e v e n

Interacts: Sir Les Paul The Regal Rper
Mentions: Meredith

 

[Sir Les Paul]

Cyrus Kallis​

"Blue Reaper"​

Species Human (Weapon)
Partner Lord Kidd
Rank Three-Star

Location Death Room
Mission Coils of Depair
Status Focused

​

Tags: RedArmyShogun Merciless Medic The Regal Rper EmperorsChosen

April 1st, 0920​

"I appreciate you all getting here so quickly," Cyrus told the four. In front of him were four Fate Mentors, but more importantly, two very capable Three-Star teams. One of the most powerful in the DWMA, the other outfitted perfectly to combat Madness. Both would be necessary. Granted, this was normally a task he would assign to a Reaper-class agent, but none were available. And, it's not like he could that work anymore acting as the Death Scythe to Lord Kidd. His hands had to stay clean.

"It's not public knowledge yet, and I prefer to stay that way. Dane Markovic, a.k.a. Deathcoil, has gone rogue. Worse, he's become a Corrupted Soul. Working theory is that his demotion from Rank 9 to Rank 12 pushed him over the edge. He doesn't have a history of mental health issues, but he's also denied evaluation multiple times through our services," Cyrus explained to them. He was quite serious and direct, as always. His arms crossed, tugging on the seamlines of his white button down shirt. A manila folder tucked between one of his arms and the vest he was wearing. Hard to think a man like him was kept in offices, but such was his life now--for the most part.

"Doesn't matter now, anyway. He has a confirmed death toll of twelve during his escape from Death City, including a set of Two-Stars that were at a guard post. He consumed their souls," Cyrus told them, immediately jumping to just how dire the situation was. There was no salvation for this man now. "It's believed he's en route to Las Vegas. The few reports we have indicate that his immediate goal is to increase his power, and he'll obviously consume innocent souls to do so. He's still in the initial berserk phase, it seems," Cyrus went on, detailing more specifics as to their mission.

He then extended his hand to offer the manila folder for the group to pass around. Inside was a quick dossier on their target:

Spoiler

Aliases Dane V Markovic Stage Name Death Coil
Age 31 Gender M Height 6'2" Weight 206lb DOB November 16th, 2036
Agent Type Autonomous Weapon (Death Scythe) Agent Rank 3-Star Elite DWMA Rank 9th
Completed Missions: 91 Failed Missions 2 Mission Specialization Solo/Direct Combat

Weapon Form Stationary Type, Telsa Coil
Abilities Soul Perception, Wavelength Amplification, Partial Weapon Transformation (Death Scythe), Soul Force, Electricity Generation, Lightning Rope, Self-Resonance
Combat Style Close - Medium Range | Highly capable in CQC with enhanced reaction times, Self-Resonance and Lightning Rope put him on par with if not faster than most Three-Star Elites, Lightning Generation from Coils cannot be controlled beyond on/off, Soul Force enhanced with lightning is comparable to Soul Menace. Agent prefers to limit the mobility of others, then used his enhanced mobility to eliminate targets with brutal strikes or electrocution.
Weapon Transformations Death Scythe capabilities include trap setting with lightning fences, passive electrical fields with tesla coils from back, and creation of electrical rings around arms that can be launched and returned for medium-range strikes.
Elemental Affinity Electricity Generation is highly volatile, but lacks the control of other weapons. Can typically only be active or inactive. Creates an EMP field when in use, disabling all electronic devices and interrupting radio frequencies. Unable to sense or direct electricity unlike some with this affinity. Electricity generated from coils or fences always seeks easiest route to ground. Can be resisted with Amplification, but otherwise potentially fatal.

"This is what we know. If we had time, we would design suits and send out a proper squad. But, we don't. He's in a motor vehicle now. We intend to fly you ahead of him, drop you off, and provide nearby back-up. But, not many can contest with him. He has a Madness Wavelength now and despite being an Autonomous Weapon, his speed is top tier. Combining Lightning Rope and Self-Resonance is a difficult, but powerful skill he mastered. At this point, he hasn't exhibited any new abilities from his Madness, so killing him now will avoid casualties and be easier than if he is allowed to develop," Cyrus explained to them, giving them any details he had that wasn't listed in the dossier.

"Az, Reiko, your ability to dampen his Madness will keep the battlefield safe. Some of your unorthodox techniques may also be beneficial in countering his. Starwulf, Electra, you two are some of the only agents I have on standby capable of matching his speed. He was ranked ninth for a reason. Together, I believe you four should be able to eliminate him if you can land a Resonance attack on him," Cyrus told them, outlining their roles in this mission.

"That all said, time is of the essence. I have a helicopter waiting on Lord Kidd's personal helipad; we're not wasting time sending you to an airport. You'll have to fly high and far ahead of him to avoid having the sensors knocked out in the copter, but you should reach him before he gets to Vegas. Any questions?" Cyrus asked. He then provided each of them and intense stare, even more so than his usual death glare.

"And, to be clear, there is only one true objective in this mission. Kill the target at all costs," he instructed without hesitation.

 

[Sir Les Paul]

Rand Mabason​

"Soundwave Sorcerer"​

Species Witch
Partner N/A
Rank Two Star

Location Dall Island, Western Beach -> Moving East
Mission Return to Dall Island
Status Focused, frantic

​

Mentions: Merciless Medic The Regal Rper Meredith RedArmyShogun

Static. Static is primarily what Rand heard from the comm link.

It didn't matter. It caught his attention.

Rand shifted his gaze back over to the location of Raphael and Chanterelle. In terms of scouting, they actually weren't that far out. Whether they were going slow or being cautious, either way, it was a boon in this situation. Because they needed to retreat. Whatever was going on with the comms, however, made that next to impossible and each were out of of shot of his own magical means of communication. He speculated that his own means might be disrupted, too, depending on what was causing it. In either case, he needed to get an idea of what the two were facing.

It didn't take much effort. The magical spikes in energy now numbered in the dozens, and was still growing. They weren't strong by any means, but they were numerous. It was an entirely different type of magic to actually visually gaze--like a telescope--to confirm what these creatures were, but with his third eye, that type of transition could be done on a dime. What he saw... was more spiders. Though, much smaller. Half the size each, at least, and coated with brown fur. Their abdomens sporting a violet spot each, though individuals had difficult markings. And, they moved fast. Again, for their size, they moved faster than the larger variety he saw earlier.

"Ark, Maria, we have incoming. More arachnids, much smaller, much faster. Comms are down in the direction of Raph and Chant. Head in their direction, I'll be there as fast as possible. Expect to lose comms, so relay this message: regroup as four, then try to recede back to the water," Rand instructed them. Then, with that, he was off. A swan dive from the tree he was perched upon combined with his own Belldash technique allowed him to kick off the tree like a sonic missile. He had no intention on leaving them sitting.

His deft action, however, caused him to miss one thing. One important thing. These arachnids were nowhere near as organized as the last, and in fact, some we even cannibalistic. Specifically, the smallest of them. A chain reaction of dormancy had the smallest of the arachnids, perhaps spiderlings, finally awaken. Each still quite large, enough to fit in the hand, but these without fur and almost translucent with their exoskeleton. Maria and Raph were close enough to be able to hear the incoming wave, and soon enough, they would see this odd behavior.

Each batch of spiderlings alone had dozens crawling out of burrows that then attacked the most nearby thing around them, including the large brown spiders. One by one, the larger brown spiders were caught by the spiderlings. One by one, their blips of mana dissipated into dozens of smaller ones. Despite the chaos, the larger arachnids paid no mind to the smaller ones, unless attacked in which they would at least attempt to fight back--all in vain. The stampede was still incoming.

For the first time since their arrival passed the water, the heads of the larger black spiders were returning with the skittering that made them so noticeable in the first place. This emerged just moments after Rand sent his transmission, and these spiders were coming from the opposite direction--thus nearest Ark and Maria. However, unlike their brown cousins rushing towards Chant and Raph, these spiders were more reserved. Whether they learned from the last encounter or simply weren't directly interested was uncertain, but they did not leap in for an attack. Instead, like felines stalking their prey or wolves circling for a pounce, they kept their distance as they circled around Ark and Maria.

Something had sparked the island to life, and the five of them were directly in the center of it.

 

[The Regal Rper]

Az | Death City | Death Room

He took the dossier first, and then eyeballed everything. Dane Markovic, 31, an AW Tesla Coil. He had heard of him- never interacted with him however. He wondered if Wulf had ever had interacted with him before on a mission or event. Or Reiko for that matter. Reading through the details with a skim, he passed it on to the next nearest person- either Reiko, Wulf or Wulf's new partner.

An AW that had attained Death Scythe status, not only that was formerly part of the top 10 even if they were now part of the top 15 DWMA agents on the Three Star Elite rank. That was impressive, and something he wished he could help Adrian understand in time. AWs rarely ever went past an upper class Two Star rank, and those had to be dedicated- and often times even with all the training, if they didn't have special wavelengths that fell in the elemental or unique category, it was unlikely most would reach the rank of Three Star.

These thoughts were brief however, and after the dossier had left his hand his mind returned to Cyrus briefing on the situation.

It was good to know at least things were being tightly locked down information wise, at least until Markovic did something grand that drew media attention, which would only shine a disappointing light on DWMA again, especially when a Death Scythe was the one committing the atrocities and worse, had become a Corrupted. No one forgot what happened with the Battle of Madness that happened decades ago, a family feud- old reports called it, two brothers on opposite sides with allies on both ends facing off in a battle for the world.

And no one wanted another young Kishin running around either.

"If he's heading towards Vegas and has commandeered a vehicle how many innocent souls has he consumed exactly as of now? Anything on that? What is this Lightning Rope move you've mentioned? How does it tie into his whole Self-Resonance skill?" Az rattled off the questions the moment Cyrus was officially done explaining everything.

The flap of wings made him look up at the same time a shadow passed over them- and landing on a perch with their claws- both from wings and talons, the Demon Bird's head did a 180 from its spot on a pillar- looking at Az.

"You're staying." Was all he said aloud. And Umbra dropped from her spot nearby the ceiling and twisted into a purple-blue feathered bird, far smaller than her original form and landed on Az's head.

She chirped, once. Far different from the cackling popping noise she could make with her vocal chords- and Az translated: "She wishes us luck." But he kept out the part where she said 'We'd probably need it.'

The telepathic link he shared with Umbra shared with him her feeling of distaste at being left behind again, but there was nothing he could do about it- and she knew as well as he did from their youth- her death, would be detrimental to him- not just in what he'd lose but in the mental state it would leave him after. He'd lost her nearly once at 16, he had no interest in seeing it a second time. Was bad enough he couldn't help one of his siblings during the Plague, he wasn't about to contribute to the death of another family member again.

Though in her final words, he didn't doubt. The Ranks were no joke- whether you were in the top 3 or the top 20, it was an achievement of itself to make the international ranking within the DWMA like that, especially as a Three Star. He had never cared personally to see how he measured up in the rankings, climbing DWMA's ladder had honestly never interested him to begin with. Like his father, the philosophy of improvement had only ever been about ensuring he would have the power to minimize the loss of life as a servant of the Death God. Markovic's achievements however, did make him wonder just how intense this fight would get. From her stage name he assumed Electra also possessed some kind of electrical ability- how that helped them he had no clue, but he'd ask about that as they made their way to their destination to cut off the rogue AW.

Mentions: n/a

Interactions: Sir Les Paul Merciless Medic RedArmyShogun

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Rieko Tanaka
Death City - DWMA Briefing Room ???​

Things seemed to have went from bad to worse, or at least from a mixed bag to worse. With the changes in Team Reaper not yet finalized, transfers and other details decided upon or rather, not, Rieko now found a nutcase being made over not being in the top 10 that decided to go fully off the rails. "It really does make one rethink the use of Assassins." She mentions off handedly as the briefing is given.

And it had all of the classic failings of the DWMA to be seen, or rather in this case to not be seen. This was part of why she was so insistant in having the AW's in her team working together or at least with another pairing. What ties and bonds they formed was not weakness, rather it was a strength, for to leave one alone in this work was to invite a great darkness for while they had no ties to sadden them, they also had no ties to focus towards or in remembrance of. The AW was an existence that could be a great hero or a terrible demon king. And in a job where the job did actually amount to killing things, that dice was already a bit fixed.

"Hmm..." Looking through the file as it was handed off to her by Az, Rieko studies the face of the other. "Given his ability to use traps and metal's conductivity, we should pick the spot to ambush him carefully, even if he is mad now, he still may have his battle sense... Still to send just us four to deal with this, either you have great faith in us or the DWMA is so hard pressed that this is the only option you have with a chance of success." Raising her left hand to her face, a scared fist brings the middle finger to stroke the front of her chin as her thumb clenched below it.

"This is the DWMA I am given to serve, and I must take on this duty, but the DWMA must really learn to handle the needs of its people, or at least to find them in advance. How many have went rogue or fallen as there was no oversight, no outreach, no forced look into making sure they won't just go mad? Ah, pardon. Now is neither time nor place. On the topic at hand, I might can be used to ground his electrical blasts if one is careful and fast enough. As in the traditional manner of sticking a metal pole in the ground." While she would not bring up the problem again, she was really starting to rethink her retirement, or at least turning her attention towards the DWMA in another capacity.

"I have no further questions that Az has not asked, least you feel like explaining these traps he's noted to make, otherwise I rather we head out quickly. He must not be let into the city least a far more dangerous thing has a chance of being born. Though, why was he demoted?"

Interactions/mentions: Sir Les Paul Merciless Medic The Regal Rper EmperorsChosen

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Maria Mayer - Dall Island

No...

As the radio chimed in and new instructions were given, Maria bit down upon her right thumb hard enough to draw blood as she grimaced and snarled, eyes peeled.

No reason, no logic, no appreciation, move here, go there...

Why?

WHY!?
​

"Grrrr!" kicking one of the cages away from her, Maria formed the orders to her mind, it bared worth mention, that while she was not as damaged as the rest of her party, her little problems added up into being one that was large enough to land her in F.A.T.E. And this was one such good example of it. The pull of creation was at the behest of order. This was the secret or "truth" to why Maria had survived in the midst of the Virus and why she was kept in near quarantine. All people had madness; it's just some types of madness actually were better adapted to giving fortitude to the outbreak. But this mission was already trying to her nerves as she looked at the arachnid horde. Reaching for her head the slowly bleeding thumb mixed blood into her hair as she ruffled it into a disheveled mess.

"For nothing... all for nothing! Just as the other camp was being built it was abandoned, then I use my darlings to carry his bloody boxes and cages, now we just abandon them! Pointless work for pointless pay, this is one game I shall not play!"

Creation was the spirit of all having purpose, of all having a beginning even when it was nearing the end, it was the sole proof as she seen it that we were not alone, that our world took form by bringing order and beauty where there was nothing. Thankfully he chaotic presence of the spider horde refocused her energies, they were an affront, a mistake, chaos, there was no beauty here as they torn into one another, hopped around and skirted about like the filthy bugs they were. At least in death creation would continue with them, corpses would give compost, compost will give fertile fields, and fertile fields would bloom trees and flowers.

"Hahahaha!"

Going up to Ark Maria grabs him from the side, her right hand behind his back, hand on his right shoulder as she gave a crazed stare, her left hand waving about the horde. "Spiders, viscous little creatures, vicous little creatures everywhere... Rand wishes us to run, and yes, we should leave, but ah, ha, aha, running just leads to a route and our friends fall, but us going out to meet them with only a general idea of where they are is stupid!"

Grinning a bit she motions towards the earth. "So we give them something to know to come here, advance a little, I shall slay these ugly vermin and scatter them about in a most beautiful way... you should help, but also make a mound of earth they can see, one they can reach as they flee. It's so simple you see... We hold the line as I dance with my own. A firebase rather than running in the hopes of finding them... A fire base to advance bit by bit.... hahahah!"

"Then we all carry out a fighting retreat... But all this to and fro, dancing about at the whims of this island, it's chaos must be broken even if just a little." With that she released him and connected to her four smaller dolls, lifting them up with the force of her mana alone, donning weapons and awaiting the arachnid swarm. If Ark agreed with this reasoning, or if Rand could hear her were things not currently on her mind, though there was at least a logic to the outburst.

Merciless Medic The Regal Rper Meredith Sir Les Paul

 

[Sir Les Paul]

From Pink to Red​

​

The air was never really cool in Death City. Not really. Most of the time, it was pretty dry and the sun could be unrelenting. Heat bounced off the sidewalks and pavement. The bleached white marble of the DWMA was at least decent at convincing the heat to leave, the historic cobbled roads weren’t too bad, either, but the majority of the city was blacktop. And, blacktop radiated heat like a cheap heater in a Chicago winter.

That meant early mornings to avoid the sun. If one wanted to run, jog, or walk in the city without enduring the blazing heat, it was either during the early morning when the smiling moon gave the streets and homes a respite or when clouds blocked the menacing laughter of the sun. For Adrian, this meant the morning was the best time for him to run–whether that was away from or through his problems at this point wasn’t really clear.

Ever since being called out by Midori for his tendency to get lost, he put no small amount of effort into memorizing the streets where he ran. When he wanted to make detours, or find a longer straight stretch, or go for a few miles longer, he knew which turns to make–or not make–and where he would end up after them. This made running pretty thoughtless. The most he had to do was react to a crosswalk, but he wasn’t exactly above literally leaping over it or just making a quick turn to keep going if he knew it was convenient.

Thoughtless wasn’t what he wanted. Not this time. His best friends were gone, and apparently he was too much of a liability to bring with them. They didn’t tell him where they were going; probably worried he would follow. All he knew is it was family business of some kind. Issue was, Adrian didn’t really know who Zari was. Not enough to go search down his family and hopefully find him. No contact information, either. No tracking. No collar. Apparently, Zari had leftover connections capable of having that all removed at any time. So much for security.

If Adrian had too long to think, despite the best efforts of his friends and teammates, he started to reflect on things. How close he had gotten to them, yet how little he actually knew them. How little they apparently trusted him. The little faith that was there. He also thought about the huge fuss he made with his mentors that started from the kernel of rage over Midori and the idea of starting over. Was he just going to do that again? He didn’t want to; it was made fairly fucking obvious to him that was far from acceptable behavior.

But, how was this different? Actually, how wasn’t it worse? His mentors were basically strangers he was lashing out against. But, these were his friends. Or, people he thought were friends. People he trusted. People that could handle what it took to spar with him and be around him. People that could put him in his place when needed, or lift him up from a shithole when he got himself too deep.

But, they were people. His whole life, as he thought about it, people didn’t really do shit for him. From when he learned about his form to when he developed his wavelength and every moment in between, people intentionally distanced themselves. Praised his skills, sometimes offered some sappy note about his perseverance, but no one actually… just knew him. Zari and Jarvis were the closest he had ever really had to that, honestly. And, they just left. Kind’a like his only other brother.

But, that was another story.

Adrian needed to forget and to forget his mind needed to be elsewhere and for his mind to be elsewhere he needed to run down streets he had never been before faster than he had ever ran before further than he normally would ever go. And, that’s what he did. He stopped paying attention to the street signs or direction, he let his instinct take over, he just ran and ran and ran like he was competing for the best Forrest Gump impression.

He had started running before the sun even rose. He didn’t stop until it was chuckling in the sky, humoring itself at the sweat pouring down his body. He wasn’t sure where he was, just that there weren’t a lot of people and it seemed a little less developed than the rest of the city. It was finally at a bench near a bus stop that the sun won out and he needed to stop. Catch his breath. If he could have gone longer, he would have in hopes his thoughts couldn’t catch up. Hopefully, he at least made some distance between himself and them.

Dani typically reserved her workouts, cardio included, for indoors. For some, fresh air and a change in scenery helped clear the mind and calm the soul. However, she never really had an interest. The effort and energy was what cleared her mind and kept it focused, and the routineness and monotony of going to the same place to do it helped everything feel more–stable. Still, her therapist insisted, so she made a habit of taking a run around the city every once in a while. Since getting back from France, it was kind of nice to tour the city, though that was less about the city itself and more of a statement about her mood being a tad bit improved.

Nadia and her were getting along. Even if begrudgingly at first, she had befriended Noah too, who was going to suffer through the stupid fools party with her. Life was… not completely shit at the moment. Though perhaps the almost dying in France made the roses smell nicer temporarily. Regardless, some shitty earbuds connected to her phone, and it wasn’t such a bad day. Kinda nice, even.

She ran, and ran, with no real purpose, just going for length. There was plenty of time before she had to get ready or do anything. Jogging alongside the road, Dani began to slow to a walk as she let out a few huffs to catch her breath. She pulled out her phone to check the time just as she passed the wall that outlined the bus stop bench.

“Ah… you’re…” Dani knew she knew the guy sitting, but not really. He was there on the first day, though they never really interacted in any capacity. Thinking on it, she didn’t recall his name. He was cordoned off into the other group, wasn’t he? All she knew was that he had the same issues as her, given the collar. “Uh… hey.”

It was instinctual. You hear hey, you turn your head. Adrian was running mostly on instinct at this point anyway. Adrenaline was coursing through him still. It was a Runner’s High, and it was something he rather enjoyed. Something he was familiar with. Unlike the girl calling out to him.

Adrian had pretty much no recollection of Dani. Even less than she did of him. She forgot his name, but he all-but forgot she existed. The saving grace here, ironically, was her collar. Nearly identical to his. Madness inhibitor. She was part of Fate. Adrian rationalized she was either here for that, or she was part of that first group during the ball game that he’d forgotten. Plenty of faces had come and gone since then.

Catching his breath, he inhaled a few times a little faster than he was already. He had pushed himself pretty hard to begin with, finding enough air to actually respond was admittedly a little challenge. ”H-Hey… uh…” he replied, but trailed off. It was a situation where he spoke first only to realize he actually had nothing to say.

”Fate, too?” he asked, spitting out the only thing he could come up with despite how embarrassingly obvious it was. And, even worse, the fact they had met before.

The fact that he didn’t remember her was probably better, as it meant her forgetting him for the most part wasn’t as bad. Still, she narrowed her eyes a bit and tapped the collar on her neck sarcastically. “Nah, I just think it suits me,” She remarked.

Rather than jogging, he must’ve been sprinting, being so out of breath. “How many pink blobs were there on that clusterfuck of a first day?”

”I’m probably the wrong person to ask that,” he responded, pretty quick in tone. Though, it was more self-defeating than anything else by the lowering of tone. ”I’m shit with people, you see,” he explained, though hardly shedding any real insight.

”These little bastards have a nasty bite,” he then told her, transitioning away from the question about her hair and back to the collar. By this time, he wasn’t breathing anywhere near as hard, so he could straighten himself out. In doing so, he also lifted his hand to make a somewhat theatrical pointing gesture at the collar.

Dani hummed a bit at that, noticing the defeated look. It was—weird being on the other side of that face. “Yeah… Join the club I guess,” She said to the latter. Her only friends were others who were shit with people or overly social.

Glancing at his gesture, she let out a bemused huff. “I feel like they could’ve gone with a smaller needle, but fuck us I guess…” She remarked, halfway between a joke and a complaint. “Better than the alternative, though, I guess… So… the hell was your name again?”

The only spark of life that came out of him was when she referred to the needle. A half-smile crept across his face and he tilted his head back slightly, not quite a half nod, but a mark of agreement nonetheless. ”Yeah, last time I got this thing maintenanced, I asked about a smaller needle and was basically politely told to fuck off,” he said, adding onto their list of complaints about the collars.

”It’s Adrian. Adrian Hackney. Or… The Maiden if you go by my Stage Name,” he said. Her asking for his name made him feel a little better. Of course, he still wouldn’t have even recognized her at all, but she didn’t need to know that. They were at the very least on equal footing. ”And uh… I don’t know yours, either. I guess I’m shit at being a gentleman, too,” he added, making sure to add-on what he considered a dose of humorous self-depreciation.

Dani let a small smirk grace her features at that, a point of commonality for them both.

“I’m not sure there are any in this program, but at the least I don’t think you were one of the crazies on the first day. That or I didn’t see or don’t remember,” She said with a shrug. “Either way, it’s Dani Ethalyn. No stage name… Not even sure what the fuck it’d be. Sword-woman?” Posing that, it seemed like everyone had some epithet to their name, some edgier than others. She couldn’t help but think someone in the DWMA was too into Dungeons and Dragons to come up with all this stuff.

Thinking on it, it was a bit weird the teams for the most part didn’t know each other, especially given they would be swapping in and out in the future supposedly. Then again, her antisocial ass was unlikely to do so even if it was common. “Why’re you called ‘The Maiden’ though?”

Adrian listened to her. Contrary to what might be popular opinion, he was fairly decent at listening–so long as he wasn’t in one of his manic moods or enraged. This pink-haired jogger that shared the program with him managed to avoid both situations. He cracked a small smile at her comments about a stage name. Admittedly, he didn’t know her weapon form–or at least didn’t remember it. Given what she had said, though, it was safe to assume she was some type of sword.

But a more chilling pause, a bit of a freeze fell over him once she asked about his stage name. The name itself didn’t grate him, but experience had taught him that explaining the name also meant explaining his form. That was a bit of a sour topic for him. At the very least, it didn’t entirely destroy the flow of conversation. He knew some of his quirks fairly well, this one being one of the chief few he was hyper-aware of.

He looked up to the sky, raised his hand to rub the back of his neck and let out a sigh. ”Eh… I’m an autonomous weapon… ‘cause I’m a stationary type. An Iron Maiden. The big pokey torture device with doors,” he answered her. He avoided coming out and saying it bluntly, but he did manage to get it spat out without a degree of hate in his tone.

”Back during my One-Star exam, I lost a bet,” he went on. ”I thought I’d get the best time, one of the guys at the Dojo I trained with didn’t… I was going to call myself the Impaler–y’know, like Vlad the Impaler. Thought it was cool at the time, guess I was just being edgy,” he explained, giving the more specific details about just how he came by his Stage Name.

”I came in third that day and I guess I’d rather be known as The Maiden than a guy who backs out on a bet,” he said, rounding out his story. Not like it was much of a surprise given the pretext he provided beforehand, but at least he admitted that part.

Once that part of his explanation was over, he relaxed a little more. Shoulders loosened. The hand on his neck slid down from its perch to between the two. There, the familiar red glow of transformation took shape as a six inch spike was made into the palm of his hand. ”I basically fight like a Meister, and use these,” he told her ”So, y’know, it kinda made sense, I think,” he added, though his tone didn’t convey a lot of confidence.

”I don’t know if I’m crazy, but I tend to make some bad decisions in the heat of the moment,” he said, following up finally with the first comment she made. ”This is probably the longest I’ve went without someone thinking I’m a raging psychopath, and like… I don’t know, you seem pretty normal to me. Funny, I think,” he explained, once he realized she didn’t seem so unhinged she needed a collar, either.

Dani hummed a bit at his explanation. It seemed like a bit of a softer subject somehow. She figured it was best not to dig into it. “Well… who said you can’t have two? You can still be an edgelord if you want to.” Even the Demon Sword wasn’t sure if that was a half-assed attempt at consolation or a joke. Either way, it was pretty poor.

Moving on from that attempt, she could switch the topic to some self-depreciation from herself, which was a bit less awkward. He didn’t seem all that crazy, but then again Dani knew how quickly a personality could spike to an extreme when mad. “Normal? Dude, my wavelength is literally called ‘Murderous Wavelength’,” She said with a bit of a bemused scoff. “You didn’t see that shitshow of a tournament a while back? Would’a shivved someone if it wasn’t for this thing.” Tapping the collar for emphasis, it was weird that the two thought the other was normal. Then again, she surmised that he probably felt the same way as her..

”My Wavelength…” he started saying. It was quick. Almost thoughtless, even. Perhaps the most energetic words to come out of his mouth in the entire conversation. Only to come to a halt just as it started.

He clicked his tongue, then withdrew the spike on his hand to rub the back of his neck again.

”N-Nevermind… I was going to explain my wavelength, but uh… it comes across as like, argumentative, or whatever…” he said, as if reprimanding himself. ”Some uh, friends of mine tell me I pick too many fights,” he explained, giving the rationale for the reason he stopped.

”For what it’s worth, though, you seem nice regardless of your wavelength. Probably makes it sound dumb that I was gonna bitch about mine,” he told her, in a fairly matter of fact tone. He didn’t seem like one to dish out compliments like candy.

Dani tilted her head a bit at that. She wondered if they were purposefully placed in different groups because of how much their issues seemed to align. “...Up to you. I ain’t gonna take it as a fuck you if you vent, though,” She told him.

“Time and place… as I’m always fucking told,” Dani said with a slight grumble. Death, if she didn’t hate that damn phrase by now.

Glancing at him after the compliment, Dani’s face seemed to be that of one mulling what he said over, though not entirely agreeing. “I wouldn’t say I’m nice… just not being a complete bitch at the moment. Thanks, though… I guess. You seem… nice yourself.”

A genuine compliment, received and given. It felt a bit weird, how normal this all was. Perhaps that was just because of how abnormal they were. It was–comforting, in a way. Even though they were a program of rejects, it was hard to fully identify when a lot of the others didn’t have issues that similar to hers. When Mikey was around, they could share that. Afterward, however, even with Maria and Nadia making her not “alone”, they didn’t quite know her issues.

“...I mean that,” She added with sincerity.

Adrian was at a complete loss. An almost dumbfounded look stumbled onto his face. Moments like these were quite rare–almost non-existent in his life. Even with Zari and Jarvis. Those moments weren’t so… subtle or soft. The boy had no idea what to do.

The gears weren’t grinding. Not like normal. They came to a complete halt. Adrian had spent ample time trying to stay in control of his emotions, to avoid angry outbursts and acting on impulse. This pink-haired girl in front of him had brought out the total opposite and he had no coping mechanism for that.

You could say she left him devastated.

Awkward silences, however, were the death of decent conversation. He didn’t intend on letting this one go on too long, and his only recourse was to actually think through a response. It was almost an absurd notion to him.

”I wouldn’t say I’m nice, either…” he said, parroting her first reply. ”You just happen to be the most tolerable person I’ve met in months,” he explained, still following that trend. He wasn’t perhaps the smoothest operator, but at least he didn’t let the ship sink.

He then sighed. Not of disappointment, relief, or anything like it, more like an exhale of acknowledgement. ”Pain. My wavelength works on pain. I can amplify it or numb it just by touch. Used to, I couldn’t control it. I’d barely touch someone while training in the dojo and they’d act like I broke their arm or something,” he told her, opening up about his wavelength.

”I won’t lie, I don’... know anything about your wavelength. But, uh, mine sucks to live with. It’s one of those always-on kinds. It’s better now, but as a kid, I had to like… spend forever learning how to not make people double over. I remember, like… you wanna go have fun when you’re little, right? Play with other kids, try a sport, maybe just try to be normal in a classroom. But if I lost focus for a while, I was like a pain-bomb. And, uh, y’know, no one wants to be friends with the guy that can hurt you if he thinks too hard about a math problem,” he told her, shedding light on what it was like growing up with his wavelength.

”I kinda didn’t have anyone, really. I lived in New York before here and the whole place was a ghostland ‘cause of MIBVI. I had an older brother… but he couldn’t stand living that way, so he ditched us all,” he told her, somewhat rambling at this point. Though, his point was clear: he had a lonely childhood.

Though, he was quick to correct himself on one thing. ”I guess I shouldn’t say ‘had’; I might still. He went missing in juvie and we’ve never heard from him, but it’s not like I can check on him like the DWMA can with these implants, so…” he added, trailing off.

Dani stared at him a bit reluctantly. He'd practically froze in place. Was what she said that weird? Certainly, she wasn't all that comfortable with being given compliments. However, then he finally spoke, mimicking her own response.

Tolerable. Right.

Dani leaned against the end of the small bus stop wall and looked at him in a deadpan. He really didn't know. Then again his squad had fucked off to do--whatever and the teams never really intermingled before.

However, what he said next saddened, then infuriated her to hear. His story wasn't all that different from hers, except they stuck together. Even if she fucked up, even if she blamed herself and everything else, at least she was there with him at the end. Just ditching him though? Even if Dani didn't have this stupid condition, she wouldn't just leave him to deal with it all on his own, nor would he have. Slowly, her thoughts started to become louder than Adrian's words as her hand gripped the wall.

Tighter, then tighter, until an audible creak and crack brought her back with a flinch. She recoiled, then blinked a few times at him before looking at the grip imprints on the side of the shelter.

"A-ah, fuck." Dani let out a frustrated sigh and brought the guilty hand over to awkwardly grip her other forearm. "Sorry… um, that really sucks. Should've at least been able to count on him. What a prick."

Adrian may not have been the sharpest tool in the box, but he was acutely aware that something he said had affected Dani. Her body language, those stiffening joints as she bent the frame of the shelter. It wasn’t the strongest material in the world, but it didn’t matter. That wasn’t the point. Not like he wasn’t responsible for his fair share of collateral damage to the city anyway.

The point is what he saw beyond that. Her soul was loud. Whatever he shared that upset her, it caused a small surge in her. Something that happened to him all of the time, as he was told. But this girl? Hers was different… almost like a caged animal looking for any way out it could find. Is that what her soul was like all the time? Did she have to fight it, too, he wondered? Like he did?

He wasn’t off-put. In a way, what he saw there made him sad, too. If she had to struggle like he did, or worse potentially, then he had all the sympathy in the world for her.

”I appreciate it, Dani,” he told her. Using that same sincerity she did when she doubled down on her own gratitude earlier. Except, this time he wasn’t just parroting her.

”Maybe you’re right. I don’t even know if he was a weapon like me… and now that I think about it, I haven’t really looked for him,” he said, as if trying to defend him. ”I just assumed if he wanted to talk to me, he’d have reached out by now,” he explained. It was a bit of a back and forth, but Adrian turned out to be a fairly complex guy under all of that frustrated rage.

”I have a sister, too. She’s a lot younger,” he told her, changing the direction of the conversation. ”No weapon gene for her, but apparently, she’s smart as Hell. Most of the budget they give me here goes to my parents to keep her in a private middle school,” he explained to her. He told her he didn’t really have anyone, and he definitely felt like that was true. His sister was in pre-school by the time he entered the DWMA. It’s not like they had time to get close.

By that time, Adrian had said enough that he hoped they passed the stage of whatever upset Dani. Those bright blue eyes of his darted down to the imprint on the shelter real quick, and he gave Dani a half-smirk and a slight chuckle. ”Fuck it,” he told her, jokingly. He then lifted up his arm with an open hand and let his eyes dart over to it. ”If you think you’re gonna smash something, just try me. I’m a bit more durable than that shitty sheet metal,” he added, half-jokingly.

Dani paused in her tracks, a bit confused at the reaction her response acquired. It certainly wasn't what she expected. Then again, they seemed to be in the same boat, so maybe he just understood.

She listened, leaning against the abused support structure, nodding along a bit. "Sure they appreciate it… knowing you're there even when you're not," She mused. It was nice he was still looking out for them even out here.

"Huh?" Dani hummed as he grew a smirk and extended his hand. Her eyes traveled down to his palm, then back to him. She could feel her face heat up a bit to almost match the tint of her hair, and she instinctively averted her gaze. "T-The hell are you saying? …smooth motherfucker…"

Suddenly, Adrian went from a moderately dull tool in a shed full of damaged instruments straight to a blunt instrument. And, problematically for him, now was one of those times. What he had meant was a gesture of support, entirely in good faith, was apparently interpreted in an entirely different way. And, upon retrospect, he completely understood why.

If this Dani girl was an Otaku, Adrian could imagine her bashing him on the head and screaming ‘Baka!’ now–and honestly, the boy was ashamed he understood that reference.

If her face matched her hair, his own blew past it entirely into the realm of undeniably red. He was running hard before, but whatever flush from the flow of blood then was drowned in the crimson that crept along his cheeks. Those eyes of his widened and his mouth opened just slightly in what could only be described as a look of raw stupidity.

”I-I uh… I didn’ mean..” he mumbled, though audibly.

”I didn’t mean that smash; I don’t wanna do that with y–” he cut his own dumb self off, thinking that sounded insulting.

”Er, uh, I mean you’re pretty, but I don’t..”

He just stood there, absolutely flustered and mouth agape.

”I don’t do that stuff,” he spat out. ”I just meant you could like… squeeze my arm if you got mad,” he tacked on, trying to clear up what he meant as he stammered across his words.

A few glances shot his way before averting them out of embarrassment. However, then he started to panic, causing her sight to center on him as Dani watched it all unfold. The more he tried to explain, the more misunderstanding his words made. She stared at him for a bit in disbelief before it finally registered and she couldn’t hold it anymore.

“P-Pft-” An attempt to stop it was fruitless, and soon Dani broke out into a giggle-fit. Her body leaned against the structure for support as she recovered. Even if she knew that he wasn’t referring to that the rest of it was still pretty smooth if unwittingly. She certainly didn’t expect this innocence. “Go on, keep digging. Don’t let me stop you… Haha-ahem.”

Covering her mouth with a light scoff, laughing probably was digging a hole of her own. “S-Sorry… Sorry… Just wasn’t expecting you to turn pinker than me, or my hair.”

The redness from his face did not fade. He could feel his heart beat in his chest. That loud thump that seemed to make his entire body shake. The boy that had taken a beating from Yakuza elite, jailers of the DWMA, and had half the organization leery of him due to his temper lost every ounce of the confidence that drove him in those previous situations solely due to the flustering caused by a few misspoken words.

He was at little relieved, at least, that it didn’t make Dani more angry. She seemed to take it in stride. If it had set her off, he was pretty damn sure he would have saw that shelter behind her crumble.

But, it didn’t. It didn’t, and she laughed. He wasn’t sure what was funny, but at least he didn’t offend her. Well, offend her like… that. He had no problems telling a woman to fuck off if she got on his nerves. He’d tell the whole world to fuck off. Making them blush, however, made him feel madly uncomfortable.

”I, uh…” he tried to speak, but still just stammered.

”I don’t talk to girls. Like… that. In fact, I kind’a hate it,” he explained.

”Well, I mean like… I don’t hate girls… I like them. I’m pretty sure I do,” he continued on, fumbling over his words.

”I’m not the type of guy girls chase after,” he told her, finally finding some resolve with what he meant, ”And, I’m too busy training–making up for the fact I’m autonomous–to have time for that stuff, so…” he continued on, trying to explain.

”This is new. I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing,” he told her flatly. ”Like, you’re pretty, that much I get, but uh… when you started talking, I didn’t care about that. It was just like, oh, she must be in Fate, too, let’s see how this goes. So when that happened, I-I’m lost..” he continued on. Some resolve, still hardly composed.

”Besides, this just ruins things… we had a good talk before about things that were kinda important to us,” he said, still rambling. ”Now it’s all about how I turned pink after you turned pink, and like… I guess it’s good you laughed about it, but isn’t the point of talking to like.. Learn about other people?” he asked, rhetorically but there was a since of sincerity.

He sighed, defeated, his face still red and obviously still flustered. ”I told you, I’m shit with people. Worse with this stuff. I wouldn’t even know what to do if it were, like… working,” he told her, defeated. And, like she said, just digging that hole of his.

Dani held back a residual snicker as he just kept digging. He was honest, if nothing else. He was plain lost. It was still funny, but at some point she'd start to feel bad as the anxiety built up. She raised and lowered her hands toward him, urging him to pause.

"Alright, alright. Breathe," Dani told him, inhaling herself to bid the laughter away once and for all. "I get it. You think I have people lining up to take me out? It was just cute, is all…"

Clearing her throat to detract a bit from that, Dani made her way to the bench next to him and sat down with a sigh. Hands clasped together, she was seemingly contemplating her next words before continuing. Then she spoke, with a little hesitance and resolve.

"Okay… about me. I also had a family, also got fucked by the outbreak. Except mine tried to get out, traveled to a lot of places before we got bogged down in quarantine… My folks didn't make it out," Dani said, pausing as her hands shifted to grip the edge of the bench at each side of her. "...Most I've been around a guy was brother while he was still around, so I'm pretty shit with people myself… No real idea how this stuff works… Sure as hell no one's in line to take me out, and to be honest I'm not sure I want someone to… Not sure what I'd do if I lost anything else."

Trying to squeeze in an equivalent amount to what he shared in a much shorter time, it wasn't something she liked to go over. However, fair was fair and perhaps a little bit of Nadia had rubbed off on her, in the sense of pushing forward regardless.

"...But, I'm here… and people've already got close, so I don't have much of a choice but to try not fucking shit up again."

Adrian listened to her, and for the first time since he turned red, he had significant enough to focus on that it started to fade. What struck Adrian most is that she opened up like this to someone that was a complete stranger. And, then, in retrospect, so did he. It oddly felt like a natural progression. Everything they said bounced off of the other, going deeper and getting more personal with each layer.

Was that how it was supposed to be? Or, was this unique? He had to admit that this–whatever it was–felt entirely different than things were with Zari and Jarvis. A majority of the time that they learned more about the other, it was through a shouting match or pieced together from off-hand comments. It wasn’t cohesive like this.

He was admittedly somewhat nervous when she sat down, but soon after, he did, too. The bench was meant for those waiting for the bus, but no one was around. Even if they were, fuck’m. She lost her parents. She had her brother, but there was a gap in the story that led Adrian to think something happened there. Perhaps her own wavelength caused an issue? Or, did she lose him, too?

He really couldn’t be sure. Not without asking, and he wasn’t sure if that was appropriate.

Then she brought up her dating life–or lack of one. The way she made her life sound, at least to him, she didn’t have time or ambition. She wasn’t bad-looking, either. And, given what he had seen in the DWMA dating scene, there were enough shallow guys that something pretty big would have to be a deterrent. Was it her wavelength? She kept saying she was shit with people, but she seemed… nice to him.

Or, maybe she was just similar enough to him that they were on a vibe all their own. Maybe that part just worked.

Adrian had a ton of internal questions going through his mind, all sparked because of Dani.

Once she had finished, the thought that really resonated with him was that she didn’t want to lose someone again. Adrian didn’t really know anything like that pain until Zari and Jarvis. When he was younger, maybe he could relate it to his actual brother. But, that was so long ago and the trauma between now and then drowned it out.

He understood. Not only did he understand, but he rationalized that Dani had probably been through more than him. It wasn’t a competition, but even if it were, he figured she’d win. His competitive nature in this case was just plain washed away by sympathy. In her, he saw his pain, but worse.

”I-I don’t know what to say, Dani…” he finally replied. It wasn’t the same stammering from before. He wasn’t embarrassed or lost. He was seeking something. Anything words he could have brought together to show he understood, or that sensation of sympathy he felt, or maybe just to make it seem a little more okay. But, he wasn’t that type of guy, words didn’t come easily to him, so all he could do was admit his short-coming.

”But,” he added, shifting away from his failure to tell her what he meant, ”I know from my experience that, uh… well, it’ll sound like I’m a jerk, but it’s that I hope the people I lost miss me.”


”I used to wonder if my brother ever thought about me when he was on the streets… sometimes I wonder if he even thinks about us, if he’s alive,” he admitted, ”and the friends that left me behind, I hope they think of me,” he added, only doubling down on that thought.

And, finally, finally something came to him that he could tell her. Something that made sense how he wanted it. ”I think I hope that whoever you lost misses you, too, if they’re still out there. And if not, I guess just that they would if they could,” he told her. ”’Cause it seems to me that some people should try a little harder not to fuck things up with you, too,” he said, spitting out another one of those ignorant lines he didn’t really know what meant there at the end.

"You don't have to. I don't usually talk about this shit, but it seemed… right," Dani mused aloud with a shrug. Normally, she sure as hell wouldn't have gone onto this.

However, as the silence built, Adrian spoke again drawing a side glance from the Demon Sword before it returned to stare in front of her. Nodding a bit, she gave a soft, sad smile. "I'd like to think they would be too…"

Tightening her grip on the bench end for a moment, Dani breathed before relaxing a bit with a sigh. "See, you are nice… That's why I don't wanna try an' smash you, even if you'd probably kick my ass."

Adrian smiled back to her. Actually, it was more like a toothy grin. It perhaps was the most genuine smile he had in a long time. And, much more vibrant than one might expect from a guy sporting a nigh-permanent scowl.

”It is not who we are underneath, but what we do that defines us,” Adrian said, though it was quite contrasted to the way he normally spoke. ”Batman said that,” he explained, offering where he came up with such an odd quote and debuting his inner nerd. Granted, he only picked it up from the storylines in Batman games, but he didn’t need to explain that.

”If I got to choose between being the guy on the bench talking to you and the guy that transforms into a torture device and amplifies pain,” he said, though realizing that was a bit of a mouthful as he did. ”I uh… I know which I’d choose,” he admitted.

”I mean, I guess… no I don’t have to, but I want to,” he said, over-explaining yet again, but this time because he realized yet again how what he said could be interpreted. He was making an active attempt to be more mindful of his words, and only half succeeding.

”But, uh, I can take a pretty good beating, too,” he told her, switching topics. ”And, if this conversation is indicative of anything, there are probably plenty of ways you could get back at me other than kicking my ass,” he added, acknowledging how she so easily flustered him.

Dani snickered a bit in response. “Aight, Brucie.”

The alternative for the choice he gave didn’t seem like a high bar, but she understood the sentiment. He really was nice, despite what he said. A subtle pink hue lit across her cheeks again. “Not quite as smooth as before, but A for effort,” She said, leaning back against the seat. “I’ll try not to screw with you too much. Can’t have you lose your edgy image by fainting.”

Her face flushed again and his own ignorance was no defense against the chain reaction of his own cheeks matching hers. As if a ballerina were dancing on his nerves ever so delicately, he felt the tug and pull that came with the back and forth that seemed to happen when talking to her. Powering through his own embarrassment, he cocked his head to the side with a slightly furrowed brow and simply asked, ”Wh-What do you mean by smooth?”

”And, uh, I’ve done plenty of things, but I don’t think I’ve ever fainted…” he commented. ”Just how do you imagine making me do that?” he asked, with nothing but innocent curiosity behind and otherwise obviously loaded question.

Dani looked at Adrian for a while before letting out a bemused huff. Despite the rough exterior, he was pretty innocent. Even for someone like her, he was easy to panic. Like she had said, she didn’t want to tease him too much. This was someone she didn’t want to push away, that was for sure.

“Don’t worry about it, just keep being you,” Dani told him with a small snicker before tilting her head to the side with a cocky smirk. “Dude you’re a chameleon. People aren’t supposed to do that… You really want an answer to that?”

The issue was Adrian was genuinely curious. He hadn’t a thought in his mind about how she might actually do that. He wasn’t squeamish; it wasn’t like he fainted at blood or gore. In his mind, what she said had more to do with his fortitude. Something had obviously, yet again, went over his head.

He had the faintest inkling this was the case, but Adrian was also stubborn. Competitive. Perhaps even a little petulant, even in this scenario. That, and there was a tinge of fear. Dani seemed confident in her claim, and that confidence inferred to Adrian that there was some all-in trick here. That small anxiety was not something to halt him, but more so a type of thrill he hadn’t experienced before.

”In my defense, it happens when I see you do it, so… I guess we’re both chameleons, huh?” he responded, his only real defense to point out he wasn’t exactly alone.

”And, uh, kind’a… I mean an answer, you do have me curious,” he added, and that innocence of his almost came off as childish. Which, at least, he quickly remedied with his next comment: ”But, I trust your judgement… y’know, if you think I can’t handle it.”

“Maybe… but I don’t think I’m as bad as you,” Dani retorted smugly. At the very least, she didn’t quite panic to the same level.

He was almost like a kid, at least with his naivete. Dani figured most could put two and two together, and it took her a bit before she understood that he genuinely was just curious. She mostly said it in jest. Aside from if she could even flirt or address a relationship like that, she still wasn’t sure she should. Dani spent a long time distancing herself from people to avoid more loss. It seemed like she was starting to come out of that mindset, if slowly. Maria was unexpected, as was Nadia and with them—she now had risks. Risks of if they left too.

Whether she intended it or not, Dani now had people she was afraid of losing. It was too late to guard herself from attaining people she cared about, she knew that. However, it didn’t make her any less apprehensive.

“W-We’ll see…” Another light blush and Dani went from cocky to awkward again. Clearing her throat, she segwayed. “Uh, you going to that party thing later?”

Few things were obvious to Adrian, but one was that Dani obviously handled this situation better than he did. What she said about not being as bad as Adrian struck him as a ‘well, duh’ moment–if anything, she had control over the situation far more than he did. When this thought hit him, it made him wonder why he even brought it up in the first place.

If the two things weren’t equal, why compare them? That thought was put to rest fairly quickly once she asked him about his later activities.

”I guess… my agenda for the day was run, hit the gym, down some protein, then I guess hit the festival thing,” he told her. ”The one last year had super interesting stalls, at least,” he added. He noticed her blush again, but his face was still red. However, he was powering through it by staying on topic. ”There are some indie comic stalls and the retro gaming guys usually throw out some really random roms that don’t fit the other festivals,” he explained to her.

”Not sure about that dance thing, though. My buds were debating on going ironically just to see what kind-of stupid outfits people wore, y’know… make fun of the try-hards,” he told her, though his tone turned a little more somber. ”Those are the ones that ghosted. Not even sure where they are, honestly,” he clarified.

He perked up slightly, realizing this was one of the exact situations he had went over in therapy. That sense of familiarity brought out one final thing he could comment with. ”It’s a bit of a vicious cycle, y’know. Don’t go out to social events, you don’t meet people. Then you don’t wanna go to social events alone. And, even if you force yourself to go, it generally sucks and you remind yourself of why you don’t even try,” he explained to her, paraphrasing what his therapist had told him time and time again.

”And the whole time you secretly wish you could be having fun like the idiots you’re making fun of,” he admitted. He had been sulking a bit while explaining this, though at this point he turned his head over to her to look at her. ”Makes you wonder if being an idiot is really such a bad thing,” he said, finishing his trip down therapy lane.

Dani hummed at that. All his issues and he still tried to put himself out there. Meanwhile, she had been invited to go. Otherwise, attending would’ve been a very large ‘if’. Not to mention her absence last year. She had absolutely no interest before now, and Adrian’s statements hit very close to home.

She was told over and over about that. Dani never necessarily disagreed, but meeting people was exactly what she didn’t want to do. She still wasn’t a huge fan.

Frowning, she wondered what happened to the friends he spoke of to just up and disappear like that. While likely confusing, it probably felt like shit for him too. Nudging him a bit with her shoulder, she spoke up again. “Well… I’ll be there if you wanna hang out… A friend is dragging me there, and that sounds like something he’d wanna do—Making fun of the try-hards.”

The whole date thing wasn’t even like a real date, so that wasn’t weird. “I hadn’t been in a long time so… don’t really care what we do. More of going for the people I don’t wanna smack.”

Adrian mulled it over. It wasn’t a… truly horrendous thought. He had mixed feelings given his previous plans, and this girl–irrelevant of how nice this conversation was–happened to be entirely new to him. This wasn’t actually the most confidence-inspiring series of events to fall into his lap. Still, if all turned out well, perhaps things might go well with her again. And, if she had someone else, a trio might be a touch less awkward. That, and he might get a two-for-one deal on the whole meeting people thing.

He wasn’t sure how to interpret her nudging him. While she likely didn’t know, Adrian had a thing about physical contact. Given he was virtually deprived of it, it was very alien to him. Those that did know him were always leery about his wavelength. Those that didn’t were typically leery due to his attitude. With Dani, he wasn’t opposed… but he didn’t know how to reciprocate, or if he even needed to.

”I suppose I can make an appearance…” he said, budging from his original stance. ”But, I can’t promise an iron-clad dress to fit my name,” he added, poking fun at his own Stage Name yet again.

”Doubt anyone else is going to ask me to go between now and then, anyway,” he commented, ”so, y’know, since I’m not a fan of that vicious cycle, it’s probably in my best interest to let you convince me.” With that said and a little more conviction behind him, Adrian slid his hand into the pocket of his thin jogging jacket and pulled out his phone. With the press of his thumb, it unlocked and a few quick swipes brought him to his Contacts app.

He then offered her his phone. ”Probably best we have some way to text, yeah?” he suggested. By some standards, this might have been a bit pushy. To Adrian, it was purely utilitarian. His oblivious nature prevented him from realizing the gravitas of effectively asking for the number of a girl he just met.

“I mean you don’t have to… but if you want to, I’ll be there,” Dani said a bit coyly, but his joke seemed to relax her a little bit. “It’s a dance dork. I don’t dress up much, but I figured to leave my suit of armor at home.”

Taking his phone with a nod, Dani began tapping against the screen to input her name and number. “Never know. From what I hear it’s not a dance dance. You’re supposed to ask someone you wouldn’t normally go with… or something. At least that’s what I’ve been told. And even so… you’re pretty too. So don’t count yourself out.” Smirking a bit as she parrotted his compliment to her earlier, she handed the phone back to him after sending herself a text. “...So… yeah. Just lemme know.”

Adrian stared at his phone for a moment. Not because of anything particularly interesting about it. More so, about her calling him pretty. That comment, on multiple levels, did not parse for him. Pretty, in his mind, was a comment given to girls. Beyond that, no one had ever really commented on his outward appearance, aside from perhaps his toned frame at the gym. Further, there seemed to be some subtext in what she was saying that just… flew right by him.

”Y-Yeah… I’ll make sure you’re the first to know–if I go,” he told her. He then realized the period of time he just spent looking at his little handheld device, and slid it back into his pocket. What did parse over this time is the comment she made about it being not being a standard dance. That much, he recalled being correct. Pairs that attended were supposed to have some type of shock value. The idea was that even the most unlike people could come together in good spirits, even if only for a night. That was the spirit of a Joker, after all.

”I guess if the idea of the dance is to go with someone you’d never take out,” he told her, though with a pause. He finally straightened himself up and realized just how long they had been there in general. The time displayed on his phone was a bit of a shock to him–he didn’t normally chat this long with anyone.

”Then I shouldn’t give you the wrong impression with this one, huh?” he said, finally coming full circle with his comment.

Waiting for Adrian to process whatever it was he was thinking about, Dani stood up. It had been a while after all, and they both had stuff to do before the festival later.

Taking out her own phone. Dani found the text and labeled the contact appropriately as Adrian spoke. "Yeah… Still going with someone I wanna punch doesn't sound like a good idea," She mused in between his pause. However, as he finished his thought, Dani almost glossed over it. She heard it, but she didn't fully interpret it until a few moments after the fact.

"H-huh?" She felt her face heat up again as she looked up from the screen. Did that mean he would? Or that he wouldn't?

Wait. Who fucking cares?!

Calming herself down, Dani knew by now that there wasn't any way he meant it like that. It was just a misunderstanding. "U-uh. So, yeah… Let me know," She repeated herself as she tucked her phone away.

”For sure,” Adrian replied to her. He hadn’t noticed the blush, in part because his dumbass had realized he had absolutely no idea where he was and he needed to get to the gym. Thus, requiring him to take his phone out again yet again to scroll through the maps to figure it out.

”Ugh, damn… I’m nearly two miles away from my gym…” he said aloud, realizing just how far he had run off course. He had a general idea of where to go to get there, at least, but he kept his phone in his hand knowing he would have to check it again at some point.

”I’ll see you soon, I guess,” he told her before he sprinted off. Perhaps not the smoothest exit, but it certainly was quick. If he wasn’t an agent, running through the city like that might be considered a hazard for running into pedestrians or cyclists. All quirks of him aside, he was fit. He trained as hard as any Meister, if not harder. And, it showed.

Dani watched as he darted off before sighing. A character, that one. Either way, she had stuff to do before getting ready as well, so it was about time she headed back, albeit less like she was heading to a fire.

​

 

[Merciless Medic]

Fia Moretti​

April 1, 2067
Location: DWMA's Death Room
Interactions: Cyrus, Az, Reiko, Starwulf
Mentions: Dane
RedArmyShogun Sir Les Paul The Regal Rper EmperorsChosen

So... Now they had to fight one of their own.

Fia, also known as Electra on the job, didn't hold much nationalistic pride for another country's DWMA, nor did she feel even close to Dane. She's never met him, nor did she want to until now - and it wouldn't be for a friendly chat. She didn't know the other group well, but she had seen Az before. He had appeared in Europe during a mission. The Miko was an interesting one, as well. While she was busy dealing with papers for exchange students, she did get a chance to read over the forms of actual staff from other DWMA agencies. The Miko and Asmund were two she read before, and Starwulf - well, she fought alongside the guy. How could she not know him?

Cyrus, however. He was the type of guy she'd love and hate at the same time. So strict, barely any room for positivity, yet he got shit done and received results. That was fine. It made talking or even just being in the same room with him difficult. Starwulf was strict, but not this level and she much preferred Starwulf being a menace during training and stressing her out than talk to Cyrus.

She simply nodded at his appreciation, and she listened attentively. Her body rigid. She was amped up - both emotionally and soul. She had been storing a bit of her energy in increments all morning so she wasn't snacking or napping during the meeting, and now she had to keep herself from fidgeting. The theory was an interesting one, but was Dane the type of prideful person to do such a thing? No, an answer like that couldn't have been.

But like Cyrus said, it didn't matter, so she didn't let her mind waste any time on it. Confirmed twelve dead, including some Two-Star guards... And he consumed them. She felt the color drain from her face. Not from fear of having to go against him, but what those poor families must be going through. PR wasn't her strong suit, and she was glad she didn't have to deal with that level of bullshit. Telling families of the dead wasn't her job anyway.

Apparently, he was heading to Las Vegas. An interesting city from what she heard about it. Never really got to see it in person with how busy she was, but now was the time to sightsee... Well, if she even had the ability to. But if he were to be heading to Las Vegas and needed to gain in power, he would need more souls. With its population rating, she wasn't surprised he was traveling to Las Vegas.

She watched the folder get passed to Asmund, who looked it over before passing it to Rieka. She waited patiently for her turn (even as her fingers started twitching). Madness wavelength, something her calm mind training protected against. But massive flare-ups of such would mean she would need to delegate more towards her second seal, which would mean less effective use of her resonance abilities to help out Starwulf. But he was a big guy, he could protect himself with her diminutive weapon form. They needed to kill him? Sure, she could help with that.

Oh, he was fast... And what was this thing he was talking about? Electric rope? Like an actual rope made of lightning? They needed to kill him now? She can handle that.

Cyrus made mention to Az and Rieko why they were here. Rieko must have had some anti-madness or anti-demon wavelength if he talked about her like that. Hearing that Starwulf and herself were capable of handling his speed had her smirking. Damn right- wait... They were? Hell yeah! Oh, that made her feel good. Too bad Cyrus couldn't join the fun, but considering he had a sort of desk job, he might as well stay. He was a greater asset and there were people just as capable to take him down, even if they had to have teams. But a simple resonance technique to mop the dirt with him? No, that didn't seem possible. It couldn't be that easy.

Kill him, and take the helicopter on the pad. He spoke as if he had some EMP ability that the 'copter had to avoid. Odd.

Az spoke up. He asked about the Lightning Rope technique and how it functioned with his Self-Resonance. Good question. Was it not explained in the dossier? Apparently, his bird had something to say, and she gave him an amused grin at his translation. Well, at least the bird was alright with them going. She was gorgeous though. That was fine.

Of course, the meeting continued with Rieko spilling her two cents about her opinion on their lack of knowledge on how these came to be. While she did have a point, it was needlessly negative and accusatory. Shoulders slumping, she took the dossier next and looked over his report as she droned on about the DWMA's shortcomings. Death Coil was certainly something. Younger than her, but not by a decade. Tall, quite muscular and probably packed more of a punch than what his weight would give. Her eyes lingered on his 'Death Scythe' status. She gulped.

Oh-kay, this was going to be a little harder than she had thought. Starwulf should be good though. The success to fail ratio on his missions was absolutely stellar. And they had to lose a guy like that? Ugh.

And he worked solo and in direct combat. Interesting. What was even more so was how high of a rank he was despite his stationary autonomous weapon form. It saddened her deeply. The abilities seemed quite normal, and Lightning Rope now sounded like a wavelength technique with electricity coursing around and through it. Lightning Rope made it sound like he buffed his own body up, but could it be used to whip people? Apparently, his lightning generation can only be switched on and off, not controlled. Limiting the mobility of others, then become faster than them to kill them.

They really had their work cut out for them, didn't they? He even had rings he can shoot towards people, tesla coils on his back for a passive shield, and can create traps. If he's using it, it would mean he's already sapping his energy. He'll need food soon. Electricity worked like any kind of normal electricity, so that was good. She was practically preparing herself for this fight anyway as they spoke, her soul probably having a soft, robotic hum if anybody could hear it, and her soul softly glowing like a pulsing fluorescent bulb if they could see it.

Rieka said something about sticking herself to the ground to become a lightning rod. That would be useful. She asked why he was demoted, and honestly that wasn't a question that needed to be answered. She gave Starwulf the dossier if he wanted it.

When she spoke, she was quick, her words flowing clear despite to her Italian accent. "I apologize for butting in before you have a chance to answer, Cyrus." Electra then looked at Rieka, her words measured despite how quickly her mind was racing. "We don't need to learn about that now, Miko. It's not like we're gonna be talking to the guy. We need him dead, not bring him to the light with promise of cookies and a warm hug." She smirked at her own joke, but it fell as she continued quickly, her eyes gazing at the whiteness around them, but she was staring at nothing, as if thinking this fast and speaking her mind took more effort than focusing on any one person. She spoke quickly, yet she wasn't fast enough to sound like she was rapping Rap God. "If he's using his passive electrical generation, it means he's going to need food and fast. He's already given us a handicap, even if it's marginal at best. If he's this fast with enhanced reactionary speed, he likely wouldn't show it all off unless backed into a corner or when he's about to go for a killing or crippling blow. Feinting how slow we really are would be in our best interest until we cannot any longer. Letting him attack us first would be better than attacking him and letting him counter us with ease, but I doubt he'd be a cakewalk offensively, either." Her gaze shifted a bit in Az's and Rieko's direction, but her robot-like gaze did not look at them directly. "You could probably use your weapon form to loop the rings if they don't cause soul rejection or if he's not using Soul Force." Her gaze went back to what she was staring at previously - or at least the direction of it. "Electric Rope, as it's explained, seems to boost his physical abilities - specifically speed - when wrapped around him, but since it's called 'rope', I can imagine he'd whip it out at anyone who comes near or at objects to electrify them and swing himself around. But if it's anything like Mjolnir from days gone, it's likely incredibly taxing and draining. Doesn't matter how good he is, this can be a battle of attrition and he'd lose. That's if he allows us to draw the fight out. Make the fight take too long and an assassin will lose his momentum and falter. While he's not completely built like an assassin, all of his abilities would drain him if he has to fight for too long, and if he's berserk, he may not have a mind to hold back and reserve his energy until it's too late." She looked at Cyrus with full focus now, brown eyes practically glowing with the latent energy she had built up all morning. "Is my assessment correct?"

She was anxious, and she needed to get into the action.